Rays: Shane Baz, RHP (MLB No. 20), Triple-A Durham
It was business as usual for Baz in Game 1 of Durham’s doubleheader Saturday. The Rays’ top prospect tossed five scoreless innings with five strikeouts, allowing one walk and one hit while lowering his Triple-A ERA to 1.80. Baz registered nine swinging strikes and threw 46 of his 68 pitches for strikes, overpowering Charlotte batters with his running fastball that sits in the high 90’s and his sweeping slider. Baz has always been a promising pitcher but has stepped up his production this season. In 67 2/3 innings spanning 15 starts, he has a 2.13 ERA with 96 strikeouts (36.7 K%) to 11 BB’s (4.3 BB%) and a 0.80 WHIP
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Vaughn Grissom, SS, High-A Rome (Braves)—Grissom had questions surrounding his hit tool coming out of high school in 2019, but thus far he's allayed any concerns in his first year of full-season ball. On Tuesday he hit a solo home run and drove in five in a loss to Asheville, raising his season slash line to .320/.411/.473 with seven homers and 14 stolen bases.
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Rays: Shane Baz, RHP (MLB No. 20), Triple-A Durham
Baz last pitched for Triple-A Durham on Sept. 11, striking out 10 batters while allowing only one run on three hits and one walk over six innings. In five Triple-A starts since returning from the Tokyo Olympics, Baz has put together a 1.57 ERA with 31 strikeouts and three walks in 23 innings.
Baz last pitched for Triple-A Durham on Sept. 11, striking out 10 batters while allowing only one run on three hits and one walk over six innings. In five Triple-A starts since returning from the Tokyo Olympics, Baz has put together a 1.57 ERA with 31 strikeouts and three walks in 23 innings.
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16. Christian Encarnacion-Strand, 3B, Twins
Team: High-A Cedar Rapids (Midwest)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: .444/.474/.917 (16-for-36), 9 R, 2 2B, 5 HR, 20 RBIs, 2 BB, 9 SO, 2 SB, 1 CS.
The Scoop: Last year, Encarnacion-Strand was one of the most productive sluggers in college baseball at Oklahoma State. The start of his pro career has found him being one of the most productive sluggers in Class A. Encarnacion-Strand had a great brief stint in Low-A Fort Myers last year (.391/.424/.598), but that was upstaged by his 2022 April. He already has five home runs this year in just eight games and began the season with nine hits, including three homers, in his first two games. (JC)
Team: High-A Cedar Rapids (Midwest)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: .444/.474/.917 (16-for-36), 9 R, 2 2B, 5 HR, 20 RBIs, 2 BB, 9 SO, 2 SB, 1 CS.
The Scoop: Last year, Encarnacion-Strand was one of the most productive sluggers in college baseball at Oklahoma State. The start of his pro career has found him being one of the most productive sluggers in Class A. Encarnacion-Strand had a great brief stint in Low-A Fort Myers last year (.391/.424/.598), but that was upstaged by his 2022 April. He already has five home runs this year in just eight games and began the season with nine hits, including three homers, in his first two games. (JC)
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Kerry Carpenter- Season Line 318/374/677, 20 HR with 42 RBI in 52 Games
The Scoop: A 19th-round pick in 2019 out of Virginia Tech, Carpenter made adjustments to his swing and approach entering the season and has unlocked another gear of game power. Last week, the outfielder continued to reap the rewards of his newfound approach, launching five home runs during the SeaWolves' series at Bowie. Three of Carpenter’s five home runs last week were hit at a reported 100-plus mph, a testament to Carpenter’s improved game power. H/e has traded some contact for power, but Carpenter still makes contact at an average rate (72%), while displaying above-average swing decisions. (GP)
The Scoop: A 19th-round pick in 2019 out of Virginia Tech, Carpenter made adjustments to his swing and approach entering the season and has unlocked another gear of game power. Last week, the outfielder continued to reap the rewards of his newfound approach, launching five home runs during the SeaWolves' series at Bowie. Three of Carpenter’s five home runs last week were hit at a reported 100-plus mph, a testament to Carpenter’s improved game power. H/e has traded some contact for power, but Carpenter still makes contact at an average rate (72%), while displaying above-average swing decisions. (GP)
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11. Will Dion, LHP, Guardians
Team: Low-A Lynchburg (Carolina)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 10 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 16 SO, 0 HR
