The minor league season began on Thursday, which means it's time to check in on the most loaded rosters across the four levels of full-season ball.
1. Lake Elsinore Storm (San Diego Padres, High-A): You would expect at least one affiliate from the No. 1 farm system in the game to show up on the list. This year it's San Diego's High-A affiliate in Lake Elsinore, which features three of the Padres' top 10 prospects as well as several more guys good enough to draw you to the ballpark.
Their rotation includes lefty Mackenzie Gore (No. 7 overall, No. 2 Padres prospect), right-hander Luis Patiño (No. 50 overall, No. 6 Padres) and the resurgent Mason Thompson, whose stuff came back with a vengeance this spring after a 2018 season that disappointed in both stuff and results. The infield includes Esteury Ruiz (No. 22 Padres), acquired in the same deal that brought over Matt Strahm in 2017, as well as Gabriel Arias and Eguy Rosario. Shortstop Javy Guerra is on Lake Elsinore's Temporary Inactive List as he converts to pitching, where he has been throwing up to 99 mph with some natural cut. Their outfield includes Tirso Ornelas (No. 10 Padres), who has one of my favorite swings in the entire minor leagues, and Jeisson Rosario (No. 17 Padres), while their primary catcher is Luis Campusano (No. 18), whose 2018 season ended early due to a concussion but has at least everyday player upside.
2. Wilmington Blue Rocks (Kansas City Royals, High-A): For the second time since I started these lists, my adopted hometown of Wilmington makes the cut, with seven of the Royals' top 10 prospects. That's thanks to a Royals draft last year that brought in three-fifths of the team's rotation: top prospect Daniel Lynch (No. 53 overall), No. 5 Royals prospect Jackson Kowar, and No. 6 Brady Singer. They also added No. 7 prospect Kyle Isbel in that draft, and he's the Blue Rocks' primary center fielder at the moment.
The Royals' Low-A affiliate, Lexington, was their best last year for prospect-watching, and that group included three more top prospects now with Wilmington in outfielder Seuly Matias (No. 4) -- who has some of the most raw power this side of Joey Gallo -- catcher MJ Melendez and first baseman Nick Pratto, their first-round pick in 2017. Other players from the Royals' top 20 here include elite defensive catcher Sebastian Rivero (No. 18) and athletic outfielder Brewer Hicklen (No. 20), a plus runner with some power but who struck out far too often in Low-A.
3. Fort Myers Miracle (Minnesota Twins, High-A): The first overall pick in 2017, shortstop Royce Lewis (No. 9 overall, No. 1 Twins) has started this year in High-A, although I don't expect him to be here for more than half of the season, likely finishing in Double-A Pensacola. He's joined in Fort Myers by four more of the Twins' top 10 prospects: outfielders Akil Baddoo (No. 5 Twins) and Trevor Larnach (No. 7, and their first-rounder in 2018), Puerto Rican infielder Jose Miranda (No. 8) and right-hander Edwar Colina (No. 9), who has started the year on the injured list.
Their third-round pick from last year, catcher Ryan Jeffers (No. 12), is also on the roster in Fort Myers, along with former second-rounder catcher Ben Rortvedt (No. 15), so I imagine there will either be some elaborate job-sharing plan or the Twins just figure one of the two will end up in Double-A sooner rather than later. Right-hander Jhoan Duran (No. 16), who throws a hybrid splitter-sinker that can be unhittable, is in the Miracle's rotation. Travis Blankenhorn, who needs a big year to reestablish any sort of prospect status or trade value, is repeating High-A after a dismal performance in 2018.
One name you might have expected to see here but won't is outfielder Alex Kirilloff, the team's No. 2 prospect, whom the Twins bumped up to Double-A in recognition of his advanced hit tool.
4. Mississippi Braves (Atlanta Braves, Double-A): Atlanta's system is still loaded with arms, with four of their top starting prospects now in Mississippi's rotation. That quartet includes their 2016 first-rounder Ian Anderson (No. 30 overall, and No. 3 in the Braves' system) plus the two prep arms they gave over-slot bonuses in that same draft in Joey Wentz (No. 11 Braves) and Kyle Muller (No. 12), as well as Patrick Weigel (No. 10 Braves), back from 2017 Tommy John surgery. The roster also includes Atlanta's top two outfield prospects in elite defensive center fielder Cristian Pache (No. 45 overall, No. 4 Atlanta) and 2017 draftee Drew Waters (No. 75 overall, No. 7 Atlanta), the latter reaching Double-A after just 30 games at High-A to finish last season.
5. San Antonio Missions (Milwaukee Brewers, Triple-A): Triple-A rosters are more likely to be filled with older players, either minor league journeymen or fringe big leaguers who serve as a de facto taxi squad for the major-league roster, but this year there are two teams in the PCL that are worth seeing just for their prospects. San Antonio, in its first year as a Triple-A team, is one of them, featuring six of the Brewers' top 10 prospects on their Opening Day roster.
