Prospects of the Week: August 21 – August 27

August 29, 2023 Jeremy Mahy General, MiLB, Prospects of the Week 0

Blake Dunn, Daytona Tortugas, May 15, 2022, Florida State League. Photo credit Bryan Green.
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Each week during the Minor League Baseball season we pick the hitting and pitching prospects from each level (Triple-A, Double-A, High-A, Single-A, and the Rookie Leagues) who, in our opinion, had the best week. The team awards the Prospects of the Week hitters and pitchers for each level, while also presenting other names at each level that are just as deserving of POTW honors. Feel free to reply in the comments with any player who deserves to be mentioned that may not have made our cut.

Any issues with this week’s POTW? Did we miss anyone deserving? Hit us up and set us straight! As always, tweet us @Prospects1500 when you see a great performance that warrants consideration for Prospect of the Week. Enjoy, and make sure you’re keeping an eye out for these prospects in your dynasty leagues.

Triple-A

HITTER: Alexander Canario, OF (Cubs #15)
Iowa Cubs (6 G, .458/.462/1.125/1.587, 11 H, 4 2B, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 5 R, BB)
It’s taken some time, but it looks like Alexander Canario is back. Canario spent the first half of 2023 rehabbing his way back from a terrible ankle injury (and dislocated shoulder) sustained over the winter in the Dominican League. After starting slow, Canario has erupted in August to a .326/.379/.674 line with 7 HRs, 4 of which came in last week’s series in Indianapolis. He’s still striking out a lot and that will likely always be part of his profile. But it’s no-doubt big league power that will play, even if he’s limited to a corner OF spot. With the Cubs still in the hunt for a wild card spot, I could see the Cubs brass is giving serious consideration to a Canario call up.

Honorable Mentions:
Colt Keith, 3B (Tigers #1)
Toledo Mud Hens (6 G, .458/.531/.958/1.489, 11 H, 3 2B, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 10 R, 6 BB)
International League Player of the Week!


Hunter Goodman, C/1B/OF (Rockies #9)
Albuquerque Isotopes (4 G, .588/.650/1.353/2.003, 10 H, 2B, 4 HR, 11 RBI, 6 R, 2 BB)
Pacific Coast League Player of the Week!
What a way to cap a week!


Ronny Mauricio, SS (Mets #1)
Syracuse Mets (6 G, .435/.536/.870/1.406, 10 H, 2 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 7 R, 5 BB, 3 SB)
Sandro Fabian, OF (Rangers NR)
Round Rock Express (5 G, .409/.500/.864/1.364, 9 H, 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 7 R, 4 BB)

PITCHER: Nick Frasso, RHP (Dodgers #15)
Oklahoma City Dodgers (1 GS, 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, BB, 4 K)
Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week!
Throughout his tenure with the Dodgers’ organization, Nick Frasso’s proven, unequivocally, that the good guys won the trade with Toronto that shipped Mitch White off to Ontario, Canada. The month of August found Frasso in peak form. 2-0 in 4 starts, a 2.50 ERA, 18 IP, 16 hits, only 5 earned runs, 8 BB, 21 K’s and a 1.33 WHIP. The proverbial cherry atop Frasso’s impeccable August came in his latest start. Not only was a clinic put on, this was Frasso’s very first start in Triple-A.

The long-levered righty put together a thoroughly dominant outing. Pitching with even more confidence than with AA-Tulsa. Frasso dissected the Isotopes through 6 über-efficient innings. Surrendering only 2 hits, 0 runs (earned or unearned), allowing only 1 BB, and striking out four, Frasso made Triple-A look like child’s play. If Frasso continues his reign over Triple-A, Dodgers fans may see a glimpse of him wearing Dodger “Pantone Blue” later this season, after the rosters have expanded. Until then, expect more of the same. (@GQ_82)

