MLB Prospect Report: Top 5 Players That Are on the Cusp of the Majors
These are the top 5 remaining MLB prospects that are the closest to promotion. How do they rank and how soon will it be before they reach the major leagues?
The recent promotions of Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Keston Hiura and Braves third baseman/outfielder Austin Riley have sparked interest in more MLB prospects with high potential. The early season has also seen the promotions of Fernando Tatis Jr., Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Eloy Jimenez, Pete Alonso, and Nick Senzel.
Most MLB prospects are beyond ready upon their arrival, as they are only held down due to the service time issues created by a problematic arbitration system. In having Tatis Jr. and Alonso begin with the major league club the Padres and Mets respectively have disregarded the future considerations for the present impact. In both cases, it worked out tremendously in favor of the team and player.
Not all MLB prospects arrive in such a successful fashion, as is the case with Nationals top prospect Carter Kieboom. The shortstop arrived with the major league club and proceeded to be overmatched both at the plate and in the field. He received the call primarily due to the injury that Trea Turner suffered. Upon realizing he was not properly seasoned, the Nats sent him back down to the Fresno Grizzlies.
Dylan Cease (#22 Per MLB Pipeline)
Chicago White Sox
Cease is a 23-year-old right-hander, who is currently playing in AAA for the Chicago White Sox. His repertoire features a fastball, curveball, slider, and change-up. His fastball is a major weapon, as it lies in the range of 95-98 mph with life on it. His primary secondary pitch is his curveball, which has some devastating break, qualifying him as a strikeout pitcher.
MLB.com lists Cease’s fastball as a 70/80 and his curveball at 65/80. He is also listed as having 45/80 control with an overall grade of 60/80. The control, or lack thereof, is the main reason the hurler is still in the minor leagues. The White Sox overall ERA is listed at 5.14, the third highest mark in the league, signaling the need for a change in the status quo.
Cease could provide the very boost the Sox need to stabilize their rotation and he is on track to make his debut this season. Carlos Rodon will miss the remainder of the season and Manny Buenelos appears to be likely to miss a period of time as well. This creates a perfect opportunity for the righty pitcher to slot in and provides some relief and in the process display his massive potential.
Mitch Keller (#21 Per MLB Pipeline)
Pittsburgh Pirates
One of the best MLB prospects in the league has emerged with an elite pitching potential and he is on the verge of a promotion. Keller features a fastball that can touch up to 97-99 mph and routinely sits just below that mark. His fastball is listed at a 65, his curveball at a 55, and his change-up at a 50. Keller’s control is higher than Cease at 55, thus it may account for his being placed one space higher on this list.
Upon his promotion to AAA in 2018, Keller elevated his walk rate because he was overpitching and finished the year strongly after making the adjustment. A successful start to 2019 has seen him record 50 strikeouts in 50 innings. With more control of the strike zone, Keller should be able to make a quicker transition to the major leagues.
Although Chris Archer‘s return to the rotation is positive for the Pirates and one would imagine that it eliminates a rotation spot for Keller, a new spot has been created. Jameson Taillon‘s recent trip to the injured list promises a lengthy absence and the other two options aside from Keller are Nick Kingham and Steven Brault. Neither of these two names inspires much of a response, thus Keller would be a logical choice for promotion.
Luis Urias (#24 Per MLB Pipeline)
San Diego Padres
Urias has made two had two big league stints prior thus far in his career, one that lasted 12 games and 48 at-bats in 2018 and another of 11 games and 24 at-bats in April 2019. Both saw him look out of sorts and outmatched by the superiority of major league pitching. The Padres sent him to the minors in order to gain more seasoning for a promotion later in the season.
In AAA El Paso of the Pacific Coast League, Urias has been on a torrid stretch in which he has recorded a .350 average and a .450 on-base percentage. A quick turnaround is vastly encouraging for the future San Diego second baseman, as this builds confidence for the inevitable promotion in 2019.
Currently, Greg Garcia is the main occupant of the second base slot for the Padres. Despite a significant lack of power- .389 slugging percentage- he veteran has posted a .388 OBP, which is more than adequate. However, Urias provides a dynamic presence that can significantly lengthen the San Diego lineup, while Greg Garcia will still provide a vital presence off of the bench.
Among this list of MLB prospects, Urias has a reputation as a pure hitter who can hit for some power but will work the ball to all fields and hit for a high average. His rating is 70/80 in terms of hitting, while the other aspects of his game are still developing. His bat would be welcome in San Diego and is likely to be. The Padres are eager to have him with the big club, as they have attempted to establish him as a member of the major league roster multiple times.
Brendan Rodgers (#10 Per MLB Pipeline)
Colorado Rockies
The 22-year-old middle infielder appears to be on his way up with the Rockies in Denver. The bruised knee, resulting from a foul ball, of Trevor Story may have created a temporary opening for Rodgers. Despite claims that he will return Rodgers appears to be on his way up to fill in. After Story is fully healed, which appears to be rather quickly, Rodgers will have the opportunity to claim an everyday role with the club from Ryan McMahon.
Scouts tend to note that Rodgers has a rather impressive ability of bat speed, which provides him great potential as an average and power hitter. 2018 proved to be a year of great improvement for Rodgers, as his ability to walk not only increased, but he was also able to decrease his strikeout rate. He tends to pull the ball often, but he does have the ability to hit for power to all fields.
McMahon has not been very productive this season, as he has posted a .242 average with 3 home runs. Rodgers can provide a very big boost to that lineup in terms of power and even lengthening it. This is a promotion that should get Rockies fans very excited, as a dynamic young player can greatly spark a team.
Bo Bichette (#11 Per MLB Pipeline)
Toronto Blue Jays
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The top entry on this list of is the less discussed portion of the Blue Jays’ duo of dynamic MLB prospects. The other half, of course, is the highly anticipated Vlad Guerrero Jr.
Bo Bichette is a stellar shortstop prospect that appears to be a slick fielder and a talented batter with potential power. His swing is a strong cut of controlled violence that perfectly complements his aggressive approach. He is not exactly a free swinger, though. When he finds himself down in the count he will narrow down his approach to attempt to put the ball in play.
Bichette does not quite have the power numbers in the minor leagues, but he has plenty of potential in this regard. In 2018 Bichette recorded 11 home runs and 43 doubles, the massive amount of double indicate future power. His prowess as a minor league shortstop will not continue, as he cannot play the position adequately in the big leagues. His range leaves him ill-equipt to play the position in the majors.
Next. Brewers promote Keston Hiura. dark
He will be one of the most productive MLB prospects, who has experience at shortstop and provide offense above all else. The Blue Jays do not resemble a winning MLB team and thus will welcome the promotion of a star prospect that can excite fans about the future.