We are getting our first look at baseball that finally has some meaning this year. Not only that, but we are also getting a look at players making their major league debuts. Some of you will probably know (Luis Robert and Evan White), but some players make their debut to a lot less fanfare. I’ll be coming at you each week with a small write up on each player making their MLB debut during the past week. There will also be an updated spreadsheet that can be accessed at the bottom of the article which will be updated each week.
Here are the debuts from August 10th and August 16th:
Ali Sánchez (C, New York Mets)
Age: 23
Role: Backup Catcher
Sánchez has been in the New York Mets system since signing with the team during the 2013 J2 signing period. He is more of a glove over bat catcher as he has been just below a league average hitter the past couple of seasons. He was added to the taxi squad and should fill in from time to time when Wilson Ramos or Tomás Nido need a breather when the team is on the road.
Jeremy Beasley (RP, Arizona Diamondbacks)
Age: 24
Role: Bullpen Arm
Jeremy Beasley was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the 30th round of the 2017 amateur draft, so it is a feel good story that he made it to the major leagues. He made it up to Triple-A with the Angels before being traded to the Diamondbacks in the Matt Andrese deal this past winter. He made his debut this week and struck out one of the three batters he faced before coming out of the game. After the game he was placed on the IL with a shoulder strain. Hopefully, the strain is nothing serious and he can return to the game later this year or next year.
Alec Bohm (3B, Philadelphia Phillies)
Age: 24
Role: Full-Time Starter
Alec Bohm (pronounced like home) was a third overall pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2018 and has an above-average hit and power combination. He split his time between High-A and Double-A last year and showcased his power and patient approach. With Scott Kingery on the struggle bus this season, the Phillies had to call up the top prospect as their lineup needed a jolt. He is playing third base, for now, but defense is not his strong suit. He should move over to first or DH, but that might be in a couple of years.
Connor Brogdon (RP, Philadelphia Phillies)
Age: 25
Role: Bullpen Arm
Connor Brogdon was a tenth round draft pick of the Philadelphia Phillies in 2017. He quickly moved up the ranks by posting 230 strikeouts in 180 innings with a career 2.50 ERA. His fastball reaches the upper-nineties with a plus circle-changeup. The Phillies bullpen needed help and Brogdon should play a key role for the team moving forward.
Kyle Hart (SP, Boston Red Sox)
Age: 27
Role: Full-Time Starter/Bullpen Arm
The Red Sox finally gave up on the Ryan Weber experience and Kyle Hart made his debut against the Tampa Bay Rays this week. Hart was a 19th round draft pick and slowly made his way up the Red Sox system. He split his time between Double-A and Triple-A last year and from an ERA perspective pitched well. Hart does not have overpowering stuff, but has been able to limit the hard contact. Unfortunately, his first start did not go so well, but he should get a few more starts this year as the Red Sox rotation and bullpen are filled with guys like this.
Jorge Mateo (IF/OF, San Diego Padres)
Age: 25
Role: Bench Bat
Jorge Mateo was an original signee of the New York Yankees and spent five years with the team before he was traded to the Oakland Athletics, along with James Kaprielian who will be discussed later, in the Sonny Gray deal. He spent three years with the A’s moving from Double-A to Triple-A. He struggled in his first stint in Triple-A, but rebounded last year with a .289 AVG, 19 home runs, and 24 stolen bases. He was traded to the San Diego Padres at the begininng of Summer Camp for a player to be named later when the A’s found themselves in a forty man roster crunch. Mateo brings 80 grade speed but average to below average in all the other tools. Hopefully he can stick with the Padres, but he has only made it into five games so far and the Padres’ lineup is a tough one to crack.
