Here are the 100 best Minor League player names heading into the 2018 season

By Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman

April 5, 2018

In honor of Minor League Opening Day -- the first day of games for the 10 full-season leagues -- we are excited to present our favorite player names heading into the 2018 season. The offseason is traditionally the time to rank and debate which Minor Leaguers are big league prospects. Who has the best chance to put on an MLB uniform in the coming years? MLB Pipeline has you covered for that.
What we are doing here today has absolutely nothing to do with the physical tools or statistical accomplishments of these players. We are here solely to celebrate the marvelous monikers of today's Minor Leaguers. Which teams have been targeting and developing not just the best players in the lower levels, but the best names?
How does the next generation of sensational surnames stack up against previous years' lists? Is there another Joey Pankake or Hamlet Marte in this year's crop? Can anyone possibly dethrone Sicnarf Loopstok from the No. 1 spot? Let's take a look:
100. River Stevens -- Padres 3B -- San Antonio Missions (Double-A)
99. Malcolm Van Buren -- Royals RHP -- AZL Royals (Rookie League)
98. Osiris German -- Twins RHP -- DSL Twins (Rookie League)
97. Ulrich Bojarski -- Tigers OF -- GCL Tigers (Rookie League)
96. Ibandel Isabel -- Dodgers 1B -- Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Class A Advanced)
95. Jace Vines -- Royals RHP -- Wilmington (Class A Advanced)

Keyder Aristigueta -- Tigers 1B -- GCL Tigers (Rookie League)
93. Narciso Crook -- Reds OF -- Daytona (Class A Advanced)
92. Bernabe Camargo -- Angels SS -- AZL Angels (Rookie League)
91. Angeddy Almanzar -- Giants 1B -- AZL Giants (Rookie League)
90. Tito Polo -- White Sox OF -- Birmingham (Double-A)
89. Johampher Arrendoll -- Rays OF -- DSL Rays 2 (Rookie League)
88. Carfred Espana -- Yankees RHP -- DSL Yankees (Rookie League)
87. Prelander Berroa -- Twins RHP -- DSL Twins (Rookie League)
86. Jonathan Lacroix -- Astros OF -- GCL Astros (Rookie League)
85. Janigson Villalobos -- Padres C -- AZL Padres 2 (Rookie League)
84. Boo Vazquez -- Marlins OF -- Jupiter (Class A Advanced)
83. Kit Scheetz -- Astros LHP -- Buies Creek (Class A Advanced)
82. Borinquen Mendez -- Yankees 2B -- GCL Yankees East (Rookie League)
81. Oddy Nunez -- Pirates LHP -- Bradenton (Class A Advanced)
80. Trey Hair -- Rays 2B -- Princeton (Rookie League)

Yeyker Caygua -- Rangers 2B -- DSL Rangers 2 (Rookie League)
78. M.T. Minacci -- Cubs RHP -- South Bend (Class A)
77. Tucupita Marcano -- Padres 2B -- DSL Padres (Rookie League)
76. Mikell Granberry -- Pirates 1B -- Bristol Pirates (Rookie League)
75. Ritzi Mendoza -- Red Sox RHP -- GCL Red Sox (Rookie League)
74. Jhombeyker Morales -- Mariners 2B -- Modesto (Class A Advanced)
73. Peterson Plaz -- Reds OF -- DSL Reds (Rookie League)
72. Durin O'Linger -- Red Sox RHP -- Lowell (Short Season Class A)
71. Damon Olds -- Royals RHP -- Idaho Falls (Rookie League)
70. Jagger Rusconi -- Red Sox 2B -- Greenville (Class A)

Meet Jagger Rusconi #MovesLikeJagger pic.twitter.com/HSeAlXX9Ae
— Lowell Spinners (@LowellSpinners) June 15, 2016

Bligh Madris -- Pirates OF -- Bradenton (Class A Advanced)
68. Dillon Drabble -- Royals RHP -- Idaho Falls (Rookie League)
67. Brock Dykxhoorn -- Astros RHP -- Corpus Christi (Double-A)

Gerrion Grim -- Orioles OF -- Delmarva (Class A)
65. Granger Studdard -- Red Sox OF -- Greenville (Class A)
64. Packy Naughton -- Reds LHP -- Billings (Rookie League)
63. Skye Bolt -- Athletics OF -- Midland (Double-A)
62. J.D. Hammer -- Phillies RHP -- Clearwater (Class A Advanced)
61. Kyle Garlick -- Dodgers OF -- Tulsa (Double-A)
60. Blake Pflughaupt -- Rays LHP -- Princeton (Rookie League)
59. Jay Flaa -- Orioles RHP --Bowie (Double-A)
58. Dalton Wheat -- Marlins OF -- Jupiter (Class A Advanced)
57. Kyle Goodbrand -- Rays RHP -- Princeton (Rookie League)
56. Paul Brands -- Pirates C -- Bristol (Rookie League)
55. Shea Spitzbarth -- Dodgers RHP -- Tulsa (Double-A)
54. Karch Kowalczyk -- Dodgers RHP -- Tulsa (Double-A)
53. Andre Scrubb -- Dodgers RHP -- Great Lakes (Class A)
52. Christian Turnipseed -- Orioles RHP -- Delmarva (Class A)
51. Blinger Perez -- Padres 1B -- AZL Padres 1 (Rookie League)
50. Kade Scivicque -- Braves C -- Gwinnett (Triple-A)

