Prospects Get the Call: A Round Up

Jun 19, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Andrew Heaney (25) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the New York Mets at Marlins Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

While it’s not the first call up for some of these prospects, they’ve all been recalled by their major league squads in the past week.

Juan Jaime – Atlanta Braves

Despite being a little “old” to be a prospect (26), Jaime has been very good with Triple-A Gwinnett Braves this season despite a very high BB/9 rate of 6.8. His strikeout rate is off the charts at 13.7 and has been above 10 K/9 throughout his entire minor league career, dating back to 2006 (but he missed 2010 and 2011).

In his two major league appearances so far, Jaime has been lights out, striking out three batters in two innings and walking “only” one. Jaime has averaged 96.8 mph with his fastball and contrasts that with a very effective 75.3 mph curve, throwing about once every ten pitches.

Kyle Parker – Colorado Rockies

Kyle Parker, a 24-year-old right-handed hitting first baseman and outfielder has made his big league debut with the Rockies and is serving mostly as a pinch-hitter so far. He hasn’t been impressive, striking out three times in his six plate appearances but has a much more promising role to play in the future.

With Triple-A Colorado Springs this year, Parker is hitting .296/.351/.479 with 20 doubles, three triples and seven home runs. The long ball numbers are a little bit down from his three consecutive 20-home run seasons in A-ball and Double-A but the average and OBP are consistent with his minor league career averages.

Anthony DeSclafani, Jake Marisnick Andrew Heaney – Miami Marlins

The Marlins have seen some injuries force their hand into mining their farm a little more than most teams this season. DeSclafani has had a ruogh time adjusting to the majors, making four starts and seeing his ERA hit 7.59 with a 1.45 WHIP. His issues are coming from home runs: he’s given up four in just 21 1/3 innings although his K/BB rate is strong at 3.00. The Marlins’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year last year, DeSclafani has been very strong pitching at the Double-A and Triple-A levels this year and if he keeps the ball in the park, he should be just fine.

Andrew Heaney, the Marlins’ top prospect, came up and dazzled in his big league debut, throwing six innings of four-hit, one-walk ball, allowing only a solo home run and striking out three. His PitchF/X numbers see an average fastball (90.5 mph) with a very strong changeup and an okay curveball while in the majors this year. In the minors, Heaney has torched the two highest minor league levels, striking out over a batter per inning and keeping a very low walk rate, allowing only two free passes in 23 Triple-A innings.

Marisnick, who, unimpressively, made his big league debut last year, has fared much better since his recall this week. While he hasn’t gotten a hit other than a single, he’s hitting .250 and has a .308 OBP to go along with four stolen bases without getting caught. Marisnick wasn’t tearing the cover off the ball in Triple-A New Orleans either, hitting .264/.306/.404, but he did show some more power, hitting 11 doubles, three triples and six home runs in 274 plate appearances.

Cameron Rupp – Philadelphia Phillies

Rupp, one of the Phillies’ top catching prospects, is unlikely to garner a lot of attention. He made his big league debut in 2013, hitting .308 in four games but he has yet to find that kind of success at any level in 2014. Rupp has only played one game in the majors this year, going 0/3 with two strikeouts and isn’t hitting very well in Triple-A Lehigh Valley, carrying a .167/.295/.370 triple slash line.

Jesse Hahn – San Diego Padres

Outside of Heaney, the most exciting big league performance from a minor league call up is most likely from 6-foot-5 righty Jesse Hahn of the Padres. Hahn was carrying a 2.11 ERA in 11 appearances in Double-A San Antonio with a 1.25 WHIP and 2.36 K/BB rate when he was called up by the big league squad. Since then, he’s made three starts for the Pads and has posted a 2.16 ERA (but a 3.81 FIP) with a 1.14 WHIP and 19 strikeouts and seven walks in 16 2/3 innings. Hahn averages 91.5 mph with his fastball, throwing it about 50% of the time, mixing in his curveball about 30% of the time.

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