2029 Draft and Follow

[Lions]

Another year in the league's doldrums meant another year of picking high up in the draft order. However, Kalamazoo fans have to be a bit disappointed to have watched teams like Charleston and Yuma trade for so many high picks while the Badgers didn't add anything until the 3rd round. At least the team didn't trade any picks away.

1.3 (3rd overall) - RHP John 'Domingo Hernández' Ross
Ross was one of the top rated pitchers in the draft, and Kalamazoo particularly liked his wide arsenal of pitches. Critics have pointed out some issues with his makeup and relatively low stamina. He's a high energy pitcher, throwing an easy 100 mph, so while the team hopes he can improve on his stamina and some concerns about his control, they feel he and last year's #2 pick, Robby Wiggins, would still make a formidable 1-2 rotation punch some day.

As for the nickname... we'll have to get with Ross to figure out exactly how he ended up with it, but it's become quite popular. The original Domingo Hernández was a star pitcher in the LRS for a number of years, winning 20 games in 2012 for Edo and also pitching for Kuwana and Shin Seiki. Oddly, 3B Gil Reid and SP Orlando Villegas have also been given the nickname. There is at least an inkling of connection for Villegas, who's a high school pitcher in Japan of Latino descent.

2.3 (32nd overall) - LHP Pablo Flores
The Badgers took a high school starter with the 2.3 pick last year and do so again this year, although this time it's a lefty. Flores isn't quite as interesting as Ogai Ono was, but the team felt he projects to be a decent mid rotation starter should he develop along the lines they hope. As a freshman and sophomore, Flores posted sub-1.00 ERA's from the bullpen. After moving to the rotation as a junior, he continued to pitch well, making the All-Star team both years.

3.3 (60th overall) - LF Jesús Vásquez
Vásquez took a bit of a step back in production in 2029, but that was after two years of hitting over .320 for the West Virginia Sherpas. He's got a smooth swing that you see in the games best hitters, but don't expect him to take a lot of walks. He could be a pretty solid average/power guy if he hits his projections.

3.18 (75th overall) - SS Sam Olson
A switch hitting high school middle infielder with some pop, Olson hit 14 home runs in 2028 and was the runner up in the IF Outstanding Hitter balloting. He has a bit of learning to do defensively, but the tools are there for him to develop into an above average middle infielder.

4.3 (89th overall) - SP Anthony Lee
Lee is a complete wildcard in the draft, as he never played high school or college ball, but he's not unknown. The UCONN quarterback has a cannon for an arm but with his diminutive size, he went undrafted in the NFL draft. UCONN let him officially sign up for the baseball team so he'd be eligible for the PEBA draft, but he never threw an inning for the team. So the Badgers are taking a flyer on a football player with no baseball history but a strong arm that could make him a decent pitcher with some training. By all accounts, he's a willing learner and if Kalamazoo can convince him the minors are a more likely future in sports than trying to sign on with an NFL team as an undrafted free agent, they may have something.

4.17 (103rd overall) - LF Jake Wallace
The London Underground drafted Wallace in the 6th round of last year's draft, but he didn't sign and was back for this year's. He's more of a stats pick than a scouts pick, but the Badger scouts liked what they saw in predraft workouts enough for him to move up a couple of rounds. He's got some work to do if he's to make the PEBA, but no one doubts his willingness to put in the effort.

5.3 (117th overall) - 1B Luis Bautista
A classic three true outcomes hitter, Bautista put up good numbers in high school, winning the 2026 IF HS EC Outstanding Hitter Award. That was as a freshman, and while he hasn't hit that well since, he's a big kid who should grow into his talent.

6.3 (145th overall) - RHP Tom Alford
We're now getting into draft picks that really will need to improve on their current talent levels to even have much of an impact in the upper minors. Alford throws in the mid 90's and is a hard worker, but he wasn't a star in college.

