Thursday's top prospect performers

April 19th, 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: Yennsy Diaz, RHP (No. 26) -- 6 2/3 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K (Double-A New Hampshire)
Diaz held the Hartford Yard Goats scoreless for six frames, but ran into trouble in the seventh, loading the bases with a double, single and a hit batter. He may have gotten out of the jam unscathed if not for a fielding error committed right after he exited that allowed all three runners to score. The 22-year-old right-hander, who was signed for $1.6 million one day after Toronto landed Vladimir Guerrero Jr., struck out five and issued one free pass. Through three starts (17 2/3 innings), Diaz has posted a 3.06 ERA and 0.85 WHIP while holding opposing hitters to a .187 average.
Blue Jays prospects stats »

Orioles: Ryan Mountcastle, 3B (No. 2, MLB No. 67) -- 3-for-4, 3 R, 2B, HR, RBI (Triple-A Norfolk)
Mountcastle filled up the box score with a three-hit performance against Durham. He homered (his third of 2019), doubled, drove in a run and scored three as Norfolk won, 8-5.
Orioles prospects stats »

Rays: Garrett Whitley, LF (No. 27) -- 2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, 1 SB (Class A Advanced Charlotte)
Whitley turned in a multihit effort for the second straight game with a homer and a double against Fort Myers. He scored two runs and drove in two and also recorded his first steal of 2019. After a 3-for-25 start, the 2015 13th-overall Draft pick has four hits in his past eight at-bats.
Rays prospects stats »

Red Sox: Bryan Mata, RHP (No. 8) -- 5 2/3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 6 K (Class A Advanced Salem)
Mata continued his strong start to the season with 5 2/3 scoreless innings. He’s only allowed one earned run through three starts (16 2/3 innings) in 2019.
Red Sox prospects stats »

Yankees: Albert Abreu, RHP (No. 3) -- 4 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 2 K (Double-A Trenton)
Abreu only threw 43 of his 85 pitches for strikes as he struggled with command for the third time in as many start this season. However, Abreu was able to work himself out of jams and limit the damage to just one run. Abreu has issued 10 walks and struck out just eight over 12 innings this season, but is coming off a year in which he walked 32 in 72 2/3 innings.
Yankees prospects stats »

AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL

Indians: Will Benson, RF (No. 25) -- 4-for-5, 4 HR, 8 RBI (Class A Lake County)
Benson enjoyed a career day, homering in each of his first four at-bats for Lake County, including a grand slam in the fourth inning. Both the home runs and RBIs were career-high marks for the 20-year-old. It was the first four-homer game in the Minor Leagues since 2014.
Indians prospects stats »

Royals: Seuly Matias, OF (No. 6) -- 1-for-3, 3B, 3 RBI (Class A Advanced Wilmington)
Matias only picked up one hit, but he sure chose a good time to get it. With the Blue Rocks trailing by two in the fifth inning Matias came up with the bases loaded and delivered a go-ahead triple that ultimately proved to be the difference in the game.
Royals prospects stats »

Tigers: Anthony Castro, RHP (No. 24) -- 2 2/3 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 5 K (Double-A Erie)
After an early exit by Erie’s starter, Castro stepped up and struck out five batters in 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief. He walked two batters and allowed two hits but worked his way out of trouble.
Tigers prospects stats »

Twins: LaMonte Wade Jr., LF (No. 22) -- 2-for-4, HR, RBI (Triple-A Rochester)
Wade turned in his third multihit performance of the young season Thursday, launching a solo homer and knocking a single for Rochester. He also drew a walk.
Twins prospects stats »

White Sox: Luis Robert, CF (No. 4, MLB No. 37) -- 3-for-5, 2B, HR, RBI (Class A Advanced Winston-Salem)
Robert stayed hot, collecting three hits and extending his hitting streak to seven games. Two of his hits went for extra bases -- a double and his sixth home run. He’s had multiple hits in all but two of his 13 games and now owns a 1.471 OPS on the season. 
White Sox prospects stats »

AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST

A’s: Jorge Mateo, OF (No. 8) -- 2-for-6, 3B, RBI (Triple-A Las Vegas)
Mateo extended his hitting streak to seven games with his eighth multihit performance in 13 games this season. After hitting .230, a career low, through 131 games last season, Mateo is off to a red-hot start in 2019 and hitting .375.
A's prospects stats »

Angels: Griffin Canning, RHP (No. 2, MLB No. 60) -- 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K (Triple-A Salt Lake)
Canning has been lights out all year and that trend continued against Fresno. The right-hander threw 81 pitches (53 strikes) and lowered his ERA to 0.53 through three starts. Canning has notched 17 strikeouts through 16 innings this season and had also issued just two walks.
Angels prospects stats »

Astros: Enoli Paredes, RHP (No. 28) -- 4 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 9 K (Class A Advanced Fayetteville)
Paredes needed just four innings to set a career high with nine strikeouts. The 23-year-old, who was making his first start of the season, threw 43 of his 70 pitches for strikes and gave up just one run via a homer. Paredes has pitched 10 innings this season and yielded two runs. He's struck out 15, but also issued nine walks.
Astros prospects stats »

Mariners: Jarred Kelenic, OF (No. 2, MLB No. 53) -- 3-for-6, 2B, RBI (Class A West Virginia)
After getting off to a rough start with his new organization Kelenic has picked up the pace recently. The 2018 first-rounder is in the middle of a seven-game hitting streak that includes four multihit efforts. Kelenic is hitting .304 through 14 games which is even more impressive considering that he started the season in a 2-for-25 skid.
Mariners prospects stats »

Rangers: Sherten Apostel, 3B (No. 22) -- 3-for-4 (Class A Hickory)
Apostel had 13 multihit games in 2018 and now he has one in 2019. The 20-year-old, who came through with a trio of singles on Thursday, is making his full-season debut after hitting .278 over 53 games a season ago.
Rangers prospects stats »

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST

Braves: Drew Waters, OF (No. 8, No. 81 in MLB) -- 3-for-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI (Double-A Mississippi)
Waters has multiple hits in three of his past four games after his latest three-hit performance. Waters, who hit .293 in 114 games last year, is getting his first taste of Double-A and so far, the results are promising. The 24-year-old is hitting .340 with six extra-base hits through 12 games.
Braves prospects stats »

Marlins: Will Stewart, LHP (No. 21) -- 5 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 7 K (Class A Advanced Jupiter)
Stewart seems to be adjusting well to life at the Class A Advanced level. The lefty has surrendered just three runs across 18 1/3 innings and racked up 18 strikeouts. However, he has been a bit wild at times as he's already walked six and hit a trio of batters.
Marlins prospects stats »

Mets: Andres Gimenez, SS (No. 2, MLB No. 55) -- 3-for-4, 2 2B, HR, RBI (Double-A Binghamton)
Not only did Gimenez turn in his first three-hit game of the year, but he did so with a trio of extra-base hits. The 20-year-old couldn't have gotten off to a much better start either as he doubled in the first and homered in the second. Gimenez got off to a slow start this year, but has hits in three straight games and may be starting to heat up. Stewart threw 61 of his 85 pitches for strikes Thursday and has fanned seven in back-to-back starts.
Mets prospects stats »

Phillies: Simon Muzziotti, OF (No. 12) -- 3-for-5, 2 2B, RBI (Class A Advanced Clearwater)
The 20-year-old's first three-hit game of the year came in a 10-3 win over Tampa. Muzziotti contributed with an RBI single in the third and then added doubles in the seventh and eighth innings.
Phillies prospects stats »

Nationals: Luis Garcia, INF (No. 2, MLB No. 71) -- 2-for-4, RBI (Double-A Harrisburg)
Garcia has four multihit games and is hitting .264 through his first 13 games at the Double-A level. The 18-year-old hit .298 through 128 games across two levels last season. Oh, and he made a pretty nice play defensively as well.
Nationals prospects stats »

NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL

Brewers: Payton Henry, C (No. 10) -- 2-for-5, 2B, HR 3 RBI (Class A Advanced Carolina)
Henry hit his first homer of the season and now has hits in 11 of his past 12 games. The 21-year-old also has six RBIs over his past three games and 11 on the season.
Brewers prospects stats »

Cubs: Nico Hoerner, SS (No. 2, MLB No. 95) -- 3-for-4, RBI (Double-A Tennessee)
Hoerner continues to impress as he rapidly ascends through the Cubs' system. The 2018 first-rounder already has four multihit games in Double-A, including a pair of three-hit performances. Hoerner got off to a fast start in his pro career last year, hitting .327 through 14 games because his season was cut short with injury. Hoerner then stood out in the Fall League and appears to be carrying that confidence over into his first full season.
Cubs prospects stats »

Cardinals: Luken Baker, 1B (No. 22) -- 3-for-4, 2B, RBI (Class A Advanced Palm Beach)
Baker put together his third multihit game and his first three-hit game of the year to help lift Palm Beach to a win over St. Lucie. Baker is still seeking his first homer of the season, but has already accumulated five doubles, including two in the past three games.
Cardinals prospects stats »

Pirates: Cody Bolton, RHP (No. 27) -- 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K (Class A Advanced Bradenton)
Bolton has surrendered just two earned runs across 16 innings (three starts) this season, his first at the Class A Advanced level. The four hits were the most Bolton has given up this year and the three strikeouts were the fewest, but he held Jupiter to a .153 average against him.
Pirates prospects stats »

Reds: Mariel Bautista, OF (No. 19) -- 3-for-5, HR, 2 RBI (Class A Dayton)
Bautista wasted no time getting things going as he hit a solo homer, his third of the year, in the first inning. Bautista, who signed out of the Dominican Republic back in 2014, is making his full-season debut this year and has three hits in two of his past three games.
Reds prospects stats »

NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST

D-backs: Drew Ellis, 3B (No. 15) -- 2-for-4, 2 2B, 3 R (Double-A Jackson)
Ellis was just 5-for-30 (.167) with one extra-base hit entering play on Thursday, but came through with a pair of doubles, which may be exactly what he needed to get on track in his Double-A debut. Ellis hit .246 in 120 games with Class A Advanced Visalia last year.
D-backs prospects stats »

Dodgers: Keibert Ruiz, C (No. 1, MLB No. 32) -- 2-for-3, R (Double-A Tulsa)
Ruiz got off to a slow start this season, but appears to be turning it around. The 20-year-old is still seeking his first homer after hitting 12, a career best, last season, but has strung together a trio of two-hit games. After hitting .148 through the first seven games of the year, Ruiz is 6-for-13 (.462) over his last three games.
Dodgers prospects stats »

Giants: Jake Wong, RHP (No. 7) -- 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 4 K (Class A Augusta)
Wong, a third-round pick from the 2018 Draft, spun the longest start of his professional career in a win over Charleston. Wong needed just 64 pitches (39 strikes) to work his way through five innings. The two hits allowed were a season low for the 22-year-old.
Giants prospects stats »

Padres: Josh Naylor, OF/1B (No. 11) -- 1-for-4, 2B, 2 R (Triple-A El Paso)
After going hitless on Wednesday Naylor got back in the hit column with a double on Thursday. The 21-year-old is hitting .242 through 14 games this season after hitting a career-best .297 with 17 homers a season ago.
Padres prospects stats »

Rockies: Rico Garcia, RHP (No. 22) -- 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 8 K (Double-A Hartford)
Garcia gave up a first-inning run via back-to-back doubles, then cruised through the rest of his outing. The right-hander threw 48 of his 79 pitches for strikes and racked up eight strikeouts in the process. Garcia gave up three runs over four innings in his last start, but in his other two outings he's surrendered just two runs over nine frames.
Rockies prospects stats »