Graduated from Stash List #5: House Party or Moore Is Better: Roman Anthony, Christian Moore, Jacob Misiorowski
Note: Anyone promoted during the current season is ineligible for the stash list.
1. Reds RHP Chase Burns (22, AAA)
Made his Triple-A debut this week and walked four batters but still surrendered just two runs in 5.1 innings and struck out seven Iowa Cubs. I wouldn’t give him more than five starts at the level, and I doubt the Reds will. They paid the man $9.25 million to sign on the dotted line. No good reason to spend a pile of pitches in the minors.
2. Orioles C Samuel Basallo (20, AAA)
We’ve seen signs of life in Baltimore (6-and-4 over their last ten games), which helps Basallo’s timeline. Might even be a little front-office fear in the air to accelerate the situation. He’s tried for the league lead in home runs with 14, most of those happening over the last month or so. In his last 27 games, Basallo is slashing .292/.409/.688 with 11 home runs. I really, REALLY hope he doesn’t spend another ten-homer month in the minors. Don’t tell anyone I said this, but I think he’d be a better hitter than Adley Rutschman right now if you gave them the same workload over the next 162 games. I’m not saying they should make that switch, for the record. Just that they should both be on the team.
3. Nationals 3B Brady House (22, AAA)
We need Hugh Laurie in here to diagnose why Washington hasn’t given the young House his flowers yet. He’s second in the International League with 13 home runs, slashing .303/.352/.522 despite a 27.1 percent strikeout rate, which . . . oh I guess we don’t need Hugh Laurie. That’s probably their rationale, assuming it’s not just money and org-ladder stuff.
4. Pirates RHP Bubba Chandler (22, AAA)
Yarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Bubba be swashbucklin in the minors until the team decides to give up some treasure. Anyone who says otherwise can walk the plank. Also Mike Burrows looks good. He can stay on the boat. Yar.
5. Giants 1B Bryce Eldridge (20, AAA)
Dom Smith is making the most of his opportunity so far, and good for him, but the future is nigh, and it’s as huge and horrifying as Cthulhu on an acid trip. Eldridge is slashing just .152/.237/.333 with two home runs in nine Triple-A games, but he’s super young for that level, so I’m not gonna worry about the strikeout rate (34.2%) for another few months, if ever, given the size of this 6’7” 240 lb nightmare in the batter’s box.
6. Guardians OF Chase DeLauter (23, AAA)
Shaking off the rust, hitting .304 with seven walks against three strikeouts over his last seven games. If he can stay on the field this summer, DeLauter should be part of the playoff push in Cleveland.
7. Athletics OF Colby Thomas (24, AAA)
A third-round pick in 2022, Thomas is slugging .683 with a 153 wRC+ over his last 13 games while drawing one walk against 12 strikeouts as he tries to hit his way out of the minor leagues. He’s got 16 home runs in 62 games this year and could be a summer stud if they unleash him in that ballpark.
8. Phillies OF Justin Crawford (21, AAA)
Out since June 5 with a quad problem. Could be up with the club a week or so after he gets healthy. I think he’s a starter in shallow leagues right away.
9. Mariners C Harry Ford (22, AAA)
I’m surprised they’ve kept him behind the plate all year, but I can also understand the philosophy of Ain’t Broke Don’t Fix It, and Ford is slashing .372/.454/.619 with seven home runs in his last 27 games. Over that stretch, he’s got a 14.6-to-11.5 percent strikeout-to-walk rate. Hitting-wise, it’s hard to make a case to keep him in the minors, but with Cal Raleigh behind the plate in Seattle, Ford remains in the factory until something changes. This usually ends with both catchers playing a lot by sharing the designated hitter spot. The Mariners are mixing and matching there already to keep Ben Williamson, Cole Young and Jorge Polanco in the lineup. Net net, I think Ford wins out over Williamson and/or Dominic Canzone.
10. Red Sox OF Jhostynxon Garcia (22, AAA)
I know it’s crowded on the grass in Boston, but Garcia is hitting .329 with six home runs through 20 Triple-A games, and a big trade or two would make a lot of sense. If you’ve got no patience for that kind of thing, go ahead and write Mets RHP Nolan McLean (23, AAA) into this spot. He’s making big leaps on the mound now as he settles into being a full-time pitcher after playing both ways most of his young life.
