Morning Rundown: MiLB weekly preview - First Half Division Title on the line for Greensboro

With three games left in first half, Greensboro sits a half game back of Brooklyn

NolaJeffy(BnP)

Jun 17, 2025

108

Indianapolis Indians: 40-28

Last Week: 6-1

Opponent: Columbus (Guardians)

Quick Overview:

It was a dominant week for the Indianapolis Indians, who ended up having to play seven games due to a previous rainout, and ended up winning six of the seven. Unfortunately, due to the 20-team league only having one overall league first-half winner, they sit 5.5 games back of Lehigh Valley, even though the Indians are only a half game behind their division leader, Nashville.

Taking on the Columbus Clippers this week, Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians, the biggest name is a prospect you may have heard a lot about, but have seen little of, Chase DeLauter. The Guardians' 2022 first-rounder (16th overall) has so far spent the majority of his professional career on the injured list. To date, he has a total of 120 games played over three years. It isn’t necessarily showing up in the stat line yet, but he’s showing off his raw power in terms of an average exit velocity of 92.4 MPH, 90th% EV of 106.8 MPH, and an excepted weighted on base average of .393 while carrying a 18.6% walk rate to a 14.3% strikeout rate.

A name you’ve probably heard a lot of, and seen if you’ve followed these lists over the years, is prospect C.J. Kayfus, who continues to hit and move up prospect lists. Since being promoted from Double-A, he’s carrying a .320/.389/.585 slash through 39 games with Columbus, while popping seven home runs and collecting 22 RBI.

Dipping back into the Guardians’ 2022 Draft, third-ranked prospect Parker Messick shows up on Fangraphs Top 100, and the lefty backs up their lofty ranking by amassing a 2.83 ERA in 57.1 IP with 75 strikeouts to 30 walks.

Chase DeLauter | OF | 2
- Pipeline Top 100: #49
- Baseball America Top 100: #68
- ESPN Top 100: #24
- Fangraphs Top 100: #37
C.J. Kayfus | 1B/OF | 5
- Pipeline Top 100: #97
- Baseball America Top 100: #58
Parker Messick | LHP | 13
- Fangraphs Top 100: #49
Erik Sabrowski (Rehab) | LHP | 19
Doug Nikhazy | LHP | 21
Daniel Espino (60-Day IL) | RHP | 23
Petey Halpin | OF | 27
Austin Peterson | RHP | 29
Ryan Webb | LHP | 30

Altoona Curve: 28-35

Last Week: 3-3

Opponent: Richmond (Giants)

Quick Overview:

This week’s Double-A matchup has the potential to really pop later in the week, dependent on their respective parent clubs’ intentions post-first-half finales. The Altoona Curve, nor the Richmond Flying Squirrels, are within an arm’s reach of the Eastern League Southwest division.

The top-ranking San Francisco Giants prospect on the Flying Squirrels is left-hander Joe Whitman. Drafted out of Kent State in the 2023 MLB Draft with their Supplemental pick (69th overall), he’s struggled a bit in his first taste of Double-A, with a 5.77 ERA through 53.0 IP. Not too dissimilar from another likely more known name, Will Bednar, who returned to the level as a full-time reliever, and hasn’t seen more success carrying an 8.20 ERA through 15 appearances covering 18.2 IP.

For some interesting names, Onil Perez is a 22-year-old catcher promoted a week ago from the Giants’ High-A affiliate, Eugene Emeralds. This week’s “Where are they now?” goes to former Pirates’ farmhand Cal Mitchell, who was released by the Chicago White Sox back in April, then picked up by the Giants and assigned to Double-A.

During the 2024 season, the Pittsburgh Pirates, almost immediately following the conclusion of Greensboro’s first half, promoted players. The Greensboro Grasshoppers’ title hopes will come down to the wire, but the Emeralds are four games out with three games left. Keep an eye out for outfielders Bo Davidson or Scott Bandura to follow suit, possibly by Tuesday’s game or later in the week. I’d have mentioned James Tibbs III, but some news happened late Sunday that we’ll get to in short order.

Joe Whitman | LHP | 6
Diego Velasquez | SS/2B | 15
Aeverson Arteaga | SS | 16
Sabin Ceballos | 3B | 23
Jack Choate | LHP | 27

Greensboro Grasshoppers: 42-20

Last Week: 3-3

Opponent: Greenville (Red Sox)

Quick Overview:

This is going to easily be the best series to date, for a multitude of reasons. Starting with both the Greensboro Grasshoppers and Greenville Drive sit half a game back of their respective division’s lead with three games in the first half to go (the first half concludes Friday). Unfortunately for Greensboro, North Division leading Brooklyn is facing the second-worst team in the South Atlantic League, Aberdeen IronBirds. Greenville is behind Bowling Green in the South division, which is facing the middle-of-the-pack Hub City Spartanburgers.

Here is where I want to take a moment to say the Grasshoppers kind of got screwed. They’d be leading the South division by almost 10 games, a division of which they’ve played all but one series against. One. One series against the Jersey Shore BlueClaws back in April.

Problem is they split the league into equal six-team divisions, and Greensboro was odd man out being the furthest north and east, of the seven Kentucky/Georgia/Carolina teams. Although the Florida State League for some reason was able to split their ten-team league into a four-team division and then six-team, but I digress.

Onto the prospects! After a 2024 season putting up a 106 wRC+ as an 18 year old in Low-A, Boston Red Sox third ranked prospect Franklin Arias spent 19 games into 2025 season back at Low-A putting up a 131 wRC+, and then was promoted to High-A where he has a continued 131 wRC+ through 36 games with the Greenville Drive. He’s hit three homers, collected 34 RBI, and swiped nine bags. His strike out rate is a paltry 9.9% with a 6.7% walk rate.

