MLB: Promoted prospects who are making a difference
As October nears and MLB playoff races tighten, teams must do whatever they can to bolster their rosters. Those teams that have promoted prospects are hoping their young players can provide a spark and make a difference, potentially bringing them to the playoffs.
In the coming weeks, there will be lots of talk of potential moves that will send All-Stars to contenders in the return for top minor league prospects. But before MLB teams commit to sending their young, groomed talent to a rebuilding team for a two-month rental, they should look at their value in the major leagues now.
We’ve already seen some teams improve their rosters from within. The Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox have relied on their young prospects in the past month or so.
The Cubs promoted catcher Willson Contreras who has rewarded them by playing in 27 games, hitting .289 five home runs and 16 RBIs. The White Sox brought up Tim Anderson who’s started 32 games while hitting .279.
Sometimes a young prospect can be the difference maker in a run to the World Series. We saw the Boston Red Sox call up then highly touted shortstop Xander Bogaerts in August of 2013. The now All-Star ended up batting .296 in the playoffs that year, contributing with nine runs and a couple of very important at-bats.
In order for a player to be eligible for playoff rosters they must at least be on the 25-man roster or on the disabled list by midnight on August 31.
The following are recent players who have been promoted that can make a big difference to their club’s success come August, September, and October. Some of these players have been up and down, and may not be getting a lot of playing time, but they can contribute in other ways. The list will have the most important player to their respective club’s success listed at number one.
Next: A future ace?
#4 Tyler Glasnow
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Tyler Glasnow isn’t currently on the Pirates’ big league roster, but may find himself there soon. He made his Major League debut on July 7th against the Cardinals, lasting just five and a third, giving up four earned runs. The positive is that he gave up just four hits and walked two. It was his 87 pitches and jam he got himself into in the sixth that got him pulled.
Glasnow was the eighth ranked prospect in the MLB at the time of his debut and entered the season as a consensus top 15 prospect. In AAA this season he has compiled a 7-3 record with a 1.94 ERA.
His ERA ranks third in the International League and his strikeouts (122) rank first. He’s also holding lefties to just a .159 average with no home runs.
Where he can help
The Pirates are currently running with a four-man rotation until rookie Jameson Taillon comes back from the DL, which is expected to be tonight. Even with his addition, Francisco Liriano has struggled mightily with a 5.11 ERA. 23-year-old Chad Kuhl has appeared in just four games and posted a 4.19 ERA.
The Pirates rank 15th in team ERA and 21st in quality starts amongst their starters. Their bullpen is one of the highest working units in the league, ranking second in innings pitched with 332 innings.
Glasnow can either come back up as a spot starter or help as a long-term inning eater in the ‘pen.
Next: Another impressive arm in Washington
#3 Reynaldo Lopez
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Reynaldo Lopez will be the second, top prospect that the Nationals have called up to make a spot start. He will face the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight, needing help after their 18-inning loss. Lopez is ranked as the 5th best prospect in the Nationals organization according to MLB.com.
In 14 games at AA he pitched 76.1 innings, accumulating a 3.18 ERA. He made two starts at AAA, facing 47 batters, allowing four runs on nine hits while striking out nine and walking six.
Lopez features a fastball that sits in the mid to upper 90’s. He has touched triple digits in the past and offers a curveball that has plenty of power.
Where he can help
The Nationals promotion of the MLB’s’ #1 prospect Lucas Giolito didn’t go as planned. In his two starts he pitched just 7.2 innings combined, allowing eight hits and four runs.
The Nationals only have four pitchers in their rotation, and Joe Ross has been on the DL since July 3 with shoulder inflammation. When Ross comes back there will be no need for Lopez in the rotation, but he could contend for a spot in the bullpen.
Some major league evaluators only see him as a bullpen arm, though others see differently. Regardless of mixed opinions, if Lopez impressed tonight, he could stay around in the majors for the foreseeable future.
Next: A big time slugger
#2 A.J. Reed
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A.J. Reed is technically the starting first baseman on the Astros’ depth chart according to MLB.com, but Marwin Gonzalez has been getting most of the starts in Houston. Reed has made a couple starts at DH, but isn’t getting consistent playing time.
Reed hasn’t had the best start in Houston since his debut on June 25. He’s batting just .143, with a 34.7 strikeout percentage. His Offensive runs above average is currently -3.0 and Defensive runs above average is at -1.1.
The Astros hope things may be turning around for him. He’s reached in three of his last five games entering Tuesday. In an at-bat Sunday he came in as a pinch-hitter and battled for a walk after taking a couple of borderline pitches.
Where he can help
If Reed can develop properly, he can be a scary, power weapon against opposing pitchers. In just 59 games in AAA this year he blasted 11 home runs and 19 doubles while driving in 36 RBIs.
The Astros’ have no shortage of home run hitters on their roster as it is. To be able to add another power bat at the bottom of the lineup or off the bench could be a huge benefit come October.
The Astros don’t have another first baseman with plenty of postseason experience, so there’s no real veteran advantage of starting Gonzalez over Reed when the time comes. For now, the Astros should be giving Reed more at-bats.
Next: The next Chris Sale?
#1 Carson Fulmer
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Carson Fulmer made his MLB debut just two days ago and impressed big time. He struck out his first hitter on three pitches, absolutely baffling him…the hitter was Albert Pujols by the way. He ended up pitching two innings and faced seven batters. He struck out two batters while giving up just one hit.
Just last week @Carson_Fulmer was dealing in the #FuturesGame …
— MLB GIFS (@MLBGIFs) July 17, 2016
… The future has arrived. pic.twitter.com/BY6esRA6jd
Fulmer is the White Sox #1 prospect according to MLB.com. Scouts see him as a bullpen arm while the White Sox believe he can be trusted as their future #2 starter. He was drafted in 2015, so his rise to the majors has come quickly.
He was promoted from AA where he put up a 4.76 ERA in 17 games. The White Sox hope he can be better than that in their ‘pen.
Where he can help
The White Sox promoted both Carlos Rodon and Chris Sale and let them work out of the bullpen before making them full-time starters. It’s worked out pretty well for them seeing Chris Sale is one of the game’s best pitchers, and Rodon has been a consistent starter for the team this year.
With that being said, the White Sox could potentially use a rotation arm down the road. Rodon was placed on the DL on July 6, and James Shield has proven to be a huge bust since trading for him.
Next: Will Fowler help Cubs find the win column?
For right now, Fulmer will merely be a reliever, but could jump into the rotation for a spot start if needed. If all goes well, he will be called on quite often in the playoffs.