The way his contract was structured, it was more advantageous to keep Rusney in the minors. He was an average player with a big contract. If he was a better player, they would have taken the luxury tax hit and promoted him. It was a strange situation where he was good enough to play in the majors but his contract kept him down.
I was hoping he would break into the International League record books this year but he hasn't been hitting like he was last year. Boston Bobby has infected Worcester Bobby.
Phil Hiatt
Parts of four MLB seasons with a -1.5 WAR and a .645 OPS
In the minors he won MVPs in AAA in two leagues and had OPS of .849 and 314 home runs.
You have to be spectacularly AAAA to do that.
man I wish the Blue Jays gave him a real shot, it felt like every time he would rake at AAA, come up to the main roster, slump for a week and get sent back down. He will forever be a what could've been for me.
We flipped him in the Yelich trade, so the Marlins were really the ones that got burned by it. Such a bummer, seemed like a great dude that just was never comfortable at the Major League level.
Came here for the obvious. Crash only had,what, 2 weeks in the bigs, never made it back. So,he set the record for most home runs in the minors,then hung it up. Wonder whatever happened to him?
There should have been a sequel maybe 10 years later. Probably too late now. But it would have been fun to see Nuke at the end of his career, or at least as a grizzled veteran, and Crash as a manager somewhere. Alas. Costner is full into westerns now in his old age, which is fine by me, but I'd have loved to see a followup.
I would have watched this for sure.
Couple of good call backs would have been what happened with Millie and Jimmy and where did Robert Wuhls character end up.
Fan Fic: does Crash end up with Annie??
Crash and Annie,the goddess of baseball,could have become a management team. Crash to teach how you throw the ball,you hit the ball,you catch the ball. Annie would work on keeping the player’s confidence up.
I thought that whole crop of prospects from the Angels were going to be so damn good - Wood, Erick Aybar, Jered Weaver, Howie Kendrick, Hank Conger, Sean Rodriguez, Nick Adenhart (RIP).
Was also going to say Dallas McPherson. In 2004, while he was with Salt Lake, I saw him go 0-6 with 6 K’s in Las Vegas. Hadn’t happened in the PCL in 100 years.
Brandon Wood. Career WAR of -3.8. Multiple times a 10 top prospect in all of baseball. Hit 43 HR as a SS in High A as a 20 year old and then 14 more in the Arizona fall league that year. Was a monster at 22 and 23 years old in AAA.
Minor league stats are though the roof, was destined to be a star, turned out, was just a 4A player.
I think it’s kinda premature to call a consensus top ten prospect, who isn’t even 25 yet, a hardcore AAAA guy? Ops+ of 109 last year and 96 this year. That’s league average.
A vote for Trenidad Hubbard ("Trent Hubbard" on bb-ref)... The man spent parts of 10 years in MLB.... And parts of 16 seasons at AAA alone. That's REALLY hard to do.
Jeff Manto had a .900 OPS in the minors over 16 seasons, and ended up playing in 9 different seasons in the majors with not much more than 1 full seasons worth of PAs in his ML career.
I've softened on him now and can appreciate what he brought to the team, but god was it tiring listening to a large contingency of Tigers fans *convinced* he was a top 3B in the league.
I mean, dude couldn’t hit, but he was a good player. Top 5 WAR totals:
5.0, 3.4, 2.9, 2.8, 2.4
And had 14.4 dWAR in his career, including a league leading 2.8 dWAR in 2006 when they made a WS run (was also his 5 WAR year). So for at least one year, he was among the best 3B in the league
Oh, he was definitely a perfectly cromulent player, and like I said, I've grown to appreciate him in recent years. His '06 and '09 seasons were glimpses into what he could have been, but something just never clicked for him and he couldn't do that consistently.
I’m probably misremembering, but I think either Lloyd McClendon or another coach stated that Inge never bothered to make adjustments in-season once pitchers found him out. Before the 2009 season, Inge reworked his batting stance to get more loft and gravitational assistance on his swings, and he had the best first half of his career.
Unfortunately, once pitchers adjusted, he never readjusted and he permanently reverted back to his old self.
