Charlie Barnes (Elizabethton 2017), Travis Blankenhorn (Elizabethton 2015, 16), Austin Cox (Burlington 2018), and Jefrey Ramos (Danville 2017) had outstanding performances on Thursday.
Charlie Barnes (Elizabethton 2017), Travis Blankenhorn (Elizabethton 2015, 16), Austin Cox (Burlington 2018), and Jefrey Ramos (Danville 2017) had outstanding performances on Thursday.
Twins LHP Charlie Barnes , Class A Advanced Fort Myers: 8 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K -- The Twins' 23-year-old prospect had yet to complete the sixth inning in any start this season before going eight in a win Thursday. Barnes (3-2) threw 55 of his 87 pitches for strikes and bounced back in a big way after allowing six earned runs on five hits -- two of which were home runs -- his last time out. It was just the second time the Clemson product walked fewer than two batters this season. Opposite Barnes was Reds prospect Reiver Sanmartin , who walked one and struck out nine in eight scoreless frames of two-hit ball.
Twins 2B Travis Blankenhorn , Double-A Pensacola: 3-for-, 2B, 3 RBI, 3 R -- Minnesota's No. 28 prospect led the way from the leadoff spot in the Blue Wahoos' 10-run outburst against Tennessee. The 22-year-old plated two with a double in the second and scored on No. 2 Twins prospect Alex Kirilloff 's ensuing single. He singled and scored again in both the fifth and sixth. Since being promoted to Double-A on April 25, Blankenhorn has compiled a .305/.351/.514 line in 105 at-bats.
Royals LHP Austin Cox , Class A Lexington: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 9 K -- Kansas City's No. 22 prospect matched a career high with nine punchouts and picked up his first win since May 6. Cox (2-3) allowed a single and a walk to the first two batters in the second but then retired the next nine Hickory batters. He threw just one ball in his final frame, an 11-pitch sequence that ended with a three-pitch strikeout. The 22-year-old Mercer product, a fifth-round pick of the Royals' last summer, lowered his ERA to 3.49 and WHIP to 1.16.
Braves OF Jefrey Ramos , Class A Advanced Florida: 4-for-5, 2 R -- Atlanta's No. 27 prospect tallied four hits for the second time this season to raise his average 17 points to .249. The 20-year-old has now hit safely in four of his last five games, but has just two extra-base knocks in his last 18 contests. He slugged .424 last season and .497 in 2017. Ramos is slugging .376 through 173 at-bats in the Florida State League.
