The best way to close out the debut season of “Knocking Down The Door” here at MLBTradeRumors is to recognize those players who did everything possible to earn a big league call-up without actually getting called up. Here is the 2016 Knocking Down The Door: All-Snub Team …

Note: A few players on this list, who are currently playing in the Triple-A playoffs, could still be promoted in the near future. However, I’ll still consider them as snubs since there will be little time left in the regular season.

Hunter Renfroe, OF, San Diego Padres

If I told you before the season started that Renfroe would be one of the most productive hitters in Triple-A, the Padres would be able to trade both Matt Kemp and Melvin Upton Jr. by the end of July and Jon Jay would miss significant time with an injury, is there any way you’d believe that Renfroe would still be in the minors on September 13th?

To be fair to the Padres’ decision-makers, Travis Jankowski and Alex Dickerson have done more than enough to continue occupying two of the starting spots. But giving at-bats to Jabari Blash, Patrick Kivlehan and Oswaldo Arcia while Renfroe continued his assault on Triple-A pitching—he finished the regular season with an .893 OPS and 34 homers—is a lot more difficult to explain.

While it doesn’t affect Renfroe’s chances to make the Opening Day roster in 2017—he’ll likely enter Spring Training as the favorite to land the starting right field job—an early jump on facing big league pitching in a low-pressure environment could’ve been valuable.

[Padres Depth Chart]

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This week’s installment of Knocking Down the Door features a pair of lefty starters who are very close to graduating from the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, a strong contender for the Rockies’ catching job in 2017 and a couple of outfielders hoping for a chance to prove that their recent hitting success isn’t an aberration.

Jaycob Brugman, OF, Oakland Athletics (Triple-A Nashville)

It’s fair to say that the A’s could have two, if not three outfield spots up for grabs when the offseason begins (depending on the usage of Khris Davis, who is presently splitting time between left field and DH). And, while there’s no shortage of talented prospects closing in on the Athletics’ big league roster, it’s possible that those outfield spots are occupied next April by players not currently in the organization. August and September can be considered an early audition period for Jake Smolinski and Brett Eibner, who are getting a close look right now. Jaycob Brugman is currently on the outside looking in but doing everything possible to get an invitation.

The left-handed hitting Brugman, who has played mostly in center field this season, has a .393/.456/.539 slash line in August, including 13 hits in his last 22 at-bats. With Coco Crisp and Danny Valencia each potential August trade candidates—the A’s would just need to find a taker for Crisp; Valencia might not pass through waivers—there’s a chance that Brugman could jump right in to an everyday spot in the near future. If that doesn’t happen, the 24-year-old should still be able to take some September at-bats away from Crisp, who will be a free agent after the season.

Athletics Depth Chart

Josh Hader, SP, Milwaukee Brewers (Triple-A Colorado Springs)

When the Brewers needed a pitcher to make a spot start last week, they turned to a highly-deserving 26-year-old named Brent Suter, who they drafted in the 31st round back in 2012. Suter became the first left-hander to start a game for the Brewers in almost three years. Now in the bullpen after getting knocked around in his MLB debut, Suter might only be around to watch the next time a lefty makes a start for the Brewers.

After Josh Hader’s last Triple-A start—two-hit ball over six shutout innings with 12 strikeouts—it could be time to give the 22-year-old lefty a taste of the Major Leagues before he has to shut it down for the year. While his first taste of the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League hasn’t been a walk in the park (4.79 ERA in 12 Triple-A starts; 0.95 ERA in 11 Double-A starts), Hader continues to rack up a ton of strikeouts (11.8 K/9) while keeping the ball out of the stands (0.4 HR/9). Both stats indicate a bright future for Hader, who should crack the Brewers’ rotation in 2017.

Brewers Depth Chart

Tom Murphy, C, Colorado Rockies (Triple-A Albuquerque)

With Nick Hundley headed for free agency after the season, the Rockies will need to determine if they’ll be able to replace him in-house. They can do that now by starting to give defensive standout Tony Wolters more playing time to find out if he can hit enough—he has 11 hits in his last 20 at-bats, but has only started 12 games since the All-Star break—and/or calling up Tom Murphy, who is slashing .421/.461/.804 over his last 28 Triple-A games, to find out if he is good enough defensively.

In all likelihood, that duo should be able to more than make up for the loss of the veteran Hundley, who has subpar offensive numbers on the road and versus right-handed pitching this season. A call-up of Murphy, who didn’t embarrass himself during a September call-up last year (.876 OPS, 3 HR in 39 plate appearances), could result in a heated competition with Wolters that won’t end until Opening Day 2017.

