Reviewing the Toronto Blue Jays Farm System

Over the past few years, the Blue Jays have transformed their farm system from more or less average to one of the best in the game by simply not having many busts. They have had a ton of guys break out over the past few seasons, and of course, none bigger than Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the best pure bat in recent memory. Vladimir Guerrero, Craig Biggio, Dante Bichette, and Jeff Conine all have kids in this system, giving the system the best bloodlines in baseball. There is more hitting talent than pitching talent here, but they're definitely not short on arms and Blue Jays fans have plenty of reasons to be excited.

Affiliates: AAA Buffalo Bisons, AA New Hampshire Fisher Cats, High A Dunedin Blue Jays, Class A Lansing Lugnuts, Short Season Vancouver Canadians, rookie level Bluefield Blue Jays, and complex level GCL and DSL Blue Jays

The Headliner: 3B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

19 year old Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (you might have heard of his father) is the best prospect in baseball, and unless you are absolutely enamored with Fernando Tatis Jr.'s upside, it's not really that close. Guerrero burst onto the scene in 2017 by slashing .323/.425/.485 with more walks than strikeouts in Class A and High A as just an 18 year old, then established himself as the best prospect in all of baseball by slashing .381/.437/.636 with 20 home runs and a 38/37 strikeout to walk ratio over 95 games, mostly at AA New Hampshire and AAA Buffalo, in 2018. Those are crazy numbers regardless of the context, but Guerrero was a 19 year old in the highest levels of the minors and showed elite contact, elite power, and elite plate discipline all along. This is a true middle of the order bat, one that could produce 30-40 home runs per season with on-base percentages over .400; those are MVP numbers. Defensively, he's mediocre at third base but has worked hard to remain at the position, and he could be adequate there in the long run with a little luck. However, if he has to move to first base or back to the outfield, he is such a gifted hitter that it won't be a problem. Guerrero, who turns 20 in March, will likely spend the first few weeks of the 2019 season "working on his defense" (i.e. postponing his free agency by a year) but once he is called up towards the end of April, he'll be the frontrunner for the AL Rookie of the Year Award.

High Minors Hitters: C Danny Jansen, C Reese McGuire, OF Anthony Alford, 1B Rowdy Tellez, SS Bo Bichette, 2B Cavan Biggio, and SS Santiago Espinal

Take away Guerrero, the best prospect in baseball, and the Blue Jays are still very deep in the upper minors with plenty of potential bats that could be anywhere from usable to impactful. 23 year old Danny Jansen is one of the top catching prospects in the game, following up his breakout 2017 by slashing .275/.390/.473 with 12 home runs and a 49/44 strikeout to walk ratio over 88 games at AAA Buffalo, then slashing .247/.347/.432 with three home runs in a 31 game stint in the majors. He's average defensively, but with his great plate discipline and ability to find the barrel regularly, he should be able to put it together and be a full-time starting catcher as soon as this season. In fact, if the Blue Jays don't make any moves before Opening Day, there won't be much competition for the starting catcher's spot come the beginning of the season, and Jansen could win it outright. He won't be a middle of the order hitter, but he should still be a net-positive in the lineup and that's plenty for a catcher. 23 year old Reese McGuire, the first round pick (14th overall) from the same 2013 draft that produced Jansen in the 16th round, is Jansen's primary competition behind the plate after slashing .233/.312/.339 with seven home runs and a 77/33 strikeout to walk ratio over 96 games at Buffalo, followed by a .290/.333/.581 line with a pair of home runs in 14 major league games. McGuire is clearly the superior defender, but his bat is also clearly behind Jansen's and he looks primed for the back-up role. Together, he and Jansen will make a good tandem behind the plate in the classic bat-first starter, glove-first backup mold. Out in the outfield, 24 year old Anthony Alford has seen his development stall in the upper levels, and he slashed .238/.314/.339 with five home runs, 17 stolen bases, and a 120/33 strikeout to walk ratio over 112 games at High A Dunedin and Buffalo, also slashing .105/.190/.105 in 13 major league games. He's a speedy center fielder whose defense has kept him afloat in this stacked system, and when his bat is going, he looks like a future starter. However, that bat has been very inconsistent as he has lost control of the strike zone from time to time, and at this point he looks more like a competent fourth outfielder than a future leadoff man. However, when he's going right, he can still be a very valuable player for the Blue Jays and string together time in the starting lineup here and there. 23 year old Rowdy Tellez, the 30th round pick from that 2013 draft that produced Jansen and McGuire, slashed .270/.340/.425 with 13 home runs and a 74/40 strikeout to walk ratio over 112 games at Buffalo, then got hot in his first taste of major league action and slashed .314/.329/.614 with four home runs in 23 games for the Blue Jays. He's a big guy at 6'4" who hits for good power and can get the bat on the ball consistently, though as a first baseman with mediocre defense, he'll have to continue to hit to earn playing time in the majors. 2019 will be the year we find out whether he can provide the requisite big numbers for the position, though to me, he looks more like a platoon bat. 20 year old Bo Bichette, the son of Dante Bichette, followed up his huge 2017 (.362/.423/.565, 14 HR, 22 SB) with another big 2018, slashing .286/.343/.453 with eleven home runs, 32 stolen bases, and a 101/48 strikeout to walk ratio over 143 games at AA New Hampshire, playing the whole season at 20 years old. He's a second baseman with a great bat, one that should produce high batting averages in the majors while hitting at least 15-20 home runs and 30-40 doubles per season. He has fantastic bat control and can find the barrel as consistently as anybody, enabling him to employ a big swing and maximize what power he has in his six foot frame. Defensively, there's a chance he could stick at shortstop, though he's just alright there and might be able to provide more value at a different position. 23 year old Cavan Biggio, son of Craig Biggio, had a breakout year this year and slashed .252/.388/.499 with 26 home runs, 20 stolen bases, and a 148/100 strikeout to walk ratio over 132 games at New Hampshire. Biggio is a power hitter with an extremely patient approach that allows him to draw tons of walks, but which also leads to a fair amount of strikeouts. If the strikeouts turn out to be a problem at the next level, he might end up just a utility infielder, but if he can keep control of the strike zone, he profiles as an offensive-minded second baseman who could pop 20 home runs per season and draw enough walks to give him more than respectable on-base percentages, which adds up to a very valuable player. Lastly, 24 year old Santiago Espinal, acquired from the Red Sox for Steve Pearce, slashed .297/.356/.444 with ten home runs, eleven stolen bases, and a 67/38 strikeout to walk ratio over 124 games between High A and AA. He's a little bit old for a prospect who just made it out of High A, but he brings a good glove at shortstop and backs it up with a line drive bat and an advanced approach at the plate. He provides enough value on defense that there isn't too much pressure on his bat, and the fact that he could profile as a useful hitter in the major leagues makes him a prospect worth tracking. We'll have to see how he holds up over a full season in the upper minors but he could be a strong utility infielder or a fringe-average starting shortstop.

