Friday's top prospect performers

July 6th, 2019

Here's a look at Friday's top Minor League performers from each team's Top 30 Prospects list:

AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

Blue Jays: Bo Bichette, SS (No. 1, MLB No. 8) -- 3-for-5, HR, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R, SB (Triple-A Buffalo)
There's a reason Bichette is one of baseball's top prospects -- he can do everything. And he showcased that in Buffalo's 8-2 win over Syracuse. The 21-year-old opened the game with a double, which he followed by stealing third and later scoring the Bisons' first run. That was only the beginning as Bichette doubled in a run in the second, then belted a solo homer in the fourth. It was his second straight game with a home run and his fifth homer of the season. Bichette is batting .309 with an .885 OPS through 36 games with Buffalo. Blue Jays prospects stats »

Orioles: Ryan McKenna, OF (No. 7) -- 2-for-3, 2 BB, R (Double-A Bowie)
Batting in the No. 2 hole, McKenna stayed hot while contributing to Bowie's big offensive night in an 8-5 win over Harrisburg. All nine Baysox starters had a hit, including McKenna, who reached base four times via a pair of singles and a pair of walks. A multi-hit game is nothing new for the 22-year-old outfielder who has collected multiple hits in five of his last eight games since June 28. Over that span, McKenna's average has gone up nearly 20 points from .222 to .241. He continues to get on base at a solid rate, posting a .320 on-base percentage through 82 games. Orioles prospects stats »

Rays: Taylor Walls, SS (No. 19) -- 2-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 SB (Double-A Montgomery)
Walls got off to a slow start when he was promoted to Montgomery, but he's starting to come around over the last week. The 22-year-old had a well-rounded performance in the Biscuits' 6-5 win over Tennessee, which included scoring the game-winning run on a 10th-inning sacrifice fly. Walls started the final inning on second base, as part of the Minor League tie-breaking rule, and he later stole third before coming across the plate. He also drove in Montgomery's first two runs on a first-inning sac fly and a third-inning single. After collecting only two hits in his first five games with the Biscuits, Walls is 7-for-20 during his current five-game hitting streak. Rays prospects stats »

Red Sox: Triston Casas, 1B/3B (No. 1, MLB No. 96) -- 1-for-3, HR, RBI, BB (Class A Greenville); Jarren Duran, OF (No. 9) -- 4-for-5, 2B, R (Double-A Portland)
Casas continues to rake in his first full pro season, as he extended his hitting streak to seven games and his on-base streak to 21 in Greenville's 4-0 win over Charleston. The 2018 first-rounder hit his 15th homer of the year, a sixth-inning solo shot that was part of back-to-back home runs with Devlin Granberg. Casas played only two Rookie-level games in 2018 before beginning this year in the South Atlantic League. In 73 games, the 19-year-old is batting .272/.351/.540 with 60 RBIs and 36 extra-base hits. Duran was obviously too good for the Class A Advanced level, finishing his 50 games there with a .387 average and a .998 OPS. The Red Sox promoted the 22-year-old out of Long Beach State to Portland, and he didn't maintain his video game numbers, but he's heating up in July. Friday's multihit effort was his second in six July contests, and it's his fourth four-hit game of the season, but his first with Portland. Known mainly for his speed (which receives a 70 grade), he's showing an impressive ability to get on base this season, a potent combination that could see him rise up the organization's ranks if he can keep it up against tougher competition. Red Sox prospects stats »

Yankees: Roansy Contreras, RHP (No. 10) -- 6 IP, 5 H, 3 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 3 K (Class A Charleston)
After tossing five innings of one-run ball in his last start, Contreras delivered another solid outing on Friday night against Greenville. It was the right-hander's first quality start in nearly a month, as his last came on June 8. Contreras had a few rough outings over the past two months, but the 19-year-old appears to be getting back on track. Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2016, Contreras has now made 22 starts for Charleston dating back to last season. Yankees prospects stats »

AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL

Indians: Eric Haase, C (No. 29) -- 2-for-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI (Triple-A Columbus)
Haase is having a power surge over the past week. In Columbus' game against Louisville, he notched his second multi-homer game of the season, belting a solo home run in the third inning and a two-run blast in the sixth. The 26-year-old, who was briefly in the Majors earlier this season, now has 23 homers for the Clippers, two shy of the International League lead held by Adam Duvall. Five of those homers for Haase have come in his last seven games. Haase is approaching his career-high total of 27 homers, which he set in 2017 in 97 games between Columbus and Double-A Akron. Indians prospects stats »

Royals: Brewer Hicklen, OF (No. 15) -- 3-for-4, HR, 3B, 3 RBI, 2 R (Class A Advanced Wilmington)
Hicklen may not have hit for the cycle in Wilmington's 6-2 win over Potomac, but he came close during an impressive day at the plate. The 23-year-old was a double shy in his second three-hit game in five days. Hicklen is doing an exceptional job of getting on base this year as he's slashing .276/.410/.410 in 76 games. His eight total bases on Friday were a season high, and he drove in three of the Blue Rocks' first four runs with a two-run homer in the third and an RBI triple in the fifth. Royals prospects stats »

Tigers: Wenceel Perez, SS (No. 11) -- 1-for-3, RBI (Class A West Michigan)
Perez may be batting .219 through 73 games, but he's starting to get on base more routinely for West Michigan. He provided the Whitecaps' only offense with an RBI single in a 5-1 loss to South Bend, extending his on-base streak to eight games. He has a hit in seven of those contests and four RBIs over that span. The 19-year-old is in his first full season at this level, so his recent success is encouraging. Tigers prospects stats »

Twins: Lewis Thorpe, LHP (No. 9) -- 6 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 8 K (Triple-A Rochester); Alex Kirilloff, OF (No. 2, MLB No. 13) -- 1-for-4, HR (Double-A Pensacola)
After tossing five innings of two-run ball in his MLB debut this past Sunday, Thorpe was back pitching for Rochester on Friday, and he delivered another solid outing in a 4-2 win over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. In a seven-inning game that was the first of a scheduled doubleheader, Thorpe tossed six frames and notched his first quality start since May 12. It was the sixth time in 15 starts for the Red Wings that the lefty struck out at least eight. Now that Thorpe has had his first taste of big league experience, it's possible he'll be back in the Majors later this season, especially if he continues to have quality outings. It has been a rough season for Kirilloff, starting late due to injury and then spending more time on the IL during the campaign thanks for another ailment. The 21-year-old former first-rounder hasn't really had a chance to settle in with the Blue Wahoos, a step up after splitting last season between Cedar Rapids and Fort Myers at the Class A and Class A Advanced levels. Friday's homer was yet another step in the right direction for Kirilloff, who has RBIs in three straight games and snapped a streak of six starts without an extra-base hit. He's not batting at the .348 clip he posted last season, but .272 in a stop-and-start campaign a level up is a decent start. The Twins will want to see him build upon that and stay healthy as the season marches on. Twins prospects stats »

White Sox: Luis Robert, OF (No. 1, MLB No. 5) -- 1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI (Double-A Birmingham)
Entering Friday, Robert had 15 home runs in 74 games this season, but he hadn't gone deep since June 22. That drought ended in Birmingham's 7-3 win over Pensacola, as Robert hit a solo homer in the fourth inning to jump-start the Barons' offense. Although the 21-year-old hadn't been homering lately, he continued to hit. Since June 20, he has hits in 15 of his 17 games. But this was his first multi-RBI game since the last time he homered on June 22. White Sox prospects stats »

AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST

A’s: Sheldon Neuse, 3B (No. 9) -- 2-for-6, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R (Triple-A Las Vegas)
It was a big night for Las Vegas' offense, and Neuse was at the forefront, hitting his 15th home run of the season in a 16-3 win over Albuquerque. Neuse has homered in back-to-back games after he swatted a three-run blast during the sixth inning to put the Aviators ahead, 11-0. In 80 games for Las Vegas this season, the 24-year-old is batting .307/.385/.527 with 66 RBIs and 37 extra-base hits. A's prospects stats »

