Mariners' prospect O'Neill hits No. 30, ties for MiLB lead
Bakersfield outfielder connects for fourth straight game, has 14 homers in past month
The Minor League home run lead has changed hands several times this season, but Mariners No. 7 prospect Tyler O'Neill has the look of someone who could run away with the crown after tying Cincinnati's Adam Duvall at 30 homers on Saturday night.
O'Neill went 2-for-4 with a two-run blast for Class A Advanced Bakersfield to match Triple-A Louisville's Duvall, and he's now gone deep in four straight games. The 20-year-old has 14 home runs in less than a month since returning from the Pan-Am Games, and he's put together two different four-game home run streaks in that time.
The Blaze won, 6-3, over San Jose on Saturday, and O'Neill boosted his average to .257. He also has 17 doubles and 80 RBIs in 92 games this season. Others in contention for the Joe Bauman Home Run Award -- Duvall, Double-A Corpus Christi's A.J. Reed (29) of the Astros and Double-A Chattanooga's Adam Brett Walker (27) of the Twins -- have all played at least 117 games this season.
Drafted in the third round by Seattle in 2013, O'Neill has flown by his previous career high (13), and he now has more than 200 total bases (202) for the first time as a pro.