Baseball America Prospect Report — July 27, 2020

Image credit: Brady Singer (Jason Miller/Getty)

To get the prospect report delivered to your inbox every morning, sign up for our newsletter!

---

Atlanta Braves

—Braves’ No. 8 prospect William Contreras on Sunday made his first big league start, going 3-for-5 as the team’s catcher. Contreras on Saturday picked up a pinch-hit RBI double in his first major league at-bat.

 

 

Baltimore Orioles

—Orioles’ No. 4 prospect Austin Hays on Saturday had his first multi-hit game of the season against the Red Sox, going 2-for-5 and scoring once in the team’s 7-2 victory. On Sunday, Hays collected his first RBI of the season with a long sacrifice fly to center field.

Chicago Cubs

—Nico Hoerner collected three hits in the Cubs’ opening series against the Brewers, going 1-for-3 with a run scored on Friday and adding a 2-for-4 line with a run scored and an RBI on Sunday. The Cubs’ No. 2 prospect is sharing second base duties with Jason Kipnis after impressing in summer camp.

Chicago White Sox

—One of the stars of summer camp thanks to some great catches and long home runs, Luis Robert hit his first major league home run on Sunday in the White Sox’s 14-2 loss to the Twins. The No. 2 prospect in baseball finished the three-game series 4-for-11, scoring one run and adding two RBIs.

 

 

Cleveland Indians

—Indians’ No. 22 prospect Yu Chang made his first start of the season at third base on Sunday, collecting a hit in three at-bats and walking once. 

Kansas City Royals

—Royals’ No. 4 prospect Brady Singer on Saturday made his first major league start following an impressive summer league showing. The righthander pitched five innings, allowing two runs on three hits, walking two batters and striking out seven in the team’s 3-2 extra-innings win over the Indians. Singer sat 93-95 mph on his fastball and complemented it with his plus slider that sat 83-85 mph. Despite using summer camp to work on developing his changeup, Singer only needed to use it twice, with his slider proving effective against lefthanded hitters. 

 

  

 

Los Angeles Dodgers

—Dodgers’ No. 3 prospect Brusdar Graterol on Sunday made his second appearance of the season out of the bullpen, but failed to record more than one out and allowed a run on two hits. The flame-throwing righthander on Thursday pitched a scoreless inning in his Dodgers’ debut.

Miami Marlins

—Marlins’ No. 12 prospect Nick Neidert on Saturday made his major league debut in the team’s 7-1 loss to the Phillies, pitching 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing one hit and walking one. The righthander utilized all four of his pitches—fastball, changeup, curveball and slider—but mostly relied on his fastball, which sat 92 mph with some deception.

Milwaukee Brewers

—Brewers’ No. 15 prospect Devin Williams made his 2020 debut Saturday in the team’s 8-3 win over the Cubs. The flame-throwing righthander found himself in a bases-loaded jam with two outs before fooling outfielder Jason Heyward with a changeup to end the inning. Williams’ sat 96-98 mph on his fastball, striking out one, hitting one batter, allowing a hit and walking one.

Minnesota Twins

—Randy Dobnak, who started Game 2 of the ALDS for the Twins in 2019, pitched four innings on Sunday in his first start of the season, allowing a run on three hits, walking two and striking out three batters. The Twin’s No. 14 prospect made nine regular season appearances at the big league level in 2019, pitching to a 1.59 ERA in 28.1 innings.

Oakland Athletics

—Athletics’ No. 3 prospect Sean Murphy on Sunday crushed a home run to left-center field in the team’s 6-4 win over the Angels. It was the catcher’s first hit of the season after hitting four home runs in 20 games during his 2019 debut. 

 

  

Pittsburgh Pirates

—Pirates’ No. 1 prospect Mitch Keller on Sunday made his first start of the season, going five innings, allowing a run on two hits, walking three and striking out two for the victory in the team’s 5-1 win over the Cardinals. Keller had trouble locating his pitches in the second and third innings, particularly his fastball that sat at a reduced velocity at 90-92 mph, but in his final two innings he was able to locate his spots effectively and retired the last seven batters he faced.

