The Minor League season is barely over a month old and things are already starting to heat up in a big way. Look no further than a pair of teenagers that are destroying any pitcher that tries to challenge them. Silly pitchers. You should know better than that by now. How much more pain do Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Juan Soto need to inflict on you before it sinks in? Maybe these pitchers like pain. That’s not my thing, but who am I to judge.
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Minor League Headlines
Nick Senzel Remains Out of Lineup
It seems like I have a Nick Senzel update every week and none of them are about him being called up to Cincinnati. Senzel hasn’t played since May 3rd due to experiencing some dizziness. It was expected to only be a short absence, but we’re now pushing past a week which is slightly concerning. Senzel had really gotten it going before this absence, hitting .306 with two homers and six RBIs over his last 10 games, so this absence couldn’t come at a worse time. A return date is unknown at this point so keep considering Senzel day-to-day.
Juan Soto Putting Up Video Game Numbers
What Juan Soto is doing this season is nothing short of miraculous. It’s unfair really. Soto was obviously too good for Single-A. In 59 at-bats at the level, he slashed .373/.486/.814/1.300 with five doubles, three triples, five home runs, 24 RBIs, and more walks (14) than strikeouts (13). You know what’s crazy, too? He was just as good at high Class-A, slashing .371/.466/.790/1.256 with seven home runs and 18 RBIs in just 62 at-bats. Just plain ridulous. But wait, there’s more! He went 2/5 with a homer and a steal in his first Double-A game. It’s likely that his stay at Double-A is a short one.
Vlad The Impaler 2.0
Is it possible to talk too much about Vladimir Guerrero Jr.? Of course not. I’ve had the opportunity to see him play live twice this season and have been thoroughly impressed each time. This kid can flat out hit. But you already know that. Guerrero is up to a robust .396 on the season with five home runs and a Double-A leading 36 RBI. There’s nothing left for Vlad to prove in Double-A so expect a promotion to Triple-A in the very near future. A call-up to Toronto later in the season isn’t out of the question either.
Down Goes Groome
It hasn’t been the best of seasons for the Red Sox top prospects. Boston’s top hitting prospect, Michael Chavis, is serving an 80-game suspension and now their top pitching prospect, Jay Groome, needs Tommy John surgery. The Red Sox 2016 first-round pick has had mixed results since debuting in 2016. The 11.7 K/9 in 2017 was very welcome, however, the 5.69 ERA and 4.9 BB/9 surely were not. But hey, Groome was 18 for the vast majority of the season. The upside here remains high and this injury, coupled with his poor 2017 performance, likely has opened a buy-low opportunity.
Prospect Power Rankings
Prospects currently in the minors that can make the biggest 2018 impact.
Hitters
1. Nick Senzel (2B/3B – CIN)
As mentioned above, Senzel was starting to heat up at the plate before this bout of dizziness with a .306 average and two home runs in his last 10 games. Assuming this doesn’t turn into a long-term issue, Senzel should still be up sometime in June.
2. Kyle Tucker (OF – HOU)
The average and speed have been there, but where is the power? On the season, Tucker is hitting .291 with four steals, but just a pair of ding dongs. He’s been hitting even better over his last 10 games at .317 but hasn’t hit a home run since April 29th.
3. Willie Calhoun (OF – TEX)
Ditto here for Calhoun, The average is coming around but Willie seems to have forgotten what a home run is. Over his last 10 games, Calhoun has hit .316, raising his average from .229 to a much more respectable .260. The problem is that his power drought is even longer than Tucker’s, as Calhoun’s last homer came way back on April 22nd. With how well the Rangers current outfield is performing, it’s not looking like a call-up is imminent.
4. Eloy Jimenez (OF – CHW)
The top outfield prospect in the game should soon be promoted to Triple-A Charlotte with an MLB debut likely around the All-Star break. Jimenez has been mashing ever since his return from injury last month with seven dingers, eight doubles, and a .346/.375/.704/1.079 slash line in 81 at-bats. Time is beginning to run out if you’re looking to stash him in re-draft leagues.
5. Willy Adames (SS – TB)
Adames doesn’t have a high offensive ceiling but is hitting well this season at Triple-A with a .299 average, three home runs, and two steals in 107 at-bats. Adeiny Heichvarria is a solid defensive shortstop but doesn’t possess the offensive abilities to hold off Adames. Expect to see Adames at the Major League level sometime before the All-Star break.
Pitchers
1. Michael Kopech (SP – CHW)
After five straight starts of two walks of fewer, Kopech got a little wild on Sunday against Columbus. In three innings of work, Kopech walked four batters while allowing one hit and two earned runs. He still managed three strikeouts, but this wasn’t a day where he brought his A-game. One bad start doesn’t change his Major League ETA, but let’s hope this wildness is part of a bad day at the office and not a recurring trend moving forward.
2. Jack Flaherty (SP – STL)
With Carlos Martinez hitting the DL, Flaherty will likely get the call early next week to take his spot in the rotation. The delay is due to Flaherty pitching Wednesday night for Memphis before the Cardinals knew they would have to put Martinez on the DL. By the way, Flaherty dominated in that start, striking out 13 over six innings of work. Scoop him up if he’s available.
3. Shane Bieber (SP – CLE)
After throwing goose eggs his first three starts, Shane “I’m not related to Justin” Bieber is proving that he’s not immortal after all and even walked two batters in one start. Surely that’s the first sign of the apocalypse. Even if the scoreless streak is over, Bieber still has a 1.44 ERA and 0.87 WHIP on the season and is now one step closer to the Major Leagues.
4. Enyel De Los Santos (SP – PHI)
A new entry to this list, De Los Santos has been nothing short of dominant so far for Triple-A Lehigh Valley. In six starts, the 22-year-old Dominican native has a pristine 0.84 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 10.7 K/9. If Vince Velasquez continues to pitch poorly or Nick Pivetta reverts back to his old ways, expect De Los Santos to be the first one the get the call.
5. Kolby Allard (SP – ATL)
He might only be 20, but Allard pitches with the poise of a 10-year veteran. You won’t see high fastball velocity here with Allard, but he gets by with two above-average off-speed offerings and solid control and command of his entire arsenal. After three straight starts allowing one earned run or less, Allard has dropped his ERA to 2.12 and is knocking on the door of the Major Leagues. Unfortunately, there’s no spot for him currently in Atlanta’s rotation.
Call-Up City
Fantasy-relevant prospects that have recently gotten the call or a call-up is imminent.
Dustin Fowler (OF – OAK)
The most significant fantasy call-up of the last week is Dustin Fowler. While he lacks an overly high upside, Fowler has the ability to provide solid numbers across the board while not hurting you in any one category. Through 126 Triple-A at-bats, Fowler slashed .310/.333/.484/.817 with three home runs and eight steals. That type of production is exactly what you can expect from Fowler at the Major league level, a solid batting average, 20-30 steals over a full season and moderate power.
None of Oakland’s current outfield contingent have been tearing the cover off the ball, so this call-up likely is going to be a long one with a chance for solid rest of season upside. If Fowler is still sitting on your waiver wire, he’s worth a look.
Carson Kelly (C – STL)
With Yadier Molina hitting the DL for the next month or more, the Cardinals decided to see what their top catching prospect can do at the Major League level. The upside here isn’t great, but Kelly has shown decent pop during his minor league career as well as a solid approach at the plate. He’s not a recommended option for standard mixers, but Kelly could carve out some value in two-catcher or NL-Only formats until Molina returns.
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Eric Cross is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Eric, check out his archive and follow him on Twitter @EricCross04.
