Just like summer, it seems like the minor league season goes by faster and faster with each passing year. Perhaps we can thank the new pitching timers for that, a controversial topic among many fans. Personally, I thought it helped the pace of play substantially and am excited to see it's implementation on the major league level. About the only rule change that makes sense there...(Bigger bases?? Come on..)
As always, this was an action packed season full of surprises, accomplishments and shortcomings. We'll highlight some guy's big statistical outputs, the next group of names on the rise, and some prospects who fell a bit short of their expectations.
Seasons Worth Highlighting
Esteury Ruiz: The speedy outfielder started 2022 with the Padres organization but was shipped to Milwaukee as part of the Josh Hader trade. Despite the move, Ruiz has had a crazy season. Hitting for .332 at AA and AAA ball is impressive, as is his OBP of .447, but Esteury's most dangerous once he's on base. He led the minor leagues in stolen bases this season with 85. He's a menace on the base paths who has improved defensively since being moved to the outfield. Awesome season that may earn him a major league roster spot in 2023.
Hunter Goodman: A fourth round pick from the University of Memphis in 2021, Hunter Goodman has really come onto the scene in his second minor league year. The catcher has big time home run power, indicated by his MiLB leading 36. But he's not just a bomb or bust guy, as he's kept his average hovering around .300 through three levels of play. The 23rd ranked Rockies prospect will have a spot on any roster if his bat keeps that pop.
Colton Cowser: Kind of a personal favorite here with the Orioles #4 prospect Colton Cowser. His cumulative stats may not be as astronomical as some of the other names here, but it was his performance after his first promotion that earned him a spot on this list. After moving up from A+ Aberdeen to AA Bowie, the 2021 first round pick exploded during his 49 game stint-- slashing a line of .341/10/33 for the Baysox. This fast forwarded him to AAA Norfolk, where he finished his second professional season. Baltimore should be calling soon.
Mason Montgomery: Tampa Bay and their pitching prospects...it's really a masterfully run organization. We'll touch on their #1 guy in a little bit, but the second ranked hurler in their farm system had an incredible 2022. In 27 starts, Montgomery's averaged 4.6 innings per start and an ERA of just 2.10. He's been as incredibly consistent as he's been dominant, averaging 1.4 K/inning on top of all of these other gaudy stats. Future's bright in Tampa, has been for a decade now.
Andrew Painter: At 6'7" and 19 years old, Andrew Painter is an imposing presence on the mound. Take a look at his stats and he's downright terrifying. The second year Phillies prospect went 6-2 with an immaculate 1.56 ERA and a 6:1 K:BB ratio as he ascended from A ball to AA without skipping a beat. The former 13th pick overall has more than lived up to his draft status so far and has a legitimate chance to get to the major leagues before his 21st birthday. Check this dude out soon before you have to pay big league ticket prices to do so.
Brandon Pfaadt: It'd be egregious of us to not highlight the man who led all of minor league baseball in strikeouts. The Diamondbacks 5th round pick from 2020 has been hittable, allowing a not-great .251 average against, but he's also been able to punch out 31.6% of the batters he's faced-- 218 in total. If Pfaadt is able to decrease his .335 BABIP, then he could become a very viable rotational option for Arizona.
Watchlist for 2023
Jordan Lawlar: The #12 prospect in baseball produced a .303/16/62 line in a dominant 2022 display. In the process, he ascended from rookie ball to AA Amarillo, really not dropping off statistically at any point. He'll be 21 by the middle of next season, with minimal competition in front of him on the Diamondbacks' roster. Don't be surprised if we get a half season of Lawlar in the bigs come 2023.
Marcelo Mayer: Real nice guy who took the time to chat and sign some merch for us this July in Delmarva. Marcelo worked his way up from low A Salem to Greenville, ripping 13 dingers along the way. His biggest accolade was probably cleaning up his fielding, going from 10 errors on 70 chances in 2021 to just 12 errors on 306 chances this season-- a tremendous improvement by any standard. He'll likely start in double-A next season and could be up late if he produces. 2024 seems more likely to be his arrival time though.
Henry Davis: Like Lawlar, this 2021 draftee rose from rookie ball to AA this year. While his power and defense translated upward, his batting average did not. Davis hit over .340 in low and single-A ball but dipped all the way down to .207 once he reached Altoona. The kid's got a clear path to the majors sometime next season, but it won't happen if he can't improve on that contact. No reason to anticipate that he won't do this though.