Low and Mid Minors Hitters: SS Kevin Smith, SS Logan Warmoth, OF Griffin Conine, SS Ronny Brito, SS Jordan Groshans, OF Cal Stevenson, and SS Orelvis Martinez

Lower in the minors, the Blue Jays don't quite have impact prospects like Guerrero and Bichette, but there is still some tremendous upside when you get down to the very bottom of the system. They do, though, have a ton of prospects who could potentially play shortstop (joining Bo Bichette and Santiago Espinal from the previous section), and that's one of the hardest positions to check off in a system. Up in the middle of the system, 22 year old Kevin Smith represents the best in the pack after slashing .302/.358/.528 with 25 home runs, 29 stolen bases, and a 121/40 strikeout to walk ratio over 129 games at Class A Lansing and High A Dunedin. Most of the production came at the lower level (.355/.407/.639) but he still held his own at the higher level (.274/.332/.468), and that he hit this well at all is a welcome sign for the Blue Jays. Toronto took him in the fourth round out of Maryland in 2017, where he posted just a .323 on-base percentage as a junior and struck out in over 20% of his plate appearances, showing raw power in batting practice but struggling to prove he could be more than a one-trick pony with the bat. He still doesn't draw a ton of walks and he takes his fair share of strikeouts, but he has done a much better job of getting to his power in pro ball and he pushed his on-base percentage up to .358. Defensively, he's pretty good at shortstop and may be able to stick there, taking even more pressure off his bat and giving him a real chance to be a long term starter. To do that, of course, he'll have to continue to manage the strike zone as well as he has and continue to make adjustments. Meanwhile, 23 year old Logan Warmoth, the Jays' first round pick (22nd overall) in that same 2017 draft, has had the opposite experience in pro ball, seeing his great college numbers (.336/.404/.554 as a junior at UNC) drop significantly in the minors. In 2018, he slashed .249/.330/.317 with just one home run and a 73/32 strikeout to walk ratio over 79 games, mostly at Dunedin, continuing to put the bat on the ball at a decent clip and get on base but seeing his power completely evaporate. I wasn't a big fan of the pick at the time and now my worries about his bat are proving to be warranted, though finding the barrel a bit more in 2019 could turn his fortunes around. He's still a competent shortstop who would be an above average defender if moved to second base, so the defense does buy the bat some slack, but he does need to start hitting soon if he wants to remain relevant in this system. 21 year old Griffin Conine (son of Jeff Conine) had a shot at being a first round pick out of Duke in 2018, but his plate discipline fell apart in the spring and he slid to the Blue Jays in the second round (52nd overall), after which he slashed .243/.314/.430 with seven home runs and a 65/20 strikeout to walk ratio over 57 games, mostly at short season Vancouver. He has a ton of raw power from a very strong frame at 6'1", but his long swing and tendency to sell out for the power hurts his ability to get to it consistently. The Blue Jays will work with him to shorten that swing and ease up on the selling out, and if they can successfully help him improve in those areas without sacrificing power, Conine could be a legitimate impact bat. I was a big fan of his before his approach fell apart in the spring, so I really hope he can get back to where he was and potentially provide 30 homer power with solidly decent defense in right field. 19 year old Ronny Brito was acquired from the Dodgers for Russell Martin this offseason, having slashed .295/.359/.496 with 11 home runs and a 78/23 strikeout to walk ratio between complex ball and rookie ball in 2018. He's a slick fielding shortstop whose bat is supposedly behind his glove, but the power outburst in the Pioneer League showed that his upside is more than just that of a utility infielder. A successful transition to full season ball as a 20 year old in 2019 could sent Brito shooting up prospect lists, as good defensive shortstops who can hit are a rarity (except in this system, apparently). 19 year old Jordan Groshans was a first round pick (12th overall) out of a Houston area high school in 2018, and he slashed .296/.353/.446 with five home runs and a 37/15 strikeout to walk ratio over 48 games between complex ball and rookie level Bluefield. He was much better in complex ball (.331/.390/.500) than in rookie ball (.182/.229/.273), but a big showing in the Appalachian League playoffs would have pushed that rookie ball slash line up to a much more respectable .268/.333/.411. Groshans is a legitimate hitter with power, some plate discipline, and the ability to barrel the ball up consistently, and when you combine that with the potential (although not guarantee) to stick at shortstop, he's a complete player. Like Brito, he could shoot up prospect lists with a strong transition to full season ball in 2019. 22 year old Cal Stevenson was a tenth round pick out of Arizona in 2018 and likely maxes out as a fourth outfielder, but he had such a great debut that he deserves a writeup. After signing, Stevenson slashed .369/.511/.523 with two home runs, 21 stolen bases, and a fantastic 24/64 strikeout to walk ratio over 59 games between complex ball and Bluefield, showing a tremendous feel for the strike zone as well as the ability to get the bat on the ball virtually whenever he wanted to. At a skinny 5'10", he lacks power and will likely never develop much, but anybody who can get on base at a .500 rate in the minors (and steal 21 bases in 22 tries) is worth watching regardless of the power production, so 2019 will be very interesting when he plays against more age-appropriate competition. Lastly, 17 year old Orelvis Martinez has not played professionally yet, but he signed for $3.5 million out of the Dominican Republic in July and has tremendous upside. He has a quick, powerful swing that will need some tweaking, and his advanced feel for hitting could come together with that power potential to make him an all-around impact bat. Defensively, he's pretty good at shortstop but even if he has to move to third base eventually, he should be a net-positive on defense. Overall, he's completely unproven and has a lot of work to do to reach his ceiling, but at 17 years old he'll have plenty of time to do so and could be an all-around impact player if it all works out.