Seth Romero (RP, Washington Nationals)
Age: 24
Role: Bullpen Arm
This promotion was the most surprising one of the week for me. Seth Romero was drafted by the Washington Nationals in the 25th overall pick of the 2017 draft. Based on talent, he should have been selected higher, but makeup issues during his final year at Houston pushed him down many draft boards. Those character issues came up again when Romero was sent home during Spring Training in 2018 for violating team policy. He was assigned to Class A and made seven starts before having to undergo TJS, which casued him to miss the entire 2018 season. To see someone who has only has 47.1 professional innings and has not pitched above A ball make his major league debut was stunning. Romero has the talent to be a great reliever and I hope his other issues are behind him, but he might be the first National reliever to be demoted when Sean Doolittle returns from the IL.
Keegan Akin (RP, Baltimore Orioles)
Age: 25
Role: Bullpen Arm
Keegan Akin was a second-round draft pick of the Baltimore Orioles in 2016 and has primarily worked as a starter during his time in the minors. However, there is not an opening in the Orioles rotation (wait, what?) so Akin made his debut out of the bullpen this past week. He has a three pitch mix, a low to mid-nineties fastball and high seventies to low eighties slider and changeup. Akin has been able to get strikeouts in the minor leagues, but has struggled with command. If he is able to harness that, he could be a back of the rotation starter, but is probably destined to be a long-man in the Orioles bullpen.
Dakota Bacus (RP, Washington Nationals)
Age: 29
Role: Bullpen Arm
Dakota Bacus was a ninth round draft pick of the Oakland Athletics in 2012, but has spent most of his professional career with the Washington Nationals. He was traded for Kurt Suzuki in 2013 and now they are on the same team. Bacus is a groundball machine with his sinker and slider combination. He should be able to stick with the big club this year and will be a go-to guy whenever the team needs a groundball out.
Luis García (2B, Washington Nationals)
Age: 20
Role: Full-Time Starter
When Starlin Castro broke his wrist this past week, the Nationals called upon their young second base prospect, Luis García, to help fill the gap and boy did he. He became the first player born in the 2000s to hit a home run and is hitting .353 over his first four games. He has been an above-average hitter at every stop until he reached Double-A last year. However, the Nationals were super aggressive with the promotion, and was the youngest player in the league by far. With Castro out, most likely for the rest of the season, García should receive everyday at bats, and hit near sixth or seventh in the batting order.
Brandon Waddell (RP, Pittsburgh Pirates)
Age: 26
Role: Bullpen Arm
The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Brandon Waddell in the fifth round of the 2015 amateur draft. He was a starter for most of his professional career until the Pirates moved him to the bullpen last year. Waddell has a sinker/slider and throws a bunch of strikes. Because of his history as a starter, he will probably throw a couple of innings during each appearance. The Pirates’ bullpen needs all the help it can get so Waddell should remain with the club for the rest of the season.
Dylan Carlson (OF, St Louis Cardinals)
Age: 21
Role: Full-Time Starter
Dylan Carlson was a first round draft pick by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2016 and quietly become one of baseball’s top prospects. He spent last year between Double-A and Triple-A and showcased all five tools. While there is not one outstanding tool, Carlson is above-average in hit, power, and speed and should showcase them all in the outfield this year. So far, he has split his time between center field and left field and played in every game for the Cardinals so far. Once he hits his stride, he should settle in as a number two hitter.
Lewin Díaz (1B, Miami Marlins)
Age: 23
Role: Full-Time Starter
Lewin Díaz was signed by the Minnesota Twins in 2014 and made it up to High-A before he was traded to the Miami Marlins in the Sergio Romo trade last year. Don’t overlook him because he is a first base prospect as Díaz brings an above-average hit and power to the game. He was killing Double-A before the trade and struggled a bit after, but Díaz is going to be the Marlins first baseman of the future. In his first start, he was hitting cleanup, but optioned back to the Alternate Site after a few more veteran Marlins returned from the COVID IL.
Max Schrock (2B, St. Louis Cardinals)
Age: 25
Role: Bench Bat
Max Schrock was a 13th round draft pick of the Nationals and has been part of two big-time trades since then. He went over to Oakland, along with Jesus Luzardo in the Sean Doolittle trade, and then made his way to St. Louis in the Stephen Piscotty trade. Since the trade, Schrock has struggled, especially with strikeouts and pulled groundballs. With the Cardinals return to play after their COVID-19 outbreak, Schrock was added to the roster as a bench bat. He has played in three games so far and hit his first major league home run, which was pretty cool. That being said, Schrock profiles as a great bench bat for years to come.
