IBC

Eli Serrano, OF, New York Mets (High-A Brooklyn)

Despite being a draft-eligible sophomore taken nearly 100 picks after Benge, you can argue Serrano is the more polished hitter so far. He’s more consistent at the plate, looking more comfortable in his cleats. He starts far less open than Benge, utilizing a small stride and longer load, then swings with a clear intent to clear his hips quickly and pull the ball. Like Benge, too much of his hardest contact comes on the ground, but he hits the ball even harder than the first rounder. It’s not a classically pretty left-handed swing, and everything looks awkward, perhaps because Serrano has a spindly frame that is mostly trunk. Serrano shows good swing decisions and really grinds the edges of the zone. The one place you can exploit him some is down and in, as he likes to zone that area to try and pull and lift, but you better get it down enough and in enough, because he can turn velocity on the inner half if you get too much plate.

His awkward-looking game shows up in the outfield too, and Serrano doesn’t really have the routes or foot speed for center or the arm for right, although he won’t kill you at either. He’s the more advanced hitter at present (and doesn’t have Benge’s small sample size platoon issues), but I do think there’s less upside in the profile. Despite the more limited college experience (and production) Serrano already has filled in much of the outline of what he’s going to be, which is something in the range of an average-to-solid-average corner outfielder. —Jeffrey Paternostro

https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... -ten-pack/

The characterizations attached to the White Sox these days are usually ones a team would prefer to go unnoticed.

Last year, they had the worst record in team history (41-121) and one of the worst in MLB history. This year, they remain on pace to have the second-worst record in team history.

But here’s a White Sox description that’s actually a positive: This year’s White Sox Rule 5 class could end up as one of the best in recent history.

Righthander Shane Smith, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 Rule 5 draft out of the Brewers’ system, has been exceptional. At 1-2, 2.08 in eight starts, he’s the ace of the pitching staff, the White Sox’s best player and one of the best Rule 5 picks of the 21st century.

Smith currently has 1.6 bWAR, which leads all White Sox’s players. In the 21st century, only nine players have topped 1.5 bWAR in their Rule 5 season. The only starting pitchers to do so are Royals righthander Brad Keller (4.2 bWAR) and Athletics righthander Mitch Spence (1.6 bWAR).

Smith has had three scoreless outings of 5+ innings. Spence and Keller each did that only once in their Rule 5 seasons.

In Smith’s case, it does not seem to be a fluke. He’s added another tick to his fastball and now sits 94-96 mph as a starter. But more importantly, since joining the White Sox, he’s developed a new low-90s changeup that has quickly become his best pitch.

Smith didn’t even throw a changeup in 2024. Now, he throws it more than 20% of the time, and it’s been a bottom-of-the-zone weapon that he can throw to righties and lefties. Opponents are hitting .143/.227/.200 against it with a 34.7% whiff percentage. It rates as one of the better changeups in the big leagues.

With an average-or-better fastball, a plus changeup and a promising slider, Smith has the stuff to be a long-term rotation piece.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... 363a3cd2bc

Marco Dinges, C, Milwaukee Brewers, 21, A

Dinges is the Mudcats player that people are not talking enough about. A 2024 fourth-round pick out of Florida State, Dinges was young for the draft and will spend the entire 2025 season at 21 years old. Whether it was behind the plate and throwing out base runners, or hitting home runs, Dinges has impressed me.

Blasting two home runs and adding a double yesterday, Dinges now has 12 extra-base hits in 21 games this year. The slash line is up to .356/.478/.616, and Dinges is walking at a 15 percent clip while striking out in just ten percent of plate appearances.

Dinges is solid behind the plate, showing solid pop times in the mid-1.9-second range in my looks. He has thrown out 27 percent of attempted base stealers, which is really good considering most Single-A pitchers cannot hold runners on base.

Dinges checks all the boxes I want to see from a scouting and data standpoint. The contact rates are plus, the exit velocities are plus, Dinges uses the whole field well, and is good behind the plate. I just want to see him perform at higher levels.

https://www.thedynastydugout.com/p/pros ... dugout.com