The Dynasty Digest: April 16, 2025 (Minor League Baseball Standouts)

Tuesday brought a lot of fireworks across the minors with some standout performances. I was at the Spartanburgs’ home opener for their new stadium, and it was incredible. Yes, they have a burger bar with over 200 different burger topping options. I will need to take a picture next time I am there.

But, the Spartanburgers won the first home game in history at Fifth Third Stadium, and yes, there were fireworks. But there is a ton to talk about across the landscape of minor league baseball. Let’s break it down.

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Each day, I will pick a hitter and pitcher who stands out and deserves the top spot on the sheet. Those player’s reports will be free for all to read. The rest will be paywalled for Dynasty Dugout Subscribers. The article is around 3000 words, giving you detailed player reports to encapsulate everything you need to know.

Josh Adamczewski, 2B, Milwaukee Brewers, 19, A

The Carolina Mudcats have the most fun roster in the minors, no questions asked. I will see that team multiple times next week, and I am ready to hit the fast forward button.

Adamczewski made some noise last year on the complex when he put together an impressive 142 plate appearances before getting promoted to Single-A.

On Tuesday, Adamczewski blasted his second home run of the year and added a single and a walk, scoring three runs. The early return on contact rates are good, and he is lifting the ball much more than he has previously. After running a ground ball rate of 52 percent last season, he currently sits at 30 percent in 2025. Is it a small sample? Yes. But the pulled fly ball rate is strong, and the added strength is paying off.

But looking deeper, he is in such a better spot, and the vertical bat angle looks so much better. Adamczewski’s hands are slightly lower during his load, and he is doing a great job of staying inside the ball more. A lot of things look similar here, but the minor tweaks might be paying off for Adamczewski.

Herick Hernandez, LHP, Atlanta Braves, 21, A+

The Braves are a pitching factory. They scout and draft pitchers extremely well; then they do an incredible job with development. Making the start for High-A Rome on Tuesday, Herick Hernandez shoved. He tossed just 4.2 innings, allowing three hits, but did not give up a run. He allowed two walks, but punched out nine batters while generating 16 whiffs.

Hernandez's fastball is in the 92-94 mph range, with strong carry at the top of the zone. One negative is the poor extension he gets on all his pitches, but I do think with some tweaks, that can change. The fastball can get over 20 inches of IVB at times from a six-foot release height, so the pitch plays well.

The slider is his primary swing-and-miss pitch. It works in the 83-85 mph range with good depth and sweeping action. Hernandez can then dial it back and drop in an upper-70s curveball on you with a nice two-plane break. While Hernandez does not throw the changeup often, it sits in the mid-to-upper 80s with a nice fade. It gets north of 15 inches of IVB often.

While the strike throwing is closer to average, Hernandez does have the bat-missing ability to allow his command to play up a bit. Watch out for Hernandez this year as he could rise in the rankings.

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