High Minors Pitchers: RHP Sean Reid-Foley, RHP David Paulino, RHP Trent Thornton, RHP T.J. Zeuch, RHP Hector Perez, and RHP Elvis Luciano

The Blue Jays aren't as deep in pitching as they are in hitting, but there are still plenty of arms near the top of the minors, some of which could turn into very productive, long-term starters. 23 year old Sean Reid-Foley is a 6'3" right hander out of Jacksonville who went 12-5 with a 3.26 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP, and a 150/50 strikeout to walk ratio over 129.2 innings between AA New Hampshire and AAA Buffalo, and who then posted a 5.13 ERA and a 42/21 strikeout to walk ratio over 33.1 major league innings. He's a classic mid-rotation starter with a low to mid 90's fastball and a wide arrange of secondary pitches, none of which stick out as plus but all of which he mixes effectively. The command is fairly average, but when he's mixing his stuff well, SRF is tough to square up and he could be a very solid #3 or #4 starter in Toronto. 25 year old David Paulino has already made appearances for the Astros in 2016 and 2017, as well as the Blue Jays in 2018, but with just 42.2 total major league innings (5.48 ERA, 42/12 K/BB), he still qualifies as a prospect. His development has been choppy to say the least, as he has missed significant time with injuries throughout his career and was hit with an 80 game PED suspension in 2017, and in his seven minor league starts in 2018 he posted a 4.67 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and a 33/6 strikeout to walk ratio over 27 innings between AAA and complex ball rehab. He's a massive, 6'7" righty with a low to mid 90's fastball, a very good set of secondaries that produce swings and misses, and even pretty good command that helps it all play up. However, with all the injuries and the suspension, he hasn't been able to stay on the mound long enough to get any real traction (in eight pro seasons, he has never thrown more than 90 innings in one season), so there's a lot more risk associated with him than you'd expect given his profile. Paulino could be anything from a solid #3 starter to a middle reliever. 25 year old Trent Thornton is another former Astro, coming over this offseason for Aledmys Diaz, and he posted a 4.42 ERA, a 1.20 WHIP, and a 122/31 strikeout to walk ratio over 124.1 innings at AAA. He sits in the mid 90's and adds a pair of swing and miss breaking balls, and with his good command, he should be major league ready on Opening Day. However, his changeup has never really materialized, making the rest of his stuff play down a hair, so the Blue Jays hope that access to new pitching coaches will help him get over the hump and go from back-end starter type to legitimate #3 or #4 guy. 23 year old T.J. Zeuch was the Blue Jays' first round pick (21st overall) in 2016 out of Pittsburgh, and he posted a 3.17 ERA, a 1.24 WHIP, and a 105/40 strikeout to walk ratio over 156.1 innings at High A Dunedin and New Hampshire in 2018. He's 6'7" and sits in the low to mid 90's with his fastball, adding a full array of secondaries and making it work so far despite a low strikeout rate. Overall, I'm a bit worried about his transition to AAA and the majors in 2019 because the secondaries just haven't proven to be anything special yet, even with the slider standing out a bit as a go-to pitch. His ability to throw more than 150 innings in 2018 was a plus, but there's some reliever risk here if he can't take a step forward with either his secondaries or his average command. If he does take that step forward, he could be a #3 starter. 22 year old Hector Perez came over from the Astros with Paulino in the Roberto Osuna trade, posting a 3.76 ERA, a 1.24 WHIP, and a 133/64 strikeout to walk ratio over 115 innings between High A and AA in the two systems. He's a fireballer with a mid to upper 90's fastball and a solid set of breaking balls, generating tons of swings and misses despite mediocre command. That command is what has held him back so far, as his stuff is good enough to dominate upper-level hitters right now and is just a small step forward in consistency from dominating major leaguers as well. If he can learn to have even average command in addition to getting a little more consistent with his stuff, he's a potential #2 or #3 starter, but without adjustments he likely profiles as a hard-throwing reliever. Lastly, 18 year old Elvis Luciano has not pitched above rookie ball, but he's included in this section (rather than the low-minors section) for a very interesting reason. The Blue Jays selected him in the Rule 5 Draft, meaning that unless the Jays want to send him back to Kansas City, Luciano will have to break camp with the major league team and last the entire season in the majors. That will be a tough task for a teenager who just posted a 3.90 ERA, a 1.25 WHIP, and a 70/23 strikeout to walk ratio over 67 innings at the Royals' rookie ball affiliates, as he will completely bypass full season ball in such a way that would make Juan Soto proud. He throws a low to mid 90's fastball and a good curveball, but the rest of his game is raw (as you'd expect from an 18 year old) and he'll probably get hit hard in the majors. If he does stick, then the Blue Jays deserve a big pat on the back for adding a potential mid-rotation starter. Additionally, if he breaks camp with the team on Opening Day (lest he'd be sent back to the Royals), Luciano would not only become the first player born in 2000 to play in the majors, he'd beat out every 1999 player as well assuming that his new teammate, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., spends the first few weeks of the season in AAA "working on his defense."

Low Minors Pitchers: RHP Nate Pearson, RHP Eric Pardinho, RHP Adam Kloffenstein, RHP Sean Wymer, and RHP/1B Andy McGuire

