Graduated from Prospect News: Stash List Volume 7: Baltimore Stacks Backups:
Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Colton Cowser, Sal Frelick, Dominic Canzone, Tyler Soderstrom.
1. Cardinals SS Masyn Winn | 21 | AAA
If I’m the Cardinals, I want Winn to get acclimated to the majors before heading into 2024 because I want him to be my opening day shortstop. He’s been improving throughout the year and has been elite for a while now, slashing .328/.390/.533 with a 12.5 percent strikeout rate over his last 42 games. He has 12 home runs and 16 stolen bases in 87 games on the season and even leads the league in hits with 106.
2. Rays LHP Jacob Lopez | 25 | AAA
Wins is a difficult category every year, but 2023 feels like a new level of win-difficulty to me. I’ve liked Lopez for a long time, and he’s a great fit for the steal-happy, pitch-clock era because he holds runners and induces weak contact, which is more valuable this year as hard grounders are getting through the infields again.
3. Tigers 3B Colt Keith | 21 | AAA
Would probably have the top spot if I didn’t suspect the Tigers were doing service math.
4. Orioles OF Heston Kjerstad | 24 | AAA
The team still has Aaron Hicks and Ryan O’Hearn in the lineup most nights, and they’re both still hitting, but Kjerstad is slashing .339/.420/.576 with an 18.6 percent strikeout rate in 31 Triple-A games and has no real reason to remain at the level.
5. Giants RHP Mason Black | 23 | AAA
It’s a two-pitch look, but if his command is on point, Black gets an extra pitch or two out of the fastball/slider combo because he can work both inside and out, up and down. Stealing the back-door slider strike from lefties, especially, gives him a chance against them because he can also back-foot the pitch for punch-outs in two-strike counts.
6. Reds RHP Connor Phillips | 22 | AAA
Fired seven shutout innings with eleven strikeouts Friday night against Cleveland, a pretty solid lineup as Triple-A groups go. The command is a work in progress, but Phillips is coming on fast and has nasty enough stuff to be effectively wild while he refines his craft.
7. Tigers 3B Justyn-Henry Malloy | 24 | AAA
What’s going on in Detroit? I thought we’d see some fresh blood when the team stopped wanting that scrub, Jonathan Schoop.
8. Tigers OF Parker Meadows | 23 | AAA
Meadows brought some steam into the season after a hot spring but stumbled early in Triple-A. He has since course-corrected and is slashing .290/.351/.568 with eight home runs over his last 39 games.
9. Orioles 2B Connor Norby | 23 | AAA
I have a hunch that Baltimore isn’t going to do much at the deadline, but if they make a move or two, Norby could find himself in an everyday opportunity overnight. He’s slashing .299/.367/.540 with five home runs over the last month (22 games).
10. Mets SS Ronny Mauricio | 22 | AAA
I dunno. When I saw them on the way to Barbenheimer, I tried to ask Mr. and Mrs. Met if they had any news on Mauricio’s timeline, but they were too busy living for the likes to notice me.
11. Phillies OF Simon Muzziotti | 24 | AAA
On the one hand, Muzziotti’s window seems pretty much closed with Bryce Harper back in action and Johan Rojas in the big leagues. On the other hand, Muzziotti’s hitting .341 with 21 steals and just 44 strikeouts (13.2 percent) on the season.
12. Diamondbacks SS Ryan Bliss | 23 | AAA
Been a sad first week in Reno, leaving Bliss with a slash line of .120/.241/.160 through six games.
13. Diamondbacks SS Jordan Lawlar | 20 | AA
14. Brewers OF Jackson Chourio | 19 | AA
15. Rangers OF Evan Carter | 20 | AA
Lil three-pack on the way out. Every one of these guys is playing well in an organization fighting for post-season positioning, but each could probably use a few weeks in Triple-A. Would be a bold strategy to put them on a path to make the playoff roster.
Thanks for reading!
