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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Bu hikaye Baseball America dergisinin October 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
THE SERVICE TIME CONUNDRUM
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ORGANIZATION REPORT
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lowa politician J.D. Scholten makes a surprising return to pro ball at age 44
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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
