With the Minor League playoffs underway, and some championships already decided, the season is almost over. Next week’s edition of the Weekly Top MLB Prospect Report will be the last for the 2021 season. That being said, the action was still fierce. Let’s see who was able to perform the best under pressure.
OF Greyson Jenista (Braves NR) – We start our playoff action in the Double-A South Championship Series. In a back and forth five game slugfest series between the Mississippi Braves and the Montgomery Biscuits, the deciding game five came down to a pitchers’ duel. Braves’ righty Alan Rangel twirled six innings on one-run ball, but it’s Jenista who gets the nod. Stepping into the box in a one-one tie in the fifth, Jenista launched his third homer of the series to put the Braves on top, and would ultimately be the deciding factor in getting Mississippi’s first title since 2008.
LHP Ryan Rolison (Rockies No. 3) – Rolison has arguably his best outing of the season for Triple-A Albuquerque Saturday night. Rolison pitched five scoreless innings while giving up just one hit and striking out eight. Rolison reitred the first 10 batters of the game in a row before giving up a single. Departing in the fifth, Rolison exited with just his second scoreless start of the year. Pitching is always in need in Colorado, and Rolison could punch his ticket to Denver by next year’s All-Star break.
1B Spencer Torkelson (Tigers No. 1) – In just his first professional season, Torkelson has climbed the ladder fast, and for good reason. Torkelson launched his 28th homer of the year, as well as a pair of doubles for Triple-A Toledo Saturday afternoon. Detroit’s slugger of the future, the Tigers would love to see Torkelson keep on mashing on his way to the majors, where he could stand to learn a lot from a future hall-of-famer in Miguel Cabrera.
OF Brewer Hicklen (Royals NR) – Much like Jenista, Hicklen came up clutch in a championship series. With Northwest Arkansas going for a sweep in the Double-A Central Championship Series, Hicklen stepped into the box in a one-one tie in the top of the fourth with the bases loaded. Hicklen corked a massive grand slam which put the Naturals up for good en route to the franchise’s second ever championship. It was Hicklen’s only hit of the night, but he did bat .417 in the series.
RHP Max Meyer (Marlins No. 3) – With the Marlins looking for pitching help, they promoted the highly touted Meyer to Triple-A Jacksonville for his first Triple-A start on Friday night. Meyer responded with five innings of one-run ball, giving up just two hits and striking out 10 for the Jumbo Shrimp. Meyer earned that promotion after striking out 113 batters over 101 innings in Double-A Pensacola this season, and is on the fast track to Miami’s pitching staff.
IF Thomas Saggese (Rangers NR) – With his Low-A Down East club facing a sweep in the Low-A East Championship Series, Saggese put the Wood Ducks on his back. The 2020 fifth-round pick doubled in the first, tripled in the third, singled in the fifth and homered in the seventh to complete the cycle and stave off elimination. While the Wood Ducks fell to Charleston in a deciding game five, Saggese had a series to remember.
