Prospect Hot Sheet
This installment of the Prospect Hot Sheet considers what minor league players did from Aug. 4-10. Number in parentheses indicates players’ ages.
Remember, this simply recognizes what the hottest prospects in the minors did in the past week—it’s not a re-ranking of the Baseball America Top 100 Prospects.
Kyle Glaser will chat about this Hot Sheet at 3 p.m. ET.
1. Isaac Paredes, SS, Tigers (18) 
Low Class A West Michigan (Midwest)
Paredes sure knows how to make a good first impression. The 18-year-old Mexican shortstop, acquired by the Tigers from the Cubs as part of the return for Justin Wilson and Alex Avila at the trade deadline, immediately went on a tear with his new organization. In his first full week as a Tiger, Paredes hit four home runs—including a 4-for-6, two-homer game on Aug. 8—and overall is hitting .415/.489/.756 in 11 games since coming over.
| AVG | OBP | SLG | XBH |
BB | SB |
| .385 | .484 | .885 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
2. Sheldon Neuse, 3B, Athletics (22) 
High Class A Stockton (California)
Speaking of trade deadline acquisitions, Neuse has torn the cover off the ball ever since he joined the Athletics from the Nationals as part of the return for Ryan Madson and Sean Doolittle. The former Oklahoma third baseman with a cannon for an arm hit three more homers for Stockton this week, and now has hit .395/.465/.711 with seven homers in 20 games in the A’s organization.
| AVG | OBP | SLG | XBH |
BB | SB |
| .429 | .455 | .905 | 4 | 0 | 7 |
3. Pedro Avila, RHP, Padres (20) 
Low Class A Fort Wayne (Midwest)
The Padres acquired Avila from the Nationals for Derek Norris in the offseason, and the Venezuelan righthander has emerged as a prospect to watch in San Diego’s loaded system. Avila struck out 17 over eight innings against Great Lakes on Aug. 8, breaking the Fort Wayne record for most strikeouts in a game, previously 15 set by LaTroy Hawkins in 1993. Avila, who works mainly off a low-90s fastball and nasty curveball, retired the last 19 batters he faced and struck out nine of the final 10.
| ERA | IP | H | HR | BB |
SO |
| 1.13 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
4. Drew Ward, 3B, Nationals (22) 
Double-A Harrisburg (Eastern)
The jump to Double-A has not been an easy one for Ward, but he is starting to show signs of progress. The Oklahoma native hit three home runs during the week—after having only seven longballs all year coming in—and his 7-for-17 run raised his average above .240 for the first time since June 21.
| AVG | OBP | SLG | XBH |
BB | SB |
| .412 | .583 | .941 | 7 | 0 | 2 |
5. Rhys Hoskins, 1B, Phillies (24) 
Triple-A Lehigh Valley (International)
Hoskins has had a lot of really good weeks. This one may have been the best, for reasons beyond just his production. First he hit three homers with eight RBIs in six games with more walks (5) than strikeouts (4). Then, he got his long-awaited first callup to the majors on Thursday, the ultimate capstone to a great minor league week.
| AVG | OBP | SLG | XBH |
BB | SB |
| .348 | .464 | .826 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
6. Eric Skoglund, LHP, Royals (24) 
Triple-A Omaha (Pacific Coast)
Skoglund has been up and down since returning to the minors after making his first three major league starts in the spring, but the 6-foot-7 lefthander was on this past week. He pitched six innings with run allowed and seven strikeouts in his first start of the week, and followed with seven innings, two runs allowed and nine punchouts on Thursday.
| ERA | IP | H | HR | BB |
SO |
| 2.08 | 13 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 16 |
7. Eloy Jimenez, OF, White Sox (20) 
High Class A Winston-Salem (Carolina)
The top prospect acquired in a trade this season just keeps mashing. Jimenez ripped off four more doubles and two more homers last week. Amazingly, he produced that power without striking out a single time in 25 at-bats. Overall he is hitting .370/.437/.707 since joining the White Sox organization from the Cubs.
| AVG | OBP | SLG | XBH |
BB | SB |
| .440 | .517 | .840 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
8. Lucas Giolito, RHP, White Sox (23) 
Triple-A Charlotte (International)
Don’t look now, but Giolito is starting to round into form. The beleaguered prospect has delivered four consecutive solid starts to lower his season ERA from 5.38 to 4.70, and is continuing to miss bats at a strong rate. He struck out 13 in 11.2 innings in his latest solid week, giving him 127 punchouts in 122.2 innings on the year.
| ERA | IP | H | HR | BB |
SO |
| 2.08 | 11.2 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 13 |
9. Chris Shaw, OF, Giants (23) 
Triple-A Fresno (Pacific Coast)
Shaw is in the midst of shifting from first base to left field at Triple-A. The trials of learning a new position clearly haven’t impacted his ability to hit. The 6-foot-4, 235-pound lefthanded masher pounded four doubles and three home runs in seven games this week, extending his hitting streak to 14 games. Overall Shaw has .295/.350/.528 slash line with 29 doubles and 30 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A this year, and is merely awaiting the call to the majors.
| AVG | OBP | SLG | XBH |
BB | SB |
| .357 | .379 | .821 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
10. Luis Escobar, RHP, Pirates (21)
Low Class A West Virginia (South Atlantic)
The breakout season continues for the Colombian righthander. Escobar, who flashed 98 mph heat in the Futures Game, rang up 17 more strikeouts in two starts last week to give him 142 punchouts on the season, most in the South Atlantic League and eighth in the minors overall.
