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KANSAS CITY -- Billy Butler, the Royals' 2004 first-round draft pick, was a Triple Crown contender in the California League, batting .348 with 25 homers and 91 RBIs. The 19-year-old third baseman is picking up where he left off in the AFL, boasting a .344 batting average with two homers and nine RBIs in just seven games.

After going hitless in his first game for the Surprise Scorpions, Butler busted out with four hits, including a three-run homer, on Oct. 5 in an 11-6 victory over the Peoria Saguaros.

While Butler shone in his first week in the desert, Kansas City also got strong performances from its other prospects in the AFL. Here's how they fared:

Brian Bass, RHP -- Bass has been an anomaly in the hitter-friendly league. With the AFL combined ERA pushing 7.00, he has been near-flawless in two starts for the Scorpions. The right-hander tossed four perfect innings on Oct. 13 against the Mesa Solar Sox and ended up allowing just one hit in seven scoreless frames.

Jonah Bayliss, RHP -- The 25-year-old scored a win in relief in the Scorpions' 7-2 victory over Phoenix on Oct. 7, allowing one run on two hits with four strikeouts in two innings. Overall, Bayliss appeared in three games out of the bullpen, posting a respectable 4.76 ERA with eight strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.

Chris Demaria, RHP -- Demaria made his first appearance for the Scorpions on Oct. 12, mopping up in a 10-1 rout of Mesa with a scoreless seventh inning.

Matt Tupman, C -- The Scorpions backstop struggled in his first five games, hitting .214 with one RBI. He singled in a run in his first at-bat on Oct. 4.