*Top Hitter of the Day* 

• Alek Thomas, RF – Kane County Cougars – Arizona Diamondbacks –
  • – 4-4, HR (6), 3B, 2B, 2R, 2RBi, BB – 
    • – Coming off a night where he posted his first ever five hit game, Thomas, Arizona’s seventh overall ranked prospect, was at it again logging another career first. This time the 5’11”- 175 lb. lefty hit for his first career cycle. The Mount Carmel HS (Chicago) draftee started off with a one-out single in the top of the first, then lined an RBi triple, his sixth of the season, to right field in the third. With Peoria up 4-1 heading into the fifth, Thomas proceeded to line his eighth homer of the year over the left field wall to cut the Peoria lead in half. After a quiet sixth and seventh, Thomas led off the eighth inning with a double to complete the cycle. He moved to third on catcher Jose Herrera‘s follow-up single, then scored his second run of the evening on third baseman Buddy Kennedy‘s ground out to pitcher Parker Kelly. Peoria failed to answer in their half of the eighth, but in the top of the ninth, Thomas earned his second intentional walk of the season, and despite his failing to score, Kane County took the lead, scoring two runs off of Chiefs reliever Eli Krauss, giving the Cougars a come-from-behind 5-4 victory. Thomas has nine hits over his last 10 at-bats and has a hit in 12 out of his last 13 games (23-55; .418) after starting the month of June batting .195 (8-41; June 1 thru June 14).  

California League: 

• Gareth Morgan, CF – Inland Empire 66ers – Los Angeles Angels –
  • – 2-6, HR (12), R, 3RBi, 3K –
    • – Morgan has been Inland Empire’s hottest hitter’s as of late, going 8-20 (.400), clubbing four home runs, scoring five and driving in nine over his last four games.
• Orlando Martinez, LF – Inland Empire 66ers – Los Angeles Angels –
  • – 2-3, 3R, RBi, 2BB –
• Luis Castro, DH – Lancaster Jethawks – Colorado Rockies –
  • – 3-3, HR (19), R, 2RBi, BB –
    • – Lancaster’s  6’1″- 185 lb. three-hole hitter heads into Independence Day games leading the California League in homers, runs scored (70), RBi (64), walks (51) and total bases (157). Castro also leads the league in every slash line category except batting. That distinction belongs to a fellow “Luis”, San Diego Padres fourteenth ranked overall prospect and Lake Elsinore catcher Luis Campusano.
• Cal Raleigh, C – Modesto Nuts – Seattle Mariners –
  • – 2-4, HR (14), R, RBi, K –

Carolina League: 

• Nolan Jones, 3B – Lynchburg Hillcats – Cleveland Indians –
  • – 2-5, HR (7), 2R, 3RBi, K – 
• Oscar Gonzalez, DH – Lynchburg Hillcats – Cleveland Indians –
  • – 2-4, HR (6), R, 2RBi – (Game 1) 
    • – In spite of only six home runs and a near 7:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio (54:8), the 21-year-old unranked Indians prospect maintains his stranglehold of the Carolina League total bases lead (143) due mostly to his league leading 101 hits and .329 batting average. 
• Jomar Reyes, DH – Frederick Keys – Baltimore Orioles –
  • – 3-4, HR (5), R, 4RBi – 
• Mario Feliciano, DH – Carolina Mudcats – Milwaukee Brewers –
  • – 3-4, 2B, RBi – 
    • – Despite Feliciano’s slow down from the lightning rod he was swinging in late-May, early-June where he batted .450 with five home runs, 13 runs scored and 10 RBi between May 27 and June 7, the 20 year old graduate of the Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy (2016) has done enough this season to mark himself as one of (if not the) top catching prospect(s) in the Milwaukee system. 

Florida State League: 

• Lazaro Alonso, 1B – Jupiter Hammerheads – Miami Marlins –
  • – 2-4, HR (7), 2B, R, 4RBi, K –
• Drew Lugbauer, 1B – Florida Fire Frogs – Atlanta Braves –
  • – 2-4, HR (8), 2B, 2R, 5RBi –
• Cullen Large, DH – Dunedin Blue Jays – Toronto Blue Jays –
  • – 4-6, 2B, 2R, 3RBi –
• Cal Stevenson, CF – Dunedin Blue Jays – Toronto Blue Jays –
  • – 3-5, 2B, 2R, RBi, BB – 
    • – With two more runs scored in Dunedin’s extra-inning 12-11 slugfest victory over the Firefrogs, Stevenson now leads the FSL in runs scored (47). 

