10 MLB Prospects Who Will Get the Summer Call-Up

The highly-anticipated debut of Washington Nationals phenom Bryce Harper last weekend against the Los Angeles Dodgers created quite a buzz in MLB circles. As the season progress, it is expected other highly-touted prospects will make their anticipated debuts for their parent clubs.

Here are 10 MLB prospects who should get the call this summer.

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1. Chicago Cubs: Anthony Rizzo

It has been a long and winding road for Chicago Cubs prospect Anthony Rizzo.

The 22-year-old first baseman has been through a lot during his four-year professional career. Rizzo was drafted out of high school in 2007 by the Boston Red Sox. His first season of professional ball was overshadowed by a personal struggle with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. He played in 21 games for the Greenville Drive of the South Atlantic League, where he batted a respectable .373 BA. 

Rizzo overcame the cancer and put up strong numbers in the minors for the Red Sox. His best season would come in 2010 for combined Single- and Double-A, where he hit 25 HR and 100 RBI. This strong season would garnish the attention of then-Padres GM Jed Hoyer.

Rizzo, along with Casey Kelly, Reymond Fuentes and Eric Patterson, was sent the following offseason from Boston to San Diego for Adrian Gonzalez.

Rizzo would spend most of 2011 with Triple-A Tucson, but had two brief stints with the Padres where he struggled with a .141 BA. When Hoyer accepted the GM job with the Cubs this past offseason, he orchestrated a trade with his former employer to bring Rizzo to the North Side.

The future is still bright for Rizzo, as he is currently playing for Cubs' Triple-A affiliate. He is tearing up the Pacific Coast League with .384 BA, 7 HR, 23 RBI. 

2. Texas Rangers: Jurickson Profar

The Little League World Series has been the birthplace of many future sports stars. Players like former NHL Stanley Cup champion Chris Drury and Minnesota Twins third baseman Sean Burroughs have had their moments in the limelight at Lamade Stadium.

Jurickson Profar is hoping the be the next Little League World Series alum to make it to the big leagues.

Profar, who is a native of Curacao, is considered by some to be a can't-miss prospect for the Texas Rangers. The 19-year-old put up respectable numbers in 2011 (.286 BA, 12 HR, 65 RBIs) for the Hickory Crawdads of the South Atlantic League.

He was promoted to the Frisco Rough Riders of the Double-A Texas League, where he currently sports a .253 BA.  

Chances are good that Profar will get the call to the majors sometime in 2012. Rangers brass will have  to determine how to incorporate him into an talented middle infield with incumbents Elvis Andrus and Ian Kinsler.

3. St. Louis Cardinals: Shelby Miller

The big story this spring for the St. Louis Cardinals was figuring out who would fill the void in the starting rotation for the injured Chris Carpenter.

There were even some discussions about bringing in a free agent such as Roy Oswalt. It seems, however, the Cardinals will be standing pat until Carpenter returns from the disabled list sometime in June.

Could Shelby Miller be an option if Carpenter suffers a setback?

Miller is currently pitching for the Cardinals' Triple-A Memphis affiliate. He has had a so-so season to this point, with a 3-2 record and 5.09 ERA.

He has given up an alarming amount of home runs—five in 23 innings pitched. Those numbers will have to improve if he has a chance at a summer call-up with the big club.

4. Arizona Diamondbacks: Trevor Bauer

It's about a 30-minute trek down the 405 from Trevor Bauer's birthplace in North Hollywood to the UCLA campus in Westwood. It would be here where Bauer would solidify himself as one of the strongest pitching prospects in the nation.

Bauer would compile a 34-8 record with a 2.36 ERA during his three-year career with the Bruins. He posted his strongest season by far in 2011, where his 13-2 record earned him Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year and the prestigious Golden Spikes Award. The award is handed our yearly by USA Baseball to recognize the top amateur baseball player in the country.

Bauer was drafted third overall by the Arizona Diamondacks in 2011 amateur draft. There is a good chance Bauer could see some action with the big club this season.

He is currently pitching for the Diamondbacks' Double-A affiliate Mobile BayBears of the Southern League. He has posted a strong 5-0 record with a 1.26 ERA so far this season. 

