Beck's Minor League Threecap: 4/11/24

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

Hey all, sorry for being late! It’s been a crazy day at the job that pays the bills, so this Threecap is out a little later than usual. Thanks for your patience. Let’s dive in!

Wednesday’s MILB Standouts

Herculean Hitters.

Raudelis Martinez (TBR) is a new name for me, which is one of the reasons I enjoy the Threecap exercise so much. There isn’t much fantasy intrigue here, if any, but his night deserves to be covered – he went 4-for-4 with a double, a triple, and an RBI in one of the best nights of his pro career to-date. Martinez is returning to Single-A as a 21-year-old (turns 22 in May) where he struggled mightily over 129 plate appearances last year.

Jefferson Rojas (CHC) is not a new name, and that can be fun, too. He looks like an early candidate to make a jump as a top-50 fantasy prospect by the end of the year. He’s been good, not great, in High-A so far, but the really important piece here is that he’s a 19-year-old who is significantly younger than his competition. He went 4-for-5 on Wednesday with a triple and three RBIs. It was his second consecutive game without a strikeout and may be the start of his true coming out party.

Another new name on the rundown. Rubel Cespedes (MIN) had a banner night with 7 RBIs in a 4-for-5 effort. He belted his second home run of the year with a three run shot in the fourth inning. There is a shocking lack of information about Cespedes on the internet, so little exists about who he is and what to expect from him that were it not for his baseball reference page I would be skeptical of his actual existence. What I can tell you is that he’s a 23-year-old corner infielder at High-A who has not yet demonstrated the offensive firepower to man the position for a big league club.

Guardians 2023 first-rounder Ralphy Velaszquez (CLE) launched his first two home runs of the year on Wednesday. He was billed as a power hitter at draft time and his early returns are verifying that assessment to be true. He has a very pretty left-handed swing and is generating excellent exit velocities. He may not be a catcher later in his career but he looks like he has enough bat to play a corner if need be.

Victor Bericoto (SFG) is returning to Double-A to open the year. He posted a .272/.329/.511 line across High-A and Double-A last year and belted 27 home runs over 514 plate appearances. He’s aggressive and fringy in the contact department, so he doesn’t project to walk much but he’s kept his K-rate in check thus far. He had a 107 mph 90th percentile exit velocity in 2023. Last night he went 3-for-5 with his first home run of the year. He’s a name I’m watching very closely as a breakout candidate this year.

Praiseworthy Pitchers.

Everyone’s darling Christian Scott (NYM) toed the rubber for Syracuse on Wednesday for his second outing in the young 2024 season and strung together a gem. He went five innings on 83 pitches and struck out 10 while surrendering one run on a solo homer. The Mets are rather short on pitching at the moment, with all of Kodai Senga, David Peterson, Tylor Megill, and Max Cranick on the IL. Senga was moved to the 60-day IL that gave the Mets a spot on the 40-man roster that went to Tyler Jay, but could very well be taken by Scott shortly.

A right shoulder impingement suffered in mid-March set Edward Cabrera (MIA) back to open the year. He made his third start for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp on rehab Wednesday night and put together his best and longest appearance. He went 5.2 innings, struck out nine, and allowed just one hit while walking one. He didn’t allow an earned run and has only coughed up one earned run in total across his three appearances (12.2 innings). He threw 82 pitches which signals he’s close to returning. Unfortunately he’s still been wild and there isn’t anything to point to in terms of optimism for improved control (eight walks total).

Zebby Matthews (MIN) was an eighth round selection in the 2022 draft out of Western Carolina and has spent the last two years progressing from Rookie Ball to High-A where he threw 66.2 innings of 4.59 ERA ball last year. He’s returning to the level this year and had a splendid first outing, going five innings and allowing one earned run on four hits while striking out eight. Matthews is known primarily for his size and control as he stands 6-foot-5 and walked just 15 batters in 105.1 innings in 2023. He’s found game action as both a starter and a reliever and could settle in as a back of the rotation guy if all clicks well. He’ll turn 24 in May.

Eiberson Castellano (PHI) is a 22-year-old righty in the Phillies’ system who signed in the 2018-19 international period out of Venezuela. He doesn’t have standout stuff, nor does he have a lengthy or exemplary track record, and the likelihood that he returns any sort of fantasy value is rather low, but he had a great second appearance of the year for High-A Jersey Shore. He went five scoreless innings while striking out six and allowing just two hits, dispensing of 16 batters in just 54 pitches.

6-foot-6 righty Johnathan Cannon (CHW) could be in line for some big league work with the White Sox this year as one of the more interesting names in their Triple-A rotation. Nick Nastrini and Drew Thorpe are more likely candidates for long-term rotation stints, but Cannon is ostensibly in the mix. He was a third rounder out of Georgia in 2022 where he’d been a three year starter. He hasn’t been much of a strikeout threat in either his amateur or professional career, but he was quite good on Wednesday. He finished the day with five scoreless innings and six strikeouts.

What I’m Watching Today.

Okay! The Threecap is out a little later today – so a quick turn on some of these games:

• Bubba Chandler (PIT) in his second outing for the Altoona Curve at 6:00 ET

• Jacob Misiorowski (MIL) in his second outing for the Biloxi Shuckers at 6:05 ET

• Cooper Hjerpe (STL) in his second outing for the Peoria Chiefs at 7:35 ET

• David Festa (MIN) in his third outing for the St. Paul Saints at 7:35 ET

• Justin Wrobleski (LAD) in his second outing for the Tulsa Drillers at 8:00 ET

• Logan Evans (SEA) in his second outing for the Arkansas Travelers at 8:00 ET

• Adam Mazur (SDP) in his second outing for the San Antonio Missions at 8:05 ET

• Cristian Mena (ARI) in his third outing for the Reno Aces at 10:05 ET