MLB: 10 Prospects That Could Contribute Down the Stretch

We’ve already seen quite a few highly touted prospects helping their MLB teams this year. Here are 10 who have a chance to be of significant assistance to their club down stretch.

When you think about potential upgrades for your team in the second half of the MLB season, it’s likely that you will focus on trade candidates first because of the buzz that the trade deadline generates. There is always an endless supply of rumors, talk of buyers and sellers, whether a rental player is worth the cost, etc.

But since the implementation of the second Wild Card, the number of true sellers has shrunk, while the numbers of would-be buyers has increased. More teams feel they have a legitimate shot at grabbing a playoff spot, and as such are hesitant to give up any of their pieces.

But teams still need help shoring up their rosters in the second half as they prepare to make their run, so how can they go about finding it? One way is bound to be by calling up top prospects that they feel can help make an impact down the stretch.

The following are ten prospects who I can see playing a significant role for their respective team in the second half. The majority of these players are on teams that figure to be in the playoff hunt, though that was only a small part of the criteria I looked for, not a deal breaker.

Also, some of these players have already appeared in the majors, having either been recently called up, or having been called up at some point in the past and since sent down. Not only are they closer to the bigs and more ready to contribute, but they seem more likely to be relied on in a playoff race that someone with no major league experience.

The following players are in no particular order. 

Next: Alex Bregman

1. Alex Bregman — Infielder — Astros

On paper it doesn’t seem like the Houston Astros need any more young talent, especially in an infield that already contains Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and now A.J. Reed. But despite all that talent, the Astros are currently in 2nd place in the AL West, and 2 games out of a Wild Card spot.

Alex Bregman, who was ranked 8th in Baseball America’s recent Midseason Top 100, has primarily been a shortstop, but he won’t have a spot there in Houston with Carlos Correa already there. He started getting reps at 3rd base in Double-A, but now that he has been promoted to Triple-A, the organization is opting to let him play shortstop, at least for now, so he doesn’t have to juggle both a new level and a new position at the same time.

Some questioned whether he would stick at shortstop anyway, so a new position may have been necessary regardless. He’s not typical 3rd baseman size, listed at 6’0″, 180 pounds, but generally if you can handle shortstop, you can also handle 3rd.

Bregman dominated the Texas League before earning the call to Triple-A, slashing .297/.415/.559, good for a 177 wRC+. I’ve seen Bregman compared to Dustin Pedroia on multiple occasions, and with that kind of production, it’s easy to see why.

It’s not a guarantee that Bregman gets called up, but a look in September when the rosters expand feels pretty likely, if not even earlier depending on how he does with Corpus Christi, and where the Astros stand. He’s the kind of guy who could really be a nice spark for a team trying to fight their way into the playoffs.

Next: Alex Reyes

2. Alex Reyes — RHP — Cardinals

Like the Astros, the St. Louis Cardinals have been factory-like in how often they churn out quality talent. They’ve graduated a lot of their recent crop already, but Alex Reyes is yet another top prospect close to the major leagues.

Reyes came in at #2 on Baseball America’s midseason rankings, and that’s despite making just 9 starts this season after serving a 50 game suspension for marijuana use. He has struck out 61 batters in 41 1/3 innings, so although he has also walked 20, and has a mediocre 4.35 ERA, he has not lost any of his swing and miss stuff. Walks have always been a part of his game, but it doesn’t matter as much when you also strike out 13 hitters per game.

Reyes features a mid-to-upper-90s fastball combined with what can be a dominant power curveball. In the video I watched, multiple curves appeared headed for the batters head before ending up over the plate, and there is just nothing you can do with that.

Cardinals GM John Mozeliak recently said Reyes could be an option for the bullpen this year, but also cited concerns over him not getting enough innings in on the season if that move were to be made. Ultimately, winning is likely to come first, and if they think he can help the bullpen, they will let him do so.

Next: Lucas Giolito

4. Nick Williams — OF — Phillies

This is our first team that seems unlikely to be in the playoff hunt, but I felt like Williams belonged on this list anyway. At 42-48, the Phillies have been better than I expected, and are theoretically still in it.

Nick Williams comes in at #40 on the Baseball America list, quite a bit behind the previous three, but he would be joining the team in most in need of young talent. The Phillies have been old and quite frankly pretty bad for the last couple seasons, so adding a highly touted young outfielder could have a significant impact.

Williams has had some personal and off-the-field issues, being benched multiple times for disciplinary reasons, but the production is there when he plays. After an OPS of .845 in Double-A last year (for both Texas and Philadelphia), he has slashed .285/.321/.458 in Triple-A this season.

Fangraphs says he has a 50 hit tool, 50 game power and 60 raw power, meaning he figures to be an above-average hitter overall. He likely won’t get on base much, but if he manages 30+ doubles and 20+ home runs and plays decent defense in a corner, he can still be a productive player.

