With the MiLB season winding down, don’t fret — we’ll still be providing the same great insight (minus whatever Rhys does) with the Arizona Fall League and LIDOM just beyond the horizon.

MLB - Smada

Kumar Rocker, RHP TEX (MLB) 4 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 BB, 7 K, HR

What a debut for Rocker! The curveball/slider/rockerball instantly became one of the best pitches in the league. He led with the pitching throwing it 45% of the time, 33 times total, generating 13 whiffs on 21 swings! The performance shouldn’t come as much of a surprise given how he’s torn up the minors this year. Incredible how much the value has sky-rocketed and wouldn’t be surprised to see a Crochet-like season next year as he builds up the innings.

Mitchell Parker, LHP WSH (MLB) 6.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R (0 ER), 5 K

Parker is finishing up the season strong with his best 5-game FIP stretch of the season. He seems like a usable deep league starter and great shallow league stream (see this start vs MIA). Parker should be penned into the 2025 rotation.

Dylan Crews, RF WSH (MLB) 2-for-4, R, RBI, SB

After hitting a trio of HR early, he’s slowed a touch and is slashing .241/.308/.448 through a still-small sample of 65 PA. The stolen base count is up to 6 and the sprint speed up to 93rd percentile. The team loves to run and a 30+ SB season is on the way (given the team aggression continues).

Thomas Saggese, 2B STL (MLB) 2-for-4, 2 R, RBI

In his 3rd game, Saggese finally registered his first career base-hit. Still just 22 yrs old, he had a tale of two AAA seasons, running a 71 wRC+ through June and a 123 wRC+ after. The BB% has been cut in half from his breakout 2023 season and a lot of the difference between the two halves is BABIP. There is likely a full season 20 HR guy here but I’m not sure we’ll get a good BA or OBP. Looking at TJ stats, his O-Swing in AAA was horrendous and that’ll need to be fixed before he becomes an every day option.

Jordan Beck, LF COL (MLB) 1-for-3, HR, R, RBI

We know about the horrible first call-up, but since his recall on 8/13 he’s been alright. He’s had 75 PA slashing .215/.320/.277 with a 63 wRC+. This was the 1st HR in his second opportunity and it came off of Skubal. He’s also registered 4 SB in that period and looks to at least be a 20 SB threat over a full season. The biggest before/after change is the patience at the plate as he only recorded 1 BB over 21 starts in May but is now up to a 13.3% BB in the Aug/Sep sample. The bat hasn’t been “every day regular” good in either sample and he’s in danger of not having a job to open the season.

Triple-A - Matt Thompson

C.J. Alexander, OF/3B OAK (Triple-A) 2-for-5, HR, 2B, 3 RBI

A shrewd waiver claim by the A’s if you ask me. Alexander just constantly hits the ball hard and does damage. The other skills come up a little short but if you need a bat for the short term you can do a lot worse.

Roman Anthony, OF BOS (Triple-A) 1-for-2, 2 2B, 2 R, 3 BB

When I’m doing just do what Roman does. I’m getting closer and closer to locking him in as my top prospect. I actually just wrote his report for the off-season, and I like him. 

Chase Meidroth, DH BOS (Triple-A) 3-for-5, R, 2 RBI

It gets to a point where results are just results. I’m betting the group of hitters who put a .440+ OBP during their first full season at Triple-A is a pretty successful group. (Smada’s note - pulling Fangraphs back to 2006, their first season of AAA data, Ty France and Alex Gordon are the only players with a higher career AAA OBP).

Hunter Dobbins, LHP BOS (Triple-A) 6 IP, 6 H, ER, BB, 5 K

Joe Rock, LHP TB (Triple-A) 7 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 K

Noah Cameron, LHP KC (Triple-A) 6 IP, 4 H, ER, 0 BB, 7 K

Limping this group of left-handed future backend starters together because the analysis will mostly be the same. They all should get a piece of the pie in 2025, and it’s above-average command for the group here but that’s likely where the above-average-ness ends. 

Drue Hackenberg, RHP ATL (Triple-A) 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, BB, 7 K

Hackenberg has more upside than that other group and he’s also not left-handed so he gets his own blurb. Plus command here is also the separator and I guess if you’re looking for someone who can make a Schwellenbach-Ian rise next year this is a good name to circle. 

Nelson Velazquez, OF KC (Triple-A) 3-for-4, 2 HR, 2B, 3 R, 4 RBI

The arrival of Tommy Pham pushed Nelson even further away from the lineup with the Royals but he’s a nice sneaky guy entering 2025. He still has a few more chances left to establish himself. 

