Prospect News: Jeremiah’s Journey or Pinckney And The Pain

Rays LHP Ian Seymour made his first career start Monday after spending about six weeks in the bullpen. He allowed just two baserunners through five shutout innings, bringing his season-long ERA down to 3.18 with a 1.02 WHIP. At 26 years old with good command of a change-up first arsenal, he’s got a great shot to lock down a rotation spot for the stretch run, and because he’s under a rookie contract, he could look ideal to this front office as a cheap rotation piece for 2026 and beyond. He also gives this team multiple Seymours. Good vision incoming. 

Orioles OF Jeremiah Jackson has been on a journey these last few years, from Los Angeles to New York to Baltimore, and he’s picked up some lessons along the way. His strikeout percentages across his last four stops are 33.1, 25.5, 16.4, and 11.7 in 40 Triple-A games this season. Oh and he’s at 21.9 percent through 21 games with Baltimore, slashing .324/.342/.451 with one home run. It doesn’t make a ton of sense for the team to save space for found money at this point in its build, but that’s how the Orioles operate, and I wouldn’t be surprised at all if this is the start of something useful for our game. 

Should probably mention somewhere in here that Mets RHP Jonah Tong will be promoted to debut for New York on Friday. Get your popcorn ready. Here’s what I wrote about Tong on Sunday in Prospect News: Stash List #10: The Tong Show or Quinn The Zone: 

“Simply put, I think Tong is among this organization’s best five starting pitchers right now. Maybe they won’t find a way to fit him into the rotation. He does have 107.2 innings across 21 starts after pitching 113 innings last year, so he might be nearing the end of his allotment, but I don’t know. It just feels right that they give him a start or two. He hasn’t given up more than two runs since April. His season long ERA is 1.50, which drops to 1.09 if you drop those first two starts of the season. I’m sure he feels like he’s being challenged every time he takes the ball, but the outcomes suggest he’s been ready for the next level most of the season.”

The Cincinnati Reds have long enjoyed a plethora of options for infield spots, but it’s starting to look like they should narrow that down and give 3B Sal Stewart (21, AAA) a good long look. His path got complicated when the Reds acquired Ke’Brayan Hayes and then further complicated by the fact that Hayes has hit the ground running in his new home, a much cozier spot for right-handed hitters than Pittsburgh. They should probably bring that crazy left-center fence in a few feet, but that would cost money, so . . . anyway back to Sal Stewart. He’s slashing .323/.399/.653 with nine home runs and four steals through 33 Triple-A games, and his plate skills have been excellent: an 11.2-to-16.1 percent walk to strikeout rate. Spencer Steer has turned in a pretty poor performance at first base, so perhaps that’s the path for Stewart. 

When you get late in the season, it’s pretty easy to notice a guy like Twins OF Kyler Fedko (25, AAA) because he has 26 home runs and 33 stolen bases. A 12th round pick out of UConn in 2021, Fedko is going to have to earn every chance he gets, and he’s turned it up a notch since a few spots opened up after the trade deadline, slashing .333/.416/.621 with six home runs and seven stolen bases in 21 August games. James Outman is playing pretty much every day, mixing in where he’s needed across the outfield, and the team has a pile of uninspiring options to sort, but I’m going to keep this guy on some watch lists and add him if he gets a chance. 

Nationals OF Andrew Pinckney (24, AAA) is another sort of unheralded guy going through a glow-up right now. A fourth-round pick out of Alabama in 2023, Pinckney has steadily progressed through the levels and is having his best stretch as a professional over his last month-plus in Triple-A, blasting 11 home runs and batting .310 with six stolen bases over his last 32 games. He’s still striking out quite a bit (28.7 percent over that stretch), but Washington isn’t really in position to hold out for perfection. 

Diamondbacks OF Ryan Waldschmidt (22, AA) has marched steadily through the system and could close the 2025 season with a month in Triple-A. Through 50 games in Double-A, he’s slashing .290/.413/.492 with seven home runs and 14 stolen bases, good for a 140 wRC+, and he’s been even better after the past few weeks, batting .441 with six homers and five steals through his last 16 games. Not much left to prove at the level. 

Thanks for reading!