Trammell delivers in Padres' setback

Taylor Trammell knows how to take a compliment.
Prior to Wednesday's Cactus League game in Peoria, first-year Padres manager Jayce Tingler sang the praises of the club's fifth-ranked prospect. Trammell responded with a pair of run-scoring hits, accounting for three RBIs, and two runs scored in a 9-7 loss to the Royals.

MLB.com's No. 57 overall prospect has eight hits, including three doubles, in 20 at-bats this spring. He lined an RBI single to right field and scored on a double by Tommy Pham in the second inning. The 22-year-old outfielder added an opposite-field double against sidearming lefty Tim Hill that plated two more runs in the sixth.
Trammell was acquired from the Reds in a three-team Trade Deadline deal that sent Trevor Bauer to Cincinnati and Yasiel Puig to the Indians. He leveled out last season between the Southern and Texas leagues, batting .234/.340/.349 in 126 Double-A games. But he helped Amarillo capture the Texas League championship by hitting .310 with three homers and 11 RBIs in 10 playoff contests.

Manager Jayce Tingler remarked this morning how impressed he was by Taylor Trammell's at-bats, defense and overall "baseball IQ." Trammell just roped his second RBI-hit of the day -- this one a two-run double. He's 8-for-19 this spring.

— Katie Woo (@katiejwoo) March 4, 2020

The Royals put together a six-run opening frame at the expense of Padres No. 6 prospect Adrian Morejon, who recorded one out and yielded six runs on five hits and a walk. No. 27 overall prospect Luis Patiño was uneven in his spring debut. The club's No. 3 prospect yielded three runs on three hits and a walk with a pair of strikeouts in the sixth, while seventh-ranked Michel Baez struck out one and worked around a hit and a walk in two scoreless innings.
A number of top prospects contributed in the Royals' big first inning. No. 7 Kyle Isbel rolled an RBI double to left and scored on a base hit by 21st-ranked Kelvin Gutierrez. No. 26 Nick Heath followed with his first of two singles to plate Gutierrez.
Orioles 5, Marlins (ss) 3
As Monte Harrison gets playing time in right field, he's grabbing attention at the plate. The Marlins' No. 9 prospect stopped a 1-for-9 skid with two hits, a stolen base and two runs scored. While Miami signed Matt Joyce in the offseason, manager Don Mattingly said right field is "kind of open," with Harrison getting five starts there this spring and three starts in left and center. In the third, Harrison slapped his first Grapefruit League double, swiped third and scored on a sacrifice fly by Brian Anderson. Two innings later, the 24-year-old singled and scored on Jonathan Villar's homer. Harrison struck out in the seventh before being lifted in the eighth. Marlins No. 28 prospect Sterling Sharp struck out Dwight Smith Jr in a perfect sixth. For the Orioles, No. 5 prospect Austin Hays worked a pair of walks and scored a run. Box Score
Mets 4, Cardinals 1
Nolan Gorman hit his first spring homer in the eighth inning at Clover Park. The Cards' No. 2 prospect replaced Matt Carpenter at third base and slugged a two-out shot to center off reliever Stephen Nogosek. The 19-year-old is batting .304 with four RBIs this spring. Junior Fernandez, the Cardinals' No. 9 prospect, struck out two in the eighth and has yet to allow a run in four appearances this spring. The 22-year-old righty has eight strikeouts without issuing a walk in four innings. Box score

