Friday's top prospect performers

July 20th, 2019

Here's a look at Friday's top Minor League performers from each team's Top 30 Prospects list:

AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

Blue Jays: Nate Pearson, RHP (No. 2, No. 40 in MLB) -- 3.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 3 K (Double-A New Hampshire)
Pearson certainly didn't have his best command Friday, and he has now walked five batters over his past 6 1/3 innings ... but the main takeaway is that he's healthy and on the mound. Pearson has already been on the injured list twice this season and missed nearly all of the 2018 season -- although that was from a fluke injury. When healthy, Pearson is most known for his impressive velocity, but he also has a strong slider and could move fairly quick if he stays healthy. Blue Jays prospects stats »

Orioles: Austin Hays, OF (No. 5) -- 2-for-5, 2B, HR, 2 RBI (Triple-A Norfolk)
Hays picked up a pair of extra-base hits, including his 11th homer of the year, in Norfolk's win over Lehigh Valley. The 24-year-old, a third-round pick from the 2016 Draft, has been on fire lately and is hitting .341 in the month of July. Hays was the first player from his Draft class to reach the Majors in 2017, but injuries hampered his 2018 season and offseason surgery delayed the start of the current campaign. Orioles prospects stats »

Rays: Vidal Brujan, 2B (No. 6) -- 2-for-4 (Double-A Montgomery)
Brujan picked his average back up over .300 (.303) through 19 games with the Biscuits. Prior to his promotion to Montgomery, Brujan, whom the Rays signed in 2014, hit .290 over 44 games with Class A Advanced Charlotte. The switch-hitting shortstop has an advanced approach from both sides of the plate, but his swings are a bit different. Brujan has more power from the left side of the plate and is more of a contact hitter from the right side of the plate. Either way, the 21-year-old possesses strong bat-to-ball skills and could be an impactful presence at the top of a team's lineup. Rays prospects stats »

Red Sox: Marcus Wilson, OF (No. 21) -- 2-for-4, 2 HR, 4 RBI (Double-A Portland)
Wilson has had an up-and-down season at the plate -- though playing for three different teams is at least partially responsible -- but Friday night's effort was one of his better games this year. He matched his season high for RBIs and turned in his second two-homer game of the campaign. Wilson began the year in the D-backs' system and was traded to the Red Sox and assigned to Double-A Portland, where he got off to a slow start. He was then sent to Class A Advanced Salem and is now back with Portland. While all that has led to some slumps, the 22-year-old has managed well and is hitting .276 through 81 games. Red Sox prospects stats »

Yankees: Estevan Florial, OF (No. 1, No. 46 in MLB) -- 2-for-3, 2B (Class A Advanced Tampa)
Rain brought Tampa's game to a halt after five innings, but that was enough time for Florial to notch his second multihit performance over the past three days. The 21-year-old didn't start his season until June 3 and got off to a slow start, as he hit .198 that month. However, Florial appears to be settling in and is hitting .277 through 17 games in July. Florial has an enticing set of tools, but his development has been slowed as he's missed time in each of the past two seasons with injuries. Yankees prospects stats »

AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL

Indians: Carlos Vargas, RHP (No. 20) -- 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K (Class A Short Season Mahoning Valley)
Vargas bounced back from a pair of rough outings to spin his best start of the season for the Scrappers. The 19-year-old Dominican, whom the Indians signed in 2016, gave up 14 runs over 8 1/3 innings in his past two starts, but was clearly firing on all cylinders Thursday. He retired 12 of the first 13 batters he faced and ultimately threw 46 of his 72 pitches for strikes. Vargas is still growing into his frame but already touches triple digits with his fastball. Indians prospects stats »

