Article: The Century Club (100 RBI minor leaguers)

[Seth Stohs]

Last weekend, Dalton Hicks drove in two runs for the Ft. Myers Miracle and became the second minor leaguer this season to drive in 100 runs. The other? His teammate for the first three months of the season, Kernels outfielder Adam Walker. As of today, Walker leads minor league baseball with 106 RBI while Hicks is second at 103. The only other minor leaguer with 100 RBI this year is Astros slugging prospect George Springer, at 102.

 

While Walker has driven in each of his runs for the Cedar Rapids Kernels, Hicks has spent a quarter of his season with the Ft. Myers Miracle. He has 21 RBI with the Miracle after knocking in 82 runs with the Kernels.

 

Download attachment: Adam Walker RP.jpg

During the first half of the season, the two sluggers benefited from hitting in the middle of a lineup that including Byron Buxton and Jorge Polanco setting the table. Walker, the Twins 3rd round pick in 2012 out of Jacksonville Univeristy, has hit 29 doubles, seven triples and 26 home runs. Hicks, a lumbering first baseman drafted in the 17th round of the 2012 draft out of Central Florida, has hit a combined 37 doubles to go with 17 home runs.

 

We frequently talk about how RBI are so much dependent upon those hitting in front of the batter. I do believe that RBI can be overrated, but as we watch a Twins team struggling to hit with runners in scoring position, I think it's important to remember that someone needs to drive run in!

 

Download attachment: Dalton Hicks 2.jpg

 

The two become the 33rd and 34th Twins minor leaguers since 1980 to have a 100 RBI season. The list of names below tell us that RBI is certainly not a indicator of future big league success. (However, it is fun at times to go into the Way Back Machine and read about names we may not have thought about in years.)

 

[TABLE=class: grid, width: 500, align: center]

2013

Adam Walker

106+

Cedar Rapids

2013

Dalton Hicks

103+

Cedar Rapids/Ft. Myers

2012

Miguel Sano

100

Beloit

2005

David Winfree

101

Beloit

2004

Kevin West

109

New Britain/Rochester

2004

Jason Kubel

100

New Britain/Rochester

2002

Michael Ryan

101

Edmonton

2002

Todd Sears

100

Edmonton

2000

Brian Buchanan

103

Salt Lake

1999

David Ortiz

110

Salt Lake

1999

Michael Restovich

107

Quad Cities

1999

Steve Hacker

100

New Britain, Salt Lake

1998

Tommy Peterman

110

Ft. Myers

1998

Corey Koskie

105

Salt Lake

1997

David Ortiz

124

FM/NB/SL

1996

Todd Walker

101

Salt Lake

1994

Bernardo Brito

122

Salt Lake

1992

Marty Cordova

131

Visalia

1992

Steve Dunn

113

Visalia

1991

Paul Russo

100

Kenosha

1990

Ray Ortiz

102

Visalia/Orlando

1989

Paul Sorrento

112

Orlando

1989

Terry Jorgenson

101

Orlando

1986

Gene Larkin

104

Orlando

1986

Tim Schwarz

101

Visalia

1985

Mark Funderburk

116

Orlando

1985

Mark Davidson

106

Orlando

1985

Gene Larkin

106

Visalia

1984

Stan Holmes

101

Orlando

1983

Stan Holmes

115

Visalia

1983

Tim Teufel

100

Toledo

1982

Greg Wells

107

Toledo

1981

Kent Hrbek

111

Visalia

1981

Tim Laudner

104

Orlando

[/TABLE]

 

There are a few guys on that list that have a couple of World Series rings and tremendous careers. There are several players who never got a taste of the big leagues.

 

Miguel Sano is currently at 94 RBI, so there is a chance that he will hit the century mark for a second straight year. Kennys Vargas currently has 86 RBI and would need a torrid stretch to get there, but it's possible. I'm sure people reading this will also be excited to hear that Scott Ullger drove in 108 runs for Visalia.

 

Next season, Walker should join Hicks in the Ft. Myers lineup to start the season. However, I would anticipate that both will be up in New Britain by season's end, maybe even by the All Star break.

 

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