As the teams slowly announce their 40-man additions for the 2022 season I’ll keep you updated with a little blurb for each player. The Guardians and Rays are two of the teams to watch as they have some very interesting decisions to make.
ATLANTA BRAVES
RHP Freddy Tarnok- The young right-hander was the Braves’ third-round pick in 2017. Tarnok has a plus heater that sits around 94 and touches 98 with high spin. He gets good carry on his fastball and pairs it with a trio of average-ish secondaries. His curveball is an above-average pitch, a power breaker that functions as his put-away offering. The jury is still out if Tarnok can start, but if the improved command he showed in Double-A can stick I’d bet on a future as a starter.
OF Drew Waters- Waters was the Braves second-round pick in the 2017 draft and he spent the entire 2021 season at Triple-A Gwinnett, hitting .240/.329/.381, good for a 94 wRC+. Waters has plus speed and above-average raw pop, and even showed a 10 BB% at Triple-A, but the contact issues make it more likely that Waters settles in as a bench bat long term. On the defensive side, he has a strong arm and plays an above-average outfield, so he offers some versatility with his ability to play center.
RHP Brooks Wilson- Wilson spent most of the year at Double-A Mississippi, but did finish the year with six strong innings at Triple-A Gwinnett. Wilson had eye-popping whiff numbers, striking out a whopping 41% of batters in the minors in 2021. He gets good vertical movement (over 18”) on his 93-95 heater and has a pair of secondaries. His plus change is his putaway pitch, and the head lettuce here is also a plus.
RHP William Woods- Woods, like Brooks Wilson, is a pure relief prospect. Injury limited Woods to only 10 innings pitched in 2021, but went out to the AFL and was throwing 97 with a power slider. His below-average command is an obstacle if he wants to work the late innings.
MIAMI MARLINS
No moves, 40-man Full.
NEW YORK METS
RHP Jose Butto- Butto is a fun arm. He sits 92-94 with the heater and touched 97. He’s got above-average command and a plus changeup that had an insane 51% whiff rate. It’s so good that he will double and sometimes even triple up with the pitch. He also throws a fringe curveball. He projects as a backend starter and it wouldn’t surprise me if he reached the big leagues in 2022 because he has the command and the out-pitch already.
SS Ronny Mauricio- Mauricio was an easy decision for the Mets despite a rather poor overall season in 2021. He started the season in High-A and finished in Double-A, and hit a combined .248/.296/.449 and showed some worrisome trends with his plate approach. He will need to tighten up the approach to fully tap into his offensive potential. There’s above average pop here along with an average arm, speed and defensive skills, but as of right now his hit tool is below average. He’s far from a finished product though and did play the entire season as a 20-year old, so there’s some time for him to right the ship.
RHP Adam Oller- Oller is yet another example of a pop-up arm. He was a minor league rule five pick two years ago from the Giants organization and he put up a strong season between Double-A and Triple-A. He’s got some life on his fastball that sits 93-94 and comes from a low 3/4 slot. He also throws a hard slider, and cutter and a similarly firm changeup. Oller is the definition of a backend starter and he will be up at some point this season.
3B Mark Vientos- Vientos was the Mets second-rounder in 2017 and adding him to the 40-man was a pretty easy decision. It’s a power-over-hit offensive profile with just enough swing and miss to make you uncomfortable. When he connects it goes a long way, stinging the ball with authority on the regular with an average exit velos of nearly 92 MPH. Vientos split time between third base and the outfield, and I’d bet on left field becoming his new home because of his hands. He has plenty of arm for the hot corner, but his hands and quickness will move him to the grass.
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
SS Luis Garcia- For my money Garcia has a plus glove and arm at short and the only thing holding him back was his offensive game. Well, he went on and hit .243/.353/.414 (good for a 111 wRC+) between both levels of A-ball, which is encouraging after a rough first taste of pro ball in 2019.
RHP James McArthur- McArthur was a 12th rounder from the 2018 draft. He’s a big dude, standing 6’7” and weighing a solid 240 pounds. McArthur really gets on hitters due to his size and extension and he really gets some ugly swings from opposing hitters. His fastball sits 93-95 and touches 96 with some life. The pitch has above-average spin. He’s also got a pair of above-average breaking balls that can run together at times, but he gets whiffs at over a 40% clip with both offerings. He also has an average change. He will start 2022 in Triple-A.
OF Jhailyn Ortiz- It feels a bit like Ortiz has been around forever, and this is his second year of rule five eligibility now and the Phillies finally decided to add him to the roster. Ortiz’s value is entirely tied to his bat, and more specifically his power. Every other tool in the shed is below average, except for his power which might be plus-plus. The upside is significant but I have some doubts he’s able to make it all work.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS
OF Donovan Casey- Casey was one of four players that came over from the Dodgers in the Max Scherzer/Trea Turner deal. He’s a plus defender with a plus arm to match that can play all three outfield positions. He split 2021 between two different levels and organizations and he hit a cumulative .269/.329/.430. There are some serious swing and miss issues here that likely limit him to a reserve outfield role.