Jiandido Tromp -- Phillies OF -- Reading (Double-A)
48. Axel Andueza -- Diamondbacks C -- DSL Diamondbacks (Rookie League)
47. Caden Lemons -- Brewers RHP -- AZL Brewers (Rookie League)
46. Kevin Santa --Mariners SS -- Modesto (Class A Advanced)
45. Raysheandall Michel -- Braves OF -- Danville (Rookie League)
44. Zach Pop -- Dodgers RHP -- Great Lakes (Class A)

Chuck Taylor -- Mariners OF -- Arkansas (Double-A)
42. Dalton Geekie -- Braves RHP -- Rome (Class A)
41. Blake Drake -- Cardinals OF -- Palm Beach (Class-A Advanced)
40. Artemis Kadkhodaian -- Angels 2B -- Burlington (Class A)
39. Leisxonyer Rivero -- Orioles 2B -- DSL Orioles (Rookie League)
38. Alfredo Colorado -- Cubs RHP -- AZL Cubs (Rookie League)
37. Dustin Hurlbutt -- Athletics RHP -- Midland (Double-A)
36. Robbie Hitt -- Brewers RHP -- Helena (Rookie League)
35. Aldrem Corredor -- Nationals 1B -- Hagerstown (Class A)
34. Joantgel Segovia -- Brewers OF -- Wisconsin (Class A)
33. Cullen Large -- Blue Jays 2B -- Lansing (Class A)
32. Trey Cabbage -- Twins OF -- Cedar Rapids (Class A)

#MNTwins LF, 1B, 3B prospect Trey Cabbage (@treycabz). pic.twitter.com/nWnS5I8xi4
— Seth Stohs (@SethTweets) March 28, 2018

Austin Bizzle -- Twins RHP -- GCL Twins (Rookie League)
30. Boomer Biegalski -- Athletics RHP -- Stockton (Class A Advanced)
29. Josh Advocate -- Rangers RHP -- Hickory (Class A)
28. Xavier Javier -- Tigers RHP -- GCL Tigers (Rookie League)
27. Sherten Apostel -- Pirates 3B -- DSL Pirates (Rookie League)
26. Cutter Dyals -- Braves RHP -- Danville (Rookie League)
25. Kutter Crawford -- Red Sox RHP -- GCL Red Sox (Rookie League)
24. Darling Cuesto -- Twins C -- DSL Twins (Rookie League)
23. Yeffersson Yannuzzi -- Indians LHP -- DSL Indians (Rookie League)
22. West Tunnell -- Diamondbacks LHP -- AZL Diamondbacks (Rookie League)

T4: West Tunnell ties it up with a 2-out solo HOMER! BU 2, UT 2. #SlugWest #SicUT pic.twitter.com/JecursPzeE
— Baylor Baseball (@BaylorBaseball) May 21, 2016

Steel Russell -- Orioles C -- Bowie (Double-A)
20. Darren Shred -- Reds RHP -- AZL Reds (Rookie League)
19. J.D. Murders -- Cardinals 2B -- Johnson City (Rookie League)
18. Obie Ricumstrict -- Rangers 3B -- AZL Rangers (Rookie League)
17. Miguel Flames -- Yankees 1B -- GCL Yankees (Rookie League)
16. Franklin Van Gurp -- Giants RHP -- Augusta (Class A)
15. Locke St. John -- Rangers LHP -- Down East (Class A Advanced)
14. Phoenix Sanders -- Rays RHP -- Bowling Green (Class A)
13. Walking Cabrera -- Rockies OF -- DSL Rockies (Rookie League)
12. Preston Grand Pre -- Dodgers SS -- AZL Dodgers (Rookie League)

Jay Jabs -- Mets C -- Columbia (Class A)
10. Dash Winningham -- Mets 1B -- St. Lucie (Class A Advanced)
9. Maverik Buffo -- Blue Jays RHP -- Lansing (Class A Advanced)
8. Cannon Chadwick -- Mets RHP -- Columbia (Class A)
7. Santo Falcon -- Nationals OF -- GCL Nationals (Rookie League)
6. Cash Case -- Reds 2B -- AZL Reds (Rookie League)
5. Austin Glorius -- Red Sox RHP -- Salem (Class A Advanced)

Henry Henry -- Padres RHP -- Fort Wayne (Class A)
3. Janson Junk -- Yankees RHP -- GCL Yankees (Rookie League)
2. Sicnarf Loopstok -- Indians 1B -- Akron (Double-A)
1. Makesiondon Kelkboom -- Indians SS -- DSL Indians (Rookie League)

#Indians 16yr old SS prospect Makesiondon Kelkboom of Netherlands & cousin of Jurickson Profar currently playing in Dominican Summer League. pic.twitter.com/AmONFsA18Y
— Indians Prospective (@indiansPro) July 11, 2017