Weekly Preview (June 8-13): Cristian Pache Looks Better, Is Producing At Gwinnett
When Cristian Pache was taken off the rehab assignment list and officially optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett, I wanted to see where the swing was and how he was approaching his at-bats, so I watched his ABs June 1 in that first game back.
My initial observations as relayed from Twitter:
“More controlled stroke from Pache in his first AB. Shorter and more direct to the zone, and it produces a single up the middle.”
“Pache backed it up with another good stroke in his second AB. Kept his hands in and worked a line drive to right-center. Hopefully he can maintain a more simplified approach.”
Pache has indeed maintained a better approach and is utilizing a better swing since returning to Gwinnett. It has only been three games because the Braves are bringing him back slowly from a hamstring injury, and it’s also probably a matter of a mental reset and working on things on the side. But Pache is 5-14 with three doubles in those three games, including 3-6 with two doubles and two RBIs on Saturday.
I wrote several times this spring that Pache’s lower half was getting out of sorts, and he was pulling off too hard and getting too big in his swing. It carried over to the regular season, where he struggled with lower-half timing and overall syncing of his halves.
It all goes back to the foundation for Pache. When his lower half is clean and on time, his upper body stays clean and on time, and he produces an efficient bat path that stays on plane longer. This has been the case since his A-ball days.
Immediately upon returning to Gwinnett, it was noticeable that Pache was cleaner throughout. He’s more upright, he’s timing both halves better and his hands are able to fire cleanly by getting the bat on plane and staying inside the ball better. I’ve now watched every at-bat since he returned to Gwinnett, and it’s one of the best, if not the best swing he’s had as a pro.
The two-run, game-tying double in the ninth inning Saturday is a great example. Pache got the front foot down, cleared his lower half without pulling off, stayed balanced and kept the hands inside to barrel the other way. He has no chance of doing that with the previous inconsistency of his timing in Atlanta.
It’s not the first time Pache has come out with clean mechanics and looked explosive in the box. The challenge now is maintaining what he’s doing both mechanically and in his approach, staying within himself and not trying to do too much once he returns to Atlanta. But this is the swing he needs to succeed at the major league level. It’s a matter of repeating.
Schedule
Triple-A Gwinnett
June 8-13: at Memphis (Cardinals)
June 8-11 at 8:10 p.m. EDT, June 12 at 7:35, June 13 at 3:05
Double-A Mississippi
June 8-13: at Biloxi (Brewers)
June 8-12 at 7:35 p.m. EDT, June 13 at 2:05
High-A Rome
June 8-13: vs. Asheville (Astros)
June 8-11 at 7 p.m., June 12 at 6, June 13 at 2
Low-A Augusta
June 8-13: vs. Myrtle Beach (Cubs)
June 8-11 at 7:05, June 12 at 6:05, June 13 at 2:05
Prospects to Watch This Week
At Triple-A Gwinnett, if Cristian Pache and Drew Waters are both in the lineup, they share the spotlight at the top of the order. Along with Pache’s recent success, Waters enters the week slashing .263/.365/.414 with six doubles, three homers and seven stolen bases. He’s almost five years younger than the average age at Triple-A. At Double-A Mississippi, Shea Langeliers is winning basically every award right now for his hot hitting. He’s now slashing .273/.404/.597 with four doubles, seven home runs and 14 walks. I’ll have more on him in the near future. At High-A Rome, Jesse Franklin is starting to turn it on a little, recording a double and three home runs in his last five games. He hit his first homer of the season June 1 and notched two long balls Sunday. At Low-A Augusta, Vaughn Grissom is starting to barrel with more authority. The young infielder has two doubles and a triple in his last five games while still maintaining his advanced eye with four walks so far this month. His .361 OBP has stayed pretty steady, and he’s holding his own at 20 years old in A-ball.
