Baseball America Prospect Report — Aug. 25, 2020
Image credit: Yoshi Tsutsugo (Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire Via Getty)
Chicago Cubs
—Nico Hoerner had one of his best games of 2020, stealing the first two bases of his career, adding a hit, scoring once and driving in a run in the second inning of the team’s win over the Tigers. With a hit in four at-bats, the second baseman raised his average to .211 with eight RBIs and nine runs scored. Hoerner also showed off his range at second base with an impressive play to retire Christin Stewart in the second.
Cleveland Indians
—No. 18 prospect James Karinchak flummoxed hitters once again, striking out two in a scoreless inning of work in the team’s loss to the Twins. The 2017 ninth-round pick from Bryant threw just two fastballs that sat 95-96 mph, instead relying on his plus mid-80s breaking ball that got four swings and misses.
Colorado Rockies
—RHP Ryan Castellani picked up his first career win with a quality start against the D-backs. The Rockies No. 8 prospect pitched six innings, gave up three hits and two runs, walked three and struck out three to lead Colorado to a 3-2 win and help it snap an seven-game losing streak.
Detroit Tigers
—No. 2 prospect Casey Mize struggled mightily in his second start, lasting just 3.1 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits, walking two and striking out two in the team’s loss to the Cubs. Mize, who was tagged with his first loss, had trouble locating his pitches after striking out seven and walking none in his debut on Aug. 19.
—No. 13 prospect Willi Castro extended his hit streak to four games with a 1-for-3 effort in the team’s loss to the Cubs. Castro has provided a spark offensively since his promotion on Aug. 11, hitting .281 with five runs, two home runs and five RBIs in 32 at-bats. The 23-year-old has filled in defensively at second base, third base and shortstop.
Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Angels
—No. 1 prospect Jo Adell went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, continuing a slow start in his first taste of the major leagues. Adell is now 10-for-55 (.182) with 24 strikeouts to start his big league career.
—No. 7 prospect Patrick Sandoval got shelled by the Astros, lasting just 2.2 innings and giving up seven hits and five runs. The rookie lefthander began the year strong but has now given up five earned runs in back-to-back starts.
Milwaukee Brewers
—No. 17 prospect Devin Williams struck out the side in an inning of work in the team’s win over the Reds. The 25-year-old righthander sat 96-97 mph on his fastball and mixed in his nasty changeup, which sat about 12-13 mph slower than his four-seamer, and slider to induce four swings and misses.
Oakland Athletics
—Lefthander Jesus Luzardo delivered a quality start but still got hung with the loss in the A’s 3-2 loss to the Rangers. The A’s top prospect pitched 6.2 innings, allowed seven hits and three runs, walked two and struck out seven. He is 2-1, 3.74 on the year.
St. Louis Cardinals
—One day after hitting his first home run and collecting his first multi-hit game, Dylan Carlson posted a 1-for-4 effort and walked once in the team’s win over the Royals. The 21-year-old outfielder is 3-for-8 in his last two games.
—No. 16 prospect Jake Woodford pitched two scoreless innings of relief to wrap up the Cardinals’ 9-3 win over the Royals. The 23-year-old righthander has opened his career with seven scoreless innings and only three hits allowed.
Tampa Bay Rays
—Outfielder Yoshitomo Tsutsugo has had a rough first season in the big leagues, but he was on base four times on Monday, including three walks and his fourth home run of the season. The longball came on a 91 mph fastball from Tanner Roark. While the pitch was located nicely on the inner edge, Tsutsugo pulled his hands in and kept the ball fair just inside the right-field line. The ball left the bat at 97 mph and traveled 368 feet.
—Lefthander Anthony Banda pitched the final two innings of the Rays’ loss to the Blue Jays. He allowed one run (unearned) while striking out one. Although he appeared to miss his spot with the pitch, Banda nonetheless froze Travis Shaw for a called third strike. He got two swinging strikes—both on changeups—in 25 pitches. Of those 25 pitches, Banda threw 10 four-seam fastballs (91-93 mph) and 15 changeups (83-86 mph).
