Moncada looking to continue hot streak

Moncada looking to continue hot streak

May 8th, 2017

Here's a look at top prospects to watch in today's Minor League action:
Hitter to watch: (White Sox No. 1), Charlotte at Indianapolis (7:05 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
Moncada, MLB's No. 1 overall prospect per MLBPipeline.com, is tearing the cover off the ball since the calendar flipped to May. In six games this month, the 21-year-old has two home runs and four multi-hit games, including a three-hit day on Sunday afternoon, while raising his batting average from .314 to .352. The Cuban infielder leads the International League in runs scored (24), is second in total bases (61) and fourth in OPS (.992).
 

Pitcher to watch: Tyler Mahle (Reds' No. 9), Pensacola vs. Birmingham (7:35 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
After a bit of a tough time trying to figure out how to slow down Double-A hitters with Pensacola last season, Mahle is finding his groove. The 22-year-old righty, drafted in the seventh round in 2013, is 4-0 with a 1.19 ERA in six starts in 2017. He has allowed just one home run and has struck out 41 batters in 37 2/3 innings for the Blue Wahoos this year, a vast improvement on his 12 homers allowed and 65 Ks in 71 1/3 frames for Pensacola in 2016.

Duel of the day: (Astros' No. 1) vs. (Brewers' No. 3), Fresno at Colorado Springs (8:40 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
Two of the top pitching prospects in baseball square off Monday night when Martes and Hader toe the rubber opposite one another. Martes, the No. 17 overall prospect, has kept his ERA low (2.92) despite struggles with his command (12 walks in 12 1/3 innings). The Dominican right-hander, who went 9-6 with a 3.30 ERA in 22 starts for Double-A Corpus Christi in 2016, will try to get back to attacking the strike zone.

Hader has also had issues with his control in 2017, going 3-2 with a 4.40 ERA and 19 walks in 30 2/3 innings this season for the Sky Sox. The 23-year-old lefty, drafted in the 19th round in 2012 by Baltimore, was lights-out for Double-A Biloxi (2-1, 0.95 ERA in 11 starts) before going 1-7 with a 5.22 ERA in 14 starts after a promotion to Colorado Springs. Hader is rated as the No. 1 overall left-handed pitching prospect.

Monday's Top 100 prospect probables:
No. 8 overall (White Sox No. 2), Charlotte vs. Indianapolis (Triple-A)
No. 17 overall Francis Martes (Astros' No. 1), Fresno vs. Colorado Springs (Triple-A)
No. 33 overall Josh Hader (Brewers' No. 3), Colorado Springs vs. Fresno (Triple-A)
More top prospect probables:
(Yankees' No. 21), Scranton/Wilkes-Barre vs. Pawtucket (Triple-A)
(Red Sox No. 11), Pawtucket vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Triple-A)
Chris Lee (Orioles' No. 7), Norfolk vs. Louisville (Triple-A)
(Indians' No. 17), Columbus vs. Durham (Triple-A)
(Braves' No. 18), Gwinnett vs. Toledo (Triple-A)
Trevor Oaks (Dodgers' No. 17), Oklahoma City vs. Round Rock (Triple-A)
(Rockies' No. 2), Albuquerque vs. Las Vegas (Triple-A)
Tyler Alexander (Tigers' No. 4), Erie vs. Harrisburg (Double-A)
Jordan Johnson (Giants' No. 9), Richmond vs. Altoona (Double-A)
Chance Adams (Yankees' No. 7), Trenton vs. Akron (Double-A)
Jon Harris (Blue Jays' No. 8), New Hampshire vs. Hartford (Double-A)
Brad Keller (D-backs' No. 7), Jackson vs. Tennessee (Double-A)
(Rangers' No. 10), Frisco vs. Midland (Double-A)
James Naile (Athletics' No. 27), Midland vs. Frisco (Double-A)
Matt Cooper (White Sox No. 28), Birmingham vs. Pensacola (Double-A
Tyler Mahle (Reds' No. 9), Pensacola vs. Birmingham (Double-A)
Patrick Weigel (Braves' No. 15), Mississippi vs. Mobile (Double-A)
Corey Ray (Royals' No. 25), Northwest Arkansas vs. Arkansas (Double-A)
(Rays' No. 27), Montgomery vs. Chattanooga (Double-A)
Dario Agrazal (Pirates' No. 30) vs. Cody Poteet (Marlins' No. 14), Bradenton vs. Jupiter (Class A Advanced)
Jake Woodford (Cardinals' No. 17), Palm Beach at Fort Myers (Class A Advanced)
Domingo Acevedo (Yankees' No. 13), Tampa vs. Dunedin (Class A Advanced)
Jonathan Hernandez (Rangers' No. 18), Hickory at Hagerstown (Class A)
Joey Wentz (Braves' No. 13), Rome at Greensboro (Class A)
Micah Miniard (Indians' No. 29), Lake County vs. Beloit (Class A)
Tony Santillan (Reds' No. 14), Dayton vs. Cedar Rapids (Class A)
Darwinzon Hernandez (Red Sox's No. 25), Greenville vs. Augusta (Class A)
Alex Wells (Orioles' No. 16) vs. Freicer Perez (Yankees' No. 28), Delmarvs at Charleston (Class A)
Jordan Humphreys (Mets' No. 29), Columbia vs. Lakewood (Class A)
Garrett Davila (Royals' No. 17), Lexington at West Virginia (Class A)
Jon Duplantier (D-backs' No. 8), Kane County vs. Great Lakes (Class A)
Kyle Funkhouser (Tigers' No. 6) vs. Jordan Hicks (Cardinals' No. 18), West Michigan vs. Peoria (Class A)