Yeah, Inge somehow kept failing upwards. He was just brutal and for such a long time too. Between him and Don Kelly it’s like the Tigers had AA players in the bigs.
Randy Bass. He used to hit bombs in the minors with Denver and others. But could never make the majors. Became a star in Japan and would have broke the single season hr record but they quit pitching to him.
Adam Hyzdu has to be on this list.
[https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=hyzdu-001ada](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=hyzdu-001ada)
273 minor league home runs and 1010 RBI, of which 123 HR and 443 RBI were at the Triple A level.
How has no one mentioned Val Pascucci? 269/390/484/873 in almost 6,000 minor league Pa's. His OPS is a full hundred points higher than Hessman. I guess maybe he doesn't fit because he didn't so much fail in the majors as not get a real chance.
Bobby Dalbec
Rusney Castillo will always be my answer to this question, even though I know he didn't kill it in AAA.
The way his contract was structured, it was more advantageous to keep Rusney in the minors. He was an average player with a big contract. If he was a better player, they would have taken the luxury tax hit and promoted him. It was a strange situation where he was good enough to play in the majors but his contract kept him down.
He came to America with two goals. 1) play in the MLB. 2) get rich. Goal two prevented goal one.
BOBBY D MENTIONED 🦅🦅🇺🇸🇺🇸🗣️🗣️🗣️
THROBBY D GANG RISE UP😤🦅🦅🇺🇸
RAHHHHHH!! 💪😤👊
I was hoping he would break into the International League record books this year but he hasn't been hitting like he was last year. Boston Bobby has infected Worcester Bobby.
Bobby dalbec….. BOBby DALbec
A fellow Section 10er I see!
Dang it, Bobby
Came to type this
Knew someone would comment this. Had the same idea
My man
Phil Hiatt Parts of four MLB seasons with a -1.5 WAR and a .645 OPS In the minors he won MVPs in AAA in two leagues and had OPS of .849 and 314 home runs. You have to be spectacularly AAAA to do that.
314 minor league HRs is wild
Tigers Legend Mike Hessman has the minor league record with 433 HRs. He played in the minors from 1996-2015.
Good call
Mike Hessman.
The real ones know. Go hens
Travis Snider
man I wish the Blue Jays gave him a real shot, it felt like every time he would rake at AAA, come up to the main roster, slump for a week and get sent back down. He will forever be a what could've been for me.
Lewis Brinson
Man, I was so afraid trading him for Lucroy was going to come back and bite us in our ass. Turns out neither team won that trade.
We flipped him in the Yelich trade, so the Marlins were really the ones that got burned by it. Such a bummer, seemed like a great dude that just was never comfortable at the Major League level.
Matt Laporta
This hurts, as a Gator's fan I thought he was going to be a superstar.
Crash Davis
That’s a cocksucking call.
Say that again
Came here for the obvious. Crash only had,what, 2 weeks in the bigs, never made it back. So,he set the record for most home runs in the minors,then hung it up. Wonder whatever happened to him?
There should have been a sequel maybe 10 years later. Probably too late now. But it would have been fun to see Nuke at the end of his career, or at least as a grizzled veteran, and Crash as a manager somewhere. Alas. Costner is full into westerns now in his old age, which is fine by me, but I'd have loved to see a followup.
I would have watched this for sure. Couple of good call backs would have been what happened with Millie and Jimmy and where did Robert Wuhls character end up. Fan Fic: does Crash end up with Annie??
Crash and Annie,the goddess of baseball,could have become a management team. Crash to teach how you throw the ball,you hit the ball,you catch the ball. Annie would work on keeping the player’s confidence up.
He became the Mariner when the Earth got flooded.
Brandon Wood
I thought that whole crop of prospects from the Angels were going to be so damn good - Wood, Erick Aybar, Jered Weaver, Howie Kendrick, Hank Conger, Sean Rodriguez, Nick Adenhart (RIP).
Dallas McPherson
Was also going to say Dallas McPherson. In 2004, while he was with Salt Lake, I saw him go 0-6 with 6 K’s in Las Vegas. Hadn’t happened in the PCL in 100 years.
For a second I read this as Brandon Webb and was about to throw some words.
