This will be a weekly series that will outline the prospect promotions from the previous week throughout the year. This week, the trade deadline led to a lot of promotions across the league. All stats are of August 12.
August 6
Taylor Jones, 1B, HOU (preseason PL team rank: 2): Jones continues to rake at Triple-A, posting a .945 OPS in 2021. It’s a small sample, but he’s been overwhelmed at the big-league level through his first 31 games. There’s concern he’s a Quad-A player, but Jones has yet to get a fair shot at consistent playing time.
Andrew Wantz, P, LAA (preseason PL team rank: UR): Wantz has split time as a starter and a reliever. He’s posted a 1.91 ERA in 28.1 innings at the Triple-A level. Thus far, The Angels have only used the 25-year-old as a reliever.
Jacob Wilson, INF, HOU (preseason PL team rank: UR): At 31-years-old, Wilson is a career minor leaguer. After a so-so performance at the plate for most of his career, Wilson has experienced a breakout the past two seasons. He’s unlikely to see consistent playing time in Houston.
Greg Deichmann, OF, CHC (preseason PL team rank: UR): The Cubs traded away a lot of their starting lineup, so guys like Deichmann will see playing time to close out the year. The 26-year-old outfielder was having a career year at Triple-A in 2021.
August 7
Tanner Houck, P, BOS (preseason PL team rank: 3): Houck has bounced between the starting rotation, the bullpen, and Triple-A in 2021, but his performance indicates that he should probably be a starter for the big league club. Through 30.2 MLB innings this season, Houck has recorded a 2.93 ERA with 44 strikeouts. He has yet to pitch more than five innings in an outing.
Patrick Muphy, P, TOR (preseason PL team rank: 14): Murphy worked as a starting pitcher for most of his minor league career but has seemingly transitioned full-time to a bullpen role. He’s been limited to 14.1 Triple-A innings this season but has yet to allow an earned run.
Connor Wong, C, BOS (preseason PL team rank: 21): Wong is hitting .183 at Triple-A, though he has a career .820 OPS in the minors. He’ll likely need more seasoning in the minors before carving out a bigger MLB role.
Isaac Mattson, P, BAL (preseason PL team rank: 44): Mattson is a relief-only arm but one that has a history of posting elite strikeout rates in the minors. He’s been limited to only 11.1 innings this season, but it wouldn’t be shocking to see Mattson become a staple of part of the Baltimore bullpen
Kirby Snead, P, TOR (preseason PL team rank: UR): Snead is a relief-only arm experiencing a career year at Triple-A in 2021. Through 33.1 innings, the left-hander has posted a 1.89 ERA while striking out 45.
August 8
Luis Gil, P, NYY (preseason PL team rank: 4): Gil followed this promotion with another scoreless outing, tossing five frames and striking out eight. Now through his first two starts in the big leagues, Gil has thrown 11 scoreless innings to go with 14 strikeouts. He was optioned following the game but Gil is making his case for a permanent role with the Yankees.
Alexander Wells, P, BAL (preseason PL team rank: 34): Wells is a command artist only walking six batters in 43 Triple-A innings in 2021. That trait hasn’t translated to the big leagues, though, as there Wells has issued nine free passes in 18 innings. Expect it to get better over time. Wells has a back-of-the-rotation profile.
Justin Bruihl, P, LAD (preseason PL team rank: UR): Bruihl is a lefty relief arm but could be a good one. Through 37.2 Triple-A innings, he’s posted a 2.63 ERA and 50 strikeouts.
August 9
Francisco Perez, P, CLE (preseason PL team rank: UR): Perez is a relief-only arm that is having a stellar 2021. Through 45.1 innings between Double and Triple-A, the 24-year-old has a 1.19 ERA with 71 strikeouts. Cleveland is known for breeding pitchers seemingly out of nowhere and Perez could be the latest diamond in the rough.
August 10
A.J. Puk, P, OAK (preseason PL team rank: 2): Puk was once considered one of the top pitching prospects in baseball. Injuries have limited him over the years and he’s been hit around in Triple-A to the tune of a 6.08 ERA, but his strikeout and walk numbers point to some positives. He’ll have a relief role with Oakland when he’s on the MLB squad.
