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Archives for June 2016

Angels Designate Javy Guerra For Assignment; Place Joe Smith On DL

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The Angels have designated righty Javy Guerra for assignment, as MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez tweets. It’s the second trip through DFA limbo for Guerra this year; previously, he cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment. Guerra’s roster spot will go to lefty David Huff, who is starting tonight. Also coming up for the Halos is righty Mike Morin, who takes over with set-up man Joe Smith hitting the 15-day DL with a hamstring strain. Smith tried to pitch through the pain in his hamstring for three weeks, the L.A. Times’ Pedro Moura tweets, but he’s ultimately succumbed to a stint on the disabled list. His hope will to be ready for activation in the minimum allotment of 12 days (his stint is retroactive to Saturday).

Guerra, 30, has appeared in seven games for the Halos this season, totaling 6 1/3 innings and surrendering four runs on five hits and seven walks (one intentional) in that time. His last effective stint at the big league level came in 2014, when he pitched to a 2.91 ERA in 46 1/3 innings for the White Sox, and it’s also worth noting that he was a solid bullpen piece for the Dodgers back in 2011-12, even serving as the team’s closer for much of 2011. In 156 2/3 innings at the Major League level, Guerra has a 2.99 ERA, though his strikeout rate (7.4 K/9) is below average for a reliever, and he’s often battled through sub-par control as well (career 4.3 BB/9).

Guerra has already cleared waivers once this season, so one would think there’s a good chance that he can do so again. However, he’ll again have the option to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency, which could come into play if Guerra believes there’s another club that presents him a better opportunity to return to the Majors.

Yankees Designate Tyler Olson, Select Anthony Swarzak

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The Yankees have designated lefty Tyler Olson for assignment, per a team announcement. The club selected the contract of righty Anthony Swarzak, who takes Olson’s 40-man slot, and optioned fellow righty Luis Cessa to open an active roster spot.

The 30-year-old Swarzak returned to American ball on a minor league pact with the Yankees after spending the bulk of 2015 pitching for Korea’s Doosan Bears. He’s a veteran of six big league seasons, all of which have come with the Twins with the exception of 2015, which he began with the Indians and finished in Korea. Swarzak, a former second-round pick and well-regarded prospect, never established himself as the starter Minnesota had hoped when Baseball America rated him as the game’s No. 100 overall prospect prior to the 2006 season. However, he did settle in as a useful long reliever/spot starter for the Twins for a few seasons, working to a 4.21 ERA with 5.5 K/9 against 2.5 BB/9 in 380 2/3 innings from 2011-14. His best season was a 2013 campaign that saw him post a 2.91 ERA in 96 1/3 innings for Minnesota.

Olson, 26, worked 2 2/3 innings for the Yankees this season and allowed a pair of earned runs. He’s also recorded 27 1/3 innings at the Triple-A level, though his 5.27 ERA there is lackluster as well. New York acquired Olson from the Dodgers alongside Ronald Torreyes this offseason, but he’ll now be faced with his third DFA since the end of the 2015 campaign. The former seventh-rounder has a 3.99 career ERA in the minors.

Cubs Place Jorge Soler On DL, Promote Albert Almora

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The Cubs will promote highly-touted outfield prospect Albert Almora for today’s game unless fellow outfielder Jorge Soler is able to fend off a trip to the disabled list, according to a report from Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register (Twitter links). Almora will be on hand and ready, and expectations are that Soler’s hamstring will force him to the DL, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network (via Twitter).

Feb 29, 2016; Mesa, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs outfielder Albert Almora poses for a portrait during photo day at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

As I explained in a recent look at twenty top prospects whose possible call-ups could come with trade deadline implications, Almora represents the latest young wild card for Chicago. He’s barely 22, and just made it to Triple-A for the first time, but those types of considerations haven’t deterred the Cubs in the past.

There was never any wondering as to Almora’s pedigree; he was the sixth overall pick in the 2012 draft and has been a consensus top-100 prospect for four years running. The only questions, really, were of opportunity and the team’s developmental assessment. Soler’s injury created an opening, and it appears that the Cubs believe Almora is advanced enough for a first attempt at the majors.