Rockies Depth Chart

Austin Slater, OF, San Francisco Giants (Triple-A Sacramento)

Riding a 13-for-18 hot streak coming into Tuesday, Austin Slater was, probably unknowingly, as close as he had ever been to the big leagues when the Giants placed backup outfielder Gregor Blanco on the disabled list. But it was journeyman Gorkys Hernandez who got the call, mostly due to his speed and defensive ability, although he’s also having a good season at the plate and has 78 games of MLB experience under his belt.

While the 23-year-old Slater’s amazing second-half numbers (.353/.439/.640; 10 HR, 21 BB, 23 K in 37 games) have undoubtedly opened some eyes in the organization, he likely helped his cause further with two hits, including a three-run homer, on the day he was passed over for what would’ve been a well-earned promotion. Slater could get the call in September and has an outside chance to play a bigger role if the oft-injured Angel Pagan is unable to stay on the field.

Giants Depth Chart

Nate Smith, SP, Los Angeles Angels (Triple-A Salt Lake)

No team in baseball could use some good news from down on the farm more than the Angels. With their pitching staff decimated by injuries, they should be delighted with the the recent work of lefty Nate Smith, who allowed just one single over seven shutout innings on Tuesday against a stacked El Paso lineup (see Margot, Asuaje, Renfroe, Hedges).

While the 24-year-old Smith has had an up-and-down season in a tough league for pitchers, he’s likely done enough (4.62 ERA, 2.7 BB/9, 7.1 K/9) to warrant serious consideration for a 2017 rotation spot. Of course, it wouldn’t hurt for the Angels to get an early look. With his innings total up to 142 1/3 after 137 2/3 in 2015, it should happen in the next week or two.

Angels Depth Chart

“Knocking Down the Door” is a weekly feature that identifies minor leaguers who are making a case for a big league promotion.

This week’s installment of Knocking Down the Door features thee starting pitchers, two of whom combined for 16 shutout innings and 23 strikeouts in their last starts. Also making appearances are a reliever who began the season in High-A and a pair of infielders who were both former 1st Round draft picks.

Raul Alcantara and Jharel Cotton, SP, Oakland Athletics (Triple-A Nashville)

Ross Detwiler might have bought himself several more starts in the A’s rotation after last week’s masterpiece (8 IP, 0 R, 6 H, 0 BB, 2 K), but Andrew Triggs and Zach Neal haven’t earned the chance to stick around much longer. As a result, it’s a good time to be pitching well down in Triple-A Nashville, where Raul Alcantara and Jharel Cotton have each positioned themselves to be next in line for a big league start.

While the 23-year-old Alcantara is probably reaching the end of the line for his 2016 workload—he’s at 120.2 innings after making only 18 starts in 2014-15 because of injuries—the A’s could probably squeeze one or two more starts out of him. The way he’s pitched since a promotion to Triple-A (0.59 ERA, 30.2 IP, 20 H,  3 BB, 22 K), it wouldn’t be a bad idea if he made those starts with the big league club.

Cotton, acquired from the Dodgers in the Josh Reddick/Rich Hill trade, has made an outstanding early impression on his new organization. After allowing a run and six hits while striking out five batters over six innings in his Nashville debut, the 24-year-old right-hander turned it up a few notches in his second start when he tossed a one-hit shutout with no walks and 12 strikeouts. At 112.1 innings on the season, it wouldn’t be a major surprise if Cotton is added to the rotation before the end of the month and is able to make at least 2-3 starts before he’s shut down.

Athletics Depth Chart

Gavin Cecchini, SS, New York Mets (Triple-A Las Vegas)

It was T.J. Rivera who finally got the call to help a struggling big league team last week. While that was very much deserved, his former teammate, shortstop Gavin Cecchini, is still waiting for the call despite being just as deserving.

Jose Reyes’ return from the disabled list probably won’t help, but the 22-year-old Cecchini is making it difficult for the Mets to overlook him much longer. With 17 hits in his last 44 at-bats, the former 1st Round pick has his slash line up to .318/.387/.440 on the season. The scouting reports say he might not be good enough to be a big league regular down the road. His performance in the upper minors the past two seasons (.300+ batting average, .800+ OPS, 83 BB, 99 K), however, tells us that he should at least be given a long look against Major League pitching before determining that.

If the Mets fall any further back in the playoff race, they’ll need to look ahead to 2017. In either case, it would be a good time to see what they have in Cecchini.

