Minor League Baseball Players of the Week for July 19, 2022
Minor League Baseball Weekly Top Performers
While major league baseball is on All-Star break, minor league baseball keeps chugging along. The draft this week will add a collection of new players to each organization very soon. This week’s top performers are both breakout performers.
Hitter of the Week
One of the better prospects in the 2017 draft, Chris Williams injured his shoulder and fell all the way to the 31st round, leading to him returning to school. The Twins drafted him in the eighth round, and he spent his pro debut at first base, hitting very well for Elizabethton in the Appalachian League. He’s struggled to hit the same ever since as he attempted to work primarily behind the plate. Minnesota gave him a reprieve from the tools of ignorance this season, as he’s caught roughly 1/3 of the games he’s played, spending the rest of the time at first or DH, and his bat has taken a big step forward at Double-A in response, with a .982 OPS and 16 home runs on the season to this point. A half-dozen of those home runs came in the past week as Williams hit .462/.500/1.269 with three home runs, six dingers, and drove in 20 runs.
Pitcher of the Week
Not all gambles pay off for the draft, but sometimes, the correct end still works out. Jack Leftwich returned to Florida after 2020. He ended up losing his rotation spot with the Gators and slipped back to the seventh round in the 2021 draft. Landing with the Cleveland organization has been a blessing, however, as Leftwich has been eased into innings this season, opening the year in the bullpen and working into the rotation in Lynchburg before earning a promotion to Lake County. Leftwich has seen his velocity push up to mid-90s, touching 97 late in his starts while seeing his plus slider baffle hitters and his average change spot very well as he has shown plus control this season. Leftwich has been an elite performer all season. This past week, the Iowa native had another elite start, tossing six scoreless innings, allowing two hits, walking none, and striking out 11.
Hitters
AAA
Ezequiel Duran, Round Rock – .423/.429/.962, 5 R, 2 2B, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 1/3 BB/K, SB
Richie Palacios, Columbus – .444/.524/.944, 4 R, 2 2B, 2 3B, HR, 5 RBI, 3/3 BB/K, 3 SB
Jose Rojas, Salt Lake – .400/.483/.960, 8 R, 2 2B, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 4/6 BB/K
AA
Alexander Canario, Tennessee – .316/.480/1.000, 4 R, 2B, 4 HR, 7 RBI, 6/5 BB/K, 4 SB
Yoelqui Cespedes, Birmingham – .412/.565/.941, 3 R, 3 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 5/5 BB/K, 4 SB
Tyler Fitzgerald, Richmond – .400/.471/1.200, 4 R, 4 HR, 4 RBI, 1/7 BB/K
Kyle McCann, Midland – .429/.520/1.190, 9 R, 2B, 5 HR, 13 RBI, 4/3 BB/K
Jeisson Rosario, Somerset – .643/.737/1.071, 5 R, 2B, 3B, HR, 4 RBI, 4/3 BB/K
Chris Williams, Wichita – .462/.500/1.269, 7 R, 3 2B, 6 HR, 20 RBI, 2/4 BB/K
High-A
Omar Meregildo, Wilmington – .333/.524/1.000, 4 R, 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 5/4 BB/K
Luis Toribio, Eugene – .421/.500/1.105, 7 R, 2B, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 2/3 BB/K
Single-A
Walking Cabrera, Modesto – .500/.565/.950, 6 R, 4 2B, 3B, HR, 5 RBI, 3/5 BB/K
Kadon Morton, Augusta – .471/.526/.941, 3 R, 3 2B, 3B, HR, 5 RBI, 2/6 BB/K
Alexander Vargas, Tampa – .400/.550/.867, 5 R, 2B, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 5/4 BB/K, 3 SB
Complex Leagues
Cuba Bess, ACL Rockies – .400/.563/1.100, 3 R, 2 3B, HR, 4 RBI, 4/3 BB/K
P.J. Hilson, ACL Giants Black – .389/.450/1.000, 6 R, 3 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 1/5 BB/K, SB
Toby Simmons, DSL Miami – .667/.714/.889, 3 R, 2 2B, 4 RBI, 4/1 BB/K, 4 SB
Pitchers
AAA
DL Hall, Norfolk – 10 2/3 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 5 BB, 18 K
Thomas Szapucki, Syracuse – 10 IP, 9 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 15 K
AA
Sean Boyle, Somerset – 7 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 K
Jared Shuster, Mississippi – 7 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 12 K
High-A
Prelander Berroa, Everett – 9 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 12 K
Ben Brown, Jersey Shore – 7 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 13 K
Dominic Hamel, Brooklyn – 6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 10 K
Jimmy Joyce, Everett – 5 2/3 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 13 K
Jack Leftwich, Lake County – 6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 11 K
Bryce Miller, Everett – 6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 10 K
Cade Povich, Cedar Rapids – 6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 10 K
Carson Seymour, Brooklyn – 6 2/3 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 11 K
Emmet Sheehan, Great Lakes – 5 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 10 K
Jordan Wicks, South Bend – 5 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 10 K
Single-A
Keegan Collett, Lake Elsinore – 3 2/3 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 10 K
Porter Hodge, Myrtle Beach – 4 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 10 K
Thad Ward, Salem – 6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 10 K
Complex Leagues
Leandro Calderon, DSL Texas Blue – 5 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 12 K
Mikell Manzano, ACL Giants Orange – 5 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K
Sandy Mejia, DSL Houston Blue – 7 2/3 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 5 BB, 12 K
Adrian Ogando, FCL Nationals – 5 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K
Jordy Vargas, ACL Rockies – 4 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 K
Statistical leaders across minors (qualified min. 135 AB or 60 IP)
Hitting
AVG – Jancarlos Cintron .350, Vaun Brown .348, Alec Burleson .341, Taylor Kohlwey .335, Esteury Ruiz .333
OBP – Niko Kavadas .468, Esteury Ruiz .467, Austin Gauthier .464, Logan Porter .448, Imanol Vargas .439
SLG – Matt Gorski .664, Niko Kavadas .654, Moises Gomez .654, Corbin Carroll .653, Kerry Carpenter .647, Vaun Brown .639
HR – Nicholas Northcut/Moises Gomez 26, Kerry Carpenter/Jhonkensy Noel 25, Four with 23
SB – Esteury Ruiz 60, Wilderd Patino 54, Max Ferguson 53, Mike Antico 50, Omar De Los Santos 48
wRC+ – Niko Kavadas 200, Vaun Brown 175, Kerry Carpenter/Matt Gorski 171, Christian Encarnacion-Strand/Corbin Carroll 169
Pitching
GP – Zach Lee 40, Zach McAllister/Reagan Todd 36, Alberto Baldonado/Brad Peacock 35
IP – Peyton Battenfield 105 1/3, Chris Murphy 99 2/3, Inohan Paniagua/Gordon Graceffo 99, Michael McGreevy 97 1/3
ERA – Gavin Stone 1.50, Gavin Williams 1.53, Taylor Dollard 1.64, Taj Bradley 1.70, Mason Montgomery 1.71
WHIP – Jack Leftwich 0.80, Casey Lawrence 0.83, Gordon Graceffo 0.84, Taj Bradley 0.91, David Festa 0.93
K – Royber Salinas 126, Brandon Pfaadt 125, Mason Montgomery 124, Logan Allen 120, Kyle Harrison 119
FIP – Jack Leftwich 1.78, Gavin Stone 2.15, Gavin Williams 2.37, Brant Hurter 2.52, David Festa 2.54
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!
