Potential September Call-Ups Who Could Directly Change MLB Playoff Races
The big question when September call-ups roll around is whether or not a team will promote its top prospects, but those are not always the guys who wind up making the biggest impact.
Case in point: Terrance Gore.
When rosters expanded last season, the Kansas City Royals included Gore among their call-ups, despite the fact that he was hitting just .221/.289/.257 on the year and was nowhere to be found among their top 25 prospects when the season began.
So why was he bumped up to the big leagues?
On the strength of one plus-plus tool, and that was his speed. Gore had stolen 47 bases in 54 attempts in the minors and went a perfect 5-of-5 as a pinch runner down the stretch.
That actually earned him a spot on the postseason roster, where he would steal another three bases and score two runs without ever stepping into the batter's box.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, you have someone like David Price, who was very much a top prospect when he got the call back in 2008 to join the Tampa Bay Rays bullpen for the stretch run.
He posted a 1.93 ERA in 14 innings of work down the stretch, made it onto the playoff roster and wound up pitching in high-leverage spots in the postseason.
Impact September call-ups come in many shapes and sizes, and what follows is a look at five guys who could alter the postseason picture with their performance down the stretch.
Note: Pitchers Chris Heston (Giants) and Marcus Stroman (Blue Jays) may wind up making the biggest impact of any players added in September, but the focus here is on the prospect end of things, so they have been excluded from the conversation.
SP Jose Berrios, Minnesota Twins
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2015 MiLB Stats: 25 GS, 12-5, 2.95 ERA, 1.069 WHIP, 37 BB, 165 K, 155.1 IP
Potential September Role: Starting rotation
Overview
The Minnesota Twins have not made the playoffs since 2010, and a terrible starting rotation has been largely to blame.
Observe:
- 2011: 4.64 ERA, 26th in MLB
- 2012: 5.40 ERA, 29th in MLB
- 2013: 5.26 ERA, 30th in MLB
- 2014: 5.06 ERA, 30th in MLB
Things finally seemed to be headed in the right direction during the first half this season when the rotation posted a solid 3.82 ERA led by Kyle Gibson (8-6, 2.85 ERA), and the Twins found themselves in contention as a result.
While they are still in the mix for a wild-card spot, their starters' ERA has spiked to 5.36 since the All-Star break.
Recently promoted Tyler Duffey has been a solid replacement for the injured Phil Hughes, posting a 4.29 ERA in his first four starts, but the team could use more help.
Ervin Santana is 2-4 with a 6.05 ERA in 10 starts since returning from suspension, including 0-2 with a 10.61 ERA in his last four starts, and a demotion to the bullpen has to be seriously considered at this point.
Meanwhile, Jose Berrios has firmly established himself as the team's top pitching prospect this season, going 4-2 with a 2.78 ERA and 1.005 WHIP since being promoted to Triple-A.
The 21-year-old has legitimate front-line stuff and could be the future ace of the staff, but even stepping in as a capable No. 5 starter would be a boost for the stretch run.
RP Jharel Cotton, Los Angeles Dodgers
2 of 62015 MiLB Stats: 17 G, 11 GS, 6-2, 2.19 ERA, 1.096 WHIP, 30 BB, 111 K, 90.1 IP
Potential September Role: Setup reliever
Overview
Few prospects have climbed as far and as quickly this season as Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Jharel Cotton.
A 20th-round pick in 2012 out of East Carolina University, Cotton spent a full season in High-A last year, where he went 6-10 with a 4.05 ERA, 1.161 WHIP and 138 strikeouts in 126.2 innings.
That earned him a No. 22 ranking among the team's prospects, according to the Baseball America Prospect Handbook, but he's seen his stock climb significantly.
Cotton began the season with one start in Single-A, moved up to High-A for 22.1 innings of work and then was promoted to Double-A for another 62.2 innings. Tuesday, he made his debut for Triple-A Oklahoma City.
That rapid ascent, coupled with a move to the bullpen where his plus fastball plays up, has him looking poised to join the Dodgers bullpen down the stretch.
His curveball and changeup are each still a work in progress, but it's hard to argue with his results this year, and his 3.0 BB/9 and 11.1 K/9 marks would certainly be helpful in an inconsistent Dodgers pen.
The team showed a willingness to hand the ball to rookie Carlos Frias in high-leverage situations down the stretch last year when other relievers were struggling, and Cotton could make a similar impact.
RF Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
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2015 MiLB Stats: 439 AB, .262/.337/.467, 115 H, 24 2B, 20 HR, 71 RBI, 60 R
Potential September Role: Occasional DH and right fielder
Overview
After averaging 4.88 runs per game through the end of July, the New York Yankees have seen their production at the plate drop off significantly in August.
They are hitting an MLB-worst .218 as a team for the month, and their runs per game have dipped by over a full run down to 3.79 in the process.
