These 6 prospects reached 20-20 in the Minors

These 6 prospects reached 20-20 in the Minors

September 6th, 2018

From front offices to fantasy leagues, the power-speed combination has long been a coveted commodity across baseball.
Such abilities are typically measured through a combination of home runs and stolen bases, with the 20-homer, 20-steal plateau serving as a key benchmark reached by only a select number of players each year. For example, only nine players in the big leagues crossed that threshold in 2017. To date, six players have reached it in '18 -- , , , , and -- and several others will join the club before the year is over.
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Of course, it's tougher to get to 20 homers and 20 steals in a Minor League season given the schedule is just 140 games compared to 162 in Major League Baseball. A 20-20 season down on the farm is the equivalent of a 23-23 campaign during the longer big league season.
This year, there were six Minor Leagues who finished the season 20-20 or better. The total is down from 2017, when there were 10 20-20 guys, but it's still above the average compared to previous years.
While putting together a 20-20 season in the Minors certainly doesn't guarantee similar success at the big league level, some of MLB's best players over the past several decades have done so en route to illustrious careers: Luis Gonzalez (1990), Alex Rodriguez ('94), Andruw Jones ('95, '96), (2004), Joey Votto ('06) and ('06), to name a few.
Here are the six prospects who did reach the 20-20 plateau in 2018, listed alphabetically, as well as some who came up just short.
Cavan Biggio, 2B/3B, Blue Jays' No. 9: The son of Hall of Famer Craig Biggio, Cavan broke out as he totaled 26 homers and 20 steals for Double-A New Hampshire en route to Rookie of the Year Award and Most Valuable Player Awards honors in the Eastern League.
Casey Golden, OF, Rockies: The 24-year-old outfielder led the Class A South Atlantic League in both home runs (34) and RBIs (95), and he stole 24 bases in 124 games for Asheville. Golden's breakout first full season comes after he clobbered a Pioneer League-best 20 homers over 50 games in 2017.
Corey Ray, OF, Brewers' No. 3: Perhaps no hitter showed a better combination of power and speed than Ray, who led the Southern League in both homers (27) and stolen bases (37) en route to being named the circuit's Most Outstanding Player. Ray also hit 32 doubles, putting him in elite company as one of two players to produce at least 20 homers, 30 doubles and 20 steals in 2018.
Kevin Smith, SS/3B, Blue Jays' No. 6: The 2017 fourth-rounder raked from start to finish in his first full season, ultimately hitting .302/.358/.528 in 129 games between Class A Lansing and Class A Advanced Dunedin. He joins Ray as the only other Minor Leaguer to total at least 20 home runs, 30 doubles and 20 steals in 2018 after finishing the year with 25 homers, 31 doubles and 29 steals.
Dom Thompson-Williams, OF, Yankees: A sixth-round pick in 2015, Thompson-Williams had two nondescript pro seasons before breaking out this year to hit .299/.363/.546 with 22 homers and 20 steals across two levels. The 23-year-old outfielder hit 17 of his homers in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League.
, OF, Astros' No. 2/No. 8 overall: The lone 20-20 returnee from 2017, Tucker went on a late-season surge at Triple-A Fresno as he tallied 10 homers and six steals over his final 22 contests to finish with 24 home runs and 20 stolen bases. The 21-year-old produced similar totals in 2017, when he hit 25 home runs and swiped 21 bags across two levels.
Just missed
(Marlins' No. 1/No. 76 overall) and Troy Stokes Jr. (Brewers' No. 15) each fell just shy of a second straight 20-20 campaign after they finished with 19-28 and 19-19, respectively, at the Double-A level. Skye Bolt's (A's) power-speed pairing netted him 19-19, while (Rays' No. 11) accrued 19 homers and 21 steals this year after going from the Yankees to Tampa Bay in an offseason trade. Rounding out the list of near-20-20 guys is 2017 seventh-rounder Brewer Hicklen (Royals' No. 21), who finished his first full season with 18 homers and 35 stolen bases.