Royals: Nick Pratto, 1B (No. 2) -- 2-for-4, HR, RBI (Class A Advanced Wilmington)
The 2019 season hasn't been kind to Pratto, the Royals' first-round pick from the 2017 Draft. However, the 20-year-old may be turning a corner as he has hits in four straight games, including three straight multihit efforts. After hitting .280 with 14 homers last year, Pratto has struggled in the jump up to Wilmington and is hitting .185 with six homers. Defensively, Pratto's athleticism plays well and he has all the makings of a solid defensive first baseman. Royals prospects stats »

Tigers: Tarik Skubal, LHP (No. 17) -- 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 13 K (Double-A Erie)
Skubal has been nearly unhittable since being promoted to Erie. The 22-year-old has pitched to a 0.56 ERA through three starts and racked up a ridiculous 34 strikeouts through 16 innings. Skubal, who has notched double-digit strikeouts in three straight starts, set a career high with 13 Friday as he threw 65 of his 94 pitches for strikes. The 2018 ninth-round pick got off to a fast start as he retired the first nine batters he faced and had multiple strikeouts in all six innings. He also struck out the side twice. Tigers prospects stats »

Twins: Royce Lewis, SS (No. 1, No. 7 in MLB) -- 3-for-5, 2B (Class A Advanced Fort Myers)
Lewis, hitting .240 through 88 games, turned in his third three-hit performance of the season for the Miracle. The former No. 1 overall pick (2017) got off to a slow start this season and hit .209 in April, but his monthly averages have each been better than the last. In fact, through 13 games in July, Lewis is hitting .302. Twins prospects stats »

White Sox: Steele Walker, OF (No. 10) -- 2-for-5, 2 2B, 3 RBI (Class A Advanced Winston-Salem)
Walker got off to a strong start with a double in the first inning, but he did his real damage in the eighth, when he cleared the bases with a three-run double as the Dash erupted for six runs in the frame. The big game was much needed for Walker, who is hitting .224 this month and .266 through 62 games with Winston-Salem. Prior to his promotion to Winston-Salem, Walker, a 2018 second-rounder, began the year with Class A Kannapolis, where he hit .365 over 20 games. White Sox prospects stats »

AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST

A’s: Daulton Jefferies, RHP (No. 14) -- 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K (Double-A Midland)
Jefferies threw 33 of his 42 pitches for strikes as he bounced back from a rough start in which he yielded five runs over three innings. The 23-year-old was taken 37th overall in the 2016 Draft, but after just two appearances in 2017, it was discovered that he needed Tommy John surgery. Jefferies missed the rest of 2017 and threw just two innings in 2018. The A's are understandably taking it slow with the Cal product this year as he's yet to finish four innings in any appearance. Overall, Jefferies has pitched to a 3.52 ERA with 74 strikeouts over 64 innings. A's prospects stats »

Angels: Jordyn Adams, OF (No. 5) -- 3-for-5, 2B, HR, 2 RBI (Class A Burlington)
Adams certainly filled out the box score, as he hit his sixth homer of the year and extended his hitting streak to five games. The 2018 first-round Draft pick was a two-sport star in high school and has a lot of development ahead of him, but the Angels feel that he'll adapt quickly now that he's only focused on baseball. Adams, an 80-grade runner with the potential to make an impact on both sides of the ball, is also one of the best athletes in the entire Angels organization. Angels prospects stats »

Astros: Bryan Abreu, RHP (No. 7) -- 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K (Double-A Corpus Christi)
In his past two outings, Abreu has been deployed alongside fellow Astros prospect Cristian Javier as a "piggyback" starter, a setup in which each works about half of the game on the mound. Last time out it was Javier who stole the show, and Friday it was Abreu. The solid outing was a sight for sore eyes among Hooks fans, as Abreu had been struggling mightily over his past four appearances, allowing multiple earned runs each time. Friday's four innings marked his first appearance of any length this season without a walk, and only his third scoreless trip to the mound in 2019. Astros prospects stats »

Mariners: No Mariners prospects had noteworthy performances in the Minor Leagues on Friday.

