The Barons and Cannon Ballers both won their series this week, getting back to their winning ways of the first half. Even the Knights and Dash had their good moments this week, with Carlos Pérez and Shane Murphy being about as dominant as they could have been. However, it was Cannon Ballers infielder Jeral Pérez who posted the best week across the organization.

Charlotte Knights
Record 2-3 (last week), 59-69 (overall), 26-28 (second half)

Knights Player of the Week
Carlos Pérez .313/.353/.688, 16 at-bats

Colson Montgomery .111/.238/.222, 18 at-bats
Oscar Colás .176/.300/.235, 17 at-bats
Yoán Moncada .300/.364/.400, 10 at-bats (on rehab assignment from Chicago)
Bryan Ramos .357/.438/.429, 14 at-bats
Tim Elko .278/.381/.444, 18 at-bats
Wilmer Difo .364/.417/.727, 11 at-bats

Ky Bush 5 2/3 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 5 K
Sean Burke 4 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 5 K
Johan Domínguez 3 IP, 6 ER, 7 H, 0 BB, 4 K
Mason Adams 3 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 1 K
Aaron McGarity 3 1/3 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 2 K

The Knights had another minor setback this week, losing three of five to Nashville (69-61).

Charlotte did score 31 runs during those five games, so there was quite a bit of offense to speak of. It was a tight race, but Carlos Pérez takes the crown with his fantastic performance. Pérez launched two home runs en route to a 1.041 OPS week. On a per plate appearance basis, Wilmer Difo was actually slightly better than Pérez, so he certainly deserves a lot of credit. However, Pérez had more playing time, so the edge goes to him. Pérez, 27, is slashing .263/.307/.411 in Triple-A this year, and has segued back into regular reps behind the plate (after being reclassified as a first baseman heading into the season) smoothly.

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)
Carlos Pérez (August 26-September 1)

Birmingham Barons
Record 4-2 (last week), 67-59 (overall), 26-31 (second half)

Barons Player of the Week
Tyler Schweitzer 12 IP, 1 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 9 K

Mario Camilletti .235/.435/.353, 17 at-bats
Wilfred Veras .200/.286/.520, 25 at-bats
Jacob Gonzalez .217/.280/.348, 23 at-bats
DJ Gladney .273/.333/.591, 22 at-bats

Juan Carela 5 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 0 BB, 8 K
Riley Gowens 5 IP, 1 ER, 6 H, 0 BB, 3 K
Noah Schultz 4 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 2 BB, 7 K
Peyton Pallette 4 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 7 K
Jairo Iriarte 6 IP, 4 ER, 8 H, 1 BB, 6 K (promoted to White Sox on September 1)

After losing a lot of talent to promotions, things have not been so easy for the Barons in the second half. However, they made a stride in the right direction this week, winning four of six against Chattanooga (41-84).

Tyler Schweitzer has been making lots of progress during his age-23 season. He started out with Winston-Salem, and after posting a 3.74 ERA in 45 2/3 innings there, he is posting similar numbers with Birmingham (3.77 ERA in 76 1/3 innings). This week, in two starts, Schweitzer only allowed one earned run in 12 innings, striking out nine.

DJ Gladney led the hitters, as his .926 OPS provided the Barons offense with a major spark. Gladney was promoted to Birmingham on August 6, and he has been very reliable since then, posting a .291/.339/.564 slash line.

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)
Tyler Schweitzer (August 26-September 1)

Winston-Salem Dash
Record 2-4 (last week), 57-69 (overall), 26-34 (second half)

Dash Player of the Week
Shane Murphy 6 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 5 K

Samuel Zavala .188/.350/.375, 16 at-bats
Wes Kath .167/.286/.500, 18 at-bats
Ryan Galanie .308/.438/.308, 13 at-bats
Rikuu Nishida .375/.467/.375, 24 at-bats
Casey Saucke .375/.423/.542, 24 at-bats

Aldrin Batista 6 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 4 K
Lucas Gordon 6 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 4 K
Hagen Smith 2 2/3 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K

The Dash took another series loss, this time dropping four of six to Brooklyn (61-65). After hovering just under .500 for a large portion of the season, Winston-Salem is now 12 games underwater after a cold few weeks.

One bright spot during this series loss was starting pitcher Shane Murphy, who was nearly perfect during his six-inning performance. Murphy allowed a single to open the game, but he did not allow any other hitters to reach base safely. Murphy racked up five strikeouts without issuing any walks. The left-handed starter has been heating up lately, as he posted a 3.24 ERA in 25 innings in August.

Outfielder Casey Saucke deserves honorable mention, as his .965 OPS during the week led the offense by a wide margin among hitters with more than four at-bats.

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)
Shane Murphy (August 26-September 1)

Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
Record 3-2 (last week), 67-58 (overall), 26-33 (second half)

Cannon Ballers Player of the Week
Jeral Pérez .429/.529/.643, 14 at-bats

Ronny Hernández .200/.250/.200, 15 at-bats
George Wolkow .222/.318/.389, 18 at-bats
Alex Makarewicz .238/.273/.381, 21 at-bats
Drake Logan .444/.444/1.000, nine at-bats

Carlton Perkins 5 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 9 K
Jake Peppers 4 1/3 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 4 K
Manuel Veloz 4 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 1 BB, 6 K
Aaron Combs 3 1/3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 5 K

The Cannon Ballers are getting back on track after a slow start to the second half. The Cannon Ballers followed up their 4-2 stretch last week with a 3-2 week against Fredericksburg (70-55).

Third baseman Jeral Pérez, 19, played a big role in the series win. Pérez got on base more often than he did not, finishing with a .529 OBP during the week. Pérez came to the White Sox organization from the Dodgers as part of the three-team trade that Erick Fedde, Michael Kopech, and Tommy Pham were involved in. Pérez added a triple, a double, and a pair of RBIs, as he was consistently putting the bat on the ball. Miguel Vargas was considered to be the main piece coming to the White Sox at the deadline, but at this rate, Pérez looks like the plum.

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)
Jeral Pérez (August 26-September 1)

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Yoán Moncada photo via Laura Wolff/Charlotte Knights