Honorable Mentions:
Evan McKendry, RHP (Brewers NR)
Nashville Sounds (1 GS, 6 IP, H, R, 2 BB, 6 K)
International League Pitcher of the Week!
Joey Estes, RHP (Athletics #16)
Las Vegas Aviators (1 GS, 5.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, BB, 5 K)
Quinn Priester, RHP (Pirates #5)
Indianapolis Indians (1 GS, 5 IP, 2 H, R, BB, 9 K)
Justin Armbruester, RHP (Orioles #32)
Norfolk Tides (1 GS, 5 IP, H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K)

Double-A

HITTER: Blake Dunn, OF (Reds #26)
Chattanooga Lookouts (6 G, .429/.467/.857/1.324, 12 H, 3 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 9 R, 2 BB, 2 SB)
Southern League Player of the Week!
Dunn is a little bit on the older side, but the 2021 15th round selection of the Reds has been destroying AA pitching and should be moving up to Triple-A before the end of the season. He is slashing .353/.432/.571 in Double-A so far after doing very well in High-A as well. He brings solid defense and great speed, 28 stolen bases also. Dunn just needs to show he can stay healthy. If he keeps this up he will be in the Reds future plans for sure. (@darylhauck)

Honorable Mentions:
Zach Dezenzo, OF (Astros #22)
Corpus Christi Hooks (6 G, .321/.387/.857/1.244, 9 H, 3 2B, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 7 R, 2 BB, 2 SB)
Chandler Redmond, 1B (Cardinals #26)
Springfield Cardinals (6 G, .500/.652/1.250/1.902, 8 H, 4 HR, 7 RBI, 8 R, 6 BB)
Texas League Player of the Week!
Agustin Ruiz, OF (Mets NR)
Binghamton Rumble Ponies (5 G, .500/.636/1.125/1.761, 8 H, 2B, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 7 R, 6 BB)
Eastern League Player of the Week!
C.J. Stubbs, C (Astros NR)
Corpus Christi Hooks (6 G, .421/.621/.947/1.568, 8 H, 4 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 10 R, 8 BB, 2 SB)

PITCHER: Teddy Stankiewicz, RHP (Reds NR)
Chattanooga Lookouts (1 GS, 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K)
Southern League Pitcher of the Week!
Stankiewicz, a 2013 2nd round pick by the Red Sox, had a solid week but is more just roster filler at 30 in Double-A. He has been bouncing around between Double-A and Triple-A this year and is sporting a whopping 9.78 ERA in Triple-A, while also walking more guys than he is striking out. Good week notwithstanding, I don’t see him ever being a major league ballplayer. He has yet to make his MLB debut and at this point, I just don’t see it happening. (@darylhauck)

Honorable Mentions:
Carson Palmquist, LHP (Rockies #21)
Hartford Yard Goats (1 GS, 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, BB, 8 K)
Mitchell Parker, LHP (Nationals #34)
Harrisburg Senators (1 GS, 8 IP, 3 H, R, BB, 9 K)
Drew Thorpe, RHP (Yankees #11)
Somerset Patriots (1 GS, 6.1 IP, 2 H, R, BB, 9 K)
Tyler Stuart, RHP (Mets NR)
Binghamton Rumble Ponies (1 GS, 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K)
Eastern League Pitcher of the Week!
Ryan Bergert, RHP (Padres #15)
San Antonio Missions (1 GS, 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 9 K)

High-A

HITTER: Brady Allen, OF (Tigers NR)
West Michigan Whitecaps (6 G, .545/.655/1.182/1.837, 12 H, 2 2B, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 8 R, 6 BB)
Midwest League Player of the Week!
Allen was acquired from Miami in May, after starting the year slowly in High-A Beloit.
@stoffer81 ranked him at #46 in his 2023 preseason Top 50 for the Marlins. Since joining the Tigers system, Allen’s AVG, BB/9, SLG, and OPS all have increased versus the year’s start. Last week, Allen hit 4 HR, had 6 BB, and an astronomical OPS of 1.837! Allen might be close to earning a promotional to Erie soon. (@DET_Guru_Kurt)

Honorable Mentions:
Drake Baldwin, C (Braves #22)
Rome Braves (4 G, .600/.647/1.333/1.980, 9 H, 2 2B, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 5 R, BB)
South Atlantic League Player of the Week!


