Panik, Bichette honored by MiLB, Topps
The best performances in all Minor League Baseball™ classifications are again being honored by the Topps Company of New York, N.Y., in conjunction with Minor League Baseball.
Dean Green (22) of Berryhill, Okla., finished second in the New York-Penn League with 84 hits and a .520 slugging percentage. The Connecticut Tigers first baseman ranked third in the league with a .341 batting average and .915 on-base plus slugging percentage. The Detroit Tigers Drafted Green in the 11th round in June out of Barry (Fla.) University.
Cory Spangenberg (20) of Clark Summit, Pa., hit .384 with 10 doubles, 20 runs and a 1.080 OPS for the Eugene Emeralds. The second baseman played in just 25 games for the Emeralds before earning a promotion to Class A. The San Diego Padres selected Spangenberg in the first round (10th overall) in June out of Indian River (Fla.) State College.
Dante Bichette Jr. (19) of Orlando, Fla., led the Gulf Coast League with 47 RBIs, 67 hits and 17 doubles in being named the circuit's Most Valuable Player. Bichette also excelled in the field for the Yankees by leading all GCL third baseman with a .945 fielding percentage. The New York Yankees, who promoted Bichette to the Staten Island Yankees in September, selected him 51st overall in June out of Orangewood Christian (Fla.) High School.
Joe Panik (21) of Hopewell Junction, N.Y., led the Northwest League with a .341 batting average, 92 hits and 54 RBIs with the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes. He tied for the circuit lead with 49 runs and led all NWL shortstops with a .964 fielding percentage in winning league Most Valuable Player honors. The San Francisco Giants took Panik with their first round pick (29th overall) in June out of St. John's University.
Joc Pederson (19) of Palo Alto, Calif., led short-season players in the domestic-based leagues with 64 RBIs. He also finished in the top five in the classification with 94 hits and 54 runs. The Ogden Raptors outfielder was also among the Pioneer League leaders with his .353 batting average and 24 stolen bases. The Los Angeles Dodgers drafted Pederson in the 11th round out of Palo Alto (Calif.) High School in 2010.
Eddie Rosario (20) of Guayama, Puerto Rico, led short season players in the domestic-based leagues with 21 homers, 71 runs and a .670 slugging percentage. The Elizabethton Twins outfielder, who was named a Co-Player of the Year in the Appalachian League, was also among the top four in the classification with nine triples, a 1.068 OPS, 60 RBIs and 39 extra-base hits. The Minnesota Twins Drafted Rosario in the fourth round in 2010 out of Rafael Lopez Landron (PR) High School.
Mason Williams (20) of Winter Garden, Fla., led the New York-Penn League with 94 hits and tied for the league lead with 28 stolen bases. The Staten Island Yankees outfielder ranked second in the circuit with a .349 batting average and six triples. The New York Yankees selected Williams in the fourth round in 2010 out of West Orange (Fla.) High School.
Jorge Alfaro (18) of Sincelejo, Colombia, hit .300 with six homers and 23 RBI with the Spokane Indians. The catcher had a .481 slugging percentage, an .826 OPS and recorded 48 hits in 45 games. The Texas Rangers signed Alfaro as a non-drafted free agent in January 2010.
Elvis Araujo (20) of Maracaibo, Venezuela, led Arizona League pitchers with nine wins for the Indians. The left-hander, who missed the past two seasons due to injuries, also limited opposing batters to a .229 average, tops among AZL starters. Araujo's 58 strikeouts and 1.14 WHIP ranked third in the league. The Cleveland Indians signed him as a non-drafted free agent in July 2007.
Branden Pinder (22) of Corona, Calif., went 2-2 with a 1.16 ERA and 14 saves for the Staten Island Yankees. The right-hander had a 0.68 WHIP and held batters to a .152 average. He struck out 38 in 31 innings and walked only five. The New York Yankees drafted Pinder in the 16th round in June out of Cal State Long Beach.