LHP Evan Lee- Lee was a 15th rounder from the 2018 draft that was just moved to the rotation full time prior to the 2021 season. His fastball sits around 91-92 as a starter and has touched 96, and he also mixes in a curveball, change, and slider. The secondaries are mostly average but he throws a hard slider that sits in the upper 80s, has touched 90, and might potentially be his best pitch. I think Lee is a reliever in the long term.
CHICAGO CUBS
RHP Ethan Roberts- The Spin God. Roberts is a pure relief prospect with a fastball that sits 92-94 and touches 96, but it’s a relatively flat fastball with an incredible 2700+ RPMs. He also throws a pair of breaking balls at ~3000 RPMs. His command is mostly fringe, but he’s got enough juice to work the late innings.
OF Nelson Velazquez- If you’ve followed the Arizona Fall League at all this year, there’s no doubt in my mind that you’ve heard of Velazquez. Velazquez hit a combined .270/.333/.496 between High-A and Double-A. He did whiff at over a 30% rate, but he’s just 22 so there’s some time to right the ship.
CINCINNATI REDS
OF Allan Cerda- Was talking to someone the other day about Cerda and I was told that he has a body that could sell jeans. That’s a fancy way of saying that he looks the part. Cerda split the season between two levels of A-ball and hit .250/.361/.523 with plus raw pop and a cannon throwing arm. The issue? You probably guessed it. His near 29 K%. Definitely going to have to make more contact as he hits Double-A next year.
RHP Alexis Diaz- Diaz is a relief prospect all the way. He spent all of 2021 at Double-A and posted a near 39% K rate. He’s a two-pitch guy, armed with a fastball and a slider. The fastball sits 94-95 but touches 98 and its got late hop due to its high spin (>2700 RPM) traits. His slider is a high-spin pitch in its own right that brushes up to around 90. The command is a little loose, but the stuff is loud enough that you’ll deal with him working in the middle innings.
RHP Daniel Duarte- Duarte started the year pitching in the Mexican League after stints in the Royals and Rangers organizations before signing with the Reds and zooming through their system. He was assigned to High-A to start the year and ended the 2021 campaign in Triple-A. His heater sits 96-98, T99 and it’s paired with a plus slider with sweep. Love stories like this.
RHP Hunter Greene- The minor league King of Velo, Greene had a successful return back to the mound after missing 2019 due to Tommy John and 2020 due to the pandemic and rehab. His fastball topped out at a ridiculous 104.9 at Triple-A this year with good spin and overall traits. The bigger story for Greene was the improvement of his slider, particularly his command of the pitch. It doesn’t have strong pitch characteristics but he sequences it well. He also throws a firm change with good fade. Greene was a no-brainer decision for the Reds as the former second overall pick in the 2017 draft.
RHP James Marinan- The former Dodgers prospect, Marinan spent most of 2021 in A-ball before making two High-A starts to finish his season. He throws five pitches but is primarily a sinker/slider arm that’ll likely drop the changeup and curveball with a full-time move to the bullpen. The four-seamer sits about 94, the two-seamer 91, and feels like a middle reliever to me. Shaky command will prevent him from working the late innings.
MILWAUKEE BREWERS
No additions despite having four empty spots on the 40-man, a first for me.
PITTSBURGH PIRATES
SS Liover Peguero- Peguero has long been a favorite of mine because of the pure bat speed and projectable frame. He’s got the defensive actions and the arm to stick on the dirt, and present-day gap-to-gap pop that should lead to more homers down the line. Peguero has a chance at having above-average tools across the board, and can be one of the better all-around shortstops in the game.
OF Canaan Smith-Njigba- A tremendous athlete, Smith-Njigba was acquired from the Yankees in the Jameson Taillon deal. When he’s not starting bench-clearing brawls in developmental leagues, CSN can be found taking his walks and putting a charge into baseballs. He has loud exit velo numbers but hits the ball on the ground far too often to fully tap into that power potential. I believe he’s a potential 25 homer bat if he can find some loft. Much easier said than done, however.
OF Jack Suwinski- Suwinski was yet another post-pandemic pop up prospect. (Say that five times fast). Suwinski came over to the Pirates in the Adam Frazier deal and hit a combined .262/.383/.485 at both Double-A stops. He’s got above-average pop and can take a walk but I’m just not entirely sold on the hit tool allowing him to be an everyday player. He can play anywhere on the grass so he can be a solid fourth outfielder if the hit tool doesn’t improve.
OF Travis Swaggerty- Swaggy T rounds out a robust group of 40-man additions for the Buccos. He probably would’ve made his big league debut last year until a should injury early on put him on the shelf. He’s an above-average runner and has some pop from the left-side. His best asset though is his centerfield defense.
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
INF Brendan Donovan- Donovan was the Cardinals’ seventh-round selection in 2018 out of South Alabama. Overshadowed by Juan Yepez’s assault of the minor leagues, Donovan had a fantastic year himself hitting .304/.399/.455 as he moved across three levels of the Cardinals system. Primarily a second and third baseman, Donovan moved around the diamond a lot this year in an attempt to add versatility. Donovan is a future utility man that makes good contact, draws walks, and catches what’s hit to him.
