Welcome back to the Wrap! It’s been a busy week of minor league transactions, with scores of promotions, a handful of injuries, and the notable return of a suspended pitcher. Consider this your friendly reminder that call-ups to the major leagues are handled through specific Call-Up pieces and Transaction Analyses. Let’s break down the biggest moves of the week:
On The Shelf
Trent Clark, Brewers 2015 first-round pick, has hit the DL with a hamstring strain. This is tough news for Clark, who was just promoted to Low-A Wisconsin.
Clint Frazier has also been placed on the DL after leaving a game with a leg cramp that was later classified as a hamstring strain. Frazier roped a double before being pulled, so his 18-game on-base streak is still intact. He’s expected to return in the first week of June.
Victor Robles, Washington prospect and patron saint of BP prospect hounds, is day-to-day after being hit in the hand with a pitch. Fear not, as X-rays have come back negative.
Red Sox pitcher Brian Johnson has been placed on the temporarily inactive list as he seeks out treatment for anxiety. It’s a good thing that the Red Sox are taking the mental health of their players seriously.
The bad news for Gary Sanchez continues, as he fractured his right thumb after returning to Triple-A Scranton. He’ll take two weeks off before another round of X-Rays will determine the extent of time he’ll miss.
Oblique strains strike again: Twins 2013 second-round selection Ryan Eades is the latest victim.
The Jacksonville Suns have placed Jose Jose on the 7-Day DL with a right ankle sprain.
Left-handed pitcher Kevin Ziomek will head back to the DL just days after returning from a previous injury. Specifics on Ziomek’s injury have been under wraps, and all I’ve heard so far has been “soreness”.
Movin’ On Up
J.P. Crawford, shortstop prospect and possessor of Phillies fans’ hopes and dreams, has been promoted to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. This is an exciting move for the organization, as the first-round phenom grows ever closer to the big leagues, like a great beast slouching towards Bethlehem.
Mariners pitching prospect Andrew Moore has been promoted to Double-A Jackson. Moore’s a little short on raw stuff, but his command and pitchability stand out. Wilson Karaman posted a great report a few weeks ago on the interesting righty.
Jordan Schafer, former outfielder turned lefty reliever, has been promoted to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Schafer posted a 1.42 ERA with a 26 percent strikeout rate in 19 innings at Double-A Tulsa. If he can continue to dazzle with his newfound arsenal, he’d certainly be an intriguing candidate for the 25th spot on the Dodger roster.
Triple-A Round Rock gains an exciting arm in Jose LeClerc. LeClerc’s fastball has touched 98 but his changeup is the main attraction: a unique pitch with cutting action that haunts the dreams of hitters who have seen it. LeClerc was added to the Rangers 40-Man roster last November and could be contributing out of the bullpen by late-summer.
Undersized Yankee outfielder Mark Payton has been promoted back to Double-A Trenton after hitting .309 in his first few weeks at High-A Tampa.
Infielder Nick Tanielu has been promoted to Double-A Corpus Cristi. A 14th round pick of the 2014 draft, Tanielu has been tearing the cover off the ball, and leads the Cal League with a .363 batting average.
The Frisco RoughRiders are enjoying an overhauled rotation after both Luis Ortiz and Yohander Mendez were promoted. The were rumors that Dillon Tate would be promoted to fill the gaps in the High-A rotation, but for the moment he’ll remain in the Sally League.
In Reds news, RHP Matt Magill has been promoted to Triple-A Louisville despite a rough start through his first ten innings at Double-A. In a corresponding move, Evan Mitchell has been promoted from High-A Daytona to fill Magill’s spot in the Pensacola bullpen. I happened to catch Mitchell’s last outing in Daytona, and it was impressive, as he struck out both batters he faced with seeming ease.
Cubs pitching prospect Rob Zastryzny has been promoted to Triple-A Iowa, where he’ll slot in the rotation as he continues to work on adding velocity and refining his breaking pitches.
Billy Fleming, an interesting infielder in the Yankee system, has been promoted to Double-A Trenton. Fleming lacks upside in the bat but can competently handle any infield position sans shortstop and profiles as a possible utility guy.
Venezuelan native Eduardo Paredes has been promoted to Double-A Arkansas. Paredes struck out 32 batters in 22 innings in High-A thus far, and the strength of his stuff has put him on the map.
Jose Rosario has been promoted to Double-A Tennessee. Rosario’s flown under the radar but looked impressive in High-A, where he posted a 1.65 ERA.
Corner-infield prospect Gavin LaValley has been promoted to High-A Daytona. At this point, LaValley looks like more of a first baseman than anything else, but the power is finally starting to show itself.
Back in Action
Alex Reyes, the Cardinals’ top prospect, has returned from the restricted list. Reyes was suspended for 50 games after testing positive for marijuana. Only minor leaguers are subject to year-long drug tests and the harsh penalties that come with testing positive for marijuana (just saying). Reyes will look to get back on track at Triple-A Memphis.
A.J. Reed has fully recovered from his hamstring strain that sidelined him last week and is back in action at Triple-A Fresno.
Thank you for reading
This is a free article. If you enjoyed it, consider subscribing to Baseball Prospectus. Subscriptions support ongoing public baseball research and analysis in an increasingly proprietary environment.
Subscribe now