2026 Summary on AAA Champion OKC Comets
OKC entered the year as a much less heralded affiliate than Tulsa and Great Lakes. The Comets did start the year with 7 top 30 prospects, but not one position player in the top 10.
· RHSP River Ryan - #6 – FV 55
· LHSP Jackson Ferris - #7 – FV 50
· OF/1B James Tibbs III - #11 – FV 50
· OF Zach Ehrhard - #18 – FV 45
· OF Ryan Ward - #20 – FV 40
· RHRP Kyle Hurt - #24 – FV 40
· SS Noah Miller - #29 – FV 40
They sprinkled the rest of the team with multiple AAAA players/pitchers:
LHSP Cole Irvin, RHRP Keynan Middleton, RHRP Jordan Weems, RHRP Wyatt Mills, LHRP Antoine Kelly, LHSP Logan Allen, LHRP Garrett McDaniels, C Eliézer Alfonzo, C Seby Zavala, Utility Ryan Fitzgerald, 3B Nick Senzel, OF Michael Siani, OF Jack Suwinski.
There were multiple others moving in and out throughout the season.
The Comets were 30-25 and seemingly out of the playoff picture, and then went on a 14-game win streak and 18 of their last 20 games, to win the 2nd half going away. OKC lost Game 1 of the PCL Championship series to the Las Vegas Aviators (A’s), but came back to win the last two games to capture the PCL crown. They followed that with a 1 game winner take all AAA Championship Game against Rochester Red Wings (Nationals), which they did win to be the AAA Champions of MiLB.
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The Comets did get some individuals to put up some good numbers, but as a team they were more middle of the road. However, even though Ryan was hurt most of the year, and Ferris was nowhere close to what was expected, the Comets were arguably one of the best pitching staffs in the PCL.
There was the Big 3 individually for OKC. Ryan Fitzgerald, Zach Ehrhard, and James Tibbs III were 1-2-3 in the league in hits.
James Tibbs III - #1 in the league with BB (150) and XBH (65), #2 in the league in HR (30), runs (109), RBI (107), and SLG (.532), #3 in the league in hits (150), #4 in the league in doubles (32), OBP (,409), OPS (.941).
Ryan Fitzgerald - #1 in the league with hits (172), doubles (35), #3 in RBI (102), #4 XBH (56), #6 runs (93), #7 Batting Average (.325), #9 triples (5).
Zach Ehrhard – led the league runs scored with 120, #2 in the league with hits (155), #3 in the league with BB (94), #5 in the league with RBI (93) and XBH (53), #7 in the league with doubles (30) and HR (20), #9 in the league with OBP (.400), and #10 in the league with OPS (.872).
Ehrhard played a very good defensive CF with his positive offensive numbers. IMO, Ehrhard was the surprise of the team and possibly the PCL. He is MLB ready and could be a viable 4th OF option for LAD in 2027 if they choose to move on from Alex Call.
There were only 7 pitchers in the PCL that were qualified for league leaders: RHSP Christian Romero and LHSP Cole Irvin. Irvin’s 3.33 ERA was far and away the best in the PCL. Romero was #2 at 4.06.
When the MVP and All Stars were reported, Albuquerque Isotopes OF Zac Veen was the MVP and OKC had three All Stars: Jame Tibbs III, RHSP Christian Romero, and RHRP Seth Halvorsen. OF Zac Veen and Sterlin Thomson both reached the Rockies this year and had OPS > 1.000 at Albuquerque. Although a OPS > 1.000 in Albuquerque is not unexpected.
That is probably the reason Veen beat JTIII for MVP and Thompson beat out Ehrhard for OF.
The voters decided to pick Salt Lake City’s (LAA) Kyren Paris as the Utility All Star over Ryan Fitzgerald. He had an OPS north of 1.000, but was not considered a qualified offensive player. He was more than 100 PA shy of being qualified. Paris played primarily SS (40 games), but did play some at 2B (8), CF (9), LF (4). OTOH Fitzgerald played 3B (58), 1B (23), 2B (12), SS (1), LF (22), RF (7), P (1). Salt Lake City is 4,230 feet above sea level while OKC is 1,200 feet.
At the end of the season, OKC had 6 top 30 prospects including the top 2, who were late season additions: Josue De Paula (#1) and Mike Sirota (#2). The other 4, JTIII (#7), Ehrhard (#15), Ferris (#17), Miller (#25). JDP and Sirota both checked in with a 60 FV.
There are three pitchers that I will continue to monitor: RHP Chris Campos, RHRP Jerming Rosario, and RHRP Nick Robertson. I have always followed Rosario since his DSL days. He was signed the same year as C Diego Cartaya and 3B Alex De Jesus. Cartaya flamed out and was released by SFG and De Jesus also flamed out with Toronto, never reaching AAA. Rosario (24) finished with 65.1 IP, 3.17 ERA, 36 BB/80 K. For me, it will be fun to watch him in AAA again next year.
