Morning Rundown: MiLB Preview - Week Ending 5/26/24
Indianapolis Indians could be in for a long week, if they don't replenish their rotation
Indianapolis Indians: 20-22
Last week: 3-2
Opponent: Iowa (Cubs)
Team OPS: .819
OPS Rank: 3rd of 20
Team ERA: 5.07
ERA Rank: 14th of 20
Quick Overview:
Indianapolis Indians are coming off a week in which they were able to complete only five of the scheduled six games due to rain, taking three of the five. Heading into the final week of May, the Pittsburgh Pirates Triple-A affiliate will battle the Chicago Cubs affiliate.
The good news is the Iowa Cubs pitching staff ranks in the bottom half of the 20-team league, so it’ll be a good week for hitters like Henry Davis and Matt Gorski to keep up their hot streaks. The bad news is that the offense is top three in team OPS, and the Indians starting rotation is very depleted due to promotions, injuries, and Eric Lauer selecting Free Agency.
On to the actual Cubs’ roster, they currently have the top two prospects — both consensus top 100 — in a reloaded farm system. Atop that list is 2022 first-round pick (7th overall) RHP Cade Horton. Horton was recently promoted from Double-A, so he’s made only three starts for the Triple-A affiliate and has struggled to find his footing so far. Following him up is second-ranked prospect, 2020 second-round pick (45th overall) of the San Diego Padres, Owen Caissie. Caissie was acquired as part of a return from the Padres for Yu Darvish and Victor Caratini in December 2020.
Additionally, ranked down in the 22nd spot is outfielder Brennen Davis. He is of note because he was once considered a top-100 prospect after reaching the upper minors in 2021. After some struggles and a long list of injuries, Davis is in his fourth year with the Triple-A club without reaching the majors yet, finally healthy, and carrying a 1.109 OPS through 23 games. Then on Monday, Pete Crow-Armstrong was optioned with Dansby Swanson returning from injury. He's not ranked among Pipeline's top 100, since he reached the 45 active service days over the weekend. The young outfielder still ranks 17th overall on Baseball America.
It would be a great week to promote some starting rotation help (wink, wink).
Cade Horton | RHP | 1
MLB Top 100: #18
Baseball America Top 100: #19
ESPN Top 100: #26
Fangraphs Top 100: #16
Owen Caissie | OF | 2
MLB Top 100: #36
Baseball America Top 100: #36
ESPN Top 100: #37
Fangraphs Top 100: #53
BJ Murray Jr. | 3B/1B | 11
Brennen Davis | OF | 22
Kohl Franklin (60-Day IL) | RHP | 25
Altoona Curve: 10-29
Last week: 2-4
Opponent: Erie (Tigers)
Team OPS: .712
OPS Rank: 4th of 12
Team ERA: 2.95
ERA Rank: 2nd of 12
Quick Overview:
It was looking like a great week to follow the Altoona Curve initially, as it appeared that we would get to take a look at the Detroit Tigers' top-ranked prospect and considered the second-best pitching prospect behind only Paul Skenes and Jackson Jobe. The Erie Seawolves ace leapfrogged recent first-round pick Max Clark after wowing evaluators with a fastball that reached 102 MPH in spring and carried it into the season with a 2.16 ERA in 16.2 IP. Unfortunately, a hamstring injury on May 1st has kept him out, and he’s unlikely to pitch for Erie, having not made a rehab appearance.
That aside, the Seawolves are currently in the top four of the league in team OPS and team ERA. With Jobe out, that leaves Troy Melton as the highest ranked prospect on the Double-A club. Melton was a fourth-round pick (117th) in the 2022 draft out of San Diego State. He currently has a 3.64 ERA through 29.2 IP.
Jackson Jobe (7-Day IL) | RHP | 1
MLB Top 100: #10
Baseball America Top 100: #10
ESPN Top 100: #8
Fangraphs Top 100: #14
Troy Melton | RHP | 10
Hao-Yu Lee | 3B | 13
Tyler Mattison (Full-Season IL) | RHP | 27
Trei Cruz | OF/INF | 30
Greensboro Grasshoppers: 23-16
Last Week: 5-2
Opponent: Greenville (Red Sox)
Team OPS: .665
OPS Rank: 9th of 12
Team ERA: 4.48
ERA Rank: 9th of 12
Quick Overview:
This will be the third meeting between the Greensboro Grasshoppers and the Boston Red Sox's high-a affiliate. The Grasshoppers hold a slight edge by winning five of the nine matchups (the first series was a three-game weekend set).
The Greenville Drive’s roster has six listed top 30 prospects, with one on the injured list, and another on rehab assignment with the Drive. Luis Perales comes in at ninth on the Red Sox list, who threw four innings the last time the teams met, striking out seven while allowing only one unearned run. As mentioned in a previous preview, one of the more well-known names would be the 2022 first-round pick (24th overall) out of high school, Mikey Romero. He has yet to face the Pirates affiliate, as he has spent most of the season on the injured list, but was activated on May 14th. In his first three games back against the Winston-Salem Dash, he went 3-for-12 with a triple and two RBI.
Luis Perales | RHP | 9
Mikey Romero | SS/2B | 11
Allan Castro | OF | 12
David Sandlin (7-Day IL) | RHP | 14
Bryan Mata (Rehab Assignment) | RHP | 27
Kristian Campbell | 2B/OF | 30
Bradenton Marauders: 17-22
Last Week: 2-4
Opponent: Dunedin (Blue Jays)
Team OPS: .670
OPS Rank: 6th of 10
Team ERA: 4.19
ERA Rank: 8th of 10
Quick Overview:
Getting to probably the most upsetting list, we head to the Florida State League. Arjun Nimmala came in as the highest-ranked Toronto Blue Jays’ prospect on the Dunedin Blue Jays, but he was added to the Development List on May 14th. The 2023 first-round pick (20th overall) out of the high school ranks got off to a sluggish start — .586 OPS through 29 games — but could reappear sometime this week.
The second-ranked prospect and 2022 first-round pick (23rd overall) again out of high school, LHP Brandon Barriera. He definitely won’t be back, as he underwent Tommy John surgery in late April.
The next highest-ranked prospect? You guessed it, Landen Maroudis is on the 60-day injured list. The Blue Jays fourth-round pick in 2023 (121 overall) was pulled from a start in April with a right elbow injury. Moving down to the fourth, we see our first healthy and active prospect, a 2023 third-round pick (89th overall) out of Oklahoma State University, Juaron Watts-Brown. The young right-hander has a 4.18 ERA through his first 28.0 professional innings.
The Blue Jays affiliate currently sits two games ahead of the Bradenton Marauders, but it’s going to take another majestic run for the Marauders to catch the division-leading Clearwater Threshers in their first half.
Arjun Nimmala (Development List) | SS | 3
Brandon Barriera (Full-Season IL) | LHP | 4
Landen Maroudis (60-Day IL) | RHP | 12
Juaron Watts-Brown | RHP | 18
Tucker Toman | SS/3B | 20
Fernando Perez | RHP | 24
Yhoangel Aponte | OF | 25
Manuel Beltre | SS | 27
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I’m bemused that they’re still fooling with Flowers and his 25:14 BB:K.
Schadenfreude?
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-reds-have-completely-crashed-in-may/
Or just a reminder we've been too critical of our own offense--it could be worse.