Summertime is all in regards to the bats. No less than that is the way it appeared to shake out across the Minor Leagues on Sunday as huge performances on the plate took the highlight to cap the primary week of July. Amongst these had been huge hits from a number of the high shortstop prospects in all of baseball, together with the primary skilled two-homer sport by JJ Wetherholt and a formidable dinger by Leo De Vries.
JJ Wetherholt, SS, Springfield (STL No. 1/MLB No. 19)St. Louis’ high prospect achieved the primary multihomer sport of his profession in spectacular trend at Double-A. He bookended his day with huge flies, cranking a two-run homer to right-center within the first inning and lining a solo shot over the center-field fence within the eighth. The 22-year-old has been one of many high hitters within the Minors this season, and he leads the Texas League in on-base proportion (.425) and OPS (.891) whereas rating second in hitting (.300). Gameday
Leo De Vries, SS, Fort Wayne (SD No. 1/MLB No. 3)Baseball’s top-ranked shortstop prospect swatted a two-run homer as a right-handed batter, his first since June 10, in a preview of what may be to come back subsequent week within the All-Star Futures Recreation. The 18-year-old is without doubt one of the youngest gamers at Excessive-A however has been removed from overmatched on the degree, gathering 63 hits, 39 RBIs and a .360 on-base proportion by means of his first 68 video games. Gameday
Konnor Griffin, CF, Greensboro (PIT No. 2/MLB No. 13)Griffin can do all of it on the baseball area and he is proving it at Excessive-A. The 19-year-old collected three hits and matched a profession excessive with three steals, whereas driving in two runs and scoring two extra to tempo the Grasshoppers from the leadoff spot. It was a microcosm of the operating begin Griffin’s gotten since reaching the extent a couple of month in the past. He is hitting .322/.421/.522 with 10 extra-base hits and 14 steals for the reason that promotion. Gameday
Owen Caissie, OF (CHC No. 1/MLB No. 43), Moisés Ballesteros, C (CHC No. 2/MLB No. 53), IowaChicago’s high two prospects each had huge video games at Triple-A, every rapping three hits apiece from the highest two spots in Iowa’s lineup. Caissie doubled, walked and scored twice, whereas Ballesteros additionally scored a run. All instructed, the pair reached base seven instances. With each Caissie (.944 OPS) and Ballesteros (.333 common/.888 OPS) performing, it appears like they may not have rather a lot left to show within the Minors. Ballesteros made his MLB debut in Might throughout a five-game cup of espresso earlier than returning to Iowa. Gameday
Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF, Fort Myers (MIN No. 2/MLB No. 46)Sidelined since late Might with a proper hip damage, Rodriguez started a rehab task within the Florida Complicated League on June 21 and was transferred to Single-A Fort Myers on July 4. He confirmed he is coming again sturdy with a three-hit efficiency, and the 22-year-old additionally drew a stroll and drove in two runs. Rodriguez had hit .232/.400/.392 over his first 39 video games at Triple-A St. Paul earlier than the damage. Gameday
Spencer Jones, OF, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (NYY No. 2)The 6-foot-7 Jones can hit the ball a good distance, and he is been exhibiting off that skill rather a lot since his latest promotion to Triple-A. His twentieth homer of the season was demolished: 113.4 mph exit velocity, 445-foot distance, a mammoth tank for his fourth homer in eight video games with the RailRiders. He is posted a 1.345 OPS since arriving at Triple-A. That is referred to as making your presence felt. Gameday
Caleb Bonemer, SS, Kannapolis (CWS No. 9)The White Sox second spherical choose from 2024 is proving he can replenish the field rating at Single-A. He socked his seventh homer of the 12 months as a part of a three-hit day, driving in three runs from the No. 2 spot within the lineup. The 19-year-old has a .392 OBP and an .826 OPS by means of 69 video games with the Cannon Ballers, together with 24 extra-base hits, 44 runs, 40 RBIs, 49 walks and 20 steals. Gameday
Ricardo Olivar, C, Wichita (MIN No. 16)Olivar’s greatest sport on the Double-A degree — or truly of his profession — got here throughout a slugfest. The suitable-handed-hitting backstop bashed a homer, roped a double and added a sacrifice fly en path to a career-high seven RBIs for Wichita. The seven RBIs had been greater than twice Olivar’s earlier season excessive and he is having a pleasant season with 19 extra-base hits, 9 steals and a .796 OPS. Gameday
Jack Wenninger, RHP, Binghamton (NYM No. 27)Wenninger grew to become the sixth Minor League pitcher this 12 months to achieve 100 strikeouts on the heels of a dominant 11-Okay effort at Double-A. The 23-year-old righty set a season excessive in Okay’s whereas permitting just one unearned run on two hits and a stroll throughout six innings. Three of the strikeouts got here on the expense of Rockies high prospect Charlie Condon, the No. 3 total choose in final 12 months’s Draft. Gameday
