Stats assist inform the story of baseball.
These are all iconic numbers tied to the perfect of the perfect within the recreation, and the pursuits of them give us storylines to observe because the seasons roll alongside. That’s no much less true within the Minors than it’s within the Majors. There could also be considerably fewer 20-game winners (learn: just about zero within the trendy age), however whereas we concentrate on instruments in addition to efficiency, the numbers assist give us peeks into who may very well be the record-setters of tomorrow.
With that in thoughts, right here is one prospect-related stat that stood out to us from every of the 30 farm programs in 2023:
Blue Jays: .450 OBPSpencer Horwitz, 1B (No. 16)Proprietor of a profession .407 OBP within the Minors, Horwitz has all the time been a strong on-base man via his 4 seasons within the Jays system, however he took issues to a brand new degree in 2023 with a .450 mark for Buffalo that ranked third amongst 707 Minor League full-season qualifiers. To get there, Horwitz batted .337 and walked extra instances (78) than he struck out (72) over 484 plate appearances, resulting in a number of Main League seems.
Orioles: 162 wRC+Samuel Basallo, C/1B (No. 5/MLB No. 46)The Orioles, as everybody is aware of, have extra hitting prospects than they know what to do with. However even with Hitting Prospect of the 12 months Jackson Holliday, huge league contributors like Colton Cowser and Heston Kjerstad, and sluggers like Coby Mayo, it was Basallo who led the group along with his 162 wRC+ in 2023. He additionally completed second in OPS (.953) and slugging (.551), whereas ending third in OBP (.402) and second in batting common (.313).
Rays: .591 slugging percentageJunior Caminero, 3B/SS (No. 1/MLB No. 6)Choose an influence stat from Caminero’s season at Excessive-A and Double-A, and he’s going to face out. However we’ll persist with the slugging proportion. Caminero’s .591 was fifth-best amongst Minor League full-season qualifiers, and enjoying in his age-19 season, he was the one certified teenager to slug above .565. His .547 SLG at Montgomery alone was the second-best mark by a Double-An adolescent (min. 300 PA) since 2006, trailing solely Justin Upton’s .556 in 2007.
Purple Sox: 13.6 Ok/9Wikelman Gonzalez, RHP (No. 9)Gonzalez shook off a 15.58 ERA in Excessive-A in August to complete robust in Double-A and lead the Minors in strikeout price in addition to strikeout proportion (35 %). Signed for $250,000 out of Venezuela in 2018, he flashes three plus pitches, together with a mid-90s fastball with high quality carry.
Yankees: 182 KDrew Thorpe, RHP (SD No. 6/MLB No. 99)A second-round select of Cal Poly in 2022, Thorpe received MLB Pipeline Pitching Prospect of the 12 months honors and topped the Minors in strikeouts in his professional debut. His changeup and his command are his finest attributes, and he additionally ranked first in strikeout minus stroll proportion (26.9) and second in wins (14), successful proportion (.875), WHIP (0.98) and strikeout proportion (34 %). The Yankees dealt him to San Diego in early December as a part of the return for Juan Soto.
Guardians: 2.86 FIPWill Dion, LHP (No. 28)Dion led the Minors in Fielding Unbiased Pitching, which is analogous to ERA however focuses solely on occasions that pitchers have essentially the most management over: strikeouts, walks, hit batters and homers. An unheralded 2021 ninth-round select of McNeese State, he thrives with deception and command and in addition positioned second within the Minors in ERA (2.39).
Royals: 3.3 swinging-strike rateJavier Vaz, 2B/OF (No. 13)On this age of upper strikeout numbers, discovering a participant who thrives on making contact is more and more uncommon, making the 2022 Fifteenth-rounder’s breakout an excellent larger breath of contemporary air. Vaz whiffed on solely 3.3 % of the pitches he noticed between Excessive-A and Double-A this season, resulting in a swinging-strike price that ranked third amongst all full-season qualifiers. On account of that and his plus velocity, the Vanderbilt product hit .279 with a .373 OBP whereas solely placing out 50 instances throughout 119 video games.
Tigers: .343 averageJustice Bigbie, OF (No. 21)Bigbie’s breakout was one of many tales of the Tigers system in 2023 as he labored on getting forward of the ball extra after being extra opposite-field-dependent earlier in his profession. That helped him hit for extra authority – his home-run complete jumped from three in 2022 to 19 this season – and the hits adopted. The 2021 Nineteenth-rounder, who performed throughout three ranges, was at his finest with Double-A Erie, the place he hit .362 with a 170 wRC+ and only a 12.5 % Ok price over 63 video games.
Twins: 35 homersYunior Severino 2B/3B (No. 28)Nobody within the Minor Leagues hit extra dwelling runs than Severino did through the 2023 season, because the infielder tied with Shay Whitcomb of the Astros along with his 35 dwelling runs. He additionally topped the Twins group along with his .546 SLG and .274 ISO.
White Sox: .939 OPSColson Montgomery, SS (No. 1/MLB No. 17)Although he missed half the season with indirect and again accidents, Montgomery confirmed why he is among the best prospects in baseball and earns fixed Corey Seager comparisons when he is wholesome. The 2021 first-rounder from an Indiana highschool batted .287/.455/.484 with eight homers in 64 video games between Rookie ball, Excessive-A and Double-A.
