Pipeline Preview: Ray on a roll for Carolina

Pipeline Preview: Ray on a roll for Carolina

June 9th, 2017

Here's a look at top prospects to watch in today's Minor League action:
Hitter to watch: Corey Ray (Brewers' No. 2), Carolina at Myrtle Beach (7:05 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
Ray, MLBPipeline.com's No. 23 overall prospect, connected on his second home run in six games on Thursday, giving him four homers in 44 games this season for Class A Advanced Carolina. Strikeouts have been a problem for the 22-year-old outfielder, who's fanned 64 times on the season, but he continues to showcase the tools that made him the No. 5 overall pick last June, with a .264 average, 19 extra-base hits and 13 steals.

Pitcher to watch: Jon Duplantier (D-backs' No. 6), Kane County at Wisconsin (8:05 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
Duplantier enters Friday's start for Class A Kane County as the Minor League leader in ERA (0.74) and third in WHIP (0.74) and batting average against (.155). What's more, the 22-year-old right-hander has not allowed an earned run in nine of his 11 outings. Overall, he's posted 66 strikeouts against 13 walks in 60 2/3 innings (10 starts) in his full-season debut.

Duel of the day: Riley Pint (Rockies' No. 2) vs. Ian Anderson (Braves' No. 6), Asheville vs. Rome (7:05 p.m. ET)
Pint, No. 43 on the Top 100, completed five innings for the second time this season in his last start for Class A Asheville, allowing two earned runs on five hits with two strikeouts. The 2016 No. 4 overall Draft pick has overpowering stuff but currently struggles to throw strikes consistently, a notion evidenced by his 23 walks and 22 strikeouts in 35 2/3 innings (nine starts). The good news is that the 19-year-old righty has allowed just one home run while posting an excellent ground-ball rate in that span.

Anderson, whom Atlanta selected one pick ahead of Pint a year ago, has scuffled of late after a strong first month of the season with Rome. Since the calendar flipped to May, the 19-year-old righty has pitched to a 6.12 ERA over his last seven starts totaling 32 1/3 frames. The No. 75 overall prospect has strong peripherals, however, with 68 strikeouts and zero home runs allowed in 50 1/3 innings (11 starts) this season.

Friday's Top 100 prospect probables
No. 33 (Brewers' No. 3), Colorado Springs vs. Iowa (9 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
No. 48 (Rangers' No. 2), Frisco at Corpus Christi (8:05 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
No. 59 A.J. Puk (A's No. 2) vs. Pablo Lopez (Mariners' No. 23), Stockton at Modesto (10:05 p.m. ET)
No. 61 Carson Fulmer (White Sox No. 6), Charlotte at Gwinnett (7:05 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
More top prospect probables
(Pirates' No. 7) vs. (Indians' No. 16), Indianapolis at Columbus (Triple-A)
(Giants' No. 8), Sacramento vs. Reno (Triple-A)
(Angels' No. 11), Salt Lake vs. Albuquerque (Triple-A)
(A's No. 22), Nashville at Memphis (Triple-A)
(Rays' No. 23), Durham vs. Norfolk (Triple-A)
Jalen Beeks (Red Sox's No. 28), Pawtucket vs. Buffalo (Triple-A)
(Twins' No. 4), Chattanooga at Montgomery (Double-A)
Trevor Clifton (Cubs' No. 7), Tennessee at Jackson (Double-A)
Jordan Johnson (Giants' No. 9), Richmond at Altoona (Double-A)
Domingo Acevedo (Yankees' No. 12), Trenton vs. Bowie (Double-A)
Spencer Adams (White Sox No. 12) vs. Jake Jewell (Angels' No. 26), Birmingham vs. Mobile (Double-A)
Foster Griffin (Royals' No. 20), NW Arkansas vs. Springfield (Double-A)
Teddy Stankiewicz (Red Sox's No. 24), Portland vs. Erie (Double-A)
Luis Lugo (Indians' No. 30), Akron at New Hampshire (Double-A)
Roniel Raudes (Red Sox's No. 5), Salem at Winston-Salem (Class A Advanced)
Kyle Funkhouser (Tigers' No. 6), Lakeland vs. St. Lucie (Class A Advanced)
A.J. Puckett (Royals' No. 10) vs. Framber Valdez (Astros' No. 29), Wilmington vs. Buies Creek (Class A Advanced)
Thomas Hatch (Cubs' No. 11), Myrtle Beach vs. Carolina (Class A Advanced)
Taylor Hearn (Pirates' No. 11) vs. (Blue Jays' No. 16), Bradenton at Dunedin (Class A Advanced)
(D-backs' No. 19), Visalia vs. San Jose (Class A Advanced)
(Yankees' No. 20), Tampa at Fort Myers (Class A Advanced)
(Class A Advanced)
Edgar Garcia (Phillies' No. 26), Clearwater at Jupiter (Class A Advanced)
Ryan Helsley (Cardinals No. 30), Palm Beach at Daytona (Class A Advanced)
Brandon Miler (Mariners' No. 17), Clinton at Peoria (Class A)
Zach Muckenhirn (Orioles' No. 26), Delmarva vs. Kannapolis (Class A)
Gregory Soto (Tigers' No. 29), West Michigan vs. Dayton (Class A)