Prospect Roundup: Games of Aug. 1

Theme of the day

Almost no-nos: There were no actual no-hitters in the Minor Leagues on Wednesday, but there were some really close calls. Class A Advanced Florida, led by No. 40 overall prospectIan Anderson, didn't allow a hit for 10 innings before eventually falling, 6-3, to Charlotte. Astros No. 28 prospect Brandon Bailey carried his own no-hit bid into the eighth inning for Class A Advanced Buies Creek. Alec Mills and Rob Zastryznycombined to retire the first 22 Salt Lake batters they faced before losing a perfect-game bid in the eighth. A couple balls fall in different ways -- or in Florida's case, if just one run scored in the standard nine innings -- and we might have had a milestone or two.

Who stayed hot

Dodgers C Connor Wong, Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga: 4-for-4, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 4 R -- The Dodgers' No. 16 prospect matched a career high with four hits and had his third two-homer game of the season in Rancho Cucamonga's 11-5 win over Lake Elsinore. After beginning July with a .233 average, Wong has hit .347/.427/.625 with five homers and five doubles in 20 games since. The 2017 third-rounder is now hitting .260/.345/.471 on the season and ranks eighth in the California League with 16 homers and ninth with a 121 wRC+. The University of Houston product will have to continue the power surge to leapfrog Keibert Ruiz and Will Smith in a crowded Dodgers system for catchers.

Who needed this one

Giants RHP Shaun Anderson, Triple-A Sacramento: 7 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 94 pitches, 59 strikes -- The Giants promoted their No. 4 prospect to the Pacific Coast League last month, and he had mixed results in his first outings, giving up two earned runs over five innings on July 19 and six earned runs in six innings on July 26. He entered this game at Memphis with a 6.55 ERA at Triple-A but saw that drop to 5.00 with his first quality start at the level. The 23-year-old right-hander has three above-average pitches in his fastball, slider and changeup and has solid command, though he has averaged a walk every two innings in the PCL so far. The Giants are hoping the 23-year-old right-hander can join their rotation as a No. 3 or 4 starter in 2019.

The unexpected

Yankees RHP Albert Abreu, GCL Yankees West: 1/3 IP, 8 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 1 HBP -- We try to keep this section positive, but this was too rough to ignore. After missing much of April following an offseason appendectomy, the Yankees' No. 4 prospect eventually opened the season with Class A Advanced Tampa but hit the disabled list again in late June with elbow inflammation. His second rehab start in the Gulf Coast League was not pretty, with Abreu retiring only one batter while giving up seven singles and a double. He was pulled after hitting a batter with a pitch. Four of the singles came on the ground, and another was on a bunt, so this may have been just a tough day at the office for the 22-year-old right-hander, who can reach the high-90s with his fastball and has shown an above-average curveball and changeup. But it's not encouraging either when he's struggling get complex-league batters out. 

Best matchup

Ian Anderson vs. Jesús Sánchez: It's notable whenever two of the game's top 40 prospects cross paths on the diamond. Anderson got Sanchez (MLB.com's No. 32 overall prospect) to ground out to first and back to the mound in their first two matchups and got him to strike out swinging in the eighth, though the Charlotte outfielder reached first after the ball got past the catcher. Despite the fact both have been in the Florida State League all season, this was the first time Anderson and Sanchez matched up in 2018.

Who strengthened their promotion case

Phillies LHP Cole Irvin, Triple-A Lehigh Valley: 7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K, 96 pitches, 61 strikes -- The Phillies' No. 10 prospect rebounded from a six-inning, five-earned-run effort on July 26 to post a seven-inning shutout in the first game of a doubleheader at Buffalo. Though it was of the shortened variety, this was Irvin's first career complete game and shutout since joining the Phillies system as a fifth-round pick out of Oregon in 2016. Few pitchers have been more reliable in the International League this season than Irvin. He leads the circuit with 130 innings pitched and a 1.08 WHIP and ranks third with a 2.77 ERA. All four of his pitches grade out as average, so he doesn't get a ton of swing-and-misses -- though he did fan Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on three pitches Wednesday -- but he has the control to make it work. The Phillies have plenty of Triple-A pitching depth with Enyel De Los Santos and Ranger Suarez receiving recent callups to the Majors. Though Irvin isn't on the 40-man yet, he may still get a chance to help the Phillies chase a playoff spot.

Others of note

Indians 3B Nolan Jones, Class A Lake County: 3-for-4, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R -- This was the No. 2 Indians prospect's first career two-homer game and gives him 16 dingers on the season, tied for most in the Midwest League.
Red Sox 3B Bobby Dalbec, 2-for-2 HR, 3B, RBI, 2 R, BB -- If the No. 6 Red Sox prospect makes contact, it's likely to be loud. Dalbec is now tied for second in the Minors with 26 homers and places fourth with 55 extra-base hits.
Rays LHP Brendan McKay, Class A Advanced Charlotte: 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K, 46 pitches, 34 strikes -- Tampa Bay's No. 3 prospect has struck out nine and allowed just two hits and a walk over seven innings in his first two starts since returning from an oblique strain.