Leaders and Playoff Qualifiers As Domestic Minor Leagues Resume
Image credit: Yanquiel Fernandez (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
After a four-day break, the domestic minor leagues are back. The Dominican Summer League was the only game in town on the first two days of the major league all-star break, and the Florida and Arizona Complex leagues only returned on July 13.
With full-season games set to resume on July 14 with brief, three-game sets across the full-season leagues, here’s a quick look back at what happened before the break.
One fact that stands out: The playoffs are full of parity this season. Of 18 possible entrants based on first-half division winners, 15 major league clubs are represented. The two teams with multiple affiliates in the postseason are the Yankees (Double-A Somerset and High-A Hudson Valley) and the Dodgers (Triple-A Oklahoma City, High-A Great Lakes and Low-A Rancho Cucamonga).
The High-A Northwest League does not use the first-half, second-half format to seed its playoffs.
Among prospects, the Orioles and Rockies stand out.
Top Baltimore prospect Jackson Holliday departs the High-A South Atlantic League with a circuit-best .452 OBP, infielder Cesar Prieto’s .364 batting average remains the best in the Eastern League even after Prieto moved to Triple-A Norfolk, and lefty Cade Povich’s 108 strikeouts pace the EL. A level above, outfielder Colton Cowser’s .459 OBP was the best in the International League before he was called up to Baltimore.
Colorado’s Cuban slugger Yanquiel Fernandez leads qualifiers in the High-A Northwest League in batting average (.319) and slugging percentage (.605) despite having been promoted to Double-A Hartford. Rockies outfield prospect Jordan Beck remains in High-A and leads the NWL in home runs (20) and RBIs (72).
Reds prospects have also made their mark on both sides of the ball. Double-A righthander Connor Phillips’ 111 strikeouts lead the minor leagues, and righty Jose Aguiar’s 1.92 ERA is the best in the High-A Midwest League.
Outfielder Hector Rodriguez’s sudden power outburst has helped push him into a tie for the home run lead in the Low-A Florida State League and sole possession of the circuit’s best slugging percentage, with a mark of .569.
INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE
Leaders
Home Runs: Luken Baker (22)
RBIs: Zack Collins (65)
Batting Average: Xavier Edwards (.368)
On-Base Percentage: Colton Cowser (.459)
Slugging Percentage: Jake Cave (.710)
Strikeouts: Robert Gasser (95)
ERA: Allan Winans (2.70)
Clinched Playoffs: Norfolk (Orioles)
PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE
Leaders
Home Runs: Jo Adell, Trey Cabbage (23)
RBIs: Cody Thomas (79)
Batting Average: Philip Evans (.356)
On-Base Percentage: Philip Evans (.469)
Slugging Percentage: Dom Canzone (.634)
Strikeouts: Kenny Rosenberg (97)
ERA: Kenny Rosenberg (4.28)
Clinched Playoffs: Oklahoma City (Dodgers)
EASTERN LEAGUE
Clinched Playoffs: Somerset (Yankees, Northeast), Erie (Tigers, Southwest)
Leaders
Home Runs: Tyler Hardman (20)
RBIs: Hunter Goodman (64)
Batting Average: Cesar Prieto (.364)
On-Base Percentage: Matt Rudick (.435)
Slugging Percentage: Coby Mayo (.603)
Strikeouts: Cade Povich (108)
ERA: Brian Van Belle (3.00)
SOUTHERN LEAGUE
Clinched Playoffs: Chattanooga (Reds, North), Pensacola (Marlins, South)
Home Runs: Troy Johnston (18)
RBIs: Troy Johnston (66)
Batting Average: Austin Shenton (.307)
On-Base Percentage: Tyler Black (.424)
Slugging Percentage: Austin Shenton (.567)
Strikeouts: Connor Phillips (111)
ERA: Patrick Monteverde (1.93)
TEXAS LEAGUE
Clinched Playoffs: Arkansas (Mariners, North), San Antonio (Padres, South)
Home Runs: Chandler Redmond (23)
RBIs: Chandler Redmond, Robbie Tenerowicz (67)
Batting Average: Ryan Bliss (.358)
On-Base Percentage: Ripken Reyes (.431)
Slugging Percentage: Ryan Bliss (.594)
Strikeouts: Jackson Wolf (98)
ERA: Colton Gordon (3.45)
SOUTH ATLANTIC LEAGUE
Clinched Playoffs: Hudson Valley (Yankees, North), Greenville (Red Sox, South)
Home Runs: Jase Bowen (17)
RBIs: Jase Bowen (62)
Batting Average: Blaze Jordan (.324)
On-Base Percentage: Jackson Holliday (.452)
Slugging Percentage: Tsung-Che Cheng (.575)
Strikeouts: Wikelman Gonzalez (105)
ERA: Tyler Stuart (1.55)
MIDWEST LEAGUE
Clinched Playoffs: Great Lakes (Dodgers, East), Cedar Rapids (Twins, West)
Home Runs: Tanner Schobel (14)
RBIs: Nathan Martorella (59)
Batting Average: Ezequiel Pagan (.322)
On-Base Percentage: Dalton Rushing (.424)
Slugging Percentage: Marcos Castañon (.491)
Strikeouts: Tyson Guerrero (86)
ERA: Julian Aguiar (1.92)
NORTHWEST LEAGUE
Home Runs: Jordan Beck (20)
RBIs: Jordan Beck (72)
Batting Average: Yanquiel Fernandez (.319)
On-Base Percentage: Alan Roden (.434)
Slugging Percentage: Yanquiel Fernandez (.605)
Strikeouts: Reid Van Scoter (95)
ERA: Connor Van Scoyoc (2.78)
CAROLINA LEAGUE
Clinched Playoffs: Down East (Rangers, North), Myrtle Beach (Cubs, South)
Home Runs: Tim Elko (17)
RBIs: Tim Elko (57)
Batting Average: Dominic Keegan (.315)
On-Base Percentage: Mario Camiletti (.431)
Slugging Percentage: Felix Stevens (.561)
Strikeouts: Trey Dombroski (93)
ERA: Jorge Bautista (2.93)
FLORIDA STATE LEAGUE
Clinched Playoffs: Palm Beach (Cardinals, East), Clearwater (Phillies, West)
Home Runs: Hector Rodriguez, Jared Serna (14)
RBIs: Jared Serna (51)
Batting Average: Justin Crawford (.344)
On-Base Percentage: Jorge Caballero (.409)
Slugging Percentage: Hector Rodriguez (.569)
Strikeouts: Justin Lange (85)
ERA: Hancel Rincon (3.27)
CALIFORNIA LEAGUE
Clinched Playoffs: San Jose (Giants, North Division), Rancho Cucamonga (Dodgers, South Division)
Home Runs: Ryan Ritter (18)
RBIs: Albert Fabian, Ryan Ritter (58)
Batting Average: Gabriel Gonzalez (.348)
On-Base Percentage: Graham Pauley (.422)
Slugging Percentage: Ryan Ritter (.606)
Strikeouts: James Gonzalez (83)
ERA: Jorge Marcheco (2.79)
