Tucker, O'Neill lead Prospect Team of the Week
MLBPipeline.com's Prospect Team of the Week honors the best performances from the previous seven days. Any player currently on an organization Top 30 Prospects list on our Prospect Watch is eligible.
The latest edition of MLBPipeline.com's Prospect Team of the Week (Aug. 28-Sept. 3) features a pair of Top 100 prospects in No. 9 Kyle Tucker (Astros' No. 1) and No. 95 Tyler O'Neill (Cardinals' No. 4). Tucker is appearing on his third PTOW this season after another big week in Double-A, while O'Neill, thanks to his late-season power surge, garners PTOW honors for a second time.
Prospect Team of the Week
The outfield duo aren't the only familiar faces on the latest PTOW, as right-hander Dane Dunning (White Sox No. 10) and Travis Blankenhorn (Twins' No. 11) are back for a second time this season. Dunning's appearance is his first since the opening week of the regular season, while Blankenhorn receives his first nod as a second baseman after previously earning PTOW honors at the hot corner.
Here's our complete Prospect Team of the Week:
C: Alex Jackson, Mississippi Braves (Double-A)
(Braves' No. 17 prospect)
7 G, .348/.400/.783, 5 R, 1 2B, 3 HR, 6 RBIs, 2 BB, 1 IBB, 6 K
Jackson, 21, went deep in three of his first five games for Mississippi last week -- he homered in both ends of a doubleheader on Friday -- en route to leading Top 30 backstops in home runs and total bases (18). He's put together a much-needed breakout campaign in his first season with the Braves, posting a .267/.329/.482 slash line with 19 home runs in 95 games.
MILB Video - Title: Watch: Jackson belts inside-the-parker - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1799548083
1B: Edwin Rios, Oklahoma City Dodgers (Triple-A)
(Dodgers' No. 16 prospect)
7 G, .429/.556/.857, 6 R, 3 2B, 2 HR, 9 RBIs, 5 BB, 4 K, 1 HBP
Rios began his week with a pair of hitless performances before erupting to go 4-for-5 with a home run, a double and six RBIs on Thursday. The 23-year-old didn't slow down from there, as he went on to lead Top 30 first basemen in all three triple-slash categories as well as in RBIs. The big week gives Rios 24 home runs, 34 doubles and 90 RBIs in 127 games this season, during which he's posted a .309/.362/.534 slash line.
MILB Video - Title: Watch: Rios blasts grand slam - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1792573383
2B: Travis Blankenhorn, Cedar Rapids Kernels (Class A)
(Twins' No. 11 prospect)
4 G, .500/.500/1.000, 4 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 9 RBIs, 1 BB, 2 K, 2 SB
Blankenhorn tallied at least one hit and one RBI in each of his four games for Cedar Rapids last week to finish with the most RBIs and tied for the highest average among Top 30 second basemen. The 21-year-old left-handed hitter did much of his damage on Thursday, going 2-for-5 with a home run and a career-best five RBIs. He's hitting .251/.343/.441 on the season, with 46 extra-base hits and 13 steals in 118 games.
3B: Hudson Potts, Fort Wayne TinCaps (Class A)
(Padres' No. 23 prospect)
6 G, .292/.308/.708, 4 R, 1 2B, 3 HR, 14 RBIs, 1 BB, 7 K
Potts became the third player in Fort Wayne franchise history to hit 20 home runs in a season with his two-run shot in the third inning on Sunday. He finished the game 3-for-4 with five RBIs, capping a week that also included a two-homer, seven-RBI game on Thursday. The 18-year-old third baseman ultimately paced all Minor Leaguers in RBIs, and he's now batting .278/.325/.512 with 14 homers and 46 RBIs over 65 games in the second half.
MILB Video - Title: Watch: Potts goes yard - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1808323683
SS: Cole Tucker, Altoona Curve (Double-A)
(Pirates' No. 5 prospect)
6 G, .409/.581/.591, 3 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBIs, 8 BB, 1 IBB, 2 K, 1 HBP, 4 SB
Tucker, 21, produced multiple hits in four of his six games for the Curve last week as he improved his Double-A average from .241 to .264. He also tied for the most walks among all Top 30 prospects and finished second in stolen bases. In what has been a breakout campaign, Tucker, a 6-foot-3 switch-hitter, has produced a .277/.359/.411 line with 36 extra-base hits and 46 stolen bases across two levels.
