There’s so much talent coming up through the minor leagues right now. The MLB standings are a real crapshoot right now; the best teams are struggling to fully separate, while both Wild Card races are split in a dozen different directions.
For every hopeful MLB contender, a timely call-up or two could swing momentum in their favor. Here are the top prospects worth monitoring as we enter the middle stretch of a long MLB season:
New York Yankees: INF George Lombard Jr.
Spencer Jones got his long-awaited MLB promotion this week as Jasson Domínguez hit the IL. There’s a good chance we see top Yankees pitching prospect Elmer Rodríguez back in the majors at some point, while spring training phenom Carlos Lagrange is another candidate should the Yankees run into depth problems on the mound.
That said, George Lombard Jr. is their consensus No. 1 prospect and he’s tearing through the minors with an .873 OPS between Double-A and Triple-A this season. Lombard has the IQ of a coach’s kid; he’s disciplined in the box, with a well-rounded offensive profile and highlight-reel defense at multiple infield positions. New York ought to view Lombard as their long-term shortstop, as Anthony Volpe’s stunted development (not to mention Ryan McMahon’s ongoing struggles) clears a wide-open lane to the majors this summer.
Tampa Bay Rays: OF Jacob Melton
Jacob Melton arrived in Tampa as part of the Brandon Lowe trade. He struggled in a brief MLB cameo with Houston last season, but he’s a major athlete with an impressive power tool. The Rays are smoking-hot, but there will come a time when the back half of their lineup needs extra juice. Melton needs to refine his approach a bit more, but he can provide the Rays with much-needed power, speed on the bases and quality defense in the corner outfield spots.
Toronto Blue Jays: INF Josh Kasevich
The Blue Jays are known to be huge fans of 25-year-old infielder Josh Kasevich, a primary shortstop with the versatility to occupy third or second base as needed. He’s a fundamentally sound ballplayer, able to hit to all fields and limit mistakes across the board. He won’t drive significant power numbers or wow with his athleticism, but Kasevich does the little things at a very high level. Toronto is a deep team, but with Davis Schneider and Lenyn Sosa both ice-cold, a utility spot could open up for Kasevich as the season progresses.
Cleveland Guardians: C Cooper Ingle
Cleveland acquired Gold Glove catcher Patrick Bailey from San Francisco and optioned Bo Naylor to Triple-A. Naylor has been one of the worst qualified hitters in MLB this season, but Bailey has been even worse. The Guardians clearly believe in the value of his defense and his game manager IQ behind home plate, but Cleveland always needs more boppers.
The next wave of Guardians stars has already arrived, with top prospects Chase DeLauter and Travis Bazzana making strong early impressions. Cooper Ingle could be the next man up. He won’t match Bailey’s defensive expertise, but Ingle is hitting .408 with five home runs and a 1.352 OPS through 19 Triple-A appearances this season. The Guardians won’t be able to keep Ingle in the minors for long if he maintains even 70 percent of his current pace.
Athletics: RHP Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang
He’s not the highest-rated arm in the Athletics’ farm system, but Chinese Taipei product Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang recently earned a 40-man roster spot and he’s probably the closest to his major league debut. The A’s need all the help they can get on the mound. That lineup is postseason-caliber, but the rotation and bullpen very much are not.
The A’s continue to bill Zhuang as a starter, but he’s much better with his fastball than any other pitch. He can run his four-seamer anywhere from the upper-80s to the mid-90s, able to mix locations and pound the zone in compelling ways. He might end up in the bullpen later this season, helping the A’s to better protect the leads their powerful offense creates.
Seattle Mariners: SS Colt Emerson
Colt Emerson is a consensus top-10 prospect in MLB, earning an eight-year, $95 million contract extension before his first call-up. It won’t take much longer. Seattle could use another major bat in the infield, even after the Brendan Donovan trade. Their lineup has failed an elite rotation far too often in the early going. Emerson has an elite hit tool, burgeoning power and Gold Glove potential at shortstop (with the flexibility to move over to second or third, depending on Seattle’s immediate needs).
Atlanta Braves: RHP Rolddy Muñoz
The younger brother of ex-Braves prospect Roddery Muñoz, Rolddy has a lights-out 0.64 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 14.0 innings in Triple-A this season. He has struggled in brief stints with the Braves bullpen over the last couple years, but he has an explosive two-pitch combo with his fastball and slider. Atlanta has a couple elite high-leverage relievers in Raisel Iglesias and Robert Suárez, but Muñoz could prove valuable depth down the stretch in a middle-innings role.
