The Cleveland return for Yan Gomes is looking sharp. Not only did they land Jefry Rodriguez (3.45 ERA in five big league starts), but they also received Daniel Johnson, an outfielder who is one of the hottest hitters in Double-A at the moment. Johnson is on a ten-game hit streak with six homers this month and nine homers overall. Power isn’t even his best tool. He has 70-grade wheels and is 6-for-9 in stolen base attempts this season. More good news…he’s nearly doubled his walk rate from last year and has cut about three percent off of his strikeout rate. Luckily, the Indians don’t need any outfield help. Oh wait. Here’s what else is happening around the minor leagues…
Brady Singer, RHP | KC – Punched out ten in six shutout innings on Thursday, lowering his ERA to 2.47 on the year. It’s likely he’ll see Double-A for the second half of this year, and may even see some innings with Kansas City in September. One to keep in mind if your window is 2020 and beyond.
Lazaro Armenteros, OF | OAK – 2-for-3 with a homer, his California League-leading ninth of the season. The 19-year-old Lazarito is a physical specimen similar to Yoan Moncada, but his hit tool is suspicious and that could limit his upside down the road if he can’t right the ship. On the season, he’s hitting .231 with a brutal 39% strikeout rate in High-A.
Keibert Ruiz, C | LAD – 10-for-14 since Tuesday. He’s hitting .286 on the year with a pair of homers, but this past week has been next level. Ruiz is also walking twice as much as he’s striking out for Double-A Tulsa. He probably won’t be up this season, but I could see him being a decent stash next spring, along the lines of Danny Jansen and Sean Murphy.
Bo Bichette, SS | TOR – Should start hitting again next week and could be fully back in June. Once that happens, it shouldn’t take long for him to reach the majors and I’m sure I’ll include him in either June or July’s stash list. This is a difficult injury to come back from, so he’ll probably start by hitting off a tee underwater, then in a warm goo-like substance, and then finally in our normal atmosphere.
Enyel De Los Santos, RHP | PHI – Called up to the bigs again on Friday. Eventually EDLS is going to stick, either in mop-up duty or as a starter if an injury crops up. He’s pitched well in Triple-A, sporting a 12+ K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 through 19 innings pitched. I know I’m repeating myslef, but if you’re in an NL-only league or a deep mixed format, he’s a decent flyer to keep tabs on.
Kevin Cron, 1B | ARI – As of Friday, it’s actually Cron, not Yordan Alvarez, leading all of Triple-A in homers (18). Here’s what I said about Cron in the offseason: “When I’m researching these lists, I look at a lot of different reports. I couldn’t find Cron on a lot of radars though, and I’m hoping I’m not missing some key news like he fell off a roof and will never play again or he was traded to the Korean League indefinitely. Dude hit .309 with 22 bombs in 104 Triple-A games. Granted PCL is hitter friendly and such, but I dig it. He probably doesn’t have anywhere to play this year, but I could see a Jesus Aguilar type situation where he gets a chance somewhere else and surprises. Not to be confused with a Grey type situation, which is where you eat an entire box of Cheez-its in your underwear.” Zing!
Hey Mike, would you deal Robles, Benitendi or Eloy for Bichette in a 20 team unlimited keeper league.
I would not.
so it’s tellez vs kiermaier vs stewart (or somebody else) for one drop. then who’s better stash of l.allen/k.cron with this roster.
I’d go Stewart and Cron.
16 team dynasty (i already had to drop bader, which sucks, and probably shouldn’t have, but STL is fucking (and had been) with his playing time for weeks), lots of added stuff, slugging, OBP over AVG, total bases, hits, OPS, steals %. for pitchers holds, K/9, K/BB, QS, net saves. 4 NA slots and up to 7 max prospect slots (150/50 at bats/innings max). anybody added after slow draft cannot be prospect list slotted but could be NA’d on active roster. trying to get cron in here and have to activate tellez. roto. after 2 years of being 1-2 most of the time i’ve fallen to 5th. jose ram not helping here.
C jansen (had drafted him at end of 2nd round in slow draft, but lately have been streaming different catchers)
1B miggy
2B jose ram (3B)
SS semien
3B chapman
MI ronny rod (tons of positions)
CI mancini (1B/LF)
LF desmond (1B/CF)
CF mookie (RF, got him at like 11th in opening year draft a couple of years ago, was nuts then as i pointed out, is more so since)
RF jd mart (LF, got him cheap too since he missed about a month in that draft year)
OF meadows (all OF)
OF pence (LF/RF)
util c.stewart (LF), mcmahon (1-3B)
BN (this many only from not wanting to drop people, would rather at least one more SP here, but FA is barren): tapia (LF, and good to own desmond/him together), brocktune (PIT, LF/RF), kiermaier (CF)
DL (infinite, we have fake rosters for more than 5 or suspended guys): r-zimm (1B)
NA (4): kieboom (could send down to stash cron here), trammell (LF)
SP (max 1750 innings): carrasco, paddack, morton, thornton, kelly (these last 2 had been streamers but only even half decent FA SP is pab lopez, lots of long men like cessa/j.james out there)
RP (max 6, one P slot): rivero (vazquez), yates, rogers, bearclaw, wittgren, crick
DL: kelley, lugo
NA: reyes, kimbrel
prospect list: tellez, mize, m.baez, kirilloff (me very happy to hear he’ll get 1B), larnach, k.robinson, x.edwards and extra DL guys being: cueto, shoemaker, morrow
who’s my drop for calling up tellez (could be him) he’s over his at bats. i could slide kieboom or trammell into prospect list, add cron to NA on active.
