Who Are Some Key MiLB Standouts in 2024?

With the conclusion of one other unbelievable MiLB season, StatCast metrics have develop into extra outstanding than ever in evaluations of the expertise arising all through the league. Whereas information from the Complicated League, the Pacific Coast League, A+, and AA is presently ousted from the general public eye, the out there metrics from the Florida State League and the whole lot of AAA present sufficient of a foundation for mainstream analysis of minor-league expertise. Though result-based evaluation may contradict a few of the underlying analysis right here, the information suggests an enormous forwards leap for the rising phenoms emphasised right here, each when it comes to media prominence and prospect inventory altogether. 

Adam Serwinowski: Cincinnati Reds LHP, Low-A Daytona

Adam Serwinowski is a projectable southpaw constantly undervalued by mainstream prospect publications. A fifteenth spherical pick of highschool in 2022, the Reds seemingly struck gold on a younger lefty with starter pedigree possessing a viable three pitch repertoire, arguably all of which grade out as above common or higher.

Essentially the most oft-utilized pitch is a four-seam fastball, with distinctive journey from a median launch at about 94 MPH, greater than viable velocity from a LHP. Albeit inflated from the smaller dimensions of the Low-A ball compared to that of a significant league ball, the pitch options 17” of induced vertical break, a nicely above common quantity in comparison with the league median for the arm slot. The shortage of horizontal motion permits for the pitch to play particularly for swing and miss, which it has excelled at, producing a 26.4% whiff fee and 28.8% chase fee, each nicely above the league common. The fastball additionally avoids harm relatively successfully, with hitters posting a miniscule .286 xWOBACON towards it. Serwinowski zones the pitch at a a lot lower than preferrred fee at 51.7%, although the elite chase fee ought to encourage him to proceed doing so, a minimum of towards competitors within the decrease minors who can not appear to determine the pitch out. 

Serwinowski’s most utilized secondary is the low 80s slider, a pitch that doubtless wants a bump in velocity to succeed towards greater stage competitors. By way of form, there’s extra drop than the common slider, with -2.4” of IVB and nice gloveside motion with 9” of sweep. The pitch isn’t producing chases as successfully because it ought to, though when zoned it performs, garnering a 40% whiff fee and mitigating optimum contact to the tune of a .318 xWOBACON. If Serwinowski trades a little bit of motion for elevated velo and tightens up the pitch just a bit, there’s a foundation for a plus breaker right here. To spherical out the repertoire, Serwinowski not too long ago debuted a curveball wherein he barely threw. This makes it tough to guage the true effectiveness towards opposing hitters, although a platoon-neutral putaway pitch could be big for the expansion of his repertoire. It’s an thrilling profile with some variance in his doable outcomes, although there must be hesitance in simply how a lot Cincinnati’s pitching improvement can enhance the failings. 

Jacob Misiorowski: Milwaukee Brewers RHP, AAA Nashville

Jacob Misiorowski is a Stuff+ mannequin’s dream. The velo and motion displayed are simply otherworldly, and it’s a good evaluation to say ‘Miz’ has the very best sheer stuff within the MiLB as an entire. The fastball sits at precisely 98 MPH, nicely above league common, although the 7’5” of extension permits the elite velocity to play even above these requirements. The form stands out as nicely, particularly given the miniscule 5’3” launch peak. It contains a whopping 16” of carry and 9.7” armside, dramatically completely different from the 13/11 form he displayed in 2023. When paired with the exceptionally flat -4.1° vertical strategy angle, the pitch racks up whiffs, particularly when optimally positioned within the higher third of the zone, emphasised by the 33.3% whiff fee, one of many highest numbers amongst all AAA fastballs.

Delving deeper, Misiorowski throws a curveball with among the best velo/drop combos the sport has ever seen. At -10/-8.7 form, the curveball is the epitome of what modernized baseball pitching philosophists try to assemble. Only a few pitchers are in a position to mix that stage of velocity with that a lot vertical motion, with many of the main league examples releasing their breakers from a launch peak >6 toes. It’s a plus pitch (arguably double plus pitch) with upside to be among the many finest within the sport, and that’s highlighted with the outrageous 41% whiff fee Misiorowski has generated regardless of nicely under common command of the providing. 

