Here's a look at Friday's top Minor League performers from each team's Top 30 Prospects list:
Orioles: Adley Rutschman, C (MLB No. 2), Double-A Bowie
Rutschman’s performance on Friday was the kind that makes people say, “What can’t Adley do?” Along with two doubles, three RBIs and two runs scored, Rutschman stole a base -- yes, you read that right -- for just the second time in his career. It was the first time since June 6 that Rutschman recorded multiple extra-base hits in a game, and Bowie needed all of it. Rutschman has been splitting time between first base and catcher, giving him more opportunities to focus on his production at the plate -- and it’s paid off. Rutschman is now slashing .285/.420/.508 on the year. Orioles prospect stats »
Mariners: Julio Rodríguez, OF (MLB No. 5), Double-A Arkansas
Brandon Williamson, LHP (No. 8), Double-A Arkansas
Double-A pitchers beware. Rodríguez was promoted to Arkansas after slashing .325/.410/.581 for High-A Everett and hit the ground running in Friday’s doubleheader. The 20-year-old walked twice before blasting a go-ahead, three-run shot in Game 1, his first Double-A homer, propelling Arkansas to a 3-1 victory. In Game 2, he reached base four times, going 3-for-3 with another walk to bring him to seven total bases across 14 innings. Rodríguez is slashing .429/.556/.714 through four Double-A games. That’ll play.
Williamson got tagged for seven hits in his first Double-A start on June 24, but he bounced back in his second start with a solid two-hit, five-strikeout performance over five scoreless innings. The 6-foot-6 southpaw, who sometimes struggles with command, threw 47 of his 74 pitches for strikes and was able to get the outs he needed even when he was behind in the count -- this was his first start since June 6 where he didn’t walk a batter. Williamson pitched to the tune of a 3.19 ERA in High-A Everett with 59 strikeouts across 31 innings, and even though the swings and misses didn’t pile up for him Friday, he tossed two double-digit strikeout games back-to-back earlier in the season and has struck out at least five batters in every start this year. Mariners prospect stats »
Cubs: Ed Howard, SS (No. 5), Low-A Myrtle Beach
Christopher Morel, 3B (No. 7), Double-A Tennessee
Howard, more touted for his glove than his bat, broke out in a big way Friday night, smacking a career-high four hits and scoring two runs from the leadoff spot in Myrtle Beach’s 7-2 win. It was the fifth multihit game of the 19-year-old’s career and his second in a row. The 16th overall pick of the 2020 Draft, Howard was robbed of a debut last year and has taken some time to adjust to the Minors, but he’s certainly starting July off on the right foot.
Morel had a dynamic day at the plate in Game 1 of Tennessee’s doubleheader, most notably recording the first multihomer game of his career during a 3-for-4 performance with four RBIs and two runs scored. And, as it turned out, Morel wasn't done flexing his muscle. The 22-year-old went deep again in his first at-bat of Game 2, bringing his season total to nine. Morel finished the second game 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored. Signed by the Cubs in 2015, the Dominican Republic native now has 32 RBIs on the season. Cubs prospect stats »
Dodgers: Luis Rodriguez, OF (No. 13), ACL Dodgers
Leonel Valera, SS (No. 28), High-A Great Lakes
Rodriguez was signed in July of 2019, but because of the cancelled 2020 season, the 17-year-old started his Minor League career just a few days ago on June 28. And it only took Rodriguez three games to do what it takes others years to -- hit two home runs in one game. The Venezuela native went 2-for-3 at the plate with three runs, two RBIs and a walk, giving Dodger fans a small glimpse at the kind of games they can expect in a few years.