If he can overcome the personality issues, the talent figures to play, and he can join a decent young core of Odubel Herrera and Maikel Franco in Philly.

Next: Tyler Glasnow

5. Tyler Glasnow — RHP — Pirates

Like Giolito, Pittsburgh Pirates top prospect Tyler Glasnow was already called up once this year but has since been sent back down. But, he seems like a prime candidate to get another shot, probably even more so than Gioloito.

Baseball America has Glasnow at #6 on their midseason list, so he is in the same company as the two other starters that appeared earlier. Glasnow also features swing and miss stuff like those two, Baseball America says “almost no one ever squares him up,” but less positively, he shares their inconsistent control.

In his 25 Triple-A starts, between 2015 and 2016, Glasnow has a BB/9 rate of 4.86, higher than either Reyes or Giolito. But he also strikes out over 10 hitters per 9, gives up very few home runs, and hasn’t had an ERA over 2.50 in any of his longer minor league stops )it was 3.38 in two High-A starts in 2015).

Glasnow stands at 6’8″, which allows his already mid-90s heat to play up even more, which in turn compliments his slow curveball, giving the hitter a lot to have to deal with.

The Pirates rotation has been a mess this year. They’ve already used 11 different starters, including Glasnow, and their #1 and #2 starters coming in, Gerrit Cole and Francisco Liriano, are hurt and underperforming, respectively. Fellow prospect Jameson Taillon looked good in his 5 starts, but he too landed on the DL. Jon Niese are Jeff Locke lead the team in innings, and both have ERA’s over 5.

The Pirates have quite a few other options, so it’s no guarantee they go with Glasnow, but those other options aren’t all that good, so if they want to make a run, Glasnow might make sense, even if he is young and inexperienced. Their rotation doesn’t figure to be great regardless, but Cole, Liriano, Taillon and Glasnow could be a decent start, provided they are healthy.

Next: Josh Bell

6. Josh Bell — 1B — Pirates

We’re going Bucs back-to-back here, with the guy who was called up when Glasnow was send back down. Josh Bell has been hyped for a long time, and he is now getting a shot, even if it’s only been as a pinch hitter so far.

Bell was an offensive force for the vast majority of his time in the minors, posting a wRC+ of 150 or higher three times, two of those being over 170, both at the Triple-A level. He has the ability to be an above average contact hitter — he hit over .300 in 4 of his 8 minor league stops, including each of his last three — with above average power, though he is more of a line drive hitter than a guy who hits bombs.

He does something traditional scouting doesn’t always capture though, and that’s walk a ton. He adds a double digit walk rate to his .300 average, allowing him to peak at a .441 OBP last year in Triple-A, which he then followed up with a .407 clip this year.

The problem with Bell comes on the defensive side, though. He began as a outfielder, but he was moved into 1st base due to poor range, and the fact that he is blocked by Starling Marte, Andrew McCutchen and Gregory Polanco. Reports indicate his glove still needs work at 1st base as well, so it’s unclear whether he will ever be a strong defender.

His increased power in Triple-A this year (.212 isolated power, just .157 the year before) is an important development in conjunction with his move to 1st base. He’s going to need to hit to accumulate value, and without power he may not do that, at least not as much as you’d like from your 1st baseman.

It sounds like Bell will be sent back down following the All-Star Break, as John Jaso currently has the 1st base job to himself. But Jaso has always had trouble hitting lefties, so if the Pirates are okay with Bell being a part-time player in a playoff run, he may get another shot. It’s unclear whether they are okay with that or not, though.

Next: Mike Clevinger

7. Mike Clevinger — RHP — Indians

The Cleveland Indians have one of the better rotations in all of baseball, as evidenced by the fact that their #3 starter, Danny Santana, is a Cy Young contender. Santana is joined by former Cy Young winner Corey Kluber, and Carlos Carrasco, who has a FIP under 3 over the past 3 seasons. Trevor Bauer has a 3.30 ERA and 3.53 FIP as their #4. Josh Tomlin has a 3.51 ERA, and has a 0.99 BB/9.

But as good as their rotation is, their bullpen could stand to improve. They’ve already used 20 different relievers, and overall have been about middle of the pack in ERA and FIP. If they so choose, prospect Mike Clevinger could help out there as they try to keep their spot atop the Central.

Clevenger, who came in at #71 on Baseball America’s list, has already appeared in four games with the Indians this year, 3 starts and one relief appearance, so they seem to feel he is ready to contribute. He didn’t look great in those appearances, but he is also doesn’t have anything left to prove in Triple-A.

Tomlin is also vastly over-performing his FIP — 3.51 ERA vs 4.94 FIP. His FIP has been well over 5.00 since the beginning of June, and his ERA in July hasn’t been great either at 5.06. They will likely opt for his experience as long as he is reasonably successful, but if he struggles too much, Clevinger could be called to step in. We also can’t underestimate the chance of a pitcher getting injured.

