It’s Saturday afternoon, you don’t have much to do but chill out, roll a few julus, listen to some Andre Nickatina, and relax. We got your entertainment for the next thirty minutes as we run down all the top performers in the minor leagues on May 14th in the year of our lord 2021. Read on playa! Or Beach if you no hablo espanol.
Jo Adell, OF LAA (Triple-A) 3-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, 3 R, SB
The ever popular slam and legs from one Jo-Jo Adell. Adell has been up and down in the early going. The strengths and weaknesses are very much on display. People in the comments seem to have been psychologically damaged by Adell they way they invoke his name every time a player struggles.
Nick Gordon, SS MIN (Triple-A) 2-for-4, 3 RBI, R, SB
Is Nick trying to be Dee now? Who did Tom “Flash” Gordon marry, Olive Oil? Why are his sons so weak? ‘Member when Nick was a top ten pick and billed as a five tool player? Yeah, don’t think that’s going to happen y’all.
Zach Reks, OF LAD (Triple-A) 3-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, R
I’m just saying Z-Reks is a very solid stage name for any up and coming DJ or Emcee. Trust me, I’m a 40 year old white guy I know this stuff. On the real tho… Reks can rake and the three true outcome profile has been in full effect since the swing adjustments a few years back. There’s definitely above-average to fringe-plus game power.
Jose Siri, OF HOU (Triple-A) 2-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 SB
*clicks iPhone screen* “Siri find me a centerfielder to replace Myles Straw.” Siri shows up and starts hitting nukes and stealing bases. At this point the Astros have no reason not to give Siri a shot. (Matt’s note: Go find those fantasy pundits that were hyping Myles Straw and unfollow them. You’re doing yourself a service.) ((Geoff’s note on Matt’s note: drink Ovaltine!)
Brett Conine, RHP HOU (Triple-A) 5 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 4 K
Command and control arm with a pair of above-average secondaries in his slider and changeup. Total “move” arm that locates the ball all over the zone. Fastball has little to no mustard but he throws strikes consistently.
Ronnie Dawson, OF HOU (Triple-A) 2-for-3, R, 2 BB
A perfect bench outfielder type profile. He’s a plus runner with a toolbox full of fringe-average skills. Dawson gives off “star in Asia” vibes, but he may cut it as a bench outfielder with a second division club.
Carl Chester, RF TEX (Triple-A) 3-for-4, R
Who Da *#@$ is Carl Chester? How about a former Miami Hurricane and 12th rounder of the Rays. I caught him six summers ago with Plymouth of the NECBL, and sort of lost track of him. He was traded to the Rangers in January and looks the part of an up and down corner outfielder. He’s also very fond of Cheetos. Who isn’t?
Lars Nootbaar, OF STL (Triple-A) 3-for-5, 5 RBI, 2 R
This is one of those disgustingly sweet foreign candy bars that your friend brings back from his trip to Norway. No human should eat it, but he gives it to you and makes you eat it in front of him. In reality Nootbaar is former 8th rounder out of USC that hits for average and gets on base. His body makes you think there could be more game power but it hasn’t showed up yet. Unlike the after taste of that candy bar.
Bernardo Flores Jr., LHP STL (Triple-A) 5.1 IP, 6 H, ER, BB 8 K
Do you ever see a name like Bernardo Flores Jr., and wonder if you’re supposed to know who Bernardo Flores Sr. is? Just me? In reality Flores Jr is a four-pitch lefty with a below average four-seam and a good hook. Punched out Christian Yelich twice last night. What happened to Yelich huh? Demote him to Double-A!
Owen Miller, 3B CLE (Triple-A) 3-for-4, HR, 2 R
Fly Redbirds fly! I asked in yesterday’s sheet if Owen Miller was better than Nolan Jones, and low and behold Miller starts at third base. Coincidence? Yes, it’s 100 percent a coincidence, I don’t make the Columbus lineup, come on man.
