Pipeline Preview: Alzolay looks to keep rolling at Double-A

July 29th, 2017

Here's a look at the top prospects to watch in today's Minor League action:
Hitter to watch: Nick Senzel (Reds' No. 1), Pensacola at Biloxi (7:35 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
Senzel, MLBPipeline.com's No. 11 overall prospect, fell a double short of hitting for the cycle on Friday, though he still had a perfect night at the plate, going 4-for-4 with two RBIs in Double-A Pensacola's win against Biloxi. The home run was Senzel's eighth of the season and his fourth in 32 Double-A games, during which he's batting .331.

Pitcher to watch: Adbert Alzolay (Cubs' No. 4), Tennessee vs. Montgomery (7 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
Alzolay, 22, has been lights-out in his first three Double-A starts, posting a 1.69 ERA while striking out 17 and walking four in 16 innings. The right-hander was promoted to Tennessee after he earning All-Star honors in the Class A Advanced Carolina League, where he went 7-1 in 15 starts with a 2.98 ERA and a .217 opponents' average in 81 2/3 innings.
Duel of the day: Lewis Thorpe (Twins' No. 15) vs. JoJo Romero (Phillies' No. 18), Fort Myers at Clearwater (6:15 p.m. ET)
Tommy John surgery may have cost Thorpe his 2015-16 seasons, but the left-hander is fully healthy and back on track this year with Class A Advanced Fort Wayne. Thorpe, still just 21 years old, owns a 3.06 ERA in 10 outings (nine starts) this season in the Florida State League. He's struck out 50 and allowed two home runs over 47 innings in that span, all while holding hitters to a .230 average.
Though Romero struggled in his last start, allowing a season-high five earned runs on 12 hits in four innings, he's thrown the ball well since moving up to Clearwater, posting a 2.95 ERA with 24 strikeouts and eight walks in four starts. The 20-year-old lefty was promoted to the FSL after going 5-1 with a 2.11 ERA in 13 starts with Class A Lakewood.
Thursday's Top 100 prospect probables
No. 25 Kolby Allard (Braves' No. 3), Mississippi vs. Jacksonville (7 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
No. 39 A.J. Puk (A's No. 2), Midland at Corpus Christi (8:05 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
No. 68 (White Sox No. 8), Kannapolis at Lexington (6:35 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
No. 81 Adrian Morejon (Padres' No. 5), Fort Wayne vs. Dayton (7:05 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
No. 94 (Brewers' No. 4), Colorado Springs at Las Vegas (10:05 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
More top prospect probables
(Pirates' No. 9), Indianapolis vs. Pawtucket (Triple-A)
Sam Howard (Rockies' No. 12), Albuquerque vs. Iowa (Triple-A)
(White Sox No. 12) vs. (Yankees' No. 26), Charlotte vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Triple-A)
(Indians' No. 17), Columbus at Norfolk (Triple-A)
Yonny Chirinos (Rays' No. 19), Durham at Lehigh Valley (Triple-A)
(Twins' No. 7), Chattanooga vs. Binghamton (Double-A)
Jon Harris (Blue Jays' No. 19), New Hampshire at Binghamton (Double-A)
(Yankees' No. 22), Trenton at Altoona Game 2 (Double-A)
David Hess (Orioles' No. 28), Bowie vs. Arkon (Double-A)
Cody Sedlock (Orioles' No. 12) vs. Roniel Raudes (Red Sox's No. 13), Frederick at Salem (Class A Advanced)
A.J. Puckett (Royals' No. 13) vs. (Brewers' No. 15), Wilmington at Carolina (Class A Advanced)
Jacob Nix (Padres' No. 15), Lake Elsinore at Visalia (Class A Advanced)
Brock Burke (Rays' No. 16), Charlotte vs. St. Lucie (Class A Advanced)
Taylor Widener (Yankees' No. 20), Tampa at Daytona (Class A Advanced)
Connor Jones (Cardinals' No. 22), Palm Beach at Bradenton (Class A Advanced)
(White Sox No. 23), Winston-Salem at Lynchburg (Class A Advanced)
Luis Escobar (Pirates' No. 16), West Virginia at Hagerstown Game 2 (Class A)
Cole Ragans (Rangers' No. 5), Spokane at Everett (Class A Short Season)
Nate Pearson (Blue Jays' No. 7), Vancouver vs. Tri-City (Class A Short Season)
Ryan Lillie (Marlins' No. 16), Batavia vs. State College (Class A Short Season)