2028 Draft and Follow

[DrewV]

Good stuff so far from Wiggins. Love this format btw

[Lions]

Good stuff so far from Wiggins. Love this format btw

Thanks! I'll probably report on the players until they either make it to the majors or get released.

In looking at my draft a year on, I am definitely a bit disappointed that only three guys had earned the promotion to NAFTA prior to the current draft. I'm not sure if that's about right or not. I would hope that older draftees would make that jump a bit quicker. In my mind, you ideally hit AAA at 24, AA at 23, and A at 21-22. That jump to AA is tricky, of course, because that's when you start competing against a much broader age range of players. I do think Wiggins will be fine, though.

[Lions]

7/30/2029
With the 2029 trade deadline upon us, it's a good time to check in again on the class of 2028. SS-A has had about 6 weeks of play this year, and there have been a few promotions/demotions. If the Badgers were in a position to add major league talent, some of these players may be on the block, but given the team's struggles this year, it's unlikely any of them will be moved.

1.2 - SP Robby Wiggins (AA)
Wiggins absolutely dominated hitters in Single A to the tune of a 1.23 ERA and 0.69 WHIP in 10 starts. As a result, he earned a promotion to AA and has since made 9 starts at that level. This is the spot that now feels about right for him. He's still pitching well, with a 2.55 ERA. He's finally starting to experience some challenges in the professional ranks, having given up 2 or 3 runs in each of his last 4 starts.

2.3 - SP Ogai Ono (SS-A)
One was one of the rare players to get regular SS-A starting rotation duties straight out of high school and while his ERA was solid last year, he was regularly chided for his 38:47 K/BB ratio. Pitchers should never give up that many free passes compared to their K's. Well, things are a bit different this year. At 19 years old, he's already starting to harness his control a bit. That K/BB ratio has turned around, with 36 K's and just 17 BB's for approximately a 2:1 ratio. Much better. He's putting up a 1.76 ERA after 9 starts and his FIP is a full run lower than it was last year. Things are heading in the right direction for sure.

3.3 - C José Moreno (AAA)
Moreno's career path is definitely going to be an odd one to look back on in the future. Last year, he earned a promotion to single A after only a week at SS-A and terrible results. Single A is where hitters go to die in the Kalamazoo organization. At least, that's how it feels. After hitting .238 with a .685 OPS (91 OPS+), he hit a similar .237 with a .708 OPS this year. The league as a whole is even further down, so that equates to a 119 OPS+, but those numbers don't give a hitter much confidence even if it is solid compared to his peers.

So why is Moreno listed with AAA next to his name? Well, he was sent to Grand Rapids recently despite never playing a game at AA. The team has top prospect Claudio Perez getting his reps in AA, but that's not the whole story. Team insiders suggest the jump to AAA is partly because the team is down on Moreno. That doesn't make any sense, why would you promote a player to the top minor league level if you're down on him? Apparently, they feel like the potential that got him drafted in the 3rd round just isn't there and that he's likely maxed out his current ability already. With some roster crunch situations, they figured let him try AAA and sink or swim. So far, he's swimming to the tune of a .286 average and .786 OPS. That's a 146 OPS+, his best at any level in the minors. Go figure.

4.2 - 3B Alex Payne (A)
Payne hit so well against SS-A last year that the team moved him to Nampa pretty quickly where he flat out struggled. Again, single A is where Badger hitting prospects go to die. .184 average, .537 OPS, 62 OPS+. Simply atrocious. This year, he's been much better. Correction, this June he hit much better. His season totals are looking decent, with an ugly .217 average, he's drawing walks and hitting home runs to give him a 104 OPS+. That's not great, but again, it's much better. The concern is that while the home runs have been reasonably consistent, June is the only month in which he hit for any sort of decent average.