Here's a look at every player who has recorded a 20-20 season in the Minors from 1988-2018:
Year - Player, ORG, (HR-SB)
2018 - Corey Ray, MIL (27-37)
2018 - Kyle Tucker, HOU (24-20)
2018 - Kevin Smith, TOR (25-29)
2018 - Cavan Biggio, TOR (26-20)
2018 - Dom Thompson-Williams, NYY (22-20)
2018 - Casey Golden, COL (34-24)
2017 - , CIN (24-46)
2017 - Ronald Acuna, ATL (21-44)
2017 - Sam Hilliard, COL (21-37)
2017 - , SD (22-32)
2017 - Troy Stokes Jr., MIL (20-30)
2017 - , PHI (26-29)
2017 - Monte Harrison, MIL (21-27)
2017 - Daniel Johnson, WSH (22-22)
2017 - Kyle Tucker, HOU (25-21)
2017 - D.J. Stewart, BAL (21-20)
2016 - , HOU (21-28)
2016 - , PHI (40-21)
2016 - , HOU (23-20)
2015 - Derek Fisher, HOU (22-31)
2015 - , ARI (29-24)
2015 - Trevor Story, COL (20-22)
2015 - , TEX (23-20)
2015 - , SF (23-20)
2015 - , OAK (20-20)
2014 - Michael Taylor, WSH (23-37)
2014 - , HOU (21-33)
2014 - , LAD (33-30)
2014 - Alex Glenn, ARI (24-22)
2014 - Chris Dominguez, SF (21-21)
2014 - Jared Hoying, TEX (26-20)
2013 - , HOU (37-45)
2013 - Joc Pederson, LAD (22-31)
2013 - Francisco Sosa, COL (20-30)
2013 - , TEX (21-24)
2013 - Javier Baez, CHC (37-20)
2013 - , CIN (21-20)
2012 - George Springer, HOU (24-32)
2012 - Jason Martinson, WSH (22-30)
2012 - Melky Mesa, NYY (23-22)
2012 - , CWS (25-21)
2012 - Cory Vaughn, NYM (23-21)
2012 - Keury De La Cruz, BOS (20-20)
2011 - , SEA (24-26)
2011 - Tim Wheeler, COL (33-21)
2011 - , CHC (20-21)
2011 - , LAA (22-20)
2010 - Nick Franklin, SEA (23-25)
2010 - Danny Espinosa, WSH (22-25)
2010 - , SF (23-22)
2009 - Grant Desme, OAK (31-40)
2009 - Terry Evans, LAA (26-28)
2009 - , CIN (22-21)
2009 - Michael Taylor, PHI (20-21)
2009 - , SEA (30-20)
2009 - Kyle Russell, LAD (26-20)
2008 - Greg Halman, SEA (29-31)
2008 - , DET (27-25)
2008 - Matt Downs, SF (20-25)
2008 - , TEX (37-24)
2008 - , MIA (23-23)
2008 - Drew Sutton, HOU (20-20)
2007 - , WSH (27-35)
2007 - Charlton Jimerson, SEA (25-35)
2007 - Greg Halman, SEA (20-31)
2007 - Matt Antonelli, SD (21-28)
2007 - Spike McDougall, MIA (21-28)
2007 - Justin Leone, SF (20-26)
2007 - , TB (20-26)
2007 - Adam Boeve, PIT (21-23)
2007 - Cody Ransom, HOU (28-21)
2007 - Quinn Stewart, TB (21-21)
2007 - Josh Rodriguez, CLE (20-21)
2006 - Terry Evans, STL (33-37)
2006 - Tyler Greene, STL (20-33)
2006 - Ryan Braun, MIL (22-26)
2006 - Joey Votto, CIN (22-24)
2006 - , KC (29-22)
2005 - Daniel Ortmeier, SF (20-35)
2005 - Chris Young, CWS (26-32)
2005 - , TB (26-32)
2005 - Reggie Abercrombie, MIA (25-26)
2005 - Noah Hall, CWS (26-24)
2005 - Matt Kemp, LAD (27-23)
2005 - George Lombard, BOS (20-23)
2005 - Julio Ramirez, SF (23-22)
2005 - , CHC (20-22)
2005 - Kevin Melillo, OAK (24-21)
2005 - Craig Stansberry, PIT (21-21)
2005 - Alan Moye, KC (24-20)
2005 - , HOU (23-20)
2004 - Chris Young, CWS (24-31)
2004 - Chip Ambres, MIA (20-26)
2004 - Ian Kinsler, TEX (20-23)
2004 - Antonio Perez, LAD (22-22)
2004 - Delmon Young, TB (25-21)
2004 - Alex Frazier, ARI (20-21)
2004 - Reggie Taylor, CIN (20-21)
2004 - Jamar Hill, NYM (26-20)
2003 - Jeff Salazar, COL (29-28)
2003 - Dan Uggla, ARI (23-24)
2003 - Bobby Crosby, OAK (22-24)
2003 - , COL (21-24)
2003 - J.J. Davis, PIT (26-23)
2003 - Jason Bay, SD (20-23)
2003 - Franklin Gutierrez, LAD (24-20)
