2022 Minor League Baseball player and pitcher of the year
2022 Minor League Baseball players of the year
The 2022 Minor League Baseball season is now complete. We’re going to take a look at the top players of this season, but this will be entirely from a statistical performance standpoint. The evaluation has nothing to do with prospect status or age relative to league or any of those things. Enjoy!
Hitter of the year
This was a very difficult choice. With more than a half-dozen more than qualified choices, Vaun Brown ended up in the top spot. A Division II college athlete from Florida Southern College, Brown was selected in the 10th round of the 2021 draft by the San Francisco Giants. He dedicated himself to the weight room and was an incredible hitter across both A-ball levels this season before getting a game at Double-A to end the season. Brown won the overall batting title in the minor leagues with a .346 mark in 458 plate appearances, knocking out 23 home runs, with 24 doubles, seven triples, and 44 stolen bases in 50 attempts. He finished just out of the top five in on-base and slugging percentage and was first in wRC+ on the season across all qualified minor leaguers with a 175 mark.
Pitcher of the year
With a pitcher reaching a strikeout number not seen in more than 20 years and a starter losing a chance to have a 40% strikeout rate in his final start, a rate that has only happened one other time in the last decade by a qualified minor league starter, Andrew Painter still ended up on top. The towering (6’7″) righty was in his first full minor league season after being the 13th overall selection in 2021 out of high school by the Philadelphia Phillies. Using a fastball that tops triple digits and a pair of breaking pitches that have sat above-averaged and flashed double-plus throughout the season. Painter has even seen his below-average changeup become at least an average pitch, which quickly has made him an elite prospect. However, beyond the prospect pedigree, Painter had the numbers to back it up. Among all qualified starters, Painter had the lowest WHIP (0.89), best FIP (2.02), second-lowest ERA (1.56), and second-highest strikeout rate (38.7%). The combination of everything makes it hard to ignore Painter for this spot.
Overall statistical leaders (300 PA/100 IP minimum):
BA: Vaun Brown .346, Jancarlos Cintron .338, BJ Boyd .337, Carter Williams .336, Wynton Bernard .333
OBP: Esteury Ruiz .447, Niko Kavadas .443, Logan Porter .442, Austin Gauthier .441, Edouard Julien .441
SLG: Brent Rooker .649, Kerry Carpenter .645, Matt Davidson .644, Sean Bouchard .635, Moises Gomez .624
wRC+: Vaun Brown 175, Kyle Manzardo 173, Niko Kavadas 170, Kerry Carpenter 169, Endy Rodriguez 166
R: Michael Busch/Jacob Young 118, Esteury Ruiz/Colton Cowser 114, Wilyer Abreu 106
RBI: Matt Mervis 119, Robert Perez Jr/Christian Encarnacion-Strand 114, Yanquiel Fernandez 109, Michael Busch 108
2B: Julio Carreras 42, Will Brennan/Jake Alu/Justin Dirden/Matt Mervis 40
3B: Drew Avans/Mason Auer 12, Janatan Clase 11, Ten with 10
HR: Moises Gomez 39, Alexander Canario 37, Matt Mervis/Hunter Goodman 36, Tristan Gray 33
SB: Esteury Ruiz 85, Luis Valdez 71, Omar De Los Santos/Nasim Nunez/David Hamilton 70
