Prospect News: Stash List #4: A River Throws Through It

Graduated from Stash List #3: Lara At The Top Of His Craft: Colt Emerson (#3), Henry Bolte (#4)

1. Dodgers RHP River Ryan (27, AAA)

Destined to pitch for baseball’s best team in the near future. Features a cutter that would’ve stopped the presses a couple decades ago. 27.3 percent strikeout-minus-walk rate and 1.00 WHIP suggest he’ll be effective from the jump. 

2. Mariners LHP Kade Anderson (21, AA) 

Easy to understand why this guy’s still in the minors even as he’s allowed just seven runs in 38.2 innings (1.63 ERA). Nice windfall for Seattle, but it would probably be best for all involved if Seattle made room for him somehow, and it’s tough to scratch out the possible moves in their spot. They’ve got current and future stalwarts just about everywhere. Feels like kind of a fluke that they’re three games under 500 today. 

3. Twins SS Kaelen Culpepper (23, AAA) 

Riddle me this: Minnesota sent Royce Lewis to Triple-A and moved Culpepper to third base at the same time? Talk about a lack of foresight. You couldn’t send Culpepper over there a week ago and then call him up as Lewis went down? Anywho, it’ll happen soon. 

4. Reds SS Edwin Arroyo (22, AAA)

Tough to understand why this guy’s still in the minors despite slashing. 348/.408/.604 with ten home runs, eight stolen bases and a 15.1 percent strikeout rate. I suspect it’ll sort itself out soon. 

5. Nationals 3B Yohandy Morales (23, AAA) 

I realize Morales isn’t perfect. His bat speed and bat path lend themselves to a right-center-field focus in his approach, and he’s pretty adept at punishing off-speed stuff that catches too much of the zone, which makes him look like a mistake hitter. The biggest difference between Triple-A and the majors is the infinite rain of high-end velocity, so I can see why they’re not installing Morales in the middle of their lineup. Still, he’s slashing .352/.433/.599 with ten home runs and a 25.1 percent strikeout rate, which warrants a chance at the least. 

6. Angels 2B Christian Moore (23, AAA)

Slashing .361/.452/.472 with six strikeouts (14.3%) and six walks in nine games since he came off the injured list. 2B Oswald Peraza has earned something like a season-long look with his 130 wRC+ in 46 games, but he can move around the infield, and 3B Vaughn Grissom hasn’t locked down that spot in the same way. Moore should get his next shot soon. 

7. Rockies SS Cole Carrigg (24, AAA) 

With 26 stolen bases in 45 games, Carrigg could help us in the speed category. He’s also slashing .356/.418/.533 with a 13.9 percent strikeout rate. Mickey Moniak hit the injured list Friday with tendinitis in his ankle, so this could be Carrigg’s moment. 

8. Brewers OF Luis Lara (21, AAA) 

I’m starting to think I moved too early on Lara. Milwaukee recalled Blake Perkins when they had a Brandon Lockridge sized roster opening, and it makes sense considering all their injured hitters came back and started playing well at pretty much the same time. Everything’s coming up Brewers, so they might not need Lara’s craft for quite some time.  

9. Twins 1B Aaron Sabato (26, AAA) 

Getting a little thin on the ground this time of year, no offense intended toward Sabato, who is having an excellent season despite striking out 27.3 percent of the time, slugging .694 with ten home runs. 

10. White Sox OF Braden Montgomery (22, AAA)

Chicago is winning a lot of games and has a legitimate angle on making the playoffs, maybe even winning the division. Montgomery has only been in Triple-A for 16 games, but the club has frequently promoted guys after brief stays in Charlotte whether they were contending or not. 

Thanks for reading!