The latest installment of “Knocking Down the Door” includes three players who were part of high-profile trades within the last 11 months, a pitcher trying to become the next in a long line of great homegrown Giants to reach the majors, and MiLB.com’s 2015 Offensive Player of the Year.
Carlos Asuaje, 2B, San Diego Padres (Triple-A El Paso): Manuel Margot and Javier Guerra were the key pieces in the offseason trade that sent Craig Kimbrel to the Red Sox. Some experts, however, considered Asuaje as an underrated prospect who could make an impact in the Majors in 2016.
With second baseman Cory Spangenberg not expected back anytime soon—he’s been on the disabled list since April with a strained quad and his recovery has been slow—the Padres’ best opportunity to find out if the 24-year-old Asuaje is capable of becoming a big league regular could be now.
The left-handed batter, who has played primarily at second base this season, has 15 hits in his last 41 at-bats to boost his batting average to .329. His 26-to-33 walk-to-strikeout ratio should also be intriguing for a Padres offense that is third in the Majors in strikeouts and 26th in walks.
Jeff Hoffman, SP, Colorado Rockies (Triple-A Albuquerque): This may not be the year that the Colorado Rockies will contend for a playoff spot. But they’re a team on the rise with Jon Gray starting to pitch like a top-of-the-rotation starter, third baseman Nolan Arenado looking like a perennial MVP candidate and rookie shortstop Trevor Story on pace for 40 homers.
The farm system also has several young pitching prospects who are moving up the ladder quickly. None is closer, or probably as good, as Hoffman, a former first-round draft pick who was the centerpiece of last season’s Troy Tulowitzki trade with the Blue Jays.
In yesterday’s start, the 23-year-old right-hander showed why he is so highly regarded, allowing two earned runs over seven innings while striking out 11 without issuing a walk. It was the sixth time he’s completed seven innings this season, which is quite a feat in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.
Adalberto Mejia, SP, San Francisco Giants (Triple-A Sacramento): In a span of five seasons from 2005-09, the Giants’ farm system produced three frontline starting pitchers—Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum and Madison Bumgarner—who went on to help the team win three World Championships.
None have arrived since. Adalberto Mejia was making a case, reaching Double-A as a 20-year-old in 2014. But a less-than-stellar season (4.67 ERA) followed by a 50-game PED suspension knocked the left-hander off the prospect radar.
Since returning last June, however, Mejia has been better than ever with only 86 hits and 34 walks allowed while striking out 96 batters in 116 1/3 Double-A innings. He was rewarded with a promotion to Triple-A last week and responded by pitching four-hit ball over seven shutout innings in his debut.
With Cain on the disabled list for a second time this season after re-aggravating a hamstring injury and journeyman Albert Suarez currently filling in, Mejia is putting himself in a position to be next in line.
Daniel Norris, SP, Detroit Tigers (Triple-A Toledo): With an opening in the big league rotation after Matt Boyd was sent to the minors yesterday, Norris’ path to the Majors just became a lot clearer. But his seven shutout innings on Friday likely played just as big a factor as Boyd’s back-to-back poor outings.
While it was expected that the 23-year-old lefty would be in the Majors from the onset of the 2016 season, Norris was placed on the disabled list due to a back injury. Upon activation in late April, he was sent to Triple-A where he struggled over his first two starts. Since, he’s found his groove with a 2.77 ERA over his last seven starts (42.1 IP, 40 H, 14 BB, 44 K.) His next should come in the Majors sometime this week.
A.J. Reed, 1B, Houston Astros (Triple-A Fresno): A second-round draft pick in 2014, Reed has passed every test with flying colors up until now, putting up big numbers at five different levels over a two-year period. His recent hot streak with Triple-A Fresno (11-for-32, HR, 5 2B) now has him on the doorstep to the big leagues.
At the moment, the only player seemingly standing between the 23-year-old Reed and a starting job with the Astros is Marwin Gonzalez, a valuable super-utility man who is out of place as the team’s starting first baseman. Despite a 16-8 run to put them two games under .500, the Astros still have a ways to go to get back into the playoff race. Inserting the left-handed-hitting Reed into the middle of the order could help.
