This week’s installation of “Knocking Down The Door” includes two of the best middle infield prospects in baseball, a 22-year-old first baseman with a .404 OBP in Triple-A, and a pair of starting pitchers who combined for 23 strikeouts in their last start.
Jacob Faria, SP, Tampa Bay Rays (Triple-A Durham)
Despite not making it through the fifth inning in his latest start, the 23-year-old Faria has likely propelled himself to the top of the Rays’ “next in line” spot in the starting rotation. Striking out 13 hitters while recording 14 outs does tend to get a pitcher noticed, as will his overall numbers on the season (3.47 ERA, 3.7 BB/9, 14.4 K/9).
Coincidentally, there is a spot open after Blake Snell was optioned to Triple-A over the weekend. The Rays will certainly discuss whether Faria can have more success than the inconsistent and inefficient Snell, who has completed six innings only six times in 27 MLB starts. Prior to his 108-pitch, 4 2/3-inning outing on May 10th, Faria had back-to-back six-inning starts in which he threw 89 and 91 pitches, respectively, while allowing only two runs with one walk and 17 strikeouts. That should help his cause.
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Ronald Guzman, 1B, Texas Rangers (Triple-A Round Rock)
Mike Napoli’s four homers and two doubles over a 10-game span to start the month, as well as the team’s recent six-game win streak, should at least temporarily halt any talk of a lineup shakeup. However, Triple-A first baseman Ronald Guzman hasn’t slowed down one bit, and Napoli is still just 6 for his last 34 with with an overall season slash line of .165/225/.353. Even for a well-respected veteran with a strong track record, that’s not going to cut it for much longer.
The left-handed hitting Guzman struggled after a late-season promotion to Triple-A in 2016, but he’s having no such trouble this time around. After a multi-homer game on Sunday, the 22-year-old is slashing .343/.404/.518 with five homers, five doubles and two triples in 36 games with Triple-A Round Rock.
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Yoan Moncada, 2B, Chicago White Sox (Triple-A Charlotte)
The White Sox could have a lineup spot available after optioning designated hitter Cody Asche to the minors today. The corresponding move is a reliever, but that could be temporary with the team possibly calling up another position player in the near future. A pair of candidates, Nick Delmonico, a Knocking Down The Door pick from three weeks ago, and Danny Hayes, haven’t hit much this month and Triple-A Charlotte’s two most productive hitters, Kevan Smith and Willy Garcia, are already in the Majors. Would they promote top prospect Moncada just days after general manager Rich Hahn shot down the idea? It wouldn’t be the first time a team has misled the media on a player move or simply just changed their mind.
The 21-year-old Moncada is still striking out at an alarming rate (42 K in 153 PAs) and was overwhelmed in a late-season stint with the Red Sox in 2016. But he’s also putting up huge numbers in Triple-A (.333/.405/.511 with six homers, four doubles and 10 stolen bases) and his plate discipline has improved drastically this month. He had 10 walks and 30 strikeouts in April; he has seven walks and 12 strikeouts in May.
At this point, Moncada’s free agency has already been pushed back another season—he won’t be eligible until after the 2023 campaign, at the earliest. Calling him up now, or in the near future, would allow him to gain some valuable experience while possibly providing an offensive spark for a team that has probably been more competitive than many expected.
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Amed Rosario, SS, New York Mets (Triple-A Las Vegas)
Asdrubal Cabrera’s torn thumb ligament could send him to the disabled list at some point, maybe even today, which could prompt Rosario’s immediate call-up. Let’s be clear, though. The 21-year-old shortstop has done everything in his power to warrant the promotion and a good argument could be made even if Cabrera was healthy.
After all, the defensive-savvy Rosario is knocking the cover off of the ball in his first Triple-A stint—.359/.401/.493 with two homers and 11 doubles—and this struggling Mets team could use all the help it can get.
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Lucas Sims, SP, Atlanta Braves (Triple-A Gwinnett)
The Braves’ successful finish to the 2016 season—they won 35 of their last 62 games—had some fans thinking playoffs in 2017. Instead of taking a chance on their unproven young pitching prospects to fill out the MLB rotation, the Braves added three veteran starters over the offseason: Bartolo Colon, R.A. Dickey and Jaime Garcia. This was not a bad decision, as they didn’t break the bank for free agents Colon or Dickey and they give up elite prospects to acquire Garcia. However, things are going poorly. The Braves are 13-21 and 9.5 games behind the 1st place Nationals — and we could still see a youth movement in Atlanta before long.