7.3 (173rd overall) - RHP Mitsuharu Suto
This pick is all on Suto's commitment to improve. He's got little talent and not much in the way of performance to get excited about, but if ever there was a guy who could prove the doubters wrong by sheer force of will, it would be Suto.

8.3 (201st overall) - SS Elias Simmons
The Badgers drafted Simmons in the 11th round last year, but he wanted to spend a 5th year at Louisville and refused to negotiate. The team drafted him a bit higher this year and with college out of the way, he reported right away to Ketchikan. He's a classic no-hit shortstop with great defense and speed, so he'll get a chance to prove the bat isn't going to come around before the team gives up on him.

9.3 (229th overall) - RHP Ryan Hunter
Hunter's a lot like Anthony Lee in that he has no baseball pedigree to speak of, but he doesn't really have much of a sporting background either. This pick is based purely off of social media hype and likely to be a waste of time. Or... maybe the Kalamazoo has found the new market inefficiency... players with no wear and tear on their arms.

10.3 (257th overall) - LHP Douglas Gilbert
There's nothing for the scouts to get particularly excited about with Gilbert. In 2026, he helped pitch Cy-Fair HS to the Interscholastic Federation Super Prep Championship. An average starter during the season, he had 4 saves in 4 games in the postseason. Throwing 7 2/3 innings of scoreless ball, striking out 12 and walking none.

11.3 (287th overall) - 1B/LHP Rich Moran - (Released 7/31/2030)
Moran registered for last year's draft as a first baseman, but actually spent his high school and college years as a pitcher. Maybe it was because he went undrafted after high school, but whatever the case, teams thought little enough of him that Duluth drafted him in the 15th round as a pitcher. He refused to sign, went back to school where they let him be a two-way player, but his playing time was severely limited. He had 11 plate appearances with no hits and 3 walks as a hitter. As a pitcher, he had some success, posting a 1.83 ERA in 19 2/3 innings of relief work. All of that led to the Badgers thinking he was worth a flyer. Don't be surprised if his opportunities are limited.

12.3 (317th overall) - RHP Ralph Walsh - (Released 7/22/2030)
A high school kid out of West Virginia, he posted good numbers in his three seasons with South Caldwell HS.

13.3 (347th overall) - RHP Ron Murphy
Crystal Lake drafted Murphy in the 11th round of the 2026 draft, at which point he opted to head to college. He looks like pretty much the same guy now, just 3 years older.

14.3 (377th overall) - RHP Juan Fernández
He was with South Caldwell before Ralph Walsh showed up, but went undrafted and headed off to Oxford. He's got a fastball in the upper 90's and a reputation for visits to the trainer that may not be warranted.

15.3 (407th overall) - LHP Leonard Martin
Fresh off taking an Oxford alum, the Badgers take someone from Cambridge with their last pick.

[Lions]

Signings Log:
6/7/2029 - Draft Day
6/9/2029 - 3.18 - SS Sam Olson - $265,000
6/9/2029 - 4.17 - LF Jake Wallace - $190,000
6/13/2029 - 1.3 - RHP John Ross - $2,500,000
6/13/2029 - 3.3 - LF Jesús Vásquez - $500,000
6/14/2029 - 5.3 - 1B Luis Bautista - $250,000
6/16/2029 - 2.3 - LHP Pablo Flores - $1,400,000
6/16/2029 - 4.3 - SP Anthony Lee - $225,000

Total Spent: $5,330,000


Unsigned:
- None -

[Vic]

I hope you can sign Lee - what a great story he could be if you keep him out of the NFL’s clutches!

[Lions]

I hope you can sign Lee - what a great story he could be if you keep him out of the NFL’s clutches!

I have some guys that are listed as extremely hard to sign, but beyond my top 2 picks, none of them are asking for tons of money. I think Lee will sign, but he may be playing a bit of a waiting game.

[Lions]

The Badgers didn't have any trouble signing any of the players they drafted this year, reportedly coming in well below the planned budget. All of the draftees are still in SS-A, so how are the recruits faring after 6 weeks?