The Blue Jays aren't nearly as deep in low minors pitchers as they are in low minors hitters or even upper minors pitchers, though two arguably the two most exciting arms in the system are in this demographic. 22 year old Nate Pearson was a first round pick (28th overall) in 2017 out of a Florida junior college, though he missed the beginning of 2018 with back problems then fractured his forearm in his first start back, ending his season with two earned runs in 1.2 innings (10.80 ERA) at High A. Pearson is a fireballing 6'6" right hander with an upper 90's fastball and a good slider, though the rest of his game needs work. His control comes and goes and he hasn't developed a consistent changeup yet, and the lost season in 2018 didn't help. However, with his top tier arm strength, it's easy to envision him piling up the strikeouts as he moves through the minors just on his two main pitches, and developing either his command or his changeup could make him a mid-rotation starter; developing both could make him a #2 or even an ace. Even if he remains the pitcher he is today, Pearson has a high floor as a hard throwing reliever whose fastball could sit right around 100 in short stints, which could make him a set-up man or even a closer. We'll see what strides he makes in 2019. 18 year old Eric Pardinho burst onto the scene in rookie ball this season, posting a 2.88 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP, and a 64/16 strikeout to walk ratio over 50 innings with rookie level Bluefield. Essentially just a kid, he's listed at 5'10" and just 155 pounds, but the Brazilian righty might be the best prospect ever to come out of his country now that he throws in the low 90's and adds a great curveball, a developing changeup, and better command than you would expect from someone his age and with his background. This enabled him to dominate the Appalachian League at just 17 years old, and he'll spend the whole 2019 season at just 18 years old as he transitions to full season ball and really shows us what he's made of. It's very early, but Pardinho (who was born in 2001 if you want to feel old) has ace upside. 18 year old Adam Kloffenstein was actually high school teammates with Jordan Groshans (see low minors hitters section), and now they're teammates in the Blue Jays system after Groshans was drafted 12th overall and Kloffenstein came off the board in the third round (88th overall) from Magnolia High School near Houston. Kloffenstein is a 6'5" righty who threw just two innings in complex ball this year (no earned runs, one hit, two walks, four strikeouts), bringing a low 90's fastball and a full array of secondaries to the table, all of which he commands reasonably well. He's obviously young and unproven, but Kloffenstein has a classic mid-rotation starter's profile if he can sharpen his command just a bit more, and for a high school pitcher, he really doesn't have too many adjustments he needs to make. Expect him to be a quick riser despite his age (he turns 19 at the end of the 2019 season). 21 year old Sean Wymer was the Jays' fourth round pick out of TCU in 2018 (ironically where Kloffenstein was committed to pitch collegiately), and he posted a respectable 4.84 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP, and a 34/7 strikeout to walk ratio over 35.1 innings at short season Vancouver after he signed. Wymer is a 6'1" righty whose command is ahead of his stuff, working in the low 90's and adding a full array of secondary pitches, none of which stand out. He didn't really being starting until his junior year at TCU, working as a reliever his first two seasons, so I think it will be interesting how pro coaching helps him continue that transition from reliever to starter. If it goes well, he could be a #4 or #5 guy, and he could still be useful as a long reliever if he is pushed back to the bullpen. Lastly, 24 year old Andy McGuire played in the same high school baseball program as me in 2012 and 2013, and he earns mention here for that as well as for his uniqueness as a prospect. McGuire was actually considered a second round talent for the 2013 draft, but he attended Texas instead and had a roller coaster of a career that saw him switch from infielder to pitcher, transfer out, transfer back in, sit out a season, get cut from the team, and finally make it back onto the roster as a fifth year senior in 2018. He played so well in 2018 that he earned a 28th round selection from the Blue Jays, who sent him to Bluefield as a two-way player. He slashed .275/.431/.375 with an 11/10 strikeout to walk ratio over 13 games as a hitter, and he also posted a 3.09 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and a 22/8 strikeout to walk ratio over 23.1 innings as a pitcher. Having turned 24 during the offseason, he's certainly not young as far as prospects go, but it's always interesting to have a two-way player in the minors and he has the upside as either a middle reliever on the mound or a utility/bench bat.

Reviewing My 2016 Draft Rankings

Intro

I composed my first draft prospect list in 2015, which went 60 deep and, as you would expect from my first time, was filled with holes. I was able to successfully project the success of players like Walker Buehler, Kolby Allard, and Triston McKenzie, but swung and missed badly with a low ranking of Andrew Benintendi and a high ranking of Mike Nikorak. In 2016, with a year's experience under my belt, I ranked 150 players and published the top 100, and while it still wasn't my best work, I was much happier with it than I was with my 2015 rankings. I believe 2017 was the first year where I truly am content, but seeing that you can't evaluate a draft class on its first pro season, let's take a look back at how my 2016 draft rankings have fared 16 months in. 

Linked here are my top 100 draft prospects for 2016: http://www.coverthosebases.com/blog/silverman-top-100-players-in-the-2016-mlb-draft

There will be three sections:

Biggest Successes: Players that I ranked well ahead of industry consensus who, after their first full professional season, have outplayed that consensus and fit closer with my ranking than with most others

Biggest Misses I: Players that have outplayed my predictions, proving my ranking to be too conservative

Biggest Misses II: Players who I ranked well ahead of industry consensus who have not lived up to my expectations, proving my ranking to be too aggressive

Biggest Successes

#8 Forrest Whitley (MLB.com ranking: 12. Draft position: 17, Astros)

I loved everything about Whitley coming into draft day, noting the excellent downhill plane on his mid-90's fastball and his late-breaking, two-plane curveball. Putting an asterisk next to his name because of how high I was on him, I saw the potential to be an ace who could easily wind up as at least a mid-rotation starter. While he was ranked eighth on my list and 12th on MLB.com, he fell to pick #17, where the Astros took him. After a decent debut that summer, he caught fire this year and reached AA as a teenager. Not only did he pitch for AA Corpus Christi just 14 months after graduating high school, he actually thrived, posting a 1.84 ERA, a 0.82 WHIP, and a sharp 26/4 strikeout to walk ratio in 14.2 innings. I projected him as a potential ace, and he has done everything necessary to remain on track for that.

#11 Dakota Hudson (MLB.com ranking: 15. Draft position: 34, Cardinals)

This is another instance where my ranking, MLB.com's ranking, and the draft position were all in order. I bought in on Hudson's breakout season at Mississippi State, citing his devastating fastball/slider combination despite the lack of a proven track record. Despite being thought of as more of a project than a finished product, Hudson has progressed rapidly through the St. Louis farm system, starting 2017 off with AA Springfield and pitching very well (9-4, 2.53 ERA, 77/34 K/BB) before a late season promotion to AAA Memphis in just his first full professional season. While his Memphis numbers weren't excellent (4.42 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 19/15 K/BB in 38.2 innings), the fact of the matter is that he was in AAA barely a year removed from college and that he has addressed, though not fully vanquished, questions about his durability. He'll need more polish at AAA to begin 2018, but we should see the Tennessee native in the majors at some point during the year, my buying into his breakout year is looking pretty good.

#28 Carter Kieboom (MLB.com ranking: 45. Draft position: 28, Nationals)

This one is different than the first two, because both I and the Nationals saw something in Kieboom that MLB.com didn't. I saw his long swing but noticed that the bat head was in the zone for a long time, comparing him to Anthony Rendon if he could tap into his raw power. Pessimists didn't like the risk he carried, but I was enamored enough with his offensive upside to put label him a first round talent. Like Whitely, he earned an asterisk next to his name, used to denote my favorite players in the draft. The Nationals seemingly agreed with my optimism, taking him in the same spot I ranked him. He has exceeded expectations so far, sticking at shortstop for now despite most prognosticating him as a third baseman, and his bat has translated up to full season ball with no problems. In 48 games at Class A Hagerstown (with time missed to injury), he slashed .296/.400/.497 with eight home runs and a solid 40/28 strikeout to walk ratio despite not turning 20 until the very end of the season. If he can stay healthy, that Anthony Rendon projection could work out.