The full roster is below:
2011 TOPPS/MiLB SHORT-SEASON/ROOKIE ALL-STAR TEAM
| POSITION | PLAYER | CLUB(S) | LEAGUE(S) | AVG | HR | RBI | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Base | Dean Green | Connecticut | NYPL | .341 | 7 | 44 | |
| Second Base | Cory Spangenberg | Eugene | NWL | .384 | 1 | 20 | |
| Shortstop | Joe Panik | Salem-Keizer | NWL | .341 | 6 | 54 | |
| Third Base | Dante Bichette | GCL Yankees | GCL | .335* | 4* | 48* | |
| Staten Island | NYPL | ||||||
| Outfield | Joc Pederson | Ogden | PIO | .353 | 11 | 64 | |
| Outfield | Eddie Rosario | Elizabethton | APPY | .337 | 21 | 60 | |
| Outfield | Mason Williams | Staten Island | NYPL | .349 | 3 | 31 | |
| Catcher | Jorge Alfaro | Spokane | NWL | .300 | 6 | 23 | |
| POSITION | PLAYER | CLUB(S) | LEAGUE(S) | W | L | ERA | S |
| Starting Pitcher | Elvis Araujo | AZL Indians | AZL | 9* | 1* | 3.36* | |
| Mahoning Valley | NYPL | ||||||
| Closer | Branden Pinder | Staten Island | NYPL | 2 | 2 | 1.16 | 14 |
* combined statistics
Minor League Baseball, Joe Torre Safe At Home partnership enters ninth year
For the ninth year, Minor League Baseball and Joe Torre Safe At Home have teamed up to raise awareness about violence and abuse and to inspire fans of all ages to join them in SAH’s critical work. This year, 63 MiLB teams will participate in an in-ballpark initiative from May
MiLB podcast discusses Anthony, Caglianone at Triple-A
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
These are the greatest Minor League promos happening in June
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
New playoff format coming to 2025 Dominican Summer League
Minor League Baseball announced the 2025 Dominican Summer League (DSL) season will begin June 2 with Opening Day festivities taking place at the Boston Red Sox Academy in Guerra. The 2025 campaign will also see the introduction of the DSL Cup, a new playoff format that will see 16 DSL
Debating best Minor League home caps on podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
The Omaha Storm Chasers' 'Take Meow-t' cat night included a Litter Box Sundae
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Boston's Triple-A affiliate throws birthday bash for Roman Anthony
With all the hype that has surrounded Roman Anthony over the past two seasons, it’s easy to forget how young he really is. MLB's No. 1 prospect played 70 games at the highest level of the Minors before he could order a beer. But he can now. Roman Anthony turned
Friendly foes, 2024 first-rounders Moore and Caglianone trade first Triple-A homers
For years, Christian Moore and Jac Caglianone laced up their cleats against one another in the SEC. A rivalry that spanned Florida, Tennessee and other landmarks across the South moved to Salt Lake City this week as the Royals and Angels' top prospects got simultaneous Triple-A promotions. So it was
Phillies' Moore, Fausnaught join MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Red Sox prospect rips double THROUGH Fenway-esque scoreboard
Red Sox No. 4 prospect Franklin Arias, an infielder for High-A Greenville, REALLY didn’t want to let visiting Asheville score any runs in the top of the eighth inning on Friday night. With runners on first and second base in the bottom of the fourth, Arias showed he apparently held
April's hottest hitting prospects -- one for each organization
The Minor League season is a month old and several of the game's best hitting prospects are off to fast starts. Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony is tearing up Triple-A (just like he did at the end of last year), Padres shortstop Leo De Vries is leading the High-A Midwest
Check out the best -- and wackiest -- Minor League promos happening in May
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Orioles' Honeycutt joins The Show Before the Show
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
MiLB podcast coming LIVE to a Somerset this June
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
New ballparks highlight 2025 MiLB road trip stops
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
Minor League Baseball partners with TruGreen
FRANKLIN, Tenn. -- TruGreen, the nation's leading lawn care treatment provider, is proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Minor League Baseball that includes activations across all 120 clubs, a makeover of the home dugout in each market, sponsorship of select MiLB team grounds crews, and a new initiative called
Podcast explains why the Syracuse Mets are looking for Jim Morrison
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Dash im-prom-tu promo and Mets' Suero joins the podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Minor League Baseball partners with Circle K
Minor League Baseball announced a new national partnership with Circle K, which will see the convenience store giant become the “Official Convenience Store of Minor League Baseball.” During the 2025 season, the Circle K brand will be integrated into the MiLB in-stadium experience through in-game video board assets at most
These 15 moments led to season No. 15 of Minor League road trips
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
MiLB podcast crew makes Opening Day predictions
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Everything you need to know for Triple-A Opening Day
First, there was big league Opening Day. Now it's Triple-A's turn to take the spotlight. The Minor League season opens Friday when the Triple-A International League and Pacific Coast League seasons get underway for the first of MiLB’s two Opening Days. And right out of the gates, several of baseball's
Top prospects to watch at Triple-A -- one for each organization
It’s Triple-A’s turn up to bat on Friday. The regular season begins for the Minor Leagues’ highest level one day after the action starts on the Major League side. Fun fact: it’ll be the earliest start to a Minor League season since 1951 (March 27). Double-A, High-A and Single-A will
Here's where every Top 100 prospect is expected to start the season
The 2025 Opening Day prospect roster announcements began last week when the Cubs informed Matt Shaw (MLB No. 19) he was making the trip overseas to compete in the Tokyo Series. Roki Sasaki (No. 1) also received the good news, but his assignment was much less of a surprise. Now
Nationals prospect King joins MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other