Baseball America’s Hot Sheet ranks the 20 hottest prospects from the previous week. This installment of the Prospect Hot Sheet considers how minor league players performed through May 6. Contributing this week were Baseball America staffers Josh Norris, Geoff Pontes, J.J. Cooper and Matt Eddy.
This simply recognizes how the hottest prospects in the minors did in the past week—it’s not a re-ranking of the Baseball America Top 100 Prospects.
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Here’s last week’s show.
Why He’s Here: .500/.545/1.050 (10-for-20), 5 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 7 RBIs, 2 BB, 6 SO, 0-for-0 SB
The Scoop: Campbell was the talk of Red Sox minor league camp this spring. The former Georgia Tech star had transformed his profile from a hit over power second baseman to a power hitter with a chance to play center field. Campbell was added to the Red Sox Top 30 list in the latest update, and is coming off the best week of his career. Campbell homered in the first three games of the series at Asheville, and collected at least one hit in all five games he played in. His highlight game of the week came on Thursday when Campbell went 4-for-4 with a home run, a double, 3 RBIs and a walk. If Campbell continues to produce while limiting some of the added whiff that’s come with his added power he could blossom into an everyday regular. (GP)
2. Lazaro Montes, OF, Mariners
Team: Low-A Modesto (California)
Age: 19
Why He’s Here: .455/.538/.909 (10-for-22), 8 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 14 RBIs, 4 BB, 3 SO
The Scoop: So far in 2024, Montes is proving himself as one of the best teenaged ball strikers in the minor leagues. The Cuban slugger is … well … slugging. This past week he mashed three more home runs, doubling his total for the season and putting himself in sole possession of the California League lead and into a tie for second place in Low-A with Lynchburg’s Ralphy Velazquez. He’s looking passable in the outfield, too, which should only raise his value as he moves up the ladder. (JN)
3. Yilber Diaz, RHP, D-backs
Team: Double-A Amarillo (Texas)
Age: 23
Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 11 SO, 0 HR
The Scoop: Diaz is an up-arrow prospect in Arizona’s system and showed why in his most recent start. Facing Midland on May 2, the righthander spun seven dazzling innings with 11 strikeouts. He also got 21 swings…