Baseball America Prospect Report — July 30, 2020

Image credit: Nate Pearson (Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Chicago Cubs

—Cubs No. 2 prospect Nico Hoerner continues to hit the ball hard. The second baseman/shortstop on Wednesday tallied another two hits in four at-bats, scored twice and drove in two runs in the team’s loss to the Reds. Hoerner has started the season on a five-game hit streak, totaling seven hits in 18 at-bats while knocking in five runs. 

Chicago White Sox

—Luis Robert on Wednesday provided insurance runs and stole a base in the team’s win over the Indians. Robert, the No. 2 prospect in baseball, hit a two-run single up the middle to knock in two runs. The center fielder is riding a six-game hit streak to start his big league career and is 8-for-23 with a home run and four RBIs during that span.

Luis Robert coming in clutch 🔥

pic.twitter.com/5otsfpsXEA

— Sox On 35th (@SoxOn35th) July 30, 2020

 

Cincinnati Reds

—Reds No. 8 prospect Shogo Akiyama on Wednesday turned in the first multi-hit game of his career in the team’s win over the Cubs. Akiyama, who signed a three-year, $21 million deal with the Reds in January, has collected four hits in 15 at-bats in six games. He’s walked twice and driven in a run.

Colorado Rockies

—One day after hitting his first home run of the season, Sam Hilliard on Wednesday collected a hit in two at-bats before being lifted for a pinch hitter in the sixth inning in the team’s win over the A’s. The Rockies No. 7 prospect is 3-for-7 in his last two games after starting the season with an 0-for-6 mark.

 

Houston Astros

—Astros No. 8 prospect Cristian Javier on Wednesday in the team’s loss to the Dodgers made the first start of his career, pitching 5.2 innings, allowing one run on two hits, walking one and striking out eight batters.  He led the way with his 93-95 mph fastball while mixing in his curveball and changeup to stifle Dodgers hitters. The righthander does not have great stuff, but has pitched well at every stop in his pro career.

 

Los Angeles Dodgers

—Dodgers No. 2 prospect Dustin May on Wednesday struggled with his command and pitched just 3.1 innings in the team’s win over the Astros. The righthander threw 76 pitches, allowed a run on three hits, walked two batters and struck out three. He was removed after issuing a walk and a single to put runners on first and second with one out in the fourth inning. May has failed to get past the fifth inning in consecutive starts to begin the season after pitching just 4.1 innings on July 23. May in 2019 pitched at least 5.1 innings in each of his four starts at the big league level.

—Dodgers No. 14 prospect Edwin Rios hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the 13th inning to deliver a sweep over the Astros. The corner infielder had just one at-bat coming into the game despite hitting .277 with four home runs in 2019 and impressing in summer camp, but more playing time could soon be on the way.

 

 

 

Milwaukee Brewers

—The Brewers on Wednesday added center fielder Hedbert Perez to the team’s 60-man player pool. The 17-year-old Venezuelan, who ranked as the No. 8 player in the 2019 international signing class, has a high contact rate and the potential for plus power in the future to go along with plus speed and above-average defense in center field. 

New York Mets

—Mets No. 6 prospect Andres Gimenez on Wednesday tallied the first two hits of his career in the team’s loss to the Red Sox. The shortstop recorded his first hit in the second inning on a single to left field before hitting a triple over the head of Jackie Bradley Jr. to drive in a run in the sixth inning. Gimenez, who is 2-for-8 in six games this season, excelled in the Arizona Fall League in 2019, hitting .371/.413/.586 with two home runs and 15 RBIs in 18 games.

 

 

 

Oakland Athletics

—Jesus Luzardo made his second appearance of the season in the team’s loss to the Rockies on Wednesday, entering in the sixth inning out of the bullpen and striking out five batters over 3.2 innings while allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits and two walks. Luzardo sat 95-98 mph on his fastball and mixed in his breaking ball and changeup. The lefthander befuddled hitters in his first two innings, getting five swings and misses on his breaking ball, three on his changeup and two on his fastball, but began to falter in the eighth inning. Luzardo allowed back-to-back hits, including an RBI double, to start the frame but battled back and retired the next three out of four hitters. In the ninth inning, Luzardo allowed two additional hitters to reach base before they were brought home thanks to a fielding error. Luzardo was then removed from the game with two outs.

The A’s No. 1 prospect on July 25 made his 2020 debut, pitching three innings in relief in the team’s loss to the Angels, striking out two batters, walking one and allowing one hit. Luzardo tested positive for the coronavirus and did not join the team until July 17, meaning he will likely be eased into the starting rotation as he rounds into form.

 

 

 

San Diego Padres

—Padres No. 14 prospect Edward Olivares on Wednesday tallied two hits, scored a run and knocked in a run in the team’s loss to the Giants. The outfielder has hit safely in three of four games and is 4-for-9 with two RBIs on the season.

