Pipeline preview: Candelario wrapping up season on high note

Pipeline preview: Candelario wrapping up season on high note

September 1st, 2016

Here's a look at top prospects to watch Thursday in Minor League action:
Hitter to watch: (Cubs' No. 3), Iowa vs. Nashville (7:35 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
Candelario is absolutely on fire as the season winds down. The third baseman went 3-for-5 on Wednesday and has hits in 16 of his past 17 games. Candelario batted .358 in 28 games during the month of August and is hitting .325 in 71 Triple-A games overall. Iowa has five games left in the regular season, and all indications are that Candelario will finish the season on a high note.

Pitcher to watch: Brady Aiken (Indians' No. 2), Mahoning Valley vs. State College (7:05 p.m. ET)
Aiken is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA through four starts with Mahoning Valley and has given up one earned run in each of his past three starts. The No. 70 overall prospect has struck out 17 over his past three outings (15 innings) and is coming off a start in which he gave up just three hits and walked none.

Duel of the Day: (Rangers' No. 12) vs. (Astros' No. 1), Frisco vs. Corpus Christi (8:05 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
Sadzeck struck out a season-high 10 in his last start and has thrown six innings in each of his past two outings. However, the results have not always been great. The 24-year-old right-hander has lost his past six decisions and went 0-4 with an 8.88 ERA in August. Despite those numbers, Sadzeck is 9-8 with a 4.33 ERA in 24 games and is looking for a strong finish.

While Sadzeck has struggled lately, Martes has thrived. The No. 33 overall prospect went 3-1 with a 2.16 ERA in August and threw seven scoreless innings in his last start. The 20-year-old has a 3.32 ERA through 24 games and has pitched into the seventh in five of his past six starts.

Thursday's Top 100 probables:

No. 8 (Pirates' No. 1), Indianapolis vs. Lousville (Triple-A)
No. 33 Francis Martes (Astros' No. 1), Corpus Christi vs. Frisco (Double-A)
No. 70 Brady Aiken (Indians' No. 2), Mahoning Valley vs. State College (Class A Short Season)
No. 71 A.J. Puk (Athletics' No. 2), Vermont vs. Hudson Valley (Class A Short Season)
No. 85 Ian Anderson (Braves' No. 5), Danville vs. Burlington (Rookie)
No. 94 Stephen Gonsalves (Twins' No. 4), Chattanooga vs. Jackson (Double-A)
More top prospect probables:

Trevor Williams (Pirates' No. 28), Indianapolis vs. Louisville (Triple-A)
(Red Sox No. 7), Pawtucket vs. Syracuse (Triple-A)
(Athletics' No. 15), Nashville vs. Iowa (Triple-A)
Victor Payano (Rangers' No. 28), Round Rock vs. Omaha (Triple-A)
(Marlins' No. 13), New Orleans vs. Colorado Springs (Triple-A)
Dinelson Lamet (Padres' No. 18), El Paso vs. Las Vegas (Triple-A)
(Astros' No. 4), Fresno vs. Tacoma (Triple-A)
(Giants' No. 23), Sacramento vs. Reno (Triple-A)
Conner Greene (Blue Jays' No. 10), New Hampshire vs. Trenton (Double-A)
David Hess (Orioles' No. 24), Bowie vs. Harrisburg (Double-A)
(Giants' No. 25), Richmond vs. Hartford (Double-A)
(Brewers' No. 5), Biloxi vs. Mississippi (Double-A)
Patrick Weigel (Braves' No. 28), Mississippi vs. Biloxi (Double-A)
Connor Sadzeck (Rangers' No. 12), Frisco vs. Corpus Christi (Double-A)
Tyler Mahle (Reds' No. 6), Pensacola vs. Birmingham (Double-A)
Jack Flaherty (Cardinals' No. 4), Palm Beach vs. Charlotte (Class A Advanced)
(Reds' No. 8), Daytona vs. Brevard County (Class A Advanced)
Zach Thompson (White Sox No. 23), Winston-Salem vs. Salem (Class A Advanced)
Trey Ball (Red Sox No. 14), Salem vs. Winston-Salem (Class A Advanced)
Triston McKenzie (Indians' No. 7), Lake County vs. Dayton (Class A)
Eric Lauer (Padres' No. 9), Fort Wayne vs. Great Lakes (Class A)
Jose Paulino (Cubs' No. 29), South Bend vs.West Michigan (Class A)
Yadier Alvarez (Dodgers' No. 5), Great Lakes vs. Fort Wayne (Class A)
Peter Lambert (Rockies' No. 12), Asheville vs. Hickory (Class A)
Alec Hansen (Rockies' No. 8), Kannapolis vs. Lakewood (Class A)
(Phillies' No. 29), Lakewood vs. Kannapolis (Class A)
(Braves' No. 10), Rome vs. Greenville (Class A)
Jake Woodford (Cardinals' No. 13), Peoria vs. Beloit (Class A)
Jesus Castillo (Angels' No. 29), Burlington vs. Clinton (Class A)
Lachlan Wells (Twins' No. 30), Cedar Rapids vs. Wisconsin (Class A)
Keegan Akin (Orioles' No. 8), Aberdeen vs. Brooklyn (Class A Short Season)
Mike Shawaryn (Red Sox No. 22), Lowell vs. Connecticut (Class A Short Season)
JoJo Romero (Phillies' No. 25), Williamsport vs. Batavia (Class A Short Season)
Tyler Phillips (Rangers' No. 27), Spokane vs. Hillsboro (Class A Short Season)