I can’t really think straight right now because I’m watching Shohei Ohtani play right field after pitching the best game of his MLB career against the vaunted (dastardly?) Astros.
In all seriousness, the baseball world is on fire (in my mind) right now. Jarred Kelenic is reportedly debuting Thursday. File that under Believe it When I See It. Alan Greenspan said he was right about everything RE economics except greed, to which I say he was wrong about everything.
Wow, got off track in a hurry there, but it kept me from writing my actual nut graf, which goes something like “Here’s a list of who’s getting money-fucked now that Jarred Kelenic isn’t.” Whoops. There it went anyway. Please forgive my slip of the thumb dear reader; hectic times.
1. AAA Tampa Bay 2B/OF Vidal Brujan
Hottest man in the minors could make a big redraft impact the day he gets promoted, and with Kevin Kiermaier on the IL, that day could be tomorrow. He’s been on the 40-man for a year. The only factor remaining is Tampa’s cheapness because pinching pennies remains the most important thing for Major League Baseball teams. I added him in the shallow, 12-team Perts league today just in case, even though I’m about 75/25 Tampa waits until he gets frustrated then slumps and says see he’s slumping now he can’t come up and help us.
2. AAA Toronto RHP Alek Manoah
Gets the nod over Jarren and Wander here because I think his next AAA start could be his last. The rub is that all the other rookie pitchers have struggled, and that pitching in general has been easier to find than hitting this year. I suspect that’ll shift a little as the weather warms.
3. AAA Boston OF Jarren Duran
Heated up after a hitless opening series, hitting .500 over the next three games with his first home run, then popping another two home runs Tuesday night. Slides down the list a bit due more to the excellence of others than anything he controls. Kind of a weird thing where he should (obvioulsy) be ranked below Wander, but Boston needs Duran more than Tampa needs Franco, and Tampa needs to exploit the CBA to subsist more than Boston does.
4. AAA Tampa Bay SS Wander Franco
He’s probably a free agent in hyper competitive shallow leagues like the Perts, everyone playing chicken over who gets the game’s most gifted minor league hitter and holds him for an uncomfortable amount of time awaiting the Rays’ service time math. I almost added him along with Brujan in the Perts today, but we’ve got just three bench spots, and I need Brujan’s wheels more than Wander’s wonderboy bat.
5. AAA Seattle RHP Logan Gilbert
If Kelenic’s really coming up tomorrow, Gilbert can’t be too far behind. Starting pitching has been solid for the Mariners, but this particular season will require all hands on deck from an innings-pitched perspective, and Gilbert should provide a steady hand fairly early in his big league tenure.
6. AAA Miami OF Jesus Sanchez
Slashing .570/.600/1.179 with four home runs in seven games, but most crucially, three strikeouts and two walks. Shouldn’t be down much longer. Probably shouldn’t be down right now, in my opinion.
7. AAA Los Angeles (AL) OF Jo Adell
Still striking out too much but hitting home runs. If he does that now with the soggy balls, that’ll play. I really want to see Shohei Ohtani do everything in a playoff game. Hope it somehow works out for them. I’m greedy, what can I say.
8. AAA Texas 1B Curtis Terry
Here’s the first potential waiver find on the list for a lot of you, considering that top six is owned in all but shallow redraft leagues. Khris Davis is back off the IL, but he’s playing some outfield, leaving some potential at bats on the bone for a 1B/DH type to get a chance while he’s hot. Back-it-up Terry is slashing a preposterous .458/.500/1.083 as a 24-year-old who skipped AA. He’s hit four home runs in six games this year after popping 25 across two levels in 2019. It’s strength over bat speed for the 6’2” 258 pound righty, but he has always mashed the baseball and limited strikeouts to the 23 percent range. I’m intrigued.
9. AAA Detroit RHP Matt Manning
Good outing Tuesday night: 6 IP, 3 ER, 3 baserunners, 7 K. Not awesome that he’s allowed five home runs in two starts, but he’s also allowed one walk in eleven innings. You take the good you take the bad you take the rest and then you have: a Detroit Tigers pitching prospect. Don’t you dare start him when he comes up so help me friends.
10. AA San Diego SS CJ Abrams
Man I had a lot of names here throughout the process of making this list. Abrams’ placement ultimately was born from excitement and dread. He’s an incredible player. The ease of his game brought Kid Griffey to mind the first time I saw him. I think he’d contribute competitive big league at bats if promoted today.
The dread comes in when I think about that lingering shoulder issue for Fernando Tatis Jr.
If the worst comes to pass, and Tatis’ revamped swing with a muted follow-through can’t save him from season ending surgery, Abrams becomes a must add. Maybe San Diego would roll with Kim and Cronenworth up the middle, mixing in Profar, Mateo and Marcano.
Here’s the next few groups, in case you’re curious.
11. AAA San Francisco OF Bryce Johnson
12. AAA Miami 1B Lewin Diaz
13. AA Kansas City SS Bobby Witt Jr.
14. AA Pittsburgh RHP Roansy Contreras
15. AAA Boston OF Marcus Wilson
16. AA San Francisco OF Heliot Ramos
17. AAA New York (AL) 1B Chris Gittens
18. AAA Chicago (NL) RHP Cory Abbott
19. AAA Kansas City RHP Jackson Kowar
20. AAA Cleveland 2B Owen Miller
21. AAA San Diego LHP MacKenzie Gore
22. AAA Texas RHP DeMarcus Evans
23. A+ Seattle OF Julio Rodriguez
24. AAA Oakland OF Luis Barrera
25. AAA Arizona RHP Corbin Marin
26. AAA St. Louis 2B Max Moroff
Slumping:
27. AA Miami OF JJ Bleday
28. AAA Boston SS Jeter Downs
29. AAA Baltimore OF Yusniel Diaz
30. AAA Cleveland 3B Nolan Jones
Injured:
31. Los Angeles (AL) Brandon Marsh
32. Oakland RHP Daulton Jefferies
33. Chicago (NL) LHP Brailyn Marquez
Thanks for reading!
I’m @theprospectitch on Twitter.
