Bowden: 6 MLB prospects who are major-league-ready and just waiting for the call (2024)

Several top prospects made their teams out of spring training, from Jackson Chourio of the Brewers to Wyatt Langford of the Rangers to Jared Jones of the Pirates. Several other top prospects have been promoted since the season started, including the past two No. 1 picks, Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes and Orioles infielder Jackson Holliday. Some prospects getting their first taste of the major leagues this year have had early success, others have struggled.

You never know what a rookie is going to do with his first opportunity. In his first cup of coffee in the majors in 2011, Mike Trout hit just .220 over 135 plate appearances with the Angels. Five years later, when Aaron Judge debuted with the Yankees in 2016, he hit a dismal .179 and struck out in 50 percent of his at-bats. This year, Holliday went 2-for-34 before being optioned back to the minors. Bottom line: How rookies perform in their initial shot in the majors is never a true indication of what type of player they’re going to be.

As a former general manager for 16 years, I can tell you one of the most difficult decisions is when to promote a player to the majors for the first time. You must weigh their physical abilities, performances, baseball IQ and mental approach and calculate how they’re going to handle facing the best pitchers or hitters in the world on a nightly basis. In the big leagues, hitters don’t get to feast off as many mistakes in the middle of the strike zone, and pitchers don’t get the benefit of facing hitters who chase as much as those in the minors. You also must predict how the player will handle the pressure of playing in front of the largest crowds they’ve ever experienced or the pressure of being in a pennant race.

Several other factors go into the decision. A GM must consider the business ramifications and future cost and control issues. If a team keeps a player longer in the minors, it often allows the club to either secure an extra year of control or prevent the player from being arbitration-eligible a year earlier than it has to. You also must consider who on the major-league roster the prospect will be replacing. Does that player have options left or does the team have to release a rostered player? Does the player being replaced have more trade value if you wait an extra couple of months instead of putting him on the bench or sending him to the minors?

A lot goes into those decisions and they require a collaborative approach across an organization, from scouts to minor-league managers and coaches to player development evaluators to the medical and analytics departments. A GM will be aware of the team’s upcoming schedule and the pitchers or hitters a prospect will face right out of the gate. It’s always better if you can position a player in his first call-up with the best possible path to early success to build confidence.

So, who are the next big-name prospects we’ll see in The Show?

There are several who appear to be major-league-ready or close to it, but they’re being held in the minors for baseball, business or other team reasons. Here are six players who seem to be on the verge of a major-league promotion and what I think of each of them.

1. James Wood, OF, Nationals

Age: 21
Bats: L Throws: R
Height: 6-7 Weight: 234

Stats (Triple A): .356/.460/.582 slash line
2B: 12 HR: 7 RBI: 25 SB: 9 CS: 1

Wood is absolutely raking at Triple A. There is no legitimate baseball reason not to promote him since he’s significantly better than Nationals right fielder Victor Robles and left fielder Eddie Rosario. However, that’s where it gets tricky. The Nationals are hoping to get outfielders Lane Thomas and Joey Gallo off the injured list at some point, which would give them four veteran corner outfielders they’d like to use as trade bait leading up to the trade deadline. If they promote Wood, it will take playing time away from those outfielders and lessen Washington’s chances of moving them. However, in my view, the Nationals should think long term and make sure Wood plays alongside their rookie center fielder, Jacob Young. Both are long-term solutions for Washington, and I don’t think any of those veterans outside of Thomas will have much trade value anyway.

James Wood clubs his 2⃣nd homer of the day, 5⃣th in his last three games at Triple-A.

MLB's No. 12 prospect has piled up seven roundtrippers for the @RocRedWings this season. pic.twitter.com/1k39VMlMir

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 11, 2024

2. Junior Caminero, INF, Rays

Age: 20
Bats: R Throws: R
Height: 6-1 Weight: 157

Stats (Triple A): .314/.379/.562 slash line
2B: 5 HR: 7 RBI: 20 SB: 1 CS: 1

Caminero has some of the best bat speed in the minor leagues with power to all fields. He’s improving defensively as well. There’s only one problem: He is blocked at third base by Isaac Paredes, one of the Rays’ best overall hitters. Paredes is hitting .305 with eight home runs, 23 RBIs and a 157 OPS+. The Rays are starting to play Caminero at other positions, including shortstop, to give him more versatility and perhaps an easier runway to get to the major leagues. However, Caminero’s best position is third base and he’s a below-average defender at shortstop. The Rays will have to make a decision soon — make Caminero change positions, make Paredes change positions, or trade Paredes, which is unlikely considering how badly they need offense. It’s going to be fascinating to see how they handle this situation. But, no matter what they decide, it’s only a matter of time before Caminero gets the call. (Note: He made his major-league debut last September and went 8-for-34 with seven RBIs.)

Junior Caminero ups his OPS to .996 with a solo homer.

