Berrios among 10 top prospect performers Wednesday
Twins No. 2 prospect strikes out a season-high 12 for Triple-A Rochester
It's reached the point where each of Jose Berrios' starts for Triple-A Rochester might be his last.
The Twins' No. 2 prospect (No. 23 overall) was at his best Wednesday night, allowing just three hits and one walk in seven scoreless innings as Rochester defeated Syracuse, 6-0.
Berrios, 21, struck out a season-high 12 batters in the contest -- his third game of the season with double-digit strikeouts -- to push his Minor League-leading season total to 165.
Meanwhile, the presence of Twins general manager Terry Ryan at the game -- along with Berrios' stellar performance -- has prompted speculation that the hard-throwing right-hander's next turn in the rotation could occur in the Major Leagues. Though he hopes to finish the season as a member of the Twins' rotation, Berrios isn't concerning himself with what September might bring.
"I feel a little bit excited," Berrios told MiLB.com. "But for now, I do what I can do -- pitch. I don't think about much else. I try to do my work and stay healthy."
Berrios has thrived since moving up to Triple-A in early July, pitching to a 2.78 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 73/13 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 64 2/3 innings spanning 10 starts. He has been particularly dominant of late, too, with a 1.67 ERA and 37/2 strikeout-to-walk ratio in his last 27 innings (four starts).
On the season, Berrios owns a 12-5 record to go along with a 2.95 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in 155 1/3 innings (25 starts) between the Double- and Triple-A levels.
The rest of the 10 best performances from top Minor Leaguers
• Brewers No. 5 prospect Tyrone Taylor enjoyed one of his better games of the season Wednesday, hitting a three-run home run and a double in three at-bats for Double-A Biloxi. The 21-year-old center fielder's homer was just his third in 117 games this season, though he does have 18 doubles and a pair of triples to go along with a .264/.316/.339 batting line. The 2012 second-rounder's power has fallen off considerably during the second half of the season but he's shown a more consistent approach at the plate, posting a 20/16 strikeout-to-walk ratio and .320 on-base percentage in his last 53 games.
• Cardinals No. 17 prospect Harrison Bader was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with a pair of triples -- the first two of his professional career -- and three RBIs in Peoria's 7-5 win over Cedar Rapids. The 2015 third-rounder has made a strong impression during his first professional season, batting .305/.373/.505 with eight home runs, 20 extra-base hits and 16 steals through 50 games.
• Cubs No. 6 prospect (No. 97 overall) Albert Almora added to his resurgent second half, going 2-for-4 with a home run, double and three RBIs for Double-A Tennessee. After posting a disappointing .244/.285/.340 batting line with 13 extra-base hits in his first 55 games, the 21-year-old outfielder has rebounded to bat .303/.370/.479 with four home runs -- doubling his first-half total -- 17 doubles and a vastly improved 20/15 strikeout-to-walk ratio across his last 43 contests.
• Diamondbacks No. 4 prospect (No. 86 overall) Braden Shipley didn't start for Double-A Mobile on Wednesday as expected, but that didn't prevent the right-hander from picking up the win. Entering the game in the third inning in place of starter Zack Godley, Shipley scattered two hits over six scoreless innings for the BayBears. The 23-year-old struck out seven without issuing a walk, with 46 of his 72 pitches going for strikes. After pitching to an ugly 4.50 ERA and 1.54 WHIP in 14 first-half starts, Shipley has been a model of consistency since the mid-season mark, going 6-3 with a 2.10 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 55/15 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 73 innings (12 games/11 starts) for Mobile.
• Diamondbacks No. 9 prospect Peter O'Brien launched a pair of home runs Wednesday in Triple-A Reno's win over Nashville. He also picked up a double in the game, finishing 3-for-4 with three runs scored and four RBIs. It was the seventh multi-homer game of his career. O'Brien, 25, now has 23 home runs this season -- marking his third straight season with at least 20 -- to go along with a .286 batting average, .877 OPS and 93 RBIs in 118 games for Reno.
• Dodgers No. 7 prospect Alex Verdugo had a game to remember Wednesday, hitting for the cycle as part of a 4-for-4 performance -- his second career four-hit game -- in Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga's 10-2 win over Lancaster. After getting the home run out of the way in his first at-bat, the 19-year-old center fielder singled in the third inning, walked in the fifth, doubled in the seventh and finally completed the feat with a bases-clearing triple in the eighth. The 2014 second-rounder has put together an impressive first full professional season, batting .303 with 61 runs scored, 39 extra-base hits, 51 RBIs and 13 steals in 114 games between Class A Great Lakes and Rancho Cucamonga.
• Mets No. 1 prospect (No. 16 overall) Steven Matz was dominant Wednesday in a rehab start for Double-A Binghamton, allowing just one hit in six scoreless innings in a 3-1 win over Erie. Sidelined since July 10 with a partially torn left lat muscle, the 24-year-old left-hander struck out six in the outing and did not issue a walk, throwing 41 of 56 pitches for strikes, and he retired the final 16 batters he faced after surrendering a two-out single in the first inning.
After completing only 2 2/3 innings in his last rehab start (for Class A Advanced St. Lucie), the southpaw's six shutout innings on Wednesday for Binghamton was a strong indicator that he's recovered from the injury and is ready to contribute in September.
• Rays No. 6 prospect Taylor Guerrieri's resurgent campaign continued Wednesday with another strong start for Double-A Montgomery. The 22-year-old right-hander allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits while striking out five in five innings. Guerrieri has been excellent in the current month, posting a 1.08 ERA and 19/4 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 25 innings (five starts). A drug-related suspension and Tommy John surgery limited Guerrieri to only 76 1/3 innings during the 2013-14 seasons, but it's safe to say the once highly touted pitching prospect has fully resuscitated his prospect stock heading into 2016.
• Red Sox No. 1 prospect (No. 8 overall) Yoan Moncada had yet another big game Wednesday, going 1-for-3 with a solo home run, two walks and two runs scored in Class A Greenville's win over Greensboro. After scuffling through the first half of the season, the 20-year-old phenom is batting a robust .341/.438/.561 with 43 runs scored, 23 extra-base hits and 37 stolen bases in his last 45 games. The switch-hitting second baseman has produced an .856 OPS with eight home runs, 18 doubles and 41 stolen bases (in 44 attempts) this year in his first season of affiliated baseball.