This article is part of our Minor League Barometer series.
The return of uber-prospect Shane Baz to the mound for the Rays may come as early as next week. He sparkled in his third rehab start at Triple-A Durham on Monday while fanning four over four scoreless innings. Baz is still building up arm strength following surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow in spring training and he tossed 56 pitches in this outing. The Rays may be ready to deploy him after another start as they begin their quest to catch the first-place Yankees.
Summer is nearly upon us. Let's take a look at some prospects who are heating up in this week's Minor League Barometer.
UPGRADE
Michael Harris, OF, ATL – Perhaps the biggest news from the prospect world over the weekend came in the form of the promotion of Harris directly from Double-A to the big club. Looking to spark a sluggish offense that is currently 12th in the National League in batting average, he got the call and promptly started three games in a row for the Braves. Though Harris has been held hitless the last two contests, it's apparent he'll receive consistent playing time moving forward, especially with Adam Duvall struggling.
Vinnie Pasquantino, 1B, KC – Pasquantino has been on fire of late batting .478 over the last seven days, buoyed by his 5-for-7 performance last Wednesday where he clubbed two home runs and drove in five. He's also hitting .319 with 11 home runs and 34 RBI in May. The Royals currently have a dead spot at first base
The return of uber-prospect Shane Baz to the mound for the Rays may come as early as next week. He sparkled in his third rehab start at Triple-A Durham on Monday while fanning four over four scoreless innings. Baz is still building up arm strength following surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow in spring training and he tossed 56 pitches in this outing. The Rays may be ready to deploy him after another start as they begin their quest to catch the first-place Yankees.
Summer is nearly upon us. Let's take a look at some prospects who are heating up in this week's Minor League Barometer.
UPGRADE
Michael Harris, OF, ATL – Perhaps the biggest news from the prospect world over the weekend came in the form of the promotion of Harris directly from Double-A to the big club. Looking to spark a sluggish offense that is currently 12th in the National League in batting average, he got the call and promptly started three games in a row for the Braves. Though Harris has been held hitless the last two contests, it's apparent he'll receive consistent playing time moving forward, especially with Adam Duvall struggling.
Vinnie Pasquantino, 1B, KC – Pasquantino has been on fire of late batting .478 over the last seven days, buoyed by his 5-for-7 performance last Wednesday where he clubbed two home runs and drove in five. He's also hitting .319 with 11 home runs and 34 RBI in May. The Royals currently have a dead spot at first base as Carlos Santana is batting well below the Mendoza Line. With the DH position also available, Pasquantino could soon get a shot in primetime.
Joey Wiemer, OF, MIL – Wiemer still doesn't get enough recognition despite his continued mastery of the minors. A breakout season in 2021 was not given appropriate due because of his age while in A-ball. Now 23 and at Double-A, Wiemer is still raking slashing .291/.365/.587 with 12 homers, 34 RBI and 12 steals. Even during a minor cold spell over the last week where he went .176, he's still flashing an intriguing power/speed combo.
Gordon Graceffo, P, STL – A fifth-round pick out of Villanova last year, Graceffo has found little resistance thus far during his brief tenure in the minors. He pitched largely out of the bullpen last season, but entered the starting rotation at High-A to begin 2022 and has posted a staggering 56:4 K:BB in 45.2 innings en route to a minuscule 0.99 ERA with opposing batters hitting just .170 against. That dominance resulted in a quick promotion to Double-A. Graceffo can hit 100 mph on the radar gun, but also uses a nasty slider and emerging changeup. He tossed a seven-inning complete game in his first start at Double-A where he allowed two runs while scattering six hits, punching out four batters and walking none. Needless to say, Graceffo's stock is rapidly rising.
CHECK STATUS
Reese Olson, P, DET – Originally drafted by the Brewers in 2018, Olson came over to the Tigers in the middle of last season in exchange for Daniel Norris. He got plenty of swings and misses last year, but also battled control problems walking 51 batters in 104.2 innings, mostly at High-A. Olson seems to have found his mechanics in 2022 with an impressive 62:9 K:BB in only 40 innings at Double-A. If this newfound command is legitimate, he could make some waves.
Emerson Hancock, P, SEA – Hancock hasn't been able to stay on the field much since being drafted in 2020. He was limited to 44.2 innings last season and was ultimately shut down due to a shoulder issue. That ailment flared up again to start this year, with Hancock only recently getting back on the mound for live action. He lasted 1.1 innings in his season debut on May 17, then went only 2.2 five days later. To his credit, Hancock's most recent outing went well as he only gave up one hit over four scoreless innings while striking out four batters and walking none. The Mariners are clearly being careful with the sixth overall selection from 2020 turning 23 this week and barely pitching above A-ball. Meanwhile, 2019 first-rounder George Kirby is already in the bigs. It's safe to say Hancock's first couple of professional seasons have not gone according to plan, though he still offers sufficient upside.
Alex Ramirez, OF, NYM – Ramirez has become one of the more talked about teenagers in the minors. He turned 19 this offseason, but is batting .324/.360/.480 with three home runs, 23 RBI and five steals across 41 games at Low-A. With 76 contests under his belt at this level last year, expect a bump up to High-A for Ramirez shortly. He boasts above-average speed and the ability to fill out and hit homers, but he's still raw in both areas. Perhaps the most surprising development is Ramirez's batting average considering his hit tool was supposed to be his biggest question mark. He remains more potential than anything else at this point, but he'll vault up the prospect charts if his improved contact skills are for real.
Josh Smith, 2B/3B, TEX – Keep an eye on Smith, the 24-year-old prospect who recorded three hits in his big league debut Sunday. He has s a superb command of the strike zone and slashed .273/.382/.422 in 40 games at Triple-A prior to the promotion. Smith collected 13 home runs and 26 steals in 78 games last year between the Rangers and Yankees organizations, so he does have some of the statistics valued by those in the fantasy community. While his hit tool is still considered his best asset, he offers enough speed and power to contribute with enough playing time. Smith should play all over the diamond for the Rangers, as long as he continues to hit.
DOWNGRADE
Trey Sweeney, SS, NYY – Sweeney has endured a slow start to 2022 slashing just .183/.267/.342 at High-A while fanning 40 times in just 29 games after missing time due to a minor lower body injury. He does have four home runs and four steals, but his best asset was supposed to be his plate discipline and that's been severely lacking so far this season. The sample size is small and Sweeney came from a smaller school (Eastern Illinois), so perhaps some initial struggles weren't entirely unexpected. He'll also be forced eventually to move off of shortstop. Sweeney gets a small downgrade for his sluggish start, but he still has enough time to right the ship.
Tanner Burns, P, CLE – Burns has missed nearly a month due to a shoulder strain, an unfortunate development given his standout start to the campaign where he posted a 1.69 ERA and 27:11 K:BB in 21.1 innings at Double-A. He suffered elbow soreness last summer and shoulder issues stretching back to 2019. The ability to stay healthy and prove he can handle a starter's workload may end up being the biggest impediments for Burns, who's already 23.
