Mesoraco heating up at Dayton

[OnBaseMachine]

After a 2-for-4 night with a double, Mesoraco is now hitting .288/.366/.479 - .845 OPS. Very, very nice. He's showing more power than I expected at this point. Also gotta love that his OBP is nearly 80 points higher than his batting average. He's still probably three years away from the majors in best case scenario, but you still have to like what he's doing right now.

[OnBaseMachine]

Mesoraco's HR not enough for Dragons
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By Marc Katz

Staff Writer

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

DAYTON — It's way too early to tell if Devin Mesoraco is Cincinnati's next great catcher.

After all, he's only 19 — he turns 20 on June 19 — and had a rough go in his first professional half-season in the Gulf Coast League last year.

He couldn't even make the Class A Dayton Dragons out of spring training this season, instead staying behind to work on his game at extended spring training. Not only his bat needed work, but his catching skills as well.

All this from a player the Reds chose with their No. 1 draft choice in 2007.

Monday night, June 2, Mesoraco hit his third homer in 19 games with the Dragons. He's hitting .279, which happens to be the best batting average among the current Dragons.

None of this helped, however, as West Michigan took a second straight game from the Dragons, 10-6 (the third straight 10-spot the team has allowed), but Mesoraco is beginning to settle in.

"He's a fast learner," said Dragons manager Donnie Scott, a catcher in a long playing career that included four major-league seasons. "He's really coming along. He has done more than I expected."

In spring training, Scott figured Mesoraco was headed for another rookie-league season, this time in Billings, Mont.

"It was more because I know what Billings can do for you," Scott said. "In the GCL, you play day games. In Billings, you play under the lights. You can learn a lot playing out there."

Instead, Mesoraco improved enough at extended spring to be given a chance with the Dragons. He has responded.

"You need some time to get comfortable and work on things," Mesoraco said. "Right now, I'm seeing the ball well."

It's more than just hitting.

"He's swinging the bat good," Scott said. "He's showing instincts on the bases. He's catching better."

At the moment, the rest of the Dragons aren't on the same plateau. Some fielding mistakes and base-running gaffes hurt against the Whitecaps, and the pitching is not as precise as it once was. Dayton's 2-1 lead in the third didn't last a half inning.

Dragons pitchers allowed two homers and a season-high 17 hits. In only two innings were the Whitecaps retired in order, and in one of those, there was a walk wiped out by a caught-stealing.

"It will turn around," Mesoraco promised. "We're in a little rut right now. It happens to every club

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