I took a look at the landing spots for each of the eight Longhorns that were drafted. The farm system rankings are the mlb.com rankings that they put out in March.
Ivan Melendez - Arizona Diamondbacks Rd 2 Pick 43
Road to the show
A few things stand out here. If anyone is ever passing through Amarillo, remember to check the schedule for the Sod Poodles because there could be a chance to see Ivan Melendez mash baseballs for a low price. When Ivan gets to AAA the numbers are going to be ridiculous. The ballpark in Reno is roughly the size of Fenway Park and is at extreme elevation. It’s Disney World on crack for hitters like Ivan Melendez. He will make that place look like a tee-ball field and I am so excited to watch a lot of the Reno Aces.
Farm system rank and traffic
As a lifelong Diamondbacks fan that religiously watches roughly 140 games every season, I know the organization quite well. I’m not being overly optimistic when I say that Ivan has a real shot to make it to the big leagues pretty quickly. Christian Walker is having a good year at 1B and will be a sell-high candidate for the Snakes at the trade deadline. I was unsure if the Dbacks would be willing to trade Walker with the lack of right-handed pop throughout the organization, but the selection of Melendez puts the front office in a position where they could be more willing to move Walker. Once Walker is out of the way there is very little competition in his path. Pavin Smith and Seth Beer have both struggled and both hit from the left side. The Dbacks have a left-handed-heavy outfield and need right-handed pop at first base. I think we will see Ivan starting at first base for the Diamondbacks on opening day in 2025 and possibly even late in 2024.
Pete Hansen - St Louis Cardinals Rd 3 pick 97
Road to the show
Pretty solid draw for Pete here! Palm Beach and Memphis are definitely two of the nicer minor league cities so props to Pete who will not be shipped to the middle of nowhere. The Palm Beach Cardinals are famous for being dominated by Jacob Degrom every time Degrom is on a rehab stint. So who knows, maybe we could have some Hansen vs Degrom showdowns in Palm Beach in the upcoming years.
Farm system rank and traffic
The Cardinals have a pretty old starting rotation right now and not a ton of elite prospects that are LHP. St Louis is notorious for having prospects seemingly come out of thin air and overperform at the big league level which is a good sign for Hansen. Pete projects as a guy that could move through the minors quickly because of his plus command. I think for Pete it will all come down to his ability to improve his changeup so he can be a legitimate four-pitch guy. If he does that, he has a real shot to make it as a starter. There is also potential for Pete to become a reliever that faces lefties, but this would certainly require a bump in velocity. I’m very interested to track Pete’s numbers throughout the minors and see if he does use his changeup more often.
Silas Ardoin - Baltimore Orioles Rd 4 pick 107
Road to the show
I love how in the low levels of the Baltimore system it’s all about becoming a sturdier, more respectable bird. Single-A is filled with a bunch of those nosy birds that get uncomfortably close at the beach while you are trying to enjoy some french fries, but as a player matures on the field they morph into an IronBird. A beautiful odyssey indeed.
Farm system rank and traffic
The highly-touted Elephant in the room here is obviously Adley Rutschman. The catcher, Rutschman, is up with Orioles now and certainly looks the part, but this absolutely does not mean Silas is forever blocked behind the plate in Birdland. The O’s could opt one day to shift Rutschman to first or DH to preserve the bat and while that is unlikely to happen in the near future, teams use multiple catchers these days. Silas profiles as an excellent defensive catcher with a quality bat for that position. Whether it be in Baltimore or somewhere else, Silas figures to serve as a stabilizing catcher on an MLB roster for a long time.
Douglas Hodo III - Baltimore Orioles Rd 6 pick 167
Road to the show
If you are ever on vacation in Delmarva or Aberdeen, first, seek help immediately. Second, yes, that probably was Silas Ardoin and Douglas Hodo you saw hanging out at a restaurant, you are not seeing things. Minor league baseball is a grind and to be able to share that experience with a college friend will be great for these two if it works out that way.
Farm system rank and traffic
The Orioles are young at the major league level and have a deep farm system. As is the case with any sixth-round pick, Hodo will have a long road to Oriole Park at Camden Yards. I would describe Hodo as solid in all facets of the game. Solid bat, solid defense, solid speed. In order to get to the majors, Hodo will likely need to go from solid to special in one or more of those categories.
