Torres, Fedde among top prospect performers Saturday

Gleyber Torres, the top prospect in the Yankees' No. 2 farm system, continued his Spring Training tear with his first homer as part of a 1-for-2 afternoon that brought his batting average to an impressive .421 in Grapefruit League play.
Torres, the key acquisition from the Cubs in the Aroldis Chapman trade last July, has been working at second base this spring to enhance his defensive versatility.
The 20-year-old slugger was the Arizona Fall League MVP and batting champion with a .403 clip, which helped him jump to No. 3 overall on the Top 100 Prospects list. Widely considered by scouts to be "very advanced" at the plate, Torres has drawn comparisons to Miguel Cabrera for his quick hands and plate discipline.
More notable performances from top prospects on Saturday:
• Nick Pivetta (Phillies No. 12) tossed four strong innings in a start for Team Canada during Pool C of the World Baseball Classic in Miami, leaving with a 1-1 tie in a 4-1 loss to Colombia. Pivetta needed just 50 pitches to get through his four frames and said after the game that the opportunity was one of the milestones thus far in his young career.

• J.P. Crawford (Phillies No. 1, No. 6 overall) went 2-for-2 with a two-run single in the sixth inning of an 8-2 win over the Blue Jays. It was a breakthrough of sorts for the club's first-round pick in 2013, as Crawford entered the afternoon 3-for-20 this spring despite showing solid contact, an attribute he's consistently displayed since being drafted. He's struck out just twice against Grapefruit League pitchers thus far.
• Austin Meadows (Pirates No. 2, No. 9 overall) went 1-for-2, elevating his spring OPS to 1.020 to go with a .278 batting average. The No. 9 overall pick in the 2013 Draft, Meadows has weathered hamstring issues, a broken orbital bone and an oblique injury that kept him from the Arizona Fall League in '16, though he's shown ability to be MLB-ready. The problem is the crowded outfield in front of him, widely considered one of the best in the Majors.
• The Cubs' top two prospectsEloy Jiménez (No. 13 overall) and Ian Happ (No. 28 overall) both came off the bench and homered in the eighth inning in a 4-3 comeback win against the Rockies. Jimenez was named the Midwest League MVP last year after hitting .329 with 14 homers as a 19-year-old. Happ, the Cubs' first-round pick in 2015, homered for the second straight day and is batting .400 so far in Spring Training.
• Francisco Mejía (Indians No. 2, No. 40 overall) made his only at-bat count as he smashed a grand slam in a seven-run seventh inning in Cleveland's 7-6 win against the Royals. Mejia, who burst onto the national radar with a 50-game hitting streak last season, has five hits in 14 at-bats so far in his first big league Spring Training camp.

• Erick Fedde (Nationals No. 2, No. 60 overall) tossed three scoreless innings and gave up just one hit, extending his scoreless streak to three straight starts this spring spanning seven innings, during which he's surrendered just a .120 opposing batting average. Fedde, who underwent Tommy John surgery just before the Nats selected him with their 2014 first-round pick, has continued to distance himself from the surgery, with a fastball that sits at 91-94 mph and a sharp slider that shows late bite.
• John Gant (Cardinals No. 21) tossed three perfect innings with three strikeouts, dropping his Grapefruit ERA to 1.13 over eight innings in four outings, including two starts. A strong spring earned Gant an Opening Day roster spot last year with a young Braves club, and he neared a promotion from the bullpen before an oblique injury set him back. He was dealt to the Cardinals as part of the Jaime García trade this winter.
• Nick Williams (Phillies No. 4) had his best game of the spring, going 3-for-5 with a double and RBI to raise his batting average 83 points to .350. Traded from the Rangers as part of the Cole Hamels deal, Williams had a tough 2016, his first season at Triple-A, slashing .258/.287/.427, but his raw defensive ability and speed coupled with the fact that he's just 23 gives him upside heading into 2017.
• Arstides Aquino (Reds No. 6) broke out of a funk with a solo home run, his first this spring, as part of a three-run inning in the Reds' split-squad contest against the Mariners. Aquino entered the day hitting .143 in Grapefruit League play. The Reds are hopeful he can build off a strong '16 -- he was among the Florida State League leaders in home runs (23) and slugging percentage (.519) -- but he may not be big-league ready until 2018.

• Anthony Santander (Orioles No. 9) went 1-for-2 as a pinch hitter, with a two-run homer in Baltimore's 8-7 win over the Pirates. The club is hopeful he'll be able to contribute at-bats at the big league level this year, though he's hitting .182 this spring. He's spent the bulk of his Minor League career in left field, but has also shown capability to play first base.
• Nick Kingham (Pirates No. 9) tossed two scoreless innings and gave up just one hit with three walks, earning a hold while bringing his ERA down to 1.80 over the five innings he's tossed over three outings. The right-hander took a big step forward in '16, his first back from Tommy John surgery, posting a 2.93 ERA and 0.93 WHIP with a 36-6 strikeout-walk ratio over 10 starts.