Prospect Promotions: 4/15-4/21

We’re back here at Pitcher List to detail every prospect promotion in 2022. That’s right, every Friday we will have to update you with every call-up from the week leading up. That’s every prospect, every Friday, all season long.

Our first week was filled with a number of the game’s top prospects getting the call. Now that we are into the second week of MLB action, we are seeing a lot of prospects coming up to fill in for an injury or for added depth.

 

April 15

 

Joe Perez, 3B, HOU – Perez got the call to provide some temporary hitting depth for the Astros. He hit well across three levels in 2021, but has never seen a pitch in Triple-A, so there is still considerable time before Perez gets a real MLB opportunity.

Nick Plummer, OF, NYM – Lefty bat outfielder with a patient approach. Hasn’t played much above Double-A but his ability to draw a walk could help him carve out a big-league role down the road, even if it’s as a bench bat. This was a depth promotion though and Plummer has already been sent back to Triple-A.

MacKenzie Gore, P, SD – Ok, so Gore technically got the call on the 14th but he made his MLB debut on the 15th and he’s the most notable name in this week’s series. Following the promotion, Gore made two starts, throwing 10.1 innings, allowing two runs while striking out 10. He’s looked more like the Gore that was promised to us a few seasons back and less like the arm that raised so many concerns across the last year or two. Mike Clevinger and Blake Snell will be returning from the IL in the near future, so there is a chance Gore returns to Triple-A. but another quality performance or two may force the Padres’ hand.

Zach Logue, P, OAK – Logue came to Oakland in the Matt Chapman deal this winter. He had a nice 2021, mostly at Triple-A, and with Oakland not looking to be competitive in 2022 should eat up some innings for the big league team, even if it’s in low-leverage relief.

Drew Jackson, INF, OAK – Jackson is a speedster with the ability to draw a walk, but limited power and bat-to-ball skills. He’s a bench utility type.

Ryan Castellani, OAK – Castellani is a relief-only arm who up until 2022 spent his career with the Rockies organization. He’s posted high walk rates in the upper minors and is a low-relief option in the bigs.

Donovan Casey, OF, WAS – Casey was one of the prospects the Nationals received in the Trea Turner/Max Scherzer deal in 2021, though he wasn’t one of the headliners. His minor league career has been wildly inconsistent, but he does offer some power and speed.

 

April 16

 

Daniel Duarte, P, CIN – Duarte is a relief-only arm and made an MLB appearance following this call-up, but has since hit the IL with elbow swelling.

Parker Mushinksi, P, HOU – Muchinski had a nice 2021, posting a strikeout rate of around 30% across Double-A and Triple-A. He split time as a starter and a reliever last year, but it looks like he is turning into a relief-only lefty, but he could be a good one.

 

April 17

 

Marcos Diplán, P, BAL – Diplán transitioned from a starter to a relief-only arm in recent seasons. He’s posted double-digit walk rates at almost every level of the minors, so it would be surprising to see him have a ton of success in the majors.

Alejo Lopez, INF, CIN – Lopez has minimal power but offers a good approach at the plate. Unfortunately, he’s not much of a base stealer either, so he profiles more as a bench utility type with limited upside.

Colton Welker, 3B, COL – Welker is a hit-over-power bat for the Rockies who had some helium a few seasons ago but whose stock has dipped in recent years. He missed a good chunk of the 2021 season and struggled at the MLB level in his brief opportunity, but he’s still just 24. He didn’t make it into a game with this promotion and has since been optioned back to Triple-A.

Paul Campbell, P, MIA – Campbell appeared in 26.2 frames for the Marlins in 2021, posting a 6.41 ERA but a 4.75 xFIP. He’s struggled in Triple-A thus far, allowing 10 runs in in eight innings, so he’s a depth option for Miami.

 

April 18

 

Connor Wong, C, BOS – Wong offers some pop but also strikes out at a fairly high clip. He’s a backup backstop that will be up and down as needed throughout the season.

Kenny Rosenberg, P, LAA – It was only 30.2 innings, but Rosenberg had a nice Triple-A campaign in 2021, posting a K-BB rate of 26%. He’s a lefty-only relief arm and has already been sent back down.

