Graduated From Stash List Volume 3: Ben Rice Is Boiling: Ben Rice, Orelvis Martinez
Jackson Holliday is not on this list. One of the few rules I’ve implemented here is that once you’re a big leaguer in the current season, you’re off the list. Holliday cashed those major league game checks, so he won’t be represented here. Neither will Tyler Black even though I’m writing this part on a Friday and thinking about his namesake Rebecca.
1. Nationals OF James Wood | 21 | AAA
Washington is 0.5 games out of the wild card race. Wood returned from his hamstring injury and went 0-for-2 with a walk on Tuesday. Once he’s in rhythm, I think he’s coming up.
2. Guardians 1B Jhonkensy Noel | 22 | AAA
Another day, another couple of homers for Noel, who popped a pair in Tuesday night’s game to bring his league-leading total to 17. He’s hitting .456 over his last 16 games and pounding on the door to Cleveland. Kyle Manzardo has been sent back to Triple-A. Noel is already on the 40-man roster.
3. Tigers 3B Jace Jung | 23 | AAA
Slashing .306/.493/.592 with 18 walks, six strikeouts and three home runs in 15 June games. Can’t do much better than getting on base half the time and walking three times as often as you strike out. Nothing left to prove at this level.
4. Rays RHP Shane Baz | 25 | AAA
Recorded eight strikeouts and allowed one run across six innings on June 14. Turned 25 on June 17. I’m thinking this next time out should be his last start in Triple-A if all goes well.
5. Yankees OF Jasson Dominguez | 21 | IL
Injured again with an oblique issue. Been a tricky trajectory from Mars to your rotisserie rosters.
6. Rays 3B Junior Caminero | 20 | IL
Strained his quad in late May and will miss four-to-six weeks.
7. Orioles 3B Coby Mayo | 22 | AAA
Fractured a rib in mid May. Had a multi-homer game in his High-A rehab stint. Returned to Triple-A on Tuesday. Mayo is not on the club’s 40-man roster, and on a team as loaded as this one, that matters a little more than it might in some spots. Even if Baltimore makes room (probably via 60-day IL) to call him up someday soon, recent history suggests they could send him back down a week later. It’s a tough team for a new guy to crack. Connor Norby would reportedly get the first chance to fill in for Jordan Westburg, but it feels like Mayo would be next if Norby doesn’t make it happen.
8. Tigers RHP Jackson Jobe | 21 | AA IL
Injured his hamstring on May 1. Had his first rehab start in High-A on Tuesday night. Just two innings, but nice to see nonetheless.
9. Twins RHP David Festa | 24 | AAA
The command has arrived fashionably late to the party, but it’s here now and the place is popping. Over his last six starts, Festa has an elite 27.7 percent strikeout-minus-walk rate along with a 3.30 ERA and 1.10 WHIP. Minnesota is not messing around when it comes to toggling their major league roster this season. Festa is one of their five best starters. He’s probably not among their five most consistent, but his stuff is worthy of a playoff start.
10. Marlins OF Griffin Conine | 26 | AAA
Slashing .396/.458/.755 with five home runs and a 20.3 percent strikeout rate in 15 June games. His 27.2 percent strikeout rate across 62 Triple-A games this season is his best K-rate since 2018 when he was in Low-A. He was at 38.8 percent just last season. If the contact gains can be sustained to some extent, Conine’s 80-grade power would be a welcome sight in Miami.
Thanks for reading!
And Happy Juneteenth!
