California League — Sterling Patick, LAD (A)
The Dodgers signed Perfect Games’ #2 ranked LHP in California away from a UC-Santa Barbera commit at the end of the 2023 draft. The just-turned-20-year-old with a high spin fastball turned in his best pro performance in May as he started to add length to outings, twice going 5 IP and 60+ pitches.
Florida State League — Lucas Elissalt, Det (A)
Elissalt’s curveball just missed out of being one of the most productive April FSL offerings, but he’s riding the curveball to success as he too adds length to his outings. Elissalt is starting to go 70+ pitches and The 2024 13th round JUCO selection is starting to go 70+ pitches. This 20-year-old might be more than just a breaking ball. A new low 80s slider, used half as much as the curveball, but not at all in April, garnered a 50.7 whiff% this month. The low 90s fastball may need to take a step forward before dynasty interest feels warranted, but Elissalt still has some prejectability on his side.
Carolina League — Yunior Marte, KC (A)
The big-bodied 21-year-old has the mid-90s velocity and hard spin to dream on MLB success. The walks have needed to get better and Marte might be on the right track. He’s only once walked more than two in an outing, and the execution of the whole arsenal is getting cleaner. How clean can it ultimately get though?
Northwest League — Konner Eaton, Col (A+)
The aggressive lefty with a fastball capable of mid-90s and a potential plus slider is showing out in a tough place to pitch. The 2024 6th rounder out of George Mason might not be long for Spokane if the changeup development goes well. He and the Rockies have openly wondered if the future is in the pen or as a starter, but Eaton has the look of a big league arm.
Midwest League — Ryan Gallagher, ChC (A+)
Gallagher takes the overall 0%er of The Month for me. We reviewed him a few weeks back. Every outing is more and more convincing he’s “Dude-ing” and should continue to do so in the Southern League.
South Atlantic League — Josh Grosz, NYY (A+)
The 2023 11th rounder out of East Carolina made a AA appearance in 2024, and it feels like his next try isn’t far away. With a fast arm action seemingly breaking the laws of biology, Grosz looks like another high spin Yankees arm. The firm gyro slider can give SAL hitters nightmares and might pair well enough with the rest of the starter’s kit to give MLB hitters fits too. The Yankees identified a good pitcher here and have helped sharpen the weapons.
Southern League ‑Jake Palisch, CWS (AA)
The 2022 UDFA who relieved at Stanford and Texas A&M made his first 4 starts of his pro career this month. It went well. I don’t think the velocity of the 90 mph fastball tells a fair story, as it seems to get on Southern League hitters quickly and proves tough for them to square up. Organizational depth or viable MLB starter, YTD, but this was one of the more interesting and surprising muddy pitching developments of the month.
Texas League — Shane Panzini, KC (AA)
I’m cheating here, as the 2021 4th round prep arm was only recently promoted the AA with just one Texas League appearance under his belt, albeit an impressive one. Panzini’s shallow, but impressive, arsenal and past borderline-untenable walk rates have kept him outside my personal interest over the years. Yet, the execution is steadily improving as he moves up the ladder. The fastball and slider are potential 60s and it’s hard to not think future pensman, yet here we are, in AA and probably still starting.
Eastern League — Trent Sellers, NYY (AA)
My 2025 Yankees arm hasn’t disappointed this year, yet he’s also walking too many to take the leap we wondered about this offseason. Sellers is proving to be one of the better strikeout pitchers in the Eastern League, despite not throwing many fastballs over 91 mph. The UDFA out of Oregon State will be hard-pressed to break the Yankees rotation at any point, but his strikeouts make the bigs feel within reach.
International League — Lazaro Estrada, Tor (AAA)
If you listen to the pod, you know Estrada has been a curiosity of The Rook’s for a few years, and I’ve hopped aboard. Estrada’s developmental path has been untraditional and bumpy, but here we are at the doorstep of an MLB go. Whether Estrada is merely an up and down depth arm or more is yet to be seen, but I do think this current version, is the best Estrada we’ve seen yet. Probably only of interest in deep points leagues.
Pacific Coast League — Sauryn Lao, Sea (AAA)
Lao had his contract selected in April, made his debut (in relief,) and was DFA’d shortly after, going unclaimed. Since returning to Tacoma, he’s been one of, if not the most dominant pitcher in the PCL. Lao technically starts, but hasn’t gotten to 60 pitches in an outing yet. A two-pitch guy who can occasionally throw a changeup to lefties sure feels like a reliever. This whole list is filled with guys who were once considered strictly relief prospects; Sellers, Estrada, Palisch, Panzini (at least In my mind), perhaps even Elissalt and Eaton. Guys who dominate the PCL tend to get MLB tries.