Wednesday's top prospect performers
Here's a look at Wednesday's top Minor League performers from each team's Top 30 Prospects list:
Orioles: Gunnar Henderson, SS (MLB No. 97), Low-A Delmarva
Henderson continued his hot streak with another multihit effort, his third over his past four games. The 2019 second-round pick finished 3-for-5 with a double and a homer and also drove in five runs for the third time this season. Henderson did all of his damage late in the game, starting with a two-run single in the sixth, which he then followed up with a three-run homer in the seventh. Henderson is hitting .338 with six homers and 20 RBIs through 17 games. Orioles prospects stats »
D-backs: Ryne Nelson, RHP (No. 19), High-A Hillsboro
It took him 14 career games and more than two years, but Nelson was finally able to earn his first professional win. The 23-year-old pitched a career-high 6 2/3 scoreless innings and allowed two hits while striking out seven during his fourth start of the season. Nelson retired the first 10 Tri-City batters he faced before surrendering consecutive singles in the fourth. He escaped the inning thanks to a double play and set down the final eight he faced before he was lifted after tossing 83 pitches. Nelson will carry a 2.45 ERA into his next outing. D-backs prospects stats »
Dodgers: Diego Cartaya, C (No. 6), High-A Rancho Cucamonga
Cartaya put together his first multihit effort of the season, going 3-for-5 with a double, homer and two RBIs. The 19-year-old got a late start to the season, but he has started off well and is hitting an even .500 (4-for-8) through two games. Cartaya, who hit .281 over 49 games in 2019, hit a two-run homer in the first and then added a double in the third. Dodgers prospects stats »
Dodgers: Ryan Pepiot, RHP (No. 7), Double-A Tulsa
Pepiot was brief, but effective in his fourth start of the season. The 2019 third-round pick yielded just one hit in 3 1/3 scoreless frames and picked up eight strikeouts in the process. Pepiot did issue a trio of free passes, but was able to work around them as he posted his second consecutive scoreless start. The 23-year-old has pitched to a 1.17 ERA so far this season (15 1/3 innings). Pepiot made a strong impression during his 2019 professional debut when he pitched across two levels and posted a 1.93 ERA over 13 appearances, 10 of which were starts. Dodgers prospects stats »
Indians: Logan Allen, LHP (No. 23), High-A Lake County
Allen lowered his ERA to 0.83 as he twirled his third scoreless start of the season. The 2020 second-round pick threw 55 of his 84 pitches for strikes as he struck out five, walked one and gave up just two hits over five innings. Allen, who has gone at least five innings in all four of his starts this season, has fanned 27 over 21 2/3 innings. Allen, 22, was strong throughout the outing and retired 11 of the final 12 batters he faced. Indians prospects stats »
Marlins: Jake Eder, LHP (No. 24), Double-A Pensacola
After allowing his first runs of the season in his last start, Eder returned to doing what he did in his first two outings: tossing up zeros. The 22-year-old struck out eight and surrendered one hit over five scoreless innings to lower his ERA to 0.45. A walk and Biloxi’s first hit in the fifth put Eder in minor trouble, but he closed his outing by striking out the last two batters of the frame. He finished his start by throwing 56 of 79 pitches for strikes. Through four starts, the southpaw has struck out 34 while allowing just eight hits in 20 innings. Marlins prospects stats »
Orioles: Kevin Smith, LHP (No. 16), Double-A Bowie
Another start means more zeros for Smith, who extended his scoreless streak to 11 innings Wednesday night. The 24-year-old tacked on four more shutout frames against Harrisburg, striking out five and allowing two hits and two walks during his 71-pitch effort. Although a strict pitch count has limited him to no more than 4 2/3 innings in any of his four starts, the southpaw has made the most of his limited opportunities this year. Smith has a 1.06 ERA and has fanned 22 in 17 innings while holding opposing batters to a .203 average. Orioles prospects stats »
Phillies: Cristopher Sánchez, LHP (No. 22), Triple-A Lehigh Valley
Having allowed seven runs in his last two starts, Sánchez rebounded in a big way for Lehigh Valley. The 24-year-old tossed 5 1/3 hitless innings with a season-high eight strikeouts and one walk before he was lifted with a runner on first in the sixth. Sánchez finished strong, punching out five of the last seven batters he faced to give him 23 in 18 innings this season. The scoreless outing lowered his ERA to 3.50. Phillies prospects stats »
Rangers: Luisangel Acuña, SS (No. 6), Low-A Down East
Stuck in a dismal slump to start the season, Acuña appeared to have found his swing Wednesday. The 19-year-old, who entered the night hitting .134 on the season, turned in his first three-hit game of the year and finished a perfect 3-for-3 with a homer and three RBIs. Acuña came through with a run-scoring single in the fifth and then punctuated his night with a two-run homer in the seventh. The homer marked the second of the year for Acuña, who hit two homers over 51 games in his 2019 professional debut. Rangers prospects stats »
Twins: Cole Sands, RHP (No. 15), Double-A Wichita
Sands threw 53 of his 85 pitches for strikes as he twirled four scoreless innings and racked up six strikeouts in a no-decision. The 23-year-old walked three, but yielded just one run as he lowered his ERA to 2.45 in his fifth start of the season. Sands has fanned 28 over 22 innings this season and held his opponent to one earned run or fewer in three of his five starts. Twins prospects stats »
Yankees: Anthony Volpe, SS (No. 11), High-A Tampa
Volpe has hits in six of his past eight games after going 4-for-5 with a homer, double and RBI in Game 1 of Tampa’s doubleheader. The middle infielder got the scoring started with a solo blast, his second homer of the season, in the top of the first. He singled again in the second, doubled in the fifth and collected another knock in the seventh, giving him his first career four-hit game. After going hitless in Game 2, the 2019 first-round pick (30th overall) is hitting .273 through 18 games. Yankees prospects stats »