Results tagged ‘ Stephen Bruno ’
Cubs minor league recap: 4/14/13
Brian Bogusevic posted his third-straight, multi-hit game Sunday. (Photo by Stephen Green)
While Kane County’s doubleheader in Wisconsin was postponed due to inclement weather, Iowa, Tennessee and Daytona all collected a win Sunday. Here are some highlights from yesterday’s action:
Iowa Cubs (3-8)
Iowa won its second game in a row, plating three fifth-inning runs in a 4-1 victory over visiting Albuquerque.
- LHP Chris Rusin (1-1) went seven innings, surrendering one earned run on four hits for the win.
- CF Brian Bogusevic (.378 AVG) recorded his third-straight, multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with a run scored.
- 2B Darwin Barney (.200) went 0-for-1 with three walks, a run scored and a stolen base (1) in the second game of a rehabilitation assignment.
- 3B Ian Stewart (.000) went 0-for-3 with a walk and a RBI (1) in the first game of a rehabilitation assignment.
- 1B Brad Nelson (.205) was 1-for-4 with a team-high two RBI (7).
- RHP Zach Putnam (8.44 ERA) converted his first save, walking one and fanning three in 2.0 scoreless innings of relief.
Tennessee Smokies (5-5)
Tennessee plated two runs in the first inning, one in the fourth inning and four more in the seventh in a 7-3 victory over visiting Chattanooga, the Smokies third straight win.
- RHP Dae-Eun Rhee (1-1) went six innings, surrendering one hit and allowing no earned runs.
- RF Jae-Hoon Ha (.343) reached base four times, going 3-for-3 with a walk, a double (2), a run scored and a RBI (6).
- 2B Ronald Torreyes (.667) reached base three times, going 2-for-3 with a walk, a run and a RBI (1).
- LF Rubi Silva (.345) was 2-for-4.
- 3B Jonathan Mota (.227) went 2-for-4 with a run scored and a RBI (2).
Daytona Cubs (5-5)
Daytona used a three-run seventh inning to race past host Tampa, 3-1.
- RHP Zach Cates (1-1) surrendered one earned run over six innings, striking out four in the win.
- DH Stephen Bruno (.385) went 2-for-4 with a run scored. He extended his hitting streak to eight games (.424), including six multi-hit affairs.
- 1B Dustin Geiger (.286) went 2-for-4 with a run scored.
- C Micah Gibbs (.286) was 2-for-4 with a double (2) and a RBI (5).
- LHP Frank Del Valle (0.00) converted his second save, striking out the side in a perfect ninth frame.
Prospectus Preview: 2012 Draft Class, Stephen Bruno
(Photo by Scott McDaniel)
Other Prospectus Previews:
• Close to the Majors / Robert Whitenack
• Down the Pipeline / Jeimer Candelario
• Close to the Majors / Nick Struck
• 2012 International / Jorge Soler
• 2012 Trades and Claims / Barret Loux
Stephen Bruno has spent only a few months donning Cubs minor league attire. But from what the organization has seen out of the 2012 draft pick, it’s safe to say he knows how to handle the bat.
The seventh-round pick from the University of Virginia crushed anything and everything opposing pitchers threw at him in 2012. He jumped right into Short-Season A Boise, and was a key piece of the team’s championship series run. The organization hasn’t found a set position for the 22-year-old infielder yet, but he can play a variety of spots effectively.
Chicago-area Cubs fans should be excited as Bruno could start the 2013 season playing with a young but exciting Single-A Kane County squad, the new minor league affiliate located about 40 miles west of downtown.
Bruno is just one of more than 60 players covered in Vine Line’s annual Minor League Prospectus. The issue is on newsstands now, with single issues available by calling 800-618-8377. It’s an exhaustive rundown, perfect for Spring Training and beyond.
IF | Stephen Bruno
Ht./Wt.: 5-9/165
B/T: R/R
Born: 11/17/90 in Audubon, N.J.
Acquired: 2012 Draft (7)
Tools: Hits for Average
2012 STATS (Short-Season): .361/.442/.496 (AVG/OBP/SLG)Bruno, who was a standout among standouts on the stacked Boise short-season squad, is a professional hitter who can flat-out rake. Few are capable of going on a tear like he did in his first pro season. It’s not clear where he’ll play—he could be an average second baseman or play third base/outfield (Bruno also tried on the catcher’s gear in fall instructs, though it’s an unlikely landing spot). Still, his bat will keep him in the lineup, despite lacking big power. There weren’t many college hitters available in the draft, but the Cubs feel they got a good one out of the University of Virginia.
Other players featured in this section: Outfielder Albert Almora; and pitchers Paul Blackburn, Pierce Johnson and Duane Underwood.
Plus, tidbits on RHP Ryan McNeil, RHP Josh Conway, LHP Michael Heesch and IF Tim Saunders.
Farm Report Wrap-Up: Hawks turned talent, youth into postseason run
Albert Almora (Photo Courtesy of Alex Hernandez/USA Baseball)
Today we begin our tour around the Cubs farm system, taking a level-by-level look at performances the organization hopes to build on in 2013. First up, the Short-Season Class-A Boise Hawks.