Indeed, Almora has made strides despite a fairly aggressive promotion to the highest level of the minors. He held his own at Double-A last year, but has boosted his production across the board thus far in 2016. Over 226 plate appearances, Almora owns a .318/.335/.444 slash with three home runs. He also has ten stolen bases in a dozen attempts, representing a notable step forward in that department.

The offensive improvement is certainly promising for Chicago, as Almora’s glove has never been in doubt. He’s regarded as a polished fielder with a good arm who is capable of playing a quality center field despite the lack of blazing speed.

Almora will certainly give the Cubs a different type of weapon than they had in Soler. Whether or not he can carve out a roster spot for the rest of the season remains to be seen, and will obviously be dependent both upon his performance and the status of the club’s other options. Regardless, he’ll only be able to accumulate 118 days of service, meaning he likely wouldn’t profile as a Super Two even if he never returns to the minors.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Pirates To Promote Jameson Taillon

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The Pirates will promote highly-regarded pitching prospect Jameson Taillon for his major league debut tomorrow, per a team announcement. He’ll square off against the defending NL-champion Mets in his first taste of the bigs.

Taillon, the second overall pick of the 2010 draft, moved steadily up the ranks in the Bucs’ farm before he was derailed by injuries. First came a lengthy absence for Tommy John surgery, then a hernia. The hope had been that he’d be available this time last year, but the Pirates may yet be rewarded for their patience.

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Though he last appeared professionally in 2013, the 24-year-old righty has returned with a vengeance in 2016. Over 61 2/3 innings at the Triple-A level, Taillon carries a 2.04 ERA. He has allowed just 44 base hits and is walking less than a batter per nine while recording a sturdy 8.9 K/9 strikeout rate.

Taillon discussed his remarkable return just yesterday in an interview with SB Nation and MLBTR scribe Charlie Wilmoth. He says he matured his approach, got stronger, and refined his mechanics even while recovering from his injuries.

Of course, the move also comes at a point where Taillon is unlikely to qualify for Super Two status. Even if he’s able to stick in the majors the rest of the way the top prospect could only accumulate 118 days of service.

As Taillon tells Wilmoth, the Super Two matter isn’t one that concerns him. “As far as the Super Two rule goes,” he said, “I’d hate for that to be a reason to keep someone down if they’re 100 percent ready, but I felt like I actually had something to work on, so that kind of cancels it out for me.”

It remains to be seen not only whether Taillon can perform, but also what kind of role he might play the rest of the way. His long layoff raises the specter of an innings limit; while he has worked to over 140 frames in two prior seasons, he missed two full campaigns in the interim.

Manager Clint Hurdle did note that the long layoff gives Taillon “a full gas tank” to work with, though he also suggested that a permanent rotation spot is no sure thing. Per the skipper, factors both in and out of Taillon’s control will determine the team’s course moving forward. (Reporting via Rob Biertempfel & Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Twitter links, and Stephen Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, via Twitter.)

Even if Taillon doesn’t hold down a starting job for all of 2016, he — and similarly hyped youngster Tyler Glasnow — could have a major impact on the Pirates’ fate this year. As I explained in listing those two among twenty prospects whose promotions could alter the trade deadline, both could have an impact as starters and/or relievers, deepening the staff and shifting the club’s role in the market this summer.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Minor MLB Transactions: 6/7/2016

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We’ll keep tabs on the day’s minor moves here:

  • White Sox righty Phillippe Aumont has retired, according to an announcement from the club’s Triple-A affiliate. The 27-year-old, once a heralded prospect with the Phillies and Mariners — and a significant piece of the 2009 Cliff Lee trade — had surrendered 15 earned runs in 11 innings on the year, with 14 strikeouts but also 11 walks on his ledger. Aumont last appeared in the majors nearly one year ago, but it doesn’t appear as if he’ll continue trying to make his way back. Over 43 2/3 major league frames, he compiled a 6.80 ERA with 8.7 K/9 against 7.0 BB/9.
  • The Angels will select the contract of lefty David Huff to start tonight’s game, as Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports. As MLBTR reported, Huff signed on with the Halos in mid-May after opting out of his contract with the Royals. After carrying a sterling 29:2 K/BB ratio while working from the pen with the Royals’ organization, the 31-year-old has allowed 7 earned runs over 11 2/3 innings from the Triple-A Salt Lake rotation. He has continued to show an elevated strikeout rate as against his prior track record, however. It remains to be seen whether Huff can earn a longer shot at the major league level, whether from the rotation or as a multi-inning-capable reliever.

