Every time the MiLB season comes around, everyone has their eye on the league and specific organization’s top prospects, and rightfully so. The future of baseball is developing before our eyes, and following them through the minor leagues makes it that much more special when they break through to the show. However, every year there are some breakout prospects that end up catching your attention. Here are eight of those players that have taken their leagues by storm to begin the 2024 campaign.
Single-A
Matt Wilkinson, LHP
Clevland Guardians
There isn’t a pitcher in the minor leagues that has had a more unexpected emergence to start the seasons outside Matt Wilkinson. After playing in the Western Canadian and Cape Cod summer leagues, the Guardians selected him in the 10th round. Later in August, he made one appearance in the Complex League, throwing one inning. Now seven games into the Single-A season, “Tugboat” has struck out a league leading 63, with a 1.02 ERA. He was unsurprisingly named Carolina pitcher of the month for April, and is looking just as good in May. Opposing batters are hitting just .158 off the southpaw, and allowing runners on base with just a 0.79 WHIP. That’s heavily aided from the amount of strikeouts he’s throwing, but does have a 7.0 K/BB ratio. As Wilkinson logs more starts, it’s really starting to look like the Guardians have found a diamond in the rough with the Central Arizona College alumni. It’s early, but he’s been nothing but dominant to the year.
#Guardians 21yr old LHP prospect Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson struckout five over 5.0 scoreless innings tonight for Lynchburg lowering his ERA to a microscopic 0.35 on the season! 🤯
Line – 5.0(IP) 2H 0R 0ER 3BB 5SO (76 Pitches 48 Strikes)
2024 – 25.2(IP) 8H 1R 1ER 9BB 46SO 0.35… pic.twitter.com/QekPnn2ypt
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) May 2, 2024
Caleb Cali, 3B
Seattle Mariners
Like many other collegiate draftees, Cali spent just two weeks in the Complex League after being selected in the 16th round last season from the University of Arkansas. He’s now been hitting in the five hole for Modesto, and can play either corner infield position. Now 25 games into the season, the reigning California League Player of the Month is currently slashing .351/.458/.557 and has kicked in 22 runs. Cali has never been too much of a power hitter and he hasn’t necessarily been leaving the park consistently, he has posted a .206 isolated power clip; however, his wRC+ is majorly impressive at 176, good for fifth overall in Single-A. As it is for almost all young hitters developing in the low minors, the key to sustained success for Cali will be limiting the strikeouts and taking his walks when appropriate. He’s done a good job of that as of late, with a 26-18 K:BB ratio. He should have already moved up Mariner prospect boards, but come midseason rankings he should be comfortably inside the top 50.
High-A
Samuel Aldegheri, LHP
Philadelphia Phillies
The Italian lefty was signed by the Phillies in the 2019 International signing period at just 17 years-old. After two long years working his way through rookie level and Single-A, Aldegheri cracked High-A at the end of last year, but has blown everyone away so far this season. In five starts, he has a 0.64 ERA and has allowed a maximum of three hits during an individual appearance. The walk rate is the most concerning aspect of his game (3.18 K/BB), but for someone that has seen the four-seam fastball tick up since arriving in the States, the Phillies won’t mind ironing that out. Something that shouldn;t definitely be considered is the fact Aldegheri has just pitched a ton since singing. Last year was when he worked the most, but pitched just 83.2 innings. He may not see the majors for another few years, but for now it looks like he’ll continue cruising in Jersey Shore.
Rubel Cespedes, 3B
Minnesota Twins
Like Aldegheri, Cespedes signed during the 2019 International signing period. Cespedes with the Twins and has truthfully just been ok at every level he’s played at. After a really nice stint in the Nicaraguan Winter League, Cespedes has exploded in 2024. He’s hitting .330 with a .991 OPS for Cedar Rapids, and holds a High-A leading 34 RBIs. He’s also tied for the High-A in hits, with 36. After the numbers he put up in April, he was a lock to win Midwest League Player of the Month. Pitchers have had to be very careful with Cespedes, because he’s hitting almost .500n when ahead in the count, and has an insane efficiency when at the plate with runners in scoring position. He’s primed to be promoted to Double-A this season, and could become a Twins sleeper prospect.
