The divisional reports are a new series put out by the PitcherList dynasty team. These reports provide a list of the top ten prospects on each team in the division and highlight two players from each organization. Each division will be updated once per month by our divisional experts. Below is the third update for the AL Central that involves some early movement in 2024.
AL Central
Top 10 Prospects
Notable Prospect Performances:
- Noah Schultz: Once again Schultz proved he’s the top and most consistent prospect in the White Sox System. Still 20 years old for another month, Schultz has been throwing around 4 innings per start for Double-A. His 1.93 ERA with 30 strikeouts in 23.1 innings showcases the plus stuff. With just 16 hits and 3 walks allowed, the next challenge is to pitch deeper in games, but that might not happen until 2025.
- Mason Adams: A potential late-season promotion, Adams has pitched to a 2.13 ERA in 80.1 Double-A innings. A mid-to-back end starter, Adams is a piece that can shorten the White Sox rebuild. With Garret Crochet likely to be traded, Adams could be one of the prospect pitchers to see a spot start.
- Brooks Baldwin: Baldwin has been one of the best hitting prospects in 2024 for the White Sox. With a .335 average in Double-A with just 49 strikeouts in 71 games, Baldwin is making a case for a potential 2024 MLB debut. With some pop and good speed, Baldwin has the chance to be a 15-home run and 25-steal threat.
Notable Promotions and News:
- Drew Thorpe: Thorpe finally got the promotion to the White Sox after a dominant start in Double-A. Outside of one bad start, Thorpe has carried over much of his success. The walks have increased, but 9 of his 12 have come in two starts. Thorpe should stick in Chicago for the rest of 2024.
- Ky Bush: Like Thorpe, Bush could be next in line to see time in Chicago. Outside of Mason Adams, Bush has the best numbers in Double-A. With a 2.12 ERA with 78 strikeouts in 80.2 innings, Bush has rebounded nicely from a poor 2023.
- Eduardo Herrera: With the DSL season underway, Herrera has gotten off to a solid start. No home runs, but Herrera has a 12K:7BB ratio with a .259 average, a double, and a triple. 6’3, 212 pounds at 17 years old, the physical aspect is already there and once the power starts, it may not stop.
Top 10 Prospects
Notable Prospect Performances:
- Jaden Hamm: Hamm has seen his video game numbers come back down to Earth in June, but he’s still dealing. The walks have increased in the last few starts, but Hamm could see Double-A by the end of July. Hamm is 21 years old until September and missing bats in High-A with 79 strikeouts in 61.2 innings.
- Kevin McGonigle: Another hot week for McGonigle as he continues to show off the plus hit tool. With a .333 average with a minuscule strikeout rate, McGonigle is ready for High-A. Again, the only thing missing here is the power and once that comes we’re looking at a top 25 prospect.
- Hao-Yu Lee: Quietly Hao-Yu Lee is putting up his best season yet. With a .300/.374/.518 slash with 11 home runs and 12 steals, Lee is doing it all. The power and speed were average at best in years past but 2024 is the true breakout for Lee. Detroit could give him a late-season promotion and Lee will fight for an everyday role out of 2025 spring training.
Notable Promotions and News:
- Jackson Jobe: Still working back from injury, Jobe has thrown 9 innings, allowing 2 earned runs on 4 hits and 2 walks while striking out 8. Injuries have been the biggest hurdle for Jobe and if the Tigers sell at the deadline Jobe could be aggressively promoted. With only 22.2 Double-A innings, Jobe could use some more refining despite turning 22 at the end of July.
- Ty Madden: Madden hasn’t quite had the same success in Triple-A as Double-A in 2024 but that’s mostly because of some really poor starts. Much like Jekyll and Hyde, Madden is either very good or very bad in his short Triple-A stint.
- Jace Jung: An injury in mid-June halted the progress of a near MLB debut for Jung as he was putting it all together. With a .270/.390/.500 slash with 11 home runs, Jung looks to be on the doorstep of the everyday third baseman role in Detroit. It shouldn’t be long after Jung returns from wrist soreness that he is promoted and spends the second half of the year in Detroit.
Top 10 Prospects
Notable Prospect Performances:
- Brooks Lee: Lee got a late start to the season but has caught fire of late. With 6 home runs in 29 games, Lee has come back trying to prove he’s ready for an MLB debut. A consistent bat and above-average power make Lee a dangerous bat in the middle of the Twins lineup. Lee had a 2 home run game on the 20th of June and back-to-back games on the 25th and 26th with home runs.
- Yasser Mercedes: A top international signing in 2022, Mercedes had a great DSL season. The sophomore slump hit hard as he hit just .196 in 2023. Repeating rookie ball in 2024, Mercedes is back on track hitting .333 with 4 home runs and 17 steals. Trending upwards after a big week, Mercedes is a player to watch when he moves to Low-A.
- Matt Canterino: A dominant pitching prospect who has been hit with injuries, Canterino is back and finding the same success. Now 26 years old, Canterino is in Double-A, pitching to a 1.83 ERA with 50 strikeouts in 34.1 innings. Still starting, the walks are piling up but he’s limiting hits against. Most likely an arm out of the bullpen late in the season for the Twins, Canterino could lock down a late-inning relief role.
