Arizona Diamondbacks

D-backs minor-league report: Swanson delayed after taking pitch to face

Published Jul. 28, 2015 2:57 p.m. ET

foxsports

The start of Dansby Swanson's minor-league career has been delayed after Swanson took a fastball to the face during a simulated game last week at Salt River Fields.

Swanson was playing in simulated game and batting for the first time since signing a $6.5 million contract with the Diamondbacks when he was struck by a Yoan Lopez fastball. Nick Piecoro of azcentral.com reported that Swanson suffered a mild concussion and required 14 stitches on the right side of his mouth.

Minor league director Mike Bell expects Swanson to be able to start playing in minor-league games within a week to 10 days.

"Everything is fine, really, all things considered," Bell told Piecoro. "Whenever anybody gets hit like that it's scary. But he's doing good."

AROUND THE HORN

--The Northwest League Hillsboro Hops and Pioneer League Missoula Osprey clinched first-half championships on Sunday.

Jared Miller improved to 7-1 as Hillsboro concluded the first half of its schedule with a 4-3 victory over Salem-Keizer on Sunday. The Hops went 22-16 in the first half to win the South Division by 2 games. Miller gave up just two hits and one walk in 7.1 innings. His ERA now sits at 1.65.

Shortstop Isan Diaz hit his fifth home run and drove in three runs in Missoula's 11-1 win over Helena on Sunday. Diaz, a Competitive Balance Round B selection in 2014, is hitting .386 with 18 extra-base hits in 132 at-bats. Missoula went 23-14 in the first half of the season, winning the North Division by 5 1/2 games.

The Osprey had a league-high five players selected for the Pioneer League vs. Northwest League All-Star Game to be played on Aug. 4 in Spokane, Wash.: Diaz, first baseman Austin Byler, catcher Luke Lowery and relief pitchers Dan Savas and Cameron Smith.

--Aaron Blair made a successful return to Reno from the Pan American Games, pitching seven solid innings in Friday's 12-2 victory over Las Vegas. Blair gave up seven hits, one walk and two runs while striking out five. He's 3-1 with a 4.55 ERA since being promoted to Reno and 9-4 with a 3.19 ERA overall in 113 innings.

--Mobile outfielder Zach Borenstein had no homers and three RBI in 18 games while starting the season at Triple-A Reno, but a return to the Southern League has done wonders for his batting stroke. The left-handed hitter has a .320 average with 10 homers and 52 RBIs in 71 games for the BayBears. In 24 games in July, he's hit five home runs and driven in 27 runs.