Bobby Bradley, 1B CLE (Triple-A) 1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB
Still struggling at the plate but he’s homered three times so far so the power has been there. If Bradley can get on base at a 10% clip and hit above .230 he’s probably an option in the majors, but the approach hasn’t been there for a few years now.
Gabriel Arias, SS CLE (Triple-A) 2-for-4, HR, 2 R
I’d love to see a death match of Gabriel Arias’ career versus Jose Garcia’s. I prefer the latter, but Arias is a strong defender and he’s hit for some power this season. He’s also just turned 21 in February, so he’s extremely young for the level. It’s likely a utility infield profile.
Orlando Arcia, SS ATL (Triple-A) 2-for-4, HR, 2 R, SB
What is going in here? Arcia with the slam and legs and his sixth homer of the season. If there’s an injury at the big league level it wouldn’t surprise me to see Arcia get the call. If this power holds he may reach a ceiling few suspected was still possible.
Jasseel De La Cruz, RHP ATL (Triple-A) 3 IP, 3 H, 3 K
A high effort operation with an above-average fastball+slider combination. Only went three but he was nasty flashing his good slider shape and mid-90s heat. It’s a long relief profile but he has the stuff for high leverage.
Luis Garcia, SS WAS (Triple-A) 2-for-4, HR
The game is finally starting to match the body with Garcia. He was never built like a slash and dash hitter and he’s begun to grow into his power. In a normal season Garcia likely never debuts, but it was seemingly a valuable learning experience as he got consequence free reps at the big league level. Crazy to think he’s still just 20 years old, even if it’s only for two more days. Happy birthday Luis, pop a bottle!
Wander Franco, 3B TB (Triple-A) 2-for-4, 2 R
Now that Kelenic is in the majors Wander returns to the top spot on prospect lists. I mean, yes technically Kelenic is a prospect for another month and a half but it’s not for long.
Taylor Walls, SS TB (Triple-A) 2-for-4, HR
I feel like I write this every time Walls makes the sheet but the guy is incredibly underrated. I believe in most systems he’s a top five to ten prospect but alas the Rays are so deep he gets lost in the shuffle a bit.
Jazz Chisholm Jr., SS MIA (Triple-A) 2-for-3, HR, 2 RBI
Thus concludes your rehab assignment with a tank.
Jesus Sanchez, OF MIA (Triple-A) 1-for-3, HR, BB
When will the Marlins do the right thing and call-up Sanchez? He’s been absolutely mashing. I’ve gone on my tirade as to why I believe Sanchez represents an anomaly among power hitters in the game. His bat path is relatively flat but he has the strength and bat speed to make it work. Throw Jesus a high fastball at your own peril.
Marcus Wilson, OF BOS (Triple-A) 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, BB
WILSON! Every time this kid comes to the plate the crowd is Worcester makes a series of bad Castaway jokes. Way to stay current guys! He’s a bench outfielder profile with some power and speed. There’s a very small chance he develops into a second division regular but time is running out.
Kyle Hart, LHP BOS (Triple-A) 6 IP, 4 BB, 6 K
I was at this game and Hart was pumping. He was playing his fringe game, attacking the black to all sections of the zone. Working 91-93 which is up from his 2020 velocity, mixing in his average slider and a changeup in the 78-80 mph range. It’s still a spot starter profile but there’s something here. He went six no hit innings walking three batters before being pulled after he finished the sixth.
Seth Beer, 1B ARI (Triple-A) 1-for-4, HR
Where’s Justice Kavanaugh to talk about his affinity for Beer when you need him? The power is here, and he’s had a long history of hitting at every level.
Luis Barrera, DH OAK (Triple-A) 2-for-5, HR, 3 RBI, R
Luis! Luis! Whoooooa oh, should have called him up a week ago. Barrera is a fringe second division regular bench outfielder profile with double-plus wheels. The power seems to be playing up a little this season, but it might just be an early season mirage.
