Two Captains Named to 2024 All-MiLB Prospect Second Team

EASTLAKE, OH – On Monday, September 30, Minor League Baseball announced its 2024 All-MiLB Prospect Teams during the 2024 MiLB Awards Show on MLB Network.

Two Lake County Captains garnered Second Team honors for the 2024 campaign.

SS Angel Genao, MLB Pipeline’s No. 4 Cleveland and No. 72 overall prospect, and LHP Matt Wilkinson, MLB Pipeline’s No. 29 Cleveland prospect, were each honored for their strong 2024 seasons across Lake County and the Single-A Lynchburg Hillcats.

Angel Genao, SS

REGULAR SEASON STATS (Lake County & Single-A Lynchburg): 110 G, .330 AVG (5^th in MiLB), 148 H (T-8^th in MiLB), 38 2B (5^th in MiLB), 4 3B, 10 HR, 71 RBI, 38 BB, 1 IBB, 25 SB, .379 OBP, .499 SLG, .878 OPS

Genao began the 2024 campaign with Single-A Lynchburg.

He played 44 games for the Hillcats, and was one of the premier hitters in the Carolina League. At the time of his promotion to Lake County on June 3, he led the league in hits (61), extra-base hits (23), and total bases (99), while ranking second in: batting average (.341), slugging percentage (.553), OPS (.936), and doubles (14, tied). The 20-year-old also ranked top-10 in the league in: RBI (39, tied for third), triples (three, tied for sixth), runs (31, eighth), and home runs (six, tied for ninth).

Genao then played 66 regular season games with the Captains, and proved to be one of the best hitters in the Midwest League. From June 3 through the end of the regular season, he led the league in batting average (.322), hits (87), and doubles (24). The switch-hitter also ranked top-10 in the league in total bases (125, third), slugging percentage (.463, third), OPS (.840, fourth), on-base percentage (.377, seventh), and sacrifice flies (four, tied for eighth).

For the Minor League regular season, the 20-year-old was the only MiLB player with at least a .330 batting average, 50 extra-base hits, and 25 stolen bases. The only MLB player with these numbers this year was Kansas City Royals SS Bobby Witt Jr.

Additionally, Genao was the first MiLB player with at least a .330 batting average, 38 doubles, and 25 stolen bases in a season since Double-A Mobile/Triple-A Reno OF Adam Eaton in 2012.

Finally, Genao led the Midwest League Playoffs in: slugging percentage (.857), OPS (1.466), doubles (three), walks (eight), extra-base hits (four), and RBI (five, tied), helping the Captains become the 2024 Midwest League Champions.

Matt Wilkinson, LHP

REGULAR SEASON STATS (Lake County & Single-A Lynchburg): 24 GS, 8-6, 1.90 ERA (2^nd in MiLB), 118.2 IP, 71 H, 32 R, 25 ER, 37 BB, 174 K (2^nd in MiLB), 0.91 WHIP (2^nd in MiLB), .169 AVG (2^nd in MiLB), 3 QS

Wilkinson also began the 2024 season with Single-A Lynchburg.

He made eight starts for the Hillcats, and was one of the best pitchers in Minor League Baseball during this span. At the time of his promotion to Lake County on May 21, he led MiLB in strikeouts (71) and ERA (1.12), while ranking second in WHIP (0.77) and seventh in opposing batting average (.159).

On April 25, Wilkinson made Minor League Baseball history in his start against the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Single-A, Chicago Cubs). The left-hander pitched six scoreless, hitless innings, allowing just one walk and throwing 15 strikeouts in 82 pitches (56 strikes). According to MiLB.com’s Jesús Cano, Wilkinson became the fifth MiLB pitcher since 2005 to record at least 15 strikeouts without allowing a hit. The only MLB pitchers to do this are Hall-of-Famer Warren Spahn (1960), 1971 NL All-Star Don Wilson (1967), Hall-of-Famer Nolan Ryan (3 times), three-time NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw (2014), and three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (2015).

Wilkinson then cemented his status as one of Minor League Baseball’s premier pitchers for the 2024 season with a remarkable performance with the Captains.

From his High-A debut on May 25 through the end of the regular season, Wilkinson led High-A in ERA (2.30) and opposing batting average (.174), while leading the Midwest League in strikeouts (103) during this span. He also finished second in both the Midwest League and High-A in WHIP (0.98) during this span, going 5-5 in 16 regular season starts for Lake County.

For the Minor League regular season, Wilkinson became the only MiLB pitcher with a 0.95-or-lower WHIP, 1.90-or-lower ERA, and at least 170 strikeouts in a season since at least 2005.

Then, the 2023 10^th-round pick out of Central Arizona College (JUCO) made two starts for the Captains in the 2024 Midwest League Playoffs. In a combined 12.1 innings, he went 1-0 with a 2.19 ERA, allowing 12 hits, four runs (three earned), and five walks, while throwing seven strikeouts.

Finally, with Lake County facing elimination at home in Game 2 of the 2024 Midwest League Championship Series against Wisconsin, Wilkinson recorded the longest start of his professional career, pitching a career-high 6.2 innings. He delivered his first career postseason quality start, allowing seven hits, two earned runs, and two walks, while throwing five strikeouts in a career-high 96 pitches (career-high 60 strikes). The left-hander ultimately helped force a decisive Game 3, which Lake County eventually won the following night to clinch the 2024 Midwest League Championship.

The Lake County Captains are the High-A Affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians, and have been a Class A Affiliate of Cleveland since the team was founded in 2003. To find out more information about the Captains or purchase tickets, visit CaptainsBaseball.com, or call (440) 975-8085.