Dodgers Designate Carl Crawford For Assignment

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The Dodgers have designated outfielder Carl Crawford for assignment and recalled catcher/infielder Austin Barnes from Triple-A Oklahoma City to take his roster spot, per a team announcement.

Designating Crawford could bring about a significant financial hit for the Dodgers, who will likely have to pay the remaining $35MM on his contract, according to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times (on Twitter). Crawford, who’s signed through next season, “got caught in the numbers game,” Dodgers vice president of baseball operations Josh Byrnes told MLB Network Radio (Twitter link). The Dodgers do have a slew of non-Crawford outfield options in Joc Pederson, Trayce Thompson, Scott Van Slyke, Howie Kendrick and Enrique Hernandez – not to mention the injured Yasiel Puig and Andre Ethier – but this is nonetheless quite a fall from grace for such a high-profile player.

As a quality hitter who offered excellent defense and established himself as a terror on the bases, Crawford was a premier all-around player with the Rays over the first several seasons of his career. The four-time All-Star’s success in Tampa Bay led the division-rival Red Sox to sign him to a seven-year, $142MM contract in 2010, but Crawford fared poorly in Boston during parts of two seasons. The Red Sox then shipped him to the Dodgers in 2012 as part of a salary-dumping trade that also featured first baseman Adrian Gonzalez going to Los Angeles. As noted by the Boston Globe’s Peter Abraham (Twitter link), Crawford was just two days removed from Tommy John surgery at the time.

Injuries have long been an issue for Crawford, who appeared in just 310 games with LA prior to today’s designation. He began this season on the disabled list with a back issue and returned to appear in 30 games, during which he hit a terrible .185/.230/.235 in 87 plate appearances. To Crawford’s credit, he was a solid piece for the Dodgers from 2013-15 – slashing .286/.328/.414 with 18 home runs and 48 steals in 1,032 trips to the plate – but LA has now deemed the soon-to-be 35-year-old expendable.

Crawford, a career .290/.330/.435 hitter who has swatted 136 homers and stolen 480 bases, could catch on elsewhere at a cheap cost after he clears waivers (assuming no one claims him, of course). The Dodgers would have to pick up the remainder of his salary.

Injury Notes: Ross, Teixeira, Salazar, Soler, Angels

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While Padres righty Tyson Ross is progressing through his throwing program, he is not expected to make it back until after the All-Star game, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com tweets. The expectation is that Ross will begin throwing bullpens in a few weeks, and his timeline should gain more clarity once he reaches the mound. A return in mid-July could in theory put him in play at the trade deadline, but it seems increasingly likely that Ross won’t be shopped until after the season.

Here are a few more injury notes from around the game:

  • Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira will forego surgery on his right knee in hopes that he’ll be game-ready in three weeks’ time, as Roger Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com reports. That doesn’t necessarily mean that he’ll be expected at the major league level at that point, as the length of his layoff could require at least a brief rehab stint. The struggling veteran has already been placed on the 15-day DL after being diagnosed with a cartilage tear.
  • Indians righty Danny Salazar will miss his next start due to shoulder fatigue, the club announced. It seems that the hope is it won’t be much more than that, as he’d likely be placed on the DL to free a roster spot otherwise. Salazar’s status remains worth watching, however. The 26-year-old has been outstanding in his first 11 starts. Cleveland will go to Cody Anderson for the spot start. While he’s struggled at times this year in the majors, Anderson has dominated in three Triple-A starts and is as good an insurance policy as you’ll find around the game.
  • The Cubs had to pull outfielder Jorge Soler from tonight’s action due to a hamstring injury, as Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. He’s headed in for an MRI tomorrow, but it seems as if a DL stint could be in his future. Veteran minor-leaguer Matt Murton could get consideration if that proves necessary, but skipper Joe Maddon also suggested that prospect Albert Almora could receive consideration.
  • Meanwhile, the Angels continue to sort through a host of pitching ailments, as Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports. Of immediate concern, set-up man Joe Smith is hoping to stave off a trip to the DL with a hamstring injury. Starters Tyler Skaggs and C.J. Wilson are both in different stages of the rehab process. The former is expected to head out on a rehab assignment after a five-inning extended spring appearance tomorrow. And the latter hopes to re-start a throwing program this week.
  • The Angels are also waiting for some position players, as Fletcher further covers. Shortstop Andrelton Simmons (thumb surgery) could return to the majors as soon as Friday; outfielder Daniel Nava (groin) has only just returned to baseball activities; and catcher Geovany Soto (knee surgery) is throwing but has yet to hit or get into the crouch.

