First In-Season E8 Check In

Let's see how the Hosers have kicked off 2025

May 06, 2025

How’s it going Eh? Back with our first Elite EHght check-in of 2025! A bit of a mixed bag with 1/4 of the list out injured and not having played in 2025, some notable improvements and noteworthy declines to keep an eye on as we continue through the 2025 season. Let’s grab a snack, a bevy, relax, and get into it…

***Stats are as of 05/04

#8 Emilien Pitre (2B, Bowling Green Hot Rods, TB Rays High-A)

Season to Date: 25 G, 97 AB, .227/.333/.361, .331 wOBA, 101 wRC+

Trending/Feeling: down/bearish

Notes: Emilien debuted on the E8 after limited professional at-bats in 2024, boasting excellent OBP/SLG (.402/.403) and a great .390 wOBA. The entire triple slash line has dropped materially with wOBA and wRC+ following suit so far in 2025. Pitre does not have any power to speak of in his profile and will have to rely on his hit tool, along with his defence, to advance.

#7 Adam Maier (RHP, Rome Emperors, Atlanta Braves High-A)

Season to Date: 5 G/5 GS, 1-2, 24.2 IP, 4.38 ERA, 5.24 FIP, 7.3 K/9, 4.74 BB/9

Trending/Feeling: down/bearish

Notes: This comes down to walking far too many batters. While he’s striking out batters at close to the same pace as last season (19.2% this year v 21.8% last), the walk rate jumped from 7.0% to its current 12.5% level.

#6 Tugboat Wilkinson (LHP, Lake County Captains, Cleveland Guardians High-A)

Season to Date: 6 G/6 GS, 0-3, 24.0 IP, 4.13 ERA, 3.53 FIP, 12.0 K/9, 4.5 BB/9

Trending/Feeling: down/bearish

Notes: Tugboat is walking more batters (4.5 per 9 from 2.81 in 2024) while striking out less (still excellent at 12.0 per 9 but less than his 13.2 in 2024). He is leaving fewer baserunners on base (68.2% this season, 81.6% in 2024), while batters are hitting more line drives off of him (29.5% LD from 15.6% in 2024). This isn’t a great combination, with the elevated walk rate at the top of my list of concerns, and the higher LD% is not too far behind.

#5 Mitch Bratt (LHP, Frisco RoughRiders, Texas Rangers Double-A)

Season to Date: 5 G/5 GS, 2-1, 25.2 IP, 2.45 ERA, 3.82 FIP, 10.17 K/9, 1.4 BB/9

Trending/Feeling: up/bullish

Notes: There are two main reasons for my bullishness on Mitch’s profile right now - 1. improving his BB/9 to an excellent 1.4, and 2. a CSW% (Called Strike plus WHIFF) of 32.8%. We can throw in a mind-numbing LOB% (Left On Base) of 94%, which has some regression coming, to help tell the early-season story for Bratt.

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#4 Jonah Tong (RHP, Binghampton Rumble Ponies, NY Mets Double-A)

Season to Date: 5G/ 5 GS, 0-2, 21.1 IP, 3.38 ERA, 2.63 FIP, 16.03 K/9, 5.91 BB/9

Trending/Feeling: up/cautiously bullish

Notes: The caution arises from an increase in the BB/9 rate to 5.91, up from an already elevated 3.74 in 2024. The bullish part is built from an improvement of over three strikeouts to an impressive 16.03 K/9, an increased LOB% (69.9% to 74.3%), and a reduction in the number of line drives and fly balls he is giving up. There is a lot to like, but the walk rate is worrisome.

#3 Adam Macko (LHP, Buffalo Bisons, Toronto Blue Jays Triple-A)

Season to Date: has not pitched (injury)

Trending/Feeling: down/bearish

Notes: Feeling good about the profile here with a bearish feeling due to injury.

#2 Tyler Black (3B, Nashville Sounds, Milwaukee Brewers Triple-A)

Season to Date: has not played (injury)

Trending/Feeling: down/bearish

Notes: Still confident in Tyler and his profile, but feeling bearish due to injury.

#1 Owen Caissie (RF, Iowa Cubs, Chicago Cubs Triple-A)

Season to Date: 22 G, 84 AB, .226/.337/.500, .370 wOBA, 115 wRC+

Trending/Feeling: neutral

Notes: From a wRC+ perspective, Owen is matching his 2024 output, but there has been a noticeable uptick in K% (currently a career high at 36.7%) and drop in contact rates (70.8 contact% in 2024, 62.8% currently) that should be monitored. However, Caissie is hitting more line drives and getting more balls into the air than last season (LD% +8.4% to 34.8, FB% +7.9% to 41.3%) which should be good for the Canuck with plus power and high exit velos over the long term. Striking out over 1/3 of the time with a drop in contact rates concerns me, but I haven’t turned bearish on our top prospect as of this writing and am in a bit of a “let’s wait and see more at-bats” mode.

Next Canuck In: Denzel Clarke (CF, Las Vegas Aviators, Athletics Triple-A)

Season To Date: 19 G, 63 AB, .302/.443/.460, .418 wOBA, 134 wRC+
Notes: A familiar name to the SB&S Universe, Denzel looks to be putting together at-bats like we all hoped he would, to accompany his physical gifts. He’s nearly doubled his 2024 BB% (8.2 in 2024 to 15.2 this season) while improving their K% to a career-best 21.5%. The OBP is great (.443) with a wRC+ at 134. Clarke remains one of the most exciting Canadian prospects out there.