Notable Promotions and News:
- Gabriel Gonzalez: Back from an early season injury, the 20-year-old has reported to High-A and is starting off nicely. The hit tool and strikeout rate are what Gonzalez needs to limit for the success from lower levels to continue. His power should provide 20 home runs per season but he may need to draw more walks if the average lives around 260-270. Prospect fatigue may come into play here, but Gonzalez is not a prospect to forget about.
- David Festa: Festa finally got his chance at the MLB level after a great start to 2024. It wasn’t the best start, but the only disappointing stat to me was just 2 strikeouts in the 5 innings pitched. Still a solid pitching prospect, Festa is a good mid-to-back-end starter.
- Rayne Doncon: The former Dodgers prospect, Doncon is looking to rebound from a rough 2023. Once looked to be a top-up-and-coming prospect, Doncon was recently promoted to High-A. Doncon is walking at a higher rate in 2024, and at a higher level is even more promising. The tools are there, and High-A is the test to see if Doncon can get on track to be an MLB player.
Top 10 Prospects
Notable Prospect Performances:
- Ralphy Velazquez: One of the top hitting prospects in the younger batch of Guardians prospects, Velazquez has continued to produce all season. The home runs have slowed down for Velazquez but he continues to produce. With a low strikeout rate, Velazquez has the chance to provide high average, on-base, and power numbers at the first base position.
- C.J. Kayfus: A much-needed jump to #4; I’ve kept Kayfus off this list for too long. Dominant since he was drafted in 2023, Kayfus has fully broken out in 2024. With a .336 average across High-A and Double-A with 13 home runs, Kayfus is pushing his way up the ranks. A plus hitter, Kayfus has just 57 strikeouts in 61 games in 2024. In the same model of player as Kyle Manzardo, Kayfus is just behind the timeline of Manzardo.
- Welbyn Francisca: A top signing from a year ago, Francisca has continued to impress in his stateside debut. Still only 18 years old, Francisca has a 20BB:17K ratio in the complex league with 3 home runs and 6 stolen bases. He raised his average by almost 20 points in his last two games going 4-8 with a home run and 3 walks. Just another young and promising Guardians prospect on the rise in 2024.
Notable Promotions and News:
- Angel Martínez: Angel Martínez got a short 2-game MLB stint going 2-7 but was since sent back down to Triple-A. A solid overall player, Martinez is trying to stick out in a talented infield. A top candidate to go between Triple-A and the MLB throughout the season, it’ll be tough to lock down an everyday role.
- Angel Genao: One of the hottest hitting prospects for the Guardians of late, Genao got the promotion to High-A. Still scorching hot, Genao has a .313 average with 1 home run and 6 stolen bases. 20 years old for the rest of the calendar year, Genao could see a second-half promotion to Double-A.
- Robert Arias: With the DSL season underway, Arias is showing off the plus approach and speed. A lanky kid at 6’1 and just 168 pounds, Arias has plenty to grow into. 16 stolen bases with a 13BB:6K ratio and .286 average, Arias is showing high potential. Young and still growing, Arias has time to see the over-the-wall power translate.
Top 10 Prospects
Notable Prospect Performances:
- Blake Wolters: A promising pitching prospect, Wolters has lowered his ERA to a sub-4. In his last outing, Wolters went 4 innings, giving up 3 hits, walking 4, and striking out 3. Wolters navigated around those walks to allow zero runs, which is something he’s done over his last two starts now. With just 3 earned runs over his last 4 starts (17.2 innings), Wolters has seen his ERA lower from 5.28 to 3.91.
- Frank Mozzicato: Walks have held back the former 7th overall pick from 2021. Newly 21 years old, Mozzicato is still walking batters at a high rate, but he’s limiting the damage. Like Wolters, Mozzicato has only allowed 3 earned runs in his last 4 starts. The strikeouts are a lot lower in 2024, and with just 10 in his last 21 innings, Mozzicato needs to cut down on the walks.
- Ben Kurdna: Kurdna is on the same path as Mozzicato but is having slightly more success. Not as walk-prone as Mozzicato, Kurdna has also given up fewer hits. In his last start, he went 6 innings, allowing just 3 hits, with no runs or walks and 9 strikeouts. Kurdna could see Double-A sooner than Mozzicato if he keeps missing bats.
Notable Promotions and News:
- Cayden Wallace: I’ve left Wallace off this list because nothing jumps out with him. A solid all-around player, Wallace is currently rehabbing from an injury. Wallace turns 23 years old in about a month and has yet to play above Double-A. With the Royals fighting for a Wild Card spot, Triple-A might be the final destination in 2024 unless he catches fire late in the season.
- Daniel Vasquez: A 2021 top international signing, Vasquez has struggled for the most part. A hot start last season was quickly stopped and his final average was .223. Now repeating Low-A at 20 years old, Vasquez is slashing .272/.376/.318 with 11 steals. Power won’t be a part of his game, despite what was expected when he signed. A promotion to High-A could come soon and will test what type of player Vasquez truly is.
- Yandel Ricardo: Not the best start to the DSL season for Ricardo with just 9 hits in his first 59 at-bats, but there are some positives. One of the top international signings, Ricardo has a 14BB:14K ratio with 5 steals and 1 home run in the DSL. Too early to write off the bat, Ricardo is a name to watch as he tries to put it all together.
Adapted by Kurt Wasemiller (@kurtwasemiller on Twitter / @kurt_player02 on Instagram)
Baseball America had McGonigle 26 today, Clark 25 fwiw