The Top Performers From Last Week in Minor League Baseball 7/28-8/3

This past week, the minor leagues were a hot topic, as many prospects were traded around on deadline day. Many minor league rosters were completely changed, and teams ended up moving some of their top prospects, making this quite the whirlwind.

Despite the stresses of the trade deadline, prospects all across the sport balled out, as this week’s top performers featured many players off our top 100. Every level featured at least one top 100 prospect last week, a rare feat in the time we’ve been coming out with these updates.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the top performers in the minors during deadline week.

Triple-A Top Performers

This week in Triple-A featured plenty of top prospects going off, as the three players we covered in this section are all ranked on our top 100. With lots of deadline shakeups for these three teams as well, we could see these youngsters make their way to the big leagues very soon.

All three of these players are having quite underrated seasons, making it important to follow along with them as the season wraps up. With some time, we could see them take a huge rise in our top 100.

Let’s dive in.

Jhostynxon Garcia, OF, Boston Red Sox

Last Week: 6 G, 24 AB, 10 H, 4 HR, 13 RBI, .417/.462/1.083, 1.545 OPS

When sifting through the top performers from Triple-A last week, it was hard to find a hotter prospect than Jhostynxon Garcia was at the plate. Garcia was recently ranked as our 53rd best prospect, and he’s lived up to every ounce of that hype thus far.

Over six games last week, Garcia homered four times, an impressive feat. This becomes even more impressive when you realize that this included a three-game stretch where he homered every day!

With Garcia showing these improvements every day, it won’t be long until he finds himself on the big league squad.

Dylan Beavers, OF, Baltimore Orioles

Last Week: 5 G, 19 AB, 7 H, 3 HR, 5 RBI, .368/.520/.842, 1.362 OPS

With all of the top prospects within the Orioles’ system over the past few years, some budding stars have been overshadowed heavily. One of these overshadowed players, Dylan Beavers, is coming off a very good week.

Last week, Beavers went 7-for-19 at the plate, slugging three homers along the way. This gives him 16 on the season, as he’s showcased some very good power all year. With Cedric Mullins now out of the picture in Baltimore, his path to MLB just became slightly easier, also.

Beavers is currently ranked as our 100th best prospect, and he’s showing more and more why he deserves this ranking.

Brandon Sproat, RHP, New York Mets

Last Week: 1 GS, 5 IP, 9 Ks, 3 BB, 0.00 ERA

Over the past few stories, one of the key themes that’s taken shape is the sheer dominance of the Mets’ top prospects. This continued this week with Brandon Sproat’s most recent start, as he was fantastic on the bump. He’s currently in the middle of an electric stretch, one that could lead him to a big league promotion.

In his start last week, Sproat went five shutout innings, striking out nine while walking three batters. Dating back to June 28th, Sproat has allowed just two earned runs, a streak that only lengthened with his most recent start.

Sproat is currently ranked as our 88th-best prospect, and he’s been looking more and more like a big league-ready arm as the season has progressed.

Double-A Top Performers

This week’s Double-A top performers featured some huge prospects, as we had two former first-round picks make their way onto this list. Two of these players are ranked inside our top 20 on the Just Baseball Top 100 as well.

The other player was part of a huge recent trade, as he was a key part of the Randy Arozarena trade last summer. Overall, these three players come with a massive reputation, making this an exciting level to cover.

Let’s take a closer look at these top prospects.

Carson Benge, OF, New York Mets

Last Week: 5 G, 20 AB, 7 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .450/.476/1.000, 1.476 OPS

Although it’s a different level, the Mets’ stretch of dominance has only continued with Carson Benge’s big week in Double-A. Over the past couple of weeks, he’s been one of the hottest hitters on the planet, which translated to a decent jump on our top 100.

Last week, Benge blasted two homers while posting an OPS of 1.476, continuing his great start at Double-A. Since being promoted, Benge has recorded a 227 wRC+ with eight of his twelve homers being hit at the level.

Ranking number 19 on our top 100, Benge is truly looking like one of the best prospects in the minors this season.

