The minor league playoffs start in earnest tonight and IL North Champion Lehigh Valley IronPigs kick off their post season against their rivals the Scranton Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. The IronPigs won 11 more games than the RailRiders, but both teams enter the postseason slightly depleted by their big league parents. This years the IronPigs also owe their success to a lineup loaded with minor league veterans, and a rotation loaded with prospects. Luckily the Pigs were allowed to keep their rotation heading into the playoffs, but their success is going to depend on some players who will never play for the Phillies.
Lineup
With the DH in effect for this series, the IronPigs will be able to use Mitch Walding, Joey Meneses, and Zach Green at the same time. Meneses and Walding were the two best hitters by OPS in the league this year with both providing power, but Walding trading average for on base ability. Green mashed in AA, but struggled in AAA before a solid run through August to end the year. He has good raw power, but a ton of swing and miss. Everywhere else is going to be a bit of a mess for the Pigs. Dean Anna gets on bases, Danny Ortiz can occasionally hit homers, Colin Cowgill can field, Trevor Plouffe has some OBP and power, Jesmuel Valentin gets on base, and the catchers can field, but not hit. The IronPigs lineup is essentially, guys get on base and Meneses and Walding try to get them home.
Rotation
Game 1: Enyel De Los Santos
Game 2: Cole Irvin
Game 3: Drew Anderson
Game 4: Ranger Suarez
Game 5: Thomas Eshelman
The IronPigs get to keep their all prospect rotation for the playoffs. None of the pitchers in it are spectacular right now, but Irvin and De Los Santos arguably put up the two best seasons in the league and were dominant for stretches. Anderson lacks consistency and a third pitch, but is usually good for about 6 innings and 2 to 3 runs. Suarez has had an excellent year across two levels and is coming off a nice little run of starts. The weak point is Eshelman who might be having the worst season of any AAA pitcher. His command has fallen apart and his stuff just can’t cover the gaps. The IronPigs have the starters to compete for 4 games, but if this series goes 5, it might be more of a bullpen game.
Bullpen
The IronPigs have lost most of their bullpen depth to the big league club and waivers. Ranfi Casimiro can eat innings. Tyler Gilbert had a very good season, but he isn’t overpower. Jeff Singer and Tom Windle are essentially LOOGYs. Edgar Garcia is only 21 and while he has a good fastball-slider combination, he has only been in AAA for a little bit. Pedro Beato is at this point a professional AAA closer, converting 68 of 73 save opportunities for the IronPigs over the past two seasons.
Bench
On top of the players mentioned earlier, Ryan Goins and Matt McBride have a lot of AAA experience that might help more in a NL series than a AL series. McBride at least has some power if it comes to it.
Overall Outlook
There are a lot of players to care about in other series in the system, but it is really stars and scrubs for the IronPigs. Joey Meneses, Cole Irvin, Enyel De Los Santos, and Mitch Walding were some of the best players in the International League this season and they are going to need to be in the playoffs as well if Lehigh Valley wants the title.