Angels: .505 OBPNolan Schanuel, 1B (No. 1/MLB No. 98)Positive, it was solely 22 Minor League video games and 97 plate appearances, however the truth Schanuel drew 21 walks and struck out simply 10 instances in that span is just unimaginable, particularly contemplating it was his professional debut after being a first-round choose in July. Perhaps it shouldn’t have been shocking since he had a .516 OBP in his school profession. It’s a giant motive why the Angels possible felt comfy bringing him as much as the massive leagues, the place he greater than held his personal.
Astros: 35 homersShay Whitcomb, INF (No. 25)The final participant chosen within the shortened five-round 2020 Draft, Whitcomb tied for the Minor League lead in homers. The NCAA Division II UC San Diego product has 77 homers and 70 steals in 350 video games over three professional seasons.
A’s: 12.5 Ok/9Mason Miller, RHP (No. 2)Whereas accidents have held him again, together with an elbow sprain that shut him down for 4 months this yr, there’s nothing questioning Miller’s means to overlook bats with premium stuff. He threw only a mixed complete of 52 2/3 innings between his transient time within the Minors and large leagues, however he struck out 73 in that span for his 12.5 mixed Ok/9 price. He whiffed 16.3 per 9 within the Minors and 10.3/9 throughout 10 Main League outings.
Mariners: 1.045 OPSColt Emerson, SS (No. 4)We all the time warn towards placing an excessive amount of inventory in a current draftee’s professional debut, good or dangerous. However it doesn’t harm to hit the bottom operating. Emerson, the Mariners’ first-round choose in 2023, shortly hit his strategy to full-season ball and completed with a .374/.496/.550 line in 24 video games. His 1.045 OPS was the perfect of any excessive schoolers from the category who had greater than a handful of plate appearances.
Rangers: .619 SLGAbimelec Ortiz, 1B (No. 14)Ortiz struggled in his first full professional season after signing as a nondrafted free agent out of Florida SouthWestern State JC in 2021, then exploded in his second. He led the Minors in slugging, ranked fourth in homers (33) and OPS (.990) and received South Atlantic League MVP honors after pacing the Excessive-A Circuit with 26 homers in simply 80 video games.
Braves: .169 BAAAJ Smith-Shawver, RHP (No. 1/MLB No. 53)What a loopy yr for Smith-Shawver, who entered the yr as a 20-year previous with 77 complete skilled innings on his resume. He went from Excessive-A to the massive leagues, together with the postseason roster. That miniscule .169 BAA (5.4 H/9) over 62 Minor League innings got here with a Ok price of 11.5 per 9. He wasn’t a lot simpler to hit on a giant league mound, both (.183 BAA).
Marlins: 116 RBIsTroy Johnston, 1B (No. 20)Johnston paced the Minors in RBIs, ranked fourth in extra-base hits (67) and complete bases (281) and in addition led the Double-A Southern League in slugging (.567) and OPS (.963). A Seventeenth-round choose from Gonzaga in 2019, he hit 26 homers and stole 24 bases between two ranges to turn out to be the one 20-20 first baseman within the Minors.
Mets: 104 walksJett Williams, SS/OF (No. 3/MLB No. 78)The 2022 14th total choose seemed the a part of a future above-average hitter coming into his first full season, however his persistence and unwillingness to increase the zone actually popped and allowed him to climb to Single-A, Excessive-A and Double-A in 2023. Williams’ 104 free passes have been second-most within the Minors, behind solely Justyn-Henry Malloy’s 110, and his 19.5 % stroll price ranked tenth amongst full-season qualifiers. He was the one Mets full-season qualifier with an OBP above .400, and his was .425.
Nationals: 26 homersJames Wooden, OF (No. 2/MLB No. 7)Given his 6-foot-6 body and common uncooked energy, Wooden was virtually actually going to construct on his 2022 complete of 12 homers. The truth is, he greater than doubled it with 26, making him the system-wide chief within the dinger division. Eighteen of these got here with Double-A Harrisburg, making him one in every of 4 gamers aged 20 or youthful with at the least 16 homers on the Minors’ second-highest degree. Fellow younger sluggers Owen Caissie, Jackson Chourio and Deyvison De Los Santos have been the others on that listing.
Phillies: 2.33 xFIPOrion Kerkering, RHP (No. 7)A 2022 fifth-round choose, Kerkering put up online game numbers in his rise from Single-A to the Phillies playoff roster in 2023. His 2.33 xFIP was on the high of the Minor League leaderboard, together with Jackson Jobe, for pitchers who threw 50 or extra innings. He additionally struck out 13.2 per 9 whereas strolling solely 2.0, had a .186 BAA, 0.89 WHIP and 1.51 ERA whereas racking up 14 saves. No surprise he was our option to be the first-team reliever on our Prospect Group of the 12 months.
