Three relief appearances into his professional baseball career, former Lawrence High left-hander Albert Minnis has a 2-0 record with a 2.08 earned-run average for the Tri-City ValleyCats, the Houston Astros affiliate in the short-season New York-Penn League.

Minnis has pitched 41/3 innings and allowed three hits. He has not walked a batter and has four strikeouts.

Hitters in the Class-A South Atlantic League are having a tough time making solid contact against former Free State High left-hander Cody Kukuk (.156 batting average against), but are finding another way to get on base. Kukuk, a seventh-round draft choice of the Boston Red Sox in 2011, is 4-7 with a 4.21 ERA and has 50 walks and 52 strikeouts in 511/3 innings for the Greenville Drive.

Kukuk tossed five no-hit, shutout innings Saturday, walked seven and struck out five. In his past three starts covering 132/3 innings, Kukuk has allowed three hits with 16 walks and 16 strikeouts.

Former Firebirds and Kansas University infielder Robby Price got off to a rough start for the Montgomery Biscuits, the Tampa Bay Rays Double-A affilate in the Southern League, but has heated up of late. Price has a .284 batting average in the month of June, bringing his season average to .232 and had more walks (26) than strikeouts (24).