Let's do a mid-season check-in on some of the Top-Prospects currently with the Dust Devils. All rankings are pulled from MLB.com. The Dust Devils have a few players ranked in the organization's top-30: #3 2B/SS Kyren Paris, #14 RHP Landon Marceaux, #26 OF D'Shawn Knowles, #28 RHP Robinson Pina, #29 Ryan Costeiu, and honorable mention 1B Gabe Matthew. However, down at Low-A Inland Empire 66ers feature future members of the squad: #2 SS Arol Vera, #8 C Edgar Quero, #9 SS Adrian Placencia, #11 OF Alexander Ramirez, #15 RHP Jack Kochanowicz, #17 RHP Alejandro Hidalgo, and #21 SS Werner Blakely. With the draft upcoming tomorrow, it will be interesting to see the movement of these players.
Kyren Paris- Paris was a 2nd-round pick in the 2019 draft out of High School and is in his 3rd season in the minors and is still so young; he is only 20yo. Paris is in his 1st season with the Dust Devils after going from Rookie, Low-A, to High-A in 2021. In 13G with the team in 2021, he went 12/52 with 1HR and posted a slash line of .231/.273/.365. Fast-forward to 2022, Paris got off to a slow start at the plate as his line shows .193/.307/.315 line in 238AB and 21/22 in SB attempts. He has spent 44G at SS with a .929FLD% and 10E, while at 2B, he has a .986FLD% with only 1E. Paris has incredible raw power, pop in his bat, and plays good defense. I feel the future is at 2B for Paris, and developing some power would benefit him and developing patience at the plate to lower the 95K thus far as he progresses and matures. I would liken Paris to Dee Strange-Gordon when he played for Miami. Not a lot of power, great speed, and good defense.
Landon Marceaux- The 22yo Marceaux has stepped up in his first entire season at the High-A level after skipping Low-A altogether. However, playing three years of college ball helps mature a player compared to one out of High School. Marceaux, a 3rd round pick in the 2021 draft out of LSU, has been great for the Dust Devils in 2022. In 14 starts, he owns a 3.04ERA in 71IP, allowing only 5HR, 13BB to 58K. Marceaux has improved as the season progressed, earning pitcher of the week awards. I look at Marceaux when he pitches, and he looks like a big leaguer moving his way through the system as protocol. It will not surprise me if he ends the season in AA with Rocket City and gets a look in 2023 for a rotation spot in spring training. I would probably comp Marceaux to the Phillies Aaron Nola with his mix and ability to get outs consistently.
D'Shawn Knowles- The OF/SS signed out of the Bahamas at only 16yo back in 2017 and began his MiLB career at 17yo in 2018, spending the year in the Arizona and Pioneer Leagues at the Rookie level. Knowles spent 2018 again at the rookie level with Orem in the Pioneer League. Following the non-existent 2020 season, he arrived at Low-A Inland Empire as a member of the 66ers. The entire season at the Low-A level wasn't great as he posted a .227/.280/.355 with a .635OPS with 5HR and 31/32 in SB attempts. The raw speed of Knowles is incredible to watch. After opening the season at Low-A Inland and smashing the ball to the tune of a .329/.433/.445 line for a .878OPS, he got the nod and was brought up to High-A. In 42G played with Tri-Cities, he has a .196/.269/.234 line going 6/8 in SB attempts with 54K-15BB and 1HR. The speed plays well in all 3 OF spots; he has a perfect FLD% in the OF and, while getting reps at SS in 4 games, has a .889FLD% with 1E. When Knowles hits them, he hits the ball hard and can fly around the bases. Knowles will need additional time in High-A next season before a promotion to AA. It's hard to think of a current comp with all the power in the OF in the MLB. However, a comp to STL Cardinals OF Harrison Bader feels appropriate.
Robinson Pina- The tall 6'4" righty out of the Dominican Republic started in the Angels system back in 2018 in the DSL. Since 2018, he reached Low-A in 2019 with the Burlington Bee's, where he started 21G and posted a 3.83ERA. The wiped-out 2020 season started again at Low-A with the 66ers posting a 1.19ERA in 4 starts, before a promotion to High-A tri-cities for 13 starts posting a 4.40ERA before another promotion to AA Rocket City at the end of the 2021 season posting a 9.39ERA in 4 starts. Pina has been a member of the Dust Devils for all of the 2022 season and has appeared in 16G, started 11G, and earned 1sv thus far. In 71.2IP, he owns a 2.76ERA/3.27RA/9 with 102K-22BB and only allowed 6HR. He owns an impressive 12.8SO/p, 2.8BB/9, and modest 6.9H/9 on the season. I enjoy watching Pina as he keeps the team in games and gives them a chance to win each time. The stuff isn't super eclectic, but it's perfect. I can see Pina as a middle-of-the-rotation arm at the MLB level. I would comp him to Josiah Gray of Nationals.
Ryan Costeiu- 2021 7th round pick dove right into bullpen work during the 2021 season after being drafted out of Arkansas working in 9G with a 4.30ERA in 14.2IP, posting a 15.3SO/9 with 25K-6BB and only allowing 3HR. Costeiu ended the season with High-A Tri-City with 3IP with 6K-0BB. In 2022 Costeiu appeared in 15G and 9, starting and earning 1SV. He has a 3.41ERA/3.84RA/9 in 63.1IP and 76K-17BB, 7HR. The most impressive stat is the 10.8SO/9 and 2.4BB/9, and he also has a perfect FLD% in his minor league career. Costeiu gives me Chris Flexen vibes and should profile as a back of the rotation piece as he progresses in the Minors.
Gabe Matthews- Signed to a Minor League deal in July of 2021 following the draft and was assigned to Inland Empire 66ers to start his MiLB after spending five seasons with the University of Oregon Ducks. The college production speaks for itself with a .294/.412/.454 slash in his career. The 2021 debut with Low-A Inland proved more similar for Matthews, posting a .269/.409/.484 slash line in 25G, with 4HR and 2SB and an impressive 17BB to 29K. Matthews earned a September callup to AAA Salt Lake and played in 16G posting a .107/.206/.143 in said games with a .987 FLD%. Matthews opened the 2022 season with Tri-City and has been one of the best players on the team. IN 70G played, he has a .990FLD%, 11HR, and 46RBI. 3/4SB, 43BB-78K for a slash line of .236/.381/.438 slash for a .819OPS, which is genuinely remarkable. Matthews should get a look at AA Rocket City this season and draws a comp to Mariners 1B Ty France as he does nothing but hit and gets on base at an elite clip.