Saturday's top prospect performers

July 7th, 2019

Here's a look at Saturday'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, 2B, R (Triple-A Buffalo)
How did Bichette follow up his three-hit game on Friday? With another one Saturday. The 21-year-old shortstop doubled and scored a run in Buffalo's 7-1 win over Syracuse, extending his hitting streak to seven games. During that stretch, Bichette is 15-for-32 with two homers, four doubles and six RBIs. While he won't be playing in Sunday's SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game after appearing in it in 2017 and '18, Bichette continues to be one of the top hitters in the Minors this season. He's batting .319/.381/.521 through 37 games with Buffalo. Blue Jays prospects stats »

Orioles: Alex Wells , LHP (No. 25) -- 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K (Double-A Bowie)
Bowie's 3-1 win over Harrisburg may have been shortened to five innings due to rain, but that was plenty of time for Wells to turn in another solid outing. The left-hander pitched all five frames, allowing only an unearned run on a pair of hits. He improved to 7-1 and lowered his ERA to 1.92 through 14 starts. Wells has completed at least five innings in eight straight starts, and he hasn't allowed more than three runs in an outing this season. The 22-year-old southpaw has excelled at each level he's pitched at in four professional seasons. And with the Orioles in a rebuild, it's possible Wells could get his first promotion to Baltimore later this year. Orioles prospects stats »

Rays: Jesus Sanchez, OF (No. 3, MLB No. 33) -- 3-for-4, RBI (Double-A Montgomery)
Sanchez was 0-for-18 over his previous five games, so he was due for a breakout performance on Saturday. That's just what happened as the 21-year-old outfielder recorded his first three-hit game since May 29 in Montgomery's 4-2 loss to Tennessee. Sanchez singled in the first, fifth and eighth innings, with his hit in the fifth driving in the Biscuits' second run. Despite his recent slump, Sanchez is batting .272/.331/.398 through 76 games this season. He's performed much better in Double-A this year than last, when he batted .214 in 27 games. Rays prospects stats »

Red Sox: Bobby Dalbec, 3B (No. 2) -- 1-for-3, RBI, 2 R, 2 BB (Double-A Portland)
Despite batting .232 through 81 games for Portland this season, Dalbec has continued to get on base at a solid rate for the Sea Dogs. He got on base three times via a single and pair of walks in Portland's 10-8 loss to New Hampshire on Saturday. Dalbec gave the Sea Dogs a 7-3 lead with his RBI single in the seventh inning, but Sea Dogs gave up seven runs in the bottom of the frame and went on to lose. Dalbec has 48 RBIs this season, with 10 coming in his last eight games, so he continues to excel at producing runs. Red Sox prospects stats »

Yankees: Raimfer Salinas, OF (No. 30) -- 2-for-5, 2B, RBI, R (GCL Yankees West)
Salinas was limited to 11 Rookie-level games in 2018, due to multiple injuries that interrupted much of his first pro season after signing out of Venezuela. The 18-year-old has gotten off to a bit of a slow start in the Gulf Coast League this season, but he's had a few glimpses of success, including Saturday, when he collected a pair of hits, including an RBI double. He's had multi-hit games in three of his first seven contests, but his average sits at .219 due to a trio of hitless showings. As Salinas gets more experience, he should continue to improve, especially if he can stay healthy. Yankees prospects stats »

AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL

Indians: Aaron Bracho, SS (No. 14) -- 2-for-3, HR, 2 RBI (AZL Indians)
Bracho is heating up in the Arizona League after he batted just .133 through the first nine games of his pro career. The 18-year-old Venezuelan notched his third multi-hit effort in four games on Saturday, and he's hit a home run in each of those showings. Bracho's two-run homer on Saturday was his fourth of the year, boosting his RBI total to 12 through 13 games. Over his last four games, Bracho is 6-for-13 with four extra-base hits and five RBIs. It's an encouraging sign that he will put his early struggles quickly behind him and have a strong first professional season. Indians prospects stats »