Midwest League: 

• Christopher Morel, 3B – South Bend Cubs – Chicago Cubs –
  • – 3-4, HR (5), 2B, 2R, 2RBi – 

South Atlantic League: 

• Greg Cullen, 2B – Rome Braves – Atlanta Braves –
  • – 4-5, 2B, 4R, 2RBi, BB, K –
• Braden Shewmake, DH – Rome Braves – Atlanta Braves –
  • – 3-5, 2B, 2R, 2RBi, BB –
• Justin Dean, CF – Rome Braves – Atlanta Braves –
  • – 2-3, 3R, 2BB, SB (22) –
• Johan Cruz, 3B – Kannapolis Intimidators – Chicago White Sox –
  • – 3-4, HR (4), 2R, 3RBi, BB –
• Corey Zangari, 1B – Kannapolis Intimidators – Chicago White Sox –
  • – 2-3, HR (8), R, 3RBi, 2BB, K –
• LeeMarcus Boyd, 3B – Asheville Tourists – Colorado Rockies –
  • – 2-4, HR (1/1), 2B, R, 5RBi –
• Ronny Mauricio, SS – Columbia Fireflies – New York Mets –
  • – 2-4, HR (3), 3R, RBi, BB –
    • – The Mets second overall ranked prospect sits third in the South Atlantic League in hits (87) and only twice this season the 6’3″- 165 lb. Dominican Republic native has gone hitless for more than a one game stretch at a time. The 18-year-old leadoff hitter went hitless April 15 and April 16 versus Rome, then for three games, April 28 thru May 2. Mauricio is currently riding a seven-game hit streak and has registered a hit in 25 out of his last 30 games.

New York – Penn League:

• David Vinsky, CF – State College Spikes – St. Louis Cardinals –
  • – 3-5, HR (1), 2B, R, 3RBi, 2K –
• Joe Genord, 1B – Brooklyn Cyclones – New York Mets –
  • – 3-5, HR (5), 2B, 2R, 3RBi, K –
• Yoel Romero, 3B – Brooklyn Cyclones – New York Mets –
  • – 3-4, HR (1), 2R, 2RBi –
• Hill Alexander, RF – Hudson Valley Renegades – Tampa Bay Rays –
  • – 1-3, 2B, 2R, RBi, BB, K, SB (3) –
• Zach Watson, CF – Aberdeen IronBirds – Baltimore Orioles –
  • – 2-4, HR (1), 2B, 2R, RBi, K –

Northwest League: 

• Kristian Robinson, RF – Hillsboro Hops – Arizona Diamonsbacks –
  • – 2-4, HR (2), 2B, 2R, 3RBi, BB, 2K, SB (5) – 
• Tyler Flores, 1B – Salem-Keizer Volcanoes – San Francisco Giants –
  • – 1-4, HR (5), 2R, 3RBi, BB, K – 
• Michael Toglia, 1B – Boise Hawks – Colorado Rockies –
  • – 3-5, 2B, 2R, 4RBi, K – 

Appalachian League: 

• Aaron Shakelford, 3B – Bristol Pirates – Pittsburgh Pirates –
  • – 2-4, HR (1), 2B, 2R, 2RBi, BB, K –
• Gustavo Campero, C – Pulaski Yankees – New York Yankees –
  • – 2-4, 2B, 2R, RBi, 2 SB (1,2) –
• Joseph Reyes, 3B – Bluefield Blue Jays – Toronto Blue Jays –
  • – 3-4, HR (3), 2R, 4RBi, BB –

Pioneer League: 

• Tre Todd, C – Ogden Raptors – Los Angeles Dodgers –
  • – 2-4, 2B, 2R, 4RBi – 
• Anthony Pinero, SS – Rocky Mountain Vibes – Milwaukee Brewers –
  • – 3-5, R, 2RBi – 
• Quin Cotton, CF – Billings Mustangs – Cincinnati Reds –
  • – 4-5, R, BB, SB (2) – 
• Luis Curbelo, 3B – Great Falls Voyagers – Chicago White Sox –
  • – 2-4, HR (2), R, BB, K – 

Arizona League: 

• Cam Devanney, SS – AZL Brewers Blue – Milwaukee Brewers –
  • – 2-4, HR (1), 2R, RBi, BB, SB (10) – 
• Julian Escobedo, RF – AZL Indians Blue – Clevelend Indians –
  • – 1-1, R, 4BB, 2 SB (4,5) – 
• Andrew Vaughn, DH – AZL White Sox – Chicago White Sox –
  • – 3-6, R, 3RBi, K – 
• Connor Cannon, 1B – AZL Giants Orange – San Francisco Giants –
  • – 2-5, 2 HR (4,5), 2R, 5RBi – 
    • – As much hype as 17-year-old leadoff hitter Marco Luciano is receiving, he’s not the only basher on the Giants Orange squad. The Giants selected Cannon in the 17th round of the 2019 draft out of UC Riverside. He came to the San Francisco system with 80-grade power on the 20-80 scouting scale, and he put it on full  display, clubbing his fourth and fifth homers of the season in the Giants Orange 14-11 win over the White Sox. The 6’5″- 240 lb. righty sent his first of the night over the left field wall, scoring second baseman Edison Mora and third baseman Luis Toribio in what was a three-run seventh. Cannon came up again in what was a wild eight-run eighth inning for the Orange, and with two-outs and Toribio on base again after his third single of the night, Cannon capped his stat line by sending his second homer of the night over the left field wall. 
• Ethan Skender, 3B – AZL Padres 2 – San Diego Padres –
  • – 2-5, HR (3), R, 3RBi, K – 
• Jimmy Govern, 3B – AZL Royals – Kansas City Royals –
  • – 3-4, HR (1), 2B, R, 2RBi, K – 
• Tyler Fitzgerald, SS – AZL Giants Black – San Francisco Giants –
  • – 2-5, HR (1), 2B, 2R, 2RBi – 
• Yordi Francisco, RF – AZL Padres 1 – San Diego Padres –
  • – 3-5, HR (3), 2B, 2R, 2RBi, BB – 