Rubel Cespedes continues to rake for the @CRKernels so far this season🔥
He went 2-3 yesterday with a HR (100.7 MPH), a BB, 2 RBI, and a run scored
Here is how he ranks amongst all qualified High-A hitters:
SLG – 1st (.725)
OPS – 2nd (1.191)
wOBA – 2nd (.497)#MNTwins pic.twitter.com/WztvtDImjq— Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) April 24, 2024
Double-A
Carson Palmquist, LHP
Colorado Rockies
The Rockies Double-A Hartford squad has received a ton of praise for their stacked lineup, but one of their best players has been 23 year-old Carson Palmquist. A 2022 draftee from the University of Miami, Palmquist looked likely to be just another arm in Colorado’s minor league system. He’s really broken out this season though, posting a 2.25 ERA through six starts against some difficult competition in the Eastern League. His stuff has always allowed him to strike hitters out, but two of his starts so far have already been 10 K games. Even with his elevated walk rate, his WHIP is the lowest it’s ever been in the pros at 1.19. He’s been very effective at keeping the ball in the park too, letting up just one homer. A continued stretch of success on the mound like Palmquist has experienced could place him on an accelerated track to the majors. He has the innings, he has the arsenal, and the work ethic. He’s openly talked about how he’s grinded to get to the point he’s at, and is now establishing a pitching pedigree with the Rockies.
Matthew Lugo, OF
Boston Red Sox
Matthew Lugo’s time in the Red Sox minor leagues has been a tale of two players. He started off alright after being a 2nd round draft pick in 2019 from the Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy, but really began to flourish in 2022. Then in 2023, he looked nothing like the player he was the year prior. Now a month into the 2024 season, Lugo has been one of the best hitters in Double-A. When you can play multiple positions like he can, you’ll have a home with somebody, but his bat has really turned heads this year. Behind recently promoted, top 10 overall pick Jacob Wilson, Lugo is second in wRC+ (199), OPS (1.083), and SLG (.679). Incredibly, he has a .370 isolated power clip on seven home runs. Will Lugo look like he does now all season? Maybe not. But for someone that just turned 23 last week, he deserves a shot in Triple-A sooner than later.
108.7 mph exit velocity for Matthew Lugo’s team-leading 7th HR of the season! pic.twitter.com/onOCNKlugN
— Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) May 6, 2024
Triple-A
Carson Spiers, RHP
Cincinnati Reds
To be fair, Spiers has made the major leagues with the Reds. But he has only pitched seventeen innings (four in 2024), making him very much prospect eligible. Spiers signed with the Reds as an undrafted free agent after the Covid-shortened 2020 draft, and has been a really solid arm since, between starting and the bullpen. His last two starts have come in Triple-A Louisville, and they were filthy. Over twelve innings, he struck out fifteen with no earned runs. The likeliest reason he hasn’t stuck in Cincinnati are the walks, but that’s been much better as of late, not walking more than three since mid-April. Time will tell if the Reds give Spiers an extended run in the bigs anytime soon, but time and time again he’s proved he has the stuff. It’s a 2.43 ERA (3.58 FIP) in Triple-A which is third at the level, and he’s seventh in strikeouts at 42. From Cape Cod, to Clemson, to Cincinnati, Spiers has been reliable; seeing how far his success will go can only be determined by big league innings.
Adrian Del Castillo, C
Arizona Diamondbacks
It’s really tough when a prospect is killing it in Triple-A and looks major league ready, but is blocked. Adrian Del Castillo is knocking pitchers around left and right, slashing .356/.396/.637; the only problem is the Diamondbacks can’t go away from giving Gabriel Moreno everyday at bats, so it’s easier to just keep Castillo in Reno. However, with a player that’s already hit seven homers and is clearly ready in terms of offensive production, it’s hard. The defense isn’t quite up to par with the bat, but for someone so hot (especially this last week), you’d think the DBacks would find a way to give him some run in Arizona. In his last five games, Castillo has a MiLB leading 12 hits (six XBH), and he posted a .522/.560/1.000 line. Again, the team is caught in a difficult situation, but nothing should be taken away from what he’s doing. A 36th round pick in 2018 turned 2nd round pick in 2021, it looks like he’ll be having a career year – by far. With everyday at bats, Castillo could continue to be one of the most pleasant surprises in the minor leagues this season.
ADC off the batter’s eye 😤⁰
Adrian Del Castillo notches his 7️⃣th home run with a 4️⃣4️⃣1️⃣ foot bomb pic.twitter.com/rCrkxlFAtx— Reno Aces (@Aces) May 12, 2024
Adam Greene is a student UMass Amherst's Isenberg School of Management. He currently writes for the Cape Cod Baseball League and UMass Athletics. From Longmeadow, MA, Adam is a huge Red Sox fan and has been following the team his whole life and he's spent the last few years covering their farm system. Follow him on Twitter at @aj_greene1015 and Instagram at the same handle.
Any thoughts on Austin Petersons performance this year? It’s probably been eye opening development considering he didn’t even make the Top 50 in the Indians prospects rankings – but is now at a good age, 24 and is looking like a middle of the rotation type pitcher. Thanks!