Top MLB Prospect Call-Up Radar Report, Week 4
There have already been a handful of notable prospects promoted to the major league level since Opening Day.
Catchers Kevin Plawecki, Andrew Susac and J.T. Realmuto have all gotten the call, along with big-time offseason signing Yasmany Tomas and Chicago Cubs uber-prospects Addison Russell and Kris Bryant.
On the pitching side of things, Michael Lorenzen and Tim Cooney will replace the injured Homer Bailey and Adam Wainwright in their respective rotations, while Carlos Rodon and Brandon Finnegan find themselves pitching out of the bullpen at least for the time being.
So, who will be the next high-profile prospect to reach the major leagues?
In order to predict estimated time of arrivals in the majors this season, we've classified prospects using the following scale:
Red: September call-up at best
Orange: Second-half call-up
Yellow: Call-up within a month
Green: Call-up within a week/call-up is imminent
SP Mark Appel, Houston Astros
1 of 10
2015 Stats (Double-A): 4 GS, 2-0, 4.00 ERA, 1.167 WHIP, 4 BB, 11 K, 18.0 IP
Player Overview
Expected to rise quickly to the majors after being taken out of Stanford with the No. 1 pick in the 2013 draft, right-hander Mark Appel instead ran into some problems in his first full professional season.
Opening the season at the High-A level, Appel struggled mightily, posting a 9.74 ERA and 1.917 WHIP over 12 starts. However, that did not stop the team from promoting him to Double-A, where he was actually significantly better with a 3.69 ERA and 1.231 WHIP in 39 innings of work.
That was followed by a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League, where the 23-year-old had a 2.61 ERA and 0.839 WHIP in seven starts and he opened the season as the No. 31 prospect in baseball, according to Baseball America.
Appel was terrific through his first three starts in Double-A to begin this season, going 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA, but he was shelled for seven hits and six runs (five earned) over four innings his last time out.
Radar: Orange
The Houston Astros are off to a surprisingly good start this season, and an improved pitching staff is a big reason why.
Dallas Keuchel, Collin McHugh, Scott Feldman and Roberto Hernandez have all pitched well in the rotation to this point, but there is a spot currently open after Asher Wojciechowski was optioned to the minors earlier this week.
That said, guys such as Dan Straily, Jake Buchanan and Samuel Deduno would all probably get the nod before Appel at this point, and Brett Oberholtzer will also be an option once he gets healthy.
Expect Appel to debut in 2015, but there's no rush.
SS Carlos Correa, Houston Astros
2 of 10
2015 Stats (Double-A): 75 AB, .387/.452/.760, 11 2B, 5 HR, 22 RBI, 18 R, 4 SB
Player Overview
The Houston Astros used the No. 1 pick in the 2012 draft to select high school shortstop Carlos Correa, and he remains a centerpiece of the team's long-term plans.
Correa hit .320/.405/.467 with 45 extra-base hits and 10 stolen bases during his first full professional season at the Single-A level in 2013.
He was putting up similarly impressive numbers last season, when a broken fibula abruptly ended his season in June, but he's back healthy now and annihilating Double-A pitching.
Radar: Yellow
Veteran shortstop Jed Lowrie suffered a torn ligament in his right thumb earlier this week that is expected to sideline him until after the All-Star break, and that could open the door for Correa.
Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle spoke to Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow about Correa following the Lowrie injury:
"He’s definitely a special player, so his time will come faster than it would for other guys. But having —he’s got 70 at-bats above Class A, and we feel like he needs some more. But how many more, I don’t know. And it’ll be a different number for him than it would be for someone else.
"
SS Francisco Lindor, Cleveland Indians
3 of 10
2015 Stats (Triple-A): 70 AB, .286/.367/.400, 3 2B, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 8 R, 6 SB
Player Overview
Francisco Lindor has been viewed as the shortstop of the future in Cleveland since being taken with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2011 draft.
His defense has always been Gold Glove-caliber, but his offensive game has rounded into form nicely. Last season he hit .276/.338/.389 with 31 extra-base hits and 28 stolen bases, while splitting the year between Double-A and Triple-A.
The 2015 season has long been pegged as the most likely ETA for Lindor, as that was the year incumbent Asdrubal Cabrera would be gone in free agency, but the team decided early-on that it would be Jose Ramirez who begins the season manning the shortstop position.
Radar: Orange
Ramirez earned a crack at the job with solid numbers last season, but he's hitting just .175/.221/.238 in his first 63 at-bats to begin the season, and his defense has left something to be desired as well.
Despite those struggles, and a somewhat disappointing start from the Indians as a whole, a Lindor call-up does not appear to be imminent.
Indians GM Chris Antonetti talked with Ben Reiter of Sports Illustrated about what Lindor needed to improve on to get the call:
"There’s a litany of things. Rather than getting into the specifics of those, because it’s something that’s really between the player and us, I can tell you that Francisco is committed to the plan and has worked extraordinarily hard to continue to improve and get better as a player.