MLBTR Poll: The James Shields Trade

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It’s not often we see significant players swapped in June — read this if you don’t believe me — but the White Sox made an early strike on Saturday to acquire James Shields from the Padres. Chicago gave up controllable righty Erik Johnson and young infielder Fernando Tatis Jr., with San Diego keeping about $31MM of the $58MM owed to Shields.

From Chicago’s perspective, Shields represents a dependable — if diminished — rotation piece who can help keep the team in contention this year. He’ll also likely be around for the next two seasons to come, though Shields has the right to opt out at year end. While there’s little reason to believe that he’s still a top-of-the-line starter, Shields is incredibly durable, still reasonably effective, and quite fairly priced with the discount included in this swap. He certainly deepens a rotation that has some questions at the back end.

If the White Sox felt that Johnson was a viable option to play that sort of role, they surely wouldn’t have parted with him. The 26-year-old has failed to stick in four stints at the major league level, so he’s had his chances. On the other hand, he’s been much more effective at Triple-A — even if he hasn’t maintained a promising strikeout rate bump from a year ago — and none of those four stints included more than six appearances. With just 89 days of service coming into the year, the Cal-Berkeley product could be a long-term asset for the Padres; on the other hand, he’ll also soon be out of options. As Eric Longenhagen of Fangraphs explains, Johnson has a “mediocre” arsenal but still carries a bit of upside. Tatis, meanwhile, is a quality prospect in Longenhagen’s evaluation, though there are some limits to his ceiling and he remains a long ways from the majors.

So, MLBTR readers, did it make sense for the Sox to give up that package and take on that much salary? Were the Pads wise to act quickly to save some cash and get something back for Shields? Vote here (link for mobile app users):

Minor MLB Transactions: 6/6/16

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Here are the day’s most notable moves from around the game, all coming courtesy of Baseball America’s Matt Eddy, unless otherwise noted…