 

San Diego Padres

—Padres’ No. 17 prospect Edward Olivares on Saturday picked up the first hit of his major league career by crushing a double to left field. The outfielder also added a walk in four plate appearances in the team’s 5-1 win over the Diamondbacks. 

 

Primer hit en Grandes Ligas de Edward Olivares, anoche, un doblete. Venezolano 415 en jugar en MLB. @MLB https://t.co/VaBRr3uK2m

— Simmon's. … (@SSimmons_67s) July 26, 2020

 

San Francisco Giants

—Giants’ No. 16 prospect Jaylin Davis on Saturday showed off his plus power with a solo home run in the team’s 5-4 win over the Dodgers. The outfielder is 2-for-9 to start the season after hitting .167 in 42 at-bats last year.

 

Jaylin Davis gets the Giants on the board 👏 pic.twitter.com/8tj1T7wJMy

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) July 25, 2020

 

—After starting the season 0-for-10, Giants’ No. 10 prospect Mauricio Dubon on Sunday collected two hits, scored a run and drove in a run while starting in center field. Dubon hit .279 with four home runs in 104 at-bats for the Giants in 2019.

Seattle Mariners

—Mariners’ No. 3 prospect Evan White on Sunday capped off his first MLB series with a single to drive in a run during the team’s 7-6 win over the Astros. The first baseman showed off his plus defense on Saturday with a nifty grab in foul territory to get an out and also reached base via walk. White also picked up his first major league hit on Friday with a single. 

 

—Kyle Lewis picked up right where he left off at the end of the 2019 season, hitting a home run in the first two games of the season against the Astros. The Mariners’ No. 10 prospect hit six home runs in just 18 games last season in his major league debut and started the 2020 season with two home runs and four hits in 11 at-bats. Lewis on Sunday added two RBI singles, a run scored and a walk to his hot start to the season.

 

Tampa Bay Rays

—Rays’ No. 10 prospect Yoshi Tsutsugo hit his first MLB home run on Friday on the team’s Opening Day and added a second RBI on Sunday in the team’s 6-5 win over the Blue Jays. Tsutsugo picked up an RBI groundout as a pinch hitter. 

Toronto Blue Jays

—Blue Jays’ No. 9 prospect Anthony Kay on Sunday had his name called in a long-relief role in the team’s 6-5 loss against the Rays. The lefthander pitched 2.2 innings, allowing a run on three hits, striking out two batters and walking none. Kay sat 90-94 mph on his fastball and located the pitch well in his first two innings. Kay ran into trouble in the sixth inning, throwing a 90 mph fastball that Ji-Man Choi crushed for a home run and allowing a ground-rule double to Brandon Lowe. Kay appeared in three games (two starts) in 2019, striking out 13 batters in 14 innings, while allowing nine runs for a 5.79 ERA.

Texas Rangers

—Rangers’ No. 4 prospect Nick Solak on Sunday had his first multi-hit game of the season, going 2-for-4 with an RBI in the team’s 5-2 loss against the Rockies. Solak started the season with an 0-for-3 game on Friday and a pinch-hit single on Saturday.

—Righthander Jonathan Hernandez has already proven to be a useful weapon out of the Rangers’ bullpen, appearing in two games in the team’s series against the Rockies. The Rangers’ No. 17 prospect on Friday pitched a scoreless inning, allowing a hit, walking one and striking out two followed by a scoreless inning with a walk on Sunday.