5.2 - 1B Jorge Mejía - (SS-A)
At 22, and still in short season, Mejía has taken a bit of a step back this year. He's not hitting for average or power like he did last year. He's got a .248 average and .289 SLG. In 35 games, he hasn't gone deep once and his extra base hits consist of just 5 doubles. What he is doing, is taking a lot of walks. Despite the AVG and SLG, he's got a .397 OBP due to nearly a walk per game. Unfortunately, that's not going to get him to the big leagues.

Quick Hits:
7.2 - RF Natsu Ohashi (A) - Ohashi earned the promotion to the dreaded NAFTA and is managing to keep his bat afloat. His average is down a bit from last year's SS-A result, but the power and discipline are looking similar.

8.2 - C Robinson Martínez (SS-A) - Martínez is currently this year's hitting star for Ketchikan, putting up a .933 OPS in 35 games. He's likely going to be on the slow path to the majors, but don't be terribly surprised to see him in Nampa before long.

12.2 - SP Will Green - Green went 10-5 with a 2.20 ERA over 21 starts last year for Ketchikan. He pitched well in the postseason as the Salmon made a deep run. The team dropped him in June as the first player from this draft class to be released. He didn't make the cut with the new draftees coming in.

[Lions]

9/2/2029
We've hit September and the end of the regular season for the upper 3 levels of minor leagues. SS-A is still in season a bit longer, but it's a good time to check in again. All three of the Badger minor league affiliates will continue playing into September. Grand Rapids (AAA) will get a bye in the first round, having won 85 games to lead the Rocky Mountain League's North division by 18 games. Only Yokohama in the Pacific Division and Mansfield in the Appalachian League won more games at AAA this year.

In AA, the Hamilton Industrialists led the Pacific Alliance's Maple Leaf division by 10 games. They also get a bye in the Wild Card round.
Down in NAFTA, Nampa won their division by 16 games. The playoff schedule won't be released until 2 final games are played, but all the races are done.

This report will take a look at the 5 weeks since the last check in.

1.2 - SP Robby Wiggins (AA)
Wiggins was extremely strong in his first go around AA, but word is starting to get out on him and he'll have to start making some adjustments. Over the past month he's started 7 games and had just 2 quality starts with an ERA over 6. So what's gone wrong as this top prospect struggles for the first time in his career? Primarily, he's just starting to give up hits. A BABIP of .320 in AA, which was .364 over these past 5 weeks is new to him. His strikeout to walk ratio is about 3.5, so that's not terrible. He's actually giving up home runs at a lower rate than he did as a senior in college. He should be fine going forward, and given how dominant he was for Nampa, it seems like this is the right spot for him for now.

2.3 - SP Ogai Ono (SS-A)
Ono has been Ketchikan's best starter this year. Over his past 6 starts, he hasn't given up more than 2 runs in any of them, and has struck out 27 compared to 11 walks. That ratio isn't great, but it's a vast improvement over last season. He didn't give up any home runs, allowing just 2 all year. Despite this adding up to a 1.91 ERA, his record was just 1-2. The Salmon offense scored just 1 run combined in those losses, but did win the 3 no-decision games. Two of them by shutout.

3.3 - C José Moreno (AAA)
Moreno has clearly been overmatched at AAA since the initial hot streak that was reported last time. He's striking out a ton and not drawing any walks. Hopefully, Kalamazoo will take care of their catcher corps in the offseason so Moreno can return to a more appropriate level.

4.2 - 3B Alex Payne (A)
The last time we checked in on him, Payne had a 104 OPS+. That hasn't changed. He continues to hit for a low average with some power and walks. He's got 15 home runs on the year now. He's always struck out a lot, and that hasn't changed. Defensively, his numbers aren't currently matching up to his reputation, which is a step back from last year.

5.2 - 1B Jorge Mejía - (SS-A)
Prior to August, Mejía had a .684 OPS with no home runs. Since then he's hit 7 home runs with 31 walks for a 1.133 OPS. That's averaging more than a walk per game, which was the only thing he was doing well previously. We were pretty down on him last time, but this is a huge step in the right direction for a player at a position that always has a ton of competition.

