Bryce who?One day after news broke that the All-Star was headed to the Phillies, Victor Robles showed why the future of the Nationals outfield might still be quite bright.MLB.com's No. 4 overall prospect homered, doubled and scored twice on Friday to lead the Nats to a 5-4 Grapefruit League win over
Bryce who?
One day after news broke that the All-Star was headed to the Phillies, Victor Robles showed why the future of the Nationals outfield might still be quite bright.
MLB.com's No. 4 overall prospect homered, doubled and scored twice on Friday to lead the Nats to a 5-4 Grapefruit League win over the Marlins at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.
Batting ninth and getting the start at designated hitter, Robles doubled to left field to open the fifth inning. Four batters later, he came around to score on a single by Howie Kendrick. In the sixth, he went deep to left off right-hander Héctor Noesi, a solo shot that gave the Nats a 5-0 advantage. The knocks were Robles' first extra-base hits of the spring.
The 2-for-3 day boosted Robles' batting average to .273 (3-for-11) in four Grapefruit League games.
The 21-year-old outfielder is competing for a Major League spot alongside Juan Soto and Adam Eaton now that Harper is out of the picture. Robles hit .278/.356/.386 with two homers and 14 stolen bases with Triple-A Syracuse last season but was limited to 40 games after suffering an elbow injury in April. He joined the big league squad when rosters expanded in September and batted .288/.348/.525 with three homers in 21 games.
Nationals No. 19 prospect Tanner Rainey allowed two runs -- one earned -- on two hits and a walk in one inning of relief.
Seventh-ranked Marlins prospect Isan Díaz went 1-for-2 with two RBIs and a stolen base, while No. 20 Riley Ferrell gave up one hit in 1 1/3 innings.
Phillies 7, Pirates (ss) 3
Phillies No. 3 prospect Adam Haseley went 2-for-3 with a homer and four RBIs to bring more good news involving Philadelphia outfielders. Sticking to the theme, ninth-ranked Mickey Moniak tripled and scored as the Phils starting center fielder. Pirates No. 2 prospect Ke'Bryan Hayes went 1-for-2 with a double as a late-game replacement at third base, while 15th-ranked Will Craig walked and scored a run and No. 17 Lolo Sanchez singled in his lone at-bat. Box score
Mets 7, Tigers 1
Mets No. 2 prospect Andrés Giménez went 1-for-5 with an RBI in a victory over the Tigers at Lakeland, Florida. Twentieth-ranked Gavin Cecchini drew a pair of walks and scored twice and No. 25 Eric Hanhold allowed a hit in a scoreless eighth inning. For Detroit, catcher Jake Rogers -- the club's No. 13 prospect -- singled in his lone at-bat. Eighth-ranked Christin Stewart went 0-for-3 but is batting .417 in Grapefruit League play. Box score
Rays 10, Orioles 5
Richie Martin and DJ Stewart each had two hits and Hunter Harvey threw a scoreless inning as the Orioles fell to the Rays in Sarasota, Florida. Martin, a shortstop ranked 15th in the O's system, was 2-for-3 with a double, a stolen base, an RBI and a run scored, while Stewart -- ranked 16th -- went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and two runs scored. Harvey, a 2013 first-round pick who's battled numerous injuries, struck out two in the fifth. The Orioles' No. 12 prospect walked one, lowering his spring ERA to 9.00. Fellow righty and 19th-ranked Luis Ortiz worked the final two frames and surrendered four runs on five hits while striking out three. Box score
Twins 4, Red Sox 3
Twins No. 22 prospect LaMonte Wade Jr went 2-for-2 with a go-ahead two-run single as Minnesota edged the reigning World Series champions in Fort Myers, Florida. Wade, who took over in center field as the No. 9 hitter, doubled in his first at-bat before lining a base hit to right in the bottom of the eighth inning to plate Aaron Whitefield and Jordany Valdespin. No. 22 Red Sox prospect Bobby Poyner allowed one run on two hits over two innings. Box score
Braves 4, Blue Jays (ss) 3
In a battle of the last two top overall prospects, Ronald Acuña Jr. and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., it was the former's Braves who came out on top, although the pair went hitless. After going 1-for-3 in his first two Spring Training games, Guerrero struck out twice in three at-bats for Toronto. Blue Jays No. 2 prospect Bo Bichette walked in his only plate appearance, while third-ranked Danny Jansen singled and No. 10 Cavan Biggio doubled. Ninth-ranked Sean Reid-Foley allowed two run on two hits and two walks in three innings in his second Spring Training start. Patrick Murphy (No. 20) allowed the tying run to score on a double play in the fifth, yielding a run on three hits and two walks with one strikeouts in two frames. Hector Perez (No. 17) threw a walk-off wild pitch after yielding two hits with a punchout in 1 1/3 innings. Braves No. 4 prospect Cristian Pache went 0-for-2, but eighth-ranked Drew Waters knocked a double. No. 7 Bryse Wilson started for Atlanta but was tagged for two runs on four hits with one strikeout while recording two outs. Thomas Burrows (No. 18) worked around a walk with a strikeout in a hitless seventh. Box score
Cubs 10, D-backs 2
Cubs No. 20 prospect Trent Giambrone went 2-for-2 with an RBI double to raise his spring average to .462. That damage did not occur against D-backs No. 3 prospect Taylor Widener, who delivered two innings of scoreless relief. The right-hander allowed one hit, walked a pair and struck out one. D-backs No. 4 prospect Daulton Varsho laced two doubles and is batting .600/.667/1.600 this spring. His second two-bagger plated top prospect Jazz Chisholm, who singled two batters earlier and went 1-for-2. Box score
Mariners 7, Brewers 3