Following up the Red Sox third ranked prospect is the newly acquired 2024 first round pick of the San Francisco Giants, James Tibbs III, after an abrupt Sunday evening blockbuster trade of Rafael Devers to the Giants. As previously noted in the Double-A section, it would’ve been a good time for the previously Giants’ farmhand to be promoted and face the Altoona Curve this week. Instead he could find himself in a division title hunt with the Drive, and then subsequently promoted to the Portland Sea Dogs, who the Curve will see again at the end of July. He had a 132 wRC+ with 12 home runs and 32 RBI in 57 games with the Eugene Emeralds.

Continuing on the topic of trade acquisitions, that brings us to third ranked prospect Yophery Rodriguez. The name may not sound too familiar, but if it does, it's likely due to being part of a return from the Milwaukee Brewers for right hander Quinn Priester. The 19 year old outfielder was traded along with a Competitive Balance Round A selection, as well as a Player To Be Named Later, who ended up being Brewers 2024 fifth round selection John Holobetz. The right hander has thrown 32.0 innings for the Drive, with a 3.09 ERA.

If you’ve heard of Red Sox promising outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia, often referred to as “Password” given his complex first name, his younger brother and slightly less tongue twistingly named Johanfran Garcia is a catcher on the Drive. He was recently activated from a rehab stint, and went 4-for-13 in his first week back.

Taking things to the mound, the Red Sox have a pair left handers from the 2024 MLB Draft quickly making a name for themselves. Both Payton Tolle (2nd round — 50th overall) and Brandon Clarke (5th round — 148th overall) are big hard throwing southpaws, recently added to Baseball America’s Top 100 update. Tolle was drafted out of TCU, and at 6’6” 250 lbs he is finding a lot of success solely focusing on pitching for the first time. He’s now sitting 94-96 MPH with elite extension and fastball shape, as well as a player with an immense makeup if you want to read about the story of his mother who passed in May of 2024 after an eight year battle with cancer. So far on the year, he has a 3.92 ERA through 43.2 IP with 70 strikeouts and 13 walks.

Brandon Clarke standing at 6’4” 225 lbs made a name for himself at the 2024 MLB Draft Combine, as a JUCO arm (with an intent to transfer to South Carolina), consistently pumping high heat. He had a 2.51 ERA in 14.1 IP, striking out 21 and walking seven batters. Strangely, he’s active but hasn’t pitched since May 24th, but I can’t find any injury or roster information as to why without just getting a bunch of articles involving NBA player, Brandon Clarke.

Franklin Arias | SS/2B | 3
- Pipeline Top 100: #54
- Baseball America Top 100: #61
James Tibbs III | OF | 6
Yophery Rodriguez | OF | 11
Miguel Bleis | OF | 13
Payton Tolle | LHP | 15
- Baseball America Top 100: #84
Juan Valera (7-Day IL) | RHP | 17
Jedixson Paez (7-Day IL) | RHP | 19
- Fangraphs Top 100: #78
Nelly Taylor | OF | 20
Nazzan Zanetello | SS | 23
Johanfran Garcia | C | 24
Jojo Ingrassia (7-Day IL) | LHP | 26
Brandon Clarke | LHP | 27
- Baseball America Top 100: #86

Bradenton Marauders: 29-34

Last Week: 2-4

Opponent: Tampa (Yankees)

Quick Overview:

With three games left in the first half, the Bradenton Marauders are out of the running, but the Tampa Tarpons are only two games back of the division lead. This matchup is interesting, given the fact the Tarpons are tied with the second best record in the Florida State League, but have a very slim roster in terms of top prospects. Per MLB Pipeline, there are four of the New York Yankees’ top 30 prospects, of which three are healthy. Even if we were to include Baseball America’s recently updated top 30’s, it would just add catcher Engelth Urena to the list. Of the four healthy, Urena is the only one really playing up to par with his .677 OPS in 57 games.

Some of the success came from prospects that have since moved up in the organization, such as 13th round 2024 MLB Draft pick outfielder Dillon Lewis, who is now with Hudson Valley after 46 games in the FSL. 2024 sixth round draft pick Griffin Herring moved up after a 1.21 ERA in 44.2 IP. They’ve also had a lot of rehab stints from upper level prospects such as Clayton Beeter (0.00 ERA, 1.1 IP), Chase Hampton (3.72 ERA, 9.2 IP), Brock Selvidge (3.60 ERA, 5.0 IP), Trystan Vrieling (4.50 ERA, 4.0 IP).

Of the remaining top 30, Roderick Arias is still struggling to find his footing during his sophomore season in the FSL. He’s walking a lot at a 16.3% clip, but his near 30% strikeout rate is backed up with a sub-75% zone-contact rate. He has a .567 OPS in 39 games. Edgleen Perez only turned 19 years old a month ago, but his season is only slightly better with a .600 OPS in 53 games. He walks a ton, and makes a lot of contact, but it isn’t the most impactful contact yet.

Some of the better hitters on the current club are 2024 draft picks Tyler Wilson (8th rounder of out Grand Canyon) and Marshall Toole (15th rounder out of Wofford). They have a .760 OPS and .891 OPS respectively.

Roderick Arias | SS/2B | 5
Henry Lalane (60-Day IL) | LHP | 9
Edgleen Perez | C/1B | 11
Gage Ziehl | RHP | 16

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