Monday's top prospect performers

August 6th, 2019

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

AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

Blue Jays: Samad Taylor, 2B (No. 27) -- 2-for-2, 2B, BB, SB (Class A Adv Dunedin)
Taylor was perfect at the plate Monday, reaching base via a pair of singles and a walk before being lifted for a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning. While the multihit performance was just his fourth in 28 games since the start of July, Taylor, a 21-year-old second baseman, is batting .276 during that stretch. He's batting just .220 overall this season in the Florida State League, but has shown strong on-base skills (.340 OBP, 41 BB) to go along with plus speed on the basepaths (24 steals) and some pop to the gaps (22 extra-base hits). Blue Jays prospects stats »

Orioles: Jean Carlos Encarnacion, 3B (No. 29) -- 4-for-5, R, 2B, RBI (Class A Delmarva)
Encarnacion now has a two-, three- and four-hit performance in his last six games, during which he's improved his season average by 14 points. Pegged as a breakout candidate after batting .273 with a .738 OPS, 12 homers and 27 doubles last year between the Braves' and Orioles' South Atlantic League affiliates, Encarnacion, a 21-year-old third baseman acquired in last summer's Kevin Gausman trade, hasn't fared as well this season in his second tour of the circuit, slashing .247/.301/.377 with eight homers and 18 doubles over 99 games. Orioles prospects stats »

Rays: Matthew Liberatore, LHP (No. 4, MLB No. 44) -- 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 2 BB, 2 K (Class A Bowling Green)
Pitching in relief in the nightcap of Bowling Green's doubleheader against Lansing, Liberatore worked two frames, allowing one hit and two walks while striking out a pair. The 2018 first-round pick is having his workload dialed back as the season winds down, as Monday's two-inning outing was his second in as many appearances for the Hot Rods. The reduction in his innings comes at the end of an impressive first full-season campaign that's seen the 19-year-old southpaw compile a 3.15 ERA while striking out 69 and allowing just two homers in 71 1/3 frames. Rays prospects stats »

Red Sox: Cameron Cannon, SS (No. 15) -- 3-for-5, 2B (Class A Short-Season Lowell)
Cannon led the Spinners' offense with three hits as he recorded his second multihit game as a pro and his first since July 18. Selected by the Red Sox in the second round of this year's Draft out of Arizona, the 21-year-old stands out for his natural hitting ability from the right side of the plate, where he employs a solid approach and has a knack for making consistent line-drive contact. However, it's yet to translate in the pro ranks for him, with a .197/.274/.364 batting line in 17 games. Red Sox prospects stats »

Yankees: Estevan Florial, OF (No. 2, MLB No. 67) -- 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI; Clarke Schmidt, RHP (No. 5) -- 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K (Class A Adv Tampa)
That's back-to-back games with a home run for Florial, who's now gone deep six times in 52 games this season in the Florida State League. He's also hit safely in five straight games and has at least one RBI in four straight contests. On the mound, Schmidt completed seven innings for the first time in his career, mixing three hits and three walks, while throwing strikes with 63 of his career-high 105 pitches. He fanned nine batters, matching his season-high mark. Overall, the 2017 first-rounder out of South Carolina sports a 2.98 ERA in the FSL, with 65 strikeouts in 60 1/3 innings. Yankees prospects stats »

AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL

Indians: Bo Naylor, C (No. 5) -- Game 1: 2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI; Game 2: 1-for-3 (Class A Lake County)
The 2018 first-rounder put Lake County on the board with a first-inning solo homer and then added an RBI double in the fifth as he helped ignite a comeback that saw the Captains score 10 unanswered runs over the final three innings to defeat Dayton, 13-7, in game one of a doubleheader. The homer was Naylor's ninth of the season, while the multihit performance was his fourth in as many games before a one-hit showing in the nightcap. Indians prospects stats »

Royals: Khalil Lee, OF (No. 4) -- 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI (Double-A Northwest Arkansas)
Lee has been a force on the basepaths this season, ranking second among Texas Leaguers with 43 steals, but the power that he showed in his 2017 full-season debut, when he hit 17 homers, has been largely absent the last two years. His two-run homer on Monday gives him six on the season, which is the exact total the 21-year-old posted last year across two levels. His slash line is nearly the same, too, as Lee's batting .263/.373/.372 in 2019 after posting a .263/.382/.390 slash line in '18. Royals prospects stats »

Tigers: Adinso Reyes, 3B (No. 23) -- 3-for-5, 3 R, 2 2B, HR, 4 RBI, BB (DSL TIgers 1)
Reyes had a monster game in the Dominican Summer League, driving in four runs via a pair of RBI doubles and a walk-off two-run homer in the 12th. Signed for $1.45 million at the outset of the July 2018-19 signing period, Reyes, a 17-year-old shortstop, has opened his pro career by batting .316/.368/.481 with five homers, 14 doubles and 39 RBIs over his first 48 games. He's been especially hot of late, posting a .439 average with seven multihit efforts in his past 10 games. Tigers prospects stats »