  • The Nationals brought back infielder Steve Lombardozzi on a minors deal, MLB.com’s Bill Ladson reports. Lombardozzi, 27, saw minimal playing time in each of the last two years at the major league level after playing a significant role in D.C. during his 2011-13 stint. After failing to find a suitable opportunity over the winter, Lombardozzi joined the independent league Southern Maryland Blue Crabs to start 2016. He was off to a .367/.401/.428 start with eight steals before the Nats came calling.
  • Righty Nick Tepesch has joined the Dodgers on a minor league deal and will take the ball tonight at Triple-A, as Oklahoma City Dodgers broadcaster Alex Freeman tweets. Interestingly, he’s squaring off against his recent teammates at the Rangers’ top affiliate. The 27-year-old recorded over 200 frames for the Rangers over 2013-14, posting a 4.66 ERA with 5.4 K/9 against 2.9 BB/9, but missed all of 2015 and eventually underwent thoracic outlet surgery. After returning for 11 starts at the Triple-A level this year, where he tallied a 4.11 ERA, Tepesch opted out of his minor league deal with Texas.
  • Outfielder Jake Goebbert has been outrighted to Triple-A Durham by the Rays after being designated for assignment. The 28-year-old entered the season as an accomplished Triple-A hitter, but he’s struggled mightily with Durham this season, hitting just .183/.288/.275. Even with his career numbers at Triple-A weighed down by his 2016 performance, Goebbert is a lifetime .271/.375/.444 hitter at that level. The Pirates saw enough in him to give him a big league deal this winter, but he didn’t make it through Spring Training and was ultimately claimed off waivers by Tampa Bay after being designated for assignment. He’ll look to get back to his productive ways now that he’s been removed from the 40-man roster and hope to factor into Tampa Bay’s big league plans later in the year.
  • The White Sox outrighted outfielder Daniel Fields off their 40-man roster over the weekend, and the 25-year-old was released shortly thereafter (presumably upon refusing the assignment, as was his right having been previously outrighted). Fields is a career .281/.359/.423 hitter in in 672 plate appearances at the Double-A level, but he’s struggled to a .223/.312/.345 line in 957 PAs at the Triple-A level. The former sixth-round pick (2009) had spent his entire career in the Tigers organization prior to this season.
  • The White Sox also picked up veteran catcher Brett Hayes in a trade that sent cash considerations to the Diamondbacks. The 32-year-old Hayes tallied 32 plate appearances with Cleveland last season and has appeared in parts of each of the past seven Major League seasons, splitting his time between the Marlins, Royals and Indians. He’s a career .205/.250/.359 hitter at the big league level and a .239/.279/.387 hitter in nearly 1200 PAs at the Triple-A level.
  • The Cardinals have signed right-hander Daniel Bard to a minor league deal after he was released by the division-rival Pirates. St. Louis will become the latest organization to attempt to revitalize Bard’s once dominant right arm in the hope that he can resurface as a quality bullpen piece. Bard, a former first-round pick, was a strong setup piece for the Red Sox from 2009-11 (specifically in 2010) but struggled terribly in 2012 and had a cataclysmic decline in the years to follow, as he lost the ability to throw the ball over the plate entirely. His last stint in affiliated ball came with the Rangers’ Class-A affiliate in 2014 when he faced just 18 men and walked nine of them in addition to hitting another seven.
  • Right-hander Felipe Paulino, who was granted his release from the Indians in order to pursue a deal in Japan late last month, has signed a deal with the Seibu Lions of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, his agents at Octagon tweeted last week. The 32-year-old Paulino, a veteran of six Major League seasons, was pitching quite well for Cleveland’s Triple-A affiliate, having logged a 2.77 ERA in 10 relief appearances. He’s worked as a starter for the vast majority of his career and has displayed an ability to miss bats at the big league level but has nonetheless struggled to a 5.22 ERA in 403 2/3 big league frames. This will be Paulino’s first stint in NPB, but as we often see, players that have struggled to thrive in the Majors can still make an excellent living pitching in Asia.

20 Top Prospects Whose Call-Ups Could Impact The Trade Market

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June and July are notable not just for the run-up to the trade deadline, but also a typically robust set of promotions of top prospects. These things are intertwined, of course: teams are motivated at least in some part to see what they can expect out of their top-level talent before deciding whether to pull the trigger for veterans.

There are other factors at play, too. Developmental prerogatives are important, and at this stage clubs have a better idea whether certain players are ready for the challenge of a full run at the majors. And service time is always a critical consideration. While there is no firm Super Two cut-off, teams can generally expect players called up for the first time in early June to fall shy of qualifying for an added year of arbitration. Those youngsters who have already had a taste of MLB action, meanwhile, will at some point no longer have a chance of reaching a full season’s worth of service time by the end of the year.

Several impactful players were brought up last year in the months of June and July. Youngsters like Carlos Correa, Kyle Schwarber, Steven Matz, Michael Conforto, Luis Severino, and Stephen Piscotty all played significant roles for organizations that made the post-season. And others — Miguel Sano, Francisco Lindor, Joe Ross, Aaron Nola, Ketel Marte — were quality performers at the game’s highest level.

We’ve already seen several youngsters reach the majors in recent weeks. Julio Urias, for instance, has made two starts for the Dodgers, exhibiting his immense talent while also struggling to record outs. And Byron Buxton recently received another shot with the Twins after underwhelming early results.

