From The Iowa Meat Truck to Lil Slayyy, here are the best nicknames in the Minors

On Thursday, the Boston Red Sox promoted one of their top prospects, Jhostynxon Garcia, to the Majors for his big league debut. Garcia has developed into an impressive power hitter as MLB's No. 77 prospect, but he's really known for his nickname -- "The Password."

Thanks to the unique spelling of his first name, Garcia has one of the most indelible monikers in the sport. And with 120 full-season teams and more than 6,000 players, there's a whole world of funny, interesting and wacky nicknames for baseball fans to get to know and love.

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With that in mind, we're going to dive deep into the very best nicknames in all of the Minors, including the best moniker from each farm system.

A number of great nicknames for players have already been called up to the Majors this season -- "DJ Base Monkey" (Kyle Teel), "Big Sugar" (Zach Maxwell), "Comet" (Hyeseong Kim) and "La Muralla" (Edgar Quero), to name a few. But here's a look at the best players who are still in the Minors and may soon join "The Password" on baseball's biggest stage.

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AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST

Blue Jays
The Iowa Meat Truck: Peyton Williams, 1B, Double-A New Hampshire
Williams is a massive human at 6-foot-5, 255 pounds, and his nickname caught on when the Des Moines, Iowa, native arrived at the ballpark one day with a t-shirt for his neighbor's business that sells and delivers premium meats. Coaches loved it and convinced him to celebrate hits by pretending to honk a horn like a trucker.

Other notable nicknames:
Big Bird: Grant Rogers, RHP, Double-A New Hampshire
Piña: Yohendrick Pinango (TOR No. 7), OF, Triple-A Buffalo
Juice: Jacob Lojewski, SS, High-A Vancouver

Orioles
Lil Slayyy: Slater de Brun (No. 6), OF, Rookie-level FCL Orioles
The Orioles drafted de Brun 37th overall in July, and when he's not showing off his blazing speed, he's also a musician/music producer named Lil Slayyy. He taught himself how to make beats through YouTube tutorials and likes to write and sing country songs.

Other notable nicknames:
Sasquatch: Boston Bateman (No. 9), LHP, High-A Aberdeen
Animalito: Joshua Liranzo, 3B, Single-A Delmarva
Big Nasty: Keagan Gillies, RHP, Triple-A Norfolk
La Pampara: Wellington Aracena (No. 29), RHP, Single-A Delmarva

Rays
Harry Potter: Jadher Adeinamo (No. 24), INF, Double-A Montgomery
Adeinamo earned this wizarding nickname for two reasons. Not only is his defense so strong that people say he turns magic tricks in the infield, but he also has a forehead scar like The Boy Who Lived.

Other notable nicknames:
Homer Simpson: Will Simpson, 1B, Double-A Montgomery
Chop: Sean Hunley, RHP, Double-A Montgomery

Red Sox
The Username: Johanfran Garcia (No. 28), C, High-A Greenville
Johanfran's older brother, Jhostynxon, earned the indelible nickname "The Password" because of the unique spelling of his name, so it is only fitting that fans unlocked a similar nickname for the younger sibling.

Other notable nickname:
Sexy Red: Kristian Campbell, 2B, Triple-A Worcester

Yankees
Squid: Andrew Velazquez, SS, Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
The Bronx native had the nickname "Squez" in high school, based on his last name. By his second year of pro ball, that evolved to "Squid" because coaches said he played like he had 10 arms on defense.

AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL

Guardians
Tugboat: Matt Wilkinson, LHP, High-A Lake County
The 6-foot-1, 250-pound southpaw's iconic nickname dates back to when he was 12 and representing Team Canada at the Little League World Series. His dad's best friend, Phil McNeil, called him "Tugboat" because Wilkinson was running so slowly around the bases that the only comp was to a slow-moving craft designed to pull larger ships.

Other notable nicknames:
Lord Tubbington: Jace LaViolette (No. 8), OF, Rookie-level ACL Guardians
Big Christmas: Jhonkensy Noel, OF, Triple-A Columbus
El Protipo: Jose Pirela, OF, Single-A Lynchburg
La Maquina: Juan Brito (No. 15), 2B, Triple-A Columbus
Speedy: Esteban González, OF, High-A Lake County

Royals
El Gato: Carter Jensen (No. 2/MLB No. 70), C, Triple-A Omaha
Jensen got this nickname shortly after signing with the Royals as a 2021 third-rounder. While doing an infield/outfield drill, someone hit a ball right at Jensen's head, and he was able to duck out of the way before it hit him. A Spanish-speaking teammate yelled that he had "cat-like reflexes," and the nickname stuck.

