Friday's top prospect performers
Here's a look at Friday's top Minor League performers from each team's Top 30 Prospects list:
AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
Blue Jays: Ryan Noda, OF (No. 24) -- 1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB (Class A Advanced Dunedin)
A day after a three-hit, three-RBI performance, Noda put his team on the board with a bases-loaded walk in the first inning and extended the early lead in the second with an RBI double. He ultimately reached base three times in the contest as he improved his overall line to .300/.388/.471 with 15 RBIs through 18 games.
Blue Jays prospects stats »
Orioles: DL Hall, LHP (No. 3, MLB No. 85) – 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K (Class A Advanced Frederick)
The 20-year-old left-hander was lights-out in his fourth start of the season as he struck out the side in the fifth inning to finish with a season-high eight. He faced one over the minimum in the outing, throwing 49 of 76 pitches for strikes to pick up his first 2019 win. Hall was a slow starter in his first full season, when he posted a 0.84 ERA with 64 strikeouts over his final 53 2/3 innings with Class A Delmarva.
Orioles prospects stats »
Rays: Jesus Sanchez, OF (No. 4, MLB No. 36) -- 1-for-3, HR, RBI (Double-A Montgomery)
Sanchez hit his second homer of the season and his first since April 7 as the Biscuits topped Birmingham, 3-2. Sanchez is hitting .299 through 18 games this season. The 21-year-old hit .282 over 117 games last season, including a .214 average through 27 games at the Double-A level.
Rays prospects stats »
Red Sox: Josh Ockimey, 1B (No. 26) -- 3-for-5, 2 HR (5), 2B, 5 RBI, 3 R (Triple-A Pawtucket); Jarren Duran, OF (No. 10) -- 4-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI, 3 R, 2 SB (7) (Class A Advanced Salem)
After hitting an RBI double as part of an eight-run Pawtucket first inning, Ockimey went deep twice in the second, hitting a leadoff blast and later a three-run shot to cap the Pawsox second straight eight-spot. It was the 23-year-old’s second career two-homer game. Duran, Boston’s seventh-round pick in last year’s Draft, improved his average to .397 with his second four-hit game of the season. He’s collected multiple hits in six of his past 10 contests.
Red Sox prospects stats »
Yankees: Luis Gil, RHP (No. 13) -- 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 8 K (Class A Charleston)
The hard-throwing 20-year-old furthered his early-season dominance as he fired five hitless frames to help lead Charleston past Columbia, 8-3. He’s pitched to 1.04 ERA over his first four starts, allowing just seven hits (.123 BAA) while fanning 26 in 17 1/3 frames. Control issues, along with pitch-count limits, have kept him completing more than five innings.
Yankees prospects stats »
AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL
Indians: Tyler Freeman, SS (No. 3) -- 2-for-5, RBI, R, SB (Class A Lake County)
That’s three straight multihit games for the 19-year-old Freeman, who’s hit .324/.459/.500 with nine extra-base hits, eight steals and more walks (11) than strikeouts (5) over 18 games in his first taste of full-season ball. He’s coming off of a 2018 campaign in which he led the Class A Short Season New York-Penn League in average (.352), hits (95) and total bases (138).
Indians prospects stats »
Royals: MJ Melendez, C (No. 3) -- 1-for-3, 2B, 3 RBI (Class A Advanced Wilmington)
Melendez’s lone hit in the contest was a big one -- a go-ahead, bases-clearing double in the eighth inning that led Wilmington past Lynchburg, 6-5. It was a much-needed clutch hit for the 20-year-old backstop, who entered the day with a .104 average and four RBIs through his first 16 games. He has been excellent behind the plate, though, throwing out 6-of-11 attempted basestealers.
Royals prospects stats »
Tigers: Willi Castro, SS (No. 7) -- 2-for-5, 2B, 2 R (Triple-A Toledo)
The 22-year-old switch-hitter recorded multiple hits for the third time in four games as he pushed his season average up to .352 for the Mud Hens. He’s tallied nine hits during that four-game span, giving him 25 knocks (4 XBH) in 18 games on the year.
Tigers prospects stats »
Twins: Jordan Balazovic, RHP (No. 19) -- 6 IP, 3 H, 2 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 7 K (Class A Cedar Rapids)
Balazovic, 20, gave up a two-out solo shot in the first inning, but settled in to complete a season-high six innings on 82 pitches (55 strikes). He’s racked up at least seven strikeouts in all four starts this season while allowing four of fewer hits. Altogether, the 6-foot-4 righty has compiled a 2.18 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 33/4 K/BB in 20 2/3 innings for the Kernels.