Angels: Trent Deveaux, OF (No. 14) -- 3-for-4, 3 2B, 2 RBI, 3 R, BB (AZL Angels)
After hitting .199 in 44 games in the Arizona Rookie League last season, Deveaux is faring much better in his second pro season. The 19-year-old out of the Bahamas collected hit second three-hit game of the season on Friday while setting career highs in doubles (three) and RBIs (two). His previous three-hit game came in his season debut on June 17. Deveaux had been in a bit of a slump entering Friday, as he went 0-for-11 over his previous three games. But now, his average is back up to .293 to go with an .876 OPS. Angels prospects stats »

Astros: Enoli Paredes, RHP (No. 25) -- 6 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 12 K (Double-A Corpus Christi)
Paredes has had some strong starts over his first four pro seasons, but this one may have been the best. He notched a career-high 12 strikeouts while tossing six hitless innings against Midland. His lone blemishes were a pair of walks and a hit by pitch. But Paredes was dominant from the start, as he fanned the first four batters he faced and 11 of his first 12 outs were recorded via strikeout. This was Paredes' third scoreless outing in five appearances since being called up to Double-A, but he allowed five or more in the other two. Astros prospects stats »

Mariners: Jarred Kelenic, OF (No. 1, MLB No. 24) -- 2-for-3, HR, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB (Class A Advanced Modesto)
Kelenic had to be lifted from the game to make it to Cleveland in time for the Futures Game, and he showed why he's been added to the roster for the prospect showcase with a nearly perfect day at the plate. He started the season at Class A West Virginia and that did not prove to be enough of a challenge, as he slashed .309/.394/.586 in 50 games while swiping seven bases. His promotion to Modesto hasn't gone smoothly, as an injury only seven games into his time with the Nuts seemed to really cut into his momentum. He also run into a bit of a slump at the end of June, but the calendar change has served Kelenic well. One of two top prospects, along with Justin Dunn, acquired from the Mets in the Edwin Diaz/Robinson Cano trade, Kelenic is now 9-for-19 with two homers and two doubles in July. Mariners prospects stats »

Rangers: Scott Heineman, OF (No. 27) -- 3-for-3, 2B, 3B, R, BB (Triple-A Nashville)
Heineman got off to a late start this season due to a shoulder injury and missed time again in late May and June, but since his return to the Sounds, he's been raking on a regular basis. His first game back with Nashville was June 25, and since then he has 15 hits in 10 games. Friday's pair of extra-base hits brought him to 13 in 20 games this year, putting him on pace for what would be his best slugging percentage by more than 140 points. He also extended his on-base streak with the Sounds to 14 games, dating back to his third appearance with the Triple-A club in May. Rangers prospects stats »

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST

Braves: Tucker Davidson, LHP (No. 18) -- 7 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 9 K (Double-A Mississippi)
Davidson was having a strong June until a rough outing on the final day of the month. But he got back on track in his first July start, tossing seven solid innings in Mississippi's 3-0 loss to Biloxi. Although the left-hander took a hard-luck loss, he went seven innings, his second-longest start of the season, and recorded nine strikeouts, his second-highest total this year. Davidson has a 2.04 ERA and 94 strikeouts in 83 2/3 innings over 16 starts for Mississippi. Braves prospects stats »

Marlins: Victor Victor Mesa, OF (No. 3) -- 2-for-4, 2B (Class A Adv Jupiter)
It was a quiet night for Jupiter's offense, but that didn't stop Mesa from having a solid showing. The 22-year-old extended his hitting streak to six games with a pair of hits in the Hammerheads' 3-0 loss to Charlotte. Mesa accounted for half of Jupiter's hits with a third-inning single and a sixth-inning double out of the leadoff spot. He has had multiple hits in two of his last three games as he's starting to swing a hot bat in his first professional season. After signing with the Marlins out of Cuba this past offseason, Mesa is hitting .239/.287/.275 through 68 games. Marlins prospects stats »

