A week into the season down on the farm is a small sample size in general, but MLB team execs can make decisions based on just a few week’s worth of at bats. So it’s never too early to start talking what impact their numbers can have on the rest of their season. This week will be strictly hitters across Triple-A. Pitchers will follow next week since they only have one start under their belt at this point in the season.

International League

Who’s Hot

Yoan Moncada (2B/3B- CWS)

Just five games into the Triple-A season in Charlotte, a .391/.462/.652 slash line with two home runs, five runs, three RBI, and two steals in 23 at bats has him near the top of every hitting category in the International League. He is crushing righties to the tune of a .533 AVG (8-of-15) while only notching one hit off of LHP so far in eight tries for a .125 AVG. It’s still early yet but he will need to bring those splits closer to get to Chicago faster.

John Hicks (C-DET)

Hicks may not be the mold of a prospect at this point, being that he’s 27, but with just 34 MLB at bats, he still counts. In four games played this season for the Toledo Mud Hens, he is toting the stick at a .538/.500/.923 clip with one homer, seven RBI, one run scored, and a steal across 13 at bats. Detroit has James McCann and Alex Avila ahead of him at the moment but an injury could spell a call-up for the backstop.

Jorge Alfaro (C-PHI)

The 23-year-old backstop has played four games for the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, his first in Triple-A, and hasn’t skipped a beat. A batting line of .467/.500/.467 with three RBI in 15 at bats show his stick skills. The downside here is that there is no power yet with no extra base hits tallied thus far. But a .443 wOBA still has him on track to make the majors a few months from now.

Who’s Not

Austin Meadows (CF- PIT)

Meadows is the next in line for the Pirates outfield, he just has to start hitting first. Going 1-for-18 with nine strikeouts is not how he envisioned starting the 2017 campaign. In fairness he does have a double, a steal and two runs to his credit, but a 45% strikeout rate is his downfall right now. If he turns it around quickly, a call-up could be coming his way in late summer.

J.P. Crawford (SS PHI)

Crawford isn’t known quite as much for his bat as his defense, but a .105/.150/.211 slash line with a .160 wOBA is much worse than he’s capable of. Crawford’s 30-percent strikeout rate is double what it was for him in Triple-A last season while his walk rate (5.0%) is half of 2016s figure. As long as Freddy Galvis holds his own, there is no reason to call up Crawford.

Adam Engel (CF-CWS)

Engel was in the running to be the starting center fielder for the White Sox during spring training, then came the optioning to Triple-A. Since then he has posted an anemic .083/.185/.083 line for Charlotte with just two hits in 24 at bats. A .143 BABIP shows he’s getting a bit unlucky but that still isn’t a great showing to begin with either. Chicago is looking for help in center but they won’t find it from Engel at the moment.

Pacific Coast League

Who’s Hot

Franklin Barreto (SS-OAK)

Barreto is just 21 years old but is charging through the A’s farm system. He’s played six games at Triple-A Nashville this season (in addition to just four last year) while hitting .455/.519/.864 in traditional stats with a .564 wOBA on top of those. Two home runs, seven RBI, and five runs scored also add to his stat line. He is nearing a call-up but will have to get a couple more months of Triple-A under his belt first.

Cody Bellinger (1B-LAD)

Bellinger is picking up where he left off after last season’s very brief stint at Triple-A Oklahoma City. The first baseman is swinging the stick to the tune of .417/.440/.667 with an astounding .600 BABIP and a .477 wOBA. He’s added in a round tripper, five RBI, four runs, and a steal. The question is can he keep hitting at this pace with the 32-percent strikeout rate Bellinger currently holds? I don’t think so.

Willie Calhoun (2B-LAD)

Calhoun broke out in 2016 at Double-A and now seems poised to do that again in 2017. The keystone’s slash line of .412/.444/.588 with three runs scored and two RBI in six games so far. His 5.6% strikeout and walk rates along with a .451 wOBA suggest he can hit at this level but with Logan Forsythe and Chase Utley in his way, a late-season call up is in his future.

Who’s Not

Gavin Cecchini (SS/2B-NYM)

Cecchini, the Mets sixth-ranked prospect, is off to a slow start at Triple-A Las Vegas in the first week. His .174/.321/.348 slash line with one home run, four RBI, two runs and two steals indicate he’s still producing. However, compared to his .325/.390/.448 slash from last year, it’s a bad start. He is drawing walks at a 17.9% clip so he should snap out of it soon.

Mark Zagunis (OF-CHC)

Zagunis was taken in the same draft as Kyle Schwarber and is the Cubs sixth best prospect at the moment. Getting off to a .063/.250/.063 start at Triple-A Iowa is surely not helping his case. His lone hit was a single that also failed to drive in a run. Zagunis’ 40-percent K rate is alarming from a guy who has never been over 20% for a season. The 24-year-old has time to sort it out given the stacked roster ahead of him.