The Mudcats and Woodpeckers each have a pair of early-round picks from this year’s draft on their rosters. Even though Drew Gilbert, Houston’s first-rounder, was out of the lineup on Tuesday, there was still plenty of young talent in the game.
Robert Moore, 2B (MIL)
Moore only hit from the left side against the Woodpeckers on Tuesday night, reaching base in four of his five trips to the plate. What stands out immediately is Moore’s aggressiveness, both at the plate and on the basepaths. He landed a perfect bunt down the third base line on the first pitch he saw to lead off the first inning, and immediately went first to third on a base hit off the third base-side wall. Moore was hit by a pitch in the second, walked in the sixth and dumped a two-out base hit into right-center in the eighth.
Considered a top-10 pick heading into 2022, Moore endured an up-and-down final season at Arkansas, most notably unable to replicate his 2021 power showing. But even without plus over-the-fence power, his contact skills and feel for the strike zone should make him a solid offensive contributor.
Moore’s stellar defense was also on display on Tuesday. He showed plenty of range, soft hands and a strong arm at second base, and made a lightning quick transfer to help turn a double play in the sixth. His glove and instincts will carry him up the ladder, even if his bat lags a bit behind.
Eric Brown Jr, SS (MIL)
Although it wasn’t Brown’s best day at the plate, it was easy to see what made him exciting enough for the Brewers to draft him in the first round last month. He’s a high-energy, quick-twitch athlete with good instincts on the dirt and a fast bat– even with his hands set up above his head and his high leg kick. He has a knack for making contact, and the ball explodes off his bat– he hit several hard-hit foul balls on Tuesday.
That said, he did have some difficulty laying off breaking balls in the dirt against Fayetteville. He rarely struck out in college, but this could continue to be an issue as he transitions from the Sun Belt to pro ball. Brown finished the night 1-for-4 with a walk and a two-out single in the eighth, but he still came away from the game with an OPS north of 1.100 through his first seven games in Single-A.
Brown also showed off great range, smooth actions and solid arm strength, including starting an impressive double play in the sixth. He should be able to stick at shortstop going forward, but could easily handle second base, if necessary.
Jacob Melton, CF (HOU)
Melton reached base three times on Tuesday night against Carolina, including singles in the third and sixth innings. The player of the year in the Pac-12 has an intriguing combination of size and athleticism, as well as five potentially average-or-better tools, but had stumbled out of the gate in his first taste of A ball. His timing at the plate appears to be a little bit off – one of his hits was a weak chopper that was misplayed by the pitcher – but that is something that can be fixed with more professional plate appearances.
Melton is a solid defender in center field, but would profile well at either corner should he outgrow the position. He wasn’t asked to do too much on Tuesday, but did have to retreat to the warning track a couple of times, showing good feel for the wall at an opponents’ ballpark. Melton has all the tools to develop into one of Houston’s top prospects.
Tyler Whitaker, RF (HOU)
Whitaker was one of Fayetteville’s lone bright spots offensively in its 6-0 to Carolina. The Astros’ third-round pick in 2021 doubled in each of the seventh and ninth innings, but was stranded both times. Whitaker’s raw power is undeniable, but he has a long way to go to become a complete hitter. His swing is a bit long, and while his bat speed is impressive, his bat control is just average.
At just 20 years old, Whitaker still offers a ton of upside. There will likely always be a decent amount of swing-and-miss, but anything close to average contact skills would allow him to be an impact bat at the highest level.
Edinson Batista, RHP (HOU)
Batista has been a welcomed surprise for Fayetteville this season. He held the Mudcats scoreless over four frames Tuesday night, punching out five Carolina hitters in the process.
He was painting the edges with his fastball, which sat around 93, and getting whiffs with his upper-70s curveball, which featured some sharp bite and broke away late from righties. He was command-over-control on Tuesday, walking three batters but getting plenty of chases and called strikes on the edges. Batista is a sure-fire reliever, but could climb up Houston’s prospect lists with continued success.