Beck's Minor League Threecap: 8/14/2024

Check out time is usually in early August

It’s the time of year when leaguemates start to check out. Football season is ramping up and only those who understand dynasty is a year-round game are fully plugged in. Trade deadlines may have passed but there are still gems on the waiver wire. I hope I can help you squeeze out the last bit of value this season has to offer. Oh, and apologies in advance for the section headers. I’ve done better.

That Ball is Gone-zo, Home Run Thayron Liranzo.

Thayron Liranzo (DET) played it cool for a few games with West Michigan to avoid looking too eager to impress. He collected twice as many strikeouts (four) as he had hits (two) through his first four games in his new threads but has been on a heater over the last week that included two doubles and three home runs, two of which came in yesterday’s 4-for-4 showing. I had called out Liranzo as a “super deep league” target early in 2023 (for those of you who indulge in leagues that roster 400+ prospects) and he went out and demolished Single-A to the tune of a .962 OPS and 24 home runs in 94 games. The hulking, switch-hitting catcher has plenty of raw juice but has some questions remaining about his hit tool that have reared their heads in 2024 and he’s ultimately put together a campaign most accurately described as “totally fine”. 

I think it’s really easy to overlook Brayden Taylor (TBR). Perhaps his name doesn’t have the right amount of pizzazz, perhaps it’s because of the lack of loud tools in his belt, but whatever it is that obscures him from the general public hasn’t hindered his ability to get results on the field. He earned (in the truest sense) a promotion to Double-A in late July after putting together a .269/.389/.513 line with 14 home runs and 26 stolen bases with Bowling Green. His strikeout totals have been a little surprising – he’s carrying a 25.8% K-rate through 93 games – and he’s hit a bit of a rough patch in his introduction to the Southern League that has exacerbated the issue. He collected just one hit to 12 strikeouts in his first seven contests at the level but has bounced back nicely with five hits including a triple and a home run in his last two games. He figures to land in the tail end of my top 100 update after placing 82nd in the June iteration.

Xavier Isaac (TBR) shipped out to Montgomery with Brayden Taylor two weeks ago and has experienced a little turbulence along the way, just not the same how-is-the-sky-so-bouncy kind that the latter dealt with. There are no real questions about his raw juice or approach, but his contact rates leave a little to be desired (percolating around 76% in-zone on the year). I’m a stickler for sterling underlying data when a player resides at the bottom of the defensive spectrum, though I’m broadly impressed with both the under-the-hood and the baseball card numbers Isaac is producing. He was 3-for-5 with a home run on Tuesday.

A Penny in the Wich-ing Well.

Unlike Brayden Taylor, I know why Noah Cameron (KCR) isn’t getting attention. He’s just not lighting up the radar gun; his average fastball velocity is a smidge south of 92 mph this year, and that’s certainly not blowing it by many batters. Still, he’s garnered results – both this year and to open the year in High-A last season. He has five distinct pitches to lean on: a low 90’s four-seamer, a changeup, a curveball, a slider, and a cutter. His changeup is his second most used offering (28.6%) and has generated a ridiculous 37.5% swinging strike rate on the year, while his curveball (13.5% usage) is a fantastic strike-stealing pitch. It’s tough to tell how a change-up first profile will fare at the big league level – much like it was difficult to hold faith in Gavin Stone not too long ago – especially with a heater that fails to stand out. He went 6.2 innings, allowed just one earned run, and struck out six on Tuesday.

Brett Wichrowski (MIL) is Noah Cameron’s foil. His stuff, particularly his frisbee slider, is a qualified candidate for Pitching Ninja’s Twitter feed. His fastball sits in the mid-to-high 90’s and can eclipse 100 mph on occasion. In many ways this profile is easier to evaluate; better stuff allows for more margin of error and is less complicated (operative word being less – it’s still very much a 5,000-piece puzzle) to project against better competition. Even with the benefit of more electricity in his arsenal, Wichrowski is posting rather pedestrian strikeout figures. That’s a touch perplexing – I’ve watched him a fair bit and he appears, at least visually, very difficult to face. On the other hand, he’s in his first year as a pro after being selected in the 13th round and has already pushed his way to Biloxi (Double-A), which is very, very impressive. The optimistic forecast is that the vaunted Brewers pitching development apparatus can help him optimize his usage and refine his locations such that he can fully capitalize on his natural gifts, but that’s far from a guarantee. He went 5.0 innings of one-run ball and struck out six on Tuesday. He’s in consideration for a spot in my top 100 update.

Deuces. 

Nobody on this table surrendered more than two earned runs. That’s pretty good! Carson Whisenhunt was making a rehab appearance upon return from the 7-day IL, Jairo Iriarte managed to get through 6.0 innings on 90 pitches despite allowing 12 baserunners, and Nick Nastrini made a last-gasp push for the White Sox’ rotation.

It’s a light slate on Thursday but I’m looking forward to watching Kumar Rocker, who has been excellent through his last few starts. Here’s what else to look out for:

• Gary Gill Hill (2.40 ERA) for the Charleston RiverDogs (TBR) at 6:30 ET

• Henry Lalane (54.00 ERA) for the Tampa Tarpons (NYY) at 6:30 ET

• Alex Clemmey (4.86 ERA) for the Fredericksburg Nationals (WSH) at 7:05 ET

• Mike Burrows (3.65 ERA) for the Indianapolis Indians (PIT) at 7:05 ET

• Thomas White (2.57 ERA) for the Beloit Sky Carp (MIA) at 7:35 ET

• Jack Leiter (3.72 ERA) for the Round Rock Express (TEX) at 8:05 ET

• Kumar Rocker (0.00 ERA) for the Frisco RoughRiders (TEX) at 8:05 ET

• Logan Evans (2.49 ERA) for the Arkansas Travelers (SEA) at 8:05 ET