These prospects rocked on 1st full day of games

February 24th, 2019

Many of baseball's top prospects stole the spotlight on the first full day of Spring Training games in Arizona and Florida on Saturday. Ten players who rank among the top 30 prospects in their organization homered, including four Top 100 players, led by last year's Minor League home run co-champ Pete Alonso.

Alonso, the Mets' No. 1 prospect per MLB Pipeline and No. 51 overall, is competing for New York's starting first-base job against Dominic Smith and veteran Todd Frazier. And Alonso couldn't have gotten off to a better start, smashing the first pitch he saw this spring for a two-run homer to center field in New York's 4-3 victory over the Braves. Here's a look at how other prominent prospects impressed in Cactus League and Grapefruit League action.

Yusniel Diaz (Orioles No. 1, No. 64 overall)

Diaz was the main piece in the return package Baltimore received from the Dodgers in the Manny Machado trade last summer. And Diaz gave observers a glimpse of why, when he crushed a two-run homer over the left-center field wall in the Orioles' 7-2 win over the Twins. Though he's likely earmarked for Triple-A in 2019, the outfielder is giving the organization a chance to determine just how great of a prospect he is. MORE »

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Michael Chavis (Red Sox No. 1, No. 79 overall)

Chavis, who was unable to play in Spring Training games last year due to injury, launched an opposite-field, three-run homer during Boston's 8-5 win over the Yankees. Looking to make his big league debut at some point this year, Chavis is demonstrating his versatility by playing first, second and third base this spring. MORE »

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Adonis Medina (Phillies No. 2, No. 77 overall) and Enyel De Los Santos (Phillies No. 6)

Though Philadelphia recently traded top prospect Sixto Sanchez to the Marlins as part of the deal for All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto, a pair of right-handers showed why they're highly-touted members of the Phillies' farm system. De Los Santos started Philadelphia's 3-2 loss to the Pirates with two perfect innings and four strikeouts. Medina came on in the sixth and tossed a perfect frame of his own, fanning one.

Colton Welker (No. 95 overall) and Sam Hilliard

Hilliard and Welker each belted two-run homers in back-to-back innings during Colorado's 7-3 victory over the D-backs. Hilliard's shot -- a 416-foot blast to center field that had an exit velocity of 107.3 mph, according to Statcast -- came in the eighth, and Welker launched another in the ninth, bringing in Rockies No. 10 prospect Brendan Rodgers.

Andrew Knizner (Cardinals No. 3), Lane Thomas (No. 9), Ramon Urias (No. 27) and Max Schrock (No. 28)

The Cardinals got strong performances from a quartet of players on the organization's Top 30 list. Schrock had the biggest game of the bunch, finishing 3-for-4 with a double, homer and four RBIs in St. Louis' 11-1 win over the Marlins. Urias also showed some power by going 2-for-4 with a three-run homer in the fifth inning. Knizner opened his spring by going 2-for-3 with a double and a walk. Thomas also made a good first impression by going 3-for-3 with a trio of singles.

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Corey Ray (Brewers No. 2)

Ray started his spring with a bang, launching a two-run homer in the second inning of Milwaukee's 8-4 loss to the Cubs, later adding an RBI double in a 2-for-3 performance.

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Sandy Alcantara (Marlins No. 5)

Alcantara touched 98 mph with his fastball in two scoreless innings against his former team, the Cardinals, walking one and striking out three. The velocity readings on the right-hander's heater were an encouraging sign for Miami after his fastball was down around 95 mph in 2018. MORE »

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Jason Martin (Pirates No. 11)

Martin belted a go-ahead, two-run homer in the ninth inning of Pittsburgh's 3-2 win over the Phillies. It was the outfielder's only at-bat in the game, but he made the most of it.

Shed Long (Mariners No. 12)

Long, who was part of the three-team trade that sent Sonny Gray from the Yankees to the Reds, got his spring off to a great start in Seattle's 6-4 loss to the Padres, going 1-for-3 with a solo homer to center field in the first inning.