MLB Prospect Stock Watch: 15 Prospects Who Are Spring's Fastest Risers, Fallers

There's no question about it. One of the best parts about MLB spring training is watching the stars of the future play against the big names of the present. The spring schedule presents the game's top prospects with the opportunity to make a first impression—for better or for worse.

This month, some have been torching the spring circuit, while others, such as Rusney Castillo of the Boston Red Sox, haven't performed according to plan.

From the biggest risers to the biggest fallers, what follows is a rundown of the 15 prospects whose stock has either gone way up or taken a major dive.

Riser: Corey Seager, SS, Los Angeles Dodgers

The Breakdown

Wherever he's played, Corey Seager has always raked.

This spring, the 20-year-old more than held his own at the plate, as he checked in with a .333 average (4-for-12) before getting sent to minor league camp. The most promising aspect of Seager's spring wasn't what he did with his bat, but the impact he had with his glove. 

At 6'4", the prevailing opinion has been that Seager is destined for third base. His play is beginning to change that narrative.

“My personal opinion is he’s starting to show he’s special,” said a National League scout, per Pedro Moura of the Orange Country Register. “This guy’s starting to look like he can stick at shortstop. I think he has a pretty good chance to stay.”

With a career .921 OPS in three seasons in the minors, Seager could become an offensive force at one of the premier defensive positions on the diamond.

Faller: Steven Moya, OF, Detroit Tigers

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

The Breakdown

As James Schmehl of MLive.com explains, the Detroit Tigers planned to have Steven Moya start the season in the minors even before spring training began. The 23-year-old's Grapefruit League showing certainly hasn't done any thing to chance the brain trust's mind.

Last year, the right-handed hitter clubbed 35 home runs in Double-A. This spring, he's hitting .125 (4-for-32) with 12 strikeouts and zero walks. As Moya has found out firsthand, it's a really big jump from Double-A to the majors.

Riser: Micah Johnson, 2B, Chicago White Sox

The Breakdown

Micah Johnson is playing his way into the Opening Day lineup as the Chicago White Sox's starting second baseman.

"Looks like a dude on a mission in camp right now," said one American League scout, per Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com. "Playing well and been causing a ruckus all over with his speed."

While Johnson's wheels have been generating buzz, his bat has made some noise, too. So far, the 24-year-old left-handed hitter owns a .455 average (15-for-33) in spring action. It's a small sample size, but Johnson is nonetheless doing everything he can to push his way into the White Sox's plans.

Faller: Dilson Herrera, 2B, New York Mets

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

The Breakdown

Dilson Herrera collected just a single hit in his stint in the New York Mets' big league camp. The second baseman was 1-for-17 (.059) in eight Grapefruit League contests. That's not the stat line that any player would hope for, but it's worth noting that Herrera only turned 21 at the beginning of March.

For now, the prospect isn't a factor at the major league level. Per Marc Craig of Newsday, Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy is in danger of missing Opening Day courtesy of a hamstring issue. Herrera has already been sent to the minors, and the team is instead expected to have Matt Reynolds and Daniel Muno compete for playing time.

Riser: Jacob Lindgren, RP, New York Yankees

The Breakdown

Jacob Lindgren has been on the fast track since the day he was drafted.

The New York Yankees snagged the lefty in the second round last June, and he ended the summer in Double-A. In the process, the reliever piled up an absurd 17.5 K/9 ratio in 24.2 innings of work across four levels.

It's been more of the same this spring, as Lindgren has nine K's in 5.1 frames and has yet to allow a run. The 22-year-old has never thrown a pitch in Triple-A, which makes the top rung of the minor league ladder a logical jumping-off point for Lindgren at the start of 2015. The way he's been dealing this spring, it's only a matter of time before he lands in the Bronx.

Faller: Jose Peraza, 2B, Atlanta Braves

Carlos Osorio/Associated Press

The Breakdown

Just 20 years old, the odds were always against Jose Peraza in his bid to crack the Atlanta Braves' Opening Day roster.

That bid was officially ended on March 16 when the Braves optioned the second baseman to Triple-A. Last season, Peraza battered the minor leagues, as he posted a .339 average while splitting the campaign between High-A and Double-A. The Grapefruit League proved to be a far more challenging test, as the right-handed batter collected one hit in nine games.

Riser: Kyle Schwarber, C, Chicago Cubs

The Breakdown

Kyle Schwarber made his mark in his first big league camp.

On March 5, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2014 MLB draft tomahawked a grand slam into the seats beyond the wall in right field at Scottsdale Stadium, the spring home of the San Francisco Giants.

Impressive displays of power are nothing new for the 22-year-old. Last summer, Schwarber went yard 18 times in 72 contests and also totaled 18 doubles and two triples.

Schwarber, who has logged time in the outfield and at catcher, also impressed with his work behind the plate. ESPN baseball analyst Rick Sutcliffe explained that catching appears to be in the prospect's future.

“He’s going to catch,” said Sutcliffe, per Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com. “The most important thing to me is to find a guy behind the plate that cares. There’s no one in camp that cares more about helping his pitcher get deep into a game than Kyle Schwarber.”

