Minor League Barometer: Risers & Fallers

This week, we won't tackle the sticky situation with sweat and rosin nor will we discuss whether there is a need for a universal baseball. Instead, the focus will remain on prospects making their way through their respective farm systems. Here are a few tidbits before getting into the heart of the article.

•  Jorbit Vivas was signed at 16 out of Venezuela by the Dodgers. He enjoyed a breakout 2021, only to suffer from a mediocre 2022.  To start this season, Vivas has slashed .400/.486/.800 with four home runs, 12 RBI and two stolen bases through 15 games at Double-A Tulsa.
•  A teammate of Vivas is also making waves, only this time on the mound. 23-year-old Emmet Sheehan has produced an absurd 29:4 K:BB in only 15.2 innings for the Drillers while opposing batters are hitting .145 against. He also boasts an elite fastball/changeup combination.
• Another phenom off to an outrageous start is Sterlin Thompson, a compensatory pick of the Rockies in last year's draft. Already at High-A, the polished Florida product is hitting .477/.519/.682 with one homer, nine RBI and four steals through 12 contests.
• Christian Encarnacion-Strand was cleared to return from a back injury suffered at the end of March, and went 2-for-5 in his season debut at Triple-A on Sunday. He clubbed 32 homers last year and could see the big leagues for the Reds sometime this season.                         
• Wunderkind Elly De La Cruz is also off the IL at Triple-A, but has only gone 1-for-13 with seven strikeouts since returning

Let's take a more in-depth look at some other prospects in this week's edition of the Minor League Barometer.

UPGRADE

Junior Caminero, 3B, TB – Though Caminero has cooled off the last three or four games, he's still been hot at High-A slashing .373/.429/.647 with four home runs, 14 RBI and one steal across 12 games. He's physically mature at 19, and it shows by hitting the ball extremely hard. Add in superb bat speed, and it's easy to see why Caminero has the explosiveness that makes scouts salivate. There's likely to be some regression, but he could get to Double-A by the summer.

Gavin Stone, P, LAD – Stone has been rumored for a possible spot start this week for the big club, and his last appearance only helped. After a bit of a rough beginning at Triple-A, he rebounded with a stellar outing Saturday hurling 4.2 shutout innings while scattering two hits, two walks and striking out seven. One of the premier pitching prospects, Stone offers a four-pitch arsenal with his K offerings being his mid-90's heater and a sinker with run. Even if he doesn't play for LA this week, his MLB debut should come soon.

AJ Smith-Shawver, P, ATL – Smith-Shawver has recorded two stupendous starts at High-A.  A 7th round pick in the 2021 draft, he's fanned 17 from just nine innings across two outings. The strikeout potential has always been evident for the 6-3 righty, who punched out 103 batters in only 68.2 innings a season ago at Low-A. Smith-Shawver also walked 39 over that span and that contributed to a fairly bloated 5.11 ERA, though he's only given three free passes so far. With better control, he could shoot up the prospect rankings.

Jackson Holliday, SS, BAL – Holliday is showing exactly why he was the top pick in last year's draft. Through 13 games at Low-A, he's slashing a robust .392/.523/.667 with two home runs, 15 RBI and three steals with more walks (14) than strikeouts (12). Despite coming straight out of high school, Holliday appears advanced beyond his years, likely due to his genetics and the fact he trained with the likes of Nolan Arenado during the offseason. The O's carry a lot of middle-infield prospects in the system, but he's the crown jewel and could advance more quickly than the traditional high school phenom.

CHECK STATUS

David Sandlin, P, KC – An 11th-round selection in 2022, Sandlin has already struck out 20 across 13.2 innings at Low-A. He has ideal size for a starter along with a three-pitch repertoire that is highlighted by a slider, which is his swing-and-miss pitch. Sandlin endured a difficult season at the University of Oklahoma last year, though did toss a gem against Texas A&M to send the Sooners to the College World Series Final. If he can gain a few ticks with his fastball, he could be a sleeper prospect worth taking a flyer on.

Clayton Beeter, P, NYY – The starting rotation for the Bronx Bombers has been ravaged by injury, and Clarke Schmidt doesn't appear to be a solution. Though Luis Severino and Carlos Rodon should return shortly, it remains to be seen if either can stay healthy through the remainder of 2023. As such, the Yankees may end up having to dig into their farm system for some help, and Beeter could see the mound at some point this season. Dealt for the wildly disappointing Joey Gallo last season, the 24-year-old is off to a fast start at Double-A with a 1.08 ERA and 17:6 K:BB in 16.2 innings. Beeter has battled some control issues during his brief professional career, yet was much better down the stretch last season in the Yankees farm system than with the Dodgers. He could ultimately still be ticketed for the bullpen, but for now New York will keep him as a starter since that is a position of need.

Loidel Chapelli, OF, CHW – Chapelli gets dinged for his lack of height, but he's done nothing but rake since entering the White Sox organization. Skipping Low-A altogether, he's currently slashing .378/.477/.676 with two homers, 12 RBI and three steals through 10 games at High-A. Despite only 5-8, Chapelli has displayed impressive power over a small sample size and an impressive eye at the dish. During his minor league career (56 games), he's drawn more walks (34) than strikeouts (33). Chapelli is still a couple of years away from getting to the bigs and there will always be doubters due to his size, but it's difficult to argue with the results to date.

Zac Veen, OF, COL – Veen has batted under .180 for about 44 games at Double-A dating back to last year, yet there are some encouraging signs - most notably the six steals. He swiped 50 bags in 92 games at High-A prior to his promotion last season. Veen's ability to make contact has also improved and he's registered almost as many walks (seven) as strikeouts (nine). While he's always been patient at the plate, he's also battled strikeout concerns and that's not a great sign for a potential future leadoff hitter. Veen's still just 21 with sizzling speed, emerging pop and the ability to draw a walk, but his inability to hit for any sort of average is admittedly a big red flag.

DOWNGRADE

Cooper Hjerpe, P, STL – A first-round selection in 2022, Hjerpe didn't pitch last year and is off to a terrible start with a 7.50 ERA and 16:9 K:BB in 12 innings at High-A. Not only has he battled control issues, but he's also allowed five homers across three appearances. The sample size is incredibly small and Hjerpe's upside remains high, especially given his southpaw status and sidearm delivery, but it's clear there will be some growing pains for the Oregon State product.

Elijah Green, OF, WAS –  On the surface, the Green is performing adequately at Low-A going .244 with a .358 OBP in his first taste of full-season professional ball. However, the peripheral stats are a tad concerning as he's fanned 27 times. While Green is supposed to boast off-the-chart power, he's yet to produce a home run. The 19-year-old does have seven steals and his power stroke will almost certainly come around, but significant questions remain as to whether he'll be able to hit for average at the higher levels. Green's upside is tantalizing and he's still so young, though it bears monitoring despite the outrageous potential power/speed combination.

Prelander Berroa, P, SEA – Berroa garnered some preseason hype due to his strikeout rate in 2022 and the fact opposing hitters went .158 against last year. However, he's consistently issued too many walks, and that theme has repeated itself to begin this campaign with eight against 20 Ks through 14 innings at Double-A. Berroa also has been much more hittable, leading to a 5.79 ERA.  He's a two-pitch hurler who'll continue to start for now, but may ultimately end up in the bullpen.