Tuesday's Best Minor League Baseball Performances

It was an interesting day across the minors yesterday. We had few pitching performances that really stood out, but a ton of bats put up big numbers. I broke them all down in today’s article.

Reminder, if you plan to attend a Minor League game this week, be sure you double-check the schedule. It is a split week where the six-game series is split, with both teams having three games at home.

Let’s get to the action, though. Tuesday’s top standout performances.

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Each day, I will pick a hitter and pitcher who stand out and deserve the top spot on the sheet. Those players’ reports will be free for all to read. The rest will be paywalled for Dynasty Dugout Subscribers. The article is around 3000 words, giving you detailed player reports to encapsulate everything you need to know.

Carter Jensen, C, Kansas City Royals, 21, AAA

Jensen got off to a slow start to the season, but has really picked things up as the calendar turned to May. He struck out 31 percent of the time in April with a .222/.300/.311. Since then, Jensen has hit seven home runs with 18 extra base hits and a .300/.359/.471 slash in 234 plate appearances. Over the span, he has struck out in just 21 percent of plate appearances.

The contact rates have steadily risen all season as the overall rate now sits at 76 percent, and the in-zone rate is north of 85 percent. Jensen also shows an impressive approach, showing a low chase rate to pair with respectable in-zone swing rates.

The exit velocities are above-average, and Jensen has shown the ability to get to high-end marks, topping out at 115 mph. His home runs yesterday left the yard with exit velocities of 110 and 106.9 mph. His 90th percentile exit velocity is up over 106 mph.

Jensen is also solid behind the plate, throwing out 25 percent of attempted base stealers this season. Now in Triple-A, Jensen is on the cusp of his MLB debut, which could happen later this season.

Josh Hartle, LHP, Cleveland Guardians, 22, A+

Hartle entered the 2024 season feeling like a lock to go in the first round of the draft. Instead, Hartle struggled in his 74.2 innings of work at Wake Forest, posting a 5.79 ERA, and the stuff seemingly took a step back. The good news is Hartle posted a 3.50 xFIP and struck out 81 batters while walking just 25. The Pirates liked the stuff enough to snag him in the third round of the 2024 draft, and he was traded during the offseason to Cleveland.

Tuesday saw Hartle turn in his best pro start, striking out ten batters and walking just one batter across 5.2 innings. Hartle did allow two earned runs, with it coming via a home run allowed to Leo Balcazar.

Having a deep arsenal of pitches, Hartle throws a sinker that sits 90-92 mph and touches 95. It has lower IVB from a 5’6” release height and up to six inches of run-on. With the velocity and metrics, Hartle has to locate it well down in the zone in order to get ground balls.

Hartle’s cutter sits in the upper 80s, with some carry and one-to-two inches of glove-side movement. The changeup plays well off the sinker and is one of his better offerings, sitting in the mid-80s with late depth and fade.

The breaking ball is a sweeper but has depth and looks more like a slurve, having a two-plane break and 13-15 inches of sweep. It sits in the low 80s and missed bats at the highest rate of any offering in 2024.

Command and strike-throwing are two of Hartle’s better traits. While the walk rates have not reflected that this season, Hartle is doing a good job of keeping the ball on the ground and missing enough bats. If things continue to progress, he could be a solid backend starting pitcher.

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