Braves RHP Lucas Sims, Triple-A Gwinnett: 6 1/3 IP, 5 H, ER, 2 BB, 4 K -- The Braves' No. 18 prospect improved to 3-0 in his sixth start Monday, working into the seventh inning for the third time in four starts. The 2012 first-round pick has allowed two earned
Braves RHP Lucas Sims, Triple-A Gwinnett: 6 1/3 IP, 5 H, ER, 2 BB, 4 K -- The Braves' No. 18 prospect improved to 3-0 in his sixth start Monday, working into the seventh inning for the third time in four starts. The 2012 first-round pick has allowed two earned runs or fewer in five of his six outings this year in the International League, and his 2.57 ERA ranks 12th in the circuit. It's a strong start for the 22-year-old, who struggled significantly at Triple-A last year, when he went 2-6 with a 7.56 ERA in 11 outings with Gwinnett. His consistency this year in the rotation may help avoid a potential transition to the bullpen.
Brewers OF Brett Phillips, Triple-A Colorado Springs: 3-for-5, 4 RBIs, 2 R, K -- The 22-year-old outfielder has jumped out to a hot start at Triple-A this season after hitting .229 at Double-A Biloxi last year. Phillips, after his third multi-hit game in his last 10 starts, is hitting .303 with six homers, 25 RBIs and a .380 OBP in 24 games, although it's worth looking at where that's occurring -- the left-handed center fielder hit all six of his homers at home and has knocked in 19 runs in the thin air of Colorado Springs over 13 games. On the road, he's hitting .300 but has no homers and just six RBIs in 11 games. Phillips, the Brewers' No. 10 prospect, belted 16 homers in each of his last two seasons. Phillips' speed -- he stole 23 bases in 2014 and 13 in 2015 -- hasn't com into play on the basepaths this year, with no attempts made after a month on the field.
Tigers OF Christin Stewart, Double-A Erie: 1-for-5, HR, RBI, K -- Stewart hit his third homer over his last two games by going deep Monday at Harrisburg. The 23-year-old left fielder leads the Double-A Eastern League with nine home runs and 23 RBIs, although a few hitless games in the past week have dropped his average a bit, to .279. The Tigers' first-round pick in 2015 hit 30 homers last season and seems to be on pace for a similar year at a higher level after spending the majority of 2016 at Class A Advanced Lakeland. Monday wasn't the first time Stewart has homered in consecutive games this season either -- he did it in a doubleheader on April 9 and again April 23-34 against Binghamton. He managed the feat seven times last year.
Phillies RHP Drew Anderson, Double-A Reading: 7 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 10 K -- Monday's start against Bowie was a memorable one for Philadelphia's No. 22 prospect, who reached double-digit strikeouts for the first time in his career during his longest-ever start. The 23-year-old struggled out of the gate in his Double-A debut, compiling an 8.58 ERA over his first four starts, but he's rebounded in his last three outings, winning each outing and lowering his ERA to a more manageable 5.53. Though walks haven't been much of a bugaboo for Anderson, who's fanned 23 and walked nine in 27 2/3 innings, the strikeouts surely stand out.
Rangers RHP Jonathan Hernández, Class A Hickory: 5 2/3 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 10 K -- Texas' No. 18 prospect has shown improvement in his second go-around in the South Atlantic League, but Monday's outing against Hagerstown was arguably his best of the season. The 20-year-old righty matched his career high with 10 K's, which he set May 18 last year versus Lexington, while improving his record to 2-3 with his second consecutive victory. Signed out of the Dominican Republic and already in his fifth pro season, Hernandez dropped his ERA to a season-low 3.49 after finishing 2016 with a 4.56 mark over 24 appearances in his full-season debut. If the 6-foot-2 hurler can continue this recent run of success over a prolonged stretch, a promotion to the Carolina League with Class A Advanced Down East could be in the offing.