TO: @Mets fan in right field
FROM: Nolan Gorman pic.twitter.com/OijsvyRV5g

— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) March 4, 2020

Marlins (ss) 2, Astros 1
Third-ranked Miami prospect Jesús Sánchez went 1-for-3 with a triple at FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. Sanchez, a 22-year-old from the Dominican Republic, started in right for the Marlins' split-squad team and extended his Grapefruit League hitting streak to four games when tripled to center off Zack Greinke in the second inning. He has five hits in his last nine at-bats. Garrett Stubbs, the Astros' No. 14 prospect, contributed a pinch single. Box score
Phillies 9, Pirates (ss) 7
Pirates No. 18 prospect Kevin Kramer got the start in left field and picked up a pair of singles and scored twice at Clearwater. Lolo Sanchez (No. 20) hit a two-run homer, his first of the spring, and walked as a late-game replacement. Twelfth-ranked Phils prospect Nick Maton walked twice and scored a run, while No. 11 Mickey Moniak worked a walk, stole a base and scored a run. Box score
Tigers 13, Red Sox 9
Third-ranked Detroit prospect Riley Greene continued his hot spring by going 1-for-2 to push his Grapefruit League OPS to 1.530. No. 25 Rony Garcia, a Rule 5 pick, allowed a run on three hits with three strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings of relief. Top Red Sox prospect Jeter Downs started at shortstop and went 2-for-3 with an RBI. No. 29 Yoan Aybar fanned one and allowed one hit in an inning of shutout relief. Box score
Rays 9, Blue Jays 5
Rays No. 17 prospect Randy Arozarena, acquired from St. Louis in January, continued his torrid spring by going 1-for-2 with a pair of RBIs. He's 7-for-12 with a triple, double, six walks and six RBIs -- that's a .583/.722/.833 line -- without striking out in eight games. Lucius Fox (No. 25) added a single. Two Jays prospects were hit hard: 10th-ranked Anthony Kay got the start and retired one batter while allowing four runs on a hit and four walks and No. 19 Patrick Murphy surrendered four runs -- three earned -- on four hits while fanning three in 1 1/3 innings. Box score
Braves 9, Pirates (ss) 7
Alex Jackson, Atlanta's No. 22 prospect, notched his first hit of the spring as the Braves rallied from a five-run deficit to top a split squad of Pirates. No. 6 prospect Bryse Wilson was tagged for three runs on three hits and a walk while recording two outs in the fifth. Lanky shortstop Oneil Cruz, the Bucs' No. 3 prospect, went 1-for-3 and scored a run. Box score
Angels 2, Mariners 0
Mariners No. 4 prospectEvan White singled and struck out twice in three at-bats. The No. 56 overall prospect is hitting .429 in 14 spring at-bats. Seventh-ranked Justin Dunn yielded a run on a hit and a walk with three strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings, while No. 23 Taylor Guilbeau retired all four batters he faced, concluding his outing with a punchout of Shohei Ohtani. Box score
Cubs 6, Reds 6
Reds No. 28 prospectTejay Antone started and allowed one run on two hits in one inning while striking out one. Ninth-ranked Jose Garcia singled and scored in the seventh to give the Reds a 5-4 lead. Cubs No. 9 prospectZack Short went 1-for-2 with a single. Box score
Indians 6, D-backs 2
Fourth-ranked Indians prospectLogan Allen struck out three over two perfect innings to earn the save. No. 16 Daniel Johnson drew a bases-loaded walk, while seventh-ranked Bobby Bradley flied out in his only at-bat. Seth Beer, MLB.com's No. 96 overall prospect, singled twice and scored a run for Arizona. Box score
White Sox 5, Brewers 1
Top White Sox prospectLuis Robert continued to make his case to for a spot on the Opening Day roster, delivering two hits, a stolen base and a run scored against Milwaukee. In the third inning, he singled, stole second and came around to score on a bunt single by Leury García. This spring, MLB.com's No. 3 overall prospect is hitting .389 with a 1.170 OPS through eight contests. Second-ranked White Sox prospect Andrew Vaughn roped an RBI single to left in the seventh and scored on a double by No. 13 Luis González. No. 19 prospect Danny Mendick chipped in a single and scored a run. On the pitching side, 27th-ranked Codi Heuer allowed a hit in a scoreless fifth. Top Brewers prospectBrice Turang singled in his lone at-bat. Box score
Rangers 7, Rockies 4
Colton Welker got the start at first base and made the most of his opportunity with two base knocks and a run scored out of the ninth spot in the Colorado lineup. With two more singles, the third-ranked Rockies prospect bumped his Cactus League average to .467. Tenth-ranked prospect Yonathan Daza collected an RBI double in the fourth off Lance Lynn. Rangers No. 3 prospectLeody Taveras showed off his 60-grade speed in the sixth. After drawing a walk, he stole second and scored on Eli White's single. Box score
Dodgers 4, Giants 0
Newly acquired -- and fifth-ranked -- Dodgers prospect Brusdar Graterol struck out two and allowed one hit while working a scoreless ninth inning in his second appearance of the spring. No. 24 prospect Cristian Santana contributed singles in both of his at-bats. Right-hander Dany Jimenez, a Rule 5 pick in December and the Giants' No. 28 prospect, matched Graterol's line with two strikeouts and one hit allowed in a scoreless eighth. Box score