This article is part of our Farm Futures series.
With Kris Bryant getting reassigned to minor league camp Monday, the biggest shoe has dropped, signifying that most minor league rosters have taken shape for the start of the 2015 season. If you have an MiLB.tv account or you are the type of person who is willing to travel a couple hours to take in a minor league game involving some of your favorite prospects, you may find it useful to know which teams are worth your time and attention. Here are the must-see teams at the outset of the 2015 season:
Northeast
Triple-A Pawtucket - Red Sox
Who to see: Henry Owens, Eduardo Rodriguez, Brian Johnson, Matt Barnes (possibly), Blake Swihart, Garin Cecchini, Sean Coyle, Deven Marrero, Rusney Castillo (possibly)
Where they will travel: Lehigh Valley, Buffalo, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Toledo, Columbus, Indianapolis, Louisville, Rochester, Charlotte, Gwinnett, Syracuse, Durham, Norfolk
Overview: The Paw Sox are loaded with a variety of prospects and some older names you might remember like Dana Eveland, Heath Hembree, Jeff Bianchi, Jemile Weeks, Quintin Berry and Bryce Brentz. This will be a high-quality brand of baseball by minor-league standards. If possible, try to check them out when Owens or Rodriguez are on the mound.
High-A Potomac - Nationals
Who to see: Lucas Giolito (possibly), Reynaldo Lopez (possibly), Wilmer Difo
Where they will travel: Lynchburg, Wilmington, Winston-Salem, Salem, Wilmington, Frederick, Myrtle Beach, Carolina (Raleigh)
Overview: This is appointment viewing every fifth game for as long as
With Kris Bryant getting reassigned to minor league camp Monday, the biggest shoe has dropped, signifying that most minor league rosters have taken shape for the start of the 2015 season. If you have an MiLB.tv account or you are the type of person who is willing to travel a couple hours to take in a minor league game involving some of your favorite prospects, you may find it useful to know which teams are worth your time and attention. Here are the must-see teams at the outset of the 2015 season:
Northeast
Triple-A Pawtucket - Red Sox
Who to see: Henry Owens, Eduardo Rodriguez, Brian Johnson, Matt Barnes (possibly), Blake Swihart, Garin Cecchini, Sean Coyle, Deven Marrero, Rusney Castillo (possibly)
Where they will travel: Lehigh Valley, Buffalo, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Toledo, Columbus, Indianapolis, Louisville, Rochester, Charlotte, Gwinnett, Syracuse, Durham, Norfolk
Overview: The Paw Sox are loaded with a variety of prospects and some older names you might remember like Dana Eveland, Heath Hembree, Jeff Bianchi, Jemile Weeks, Quintin Berry and Bryce Brentz. This will be a high-quality brand of baseball by minor-league standards. If possible, try to check them out when Owens or Rodriguez are on the mound.
High-A Potomac - Nationals
Who to see: Lucas Giolito (possibly), Reynaldo Lopez (possibly), Wilmer Difo
Where they will travel: Lynchburg, Wilmington, Winston-Salem, Salem, Wilmington, Frederick, Myrtle Beach, Carolina (Raleigh)
Overview: This is appointment viewing every fifth game for as long as Giolito is on the roster, and if it's a team you grow to enjoy, Lopez's starts will be worth watching as well.
Double-A Reading - Phillies
Who to see: Jesse Biddle, Ben Lively, Aaron Nola, Zach Eflin (eventually), Tom Windle (eventually), J.P. Crawford (eventually), Kelly Dugan, Roman Quinn (eventually)
Where they will travel: Portland (Maine), New Hampshire (Manchester), Harrisburg, Richmond, Erie, Binghamton, Trenton, New Britain, Akron, Bowie, Altoona
Overview: The nice thing about the Fightin Phils is it will be tricky to catch them on a night when a legitimate pitching prospect isn't on the mound this summer. This makes planning a trip to take in a game less risky. However, if given a choice, I'll be targeting a game when Nola is the starter.
Double-A Trenton - Yankees
Who to see: Jacob Lindgren, Luis Severino, Gary Sanchez, Greg Bird, Mason Williams, Aaron Judge
Where they will travel: Erie, Akron, Portland (Maine), New Hampshire (Manchester), Binghamton, Harrisburg, Bowie, Richmond, Reading, New Britain, Altoona
Overview: The first baseman (Bird), right fielder (Judge) and DH (Sanchez) of the future may be on the Thunder, with a couple potential pieces of the 2016 rotation to boot. If possible, try to see a Severino start.