“Knocking Down the Door” is a weekly feature that identifies minor leaguers who are making a case for a big league promotion.
Asuaje I believe is thought to not be good enough on defense to start, don’t get why Amarista and Rosales is on the roster and he isn’t
I suspect the Padres are trying to ensure they finish bottom 5 by keeping certain players on the roster. They should call up as many players as possible and just give them some MLB time. Probably will happen once they can trade a few players.
I highly doubt that is part of it, Asuaje is the kind of player you can evaluate when you are obviously not going to be good, he is not a good enough prospect to worry about service time or having to play every day either (same for Alex Dickerson). I do think Rosales will eventually be DFA’d, Amarista has to have pictures of people to be around this long while being awful.
Sorry to nit-pick English usage, but since MLBTR is writing for public consumption, can we dispense with the redundant “re-aggravate”? Aggravate means to re-injure. Saying “re-aggravate” is saying “re-re-injured”, which was not the case with Matt Cain. He aggravated the injury in his first start off the DL. Even if it had been a second setback it would have been much better to say he aggravated the injury again, not “re-aggravated” it..
This guy
Right. Because who wants needs literacy? After all real men don’t use “good English”.
Hero^
Can you tell me the aggregate amount of aggressive aggregations?
Damnit. Aggregate amount of aggressive aggravations. Bah, never mind.
Mejia shouldn’t be in AAA. Cain to the bullpen
Forgot about Norris. Lotta talent
Cain was pitching well the last couple starts before first pulling his hamstring so putting him in the bullpen is just nonsensical and Bochy would never do it unless it’s the postseason
Even though Mejia is pitching is pitching. I just don’t understand how anyone could possibly think he’s “Knocking down the door.” He’s made literally one start in AAA and the Giants have always been cautious with pitching prospects. If Suarez were to go down for whatever reason, it’s a guarantee either Heston or Stratton would get the start, depending on if someone pitched recently or not. It’s certainly possible Blackburn gets a look before Mejia as well even though he’s simmered down.
they haven’t always been cautious…Lincecum, MadBum, Jonathan Sanchez and Cain were all aggressively promoted, they seem to go more with a case by case scenario…lately Andrew Suarez and now Bickford are following along this path
Too bad Boyd pitched like crap. I was hoping Norris would replace Pelfrey in the rotation. Now I get to see him get pounded again while listening to Rod Allen tell me how good he’s been pitching.
Really excited to see Hoffman. There were talks he was supposed to go in the top 4 of the 2014 draft before he had Tommy John surgery.
For two years the Astros have had no production at the corner infield spots outside of Valbuena first half last year. Call up Reed, let Worth be everyday 3b and ship out Valbuena, Rasmus and fiers.
Are you mental? First, you want to make changes to 3 starters on the hottest team in baseball right now. You want to get rid of a guy who has a BA of .353 over the last 45 days. You want to get rid of the guy that was hotter than a $2 pistol in the playoffs last year and is an excellent defender with lots of HR pop. You also want to get rid of the guy that threw a no hitter and has been one of the better starters for the Stros this year. As far as production you are wrong there too. Carter was 2nd in HR’s a few years ago. And right now Gonzalez is red hot (btw his triple won the game yesterday moron).
I think Bregman might be the one blocking Reed. Cause Valbuena would switch to 1b.
Reed’s splits vs left handed pitching has been rough.
How can a guy in AA be blocking the guy in AAA? There is just no place for Reed right now (or Hoyer for that matter). Let him get at bats in AAA and get more polished instead of coming to Houston and sitting the bench. Look what that got Singleton last year.
Fact is Marwin and Luis are both red hot right now. Marwin is a huge defensive upgrade as a SS playing 1B. He has as much pop as White and hits for better average. Plus, he is a switch hitter. He isn’t going anywhere and shouldn’t.