#34 Alec Hansen (MLB.com ranking: 62. Draft position: 49, White Sox)

Alec Hansen was an interesting case. The 6'7" right hander entered the spring as a candidate to go #1 overall with his mid to upper 90's fastball and solid secondaries, but his command completely dissolved at the beginning of the season and he was booted from Oklahoma's rotation. He managed to right the ship somewhat as the season went on, but his final line was less than inspiring: 5.40 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, 75/39 K/BB in 51.2 innings against mostly Big 12 competition. He had the high strikeout numbers, but if he couldn't harness his stuff, that would mean nothing at the next level. He plummeted in the rankings, but I chose to stay on the bandwagon and keep him at #34, 28 spots higher than MLB.com and 15 spots higher than his eventual draft position. I noted that pro coaching had the potential to streamline his delivery and improve his consistency, and so far, the results have been excellent. In 38 starts since being drafted, Hansen is 13-9 with a 2.39 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and most impressively, a 272/71 strikeout to walk ratio in 196 innings. He reached AA at the end of this season, making two starts and posting a 17/3 strikeout to walk ratio in 10.1 innings. The difference has been the return of his control, which was non-existent at OU (6.79 BB/9 in his junior year) but has reached an acceptable level in the minors (3.26 BB/9). At this point, he's looking more and more like the pitcher many thought could go first overall, and #34 could be too conservative a ranking when it's all said and done.

#56 Mike Shawaryn (MLB.com ranking: 139. Draft position: 148, Red Sox)

Mike Shawaryn is like Hansen-lite. After an excellent sophomore season at Maryland (13-2, 1.71 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 138/29 K/BB), he entered the spring as a potential first round pick. However, his junior season was inconsistent (6-4, 3.18 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 97/26 K/BB), and he slipped way down draft boards. He had a funky delivery to begin with, and skeptics saw the regression as a sign that his mechanics wouldn't work at the next level. I dropped him a fair amount as well, but I kept him in the top 60 because I didn't think his 2016 was as frightening as people thought. He maintained a high strikeout rate with 97 in 99 innings (I can't find batters faced data anywhere, so I don't know the K% or BB%), and he maintained a low walk rate of 2.36 per nine. The fact that he had solid control was what eased my mind over the mechanical worries, but it didn't for MLB teams, and he slipped to the fifth round, where the Red Sox took him 148th overall. Through 32 minor league starts reaching up to High Class A, he hasn't been amazing but he has more than held his own, going 8-8 with a 3.71 ERA, a 1.23 WHIP, and a 191/55 strikeout to walk ratio in 150.1 innings. Those numbers don't pop off the page, but I do like the high strikeout rate, and he's looking more like a second or third round pick than a fifth rounder right now. We'll have to keep an eye on the 0.80 career ground out to air out ratio though.

#63 Akil Baddoo (MLB.com ranking: 72. Draft position: 74, Twins)

This one is interesting. As of draft day, he was an extremely raw player with poor mechanics whose athleticism and overall trajectory got him noticed. He had big bat speed but looked like he would need a lot of refinement from pro coaching to get anywhere. A .178/.299/.570 slash line in the Gulf Coast League in 2016 seemingly confirmed that, though his 14.2% walk rate was promising. He spent the beginning of 2017 back in the GCL, slashing .267/.360/.440 in 20 games, but he caught fire upon a promotion to rookie level Elizabethton. In 33 games, the 18-19 year old slashed .357/.478/.579, walking 27 times (17.2%) to just 19 strikeouts (12.1%), boosting his stock considerably. Baddoo may have been raw last year, but he is well on his way to reaching his lofty ceiling.

#72 Zac Gallen (MLB.com ranking: 78. Draft position: 106, Cardinals)

My ranking wasn't too far ahead of MLB.com's ranking, but Gallen has been a success despite slipping out of the top 100, so I'll call it a win. He had a solid but unspectacular junior season at UNC (2.68 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 95/21 K/BB in 90.2 innings), relying more on pitchability and smarts than on pure stuff. Cognizant of that pitchability, I liked the stuff just enough to rank him ahead of industry consensus, and he's rewarded me so far. Just like Dakota Hudson, he was drafted by the Cardinals and ended up pitching in AAA by the end of 2017. Through 32 minor league games (29 starts), he is 10-8 with a 2.86 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP, and a 136/35 strikeout to walk ratio over 157.1 innings, and he should be one of the first pitchers from his draft class to break into the majors.

#74 Garrett Williams (MLB.com ranking: 154. Draft position: 215, Giants)

This is one I am very proud of. Scouts liked his stuff, but he struggled to stay healthy (31.2 innings in sophomore and junior seasons at Oklahoma State combined) and with his command (30 walks in that span). I was particularly enamored with his stuff, noting an "angled, running fastball, a two-plane curveball that he can mend the shape of, and a fading changeup" (from my 2016 pre-draft notes). I liked his delivery as well, and noted that getting farther from his shoulder injury could help improve his dreadful command, especially as he was on the mound consistently. This all depended on him staying healthy, but so far, he has, and he has thus far justified my extremely optimistic ranking 141 spots higher than he was picked. In 2017, between Class A Augusta and High Class A San Jose in the hitters' paradise California League, Williams went 6-5 with a 2.32 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP, striking out 96 to 35 walks in 97 innings. The walk rate is still a bit high, but it has come down significantly from college and I think it will continue to do so. Watch this one.

Biggest Misses I (under-projected)

#7 Nick Senzel (MLB.com ranking: 7. Draft position: 2, Reds)

This isn't that big of a miss considering I ranked Senzel in the same place as MLB.com, but I still underestimated him. His big junior season at Tennessee saw him slash .352/.456/.595 with eight home runs, but I saw him more as a solid third baseman than as a star. I recognized his high floor, but wasn't sold on a ceiling of anything higher than a solid, Chase Headley-type third baseman. However, he has already reached AA and is slashing .315/.393/.514 with 21 home runs in his minor league career, including a .340/.413/.560 line in 57 games at AA Pensacola. He still may not be on track for that Headley comparison, but he's skirting right along his ceiling and could push it higher into the Anthony Rendon range (like Kieboom). 

#77 Bo Bichette (MLB.com ranking: 90. Draft position: 66, Blue Jays)

I actually ranked Bichette thirteen spots ahead of MLB.com, but also eleven spots behind where he was taken by the Blue Jays. The talent was evident, as he showed great bat speed and bat control, even if his mechanics were a little wild. However, I, along with most of the teams who picked before the Jays, missed the true potential, as literally everything has gone right for Bichette since draft day. Through 132 games across three levels (22 in the GCL, 70 in Class A, 40 in High Class A), the 19 year old is slashing .372/.427/.591 with 18 home runs, 50 doubles, and 25 stolen bases, including a .323/.379/.463 line at High A this year in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League. Despite being ranked 90th in his draft class by MLB.com in June 2016, he is now ranked as the 25th best prospect in all of baseball, and in my opinion, MLB.com is being too conservative yet again.

