Minor League Baseball's Best Hitting Team Through One Month

Logo of the Buffalo Bisons
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We are about one month into baseball season and teams are starting to get comfortable. Contenders are starting to move away from the bad teams that had hot starts. In the minors, one team is playing very well. The Buffalo Bisons of the International league are currently number one the north division with a (19-9). Through this first month, Buffalo has been my most interesting team in all levels of baseball because of their success hitting.

As a team, they are tops in the International League in many categories. They lead the league in the four big average/percentage statistics, batting average (.305), on-base percentage (.381), slugging percentage (.475), and OPS (.856). They have 279 hits, 31 home runs, and 435 total bases, which are league-leaders in that stat. The Bisons are tied for first in triples with nine. Buffalo is in second place in runs and RBIs, with 158 (one behind Durham for first) and 150 (three behind Pawtucket for first). The most impressive part of them leading in all of these statistical categories is that they are second-to-last in at-bats. 

Jim Negrych
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Jim Negrych is a 28 year-old second base and has never made it to the big show. However, his performance this season is putting him on the cusp of making the Blue Jays. He is currently batting .416, with a .467 on-base percentage, a .667 slugging percentage, and a 1.133 OPS. He is number one in the International League in all four categories. He also has 34 hits, 9 doubles, and 3 round-trippers. His biggest hitting accomplishment in a game so far was when he hit for the cycle in one game. Negrych is right now the best player in the International League and with Toronto not having the strongest second baseman, Negrych may earn his way to the majors. 

First baseman/Designated Hitter Luis Jimenez is also putting together his best season. Jimenez got his first crack at the big leagues last season for Seattle. However, he struggled, getting only one hit in 17 at-bats. His start so far may get him back to the majors to prove that was a fluke. He is the league leader in RBIs with 27 and is in the top five in batting average with .360, slugging percentage with .618, and OPS with 1.036. He also has five round-trippers, six doubles, and 32 hits. 

Josh Thole is hitting the ball really well. After spending most of the past two seasons in the pros, he is trying to make his way back. He is currently hitting .361 with a slugging percentage of .558 and a .995 OPS. Ryan Langerhans is the oldest position player on the team, but that does not mean he is not producing. He is the team leader in homers with 6 and has 18 RBIs and a .583 slugging percentage. Moises Sierra is my favorite prospect on this team. His performance for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic established him as a potentially good outfielder for a big league club. He is batting .354 with 29 hits. 

Luis Jimenez
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The Bison are having an outstanding season. What is really interesting is that of the fifteen current position players on the roster, only four are under the age of 28. That means many of these players are not prospects trying to make it to the show for the first time, they are looking to make it back to the bigs. Their success may be attributed to the fact that they may believe that is their last chance to return to the majors. The biggest example of their excellence at the plate was their 27-9 demolition of the Syracuse Chiefs on April 18. This outing was highlighted by a ten run seventh inning. Buffalo had 29 hits including six doubles, two triples, and five home runs. Sierra had six hits, Jimenez had five and eight ribbies. While their parent club across the border has been struggling, the Bisons are establishing themselves as the best team in not only the International League or Triple-A, but in all of minor league baseball.