clearly this team needs some pitching, any stashed of SP better than cron here when i make this move of tellez up (or dropped) and kieboom sent down? all the standard guys are owned already (if i didn’t care about making close to my innings this year could add j.james but he’s been pretty bad mostly) but these are out there: l.allen, j.suarez.
If you can do it by sending Trammell down that’s probably ideal.
let me set this up more clearly.
1. tellez has to come up or be dropped now, over at bats.
2. if he comes up somebody gets dropped (grey says stewart or kiermaier once he understood that part of it)
3. when tellez is up i’ll be able to send down kieboom or trammell. i can call either back up whenever i want, so kieboom down might make more sense (actually i could just change that later anyway if he comes back up as BN bat anyway, so which of these 2 that goes down doesn’t matter really) and stash a guy for the 4th and last NA slot (k.cron or grey says l.allen if i want to go pitcher)
Hey Mikey
Keeper question. I’ve only got room for 1 LF, 1 3b and 1 util. Keep 11, 15 teams. Which would be my best bet to try and trade
3b: Vlad and Riley
LF: Eddie Rosario, Riley and Eloy
Util: 1 of the above
Ok so three out of four. I’d try to move Rosario to a contender if possible.
Mike,
Is Honeywell too risky to keep now? Or You think he can recover and keep up expectations for the end of 19 and 2020?
He’s likely done for this year…should still have value next year though.
Hi, would You Keep Kevin Cron or drop him for Kieboom that is avalaible in FA in my league?
Hmmm, Kieboom better overall bet, but Crom might be more valuable for 2019
Mike,
I am so on the fence about Garrett Hampson. SHould I keep him in my minor league system or cut him and pick someone else
Depends who is available, but he’s probably not going to see the majors anytime soon if Rodgers and McMahon both click.
would you keep him or drop him and pick someone else up
Drop for someone better if they’re out there.
this is my minor league system:
C Josh Breaux (NYY)
C Anthony Seigler (NYY)
2B/SS Garrett Hampson (COL)
2B/SS Nick Madrigal (CWS)
2B Luis Urias (SD)
3B Alec Bohm (PHI)
3B Triston Casas (BOS)
SS Royce Lewis (MIN)
SS Kevin Maitan (LAA)
OF Yordan Alvarez (HOU)
OF Jake McCarthy (ARI)
OF Parker Meadows (DET)
OF Mickey Moniak (PHI)
OF Raimfer Salinas (NYY)
SP/LHP Braxton Garrett (MIA)
SP/LHP Mackenzie Gore (SD)
SP/LHP Anthony Kay (NYM)
SP/LHP Matthew Liberatore (TB)
SP/LHP Shane McClanahan (TB)
SP/RHP JB Bukauskas (HOU)
SP/RHP J.T. Ginn (LAD)
SP/RHP Hunter Greene (CIN)
SP/RHP Tristan McKenzie (CLE)
SP/RHP Ryan Weathers (SD)
SP/RHP Cole Winn (TEX)
I would like to pick up Ben Ruta (OF, NYY), and Chris Gittens (1B,NYY)
What two minor leaguers would you drop to get them?
I’d recommend losing a catcher and your worst arm.
J.T. Ginn didn’t sign so he is the odd man out. I am just not sure between the two Yankee Catchers, and Garrett Hampson.
I’d lose the catchers before Hampson.
Thoughts on Jarren Duran? Dont understaand why he is still in A Ball.
Pipeline could just be blocked up. Yeah he’s old and doing too well to still be there.
Hey Mike,
Once healthy, would you rather have Didi gregorious or Brendan Rodgers for rest of season?
Thanks!
Didi
Which prospect would you keep? L. Urias @ $1 OR continue to hold onto Margot @ $3 with a 2-year contract on him. All things fair, I would drop Margot but I have held under the hope that he will earn a starting role and perform up to his potential. Do I continue to hold onto Margot or drop him?
That’s a tough one. I think I’d rather have Urias.
12 team 6×6 OBP Keeper league.. Which side? Pete Alonso ($8) or Austin Meadows ($16)?
Alonso
Appreciate the write-up as always. I’m in a 12-team keeper league where stashing prospects is difficult due to roster restrictions. (1) Out of Tucker, Cease, or Mountcastle who is most likely to get called up; and (2) Which of those three has the highest probability of immediately succeeding? Happy Sunday Mike.