Robert Hassell III: One of the marquee pieces of the Juan Soto deal, the speedy outfielder played well at A+ and AA ball this season. He showed a little bit of pop in the bat and strong abilities on the base paths. Given the current situation on the major league level in Washington, it wouldn't be a surprise for Hassell to make his debut by next September at the latest. His career will factor in heavily on who won this blockbuster trade when we look back in a few years.
Jackson Jobe: One of our favorite prospects from the 2021 draft was 6'2" righty Jackson Jobe. The Tigers coveted him as well, taking him slightly over slot with the #3 pick. He rewarded them with a strong first full season on the mound, starting in Lakeland and finishing in high-A West Michigan. Post-promotion, he cut down his ERA by 2/3's, an impressive feat regardless of the small sample size. He also only gave up one walk every 2.5 innings, displaying a high level of control. The kid is freshly 20, so he's probably looking more like a 2024 debut then next year. But if he's able to build upon his success from this season, there's no reason he couldn't be fast tracked to Detroit.
Taj Bradley: The Rays' 2018 fifth round draft pick had a season to remember. Bradley had his first 16 starts for the AA Montgomery Biscuits, posting a 3-1 record with a 1.70 ERA and 4.9 K:BB ratio. Quite simply, he ran the show. He deservedly received a promotion to Tampa's AAA affiliate Durham during the last week of July. In 12 starts there, his numbers predictably dropped some, but not much. He'll be entering his fifth professional season come next March, all but assuring him of a spot on the Opening Day roster. He'll be a star in the league before long.
Owen White: A fellow 2018 draftee wraps up our watchlist for 2023. Owen White of the Rangers' organization started 2022 as a member of the Hickory Crawdads, where he kept a sub-4 ERA with a .230 average against, going 6-2 in the process. He was promoted to AA Frisco in August, where his K:BB ratio actually grew and his ERA/WHIP decreased, albeit in a small sample size. Texas wasn't a good major league team this year, so it wouldn't be a surprise if White gets a crack at the rotation sometime next year.
Underachievers
Austin Martin: What a freefall Martin's minor league career has been thus far. Many pundits had him going 1:1 back in the 2020 draft, before he fell down to Toronto at #5. A year later, he'd fallen out of the MiLB Top 100 prospects and the Jays shipped him away to Minnesota as part of the Jose Berrios trade. The Twins assigned him to AA Wichita, where he played 90 games this year. He batted just .241 and showed virtually no pop in the bat. On top of that, he had 19 errors-- good for a .920 fielding percentage. Not the start you'd be looking for from a premier draft pick.
Carson Tucker: One of our minor league spotlight feature players unfortunately did not have such a strong year for the Lynchburg Hillcats. The 23rd pick in the 2020 draft battled injuries throughout the year that really quelled any momentum he got going. As a result, he finished with a line of .137/1/9 in low-A ball. Tucker is still as physically gifted as any prospect you'll come across, but he's going to need to start producing more to prove his worth.
Jack Leiter: Taken out of Vanderbilt with the second pick in the 2021 draft by the Texas Rangers, the talented son of Al Leiter had a rough ride to start his minor league career. Given that Jack was already 22 years old by the start of this season, plus his experience in college, Texas felt his best assignment was at AA Frisco. He started 22 games for the RoughRiders, only recording three wins. An ERA of 5.54 and WHIP of 1.55 were also concerning, as was his 2:1 K:BB ratio. The kid has every tool to be a front end starter, and this was still his first professional year after all, but definitely not the start he or the Rangers were hoping for.
Asa Lacy: The Orioles took Heston Kjerstad with the second pick in this 2020 draft, but I initially found this 6'4" lefty much more intriguing. That's why I write about these players instead of drafting them. Lacy has had a really tough first two professional seasons, with a cumulative ERA over seven and four trips to the IL. This year in particular, he had seven more walks then strike outs in just 28 innings. His batting average against him was only .135, which is an encouraging sign, but if he can't clean up his control then Asa's big league future could be murky.
