Here is the Fantrax Prospect Injury Report for Monday, August 21, 2023. In the latest edition of this report, Ben Brown looks like he’s almost ready to return to the mound, but what does that mean for the Cubs this season? Also, it would appear that Marco Luciano may miss a significant chunk of what’s left of the season, but does that mean he will not be called back up to the Giants? All that and more in this edition of the Fantrax Prospect Injury Report.
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MLB Prospects Injury Report
Kyle Manzardo – 1B Cleveland Guardians
Kyle Manzardo as a @CleGuardians rehabbing in complex. Manzardo with a drive to center that just misses leaving the park. Sac fly that scores Jaison Chourio. #ProspectOne pic.twitter.com/d9HoCFVXJG
— The Welsh (@IsItTheWelsh) August 19, 2023
Manzardo was placed on the 7-day Injured List in mid-July with a shoulder injury. He was since traded from the Rays to the Guardians in the Aaron Civale deal. Cleveland then allowed him to rehab and rest some more before sending him to their Arizona Complex League Affiliate this past week. He is a prospect with elite power and who has good plate discipline. There is no word yet on if he will debut for the Guardians this year, but first and foremost, his shoulder injury needs to fully heal. It’s encouraging to see him rehabbing in games as he is. In two games, he has gone 0-for-4 with one walk and one run batted in. He has a ways to go but is definitely on the right track. Manzardo is baseball’s 62nd-ranked prospect, according to MLB.
Ben Brown – P Chicago Cubs
Brown was placed on the 7-day Injured List on August 2, 2023. Since then, things to be progressing toward a return to pitching with a possible debut in September. Team president Jed Hoyer himself noted that he seems to be on his way back to pitching soon enough, so the concern doesn’t seem to be as major as it was when he was first diagnosed. There was some speculation that he could come up to the Cubs as a reliever to help manage his innings. However, with Marcus Stroman out of action for the foreseeable future, they may need another starter and Brown fits the bill. Regardless of when he’s in Chicago, he will still need to pitch again in Triple-A Iowa to shake off any rust or questions about his health. Brown is baseball’s 91st-ranked prospect, according to MLB.
Brennen Davis – OF Chicago Cubs
The last that we heard about Davis, he was having core muscle surgery at the end of June and would be out indefinitely. Since then, he has been resting, rehabbing, and working on getting himself back into game shape. Now he gets a chance to get back into game action. He has been plagued with injuries over the years, some of which have been major reconstructions. Last year he had back surgery which cost him a large chunk of his 2022 season. This year, he didn’t seem to be himself and had surgery to repair the issues. The once highly-touted prospect will work on regaining some of his prior form while rehabbing. As of this writing, he is 1-for-4 with two strikeouts, so he is at the very beginning of his comeback.
Marco Luciano – SS San Francisco Giants
Giants say Marco Luciano (hamstring) will be evaluated again in a couple of weeks which sounds like at least a Grade 2 strain.
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) August 13, 2023
Slusser later added that because the team has yet to reveal the Grade of the strain, there’s a possibility that it could also be of the Grade 3 variety. While that’s more speculation than fact, the fact of the matter is that Luciano will be out for at least two weeks as of the injury. That was one week ago, and there have been no updates or revelations about the injury itself. At the end of the day, the team is in the playoff hunt and must put their best team forward. While it would have been nice to have Luciano be a part of this, chances are they will continue to keep things at a slow and cautious pace. In the meantime, the Giants’ prospect will continue to rehab in Arizona before being re-evaluated next week. Luciano is baseball’s 27th-ranked prospect, according to MLB.
Elijah Green – OF Washington Nationals
A good day for Elijah Green to build on going 1-4 with a walk, K, and a HOME RUN. He's been subbed out of the game. Small sample .350 BA and a 1.150 OPS in the FCL. https://t.co/LXMc3in1vQ
— Talk Nats (@TalkNats) August 18, 2023
Since heading to the Florida Complex League two weeks ago, Green has managed seven hits over twenty at-bats in his seven games played. This was his first home run, and the hope is that his wrist injury has subsided enough to allow him to tap into his power potential. He has, unfortunately, struck out nine times in those games, as this is something that has plagued him throughout his time in the minors. He currently sports a 44.6% strikeout rate over his professional career and will need to lower that by a significant amount if he is to have any fantasy impact. Fortunately for him, he is just 19 years old and has years to go before arriving in the majors. Green is the Nationals’ 5th-ranked prospect, according to MLB.