That's a ringing endorsement from the former big leaguer, but it is worth noting that Sutcliffe is also employed by the Cubs as a spring training instructor.

Faller: Rusney Castillo, CF, Boston Red Sox

The Breakdown

To be fair, Rusney Castillo hasn't exactly fallen. The reality is that Mookie Betts, his chief competition in the center field derby, has just been off-the-charts good.

Per Ricky Doyle of NESN, Betts is on track to begin the season patrolling center field at Fenway Park, while Castillo will continue to refine his game in Triple-A. Simply put, the spring just hasn't gone to plan for the Cuban. Thanks to an oblique injury, Castillo has only appeared in two games.

Riser: Kris Bryant, 3B, Chicago Cubs

The Breakdown

There's just no way to write about the biggest "risers" of the spring and not mention Kris Bryant.

Even if you've been living under a rock, you've heard the stories about the Chicago Cubs' third baseman of the future who is simply dismantling the Cactus League.

The 23-year-old has hit eight bombs, which is the most of any player in baseball. Toronto Blue Jays starter Marcus Stroman summed up Bryant's crazy spring with a single tweet: "My man @KrisBryant_23 out here crushing pitchers feelings on a day-to-day basis. Lol #savage[.]"

Faller: Javier Baez, 2B, Chicago Cubs

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

The Breakdown

The spring hasn't been nearly as kind to fellow Chicago Cubs super prospect Javier Baez.

The Puerto Rican just can't stop swinging and missing. Through his first 12 spring games, Baez has punched out 13 times. He's also hitting just .135 (5-for-37).

As manager Joe Maddon explained, per Patrick Mooney of CSNChicago.com, the 22-year-old probably shouldn't rent his apartment near Wrigley Field just yet: “Of course, there’s a chance he doesn’t make the team. There’s no lock in regard to that. I talked about the entitlement program. It doesn’t exist. Everything has to be earned.”

If the Cubs decide to jettison Baez to Triple-A, Tommy La Stella and Arismendy Alcantara would be leading contenders to step in at the keystone.

Riser: Miguel Castro, RP, Toronto Blue Jays

The Breakdown

Strong spring stats are nice. A 99 mph fastball is even better. But praise from a three-time All-Star is the best. Miguel Castro, the Toronto Blue Jays' 20-year-old phenom, checks all three of those boxes.

“It’s just his demeanor on the mound, the way he handles himself,” said Russell Martin when asked by Mike Rutsey of the Toronto Sun what the best part of Castro's game is. “He seems like a vet. It doesn’t seem like he’s nervous out there, at all.”

Castro ended the 2014 season as a starter in High-A. The way he's been throwing this spring, the right-hander might just be ready to relieve in the big leagues in 2015.

Faller: Archie Bradley, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks

The Breakdown

Still just 22 years old, it seems like Archie Bradley has been a top prospect forever.

The right-hander is headed back to Triple-A to start the 2015 season, per Zach Buchanan of AZCental.com. Even though the Arizona Diamondbacks' big league rotation is a mess and Bradley posted a 2.38 ERA in four spring outings, the club's brain trust thinks there's work to be done.

When Buchanan asked GM Dave Stewart about Bradley's standing in the organizational hierarchy, the exec offered a blunt assessment: "Archie, in my opinion, is not ready."

Bradley's first step in proving his boss wrong is to stay healthy. Last summer, an elbow issue limited him to 18 starts.

Riser: Joc Pederson, CF, Los Angeles Dodgers

The Breakdown

It seems like Joc Pederson really wants to be the Los Angeles Dodgers' Opening Day center fielder.

The 22-year-old is battling for that job with Andre Ethier, who's having a strong spring himself. In 13 games, the veteran checks in with a .303 average (10-for-33). Pederson has been even better, connecting on four doubles and three home runs while swinging at a clip of .436 (17-for-39).

For now, the race is too close for manager Don Mattingly to announce the starter in center, per Mike Bauman of MLB.com.

Faller: Hunter Strickland, RP, San Francisco Giants

Matt Slocum/Associated Press

The Breakdown

It's been hit or miss this spring for Hunter Strickland.

The right-hander reliever has turned in scoreless outings five of the eight times he's pitched, but he still owns an 8.59 ERA. As was the case last October, when Strickland is off, he's really off. The 26-year-old has given up three earned runs on two separate occasions and has also served up a couple of home runs. For a pitcher hoping to earn a bullpen spot, consistency is the key. Right now, Strickland is far from consistent.

Riser: Brandon Drury, 3B, Arizona Diamondbacks

The Breakdown

Brandon Drury is proving to be a good problem for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The 22-year-old has been locked in this spring, connecting on three doubles, three home runs and posting a .435 average (10-for-23). Manager Chip Hale told Jules Tompkins of Arizona Sports that Drury is still in the mix at third base and second: "He's making things very difficult."

The D-backs have no lack of options at those spots, as Yasmany Tomas and Jake Lamb are angling for time at the hot corner and Aaron Hill is the incumbent at second.

Note: All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and MLB.com. All videos courtesy of MLB.com.

If you want to talk baseball, find me on Twitter @KarlBuscheck.