scatter shots

Through 40 major league games with San Diego, Hunter Renfroe has nine home runs. Extrapolated over a full season, that’s roughly 36 bombs, a good number. The other numbers aren’t so good for the Mississippi State product from Crystal Springs. His batting average is .281, but it’s just .212 in 29 games this season and .146 over the last 10. He has struck out 32 times and walked twice this season. He has three “hat tricks” in the last six games. The Padres are 12-18 and going nowhere this season, so one would think Renfroe will be allowed these growing pains. … Ex-Ole Miss star Lance Lynn, who has won three straight starts and yielded just two runs in that span, goes to the bump at SunTrust Park tonight when St. Louis visits Atlanta. Lynn didn’t pitch in the big leagues in 2016 while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He has shown no ill effects in 2017: 3-1, 2.45, 25 strikeouts in 29 1/3 innings. In case you were wondering, Mississippi Braves alum Freddie Freeman is 1-for-8 with three punchouts vs. Lynn. … Richton High product JaCoby Jones is 4-for-17 through five games on his rehab assignment at Triple-A Toledo. Jones, who opened the season as Detroit’s center fielder, was hit in the mouth by a pitch on April 22 and went on the disabled list the next day. He was batting just .150 with a homer and four RBIs in 16 MLB games but was leading the club in Defensive Runs Saved at the time he was hurt. A converted infielder, Jones has excellent speed and a good arm. … The change of scene this season doesn’t appear to have rejuvenated former Ole Miss star Alex Yarbrough. Drafted out of the Los Angeles Angels’ system by Miami last December, Yarbrough is batting .254 with seven RBIs through 23 games for Double-A Jacksonville in the Southern League. After reaching Triple-A in 2015, Yarbrough fell back to Double-A last season and hit .267 (with a bunch of strikeouts) at Arkansas. The switch-hitting infielder is 25 and in his sixth pro season. … Austin Riley, the ex-DeSoto Central standout and highly rated Atlanta prospect, is showing signs of settling in at high Class A Florida. He is at .259 with five homers and 19 RBIs, .282 with three homers in his last 10 games. A supplemental first-round pick in 2015, third baseman Riley just turned 20 on April 2.