Beck's Minor League Threecap: 8/30/2024
Getting a little gluttonous and an ode to Kerry Wood
I took a couple scheduled days off from the Threecap to finalize and publish my updated top 100 earlier this week. If you haven’t yet checked it out I’d recommend doing so – I’m still working my way through the questions already lobbed my way but I’d be happy to address more. I don’t really like putting out a rank update without accompanying it with full write-ups but the reality is that it’s not always possible to crank out 100 pages of player analysis during the season. I’m already looking forward to that process this off-season!
Benge Eating.
It’s hard to have a better first two weeks as a professional than Carson Benge (NYM) has enjoyed with St. Lucie. That shouldn’t be very surprising given his phenomenal underlying hit and power markers at Oklahoma State, not to mention his elite bat speed, but coming out and dominating pro ball the way he has is impressive nonetheless. He’s already clubbed two home runs, gotten away with two robberies, and reached base a total of 20 times in his first nine games. He was 3-for-4 on Thursday, marking his second three-hit performance in as many days. I like him as a target down the board in FYPDs.
Kyle Manzardo (CLE) was returned to Triple-A Columbus in mid-June after accruing a paltry .571 OPS over 87 plate appearances with the big league club. Since then he’s managed a .251/.418/.503 line that has been depressed by a well below-average BABIP. It’s hard to find any glaring holes in his offensive game – which is extremely important for his first base-only defensive profile – but his future power projection remains murky. He’s putting plenty of balls in the air; his line drive and fly ball rates combine for 62% of his batted ball events, but he isn’t lighting up the gun in terms of exit velocity. His 90th percentile EV is sitting at 104.6 mph this year, a little less than a tick above the Major League average, and unless he’s pulling the ball with regularity there’s a decent chance he maxes out with home run totals in the low-20’s. A really good version of him could look something like the production we’ve seen from Vinnie Pasquantino early in his career. Manzardo finished Thursday’s game with three hits in five at-bats including a home run.
Kerrytale.
Something about guys named Kerry and huge strikeout totals, I guess. Brett Kerry (LAA) had one of the best outings of the entire MiLB season on Thursday as he struck out 14 hitters over 7.0 innings of two-run ball. He’s been on a stretch of big punchout totals – 33 over his last 21.0 innings – but run prevention has been a different story this season. He got game action in Triple-A to close 2023 but has bounced between Salt Lake and Rocket City in 2024. This is one of the rare days in which I’ve read Chris’ article before writing mine (I usually wait until after to ensure I’m not influenced by his eval). We agree in this instance that there likely isn’t much to see with him in terms of fantasy value, but game like he had on Thursday deserves recognition.
Tommy Times Two.
Seven guys in the table allowed seven earned runs combined. Four of them allowed four or more. Thursday was a day of haves and have-nots, it just depends on whether you’re asking the pitchers or their opponents.
Saturday looks very fun. Cam Caminiti is allegedly making his professional debut with Single-A Augusta, Travis Sykora is slated to throw yet again in Fredericksburg, for some reason, and Jackson Ferris will make his fifth Double-A start:
Anthony Solometo (6.17 ERA) for the Altoona Curve (PIT) at 6:00 ET
Jarlin Susana (4.58 ERA) for the Wilmington Blue Rocks (WSH) at 6:05 ET
Santiago Suarez (4.30 ERA) for the Charleston RiverDogs (TBR) at 6:05 ET
Sean Sullivan (1.59 ERA) for the Hartford Yard Goats (COL) at 6:10 ET
Moises Chace (2.79 ERA) for the Reading Fightin Phils (PHI) at 6:35 ET
Cam Caminiti (0.00 ERA) in his debut for the Augusta GreenJackets (ATL) at 6:35 ET
JR Ritchie (0.00 ERA) for the Rome Emperors (ATL) at 7:00 ET
Travis Sykora (2.31 ERA) for the Fredericksburg Nationals (WSH) at 7:00 ET
Robby Snelling (3.72 ERA) for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (MIA) at 7:05 ET
Jackson Ferris (1.53 ERA) for the Tulsa Drillers (LAD) at 8:05 ET