Morning Rundown: MiLB Preview - Week Ending 5/12/24

Three affiliates won at least two-thirds of their games, and Altoona ended 15 game losing streak

Photo Credit: WTM

Indianapolis Indians: 16-14

Last week: 4-2

Opponent: Louisville (Reds)

• Team OPS: .753

• OPS Rank: 13th of 20

• Team ERA: 4.89

• ERA Rank: 12th of 20

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Quick Overview:

Indianapolis Indians are coming off a 4-2 week, and get to face off against the Louisville Bats, the Triple-A affiliate of NL Central foe the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds have been seeing a lot of their prospects reach the majors within the last year, so that has left the Bats a little thin in terms of top 30 prospects. Still among the club is near consensus top 100 prospect Connor Phillips.

Phillips made five starts for the Reds in 2023, but began 2024 in Triple-A and has been struggling so far. In his five big league starts, he carried a 6.97 ERA, and has followed that up with a 8.64 ERA through six starts this season.

The Bats squad has been middle of the pack in both offense and pitching, so it should be a good week for hitters like Nick Gonzales to stay hot, and for top prospect Paul Skenes to continue flashing his stuff.

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• Connor Phillips | RHP | 4

  • MLB Top 100: #62

  • Baseball America Top 100: #96

  • ESPN Top 100: #47

• Blake Dunn | OF | 11

• Lyon Richardson | RHP | 14

• Rece Hinds | OF | 16

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Altoona Curve: 6-21

Last week: 1-6

Opponent: Somerset (Yankees)

• Team OPS: .784

• OPS Rank: 1st of 12

• Team ERA: 4.34

• ERA Rank: 9th of 12

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Quick Overview:

Fresh off a victory following a 15-game losing streak, the Altoona Curve will run into the top Eastern League offense. Atop the Somerset Patriots roster is 2022 New York Yankees first round pick Spencer Jones. A consensus top 100 prospect, he’s a powerful 6’6” and 235 lbs outfielder with some big power in his bat.

The Patriots pitching hasn’t been as stellar as the hitting, in part due to top 100 prospect Chase Hampton currently on the 60-Day injured list.

If the Curve’s highly rated pitching staff could catch fire, it’d be a promising to see them shut down a top offense, and maybe some of the bats could get going against a bottom rotation.

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• Spencer Jones | OF | 2

  • MLB Top 100: #75

  • Baseball America Top 100: #31

  • ESPN Top 100: #49

  • Fangraphs Top 100: #14

• Chase Hampton (60-Day IL) | RHP | 4

  • MLB Top 100: #82

  • ESPN Top 100: #73

  • Fangraphs Top 100: #75

• Brock Selvidge | LHP | 10

• Ben Rice | C/1B | 12

• Agustin Ramirez | C | 20

• Zach Messinger | RHP | 21

• Trystan Vrieling | RHP | 22

• Jack Neely | RHP | 23

• Tyler Hardman (7-Day IL) | 3B | 25

• Danny Watson (7-Day IL) | RHP | 27

• Benjamin Cowles | INF | 29

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Greensboro Grasshoppers: 16-10

Last Week: 4-2

Opponent: Bowling Green (Rays)

• Team OPS: .632

• OPS Rank: 9th of 12

• Team ERA: 3.55

• ERA Rank: 7th of 12

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Quick Overview:

In the South Atlantic League, the Greensboro Grasshoppers come off another successful week of mostly see ball, hit ball out of the park. The Tampa Bay Rays affiliate is near the bottom of the league in both pitching and offense, so the Hoppers offense should be able to keep things going with their hot offensive start.

The Bowling Green Hot Rods offense hasn’t been firing on all cylinders, but they still have a very intriguing lineup. Xavier Isaac, similar to Spencer Jones in Somerset, was a first round pick in 2022, and is a big boy with big power. Unfortunately for the consensus top 100 prospect, that hasn’t fully come to fruition this season with only a .641 OPS in 22 games. Second on the list is the Rays first round pick in 2023, Brayden Taylor. The season has started much better for him, currently carrying an .820 OPS.

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• Xavier Isaac | 1B | 3

  • MLB Top 100: #51

  • Baseball America Top 100: #58

  • ESPN Top 100: #55

  • Fangraphs Top 100: #85

• Brayden Taylor | 3B/SS | 4

  • MLB Top 100: #94

  • Baseball America Top 100: #77

• Chandler Simpson | OF | 11

• Colton Ledbetter | OF | 15

• Yoniel Curet | RHP | 17

• Trevor Martin | RHP | 20

• Cooper Kinney | 2B/1B | 23

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Bradenton Marauders: 9-18

Last Week: 5-1

Opponent: St. Lucie (Mets)

• Team OPS: .646

• OPS Rank: 6th of 10th

• Team ERA: 3.37

• ERA Rank: 3rd of 10

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Quick Overview:

The Bradenton Marauders turned things around in a big way, taking five of six in the last week. They’ll take on the New York Mets Low-A affiliate, St. Lucie Mets, who has a limited amount of top 30 prospects on the roster.

Ranked 7th on Pipeline’s top 30 for the Mets is 2023 first round pick Colin Houck. The prep shortstop is off to a big of a slow start with a .616 OPS, while striking out 38 times to 18 walks. A prospect that I found rather intriguing during the MLB Combine was the Mets 8th rounder in 2023, Boston Baro. He was a commit to UCLA and has hit to the tune of an .850 OPS through five games, after being activated April 30th.

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• Colin Houck | SS | 7

• Marco Vargas (7-Day IL) | INF | 8

• Ronald Hernandez | C | 20

• Jesus Baez | SS/2B | 21

• Boston Baro | SS | 25

• Saul Garcia | RHP | 29

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