Friday's top Spring Training prospect performers

Here's a look at Friday’s top performers at Spring Training from each team's Top 30 Prospects list.

Royals: Bobby Witt Jr., SS/3B (MLB No. 1)
Nick Pratto, 1B (MLB No. 62)

With the release of the 2022 Top 100 Prospect list, Witt Jr. was named the top prospect in baseball and celebrated his new status with a two-hit game in his Spring Training debut. Batting eighth and playing third base, Witt roped a single in his first at-bat and added a double in the fourth before exiting the game. Following a dominant season that saw him mash 33 homers and steal 29 bases across Double-A and Triple-A, Royals fans may not need to wait long to see Witt make his Major League debut.

Not to be outdone by his fellow top prospect, Pratto recorded a two-hit game of his own after entering in the fourth inning. The 23-year-old walked in his first plate appearance of 2022, launched a two-run home run in the seventh off of Rangers top prospect Jack Leiter and tacked on a single to finish a productive day. Pratto broke out in 2021 with 36 homers and a .987 OPS at Double-A and Triple-A, giving Kansas City another potential franchise cornerstone for the future.

Mariners: Julio Rodríguez, OF (MLB No. 3)
Rodríguez provided baseball’s highlight of the day with a monstrous 431-foot, three-run home run, drilled 117 mph off the bat. He added a walk after entering in the fifth inning, relieving Jarred Kelenic and manning center field. Rodríguez posted a .347/.441/.560 triple-slash line with a 1.001 OPS last season and is expected to help the Mariners break their 20-year postseason drought this year.

Tigers: Riley Greene, OF (MLB No. 5)
Kody Clemens, 2B

Starting in center field and batting second, Greene made the most of his opportunity by swatting an opposite-field tater on an 0-2 fastball, going back-to-back with outfielder Akil Baddoo. The 21-year-old was hit by a pitch in his first at-bat and was pinch-hit for in the fifth inning, ending a solid spring debut. Greene showcased his combination of power and speed in 2021, recording 24 homers, 25 doubles and 16 stolen bases in his first full season. Greene should get an opportunity to help Detroit contend for a postseason spot as he is expected to make his Major League debut in 2022.

Clemens entered the game in the sixth inning as a third baseman and wasted no time making his mark on the game, launching a solo home run on the second pitch he saw. The former Texas Longhorn finished 2-for-3 with a strikeout, tacking on a single in the ninth. Clemens hit 18 homers and drove in 61 runs in 100 games last season and is part of a Detroit system that boasts impressive position player depth.

Pirates: Nick Gonzales, 2B (MLB No. 20)
Gonzales made the most of his short day, entering the game as a defensive replacement at second base in the sixth inning. In his lone plate appearance, the 22-year-old laced an RBI knock into center field in the seventh. He then swiped his first base of the campaign. In 41 home games last year, Gonzales had a 1.094 OPS. In 39 road games, he had an .804 OPS. Of his 18 home runs, 13 were in Greensboro. He posted a .302 batting average across 80 games.

Reds: Nick Lodolo, LHP (MLB No. 42)
The 24-year-old’s quest to break camp with a hold on a rotation spot for the Reds got off to a flawless start. Lodolo posted two perfect frames in his spring debut, whiffing four, including the side in the second inning. The southpaw accounted for his other outs with a pair of weak, routine ground balls in the first. In the second inning, he fanned Franmil Reyes, Bobby Bradley and Bradley Zimmer. Lodolo was 2-2 with a 2.31 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 13 starts combined last season for Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Louisville. His season was marred by a blister issue on his pitching hand, and he was limited to three starts at Louisville because of a left shoulder sprain.

Padres: MacKenzie Gore, LHP (MLB No. 86)
Gore tossed two scoreless innings as the Padres’ starter on Friday, striking out two, allowing one base runner and tossing 22 of his 33 pitches for strikes. His outing impressed San Diego’s new manager Bob Melvin and was more in line with the pitcher who posted a 1.69 ERA in 101 innings in 2019. Gore ranked as the No. 3 prospect in baseball in 2020, but a combination of injuries and struggles on the mound have contributed to his slide down the rankings. If he can regain his form with consistency, the 6-foot-2 left-hander has the tools to anchor San Diego’s rotation in the future.

Braves: Victor Vodnik, RHP
Atlanta tossed eight innings of no-hit ball to start its Spring Training, capped by Vodnik’s perfect two innings. The right-hander took the mound in the seventh and eighth innings, racking up five strikeouts in his first in-game action since the Arizona Fall League. Vodnik flashed high-strikeout potential last season for Double-A Mississippi with 41 Ks in 33 2/3 innings and finished fourth in the AFL in strikeouts with 25. The 22-year-old has struggled with his command at times, but with experience as both a starter and reliever, he could turn into a valuable pitcher for the Braves.

Red Sox: Christian Koss, SS
Koss only appeared in the final four innings of the Red Sox game on Friday, but based on his final line you may not believe that. The 24-year-old replaced Bobby Dalbec and played third base in the sixth, and finished the game going 3-for-3 at the plate with a pair of solo jacks. Koss led off the eighth with a tater to left and broke a 6-6 tie with a two-out walk-off blast on a 3-2 pitch the following frame. Koss tacked on a single to left in the sixth in his standout day at the plate.