Coming off a dominant six-game sweep of the Dayton Dragons, West Michigan returned to LMCU Ballpark to host the Lake County Captains, a club that has historically seemed to find a way to give the Whitecaps a headache, no matter the League standings.
West Michigan previously faced the Captains in their first road series of the season, finishing 2-4 overall. When the fifth-place Captains rolled into town, once again, the matchup proved it was going to be a battle for the Whitecaps.
“West Michigan has a lot of offensive potential, but those are some young bats,” an AL scout said. “The Midwest League is where a lot of these growing pains get worked out. You can see what they’re capable of, but they’re still growing, and it’s going to take time and a lot of different scenarios before it really clicks. Let’s be real. No one ever said growing pains were fun.”
GAME 1 – West Michigan: 9, Lake County: 2
West Michigan wasted no time in setting the tone for the evening in a way they’ve done so many times already this season—an offensive shove. Following a single and a double from Josue Briceño to start the night, Kevin McGonigle decided to join in the fun. At the bottom of the 6th inning, Briceño and McGonigle went back-to-back to mark McGonigle’s second home run of the year and Briceño’s 13th. The West Michigan offense booked nine runs off 13 hits, including multi-hit nights for Max Clark, Seth Stephenson, and John Peck, joining a four-hit night for Briceño and a two-hit night for McGonigle. West Michigan starter Joe Miller held Lake County to one run through five innings, picking up his third win of the season and dropping his ERA to 2.31.
Kevin McGonigle launches a 2-run homer to right to put the Whitecaps up 6-1. @wangler_nathan on the call. pic.twitter.com/onvqo3q5Db
— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) June 4, 2025
GAME 2 – Lake County: 4, West Michigan: 1
On Wednesday, the Captains took a page out of West Michigan’s book and decided to knock a few home runs of their own. Ralphy Valazquez knocked his eighth of the year and Jonah Advincula took it a step further and knocked his second home run of the season…..and then his third. West Michigan’s offense was held to just four hits, including a two-hit night for Peyton Graham and a triple for Patrick Lee, his first of the year. West Michigan righty Hayden Minton took the loss in his second High-A start of the year for West Michigan.
Patrick Lee rips an RBI triple to center to score Peyton Graham and get West Michigan on the board. pic.twitter.com/3yDm7jDWEr
— Tigers ML Report (@tigersMLreport) June 5, 2025
GAME 3 – West Michigan: 5, Lake County: 4
As we’ve said before, would it really be a West Michigan series without some extra innings? No, no, it wouldn’t. Lake County and West Michigan matched step offensively with 10 hits each on the night. Luke Gold knocked his second home run of the season, which would also be the only home run of the night, while Kevin McGonigle, as he’s known to do, knocked a pair of doubles. This marked the third multi-double night for McGonigle this season. At the bottom of the 11th inning, both teams were tied up at four apiece with Luke Gold as the bonus runner on second. A single for Seth Stephenson to advance Gold to third, and an intentional walk to Josue Briceño set the table for a nine-pitch, walk-off…walk for West Michigan.
WALK OFF…WALK!
The cardiac ‘Caps strike again. pic.twitter.com/3PnBAD3tzD
— Emily Waldon (@EmilyCWaldon) June 6, 2025
GAME 4 – Lake County: 3, West Michigan: 0
In one of the more quizzical offensive nights for West Michigan, it was a strong performance from Lake County lefty Caden Favors that came out with the upper hand. Favors, 23, worked five scoreless frames, striking out seven. The quizzical part? Favors allowed six hits, including a double to both Izaac Pacheco and Max Clark, who each booked a two-hit night. Peyton Graham added another two-hit night to his season, combining for eight hits overall from West Michigan. On rehab assignment from Detroit, Alex Cobb worked 2 ⅓ innings, walking two, striking out two, and allowing one unearned run.
#Tigers Max Clark is 2-for-3 tonight. pic.twitter.com/0GiPl9hQ17
— Emily Waldon (@EmilyCWaldon) June 7, 2025
GAME 5 – Lake County: 6, West Michigan: 1
Taking the mound for West Michigan on Saturday, Rayner Castillo had a battle waiting for him. The 20-year-old was tagged for five runs over three innings, including a pair of home runs surrendered to the Captains. The Whitecaps’ offense was subdued to just 5-for-30 at the plate, led by a two-hit day for Austin Murr. Lake County lefty Josh Hartle picked up his fifth win of the year after booking six scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out five against the ‘Caps.
Fresh life for West Michigan by way of an RBI single for #Tigers Peyton Graham. The crowd needed that. pic.twitter.com/v8kBBMdMRk
— Emily Waldon (@EmilyCWaldon) June 8, 2025
GAME 6 – Lake County: 6, West Michigan: 4
Sunday afternoon proved to be another frustrating afternoon for West Michigan, booking seven hits, but not able to translate the contact into enough runs scored. Seth Stephenson locked in a two-hit afternoon, both doubles to mark his first multi-double game this season. Izaac Pacheco knocked his 13th double of the season, keeping him on track for a new single-season career-high. The West Michigan pitching staff was roughed up for six earned runs and with the ‘Caps offense unable to answer back, Lake County secured the series finale and the series overall.
Fresh life for West Michigan by way of an RBI single for #Tigers Peyton Graham. The crowd needed that. pic.twitter.com/v8kBBMdMRk
— Emily Waldon (@EmilyCWaldon) June 8, 2025
Up Next: Tonight, West Michigan will be at Jackson Field in Lansing for a decisive six-game road series with an opportunity to clinch a first-half playoff position on the table.
Pitcher of the Week: RHP Carlos Lequerica
“Carlos? He’s our short-stint assassin,” one West Michigan staffer said. And, they aren’t wrong. Working in no more than two-innings bites so far this season, the 24-year-old has not allowed a run since May 2. In fact, Lequerica has only allowed two hits since May 13. Over 23 ⅔ innings this season, Lequerica continues to silence the opposition with an 0.38 ERA and an 0.89 WHIP. As one of the more unassuming members of the West Michigan pitching staff, Lequerica’s relief work through the first half of the season is nothing short of dominant.
Player of the Week: OF Seth Stephenson
Change takes time and thankfully, Seth Stephenson isn’t afraid to fall down a time or two before he gets it right. Still ironing out some revisions to his stance and swing, Stephenson has hit safely in 15 of his last 17 games for West Michigan, including six multi-hit games. The Tennessee alum has always got some movement throughout the lineup, making appearances at the top and near the bottom and the diversity is helping Stephenson come up with creative ways to set the table for whomever is batting around him. At 24 years old, scouts are noticing Stephenson’s progress and the numbers are helping to confirm it.
Whitecap to Watch: INF Peyton Graham
In the simplest way to explain it, Peyton Graham just keeps hitting. After hitting .222 in April to start the season, the 24-year-old is hitting .292 in the month of June, including hitting safely in 13 of his last 14 games.
The lanky 6’3 infielder has also added 20 pounds, which with Graham’s metabolism is much easier said than done. Joining a healthy crop of infielders at the High-A level, Graham is one of multiple names that are finally settling in, since overcoming their respective injury battles.
Chris Brown 
Joe Rampe