Twins: Gilberto Celestino, OF (No. 21) -- 3-for-5, RBI, SB (Class A Cedar Rapids)
Celestino has recorded at least one knock in nine of his past 10 games -- a stretch during which he's batting .439. Acquired in last year's Trade Deadline deal that sent Ryan Pressly to the Astros, the 20-year-old outfielder has produced a .269/.342/.388 line in his first full year in the Twins' system, hitting seven homers, three triples and 21 doubles in 104 games. Twins prospects stats »

White Sox: Yolbert Sanchez, SS (No. 23) -- 3-for-4, 2 R, 2B, BB (DSL White Sox)
Signed by Chicago for $2.5 million a little over a month ago, Sanchez, a 22-year-old Cuban shortstop, has opened his career on a high note in the Dominican Summer League by hitting .300/.380/.429 over his first 18 games. His performance includes a home run and six doubles, as well as more walks (8) than strikeouts (7). Sanchez's early production -- albeit as a much older player in a league with mostly 17-year-old players -- is a good sign considering the 5-foot-11, 176-pounder is viewed by scouts as an excellent defender but questionable hitter. White Sox prospects stats »

AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST

A’s: Jesus Luzardo, LHP (No. 1, MLB No. 19) -- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K (AZL Athletics Green)
Back on the mound for the first time since July 2 -- when he struck out five over four innings in Triple-A and subsequently landed on the injured list with a lat strain -- Luzardo recorded five of his six outs via the strikeout in a dominant Arizona League start. While his overall season has been marred by injuries, including a left shoulder strain that delayed the start of his season until early June, the 21-year-old southpaw has looked like his usual self when healthy and performed well, posting a 2.53 ERA with 30 strikeouts and two walks in 21 1/3 innings across three levels. A's prospects stats »

Angels: Jo Adell, OF (No. 1, MLB No. 4) -- 3-for-5, RBI (Triple-A Salt Lake)
The Bees collected nine hits on Monday night, and Adell had three of them. They were all singles, and his second knock plated a run in the fourth inning. The 20-year-old outfielder hasn't skipped a beat with the jump from Double- to Triple-A, as he's now batting .368 over his first five games at the Minors' top level. Adell earned his promotion after an impressive 60-game stint in Double-A dating back to last season, during which he batted .288/.372/.518 with 10 homers and 21 doubles while driving in 29 runs. Angels prospects stats »

Astros: Bryan Abreu, RHP (No. 5) -- 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 5 K; Cristian Javier, RHP (No. 10) -- 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K (Double-A Corpus Christi)
Back with the Hooks after tossing a scoreless inning out of the Astros' bullpen in his big league debut, Abreu struck out five and allowed one hit over five scoreless frames against Frisco to record his second win in as many starts. He did issue four walks, however, and threw just 45 of 80 pitches for strikes. Though he's fared well as a starter this season while continuing to miss bats, scouts agree that Abreu is likely ticketed for a bullpen role long-term, where his stuff should play up in shorter bursts and his below-average control is a lesser concern. Javier, working in a piggyback format with Abreu, took over in the sixth inning and struck out eight over four scoreless frames to earn the save. The 22-year-old righty has racked up 96 strikeouts in 65 innings at the Double-A level, while pitching to a 2.22 ERA. For his career, Javier has held opposing hitters to a paltry .172 average in 357 innings. Astros prospects stats »

Mariners: Julio Rodriguez, OF (No. 2, MLB No. 54) -- 2-for-5, R, 2B (Class A West Virginia)
Rodriguez's multihit performance was his third in his past four games and helped power West Virginia to a 5-2 win over Rome. More than 40 percent of the talented 18-year-old outfielder's hits this season have gone for extra bases, including 16 doubles and nine homers, and he's also been a run-producer in the middle of the lineup, driving in 40 runs in 59 games. Given his age and the fact that he missed nearly two months with a hairline fracture in his left hand, Rodriguez's impressive performance in the South Atlantic League is about as much as one could've hoped for heading into the season. Mariners prospects stats »

Rangers: Eli White, SS/OF (No. 29) -- 2-for-4, HR (Triple-A Nashville)
White has been heating up lately, pushing his season average from .239 up to .256 during a six-game hitting streak in which he's batting .522. White's home run was a solo blast in the second inning and gives him 13 on the season, which is a career-high mark. Strikeouts have been an issue this season for the 25-year-old, who's fanned 125 times in 104 games in his first Triple-A campaign, but he's still posted solid overall numbers, with a .756 OPS, 35 extra-base hits and 13 steals, and has looked comfortable bouncing between shortstop and center field. Rangers prospects stats »