Walker Jenkins, OF Minnesota Twins

Last Week: 6 G, 24 AB, 12 H, 3 HR, 5 RBI, .500/.552/.958, 1.510 OPS

After a lengthy injury had derailed a good bit of his season, Twins outfielder Walker Jenkins is back and showing exactly why he’s such a highly regarded prospect. After being selected fifth overall back in 2023, Jenkins has only gotten better and better with time.

Last week, Jenkins hit reached base in over half of his plate appearances while also maintaining some good power at the dish. He slugged three homers and posted an OPS over 1.500, a good sign considering how his season began.

Jenkins is still just 20 years old, and his future ceiling is unlimited.

Brody Hopkins, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays

Last Week: 1 GS, 7 IP, 10 Ks, 2 BB, 0.00 ERA

After being one of the key pieces in the Randy Arozarena trade last summer, Brody Hopkins has blossomed into a really solid piece of the Rays’ farm system. Now, a little over a year later, Hopkins threw one of the best games of his career in Double-A.

Across seven scoreless innings, Hopkins struck out ten batters while only walking two in the process. He’s racked up 112 strikeouts on the season while maintaining an ERA near 3.00, making him quite the prospect for the Rays.

In an organization known for its player development, there doesn’t seem to be a limit on his future potential if he continues to pitch like this.

High-A Top Performers

For the first time in this week’s update, we’ve come across a level that only features one top 100 prospect. Despite this, High-A was still very interesting last week, as some of the best individual performances in this story came out of this level.

The American League dominated this section, though, as two of the three players here are from the AL. Something else to note is that these teams all have solid cores, meaning these players could impact playoff pushes in the near future.

Let’s examine these three players.

Austin Overn, OF, Baltimore Orioles

Last Week: 5 G, 22 AB, 9 H, 4 HR, 8 RBI, .409/.458/1.000, 1.458 OPS

After being selected in the third round of last year’s draft, Orioles outfielder Austin Overn has blossomed into a very solid prospect for the club. Currently in High-A, Overn just had one of his best weeks to date.

Across five games, Overn racked up nine hits while posting an OPS close to 1.460. This isn’t the most impressive aspect of his week, though; This belongs to the fact that four of his nine hits were homers!

Overn only has eight long balls on the season, meaning that he hit half of his total homers last week alone. With his wRC+ now approaching 130, he’ll be a name to watch in the coming weeks.

Colt Emerson, SS, Seattle Mariners

Last Week: 6 G, 21 AB, 7 H, 1 HR, 5 RBI, .333/.500/.571, 1.071 OPS

After our most recent top 100 update, Mariners shortstop Colt Emerson now finds himself as a top-five prospect in the sport. He’s coming off a very solid showing during last week’s play, a stretch that earned him a promotion to Double-A following Sunday’s matchup.

Emerson slashed .333/.500/.571 across six games last week, homering once and driving in five runs. Emerson has one of the smoothest swings in the minor leagues, an ability that’s helped him become a quick riser since he entered pro ball.

As I previously mentioned, the Mariners promoted Emerson to Double-A following this week’s showing, and it’ll be interesting to see how he handles this new challenge.

Wyatt Crowell, LHP, Los Angeles Dodgers

Last Week: 1 GS, 7 IP, 6 Ks, 3 BB, 0.00 ERA

Over the past few seasons, the Los Angeles Dodgers have become one of the best player organizations in the sport for player development. They’ve been pumping out plenty of arms in the process, and it looks like Wyatt Crowell may be the next one.

Last week, Crowell went seven shutout innings, striking out six and walking just three. After this start, his season ERA fell to 3.19 through 67.2 innings pitched. He’s also struck out 80 batters in this same span.

He’s slowly become a diamond in the rough, and this start only furthered this belief.

Low-A Top Performers

Out of all levels last week, it’s safe to say Low-A featured the fewest standout performances. However, there were still plenty of prospects who put on a good showing. Although he’s not featured here, Tony Blanco Jr. nearly hit a ball 120 MPH in a Low-A game last week, showing the talent they have to offer.

