RosterResource Chat – 5/16/25

Jason Martinez: Welcome to another RosterResource Live Chat! Big news of the day is that Jacob Misiorowski has taken over the No. 1 spot in my Minor League Power Rankings. Of course, Jordan Lawlar’s promotion to the majors helped his cause but Misiorowski has been absolutely dominant in AAA.  

Here we go …

drplantwrench: with the announcement that ben joyce is out for the season, it seems that the angels will once again have among the worst health in the MLB.  do they have a serious medical/training issue or is this just normal/bad luck?

Jon Becker: I have no idea what their internal operations are like for preventing and treating injuries, so I can’t really responsibly opine on anything regarding the medical or training staffs. What I will say is that throwing a baseball is extremely unnatural for the human body, and throwing it as fast as anyone ever has in human history is even more unnatural. That’s not to say that there’s nothing the Angels could be doing better or even differently, but there are so many factors that make some players more likely to get hurt than others, and teams do to at least some extent know what they’re getting into (thanks to having a player’s injury history) when they draft or sign a guy.

Dan in TX: De Los Santos not exactly killing it in AAA. Still expect call up this year?

Jason Martinez: Deyvison? Hitting 40 HR and 25 2B in Triple-A last season was impressive but, even then, there were concerns about his ability to succeed in the majors. The Marlins not having many options at 1B/DH throughout the offseason made it seem as though they were willing to give him a long look in 2025, but his mediocre start hasn’t helped. Even with Mervis struggling, I don’t think he’ll get a look anytime soon. Troy Johnston is making a case, though.

Peter: Best bet for impact arm ROS – Logan Henderson, Hayden Birdsong, Quinn Matthews, Cade Horton, or Jackson Jobe.

Jon Becker: From most to least impactful, I’ll say Jobe, Birdsong, Henderson, Horton, Mathews. Jobe hasn’t wowed but he’s should stick in the rotation nonetheless; Birdsong really should be in the rotation by now; Henderson and Horton should be for at least a couple more turns; and Mathews is just about to come back from the Triple-A injured list after diminished velocity and shoulder soreness, so he’s clearly in last place to me.

HJ: Regardless of what Dave Roberts initially stated about Hyeseong Kim’s stay being a brief one, I assume Kim’s done enough to stick with the club at least in a utility role. Do you agree, and if so, might continued good hitting force his bat into the lineup enough for him to stick on fantasy teams ROS?

Jason Martinez: First of all, I think Kim’s performance allows the Dodgers to take a more cautious approach with Teoscar and Edman and not rush them back. A few days ago, I would’ve said there’s no chance they keep Kim around as a utilityman. But after they DFAd Austin Barnes in favor of Dalton Rushing, I’d have to say that Miguel Rojas and Chris Taylor have to feel much less secure about their roster spots. As far as Kim’s fantasy relevance, it’s probably tied to Michael Conforto’s performance (Edman could play OF, Kim at 2B). But he’s heating up (7 hits in last 5 games) so he should be safe for now.

E: Similar to the Kim question, it would seems pretty weird to call up Rushing to only backup catch twice a week. Is he likely to get Freddie one day of rest a week and play some 1st? How about pushing Conforto out of the line up and playing LF, where he obviously has some experience?

Jon Becker: They sound very committed to keeping him at catcher and don’t plan on playing him at LF or 1B. Great story from Fabian Ardaya in The Athletic about why they thought bringing him up now was correct and important even if he’s playing as much as a true backup and it’s not something like the Baldwin/Murphy situation in Atlanta. I think this is how it’ll be for the rest of this season and maybe they revisit LF when roster building in the offseason, or having Smith play more 3B.

Jed Hoyer: Should the Cubs call up Matt Shaw and try it out again? Cubs third base position is the worst in baseball without him.

Jason Martinez: Yes. The only question for the Cubs is when. He was sent to AAA because he wasn’t ready, which can be risky because the player’s confidence can take a hit. Now the Cubs won’t want to put him in position to fail again. They have to be very sure that he’s ready to succeed and make adjustments when necessary. My guess is they give him all of June to play everyday. And if he still isn’t making an impact, they’ll have a lot of time to look for an upgrade before the trade deadline.

drplantwrench: do you think Matthew Lugo is the Angels CF for the future? what do you think happens to Kyren Paris and Jo Adell?

Jon Becker: If he is, it’s only because their farm system is so thin — I’m not reading too much into a few hot games when he’s been below-average in his Triple-A career and has never been particularly touted whatsoever as a prospect. Paris had a hot streak of his own earlier this year and he’s been striking out something like half the time since, and Adell’s just never put it together enough, either. Knowing how they promote prospects, maybe Nelson Rada is the guy sooner than later.

Cleveland OF: With the return of Thomas in a week (?) and only OF Kwan locked in fulltime, how do you see this playing out in Cleveland?  Will CF and RF be TB-like platoon the remainder of the season?  Who gets the strong side platoon?

