Bautista, Severino and Simms notes

By Byron Kerr

Nationals

October 31, 2015, 6:21pm

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We are seeing a scorching start for Nationals outfield prospect Rafael Bautista, who currently ranks second in the Dominican Winter League in batting average at .472 over his first 10 games.

His slash line is .472/.513/.639 and his OPS is 1.152. Bautista is 17-for-36 with four doubles and one triple, plus three RBIs and two stolen bases for Escogido.

Catcher Pedro Severino is hitting .261 over eight games for Aguilas. He has two doubles, a homer and three RBIs.

* In the Arizona Fall League, right-hander John Simms (2-0) has an ERA of 1.64 in 11 innings over his first three outings for the Salt River Rafters. Manager Tripp Keister told me of Simms last outing: "He's throwing well. Pitched out of trouble in the first inning and then found his delivery and threw well. No earned runs." Simms piggy backed his first outing and has now started two games in a row, going four innings each time.

Salt River (9-6) edged Surprise 6-5 Saturday. Right-hander Abel De Los Santos and left-hander Nick Lee each recorded holds in the win. De Los Santos allowed one run in one inning, but this was significant since he had struggled in his first few games in the AFL. He allowed only one hit, no walks and struck out one. Lee allowed a solo homer but nothing else in the eighth. He has not walked a batter in his last two games after walking a total of four in his first two AFL games.