Texas Rangers
—No. 18 prospect Jonathan Hernandez picked up his fifth hold in the team’s win over the Athletics, pitching 1.2 scoreless innings, allowing a hit and a walk and striking out three. The 24-year-old righthander, who sat 96-98 mph on his fastball, is 3-0, 1.56 with 22 strikeouts and five walks in 17.1 innings.
—No. 3 prospect Leody Taveras collected his first career hit, a single in the second inning, and later reached base via walk. The 21-year-old center fielder, who impressed in summer camp, was promoted to the majors earlier in the day having spent a month at the alternate site.
Toronto Blue Jays
—Righthander Jordan Romano continued his yeoman’s work out of Toronto’s bullpen by picking up his second save of the season. Romano has allowed just one earned run all year (on a solo homer to Tampa Bay’s Brandon Lowe). On Monday, Romano allowed a hit and a walk but struck out one. Romano got the best of Lowe when he got him to swing through an elevated 96 mph fastball for his only strikeout of the night.
—Righthander Thomas Hatch, who was acquired from the Cubs for David Phelps last July, picked up his second win of the season by pitching two scoreless innings in relief of starter Tanner Roark. Hatch walked two and struck out two. He got Austin Meadows to whiff on a 95 mph heater on the outer half and got Joey Wendle to swing over a nasty, sweeping slider at his back foot. He threw his fastball between 93-96 and spun it between approximately 2,500-2,650 rpms.
Washington Nationals
—Second baseman Luis Garcia continued the excellent start to his pro career by going 1-for-4 in his team’s loss to the Marlins. His single, which came off of Miami reliever James Hoyt, left the bat at 105.2 mph. He’s now 11-for-33 to begin his career.
HITTERS
| TEAM | CLASS | PLAYER | AB | R | H | BI | AVG | NOTES |
| ARI | MAJ | Varsho, Daulton DH | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .167 | BB (2) |
| CHC | MAJ | Hoerner, Nico 2B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .211 | 2 SB (2) |
| COL | MAJ | Hilliard, Sam RF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .226 | BB (7) |
| DET | MAJ | Castro, Willi 3B | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .281 | |
| HOU | MAJ | Stubbs, Garrett C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .167 | |
| HOU | MAJ | Toro, Abraham 3B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .132 | |
| LAA | MAJ | Adell, Jo RF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .182 | |
| MIA | MAJ | Sanchez, Jesus RF | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .067 | BB (4) |
| MIN | MAJ | Jeffers, Ryan C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .273 | |
| OAK | MAJ | Murphy, Sean C | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .222 | |
| STL | MAJ | Carlson, Dylan LF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .163 | BB (3) |
| TB | MAJ | Tsutsugo, Yoshitomo DH | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .157 | HR (3), 3 BB (12) |
| TEX | MAJ | Solak, Nick LF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .260 | |
| TEX | MAJ | Taveras, Leody CF | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .333 | BB (1) |
| TOR | MAJ | Espinal, Santiago SS | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .167 | BB (1) |
| WAS | MAJ | Garcia, Luis 2B | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .333 |
PITCHERS
| TEAM | CLASS | PLAYER | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | ERA | NOTES |
| ARI | MAJ | Ginkel, Kevin | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 9.00 | |
| ARI | MAJ | Widener, Taylor | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3.38 | L (0-1) |
| CIN | MAJ | Antone, Tejay | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1.65 | |
| CLE | MAJ | Karinchak, James | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.57 | |
| COL | MAJ | Castellani, Ryan | 6 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3.54 | W (1-1) |
| DET | MAJ | Funkhouser, Kyle | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7.30 | |
| DET | MAJ | Mize, Casey | 3.1 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7.04 | L (0-1) |
| LAA | MAJ | Sandoval, Patrick | 2.2 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 6.75 | L (0-4) |
| MIL | MAJ | Williams, Devin | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.84 | |
| OAK | MAJ | Luzardo, Jesus | 6.2 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 3.21 | L (2-1) |
| STL | MAJ | Woodford, Jake | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.29 | |
| TB | MAJ | Banda, Anthony | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4.50 | |
| TEX | MAJ | Hernandez, Jonathan | 1.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1.56 |
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