Beck's Minor League Threecap: 5/20/24
Beck breaks down three major things you need to know from yesterday's MiLB action.
Happy Monday, all. You know the drill, no games save for the Complexes on Monday. That’s okay, we’re here to recap the biggest performances from Sunday, so let’s dive in!
It’s a Harry Situation.
Roismar Quintana (WSH) is a bit of a non-prospect – he’s repeating Single-A as a 21-year-old after running a .692 OPS and a 27.9% K-rate to pair with just four home runs in 92 games at the level last year – but he had the best day of any hitter in minor league baseball on Sunday. He hit a single, a double, a triple, and a home run all in the same game, a feat I’m being told is colloquially referred to as a “cycle”. Incredible! It was the first in Fredericksburg Nationals history.
I last wrote about Thayron Liranzo (LAD) on April 28th following his 3-for-6 outburst that included a double and a home run, and I made specific mention that I hoped that game would constitute a turning point in his season. He’d started the year on a 5-for-57 skid with a 38.6% strikeout rate through his first 13 contests, but when he came out of that funk he really turned it around. Since then he’s compiled a .303/.432/.576 line punctuated by a pair of homers on Sunday, one from each side of the dish. He’s playing in High-A after thrashing Single-A to the tune of a .962 OPS and 24 home runs in 94 games. He’s already top 100 for Baseball America and I suspect it won’t be much longer before he’s a mainstay there in fantasy-oriented versions.
Truth be told, Harry Ford (SEA) is one of the tougher evals out there. He’s exceptionally athletic for the catcher position, has plenty of bat-to-ball, demonstrates an excellent approach, and generates enough pop to get to 15-20 home runs annually. It’s a good profile that plays really well relative to other catchers, particularly in roto formats where you may be the beneficiary of a dozen or two stolen bases. What happens if he moves off the position? Cal Raleigh seems relatively cemented in that role, and if Ford simply spells him there, are we happy with that playing time? Does his offensive profile stand out among other position players in left or right field? I don’t think it does as much. Now, to be clear, this blurb is meant to be largely complimentary, but I think he’s particularly difficult to place in a top 100. He’s been very good this year with Double-A Arkansas and kept it rolling with a 4-for-4 day on Sunday that included a home run.
Baker’s Dozen.
Sure, Jairo Iriarte (CHW) surrendered three earned runs. That didn’t stop him from striking out a massive 13 batters over those seven frames! It was a stunning display of efficiency given that it takes a minimum of 39 pitches to strike out 13 batters (not accounting for any pitch clock violations) and the fact he dealt with at least a little traffic along the way. He’s one of the most live arms in minor league baseball – one of the guys that you watch and say ‘damn!’ – and I think the White Sox will be happy to have him, whether that’s as a starter or in the bullpen. He can be a bit wild (12.2% BB in 2024) and has an electric two-pitch mix between the fastball and slider, which may ultimately nudge him toward the bullpen, but he’s firmly in pitching prospect crush territory for me.
The results just keep coming for Carson Palmquist (COL). He’s gone 5.0 or more innings in every start, has thrown 83 pitches or more in every outing, and has allowed just nine earned runs over 44.0 frames. He’s a kitchen-sink, not-going-to-blow-anything-by-you, unorthodox-arm-slot lefty that trails just Matt Wilkinson, Owen Murphy, and Yilber Diaz in K-BB% when filtering for a minimum of 40.0 innings pitched. Though he had a past in the University of Miami bullpen and was considered fringy for the rotation when drafted, his usage points toward Colorado’s intention to keep him in a starter’s role. He may not ultimately have big-league quality stuff, which would push him into long relief.
Any time something interesting happens with a Brewers farm arm my ears perk up. It’s early, but Yorman Galindez (MIL) is pitching like the next helium arm in Milwaukee. He’s been mostly fastball/curveball, but they’re good enough to flummox Single-A competition to the tune of a 40.2% K-rate through his first six starts. He’s a little wild and clearly needs some refinement, but the numbers are really impressive. He’d be a candidate for a top-250 at best with obvious room to rise. He struck out 10 over 4.2 one-run innings on Sunday and is carrying a 3.43 ERA on Monday morning.
Monday Doldrums.
Sunday was a bit of a banner day for the table. We got a dozen punchies from Carson Palmquist, who remains a very interesting arm in the Rockies system, and a baker’s dozen from Jairo Iriarte, who went seven innings for the second time and pushed his pitch count into the low 90s for the third time.
Tuesday’s viewing guide:
Brandon Sproat (0.89 ERA) for the Binghamton Rumble Ponies (NYM) at 11:00 ET
Maddux Bruns (0.71 ERA) for the Great Lakes Loons (LAD) at 11:05 ET
Jonah Tong (2.13 ERA) for the Brooklyn Cyclones (NYM) at 6:00 ET
Will Warren (6.27 ERA) for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (NYY) at 6:05 ET
Trace Bright (2.53 ERA) for the Bowie Baysox (BAL) at 6:05 ET
Hurston Waldrep (3.32 ERA) for the Mississippi Braves (ATL) at 7:15 ET
Tobias Myers (1.45 ERA) for the Nashville Sounds (MIL) at 7:35 ET