Baseball America Prospect Report—Sept. 27, 2021
Image credit: MJ Melendez (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
M.J. Melendez, C, Royals: Melendez’s amazing season jumped to another level on Sunday, as he had his sixth multi-home run game of the season with two home runs for Triple-A Omaha. That gives Melendez 41 home runs on the season. With no other active player having more than 34 home runs and just five games left to play, Melendez is virtually assured of being the MiLB home run champ.
But there’s more. Melendez’s 41 home runs are the most by any minor league since Kris Bryant hit 43 in 2014. No minor leaguer has hit more than Bryant’s 43 home runs since Ryan Howard hit 46 home runs in 2004.
Melendez also is the first catcher to reach 40 home runs since Todd Greene hit 40 in 1995.
Here’s home run No. 40:
And here’s home run No. 41:
Nick Pratto, 1B, Royals: The only reason Melendez doesn’t have an eight-home run lead over any active player is because Pratto also homered, giving him 34 this season. With five games left, Pratto has a chance to catch or pass Griffin Conine, who currently ranks second in the minors with 36 home runs.
Spencer Torkelson, 1B, Tigers: Torklelson has homered in three straight games, pulling him out of a slump that had seen his Triple-A batting average dip below .200 while his on-base percentage dipped below .300. Now he’s hitting .237/.335/.534 with Toledo with 10 home runs in 155 plate appearances. It’s notable that Torkelson has not played a game at third base since his promotion to Triple-A. He’s played first base and DH, but his last game at third base was on Aug. 12.
Oneil Cruz, SS, Pirates: Cruz has played four games in Triple-A after a promotion last week. He now has three Triple-A home runs having homered on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.
Jose Miranda, DH, Twins: If you’re picking a breakout prospect of the year, you’d struggle to come up with a better option than Miranda. Miranda went 3-for-6 with a double for Triple-A St. Paul on Sunday. That was his fifth three-hit game of the month, as he raised his line with the Saints to .341/.394/.556. Miranda now has nine three-hit games, a four-hit game and a five-hit game this year to go with 20 two-hit games. He’s gone hitless only 11 times all year.
Ben Brecht, LHP, Rays: Brecht, the Rays’ fifth-round pick in 2019, worked six scoreless innings as Low-A Charleston knocked off Down East, 9-2, to claim the Low-A East championship. Brecht allowed only two hits and no walks while striking out five.
Osleivis Basabe, SS, Rays: If Brecht was the RiverDogs’ pitching star, Basabe was the team’s hitting star. He went 3-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. The title was Charleston’s first in franchise history and the first for a Charleston team since 1922.
Alan Rangel, RHP, Braves: Rangel held Montgomery to three hits and one unearned run in six innings as the M-Braves knocked off Montgomery, 2-1, to claim the Double-A South Championship.
Greyson Jenista, RF, Braves: Jenista’s two-out fifth inning home run was the difference maker for Mississippi’s offense in its 2-1 title clincher.
Tucker Bradley, RF, Royals: Quad Cities’ nine-hole hitter went 2-for-3 with a home run, a run scored and two RBIs. That’s all the River Bandits needed to win the High-A Central title thanks to . . .
A.J. Block, Caden Monke, Zach Haake and Nathan Webb, Ps, Royals: Quad Cities had four pitchers combine on a two-hitter to shutout Cedar Rapids to claim the High-A Central title. Block worked 3.2 innings, Haake worked 2.1, Monke struggled (.1 IP, 3 walks) but Webb then came in to finish it off, allowing one hit and two walks in 2.2 scoreless innings. According to the broadcast, Webb touched 100 mph in the ninth.
