Free sheet Friday. It's a beautiful thing.

Major League Baseball

Covered by Will Thompson

‼️Jacob Lopez, LHP ATH (MLB)

7.2 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 10 K

Jacob Lopez may be a late bloomer at 27 years old, but he’s here and he’s awesome. The lefty was looking like a future AAAA arm until this season, but the swing and miss stuff has always been there, it’s just the command was not. Lopez is now pounding the strike zone consistently with a low 90s fastball that plays up due to elite extension, a low slot, and a slider and a changeup that has generated over 30% whiffs. Oh yeah and make that 17 straight scoreless innings for Lopez. He’s going to factor into this rotation for the future A’s core which is looking quite strong. 

Colby Thomas, CF ATH (MLB)

1-for-1, HR, R, 3 RBI

Thomas launched his first big league home run in the A’s win yesterday. It’s been tough sledding early on for the rookie, which is not a big surprise given his high whiff and chase rates in the minor leagues. This power is what we need to see from him because he’s always going to strike out a lot. Thomas is now 5-for-32 with 19 strikeouts and just three walks as a big leaguer so far. 

Luis Robert Jr., CF CHW (MLB)

3-for-4, 2B, BB, K, SB

The White Sox held onto Robert at the trade deadline when no one met their asking price and the early returns show that being a good move. After a miserable start to the season, Robert has mashed since July 1, hitting .343/.413/.529 with 4 HR and a diminished K rate in that span. Certainly there will need to be an extended run of play like this to make me believe again, but Robert has been excellent for the last month plus. 

‼️Paul Skenes, RHP PIT (MLB)

6.0 IP, 7 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K

I mean Paul Skenes looks like he’s going to cruise to the NL Cy Young at this point. Another dominant outing for the 23-year-old, and the question is not if he’s going to win Cy Youngs but how many. 

Graham Pauley, 3B MIA (MLB)

1-for-3, HR, R, 2 RBI

The Marlins have made it clear that Graham Pauley is going to get the starts at 3B for the rest of the season against RHP in the wake of Connor Norby’s injury. Since the Norby injury and Pauley’s call-up, he’s hit .250/.348/.450 with 2 HR in 17 games. He’s been a lot better lately, but I’m still not rushing to add him in fantasy leagues until his hard contact rates start to go up consistently. 

💣💣 Drake Baldwin, C ATL (MLB)

3-for-5, 2 HR, 2 R, 5 RBI

I mentioned earlier how Paul Skenes is running away with the NL Cy Young this year and I’m getting pretty close to saying that about Drake Baldwin for NL ROY. His double dong day against the Marlins last night helped spark the Braves to a comeback win. That’s right the Braves’ opponents actually blew the lead this time. Baldwin now has a 136 wRC+ for the season and has been excellent defensively as well, with 5 DRS in his rookie season. Fellow NL East rookie catcher Agustin Ramirez is having a good season as well don’t get me wrong, but Baldwin is definitely the better all-around profile. 

Triple-A

Covered by Rhys White

Hunter Barco, LHP PIT (Triple-A)

4 IP, H, BB, 4 K

Remember when Hunter Barco had a rough injury, and we were all worried about him? Now he is on pace for 100 innings of work. The sinker and slider were working in this one, and the splitter looked sharp. He got 7 whiffs on 20 swings, which is not awful. Barco projects out as a back-end of the rotation type arm for the Pirates. I wonder if they move him to get a bat into this lineup that so desperately needs it. Who says no to Owen Caissie for Hunter Barco, in what could be the most fun prospect challenge trade since Jazz Chisholm for Zac Gallen?

Brandon Sproat, RHP NYM (Triple-A)

6 IP, 3 H, 3 R (3 ER), 2 BB, 4 K, HR Allowed

Back-to-back Florida Gators, and back-to-back solid outings for Brandon Sproat. He is still throwing his dead-zone four-seamer too much. He needs to mix in the sinker more at the highest level. But hey, back-to-back non-blow-up outings for him should be celebrated ever so slightly.

JR Ritchie, RHP ATL (Triple-A)

6 IP, 3 H, 3 R (3 ER), BB, 5 K, 2 HR Allowed

If things went differently in Atlanta, I think we would see the Braves speed up JR Ritchie, and he might have exhausted prospect eligibility. The sinker-changeup combination is a fun combo. He gets a good amount of whiffs with the sinker as well, which opens up a lot with him. He is your classic "better in a deep league" sort of pitcher because I do slightly worry about where all the whiffs will come from at the major league level.

Spencer Jones, CF NYY (Triple-A)

2-for-4, 2 R, RBI

Call him up? I don't know at this point. I hope he graduates from prospect status rather quickly because I am just not sure what to think of him and would love to not have to rank him. Some days he is the Yankees' second-best prospect for me; on others, he is the fifth-best. The inner machinations of my mind are an enigma with him. The upside is immense but I don’t buy his contact skills at all. 

