[caption id="attachment_113" align="alignleft" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-113" src="http://baseballbrazil.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/19884138580_907217d0f4_z_jw4wc48j_s7ch2z84-300x200.jpg" alt="Luiz Gohara - photo courtesy of milb.com" width="300" height="200" /> Luiz Gohara - photo courtesy of milb.com[/caption]

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Hello, and welcome to your post-Olympics Brazilian Baseball update! By the way, while the sport was not played in this year’s Olympics in Rio, it will be making a comeback in Tokyo in 2020.

In the majors, it’s been all about <strong>Paulo Orlando</strong> (KC) this season. Orlando has become a doubles hitting machine, with 16 doubles in 344 at bats to go along with the 4 triples and 4 home runs he has. Orlando has a batting average of .314 and an OPS of .758 as the 4<sup>th</sup> outfielder of a team that is trying very hard to catch up with Cleveland and Detroit in the AL Central.

Speaking of Cleveland, <strong>Yan Gomes</strong> is currently on the disabled list with a shoulder injury but is now working out and expected to be back soon. Although Gomes is hitting .165 for the season, he definitely continues to be considered the “glue guy” for the pitching staff and the rest of the team defensively.

<strong>Andre Rienzo</strong> (FLA) continues to find success as a relief pitcher in Triple A. Rienzo now has 8 saves on the season to go with a 2-1 record and 2.93 ERA/1.23 WHIP. It will be interesting to see if he gets a September call up to Miami.

<strong>Tiago da Silva </strong>(TOR) has been an even more impressive story as a stopper in the Mexican League season. Silva has 25 saves in 26 opportunities, with a 2-3 record and 2.66 ERA/1.00 WHIP between Ciudad del Carmen and Aguascalientes.

<strong>Leonardo Reginatto</strong> (MIN) was called up to Triple A Rochester earlier this season. He’s only hitting .226 in 49 at bats (15 games), but does have an error free/1.000 fielding percentage at third base.

Pitcher <strong>Thyago Vieira</strong> (SEA) is also going down the closer route. In Advance Single A Bakersfield this season, Vieira is 1-0 with a 2.93 ERA/1.23 WHIP with 6 saves in 6 opportunities. This has definitely been his best season in his 6 year minor league baseball career.

Pitcher <strong>Bo Takahashi</strong> (AZ), on the other hand, is grooming himself well to become a starter in the big leagues. Takahashi is currently on a rehab assignment and short season Single A Hillsboro, but his overall season record in Single A is 5-3 in 15 games started with a 2.82 ERA/1.15 WHIP.

Catcher <strong>Luiz Paz </strong>(LAD) has put together an impressive season in the rookie Pioneer league as well, hitting .287 with an .892 OPS in 108 at bats, to go along with 26 RBIs.

<strong>Edilson Batista</strong> (BOS) has also been a strong starter this season, going 5-2 in 13 games started, with a 2.39 ERA/1.14 WHIP.

We haven’t talked much about <strong>Luiz Gohara</strong> lately, but that doesn’t mean the big left hander should be ignored. Gohara is 6-1 in 11 starts this season in Single A with a 1.65 ERA/1.05 WHIP, with 73 strikeouts in 60 innings pitch. Now that Gohara is nearly successfully through a full Single A season, it wouldn’t surprise me to see him accelerate through double and triple A levels assuming he’s pitching effectively, especially considering he’s one of the higher rated prospects in the Mariners system.

One of the newcomers to minor league baseball this season is our boy out of Londrina, <strong>Gabriel Maciel</strong> (AZ). Maciel is currently with Missoula of the rookie league after starting out in the AZ Summer League. In 189 at bats he is hitting .286 with a .650. Keep in mind that Maciel only turned 17 in January of this year.

With all of this young talent gaining positive experience in the US Minor leagues, Brazil national team manager should have plenty of players to choose from when he goes into the WBC qualifying round at the end of this September in Brooklyn, NY. The Brazilian Baseball Confederation recently <a href="http://www.segundabase.com.br/cbbs-divulga-lista-de-convocados-do-brasil-para-o-wbc/">announced</a> the players it was inviting for the WBC squad. Not surprisingly, all of the aforementioned players are on the list.

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