Southeast
Double-A Chattanooga -Twins
Who to see: Byron Buxton, Miguel Sano, Jorge Polanco, Nick Burdi (possibly)
Where they will travel: Montgomery, Mississippi (Pearl), Tennessee (Knoxville), Birmingham, Mobile, Jackson, Jacksonville, Biloxi, Pensacola
Overview: Make sure to catch the Lookouts in the first half of the season, as the two main draws, Buxton and Sano, will be at Triple-A before you know it. There is not a starting pitcher worth planning around, so go whenever is convenient.
Double-A Mobile - Diamondbacks
Who to see: Aaron Blair, Yoan Lopez, Braden Shipley, Jimmie Sherfy, Peter O'Brien, Brandon Drury
Where they will travel: Birmingham, Montgomery, Biloxi, Mississippi (Pearl), Tennessee (Knoxville), Pensacola, Jackson, Jacksonville, Chattanooga
Overview: There's a pretty good shot that if you catch a Bay Bears game, an electric arm will take the hill. If there happens to be a series nearby where you can catch Shipley and Blair, jump at the chance, as they will likely both be in the majors by next season.
Southwest
Double-A Northwest Arkansas - Royals
Who to see: Miguel Almonte, Brandon Finnegan, Sean Manaea, Hunter Dozier, Raul Mondesi (eventually)
Where they will travel: Midland, Frisco, Tulsa, Springfield, Arkansas (Little Rock), Corpus Christi, San Antonio
Overview: This may be the best pitching staff in the minors, and at least one of Almonte, Finnegan and Manaea should pitch in each series this season. Manaea is the guy I would want to see, but the industry is relatively split on the three. Watching Mondesi in the field is an added treat.
Double-A Tulsa - Dodgers
Who to see: Julio Urias, Corey Seager, Darnell Sweeney
Where they will travel: San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Arkansas (Little Rock), Northwest Arkansas (Springdale), Springfield, Midland, Frisco
Overview: The Drillers have a very top-heavy roster, but Urias and Seager are worth a reasonable drive. Just make sure Urias is the probable pitcher for the game you target.
Double-A Frisco - Rangers
Who to see: Jake Thompson, Jorge Alfaro, Joey Gallo, Nomar Mazara, Nick Williams
Where they will travel: Arkansas (Little Rock), Northwest Arkansas (Springdale), San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Midland, Springfield, Tulsa
Overview: Not all minor league rosters are created equally, and the RoughRiders' lineup may be the best of them all. It's rare to see four hitters with the tools these guys possess on the same minor league roster, so make time to check them out if they are in your area. If it works out to be a game Thompson is starting, then you will really be in minor league baseball heaven.
Double-A Corpus Christi - Astros
Who to see: Mark Appel, Lance McCullers (probably), Tony Kemp, Carlos Correa, Colin Moran, Teoscar Hernandez
Where they will travel: Springfield, Tulsa, Frisco, Midland, San Antonio, Northwest Arkansas (Springdale), Arkansas (Little Rock)
Overview: The Hooks boast two former No. 1 overall picks in Appel and Correa, which should allow them to compete in a loaded Texas League. Catching an Appel start is a must, and given the talent in this league, you should be able to catch him facing an impressive lineup.
Midwest
Triple-A Iowa - Cubs
Who to see: C.J. Edwards, Pierce Johnson (eventually), Javier Baez, Addison Russell, Kris Bryant (for a couple weeks)
Where they will travel: Memphis, New Orleans, Colorado Springs, Nashville, Oklahoma City, El Paso, Albuquerque, Omaha, Round Rock, Las Vegas, Salt Lake
Overview: The time to go is right away, as Bryant will be up with the big league club in a few weeks. Watching Baez and Bryant hit moonshots into the evening air is a great way to spend a night in the heartland.
West Coast
High-A Modesto - Rockies
Who to see: Kyle Freeland (eventually), David Dahl, Ryan McMahon, Raimel Tapia
Where they will travel: Lake Elsinore, Bakersfield, Lancaster, High Desert, Inland Empire, Stockton, San Jose, Rancho Cucamonga, Visalia
Overview: Hopefully there is a sweet spot in the middle of the season when Freeland has been promoted from Low-A and Dahl has not yet forced a promotion to Double-A. Either way, catching Dahl and Tapia roaming the same outfield is a must for any Rockies fan who is too depressed to live and die with the big league club.