Steele Walker, OF TEX (Double-A) 3-for-5, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R, BB
Okay, new pitch for Netflix. Steele Walker Texas Ranger, porn detective. Don’t like it? Ok, got it. Walker was a college teammate of Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray and was traded for Nomar Mazara during the 2019 Winter Meetings. He’s a stocky muscle hamster with some juice in the bat due to his muscular build and compact strength.
Yerry Rodriguez, RHP TEX (Double-A) 3 IP, BB, 5 K
An arm with a fair level of fanfare due to a few factors, his low slingy arm action, his mid to upper-90s velocity and his high raw spin curveball. He’s had a ton of trouble staying healthy and frankly I think it’s a pen arm. He does however have the stuff to dominate in short spurts over a few innings. Hey, he did that yesterday! Yep...
Nick Pratto, 1B KC (Double-A) 2-for-3, HR, BB
The former 14th overall pick back in 2017, took a few years to begin to settle in at the professional level. He had a ton of fanfare this off-season, though I’m not sure that it’s totally justified. This was his second homer of the young season. A in game power boost could do wonders for his profiles long term viability.
Alec Marsh, RHP KC (Double-A) 6 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, BB, 11 K
Absolutely cruised for the first three innings of this game before running into trouble in the fourth. As has been well documented on this site, Marsh has taken a significant step forward since his time at Arizona State adding 4-5 mph on his fastball with a legit plus slider. Major props to Kansas City’s development as Marsh is one of the bigger stuff arms in the upper minors.
Ryan Pepiot, RHP LAD (Double-A) 4 IP, H, ER, 2 BB, 7 K
Faced off against Marsh in a dual of up and coming breakout arms. Big fastball with vertical movement, velocity and good shape. He pairs that with a plus changeup and developing breaking stuff. Another Dodgers arm to fall for.
Humberto Mejía, RHP ARI (Double-A) 5.2 IP, 6 H, ER, BB, 6 K
Low to mid-90s heat with an average to above-average bender and feel for his changeup. He’s a little older but has been on the 40-man roster for a bit.
Josh Winder, RHP MIN (Double-A) 5.2 IP, 3 H, BB, 8 K
We talked about this last week, but Winder’s stuff is up big across the board. He’s added velocity to his fastball, spin to his breaking stuff, and run to his changeup. If I were to bet on a breakout arm with little to no fanfare at this moment it would be Winder. I think there’s an backend starter profile here with the frame to hold the gains.
Nick Allen, SS OAK (Double-A) 2-for-4, 3 R, BB
There’s not much power in the profile, but Lil Nicky can pick it at the six. His arm has come along way over the last few years to the point that many consider it a plus tool. This is what Nick Madrigal would look like if he his defense passed the sniff test at short.
Connor Curlis, LHP CIN (Double-A) 4 IP, 4 H, ER, 2 BB, 8 K
A former 24th rounder out of Ohio State, Curlis is beating the odds as he’s been dominant in the early part of 2021. It’s a three pitch mix with the boilerplate fastball, slider, changeup repertoire.
Jeff Lindgren, RHP MIA (Double-A) 7 IP, 2 H, ER, 7 K
A Redbirds pitcher? Is Illinois State a powerhouse? I don’t know the answer I’m asking you.
Konnor Pilkington, LHP CWS (Double-A) 5 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 8 K
Wait, Konnor Pilkington struck out eight batters over five innings? Man, Christian MacLeod must be so optimistic about his future pro career. Then again, he could be drafted by the Rockies. As for K-Pilky, he’s a lefty with a four pitch mix comprised of fringe-average offerings and above-average command.
Dillon Dingler, C DET (High-A) 2-for-5, 1 HR, 1 R, 1 RBI
The man, the myth, the legend and our Director of Scouting James Chipman was able to catch Dingler’s homer on video, us here at Prospects Live are just different. Dingler is becoming an increasingly more valuable player for the Tigers, catchers who can hit, hit for power and be an asset at the hardest defensive position don’t grow on trees and Dingler just might be that. Oh he also gunned down someone at second-base just for funsies.
