Graduated from Stash List #1: Whisper The Dream Of Rome: Nick Kurtz (1), Luke Keaschall (4)
1. Red Sox OF Roman Anthony (20, AAA)
Doing typical Roman stuff, conquering his contemporaries, slashing .313/.451/.588 with five home runs, two stolen bases, 21 strikeouts (20.6 percent) and 21 walks in 23 games. Ceddanne Rafaela has tripled his walk rate in the early going and has a 128 wRC+ since April 6. He’s an 80-grade defender in center field, so I don’t think he’s going anywhere, which I suppose surprises nobody who regularly reads this space. It’s gonna be interesting though. Wilyer Abreu can’t stop won’t stop hitting, and Jarren Duran is a core player. Can Rafael Devers play first base yet? Could Triston Casas be in trouble? He hit two homers this week, both of the three-run variety, but that’s all he’s done this week, and last week. Since April 6, he’s slashing .151/.286/.283 but with interesting plate skills: 12.7 percent walk rate and a 17.7 percent strikeout rate. If you’re playing a video game, you probably make that move today: call up Anthony and trade Casas. Rumor mill over the winter said the Red Sox were trying to swing a Casas trade, maybe even before the Bregman signing came through if I remember right. Tricky situation. Good problem to have though, especially in a video game.
2. Pirates RHP Bubba Chandler (22, AAA)
Getting a lil silly at this point: 1.33 ERA and 0.64 WHIP in 20.1 innings across five starts. 28.4 percent strikeout-minus-walk rate. Bailey Falter is . . . fine. He’s actually got a 1.19 WHIP to go along with his 5.19 ERA, but he doesn’t strike anyone out and is pretty much the definition of an innings-eating swingman at his most functional. A contending team wouldn’t waste these Chandler innings on a faltering arm, and Pittsburgh should be playing like they might contend with Skenes, just on the outside chance that he’d enjoy his time enough to sign a long term deal to stay, considering that the allure of making the playoffs itself doesn’t seem to be a motivational factor for this organization.
3. Diamondbacks SS Jordan Lawlar (22, AAA)
Lawlar’s eager to lock down a big league roster spot and he’s trying to force the issue, slashing .354/.446/.656 with five home runs and ten stolen bases in 24 games. Where’s he gonna play? Hellifino. Feels very weird to me that this team can find nowhere to play an elite young prospect they drafted sixth overall, but it gets kinda weird around here, so that’s par for the course. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. has a 36 wRC+ and a slash line of .168/.188/.326. So should we squeeze all the juice we can out of a streaky 31-year-old or move him into a part-time role so we can clear a path for our potential franchise cornerstone? Some of this stuff is less complicated than these teams make it.
4. Twins RHP Zebby Matthews (24, AAA)
Name on the birth certificate: Daniel Zebulon Matthews. Do your kids a favor and hook them up with a cool middle name, is my primary takeaway there. Maybe you hesitate to go full Zebulon with the first name because that’s an awful lot of first name, but at least give the kid the option to become a Zebulon type later in life. He’s got a 1.45 ERA through 18.2 innings across four starts. 28.4 percent strikeout-minus-walk rate. Showing better velo than he had last time he was a big leaguer. I’m eager to see how it’ll go this time through.
5. Cubs RHP Cade Horton (23, AAA)
Has a 1.06 ERA to match his 1.06 WHIP despite allowing 11 walks in 17 innings across four starts. Colin Rea has stepped in and pitched well. Ben Brown isn’t thriving like he was last year. Seemed like he passed Horton on the org chart, but that could be reversed in a heartbeat. Brown is still a two-pitch guy, Horton’s arsenal is deeper, and the team needs help in the bullpen. The writing is penciling itself onto the wall in Chicago.
6. Brewers RHP Jacob Misiorowski (23, AAA)
Suddenly throwing strikes. Has a 2.19 ERA and 0.97 WHIP through 24.2 innings, but the timing is not perfect. Quinn Priester, Logan Henderson, Chad Patrick, Jose Quintana, and Tobias Myers have stabilized a rotation that looked full of openings just a couple weeks ago. Priester and Patrick feel shaky to me, but Henderson pitched well enough to get the next start available.
7. Phillies OF Justin Crawford (21, AAA)
I’ve been higher than consensus on this guy since draft night, and we saw a glimpse of my reasoning this week when Chandler Simpson got called up. If you can help my team in steals, batting average and runs scored, I can overlook a lack of power. Crawford is slashing .305/.356/.411 with eight stolen bases through 22 games.
8. Dodgers SS Alex Freeland (23, AAA)
Starting third baseman Max Muncy has a 52 wRC+ and will turn 35 years old in August. Los Angeles could give him a long, long runway to get it going given his track record, but Freeland is a well-rounded switch hitter who’s batting .317 with six stolen bases in Triple-A.
9. Orioles 3B Coby Mayo (23, AAA)
Has a 129 wRC+ through 23 games. Nothing left to prove in the minors. Baltimore is starting Ramon Urias at third base. Ramon Laureano in a corner outfield. No offense to either guy’s abilities, but I feel like the Moneyball meme pointing to Baltimore, the perfect front office. Their only flaw is a deep and abiding love for found money.
10. Orioles C Samuel Basallo (20, AAA)
I know he doesn’t fit neatly into the lineup, but the O’s are going to have to smash their way into the postseason if they’re going to get there at all. Might even have to make a trade or two. Tyler O’Neill is already on the injured list, and while he’s not directly connected to Basallo, I’m not sure how many more dominoes have to fall before we see Basallo, who doesn’t turn 21 until August. He’s hitting just .208 so far but has a 97 wRC+ anyway thanks to a couple of homers.
Thanks for reading!
