Graduated from Prospect News: Stash List Volume 9: Hero In A Half Shell:
Masyn Winn, Jacob Lopez.
1. Red Sox SS Ceddanne Rafaela | 23 | AAA
We’re entering the time of year when a player can debut, play most of the remaining season, including the playoffs, and retain rookie eligibility entering 2024. Given the new incentives for breaking camp with rookies, we might see a floodgate rush the next couple weeks. Guys who should’ve been up a month ago, like Rafaela, might’ve been held back for precisely this 45-day barrier. With 13 home runs in just 39 Triple-A games, he’s reaching new heights in terms of actualizing all that athleticism in the batter’s box.
2. Orioles RHP Chayce McDermott | 24 | AAA
Wins have been increasingly difficult this year. McDermott has a 0.90 WHIP and 1.86 ERA in 29 Triple-A innings. He has 38 strikeouts and hasn’t allowed a home run at the level. He’ll turn 25 on August 22. Would be tough to beat a major league debut, as birthday weeks go.
3. Diamondbacks SS Jordan Lawlar | 21 | AAA
He’s got two homers and two steals in just four games at Triple-A along with a 21.1-to-10.5 percent walk-to-strikeout rate. The big league team’s struggles are working against him making a redraft impact, but Arizona is about to bank an extra draft pick for Corbin Carroll and would probably like to follow a similar playbook with Lawlar.
4. Athletics SS Darrell Hernaiz | 22 | AAA
Oakland’s rebuild is making its way to the field on the position-player side, featuring a smoking hot Zach Gelof. Hernaiz is hitting .351 with a 13.2 percent strikeout rate in 30 Triple-A games. The A’s could have a fun offense in place by the time they leave for Las Vegas. Credit to Billy Beane for pulling Hernaiz in the Cole Irvin trade.
5. Orioles OF Heston Kjerstad | 24 | AAA
As soon as Baltimore determines Kjerstad could play every day and record fewer than 130 at bats from here on out, he ought to join that lineup. Aside from a two-game lead in the division, they don’t have much incentive to call him up before then.
6. Brewers LHP Robert Gasser | 24 | AAA
Recorded ten strikeouts and allowed one run in six innings his last time out, his third straight start covering six innings and earning a win.
7. Cubs OF Pete Crow-Armstrong | 21 | AAA
If the playoffs started today, the Cubs would miss out. They’re one game behind Cincinnati and Miami and 1.5 games behind San Francisco. PCA is slashing .298/.412/.561 with four homers and four steals in 14 Triple-A games. He’s the best defensive outfielder minor league baseball has to offer. Tauch Dirty is putting in work captaining the Wrigley outfield, but any injury to him or Suzuki or Happ could lead to a crow sighting.
8. Mets 3B Ronny Mauricio | 22 | AAA
Hitting .242 with a .299 on base percentage in 14 August games, Mauricio still has three home runs and five steals over that stretch, giving him 19 homers and 21 steals on the season. He went 26/20 last year and could push for three straight 20/20 seasons if he spends all of next season in the majors.
9. Cubs RHP Ben Brown | 23 | AAA
Has strung together three solid starts and is on the shortlist of names to fill the Stroman-sized hole in the starting rotation. Brown’s stuff is better than the command at this point, making him a risky proposition for late-season roto glory.
10. Cubs RHP Cade Horton | 22 | AA
Horton’s gonna hear the Happy Birthday song today, I hope, as he turns 22. Happy Birthday, Cade! He may also hear a call-up at some point down the stretch. While I think Brown is ahead of Horton in the pecking order, Horton’s command is further along.
11. Marlins 1B Troy Johnston | 26 | AAA
Has 22 home runs and 18 stolen bases in 104 games across the top two minor league levels, slashing .312/.405/.579 with a 17.9 percent strikeout rate.
12. Guardians OF Jonathan Rodriguez | 23 | AAA
Striking out a very un-Cleveland 42.1 percent in 18 Triple-A games but slashing .357/.400/1.036 with five home runs in his last seven games nonetheless. Don’t see many slugs that big across even a seven-game split.
13. Reds RHP Connor Phillips | 22 | AAA
Phillips’ last outing was his first as a reliever. He covered 2.1 shutout innings and picked up a save, walking two but surrendering zero hits. I include that last bit because his story is similar to Brown’s: the stuff is good enough to survive his spotty command, most of the time. Despite a 1.50 WHIP in Triple-A, Phillips would be an impact relief arm for the stretch run, and with the return of Hunter Greene, the Reds don’t have the same need for a starter they did last month.
14. Guardians 1B Kyle Manzardo | 22 | AAA
Currently on the injured list but should garner some September run if he can get healthy.
15. Tigers 3B Justyn-Henry Malloy | 24 | AAA
J-HM sounds like a fashion magazine, and Malloy’s arrival would be fashionably late if he joined the party this week. I’ll mix Colt Keith and Parker Meadows in here, too. Partly out of habit at this point.
Thanks for reading!