RHP Freddy Pacheco- You have to admire the Cardinals’ aggressive handling of their prospects as Pacheco, like Donovan, climbed three levels of the Cardinals system this year due to his strong two-pitch mix. His fastball has plus velocity, spin, and gets good carry due to its relatively flat VAA. He has a slurvy mid-80s slider that generates plenty of whiffs. The control is iffy, but Pacheco can miss bats.
RHP Jake Walsh- Walsh is another popup relief arm for the Redbirds. Walsh was a late-round pick and former starter whose stuff ticked up in short bursts. He sits 96-97 with the fastball with above-average spin and good characteristics. He pairs it with a hammer curveball that sits around 83-84 and accumulated whiffs at a 42% rate. He’s a nearly ready relief arm.
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
C/1B/OF Cooper Hummel- Hummel was traded at the deadline from Milwaukee to Arizona for 3B Eduardo Escobar. Hummel’s triple slash between both Triple-A squads was a stellar .311/.432/.546. Hummel has a fantastic approach and is an OBP monster and he walked more than he struck out in 2021. He’s a man without a position though, but the Diamondbacks did use him behind the plate more often than the Brewers org. this year. He’s likely a future left fielder but if you can get a year or two of fantasy eligibility as a catcher? Whew boy.
OF Kristian Robinson- Robinson had some off-the-field concerns that kept him off the field in 2021. Those issues, which led to him pleading guilty to an aggravated assault charge in an Arizona courtroom, made it difficult for Robinson to obtain a visa to come to the United States so he’s been in the Bahamas seemingly working out and just waiting for the next step. The Diamondbacks added him to the 40-man roster which was still probably the right decision because the upside here is significant.
RHP Ryan Weiss- I’ve seen Weiss a few times back at the ole’ stomping grounds at Kane County and he could just flat out pitch. What separated him at the lower levels from his peers was his ability to command his breaking balls. Weiss actually gets above-average whiff rates on all of his secondaries, but his slider really stands out. His fastball sits around 94-95 and can T98. He worked strictly out of the bullpen while at Triple-A Reno, but I’d still like to see him get another opportunity to start.
COLORADO ROCKIES
RHP Noah Davis- Acquired by the Rockies from the Reds in the Mychal Givens trade, the 6’2” righty was the Reds’ 11th round selection in the 2018 draft. He had a strong Cape Season in 2017 before he hurt his elbow and needed Tommy John, and missed all of his draft season in 2018. He’s a four-pitch starter with an above-average heater (sits 93-94 T97) with plus spin. His curveball has tremendous depth and acts as his put away offering. He also throws a slider and a change.
LHP Ryan Rolison- This was an easy decision for the Rockies as Rolison has been one of their top minor league arms since they took him in the first round in 2018. Rolison’s best pitch is his sweeping curveball, which often gets labeled as a slider. Rolison’s fastball has some sink and generates more weak contact than it does whiffs, and his changeup is his third pitch which he throws almost exclusively to right-handers. The sweeping action on his curveball makes it a better fit at Coors than the traditional 12-to-6 hammers, and he looks like a nice backend starter.
SS Ezequiel Tovar- It was a tale of two seasons for Tovar as he hit .309/.346/.510 in Low-A before getting promoted and struggling to a .239/.266/.396 at High-A. Tovar does make contact at an above-average rate but his over-aggressive approach can tank his overall line like it did in High-A. He’s a very good athlete and can play an above-average shortstop, but he has to tone down the approach to take advantage of the rest of his skills. He just turned 20 in August, so he’s got some time still.
LOS ANGELES DODGERS
SS Jacob Amaya- Amaya has one of the slickest gloves I’ve seen in the minors, and he’s flashed some offensive tools as well, although they haven’t shown up as often as he’d like them to be. Amaya is undersized and not much of a presence in the box, but the plate skills are solid and he has 10-12 homer pop. While all his power is mostly to his pull side, the hit tool takes a more all fields approach. He’s a second-division regular at shortstop or a valuable utility guy on a championship-type club.
RHP Michael Grove- Grove was the Dodgers’ second-rounder in 2018 and he pitched all of 2021 at Double-A. While he had serious issues with his command, he did touch 99 with his fastball. He also has a pair of high-spin breaking balls and has a bright future if he can ever learn to throw more strikes.
SS Eddys Leonard- Yet another post-pandemic pop up prospect! Leonard split his time between both levels of A-ball and hit .296/.390/.539 with 55 extra-base hits (22 homers). Leonard just turned 21 this offseason and put up that monster stat line despite being two years younger than the average player at High-A. Leonard has a plus hit tool with average pop and also has some speed and athleticism. Really fun
OF James Outman- The Dodgers drafted Outman in the seventh round in the 2018 draft and he looks like yet another development win for the Dodgers. He split time between High-A and Double-A and he hit .266/.379/.490 with 18 homers and 23 steals. His below-average hit tool pours some cold water on the offensive upside, but he’s a perfect future fourth outfielder or second division regular. If you’re into fantasy, this is a name for OBP leagues.
2B Jorbit Vivas- Viva la Vivas! The small-framed infielder has fantastic plate and contact skills and rode those skills to an impressive .312/.396/.496 batting line between Low-A and High-A. Due to his slight build, he’s limited to second base, but he can rake. The Dodgers are stacked and it’s truly not fair at all.
