We’re back here at Pitcher List to detail every prospect promotion in 2022. That’s right, every Friday we will have to update you with every call-up from the week leading up. That’s every prospect, every Friday, all season long.
Our first week was filled with a number of the game’s top prospects getting the call. Now that we are into the beginning stages of MLB action, we are seeing a lot of prospects coming up to fill in for an injury or for added depth.
April 29
Tyler Nevin, 1B/OF, BAL – Nevin is a hit-over-power corner bat who has had inconsistent results in the minors. With Baltimore, he could find semi-regular playing time but there isn’t a huge ceiling here.
Kyle Bradish, P, BAL – Bradish was having a nice start to the Triple-A season and his MLB debut following this promotion was equally encouraging. The 25-year-old tossed six innings, allowing just two earned runs, against the Red Sox, though he only struck out two. It looks like he could stick in the rotation for now and should flash better strikeout stuff down the line.
Jailyn Davis, OF, BOS – Davis is somehow still a prospect despite getting big-league looks every year since 2019. He has intriguing power and speed but his bat has proven to be more of Quad-A quality so far.
Elehuris Montero, 1B/3B, COL – Once upon a time Montero received some helium from the prospect community before a putrid 2019 knocked him off of everyone’s radars. Well, he bounced back in a big way in 2021 across Double-A and Triple, belting 28 home runs. He’s still just 23 and could be a very fantasy-relevant bat for years to come if his 2021 gains stick, but is somewhat blocked by Kris Bryant and has already been optioned back to Triple-A.
Jason Krizan, OF, SFG – How can you not be romantic about baseball? Krizan has been in the minors since 2011 and this promotion led to his MLB debut at 33 years old. He showed more power than ever in 2021, hitting .316 with 16 home runs in 110 Triple-A games, so maybe Krizan can provide some value as a bench bat.
Mauricio Llovera, P, SFG – Llovera converted to mostly relief pitching in 2021. He’s now with the Giants organization after spending his career with the Phillies, so maybe San Francisco player development can get more out of him than what we saw in previous seasons.
Vinny Capra, INF/OF, TOR – After posting mediocre numbers for most of his minor league career, Capra broke out at Double-A in 2021, triple-slashing .327/.396/.548 in 72 games. He’s continued that breakout into 2022 but playing time will be hard to find on the Blue Jays roster and he’s most likely a bench bat long-term.
April 30
Locke St. John, P, CHC – St. John is a relief-only arm who has struggled with walks in the upper minors.
Connor Overton, P, CIN – Overton has split time as a starter and a reliever throughout his career. He had a nice start following this promotion, tossing 5.1 innings and allowing one run, but doesn’t have a high fantasy ceiling.
Elvis Peguero, P, LAA – Peguero is a relief-only arm. The righty has been effective when healthy in the minors but doesn’t have a lot of frames to his name the past few seasons.
Cole Sands, P, MIN – Sands has been a starting pitcher in the minors but pitched two innings of relief following this promotion. His walk rate reached double-digits for the first time at Double-A a year ago, and he hasn’t pitched much above that level, so he probably won’t see a ton of MLB action this season.
Stuart Fairchild, OF, SEA – Fairchild is a former second-round pick with decent speed and modest pop. He’s performed well throughout his minor league career but hasn’t much of a big-league look. Seattle recently acquired him for cash considerations and he should seem playing time with Mitch Haniger on the IL.
Zach Reks, OF, TEX – Reks was never going to see consistent playing time with the Dodgers, so a change of scenery to the Rangers organization is for the best. He’s still likely a bench bat at the MLB level, but might have a better chance at carving an MLB role this year.
Bowden Francis, P, TOR – Francis is a relief-only arm coming off a decent 2021 across Double-A and Triple-A. He will likely be up and down throughout the year.
May 1
Kyle Muller, P, ATL – Muller is on the verge of exceeding prospect eligibility as he made a number of starts for Atlanta in 2021. That results were decent with the lefty posting a 4.17 ERA and 23.9% strikeout rate in 36.2 innings. He got rocked following this promotion, allowing seven runs in 2.2 innings, and was subsequently sent back to Triple-A. He’ll likely make a handful of spot starts throughout the year and profiles as backend starter long-term.
Alejo López, INF, CIN – López has the ability to hit for a high average without striking out much, but his lack of power and speed make him more of a utility profile.
TJ Friedl, OF, CIN – Friedl is a burner with below-average power. He’s a bench outfield type, but given how the Reds season is going he could see more playing time than expected.