2003 - Justin Leone, SEA (21-20)
2002 - Carlos Duncan, LAA (21-35)
2002 - Abraham Nunez, MIA (21-31)
2002 - Andrew Beattie, CIN (21-28)
2002 - Lew Ford, MIN (20-28)
2002 - Corey Hart, MIL (24-27)
2001 - Jacques Landry, OAK (36-37)
2001 - Marlon Byrd, PHI (28-32)
2001 - Jon Topolski, HOU (24-28)
2001 - , CIN (26-26)
2001 - Kelly Johnson, ATL (23-25)
2001 - Dante Powell, SF (22-25)
2001 - Eric Byrnes, OAK (20-25)
2001 - , CIN (20-21)
2001 - Eric Hinske, OAK (25-20)
2000 - Chad Mottola, TOR (33-30)
2000 - Corey Patterson, CHC (22-27)
2000 - Keith Ginter, HOU (26-24)
2000 - Jose Ortiz, OAK (24-22)
2000 - Aaron Rowand, CWS (20-22)
2000 - Eric Cole, HOU (22-21)
2000 - Mark Bellhorn, OAK (24-20)
2000 - Dee Brown, KC (23-20)
2000 - Jason Lane, HOU (23-20)
2000 - Mark Cridland, MIL (21-20)
2000 - Joshua Hochgesang, OAK (20-20)
1999 - Calvin Murray, SF (23-42)
1999 - Abraham Nunez, ARI (22-40)
1999 - Jayson Bass, SEA (21-34)
1999 - Brandon Pernell, SD (21-33)
1999 - Corey Patterson, CHC (20-33)
1999 - Chin-Feng Chen, LAD (31-31)
1999 - Dee Brown, KC (25-30)
1999 - Jon Nunnally, BOS (23-26)
1999 - Lyle Mouton, MIL (23-22)
1999 - Chris Truby, HOU (28-20)
1999 - Mike Peeples, TOR (20-20)
1998 - Alex Escobar, NYM (27-49)
1998 - George Lombard, ATL (22-35)
1998 - Jose Santos, MIA (23-31)
1998 - Jayson Bass, SEA (21-31)
1998 - Trot Nixon, BOS (23-26)
1998 - Juan Dilone, SF (22-22)
1998 - Jimmy Hurst, BOS (20-22)
1998 - Chad Hermansen, PIT (28-21)
1998 - Adam Piatt, OAK (20-20)
1997 - , LAD (26-25)
1997 - Todd Dunwoody, MIA (23-25)
1997 - Michael Coleman, BOS (21-24)
1997 - Derrick Gibson, COL (26-20)
1997 - Anthony Sanders, TOR (26-20)
1997 - Rich Butler, TOR (24-20)
1996 - Dante Powell, SF (21-43)
1996 - Mike Cameron, CWS (28-39)
1996 - Decomba Conner, CIN (20-33)
1996 - Edward Davis, LAD (29-31)
1996 - Andruw Jones, ATL (34-30)
1996 - Mike Neill, OAK (20-28)
1996 - Scott Krause, MIL (22-27)
1996 - Miguel Tejada, OAK (20-27)
1996 - Todd Dunwoody, MIA (24-24)
1996 - Jose Guillen, PIT (21-24)
1996 - Bruce Aven, CLE (23-22)
1996 - D.T. Cromer, OAK (30-20)
1996 - Don Denbow, SF (27-20)
1996 - Scott Smith, SEA (20-20)
1995 - Andruw Jones, ATL (25-56)
1995 - Derrick Gibson, COL (32-31)
1995 - Adam Riggs, LAD (24-31)
1995 - , NYY (24-24)
1995 - Todd Walker, MIN (21-23)
1995 - Gus Kennedy, ATL (24-20)
1995 - Preston Wilson, NYM (20-20)
1994 - Ruben Rivera, NYY (33-48)
1994 - Pat Watkins, CIN (27-31)
1994 - Michael Smith, TEX (21-28)
1994 - Al Shirley, NYM (23-23)
1994 - Jon Nunnally, CLE (22-23)
1994 - Robert Heath, ATL (20-23)
1994 - Ryan Radmanovich, MIN (21-22)
1994 - Alex Rodriguez, SEA (21-20)
1993 - Curtis Pride, WSH (21-50)
1993 - Cliff Floyd, WSH (28-33)
1993 - Ernie Young, OAK (28-31)
1993 - Rick Holifield, TOR (20-30)
1993 - Vincent Moore, ATL (20-30)
1993 - Cleveland Ladell, CIN (20-24)
1993 - Dwayne Hosey, SD (21-20)
1992 - Ray McDavid, SD (24-43)
1992 - Mike Kelly, ATL (25-22)
1992 - Gary Mota, HOU (23-22)
1991 - Leon Glenn, MIL (21-34)
1991 - Jeromy Burnitz, SEA (31-31)
1991 - Butch Huskey, NYM (26-22)
1990 - Gerald Williams, NYY (20-37)
1990 - Luis Gonzalez, HOU (24-27)
1990 - Mark Davis, LAA (21-23)
1989 - Glenallen Hill, TOR (21-21)
1988 - Warren Newson, SD (22-36)
1988 - Greg Vaughn, MIL (28-22)