Knocking Down The Door: July 29, 2021

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July 29, 2021

“Knocking Down The Door” is a weekly column highlighting minor leaguers who are making a case for a major league promotion. Listed below are the names of this week’s picks and the player’s team, age, level(s), prospect ranking, and last 2-3 weeks of statistics.

The analysis can be viewed in the embedded video of the previous day’s episode of The RosterResource Show, a weekly live stream focused on all things related to rosters, transactions, and RosterResource content at FanGraphs.

•Keibert Ruiz (23), C, Triple-A Oklahoma City | Los Angeles Dodgers | Prospect Rank: 61 (overall), 2 (organizational) | July 19-July 27: 16-for-36, 4 HR, 5 2B, 3B, 11 RBI, BB, 5 K

As Ruiz continues to put up huge numbers in Triple-A, the Dodgers have an extremely valuable trade chip on their hands at a time when their roster could use an impact player. While they’re in terrific shape in the playoff race — FanGraphs currently gives them a 67% chance of winning the NL West and a 99.4% of making the playoffs — there are some clear weaknesses on the roster that they’d like to address prior to the playoffs.

The switch-hitting Ruiz, an elite catching prospect who is having a terrific debut season in Triple-A, would be a very strong centerpiece of a trade. And even if he’s not traded, he gives the Dodgers the luxury of carrying three catchers in September and in the playoffs.


•Alfonso Rivas (24), 1B/OF, Triple-A Iowa | Chicago Cubs | Prospect Rank: 52 (organizational) | July 9-July 27: 19-for-53, 2 HR, 4 2B, 5 RBI, 15 BB, 15 K

There is at least a decent chance that free-agent-to-be Anthony Rizzo is traded by the Cubs prior to Friday’s deadline, which could create an opening at first base for the first time in nearly a decade. If Rizzo is traded, Rivas’ chances of making his MLB debut by early August would be extremely high. The 24-year-old lefty is slashing .333/.469/.551 in the month of July with 17 walks and 18 strikeouts.

While he hasn’t hit many homers in the minors, he’s hit four this month, including this grand slam against current big leaguer Max Kranick …

 

•Josh Jung (23), 3B, Double-A Frisco | Texas Rangers | Prospect Rank: 67 (overall), 2 (organizational) | July 13-July 27: 19-for-51, 4 HR, 6 2B, 17 RBI, 4 BB, 10 K, SB

The combination of Brock Holt and Charlie Culberson hasn’t given the Rangers much production at third base. The Rangers’ best prospect just happens to be a third baseman. And it just so happens that he is tearing the cover off of the ball in Double-A. If Jung was in Triple-A, promoting him would be a no-brainer. Calling him up directly from Double-A? Not so much.

It appeared that he’d have a chance to win the job out of Spring Training, however, and the Rangers didn’t exactly surround him with much competition. But a foot injury kept him out of action until mid-June. Now that he’s healthy and the Rangers are clearly looking beyond 2021, would they be willing to give their third baseman of the future two months of big league experience so they have a better idea of whether he can help in 2022? I think they would.

 

•Drew Anderson (27), SP, Triple-A Round Rock | Texas Rangers | Prospect Rank: n/a | July 18-July 24: 14 IP, 0 R, 6 H, 2 BB, 11 K

For a second consecutive week, a journeyman pitcher playing for Triple-A Round Rock is on my list (Jharel Cotton was on last week’s list). Anderson is a former Phillies’ prospect who has spent time in the majors in each of the past four seasons, although it’s resulted in only 48 days of MLB service time. The chances of him extending that streak to a fifth consecutive season have increased greatly over his past two starts — six shutout innings on July 18; eight shutout innings on July 24 — with the Rangers very likely to trade away at least one pitcher from their starting rotation prior to Friday’s deadline.

 

•Adrian Martinez (24), RP, Double-A San Antonio | San Diego Padres | Prospect Rank: n/a | July 2-July 24: 23 IP, ER, 12 H, 10 BB, 19 K

The Padres might have five healthy starting pitchers on their big league roster and are very likely to add another prior to the trade deadline, but their depth is all but gone while Blake Snell and Chris Paddack have been really bad far too often. Unless MacKenzie Gore is very quietly figuring things out wherever he was sent to work on things over a month ago, there isn’t an internal option who can make a major difference for the Padres in 2021. But there is a good chance that they will need some help from their farm system at some point and Martinez might be their best option.

In 14 appearances for Double-A San Antonio, the 24-year-old right-hander has allowed two earned runs or less twelve times. He’s only allowed one run over his last five starts while completing six innings in three of those games. While his long-term upside might be back-of-the-rotation starter or middle reliever, he could be crafty enough to keep big league hitters off balance for at least a few starts.

 

•Hunter Stratton (24), RP, Double-A Altoona/Triple-A Indianapolis | Pittsburgh Pirates | Prospect Rank: n/a | July 4-July 20: 6 IP, 0 R, 5 H, BB, 9 K

Aside from Richard Rodríguez and Chris Stratton, who are both trade candidates, and David Bednar, the Pirates don’t really have anyone else on their 40-man roster who has made a strong case to be penciled in as part of the 2022 bullpen. Many of them still have time to prove themselves, while others are just hoping to get a chance to audition. Hunter Stratton could be on the team’s radar. The 24-year-old was recently promoted to Triple-A after posting a 1.42 ERA with 44 strikeouts in 25 1/3 for Double-A Altoona.

While a good chunk of his strikeouts came in his first three appearances (6 IP, 15 K), he’s continued to be very effective and did not allow a run over his last 8 1/3 innings before the promotion. If he gets off to a good start with Indianapolis, it shouldn’t be long before he reaches Pittsburgh.

 





 

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Jason Mergottmember
2 years ago

This is easily one of the best weekly columns on FG! Great addition to the rotation.

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