Quick Hits:
7.2 - RF Natsu Ohashi (A) - Ohashi has been a steady presence for Nampa, hitting 5 home runs over the past month as one of the teams more well rounded hitters. He's not really wow'ing anyone, but he's not doing anything to suggest he's not on the right trajectory either. One somewhat underrated skill that the team has noticed him demonstrating is that he doesn't strike out much.

8.2 - C Robinson Martínez (SS-A) - Martínez has continued to play well for Ketchikan. In August he posted a .404 OBP (will .101 behind Mejía's OBP!) while hitting 4 home runs. He has improved defensively this season over last, and has thrown out over 40% of would be base stealers this year. The team can't be happier with his performance to date, but he is old for the league and will need to show that he can do more of the same as he advances next season.

13.2 - 2B Takyuki Ikeda (A) - Ikeda was involved in the only trade that Kalamazoo made at the 2029 trade deadline. It was a minor deal that saw the Badgers send Ikeda to Okinawa for Pedro Márquez. Márquez was a 1st round draft pick in the 2027 draft, but hasn't shown much since then and is now playing for Nampa. For his part, Ikeda has settled in nicely for Okinawa's single A affiliate Magami Ako.

[Lions]

11/26/2029
With free agency upon us, it's time to wrap up the 2029 season for these prospects. All four of Kalamazoo's minor league teams saw the postseason, with Ketchikan being the only team of the four to not win their division.

1.2 - SP Robby Wiggins (AA)
Wiggins time with Hamilton has been up and down, finishing the regular season with a 3-5 record and 4.05 ERA in 16 starts. The postseason was more of the same. In game 3 of the division series against Edmonton, he hurled 7 1/3 shutout innings, allowing just 2 hits and a walk while striking out 6. He was then called on to pitch game 7, and while the offense ensured that just about anyone could've won that game, scoring 12 runs in the first four innings, Wiggins did not let up. He allowed 4 baserunners over 5 innings, again keeping the Mall Rats off the board as the Industrialists advanced.

Having started game 7 of the division series, Wiggins didn't get the ball until game 4 of the league championship series against the Toyohira Fubuki. Toyohira held a 2-1 lead in the series, so a win here was extremely important. Unfortunately, Wiggins struggled. He gave up 5 runs on 11 hits through 5 innings of work. The offense bailed him out and got him his 3rd win, so with this two previous performances against Edmonton, his postseason stats look decent, but this wasn't a good start.

- 2029 Assessment: Positive - He handled his recovery from injury just fine, earned a promotion to AA, and came through big in the division series.

2.3 - SP Ogai Ono (SS-A)
Ketchikan lost the division series against the Angoon Avalance 3 games to 2. Ono started game 1 and gave the Salmon a great effort. He held the Avalance scoreless despite 4 walks and 4 hits allowed in 5 2/3 innings. Despite going up 2-0 in the series, Angoon would advance, and Ono was reportedly not happy about being passed over for the game 5 start. Instead, Ketchikan used all 5 of their starters, and Pablo Flores would get the loss. To be fair, Flores only allowed 2 runs, the bullpen imploded, and the offense was absent as the Salmon lost 10-1.

- 2029 Assessment: Positive - Ono was an All-Star, runner up in the Outstanding Pitcher Award voting, and dominant in his postseason start, and he did it all at 19 years old.

3.3 - C José Moreno (AAA)
Grand Rapids won their division series 4-2 and then lost in the league championship series to eventual Ambassador's Cup winner Yokohama. In the first series against the West Valley City Grizzlies, only one Rafter posted an OPS over .650. It was indeed a low scoring affair, with a pair of 1-0 games and a 2-1 clincher that went 12 innings. Moreno did hit one of just 2 home runs the Rafters hit in the series, but he also hit .150 with a .190 OBP. It wasn't the best showing, but we kind of knew he was in a bit over his head.

- 2029 Assessment: Negative - His promotion to AAA came due to roster crunch issues and not because he earned it. The team is overall down him compared to the start of the year.

