Thursday's top prospect performers

August 2nd, 2019

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

AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

Blue Jays: Griffin Conine, OF (No. 16) -- 2-for-4, R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI (Class A Lansing)
Conine put Lansing on the board with a two-run homer in the first inning, though it ultimately accounted for all of the Lugnuts' offense in their 5-2 loss to Lake County. With the homer -- his third in his past four games -- Conine has now gone deep 16 times in only 52 games this season, good for third place in the Midwest League. To go along with the power, the 2018 second-round pick out of Duke has also posted a .282 average in his first full-season campaign. Blue Jays prospects stats »

Orioles: DL Hall, LHP (No. 3, MLB No. 64) -- 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 10 K (Class A Adv Frederick)
Hall didn’t allow a hit over the first four innings while recording eight of his 12 outs via the strikeout and throwing only 59 pitches (38 strikes). He opened the fifth with another strikeout, but then allowed a single on an 0-2 pitch followed by an RBI double before completing the frame. He pitched around trouble in the sixth, allowing a single and a two-out walk, but also notched his 10th strikeout, matching his career-high mark. The six innings tied the longest outing of the 20-year-old southpaw’s career, too. Though he’s struggled with his control this season, averaging 6.1 walks-per-nine, Hall, who has three plus pitches, has been very impressive overall, pitching to a 3.36 ERA with 111 strikeouts in 75 innings (13.3 K/9). Orioles prospects stats »

Rays: Taylor Walls, SS (No. 19) -- 3-for-5, 2 2B, HR (Double-A Montgomery)
Walls, a former third-round pick (2017), is a prototypical Rays player in that he can do a little bit of everything. That includes hitting for power, which he did Thursday in the form of two doubles and a solo homer, his sixth of the year and third in 33 games with the Biscuits. The 23-year-old has missed some time with a nagging quad injury this year, but he's been good when healthy, compiling a .267/.352/.413 line with 25 extra-base hits and 26 steals in 74 games across two levels. Rays prospects stats »

Red Sox: Jarren Duran, OF (No. 4) -- 2-for-5, 2 R, SB (Double-A Portland)
Duran was a table-setter for the Sea Dogs on Thursday, notching two singles and scoring a team-high two runs to pace the offense in a 4-3 win over Richmond. The 22-year-old boosted his hitting streak to 11 games in the process -- a stretch during which he's improved his Double-A average from .208 to .257 by batting .426 with seven multihit efforts. He authored a 16-game hitting streak earlier this season as a member of Class A Advanced Salem, where he batted .387/.456/.543 over 50 games before moving up to Double-A. Red Sox prospects stats »

Yankees: Roansy Contreras, RHP (No. 13) -- 6 IP, 2 H, 1 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 5 K (Class A Charleston)
Contreras has now gone six straight starts in which he's allowed three earned runs or fewer while completing at least five innings. He's given up exactly two hits in back-to-back outings for the RiverDogs and has allowed a combined seven hits in 17 innings across his past three turns. One of many high-ceiling pitching prospects in New York's system, Contreras, a 19-year-old right-hander, has pitched to a 4.00 ERA in his first full-season campaign, with 81 strikeouts and 32 walks in 101 1/3 innings (19 starts). Yankees prospects stats »

AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL

Indians: Nolan Jones, 3B (No. 1, MLB No. 40) -- 1-for-4, HR, BB (Double-A Akron)
Jones' lone hit on Thursday was a solo shot that put the RubberDucks on the board in the first inning. It was the fourth homer in 21 games at the Double-A level for the 21-year-old, who went deep seven times over 77 games at Class A Advanced Lynchburg (while batting .286/.435/.425) to earn a Futures Game selection followed by a promotion to the Eastern League. Indians prospects stats »

Royals: Jonathan Bowlan, RHP (No. 16) -- 5 1/3 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K (Class A Adv Wilmington)
Bowlan fired a 98-pitch, nine-inning no-hitter back on July 15, but then allowed a combined nine earned runs on 15 hits in nine innings over his next two starts. The 2018 second-round pick put those shaky outings behind him Thursday, as he spun 5 1/3 scoreless frames to earn the win for the Blue Rocks against Fayetteville. Bowlan, a 6-foot-6, 262-pound righty, has pitched well during his time in the Carolina League, compiling a 2.79 ERA and 53/5 K/BB in 48 1/3 innings (8 starts). On the season, he sports a 3.13 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 127/15 K/BB in 118 innings across two levels. Royals prospects stats »

