Prospects of the Week: July 1 – July 7 and Futures Game Standouts

Cincinnati Reds prospect Taylor Trammell, July 7, 2019, Futures Game, Progressive Field, Cleveland, OH. Photo credit - Scott Greene, @Scotty_Ballgame on Twitter

This is a special edition of Prospects of the Week! Not only do we have top performers from every MiLB level, we also have a quick recap of the top prospects and standouts from the Futures Game.

Each week during the Minor League Baseball season we pick the hitting and pitching prospects from each level (AAA, AA, A+, A, A- (Short Season) and Rookie ball who, in our opinion, had the best week. We’re always on the lookout for candidates, so tweet us (@Prospects1500@berrys_baseball and @Scotty_Ballgame) when you see a great performance.

Jake Berry and Scott Greene award their Prospects of the Week hitters and pitchers for each level, while also presenting other names at each level that are just as deserving of POTW honors. Enjoy, and make sure you’re keeping an eye out for these prospects in your dynasty leagues.


Before we get to the usual suspects for POTW for each level, let’s take a look at some of the Futures Game standouts who our crew was talking about Sunday night in Cleveland before, during and after the annual prospects showcase.

Taylor Trammell, OF (Cincinnati Reds #1)
He was in contention for Futures Game MVP two years in a row. 1-2 with an RBI, and in possibly the most exciting play of the game, was caught stealing home on a straight steal attempt. He was called out even though replay shows the call could have gone the other way.

Luis Patino, RHP (San Diego Padres #8)
Patino finished the game for the National squad, going the last 1.2 innings. He didn’t give up a hit and recorded 3 strikeouts, most of which were in high-pressure situations with runners on base for the American League.

Nate Pearson, RHP (Toronto Blue Jays, preseason #5)
Pearson’s one inning was impressive. 11 strikes on 13 pitches (2 Ks), and he threw the three fastest pitches of the game at 102, 102 and 101.

Sixto Sanchez, RHP (Miami Marlins, preseason was Phillies #1 when our Top 50s dropped in January)
Only went 0.2 IP, gave up a hit, and didn’t strikeout a batter, but Sanchez was on Jake Berry’s most impressive list, and for good reason.

Sam Huff, C (Texas Rangers #19)
Berry didn’t pick Huff to be Futures Game MVP, but he did give him the sleeper nod for that role. Huff delivered the game-tying 2-run HR in the bottom of the 7th and did pick up the MVP honors even though the game ended in a 2-2 tie.

Jo Adell, OF (Angels #1)
A favorite among several in attendance at our Prospects1500 Conference and prospects Q&A session this past Sunday in Cleveland, the Angels’ top prospect played the whole Futures Game, as did the AL’s two other starting OF’s Luis Robert and Jarred Kelenic. Adell was 1-2 with a run scored, 2 walks and made a great diving catch.

Now on to our regularly scheduled programming…

Triple-A

Hitter: Jaylin Davis, OF (Minnesota Twins #40)
Rochester Red Wings (8 G, 14 H, .467/.500/.967, 3 2B, 4 HR, 9 RBI)
2019 Southern League HR Derby participant raked this past week in Triple-A, earning his International League Batter of the Week honors. After the first couple months of the season with AA Pensacola, Davis has hit safely in 13 of his last 15 games for Rochester.

Honorable Mentions:
Bo Bichette, SS (Toronto Blue Jays #2)
Buffalo Bisons (7 G, 14 H, .412/.429/.706, 4 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 2 SB)
Arguably Toronto’s #1 prospect right now with Vlad Jr’s graduation, Bichette is also knocking on the Rogers Centre’s door. Just another week of what Bo does best – hit.

Zach Green, 1B (San Francisco Giants, NR)
Sacramento River Cats (7 G, .385/.515/.923, 2 2B, 4 HR, 13 RBI)

Pitcher: Joe Palumbo, LHP (Texas Rangers #7)
Nashville Sounds (W, 5 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 10 K)
Palumbo has struggled in his brief taste of the majors this season (although 3 solid innings starting this past Sunday’s Rangers game was impressive), but those struggles weren’t on display this past week when he carved up the Oklahoma City lineup over the course of 5 dominant innings.

Double-A

Hitter: Seth Beer, OF (Houston Astros #8)
Corpus Christi Hooks (6 G, 14 H, 3 HR, 8 RBI, .583/.665/1.042)
Beer was on tap this week, heading up the candidates for Double-A POTW hitter. He homered in three straight games, including a 5-hit performance on July 4th against Midland in a 22-5 drubbing on his way to being named Texas League Batter of the Week.

Honorable Mention:
Vidal Brujan, 2B (Tampa Bay Rays #5)
Montgomery Biscuits (6 G, .391/.462/.522, HR, 3 RBI, 6 SB)
We love Brujan’s speed (definitely on display this past week) and his contact skills. When he adds any power to stat lines it’s a plus and that happened on July 4th when he unloaded some fireworks of his own against the Tennessee Smokies.

Pitcher: Tarik Skubal, LHP (Detroit Tigers, NR preseason)
Erie Seawolves (2 GS, 12 IP, 8 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 17 K)
Skubal was dominant this past week, throwing 7 innings of 1-run ball at Palm Beach before being promoted to AA Erie and tossing 5 innings of 1-hit ball, and 11 punchouts to boot in his Double-A debut.

Honorable Mentions:
Jack Wynkoop, LHP (Colorado Rockies, NR)
Hartford Yard Goats (1 GS, W, 9 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K)
Wynkoop was named Eastern League’s Pitcher of the Week for the Goats’ first 9 inning shutout in team history.

