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Reed among 10 top prospect performers Wednesday

Astros No. 11 prospect knocks his 20th dinger of the year; second in the Minors in home runs, first in RBIs

It seems like A.J. Reed's home-run parade will never end.

That's all we can infer from the steady stream of moonshots that Houston's No. 11 prospect continues to hit. He launched his 20th dinger of the season during Class A Advanced Lancaster's 8-7 loss to Inland Empire on Wednesday night.

The shot was his fifth in 12 games and he's just three deep ones away from tying Twins No. 12 prospect Adam Brett Walker, who has been raking for Double-A Chattanooga this year.

Reed's bat has been integral to Lancaster's success this season. While he finished 1-for-4 on Wednesday, he's hitting an impressive .333 in 73 games. That 2015 line also includes 14 doubles, three triples and 71 RBIs, which is the most in the Minors. The former Kentucky Wildcat already has or will pass every major hitting mark he put up last season across two levels.

The rest of the 10 best performances from top Minor Leaguers

Angels No. 25 prospect Austin Robichaux extended his scoreless innings streak to 24 2/3 with another dominant performance. The 6-foot-5 right-hander has been consistent all year -- he has not lost since May 5 -- but this current run is something else. Class A Burlington fell, 1-0, to Kane County on Wednesday, with the lone run coming in the ninth -- after Robichaux finished his night. He tossed seven shutout innings, six hits, six strikeouts and one walk against the Cougars. With that start, he lowered his ERA to 3.02 on the year and his record remains 7-2.

Marlins No. 11 prospect Kendry Flores won his second straight start for Triple-A New Orleans and has not given up an earned run in 14 1/3 innings. The Dominican right-hander scattered six hits and struck out five in six shutout innings and stands at 2-0 with a 1.96 ERA since his promotion to Triple-A on June 15. His dominant stretch should come as no surprise as he posted a 2.06 ERA in nine starts for Double-A Jacksonville before providing 3 2/3 shutout innings of relief at the Major League level.

Nationals No. 1 prospect (No. 4 overall) Lucas Giolito pitched seven no-hit innings for Class A Advanced Potomac, but reliever Manny Rodriguez gave up a single to Frederick's Jeff Kemp in the ninth to fall short of the no-hitter. The team has not had a no-hitter since 1995, but Giolito's heavy lifting nearly made it so after rehabbing Aaron Barrett tossed a first inning in which he issued one walk. In all, Giolito tossed 84 pitches -- 52 for strikes -- before getting pulled following his first career relief appearance. He hasn't allowed a hit in 10 1/3 innings and hasn't allowed a run since June 12. "I felt like I was in pretty good control of my pitches," Giolito told MiLB.com. "I've definitely got to say that was the best fastball command low in the zone on both sides of the plate that I've had all year. I've been working on that in my bullpens all year because it hasn't always been where I've wanted it."

Nationals No. 3 prospect (No. 51 overall) Trea Turner hit his first Triple-A home run on Wednesday, a third-inning shot during Syracuse's 10-1 win over Louisville that ended an 0-for-18 start to his tenure for the Chief. In December, Turner was the "player to be named later" in a three-team trade that included the Nats and Padres, his former organization. League rules would not allow Turner to make the switch to Washington's farm system until this month, so he was raking -- .322/.385/.471, five homers and 35 RBIs -- for the Padres' Double-A affiliate, the San Antonio Missions, until June 13. At that point, he entered Washington's organization and recorded 14 hits in 10 games before his promotion to Syracuse last week.

Nationals No. 22 prospect Matt Skole launched a 13th-inning walk-off double for Double-A Harrisburg Wednesday. The Senators infielder went 4-for-6 with a double, home run and two RBIs as Harrisburg took down Richmond, 6-5, in extra innings. Skole's four-hit day was his first of the year and first since last July with the Senators. He's hitting .241/.342/.423 with 11 homers and 47 RBIs this year.

Pirates No. 7 prospect (No. 77 overall) Alen Hanson ripped a solo inside-the-park home run off the center-field wall to provide the winning margin in Triple-A Indianapolis' 2-1 win over Columbus on Wednesday. The speedy 22-year-old finished his first game back from the disabled list 3-for-4 after missing several weeks with a left pinkie finger injury. That setback came while sliding on June 15, just two weeks after Hanson was named the Pirates' Minor League Player of the Month for May. He's shown a propensity for scooting around the basepaths this season, with eight doubles and eight triples to go along with 19 stolen bases. Hanson's line is .292/.335/.442, including five homers and 33 RBIs.

Pirates No. 29 prospect Steven Brault picked up his first win in three tries for Double-A Altoona. The southpaw was nearly unhittable, giving up just one base hit while striking out five in seven innings of work. "I was just attacking hitters as much as possible," Brault told MiLB.com. "Letting them hit and letting my defense do the work. When it all comes together, this is what it ends up looking like." With the win, Brault stands at 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA in three starts for the Curve.

Rays No. 3 prospect (No. 64 overall) Willy Adames finished 2-for-4 with a solo homer as Class A Advanced Charlotte defeated Bradenton, 5-2. The jack was Adames' third on the season and he's hitting .283/.361/.410 with 15 doubles, four triples, 31 RBIs and six stolen bases. Wednesday's performance snapped a mini-skid as the shortstop was 0-for-12 in his previous three games.

Reds No. 6 prospect Alex Blandino went 3-for-4 with a double and his second home run in five games for Class A Advanced Daytona. The Tortugas took down Lakeland, 5-4, with Blandino opening the scoring in the bottom of the first inning. He's been hot recently, picking up four multi-hit games in the past nine contests. He's hitting .295/.372/.428 with six dingers and 30 RBIs on the season and provided a constant offensive presence for the Tortugas, who won the first-half Florida State League North title.

Alex M. Smith is a reporter for MLB.com.
Read More: Houston Astros, A.J. Reed