That starts with the team's only two top-100 guys, second baseman Keston Hiura (No. 21 overall, No. 1 Brewers) and right-hander Zack Brown (No. 85 overall, No. 2 Brewers), both of whom should see significant time in the majors. Corey Ray (No. 4 Brewers), the fifth overall pick in 2016, is here, along with their second-rounder from that year, third baseman Lucas Erceg (No. 7). Infielder Mauricio Dubon (No. 6) returns to Triple-A after missing nearly all of last year with a torn ACL; he'll become the first-ever big leaguer born in Honduras when he makes his debut some time this spring or summer. Adrian Houser (No. 9), acquired in the same deal that brought over Josh Hader, is in the rotation with Brown, and both guys should see major-league time in Milwaukee, either in the rotation or in the long relief roles occupied by Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff last year.
6. Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis Cardinals, Triple-A): The Redbirds' roster improved since Opening Day when the Cards demoted right-hander Alex Reyes (No. 42 overall, No. 2 in the Cardinals' system) to Triple-A over the weekend. It's probably the right move, as he came back very quickly from yet another injury and looks like he might need more time to regain his command. The Cardinals liked Andrew Knizner (No. 4 St. Louis) enough to feel comfortable trading fellow catcher Carson Kelly to acquire Paul Goldschmidt; Knizner might be the heir to Yadier Molina behind the plate in St. Louis, a different kind of catcher from Yadi whose bat is ahead of his glove.
The Redbirds' rotation features the Cardinals' No. 7 prospect Ryan Helsley and No. 8 prospect Genesis Cabrera (part of the return last July for Tommy Pham), while the outfield includes No. 10 prospect Randy Arozarena (currently on the IL) and No. 13 prospect Justin Williams (also from the Pham deal). Shortstop Edmundo Sosa (No. 12) is probably the next man up if the Cards need an infielder, although right now he's blocked even at the utility spot in the majors. Max Schrock and Adolis Garcia, both unranked prospects who should have some major-league value, are also with Memphis for now; I expect both to get some bench time in St. Louis this summer.
7. Columbia Fireflies (New York Mets, Low-A): The Mets' low-A affiliate includes their past two second-round picks, both of whom have improved their standing since they first signed: third baseman Mark Vientos (No. 60 overall, No. 1 Mets prospect) and right-hander Simeon Woods-Richardson (No. 7 Mets). The infield features shortstop Ronny Mauricio (No. 99 overall, No. 4 Mets), who continued to turn heads this year in spring training and just turned 18 last week, and Dutch infielder Shervyen Newton (No. 9 Mets). On the mound they also feature lefty Thomas Szapucki (No. 8 Mets), who has yet to pitch this spring but is now recovered from 2017 Tommy John surgery. Just imagine how much stronger it would be had the Mets not traded their top prospect, first-rounder Jarred Kelenic, this winter.
8. Round Rock Express (Houston Astros, Triple-A): The Express feature three top-100 prospects in right-hander Forrest Whitley (No. 4 overall, and the minors' top pitching prospect), outfielder Kyle Tucker (No. 17) and right-hander Corbin Martin (No. 48), the latter in Triple-A already less than two years out of college. I believe they're the only team to have their parent organization's top three prospects all on one roster, although the Dodgers' Double-A affiliate in Tulsa is close, with three of their top four (Keibert Ruiz, Gavin Lux, and Dustin May).
The Express also have DH-in-waiting Yordan Alvarez (No. 8 in the Astros' system), who hit three homers in the Express' second game of the season, as well as the Astros' No. 6 prospect Cionel Perez and No. 18 prospect Rogelio Armenteros. All three signed as Cuban defectors, with Alvarez signing with the Dodgers before the Astros acquired him in a trade for Josh Fields. Former Golden Spikes Award winner AJ Reed returns to Triple-A for the third straight season, and he probably needs a change of scenery to get another shot at a major-league job.
9. Montgomery Biscuits (Tampa Bay Rays, Double-A): The Rays have my No. 2 overall system at the moment, but they've spread their talent out across their four full-season affiliates, so none of the four is among the best rosters in the minors for prospects. Montgomery has the strongest roster right now of those clubs. Brendan McKay, now a left-handed starter and DH, is the main attraction here, but he's joined by two other top-100 prospects in hard-hitting outfielder Jesus Sanchez (No. 71 overall, No. 6 Rays) and plus defensive shortstop Lucius Fox (No. 100 overall, No. 9 Rays). Shortstop Tristan Gray (No. 13 Rays), slick defensive shortstop Jermaine Palacios, and former first-round pick Josh Lowe are all here, and Ryan Boldt (No. 29) is currently on the team's injured list.