*Top Hitter of the Day*

• Griffin Conine, DH – Lansing Lugnuts – Toronto Blue Jays – – 4-5, 2 HR (5,6), 2B, 3R, 5RBi, K – – Over his first dozen games this season, there may not be a more productive hitter in the minors than Conine. Sixty two percent of his 21 hits have gone for extra-bases, including his fifth and sixth home runs last night against South Bend. Conine opened his night with a two-out double in the top of the first, then scored after catcher Ryan Gold slapped a double of his own to right field giving Lansing a 1-0 lead. South Bend answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning, and added another in the second, but Conine’s single in the third scored second baseman Nick Podkul, knotting the game at two runs a piece. The Cubs nailed Lugnuts starter Troy Miller for three more runs in the bottom of the third, giving South Bend a 5-2. After a scoreless fourth inning, Lansing answered back. Leadoff hitter Reggie Pruitt reached base on a fielding error by shortstop Andy Weber, then took second on a Podkul ground out to first. Conine, the 6’1″- 200 lb. Duke University alum, came to the plate and blasted his fifth home run on the season over the right field wall scoring Pruitt, and closing South Bend’s lead to one. Neither team mustered a run in the sixth, but Lansing’s two-run fifth was just a warmup. Cubs reliever Jeffrey Passantino took over for starter Faustino Carrera, who gave up four earned runs on nine hits with three walks and two strikeouts over four innings, but it may have been a better idea to leave Carrera in. The Lugnuts pulverized Passantino, scoring five more in the seventh starting with Pruitt’s Midwest League leading sixth triple. Podkul followed with a single, scoring Pruitt, then Conine proceeded to blast his second homer of the night and sixth on the season over the center field wall, pulling Lansing into a 7-7 tie. With one out, Gold doubled, then scored off first baseman Hagen Danner‘s ninth home run, giving Lansing a 9-7 lead. Conine struck out swinging in the eighth, Lansing added two more runs, relievers Joey Pulido and Cre Finfrock pitched the remaining five innings, closing out the Cubs; and Lansing walked away with a thrilling 11-7 victory. 

California League: 

• Sean Bouchard, 1B – Lancaster Jethawks – Colorado Rockies – – 2-4, RBi, 3 SB (3,4,5) – 
• Jake Scheiner, LF – Modesto Nuts – Seattle Mariners – – 2-5, HR (2), 2R, 3RBi – – The 23-year-old University of Houston draftee (2017 – 4th round) was sent packing to Seattle when the Mariners traded 12-year major league veteran Jay Bruce to the Philadelphia Phillies ten days ago. Seattle also sent some cash ($18 million), but that’s also what Scheiner has done, cash in, moving from the pitcher-friendly Florida State League (with HiA Clearwater) to the Modesto Nuts of the high-octane California League. The 6’1″- 200 lb. righty singled in the fourth, then clubbed his first Cal League homer, a two-out three run shot in what was a four run fifth for the Nuts. Modesto scored one run in the fourth and tacked on three more runs in the sixth, helping secure a 9-4 win over North Division leading (40-20) Visalia. 
• Devin Mann, 3B – Rancho Cucamonga Quakes – Los Angeles Dodgers – – 1-4, HR (11), R, RBi, BB, K – 
• Jeter Downs, SS – Rancho Cucamonga Quakes – Los Angeles Dodgers –– 2-4, 2R, RBi, BB, K, SB (14) – 
• Donovan Casey, CF – Rancho Cucamonga Quakes – Los Angeles Dodgers –– 1-4, HR (8), R, 2RBi, BB, SB (16) – 
• Orlando Martinez, RF/CF – Inland Empire 66ers – Los Angeles Angels – – 4-6, 3 2B, 2R, RBi – 
• Heliot Ramos, CF – San Jose Giants – San Francisco Giants – – 1-4, HR (8), R, RBi, 3K – 

Carolina League: 

• Tristen Lutz, CF – Carolina Mudcats – Milwaukee Brewers – – 5-8, HR (8), 2B, 3R, 2RBi, 3K – (combined line) –  – Milwaukee’s CBA pick (34th overall) in 2017 out of James W. Martin HS in Arlington, Texas has collected 10 hits over his last six games highlighted by his eighth home run last night against Frederick. The Brewers #4 ranked prospect also has a double in two straight games and has scored twelve runs over his last nine.  
• Mario Feliciano, DH – Carolina Mudcats – Milwaukee Brewers – – 1-2, 2R, RBi, 2BB – Game 1 – 
• Rob Henry, RF – Carolina Mudcats – Milwaukee Brewers – – 2-4, 2B, 5RBi, K – 
• Brewer Hicklen, CF – Wilmington Blue Rocks – Kansas City Royals – – 3-3, 2B, 2 SB (19,20) – – Hicklen’s eight steals over his last 11 games, including two last night versus Lynchburg, have pulled him within one of the Carolina League lead behind Myrtle Beach (Cubs) center fielder and leadoff hitter Zach Davis, who stole his 21st last night against Fayetteville. 