Xavier Isaac, 1B (Rays #6)
Bowling Green Hot Rods (4 G, .500/.579/.875/1.454, 8 H, 3 2B, HR, 6 RBI, 6 R, 3 BB)
Wyatt Langford, OF (Rangers #2)
Hickory Crawdads (6 G, .476/.577/.714/1.291, 10 H, 2 2B, HR, 2 RBI, 7 R, 5 BB, 3 SB)
Matt Shaw, IF (Cubs #8)
South Bend Cubs (5 G, .476/.522/.905/1.427, 10 H, 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 6 R, BB, 2 SB)

PITCHER: Anderson Pilar, RHP (Rockies NR)
Spokane Indians (1 GS, 7 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 13 K)
Northwest League Pitcher of the Week!
Pilar went the first 7 innings of Spokane’s combined no-hitter against Vancouver last week. He set the tone early striking out 5 of the first 6 hitters he faced in route to a 13 K performance. He has quietly put together a very nice year. He is 7-2 with a 2.06 ERA with 64 K in 52.1 IP. He is on the older side for a pitcher in High-A (25) and has been in the organization since 2016 so time is ticking a bit.

Honorable Mentions:
Jarrod Cande, RHP (Rockies #38)
Spokane Indians (1 GS, 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K)
Mason Adams, RHP (White Sox #42)
Winston-Salem Dash (1 GS, 6 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K)
South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week!
Bubba Chandler, RHP (Pirates #12)
Greensboro Grasshoppers (1 GS, 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K)
Gunnar Hoglund, RHP (Athletics #25)
Lansing Lugnuts (1 GS, 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K)
Midwest League Pitcher of the Week!
Adam Macko, LHP (Blue Jays #20)
Vancouver Canadians (1 GS, 5 IP, 2 H, o R, 0 BB, 11 K)
Zach Penrod, LHP (Red Sox NR)
Greenville Drive (1 GS, 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, BB, 7 K)

Single-A

HITTER: Trevor Werner, 3B (Royals NR)
Columbia Fireflies (6 G, .478/.556/1.217/1.773, 11 H, 2 2B, 5 HR, 11 RBI, 8 R, 4 BB, SB)
Carolina League Player of the Week!
The former Aggie has started his professional career on a heater. Through 85 AB’s he has a 1.067 OPS with 6 HR and 25 RBI. Encouraging start for sure, but he is a college bat from a major program so it is wise to temper your excitement until we see him against more advanced arms.

Honorable Mentions:
Tai Peete, SS (Mariners #13)
Modesto Nuts (4 G, .381/.409/.762/1.171, 8 H, 2 2B, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 3 R, BB, SB)
California League Player of the Week!
Peete was one of the younger, but also one of the more toolsy prospects in the 2023 draft class. There are little questions about his ability to stick at short, has plus speed, and has the plus arm from a guy who threw 95 on the bump while still pitching. The questions for Peete fell with the bat, as the ability to make consistent contact, especially on the outer half, is a concern, but he has plenty of pull power, and he showed that off with a pair of grand slams in just two innings. (@ShaunKernahan)

Pedro Ramirez, SS (Cubs #45)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans (6 G, .529/.619/1.000/1.619, 9 H, 2 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 6 R, 4 BB)
Ethan O’Donnell, OF (Reds NR)
Daytona Tortugas (5 G, .500/.524/.700/1.224, 10 H, 2 2B, 3B, 3 RBI, 3 R, BB)
Florida State League Player of the Week!
O’Donnell went from relative obscurity playing for Northwestern to the leadoff guy on one of the better programs in the country in Virginia. The left handed hitting center fielder has shown a knack for hitting the ball hard, even if the home run numbers don’t always reflect it. (@ShaunKernahan)
Jadher Areinamo, SS (Brewers #26)
Carolina Mudcats (6 G, .500/.542/.773/1.315, 11 H, 3 2B, HR, 5 RBI, 7 R, 2 BB)

