Here’s a look at Sunday’s top Minor League performers from each team’s Top 30 Prospects list:
Tigers: Riley Greene, OF (MLB No. 15), Double-A Erie
Nick Quintana, 3B (No. 23), Low-A Lakeland
It was a productive day in the box for Erie’s leadoff hitter Greene, who knocked a triple and a double and scored thrice in the SeaWolves’ 9-6 victory over Binghamton. The 2019 fifth overall pick has cooled off a bit from his hot start to the year, but has remained an effective leadoff hitter getting on base at a .364 clip and swiping 11 bags. With Spencer Torkelson and Dillon Dingler behind him, Greene has scored 46 runs and driven in 36 himself.
Quintana racked up three hits in a game for the second time in 10 days, adding a two-run homer and a double to his three-RBI day in Lakeland’s 17-5 blowout. The 2019 second-rounder got his day started immediately with a two-run homer in the first before he smacked a ground-rule double in the fourth; he eventually came around to score one of four runs. A bases-loaded walk by Quintana in the sixth kicked off a nine-run inning for Lakeland, and he added a single in the seventh to complete the three-hit game. Quintana is slashing .343/.467/.800 in his last 10 games with 11 RBIs. Tigers prospect stats »
Astros: Alex Santos II, RHP (No. 9), Low-A Fayetteville
Santos II came out of the bullpen for Fayetteville and shut down Kannapolis’ hitters for the rest of the game. The 19-year-old earned the first win of his professional career by closing it out with four no-hit innings, striking out four and walking one. The 2020 second-rounder has been used as both a starter and a long reliever to begin his career, and owns a 3.86 ERA in 21 innings. Santos II has struck out 21 hitters, but has shown control issues with 18 walks. With an MLB ETA of 2024, the Bronx native has a ton of time to figure out his command and has shown promise with a four-seamer that can touch 96 mph. Astros prospect stats »
Dodgers: Miguel Vargas, 3B (No. 11), Double-A Tulsa
Vargas had himself a career day in Tulsa’s 23-8 rout of Northwest Arkansas. The 21-year-old made the most of his 3-for-4 performance at the plate, finishing a triple shy of the cycle, walking twice and driving in a career-high eight RBIs while scoring four runs. The Naturals took an early 5-1 lead, but Vargas helped spur the comeback in the bottom of the second when his bases-loaded walk cut the deficit to 5-4 before Tulsa ultimately took an 8-5 lead when the inning ended. In his next bases-loaded chance in the third, he drilled a bases-clearing double to truly put the game out of reach. He added an RBI single in the sixth before a three-run homer in the eighth capped off his night. On the season, he’s batting .272 with an .848 OPS and 45 RBIs. Dodgers prospect stats »
Indians: Brayan Rocchio, SS (No. 7), High-A Lake County
Rocchio tallied his second three-hit performance in 10 games, powered by a decisive home run in Lake County’s 7-6 win over Great Lakes. The 20-year-old started his day off with a single on the first pitch he saw before he was erased from the basepaths as he was caught stealing. Rocchio singled in the fourth and came around to score the Captains’ first runs of the game, and his two-run homer in the seventh made it a 7-3 game. The former 2017 Draft pick is slashing .268/.330/.432 this season. Indians prospect stats »
Phillies: Jhailyn Ortiz, OF (No. 20), High-A Jersey Shore
Ortiz may be the hottest hitter in all of baseball right now, and continued his tear with three extra-base hits in Jersey Shore’s 12-8 win over Winston-Salem. The 22-year-old went 3-for-5 with two homers, a double and six RBIs, tying a career high. It was the slugging outfielder’s second consecutive multihomer game and his fourth of the season. In July, Ortiz has launched 12 homers and a double, driving in 24 runs over 21 games with a .286/.382/.779 slash line and a 1.161 OPS. Phillies prospect stats »
Rangers: Justin Foscue, 2B (No. 5), High-A Hickory
Foscue hasn’t played every game since coming back from an injury he suffered at the beginning of July, but when he has, he’s hit a home run. Seriously. Every time. Dating back to July 9 when he played in his last of three rehab starts for the ACL Rangers, Foscue has hit a home run in each of the eight games he’s appeared in. Sunday’s dinger was a three-run shot on the first pitch he saw, and he finished Game 1 of a doubleheader 2-for-5 with those three RBIs. It’s almost impossible to comprehend, but since returning to the Hickory lineup on July 11, Foscue is slashing .533/.576/1.500 (that’s a 2.076 OPS!) with nine home runs and 17 RBIs in seven games. Rangers prospect stats »
Red Sox: Ceddanne Rafaela, SS (No. 30), Low-A Salem
Rafaela drove in two of Salem’s three runs in their shutout victory over Fredericksburg, clubbing a two-run homer (his fourth of the season) and a triple on a 2-for-4 day at the dish. The 20-year-old is slashing .230/.296/.373 with 20 RBIs, five triples and 16 stolen bases through 57 games for Salem. Red Sox prospect stats »
Rockies: Elehuris Montero, 3B (No. 9), Double-A Hartford
Montero continued his red-hot July with his second multihomer game of the season. The centerpiece of the return from the Nolan Arenado trade went 3-for-4 with two jacks, a single, four RBIs and two runs scored. This month, Montero has flipped a switch and is hitting .420 with nine homers and 21 RBIs in 22 games. Sunday’s performance was the 22-year-old’s seventh multi-hit game of July. Rockies prospect stats »
White Sox: Matthew Thompson, RHP (No. 3), Low-A Kannapolis
Thompson tossed five scoreless innings on Sunday — his first scoreless outing since May 30 — while giving up just two hits and a walk in Kannapolis’ 2-0 loss. The 20-year-old started his night with a four-pitch strikeout and escaped a two-on, two-out jam in the fourth with another quick K to preserve the shutout. Thompson ran a three-ball count on only two hitters as he tossed 38 of his 57 pitches for strikes. The 2019 second-rounder owns a 7.34 ERA through 10 Low-A games this year. White Sox prospect stats »
Yankees: Luis Medina, RHP (No. 7), Double-A Somerset
Medina’s scouting report reads that he has some of the best pure stuff in the Yankees’ system, but also can lose control of his pitches. He showed this on Sunday with 5 2/3 scoreless innings for Somerset, striking out six and walking four while yielding four hits. With a fastball that can routinely reach triple digits, Medina has struck out 86 batters in 62.1 innings, but has also given up 40 walks. In 13 starts, the electrifying righty owns a 3.94 ERA. Yankees prospect stats »