Sunday's top prospect performers

July 9th, 2018

Here's MLB Pipeline's roundup of the top prospect performances in the Minor Leagues on Sunday.
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The strength of the Atlanta Braves' 2016 Draft class was on full display Sunday night as Ian Anderson and Bryse Wilson posted zeros once again for their respective affiliates.
Anderson, the Braves' No. 4 (No. 43 overall), recorded his second consecutive scoreless start for Class A Advanced Florida, tossing five innings of two-hit ball in a 2-1 victory over Palm Beach. He racked up seven strikeouts, threw 64 of his 96 pitches for strikes and faced three over the minimum in the outing.
Taken by Atlanta with the No. 3 overall pick in 2016, Anderson has not allowed a run in his last 11 innings for the Fire Frogs. During that stretch, the 20-year-old right-hander has yielded just five hits while striking out 18. He had tied his career high with 11 strikeouts and allowed just three hits in his previous start.
Altogether, Anderson, in his second full season, boasts a 2.96 ERA with a .219 opponents' average and 94 strikeouts over 76 innings (16 starts) in the Florida State League.
One level up, Wilson (No. 12) completed 6 1/3 strong frames, scattering four hits and striking out seven to earn the win in his second straight scoreless outing for Double-A Mississippi. He also generated six ground-ball outs and threw 67 of 101 pitches for strikes.
Though he struggled initially upon being promoted to Mississippi, Wilson, a fourth-round pick, has found his groove over his past two starts, posting 13 1/3 blank frames with 16 strikeouts. The 20-year-old right-hander owns a 4.81 ERA through 58 innings (12 starts) in the Southern League, and, overall, a 3.40 ERA with 89 strikeouts in 84 2/3 innings (17 starts) across two levels.

MILB Video - Title: Wilson fans 7th batter - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=2250441883

The rest of the best performances from top prospects Sunday
No. 21 overall prospect Triston McKenzie (Indians' No. 2) gave up one earned run on two hits -- one being a fourth-inning solo homer -- over six innings in a no-decision for Double-A Akron. He issued two walks and struck out six, throwing 58 of his 98 pitches for strikes in the outing. Across his past two starts, the 20-year-old right-hander has yielded just three hits while fanning 10 in 12 1/3 frames.
• No. 39 overall prospect (Yankees' No. 2) was sharp once again for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, tossing 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball in a 3-2 win over Pawtucket. He scattered five hits, walked a pair and struck out seven. With the performance, the 22-year-old Sheffield has now allowed one or fewer earned runs in three straight starts, during which he's pitched to a 0.98 ERA in 18 1/3 innings.
• No. 80 overall prospect Ryan Mountcastle (Orioles' No. 1) belted a three-run home run to help power Double-A Bowie past Harrisburg, 8-4. Mountcastle's homer was his eighth this season, and after finishing 2-for-3 at the plate, he's now hit in 12 straight contests for the Baysox. Overall, the 21-year-old third baseman is slashing .316/.366/.509 with 22 extra-bse hits and 36 RBIs through 57 games.

MILB Video - Title: Mountcastle belts 3-run homer - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=2250014283

Cubs No. 6 prospect Brendon Little put it all together on the mound in Class A South Bend's 10-0 victory over Lansing. The 21-year-old left-hander worked six scoreless innings, mixing three hits and one walk with a career-high nine strikeouts. He threw 86 pitches, 53 for strikes. Miguel Amaya (No. 10) powered the offense by hitting a solo home run as a part of a 2-for-5 performance. Set to represent the World Team in next week's SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game, the 19-year-old catcher has slashed .278/.348/.473 with 11 home runs and 41 RBIs over 76 games.

MILB Video - Title: Amaya blasts solo homer - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=2250299383

• Allowing an unearned run in five innings in a no-decision for Class A Short-Season Mahoning Valley, Indians No. 19 prospect Luis Oviedo has now worked 27 straight innings without surrendering an earned run. On Sunday, the 19-year-old righty yielded five hits, walked two and racked up six strikeouts while throwing strikes with 53 of his 83 offerings. He's been sensational across five starts this season, going 3-0 with a 0.32 ERA, 0.68 WHIP and 40-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 28 innings. Shortstop Richard Palacios, the club's third-round pick in the 2018 Draft, went 3-for-3 with a triple and two RBIs as he extended his hitting streak to nine games. He's hitting .417/.514/.650 with seven extra-base hits and 16 RBIs in his first 17 games as a pro.
Indians No. 29 prospect Eli Morgan dominated on the mound for Class A Advanced Lynchburg, tossing six scoreless innings of three-hit ball with a career-best 10 strikeouts en route to his fourth consecutive win. The 22-year-old righty -- Cleveland's eighth-round pick in the 2017 Draft -- has been sensational in his first full season, as Sunday's outing makes him 8-2 in 17 starts, with a 1.96 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 114-to-18 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 96 2/3 innings spanning two levels.
Rays No. 19 prospect Ronaldo Hernandez capped a 4-for-4 game with a game-winning solo homer in the top of ninth inning in Class A Bowling Green's 4-3 win over Fort Wayne. The 20-year-old catcher is hitting .395 over his past 10 games and sports a .319/.365/.564 batting line with 14 homers and 59 RBIs in 70 games this season.
Red Sox No. 7 prospect Darwinzon Hernandez was unhittable for 5 2/3 innings in Class A Advanced Salem's 7-4 win over Potomac. The 21-year-old right-hander compiled five walks and 10 strikeouts, both season highs, in the performance, throwing 61 of his 102 pitches for strikes. He's posted back-to-back scoreless starts for Salem, during which he's lowered his ERA from 5.19 to 4.33.
Royals No. 3 prospect Seuly Matias connected on his Minor League-leading 26th home run, hitting a fifth-inning solo shot in Class A Lexington's loss against Greensboro. The 19-year-old slugger has posted that total in 71 games after totaling 15 home runs in 110 games during his first two seasons. But while his power may be impressive, Matias is also hitting .218 with 106 strikeouts, third most in the South Atlantic League.

MILB Video - Title: Matias crushes 26th homer - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=2249944483

• Giants first-rounder (No. 2 overall pick) Joey Bart went deep for a third time in four games since receiving a promotion to Class A Short-Season Salem-Keizer. He also hit a double in the contest before finishing 3-for-5 with three runs scored and three RBIs. Bart had been 0-for-9 in his previous two games after erupting for a pair of two-run homers, the first of his career, in his Northwest League debut on July 4.
• Both Brian Brown, Boston's ninth-round pick in the 2018 Draft, and seventh-rounder Jarren Duran had a strong game in Class A Short-Season Lowell's loss to Hudson Valley. Brown, a 22-year-old lefty, worked five hitless innings with two walks and three strikeouts in his fourth professional start. Duran, meanwhile, went 4-for-5 with a triple and one run scored out of the leadoff spot. The 21-year-old second baseman is hitting .347 with six triples through 18 games to begin his career.