Rangers: Nick Solak, 2B/OF (No. 10) -- 3-for-4, 2 HR, 2 RBI (Triple-A Nashville); David Garcia, C (No. 29) -- 2-for-4, 2 HR, 2 RBI (Class A Short Season Spokane)
Solak sure seems to be making a strong impression with his new organization. The Rangers acquired Solak from the Rays on July 13 and the 24-year-old has hits in three of five games with the Sounds -- including his third two-homer game of the year -- since the deal. The two homers also give Solak 19 for the year, which matches the career high he set in 2018. While Solak's power has increased in each of the past two seasons, he still typically employs a line-drive approach and hits the ball to all fields. Garcia, a 19-year-old whom the Rangers signed in 2016, went deep twice on Friday, bringing his season total to five through 21 games. Garcia has certainly shown an increase in power this year as he hit just two homers in 92 games over his first two seasons. Rangers prospects stats »

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST

Braves: Ian Anderson, RHP (No. 3, No. 25 in MLB) -- 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 10 K (Double-A Mississippi)
That's now three double-digit-strikeout performances this season for Anderson, who has fanned 129 over 99 2/3 innings in 2019. The 21-year-old, who has pitched to a 2.80 ERA through 19 starts, gave up a run in the second inning and then retired 16 of the next 18 batters he faced to finish the outing. Anderson, the third overall pick from the 2016 Draft, has an effective three-pitch arsenal and has continued to make strides with his command, which should help him reach his potential. Braves prospects stats »

Marlins: Isan Diaz, 2B (No. 6) -- 2-for-5, HR, RBI (Triple-A New Orleans)
Diaz has been raking and shows no signs of slowing down. The 23-year-old extended his hitting streak to seven games and also homered for the third time in his past five games. Diaz is hitting .306 through 90 games this year, a positive development after he hit .232 last year. While Diaz is a capable defender, his bat is his carrying tool and will be what lifts him to the Majors. Marlins prospects stats »

Mets: Ronny Mauricio, SS (No. 2, No. 81 in MLB) -- 2-for-3, 3B, RBI (Class A Columbia)
Mauricio has struggled in July overall, but has shown some signs of life lately with hits in four of his past six games. The switch-hitting shortstop is hitting .276 this season and has an impressive combination of bat speed and power ... and he's still only 18 years old. Defensively, Mauricio has soft hands and plus arm strength, but he may ultimately have to move to third depending upon how he fills out. Mets prospects stats »

Phillies: No Phillies prospects had noteworthy performances in the Minor Leagues on Friday.

Nationals: Tres Barrera, C (No. 19) -- 3-for-4, 2B, RBI (Double-A Harrisburg)
Barrera has six three-hit games this season after Friday's strong offensive showing. The 2016 sixth-round pick isn't much of an impact player offensively, but has been a solid contributor and is hitting .261 over his four-year Minors career. Barrera's talent really shines behind the plate, where he is an advanced blocker and has strong catch-and-throw skills. Nationals prospects stats »

NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL

Brewers: Brice Turang, SS (No. 1, No. 90 in MLB) -- 1-for-3, HR, RBI (Class A Advanced Carolina)
Turang isn't known for his power, but was able to flex a little muscle Friday as he hit his third homer of the 2019 campaign. The 19-year-old, a first-round pick from last year's Draft, has struggled to adjust to the Class A Advanced level and is hitting .139 through 10 games with the Mudcats. Prior to his promotion, Turang hit .287 over 82 games with Class A Wisconsin. Brewers prospects stats »

Cubs: Zack Short, SS (No. 11) -- 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI (Triple-A Iowa)
After going 0-for-8 over the past two days, Short got back in the hit column with his third homer of the year, all of which have come over the past six games. The 2016 17th-round pick has played in just 30 games this year after a lengthy stay on the injured list, but he is competing at the Triple-A level for the first time. Short spent the 2018 campaign with Double-A Tennessee and hit .227 with 17 homers over 124 games. Cubs prospects stats »

Cardinals: No Cardinals prospects had noteworthy performances in the Minor Leagues on Friday.

