Astros' pair leads Prospect Team of the Week
Houston phenoms on list 20 times thus far, most of any team
MLBPipeline.com's Prospect Team of the Week honors the best performances from the previous seven days. Any player currently on an organization Top 30 Prospects list on our Prospect Watch is eligible, including big leaguers.
The Houston Astros might be the feel-good surprise story in the big leagues, but let's not forget much of that has been built from within, taking advantage of one of the best farm systems in baseball.
Even with all the young talent up in the big leagues, there's still a lot of prospects down on the farm. Two more of them made this week's Prospect Team of the Week, based on performances from Aug. 17-23. That brings the Astros' total of PTOW honorees to 20, by far the largest total among all 30 organizations.
C: Carson Kelly, Cardinals (No. 19 prospect)
6 G, .400/.400/.560, 5 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBIs, 5 SO
It's been a bit of a struggle offensively for the 2012 draftee this year in the Florida State League, but he's shown signs of life in the second half, with an OPS more than 180 points higher in the second half compared to the first half. Kelly had two three-hit games this past week, and drove in at least one run in each of the last three games of the week.
1B: Travis Shaw, Red Sox (No. 28 prospect)
7 G, .423/.483/.769, 7 R, 3 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBIs, 2 BB, 9 SO
Shaw had been up and down a couple of times between Boston and Triple-A Pawtucket before starting to get regular playing time in August. That move has clearly paid off as Shaw has hit .385/.431/.738 this month. He hit in six of his seven games this past week, homering to start things on Monday, then again two days later. Shaw had five extra-base hits in total, and his five RBIs for the week give him 13 in August to go along with his six homers in the month.
2B: Joey Wendle, A's (No. 16 prospect)
7 G, .448/.467/.793, 5 R, 4 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBIs, 4 SO
After hitting .304/.328/.435 in July, Wendle has kept it going in August, with a .343/.363/.515 line this month. He certainly padded those numbers this past week, hitting in all seven games. Five of them were multihit efforts and the six extra-base hits were a bonus for a second baseman not typically known for his pop.
3B: Ryon Healy, A's (No. 22 prospect)
6 G, .469/.485/.719, 7 R, 5 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBIs, 1 BB, 7 SO
Healy now has a nine-game hitting streak going as his torrid second half now has him third in the Double-A Texas League with a .307 average. Healy had a five-hit game on Friday, then followed that up with two more multihit games. He raised his batting average 12 points over the course of the week.
SS: Alex Bregman, Astros (No. 1 prospect)
6 G, .522/.552/.739, 5 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 7 RBIs, 4 BB, 1 SO, 4 SB
Bregman has certainly lived up to his reputation as an advanced college hitter who would move quickly. Already at his third level, the No. 2 pick in the 2015 Draft has a nine-game hitting streak going. Yes, Lancaster is a good place to hit, but any week that includes five multihit games is worthy of consideration. Add in the four extra-base hits and four stolen bases, and it's clear the LSU product shouldn't need a ton of time to be ready to help out in Houston.
OF: Mac Williamson, Giants (No. 13 prospect)
7 G, .385/.485/.808, 10 R, 2 2B, 3 HR, 13 RBIs, 5 BB, 5 SO
It took a while for Williamson to adjust to Triple-A pitching, but it does appear like he's figuring it out. His 13 RBIs topped all eligible prospects for the week, thanks largely to two huge games. Williamson drove in six to start the week, then drove in four more on Friday, a game that saw him go 4-for-4 as well.
OF: Tyler O'Neill, Mariners (No. 7 prospect)
6 G, .364/.417/.909, 5 R, 4 HR, 9 RBIs, 2 BB, 7 SO
O'Neill's four-homer week allowed him to become the third player in the Minors to reach the 30-homer plateau as he is now tied with Adam Duvall and A.J. Reed for the overall Minor League lead. He homered in four straight games from Wednesday through Saturday. Power is O'Neill's calling card, but he's been a better overall hitter in the second half with a .293/.361/.693 line.
OF: Brendon Sanger, Angels (No. 21 prospect)
6 G, .455/.556/.818, 6 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBIs, 5 BB, 1 SO, 3 SB
The Angels' fourth-round pick this past June out of Florida Atlantic, Sanger has continued to do what he did in college: hit. He finished the week with a pair of three-hit games and raised his average 17 points for the week, up to .305. Sanger's extra-base ability showed up more as well and his three steals now gives the outfielder nine in 10 attempts during his pro debut in the Pioneer League.
LHP: Austin Gomber, Cardinals (No. 22 prospect)
1 G, 1-0, 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 10 SO
Gomber was actually Sanger's teammate at FAU until becoming a fourth-round pick of the Cardinals in 2014. His first full season has been solid, as he stands seventh in the Midwest League in ERA while topping the circuit in strikeouts. Gomber hasn't lost a decision since April 29, including his win on Saturday, his second start that saw him reach double-digit strikeouts. It was win No. 14 for the lefty, tying him for second among all Minor League pitchers.
RHP: Francis Martes, Astros (No. 8 prospect)
2 G, 2-0, 14 IP, 10 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 12 SO
As discussed above, the California League is a great place to hit, with Lancaster being one of the best hitting parks in the Minors. That makes what Martes did last week all the more impressive. He went seven shutout innings in each start, one at home and one on the road, and he's now gone three straight starts without allowing an earned run. Still only a teenager, Martes has posted a 2.31 ERA in six outings since getting promoted to the Cal League.