SAN DIEGO PADRES
RHP Efrain Contreras- Contreras missed all of 2021 due to Tommy John, and the Padres elected to protect him anyway because the stuff surged up instructs pre-TJ. He was sitting in the low-to-mid 90s, and there’s always a chance he adds a tick or two during the rehab process. In addition to his fastball, he should have two average secondaries with above-average command.
LHP MacKenzie Gore- It was a weird year for Gore but the young lefty ends the year by getting added to the 40-man roster. Gore sat 93-95 from the left side in a limited sample, but still showed that potentially plus changeup. Hopefully he’s able to bounce back next year.
2B Eguy Rosario- Eguy had an extremely solid season at Double-A, hitting .281/.360/.455 while flashing some power and swiping 30 bags. The versatile Rosario should spend part of next year up with the big club.
RHP Steven Wilson- Wilson should spend most of 2022 in the bullpen for the Padres. He acted as the closer for Triple-A El Paso last season and collected whiffs at a 40% rate. Wilson has an above-average heater with ride at the top of the zone and a potential plus-plus change as a put away offering. He also mixes in an average slider.
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
RHP Sean Hjelle- The 6’11” Hjelle’s numbers don’t pop on paper, but looking under the hood you see why the Giants added him to the 40-man. With his size and ability to get downhill, Hjelle gets tremendous extension and is a certified worm burner with a 54% ground ball rate. He doesn’t miss many bats and won’t pile up the strikeout numbers, but that’s not really his game. Hjelle could fit a variety of roles for that Giants pitching staff: he could come in and get that groundball double play when they really need it or he can provide continue to start or be used as a long reliever. He profiles as a Dakota Hudson-type starter.
OF Heliot Ramos- The Giants popped Ramos in the first round in the 2017 draft and he’s made the steady climb through the system so far. He’s a bigger-bodied kid that probably can’t stick in centerfield long term in that ballpark. That being said he has some tremendous raw ability and while he’s been productive to this point, kind of always leaves you wanting a bit more. He profiles as a league-average regular and could be up sometime next year.
RHP Randy Rodriguez- Rodriguez was signed by the Giants in 2017 as part of their international class. He’s a relief prospect all the way, but wow, the stuff is very loud. I need to throw the standard youth and command red flags out there, but this is a potential dude. It’s a high spin fastball that sits 95-97, touches 99, and has a flat VAA. His primary secondary is a high spin sweeping slider that misses bats and he also mixes in the occasional change.
BALTIMORE ORIOLES
RHP Felix Bautista- Perhaps the least familiar name that the Orioles decided to add to the 40-man, walk with me while I tell you that you should very much know who this guy is. Bautista is a 26-year-old minor league journey man that sits 98-100 with the heater and has topped out at 102. He throws a hard curveball with above-average spin and also a splitter as his third pitch. His command is poor, but it’s big-time stuff.
RHP Kyle Bradish- The former Angels prospect came over to Baltimore in the Dylan Bundy deal. Bradish’s primary offering is a monster cutter that sits 94-95 and has bumped 98. He’s got a pair of average to slightly above average secondaries in his slider and curveball, and also mixes in a changeup and a standard four-seam fastball. He needs to tighten up the command, but Bradish looks like a big leaguer. Starter or reliever? Still trying to figure all that out.
RHP Logan Gillaspie- Another relief-only prospect, Gillaspie is a former Brewers farmhand that was released by Milwaukee in 2019. He latched on with the Orioles and they moved him to the bullpen full-time. The results have been outstanding. Gillaspie has touched 99 with the fastball but lives mostly 96-98. His best secondary pitch is a power-breaking ball and he also mixes in a change. His command is above-average and he might see Baltimore at some point this season.
LHP DL Hall- No need to get too cute with this write up, the Orioles had to add Hall to their 40-man. When he was healthy he flashed three pitches that had the potential to be plus, but throwing strikes consistently always held him back some. Hall should get limited innings this year under heavy restriction, but then be ready to go full time in 2023.
LHP Kevin Smith- The former Mets prospect was drafted in the seventh round in 2018. The big lefty hard a tough go of things in Triple-A in 2021, as his command got away from him a bit. Smith has below-average velocity on his fastball, sitting 91-92 but it does have good movement. He has a slider with good horizontal movement, a changeup with fade and he also mixes in a two-seamer.
2B Terrin Vavra- Injuries limited to Vavra to only 40 games at Double-A, and while there he hit .248/.388/.430. The former Rockies prospect is an on-base machine and he flashed a near 16% walk rate while also adding centerfield to his portfolio. Vavra should get an extended look with the Orioles in 2022.
BOSTON RED SOX
RHP Brayan Bello- Bello underwent a bit of a physical transformation during the shutdown and transformed himself from a fringe back-end starter to a guy that now projects to slide into the middle of a Red Sox rotation in the not so distant future. Bello’s best asset is his athleticism and his ability to pound the zone. Bello was a no-brainer addition to the 40-man and may be the Red Sox best pitching prospect.
RHP Kutter Crawford- Crawford actually pitched in the Majors last year but gets added to the 40-man officially here. He lacks a true plus pitch but the command improved enough to where he can pound the zone. There’s not much upside left here with Crawford but he’s also nearly a finished product. He’s a backend starter, IMO.
