Prospect Roundup: Games of June 10

Theme of the day

You look familiar: Gio Brusa joined Griffin Canning and Ryan Clark as the only players to appear on the 2018 Minor League milestones page twice. The Giants prospect was already there after hitting for the cycle for Class A Advanced San Jose on April 11. On Sunday, he put himself on the sheet again with a three-homer game at Modesto. The theme also extends to No. 2 Padres prospect MacKenzie Gore, who tossed two scoreless innings in his return to Class A Fort Wayne after missing time with a blister.

Who stayed hot

Nationals SS Carter Kieboom, Class A Advanced Potomac: 2-for-5, HR, RBI, R, K, SB -- By going deep Sunday, Kieboom now has four home runs and seven total extra-base hits during a 10-game on-base streak; he had hit just six homers in his previous 46 games. The Nationals No. 3 prospect's 10 home runs on the season are a new career high. The 20-year-old shortstop is hitting .296/.386/.491 through 56 games, similar numbers to what he produced at Class A Hagerstown in 2017. But as importantly, Kieboom has completely recovered from the hamstring injury that limited him to 61 games last year.

Who needed this one

Blue Jays RHP Sean Reid-Foley, Triple-A Buffalo: 7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 K, 93 pitches, 67 strikes -- The Blue Jays' No. 10 prospect was featured in this spot two starts ago for a 10-strikeout effort on May 29. However, he struggled once again on June 3, needing 63 pitches to get through two innings while allowing three runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks. Returning to the mound Sunday, the 22-year-old right-hander tossed his longest and best Triple-A outing. Reid-Foley owns a 6.75 ERA and 1.50 WHIP with 22 strikeouts and five walks over 17 1/3 innings since moving up to Buffalo on May 24. His 1.84 FIP is excellent, and an indication that he's been much better than the more traditional numbers would indicate.

The unexpected

Mets RHP Justin Dunn, Double-A Binghamton: 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 9 K, 98 pitches, 57 strikes -- There was a surprise Sunday when Seth Lugo outpitched Luis Severino in the Mets' 2-0 win over the Yankees. Two levels lower, it was a slight shock when a Mets prospect (Dunn) outdueled a Yankee one (Jonathan Loaisiga) in the former's Double-A debut. More on Dunn's gem for Binghamton in Chris Bumbaca's story here.

Best matchup

Jorge Alcala/Corbin Martin vs. Fernando Tatis Jr.: Tatis has been the Texas League's best hitter since the start of May, but on Sunday, MLB.com's No. 6 overall prospect ran into a two-headed monster in Alcala and Martin -- the No. 7 and 9 Astros prospects -- piggybacking for Double-A Corpus Christi. The Padres' top prospect struck out in all four of his at-bats in San Antonio's 8-2 loss. Alcala struck out five while allowing one hit and one walk over five innings. Martin gave up two earned runs on two hits and struck four in his four frames. Both pitchers began the season at Class A Advanced Buies Creek but have posted ERAs below 3.00 since moving up to the Texas League last month.

Who strengthened their promotion case

Brewers RHP Freddy Peralta, Triple-A Colorado Springs: 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 11 K, 91 pitches, 66 strikes -- Peralta's 11 K's against Sacramento on Sunday were the most he has accrued in a Triple-A start this season. (Of course, the Brewers' No. 9 prospect fanned 13 in his Major League debut in Colorado on May 13.) Since returning from his two-start cameo in the Majors, Peralta owns a 1.69 ERA with 33 strikeouts over four starts (21 1/3 innings). His 79 total strikeouts are the most in the Pacific Coast League this season while his 33.8 percent strikeout rate is also tops among qualifiers. The Brewers lead the NL Central by half a game, but with a collective 4.17 ERA, the starting pitching could be better.. Peralta could be a big internal help in the second half, if he can come close to replicating this Triple-A success over a longer stretch in the Majors.

Others of note

Astros OF Kyle Tucker, Triple-A Fresno: 3-for-4, HR, 2B, RBI, 3 R, BB -- With the wind blowing out to right in Fresno on Sunday, the Grizzlies -- and Tucker -- took advantage. The Astros' top prospect reached four times and finished a triple shy of the cycle in a game that featured 20 combined runs and seven total homers. The 21-year-old outfielder is hitting .277/.355/.481 with nine homers and eight steals in 57 games.
Phillies OF Jhailyn Ortiz, Class A Lakewood: 3-for-5, HR, 2B, RBI, 2 R, SB -- The Phillies' No. 5 prospect entered June 2 with just a .217/.278/.311 line but has gone 15-for-31 (.484) with two homers and three doubles in his eight games since. He's now hitting .277/.327/.416 with four homers in 37 games overall.
Mariners OF Eric Filia, Double-A Arkansas: 4-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB -- The Mariners' No. 11 prospect has been on fire since returning from his 50-game suspension for a second positive test of a drug of abuse. He's opened his first trip to Double-A with a 12-game hitting streak and is hitting .440/.525/.560 with nine walks in the dozen contests. Sunday's performance against Northwest Arkansas was his first four-hit game of the season.