Charlotte, Durham Stand Out Among Top Minor League Teams
When the Durham Bulls and Charlotte Knights face off next week in a Triple-A International League series that includes Durham’s home opener, it will be a faceoff of the two most prospect-laden teams in the minors.
The Knights are the easy choice for the top prospect roster in the minor thanks to three Top 100 Prospects, including the top-ranked prospects still in the minors in second baseman Yoan Moncada as well as several other notable pitchers including Zack Burdi and Carson Fulmer. The Bulls are nearly as loaded with a Top 10 prospect of their own in Willy Adames, two other Top 100 Prospects and a slew of intriguing Rays’ Top 30 Prospects. Durham will be even more stacked once righthander Jose De Leon comes off the disabled list.
In ranking the Top 20 prospect-laden teams, emphasis was placed on star power–a team with multiple Top 100 Prospects generally slots above teams with no elite prospect but plenty of decent prospects.
The Braves, our No. 1 farm system in the organization talent rankings, placed three teams on the Top 20. The Brewers, Phillies and Blue Jays each had two teams on the list.
1. Triple-A Charlotte Knights (White Sox)
Top 100 Prospects: 2B Yoan Moncada (2), RHP Lucas Giolito (25), Reynaldo Lopez (31).
Other Notables: RHP Zack Burdi (White Sox No. 6 prospect), RHP Carson Fulmer (No. 7), 2B Jake Peter (No. 16), OF Adam Engel (No. 19).
The Skinny: Charlotte is more notable for its power arms than its bats, but Moncada makes the lineup worth watching every night.
2. Triple-A Durham Bulls (Rays)
Top 100s: SS Willy Adames (10), OF/1B Jake Bauers (70), 1B Casey Gillaspie (74).
Other Notables: RHP Chih-Wei Hu (Rays No. 5 prospect), RHP Jacob Faria (No. 8), RHP Jaime Schultz (No. 12), LHP Ryan Yarbrough (Mariners No. 12 prospect at time of Handbook), RHP Ryne Stanek (No. 13), RHP Taylor Guerrieri (No. 17).
The Skinny: The Rays have a near-big league caliber bullpen with Schultz, Stanek and Guerrieri backing up a stout rotation.
3. Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers
Top 100s: 1B/OF Cody Bellinger (7), OF Alex Verdugo (58), 2B Willie Calhoun (92).
Other Notables: RHP Trevor Oaks (14), RHP Jacob Rhame (31).
The Skinny: When lefthander Julio Urias stops by as well, this team will look even better.
4. High Class A Florida Fire Frogs (Braves)
Top 100s: OF Ronald Acuna (67)
Other Notables: LHP Luiz Gohara (Mariners No. 3 pre-trade), 3B Austin Riley (Braves No. 6 prospect), RHP Touki Toussaint (Braves No. 12), OF Braxton Davidson (Braves No. 21), LHP Drew Harrington (No. 24), OF Ray Patrick-Didder (No. 27), C Alex Jackson (No. 29).
The Skinny: Yes, there’s only one Top 100 Prospect, but Gohara, Riley and Toussaint are all prospects who didn’t miss the Top 100 by all that much.
5. Double-A Trenton Thunder (Yankees)
Top 100s: SS Gleyber Torres (5), LHP Justus Sheffield (91).
Other Notables: RHP Chance Adams (Yankees No. 8 prospect), 3B Miguel Andujar (No. 12), RHP Yefrey Ramirez (No. 23), 2B Thairo Estrada (No. 30).
The Skinny: Torres makes this team worth watching by himself. Adams’ surprise return to Double-A gives the rotation a big boost as well.
6. Triple-A Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Brewers)
Top 100s: OF Lewis Brinson (27), LHP Josh Hader (33), RHP Brandon Woodruff (82).
Other Notables: OF Brett Phillips (Brewers No. 12 prospect), OF Ryan Cordell (No. 18).
The Skinny: Three Top 100 Prospects ensures a Top 10 spot for the Sky Sox. The outfield is loaded but the rest of the lineup is more Quad-A than prospects on the way up.
7. Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Phillies)
Top 100s: SS J.P. Crawford (12), C Jorge Alfaro (41).
Other Notables: OF Nick Williams (Phillies’ No. 4 prospect), 1B Rhys Hoskins (No. 6), OF Roman Quinn (No. 8), OF Dylan Cozens (No. 10), RHP Nick Pivetta (No. 12), RHP Ben Lively (No. 18), RHP Mark Appel (No. 20), RHP Ricardo Pinto (No. 24).
The Skinny: The Phillies’ farm system is incredibly deep, and Lehigh Valley is one of the beneficiaries. The IronPigs should score a ton of runs while the pitching staff has lots of quality arms.
8. Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies (Astros)
Top 100s: RHP Francis Martes (15), 1B A.J. Reed (72).
Other Notables: OF Teoscar Hernandez (Astros No. 7 prospect), OF Derek Fisher (No. 9), RHP Brady Rodgers (No. 22), RHP James Hoyt (No. 23), 2B Tony Kemp (No. 27), 3B Colin Moran (No. 30).
The Skinny: Martes and Reed are the Top 100 prospects, but Hernandez and Fisher are just as interesting to watch.
9. High Class A Carolina Mudcats (Brewers)
Top 100s: SS Isan Diaz (93).
Other Notables: OF Trent Clark (Brewers No. 6 prospect), 3B Lucas Erceg (No. 9), RHP Marcos Diplan (No. 10), RHP Cody Ponce (No. 16), LHP Kodi Medeiros (No. 16), RHP Freddy Peralta (No. 21), 3B Jacob Gatewood (No. 23), RHP Corbin Burnes (No. 24).