4.2 - 3B Alex Payne (A)
Payne's postseason with Nampa was one to forget. Despite Nampa sweeping through the division series, Payne was the team's second worst hitter and then was even worse in the LCS when the team was defeated 4-2 by the Kingston Suns. He hit .105 with 11 strikeouts and just 2 walks in 38 at-bats.

- 2029 Assessment: Neutral - Payne's postseason was terrible, but his regular season was a step in the right direction. He's still got a lot of work to do to make the PEBA, though.

5.2 - 1B Jorge Mejía - (SS-A)
Mejía destroyed Angoon's pitching to the tune of a 1.591 OPS. He hit .588 in the division series, plating the only run for the Salmon in game 5.

- 2029 Assessment: Neutral - While he was great in the short playoff series, and he put up very good numbers in the regular season, he's old for his level and really we'd like to see him doing this higher up in the minors.

Quick Hits:
7.2 - RF Natsu Ohashi (A) - Ohashi continues to impress. He hit .308 with a .526 OBP against Middle Bass in the division series, and then .350 with a pair of home runs against Kingston.

- 2029 Assessment: Positive - Ohashi's doing everything he can to buck the trend of 7th round picks.

8.2 - C Robinson Martínez (SS-A) - Martinez took home the Alaka League Outstanding Hitter Award this year, but you wouldn't know it from his postseason. He was lost at the plate and it won't be one of the many highlights for him this year.

- 2029 Assessment: Neutral - He did everything you'd want, but at an age advanced for his level.

9.2 - LHP Jude Hollington (A) - Hollington got into a pair of games as a reliever but didn't acquit himself well. He gave up 4 runs on 3 home runs to Kingston in game 4 of the championship series.

- 2029 Assessment: Negative - Hollington didn't handle his promotion to Nampa well at all.

10.2 - LF Jorge Torres (SS-A) - Torres didn't see any action in the postseason.

- 2029 Assessment: Negative - When you post a .463 OPS in SS-A as a 22 year old, you're probably not long for the organization.

14.2 - SS Clint Thompson (SS-A) - Thompson didn't see any action in the postseason, but does that really surprise given he saw just 3 AB's all year?

- 2029 Assessment: Negative - Playing time might help, but probably not.

15.2 - 3B Tim Hamilton (SS-A) - Hamilton was, improbably, worse in the postseason than he was in the regular season.

- 2029 Assessment: Negative - Still, he's held on to a job for a year and a half as a 15th round pick. That's gotta count for something.

[Lions]

With the retirement of Lorenzo Amador, the Badgers need to find a new catcher for 2030. The team signed a wide variety catchers to minor league deals in the offseason, and there will be an open competition in Spring Training for the right to play in Kalamazoo this year. While the team is bringing in options from outside the organization, José Moreno is also getting a non-roster invite to Spring Training. Given his poor showing in AAA last year, it seems like this is only to get him a chance to meet the major leaguers in the event that injuriew require his services later, but it's also an indication of how poor the teams options are behind the dish.

[Lions]

4/29/2030
We're a month into the 2030 PEBA season, with the top 3 levels of minor league play having begun, it's time to check in on how the draft class is faring.

1.2 - SP Robby Wiggins (AA)
Wiggins made headlines in March when he informed the Badgers that he would be leaving his baseball career behind him and pursuing a basketball career. Wiggins' decision came as a huge blow to the Kalamazoo rebuilding efforts. After drafting him 2nd overall despite a major injury that kept him out the rest of the year, then giving him a $5 million signing bonus, the team was extremely excited by his performance in 2029. While he had the talent, he apparently never had the heart.

2.3 - SP Ogai Ono (SS-A)
Ono just turned 20 in the offseason, and will be back with Ketchikan for the 2030 season.