Brett Sullivan, C SD (Triple-A) 4-for-4, R, 2 RBI, BB

Just a casual 4 hit day with a walk thrown in. Sullivan is an offensive first fourth catcher for the Padres, and being a fourth catcher just means Triple-A bus rides. 

Double-A - Tom Gates

Ryan Clifford, RF NYM (Double-A) 2-for-4, 2B, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, BB

He’s ending the season on a high note. I bring up the swing and miss a lot, but the last three months, he’s been hitting a decent average. The strikeouts are still there but the quality of contact seems to be better. Way different player than he was in April and May. 

Daylen Lile, LF WSH (Double-A) 1-for-4, HR, R, RBi, K

I was a big fan of him coming into the year and hoping for more of a power breakout. We haven’t seen it. Only six home runs in 127 games. His approach is geared toward putting the ball in play, not lifting and pulling. Low flyball percentage. I don’t know if he’ll ever run into 20 home runs. It’s early though. Only 21 years old.

Parker Messick, LHP CLE (Double-A) 6 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 8 K

Is this Tugboat’s cousin? The walk rate and strikeout rate have improved every time he moves up a level. He lives off his secondaries and plus command and it’s working.

Ben Shields, LHP NYY (Double-A) 4.2 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 10 K

Shields looked awesome. I love his breaking stuff. He just teases hitters with it by having it look like it’s going to be in the zone before dropping out. But he can also start it outside the zone and have it drop in. The ball moves in different directions and at different speeds. He’s a tough at-bat, especially for lefties. I’m really intrigued. We haven’t seen him pile up the innings in Double-A but the swings and misses have been there.

Gino Groover, 2B AZ (Double-A) 2-for-3, HR, R, 2 RBI, BB

Ivan Melendez, 1B AZ (Double-A) 1-for-4, HR, R, RBI, 2 K

Double-G is the one to be excited about here. He’s been killing the ball since August. I believe the Sod Poodles ballpark is very hitter friendly but let’s not take away the 19:17 BB:K ratio he has. We all know what Melendez can do. He had 22 home runs on the year with a 30% strikeout rate.

Ben Kudrna, RHP KC (Double-A) 5 IP, H, 2 BB, 9 K

20 swinging strikes that were set up by his great fastball. Rarely do I see a younger pitcher at this level able to throw fastballs consistently by hitters in the middle of the zone, or just have them looking at it. Usually they are throwing it up at the letters. Kudrna was attacking hitters with his fastball and then mixing in a changeup in the dirt of a slider. He had the hitters guessing all night.

Xavier Isaac, 1B TB (Double-A)

Game 1: 1-for-4, HR, R, 2 RBI, 2 K

Game 2: 0-for-1, 2 BB, K

If you sold him before the season you are probably breathing a sign of relief. It’s been tough for him at Double-A. 63% in-zone contact. Whiffing at 46%. Only 20 years-old. It’ll take some time to adjust. This is the harder part of rostering a prospect.

Carson Williams, SS TB (Double-A) 

Game 1: 1-for-3, RBI, BB, K

Game 2: 2-for-4, HR, R, 4 RBI, 2 K

Williams usually hits light tower shots out of the stadium. This one hit off the top of the wall and snuck over. It still counts. That gives him a 20-33 season so far. We fantasy players love that. His defense improves his shot as an everyday Major Leaguer and should allow him to stick on the field through his slumps. 

K.C. Hunt, RHP MLW (Double-A) 6 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 6 K

I like how the Brewers move their pitchers through the system. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Hunt get some action at the Majors next year. 

High-A - Grant Carver

Jac Caglianone, 1B KCR (High-A) 2-for-4, 2 1B, 2 RBI, K

Solid game for the big left hander and a solid pro season overall. He’s chasing at an insane rate and the power has yet to really translate, but at least the bat to ball skills have been good. No doubt the power will come eventually, so it’s the chase rate he really needs to work on this offseason. 

Cooper Pratt, SS MIL (High-A) 3-for-4, 2B, 3 R, RBI, BB, K

The small sample in High-A this year wasn’t the best, but he’s barely 20 years old. The plate discipline will improve and the hit/power combination for a guy at his position has the chance to be special. One of my personal favorites.

Colton Ledbetter, RF TBR (High-A) 3-for-4, 2 2B, 2 R, BB, K

Big time power jump for ledbetter this year and he did get a bit more hype because of it. But the bat to ball skills and the plate discipline both will be exposed more at the next level if he doesn’t improve them. He’s got a lot of work to do with the hit tool before I can buy it.

