*Top Hitter of the Day* 

• L.T. Tolbert, 2B – Kane County Cougars – Arizona Diamondbacks – 
  • – 2-3, 2 HR (1,2), 2R, 7RBi, K 
    • – The 2018 – 13th rounder out of South Carolina belted his first two homers of the season in Game One of the Cougars double-header against Peoria (STL) last night. With three hits in his five at-bats, the lefty slugger raised his average 52 points (.370) and also plated seven of his 10 runs batted in on the season. 

California League: 

• Tirso Ornelas, RF – Lake Elsinore Storm – San Diego Padres – 
  • – 2-4, HR (1), 3R, 2RBi, BB, K – 
    • – The 19-year-old Ornelas has made his presence known loudly in the Cal League over the last week. Last night he registered his fifth 2-hit game in his last six games, that included his first home run (a 3rd inning solo shot) on the year. The #16 ranked prospect for San Diego now sits two (22) off the Cal League total bases lead, which is currently at a three way tie (24) between  teammates Jack Suwinski, Luis Campusano and Rockies outfield prospect Casey Golden. 
• Devin Mann, 2B – Rancho Cucamonga Quakes – Los Angeles Dodgers – 
  • – 2-5, HR (3), R, 3RBi, 2K – 
    • – Like the say goes: “It’s all or nothing.” The Dodgers unranked prospect cranked his third home run of the young season last night, and along with his two doubles (on back-to-back days: April 7 & 8), Mann now sits on a .625 extra-base percentage.   

Carolina League: 

• Kyle Isbel, CF – Wilmington Blue Rocks – Kansas City Royals – 
  • – 1-3, 2B, BB, K 
• Seuly Matias, DH – Wilmington Blue Rocks – Kansas City Royals – 
  • – 2-4, HR (1), 3B, 2R, 2RBi, K 
• Mason McCoy, SS – Frederick Keys – Baltimore Orioles – 
  • – 2-4, 2B, 2R, BB, SB – 
    • – Much like I stated about Rockies prospect Casey Golden a few days ago, this will be McCoy’s last go-around on the site as he’ll play all season as a 24-year-old. Of course, a 24 year old in HiA wouldn’t be considered anything more than organizational filler, but he’s still producing. In fact, he’s currently batting .439 thanks to collecting multiple hits in all but three of his 10 games played this season. McCoy may not be one for the extra bases, but he leads the Frederick squad in RBi (9), total bases (21) and on-base percentage (.478). 
• Luis Robert, DH – Winston-Salem Dash – Chicago White Sox – 
  • – 3-4, 3B, 2B, 3R – 
    • – Another day at the office for the White Sox #4 prospect, as he posts his third 3-hit game on the season, (his second in his last three games). In fact, the 6’3″- 185 lb. righty has yet to record a game where he has only one hit. April 9 was his only hitless game thus far and the rest, he’s either collected two or three hits. Amazing. As much as we enjoy writing about Robert and his domination of Carolina League pitching, it’s getting a bit ridiculous that he’s still in HiA. Double-A Birmingham needs him badly, so please Chicago, do Robert and the minor league baseball world a favor and just promote the guy. 
• Anderson Tejeda, SS – Down East Wood Ducks – Texas Rangers – 
  • – 3-3, 2B, 2B, 2RBi, BB, 2 SB (5) – 
    • – Speaking of three-hit games, the Rangers fellow #4 prospect also registered his second 3-hit game in his last three contests and now sits on a .394 batting average.  

Florida State League: 

• Justin Toerner, RF – Palm Beach Cardinals – St. Louis Cardinals – 
  • – 1-2, HR (1), 3R, 2RBi, 2BB, IBB – 
    • – Toerner is 4-for-his-last-6 and clubbed his first home run (a 2-run shot in the 3rd inning) last night. He now sits tied for the FSL lead in total bases (20) and has also drawn 11 walks to only five strikeouts. 
• Jeremy Vasquez, 1B – St. Lucie Mets – New York Mets –
  • – 3-3, HR (1), 3B, R, 5RBi, 2BB
• Alejo Lopez, 2B – Daytona Tortugas – Cincinnati Reds –
  • – 3-4, 2B, R

Midwest League: 

• Lars Nootbaar, LF – Peoria Chiefs – St. Louis Cardinals – 
  • – 2-3, HR (3), 2R, 2RBi
• Nolan Gorman, 3B – Peoria Chiefs – St. Louis Cardinals – 
  • – 1-3, HR (4), R, RBi – 
    • – So, maybe he isn’t getting it done in as grand a fashion as Chicago’s Luis Robert, but for an 18-year-old, it’s pretty impressive what Gorman is doing in HiA. He’s gone hitless in only one game this season (April 10 vs. Wisconsin) and leads the MWL in total bases (33), OPS (1.310) and is sitting on an extra-base percentage of .600. Might not be long before the organization pulls the trigger, sending the 6’1″- 210 lb. slugger to Double-A Springfield. 
• Jerar Encarnacion, RF – Clinton Lumberkings – Miami Marlins – 
  • – 2-5, HR (2), R, 3RBi, K – 
    • – As much as we love Nolan Gorman and believe he deserves a promotion, Encarnacion has been equally as consistent for the Lumberkings. The 6’4″- 220 lb. Domincan native, too, has only one hitless game on the year (April 6 vs. Kane County) and ranks second in the MWL behind Gorman in total bases (25). One can only imagine though what more Encarnacion could do if he could cut down his strikeouts. (13 in nine games), but none the less, the Marlins unranked prospect is having a breakout season so far.  

South Atlantic League: 

• Terrin Vavra, SS – Asheville Tourists – Colorado Rockies – 
  • – 1-3, 3B, R, 2RBi, K – 
    • – Colorado’s third-round pick on 2018 out of the University of Minnesota, suffered his first hitless game of 2019, going 0-for-3 in Game 2 of the Tourists double-header versus Hagerstown (WAS). But in Game 1 he collected his first triple on the year in a 3-run fifth, which helped lead Asheville to a 5-1 win. 
• Curtis Terry, 1B – Hickory Crawdads – Texas Rangers – 
  • – 2-5, HR (3), R, 3RBi, 2K 
    • – The power hitting Terry knocked his second homer in as many days last night off Kannapolis pitching. The Rangers unranked prospect currently ranks second in the Sally League in total bases (26) and among regulars, sits behind only Rome’s Griffin Benson (.800) and teammate Jose Almonte (.714) in extra-base percentage (.667).