Roundup: Naylor leads Missions to pair of wins
Josh Naylor powered Double-A San Antonio to a pair of wins on Saturday as he combined for four hits and seven RBIs in the Missions' doubleheader sweep of Arkansas.
The Padres' No. 16 prospect began his day with a pair of home runs, hitting two-run shots in the fifth and seventh innings to lead San Antonio past the Travelers, 6-2, in the opener. Making Naylor's performance all the more significant was that he started the game in left field -- the first non-first-base start in his career (216 games).
MILB Video - Title: Naylor's second homer - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1915232383
Naylor returned to his primary position in the nightcap and proceeded to collect two more hits, highlighted by a two-run double in the top of the seventh inning that proved to be the difference in a 5-3 Missions win. He later scored on a wild pitch, capping a 2-for-3, three-RBI game.
Naylor, 20, has enjoyed a promising start to his season, tallying six hits (in 10 at-bats) and seven RBIs in three games. His two home runs are as many as he accrued in the Texas League last season, when he batted .250/.320/.346 over 42 games with the Missions.
The rest of the best performances from top prospects Saturday
• No. 6 overall prospectVictor Robles (Nationals' No. 1) was perfect at the plate in his second game of the season, going 4-for-4 with a walk and scoring two runs in Triple-A Syracuse's 5-4 win over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He also stole a base, his second in as many games. No. 5 overall prospect Gleyber Torres (Yankees' No. 1) picked up his first hit of the season in the loss, hitting a game-tying two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning.
MILB Video - Title: Torres' two-run homer - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1914978783
• No. 25 overall prospect Brendan McKay (Rays' No. 3) the hitter went 2-for-4 with three RBIs in Class A Bowling Green's rout of Dayton. He also drew a pair of walks, giving him five free passes through two games. McKay the pitcher will make his mound debut Monday.
MILB Video - Title: McKay's two-run single - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1915442283
• No. 69 overall prospectCorbin Burnes (Brewers' No. 2) was sharp in his debut for Triple-A Colorado Springs, tossing six innings of one-run ball in a no-decision against Omaha in game one of a doubleheader. The one run came on a third-inning homer, as Burnes scattered five hits with six strikeouts and one walk. Splitting last season between Class A Advanced Carolina and Double-A Biloxi, the 23-year-old right-hander posted a 1.67 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP with 140 strikeouts in 145 2/3 innings (26 starts).
• No. 79 overall prospectStephen Gonsalves (Twins' No. 3) proved unhittable for 5 1/3 innings en route to a win for Double-A Chattanooga. The 23-year-old left-hander struck out as many as he walked (three), generated six ground-ball outs and threw 43 of his 71 pitches for strikes. Tyler Jay (No. 16) allowed a hit over 1 2/3 strong innings in relief as Lookouts hurlers combined for a one-hit shutout of Birmingham.
• No. 90 overall prospect Carter Kieboom (Nationals' No. 3) went boom for a second straight day, hitting a sixth-inning solo shot in Class A Advanced Potomac's loss to Wilmington. The 20-year-old shortstop finished the game 2-for-3 with two walks and has hit safely in all three games to open the season.
• No. 94 overall prospectTyler O'Neill (Cardinals' No. 4) connected on a two-run home run, his third in two games for Triple-A Memphis. He finished 2-for-6, giving the 22-year-old outfielder a .294 average and seven RBIs across his first three contests.
MILB Video - Title: O'Neill's third homer of the year - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1915246783
• A's No. 6 prospect Austin Beck recorded a career-high four RBIs behind a three-hit effort in Class A Beloit's 10-1 win over Wisconsin. The 19-year-old outfielder, the A's first-round pick (No. 6 overall) last June, finished the game 3-for-6 on the heels of an 0-for-5, two-strikeout performance on Opening Day. Snappers starting pitcher Wyatt Marks (No. 26), making his first full-season start, worked five innings to pick up the win. Throwing 46 of his 68 pitches for strikes, the 22-year-old righty allowed one run on four hits while striking out three.
• Braves No. 24 prospect Brett Cumberland went yard twice, hitting solo shots in the third and fifth innings in his second-career multi-homer game. With the performance, the 22-year-old catcher has now homered more times than he did over 56 games with the Fire Frogs during the second half of 2017.
• D-backs No. 14 prospectSocrates Brito set a career high with five hits, all singles, though his 5-for-5 effort wasn't enough to keep Triple-A Reno from falling to Fresno. Brito's five knocks also tied the Aces' club record, and the 25-year-old outfielder has now collected nine hits in 12 at-bats (.750 average) to open the season.
• Rays No. 11 prospect Josh Lowe entered the extra-base hit column with a home run and a double in Class A Charlotte's win against Fort Myers. He's hit safely in all three games this season after finishing Saturday's contest 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs.
• Reds No. 9 prospect Tyler Stephenson connected on a two-run home run in the top of the fifth inning, capping a four-run frame that helped propel Class A Advanced Florida past Daytona, 4-3, in a rain-shortened game. He also drew a walk, finishing 1-for-2. Tortugas leadoff man T.J. Friedl (No. 15) also homered and walked in the contest, while picking up his first steal of the season.
• White Sox No. 22 prospect Jordan Stephens pitched well in his season debut for Birmingham, allowing one earned run on two hits in six innings. The 25-year-old righty, the club's fifth-round pick in 2015, issued two walks while striking out seven. Making 16 Southern League starts last season, Stephens worked to a 3.14 ERA in 91 2/3 frames.
• Yankees' No. 11 prospectDillon Tate kicked off his season by allowing one earned run on two hits over six innings in Double-A Trenton's 6-2 win over Richmond. The 23-year-old righty struck out five, induced seven ground-ball outs and did not issue a walk, throwing 49 of his 75 pitches for strikes.