Throughout their Minor League tenures, Wednesday standouts Bubba Chandler (Pirates), Nolan McLean (Mets) and Christian Moore (Angels), amongst others, had been frequent nominees for this house. However that’s the character of the Minors — in the future you’re tearing it up down on the farm, the subsequent day you are making historical past within the massive leagues. In the meantime over the MiLB panorama, the Braves’ prime two prospects each twirled gems, whereas all the pieces retains developing Brewers as their absurdly stacked Excessive-A lineup confirmed out as soon as once more to focus on an uber-competitive evening on the farm.
JR Ritchie, RHP, Gwinnett (ATL No. 2)It’s been a little bit of a blended bag since Ritchie was promoted to Triple-A, but when his newest begin was a chip, it could be the one with tons of seasoning and the right crunch. The 22-year-old struck out a career-high 11 batters throughout six scoreless frames for Gwinnett, permitting only one hit — to the leadoff batter. From there, the Braves’ Compensation Spherical A variety (thirty fifth total) within the 2022 Draft retired 15 in a row. Ritchie had his total six-pitch arsenal working, registering 14 swings-and-misses whereas deftly working in his two types of fastballs and breaking balls. The Seattle-area native has posted a 2.75 ERA this season throughout three ranges and 22 begins. Gameday
Jesús Made, SS, Wisconsin (MIL No. 1/MLB No. 5)/Andrew Fischer, 3B/1B, Wisconsin (MIL No. 6)That’s some 1-2 punch atop the lineup. Made and Fischer mixed for seven hits in Excessive-A Wisconsin’s newest outing, which included the primary skilled homer for the latter. Made, regardless of being the youngest participant within the Midwest League, has been on a tear since his promotion, slashing .347/.420/.569 throughout 18 contests. Fischer, whom the Brewers nabbed with the No. 20 choose in July’s Draft, has been equally scorching for the Timber Rattlers en path to a .318 common and an .832 OPS. A left-handed-hitting nook infielder, the New Jersey native led the SEC in house runs (25) this spring and already has 5 multihit video games (out of 11) beneath his belt. Gameday
JJ Wetherholt, SS/2B, Memphis (STL No. 1/MLB No. 6)MLB Pipeline doesn’t hold a 65-grade hit device on simply anyone. Wetherholt is considered one of solely 4 prospects who at present have that mark or higher and he’s confirmed why in 2025, hovering to the Minors’ highest degree whereas persevering with to pummel opposing pitching. The seventh total choose within the 2024 Draft delivered a three-hit efficiency out of the leadoff spot for Triple-A Memphis, scoring a pair of runs and including a stolen base (his twenty first of the 12 months throughout two ranges). Wetherholt, who has 32 multihit video games and 11 with three or extra, is slashing .314/.423/.528 throughout two ranges in his first full professional season and his 157 wRC+ entered the evening as second within the Cardinals group. Gameday
Cam Caminiti, LHP, Augusta (ATL No. 1/MLB No. 80)It was a profession evening throughout the board for the Braves’ 2024 first-rounder, who threw his first full recreation as a professional. As a part of Single-A Augusta’s doubleheader, Caminiti wanted simply six innings to hit the milestone, stretching out to a career-high 91 pitches whereas racking up 9 strikeouts, essentially the most he’s recorded throughout his first 17 professional outings. After not permitting successful the primary time by way of the order, the southpaw battled by way of some site visitors and completed with first-pitch strikes to 16 of the 23 batters he confronted. The 19-year-old hasn’t allowed greater than two runs in 11 of his 12 begins whereas posting a 2.32 ERA for the GreenJackets this season. Throughout 50 1/3 frames in full-season affiliate ball this 12 months, he’s as much as 68 punchouts with only one house run allowed. Gameday
Brody Hopkins, RHP, Montgomery (TB No. 3)Considerably quietly, Hopkins has emerged as one of many Double-A Southern League’s premier hurlers throughout a season that has featured a proliferation of top-tier expertise. The 23-year-old compiled eight punchouts throughout 5 scoreless frames, scattering only a ground-ball single and three walks in his twenty third begin of the season. Acquired within the Randy Arozarena take care of Seattle final summer season, Hopkins hasn’t allowed greater than two runs in 11 consecutive begins for Montgomery, good for a 1.29 ERA in that span. His 130 strikeouts this 12 months rank second within the Rays group, whereas batters are hitting simply .170 off the 2023 sixth-round choose this month. Gameday
Kash Mayfield, LHP, Lake Elsinore (SD No. 4)For the ninth time in 18 begins throughout his debut season, Mayfield put up a goose egg within the earned run column of his field rating. The Padres’ 2024 first-rounder utterly overwhelmed the opposition for Single-A Lake Elsinore, recording a career-best 9 strikeouts throughout 5 frames with simply three hits and one stroll allowed. He peppered the zone, throwing 50 of his 74 pitches for strikes and recording 17 swings-and-misses and 12 known as strikes. Hitters are slugging simply .280 off Mayfield this season, whereas his 13.0 Ok/9 ranks fourth within the California League. Gameday
Brody Brecht, RHP, Fresno (COL No. 5)When the Rockies nabbed Brecht with their Compensation Spherical A choose within the 2024 Draft, they landed a hurler whose fastball/slider mixture drew Paul Skenes comparisons throughout his collegiate days. Each of these choices had been on full show in his newest Single-A Fresno outing as he compiled eight strikeouts throughout 4 2/3 scoreless frames. Every of his first three punchouts got here on the heater and the ultimate 5 got here on the slider. Again irritation knocked out a great chunk of Brecht’s summer season, however by way of 15 begins within the California League, he is posted a 2.58 ERA and is as much as 82 punchouts in 52 1/3 innings. Gameday
Kaeden Kent, SS, Hudson Valley (NYY No. 12)After main Texas A&M this spring with 19 multihit outings, Kent delivered his second in professional ball — and this one can be laborious to prime. The son of 2000 Nationwide League MVP Jeff Kent collected 5 hits for Excessive-A Hudson Valley, beginning together with his second homer over the previous month. The left-handed-hitting shortstop adopted that up by going single, single, double, single to complete with three RBIs and a pair of runs scored. Kent already has 5 video games with not less than two RBIs to his credit score and is as much as 14 in 16 whole contests. Gameday
Aaron Zavala, OF, Frisco (TEX unranked)You’ve heard the axiom, “they don’t ask you ways far, they only ask what number of you hit.” Zavala lived as much as that sentiment, peppering three house runs simply over the left-field fence for Double-A Frisco in his first multihomer recreation since July 2022. You don’t need to look too deep into the RoughRiders document ebook to seek out the final time that they had a three-homer efficiency — it got here simply eight days in the past when Cameron Cauley (TEX No. 17) notched the milestone. The 25-year-old Zavala has been discovering his swing throughout August, posting an .873 OPS throughout 21 contests. He sits simply two homers off his profession excessive (16), which he set in ’22. Gameday
