A day after many Minor League clubs celebrated "Christmas in July," there were plenty of presents under the tree for fans of some of the game's top prospects. We had the Marlins' top two prospects -- Thomas White and Robby Snelling -- both set career highs in strikeouts while combining to walk zero batters. Zilch! Opposing hurlers might want to think about walking Tigers top prospect Kevin McGonigle, who is finding his level at a new level, drilling his first Double-A homer, which caromed off an unsuspecting vehicle. All that and much more as we unwrap a wild Saturday down on the farm:
Kevin McGonigle, SS, Erie (DET No. 1/MLB No. 6)
McGonigle is known more for his hit tool than his power, but on Saturday, he tapped into his strength, sending his first Double-A home run over the fence and onto a parked car. He finished the game 2-for-5 for his second multihit performance with Erie. Across three levels this season, McGonigle is batting .338 with eight home runs and has an impressive 1.017 OPS across 52 games. Gameday
Thomas White, LHP, Pensacola (MIA No. 1/MLB No. 23)
White was something to behold on Saturday. It took just five innings for the southpaw to make history as he recorded a career-high 14 strikeouts, including eight straight. In fact, he was so dominant that he struck out 13 of 14 batters, something that no big league pitcher has done in the Expansion Era, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. In his five starts since his promotion to Double-A, White has 33 strikeouts over 20 innings. Full story | Gameday
Sal Stewart, 3B, Louisville (CIN No. 2/MLB No. 40)
After leading the Double-A Southern League in batting average (.306), it was a tough first acclimation period to Triple-A for the No. 32 pick in the 2022 Draft. But Stewart broke out in a huge way Saturday, tying his career high with four hits, two of which were no-doubt gargantuan blasts -- a 436-footer in the sixth (112.6 mph EV) and 422-footer (106.1 mph) in the eighth. It marked the second multihomer game in the 21-year-old’s career, as he added a double and single, accounting for four RBIs and three runs scored. Across two levels this year, the Miami native is slashing .304/.368/.485 with 99 hits in 88 games. Gameday
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Jarlin Susana, RHP, Wilmington (WSH No. 2/MLB No. 49)
Susana is making his way back after being shut down in May with a Grade 1 sprain of his right ulnar collateral ligament. But he made his three-inning rehab start for High-A Wilmington count, striking out eight of the 12 batters that he faced. Known for a high-octane fastball that can routinely hit triple digits, the 21-year-old got 14 whiffs with six of his punchouts coming via the swing-and-miss. Across two levels this year, Susana has averaged 13.9 K/9, the third-highest mark in the Nationals’ system among hurlers with at least 20 innings. Gameday
Trey Yesavage, RHP, New Hampshire (TOR No. 2/MLB No. 51)
There hasn’t been much Yesavage (116 K’s in 71 2/3 innings) hasn’t accomplished in his first pro season, but prior to Saturday, he had yet to twirl a perfect outing. Mission complete. The Blue Jays’ 2024 first-rounder struck out the side in the first, setting the tone for a 12 up, 12 down start, once again dominating a Hartford lineup he stymied back on June 25 (5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 8 K). Batters have mustered just a .149 average-against vs. Yesavage across three levels this season, which ranks second in the Minors. Gameday
Jurrangelo Cijntje, SWP, Everett (SEA No. 8/MLB No. 71)
The Minors’ preeminent switch-pitcher added a new milestone to his impressive first pro campaign, completing a career-high seven innings en route to a quality start at High-A. He was tremendously efficient with his 71 pitches, walking none and throwing a first-pitch strike to 17 of 24 batters faced. Two solo homers were the only blemishes against his ledger, and the Mariners’ 2024 first-rounder recorded three outs on the two batters he faced lefty -- a double play and a groundout. As a starter, Cijntje has held opposing batters to a .193 average this season and worked to the tune of a 3.36 ERA across 15 starts. Gameday
Robby Snelling, LHP, Jacksonville (MIA No. 2/MLB No. 73)
Snelling has been making strides since joining the Marlins' organization this time last year, and he hit another big milestone on Saturday, reaching double-digit strikeouts for the first time in his career. In what was ultimately a losing effort, the lefty allowed two runs on four hits with 11 K’s over 6 2/3 innings. Snelling now has 16 strikeouts over 15 2/3 innings over his first three Triple-A starts. Gameday
Caleb Bonemer, SS/3B, Kannapolis (CWS No. 5)
After a torrid start to his first pro campaign, it’s been a slower summer for Bonemer. But the 19-year-old showcased his future Top 100 prospect potential in a big way Saturday, socking three extra-base hits to spark a Single-A Kannapolis extra-inning victory. The White Sox 2024 second-rounder scored three runs and doubled twice, while also drilling a two-run homer, his eighth of the year. Entering the night, Bonemer’s 128 wRC+ ranked fourth among all qualified Chicago prospects, a mark that will rise after pushing his OPS to .807 across 80 contests. Gameday
Braylon Doughty, RHP, Lynchburg (CLE No. 7)
After a first pro season of uneven results, the 36th overall pick from the 2024 Draft spun his best outing yet for Single-A Lynchburg. The Guardians’ top-ranked pitching prospect dominated with four no-hit frames, striking out six batters and facing just two over the minimum. The 19-year-old had just two balls leave the infield, logging eight whiffs during his 61-pitch (38 strikes) effort. Doughty is up to 80 strikeouts in 71 2/3 innings this year, holding opponents to an opposing OPS of .673. Gameday
Nestor German, RHP, Chesapeake (BAL No. 9)
An 11th-round pick by the Orioles in the 2023 Draft, German enjoyed a meteoric rise through the club’s system after a dominant debut campaign. He’s found pockets of success during his rise to the upper levels this year, but Saturday marked a career-best 10 strikeouts as he delivered his second quality start at Double-A. The Seattle native peppered the strike zone all night, throwing 57 of his 78 pitches for strikes and recording at least one punchout in each of his front five frames. German retired 14 of his final 15 batters faced with just three balls leaving the infield. While his walk rate has jumped a touch this season across two levels, the 23-year-old has still compiled 97 strikeouts in 83 innings. Gameday