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PCL1 Las Vegas Aviators

PCL Notebook: Catcher J.P. Arencibia Leads All the Minor Leagues with 29 HRs

July 28, 2010 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Las Vegas Aviators News Release


Las Vegas catcher J.P. Arencibia was scuffling through his second season at Triple-A when the 51s rolled into Albuquerque in late May.

Arencibia went 3-for-14 in four games, including one outing in which he struck out in all four at-bats.

"Actually right around Albuquerque, I was lost [at the plate]," Arencibia said. "I'd had a bad series. My timing was so off I wasn't giving myself a chance at the plate. I was late, I wasn't recognizing pitches.

"Once you're late you try to compensate, try to catch up to everything. You can't catch up to breaking balls. You can't catch up to fastballs. You're an easy out. Me and our hitting coach -- Chad Mottola, a lot of the success is thanks to him -- we figured out a plan to get consistent with my timing."

That plan has worked as Arencibia caught fire in June and hasn't stopped hitting since.

As of July 24, the Toronto Blue Jays' prospect led all of Minor League Baseball with 29 home runs, while his batting average had risen from .219 on May 22 to .311.

The 24-year-old Miami native said his big numbers are not just a result of hitter-friendly Cashman Field.

"Everyone says Vegas and the PCL [are hitter-friendly], but it's come at other places," Arencibia said. "I'm confident enough to say the home runs I've been hitting are home runs at any park. It's not a pop fly that gets out."

Arencibia said he has always been "an aggressive hitter." He has just 87 career walks in 390 games in the Minors since he was drafted in the first round out of Tennessee in 2007.

Strikeouts have been an issue in the past, but this season Arencibia has just 70 in 341 at-bats, an average of about one strikeout every five times. His ratio was 1:4 last season when he was punched out 114 times in 466 at-bats.

"I think part of me being ready early and giving me a chance to have my timing right, it's given me an ability to recognize the pitches that aren't strikes and only put swings on the ones that are," Arencibia said.

While the hitting has come along, Arencibia said he's actually spent more of this season focused on improving his defense, as he feels that's the key to reaching the Majors with Toronto.

"It's tough, especially being a catcher. There's a lot of things you have to take into [account]," he said. "You've got to know the hitters, know your pitcher and how to get the best out of him. It's part of being a catcher. You've got to take pride in all of that stuff. I do now more so than ever.

"I realize how important defense is. The hitting stuff is [easier]. I've always been a guy who can hit. To be in the Major Leagues, I have to be an all-around player."

In brief

Save Farris: Nashville 2B Eric Farris returned to the lineup on Saturday after missing three months with a knee injury. Farris went 2-for-4 with a triple, a double, an RBI and a run scored in the Sounds' 8-5 win over the Isotopes.

Sudden scare: Round Rock RHP Josh Banks was struck in the mouth by a line drive off the bat of Iowa's Thomas Diamond in the third inning on Saturday night. X-rays were negative, but Banks did require stitches on the inside and outside of his lower lip, and he is expected to miss at least one start.

Back at ya: A night after losing 12-1 to Colorado Springs, Salt Lake came back and routed the Sky Sox, 17-1, on Saturday. Bees CF Peter Bourjos went 1-for-3 in Friday's loss and 5-for-6 in Saturday's victory.

The Rising: Sacramento has gone from 12 1/2 games back on June 15 to a first-place tie with Fresno in the Pacific South Division. Since they came into existence in 2000, the RiverCats have won eight division titles in 10 seasons and claimed the PCL championship four times.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from July 28, 2010


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