ERA: Gavin Stone 1.48, Andrew Painter 1.56, Luis Devers 1.91, Gavin Williams 1.96, Mason Montgomery 2.10
WHIP: Andrew Painter 0.89, Casey Lawrence 0.89, Jack Leftwich 0.91, Chance Kirby 0.94, Gordon Graceffo 0.94
FIP: Andrew Painter 2.02, Gavin Stone 2.44, Jack Leftwich 2.49, Brant Hurter 2.52, Tanner Bibee 2.80
IP: Brandon Pfaadt 167, Sean Boyle 155 1/3, Darren McCaughan 154 1/3, Peyton Battenfield 153 2/3, Chris Murphy 152
W: Taylor Dollard 16, Anthony Molina 14, Luis Devers/Sean Boyle 13, Six with 12
SV: Cam Robinson 25, Fernando Cruz 23, Eric Torres 22, Carson Coleman 19, Greg Weissert/Brian Marconi 18
K: Brandon Pfaadt 218, Kyle Harrison 186, Logan Allen 177, Royber Salinas 175, Robert Gasser 172
K/BB: Luis Palacios 7.75, Brian Van Belle 6.75, Brandon Pfaadt 6.61, Richard Fitts 6.55, Brant Hurter 6.48
BB%: Thomas Eshelman 2.5, A.J. Ladwig 2.7, David Leal 3.0, Luis Palacios 3.0, Brian Van Belle 3.4
K%: Kyle Harrison 39.8, Andrew Painter 38.7, Royber Salinas 37.6, Joe Boyle/Prelander Berroa 36.5
Top hitter nominees:
Mason Auer, TB, A/A+, .290/.372/.487, 15 HR, 48 SB, 84 R, 62 RBI, 134 wRC+
Addison Barger, Tor, A+/AA, .308/.378/.555, 26 HR, 9 SB, 80 R, 91 RBI, 152 wRC+
Wynton Bernard, Col, AAA, .333/.387/.590, 21 HR, 30 SB, 95 R, 92 RBI, 138 wRC+
Will Brennan, Cle, AA/AAA, .314/.371/.479, 13 HR, 20 SB, 69 R, 107 RBI, 127 wRC+
Vaun Brown, SF, A/A+/AA, .346/.437/.623, 23 HR, 44 SB, 100 R, 75 RBI, 175 wRC+
Kerry Carpenter, Det, AA/AAA, .313/.380/.645, 30 HR, 3 SB, 60 R, 65 RBI, 169 wRC+
Corbin Carroll, Ari, AA/AAA, .307/.425/.610, 24 HR, 31 SB, 89 R, 62 RBI, 158 wRC+
Leandro Cedeno, Ari, AA/AAA, .308/.369/.549, 32 HR, 94 R, 103 RBI, 128 wRC+
Jackson Chourio, Mil, A/A+/AA, .288/.342/.538, 20 HR, 16 SB, 75 R, 75 RBI, 136 wRC+
Pete Crow-Armstrong, ChC, A/A+, .312/.376/.520, 16 HR, 32 SB, 89 R, 61 RBI, 145 wRC+
Elly De La Cruz, Cin, A+/AA, .304/.359/.586, 28 HR, 47 SB, 87 R, 86 RBI, 150 wRC+
Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Min/Cin, A+/AA, .304/.368/.587, 32 HR, 8 SB, 76 R, 114 RBI, 152 wRC+
Moises Gomez, StL, AA/AAA, .294/.371/.624, 39 HR, 10 SB, 89 R, 94 RBI, 149 wRC+
Hunter Goodman, Col, A/A+/AA, .294/.354/.572, 36 HR, 6 SB, 97 R, 106 RBI, 138 wRC+
Matt Gorski, Pit, A/A+/AA/AAA, .280/.358/.598, 24 HR, 21 SB, 62 R, 66 RBI, 153 wRC+
Vaughn Grissom, Atl, A+/AA, .324/.405/.494, 14 HR, 27 SB, 72 R, 67 RBI, 146 wRC+
Gunnar Henderson, Bal, AA/AAA, .297/.416/.531, 19 HR, 22 SB, 101 R, 76 RBI, 154 wRC+
Jordan Lawlar, Ari, A/A+/AA, .303/.401/.509, 16 HR, 39 SB, 98 R, 62 RBI, 138 wRC+
Kyle Manzardo, TB, A+/AA, .327/.426/.617, 22 HR, 71 R, 81 RBI, 173 wRC+
Cade Marlowe, Sea, AA/AAA, .287/.377/.487, 23 HR, 42 SB, 83 R, 102 RBI, 120 wRC+
Grant McCray, SF, A/A+, .289/.383/.514, 23 HR, 43 SB, 104 R, 79 RBI, 130 wRC+
Matt Mervis, ChC, A+/AA/AAA, .309/.379/.605, 36 HR, 2 SB, 92 R, 119 RBI, 156 wRC+
James Outman, LAD, AA/AAA, .294/.392.586, 31 HR, 13 SB, 101 R, 106 RBI, 141 wRC+
Ceddanne Rafaela, Bos, A+/AA, .299/.342/.538, 21 HR, 28 SB, 82 R, 86 RBI, 134 wRC+
Endy Rodriguez, Pit, A+/AA/AAA, .323/.407/.590, 25 HR, 4 SB, 92 R, 95 RBI, 166 wRC+
Esteury Ruiz, SD/Mil, AA/AAA, .332/.447/.526, 16 HR, 85 SB, 114 R, 65 RBI, 156 wRC+
Shane Sasaki, TB, A, .324/.410/.497, 9 HR, 47 SB, 71 R, 57 RBI, 151 wRC+
Top pitcher nominees:
