Durham Bulls
The Bulls opened the Triple-A season with one of the top minor league prospects in baseball, in Junior Caminero. The perennial championship contenders struggled, however. Caminero missed extended time with an injury, then got called up to Tampa, and Durham finished the first half with a sub-.500 record. With less than a week to go in the second half, the Bulls will need to have a winning streak to top their first-half mark.
Highlights: First baseman Bob Seymour got called up at midseason, and the Wake Forest product had 18 home runs in 50 games. Outfielder Jake Mangum was in a race for the league batting title. Lefthander Joe Rock, acquired in a preseason trade, led the team in wins and strikeouts.
Charlotte Knights
The White Sox’s Triple-A affiliate opened like its woeful parent club, finishing in last in the division in the first half. Charlotte rebounded in the second half to flirt with a .500 mark.
Highlights: Rafael Ortega brought veteran leadership at the plate. The 33-year-old utility man had 11 homers, 17 stolen bases and .895 OPS heading into the final week. Chicago prospect Colson Montgomery had 17 home runs, although he saw his ranking take a hit in most prospect lists after a slow start.
Greensboro Grasshoppers
The state’s only playoff team in high-A, Pittsburgh’s High-A farm team won the South Atlantic League’s first half with a 39-26 record. They finished three and a half games off the pace in the second half, posting a 36-29 mark. The Hoppers fell to second-half champ Hudson Valley in the playoffs, however.
Highlights: Carlson Reed went 6-3 with a 1.99 ERA in his first year out of college. The 2023 fourth-rounder was called up from low-A Bradenton late in the year. Catcher Shawn Ross led the league with 23 home runs, while Jack Brannigan (18) and Nick Cimillo (17) were in the top five.
Winston-Salem Dash
Another White Sox affiliate, the Dash finished below .500 in both halves, going 31-35 for a third-place finish in the first half, then slumping to 29-37 in the second half.
Highlights: Third baseman Wes Kath had 16 home runs and 58 RBIs, both ranked in the top 10 of the South Atlantic. Riley Gowens went 5-3 with 85 strikeouts in 70.1 innings and a 1.038 WHIP.
Asheville Tourists
The Tourists finished below .500 in both halves of the South Atlantic season, going 28-36 in the first half, then falling to dead last in the South Division at 23-43 in the second half.
Highlights: Right fielder Luis Baez was one of three players in the league to finish with 20 home runs, ranking second, overall. He led the league in RBIs. Nic Swanson had 115 strikeouts in 107 innings.
Hickory Crawdads
The Rangers farm team finished over .500, at 34-32, in the second half for a third-place finish in the division. That was a big step up after a 28-38 first half that had the Crawdads one spot out of the basement.
Highlights: Shortstop Sebastian Walcott’s 113 hits were second in the league, as were his 31 doubles. He led the South Atlantic with 9 triples. DJ McCarty had 110 strikeouts in 91.1 innings.
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
The state’s third Chicago White Sox affiliate is giving Pale Hose fans hope for the future. Kannapolis is still playing, after dispatching Charleston in the first round of the playoffs. The Cannon Ballers are now facing Fredericksburg for the Carolina League title. Kannapolis stormed to the first-half South Division title with a 41-25 record. They fell to 29-36 in the second half, finishing fourth.
Highlights: First baseman Caden Connor led the Carolina League in batting (.307) and OPS (.830). Aldrin Batista went 8-4 with a team-high 87 strikeouts.
Carolina Mudcats
A playoff appearance highlighted the Mudcats’ second-to-last year before moving to Wilson. The Brewers’ franchise won the first half of the Carolina League’s North Division by 4.5 games, posting a 41-24 mark. The Muddies then went 37-27 in the second half, just missing winning that title too, finishing in second by a game and a half. Carolina fell to Fredericksburg in the postseason, getting swept 2-0 in the best-of-three series.
Highlights: Luis Castillo tied for the league lead in home runs, with 18 and was second with 75 RBIs.
Fayetteville Woodpeckers
The Astros’ farm club went 29-37 in the first half, good for a third-place finish. The second half was even worse, as a 26-38 record put them one spot out of last place in the South Division.
Highlights: Center fielder Kenni Gomez had 23 doubles and a .415 slugging percentage, both good for the top 10. Jackson Nezuh struck out 106 in 81.2 innings.
Down East Wood Ducks
In their last year before leaving Kinston, Down East went 35-30 in the first half, finishing third in the division. The Wood Ducks went 30-33 in the second half, to finish fourth.
Highlights: Shortstop Echedry Vargas had 14 home runs. Jose Gonzalez had 117 strikeouts in just 87.2 innings, posting a 2.26 ERA and 1.02 WHIP
High Point Rockers
It was a frustrating near-miss for the Rockers, who finished in second place in the first half of the Atlantic League season, then tied for first in the second half, only to miss the playoffs based on a head-to-head tiebreaker.
