26-year-old Oakland 3B Jonah Bride isn’t married to any one position. He’s even messed around at catcher the last couple seasons. Impressive that despite his wandering ways he’s posted plus offensive seasons at every extended stop (wRC+ scores of 122, 130, 149, and the 175 in 12 games at AAA this season). He played third base in his debut and isn’t going to unseat Sean Murphy anytime soon, but he could hang onto a roster spot as Billy Beane and the Athletics try to cobble together a baseball team, shouting “It’s Alive!” into an echoing, empty ballpark.
Reds SS Carlos Jorge (18, CPX) couldn’t be stopped in the DSL last season (.346/.436/.579), and he’s back at it in complex league games, blasting two home runs with three stolen bases in six games, slashing .391/.481/.826 with four walks and seven strikeouts. Cat might be out of the bag already in your leagues, but he’s worth a roster spot where you can fit him. Won’t be on the complex for long with outcomes like these.
Mets OF Alex Ramirez (19, A) was mentioned in the comments of my article: New Top 75 for June 2022, as Razzball reader Kaptan was rightly anticipating Ramirez’s inclusion in the Top 100. Here’s what I said then:
“Ramirez is on the list of guys in play. He hasn’t homered since May 10th, is the only fly in the ointment and will be the main question as I toggle the names this week. I think that early jump was because the power was here already, and now maybe looks like it’s not. Slashing .237/.290/.289 in 24 games since May 11th.”
Well, Ramirez might be a Razzball reader himself because he responded immediately, homering twice on Tuesday night, bringing his season-long line to .316/.364/.493 with five home runs and nine stolen bases in 50 games. He also cut his strikeout rate from 31.1 percent last year to 21.1 percent this season.
Yankees OF Everson Pereira (21, A+) has struggled to recapture the magic of his 2021 outburst, but like Ramirez, he homered twice on Tuesday. He flashed incredible upside last season, specifically in the form of an otherworldly hotstreak. Might be a good time to see if he’s available in your league.
Dodgers SS Jacob Amaya (23) earned a promotion to AAA this week despite a tough slump at the AA level, where he slashed .136/.250/.152 over his final 17 games. Strikeout (15.8%) and walk (13.2%) rates were still plus over that stretch, so it’s kind of fun to see him get promoted due to process rather than results. I like it.
I’m making room for White Sox RHP Norge Vera (22, A) wherever I can. He made his stateside debut on June 9 with 2.2 scoreless innings and has a long way to go but was a young professional (18 years old pitching in CNS) and has long wowed scouts with his athleticism and stuff. Could be a fast mover.
With Walker Buehler shut down for six-to-eight weeks due to a flexor strain, the Dodgers are going to need some extra pitching. Losing an ace-caliber pitcher is a devastating blow to any organization, but Los Angeles is well positioned to cushion the blow, and RHP Mitch White looks like the first man up. I think he can hold the job, given his experience (he’s 27) and ability to locate three major league quality offerings (fastball, curveball, slider) at three difference velocity bands (94,85,80), but if they need more help, we could see Ryan Pepiot deployed in something of a bulk-follower role. The Dodgers don’t do that a whole lot, but that’s partly because they’ve always been deep in starters. They still are, and Andrew Heaney could be back soon to make them deeper. If they could carry a Heaney/Pepiot piggyback, it might help with Heaney’s health issues and Pepiot’s command issues, or at least create a bullpen-cushioning error bar if something goes awry. If this isn’t enough, they have Gavin Stone, Michael Grove, and Landon Knack looking like possibilities. Andre Jackson has walked 33 batters in 34.2 innings at AAA, so he’s probably not an option.
Thanks for reading!
I’m @theprospectitch on Twitter.
Hey Itch, top drawer read as usual Itch, your depth and detail is the best in the biz!
