Surprising MLB Prospects Making a Late Push for September Call-Ups
When MLB rosters expand from 25 to 40 players on September 1, there will be a few slam dunks in terms of likely call-ups.
But there are also some unlikely prospects using the season's final months to campaign for a late-season cup of coffee in the big leagues. Over the next few slides, we'll identify a handful of surprising names making a compelling argument for a September promotion.
There are three different types of "surprises" on this list:
- Relatively obscure players whom the casual fan couldn't pick out of a police lineup (e.g. Toronto's Matt Hague)
- Middle-of-the-road prospects having fantastic minor league seasons (e.g. Houston's A.J. Reed, Minnesota's Max Kepler)
- Highly touted youngsters who are ahead of schedule in their development (e.g. Cleveland's Bradley Zimmer, St. Louis' Alex Reyes, Tampa Bay's Blake Snell)
We'll touch on the players mentioned above. Make sure to let us know what you think in the comments section below. Do you want your team to take a chance on these players? What do you think these players can bring to the table during a playoff push?
Let's get started with a minor league journeyman enjoying a standout season.
Matt Hague, Toronto Blue Jays
1 of 62015 Stats (AAA): .348/.427/.482, 10 HR, 83 RBI, 67 R, .909 OPS
At 30 years old, Matt Hague has devoted his life to realizing his dream of becoming a major league baseball player.
But outside of 33 unassuming contests with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2012 and again in 2014, Hague has been resigned to minor league duties for the majority of his career. Although he was recently called up for a series against the Philadelphia Phillies under National League rules, Hague is likely to be sent back down when the Blue Jays return to American League play.
Since 2011, Hague has been stuck in the purgatory that is Triple-A. It's not like he's played poorly, either, as he's posted wRC+ marks of 129, 124, 127 and 168 during that time.
After years and years of not getting the call, Hague said that remembering why he loved the game in the first place has been the key to his revival.
“I had to switch up my mindset and say, ‘Hey, go play some baseball, have fun and see what happens,’" Hague told John Lott of the National Post.
But Hague has made it awfully difficult for the Toronto Blue Jays to ignore him for much longer. He leads all Triple-A hitters in batting average, on-base percentage and wRC+ this season.
Hague is a corner infielder, which makes a promotion tough with the likes of Josh Donaldson and Edwin Encarnacion blocking his path. Bench pieces are also not as valuable in the American League as they are in the National League due to the presence of the designated hitter.
Still, Hague is swinging as hot of a bat as anybody in the minor leagues. Toronto isn't hurting for impact sticks, but promoting Hague would give it insurance in case of an injury and reward a longtime journeyman with the feeling of being part of a postseason race.
A.J. Reed, Houston Astros
2 of 62015 Stats (A+/AA): .344/.441/.612, 29 HR, 108 RBI, 99 R, 1.053 OPS
Houston Astros first base prospect A.J. Reed began 2015 in High-A, but he might just end it in Houston with the major league club.
Reed was drafted in the second round of the 2014 draft out of the University of Kentucky. With the Wildcats, he won the Golden Spikes Award, which is awarded annually to the top amateur player in the country.
After a positive start to his minor league career in 2014, Reed has blitzed opposing pitchers this season. Between High-A and Double-A, he has 29 homers and 108 RBI, all while hitting over .340. Reed ranks second among all minor leaguers in RBI, third in homers, fourth in OPS and fifth in slugging percentage.
Due to those jaw-dropping statistics, Sam Dykstra of MiLB.com showered Reed with praise in a recent article.
"With Kyle Schwarber tearing it up in the majors, Reed has to be considered the far-and-away leader for the Best Offensive Player MiLBY award this offseason," Dykstra wrote.
Reed isn't ready for everyday duties at the big levels, and that's a valid argument against a potential September call-up. Why promote him too early and stunt his growth?
But in terms of plugging a hole, first base has been an issue for the Astros all season (0.8 collective WAR, 27.5 percent strikeout rate). If Reed can continue his good work in the minors into September, he'd be a significant internal upgrade.
At 22, Reed is mature enough to handle the pressure that comes with a promotion. Despite his inexperience in the minors, he's become an intriguing promotion candidate after starting the season in the lower levels of the Houston system.
Max Kepler, Minnesota Twins
3 of 6
2015 Stats (A+/AA): .330/.411/.550, 8 HR, 57 RBI, 72 R, 17 SB, .962 OPS
The Minnesota Twins took a chance on a toolsy 16-year-old from Germany in 2009.
Fast-forward to 2015, and that decision is beginning to pay off, as Max Kepler is quietly rounding into one of the organization's most complete players. The 22-year-old is slashing .335/.418/.566 with a .984 OPS in 93 Double-A games.
Kepler was a skinny center field prospect when the Twins gave him an $800,000 signing bonus. Since then, he's grown into his 6'4" frame and evolved into a corner outfielder.
As his body has matured, 2015 has become the lightbulb year for Kepler. As Aaron Gleeman of MinnPost.com puts it, Kepler has now pushed himself into Minnesota's long-term plans:
"Kepler is hitting for average, power and with patience while controlling the strike zone against much older, more experienced pitchers and adding value on the bases. He's batting .320 versus righties and .323 versus lefties, .316 at home and .325 on the road. And while he's no longer considered a viable long-term center field option in the big leagues, the Twins don't really need that anyway, and Kepler figures to be a plus defender in left field or right field.