| ORG | CLASS | RANK | PLAYER | AB | R | H | RBI | AVG | NOTES |
| ARI | AAA | #3 | Alek Thomas, OF | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0.313 | CS (9), |
| ARI | MAJ | #8 | Geraldo Perdomo, SS | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.235 | BB (53), |
| ARI | AAA | #18 | Drew Ellis, 3B | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.261 | |
| ARI | AAA | #27 | Stuart Fairchild, OF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.287 | |
| ATL | AAA | #2 | Drew Waters, OF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.247 | HR (11), |
| BAL | AAA | #1 | Adley Rutschman, C | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.286 | BB (76), |
| BAL | AAA | #17 | Kyle Stowers, OF | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.283 | 2 BB (70), |
| BAL | AAA | #19 | Yusniel Diaz, OF | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.161 | |
| BOS | AAA | #1 | Triston Casas, 1B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.281 | BB (54), |
| BOS | AAA | #2 | Jarren Duran, CF | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.251 | HR (18), |
| BOS | AAA | #4 | Jeter Downs, 2B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.182 | BB (37), E (12), |
| CHC | AAA | #1 | Brennen Davis, OF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.263 | |
| CHC | MAJ | #11 | Greg Deichmann, OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.264 | |
| CHC | AAA | #21 | Christopher Morel, SS | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.225 | HR (19), |
| CIN | MAJ | #1 | Jose Barrero, SS | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0.294 | 2B (22), BB (38), |
| CIN | AAA | #21 | Alejo Lopez, SS | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.318 | HR (6), |
| CIN | MAJ | #22 | T.J. Friedl, OF | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.271 | |
| CLE | MAJ | #15 | Owen Miller, SS | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.250 | |
| CLE | AAA | #16 | Richard Palacios, 2B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.294 | |
| COL | AAA | #5 | Elehuris Montero, 3B | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.276 | 2B (20), 2 E (21), |
| COL | AAA | #10 | Ryan Vilade, OF | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0.283 | |
| CWS | MAJ | #8 | Gavin Sheets, 1B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.269 | |
| CWS | AAA | #17 | Romy Gonzalez, SS | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.280 | |
| DET | AAA | #1 | Spencer Torkelson, 3B | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0.265 | 2B (27), HR (28), |
| DET | AAA | #2 | Riley Greene, OF | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.298 | |
| DET | MAJ | #11 | Daz Cameron, OF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.248 | |
| DET | AAA | #12 | Ryan Kreidler, IF | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0.275 | 2 BB (52), |
| DET | AAA | #22 | Kody Clemens, SS | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.243 | BB (35), |
| DET | AAA | #27 | Jacob Robson, OF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.290 | E (3), |
| HOU | AAA | #1 | Korey Lee, C | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.277 | E (8), |
| HOU | AAA | #2 | Jeremy Pena, SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.353 | |
| HOU | AAA | #3 | Pedro Leon, SS | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.226 | BB (37), E (9), |
| KC | AAA | #1 | Bobby Witt, SS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.297 | |
| KC | AAA | #4 | Nick Pratto, 1B | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0.265 | HR (34), |
| KC | AAA | #6 | M.J. Melendez, C | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 0.284 | 2 HR (40), BB (71), |
| KC | MAJ | #7 | Kyle Isbel, OF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.269 | |
| KC | AAA | #24 | Lucius Fox, SS | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0.233 | 2B (13), |
| LAA | MAJ | #2 | Brandon Marsh, OF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.272 | |
| LAA | AAA | #27 | Michael Stefanic, OF | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.343 | |
| LAD | AAA | #23 | Zach Reks, OF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.271 | BB (45), |
| MIA | MAJ | #3 | Jesus Sanchez, OF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.287 | BB (31), |
| MIA | MAJ | #11 | Lewin Diaz, 1B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.241 | HR (27), |
| MIA | MAJ | #30 | Bryan De La Cruz, OF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.323 | |
| MIN | AAA | #8 | Jose Miranda, 3B | 6 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0.338 | 2B (29), |
| MIN | MAJ | #11 | Nick Gordon, OF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.264 | |
| MIN | AAA | #15 | Gilberto Celestino, OF | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.252 | |
| MIN | MAJ | #19 | Brent Rooker, OF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.228 | |
| NYM | AAA | #4 | Mark Vientos, 3B | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0.286 | 2 BB (32), |
| NYM | AAA | #11 | Khalil Lee, OF | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.257 | 2B (21), 2 BB (67), SB (8), |
| NYM | AAA | #21 | Travis Blankenhorn, 2B | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0.230 | SB (3), |
| NYY | AAA | #13 | Estevan Florial, OF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.228 | |
| NYY | AAA | #16 | Oswaldo Cabrera, SS | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0.266 | 2B (30), HR (27), |
