Minor League Baseball Weekly Top Performers
Minor League Baseball Weekly Top Performers for May 30, 2022
When reviewing minor league baseball top performers each week, the choice is subjective, for sure, but I can assure you that the end result was purely coincidental. This week the top pitcher and the top hitter of the week could do an advertisement for United Parcel Service!
Hitter of the Week
The extra season awarded to college players did mean some prospects are older at different development points, but it also means players like Vaun Brown are getting a chance. Brown was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 10th round last summer after using his extra season to make him a worthy draftee, something he wasn’t before. You’ll quickly notice Brown’s physique when watching him live, and that’s something he’s made a focus since being granted an extra season of eligibility due to COVID-19. Brown has plus speed and is a natural in center field. However, he has pushed himself hard to add power and now displays above-average in-game power. A guy going from Division-II baseball to a potential big leaguer is a great story, but he’s among the league leaders in all sorts of offensive statistics. He hit 579/.667/1.105 over the past week with five doubles, a triple, a home run, and stole four bases. He’s hit 11 home runs and stolen 17 bases on the season.
Pitcher of the Week
Another great story, Ben Brown was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies from high school in New York in the 33rd round of the 2017 draft. He’s had an impressive frame at 6’6″ and 210-220 pounds, but injuries have stymied the progress of the development of his repertoire on the mound. He’s seen a bump in velocity since his Tommy John surgery, now sitting 92-95, touching 97 with his fastball that plays up due to his extension. He adds in a slider and change that can show above-average. When he has his delivery consistent, Brown can pound the zone with three above-average pitches and look like a future backend starter. This week, he put together a start like that for Jersey Shore, tossing five scoreless innings, allowing one hit and one walk, and striking out 11.
Hitters
AAA
Ronaldo Hernandez, Worcester – .591/.625/1.000, 6 R, 3 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 1/2 BB/K
Jarred Kelenic, Tacoma – .526/.571/1.000, 7 R, 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 2/2 BB/K, SB
Joey Meneses, Rochester – .417/.500/.917, 7 R, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 3/4 BB/K
Vinnie Pasquantino, Omaha – .478/.500/1.174, 6 R, 2 2B, 3B, 4 HR, 11 RBI, 2/5 BB/K
Zach Reks, Round Rock – .550/.591/1.250, 7 R, 2 2B, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 2/4 BB/K
AA
Kerry Carpenter, Erie – .400/.444/1.080, 8 R, 2 2B, 5 HR, 9 RBI, 2/6 BB/K
Hendrik Clementina, Mississippi – .688/.737/1.125, 7 R, 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 3/4 BB/K, SB
Elijah Dunham, Somerset – .417/.462/.833, 6 R, 2B, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 1/2 BB/K, 3 SB
Preston Palmeiro, Rocket City – .467/.652/1.000, 7 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 8/2 BB/K
Esteury Ruiz, San Antonio – .364/.423/.864, 7 R, 2 2B, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 1/6 BB/K, 4 SB
Ezequiel Tovar, Hartford – .417/.533/.792, 5 R, 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 5/5 BB/K, 4 SB
High-A
Rece Hinds, Dayton – .500/.609/.833, 6 R, 2B, 3B, HR, 5 RBI, 5/5 BB/K, SB
Kyle Manzardo, Bowling Green – .471/.524/1.294, 8 R, 3B, 4 HR, 7 RBI, 3/1 BB/K
Daniel Montano, Spokane – .500/.591/1.000, 6 R, 4 2B, 3B, HR, 8 RBI, 4/4 BB/K
Landon Stephens, Rome – .455/.538/1.091, 7 R, 2 2B, 4 HR, 13 RBI, 4/6 BB/K
Single-A
Vaun Brown, San Jose – .579/.667/1.105, 6 R, 5 2B, 3B, HR, 3 RBI, 4/6 BB/K, 4 SB
Diego Cartaya, Rancho Cucamonga – .294/.520/.647, 7 R, 2B, 3B, HR, 5 RBI, 7/4 BB/K
Blake Dunn, Daytona – .421/.560/.789, 8 R, 2 2B, 3B, HR, 5 RBI, 4/6 BB/K, 8 SB
Gabriel Martinez, Dunedin – .435/.480/.870, 7 R, 2B, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 2/3 BB/K
Pitchers
AAA
Cade Cavalli, Rochester – 7 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
Dean Kremer, Norfolk – 4 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
AA
Cole Henry, Harrisburg – 4 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
Noah Skirrow, Reading – 5 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
High-A
Blake Beers, Lansing – 6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 11 K
Mason Black, Eugene – 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 10 K
Ben Brown, Jersey Shore – 5 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 11 K
Cesar Gomez, Asheville – 6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 K
Jared Jones, Greensboro – 5 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 10 K
Mason Montgomery, Bowling Green – 5 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 10 K
Royber Salinas, Rome – 6 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 13 K
Jackson Wolf, Fort Wayne – 6 2/3 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 11 K
Single-A
Mason Green, Fresno – 7 1/3 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K
Winston Santos, Down East – 7 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 10 K
Statistical leaders across minors
Hitting
AVG – Jacob Gonzalez .396, Nomar Mazara .367, Braiden Ward .367, Milan Tolentino .362, Vaun Brown .361
OBP – Braiden Ward .487, Esteury Ruiz .476, Emmanuel Rodriguez .471, Milan Tolentino .465, Jacob Gonzalez .464
SLG – Alex McGarry .729, Moises Gomez .721, Kerry Carpenter .711, Matt Gorski .707, Nolan Gorman .677
HR – Matt Gorski 18, Moises Gomez 17, Kerry Carpenter 16, Nolan Gorman/Robert Perez/David Villar/Nicholas Northcut 15
SB – Max Ferguson 34, Esteury Ruiz 33, Yhoswar Garcia 29, Shane Sasaki/Braiden Ward 26
wRC+ – Jacob Gonzalez 208, Alex McGarry 195, Kerry Carpenter 194, Vaun Brown 187, Brett Harris 185
Pitching
GP – Zach Lee/Tyler Clippard/Jose Cuas 20, ten with 13
IP – Peyton Battenfield 55, Gordon Graceffo 52 2/3, Caleb Boushley 51 2/3, Brandon Knarr 51 1/3, Brayan Bello/Bryan Hoeing 50 2/3
ERA – Logan Workman 0.95, Taylor Dollard 0.99, Gordon Graceffo 1.20, Ken Waldichuk 1.38, Gavin Williams 1.40
WHIP – Gordon Graceffo 0.70, Drew Parrish 0.72, Ricky Tiedemann 0.73, Brent Headrick 0.76, Brandon Walter 0.78
K – Royber Salinas 87, Grayson Rodriguez 76, Brayan Bello/Brandon Walter/Kyle Harrison/Mason Montgomery 68
FIP – Grayson Rodriguez 1.59, Gavin Williams 1.66, Gordon Graceffo 1.89, John Stankiewicz 2.02, Bryce Miller 2.02
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!
