Saturday's top prospect performers

August 18th, 2018

Here's MLB Pipeline's roundup of the top prospect performances in the Minor Leagues on Saturday.
As staples in Class A Beloit's lineup for much of the season, it was only fitting that 19-year-olds Austin Beck and Lazaro Armenteros powered the offense on a night in which the Snappers set season highs in both hits and runs.
Beck and Armenteros -- Nos. 5 and 6, respectively, on the A's Top 30 prospects list -- both collected three hits including a home run and combined for eight RBIs and six runs to lead Beloit in an 18-4 rout of Burlington. Altogether, the Snappers tallied 18 hits and had five players finish with at least two hits.
Lazarito's three hits all went for extra bases, as he sandwiched a two-run homer in the sixth inning between a pair of doubles to finish 3-for-4 with three RBIs. He also reached twice via a walk in the contest en route to a career-high four runs scored. The Cuban outfielder entered the game mired in a 1-for-20, 12-strikeout slump that included three straight three-strikeout games.
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Beck, on the other hand, has been surging of late, as his 3-for-6 showing on Saturday marked his sixth multihit performance in the last 10 games. He finished with a career-high five RBIs, four of which came on an eighth-inning grand slam that capped an 11-run frame.
Both teenage outfielders have lived up to high expectations in their first full seasons.
Selected with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2017 Draft and signed for a club-record $5,303,000, Beck is hitting .294/.334/.389 with two home runs, 27 doubles and 55 RBIs in 108 games with Beloit.
Lazarito, whom the A's signed for $3 million out of Cuba in July 2016, has appeared in just 64 games -- he didn't make his Midwest League debut until May and also spent a month on the disabled list -- but owns a .276/.376/.410 line with seven home runs and 33 RBIs.
No. 5 overall prospect (Nationals' No. 1) broke out of a 2-for-29 funk with a 4-for-6 performance that included a double and two runs scored out of the leadoff spot for Triple-A Syracuse. It was the 21-year-old outfielder's second four-hit game of the season and his first since April 7, two days before he suffered the hyperextended left elbow that led to a three-month stay on the disabled list.
• No. 16 overall prospect Jo Adell (Angels' No. 1) hit a double and scored in each of his first two at-bats and then added a solo home run after a 1-hour, 52-minute rain delay as Double-A Mobile defeated Biloxi, 7-1, in game one of a doubleheader. The homer was Adell's 20th of the season -- a total that the 19-year-old outfielder has reached in 92 games spanning three levels in his first full season.
• No. 36 overall prospect Triston McKenzie (Indians' No. 1) racked up a season-high eight strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings to lead Double-A Akron past Harrisburg, 5-1. He allowed one earned run on three hits and a walk in the outing, throwing 64 of 93 pitches for strikes. While a forearm issue cost McKenzie the first two months of the season, the 21-year-old right-hander has done his part to assuage any concerns about an injury by posting a 2.86 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and .198 BAA with 76 strikeouts in 78 2/3 innings (14 starts) in his first Double-A campaign.
• Back in the Minors after an impressive big league debut on Monday, No. 76 overall prospect Touki Toussaint (Braves' No. 7) allowed one earned run on four hits to earn the win for Triple-A Gwinnett. The 22-year-old righty issued one walk, hit a batter and struck out nine while throwing 64 of his 99 pitches for strikes. Toussaint has been excellent at the Triple-A level, posting a 1.93 ERA with 41 strikeouts in 37 1/3 innings (six starts), and it shouldn't be long until he's back with Atlanta.

MILB Video - Title: Toussaint delivers 6 strong frames - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=2402639883

Braves No. 11 prospect Kyle Muller recorded the first complete game and shutout of his career as he pitched Double-A Mississippi past Chattanooga, 1-0, in game one of a doubleheader. He scattered five hits and also struck out five while throwing strikes with 65 of his 100 pitches in the outing. The 20-year-old left-hander is 3-0 in three Double-A starts, with a 2.50 ERA and 19-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 18 innings. Pitching at three levels in his first full season, Muller has compiled a 2.94 ERA with 121 strikeouts and 43 walks over 128 2/3 innings (23 starts). (No. 23) provided all the offense with a fourth-inning solo shot, his 16th home run of the year.

MILB Video - Title: Muller caps complete game - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=2401231583

Indians No. 19 prospect Tyler Freeman's three doubles accounted for half of Class A Short Season Mahoning Valley's total hits in a loss against State College. It was the second straight three-hit game by the 19-year-old shortstop. He's leading the New York-Penn League in average (.379), hits (83), doubles (26), on-base percentage (tied, .423), slugging (.562) and total bases (123).
Nationals No. 21 prospect Reid Schaller allowed one hit over five scoreless innings in his best pro start for Class A Short Season Auburn. The 2018 third-round pick struck out four and generated seven ground-ball outs en route to facing one above the minimum in the outing. Of his 58 pitches, 42 were strikes.
Phillies No. 10 prospect Cole Irvin entered out of the bullpen with two outs in the second inning and proceeded to go the distance, tossing the remaining 7 1/3 scoreless innings in Triple-A Lehigh Valley's 4-1 win over Indianapolis. The 24-year-old lefty allowed two hits, walked a pair and struck out six while throwing 63 of 94 pitches for strikes in the relief appearance, his first of the year. Irvin ranks among the International League leaders with 12 wins (tied, first), a 2.71 ERA (third), 1.07 WHIP (first) and 149 1/3 innings (first).
Rays No. 11 prospect went 2-for-5 with a pair of solo home runs in his first multi-homer game of the season for Double-A Montgomery. The 23-year-old has homered four times in the last six games to push his season total to 18, a career high. Acquired from the Yankees during the offseason as part of a three-team trade with Arizona, Solak has produced a .281/.382/.449 line with 36 extra-base hits, 82 runs scored and 21 steals in 117 games with the Biscuits.
Yankees No. 25 prospectMichael King went the distance in his third career start at the Triple-A level. Starting the opener of Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's doubleheader against Norfolk, King allowed one earned run on seven hits with four strikeouts over seven innings. The strong performance was merely the latest during a breakout campaign that's seen the 23-year-old right-hander post a 1.95 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 135-to-25 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 143 innings (22 appearances, 21 starts) across three levels.