Peoria Chiefs 3B Nolan Gorman (Photo by Craig Wieczorkiewicz/The Midwest League Traveler)

A pair of Peoria Chiefs were named the first Midwest League players of the week for the 2019 season.

Third baseman Nolan Gorman, a top St. Louis Cardinals prospect, was named the MWL offensive player of the week thanks to his hot start that includes a .395 batting average (15-for-38), four homers, four doubles, one triple, 13 RBI and 10 runs scored in 10 games.

Gorman was one of the players I wrote about in my season preview about top prospects to watch in the MWL’s Western Division. You can read that here, and my post about top Eastern Division prospects here.

Righthander Tommy Parsons was named the MWL pitcher of the week after posting 13 scoreless innings in his first two starts of the season. He struck out nine batters while allowing only five hits and two walks.

Hulsizer goes deep thrice

Great Lakes Loons outfielder Niko Hulsizer blasted three home runs against the South Bend Cubs on Monday. His four RBI weren’t enough for the Loons to beat the Cubs, who won 6-5.

Gray’s perfect outing wasted

Los Angeles Dodgers pitching prospect Josiah Gray threw five perfect innings for Great Lakes on Thursday, but South Bend batters got to the bullpen later in the game to give the Cubs a 2-1 win. Gray struck out five.

It was the righthander’s second start of the season. In his first start, against the Lake County Captains on April 6, he gave up one run on two hits and two walks while striking out six in 4.2 innings.