Top MLB Prospect Call-Up Radar Report, Week 8
The 2015 season is not even two months old, but already a number of notable prospects have received call-ups to the major leagues. Undoubtedly, there are more to come—and soon.
Highly regarded youngsters like Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, Roberto Osuna and Archie Bradley have been seeing regular action for their respective clubs for quite some time now. Others, like Carlos Rodon, Noah Syndergaard and Maikel Franco, are still settling in.
In the past week or so, the big prospect promotion belonged to Rusney Castillo of the Boston Red Sox, who are looking to jump-start a moribund offense. The 27-year-old outfielder has started just 3-for-15 (.200), but did make a pair of great catches in right field on Tuesday.
Beyond that, the New York Yankees promoted a pair of former early-round picks in outfielder Slade Heathcott (first round, 2009) and lefty reliever Jacob Lindgren (second round, 2014), while the Kansas City Royals brought back up left-hander Brandon Finnegan, who pitched in the postseason months after being their top pick last year.
Elsewhere, the San Francisco Giants recalled right-handed reliever Hunter Strickland, who also pitched last October, and righty Kendall Graveman came back up for the Oakland Athletics. Detroit Tigers shortstop Dixon Machado made his MLB debut filling in for ailing Jose Iglesias.
More young impact talent will join the mix, too, particularly with MLB's Super Two date only a few weeks away. Who will be the next to reach the major leagues? In order to predict estimated times of arrival this season, we've classified the prospects on this list 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
Here's a look at the top-prospect call-up report for Week 8 of the 2015 MLB season.
Others on the Cusp
1 of 11
Hector Olivera, 2B/3B, Los Angeles Dodgers
Brian Johnson, LHP, Boston Red Sox
Jake Barrett, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks
Jose Peraza, 2B, Atlanta Braves
Matt Wisler, RHP, Atlanta Braves
Steven Matz, LHP, New York Mets
Jose Berrios, RHP, Minnesota Twins
Justin Nicolino, LHP, Miami Marlins
Matt Reynolds, SS, New York Mets
Dalton Pompey, OF, Toronto Blue Jays
Domingo Santana, OF, Houston Astros
Giovanny Urshela, 3B, Cleveland Indians
Nick Tropeano, RHP, Los Angeles Angels
Jon Moscot, RHP, Cincinnati Reds
Henry Owens, LHP, Boston Red Sox
Kyle Kubitza, 3B, Los Angeles Angels
Jesus Aguilar, 1B, Cleveland Indians
Alex Meyer, RHP, Minnesota Twins
Stephen Piscotty, OF, St. Louis Cardinals
Anthony Ranaudo, RHP, Texas Rangers
Tim Cooney, LHP, St. Louis Cardinals
Miguel Castro, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays
Joey Gallo, 3B, Texas Rangers
Julio Urias, LHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
Jon Gray, RHP, Colorado Rockies
Ketel Marte, SS, Seattle Mariners
Joey Wendle, 2B, Oakland Athletics
Alex "Chi Chi" Gonzalez, RHP, Texas Rangers
Sean Nolin, LHP, Oakland Athletics
Mark Appel, RHP, Houston Astros
Luis Severino, RHP, New York Yankees
Peter O'Brien, C/1B/OF, Arizona Diamondbacks
Jake Thompson, RHP, Texas Rangers
Aaron Nola, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies
Miguel Sano, 3B, Minnesota Twins
Yoan Moncada, 2B, Boston Red Sox
Dylan Bundy, RHP, Baltimore Orioles
2 of 11
2015 Stats (Double-A): 0-3, 3.68 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 25:5 K:BB (22.0 IP)
Dylan Bundy has taken a while to get back the stuff he had before he went under the knife and missed all of 2013 and most of 2014 with Tommy John surgery, but he looks to be pretty close.
