Minor League Barometer: Movers and Shakers

Will Rafael Devers see the big leagues in 2017 for the Red Sox? That is among the bigger prospect questions as the second half of the season begins. The 20-year-old was recently promoted to Triple-A, as the Red Sox jettisoned both Jhonny Peralta and the Kung Fu Panda, Pablo Sandoval. Devers, one of the top prospects in baseball, hit .300/.369/.575 with 18 home runs and 56 RBI in 77 games at Double-A Portland. He did not disappoint in his Triple-A debut, going 4-for-4 with a home run Saturday. The Red Sox are currently leading the AL East, but with the rival Yankees in second, it remains to be seen how long the BoSox can go with Deven Marrero, Brock Holt and others at the hot corner. If Boston does not trade for a third baseman at the deadline, there is a very real possibility Devers will become the everyday third baseman before the season is finished.

Let's take a look at some other movers and shakers in this week's Minor League Barometer.

UPGRADE

Ronald Acuna, OF, ATL – Acuna deserves some props, as he has vaulted up the ranks to become perhaps the top prospect in all of baseball at this time. At just 19 years of age, the Venezuelan outfielder has already ascended to Triple-A. After an above-average start to the season at High-A, Acuna torched the competition at Double-A, slashing .326/.374/.520 with nine home runs, 30 RBI and 19 steals in 57 games. The Braves rewarded the neophyte with a promotion to Triple-A, and he promptly smacked a home run in his first game at that level. Acuna has standout speed, emerging power and the ability to hit .300. As long as he can keep his strikeouts down, Acuna has all the tools to be a future superstar. The scary part is that he may not even be done developing. At worst he'll enter 2018 with a shot at a starting outfield slot at the big league level. If the Braves part with an outfielder or two at the trade deadline, Acuna may make his MLB debut this season.

Walker Buehler, P, LAD – Buehler is another prospect that has leveled up quickly in 2017. His return from Tommy John surgery has been a rousing success, as the 22-year-old has now reached Triple-A, his third different stop already in 2017. Buehler combined for a 2.89 ERA and 91:20 K:BB in 65.1 innings between High-A and Double-A. Opposing batters are hitting a paltry .205 against him. Buehler has yet to throw 80 pitches or surpass six innings in any start this season, so it is doubtful the 22-year-old would see the majors as a starter in 2017. However, even if the Dodgers continue to manage his innings, Buehler will have a legitimate shot at the starting rotation to begin the 2018 campaign.

Michael Baez, P, SD – Baez has the prospect world abuzz after his stupendous first three starts at Low-A Fort Wayne. The 21-year-old Cuban has a 0.50 ERA and 24:2 K:BB in 18 innings. He's allowed just five hits over that span. The 6-foot-8 Baez throws hard with an easy, fluid delivery, he throws strikes, and his secondary offerings have been much better than expected. He's taken a long, circuitous route to the big leagues, but all signs point to him having a terrific work ethic and a bulldog-type demeanor on the mound. The Padres have a bevy of young arms in the system, but Baez may have the most upside of any of them.

Chris Flexen, P, NYM – Flexen has rebounded from a mediocre 2016 season with a stellar 2017 output. In six starts since being promoted to Double-A, the 23-year-old right has a 1.73 ERA and 43:4 K:BB. Yes, you read that correctly. He's been primarily using his fastball/curveball combination, but he will need to develop his third pitch, likely a changeup, in order to succeed as a starter. Still, the Mets thought enough of him to protect him from the Rule 5 draft and add him to the 40-man roster om the offseason, and they have been rewarded, as Flexen's control has been markedly better in 2017. He's a bit older since he's already undergone Tommy John surgery, but perhaps the adversity has served him well. He's been on the Disabled List twice this year as well, though, so Flexen will have to prove he can stay healthy.

CHECK STATUS

Dawel Lugo, 3B, DET – Lugo was the key cog in the trade for J.D. Martinez, as the 22-year-old was hitting .282/.325/.428 with seven home runs and 43 RBI in 88 games at Double-A Erie before being dealt. Lugo has impressive raw power, though that has not really translated into home run numbers. There's also some concern about his approach at the dish; while he does not strike out a ton, he also does not draw many walks. Still, he's shown the ability make contact throughout his brief minor league career, including hitting .311 between High-A and Double-A last year. Lugo still has some maturing to do, but his upside was worth the gamble for what looks to be a rebuild in Detroit.

