Skip to main content

Walding rides power surge into EL All-Star festivities

By
Eastern League home runs leader Mitch Walding will represent the Reading Fightins in the league’s All-Star Game this week in Manchester, NH and will also compete in the event’s Home Run Derby.
 
With 20 big flies thus far this season, the 24-year-old is enjoying a remarkable power surge. He was honored as Eastern League player of the month in June, when he launched 13 homers and sported a 1.246 OP in 25 games.

Through 74 games, the California native has tallied a .240 average and 49 RBI with Double-A Reading this year.
 
Walding, the Phillies 5th round draft selection in 2011, notched a previous career high in round-trippers last year, when he smashed 13 combined home runs in 123 games with Class A Advanced Clearwater and Reading last season.

He credits a refined approach at the plate with his improved offensive production.  

"I changed my swing a little bit," explained Walding.  "I got back to more of what I was doing last year in Clearwater.  I think I got back to what feels good for me.  I went through a period where I was doing something that wasn't really working for me, so I went back to square one, got back to my basics and I think that was best for me, hitting." 

Walding (top) and Tocci, image via Mitch Walding
The six-foot-three 190-pound lefty batter won the Class A Advanced Florida State League All-Star Home Run Derby last year, as a member of the Clearwater Threshers. 

As has become routine around the minor leagues, winners of league Home Run Derbies are awarded championship belts, a la WWE or UFC.

"It would be kind of cool to add another one to the collection, but I have to go out there and do it first,' Walding said.

Aside from the derby, Walding is looking forward to enjoying his time with some Reading teammates in the game.

"It's really great.  I was really excited just to be a part of the All-Star Game and the represent the Phillies and the great organization that they are," Walding said.  "I'm really excited to go out there with a bunch of my buddies and play against some really good talent and have some fun."

Walding will be joined by four teammates on the Eastern Division roster.  Pitchers Drew Anderson and Yacksel Rios as well as outfielders Carlos Tocci and Jiandido Tromp will join Walding.

Tromp, a 23-year-old Aruba native, will also compete in the Home Run Derby.  The righty batter sports a .294 average with 11 homers and 35 RBI in 75 games this year.   

Toronto affiliate New Hampshire hosts the All-Star events with the derby slated for Tuesday, July 11 at 6:30 pm with the All-Star Game itself set for the following night at 7:05 pm.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PhoulBallz Interview: Reading second baseman Jesmuel Valentin

By
Jesmuel Valentin, image- Jay Floyd Switch-hitting infielder Jesmuel Valentin has been a bit of an underrated contributor with the Double-A Reading Fightins. Heading into action on Friday, Valentin was batting .339 over his last 14 games. Overall this season, the 22-year-old is batting .282 with four home runs and 35 RBI in 64 games. Valentin, who plays mostly second base, but dabbles at shortstop a bit also, is the son of former big leaguer Jose Valentin . The Puerto Rico native was a supplementary round pick (51st overall) of the Dodgers in 2012. He was acquired by the Phils as part of the Roberto Hernandez trade in 2014. Recently, I spoke with Jesmuel about his team's success, growing up around the game and more. Read ahead for that full interview. -The Reading team has been great and you've contributed very nicely to the club's success. What are your thoughts on competition in the Eastern League this year? I just came here with the mindset that...
Post a Comment
Read more

Q&A with Justin De Fratus

By
Justin De Fratus is a 21 year old right handed relief pitcher with the Lakewood BlueClaws. An 11th round draft choice in 2007, Justin had been a starter in his first two seasons in the Phillies organization. Informed this spring that he'd be switched from the rotation to the bullpen, Justin has excelled and become one of the most reliable pitchers on the Lakewood staff. In 19 games this season, Justin is 2-0, with a 1.83 ERA and 0.89 WHIP over 39 1/3 innings pitched. PhoulBallz.com spoke with Justin De Fratus just last night. Here's how that went down... Justin, South Atlantic League all star selections were announced this week, and you were named to the team. Can I get your reaction to that? How excited were you? Very excited about it. Well, especially this year because I just got moved to the bullpen, so this is a new role for me. So, if anything, it's reassuring that I'm doing my job. It's the first time in my pro career that I've been selected as an all star...
7 comments
Read more

Catching prospect O'Hoppe tabbed to join Phillies

By
Logan O'Hoppe, image- Jay Floyd Please consider supporting my work and via my Patreon page .  For a small monthly fee, your patronage will get you exclusive interviews and other prospect related material as well as early access to all of my other content such as this feature.  Thank you.   On Friday, the Phillies added a pair of catchers to their 2020 player pool.  Minor leaguers Logan O'Hoppe (pronounced Oh-HOP-ee) and Henri Lartigue arrived in Philadelphia to help catch bullpen sessions for the team's collection of approximately 30 pitchers. The call to O'Hoppe was extremely welcome as the 20-year-old had been staying as active as he possibly could, working out with other players that have been been waiting out quarantine due to the current pandemic at his home on Long Island.  However, he had been very eager to step back onto an actual baseball field. "I just hope I can play soon.  Where ever that is or whatever form that is, that'd be aw...
1 comment
Read more