Prospect Roundup: Games of June 28

Giants OF/1B Chris Shaw, Triple-A Sacramento: 3-for-5, HR, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 K -- The Giants would love their No. 5 prospect to enter the Major League left-field fray, given the revolving door of names at the position this season. (No. 17 prospect Austin Slater has the job now and has held his own with an .870 OPS in 22 games.) Shaw will have to hit a bit more in the Pacific Coast League to make that happen, but Wednesday was a good show of his potential. A first baseman for most of his first three seasons in the Minors, the 2015 first-rounder has only played left at Triple-A. He's got some good power, which he showed Wednesday night, and it's salvaging a .270/.289/.470 line through his first 29 games in the PCL. Shaw needed some time before really taking off at Double-A Richmond, and if he follows that trend with Sacramento, he could get a late-season look in San Francisco should the struggling Giants try to see what they have heading into the offseason.

Astros LHP Framber Valdez, Class A Advanced Buies Creek: 8 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 11 K, 95 pitches, 66 strikes -- The Astros' No. 30 prospect set career highs in strikeouts and innings pitched Wednesday in a 2-1 win over a talented Carolina team. In fact, Lucas Erceg and Jake Gatewood were the only Mudcats not to punch out against the Buies Creek starter. Despite his size at 5-foot-11, Valdez has two plus pitches in his fastball and curve, and those offerings have helped him strike out 28.5 percent of batters, the third-highest K rate among Carolina League pitchers with at least 60 innings pitched. He's also posted a 2.79 ERA in 61 1/3 frames for the Astros' Class A Advanced affiliate. Valdez has already received a spot start with Double-A Corpus Christi and should be a candidate for a longer look in the coming months. The Texas League could be where it's decided whether he can overcome his size and high-effort delivery to stick as a starter long-term. 
Indians SS Willi Castro, Class A Advanced Lynchburg: 3-for-5, HR, 3B, 2B, 4 RBI, 2 R, 2 K -- The Indians' No. 12 prospect missed the cycle in the narrowest way Wednesday and proved to be the difference in the Hillcats' 7-3 win at Salem. Castro has been on a tear of late, going 11-for-24 (.458) with a homer, triple, two doubles and eight RBIs during an ongoing six-game hitting streak. He's also added more power this month. He hit two long balls in April and May but has tripled his season total with four in June. The 20-year-old has the enticing starter kit of a toolsy shortstop with the speed and arm to stick at the position and the bat to provide value as well. It can be tough to be a shortstop in a system that already boasts the franchise cornerstone at the position, but Castro only turned 20 in late April. He's years away from bumping into any logjam with Francisco Lindor -- a problem the Indians would gladly take on should it come to fruition.

Astros RHP Forrest Whitley, Class A Quad Cities: 5 1/3 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 6 K, 88 pitches, 54 strikes -- Wednesday brought Whitley's longest professional outing in terms of innings pitched, and it should leave everyone wondering just how much deeper he could have gone if not for the season-high-tying four walks. That aside, Whitley has allowed just one earned run while striking out 28 and walking 10 in his last four starts (16 2/3 innings). The Astros are being cautious with their 2016 first-round pick, limiting him to no more than 90 pitches, but they're allowing him to take regular turns in the rotation during his first full season. He's posted a 2.91 ERA with 67 strikeouts and 21 walks over 46 1/3 innings. His 34.4 percent strikeout rate ranks third among Midwest League pitchers with at least 40 frames. The hope is that the control issues will be ironed out over time, but Whitley's impressive four-pitch mix has lived up to the hype.
Rays OF Josh Lowe, Class A Bowling Green: 2-for-4, HR, 2B, 4 RBI, R, BB -- Sticking with 2016 first-rounders, it's been a much more difficult introduction to the Midwest League for the Rays' No. 6 prospect. Lowe is hitting just .233/.283/.366 with 19 extra-base hits and 77 strikeouts in 63 games this season. However, there have been reasons for optimism of late. After going deep just three times in his first 60 contests, the 19-year-old outfielder has homered in two of his last three games. He's also cutting down on strikeouts. He's fanned 18 times in 87 plate appearances this month for a 20.7 percent strikeout rate, down from 24 percent in May and an astounding 50 percent in April. The Rays took the Georgia high-schooler with the 13th overall pick because of his speed and arm that have helped him move to center field full-time with Bowling Green. The bat has taken longer to stand out, but at least the trend line is positive.