Edwards continues TinCaps' hit parade

The hits just keep on coming for Xavier Edwards.
San Diego's No. 11 prospect went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored in Class A Fort Wayne's 12-2 win over Great Lakes on Sunday afternoon.

It was Edwards' third straight multi-hit game, raising his May average to .386 (34-for-88). He's hit safely in 19 of his 21 outings this month to increase his Midwest League-leading average to .369. The 19-year-old second baseman also tops the circuit in hits with 63 and his 14 stolen bases rank second to Lansing's Reggie Pruitt with 21.
"I'm just sticking to what I know how to do and what I've done my whole life," Edwards said. "Jump on fastballs, especially early in the game. It's really something I've looked upon this season. And then it's reacting to everything else I get."
Edwards' four hits were spread evenly against all four Loons pitchers.
He lined a fastball to left field for a single on the first pitch of the game from Jose Chacin and added a sacrifice fly against the right-hander in the fourth.
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"And after that, I started getting a heavy dose of change-ups and breaking pitches," Edwards said. "I'm just playing the mind game. Once you hit a fastball [for a base hit] or hit it hard, it's kind of an adjustment of what I'm going to get the rest of the game."
The Mineola, New York, native singled against Joel Inoa, the second batter the righty faced. Drew Finley and Dillon Paulson also began their appearances with Edwards in the box and both promptly gave up base hits to right.
"It kind of works for me and the way I'm approaching things," he said, "because having new pitchers come in, they're mostly going to throw first-pitch fastballs. So it kind of plays into my hands, being the first guy they're facing."
Fort Wayne posted a season-high 15 hits and matched its season mark with 12 runs.

The 38th pick in the 2018 Draft compiled a .346/.453/.409 slash line with 16 RBIs, nine extra-base hits and 22 stolen bases in 45 games split between the Rookie-level Arizona League and the Class A Short Season Northwest League.
Edwards said he's not concerned about his power developing down the line as his body and strength grows and he gets more accustomed to pro pitchers.
"I'm sure more power will come," he said. "Right now, I'm just sticking to what I know, sticking to my gameplan and try to hit the ball hard."
Padres No. 8 prospect Ryan Weathers hurled three hitless innings with one walk and three strikeouts for the TinCaps. Undefeated Henry Henry allowed two unearned runs in three frames en route to his Midwest League-leading sixth win of the season.