After catching a recent outing, Keith Law of ESPN wrote up the Baltimore Orioles right-hander, who was the No. 4 overall pick in 2011 and made his MLB debut a year later before the arm troubles began:
"Bundy has hit 97 mph this year but was 92-95 on Thursday night for Bowie, throwing four innings with five strikeouts and no walks against a Trenton lineup loaded with former high draft picks and other big-bonus players. He got on top of the fastball well and drove it down in the zone, but missed his spots about one of every five or six fastballs he threw. His changeup was above-average to plus at 85-88 mph with excellent arm speed, and his curveball graded out the same; it was 76-77 mph with tight rotation but didn't always finish as low in the zone as it needs to be. The Orioles have had Bundy shelve his cutter, his best pitch as an amateur, in favor of a true slider, and it's still a work in progress; it was 83-86 mph but inconsistent in shape and command.
"
The thought entering the season was that Bundy, now 22, could make a push to help the O's in some capacity late in the second half of 2015. Immediately after the above outing, though, Bundy experienced shoulder soreness and went for an MRI, which appears to have resulted in a mild case of tendinitis, per Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com. Bundy will rest and be on anti-inflammatories.
While that doesn't seem to be a major injury, it could be enough to make the Orioles push pause on the possibility of Bundy reaching Baltimore for anything more than a September call-up.
Radar: Red
Byron Buxton, OF, Minnesota Twins
3 of 11
2015 Stats (Double-A): .271/.325/.525, 36 R, 23 XBH (6 HR), 34 RBI, 13 SB, 39:15 K:BB (200 PA)
Byron Buxton is doing his best to make up for lost time. The 21-year-old, who was the second overall pick in 2012, missed all but 31 games in 2014 while enduring multiple wrist injuries and a concussion following a nasty outfield collision.
Most importantly, then, the Minnesota Twins center fielder of the future has been healthy so far in 2015. Buxton is playing well, too, in his first real taste of the high minors at Double-A Chattanooga.
After a slowish start, the lithe, sinewy strong Buxton has hit .294 with a .615 slugging percentage in May, the latter of which has been driven by (count 'em) nine triples over 25 games.
When the season started, it seemed like a long shot Buxton would be anything more than a September call-up, given his injury issues and the Twins' expected noncontender status. But Minnesota currently is tied with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Kansas City Royals for the third-best record in baseball (seriously), and without much in his way in center, it's not crazy to think Buxton could get a shot a little sooner than anticipated.
Radar: Orange
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Corey Seager, SS, Los Angeles Dodgers
4 of 11
2015 Stats (Double/Triple-A): .324/.365/.528, 30 R, 20 XBH (7 HR), 24 RBI, 1 SB, 26:11 K:BB (189 PA)
Corey Seager's production has dipped a bit at Triple-A, but that had to happen after hitting .375/.407/.675 over 20 games at Double-A to open the season.
A consensus top-10 prospect as well as a 2012 first-rounder, the 21-year-old Seager is a more human-like .281/.330/.406 in his first 24 contests at Oklahoma City. He has turned things up his past few games, however, having gone 7-for-12 with a two-homer game followed immediately by a four-hit effort.
"He's pretty much [been comfortable], he's just been trying to figure out how these guys are going to pitch to him," said Oklahoma City batting coach Franklin Stubbs after Tuesday's 4-for-5 outing, per Josh Jackson of MiLB.com. "He hasn't been overaggressive and he's been seeing a lot of first-pitch fastballs. He's starting to adjust to it and put together some better at-bats.
"What he's trying to do is be more patient with himself and stay back a little bit on the baseball," Stubbs continued, "and he's getting back on track."
The Los Angeles Dodgers' recent trade of third baseman Juan Uribe likely won't impact Seager's ETA, because the club will use Justin Turner as the primary starter, with Alex Guerrero and eventually Hector Olivera as alternatives. But Seager, who has been playing both shortstop and third, is putting himself in position for a second-half debut should the Dodgers need him.