"
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SP Aaron Nola, Philadelphia Phillies
4 of 10
2015 Stats (Double-A): 4 GS, 2-2, 2.55 ERA, 0.892 WHIP, 2 BB, 18 K, 24.2 IP
Player Overview
Viewed by some as the most big league-ready college arm in last year's draft, Aaron Nola was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies out of LSU with the No. 7 overall pick.
Nola went straight to High-A to begin his pro career, and over 55.1 innings of work between there and Double-A last season, he posted a 2.93 ERA, 1.066 WHIP and a 10/45 walk-to-strikeout ratio.
He has returned to Double-A Reading to kick off the 2015 season, but his polished three-pitch repertoire should allow him to reach Philly at some point in the not-too-distant future.
Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com's Prospect Watch offered up a nice description of his advanced stuff:
"Nola has tremendous command of his three-pitch arsenal. He spots his low-90s fastball to both sides of the plate, and his three-quarters arm slot adds plenty of action to the pitch. His changeup is a plus offering at times, and his slider has improved to give him a third quality offering.
"
Radar: Red
It's really a matter of when the Phillies deem Nola to be ready, because guys like Jerome Williams and Aaron Harang are not going to block him when the time comes.
The team is not going anywhere in 2015, so there is no reason to rush the 21-year-old. However, giving him an extended look down the stretch with an eye on a rotation spot for 2016 would probably make sense for both sides.
C/1B/OF Peter O'Brien, Arizona Diamondbacks
5 of 10
2015 Stats (Triple-A): 77 AB, .403/.439/.792, 7 2B, 7 HR, 20 RBI, 17 R, 0 SB
Player Overview
A second-round pick out of the University of Miami in 2012, Peter O'Brien has put himself on the top-prospect radar with his bat, but sorting out where he'll line up defensively remains a work-in-progress.
The Arizona Diamondbacks acquired O'Brien from the New York Yankees last season in exchange for Martin Prado, and he immediately became the team's catcher of the immediate future.
He entered spring training with a very real chance to beat out Tuffy Gosewisch for the starting catcher job, but instead found himself ticketed back to Triple-A when some throwing issues cropped up.
After posting a .910 OPS with 23 doubles and 34 home runs last season, O'Brien is off to a red-hot start to 2015, though the bulk of his playing time has come in the outfield to this point.
Radar: Orange
It remains to be seen if and when O'Brien will return to catching duties, but one way or another, his bat is going to carry him to the big leagues sometime in the very near future.
With a crowded corner outfield situation and Paul Goldschmidt locked in at first base, the catcher position was really the 24-year-old's ticket to the big leagues, so he has no clear path at this point.
An injury or a smooth return to catching could quickly change that, though, and he figures to be up at some point in the second half regardless.
1B Matt Olson, Oakland Athletics
6 of 10
2015 Stats (Double-A): 62 AB, .274/.439/.629, 4 2B, 6 HR, 16 RBI, 17 R, 0 SB
Player Overview
Selected out of high school with the No. 47 pick in the 2012 draft, first baseman Matt Olson has quickly established himself as one of the top power-hitting prospects in the game.
In a full season at the High-A level last year, Olson hit .262/.404/.543, with 31 doubles, 37 home runs and an MiLB-high 117 walks. He struck out a decent amount too with 137 whiffs, but that's to be expected from a 6'5" power hitter with a long swing.
That said, Olson seems himself as more of an all-around hitter than simply a pure slugger.
"You know, I've never really just classified myself as a power guy," he told Troy Schulte of MiLB.com. "It just kind of happens. I'm up there trying to put together good at-bats. I'm not up there trying to hit home runs."
The 21-year-old has continued his steady progression with the jump to Double-A this season, and so far he's looked right at home with a hot start at the plate.
Radar: Red
While he has been impressive to this point, Olson is still really young, and given the swing-and-miss in his game, steady progression to the majors makes the most sense as a big jump could leave him overwhelmed.
Ike Davis is currently manning first base in Oakland, and he's off to a terrific start with a .323/.392/.462 line. He is under team control through the 2016 season, so at this point a September call-up for Olson seems like the most likely timetable for his debut.
SP Eduardo Rodriguez, Boston Red Sox
7 of 10
2015 Stats (Triple-A): 3 GS, 2-0, 1.93 ERA, 0.696 WHIP, 1 BB, 16 K, 18.2 IP
Player Overview
The Boston Red Sox made a number of trades leading up to the July 31 deadline last year, and one such deal saw them send relief ace Andrew Miller to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for pitching prospect Eduardo Rodriguez.
While the left-hander had somewhat inconsistent results during his time in the Orioles' system, his stuff is undeniable, and he dazzled after joining the Red Sox Double-A affiliate with a 0.96 ERA over six starts.
Rodriguez opened the season as the No. 4 prospect in a loaded Red Sox system, according to Baseball America, and he's absolutely dominated Triple-A hitter through his first three starts.
Radar: Yellow
Starting pitching was the biggest concern for the Red Sox heading into the season, and through the first 22 games of the season the team ranks dead last in starter's ERA with a dreadful 5.75 mark.
