Minor League Barometer: Risers & Fallers

The Cubs have already gotten some impactful performances from players in their farm system this season. Michael Busch has slugged his way out of the shadows of the Dodgers organization by homering in five-straight games earlier this month. With the subsequent injury to Cody Bellinger, Chicago called up top hitting prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong and he's been hot going 5-for-13 with a homer and four RBI. The Cubs have started with a record of 17-11 and are already exceeding expectations with the help of some young potential stars.

Let's take a look at some other players in the headlines in this edition of the Minor League Barometer.

UPGRADE

Agustin Ramirez, C, NYY – The Bronx Bombers still have high hopes for Austin Wells, though Ramirez may be playing himself into the Yankees' future plans with his early numbers. The 22-year-old backstop leads the Eastern League with nine home runs in only 19 contests. Ramirez has also shown patience at the dish with as many walks (14) as strikeouts (17) and has even stolen four bases. He's also formed a potent catching duo with Ben Rice, who's second in the league with six dingers. Ramirez's youth, power display and plate discipline has put him firmly on the prospect map, especially at such a shallow fantasy position.

Mason Adams, P, CHW – A 13th-round selection in 2022, Adams appeared across three different levels in 2023. Command/control is his calling card as he posted a 125:29 K:BB across 109 innings last year. Adams returned to Double-A for the current campaign, where he's enjoyed similar success with a 29:3 K:BB over 22 innings. His best pitch is a curveball, which operates as a wipeout offering. Adams also offers an above-average slider while his fastball sits in the low-90s. He's not overpowering, but hasn't found much resistance and continues to pound the strike zone. Adams could be more than just an innings eater when all is said and done.

Tyler Black, 3B, MIL – Over the last three weeks, Black has slashed .328/.425/.612 with five homers and 17 RBI, including two long balls Sunday against Louisville. Perhaps more impressively, he's registered more walks (10) than strikeouts (eight) during the latest stretch. The Brewers aren't in urgent need for help at either corner infield spot and Black isn't currently on their 40-man roster, but the team may have no choice to find a place for his bat in their big-league lineup if he continues to rake. 

Royber Salinas, P, OAK – Salinas fanned 93 batters in 71.2 innings last year, though with a 5.40 ERA. The 23-year-old righty is back at Double-A and flashing his strikeout stuff once again while also limiting the damage overall with a 2.11 ERA and 28:11 K:BB across 21.1 innings while batters are only hitting .203 against. Salinas still doesn't have the greatest command, yet his fastball/slider combination is stellar and he boasts enough swing-and-miss in his arsenal to continue as a starter, at least for now.

CHECK STATUS

Ricky Tiedemann, P, TOR – The bad news is that Tiedemann has been diagnosed with ulnar nerve inflammation in his left elbow and is currently on the Injured List at Triple-A. The positive is that he's set to begin throwing again in 7-to-10 days. Tiedemann is considered one of the top pitching prospects in baseball, but has a checkered injury history along with a continued battle with control. His tantalizing strikeout potential remains and could debut in the bigs before the end of 2024 if he quickly returns to health.

Deyvison De Los Santos, 1B/3B, AZ – De Los Santos is only 20 and is off to a scalding start at Double-A slashing .395/.449/.716 with seven home runs and 18 RBI through 20 contests. Selected by the Guardians in the Rule 5 Draft, he didn't make the club and was ultimately returned to the Arizona organization. De Los Santos has always displayed plus power, though strikeouts continue to be a red flag as he fanned 125 times through 113 games at Double-A last season while only drawing 25 walks. He's been a bit more selective in 2024 having already collecting seven free passes, but he's still fanned 21 times. De Los Santos is still very young for this level and his power potential appears to be legitimate, but it remains to be seen if his impatience at the dish and his inability to make consistent contact will come back to bite him at higher levels.

Carson Whisenhunt, P, SF – Whisenhunt struggled during his first two starts of the season at Triple-A where he allowed 13 runs in five innings. He's since settled down by tossing 8.2 scoreless frames over two outings. Whisenhunt still offers massive strikeout potential, but he's allowing far too many free passes. This has limited his ability to go deeper into games while also causing additional opportunities for the opposition. Whisenhunt's last start was by far his best of the young season, so he may already be turning the corner. However, he'll have some competition for a call-up down the road as rotation mate Mason Black has posted a minuscule 1.19 ERA and 25:5 K:BB from 22.2 innings.

Alex Mooney, SS, CLE – A seventh-round selection out of Duke in 2023, Mooney has hit the ground running at High-A slashing .339/.379/.661 with five homers and three steals. He was known in college for his fielding prowess along with an exceptional drive and work ethic. Mooney also proved he could handle the bat and manage the strike zone. He wasn't expected to hit for a lot of power, so this start is a huge boost.  Add in some stolen bases, and Mooney's stock could be on the rise.

DOWNGRADE

Dylan Lesko, P, SD – Lesko is off to a strange start at High-A as hitters are batting .130 against, yet he's tallied almost as many walks (16) as strikeouts (17) while also allowing three home runs in four starts to put his ERA at 6.14. The sample size is small and Lesko is still working his way back from Tommy John surgery, but he only allowed three homers across 12 starts last season along with a few too many walks. At only 20, the 15th-overall selection from 2022 is only scratching the surface of his potential, though it's clear he's a ways away from making an impact for the Padres.

Chase Petty, P, CIN – A first-round pick in 2021 by the Twins, Petty came over to the Reds organization in the Sonny Gray deal. He posted a minuscule 1.95 ERA last season, mostly at High-A. Unfortunately, 2024 has been a different story with a bloated 9.56 ERA while batters have gone .352 against. Oddly enough, Petty has been getting a lot of ground balls, though they just haven't found his fielders. Some reverse regression to the mean is certainly likely, yet he's also walked a number of batters. Petty can hit triple-digits on the radar gun with his heater, but has dialed it back in the past in favor of throwing strikes. However, he's also been missing location far too frequently this year, resulting in those ugly numbers. Petty still has time to turn things around, but the 21-year-old clearly has some work to do.

Noble Meyer, P, MIA – Another pitcher off to a slow start, Meyer was selected No. 10 in 2023.  He's off to a 5.79 ERA through four starts, which can be almost entirely attributed to wildness as he recorded 13 walks compared to 10 strikeouts in 14 innings at Low-A. The 6'5" teenager has room to fill out, a nasty slider with elite spin rate, and athleticism to boot. Meyer should remain a fairly popular dynasty option, though he remains raw.