It took four weeks for anyone in a league full of the game's best prospects to do what Braxton Davidson did in two days.The Braves slugger bashed a pair of homers in the second consecutive game as the Javelinas blanked the Scorpions, 6-0, on Wednesday at Peoria Stadium.
It took four weeks for anyone in a league full of the game's best prospects to do what Braxton Davidson did in two days.
The Braves slugger bashed a pair of homers in the second consecutive game as the Javelinas blanked the Scorpions, 6-0, on Wednesday at Peoria Stadium.
Gameday box score
With two on and one out in the opening inning, Davidson jumped on the first pitch from Tyler Viza (Phillies) and deposited it over the center-field fence. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound first baseman got to Viza again in the third, pulling a two-out solo shot to left.
"This is probably like the best baseball I've played in a while," Davidson told MLB.com. "I feel good, man, like I said yesterday, just trying to have quality at-bats, putting swings on balls and swinging at good pitches. I've been seeing the ball well and getting my timing right."
Davidson struck out in the fourth and grounded a single to right in the seventh.
Top Brewers prospectKeston Hiura and second-ranked Mets prospectPeter Alonso entered the day tied for the Arizona Fall League lead with four homers. Davidson, who had just one long ball when the week began, moved ahead of both of them Wednesday.
The 2014 first-rounder also went deep twice Tuesday against Surprise, including a decisive go-ahead, two-run shot in the seventh.
The 22-year-old had a pair of two-homer games and paced Class A Advanced Florida with 20 long balls and 64 RBIs during the regular season. Despite the power production, Davidson batted .171/.281/.365 in his second year at the level and led the Florida State League with 213 strikeouts in 121 games.
The Asheville, North Carolina, native is showing signs of improvement in the AFL, posting a .275/.408/.675 slash line with 11 RBIs -- seven of them in the past two games.
Padres No. 13 prospectBuddy Reed had a pair of hits, including an RBI single in the fifth, scored twice and swiped his fifth bag of the fall. Hiura, MLB.com's No. 30 overall prospect, singled and scored. Rays No. 9 prospectLucius Fox singled, scored and tallied his seventh steal.
Mariners No. 27 prospectAnthony Misiewicz yielded two hits and struck out two over three innings. Braves No. 19 prospectThomas Burrows followed with two one-hit frames, striking out one, and Matt Krook (Rays), Phoenix Sanders (Rays) and Blake Rogers (Padres) kept Scottsdale hitless for three innings.
Second-ranked Reds prospectTaylor Trammell doubled and recorded his third stolen base for Scottsdale. Ronnie Dawson (Astros) had two singles and his eighth steal -- which ranks second-best in the AFL behind Nick Heath (Royals), who has 10 for Surprise. Mets No. 25 prospect Ali Sanchez added a double in three at-bats.
In other AFL action:
Desert Dogs 12, Rafters 6
Orioles No. 12 prospect Ryan McKenna had four hits -- including a two-run homer in the go-ahead, six-run ninth inning in the victory. Sixth-ranked Indians prospect Yu Chang homered, doubled and scored three times and organization mate Connor Marabell doubled three times and drove in three runs for the winners. Martin Cervenka (Orioles) added two doubles and two RBIs for the Desert Dogs. White Sox left-hander Tanner Banks allowed five runs -- two earned -- on eight hits over five frames in the start for Glendale. Second-ranked Nationals prospect Carter Kieboom singled twice, doubled and scored twice for Salt River while Rockies prospects Sam Hilliard (No. 9) and Tyler Nevin (No. 11) drove in three runs apiece. Tenth-ranked Colorado prospect Ryan Castellani allowed a run on five hits while striking out six in five innings for the Rafters. Gameday box score
Solar Sox 4, Saguaros 2
Sixth-ranked Red Sox prospect Bobby Dalbec broke a 2-2 tie with a two-run homer in the ninth inning to lift Mesa to victory. Cubs No. 6 prospect Nico Hoerner doubled, singled and scored once while eighth-ranked Tigers prospect Daz Cameron singled twice and walked for the winners. Cubs righty Erick Leal allowed four hits and three walks while fanning four over four scoreless frames in the start for the Solar Sox. Tigers No. 26 prospect Sandy Baez (1-1) after allowing the tying run in the eighth. Santiago Espinal, the No. .22 Blue Jays prospect acquired from the Red Sox for World Series MVP Steve Pearce, doubled twice, singled and scored both Surprise runs. Ninth-ranked Toronto prospect Cavan Biggio added two hits and a walk, and organization mate Shawn Morimando allowed three hits and two walks while striking out three 3 2/3 shutout innings. Right-hander Joe Barlow (Rangers) allowed a hit and two walks with one whiff in two shutout innings. Gameday box score