Enoli Paredes, RHP (Houston Astros #44)
Corpus Christi Hooks (1 GS, 6 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 12 K)

High-A

Hitter: Travis Swaggerty, OF(Pittsburgh Pirates #4)
Bradenton Marauders (6 G, 13 H, .542/.560/.625, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 2 SB)
Pittsburgh’s 2018 1st round pick was on fire during the first week of July. Swaggerty is in the middle of a 9-game hitting streak, buoyed by a 3-5 game on 7/5 vs. Jupiter and a 4-4 performance on 7/7 vs. Florida.

Honorable Mention:
Matt Hearn, OF (Colorado Rockies, NR)
Lancaster JetHawks (7 G, 13 H, 2B, 3B, RBI, 4 SB, .382/.382/.471)
Hearn hit safely in all 7 games this week, tallying one hit on Monday and adding 2 hits per game Tuesday through Sunday. He did add two more hits Monday to kick off this week and carries a 9-game hitting streak into Tuesday’s games.

Pitcher: Ian McKinney, LHP (Seattle Mariners, NR)
Modesto Nuts (2 GS, W, 13 IP, 8 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 22 K)
The 24-year-old McKinney, the Cardinals’ 5th round pick back in 2013, had two outstanding games this week to earn A+ POTW honors. He tossed 7 innings giving up only 3 hits and K’ing 13 San Jose Giants on 7/2. Then he mowed down San Jose again on 7/7, going 6 innings, scattering 5 hits and striking out another 9 with no earned runs.

Honorable Mention:
Joe Ryan, RHP (Tampa Bay Rays, NR)
Charlotte Stone Crabs (2 GS, W, 12.1 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 16 K)

 

Single-A

Hitter: Joseph Rosa, 2B (Seattle Mariners, NR)
West Virginia Power (5 G, 12 H, 7 R, 4 2B, 3B, 7 RBI, SB, .632/.708/.947)
Rosa only played in 5 games this week but lands POTW hitter honors for Full Season A-ball. He tallied 12 hits in 24 plate appearances, adding 4 walks and RBI in all 5 games.

Honorable Mention:
Alek Thomas, OF (Arizona Diamondbacks #7)
Kane County Cougars (5 G, 10 H, 5 R, 2 2B, 2 3B, HR, 5 RBI, .500/.522/.950)
Before hitting Cleveland the represent the Diamondbacks in the Futures Game, Thomas put together a very solid 5 games for Kane County, including his monster 5-6 game on July 2nd. He then followed that up on July 3rd going 4-4 with a HR. In the Futures Game he put on some very impressive batting practice but was 0-1 with a K during the game itself.

Pitcher: Luis Rijo, RHP (Minnesota Twins #30)
Cedar Rapids Kernels (1 GS, 7 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 10 K)

Honorable Mention:
Seth Corry, LHP (San Francisco Giants #27)
Augusta GreenJackets (2 GS, 11 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 12 K)

 

Short Season-A

Hitter: Franklin Labour, OF (San Francisco Giants, NR)
Salem-Keizer Volcanoes (7 G, 13 H, 3 2B, 3B, 6 HR, 11 RBI, .433/.500/1.200)
Labour pretty much locked up the video game stat line of the week, pounding out 6 HR in 7 games, helping him to a 1.200 SLG and 1.700 OPS.

Pitchers: Carson Lance, RHP (Detroit Tigers, NR)
Connecticut Tigers (2 GS, W, 11 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 16 K)

Zack Hess, RHP (Detroit Tigers, NR)
Conecticut Tigers (3 G, 4 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K)
Why not group two teammates together and award co-Pitchers of the Week for the A- level? Lance was very good in two starts for the Tigers, and Hess didn’t give up a hit in 3 appearances, striking out 8 of the 12 outs he recorded.

 

Rookie

Hitter: Luis Matos, OF (San Francisco Giants #29)
DSL Giants (5 G, 13 H, 6 R, 2 2B, 5 RBI, 3 SB)
The 17-year-old hasn’t debuted stateside yet, but his first taste of pro ball is going as planned. 13 hits in only 5 games this past week ranks up there with the best in all of MiLB. And he was just named to the Dominican Summer League All Star Game.

Honorable Mention: Andy Pages, OF (Los Angeles Dodgers, NR)
Ogden Raptors (6 G, 9 H, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 8 R, 2 SB)

Pitcher: Jose Franco, RHP (Cincinnati Reds, NR)
DSL Reds (2 G, W, 8 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 14 K)

Honorable Mentions:
Alex Haynes, RHP (Colorado Rockies, NR)
Grand Junction Rockies (1 G, 3 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 9 K)
9 outs, all by strikeout, for Haynes in his one outing of the week.

Nixson Munoz, LHP (Boston Red Sox, NR)
DSL Red Sox1 (4 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 10 K, 74% SwStr%)

 

If there’s any player we missed who you think should be honored or mentioned as a Prospect of the Week, please comment below or hit us up on Twitter to let us know. Until next week, thanks for reading and keep prospecting!

President of Prospects1500. Founder of Diamond Duos dynasty fantasy baseball leagues and the MLB Fantasy Playoffs Parlay. Participant and champion in several dynasty/fantasy baseball and football leagues. Sales Manager for Reminder Publishing in real life. Huge Bruce Springsteen and pro wrestling fan. Along with his wife and two boys, lives in Longmeadow, MA. Follow on Twitter at @Scotty_Ballgame.




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