1.3 - RHP John 'Domingo Hernández' Ross - (SS-A)
There's little question that Ross has the tools be an absolute stud, with the only concern being whether or not the team can build up his endurance to let him go deep into games. To start the year, the team has prevented him from even trying. Held to a fairly strict pitch count, Ross has just 2 decisions in his first 6 starts as he's only been allowed to go 5 innings or more twice. He's 1-1, with the loss coming in his most recent start where he gave up 2 runs for an offense that could only muster 1 in support. He did strike out 11 without allowing a walk, so the peripherals are good. He has a 2.00 ERA with 38 K's in 27 innings pitched.

2.3 - LHP Pablo Flores - (SS-A)
Flores is 3-1 with a 2.64 ERA for the Salmon, looking reasonably comfortable but also exhibiting signs of challenge here and there. His roughest start was his last one, where he allowed 5 runs (4 earned) on 5 hits and a walk, but struck out 5 and the Salmon won anyway. In his other 5 starts, he's allowed 2 or fewer runs, but he does need to learn to control the walks better.

3.3 - LF Jesús Vásquez - (SS-A)
Vásquez doesn't have enough plate appearances to qualify yet, but his .307 average would be leading the team if he did. So far, he's drawn more walks than time he's struck out, giving him a .417 OBP through 28 games. Of the three Ketchikan Salmon to make the SS-A All-Star team this year, he's the only one from the 2029 draft class.

3.18 - SS Sam Olson - (SS-A)
Olson was drafted out of high school and has been relegated to back-up duties, but he's performed reasonably well when given the chance. He's got just 20 at-bats, but has a .250 average including a double and a home run. That gives him a .736 OPS, which is a 170 OPS+ after adjustments.

4.3 - SP Anthony Lee - (SS-A)
One of the more intriguing draftees, Lee has been as hard to watch as he was easy to sign. The inexperienced righty has a 6.30 ERA through 6 starts with nearly as many walks as innings pitched. Ketchikan coaches report that he's an eager learner with a great work ethic, but he'll have to see some results from all the teaching if he's going to make it.

4.17 - LF Jake Wallace - (SS-A)
Like Lee, Wallace is reportedly very teachable, and like Lee, he's got a lot to learn. He doesn't seem to have much idea what to do at the plate right now, other than watch pitches go by. He's played as a two-true outcomes player, drawing 35 walks and striking out 47 times in 42 games. Unfortunately, he's not displaying the third true outcome: hitting the ball deep.

5.3 - 1B Luis Bautista - (SS-A)
Batista hasn't been given much of a chance and what little chances he's had haven't been grasped. He's young, and will be around for a bit, and there really isn't much more interesting that can be said about him.

Quick Hits:
6.3 - RHP Tom Alford - (SS-A)
Alford spent a week in the pen before moving to the rotation, and he's been pretty good so far. He's got a 1.93 ERA, which is second only to Ogai Ono in the rotation right now.

8.3 - SS Elias Simmons - (SS-A)
After not signing last year as an 11th round pick, Simmons got a 5th year at Louisville and then redrafted by the Badgers in the 8th round this year. He signed right away, and while he hasn't hit well, he's hit better than he did for Louisville. He was never a good hitter in college, so his drafting was largely for defense and the hope that he'd figure something out with the bat. While the bat's still not there yet, his defense HAS been as good as advertised.

10.3 - LHP Douglas Gilbert - (SS-A)
Gilbert's not much of a prospect (see 10th round draft pick), but he's not going to get dumped if he pitches as he has so far. He's been used in long relief, appearing in just 4 games but throwing 13 1/3 innings with a 1.35 ERA. A closer look suggests that he's really a bit of a slitherer outer. He's give up 9 hits and 10 walks while striking out just 4. Maybe it's all been luck.

