Beck's Minor League Threecap: 4/25/24

Beck breaks down three major things you need to know from yesterday's MiLB action.

Hey hey hey! Today is my Friday as I have the day off tomorrow, so hopefully making some progress on renovations in the new house and diving in on film. If you’ve got any names popping for you early that I should get my eyes on, send them my way in the comments.

On to the standouts. Away we go!

Houston, You Have a Problem.

Have mercy. Joey Loperfido (HOU) has been running roughshod on Triple-A and there’s been a ton written about him. I’ve come around on him since the beginning of the year and most of it has to do with the amount of damage he’s doing on contact. Last year his publicly available max exit velo was about 107 mph, a figure which he’s bested this year on multiple occasions, headlined by a 114 mph homer earlier this year. His 90th percentile EV is sitting around last year’s max. It’s time for him to fill the Jose Abreu-sized hole at first base in Houston.

We’ve got a Guardians prospect on the Threecap, but the twist is that he isn’t a glove-first, soft-hitting middle infielder. Alexfri Planez (CLE) originally signed in August of 2017 for $400K as a 16-year-old and is kicking around at Double-A this year. It’s been a real struggle for him, perhaps made obvious by the fact that we’re six years from his signing and he’s still two steps away from the bigs. He hasn’t crested a .700 OPS since he was at Single-A and High-A in 2022, but he got ahold of a few on Wednesday and racked up three hits in four at-bats with a double, a homer, and a walk.

Marcelo Mayer (BOS) is healthy again and playing like it, which is a welcome sight for the Mayer hive and Boston Red Sox fans. He’s up to 19 hits in 14 games with two homers and two doubles, though he’s striking out at a 25% clip in that time. I’ve cooled a bit on Mayer as an elite fantasy prospect, but I’d be thrilled if he roared back to life and started to look like a difference-maker again. He was 3-for-4 with a double, a home run, and a walk on Wednesday.

For better or for worse, I always have a soft spot for guys I’ve seen at the AFL. Andres Chapparro (ARI) was out there in 2021, albeit in Yankees threads at the time, and was pretty fun to watch. He’s with the Diamondbacks now after signing a minor league deal in November, and he seems to like the new clubhouse, or uniforms, or toilet paper in the bathrooms… who knows, but he’s raking so far. Through 21 games with Reno, he has a .321/.400/.619 line with 27 hits, five doubles, and six home runs. Four of those doubles came on Wednesday as he finished 5-for-6. He might still be an interesting fantasy option in the corner infield.

Two Southpaws and a Righty Walk into a Bar.

The Cardinals acquired Adam Kloffenstein (STL) and Sem Robberse in exchange for Jordan Hicks at last year’s trade deadline, and while I was higher on other moves they made last year (namely getting their hands on Tekoah Roby and Thomas Saggese), I think they made out quite well in the transaction. Robberse is promising and off to a good start in 2024, and Kloffenstein is equally promising but has had a tougher go in Triple-A thus far. He’s yet to have a scoreless outing, and Wednesday wasn’t particularly great either (7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 7 K, 4 ER), but the Cardinals are keeping him stretched out for a potential debut. He’s got over 50 IP at Triple-A and has thrown 93, 95, and 104 pitches in his last three games.

The real headliner from Wednesday was Ixan Henderson (STL), who collected nine of the 10 outs he got via strikeout. He was heavy fastball (sitting 93 mph, 70% usage) and locations weren’t great (per Nate Handy who is always muddin’ for these kinds of arms), but some funky arm action from the left side had hitters waffling. It’s too early to make much of Henderson yet as he has just 14.0 professional innings under his belt, but putting up nine K’s in 3.1 innings is a good way to put yourself on the radar.

Emmett Olson (MIA) also tossed a gem on Wednesday, going 6.0 scoreless innings and striking out 10 while allowing just three hits. The 6-foot-4 lefty was a fourth rounder out of Nebraska in 2023 and he was primarily used in a relief role prior to his platform year when he made eight starts in 19 appearances. He’s up to 19 strikeouts in 16.0 innings and has yet to allow an earned run. He’s firmly on my breakout arm watch list.

Freaky Friday Film Guide.

This is not so much a film guide as it is a marker of who I’m excited to check in on tomorrow, but if there are players you’ve been monitoring that I should take the time to watch please send names my way! You can tell I’m serious because I’ve made two mentions!

All times Eastern:

• Sem Robberse (1.59 ERA) for the Memphis Redbirds (STL) at 12:05 PM

• Chase Dollander (2.93 ERA) for the Spokane Indians (COL) at 4:05 PM

• Braxton Ashcraft (6.75 ERA) for the Altoona Curve (PIT) at 6:00 PM

• Rhett Lowder (2.70 ERA) for the Dayton Dragons (CIN) at 6:05 PM

• Josh Knoth (3.24 ERA) for the Carolina Mudcats (MIL) at 6:30 PM

• Thomas White (5.91 ERA) for the Jupiter Hammerheads (MIA) at 6:30 PM

• Hayden Birdsong (2.38 ERA) for the Richmond Flying Squirrels (SFG) at 6:35 PM

• Charlee Soto (2.70 ERA) for the Fort Myers Mighty Musses (MIN) at 7:05 PM

• Jarlin Susana (7.56 ERA) for the Fredericksburg Nationals (WSH) at 7:05 PM

• Connor Phillips (6.75 ERA) for the Louisville Bats (CIN) at 7:15 PM

• Hurston Waldrep (7.62 ERA) for the Mississippi Braves (ATL) at 7:35 PM

• Brett Wichrowski (1.64 ERA) for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (MIL) at 8:05 PM

• Robby Snelling (1.98 ERA) for the San Antonio Missions (SDP) at 8:05 PM

• Marco Raya (2.00 ERA) for the Wichita Wind Surge (MIN) at 8:05 PM

• Barrett Kent (6.57 ERA) for the Inland Empire 66ers (LAA) at 9:30 PM