#117 Austin Hays (MLB.com ranking: 120. Draft position: 91, Orioles)

Again, I had Hays three spots ahead of MLB.com (as you can see, they're not very good prognosticators), but the Orioles recognized offensive ability that I didn't and took him 26 spots higher than I ranked him. I liked his quick swing but I didn't think the power would hold as he moved up, knocking him out of my top 100. As it turns out, his offensive breakout at the University of Jacksonville was no joke, and he has cracked no fewer than 36 minor league home runs over 166 games so far, slashing .330/.370/.576 in the short season New-York Penn League (38 games in 2016), High A Carolina League (64 games in 2017), and AA Eastern League (64 games). He even earned a September promotion to the big leagues, adding a 37th professional home run as the first player from the 2016 draft class to reach the majors.

#148 Bryse Wilson (MLB.com ranking: 144. Draft position: 109, Braves)

I saw nothing particularly special in Wilson, a high schooler from North Carolina, noting an uneven arm path and what I saw as a below-average slider. The Braves loved the arm strength that I merely liked, taking him 39 spots ahead of my ranking, and it has paid off in spades so far. The slider still isn't great, but they cleaned up his arm path and both his velocity and command have held up, helping him put up an excellent season for Class A Rome this year. Over 26 starts, the 19 year old went 10-7 with a 2.50 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP, striking out 139 and walking 37 in 137 innings. There are still questions as to how he will hold up at the higher levels without that slider, and he may still turn out to be a reliever, but there is certainly talent here that I did not pick up.

Biggest Misses II (over-projected)

#1 Mickey Moniak (MLB.com ranking: 5. Draft position: 1, Phillies)

This one is an interesting case. Moniak had helium throughout the Spring of 2016, starting as a mid-first round candidate before hitting his way into the top ten and ultimately top five consideration. General industry consensus never moved him past the 4-7 range, but he was a personal favorite of mine due to his swing mechanics and makeup, so I aggressively ranked him number one on my draft board well before the Phillies buzz. As it turned out, the Phillies agreed with me, selecting Moniak first overall. They aggressively assigned him to Class A Lakewood this year, and the results were underwhelming to say the least: .236/.284/.341, five home runs, eleven stolen bases in 123 games. He may have been 19 playing in full season ball, but those numbers just don't cut it. Unfortunately, when I saw Lakewood play at Delmarva on my day off work, Moniak was on the bench, and I only got to see one pinch-hitting plate appearance (he grounded out). Moniak is far from a bust, but he'll probably repeat the level in 2018 in hopes of adjusting. I still have high hopes for Moniak being a star outfielder in Philadelphia, but other players such as Forrest Whitley, Nick Senzel, Bo Bichette, and A.J. Puk have moved ahead of him in his draft class.

#15 Buddy Reed (MLB.com ranking: 30. Draft position: 48, Padres)

I remained optimistic on Alec Hansen and Mike Shawaryn when their stock faded, and that worked out, but it didn't work out when I did the same for Buddy Reed. An extremely athletic outfielder who slashed .305/.367/.433 with 18 stolen bases as a sophomore at Florida, he regressed to .262/.362/.395 with 24 stolen bases as a junior, looking lost at the plate and leading many scouts to question his floor. I still liked his athleticism at the time, but looking back, the warning signs were there, as his high sophomore strikeout rate (17.9%) jumped to 20.5% as a junior. In his full season debut with Class A Fort Wayne this year, he put up a disappointing .234/.290/.396 line with six home runs and 12 stolen bases in 88 games, striking out in 28% of his plate appearances. His athleticism could still help him adjust as he moves up, but he certainly hasn't justified a mid-first round ranking and probably never will.

#49 Jake Fraley (MLB.com ranking: 89. Draft position: 77, Rays)

As of draft day, Fraley struck me as a high floor, low ceiling outfielder who would ultimately fall somewhere between a Sam Fuld and a Gerardo Parra, with the overall projection of a starting outfielder with speed but limited pop. He slashed a career best .326/.408/.464 with five home runs and 28 stolen bases as a junior at LSU in 2016, showing a quick swing and an 11.8% walk rate (coupled with a 10.5% strikeout rate) that led me to make that high-floor projection. Unfortunately, injuries have limited his time on the field in pro ball, and in the 85 total games he has seen on the field, he is slashing just .229/.319/.356 with three home runs and 37 stolen bases. He spent 26 games in the High Class A Florida State League in 2017, which turned out to be a miserable failure as he slashed .170/.238/.255 with one home run, one stolen base, three caught stealing's, and a 22.9% strikeout rate to just a 6.7% walk rate. The 22 year old could concievably bounce back when healthy, but he has a lot of catch-up to play and just as much to prove.

#81 Walker Robbins (MLB.com ranking: 93. Draft position: 166, Cardinals)

This one is just a straight miss on my part. Robbins was a country strong power hitter from rural southeastern Mississippi, one who I believed could break out with pro refinement once his swing was cleaned up. Unfortunately, a year and a half later, that hasn't happened. Through 70 pro games (30 in the complex level Gulf Coast League in 2016, 40 in the Appalachian League in 2017), Robbins is slashing just .179/.239/.246 with two home runs and a 79/19 strikeout to walk ratio. That comes out to a 30% strikeout rate, a 7.2% walk rate, and virtually no production. Robbins is still just 19 and has time to right the ship, but at this point he is looking like a long shot.

Minor League Awards

With the minor league season coming to a close, it's time to hand out the awards for the best hitters and pitchers. Please note that this is not based on prospect status, but on performance. Performance in different levels will be weighed roughly the same to allow the awards to expand outside of just AA and AAA, though players from higher levels will get a closer look. Some general minor league information: the levels are, from highest to lowest, AAA, AA, High A, Class A, Short Season A, Rookie, and complex (GCL, AZL, DSL, VSL). The California League (one of three leagues in High A) is extremely hitter-friendly and gives a Coors Field-type effect to players' stats, while the Pacific Coast League (one of two leagues in AAA) and Pioneer League (one of two Rookie leagues) are also very hitter-friendly. The Florida State League (one of three leagues in High A) is very pitcher-friendly, and the Texas League (one of three leagues in AA) and Midwest League (one of two leagues in Class A) also lean pitcher-friendly. Most others are relatively neutral. I'll also reference my 2015, 2016, and 2017 draft rankings a fair amount. The way I weight them is like this: 2015 was just a learning year, one where I made my first list through trial with no error yet to learn from. 2016 was my warm-up year, the one where I had been through a year of rankings but still didn't have much error to learn from. 2017 was my first real year.