There is still a top 100 prospect here from the White Sox system, with at least one other player here pushing to add himself to the list soon. With performances like these, they’ll crack the list in no time.

Without further ado, let’s dive in.

Robert Hipwell, 3B, San Francisco Giants

Last Week: 6 G, 20 AB, 9 H, 2 HR, 9 RBI, .450/.577/1.050, 1.627 OPS

Over the past few seasons, the San Francisco Giants have struggled to put together a solid farm system. With players like Bryce Eldridge being few and far between, it’s been a tough go for them. However, Robert Hipwell has looked great this year.

Across six games last week, the former sixth-rounder hit two homers while posting an OBP near .600, showing his combination of power and on-base skills. He’s now hit 11 bombs on the season while posting a wRC+ near 150 thanks to this stretch.

Given that we’re now in August, we could see Hipwell make his way to High-A before the season wraps up.

Caleb Bonemer, SS, Chicago White Sox

Last Week: 5 G, 18 AB, 9 H, 0 HR, 3 RBI, .500/.583/.667, 1.250 OPS

I mentioned in the introduction for this level that there was only one top 100 prospect in this section, and that player is White Sox shortstop Caleb Bonemer. After a huge week last week, he may be on his way to High-A.

After signing for well over slot last year, Bonemer has quickly become one of the best prospects in baseball. Last week, Bonemer slashed .500/.583/.667, showcasing the tools that gave him this reputation in the first place.

Although he didn’t hit any homers last week, Bonemer has still flashed solid power at just 19 years old. With his wRC+ now over 140, High-A may be in reach before season’s end.

Johnny King, LHP, Toronto Blue Jays

Last Week: 1 GS, 5 IP, 7 Ks, 2 BB, 0.00 ERA

When sifting through some of the starting pitchers in Low-A last week, I stumbled upon left-hander Johnny King. After diving a little deeper into his game, I fully believe the 18-year-old is well on his way to becoming a legit big league rotation piece.

Last week, King went five scoreless innings, striking out seven batters and walking just two along the way. After this start, King’s smooth mechanics have allowed him to post a strikeout rate over 42%, an impressive mark for the lefty.

While he’s not currently ranked inside our top 100, I expect this to change in the near future.

The Top Performers From Two Weeks Ago in Minor League Baseball (7/22-7/27)

After a little pause for the All-Star Break and the short time after, we’re back with another minor league update! This past week featured plenty of exciting performances from both top 100 prospects and unknown players, making this a really fun week overall.

Something else to note is that this past week featured some of the best performances we’ve seen since we started our weekly minor league check-ins. From pitchers with double-digit strikeouts in a few innings to hitters tearing the cover off the ball, this was a huge week from these 12 players.

Without further ado, let’s dive into last week’s top performers.

Triple-A Top Performers

When digging through last week’s top Triple-A players, a key theme began to develop: Nearly all of the top players at this level had touched the big leagues and were former top prospects. For the three players we featured this week, this couldn’t be more accurate.

While it’s difficult for these types of players to fight their way back into the big leagues, last week could be very influential in helping these three players make their way back to the show.

Let’s dive in.

Kristian Campbell, 2B, Boston Red Sox

Last Week: 6 G, 23 AB, 11 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI, .478/.538/.783, 1.321 OPS

After signing a sizable extension with the Boston Red Sox, Kristian Campbell struggled to stay on his feet in the big leagues. He was optioned to Triple-A, where he struggled a bit until recently, when he really came on. After last week, it’s looking like Campbell is well on his way to getting back to the big leagues.

Last week, Campbell went 11-for-23 at the plate, while also slugging two of his three homers at Triple-A during this same span. Thanks to his play last week, Campbell’s wRC+ has now risen to 118 at Triple-A.

If he continues to hit like this, we may see him make his way back to the major leagues in no time.

Tyler Locklear, 1B, Seattle Mariners

Last Week: 6 G, 23 AB, 11 H, 5 HR, 10 RBI, .478/.571/1.174, 1.745 OPS

Similarly to Campbell, Mariners first baseman Tyler Locklear was once regarded as a very promising first base prospect. However, struggling in the big leagues, this reputation has slipped slightly. Despite this, Locklear has quietly been raking in Triple-A, and this was clear last week.

