Pipeline preview: Aiken is pitcher to watch

Here’s a look at top prospects to watch Thursday in Minor League action:

Hitter to watch: Jeimer Candelario (Cubs’ No. 3), Iowa vs. Nashville (7:35 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)

Candelario is absolutely on fire as the season winds down. The third baseman went 3-for-5 on Wednesday and has hits in 16 of his past 17 games. Candelario batted .358 in 28 games during the month of August and is hitting .325 in 71 Triple-A games overall. Iowa has five games left in the regular season, and all indications are that Candelario will finish the season on a high note.

Pitcher to watch: Brady Aiken (Indians’ No. 2), Mahoning Valley vs. State College (7:05 p.m. ET)

Aiken is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA through four starts with Mahoning Valley and has given up one earned run in each of his past three starts. The No. 70 overall prospect has struck out 17 over his past three outings (15 innings) and is coming off a start in which he gave up just three hits and walked none.

Duel of the Day: Connor Sadzeck (Rangers’ No. 12) vs. Francis Martes (Astros’ No. 1), Frisco vs. Corpus Christi (8:05 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)

Sadzeck struck out a season-high 10 in his last start and has thrown six innings in each of his past two outings. However, the results have not always been great. The 24-year-old right-hander has lost his past six decisions and went 0-4 with an 8.88 ERA in August. Despite those numbers, Sadzeck is 9-8 with a 4.33 ERA in 24 games and is looking for a strong finish.

While Sadzeck has struggled lately, Martes has thrived. The No. 33 overall prospect went 3-1 with a 2.16 ERA in August and threw seven scoreless innings in …

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