Ronald Guzman, 1B, TEX – Even as he is working on his second-straight standout campaign, the 22-year-old Guzman still has his naysayers. Despite standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing over 200 pounds, Guzman has never hit 20 home runs in a single season in the minors. That curbs his value as a first baseman, supposedly. However, Guzman is having perhaps his best season as a professional at Triple-A this season. He is slashing .318/.384/.480. His walks are up, his strikeouts are down, and his slugging percentage is at an all-time high. Sure, Guzman "only" has 10 home runs. However, he has 17 doubles, three triples, and will play his future games in hitter0friendly confines in Arlington. There's no place for him to play in the big leagues right, and Guzman may never be a big bopper in the mold of Joey Gallo or Adrian Beltre. Nevertheless, it may be foolish to overlook him as his stock continues to trend upwards.

Grayson Long, P, LAA – The Angels' system gets picked on a lot, and they could use some good news. Long has had a standout 2017 season, mostly at Double-A. A third round pick in the 2015 draft, the 23-year-old righty has a 2.76 ERA and 79:23 K:BB in 84.2 innings for Double-A Mobile. Opposing batters are hitting just .224 against him. Long is a big, sturdy hurler at 6-foot-5, 230lbs with three pitches, and his command appears to be improving. Long will not end up as a frontline starter, but he could have No. 3 pitcher upside.

Jose Siri, OF, CIN – The toolsy Siri has really been showing off his skill set of late. The 21-yearold outfielder is hitting .333 with four home runs, eight RBI and three steals over his last 10 games for Low-A Dayton. Overall, Siri is hitting .292 with 16 home runs and 27 steals through 85 games at this level. The Dominican outfielder is a bit of a free swinger, fanning 85 times in those contests while drawing just 21 walks. He will have to work on his plate discipline as he works his way up the organizational ladder. Still, Siri has that intriguing power/speed combination that makes his progress worth monitoring. He is likely to end up with over 20 dingers and over 30 thefts this season.

DOWNGRADE

Zack Burdi, P, CHW – Relievers are not usually featured on many prospect lists, but Burdi had been the exception. The flame-throwing righty appeared to be the closer of the future for the White Sox, compiling a 51:17 K:BB in 33.1 innings for Triple-A Charlotte. Unfortunately, Burdi has been diagnosed with a tear of his ulnar collateral ligament. Should he require Tommy John surgery and go under the knife, which is extremely likely, then he won't be back on a mound in meaningful games until the 2019 season. The White Sox have done a superb job in building up their farm system with trades over the past year or so, including the acquisitions of Eloy Jimenez and Dylan Cease just last week. However, the loss of Burdi, a homegrown first round pick from 2016, has got to sting a bit.

Kyle Tucker, OF, HOU – Tucker is more of a temporary downgrade, as the 20-year-old left Tuesday's game for Double-A Corpus Christi due to back discomfort and was subsequently placed on the Disabled List. One of the better outfield prospects in baseball, Tucker was hitting .301/.360/.548 with eight home runs, 20 RBI and six steals in 36 games since being promoted to Double-A. The Astros will likely exercise extreme caution with their prized phenom, particularly due to their huge division lead and plethora of outfield options. In other words, there is no reason to risk a more serious injury at this juncture.

Josh Staumont, P, KC – Staumont was considered the cream of the crop among Royals' prospects heading into this season, but he has struggled since reaching Triple-A. On the plus side, Staumont does have 93 strikeouts in 76 innings. He can reach triple digits on the radar gun, and when his curveball and changeup are working, he can be virtually impossible to hit. Unfortunately, his command has been shoddy at best in 2017. Staumont has walked a staggering 63 batters during those 76 innings, resulting in a bloated 6.28 ERA. He has also been snake-bitten by the long ball, serving up 14 dingers in 16 starts. For now Staumont will remain in the starting rotation, but he may end up in the bullpen if he cannot consistently locate his pitches.

Dylan Cozens, OF, PHI – One of the biggest stories of the 2016 minor league season, Cozens has come back down to earth this year. While he does have 22 home runs and 69 RBI in 92 games for Triple-A Lehigh Valley, he is batting just .238 and has fanned 123 times over that span. Cozens also has seen his speed curiously evaporate; the 6-foot-6, 235-lb lefty has just five stolen bases in 2017. By contrast, he stole at least 20 bases in each of his previous three seasons. Strikeouts are nothing new for Cozens, but they can be more easily ignored when you still hit for average, crush 40 home runs and drive in 125 runs, as he did last season. That is not the case this year, and Cozens will have to prove he can make more consistent contact at the highest levels.