Prospects of the Week: June 26 – July 2

Each week during the Minor League Baseball season we pick the hitting and pitching prospects from each level (Triple-A, Double-A, High-A, and Single-A) 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: Zack Gelof, IF (Athletics #2)

Las Vegas (5 G, .450/.500/1.050/1.550, 9 H, 3 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 7 R, 2 BB, 2 SB)
Gelof has missed time battling the injury bug the last two seasons, but when healthy, he has produced consistently. The 23-year-old infielder has spent the entire campaign at AAA Vegas, running a .297 batting average with 10 homers and 19 steals on the season. Three of those homers came in the last week as 6 of Gelof’s last 9 hits went for extra bases. The Virginia product’s power binge should have him knocking on the door of a big league promotion, but you never know with the 2023 A’s. (@Leobaseball3)

Honorable Mentions:

Joey Ortiz, MI (Orioles #13)
Norfolk Tides (5 G, .500/.577/.682/1.259, 11 H, 4 2B, 7 RBI, 8 R, 4 BB, 4 SB)

Matt Wallner, OF (Twins #9)
St. Paul Saints (4 G, .450/.450/,900/1.350, 9 H, 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 5 R)

Jonathan Aranda, 2B (Rays #7)
Durham Bulls (5 G, .417/.462/1.000/1.462, 10 H, 2 2B, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 8 R, 2 BB)

Hunter Feduccia, C (Dodgers NR)
Oklahoma City Dodgers (4 G, .529/.556/1.059/1.615, 9 H, 3 2B, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 4 R, BB)

PITCHER: Landon Knack, RHP (Dodgers #19)

Oklahoma City Dodgers (1 GS, 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K)
In just his third Triple-A start, Knack threw six scoreless innings for OKC, allowing only three hits and striking out seven. His plus fastball-slider combination was on full display Saturday, generating 15 whiffs on 35 swings. Since his promotion from Double-A on June 17, the 25-year-old righty has a 3.29 ERA and 27.1% strikeout rate.

Now that’s a quality outing by Landon KnacKKKKKKK.

6.0 IP | 3 H | 0 R | 2 BB | 7 K pic.twitter.com/c6am26bAAc

— Oklahoma City Dodgers (@okc_dodgers) July 2, 2023

Honorable Mentions:

Garrett Stallings, RHP (Orioles NR)
Norfolk Tides (1 GS, 6 IP, 4 H, R, 0 BB, 9 K)

Jacob Lopez, LHP (Rays #37)
Durham Bulls (1 GS, 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, BB, 7 K)

Evan McKendry, RHP (Rays NR)
Durham Bulls (1 GS, 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K)

Mitch Spence, RHP (Dodgers #19)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (1 GS, 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K)

Double-A

HITTER: Tyler Hardman, 1B (Yankees #37)

Somerset Patriots (4 G, .467/.579/1.533/2.112, 7 H, 2B, 5 HR, 7 RBI, 7 R, 4 BB)
Eastern League Player of the Week!

Hardman absolutely terrified the Bowie Baysox this past week with a 7 for 15 (.467 average) performance in just 4 games. This included a double, 5 home runs, and 7 RBI. In Saturday’s game Hardman went 3-4 with 3 home runs and 4 RBI. Notching his 3rd multi-homer game in the past two weeks!

Hardman leads the Eastern League with 19 home runs and is hitting .250 with a .918 OPS, 8 doubles, 40 RBIs and 8 steals on the season. Hopefully this week’s production is a sign of things to come for Hardman. I don’t think it’ll be too long before he gets a promotion to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, although he is a little blocked at his natural positions there right now. But for now he will keep the helping the Somerset Patriots lead the Eastern League with a current 46-27 record. (@PaulWoodin1)

Honorable Mentions:

Luis Mieses, OF (White Sox #19)
Birmingham Barons (5 G, .478/.560/1.078/1.587, 11 H, 2 2B, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 7 R, BB)
Southern League Player of the Week!