Brewers: 22 homers/44 stealsJackson Chourio, OF (No. 1/MLB No. 2)Getting into this season, there had been solely 4 youngsters who had achieved a 20-40 season within the Minors since 1958 — Ronald Acuña Jr. (2017), Álex Escobar (1998), Andruw Jones (1995) and José Cardenal (1961). As you’ll be able to guess, there’s now a fifth in Chourio. Milwaukee’s high prospect constructed on his breakout 2022 season with a power-speed-heavy age-19 marketing campaign, principally at Double-A Biloxi with a fast cup of espresso at Triple-A Nashville on the tail finish. Chourio has set himself up for a possible Main League debut subsequent summer season when he’ll nonetheless solely be 20 years previous.
Cardinals: 94 stolen basesVictor Scott II, OF (No. 4)Scott was a recognized 80-grade runner coming into his first full season as a 2022 fifth-rounder, however his willingness to press the problem on the basepaths was practically unmatched this yr. The previous West Virginia Mountaineer’s 94 steals tied him with Rays prospect Chandler Simpson – a fellow Atlanta-area native and former teammate from the Northwoods League – for the Minor League lead. Scott hasn’t stopped operating within the Arizona Fall League both; he leads that circuit with 9 thefts coming into Thursday.
Cubs: 25% HR/flyballOwen Caissie, OF (No. 3/MLB No. 64)Acquired within the 2020 Yu Darvish commerce with the Padres, Caissie could also be the perfect energy prospect within the Minors, producing distinctive velocities and efficiency for a 20-year-old. The sixth-youngest common within the Double-A Southern League, he had the perfect price of homers to flyballs within the circuit whereas rating within the high 5 in 12 important offensive classes, together with third in on-base proportion (.398), slugging (.519) and OPS (.917), fourth in homers (22) and fifth in batting (.289).
Pirates: 21.9 BBpercentTermarr Johnson, 2B (No. 2/MLB No. 22)In some methods, Johnson’s first full yr of professional ball was a bit uneven. However we will’t query his plate self-discipline. Johnson led all Minor Leaguers in stroll proportion and was one in every of eight to complete the yr with 100 or extra walks for a .422 OBP. That helped him get to his energy, with 18 homers, and he completed with a strong 141 wRC+.
Reds: 34.6 Ok-BBpercentAndrew Abbott, LHP (Graduated from Reds Prime 30)Whereas Abbott is properly on his strategy to establishing himself as one of many higher younger left-handed starters within the huge leagues, we have to take a second to acknowledge simply how dominant he was within the Minors earlier than his callup. Nobody had a greater Ok-BB% in all the Minor Leagues (min. 50 IP) than Abbott. The southpaw struck out 15 per 9 whereas strolling simply 2.8, holding hitters to a .173 common within the course of.
D-backs: 30 homersIvan Melendez, 3B/1B (No. 7)Fifteen Minor Leaguers hit 30 homers or extra in 2023. Solely two reached the mark in 100 video games or fewer – Cardinals slugger Luken Baker (33 homers, 84 video games) and Melendez (30 homers, 96 video games). The 2022 Golden Spikes Award winner set the Excessive-A Hillsboro membership file with 18 lengthy balls in solely 58 contests earlier than getting a promotion to hitter-friendly Double-A Amarillo and including 12 extra there in solely 38 video games. That’s par for the course for a former Texas Longhorn who set a Division I BBCOR-era file with 32 dingers in his remaining spring on campus.
Dodgers: 1.049 OPSMichael Busch, 3B/2B (No. 2/MLB No. 44)After main the Minors with 118 runs and rating within the high six in 4 different main offensive classes a yr in the past, Busch ranked second in slugging (.618) and OPS and eighth in on-base proportion (.431) this yr. The 2019 first-rounder from North Carolina received MVP accolades within the Pacific Coast League after topping the Triple-A circuit in slugging and OPS and ending second in batting (.323).
Giants: 2.3 GO/AOManuel Mercedes, RHP (unranked on Giants Prime 30)It is virtually unattainable to elevate the ball towards Mercedes, who led the Minors in groundout/airout ratio in addition to dwelling run price (0.2 per 9 innings). Signed for $400,000 out of the Dominican Republic, he encompasses a 93-95 mph fastball with energy sink.
Padres: 1.82 ERARobby Snelling, LHP (No. 3/MLB No. 60)San Diego saved pushing the 2022 thirty ninth total choose in his age-19 season, and he saved responding at Single-A, Excessive-A and even Double-A. Snelling’s 1.82 ERA over 103 2/3 innings was the bottom among the many 272 Minor League pitchers who tossed at the least 100 frames in 2023. The 19-year-old didn’t have an ERA above 2.34 at any of his three stops, and his 1.56 mark at Double-A San Antonio (albeit in a small 17 1/3-frame pattern) was really his finest.
Rockies: 34 homersHunter Goodman, 1B/C (No. 12)After Goodman hit 36 homers in 2022, principally on the decrease ranges of the Minors, we needed to see if his energy would proceed to point out up as he moved up the ladder. He answered with a powerful sure by ending one off the Minor League lead in 2023 en route to creating his huge league debut. He’s additionally pushed in 217 runs over his final two Minor League seasons.
