Minor League Update: Games of Thursday, June 2nd

Prospect of the Day:

Yoan Moncada, 2B, Red Sox (High-A Salem): 4-7, 2 R, 4 2B, 6 RBI, BB, 2 K (Doubleheader).
More dominance from Moncada, something we’ve quickly become accustomed to this season. I’m sure the Red Sox have their reasons for keeping him in the Carolina League, including acclimation to a new culture and building confidence, among other things, but let’s just get him to Double-A already. I admit, it’s selfish of me because I want to see him in the Eastern League, but still.

Others of Note:

Dylan Cozens, OF, Phillies (Double-A Reading): 4-6, 4 R, 2 2B, K. Yet another big game for Cozens as he continues his breakout campaign in Double-A. I still need to see more from him this year before I jump onboard completely, but my initial looks and the results are certainly intriguing.

Austin Brice, RHP, Marlins (Double-A Jacksonville): 6.2 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K. Brice’s success in 2016 has come on the back of dramatic strike-throwing improvement. Armed with a plus fastball, solid curveball, and potential plus slider, there might be a bullpen arm here even if the control never really comes around long term.

Jonathan Brubaker, RHP, Pirates (Low-A West Virginia): 6 IP, 4 H, R/ER, 2 BB, 11 K. I remember drinking $2.00 Brubaker’s late night with some friends after college, but I digress. This Brubaker entered pro ball as a pitch-to-contact college guy with a limited ceiling. He’s suddenly missing more bats and some scouts are noting his projection is bumping up ever so slightly.

Tyler Beede, RHP, Giants (Double-A Richmond): 8 IP, H, 0 R/ER, BB, 2 K. I’ve been one of the biggest advocates for Beede around the halls of BP, and starts like this are a glimpse as to why. He still has to demonstrate he can throw strikes consistently while also missing bats, but I’m still a sucker for his ceiling as a very good big-league starter.

Keyvius Sampson, RHP, Reds (Triple-A Louisville): 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R/ER, 2 BB, 12 K. No longer a prospect in the technical sense, but Sampson is pitching very well in Triple-A so far this year. If he’s going to find MLB success, I think he’s probably a reliever, but at this point in his development, any big-league production is a positive.

Andrew Benintendi, OF, Red Sox (Double-A Portland): 2-5, R. It’s just two singles from a guy who’s been tearing the cover off the ball since he signed last year, but he’s been stumbling since his promotion to Double-A. This marks Benintendi’s third multi-hit game in his last eight contests, and he has hits in seven of those eight games; he may be coming around and adjusting to the new level of competition.

Blake Allemand, INF, Brewers (Low-A Wisconsin): 3-3, R, HR, RBI. Allemand has already piled up 16 extra-base hits and a .325 average this season in Low-A (though he is 24 years old), showing that his senior-year offensive outburst at Texas A&M wasn’t a complete mirage in 2015. Allemand is a quality runner with defensive versatility, making him a potential utility option down the road.

Nellie Rodriguez, 1B, Indians (Double-A Akron): 2-4, R, 2 2B, 2 K. Short of something flying over the fence, this is Rodriguez in a nutshell. He’s got power to all fields and a lot of swing and miss. It’s hard to see a potential regular here, but I’m still stuck liking him dating back to my initial observations during the NYPL All-Star game a couple of years ago.

David Paulino, RHP, Astros (Double-A Corpus Christi): 5 IP, H, 0 R/ER, BB, 7 K. David doesn’t own the ridiculous raw stuff his cousin Brenny had before washing out in the low minors, but he’s still electric. Paulino was an unknown when the Tigers shipped him to Houston along with Danry Vasquez for Jose Veras, largely because he was on the shelf after Tommy John surgery, but he has now made a name for himself and could be a big-league contributor next season.

Eddy Martinez, OF, Cubs (Low-A South Bend): 2-4, R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, K. The numbers might not show it yet, but does anybody want to wager whether or not he’s the best prospect in the Cubs system by this time next year?

Franklin Barreto, SS, Athletics (Double-A Midland): 3-4, R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI. I feel like I end up writing about Barreto every week, but his numbers still haven’t come around. I don’t care, I’m still a huge believer in his long-term potential.

Rowdy Tellez, 1B, Blue Jays (Double-A New Hampshire): 2-4, R, 2B, 3B, RBI. I’ve seen Tellez play a fair bit, and I just enjoy the thought of him rumbling for a triple.

Sean Newcomb, LHP, Braves (Double-A Mississippi): 6 IP, 2 H, R/ER, 3 BB, 7 K. Newcomb is still battling his control and walking too many guys. He can manage that in Double-A and still turn in dominant outings like last night’s, but that won’t fly in Triple-A and the big leagues.

Hunter Renfroe, OF, Padres (Triple-A El Paso): 3-4, 2 R, 3 2B. The approach is still really aggressive and there are concerns that he’ll be exploited some at the big-league level, but he continues to pound the baseball. Renfroe is a big-leaguer in the making, there’s just no motivation for San Diego to bring him up until late this year or next.

Tyler Pike, LHP, Mariners (High-A Bakersfield): 5 IP, 3 H, R/ER, 2 BB, 12 K. These outings have been few and far between for Pike over the last few years, but as a lefty with a lively fastball, quality changeup, and some deception, it’s hard to completely write him off at just 22 years old. I wouldn’t bet on him, but I would keep him around on the off chance something clicks.