Prospect Roundup: Games of July 10

Reds 1B/OF Nick Longhi, Double-A Pensacola: 1-for-3, HR, 3 RBI, R -- Longhi went deep for the first time as a Reds prospect Monday after a trade from the Red Sox last week for international bonus pool spending money. Ranked as Cincinnati's No. 18 prospect, Longhi is 3-for-11 with the homer, double and six RBIs in his first four games for Pensacola. (He hit .262/.306/.401 with six homers in 62 games with Double-A Portland before the deal.) Though the amount of money exchanged between the two clubs wasn't disclosed, the 21-year-old is a good return for a deal of this nature. He has a solid hit tool with a career .278 average in the Minors. His power is somewhat limited, especially for a player whose primary position is first base, but he did record 40 doubles at Class A Advanced Salem last season, and his seven homers this year already tie a career high. He turns 22 on Aug. 16 but remains relatively young for the Double-A level. The rebuilding Reds can use all the talent they can get, and if they weren't going to be major players on the international scene, turning that money into a prospect like Longhi is a sound strategy.

Astros C Jake Rogers, Class A Advanced Buies Creek: 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, R -- The Astros took Rogers in the third round out of Tulane last year for his defensive capabilities behind the plate. Some 13 months later, he's showing plenty with the bat as well. He homered in his third straight game and for the fourth time in his last five contests Monday, leading Buies Creek to a 4-2 win at Down East. He's gone deep 14 times in 68 games this season between Buies Creek and Class A Quad Cities -- he hit only seven homers his entire college career -- and has a solid .278/.365/.523 line between the two stops. He continues to show a plus arm as well with a 45.8 percent caught-stealing rate in his first full season. Some might want to deduct points because the 22-year-old is shining at the lower levels after coming out of college, but it's worth noting that his .295/.383/.526 line in the higher circuit is better than the .255/.336/.520 he put up one level lower. Rogers' bat will be tested the higher he climbs, but his profile is much more exciting than it was back in the spring.
Mets OF Desmond Lindsay, Class A Columbia: 1-for-3, HR, 4 RBI, R, 2 BB, K -- Few in the Mets system needed a big offensive performance more than its No. 5 prospect. He delivered, hitting a game-tying grand slam in the ninth inning of a 5-4 win at Charleston on Monday. The 20-year-old outfielder, who's been a bit injury-prone over his first three Minor League seasons, has hit safely in his last five games, going 6-for-21 (.286) with a homer and a double since coming off a near month-long DL stint following a collision at the plate. However, this nice run has pushed his season line to just .201/.323/.370 through 58 games with Columbia. If there's a positive from his offensive performance this season, it's that Lindsay has shown an ability to take a free pass with a 14.5 percent walk rate, second among South Atlantic League batters with at least 200 plate appearances. But he's also struck out 29.5 percent of the time, eighth-highest among that subset. The Mets have preached patience with the 2015 second-rounder and remain high on his tools, but it'll take more than just this recent run for everyone else to stay on board.
Twins OF Brent Rooker, Rookie-level Elizabethton: 3-for-3, HR, 3 RBI, 3 R -- Rooker was one of college baseball's best hitters this season, winning the SEC Triple Crown with a .387 average, 23 homers and 82 RBIs in 67 games at Mississippi State. The Twins made him the 35th overall pick in last month's Draft, and since making the move to Elizabethton, he's been one of the Appalachian League's best hitters. The 22-year-old is batting .323/.394/.613 in his first 16 games with the E-Twins. His five homers are tied for most in the Rookie-level circuit, and his 1.007 OPS ranks fifth. This shouldn't come as a huge surprise, given Rooker's experience level and the jump he made in his final season with the Bulldogs. The Twins took Rooker for his bat, and he's shown it off in his brief introduction to pro ball.
Twins SS Royce Lewis, GCL Twins: 3-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, 3 R, SB -- Hold on, Twins fans. It gets even better when it comes to the 2017 Draft class. The No. 1 overall pick collected three hits Monday for the first time since going pro, and one of those knocks was his second homer -- he also went deep in his first at-bat on June 26. The 18-year-old shortstop is 16-for-46 (.348) with two homers, six doubles and four steals in his first 11 games in the complex-level Gulf Coast League. Lewis' standout tool is his 70-grade speed, but he's showing plenty with the bat in his brief taste of the Minors. He may still be considered behind fellow top picks Hunter Greene and Brendan McKay in terms of overall talent level, but he's done little to hurt the hype that comes with being first overall.