| NYY | AAA | #24 | Donny Sands, C | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.260 | |
| OAK | AAA | #3 | Nick Allen, SS | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0.291 | SB (10), |
| OAK | AAA | #7 | Luis Barrera, OF | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.274 | 2 BB (39), |
| OAK | AAA | #12 | Zack Gelof, 3B | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.310 | BB (20), E (9), |
| PHI | AAA | #3 | Bryson Stott, SS | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0.309 | 2 BB (63), |
| PHI | AAA | #8 | Rafael Marchan, C | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.210 | |
| PHI | MAJ | #10 | Matt Vierling, OF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.284 | |
| PHI | AAA | #11 | Simon Muzziotti, OF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.283 | |
| PHI | AAA | #13 | Mickey Moniak, OF | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.234 | HR (15), |
| PHI | AAA | #15 | Nick Maton, 2B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.219 | E (6), |
| PIT | AAA | #1 | Oneil Cruz, SS | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0.301 | HR (15), 3 BB (25), 2 E (16), |
| PIT | AAA | #7 | Tucupita Marcano, UTL | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.245 | |
| PIT | AAA | #23 | Rodolfo Castro, 2B | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0.244 | 2B (18), |
| PIT | AAA | #29 | Canaan Smith-Njigba, OF | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.261 | 2 BB (47), |
| SF | AAA | #3 | Heliot Ramos, OF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.250 | BB (42), |
| TB | AAA | #2 | Vidal Brujan, 2B | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0.253 | BB (47), SB (44), E (11), |
| TB | AAA | #5 | Josh Lowe, OF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.294 | 2 BB (59), SB (27), |
| TB | AAA | #8 | Taylor Walls, SS | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.231 | 2 BB (60), SB (14), |
| TB | AAA | #28 | Miles Mastrobuoni, UTL | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.303 | |
| TEX | AAA | #2 | Josh Jung, 3B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.313 | |
| TEX | AAA | #9 | Sam Huff, C | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.240 | HR (12), BB (20), |
| TEX | AAA | #25 | Davis Wendzel, SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.245 | |
| TOR | AAA | #1 | Gabriel Moreno, C | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.378 | |
| TOR | AAA | #7 | Otto Lopez, 2B | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0.319 | 2B (30), |
| TOR | AAA | #18 | Kevin Smith, SS | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0.268 | 2B (25), 2 BB (46), 2 SB (18), |
| WAS | AAA | #14 | Donovan Casey, OF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.275 | BB (35), |
| WAS | MAJ | #18 | Riley Adams, C | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.235 | 2 BB (30), |
| WAS | AAA | #23 | Tres Barrera, C | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.225 | BB (34), |
| ORG | CLASS | RANK | PLAYER | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | ERA | NOTES |
| ATL | AAA | #13 | Jasseel De La Cruz, RHP | 0.2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 7.03 | |
| ATL | AAA | #20 | Daysbel Hernandez, RHP | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3.57 | |
| BOS | AAA | #12 | Connor Seabold, RHP | 2.1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3.60 | |
| CHC | MAJ | #12 | Keegan Thompson, RHP | 3.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 2.65 | |
| HOU | AAA | #10 | Tyler Ivey, RHP | 1.2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5.52 | L (0-1) |
| KC | AAA | #14 | Austin Cox, LHP | 2.0 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3.60 | |
| KC | AAA | #20 | Angel Zerpa, LHP | 1.1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4.58 | L (4-4) |
| LAA | AAA | #20 | Ryan Smith, LHP | 4.2 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4.38 | |
| LAA | MAJ | #30 | Austin Warren, RHP | 0.0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| LAD | AAA | #7 | Andre Jackson, RHP | 4.2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3.46 | L (5-6) |
| MIL | MAJ | #8 | Aaron Ashby, LHP | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4.00 | |
| NYY | AAA | #4 | Luis Gil, RHP | 0.1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3.73 | |
| NYY | AAA | #14 | Hayden Wesneski, RHP | 4.1 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 3.30 | L (10-6) |
| NYY | AAA | #21 | Nick Nelson, RHP | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5.17 | |
| OAK | AAA | #28 | Brian Howard, RHP | 6.0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5.88 | W (7-3) |
| PHI | MAJ | #6 | Hans Crouse, RHP | 3.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3.27 | L (5-5) |
| PHI | MAJ | #25 | Cristopher Sanchez, LHP | 2.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4.90 | |
| PIT | MAJ | #25 | Max Kranick, RHP | 5.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 4.82 | W (7-7) |
| SF | AAA | #11 | Sean Hjelle, RHP | 4.1 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 4.54 | L (4-8) |
| TB | MAJ | #1 | Shane Baz, RHP | 5.2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 2.01 | W (7-4) |
| TB | AAA | #27 | Louis Head, RHP | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2.40 | Sv (5) |
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