Gulf Coast League: 

• Francisco Alvarez, DH – GCL Mets – New York Mets –
  • – 3-4, 2B, 2RBi, K – 
• Endy Rodriguez, C – GCL Mets – New York Mets –
  • – 2-2, 2B, 2RBi, 2BB, 2 SB (1,2) – 
• Mason Doolittle, C – GCL Nationals – Washington Nationals –
  • – 2-3, 2 2B, R, RBi, BB – 
• Dominic D’Alessandro, 1B – GCL Red Sox – Boston Red Sox –
  • – 3-5, HR (1), R, 2RBi, 2K – 
• Omar Lebron, 1B – GCL Marlins – Miami Marlins –
  • – 2-3, 2B, R, 3RBi, 2BB, K – 

Dominican Summer League: 

• Juan Guerrero, DH – DSL Rockies – Colorado Rockies –
  • – 2-3, 2B, R, RBi, BB, SB (1) – 
• Dariel Lopez, SS – DSL Pirates2 – Pittsburgh Pirates –
  • – 2-5, 2 HR (1,2), 3R, 4RBi, K – 
• Eduar Ramirez, DH – DSL Pirates2 – Pittsburgh Pirates –
  • – 1-2, 2B, 3R, RBi, 2BB – 
• Adrian Montero, 2B – DSL Blue Jays – Toronto Blue Jays –
  • – 4-4, 2B, 2R. 2 SB (9,10) – 
• Juan Pizarro, RF – DSL Blue Jays – Toronto Blue Jays –
  • – 3-3, 3R, BB, 4 SB (5,6,7,8) – 
• Nelfy Abreu, RF – DSL Red Sox1 – Boston Red Sox –
  • – 5-5, 3B, 2B, 3R, 2RBi, SB (8) – 
• Johan Lopez, SS – DSL Rays2 – Tampa Bay Rays –
  • – 2-5, 2R, 2RBi, BB, K, SB (22) – 
• Jonatan Clase, CF – DSL Mariners – Seattle Mariners –
  • – 3-5, 2B, 3R, K – 
• Luis Matos, CF – DSL Giants – San Francisco Giants –
  • – 4-7, R, 4RBi, K, SB (7) – 
• Adolfo Valdez, LF – DSL Giants – San Francisco Giants –
  • – 2-5, HR (3), 3B, 2R, 3RBi, BB, 2K – 
• Jose Peralta, 3B – DSL Giants – San Francisco Giants –
  • – 3-6, 2B, 3R, RBi, K – 
• Jandel Paulino, RF – DSL Marlins – Miami Marlins –
  • – 1-3, HR (2), 3R, RBi, 2BB, K – 
• Miguel Palma, C – DSL Astros – Houston Astros –
  • – 2-3, HR (3), R, 5RBi, SB (4) – 
• Kevin Infante, CF – DSL Orioles2 – Baltimore Orioles –
  • – 3-5, 2B, 2R, RBi, K, 2 SB (6,7) – 
• Oscar Olivares, 1B – DSL Orioles2 – Baltimore Orioles –
  • – 2-4, HR (4), R, 3RBi, BB, K – 
• Jose Acosta, 3B – DSL Reds – Cincinnati Reds –
  • – 1-3, HR (1), 2R, 2RBi, BB, K – 
• Skeiling Rodrigiez, RF – DSL Indians – Cleveland Indians –
  • – 3-4, 3B, 2B, R, RBi, K – 
• Frank Herrera, 1B – DSL Royals2 – Kansas City Royals –
  • – 4-4, R – 
•  – For my last entry of the DSL portion of the daily feature, I’m not even going to try to justify listing individual hitters from yesterday’s DSL Yankees/DSL Twins matchup. In all my years of prospect reporting, I have never seen anything like this. And I’ll go on the record and state that Jim probably won’t be listing any pitchers from the DSL Twins squad. You have to see this for yourself. It’s unbelievable…..

****Note for the July 4 games. I will be traveling out of town early this afternoon and will be away from internet until tomorrow evening. I will return to report on all the games from July 5 schedule. Please, have a safe July 4th holiday and while you may enjoy the many firework displays, keep your pet friends safe.****