11.3 - 1B/LHP Rich Moran - (SS-A)
Moran's an experiment, getting drafted as a pitcher, but calling himself a first baseman. The team has opted to play him in left field, where he's been terrible. His bat hasn't been much better. He's the type of guy who will do whatever it takes to hold on as long as possible to his dream of a career in baseball, but isn't likely to have it last all that long. He may get thrown in the pen if the bat doesn't come around, but the team may just opt to let him go, too.

12.3 - RHP Ralph Walsh - (SS-A)
Walsh has cultured 3 wins and a save from the pen, but like Gilbert, his 1.12 looks a lot more like luck than skill at this point.

[Vic]

Nice overview, Frank. Ross has the makings of a beast!

Also glad to see you kept Lee out of the NFL.

But poor Bautista. I looked at his page, and even his personality assessment is uninteresting: "Forms tentative opinions ..." I'm surprised his teammates can stay awake when he's in the dugout ...

[Lions]

9/3/2029
The entire 2029 draft class is still down at SS-A Ketchikan, with no one yet dominating to the point of a call-up. As such, all of these players still have some games left to their regular season, and a chance to increase their standings in the eyes of Kalamazoo's front office.

1.3 - RHP John 'Domingo Hernández' Ross - (SS-A)
Ross didn't have the best month, going 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA over 5 starts before hitting the DL with a torn labrum on August 22. If you look a bit deeper into those numbers, you'll see that he had a 3.00 ERA prior to that 8/22 start when he gave up 4 runs in 1/3 of an inning as he tried to ignore the pain in his shoulder. The team probably would've been happier if he'd accepted that he needed to come out a few batters earlier and let someone know. Ross isn't known for his smarts. Hopefully, he'll put the work in and be ready to go in the spring.

2.3 - LHP Pablo Flores - (SS-A)
Flores has been solid in the rotation for Ketchikan, posting a 2.76 ERA over his last 6 starts, going 3-0. During this time, he's recorded 18 K's and 14 BB's, so that's not a ratio that will work long term. He hasn't given up any long balls since July, though.

3.3 - LF Jesús Vásquez - (SS-A)
An All-Star in July, Vásquez didn't continue that form into August. He's hit .192 since the end of July, dropping his average to .250 on the year.

3.18 - SS Sam Olson - (SS-A)
Olson lost his starting job to Elias Simmons (see below) when Simmons came off the DL. So Olson hasn't played much and he hasn't played well when he's been in there. He's young and a bit of a project. The type of player the new Rookie League was created for. Don't be surprised to see him there in 2030.

4.3 - SP Anthony Lee - (SS-A)
Lee really turned things around in August. Since our last review, when he has an ERA over 6, he's got a 1.91 ERA in 4 appearances, including 3 starts. That's 3 earned runs allowed. His best start was his most recent one, where he allowed 2 hits in 4 2/3 innings, stirking out 6 and allowing just a single, unearned run.

4.17 - LF Jake Wallace - (SS-A)
Wallace is showing minor improvement. He still leads the team with 77 K's on the year, but only 30 in the past month. His average is improving, albeit very slowly. Nothing to get excited about at this point.

Quick Hits:
6.3 - RHP Tom Alford - (SS-A)
Alford has a 2-1 record with a 3.16 ERA over his past 5 starts. During that time he's tied with John Ross for a team high 15 walks allowed, but he's also got 22 K's, which is 3rd for the team. Like Ross, he's also now out for the season. He suffered a hamstring strain and will need a few months to recover.

7.3 - RHP Mitsuharu Suto - (SS-A)
Suto started to turn things around a bit after a rough start. He got his first 2 wins and posted a 1.72 ERA over 15 2/3 relief innings.

15.3 - LHP Leonard Martin - (SS-A)
Martin put up a 1.35 ERA over 13 1/3 innings this month. He's being used selectively in the bullpen and has recorded a save. As a 15th round pick, he's done nothing to deserve being released, which is 90% of the battle at this stage of his career.

[Lions]

11/26/2029
The 2029 draft class spent the entire year in SS-A and with the addition of the IBC, it may be that some of these players move down next year. We're not going to review these players for their season as a whole because it's really just the first half season of their professional career.