Florida State League: 

• Christopher Bec, C – Dunedin Blue Jays – Toronto Blue Jays – – 3-5, 2B, R, 3RBi, K, SB (13) – 
• Ryan Jeffers, DH – Fort Myers Miracle – Minnesota Twins – – 2-3, 2 HR (7,8), 2R, 4RBi – – Minnesota’s #16 ranked prospect (Pipeline) registered the first two-home run game of his career, and also drove in a career high four runs last night versus Tampa. Jeffers also has three homers in his last two games. 
• Jonathan India, 3B – Daytona Tortugas – Cincinnati Reds – – 3-5, 2R, RBi, K – 
• Stuart Fairchild, CF – Daytona Tortugas – Cincinnati Reds – – 3-5, 2B, R, 2RBi, 2K – 
• Jacob Zanon, CF – St. Lucie Mets – New York Mets – – 2-4, HR (4), 2R, RBi, BB, SB (8) – 

Midwest League: 

• Michael Siani, CF – Dayton Dragons – Cincinnati Reds – – 4-4, R, RBi, SB (20) – – Ten of the Reds #6 overall ranked prospect’s 20 stolen bases this season have come in his last eight games. The fourth rounder (2018) out of William Penn HS (Philadelphia) also has a steal in six straight, which pulls him into second place on the Midwest League steals list behind Lansing’s Reggie Pruitt (28). 
• Jeremy Pena, SS – Quad Cities River Bandits – Houston Astros – – 2-3, R, 2RBi, 2BB – 
• Ryan Gridley, DH/2B – Beloit Snappers – Oakland A’s – – 3-6, 3 2B, R, RBi, SB (6) – 
• Joey Rose, 1B – Kane County Cougars – Arizona Diamondbacks – – 4-5, HR (1), 2B, 2R, 3RBi, K – 
• Eddie Hernandez, 2B – Kane County Cougars – Arizona Diamondbacks –– 4-5, HR (1), 2B, 2R, 4RBi –
• Xavier Edwards, 2B – Fort Wayne TinCaps – San Diego Padres – – 2-5, 2B, R, 2RBi – – Edwards’, the Padres #9 overall prospect, two hits last night, including his ninth double this season, helped him keep his standing as the Midwest League leader in batting with a .348 average. 

South Atlantic League: 

• Luke Miller, 3B – Lakewood BlueClaws – Philadelphia Phillies – – 2-3, HR (2), 2R, 2RBi – 
• Hansel Moreno, CF – Columbia Fireflies – New York Mets – – 3-5, 2 2B, 3R, K – 
• Kole Cottam, C – Greenville Drive – Boston Red Sox – – 2-3, HR (3), 2B, 2R, 2RBi, BB – 

Dominican Summer League: 

• Jose Ramos, RF – DSL Dodgers Bautista – Los Angeles Dodgers – – 2-4, HR (1), 2B, R, 6 RBi, K – 
• Jose Acosta, DH – DSL Reds – Cincinnati Reds – – 3-4, 3B, 2R, RBi, K, SB (3) – 
• Pablo Aliendo, C – DSL Cubs2 – Chicago Cubs – – 3-3, 3B, RBi, BB, SB (1)
• Rafael Morel, SS – DSL Cubs1 – Chicago Cubs –– 2-5, 3B, 2B, R, 2RBi, BB, K –– After going 0-7 in his first two games of the season, the 17-year-old Santiago, Dominican Republic native has rapped off seven straight games with a hit including a four-hit game June 4 versus DSL Indians, and his second two-hit performance yesterday in a 17-6 drubbing over the Pirates1 squad. Morel also led off the ninth inning with his third triple of the year, which ties him for second in the DSL with Indians Angel Martinez and one behind DSL leader Ronier Lascarro of the DSL Rangers1.
• Brayan Mancilla, 1B – DSL Cubs1 – Chicago Cubs –– 3-5, 2 2B, 2R, 5RBi –
• Juan Mora, 2B – DSL Cubs1 – Chicago Cubs –– 3-4, HR (1), 3R, RBi, BB, SB (2) –
• Darwin Baez, C – DSL Pirates1 – Pittsburgh Pirates –– 1-4, HR (2), R, 3RBi –
• Johan Lopez, SS – DSL Rays2 – Tampa Bay Rays – – 2-4, 3B, 2R, 2RBi, SB (7) – – Lopez has stolen base in all but two games this season (June 1 & June 4), as the 5’10”- 165 lb. righty now sits tied for third in steals in the DSL. 
• Gabriel Rodriguez, 3B – DSL Indians – Cleveland Indians – – 3-4, HR (3), 2R, 2RBi – – The Cleveland Indians signed the No. 6 ranked international prospect, and who MLB evaluators said was the best infielder in Venezuela in 2018, for $2.1M; and so far he’s hasn’t disappointed. Rodriguez leads the DSL in RBi (16) and ranks within the DSL top five in total bases (25) and home runs (3).  
• Junior Ortega, CF – DSL Phillies Red – Philadelphia Phillies – – 2-5, HR (2), 3B, 2R, 4RBi – – Six of the Phillies Red cleanup hitter’s nine hits this season have gone for extra-bases, including yesterday’s home run, triple, and four runs batted in that helped lead the Red squad to a commanding 11-4 victory over the DSL Yankees. 
• Alexander Mojica, 3B – DSL Pirates2 – Pittsburgh Pirates – – 1-3, 2B, 3R, 2RBi, 2BB, K, SB (3) – 
• Yoelvis Sanchez, CF – DSL Marlins – Miami Marlins – – 1-3, R, 2RBi, 3 SB (5,6,7) –
• Yoneiry Acevedo, SS – DSL Tigers2 – Detroit Tigers – – 3-5, 2B, 2R, RBi –
• Misael Urbina, CF – DSL Twins – Minnesota Twins – – 3-4, HR (1), 2R, 3RBi, BB, 2 SB (3,4) –