SS/2B Jeter Downs- Downs went back to playing primarily shortstop now after spending a lot of time at second while in the Dodgers organization. He spent the entire season at Triple-A and struggled, hitting .190/.272/.333 with 14 homers and 18 steals. He did go out to the AFL and get it back on the rails a bit, but this was a brutal year, no way to sugarcoat it. The organization believes in the true talent though and still elected to add him to the roster.
RHP Josh Winckowski- Winckowski was briefly a member of the Mets organization via the Blue Jays before going to Boston in the three-way deal with Kansas City that sent Andrew Benintendi out of town. Winckowski is a well-built righty with SP 4 upside due to his four-pitch mix and command. Nothing sexy, but Winckowski is a future big league starter.
NEW YORK YANKEES
INF Oswaldo Cabrera- Yet another prospect that put in serious work over the shutdown and gets rewarded for it. Cabrera showed up at the beginning of 2021 in much better shape and he had added so much strength to the profile. He spent all but the final stretch of the season playing for the new Yankees Double-A affiliate in Somerset and he hit .272/.330/.533 with 62 extra-base knocks (29 homers) and 21 steals. He likely lacks the foot speed to play a good shortstop and settles in as a utility type, but one that plays every day.
RHP Ron Marinaccio- A relief-only type, Marinaccio had his stuff tick up after the shutdown. His fastball touches 98 and is very strong metrically, but his preferred off-speed pitch is his changeup which had a 57% whiff rate in Triple-A. He also throws a slider which is a distant third pitch for him.
OF Everson Pereira- Pereira has been slowed down by injuries and a global pandemic but got everything to click this year as he hit .303/.398/.686 across three levels. He’s always had big power and had some pretty impressive exit velos, so it looks like the power finally shone through. There’s enough swing and miss here to make you feel a bit uncomfortable, however.
RHP Stephen Ridings- Ridings got a brief cup of coffee last year just like Kutter Crawford from the Red Sox as a Covid replacement player, meaning he didn’t have to be added to the 40-man. Now they both officially get a spot. Ridings has a monster fastball. Sits 97-98 and has touched 100 at Triple-A. His slider is his only other offering and while it’s not as loud as the fastball he uses it to get groundballs and weak contact.
LHP JP Sears- A savvy acquisition by a front office that’s made more than their fair share in the past, Sears was acquired from the Mariners for a song and the Yankees moved him to the rotation in A-ball and he operated as a swingman for the most part until this year when he moved into the rotation midway through the season at Double-A and he started in all ten of his Triple-A games. He’s a funky lefty that sits around 93 and touches 95 as a starter. His funky low arm slot creates tough angles for hitters, and his slurvy breaking ball is his primary whiff getter. He also throws a fringe changeup that would likely disappear from the arsenal if he moved to the bullpen.
TAMPA BAY RAYS
INF Jonathan Aranda- After a loud breakout performance like this, Aranda became a must-add to the 40-man. Between High-A and Double-A all he did was slash .330/.418/.543 with above-average walk and contact rates. He’s not a big dude but there should be more power coming due to the quality of contact and his near-elite plate coverage. He fits best at second base but this system will always have better defenders than him on their stacked rosters.
RHP Calvin Faucher- The Rays are really good at this stuff, guys. Faucher came from Minnesota WITH Nelson Cruz at the 2021 deadline and he turned a corner. His cutter is his primary pitch, an extremely high spin cutter that averages around 90, touches 93. He also has a >3200 RPM curveball and a traditional four-seamer that has plus spin and touches 99 on occasion. Big time stuff and maybe when the Rays call for now on you shouldn’t talk about these lower minors dudes. The Twins did get Joe Ryan and Drew Strotman back in the deal, so it still looks very good for them, but Faucher went from a 7.04 ERA with the Double-A Twins affiliate to the Rays 40-man roster in four months.
C/INF Ford Proctor- A few of the real ones know. I’ve seen Proctor a handful of times as he’s come up through the minors and he just hits. Very similar to Brendan Donovan in that regard. I rave about Proctor anytime someone asks, and hey, here he is. Added to the 40-man. Look at us now. Anyways, there was no way he was playing short in this system as he moved up the ladder, but I didn’t see a conversion to catcher in his future. I haven’t seen him catch so I can’t offer any input into how it’s going, but if everyone’s bench had a Ford Proctor or two they’d be better off.
RHP Tommy Romero- Drafted in 2017 by the Mariners in the 15th round, Romero finds his way onto the crowded Rays 40-man roster after pitching to a 2.61 ERA with a 33% strikeout rate across Double-A and Triple-A. He’s got some serious wiggle to the fastball and the pitch just doesn’t get squared up. It’s a fastball-dominated four-pitch mix, and Romero will likely get 30-40 big league innings next year.
TORONTO BLUE JAYS
RHP Hagen Danner- Drafted as a catcher in the second round in 2017, Danner was moved to the mound and 2021 was his first year as strictly a pitcher. It went well and despite him only pitching him in High-A the Jays deemed him worthy of 40-man protection. Danner sits around 96, and touched 99. He has a pair of unremarkable breaking balls, but I do like the shape on the curveball and it could take a step forward with more experience.