MILB Video - Title: Watch: Tucker launches solo shot - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1808080483
OF: Tyler O'Neill, Memphis Redbirds (Triple-A)
(Cardinals' No. 4 prospect)/(MLB No. 95)
6 G, .385/.407/.962, 6 R, 5 HR, 13 RBIs, 1 BB, 5 K
O'Neill's power was on full display last week as he homered in five of his six games for Triple-A Memphis. The 22-year-old slugger homered in three straight games to end his week and led all Top 30 outfielders in home runs and total bases (25), earning PTOW honors for the second time this season. He's now hit 12 of his 31 homers in 36 games since being dealt by Seattle to St. Louis in exchange for Marco Gonzales at the non-waiver Trade Deadline.
MILB Video - Title: Watch: O'Neill leaves yard - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1807228983
OF: Justin Williams, Montgomery Biscuits (Double-A)
(Rays' No. 10 prospect)
6 G, .360/.407/.880, 5 R, 1 2B, 4 HR, 10 RBIs, 2 BB, 3 K
Williams, 22, had a game to remember on Wednesday as he connected on three home runs for Montgomery in the first multihomer performance of his career. He also drove in six in the contest, tying his career high. Meanwhile, Williams' four-homer week pushed his season total to 14, surpassing the previous high of 10 homers he produced over 90 games last year.
MILB Video - Title: Watch: Williams launches 2nd homer of game - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1792973783
OF: Kyle Tucker, Corpus Christi Hooks (Double-A)
(Astros' No. 1 prospect)/(MLB No. 9)
9 G, .314/.415/.629, 5 R, 5 2B, 2 HR, 12 RBIs, 5 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP
Tucker recorded hits in seven of his nine games for Corpus Christi and drove in at least one run in five different contests, including a five-RBI performance on Monday in game two of a doubleheader. His 12 RBIs last week ranked third among Top 30 prospects, and he also grabbed a share of first place with his five doubles. Overall, the 20-year-old outfielder has produced an .867 OPS with 24 home runs, 33 doubles, 21 stolen bases and 89 RBIs in 119 games this season between two levels.
LHP: Eric Lauer, San Antonio Missions (Double-A)
(Padres' No. 8 prospect)
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 GS, 7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 K, 0.14 WHIP
Lauer carried a perfect game into the sixth inning on Thursday before allowing a hit in seven frames. The 22-year-old left-hander struck out nine, one shy of his career-best mark, and generated another nine outs on the ground in the outing. A 2016 first-rounder (No. 25 overall), Lauer has enjoyed success across two levels in his first full season, pitching to a 3.30 ERA with 132 strikeouts and 36 walks in 122 2/3 innings between San Antonio and Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore.
RHP: Dane Dunning, Winston-Salem Dash (Class A Advanced)
(White Sox No. 10 prospect)
1-1, 1.38 ERA, 2 GS, 1 CG/1 SHO, 13 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 19 K, 1 HBP, 0.38 WHIP
Dunning went 1-1 in his two starts for Winston-Salem last week, but the 22-year-old right-hander was dominant in both of his starts. After allowing two runs on two hits with 10 strikeouts in six innings on Tuesday, Dunning put a bow on both his week and his season by firing seven innings of one-hit ball with nine strikeouts en route to his second shutout of the season. He finished his first full season with a 2.94 ERA with 168 strikeouts in 144 innings across two levels.
RP: Ryan Lillie, Batavia Muckdogs (Class A Short Season)/Greensboro Grasshoppers (Class A)
(Marlins' No. 16 prospect)
0-0, 0 SV, 0.00 ERA, 2 G, 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K, 0.33 WHIP
Lillie, Miami's fifth-round Draft pick in June, recorded eight of his 15 outs via the strikeout last week while making two dominant relief appearances across two different levels. The 21-year-old righty yielded one hit and struck out four in three innings for Batavia on Monday to earn a promotion to Greensboro, where he then posted the same line over two scoreless frames on Friday in his South Atlantic League debut.