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Prospect Roundup: Games of July 10

Johnson, Harrison surge in twinbills; O'Conner shines behind, at plate
July 11, 2015

White Sox 2B Micah Johnson, Triple-A Charlotte: 4-for-9, 2 2B, 2 R, 1 SB in doubleheader -- Johnson continued his early-July torrid stretch with a doubleheader performance that resulted in a four-hit day. Over the course of 11 games this month, Chicago's No. 4 prospect is batting .383/.442/.660. That showing comes on the heels of a solid June in which Johnson batted .295/.339/.393 for the Knights. With a .333 OBP in 27 games of Major League experience under his belt this season, Johnson has proved he can hang in against big league pitching. It likely won't be long until he's doing it again on a regular basis on the South Side.

Nationals RHP A.J. Cole, Triple-A Syracuse: 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K -- After an impressive 2014 and strong start to 2015, Cole got a little bit dinged up across the International League and the Majors in late May and June. His fine outing Friday earned him his first win for Syracuse this year, and it marked his third consecutive scoreless appearance with the Chiefs. The 23-year-old righty has allowed a total of seven hits and five walks over his last 14 innings on the mound.

Brewers OF Monte Harrison, Rookie-level Helena: 4-for-7, 2B, 2 RBI, 1 R, 1 SB in doubleheader -- In a Friday twinbill, the Brewers' No. 3 prospect continued to show off his newfound comfort level in Rookie-level Helena. Playing in his first games since July 4, Harrison racked up four hits for the Brewers. Just two games earlier, the 19-year-old posted his first career five-hit performance. Harrison had the chance to be a two-sport athlete at Nebraska but turned down the opportunity to sign with Milwaukee, and his athleticism is off the charts. An aggressive assignment to Class A Wisconsin turned out to be too much early in the year, but a continued strong showing in Helena could put him back there.

Rays C Justin O'Conner, Double-A Montgomery: 2-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 R, SB -- Tampa Bay's top prospect put all of his skills on display Friday night. He manufactured a run to get the Biscuits on the board in the second inning, lining a double to left, swiping third and coming into score on a groundout. O'Conner later bashed his seventh Southern League homer, and although he's hitting just .227, that mark is up from where it stood at .190 on June 13. The 23-year-old 2010 first-rounder also showed off his 80-grade arm, throwing out Reds prospect Jesse Winker trying to steal second base. It was the first time that Winker's been caught stealing in eight attempts this season.

D-backs LHP Jared Miller, Class A Short Season Hillsboro: 9 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K -- Complete games at the short-season levels are rarities, but Miller turned in a gem Friday night. A veteran of the Northwest League thanks to eight appearances there a year ago, Miller is back and dominating this season. The Vanderbilt product struggled in seven appearances (six starts) with Class A Kane County earlier this season, but through five starts with the Hops, he's posted a perfect 5-0 record and microscopic 0.77 ERA. Though he might not have the name recognition of other talent to come out of Vandy, the giant lefty stands at 6-foot-7, 240 pounds and has an imposing figure to develop on the hill.

Tyler Maun is a contributor to MiLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @TylerMaun.