This article is part of our Minor League Barometer series.
Zac Gallen makes his long-awaited debut after dominating the competition at Triple-A to begin the 2019 campaign. Arguably the biggest riser of the year thus far, Gallen boasts a minuscule 1.77 ERA in the hitter-friendly confines of the Pacific Coast League. Opposing batters are hitting a putrid .153 against the 23-year-old righty, who's impressed with a 112:17 K:BB in 91.1 innings. Though Sandy Alcantara was likely considered the better piece in return for Marcell Ozuna at the time the trade was made, Gallen could end up being the better hurler long-term. Still, with Alcantara, Gallen and the surprising Jordan Yamamoto now in the rotation, Caleb Smith returning soon from injury, and Sixto Sanchez coming through the pipeline, the Marlins could suddenly boast a rather talented starting rotation in the not-so-distant future.
Let's take a look at the rest of the prospect scene in this edition of the Minor League Barometer.
UPGRADE
Sherten Apostel, 3B, TEX – Apostel has been getting a lot of buzz in prospect circles lately. The 20-year-old from Curacao is batting .333 with five home runs and 12 RBI over his last 10 games for Low-A Hickory. At 6-foot-4, 215, Apostel is already a physical specimen but also still has room to grow. As a result, his power stroke could eventually explode and his latest binge could be a preview of things to come. He owns a stellar eye at the dish, is not afraid to take a walk, and also doesn't strike out too much.
Zac Gallen makes his long-awaited debut after dominating the competition at Triple-A to begin the 2019 campaign. Arguably the biggest riser of the year thus far, Gallen boasts a minuscule 1.77 ERA in the hitter-friendly confines of the Pacific Coast League. Opposing batters are hitting a putrid .153 against the 23-year-old righty, who's impressed with a 112:17 K:BB in 91.1 innings. Though Sandy Alcantara was likely considered the better piece in return for Marcell Ozuna at the time the trade was made, Gallen could end up being the better hurler long-term. Still, with Alcantara, Gallen and the surprising Jordan Yamamoto now in the rotation, Caleb Smith returning soon from injury, and Sixto Sanchez coming through the pipeline, the Marlins could suddenly boast a rather talented starting rotation in the not-so-distant future.
Let's take a look at the rest of the prospect scene in this edition of the Minor League Barometer.
UPGRADE
Sherten Apostel, 3B, TEX – Apostel has been getting a lot of buzz in prospect circles lately. The 20-year-old from Curacao is batting .333 with five home runs and 12 RBI over his last 10 games for Low-A Hickory. At 6-foot-4, 215, Apostel is already a physical specimen but also still has room to grow. As a result, his power stroke could eventually explode and his latest binge could be a preview of things to come. He owns a stellar eye at the dish, is not afraid to take a walk, and also doesn't strike out too much. Apostel's 'easy power', athletic build and upward trajectory should make him a hot commodity.
Aaron Ashby, P, MIL – The nephew of former MLB hurler Andy Ashby, Aaron was a fourth round pick out of junior college last year but has assimilated quite nicely since entering the minors. The southpaw experienced success at Low-A last year following an aggressive promotion, and didn't miss a beat starting at the same level in 2019. Ashby notched a 3.54 ERA and 80:28 K:BB in just 61 innings, leading to a bump to High-A. He sparkled in his High-A debut, pitching seven shutout innings and allowing one hit, no walks, and eight strikeouts. Ashby has a deceptive delivery, and his curveball represents his wipeout pitch. He doesn't throw extraordinarily hard, but still sits in the low-90's with his fastball. With a changeup working in the mix, Ashby looks like a steal for the Brewers.
Ian Anderson, P, ATL – The Braves possess so many pitching prospects, it's easy for some to get lost in the shuffle. It would be a shame if that happened to Anderson, who may end up being the best of the bunch. Anderson has allowed two earned runs or fewer in six straight starts for Double-A Mississippi. He's also notched 93 strikeouts in just 72.2 innings overall, and the opposition is hitting just .201 against. When Anderson harnesses his command, he can be lights out. A few extra walks have not hurt him thus far in his brief professional career, as his ERA in the minors sits at 2.69. If his control got even a touch better, the athletic Anderson could vault to the top of any prospect rankings list - although he's still a highly coveted arm.
Jhoan Duran, P, MIN – There's a lot to like about Jhoan Duran, who appears hungry like a wolf for strikeouts, with two double-digit K games over his last four contests - while only allowing one earned run in each of those outings. Over that same span of 25 innings, Duran has amassed a 37:9 K:BB. Duran came over from the Diamondbacks in the Eduardo Escobar deal last year, has a big frame at 6-foot-5, 230 and uses a mid-90's heater that works down in the zone, thereby inducing a bevy of groundballs. His curveball is solid and his changeup is emerging as well, though the development of the breaking pitches may go a long way towards determining his future role. As long as he continues to miss bats and limit the free passes, Duran could end up being a huge steal for the Twinkies.
