Friday's top prospect performers

March 23rd, 2019

A crop of Cardinals prospects, led by Tommy Edman, turned in strong performances on Friday as St. Louis routed the Mets, 15-5, in Grapefruit League action.

Edman, the Cardinals’ No. 13 prospect per MLB Pipeline, paced the offense by going 4-for-6 with four singles and three RBIs and was the only Cardinal to play the entire game, getting the start at third base before later shifting to shortstop. He’s collected multiple hits in three straight games and owns a .500 average (8-for-16) during that stretch.

Edman, 23, has been one of the Cardinals’ more consistent hitters this spring, batting .366/.413/.561 with five extra-base hits and nine RBIs in 20 games. He’s seen time all over the infield, too, showing defensive versatility by logging nearly equal time between second base, third and shortstop.

Cardinals No. 3 prospect Andrew Knizner made the most of his lone at-bat, delivering a two-run double in the ninth inning, and Dylan Carlson (No. 8) tallied a single, a walk and scored two runs after entering in the eighth inning.

On the mound, Cardinals top prospect Alex Reyes (No. 33 overall) tossed a perfect ninth to record his fifth scoreless performance of the spring. The 24-year-old right-hander has made seven appearances out of the bullpen, pitching to a 4.50 ERA with four hits allowed and an 8/6 strikeout-to-walk ratio over eight innings.

Mets top prospect Pete Alonso (MLB No. 51) improved his spring average to .356 with a 2-for-5 performance that included an RBI and a run scored. With hits in five straight games, he’s finishing up camp on a high note in his bid to crack New York's Opening Day roster.

Ronny Mauricio (Mets’ No. 3) won’t celebrate his 18th birthday until April 4, but on Friday, he earned the start as New York's designated hitter and went 1-for-3 with a sacrifice fly and a single from the bottom of the order.

Here’s how other top prospects performed on Friday:

• No. 2 overall prospect Fernando Tatis Jr. (Padres’ No. 1) recorded two hits, stole two bases and scored a pair of runs against the Rockies. The 20-year-old shortstop is wrapping up an impressive spring in which he’s posted a .283 average with 11 runs and six extra-base hits in 17 games.

• No. 4 overall prospect Victor Robles (Nationals’ No. 1) hit an RBI triple off the center-field wall in his first trip to the plate and finished 1-for-2 with two runs scored against the Marlins. The 21-year-old outfielder sports a .333/.456/.533 line in 19 games this spring and leads all Nats players in hits (15), runs (13) and steals (seven).

• No. 66 overall prospect Jonathan Loaisiga (Yankees’ No. 2) strengthened his case for a spot in New York's rotation by allowing two runs over four innings against the Phillies. The right-hander gave up solo home runs in the first and third innings but yielded only three total hits, with strikeouts accounting for seven of his 12 outs. Though his spring ERA sits at 6.75, Loaisiga has pitched well in back-to-back starts after experiencing some early struggles.

• After hitting 29 homers across three levels last year, Angels No. 21 prospect Jared Walsh went deep in the fifth and sixth innings against the Mariners for his first home runs of the spring. A legitimate two-way talent, the left-hander also has made six appearances out of the Halos’ bullpen, allowing four runs on three hits in 6 1/3 frames.

• Brewers No. 8 prospect Lucas Erceg connected on his third homer, a go-ahead solo shot in the seventh inning of Milwaukee's win over the Reds. The 2016 second-rounder has had six of his nine hits go for extra bases (three homers, three doubles) this spring en route to a .553 slugging percentage through 24 games. Corey Ray (No. 2) doubled in his only at-bat, swiped third base and scored an insurance run. He’s tied with Christian Yelich for the team lead with five doubles.

• D-backs No. 17 prospect Pavin Smith hasn’t hit for much power as a pro, but he got into one Friday, blasting a two-run shot in the ninth inning of Arizona’s win over the Dodgers. The upcoming season could be a telling one for the 2016 first-rounder, who’s looking to bounce back after slashing .355/.343/.392 with 11 homers last season in the hitter-friendly California League.

• Mauricio wasn’t the only teenager to get a start on Friday, as Indians No. 7 prospect Brayan Rocchio, less than three months removed from celebrating his 18th birthday, tripled and drove in a run as part of a 2-for-4 performance against the Cubs. The switch-hitting Venezuelan started at shortstop and batted ninth. Rocchio burst onto the prospect radar last summer by finishing third in the Rookie-level Arizona League batting race (.343) as the circuit's third-youngest qualifier.

• A day after finalizing his six-year, $24 million extension, Rays No. 9 prospect Brandon Lowe continued his torrid spring with another multi-hit performance, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored against the Cubs. One of Lowe’s hits was his eighth double, tying him with Kansas City’s Chris Owings for the overall Spring Training lead. Lowe has racked up 17 RBIs, good for a share of second place, while hitting .391/.429/.761 over 15 games.