Ketchikan had a short postseason, losing the final 3 games of their 5 game series against the Angoon Avalanche after winning the first two. It was a disappointing end to the year to say the least, but how did the 2029 draftees do with their first taste of professional postseason play?

1.3 - RHP John 'Domingo Hernández' Ross - (SS-A)
Ross has been hurt since late August. The team could've used him.

2.3 - LHP Pablo Flores - (SS-A)
Flores was the losing pitcher on record in game 5 of the division series, but he didn't pitch terribly. He allowed a 2 run home run in his 5 1/3 innings of work, and that was it. Unfortunately, the offense could muster just one run in support.

3.3 - LF Jesús Vásquez - (SS-A)
Vásquez hit well in the playoff series against Angoon, batting .316 with 4 of his 6 hits going for extra bases.

3.18 - SS Sam Olson - (SS-A)
Olson got a couple of appearances as a defensive replacement, but no plate appearances.

4.3 - SP Anthony Lee - (SS-A)
Lee was sported a 5 run lead before he even took the mound in game 2 of the wild card series. He didn't last 3 innings. 5 hits and a pair of walks led to 3 runs.

4.17 - LF Jake Wallace - (SS-A)
The Salmon offense in the postseason was almost entirely Vásquez and 1B Jorge Mejía. Wallace was one of the better hitters among the rest of the roster, which is no compliment but at least gives a sense of where he stands relative to the others.

Quick Hits:
6.3 - RHP Tom Alford - (SS-A)
Alford did not appear in the postseason.

7.3 - RHP Mitsuharu Suto - (SS-A)
Alford did not appear in the postseason.

8.3 - SS Elias Simmons - (SS-A)
Simmons hit just 3 home runs all year, but he hit one of the two home runs that Salmon batters managed in the playoffs. It was a 2-run blast in the 9th inning of game 1, giving the team a 4-1 lead and a bit of breathing room. He didn't do much else the rest of the series.

9.3 - RHP Ryan Hunter - (SS-A)
Hunter pitching in 3 of the 5 games, and while he gave up 6 walks, he only allowed 1 run.

10.3 - LHP Douglas Gilbert - (SS-A)
Gilbert pitched a clean inning in his only appearance.

11.3 - 1B/LHP Rich Moran - (SS-A)
Moran played left field most of the year and his defense is not improving rapidly, but that's where he played in the playoffs. He hit poorly albeit not as bad as some, and committed one meaningless error.

12.3 - RHP Ralph Walsh - (SS-A)
Walsh was the second part of the bullpen implosion in game 5, giving up 4 runs. He also gave up a run in the game 3 loss.

13.3 - RHP Ron Murphy - (SS-A)
Murphy was the first part of that bullpen implosion. He gave up 3 runs in .2 innings of work. He also gave up the only run allowed in the game 1 victory.

14.3 - RHP Juan Fernández - (SS-A)
Fernández did not appear in the postseason.

15.3 - LHP Leonard Martin - (SS-A)
Martin did not appear in the postseason.

[Sandgnats]

Great job Frank. Thanks for the perspective.

[Lions]

4/29/30
Unlike the 2028 draft class, the 2029 draft class didn't see anyone promoted beyond SS-A Ketchikan in the same year they were drafted. Now that the calendar has turned to 2030 and the minor leagues have begun play, that's no longer the case.

For those players who haven't yet moved up from SS-A, their current roster status/expectation is given below. However, bear in mind that the Badgers have far too many players for these levels and will need to cut some players before play begins. It's quite likely that some of them will be released.

1.3 - RHP John 'Domingo Hernández' Ross - (AA)
Ross missed the last part of the season after tearing his labrum, but he was ready to go again by the spring. In spring workouts, he impressed enough to convince team brass to have him skip single A and jump straight to Hamilton. He's handle the move just fine. In his first 6 starts he's 3-2 with a 2.20 ERA and is striking out more than a batter per inning. He's unlikely to move up to AAA until he can demonstrate some better control, but this is a great start for him.