Travis Bazzana, 2B CLE (High-A) 2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI

105.1 mph and in a huge spot for the team. Bazzana hits the ball hard and hits it very often, so it’s hard not to love the bat. Something tells me he’s going to have a few more big time hits in his career.

Single-A - Rhys White

Travis Skyora, RHP WAS (Single-A) 5 IP, H, BB, 9 K 

Sykora is just gonna mess around and become one of the top 10 pitching prospects in the game, isn’t he? In his first full season of pro ball, the 2023 third-rounder struck out 129 batters over 85 innings of work. I would have loved to see him get promoted to High-A to be challenged, but whatever special sauce the Nationals are putting on their pitchers (probably some sort of ketchup-and-mayo blend like every secret sauce out there) is clearly working. We haven’t talked about Nationals prospects yet, but I would assume both he and Susana are top 8 pitching prospects.

Braylon Payne, RF MIL (Single-A) 1-for-3, R, BB 

Sometimes all you need is a bit of speed, isn’t that what all the Fast and Furious movies are about? And family (between us, I’ve never seen any of them). Payne is a good gamble later in your second or even third round of your FYPD, as he at least has impact speed with the upside for some power. The swing is a bit raw, and there’s something I don’t care for, but I can’t put my finger on it. If I were just comparing speedster prospects, I would pick him over Kendall George because Kendall George was described to me by a scout as “sushi raw.”

JJ Wetherholt, SS STL (Single-A) 3-for-4, R, RBI, BB

The clutch gene continues to course through Wetherholt’s veins. I’m interested to see if he could sell off some of his elite hit tool to lift and pull more — if he can do that, he could be Alex Bregman without the Crawford Boxes. Wetherholt’s floor is so high, and the ceiling is also relatively high. Plus, outside of Bazzana, he might be the safest bat in this FYPD class.

Chen-Wei Lin, RH STL (Single-A) 4.1 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 BB, 8 K 

The fastball was sizzling in on batters, and the changeup was nasty. Lin being handled the way he has been is perplexing, to say the least. Why has he been at Single-A all season, especially when they’ve shown they aren’t afraid to be aggressive with Quinn Matthews?

Peyton Stovall, 2B CIN (Single-A) 2-for-4, 2B, R

I loved Peyton Stovall when he was a prep hitter — I loved the hit tool and his feel for just hitting the ball hard. I'm still in on him, and I want to grab him as one of the last players in my deeper league's FYPD class. In Great American Ballpark, he could hit 20-25 homers.

Aidan Smith, CF TB (Single-A) 2-for-5, 2 R, 2 SB 

Two swipes for the top 100 prospect! Smith's blend of hit tool, power, and some speed has me dreaming of 20/20 seasons for him in the near future. We could be looking at this trade next year as a clear Rays win. They got rid of Randy before they wouldn’t pay him and got two top 100-150 prospects in return. Classic Rays masterclass.

Santiago Suarez, RHP TB (Single-A) 5 IP, 6 H, ER, 9 K 

We are so back, baby. Sykora has overtaken him, and so has his teammate Gary Gill Hill, but Santiago Suarez has had a good year overall and should be viewed as a top 100-ish arm. I think his stuff is better than Gill Hill’s, so maybe next year they flip-flop? Suarez is someone I am hoping to pick up a share or two of, hoping people look at a few bad starts and get antsy.

George Wolkow, RF CWS (Single-A) 2-for-4, 2B, RBI, BB

I don’t buy anything this guy is selling. 

Tai Peete, CF SEA (Single-A) 2-for-5, 3B, 2 R, RBI, SB 

Tai Peete the centerfielder is my jam. Peete just hit his 10th triple of the season (actually 9th if you look at Baseball Reference, but they don’t count postseason). The over-the-fence power hasn’t really materialized yet, but he was always going to be a slower-burn prospect. The hit tool and swing decisions can get a bit scary, and he seems like someone who will have really high peaks during a season and really low valleys. His rolling charts are gonna be a thing of beauty.

Walker Martin, SS SF (Single-A) 1-for-3, HR, 2 R, RBI, BB 

Good to see Walker Martin having a great end to his season! Martin’s hit tool, and more importantly, his swing-and-miss tendencies are a bit concerning, but the power and speed combo are enough to dream on while he hopefully works on those chase issues. Like Peete, he feels like a slow-burn prospect who could spend a year at each level.