Miguel Vargas, 3B LAD (High-A) 3-for-5, 1 HR, 2 R, 1 RBI
I aspire to be as good as James when I grow up. Vargas just continues to hit and showcase his power. The Dodgers player development monster is just unfair, they are playing on easy mode at this point in that department.
Brian Rey, OF CIN (High-A) 3-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI
Older for the level but he has 5 homeruns so far this season, and his 3-for-3 outing is worth mentioning even if he hit 3 singles.
Jose Tena, 2B CLE (High-A) 3-for-5, 2 HR, 1 2B, 3 R, 4 RBI
Bracho and Rocchio get all the attention on this roster and for good reason but Jose Tena is performing better than both of them to start the season and is the same age as the both of them. Interestingly enough he moved Bracho over to 1B, which will be something worth noting going forward. Oh and yeah 2 home runs and a double is pretty good as well.
Tanner Burns, RHP CLE (High-A) 4 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
Excellent. Mr. Burns outside of a homer treated the TinCaps lineup the same way Monty treated Lake Springfield.
Jhon Torres, OF STL (High-A) 2-for-5, 2 R
Torres has always been one that I am interested in, he’s got a big frame and has in the lower minors shown some power and paired with that frame there's something to dream on.
Malcom Nunez, 3B STL (High-A) 2-for-5, 2 R, 1 SB
Nice to see Malcom grow up, I bet it’s cool having Hal as your father. Nunez was a man amongst boys back in 2018 in the DSL, since then he’s come back to earth but he’s hitting in 2021 and getting on base and even stealing bases?
Wander Javier, SS MIN (High-A) 0-for-5
Dusty, you okay dude? I am here for you buddy.
Will Wilson, SS SF (High-A) 3-for-4 , 2 2B, 1 R, 1 RBI
Wilson is becoming a mainstay on this because all he does is hit, he probably isn’t long for High-A with the way he keeps hitting. If he carries this type of performance to AA well then we are gonna have to move Wilson WAY up prospect lists.
Bryce Jarvis, RHP ARI (High-A) 6.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 9 K
Jarvis is the first of his draft class to be stretched out and allowed to get 6 innings of work. He gave up 2 runs but did punch out 9. I mean he’s so good that Tony Stark named his computer system after him.
Michael Toglia, 1B COL (High-A) 1-for-4, 1 HR, 1 R, 1 RBI
Congrats on your first yak of the season Michael.
Nick Gonzales, 2B PIT (High-A) 2-for-4, 1 2B, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 SB
A mainstay on this series, Gonzales has been #good yet again. His days at High-A must be numbered with the way he keeps hitting, and I’ll miss writing about you but Geoff will take care of you.
Lenyn Sosa, SS CWS (High-A) 2-for-5, 1 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 SB
As the modern day visionary Chief Keef said, “‘Raris and Rovers, these garden tools love Chief (Lenyn) Sosa, hit him with that cobra, now that boy slumped over.” “i get lots of commas, I can … your momma, I ain’t with the drama, you can meet my llama,” and I live by that. If this isn’t Lenyn’s walk-up song there's a missed opportunity here.
Bryson Stott, SS PHI (High-A) 2-for-5, 3 R, 1 CS
Bounced back from a golden-sombrero with a nice two hit day and was probably fist pumping on the Jersey Shore after getting a fake tan. He is back playing shortstop after they swapped him over to second in a recent game and they bumped him up the batting order as well.
Oswald Peraza, SS NYY (High-A) 2-for-2, 2 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI
Just go out and get Oswald already, this dude is on an absolute hot streak and destroying High-A pitchers right now. He’s as good at hitting High-A pitching as he is at playing the piano or hanging out with weenie.
Luis Medina, RHP NYY (High-A) 4 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
I am sure if you look on Yankees facebook you can find someone with a terrible selfie as their profile picture calling for the Yankees to call up Medina right now, I would bet Rick Porcello’s shambolic Cy Young on that one. The stuff has never been in question, and if he is limiting the free passes he might just make it as a starter, a maddening one but there’s still a lot of value in that.
