Edwards keeps on raking for TinCaps

Xavier Edwards was everywhere on Saturday.
The eighth-ranked Padres prospect went 4-for-5 with a double, a stolen base and three runs scored in Class A Fort Wayne's 7-6 10-inning loss to Great Lakes at Parkview Field. It was his third game with at least four hits this season.

Gameday box score
Edwards was able to make an impact with both his bat and his legs, playing a key role every time the TinCaps attempted to rally.
"His fingerprints were all over that baseball game tonight," Fort Wayne hitting coach Jon Mathews said.
It didn't take long for MLB.com's No. 89 overall prospect to get involved as he led off the bottom of the first inning with a double to left field on the third pitch from starter Jose Martinez. After taking third on a groundout, he raced home on a wild pitch to tie the game at 1-1.
Edwards led off the fifth with a base hit to center off Martinez, moved up on a fielder's choice and chugged his way home three batters later on a double by Padres No. 27 prospect Blake Hunt that trimmed the TinCaps' deficit to 5-3 and chased the right-hander.
The 19-year-old's signature moment came in the eighth, when he drilled a line drive at first baseman Dillon Paulson, who made a diving stop. By the time Paulson got up, however, Edwards was zooming down the basepaths, getting to the bag before righty Nathan Witt for the rare infield single to first base. He promptly scored the tying run on a double by Padres No. 17 prospect Tucupita Marcano.
"It was late in the game, it was a huge at-bat," Mathews said. "He was flying down the line. First baseman made a nice play, but 'X,' he beat the pitcher to the bag for an infield hit."
Edwards boosted his slash line to .338/.394/.403 in his first full professional season. He leads the Midwest League in batting and hits (94) and ranks third with 19 steals.
The Florida native has logged nine hits over the last four days, thanks to a pair of three-plus hit performances. That came directly after an 11-day stretch that couldn't have been more different as he went 3-for-28 without registering a single.
While the red-hot bursts like the one he's experiencing now are exciting, Mathews pointed out that to keep them coming, Edwards needs to know how to handle himself when things aren't as upbeat.
"I want him to get hits every time up, but that's also a good thing, to go through stretches like that ... those little stretches, through his career, those are important," he said. "Because as a professional, he's going to play 100 and however many games this summer. It's important for those guys to learn that 'I can go a couple days without getting hits.'"

As Edwards looks to continue building on this early success, Mathews said he'll have to learn how to handle the grind of playing every day as a professional while maintaining the momentum he's established. He's confident he'll be able to do that, even if not through any action of his own as a coach -- his talent will drive itself.
"Somebody asked me the other day about what I do working with him and that sort of thing," he said. "I told them I make sure he knows what batting practice group he's in and what time the game starts. Beyond that, he's good to go."
Great Lakes grabbed the lead in the 10th as Chris Roller tripled in a run and scored on a base hit by Jair Camargo. Fort Wayne got a run back in the bottom half on an RBI single by Dwanya Williams-Sutton, but Luke Heyer (1-0) got Lee Solomon to roll into a game-ending double play.