Radar: Orange
Marco Gonzales, LHP, St. Louis Cardinals
5 of 11
2015 Stats (Triple-A): 0-1, 6.35 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, 22:8 K:BB (28.1 IP)
Timing really hasn't been on Marco Gonzales' side this year. Just when the St. Louis Cardinals needed another starter to help cover for ace Adam Wainwright for the rest of the season, the 23-year-old lefty came down with a bout of shoulder soreness in late April.
Upon returning, the club's top take in 2013 put up clunkers in two of his three starts, raising questions about his health again. Gonzales then felt discomfort during a recent throwing session, causing the Cardinals to put him on the disabled list for a second time.
"Any time you have a pitcher who is feeling discomfort especially in the shoulder or elbow areas," general manager John Mozeliak said, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "it always sends up a flag."
An MRI revealed no structural damage, but Gonzales is dealing with an impingement that will keep him shut down for another three weeks, per Luke Thompson of Fox Sports Midwest.
For now, it appears the opportunity to join the team with the best record in baseball has passed Gonzales by, especially now that fellow southpaw Jaime Garcia is back. Provided Gonzales can get right, though, he should factor into things after the All-Star break.
Radar: Orange
Zach Lee, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
6 of 11
2015 Stats (Triple-A): 5-3, 2.52 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 42:12 K:BB (53.2 IP)
Are the Los Angeles Dodgers sending subliminal messages to Zach Lee that they don't think he's ready yet for the majors?
The 23-year-old right-hander was drafted in Round 1 way back in 2010, but he has yet to make his MLB debut despite having made 36 career starts at Triple-A between 2014 and this year. Granted, last season didn't go so well (5.39 ERA, 1.54 WHIP), but Lee has gotten back on track in his first nine outings of 2015.
And yet, rather than call him up for reinforcements once Brandon McCarthy and Hyun-Jin Ryu were lost for the season, L.A. turned to lesser-knowns like Mike Bolsinger and Carlos Frias. While those two have fared well as fill-ins, the Dodgers also just went and traded for veteran lefty Eric Stults, further blocking Lee.
With seven quality starts out of his nine so far, Lee looks about ready for a shot at The Show, which should come during the second half. It might not, however, come with the Dodgers, who just might value Lee more as a trade chip.
Radar: Orange
Andrew Heaney, LHP, Los Angeles Angels
7 of 11
2015 Stats (Triple-A): 5-0, 3.02 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 49:12 K:BB (50.2 IP)
Following a few so-so early-season starts, including one brutal outing in which he gave up seven runs on six hits in just two-thirds of an inning his second time out, Andrew Heaney has put together a nice run.
The soon-to-be 24-year-old former first-rounder (2012) has a minuscule 1.42 ERA over his past four games. He has been bitten by bad BABIP luck, including a .351 mark during this hot stretch, as well as a .355 figure overall. That at least partially explains his elevated 1.34 WHIP, as he has permitted 56 hits in 50.2 innings.
The other digits all look great, from the 49-to-12 strikeout-to-walk ratio to just one home run allowed.
With Matt Shoemaker a roller coaster of gems and duds, Heaney could get his first chance with the Los Angeles Angels, who traded for him this offseason, if Shoemaker puts up a few more of the latter.
Radar: Yellow
Daniel Norris, LHP, Toronto Blue Jays
8 of 11
2015 Stats (Triple-A): 1-3, 3.18 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, 27:17 K:BB (28.1 IP)
Although Daniel Norris wasn't bad in his five starts for the Toronto Blue Jays at the outset of the season, he wasn't exactly good either. While the 22-year-old lefty had a respectable 3.86 ERA, his WHIP was a much-less-respectable 1.50.
Hence, the demotion back to Triple-A after Norris had cracked the rotation out of camp. Except, he has done much the same thing in five outings for Buffalo, with a strong 3.18 ERA but a lousy 1.55 WHIP. Blame Norris' spotty control and command, which leads to inefficiency on the mound—he has averaged just north of five innings per start across the minors and majors.
That said, the Jays desperately need pitching help. They possess the highest-scoring offense in baseball by a wide margin, but the staff sports a worst-in-the-AL 4.60 ERA, much of which belongs to their rotation and its 4.97 ERA.
