Is it safe to say we are out of small-sample-size territory yet? Many MLB clubs’ seasons are more than a third of the way over, with some early-season slumps seeming more like just down seasons and hot starts becoming harder and harder to ignore. These are also the times when minor-league promotions are more equally products of a prospect’s achievements and the big-league club’s immediate needs. Despite clubs making things harder on themselves than they need to (looking at you, Milwaukee Brewers), the next man up from the farm is only valuable until a team needs them the most.
Here is another check-in on PLV and Fan4+ darlings around the minors. Instead of looking at the biggest names, let’s look at some of the best recent performers who may not have the prospect profile to earn dynasty respect, but could make their real-life value known soon.
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Checking in on Performing Players:
Brandon Walter, 28, Houston Astros
Season Stats: 6 GS/ 41.2 IP/1.94 ERA/26.5% K%/4.5% BB%/0.72 WHIP
Weekly Stats: MLB: 1 GS/ 5.0 IP/ 0.00 ERA/27.8% K%/5.6% BB%/0.80 WHIP, MiLB: 1 GS/ 6.0 IP/ 0.00 ERA/33.3% K%/0.0% BB%/0.83 WHIP
Usually, this section is reserved for prospects, but even the most generous baseball minds would be hard-pressed to classify left-hander Brandon Walter as a prospect anymore. Walter made his MLB debut back in 2023 with the Boston Red Sox, appearing in nine games (including a save) in limited work. The results—an ugly 6.26 ERA and 1.70 WHIP—were likely the product of Boston shoehorning a minor-league starter into a major-league bullpen. Still, the first impression wasn’t a strong one.
A rotator cuff injury sidelined Walter for all of 2024, and the Red Sox ultimately cut ties with him last August. With any shoulder injury casting a long shadow over a pitcher’s future, Boston wasn’t willing to wait. But the Houston Astros saw something they liked, signing Walter to a minor-league deal later that month—and the AL West club is already reaping the rewards.
Walter made his first MLB start this past week, pitching on May 20 against the Tampa Bay Rays. With only allowing three hits across five innings of shutout ball, it is hard to describe Walter’s Astros debut as anything but a success. The Astros couldn’t get the win for Walter’s outing, unfortunately, but Walter has already exceeded some expectations in 2025.
If you’d been following his work in Triple-A, though, you might not have been so surprised. Walter has been stellar on the farm, allowing only three earned runs in May and reeling off three consecutive shutout starts. While he isn’t one of Triple-A’s premier strikeout artists, his 26.5% K rate across six starts is respectable, especially when paired with his elite command. He’s long excelled at limiting free passes—a trait that’s continued into this season.
His cutter has always been his workhorse pitch, but a 5.52 PLV on a pitch he threw a third of the time is impressive. That score ranks in MLB’s 90th percentile; it is a potent offering. The sweeper and four-seam fastball leave something to be desired, but he primarily uses those pitches against left-handed batters. A sinker and changeup round out that arsenal, with PLVs also ranking in the league’s 90th percentile or better. Walter has the stuff, it just remains to be seen if he will have a consistent opportunity in the Astros’ rotation.
Look under the PLV hood:
Luis Morales, 22, Athletics
Season Stats: 9 GS/48.1 IP/2.61 ERA/32.3% K%/8.6% BB%/0.91 WHIP
Weekly Stats: 1 GS/6.0 IP/0.00 ERA/36.8% K%/5.3% BB%/0.17 WHIP
If position players like Jac Caglianone and Christian Moore made the jump from Double-A to Triple-A look easy, then Luis Morales did the same for pitchers this week. Arguably the Athletics‘ top pitching prospect in 2025, Morales dominated at Double-A Midland this season and earned a call-up to Triple-A Las Vegas to face Sugar Land on May 24. The results? A dazzling debut that set a high bar for the Cuban right-hander.
Signed for $3 million during the 2023 international signing period, Morales came into the A’s system with a reputation for electric stuff but shaky control. His raw talent gave him a front-line starter ceiling—and a bullpen floor if command never materialized. But in his Triple-A debut, he looked every bit the starter the organization hoped for.
Morales fired six no-hit innings on the road, striking out seven Sugar Land batters. The broadcast practically became a broken record with the phrase “swing and a miss,” as every punchout came via a whiff.
The control concerns weren’t entirely absent, especially with his four-seam fastball against left-handed hitters. Still, he managed to stay in the zone at a solid clip. As Kyle Bland highlighted, Morales consistently dotted his slider, making it a lethal weapon in pitcher-friendly counts. His curveball impressed the most, boasting sharp 2-to-8 movement and excellent command. Both breaking balls work off his fastball, and on this night, the combination was deadly.