3.3 - C José Moreno (AAA)
Moreno hit just .209 in 53 games after getting called up to AAA Grand Rapids last year. It was a move he clearly wasn't ready for. He was invited to Spring Training because, if you're going to rush him, you might as well really rush him. He appeared in just 2 games and went 1 for 6 with a double and 3 strikeouts. There really wasn't any intention to bring him up, but the experience seems to have done him wonders. Through 15 games with Grand Rapids, he's hitting .309 with 3 home runs and some walks. He's been a plus defender and his 1.1 WAR is second among position players to Juan Carlos Ornelza.

4.2 - 3B Alex Payne (A)
Nampa has played just 14 games so far, and while the team record is good, the offense is a mixed bag. Payne showed offensive improvement last year, but that hasn't carried over to this season. He's struggling to the tune of a .184 average so far. Defensively, he's been a bit better, and that's a positive sign as he's always been a bit worse than team scouts were expecting.

5.2 - 1B Jorge Mejía - (A)
Getting his first taste of single A ball, Mejía has dipped his toes into the water. He isn't sinking, but he isn't really swimming either. He's put up a league average .622 OPS (yes that's really about league average!) with a home run as his only extra base hits. That OPS is boosted by 8 walks.

Quick Hits:
7.2 - RF Natsu Ohashi (A) - Ohashi is continuing his positive play from last year. While his OPS is similar, so far it's shifted to a more OBP heavy component than SLG component. Generally speaking, he's on the right track if he keeps this up.

8.2 - C Robinson Martínez (A) - Martínez's list of honors in SS-A aren't going to win him in any favors with NAFTA pitchers, and the early returns for him in A ball aren't good. He looks completely lost, but there's no turning back for the 23 year old. He's got to produce or he's out.

9.2 - LHP Jude Hollington (A) - Hollington was recently waived by the team. He'll be released unless an injury gives the team reason to put him back on the roster.

10.2 - LF Jorge Torres (SS-A) - Torres is 23 now and didn't make the cut for Nampa. He's waiting for an injury or the SS-A season to start. Whether or not he makes the cut for Ketchikan is still an open debate. In his two seasons there, he's yet to hit .170.

14.2 - SS Clint Thompson (A) - Thompson only made it into 2 games for Ketchikan last year, so to see him get regular playing time for Nampa is a bit of a surprise. He's been ok, better than Martínez for sure, and it's largely been his glove that has kept him in the lineup. He's not great, but any playing time is better than what he got last year, and he's looking to make the most of his limited ability.

15.2 - 3B Tim Hamilton (A) - Hamilton also got the call up from Ketchikan, and with Payne playing third base, he's been the team's designated hitter. Calling him a hitter is a bit generous, although he has so far been hitting better for Nampa than he did for Ketchikan.

[Lions]

6/10/30
It's now been just over 2 years since the 2028 draft and there are still a decent number of players from lower draft rounds bouncing around the Kalamazoo farm system.

2.3 - RHP Ogai Ono (SS-A)
Ono is now 20 years old and in his third season with the Ketchikan Salmon. He looks more than ready for a promotion, going 2-1 in his 4 starts with a 0.75 ERA and 19 strikeouts. He still walks too many, but has given up less than 3 hits in 3 of those 4 starts. Not much left to prove here, so expect to see him up with Nampa before long.

3.2 - C José Moreno (AAA)
Moreno's hot start in April is masking just how poorly he's played since then, with his season numbers trending down rapidly. He's hit under .200 since, with a pair of home runs and lots of strikeouts. He's still playing fine defensively, but the question is where his actual talents are at this point.

4.2 - 3B Alex Payne (A)
Payne's early struggles in his 3rd year at Nampa have turned around somewhat. He hit well enough in May to bring his season numbers up to roughly the same levels that they were last year, but has since hit the DL with an elbow strain. He should be back by the end of the month. At 23 years old, he really can't afford to miss much developmemt time. He's at the point where he needs to start moving up if he's ever to make it.

5.2 - 1B Jorge Mejía (A)
Now that he's had a chance to get accustomed to life in Single A, Mejía has started to hit a bit. He's boosted his OPS in May and has a good start to the month of June. He's currently top 5 in the AWL in batting average and OBP.