Trey Faltine - Cincinnati Reds Rd 7 pick 213
Road to the show
Could definitely be worse! I’ve heard of these cities! Seems like they are actual places! I hope Trey carries his swagger and fire into these random ballparks with just a few hundred people in attendance. I want a shot of Trey Faltine walking into Jackie Robinson Ballpark with a Tortuga-themed boombox as many retired Daytona natives gaze at him with a confused look.
Farm system rank and traffic
I believe with Trey that the traffic in front of him is almost irrelevant. He is either going to make it big or not make it at all. He has a perfect shortstop frame, a smooth glove, a big arm, and plenty of pop. If he can remodel his approach, shorten the swing, and minimize strikeouts, then the Reds got a steal. Faltine is a classic high ceiling/low floor prospect and I am rooting for him.
Murphy Stehly - Washington Nationals Rd 10 pick 291
Road to the show
Just a pitiful job by the Nats as far as having cool minor league team names. One is literally the Nationals and two others are hockey teams. Shout-out to the Blue Rocks but even they leave me wanting just a little more.
Farm system rank
Juan Soto recently rejected a $440 million dollar extension from the Nats, and rumor has it that he just doesn’t want to lose his job to Murph. Smart move by Soto to force his way out of town before Murph Dog takes over RF in Washington. In all seriousness, how great is this story? Stehly worked so hard to get to this point and I have no doubt that he will become a fan favorite in Fredericksburg, Wilmington, Harrisburg, and Rochester. Minor league fans will love Murph’s consistent competitiveness, versatility, and savviness. We know Murph can hit a fastball and if he continues to grow as a hitter maybe one day he will have a shot to make it as a utility man. Be on the lookout for some spring training Murph Madness in March the next few years.
Jared Southard - Los Angeles Angels Rd 12 pick 358
Road to the show
The Rocket City Trash Pandas, now that is an elite minor league team name. The Angels are a joke of a franchise. They are known for having poor ownership and a bad player development system. They have wasted the prime of Mike Trout and seem to be doing the same with Ohtani. There is very little to respect when it comes to the Angels as an organization, besides the fact that their Double-A team is the Rocket City Trash Pandas.
Farm system rank
I’m happy Southard got drafted, what a moment that must have been for him. But my instant reaction was sadness when I knew he was headed to that dreaded Angels development system. Southard has the tools and the stuff to be a big league reliever, but he needs some fine-tuning that I am just not sure the Angels are capable of providing. Southard seemed to be an awesome teammate at Texas, I always saw him hitting fungo when his teammates wanted to get some work in. He has some serious pop with the fungo, maybe he can become the next two-way sensation in the Angels organization. The raw stuff is MLB level and perhaps Southard can figure out the command aspect of his game and become a force in a big league bullpen.
Skyler Messinger - Colorado Rockies Rd 19, pick 566
Road to the show
I find it pretty strange that the Double-A team is located in Connecticut while the Triple-A team is located in New Mexico. I bet theme nights at the park in Albuquerque get pretty weird. I have no concerns about Skyler thriving in strange, unappealing places because we saw him do it at Kansas.
Farm system rank
Stories like this remind us why we love sports. The Colorado native transfers to Texas to get coached by his childhood hero Troy Tulowitzki, has a great season, makes it to Omaha, and then is picked by his favorite team, the Colorado Rockies. Such a cool story. Messenger might not have blazing speed or astonishing power, but he is an extraordinary defender and a solid hitter. You can do much much worse than Skyler Messinger in the 19th round. I’ve always seen just a hint of Nolan Arenado in Skyler’s game, now it’s time to see just how crazy this fairy tale story can get.
Be on the lookout for a new episode of Around the Horns!
Ivan Melendez - Arizona Diamondbacks Rd 2 Pick 43
Road to the show
- Single-A, Visalia Rawhide
- High-A, Hillsboro Hops
- Double-A, Amarillo Sod Poodles
- Triple-A, Reno Aces
A few things stand out here. If anyone is ever passing through Amarillo, remember to check the schedule for the Sod Poodles because there could be a chance to see Ivan Melendez mash baseballs for a low price. When Ivan gets to AAA the numbers are going to be ridiculous. The ballpark in Reno is roughly the size of Fenway Park and is at extreme elevation. It’s Disney World on crack for hitters like Ivan Melendez. He will make that place look like a tee-ball field and I am so excited to watch a lot of the Reno Aces.