Nick Allen, INF, OAK – This promotion led to Allen’s MLB debut. He’s only 23 and his speed and slick fielding should at least give him a shot to provide some value at the big-league level. He doesn’t have much power.

Christian Lopes, OF, OAK – If it hasn’t become clear, Oakland is going to rotate a lot of prospects in and out of their lineup this year to see what sticks. At 29, Lopes is on the older end of that spectrum but he offers a patient approach with average power and speed.

 

April 19

 

Tyler Gilbert, P, ARI – Gilbert got the call as the 29th man for a doubleheader and was effective, allowing one run on three hits while striking out three in 5.2 innings. He’s close to exceeding his prospect eligibility and has shown he can be used as a backend starter or innings for the Diamondbacks, now sitting with a career 2.96 ERA in 45.2 MLB innings.

Dylan Lee, P, ATL – Lee is a relief-only arm but he had a really nice 2021, posting a 1.54 ERA and a 27.4% KK-B walk rate in 46.2 Triple-A innings. He could work his way into a permanent job with Atlanta, though the big-league club does have a number of reliable arms in the bullpen already.

Tyler Danish, P, BOS – Well hot dang, Danish did well in his call-up. The 27-year-old tossed two innings of relief, walking one and striking out five. He’s a relief-only arm but has shown an improved ability to strike hitters out in recent years.

Ronaldo Hernández, C, BOS – Hernandez is more of a backup catcher profile for 2022 who will likely be up and down throughout the season as needed, but his bat has performed at multiple levels in the minors and he could up as a regular in future seasons.

Yunior Marte, P, SFG – Marte is a relief-only arm that had a nice 2021 in Triple-A, finishing with a 3.49 ERA and a strikeout rate just under 25%.

Francisco Perez, P, WSN – Perez is a relief prospect that came over from the Cleveland organization. He’s flashed some strikeout potential in the past but really struggled with walks in 2021.

 

April 20

 

Mark Kolozsvary, C, CIN – Kolozsvary is a defense-first backup backstop profile.

Gabriel Arias, SS, CLE – Arias is a Top 100 prospect who had success as a 21-year-old at Triple-A, posting a 115 wRC+ to go with an improving walk rate. There is concern that he may be exposed by MLB pitching, but it’s encouraging that he was able to produce at the highest minor league level despite being so young. He got the call here as the 29th man for a doubleheader and went 1-for-8 with three strikeouts. This is likely a temporary call-up.

Kirk McCarty, P, CLE – McCarty is a starting pitching prospect but has struggled at preventing runs from crossing the plate in recent seasons, recording an ERA north of five in both 2019 and 2021.

Tanner Tully, P, CLE – Tully had a nice 2021, posting a 3.50 ERA in 113 innings, mostly as a starter. His WHIP was 1.37, though. He’s likely a low-leverage arm for the time being.

Angel De Jesus, P, DET – De Jesus is a reliever with good strikeout ability but saw his walk rate spike when he got to Triple-A.

J.J. Matijevic, OF, HOU – Matijevic would be interesting from a fantasy perspective if he were on a different team, but the Astros depth is going to prevent him from seeing the field regularly. The outfielder belted 25 home runs and stole six bags in 109 games across Double-A and Triple-A in 2021, and already has four of each in Triple-A in 2022. Historically he does have strikeout rates in the upper-20s, which could certainly balloon in the majors, but he’s an interesting under-the-radar bat.

Mickey McDonald, OF, OAK – McDonald is a contact-oriented outfielder and an effective base stealer. In 2021, he was 18 for 18 on stolen base attempts across 106 Double-A and Triple-A games and he’s already 3 for 3 in 2022. His offense took a step forward last season, too, which makes him somewhat intriguing despite a complete lack of pop.

Penn Murfee, P, SEA – Murfee is a relief arm that has a career ERA just north of four in the minors. He’s had some issues with walks in the minors and is likely slated for low-leverage work.

 

April 21

 

Ronald Bolaños, KC, P – Bolanos is a pitching prospect and although he has spent most of his career as a starter it’s more likely he’s a reliever in the majors. He’s posted high walk rates in the upper minors.

Photo by Erik Drost/Flickr | Adapted by Ethan Kaplan (@DJFreddie10 on Twitter and @EthanMKaplanImages on Instagram)