Cozens, Chapman among top prospect performers Saturday

Phillies No. 7 prospect sets Reading single-season homer mark; A's No. 4 swats 3 homers

September 4th, 2016

Double-A Reading is headed back to the postseason after clinching the Eastern League Eastern division for a second consecutive year on Saturday, when the Fightin Phils defeated Trenton, 10-5. Yet, it was Dylan Cozens' historic home run that stole the show.
The Phillies' No. 7 prospect hit his Minor League-leading 39th home run in the top of third inning, connecting on a three-run shot to right field to give Reading its first lead of the game.

MILB Video - Title: Cozens hits his 39th homer - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1132597883

The blast also propelled Cozens into Reading's record books, as it moved him past , who hit 38 home runs in 2012, into the top spot on the franchise's single-season home run list. It was a fitting accomplishment for the 22-year-old Cozens, who, with one more home run, will become the first Eastern Leaguer to hit 40 in a season since Ron Kittle in 1981.
In addition to his home runs, Cozens is also pacing all Minor Leagues with his 123 RBIs through 132 games, during which he's hitting .277/.351/.591. Overall, the 6-foot-6 outfielder has had 80 of his 142 hits go for extra bases this season while tallying at least 20 steals for a third straight season.
The rest of the best performances from top prospects Saturday
No. 2 overall prospect J.P. Crawford's (Phillies' No. 1) first home run since July 14 provided Triple-A Lehigh Valley with a pair of late-inning insurance runs in a 5-1 win over Rochester. It was the seventh home run of the season for the 21-year-old shortstop, who's hit .251/.351/.340 with a 72-77 walk-to-strikeout ratio in 122 games between the Double- and Triple-A levels.

MILB Video - Title: Crawford goes deep - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1132628083

No. 43 overall prospect Hunter Renfroe became the first player in Triple-A El Paso's history to hit 30 home runs, though it was one of just three hits collected by the Chihuahuas in a 6-2 loss against Albuquerque. The Padres' No. 3 prospect is tied atop the Pacific Coast League home run leaderboard, and he also ranks among the leaders in the circuit with 159 hits, 105 RBIs and 95 runs scored.

MILB Video - Title: Renfroe hits his 30th homer - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1132850883

No. 47 overall prospect Nick Senzel (Reds' No. 1) hit a pair of doubles as well as a triple and scored three times in his second four-hit game for Class A Dayton. This year's No. 2 overall Draft pick has put together an impressive pro debut in the Midwest League, hitting .335/.422/.578 with 33 extra-base hits and 15 steals in 57 games. He's been especially hot of late, too, going 14-for-27 (.519 average) during his current seven-game hitting streak.

MILB Video - Title: Senzel notches fourth hit - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1133524883

"I think I'm seeing it pretty good, just making sure I'm hitting good pitches, just trying to keep it as simple as possible, take good at-bats and try to hit the ball hard and find some holes," Senzel told MiLB.com. "And just trying to put myself in position to have hitting counts to work with."
• Fresh off of throwing five perfect innings his last start, No. 61 overall prospect posted zeros over six innings for Triple-A Charlotte in a 3-0 win over Norfolk. The White Sox No. 1 prospect scattered seven hits while walking two and striking out five to go along with 10 ground-ball outs. After a forgettable Triple-A debut, Fulmer, 22, has allowed one earned run in 15 innings over his past three starts.
A's No. 4 prospect Matt Chapman blasted three home runs in his first three at-bats en route to a 4-for-5 performance for Triple-A Nashville in a loss against New Orleans. The 23-year-old third baseman ranks third in the Minors with 36 home runs, and he's now gone deep seven times in 17 games since being promoted from Double-A.

MILB Video - Title: Chapman hits third homer - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1133474383

• In just his second Double-A game, A's No. 6 prospect Richie Martin matched his career-high as he knocked in five runs with a pair of extra-base hits, finishing 2-for-5. The 2015 first-rounder extended Midland's lead in the fourth inning with a two-out, two-run triple and then added a bases-clearing double -- also with two outs -- in the following frame.

MILB Video - Title: Martin plates two - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1133225283

Blue Jays No. 9 prospect Rowdy Tellez's 23rd home run was also his sixth in his past nine games, and it helped power Double-A New Hampshire past Portland, 5-2. The 21-year-old first baseman has been mighty impressive this season, hitting .300/.387/.536 with 54 extra-base hits and 81 RBIs in 122 games.
Blue Jays No. 14 prospect Max Pentecost went deep for a second straight day for Class A Advanced Dunedin and has 10 home runs through 73 games in his first full season. More significant, the 23-year-old was behind the plate in a game for first game since July 24, 2014, as multiple right shoulder surgeries cost him a portion of his 2014 pro debut, all of '15 and the beginning of '16. He threw out one of three attempted basestealers in the game.
Giants No. 10 prospect Steven Duggar reached base in all five of his plate appearances out of the leadoff spot for Double-A Richmond, going 3-for-3 with two walks, two RBIs and two runs scored. The 2015 sixth-rounder also connected on his 10th home run, though it was just his first in 58 games since being promoted from the California League.

MILB Video - Title: Duggar's first Double-A homer - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1132853383

Pirates No. 19 prospect Luis Escobar bounced back from his worst start of the season with one of his better performances as he tossed six scoreless innings to pace Class A Short Season West Virginia in a shutout of Auburn. The 20-year-old righty allowed one hit and walked a pair while striking out seven, with 48 of his 72 pitches going for strikes. He's pitched to a 2.93 ERA in 67 2/3 innings this season while holding opposing hitters to a .208 clip.
"[He] just filled up the strike zone," West Virginia pitching coach Mark DiFelice told MiLB.com. "Something we've been working on all year with him is controlling his delivery, and to put it all together for the last game of the year was really great to see."