Prospect Roundup: Games of May 25
By jseiner24
By Jake Seiner / MiLB.com
MiLB.com news:
Manny Ramirez signs with I-Cubs as player/coach
MiLB.com game stories:
Rockies RHP Eddie Butler makes third straight scoreless outing
Orioles RHP Kevin Gausman gets first win with 6 1/3 scoreless frames
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Mariners OF Jabari Blash goes long twice, drives in six for Rainiers
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Yankees 1B Mike Ford blasts four dingers for Charleston
Astros SS Carlos Correa gets revenge on Mother Nature for JetHawks
Giants LHP Mike Kickham hurls six hitless frames for Fresno
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Marlins RHP Ryan Newell fires six hitless innings
Other top prospect performances:
Cubs SS Javier Baez, Triple-A Iowa: 2-fof-4, HR, 4 RBI, R, K — Baez seems to have officially righted the ship in the Pacific Coast League, belting four homers — including yesterday’s grand slam — in his past nine games.
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Pirates 1B Stetson Allie, Double-A Altoona: 2-for-3, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R, BB, K — Allie has legit power, enough to potentially play at first base, but he may not be a good enough hitter to do more than carve out a nice Quad-A career. Whether or not he can make enough contact is the career-making question for the 23-year-old.
Mariners SS Ketel Marte, Double-A Jackson: 3-for-5, 3B, RBI, R — That Marte is more than holding his own offensively with a .302 average as a 20-year-old in the Southern League is impressive. He also has the tools to be an excellent defender at short, but needs to cut down on the miscues — he’s made 16 errors in 41 games at short, good for a .915 fielding percentage.
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Royals RHP Christian Binford, Class A Advanced Wilmington: 7 IP, 5 H, ER, BB, 8 K — The 6-foot-6 21-year-old has been a breakout performer this year, building on an already-impressive 2013 campaign with Class A Lexington. Binford has 64 strikeouts in 53 innings with a 2.21 ERA.
A’s 1B Matt Olson, Class A Advanced Stockton: 3-for-5, HR, 2B, 3 R, RBI — Olson has a reputation as an excellent defender at first base. At the plate, Olson has shown an ability to work counts (38 walks in 49 games) and has 12 homers in hitter-friendly Stockton this season.
Rangers C Jorge Alfaro, Class A Advanced Myrtle Beach: 2-for-5, HR, 3 RBI, R, 2 K — Alfaro came in just 5-for-34 over his past nine games but busted out with his fifth homer on Sunday.
Mets OF Brandon Nimmo, Class A Advanced St. Lucie: 1-for-4, HR, RBI, R, 2 K — Nimmo is hitting like he’s ready to assert himself as a top prospect, and the results should have him climbing up prospect rankings, even if his tools aren’t as flashy as some other heralded youngsters.
Twins RHP Jose Berrios, Class A Advanced Fort Myers: 6 IP, 7 H, ER, BB, 7 K — Berrios is making the transition from thrower to pitcher, and has been doing the job of late with just six walks over his past three outings. He’s also working consistently deeper into games, having gone at least six innings in each of those past three starts.
Yankees 3B Dante Bichette Jr., Class A Advanced Tampa: 2-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, R, K — Bichette is having a remarkable bounceback campaign after posting consecutive lackluster seasons with Class A Charleston in 2012 and ’13. The 21-year-old is hitting .291/.380/.471 in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League and hit three long balls in 13 at-bats this weekend.
Orioles RHP Hunter Harvey, Class A Delmarva: 4 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 7 K — Harvey ran up his pitch count racking up the strikeouts, requiring 85 pitches to get through four frames. The 19-year-old is striking out 10.76 batters per nine innings in his full-season debut.
Yankees OF Aaron Judge, Class A Charleston: 3-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R — Judge has homered in consecutive games and has five longballs on the season. The 22-year-old has tremendous raw power and has dominated the South Atlantic League, but could use a tougher test offensively.