Another Rookie Turns Heads But Will it Last?
Kelsey van Wingerden is the Coqui's newest rookie sensation but it is wise that fans are cautious to jump on his bandwagon just yet. Rookie flash-in-the-pans are the norm for this team.
Last week the 26-year old outfielder hit .406 with four doubles and three home runs to lift his batting average to .314 and his slugging percentage to .512. The Dutch native struggled when called up in late May. At the end of April he was hitting below .200. But the San Juan organization stuck with him and that faith is paying dividends in July.
San Juan is starved for power hitters and van Wingerden fits the bill having slugged 32 in AA ball a year ago.
The outfielder's rise has overshadowed another rookie, Pete Scammell, who has posted an 0.46 e.r.a. in his three starts after coming off the disabled list. The lefty has allowed just one run on 12 hits and no walks in his last 20 innings.
However, rookie sensations are nothing new in San Juan. Just this season the team got excited about another rookie outfielder, Caspar Gray, who won the leadoff and centerfield spots after hitting .297 in April. He is now in a 1-for-25 slump after a .172 June.
And last year there was outfielder Mike Rose, who has turned out to be a decent contributor (.364 OBP) but not the same guy who debuted with a home run in each of his first seven PEBA games. In fact, he has hit just five in the subsequent 56 games.
There also was Fernando Castro, who threw a no-hitter in his big league debut. Castro is a modest 16-22, 4.00 for his career.
There is one rookie everyone feels comfortable anointing though and that is 33-year old Luis Bonilla. The Chilean first baseman has gotten progressively better as the season has gone and now stands at .279, .321 with 24 doubles and 20 home runs. He is second in the Imperial League with 77 RBI, 33 more than any teammate.