With less than two months to go until the trade deadline, here are some other top names whose potential promotions could have a big impact on the market:

Ready For A Second Shot

Trea Turner, Nationals: It seemed for a moment that the 22-year-old was set for his first real shot at earning a full-time job at shortstop. Instead, he only saw action in one game while filling in over the weekend. Turner has proven himself at Triple-A already; he reached the level last year, and owns a .310/.376/.472 batting line with 17 steals in 17 attempts thus far in 2016. If he is able to gain traction in the majors, then Washington could comfortably forego pursuit of an outside alternative to supplement its defensively-proficient but offensively-challenged shortstop duo of Danny Espinosa and Stephen Drew.

Blake Snell, Rays: The talented lefty already made an impressive debut earlier this year, but that spot start only suggested what he could do with an extended opportunity. Snell has seen his walk rate move in the wrong direction at Triple-A, but he’s still proving extremely difficult to hit. Of course, Tampa Bay is blessed with a number of rotation options — all the more so once Alex Cobb is back. But that’s precisely what makes Snell so interesting: if the team is willing to give him a shot, it could free up other arms for trade bait.

Joey Gallo, Rangers: He appeared briefly with Texas in 2016 after a lengthier stint last season, but Gallo still hasn’t been given a full shot at the majors since an excellent start to the year at Triple-A in which he’s shown new-found plate discipline while maintaining his eye-popping power. What’s interesting about Gallo’s situation is that he could conceivably impact Texas by stepping in for Mitch Moreland or Prince Fielder, either of whom could theoretically be traded, or by turning into a huge trade piece in his own right if the team decides to chase a top-end starter.

Jose Peraza, Reds: Cincinnati may face a tough question with shortstop Zack Cozart, who has another year of control remaining and is playing at a high level on both offense and defense. He could potentially bring an appealing return — as might Brandon Phillips, if he’ll waive his no-trade clause — but the Reds may be hesitant to throw too much uncertainty into the infield mix. That’s where Peraza could come in. He’s received a taste of the majors in each of the last two years, though he’s struggled. While he’s not exactly tearing up Triple-A, Peraza is hitting at a reasonable enough rate (.295/.335/.389, with eight steals) to warrant a full opportunity.

Clamoring For A First Call-Up

Jameson Taillon / Tyler Glasnow, Pirates: While the Bucs have had some ups and downs in their major league rotation, they have two high-powered righties tearing up Triple-A. Either or both could be throwing in the majors sooner rather than later. Pittsburgh will need to watch their innings, but could conceivably utilize them from the pen as well as in the rotation to maximize the impact. If that takes place, the Pirates may even end up with some excess arms at the deadline.

Alex Reyes, Cardinals: After missing the start of the year due to a marijuana suspension, Reyes has turned in three quality starts at Triple-A. The 21-year-old could obviate the need for the Cards to make an addition to the rotation or the pen, depending upon how their needs shake out. While the lost time early sapped some developmental opportunity, it did also serve to slow Reyes’s innings, which will be controlled since he’s only barely topped 100 total frames in prior years. St. Louis will also need to consider his still-high walk rate, too, though all those concerns would be lessened if Reyes were deployed as a late-inning reliever.

Matt Chapman, Athletics: In his first full shot at Double-A, Chapman owns a .243/.345/.495 slash with 14 home runs in just 238 plate appearances. As a third-year pro who was taken out of college, and is seen as a quality fielder, it seems fair to think he could be ready for a big league chance in the relatively near term. If Chapman proves ready, then Danny Valencia or Jed Lowrie could become trade pieces.

Alex Bregman, Astros: As it seeks to climb out of an early hole, Houston could go in any number of directions. Bringing up Bregman could conceivably provide a boost at the major league level while also turning Luis Valbuena into a trade piece. While he’s destroying Double-A pitching, though, the recent draftee is still learning a new position in his first full season as a professional. (For those wondering: yes, I also considered A.J. Reed, but Jon Singleton could now be first in line for a first base promotion.)