7.2 - RF Natsu Ohashi (AA)
Ohashi was the hitting star for Nampa, with his .937 OPS leading the AWL. As such, the 23 year old was recently promoted to AA Hamilton. The Industrialists slotted the switch hitting outfielder 5th in the lineup. His first 6 games have been a struggle, but he does have a home run and a pair of walks. Outside of Ono, he's probably the most exciting player from the 2020 draft at this point, in part because of how far down he was picked. He may not be a star, but his current trajectory does give him a decent shot at making the majors.

8.2 - C Robinson Martínez (A)
The growing feeling on Martínez is that single A is where he's going to top out. His offensive output is sputtering to the tune of a 68 OPS+, and at 23 years old, it doesn't seem likely that he'll ever bring much more to the table.

9.2 - LHP Jude Hollington (A)
Hollington was on the bubble to get released earlier in the year but some injuries meant that he got a second lease on life. He's really just filling a roster slot at this point, although he has pitched well for Nampa. He has a 2.88 ERA despite 25 walks in 40 2/3 innings.

10.2 - LF Jorge Torres (SS-A)
Still down in Ketchikan, Torres isn't going anywhere notable and just filling a role. He's hitting, so maybe he'll get called up if Nampa needs someone, but he doesn't have a future.

14.2 - SS Clint Thompson (A)
Thompson was drafted for his glove, and he's delivering on that front. The bat isn't there. Like other late round picks, the dream is larger than the talent, but he's lasted longer than others in his situation might have.

15.2 - 3B Tim Hamilton (A)
We called out Hamilton for improving offensively this year in April, although it really wasn't all that good. The good here is that he's improved on his April since then, too. It's certainly a surprise, and with Payne injured, Hamilton has taken over as the Moccasins regular third baseman. His 6 home runs on the year are tied for 3rd on the team.

[Lions]

8/19/30
Six weeks after our last update, there have been some promotions and performance adjustments since then, so let's see how this class is faring as we're in the dog days.

2.3 - RHP Ogai Ono (A)
Last time we said Ono would be moving up to single A Nampa, and it didn't take long. He was great with Ketchikan, going 3-2 with a 1.56 ERA (190 ERA+). How would the 20 year old respond to stiffer competition? Just fine, apparently. He's 5-1 for the Mocassins, with a 1.21 ERA, which equates to a 259 ERA+! Remember when he was walking more than he struck out at 18 years old? He had a 0.88 K/BB ratio in 2028 after being drafted. This year in Nampa, that ratio stands at 6.12. He's walked just 8 batters in 59 2/3 innings while striking out 49.

3.2 - C José Moreno (AAA)
Last time we spoke about how Moreno had a great April that was masking his season stats. He really struggled in May and June. His numbers did improve in July, although his playing time went down quite a bit. Prior to July, he'd been Grand Rapids' primary catcher, but last month top catching prospect Claudio Pérez was promoted and has taken on those duties (quite well, too). Moreno looks likely to get a chance to play in the majors some day... when that day is likely depends on injuries and the team's willingness to field a backup with no real standout skill. Normally, it's nice to have a backup who's at least great defensively, or can draw some walks, or will poke one out of the yard when he does make contact. Moreno is simply mediocre all around.

4.2 - 3B Alex Payne (A)
Payne turned 24 recently, and the fact that he still hasn't earned a call-up to AA is an indication that he's pretty much at his limit. His bat has regressed this year. His defense was supposed to be his calling card, but he's just not performing the way scouts think he should.

5.2 - 1B Jorge Mejía (A)
Kalamazoo scouts aren't terribly smitten with Mejía, but he certainly has been performing well. He's got 18 home runs for Nampa and a 155 OPS+. Team officials seem uncertain if he can handle AA, but there really isn't much reason not to let him try. He's 23, and letting him continue to beat up on single A pitching doesn't do much for the team in the long run.

