FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – Fort Wayne TinCaps center fielder Jakob Marsee has been named the Midwest League Player of the Week, Minor League Baseball announced Monday.
From Aug. 8-13 at Lansing (Oakland A’s affiliate), the San Diego Padres prospect led the circuit in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, on-base plus slugging percentage, hits, runs, total bases, and stolen bases.
The team released the following:
Over six games in the leadoff spot, Marsee went 13-for-27 with a double, a triple, and two home runs, as he slashed .565 AVG / .630 OBP / .957 SLG (1.587 OPS). He scored nine runs, drove in six, and stole five bases. He also walked three times and was hit by a pitch.
The 6-foot, 22-year-old from Allen Park, Mich., was drafted by the Padres in the sixth round last year out of Central Michigan University. MLB.com grades him as San Diego’s No. 12 prospect.
“I appreciate all my teammates, coaches, and supporters who helped me achieve this award,” Marsee said. “This season has been a lot of fun, especially with the opportunity to play not too far away from family and friends, and with such a great group of guys here. We’re ready to finish strong with this postseason push.”
Beyond this past week, Marsee has been one of the top performers in Minor League Baseball this season. He’s one of only six players in MiLB with more than 10 homers and 40 stolen bases. Meanwhile, Ronald Acuña Jr. of the Atlanta Braves is the only player in Major League Baseball to accomplish that so far.
Marsee’s .412 on-base percentage is currently the third best in a season in Fort Wayne’s 30-year franchise history. (In 2009, at the Single-A level, left fielder Jaff Decker, who’d go on to reach the big leagues, had a .442 OBP and, a year later, catcher Jason Hagerty posted a .423 OBP. Among qualifying TinCaps at the High-A level the past two seasons, outfielder Corey Rosier had the highest OBP, .381, a year ago.)
For the season, Marsee leads the 12-team Midwest League in games played (107, out of 108). In fact, he leads all players in Single-A through Double-A in games. (The Triple-A season began a week earlier.) He also leads the Midwest League in walks (84) and runs (86), while ranking third and fourth, respectively, among all minor leaguers. He’s second in the MWL in hits (100) and stolen bases (41). His .820 OPS ranks seventh. He’s even eighth in hit by pitches (10).
Looking to more advanced stats, Marsee’s weighted runs created plus (wRC+) of 139 is the fourth best in the Midwest League. Put another way, he’s been 39% better than league average offensively. Marsee is one of only three players at the High-A level who’s walked more than he’s struck out as he also has one of the five lowest swinging strike rates (5%).
Marsee is the third TinCaps hitter to win the Midwest League’s Player of the Week award this season, following infielder Marcos Castañon (July 9) and infielder Graham Pauley (Aug. 7). Jairo Iriarte earned the Pitcher of the Week award as well (May 21). This is the first season since 2017 that Fort Wayne has had three Player of the Week honors. That year Fernando Tatis Jr. won it twice. It’s the first time since 2016 the TinCaps have had three different Player of the Week recipients.
Led by Marsee, the TinCaps (23-19) enter a six-game homestand at Parkview Field on Tuesday against Dayton (23-19) just a half-game behind West Michigan (23-18) for first place in the East Division’s second-half standings. There are only 24 games remaining in the regular season, which concludes Sept. 10. The upcoming series will also be the home debut for 17-year-old catcher Ethan Salas, MLB.com’s No. 5 overall prospect in baseball, who was promoted by the Padres to the ’Caps last week. Robby Snelling, MLB.com’s No. 3 left-handed pitcher, is scheduled to start Tuesday.
Parkview Field’s promotions this week include Star Wars Night Friday and a Hispanic Heritage Celebration Sunday, plus fireworks Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. TinCaps tickets start at merely $7 and can be purchased through TinCaps.com, by calling 260-482-6400, and at the Parkview Field Ticket Office.