The Scoop: By now, it’s not much of a surprise when the Guardians produce another stealthy pitching prospect. This time, it’s Dion, a lefthander whom they selected out of McNeese State in the ninth round of the 2021 draft. Assigned to Low-A, Dion has carved. He boasts a four-pitch mix with an 87-90 mph fastball at the front and a delivery scouts note is a near-perfect Xerox of Dodgers lefthander Clayton Kershaw. His nine punchouts in five no-hit innings on May 24 established a career-best for strikeouts. His 51 strikeouts overall are just six behind rotation-mate Rodney Boone. (JN
Team: Low-A Lynchburg (Carolina)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 10 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 16 SO, 0 HR
The Scoop: By now, it’s not much of a surprise when the Guardians produce another stealthy pitching prospect. This time, it’s Dion, a lefthander whom they selected out of McNeese State in the ninth round of the 2021 draft. Assigned to Low-A, Dion has carved. He boasts a four-pitch mix with an 87-90 mph fastball at the front and a delivery scouts note is a near-perfect Xerox of Dodgers lefthander Clayton Kershaw. His nine punchouts in five no-hit innings on May 24 established a career-best for strikeouts. His 51 strikeouts overall are just six behind rotation-mate Rodney Boone. (JN
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Eddinson Paulino, OF, Red Sox
Team: Low-A Salem (Carolina)
Age: 19
Why He’s Here: .480/.581/.960 (12-for-25), 8 R, 2 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 7 RBIs, 6 BB, 2 SO, 5-for-5 SB
The Scoop: After a slow start to the season, Paulino has gotten better with each passing month, culminating in a stellar month of June. He had four multi-hit games last week including three-hit efforts on Thursday and Sunday. He stole a base in four out of six games and opened the series with two steals and a home run on Tuesday. The 19-year-old is breaking out in Low-A, showing contact, speed, and average game power. (GP)
Team: Low-A Salem (Carolina)
Age: 19
Why He’s Here: .480/.581/.960 (12-for-25), 8 R, 2 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 7 RBIs, 6 BB, 2 SO, 5-for-5 SB
The Scoop: After a slow start to the season, Paulino has gotten better with each passing month, culminating in a stellar month of June. He had four multi-hit games last week including three-hit efforts on Thursday and Sunday. He stole a base in four out of six games and opened the series with two steals and a home run on Tuesday. The 19-year-old is breaking out in Low-A, showing contact, speed, and average game power. (GP)
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1. Christian Encarnacion-Strand, 3B, Twins
Team: Double-A Wichita (Texas)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: .462/.517/1.269 (12-for-26), 8 R, 4 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 15 RBIs, 3 BB, 5 SO, 1-for-1 SB
The Scoop: Encarnacion-Strand was promoted to Double-A earlier this week and wasted no time adjusting to his new level. In his fourth game with Wichita, the Twins’ fourth-rounder in 2021 racked up the first cycle in franchise history. His output this week vaulted him into the system lead in doubles (25) and home runs (21), while the players he passed (Spencer Steer, Matt Wallner) were away at the Futures Game. (JN)
Team: Double-A Wichita (Texas)
Age: 22
Why He’s Here: .462/.517/1.269 (12-for-26), 8 R, 4 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 15 RBIs, 3 BB, 5 SO, 1-for-1 SB
The Scoop: Encarnacion-Strand was promoted to Double-A earlier this week and wasted no time adjusting to his new level. In his fourth game with Wichita, the Twins’ fourth-rounder in 2021 racked up the first cycle in franchise history. His output this week vaulted him into the system lead in doubles (25) and home runs (21), while the players he passed (Spencer Steer, Matt Wallner) were away at the Futures Game. (JN)
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Matt Mervis, 1B, Cubs: When the season began, Mervis was assigned to High-A South Bend. He hit his way to a promotion by topping a 1.000 OPS in his lone month in the Midwest League. The promotion to Double-A Tennessee didn’t really slow him down. He posted a .966 OPS in roughly two months there. It doesn’t seem like the jump to Triple-A Iowa has affected him either. Mervis hit his 27th home run of the season and extended his hitting streak to nine games on Sunday and is now hitting .310/.373/.599 overall this year
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Lynchburg Hillcats (Guardians) left-hander Will Dion went 3-0 with a 1.16 ERA in four starts before an August 29 promotion to High-A Lake County. Dion struck out 27 and walked six over 23 1/3 innings as he scattered 15 hits. He allowed one earned run in his last 16 2/3 innings of the month and held opponents to a .179 average in August. Dion, 22, was selected by Cleveland in the ninth round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of McNeese State University.