RHP Bowden Francis- Acquired from the Brewers at the deadline, Francis is a prototypical backend starter that’s notable for his size and ability to spin a curveball. He should spend some time in the big leagues for the Jays next year.
LHP Zach Logue- Logue did some impressive work in the Triple-A launching pad, making 17 starts and showing above-average command of his five-pitch mix. The heater sits around 91-92 from the left side but has a ton of wiggle and stays off barrels, especially when it’s up in the zone. Logue is a command/control over stuff backend starter.
INF Leo Jimenez- If you subscribe to our Prospects Live Patreon and got the Data Driven Top 500 list you saw Leo Jimenez was shockingly high on the list. Sure it’s only a 59 game sample but he slashed .320/.593/.392. Not a typo. That’s the real OBP. In addition to that, his exit velo numbers are very high, but he needs to add some loft to the swing.
CHICAGO WHITE SOX
RHP Jason Bilous- Bilous made 17 starts at Double-A for White Sox and while the raw numbers are bad, if you look under the hood you see some promising stuff. His fastball sits 93-94 with some life, and he has a pair of ordinary breaking balls as well as a changeup he will flip up there against left-handers. He will miss his fair share of bats but always struggles to go deep in games due to inflated pitch counts.
LHP Bennett Sousa- Sousa is a funky lefty reliever that actually throws his slider more than his fastball. It’s a strong pitch, with plus velocity (87-89) and a whiff rate over 40%. He lives around 94-95 and touches 98 with the heater and its got some late movement. The White Sox have added two firebreathing lefties to their 40-man in the last few weeks, first was Anderson Severino and now we have Bennett Sousa. Crochet to the rotation?
CLEVELAND GUARDIANS
SS Tyler Freeman- So the Cleveland team officially changes its name and then they drop 11 players for me to write-up. Not off to a good start. Freeman was a must-add though as he has excellent contact skills and while he’s a very aggressive hitter he’s able to get away with it because he puts the bat on the ball so frequently. Freeman should start the year in Triple-A but then will have a shot at securing that everyday second base job.
OF Steven Kwan- The diminutive outfielder can really hit, and between Double-A and Triple-A he hit .328/.407/.527 with a 10% walk rate and only a 9% strikeout rate. His ability to make contact is elite and just imagine an outfield version of Nick Madrigal. Kwan has more power than Madrigal and I really want to see how it plays in the bigs. He can play anywhere in the outfield and might be the Guardians’ best all around outfielder right now.
C Bryan Lavastida- Lavastida was drafted in the 15th round in the 2018 draft. The main component of his offensive game is his ability to make contact and get on base. There isn’t much pop present but he’s a good athlete and displays good leadership qualities.
RHP Cody Morris- Morris has a damn good fastball, might even be plus-plus. He checks a lot of boxes, and when I type his name into the Prospects Live data machine some big numbers pop up on my screen. He sits 95-96 with the fastball and can touch 99. It’s got plus to plus-plus spin and has some other strong characteristics. It’s a highly optimized fastball that just rips through opposing batters. His changeup is plus, and his curveball has two-plane break.
RHP Tobias Myers- What an incredibly fun trade that sent Myers to the Guardians with power-hitting teenager Junior Caminero heading back the other way. If you saw our latest fantasy top 500 you saw Caminero on the list. If you bought in already you are welcome. Myers gets a ton of movement on his fastball and also features a cutter, a curveball and a change. There’s a lot to like here and Myers will pitch in Cleveland this year.
1B Jhonkensy Noel- I was up in the air on whether or not Noel needed to be protected, and as it turns out the Guardians did just that. Noel is a hit over power bat, but there’s an outside chance both end up as plus skills. The big man hit .340/.390/.615 across two levels of A-ball.
INF/OF Richie Palacios- A breakout player in the AFL depending on whom you talk to. Palacios hit .297/.404/.471 between Double-A and Triple-A while displaying above-average wheels, an above-average feel for hit and fringy power. Palacios is capable of playing several different positions and looks like he should have a solid career as a role player.
LHP Konnor Pilkington- Pilkington came over from the White Sox in a midseason deal for 2B Cesar Hernandez. KP has a below-average fastball but it can play up when he uses it up in the zone. All three secondaries have better than a 35% whiff rate and the lefty just pounds the zone. This is a backend starter.
SS Brayan Rocchio- Hitting .277/.346/.460 as a 20-year-old between High-A and Double-A is a damn fine season. He also chipped in with 15 homers and 21 stolen bags. He’s got the defensive skills to handle shortstop long term while also showing a solid offensive foundation to this point. The switch-hitting Rocchio is a future everyday shortstop.
INF Jose Tena- Tena can rake. Don’t overlook the slight frame. He’s one of the younger players on the list and just came off a very successful AFL stint that has him amongst the batting average leaders. That all tracks because his hands are so good. Tena has some sneaky thump as well with average to above-average raw. He’s also an above-average runner. Tena has what it takes to become a very useful player for the Cleveland squad.
OF George Valera- This was an easy decision. Valera is absolutely worth protection and should continue to hit as he climbs the ladder. I am slightly concerned with his platoon splits, and it seems like there’s a history of lefties giving him fits. He owns one of the prettiest swings in the minors as well.
