Prospect Roundup: Games of July 6

Giants RHP Tyler Beede, Triple-A Sacramento: 7 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 101 pitches, 66 strikes; 1-for-3, 2B, K -- The Giants' top prospect needed a start like this, even if three errors from his teammates did him no favors. Beede's ERA rose from 3.30 on May 17 all the way to 5.30 prior to Thursday night's start in Albuquerque. It's now back down to 5.01 following his fourth outing of seven innings or more. Though the Pacific Coast League has not been kind to the 24-year-old right-hander, he has proven to be durable with his 97 innings this season ranking second-highest in the circuit. Despite owning a plus fastball as part of a solid four-pitch mix, Beede hasn't missed many bats this season. He has a 17.3 percent strikeout rate, and PCL hitters taking advantage, hitting .278 off him. Getting more swings and misses will be a big goal in the second half, as the Giants will need to add him to the 40-man roster in November or risk losing him in the Rule 5 Draft.

Astros OF Ramón Laureano, Double-A Corpus Christi: 3-for-4, HR, 2B, RBI, R, K -- In the midst of a down year, the Astros' No. 8 prospect flirted with the cycle and matched a season high with three hits and seven total bases Thursday. Laureano surged onto the scene by hitting .319/.428/.528 with 15 homers and 43 steals between Corpus Christi and Class A Advanced Lancaster last season but hasn't come close to replicating those numbers in 2017. Despite Thursday's showing, he's hitting just .211/.292/.316 with a 22 percent strikeout rate in his return to the Texas League. He's gone 5-for-8 with two homers in last two games and his .261 BABIP is likely to improve given his plus speed, but he remains a long way from Houston.
Mariners RHP Nick Neidert, Class A Advanced Modesto: 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K, 86 pitches, 63 strikes -- Pitchers aren't supposed to look this good in the California League. Thursday marked Neidert's longest scoreless outing of what's been an impressive 2017 season. His 2.86 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 98 strikeouts all rank third in the circuit. Looking at more advanced metrics, his 3.23 FIP and 3.7 percent walk rate are second-best. The Mariners' No. 3 prospect's standout pitch is his changeup, but he has a four-pitch mix that he throws consistently for strikes. Neidert's strikeout rate has gone from 19.4 percent at Class A Clinton in 2016 to 26.2 percent in 2017 -- a huge developmental leap. With Andrew Moore up in Seattle, Neidert is staking his claim as the M's most-rounded Minor League pitcher, which is exciting for a group of arms that didn't seem so promising this spring.
Phillies RHP Adonis Medina, Class A Lakewood: 6 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K, 1 HBP, 77 pitches, 53 strikes -- Class A Lakewood has had one of the Minors' most exciting rotations through the first three months of the season, and Medina has been a key part. The Phillies' No. 14 prospect struck out at least nine batters for the fifth time in 14 starts in a 4-1 win over Delmarva. He now owns a 3.58 ERA with 90 strikeouts in 75 1/3 innings and a 27.1 percent strikeout rate that ranks eighth in the South Atlantic League. The Phillies promoted 21-year-old left-hander Ranger Suárez to Class A Advanced Clearwater earlier this week, and after Thursday's start, Medina could soon be a candidate to join him.
Tigers RHP Matt Manning, Class A Short Season Connecticut: 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 88 pitches, 54 strikes -- A one-inning outing on July 1, in which Manning gave up three earned runs on two hits and two walks, seems very much an aberration. The Tigers' top prospect rebounded nicely Thursday with his longest outing as a pro. Since debuting on June 20, the 19-year-old right-hander hasn't allowed an earned run in three of his four starts, posting a 1.65 ERA with 18 strikeouts and six walks over 16 1/3 innings. The Tigers took a cautious approach by sending last year's No. 9 overall pick to the New York-Penn League rather than full-season ball, but no one doubts that Manning, who has two plus pitches in his fastball and curve, is building a strong foundation for his pro career.