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Christian Encarnacion-Strand, 3B, Reds: After two seasons at Yavapai (Ariz.) JC, Encarnacion-Strand transferred to Oklahoma State for the 2021 campaign. There he hit .361/.442/.661 with 15 home runs over 56 games with the Cowboys. The Twins selected Encarnacion-Strand in the fourth round in 2021 and assigned him to Low-A Fort Myers out of the draft. Over 22 games with the Mighty Muscles Encarnacion-Strand hit .391/.424/.598 with four home runs over 22 games. Encarnacion-Strand was one of the hottest hitters over the first half of the season in 2022 with High-A Cedar Rapids, as he hit .296/.370/.599 with 20 home runs over 74 Midwest League games. Encarnacion-Strand was promoted to Double-A Wichita in mid-July but spent just two weeks with the Wind Surge before the Twins traded him as a part of the package that acquired righthander Tyler Mahle. He then spent 35 games with Double-A Chattanooga and finished the season with a .304/.368/.587 line, 32 home runs and 114 RBIs. A strong combination of power, bat-to-ball skills and optimal launch angles allowed Encarnacion-Strand to get the most out of his abilities.
Matt Mervis, 1B, Cubs: After a productive four-year career at Duke, Mervis signed as a nondrafted free agent after the five-round 2020 draft. He debuted in Low-A last season, hitting an uninspiring .204/.309/.367 over 69 games. While his overall line was poor, Mervis’ batting average on balls in play was unusually low at .236, an outlier for a player who made hard contact at the rate Mervis did. Assigned to High-A South Bend out of camp, Mervis embarked on one of the more improbable breakout seasons of 2022. He reached Double-A Tennessee by mid-May and then saw a promotion to Triple-A Iowa by mid-July. Across three levels in 2022, Mervis hit .309/.379/.605 with 36 home runs and 119 RBIs, leading the Cubs organization in hits, doubles, RBIs and slugging. Mervis displays above-average contact skills, easy plus raw power and a knack for barreling fastballs. After a stint in the Arizona Fall League to round out the year, Mervis looks like a potential early season arrival for the Cubs.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand, 3B, Reds: After two seasons at Yavapai (Ariz.) JC, Encarnacion-Strand transferred to Oklahoma State for the 2021 campaign. There he hit .361/.442/.661 with 15 home runs over 56 games with the Cowboys. The Twins selected Encarnacion-Strand in the fourth round in 2021 and assigned him to Low-A Fort Myers out of the draft. Over 22 games with the Mighty Muscles Encarnacion-Strand hit .391/.424/.598 with four home runs over 22 games. Encarnacion-Strand was one of the hottest hitters over the first half of the season in 2022 with High-A Cedar Rapids, as he hit .296/.370/.599 with 20 home runs over 74 Midwest League games. Encarnacion-Strand was promoted to Double-A Wichita in mid-July but spent just two weeks with the Wind Surge before the Twins traded him as a part of the package that acquired righthander Tyler Mahle. He then spent 35 games with Double-A Chattanooga and finished the season with a .304/.368/.587 line, 32 home runs and 114 RBIs. A strong combination of power, bat-to-ball skills and optimal launch angles allowed Encarnacion-Strand to get the most out of his abilities.
