Every weekend, I will be posting about the minor leaguers you should stash on your team. These rankings are done solely for prospects who could affect the 2019 season. Their ranks are predicated on when they will be called up and raw talent—we want to give you an edge in building your team throughout the year. Not all prospects need to be stashed in every league, as not all league compositions are made equally.
1. Mitch Keller, SP Pittsburgh Pirates – ETA Monday
Mitch Keller is set to be recalled on Monday for his fourth start of the season. Despite duds in his last two starts in Triple-A, Keller has a healthy 3.56 ERA with 123 strikeouts in 103.2 innings this year. The start comes against the faltering Angels who have now dropped eight games in a row and having been outscored 63-20 in that span. Keller will make for a solid streaming option with elite strikeout upside on Monday, he should stick in the rotation this time around and will be worth keeping on rosters for the remainder of the season.
2. Jesus Luzardo, SP Oakland Athletics – ETA Late Aug.
Jesus Luzardo had his first rehab start this week, with another planned for today (Saturday). Luzardo threw two short innings allowing one hit while striking out five in Rookie ball and will be starting in High-A today as he slowly works his way up the minor-league ladder, building innings. Luzardo is not only one of the best arms on this list, but his promotion into a starting role is almost guaranteed upon promotion.
3. Kyle Wright, SP Atlanta Braves – ETA Mid-August
Kyle Wright is in a difficult place as he has been dominating Triple-A ball (2.13 ERA, seven quality starts, and 57:10 K:BB since June 14th), but has been unable to translate that into any amount of Major League success. In four MLB starts, Wright has a 9.72 ERA, with his most recent start in July was the most disastrous of his four starts. Wright has the necessary tools for sustained success but needs to reign in his control if he wants to succeed with the next opportunity Atlanta gives him.
4. Jon Duplantier, SP Arizona Diamondbacks – ETA Late August
Jon Duplantier is now on the heels of two devastating starts as he continues to work back from shoulder inflammation that kept him sidelined for the better part of a month. Duplantier flourished as a reliever earlier in the season, but Arizona demoted him and built him back into a starter before he was promptly injured. Arizona’s rotation has been a nightmare this year and while bolstered by Zac Gallen, there is still plenty of room for Duplantier upon his return—although Duplantier will result in more spot starts than roster ownership as he would be a significant risk in the NL West.
5. James Marvel, SP Pittsburgh Pirates – ETA Early Sept.
This is hedging against Mitch Keller’s promotion, but James Marvel has been productive all season in Double-A and has taken a step forward since his promotion to Triple-A at the start of July. In Double-A Marvel threw a 3.10 ERA with 83 strikeouts and only 24 walks in 101.2 innings. Since promoted, Marvel has had four quality starts in five attempts with the other start representing five of his seven runs allowed since his promotion. Marvel demonstrates excellent command and an advanced approach that represents a stable mid-rotation arm that should have immediate success in the Majors.
6. Matt Manning, SP Detroit Tigers – ETA Early Sept.
Matt Manning has reached a state of zen in Double-A baseball, now sporting a 2.70 ERA (and 2.71 FIP). He now has back-to-back seven-inning quality starts and is long past due for a promotion. Manning remains a longshot at an MLB promotion at the glacial pace Detroit has been stalling their top pitching prospects in Double-A but it is not outside the realm of possibility as he is projected to spend the majority of his 2020 season in Triple-A.
7. Justus Sheffield, SP Seattle Mariners – ETA Early Sept.
Nabil Crismatt continues to flounder in Triple-A and with Seattle still in need of an arm or two, Justus Sheffield makes a return to our Stash. After imploding earlier in the season, Sheffield was demoted to Triple-A then to Double-A, where he played since mid-June. Since his demotion to Double-A, Sheffield has thrown a 1.49 ERA with a 71:14 in 66.1 innings. The decreased walks are a welcome sight as Sheffield’s lack of control has been at the core of Sheffield’s issues this season. Sheffield is on the 40-man roster, so it would not be within expectations that Seattle promotes him to the MLB directly.
8. Ian Anderson, SP Atlanta Braves – ETA Early Sept.
To repeat for context now that Ian Anderson received his promotion to Triple-A this past week, Michael Soroka was promoted to Triple-A, he only had five starts before Atlanta gave him the call. Anderson is now well placed a few starts in Triple-A before a promotion to the Majors to close out the season. Anderson has thrown a 2.68 ERA with 147 strikeouts over 111 innings in 21 starts in Double-A and is arguably the best pitcher in Atlanta’s farm system. However, Anderson was rocked in his first Triple-A start, letting up five runs in three innings—walking four and striking out five. Atlanta has not ruled out an Anderson promotion and would be a last-minute elite arm to snag.
9. Trey Supak, SP Milwaukee Brewers – ETA Early Sept.
Other than the addition of Jordan Lyles, Milwaukee did little to bolster its rotation despite three starting pitchers on the Injured List. Trey Supak threw a 2.20 ERA in 122.2 innings in Double-A this season with 91 strikeouts. He has made only three starts in Triple-A and has struggled through two—one because of hits, the other because of home runs. Notably, he has 15 strikeouts over that span and went at least 5.2 innings in each start—promising signs that his pitches are effective at this new level of play. If he can settle down in his next handful of starts before September, Supak could play an interesting addition to Milwaukee’s rotation.
10. Adbert Alzolay, SP Chicago Cubs – ETA Early Sept.
Adbert Alzolay returned this past week and has two starts under his belt as he builds back innings after missing a month with right biceps inflammation. His control has waned in his rehab, allowing six walks to only eight strikeouts over five innings. Despite his stat line while in Chicago, Alzolay had two solid outings before imploding and a demotion. Barring an injury, there is not a place for Alzolay in the team’s rotation, but he could serve in spot starts throughout the next two months as Chicago gears up for a post-season run.
Fell Out
Jumped In
Justus Sheffield
Adbert Alzolay
Graphic by Michael Haas (@digitalHaas on Twitter)
Rolling Keller and his 2 starts (@LAA & CHC) out in points league this week?
Weekly lock that could be risky – I would wait and see after LAA if daily.
Spencer Howard and McKenzie Gore should be high on this list. I’ll take Paddack and Soroka over Darvish any day of the week.
I do not see either Howard or Gore making a substantive contribution to either of their respective teams this year.