Caleb Roberts, C (Diamondbacks #21)
Amarillo Sod Poodles (4 G, .438/.550/1.125/1.675, 7 H, 2 2B, 3 HR, 4 RBI, 6 R, 3 BB, 2 SB)
Texas League Player of the Week!

Ben Malgeri, OF (Tigers NR)
Erie SeaWolves (4 G, .583/.643/1.417/2.060, 7 H, 2B, 3 HR, 3 RBI, 4 R, 2 BB, SB)

Kyren Paris, MI (Angels #9)
Rocket City Trash Pandas (5 G, .400/.500/.750/1.250, 8 H, 2 2B, 3B, HR, 5 RBI, 7 R, 4 BB, 3 SB)

PITCHER: Christian Scott, RHP (Mets #26)

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (1 GS, 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K)
The 24-year-old former Florida Gator was tough on the Yard Goats last Wednesday night. In his seven innings he struck out six while allowing only four baserunners on the evening. The tall righthander is 4-1 on the year with a 2.18 ERA and miniscule 0.77 WHIP.

Honorable Mentions:

Mason Black, RHP (Giants #11)
Richmond Flying Squirrels (1 GS, 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K)
Eastern League Pitcher of the Week!

Absolute perfection from Mason Black

5 IP | 0 H | 0 R | 0BB | 8 SO pic.twitter.com/Y894RYk9oN

— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) July 2, 2023

Anthony Solometo, LHP (Pirates #9)
Altoona Curve (1 GS, 5 IP, H, 0 R, BB, 5 K)

Mason Montgomery, LHP (Rays #10)
Montgomery Biscuits (1 GS, 6 IP, H, 0 R, BB, 6 K)
Southern League Pitcher of the Week!

Colton Gordon, LHP (Astros #26)
Corpus Christi Hooks (1 GS, 5,2 IP, 3 H, R, BB, 9 K)

High-A

HITTER: Alberto Rodriguez, OF (Mariners NR)

Everett AquaSox (4 G, .500/.529/1.188/1.717, 8 H, 4 2B, 2 3B, HR, 5 RBI, 5 R)
Northwest League Player of the Week!
The breakout year continues! Rodriguez is now hitting .305 on the year with a .583 SLG, 49 RBI, and 58 runs scored. Time to get this man to Double-A.

Honorable Mentions:

Abimelec Ortiz, 1B/OF (Rangers NR)
Hickory Crawdads (5 G, .438/.571/1.125/1.696, 7 H, 3B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 6 R, 4 BB)
South Atlantic League Player of the Week!

Luis Yanel Diaz, IF (Dodgers NR)
Great Lakes Loons (5 G, .438/.500/.813/1.313, 7 H, 3 2B, HR, 3 RBI, 6 R, 3 BB, 3 SB)
Midwest League Player of the Week!

Cayden Wallace, 3B (Royals #5)
Quad Cities River Bandits (5 G, .389/.450/.778/1.288, 7 H, 2 2B, 3B, HR, 5 RBI, 5 R, 2 BB, SB)

Wallace is slashing .269/.355/.462 through 300+ PAs, good for a .372 wOBA and 132 wRC+, his first time in Quad Cities. His development has gone rather smoothly overall. Reports were mixed on Wallace at 3B coming into the season, but he’s shown improvement thus far. It makes sense to keep developing him there since there are no clear top prospects at the hot corner in the upper minors. Wallace has above-average raw pull power, decent sprint speed and 10%+ BB rates, giving the Royals plenty of optimism he turns into a regular as he progresses. (@adamhalpin)

PITCHER: Yu-Min Lin, LHP (Diamondbacks #16)

Hillsboro Hops (1 GS, 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, BB, 10 K)
Our #16 preseason Diamondbacks prospect, Yu-min-Lin had another great week pitching 7 innings allowing one walk with four hits and an eye popping 10 strikeouts . Lin has one of the best changeups in all of minor league baseball. (@blacksox96)

Honorable Mentions:

Blade Tidwell, RHP (Mets #7)
Brooklyn Cyclones (1 GS, 7 IP, 3 H, R, 0 BB, 11 K)

Blade. Tidwell.

