Saturday's best: Devers stars in big Triple-A debut

July 16th, 2017

Rafael Devers put his entire skillset on display while leading Pawtucket to a 7-4 win over Syracuse in his Triple-A debut on Saturday.
Devers, the No. 12 overall prospect (Red Sox's No. 1), was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate and also showed off his defensive ability with an impressive bare-handed play at third base.

MILB Video - Title: Devers makes barehanded play - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1610641583

After slashing .300/.369/.575 through 77 games with Double-A Portland, Devers was bumped up to Pawtucket and wasted no time proving his promotion was well deserved.
Devers lined singles in his first two at-bats, before upping the ante with a double in the sixth.
Two innings later, the 20-year-old decided that wasn't enough and showed off his 60-grade power with a two-run homer, his 19th of the year, out to right.

MILB Video - Title: Devers hits first Triple-A homer - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1610576283

Other top prospect performances from Saturday's action:
No. 10 overall prospect Brendan Rodgers (Rockies' No. 1) capped his second two homer game of the season with a 13th-inning walk-off for Double-A Hartford. Rodgers, who finished 4-for-7 with two RBIs, is hitting .254 through 17 games with the Yard Goats.

MILB Video - Title: Rodgers rips walk-off homer - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1610727683

"I think tonight was a big night for me," Rodgers told MiLB.com. "I think this is going to get things going. I had a lot of confidence at the plate tonight. Yeah, I still had a little slow start, but it's just baseball. It's going to come. I just need to keep playing and putting together good at-bats and good things will happen."
No. 32 overall prospect (Cardinals' No. 2) hit his ninth homer of the season and finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs in Triple-A Memphis' win over Round Rock. Kelly, who also scored a pair of runs, showed off his patient approach as he also drew a pair of walks. The catcher has drawn five walks over his past three games.

MILB Video - Title: Kelly lofts two-run homer - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1611088983

No. 41 overall prospect Riley Pint (Rockies' No. 2) lowered his ERA to 4.02 with six solid innings for Class A Asheville. Pint, who threw 54 of his 89 pitches for strikes, matched his season high with six strikeouts while giving up just one unearned run on three hits.
No. 47 overall prospect Triston McKenzie (Indians' No. 2) carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning before giving up two runs on a trio of hits for Class A Advanced Lynchburg. The 19-year-old did lower his ERA to 2.89 and pick up his eighth win with the performance, which also included nine strikeouts.
No. 62 overall prospect (Rays' No. 4) collected a pair of doubles on his way to a season-high four hits for Triple-A Durham. Bauers, who finished 4-for-5 with a run scored, is batting .272 through 83 games this season. While Bauers was collecting hits, (No. 23) was putting together a strong performance as well. Yarbrough struck out seven and gave up three hits as he pitched seven scoreless innings.

MILB Video - Title: Bauers racks up fourth hit - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1611028183

No. 71 overall prospect Forrest Whitley (Astros No. 5) notched a career-high 10 strikeouts in his third start with Class A Advanced Buies Creek. Whitley gave up three hits and walked one over 5 2/3 scoreless frames. The 19-year-old has been nothing short of dominant since he was promoted from Class A Quad Cities, giving up just one earned run across three starts (15 2/3 innings).
"I felt good about it," Whitley told MiLB.com. "It was one of those starts where obviously things went well, but I made big strides with things I've been working on. So, I'm pretty happy all around."
Angels No. 1 prospect Jahmai Jones provided Class A Burlington with its lone run as he hit a solo homer as part of a 2-for-3 effort. Jones, who has eight homers this season, has gone deep in back-to-back games and three times in his past six contests.
• Reds No. 8 prospect Tyler Mahle, who has already thrown a perfect game this season, flirted with a no-hitter for Triple-A Louisville. Mahle carried the no-no into the sixth inning before giving up a one-out single. The 22-year-old left after six scoreless frames, having allowed just the one hit on 100 pitches (68 strikes).

MILB Video - Title: Mahle ends sixth with a K - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1611029383

• Athletics No. 10 prospect Yairo Munoz collected a career-high five RBIs as he led Triple-A Nashville to an 11-5 win over Omaha. Munoz, who finished 3-for-5, drove in two with his second homer of the season in the sixth inning. The 22-year-old drove in another with a double in the sixth and then collected two more RBIs with another double in the seventh.
• Cubs No. 11 prospect Jose Paulino spun a gem and picked up his fifth win of the season as Class A South Bend topped Cedar Rapids, 1-0. Paulino put together his longest start of the year and his second straight scoreless outing as he gave up just four hits over 7 1/3 innings. The lefty also had pinpoint control as he threw 59 of his 88 pitches for strikes, didn't issue a walk and struck out seven.
Astros No. 13 prospect J.D. Davis went deep for the second time in three games as Double-A Corpus Christi topped Midland, 13-7. Davis, who has 21 homers this season, hit a three-run blast in the sixth inning before finishing 2-for-3 with four RBIs.

MILB Video - Title: Watch: Davis goes yard - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1611604183

Brewers No. 14 prospect only had two at-bats in Double-A Biloxi's win over Birmingham, but he made the most of them with a pair of extra-base hits and a season-high four RBIs. Nottingham began his day with an RBI double in the third and then capped the game with a three-run homer in fifth. Nottingham was hit by a pitch and drew a walk in his other two plate appearances.

MILB Video - Title: Watch: Nottingham launches homer - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1611453183

• Tigers No. 17 prospect Matt Hall's streak came to an end as he finally allowed an earned run after 44 innings pitched. Hall, who has posted five consecutive scoreless starts, gave up two runs in the second inning for Class A Advanced Lakeland but still put together a quality start. Hall gave up two earned runs over six innings and has seen his ERA lower from 5.36 to 2.67 since May 28, when the scoreless streak began.
Rays No. 30 prospect Ryan Boldt boosted his batting average to .333 this month with a 3-for-4 game in Class A Advanced Charlotte's win over Jupiter. Boldt, who finished with two doubles and two RBIs, broke a 1-1 tie with an RBI double in the third and then added an insurance run with a run-scoring single in the seventh.