Hunter Renfroe / Manuel Margot, Padres: The Friars could stand to give their fans something to look forward to upon arriving at the park while getting a look at some of their rising talent. Renfroe has twice cracked twenty long balls in a season, and he’s already got a dozen through his first 212 plate appearances in his first full attempt at Triple-A. He owns a .950+ OPS in over 300 trips to the plate at the minors’ highest level over the last two seasons. Margot, meanwhile, is just 21, but he’s impressed with a .305/.363/.436 slash and 16 stolen bases in his first 248 Triple-A plate appearances. Adding either or both to the big league mix could help free the team to deal Melvin Upton, Jon Jay, and/or Matt Kemp.

Orlando Arcia, Brewers: One of the game’s best shortstop prospects, the 21-year-old Arcia has continued to produce upon reaching the highest level of the minors. He’s off to a .309/.344/.420 start, with four long balls and nine stolen bases, over 221 plate appearances. It’s unclear whether Milwaukee will choose to start his service clock, but adding the talented youngster to the infield mix could accompany a trade of veteran Aaron Hill.

Ready To Come Up, But Held Down?

Tim Anderson, White Sox: Chicago is already said to be looking for early trade strikes, so it appears that the time is now for the South Siders. Anderson is not exactly destroying Triple-A pitching, with a .297/.321/.392 slash and ten swipes, but the Sox could choose to gamble on his talent. On the other hand, though Jimmy Rollins isn’t doing much with the bat, he’s a sturdy defender, and Tyler Saladino has been a solid all-around contributor.

Bradley Zimmer / Clint Frazier, Indians: The Indians outfield always looked short on strong options and susceptible of upgrades, and despite some sturdy performances from surprising places that still appears to be the case. Recent developments only increase the need. Though it’s said to be unlikely that Cleveland will bump up either of its top prospects, both are currently laying waste to Double-A pitching. It’s worth remembering, too, that the Mets got a huge boost last year from Conforto after he skipped the highest level of the minors. And giving a shot to one or both of these top youngsters could allow Cleveland to avoid paying a high price to acquire a veteran at the deadline.

Albert Almora, Cubs: The Cubbies are already loaded with high-performing, young talent, but they could add to that group with Schwarber down for the year. Almora only recently turned 22, but is putting up a strong .322/.339/.450 batting line with ten stolen bases in his first attempt at the Triple-A level. Of course, the opportunity won’t come easy — though Jason Heyward is scuffling, he’s not going anywhere, and the Cubs are getting outstanding production from reserves Matt Szczur and Tommy La Stella. The same goes for 24-year-old Willson Contreras, who is putting up Schwarber-esque numbers at Triple-A but is still looking up at Miguel Montero, David Ross, and Tim Federowicz.

Jose De Leon, Dodgers: Los Angeles has shown little hesitation in relying on young players in big roles — Urias being the most recent example — but it’s unclear what they intend to do with the 23-year-old right-hander. He was handled with care early this year, and only has a single Triple-A appearance on his ledger … but it was a doozy, as he allowed just two hits and one walk while striking out nine in five innings of shutout work. That slow start also means that De Leon has plenty of innings left in the tank after reaching a career-high of 114 1/3 frames a season ago.

Pick It Up For A Call-Up

Jose Berrios, Twins: Berrios has dominated at every level during his steady rise, but was knocked around in four big league starts earlier this year. He has uncharacteristically walked 29 batters in 48 total innings on the year between the bigs and the top level of the minors, so he’ll need to re-establish his command before earning another chance. If Berrios can do that, though, he’d possibly help the club ship out a veteran starter over the summer.

Carson Fulmer, White Sox: While Fulmer doesn’t profile as a near-term rotation options, the scuttlebutt was that he could reach the pen in short order. But he’ll need to turn things around quickly at Double-A to make it to the majors as swiftly as had been hoped. Fulmer has walked nearly as many batters as he’s struck out while posting a 5.54 ERA in a starting role.

Aaron Judge, Yankees: We’ve heard some chatter that New York could look to trade away a veteran such as Carlos Beltran to clear the way for Judge while still remaining competitive. I remain skeptical of that scenario, particularly since Judge has yet to conquer Triple-A through nearly 500 plate appearances over the last two seasons.

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