Royals: Gerson Garabito, RHP (No. 27) -- 6 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K (Double-A Northwest Arkansas)
Garabito has had some trouble stringing together strong outings in his first season at the Double-A level, but he's had some solid showings. That includes Saturday, when he scattered seven hits over six strong innings in Northwest Arkansas' 3-2 loss to Tulsa. The 23-year-old right-hander didn't allow a run until there were two outs in the fifth, when he gave up a solo homer. But Garabito rebounded and retired the next batter to complete his quality outing. He is 4-6 with a 4.38 ERA in 16 starts this season. Royals prospects stats »

Tigers: Riley Greene, OF -- 4-for-5, 3 R (GCL Tigers West)
Nine games into his pro career, Greene is showcasing why the Tigers picked him with the No. 5 overall selection in the 2019 Draft. The 18-year-old outfielder notched his second four-hit game on Saturday -- his first came in his debut in the Gulf Coast League on June 24. Greene has reached base in all nine of his games, and this was his third multi-hit game. Coming from the Florida high school ranks, Greene didn't have to travel far to play in the GCL. He certainly looks comfortable, as he's batting .351/.442/.595 with five extra-base hits and eight RBIs. Tigers prospects stats »

Twins: Travis Blankenhorn, 2B (No. 28) -- 3-for-3, HR, RBI, 2 R, 2 BB (Double-A Pensacola)
Blankenhorn's big night on Saturday lifted his Double-A average back up above .300 as he homered and reached base five times in Pensacola's 5-4 loss to Birmingham. He led off the game with his 16th homer for the Blue Wahoos in 64 games. The 22-year-old extended his hitting streak to five games, during which he is 10-for-22 with a pair of homers and four RBIs. Blankenhorn is showing he's close to being ready for the big leagues, as he played in the Arizona Fall League at the end of last year and is now raking at Double-A, where he has an .858 OPS. Twins prospects stats »

White Sox: Blake Rutherford, OF (No. 8) -- 3-for-4, 2B, RBI (Double-A Birmingham)
Rutherford got off to a slow start this year, as he was batting .156 at the end of April. Now, his average is more than 100 points higher, as he raised it to .262 with a three-hit showing in Birmingham's 5-4 win over Pensacola on Saturday. Rutherford had an RBI double in the seventh inning, which proved to be a key run after Pensacola came back and tied the game at 4 the next inning. However, the Barons responded and won the game in the ninth. In Rutherford's first Double-A season, he has 18 extra-base hits and 33 RBIs to go with a .671 OPS. White Sox prospects stats »

AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST

A’s: Yerdel Vargas, SS (No. 25) -- 2-for-3, 4 R, 2 BB (Class A Short Season Vermont)
Vargas scored every time he reached base to collect a career-high four runs out of the No. 9 spot in the Lake Monsters' lineup. The shortstop is only batting .162 this season, his first attempt at playing above the Rookie level, but he's struggled to hit for average at every stop so far with a career number of only .188. Vargas is known for his glove, something hard to quantify this early in his career, but there's clearly work to be done with the bat. The good news is that he's still only 19 years old and the A's can give him plenty of time to reach his potential that prompted them to offer him a deal in the international signing period of 2016-17. A's prospects stats »

Angels: Brennon Lund, OF (No. 25) -- 2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI (Triple-A Salt Lake)
Lund collected multiple hits for the third time in four games, and this time, one of them was a homer, his eighth of the season and his first since June 21. The eight homers match a career high set last season at Double-A Mobile, meaning the 24-year-old speedster is almost certain to set a new mark in homers this year. Lund receives his best grades as a runner, but he has only attempted to steal six times this season -- he's been successful on five of those attempts. Angels prospects stats »

Astros: Abraham Toro, 3B (No. 20) -- 4-for-5, RBI (Double-A Corpus Christi)
Toro has nine hits in his past three games for the Hooks after collecting four singles Saturday out of the No. 3 spot in the lineup -- the second time this season he's collected four hits and failed to score. This on-base ability is not something the 22-year-old demonstrated in previous seasons, as his highest mark was .254, set in Rookie ball his first season as a pro. Viewed as more of a power-first bat with a great arm at the hot corner, if he can keep this consistent hitting as a part of his game, he'll be on the move up the ranks in the Astros' organization sooner rather than later. Astros prospects stats »

