Wednesday's Notable Minor League Baseball Standouts

Today’s recap features quite a few names that we have not written about this year, which is a lot of fun. We had a ton of multi-home run performances. Top prospect Kevin McGonigle keeps blasting home runs. Plus, some standout pitchers with big strikeout totals.

I will be back in Columbia for a matchup between the Fireflies and Myrtle Beach Pelicans. Some new draftees, plus another Kendry Chourio start, will be a lot of fun to see. I will report back on that, but first, let’s talk about the top performers from Wednesday’s action.

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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.

Izaac Pacheco, 3B, Detroit Tigers, 22, A+

Pacheco was selected in the second round of the 2021 draft out of Friendswood HS in Texas. Having a highly projectable power frame, Pacheco has not yet tapped into his game power, many hoped he would, and there has not been much to get excited about in the profile, at least until this year. After reaching High-A in 2022, Pacheco still finds himself playing there today, so we have to take that factor in with the performance.

There have been some improvements in the profile, albeit small ones. The strikeout rate is down to 28 percent, which is notable considering what he has shown in the past. The contact rates are still below average, but have also improved from what we have seen in the past, and Pacheco has a strong approach and gets on base a ton via walks.

Last night, Pacheco showed off his power, having a two-homer game with a mammoth shot to the pull side and then his second being smacked to the opposite field. He is now up to ten home runs in 330 plate appearances and seems poised to pass his career high of 12 that he hit in 508 plate appearances in 2023.

There is still a long way to go for Pacheco as a hitter and prospect, but at least there are some signs of life here.

Griff McGarry, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies, 26, AA

Will the real Griff McGarry please stand up? After I stated last week that McGarry turned in a career-best start, he did it again on Wednesday, but even better than the week before. Tossing six scoreless innings, McGarry allowed just two hits and one walk, while striking out 12 batters. McGarry ended the start with 20 whiffs and now has 23 strikeouts and just one walk over his last two starts.

McGarry mixes a slider and a cutter, and his four-seam fastball averaged around 95 mph. The fastball does have good characteristics, having high IVB and horizontal movement. At times, McGarry will also feature a low-80s curve with solid traits. Just getting him to throw strikes has been a big issue in the past, but over the last two starts, that mark has sat near 66 percent and the whiffs have been off the charts.

While the walks are inconsistent start to start, McGarry gives vibes of a reliever. The flashes he has shown the last two weeks look like those of a late-career breakout. So it is something to watch closely.

Across 56.1 innings this year, McGarry has a 3.38 ERA with a 35 percent strikeout rate and a 13.2 percent walk rate. The numbers have drastically changed over the last two starts, but it is fun to watch.

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