During six games in last week’s play, Locklear slugged five homers while driving in 10 runs, giving him 19 homers and 81 RBI on the season. His wRC+ is also now up to 137, a number that could help him find his way back to the big leagues.

Locklear is still just 24 years old, and if he keeps having stretches like this, we may see him on the MLB roster very soon.

Forrest Whitley, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays

Last Week: 1 GS, 5 IP, 9 Ks, 2 BB, 0.00 ERA

When looking back on the last few seasons’ top prospect lists, it might be hard to find a starting pitcher held to a reputation as high as Forrest Whitley once held. Now 27 years old, Whitley is fighting for another chance in the majors.

Last week, Whitley threw one of the best single games in the minor leagues, as he allowed no runs over five innings while striking out nine batters. With Whitley being in the Rays’ system and the Rays being so good at developing arms, he could be back on track to becoming a solid major league arm.

In just shy of 14 innings since joining the Rays’ system, Whitley has pitched to a 1.98 ERA, and it was only lowered with last week’s outing.

Double-A Top Performers

Last week, Double-A featured many players who had some tremendous performances. All three players in this section are recognizable prospect names, with two of these players currently ranking inside our top 100.

In fact, some of the best performances you’ll find in this week’s entire update come from the Double-A portion, as the players listed below balled out last week.

Let’s take a closer look at these top prospects.

Ryan Clifford, OF, New York Mets

Last Week: 6 G, 23 AB, 12 H, 4 HR, 12 RBI, .522/.645/1.130, 1.775 OPS

Over the last updates to this story, the New York Mets have dominated this list. This only continues in this week’s update, with outfielder and top prospect Ryan Clifford the next on the list.

During last week’s games, Clifford went on one of the most dangerous tears of anyone in the minors. He slashed .522/.645/.1.130 while hitting four homers, an impressive showing overall.

After hitting those four homers last week, Clifford now comfortably leads the Eastern League in long balls with 21 on the season.

Sebastian Walcott, SS, Texas Rangers

Last Week: 5 G, 16 AB, 5 H, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .313/.389/.563, .952 OPS

After ranking near the top of prospect lists for a few seasons now, 19-year-old Sebastian Walcott had hefty expectations heading into this season. He started off the year slowly, but has begun to find his footing in a big way recently.

Last week, Sebastian Walcott put together a very solid five games, hitting .313 while also hitting his 11th homer of the season. With this homer, Walcott has already tied his season total from last year, while also raising his wRC+ to 115 on the season.

Walcott ranks near the top of our top 100 prospects list, and if he continues to hit like this, he could only continue to shoot up the list. With Walcott still being just 19 years old, the sky is the limit for his game.

Thomas White, LHP, Miami Marlins

Last Week: 1 GS, 5 IP, 14 Ks, 0 BB, 0.00 ERA

After being selected 35th overall by the Miami Marlins in the 2023 MLB Draft, Thomas White has pitched incredibly well in the lower minors. This has only continued this season, as White has pitched his way to Double-A, impressing everyone in the process.

In the time we’ve been doing these weekly updates, Thomas White threw one of the more impressive games I’ve seen. He struck out an astounding 14 batters across five innings, walking no batters and allowing no runs. In fact, he even went on a stretch where he struck out eight consecutive batters.

Thomas White has steadily become one of the best left-handers in the minor leagues, and with his ERA down to 2.25 in Double-A, we may see him in Triple-A before season’s end.

High-A Top Performers

Although we haven’t seen a team listed twice under the Double-A or Triple-A portions of this story, this streak will end with the High-A section. The Pittsburgh Pirates had two players showcase their talents to a whole new level, making them the first duo of teammates in this update.

When looking at the numbers, it’s not difficult to see why this was the case either. This section also features a pretty impressive pitching performance from a Diamondbacks minor league arm as well.

Let’s dive in.