5. Baltimore Orioles: Dylan Bundy

It's safe to say Dylan Bundy would rather not be associated with the fictional shoe salesman from the 1990s sitcom Married With Children who shares the same surname. The 19-year-old pitcher has far exceeded Al's exploits as a high school football star and is on his way to major league stardom.

Bundy was selected fourth by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2011 amateur baseball draft. He is currently pitching for the Orioles' Single-A affiliate, the Delmarva Shorebirds of the South Atlantic League.

If you were going to sum up Bundy's performance to this point in one word, you would have to say it's been...impressive. He has yet to allow an earned run in 17 innings of work.

If he keeps up these impressive numbers, it will only be a matter of time until he makes his first appearance for the Orioles at Camden Yards.

6. Baltimore Orioles: Manny Machado

The Baltimore Orioles have been in a prolonged state of hibernation since the late 1990s. However, things are starting to look up for the Birds, as they posted a 14-9 record in the month of April.

The Orioles are already receiving contributions from young stars such as Matt Wieters, Nolan Reimold and Chris Davis on the major league level. Prized pitching prospect Dylan Bundy should be called up to the majors soon and some believe Manny Machado could have all tools to be the next Alex Rodriguez.

Machado was chosen third by the Orioles in the 2010 amateur draft. He has drawn comparisons to Rodriguez because he is from Miami and exhibits many of the same physical traits. Machado compiled a stellar senior season at Brito Miami Private School, where he batted .639 with 12 HR and 68 RBI in 29 games.

He is currently playing for the Bowie Baysox of the Double-A Eastern League. Machado is batting .241 with 2 HR and 10 RBI. Look for potential call-up later this season.

7. Seattle Mariners: Danny Hultzen

The Seattle Mariners have had their share of pitching aces over the years. Of course, there was the "Big Unit" Randy Johnson, Freddy Garcia for some time and in recent years, "King" Felix Hernandez.

There could be another ace added soon to the Mariners' pitching fray by the name of Danny Hultzen.

Hultzen was originally drafted out of high school in 2010 by the Arizona Diamondbacks, but passed on the chance to sign, choosing instead to enroll at the University of Virginia. He would put together strong freshman and sophomore campaigns as a Cavalier, earning him several honors including ACC Pitcher of the Year.

The second time would prove to be a charm for Hultzen, as he was chosen second by the Mariners in the 2011 amateur draft.

Hultzen is currently pitching for the Mariners' Double-A affiliate Jackson Generals of the Southern League. He has a 2-2 record with a 2.05 ERA. Expect Hultzen to get a call-up soon as the Mariners continue to rebuild.

8. Kansas City Royals: Mike Montgomery

Will Mike Montgomery make his first major league appearance this season for the Kansas City Royals?

There is a good chance.

The Royals are in need of pitching and it seems the slow maturation process is about to come to an end for Montgomery. Drafted by the Royals (first round, 36th overall) in the 2008 amateur draft, the young southpaw has made the slow ascent from the Arizona Royals in the rookie league to Omaha of the Pacific Coast League.

Montgomery has posted a 2-0 record with a 4.55 ERA for Omaha so far in 2012. The parent club has stumbled out of the gate with a 6-15 record. With a rotation with the likes of Bruce Chen and Luke Hochevar, a call-up could be coming soon.

9. Chicago Cubs: Brett Jackson

There is a good chance Brett Jackson will soon be patrolling center field at the friendly confines of Wrigley Field. The recent trade of Marlon Byrd to the Boston Red Sox has made the prospect of this happening much more feasible.

The University of California, Berkeley product was selected in the first round (31st overall) by the Chicago Cubs in the 2009 amateur draft. He is currently playing for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs of the Pacific Coast League.

If he can improve on his .236 batting average, there is a good chance the Cubs will give him a shot before the end of the season.

10. Boston Red Sox: Will Middlebrooks

One of the most recognizable faces of the Boston Red Sox during their championship years has been Kevin Youkilis. As his career with the Red Sox enters its final chapters, there is a new face who could be there when the torch is passed.

Will Middlebrooks is the likely candidate to replace Youkilis at third base when the popular Red Sox moves on from the team. There are some who believe that Middlebrooks may be brought up sometime this season to split time at third base with Youkilis.

He is currently at Triple-A Pawtucket, where he is batting .348 with 9 HR and 27 RBI. If he continues to produce as he has, there is a good chance Middlebrooks will be with the club by the All-Star break.