Pipeline Preview: Allard seeks strong start

June 1st, 2017

Here's a look at top prospects to watch in today's Minor League action:
Hitter to watch: Dustin Fowler (Yankees' No. 8), Scranton/Wilkes-Barre vs. Toledo (6:35 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
Fowler turned in his fifth multihit performance in his last seven games on Wednesday, going 2-for-4 with a two-run homer in Game 1 of Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's doubleheader sweep against Colorado Springs. The homer was his ninth of the season and fourth in his last 10 contests, during which he's batting .341. Overall, the 22-year-old outfielder owns a .312/.348/.583 slash line, with 29 extra-base hits and 30 runs scored, through 46 games.

Pitcher to watch: Kolby Allard (Braves' No. 3), Mississippi at Jackson (7:05 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
The Braves deemed Allard, MLB Pipeline's No. 47 overall prospect, ready for Double-A even though he'd accrued only 60 1/3 innings of full-season experience, all at the Class A level, before this season. The 19-year-old lefty has done nothing but prove them right, as he enters Thursday's start sporting the Southern League's third-best ERA (1.83) through 10 starts. He's compiled 46 strikeouts against 17 walks over 54 innings and has held opposing hitters to a .215/.276/.315 slash line this season.

Duel of the day: (Pirates' No. 8) vs. (Phillies' No. 24), Indianapolis vs. Lehigh Valley (7:05 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
Brault started slowly for Triple-A Indianapolis before turning the corner in May, when he turned in five starts with one or fewer earned runs en route to a 2-0 record with a 1.26 ERA. He struck out 26 over 28 2/3 frames in that span, all the while holding opposing hitters to a .186 average. With a 2.48 ERA and a .218 opponents' average in 54 1/3 innings this season (10 starts), the 25-year-old right-hander seems poised to return to the Majors sometime soon.

Lively, 25, has been called up by the Phillies twice this season, but has yet to make his big league debut. The right-hander has rattled off back-to-back scoreless starts for Triple-A Lehigh Valley and has little left to prove in the Minors, as evidenced by his 6-1 record, 2.40 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in 56 1/3 innings (nine starts) this season.

Thursday's Top 100 prospect probables
No. 16 (Astros' No. 1) vs. (Mariners' No. 12), Fresno vs. Tacoma (10:05 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
More top prospect probables
(Rays' No. 9), Durham vs. Rochester (Triple-A)
(Indians' No. 23), Columbus at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Triple-A)
Harrison Musgrave (Rockies' No. 23), Albuquerque vs. Sacramento (Triple-A)
Grayson Long (Angels' No. 6), Mobile at Biloxi (Double-A)
(Reds' No. 6), Pensacola vs. Jacksonville (Double-A)
(Rockies' No. 13), Hartford vs. Richmond (Double-A)
(Padres' No. 15), San Antonio at Tulsa (Double-A)
Osmer Morales (Angels' No. 21), Mobile at Biloxi, Game 2 (Double-A)
David Hess (Orioles' No. 27), Bowie vs. Erie (Double-A)
Scott Blewett (Royals' No. 4) vs. (White Sox No. 22), Wilmington at Winston-Salem (Class A Advanced)
Jacob Nix (Padres' No. 5) vs. Matt Krook (Giants' No. 12), Lake Elsinore at San Jose (Class A Advanced)
Kyle Funkhouser (Tigers' No. 6), Lakeland at Palm Beach (Class A Advanced)
(Brewers' No. 11) vs. Jorge Alcala (Astros' No. 28), Carolina at Buies Creek (Class A Advanced)
Brian Gonzalez (Orioles' No. 19), Frederick at Salem (Class A Advanced)
Joan Baez (Nationals' No. 22), Potomac vs. Lynchburg (Class A Advanced)
Justin Donatella (D-backs' No. 26), Visalia vs. Rancho Cucamonga (Class A Advanced)
Jordon Holloway (Marlins' No. 15), Greensboro at Kannapolis (Class A)
Alex Wells (Orioles' No. 15), Delmarva vs. Hickory (Class A)
Jordan Hicks (Cardinals' No. 18), Peoria vs. Wisconsin (Class A)
Mack Lemieux (D-backs' No. 20), Kane County vs. Burlington (Class A)
Bryse Wilson (Braves' No. 24), Rome vs. West Virginia (Class A)
Bryan Hudson (Cubs' No. 24), South Bend at Dayton (Class A)
Hansel Rodriguez (Padres' No. 30), Fort Wayne vs. Bowling Green (Class A)