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.
May 13
Richie Palacios, OF, CLE – Palacios got the call earlier this year and hit .259 in his first nine games before heading back to Triple-A. He’s now back with the MLB team following Josh Naylor hitting the IL, but it’s probably temporary. Palacios is a hit-over-power bat.
Chase Silseth, P, LAA – Silseth is one to watch. After being taken in the 11th round of the 2021 draft, he’s the first player from that draft to make a Major League appearance. The soon-to-be 22-year-old made five starts in Double-A, posting a 1.73 ERA and 30.3% K-BB rate, before getting the call for the Angels. He tossed six shutout innings in his MLB debut, but it’s unclear how long he will stick in the rotation given that this was his first appearance above Double-A and he doesn’t have a ton of professional innings under his belt.
Clarke Schmidt, P, NYY – It feels impossible that Schmidt is still a prospect, but here we are. He may profile as a backend starter long-term, but the Yankees are using him as a multi-inning reliever out of the gate as he continues to ramp up following an injury-shortened 2021.
May 14
Jhonathan Diaz, P, LAA – Diaz made a spot start for a doubleheader with the promotion, throwing 4.2 shutout innings, though it did come with four walks. The high walk rates have plagued him in the upper minors and majors thus far. He was optioned back to Triple-A.
Adam Oller, P, OAK – Oller got the spot start for a doubleheader and it did not go well. He allowed eight runs in five innings. He’s been okay in the minors the last few years, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see a switch to relief at some point.
Danny Young, P, SEA – Young is a relief-only arm that has had an up-and-down career in the minors. He doesn’t have huge strikeout numbers and paired with consistent double-digit walk rates means he’s likely a low-leverage pitcher long-term.
May 15
Michael Grove, P, LAD – Grove got the call for a spot start here, despite never pitching above Double-A. He tossed 3.2 innings and allowed four unearned runs, striking out three. He’s been dominant at Double-A to start the year but doesn’t pitch deep into games.
Colin Holderman, P, NYM – Holderman has transitioned fully to the bullpen in recent seasons. As a result, his walk rates have improved and there is a profile here that could have some success at the MLB level, even if he’s never truly a high-leverage arm.
Yunior Marte, P, SFG – Marte is a relief-only arm that has posted decent strikeout and walk rates in the minors the last few seasons. He’s struggled at the MLB level to start his career, though, and has already been optioned back to the minors.
May 16
Jake Hager, INF/OF, ARI – Hager is a light-hitting utility man. He plays all over the diamond but is likely a defensive-replacement type profile in the majors.
Alex Faedo, P, DET – Faedo made last week’s version of this list. He’s a former first-rounder who appears to be coming into his own following an injury-plagued career in the minors. Through 15.2 MLB innings this season, he has a 2.87 ERA, though the strikeout rate is below 20%.
Mauricio Llovera, P, SFG – Llovera is now a relief-only prospect, but he’s off to a stellar start in 2022. At Triple-A, he’s posted a 32.6% K-BB rate and not allowed a run in 12.2 innings. He’s been successful in the majors, too, with a 33.3% strikeout rate and 2.25 ERA through his first four innings. This could be an impact arm.
Andrew Vasquez, P, TOR – Vasquez has posted high strikeout rates throughout the minors but has had some issues with walks as he hit the upper minors. Still, the strikeout ability might be enough for him to carve out an MLB relief role at some point.
May 17
Tyler Gilbert, P, ARI – This promotion and subsequent start led to Gilbert exceeding his prospect status. The start itself didn’t go well with Gilbert allowing six runs in 5.2 innings. At this point, we have a pretty good idea that Gilbert’s future is as a spot starter/multi-inning reliever.
Edwin Uceta, P, ARI – Uceta is a relief prospect formerly with the Dodgers organization. His double-digit walk rates cap his ceiling and he’s likely looking at low-leverage work.
