15 July 2056
Boise, Idaho
**********************************
by Fish McWilliams
Who's is showing out with the lumber this year in the Spuds minor leagues?
Mazatlan Guardafaros (R)
LF Per-Johan Mikkelsson
38 G, 131 AB, 9 2B, 11 HR, .397/.473/.718, 1 SB, +2.0 WAR
Mikkelson is putting together the best stat lines that he can and it may barely get him a cup of coffee at non-roster ST.
3B Fred Mailing
35 G, 109 AB, 6 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 15 RBI, .330/.387/.514, +0.9
2B Ra'id bin Tamir
26 G, 101 AB, 6 2B, 2 3B, 9 HR, 27 RBI, .307/.339/.673, +0.8
bin Tamir is rated one of the top prospects in the organization simply due to his raw power. But it takes a LOT of raw power to overcome other limitations.
HOT SPRINGS GATORS (S A)
2B Reed Poulin
38 G, 138 AB, 13 2B, 5 HR, 21 RBI, .341/.471/.543, 1 SB, +1.4 WAR
He's got gap power that produces plenty of RBI at his stops. Likely not making MLB, but we'll see.
LF Juan Carlos Olberos
32 G, 106 AB, 6 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 29 RBI, .415/.500/.566, 1 SB, +0.9 WAR
TULSA GINZELS (A)
1B Gene Nichols
79 G, 296 AB, 19 2B, 1 3B, 15 HR, 51 RBI, .301/.377/.524, +1.8 WAR
At 24, Nichols MLB-dream is likely kaput at this point. But he is showing tremendous dedication by putting up numbers and mentoring the younger guys.
3B Ernesto Reyes
54 G, 199 AB, 6 2B, 2 HR, 27 RBI, .307/.375/.367, 12 SB, +1.1 WAR
Reyes is a slap hitter who pays more attention to what the team needs when he's at the plate than what stats he can make.
RF Masaru Kichikawa
66 G, 241 AB, 21 2B, 2 HR, 18 RBI, .344/.380/.456, 6 SB, +1.4 WAR
Kichikawa works his ass off. But he's not likely to go beyond AA.
WEYMOUTH IRISH (AA)
1B Juan Bejarsno
There was virtually no offense for the Irish this season. Bejarsno has been a bright spot, but he's probably at his peak in the system.
1B Randy Hargrove
83 G, 291 AB, 8 2B, 1 3B, 20 HR, 52 RBI, .265/.371/.505, 1 SB, +1.5 WAR
Hargrove is listed among the top prospects in the Spuds system. So there's that.
RF Carl Maitland
46 G, 164 AB, 11 2B, 1 3B, 17 RBI, .317/.391/.396, 5 SB, +0.8 WAR
SALT LAKE CITY ALPINES (AAA)
3B Mike Galloway
81 G, 291 AB, 21 2B, 22 HR, 63 RBI, .292/.354/.591, 2 SB, +3.1 WAR
Galloway has both gap and HR power. He's displayed it again this season. But there's a lot of talent in the infield and that will likely keep him on the AAA side of things.
RF Hitoshi Ikarashi
42 G, 124 AB, 5 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 11 RBI, .363/.452/.484, 6 SB, +1.7 WAR
Ikarashi has had many chances to stick in the bigs and just hasn't thus far. He has lived as a utility infielder, but it's hard to justify his spot when you see big league numbers like his.
3B Bill Scarborough
92 G, 349 AB, 21 2B, 1 3B, 15 HR, 45 RBI, .284/.378/.479, +1.4 WAR
Another guy caught in the 3B trap at Boise. He's not going to make it past 3B Gary Allen, Ikarashi, 2B Tomás Durán, or 3B Robert Hooper.
RF Azhar Muneer
86 G, 324 AB, 9 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 29 RBI, .290/.346/.370, 7 SB, +0.7 WAR
Muneer is a lefty and that should bolster his outlook, but it's not likely he'll see the bigs. Possible, but not likely.
3B António Castro
56 G, 122 AB, 3 2B, 3 3B, 1 HR, 15 RBI, .336/.427/.434, 2 SB, +0.5 WAR
Castro has some deadly numbers at AAA. But check his position. Yeah, it's just not likely he leaves Salt Lake City this season.