Morning Rundown: MiLB Preview - Week Ending 8/11/24
Upper minors will star a handful of opposing top 100 prospects
Indianapolis Indians: 49-55
Last week: 3-3
Opponent: Nashville (Brewers)
Opponent Stats:
Team OPS: .732
OPS Rank: 18th of 20
Team ERA: 4.63
ERA Rank: 6th of 20
Quick Overview:
The Indianapolis Indians gained a lot of ground in the second half of the International League, but after dropping the final three games against Toledo, they are now 5.5 games back of the second playoff spot.
This week, they’ll take on the Nashville Sound, the Triple-A affiliate of NL Central foe, Milwaukee Brewers. Nashville is also in contention for the final playoff spot and sits only 4.0 games back.
With top prospect Jeferson Quero on the shelf for the season, the recently promoted second overall prospect of the Brewers’ system, Jacob Misiorowski, takes over as their top healthy rostered prospect. The 6’7” RHP wowed evaluators by touching triple digits during the 2022 MLB Draft Combine, which lead to him being selected with Milwaukee’s second-round pick. He has since quickly established himself as one of the better arms in the game, hitting 102.4 MPH during the Futures Game.
Not to get lost in the shuffle is third-round prospect Tyler Black, who is also ranked in the top 100. He has a .848 OPS with the Sound and has seen action in 12 games this season with the big club in an abbreviated promotion to the majors.
It will be fun to follow the Indians in general this week, with the addition of trade acquisitions Nick Yorke and Billy Cook and the recent promotions of Bubba Chandler and Thomas Harrington.
Jeferson Quero (Full-Season IL) | C | 1
MLB Top 100: #21
Baseball America Top 100: #44
ESPN Top 100: #28
Fangraphs Top 100: #39
Jacob Misiorowski | RHP | 2
MLB Top 100: #32
Baseball America Top 100: #64
Fangraphs Top 100: #27
Tyler Black | 1B | 3
MLB Top 100: #33
Baseball America Top 100: #66
Carlos Rodriguez | RHP | 7
Wes Clarke | 1B/C | 24
Altoona Curve: 44-58
Last week: 4-2
Opponent: Portland (Red Sox)
Opponent Stats:
Team OPS: .772
OPS Rank: 1st of 12
Team ERA: 4.55
ERA Rank: 11th of 12
Quick Overview:
The Double-A matchup is the best of times and the worst of times. The Altoona Curve had gone on a bit of a run, but trades, injuries, and promotions have decimated the team.
Hunter Barco is currently on the injured list with a lower-body injury, while Charles McAdoo and Luis Peralta were traded at the deadline. Thomas Harrington and Bubba Chandler have been moved up to Triple-A. There should be a little help, as Jarrod Prugar noted that Dominic Perachi is finally making the move once again to Altoona.
As for the Curve’s opponent, it is also a matter of good news and bad news. Altoona will visit the Portland Sea Dogs, a Boston Red Sox affiliate. The good news — in terms of competition — is that top Red Sox prospect Marcelo Mayer is on the injured list with a hip injury. The bad news — aside from not getting to watch him yet — is that he is believed to only require the minimum stay, so he should return mid-series after being placed on IL on August 1st. There are also two other top 100 prospects, who’ve both been having stellar seasons and are part of why Portland is leading the Eastern League in team OPS and more than 100 points higher than Altoona’s offense.
2022 MLB Draft selection Roman Anthony only turned 20 in May and has a .829 OPS in 79 games this season. Over the last 10 games, he’s slashing .333/.429/.571 with six extra-base hits and nine RBI. 2023 first overall pick Kyle Teel inches out Anthony with a .846 OPS over 79 games. In his last 10 games, he is slashing .270/.370/.405 with three extra-base hits and six RBI.
Mayer, Anthony, and Teel all rank within the top 10 OPS in the Eastern League.
