Minor league notes on Cleavinger, Davis, first-place teams and more

A relief pitcher in college with big strikeout numbers, left-hander Garrett Cleavinger has gotten his pro career with the Orioles off to a strong start, pitching for short season Single-A Aberdeen.

Taken by the Orioles in the third round of the draft in June with the 102nd selection out of the University or Oregon, Cleavinger has not been scored on in his first eight pro games. Over 10 innings, he has allowed three hits with seven walks, nine strikeouts and a .100 average against.

"It's been a good experience," he said this week at Ripken Stadium. "Just getting used to the pro ball way of life. Meeting all the guys here and it's been real fun. I'm blessed with a great opportunity here."

The 21-year-old Cleavinger has a fastball that touched the mid 90s in college, although he has been a tick below that with Aberdeen. Last summer in the Cape Cod League, he fanned 29 in just 13 innings. He actually didn't figure that it would be the Orioles drafting him.

"Honestly, no. I talked to them, but they were not a team that was sticking out in my mind I guess. It was a bit of a surprise and it turned out to be a good surprise. It has worked out well," he said.

Cleavinger was first team all Pac 12 this season, going 6-2 with a 1.58 ERA and nine saves out of the Ducks bullpen. He fanned 66 in 40 innings. He pitched in the backend of the Oregon bullpen with 172 strikeouts over 116 innings in three seasons there. What has made him such a strikeout pitcher?

"I think a lot of the credit goes to the coaching staff at Oregon. I came in a little raw as a freshman, and they coached me up and helped me get to where I am today," Cleavinger said.

Earlier today, The New York-Penn League announced that the Aberdeen IronBirds and Lowell Spinners coaching staffs will manage the two All-Star teams on August 18 at Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium. Luis Pujols and the IronBirds staff will be at the helm of the South and Joe Oliver and the Spinners staff will lead the North.

Pujols is in his third season in the Orioles organization and his cousin Albert will play against the Orioles tonight. He'll be joined for the 7:35 p.m. game that night by IronBirds pitching coach Justin Lord, hitting coach Calvin Pickering and assistant coach Sammie Starr. Aberdeen's Marty Brinker will serve as trainer.

Outfielder Glynn Davis should be activated off the disabled list soon by Double-A Bowie, possibly as early as tonight. He has not played for the Baysox since June 25 after he suffered a sprained knee and bruised back when he fell hard running toward first base. Davis has played seven rehab games with Aberdeen, batting .241. Davis has been ranked on the Orioles top 30 prospects list three times by Baseball America, with a high ranking of No. 14 after the 2012 season.

Single-A Delmarva catcher Jonah Heim has been out since late May. He suffered a lisfranc, or mid-foot injury, sliding into second base. Heim will likely not return to play in games before the minor league season ends, but is expected to join the Orioles for instructional league in September.

In 36 games for Delmarva, he was batting .258 with a homer and 16 RBIs. A switch-hitter with solid defensive skills, Heim was ranked as the Orioles' No. 26 prospect after the 2013 season and No. 28 after 2014. He's been rehabbing in Florida.

Minor league pitcher Derrick Bleeker is shut down for the rest of the season. He is expected to make a full recovery from a UCL sprain and begin a throwing program this winter. In 10 games in April and May with Delmarva, the outfielder converted to pitcher went 1-2 with a 6.53 ERA.

Triple-A right-hander Zach Davies, traded by the Orioles to Milwaukee for outfielder Gerardo Parra, got a win in his first game for his new team. Wednesday night, Davies pitched Triple-A Colorado Springs to victory over Oklahoma City. Over six innings, he gave up six hits and one. He has allowed two runs or less in seven of his past eight starts.

With about a month to play in the minor league regular season, the Orioles' two highest-level affiliates continue to hold down first place and two other clubs are within 2 1/2 games of first place.

Triple-A Norfolk is 65-46 and leading its division by six games. Bowie at 62-48 is leading its division by four games. Single-A Frederick is 53-58, but just two games out of first place with a second-half record of 21-20. Delmarva is 55-53 overall, 22-18 in the second-half and five games out. Aberdeen is 21-24 and 2 1/2 out while the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Orioles are 22-17 and four back. The O's two Dominican Summer League teams have records of 30-28 and 21-37.

So that is two O's teams charging toward the postseason and several others with a chance to make it.