The Hot Sheet is back! Baseball America’s staff ranks the 20 hottest prospects from the previous week. This installment of the Prospect Hot Sheet considers what minor league players did through Aug. 22. Contributing this week were Josh Norris, Geoff Pontes, J.J. Cooper and Kyle Glaser.
This simply recognizes what the hottest prospects in the minors did in the past week—it’s not a re-ranking of the Baseball America Top 100 Prospects.
1. Hunter Goodman, C, Rockies
Team: High-A Spokane (Northwest)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: .357/.357/1.000 (10-for-28), 3 2B, 5 HR, 10 RBIs, 0 BB, 6 SO.
The Scoop: Goodman is steadily becoming more of a first baseman who catches sometimes rather than a catcher who slides over to first to rest his legs some days. He’s played 68 games at first so far this year and he’s caught 44 games. But if he hits like this, who cares? Goodman is currently working on a five-game home run streak and now has 30 home runs overall. Goodman is also a good athlete for a catcher. (JC)
2. Andrew Painter, RHP, Phillies
Team: Double-A Reading (Eastern)
Age: 19
Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 SO, 0 HR
The Scoop: Painter’s season has been nothing short of remarkable. In fact, it’s gone well past remarkable, shot past outstanding, put incredible in the rear-view mirror and is rapidly approaching unbelievable. At this time last year, Painter had been a professional for just more than a month. In the months prior, the righthander had closed his senior season of high school and then been selected with the 13th overall pick in the draft. Now he’s in Double-A, where he put forth a sparkling debut that extended his scoreless innings streak to 26. Simply by throwing a pitch in Double-A in his first full pro season, Painter joined a very exclusive club of high school pitchers. Since 1997, just six high school first-round arms have reached Double-A in their first full seasons as pros: Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Chad Billingsley, Dylan Bundy, Forrest Whitley and Painter. Does joining that group guarantee big things for Painter? No. Is it a really great indicator? Absolutely. (JN)
3. Shane Sasaki, OF, Rays
Team: Low-A Charleston (Carolina)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: .444/.500/.926 (12-for-27), 5 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 4 RBIs, 3 BB, 6 SO, 4 SB, 2 CS.
The Scoop: Sasaki’s second half of the season just keeps getting better and better. After flirting with hitting .300 for the first half of the season, Sasaki now is the Carolina League’s batting…
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