Graduated from Stash List #7: Buy Tong In Time For Grilling Season: Adrian Del Castillo
Note: Anyone promoted during the current season is ineligible for the stash list.
1. Cardinals SS JJ Wetherholt (22, AAA)
Nolan Gorman is headed to the injured list with lower back pain. Bad timing for him. Gorman has a 101 wRC+ despite a 30.1 percent strikeout rate, and he’s hit eight of his nine home runs since June 1, posting a 134 wRC+ despite still striking out an awful lot: 32.5 percent. The team already has something of an extra bat in C Yohel Pozo, but they’re in the wild card race. Would make the playoffs if they started today. JJ Wetherholt would be part of the Cardinals’ best playoff roster, so somebody’s going to lose some playing time sooner than later, so they might as well just go with Wetherholt rather than await the return of Gorman. So far, they’ve recalled Thomas Saggese. Meanwhile, Wetherholt went 4-for-5 with two doubles on Friday night, his fourth game in Triple-A, where he’s hitting .500 and slugging 1.000.
2. Orioles C Samuel Basallo (20, AAA)
No idea how to handle Basallo in this exercise, but I think he’ll be a fantasy factor right away when he gets his chance. He’ll turn 21 on August 14 and should finally make his debut a week or so after that unless this oblique injury turns out to be pretty serious.
3. Giants 1B Bryce Eldridge (20, AAA)
Dominic Smith continues to play first base while Rafael Devers does not. Smith has a 92 wRC+ in 29 games, but we know what this guy is, and it’s not somebody who blocks a top prospect if said prospect looks ready. Eldridge was adapting to Triple-A in a hurry and had multiple hits in four out of five games before getting injured. He spent just one game on the complex league during his recovery from the hamstring issue and is back in Triple-A today. If he can get hot, I think they’ll bring him up.
4. Guardians OF Chase DeLauter (23, AAA)
Hasn’t played for a while due to wrist soreness aka bone-itis. I considered bumping him off the list altogether in a rage-drop scenario, but that’s an overreaction. Still, the best predictor of future injury is past injury, and this guy is racking up quite the collection of past injuries.
5. Phillies OF Justin Crawford (21, AAA)
Has 29 steals and a 129 wRC+ in 74 games, slashing .328/.406/.428. Cue the broken record part where I say he’s somehow underrated for fantasy baseball. I’m puzzled by it. I suppose the fear is that he’s never impactful enough to crack a first-division lineup, but I just flat out disagree with that.
6. Pirates RHP Bubba Chandler (22, AAA)
Chandler’s been a coin flip kind of pitcher over the past couple months, and we saw the bad version again on Friday night, when he allowed five runs and two homers in 3.2 innings. The Pirates figure to trade one of their pitchers and maybe more than one if they can find takers for Andrew Heaney and Bailey Falter. When that happens, I’m going to try and pretend all these Triple-A blow-ups didn’t happen because I think Chandler will be more consistent with a big league plan of attack in big league stadiums.
7. Mets RHP Jonah Tong (20, AA)
Nobody hits this guy. His path isn’t super clear, but I think he’s pretty special, and life finds a way. Unlike some other arms on this list, Tong was totally unphased by the break, allowing four baserunners in 5.1 innings with seven strikeouts Friday night, giving him 132 strikeouts in 84 innings on the season.
8. Nationals 1B Yohandy Morales (23, AAA)
Washington might like to offload their first base crew of Nate Lowe and Josh Bell and get a little closer look at Morales. He’s gotten hot in July, batting .333 with five home runs in 12 games this month. I’m not sure they’d find takers for Lowe or Bell, but Bell could be released after the deadline.
9. Cubs 1B Jonathon Long (23, AAA)
The theory here is that the Cubs are reportedly in contact with several teams trying to solve multiple problems in the same trade, which sounds like it would require a handful of pieces coming from the Cubs. They’ve built up a stockpile of interesting bats in the high minors and figure to trade from that strength if they find the right fit. Long would become an easy add in most leagues if he got traded into a clearer path to playing time.
10. Mets RHP Nolan McLean (23, AAA)
Sean Manaea returned and looked sharp, so they’re five deep again in the rotation, but there’s still plenty of injury and performance risk in the group that McLean could pitch his way into the postseason. On the other hand, he got rocked Friday night, allowing six runs in 3.2 innings, walking three batters and plunking another two.
I just want to say before I go that I saw Blue Jays 2B Orelvis Martinez on a Rotoballer stash list this week, so I was like oh Wow, is he finally hitting? And it might shock you to discover, dear readers, that he is most definitely not hitting. He does have 11 home runs in 72 games, but he’s slashing .192/.287/.372 with a 28.2 percent strikeout rate. Toronto hates strikeouts. Please do not stash this man in your leagues.
Thanks for reading!
