The Minor League season is winding down, but we wanted to take a minute to focus on some of the standout performers from last night. With an array of teams and leagues, an impressive performance can come from anywhere on any given night, so here are just a few of the players that shined.
We’ll start with Hunter Renfroe of the El Paso Chihuahuas (Padres), a 23-year-old former first round pick (2013) that has been in Triple-A for just 17 games. Coming into play on Friday night Renfroe was batting .313 with a .347 on-base percentage (OBP) to go along with 6 homers and 17 driven in. Last night the right fielder went 4-for-5 with a triple, 2 RBI and a run scored. A hot start in Triple-A shows why Renfroe is the Padres’ number one prospect. For more info from that game, you can read the Chihuahuas’ game recap.
For our next player, we stay in the Pacific Coast League but head to Las Vegas where the Mets’ #3 prospect behind Steven Matz and Michael Conforto, Brandon Nimmo, went 4-for-5 with a homer (3), a double, 2 RBI and 3 runs scored. This marks the first time in his pro career that Nimmo has hit a home run in back-to-back games, although he came close earlier in the season, hitting two in three games. The 51s won their contest against Tacoma, 9-4. With the win and the El Paso loss, Las Vegas takes over first place in the division and now holds a half-game lead with three to play. The winner of the division gets to face the Fresno Grizzlies (Astros) in the first round of the playoffs.
The Detroit Tigers’ #1 prospect, outfielder Steven Moya, went 1-for-4 for the Toledo Mud Hens with a two-run homer in the fourth. The home run is Moya’s 20th with Toledo and 23rd of the season. Last year the 24-year-old talent from Puerto Rico hit 35 bombs in Double-A with the Erie SeaWolves.
The Brewers’ top prospect, shortstop Orlando Arcia of the Double-A Biloxi Shuckers, has been proving he can handle the bat all season and on Friday night he went 3-for-5 with a double and two RBI. This is Arcia’s 16th three-hit game of the season. Overall, Arcia is batting .309 this season with a .341 OBP. According to MLB Pipeline it’ll be his glove that’ll carry him to the Majors, but the offensive production he’s shown in the Minors this season could help expedite that process.
Finally, there is Yankees’ Double-A prospect Rookie Davis (or William Theron Davis by birth) of the Double-A Trenton Thunder who went 7 innings of two-hit ball, allowing just two walks while striking out four. The start was Davis’ best appearance in six tries (five starts) since joining the Thunder on August 8. Over 33 1/3 innings, Davis holds a 4.32 ERA with a 1.38 WHIP and has seen his strikeout rate decrease while his walk rate has gone up slightly. Rookie is #12 on the Yankees’ list and has an ETA of 2017.