Nevin continues torrid start to AFL season
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Tyler Nevin hasn't missed a beat in the Arizona Fall League after a breakout regular season.
Nevin, the Rockies' No. 11 prospect, powered Salt River's offense with four RBIs and three hits, including a pair of opposite-field triples, on Tuesday as the Rafters defeated Surprise, 7-5, at Salt River Fields. He finished 3-for-4 and also drew a walk.
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The three-hit performance was Nevin's second in the Fall League, and he's now hit safely in all six games that he's played for Salt River.
"Pretty much every day is gap-to-gap, line drives to both foul poles," Nevin said when asked about his approach. "Not trying to do too much, not trying to overswing and hit line drives all over the field."
2018 Arizona Fall League rosters
Nevin put Salt River on the board in the first inning when he belted a triple -- a 105.8 mph rocket to the wall in right-center field. He helped extend the Rafters' lead two innings later with an RBI single that deflected off Surprise starter Nate Pearson.
In his third trip to the plate, Nevin generated an exit velocity of 101.2 mph (against a 96.4 mph fastball from reliever Conner Greene) on a ball that deflected off the first baseman before traveling deep into the right-field corner, allowing two runs to score.
"Never, I don't think," Nevin said when asked if he recalled his last two-triple game. "I think I had one triple the whole year this year, so that was a first for me."
In addition to his six-game hit streak to open the AFL season, Nevin has also been one of the Fall League's top producers, as Tuesday's performance gives him a .478/.552/.696 line with 11 RBIs through six games.
Nevin's strong start in the desert follows an impressive regular season, during which he hit .328/.386/.503 with 13 homers over 100 games with Class A Advanced Lancaster in the California League -- by far the most productive season to date for the Rockies' 2015 Competitive Balance Round A (No. 35 overall) pick.
And while it has led to an especially long season, Nevin is making the most of his AFL experience.
"Just seeing higher-level arms," Nevin said about his goals this fall. "Just working every day and seeing how I do out here against the competition I hope to see next year and in the years to come."
Travis Blankenhorn (Twins' No. 18 prospect) scored four of Salt River's seven runs as part of a 2-for-3, two-walk performance, while Monte Harrison (Marlins' No. 2) reached base three times via an RBI single (114.1 mph exit velocity) and two walks to finish 1-for-2.
For Surprise, No. 1 overall prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drove in Cole Tucker (Pirates' No. 5) twice -- and both times he did so with an impressive swing of the bat.
The 19-year-old phenom put the Saguaros on the board in the first inning with an RBI double down the third-base line that had an exit velocity of 107.1 mph, and he later plated Tucker from third base on a 109.5 mph groundout to shortstop. Guerrero went 1-for-4 with two RBIs, while Tucker finished 2-for-3 with a triple and three runs scored.
Right-hander Jordan Yamamoto (Marlins' No. 17) allowed one earned run on two hits over five innings to record his second AFL win in three starts for the Rafters. He posted four walks and four strikeouts, while inducing five ground-ball outs.