Kenny Rosenberg, P, LAA – Rosenberg transitioned to a reliever once he reached Triple-A with the Rays organization a season ago, but it’s less clear if, now with the Angels, he will be used as a starter or a reliever. His production drastically improved out of the bullpen, so that’s where he likely ends up long-term.
May 2
MJ Melendez, C/OF, KCR – Melendez posted video-game numbers in the minors last year, clubbing 41 homers and hitting .288 in 124 games across Double and Triple-A. He’s been sluggish out of the gate in 2022 but got the call nonetheless. With Salvador Perez at catcher, it’s likely Melendez sees most of his time at designated hitter with some days in the outfield or as the backstop peppered in. It’s unclear if this is a long-term callup or not, but Melendez’s performance could dictate that.
José Miranda, INF, MIN – Miranda was one of the biggest prospect risers in 2021, finishing the year with a .973 OPS and 30 dingers across 127 games between Double and Triple-A. On the diamond, he’s still trying to find a home, playing all over the dirt a season ago. That could be helpful from a fantasy perspective and also help him get into the lineup more often. He was off to a so-so start in 2022, hitting .256 with two home runs before getting the call. It appears Miguel Sanó is set to miss an extended period of time, so Miranda could be up for quite a while if he proves he can adjust to big-league pitching out of the gate.
Jovani Moran, P, MIN – Moran is a relief-only arm but has posted double-digit walk rates at seemingly every level in the minors.
May 3
William Woods, P, ATL – This was a 27th-man promotion for a doubleheader, but Woods could be an effective reliever at some point down the line.
Alejo López, INF, CIN – See May 1 write-up.
Elvis Pegeuro, P, LAA – See above. Clearly, he’s going to ping pong between the majors and minors this season.
Adonis Medina, P, NYM – Medina is a relief-only arm at this point. He was once an exciting prospect, but his lack of strikeouts in recent years has caused him prospect stock to dip.
Packy Naughton, P, STL – Naughton was in last week’s version of this series and will likely be in a few more down the road. He’s a reliever that will be brought up and sent down as needed.
Juan Yepez, INF/OF, STL – Yepez is a corner infielder or outfielder, but it appears he’s got a bat that will play anywhere. Yepez finished 2021 with a .969 OPS and 27 home runs across Double-A and Triple-A. The 24-year-old was off to a hot start at Triple-A this season, too, hitting 9 home runs in 22 Triple-A games. Despite his mashing, it feels like he’s been a bit overshadowed. He could provide instant offense.
May 4
Ronnie Dawson, OF, CIN – Dawson spent the majority of his minor league career with the Houston organization. Now with Cincinnati, there should be a clearer path to playing time in the majors, but Dawson has struggled against upper minors pitching so it would be surprising to see him have a ton of success in the majors.
Alex Faedo, P, DET – Faedo is a former first-round pick for Detroit, but prior to this season hadn’t pitched in a professional game since 2019 after requiring Tommy John surgery. He made his MLB debut with this promotion, tossing five frames and allowing one run while striking out one. He profiles as a back-of-the-rotation arm, though there is a chance for more if he returns to pre-surgery form.
Emmanuel Rivera, 1B/3B, KCR – Rivera had a nice 2021, posting a 144 wRC+ at Triple-A, but has had an inconsistent minor league career as a whole. He’s already been with the big-league club earlier this season, so it looks like he will ping pong between the majors and minors as needed.
Aaron Fletcher, P, PIT – Fletcher is a lefty relief-only arm and this was a doubleheader promotion for pitching depth. He’s likely a low-leverage relief-arm long-term.
Pedro Avila, P, SDP – Avila has split time as a starter and a reliever in the minors but is likely a reliever at the big-league level. This was a doubleheader promotion, so Avila’s stint with MLB team won’t be a long one.
May 5
Riley O’Brien, P, SEA – O’Brien looks to be transitioning to bullpen work after spending the majority of his minor league career as a starter. His stuff could play up there, though he historically has had some issues with high walk rates.
Danny Young, P, SEA – Young is a relief-only arm that has struggled with run prevention as he has climbed into the upper minors.
Gregory Santos, P, SFG – Santos is a relief-only arm who doesn’t have much experience above A-ball. In his small samples in the upper minors, his walk rate has ballooned.
Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Ethan Kaplan (@DJFreddie10 on Twitter and @EthanMKaplanImages on Instagram)