Another long list of prospects was called up from the minor league this week, and some of them were top of the ranks in their respective organizations. Whether it’s due to injuries, trades, poor production, or other variables, this is the time of year we’re going to see a lot of these moves happening. Teams that have now played 70 games and assessed whether they can or can’t compete this year. Often, it’s the teams throwing in the towel who are the best place to project prospect call-ups.
Do these types of investments in minor league prospects always work out, specifically in redraft leagues? Of course not. We should always learn the lesson from Jackson Holliday in 2024. Massive minor league success doesn’t always translate into big league production. Now that he is up, who deserves their time in the big leagues and who needs some more seasoning? This prospect report will provide a quick, weekly glance at MLB’s top hitter and pitcher prospects and how they are performing in the minors or their first few games with the big club.
As players graduate to the Major Leagues, new names will always take their place as the season goes along, but for now, some prospects are just starting to get their first shots. All stats are as of games completed on June 15th. Today’s piece will focus on the most relevant prospect news from around the minor leagues, focusing on the biggest names in the 2025 Top 100 list and those who have recently been called up.
Fantasy Baseball Prospect Report
Jac Caglianone, KCR, 1B
Jac Caglianone has hit sixth or seventh every game since he was called up, but it’s been a horrific start for the heralded power prospect. Caglianone has a .213/.229/.255 line with no home runs and two RBI in 12 games. However, he should continue to play most days as he has started every game, no matter who is pitching.
Roman Anthony, BOS, RF
Roman Anthony hit his first Major League home run against the Mariners on Monday night. It was a bright spot in what has been a slow start for the top prospect. He is hitting .095 with just a .460 OPS. Anthony sat out two of three games against left-handers since he came up, but hopefully, he will get in the lineup every day after the news of the Rafael Devers trade. Anthony hit third on Monday night
Samuel Basallo, BAL, C
Samual Basallo was 5-for-14 with a home run and three runs over the weekend as he continues to rake for the Norfolk Tides. Basallo has been playing in the Orioles system since he was 16 years old in 2021, so he is still just 20 years old right now. The Orioles’ offense getting healthier isn’t a great sign for Basallo, but since he is in AAA, the team might have a need for him before the end of the year.
Brady House, WSH, 3B
Washington Nationals’ prospect Brady House had a lackluster debut on Monday night, going 0-for-3 with a walk. He was brought up over the weekend after absolutely destroying minor league pitching this year. House got the call because he was hitting .304/.353/.519 with 13 home runs and 41 RBI. He should get to play every day since the Nationals optioned Jose Tena down to AAA once they made the announcement about House.
Bubba Chandler, PIT, SP
Bubba Chandler has not made his Major League debut yet for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates are struggling, which certainly complicates this discussion, but it is past time for them to bring up stud pitching prospect Chander. Chandler has a sparkling 2.63 ERA and more than 12.2 strikeouts per nine innings. One day he and Paul Skenes will make a dynamic duo, but Chandler is still waiting and might wait a lot longer if the Pirates don’t start winning more.
Marcelo Mayer, BOS, 3B/SS
Marcelo Mayer had a two-home-run game last week against Tampa Bay, but then sat for two of the three games against a left-handed Yankees pitcher, just like teammate Roman Anthony. Mayer’s fantasy rotisserie numbers aren’t terrible right now (.224, three home runs, five RBI, and nine runs so far), but he has been on the bench for six of the last seven southpaws the Red Sox have faced. Considering who they now have on their bench, the Red Sox don’t have much choice but to play their big three rookies (including Kristian Campbell) and let them endure their growing pains at this level.
Jacob Misiorowski, MIL, SP
Pitching prospect Jacob Misiorowski pitched his first MLB game last Thursday against the Cardinals. He was absolutely cruising, but his time on the mound ended in the sixth inning due to an injury. Misiorowski avoided any kind of serious injury, and it was likely just cramps in his leg that forced him out of the game. In that game, Misiorowski threw five innings without allowing anyone to score and also struck out five batters. Now clear of injury, Misiorowski will start on Wednesday against the Chicago Cubs, in what will be a major test not only for his health but also against a truly potent offense.
Nick Kurtz, ATH, 1B
Nick Kurtz hit a towering walk-off home run against the Houston Astros on Monday night, capping what has been a nice return from the IL last week. Overall, he now has six home runs and 17 RBI in his first 33 games. His hard-hit rate is really good at almost 50%, he has a 13% barrel rate, and an average exit velocity of over 92 miles per hour. These are elite numbers, and Kurtz could make a run for Rookie of the Year in the American League this season.
Christian Moore, LAA, 2B
The Angels had seen enough of Luis Rengifo and Yoan Moncada, so they took the step to call up Christian Moore, their top prospect at second base, just in time for a series against his hometown Yankees. Moore played two of those three games and went 0-for-6 with a walk and three strikeouts. Still, in 20 games in AAA this year, Moore was hitting .350/.424/.575 in Salt Lake City. If the Angels convince themselves they are out of the playoff race, Moore might be able to retain a full-time position.
Jordan Lawlar, ARI, SS/3B
Jordan Lawlar may have fallen on his face when he was called up by the Arizona Diamondbacks early this season, but he is back to being one of the best hitters in baseball down in AAA again. Since June 1, Lawlar is hitting .313/.411/.646 with three homers, 11 RBI, nine runs, and three steals. He also has a 12.5% walk rate as he consistently finds ways to get on base. He is going to get another shot at some point this season, and we have to hope he fixed whatever caused him to go hitless in 22 plate appearances earlier this year.