Recent Prospect Performances
Triple-A Gwinnett
Cristian Pache: 3-6, 2 2B, 2 RBI (6/5)
Drew Waters: 2-4, RBI, BB, SB (6/2)
Alex Jackson: 2-4, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI (6/2)
Kyle Muller: 5 IP, 4 H, R/ER, 2 BB, 6 K (6/2)
Drew Waters: 2-5, 2B (6/1)
Jasseel De La Cruz: 5 IP, 3 H, R/ER, 3 BB, 6 K (6/1)
Double-A Mississippi
Justin Dean: 1-3, 3B, RBI, SB (6/6)
Justin Dean: 3-4, 2B, RBI, SB (6/4)
Justin Dean: 1-3, 2B, RBI, 2 BB (6/3)
Shea Langeliers: 2-4, 2B, BB (6/3)
C.J. Alexander: 2-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI (6/3)
Shea Langeliers: 4-5, 3 HR, 3 RBI (6/2)
Trey Harris: 4-5, 2 2B, 3 RBI (6/2)
C.J. Alexander: 1-4, HR (6/1)
High-A Rome
Jesse Franklin: 2-3, 2 HR, 2 RBI (6/6)
Indigo Diaz: 2 IP, 3 H, 5 K (6/6)
Michael Harris: 1-3, 2B, BB, SB (6/5)
Logan Brown: 2-3, 2B, 4 RBI (6/5)
Spencer Strider: 4 IP, 2 H, R/ER, 3 BB, 8 K (6/5)
Michael Harris: 2-4, HR, 3 RBI (6/4)
Michael Harris: 2-4, SB (6/3)
Bryce Elder: 6 IP, 5 H, R, 10 K (6/3)
Beau Philip: 1-3, HR, BB (6/2)
Jared Shuster: 2 IP, 2 H, BB, 4 K (6/2)
Jesse Franklin: 1-3, HR, BB (6/1)
Ricky DeVito: 3 IP, H, BB, 6 K (6/1)
Indigo Diaz: 1 IP, 2 K (6/1)
Low-A Augusta
Vaughn Grissom: 2-4, 2B, RBI (6/6)
Willie Carter: 3-4, RBI, SB (6/6)
Brandon Parker: 1-4, HR, 2 RBI, BB (6/6)
Darius Vines: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R/ER, BB, 5 K (6/6)
Vaughn Grissom: 2-4, 3B, 2 RBI (6/4)
Stephen Paolini: 1-3, 2B, BB, SB (6/4)
Justin Yeager: 2.1 IP, 4 K (6/4)
Willie Carter: 1-3, BB, SB (6/3)
Ben Thompson: 2 IP, BB, 4 K (6/3)
Vaughn Grissom: 1-4, 2B, RBI, BB (6/2)
Willie Carter: 2-4, RBI (6/2)
Joey Estes: 4 IP, 3 H, BB, 7 K (6/2)
Darius Vines: 6 IP, 2 H, BB, 9 K (6/1)
Lisandro Santos: 2 IP, BB, 2 K (6/1)
Transactions
6/6: RHP Shane Greene recalled to Atlanta
6/6: RHP Jacob Webb optioned to Triple-A
6/6: RHP Victor Arano outrighted to Triple-A
6/5: RHP Jacob Webb recalled to Atlanta
6/4: RHP Ty Tice optioned to Triple-A
6/3: LHP Tucker Davidson recalled to Atlanta
6/3: UTL Johan Camargo optioned to Triple-A
6/3: RHP Luis Mora placed on temporarily inactive list at High-A
6/3: INF Riley Delgado activated from 60-day IL at High-A
6/2: OF Cristian Pache optioned to Triple-A
6/2: OF Connor Blair assigned to Low-A
6/2: OF Jose Bermudez placed on 7-day IL at Low-A
6/1: RHP Spencer Strider assigned to High-A
6/1: RHP Luis Mora assigned to High-A
6/1: LHP Lisandro Santos assigned to Low-A