C ENDY RODRIGUEZ, PIRATES
TRIPLE-A INDIANAPOLIS
The athletic Rodriguez moved between catcher, second base, left field and first base early in the season while he split time behind the plate with Henry Davis at High-A Greensboro. Something clicked for the 22-year-old around midseason and his bat carried him to Double-A and then Triple-A. From June 25 until the end of the season, Rodriguez hit .386/.469/.724 with 18 home runs in 67 games. No qualified minor league hitter topped his 1.193 OPS during this time.
1B KYLE MANZARDO, RAYS
DOUBLE-A MONTGOMERY
Drafted out of Washington State in the second round in 2021, Manzardo had no trouble adjusting to pro ball in his full-season debut. He cruised through High-A on his way to Double-A in early August. Manzardo popped 22 home runs in 93 games and his 1.043 OPS ranked second in the minor leagues, but he truly stood out for his swing decisions. He makes a ton of contact, rarely chases out of the zone and finished the season with 59 walks against 65 strikeouts.
2B VAUGHN GRISSOM, BRAVES
DOUBLE-A MISSISSIPPI
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THE SERVICE TIME CONUNDRUM
MLB’s byzantine service time rules cloud rookie status and now PPI eligibility
LUIS TIANT WAS MLB'S MOST SUCCESSFUL CUBAN PITCHER
On a scouting trip to Cuba in 1957, Bobby Avila discovered 16-year-old righthander Luis Tiant on the island's Juvenile League all-star team.
ORGANIZATION REPORT
Outfielder Heston Kjerstad's career has been unique, to say the least.
TOP 10 NL EAST
From the moment Thomas White stepped on a high school mound, he was viewed as the top lefthander available in the 2023 draft.
PREPARATION PAYS OFF
lowa politician J.D. Scholten makes a surprising return to pro ball at age 44
MAKING THE GRADE
Assessing the future value of graduated National League prospects
TOP 10 NL WEST
Even in high school, Bryce Eldridge could hit the ball a mile. The 6-foot-7 righthander could also touch 96 mph off the mound.
Wood Has Towering Upside- Nationals rookie James Wood also stands 6-foot-7 and also has game-changing power.
Aaron Judge and Oneil Cruz are 6-foot7 sluggers who stand out for their power in this year’s MLB Best Tools voting. Wood spent half of this season with Triple-A Rochester before making his MLB debut on July 1. While he was in the International League, he captured managers’ attention. Wood unanimously won Best Power Prospect and also claimed Most Exciting Player in a survey of league skippers. Wood hit .353/.463/.595 with 10 home runs in 52 games for Rochester. His .242 isolated slugging was the best for a player 21 or younger at Triple-A this season.
ROAD BLOCK?
Scholarship expansion puts mid-majors at a major disadvantage on the road to Omaha
ROYALS REVIVAL
A revamped and rejuvenated farm system has Kansas City ready to rebound
