Burlington went 3-4 this past week.

Outside of Starling, catcher Cameron Gallagher returned to the Royals lineup. In his first two games back from the catcher’s interference injury, he went 4-for-10 with two RBIs.

A few 2012 draft picks have been playing well for the Royals. Kenny Diekroeger is in the midst of a six-game hitting streak, as he went 9-for-26 (.346) with three homeruns, four runs scored, and seven RBIs. Starter Colin Rodgers made two starts and allowed two runs on six hits and two walks over 6.2 innings.

Idaho Falls also went just 3-4 over the past week.

Andrew Ferguson made two starts for the Chukars and allowed just two runs over those outings. In 12.2 innings, he allowed seven hits and three walks while striking out 12. Alec Mills, a 2012 draft pick out of Tennessee Martin, made two relief appearances (totaling 3.1 innings). He allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out four.

Ethan Chapman, another 2012 draft pick for the Royals (out of Cal State San Bernardino), has been on a tear. He is currently in the midst of a six-game hitting streak. Over the past week, Chapman was 13-for-28(.464) with five runs scored. He has struck out just once. Rainier Bello started the week very hot, by going 4-for-9 with five RBIs in the first two games.

Parker Morin is in the midst of a three-game hitting streak, where he is 7-for-12 (.583) with two doubles, a triple, a homerun, four runs scored, and four RBIs. His homerun came off former UNC closer Mike Morin (who was also a 2012 draft pick). Adalberto Mondesi, the son of Raul Mondesi, posted three multi-hit games this week and overall went 8-for-26 (.308) with five runs scored.

NW Arkansas lost to Springfield, 5-2. Newly minted All-Star Justin Marks took the loss, as he allowed three runs on six hits and a walk over 5.2 innings. He struck out six.

The Naturals collected just four hits and their lone RBI came via Sharlon Schoop sac fly in the 7th inning.

Sugar Ray Marimon

Wilmington lost the pitcher’s duel to Winston-Salem, 2-1. The Blue Rocks had their chance to at least to tie the game in the bottom of the 9th inning. They had runners at second and third base with just one out, but Dash reliever Terance Marin struck out the next two batters to pick up the save.

Sugar Ray Marimon of the Blue Rocks was bested by Spencer Arroyo of the Dash. Arroyo allowed just five hits over six shutout innings. Meanwhile, Marimon allowed two runs in the top of the 7th inning. He allowed nine hits and two walks over 6.2 innings, but took the loss.

Juan Graterol returned from the DL and went 4-for-4. Pitcher Leondy Perez finally went to the DL with an arm injury (he lasted just one inning of his start last Friday).

The Dash did not clinch the first half title, as Salem also won. The Dash lead the Southern Division by two games with two to go.

Over 9,000 fans showed up to watch Kane County commit five errors, have two passed balls, collect just four hits, and lose to Cedar Rapids, 6-0. Daniel Mateo committed four errors at second base, giving him 21 on the season. Shortstop Orlando Calixte committed his 24th error of the season. Catcher Kenny Swab had two passed balls.

Andrew Ferguson started for the Cougars and allowed three runs (one earned) on eight hits over 5.1 innings.

After a poor start from Sean O’Sullivan (4IP, 9H, 6R, 3BB, 5), Blaine Hardy followed with four scoreless innings of relief. He allowed just two hits while striking out four to pick up the win.

Salvador Perez again caught all nine innings (he went 0-for-3 with a run scored). Chris Getz was the DH and went 0-for-5. Five Omaha players had two hits.

Justin Marks from last season with the Blue Rocks

After taking over first place in the Texas League’s North Division on Saturday night, NW Arkansas traveled to face the team they stook first place from, Tulsa. The Drillers came back to defeat the Naturals, 4-2 and ended their seven-game winning streak.

Neither team hit early on, as pitching dominated. Naturals starter Justin Marks allowed just one run on five hits and two walks over seven innings. However the Drillers came back with three runs with two outs off Naturals reliever Patrick Keating. Two of those runs scored on Rey Navarro‘s fielding error at shortstop.

The Naturals had just four hits, with Ryan Jenkins delivering the two out, two-run double in the 7th inning. Three of their four hits came in that inning.

The Wilmington Blue Rocks were swept at Winston-Salem, as they lost Sunday’s finale 2-0. The Blue Rocks collected just three hits. The loss pushed the Blue Rocks to five games back of Lynchburg in the Carolina League’s Northern Division with seven games to go in the first half. They have lost five in a row.

The Blue Rocks struck out eight times, back-to-back to end the game. Brett Eibner picked up two more strikeouts, to raise his total to 70 on the season (fourth most in the CL).

Sugar Ray Marimon took the loss. He allowed two runs on seven hits and four walks over six innings. Brooks Pounders made his Blue Rocks debut with one scoreless inning of relief.

Kane County went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position en route to their 4-1 loss to Peoria. Four of the Cougars’ seven hits came from Daniel Mateo and Michael Antonio.

Andrew Ferguson made his first start of the 2012 season for the Cougars (he was an 18th round draft pick of the KC Royals in last June’s draft out of Arkansas State University). He allowed one run on two hits and four walks over four innings. He struck out four.

After spending three weeks focused on the Idaho Falls Chukars, it’s finally time to move on. The next logical step is the Burlington Royals so that is where we’re heading. As you can surmise from the title, today I’m breaking down the pitchers and in the next column I’ll delve into the position players.

All 14 of the pitchers on the Burlington roster have been introduced to the Royals system in the last 4 years. 3 came in 2008, 5 in 2010 and 6 in 2011. 9 pitchers were added via the draft, 2 were international free agents, 2 were non-drafted free agents and one was acquired via trade. In Baseball America’s 2011 Prospect Handbook, RHP Robinson Yambati cracked Kansas City’s pre-season top-30 (#16) and RHP Eric Cantrell made the organizational depth chart but the rest of the pack haven’t received much pub as of yet. (more…)