CSM alum Mastrobuoni catching fire at Double-A

While Double-A Montgomery has been one of the best teams in all the minor leagues this season, Mastrobuoni really hit stride after returning from a brief stint in Triple-A in early July, batting .370 since rejoining the Biscuits July 8.

“Once I kind of got back (from Triple-A), a few things started to click hitting wise,” Mastrobuoni said. “… I’ve been trying to ride this wave as good as I have. Thank God it’s lasting.”

The Biscuits have already clinched a postseason berth in the Southern League, having won the North Division first-half title. They are well on their way to a second-half title too, in first place and five games ahead of second-place Jackson. Montgomery’s overall record is 83-45. Only two teams in all of professional baseball currently have more wins — Orioles Low-A affiliate Delmarva with 85, and Rangers High-A affiliate Down East at 84.

“It’s a blast playing for this team,” Mastrobuoni said. “It’s probably one of the top teams I’ve ever played on.”

And the Biscuits aren’t slowing down, having won nine of their last 10. Wednesday night, they took their fifth straight with a 6-5 victory over Biloxi. Mastrobuoni went 2 for 3 in the game. In Tuesday’s 8-1 win, he went 4 for 4 with his sixth triple — tied for fifth in the Southern League — recording the third four-hit game of his pro career, and his first since May 17, 2017.

A career .330 hitter at CSM, Mastrobuoni is now batting .302 at Double-A this season, the first time his average has surpassed the .300 mark since May 22.

Montgomery is getting some help from a pair of former Giants farmhands as well. Left-handed pitcher Matt Krook — a Hillsborough native out of St. Ignatius — was activated from the injured list Aug. 7 after a short bout with shoulder fatigue. One of the trade chips in the deal that brought Evan Longoria to San Francisco, Krook has posted four scoreless outings over 6 2/3 innings since being activated.

“He’s throwing the ball really well,” Mastrobuoni said. “… I’m glad he’s on my team.”

Shortstop Lucius Fox — who gave the Biscuits the lead Wednesday with an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh — was acquired by the Rays prior to the 2017 season in the deal that sent left-hander Matt Moore to the Giants. The 22-year-old Bahamian prospect is batting just .224 at Double-A this season, but is legit according to Mastrobuoni.

“He’s been awesome,” Mastrobuoni said. “This is my third year playing with him. He’s an awesome player. … He’s a guy that’s going to do it all for you.”

Mastrobuoni has paired with Fox over the middle in stints at second base this season. He has played a majority of his games in the outfield, though.

“Wherever the team needs me, that’s what I’ve been getting so far, and I’m perfectly fine with that,” Mastrobuoni said.

The left side of CSM’s infield from 2014-15 is repping well in pro ball. Playing beside Mastrobuoni for two seasons with the Bulldogs was third baseman Steve Pastora, an El Camino graduate who recently signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers as a right-handed pitcher. Mastrobuoni — who saw Pastora pitch in high school when the two played travel ball at Headfirst Baseball Academy out of Pleasanton — said he wasn’t surprised at Pastora’s conversion to the mound.

“I wouldn’t have put it past him,” Mastrobuoni said. “He’s got a hell of an arm.”