Final Standings
International League (AAA)
East |
| West |
1. Durham Bulls TB (86-64) | * | 1. Nashville Sounds MIL (91-58) |
2. Scranton/WB RailRiders NYY (83-67) | * | 2. Toledo Mud Hens DET (87-63) |
3. Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp MIA (80-69) | * | 3. Columbus Clippers CLE (85-64) |
4. Buffalo Bison TOR (76-72) | * | 4. Indianapolis Indians PIT (74-75) |
5. Lehigh Valley IronPigs PHI (76-72) | * | 5. St. Paul Saints MIN (74-75) |
6. Worcester Red Sox BOS (75-73) | * | 6. Memphis Red Birds STL (73-77) |
7. Norfolk Tides BAL (74-76) | * | 7. Omaha Storm Chasers KC (71-78) |
8. Rochester Red Wings WSH (67-81) | * | 8. Gwinnett Stripers ATL (69-79) |
9. Syracuse Mets NYM (64-85) | * | 9. Iowa Cubs CHC (68-81) |
10. Charlotte Knights CWS (58-92) | * | 10. Louisville Bats CIN (60-90) |
Pacific Coast League (AAA)
East |
| West |
1. El Paso Chihuahuas SD (52-38) | * | 1. Reno Aces ARI (85-63) |
2. Oklahoma City Dodgers LAD (52-38) | * | 2. Tacoma Raiders SEA (72-78) |
3. Round Rock Express TEX (47-43) | * | 3. Las Vegas Aviators OAK (71-79) |
4. Sugar Land Space Cowboys HOU (73-75) | * | 4. Salt Lake Bees LAA (70-80) |
5. Albuquerque Isotopes COL (62-86) | * | 5. Sacramento RiverCats SF (65-83) |
AAA Champions: Durham Bulls (2-0 over Reno Aces)
Eastern League (AA)
Champions: Somerset Patriots
Northeast |
| Southwest |
1. Somerset Patriots NYY (83-53) | * | 1. Erie SeaWolves DET (80-58) |
2. Hartford Yard Goats COL (77-60) | * | 2. Akron Rubber Ducks CLE (79-59) |
3. Portland Sea Dogs BOS (75-63) | * | 3. Altoona Curve PIT (71-66) |
4. Reading Fighting Phils PHI (61-77) | * | 4. Bowie BaySox BAL (68-70) |
5. New Hampshire FisherCats TOR (59-79) | * | 5. Richmond Flying Squirrels SF (66-71) |
6. Binghamton Rumble Ponies NYM (53-83) | * | 6. Harrisburg Senators WSH (52-85) |
Southern League (AA)
Champions: Pensacola Blue Wahoos
North | | South |
1. Rocket City Trash Pandas LAA (81-57) | * | 1. Montgomery Biscuits TB (70-61) |
2. Tennessee Smokies CHC (71-66) | * | 2. Pensacola Blue Wahoos MIA (68-63) |
3. Chattanooga Lookouts CIN (61-75) | * | 3. Biloxi Shuckers MIL (67-68) |
4. Birmingham Barons CWS (61-77) | * | 4. Mississippi Braves ATL (62-74) |
Texas League (AA)
Champions: Frisco RoughRiders
North |
| South |
1. Wichita Windsurge MIN (78-59) | * | 1. Frisco RoughRiders TEX (74-63) |
2. Arkansas Travelers SEA (73-65) | * | 2. San Antonio Missions SD (68-68) |
3. Tulsa Drillers LAD (69-57) | * | 3. Amarillo Sod Poodles ARI (68-69) |
4. Springfield Cardinals STL (68-70) | * | 4. Midland RockHounds OAK (66-71) |
5. NW Arkansas Naturals KC (58-79) | * | 5. Corpus Christi Hooks HOU (63-74) |
South Atlantic League (A+)
Champions: Bowling Green Hot Rods
North |
| South |
1. Aberdeen Ironbirds BAL (78-54) | * | 1. Bowling Green Hot Rods TB (78-52) |
2. Hudson Valley Renegades NYY (71-59) | * | 2. Rome Braves ATL (74-54) |
3. Brooklyn Cyclones NYM (70-62) | * | 3. Hickory Crawdads TEX (66-65) |
4. Wilmington Blue Rocks WSH (65-65) | * | 4. Ashville Tourists HOU (62-69) |
5. Greensboro Grasshoppers PIT (58-70) | * | 5. Winston-Salem Dash CWS (58-74) |