Tucker Davidson, P, ATL – Davidson made eight starts between Triple-A and the majors and had success at both levels, though his FIP and xFIP at the MLB level indicate he may have been ab it lucky. Following this promotion, he tossed five shutout innings against the Brewers. It’s unclear whether or not he’s going to stick in the rotation, but he’s a long-term back-of-the-rotation arm.
Nick Vespi, P, BAL – Vespi is a relief-only prospect but he’s off to a fantastic start in 2022 at Triple, tossing 13.1 shutout innings, striking out 21. The strikeout ability has always been there for Vespi, but if he can continue to limit walks he should be able to carve out a role with the Orioles.
Logan Gillaspie, P, BAL – Gillaspie is a relief prospect. He hasn’t pitched much above Double-A, but he’s off to a nice start in 2022.
Christopher Morel, INF, CHC – Morel had a storybook debut following his promotion. In the 22-year-olds first MLB plate appearance, he hit a pinch-hit walk-off home run. It’s difficult to imagine a better start to a big-league career. Morel’s pop showed up in 2021 to pair with his already existing speed and while he hasn’t played much above Double-A, it’s an encouraging sign that he’s already hit nine home runs in 2022.
Braden Hughes, P, CHC – Hughes is a career relief prospect but he’s consistently posted good strikeout rates and has never had an ERA over 3.86. He’s one to keep an eye on.
Brian Serven, C, COL – Serven has been an ok bat throughout the minors but is dominating Triple-A to start the year, with a 131 wRC+ in 23 games. He’s likely serving a backup role with the big-league club.
Seth Martinez, P, HOU – Martinez is a relief-only prospect but had a nice 2021 with a 25% K-BB rate in Triple-A. He’s posted fairly low walk rates throughout his career so there could be something here.
Sebastian Rivero, C, KCR – Rivero seems to be the emergency catcher call-up of choice for the Royals, despite being at Double-A when in the minors. He might see some run with Salvador Perez hitting the IL.
Ryan Pepiot, P, LAD – Pepiot got a spot start last week for the Dodgers and got one again here for a doubleheader. He allowed three runs in four innings while striking out five. He’ll be used in a similar fashion throughout the season.
Trevor Kelley, P, MIL – Kelley made a handful of MLB appearances in 2019 and 2020 but got hit around. He had a bounceback 2021 at Triple-A and is off to a nice start there again in 2022. He’s a relief-only arm likely to work low-leverage.
Gosuke Katoh, INF/OG, NYM – Katoh started the year with the Blue Jays and is now with the Mets. He had a decent 2021 at Triple-A, though he’s likely a bench bat long-term.
Adonis Medina, P, NYM – The Mets appear to be transitioning Medina to a bullpen arm, which could help his stuff play up. He should ping pong between the majors and minors as needed this year.
Stephen Nogosek, P, NYM – This is a doubleheader call-up for Nogosek, who is a relief-only arm that has put improved strikeout numbers in recent years.
Packy Naughton, P, STL – Naughton is on this list seemingly every week. The switch to the bullpen appears to be just what Naughton needed. In 19.1 innings between Triple-A and the majors, he’s allowed just five runs while striking out 20 and walking three. If he continues to perform, he should see a longer leash in the majors, but this promotion was just for a doubleheader.
May 18
Luis Frías, P, ARI – Frías has been a starting pitcher prospect for most of his career but has made only relief appearances in the bigs. His stuff may play up out of the bullpen and he’s already posted decent strikeout rates throughout the minors.
Nick Allen, INF, OAK – Allen had a nice season at Double-A before struggling following a Triple-A promotion. He’s showed improved plate discipline in 2022, walking at a double-digit rate in Triple-A to start the year, but this is still the looks of a utility profile.
May 19
Dairon Blanco, OF, KCR – Blanco is a 29-year-old who had never made an MLB appearance, so the ceiling isn’t super high here, but he’s been above-average at the plate the last few years and knows how to steal a base.
Photo by Steven King/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Ethan Kaplan (@DJFreddie10 on Twitter and @EthanMKaplanImages on Instagram)