Pipeline preview: Musgrove takes hill for Triple-A Fresno

May 24th, 2016

Here's a look at top prospects to watch on Wednesday in Minor League action:
Hitter to watch: Willy Adames (Rays' No. 3)
Adames has come into his own this season at age 20 and he enters the day hitting .274/.392/.507 with 21 extra-base hits (six homers), 33 runs scored and 20 RBIs through 41 games for Double-A Montgomery. After serving as Class A Advanced Charlotte's three-hole hitter for all of 2015, the No. 76 overall prospect has excelled as the Biscuits' cleanup hitter so far this year, posting a .293/.423/.556 batting line with four homers, 12 doubles and 16 RBIs from that slot in the order. He also has demonstrated vastly improved plate discipline at the more advanced level with his 28 walks against 37 strikeouts in 176 plate appearances. Watch as Adames and the Biscuits square off against Mariners No. 10 prospect Andrew Moore, who is making his debut for Double-A Jackson, at 8:05 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV.

Pitcher to watch: Joe Musgrove (Astros' No. 8)
Musgrove is making his third start for Fresno since being promoted from Double-A Corpus Christi, where he went 2-1 with a 0.34 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and 30/3 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 26 1/3 innings (six appearances/four starts). The 23-year-old right-hander has continued to pitch well since moving up to the Minors' highest level, compiling a 2.45 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 11 innings over his first two starts for the Grizzlies. He'll take the mound at home against Oklahoma City at 2:05 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV.

Duel of the day: Anderson Espinoza (Red Sox's No. 4) vs. Peter Lambert (Rockies' No. 13), Greenville at Asheville at 11:05 a.m. ET.
Espinoza (2-4, 4.54 ERA), ranked No. 34 on the Top 100, struck out a career-high 11 batters in five innings on May 5 but has struggled since then, allowing five runs on 10 hits and four walks in 6 2/3 innings in his past two starts for Greenville. The 18-year-old right-hander will look to get back on track against Asheville, whom he fired five scoreless innings against in his 2016 debut.

Lambert (2-1, 2.45 ERA), the Rockies' second-round Draft pick last June, has yet to allow more than three earned runs in any of his eight starts this season for the Tourists, striking out 35 batters in 36 2/3 frames. The 19-year-old right-hander has pitched especially well of late, with three runs allowed and a 19/4 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 17 innings over his last four outings.
Wednesday's Top 100 prospect probables

No. 1 Lucas Giolito (Nationals' No. 1), Harrisburg vs. Portland (7:00 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
No. 52 Jorge Lopez (Brewers' No. 3), Colorado Springs at Sacramento (3:05 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
More top prospect probables

A.J. Cole (Nationals' No. 7), Syracuse vs. Charlotte (AAA)
Harrison Musgrave (Rockies' No. 26), Albuquerque at Omaha (AAA)
Daniel Mengden (Athletics' No. 14), Nashville vs. Las Vegas (AAA)
Andrew Suarez (Giants' No. 9), Richmond at Binghamton (AA)
Andrew Moore (Mariners' No. 10), Jackson at Montgomery (AA)
Brandon Woodruff (Brewers' No. 30), Biloxi vs. Mobile (AA)
Tyler Danish (White Sox No. 11), Birmingham vs. Pensacola (AA)
Andrew Thurman (Braves' No. 18), Mississippi vs. Jacksonville (AA)
Tyler Eppler (Pirates' No. 28), Altoona vs. Akron (AA)
Dinelson Lamet (Padres' No. 10), Lake Elsinore at Inland Empire (A Adv)
Spencer Adams (White Sox No. 3), Winston-Salem vs. Frederick (A Adv)
Luis Lugo (Indians' No. 26), Lynchburg vs. Wilmington (A Adv)
Jeff Brigham (Marlins' No. 28), Jupiter vs. Bradenton (A Adv)
Wes Parsons (Braves' No. 29), Carolina vs. Myrtle Beach (A Adv)
Nolan Watson (Royals' No. 5), Lexington at Kannapolis (A)
Jacob Nix (Padres' No. 8) vs. Ryan Borucki (Blue Jays' No. 12), Fort Wayne at Lansing (A)
Dario Agrazal (Pirates' No. 30), West Virginia at Charleston (A)
Junior Fernandez (Cardinals' No. 15), Peoria vs. Kane County (A)
Chris Paddack (Marlins' No. 18), Greensboro vs. Delmarva (A)
Joan Baez (Nationals' No. 18), Hagerstown at Lakewood (A)
Nick Wells (Mariners' No. 18), Clinton vs. Wisconsin (A)
Ricardo Sanchez (Braves' No. 19), Rome at Hickory (A)