With the Minor League Baseball seasons coming to an end and the Major League Baseball playoffs approaching, many of the Pack pros have finished strong. However, some of the bigger prospects have struggled this season and are looking to bounce back next season.
Trea Turner, shortstop, Washington Nationals
Trea Turner has been lighting up the National League in this last stretch before the playoffs. Over the past 30 games, he’s hitting .302/.357/.450 while swiping seven bases. He is not necessarily a power threat, but over the past month he has proven himself as an all-star caliber shortstop and a dependable leadoff hitter.
The Nationals are leading the race for the top NL Wild Card spot and Turner’s production has been critical for their postseason hopes.
Carlos Rodon, pitcher, Chicago White Sox
Carlos Rodon has been out for the majority of the season recovering from Tommy John surgery. The estimated timeline for him to be back on the mound is after the 2020 All-Star break.
Andrew Knizner, catcher, St. Louis Cardinals
After Yadier Molina returned from injury, Knizner was demoted back to the triple-A team. However, Knizner was brought back up on Sept. 1 after a few weeks in the minors. Since then, he has gone 4-10 at the plate with a HR and 3 RBIs. Knizner could possibly cement himself into a role as the backup catcher next season or a starting role for another team who needs a catcher. The Cardinals are leading the NL two games above the Cubs and have 13 remaining games in the regular season.
Jon Olczak, pitcher, Biloxi Shuckers (Milwaukee Brewers, AA)
After being demoted to double-A after a rough stretch earlier in the season, Olczak has bounced back significantly, posting a 1.54 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 11.2 IP. Also, he has not allowed a single homer in his return to the AA.
Joe Dunand, infielder, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (Miami Marlins, AA)
Dunand had a very average season in double-A, batting .242/.314/.333. He finished the season on a strong note slashing .382/.475/.559 with a HR in his final 10 games. His fielding had been decent, committing 16 errors in 127 games while making 247 assists and 142 put-outs.
Brett Kinneman, outfielder, West Virginia Black Bears (Pittsburgh Pirates, A-)
Kinneman endured a rough season, hitting .173/.278/.291. He also ended with 139 strikeouts and only 7 home runs in 347 at-bats. In college, Kinneman had proved himself as a power threat. He needs to climb out of this slump and limit his strikeouts if he wants to be successful in professional baseball.
Brock Deatherage, outfielder, Lakeland Flying Tigers (Detroit Tigers, A+)
After lighting up the rookie league and single-A last year, Deatherage has gone through a slump, batting .228/.270/.357 and striking out 135 times in 451 at-bats. His speed on the base path has not been a problem though. In his last 30 games, he swiped nine bases and finished the season with 45.
Will Wilson, shortstop, Orem Owlz (Los Angeles Angels, RK)
Wilson has proved himself to be a very consistent hitter, ending the season hitting .275/.328/.439 and tacking on 18 extra-base hits. However, his 47 strikeouts in 189 at-bats needs improvement considering he is not a power hitter. He has been solid in the field as well, only committing eight errors in 41 games while making 82 assists and 54 put-outs.
Evan Edwards, first baseman, Clinton Lumberkings (Miami Marlins, A)
After catching fire hitting .313/.355/.522 with 5 home runs, Edwards finished his first season in the Minors with a promising stat line of .281/.357/.442. He also finished driving in 50 runs and slamming nine home runs. He has also been a brick wall at first with a fielding percentage of .988 and only making seven errors in 71 games.
Evan Brabrand, pitcher, Batavia Muckdogs (Miami Marlins, A-)
Brabrand has been absolutely lights out over the past month. In his last ten games, he has not given up a single run and has racked up five saves. He also struck out nine batters in 11 IP and only walked five. Brabrand finished the season with an impressive 1.29 ERA, 13 saves and a 4-1 record.
Jack Conley, catcher, Reading Fightin Phils (Philadelphia Phillies, AA)
Conley has stepped up drastically since he has moved up to double-A ball. Since being moved up, he has been hitting .273/.429/.455. The sleeper pick has shown his potential at the end of this season, but still has more to prove about his consistency.
Preston Palmeiro, second baseman, Bowie Baysox (Baltimore Orioles, AA)
Although Palmeiro hit .237/.289/.346 in a disappointing season, he dominated his last 11 games, batting .308/.341/.487 with seven RBIs and a home run. If he picks up next season where he left off, he should have a promising year.
Josh McLain, outfielder, Great Lakes Loons, (Los Angeles Dodgers, A)
After recovering from an injury in July, McLain returned to play in the middle of August. Unfortunately, he was injured again and placed on the 7-Day IL on Aug. 26. Over his last 10 games, McLain batted .179/.273/.256. However, he only finished with one error the entire season in the outfield.
Tim Naughton, pitcher, Frederick Keys (Baltimore Orioles, A+)
With an ERA of only 1.86 and a WHIP of 1.66 in his past 10 games, Naughton finished his season with an impressive stretch. He struck out eight batters and walked seven in 9.2 innings pitched. If he can hit the strike zone more often, he will start to turn heads in the minors.
Other Baseball Pack Pros:
Michael Bienlien, pitcher, West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit Tigers, A)
Tommy DeJuneas, pitcher, Corpus Christi Hooks (Houston Astros, AA)
Cody Beckman, Pitcher, Carolina Mudcats (Milwaukee Brewers, A+)
Alec Barger, Pitcher, Danville Braves (Atlanta Braves, RK)
*Evan Mendoza, Third Baseman, Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis Cardinals, AAA)
Xavier Legrant, Third Baseman, Lowell Spinners (Boston Red Sox, A-)
Scott Manea, Catcher, Fayetteville Woodpeckers, (Houston Astros, A+)
Will Gilbert, Pitcher, Stockton Ports (Oakland Athletics, A+)
Ryan Williamson, Pitcher, Hagerstown Suns, (Washington Nationals, A)
Andrew Blake, Pitcher, Orem Owlz (Los Angeles Angels, RK)
*Injured