CHECK STATUS
Adonis Medina, P, PHI – After a rough start to the year, Medina has been better of late. Over the last month, he has compiled a 1.24 ERA and 22:11 K:BB in 29 innings at Double-A Reading across five starts. By contrast, Medina posted an ugly 5.46 ERA over the first 28 innings of the year. Considered one of the top pitching prospects for the Phillies heading into the season, he's seen a curious decline in his strikeout rate, fanning over one batter per inning in each of the past two seasons but just 41 punchouts in 57 innings in 2019. Medina's walks have also increased, leading to the assumption he is having difficulty locating his pitches. Medina has been better of late as mentioned above, but his strikeout rate has still not returned. That is certainly a development to watch as Medina's season continues.
Triston Casas, 3B, BOS – The Red Sox farm system has been gutted in recent years, but that will happen when you churn out the type of top-tier talent Boston has over the last few years and win the World Series. Still, Michael Chavis graduated to the big leagues with a bang earlier this season, leaving Casas as arguably the top prospect in the system. The teenager is batting .317 with two home runs and 10 RBI over his last 10 contests for Low-A Greenville. Casas is a massive human being with a long swing, although he tends to strike out too much - note the 13 times over the aforementioned stretch. He also may end up at first base, and his defensive profile leaves something to be desired. Casas still boasts big power and is more than holding his own as a 19-year-old, hitting .270 through 63 games during his first exposure in full-season ball. His power will carry the day, but he must prove he can be a bit more selective at the higher levels while making more consistent contact.
Evan White, 1B, SEA – White has been tearing the cover off the ball of late for Double-A Arkansas, batting.409 with five home runs and 13 RBI in his last 10 contests. The home run barrage is particularly encouraging, as he has yet to show the power profile that would help him stick as an everyday first baseman in the bigs. Make no mistake about it, White can hit; it's just that he's already 23 and was drafted out of college in 2017. In other words, if the power numbers don't start now, they are likely never coming. White's recent home run binge helps the cause, but he will have to show he can sustain that level.
Tirso Ornelas, OF, SD – Ornelas is just 19 but is already playing at High-A, so the fact he's hitting just .219 has to be taken with a grain of salt. That being said, he has hit just one home run in 59 games in the hitter-friendly confines of the California League, so the 6-foot-3, 200 corner outfielder doesn't even have the power numbers to justify his low batting average. His hit tool is supposed to be special, and he is not afraid to take a walk. That being said, clearly it will take some time for the teenager to get his bearings. Ornelas owns lots of upside but is a ways away from making any sort of big league impact.
DOWNGRADE
Ke'Bryan Hayes, 3B, PIT – Hayes has endured a tough 2019 season. The son of former Major Leaguer Charlie Hayes is batting only .241/.333/.388 through 58 games for Triple-A Indianapolis. His power stroke has never really developed. And despite standing at 6-foot-1, 210, Hayes has never hit more than seven home runs in a season - including just three in 2019. This lack of power is even more concerning at a corner infield position like third base. Hayes does have some speed, but he swiped just 12 bases in 2018 after stealing 27 the year before. Josh Bell was a late bloomer in terms of power for the Pirates, but Bell was also hitting around or above .300 during his time in the minors. If the 22-year-old can't keep his average up and pop a few more dingers, he loses a ton of fantasy intrigue.
Miguel Amaya, C, CHC – Signed as a glove-first catcher as a teenager, Amaya is now 20 but showed some promise with the bat in 2018 by hitting 12 home runs and slashing .256/.349/.403 in 116 games at Low-A while also showing plate discipline beyond his years. He's still showing patience this year, recording almost as many walks (30) as strikeouts (37) through 49 games at High-A - but the average has dipped down to .217. Though he does have five home runs to his credit, Amaya is on pace for fewer extra-base hits than a season ago, indicating his power numbers are still not at an acceptable level. Amaya has plenty of room for growth, but he remains raw.
Elehuris Montero, 3B, STL – Montero burst onto the scene last year and won the batting title in the Midwest league, hitting .322 to go along with 15 home runs and 69 RBI as a teenager. After a few games at High-A to end the year, the Cardinals fast-tracked him at Double-A to begin the 2019 campaign. An aggressive swinger who is extremely skilled with the bat, Montero has struggled through the early part of the season. He's already managed two separate stints on the Injured List, and is currently riding the pine. When healthy, Montero has been unable to replicate last season's success by batting just .219 through 25 games for Double-A Springfield. The sample size is small and Montero is uniquely skilled with an extremely bright future. However, the Cardinals may want to pump the brakes a little bit on his upward ascension.
Daz Cameron, OF, DET – It's been an abysmal year for Cameron thus far at Triple-A, which is particularly disconcerting considering he played well in spring training and even got off to a hot start in April for the Toledo Mud Hens. Since then, it's been all downhill, with him batting just .204/.300/.372 on the season. He's gotten even worse lately, hitting a horrific .086 with 12 strikeouts over his last 10 games. Since he isn't getting on base, Cameron hasn't been able to flash his above-average speed. While he has struck for seven home runs, Cameron has hit just two over the last month. He could have easily made his way to the big leagues this year had the hot start continued, but unfortunately is likely to spend the rest of the season in the minors.
