Friday's top offseason prospect performers

Here's a look at Friday’s top performers in the Fall and Winter Leagues from each team's Top 30 Prospects list.

Astros: Pedro Leon, SS/OF, Glendale Desert Dogs
Leon has gotten off to a slow start in the Fall League, but he delivered a four-hit outing to help spur Glendale to an 8-6 win over Surprise. Three of his knocks were singles, while he also added an RBI double and run scored in the fourth. The 23-year-old appeared at three different levels of the Minors during the regular season, eventually logging 75 plate appearances at Triple-A. Having previously played 65 games in Cuba prior to coming stateside, the Astros’ No. 2 prospect once again manned centerfield, a position where he is yet to commit an error as a professional.

Phillies: Hans Crouse, RHP, Peoria Javelinas
Crouse reclaimed the AFL’s strikeout lead during the Javelinas’ rout of the Scorpions. The righty compiled five punchouts across five innings. The Phillies’ No. 4 prospect picked up his first win in the process, allowing one run (none earned) on three hits and two walks -- lowering his autumnal ERA to 5.06. The 23-year-old made two starts for Philadelphia down the stretch of the regular season, having been acquired alongside fellow pitchers Kyle Gibson and Ian Kennedy at the July 30 Trade Deadline. A second-round selection of the Rangers in the 2017 MLB Draft, Crouse has ascended as high as the No. 85 overall prospect per MLB Pipeline prior to the start of the ‘19 season.

Marlins: Kameron Misner, OF, Mesa Solar Sox
Slugging a go-ahead homer to break a deadlock in the bottom of the eighth inning is a near surefire way to land yourself among the AFL’s top performers on a given night, and that is exactly what Misner did in Mesa’s win over Salt River. The blast was his fourth of the fall, putting him second among Solar Sox players. While the Marlins’ No. 22 prospect has produced a .192 average, seven of his 10 hits have gone for extra bases, which has allowed him to deliver an .814 OPS through 10 games. The 23-year-old enjoyed a successful flourish to close the regular season, slashing .309/.387/.491 in a 14-game stint with Double-A Pensacola. More >>

Cardinals: Lars Nootbaar, OF, Glendale Desert Dogs
Another day, another multihit effort for Nootbaar, who served as the impetus atop Glendale’s lineup in its win against Surprise. Leading off the first with a single, the Desert Dogs’ hit machine was quickly brought home on a triple. In the fifth, the 24-year-old ripped his team-leading sixth double before coming around to score later in the frame. Through 15 games, the former eighth-round pick from the 2018 MLB Draft boasts the second-highest OPS in the AFL (1.142), with a league-best 12 extra-base hits to his credit.

Reds: Ivan Johnson, 2B/SS, Surprise Saguaros
After saying earlier in the Fall League that he wanted to “keep showing that that right side has got a little juice too,” Johnson once again blasted off as a right-handed batter in Surprise’s loss to Glendale. The Reds’ No. 16 prospect, who hit just two homers from the right side during the regular season, has now matched that number in 13 AFL games. The 23-year-old finished with three hits and a walk, coming just a triple shy of the cycle. On a Saguaros squad chock full of pop, Johnson leads the club in slugging percentage (.667) and is second in home runs (five) and OPS (1.048). More >>

White Sox: Yolbert Sanchez, 2B/SS, Glendale Desert Dogs
Sanchez tagged his first home run of the AFL campaign -- a two-run shot -- to help spur Glendale to an 8-6 win over Surprise. Batting out of the ninth spot in the order, Sanchez also added a walk and two runs scored, as he saw his average climb to .409 and his OPS to 1.109 across eight games in Arizona. Ranked as the White Sox No. 15 prospect, Sanchez has traditionally been known for his glove work, but the 24-year-old hit .343 during a 39-game stretch with Double-A Birmingham to close the regular season.