6. Jersey Shore BlueClaws PHI (51-81) | * | 6. Greenville Drive BOS (52-78) |
Northwest League (A+)
Champions: Eugene Emeralds
1. Eugene Emeralds SF (81-48) | * | 4. Hillsboro Hops ARI (60-70) |
2. Vancouver Canadians TOR (67-62) | * | 5. Everett AquaSox SEA (59-72) |
3. Spokane Indians COL (64-66) | * | 6. Tri-City Dust Devils LAA (58-71) |
Midwest League (A+)
Champions: South Bend Cubs
East |
| West |
1. Lake County Captains CLE (76-53) | * | 1. Cedar Rapids Kernals MIN (73-58) |
2. Great Lakes Loons LAD (76-55) | * | 2. South Bend Cubs CHC (73-58) |
| 3. West Michigan WhiteCaps DET (72-59) | * | 3. Wisconsin Timber Rattlers MIL (69-60) |
4. Dayton Dragons CIN (67-61) | * | 4. Beloit Sky Carp MIA (62-67) |
5. Lansing Lugnuts OAK (54-77) | * | 5. Peoria Chiefs STL (56-76) |
6. Fort Wayne TinCaps SD (50-80) | * | 6. Quad Cities River Bandits KC (54-78) |
California League (A)
Champions: Lake Elsinore Storm
North |
| South |
1. Fresno Grizzlies COL (83-49) | * | 1. Lake Elsinore Storm SD (77-55) |
2. San Jose Giants SF (74-58) | * | 2. Inland Empire 66ers LAA (70-62) |
3. Modesto Nuts SEA (66-66) | * | 3. Rancho Cucamonga Quakes LAD (68-64) |
4. Stockton Ports OAK (45-87) | * | 4. Visalia Rawhide ARI (45-87) |
Carolina League (A)
Champions: Charleston RiverDogs
North |
| South |
1. Fredericksburg FredNats WSH (75-55) | * | 1. Charleston RiverDogs TB (88-44) |
2. Carolina Mudcats MIL (69-62) | * | 2. Myrtle Beach Pelicans CHC (78-53) |
3. Down East Wood Ducks TEX (65-66) | * | 3. Augusta GreenJackets ATL (69-62) |
4. Salem Red Sox BOS (64-66) | * | 4. Kannapolis Intimidators CWS (58-74) |
5. Lynchburg Hillcats CLE (63-68) | * | 5. Fayetteville Woodpeckers HOU (55-75) |
6. Delmarva Shorebirds BAL (49-81) | * | 6. Columbia Fireflies KC (52-79) |
Florida State League (A)
Champions: St. Lucie Mets
East |
| West |
1. St. Lucie Mets NYM (73-56) | * | 1. Fort Myers Mighty Mussels MIN (69-59) |
2. Palm Beach Cardinals STL (67-61) | * | 2. Bradenton Marauders PIT (67-62) |
3. Jupiter Hammerheads MIA (63-66) | * | 3. Dunedin Blue Jays TOR (66-63) |
4. Daytona Tortugas CIN (54-74) | * | 4. Lakeland Flying Tigers DET (66-64) |
| * | 5. Tampa Tarpons NYY (61-67) |
| * | 6. Clearwater Threshers PHI (57-71) |
Final Farm System Rankings (Per MLB.com)
1. Baltimore Orioles | * | 16. Miami Marlins |
2. Los Angleles Dodgers | * | 17. Oakland Athletics |
3. Cleveland Guardians | * | 18. San Francisco Giants |
4. Cincinnati Reds | * | 19. Milwaukee Brewers |
5. Arizona Diamondbacks | * | 20. Toronto Blue Jays |
6. Texas Rangers | * | 21. Kansas City Royals |
7. Pittsburgh Pirates | * | 22. Detroit Tigers |
8. Tampa Bay Rays | * | 23. Minnesota Twins |
9. Colorado Rockies | * | 24. Seattle Mariners |
10. Chicago Cubs | * | 25. Philadelphia Phillies |
11. Boston Red Sox | * | 26. Chicago White Sox |
12. New York Yankees | * | 27. Atlanta Braves |
13. St. Louis Cardinals | * | 28. San Diego Padres |
14. New York Mets | * | 29. Houston Astros |
15. Washington Nationals | * | 30. Los Angeles Angels |
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@Choppinglines
*I own no rights to any images found in this blog
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