Valera recorded the first multihomer game of his career on a 2-for-4, four-RBI night at the plate, and Great Lakes needed all of it in a 10-9 win. The 21-year-old extended his hitting streak to five games and has recorded hits in eight of his past 10 games (including four multihit efforts), good for a .300/.404/.750 slash line over that span. Dodgers prospect stats »
Indians: Owen Miller, SS/2B (No. 16), Triple-A Columbus
Miller spent time with the Major League club in May and June after putting up video game numbers in Triple-A, but the reality of big league pitching caught up to him, and he was sent back down to Columbus on June 15. He was recalled for a doubleheader on June 30 but immediately optioned back to Triple-A the next day. Miller had no trouble picking up right where he left off in Triple-A, going 3-for-4 with a homer, double, three RBIs, a walk and two runs scored in Columbus’ 7-1 win. The former third-rounder is now slashing .339/.420/.530 on the year and has recorded a hit in seven of his last eight games. Indians prospect stats »
Nationals: Viandel Pena, 2B/SS (No. 28), Low-A Fredericksburg
Going into Friday’s game, Pena had two home runs to his name for his entire career. He doubled that total in just one night, blasting two homers, including a three-run shot, on a 2-for-5 night at the plate. Pena drove in a season-high four runs and has now recorded a hit in five of his past eight games. Nationals prospect stats »
Phillies: Jhailyn Ortiz, OF (No. 20), High-A Jersey Shore
Ortiz belted two home runs in a game for the fourth time in his career in Jersey Shore’s 8-2 win on Friday, driving in four runs and adding a walk and three runs scored to his 2-for-4 night at the plate. Ortiz extended his hitting streak to five games, four of which have been multihit performances. The 22-year-old now has 14 multihit efforts through 19 games this season. Phillies prospect stats »
Red Sox: Nick Yorke, 2B (No. 8) Low-A Salem
Yorke extended his hitting streak to seven games and set a career high with four hits. The 19-year-old, Boston’s first-round pick (17th overall) from the 2020 Draft, went 4-for-6 with a homer and three runs scored Friday night. The homer was the second of the year for Yorke, who is hitting .288 through the first 42 games of his professional career. Red Sox prospects stats »
Royals: MJ Melendez, C (No. 13), High-A Northwest Arkansas
What better way to take the league lead in home runs than having a big game at the plate? Melendez now sits atop the High-A Central standings with 14 long balls on the season, but the 22-year-old did it all for Northwest Arkansas, smacking a two-run double in the first that set the tone for the entire night. Melendez would add a single and a walk in addition to his homer, giving him seven total bases on the night. Melendez is now riding a seven-game hitting streak and has reached base in 13 straight games. Royals prospect stats »
White Sox: Jimmy Lambert, RHP (No. 15), Triple-A Charlotte
Kade McClure, RHP (No. 24), Double-A Birmingham
Lambert had a much-needed bounceback outing after being called up to the White Sox on June 27 and giving up four earned runs against the Mariners in 1 1/3 innings of relief. The former fifth-round pick struck out eight over a season-high 5 2/3 innings of two-hit ball, walking three but allowing no runs. Though he hasn’t yet found success in either of his two Major League appearances this season, Lambert finished the month of June with a 1.32 ERA for Charlotte and has started July off on the right foot.
McClure turned in his second straight scoreless start as he fired 58 of his 80 pitches for strikes over five innings. The 25-year-old gave up five hits, issued one walk and struck out eight. McClure has pitched to a 4.57 ERA this season, but a couple of bad starts -- 14 runs over 4 2/3 innings -- have inflated that ERA. He's allowed one earned run or fewer in five of his nine starts. White Sox prospect stats »
Yankees: Matt Sauer, RHP (No. 26), Low-A Tampa
Jake Sanford, OF (No. 29), Low-A Tampa
Sauer nearly finished off a combined no-hitter in Game 1 of Tampa’s doubleheader, taking the mound in the second inning of the continued game from June 29. The 22-year-old tossed six innings in relief with a career-high 10 strikeouts and allowed one hit, taking his no-hit bid into the seventh before a leadoff single ended it. The other two baserunners Sauer allowed both reached safely on errors. It was Sauer’s second career relief appearance, his first coming earlier this season on June 19. The 2017 second-rounder owns a 4.05 ERA with 56 strikeouts and 25 walks in 46 2/3 innings pitched this season.
Sanford powered Tampa to 6-0 victory over Jupiter in Game 1 of the Tarpons doubleheader. The 2019 third-rounder slugged his fifth homer of the year and drove in a career-high five runs in a three-hit day, finishing 3-for-5 with a double and a run scored. Friday’s game was the Canadian’s fifth contest with three or more hits. Yankees prospect stats »