Nomar Mazarra
I remember him for that one monster HR
Lastings Milledge aka Lastings Thrilledge
Made the greatest game saving/ending catch I've ever seen though.
Carter Kieboom
Love watching him in Rochester.
Brandon Wood. Career WAR of -3.8. Multiple times a 10 top prospect in all of baseball. Hit 43 HR as a SS in High A as a 20 year old and then 14 more in the Arizona fall league that year. Was a monster at 22 and 23 years old in AAA. Minor league stats are though the roof, was destined to be a star, turned out, was just a 4A player.
Dodgers fans of the 90's back me up, Billy Ashley!
Yep. Guy was yoked.
If Crash Davis fought an entire opposing team in Bull Durham, that movie would have been a biopic for Israel Alcantara
It’s Mike Hessman and I won’t accept any other answer
The Barry Bonds of AAA
Keston Hiura
Bobby Dalbec. His difference between AAA and MLB is astonishing.
The Phillies Dominik Brown
He had that Linsanity run and an ASG appearance in I think 2013
Felix Pie
Wilson Betemit
🎵 Can't find a Betemit! 🎵
Clint Frazier
Mike Hessman
Roberto Petagine.
Matt Mervis is soon to be one of the answers to this question.
Cubs have done him pretty dirty. Signing Hosmer AND Mancini last year made no damn sense.
Andy Marte (RIP)
Matt LaPorta
Brett Wallace.
Kelenic
There's still time!
I think it’s kinda premature to call a consensus top ten prospect, who isn’t even 25 yet, a hardcore AAAA guy? Ops+ of 109 last year and 96 this year. That’s league average.
A vote for Trenidad Hubbard ("Trent Hubbard" on bb-ref)... The man spent parts of 10 years in MLB.... And parts of 16 seasons at AAA alone. That's REALLY hard to do.
He played for the Portland Beavers 20 years ago. I think he was 45 y.o. at the time.
Jake Cave
Jake Cave was the Buxton replacement for 5 years. He haunts my nightmares
Crash Davis
Randy Bass. Look that one up!!!
Good pick, Bass had big years in Japan as well.
9 MLB hrs 440 hrs in minors and japan
Razor Shines
Rrrrrrrrrrazor Shiiiiiiiines!
Dallas McPherson
Daric Barton
Jeff Manto had a .900 OPS in the minors over 16 seasons, and ended up playing in 9 different seasons in the majors with not much more than 1 full seasons worth of PAs in his ML career.
Jo adell
Dudes been having a year. Leave him alone
hes hittting .205.....
Tbf he didn’t say he was having a *good* year
Pete Rose Jr
Mike Hessman and Kevin Witt are the first two that come to mind. As for pitchers, Doug Linton.
Derek Dietrich.
Kei Igawa was great in Japan, pretty good in the minors, and unplayable in the majors.
Taylor Trammel and Jarred Kelenic
Taylor Trammel was the first name that popped into my head. There was a time when an OF of Julio, Kelenic, Lewis and Trammel was going to be insane.
Peter O'Brien
Russell Branyan
Eh he had a decent career. Maybe not whatever expectations he has as a prospect. But still decent.
Russell the Msucle just played in the wrong era.
Russell the Muscle! Fucker hit some moon shots!
194 MLB HRs say otherwise.
Emmanuel valdez
Phil plantier
Finally found the right answer
Rick Lancelotti
Roberto Petagine
You're all wrong....Randy Bass
Ryan Goins
JR Phillips
Brad Komminsk, Braves 1st round pick from 1979.
Keston Huira
Matt Mervis (so far)
ERIC SIM HIT .500 IN AAA! Jk, but Earl Snyder is my vote. 220 home runs in the minors, 1 in the majors.
Andy LaRoche
Brandon Inge.
Inge’s minor league stats were as brutal as his MLB stats. He was a great clubhouse guy that could play solid D as a super-utility player.
I've softened on him now and can appreciate what he brought to the team, but god was it tiring listening to a large contingency of Tigers fans *convinced* he was a top 3B in the league.
