Three words about the draft:  You Never Know.

OK, a few more.  Lots of experts thought Nick Franklin was a light-hitting infielder with Willie Bloomquist upside.  Kyle Seager was just Dustin Ackley's second banana.  Adam Jones was authoritatively declared a bust more than once.

That's why we don't Potificate from On High at this-here blog.  At least not so much.

And, from someone writing info-taining blurbs about minor leaguers, how can I not love "The Tank"!  Best thing since "Blash Splash" ...

So it's "D.J., Wilson and The Tank" ... right there with "Willie, Mickey and The Duke"?

AAA -- Las Vegas 12, Tacoma 5  -- Box

This one got billed as a showdown of pitching prospects, but the pitching never showed (except for the strikeouts part).

James Paxton (Talk40 #3) was "Puzzling Pax" and then some: 4.1 IP, 8 H, 9 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 6 K

But Met super-prospect Zack Wheeler wasn't a lot better: 4.2 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 7 K

Those who came out for the pitching showdown got to see a lot of pitches thrown, but not a lot of innings (Pax 90 pitches; Wheeler 105; but neither could make it through 5.0 IP).  Pax to DL? to AA? to bullpen?

The Rainiers got some offense going, but only after they were already down 9-1.

The Rebirth of Dustin Ackley continues: 3-for-4, double, walk (now .432/.537/.636).

When he comes back ... well ... he'd be a very slick-fielding first baseman, wouldn't he? 

Brad Miller (Talk40 #6) had three hits also.

AA -- Chattanooga 4, Jackson 2  -- Box

First hit in AA, and ...

Slappy-noisemaker-things were sounding off all over Korea for our man Ji-Man Choi (Talk40 #19) who broke through in his third game at AA with his first homer at that level (8th overall for the season).  Choi is 1-for-11 for Jackson so far.

Unfortunately, the Choi Joy was the only offense the Generals got, and Roenis Elias (26intheMix) was solid but done in by unearned runs:  5.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K.

High-A -- High Desert 7, Inland Empire 5 -- Box

As expected, the Blash Splash juggernaut has finally slowed down (it's been 10 games and 40 PAs since the last one), but some things are still Taylor Made! in the desert:

Chris Taylor (Talk40 #28): 3-for-5, triple (his sixth)

Jabari Blash (Watch List) did, however, have two hits and two walks, and eight walks in his last 10 games have kept his OBP up during his little slump.

• Note: Three Mavericks got named to the California League All-Star team, which will face the Carolina League all-stars on June 18.  No surpise: all hitters, no pitchers.  Also no surprise: it's Blash, Taylor and Choi.  Congrats to them!  [Choi, of course, is no longer in the Cal League, but it's still an honor.]

Low-A -- Clinton 12, Peoria 4 -- Box

The LumberKing offense got a wake-up call of some sort, with 13 hits and 8 walks leading to 12 runs.

And it was long-slumbering Taylor Ard (Talk40 #32) delivering 5 RBI on a double and two singles.  I know I'm the only one who likes Ard, but he hits doubles and draws walks and doesn't strike out.  So we'll see.

And his offensive running mate ... Ketel Marte (26intheMix)?  The guy whose picture is in the dictionary next to "light-hitting middle infielder"?  Well, he of the .050 career ISO has 10 hits in his last seven games and is hitting .357 during that stretch.  He also swiped his eighth base (but he's been caught five times).

All of which came to the aid of Matt Anderson:  6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K.

Looking Ahead

Long-awaited MLB rotation depth in the form of Erasmo Ramirez could be close.  He has another rehab start for Tacoma slated for Saturday night.

Meanwhile, Taijuan Walker (Talk40 #2) is lined up for Jackson.