Cleveland Indians, spring training, in Goodyear, Arizona

Cleveland Indians prospect Bradley Zimmer, shown here at spring training in Goodyear, Arizona in Feb., 2017. (Chuck Crow/The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland Indians top prospect outfielder Bradley Zimmer has not had a great start to the 2017 season for the Class AAA Columbus Clippers.

In his first seven games, 15 percent of Zimmer's at bats ended in strikeouts. But that percentage jumped to 52 percent (14 K, six multi-K games) in his next seven. He found a groove and those strikeouts dropped to 20 percent over the next seven and soared to 67 percent (6 strikeouts, two multi-K games) in his last two.

Zimmer's 29 strikeouts are second on the team behind leader Nellie Rodriguez, who also leads the International League with 40.

Zimmer had three straight two-hit games (April 27-29) and is hitting .297 over the last 10 games to lift his season average to .264. In 24 games he has 24 hits including eight doubles, two triples, three homers and nine RBI.

Zimmer is spending most of his time (17 games) playing center field.

Struggles: Erik Gonzalez batted at the top of the order earlier this week in a spot that has served him well, starting games with a .429 average and two home runs. But it's all downhill after the first inning with a .190 average.

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20-20 vision: The Clippers are back in the walk column after having their consecutive walk streak snapped at 23 games to start the year. Of International League batters with at least 40 plate appearances, only eight batters have more walks than strikeouts, including Yandy Diaz (10 BB, 2K; went 35 plate appareances between strikeouts) and Giovanny Urshela (90 plate appearances, 11 BB, 10K).

Dandy Yandy: In 11 games since being demoted, Yandy Diaz is hitting .400 with five multi-hit games. Diaz has four doubles, one homer and nine RBI, while also drawing 10 walks. He has played five games at third, five in the outfield and was DH once.

Begging for Mendoza line: With his single in the seventh on Thursday, Rodriguez snapped a streak of 41 at bats without a hit (24 strikeouts, previous hit was his second homer of the game at Louisville on 4/9). He collected another single in his very next at bat, pushing his average to .100 and has since gone 2-for-15 (with seven strikeout). He currently ranks last in the league among qualified hitters with a .107 average (8-for-75).

Clippers update: The Clippers stand 11-15 on the season, second in the International League West, three games back of the Toledo Mud Hens. ... The Clippers are at Huntington Park for a short three-game homestand this weekend against the Indianapolis Indians, then open a seven-game road trip on Monday at the Durham Bulls.