DETROIT TIGERS
RHP Angel De Jesus- De Jesus was left unprotected last year for the rule five draft and wasn’t chosen, but here we are. De Jesus has a mostly two-pitch mix but will occasionally mix in a changeup and a two-seamer as well. He sits around 95 with the fastball and touches 98. The pitch also has tremendous life. His slider is an average offering. De Jesus should spend a good chunk of time with the Tigers next season.
2B Kody Clemens- Rogers's son was the Tigers’ third-round pick in the 2018 draft from the University of Texas. Last season in Triple-A Toledo he hit .247/.312/.466, good for a 104 wRC+. Clemens spent some time moving around the diamond in 2021, and with that added versatility he could be up in the big leagues as soon as this season. Could be a second-division regular at second base as well.
KANSAS CITY ROYALS
RHP Jonathan Bowlan- Coming out of the draft Bowlan drew Jonathan Broxton comps because of his frame. Since then he’s reworked the body but then the elbow popped and he will miss all of 2022 with Tommy John. He sits 94-97 when healthy and features a breaking ball and a changeup.
INF Maikel Garcia- Garcia is a strong defender on the dirt and should settle in somewhere on the left side of the diamond due to his athleticism. In addition to his defensive skills, Garcia also has made great strides at the plate with his ability to put the bat on the ball. He’s a sneaky add in dynasty circles because I think those contact skills will translate into power soon.
C MJ Melendez- A no-brainer. Melendez hit a combined .288/.386/.625 between Double-A and Triple-A with an incredible 41 homers. What an unbelievable turnaround from a disastrous 2019 season. Melendez may also start learning the outfield in addition to third base to get his bat in the lineup with Sal Perez.
1B Nick Pratto- Pratto swatted 36 homers across Double-A and Triple-A, which just like Melendez is an incredible turnaround from where they were. In addition to being an offensive force, Pratto is also a plus defender at first base.
RHP Collin Snider- Snider is a fastball/slider relief arm that sits 96-97 and touches 99. He throws a firm slider and both pitches have high spin rates as well. Snider should be in the mix to win a spring job out of camp.
RHP Nathan Webb- Webb fits the mold as another hard-throwing two-pitch Kansas City relief arm. His two-plan slider is his primary put away offering, and Webb lives in the mid-to-upper 90s and can bump it up to triple digits on occasion.
MINNESOTA TWINS
RHP Blayne Enlow- Enlow was off to a terrific start to the season but boom, just three appearances into the season and he goes and needs Tommy John. He will be out for the entirety of 2022. When healthy he’s the epitome of a backend starter.
SS Royce Lewis- Speaking of injuries, the Twins added Royce Lewis to the 40-man roster. He missed all season when he needed knee surgery to repair or a torn ACL, but he’s very much ready to take over as the Twins starting shortstop if he hits enough. I have my doubts about Royce as a prospect.
3B Jose Miranda- Miranda, another notch in the Prospects Live belt as he was one of the breakout prospects that our staff identified early on. Miranda slashed .344/.401/.572 across Double-A and Triple-A. He’s got strong contact skills but also lacks a true defensive home.
RHP Cole Sands- Sands put up a fantastic season in Double-A for the Twins. He’s a three-pitch righty that sits 93-94 with the fastball and tops out at 96. He has a low 80s curveball that has plenty of horizontal movement and a changeup. He needs to improve his command or the third pitch to solidify himself as a starter, but I think with the way baseball is going, three pitches aren’t a necessity to remain a starter anymore. His ceiling is that of a backend starter though, and he could pitch a handful of innings with the Twins in 2022.
RHP Chris Vallimont- Vallimont has a massive 6’5”, 220-pound frame and absolutely looks the part of a big-league starter. Vallimont gets some carry on his fastball and he spins a trio of secondary pitches that project out to average or slightly above. His command was bad last year and another year like that might push him to the pen. I was a little surprised he was added since he doesn’t really have an above-average pitch in the arsenal.
RHP Josh Winder- Winder was the Twins seventh-round pick in the 2018 draft. Winder sits around 95 with the fastball and can touch 98. All three of his secondaries are average offerings, but unlike the other arms listed above him, Winder has above-average command and the arsenal plays up because of it. He should settle in as a future number four starter.
HOUSTON ASTROS
LHP Jonathan Bermudez- The Astros hit big with this former 23rd round selection from 2018. Burmudez was one of the top arms in the Houston system last year and posted strong minor league numbers. Nothing in his arsenal really pops, but he was able to pile up the whiffs due to his ability to command his secondaries. The stuff here is fringe, but the command of his secondaries paired with a funky low slot make him tough to square up. It’s more smoke and mirrors I think but why not see what it looks like in the big leagues.
RHP Shawn Dubin- Dubin has long been one of the most underrated arms in the game and his strong showing in Triple-A last year did nothing to slow him down. Dubin has plus spin on his heater that can touch 99, and sits around 95-96. His two breaking balls generate a lot of spin and his hard curveball might be his best pitch. Dubin will pitch a good chunk of innings for the Astros in 2022.