Tigers: Anthony Castro, RHP (No. 20) -- 7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 7 K (Double-A Erie)
The Tigers have a lot of talented pitching prospects in their system, and Castro absolutely is one of them. Armed with a fastball that reaches the high 90s and a pair of improving secondary pitches, the 24-year-old tossed seven innings of one-hit ball, striking out seven in Erie’s win over Binghamton. It marked the sixth time in 22 outings (14 starts) this season that Castro has fanned at least seven batters, and overall, the right-hander has punched out 99 in 81 2/3 frames for the SeaWolves. Tigers prospects stats »

Twins: Alex Kirilloff, OF (No. 2, MLB No. 16) -- 2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 5 RBI (Double-A Pensacola)
Kirilloff was a one-man wrecking crew Thursday as he drove in five runs to power the Wahoos over Birmingham, 11-8. He hit a ground-rule double to center field in his second at-bat of the game to plate a pair, then crushed the first pitch he saw in the sixth inning well beyond the right-field wall for a three-run homer. A wrist injury that sidelined Kirilloff at the outset of the season has sapped some of his power, but he's still putting together a strong campaign, hitting .275/.339/.398 with five homers and 21 extra-base hits at age 21 in his first Double-A campaign. Twins prospects stats »

White Sox: Steele Walker, OF (No. 7) -- 3-for-5, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI (Class A Adv Winston-Salem)
Make it three straight multihit games for the White Sox 2018 second-round pick after he paced the Dash's offense with three hits and three RBIs on Thursday. He plated a pair with a third-inning homer, his eighth in 73 games in the Carolina League, while the three-hit effort bumped Walker's average up to .273. Including his 20-game stint with Class A Kannapolis to begin the season, the 23-year-old outfielder is batting .292/.365/.464 with 40 extra-base hits in 93 games this season. White Sox prospects stats »

AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST

A’s: Alfonso Rivas, 1B (No. 25) -- 2-for-3, HR, 3 RBI (Class A Advanced Stockton)
That home run is a welcome sign for Rivas, who hadn't seen a ball leave the yard since June 20. The 2018 fourth-rounder had still hit well since that last homer, with an average north of .300, but his power tool will be important -- especially when you consider his defensive position -- as he develops. This was just Rivas' sixth home run in 94 games this season, but his line-drive stroke from the left side shows potential of growing into more power down the road. A's prospects stats »

Angels: Jared Walsh, 1B/OF/LHP (No. 24) -- 2-for-4, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI (Triple-A Salt Lake)
Walsh extended his hitting streak to nine games when he laced a line-drive single to center field in his first at-bat. He would later add a two-run homer in the fourth, his 27th of the season, good for a share of third place in the Pacific Coast League. The 26-year-old two-way player also ranks second in the circuit in OPS (1.106) and slugging (.673) and sports a .327 average through 79 games. Angels prospects stats »

Astros: J.J. Matijevic, OF/1B (No. 18) -- 2-for-3, 2 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, BB (Double-A Corpus Christi)
Matijevic plated runs with both of his extra-base hits Thursday, as he put the Hooks on the board with an RBI double in the first before adding a solo shot in the third. The 23-year-old's homer was his ninth of the season across two levels but his first since July 2, when he went deep twice against Frisco. Matijevic has hit his nine homers in only 51 games, as he's spent part of the season on the restricted list while serving a 50-game suspension that was levied against him in late April following his second positive test for a drug of abuse. Astros prospects stats »

Mariners: Justus Sheffield, LHP (No. 9) -- 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 9 K (Double-A Arkansas)
Sheffield allowed eight runs on seven hits and didn't escape the second inning in his first start after being demoted from Triple-A Tacoma to Arkansas. But since then the 23-year-old let-hander has been lights out, registering a 1.63 ERA over his last eight starts. In that span, Sheffield has compiled 58 strikeouts against 12 walks and allowed 43 hits (0 home runs) in 55 1/3 innings. Mariners prospects stats »

Rangers: Sam Huff, C (No. 2, MLB No. 79) -- 1-for-4, 2B (Class A Adv Down East)
Huff, 21, boosted his hitting streak up to 19 games when he hit a line-drive double in his first at-bat Thursday. It was one of five hits Down East collected in the game, as they were blanked by Carolina, 7-0. Huff's 19-game streak is the longest active streak in the Carolina League. Overall, he's produced a .298/.351/.570 line with 25 homers and 20 doubles in 99 games across two levels in what has been one of the top breakout campaigns in the Minors this year. Rangers prospects stats »

