Top shortstops blast off as prospects erupt

Monday’s Spring Training action featured plenty of power, especially from Top 100 prospects.

MLB Pipeline’s No. 7 overall prospect, Bobby Witt Jr., and No. 96 overall, Brice Turang, crushed monster blasts for the Royals and Brewers, respectively.

Witt, who was a defensive replacement at short in the fourth, drilled a two-run homer to left that went 484 feet onto the concourse. The 20-year-old shortstop flew out to right in his other at-bat. Witt has now homered in back-to-back games after leaving the yard on Saturday.

With plus tools across the board, Witt is 6-for-17 (.353) with six RBIs, one walk and one strikeout in eight Cactus League games for Kansas City thus far.

Turang is less known for his power, but he put on a show anyway. The Brewers prospect swatted a deep, go-ahead solo-shot to right-center in the fourth. Turang also flew out to center and struck out. The home run marked the shortstop’s first knock of the campaign, following an 0-for-7 start.

More top prospect performers from Monday's action:

Matthew Allan, RHP, NYM (MLB No. 75 prospect)
Making his first career Spring Training appearance, Allan ran into some bad luck as he allowed three runs (one earned) on four hits in one inning. But the 19-year-old right-hander still gave Mets fans plenty to cheer about, notching a strikeout and touching 97 mph with his fastball. Gameday»

Jordyn Adams, OF, LAA
After Turang gave the Brewers the lead, Adams tied it right back up by demolishing a three-run homer over the batter’s eye. A former two-sport athlete, Adams is working on his hand placement at camp. The 6-foot-2 outfielder was 0-for-7 in six games before the long ball. More »

Braxton Garrett, LHP, Marlins
In his second Spring Training appearance, Garrett kept his ERA at 0.00. The 23-year-old southpaw recorded two punchouts over two frames. Garrett utilized his best pitch, his curveball, for one of the strikeouts, while using a fastball for the other. The Marlins hurler threw 17 of his 25 pitches for strikes while not issuing a walk. Gameday »

Chase Strumpf, 2B, CHC
Continuing with the theme of the day, Strumpf pulled a deep fly to left for a loud home run. The dinger was the first career Cactus League knock for the 2019 second-round pick, who went 0-for-2 in his previous three games. Gameday»

Jameson Hannah, OF, COL
Hannah’s first homer this spring tied the game as the left-handed hitter ripped a three-run shot to right-center in the seventh. The roundtripper came against his former team as Hannah was dealt from the Reds this past offseason as part of the Robert Stephenson trade. The 23-year-old outfielder is now 3-for-4 in the Cactus League. Gameday »

Mark Vientos, INF, NYM
Vientos showcased his 60-grade power while keeping the ball in the yard. The 6-foot-4 slugger knocked a pair of doubles and came around to score both times. Vientos, who is primarily a third baseman, played the opposite infield corner in his latest game action. Gameday »