Braves trio leads top prospect performers
Class A Advanced Florida's offense was shut out on Sunday for the first time this season. That was anything but the case on Tuesday, however, as the Fire Frogs erupted for 10 runs in the first inning before defeating Palm Beach, 22-2. Florida pounded out 18 hits including four home runs in the victory, with each starter collecting at least one hit and scoring one run.
Braves No. 7 prospect Ronald Acuna (No. 96 overall) established season highs with three hits and five RBIs, three of which came on his three-run triple in the first inning. The 19-year-old center fielder later added his second home run of the season, a two-run shot to center field in the eighth inning, to finish 3-for-5 at the plate.
Austin Riley and Alex Jackson also homered for the Fire Frogs, with the duo combining for four RBIs and five runs.
Riley, Atlanta's 12th-ranked prospect, notched both of his hits (2-for-6) in the first inning, tallying a one-out single early in the frame before connecting on a two-out, two-run homer to left field to cap the big inning. The 20-year-old corner infielder has gone deep three times in 19 games this season.
Jackson (Braves' No. 23), meanwhile, went 3-for-6 and hit his seventh homer of the season, giving him a share of the Minor League lead. Acquired in November following three disappointing seasons in the Mariners' system, Jackson is hitting .338/.364/.676 with 16 RBIs through 18 games in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League, in his first season of the Class A Advanced level.
Together, the trio of Braves prospects accounted for eight of Florida's 18 hits, going 8-for-17 with four extra-base hits, eight runs scored and nine RBIs.
The rest of the best performances from top prospects Tuesday
• No. 14 overall prospect Michael Kopech (White Sox No. 3) allowed just one hit in six scoreless innings to record his first victory for Double-A Birmingham. The hard-throwing righty found the zone with 65 of his 95 pitches as he struck out eight batters to increase his season total to 28 through 18 innings (four starts). Kopech, 20, owns a 2.50 ERA in that span.
MILB Video - Title: Watch: Kopech notches K - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1323392483
• No. 24 overall prospect Nick Senzel (Reds' No. 1) connected on his first home run of the season, a sixth-inning solo shot, in Class A Advanced Daytona's loss to Jupiter. It was the only hit in four at-bats for the Reds' 2016 first-rounder, who's batting .243/.317/.351 through 19 games.
• No. 28 overall prospect Brent Honeywell (Rays' No. 2) recorded his first Triple-A win in his second start for Durham. The right-hander punched out nine batters over 5 2/3 innings for the Bulls, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits. Overall, Honeywell, 22, has piled up 30 strikeouts in 24 2/3 innings while holding opposing hitters to a .159 average in four starts between Double-A Montgomery and Durham.
• No. 31 overall prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays' No. 1) hit a booming two-run homer for Class A Lansing, though it wasn't enough to keep the Lugnuts from falling to South Bend, 11-6. The homer was the third in 18 games for the 18-year-old third baseman, who went 3-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to nine games, while also improving his average to .328.
• No. 52 overall prospect Yohander Méndez (Rangers' No. 2) permitted just one hit in seven innings with seven strikeouts, both season highs for the 22-year-old lefty, in his best start for Double-A Frisco. He sports a 2.66 ERA through four starts after going 4-1 with a 3.09 ERA in 10 starts for the RoughRiders in 2016.
MILB Video - Title: Watch: Mendez strikes out 7th batter - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1323594883
• No. 66 overall prospect Carson Fulmer (White Sox No. 5) tossed six innings of one-run ball for the second time in as many starts to lower his ERA to 3.52 for Triple-A Charlotte. The 23-year-old scattered four hits and tallied a season-high eight strikeouts, with 70 of his season-high 112 pitches going for strikes.
• No. 100 overall prospect Max Fried (Braves' No. 8) fired seven dominant innings, allowing just one hit and one walk, to earn his first win for Double-A Mississippi. The 23-year-old lefty struck out six while throwing 48 of his 77 pitches for strikes.
MILB Video - Title: Fried gets Velazquez swinging - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1320911083
• Orioles No. 25 prospect John Means scattered three hits with five strikeouts over six scoreless innings for Double-A Bowie, only to see Richmond score twice in its final at-bat for a walk-off win. It was the best start of the season for the 24-year-old southpaw, whose 1.31 ERA ranks third among qualified starters in the Eastern League.
• Padres No. 12 prospect Dinelson Lamet racked up nine strikeouts and worked a season-high seven scoreless innings for Triple-A El Paso in his first start since setting a franchise record with 13 strikeouts. With a stellar 0.45 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 20 innings, the 24-year-old righty could be the next hurler summoned when the Padres need a starter.
• Tigers No. 6 prospect Kyle Funkhouser struck out nine batters for the third time in four starts for Class A West Michigan. The 2016 fourth-rounder also picked up his second win for the Whitecaps, allowing four hits and three walks over a season-high six scoreless innings. His 29 strikeouts (in 17 2/3 innings) rank second in the Midwest League.