Jake Woodford (SP, St. Louis Cardinals)
Age: 23
Role: Full-Time Starter/Bullpen Arm
The St. Louis Cardinals selected Jake Woodford with the 39th overall pick in the 2015 amateur draft. He has been a starter throughout his professional career, his walks have been increasing at each level. He has four pitches (four-seam, slider, cutter, and changeup) and saw his velocity tick back up last year. I’m not sure if he will see a start for the Red Birds this season, but will fill in in a multi-inning role while the Cardinals still have players on the COVID-19 IL.
Wes Benjamin (RP, Texas Rangers)
Age: 27
Role: Bullpen Arm
Wes Benjamin was a fifth round draft pick of the Texas Rangers in 2014 but did not pitch until 2016, except for one inning in 2015, due to injuries. Since returning, he has consistently thrown more than 100 innings each year. He made it up to Triple-A last year and was pitching well in Spring Training before the shutdown. While he has primarly been a starter in the minor leagues, he should fill the role of the long man for the Rangers.
Seth Elledge (RP, St. Louis Cardinals)
Age: 24
Role: Bullpen Arm
The Seattle Mariners selected Seth Elledge in the fourth round of the 2017 draft and was quickly traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for Sam Tuivailala. Elledge spent last year between Double-A and Triple-A, but saw he strikeout dip a bit when he moved up a level. The Cardinals are missing a bunch of pitchers due to the COVID outbreak, so Elledge got the call. Elledge is a fastball/curveball guy that should pitch the middle innings.
James Kaprielian (RP, Oakland Athletics)
Age: 26
Role: Bullpen Arm
James Kapreielian was a first round pick of the New York Yankees in 2015, but has struggled to stay on the mound due to many elbow injuries. As mentioned before, Kaprielian was traded to the Oakland Athletics in the Sonny Gray trade. Again, he struggled with injuries last year, but pitched a career high 68 innings last year between High-A and Triple-A. When on the mound, he has a plus slider and above-average curveball and fastball. If, and that is a big if, he can stay healthy, he could still be a starter but for the time being, he will pitch in middle relief.
John Nogowski (1B, St. Louis Cardinals)
Age: 27
Role: Bench Bat
It is always a feel-good story when a 34th rond draft pick makes his major league debut. John Nogowski was the 1032nd pick in the 2014 draft and spent most of his minor league career with the Oakland Athletics. He is a pretty interesting hitter as he had a 11.7 K% and a 14.9 BB% in 117 games at Triple-A last season and has always had good bat-to-ball skills. He should get into a game here and there at first base, especially with all of the doubleheaders in the Cardinals future.
Roel Ramirez (RP, St. Louis Cardinals)
Age: 25
Role: Bullpen Arm
Roel Ramirez was an eigith round selection of the Tampa Bay Rays in 2013, and made it up to Double-A before being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in the Tommy Pham trade. He spent most of his season in Double-A before getting the call to Triple-A late in the season. He has an average fastball and slider and should fill in middle relief.
Keibert Ruiz (C, Los Angles Dodgers)
Age: 22
Role: Backup Catcher
It is always cool when someone hits a home run in their first at-bat. Tyler Stephenson did it earlier this year for the Cinncinati Reds and now we can add Keibert Ruiz to that list. It must be something about catchers. Ruiz has been a top prospect in the Dodgers organization since he was signed back in 2014. He was an above-average hitter for most of his career until he reached Double-A in 2018, and it looked like Will Smith passed him by as the catcher of the future. He planned on making a swing change in spring, but had to shut things down when he was diagnosed with COVID. While Smith is on the IL with a neck strain, he should get 50% of the playing time behind the dish.
Want to see all the players who have made their debut this year? Check out this spreadsheet!
Photo by Stephen Hopson/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@freshmeatcomm on Twitter)