August 9, 2019 at 5:32 p.m.
Promotion leaves gaping hole
Line Drives
FORT WAYNE — It was only a matter of time before Joey Cantillo’s stint in Fort Wayne came to an end.
That day was Thursday.
Cantillo was promoted to High-A Lake Elsinore Storm, the San Diego Padres organization announced.
“Sure, we knew he was our ace, but it gives opportunities to other guys,” TinCap manager Anthony Contreras said.
Contreras pointed to right-hander Adrian Martinez, a 22-year-old from Mexicali, Mexico, and Edwuin Bencomo, a 20-year-old from Rio Chico, Venezuela, as those two guys.
“Obviously not the same length as the regular starters, but they will have the ability to give us a little bit of length,” Contreras added.
“Those guys will have to step it up.”
Indeed they will.
Cantillo, a 19-year-old lefty from Honolulu, Hawaii, was the Midwest League player of the month for June. In addition, he had won Pitcher of the Week award three out of the last seven weeks. He is the only player in Fort Wayne history to earn the honor three times in the same season.
The 16th-round pick in the 2017 draft put up ridiculous numbers in his first full season in the minor leagues.
He was 9-3, and his win total ranked second in all of the MWL. But he was much more than a pitcher who could win games.
He didn’t allow many runs. He struck out batters in droves and didn’t walk many hitters either.
Cantillo ranked ninth or higher in 11 statistical categories, including first in seven.
They are:
•First — ERA (1.93), strikeouts (128), WHIP (0.87), batting average against (.173), strikeouts per nine innings (11.76), strikeout percentage (34.7) and strikeout-to-walk percentage (27.4).
•Second — strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.74), swinging strike percentage (15.7), home runs per nine innings (0.28).
•Ninth — walks per nine innings (2.48).
His absence creates a gaping hole in the Fort Wayne pitching staff. But that’s a reality of the minor leagues. And the TinCaps know it’s going to be tough to replace him.
“It’s a big loss but someone is going to step up and fill those shoes,” said catcher Blake Hunt, who was also Cantillo’s roommate.
As Contreras said, the challenge for Martinez and Bencomo will be how deep they can go into games. Martinez has two starts this season. On May 5, he went a season-long five innings and did not get the decision in a 4-3 loss to the Quad Cities River Bandits.
He also started in a doubleheader May 29, and lasted just 2 1/3 innings of a 10-1 loss to the West Michigan Whitecaps.
Bencomo, on the other hand, has only three outings of three or more innings. He spun three frames and got a save in a rookie league game. After being transferred to Fort Wayne on July 1, he threw three innings of relief on July 14, and went four innings in an 8-0 loss Tuesday.
Dylan Coleman, a 6-foot, 5-inch righty from Potosi, Missouri, was transferred from Short-Season Tri-City Dust Devils to replace Cantillo’s spot on the roster.
“Those guys will have to step it up,” Contreras said. “It’s kind of like what we saw in ’17 when (Fernando Tatis Jr.) left; someone is going to step up in that role.”
Fort Wayne is amidst a playoff run. After defeating the Dayton Dragons 6-2 on Thursday night for the team’s seventh win in eight games, the TinCaps are five games behind the South Bend Cubs for the Eastern Division wild card spot.
That comes with a three-game series against the Cubs in South Bend set to begin Saturday.
There’s a gaping hole with Cantillo gone, and the it couldn’t come at a more critical time.
“Right now we’re playing good baseball and we just have to ride it as long as we can,” Contreras said.
That day was Thursday.
Cantillo was promoted to High-A Lake Elsinore Storm, the San Diego Padres organization announced.
“Sure, we knew he was our ace, but it gives opportunities to other guys,” TinCap manager Anthony Contreras said.
Contreras pointed to right-hander Adrian Martinez, a 22-year-old from Mexicali, Mexico, and Edwuin Bencomo, a 20-year-old from Rio Chico, Venezuela, as those two guys.
“Obviously not the same length as the regular starters, but they will have the ability to give us a little bit of length,” Contreras added.
“Those guys will have to step it up.”
Indeed they will.
Cantillo, a 19-year-old lefty from Honolulu, Hawaii, was the Midwest League player of the month for June. In addition, he had won Pitcher of the Week award three out of the last seven weeks. He is the only player in Fort Wayne history to earn the honor three times in the same season.
The 16th-round pick in the 2017 draft put up ridiculous numbers in his first full season in the minor leagues.
He was 9-3, and his win total ranked second in all of the MWL. But he was much more than a pitcher who could win games.
He didn’t allow many runs. He struck out batters in droves and didn’t walk many hitters either.
Cantillo ranked ninth or higher in 11 statistical categories, including first in seven.
They are:
•First — ERA (1.93), strikeouts (128), WHIP (0.87), batting average against (.173), strikeouts per nine innings (11.76), strikeout percentage (34.7) and strikeout-to-walk percentage (27.4).
•Second — strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.74), swinging strike percentage (15.7), home runs per nine innings (0.28).
•Ninth — walks per nine innings (2.48).
His absence creates a gaping hole in the Fort Wayne pitching staff. But that’s a reality of the minor leagues. And the TinCaps know it’s going to be tough to replace him.
“It’s a big loss but someone is going to step up and fill those shoes,” said catcher Blake Hunt, who was also Cantillo’s roommate.
As Contreras said, the challenge for Martinez and Bencomo will be how deep they can go into games. Martinez has two starts this season. On May 5, he went a season-long five innings and did not get the decision in a 4-3 loss to the Quad Cities River Bandits.
He also started in a doubleheader May 29, and lasted just 2 1/3 innings of a 10-1 loss to the West Michigan Whitecaps.
Bencomo, on the other hand, has only three outings of three or more innings. He spun three frames and got a save in a rookie league game. After being transferred to Fort Wayne on July 1, he threw three innings of relief on July 14, and went four innings in an 8-0 loss Tuesday.
Dylan Coleman, a 6-foot, 5-inch righty from Potosi, Missouri, was transferred from Short-Season Tri-City Dust Devils to replace Cantillo’s spot on the roster.
“Those guys will have to step it up,” Contreras said. “It’s kind of like what we saw in ’17 when (Fernando Tatis Jr.) left; someone is going to step up in that role.”
Fort Wayne is amidst a playoff run. After defeating the Dayton Dragons 6-2 on Thursday night for the team’s seventh win in eight games, the TinCaps are five games behind the South Bend Cubs for the Eastern Division wild card spot.
That comes with a three-game series against the Cubs in South Bend set to begin Saturday.
There’s a gaping hole with Cantillo gone, and the it couldn’t come at a more critical time.
“Right now we’re playing good baseball and we just have to ride it as long as we can,” Contreras said.
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