MLB Prospect Summer Camp Roundup: Thursday, July 9
Image credit: (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
The start of the Major League Baseball season is just over two weeks away, which means summer camp is in full swing. That means there is plenty of time for prospects to compete in intrasquad and exhibition games. Each day during the week we will be providing a roundup from summer camp that includes highlights, debuts of 2020 draftees and more.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Alek Thomas, the D-backs’ No. 4 prospect, got to face lefty Madison Bumgarner in intrasquad action on Thursday in a moment that took his life full-circle.
Atlanta Braves
— The Braves added 1B Bryce Ball to their player pool. Ball, the team’s 2019 24th-rounder out of Dallas Baptist, tore up the lowest levels in his pro debut. Combined between Rookie-level Danville and low Class A Rome, Ball hit an astonishing 17 home runs in 62 games. With the minor league season cancelled, the experience Ball gets in summer camp and at the Braves’ alternate training site might become extremely valuable.
In game action, William Contreras made a loud impression during intrasquads. He went deep off of big league lefty Sean Newcomb. Contreras, 22, checks in as the Braves’ No. 8 prospect and made it to Double-A Mississippi. He boasts a blend of average to above-average tools across the board.
Cleveland Indians
Daniel Johnson, Cleveland’s No. 23 prospect, showed off his power on Thursday and got the Mario coins flowing with a three-run homer. Johnson came over from the Nationals in the Yan Gomes trade.
Detroit Tigers
Tigers No. 1 prospect Casey Mize took the hill on Thursday afternoon. Mize is looking not only to make his big league debut in this truncated season, but also to revert to the form he showed in the first part of 2019, before a bout of shoulder fatigue landed him on the injured list.
Los Angeles Angels
Jo Adell, the game’s No. 3 prospect, went deep in the Angels’ intrasquad on Thursday.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers on Thursday added a pair of players to their player pool: Righthander Brett de Geus and outfielder Jake Vogel. de Geus, the 1,000th overall pick in 2017 out of Cabrillo (Calif.) JC, struck out 72 in 61.2 innings between both levels of Class A. Vogel, the 100th overall pick in this year’s draft, played at Huntington Beach (Calif.) HS. Find his complete scouting report here.
Miami Marlins
Monte Harrison, Miami’s No. 6 prospect and part of the first wave of the team’s rebuild, went deep in intrasquad action on Thursday. Harrison was limited to just 58 games in 2019 because of a right wrist injury he suffered while making a diving catch.
New York Yankees
— No. 3 prospect Deivi Garcia took the hill as part of the Yankees’ intrasquad on Thursday. He retired Mike Tauchman, Miguel Andujar and Gary Sanchez on a flyout, groundout and strikeout, respectively, in the first inning. Garcia blitzed through the minors in 2019, complete with a starting nod in the Futures Game, and added a slider to his arsenal along the way. He should make his big league debut this season.
Toronto Blue Jays
— Blue Jays No. 3 prospect Simeon Woods Richardson saw action in the Toronto’s intrasquad on Thursday. The big righthander was tremendous in 2019 at both levels of Class A in between the Mets (who drafted Woods Richardson in the second round in 2018) and Blue Jays organizations. He struck out 126 in 106 innings as an 18-year-old and was poised to make his upper-level debut in 2020. He might still do that, just at a much higher level than he could have dreamed.
Also in Toronto, the Blue Jays are expected to add SS Austin Martin, the No. 5 pick in the most recent draft (and the No.2-ranked prospect available in the draft) to their player pool in short order. He officially signed for $7,000,825, and now will get a chance to start working toward joining one of the best young cores in the sport.
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