Graduated from Volume 1: Brett Baty, Tanner Bibee, Francisco Alvarez
Just a refresher or if it’s your first season with us, I’ll say that players like Jordan Walker and Taj Bradley are ineligible for the stash list. Anyone who has already been promoted in-season is ineligible. Guys like Christopher Morel and Royce Lewis are a bit of a gray-area exception.
1. Reds 1B Christian Encarnacion-Strand | 23 | AAA
The man can hit. Been back for five games. Has four home runs. Hitting .500 (12-for-24). Put a claim in today if you have the chance.
2. Cubs 1B Matt Mervis | 25 | AAA
Chicago is winning despite minimal production from its first base and designated hitter spots. Mervis has 16 walks and 17 strikeouts in 21 games, along with six home runs and a .943 OPS. He turned 25 this month. Here’s to hitting the quarter century mark.
3. Diamondbacks RHP Brandon Pfaadt | 24 | AAA
My thought is I’m gonna write something up here, and then Pfaadt will be recalled right away Sunday morning when I’m supposed to be Easy Like Sunday Morning and instead I’ll be difficult like a thing just screwed up my article. I’m surprised he hasn’t been recalled by now (about 3 p.m. Saturday). By all means, let’s see if Tommy Henry can make it work.
4. Dodgers RHP Gavin Stone | 24 | AAA
If you give the private eye a mulligan on game one, Stone Gavin Stone has a 2.86 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in five starts across 22 innings.
5. Guardians RHP Gavin Williams | 23 | AAA
Will be a universally rostered player whenever he secures a rotation spot. His ERA is at 0.46 in four starts across two levels. He’s especially locked in right now, commanding easy cheese at 98-99 and repeating his delivery like a big leaguer.
6. Orioles OF Colton Cowser | 23 | AAA
Bart Simpson on a politeness kick skating through my mind, Colton Don’t Have a Cow, Sir is slashing .291/.435/.488 with four home runs and four stolen bases. Baltimore doesn’t have much reason to keep him in the minors beyond June.
7. Rays 1B Kyle Manzardo | 22 | AAA
A good Manzardo is easy to find, at least if you’re Tampa. Yandy Diaz left Friday’s game with shoulder soreness. Manzardo has been productive at every level and is finding similar success in Triple-A, slashing .288/.379/.548 with five home runs in 21 games. His only real problem so far is the excellence of his major league team. Nice problem to have, really.
8. Reds SS Elly De La Cruz | 21 | AAA
A league-altering talent, De La Cruz makes up for the strikeouts with impact power and speed. The Reds have plenty of plate appearances to share. It’s just a matter of DLC dominating Triple-A so thoroughly the team feels his best developmental path involves a promotion. He’s hitting .182 in seven games at Triple-A.
9. Cubs 2B OF Christopher Morel | 23 | AAA
He’s slashing .345/.447/.793 with 10 home runs in 22 games.
10. Red Sox SS David Hamilton | 25 | AAA
This one doesn’t make much sense to me. The game is bent toward speed. Hamilton has 12 stolen bases in 20 games. He’s slashing .303/.372/.539 with a 9.2-to-16.1 walk-to-strikeout rate. He can hit. He can run. He’s got good plate skills. The team targeted him in a trade. I just don’t know what they’re waiting for.
11. Orioles 2B Jordan Westburg | 24 | AAA
What’s west of Eastburg? Hell I dunno, but this guy is slashing .315/.383/.548 with five home runs and three steals. Something the front office saw work in Houston was creating a backlog of functional prospects at each level.
12. Twins SS Royce Lewis | 23 | IL
Lewis has been playing in complex league games and should soon be all the way back in action. I’m not especially concerned about their roster set up because a player like Lewis is going to make his own lane if he’s firing on all cylinders.
13. Brewers OF Sal Frelick | 23 | AAA
Thumb surgery makes this stash a bit prickly in the mouth corners. Time for a shave.
14. Mets SS Ronny Mauricio | 22 | AAA
Slashing .323/.369/.615 with six home runs and four stolen bases.
15. Pirates C Endy Rodriguez | 22 | AAA
Currently limited to designated hitter duties, Rodriguez might not catch much this year due to a right elbow injury. I left him off the initial run of this list, but if he could power through, the injury might work to his advantage if it lands him an everyday DH job.
Thanks for reading!