Campos was hurt for most of the year. Robertson was untouchable at AA, and pitched well at AAA before being placed on the Development List (September 7). He had a 1.80 ERA over 25 IP with a 1.00 WHIP, 12 BB, 31 K. He should be in the discussion for LAD bullpen in 2027.
Discussion (99)
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LFG!!
I’d like to say something about Yoshi. The Braves had zero confidence in getting to him. Harris’ bunt, Matt Olson showing bunt, Albies trying to bat RH against him the first two AB’s. Yoshi can throw any pitch in any count.
Good for Diaz. Good for Pages. Both needed that. I like Tucker’s swing a lot better these days despite chasing ball four.
I hope we see this Freddy all post season. That was not an easy scoop at the end of the game.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto is the only pitcher in MLB history to earn the win in 5 straight postseason appearances while not allowing more than 1 run or 1 walk in any of them.
All 5 have come on the road.
Yamamoto has won 8 of his 11 postseason appearances.
This guy is a monster
I’ll see your Sale and raise you a Yamamoto!
Going in you just knew what the formula had to be to win this one. Try to scrape together a couple of runs off Sale and get this kind of start from Yamamoto. This was no game for the faint-hearted. Yamamoto is such a big game pitcher and he answered the bell BIG TIME. His focus and repeatability is just awesome. Kike does his best Mr. October and Freddie saves the day. It's so great for an infielder's confidence to know you have a net over at first base. Just don't overthrow Freddie and he'll pick it. That was not an easy short hop. It was a tweeter hop and Freddie made it look easy. Scott and Diaz did their job and Doc managed a good game What a great exciting playoff baseball game.
Its been repeated all year that the goal was to be ready for October. So credit the organization for that. If you could have penciled in April, who you wanted to be ready now, Just about everyone is on the team and ready to go. Perhaps only one sub par is Ohtani
2 down and 9 to go! Sweet! The Rocktober twins strike again. Book em
Roberts job saved for one more day
What a win. Yamamoto was nails. Scott and Diaz did their jobs.
So good to have Freddie swinging this way, and credit to Doc for mixing the lineup up.
Kike bring Kike. Worth the late night!!
How about that! Roberts shows confidence in Diaz and is rewarded. Gutsy move!!!! AND WHAT A PICK BY FREDDIE!!!!!
Edwin Diaz in the ninth?!?!?!??!
So Kike just did his Rocktober thing: Homers off Sale to put our Dodgers up 2-0. Great to see Doc shake things up, dropping Shohei in the lineup and Mookie being a leader at lead-offf. And Yamamoto to the rescue! Yes, it's just the 4th inning... Need to keep it up!
Kike. What can you say?
NEVER DOUBT WHY KIKE IS ON THE TEAM!
Sale would have over 70 pitches through 3 if they would take their walks.
Good Luck to the Dodgers today!
Is this the year Ohtani got injured?
6:00 PM ET FS1
Dodgers (100-62) (1-1) Braves (94-68) (1-1)
SP Y. Yamamoto R 14-9 2.53 ERA SP Chris Sale L 14-9 2.16 ERA
Confirmed Lineup SS Mookie Betts R 1B F. Freeman L LF T. Hernandez R C Will Smith R DH S. Ohtani L 2B Miguel Rojas R CF Andy Pages R RF Kyle Tucker L 3B E. Hernandez R
74° Wind 8 mph In LINE LAD -110
Ohtani moved down to 5th in the order
https://babylonbee.com/news/top-10-reasons-to-move-to-indiana Thought you might enjoy Mark
Don’t know if anybody has mentioned this but former GM Fred Claire died yesterday. He was 91. I always thought he did a good job in that role. I’ll take 10 seconds of silence to remember him.
Thanks for the OKC report, Jeff. Am I right to assume that 4A types like Thomas and Fitzgerald are now free agents who could sign with a needy like the Angels??? Meanwhile, in other farm news, I just read that Charles Davalan's debut at 2B in the Arizona Fall League has earned "raves" for his range. Davalan has had a very impressive 2026, rising in Dodger prospect ranks just behind guys like Sirota, Quintero and Morales. If he can stick at 2B, perhaps he'll be in the mix in Spring training with Freeland and Kim. Might be out over my skis a bit about Davalan, but he's an exciting talent who so far has exceeded expectations, adding more power to elite on-base skills.
I have be saying all along, since we traded for Erdhard, that he was the sleeper in the trade. His numbers were good and he had the speed and defense to play a strong CF. Tibbs got all the alocades but Erdhard was equal, lower in power but higher is speed. Love to see both in SP to show how much they want to play. As much as I like Pages, his mental mistakes, along with Erdhard surging, makes him big time trade bait. Hey Dano, don't Book em, ship him!
There are multiple articles in The Times this morning that suggest the same thing. It’s something that I won’t talk about here, but what they all say is what Phil summed up yesterday - the Dodgers need to play better and it needs to start today.
You would think that after watching this team lose 62 times this season, that we wouldn’t panic after one loss. But I guess not. We need to win 11 and can lose 8, so buckle up whiners! If we three peat all doubters will be banished to Anaheim