Minor League Baseball is here at last with Triple-A baseball starting it off, and so far, we have seen some big names get off to hot starts. In this series, we will be diving into the top performers for each level of the Minor Leagues, as well as focusing on pitchers or batters. In this article, we will dive into the top batters in Triple-A off to a hot start to the season and help you find potential for your dynasty leagues. Let’s dive in!
International League Hitting Prospect Standouts
TJ Rumfield, 1B NYY
(5 GP, .286/.375/.667, 2 HR, 5 R, 5 RBI)
Deep league targets early on in the season can help your dynasty teams make the push in the summer months when injuries start to pile up. TJ Rumfield is a name to watch this season as his steps forward last season seem to be translating into his play early on. Rumfield Stands 6’5” and 225 pounds and put together a solid season in 2024 in Double-A and Triple-A. In 122 combined games played, Rumfield slashed .294/.370/.454 with 15 home runs, 77 runs scored, 73 RBIs, and four stolen bases. Plate discipline was key for Rumfield as he finished the season with 9.6% BB% and a strong 16.1% strikeout rate.
👀📋NYY 1B TJ Rumfield should be on your deep league watch list. In 24’ he played at AA & AAA 122 GP & slashed .294/.370/454 with 15 HR, 73 RBI, 4 SB with a 9.6% BB & 16.1% K. So far in 5 GP in AAA he is hitting .286/.375/.667 with 2 HR, 5 RBI with 4-6 hits as XBH@Fantrax https://t.co/yliL4cmYTg
— Richard Haake (@Mustbethehawk) April 3, 2025
With the Yankees signing Paul Goldschmidt to a one-year deal and prospects such as Ben Rice and Spencer Jones, it seems TJ Rumfield gets lost in the mix. So far this season, he is making his name relevant once again by continuing to dominate in Triple-A Scranton. In five games played, Rumfield is slashing .286/.375/.667 with two home runs, five RBIs, with four of his six hits being for extra bases. Keep Rumfield on your watch list this season.
Marcelo Mayer, SS BOS
(4 GP, .294/.333/.647, 2 HR, 3 R, 7 RBI, 1 SB)
Boston is eagerly awaiting the fourth overall pick in 2021 to come up and secure the shortstop job, and so far, Marcelo Mayer is proving that he is getting close. The 22-year-old stands 6’3” and 188 pounds, batting from the left side, and his 2023 and 24 seasons were marred by injuries. In 2024, we saw glimpses of what the Red Sox saw in him as the top high school talent in the MLB Draft. Across 77 games played, Mayer slashed .307/.370/.480 with eight home runs, 60 runs scored, 38 RBIs, and stole 13 bases. The strikeout rate came down from 24.3% in 2023 to 19.7% while walking 9% of the time.
💥BOS SS Marcelo Mayer crushes a double at A+ Greensboro @GreenvilleDrive @RedSox @WeeklyStreamer @Fantrax pic.twitter.com/cdld5BDeyy
— Richard Haake (@Mustbethehawk) April 19, 2023
Promoted to Triple-A Worcester to start the season, Mayer seems to be taking the level in stride early on. In four games played with the Woo Sox, he is slashing .294/.333/.647 with two home runs, three runs scored, seven RBIs, and one stolen base. Seeing the power come around early is encouraging for Mayer, who should profile as a 20-25 home run bat at the Major League level.
Kyle Teel, C CHW
(5 GP, .316/.409/.684, 2 HR, 4 R, 9 RBI, 1 SB)
Listed as one of the key pieces in the Garrett Crochet trade to Boston, Kyle Teel has a solid prospect pedigree and is in a position to see the Major Leagues quickly in 2025. Teel stands 6’0” and 210 pounds, batting from the left side of the plate, and has displayed average power with above-average bat-to-ball skills. In 2024, Teel played in Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester as she slashed .288/.386/.433 with 13 home runs, 88 runs scored, 78 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases across 112 games played. The patience at the plate is something that stands out for Teel, who walked 13.5% of the time and struck out just 23% in 505 plate appearances in 2024.
Now with a new organization, Teel seems to be settling in nicely as he reported to Triple-A Charlotte. In five games played, Teel is slashing .316/.409/.684 with two home runs, 4 runs scored, nine RBIs, and one stolen base. The steady approach at the plate has continued as he has already drawn three walks in 22 plate appearances. Look for the White Sox to call Teel up this summer as Chicago looks to turn a corner with their young talent.