Next: Trea Turner

8. Trea Turner — SS/CF — Nationals

The Nationals will also appear twice here, this time with shortstop (utility man?) Trea Turner. Turner may already have 30 big league games under his belt, but 27 of those were last year, and he struggled mightily in them. Beyond that, you can easily argue that he has been mistreated due to service time concerns, and yet he seems willing to do anything the Nationals need him to so, so I’m quite alright with including him.

Turner comes in at #5 on the Baseball America rankings, thanks to having a well above average bat at a defensive minded positon. He had an .860 OPS in Double-A and and .826 in Triple-A. He combines solid contact ability with good patience and discipline, and while his power projects to be below average, he isn’t devoid of it, especially for a shortstop, where he also projects to be an average or better defender, also adding plus speed to his game.

Despite that projection, the Nationals have begun getting him work at other positions, including center field. The Nationals like Danny Espinosa at shortstop — he is a plus defender there and is finally hitting as well — so Turner may not have a spot at shortstop in D.C., at least for now. So while a move may lower his value some, it does increase his chances of getting playing time sooner rather than later.

Turner was called up when Ryan Zimmerman hit the DL, which for the time being allows him to play 2nd base with Daniel Murphy shifting over the 1st. Zimmerman has struggled mightily this year, so I suppose there’s a chance he will lose playing even when healthy, but he has a track record with the Nats that may keep him on the field regardless.

If so, the Nationals could look to Turner in center field, as Ben Revere and Michael Taylor have both been even worse than Zimmerman. They would likely be sacrificing something on defense, at least until Turner gets more comfortable, but it may be worth the offensive upgrade. Regardless, it’s time to Free Trea Turner.

Next: Joey Gallo

9. Joey Gallo — OF/3B — Rangers

Joey Gallo is in a somewhat similar situation as Turner. He played 36 games for the Rangers in 2015, with mediocre results, and has been relegated to Triple-A for all but 1 game this season, at least in part because he is blocked. Adrian Beltre is entrenched at third base, and outfield is full with Nomar Mazara, Ian Desmond and Ryan Rua.

But Gallo could easily represent an upgrade in a 1B/DH role, currently shared by Mitch Moreland and Prince Fielder. Neither are producing this year, with wRC+’s of 78 and 65 respectively. Gallo doesn’t even have to be particularly good to be an upgrade there. He has a 145 wRC+ in Triple-A, slashing .254/.386/.562 with 15 homers.

The problem may be that both Moreland and Fielder are on major league deals, and can’t be optioned, in addition to both having track records of production (Fielder more so than Moreland). Replacing one with Gallo would be a pretty permanent and finite move, and there’s no guarantee Gallo produces either.

Gallo has massive power, likely the most in all of the minor leagues, but he struggles with making consistent contact. He has some minor league seasons hitting over .300, and others where he can’t crack the mendoza line. He makes up for some of that by drawing a ton of walks, around 15% for his minor league career, but you need to be able to put the bat on the ball to some degree, and consistently striking out 30% or more (maxing out at 39.5% two separate times, 2014 Double-A and 2015 Triple-A) doesn’t instill a ton of faith.

All that said, at some point having two guys hitting 20-40% below average at 1st base and DH isn’t going to cut it for a playoff team, so it may not be a bad idea to get Gallo a shot sooner rather than later.

Next: Ray Black

10. Ray Black — RHP — Giants

Ray Black is the guy on this list I know the least about, but fellow Call to the Pen writer Benjamin Chase suggested I include him, and I’m glad I did. The kid is exciting, and he is a nice change of pace to all of these more obvious, big name prospects.

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I say that because Black wasn’t included on BA’s midseason Top-100 — in fact he likely wasn’t even close. Some sources don’t even have him in the Giants Top 20, and I didn’t see any that had him within their Top 10. And while that may sound odd, it’s for good reason.

Despite Black’s 100 MPH fastball and consistent 15+ K/9 rate in the minor leagues, he comes with more than his fair share of concerns. He has an injury history I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. He had Tommy John in his senior year of high school, and it all seemed to pile up from there. He was drafted in 2011, but didn’t make his pro debut until 2014 due to a torn meniscus. He also missed time last year with a lat injury.

Beyond that, Black’s control is questionable at best, and nonexistent at worst. He walked a batter an inning last season, and is just shy of that pace this season as well (8.69 BB/9). I don’t care how electric your stuff is, you are going to have a real tough time succeeding if you issue that many free passes.

Next: First Half NL MVP Candidates

But the Giants may take that risk if they feel he can be an overall edition to the bullpen. His ERA is ugly at 5.28, but his 3.37 FIP is much better, and shows that he can and has overcome his walk issues. Right now he isn’t a guy you would bring in with the bases loaded in a close game with the risk if walking in a run, but if you need a strikeout and a walk won’t kill you, he can certainly help out.