While the stars of today such as Mike Trout, Todd Frazier, and Clayton Kershaw now spend summers showcasing their talent in the Major Leagues, one must not forget that they all started in MiLB. Minor League Baseball is not just a place for family fun, but it is where future All-Stars develop and work on their game before achieving the life-long dream of suiting up in an MLB stadium. On Tuesday evening, some of the greatest prospects that have yet to reach the Majors proved to their individual teams that their time is soon to come.

Texas League (AA)
NW Arkansas 10
Arkansas 4

"There it is! A single! Bubba Starling, you are the Star tonight!" 

Although Bubba Starling, the fifth overall pick from the 2011 MLB Draft, was mentioned in trade rumors as one of the players to be shipped to Cincinnati for Johnny Cueto, he forever etched his name in Northwest Arkansas Naturals' history by being the first Natural to hit for the cycle.

Interestingly, his pursuit did not start in the first inning but in the third as the 22-year old blasted a two-run shot to left-center field for his first hit of the game. Starling followed the round tripper with a double in the fourth frame before tripling in the seventh, setting him up for a chance at history in his next at bat. But would he even have an opportunity? Thankfully, the Naturals were on the road Tuesday night, which allowed for the Royals' fifth prospect to come up in the ninth inning despite Northwest Arkansas leading 10-3.

Starling entered the batter's box needing only a single and had no problem accomplishing the task by sending a line drive to left field that fell right in front of Arkansas's Ruben Sosa. History was made!


Southern League (AA)
Pensacola 3
Chattanooga 8

Isn't it amazing how one crooked number can change the dynamic of a game? No? Ask a member of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos because anyone of them would disagree.

On Tuesday night, Pensacola swam ahead to an early 3-0 lead thanks to a Seth-Meijas Brean 2-RBI double and a Yovan Gonzalez RBI groundout. This is a big lead, right? Wrong, as Chattanooga glued together two walks and five hits to plate seven runs in the bottom of the fourth! The big blow in the frame was a simple base from 2014 All-Star Futures Game selection Kenny Vargas, who actually started the inning with the single that plated three runs and gave the Lookouts a 7-3 lead.

In the fifth inning, Chattanooga's Shannon Wilkerson would put the final nail in the Blue Wahoos' coffin with an RBI double that increased the advantage to five.

While Kenny Vargas had a very good game for his club, Cincinnati Reds' top prospect Jesse Winker went hitless in three at bats.


Eastern League (AA)
Harrisburg 0
New Hampshire 5

Although the trading of now former Toronto Blue Jays' prospect Jeff Hoffman took away a Top-100 pitching matchup in Manchester, New Hampshire, MLB.com's number three prospect Lucas Giolito was still making his Double-A debut. Unfortunately for him though, it would not go as hoped.

The freshly promoted starter of the Washington Nationals could not have begun his evening any better as he retired the first seven New Hampshire batters he faced. Eventually though, the Fisher Cats were able to get their timing down on the flame thrower and put two runs on the board in the third inning. 

After Washington's top prospect settled down and posted two more zeros, Kevin Nolan began the sixth inning with a walk, which led to a 2-RBI single by K.C. Hobson that chased Giolito from the game.

While all eyes were on Harrisburg's starter, the New Hampshire pitching staff had a no-hitter going until the Senators' Shawn Pleffner started the eighth inning with a single.


Pacific Coast League (AAA)
Iowa 9
Nashville 0

He's back! When Javier Baez went down with a non-displaced fracture of his left ring finger, the Chicago Cubs' prospect was obliterating PCL pitching with 8 home runs and 29 RBIs in 37 games. On Tuesday, he re-started his 2015 campaign right where he left off.

The Puerto Rico native that was on the 7-day DL for almost a month and a half. He played with the intention of making a statement as he blasted two bombs for the third time this season! In addition to Baez's great performance, Junior Lake and Clayton Richard, who have both been demoted from the "North Side" this year, led the I-Cubs with a 2-for-5, 1-HR day from the Lake and seven shutout innings from Richard.


International League (AAA)
Charlotte 1
Louisville 3

Maybe it was out of pure anger or a self-assigned duty to prove the MLB.com prospect gurus wrong, but Cincinnati's top pitching prospect Robert Stephenson was on his "A+ Game" yesterday evening at Louisville Slugger Field.

Despite Stephenson's walking Charlotte Knights' second baseman Micah Johnson to begin the game, MLB.com's 43rd prospect immediately tightened up his control and was able to escape three consecutive innings of a runner on second with one out. From the fourth on, the 22-year old right-hander dominated the Knights and ended the night with ten strikeouts in eight innings (both Triple-A highs).

On the other side of the ball, the International League starter in the 2015 Triple-A All-Star Game, Erik Johnson, hurled six innings of one-run ball against Louisville while suffering the tough-luck loss.