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST

Braves: Justin Dean, OF (No. 23) -- 1-for-3, HR, BB (Class A Rome)
Dean launched his eighth home run of the season for Class A Rome on Monday, leaving the 17th-round pick with an .832 OPS through 87 games. Dean's speed is his marquee tool, which has shown itself through eight triples and 35 steals this season. He's already walked 53 times with a .391 on-base percentage, so he's giving himself plenty of opportunities to change the game on the bases. The 22-year-old now has three home runs in his past six games, so he's showing no signs of slowing down in his first full season spent with a full-season affiliate in the Braves' system. Braves prospects stats »

Marlins: Trevor Rogers, LHP (No. 9) -- 4 2/3 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 6 K (Double-A Jacksonville)
Rogers has gotten better as the season's gone on. After posting a 2.53 ERA over 19 starts with Class A Advanced Jupiter, Monday was Rogers' first start at the Double-A level and he held his own. He reeled off a string of three consecutive scoreless appearances in June and has now allowed two or fewer earned runs in each of his last four starts. Rogers is striking out more than a batter an inning and has controlled the zone well all season with just 26 walks over 115 innings. His fastball remains his best offering, which sits 92-94 mph and touches 96 mph, and the development of his secondary pitches will determine how well this success carries over to the higher levels, but he's been one of the organization's most effective pitchers in 2019. Marlins prospects stats »

Mets: Carlos Cortes, 2B (No. 21) -- 2-for-4, R, 2B (Class A Adv St. Lucie)
Cortes has really found a groove over his last five games for the St. Lucie Mets. The 22-year-old has gone 10-for-22 (.455) over that span, raising his average to .254 with a .714 OPS. There are few questions over whether Cortes will hit, given his track record of NCAA success coming out of the Draft and his ability to barrel up the ball, but he's finally putting that together in the stat line of late. There are questions about where Cortes will play defensively long term and Monday was his 42nd game of the season at DH, but the Mets like him enough at second to see what his bat can do. Mets prospects stats »

Phillies: Victor Santos, RHP (No. 30) -- 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 4 K (Class A Lakewood)
Santos picked up his first win in over a month as he tossed five innings of one-run ball against Asheville. Throwing 41 of 62 pitches for strikes, the 19-year-old right-hander scattered three hits while striking out four and did not issue a walk. Though he works with below-average velocity and doesn't have a plus pitch, Santos has advanced pitchability that enables him to pound the zone with each of his three pitches. Phillies prospects stats »

Nationals: Carter Kieboom, SS/1B (No. 1, MLB No. 22) -- 3-for-5, 2 RBI (Triple-A Fresno)
Kieboom paced the Grizzlies' offense with a team-high three hits, though it wasn't enough to keep Fresno from falling to San Antonio, 9-8. It was the second multihit performance in three games for the 21-year-old shortstop, who's batting .312/.411/.525 with 15 homers and 70 RBIs in 89 Triple-A game this season. He's a candidate to return to the Major Leagues following the conclusion of the Minor League season (or perhaps sooner) and will look to improve upon the .128 average (.491 OPS) he posted in an 11-game stint with the Nationals earlier this season. Nationals prospects stats »

NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL

Brewers: Tyrone Taylor, OF (No. 27) -- 2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI (Triple-A San Antonio)
After being added to the Brewers' 40-man roster last offseason, Taylor has struggled to stay healthy in 2019, missing time with separate wrist injuries. He returned in late July from his latest stint on the injured list and had been swinging the bat increasingly well before Monday, when he connected on a three-run homer against Nationals No. 4 prospect Wil Crowe as part of a two-hit game. After hitting a career-high 20 homers in 119 games last year in his first Triple-A campaign, Taylor has returned to Pacific Coast League this season to hit eight homers in 67 contests. Brewers prospects stats »

Cubs: Robel Garcia, INF/OF (No. 26) -- 2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, BB (Triple-A Iowa)
Making his second start for Iowa after being demoted by the Cubs to Triple-A, Garcia erupted to hit a double and a homer while reaching base three times. After scuffling as a Minor Leaguer but then finding success while playing in Italy for three seasons, Garcia signed with the Cubs last October and quickly raked his way through their system en route to his big league debut on July 3. The 26-year-old appeared in 19 games with the Cubs, hitting .220 with four homers, but also struck out 26 times in 19 games before they optioned him to Triple-A. Cubs prospects stats »

