Here’s a look at Thursday’s top Minor League performers from each team’s Top 30 Prospects list:
Marlins: Max Meyer, RHP (MLB No. 20), Double-A Pensacola
Meyer threw 47 of his 77 pitches for strikes and put together another impressive outing on the mound. The right-hander struck out four and gave up just one run, via a solo homer, on four hits and a walk. Meyer has pitched to a 1.65 ERA through 12 starts this season, giving up one run or fewer in 10 of those outings. In fact, he’s given up just one run over his past three starts, a span of 17 innings. Marlins prospects stats »
Phillies: Mick Abel, RHP (MLB No. 59), Low-A Clearwater
Francisco Morales, RHP (No. 3), Double-A Reading
Although not as impressive as his previous outing where he twirled five hitless innings, Abel put together his third scoreless performance in four starts. The 20-year-old allowed one hit, walked two and struck out five, including four straight in the second and third innings. He was visited by a trainer and left the game after hitting a batter and issuing a walk to begin the fourth. The performance dropped his ERA below four for the first time since June 3. Through his first 13 starts, Abel has a 3.92 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP while holding opponents to a .167 average.
Morales found himself in the midst of a nightmare through the first six weeks of the season. The 21-year-old owned a 13.50 ERA through his first eight appearances, including seven starts. However, things have turned around for the Venezuela native, who put an exclamation point on his recent run of success by tossing six one-hit innings on Thursday for Reading. Despite issuing four walks, Morales struck out five and surrendered only a one-out double in the opening frame. The 6-foot-4, 185-pounder has sliced nearly seven runs off his ERA since June 16, allowing four earned runs in five starts spanning 26 2/3 innings (1.35 ERA). Phillies prospects stats »
Cubs: Ryan Jensen, RHP (No. 8), High-A South Bend
Jensen threw 54 of his 89 pitches for strikes and retired the first 11 batters he faced as he carved his way through the Cedar Rapids lineup for six innings. The 23-year-old yielded one run on two hits and a walk and also racked up eight strikeouts in the process. Jensen struggled in June, but has been lights out in July, giving up just one run over 17 innings (three starts) this month. Cubs prospects stats »
Tigers: Jose De La Cruz, OF (No. 16), FCL Tigers East
Make that six straight multihit performances for De La Cruz, who extended his hitting streak to seven games with a 4-for-5 showing in the Florida Coast League. While four hits is impressive on its own, De La Cruz went one step further — he hit a pair of homers. The 19-year-old hit a three-run homer in the first and then added a solo blast in the fourth. His other two hits were singles. De La Cruz has homered three times this season and is hitting .185 through 50 games (39 with Low-A Lakeland), but is batting .381 over his past 11 contests in the FCL. Tigers prospects stats »