| ERA | IP | H | HR | BB |
SO |
| 1.42 | 12.2 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
11. J.P. Crawford, SS, Phillies (22) 
Triple-A Lehigh Valley (International)
Crawford’s journey back to success continues. The long-struggling shortstop got hot in July and hasn’t cooled off in August. He recorded four multi-hit games in six contests last week, hitting safely in every game, and now has his average up to .236, its highest mark of the season.
| AVG | OBP | SLG | XBH |
BB | SB |
| ,357 | .455 | .714 | 5 | 1 | 3 |
12. Daz Cameron, OF, Astros (20) 
Low Class A Quad Cities (Midwest)
Cameron remains red-hot since the minor league all-star break, going 12-for-24 with two doubles and two homers in his latest big week. Overall he has hit .335 with seven homers, 37 RBIs and a .980 OPS in the second half. He hit .206 with a .661 OPS in the first half.
| AVG | OBP | SLG | XBH |
BB | SB |
| .500 | .571 | .833 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
13. Austin Gomber, LHP, Cardinals (23) 
Double-A Springfield (Texas)
Gomber’s trying to salvage a middling season with a strong finish. The 6-foot-5 lefty delivered back-to-back starts of seven scoreless innings last week, allowing just two hits in the first outing and three in the second. He has given up one run in his last 21 innings, lowering his ERA from 4.48 to 3.76.
| ERA | IP | H | HR | BB |
SO |
| 0.00 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 12 |
14. Taylor Trammell, OF, Reds (19) 
Low Class A Dayton (Midwest)
The Reds struck gold with their first draft pick last year in Nick Senzel, and their second pick is working out pretty well too so far. Trammel, the Reds’ supplemental first-rounder a year ago, continued his hot summer by going 9-for-18 with a pair of three-hit games. He also had twice as many walks (6) as strikeouts (3).
| AVG | OBP | SLG | XBH |
BB | SB |
| .500 | .600 | .722 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
15. Stephen Gonsalves, LHP, Twins (23) 
Triple-A Rochester (International)
Two good starts and a promotion is a nice week for anybody. That’s what happened to Gonsalves, who pitched 6.2 scoreless frames in his first start of the week, got bumped to Triple-A Rochester, and tossed seven innings with four hits and two runs allowed, no walks and seven strikeouts in his Red Wings debut.
| ERA | IP | H | HR | BB |
SO |
| 1.32 | 13.2 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 11 |
16. Nick Kingham, RHP, Pirates (25) 
Triple-A Indianapolis (International)
Kingham made just 12 starts the last two seasons due to Tommy John surgery, but has come back in 2017 in a big way. He has won his last four starts at Indianapolis, including a complete-game two-hitter with eight strikeouts on Thursday. That stellar outing followed 7.2 shutout innings in his previous start.
| ERA | IP | H | HR | BB |
SO |
| 1,32 | 13.2 | 81 | 1 | 2 | 11 |
17. Austin Riley, 3B, Braves (20) 
Double-A Mississippi (Southern)
The Braves raised eyebrows when they promoted Riley to Double-A even though he hit a solid if unspectacular .252 with a .718 OPS in high class A. So far, it’s worked out. Riley recorded a pair of three-hit games last week
| AVG | OBP | SLG | XBH |
BB | SB |
| .474 | .450 | .684 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
18. Domingo Acevedo, RHP, Yankees (23) 
Double-A Trenton (Eastern)
Acevedo got lit up in the Futures Game and his first start after it, but since then has rediscovered his normal, dominant self. In his last 25 innings he has allowed just 16 hits and six runs while striking out 28, including a pair of strong, five-inning outings last week.
| ERA | IP | H | HR | BB |
SO |
| 2.70 | 10.0 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 13 |
19. Yadiel Hernandez, OF, Nationals (29)
Double-A Harrisburg (Eastern)
Hernandez signed with the Nationals for $200,000 in the offseason after a decorated career in Cuba that included a .324 career batting average and a gold glove in Serie Nacional, Cuba’s top league. After an inauspicious start to his U.S. career, Hernandez has been on fire the last six weeks, including hitting .526 (10-for-19) with two doubles and two home runs last week. Overall he is hitting .361/.438/.571 since June 25.
| AVG | OBP | SLG | XBH |
BB | SB |
| .526 | .591 | .947 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
20. Ildemaro Vargas, 2B/SS, Diamondbacks (26) 
Triple-A Reno (Pacific Coast)
Signed by the Diamondbacks out of independent ball in 2015, Vargas mashed all the way up the system to the majors, where he made his debut with a two-game stint in June. Vargas played three games for Reno last week and yet finished tied for fifth in the minors with 20 total bases after going 12-for-24 with two doubles and two homers.
| AVG | OBP | SLG | XBH |
BB | SB |
| .500 | .500 | .833 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
HELIUM WATCH 
Mitch Longo, OF, Indians (22)
Low Class A Lake County (Midwest)
Longo burst onto the national scene when he won Mid-American Conference Player of the Year as a sophomore at Ohio, but struggled the following summer in the Cape Cod League and showed less power as a junior, dropping his draft stock. The hometown Indians drafted Longo in the 14th round last year, and he has rediscovered his success in pro ball. Longo hit .307 after signing last season, and now in his first full season is hitting .367/.439/.543, even though he missed a month with a wrist injury. He is currently on an eight-game hitting streak, including four multi-hit contests last week.
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