Cardinals: Ramon Urias, INF (No. 30) -- 3-for-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI (Triple-A Memphis)
Urias isn't known as someone who hits for power, but that's exactly what he did Monday as he recorded his first multi-homer game since 2017. His two-run dinger in the third inning and solo blast in the fifth highlighted his three-hit game and pushed his season home run total from four to six. A member of the Cardinals' 40-man roster, Urias, a 25-year-old infielder, batted just .223 during the first three months of the season before landing on the injured list. Since returning in early July, he's been a .386 hitter with three homers in 14 games. Cardinals prospects stats »

Pirates: Oneil Cruz, SS (No. 3, MLB No. 62) -- 2-for-4, 2 RBI (Double-A Altoona)
Cruz, 20, entered the day mired in a 1-for-17 slump before busting out with a pair of singles for his second multihit performance in eight games since his promotion to Double-A. The highly intriguing, 6-foot-6 shortstop was bumped up to the Eastern League after batting .301/.345/.501 with seven homers and seven steals in 35 games with Class A Advanced Bradenton in the Florida State League. That strong performance came in spite of a nearly two-month absence that resulted from a right foot fracture that he suffered in late April. Pirates prospects stats »

Reds: Jonathan India, 3B (No. 3, MLB No. 95) -- 2-for-3, 2 R, HR, BB (Double-A Chattanooga)
It took India 15 games, but the 2018 first-round pick finally connected on his first extra-base hit in Double-A when he hit a solo homer in the sixth inning of the Lookouts' loss against Montgomery. The multihit performance was his second in the Southern League and gives him at least one knock in four straight games. The 22-year-old third baseman was promoted to Chattanooga after slashing .256/.346/.410 with 28 extra-base hits (eight homers) over 87 games in the Florida State League. Reds prospects stats »

NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST

D-backs: Luis Frias, RHP (No. 16) -- 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K (Class A Kane County)
Frias was lights-out in his full-season debut, spinning six scoreless innings during which he allowed just three hits. Behind a mid-90s fastball, a swing-and-miss breaking ball and a diving changeup, the 21-year-old posted six strikeouts against one walk, throwing 54 of 75 pitches for strikes. Frias, a 6-foot-3 right-hander, was promoted to Kane County after a dominant showing in the Class A Short-Season Northwest League, where he posted a 1.99 ERA and 72/17 K/BB over 49 2/3 innings (10 starts) in Hillsboro's rotation. D-backs prospects stats »

Dodgers: Gavin Lux, SS/2B (No. 1, MLB No. 10) -- 3-for-4, 2 2B, RBI, 2 BB (Triple-A Oklahoma City)
Lux has now reached base in 43 straight games after another big game on Monday night. Batting leadoff for OKC, Lux collected three hits including a pair of doubles and also reached base once via a walk. He's batting an absurd .452 with 25 extra-base hits over his first 30 games in Triple-A, and, overall, the 21-year-old middle-infielder sports a .358 average with 22 homers, 21 doubles and eight triples in 94 games this season across two levels. Dodgers prospects stats »

Giants: Sean Hjelle, RHP (No. 6) -- 5 1/3 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 5 K (Class A Advanced San Jose)
Hjelle was pitching on extra rest and it seemed to help, as he tossed 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball. He now owns a 2.78 ERA over 14 starts with Class A Advanced San Jose after a strong start to the season with Class A Augusta. This was another outing where Hjelle walked zero batters, which is particularly impressive given his size as a towering, 6-foot-11 pitcher. Taller pitchers typically struggle to repeat their delivery, leading to control issues, but Hjelle has completely bucked that trend. Over 23 starts this season, he has walked three batters just once while 16 of those starts have featured one or fewer walks. Giants prospects stats »

Padres: Taylor Trammell, OF (No. 3, MLB No. 30) -- 1-for-5, HR (Double-A Amarillo)
Trammell picked a perfect time for his first post-trade dinger, as he connected on a game-tying solo homer in Amarillo's 4-3 win over Midland. Acquired from Cincinnati in last week's three-team trade with Cleveland, Trammell had been just 2-for-16 with zero extra-base hits in a Sod Poodles uniform before his clutch hit Monday. The Padres are hopeful that they can unlock the offensive potential the 21-year-old showed early in his career before scuffling a bit this season in Double-A. In 99 games between the two organizations, Trammell has produced a .230/.338/.333 line with 18 extra-base hits (seven homers) and 17 steals. Padres prospects stats »

Rockies: Daniel Montano, OF (No. 25) -- 2-for-4, 2B, SB (Class A Asheville)
Montano is now 101 games into his first year of full-season ball and, while it will still take some time for him to grow into his physical tools, some early signs are beginning to show. Montano's power has been limited to six home runs, but his 28 doubles represent some hard contact that could eventually clear the wall as he matures physically. The 6-foot-1, 204-pound outfielder certainly has those building blocks in place and is a candidate to make a significant jump in his development over the coming year. After Monday's start in right field, Montano has started 36 games in right, 18 games in left and 42 in center. Rockies prospects stats »