The Cannon Ballers finished with the best record of the week, going 4-2 against Fayetteville. Much of that performance was led by Sam Antonacci, the White Sox’s fifth-round pick in this year’s draft. The Knights and Barons finished .500 this week, and overall, there was plenty of competition for this week’s honors.

Charlotte Knights
Record 3-3 (last week), 57-66 (overall), 24-25 (second half)

Knights Player of the Week
Zach DeLoach .423/.483/.692, 26 at-bats

Colson Montgomery .269/.345/.423, 26 at-bats
Oscar Colás .200/.304/.300, 20 at-bats
Mark Payton .391/.440/.435, 23 at-bats
Bryan Ramos .357/.400/.679, 28 at-bats
Tim Elko .240/.345/.320, 25 at-bats
Wilmer Difo .308/.308/.615, 13 at-bats
Carlos Pérez .333/.391/.667, 21 at-bats

Nick Nastrini 5 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 6 K
Sean Burke 4 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 8 K
Johan Domínguez 4 1/3 IP, 7 ER, 7 H, 3 BB, 1 K
Jake Eder 5 1/3 IP, 8 ER, 9 H, 5 BB, 6 K
Sammy Peralta 4 2/3 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 0 BB, 5 K

The Knights broke even this week, winning three of six against the Redbirds (62-64).

Zach DeLoach lit up the scoreboard, finishing 11-for-26 with a homer, four doubles, three walks, and a stolen base. DeLoach, 26, made his MLB debut on May 22 during a brief stint on the South Side. DeLoach only slashed .136/.240/.182 in 25 plate appearances, but his bat has been quite lively lately. Bryan Ramos and Carlos Pérez were also on fire this week and fell just short of claiming the Knights Player of the Week award.

2024 Charlotte Knights Players of the Week
Robbie Grossman (April 1-7)
Danny Mendick (April 8-14)
Danny Mendick (April 15-21)
Lenyn Sosa (April 22-28)
Colson Montgomery (April 29-May 5)
Jake Woodford (May 6-12)
Wilmer Difo (May 13-19)
Jared Walsh (May 20-26)
Oscar Colás (May 27-June 2)
Wynton Bernard (June 3-9)
Wilmer Difo (June 10-16)
Mark Payton (June 17-23)
Cory Abbott (June 24-30)
Michael Chavis (July 1-7)
Bryan Ramos (July 8-14)
Bryan Ramos (July 19-28)
Edgar Quero (July 29-August 4)
Tim Elko (August 5-11)
Rafael Ortega (August 12-18)
Zach DeLoach (August 19-25)

Birmingham Barons
Record 3-3 (last week), 63-57 (overall), 22-29 (second half)

Barons Player of the Week
Jacob Gonzalez .421/.542/.842, 19 at-bats

Mario Camilletti .200/.478/.333, 15 at-bats
Terrell Tatum .364/.462/.455, 11 at-bats
Wilfred Veras .304/.385/.304, 23 at-bats

Juan Carela 8 2/3 IP, 6 ER, 8 H, 6 BB, 12 K
Riley Gowens 2 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 0 BB, 4 K
Tyler Schweitzer 6 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 6 K
Noah Schultz 4 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 3 K
Peyton Pallette 4 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 K

The Barons won the first two games against the Shuckers (58-59) before settling for a split in this week’s six-game series.

Jacob Gonzalez, 22, could not be stopped at the plate. Gonzalez started the season with Winston-Salem, where he was an on-base machine. Since being promoted to Double-A, Gonzalez has hit a speed bump, but he turned the tides with a monstrous week. Hopefully, the first-round pick of 2023 is on the right track once again. Starting pitcher Tyler Schweitzer’s six-inning performance would have been enough to earn the weekly award if not for the dominance of Gonzalez.

2024 Birmingham Barons Players of the Week
Drew Thorpe (April 8-14)
Edgar Quero (April 15-21)
Ky Bush (April 22-28)
Bryan Ramos (April 29-May 5)
Mason Adams (May 6-12)
Brooks Baldwin (May 13-19)
Jacob Gonzalez (May 20-26)
Mason Adams (May 27-June 2)
Edgar Quero (June 3-9)
Ky Bush (June 10-16)
Mason Adams (June 17-23)
Matt Hogan (June 24-30)
Riley Gowens (July 1-7)
Mario Camilletti (July 8-14)
Jairo Iriarte (July 19-28)
Noah Schultz (July 29-August 4)
Adam Hackenberg (August 5-11)
Wilfred Veras (August 12-18)
Jacob Gonzalez (August 19-25)

Winston-Salem Dash
Record 1-5 (last week), 55-65 (overall), 24-30 (second half)

