Prospect News: Jarlin Susana, Sykora On The Banjo

Dodgers RHP Edgardo Henriquez (21, AAA) missed last season due to Tommy John surgery but has recovered his easy-plus pitch mix and cruised through four levels already this season, recording 70 strikeouts in 41.1 innings along the way. Now he’s just one step away from joining an L.A. bullpen that could use an infusion of youth.  

Angels 2B Christian Moore (21, AA) is a hitter in search of his level. He dominated in the SEC, won a national championship, and is now laying waste to professional pitching, hitting .550 with five home runs in five Double-A games. I don’t expect him to be there much longer. 

Cubs 1B Jonathan Long (22, AA) is having a pretty fun summer himself. In eight August games, he has three strikeouts and eight walks, slashing .483/.579/.586. He hasn’t been a major power threat this season with 12 home runs in 304 at bats, but that’s enough thump to hold down a corner when you’re bringing a .389 on base percentage since being drafted in the 9th round out of Long Beach State last year. 

Over his last 27 games, Red Sox OF Allan Castro (21, A+) has 10 home runs and a 19.5 percent strikeout rate while slashing .317/.398/.712. A 6’0” 170 lb switch-hitter with newfound power from both sides, Castro has traded contact for impact, and after a rocky first few months of the process, he’s firing on all cylinders now. Another plus for Castro is that defense won’t hold him back. He’s solid in the corners and passable in center. 

Something clicked for Nationals RHP Jarlin Susana (20, A+) on May 31. That day, he threw five shutout innings with nine strikeouts and one walk and followed that up with five-inning shutouts in five of his next six starts, prompting a promotion to High-A. A mountain of a man at 6’6” 235 lbs, Susana struggled to repeat his delivery early in his pro career and couldn’t control his 100 mph velocity, but he’s improving in a hurry this season. Over his last 55 innings, he has 84 strikeouts and a 1.64 ERA and 0.89 WHIP. In his five High-A starts, Susana has a 30.4 percent strikeout-minus-walk rate thanks to just four walks in 25 innings. Perhaps you’ll recall the spring when Mike Rizzo caught some heat for emphasizing that pitchers should throw strikes because Twitter is full of experts who are very smart. Well, this is what can happen when a guy throws strikes. 

Another power arm throwing strikes in Washington’s system, Nationals RHP Travis Sykora (20, A) was a third-round pick out of high school in 2023 who looks ready for High-A in 2024. In 63.1 innings across 15 starts, Sykora has 96 strikeouts with a 2.42 ERA and 0.85 WHIP. Probably time to see if he’s available in your leagues in case he can keep dominating at the next level. 

Cardinals RHP Jose Davila (21, A) employs a smooth, balanced delivery at 6’3” 177 lbs that has allowed him to find a rhythm throughout the season. He’s mostly fastball/curveball, and while his fastball has solid velocity (92-95) and horizontal movement that allows it to play well atop the zone, his curveball has been a true wipeout pitch and double-play weapon, generating a 40 percent whiff rate. His season-long numbers aren’t great thanks to a difficult June (8.05 ERA), but he was excellent in July, recording 33 strikeouts in 25 innings while allowing a 0.72 ERA and 0.84 WHIP. He continued the trend on August 8, allowing four baserunners and recording seven strikeouts over six shutout innings.  

Thanks for reading!