*Top Hitter of the Day*

• Gabriel Arias, 3B – Lake Elsinore Storm – San Diego Padres –– 3-4, 2 HR (6,7), 3R, 2RBi, K –– Arias, San Diego’s # 23 ranked prospect, posted the multi-homer game of his career, and scored three of Lake Elsinore’s five runs in the Storm’s 5-4 victory over Lancaster last night. Arias’ lined a shot over the right center field wall to start Lake Elsinore’s half of the second, giving the Storm a 1-0 lead. The Jethawks answered, scoring a run in top of the fourth via a leadoff homer from Carlos Herrera (listed below), then added two more in the fifth after right fielder Luke Morgan led off the inning with hit-by-pitch. Second baseman Taylor Snyder following with a double landing he and Morgan at the corners with no outs. Catcher Joel Diaz singled to center scoring Morgan, and moving Snyder to third. After a pop out by Jethawk leadoff hitter Matt Hearn, pitcher Ryan Rolison (Colorado’s first draft choice in 2018 and number three overall ranked prospect) received a mound visit, then proceeded to uncork a wild pitch scoring Snyder and shifting Diaz to second. Rolison walked the next batter, DH Matt McLaughlin, but proceeded to strike out Carlos Herrera and Luis Castro to end the inning. After a scoreless sixth, Lancaster laid another goose egg in the top of the seventh, but Lake Elsinore wasn’t finished, as Arias popped his second leadoff homer of the night over the left center wall to close the Jethawk lead to one. Shortstop Eugy Rosario hit a one-out single to center, stole second, then scored on Jalen Washingtons‘s single to left knotting the score at three a piece. Lancaster came back with a run in the top of the eighth, as Carlos Herrera reached base on a fielding error by second baseman Esteury Ruiz. Luis Castro followed with a walk, and with runners at first and second, Rockies #8 prospect Ryan Vilade laid down a sacrifice bunt, shifting Castro and Herrera to second and third. Sean Bouchard hit a sacrifice fly to center scoring Herrera, which pulled Lancaster in front 4-3. The Storm came out of the eighth inning with two more runs, as Eugy Rosario laced a ground ball single to center scoring catcher Luis Campusano and Arias, who reach via a one-out single single after an Esteury Ruiz strikeout and the Campusano single. Lake Elsinore exited the inning with a one run lead, and reliever Evan Miller closed out Lancaster with a 1-2-3 inning, giving Miller his tenth save on the season and Lake Elsinore a 5-4 win.

California League: 

• Carlos Herrera, SS – Lancaster Jethawks – Colorado Rockies –– 1-3, HR (10), 2R, RBi, BB, K –
• Joey Bart, C – San Jose Giants – San Francisco Giants – – 2-5, 2 2B, R, RBi, K – 
• Jeremy Eierman, SS – Stockton Ports – Oakland A’s – – 2-5, HR (6), R, 4RBi, 3K – 
• Jake McCarthy, CF – Visalia Rawhide – Arizona Diamondbacks – – 3-5, 3R, 2RBi, K, SB (10) – 

Carolina League: 

• Marty Costes, LF – Fayetteville Woodpeckers – Houston Astros – – 2-4, HR (2), R, RBi, K – 
• MJ Melendez, DH – Wilmington Blue Rocks – Kansas City Royals – – 2-3, 2B, R, 3RBi, BB, SB (3) – 

Florida State League: 

• Dylan Rosa, RF, Lakeland Flying Tigers – Detroit Tigers – – 1-3, HR (4), R, 3RBi, BB, K – 
• Danny Amaral, CF – Bradenton Marauders – Pittsburgh Pirates – – 3-4, 2B, 3R, RBi, 2BB, SB (10) – 
• Chris Sharpe, LF – Bradenton Marauders – Pittsburgh Pirates –– 3-4, 2B, 2R, 5RBi, BB, K – 
• Adrian Valerio, SS – Bradenton Marauders – Pittsburgh Pirates –– 3-5, HR (1), 2R, 2RBi, K, 2 SB (3,4) – 
• Demi Orimoloye, RF – Dunedin Blue Jays – Toronto Blue Jays – – 2-3, HR (2), 3R, 2RBi, SB (8) – 
• Nick Fortes, C – Jupiter Hammerheads – Miami Marlins – – 2-4, HR (2), 2R, 4RBi, K – 
• Dermis Garcia, 1B – Tampa Tarpons – New York Yankees – – 3-3, HR (14), 2 2B, 2R, 2RBi – – Tampa’s 21-year-old cleanup hitter clubbed his fourteenth homer of the season yesterday versus Florida, vaulting him into the Florida State League lead over Fort Myers Lewin Diaz, who suffered his first hitless day since June 1 against Lakeland. Garcia has registered eight hits in his last four games and has posted an even .500 extra-base percentage in 2019 thus far. 

Midwest League: 

• Wenceel Perez, SS – West Michigan Whitecaps – Detroit Tigers – – 3-4, HR (2), R, RBi – 
• James Outman, RF – Great Lakes Loons – Los Angeles Dodgers – – 2-4, HR (4), 2B, 2R, 3RBi – 
• Connor Scott, CF – Clinton Lumberkings – Miami Marlins – – 2-2, R, 3SB (14,15,16) – 
• Blaze Alexander, 2B – Kane County Cougars – Arizona Diamondbacks – – 2-4, 2B, 2RBi, K, SB (6) – 

South Atlantic League: 

• Jacob Gonzalez, 3B – Augusta GreenJackets – San Francisco Giants – – 3-4, HR (3), 2B, R, 2RBi – – The Giants number 19 ranked prospect and son of former MLB great and World Series champion Luis Gonzalez (2001 – Arizona), registered his second three-hit game of the season yesterday, highlighted by his third home run and twelfth double, in what was a five-run eighth inning that led Augusta to a 6-3 victory versus Kannapolis. Gonzalez has also collected 10 hits (10-23; .435) over his last six games. 
• Nathan Eaton, 3B – Lexington Legends – Kansas City Royals – – 3-6, 2RBi, 2K – – Speaking of collecting hits, Eaton, our 2018 UTR OAS choice at second base for the Royals, is riding an eight game hit streak with 15 hits in his last 39 at-bats (.385).
•  Jeremy Fernandez, CF – Rome Braves – Atlanta Braves – – 5-5, 2R, SB (1) – 
• Gilbert Lara, 3B – Hagerstown Suns – Washington Nationals – – 2-4, HR (8), R, 3RBi, K – 
• Devlin Granberg, DH – Greenville Drive – Boston Red Sox – – 2-3, HR (5), 2R, 3RBi, BB – 
• Niko Decolati, DH – Asheville Tourists – Colorado Rockies – – 2-3, RBi, K, SB (1) – 

Dominican Summer League

• I’m sure over the last week of daily posts you’ve noticed that Jim has highlighted the best daily pitching performances from the Dominican Summer League. This isn’t anything new. However, if you’ve followed our daily features from year’s past, you know I’d follow suit, but this season I’ve yet to post anything from the DSL. Mainly because of how I’ve totally changed the method for choosing my “Hitters of the Day.” With that said, with a full week of stats in their books, tomorrow starts my coverage of the DSL. I’ll be very critical of who I place on my list, as I want THE best of the best for the reader’s benefit. Instead of placing just a hot stat line for the day, it’s best for us to place not only a hot line, but a great line from a prospect having a great season on our list. So, look for that beginning tomorrow, and thank you for your patience, as Jim and I try every single day to do what’s best for our readers in working hard for your benefit.