Comments on: For The Record: Single-Season Home Run Leaders For Every Minor League

By: Babba Da Boopy

Babba Da Boopy — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 06:43:54 +0000

Joey Gallo now has 9 homers in just 58 ABs in the Arizona league. That's 6.3 AB/HR. Oh Boy!

By: Matt Eddy

Matt Eddy — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 14:39:10 +0000

Your story checks out regarding Richard Lee Stuart. Good find. Dr. Strangeglove did in fact hit 66 homers for Lincoln of the Class A Western League in 1956. The book "Going For The Fences" credits Stuart's total as the fourth-highest in minor league history. The reason his feat is not included in the chart above is because 1) it occurred prior to the 1962 player development plan, and 2) the Western League no long exists, thus present-day fans have no context in which to place Stuart's achievement.

By: William Patalon III

William Patalon III — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 17:44:28 +0000

What about **** Stuart, the Pirates' first baseman, who hit 66 homers for Lincoln in 1956? When he first came to the majors, the story goes that he had a suitcase with a big "66" painted on the side surrounded by a circle of painted stars.

By: Matt Eddy

Matt Eddy — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 16:00:17 +0000

@ brett

Yes, the minors league single-season home run leaders are going to tend toward old-for-the-level corner infielders, particularly at the Triple-A level. The offensive bar is so high for corner players—especially first basemen—at the big league level that most will fall short. In my opinion, this tells us more about the quality of the big leaguers than about the shoddiness of the minor league sluggers.

However, the modern league leaders list contains an all-star first baseman (Derrek Lee), a slugger with 194 big league homers (Russell Branyan) and a fallen top prospect who's attempting to fashion a utility career (Brandon Wood).

And don't forget the prospects and young players of today who once led a minor league in home runs:

• Mike Stanton, 39, ’08 South Atlantic
• Mark Trumbo, 36, ’10 Pacific Coast
• Paul Goldschmidt, 35, ’10 California & 30, ’11 Southern
• Tim Wheeler, 33, ’11 Texas
• Michael Choice, 30, ’11 California
• Colby Rasmus, 29, ’07 Texas
• Mike Moustakas, 22, ’08 Midwest
• Eddie Rosario, 21, ’11 Appalachian

By: Daniel C

Daniel C — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 20:37:56 +0000

I get your point but let me point out that players like Hanley Ramirez, Joey Votto, Miguel Cabrera, Adrian Gonzalez, Matt Kemp and Grady Sizemore, to name a few…All played full seasons in the GCL with many more at bats than the 153 ab that it took Arce to break the record this year. A HR every 10.9 AB's is Elite production. The young man also led the league in Walks, HBP and was 2nd in RBI. Not to mention that he is like 5'10. Hopefully its a sign of good things to come for this young man.

By: brett

brett — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 16:44:37 +0000

Great background on the minor league history. Two observations from this article and stats:
1. If any of these players were actually top at their position, they would have been promoted to the next level and would not have set their record. So these are really "Best of the guys not good enough to be promoted"
2. The only players that you've probably ever hear of on these list are Tony, Lazzeri, Ron Kittle and Derrek Lee. Of the rest, they never amounted to much, hinting that at the minor league level, homeruns do not equate to major league success.

I'd love to see an article on minor league stats that DO equate to major league success!