Forrest Whitley, RHP TB (Triple-A)

6 IP, H, BB, 4 K 

Of course, the Rays fixed him. Who would have guessed that just throwing it down the middle and letting the stuff play—something Geoff Pontes told me the Rays do better than any other team—would work for someone with great stuff? Nineteen inches of IVB on his fastball is just crazy, and his changeup looked good. It is mildly interesting that the Rays have made him a fastball-changeup guy, but who am I to argue with them?

‼️ Quinn Matthews, LHP STL (Triple-A)

7 IP, 2 H, BB, 9 K 

Fastball-changeup guy goes brrrrr. Quinn Matthews got 13 whiffs off the changeup in this one. That is pretty awesome. The changeup is absolutely disgusting. Maybe he graduates prospect status very early next year. There isn’t a lot left for him in the minors, and with the Cards fading, maybe he gets a cup of coffee in the big leagues. Do they have good coffee in St. Louis? I just imagine everywhere serves diner coffee, which isn’t bad, but you aren’t getting one of these trendy lattes in St. Louis.

Bobby Miller, RHP LAD (Triple-A)

IP, K 

He touched 100 out of the bullpen, we love to see that. 

🍔🍟 Nelson Rada, CF LAA (Triple-A)

3-for-5, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, SB 

Rada, Rada! Schnitzel’s favorite prospect continues to just hit and hit since being promoted to Triple-A. Taylor Blake Ward tweeted he is the youngest player to homer in a Triple-A game since Jackson Holliday. Rada is pushing what I want to call the Leody Taveras Theory: What if a player is always so young for the level—what will they look like when they are finally age-appropriate? Rada has 40 power, but man, he can play a good defensive center field. There is a part of me that wants to put him as a back-end top 100 guy this offseason.

Double-A

Covered by Matt Thompson

Charlie Condon, DH COL (Double-A)

3-for-4, 2B, R, RBI

Condon’s line is down to an underwhelming .247/.343/.393 line in Double-A, and when you go from the power numbers he put up in the SEC to slugging under .400 in pro ball that should ring some alarm bells. His contact rate is just 70%, which is below-average and while I think ultimately he’s still a big leaguer, I’m not all that excited about Condon going forward. With the 2024 draft class posting results like they are this looks like a disaster for the Rockies.

Nic Kent, 3B COL (Double-A)

3-for-5, 3B, 2B, 2 R, 4 RBI

Not really a prospect due to an overall lack of offensive production, but you wouldn’t know it here. Small chance at a future of an up and down utility guy if he hits, but we are a long way from that still yet.

Max Anderson, 3B DET (Double-A)

2-for-4, HR, 3 R, RBI, BB

I was a little surprised Anderson wasn’t moved at the deadline with the Tigers being flush with infielders and him being a little bit of a pop-up guy. I like him offensively though, he’s aggressive and looks to do damage.

Jarlin Susana, RHP WSH (Double-A)

4.2 IP, 4 H, ER, 2 BB, 6 K

Susana was sitting 99-100 and touching 102 in his return to Double-A. He’s got such free and easy velocity and him getting back up to pre-injury levels is excellent news. He’s worth getting excited about.

‼️ Trey Gibson, RHP BAL (Double-A)

6 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 K

Gibson has been dominant in his first ten Double-A starts. He has a 1.55 ERA with 68 strikeouts in 52 ⅓ innings of work and he's only allowed 29 hits. He’s one of the biggest pitching breakouts this year and probably the second best Orioles pitching prospect behind Mejia. His fastball/breaking ball combo is just eating hitters alive. Hopefully we see him in the big leagues before the year is out.

‼️ Miguel Mendez, RHP SD (Double-A)

6 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 11 K

Mendez has climbed three levels this season, and this was his Double-A debut. What a fantastic showing for him as the undersized right-hander has checked all of the boxes. He touches 99 with the heater despite his smaller frame, and he has above-average command. He got 20 swings and misses and dominated the Springfield lineup. Pick him up.

High-A

Covered by Grant Carver

💣💣 Albert Feliz, 1B BOS (High-A)

2-for-2, 2 HR, BB

Double Dong day for the big first baseman. He’s a guy with big time contact issues and is running a strikeout rate in the 40’s, but an impactful night tonight regardless.

Jeral Perez, DH CHW (High-A)

2-for-3, 2 R, 2 BB

Perez has had a solid season, and although the upside is not really exciting, there is enough for him to be a useful piece. Solid contact skills with average or so power will work offensively as a 2B type. Could use some maturing with the approach, but the guy is still 20 years old so he’s got time. 

Jesus Made, SS MIL (High-A)

2-for-5, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, K

A reported 111 mph on the rocket of a home run. Just an absurd combination of hit and power for a guy at his age and he is going to mash in High-A for the rest of the season. Tough to beat this when it comes to shortstop profiles.

Ryan Lasko, CF ATH (High-A)

2-for-5, 2B, R, RBI, K

Solid night for the former 2nd rounder that is still trying to put it together. He’s already 23 and the swing and miss concerns have never really trended in the right direction, so he’s a big wait and see for me. He would have to start making much more contact for him to get on my radar.