Farm system rank and traffic
- #4 ranked farm system
- 3 of the Dbacks top 30 prospects play first base
As a lifelong Diamondbacks fan that religiously watches roughly 140 games every season, I know the organization quite well. I’m not being overly optimistic when I say that Ivan has a real shot to make it to the big leagues pretty quickly. Christian Walker is having a good year at 1B and will be a sell-high candidate for the Snakes at the trade deadline. I was unsure if the Dbacks would be willing to trade Walker with the lack of right-handed pop throughout the organization, but the selection of Melendez puts the front office in a position where they could be more willing to move Walker. Once Walker is out of the way there is very little competition in his path. Pavin Smith and Seth Beer have both struggled and both hit from the left side. The Dbacks have a left-handed-heavy outfield and need right-handed pop at first base. I think we will see Ivan starting at first base for the Diamondbacks on opening day in 2025 and possibly even late in 2024.
Pete Hansen - St Louis Cardinals Rd 3 pick 97
Road to the show
- Single-A, Palm Beach Cardinals
- High-A, Peoria Chiefs
- Double-A, Springfield Cardinals
- Triple-A, Memphis Redbirds
Pretty solid draw for Pete here! Palm Beach and Memphis are definitely two of the nicer minor league cities so props to Pete who will not be shipped to the middle of nowhere. The Palm Beach Cardinals are famous for being dominated by Jacob Degrom every time Degrom is on a rehab stint. So who knows, maybe we could have some Hansen vs Degrom showdowns in Palm Beach in the upcoming years.
Farm system rank and traffic
- #16 ranked farm system
- 3 LHP in the top 30 prospects
The Cardinals have a pretty old starting rotation right now and not a ton of elite prospects that are LHP. St Louis is notorious for having prospects seemingly come out of thin air and overperform at the big league level which is a good sign for Hansen. Pete projects as a guy that could move through the minors quickly because of his plus command. I think for Pete it will all come down to his ability to improve his changeup so he can be a legitimate four-pitch guy. If he does that, he has a real shot to make it as a starter. There is also potential for Pete to become a reliever that faces lefties, but this would certainly require a bump in velocity. I’m very interested to track Pete’s numbers throughout the minors and see if he does use his changeup more often.
Silas Ardoin - Baltimore Orioles Rd 4 pick 107
Road to the show
- Single-A, Delmarva Shorebirds
- High-A, Aberdeen IronBirds
- Double-A, Bowie Baysox
- Triple-A, Norfolk Tides
I love how in the low levels of the Baltimore system it’s all about becoming a sturdier, more respectable bird. Single-A is filled with a bunch of those nosy birds that get uncomfortably close at the beach while you are trying to enjoy some french fries, but as a player matures on the field they morph into an IronBird. A beautiful odyssey indeed.
Farm system rank and traffic
- #1 ranked farm system
- 1 catcher among the top 30 prospects
The highly-touted Elephant in the room here is obviously Adley Rutschman. The catcher, Rutschman, is up with Orioles now and certainly looks the part, but this absolutely does not mean Silas is forever blocked behind the plate in Birdland. The O’s could opt one day to shift Rutschman to first or DH to preserve the bat and while that is unlikely to happen in the near future, teams use multiple catchers these days. Silas profiles as an excellent defensive catcher with a quality bat for that position. Whether it be in Baltimore or somewhere else, Silas figures to serve as a stabilizing catcher on an MLB roster for a long time.
Douglas Hodo III - Baltimore Orioles Rd 6 pick 167
Road to the show
- Single-A, Delmarva Shorebirds
- High-A, Aberdeen IronBirds
- Double-A, Bowie Baysox
- Triple-A, Norfolk Tides
If you are ever on vacation in Delmarva or Aberdeen, first, seek help immediately. Second, yes, that probably was Silas Ardoin and Douglas Hodo you saw hanging out at a restaurant, you are not seeing things. Minor league baseball is a grind and to be able to share that experience with a college friend will be great for these two if it works out that way.
Farm system rank and traffic
- #1 ranked farm system
- 7 OF prospects in their top 30
The Orioles are young at the major league level and have a deep farm system. As is the case with any sixth-round pick, Hodo will have a long road to Oriole Park at Camden Yards. I would describe Hodo as solid in all facets of the game. Solid bat, solid defense, solid speed. In order to get to the majors, Hodo will likely need to go from solid to special in one or more of those categories.