2.3 - LHP Pablo Flores - (R)
Flores is currently penciled into start the year with the North Sydney Kookaburras of the new Intercontinental Baseball Coalition. A formal decision is likely to come when the SS-A season is closer to getting started. He wasn't bad for Ketchikan last year, but at 19, might be better suited to the IBC.

3.3 - LF Jesús Vásquez - (A)
In the early going, Vásquez is one of a few Nampa hitters that is actually producing. He's the only player on the team with multiple home runs.

3.18 - SS Sam Olson - (R)
Olson, like Flores, is 19 and provisionally penciled in for the IBC.

4.3 - SP Anthony Lee - (SS-A)
Lee didn't make the cut for Nampa and will start his year back in Ketchikan. The team is hoping for a fast progression for the former college quarterback.

4.17 - LF Jake Wallace - (A)
Wallace got the call up to single A, but hasn't played much yet. He's started 2 games and come in as a defensive replacement a few times. That is more an indictment of the Nampa outfielders than a compliment to Wallace's glove.

5.3 - 1B Luis Bautista - (R)
The IBC was created for players like Bautista. He'll play there this year.

Quick Hits:
6.3 - RHP Tom Alford - (SS-A)
No change for Alford, who will be back with Ketchikan.

7.3 - RHP Mitsuharu Suto - (R)
Sutu, like Bautista, is destined for North Sydney.

8.3 - SS Elias Simmons - (SS-A)
Simmons was drafted for his glove, and hit a bit better for Ketchikan than expected. He'll need to do better than that if he's to progress, though.

9.3 - RHP Ryan Hunter - (SS-A)
Hunter's been designated for assignment and hoping to find an opening somewhere. Whether that's with Nampa or another organization remains to be seen.

10.3 - LHP Douglas Gilbert - (R)
Gilbert's on the North Sydney list.

11.3 - 1B/LHP Rich Moran - (SS-A)
Moran will be back in Ketchikan.

12.3 - RHP Ralph Walsh - (R)
Walsh will be at the more appropriate IBC.

13.3 - RHP Ron Murphy - (SS-A)
Murphy didn't get called up to Nampa, so he'll be back in Ketchikan.

14.3 - RHP Juan Fernández - (SS-A)
Fernández required elbow ligament reconstruction in the fall, and doesn't figure to be back before July at the earliest.

15.3 - LHP Leonard Martin - (SS-A)
Martin's on the list for Ketcikan.

[Lions]

7/22/30
It's the middle of July, and even the new rookie league has played over a month of baseball, so it's time to check in on last year's draft picks.

1.3 - RHP John 'Domingo Hernández' Ross - (AA)
Ross has continued to pitch well this year for Hamilton. He's improved his record on the year to 10-6, and his ERA has held steady at 2.20. His WHIP has dropped slightly to 0.89 and has 147 K's in 110 1/3 innings. He did not make the AA All-Star team, but certainly wouldn't have been a bad choice. Feeling a bit ignored, he's pitched very well since then. He's one of the brightest spots in the Badger's minor league system.

2.3 - LHP Pablo Flores - (R)
The irony of the IBC is that it was intended to be a place where 19 year olds like Flores could escape from the more developed, better players in SS-A. Instead, Flores is putting up worse numbers this year for the Kookaburras than he did in Ketchikan last year. He's 2-3 with a 4.14 ERA, and it's largely because his BABIP fortunes have dramatically reversed. Last year, batters managed a .267 BABIP against him, while this year it's up to .320. His FIP is really not much worse.

3.3 - LF Jesús Vásquez - (A)
Vásquez is looking pretty good for Nampa this year. He made the All-Star team and has 12 home runs on the year. His .773 OPS is good for a 149 OPS+. Those numbers are a marked improvement from last year with Ketchikan, so he's heading in the right direction.

