Graduated from Stash List Volume 5: James Wood If You Could: James Wood, Shane Baz, Brooks Lee
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.Â
1. Rays 3B Junior Caminero | 20 | IL
Strained his quad in late May and was expected to miss four-to-six weeks. Tampa is 4.5 games out of the final wild card spot as of Saturday morning and already sold Aaron Civale, but that was about opening a spot for Baz as much as anything else.
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2. Orioles 3B Coby Mayo | 22 | AAA
Feels like it will take an injury or even multiple injuries to get Mayo to Baltimore.
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3. Diamondbacks 3B Deyvison De Los Santos | 21 | AAAÂ
Eugenio Suarez continues to slump. Kinda feels like the dentist would be up already if Arizona thought he could hang at the hot corner, but the club already stated they’d play Blake Alexander at third base before sending Alexander back to the minors, so they’re clearly considering their options. In 40 Triple-A games, DDLS is slashing .304/.347/.627 with 12 home runs.
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4. Cubs C Moises Ballesteros | 20 | AAAÂ
Tomas Nido and Miguel Amaya are sharing the job, but neither is hitting. Amaya has a wRC+ of 46 and Nido is at 63. Ballesteros has played just 14 games in Triple-A, but he’s slashing .333/.367/.474 as the three hitter playing catcher. The Cubs are six games out of the last wildcard spot and might prefer to leave him in the minors, but it doesn’t make sense to give up so many outs in the lineup each night when your best Triple-A hitter is right there playing the same position, even if promoting him would invite a step backward on defense.
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5. Tigers RHP Jackson Jobe | 21 | AAÂ
At 8.5 games out of the final wild card spot, Detroit is nearing the tank zone. Jobe is ready for Triple-A and probably the majors, but I’m skeptical that we’ll see him before September. He allowed one run and recorded eight strikeouts in five innings Friday night during his first Double-A start since May 1.
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6. Tigers 3B Jace Jung | 23 | AAA
Homered Saturday in a rehab game and should be back in Triple-A by Monday.
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7. Yankees OF Jasson Dominguez | 21 | ILÂ
Injured on June 19 with an oblique issue. Will reportedly miss six-to-eight weeks.
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8. Diamondbacks RHP Yilber Diaz | 23 | AAAÂ
Will reportedly be recalled to start Monday’s game at home against Atlanta. Not an ideal situation for a first day on the job, but if Diaz can hang around in the rotation afterward, he’s got the strikeout stuff to warrant some spot starts as he settles in. After the news of his imminent promotion broke, Diaz got traded in the Razz 30 along with Cubs RHP Ben Brown and Guardians 1B CJ Kayfus in exchange for Giants OF Heliot Ramos and Astros utility man Mauricio Dubon. Very well-timed trade by the team acquiring Ramos.
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9. Dodgers LHP Justin Wrobleski | 23 | AAA
Will reportedly be recalled to start today’s game at home against Milwaukee. He’s the only lefty option the club has while Clayton Kershaw remains sidelined, so I think he’ll be back up before long even if they send him down next week. He recorded a 1.03 WHIP in 13 Double-A starts before logging a 1.35 across a couple turns in Triple-A. He has the command and stuff to succeed when he’s in rhythm.
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10. Braves SS Nacho Alvarez Jr. | 21 | AAAÂ
The front office has given Orlando Arcia a vote of confidence, but he’s posting a 59 wRC+ and a .245 on base percentage right now, so it’s at least feasible to consider what the lineup might look like with Nacho Alvarez Jr. at shortstop. In 19 Triple-A games, Alvarez is slashing .354/.430/.598 with five home runs and three stolen bases, good for a 162 wRC+. He’s always had great plate skills, but the power is pretty new.
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11. Padres OF Tirso Ornelas | 24 | AAAÂ
Even with David Peralta starting in the outfield, the Padres are hot, winning eight of their last ten games and building a cushion into their playoff odds. Donovan Solano has hit well as the Designated Hitter, and 2B Xander Bogaerts is on the way back, so there’s a path to an improved lineup that doesn’t involve a big trade by AJ Preller. To me, it makes sense to get Ornelas up and see if he can jump right into a contending lineup. If he looks totally lost for a couple weeks, you know more than you did in trying to plan a postseason run.
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12. Athletics SS Jacob Wilson | 22 | AAAÂ
The sixth overall pick in 2023, Wilson already has nothing left to prove in the minors. Oakland will have to dance the idiot dance of extreme tanking if they want to leave Wilson on an island in Triple-A. His ranking here represents me feeling like they’re pretty accustomed to doing that dance, but they haven’t had anyone really push for quick promotion like this in a while, so perhaps there’s room for optimism.
Thanks for reading!Â
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