Friday's top prospect performers

July 28th, 2018

Here's MLB Pipeline's roundup of the top prospect performances in the Minor Leagues on Friday.
With his rehab assignment behind him, returned to Triple-A Syracuse on Friday and had a very Victor Robles game.
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The Nationals' No. 1 prospect (No. 5 overall) reached base in four of his five trips to plate, finishing 3-for-4 with a home run, double and two RBIs. He also scored two runs and stole a pair of bases in the contest, helping Syracuse edge Durham, 10-8.
Robles spent nearly three months on the disabled list after suffering a hyperextended left elbow while diving for a ball in center field on April 9, his fourth game of the year. After being cleared to begin a rehab assignment, the 21-year-old outfielder batted .333 with four steals in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and then appeared in three more games with Class A Short Season Auburn.
Robles appeared in 13 games for the Nationals late last season and ultimately cracked the club's postseason roster. Though he's now been passed over by 19-year-old phenom Juan Soto on the Nationals' depth chart, the toolsy outfielder should be back in the Majors later in the season.

MILB Video - Title: Robles goes yard - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=2315987383

The rest of the best performances from top prospects Friday
No. 1 overall prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays' No. 1) homered for a second straight day and finished 1-for-4, giving him at least one hit in all seven games since returning to Double-A New Hampshire. The 19-year-old third baseman is hitting .402/.449/.671 with 14 homers and 60 RBIs in 61 games in the Eastern League. Bo Bichette (Blue Jays' No. 2, No. 9 overall) also homered in the contest, hitting a leadoff blast that put the Fisher Cats on the board early. He also hit a double to go along with his ninth homer in the contest, finishing 2-for-4.

MILB Video - Title: Guerrero hits solo homer - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=2317641883

• One night after tossing three scoreless innings on the mound, No. 30 overall prospect and two-way star Brendan McKay (Rays' No. 3) did it with his bat, going deep twice for Class A Advanced Charlotte in his first ever multi-homer game. Both homers were two-run shots to right field, as McKay finished 2-for-4 with four RBIs and a walk.
• No. 36 overall prospect Joey Bart (Giants' No. 1) turned in his second two-homer performance in 18 games since being promoted to Class A Short Season Salem-Kezier. This year's No. 2 overall Draft pick has gone deep nine times in those 18 contests while slashing .338/.383/.784 with 22 RBIs.
• No. 40 overall prospect Ian Anderson (Braves' No. 3) was sharp in a no-decision for Class A Advanced Florida, tossing five innings in which he allowed one earned run on three hits. The 20-year-old right-hander struck out six and did not issue a walk, throwing 50 of his 74 pitches for strikes in the outing. Anderson has been outstanding since the calendar flipping to June, as Friday's performance gives him 2.00 ERA and 56 strikeouts over his last 45 innings (nine starts) in the Florida State League.
Blue Jays' No. 8 prospect and 2018 first-rounder Jordan Groshans posted his third three-hit performance in his last 10 contests in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. He finished 3-for-5 at the plate with a double and three RBIs. The 18-year-old shortstop has opened his pro career on a tear, slashing .364/.425/.556 with three home runs, 10 RBIs and 31 RBIs across his first 26 games.
Brewers No. 4 prospect Corey Ray smashed a grand slam as he helped power Double-A Biloxi past Jackson, 15-7. The homer was Ray's fifth in his past 10 games, during which he's also posted a a .415 average with 11 RBIs and runs apiece. The 23-year-old outfielder is only Minor Leaguer so far this season to accrue at least 20 home runs and 30 steals, having tallied 21 and 32, respectively, through 101 games. Lucas Erceg (No. 6) also had a big game for the Shuckers, going 3-for-5 with 13th home run in his second five-RBI game of the year.

MILB Video - Title: Ray's grand slam - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=2317200383

D-backs No. 21 prospect Blaze Alexander hit his second career home run as well as a pair of doubles to finish 4-for-6 with three RBIs and four runs scored in Rookie-level Arizona League action. The 2018 11th-rounder is hitting .361 with 10 extra-base hits and 24 RBIs through his first 24 games as a pro.
Mets No. 9 prospect Mark Vientos was a one-man wrecking crew in Rookie-level Kingsport's 8-0 win over Burlington. The 2017 second-round pick set career highs with two home runs and seven RBIs before finishing 3-for-5. He's now gone deep six times on the year -- five of which have come in his last 10 games.
Reds No. 21 prospect Josiah Gray set a career high with six innings pitched in a no-decision for Rookie-level Greeneville. He allowed just two hits, walked one and struck out six in the scoreless performance. A Competitive Balance Round B pick in this year's Draft, the 20-year-old Gray has registered a 2.90 ERA and 0.87 WHIP with 32 strikeouts over a his first 31 frames (seven starts) as a pro.
Twins No. 10 prospect tossed seven scoreless innings of two-hit ball, striking out seven and walking one, as Double-A Chattanooga blanked Pensacola, 5-0. The 22-year-old lefty has allowed two or fewer earned runs in eight straight starts, during which he's lowered his ERA from 4.95 to 3.61. Overall, Thorpe has posted 118 strikeouts against 25 walks in 97 1/3 innings.