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST

Braves: Cristian Pache, OF (No. 1, MLB No. 11) -- 2-for-4, 2B (Double-A Mississippi)
Pache notched an extra-base hit as part of a two-hit performance for a second straight night, though it wasn't enough to keep the M-Braves from falling to Tennessee, 4-1. The uber-talented 20-year-old outfielder has cooled a bit in the second half, but he's still having an all-around impressive season in the Southern League, batting .281/.342/.481 with 11 homers and 28 doubles, both of which are career-high marks. Oh, and his defense is pretty good too, in case you hadn't heard. Braves prospects stats »

Marlins: Jazz Chisholm, SS (No. 4, MLB No. 59) -- 3-for-4, 2 R, 3B, HR, 2 RBI; Lewin Diaz, 1B (No. 13) -- 2-for-3, HR, 2 RBI (Double-A Jacksonville)
Chisholm ingratiated himself to the Marlins' fanbase in style Thursday via a three-hit performance that included a triple and solo home run. It comes one day after the 21-year-old shortstop was acquired by Miami from the Diamondbacks in a straight swap for Zac Gallen. While he hasn't hit for average and is whiffing at an alarming rate this season, Chisholm's power has translated well at the Double-A level, where he's now homered 19 times in 90 games. Diaz, playing in his fourth Jumbo Shrimp game, hit his first homer in the Marlins' system after they acquired him from the Twins in last weekend's Sergio Romo trade. The 22-year-old first baseman has hit 20 bombs this season across two levels. Marlins prospects stats »

Mets: Ronny Mauricio, SS (No. 1, MLB No. 84) -- 1-for-2, RBI (Class A Columbia)
The Fireflies were unable to continue their contest against Kannapolis due to weather, and it is suspended in the bottom of the third inning, but the Mets' top prospect has already made his mark on the game. In what would have extended his hit streak to six games (and should eventually become official once the game is completed), the 18-year-old drove in a run to fuel a three-run first for Columbia. Mauricio has done well in his full-season debut, batting .283 with 27 extra-base hits in the South Atlantic League. Mets prospects stats »

Phillies: Kyle Dohy, RHP (No. 25) -- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K (Triple-A Lehigh Valley)
Dohy has had a rough go of it in Triple-A, posting a 6.80 ERA with a 1.88 WHIP and 39 walks across 33 relief appearances, but the 22-year-old right-hander has had no problems missing bats, racking up 69 strikeouts in 43 2/3 innings. He's been getting tons of whiffs lately, fanning 11 batters in his past six frames while allowing just one run. While the overall numbers aren't great, Dohy's peripheral stats -- such as his 15.0 K/9 (54 2/3 innings) and .218 BAA -- reflect his potential as a high-strikeout reliever. Phillies prospects stats »

Nationals: Luis Garcia, INF (No. 2, MLB No. 80) -- 3-for-4, R, RBI, SB (Double-A Harrisburg)
Garcia batted just .218 with a .505 OPS during the first two months of the season, albeit as the youngest everyday player in Double-A. In 51 games since, the 19-year-old has been a .294 hitter, which in turn has boosted his season average up to .258. He hasn't shown much in the way of power, totaling 16 extra-base hits in 101 games, but there is some juice in his left-handed bat. Last season, he racked up 34 extra-base hits including seven homers in 127 games across two full-season levels. Nationals prospects stats »

NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL

Brewers: Tristen Lutz, OF (No. 2) -- 4-for-5, HR, 2 RBI (Class A Adv Carolina)
Lutz already had three singles under his belt when he stepped to the plate in the seventh inning and padded the Mudcats' lead with a two-run homer, his 10th. The four-hit performance was a season best for the 20-year-old outfielder, who's batting .247/.335/.339 with 33 extra-base hits through 99 games in the Carolina League. He's three homers off of matching his 13 home runs from his first full season, and he'll also match his walks total (46) with two more free passes. Brewers prospects stats »

Cubs: Cole Roederer, OF (No. 6) -- 3-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, SB (Class A South Bend)
Roederer launched his seventh home run of the season on Thursday for South Bend and added a stolen base, his 13th of the season. The 19-year-old is hitting .224 with a .693 OPS in Class A, but is young for the level and possesses some of the most exciting offensive upside in Chicago's system. His five hits over the past two games are encouraging after a month of July where he hit just .176, but he did manage to walk 21 times compared to 27 strikeouts. Cubs prospects stats »

