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Kopech, Rodgers among top prospect performers Thursday
- Updated: August 19, 2016
The strikeouts just keep on coming for Red Sox No. 5 prospect Michael Kopech.
After setting a career high with 11 strikeouts in his last outing, Kopech matched that number in six innings with Double-A Salem on Thursday.
The right-hander threw 65 of his 93 pitches for strikes and gave up one run on three hits and no walks.
“He’s getting a lot more consistent with having an overpowering fastball,” Salem pitching coach Paul Abbott told MiLB.com. “His command, his location is getting a lot better, his confidence is growing and he’s just evolving as a pitcher as he’s logging innings.”
MLB Pipeline’s No. 77 overall prospect has posted a 1.29 ERA through 10 starts across two levels after his season got off to a late start.
Kopech has also been piling up the strikeouts. The Red Sox prospect struck out seven in a row from the second to the fourth Thursday night and has fanned a total of 75 through 48 2/3 innings this year.
The rest of the best performances from top prospects Thursday:
• Brendan Rodgers (Rockies’ No. 1) did a little bit of everything for Class A Asheville. The No. 7 overall prospect hit a pair of homers and scored four runs as part of a 3-for-3, four-RBI night. The power display was Rodgers’ second two-homer game of the season. The 2015 first-round selection has two or more hits in three consecutive games.
• A pair of Indians’ prospects had good showing in Class A Advanced Lynchburg’s doubleheader. Bobby Bradley (Indians’ No. 3, No. 76 overall) went 2-for-6 with a homer and two RBIs in the two games, while Tyler Kreiger (Indians’ No. 16) went 4-for-7 with two RBIs. Bradley has hit four homers in his past seven games and has a career-high 93 RBIs.
• Taylor Ward (Angels’ No. 3) hit his fifth and sixth homers of the season in his first career multi-homer game. The Angels’ 2015 first-round pick went 2-for-3 and drove in four runs for Class A Advanced Inland Empire.
• Cubs’ No. 3 prospect Jeimer Candelario has …
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