Wednesday morning, I published an article highlighting 14 prospects who I'd like to see promoted Sept. 1. Before the day was done, we learned that three -- Jasson Dominguez, Ronny Mauricio and Austin Wells -- would indeed be getting the call. By the time you read this, it could be even more.
The most interesting (and unlikely) of these call-ups is Dominguez, a 20-year-old who got off to a miserable start this year and only recently moved up to Triple-A. The Yankees are taking a big swing with him, but if they think he's a serious candidate for the opening day roster next year, it pays to give him some experience now. They also figure to have an opening in center field with Harrison Bader likely to be claimed off waivers.
Austin Wells
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NYY • C • #28
2023 Minors
AVG.240
HR17
OPS.775
AB371
K97
I'll have more to say about Dominguez and Mauricio in a bit, both of whom are at least worth adding in Rotisserie leagues, where lineups are larger and the hitting pool is stretched thin. The one I'm less certain of having a Fantasy impact this year is Wells, who's no defensive standout behind the plate and no certainty to remain there long-term. It could be that the Yankees just want the 24-year-old to log a few at-bats and aren't willing to entrust the pitching staff to him yet. Given the recent offensive outburst at catcher -- with Keibert Ruiz, Yainer Diaz, Mitch Garver and Gabriel Moreno still begging to be picked up in a large number of leagues -- Wells might be a stretch even in two-catcher formats.
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But he's worth monitoring, if nothing else. While he doesn't generate big exit velocities from the left side of the plate, his fly-ball and pull tendencies could play beautifully at Yankee Stadium.
Possible waiver wire pickups
With Bo Bichette (quadriceps) and Matt McLain (oblique) recently going on the IL, you may be looking for a shortstop right now, and you're lucky that one as good as Lewis is available in one-third of CBS Sports leagues still. Seriously, what more does this guy have to do to win the hearts and minds of Fantasy Baseballers? He's a former No. 1 overall pick who has hit .305 with an .874 OPS so far in his major-league career (which mostly consists of this year, but still). He's on a home run binge now, having gone deep in five of his past eight games. His peak exit velocities are in the top 10 percent of the league. The walks are a little lacking for points leagues, but again, if a hole just opened up for you at shortstop, good luck doing better than him.
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Harrison owes his high prospect standing to his off-the-charts stuff, but his first stint in the majors figured to be thwarted by horrendous control and early exits. His second start Monday against the Reds entirely changed that thinking. Not only did he go 6 1/3 innings after only once lasting even five at Triple-A Sacramento, but he also threw 65 percent of his pitches for strikes. That's been true in both of his starts, actually, and it's a stark improvement over his 59 percent strike rate at Triple-A. But actually, this turnaround began there. He walked no one in his last two starts, which might explain why the Giants chose now to call him up. Judging by his 11 strikeouts Monday, the improved control doesn't prevent him from missing bats at an insane rate. If you missed out on Cole Ragans, Harrison represents another shot at considerable pitching upside.
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Hyped as the next Mike Trout from the time he was 16 years old, Dominguez hasn't exactly steamrolled his way to the majors, but the Yankees are nonetheless giving him a shot at age 20 in the hope he stakes out a job for 2024. He's arriving on a high note, at least, having hit .364 (68 for 187) with a .980 OPS in his past 45 games, but it took that kind of surge just to get his season batting average to .265. His exit velocities hint of big power in the future, but it mostly manifested as doubles during his hot streak. Still, he knows how to take a walk and is aggressive on the base paths. Whenever a player arrives this young, with this sort of pedigree, you'd be wise not to underestimate his upside. Growing pains are to be expected, but since he's here to play, presumably taking Harrison Bader's spot in center field, Dominguez is a must-add at least in five-outfielder leagues.
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It looked like Mauricio might have an "in" with the Mets as far back as June, but better late than never, right? The details of his promotion are hush-hush, other than that it's happening Friday, but given that the Mets have made a big show of packing it in for 2023, it seems like a true audition for 2024. He's gotten plenty of exposure to both left field and second base this year, so he and Jeff McNeil figure to share those spots in some form or fashion. Mauricio isn't a disciplined hitter, but his contact is of a particularly high quality (91 mph average exit velocity and 116 mph max exit velocity) and he's made a lot more of it this year. He's also arriving hot, having hit .316 (24 for 76) with six homers in his past 18 games. His sort of upside is worth keeping close in case he makes good on it right away.
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Schneider's big-league career began with a nine-hit weekend in early August, earning him a prominent placement in that Monday's Waiver Wire article. But as suddenly as he appeared, he disappeared for the Blue Jays, getting only sporadic opportunities in the weeks that followed. Well, here we are for Round 2. Thanks to an injury for Matt Chapman, Schneider has started five straight games for the Blue Jays and collected nine more hits, going 9 for 17 (.529) with three homers, three doubles, a stolen base and more walks (four) than strikeouts (two). The exit velocities won't blow anyone away, but he was plenty productive at Triple-A as well, slashing .275/.416/.553 with 21 homers in 87 games. There may be no looking back this time, so if you need help at second or third base, Schneider is deserving of your attention.
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With C.J. Cron out of the picture and Elehuris Montero out of chances, Goodman is getting an opportunity at first base for the Rockies, having started four consecutive games. Seeing as he accomplished the rare minor-league feat of back-to-back 30-homer seasons, you might think such an opportunity was inevitable, but right handed-hitting first baseman with poor plate discipline have an especially difficult path to the majors. It's probably why the Rockies were developing him as a catcher initially. This opportunity is a product of happenstance, but Goodman makes loud enough contact to make it stick, particularly with a little boost from Coors Field. Though he has yet to put one in the bleachers, his seven batted balls have averaged 99 mph, making him 5 for 14 with a double and a triple. He's a deeper-league pickup for now, but there's a chance you catch lightning in a bottle.
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This one has trouble written all over it, I'm afraid, but when a no-name homers eight times in a 13-game span, including twice on Wednesday, it needs to be addressed. Rest assured that Stewart's power was never in question. He even had a stretch like this late in 2020, homering seven times in a nine-game span for Orioles, and it led to the longest look he's ever gotten in 2021. What he did with it was hit .204 with a .698 OPS. He was also hitting just .229 for Triple-A Syracuse when the Mets decided to bring him in as a warm body following their trade deadline purge. His destiny is to be a space-filler on a club in between contention cycles, but hey, he's doing a lot of the one thing he knows how to do. Maybe in a five-outfielder Rotisserie league, if you're looking to make up ground and homers and can avoid using him against lefties, Stewart has some utility.
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Vines never got much attention as a prospect and is only now appearing in the majors at age 25. It's almost like the Braves set him up to fail, too, having his first start come at Coors Field, and yet he responded by having the best debut of any visiting pitcher in that park's history (the first to allow just two runs over six innings, anyway). And it's something to take seriously given that Vines had a 2.70 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 9.6 K/9 in the minors this year and a 3.63 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 10.1 K/9 for his career. His fastball isn't overpowering but has good carry, and his changeup is deceptive as all get-out, accounting for seven of his 11 whiffs (on 82 pitches) Wednesday. Vines is far from a must-add, but he might have a few more starts like this in him, especially since Kyle Wright's second rehab start didn't go so well.
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