Cardinals: Andrew Pallante, RHP (No. 24) -- 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 7 K (Class A Short-Season State College)
The 2019 fourth-rounder out of UC Irvine has been on a nice little roll lately with four consecutive scoreless outings. Those four starts, totaling 15 1/3 innings, have seen Pallante strike out 19 batters with just seven hits allowed. There were questions about Pallante's size and arm action coming out of the Draft, but he's enjoyed an excellent debut in the Cardinals' system and has a legitimate chance to stick in the rotation long term. Cardinals prospects stats »

Pirates: Ke'Bryan Hayes, 3B (No. 2, MLB No. 39) -- 4-for-5, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI (Triple-A Indianapolis)
Hayes matched his career-high total with four hits as he snapped out of a 4-for-28 funk at the plate. A .256/.331/.416 hitter with 35 extra-base hits in 81 games this season, Hayes' numbers don't jump off the page, but the 22-year-old third baseman is the type of prospect who is going to be a significantly better big leaguer than his stats suggest -- one who hits for both average and power while offering value with his plus defense at the hot corner. Pirates prospects stats »

Reds: Tyler Stephenson, C (No. 7) -- 3-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI (Double-A Chattanooga)
Stephenson put together his second multi-hit game in as many nights, and he's been swinging a hot bat lately with 12 hits over his last 10 games. The former 11th overall pick in the 2015 Draft has posted some respectable numbers in his first season at the Double-A level, including a .361 on-base percentage. Still just 22 years old, Stephenson can set the stage for 2020 with a strong August. It will be particularly interesting to see if the 6-foot-4 catcher can tap into a little more of his power potential after hitting just five home runs so far in 2019. Reds prospects stats »

NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST

D-backs: Dominic Fletcher, OF (No. 25) -- 2-for-3, R, 2B (Class A Kane County)
Fletcher, the No. 75 pick in the 2019 Draft, has hit the ground running in pro ball and continued that on Friday with his third consecutive two-hit game and fourth in his last five. Fletcher now owns a .333 average and .925 OPS through his first 29 games with Kane County. His offense might be streaky at times as he develops, but Fletcher's steady defense should support his value as he looks to tap into his power with an aggressive plate approach. D-backs prospects stats »

Dodgers: Gavin Lux, SS (No. 1, MLB No. 10) -- 1-for-4, HR, BB (Triple-A Oklahoma City)
After going six games without hitting a home run, Lux got back to socking dingers Thursday with a fifth-inning solo shot that also extended his hitting streak to nine games. The 21-year-old shortstop has gone deep nine times while slashing .450/.531/.881 in 26 games since moving up to the Pacific Coast League, after slashing .313/.375/.521 with 13 homers in 64 games at Double-A Tulsa. Dodgers prospects stats »

Giants: Luis Toribio, 3B (No. 10) -- 2-for-2, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB (AZL Giants Orange)
Toribio, an 18-year-old third baseman whom the Giants signed for $300,000 in July 2017, has been on fire this week, posting three straight multihit games with six hits, five RBIs and seven runs scored. That pretty much sums up the Dominican native's campaign so far in the Arizona League, where he's hit .333/.463/.521 with 34 runs, 14 extra-base hits (3 HR) and 25 RBIs in his first 32 games. Giants prospects stats »

Padres: Ty France, 3B/1B (No. 24) -- 4-for-5, R, 3 RBI (Triple-A El Paso)
France improved his Pacific Coast League-leading average to .388 with a four-hit game, which marked the fifth time this season that the 25-year-old has collected at least four hits. His other numbers in the PCL are equally impressive, as France has produced a 1.231 OPS with 24 homers, 21 doubles and 76 RBIs in 65 games for El Paso. Padres prospects stats »

Rockies: Roberto Ramos, 1B (No. 29) -- 3-for-3, 2 R, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB (Triple-A Albuquerque)
Ramos reached base in each of his five trips to the plate Thursday, tallying three hits and two walks in the 'Topes loss to Memphis. The multihit performance was the sixth in 11 games for the 24-year-old first baseman, and he's improved his season average from .304 to .324 during that stretch. He's posted a .993 OPS with 21 homers, 22 doubles and 75 RBIs in 96 games this season, which is his first at the Triple-A level. Rockies prospects stats »