Minor League Hitter of the Year

Winner: Bo Bichette (Blue Jays Class A and High A): 14 HR, 74 RBI, .362 AVG, 22 SB, 181 wRC+

If you want to see some crazy numbers, look no further than Blue Jays prospect Bo Bichette. One of two Jays' teenagers/sons of MLB stars to post huge breakout seasons (see Vladimir Guerrero Jr.), the son of Dante Bichette has blown every expectation out of the water. Drafted in the second round (66th overall) out of a Florida high school in 2016, I liked his swing but had just enough doubt in his ability to tone it down that I ranked him 77th. As it turns out, he'd be a top ten or even top five pick if the draft happened again. Bichette tore up the complex-level Gulf Coast League immediately following his signing in 2016 (.427/.451/.732 in 22 games) and picked up right where he left off in 2017. Less than a year after graduating high school, the 19 year old was assigned to Class A Lansing in the Midwest League, where he absolutely ripped the cover off the ball, slashing .384/.448/.623 with 32 doubles, three triples, and ten home runs in 70 games, adding in 12 stolen bases in 15 tries to boot. This added up to a ridiculous .476 wOBA and a 201 wRC+, forcing the Jays to move their budding star to High Class A Dunedin in the tough Florida State League. There, he turned a bit more human (until you remember he's still 19 years old), slashing .323/.379/.463 with nine doubles, a triple, four home runs, and ten stolen bases in 40 games. Combined, he finished his season slashing .362/.423/.565 with 41 doubles, four triples, and 14 home runs, giving him 59 extra base hits in 110 games to go along with 22 stolen bases and a very high OBP. If he can begin to turn those doubles into home runs, Bichette has a very good chance to be an All Star at the next level.

Runner-Up: Austin Hays (Orioles High A and AA): 32 HR, 95 RBI, .329 AVG, 5 SB, 164 wRC+

It may just be Hays' first full pro season, but he's already made a mockery out of three different levels. After being drafted in the third round (91st overall) out of Jacksonville University in 2016, he slashed .336/.386/.514 with four home runs in a 38 game debut in the New York-Penn League. To start the season, he was handed an aggressive assignment to High Class A Frederick, where he did nothing but rake. Over 64 games, he slashed .328/.364/.592 with 16 home runs, posting a .422 wOBA and a 167 wRC+ for the Keys. Promoted to AA Bowie two weeks before his 22nd birthday and barely a year after he was drafted, he put up virtually the same numbers, slashing .330/.367/.594 with 16 home runs, a .418 wOBA, and a 161 wRC+ over 64 games. That's a combined 32 home runs and an OPS of .958 this season for the Daytona Beach native. As I was writing this paragraph, the Orioles called him up to the major leagues, where he could be a significant piece in the Baltimore lineup in time. I ranked him 117th in my 2016 rankings, 26 spots below where the Orioles took him, and I admittedly overlooked his offensive capability. I noted his quick swing and his knack for making contact, but I was worried about his balance and power projection and those now seem like they won't be issues. Hays' one spot for improvement offensively this year is in his patience, as he walked in just 4.4% of his plate appearances. Going forward, that will be important, and his lack of OBP skills could turn him into a Yulieski Gurriel type hitter at the next level.

Honorable Mention: Ronald Acuna (Braves High A, AA, and AAA): 21 HR, 82 RBI, .325 AVG, 44 SB, 155 wRC+

Acuna is one of this year's biggest breakout stars, and his huge season has put him at or near the top of every updated prospect list out there. He was profiled a few weeks ago in my Minor League Watch, and with good reason. The 19 year old has played at three levels this year and has actually improved at each stop. He slashed .287/.336/.478 (.370 wOBA, 135 wRC+) in 28 games at High Class A Florida in the tough Florida State League, then slashed .326/.374/.520 (.404 wOBA, 159 wRC+) in 57 games at AA Mississippi, followed by a .344/.393/.548 line (.413 wOBA, 162 wRC+) in 54 games at AAA Gwinnett. He's getting better and better with each promotion, and the best part is that he's still a teenager. Even his strikeout rate dropped from 31.7% at High A to 23% at AA and 19.8% at AAA, while his walk rates have remained mostly steady (6.3%, 7.4%, 7.0%). He's probably a bit too raw to play in the majors today, as he needs to continue to make progress on his approach, but every arrow points towards "future superstar" for Acuna. I haven't even mentioned that he stole 44 bases this year, albeit while being caught 20 times.

Others: Rhys Hoskins (PHI AAA: 29 HR, 91 RBI, .284 AVG, 4 SB, 166 wRC+), Ryan McMahon (COL AA and AAA, 20 HR, 88 RBI, .355 AVG, 11 SB, 157 wRC+), Jeremy Barfield (BOS AA and AAA, 28 HR, 76 RBI, .293 AVG, 1 SB, 161 wRC+), Nick Senzel (CIN High A and AA, 14 HR, 65 RBI, .321 AVG, 14 SB, 164 wRC+)

Even when you don't include Rhys Hoskins' incredible first month in the majors, he was having a special season, slashing .284/.385/.581 with 29 home runs over 115 games at AAA Lehigh Valley. Those look like pretty good numbers on the surface, but when you adjust for the fact that the International League tends to lean a tad pitcher-friendly, you get an excellent 166 wRC+, better than both Hays (164) and Acuna (155). Combine his 26 MLB games and the man has 41 home runs with a .291/.395/.614 line over 141 games. Ryan McMahon slashed .326/.390/.536 with six home runs in 49 games at AA Hartford before a promotion to AAA Albuquerque, where he caught fire in the hitter-friendly environment. In 70 games, the 22 year old slashed .374/.411/.612 with 14 home runs and 23 doubles, earning a promotion to the major leagues for the Rockies. Jeremy Barfield spent most of 2017 with AA Portland, where he slashed .288/.359/.584 with 27 home runs in the pitcher-friendly environment. He got a brief, three game promotion to AAA Pawtucket, where he cracked five hits, including a home run, in eleven at bats while walking four times in the series against Rochester. Lastly, Nick Senzel was picked second overall by the Reds in 2016 out of the University of Tennessee, and so far, he's lived up to the billing. Starting the season at High Class A Daytona in the Florida State League, he slashed .305/.371/.476 with four home runs and 26 doubles in 62 games. Promoted to AA Pensacola, he caught fire, slashing .340/.413/.560 with ten home runs over 57 games, and if it weren't for an injury at the end of the season, he might have earned a call-up to the big club in September.