Tanner Bibee, Cle, A+/AA, 132 2/3 IP, 2.17 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 2.80 FIP, 167 K
Taj Bradley, TB, AA/AAA, 133 1/3 IP, 2.57 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 3.65 FIP, 141 K
Ben Brown, Phi, A+/AA, 104 IP, 3.38 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 3.20 FIP, 149 K
Hunter Brown, Hou, AAA, 106 IP, 2.55 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 3.27 FIP, 134 K
Luis Devers, ChC, A/A+, 117 2/3 IP, 1.91 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 2.90 FIP, 122 K
Will Dion, Cle, A/A+, 128 IP, 2.11 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 3.16 FIP, 157 K
Dylan Dodd, Atl, A+/AA, 142 IP, 3.36 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 3.11 FIP, 153 K
Taylor Dollard, Sea, AA, 144 IP, 2.25 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 3.60 FIP, 131 K
Wilmer Flores, Det, A+/AA, 103 1/3 IP, 2.79 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 3.19 FIP, 130 K
Robert Gasser, SD/Mil, A+/AA, 137 IP, 3.94 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 3.37 FIP, 172 K
Gordon Graceffo, StL, A+/AA, 139 1/3 IP, 2.97 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 3.97 FIP, 139 K
Kyle Harrison, SF, A+/AA, 113 IP, 2.71 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 3.20 FIP, 186 K
Porter Hodge, ChC, A/A+, 109 1/3 IP, 2.63 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 3.39 FIP, 141 K
Brant Hurter, Det, A/A+/AA, 106 2/3 IP, 3.71 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 2.52 FIP, 136 K
Brandon Knarr, Mil, A+/AA, 146 1/3 IP, 2.83 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 3.71 FIP, 152 K
Jack Leftwich, Cle, A/A+, 2.72 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 2.49 FIP, 140 K
Ty Madden, Det, A+/AA, 122 2/3 IP, 3.01 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 4.07 FIP, 133 K
Mason Montgomery, TB, A+/AA, 124 IP, 2.10 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 3.11 FIP, 171 K
Andrew Painter, Phi, A/A+/AA, 103 2/3 IP, 1.56 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 2.02 FIP, 155 K
Inohan Paniagua, StL, A/A+, 137 2/3 IP, 2.81 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 3.74 FIP, 145 K
Brandon Pfaadt, Ari, AA/AAA, 167 IP, 3.83 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 4.21 FIP, 218 K
Landen Roupp, SF, A/A+/AA, 107 1/3 IP, 2.60 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 2.81 FIP, 152 K
Royber Salinas, Atl, A/A+, 109 IP, 3.55 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 3.25 FIP, 175 K
Gavin Stone, LAD, A+/AA/AAA, 121 2/3 IP, 1.48 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 2.44 FIP, 168 K
Gavin Williams, Cle, A+/AA, 115 IP, 1.96 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 3.09 FIP, 149 K
Nick Zwack, NYM, A/A+, 105 2/3 IP, 2.81 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 2.90 FIP, 132 K
Benjamin Chase
After 6 years of writing for FanSided on various sites and offering contributions to various other websites, family changes have encouraged me to start this site. I spend a ton of time watching baseball at all levels, but I love watching minor league baseball on milb.tv as I'm hours away from the closest minor league team. This is an effort of all those games I enjoy on a daily basis!