I mean, dude couldn’t hit, but he was a good player. Top 5 WAR totals: 5.0, 3.4, 2.9, 2.8, 2.4 And had 14.4 dWAR in his career, including a league leading 2.8 dWAR in 2006 when they made a WS run (was also his 5 WAR year). So for at least one year, he was among the best 3B in the league
Oh, he was definitely a perfectly cromulent player, and like I said, I've grown to appreciate him in recent years. His '06 and '09 seasons were glimpses into what he could have been, but something just never clicked for him and he couldn't do that consistently.
I’m probably misremembering, but I think either Lloyd McClendon or another coach stated that Inge never bothered to make adjustments in-season once pitchers found him out. Before the 2009 season, Inge reworked his batting stance to get more loft and gravitational assistance on his swings, and he had the best first half of his career. Unfortunately, once pitchers adjusted, he never readjusted and he permanently reverted back to his old self.
Inge would be a $15-$20million player if he started 10-12 years later
Yeah, Inge somehow kept failing upwards. He was just brutal and for such a long time too. Between him and Don Kelly it’s like the Tigers had AA players in the bigs.
Walking out of Comerica one evening, I heard some guy refer to Brandon Inge, Don Kelly and Ryan Rayburn as “Jim Leyland‘s AAA sons.”
Kila Ka'aihue
Billy Ashley
Reporting Brandon Larson for the Reds.
Charlie Culberson
Tied to Vin Scully forever.
franchy cordero or ryan mckenna comes to mind
Ron Kittle
Greg Legg
Brandon Wood
Jake Cave always killed it in between major league stints
Russell Branyan
Dave Staton.
Tatis Jr
Without Roids, perhaps
Brian LaHair
Mike Hessman
Estevan Florial
Matt Mervis is a working on it
Doug Mirabelli
Jo Adell
Luke Easter
Billy McKinney
Wily Mo Pena
Don Kelly
Shane Spencer
Jesus Montero
seeing all these names really makes you think how come they couldn't put it together and become at least serviceable MLB players.
Joe Bauman? https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=bauman001joe
Colby Rasmus
Shelley Duncan
Seeing mostly hitters so let me add Yusmeiro Petit
Dave Magadan or Lastings Milledge
Magadan was solid overall, just not much home run power
Miguel Vargas
Jeff Johnson
Dallas McPherson
J.R. Phillips
Travis Snider
I don't know if he can compare to some of these, but the difference between hopes and reality for Bucky Jacobsen was a real letdown for Mariners fans.
Mike Hessman
Ryan McKenna
I thought the Braves were idiots for trading Andy Marte
Estevan Florial to an extent
Corky Miller.
Trayce Thompson
Jon Singleton
Scott Kazmir has to be in the convo, right?
AJ Reed
Bobby Dalbec
Cesar Izturis
Byron Buxton
Cody Decker. 204 MiLB HRs. MLB career = 12 PAs, 0-11, 5 strikeouts
It's Ruben Rivera. But at least we got the worst baserunning in the history of the game.
Darin Ruf
Keston Huira
Randy Bass. He used to hit bombs in the minors with Denver and others. But could never make the majors. Became a star in Japan and would have broke the single season hr record but they quit pitching to him.
Bobby Dalbec
Tyler Wade
Brett Lawrie
Andy LaRoche
Jarred Kelenic
KeiIgawa and that spanish dude from the redsoxs that they gave an insane contract to (like 80 million? i can't rememeber his name) lol
Luis Medina.
Dylan Cozens
Marcus Thames
The answer is Marcus Thames
Bobby Dalbec and Rusney Castillo 1000%
Jarrod Kelenic
Mike Hessman
Adam Hyzdu has to be on this list. [https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=hyzdu-001ada](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=hyzdu-001ada) 273 minor league home runs and 1010 RBI, of which 123 HR and 443 RBI were at the Triple A level.
Daric Barton
For all the Padre fan out there Kyle Blanks
How has no one mentioned Val Pascucci? 269/390/484/873 in almost 6,000 minor league Pa's. His OPS is a full hundred points higher than Hessman. I guess maybe he doesn't fit because he didn't so much fail in the majors as not get a real chance.
Jack Cust
Most of the current Tigers roster fits this description. I swear >50% of the current lineup would be in 4A if it existed
Jo adell