The Cleveland Indians announced late Saturday evening that they’ve called up super prospect Francisco Lindor. The shortstop, a consensus top-ten prospect in the league, is the latest of super prospects to be called up to the show. Cleveland wasn’t the only team to call their best prospect up to the show yesterday, as the Twins also called up mega athlete outfielder Byron Buxton.
Now that we’re past the time of teams worrying about service time, many clubs are starting to unleash some pretty amazing players.
So far this year, we’ve seen the debuts of Archie Bradley, Kris Bryant, Carlos Rondon, Addison Russell, Noah Syndergaard, Carlos Correa, and Joey Gallo among many other top prospects. We’re truly getting spoiled.
The best of the bunch may be Bryant. He was named Baseball America’s number one prospect entering the season, and he’s done nothing to cause doubts in that ranking. Through 52 games, the 23-year-old third baseman has hit seven home runs with 35 RBIs while maintaining a .292 batting average with an impressive .403 OBP. While he’s striking out a ton (68 times in 231 plate appearances), his natural power and ability to get on base has made him a potent part of a young Chicago Cubs lineup.
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Bryant isn’t the only power bat to make an impact. Gallo has only appeared with the Rangers in 10 games, yet he’s already hit three home runs including a bomb that ended up going 471 feet.
Even the home runs are bigger in Texas. Joey Gallo hits the longest homer at Globe Life Park in Arlington since 2011. pic.twitter.com/aGJVdW5KZ7
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 13, 2015
Like Bryant, Gallo has an all-or-nothing approach with an ability to draw walks. He’s going to strike out a ton, but he’s got 80 grade power and considering he’s already making noise 10 games into his MLB career, his potential is seemingly limitless.
Correa, the first overall pick in 2012, has already made solid contributions to the Astros despite only appearing in five games. Yes, that’s an absurdly small sample size, but the 20-year-old shortstop has already launched two home runs and should have Houston fans salivating about him potentially being a mainstay in the lineup for the foreseeable future.
On the pitching front, Noah Syndergaard has shown his tremendous potential through six starts with the Mets. While he’s getting hit harder recently, the big righty has mowed down batters at an impressive rate (8.8 K/9), while giving the Mets a chance to win in almost every start he’s appeared in. It’s hard to believe the Mets acquired him and catcher Travis d’Arnaud from Toronto in a package for former Cy Young winner R.A Dickey. While the trade looked fair at the time, if Syndergaard pans out the way many people think he will, than we may examine that deal as one the biggest head scratchers in a recent memory – and it already feels that way.
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So who’s next? Joc Pederson has already mashed 17 homers for the Dodgers, and he could soon be joined by talented infielder Hector Oilvera quickly moving up their minor league system. The 30-year-old Cuban star, signed a huge six-year $62.5 million deal and Los Angeles may want to see some return for that deal this season. The team also has another highly regarded prospect, shortstop Corey Seager, a consensus top-ten prospect, hitting well in AAA.
It’s not like the Cubs need another young star, but catcher Kyle Schwarber, the 4th overall pick in the 2014 draft, is already raking at AA. Would the Cubs promote him quickly?
Either way, whoever gets called up, it’s an exciting time to be a baseball fan.
With so many elite prospects getting the call to the show, and many more prospects rising up the pipeline, the future is now. Lets sit back and enjoy it.
