Image credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Welcome to the Minor League Update. Every day, we tell you the latest about what happened to the prospects you care about, and maybe a few more you should. Here’s who made waves yesterday:
Hitter of the Day:
Aron Estrada, 2B, Baltimore Orioles (Double-A Chesapeake): 4-5, 2B, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI.
On the smaller side physically but possessing a strong overall game, the switch-hitter Estrada has historically commanded the plate well but has been quite aggressive in 2026, walking less than six percent of the time but still managing to keep his strikeout rate comfortably under 20%. There’s some sneaky pop in there too, as evidenced by his 14 homers in 282 plate appearances with the Bay Sox. His value might be enhanced if he taps back into some of the versatility (shortstop and outfield) he showed earlier in his career, but he may be hitting his way to the bigs anyway.
Pitcher of the Day:
Brad Pacheco, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies (Low-A Clearwater): 5 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 7 K, 1 BB.
Pacheco had not to this point been pitching dominantly as a 21-year-old in the Florida State League, posting a 4.48 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 62 ⅓ innings that include last night’s start, but the runs allowed are largely reflective of a few bad outings, and the stuff pops. It’s a high-spin four-seamer that gets up to 98 and an upper-80s slider that is capable of getting whiffs, with a sinker, change, and slower sweeper mixed in.
Duce Gourson, 2B/3B, Pittsburgh Pirates (Double-A Altoona): 3-4, HR, BB, 2 R, 4 RBI, 3 SB.
A humble ninth-round pick out of UCLA in 2024, Gourson has played the role of sparkplug for much of his pro career, putting up solid numbers at High-A Greensboro during the first half of 2025 and kicking it up a notch following a promotion to Altoona. While deceptively athletic with some decent bat control from the left side of the plate, he’s taken a step back this season with a .232/.387/.357 slash to date.
Jack Winnay, 3B/1B, Boston Red Sox (Double-A Portland): 2-4, 2B, HR, R, RBI.
A rare Massachusetts prep product not scooped up by the rival Yankees, Winnay headed south to Wake Forest for school (as top New England preps often do), where he parlayed a powerful bat into a 13th-round selection. Hardly challenged at Low-A in his draft year, he played well enough—.255/.434/.457 with 11 homers in 251 plate appearances—at High-A Greenville this spring to earn a promotion back up north to the Eastern League.
Gage Ziehl, RHP, Boston Red Sox (Double-A Portland): 5 IP, 1 ER, 6 H, 8 K, 1 BB.
A fourth-rounder out of “The U” (that’s Miami) in 2024, Ziehl is already on his third pro organization (Yanks and White Sox, traded for Austin Slater and Jordan Hicks/David Sandlin). Perhaps he’s found a home with these Sox, as his low-key package of stuff has produced a 3.94 ERA and 72 strikeouts over 64 EL innings.
J.T. Etheridge, RHP, New York Yankees (Low-A Tampa): 4 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 6 K, 1 BB.
Gather round to hear about another large (6-foot-6) Yankees pitching prospect from the deep south (Sweet Water, AL by way of Louisiana-Lafayette). Etheridge’s numbers this year have been far from impressive, and 24 is certainly on the older side for the FSL, but he does get up to 97 with a well-spun fastball that’s complemented by a low-80s sweeper and change. On Thursday night, that was enough.
Waner Luciano, 3B/2B/RF, Houston Astros (Low-A Fayetteville): 3-4, 2B, HR, BB, 2 R, 3 RBI.
Something depressing about prospect writing is the “remember when” sensation that comes about when writing up a formerly-hyped prospect whose development has stalled at the lower levels. At 21, Luciano truly does have his whole adult life in front of him, yet this blurb feels elegiac. Just getting going after missing the first early of this season, the Dominican yesterday evening showed the pop that first put him on the radar years ago.
Others of Note
Justin Thomas Jr., OF, Houston Astros (High-A Asheville): 2-4, HR, 2 BB, 3 R, 2 RBI.
Alfonsin Rosario, OF, Cleveland Guardians (Double-A Akron): 4-5, 2B, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI.
Nick Goodwin, IF, Toronto Blue Jays (Double-A New Hampshire): 3-4, 2B, HR, BB, 2 R, RBI.
Mason Neville, OF, Cincinnati Reds (High-A Dayton): 2-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
Bernard Moon, 2B/OF, Cincinnati Reds (Low-A Daytona): 3-6, 2B, HR, 3 R, RBI.
Joseph Dzierwa, LHP, Baltimore Orioles (Double-A Chesapeake): 4 ⅔ IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 7 K, 2 BB.
Isaac Lyon, RHP, Washington Nationals (Double-A Harrisburg): 7 IP, 1 ER, 7 H, 4 K.
Jack Cebert, RHP, New York Yankees (Double-A Somerset): 6 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 6 K, 3 BB.
Lucas Braun, RHP, Atlanta Braves (Double-A Columbus): 8 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 7 K.
Lucas Elissalt, RHP, Detroit Tigers (High-A West Michigan): 5 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 5 K.
Sammy Stafura, SS/2B, Pittsburgh Pirates (High-A Greensboro): 4-6, 2B, HR, 4 R, 4 RBI.
Axiel Plaz, C, Pittsburgh Pirates (High-A Greensboro): 4-5, BB, 2 R, 6 RBI.
Easton Carmichael, C, Pittsburgh Pirates (High-A Greensboro): 3-6, 2B, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI.
Edward Florentino, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates (High-A Greensboro): 3-5, HR, BB, 3 R, 2 RBI.
Josh Tate, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates (High-A Greensboro): 3-6, 2B, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI.
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