Tuesday's Standout Minor League Performances

Last night gave me some good looks at David Shields against a good Hickory lineup. Some new draftees in both lineups, and honestly, I came away very impressed by Yolfran Castillo more than anyone in that lineup. I will do a breakdown of that series after going to another game, but today brings a lot to talk about across the minors.

Some hitters stood out in a big way, and some unlikely pitchers dominated! I have everything you need to know about what happened, including a detailed breakdown of Nelson Rada, who is getting a ton of buzz and hype. Is it warranted?

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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.

Nelson Rada, OF, Los Angeles Angels, 20, AAA

Rada has been one of the more buzzy prospect names recently, and for good reason. He just turned 20 years old over the weekend and has been in Triple-A the entire month of August. The Angels are always aggressive with their better prospects, but Rada has handled all his aggressive assignments well. In 388 Double-A plate appearances, Rada slashed .277/.380/.332, but his 96 plate appearances in Triple-A have taken it to the next level.

After four hits on Tuesday, including a double, Rada has seven hits in the last two games and is up to a .368/.484/.500 slash line with Salt Lake. While some are quick to shove Rada up rankings, it is important to look at the whole profile and what it might look like for fantasy purposes. Rada has two home runs this year, but the exit velocities are probably closer to 20-grade with a potential future 30-grade.

The hit tool is interesting. While Rada does make contact at above-average rates, including a good feel for the zone, the batted ball angles are not great. Rada has always put the ball on the ground at high clips, and Rada struggles to pull the ball, especially fastballs. After having a ground ball rate of 56.5 percent last season, that number has slightly improved to 54.5 percent, a mark that is still too high. In Double-A, Rada pulled just 18 percent of his fly balls, and while the number is up in Triple-A, his 84 mph exit velocity on fly balls is low.

The good is that Rada is a plus runner and has stolen 47 bases this year, but has just a 74 percent success rate. Rada is also a very strong glove in the outfield with good range. These things will help him get into the Angels lineup at a young age.

When we compare Rada to other players with similar profiles, there are a couple of current prospects that come to mind. Justin Crawford, who is a ground ball specialist with good speed, and Enrique Bradfield Jr. Both prospects are older, but Crawford has exit velocities that are substantially better, and his contact skills are a grade better.

Bradfield feels like a reasonable comp, having similar speed, glove, approach, and power. But Bradfield does have a better hit tool. I went back and ran some filters on profiles like Rada’s, dating back to 2015. The only player I found with the type of speed, ground ball rates, and lack of power like Rada is Myles Straw, and while Straw has been an MLB regular for three seasons, the profile is not one that is appealing for fantasy.

Could Rada still improve? Yes. He just turned 20 years old. Do I trust the Angels to fully develop Rada? Probably not. I think the jury is still out on Rada, and there is plenty of development to be had, but I struggle to sit here and say this is a top 100 or even a top 50 fantasy prospect, as some have said. Given the profile, I am a little more hesitant on how it might play for fantasy purposes.

Mitch Farris, LHP, Los Angeles Angels, 24, AA

Farris is a 6’2” lefty who was selected in the 14th round of the 2023 MLB draft by the Atlanta Braves. After an impressive 2024 season in which Farris posted a 3.08 ERA, the Braves shipped Farris to Los Angeles for Davis Daniel. While the 2025 season has not gone as planned for Farris in Double-A Rocket City, but the start on Tuesday was a career best.

Generating 21 whiffs, a daily best, Farris struck out 13 batters and walked just one across 6.2 innings. Hitting the 100 pitch mark, Farris landed 64 of the pitches for strikes as he dominated many of his former teammates with the Braves ’ Double-A affiliate, Columbia.

The fastball sits in the upper-80s and sometimes works in the 86 mph range. He relies on commanding it well and having a good riding life on the pitch to make it work. The changeup is probably his best offering and looks almost like a screwball. There is an average curveball in the tank as well, to give Farris three pitches.

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