Know the name. He’s coming.#AmazinStartsHere #MiLB #LGM pic.twitter.com/t0vicapN2v

— Brooklyn Cyclones (@BKCyclones) July 1, 2023

Wikelman Gonzalez, RHP (Red Sox #16)
Greenville Drive (1 GS, 5.2 IP, H, 0 R, 3 BB, 10 K)

Josh Stephan, RHP (Rangers #28)
Hickory Crawdads (1 GS, 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 10 K)
South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week!

Trenton Denholm, RHP (Guardians NR)
Lake County Captains (1 GS, 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K)

Carson Palmquist, LHP (Rockies #31)
Spokane Indians (1 GS, 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, BB, 10 K)

Single-A

HITTER: Ryan Ritter, IF (Rockies #41)

Fresno Grizzlies (5 G, .600/.692/1.250/1.942, 12 H, 2B, 4 HR, 7 RBI, 11 R, 5 BB, 2 SB)
California League Player of the Week!

This Ritter’s second POTW recognition! I really like this prospect, he has a “mature” approach at the plate—very balanced, good eye, carries some pop in his bat. He also has a great glove, good hands. (Might he start seeing a little time at third?!) He is quickly moving up the Rockies Top Prospects Board. (@100percent3G)

Honorable Mentions:

Austin Charles, SS (Royals #18)
Columbia Fireflies (5 G, .375/.476/.625/1.101, 6 H, 4 2B, 7 RBI, 4 R, 4 BB, 2 SB)
Carolina League Player of the Week!

For all the understandable criticism and deserved pessimism the Royals organization has received in 2023 (see also: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019…), Austin Charles, the 6’4” former high school pitcher selected in the 20th round last summer, has the tools to be a star. He’s a prospect to dream on. The sky’s the limit. The future’s so bright, you gotta wear shades, et al. The physical projection. The athleticism. The body, the arm, the feel for contact. It’ll almost certainly be a slow burn, but Royals fans deserve to smile, dangit. Even though Charles is just 19, and only recently promoted to low-A, he could be leading the next wave of talent when Bobby, Vinnie, Maikel, and MJ have reached the middle of their arbitration years. (@adamhalpin)

Chandler Simpson, OF (Rockies #26)
Charleston RiverDogs (5 G, .421/.522/.474/.996, 8 H, 2B, 3 RBI, 5 R, 4 BB, 7 SB)

Sal Stewart, 3B (Reds #8)
Daytona Tortugas (4 G, .438/.550/.938/1.488, 7 H, 2 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 5 R, 4 BB)

Joshua Baez, OF (Cardinals NR)
Palm Beach Cardinals (5 G, .444/.500/1.056/1.556, 8 H, 2 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 6 R, 2 BB, 3 SB)
Florida State League Player of the Week!

Baez came out of the gates a bit slow finishing May hitting only .202 with 39 K’s in 89 AB. He turned things around in June hitting .300 for the month and lowering his K rate in the process. He was not in my preseason Top-50, but that will change soon.

Gabriel Gonzalez, OF (Mariners #1)
Modesto Nuts (5 G, .333/.360/.708/1.068, 8 H, 2B, 3B 2 HR, 10 RBI, 5 R, SB)

PITCHER: Austin Peterson, RHP (Guardians NR)

Lynchburg Hillcats (1 GS, 8 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K)

Is there a better organization than Cleveland at turning unknown players into productive big league pitchers? I don’t know if Peterson is another chapter in that story or not, but no one should be surprised to see the 2022 9th round selection having success with the Hillcats. He isn’t a high strikeout guy (46 K’s in 60.2 IP on the year), but it wouldn’t surprise me to see the Guardians develop that part of his game either.