SS Jeremy Peña- I’m a fan of Jeremy Peña and there are a lot of things he does very well on the baseball diamond. He was limited to just 30 non-complex level games this year in Triple-A, but he did hit .287/.346/.598 in his limited action. His offensive tools project around average, but he’s an above-average defender at short and he’s also got above-average wheels. Pena is more floor than ceiling, but he should have a crack at that starting shortstop gig, assuming Correa walks.
3B Joe Perez- Perez was the Astros second-round pick back in 2017, and 2021 was finally the first season in which he was able to record over 200 plate appearances. Across three different levels this year Perez hit .291/.354/.495 with 18 homers. The Astros were put in a tough spot with his inability to stay on the field and his rule five status, but they made the right move protecting him. This very well could be an average everyday player at the hot corner.
LOS ANGELES ANGELS
RHP Elvis Peguero- Peguero is flat out nasty. Acquired in the Andrew Heaney deal, Peguero is a relief-only prospect that touched four different levels this year between two different organizations. Peguero’s primary pitch is a high velocity, high spin slide piece and he also has two different fastballs that touch 99 and sit 96-98. He’s got two plus pitches here with average or better command. This is a big-league arm.
OAKLAND ATHLETICS
SS Nick Allen- Between Double-A and Triple-A, Nick Allen hit .288/.346/.403. The glove is big-league caliber now and truthfully was even back in 2019, but the questions surrounding Allen are all about his offense. It’s likely a fringe-average hit tool with little to no playable game power. I’m really concerned he doesn’t hit enough and will get forced into a utility role, but Oakland made the right call here in protecting him.
3B Jonah Bride- This is what breakouts look like. The former 23rd rounder in the 2018 draft hit a robust .265/.407/.424 with an equal number of walks to strikeouts. It’s not an ideal offensive skill set for the hot corner though as he doesn’t hit for much power (I’d say fringe power at best) while he has an outstanding eye and contact skills. He doesn’t run particularly well either. I’m very interested to see how it works out with this skill set.
3B Jordan Diaz- Diaz’s 2021 season was a carbon copy of his 2019. Nearly identical stat lines. Diaz lacks the power typically associated with the hot corner, but he’s very much got youth on his side here. There are also some serious defensive questions surrounding Diaz, as he doesn’t move particularly well and looks like he will have to move off of third in the future.
RHP Jorge Juan- Juan has a big time fastball with good velocity and carry. His slider plays off of that and generates whiffs, especially down and away to right-handed hitters. He’s a massive human at 6’8” and looked like a true pop-up prospect for the A’s, but then a shoulder injury happened and here we are.
OF Cody Thomas- The former Dodger farmhand and Oklahoma quarterback Thomas made his Triple-A debut last season and hit .289/.363/.665. He’s a great athlete with plus raw thump but he’s also already 27 so it’s time to get it going here pretty quick. Thomas looks like a solid fourth outfielder to me, but the whiffs (31% K rate) are going to be a serious problem.
SEATTLE MARINERS
LHP Ray Kerr- The 27-year-old Kerr was signed by the Mariners as an UDFA in 2017. He pitched collegiately at Lassen Junior College in California. Kerr has an enormous fastball that has touched 101 and sits 97-98. He has a pair of secondaries with his sweeping curveball and cutter. But his high octane fastball with plus spin is the star of the show. Potential nasty reliever from the left-side with a shot at late innings. A travesty that with his name he’s not a batter.
OF Alberto Rodriguez- Rodriguez was one of the more interesting cases as he just turned 21 and hasn’t played in Double-A yet, but the Mariners felt that leaving him unprotected was far too risky and decided to protect him. The left-handed-hitting corner outfielder hit .289/.379/.470 between both levels, but did most of his work at Low-A Modesto. His offensive skills both project to be above-average while displaying good contact skills. He also has a very strong arm. One of the more interesting prospects we will cover here.
OF Julio Rodriguez- Not much to add here as J-Rod is on the shortlist as one of the top prospects in baseball. Between High-A and Double-A the hitting savant hit .347/.441/.560 with 13 long balls in 74 games. Should be up pretty early for the Mariners in 2022, and you can argue he should’ve been up late last year as they made a late playoff push since this day wasn’t too far on the horizon.
TEXAS RANGERS
INF Ezequiel Duran- Duran was the key piece in the Joey Gallo deadline deal with the Yankees. Duran is known for his compact swing that produces big power. He hit .267/.342/.486 across both organizations High-A affiliate. The data with Duran shows big-time power in addition to the triple slash. His exit velocity numbers are very good, but he’s been dealing with bouts of over-aggressiveness at times and will get swing happy. If he can tone that down this could be a middle-of-the-order thumper at second base.
RHP Ronny Henriquez- Henriquez is nasty. Despite his small frame he sits around 93-95 and touches 97 with his fastball. He really attacks hitters from his low release point and the fastball really jumps. He also has a plus change with good fade and a slider that is a high spin two-plane breaker. I’m a really big fan of Henriquez and his stuff paired with above-average command might give him the ceiling of a future number two starter.
RHP Ricky Vanasco- Vanasco missed all of 2021 while recovering from Tommy John, but he was able to get on the mound at throw at instructs against love competition. When he’s healthy he’s downright nasty, living in the mid to upper 90s with sink and a power breaking ball. At worst he’s got the stuff to be a high leverage relief arm.