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1 week ago | 
baseballamerica.com | J.J. Cooper |Geoff Pontes |J. J. Cooper
On this week’s episode of the Prospect Podcast, Geoff Pontes and J.J. Cooper take a look at three MLB farm systems that have made strides in the first half of the season and one that’s headed in the wrong direction.
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3 weeks ago | 
baseballamerica.com | J.J. Cooper |J. J. Cooper
Kameron Misner, OF: Misner’s defense has earned him a regular role for the Rays. He has limitations, as he struggles against lefties and strikes out, but he has solid power, speed and he plays a plus center field. Mason Montgomery, LHP: Montgomery has become a key member of the Rays’ bullpen, although home run issues have led to a high ERA. He has top-tier stuff (up to 102 mph) but needs more consistency.
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3 weeks ago | 
baseballamerica.com | J.J. Cooper |J. J. Cooper
Jackson Jobe, RHP: Before he went on the injured list, Jobe was a solid part of the Tigers’ rotation. Dillon Dingler, C: Dingler has shown that last year’s offensive improvement was not a mirage. He’s been one of the better catchers in the American League so far this season. Trey Sweeney, SS: Sweeney has provided very solid defense while struggling at the plate. Brant Hurter, LHP: Hurter has been a key part of the Tigers’ bullpen, picking up right where he left off at the end of the 2024 season.
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3 weeks ago | 
baseballamerica.com | J.J. Cooper |J. J. Cooper
Alek Jacob, RHP: Jacob has struggled in a low-leverage relief role. He has been home run prone, allowing six in his first 23 innings. Ryan Bergert, RHP: Bergert’s slow but steady rise through the minors has paid off with his first MLB callup this season. He has a well-rounded but unexceptional arsenal with average velocity, but he does have above-average command. It only plays as average control because he does have to nibble at times.
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3 weeks ago | 
baseballamerica.com | J.J. Cooper |J. J. Cooper
Heston Kjerstad, OF: Kjerstad has gotten his first regular at-bats in Baltimore this year, but it hasn’t gone as he or the Orioles had hoped. He’s shown little power, very poor corner outfield defense and strikeout issues. Trey Gibson, RHP: Don’t pay too much attention to Gibson’s ERA. He’s generating plenty of swings and misses with his slider and curveball. He could end up as a bat-missing reliever, but he has enough control to have a shot to start.
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3 weeks ago | 
baseballamerica.com | J.J. Cooper |J. J. Cooper
Zebby Matthews, RHP: Matthews looks to be settling into a permanent spot in the Twins’ rotation. Dasan Hill, LHP: Hill has added 2 mph to his fastball since he was drafted. He has the makings of three plus pitches and appears to be the next in a now long-running pipeline of homegrown starters the Twins are developing. Kaelen Culpepper, SS: The High-A Cedar Rapids infield is a showcase of the Twins’ 2024 college draftees. Culpepper has shown solid power to go with excellent defense at shortstop.
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3 weeks ago | 
baseballamerica.com | J.J. Cooper |J. J. Cooper
NoneSal Stewart, 2B: Stewart emphasizes his hitting ability to the detriment of his power potential, but it’s hard to argue with the results. He’s a very polished hitter who keeps working to prove he can be playable at an infield spot. Hector Rodriguez, OF: Rodriguez has steadily improved his patience, going from being the most aggressive hitter in the minors a couple of years ago to being just an aggressive hitter now. He has a real knack for squaring up baseballs.
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3 weeks ago | 
baseballamerica.com | J.J. Cooper |J. J. Cooper
Liam Hicks, C: It’s very hard to find a catcher in the Rule 5 draft, as teams rarely leave unprotected backstops with the combination of solid defense and a big league-ready bat. But the Marlins’ astutely pulled it off in picking Hicks out of the Tigers’ system. He’s claimed the job even after Nick Fortes returned, showing better-than-expected power. Javier Sanoja, UTIL: Sanoja has played six different positions for the Marlins, and he’s even served as a pitcher in blowouts.
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3 weeks ago | 
baseballamerica.com | J.J. Cooper |J. J. Cooper
Kyren Paris, 2B/OF: Paris showed surprising power in the early going this year, but his contact troubles returned, and he has been sent back to Triple-A. Adrian Placencia, 2B: In a system where very few hitting prospects are performing, Placencia has been a bright spot. He’s shown both power and some patience, although his swing-and-miss issues will need further refinement. Nelson Rada, OF: Rada remains an extremely tricky evaluation.
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3 weeks ago | 
baseballamerica.com | J.J. Cooper |Geoff Pontes |J. J. Cooper
Ben Williamson, 3B: The Mariners’ 2023 second-round pick put together a solid first professional season in 2024, hitting .283/.375/.394 across two levels. He started the season with Triple-A Tacoma before earning the callup to the big leagues on April 15. Since that time, Williamson has held down the everyday third base job, though his bat has been well below-average. Carlos Vargas, RHP: After debuting with the D-backs in 2023, Vargas has carved out a regular role in the Mariners bullpen in 2025.
