September is fast approaching and with it comes the opportunity to expand rosters. Unlike the days of yesteryear, rosters will be expanding to 28 players from the current 26 player setup. With the increase comes the opportunity to call up some young talent and for us in the fantasy world to catch lightning in a bottle. In today’s hitter profiles, we look at a handful of hitters that may make an impact if called up. With the unpredictability of our game and the management of many major league rosters, will these reinforcements arrive in time to save your season?
Power Hitters
Jose Miranda – Minnesota Twins 3B prospect, Jose Miranda has split time evenly between AA and AAA this season. At both stops, he has produced nearly identical lines with a .996 and .977 OPS. A patient hitter at the dish with a respectable strikeout rate below 15% it would be wise for the Twins to give Miranda a shot as the season winds down. If he does, he has a chance to build on his 24 long balls launched in the minors this year on the biggest stage.
MJ Melendez – Between the top two stops in the minors, nobody has more homers than MJ Melendez. Recently promoted to AAA, he already has three dingers in 7 games. As a 20-year-old in A-ball, Melendez struck out nearly 40% of the time. In 2021 and now 22 years old, MJ has cut those strikeouts in half. He is certainly blocked being a catcher in the Kansas City system, but he is also Rule 5 eligible this offseason giving the Royals a reason to take a look and see if he is part of the long-term plans.
Speed Demon
Vidal Brujan – There is one name in the minors with game-changing speed that could be called up later this year, Vidal Brujan. Although his first stint in the majors was not game-changing, he has picked things back up with a .327 average and 10 steals in just 13 games since being sent back down for some seasoning. Of all the players on this list, I expect Vidal to be up in early September as a weapon for the Rays. If he can garner anything close to normal playing time, he can be a weapon for your fantasy lineup as well.
The Whole Package
Bobby Witt Jr. – It is arguable that no player has put together a more impressive season in the upper minors this year than Witt. At just 21 years of age, Witt has already surpassed a 20/20 season and seems to be in the mold of speed/power shortstops like Trevor Story and Bo Bichette. I would not be surprised to see a few growing pains when he gets promoted. However, it will not take him long to adjust. Witt would be a great stash if we knew he would be up this year. The Royals would be making a wise money decision to play the control game, but I for one am hopeful they throw caution to the wind.