3.18 - SS Sam Olson - (R)
Olson's looking a lot more comfortable in North Sydney than he did with Ketchikan. He's also getting regular playing time, which should help quite a bit. There's plenty of development to go, and his numbers aren't anything to get too excited about (he hasn't hit a home run in 122 PA's this year), but it's the right spot for him for now.

4.3 - SP Anthony Lee - (SS-A)
Lee is posting nearly identical numbers this year to what he did last year. At 22 years old and in his second run around for Ketchikan, that's not encouraging progress. The former UCONN quarterback is 1-3 with a 3.76 ERA. The win-loss record is low despite him making 11 starts because he's been on a pitch limit that has held him to under 4 innings per start. That won't fly, so some things are going to have to change or the team will have to see if he's got a better shot in the bullpen.

4.17 - LF Jake Wallace - (A)
Wallace missed a bit of time with a strained hip, and has been otherwise uninspired. He hasn't done much of anything with the bat, posting a .598 OPS. That's not quite as bad as it looks as it relates to an 88 OPS+ in NAFTA. Actually, that's pretty bad.

5.3 - 1B Luis Bautista - (R)
Bautista's getting regular playing time, but his performance isn't picking up the way that team officials hoped. This isn't the kind of year that they were hoping. He's hitting .243 with no power. The only thing he's doing well is walking a bit.

Quick Hits:
6.3 - RHP Tom Alford - (SS-A) - Alford's season was cut short last year due to a hamstring issue, and he's been worse this year. He's 3-5 with a 3.92 ERA.

7.3 - RHP Mitsuharu Suto - (R) - Suto's been terrible this year, sporting a 7.16 ERA.

8.3 - SS Elias Simmons - (SS-A) - Simmons glove is great, but his bat means he's unlikely to ever play above single A.

9.3 - RHP Ryan Hunter - (A) - Hunter was moved up to Nampa after pitching moderately well for Ketchikan. He's been ok.

10.3 - LHP Douglas Gilbert - (R) - Gilbert's been hit hard in his only 2 appearances. He's just keeping a spot warm.

11.3 - 1B/LHP Rich Moran - (SS-A) - Moran was released on 5/20/30, then resigned last week. He hasn't appeared in a game this year.

12.3 - RHP Ralph Walsh - (R) - Missing in action!

13.3 - RHP Ron Murphy - (SS-A) - Murphy had 9 saves and a 4.24 ERA before hitting the DL with bone chips in his elbow.

14.3 - RHP Juan Fernández - (SS-A) - Since his return from elbow reconstruction surgery, the flame throwing righty has 7 saves in 10 appearances without allowing a run.

15.3 - LHP Leonard Martin - (SS-A) - Still with the Salmon, Martin is plugging away in the bullpen to the tune of a 1.80 ERA.

[Lions]

11/09/30
The 2030 season has come and gone, with the Badger farm system showing quite well in the standings. Four of the five teams reached the postseason, with only Rookie ball North Sydney coming up short.

1.3 - RHP John 'Domingo Hernández' Ross - (AA)
Ross closed out the season quite well, going 4-1 in August with a 2.41 ERA. Hamilton was knocked out of the playoffs by Toyohira, but Ross pitched well. He earned the victory in game 1, but a no-decision in game 5 after allowing 1 run over 6 1/3 innings. On the season, he went 14-7 for Hamilton, with 202 K's in 157 innings and a 2.24 ERA. That earned him Kalamazoo Minor League Pitcher of the Year.

- 2030 Assessment: Highly Positive. Likely promotion to AAA next year. On track to become a solid major league starter

2.3 - LHP Pablo Flores - (R)
Flores continued to struggle in North Sydney until September, when he finally posted some better numbers. He didn't have a decision in 3 starts, but struck out 12 and walked 1 in 13 2/3 innings. He just turned 20 and will start next year with the Kookaburras again. Expect better things from him when his BABIP drops to more normal levels. This year it was .350.

