Cleveland Indians Minor Leagues Review: May’s best hitters and pitchers

Best Akron Position Player: Francisco Mejia

Key April Stats:  .327 AVG, .500 SLG, .852 OPS, 2 HR, 3 2B

Honorable Mention

Yu-Cheng Chang: .229 AVG, .458 SLG, .774 OPS, 4 HR, 5 2B, 1 3B
Mike Papi: .282 AVG, .349 OBP, .772 OPS, 2 HR, 5 2B, 3 SB

Like last month, this was a tough call though for very different reasons. Francisco Mejia put up the best numbers but he only played in 13 games in May due to a stint on the disabled list. However, no one was even close to the offensive output he put up so despite the lack of playing time he repeats as our top hitter at Double-A Akron.

One of the top prospects in the Tribe system, Mejia continues to rack when he’s on the field. He hit .327 in May after hitting .333 in April and posted his second straight month with an OPS north of .850. He still isn’t walking much (just two in May) but also doesn’t strike out a ton and continues to show some solid power (.173 ISO).

After a slow start to the year, the Tribe’s number 8 prospect, shortstop Yu-Cheng Chang, had himself a very good month of May and nearly took the top spot for the RubberDucks. He hit for a low average but lots of walks gave him an on-base percentage nearly 100 points higher at .316. Where Chang really shines though is his power, as he hit four home runs in May while posting a very stout .229 ISO.

Mike Papi took a step back in May but still hit very well. In fact, Papi was promoted to Triple-A on May 28. The left-handed hitting outfielder continued to hit for a decent average with some solid power. His walk-rate took a hit in May though as he walked just seven times with the RubberDucks after 16 in April. He still managed to put up a .349 on-base percentage though.

Best Akron Pitcher: Julian Merryweather

Key April Stats (with Akron): 4 starts, 3.75 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, .205 BAA, 9.4 K/9

Honorable Mention

Thomas Pannone: 4 starts, 2.31 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, .188 BAA, 7.0 K/9

This month in Double-A saw a battle between our top April pitcher from Lynchburg facing off against the reigning top pitcher from Akron. For the second straight month, Julian Merryweather snagged the title of top pitcher with the RubberDucks, just barely besting Thomas Pannone.

Merryweather continued his hot start at Akron posting a sub 1.00 WHIP for the second straight month and striking out 25 in 24 innings of work. Most impressive was his 5-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio he posted this month, which again marks the second straight month he’s accomplished the feat. Merryweather pitched so well that the 21st ranked Tribe prospect was recently promoted to Triple-A Columbus.

Pannone began the season at Advanced-A Lynchburg but after not allowing an earned run for the entire month of April was promoted to Double-A Akron. While he hasn’t been able to be as great as before, he still posted a mere 2.31 ERA in May with the RubberDucks and held Eastern League hitters to just a .188 batting average. With Merryweather in Columbus, this award could be Pannone’s to lose in June.

Best Lynchburg Position Player: Sicnarf Loopstok

Key April Stats:  .293 AVG, .385 OBP, .511 SLG, .896 OPS, 3 HR, 9 2B, 20 RBI

Honorable Mention

Willi Castro: .319 AVG, .366 OBP, .795 OPS, 1 HR, 7 2B
Connor Marabell: .268 AVG, .437 SLG, .782 OPS, 2 HR, 6 2B, 3 SB

Taking the crown as Lynchburg’s top position player this month is Sicnarf Loopstok (yes, that’s his real name). A catcher by trade, Loopstok has seen time at first base as well and his bat has been such a force there’s good reason for playing him more. He posted a near .900 OPS this past month while hitting close to .300. He smacked three home runs and put up 20 RBI for the Hillcats.

Willi Castro took a step forward this month as well, as the Tribe’s number 26 prospect, hit over .300 with a near .800 OPS. The young shortstop still isn’t walking a ton (just five in May) but remains a bright spot in the organization.

Outfielder Connor Marabell also had a very good May for the Hillcats, posting a .782 OPS and hitting a pair of home runs. He even got a brief taste of Triple-A this past month as he was an emergency call-up to the Clippers for a week, which saw him hit over .400.

