This will be a weekly series that will outline the prospect promotions from the previous week throughout the year. The minor league season has begun and we have seen more prospects starting to get the call. All stats are of June 17.
June 11
Ralph Garza, P, HOU (preseason PL team rank: UR): Garza is a relief-only arm with a 3.69 ERA in the minors. He should see some low-leverage relief work.
June 12
Tony Santillan, P, CIN (preseason PL team rank: 12): Santillan put forth a solid outing with this promotion, tossing 4.1 innings and allowing one earned run while striking out five. He’s had a great season in Triple-A (2.51 ERA) and could stick in the rotation for the Reds.
Wil Crowe, P, PIT (preseason PL team rank: 19): Crowe has been used primarily as a starter in the minors, compiling a 4.02 ERA in four seasons. He’s started in 11 of his 12 appearances in the majors and is on the verge of exceeding prospect eligibility, but his ERA is north of seven and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him in a long-relief role at some point.
Trevor Megill, P, CHC (preseason PL team rank: 50): Megill is a tall relief-only arm for the Cubs with some strikeout ability.
Luke Raley, OF, LAD (preseason PL team rank: UR): Raley has gotten the call a few times this season for the Dodgers. When the team is healthy, Raley is likely not to be on the roster, but he gets the promotion again here as the Dodgers starting lineup continues to heal.
Enyel De Los Santos, P, PHI (preseason PL team rank: UR): De Los Santos has experience as a starter and as a reliever. In the majors, though, he’s been used primarily as a reliever and that looks to be his temporary role with the big league club.
Taylor Saucedo, P, TOR (preseason PL team rank: UR): Saucedo is a relief prospect that doesn’t strike out a lot of hitters but can limit walks.
Andres Machado, P, WAS (preseason PL team rank: UR): Machado hasn’t made an appearance in the majors since 2017. He’s strictly a reliever at this point.
June 13
Jeremy Beasley, P, TOR (preseason PL team rank: UR): Beasley is a relief-only arm with a 3.50 ERA across three minor league seasons.
Ernie Clement, 2B, CLE (preseason PL team rank: UR): This is the first promotion for Clement. The infielder is a career .280 hitter in the minors but he has limited power and is caught too often on the bases to put his speed to good use. He is a utility infielder type.
June 14
Edward Olivares, OF, KC (preseason PL team rank: 6): Olivares has been bouncing between the majors and minors the past few weeks. He has an interesting speed/power combination, but the Royals have yet to give him consistent playing time in the majors. With Andrew Benintendi hitting the IL, this could be Olivares’ chance at an extended look.
Corbin Martin, P, ARI (preseason PL team rank: 7): Back in 2018, Martin looked to be one of the most exciting young pitching prospects. Despite some injuries and some struggles, there are still flashes of that once-promising arm. Martin still possesses great strikeout ability but needs to limit his free passes.
Bailey Falter, P, PHI (preseason PL team rank: 20): Falter’s control is his calling card and he could eventually be a back-end starter despite not having elite velocity on his fastball. For now, the Phillies are using Falter in a multi-inning relief capacity.
Kyle Nelson, P, CLE (preseason PL team rank: 45): Nelson is a relief-only arm with a fastball/slider combo. He hasn’t found much success at the MLB level, but it’s only been six innings.
Luis Madero, P, MIA (preseason PL team rank: UR): Madero is used almost exclusively as a starter in the minors, recording a 4.29 ERA
June 15
Jesús Sánchez, OF, MIA (preseason PL team rank: 6): Sánchez made his MLB debut in 2020 and couldn’t find his groove, hitting just .040 in with 11 strikeouts in 10 games. He’s been absolutely on fire to start the 2021 Triple-A season though, hitting .349/.400/.643 with nine home runs in 33 games. The Marlins have a semi-crowded outfield, though with Corey Dickerson and Garrett Cooper on the IL, so Sánchez should see regular opportunities out of the gate.
Mitch White, P, LAD (preseason PL team rank: 21): White has been on the big league club a few times this season. He was used primarily as a starter in the first few seasons of his minor league career but is a relief-only arm now. He’s allowed five earned runs in 13.2 innings for the Dodgers in 2021.
Eli Morgan, P, CLE (preseason PL team rank: 33): Morgan made his debut a few weeks ago and it didn’t go well. The right allowed six earned runs on eight hits in 2.2 innings. The Cleveland rotation is banged up so Morgan gets a second opportunity to showcase the skillset that has helped him compile a 3.15 ERA in the minors.
Miguel Del Pozo, P, DET (preseason PL team rank: UR): Del Pozo has bounced between a few organizations in recent years and is now with Detroit. He’s a relief arm with a 4.17 ERA in the minors.
June 16
Kyle Muller, P, ATL (preseason PL team rank: 7): The Braves appeared to have found a potential piece of their 2021 rotation with Tucker Davidson, but a forearm strain has landed him on the IL. It’s unclear if Muller will get a chance out of the rotation at some point, but he made a relief appearance following this promotion and allowed two runs on four hits in one inning. Muller has a plus fastball that touches the upper-90s and might be best suited for the bullpen long-term, anyways.
Cory Abbott, P, CHC (preseason PL team rank: 10): Abbott projects as a back-of-the-rotation arm but has been used in a relief capacity in his few MLB appearances. He was the Cubs 2019 minor league pitcher of the year so there is some upside for more here.
Nick Maton, INF, PHI (preseason PL team rank: 18): The Phillies have been forced to deal with multiple injuries this season, so Maton has already appeared in 39 games. The 24-year-old has a .669 OPS with two home runs and two steals on the year. He figures to see a good amount of playing time with Jean Segura on the shelf for the next few weeks.
James Norwood, P, SD (preseason PL team rank: UR): Norwood made a handful of appearances for the Cubs, but this marks his first with the Padres. He’s a relief-only arm with a 3.93 ERA in the minors.
Mike Hauschild, P, CHC (preseason PL team rank: UR): Hauschild has bounced between a few organizations the last few years and is now with the Cubs. He is a low-leverage relief arm.
June 17
Matt Manning, P, DET (preseason PL team rank: 2): Manning came into 2021 pegged as one of the best pitching prospects in baseball but he’s stumbled in Triple-A, posting an 8.07 ERA in 32.1 innings. His 18.1% K-BB rate indicates he’s pitched much better than that, though, and recent history suggests that Detroit will give him a long leash in the starting rotation. You can read about Manning’s debut with a GIF breakdown from Ben Palmer.
Zack Burdi, P, CHW (preseason PL team rank: 9): Burdi has struggled with walks in Triple-A this season, issuing seven in 9.2 innings, leading to a 5.59 ERA. He is a relief-only prospect but one that used to be considered the best in baseball. He’s battled injuries in recent years but if he can get back to his old self, he has the potential to carve out a role in a White Sox bullpen that has not performed up to its talent level.
T.J. Zeuch, P, TOR (preseason PL team rank: 31): Toronto has used Zeuch as both a reliever and a starter. He doesn’t have big strikeout stuff but has a career 3.60 ERA in the minors.
Justin Lawrence, P, COL (preseason PL team rank: UR): It wouldn’t be a Prospects Promotions article without an appearance from Lawrence. The Rockies seemingly call him up every week. He is a bullpen depth arm.
Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Ethan Kaplan (@DJFreddie10 on Twitter and @EthanMKaplanImages on Instagram)