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Chuck Taylor, OF, Seattle, Double-A

He’s quite the sneaker. Taylor had enthralled the Diamondbacks with his raw talent, even at 5-foot-9 and 190 pounds, but never produced after being drafted in 2012. Taken by the Mariners in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft this winter, the switch hitter is slashing .386/.481/.538 with a strikeout-to-walk ratio near 1-to-1 while canvassing left field with aplomb. This ends the awful-puns portion of the proceedings.
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It took Matt Esparza an inning to shake off the nerves in his Double-A debut. Once he did, he was nearly untouchable.

The Cleveland right-hander allowed a run on three hits and struck out 10 batters over a career-high eight innings as Double-A Akron edged Altoona, 4-2, at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
Through A+ and AA now, Esparza has a 2.95 ERA in 55 innings, with 50 SO/11BB, a .233 BAA and 1.09 WHIP.
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Corbin Burnes, rhp, Brewers. Burnes was dominant at high Class A and nothing has changed in three starts since a promotion to Double-A. The 2016 fourth-round pick from St. Mary's pitched six shutout innings Monday for Double-A Biloxi in a 3-0 win over Jacksonville (Marlins). Burnes struck out eight. After going 6-0, 1.06 in 10 starts at high Class A, he’s 1-0, 1.08 in three Double-A outings.
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From the Rangers' midseason report:


Best Player

No player impressed the Rangers in the first half more than outfielder/first baseman Yanio Perez.

The 21-year-old Cuban chewed up the South Atlantic League, hitting .322/.392/.533 in 49 games to earn a promotion to high Class A Down East. Perez, who signed last September, got off to a slow start there, recording a .576 OPS through 14 games.

Still, the Rangers remain impressed by Perez’s tools and ability to play all four corner spots on the field.
Compared with another Cuban in the system, second baseman Andy Ibanez, Perez shows more power and more versatility. If he shows that he can handle the Carolina League, Perez could be joining Ibanez at Double-A Frisco before the season ends.

“He’s hit ever since we had him in spring training,” farm director Jayce Tingler said. “He’s strong and has good hand-eye coordination. Overall, he’ll go as far as his bat takes him, and we think he’s got a chance to hit for power and average.”
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Shane Bieber, RHP, Cleveland Indians (High-A Lynchburg)
"Advanced college arm with plus control" has become a popular draft profile over the past few seasons. Cleveland's fourth-rounder in 2016, Bieber falls into that category quite comfortably. The knock on Bieber coming out of UC Santa Barbara was that the velocity might not play up enough to succeed in pro ball, but he is now sitting comfortably at 91-93 mph with his fastball and is capable of touching 95. The pitch itself is mostly straight and flat, so if he's not locating it impeccably it can be left in the zone for hitters to pounce on. Thankfully for Bieber, that hasn't been too much of a problem. He has displayed plus control and hasn't allowed a walk in 14 of his 18 starts this season between Low-A and High-A. Bieber delivers from a three-quarters slot with a long stride, and is a speedy worker, but when he ran into trouble he slowed the game to a snail's pace and seemed to get inside his own head. The changeup and curveball are average offerings, with the changeup at 84-85 mph with flashes of above-average tumble on it. The slider shows average tilt, but neither off-speed offering looks like a true out pitch. The Indians have put a focus on finding arms with plus control (think Adam Plutko), and Bieber is another in that mold. His uptick in velocity since his drafting is enough of a reason to keep an eye on him. He could easily be a fast-riser through the system if he displays this type of control, and profiles well as a back-end starter. –Victor Filoromo
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Jose Siri, Cincinnati's #10 prospect in BA's recent writeup:
Siri has been one of the toolsiest players in the Reds’ organization for several years, but his struggles with plate discipline have kept him from scratching the surface of his potential. He’s made big strides in that department and his hitting has taken off. Siri is an excellent center fielder with game-changing speed and power potential. Trammell is a safer prospect, but Siri’s speed and outfield defense give him a higher ceiling than his Dayton teammate.
Shane Bieber, rising:
- RHPs Shane Bieber and Aaron Civale have succeeded as advanced college pitchers in the low minors and have arsenals are strong enough to hint at backend starter roles in the majors. Each commands a low 90s fastball, and Civale utilizes a solid curveball and Bieber relies on his slider and changeup.
Richard Lovelady, rising:
- LHP Richard Lovelady was a low-slot touch and feel lefty just a year and a half ago. But he’s steadily added more velocity while refining his already excellent control. Now he has dominated high Class A Carolina League hitters and is handling a jump to Double-A with no problem thanks to a 91-95 mph fastball that he works to both sides of the plate.
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Oakland A's No. 4, Sean Murphy:
Murphy has always shown the defensive ability at catcher needed to attract scouts, but a broken hamate bone caused concern during his draft year. He fell to the A’s in the third round last year and is now tearing up the minors on his way up the system with a .297 average and .527 slugging percentage before being promoted. His bat now shows 20-home run upside and solid contact skills.
Grayson Long, Angels No. 8:
Long made key strides this season with improved glove-side life and command of low-90s fastball, helping it play up. As a result he was holding his own in the Southern League, going 5-5, 2.76 and holding opponents to a .224 average. Another key is the improvement of his slider, giving him a more effective breaking ball.

Rogelio Armenteros, rising in Houston:
- RHP Rogelio Armenteros’ combination of savvy and solid stuff from his five-pitch mix (he’ll touch 95) has helped him climb to Triple-A.
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Jose Siri, cf, Reds. Siri wasted no time extending his hit streak to 31 games with a first-inning homer against Lansing’s Yennsy Diaz, and he added another in Dayton’s 11-7 loss. Cincinnati’s No. 10 prospect has the coveted power/speed mix and is an excellent defender as well. During his streak, he’s hitting .360 with 12 homers and 28 RBIs.
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Some Best Tools honors passed around for the IBC Pirates.

MWL:
Best Defensive OF: Jose Siri Dayton (Reds)
Fastest Baserunner: Jose Siri Dayton (Reds)

Carolina League:
Best Control: Shane Bieber Lynchburg (Indians)
Best Reliever: Richard Lovelady Wilmington (Royals)

Texas League:
Best Changeup: Rogelio Armenteros Corpus Christi (Astros)

SAL:
Best Control: Alex Wells Delmarva (Orioles)
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