The Skinny: If Corey Ray had joined this roster for Opening Day (he should soon), this team would rank in the Top 5.
10. Double-A Mississippi Braves
Top 100s: LHP Kolby Allard (No. 37), RHP Mike Soroka (No. 48)
Other Notables: RHP Patrick Weigel (Braves No. 9 prospect), LHP Max Fried (No. 10), 2B Travis Demeritte (No. 19).
The Skinny: No rotation is more enjoyable to watch than the M-Braves, who can send a prospect to the mound nearly every night.
11. Triple-A Las Vegas (Mets)
Top 100s: SS Amed Rosario (8), 1B Dominic Smith (71).
Other Notables: SS/2B Gavin Cecchini (Mets No. 6 prospect), INF Matt Reynolds (No. 18), INF Phillip Evans (No. 25).
The Skinny: Putting Rosario and Smith in a hitter’s heaven like Las Vegas should make Mets fans very happy.
12. Low Class A Lakewood BlueClaws (Phillies)
Top 100s: OF Mickey Moniak (17), RHP Sixto Sanchez (80).
Other Notables: 2B Daniel Brito (Phillies No. 13 prospect), RHP Adonis Medina (No. 16).
The Skinny: The combination of Moniak and Sanchez gives Lakewood the best combo of star power in the South Atlantic League.
13. Triple-A Nashville Sounds (Athletics)
Top 100s: SS Franklin Barreto (40), 3B Matt Chapman (94).
Other Notables: 2B Chad Pinder (A’s No. 7 prospect), RHP Daniel Gossett (No. 8), C Bruce Maxwell (No. 10), 1B Matt Olson (No. 17), 1B/3B Renato Nunez (No. 18), RHP Paul Blackburn (No. 23), RHP Bobby Wahl (No. 26).
The Skinny: Last year Midland destroyed the Texas League with a slew of power hitters. They’re now in Nashville looking to do the same thing to the Pacific Coast League.
14. Triple-A Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals)
Top 100s: RHP Luke Weaver (50), C Carson Kelly (65).
Other Notables: OF Harrison Bader (Cardinals No. 7 Prospect), LHP Marco Gonzales (No. 13), 3B Paul DeJong (No. 14), 2B Breyvic Valera (No. 29).
The Skinny: Weaver has a major-league caliber catcher to throw to in Kelly. Bader and DeJong provide a solid middle to the lineup as well.
15. Low Class A Rome Braves
Top 100s: RHP Ian Anderson (66).
Other Notables: OF Cristian Pache (Braves No. 13 prospect), LHP Joey Wentz (No. 15), SS Derian Cruz (No. 22), C Brett Cumberland (No. 23), RHP Bryse Wilson (No. 25), Lucas Herbert (No. 30).
The Skinny: This will get even better when righthander Kyle Muller joins the rotation, but it’s impressive enough as is.
16. High Class A Daytona Tortugas (Reds)
Top 100s: 3B Nick Senzel (9).
Other Notables: RHP Vladimir Gutierrez (Reds No. 9 prospect), C Chris Okey (No. 14), 2B Shed Long (No. 16), SS Alfredo Rodriguez (No. 25).
The Skinny: Senzel shouldn’t be in Daytona for too long with his advanced bat. Gutierrez is making his much-anticipated U.S. debut.
17. Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes (Rockies)
Top 100s: RHP Jeff Hoffman (36), OF Raimel Tapia (49).
Other Notables: OF Jordan Patterson (Rockies No. 13 prospect), LHP Harrison Musgrave (No. 26), LHP Sam Moll (No. 27), LHP Jerry Vasto (No. 30).
The Skinny: Tapia headed back to Triple-A because of a logjam in the majors. So Jordan Patterson, who slots behind Tapia and the injured David Dahl, is even more buried.
18. Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays)
Top 100s: OF Anthony Alford (59), RHP Sean Reid-Foley (75).
Other Notables: SS Richard Urena (Blue Jays No. 6 prospect), RHP Jon Harris (No. 10), C Reese McGuire (No. 13), OF Harold Ramirez (No. 14), RHP Francisco Rios (No. 17).
The Skinny: Alford got off to a slow start last year because of injuries. He’s looking for a much better April this season.
19. Double-A Akron RubberDucks (Indians)
Top 100s: C Francisco Mejia (28).
Other Notables: 1B Bobby Bradley (Indians No. 5 prospect), SS Yu-Cheng Chang (No. 6), OF Greg Allen (No. 10), 2B Tyler Krieger (No. 18), RHP Julian Merryweather (No. 23), LHP Rob Kaminsky (No. 26).
The Skinny: Mejia is the only Top 100 prospect, but Bradley is still one of the best power hitters in the minors as well while Chang and Kreiger give the RubberDucks a very solid infield.
20. Low Class A Lansing Lugnuts (Blue Jays)
Top 100s: 3B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (20).
Other Notables: SS Bo Bichette (Blue Jays No. 9 prospect), RHP Justin Maese (No. 11), OF J.B. Woodman (No. 15), RHP Patrick Murphy (No. 20), RHP Zach Jackson (No. 21), RHP Osman Gutierrez (No. 26), SS Yeltsin Gudino (No. 27).
The Skinny: This team might rank 20th, but getting to see the combination of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette makes this a must-see for Midwest League prospect-watchers.
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