Prospect Roundup: Games of May 7

Mets SS Amed Rosario, Triple-A Las Vegas: 3-for-5, 2 2B -- There was a lot of speculation surrounding the Mets' top prospect after big league shortstop Asdrúbal Cabrera hurt his left thumb Saturday. Cabrera's MRI showed no significant damage, however, and MLB.com's Anthony DiComo reported that Gavin Cecchini would likely join the big club should the veteran require a DL stint. (Rosario himself seemed to put news of a potential call-up to bed with a humourous tweet that he was hanging out at a Waffle House in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Saturday night.) All that out of the way, Rosario was back in impressive form Sunday, breaking a 1-for-14 stretch with a three-hit performance. The 21-year-old is now hitting .377/.425/.500 with 11 extra-base hits and seven stolen bases in 30 games. He seems a lock to see Citi Field at some point this season, barring injury, but the Mets appear less likely to do what the Dodgers and Giants have done with Cody Bellinger and Christian Arroyo, respectively, and bring up their young stud with just a couple weeks of Triple-A experience under his belt.

Phillies 1B Rhys Hoskins, Triple-A Lehigh Valley: 3-for-6, HR, 2B, 4 RBI, R, K in doubleheader -- The Phillies' No. 13 prospect looks more like the real deal with each passing week, and Sunday's twin bill did a lot to help his case. Hoskins went 2-for-3 with a double in the first game and followed by smacking a grand slam in the second. His .663 slugging percentage and 1.087 OPS are highest in the International League, while his eight homers and 15 extra-base hits are both tied for tops. The worries that Hoskins' 38 homers with Double-A Reading were a mirage are well past the 24-year-old first baseman now. With Tommy Joseph looking like a replacement-level player, the first-base job in Philadelphia could be Hoskins' for the taking at some point this summer.

Tigers RHP Beau Burrows, Class A Advanced Lakeland: 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, 83 pitches, 63 strikes -- Burrows' impressive start to 2017 got even better Sunday with his second seven-inning gem in his last four starts. The Tigers' No. 3 prospect leads the Florida State League in ERA (1.16) and strikeouts (40) over 38 2/3 innings. He's benefited from an 88.4 left-on-base percentage that should drop in time -- that's how his 2.40 FIP ranks eighth -- but still, the 20-year-old has done a tremendous job of limiting the damage by not allowing a walk in his last 13 1/3 innings. After Burrows averaged only 6.2 K/9 in 2016, the Tigers also should be encouraged by the way he's missing bats to begin his second full season.
Cardinals LHP Marco Gonzales, Class A Advanced Palm Beach: 6 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, 1 HR, 73 pitches, 52 strikes -- The Cardinals' No. 19 prospect didn't look anything like a pitcher who was making his first professional start since Sept. 6, 2015. Gonzales underwent Tommy John surgery in April 2016 and began his Minor League rehab with a gem Sunday. When healthy, the 25-year-old lefty has a plus changeup headlining a three-pitch mix he can typically control well, as he showed Sunday with 71 percent of his pitches going for strikes. With 37 1/3 innings of Major League experience already on Gonzales' resume, the Cardinals would love to see him back in St. Louis at some point this summer, and Sunday's outing was a promising start.
Nationals SS Carter Kieboom, Class A Hagerstown: 4-for-7, HR, 2 2B, 4 RBI, 3 R, BB, K in doubleheader -- The Nationals' No. 4 prospect keeps rolling in his first full season. Kieboom's homer in the second game of Hagerstown's twin bill with Hickory on Sunday was his first since he went deep three times on April 30, but that's not to say it's been a power drought since. The 19-year-old shortstop owns a .333/.402/.590 line with six homers and nine doubles in 27 games. Those six long balls are tied with three others for second in the South Atlantic League, while his .992 OPS places third. Kieboom isn't expected to be a major power contributor as he climbs the chain, but it's impressive how well he's showing that tool at this stage in his development.