Minor League Pitcher of the Year

Winner: Jon Duplantier (ARI Class A and High A): 12-3, 1.39 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 165/42 K/BB

After overlooking Austin Hays and being conservative with Bo Bichette, I had better luck with the pitchers in my 2016 rankings. Jon Duplantier, then with Rice University, ranked 45th in my rankings before the 2016 draft due to his nasty stuff, but he lasted until pick 89 (3rd round) due to shoulder concerns. Turns out my optimism paid off, as Duplantier has absolutely dominated this season. Starting off at Class A Kane County, he completely overmatched his opponents, going 6-1 with a 1.24 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP, striking out 78 and walking just 15 in 72.2 innings for the Cougars. Promoted to High Class A Visalia in the extremely hitter-friendly California League, he seemingly forgot that he was in a hitters' paradise and went 6-2 with a 1.56 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP, this time striking out 87 and walking 27 in 63.1 innings. Combined, that's a 1.39 ERA and a very strong 34.1 strikeout percentage. In his 25 games, all but one of which lasted at least 5 innings, he never allowed more than three earned runs in any start and allowed either zero or one earned run in 19 of the 25. I noted before the 2016 draft that health aside, Duplantier's ticket to a big league rotation would be improving his command, and it looks like he has made progress there. Total batters faced/walk percentage data isn't available for Duplantier's time at Rice, but we can look at the slightly inferior walks per nine innings. In his junior year at Rice in 2016, he walked 3.81 per nine, but that fell to 1.86 at Class A this year. It jumped back up to 3.84 at High A, but that's in a very hitter-friendly environment following a promotion so we can give him the benefit of the doubt. He still has work to do on his command, but he has become one of the lone bright spots in a very barren Diamondbacks farm system.

Runner-Up: Corbin Burnes (MIL High A and AA): 8-3, 1.67 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 140/36 K/BB

Two pitchers, two wins for my 2016 draft rankings. I ranked the then-St. Mary's pitcher 48th due to his athleticism, velocity, and promising offspeed stuff, but industry concerns about the future development of said offspeed pitches as well as questions about his durability dropped him to the fourth round, where the Brewers took him 111th. Apparently, those offspeed pitches came along like I predicted, as he absolutely dominated the mid minors this year. Starting off in High Class A Carolina, he couldn't have been any better, going 5-0 with a 1.05 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP over ten starts, striking out 56 and walking 16 in 60 innings. Promoted to AA Biloxi, the 22 year old was still great, going 3-3 with a 2.10 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP, this time striking out 84 and walking just 20 in 85.2 innings. On August 21st, in a AA game against Mobile (Angels AA), he tossed eight shutout innings on just two hits and two walks, striking out eight BayBears while throwing just 94 pitches. He should be in the big league rotation, assuming there is space, by next season. Combined with his 2.02 ERA in 2016, he now has a career 1.74 ERA through 181.1 minor league innings. 

Honorable Mention: Jack Flaherty (STL AA and AAA): 14-4, 2.18 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 147/35 K/BB

Flaherty, a 2014 first round pick out of the same California high school that produced Lucas Giolito and Max Fried, broke out this year in a big way. His first three pro seasons were pretty good (including a 2.84 ERA at Class A Peoria in 2015), but 2017 was something else entirely. Beginning his season at AA Springfield, he completely shut down Texas League competition by going 7-2 with a 1.42 ERA, a 0.92 WHIP, and a 62/11 strikeout to walk ratio in 63.1 innings. Promoted to AAA Memphis in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, he became more human but still put up very dominant numbers considering the league production, going 7-2 (again) with a 2.74 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP, and an 85/24 strikeout to walk ratio over 85.1 innings. That earned him a promotion to the big club, and he made his MLB debut with the Cardinals on September 1st. Overall, 2017 could not have gone any better for the 6'4" righty, who added a few miles per hour to his fastball and sharpened his offspeed pitches this year. Throw in Luke Weaver (MLB), Alex Reyes (MLB/AAA), Zac Gallen (AAA), Dakota Hudson (AAA), and Austin Gomber (AA), and aside from the Braves, the Cardinals may have the best crop of advanced young pitching in baseball. 

Others: Tyler Mahle (CIN AA and AAA: 10-7, 2.06 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 138/30 K/BB), Rogelio Armenteros (HOU AA and AAA: 10-4, 2.04 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 146/38 K/BB), Joey Lucchesi (SD High A and AA: 11-7, 2.20 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 148/33 K/BB), Merandy Gonzalez (MIA Class A and High A: 13-3, 1.66 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 103/26 K/BB)

Tyler Mahle had possibly the best single month of any pitcher this year, starting off his season 4-0 with a 0.55 ERA and a 0.52 WHIP over five April starts for AA Pensacola, including a perfect game against Mobile (Angels AA). Over 14 AA starts, he ultimately finished 7-3 with a 1.59 ERA, a 0.87 WHIP, and an 87/17 strikeout to walk ratio over 85 innings before being promoted to AAA Louisville. There, he succeeded again, finishing 3-4 with a 2.73 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP over ten starts, striking out 51 and walking 13 in 59.1 innings before earning a call-up to the Reds at the end of August. Rogelio Armenteros broke out in a huge way in 2017, starting off by dominating the Texas League by going 2-3 with a 1.93 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP over 14 games (10 starts), striking out 74 and walking 19 in 65.1 innings for AA Corpus Christi. Promoted to AAA Fresno in the tough Pacific Coast League, he was just as good, going 8-1 with a 2.16 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP, striking out 72 and walking 19 in 58.1 innings. On August 26th, the Cuban native shut down Tacoma (Mariners AAA) through eight innings, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out eight. Joey Lucchesi was drafted in the fourth round out of Southeast Missouri State in 2016, and began the year in the extremely hitter-friendly California League. No worries, as he went 6-4 with a 2.52 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP over 14 starts for High Class A Lake Elsinore, striking out 95 and walking just 19 in 78.2 innings. At AA San Antonio, he went 5-3 with a 1.79 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP, striking out 53 and walking 14 in 60.1 innings. Lastly, we have Merandy Gonzalez, who broke out this year with a huge season in the mid minors. Starting with Class A Columbia in the Mets organization, Gonzalez went 8-1 with a 1.55 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP, striking out 65 and walking 13 in 69.2 innings. That performance earned him a call-up to High Class A Port St. Lucie, but he was traded to the Marlins at the deadline in the A.J. Ramos deal and finished out the season at High Class A Jupiter. Between Port St. Lucie and Jupiter, both in the Florida State League, he put up more excellent numbers, going 5-2 with a 1.78 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP, striking out 38 and walking 13 in 60.2 innings. The combined ERA of 1.66 tempted me to rank him higher, but I kept him seventh due to the pitcher-friendly nature of the Florida State League as well as his low strikeout rate in that league (15.4%).