Top Mariners prospect Justus Sheffield struck out two over two scoreless innings, yielding one hit. He was relieved by 24th-ranked Nick Rumbelow, who allowed a hit and struck out one in a shutout frame. Brewers No. 30 prospect Trent Grisham made his lone at-bat count, hitting a solo homer to right-center in the eighth No. 29 prospect Tyrone Taylor went 1-for-2. Adrian Houser, Milwaukee's 15th-ranked prospect, struck out two and walked two in 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, while No. 26 Bobby Wahl allowed a run and walked a batter in recording two outs. Box score
A's 6, Rockies 3
Garrett Hampson bashed his second Cactus League homer as part of a two-hit, two-RBI performance. The Rockies' speedy third-ranked prospect made his big league debut last season and finished the Minor League season with 10 homers, 36 stolen bases and a .311 batting average. Top Rockies prospect Brendan Rodgers, who played third base, had a hit in two at-bats to boost his spring average to .231. Rockies No. 7 prospect Tyler Nevin singled in the seventh in his lone at-bat. Box score
White Sox 8, Rangers 5
Fourth-ranked White Sox prospect Luis Robert turned the game around after entering in the sixth inning, cutting the deficit to one with a seventh-inning RBI triple before bashing a go-ahead three-run homer in the ninth. MLB.com's No. 40 overall prospect plated Danny Mendick in the sixth before depositing the dagger well beyond the left field fence in the ninth. No. 12 prospect Zack Collins piled on with an RBI single to right to complete the four-run ninth for the White Sox. No. 2 overall prospect Eloy Jiménez doubled down the left-field line in the opening inning for his second hit of the spring. Fifth-ranked Nick Madrigal singled and committed an error at second base. Rangers No. 6 prospect Leody Taveras contributed an RBI single in a three-run sixth, while 26th-ranked Yohander Méndez tossed a pair of one-hit innings, striking out two. Box Score
Angels 10, Royals 7
The Angels totaled 16 hits, led by third-ranked prospect Brandon Marsh, who went 2-for-2 with a run scored. Eighth-ranked Matt Thaiss homered and No. 21 prospect Jared Walsh smacked a two-run double and walked. Top Angels prospect Jo Adell, No. 4 Jahmai Jones and seventh-ranked Luis Rengifo each added one hit. No. 22 prospect Luis Madero allowed three hits and one walk while fanning two in two scoreless innings and 29th-ranked Williams Jerez walked one and struck out two in the ninth to earn the save. Eighth-ranked Royals prospect Nicky Lopez went 1-for-3 and No. 28 Sebastian Rivero singled and walked in two plate appearances. No. 21 prospect Josh Staumont allowed one run on three hits and a walk with two strikeouts over 1 1/3 innings, while 27th-ranked Arnaldo Hernandez was reached for a run on three hits while fanning two in two frames. Box score
Cardinals 4, Astros 4
Astros No. 5 prospect Corbin Martin allowed one run -- a solo homer by Tyler O'Neill -- and held the Cardinals to two hits and a walk during over 2 1/3 innings out of the bullpen. The No. 62 overall prospect did not record a punchout but lowered his spring ERA to 3.86. Eleventh-ranked Framber Valdez didn't fare as well, surrendering two runs on three hits and a pair of walks while recording four outs. No. 16 prospect Myles Straw stroked a pair of singles for Houston. Fourth-ranked Cardinals prospect Ryan Helsley worked around a walk but otherwise had a clean slate during an inning of relief, while 18th-ranked Connor Jones worked around a hit and a walk in a scoreless frame. Box score
Orioles (ss) 2, Yankees 2
Yankees No. 2 prospect Jonathan Loaisiga gave up a run over 2 2/3 innings in his second spring appearance. The only hit against the right-hander was a leadoff homer by Orioles No. 4 prospect Austin Hays in the sixth. Loaisiga issued a walk and recorded one strikeout. The Yanks tied it in the ninth on a two-run single by Rashad Crawford. Box score
Padres 5, Dodgers (ss) 4
Third-ranked prospect Luis Urías had the bat going for San Diego, notching three singles in as many at-bats to raise his Cactus League average to .308. Ty France provided the thunder with his second spring homer and a double. No. 19 prospect Jacob Nix got the start for the Padres and allowed one run on one hit and two walks with three strikeouts over 2 2/3 innings. Dodgers No. 5 prospect Tony Gonsolin yielded one hit and fanned one while tossing two innings of scoreless relief. Errol Robinson tripled, doubled, drove in one run and scored another for the Dodgers. Box score
Indians 8, Dodgers (ss) 4
No. 11 Indians prospect Yu Chang kept up his strong start to the spring with a solo dinger in the fourth inning. With the solo blast, he lifted his OPS to 1.000. No. 29 prospect Eric Haase entered in the sixth and laced a single to left an inning later. Second-ranked Dodgers prospect Keibert Ruiz collected a single, two RBIs and a run scored, while No. 4 Gavin Lux tripled in a run in the second and top-ranked Alex Verdugo chipped in a base knock. No. 30 Matt Beaty added a double and 11th-ranked DJ Peters singled in two at-bats. On the mound, No. 7 prospect Dennis Santana allowed a solo homer and a walk while whiffing four in two innings. Box score
Giants 5, Reds 3
With the score knotted in the eighth inning, Giants No. 11 prospect Chris Shaw broke through with a two-run homer to right field. No. 28 prospect Ryan Howard led off the San Francisco sixth with a double to raise his Cactus League average to .286 through four games. Tyler Beede (No. 24) gave up a run on two hits with four punchouts in two innings. Top Reds prospect Nick Senzel, sixth-ranked Tyler Stephenson and No. 13 TJ Friedl each contributed a single. Box score