Mets: Shervyen Newton, SS (No. 5) -- 4-for-5, 2B, 4 RBI, 2 R (Class A Columbia)
After only playing Rookie-level games the past three seasons, Newton has struggled during his first Class A campaign, entering Friday with a .182 average. However, the 20-year-old had a strong showing in Columbia's 11-7 win over Hickory on Friday, collecting a career-high four hits. Newton's night got started with an RBI single during the Fireflies' five-run first inning. He had another RBI single in the third, then capped it off with a two-run double in the ninth. Newton had only one previous multi-RBI game this season, when he drove in a pair on May 28. Mets prospects stats »

Phillies: Rodolfo Duran, C (No. 19) -- 2-for-3, HR, 2B, RBI, 2 R, BB (Class A Adv Clearwater)
Duran's power has been down from a year ago, when he swatted 18 homers for Class A Lakewood. However, the pop in his bat is still there. The 21-year-old belted his third home run of the season in Clearwater's 5-4 win over Tampa on Friday. He tied the game at 4 in the sixth inning with a solo shot to left field, as the Threshers went on to complete a comeback victory. Duran was hitting .137 at the end of April, but his average is now up to .230. Phillies prospects stats »

Nationals: Luis Garcia, SS (No. 2, MLB No. 61) -- 3-for-5, RBI (Double-A Harrisburg)
Garcia is having a strong week, as he extended his hitting streak to five games with a three-hit performance in Harrisburg's 8-5 loss to Bowie on Friday. Over that span, Garcia is 11-for-22 with three RBIs. However, all 11 of his hits have been singles. His lone RBI on Friday came on a single in the sixth, but a runner was also thrown out at home on the play and the Senators never scored another run. Garcia is batting .269/.297/.315 through 80 games in his first season at the Double-A level. Nationals prospects stats »

NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL

Brewers: Trent Grisham, OF (No. 30) -- 2-for-5, HR (Triple-A San Antonio)
Grisham was promoted to Triple-A on June 20, and he's raked since. Over 14 games, he has five home runs, including his homer to lead off San Antonio's 6-5 win over New Orleans on Friday. Grisham is batting .278/.361/.593 with 11 RBIs for the Missions. The 22-year-old outfielder hasn't been in the Majors yet during his career, but with the success he's had across the Triple-A and Double-A levels this season, he's showing he might be close. In 77 total games, he has 18 homers, 52 RBIs and a .369 on-base percentage. Brewers prospects stats »

Cubs: Nico Hoerner, SS (No. 1, MLB No. 52) -- 2-for-5, HR, 3B, 3 RBI, 2 R (Double-A Tennessee)
It hasn't taken long for Hoerner to get readjusted to the Double-A level. In his second game back with Tennessee following a two-month stint on the injured list, the 22-year-old had a big offensive night in the Smokies' 6-5, 10-inning loss to Montgomery. Hoerner hit a two-run homer in the third inning, his second of the season and his first since April 22. He later added an RBI triple in the fifth. Over his first two games back with Tennessee, he is 3-for-9. Cubs prospects stats »

Cardinals: Edmundo Sosa, SS (No. 10) -- 1-for-4, HR, 4 RBI (Triple-A Memphis)
After going 0-for-10 in his past three outings, it must have been a huge boost for Sosa to connect on a grand slam to break out of his funk. The bases-loaded blast gave the Redbirds a lead they eventually lost in a back-and-forth 9-8 loss to Iowa, but Sosa will be encouraged by his first extra-base hit since June 25. Signed out of Panama in 2012, Sosa made his MLB debut in 2018, playing three games for the Cardinals. He's hoping to make another trip to St. Louis, and being on pace for a career high in homers is one way to catch the attention of the big league decision-makers. Cardinals prospects stats »

Pirates: Travis Swaggerty, OF (No. 3) -- 4-for-4, R (Class A Advanced Bradenton)
From the top of the order, Swaggerty set the tone for Bradenton's 5-3 win over Florida. The 2018 first-round pick collected a quartet of singles for the first four-hit game of his brief professional career. After his third-inning single, he later scored on a two-run homer by Pirates No. 4 prospect Oneil Cruz. Through 75 games for the Marauders this year, Swaggerty is batting .246 with a .675 OPS. But he's been swinging a hot bat of late, going 16-for-33 during his current eight-game hitting streak. Pirates prospects stats »

