Here's a look at Friday’s top Minor League performers from each team's Top 30 Prospects list:
Marlins: Max Meyer, RHP (MLB No. 31), Triple-A Jacksonville
The newly-minted Triple-A hurler made a dazzling first impression, striking out 10 over five innings on the day he was called up to Jacksonville. Meyer, the third overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, allowed one run on two hits and a walk. September had been an uncharacteristically tough month on Meyer, who allowed 13 runs (eight earned) in three starts with Double-A Pensacola. But make no mistake -- he earned this promotion. In 20 Double-A starts during his debut season, the 22-year-old posted a 2.41 ERA and 113 strikeouts. Marlins prospects stats »
Royals: Nick Pratto, 1B (MLB No. 66), Triple-A Omaha
Pratto’s first multihomer game with Omaha added to his impressive season-long home run tally. The 22-year-old is up to 33 home runs in 118 games across Double-A and Triple-A this season. He also has four homers and three multihit performances in his past five games. Pratto posted three modest seasons, from a power perspective, to begin his career but his slugging percentage has shot into the high .500s in 2021. Royals prospect stats »
Giants: Ryan Murphy, RHP (No. 21), High-A Eugene
With his team on the verge of clinching a title, Murphy spun a gem. The 21-year-old picked up the win in Eugene’s title-clinching game as he fired five scoreless innings, yielded just two hits and struck out seven. The strong outing was simply a continuation of what Murphy has done all season. He went 6-4 with a 2.52 ERA over 21 starts (107 1/3 innings) across two levels. While Murphy performed well all season, he really stepped up his game once he was promoted to Eugene, posting a 1.44 ERA over six starts at High-A. Giants prospect stats »
Orioles: Kyle Bradish, RHP (No. 8), Triple-A Norfolk
Drew Rom, LHP (No. 25), Double-A Bowie
Bradish tossed five scoreless innings, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out five. He has only allowed one earned run over his past three starts (0.60 ERA), a sign of finishing strong after some not-so-pleasant months. The 25-year-old posted a 5.89 ERA over 10 games (eight starts) through July and August. Even with that rough patch, Bradish owns a 3.78 ERA and a remarkable 11.8 strikeouts-per-nine rate this season.
When was the last time Rom gave up a run? It sure has been a while and Rom tacked on five more scoreless frames to go with seven strikeouts on Friday. He hasn’t been scored on through four starts (19 innings) this month, and in that time he has 10 hits allowed and struck out 25. Rom went 8-0 with a 2.79 ERA for High-A Aberdeen earlier this season and he’s now down to a 3.40 ERA in 10 games with Bowie. Orioles prospect stats »
Phillies: Francisco Morales, RHP (No. 5), Triple-A Lehigh Valley
The first Triple-A start of Morales’ career was a great one, as the 21-year-old went five scoreless innings while striking out five. You might not have seen that performance coming -- or even his promotion, for that matter -- after Morales slogged through 22 Double-A outings with a 6.94 ERA. His 11.9 strikeouts-per-nine rate in that span was promising, however, and it suggests that Morales can be effective so long as he’s accurate. He has a 6.4 walks-per-nine rate this season, which needs improvement. Phillies prospect stats »
Pirates: Mason Martin, 1B (No. 17), Triple-A Indianapolis
After going hitless in his first two Triple-A games, Martin broke out in just the way we should’ve suspected: by belting two home runs and collecting four RBIs. With Double-A Altoona, Martin had 22 home runs and 75 RBIs in 112 games. Back in 2019, he hit 35 homers in 131 games across two levels. Martin can crush, and that’s been a big part of why the 2017 17th-rounder has climbed the Minor League ladder through four pro seasons. Pirates prospect stats »
Rays: Taj Bradley, RHP (No. 6), High-A Bowling Green
Tobias Myers, RHP (No. 29), Triple-A Durham
Bradley took the loss in Bowling Green’s playoff game, but that’s no indication of how he performed. The 20-year-old allowed two unearned runs on two hits in six innings, while collecting nine strikeouts. That drops his ERA to 1.69 through nine starts in High-A and he owns a 10.8 strikeouts-per-nine rate in that span. The Rays’ fifth-round pick in 2018 was spectacular in Low-A action this season, too, posting a 1.76 ERA and 81 strikeouts in 66 2/3 innings.
Coming off one of the rougher outings of his season, Myers turned in six innings of scoreless, two-hit ball. That’s his first outing of six-plus scoreless frames at the Triple-A level (he last achieved that feat on July 20 with Double-A Montgomery). One thing that hasn’t wavered much for Myers is his strikeout capability. He fanned eight Friday, bringing him up to 31 strikeouts over his past 20 innings. Rays prospect stats »
Rockies: Elehuris Montero, 3B (No. 4), Triple-A Albuquerque
Montero put together a perfect day at the plate and turned in his second four-hit game of the year. Not only was Montero 4-for-4, but he did so with a trio of doubles. The 23-year-old has hit .279 over 112 games this season and is batting .282 through 20 games in his first taste of Triple-A. Rockies prospect stats »