Jason Martinez: Will be very interesting and a week is a long time for one of these guys to heat up. Angel Martinez hasn’t hit much vs RHP and Jones has been even worse. And they’ve seen plenty of Brennan. They can only hope he can be a league-average hitter vs RHP. Maybe they let Schneemann play RF and open up 2B for someone else? Probably too early for Bazzana but you never know. That would be fun.

emanredsfan: Chase Petty+ a 45fv enough to get LouBob?

Jon Becker: That feels like a lot for the Reds to give up, two bad starts for Petty notwithstanding. Robert is a lot better than he appears to have been on the surface this year, but the club options aren’t super cheap ($20M each) and he’s struggled to stay on the field, so they’re not guaranteed to get picked up by a team like the Reds. Someone in that Arroyo/Collier tier might make more sense as a headliner.

Morel: Seems like Morel might have reverse platoon splits. But will he ever get a chance to face righties again?

Jason Martinez: It’s a weird situation because he’s only playing vs LHP and he’s really bad vs LHP. Maybe they’re seeing something that isn’t evident in the outcome. Or maybe he’s just not their best option to play vs RHP and, because he’s out of options, they don’t want to DFA him because he was one of the guys they acquired for Isaac Paredes.

Sam: How do you see the Phillies fixing their CF by the trade deadline? Marsh has been awful and although Rojas is better this year they have needed a solid RH bat in CF for 3 seasons now

Jon Becker: Now the Phillies are a team that has the financial fortitude to feel comfortable exercising Robert’s options knowing his medical history, unless there’s something absolutely catastrophic that happens. Cedric Mullins should also be available, at this rate.

He’s the DJ: Is Lemahieu an everyday player in NYC? Will he find some of the old juice?

Jason Martinez: He is going to get every chance to prove he can still be a productive player. At least I think so (he’s only started 1 of 3 games since returning). Until Jazz returns, they have two holes in the lineup at 2B and 3B and the Yankees would love for LeMahieu to be able to hold one of those spots down on most days.

Doc Estes: Who is the Rangers closer at the All Star break, Martin, Garcia, Armstrong, Webb, Church, or someone not currently on the roster?

Jon Becker: At the ASB (if it’s not Jackson) Martin and Garcia splitting based on matchups would be my best guess. But if they’re contending (or close enough to it) I think they’ll make a move at the deadline. Bochy really likes to have one guy.

Insert Witty Name Here: Why call up Lawler and not play him everyday?

Jason Martinez: Sounds like the plan is 3-4 starts per week. He didn’t really have anything else to prove in AAA and he’s versatile enough (2B, SS, 3B) to allow the Dbacks to be flexible with their lineup and rest someone different each day. Getting 6 weeks of regular at-bats in AAA will hopefully have him ready for lesser role in the majors. And if not, then he’ll go back to AAA for regular at-bats again. I thought this was the right time.

Jon: Is Butler (ATH) at risk of being demoted?

Jon Becker: At this point, not at all. His year has been disappointing but he’s ultimately only been a bit below average (93 wRC+), and demoting him at this point with that production would be a huge overreaction. It’s not as if they really have anyone deserving the playing time more, anyway.

SteveS: What are your expectations for Addison Barger? He seems to be a Statcast darling. Is he likely to stick in the Toronto lineup long term?

Jason Martinez: Once Gimenez returns from the IL, the Jays have to decide whether Barger has done enough to keep playing vs RHP or if they just go with the safer pick and let Clement play everyday. Barger has the huge upside and he has 3 multi-hit games in his last 6 starts. So he’s putting himself in a position to stick around. Unless Orelvis Martinez heats up in AAA, there’s not much competition over there unless Wagner works his way back to the majors and they trust him enough defensively.

emanredsfan: They’ve said he’s the SS, but Elly in the OF solves a lot of the Reds roster issues, right?

Jon Becker: Not really, and it might create more roster issues, because we have no idea how Elly would take to the OF or how McLain would handle full-time SS. I know Elly’s been rough at SS this year in a small sample but he was great there last year, so I don’t really see the point in sending him to the outfield and creating an opening at a premium position that he’s filled like a premium player.

Werthless: What do the Brewers do with their starting pitching depth? Between Henderson, Woodruff, and Misiorowski, there is a bit of a log jam.

Jason Martinez: I think they’re just happy to have the depth, especially considering how many injuries they’ve had to deal with thus far. Misiorowski is forcing their hand but I think they’ll remain patient with him. He only pitched 97 innings last season. He’s the kind of arm they’d love to have available in the playoffs, even if it’s out of the bullpen. But they have to get there first. And then they’d have to somehow slow him down so they won’t have to shut him down late in the year. Tricky situation.

AA: How would you handle the catcher situation in Atlanta? Murphy’s a proven vet with 3 more very affordable years after this. Baldwin has been flat out the best bat on the team with some batted ball luck. They’ll ride it out this year, but who would you look to trade if either of them?

Jon Becker: Yeah, let it ride for this year for sure and then revisit in the offseason. I’m sure they’d much rather trade Murphy, who costs actual money, has less club control, and might be worse right now anyway. Wouldn’t get much back in return for him but it’d help free up cash for more pressing needs.

