Friday's top prospect performers
Here's MLB Pipeline's roundup of the top prospect performances in the Minor Leagues on Friday.
The White Sox farm system ranks among the best in baseball, and a pair of the organization's premier prospects began the weekend on a high note to show exactly why that's the case.
:: Complete prospect coverage ::
Blake Rutherford, the No. 83 overall prospect and No. 7 on the White Sox Top 30 list, and Gavin Sheets (Chicago's No. 11 prospect) combined to go 6-for-12 with two doubles, two RBIs and three runs scored to help Class A Advanced Winston Salem outslug Frederick, 12-10.
It marks the third multihit game in the past five contests for Rutherford, who is slashing .293/.330/.462 in his first season for the Dash. Sheets, 22, has been on a tear himself, racking up at least two base hits on four consecutive days, while extending his hitting streak to 13 games. Overall, Sheets is slashing .276/.364/.404.
The rest of the best performances from top prospects Friday:
• No. 8 overall prospect Bo Bichette (Blue Jays' No. 2) crushed his eighth homer of the season en route to a 3-for-4 night at the plate for Double-A New Hampshire. The 20-year-old shortstop also doubled, scored three runs and drove in two for the Fisher Cats to raise his OPS to .811.
MILB Video - Title: Bichette goes yard - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=2212803983
• No. 9 overall prospect Kyle Tucker (Astros' No. 1) ripped a single on the second pitch he saw to extend his hitting streak to 18 games in a 1-for-4 performance for Triple-A Fresno. The 21-year-old outfielder continues to pummel Minor League pitching and is now hitting .317 through 74 games for the Grizzlies this season.
• No. 12 overall prospect Royce Lewis (Twins' No. 1) posted a monster day in Class A Cedar Rapids' doubleheader, going 2-for-2 with a double, two RBIs and a stolen base in Game 1 before smacking a trio of doubles in the nightcap. Minnesota's 2017 first-round pick is hitting .314 through 62 games for the Kernels.
• No. 16 overall prospect Francisco Mejía (Indians' No. 1) tallied a season-high four hits to help propel Triple-A Columbus to a 10-6 win over Indianapolis. Mejia, who doubled, scored two runs and drove in two more in the contest, has seven straight multihit games. The 22-year-old has raised his average from .251 to .287 over that span.
MILB Video - Title: Mejia's two-run double - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=2212464483
• No. 40 overall prospect Anthony Alford (Blue Jays' No. 3) tied a season high with three hits, including his third homer of the year, for Triple-A Buffalo. Alford, 23, added a double, two RBIs and scored a run for the Bisons.
• Royals No. 6 prospect Nicky Lopez, fresh off a promotion to Triple-A, went 4-for-5 with a homer, three runs scored and two RBIs in his first career game for Omaha. The homer was the third of the season for Lopez, who was batting a stellar .331/.397/.416 in 73 games with Double-A Northwest Arkansas before his promotion.
MILB Video - Title: Lopez hits first Triple-A homer - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=2212930983
• Padres No. 24 prospect Luis Patino struck out six batters over a career-best 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball for Class A Fort Wayne. The 18-year-old hurler surrendered three hits and a walk while lowering his season ERA to 2.95.
• Spencer Howard, the Phillies' No. 19 prospect, turned in one of the best performances of his young career, tying career highs with six scoreless innings and 10 strikeouts for Class A Lakewood. The 21-year-old right-hander allowed just three hits and a walk in the stellar outing.
• Rays No. 14 prospect Brandon Lowe stayed scorching hot, blasting his 16th homer of the season -- and eighth in the past 10 games -- for Triple-A Durham. The 23-year-old is batting .450 with 17 RBIs over that span, raising his slash line to .313/.389/.688 in 20 games with the Bulls.
MILB Video - Title: Lowe hits solo homer - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=2212157883
• Ronaldo Hernandez, the Rays' No. 19 prospect, tallied eight total bases as part of a big day for Class A Bowling Green. The 20-year-old catcher went 3-for-4 with two doubles, four runs scored, two RBIs and hit his 13th homer of the season for the Hot Rods, bringing his season slash line to .312/.355/.567.
• Royals No. 12 prospect Carlos Hernandez tied a career high with seven scoreless innings for Class A Lexington. Hernandez struck out three, walked three and allowed two hits, earning a no-decision as the Legends won, 1-0, in 11 innings.