AAA Coverage
Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2019 2:59 am
Lakers Review
This new segment will focus on covering Duluth's talent in the minor leagues.
Part One: Racine’s front men
Just 2 games behind Grand Rapids after a 2-1 over Kyoto and an opening win against Thornton, the story of the week in Racine is the recent roster shakeup directed from the Front Office. With top-notch pitching from the frontmen, Racine is 4th AAA ERA at a respectable 2.7. This is due largely to the talents of Jeffrey Mendoza, pitching 2.1 as he recovers from his shoulder rehabilitation. Mendoza, along with Orlando Trujillo, were recently promoted to Duluth, draining the Lakers of their top throwers. Here’s a rundown of the front 5:
Masamichi Kono
Masa Kono is truly an example of how talent can only get you so far.
Showing his chops in his third AAA season, the AAA All-Star recovered well from last season’s pedestrian showing, dropping his ERA down to an impressive 2.18. With a monster collection of strikeouts, Kono is mirroring the 1.20 WHIP that got people talking back in 2025. His poor control, however, holds him back significantly. It’s a pity, too—the 27-year-old starter will never make in in PEBA with his often unpredictable outsiders. You’ll often see a devastating slider followed by a changeup over the umpire’s head. His lack of finesse will keep him from competing on a PEBA front.
Felipe Soriano
Fresh from demotion following a 5.24 ERA/1.61 WHIP over 41 games with the Warriors, Soriano returns to Racine after a promotion last year. With a well-developed arsenal, Soriano’s three AAA stints have all been respectably in the 2.3 ERA range. His awful curveball could have used cultivation as a younger pitcher—his breaking balls have a painful habit of leaving the stadium. Due for arbitration, it’s highly unlikely he’ll be returning to Minnesota next year.
Junji Toiguchi
The second Japanese starter for the Lakers, Toiguchi is in his fourth year at AAA here in Racine, after similar performances in AA. While he has improved his WHIP in the last three years, “Gucci Gucci” also suffers from poor control, especially when tossing forkballs. He just doesn't have the intellect to adapt. A solid farm player—not a reliable reliever in PEBA.
Fernando Gusman
In his second go at AAA, Gusman demonstrates significant improvement in his game from his last attempt at Racine. Sporting a 2.70 ERA after his return from A Ball, Gusman is held back only by the utter atrocity that is his changeup—possibly the worst in AAA. For some reason, he just can’t get it over the mound. Still, his masterful control of every other pitch has even the bench coaches confused. Like Soriano, he’s held back from PEBA proficiency by a bad pitch that eats at his BB/9.
Gabriel Jimenez
Acquired in a trade with Shin Seiki that sent all-star closer Jesus Lopez across the pond, Jimenez makes his debut with Racine tonight after an average performances (3.7 ERA) over 15 starts for Kyoto (He kept his Rodan jersey just long enough to lose to his future team—luckily, he wasn’t the starter and avoided the L). His list of injuries makes his promotion hopes dubious—but if he can get his secondary pitches under control, he may change some minds.
CONCLUSION
With Racine's two top pitchers called up ahead of schedule to cover the demotion of Soriano, one can't help but wonder if the pool was drained too soon. But one thing's for sure, Warrior Hall is making big changes and exploring solutions to the pitching vacuum plaguing their relievers. We'll see if the gambit pays off this August. With mediocre front-men remaining behind, Racine needs fresh talent, and fast, or the program will stagnate.
Expect a lot of changes in the Racine front-5 over the summer as GM Ricky McCoy disassembles the team and rebuilds. AA hopefuls Bob Hodge and Jorge Zamora look ready for AAA. Likewise, 21-year-old Andres Cruz, a A leader from Kingston, was recently acquired in exchange for cash and a 4th-round pick. Look for him on the Racine roster next year if his numbers stay the same.
This new segment will focus on covering Duluth's talent in the minor leagues.
Part One: Racine’s front men
Just 2 games behind Grand Rapids after a 2-1 over Kyoto and an opening win against Thornton, the story of the week in Racine is the recent roster shakeup directed from the Front Office. With top-notch pitching from the frontmen, Racine is 4th AAA ERA at a respectable 2.7. This is due largely to the talents of Jeffrey Mendoza, pitching 2.1 as he recovers from his shoulder rehabilitation. Mendoza, along with Orlando Trujillo, were recently promoted to Duluth, draining the Lakers of their top throwers. Here’s a rundown of the front 5:
Masamichi Kono
Masa Kono is truly an example of how talent can only get you so far.
Showing his chops in his third AAA season, the AAA All-Star recovered well from last season’s pedestrian showing, dropping his ERA down to an impressive 2.18. With a monster collection of strikeouts, Kono is mirroring the 1.20 WHIP that got people talking back in 2025. His poor control, however, holds him back significantly. It’s a pity, too—the 27-year-old starter will never make in in PEBA with his often unpredictable outsiders. You’ll often see a devastating slider followed by a changeup over the umpire’s head. His lack of finesse will keep him from competing on a PEBA front.
Felipe Soriano
Fresh from demotion following a 5.24 ERA/1.61 WHIP over 41 games with the Warriors, Soriano returns to Racine after a promotion last year. With a well-developed arsenal, Soriano’s three AAA stints have all been respectably in the 2.3 ERA range. His awful curveball could have used cultivation as a younger pitcher—his breaking balls have a painful habit of leaving the stadium. Due for arbitration, it’s highly unlikely he’ll be returning to Minnesota next year.
Junji Toiguchi
The second Japanese starter for the Lakers, Toiguchi is in his fourth year at AAA here in Racine, after similar performances in AA. While he has improved his WHIP in the last three years, “Gucci Gucci” also suffers from poor control, especially when tossing forkballs. He just doesn't have the intellect to adapt. A solid farm player—not a reliable reliever in PEBA.
Fernando Gusman
In his second go at AAA, Gusman demonstrates significant improvement in his game from his last attempt at Racine. Sporting a 2.70 ERA after his return from A Ball, Gusman is held back only by the utter atrocity that is his changeup—possibly the worst in AAA. For some reason, he just can’t get it over the mound. Still, his masterful control of every other pitch has even the bench coaches confused. Like Soriano, he’s held back from PEBA proficiency by a bad pitch that eats at his BB/9.
Gabriel Jimenez
Acquired in a trade with Shin Seiki that sent all-star closer Jesus Lopez across the pond, Jimenez makes his debut with Racine tonight after an average performances (3.7 ERA) over 15 starts for Kyoto (He kept his Rodan jersey just long enough to lose to his future team—luckily, he wasn’t the starter and avoided the L). His list of injuries makes his promotion hopes dubious—but if he can get his secondary pitches under control, he may change some minds.
CONCLUSION
With Racine's two top pitchers called up ahead of schedule to cover the demotion of Soriano, one can't help but wonder if the pool was drained too soon. But one thing's for sure, Warrior Hall is making big changes and exploring solutions to the pitching vacuum plaguing their relievers. We'll see if the gambit pays off this August. With mediocre front-men remaining behind, Racine needs fresh talent, and fast, or the program will stagnate.
Expect a lot of changes in the Racine front-5 over the summer as GM Ricky McCoy disassembles the team and rebuilds. AA hopefuls Bob Hodge and Jorge Zamora look ready for AAA. Likewise, 21-year-old Andres Cruz, a A leader from Kingston, was recently acquired in exchange for cash and a 4th-round pick. Look for him on the Racine roster next year if his numbers stay the same.