The Daily Dugout Report - September 16, 2026

It's the final week of Double-A for the regular season, and the lower levels are in the playoffs. There is still plenty happening that is worth knowing, so we will still bring you top-notch coverage.

That does mean we might see some prospects get a bump from High-A to Double-A to get them an extra week of action and the possibility of more players going to Triple-A as they run an extra week beyond Triple-A.

Regardless, there are still things to be taken away from what happens over the final week of the season. Let’s dive in.

Exit Velocity Leaders(Prospects Only)

Whiff Leaders(Prospects Only)

The Prospect Report

🚀 Standout of The Day

Jesus Baez, SS, St. Louis Cardinals (AA)

Line: 3/4 HR

Why The Performance Matters:

Jesus Baez is on the heater to end all heaters; it’s 25 homers in 59 Double-A games. And there is a lot to like here, but also some things to be worried about. 

Baez’s power is off the charts; he probably hit a few homers while I have been writing this blurb. But it’s easy power that he is getting to on a consistent basis. He is lifting and pulling the ball with the best of them. The problem I have with him is the aggressive swing tendencies that are popping up. It’s a zone-swing rate coming close to 80%. He also doesn’t walk all that much. He is currently walking 5.6% of the time this season. I worry about these swing-happy guys. 

I think Baez is one of the bigger sell-high candidates this offseason. I think you will get something much nicer than Baez, or you can package him as the second-best prospect in a bigger move. People will see him end the season with 40 homers on the season, and want a piece. I just don’t buy this level of production. - RW

Yhoiker Fajardo, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals (AA)

Line: 4 IP/5 H/3 ER/2 BB/7 K

Why The Performance Matters:

A double-scoop of Cardinals highlights today’s, or well, yesterday’s, standouts. Yhoiker Fajardo is a Scrabble lover’s dream; a triple-word score with that name would do quite well. Fajardo is ending the season strong and looks to be a potential mid-rotation starter for the Cardinals, who we could see as early as next season. My guess is right after Super 2 if he destroys Triple-A.

The strikeout rate has taken a jump this year, and it’s easy to see why. When your stuff takes a jump and you have the sort of command that Fajardo has, it is everything you want to see. It’s a good four-seamer with a really good slider, and the changeup is also a real weapon for him. I would love to see him add a sinker, a cutter, or honestly both.

When you end the season with a sub-8% walk-rate while striking out nearly 30% of the batters you face, that is an encouraging foundation for him and the Cardinals to build upon. The next step is adding a few different pitches to become more platoon-neutral, which would raise both the floor and the ceiling for Fajardo. - RW

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