Twins prospects stats »
White Sox: Zack Collins, C (No. 12) -- 2-for-4, HR solo HR (6), 3 R, BB (Triple-A Charlotte)
Collins went deep and scored three runs on a two-hit night as he emerged from a 3-for-16 mini-slump. The 2016 first-rounder is off to solid start with the Knights, hitting .250/.375/.661 with 20 RBIs through 16 games.
White Sox prospects stats »
AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST
A’s: Kevin Merrell, SS (No. 17) -- 2-for-4, HR (1), 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R (Double-A Midland)
Merrell's two-run homer in the second inning was his first of the season, and he later added a double to finish with two hits for a second straight day. The 23-year-old shortstop has tallied six hits in his last four games, improving his average from .164 to .217 in the process.
A's prospects stats »
Angels: Jesus Castillo, RHP (No. 23) -- 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 6 K (Double-A Mobile)
Castillo entered the game with two outs in the fifth inning and proceeded to toss four innings of one-run, two-hit ball in Mobile's win over Mississippi. Though it's a small sample size, the 23-year-old righty has fared better this season as a reliever (3.86 ERA, .192 BAA in 7 IP) than he has as a starter (9.24 ERA, .364 BAA in 12 2/3 IP).
Angels prospects stats »
Astros: Abraham Toro, 3B (No. 23) -- 1-for-4, HR, RBI (Double-A Corpus Christi)
Toro hit his fourth homer of the year and extended his RBI streak to eight games. The 22-year-old has driven in 12 runs during that span and has a total of 19 RBIs to go along with his .272 average this season. Toro, who also impressed in the Arizona Fall League, is off to a solid start in 2019 after hitting .230 in 50 games after being promoted to Double-A last season.
Astros prospects stats »
Mariners: Jarred Kelenic, OF (No. 2, MLB No. 53) -- 1-for-4, solo HR (2) (Class A West Virginia)
Kelenic's hot streak continued as he extended his hitting streak to 12 games with his second homer of the season. The 2018 first-rounder, acquired from the Mets in the Edwin Diaz trade, had just two hits over his first seven games, but has been on fire ever since and is hitting .320 through 19 games in his full-season debut.
Mariners prospects stats »
Rangers: Jonathan Ornelas, 2B/3B (No. 18) -- 4-for-5, 2B, R, SB_; Sam Huff, C/1B (No. 21) -- _1-for-3, HR (10), 2 RBI, 2 R, BB (Class A Hickory)
Another game, another Huff homer. The former seventh-round Draft pick (2016) has gone deep 10 times in 20 games, including a homer in four consecutive games. Huff, hitting .333 this season, hit a career best 18 homers over 118 games with Hickory in 2018. Ornelas has also been raking this season and is hitting .353 through 16 games. The four hits established a career high for the 18-year-old, who also picked up his first stolen base of the season.
Rangers prospects stats »
NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST
Braves: Austin Riley, 3B (No. 5, MLB No. 35) -- 2-for-4, HR (4), 2 RBI (Triple-A Gwinnett)
Riley is starting to heat up after connecting on his second home run in as many days for the Stripers. The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder has gone deep four times in 21 games this season after hitting 19, 20 and 20 home runs in each of the past three years, respectively. He’s hitting .244/.311/.439 overall.
Braves prospects stats »
Marlins: Monte Harrison, OF (No. 3) -- 1-for-3, solo HR (4), BB (Triple-A New Orleans)
Harrison deposited the first pitch of the game over the wall in center field for his second home run in the last three games. After a challenging, strikeout-filled Double-A campaign in 2018, the 23-year-old outfielder has opened his season on a high note, hitting .316 with four homers, eight extra-base hits and three steals in 15 games.
Marlins prospects stats »
Mets: Ronny Mauricio, SS (No. 3, MLB No. 100) -- 1-for-4, 2B, R (Class A Columbia)
Mauricio may be just 18 years old, but he's currently hitting .321 and tied for third in hits (25) in the Class A South Atlantic League. He hasn't shown much power so far, hitting three doubles and one triple in his first 19 games, but plenty should come as he adds strength to his ultra-projectable 6-foot-3, 166-pound frame.
Mets prospects stats »
Phillies: Alec Bohm, 3B (No. 1, MLB No. 56) -- 2-for-4, 2B (Class A Lakewood)
Bohm, the No. 3 overall pick from the 2018 Draft, posted his sixth multihit performance in 10 games -- a stretch during which he's hitting .447 with seven extra-base hits and more walks (5) than strikeouts (4). The 22-year-old third baseman is tied for the South Atlantic League in hits (28) and ranks third and fourth in average (.373) and OPS (1.023), respectively.