In a 6 player keeper, weekly, 12 team (ESPN roto) with 6 player benches, I often find myself with an open roster spot at the end of my bench. My philosophy has always been rather than roster a dude who makes me yawn, I look for an exciting, potentially difference making prospect. If I have to drop said prospect for need later I do, but this philosophy has netted me keepers over the years such as Acuna, Witt Jr, Tatis, Tucker, Robert etc. … some decent guys;)
Currently, I’m rostering Corbin Carroll (stash … potentially my Bobby Witt next year!!) and MJ (starting catcher). I’m looking for a name or two of who you think has the most upside to contribute in the second half of the year. I’m looking for a potential difference maker. If they bust (or don’t get the call) no big deal. The following players from your top 75 are already rostered: Carroll, Cruz, Abrams, Greene, Kirby, Baz, MJ, Adley, Pasquantino, Morel, Alek Thomas, Nolan Gorman, Hunter Greene, Michael Harris, Camilo Doval, Gabriel Moreno, Juan Yepez.
Any ‘difference making’ names popping in your head? Thanks as always for the great content!
Who do you think makes the best impact in 2022: Rliey Green, CJ Abrams, or Oneil Cruz?
Hey Itch,
Great stuff as always! Has Jordan Groshans star faded a bit?
These are my minor leaguers. Would you drop any of them for Gavin Stone? Standard points league.
Jordan Walker
Francisco Alvarez
Coby Mayo
Jackson Chourio
Cristian Hernandez
Ezequiel Tovar
Joey Wiemer
James Wood
Daniel Espino
Andrew Painter
Eury Perez
Mick Abel
Gavin Williams
I wonder if you could swing a quick trade to open up the space. These all seem like guys who’d have some value on the market. I’ll drop Mayo or Abel if I have to, but maybe you can trade the two of them of a draft pick or something then add a second prospect.
Hi Itch. I have Brady Singer and David Petersen as fill ins for injuries. Would Mitch White be a better choice than one of these two ?? Thanks
Hi Bluestardan,
I think it’s White right now. If he doesn’t get an opportunity, would you be able to swap him back out for a functional arm in case of injury? If so, I’d go get him now in anticipation of the thing then pivot if it doesn’t come together.
Real tempted to grab Gavin Stone but do you think he actually gets to the show this year. In dynasty who do you like better Stone or Bobby Miller?
I think it’s up to him right now, which is more than you can say for a lot of players.
Miller’s delivery gives me pause. Always has, and it’s pretty much same as it ever was. Just looks difficult to repeat and sustain to my eyes, but that’s also just how baseball eyes work. We initially bounce off of the unconventional, like Hunter Pence when he came through. I’m more likely to open windows for unconventional hitters with fast hands though simply because they have more time/reps to sustain their unique mechanics than pitchers will, and because we’ve seen it work more often on offense.
Dude, I am so wordy today. Sorry bout that. I’ll take Stone.
Hi Itch,
Really lve to read these updates. Question regarding Liover Peguero, what have you seen that drops him from 57 in your pre season ranking to lower than 75 in your latest?
Also, how close was Evan Carter to making the top 75?
Thanks
Hi, Johnny,
Sorry I stopped at this question last time around. It got stuck in my head and rattled around, and at the time I was thinking I’d round out the top 100 today, and I’d cover it there, but anyway, onto some of the thoughts I’ve been having in working through this astute question.
The fastest answer is Peguero’s .313 OBP. That’s just not gonna get him on the field. After walking roughly 8 percent of the time his whole career, he’s suddenly down to 3.1 percent.
It’s pretty easy to point fingers when you’re looking in Pittsburgh’s general direction, but where is the coaching on this one. I realize this happens naturally, and like I say, easy to scapegoat in all walks of life, especially as it’s a capitalist entity like the Pirates that exist in this odd protected space outside capitalism thanks to the government and the CBA, but this feels to me like something they need to do a better job with. Make clear to players what will get them to the next level. If Liover Peguero knew he would get promoted to AAA if he could sustain a ten percent walk rate for two months, you better believe he’d be taking more pitches.
Sorry. Tangent city there.
Carter is the opposite, in terms of approach, which is why he’s holding his own as a 19-year-old in High-A, walking exactly ten percent of the time in 45 games with a 17.6 percent strikeout rate.C
Close, is the fastest answer. Exciting situation there.
Thanks!
Hi Itch,
Simple question from me for once – is Nick Pratto a drop for any of your Top 26 (thinking about Chourio) right now ?
Cheers mate !
Hi Baggiejohn!
Yes. Definitely. Good call. I’m trying to not say much about Chourio because it’s easy to get carried away in a hurry, but pick him up where you can, while you can, is the headline.
Cheers!