Frazier's clutch power, speed lead top prospect performers
Clint Frazier has had Yankees fans abuzz since New York traded for him last July, but he hadn't gotten off to the hottest start to the 2017 season at the plate. As of Saturday, that looks like it might be changing.
One of the team's two uber-prospects along with shortstop Gleyber Torres, Frazier went 2-for-3 with a solo home run for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, accounting for the only offense in the RailRiders' 1-0 win over the Indianapolis Indians.
It was just the second homer in 14 games for the 22-year-old outfielder, who was the prize of the Yankees' Trade Deadline deal that sent reliever Andrew Miller to the Indians. Frazier is ranked as the Yankees' No. 2 prospect and the No. 22 prospect in baseball by MLBPipeline.com. Batting in the two-hole for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Frazier also chipped in a walk and stole his second base of the year.
MILB Video - Title: Frazier blasts off - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1313369883
Frazier went into the game stuck in something of a slump, with his batting average having dropped to .196 and his slugging percentage to .370. His performance against Indianapolis raised his average to .224 and his slugging to .449.
The rest of the best performances from top prospects Saturday:
• Baseball's No. 1 overall prospect Yoan Moncada (White Sox No. 1) sparked the Triple-A Charlotte Knights yet again at the top of their order, going 2-for-4 and scoring two runs in Charlotte's 7-3 win over the Rochester Red Wings -- including the first run of the game after a leadoff single in the bottom of the first inning. The 21-year-old infielder, who looks ready for a Major League callup sooner rather than later, is hitting .300/.382/.517 with four home runs in his 15 games in the Minors this year.
• No. 3 overall prospect Amed Rosario (Mets' No. 1) continued to be locked in at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored in Triple-A Las Vegas' 3-2 win over the Sacramento River Cats. It was Rosario's eighth multi-hit game out of the 16 he's played so far in 2017, raising the 21-year-old shortstop's season batting average to an impressive .387.
MILB Video - Title: Rosario collects third hit - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1314650283
• No. 19 overall prospect Willy Adames (Rays' No. 1) took center stage in Triple-A Durham's doubleheader sweep of the Louisville Bats. Playing two games due to a rain-suspended contest on Friday, Adames went 4-for-9 with three doubles and four RBIs. The 21-year-old shortstop had been off to a slow start to 2017, entering the day hitting .163 over his first dozen games. His performance Saturday raised his average to .207.
MILB Video - Title: Adames' three-run double - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1314856283
• Astros outfield prospect Derek Fisher (Astros' No. 4), the 78th-ranked prospect in baseball, hit his third home run of the season for Triple-A Fresno. The 23-year-old's big fly was a two-run go-ahead shot against the Salt Lake Bees in the sixth inning.
MILB Video - Title: Fisher mashes a homer - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1314867983
• Tyler Mahle (Reds' No. 10) was perfect for the Blue Wahoos. The 22-year-old right-hander threw the Southern League's first nine-inning perfect game since 1970, striking out eight for Double-A Pensacola. It wasn't even Mahle's first Minor League no-hitter -- he threw a no-no for Class A Advanced Daytona last season.
MILB Video - Title: Mahle completes perfect game - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1314354283
• Marlins middle infielder J.T. Riddle (Marlins' No. 12), who recently hit a walk-off home run against the Mets for his first long ball as a big leaguer, is back in the Minors and still mashing. The 25-year-old homered in his second consecutive game for Triple-A New Orleans, a two-run shot against the Omaha Storm Chasers that helped the Baby Cakes to a 6-0 win.
MILB Video - Title: 4/22 Postgame: J.T. Riddle - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1314085683
• Zac Shepherd (Tigers' No. 22) had a monster day at the plate for Class A Advanced Lakeland. Shepherd led the way in the Flying Tigers' 7-2 win over the Tampa Yankees, going 2-for-3 with a home run and five RBIs. The big blow for the 21-year-old third baseman was his three-run blast that put the game out of reach in the eighth inning.
• Alex Jackson (Braves' No. 23) has made the most of his change of scenery. The 21-year-old catcher went 3-for-5 with a home run and a double against Clearwater, and he's now batting .338 with six homers and 13 RBIs on the season. Jackson has hit safely in 14 of his 16 games. The 2014 No. 6 overall Draft pick was traded to Atlanta by the Mariners this offseason, who had been trying to convert him into an outfielder since he turned pro.
• Darwinzon Hernandez (Red Sox's No. 25) was spotless on the mound for Class A Greenville. The 20-year-old left-hander went five-plus innings without allowing a hit (although he did get charged with a single unearned run after he came out of the game in the sixth) and struck out five Rome Braves.
MILB Video - Title: Hernandez fans fifth batter - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1314275483
• Another of Boston's pitching prospects, 23-year-old left-hander Jalen Beeks (Red Sox's No. 27), also dominated in his start, this one for Double-A Portland. Beeks tossed a seven-inning shutout to beat the Trenton Thunder, allowing five hits and striking out seven. It was Beeks' second scoreless start of three outings this season, and he's racked up 22 K's in 15 2/3 innings.
MILB Video - Title: Beeks' seventh strikeout - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1312126483