Kopech, Allard face off in duel of the day

Kopech, Allard face off in duel of the day

May 4th, 2017

Here's a look at top prospects to watch in today's Minor League action:
Hitter to watch: Mickey Moniak (Phillies' No. 1), Lakewood at Charleston (7:05 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
Moniak, 18, hit a pair of doubles on Wednesday before finishing 2-for-5 with two runs scored for Class A Lakewood. The No. 17 overall prospect has hit safely in six of his past seven games, three of which have been multi-hit performances. Overall, the 2016 No. 1 overall Draft pick is batting .289/.343/.389 with eight extra-base hits and 13 RBIs through 24 games in the South Atlantic League.

Pitcher to watch: (Brewers' No. 13), Montgomery at Biloxi (Game 2 of doubleheader on MiLB.TV)
Lopez has posted a 1.73 ERA over 26 innings and was stellar in his last start, allowing just two hits and matching his career high for strikeouts with 10 in six shutout innings. The righty has allowed one run or less in four of his five starts, holding batters to a .189 average while striking out 30 and walking just four.

Duel of the day: (White Sox No. 3) vs. Kolby Allard (Braves' No. 3), Birmingham vs. Mississippi (8:05 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
Kopech, ranked 14th on MLBPipeline.com's Top 100 Prospects list, was at his best in his most recent turn for Double-A Birmingham, tossing six scoreless frames of one-hit ball with eight strikeouts. The flame-throwing righty owns a 2.50 ERA in four starts totaling 18 innings, during which he's allowed just nine hits (.145 BAA) and piled up 28 strikeouts.

Despite making the jump directly from the Class A level, Allard, MLBPipeline.com's No. 47 overall prospect, has been excellent in his five starts for Double-A Mississippi, posting a 1.67 ERA with a 1.07 WHIP in 27 innings. The 19-year-old lefty recorded his first Double-A win in his last turn, and he's completed at least five innings in each start.

Thursday's Top 100 prospect probables
No. 57 Sean Reid-Foley (Blue Jays' No. 2), New Hampshire vs. Binghamton (6:05 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
No. 72 (Yankees' No. 6), Trenton at Erie (6:35 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
More top prospect probables
Eric Skoglund (Royals' No. 3), Omaha vs. Memphis (Triple-A)
(Twins' No. 8), Rochester at Buffalo (Triple-A)
(Pirates' No. 9), Indianapolis vs. Toledo (Triple-A)
(Rays' No. 9), Durham at Gwinnett (Triple-A)
(Giants' No. 21), Sacramento at Fresno (Triple-A)
(Phillies' No. 25), Lehigh Valley Vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Triple-A)
Manny Banuelos (Angels' No. 30), Salt Lake at Reno (Triple-A)
Ariel Jurado (Rangers' No. 3), Frisco vs. San Antonio (Double-A)
Andrew Moore (Mariners' No. 4), Arkansas vs. Tulsa, Game 2(Double-A)
(Reds' No. 7), Pensacola at Chattanooga (Double-A)
Andrew Suarez (Giants' No. 10), Richmond vs. Bowie (Double-A)
Jorge Lopez (Brewers' No. 13), Biloxi vs. Montgomery (Double-A)
Heath Fillmyer (A's No. 14), Midland vs. Corpus Christi (Double-A)
Brandon Waddell (Pirates' No. 19), Altoona at Akron (Double-A)
Teddy Stankiewicz (Red Sox's No. 24), Portland vs. Reading (Double-A)
Scott Blewett (Royals' No. 4), Wilmington at Down East (Class A Advanced)
Keegan Akin (Orioles' No. 6) vs. Corbin Burnes (Brewers' No. 20), Frederick at Carolina (Class A Advanced)
Thomas Hatch (Cubs' No. 11), Myrtle Beach vs. Buies Creek (Class A Advanced)
Spencer Turnbull (Tigers' No. 15), Lakeland vs. Charlotte (Class A Advanced)
Aaron Civale (Indians' No. 21), Lake County at Cedar Rapids (Class A Advanced)
Jordan Romano (Blue Jays' No. 23), Dunedin vs. Tampa (Class A Advanced)
Joan Baez (Nationals' No. 24), Potomac vs. Lynchburg (Class A Advanced)
Drew Harrington (Braves' No. 25), Florida at Palm Beach (Class A Advanced)
Justin Donatella (D-backs' No. 26), Visalia vs. Lancaster (Class A Advanced)
Justin Maese (Blue Jays' No. 10), Lansing vs. Peoria (Class A)
Shaun Anderson (Red Sox's No. 17), Greenville vs. Asheville (Class A)
Michael Matuella (Rangers' No. 20), Hickory at West Virginia (Class A)
Nick Wells (Mariners' No. 28), Clinton at West Michigan (Class A)
Gerson Garabito (Royals' No. 28), Lexington at Greensboro (Class A)
Trey Supak (Brewers' No. 29), Wisconsin vs. Bowling Green (Class A)