C ENDY RODRIGUEZ, PIRATES
TRIPLE-A INDIANAPOLIS
The athletic Rodriguez moved between catcher, second base, left field and first base early in the season while he split time behind the plate with Henry Davis at High-A Greensboro. Something clicked for the 22-year-old around midseason and his bat carried him to Double-A and then Triple-A. From June 25 until the end of the season, Rodriguez hit .386/.469/.724 with 18 home runs in 67 games. No qualified minor league hitter topped his 1.193 OPS during this time.
1B KYLE MANZARDO, RAYS
DOUBLE-A MONTGOMERY
Drafted out of Washington State in the second round in 2021, Manzardo had no trouble adjusting to pro ball in his full-season debut. He cruised through High-A on his way to Double-A in early August. Manzardo popped 22 home runs in 93 games and his 1.043 OPS ranked second in the minor leagues, but he truly stood out for his swing decisions. He makes a ton of contact, rarely chases out of the zone and finished the season with 59 walks against 65 strikeouts.
2B VAUGHN GRISSOM, BRAVES
DOUBLE-A MISSISSIPPI
This story is from the October 2022 edition of Baseball America.
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This story is from the October 2022 edition of Baseball America.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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