Other notable nickname:
Bobby Barrels: Bobby Dalbec, 1B, Triple-A Omaha

Tigers
Spark: Max Clark (No. 2/MLB No. 9), OF, Double-A Erie
A classic leadoff hitter, Clark provides a spark atop the lineup, and he also really connected with Sparky Griswald from "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," which is set a few hours away from Clark's Indiana home. The 2023 first-rounder has plenty of gear with "Spark" on it, and the fact that it rhymes with his name doesn't hurt either.

Other notable nicknames:
El Animal: Thayron Liranzo (No. 5), C/1B, Double-A Erie
Scooter: Seth Stephenson, OF, Double-A Erie
Cha-Ching: Jack Penny, SS, High-A West Michigan
Pac-Man: Izaac Pacheco (No. 22), 3B, High-A West Michigan

Twins
Captain America: Walker Jenkins (No. 1/MLB No. 14), OF, Double-A Wichita
Twins legend Michael Cuddyer gave a teenage Jenkins this nickname when coaching him for USA Baseball, due to his leadership style and resemblance to the Marvel superhero. It was only fitting that "Captain America" set off some fireworks with a big performance this July 4. And in case you're wondering, "Captain America: The First Avenger" is his favorite Captain America movie.

Other notable nicknames:
El Gallo: Alejandro Hidalgo, RHP, Double-A Wichita
Brazo Fuerte: Sam Armstrong, RHP, Double-A Wichita
McCrusher: Carson McCusker, OF, Triple-A St. Paul

White Sox
The Siberian Sultan of Swat: Lyle Miller-Green, TWP, High-A Winston-Salem
Only five people born in Russia have ever played Major League Baseball, and Miller-Green, born in Tomsk and adopted by American parents, could be the next one. Like the original Sultan of Swat, Miller-Green pitched and hit early in his career, although he has exclusively hit so far in pro ball to date.

Other notable nicknames:
Baby Giraffe: Noah Schultz (No. 2/MLB No. 38), LHP, Triple-A Charlotte
The Captain: Tim Elko, 1B, Triple-A Charlotte
The Chicken Man: Jack Young, RHP, High-A Winston-Salem

AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST

Angels
El Caballo, Alexander Ramirez, OF, Triple-A Salt Lake
Three-time All-Star Carlos Lee may be most famous for this nickname, which is Spanish for "The Horse," but the 6-foot-2, 237-pound Dominican native also earned the moniker for his strength.

Astros
General: Jacob Hurtubise, OF, Triple-A Sugar Land
Hurtubise is only the second West Point graduate to play Major League Baseball, so it's no surprise that his nickname has a connection to his military service. Less common, but he's also gotten the nicknames "Lieutenant," "Lt." and "Captain," although he will officially attain the rank of Second Lieutenant when he's done playing baseball professionally and enters the armed forces.

Other notable nickname:
G-Wagon: Garret Guillemette, C/1B, Double-A Corpus Christi

Athletics
El Mutante: Leo De Vries (No. 1/MLB No. 3), SS, Double-A Midland
Similar to Yankees rookie Jasson "The Martian" Domínguez, this bonus baby got his nickname for his out-of-this-world talent. De Vries even has an "El Mutante" chain that he wears during games.

Other notable nicknames:
Tommy Tanks: Tommy White (No. 9), 3B, Double-A Midland
Kevin Hart: Carlos Pacheco (No. 23), OF, High-A Lansing

Mariners
La Bestia, Yorger Bautista (No. 11), OF, Rookie-level DSL Mariners
Bautista got this nickname, which is Spanish for "The Beast," well before signing at age 16. The Venezuelan native was a pitcher until 2020, when his trainer asked him if he wanted to try hitting. The ball rocketed off his bat, and the trainer said he hit that ball "like a beast." Thus, one of the best nicknames in the Minors was born.

