Last year's first-round picks stand tall among Friday's top performers

As the rest of the Minor Leagues got underway Friday, there was a recurring theme -- many of the 2024 top Draft picks stood out, even in debuts at new levels. Chase Burns made his professional bow in dominant fashion, notching the first six strikeouts of his career over four scoreless frames at High-A. And he wasn't the only one -- Travis Bazzana and Konnor Griffin also impressed in their 2025 bows.

FRIDAY'S TOP PERFORMERS

Chase Burns, RHP, Dayton (CIN No. 1/MLB No. 25)
Burns was nearly spotless in his professional debut, more than eight months after he was selected second overall in the MLB Draft. Burns struck out six and allowed two baserunners across four scoreless innings for the High-A Dragons. The 22-year-old induced 10 swings-and-misses among his 57 pitches (38 for strikes). Full story | Gameday

Travis Bazzana, 2B, Akron (CLE No. 1/MLB No. 9)
Drafted first overall last year out of Oregon State, Bazzana went straight to High-A to start his pro career. Staying on this trajectory, the Aussie reported to Double-A Akron for Opening Day, notching his first two hits and two stolen bases. He also walked twice, drove in a run and scored another in a well-rounded season debut. Gameday

Aidan Miller, SS, Reading (PHI No. 2/MLB No. 26)
Miller tore through the Minors in 2024, working his way from Single-A to High-A to Double-A. He parlayed his performance into an invitation to big league camp, where he was one of the youngest players at just 20 years old. He started the season back at Reading and promptly hit his first Double-A home run. He finished the game 2-for-5. Gameday

Kevin McGonigle, SS/2B, West Michigan (DET No. 3/MLB No. 27)
Armed with a 65-grade hit tool, McGonigle burst onto the scene in his first full pro season with a slash line of .326/.407/.470 at Single-A Lakeland. He was promoted to High-A before a hamate injury ended his season. Back with West Michigan, the Pennsylvania native showed no signs of rust on Opening Day as he drove in four runs on two doubles in a 7-0 victory. Gameday

Dalton Rushing, 1B, Oklahoma City (LAD No. 2/MLB No. 29)
One week ago, Rushing crushed a home run on Triple-A Opening Day. After a string of three hitless games, the former second-round pick once again put on a show at the plate for the Comets, going 4-for-5 with an RBI. It was Rushing’s first game with four or more hits since Aug. 28, 2022 when he racked up five for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga. Gameday

Thomas White, LHP, Beloit (MIA No. 1/MLB No. 40)
White dazzled in his first full pro season, posting a 2.81 ERA and a 120/38 K/BB ratio between Single-A and High-A. In July, he earned a spot on the National League squad at the All-Star Futures Game. The 6-foot-5 lefty, now 20, started the season back with the Sky Carp and delivered an impressive performance on Opening Day. He struck out seven batters while allowing just one hit and three walks in four innings. Gameday

Lazaro Montes, OF, Everett (SEA No. 2/MLB No. 41)
Montes picked up right where he left off during his breakout 2024 season. Coming off a 21-homer, 105-RBI campaign across two Minor League levels, the 20-year-old returned to the High-A AquaSox and smoked a solo homer in his first plate appearance of 2025. Only two years into his stateside career, Montes reached safely in all four of his plate appearances, adding two walks, a single and a stolen base to his Opening Day stat line. Gameday

Konnor Griffin, SS, Bradenton (PIT No. 2/MLB No. 42)
Griffin hit the ground running in his pro debut, igniting the Single-A Marauders' offense from the leadoff spot. The 18-year-old native of Jackson, Mississippi, singled on the first pitch of the game, swiped a base and came around to score in the opening frame. Griffin added another single, a stolen base, a walk and a run scored in his first game since being selected ninth overall in the 2024 Draft. Gameday

Braylon Payne, OF, Carolina (MIL No. 11)
Payne got his feet wet in four late-season games for the Single-A Mudcats last year and checked another “first” off his list on Opening Day Part 2. The 18-year-old slugged his first career homer in his first at-bat of 2025 to help spearhead the Carolina offense. Payne added a walk to his ledger and scored twice in four plate appearances. Gameday

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WHAT TO WATCH SATURDAY

This one has real slugfest potential
Norfolk Tides (BAL) @ Charlotte Knights (CWS), 6:05 p.m. ET
How many power-packed Top 100 prospects in one game would get you to tune in? Let's put that to the test! The White Sox have a revamped farm system, with three sluggers -- Kyle Teel (MLB No. 31), Colson Montgomery (MLB No. 38) and Edgar Quero (MLB No. 64) -- making for a formidable triumvirate at Triple-A Charlotte. Add the homer-happy duo of Coby Mayo (MLB No. 13) and Samuel Basallo (MLB No. 12) to the mix for Norfolk, and even if Basallo is held out of action after departing early Friday due to a hamstring issue, there will be plenty of big tool grades to go around. Check it out for FREE. More ?

Switching it up a bit ... on the mound
Everett AquaSox (SEA) @ Spokane Indians (COL), 8:09 p.m. ET
If you haven't heard (or seen) by now, Jurrangelo Cijntje is something of a phenom. The Mariners' 2024 first-rounder is an exhilarating prospect on the hill and it's not just because of his velo or track record of success in the SEC -- it's because he throws with both arms, and does so effectively. The club's No. 9 prospect makes his pro debut, with Lazaro Montes (SEA No. 2/MLB No. 41) looking to homer in his second straight game. More ?

Crosstown Classic gets a bump from the bump
Knoxville Smokies (CHC) @ Birmingham Barons (CWS), 7:30 p.m. ET
The White Sox hold the unique distinction of boasting both the No. 1 and No. 2 best left-handed pitching prospects in the game. Things didn't go so well for Noah Schultz in Friday's opener but Hagen Smith (CWS No. 3/MLB No. 33), the No. 5 overall pick in the 2024 Draft, will make his Double-A debut for Birmingham. Adding to the hype is that he'll be doing so against Cubs prospects, making it a hotly anticipated event for the SEC standout who broke the NCAA's single-season K/9 (17.3) record last year. More ?