Prospect Roundup: Games of June 26

Theme of the day

Wait, that can happen? The New Hampshire Fisher Cats have been in the news plenty this season, but there was still one thing the club hadn't accomplished in 2018 or any other year in its history -- a cycle. No. 28 Blue Jays prospectJonathan Davis changed all that when he turned the four-hit trick against Portland. The night got stranger (and more interesting) when the Texas League All-Star Game had to be decided by a home run contest. Corpus Christi slugger Taylor Jones bested Springfield's Victor Roache in the swing-off and earned BUSH'S® All-Star MVP honors, which was fitting because he literally won the game for the South Division.

Who stayed hot

Angels OF Jo Adell, Class A Advanced Inland Empire: 2-for-4, HR, 3B, RBI, 2 R -- No matter the level, the Angels' top prospect has been one of the most reliably fantastic hitters in the Minors this season. Adell has hits in eight straight games and is 18-for-36 with three homers, a triple and two doubles over that span. He's now hitting .331/.364/.647 with 10 homers in 31 games since joining Inland Empire on May 22, and his 1.011 OPS between there and Class A Burlington ranks seventh among qualified full-season Minor Leaguers. Taken 10th overall in last year's Draft, Adell has wasted no time in leading the revolution taking place in the Halos system.

Who needed this one

Rangers OF Julio Pablo Martinez, Class A Short Season Spokane -- There was a lot of excitement for MLB.com's No. 61 overall prospect, who signed for $2.8 million back in March, to make his stateside debut in the Northwest League, but he got off to a slow start. The 22-year-old Cuban outfielder went 4-for-32 (.125) with 10 strikeouts and nine walks in his first nine games with Spokane. Last night he hit his first homer on American soil and collected multiple hits for just the second time. The left-handed slugger's value stems from his speed, as shown by his three steals with Spokane, and he has displayed patience at the plate even while struggling to make hard contact. Tuesday could mark a turning point for a prospect the Rangers hoped could move quickly after his pro experience back home and in the Can-Am League.

The unexpected

Braves RHP Kyle Wright, Double-A Mississippi: 5 2/3 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 13 K, 102 pitches, 63 strikes -- It's always possible that a pitcher with above-average grades for all four of his pitches could put up a crooked number with strikeouts. But this was quite the jump for the game's No. 27 overall prospect, whose previous career high for strikeouts was eight. More on this outing from MiLB.com's Marisa Ingemi here.

Best matchup

Griffin Canning vs. Sócrates Brito: The Angels have pushed their No. 5 prospect up to Triple-A Salt Lake in his first full season, where he faced Brito, who is hitting .352 with a .966 OPS, and a Reno lineup that truly humbled him for the first time in 2018. Brito doubled to open up a four-run second inning against Canning before popping out to third base in the third. The Bees starter ultimately allowed a season-high seven earned runs on seven hits and two walks over 3 2/3 innings in his side's 13-2 loss in Reno. Brito finished the night 2-for-4 with the double, a walk and two runs scored. Perhaps luckily for Canning, Salt Lake and Reno don't see each other again until mid-August.

Who strengthened their promotion case

Braves LHP Kolby Allard, Triple-A Gwinnett: 5 2/3 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 97 pitches, 65 strikes -- This may not seem like a sparking pitching line, and indeed, it did break up a string of 10 straight quality starts for the Braves' No. 6 prospect. However, the eight strikeouts tied a season high and marked the second consecutive outing in which Allard reached that total. That's significant because as good as Allard has been this season (2.60 ERA, 1.14 WHIP), he hadn't missed many bats, as his 67 strikeouts in 86 2/3 innings indicate. Allard's solid outing aligned with Major League starter Aníbal Sánchez leaving his start early Tuesday due to a cramp in his right calf. The veteran hurler told reporters he doesn't expect to miss a start, but if he does end up requiring DL time, Allard could slide into his rotation spot without missing a beat.