Morning Rundown: MiLB Preview - Week Ending 5/19/24
Bradenton Marauders on a tear
Indianapolis Indians: 17-19
Last week: 1-5
Opponent: Toledo (Tigers)
Team OPS: .783
OPS Rank: 7th of 20
Team ERA: 4.60
ERA Rank: 6th of 20
Quick Overview:
It was a tough week for the Indianapolis Indians after seeing their top pitcher and hitter both promoted to the majors. Things won’t slow down for the Indians this week either, as Detroit Tigers 3rd ranked and consensus top 100 prospect Jace Jung has a 1.249 OPS over his last ten games, Justyn-Henry Malloy (6th ranked) 1.110 OPS, and Dillon Dingler (12th ranked) .946 OPS.
There will also be a new face on the Toledo Mud Hens roster, as 2021 Competitive Balance Round-A pick (32nd overall) Ty Madden was recently promoted to Triple-A. The University of Texas right-hander has made three starts, allowing only one earned run in his last start over five innings, with three hits, three walks, and seven strikeouts.
The Indians will also get to see former outfielder Bligh Madris, who is carrying a .798 OPS through 33 games.
Jace Jung | 3B/2B | 3
MLB Top 100: #48
Baseball America Top 100: #69
ESPN Top 100: #55
Fangraphs Top 100: #41
Ty Madden | RHP | 4
Justyn-Henry Malloy | OF/3B | 6
Keider Montero | RHP | 7
Wilmer Flores | RHP | 8
Justice Bigbie | OF | 11
Dillon Dingler | C | 12
Brant Hurter | LHP | 14
Eddys Leonard (7-Day IL) | SS/OF | 21
Altoona Curve: 8-25
Last week: 2-4
Opponent: Akron (Guardians)
Team OPS: .644
OPS Rank: 10th of 12
Team ERA: 2.52
ERA Rank: 1st of 12
Quick Overview:
The Altoona Curve had a big week (by their standards), winning two games. They’ll get a slight break after being swept by the Akron Rubberducks a few weeks ago, as top Cleveland Guardians’ prospect Chase DeLauter is out with a fractured foot while running the bases back on April 25th against the Curve. It’s the same one he fractured while in college at James Madison University.
After DeLauter, the prospect draw is very light, with Kahlil Watson ranking highest at 14th. Watson, so far, has a .651 OPS through 27 games. Hitting aside, it is Cleveland, and although there is only one ranked top-30 prospect — RH relief pitcher Andrew Walters — on the Guardians’ Double-A affiliate, they’re still leading the Eastern League in team ERA.
Chase DeLauter (7-Day IL) | OF | 1
MLB Top 100: #22
Baseball America Top 100: #25
ESPN Top 100: #37
Fangraphs Top 100: #26
Kahlil Watson | SS/2B | 14
Petey Halpin | OF | 15
Andrew Walters | RHP | 24
Dayan Frias | 3B | 29
Greensboro Grasshoppers: 18-14
Last Week: 2-4
Opponent: Hickory (Rangers)
Team OPS: .580
OPS Rank: 12th of 12
Team ERA: 4.38
ERA Rank: 9th of 12
Quick Overview:
The Greensboro Grasshoppers had a rough week against the Bowling Green Hot Rods, going 2-4, so they’ll look to fire things back up against the cellar-dwelling Hickory Crawdads.
Sebastian Walcott is the top prospect on the Hickory Crawdads roster, and the Texas Rangers prospect has had a rough go of it in Advanced A ball carrying a .572 OPS. Keep in mind, Walcott only turned 18 on March 14th (Pi day). Kumar Rocker hasn’t made a rehab appearance yet, so he’s unlikely to return to the Crawdads roster any time soon.
RHP Aidan Curry is interesting in that he was one of five prep players the Texas Rangers were able to sign as a nondrafted free agent following the 2020 draft, which had a max bonus cap of $20,000.
Sebastian Walcott | SS | 2
MLB Top 100: #79
Baseball America Top 100: #55
ESPN Top 100: #39
Fangraphs Top 100: #81
Kumar Rocker (60-Day IL) | RHP | 4
Cameron Cauley | SS/2B | 12
Yeison Morrobel | OF | 14
Aidan Curry | RHP | 18
Mitch Bratt | LHP | 19
Joseph Montalvo | RHP | 26
Bradenton Marauders: 15-18
Last Week: 6-0
Opponent: Tampa (Yankees)
Team OPS: .699
OPS Rank: 3rd of 10
Team ERA: 5.08
ERA Rank: 10th of 10
Quick Overview:
The new talk of the town is the Bradenton Marauders, who were boosted by the presence of Bucs on Deck’s own Anthony Murphy. After having fewer wins than the Altoona Curve a few weeks ago, they’ve ripped off a 10-game winning streak, sweeping St. Lucie in all six games.
Now they’ll get to face the New York Yankees affiliate, Tampa Tarpons. The Tarpons currently sit in last place of the Florida State League, largely due to a league worst 5.08 ERA. That is almost a full run worse than 9th place Dunedin, who has a 4.27 team ERA. The Marauders come in with the second-best team OPS of .853 over the last week, sitting only .001 behind the first-ranked Tarpons.