Mariners: Cal Raleigh, C (No. 13) -- 3-for-5, 2 HR, 6 RBI (Class A Advanced Modesto)
Raleigh connected on his 16th and 17th homers of the season Saturday, moving him into a tie for second in the California League. He's also second in RBIs while ranking among the top 10 in slugging percentage, OPS, doubles, extra-base hits and total bases. In other words ... it's been a great season so far for the 22-year-old out of Florida State. Drafted in the third round of the 2018 Draft, Modesto is a nice jump in levels after he debuted with the Class A Short Season Everett AquaSox last year. He's proven to be up to the challenge, living up to expectations as a power-hitting catcher whose bat is ahead of his glove at this point. Mariners prospects stats »

Rangers: Scott Heineman, OF (No. 27) -- 3-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, BB (Triple-A Nashville)
Heineman has three three-hit showings in 17 games for Nashville this season, and they've all come in the past week. He had his second straight three-hit game in Nashville's 11-3 loss to Omaha on Saturday, as he also hit his first home run since June 28. It was Heineman's third homer of the season for the Sounds, as he raised his batting average to .369. He also has 10 RBIs and nine extra-base hits to go along with his 1.086 OPS. Heineman has demonstrated the ability to hit at Triple-A before, as he batted .295/.355/.429 in 107 games at the level last season. Rangers prospects stats »

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST

Braves: Joey Wentz, LHP (No. 9) -- 7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 10 K (Double-A Mississippi)
Wentz has had some struggles in his first Double-A season, as he entered June 26 with a 5.51 ERA through his first 14 starts. But the 21-year-old left-hander is on a roll now, as he tossed seven innings of one-run ball and notched a career-high 10 strikeouts in a 3-1 loss to Biloxi on Saturday. Wentz has allowed only two runs over his last 18 2/3 innings, lowering his ERA to 4.52. His lone blemish came in the sixth inning, when he gave up a leadoff double to Joantgel Segovia, who later scored on a sac fly. Wentz has made more starts this season (17) than he did last year (16), when he missed some time due to injury. Braves prospects stats »

Marlins: Joe Dunand, SS (No. 23) -- 2-for-3, 2B, BB (Double-A Jacksonville)
Dunand has had an inconsistent season, struggling to put together many hitting streaks. But he's had some big games such as Saturday's 4-3 loss to Mobile, when he reached base three times and had his first extra-base hit since June 26. A 2017 second-round pick, Dunand is batting .235/.307/.313 in 83 games this season. It's a step up from last year, when he hit .212/.276/.369 over 61 games in his first Double-A stint. Marlins prospects stats »

Mets: Andres Gimenez, SS (No. 1, MLB No. 58) -- 2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI (Double-A Binghamton)
Gimenez has been raking over the past week, and he kept it going in Binghamton's 7-6 win over Akron on Saturday, while also ending his homer drought. During the Rumble Ponies' four-run first inning, Gimenez hit a three-run homer, his fourth home run of the season and his first since May 7. He also had a single for his fourth multi-hit game over his past seven contests. During that stretch, Gimenez is 10-for-25 with six RBIs. The 20-year-old has had some struggles -- he's hitting .239 in 66 games -- but his recent success could be a sign that he's going to keep excelling at this level. Mets prospects stats »

Nationals: Malvin Pena, RHP (No. 13) -- 6 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K (Class A Advanced Potomac)
For the first time this season, Pena has put together back-to-back quality starts. Just like his previous outing, the 22-year-old right-hander tossed six innings of one-run ball in Potomac's 6-1 win over Wilmington on Saturday. Pena's lone blemish was an RBI single allowed in the third inning, but the Nationals' offense broke through in the sixth to get the righty his fifth win of the year. Pena had only two quality starts in his first 13 outings, but he's been showing signs of improvement his last two times out. After issuing multiple walks nine times in a span of 11 starts, he's had only one in each of his last two outings. Nationals prospects stats »