Chris Rodriguez, P, LAA (preseason PL team rank: 7): The Angels seem to be giving Rodriguez a shot in the rotation after using him as a bullpen weapon for most of the year. Rodriguez has a starter’s repertoire but a checkered injury history has kept his innings in check for 2021. So far, so good for the right-hander and it’s reasonable to expect him to stick in the rotation for the foreseeable future, though he likely won’t pitch deep into games.
Aaron Ashby, P, MIL (preseason PL team rank: 10): Ashby fared much better following this promotion than his initial call-up, tossing two shutout innings. It was part of a doubleheader, so Ashby isn’t likely to have a role with the Brewers unless an injury opens up an opportunity. He has back-of-the-rotation potential.
Mickey Moniak, OF, PHI (preseason PL team rank: 14): Moniak is having a career year in Triple-A with an .800 OPS. He’s struggled in limited action in the big leagues but Moniak is still just 23-years-old. While he will likely never live up to the hype of a top overall selection, his stock is higher this year than it has been in years past.
Camilo Doval, P, SF (preseason PL team rank: 34): Doval is a relief-only arm. He hasn’t had much success at the MLB level but it’s a small sample size. Doval’s strikeout ability makes him a candidate for high-leverage work down the line.
Justin Steele, P, CHC (preseason PL team rank: 36): Steele got the call to make a spot start and performed well, allowing three runs across five innings. He is a back-end starter or multi-inning reliever type.
Joel Payamps, P, KC (preseason PL team rank: UR): Payamps is close to graduating from prospect eligibility. He had a nice season with Toronto, notching a 2.70 ERA in 30 innings, before being purchased by the Royals in July. He was optioned on Wednesday.
August 11
Connor Wong, C, BOS (preseason PL team rank: 21): See August 7 summary.
Brooks Kriske, P, NYY (preseason PL team rank: UR): Kriske is a relief-only righty. He’s had a solid season in Triple-A, posting a 3.86 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 21 innings. When up, he’s a low leverage arm for the Yankees.
Connor Overton, P, TOR (preseason PL team rank: UR): Overton has split time as a starter and a reliever in Triple-A, recording a 2.03 ERA in 57.2 innings. It’s the best season of his career and the 27-year-old may be a late-blooming arm.
August 12
Tanner Houck, P, BOS (preseason PL team rank: 3): See August 7 summary.
Estevan Florial, OF, NYY (preseason PL team rank: 5): Florial got the call for the Field of Dreams game though he didn’t make an appearance. He will likely be sent back down today.
Mitch White, P, LAD (preseason PL team rank: 21): White got the call to make a spot start for the Dodgers. He was serviceable, allowing two earned runs across four innings while striking out four. He has a 2.25 ERA in 25 Triple-A innings and has a reliable arm when called upon by the big-league club.
Ryan Meisinger, P, CHC (preseason PL team rank: UR): Meisinger has bounced between a handful of organizations the past few years and is now with the Cubs. He’s a relief-only righty.
Humberto Castellanos, P, ARI (preseason PL team rank: UR): Castellanos has been steady out of the Diamondbacks bullpen this season, posting a 2.30 ERA in 15.2 innings. He’s worked as a starter at Triple-A but hasn’t had much success in 2021.
Jake Hager, INF/OF, ARI (preseason PL team rank: UR): Hager is a light-hitting versatile defender. He can play all over the diamond but has a sub-.700 OPS.
Jacob Robson, OF, DET (preseason PL team rank: UR): Robson is having a breakout 2021 with a .942 OPS across Double and Triple-A. It’s his best year by far so a test at the MLB level will allow us to see if he’s having a true breakthrough at 26 or just hitting against younger competition.
David Paulino, P, PHI (preseason PL team rank: UR): Once upon a time, Paulino had vaulted himself into the conversation as one of the best pitching prospects in baseball. That was back in 2016 but Paulino struggled in the upper minors and was also suspended MLB for 80 games for testing positive for PEDS. He’s been ok as a reliever at Triple-A in 2021 and his next appearance in the big leagues will be his first since 2018.
Photo by Cody Glenn/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Ethan Kaplan (@DJFreddie10 on Twitter and @EthanMKaplanImages on Instagram)