Prospect Roundup: Games of Aug. 14

Cardinals OF Tyler O'Neill, Triple-A Memphis: 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, R, 2 K -- O'Neill was on one heck of a hot streak when he was traded from to the Cardinals last month, hitting five homers in his last five games for Triple-A Tacoma. He has yet to slow down, especially in the power department. Monday's homer gives him long balls in back-to-back games and six in his 20 contests with Memphis. In Joey Gallo-like fashion, he has almost as many homers with the Redbirds as he does singles (eight). The Cardinals' No. 4 prospect is now tied for fourth in the Pacific Coast League with 25 homers this season, 14 of which have come in his last 33 games. On the other hand, O'Neill is hitting just .235 with a .261 on-base percentage for Memphis and has struck out in 31.8 percent of his plate appearances. That inability to hit for anything other than power has made O'Neill little more than a league-average hitter in the PCL, as evidenced by his 101 wRC+. The power remains impressive, though, and will be what gets him added to the 40-man roster this offseason to avoid the Rule 5 Draft. He doesn't turn 23 until next June, so repeating Triple-A to figure out the contact issues is feasible.

Rangers RHP Kyle Cody, Class A Advanced Down East: 6 2/3 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 11 K, 1 HBP, 96 pitches, 63 strikes -- The No. 18 Rangers prospect's second start was one to remember. The 11 strikeouts matched a career high; in fact, it matched the high he had set in his final Class A Hickory start just two outings ago on July 30. The fact he allowed only one hit over 6 2/3 frames only sweetens the deal. Taken in the sixth round last year out of the University of Kentucky, Cody has struck out 118 batters over 107 innings in his first full season, second-most in the Texas organization. His 2.94 ERA also ranks second in the system. As a senior sign, the 6-foot-7 right-hander should be dominating the lower levels, but it's taken some time. He's fanned 35 percent of the batters he's faced since June 17 compared to 19.3 percent before then.
Braves OF Anfernee Seymour, Class A Advanced Florida: 4-for-5, 2 3B, RBI, R, CS -- Much is made of the Braves' depth in pitching prospects, but their center field depth might also be unrivaled. Ronald Acuña Jr. could be the game's most exciting outfield prospect next to Victor Robles and Eloy Jiménez while No. 12 prospect Cristian Pache and 2017 second-rounder Drew Waters give more toolsy options up the middle at the lower levels. Then there's Seymour, ranked 25th in the system with 80-grade speed according to MLB.com. The 22-year-old switch-hitting outfielder showed off that speed Monday with two triples in a season-best four-hit game. Traded from the Marlins last August, Seymour is enjoying his best offensive season with a .282/.343/.363 line in 73 games with Florida. That's a low bar for a player with a .650 career OPS and two homers in four Minor League seasons, but Seymour is trying to show he's more than simply a speedster. A former infielder in the Miami system, he's played all three outfield spots with the Braves.
Padres LHP Logan Allen, Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore: 6 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 6 K, 96 pitches, 59 strikes -- Monday marked Allen's first scoreless start since being promoted to the California League on June 27. The Padres' No. 14 prospect owns a 3.20 ERA with 40 strikeouts and 15 walks over 45 innings with the Storm. Including his time with Class A Fort Wayne, the 20-year-old left-hander has a 2.54 ERA with 125 strikeouts in 113 1/3 innings. It's been a career of fits and starts for the 2015 eighth-rounder, who went to San Diego in the November 2015 deal involving Craig Kimbrel, including some missed time in 2016 with elbow issues. However, the 2017 campaign has been an ascendant one for the southpaw, who is well over triple digits in innings, and his above-average fastball and curveball have proven effective.
Brewers C KJ Harrison, Rookie-level Helena: 5-for-8, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 R in doubleheader -- The Brewers took Harrison in the third round in June after he hit .313/.382/.498 with nine homers in 54 games as a junior at Oregon State, and he showed that his stick has translated to the pro game Monday. He went deep twice in the first game of a twinbill against Orem Monday for his first career two-homer game and went 3-for-3 with two RBIs in the nightcap. The 21-year-old catcher has produced a .362/.445/.553 line with four homers and six doubles in 25 games with Helena. His .999 OPS ranks eighth among Pioneer League batters with at least 100 plate appearances. Questions remain about his ability to stick behind the plate, and only nine of his 24 starts have come at catcher with the rest at designated hitter.