Phillies prospects stats »
Nationals: Gage Canning, OF (No. 9) -- 4-for-5, 3B, 2 2B, 4 RBI, 4 R (Class A Advanced Potomac)
Canning stuffed the box score on Friday, establishing career highs in hits, runs scored and RBIs in the P-Nats 12-10 win over Carolina. With the performance, the 2018 fifth-rounder improved his season slash line from .147/.171/.294 to .231/.250/.462.
Nationals prospects stats »
NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL
Brewers: Keston Hiura, 2B (No. 1, MLB No. 19) -- 3-for-3, 2 HR (7), 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R, BB (Triple-A San Antonio)
MLB Pipeline's top-ranked second baseman put on a show, hitting a solo homer and a two-run shot in consecutive at-bats to power the Missions past Oklahoma City, 4-3. It was the second career two-homer game for Hiura, who's now hitting .316/.346/.724 with seven homers, eight doubles and 16 RBIs after his perfect night at the plate.
Brewers prospects stats »
Cubs: Miguel Amaya, C (No. 1, MLB No. 89) -- 1-for-4, HR (4), 2 RBI (Class A Advanced Myrtle Beach)
Amaya, 20, hit a two-run shot in the third inning for his third homer in his last eight games. He’s now gone deep four times in 17 games so far this season after hitting 12 home runs over 116 games last year in the Class A Midwest League.
Cubs prospects stats »
Cardinals: Nolan Gorman, 3B (No. 1, MLB No. 58) -- Game 1: 1-for-3, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R, BB; Game 2: 2-for-4, HR (6), 2 RBI (Class A Peoria)
The 18-year-old third baseman went deep in both ends of Peoria's doubleheader sweep of Beloit, giving him six home runs on top of a .325/.389/.650 slash line in 21 games on the season. Gorman -- the No. 19 overall pick in last year's Draft -- hit 17 homers in 63 games last summer, a total that led all 2018 Draftees.
Cardinals prospects stats »
Pirates: Will Craig, 1B (No. 15) -- 3-for-5, HR (7), 2 RBI (Triple-A Indianapolis)
Craig busted out of a 3-for-32 skid with a three-hit performance that included his seventh home run. The 24-year-old has reached that total in just 19 games this season, putting him on track to surpass his career-high mark of 20, which he posted in 132 games last season in Double-A.
Pirates prospects stats »
Reds: Ryan Hendrix, RHP (No. 27) -- 1 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 5 K (Double-A Chattanooga)
Hendrix, 24, recorded all five of his outs via the strikeout in his relief outing for the Lookouts. He is yet to allow an earned run in eight appearances this season, racking up 15 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings while limiting opponents to just six hits.
Reds prospects stats »
NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST
D-backs: Jackson Goddard, RHP (No. 29) -- 4 2/3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K (Class A Kane County)
The 2018 third-rounder has not allowed an earned run in four of five starts this season en route to a stellar 0.41 ERA in 22 innings. He’s struggled with his control (10 BB, 2 HBP) but also has been tough to hit, limiting opponents to a .179 average while averaging a strikeout-per-inning.
D-backs prospects stats »
Dodgers: Keibert Ruiz, C (No. 1, MLB No. 32) -- 2-for-3, 2 RBI, R (Double-A Tulsa)
With a sacrifice fly already under his belt in the contest, Ruiz came through with a game-tying single in the sixth inning to set the stage for Cody Thomas's go-ahead three-run homer. The switch-hitting backstop has hits in eight of his last 10 contests, including five multihit efforts.
Dodgers prospects stats »
Giants: Heath Quinn, OF (No. 13) -- 2-for-4, 2B (Double-A Richmond)
Quinn collected half of Richmond's four hits including a double in a loss against Altoona. The 23-year-old outfielder is hitting .140/.214/.200 in his first taste of the Double-A level after back-to-back injury-plagued campaigns in the California League.
Giants prospects stats »
Padres: Reggie Lawson, RHP (No. 29) -- 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 9 K (Double-A Amarillo)
Lawson was tagged for solo homers in the first and second innings but otherwise pitched well, establishing a season high in strikeouts in arguably his best start of the season. The 21-year-old righty has given up three earned runs in 10 innings, with 16 strikeouts and two walks, between his past two turns after allowing nine earned runs over 6 1/3 frames in his first two starts.
Padres prospects stats »
Rockies: Ryan Feltner, RHP (No. 23) -- 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 8 K (Class A Asheville)
Feltner, a 2018 fourth-round pick out of Ohio State, set career highs in both strikeouts and innings pitched in a no-decision for the Tourists. He's allowed two earned runs in three straight starts since giving up four earned runs on six hits in just 2 2/3 innings in his season debut.
Rockies prospects stats »