Thanks Itch, good stuff as always. Please rank these specs in the order you would prefer long term, with all things equal: Briceno, De Paua, Quintero, Hope and McGonigle. Thanks as always for your solid opinions.
That was De Paula
Hi Itch, thanks for the article!
1) What do you think of Jhonny Severino of the Pirates? He broke out 2024 but seems to be scuffling a bit now.
2) What about Levi Sterling? He’s only 18 but does he have the upside to remain a starter?
Edward Florentino has my attention and has taken off. What are your thoughts and where would you put him if redoing your top 100? Thanks
Looks great so far! Yes I think he’s a top 100 type now.
Is it time to stash Zac Veen or Carson Williams or even Owen Caissie? I have been hearing a lot about him lately. I am currently holding Spencer Jones and Max Muncy A’s. Of these 5 guys, who are your top 3, in order, to stash now in a keep forever league?
As a Veen owner myself, I would love for them to bring him up, commit to playing him and see what they really have there. He was a top 10 prospect not that long ago. But with Moniak + Doyle in the OF and Beck possibly looking at a 20-20 season, they’d have to get pretty creative to make room. Same with Caissie – the guy is hitting very well in AAA – but CHI has a fantastic OF. If Tucker leaves in the offseason, then problem potentially solved.
Interesting to see if Cubs get aggressive and move Caissie or keep him as insurance if Tucker leaves
I think Tucker will ultimately walk, so it probably makes most sense to keep Caissie. Then again, they moved Brennan Davis, who had helium as a prospect, so who knows. Looking at their SPs, they could probably use another great arm to make their WS run.
I’m not big into the A’s Muncy and would swap him out for your preference.
I can’t wait to see Tong get called up…was a huge fan of Lincecum’s and this guy is the second coming.
Looking forward to his call-up as well. Wonder if we see him called up around the Trade Deadline
If the Mets can move an arm or two, then maybe – they have a lot of SPs now with Senga & Manaea back (and a bunch still on the IL like Canning, Megill, Scott, etc). Tong is just destroying AA and selfishly, I’d like to see them save some of these bullets for the show. Each time he takes the mound he’s a 7-12K waiting to happen.
Either that or if Mets pitching keeps hitting a wall then he should get the call
True – neither Holmes or Peterson have thrown a traditional starter’s load, and it looks like Holmes is potentially hitting said wall. Holmes + Peterson can open/piggyback one another and move Montas and Canning to the pen. Spot opened…
Somebody could argue that Sproat and McLean deserve a call up as well. I’m taking Tong’s filthy AA stats and running him out there. If he falls flat, you can always call up one of the other guys. Make this happen Cohen/Mendoza!
This makes sense to me. Just use them all to win the relay race.
Right on, I loved watching Lincecum, too.
Double dipping…keep Loperfido over Tyler Freeman? Thanks again!
Kinda depends on your categories, but yes in a general kind of way, Loperfido looks more interesting to me at the moment.
Love your work!! 12 team dynasty 5×5…do you think we see Jett Williams this year? Does he stick at SS…do think you Zebby Mathew’s is worth pursuing in a trade maybe give up Brady House…. Thank you!
Thanks, Hutch!
I think Williams is a center fielder now. Could see him late, but I’d bet on 2026 at this point.
I’d hold House there.
Hey Itch. Does Whetherholt slide in at 2B? I can’t believe Stl is rolling with Fedde over McGreevey. Matthews should be pitching too.
Pittsburgh must be waiting to gain an extra year with Chandler. What do you think chances are he gets the call in the next 3-4 weeks?
Chase your Daughter = Jordan Lawlar?
You are the best!
As much as we’d all like to see Chandler pitch now (aka 2 months ago), given the Pirates current waywardness, they’d be very foolish to burn his ROY eligibility for next year (and potentially lose that extra draft pick). I think a September cup of coffee is what we’ll see at this point.
50 innings pitched is what is needed to lose rookie eligibility. I think also 45 days is another measure. Still August 15th would disqualify him for 45 days on active roster. I agree with you. Looks like a cup of coffee for Bubba!
Bringing him up now/next few weeks would be like closing the barn door after all the horses have left…no point. But, we are talking about the Pirates here…just a clusterf&ck this year.
Probably so
Yeah, it can get perplexing in St. Louis and Pittsburgh. They might as well wait on Chandler, I guess.
I’ll take Lawlar over DeLauter.
Thanks!
I would add CJ Kayfus to this list.
He almost made it
Interesting on erstwhile top prospect Shaw. Take a look at his home run yesterday, the leg kick has been toned waaaay down. It no longer looks like he is trying to do a precarious balancing act prior to swinging. Maybe some cause for optimism
Shaw got dropped in our 12 team dynasty…thinking of picking him up…but it would be at the expense of House….thoughts?
I’d probably hold House at this point.
Yeah I saw that as it happened actually. Hope it’s helpful to him.