7.2 - RF Natsu Ohashi (AA)
Ohashi's dominance of single A hasn't translated up in Hamilton. He's being put to the test for the first time as a professional, and how he responds to his offensive struggles will determine if he's likely to make it. Team officials are still pretty high on him, and it's hard not to root for a 7th round pick.

8.2 - C Robinson Martínez (A)
Martínez continues to underwhelm.

9.2 - LHP Jude Hollington (A)
Hollington got a second chance after nearly losing his job, and he's done enough to keep it. He's been pitching just fine despite a hefty dose of free passes.

10.2 - LF Jorge Torres (SS-A)
Released from Ketchikan on 7/22/30.

14.2 - SS Clint Thompson (A)
Thompson continues to hold on to a roster spot despite a lousy bat thanks to some slick glovework. His zone rating is +3.5 this year.

15.2 - 3B Tim Hamilton (A)
Hamilton's OPS has improved every month of 2030 so far. He's hitting just .221, but has a .347 OBP thanks to 59 walks. That's 3rd on the team, and his 11 home runs are 4th. He's not going to make it much farther than single A, if at all, but he's a useful player down there and that ain't bad for a 15th round pick.

[Lions]

11/9/30
With 2030 free agency coming soon, the 2028 draft class now has 2 1/2 seasons of professional ball under their belt. The Nampa Moccasins (A) won the championship this year, and all but rookie league North Sydney made the playoffs. How is this draft class looking now?

2.3 - RHP Ogai Ono (A)
Ono finished out the regular season quite well, ending up with a 7-1 record, 1.29 ERA, 0.64 WHIP, and 6.20 K/BB ratio. He had a 0.81 K/BB ratio back with Ketchikan in 2028, so that's quite an improvement. He pitched well enough that the team started to relax his pitch count in the postseason. In 5 starts, he was 1-1 with a 1.59 ERA. While he didn't get credited with the victory, he was Player of the Game in the NAFTA Championship Series clincher.

- 2030 Assessment: Highly Positive

3.2 - C José Moreno (AAA)
Moreno lost his playing time and then hit well in part time duty in August. He didn't really play much at all in the postseason. He is highly likely to be the Badgers' 3rd string catcher next year. A defensive minded backup will likely be acquired, leaving Moreno in AAA should an injury occur at the major league level. For his sake, he better hope the Badgers don't find two defensive minded backups that can handle PEBA pitching as well as he projects to. If that happens, they'll get the first call.

- 2030 Assessment: Neutral. We were already a bit down on his PEBA projections, and 2030 didn't really change that.

4.2 - 3B Alex Payne (A)
Payne was already struggling, but a series of injuries robbed him of any consistency. His defense, which the team was high on, simply hasn't panned out as well as hoped. He's done as a prospect.

- 2030 Assessment: Highly Negative

5.2 - 1B Jorge Mejía (A)
You can't really be too down on a guy who led his team with 19 home runs and then hit 4 in the playoffs en route to claiming a title. You can't really be up on Mejía either, though. He just doesn't look like he's going to take the next step. So while we recognize his contributions, we're not really all that hopeful for the future.

- 2030 Assessment: Neutral

Quick Hits:
7.2 - RF Natsu Ohashi (AA) - Ohashi disappointed in AA this year after his promotion. When Hamilton was knocked out of the postseason early, and Nampa kept going, Ohashi ended up being an injury replacement for his former team. He didn't really move the needle much.

8.2 - C Robinson Martínez (A) - A lousy regular season, but Martínez is just a guy that seems to step it up when needed. He was MVP of both the league championship and the championship series for NAFTA this year.

9.2 - LHP Jude Hollington (A) - After nearly losing his job, he kept pitching well, including 2 vulture wins in the NAFTA championship. A good season both in the rotation and as a closer.

14.2 - SS Clint Thompson (A) - Older, no bat, all glove guy, he's still around for that fielding and that's it.

15.2 - 3B Tim Hamilton (A) - Ultimately a decent season from him, but just org filler.