Bus Leagues Express: August 7

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MiLB recognizes Player of the Week recipients: Every Monday, Minor League Baseball announces each league’s Player of the Week recipients. This week included Marc Krauss, now with Corpus Christi. He has a 1.577 OPS since being traded from Arizona to Houston. This week’s winners also included Bubba Starling of the Burlington Royals. It took a while for his pro career to finally get started, but he’s showing a nice plate approach along with his tools so far. Other honorees include Chris Parmelee (IL), Tony Abreu (PCL), Manny Machado (EL), Justin Bour (SL), Randal Grichuk (Cal), Xander Bogaerts (Car), Richard Lucas (FSL), Roidany Aguila (MWL), Robby Hefflinger (SAL), Lucas Herbst (NYPL), Joe Maloney (NWL) and Julian Yan (PIO).

MiLB recognizes Pitcher of the Week recipients: Every Monday, Minor League Baseball announces each league’s Pitcher of the Week recipients. This week included Frederick’s Dylan Bundy, fresh off a career long outing of 6.2 innings with eight strikeouts. Jameson Taillon of Bradenton took home the prize for the Florida State League with consecutive scoreless starts to drop his ERA back below 4.00. Other honorees include Rick VandenHurk (IL), Shelby Miller (PCL), Michael Kickham (EL), Graham Taylor (SL), Ethan Hollingsworth (TL), Taylor Stanton (Cal), Jeff Ferrell (MWL), Hoby Milner (SAL), Luis DeJesus (NYPL), Will Scott (NWL), Yender Caramo (APP) and Ross Stripling (PIO).

Wheeler inefficient in Buffalo debut: Zack Wheeler has made huge strides in his efficiency and control this season, but his AAA debut was closer to vintage Wheeler. He threw 101 pitches and got through just 4.2 innings in Buffalo’s 5-4 loss in the first game of a doubleheader against Syracuse. He only allowed two runs, but it was on three hits and four walks. As always, he showed his strikeout stuff with seven strikeouts. It’s been a true breakout year for the former top 10 pick, and he’s on a path to reach the majors at some point next year.

Banuelos out for season: If one season ending injury for a top prospect wasn’t enough, the Yankees announced the second within the span of a week. Manny Banuelos will miss the rest of the year with a bone bruise in his elbow, but the team hopes he’ll be ready to play in a winter league and then compete for a spot in the Yankees’ rotation for 2013. Banuelos hasn’t pitched since May 18th, and he only pitched 24 innings this year due to a shoulder injury that cost him a month. In addition to Mason Williams‘ season ending surgery, pitcher Jose Campos hasn’t pitched since April with an elbow injury. All three prospects were Bus Leagues Top 100 Prospects coming into the season.

Gausman sharp in pro debut: Kevin Gausman is the final healthy first round pick to make his pro debut nine days before the old signing deadline, and he made it count. He threw three perfect innings at State College Monday, striking out two in Aberdeen’s 4-1 win. Gausman breezed through the Spikes lineup, only needing 31 pitches, 23 of which were strikes. The draft-eligible sophomore came on strong in his second season at LSU, leading the Tigers to Super Regional play where they lost to upset-minded Stony Brook. The 4th overall pick should move through the system quickly, and the Orioles hope he can arrive on the scene around the time Dylan Bundy does.

Staten Island swept as losing streak extends to 10: The Staten Island Yankees have been one of the most successful franchises in the minors in recent seasons, winning two of the last three championships and five of the last 10. This season, they won’t be adding to those numbers. Monday morning, they lost their 10th straight game to drop to 15-32, tied for the worst record in the New York-Penn League. Two teams in their division already have 30 wins, so a comeback to reach the playoffs seems very doubtful. Despite having two of the Yankees’ top 30 prospects in the lineup including outfielder Ravel Santana, the offense has been quite mediocre, but their true undoing has been a pitching staff with a league worst 1.53 WHIP.

On tap today

MiLB.TV schedule

Jose Cisnero looks to continue AAA success

James Paxton hopes to keep up momentum

Dylan Bundy takes on Lynchburg

South Atlantic League takes a day off