- 2030 Assessment: Neutral. The BABIP issues may be masking better talent. A 2031 promotion to SS-A would indicate things are back on track.

3.3 - LF Jesús Vásquez - (A)
Vásquez led Nampa in total bases this year (in part due to promotions/releases), and while he wasn't the best overall hitter on the team, he was consistently productive. At 22, this is the kind of year you can expect from someone at single A that isn't a sure thing but is simply on the right track. He did disappear in the postseason, but Nampa won anyway.

- 2030 Assessment: Mildly Positive. Would like to see a bit more next year, as outfielders need to be pretty good to stick in PEBA.

3.18 - SS Sam Olson - (R)
North Sydney was absolutely the right place for Olson. Having had little playing time in Ketchikan in 2029, Olson got regular duties for the Kookaburra's and posted 3.0 WAR over 76 games. His bat showed some life and he looks like a guy who will someday reach the majors, even if that's still a long way off.

- 2030 Assessment: Positive

4.3 - SP Anthony Lee - (SS-A)
You may be inclined to think that Anthony Lee's record of 2-11 at Ketchikan indicates he's not much of a prospect. You'd be right, but for the wrong reasons. His ERA was actually 3.43 and he had a 1.22 WHIP, which isn't great but isn't terrible either. His FIP was 3.32, so actually slightly better than his ERA. The problem was his .238 BABIP, which is hardly sustainable, and his 52 walks in just over 100 innings. That's a walk every other inning, which is way too many. Lee's fun to root for. He's a former UCONN quarterback trying his hand at his first love of baseball, and while some of the numbers are promising, it just doesn't really look like he's going to ever be that much better.

- 2030 Assessment: Negative

4.17 - LF Jake Wallace - (A)
Wallace is older than Vásquez and had decidedly worse season than his fellow draft classmate. He spent most of the season at DH, which doesn't help his chances. Unlike Vásquez, he did contribute positively to the Moccasins' title run, but he's likely to get released over the offseason if the team brings in younger players with more upside.

- 2030 Assessment: Highly negative

5.3 - 1B Luis Bautista - (R)
Bautista hit for a solid average and drew some walks for North Sydney, but he failed to put a single ball over the fence. Yes he's young, but he's a first baseman, and his ability to hit for average isn't one of the skills scouts think will get him to the big leagues. He really faded in September after a strong August, and is the type of player that could easily lose his roster spot to a similar hitter with more defensive versatility.

- 2030 Assessment: Negative

Quick Hits:
6.3 - RHP Tom Alford - (SS-A) - Alford got a lot of time in the rotation due to injuries and opened some eyes, but he's old for SS-A.

7.3 - RHP Mitsuharu Suto - (R) - Terrible season.

8.3 - SS Elias Simmons - (SS-A) - When you have an ugly .288 OBP and that's higher than your SLG, you're not much of a hitter. He posted a ZR of +15.2 and won the Glove Wizard award. There's nothing ugly about his defense.

9.3 - RHP Ryan Hunter - (A) - Hunter is just organizational depth. He was not particularly good this year. His 4.80 ERA looks much worse when you know it had a .238 BABIP behind it.

10.3 - LHP Douglas Gilbert - (R) - Gilbert got very little playing time this year, but he did pitch well in August and September once he got a bit more mound time. It's possible he even saved himself from being released.

11.3 - 1B/LHP Rich Moran - (SS-A) - Released 7/31/30, for the second time this season...

12.3 - RHP Ralph Walsh - (R) - Released 7/22/30. Picked up and released by Aurora, now with Neo-Tokyo.

13.3 - RHP Ron Murphy - (SS-A) - He had 9 saves before an injury took him out for a month and a half. He was better after returning, but in middle relief.

14.3 - RHP Juan Fernández - (SS-A) - Roughed up in September and the postseason, but overall a very good season for the flamethrower.

15.3 - LHP Leonard Martin - (SS-A) - Martin looked very good for most of the year. He had a nice 2029, too, so not bad for a 15th rounder at all.