Braedon Karpathios, RF SD (High-A)

3-for-3, 2 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB

Karpathios has put together some solid seasons, especially for a former undrafted free agent. He’s still a corner outfielder without much power upside and some big contact issues, so not a profile with much upside. But at least the guy is producing.

Enrique Bradfield Jr, CF BAL (High-A)

3-for-5, 2B, 3 R, 2 K, SB

Not many people love slapping the ball the other way than Bradfield does. I’m curious why he has run on the bases way less this season compared to his last. The speed and baserunning is obviously there, so maybe he’s just being cautious with his legs. Still a profile with enough to be a regular starter pretty soon.

Jacob Cozart, C CLE (High-A)

3-for-5, 2B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, K

Nice to see Cozart with some game power here tonight. He has a ton of size and above average raw power in there, but is still looking to get it into games. The plate discipline is pretty impressive, so if the power comes it could be a solid profile.

🍔🍟 Walker Janek, DH HOU (High-A)

3-for-5, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, K, SB

Home run number 11 on the season and the power is certainly still in there. The plate discipline and contact skills are still pretty rough and until those trend in the right direction, it’s hard to see more than a backup role in Janek's future. 

Konnor Griffin, DH PIT (High-A)

1-for-3, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K

The 15th home run of the season was an absolute nuke to left center. Oh, and he also has 50 stolen bases on the season. The profile is looking flawless right now and until he gives us a red flag, it’s hard not to dream of some pretty sky high expectations for this guy. 

Adrian Placencia, 2B LAA (High-A)

2-for-4, HR, 2 R, K

Placencia has rebounded from a rough taste of High-A last year, but the hit tool questions remain. He’s got decent speed, even though he doesn’t use it to steal bases anymore, and plays a solid second base. He just needs to start making some more contact and the profile would be pretty attractive. A big hurdle to climb, but a step in the right direction this year for him in general.

Single-A

Covered by Nate Rasmussen

💣💣 Maxton Martin, LF TEX (Single-A)

3-for-3, 2 HR, 3 R, 4 RBI

Maxton Martin has had a really strong year in Single-A as a 20 year old. The power has shown up in game at an impressive rate this year, and he’s hit enough to put his name in Texas top 20 discussions heading into next year. There are some whiff concerns, and Martin will be a slow burn, but he’s one of my favorite under the radar guys I’ve covered this year.

‼️ David Shields, LHP KC (Single-A)

5 IP, H, 8 K

Another fun lefty in the Royals org??? Who would’ve thought. David Shields was a high profile draft pick last year, being taken early in the second round. He has all the makings of an MLB level crafty lefty, with good enough stuff led by what might be 60 grade command. He’s walking less than 5% of batters this year while giving up almost no home runs, that’s what a crafty lefty is all about.

‼️ Kevin Camacho, RHP CHC (Single-A)

5 IP, 4 H, BB, 9 K

Kevin Camacho recently made his debut in Single-A as a 20 year old, and has gotten off to a really fast start. His FIP is a 1.93, with plus strikeout rates and a surprising jump in command. Camacho has had a lot of trouble with walks in the DSL and CPX, but he’s cut his walk rate nearly in half in Single-A, which is a huge development for a guy with electric offerings.

🆕 Devin Taylor, RF ATH (Single-A)

2-for-3, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB

He’s made it, and he’s beautiful. Devin Taylor was one of my favorite picks in this years draft, sliding to the second round to the Athletics. He has the career home run record at Indiana, simply hitting everything in sight. The only knock to Taylor’s game is that he will likely be a below average corner outfielder, which doesn’t matter too much when you have such an impressive offensive skillset.

‼️ Kendy Richard, RHP ATL (Single-A)

6 IP, 3 H, BB, 5 K

Kendry Richard only has a handful of Single-A appearances after being promoted from the complex, but early returns have been promising. Richard has consistently outperformed his FIP in professional baseball, but lacks a carrying tool moving forward.

Tony Blanco Jr., DH PIT (Single-A)

2-for-5, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI

Tony Blanco Jr. is on a tear like none other right now. The raw impact with the bat is next level, but it is unsure if he’ll ever hit enough to get to that power at higher levels. Single-A is a weird place with bad pitching, so despite the hype on Blanco, we should probably temper out expectations on 20 year olds with 55% contact rates.

‼️ Liomar Martinez, RHP MIA (Single-A)

6 IP, 4 H, BB, 7 K

Liomar Martinez can spin the ball really well, with everything working yesterday on his way to 6 shutout innings. There are some command concerns with Martinez, but he has the raw stuff that Miami looks for in young pitchers. He will likely be a reliever long-term, but next year will be an important one for the young pitcher.

The Daily Sheet Emoji Appendix

This year we've added some emojis to have a bit of fun and make it easier to quickly identify different events or player status. We'll likely continue to add more as the season progresses!

🆕 for debuts at a new level

💣💣 for Double Dongs (💣💣💣 for a Throng of Dongs)

🍔🍟 for a Combo Meal (HR & SB)

👟 for multiple SB (👟👟 for 4+ SB)

🔄 for a Cycle

‼️for stand out starting pitching

🔜 for rehab assignments

🚑 for in-game injuries