Matt Mervis, 1B, Cubs: After a productive four-year career at Duke, Mervis signed as a nondrafted free agent after the five-round 2020 draft. He debuted in Low-A last season, hitting an uninspiring .204/.309/.367 over 69 games. While his overall line was poor, Mervis’ batting average on balls in play was unusually low at .236, an outlier for a player who made hard contact at the rate Mervis did. Assigned to High-A South Bend out of camp, Mervis embarked on one of the more improbable breakout seasons of 2022. He reached Double-A Tennessee by mid-May and then saw a promotion to Triple-A Iowa by mid-July. Across three levels in 2022, Mervis hit .309/.379/.605 with 36 home runs and 119 RBIs, leading the Cubs organization in hits, doubles, RBIs and slugging. Mervis displays above-average contact skills, easy plus raw power and a knack for barreling fastballs. After a stint in the Arizona Fall League to round out the year, Mervis looks like a potential early season arrival for the Cubs.
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Pitcher of the Year: Will Dion, Lynchburg (CLE)
It's inarguable: nobody in the Carolina League was more dominant than Dion. Armed with a devastating curveball, the Cleveland southpaw cruised to the league lead in ERA (2.26), strikeouts (142 -- with a mere 31 walks), WHIP (1.03) and average against (.207). His 115 1/3 innings for the Hillcats ranked second in the league.
It's inarguable: nobody in the Carolina League was more dominant than Dion. Armed with a devastating curveball, the Cleveland southpaw cruised to the league lead in ERA (2.26), strikeouts (142 -- with a mere 31 walks), WHIP (1.03) and average against (.207). His 115 1/3 innings for the Hillcats ranked second in the league.
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Midwest League
Most Valuable Player: Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Cedar Rapids (MIN)
Encarnacion-Strand was otherworldly in April, slashing .410/.459/.679 with 23 RBIs, and rebounded from a tough May to finish his tenure with the Kernels with a .296/.370/.599 line and 20 home runs in 74 games
Most Valuable Player: Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Cedar Rapids (MIN)
Encarnacion-Strand was otherworldly in April, slashing .410/.459/.679 with 23 RBIs, and rebounded from a tough May to finish his tenure with the Kernels with a .296/.370/.599 line and 20 home runs in 74 games
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Luis De Avila, RHP, Braves: The hottest pitcher in the Southern League is De Avila. He extended his hitless streak to 11 innings with six hitless innings against Tennessee. De Avila threw five hitless innings against Chattanooga in his previous start.
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Andres Valor, OF, Marlins: Valor was one of Miami’s most highly touted signings in the most recent international period. He was lauded for his combination of size and athleticism and potential to become a power-speed threat. He entered Thursday with 16 two-hit games, but had never produced a three- or four-hit game. That’s still true. He does, however, have a five-hit game. The outburst included three doubles, two RBIs and his 21st stolen base of the season.
Andres Valor, OF, Marlins: Valor was one of Miami’s most highly touted signings in the most recent international period. He was lauded for his combination of size and athleticism and potential to become a power-speed threat. He entered Thursday with 16 two-hit games, but had never produced a three- or four-hit game. That’s still true. He does, however, have a five-hit game. The outburst included three doubles, two RBIs and his 21st stolen base of the season.
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Wichita Wind Surge (Twins) right-hander Pierson Ohl went 5-0 with a 1.17 ERA in five starts. He held opponents to a league-best .179 average as he scattered 19 hits and four earned runs over 30 2/3 innings. Ohl’s 0.72 WHIP also led the league. He worked a career-high eight innings on Aug. 8 at Northwest Arkansas. Ohl, 23, was selected by Minnesota in the 14th round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Grand Canyon University.
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Luis De Avila, LHP, Braves: De Avila set a career high in strikeouts with 11 in six scoreless innings. He now has a 14-inning scoreless streak and Thursday was the eighth time in 24 starts this year that he hasn’t allowed a run.
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Oliver Dunn, 2B, Phillies — The final pick in the minor league portion of the 2022 Rule 5 draft, Dunn has come a long way in just a year. After being discarded by the Yankees after last season, Dunn hit .271/.396/.506 over 119 games with Double-A Reading. He was assigned to the Arizona Fall League after the season and has mashed over 13 games for the Scorpions, hitting .340/.459/.680 with nine extra base hits and 9 stolen bases. Dunn is frequently overlooked, but is making the most of his second chance.
