This was a weekly series that outlined the prospect promotions from the previous week throughout the year. This is the final week of the year but the series will return in the spring of 2022! Thanks for following along each week.
September 24
Miguel Yajure, P, PIT (preseason PL team rank: 7): Yajure was acquired from the Yankees before the 2021 season. He was limited to 47.2 minor league innings this season, mostly in Triple-A, and posted a 4.15 ERA to go with 45 strikeouts. He’s a mid-to-backend rotation arm.
Peter Solomon, P, HOU (preseason PL team rank: 20): Solomon racked up strikeouts at Triple-A this season but struggled with run prevention from time to time. In the majors, though, he’s been very effective as a reliever, allowing just two runs in 14 innings. He should have a shot at a more permanent big-league role in 2022, even if it’s as a reliever.
Reiss Knehr, P, PIT (preseason PL team rank: UR): The Pirates have utilized Kneher as both a starter and a reliever in the majors this season. He’s compiled a 4.85 ERA in 26 innings. Expect a similar role and output for 2022.
Jhonathan Diaz, P, LAA (preseason PL team rank: UR): Diaz has gotten the call a few times recently and has allowed three earned runs in 8.2 innings to start his MLB career. It’s still to be determined whether or not the lefty will end up in the rotation or the bullpen.
Joey Krehbiel, P, BAL (preseason PL team rank: UR): Krehbiel is a relief-only arm that has bounced between a few organizations. He was a recent pickup for Baltimore after spending most of the season in Triple-A for the Rays.
Webster Rivas, C/1B, SDP (preseason PL team rank: UR): Rivas is a 30-year-old prospect, so the upside isn’t super high. He’s a depth piece with a career .686 OPS in the minors.
Greg Deichmann, OF, CHC (preseason PL team rank: UR): Deichmann spent most of his minor league career with Oakland but is now with the Cubs. He’s a lefty bat that can take a walk.
Nick Ciuffo, C, BAL (preseason PL team rank: UR): Ciuffo is a backup backstop profile that has spent most of his minor league career with the Rays.
September 25
Kyle Dohy, P, PHI (preseason PL team rank: UR): Dohy is a lefty relief arm. He had a great 2021, recording 65 punchouts in 42.2 innings between Double and Triple-A. He has the potential to carve out a big-league role in 2022.
Miguel Sanchez, P, MIL (preseason PL team rank: UR): Sanchez has appeared in 27 games for the Brewers this season, posting a 3.60 ERA and striking out 23 in 25 innings. He’s a dependable relief arm.
Kirby Snead, P, TOR (preseason PL team rank: UR): Snead has had a breakout in 2021. He recorded a sub-2 ERA in 39 Triple-A innings while striking out 54. In the majors, he’s allowed just two runs in 7.2 innings. If Toronto makes the playoffs, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him make an appearance.
September 26
Geraldo Perdomo, P, ARI (preseason PL team rank: 4): It’s been a disappointing 2021 for Perdomo. He hit just .231 with six home runs and eight steals at Triple-A in 82 contests. The good news? He had a 13% walk rate and this was his 21-age season. The walk rate alone should allow him to be a table-setter at the next level and there is still hope that more power comes along in his early-20s.
Hans Crouse, P, PHI (preseason PL team rank: 15): Crouse has had a nice 2021 season, posting a 3.28 ERA between Double-A and Triple-A for the Rangers and Phillies. It’s long been debated whether or not Crouse will ultimately end up in the bullpen, but to this point, he has had the look of a starter.
Vimael Machin, INF, OAK (preseason PL team rank: 27): Machin is knocking on the door of exceeding prospect eligibility. He hasn’t figured out big-league pitching yet with a career .464 OPS.
Eduard Bazardo, P, BOS (preseason PL team rank: 27): Bazardo was limited to fewer than 20 innings this season and he posted an ERA north of six. It’s a small sample and Bazardo was battling some injuries, so look for a bounce-back in 2022.
Andrew Vasquez, P, LAD (preseason PL team rank: UR): The Dodgers acquired Vasquez from the Twins at the end of August. He’s a lefty reliever with big strikeout ability.