Honorable Mentions:

Nick Hull, RHP (Cubs NR)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans (1 GS, 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, BB, 7 K)

Grant Kipp, RHP (Cubs NR)
Myrtle Beach Pelicans (1 GS, 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K)
Carolina League Pitcher of the Week!

Carlos Marcano, RHP (Tigers NR)
Lakeland Flying Tigers (1 GS, 6 IP, H, 0 R, BB, 9 K)
Florida State League Pitcher of the Week!

Henry Williams, RHP (Padres #14)
Lake Elsinore Storm (1 GS, 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K)

Luis Perales, RHP (Padres #17)
Salem Red Sox (1 GS, 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 12 K)

Mason Adams, RHP (White Sox NR)
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (1 GS, 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, BB, 11 K)

Rookie Leagues

HITTER: Esmith Pineda, OF (Reds NR)

ACL Reds (6 G, .522/.536/.913/1.449, 12 H, 6 2B, HR, 18 RBI, 6 R, 3 BB)
Arizona Complex League Player of the Week!

Pineda, a 2022 international signing out of Panama for $800k, made his move to the US this year and has started off pretty well in the complex league. The right-handed hitting outfielder is hitting .361/.384/.541 in 18 games so far.

Pineda knows what he is doing at the plate and is adept at making solid contact. He has 13 walks and only 22 striekouts over his minor league career spanning 130 plate appearance. The corner outfielder is definitely someone to follow and consider snatching him up before the rest of your league catches on. (@darylhauck)

Honorable Mentions:

Oliver Carrillo, OF (Padres #40)
DSL Padres Gold (5 G, .500/.600/1.375/1.975, 8 H, 2 2B, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 10 R, 4 BB, SB)
Dominican Summer League Player of the Week!

Fernando Peguero, SS (Orioles NR)
DSL Orioles Orange (5 G, .579/.652/.737/1.389, 11 H, 2B, 3B, 7 RBI, 9 R, 4 BB, 3 SB)

Jhon Imbert, SS (Yankees NR)
DSL NYY Yankees (4 G, .471/.524/1.118/1.642, 8 H, 2 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 9 R, 3 BB, 3 SB)

Esmerlyn Valdez, OF (Pirates #48)
FCL Pirates (4 G, .500/.533/1.214/1.747, 7 H, 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 5 R, BB, SB)
Florida Complex League Player of the Week!

Douglas Glod, OF (Braves #27)
FCL Braves (4 G, .385/.600/1.077/1.677, 5 H, 2 2B, 2 3B, HR, 5 RBI, 5 R, 6 BB, SB)

PITCHER: Haminton Mendez, RHP (Angels NR)

DSL Angels (1 GS, 6 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 2 K)
Dominican Summer League Pitcher of the Week!

Melendez has been pitching incredibly well in the Dominican Summer League allowing only 4 runs over 4 starts and threw 6 no-hit shutout innings in his last start! (@A_Rhodes77)

Honorable Mentions:

Robinson Hernandez, RHP (Rockies NR)
ACL Rockies (2 G/1 GS, 6 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, 10 K)
Arizona Complex League Pitcher of the Week!

Brayan Medina, RHP (Twins NR)
FCL Twins (1 GS, 6 IP, 3 H, R, 0 BB, 4 K)

Redinson Gomez, RHP (Rockies NR)
DSL Rockies (2 G, 7 IP, 3 H, R, 0 BB, 10 K, SV)

Ervin Torres, LHP (Rockies NR)
DSL Rockies (1 GS, 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, BB, 6 K)

Francis Marte, RHP (Athletics NR)
DSL Athletics (1 GS, 5 IP, H, 0 R, BB, 6 K)

Clevari Tejada, RHP (Pirates NR)
DSL Pirates Black (1 GS, 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 9 K)