No problem. Most likely? Mountcastle. Biggest impact once they’re here? I’d guess Tucker or Cease.
HOU is horrible at giving at bats to their prospects since they’ve been competitive team, they are actually what many people whine about with COL. y.alvarez this is even more true for, at least tucker has been up once (and got very few at bats). the list for this is quite long. it’s possible straw is up earlier, if so we’ll get tons of “last straw” puns on fantasy owners’ anger about this.
In a dynasty, keep Garrett Hampson or Tyler O’Neil? Is it close? I’ve got a number of steals guys, so I lean power hitting, but I prioritize value, so best player is the call here.
Thanks!
Probably O’Neil. Strikeout rate is a mess but so is Hampson.
Not a prospect question per se but who do you like better this year ROS Max Fried or Charlie Morton? And what side do you like better Fried and Kikuchi or Morton and Mikolas/Hill?
Morton
Morton, Mikolas
Appreciate your insight! Lets hope Hiura picks it up!
Who would u rather own in a dynasty: S.Gennett or Domingo Santana?
Thanks!
Hmmm. I’m a Domingo fan.
Do you start Foltynewicz today or just wait for him to figure it out first?
I just traded him away after 3 yrs of ownership /madness.
What I learned. A normal start from him =6-9 Ks, 3-5 bbs, maybe a WP or hit batsmen 4+ERA.
Two years ago he had a no-hitter in 9th. Gave up HR to first batter. But had 5 bbs.
His velocity is down, something seems wrong in my opinion.
Not sure your teams situation , but its roll of dice with Folty
i am sitting him and waiting for a few decent starts at least
Agree with others. Wait and see.
Got an interesting offer in a 15 team keep 11 obp league
My Vlad for his MChapman and Bauer
Not likely I’m gong to move Vlad but it’s got me thinking. Do you see this as close? All players are keepers in this deal.
It’s fair. Depends how much you like Bauer.
16 teamer dynasty with all the stats including defensive ones. sano or dozier (the worthwhile dozier), both at 1B/3B and also have
C streamer
1B bellinger (CF/RF
2B la stella (3B, fill in for altuve)
SStreat urner
3B senzel (CF)
LF jd mart (RF)
CF marte
RF springer (CF)
util (1) otani (not as valuable here since the defensive stuff)
BN (3, 4 BN slots max 1 of them used on pitchers by rules)
, dozier (1B/3B), devers, E2 (3B/SS)
DL: altuve, sano more
NA (10): florial, rodgers, r.lewis, india, larnach, brujan
SP (max 6): s.anderson (streamer), ryu, gibson, darvish, arrieta, morton
RP (7): diekman, rogers, lugo, hader, britton, rivero (vazquez), wittgren
NA: mize, sixto, puk, a.reyes
DL: morrow, otani (i was REALLY worried yahoo wasn’t going to get this right, but they did, good for them, they did the obviously correct thing, unless the dude has ANY indication he MIGHT pitch the otani pitcher is on DL)
1. is there a rodgers drop (i’d hold these guys in NA/DL slots (sano/rodgers) except i stream the last pitcher slot routinely and catcher (putouts, and since i don’t have an actual 1B i’m usually behind in this anyway), this is h2h league.
2. sano or dozier?
1. Not seeing a clean drop. Maybe if the shine comes of La Stella.
2. I’d go Dozier.
right, la stella is the only one i don’t care about dropping or not, but he’s the only 2B (he’s just a fill in for altuve while hurt, BUT that doesn’t sound that long off now). really didn’t need rodgers coming up this early at all (had hampson in other leagues earlier, have murphy in at least one, but for much more permanent reasons like the murphy often benching (he’s an ass as a person, COL finally going with their good young players, have mcmahon in other dynasties, did hit 2 HR’s on bench today of course))
might be able to drop s.anderson (the old streamer spot) and turn gibson into a streamer albeit the streamers aren’t great here, turnbull/thornton/pablo lopez/lynn/bundy/desclafani the best ones. i do stream those exact guys in similar sized leagues. gibson might get owned by somebody, but maybe not. springer’s injury thing not helping here. due to dropping choo for activating treat urner no longer have a backup LF (jd mart can move to RF, bellinger too).
I started streaming Thornton on and off. Might not be the worst move.
was able to trade E2 for fried to the guy who had fried/montas/c.smith (i had sent a for montas saying i’d do it for any of the 3). then dropped s.anderson (vs ATL isn’t great), then gibson too when i noticed i could get leclerc (dropped). thought i had more than 2 closers (i guess i do if rogers counts as like .4 of one). did have to bring up rogers to do that, but he’ll at least get 2B shortly, so he’ll be an altuve backup. won’t be able to stream for a while unless rogers sent back down OR i can get a trade partner for sano more. if springer DOES go DL now i can move bellinger to that slot.
bring up RODGERS COL, rogers MIN i already have.
Nice!