September 27
Luis Barrera, OF, OAK (preseason PL team rank: 6): Barrera had a decent season at Triple-A, hitting .276 and swiping 10 bags. He doesn’t have big power but is a fourth outfielder profile that can hit for a good average and utilize his speed.
Wyatt Mills, P, SEA (preseason PL team rank: 29): Mills is a side-arm relief arm. He’s struggled in his first few appearances at the major league level but was dominant in Triple-A (51 strikeouts in 28.1 innings).
Kyle Keller, P, PIT (preseason PL team rank: UR): Keller is close to exceeding prospect eligibility. The Pirates have run the righty out quite often this season but the results haven’t been there as Keller has an ERA north of six.
Louis Head, P, TBR (preseason PL team rank: UR): Head has been a dependable arm for the Rays out of the bullpen this season, recording a 2.48 in 32.2 relief innings. At 31-years-old, he’s found a nice big-league role for himself.
Reiver Sanmartin, P, CIN (preseason PL team rank: UR): Sanmartin is a lefty arm that has split time as a starter and a reliever in the minors. He had a nice 2021 with a sub-4 ERA in Triple and most impressively recorded a 4.5% walk rate. That type of ability to limit walks should help Sanmartin earn a big-league role in 2022.
September 28
Riley O’Brien, P, CIN (preseason PL team rank: 14): O’Brien is a 26-year-old arm that has spent the majority of his professional career as a starter. He’s a potential back of the rotation arm but likely ends up in the bullpen.
Tyler Nevin, 1B/3B, BAL (preseason PL team rank: 17): We are a few seasons removed from Nevin’s hit tool receiving some hype. He traded some contact for power in 2021, hitting .227 with 16 home runs. He’s a bench bat.
Charlie Barnes, P, MIN (preseason PL team rank: UR): Barnes is not a big strikeout arm but the Twins have run Barnes out as an innings-eating starter in 2021. He has an ERA and a FIP over five.
September 29
Roansy Contreras, P, PIT (preseason PL team rank: 19): Contreras was one of the headline prospects traded from the Yankees to the Pirates prior to the 2021 season. He spent the majority of his season in Double-A where he had the best campaign of his young career, posting a 2.65 ERA in 54.1 innings while striking out 76. He’s tossed a handful of innings in both Triple-A and now the majors, and while they are very small samples, he has yet to experience any resistance at either level. He should be a mid-rotation starter long-term and could compete for a rotation spot come spring.
Trent Giambrone, INF/OF, CHC (preseason PL team rank: UR): Giambrone had a rough 2021, hitting for just a .529 OPS in 72 contests at Triple-A. He’s primarily a second baseman but has defensive value as he can play all over the diamond.
September 30
Ángel Zerpa, P, KC (preseason PL team rank: 17): Zerpa is a 22-year-old arm and he had a great stretch at High-A to start the year, recording a 2.59 ERA in 45.1 innings while striking out 54. He then struggled at Double-A, finishing with an ERA close to six. The lefty was protected the last offseason from the Rule 5 draft so the Royals seem to like him enough to get a longer look.
Albert Abreu, P, NYY (preseason PL team rank: UR): Abreu has gotten the call a number of times this season and he will likely exceed prospect eligibility pretty quickly in 2022. That being said, he hasn’t had much success in the big leagues so far with a career 5.25 ERA in 37.1 innings. There was some thought early in his career that he was a potential starter but it’s looking more and more likely he will find his home as a reliever.
Tanner Anderson, P, PIT (preseason PL team rank: UR): Anderson has bounced between a few organizations across the last few seasons. He doesn’t rack up strikeouts but can keep runs off the board. He’s a low-leverage innings-eater at the MLB level.
Erick Castillo, C, CHC (preseason PL team rank: UR): Castillo has a career .545 OPS in the minors. He’s a backup backstop profile.
Photo by Rob Lynn/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | Adapted by Ethan Kaplan (@DJFreddie10 on Twitter and @EthanMKaplanImages on Instagram)