Mets Depth Chart

Kaleb Cowart, 3B, Los Angeles Angels (Triple-A Salt Lake)

The Angels might be the worst team in baseball right now. Looking to the future is difficult with the pitching staff in shambles due to elbow injuries and possibly the thinnest farm system in baseball. Still, they need to find out if there is anyone down there worth auditioning for a job in 2017. Kaleb Cowart is starting to make a case.

The 24-year-old third baseman, who has seen his stock rise and fall drastically a handful of times since he was a 1st Round draftee in 2010, has a .942 OPS in his last 30 games, including a big 3-for-4 day on Sunday with a homer and two doubles. Even if Yunel Escobar and Albert Pujols are locked into the third base and designated hitter spots, respectively, Cowart’s versatility—he’s played 1B, 3B, SS and LF during his professional career—should allow him to play somewhere on a regular basis for the next month-and-a-half.

Angels Depth Chart

Jonathan Holder, RP, New York Yankees (Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre)

A funny thing happened after the Yankees deciding to become “sellers” at the trade deadline. They’ve played well enough to stay within striking distance of a playoff spot. Their infusion of young hitting talent could help offset the loss of Carlos Beltran, but they’re extremely thin in the bullpen without Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller. If  there’s a relief pitcher that’s at least worth a look as someone who can help bridge the gap to Tyler Clippard and Dellin Betances, it’s Jonathan Holder.

The 23-year-old right-hander, who started the season in High-A — where he pitched in 2015 as a starter — has posted a 1.92 ERA with impressive peripherals (5.4 H/9,  1.1 BB/9, 12.8 K/9) in his 37 relief appearances between High-A (2 games), Double-A (28 games) and Triple-A (seven games).

Whether it’s to help a team that’s just hanging on to slim playoff hopes or as an audition for a team that will be shopping for bullpen help this upcoming offseason, Holder has earned himself a trip to the Bronx in the very near future.

Yankees Depth Chart

Jaime Schultz, SP, Tampa Bay Rays (Triple-A Durham)

It was Matt Andriese that was next in line for a rotation spot when the Rays traded away Matt Moore. Who is next after Andriese isn’t clear, although Jaime Schultz is starting to separate himself from the pack after his last two starts for Triple-A Durham.

After striking out double-digit batters in two of his first 22 starts on the season, the 25-year-old right-hander doubled that total with 10 and 11 strikeouts, respectively, in his last two, which included eight shutout innings on Saturday. With Andriese getting knocked around in his last two major league outings, we could find out soon if Schultz, who has a 3.02 ERA to go along with 4.4 BB/9 and 11.0 K/9, has done enough to get the call.

Rays Depth Chart

“Knocking Down the Door” is a weekly feature that identifies minor leaguers who are making a case for a big league promotion.

This week’s installment of Knocking Down the Door features four Double-A players and another who has only played nine games in Triple-A. Am I reaching a bit? Maybe. But there aren’t many obvious call-ups remaining, at least none that I haven’t written about already. The well is running a bit dry this time of the season. Many prospects have already been promoted. Young pitching prospects are more likely to be shut down than called up to the big leagues. Some prospects will be passed over for a promotion for reasons related to service time. That doesn’t mean there aren’t some players in the minors who can help a contender down the stretch or get an early 2017 audition for a non-contender.

Luke Weaver, SP/RP, St. Louis Cardinals (Double-A Springfield)

The Cardinals have been able to go with the same five starting pitchers in all but one game this season and that was due to a rainout that caused the team to play six games in five days. In this day and age where teams were forced to use an average of 11 starting pitchers last season, mostly due to injuries, that is an amazing feat. Still, the Cardinals’ “sixth starter” on that day, Mike Mayers, gave up nine earned runs in 1 1/3 innings. If the Cardinals are not fortunate enough to continue using the same five starters through the end of the regular season, they’ll need a better option.

While top prospect Alex Reyes would likely succeed in the majors now as a reliever, he’s still a work in progress as a starter and, therefore, was passed over for a promotion when the team recently needed another spot starter and opted to move Jaime Garcia up to pitch on three days rest. He gave up six earned runs in 3 1/3 innings.

The good news, though, is that Luke Weaver is quickly becoming someone that they wouldn’t hesitate to call on the next time there is a need. The 22-year-old right-hander got a late start to the season due to a wrist injury, which could turn out to be a blessing in disguise. His limited workload (77 innings in 12 starts) could allow him to pitch deep into the regular season and post-season, if necessary. Since returning in June, he’s been absolutely dominant with a 1.40 ERA, 1.2 BB/9 and 10.3 K/9 while showing the consistency, command and repertoire that would play in the Majors now.

