One of the more intriguing prospects in the Rays system is starting to break out.
After missing the first six weeks of the minor-league season, 2018 International Week alum Brock Jones has seemed to turn it on over the last month for the High-A Bowling Green Hot Rods, carrying a six-game hitting streak through this weekend. He’s got three straight games with a homer, and also has six hits in his last seven at-bats, capping off a very strong July in which he slashed .276/.418/.526.
The former Stanford standout went to Tampa Bay with the No. 65 overall pick last year, and has emerged as one of their better outfield prospects in the organization, not far removed from not only a standout showing at Camelback Ranch with the Future Stars Series only five years ago, but also a strong performance at the National Tournaments as a member of NorCal as well.
Bo Naylor, C — Cleveland Guardians
The Canadian-born backstop hasn’t slowed down since earning his third promotion to the big leagues from Triple-A Columbus, one that seems to be for good. The 2017 World Team member at International Week delivered with yet another MLB career-first this past week, going off for his first-ever two-homer game, which he accomplished on July 25 against the Kansas City Royals.
After a solo shot off of Zack Greinke in the third inning, he followed that up in his next plate appearance with another blast off the former All-Star, this time with a runner on. Both homers, which came with two outs, helped the Guardians to a 5-1 win.
Drew Romo, C — Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies)
Another catcher with a bright future, Romo made his presence felt at the 2019 National Tournaments as a member of the Scorpions, but not quite like he did with Hartford this past week. Still only 21 years old, the No. 35 overall pick of the Colorado Rockies back in the 2020 MLB Draft dazzled with his first career three-homer game, accomplishing the stunning feat in New Hampshire on Friday night.
Perhaps even more impressive was that he did it off of three different pitchers; he took starter Luis Quinones deep in the fourth inning for a two-run shot, smacked another two-run shot off Gabriel Ponce in the eighth, and went yard off T.J. Brock in the ninth for a solo homer.