Pirates: Jason Martin, OF (No. 8) -- 2-for-3, RBI, BB (Triple-A Indianapolis)
Martin's second straight game with two hits, an RBI and a walk wasn't quite enough for the Indians, as they fell 4-3 to Durham in extras. The 2013 Draft pick (by Houston) cracked the Major League roster for the first time this year, but he's back at Triple-A now and showing signs of really heating up in July. He's batting .333 for the month (compared to his .253 season average), and he has eight of his 26 RBIs for the season in 12 July games. However, his speed hasn't been on display as much as he'd like, as he was caught stealing Friday and is only 5-for-10 on stolen base attempts this season in the Minors. Pirates prospects stats »

Reds: Vladimir Gutierrez, RHP (No. 7) -- 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 4 K (Triple-A Louisville)
Gutierrez bounced back from a string of rough outings to put together a quality start for Louisville. After yielding 16 runs over 16 innings (three starts), Gutierrez started off on the wrong foot and gave up a solo homer in the second inning. He'd bounce back, however, retiring seven of the first eight batters he faced and pounding the strike zone with 56 of his 83 pitches. Reds prospects stats »

NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST

D-backs: Jorge Barrosa, OF (No. 22) -- 2-for-5, HR, RBI (Class A Short Season Hillsboro)
Barrosa, an 18-year-old whom the D-backs signed in July 2017, hit his first homer of the season a day after his modest five-game hitting streak came to an end. Barrosa has shown an advanced approach at the plate and has natural bat-to-ball skills, but he's still fairly raw. The switch-hitter doesn't offer much power, but has plus speed and stole 39 bases in 68 games last season. D-backs prospects stats »

Dodgers: DJ Peters, OF (No. 10) -- 3-for-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI (Triple-A Oklahoma City)
Peters is widely known for his impressive power, and he put it on display once again. The 23-year-old went deep in both the second and third innings, giving him back-to-back two-homer games. Peters has now gone deep 19 times this season and it appears inevitable he'll reach the 20-homer mark for the third straight year. Peters is hitting .370 through 20 games at the Triple-A level and hit .241 through 68 games with Double-A Tulsa prior to his promotion. Dodgers prospects stats »

Giants: Jairo Pomares, OF (No. 11) -- 2-for-5, 2 2B, RBI (AZL Giants Black)
Pomares continues to rake and absolutely torment Arizona League pitching staffs. The 18-year-old, whom the Giants signed out of Cuba last July, has only played 20 games as a professional, so the sample size is small but undeniably impressive. Pomares, who hit for the cycle on Thursday, is hitting .395, has a seven-game hitting streak and also has a hit in 19 of the 20 games he's played. Giants prospects stats »

Padres: Edward Olivares, OF (No. 17) -- 3-for-4, 2 HR, 5 RBI (Double-A Amarillo)
Olivares played a big role in Amarillo's comeback win with some clutch hitting, including his two home runs. Olivares' second multi-homer game of the year featured a solo shot in the sixth, a game-tying single in the seventh and an insurance run homer in the eighth. The 23-year-old, whom the Padres acquired from the Blue Jays in January of 2018, also extended his hitting streak to seven games and matched his season high for RBIs in the contest while bringing his season homer total to 15. Padres prospects stats »

Rockies: Ryan Rolison, LHP (No. 3) -- 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K (Class A Advanced Lancaster)
Rolison fired an absolute gem on Friday, a much-needed quality outing for the 2018 Draftee. His ERA with Lancaster ballooned to 5.28 after his July 13 outing, which ended after four innings of eight-run ball, five of which were earned. He was sitting at a respectable 2.96 ERA as recently as June 9 before five straight poor starts. Hopefully whatever was plaguing the 22-year-old has passed and he can continue dealing like he did for Asheville to start the season, as he made three starts at the Class A level and allowed only one earned run in 14 2/3 innings. Rockies prospects stats »