Phillies: Francisco Morales, RHP (No. 8) -- 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K (Class A Lakewood)
Signed out of Venezuela in 2016, Morales is having a strong showing in his first full-season Class A campaign. The 19-year-old right-hander tossed five scoreless innings in Lakewood's 2-1 loss to Greensboro on Saturday night, lowering his ERA to 3.30 in 17 games (10 starts). After his start on June 2, Morales had a 5.40 ERA. But over his last six games (four starts), the righty has allowed only two earned runs over 26 2/3 innings, good for a 0.68 ERA during that stretch. This has been one of the best periods of Morales' pro career, as he had a 5.27 ERA in 13 starts for short-season Class A Williamsport last year. Phillies prospects stats »

NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL

Brewers: Aaron Ashby, LHP (No. 9) -- 7 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 K (Class A Advanced Carolina)
After tossing 14 1/3 scoreless innings in his first two starts since being promoted to the Mudcats, Ashby then had a pair of rough outings, giving up eight runs in 9 2/3 innings. The 2018 fourth-rounder got back on track Saturday, when he tossed seven innings of two-run ball to earn the win in an 8-3 victory over Frederick. It was the third time in five starts for Carolina that Ashby completed seven frames. Although the lefty issued four walks, his most at the level, he mostly worked around trouble while also scattering five hits. The 21-year-old southpaw, who has a 2.32 ERA for the Mudcats, is moving quickly through the Brewers' system, and if he continues to have strong outings, it's possible another could be in order later this year. Brewers prospects stats »

Cardinals: Johan Oviedo, RHP (No. 18) -- 6 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K (Double-A Springfield)
Since Oviedo made his Double-A debut on May 5, the 21-year-old right-hander has mostly struggled. But he had one of his best outings on Saturday, allowing one run over six innings in the Cardinals' 11-inning, 2-1 loss to Arkansas. Oviedo allowed an RBI double with no outs in the second, but he avoided further damage and settled in to complete six frames for the second straight start. Oviedo earned his promotion to Double-A after going 5-0 with a 1.60 ERA in six games (five starts) for Class A Advanced Palm Beach to open the season. While he went through some growing pains with Springfield, it appears he's been better adjusting to the level recently. Cardinals prospects stats »

Cubs: Christopher Morel, 3B (No. 26) -- 2-for-3, BB, SB (Class A South Bend)
Morel has filled the stat sheet over the past week as the 20-year-old continues to develop in his first full season of Class A experience. After South Bend's 1-0 win over Dayton on Saturday, Morel has a five-game hitting streak, during which he is 9-for-17 with two doubles, two homers, five RBIs, four runs scored, a pair of walks and a stolen base. Through 69 games, Morel is batting .278, the highest his average has been since April 22. Cubs prospects stats »

Pirates: Jason Martin, OF (No. 8) -- 2-for-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI, R (Triple-A Indianapolis)
Martin got a taste of the big leagues earlier this year, and he's likely on his way back there later this season if he continues to hit this well. In Indianapolis' 9-6 loss to Toledo on Saturday, Martin had his fourth multi-hit game over his past seven contests, which included a leadoff double in the second, plus a sac fly in the 10th. The 23-year-old continues to contribute to the Indians' offense, driving in five runs and scoring three over his last four games. His .707 OPS in 54 Triple-A games is higher than the .589 OPS he posted in 59 games at the level last season. Pirates prospects stats »

Reds: Lyon Richardson, RHP (No. 10) -- 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K (Class A Dayton)
Richardson may have fallen to 2-6, but he turned in a quality start as Dayton fell to South Bend, 1-0, on Saturday. The 19-year-old right-hander matched his career high for strikeouts, fanning seven for the fifth time this year. After getting selected by the Reds in the second round of the 2018 Draft, Richardson had some early struggles in his pro career, posting a 7.14 ERA in 11 starts for Rookie-level Greeneville last year and a 7.08 ERA through his first five starts for Dayton this season. But he's pitched better since the start of June, allowing two or fewer runs in six of his last seven outings. Reds prospects stats »

NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST

D-backs: Jazz Chisholm, SS (No. 1, MLB No. 59) -- 3-for-5, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 R (Double-A Jackson)
It hasn't been a flawless first Double-A season for Chisholm, but he has flashed his potential at times, including Saturday's 11-4 win over Chattanooga. Chisholm hadn't homered or had a multi-hit game since June 23, but he fixed both of those issues by swatting a pair of home runs in a three-hit showing. Both of Chisholm's homers came late in the game, as he belted a two-run shot in the eighth inning, then followed that with a three-run blast in the ninth. He has 17 homers this year, and this was his second two-homer game. Chisholm is batting .201, marking the first time his average has been above the Mendoza Line this season. He has a five-game hitting streak, during which he has eight RBIs, so this could be a sign of Chisholm moving past his early-season funk. D-backs prospects stats »

Dodgers: Connor Wong, C (No. 13) -- 3-for-4, HR, 3B, 3 RBI, 3 R, BB (Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga)
Rancho Cucamonga continued to swing hot bats in a 14-3 win over Inland Empire on Saturday, and Wong led the way as he finished a double shy of the cycle. He led off the seventh inning with his 14th home run in 65 games this season. The next inning, he added a two-run triple to continue the Quakes' big offensive attack. It was Wong's second straight three-hit game, as he also had a trio of knocks in Friday's 16-1 win over Inland Empire. Although Wong's average and OPS are down from last year, when he played 102 games at Class A Advanced, he's on pace to surpass his totals for doubles, home runs and RBIs. And if he can continue to rake, it's possible he'll finish with a higher average and OPS as well. Dodgers prospects stats »

Giants: Marco Luciano, SS (No. 3) -- 1-for-4, HR, RBI (AZL Giants); Conner Menez, LHP (No. 22) -- 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 8 K (Triple-A Sacramento)
Last summer, Luciano signed with the Giants out of the Dominican Republic. This summer, he's raking in the Arizona Rookie League, getting off to an impressive start in his first pro season. The 17-year-old shortstop swatted his seventh home run in 15 games on Saturday, hitting a solo home run in a 1-for-4 showing. Luciano is on a seven-game hitting streak, and he's batting .383/.479/.833 with 12 extra-base hits and 18 RBIs. Menez has had some strong showings despite pitching in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, and Saturday's outing was his best through six games (five starts) for Sacramento. The 24-year-old left-hander had his first scoreless start for the River Cats this season, fanning eight over six strong innings to earn the win in their 5-1 victory over Reno. Menez has a 4.25 ERA in 29 2/3 innings for Sacramento this year. Giants prospects stats »

Padres: CJ Abrams, SS -- 1-for-5, HR, 2 RBI (AZL Padres)
Abrams was hitless through his first four at-bats, and it appeared his long hitting streak to begin his professional career could be nearing its end. However, the 2019 first-round pick belted a two-run homer in the ninth inning to extend his streak to 15 consecutive games. The 18-year-old is off to an incredible start, batting .429/.453/.643 with a pair of home runs, five doubles, two triples, nine RBIs and eight stolen bases. Abrams is showcasing exactly why San Diego selected him with the No. 5 pick in this year's Draft. Padres prospects stats »

Rockies: Terrin Vavra, SS (No. 13) -- 2-for-4, 2B, RBI, R, SB (Class A Advanced Asheville)
Vavra has consistently raked in his first year of full-season ball, and he isn't showing any signs of slowing down. The 22-year-old collected a pair of hits, including one in Asheville's game-winning rally, in Saturday's 4-0 win over Rome. Neither team had scored entering the eighth inning, but Vavra got the Tourists on the board with an RBI single to right field. That sparked a four-run frame that helped Asheville put away the game. Vavra's average has never dipped below .294 this season, and he's currently batting .322/.411/.505 with eight homers, 26 doubles and 43 RBIs through 77 games. Rockies prospects stats »