Prospect Roundup: Games of June 25

Nationals OF Andrew Stevenson, Triple-A Syracuse: 3-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, R, K -- The Nationals' No. 5 prospect showed speed last Wednesday when he stole three bases. He showed power Sunday with his first homer of the season and first at the Triple-A level. What's most relieving, though, for both Washington and the 23-year-old center fielder is that he's starting to hit again as Sunday was his third multi-hit performance in his last five games. Stevenson is 12-for-27 (.444) over his last seven contests, pushing his International League average up from .222 to .254 through 50 games. The 2015 second-rounder has the speed to burn up the basepaths, and a steadily improving hit tool could hasten an MLB callup to a club looking to do more than just win a division title in a down National League East.

Red Sox 3B Michael Chavis, Double-A Portland: 2-for-3, HR, 2B, RBI, 2 R -- If anyone thought the jump to Double-A would slow down the No. 10 Red Sox prospect, they were grossly mistaken. Promoted after the Carolina League All-Star break, Chavis homered on the first Eastern League pitch he saw Friday. On Sunday, he added another long ball as well as a double for his second two-hit performance with the Sea Dogs. In three games since making the jump, the 21-year-old, right-handed slugger is 5-for-11 (.455) with two homers, a double, three RBIs and five runs scored. It seemed like it'd be difficult for Chavis to build on his .318/.388/.641 line over 59 games at Class A Advanced Salem, but those numbers are now up to .325/.393/.662 for the season, and his 1.056 OPS ranks fifth among full-season Minor Leaguers. Chavis has started at designated hitter in two of his three Double-A games as the Red Sox balance having him and top prospect Rafael Devers at the Portland hot corner. But there's no doubt they want to get him as many at-bats as possible. 

Twins RHP Fernando Romero, Double-A Chattanooga: 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 6 K, 1 HBP, 100 pitches, 60 strikes -- The Twins' No. 4 prospect's first complete game also proved to be his first shutout in a 6-0 win over Pensacola in the second game of Sunday's doubleheader. Stat columns aside, this was actually the third time in his last four starts that Romero completed seven frames. The 22-year-old right-hander, who throws a 70-grade fastball per MLB.com, has been relatively dominant of late, going 5-0 with a 1.16 ERA and 39 strikeouts over his last six starts (38 2/3 innings). He owns a 2.97 ERA with 76 strikeouts and 30 walks over 78 2/3 innings on the season. Romero has exhibited control issues at times, but the Twins should be enthused by his recent run of durability during his second season fully back from Tommy John surgery. He needs only 11 2/3 innings more this season to match last year's 90 1/3 total frames.
Dodgers OF Yusniel Díaz, Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga: 3-for-5, HR, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R -- The Dodgers' No. 5 prospect is spending his second season in the California League but is starting to hit like somebody ready for a new challenge. Sunday's showing was the second time in three games in which Diaz had three extra-base hits. In 20 games this month, he's hitting .425/.463/.747 with five homers, two triples and nine doubles. No one in the Cal League has posted a June OPS higher than Diaz's 1.210, nor can anyone in the circuit touch his 37 hits, 16 extra-base hits and 65 total bases. (Lancaster's Roberto Ramos is second in the Cal League with 54 total bases in June.) This is still only Diaz's age-20 season, so the fact that it took a repeat of Class A Advanced to make this breakout isn't worrisome, but now that the results are coming fairly consistently, a move to Double-A Tulsa shouldn't be too far away.
Tigers RHP Matt Manning, Class A Short Season Connecticut: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 1 HBP, 85 pitches, 56 strikes -- Two starts in and the Tigers' top prospect has yet to allow a run in the New York-Penn League. Manning followed up his scoreless season opener, in which he fanned nine over 4 1/3 innings, with five more zero-filled frames Sunday. The 2016 first-rounder has now fanned 14 batters while allowing six hits and three walks over 9 1/3 innings with Connecticut. The 19-year-old right-hander has earned plus grades for his fastball and curve, and those can be enough to exhibit dominance over short-season bats. The Tigers were careful to hold him back in his first pro season after high school, but Manning has lived up to the hype once he was able to leave extended spring training.