
Baltimore Orioles third base prospect Coby Mayo went 2-for-4 with a single and three-run homer at the Triple-A level on April 30. He also struck out once and drew a pair of walks. Baltimore seems to have a surplus of hot-hitting prospects and Mayo might be the next to make his MLB debut. He's making a strong push for a promotion with his .330/.400/.652 slash line, nine home runs, and 25 RBI through 28 games this year. He has now homered in back-to-back games and also owns a four-game hitting streak.

Cleveland Guardians first base prospect Kyle Manzardo went 2-for-5 with a double and solo homer on April 30. He currently owns a three-game hitting streak and has ultimately got on base in five consecutive contests. The 23-year-old left-hander has already launched seven homers this year, and he owns a strong .991 OPS. Furthermore, he's maintained a 12.7 BB% and 17.3 K%, both impressive marks for someone with significant power. Manzardo was dealt from Tampa Bay to Cleveland last summer and is now pushing hard to make his MLB debut this May.

Pittsburgh Pirates pitching prospect Paul Skenes, the No. 1 pick in last year's MLB Draft, spun another gem during his sixth minor league appearance of the season on April 30. The 21-year-old right-hander tossed six shutout innings, recording seven strikeouts along the way. He surrendered just one walk and four hits. 2024 has certainly treated Skenes well; the former LSU standout has allowed just one earned run through 23 innings of work, dropping his FIP to 0.91. He has also forced plenty of weak contact (52.5 GB%) and hasn't allowed a homer since he was in college. No team ever wants to rush their prospects to the majors, but there may be no better time than the present for Pittsburgh to promote Skenes. He has proven that he can mow down Triple-A batters, so he should get his shot in the majors sooner rather than later.

St. Louis Cardinals pitching prospect Quinn Mathews is a former fourth-round pick just one month removed from his pro debut. The southpaw has a low-90s fastball and rounds out his repertoire with a curveball, slider, and changeup. Of those secondary options, the changeup is the best, though all three can be effective. Mathews flashed decent control in college and has racked up strikeouts so far this year. He also struggled with walks in his pro debut but has seemed to harness his control since then. Last week, Mathews delivered six scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out 13 batters along the way. He's averaging more than two strikeouts per inning this season, and he also hasn't allowed an earned run since his pro debut back on April 5 (two runs, one earned). Keep an eye on Mathews, who could push to make his MLB debut sometime next year.


Arizona Diamondbacks third base prospect Deyvison De Los Santos was snatched by the Guardians in December's Rule 5 draft but returned to Arizona this spring. He has seen his prospect stock drop lately (he was MLB Pipeline's No. 5 Diamondbacks prospect in 2023; he opens 2024 at No. 14) but still continues to flash significant upside in the field and at the plate. The 20-year-old converts excellent bat speed into plenty of power, and he's done a good job keeping his strikeout rate somewhat in check so far this season. In the field, he has a slightly erratic glove and arm at the hot corner, suggesting he's destined for first base or designated hitter long-term. Last week, De Los Santos did what he does best: turn heads with a big showing at the plate. The Dominican Republic native went 13-for-24 over the six-game span, adding three homers, nine RBI, two walks, and three strikeouts. He's been in Double-A ever since September 2022 but could secure a much-deserved promotion if he continues to hit the ball well.