Cardinals Depth Chart

Bradley Zimmer, OF, Cleveland Indians (Triple-A Columbus)

The division-leading Indians were aggressive at the trade deadline, pulling off a deal for one of the best relief pitchers in the game, and nearly acquired catcher Jonathan Lucroy, who ended up vetoing the deal. While many of the team’s best prospects were traded or nearly traded, outfielder Bradley Zimmer is one that they were happy to retain.

With Michael Brantley slow to recover from a shoulder injury and currently lacking a definitive timeline to return, the 23-year-old Zimmer could potentially join the Indians’ outfield for the stretch run. While he’s posted an .843 OPS with 15 homers and 33 stolen bases in the upper minors (he’s off to an 11-for-33 start with Triple-A Columbus), Rajai Davis has slumped badly in the last few weeks and Abraham Almonte, while able to produce in short stretches throughout his career, isn’t the answer on a team trying to hold off the red-hot Detroit Tigers over the next two months.

The Red Sox recently called up Andrew Benintendi, allowing them to put the three most talented outfielders in their organization on the lineup card. The Indians shouldn’t hesitate to do the same with Zimmer.

Indians Depth Chart

Chance Adams, SP, New York Yankees (Double-A Trenton)

The deadline trade that sent Ivan Nova to the Pittsburgh Pirates opened up an opportunity for one of three pitchers—Chad Green, Luis Severino and Adam Warren—who have been pitching out of the Yankees’ bullpen. Green was first up on Wednesday, but he was knocked around by the Mets. Severino was impressive in relief of Green, which likely earns him a start when the spot comes around again. Alternatively, the Yankees could turn to Chance Adams, a 2015 draftee who is moving quickly up the ladder.

In 21 starts between High-A and Double-A, the 21-year-old Adams has a 2.26 ERA. 2.7 BB/9 and 10.2 K/9 while holding opponents to a .171 batting average. He’s had just one bad start out of nine in Double-A and hasn’t allowed more than one run in seven of those.

While we’re getting to the point of the season when young pitchers are close to being shut down in order to limit workloads—Adams is currently at 108 1/3 innings pitched; he threw 94 1/3 innings in 2015 between his final collegiate season with Dallas Baptist and 14 professional relief appearances—the Yankees can have Adams throw his final innings of the 2016 season in the Majors in what would be an early audition for the 2017 season.

Yankees Depth Chart

Dylan Cozens, OF, Philadelphia Phillies (Double-A Reading)

With Cody Asche not doing enough to secure a spot in 2017 Phillies’ outfield and Nick Williams having an underwhelming season in Triple-A, Dylan Cozens has worked his way into the mix with a monster season for Double-A Reading.

After a three-homer game on Wednesday, pushing his season total to 30, it’s safe to say that the 22-year-old Cozens has done enough to earn a promotion. He also has 31 doubles, 18 stolen bases and a .962 OPS. Now it’s up to the Phillies to decide whether they want to bump him up one level to Triple-A or see him up close against Major League pitching.

At 6’6″ and 235 pounds, the left-handed hitting Cozens would be quite a presence in the middle of the Phillies’ lineup and would balance out a cast of right-handed hitters—Maikel Franco, Tommy Joseph, Aaron Altherr and Cameron Rupp all figure to be in the middle of the 2017 lineup. While he is going to strike out a lot—he has 134 in 452 plate appearances—he’s also walked 53 times and has shown an ability to make adjustments.

Phillies Depth Chart

Andrew Moore, SP, Seattle Mariners (Double-A Jackson)

Two months left in the season and the Mariners’ rotation is struggling to get to the finish line. Even if Taijuan Walker can stay healthy once he returns from the disabled list on Saturday, Felix Hernandez (17 ER in last 23 2/3 innings) has not been himself, and it’s unlikely that Wade LeBlanc can hold down a rotation spot through the end of the season. They’ll need some more help.

Ariel Miranda will make his first MLB start on Thursday and Zach Lee could also make his Mariners’ debut before the season’s end. Not the most exciting options, but there are a lot of innings left in the season and someone has to pitch. Look a little deeper into the farm system, though, and Double-A starter Andrew Moore is doing everything he can to make the jump to the big leagues before the end of his first full professional season.

After tossing a five-hit shutout in his last start, the 22-year-old Moore lowered his ERA to 2.30 with a 1.6 BB/9 and 6.9 K/9 in  22 starts between High-A and Double-A. While he’s closing in on 130 innings for the season, he tossed over 160 in 2015 between Oregon State and Short-Season Everett and might be capable of pitching into September with the Mariners.

Mariners Depth Chart

“Knocking Down the Door” is a weekly feature that identifies minor leaguers who are making a case for a big league promotion.