Despite those struggles, GM Ben Cherington does not appear ready to shake up the pitching staff just yet, as he told Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald:
"We haven’t gotten into those conversations yet. We haven’t had any formal dialogue with our Triple-A staff. We obviously see what they’re doing, we hear reports, but there hasn’t been any formal conversation for us to ask the question, ‘When is this guy ready? When is that guy ready?’
As I’ve said before, my personal belief is once you’re in Triple-A you’re not a prospect anymore, you’re just part of our depth. Anybody there has to be ready to come up.
"
That said, how much longer are the Red Sox really going to wait if the struggles continue?
SP Luis Severino, New York Yankees
8 of 10
2015 Stats (Double-A): 4 GS, 1-1, 2.25 ERA, 1.250 WHIP, 7 BB, 26 K, 20.0 IP
Player Overview
One of the fastest-rising prospects in baseball last season, Luis Severino went from the No. 9 prospect in the New York Yankees' system heading into the 2014 season to being the No. 35 overall prospect in baseball this year, according to Baseball America.
Pitching over three levels and reaching Double-A, Severino went 6-5 with a 2.47 ERA, 1.062 WHIP and 127 strikeouts in 113 innings of work.
Still only 21 years old, the Dominican native is back in Double-A to start the 2015 season, and at this point he's still working to turn his slider into a viable third offering.
Radar: Red
With Masahiro Tanaka recently landing on the disabled list with a forearm strain, the Yankees have called on Chase Whitley to fill out the rotation for the time being.
Severino is not even on the 40-man roster at this point, so it's fair to assume there are at least a handful of guys ahead of him on the depth chart should further injury issues pop up.
The Yankees will be tempted to push Severino, but expect them to be cautious with their top prospect, and a September cup of coffee could be all we see out of him this season.
C Blake Swihart, Boston Red Sox
9 of 10
2015 Stats (Triple-A): 66 AB, .333/.371/.379, 3 2B, 0 HR, 11 RBI, 7 R, 1 SB
Player Overview
According to Baseball America, catcher Blake Swihart opened the season as the top prospect in the Boston Red Sox system, the top catching prospect in baseball and the No. 17 prospect overall.
The No. 26 pick in the 2011 draft out of high school, Swihart hit .293/.341/.469 last season and enjoyed a breakout year in the power department with 26 doubles and 13 home runs.
Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com's Prospect Watch offered up the following scouting report:
"While his defense alone could make him a big league regular, Swihart offers offensive promise as well. A switch-hitter proficient from both sides of the plate, he makes consistent hard contact and began to tap into what should become average power last season.
He could develop into a .280 hitter with 15 homers per season, though he may not draw many walks because he puts that bat on the ball so easily.
"
A season-ending injury to projected starting catcher Christian Vazquez this spring left some calling for Swihart to break camp as the starter, but instead the Red Sox opened the season with a platoon of Ryan Hanigan and Sandy Leon.
Radar: Orange
So far this season, Red Sox catchers are hitting .214/.345/.271 with two extra-base hits and seven RBI.
The team can afford to get little production out of the position with one of the better offenses in the league, but don't expect either of the incumbents to block Swihart once the club deems him ready to take over.
My guess is that won't come until some time in the second half, as the team is still trying to sort out the pitching staff and adding another variable to that mix in Swihart might not be their best course of action right now.
SP Noah Syndergaard, New York Mets
10 of 10
2015 Stats (Triple-A): 3 GS, 1-0, 2.45 ERA, 1.159 WHIP, 6 BB, 16 K, 14.2 IP
Player Overview
Acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays as part of the R.A. Dickey trade, big right-hander Noah Syndergaard has been the prized prospect of the New York Mets organization for some time now.
His numbers last season weren't great on the surface, as he went 9-7 with a 4.60 ERA, 1.481 WHIP and 145 strikeouts in 133 innings. Those stats came in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, with Syndergaard playing his home games in the launching pad that is Las Vegas.
The scouting report offered up by Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com's Prospect Watch paints a picture of a future ace:
"A big, strong classic power right-hander, Syndergaard combines plus fastball velocity with outstanding command and control. He can crank his fastball up to 98 mph and will run it in on right-handed hitters. Syndergaard will add and subtract from his curve, giving hitters different looks. His changeup improved in 2014, giving him a third above-average offering.
"
He's back in Triple-A to start the 2015 season, but the season-ending injury to Zack Wheeler during spring training has left the 22-year-old with a much clearer path to the big leagues.
Radar: Orange
The Mets rotation has been terrific so far this season, ranking fourth in the league with a 3.33 ERA, so there is no immediate need to promote Syndergaard.
It's also worth noting that Rafael Montero is probably next in line for a rotation spot should someone go down with an injury, and he's actually already made one spot start this season.
All of that said, Syndergaard has little left to prove in the minors, and he has a higher ceiling than any pitcher on the roster not named Matt Harvey.
Unloading Dillon Gee at some point still seems like a very real possibility, and one way or another Syndergaard figures to be part of the mix in the second half.
All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com, unless otherwise noted.
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