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As for 2015, Kepler seems like a likely promotion candidate. He can play either corner outfield spot, first base or even center field in an extreme pinch. He puts the ball in play and runs the bases well for a man of his size.
Regardless, Kepler has come a long way from the skinny kid from Europe. He's fine-tuning his abilities and could be rewarded for an outstanding 2015 campaign with a September call-up.
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Blake Snell, Tampa Bay Rays
4 of 6
2015 Stats (A+/AA/AAA): 13-4, 1.29 ERA, 119 IP, 148 K, 48 BB, .170 average against
Good luck finding a minor league pitcher who has had a better season than Tampa Bay Rays left-hander Blake Snell.
Snell has quickly ascended the Tampa Bay organizational ladder this season, starting in High-A before earning two promotions to Triple-A. The 22-year-old has won 13 of his 20 starts this season, posting a minuscule 1.29 ERA in the process.
The southpaw boasts the fifth-lowest ERA in the minor leagues. He also ranks sixth in strikeouts and average against. As Wayne Cavadi of Minor League Ball noted in a recent article, those numbers are a lot easier to produce with an electric array of pitches:
"Snell’s best pitch is his fastball, usually falling into the strike zone around 95. John Sickels describes it as a pitch that has some nice sink and cutting action to it. Snell has really improved his slider, which has a nasty bite and proves to be tough against lefties. His changeup has become a reliable third pitch, although its command could still use some work.
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Snell's command is the only thing that can hold him back, but he's seen such an improvement in that area in 2015 that there's reason to believe he can consistently throw strikes at the big league level. In his 22 appearances, Snell has walked three batters or fewer 17 times.
Tampa Bay is only four games out of a wild-card spot and needs all the help it can get after injuries have decimated the starting rotation. Even if Snell is added for late-inning purposes, his sheer talent could help the Rays sneak into the postseason.
Bradley Zimmer, Cleveland Indians
5 of 6
2015 Stats (A+/AA): .298/.397/.498, 16 HR, 62 RBI, 82 R, 39 SB, .895 OPS
Bradley Zimmer has played fewer than 200 career minor league games, but the former first-round pick could get a taste of the big leagues much quicker than expected.
Zimmer has been one of the top players in the minor leagues this season. The 22-year-old is slashing .298/.397/.498 with 16 homers and 62 RBI. When he's not driving in runs, Zimmer is getting on base at an extremely high clip, stealing bases and scoring runs.
The talented outfielder hasn't been in Double-A for long, but his .397 on-base percentage is impressive for a player with limited minor league experience. Zimmer may be moving quickly up the developmental ranks, but he believes the Indians brain trust is readily aware of what he can and can't handle.
“You want to move through the system as quickly as possible but at the right time,” Zimmer told Alex Hall of the New Hampshire Union Leader regarding his July promotion to Double-A. “I feel like the Indians have my best interests in mind at all times, and I think they knew I was ready so I was very excited to come join these guys.”
With that being said, it's extremely unlikely Zimmer will be featured in Cleveland this season.
But that doesn't mean he's not applying pressure to the club's decision-makers. The Indians have already traded three outfielders—Michael Bourn, Nick Swisher and David Murphy—which implies there will be at least two openings next season aside the underrated Michael Brantley.
A team with an average payroll like the Indians is better suited to do its due diligence with an internal option like Zimmer before scouring the free-agent market. Is there a better time to see what a young player is capable of than in September?
Alex Reyes, St. Louis Cardinals
6 of 62015 Stats (ROK/A+/AA): 3-6, 2.51 ERA, 86 IP, 129 K, 40 BB, .199 average against
Stop me if you've heard this before: The St. Louis Cardinals have another elite pitching prospect rapidly approaching the big leagues.
Right-hander Alex Reyes is the latest Red Bird to make waves in the minor leagues. After back-to-back seasons with a sub-4.00 ERA in 2013 and 2014, Reyes has made the leap to elite this season. In 19 starts, the 20-year-old has a 2.51 ERA. Since being promoted to Double-A, Reyes has struck out 39 percent of the batters he's faced.
This goes without saying, but 20-year-olds aren't supposed to do that in Double-A.
Like most strikeout pitchers, Reyes can bring it. He effortlessly sits in the mid-90s and often amps it up near triple digits. Even more troubling for opposing hitters is a curveball that's just as nasty. His hook is hard and breaks sharply, which tricks hitters into thinking it's his fastball.
Needless to say, manager Mike Matheny and the rest of the St. Louis brain trust are salivating over Reyes' stuff. Matheny told Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
"You go looking through our minor-league archives for every game this season and we’ve got a few guys who throw like that. He might be a hair above a couple of them. But there are more guys than I’ve ever seen throwing at upper-velocities. Alex is a little more advanced with the rest of his stuff. He has the composure, presence.
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Now let's face the obvious question: Do the Cardinals really need to promote Reyes?
Probably not. From top to bottom, St. Louis has the best pitching staff in baseball and has few holes that need to be filled.
But the temptation to promote Reyes for an extra swing-and-miss arm out of the bullpen must be there. It's not an easy decision, but these are the kinds of things the Cardinals normally get right.
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