Really no one outside of Carlos Beltran (.329 BA, 1.052 OPS) has been consistently producing this month, but a number of key contributors have been particularly bad.
Chris Young (.118 BA, .437 OPS), Alex Rodriguez (.138 BA, .500 OPS), Mark Teixeira (.175 BA, .575 OPS) and Brett Gardner (.193 BA, .543 OPS) have all experienced a significant falloff.
Meanwhile, they have one of the most intriguing power prospects in the game waiting in Triple-A in 6'7", 275-pound outfielder Aaron Judge.
Judge is hitting .301/.404/.527 with 12 extra-base hits in 93 at-bats against left-handed pitching this year, so at the very least he could slide into the platoon role previously filled by Young before he went cold.
He'd also be an option to give Rodriguez and Beltran a day off here and there down the stretch in an effort to keep the veterans fresh.
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3B Kyle Kubitza, Los Angeles Angels
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2015 MLB Stats: 420 AB, .274/.357/.440, 41 2B, 7 HR, 49 RBI, 60 R
Potential September Role: Platoon Third Baseman
Overview
The Los Angeles Angels have been forced to mix-and-match at third base since David Freese was sidelined with a broken finger back on July 22.
Most recently the team has turned to former top prospect Kaleb Cowart, but he’s gone just 3-for-26 with 12 strikeouts in nine games.
Freese is expected to return sometime next week, according to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register, but Cowart has not provided the left-handed spark the team was hoping for.
All told, left-handed hitters are batting just .237/.297/.354 with 31 home runs this season for the Angels, and that's even with the deadline acquisitions of David Murphy and David DeJesus.
One player who is capable of producing from that side of the plate and providing some insurance should Freese struggle upon returning is 25-year-old Kyle Kubitza.
Acquired in the offseason the Atlanta Braves, Kubitza has a chance to be the long-term answer at the hot corner with Freese set to hit free agency in the offseason.
He's had two brief stints in the majors already, going 7-for-35 with six runs scored, and he has a .783 OPS with 10 extra-base hits in 29 games since his most recent trip back to the minors.
If Kubitza can serve as a useful bench bat and help Freese ease back into playing everyday, it could go a long way in helping what has been a slumping offensive attack for the Angels.
1B A.J. Reed, Houston Astros
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2015 MiLB Stats: 479 AB, .342/.435/.605, 26 2B, 30 HR, 112 RBI, 102 R
Potential September Role: Starting first baseman
Overview
The Houston Astros offense has been an all-or-nothing group all year, as they lead the American League in both home runs and strikeouts, but they've managed to put up a solid 4.32 runs per game in the process.
That being said, the first base position has been a major hole from a production standpoint.
Chris Carter, Jon Singleton, Marwin Gonzalez and Luis Valbuena have all seen time at the position, and the result has been a combined .200/.301/.374 line with 19 home runs and 53 RBI in 431 at-bats.
Carter in particular has been a big disappointment, as he posted a .799 OPS with 37 home runs in a breakout season last year but has seen that dip to a .659 OPS and 17 home runs here in 2015.
As the team looks for a spark down the stretch to help it secure the AL West title, slugging prospect A.J. Reed could be the answer.
A two-way star at Kentucky, Reed has made the full-time move to hitting as a pro, and it looks like the right decision. In two seasons, he's put up a .324/.415/.577 line with 46 doubles and 42 home runs in 728 career minor league at-bats.
The 22-year-old has only played 42 games at the Double-A level, but he's the kind of advanced hitter capable of successfully making the big jump.
SP Blake Snell, Tampa Bay Rays
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2015 MiLB Stats: 23 G, 21 GS, 13-4, 1.31 ERA, 0.984 WHIP, 48 BB, 151 K, 124.0 IP
Potential September Role: Starting rotation
Overview
Blake Snell was already regarded as a solid prospect entering the season, checking in at No. 9 in the Tampa Bay Rays organization according to Baseball America, but he's taken his game to another level.
After opening the year in High-A, it didn't take the left-hander long to earn a promotion. He kicked off the season with an impressive 49-inning scoreless streak, and he's quickly climbed the ladder since, reaching Triple-A on July 24.
Jeremy Hellickson (2010) and Matt Moore (2011) both received late-season promotions before stepping into the Rays rotation the following season, and Snell could follow a similar path this September.
Despite injuries to a number of key arms, the Rays have leaned on their rotation for much of the year and managed to stay on the fringe of contention in the process.
The rotation has faltered of late, though, posting a 4.63 ERA with just nine quality starts in 22 games in the month of August.
Rookie Nate Karns in particular has struggled, pitching to a 5.25 ERA with just one quality start in his last five appearances. Replacing him for the stretch run is certainly a possibility.
Snell doesn't have anything left to prove in the minors, and with the Rays sitting just 2.5 games back for the second AL wild-card spot, he could make a real difference over the final month of the season.
All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference, unless otherwise noted.
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