Shalin Polanco, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates

Last Week: 5 G, 16 AB, 6 H, 3 HR, 5 RBI, .375/.474/.938, 1.412 OPS

The first Pirate that dominated last week is left-handed outfielder Shalin Polanco. Once a top international prospect, Polanco has hit a bit of a standstill in his development, but he’s slowly breaking through these struggles in High-A.

In five games last week, Polanco slugged three homers, drove in five runs while posting an OPS above 1.400. Due to this hot week, Polanco was able to raise his wRC+ on the season to 117, while also surpassing his homer total from last season.

Polanco still has some interesting potential behind his game, especially if he continues to hit like he has this season in High-A.

Konnor Griffin, SS/OF, Pittsburgh Pirates

Last Week: 6 G, 23 AB, 10 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .435/.536/.565, 1.101 OPS

When looking in the minor leagues, it’s hard to find a name hotter than Pirates prospect Konnor Griffin. He was named the top prospect in the sport by a few separate outlets, and lived up to this ranking with his on-field play last week.

In six games, the 19-year-old went 10 for 23 while playing premium defense, which included one of the best over-the-shoulder catches of the season. It seems like Griffin has only continued to get better as the season progresses, leading many to believe the sky is the limit for him.

Even though he’s just 19 years old, there’s a very real chance Griffin makes it to Double-A in his first full professional season.

Ashton Izzi, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks

Last Week: 1 GS, 6 IP, 7 Ks, 0 BB, 0.00 ERA

After a very impressive outing with the Everett Aquasox last week, Ashton Izzi would get some shocking news, as the Seattle Mariners dealt him to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Josh Naylor trade.

In this start, Izzi went six innings, striking out seven batters, walking zero, while also allowing no runs. While it may have been his last start for the Seattle Mariners’ organization, Izzi clearly impressed the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Although his season ERA is a bit on the higher side, there are some encouraging things to be said for his strikeout numbers. If he continues to develop, he could become a very solid arm at the next level.

Low-A Top Performers

While all of the other sections in this story have featured at least one recognizable name, the Low-A part of this week’s update is the complete opposite. The three players listed here are a little less well-known, making this even more interesting to take a closer look at.

When looking in the lower minors, you never know when one good week becomes a legitimate diamond in the rough, which speaks to the importance of these performances.

Let’s take a closer look at these three players.

Nick Roselli, 2B, New York Mets

Last Week: 4 G, 15 AB, 9 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI, .600/.647/1.067, 1.714 OPS

Ryan Clifford wasn’t the only New York Met to make his way onto this week’s minor league check-in, as second baseman Nick Roselli made a big impact in Low-A. Although he isn’t a top prospect, he certainly played like one last week.

In four games, Roselli seconded nine hits, with two of these hits being home runs. He’s only hit seven long balls this season, which shows the impact that this past week had on his season numbers.

Roselli has made it the whole way to High-A this season, although it was limited time. If he hits well, we could see him get back up to High-A sooner rather than later.

Cameron Leary, OF, Athletics

Last Week: 5 G, 19 AB, 9 H, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .474/.545/.842, 1.387 OPS

After being selected by the Athletics in the 10th round of last year’s MLB Draft, outfielder Cameron Leary has impressed many people with his performance in Low-A this year. During his first full professional season, he’s been very impressive overall.

Last week, Leary recorded nine hits across five games, while also slugging one lone homer. On the season, the 23-year-old is now slashing .266/.386/.433 with a 125 wRC+, showing just how good he’s been.

He’s now 93 games into his Low-A season, and given his numbers, we could see a promotion any day now for Leary.

Michael Caldron, RHP, Baltimore Orioles

Last Week: 1 GS, 5 IP, 9 Ks, 0 BB, 0.00 ERA

When looking in the lower minors, it can sometimes be a little harder to find well-pitched games or starters that have thrown well. However, last week, Orioles right-hander Michael Caldron made this an easy search, as he threw a great game.

In five innings, Caldron struck out nine batters, walked nobody, while allowing zero runs, giving him one of the best pitching lines in the lower minors during last week’s play.

With the Orioles needing all the pitching help they can get, a starter like Michael Caldron finding his own could be game-changing in the next few seasons for the club.