Philadelphia Phillies: RHP Alex McFarlane
Alex McFarlane recently earned a 40-man roster spot for Philadelphia, and although the 24-year-old is still in Double-A, he’s on track for a swift rise through a thin Phillies farm system. McFarlane has a 0.79 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 11.2 innings so far. Philadelphia has dealt with injuries to the bullpen and the rotation all year. Top prospect Aidan Miller would help a lot too, but he’s still recovering from a mysterious back injury, so he hasn’t swung a bat since spring. McFarlane is healthy and relief bullets are always in demand.
Chicago Cubs: OF Kevin Alcántara
Kevin Alcántara would be playing everyday centerfield for a lot of MLB teams right now. Unfortunately his path is blocked in Chicago, where Pete Crow-Armstrong, Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ comprise one of the best outfield depth charts in the majors. Moisés Ballesteros won’t relinquish his grip on the DH spot any time soon, either.
That said, Alcántara has become undeniable this season. He’s an electric athlete, with 12 home runs and a .928 OPS across 32 games in Triple-A. He can burn rubber on the bases and he’s a plus defender with a rocket arm. All it takes is one injury to swing the door wide open. Alcántara can step into the National League’s hottest lineup and perform immediately.
St. Louis Cardinals: OF Joshua Báez
St. Louis has a ton of interesting arms coming up through the pipeline, but injuries and inconsistency has made it difficult to pinpoint an immediate rotation upgrade, even if that’s their biggest need. As a result, their next impact call-up could be Joshua Báez, a burly outfielder with seven home runs, six stolen bases and an .803 OPS so far this season in Triple-A.
The talented 22-year-old has the frame and arm strength of a natural right fielder, but Jordan Walker is essentially a better version of Báez’s archetype. As a result, he probably ends up in left field with St. Louis.
Pittsburgh Pirates: UTL Tyler Callihan
Tyler Callihan made his MLB debut in Cincinnati last season, but now he’s in the Pirates system. He is far from the most exciting name on the Bucs’ radar, but the 25-year-old profiles as a solid lefty platoon bat with 10-15 home run and 15-20 stolen base potential, as well as the versatility to play all over the field on defense. The Pirates ought to view Callihan as a useful, do-it-all depth piece, especially with Nick Yorke continuing to struggle at the plate in a similar role.
Milwaukee Brewers: SS Cooper Pratt
Cooper Pratt earned an eight-year, $50.5 million extension before his first MLB at-bat, a strong show of faith from the Brewers front office. He’s not exactly lighting up Triple-A right now (.612 OPS), but he’s a potential Gold Glove defender at a premium position, with a laundry list of intangible traits Milwaukee tends to value. It’s easy to envision Pratt getting his call-up soon, especially since the Brewers don’t need to worry about service time manipulation.
Cincinnati Reds: INF Edwin Arroyo
Cincinnati recently called up top pitching prospect Chase Petty, hoping he can bolster an underperforming rotation as top ace Hunter Greene recuperates on the IL. The Reds are on a prolonged skid after a red-hot start to the year. This lineup has some real firepower, but Cincy’s strength during last season’s Wild Card push was elite run prevention. Their unexpected struggles on the mound are naturally beginning to undermine their mixed-bag offense.
Matt McLain looked like his old self in spring training, but he’s once again lost in the weeds now that the games count. Ke’Bryan Hayes is also a persistent weak link with his bat. Even Sal Stewart has cooled off, and Elly De La Cruz can’t carry the Reds to October alone. Why not call up 22-year-old Edwin Arroyo, an all-world middle infielder who’s up to a .972 OPS in Triple-A. If Arroyo can limit chases and sustain his current at the plate, he’s going to drive winning in a big way for the Reds.
Los Angeles Dodgers: OF James Tibbs III
Boston acquired James Tibbs from San Francisco in the Rafael Devers trade, only to flip him to L.A. for Dustin May — a potentially catastrophic misstep in hindsight. The Dodgers have a couple top-20 MLB prospects in the outfield in Josue De Paula and Zhyir Hope, but Los Angeles can afford to be patient with their development. Tibbs is older (23) and he’s on a heater in Triple-A right now, with 11 home runs, 27 RBI and a 1.017 OPS through 37 games.
The Kyle Tucker signing blocked Tibbs’ immediate path to the Majors, but an injury could open the door at a moment’s notice. On perhaps the Dodgers simply decide to stick Tibbs on the bench and use him situationally, reaping the benefits of their prepostrous depth.
San Diego Padres: OF Jase Bowen
Jase Bowen isn’t the most touted prospect in San Diego’s system, but the Padres lack top-end prospect capital and Bowen’s Triple-A production has put him on the MLB radar. He has 10 home runs with a .980 OPS, consistently generating top-shelf exit velocities. Bowen chases outside the zone and strikes out too often, but San Diego’s offense could use an influx of power. The outfield path is clogged at the moment, but it wouldn’t be shocking to see the 25-year-old promoted as the fourth outfielder, with an occasional home in the DH spot.
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