PITCHER: Jhancarlos Lara, RHP (Braves NR)
Augusta GreenJackets (1 GS, 6 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, 9 K)
Originally a two-way player, the Braves have identified his future as being on the mound. In his last 3 starts he’s given up zero earned runs over 17 IP, including this past week’s outing against Charleston. Against the RiverDogs, he struck out 9 over 6 innings, with no walks, and one hit surrendered. His stock is on the rise. (@MKelley_ND)

Honorable Mentions:
Trey Dombroski, LHP (Astros #38)
Fayetteville Woodpeckers (1 GS, 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 11 K)
Carolina League Pitcher of the Week!
Hancel Rincon, RHP (Cardinals #49)
Palm Beach Cardinals (1 GS, 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K)
Davis Daniel, RHP (Angels NR)
Inland Empire 66ers (1 GS, 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K)
Ian Seymour, LHP (Rays #21)
Charleston RiverDogs (2 GS, 8 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 12 K)
Nicholas Regalado, RHP (Royals NR)
Columbia Fireflies (2 G, 3.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K, 2 SV)

Rookie League Playoffs

Arizona Complex League
Semifinals
ACL Brewers 3, ACL Rockies 2
ACL Diamondbacks Red 4, ACL Dodgers 3

Finals
ACL Brewers win championship series over ACL Diamondbacks Red 2 games to 1.
Top performers:
Adrian De Leon, C (Diamondbacks NR): 9-17, 2 2B, HR, 4 RBI.
Kristian Robinson, OF (Diamondbacks #23) 5-15, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 6 R, 4 BB, 2 K.
Blake Whiting, RHP (Brewers NR): 2 G, 2 IP, H, O R, BB, 4 K.

Florida Complex League
Semifinals
FCL Braves 7, FCL Mets 1
FCL Yankees 7, FCL Pirates 6

Finals
FCL Braves win championship series over FCL Yankees 2 games to 0.
Top performers:
Isaiah Drake, OF (Braves NR): Went 3-9 with 3 R, 4 BB, and 5 SB.
Rolando Gutierrez, LHP (Braves NR): Started Championship clinching game (6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K)

Dominican Summer League
Quarterfinals
DSL Padres Gold defeated DSL LAD Mega 2 games to 1.
DSL LAD Bautista defeated DSL Colorado 2 games to 0.
DSL Phillies White defeat DSL Angels 2 games to 1.
DSL Pirates Gold defeat DSL Astros Orange 2 games to 0.
Top performers:
Jose Cordero, OF (Padres NR)
DSL Padres Gold (3 G, .300/.417/.900/1.317, 3 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 4 R, 2 BB, SB)
Elias Medina, SS (Dodgers #49)
DSL LAD Mega (3 G, .583/.667/.583/1.250, 7 H, 7 RBI, 4 R, 2 BB, SB)
Eduardo Tait, C (Phillies NR)
DSL Phillies White (3 G, .455/.538/.909/1.447, 5 H, 5 2B, 2 RBI, BB)
Javier Bartolozzi, RHP (Dodgers NR)
DSL LAD Mega (1 GS, 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K)
Wilmer Blanco, RHP (Phillies NR)
DSL Phillies White (1 GS, 6 IP, H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K)
Juan Amarante, LHP (Phillies NR)
DSL Phillies White (2 G, 4 IP, H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K, 2 SV)

Honorable Mention:
Richard Fernandez, RHP (Athletics NR)
DSL Athletics (1 GS, 9 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 6 K)
This is something you don’t see in the DSL very often, a 9-inning complete game. Nice way for Fernandez to finish his 2023 regular season.

Jeremy Mahy

Jeremy covers the St Louis organization and contributes on Prospects of the Week for Prospects1500. Born and raised in the Midwest, he is a lifelong fan of the Birds on the Bat. You can follow him on Twitter @JMahyfam for more baseball content.

"Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good, too." -Yogi Berra

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