Slade Caldwell Continues to Headline D-backs Minor League Roundups

Three of the four Diamondbacks minor league affiliates won on Wednesday night. Top prospects up and down the pipeline provided multiple highlights in all the action.

Triple-A Reno Aces 16, Sacramento River Cats 6

The Aces offense was held in check through the first six innings, scoring just two runs. But then they exploded for 14 runs over the final three innings to win in a blowout 16-6.

A.J. Vukovich went 3-for-6, with a grand slam and seven RBI. Blaze Alexander went 3-for-5, including a homer and a double, tallying four RBI. Jordan Lawlar had four hits and raised his batting average to .381.

Despite all the offense, the most significant highlight might have been Lawlar's terrific stop while playing third base to record an out.

Jordan Lawlar what can't you do 🤯 pic.twitter.com/uT66WPchIY
— Reno Aces (@Aces) May 1, 2025

Amarillo Sod Poodles 4, Midland Rockhounds 3

Amarillo came back from deficits of 2-0 and 3-2, scoring runs in the seventh and eighth inning to record the victory. LuJames Groover hit the go-ahead and ultimately game-winning homer in the eighth inning. It was his sixth of the year. He's currently batting .325 with a .999 OPS.

GROOOOOOOOOOOOVER

Soddies take the lead eighth! pic.twitter.com/VBPk3GP3W6
— Amarillo Sod Poodles (@sodpoodles) May 1, 2025

Third baseman Jose Fernandez, who has emerged this season, went 2-for-4 with two RBI. He's batting .350 with a .901 OPS. In his previous four minor league seasons the 21-year-old has never had an OPS over .700.

Spencer Giesting threw a Quality Start, going six innings and allowing three runs. The left-hander has a 3.95 ERA for the season. He struck out eight and gave up two homers among his five hits allowed. But he kept his team in the game long enough for them to come back. Alfred Morillo tossed a scoreless ninth to record his third save of the year while lowering his ERA to 3.24.

High-A Vancouver Canadians 9, Hillsboro Hops 6

Vancouver jumped on Casey Anderson for six runs before the second inning was over, knocking him out of the box. Hillsboro tried to fight their way back into the game, but ultimately fell short.

Shortstop prospect Cristofer Torin had three hits, including a double, to raise his average to .286 with a .745 OPS. Demetrio Crisantes went 2-for-5 with an RBI. Jansel Luis had two hits and scored two runs batting from the DH spot in the lineup.

Outfield prospect Druw Jones went hitless in five at bats with three strikeouts. He's now batting .264/.356/.297, .653 OPS. He has 31 strikeouts in 90 at-bats with 13 walks. Jones has yet to homer this season and has just three doubles.

Class-A Visalia Rawhide 6, Fresno Grizzlies 4

Slade Caldwell's tear through the California league continued as he homered and hit a double while driving in two runs. The 18-year-old is batting .308/.511/.554, for a 1.065 OPS.

Slade Caldwell, the No. 29 pick in the 2024 Draft (@Dbacks), rips a leadoff homer for the Single-A @VisaliaRawhide!

At just 18, Arizona's third-ranked prospect leads the California League with a .506 OBP. pic.twitter.com/B8XhM4AgIk
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 1, 2025

The big blow of the game was delivered by Reuben Santana, who hit a grand slam in a five-run fifth inning. Santana has homered in three straight games while going 5-for-12 with nine RBI. The slugging third baseman got off to a very slow start but has raised his OPS to .715.