Rays prospects and minor leagues: Franco, Hernandez set for Futures Game

An important change for the Futures Game this year is the time change. It’s not an afternoon or early-evening game. It’s scheduled to start at 7 p.m. ET and can be seen on MLB Network and MLB.com. Shortstop Wander Franco and catcher Ronaldo Hernandez will represent the Rays.

Triple-A Durham Bulls (53-36)

A big inning sunk Durham in a 7-3 loss to Gwinnett. Michael Perez homered in the fourth to start the scoring, but the game was tied at one through four. In the fifth, the Stripers got a three-run homer and two-run single to pull away. Ryan Yarbrough allowed six runs in five innings, but Jose De Leon pitched two scoreless innings of relief with three strikeouts.

2B Nick Solak: 1-for-4, 1 RBI (.841)
C Michael Perez: 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 K (.797)

LHP Ryan Yarbrough: 5 IP, 9 H, 6 ER, 0 BB, 5 K (3.81)
RHP Jose De Leon: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K (3.73)

Double-A Montgomery Biscuits (9-8)

A three-run homer in the first was enough in Montgomery’s 4-2 loss to Tennessee. After a leadoff double and walk, the home run off Riley O’Brien gave the Smokies all the runs they needed. He was charged with all four runs in 4 ¹⁄₃ innings. Brett Sullivan hit an RBI triple and was a home run away from his second cycle of the season.

3B Taylor Walls: 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 SB (.590)
CF Josh Lowe: 1-for-3, 1 BB, 1 K (.744)
RF Jesus Sanchez: 3-for-4, 1 RBI (.729)
SS Lucius Fox: 1-for-4, 1 K, 1 CS (.680)
LF Brett Sullivan: 3-for-4, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 RBI (.731)

RHP Riley O’Brien: 4 ¹⁄₃ IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 7 K (4.20)

Class A-Advanced Charlotte Stone Crabs (14-4)

Joe Ryan dominated again in Charlotte’s 3-2 win over Jupiter. In six scoreless innings, he struck out nine, tied for the most he’s had since his promotion to the Stone Crabs. He allowed four singles and didn’t walk any. Moises Gomez drove in two runs, and his solo homer in the sixth proved crucial.

LF Moises Gomez: 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 K (.656)

RHP Joe Ryan: 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 9 K (1.83)

Class-A Bowling Green Hot Rods (12-4)

Bowling Green crushed West Michigan, 12-2. The Hot Rods piled up eight runs in the first three innings and held a 12-0 lead until late in the game. In the five-run second, Kevin Santiago and Ford Proctor drew bases-loaded walks. Santiago later homered, and Chris Betts hit his third grand slam of the season. Alan Strong cruised to a great start, striking out eight and allowing a run in seven innings.

C Chris Betts: 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 K (.737)
SS Ford Proctor: 1-for-3, 3 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K (.749)
1B Connor Hollis: 3-for-5, 1 R, 2 2B, 2 RBI (.866)
2B Kevin Santiago: 1-for-3, 2 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB (.692)

RHP Alan Strong: 7 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K (3.33)

Short-Season Hudson Valley Renegades (10-11)

Hudson Valley’s game was postponed.

Rookie Princeton Rays (9-9)

Pitching and defense were costly in Princeton’s 15-6 loss to Danville. The Rays allowed 17 hits — including six for extra bases — but nine of the runs were unearned due to a pair of errors. Taj Bradley was charged with six runs — one earned — in three innings.

DH Kevin Melendez: 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 K (.919)

RHP Taj Bradley: 3 IP, 4 H, 6 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 2 K (5.28)

Rookie Gulf Coast League Rays (5-5)

The GCL Rays’ game was suspended.

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Sunday’s games (probables courtesy of milb.com)

Durham @ Gwinnett 1:05 p.m. ET (MiLB.TV, radio stream)
TBA vs. Huascar Ynoa (1-2, 6.44)

Montgomery vs. Tennessee 6:05 p.m. ET (MiLB.TV, radio stream)
TBA vs. Alex Lange (2-0, 2.50)

Charlotte @ Jupiter 1 p.m. ET (radio stream)
Shane McClanahan (3-0, 0.39) vs. TBA

Bowling Green vs. West Michigan 3:05 p.m. ET (MiLB.TV, radio stream)
TBA vs. Hugh Smith (0-4, 4.55)

Hudson Valley @ Vermont 5:05 p.m. ET (radio stream)
TBA vs. Jack Cushing (0-1, 6.75)

Princeton vs. Bluefield 5 p.m. ET (radio stream)
TBA vs. TBA

The GCL Rays are off.

*Listed as TBA on milb.com

Scouting the opposition

Gwinnett Stripers (Atlanta)
50-38 (2nd in IL South)
Offense: 478 R (3rd) .817 OPS (4th)
Pitching: 4.22 ERA (1st) 1.34 WHIP (1st)
Top-30 prospects: RHP Kyle Wright (4), LHP Luiz Gohara (10), RHP Patrick Weigel (13), LHP Kolby Allard (14), RHP Huascar Ynoa (19), C Alex Jackson (23), RHP Wes Parsons (24)

Tennessee Smokies (Cubs)
7-10 (5th in SL North)
Offense: 344 R (6th) .685 OPS (5th)
Pitching: 4.16 ERA (8th) 1.33 WHIP (7th)
Top-30 prospects: SS Nico Hoerner (1), RHP Cory Abbott (8), LHP Justin Steele (9), RHP Alex Lange (14), RHP Oscar De La Cruz (21), 1B Jared Young (24), C Jhonny Pereda (26), RHP Keegan Thompson (29)

Jupiter Hammerheads (Miami)
8-10 (5th in FSL South)
Offense: 243 R (12th) .619 OPS (12th)
Pitching: 3.62 ERA (8th) 1.24 WHIP (7th)
Top-30 prospects: OF Victor Victor Mesa (2), SS Jose Devers (11), LHP Trevor Rogers (12), LHP Braxton Garrett (13), RHP Jordan Holloway (16), OF Tristan Pompey (17), 3B James Nelson (20), LHP Will Stewart (21), SS Bryson Brigman (26)

West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit)
7-9 (5th in MWL East)
Offense: 350 R (7th) .658 OPS (11th)
Pitching: 4.30 ERA (12th) 1.41 WHIP (12th)
Top-30 prospects: OF Parker Meadows (7), SS Wenceel Perez (11), C Sam McMillan (27), RHP Wilkel Hernandez (30)

Vermont Lake Monsters (Oakland)
8-13 (3rd in NYPL Stedler)
Offense: 62 R (12th) .577 OPS (14th)
Pitching: 3.01 ERA (4th) 1.16 WHIP (3rd)
Top-30 prospects: 3B Jordan Diaz (27), SS Logan Davidson, RHP Tyler Baum

Bluefield Blue Jays
10-8 (2nd in AL East)
Offense: 101 R (1st) .724 OPS (5th)
Pitching: 4.19 ERA (5th) 1.46 WHIP (10th)
Top-30 prospects: IF Miguel Hiraldo (10), IF Leonardo Jimenez (21)

Daily news and links

MiLB.com on Durham’s no-hitter Friday.