Friday's top prospect performers
Here's MLB Pipeline's roundup of the top prospect performances in the Minor Leagues on Friday.
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Kyle Tucker, the No. 8 overall prospect, just keeps hitting homers. The Astros top prospect hit a pair of solo homers for Triple-A Fresno, but it wasn't enough as the Grizzlies ultimately fell, 7-5, to Salt Lake.
Tucker has been red-hot at the plate lately, having homered in three straight games. Whats more, he's hit five homers over the past three days and has gone deep eight times over the past seven games. In 92 games this season he has 22 homers, three shy of his career best, which he hit in 120 games a season ago.
The 21-year-old finished 3-for-5 for Fresno, bringing his average up to .325 for the year. The homers certainly stand out, but Tucker is getting plenty of hits these days -- even some that stay in the park. Over the past seven games, Tucker has put together six multihit performances and is a ridiculous 18-for-32 (.563).
Tucker is certainly seeing the ball well at the plate and with rosters expanding in a little more than a week, it seems likely Tucker will get recalled at some point in September. Although he hit just .154 through 20 games in his first Major League stint, perhaps the momentum he currently has will yield more promising results in his next trip to Houston.
Other top prospect performances from Friday's action:
• No. 1 overall prospect prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays' No. 1) continues his quest to hit .400 this season with a 3-for-4, two-RBI night for Triple-A Buffalo. Guerreo has multiple hits in each of his past two games and is hitting .394. Jonathan Davis (Blue Jays' No. 21) also had a big night, finishing 4-for-4 with three RBIs. The four hits tied Davis season high.
MILB Video - Title: Guerrero's RBI double - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=2424230583
• No. 67 overall prospect Alex Faedo (Tigers' No. 4) matched his career high in innings and set one in strikeouts as he struck out 10 over seven frames for Double-A Erie. The 2017 first-round pick gave up just three hits in what was one of his best outings lately. After being promoted from Class A Advanced Lakeland, Faedo gave up a total of two runs over his first two starts with Erie, but has struggled a bit lately and posted a 6.26 ERA through five starts in August.
MILB Video - Title: Faedo's 10th strikeout - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=2423967883
• No. 98 overall prospect Michael Chavis (Red Sox No. 1) made the most of his debut with Triple-A Pawtucket. The 23-year-old, who was promoted to Pawtucket after hitting .304 through 38 games with Class A Short Season Lowell and Double-A Portland, was called out on strikes in his first at-bat, but racked up a trio of extra-base hits from that point forward, finishing the game 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Chavis hit a two-run homer in the fourth and then doubled in his final two at-bats.
MILB Video - Title: Chavis' first Triple-A homer - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=2424278883
• No. 99 overall prospect Nolan Gorman (Cardinals' No. 3) put together the third two-homer game of his young career as part of a big night for Class A Peoria in Game 1 of a doubleheader. Gorman, whom the Cardinals took 19th overall in the 2018 Draft, finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs and leads all 2018 Draft picks with 17 homers through 54 games. Gorman hit a three-run homer in the fourth and then added a solo blast in the sixth. Johan Oviedo (Cardinals' No. 25) picked up the win for Peoria as he threw 7 1/3 scoreless innings.
MILB Video - Title: Gorman's second homer - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=2424042883
• Angels No. 14 prospect Jose Soriano put together his second hitless start of the year for Class A Burlington. The 19-year-old right-hander issued a trio of walks, but was unhittable as he racked up six strikeouts over five scoreless innings. The five innings matched a season high for Soriano who has a 4.46 ERA through 13 starts in his full-season debut.
• Athletics No. 28 prospect Parker Dunshee was nearly part of a combined no-hitter for Double-A Midland. Dunshee left the game after firing 7 1/3 no-hit frames, but the combined bid was broken up in the ninth. The right-hander struck out seven in the start, but was lifted after throwing 108 pitches (74 strikes). While not allowing a hit is impressive, the scoreless outing is starting to become the norm for Dunshee, who hasn't given up a run in four of his past six turns.
• Braves No. 25 prospect Tucker Davidson has gone 13 1/3 innings without allowing a run after turning in another scoreless start for Class A Advanced Florida. Davidson threw a season-high 103 pitches (67 strikes) as he struck out seven over six innings. The lefty walked one and gave up four hits, but was stuck with a no-decision.
• Brewers No. 18 prospect Aaron Ashby set a career high with 12 strikeouts in his second consecutive double-digit strikeout performance for Class A Wisconsin. Ashby, a fourth-round pick from the 2018 Draft, struck out 10 over six innings of one-run ball in his last start and nearly posted an identical line in this start. The right-hander gave up one run on five hits through six innings and issued just one walk as he threw 58 of his 86 pitches for strikes.
• Cubs No. 18 prospect Cory Abbott has been awfully tough to score against lately. After spinning five scoreless innings for Class A Advanced Myrtle Beach, Abbott has held his opponents scoreless in three of his last four turns. Over his last two starts, Abbott has given up just seven hits, while striking out 17 in 11 innings.
MILB Video - Title: Abbott fans 10th batter - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=2318914283
• D-backs' No. 14 prospect Emilio Vargas was lights-out for Double-A Jackson. Vargas, 22, put together what was arguably his best start of the season, striking out 10 over eight innings. The right-hander threw 70 of his 100 pitches for strikes, didn't issue a walk and gave up just a trio of hits.
• Mariners No. 2 prospect Evan White set a career high with five RBIs as part of a 2-for-3 performance with Class A Advanced Modesto. White, who is hitting .299 through 110 games with the Nuts this season, came through with an RBI double in the third, a sacrifice fly in the fifth and ultimately broke the game open with a three-run double in the sixth.
• Rays No. 8 prospect Shane McClanahan kept his ERA at 0.00 with another scoreless start for Rookie-level Princeton. McClanahan, a first-rounder from this year's Draft, struck out five and yielded two hits in three innings. The lefty has gotten off to a strong start in his career, limiting the opposition to three hits over three starts (six innings), while striking out 11.
• Twins No. 23 prospect Jhoan Duran set a career high with 10 strikeouts in a scoreless start for Class A Cedar Rapids. Duran, acquired from the D-backs in late July, yielded just one hit and threw 62 of his 97 pitches for strikes over 6 1/3 innings. The right-hander has pitched into the seventh in four of his five starts since the trade and has given up one earned run or less in three of those outings.
MILB Video - Title: Duran's 10th strikeout - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=2424131883
• Yankees No. 25 prospect Michael King lowered his ERA to 1.33 through four starts with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. King, who was bumped up to Triple-A on Aug. 4, surrendered just one hit over 6 1/3 scoreless innings. King struck out seven and threw 63 of his 99 pitches for strikes. The right-hander is already pitching across his third level this season, having opened the year with Class A Advanced Tampa and having spent some time with Double-A Trenton as well.