Prospect News: Warming Up In Coors or Freeland Could Be Costly

Rockies new starting 1B Warming Bernabel is the kind of guy who should thrive in Coors. He hasn’t always hit for power as he’s climbed the system, but he’s always made contact and been difficult to strike out. I know he’s here now because Ryan McMahon is not, but I’m hopeful we’re seeing something of a sea change in Colorado. Perhaps the front office has seen the value of stacking plus contact guys in a big ballpark and will continue to acquire and play guys like Bernabel and Tyler Freeman. Coors hasn’t been a basher’s ballpark for quite some time thanks in part to the humidor, but there’s still a million base hits to be had for anyone who puts the ball in play. Man I wish I hadn’t released Mickey Moniak off a team of mine that has Byron Buxton and Ronald Acuña Jr. At least Cardinals C Ivan Herrera played outfield the other day. Maybe he’ll add eligibility in time to help. On the other end of this trade, new Yankees 3B Ryan McMahon gets a fresh lease on competitive baseball in New York. It’s hard to predict how a Rockie will roll once he’s escaped Coors, but this sure feels like an excellent fit. 

The next step for Colorado might be to make room for 3B Kyle Karros. They’re playing Orlando Arcia at third base and could simply stop doing that. Karros isn’t on the 40-man roster and has played just nine games in Triple-A, where he has continued to control the strike zone and is posting a .390 on base percentage after sitting at .399 through 55 Double-A games. 

Guardians RP Emmanuel Clase signed a five-year contract for $20 million in 2022 that includes club options at $10 million per season in 2027 and 2028. Spotrac says he’s earned $15,378,938 in his career. His salary for 2026 is $6 million. He’s 27 years old. Why is he betting on himself to throw first-pitch balls? I’m not sure he’ll ever pitch again. Won’t make that six million or ten million either, I suspect. Gambling is a pox on our society: a disastrous evil. It breaks people’s brains. Destroys lives. Dominates our world right now. Let’s stop normalizing that. I really want the owners who bought up neighborhoods and built sports books to wind up regretting that decision. 

Dodgers SS Alex Freeland should debut at second base today for Los Angeles. A switch-hitter at 6’0” 200 lbs with patience, power and speed, Freeland should be valuable in our game if he can make enough contact. And unlike some other young Dodgers, this one has a pretty free path to playing time at second base. They might even play him at shortstop if Mookie is open to moving around. Or at third considering how poorly Tommy Edman has been hitting. Freeland hit 12 home runs and stole 17 bases in 94 Triple-A games this year, slashing .253/.377/.421 with a 108 wRC+. Not a sure thing by any means, but what rookie is? 

Mets OF Carson Benge (22, AA) was playing well in High-A, but he’s found a new level in Double-A, slashing .357/.465/.619 with six home runs and three stolen bases in 22 games. Just 13 strikeouts against 17 walks, too. If you’re a seller this season, try to buy Benge. 

When the 2025 season began, Nationals OF Cristhian Vaquero (20, A) was recovering from shoulder surgery, so a slow start is easy to ignore. His recent run of play, however, demands attention. He’s been improving throughout the season, but in his last 22 games, he’s hitting .337 with three home runs and three stolen bases. He’s doubled up on aggression during that stretch, walking just four percent of the time against a season-long walk rate of 10.5 percent. To me, that’s a sign he’s feeling pretty good, attacking a lot and doing damage. Washington signed for Vaquero for $4,925,000 in 2022, so it would help a lot if he can develop into a key piece of their build. 

Speaking of their long-term build, Nationals OF Robert Hassell III wants in. His 21-game debut with the big club did not go well, but in 32 games since his demotion to Triple-A, he has slashed .331/.430/.512 with six homers, seven steals, 23 strikeouts (15.3%) and 22 walks (14.7%). He should get another chance soon, and even if he doesn’t capitalize on that, 2025 has been a huge bounce back season for Hassell III, who could find himself on quite a few of my rosters next season. 

I love the trade deadline. Brings out the kid in me. Let’s get it done, sellers! Don’t hold all these expiring contracts. 

Thanks for reading!