Kole Cottam, C BOS (High-A) 2-for-3, 1 HR, 1 R, 3 RBI, 1 BB
Older for the level but Cottam has started the season off hot, with the bat and could stay behind the plate. If I knew how his career would unfold I would be a millionaire but a catcher who can even hit his weight in today’s game is a valuable player and you can carve out quite the career for yourself Kole, if you read this.
George Kirby, RHP SEA (High-A) 5 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K
He walked someone, time to drop his OFP. Sorry dude I don’t make the rules around these parts.
Julio Rodriguez, OF SEA (High-A) 1-for-4, 1 HR, 1 R, 1 RBI
Julio must have been inspired by Kelenic as the two future stars of the Mariners organization both took the ball deep yesterday. This is also the second-straight evening in which Julio has deposited a ball beyond the
Austin Wells, C NYY (Low-A) 2-for-5, 3B, 3 RBI
I’m assuming the only reason Wells is in Low-A is to work on becoming a catcher, because the bat is already pretty good and could move quickly if he moved to the outfield. Keeping him down here tells me they are serious about keeping him behind the plate. He can hit, and can be a top three offensive catcher in Yankee Stadium in the future.
Miguel Hiraldo, 3B TOR (Low-A) 2-for-4, HR, 2B
Hiraldo is an intriguing prospect because if you glance at the statline, homer run power is all he's been missing in his career, as he’s shown that he is a doubles machine already. As he gets stronger more of those should turn into homers. Strong contact skills here too for a potential power bat.
Sammy Siani, OF PIT (Low-A) 2-for-5, HR, 2B, SB
Siani is barely hitting above .200 but has a .930 OPS, so he’s had no issues getting the power stroke working so far in 2021.
Jordan Walker, 3B STL (Low-A) 2-for-4, BB
Yeah man, he rakes. Walker is dominating Low-A, and owns a .400/.550/.730 slash through 9 games with more walks (10) than strikeouts (9). File that under “things you like to see.” #good.
Victor Mesa Jr., OF MIA (Low-A) 3-for-4, 3B, 2B, BB, 3 RBI
Remember when he was signed with his brother in a highly publicized “package deal?” Well turns out he’s the much better hitter and that package deals aren’t legal. Nothing happened to the Marlins despite them being so blatant but perhaps the money they paid Victor Victor is punishment enough?
Kenedy Corona, OF HOU (Low-A) 3-for-3, HR
A former Mets prospect traded to the Astros in the Jake Marisnick deal, Corona has a strong feel to hit with emerging power and a strong plate approach. Nice name to think about scooping in deep leagues.
Jayson Schroeder, Ernesto Jaquez, Angel Macuare, RHPs HOU (Low-A) 9 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 13 K
The Astros trio no-hit the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers who are now 0-10 on the year. Yikes.
Aaron Sabato, 1B MIN (Low-A) 1-for-4 HR, 3 Ks
Surprising to see him assigned to Low-A to start the season. Sabato hit his first homer of the season but also struck out three times.
Justin Bullock, RHP MIL (Low-A) 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 12 K
Dominating performance for Bullock, a 2017 16th round pick out of the North Carolina prep ranks. He missed some time in 2019 with an elbow injury (believe TJ but can’t confirm) and looks great this year. Potential deep watch list addition.
Ed Howard, SS CHC (Low-A) 2-for-3, BB
Good to see Howard with a multi-hit game, as he’s been pretty bad of late hitting .194 currently.
Spencer Strider, RHP ATL (Low-A) 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K
Strider was summoned today and shoved. The 2020 fourth round pick from Clemson had about as good a pro debut as you could hope for here.
Jordan Westburg, SS BAL (Low-A) 2-for-3, HR
Westburg keeps hitting, him and Gunnar Henderson are quite the pairing in the middle of the order for the Delmarva squad.
Curtis Mead, 1B TB (Low-A) 4-for-5, HR
The future utility man from down under hit one up and over the wall in this one for his first homer of the year. The former Phillies farmhand has hit quite well in his minor league career and it’ll be fun to see how he fits in with the Rays.