This is just the first step for Morales, but the Athletics have to like what they saw in his debut. He still seems on track for a 2026 MLB debut, but if he continues to deliver performances like this, he may force the big-league club’s hand sooner than expected.
Look under the PLV hood:
Weekly Four-Seam Standouts
This section could be a combination of Bubba Chandler (148 on May 24), Jacob Misiorowski (148 on May 20), or Andrew Painter (120 on May 21), week in and week out. Those pitchers are among the cream of the prospect crop, and their fastballs are a large part of their success. Instead of honing in on the player’s managers many already know, here are some other above-average offerings and what makes them worth noting.
Tobias Myers, 26, Milwaukee Brewers
Weekly Four-Seam Grade: 114 Fan 4+ on May 23, 2025, start
MiLB Season Stats: 4 GS/18.1 IP/2.45 ERA/17.9% K%/7.7% BB%/1.25 WHIP
The Brewers boast a nearly laughable depth of MLB-ready pitching prospects, and one of the most underrated from last season was right-hander Tobias Myers. In 2024, Myers was excellent, starting 25 games with a 2.45 ERA and 2.2 fWAR. Expectations were high heading into 2025, but the 26-year-old’s season got off to a rocky start with a left oblique strain. Since then, he hasn’t quite looked like his 2024 self, either at Triple-A or in MLB stints.
One of the key issues for Myers this season has been the decreased effectiveness of his four-seam fastball. That pitch, while never overpowering—averaging 92.9 mph last season—played up thanks to pinpoint location and strong movement. Encouragingly, his May 23 start suggested the fastball might be regaining form. Myers allowed just two earned runs over five innings and notched a season-high six strikeouts.
His Fan4+ score from that outing was buoyed by above-average extension and HAVAA, but the real standout was his 19.7 inches of induced vertical break (iVB) on the fastball—the best mark among Triple-A pitchers that day and well above his MLB career average. While it’s not a career-defining turnaround, any sign of improvement for Myers is a step in the right direction. It suggests he’s getting healthier and inching back toward his strong 2024 form.
Ovis Portes, 20, Cincinnati Reds
Weekly Four-Seam Grade: 119 Fan4+ in May 22, 2025, start
Season Stats: 7 G (4 GS)/17.1 IP/5.19 ERA/22.6% K%/20.2% BB%/1.79 WHIP
The game-level results this season have been rough for right-handed pitcher Ovis Portes. The Antigua native remains a raw prospect from an area not typically known for producing MLB talent. His right arm packs plenty of power, comfortably sitting in the mid-to-high 90s in his second affiliated season. But his control is still a work in progress, often overshadowing the positives of his lively four-seam fastball.
That’s what made his May 22 outing so encouraging.
Portes’ Fan4+ score led all registered Low-A pitchers that day, and his command was among the level’s best. Like Tobias Myers, Portes’ iVB fueled his success—he logged an impressive 19.3 inches of iVB on 20 pitches. The outing itself wasn’t flawless—Portes threw two innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits—but at this stage, flashes of elite traits are what make a prospect worth watching.
Lazaro Estrada, 26, Toronto Blue Jays
Weekly Four-Seam Grade: 105 Fan4+ in May 14, 2025, start
Season Stats: 7 G (6 GS)/24.0IP/6.00 ERA/25.2% K%/2.8% BB%/1.42 WHIP
Is this the iVB Club this week? It certainly seems that way, because induced vertical break was the standout trait in right-handed pitcher Lazaro Estrada’s May 21 outing. The Cuban hurler is a late bloomer in the Toronto farm system, having started last season in Low-A and now pitching for Triple-A Buffalo. His overall game-level results have been inconsistent, mirroring the ups and downs of his development path. But with a wicked curveball and a solid slider, fine-tuning his four-seam fastball might be the final piece of the puzzle.
In his latest start, Estrada showcased a more polished fastball, filling up the strike zone and leading all Triple-A pitchers that day with 19.4 inches of iVB on 31 four-seamers. The opposition still managed five hits and a home run across his four innings, but Estrada has quietly put together a strong month of May. He’s posted a 1.93 ERA over four starts, striking out 17 batters while issuing just five walks.
Estrada may not project as a front-line starter in Toronto, but he’s positioning himself to earn a spot in the rotation—either this season or next—if the opportunity arises.
Welcome to the Bigs
Pitchers that made their MLB debuts this past week:
Carlos Duran, 23, Athletics
