Best Marlins prospect performances through 11 weeks of 2022 MiLB season

Fish Stripes will be starting off every new week of the Minor League Baseball season by posting updated leaderboards for Marlins MiLB players. I have selected a handful of key categories for hitting and pitching prospects. Players who have an asterisk* next to their names are among my Marlins Top 30 prospects.

The threshold to qualify for the leaderboards is determined by the number of weeks we are into the regular season multiplied by 10 plate appearances/batters faced.

Hitting Leaders (min. 110 PA)

• Weighted Runs Created Plus—Kyler Castillo (155 wRC+), Paul McIntosh* (139), Jerar Encarnación* (138), Charles Leblanc* (138), Zach Zubia (131)
• Home Runs—JJ Bleday* (14 HR), Encarnación* (13), Lewin Díaz* (13), Lorenzo Quintana (11), Griffin Conine* (11), Cody Morissette* (11)
• Batting Average on Balls in Play—González (.429 BABIP), Conine* (.410), Leblanc* (.404), Encarnación* (.401), Javeon Cody (.397)
• Stolen Bases—Nasim Nuñez* (28 SB), J.D. Orr (26), Ray-Patrick Didder (16), José Salas* (15), Victor Victor Mesa (14)
• Strikeout Rate—Nick Fortes* (14.2 K%), Davis Bradshaw (14.3%), Cobie Fletcher-Vance (14.8%), Mesa (14.9%), Orr (15.5%)

Who’s Hot?

José Salas (Jupiter) is rocking a 218 wRC+ during his current 11-game hitting streak. In the last series, he had six batted balls with exit velocities of 100-plus miles per hour. The 19-year-old was a popular breakout pick for talent evaluators entering this season, and he’s beginning to prove them right.

On Friday, Cody Morissette (Beloit) became the first Marlins minor leaguer in 2022 to have three home runs in a game. Too bad it happened during one of the few non-televised Sky Carp series of the season.

Carlos Santiago (FCL Marlins) has reached base safely in all 11 games he’s played this season.

Who’s Not?

The primary catcher for the FCL Marlins (and arguably the top overall prospect on the team’s roster behind Yiddi Cappe), Ronald Hernández has a poor .125/.237/.219 slash line through nine games.

Pitching Leaders (min. 110 BF)

• Earned Run Average—Yeuris Jimenez (0.92 ERA), Robert Garcia (1.74), Pat Monteverde (2.09), Jake Fishman (2.30), Tyler Eckberg (2.37)
• Innings Pitched—Bryan Hoeing* (71.1 IP), Matthew Kent (62.1), Luis Palacios (62.0), M.D. Johnson (58.0), Zach King (58.0), Will Stewart (58.0)
• Batting Average on Balls in Play—Eli Villalobos (.177 BABIP), Jimenez (.194), Colton Hock (.203), Chris Mokma (.207), Garcia (.218), Braxton Garrett (.218)
• Strikeout Rate—Josh Simpson* (45.1 K%), Andrew Nardi (37.3%), Jefry Yan (36.2%), Tyler Mitzel (35.8%), Eury Pérez* (34.8%)
• Walk Rate—Palacios (1.6 BB%), Mitzel (3.3%), Matt Givin (3.5%), Eckberg (3.9%), Kent (4.4%)

Who’s Hot?

Back-to-back scoreless starts for Pat Monteverde (Beloit) have him not far away from Double-A promotion consideration.

Who’s Not?

Three of four Will Stewart (Jacksonville) starts in June have been trainwrecks. He hadn’t allowed more than five hits in any April/May outing, but he’s averaging 8.5 allowed since then.

Andrew McInvale (Pensacola) returned from the injured list nearly a month ago and has had only one completely clean relief outing since then. There have been blow-ups against Mississippi (four earned runs allowed on May 28) and Birmingham (five earned runs allowed on June 11). During the latter, his fastball velocity was mostly in the low 90s.