Seth Johnson, RHP TB (Low-A) ⅓ IP, 4 H, 5 R, 4 BB, 0 K
A forgettable outing here for Johnson, who now have seven walks to just three strikeouts this yeat in 3 ⅓ innings. The Campbell Camel is relatively new to pitching, being a former shortstop but I didn;t expect the command to be this wobbly for him. Hopefully he’s healthy.
Noelvi Marte, SS SEA (Low-A) 3-for-6
Marte is sizzling hot right now, up to .364 after a slow start. It’s possible he links up with Julio Rodriguez in Everett soon, although both could get a promotion any day now. The talent here is unreal.
Taylor Dollard, RHP SEA (Low-A) 5 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 8 K
Dollard continues to pitch extremely well, and he’s up to 18 strikeouts and zero walks in his first nine innings of professional ball. Jack Flaherty’s workout partner was identified as an early season sleeper by me, and I’ll continue to stan for Dollard because the man can flat out pitch.
Ezequiel Tovar, SS COL (Low-A) 2-for-5, HR
Rockies prospects are always tough. Prior to this year they were short some short-season teams and you’d often see 17-18 year-old prospects playing with and against recent college graduates at 22-23 years-old. That’s still the case here with Tovar, but he’s performing well despite just being 19 at Low-A. There’s a bit of power and speed here to make him interesting and it will be fun to see him in the majors in 2029. All Rockies jokes aside, this is an interesting prospect and one that should be owned in medium sized leagues. This Fresno team is a fun affiliate, with Tovar, Zac Veen, Drew Romo and many others.
Mateo Gil, 3B COL (Low-A) 3-for-5, 2B, SB
Part of the Nolan Arenado trade with St. Louis, Gil is an interesting prospect because he has a nice set of tools, without a particular tool that jumps off the page. It’s the type of profile that works well in Coors. He’s moved all-around the infield this year with his best fit being second base. Rockies are getting good production from him and Elehuris Montero thus far. Still a bad trade, but those two pieces are hitting.
Tyler Soderstrom, C OAK (Low-A) 0-for-3 3 K, BB
We at Prospects Live love Soderstrom but also think posting games like this is necessary because we are realistic. This isn’t talking negative about a prospect but these games are needed to show its not always sunshine and rainbows like other prospect sources think it is. By no means should you drops him down your ranks or trade him due to this performance, but not everyone can be Jordan Walker or Noelvi Marte all the time. I am a bit concerned about his teammate though, Robert Puason. He’s 1-for-22 with 15 strikeouts in his first taste of pro ball.
Luis Matos, OF SF (Low-A) 3-for-5, HR, BB, SB
Matos is on a tear, and is now hitting .359 with a .996 OPS. He’s a top 50 prospect for me. Enjoy the ride. A dong and legs, my man showing all the tools here.
Ricardo Genoves, C SF (Low-A) 4-for-6
Genoves can hit. There are some concerns for me how the body projects long-term but he’s yet another catcher in this organization that should be rostered in deep leagues because of his bat. This San Jose squad is #fun.
Abdiel Layer, SS SF (Low-A) 4-for-5, 2 HR
#Doubledon...err multi homer games will get you a spot on this list and Layer put it on thick last night for San Jose. In fact, he’s been mashing so far. In just 11 at-bats though he’s hitting .364 with a 1.273 OPS. He’s a 40th round pick out of Puerto Rico that went to Miami Dade CC, and I’m not saying he’s something or nothing, but the fact that MLB is eliminating guys like this from getting drafted does suck a little bit. I’ll be rooting for Layer the rest of the way.
Kyle Harrison, LHP SF (Low-A) 2 ⅓ IP, 2 H, 1 R, 5 BB, 7 K
Harrison doing his best Seth Corry impression, proving difficult to square up by not allowing any contact. He only tossed 37 of his 70 pitches for strikes, so obviously there’s still somethings to work on for the teenage lefty.