Beck's Minor League Threecap: 8/4/2024

Where in the World is Jordan Walker and an Early I Told You So

I had an absolutely phenomenal day yesterday. We spent about six hours on a boat with friends, which is about as close to nirvana as you can get in Minnesota. I got a little sunburnt (worth it), then we regrouped and saw a show in the city just off the river before grabbing some drinks. It was fantastic. I hope you had a lovely Saturday, too.

Tail Wagner.

The Astros sent Jake Bloss, Joey Loperfido, and Will Wagner (TOR) to the Blue Jays in exchange for Yusei Kikuchi at the deadline in one of the steepest trades of the year. Wagner was the least regarded piece in the transaction but he’s managed to put together a pretty solid line in Triple-A while posting sterling zone contact and chase rates. Pop will be a question – his 90th percentile EV is roughly average at the MLB level and he could stand to lift the ball more – but the remainder of the profile with the stick looks like a potential average regular. He’s taking to his new threads nicely and has seven hits including a home run and two doubles through his first 14 plate appearances with Buffalo.

It’s been a while since I’ve heard much about Jordan Walker (STL), it’s almost like he ceased to exist once he was sent back to Memphis. He hasn’t been particularly awesome there but I think it’s fair to say the Cardinals have messed with his development a fair bit and it’s helpful to remember he’s just 22 years old. The last nine games (42 plate appearances) have been stellar though, as he’s put together a .361/.429/.667 slash with seven extra-base hits (five doubles and two homers). 

He’s Not Like Us (He’s Better).

I tweeted about Kohl Drake (TEX) as a waiver target on Friday night and he immediately rewarded anybody that jumped on the advice with 6.0 innings of scoreless ball and 10 strikeouts. He’s an enormous lefty at 6-foot-5, 220-lbs, who gives hitters a really tough angle as a result of his arm action. His heater has a fair bit of arm-side run but the whiff pitches are really his curveball and slider. He has a 33.0% CSW and 17.4% swinging strike rate on the year which have culminated in a 38.6% K-rate and he’s walking just 6.5% of batters. He’s a late bloomer and is old for the level, though I expect him to get a chance in Double-A before the season ends with the possibility to contribute in the big league rotation by the end of next year.

The Angels sent George Klassen (LAA) back to Single-A for some reason and he did George Klassen things. His arsenal is simply too overpowering for the level and I have no idea why the Angels consistently neglect Tri-City. He finished with 10 strikeouts and one earned run over 5.0 innings on Saturday.

Bishop to ER2. 

I put Bishop Letson, who is having a pretty solid season in Low-A so far, on the table for the first time today and it ended up being the only outing he’s had all year in which he failed to collect a strikeout. On the flip side Kohl Drake and George Klassen totally balled out, so there’s a semblance of balance here.

No viewing guide today because Mondays are off days for full-season levels. Cheers!