MLB Pipeline's Prospect Team of the Week

MLB Pipeline's Prospect Team of the Week honors the best performances in the Minor Leagues from the previous week. Any player on an organization Top 30 Prospects list on our Prospect Watch is eligible.
The third edition of MLB Pipeline's Prospect Team of the Week is highlighted by a trio of prospect pairings from three organizations.
2018 Prospect Teams of the Week
Blue Jays prospects Vladimir Guerrero Jr., MLB Pipeline's No. 3 overall prospect, and shortstop Kevin Smith comprise the left side of the infield after their big weeks, while Mets prospects Peter Alonso and Gavin Cecchini garnered PTOW honors at first and second base.
It also was a big week for Cardinals pitching prospects Ryan Helsley and Austin Gomber. They finished first and second among Top 30 pitchers in strikeouts, and they combined to fan 33 batters in 21 innings while issuing just two walks.
Here's the complete PTOW squad for games from April 23-29:
C: Zack Collins, Birmingham Barons (Double-A)
(White Sox No. 9 prospect)
6 G, .429/.571/.762, 5 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 6 BB, 5 K, 1 SB
Collins had three multihit performances and hit safely in all six games last week to improve his season average from .054 to .190. The 2016 first-rounder tied for the most RBIs and walks among Top 30 catchers and scored exactly one run in five contests.

MILB Video - Title: Watch: Collins rips 2-run homer - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1977180783

1B: Peter Alonso, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (Double-A)
(Mets' No. 4 prospect)
6 G, .545/.667/1.136, 8 R, 1 2B, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 8 BB, 2 IBB, 3 K
Alonso put a bow on his impressive week by homering in four straight games to lead all Top 30 prospects in that department as well as in OPS (1.803). He also finished second in hits (12), total bases (25) and runs scored. Through 20 games, the 23-year-old is leading the Eastern League in all three triple-slash categories, at .403/.500/.778. Alonso is also pacing the circuit in hits (29), home runs (seven) and total bases (56), and he ranks second in RBIs (18) and walks (14). His 1.278 OPS on the season is second best among all Minor Leaguers.

MILB Video - Title: Watch: Alonso goes yard - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1990878783

2B: Gavin Cecchini, Las Vegas 51s (Triple-A)
(Mets' No. 18 prospect)
5 G, .478/.500/.826, 5 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K
Cecchini, 24, hit safely in all five games last week and had four multihit performances, including a season-high four hits and his first 2018 home run on Friday. He led all qualified second basemen with 11 hits as he improved his overall slash line to .347/.402/.547 through 21 games in the Pacific Coast League.

MILB Video - Title: Watch: Cecchini laces double - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1980369783

3B: Vladimir Guerrero Jr, New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Double-A)
(Blue Jays' No. 1 prospect/MLB's No. 3 prospect)
6 G, .550/.600/.700, 3 R, 3 2B, 10 RBI, 3 BB, 1 HBP, 3 K
The 19-year-old Guerrero has been a force in his first Double-A campaign, ranking among the Eastern League leaders with his eight doubles (first), 25 RBIs (first), 28 hits (second), .373 average (third) and .433 OBP (third). The teenage phenom had three multihit games and hit safely in all five games last week, ultimately pacing all Top 30 third basemen in average, slugging and RBIs.

MILB Video - Title: Watch: Vlad Jr. doubles in run - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1987625783

SS: Kevin Smith, Lansing Lugnuts (Class A)
(Blue Jays' No. 19 prospect)
8 G, .433/.471/.933, 4 R, 7 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 13 RBI, 3 BB, 2 K, 1 SB
Smith had a huge week in the Midwest League, as he led all Top 30 prospects in hits (13), total bases (28), doubles and RBIs over eight games. He hit safely in all eight contests for Lansing and is batting .364 during an 11-game hitting streak. Smith is slashing .330/.381/.568 with 14 extra-base hits in 25 RBIs in 22 games this season, during which he's demonstrated an improved approach along with a vastly improved strikeout rate compared to his pro debut.

MILB Video - Title: Watch: Smith launches homer - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1984186983

OF: Dustin Peterson, Gwinnett Stripers (Triple-A)
(Braves' No. 16 prospect)
6 G, .391/.462/.826, 3 R, 4 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K
After a relatively slow start to his season, Peterson busted out last week to tally a home run and a double in back-to-back games for Gwinnett, both three-hit efforts. He ranked second among Top 30 outfielders in both RBIs and total bases (19) and has now hit more home runs (two) in 19 games this season than he did in 87 games last year during his first Triple-A exposure.

MILB Video - Title: Watch: Peterson belts homer - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1977525583

OF: Dustin Fowler, Nashville Sounds (Triple-A)
(A's No. 5 prospect)
6 G, .357/.357/.714, 7 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 K, 1 SB
Fowler's week was highlighted by a trio of three-hit performances, the last of which on Sunday saw the 23-year-old outfielder finish a single short of the cycle while tallying three runs and two RBIs. His 20 total bases ranked first among outfielders last week, and he also finished tied for second place in hits (10) and runs scored.

MILB Video - Title: Watch: Fowler belts 2nd homer - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1991240683

OF: Christin Stewart, Toledo Mud Hens (Triple-A)
(Tigers' No. 10 prospect)
6 G, .435/.458/.783, 5 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 1 HBP, 2 K
Though Stewart failed to collect a hit in Toledo's week-opening doubleheader, going 0-for-6 in the two games, the 24-year-old outfield rebounded to go 4-for-5 with a double and a home run the following day before adding two more multihit performances to round out his week. Stewart's average has improved from .200 to .292 during his current four-game hitting streak, and he's struck out just twice in his past eight games.

MILB Video - Title: Watch: Stewart swats triple - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1982349483

LHP: Austin Gomber, Memphis Redbirds (Triple-A)
(Cardinals' No. 14 prospect)
1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 GS, 8 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 16 K, 0.75 WHIP
Gomber turned in arguably the top pitching performance of the Minor League season last Monday as he tied a franchise single-game record and set a career mark with 16 strikeouts over eight innings. The 24-year-old southpaw did not walk a batter and threw 85 of his 112 pitches for strikes in the outing. Gomber earned his first big league callup on Sunday after starting his season 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 25 2/3 innings (four starts) in the PCL.

MILB Video - Title: Watch: Gomber notches 16th strike out - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1969500883

RHP: Ryan Helsley, Springfield Cardinals/Memphis Redbirds (Double-A/Triple-A)
(Cardinals' No. 8 prospect)
2-0, 1.38 ERA, 2 GS, 13 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 17 K, 0.77 WHIP
Helsley was a winner at two levels last week, as he fired seven strong innings with nine strikeouts for Springfield on Tuesday to earn a promotion to Triple-A, where he added six more frames of one-run ball with eight strikeouts on Sunday. Altogether, the 23-year-old led all Top 30 hurlers in strikeouts while limiting the 47 batters he faced to a paltry .178/.213/.244 slash line.

MILB Video - Title: Watch: Helsley retires 9 batters - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1991431483

RP: Brett Adcock, Buies Creek Astros (Class A Advanced)
(Astros' No. 28 prospect)
0-0, 1 SV, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 9 K, 0.25 WHIP
The 23-year-old lefty dominated last week as a piggyback reliever, recording nine of his 12 outs via the strikeout while tossing four hitless innings. The performance netted Adcock his second career save and his first of 2018, while lowering his ERA to 1.65. The 2016 fourth-rounder owns a 1.65 ERA on the season, with 21 strikeouts and just six hits allowed (.111 BAA) in 16 1/3 innings (two starts/four appearances).