Wednesday's top prospect performers

July 22nd, 2021

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

Orioles: Adley Rutschman, C (MLB No. 2), Double-A Bowie
Rutschman had himself a career night with his first multihomer game in the Minors. The No. 1 overall pick from the 2019 Draft finished the ballgame going 3-for-5 with two homers (one from each side of the plate), a double and seven RBIs. Rutschman’s seven RBIs were also a career best and the most he’s had in a game since driving in four runs on May 30. Orioles prospect stats »

Royals: Bobby Witt Jr., SS (MLB No. 7), Triple-A Omaha
Witt, the No. 2 overall pick from the 2019 MLB Draft, hasn’t wasted much time in producing since making his Triple-A debut on Tuesday. A day after collecting his first hit with Omaha, Witt raced around the bases for an inside-the-park homer, his first homer with the Storm Chasers. The Royals top prospect finished the 7-6 loss to Saint Paul 3-for-5 with a home run and one RBI. In just two games, the 21-year-old has gone 5-for-11 since making the leap from Double-A Northwest Arkansas. Royals prospect stats »

Cardinals: Matthew Liberatore, LHP (MLB No. 27), Triple-A Memphis
The Cardinals’ top prospect spun arguably his most impressive outing of the season in Wednesday’s 1-0 win over Louisville. Liberatore threw six scoreless innings, allowed three hits, no walks and tied a season-high with nine strikeouts in his 93-pitch performance. All nine of Liberatore’s strikeouts were swinging and he struck out seven of the first 12 batters he faced. The lefty’s scoreless outing was his first one this season. Cardinals prospect stats »

Cubs: Brennen Davis, OF (MLB No. 45), Double-A Tennessee
Christopher Morel, 3B (No. 7), Double-A Tennessee

The Cubs’ No. 2 prospect went 2-for-5 with two home runs and five RBIs on Wednesday. Davis’ multihomer game was the first of his career and continues his resurgence after a slow June. Davis, who was named the 2021 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game MVP, slashed .232/.351/.354 in 82 at-bats in June, but has turned things around in July by batting .340 and posting a 1.181 OPS in his first 50 at-bats this month.

Morel joined Davis’ home run party by belting two of his own in the Smokies' 12-8 win over the Trash Pandas. Morel hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning, then provided some insurance for Tennessee by delivering another two-run homer in the ninth inning. The two-homer night was his second multihomer game of July. Cubs prospects stats »

Phillies: Bryson Stott, SS (MLB No. 100), Double-A Reading
The 6-foot-3 shortstop notched his third straight multihit game after going 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs in Wednesday’s 7-6 win over New Hampshire. Although the home run was just Stott’s first since June 23, he has been productive with the bat in his most recent stretch, going 15-for-48 (.313 average) in his past 11 games with Reading. Phillies prospects stats »

Blue Jays: Orelvis Martinez, SS (No. 6), Low-A Dunedin
Martinez has provided a power show at the plate throughout the month of July and continued to do so in an 11-2 win over Lakeland. The 19-year-old went 3-for-5 with two homers, a double and drove in four runs for Dunedin. Over his 61 July at-bats, Martinez has hit nine of his 17 homers and is slugging .918 to go along with 21 RBIs. On the year, Martinez leads the Low-A Southeast with 17 home runs and 60 RBIs. Blue Jays prospect stats »

Indians: Jhonkensy Noel, 3B (No. 30), Low-A Lynchburg
It’s been two games since Noel has rejoined Lynchburg after rehabbing an injury that landed him on the IL at the end of June, and he’s wasted no time hitting the cover off the ball. Noel clubbed his second multihomer game of the season in Game 1 of a doubleheader, driving in three runs in Lynchburg’s 7-4 victory. He’s coming off a 3-for-5 game on Tuesday where he also drove in three runs and hit a homer. The 20-year-old has only played 18 games so far, but he’s slashing .375/.400/.750 with eight home runs and 27 RBIs in that span. Indians prospect stats »

Rangers: David García, C (No. 13), High-A Hickory
García had one of his best performances of the season with his 3-for-5, three-RBI night, which included a two-out, two-run homer. The home run was just the third of the season for the 21-year-old and his first since June 5. He is batting .211 with a .534 OPS this season with Hickory. Rangers prospects stats »

Reds: Riley O’Brien, RHP (No. 13), Triple-A Louisville
Facing off against Cardinals No. 1 prospect Matthew Liberatore in Louisville’s battle against Memphis, O’Brien held his own with five scoreless innings, allowing just four hits and walking one while striking out six. The eighth-round 2017 Draft pick threw 59 of his 92 pitches for strikes and tossed his first start without an earned run since May 14. O’Brien worked out of a two-on, no-out jam in the second by fanning the next two batters he faced before intentionally walking the No. 8 hitter to get to Liberatore, whom he took care of with a strikeout. On the season, O’Brien has a 4.41 ERA with 66 strikeouts through 13 starts. Reds prospect stats »

White Sox: Luis Mieses, OF (No. 30), Low-A Kannapolis
Jose Rodriguez, INF (No. 14), Low-A Kannapolis
A change of scenery has seemingly helped Mieses over the past month, and he had another strong showing in Game 1 of Wednesday’s doubleheader. Mieses went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double and three RBIs. The 21-year-old posted a .313 average to go along with an .832 OPS in his first 42 games with the Cannon Ballers since being assigned to Low-A on June 1. Mieses batted just .155 in 71 at-bats with High-A Winston-Salem to start the Minor League season.

While Mieses did his damage in Game 1 of the doubleheader, it was Rodriguez whose bat was hot in Game 2. Rodriguez finished the 15-2 win over the Woodpeckers by going 4-for-5 with a homer and an RBI out of the leadoff spot. The four-hit day for Rodriguez tied a season high. In his past 17 games, the 20-year-old has batted .364 (28-for-77). White Sox prospect stats »

Yankees: Luis Gil, RHP (No. 5), Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
Gil was dominant in his start on Wednesday night against Rochester. The 23-year-old threw six hitless innings, struck out nine and walked just two in a combined no-hitter. His six innings and nine strikeouts tied season highs for both categories. After giving up a one-out walk in the first inning. He retired 14 batters in a row before allowing his second walk of the night to lead off the sixth inning and capped off his impressive start with a strikeout on his 84th pitch of the night. Yankees prospect stats »