Other notable nicknames:
The Fenix, Felnin Celesten (No. 9/MLB No. 95), SS, High-A Everett
The Ice Cream Man: Hagen Danner, RHP, Triple-A Tacoma
The Laser: Lazaro Montes (No. 3/MLB No. 29), OF, Double-A Arkansas

Rangers
The Wolf, Jose Corniell (No. 3), RHP, Double-A Frisco
The Dominican right-hander earned this nickname because, like a wolf, he silently attacks his prey when pitching on the mound.

Other notable nicknames:
La Chispa: Esteban Mejia, 3B, Single-A Hickory
The Buffalo: Arturo Disla, 1B, High-A Hub City
Lightning: Dylan MacLean, LHP, High-A Hub City
The Slanga: Carl Edwards Jr., RHP, Triple-A Round Rock

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NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST

Braves
Silent Assassin: Didier Fuentes (No. 9), RHP, Triple-A Gwinnett
Braves coach Terry Pendleton gave Fuentes the nickname "Silent Assassin" -- or "Asesino Silencioso" in Spanish, if you prefer -- because he's discreet and keeps his work on the down low, preferring to show it in the results when he's on the mound.

Other notable nicknames:
Big Maple: David McCabe, 3B, Triple-A Gwinnett
Junebug: JR Ritchie (No. 2), RHP, Triple-A Gwinnett
Lightning: Jake McSteen, LHP, Double-A Columbus
F1: Cedric De Grandpre, RHP, High-A Rome

Marlins
El Animal: Deyvison De Los Santos (No. 24), 1B/3B, Triple-A Jacksonville
De Los Santos recalls that he got the nickname as a child because his dad said that he looked like his favorite animal, a gorilla. Once chubby, De Los Santos is now big and strong and is living up to the "El Animal" nickname.

Other notable nicknames:
The Hornet: Dale Stanavich, LHP, Triple-A Jacksonville
The Ekness Monster: Josh Ekness (No. 21), RHP, Double-A Pensacola

Mets
The Canadian Cannon: Jonah Tong (No. 4/MLB No. 44), RHP, Triple-A Syracuse
This nickname is brand new, courtesy of the Binghamton Baseball Booster Club, which even created a t-shirt for the native of Markham, Ontario, who touches 98 mph with his fastball.

Other notable nicknames:
The Professor: Cristofer Gomez, RHP, High-A Brooklyn
Mosquito: Yonny Hernández, SS, Triple-A Syracuse
Coffee: Irving Cota, RHP, Single-A St. Lucie

Nationals
The Grinch, Maxwell Romero Jr., C, Double-A Harrisburg
When he was a teenager, Maxwell's sister wanted to get up early for Christmas, while he just wanted to sleep in. His mom would jokingly call him a Grinch and even gave him Grinch-themed pajamas and outfits. To this day, he uses a lot of green gear, including a Grinch bat and belt. His favorite movie version? That would be 2000's "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" starring Jim Carrey.

Other notable nicknames:
El Huracán: Jarlin Susana (No. 3/MLB No. 72), RHP, Double-A Harrisburg
Lil Bop: Delino DeShields, OF, Double-A Harrisburg
Clembot: Alex Clemmey (No. 5), LHP, Double-A Harrisburg
Shampoo: Sean Paul Liñan (No. 15), RHP, High-A Wilmington

Phillies
Bakeshow: Andrew Baker, RHP, Double-A Reading
This moniker is a play on his last name, and he uses it as his Instagram handle. No word yet on whether his sponge cake recipe would impress Paul Hollywood.

NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL

Brewers
The Large Mammal: Nick Merkel, RHP, Double-A Biloxi
No doubt about it: Merkel is a large mammal at 6-foot-7, 255 pounds on the mound. When he was a freshman at Spokane Community College, an announcer called him that during the Northwest Athletic Conference Tournament, and he loved the generic description. So much so that it's inked on him permanently as a tattoo and stitched onto his glove.