Dash Player of the Week
Caden Connor .364/.500/.409, 22 at-bats

William Bergolla .304/.333/.391, 23 at-bats
Samuel Zavala .053/.182/.053, 19 at-bats
Wes Kath .133/.235/.200, 15 at-bats
Colby Smelley .444/.500/.778, nine at-bats
Rikuu Nishida .304/.333/.391, 23 at-bats
Bryce Willits .333/.400/.778, nine at-bats

Aldrin Batista 6 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 4 K
Lucas Gordon 4 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 5 BB, 1 K
Shane Murphy 5 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 4 K
José Ramírez 4 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 2 K
Tyler Davis 4 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 5 K
Hagen Smith 3 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 4 K
Nick Altermatt 4 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 6 K

Winston-Salem is officially cold, as the Dash have lost nine of their last 10 games. After hovering around .500 for the past several weeks, there is finally some distance between them and that mark.

There was some tight competition for the weekly award. Colby Smelley and Bryce Willits were red-hot at the plate, although they did not get quite enough playing time to deserve the honor. Reliever Nick Altermatt was also terrific, racking up six strikeouts while being nearly perfect across four innings. However, Caden Connor, 24, finished the week with a .500 OBP by going 8-for-22 with six walks to claim the title. The White Sox drafted Connor in the 19th round last year, and he has made some steady strides forward in his first full professional season. Adjusting from Kannapolis to Winston-Salem was a challenge, but he has been much more in control recently, posting a .405 OBP in August.

2024 Winston-Salem Dash Players of the Week
Jacob Gonzalez (April 8-14)
Juan Carela (April 15-21)
Manuel Veloz (April 22-28)
Jacob Gonzalez (April 29-May 5)
DJ Gladney (May 6-12)
Shawn Goosenberg (May 13-19)
Tyler Schweitzer (May 20-26)
Bryce Willits (May 27-June 2)
Samuel Zavala (June 3-9)
Ryan Galanie (June 10-16)
Shawn Goosenberg (June 17-23)
Mario Camilletti (June 24-30)
Wes Kath (July 1-7)
Wes Kath (July 8-14)
Tommy Vail (July 19-28)
DJ Gladney (July 29-August 4)
Ryan Galanie (August 5-11)
Rikuu Nishida (August 12-18)
Caden Connor (August 19-25)

Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
Record 4-2 (last week), 64-56 (overall), 23-31 (second half)

Cannon Ballers Player of the Week
Sam Antonacci .538/.760/.692, 13 at-bats

Ronny Hernández .300/.417/.300, 20 at-bats
George Wolkow .269/.367/.423, 26 at-bats
Alex Makarewicz .320/.452/.400, 25 at-bats

Tanner McDougal 4 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 4 BB, 4 K
Clete Hartzog 3 1/3 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 6 K
Ricardo Brizuela 6 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 3 K
Jesus Mendez 5 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 4 BB, 5 K

The second half has not been a cakewalk for the Cannon Ballers, but they had a nice week, winning four of six against Fayetteville (52-66).

Sam Antonacci, 21, was drafted in the fifth round this year, and he made his debut in Kannapolis on August 8. Antonacci has only been with the Cannon Ballers for a couple of weeks, but he already has earned a weekly award. Antonacci’s numbers were on a different level this week, as he went 7-for-13 with 10 walks, two doubles, and two stolen bases in as many attempts. At this rate, the young shortstop will not be spending much more time in Kannapolis.

2024 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers Players of the Week
Aldrin Batista (April 8-14)
Albertson Asigen (April 15-21)
Caden Connor (April 22-28)
Rikuu Nishida (April 29-May 5)
Ryan Galanie (May 6-12)
Ryan Galanie (May 13-19)
Drew McDaniel (May 20-26)
Ryan Galanie (May 27-June 2)
Ronny Hernández (June 3-9)
Tommy Vail (June 10-16)
Mikey Kane (June 17-23)
George Wolkow (June 24-30)
George Wolkow (July 1-7)
Luke Bell (July 8-14)
Drake Logan (July 19-28)
Drake Logan (July 29-August 4)
George Wolkow (August 5-11)
Alex Makarewicz (August 12-18)
Sam Antonacci (August 19-25)

DSL White Sox
Record 0-2 (last week), 20-35 (overall)

Juan Uribe .400/.500/.400, five at-bats
Eyke Ugueto .429/.500/.571, seven at-bats
Elier Gil .333/.286/.333, six at-bats

Ángel Bello 3 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 3 K
Orlando Suarez 2 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 2 K
Yerardo Ciofani 1 2/3 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 3 K

The DSL White Sox only played two games this week, and their season is over. Eyke Ugueto finished on a high note, going 3-for-7 with a double, a walk, and two RBI down the stretch.

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Bryan Ramos photo via Laura Wolff/Charlotte Knights