2022 International Free Agent Roderick Arias leads Tarpons ranked prospect at 4th overall. He had a huge breakout in 2023 in the Florida Complex League but is still looking for his footing in full-season ball. He walks a lot but also strikes out a lot more. Behind Arias in 6th overall is 2023 first-round pick George Lombard Jr. The athletic shortstop has nearly identical walk and strike-out rates. He is listed as on the 7-Day IL on the MiLB website, but seeing as he played Saturday and Sunday, I think it’s safe to assume it’s just a delayed clerical error.
Roderick Arias | SS | 4
MLB Top 100: #89
Baseball America Top 100: #92
ESPN Top 100: #52
Fangraphs Top 100: #61
George Lombard Jr. | SS | 6
Baseball America Top 100: #96
Cade Smith | RHP | 23
Tyler Hardman (Rehab) | 3B | 25
Check out our latest podcast episode, in which we recap Murphy’s trip to Bradenton and some of the things that stood out.
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Ashcraft has been PHENOMENAL today
Carrots On The House
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The Carrot Tally So Far:*
Keller. 10
B.Rey. 10
Falter 9
Jones. 9
Joe. 8
Gonzales 6
M. Perez. 6
Cutch. 6
L. Ortiz. 5
Tellez. 4
Bednar. 4
Cruz. 5
Chapman 3
Flemming 3
Suwinski. 3
Oliveras. 3
R.Ryan. 2
Davis. 2
Bart. 2
Williams. 2
Hayes. 2
Granny 2
Contraras 1
Hernandez 1
Triolo. 1
Holderman 1
Taylor 1
BabySkenes 1
*
*updated 5/14/24, the following is in chronological order since Sat, May 11)
You can see, at the quarter pole of the season, that the carrot race is starting to take shape with the right people at the top… Welcome to newcomers to the race Taylor, Ol’ Granny and BabySkenes!
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(from Saturday, May 11)
18 down. 63 to go.
The Pirates went for the series win this day (and failed) versus the Cubs. They are in 3rd place in the N.L. Central, 6.5 games behind the Brewers in first.
Where DOES one start in a game like this. Pirates win somehow having given up 9 runs on 10 hits with 10 walks and 13 strikeouts. Apparently, the heat was on the shagadelic Bucs offense and they woke the F up by winning a home run derby 5-1.
*
Sadly, the zonal virus that had plagued the hitters DID NOT DIE. It just migrated to the bullpen, where the heat was also on as Bucco arms brought the heat… LOTS of heat… they just had no idea where it was going. I mean… 10 hits, 10 bases on balls and 13 strikeouts. Cubs were either hitting it or missing it, I guess. Or ducking for cover.
*
But, ickity-ackity-oooph! … My mama always said to accentuate the positive and the Bonus Baby that all the screaming was about did pretty darn good leaving in the 5th with a 6-1 lead, two on and nobody out. But when Kyle Nicolas came in, he clearly looked fevered… He was a little pasty and his eyes were a bit woggly… He had obviously a case of double-vision because GOLDANGIT THAT’S THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN GIVE UP FOUR (FOUR!!!!) EARNED RUNS WITHOUT ALLOWING A HIT…
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(Sigh.) It’s ok. It’s ok. We won for jeepssake. It’s FINE! We sodded the roof so that we could plant some CARROTS ON THE HOUSE!!!!!
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We normally give six carrots in a game around here in a win, place and show type thing where the top guy gets three (3!!!) carrots, the second guy gets 2 and the third guy gets one for the show. But today, since the offense went and woke up, we’re dividing the carrots out one each to six guys: @>Joe, @>Cutch, @>Taylor, @>Cruz, @>Granny and @>Baby Skenes.
Now you might say, but Wabbit, Baby Skenes was filthier than a Ben Roethlisberger golf outing! And that would be true. But we needed every one of those homers thanks to the flammable bullpen.
*
*
(from Monday, May 13)
19 down. 62 to go.
Pirates 8, Brewers 6
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Pirates win in a slugfest, are 4 games under .500 and stand in 3rd place, 5.5 games behind the Brewers in the N.L. Central.
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Let’s spread some CARROTS ON THE HOUSE!!!!!
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@> One toothsome root for Old Granny, who belted the 2-run game winner in the 8th off his old team.
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@>@> Two trump-crayons for Pitch Keller, who, you’d think after the six inning job he did of keeping a good-hitting team of Huns at bay, he’d be the top guy with a line of 8 hits, no runs, ZERO walks and 7 Ks… But he isn’t, because…
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@>@>@> THREE pumpkin-cousins for B.Rey for his 5 for 5 day with a double and (WHAM!) a homer!
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Spoiled Avocado for Josh Fleming, who, hopefully, is the last kerosene covered guy in the bullpen for allowing 6 (SIX!!!) runs in the 7th. Fresh broccoli for Mike Wazowski for the homer and spring garden lettuce for O’Cruz for a good day at the plate and anudder stolen base.
_______________________________
"Finster! There you are you naughty baby! How many times have I told you NOT to play wit da DOITY money!!!???"
-Wabbit