Reds: Mariel Bautista, OF (No. 18) -- 3-for-4, RBI, 3 R (Class A Dayton)
In his first season at the Class A level, Bautista recently returned from a month-long stint on the injured list. Since he rejoined Dayton on June 25, he's had a hit in eight of his 11 games, which includes four multi-hit contests. In the Dragons' 13-7 win over Bowling Green on Friday, Bautista had his first three-hit game for them since April 18. He had an RBI single in a three-run fourth inning, while adding another pair of singles. In 53 games, Bautista is batting .254/.321/.365 with 11 extra-base hits and 20 RBIs. Reds prospects stats »

NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST

D-backs: Andy Young, 2B (No. 11) -- 3-for-4, HR, 2 2B, 4 RBI, 3 R, BB (Triple-A Reno)
Acquired from the Cardinals in the Paul Goldschmidt trade this past offseason, Young has been on a tear since being promoted to Triple-A on June 16. Friday's 10-9 win over Sacramento was one of his best showings as Young hit RBI doubles in the first and eighth innings while also hitting a solo homer in the third. It was Young's fourth home run in 18 games for the Aces. In four professional seasons, this is Young's first stint in Triple-A. If he continues to produce like he has so far -- he's slashing .273/.351/.515 -- then he could potentially earn his first callup to the Majors later this year. D-backs prospects stats »

Dodgers: DJ Peters, OF (No. 10) -- 2-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R (Triple-A Oklahoma City)
Ten games into his tenure at Triple-A, Peters is proving he was deserving of the promotion. In the nightcap of Oklahoma City's doubleheader vs. Round Rock on Friday, the 23-year-old hit a two-run homer to power the Dodgers to a 4-3 victory. After the Dodgers fell behind, 1-0, in the top of the first inning, Peters put them back out in front with his homer in the bottom of the frame. Peters is batting .353/.478/.647 since joining Oklahoma City with a pair of home runs and 10 RBIs, and he has a hit in eight of his 10 games. Dodgers prospects stats »

Giants: Aramis Garcia, C (No. 20) -- 3-for-4, 2B, R, BB (Triple-A Sacramento)
Garcia is getting a lot of hits recently, and he's getting them in bunches. In Friday's 10-9 loss to Reno, the 26-year-old catcher recorded his fifth straight multi-hit game with a 3-for-4 performance. It was his second straight game with three hits, and he has multiple hits in seven of his last eight games. Since June 26, Garcia's average has risen from .232 to .276. A 2014 second-round pick, Garcia was called up to the Giants for two short stints earlier this season. If he continues his recent tear, his next promotion could be imminent. Giants prospects stats »

Padres: Austin Allen, C (No. 16) -- 3-for-5, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R (Triple-A El Paso)
Allen's recent power surge has been impressive on a club that has seen its fair share of hot streaks from Luis Urias. Since June 29, Allen has played in five games for the Chihuahuas and has five homers, bringing him up to 12 on the season in 37 games. His Minors experience was interrupted for 19 games earlier this season by a trip to San Diego, where he failed to clear the fences, so he's more than making up for lost time since heading back to El Paso. His slugging percentage at Triple-A has jumped 123 points since he was optioned on June 21. Padres prospects stats »

Rockies: Colton Welker, 3B (No. 2) -- 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI (Double-A Hartford)
Welker delivered an RBI double and a sac fly to drive in two more runs as the Yard Goats took down Trenton, 7-5. Those runs driven in bring the 2016 Draft pick to 45 on the campaign, tied for sixth in the Eastern League. Welker also ranks among the top 10 in doubles (fifth, 20), extra-base hits (eighth, 29) and total bases (eighth, 122). He grades out as more of an all-around batter than a slugger, but with a potential future at Coors Field, some of those Hartford doubles could turn into Denver homers. Rockies prospects stats »