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6 Triple-A Prospects Making A Push For A Post All-Star Break Call

By Richard Haake
Coby Mayo 6 Triple-A Prospects

We are getting to that fun time of the season when some of the top-performing prospects up in Triple-A are making their case for a call to the Major Leagues. In this article, we will take a look at some household names getting the job done at the Minor League’s highest level. We’ll also take a look at some lesser-known prospects who should grab our attention. Not all of these will become superstars but just like the Major League teams promoting them, these might just be the spark you need for that late-season playoff push!

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Close Proximity Prospects To Watch Post All-Star Break

Deyvison De Los Santos, 1B/3B ARI AAA

(70 GP, .343/.395/.664, 23 HR, 50 R, 65 RBI, 1 SB)

There could be a major power boost coming to Phoenix soon in Deyvison De Los Santos. Since being selected in the Rule-5 draft by the Cleveland Guardians and then returned to the Diamondbacks before the season started, De Los Santos has been playing on a whole different level. He started the season in Double-A where the 21-year-old played in 38 games slashing .372/.426/.696 with 14 home runs, 28 runs, 37 RBIs, and one stolen base. At the plate, De Los Santos walked 7.4% while striking out just 22.2% across 162 plate appearances.

Once promoted to Triple-A Reno, De Los Santos continued his rocket pace. In 31 games, he is slashing .320/.368/.648 with nine home runs, 22 runs scored, and 28 RBIs. Despite being young for Triple-A, De Los Santos continued to show a disciplined approach at the plate. Across 133 plate appearances, De Los Santos has walked 6% while striking 21.1%. While in Double-A and Triple-A, the Diamondbacks have primarily deployed De Los Santos as a first baseman though he has made appearances as third base as well bringing versatility to dynasty managers when he gets the call to the Major Leagues.

Niko Kavadas, 1B BOS AAA

(64 GP, .276/.416/.552, 14 HR, 44 R, 49 RBI)

This is a prospect who had a shaky end to the 2022 season up in Double-A Portland as well as in 2023 in Double-A and Triple-A, but we are seeing him get back to his previous form at the right time. Niko Kavadas isn’t a household name like Triston Casas but the upside is quickly becoming apparent. Drafted in the 11th round of the 2021 MLB Draft, Kavadas was a senior bat who showed solid bat-to-ball skills and potential plus power in his four seasons at Notre Dame. Once in the Red Sox organization he just started hitting and crushing home runs. This season we have seen the batting average come back up as Kavadas is now just a call from the Major Leagues.

In 64 games played with the Worcester Red Sox Kavadas has slashed .276/.416/.552 with 14 home runs, 44 runs scored, and 49 RBIs. In addition to the home runs we have seen 28 of Kavadas’s 56 total hits go for extra bases. Something that has stood out for good and bad would be the walk and strikeout percentage. Across 255 plate appearances, Kavadas is walking at 16.5% while the strikeout rate is still high at 34.1%. For dynasty managers, this could be an interesting stash in deeper dynasty formats or a wait-and-see at the trade deadline.

Coby Mayo, 3B BAL AAA

(50 GP, .314/.382/.652, 17 HR, 39 R, 47 RBI, 3 SB)

Baltimore continues to flex their embarrassment of riches with the Major Leagues packed with young talent and a prospect like Coby Mayo waiting in the wings for his opportunity. At this point, it seems like every month I write about Coby Mayo asking the question is now the time? Every time I believe this to be the time to bring him up to the Major Leagues. In 50 games played in Triple-A Norfolk, Mayo is slashing .314/.382/.652 with 17 home runs, 39 runs scored, 47 RBIs, and three stolen bases. When it comes to his approach this season Mayo has been fantastic walking 9.2% while striking out 24.6% across 228 plate appearances.

For dynasty managers Coby Mayo could be a difference-maker when he gets the call. The mixture of above-average bat-to-ball skills paired with the 30-plus home run power residing in his bat could push any playoff contender over the edge. It can be frustrating trying to predict when Baltimore will make the call to bring him up but I would say it is likely to come after the All-Star break.

Joe Rock, LHP TBR AAA

(14 GP, 12 GS, 65.2 IP, 68 K, 4.11 ERA)

The new addition to the Rays farm system coming over from the Colorado Rockies was Joe Rock and he has been strong so far. Standing 6’6” and 200-pound throwing from the left side, Rock features a three-pitch mix in his fastball which sits in the low 90s but with an excellent ride up in the zone and tops out at 96 mph, an 86 mph slider with excellent movement that has racked up the strikeouts for Rock. Finally, the change-up is a solid offering coming in around 88 mph with solid sinking action. This season in Triple-A Durham Rock has appeared in 14 games starting 12 with 68 strikeouts over 65.2 innings pitched, good for a 9.32 K/9, and is currently sporting a 4.11 ERA with a 3.76 FIP.

Something Rock has done significantly better at since getting into the Rays organization has been cutting down the walks. In 19 starts in Double-A in 2023 while in the Rockies organization, he walked 3.20 batters per nine innings. This season it is down to a stellar 2.19 BB/9. Although not a front-of-the-rotation type of arm, Rock should get an opportunity to crack the Rays rotation before the season is through.

Shay Whitcomb, SS HOU AAA

(71 GP, .320/.398/.588, 18 HR, 56 R, 69 RBI, 17 SB)

One of the most underrated bats in Triple-A right now has to be Shay Whitcomb in the Houston Astros organization. Drafted in the fifth round of the COVID-shortened 2020 MLB Draft out of UC San Diego, Whitcomb has strung together solid seasons of power and speed working his way up to Triple-A. In 71 games played in Sugar Land Whitcomb is slashing .320/.398/.588 with 18 home runs, 56 runs scored, 69 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases. The plate approach has improved significantly as he has raised his walk percentage to 11.1% (up 5% over 2023 at AAA) while lowering his strikeout rate to 22% (down 9.1% over 2023 at AAA) across 314 plate appearances.

Going into the 2024 season Whitcomb was coming off a 35 home run and 20 stolen base seasons and if he stays down in Triple-A at this pace he will blow past it. While in Triple-A, Whitcomb has been playing all over the field with appearances at second base, third base, shortstop, and both corner outfield spots. In addition to the stellar production to this point, Shay Whitcomb will be Rule-5 eligible this coming off-season so it’s in the best interest of the Astros to see what they have in the 25-year-old middle infield prospect.

Andres Chaparro, 1B/3B ARI AAA

(74 GP, .304/.388/.532, 14 HR, 53 R, 53 RBI, 2 SB)

There is a power-hitting bat not named Ivan Melendez tearing up the Diamondback’s highest level of the minor leagues. Andres Chaparro has been excellent in his first season in the Diamondbacks organization after spending eight years in the Yankees farm system. The 5’11” 25-year-old prospect looks primed for a big league call-up soon. In 74 games played Chaparro is slashing .304/.388/.532 with 14 home runs, 53 runs, and RBIs, as well as two stolen bases. The plate approach has been excellent as he has walked 11.3% while striking out just 19.7% of his 320 plate appearances.

The majority of Chaparros’s games played in Reno have come at third base but he has played 12 games at first base as well. Currently, the Diamondbacks are below .500 but they are not far behind the San Diego Padres to push for a wildcard spot. With a power boost like Chaparro the Diamondbacks could get things rolling again.

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