The MINK League is an odd collection of
teams spread out over a four-state area—Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas—that
provides the derivative for the league name. The talent in the league in 2008 was
an odd mix, too, with several high-profile
college players from Texas lumped in
with junior-college players from neighboring schools and an assortment of graduating
high school players.
Though the league has not had a high profile
nationally, it has a solid presence in the Midwest and received a shot in the arm
recently when two teams from the more prestigious Jayhawk League, the Joplin Outlaws
and Nevada Griffons, announced they would leave that league and join the MINK League
in 2009. In all, the MINK League will field
10 teams a year from now, three more
than this summer.
The four-state league has also had a strong
association through the years with the Wichita-based National Baseball Congress
World Series. Not only did three MINK League teams qualify for the 42-team event,
but the Beatrice (Neb.) Bruins and Ozark (Mo.) Generals made surprising runs deep
into the tournament with regular-season champion Beatrice finishing third and Ozark
sixth—a surprising sixth as
the scrappy, no-name Generals were perceived to be one of the league’s weaker clubs.
Oddly, the Chillicothe (Mo.) Mudcats failed
to qualify for the NBC World Series despite posting more
wins overall than any team
in the league. The Mudcats also dominated
the attached list of top prospects, earning
six of the 15 positions on the list.
FAST FACTS
Year League Established: 1995.
States Represented in League: Iowa, Kansas. Missouri,
Nebraska.
Level of Competition (1-to-4 Scale): 3.
No. of Teams in League: 7.
Regular-Season Champion: Beatrice Bruins.
Post-Season Champion: NONE. Beatrice Bruins, Clarinda A’s and
Ozark Generals participated in National Baseball Congress World Series,
Wichita, Kan.
Teams, PG Crosschecker Summer 16/Final Ranking: No. 13
Beatrice Bruins.
No. 1 Prospect, 2007 (per PG Crosschecker): No ranking.
First 2007 Player Selected, 2008 Draft: Thad Weber, rhp,
Beatrice Bruins (Nebraska; Tigers, 16th round).
Most Valuable Player: None selcted.
Most Outstanding Pitcher: None selcted.
Top Prospect (as selected by league): None selcted.
BATTING LEADERS
Batting Average: Dominic D’Anna, 1b, Chilliocothe
Mudcats (.404).
Slugging Percentage: Darby Brown, dh, Beatrice Bruins (.758).
On-Base Average: Dominic D’Anna, 1b, Chillicothe Mudcats
(.500).
Home Runs: Darby Brown, dh, Beatrice Bruins (12).
RBIs: Darby Brown, dh, Beatrice Bruins (53).
Stolen Bases: Zach Williams, of, FCA Grays (21).
PITCHING LEADERS
Wins: Andrew Dunn, rhp, Chillicothe Mudcats (7).
ERA: Aaron Kleekamp, rhp, Chillicothe Mudcats (0.77).
Saves: Shane Minks, rhp, Beatrice Bruins (9).
Strikeouts: Shane Minks, rhp, Beatrice Bruins (65).
BEST TOOLS
Best Hitter: Cam Seitzer, 3b, Mac-N-Seitz A’s.
Best Power: Dominic D’Anna, 1b, Chillicothe Mudcats.
Fastest Base Runner: Matty Johnson, of, Chillicothe Mudcats.
Best Defensive Player: Jordan Danks, of, Beatrice Bruins.
Best Velocity: Brian Feekin, lhp, Beatrice Bruins.
Best Breaking Ball: Aaron Kleekamp, rhp, Chillicothe Mudcats.
TOP 15 PROSPECTS
| |
PLAYER |
POS. |
TEAM |
B-T |
HT |
WT |
YR |
2009 SCHOOL |
| 1. |
Jordan Danks |
OF |
Beatrice Bruins |
L-R |
6-5 |
210 |
|
SIGNED/White Sox |
| SCOUTING REPORT: In the same year that his older brother John won 12 games for the Chicago White Sox and played a pivotal role as the team won the American League Central title, Danks himself signed with the White Sox as a seventh-round pick. He officially agreed to a $525,000 deal on the eve of the Aug. 15 signing deadline, and went on to play 10 games for the Sox’ South Atlantic League affiliate in Kannapolis, hitting .325-2-7. Danks’ professional career was not supposed to have taken so long to unfold as he was expected to be a first-round pick out of Texas’ Round Rock High in 2005—just like his brother two years earlier. But Jordan made his intentions known that he wanted to play in college and he slid instead to the 19th round, where he was picked by the White Sox then as well. This was the third summer Danks played in Beatrice. He also played for the Bruins right out of high school and after his freshman year at Texas. After he spent last summer with USA Baseball’s college national team, he returned to Beatrice this summer. Danks had an agreement in place to sign with the White Sox all along but it wasn’t announced until the signing deadline, the same night that Beatrice played its final game at the NBC World Series. The signing wasn’t announced for several weeks as the amount was significantly out of slot (both the player drafted immediately before and after Danks received only $100,000). Though Danks has projected all along as a five-tool talent, he has been slow to evolve as that kind of player. He’s been a work-in-progress, in particular, as a hitter and his power has never truly materialized as he hit just 12 homers in three years at Texas. But at 6-foot-5, he’s extremely athletic and is both an above-average runner and a superior defender in center field. Though he has never fully tapped into it, his speed also plays well on the bases and he is a good, instinctive runner. More than anything, Danks’ bat has held him back. He hit a modest .321-7-46 and struck out 50 times as a junior at Texas. He improved this summer to .389-3-24 at Beatrice and was more selective at the plate. Scouts believe he can still become an above-average hitter and may even hit 15-20 homers a season, but most of his present power is to the gaps. He may need to add 10-15 pounds to his slight frame for his power to truly evolve. |
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