Seattle Mariners

—With three hits in Wednesday’s game against the Angels, Mariners No. 10 prospect Kyle Lewis extended his hit streak to six games to start the season. The center fielder is now 11-for-24 (.458) with two home runs and five RBIs.

—Mariners No. 9 prospect Justin Dunn struggled in his first start of the season, pitching just three-plus innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on one hit, walking three and striking out two. Dunn gave up a three-run home run in the fourth inning before exiting the game. The righthander struggled to put hitters away after retiring six of the first seven batters he faced.

St. Louis Cardinals

—Cardinals No. 21 prospect Kodi Whitley on Wednesday pitched 1.2 scoreless innings and struck out two batters in the team’s loss to the Twins. The righthander relied on a three-pitch mix, leading the way with a 92-94 mph fastball. Whitley this season has appeared in two games, recording three strikeouts in 2.2 scoreless innings.

Toronto Blue Jays

—Blue Jays No. 1 prospect Nate Pearson on Wednesday made his major league debut, pitching five scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out five batters while walking two. Pearson mostly relied on his 80-grade fastball, which sat 95-99 mph, and his plus slider to stymie hitters. The only real trouble he faced was in the third inning after allowing a two-out single and walk to put runners on first and second. Pearson got Asdrubal Cabrera to ground out to end the inning. The righthander retired the last six batters he faced, three via strikeout. Pearson has the stuff to become a frontline starter and his debut reinforced that notion.

 

 

—One day after recording the first hit of his big league career, Blue Jays No. 23 prospect Santiago Espinal showed off his fielding ability with a hard throw to first base to prevent an infield hit.

 

 

HITTING STATS

TEAM	CLASS	PLAYER	AB	R	H	BI	AVG	NOTES
BAL	MAJ	Hays, Austin CF	3	1	0	0	.143	BB (2)
CHC	MAJ	Hoerner, Nico 2B-SS	4	2	2	2	.389
COL	MAJ	Hilliard, Sam LF	2	0	1	0	.231
CWS	MAJ	Robert, Luis CF	4	0	1	2	.333	SB (1)
HOU	MAJ	Stubbs, Garrett C	0	0	0	0	—
HOU	MAJ	Toro, Abraham PH	1	0	0	0	.167
LAA	MAJ	Walsh, Jared 1B	3	1	0	0	.000
LAD	MAJ	Rios, Edwin PH-DH	2	1	1	2	.333	HR (1)
NYM	MAJ	Gimenez, Andres SS	4	0	2	1	.250	3B (1)
OAK	MAJ	Brown, Seth PH	1	0	0	0	.000
OAK	MAJ	Murphy, Sean C	3	0	1	0	.200
SD	MAJ	Cronenworth, Jake 1B	3	0	0	0	.250	BB (1)
SD	MAJ	Olivares, Edward LF	3	1	2	1	.444	BB (2)
SEA	MAJ	Lewis, Kyle CF	5	1	3	1	.458
SEA	MAJ	White, Evan 1B	4	1	0	0	.167	BB (3)
STL	MAJ	Thomas, Lane CF	0	0	0	0	.000
TB	MAJ	Tsutsugo, Yoshitomo DH	4	0	1	0	.238
TEX	MAJ	Solak, Nick DH	5	0	1	1	.308	2 SB (2)
TOR	MAJ	Alford, Anthony PR	0	0	0	0	.000	SB (1)
TOR	MAJ	Espinal, Santiago SS	4	0	0	0	.091
WAS	MAJ	Kieboom, Carter 3B	3	1	1	0	.286	BB (1)

PITCHING STATS

 

TEAM	CLASS	PLAYER	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	ERA	NOTES
ARI	MAJ	Ginkel, Kevin	1	0	0	0	1	0	13.50
DET	MAJ	Garcia, Bryan	1	0	0	0	0	0	0.00	W (1-0)
HOU	MAJ	Abreu, Bryan	0.2	0	0	0	0	0	0.00
HOU	MAJ	Javier, Cristian	5.2	2	1	1	1	8	1.35
LAD	MAJ	May, Dustin	3.1	3	1	1	2	3	2.35
LAD	MAJ	Santana, Dennis	2.1	0	0	0	2	4	4.15	W (1-0)
MIL	MAJ	Williams, Devin	1	0	0	0	0	1	2.70
OAK	MAJ	Luzardo, Jesus	3.2	4	3	1	2	5	1.35
SEA	MAJ	Dunn, Justin	3	1	3	2	3	2	6.00
SEA	MAJ	Misiewicz, Anthony	1	0	0	0	1	2	3.00
STL	MAJ	Helsley, Ryan	1.2	0	0	0	0	2	0.00
STL	MAJ	Whitley, Kodi	1.2	0	0	0	0	2	0.00
TEX	MAJ	Hernandez, Jonathan	1	2	2	2	0	2	6.00	W (1-0)
TOR	MAJ	Pearson, Nate	5	2	0	0	2	5	0.00
TOR	MAJ	Yamaguchi, Shun	1	2	4	3	2	2	36.00	L (0-1)