Marcelo Mayer (7-Day IL) | SS | 1
MLB Top 100: #7
Baseball America Top 100: #10
ESPN Top 100: #19
Fangraphs Top 100: #6
Roman Anthony | OF | 2
MLB Top 100: #14
Baseball America Top 100: #18
ESPN Top 100: #14
Fangraphs Top 100: #14
Kyle Teel | C | 3
MLB Top 100: #24
Baseball America Top 100: #31
ESPN Top 100: #44
Fangraphs Top 100: #49
Wikelman Gonzalez | RHP | 5
Luis Perales (Full-Season IL) | RHP | 8
David Sandlin | RHP | 13
Blaze Jordan | 1B/3B | 19
Hunter Dobbins | RHP | 24
Connelly Early | LHP | 25
Angel Bastardo (Full-Season IL) | RHP | 26
Kristian Campbell | 2B/OF | 30
Greensboro Grasshoppers: 59-42
Last Week: 2-4
Opponent: Rome (Braves)
Opponent Stats:
Team OPS: .662
OPS Rank: 9th of 12
Team ERA: 3.53
ERA Rank: 1st of 12
Quick Overview:
After spending the majority of the season manhandling the South Atlantic League, the Greensboro Grasshoppers have been slumping a bit lately, in large part due to promotions similar to the Curve. Since the All-Star break, they have gone 4-11.
Even with the current slump, they’re still in the South Atlantic League North by half a game, although they already have a playoff spot locked up and don’t need to win the second-half title. Their opponent, the Rome Braves, who also won the first-half title but for the South division, currently has the worst second-half record of 12-22.
The Atlanta Braves affiliate has been rummaged through themselves, as the top two ranked prospects — Owen Murphy and Cade Kuehler — are both on the Full Season injured list, then lost prospects to promotion, such as Spencer Schwellenbach who pulled an A.J. Smith-Shawver, and worked his way from High-A to the majors already.
That leaves Jhancarlos Lara as the highest-ranking prospect. He is an RHP who signed for $10,000 out of the Dominican Republic. He has a 4.34 ERA in 56.0 IP this season.
It’ll be interesting to see if maybe some of the recent college bats drafted get activated and pushed straight to Greensboro.
Owen Murphy (Full-Season IL) | RHP | 4
Cade Kuehler (Full-Season IL) | RHP | 7
Jhancarlos Lara | RHP | 12
Adam Maier | RHP | 16
Ambioris Tavarez (7-Day IL) | SS | 19
Blake Burkhalter | RHP | 25
Bradenton Marauders: 41-61
Last Week: 1-5
Opponent: St. Lucie (Mets)
Opponent Stats:
Team OPS: .647
OPS Rank: 10th of 10
Team ERA: 4.52
ERA Rank: 9th of 10
Quick Overview:
It’s probably safe to say that the Bradenton Marauders have been eliminated from playoff contention, already sitting 10.0 games back. That said, they will be back on stream this week visiting the St. Lucie Mets and will have some new faces with them.
Another level that will be interesting to see if any 2024 draft picks make their debut, as a big chunk of St. Louis Cardinals picks — including JJ Wetherholt — did last week for the Palm Beach Cardinals, the New York Mets Low-A affiliate still has some of the Mets interesting 2023 draft picks.
One that sticks out most to me is still Boston Baro. He took a little while to get going, but the soon-to-be 20-year-old had been on fire. In his last 10 games, he is slashing .378/.455/.514 with four extra-base hits and five RBI.
Colin Houck | SS | 7
Marco Vargas (7-Day IL) | INF | 8
Ronald Hernandez | C | 19
Boston Baro | SS | 22
A.J. Ewing | OF/2B | 27
Saul Garcia | RHP | 30
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It is really difficult for me to think the AAA club has made any significant improvements from the first half to the second half, especially when the Pirates are thought to have a strong group of prospects. They finished 7 games under .500 in the first half and are now 1 game above .500 and in 4th place in the West in the 2nd Half. I have always been a firm believer that WINNING builds confidence which then applies in a positive manner to the skills of each individual on the team! Can't wait until arriving at the MLB level to think about developing a winning attitude.
Kiley has post deadline and draft rankings of farm systems up. Bucs are 21st, after 14th in preseason. He says that between TJ, Yorke, Brannigan and the two recent draftees there’s probably a regular or two in there, but they’ll need more at the big league level.