Castellani among top prospect performers Friday

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Fans in attendance for Friday’s matchup between Class A Lake County and Lansing were treated to a pitchers’ duel between starters Triston McKenzie and Ryan Borucki, who combined for 11 scoreless innings and 18 strikeouts. Ultimately, it was McKenzie, the Indians’ No. 7 prospect, who recorded the win as the Captains shut out Lansing, 3-0.

Making his fifth start for Lake County, McKenzie surrendered just two hits and a walk over six scoreless innings. He struck out nine, throwing 57 of his 84 pitches for strikes.

“I attacked with my fastball heavy and used both of my offspeed pitches to mix both of them in there and keep them off my fastball,” McKenzie told MiLB.com. “I wanted to get them out in front of the offspeed and have them behind my fastball to where I get popups and groundouts.”

The 19-year-old right-hander lowered his Midwest League ERA to 2.73 through 29 2/3 innings, during which he’s posted an outstanding strikeout-to-walk ratio of 43-4. Before moving up to full-season ball, McKenzie, whom the Indians selected with the No. 42 overall pick in the 2015 Draft, posted a 0.55 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP with 55 strikeouts in 49 1/3 frames (nine starts) for Class A Short Season Mahoning Valley.

Overall, McKenzie sports a 1.37 ERA, a 0.93 WHIP and a 98-20 strikeout-to-walk ratio through 79 innings (14 starts) this season, during which opponents are batting just .183 against him.

As for Borucki, the Blue Jays’ No. 17 prospect scattered three hits over five scoreless frames and tied his career high with nine strikeouts. The Lugnuts’ left-hander fanned exactly half of the batters he faced and did not issue a walk while tossing 61 pitches (48 strikes).

A 15th-round Draft pick out of high school in 2012, Borucki logged just 68 2/3 frames during his first four pro seasons due to a host of arm injuries. He missed all of 2013 due to Tommy John surgery and then was limited to just 5 2/3 innings in ’15 as a result of both elbow and shoulder ailments. But Borucki has made up for some of that lost time this season by posting a 2.44 ERA with 102 strikeouts over 110 2/3 innings (19 starts) for Lansing.

The rest of the best performances from top prospects Friday

• No. 21 overall prospect Gleyber Torres powered Class A Advanced Tampa to a 7-6 win over Brevard County as he went 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBIs. The homer was the Yankees’ No. 2 prospect’s 11th of the season and second in 26 games since being dealt by the Cubs in the Aroldis Chapman deal.

• No. 34 overall prospect Francis Martes (Astros’ No. 2) scattered three hits over seven scoreless innings to pace …

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