Red Sox 1b Solution: A) Keep platooning scrubs B) Grissom C) Mayer D) Devers in two weeks E) Trade with Nationals, Brewers for a veteran E) Athletics in a mega prospect deal? F) Rizzo

Jason Martinez: I’m sure it’s the No. 1 conversation everyday between the Red Sox front office and coaching staff. Devers to 1B makes it easy for everyone but Devers/Cora seem to be uninterested in that scenario. I’m wondering if Kristian Campbell to 1B might be the best option in order to get Marcelo Mayer to the majors. Not sure if they can wait until July to acquire a 1B.

Izzy: How has Betts’ defense looked at SS? Is it good enough to stay, or will he spend any time at 2b or RF for added versatility?

Jon Becker: He’s looked a lot better there this year than last, and as long as he’s at least average-ish there I don’t think they particularly want to jerk him around too much and have him bounce back and forth between infield and outfield. Edman will help with coverage there once he’s back, which could be as soon as next week.

emanredsfan: Does Luis Mey seize the closer job? He’s been absolutely dominant so far

Jason Martinez: Pagan has had a few shaky outings as of late and, as Padres and Twins fans will tell you, it’s only a matter of time before the wheels fall off. So, yeah, the guy who throws 100+ MPH and off to a good start in the majors is in a good position. But it’s still a bit early, in my opinion.

emanredsfan: Who would you expect to have the higher prospect price, Mullins or Robert? Mullins has been consistently better but Robert is younger, has more potential, and has potentially team friendly options

Jon Becker: Robert for sure. True rentals like Mullins just don’t go for all that much anymore and Robert’s only not a rental if something strange happens.

Bruce: I think the Marlins have a history of being a little aggressive with prospects, do we think Eury Perez might be in the bigs before Andrew Painter?  Is it a given that Painter *could* be ready sooner based on the timing of his surgery or not so much?

Jason Martinez: Seems like Painter might be a bit ahead of Perez at this point — he pitched 5 innings in his last start while Perez went 3 innings — but the Phillies expect to be in the post-season and want Painter available. So they’re trying to hold off as long as possible. The Marlins, meanwhile, are in a rebuilding season and gain nothing by sending Perez to AAA. He’ll be over 2 years of service time soon, anyways, so they gain nothing contractually by sending him to the minors. They can allow him to work his way back while he’s on the major league roster. I think Perez is in the majors in June and Painter in July or August.

Dan in TX: Pirates’ rotation in September?

Jon Becker: Barco left his start with an injury on Wednesday (I think? All of the days of the week are the same to me now), and we don’t know what exactly but I’ll leave him out for now and say Skenes, Jones, Keller, Chandler, and… I guess Falter’s been okay enough to keep in there over Ashcroft.

Jake: What is the deal with Carson Williams this year?

Jason Martinez: He’s a toolsy player but there has been concern with swing-and-miss. He had a 28% K rate in AA last season, which is fine to go along with how productive he was (20 HR, 33 SB). But he’s at a 40% K rate in AAA with a .639 OPS so far. And it’s only gonna get more difficult in the big leagues. So he has a lot of work to do.

mara: if you’re the Royals, how are you thinking about Caglianone at this point? 2026 no matter what, September callup, etc? Because they’re a team that seems like a corner bat away from winning a lot more games.

Jon Becker: It’s similar to the Cubs and Matt Shaw and a lot of teams and other top prospects where you really don’t want him to come up and struggle after an aggressive promotion (if he ends up skipping AAA altogether), especially if you’re expecting him to be a savior at a position. So I think they’ll let his progress and whatever development benchmarks they’re setting dictate things rather than setting a hard date or anything like that.

Jake: You all spoke earlier about Cleveland OF situation. any chance DeLauter gets a look this year if he remains healthy?

Jason Martinez: For sure. But now that he’s back in action, let’s see if he can go a month or two without getting injured again. If he’s healthy in mid-July, I think it becomes a real possibility if he’s putting up big numbers in AAA.

Chris: Do the Yanks not think DJ can handle 3B anymore physically? Otherwise Vivas/Peraza seem better fits at 2B (and obv Jazz later)

Jon Becker: If he can handle second he can handle third (more pivoting at second, more guys sliding into you, more sprinting out to the outfield to cut off, etc.), and I think him playing more second on his rehab was because there was, at the time, more of a need there with Jazz out but Cabrera healthy. Assuming Jazz is back before Cabrera (still haven’t seen a timetable on Oswaldo), I’d think DJLM is mostly at third.

Ramblin Rod: Kristian Campbell is doing 1B drills at Fenway today …

Jason Martinez: There you go. I think that could be the answer. He’s not good at 2B so instead of him working to improve at a position where he might not be the long-term solution, anyways, might as well put in the work at 1B. And then the Red Sox upgrade their lineup by calling up Mayer to be the 2B (or maybe he’s the SS, Story to 2B).

Jason Martinez: That will do it for today. Thanks for joining us. Have a great weekend!