Thanks for reading!
Anything worth mentioning on James Tibbs III and Jose Bello? (I didn’t think so).
Itch,
Fan of your work/knowledge. What’s your take on Jonah Tong? K numbers in AA are outstanding…delivery looks like Lincecum 2.0. Worth grabbing in a ‘keeper’ league and what’s his rough ETA? Top guys like Chandler, Burns, Misio, Painter, etc. already owned (I have Schultz). Trying to be proactive with another Minors eligible SP. Is he worth grabbing over Hagen Smith, Rhett Lowder, Quinn Mathews, etc.?
Thanks!
Thanks!
I’m in on Tong. Definitely worth grabbing in that context, over those three you mention.
does jett williams getting time at CF mean he’s likely to be called up this year?
Gives him a good chance.
Is there any reason Steve Cohen can’t just purchase Paul Skenes from Nutting/Pirates for $150 million (and maybe a few warm bodies)? It might seem a totally ruthless and mercenary move, but why not? Nutting craves money more than wins, he’s made that obvious. So why not do it? Is there a rule that prohibits such a transaction?
I love this question.
I’ll need to research a bit to attempt an answer.
Thanks for looking into this.
Just an FYI: on Sunday June 8th the Reds traded catcher Austin Wynns to the Athletics for “cash considerations”. I’ve always been curious just how much cash? And Is there a cap on how much cash?
Yeah, the only thing I can find is that Charlie Finley tried to sell A’s players for cash but had the deal voided by then commissioner Bowie Kuhn.
But as you say, players get traded for cash considerations all the time.
I suspect it’s an unwritten rule thing. Matter of scope/scale. Only thing to stop it from happening is the commissioner.
Also team pick up partial contracts all the time, so . . . or send cash to cover some of the contract . . .
Guess there must be at least a PTBNL
I don’t think they can, like they can purchase players in soccer, but it would be great to free Skenes from baseball purgatory!
Contraction! Miami and Pittsburgh can go. Makes for a mess with divisions, but hell, it beats watching those two teams!
In the past I would sometimes think contraction was the answer. But I was born and raised in Pittsburgh and for a longtime I was a Pirates fan. I remember the World Series victories. I remember The Lumber Company and We Are Family. And I think there still are baseball fans in Pittsburgh because it’s a great city filled with great sports fans. MLB has changed. MLB is run by hyper-corporate capitalist mercenaries who have a lot more in common with Bob Nutting than they do with the baseball fans in Pittsburgh. Bob Manfred and Bob Nutting are kindred spirits. That’s the problem.
Well said. This phase of ownership will pass at some point.
Has sykora mad a big jump in your rankings. He looks amazing.
Yes. Super impressive.
Joe Boyle!!!!!
Already been up this year = ineligible for this group.
BTW, great list. Also, more please! So many guys I would like more info on. Like?
Kayfus. He’s gotta be knocking hard too.
Cade Cavalli. Thoughts?
As always, best to you, and many thanks!
Thanks!
Agreed that Kayfus looks ready for the next step.
I have Cavalli in an NL league, but I’m skeptical. It’s taken him a long time to get back. Allowed five walks in 3.2 innings his last time out.
My mission today is getting Burns everywhere I can. I just picked him up and dropped Sears. No way Wade Miley can keep him down! This guy is a league winner. Is he better than Skenes? MAN CRUSH!
Stl. Should demote Wetherholt to high A. That way he could bat .600 and still not be called up. Seriously, McGreevey, Matthews are in AAA? STL is 2 games back of the wildcard, 6 back in the division, but Wetherholt can’t jump to AAA. Pshaw! I am sending them your resume!
Wouldn’t say he’s better than Skenes now. Maybe comparable at this point in their development though.
Thanks for sending St. Lou my info : )
It is a little odd how they’re in no hurry despite being in contention. Then again, sorting has never been their strength.
Love these lists, thank you. Assuming they were to get called up, in your opinion would any of these players not be starters in a 12 team redraft league? If so, which ones?
House could struggle to adjust and find himself on the wire.
Same for Ford and Thomas, I think.
What do you think of Charlie Condon in his recent performance? Where does this land him in the updated top 50 if he makes the list?