Trey Faltine - Cincinnati Reds Rd 7 pick 213
Road to the show
- Single-A, Daytona Tortugas
- High-A, Dayton Dragons
- Double-A, Chattanooga Lookouts
- Triple-A, Louisville Bats
Could definitely be worse! I’ve heard of these cities! Seems like they are actual places! I hope Trey carries his swagger and fire into these random ballparks with just a few hundred people in attendance. I want a shot of Trey Faltine walking into Jackie Robinson Ballpark with a Tortuga-themed boombox as many retired Daytona natives gaze at him with a confused look.
Farm system rank and traffic
- #15 ranked farm system
- 5 potential SS in the top 30 Reds prospects
I believe with Trey that the traffic in front of him is almost irrelevant. He is either going to make it big or not make it at all. He has a perfect shortstop frame, a smooth glove, a big arm, and plenty of pop. If he can remodel his approach, shorten the swing, and minimize strikeouts, then the Reds got a steal. Faltine is a classic high ceiling/low floor prospect and I am rooting for him.
Murphy Stehly - Washington Nationals Rd 10 pick 291
Road to the show
- Single-A, Fredericksburg Nationals
- High-A, Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Double-A, Harrisburg Senators
- Triple-A, Rochester Red Wings
Just a pitiful job by the Nats as far as having cool minor league team names. One is literally the Nationals and two others are hockey teams. Shout-out to the Blue Rocks but even they leave me wanting just a little more.
Farm system rank
- #23 ranked system
Juan Soto recently rejected a $440 million dollar extension from the Nats, and rumor has it that he just doesn’t want to lose his job to Murph. Smart move by Soto to force his way out of town before Murph Dog takes over RF in Washington. In all seriousness, how great is this story? Stehly worked so hard to get to this point and I have no doubt that he will become a fan favorite in Fredericksburg, Wilmington, Harrisburg, and Rochester. Minor league fans will love Murph’s consistent competitiveness, versatility, and savviness. We know Murph can hit a fastball and if he continues to grow as a hitter maybe one day he will have a shot to make it as a utility man. Be on the lookout for some spring training Murph Madness in March the next few years.
Jared Southard - Los Angeles Angels Rd 12 pick 358
Road to the show
- Single-A, Inland Empire 66ers
- High-A, Tri-City Dust Devils
- Double-A, Rocket City Trash Pandas
- Triple-A, Salt Lake Bees
The Rocket City Trash Pandas, now that is an elite minor league team name. The Angels are a joke of a franchise. They are known for having poor ownership and a bad player development system. They have wasted the prime of Mike Trout and seem to be doing the same with Ohtani. There is very little to respect when it comes to the Angels as an organization, besides the fact that their Double-A team is the Rocket City Trash Pandas.
Farm system rank
- #28 ranked farm system
I’m happy Southard got drafted, what a moment that must have been for him. But my instant reaction was sadness when I knew he was headed to that dreaded Angels development system. Southard has the tools and the stuff to be a big league reliever, but he needs some fine-tuning that I am just not sure the Angels are capable of providing. Southard seemed to be an awesome teammate at Texas, I always saw him hitting fungo when his teammates wanted to get some work in. He has some serious pop with the fungo, maybe he can become the next two-way sensation in the Angels organization. The raw stuff is MLB level and perhaps Southard can figure out the command aspect of his game and become a force in a big league bullpen.
Skyler Messinger - Colorado Rockies Rd 19, pick 566
Road to the show
- Single-A, Fresno Grizzlies
- High-A, Spokane Indians
- Double-A, Hartford Yard Goats
- Triple-A, Albuquerque Isotopes
I find it pretty strange that the Double-A team is located in Connecticut while the Triple-A team is located in New Mexico. I bet theme nights at the park in Albuquerque get pretty weird. I have no concerns about Skyler thriving in strange, unappealing places because we saw him do it at Kansas.
Farm system rank
- #24 ranked system
Stories like this remind us why we love sports. The Colorado native transfers to Texas to get coached by his childhood hero Troy Tulowitzki, has a great season, makes it to Omaha, and then is picked by his favorite team, the Colorado Rockies. Such a cool story. Messenger might not have blazing speed or astonishing power, but he is an extraordinary defender and a solid hitter. You can do much much worse than Skyler Messinger in the 19th round. I’ve always seen just a hint of Nolan Arenado in Skyler’s game, now it’s time to see just how crazy this fairy tale story can get.
Be on the lookout for a new episode of Around the Horns!