When Albert Almora took batting practice earlier today at Wrigley Field, Theo Epstein commented to reporters that Boise “had a prospect at every position” by the end of the season.
One of those prospects was Almora, of course, the sixth overall pick in the 2012 draft. Almora played a strong center field for the Hawks and also hit for a .292/.292/.446 slash line (batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage) in 65 plate appearances. That included seven doubles and a home run in his 19 hits. Before his mid-August promotion, he had hit for a .347/.363/.480 slash line in 80 plate appearances with the organization’s Rookie-level complex team.
Other names that are well known to watchful Cubs fans are catcher Willson Contreras, first basemen Dan Vogelbach and Rock Shoulders, second baseman Gioskar Amaya, shortstop Marco Hernandez, third baseman Jeimer Candelario and infielder/outfielder Stephen Bruno.
Don’t forget the pitching: Pierce Johnson and Tayler Scott were impressive in the rotation, while Michael Heesch formed a crucial part of the bullpen.
Final Records:
First Half / 13-25, third place, 8.0 GB
Second Half / 24-14, first place, 8.0 GA
Storylines: The Hawks won the Eastern Division’s second-half championship to make the postseason, despite being the Northwest League’s youngest team. They came back from a one-game deficit in their best-of-three series against the Yakima Bears (Diamondbacks) but couldn’t do the same against the Vancouver Canadians (Blue Jays) in the championship series. (more…)
Farm Report: Boise evens divisional series to set up decisive Game 3
Scott McDaniel / BoiseHawks.com
After a frustrating battle with situational hitting for the first 17 innings of the series, the Boise Hawks poured it on in the ninth last night to force a deciding Game 3 in their first-round playoff series. The Hawks and the Yakima Bears (Diamondbacks) will settle it all tonight in a game that you can hear at 7:05 Central Time via BoiseHawks.com.
Boise scored seven runs in the ninth to break a 4-4 deadlock and ultimately went on to win 11-5. Albert Almora, the sixth-overall pick of the 2012 draft, was at the center of several rallies. He hit a two-out triple with the Hawks trailing by a run in the eighth, and scored on a wild pitch. The next inning, he followed up Jeimer Calendario’s two-run triple (which was misplayed in the outfield) with a two-run double to put the game away for good.
Scoring Recap: Boise struck first, taking a two-run lead on Gioskar Amaya’s home run in the third inning. Yakima answered right back in the bottom half, thanks to a double, walk, bunt and then two-run single by Kevin Medrano. Batting ninth, Trey Martin led off the fifth with a double, and he scored on Stephen Bruno’s single for a 3-2 lead. Medrano and Joseph Loftus led off with singles off reliever Michael Heesch in the bottom half. They scored on a one-out single to give Yakima a 4-3 lead. Almora came up big in the eighth with a two-out triple and scored on a wild pitch to tie things up. In the top of the ninth, the Hawks took off. After two quick outs, Boise put nine straight men on base and took a commanding 11-4 lead. Tyler Bremer closed out his third inning of work by allowing just a run in the bottom of the ninth for the 11-5 win.
Top Performances: Boise starter Tayler Scott was sitting in the low-90s on the Yakima stadium gun. He didn’t have his best stuff, according to Hawks broadcaster Mike Safford, but he battled out of tough situations throughout his five innings of work. His ability to induce ground balls on all three of his pitches showed again yesterday.
Speaking of ground balls, second baseman Amaya picked a sharp, one-hopper in the first inning to start a double play and keep things scoreless. Amaya did just about everything yesterday: He gave Boise a 2-0 lead in the third when he turned on an inside fastball for a home run. He also added a couple of sacrifice bunts and a walk. Amaya’s natural tools may not match up with some of his teammates’, but he proved himself in myriad ways as a 19-year-old in the Northwest League. He’s one to watch.
Tonight’s Starting Pitchers: Felix Peña is expected to take the hill for the Hawks. The 22-year-old, Dominican born right-hander is now in his second season in the U.S. He throws a fastball, curve, slider and change. His fastball gets some sink when he locates it down, which is always a key for him. The slider can be a strikeout pitch when buried low and away from a right-handed hitter. His curveball is a slow change of pace and can be inconsistent, but he gets good downward break when he gets on top of it. Sometimes it looks like he’s rushing through his delivery, but he’s shown the ability to adjust in games.
Peña’s two starts against Yakima this year were polar opposites. On July 25 at home, he gave up seven hits and four earned runs in four innings. On August 21 at the Bears, Peña allowed just four hits and an unearned run in five innings.
Yakima’s starting pitcher was unknown as of last night, but it looks like they’ve settled on 18-year-old right-hander Jose Martinez. He’s made just two appearances outside of the Dominican in his career (10.2 IP, 4.22 ERA).
The Big 6-0-0: Safford celebrated his 600th Northwest League broadcast last night. It was only his 594th with the Hawks—he also has six games with the Spokane Indians under his belt. Listen to him again tonight at 7:05 Central Time at BoiseHawks.com.
—Sean Ahmed