Other notable nicknames:
El Espectáculo: Ernesto Martinez Jr., 1B, Triple-A Nashville
The Sushi: Jesús Liranzo, RHP, Triple-A Nashville
El Oso or Aquaman: Jorge Alfaro, C, Triple-A Nashville
Tampa T: Tayden Hall, C, High-A Wisconsin

Cardinals
Tink: Tink Hence (No. 12), RHP, Double-A Springfield
Hence's nickname is so iconic that it's just what he goes by, rather than his given name of Markevian. The moniker dates back to when he was a child and his mom called him "Stinker," which evolved into "Tinker" and then "Tink."

Cubs
The Jaguar: Kevin Alcántara (No. 5), OF, Triple-A Iowa
Alcántara always wanted a unique nickname and was happy when he and his teammates landed on "The Jaguar" at Single-A Myrtle Beach. He's known for his power and speed and says he's "always ready against my prey."

Pirates
Bam Bam Cam: Cam Devanney, SS, Triple-A Indianapolis
Devanney's nickname comes from his time when he played for Triple-A Omaha earlier this season prior to being traded to the Pirates organization. One of the Storm Chasers' superfans got the crowd to chant "Bam Bam Cam" whenever he came to the plate.

Other notable nicknames:
Slammin’ Sammy Siani: Sammy Siani, OF, Triple-A Indianapolis
Jumbo: Hung-Leng Chang, RHP, High-A Greensboro

Reds
Big Papa: Ruben Ibarra, 1B, Double-A Chattanooga
Ibarra first got the nickname on his middle school basketball team, and the name has stuck since. Now 6-foot-3, 290 pounds, he uses The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Big Poppa" as his walkup song but uses a different spelling so as not to copy him.

Other notable nicknames:
Cookie: Victor Acosta, SS, High-A Dayton

NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST

D-backs
The Hispanic Titanic: Ivan Melendez, 1B, Triple-A Reno
Melendez has also gotten the nickname "The Big Texan" for his massive frame, but nothing has stuck quite like "The Hispanic Titanic." Texas Longhorns assistant coach Philip Miller bestowed the nickname upon Melendez in his first semester at UT, and it only took off from there. After every, well, titanic home run he hit, "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion was played at the ballpark and fans posed like Rose and Jack at the front of the ship.

Other notable nicknames:
El Toro: Yassel Soler (No. 24), 3B, Single-A Visalia
The Rocket: Caleb Roberts, OF, Double-A Amarillo
Blade: LuJames Groover (No. 11), INF, Double-A Amarillo

Dodgers
Tibu, José Rodríguez, RHP, Triple-A Oklahoma City
Rodríguez and his brothers inherited the nickname "Tibu," which is short for "Tiburon," the Spanish word for shark, from their father. The original nickname came from when he played baseball in Mexico because his nose looks like the fin of a shark. The whole family embraces being sharks; José got a massive shark tattoo on his left forearm in 2023 and walks out to the song "El Rey Tiburón" by Maná.

Other notable nicknames:
Jimmy Three Sticks: James Tibbs III (No. 8), OF, Double-A Tulsa

Giants
El Cirujano: Brayan Palencia, RHP, High-A Eugene
Teammates and the coaching staff gave him the nickname, which translates to "The Surgeon" in Spanish, when he was carving up batters efficiently in the closer role during the 2021 Dominican Summer League season.

Other notable nicknames:
El Pollo: Diego Velasquez (No. 24), 2B, Double-A Richmond

Padres
Kraken: José Geraldo, RHP, Double-A San Antonio
Geraldo is nicknamed after the many-tentacled sea monster of legend that is often depicted sinking ships. When the right-hander came in to pitch in the Dominican Summer League, one of his coaches, Edinson Rincon, always yelled "release the Kraken," just like from the movie "Clash of the Titans."

Rockies
The Postman: Jared Thomas (No. 8), OF, Double-A Hartford
Similar to Basketball Hall of Famer Karl "The Mailman" Malone, Thomas got the nickname from High-A Spokane hitting coach Trevor Burmeister because he's always delivering the barrel at the plate.

Other notable nicknames:
Charlie Muscle: Charlie Condon (No. 2/MLB No. 60), 1B/OF, Double-A Hartford
Kestdaddy: Keston Hiura, 1B, Triple-A Albuquerque
La Carne: Welinton Herrera (No. 21), LHP, Double-A Hartford
Little Kidney: Tommy Hopfe, 1B, High-A Spokane
Big Cat: Everett Catlett, LHP, High-A Everett