Triple-A baseball. The final hurdle on the road to the Majors. A blend of up-and-coming prospects and veteran players looking for one last shot at glory in the bigs. There isn't another step on the ladder ... the next stop is the promised land. The blend of old and young
Triple-A baseball. The final hurdle on the road to the Majors. A blend of up-and-coming prospects and veteran players looking for one last shot at glory in the bigs. There isn't another step on the ladder ... the next stop is the promised land.
The blend of old and young definitely makes for a unique show in the International League and Pacific Coast League, but the level of competition remains elite, evidenced by a number of standout performances in 2024.
In the International League, Johnathan Rodriguez (CLE No. 12) earned Most Valuable Player honors with Columbus while Brewers right-hander Chad Patrick nabbed Pitcher of the Year with Nashville. Coby Mayo (MLB No. 8) was deemed the circuit's top MLB Prospect after a another outstanding year for Norfolk.
Over in the PCL, Adrian Del Castillo (AZ No. 14) was named MVP after a strong season at the plate and behind it for Reno. Jack Leiter (TEX No. 4) bounced back with a solid campaign for Round Rock and Deyvison De Los Santos (MIA No. 4), who was dealt to the Marlins at the Trade Deadline and ultimately led the Minors in homers with 40, was named the Top MLB Prospect in the PCL after spending the first half with the Aces.
Here are the major award winners as well as the full All-Star teams for each Triple-A league.
International League
Most Valuable Player: Johnathan Rodriguez, Columbus (CLE)
One of the most prolific slugging prospects in the Minors, Rodriguez reached The Show for the first time in 2024 but still mashed 29 MiLB homers, equaling his personal best from a year earlier. The 24-year-old drove in a career-high 84 runs, topped .300 for the first time (.301) and posted a .930 OPS across 118 games for the Clippers. Rodriguez has collected 84 roundtrippers over the past three years.
Pitcher of the Year: Chad Patrick, Nashville (MIL)
Patrick's 2024 campaign was a complete reversal of the previous season. The 26-year-old won the triple crown for pitching in the IL, leading circuit in wins (14), ERA (2.90) and strikeouts (145) in his first year with the organization. Patrick held opponents to a .215 average-against and lost just one game. The right-hander, who went 4-11 with a 5.59 ERA across three levels in 2023, went 13-0 and posted a 2.66 ERA over his final 21 appearances (19 starts).
Top MLB Prospect: Coby Mayo, Norfolk (BAL)
There is little left for Mayo to prove at the Minors' highest level after bypassing 20 homers for the second consecutive campaign. The top-ranked Orioles prospect batted .293/.372/.592 with 25 homers and 73 RBIs over the Minors' top two levels despite missing a month with a broken rib. Mayo also made his Major League debut in 2024, appearing in 17 games for Baltimore in August and September.
All-Star Team
1B: Kyle Manzardo, Columbus (CLE)
2B: x-Connor Norby, Norfolk (BAL)/Jacksonville (MIA)
SS: Andrew Navigato, Toledo (DET)
3B: Coby Mayo, Norfolk (BAL) (BAL No. 1/MLB No. 8)
C: Dillon Dingler, Toledo (DET)
OF: Johnathan Rodriguez, Columbus (CLE No. 12)
OF: Heston Kjerstad, Norfolk (BAL)
OF: Ji Hwan Bae, Indianapolis (PIT)
DH: Matt Koperniak, Memphis (STL)
UTIL: xx-Nick Yorke, Worcester (BOS)/Indianapolis (PIT No. 6)
SP: Chad Patrick, Nashville (MIL)
SP: Brandon Young, Norfolk (BAL)
SP: Bryce Elder, Gwinnett (ATL)
SP: Cade Povich, Norfolk (BAL)
RP: Evan Sisk, Omaha (KC)
RP: xxx-Walter Pennington, Omaha (KC)/Round Rock (TEX)
Manager: Mike Jirschele, Omaha (KC)
x-Traded to Miami on July 30
xx-Traded to Pittsburgh on July 29
xxx-Traded to Texas on July 29
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Pacific Coast League
Most Valuable Player: Adrian Del Castillo, Reno (AZ)
A breakout 2023 campaign for Double-A Amarillo and Reno morphed into elite status for Del Castillo in 2024. The 25-year-old backstop smashed all of his previous career highs offensively en route to a .312/.399/.603 slash line in 105 games for the Aces. Del Castillo hammered 26 homers, amassed 65 extra-base hits, 90 runs and 73 RBIs despite spending more than a month in the Majors with Arizona (where he also excelled). The Miami native batted .313 with an .893 OPS while driving in 19 runs in 25 games in the bigs.
Pitcher of the Year: Jack Leiter, Round Rock (TEX)
The 2021 first-rounder really began living up to his promise with his best professional season during his first foray into the PCL, minus a one-start cameo in 2023. The 24-year-old posted a 3.51 ERA in the hitter-friendly PCL and averaged 12.9 K/9, fanning 110 in 77 innings across 17 outings (16 starts) for Round Rock. Leiter was summoned to the Majors for the first time in April and made nine appearances (six starts) for Texas, striking out 31 over 35 3/4 innings.
Top MLB Prospect: Deyvison De Los Santos, Reno (AZ)/Jacksonville (MIA)
Although De Los Santos reached the 40-homer mark in a Jacksonville uniform following his trade to the Marlins in late July, the seeds of his season were sown in Reno. Taken by the Guardians in last year's Rule 5 Draft but returned to the D-backs after a poor spring, De Los Santos tore through the Double-A Texas League and continued his assault when facing PCL pitchers. The 21-year-old batted .289/.338/.588 with 14 homers, 29 extra-base hits and 47 RBIs in 49 games for Reno prior being dealt, then added 12 long balls, seven doubles and 36 RBIs in 50 games for Jacksonville afterward.
All-Star Team
1B: Jason Vosler, Tacoma (SEA)
2B: Jordan Diaz, Las Vegas (ATH)
SS: Nick Allen, Las Vegas (ATH)
3B: Andrés Chaparro, Reno (AZ)
C: Adrian Del Castillo, Reno (AZ No. 14)
OF: Pedro León, Sugar Land (HOU No. 21)
OF: James Outman, Oklahoma City (LAD)
OF: Colby Thomas, Las Vegas (ATH No. 7)
DH: Shay Whitcomb, Sugar Land (HOU No. 14)
UTIL: Armando Alvarez, Las Vegas (ATH)
SP: Colton Gordon, Sugar Land (HOU No. 11)
SP: Jack Leiter, Round Rock (TEX No. 4)
SP: Ryan Gusto, Sugar Land (HOU)
SP: A.J. Blubaugh, Sugar Land (HOU No. 9)
RP: Grant Holman, Las Vegas (ATH No. 21)
RP: Wander Suero, Sugar Land (HOU)
Manager: Mickey Storey, Sugar Land (HOU)
Michael Avallone is a contributor to MiLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @MavalloneMiLB.
Read More:
- Kyle Manzardo
- Coby Mayo
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- Nick Yorke
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- Shay Whitcomb
- Colby Thomas
- Jack Leiter
- Colton Gordon
- A.J. Blubaugh
- Grant Holman
- Chad Patrick
- Pacific Coast League
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