Another week, another group of talented prospects who were promoted to the majors. Looking only at the MLB Pipeline Top 100 Prospects list, we saw Ke’Bryan Hayes of the Pirates, Jazz Chisholm of the Marlins, Deivi Garcia of the Yankees and his teammate Clarke Schmidt debut in the Big Top.
They join a group of 2020 rookies that includes players who are or were not long ago on the Top 100 Prospects list, others who were on the Top 30 lists, and others who were not on the Top 30 lists. of those rankings, they are making their mark.
Which of those rookies made the best impression this past week, Aug. 31-Sept. 6? Let’s take a look at them.
1) Randy Arozarena, OF, Rays
Cuban Arozarena went 14-7 on the week to leave a line of .500 / .563 / 1.143 in five games. He hit three home runs, including a two-homer, three-hit game Sunday. He drove in a pair of touchdowns in that game against the Marlins and added two RBIs and a homer on Wednesday against the Yankees. The Rays were 4-2 for the week and now have a 4.5 game lead over the Blue Jays in the AL East. Everything indicates that Azozarena – who hit third on Sunday for the Rays – will continue to receive opportunities, as on Monday, when he homered again against the Nationals.
2) Devin Williams, RHP, Brewers
What Williams has accomplished this year has been truly insane. And what he did last week (4 2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 C, 1 BB, 10 K) is in tune with what he has done all season. He has allowed one earned run and four hits in 17 innings (and opponents are hitting .070), with six walks and 35 strikeouts. His change in velocity is simply unhittable, as evidenced by the fact that his opponents are 39-0 with 26 strikeouts on that pitch.
3) Keegan Akin, LZ, Orioles (No. 15)
After some troubles in his major league reliever debut in mid-August and a short presentation on August 26, Akin is getting a chance to open games and has shown that his arsenal is perhaps better for that role. He allowed two earned runs in 4.2 innings in his first start on Aug. 31 and then pitched 5.1 scoreless innings on Saturday. In total, this week he threw 9.2 innings without allowing earned runs, with six hits and 14 strikeouts. In 13 innings of labor this summer, opponents are hitting .174.
4) Joey Bart, C, Giants (No. 1 / MLB No. 13)
Bart was 18-8 last week (.444 / .500 / .556), with a triple and three RBIs. The second overall pick in the 2018 Draft had hits in all four games he started, hitting more than one hit in three of them, beginning with a showing of three hits on Sept. 1. His work has allowed him to climb more than 100 points and his average and now he is at .269 / .345 / .365 in 52 at-bats after going 3-1 on Monday vs. the Diamondbacks.
5) Willi Castro, SS / 3B, Tigres
The Dominican-Puerto Rican hit hits in five of the six games he played last week and in four of them he gave two or more. Thus, he hit .400 / .400 / .640 (for 25-10) in that period, including three extra-base hits (a double, a triple and a home run) and six RBIs. After going 3-1 on Monday, the infielder now has a robust .349 / .364 / .556 offensive line in 67 plate appearances in 2020.
6) Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Pirates (No. 2 / MLB No. 42)
Hayes made an unforgettable debut in the majors on Sept. 1, when he had a pair of hits, a double and a home run. He has a modest three-game hitting string and went 4-for-7-4 the last two games of the week to raise his offensive line to .389 / .421 / .722 (18-7).
7) Triston McKenzie, RHP, Indians (No. 10)
The third right start was very similar to his debut on August 22: Dominant. McKenzie pitched six innings, allowing three hits, zero walks and zero runs, with six strikeouts, for his second major league win. He is 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA and is hit .151 by opponents in those three starts, with 19 strikeouts and four walks in 16 innings.
8) Andrés Giménez, SS / 2B, Mets (No. 3 / MLB No. 89)
The Venezuelan continues to see action in three infield positions, including a long time in his natural position, shortstop, and is beginning to swing with more authority. He went 17-7 last week, including his first career home run in the Big Top. Also, he pushed six hairlines and stole a base. On the season, the 22-year-old has a line of .293 / .344 / .402 and has seven steals on seven attempts after hitting 4-2 on Monday.
9) Dean Kremer, RHP, Orioles (No. 10)
The first Israeli-born player to sign with a major league organization also became the first to win a game in the majors when he made his debut on Sunday. The right-hander, who came to the Orioles on the Manny Machado trade, was called up to face the Yankees and allowed a single hit and a run in six innings, while striking out seven and walking three.
10) Tony Gonsolin, RHP, Dodgers
Gonsolin has pitched beautifully this season, even though he still doesn’t have a win to show for it. Saturday was more of the same. The right-hander pitched six solid innings, allowing two runs and three hits with a walk and eight strikeouts. On the season, Gonsolin has a 0.76 ERA in five starts. Rivals are hitting him .150 and he has a WHIP of 0.72.