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Fresno Grizzlies

Fresno Grizzlies Game Notes at San Jose

April 16, 2022 - California League (CalL)
Fresno Grizzlies News Release


*** Part 1.1 - ASCII

The Grizzlies and Giants continue their six-game series tonight. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 pm PT from Excite Ballpark. Grizzlies RHP Victor Juarez and Giants RHP Mason Black are the probable starters. I have attached the roster/game notes.

Last night, four Grizzlies arms combined to throw the first shutout of the 2022 season (Castillo, Sanchez, Condreay, Mejia). Last year, the Grizzlies had 8 shutout wins.

Happy Birthday to RHP Cullen Kafka. He turns 23 today. Kafka is the second Fresno player to enjoy a birthday this season. INF Adael Amador celebrated his 19th birthday on April 11th

TIME TO GET A VICTORY WITH VICTOR: Tonight's starting pitcher is righty Victor Juarez, an 18-year old from Mexico. Juarez is the youngest member of the 2022 Grizzlies roster and is considered to be a very interesting prospect. Last season, he split time between DSL Colorado and ACL Rockies (both rookie ball). Juarez started the year with DSL Colorado, going 2-0 with a robust 0.68 ERA. That ERA was the second-best in DSL Rockies history behind Jeffri Ocando's mark (0.39) in 2016. That same year (2016), Juarez was playing for Team Mexico in the Little League World Series. You can read more about Juarez on Page 2.

LET'S GOOOOO: The Fresno Grizzlies brought back almost their entire field staff for the 2022 season. Manager Robinson Cancel will once again pilot the team after leading the Grizzlies to a league-best 74-41 record and earning a playoff spot in his inaugural season at the helm. Assuming the same roles in 2022 as well are Pitching Coach Mark Brewer, Hitting Coach Nic Wilson and Athletic Trainer Justin Wilson. Steve Soliz remains on the staff as well, moving from Development Supervisor to Bench Coach. Finally, Genevieve Payne rounds out the group as the Performance Coach. On the players side, 16 pitchers and 14 position players were assigned to Fresno. There are six returning players from the 2021 regular season championship squad and six of the Rockies top 30 prospects as listed by MLB.com will don the Grizzlies threads in 2022. The returning players include RHP Noah Gotsis, RHP Juan Mejia, RHP Case Williams, C Bryant Quijada, INF Warming Bernabel and INF Trevor Boone. The top prospects include #3 OF Benny Montgomery, #10 INF Adael Amador, #14 INF Warming Bernabel, #16 OF Yanquiel Fernandez, #20 C Hunter Goodman and #24 OF Juan Guerrero. There are also a few names that the Central Valley may recognize, outfielders EJ Andrews Jr and Braiden Ward. Andrews Jr. was a Fresno State Bulldog prior to being drafted by the Rockies last year and Ward is a product of El Capitan High School in Merced, one hour from Chukchansi Park.

#CLAWSANDPAWS: EJ Andrews Jr. became the ninth Fresno State Bulldog to don a Fresno Grizzlies uniform after starting Sunday afternoon against Stockton. He joins LHP Dean Hartgraves, '98, RHP Steve Soderstrom, '98-99, C Giuseppe Chiaramonte, '00-'01, RHP Mark Gardner, rehab, '01, OF Tom Goodwin '02, LHP Adam Pettyjohn '04, C Trent Woodward, '15 and '17 and RHP Justin Miller, '19.

WARMING UP: Warming Bernabel has been on fire to start his 2022 campaign. The returning third baseman has hit safely in all seven games this season, batting .444 with a 1.161 OPS. Bernabel has recorded five multi-hit games over those seven contests, driving in four runs and scoring six times. He has one homer and two steals while only striking out five times.

BRAIDEN BITES: Braiden Ward has been a nightmare for opposing teams over the four games he has appeared in this season. The Merced native is 5-for-10 (.500) with an .800 slugging percentage and 1.467 OPS. He has scored four times, driven in a pair of runs, walked three times and stolen a trio of bases. Ward also has one homer, a solo shot to right against Stockton.

MAN, HUNTER IS GOOD: Hunter Goodman has torn the cover off the ball to start his season. The catcher/first baseman has appeared in all seven games, batting .379 with a .655 slugging percentage and 1.055 OPS. The University of Memphis product leads the team with 10 RBI and is tied for the club-high with two homers. Goodman has enjoyed a trio of three-hit games and multi-RBI games, which include an individual-best five on April 9th vs. Stockton.

GIANT AMOUNT OF MATCHUPS: The Grizzlies and Giants continue their first series tonight against one another since meeting in September for the 2021 Low-A West Championship series. This season, the two clubs will play 30 times against one another with 18 of those contests being held in San Jose. Of the four meetings so far this year, the squads have split those matchups. Last season, the two clubs faced each other 33 total times with three of those games being held in the playoffs.

FROM FRIEND TO FOE: The San Jose Giants coaching staff have a few names that the Central Valley may recognize. Giants pitching coach Dan Runzler was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 9th round of the 2007 MLB June Amateur Draft. He would play for the Grizzlies from 2009-2014, appearing in 144 games. Runzler would then end up pitching in the major leagues for parts of five seasons (Giants 2009-2012, Pirates 2017) before playing overseas and in independent ball. Over 97 big league games, he had a 4-2 record with a 3.89 ERA, 82 strikeouts. 46 walks and 72 hits allowed in 76.1 innings pitched. The other coach and former Grizzlies player fans may remember is Giants hitting coach Travis Ishikawa. He was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 21st round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft out of Federal Way HS in Washington. He would play eight Major League seasons starting in 2006 and ending in 2015 with time spent in San Francisco (2006, 2008-2010, 2014-2015), Milwaukee (2012), Baltimore (2013), New York AL (2013) and Pittsburgh (2014-15). Ishikawa would also don a Grizzlies uniform in 2008, 2011 and 2014, playing in 175 games. In 2008, Ishikawa would bat .310 with a 1.107 OPS over 48 games, one of the best stretches by any Fresno hitter.

WEAR THE BEAR: Red (0-1), Beige (3-0), Black & Gold (0-0), Gray (2-1), Specialty Promo (0-0), Fresno Tacos (0-0), Lowriders de Fresno (Copa de la Diversion, 0-0), Fresno Growers (0-0), Fresno Tigers (0-0), Red Pants (0-0).

APRIL 17, 2022 @ SAN JOSE GIANTS (SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS): EXCITE BALLPARK- 1:00 PM PT

LHP Mason Green (0-0, 7.36) vs LHP Matt Mikulski (0-0, 2.25)

APRIL 19, 2022 VS LAKE ELSINORE STORM (SAN DIEGO PADRES): CHUKCHANSI PARK- 6:50 PM PT

TBA vs RHP Cullen Kafka (0-1, 4.50)

APRIL 20, 2022 VS LAKE ELSINORE STORM (SAN DIEGO PADRES): CHUKCHANSI PARK- 6:50 PM PT

TBA vs RHP Case Williams (0-1, 9.00)

APRIL 21, 2022 VS LAKE ELSINORE STORM (SAN DIEGO PADRES): CHUKCHANSI PARK- 6:50 PM PT

TBA vs LHP Evan Shawver (1-0, 0.00)

Check out the Fresno Grizzlies Statistics

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California League Stories from April 16, 2022


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