Pacific Coast League Hitting Prospect Standouts
Nick Kurtz, 1B ATH
(5 GP, .476/.522/1.000, 3 HR, 6 R, 9 RBI)
Going into Spring Training, most were watching how Nick Kurtz was performing and were curious about how long it would take for him to join the Athletics. So far, the early results are more than encouraging and beg the question of how much more he needs to prove. Kurtz didn’t have the junior season he or many of the scouts were expecting going into the 2024 season, but he still finished with 22 home runs and slashed .306/.531/.763 with 65 R, and 57 RBIs.
💪📝Wake 1B Nick Kurtz had a strong opening weekend. The plus power is undeniable and defensively Kurtz was sound. In 3 GP he hit
•.333 AVG
•.385 OBP
•.583 SLG
• 1 HR
• 4 R
• 3 RBIGoing to be a fun season for @WakeBaseball. @Fantrax @nickkurtz23. #Openingday24 pic.twitter.com/X6PwPUyeYV
— Richard Haake (@Mustbethehawk) February 19, 2024
In his first taste of professional ball, Kurtz slashed .368/.520/.763 with four home runs, 14 runs scored, 13 RBIs, and one stolen base in 12 games played. There is potential 30-plus home run potential here paired with average and on-base potential that should put him in the upper echelon of first base dynasty rankings long-term. So far in five games played, Kurtz is slashing 476/.522/1.000 with three home runs, six runs scored and nine RBIs. This strong performance should entice the Athletics to promote Kurtz to the majors in short order.
Ryan Ritter, SS COL
(4 GP, .438/.500/.875, 2 HR, 4 R, 2 RBI)
Colorado’s fourth-round pick back in 2022 has been quickly moving through the Rockies’ system. Ryan Ritter has put up back to back solid season’s in the minor leagues dating back to 2023 where he played in Low-A, High-A and Double-A slashing a combined .281/.383/.519 with 24 home runs, 90 runs scored, 85 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases in 25 attempts across 119 games played. The sticking point for Ritter has been the strikeouts, as he finished the season with 29% across 525 plate appearances.
Improvements were made during the 2024 season as Ritter played in 91 games, slashing .270/.370/.403 with seven home runs, 57 runs scored, 32 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases. Strikeouts came down to 23.6% across 373 plate appearances, with the walks finishing at a solid 9.4%. Despite the home run numbers being down, Ritter did have 26 extra-base hits in 2024, leaving room for potential gains. So far this season, in Ritter’s first taste of Triple-A baseball, all has looked great as he is slashing .438/.500/.875 with two home runs, four runs scored, and two RBIs in just four games played.
This could be a prospect to watch as second base seems to be a weak spot in the Rockies’ lineup and could open an opportunity for Ritter to get some run this summer.
Denzel Clarke, OF ATH
(5 GP, .400/.500/.467, 3 R, 3 RBI, 1 SB)
The Athletics are in a transition from Oakland to Las Vegas, and currently in Sacramento, and it appears the pieces are starting to come into place. Could Denzel Clarke be one of the next prospects to make a difference with the Major League club? In 2024, Clarke played 116 games at Double-A, where he slashed .269/.339/.445 with 13 home runs, 74 runs scored, 53 RBIs, and 36 stolen bases in 45 attempts. Standing at 6’4” and 220 pounds, Clarke is the perfect balance of potential future power and current speed on the basepaths and elite defense. Despite just 13 home runs in 2024, Clarke hit a total of 42 extra-base hits while showing an ability to draw walks.
👀📋ATH OF Denzel Clarke is on my watch list early on. 116 GP in 24’ at AA he slashed .269/.339/.445 with 13 HR, 74 R, 53 RBI, 36 SB. 8.3% BB but high K% is the only hurdle. In 5 GP this year he is hitting .400/.500/.467 with 3 RBI, 1 SB. Potential 20HR-30SB threat.@Fantrax https://t.co/FRPmdUxPTk
— Richard Haake (@Mustbethehawk) April 3, 2025
Last season was Clarke’s lowest walk rate of his Minor League career to this point, finishing the season at 8.2%, while his average has been around 12-13% each season since 2021. The major issue with Clarke’s game has been the strikeouts, as he finished 2024 with 29.9%. This will need to come down if he is to be able to stick in the Major Leagues long term. Thus far in the season, Clarke has played in five games while slashing .400/.500/.467 with three runs scored, 3 RBIs, and one stolen base in his first taste of Triple-A baseball. Clarke will be 25 years old on May 1st, putting him in line to make his debut this summer with a strong spring.