HITTING STATS

TEAM	CLASS	PLAYER	AB	R	H	BI	AVG	NOTES
ATL	MAJ	Contreras, William C	5	0	3	0	.667
BAL	MAJ	Hays, Austin CF	3	0	0	1	.182	BB (1), CS (1)
CHC	MAJ	Hoerner, Nico 2B	4	1	2	1	.429	2B (1)
CLE	MAJ	Chang, Yu 3B-SS	3	1	1	0	.333	BB (1)
CLE	MAJ	Johnson, Daniel PR-RF	0	0	0	0	.000
COL	MAJ	Hilliard, Sam RF	2	0	0	0	.000	2 BB (2)
CWS	MAJ	Mendick, Danny 3B-2B	3	0	0	0	.000	BB (1)
CWS	MAJ	Robert, Luis CF	3	1	1	2	.364	HR (1), BB (1)
HOU	MAJ	Stubbs, Garrett PR	0	0	0	0	—
HOU	MAJ	Toro, Abraham PH-DH	2	0	0	0	.333
LAA	MAJ	Walsh, Jared 1B	3	0	0	0	.000
MIN	MAJ	Wade, LaMonte 1B	0	0	0	0	—
NYM	MAJ	Gimenez, Andres 3B	2	0	0	0	.000
OAK	MAJ	Murphy, Sean C	3	1	1	1	.250	HR (1)
SD	MAJ	Cronenworth, Jake PR-1B	1	1	1	1	1.000	2B (1)
SEA	MAJ	Lewis, Kyle CF	4	1	2	2	.364	BB (2)
SEA	MAJ	White, Evan 1B	5	0	1	1	.167
SF	MAJ	Davis, Jaylin RF	2	0	0	0	.222
SF	MAJ	Dubon, Mauricio CF	4	1	2	1	.143
STL	MAJ	Thomas, Lane CF	2	0	0	0	.000	BB (1)
TB	MAJ	Tsutsugo, Yoshitomo PH-LF	1	0	0	1	.111	BB (1)
TEX	MAJ	Solak, Nick LF-1B	4	0	2	1	.375
TOR	MAJ	Alford, Anthony LF	2	0	0	0	.000
TOR	MAJ	Espinal, Santiago PR	0	1	0	0	.000	SB (1)
TOR	MAJ	McGuire, Reese C	0	0	0	0	.250

PITCHING STATS

TEAM	CLASS	PLAYER	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	ERA	NOTES
ARI	MAJ	Ginkel, Kevin	1	1	0	0	1	1	21.60
HOU	MAJ	Abreu, Bryan	1.2	0	0	0	2	1	0.00
HOU	MAJ	Bailey, Brandon	1	2	0	0	0	0	0.00
KC	MAJ	Bolanos, Ronald	2	3	2	0	1	1	0.00	L (0-1)
KC	MAJ	Lovelady, Richard	1	1	1	1	1	0	9.00
KC	MAJ	Staumont, Josh	1	0	0	0	1	1	0.00
LAD	MAJ	Graterol, Brusdar	0.1	2	1	1	0	0	6.75	L (0-1)
MIA	MAJ	Dugger, Robert	3.1	6	5	4	1	2	10.80
MIA	MAJ	Holloway, Jordan	0.1	2	0	0	1	0	0.00
MIN	MAJ	Thorpe, Lewis	2.2	1	0	0	2	0	0.00
PHI	MAJ	Irvin, Cole	1	5	4	4	0	1	36.00	L (0-1)
PIT	MAJ	Brubaker, JT	2	3	0	0	0	4	0.00
PIT	MAJ	Burdi, Nick	1	0	0	0	0	3	0.00
PIT	MAJ	Keller, Mitch	5	2	1	1	3	2	1.80	W (1-0)
SD	MAJ	Guerra, Javy	0.2	2	0	0	0	1	5.40
SEA	MAJ	Misiewicz, Anthony	1	0	0	0	0	1	4.50
STL	MAJ	Fernandez, Junior	1	0	0	0	0	1	0.00
STL	MAJ	Whitley, Kodi	1	0	0	0	0	1	0.00
TEX	MAJ	Hernandez, Jonathan	1	0	0	0	1	0	0.00
TEX	MAJ	Palumbo, Joe	2	3	3	3	1	4	13.50	L (0-1)
TOR	MAJ	Kay, Anthony	2.2	3	1	1	0	2	3.38
TOR	MAJ	Yamaguchi, Shun	0	1	2	1	1	0	—