Best Lynchburg Pitcher: Triston McKenzie

Key April Stats: 5 starts, 2.59 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, .117 BAA, 12.4 K/9

Honorable Mention

Shao-Ching Chiang: 5 starts, 3.48 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 1.6 BB/9
Shane Bieber: 5 starts, 3.38 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 0.6 BB/9

Last month Thomas Pannone was the easy pick here after not allowing a single earned run in four starts. However, he’s now in Double-A Akron so taking the top spot in May is young phenom, Triston McKenzie.

The 19-year-old right-hander didn’t post a 0.00 ERA like Pannone did in April but the rest of his numbers weren’t far off. He posted a 2.59 ERA and 0.83 WHIP while holding Carolina League hitters to a .117 batting average. He also struck out over 12 batters per nine innings and averaged just over six innings a start.

Shao-Ching Chiang didn’t have quite the month he had in April but still was quite impressive, though well off the McKenzie pace in May. He continued to show good control, walking just 1.6 per nine innings and averaged 6 2/3 innings a start.

Shane Bieber also had some good showings in May. After starting the season at Class-A Lake County, Bieber continued to show pinpoint control with the Hillcats. He walked just two batters in 32 innings of work in May, one of which was intentional. Combined with his 20 strikeouts that gave him an amazing 10-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Best Captains Position Player: Luke Wakamatsu

Key April Stats:  .288 AVG, .352 OBP, .827 OPS, 3 HR, 6 2B, 3 SB

Honorable Mention

Conner Capel: .202 AVG, .300 OBP, .500 SLG, .800 OPS, 7 HR, 5 2B, 14 BB

Breaking out in May for the Lake County Captains was shortstop Luke Wakamatsu. Our number 22 prospect heading into the season, Wakamatsu hit .288 in May with a very solid .352 on-base percentage.

He added three home runs and six doubles along with a trio of steals. He entered the season with high hopes and it appeared he was finally living up to it but sadly June did not get off to the best start as he hit the disabled list on the first day of the month.

Just behind Wakamatsu this month was our number 29 prospect, outfielder Conner Capel. Posting one of the most bizarre slash lines you’ll see, Capel hit a rather pathetic .202 in May but thanks to 14 walks and seven home runs posted an impressive .800 OPS. In fact, Capel had more home runs in May than singles (7 HR, 6 1B) and hit 13 extra base hits in May overall.

https://twitter.com/MLBPipeline/status/869694995523018753

Best Captains Pitcher: Ryder Ryan

Key April Stats: 9 apps, 2 SV, 0.00 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, .143 BAA, 11.4 K/9

Honorable Mention

Tanner Tully: 6 apps, 2 starts, 4.32 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, .263 BAA, 9.7 K/9, 1.4 BB/9

After just missing in April, right-handed reliever Ryder Ryan takes the top honors with the Lake County Captains for the month of May. In nine appearances, Ryan allowed no earned runs in 10 1/3 innings while striking out 13.

He posted a sub-1.00 WHIP for the second straight month and held opponents to a .143 batting average. He was also recently rewarded for his hot start with an All-Star nod in the Midwest League.

After taking top honors in April, left-hander Tanner Tully drops a spot in May though still pitched decently well. Still being used mostly as a “piggyback”, Tully has continued to put up some of the best strikeout-to-walk numbers in the organization, posting a 27-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio in May. He even got a pair of starts this month as the former Ohio State Buckeye continues to impress.

For the second straight month, the pick for the top overall pitcher in the Cleveland Indians farm system was pretty easy. Taking the honors for the month of May is Triston McKenzie of the Lynchburg Hillcats. The young right-hander continues to impress and with Bradley Zimmer in Cleveland and Brady Aiken off to a slow start has a legit claim as the best prospect in the Tribe’s system right now after opening the season as our number 3 prospect.

The pick for the top hitter this month was even easier with Eric Stamets taking the crown for the month of May. Not only was he the best hitter on the Columbus Clippers this month, but he put up great numbers in his short stint with the Akron RubberDucks.

Overall in May, Stamets posted an insane slash line of .414/.474/.843. That’s a 1.317 OPS in 21 games between Columbus and Akron. He hit six home runs, 10 doubles, and even added a triple. The top 50 prospect in the Tribe system, likely won’t continue to see that kind of power output (he had a .429 ISO in May), but he may be putting himself in a spot for a potential call-up at some point as a utility infielder.

Next: 5 best first-round picks in club history

So what do you guys think, agree or disagree with our picks for this month? Let us know in the comments section below.