Sims, the 21st overall pick in the 2012 draft, is leading the charge. The 23-year-old lowered his ERA to 2.16 after tossing two-hit ball over 6 2/3 scoreless innings with a walk and 10 strikeouts in his last start. In 50 Triple-A innings last season, he had a 7.56 ERA with 10.1 H/9, 6.7 BB/9 and 10.4 K/9. In 41 2/3 innings in 2017, the right-hander has a 5.4 H/9, 1.9 BB/9 and 9.1 K/9. That’s what’s called “making the proper adjustments”.
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“Knocking Down the Door” is a weekly feature that identifies minor leaguers who are making a case for a big league promotion.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Sims may have figured it out. He should be up within a month unless he starts tanking
Colon getting shelled again tonight may open a spot for Sims……
While Colon has been an utter disappointment (personally I thought he’d produce consistent good innings with an ERA around 4.25) I’m not so sure that the Braves cut him so soon. Colon’s salary is locked in and besides giving Sims big league innings there isn’t much incentive to bring him up this early. If things don’t change with Colon by mid to late June (5-6 more starts), then maybe. Just my opinion.
Colon is going to have every chance to turn it around. Right up to the trade deadline.
You are giving this organization to much credit with that statement.
You think they care about winning? They will milk Colon out there and hope and pray and plead he turns it around so they can get another “prospect” to make fans excited about their overhyped farm system. Of course making the team that matters better makes no difference for them.
But it’s not overhyped. Not as many big name guys but you can’t compare the Braves prospect depth to anyone else.
More than anything else they care about their prospect development, regardless of what Colon is doing. They need him to do well to continue to eat innings, but I am amazed how effective he is every time I watch him pitch.
Yea, I wouldn’t stay they are overhyped. Best farm system in baseball, absolutely. Light years ahead of the 2nd best farm system as some braves fans might make out… no. So I think it depends on who you talk to. They truly have a lot of talent in the farm system. As a braves fan, I’m hoping that this eventually makes an overall great team instead of having a few legit prospects that carry all the weight. .
Guzman has to be one of the nicest guys in baseball. Regardless of the outcome of a game, he always comes out and takes pictures and signs autos for every fan who wants one. Glad to see him put his skills together and have a successful start to the year.
Luke Weaver coming up anytime soon??
My guess is only if something happens to a bullpen or rotation piece (most likely rotation). Or maybe if they decide they want to space out their starts more, he could definitely be an option.
Franklin Barreto says hi
That’s what i am saying… The glove may not be ready but that bat is fire.
he’s apparently tightened up his defense…he’s been playing SS the whole time and has cut his errors down considerably, I know that’s not an end all be all stat but it is encouraging
I wonder when Brewers Prospect Brandon Woodruff will make the list. Guy has a 2.77 ERA and a 1.05WHIP while making 5 out of his 7 starts at horrendous Colorado Springs.
Brinson?
Brinson I am excited for too. But Brewers management stated they are in no rush to bring him up due to him having very few ABs at the AAA level. Although the guy has completely raked. Yet you have to take his numbers with a grain of salt since he plays majority of his games at Colorado Springs
Rosario will be up soonest just out of necessity.
Rhys Hoskins? Just on numbers he sure looks ready. Maybe call him up when Phillies have a series in an AL park when they need another vat and see how he looks.
Don’t expect Rosario up until after the Super 2 cut off. I expect around end of July, like Conforto was in 2015.
Thinking Devers might make it up sooner than planned if Hernandez/Holt don’t get back soon. marrero isn’t capable of hitting A ball pitching, tho he can field. Rutledge is iffy at best in the field and not much with the bat and that D’arnaud character isn’t worthy of a 4o man spot on the worst of teams.
ready or not? devers “has” crushed it at AA and his walks have risen to typical Boston type levels this year, plus his glove is pretty decent. he’s got to be better than the black pit of failures this team has seen since both Holt/hernandez have been hurt and that includes sandoval.
I hope Moncada isn’t a MonKada