Jacob Misiorowski pitching for the Biloxi Shuckers within the Milwaukee Brewers group, CCed by Liscense 2.0
With the conclusion of one other incredible MiLB season, StatCast metrics have develop into extra outstanding than ever in evaluations of the expertise developing all through the league. Whereas information from the Advanced League, the Pacific Coast League, A+, and AA is presently ousted from the general public eye, the accessible metrics from the Florida State League and the whole thing of AAA present sufficient of a foundation for mainstream analysis of minor-league expertise. Though result-based evaluation may contradict among the underlying analysis right here, the information suggests an enormous forwards leap for the rising phenoms emphasised right here, each by way of media prominence and prospect inventory altogether.
Adam Serwinowski: Cincinnati Reds LHP, Low-A Daytona
Adam Serwinowski is a projectable southpaw repeatedly 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.
Probably the most oft-utilized pitch is a four-seam fastball, with distinctive experience from a mean 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 serious 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 dearth of horizontal motion permits for the pitch to play particularly for swing and miss, which it has excelled at, producing a 26.4% whiff price and 28.8% chase price, each nicely above the league common. The fastball additionally avoids harm somewhat successfully, with hitters posting a miniscule .286 xWOBACON in opposition to it. Serwinowski zones the pitch at a a lot lower than splendid price at 51.7%, although the elite chase price ought to encourage him to proceed doing so, at the very least in opposition to 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 probably wants a bump in velocity to succeed in opposition to greater stage competitors. When it comes to 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 price 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 just lately debuted a curveball during which he barely threw. This makes it troublesome to guage the true effectiveness in opposition to opposing hitters, although a platoon-neutral putaway pitch could be enormous for the expansion of his repertoire. It’s an thrilling profile with some variance in his attainable outcomes, although there must be hesitance in simply how a lot Cincinnati’s pitching improvement can enhance the issues.
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 one of the best sheer stuff within the MiLB as a complete. 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 top. 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 method angle, the pitch racks up whiffs, particularly when optimally positioned within the higher third of the zone, emphasised by the 33.3% whiff price, 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 attempt 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 top >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 price Misiorowski has generated regardless of nicely beneath 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/arduous gyro form. The principle objective right here is to successfully evade arduous contact, most steadily in opposition to LHB, which it definitely 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 current reminiscence. Although every little thing metrically pops when trying into the repertoire, the one obvious flaw with Misiorowski’s profile as a complete could be encapsulated with the 42.7% zone price. To name the command shaky could be an understatement, as that’s the solely factor holding him again from being baseball’s prime pitching prospect, if not the highest prospect total. There’s simply a lot reliever threat throughout the demographic of flamethrowing pitching prospects with nicely beneath 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 one of the crucial 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 trying into the 2024 MLB Draft. He was considered as a prime 40 or so participant in a comparatively deep class, although he managed to fall to Minnesota sixtieth total. Amick has at all times had encouraging pop, posting a 94.6 MPH common EV, 110.1 MPH ninetieth% EV, and 113,1 MPH max EV in his last season at Tennessee, all of which had 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 throughout the extra philosophical features of hitting. He’s shedding extra pitches than ever and even making elevated contact in opposition to 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 price and 10.2% barrel price within the 312 pitch pattern he encountered for Fort Myers. There’s some clear concern with the hit software, one of many main elements in his unpredictable fall within the draft, as he typically drops his palms 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 might probably already be making a major-league influence if not for the plentiful 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 troublesome to ascertain the Dodgers transferring him off the place, though Dashing seems to be a considerably extra precious participant at catcher in nearly all aspects. Even when the Dodgers determine to maneuver Dashing to 1B, or maybe a nook outfield spot, the bat will play nearly anyplace. He took an enormous step ahead by way of ends in 2024, and enormously exceeded the expectations set for him after reaching that premium prospect standing round a yr after being drafted within the second spherical.
Dashing has an amazing method on the plate, shedding something outdoors of the zone, and crushing overly zoned mistake pitches. Whereas a majority of gamers with an identical swing price to Dashing carry that method out even on in-zone pitches, Dashing contradicts the archetype by attacking, sustaining an above common zone swing price at 69%. He’s strolling 15.4% of the time whereas not being indefensibly passive on hittable pitches, one thing analytics departments love, particularly precious contemplating he’s a mean defender behind the plate. Simply so as to add onto an already phenomenal profile, Dashing has among the finest common and ninetieth% exit velocities in all of AAA, with 90.8 MPH and 105.4 MPH respectively.
Not like Amick, he’s not faltering by way of bat path and is comparatively persistently hitting the ball optimally, with a SwSpt% above the AAA median. Dashing is among the only a few prospects that lacks a real obvious flaw throughout the profile. He can battle connecting with higher fastballs at instances, although it’s nothing that’ll hurt him to the purpose of no return. Assuming nothing drastically adjustments on the main league stage and the Dodgers go for a defensive enchancment behind the plate somewhat than Smith’s perennial mediocrity, that is the profile of a prime finish catcher.
