Touki Toussaint, RHP, low Single-A Rome
Ranking: No. 3 prospect in Baseball America midseason report
Toussaint was placed on the DL on Monday as a precautionary move when he reported some tricep sores in his right arm.
He had pitched since Aug. 21, when he worked six strong innings in Charleston, giving up just one run on five hits walking two and striking out five. He needed only 77 pitches (50 of which were strikes) through six innings.
Mallex Smith, CF, Triple-A Gwinnett
Ranking: No. 6 prospect in Baseball America’s midseason report
Smith had four more multi-hit games over the past week to give him 13 in August. After hitting .222 (28-for-126) in his first 31 games after being called up from Double-A Mississippi, Smith has hit .357 (35-for-98) in his past 22. He has stolen 27 bases for Gwinnett and 50 combined for Double-A and Triple-A. Smith is still finding his way in center field, however, where he committed two errors in the third inning Sunday, allowing Louisville to tie the game 2-2.
Braxton Davidson, RF, low Class-A Rome
Ranking: No. 7 prospect in Baseball America’s midseason report
Davidson doubled and homered in a game against Asheville on Saturday, giving him nine home runs this year, his first full season since being drafted in the first round in 2014. He went 4-for-14 in the four-game series with two doubles, a homer and two RBIs. He’s now hitting .245.
Tyrell Jenkins, RHP, Triple-A Gwinnett
Ranking: No. 9 prospect in Baseball America’s midseason report
Jenkins’ will miss a second start as he opens this week still on the disabled list. Jenkins was pulled from his start August 16 after just two innings and 37 pitches with a “dead arm,” or a lack of life on his pitches. He is getting a precautionary breather, given his history of shoulder problems. He has pitched a career-high 136 2/3 innings this season in both Double-A and Triple-A. His previous high was 82 1/3 innings in 2012.
Lucas Sims, RHP, Double-A Mississippi
Ranking: No. 10 prospect in Baseball America’s midseason report
Sims is finding his groove. He pitched six innings Sunday in Pensacola, allowed just one run on three hits and struck out a career-high 10 batters, while walking just two. He threw first-pitch strikes to 15 of the first 16 batters he faced. He has won three straight starts, while giving up just two earned runs and eight hits in 17 1/3 innings, walking nine and striking out 21. He is now 3-2 with a 4.19 ERA in seven starts for Mississippi.
Christian Bethancourt, C, Triple- A Gwinnett
Ranking: No. 6 prospect by Baseball America preseason 2015
Bethancourt was recalled to Atlanta on Monday after recording 10 multi-hit games in 18 games this month, while batting .394 (28-for-71) with nine doubles, two home runs and 16 RBIs. Bethancourt matched his career-high with a four-hit game Saturday against Louisville, something he’s done five times. His previous four-hit game came Aug. 11, 2013, with Double-A Mississippi.
Jason Hursh, RHP, Triple-A Gwinnett
Ranking: No. 7 prospect by Baseball America preseason 2015 season
Hursh’s scoreless run through his first four relief appearances in Gwinnett came to an end with back-to-back outings against Louisville, during which he allowed five runs in 1 1/3 combined innings. Three of the runs came in one swing Thursday, the first home run he had allowed in his 19 innings since moving to the bullpen.
Rio Ruiz, 3B, Double-A Mississippi
Ranking: No. 11 prospect by Baseball America preseason 2015
Ruiz entered the week on a season-high eight-game hitting streak. He is 9-for-29 (.310) over the streak with four doubles, and he hit his third home run of the season on Sunday with a two-run shot. Ruiz has worked his season batting average up to .224 in 114 games for Mississippi.
Andrew Thurman, RHP, high Class-A Carolina
Ranking: No. 20 prospect by Baseball America preseason 2015
Two starts since his demotion from Double-A, Thurman earned his first win. He pitched six innings Thursday night against Birmingham, allowing just one run on three hits, walking two and striking out three. Overall, Thurman is 7-5 with a 3.79 ERA in 16 games (15 starts) for both Carolina and Mississippi.
Daniel Castro, SS, Triple-A Gwinnett
Ranking: No. 28 prospect by Baseball America preseason 2015 season
Castro drove in six of Gwinnett’s 24 runs during a four-game weekend sweep over Louisville with a pair of three-hit, three-RBI games on Thursday and Saturday. The shortstop is batting .340 (17-for-50) in 14 games in August with three doubles and 12 RBIs.
