Baseball America’s Hot Sheet highlights the 20 most impressive prospects from the previous week, focusing on minor league player performances through April 20. This week’s contributions come from Baseball America staff members Josh Norris, Geoff Pontes, Jesús Cano, and J.J. Cooper.
The Hot Sheet serves to acknowledge the top-performing prospects in the minor leagues over the past week; it is not a re-evaluation of the Baseball America Top 100 Prospects.
Join us every Monday at 3 p.m. ET for our weekly Hot Sheet Show on YouTube. Additionally, we’ll be responding to your prospect inquiries in our weekly Hot Sheet chat every Tuesday at 2 p.m. ET.
1. Jordan Lawlar, SS, Diamondbacks
- Team: Triple-A Reno (Pacific Coast)
- Age: 22
- Why He’s Here: .409/.480/1.000 (9-for-22), 6 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 9 RBIs, 3 BB, 4 SO, 4 SB
The Scoop: Lawlar’s performance is encouraging, and fans hope he can achieve over 400 healthy plate appearances this year after injuries impacted his rookie season. With Ketel Marte’s injury, there’s speculation that Lawlar might get a shot to help boost the offense. Remarkably, he has already matched almost all of his plate appearances from the previous season, playing 12 games at second base this month despite never playing there prior. (JJ)
2. Carson Whisenhunt, LHP, Giants
- Team: Triple-A Sacramento (Giants)
- Age: 24
- Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO, 0 HR
The Scoop: Known for his effective fastball and changeup, Whisenhunt is working on refining a breaking ball for better versatility. In his most recent outing, he showcased a slider that generated whiffs, leading to his season-high nine strikeouts, a great bounce-back from a prior difficult start. (JN)
3. Braden Montgomery, OF, White Sox
- Team: Low-A Kannapolis (Carolina)
- Age: 22
- Why He’s Here: .353/.500/.765 (6-for-17), 6 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 6 BB, 1 SO, 3-for-4 SB
The Scoop: Montgomery’s professional journey faced a setback due to a serious ankle injury last year, but he is now making a strong impression. After two homers in a week and notable exit velocities from his hits, he is establishing himself quickly in the White Sox system. (JC)
4. Kelvin Hidalgo, SS, Rockies
- Team: Low-A Fresno (California)
- Age: 20
- Why He’s Here: .417/.517/.750 (10-for-24), 10 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 11 RBIs, 5 BB, 7 SO, 9-for-9 SB
The Scoop: Hidalgo had an outstanding week, hitting for both power and speed. He has yet to be caught stealing, showcasing a remarkable blend of skills that could see him rise rapidly through the ranks as he continues to perform well. (GP)
5. Bryce Cunningham, RHP, Yankees
- Team: High-A Hudson Valley (South Atlantic)
- Age: 22
- Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO, 0 HR
The Scoop: After being selected in the recent draft, Cunningham has delivered a stellar outing, highlighting his strikeout ability and efficiency on the mound, which is a good sign for his future potential with the Yankees. (JN)