At some point, Toronto is going to have to do something about R.A. Dickey, Mark Buehrle and Drew Hutchison, each of whom has an ERA over 5.00. And while rookie Aaron Sanchez's is 3.98, he also has a 1.52 WHIP and as many walks (34) as whiffs in 52 frames. The fifth starter is Marco Estrada, who only led baseball in homers allowed in 2014.
Norris needs to get on track at Triple-A first, but a few solid showings could get him right back to Toronto.
Radar: Yellow
Francisco Lindor, SS, Cleveland Indians
9 of 11
2015 Stats (Triple-A): .251/.325/.354, 18 R, 13 XBH (1 HR), 19 RBI, 8 SB, 29:20 K:BB (199 PA)
The Cleveland Indians haven't given an indication that they're merely waiting for the projected Super Two date to pass—typically in mid-June—before they bring up Francisco Lindor, but a debut by the end of June is possible, maybe even likely.
Sure, Lindor is only 21 and isn't forcing Cleveland's hand with his offensive output at Columbus, but the Indians need him for another reason—defense. Stop us if you've heard this before, but the Indians are the worst defensive team in MLB. (Yes, again.)
In fact, they own the worst defensive efficiency rating around at .661, which means they turn barely 66 percent of balls in play into outs. For comparison, they also were dead last in 2014 at .673—meaning they somehow have gotten worse.
For a club that had high hopes coming into 2015, Cleveland has had to scratch and claw its way just to get to 21-25 entering play Thursday, in large part because of the defensive problems. A recent 9-4 stretch has helped return them to relevance, but the Indians can't help but benefit from Lindor's athleticism and awareness—and they likely can't wait much longer, either.
Radar: Yellow
Carlos Correa, SS, Houston Astros
10 of 11
2015 Stats (Double/Triple-A): .344/.420/.639, 39 R, 31 XBH (10 HR), 40 RBI, 18 SB, 34:23 K:BB (205 PA)
Like Corey Seager, Carlos Correa has cooled off some at Triple-A after he went bonkers at Double-A to begin the year, hitting 385/.459/.726. But the 2012 No. 1 overall selection is more than holding his own at Fresno.
Still just 20, Correa has an .823 OPS and an impressive 9-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio in his first 72 plate appearances at Triple-A. He also has seven extra-base knocks, including three home runs, the most recent of which he actually hit out of the stadium this week.
The Houston Astros continue to hang onto the best record in the AL despite shortstop Jed Lowrie being out until after the All-Star break, so GM Jeff Luhnow isn't feeling much pressure to push Correa too fast. But the way Correa is going, his arrival is going to happen—and probably sometime soon.
Radar: Green
Eduardo Rodriguez, LHP, Boston Red Sox
11 of 11
2015 Stats (Triple-A): 4-3, 2.98 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 44:7 K:BB (48.1 IP)
OK, so this one is already in the bag, because Eduardo Rodriguez is starting for the Boston Red Sox on Thursday. The 22-year-old left-hander appears to be up just for a spot start, however.
As Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe writes:
"Manager John Farrell said the Sox would use a six-man rotation for one turn, and the intent is to return Rodriguez to the minors.
'We’re running through a stretch of 20 consecutive games played, so we’re building in a sixth starter through this time through the rotation,' Farrell said.
"
That said, if Rodriguez—who has been very good since joining the Red Sox organization in last summer's trade of Andrew Miller to the Baltimore Orioles—throws well, he could make Farrell and company think again.
Given Boston's 5.17 rotation ERA—the worst in MLB—and the recent implosion of Joe Kelly and injury to Justin Masterson, Rodriguez has a fine opportunity to stick around if he looks good against a red-hot Texas Rangers team Thursday night.
Radar: Green
Statistics are accurate through Wednesday, May 27, and courtesy of MLB.com, MiLB.com, Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs, unless otherwise noted.
To talk baseball or fantasy baseball, check in with me on Twitter: @JayCat11.
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