MLB's No. 3 prospect (@RaysBaseball) has 3 dingers in his past 11 games for the @DurhamBulls. pic.twitter.com/32VRaWBpHm

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 14, 2024

3. Coby Mayo, 3B, Orioles

Age: 22
Bats: R Throws: R
Height: 6-5 Weight: 230

Stats (Triple A): .291/.359/.605 slash line
2B: 11 3B: 2 HR: 13 RBI: 37 SB: 3 CS: 2

Mayo is underrated in my view as he profiles as a middle-of-the-lineup power bat with 30-homer potential. But where would he play on the Orioles? He is blocked in Baltimore, which has Gunnar Henderson and Jordan Westburg on the left side of the infield and Westburg, Holliday, Jorge Mateo and Ryan Mountcastle as options on the right side. The Orioles have played Mayo 33 games at third base and nine games at first base in the minors this season to prepare him for either corner infield spot if there is an injury. There’s also an outside shot they could use him as a trade asset if they could acquire an impact controllable closer such as Emmanuel Clase of the Guardians or Mason Miller of the A’s. All I know is Mayo can flat-out rake. He’s getting to the majors this year, and you can put that in cement.

Coby Mayo (@Orioles) ties the Minor League home run lead with authority!

MLB's No. 26 prospect launches his 13th big fly of the year 425 ft. for the @NorfolkTides. pic.twitter.com/L3zjVGTHLf

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 12, 2024

4. Orelvis Martinez, 2B/3B/SS, Blue Jays

Age: 22
Bats: R Throws: R
Height: 5-11 Weight: 200

Stats (Triple A): .252/.335/.517 slash line
2B: 8 HR: 10 RBI: 31 SB: 0 CS: 0

It’s surprising the Blue Jays haven’t given their top position player prospect a major-league opportunity given how bad their offense has been this year. Martinez has a plus arm and power; his other tools are average or below. The Blue Jays have made him almost a full-time second baseman this year in the minors after he split time mostly at shortstop and third base from 2019-2023. Martinez needs to improve defensively as he’s made 11 errors in 27 games at second base this season. But the Blue Jays could really use his power in their lineup and he deserves his first opportunity now.

Double-digit jacks for Orelvis Martinez!

MLB's No. 80 prospect (@BlueJays) tallies his 10th just 35 games into the year with the @BuffaloBisons. pic.twitter.com/pna8xnCK12

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 12, 2024

5. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Brewers

Age: 22
Height: 6-7 Weight: 190

Stats (Double A): ERA: 2.63 GS: 7
IP: 27 1/3 SO: 41 BB: 20 H: 10

With an overpowering fastball that sits in the triple digits plus a wipeout curveball and slider, Misiorowski has some of the best raw stuff in the minor leagues. The Brewers are developing him as a starter, which is going to take more time because he needs to improve the command and control of all his pitches. On the other hand, he is major-league-ready if they want to insert him into the back of their bullpen, a role in which he could just flood the strike zone and dominate hitters for an inning at a time. Brewers general manager Matt Arnold has a tough decision: promote Misiorowski now and potentially improve his team’s chances of winning a few more games or keep Misiorowski in the minors with the hope that he could lead the big-league rotation in the future. Regardless of his long-term role, I expect we’ll see Misiorowski at some point this year because his stuff is too electric to waste in the minor leagues when you’re in a pennant race.

Jacob Misiorowski spun 5 shutout innings Sunday allowing just 2 hits and striking out 8 while sitting 97 and touching 100 mph 🔥#ThisIsMyCrew pic.twitter.com/E1jvm6FCD3

— Brewers Player Development (@BrewersPD) May 7, 2024

6. Jace Jung, 2B/3B, Tigers

Age: 23
Bats: L Throws: R
Height: 6-0 Weight: 205

Stats (Triple A): .275/.389/.504 slash line
2B: 10 HR: 6 RBI: 27 SB: 1 CS: 1

A 2022 first-round pick, Jace Jung, the younger brother of Rangers third baseman Josh Jung, is knocking on the door for the Tigers. He has played both second and third base in the minors so he’s ready for a call-up if they have an injury at either position. Last year, Jung posted a .376 on-base percentage with 27 doubles, 28 home runs and 82 RBIs between High A and Double A. This year, in Triple A, he’s reached base at nearly a 39 percent clip and knocked 17 extra-base hits in 131 at-bats. He is considered one of the best power-hitting second base prospects in baseball, although he’s viewed as a below-average defender at second and third base.

Jace Jung (@tigers) continues to blister the baseball at Triple-A 🚀

MLB's No. 53 prospect swats his 6th homer of the year (.922 OPS) and has 4 multihit efforts in his past 5 contests for the @MudHens. pic.twitter.com/sKhZ3hEdyf

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 8, 2024

(Top photo of James Wood: Jonathan Tenca / Cal Sport Media / Associated Press)

Jim Bowden , a national writer for The Athletic MLB, was formerly the Sr. VP and general manager for the Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals for a combined 16 years, including being named the 1999 MLB Executive of the Year by Baseball America. He is the lead MLB Analyst and Insider for CBS Sports-HQ and a regular talk-show host on SiriusXM for the MLB Network and Fantasy channels. Follow him on twitter: @JimBowdenGM Follow Jim on Twitter @JimBowdenGM