Misiorowski’s least used providing is a cutter/slider hybrid, and among the best in baseball at that. At 93 mph, he’s getting about 5” of carry, considerably greater than that of the standard slider and marginally decrease than the common cutter, with 1.7” of sweep, lining up with that cutter/onerous gyro form. The primary goal right here is to successfully evade onerous contact, most steadily towards LHB, which it actually does. No one appears to have the ability to sq. up the pitch, although it’s not notably lacking bats both, lining up with the intent.

It’s a unprecedented profile, one thing vastly completely different than any pitching prospect in latest reminiscence. Although all the pieces metrically pops when wanting into the repertoire, the one obvious flaw with Misiorowski’s profile as an entire may be encapsulated with the 42.7% zone fee. To name the command shaky could be an understatement, as that’s the solely factor holding him again from being baseball’s high pitching prospect, if not the highest prospect total. There’s simply a lot reliever threat inside the demographic of flamethrowing pitching prospects with nicely under common command, it performs detriment to Misiorowski’s appreciation from prospect evaluators in any respect ranges, and rightfully so. Though considerably unlikely, if Misiorowski elevates his command to even simply common, there’s a blueprint for probably the most polarizing pitchers baseball has ever seen.

Billy Amick: Minnesota Twins 3B. Low-A Fort Myers

The 2024 Nationwide Champion Billy Amick slipped fairly a bit when wanting into the 2024 MLB Draft. He was seen as a high 40 or so participant in a comparatively deep class, although he managed to fall to Minnesota sixtieth total. Amick has all the time had encouraging pop, posting a 94.6 MPH common EV, 110.1 MPH ninetieth% EV, and 113,1 MPH max EV in his remaining season at Tennessee, all of which have been within the 94th percentile or higher for NCAA hitters. He’s had no battle transitioning to wooden, and albeit the pattern is ridiculously small, we’ve seen enchancment inside the extra philosophical points of hitting. He’s shedding extra pitches than ever and even making elevated contact towards skilled pitching. 

Focusing extra on the batted ball side, Amick hasn’t seen the drop-off faculty bats typically see when adjusting from composite to picket bats, and though the EVs are marginally weaker it’s nothing remotely near detrimental. He nonetheless ran a 43% HardHit fee and 10.2% barrel fee within the 312 pitch pattern he encountered for Fort Myers. There’s some clear concern with the hit device, one of many main components in his unpredictable fall within the draft, as he usually drops his fingers on the plate resulting in deviation from the launch angle candy spot. Ignoring the obvious flaws defensively haunting Amick’s prospect inventory, he has the offensive instruments to develop into a power-hitting staple long run in a Minnesota lineup desperately in want of reinforcements within the close to future.

Dalton Dashing: Los Angeles Dodgers C, AAA Oklahoma Metropolis

Dalton Dashing is a participant that may doubtless already be making a major-league affect if not for the considerable expertise the Dodgers already possess behind the plate, headlined by Will Smith, who signed a long run extension final offseason. Although Smith has his struggles defensively behind the dish, it’s tough to check the Dodgers shifting him off the place, though Dashing seems to be a considerably extra worthwhile participant at catcher in nearly all sides. Even when the Dodgers resolve to maneuver Dashing to 1B, or maybe a nook outfield spot, the bat will play nearly wherever. He took an enormous step ahead when it comes to ends in 2024, and tremendously exceeded the expectations set for him after reaching that premium prospect standing round a 12 months after being drafted within the second spherical. 

Dashing has an amazing strategy on the plate, shedding something exterior of the zone, and crushing overly zoned mistake pitches. Whereas a majority of gamers with an analogous swing fee to Dashing carry that strategy out even on in-zone pitches, Dashing contradicts the archetype by attacking, sustaining an above common zone swing fee at 69%. He’s strolling 15.4% of the time whereas not being indefensibly passive on hittable pitches, one thing analytics departments love, particularly worthwhile contemplating he’s a median defender behind the plate. Simply so as to add onto an already phenomenal profile, Dashing has a few of the finest common and ninetieth% exit velocities in all of AAA, with 90.8 MPH and 105.4 MPH respectively. 

In contrast to Amick, he’s not faltering when it comes to bat path and is comparatively persistently hitting the ball optimally, with a SwSpt% above the AAA median. Dashing is without doubt one of the only a few prospects that lacks a real obvious flaw inside the profile. He can battle connecting with higher fastballs at occasions, although it’s nothing that’ll hurt him to the purpose of no return. Assuming nothing drastically modifications on the main league stage and the Dodgers go for a defensive enchancment behind the plate relatively than Smith’s perennial mediocrity, that is the profile of a high finish catcher.