RADIO
This column is always focused on the future when we look at the new prospects coming up through the various farm systems each week. Today I get to see a piece of baseball history when I go to my first ever game at Wrigley Field this afternoon. And even as a die-hard White Sox fan, it will still be a great moment to take in one of the most historic places in baseball lore.
Even as I step back into the past by walking through the gates at Wrigley, there will still be glimpses of the future to be seen on the field. With the Cubs tearing down their roster at the trade deadline, they are preparing for the future. In doing so they're giving many players a chance to prove that they belong at the major league level going forward. This will be a rough time for Cubs fans as they deal with the departures of the fan-favorite stars of the team, but this is also the opportunity for them to get the chance to see potential future stars of Chicago get their start.
With that in mind, we'll continue to look forward to the future as we check out this week's hot prospects to watch, and we'll begin with a guy who is launching balls out of the park left and right.
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Luken Baker - 1B, St. Louis Cardinals
Level: Double-A
2021 stats: 78 G, .241/.320/.533, 23 HR, 61 RBI, 43 R
Baker has been cooking up some long balls all season long, but it's reached an absurd pace over his last 10 games as he's clobbered nine home runs while slashing .424/.525/1.333 with 20 RBI and 13 runs scored in that span. This hot streak has now brought him up to a career-high 23 homers and 61 RBI, as his .533 slugging percentage has shattered his previous career-best of .460 from his debut season in 2018. With this power surge there has also come an uptick in his strikeouts as he now owns a career-high 26.9 percent strikeout rate — which is over four percent higher than his previous career-high. Despite that, he's still managed to maintain a 10.3 percent walk rate that's consistent with the 10.5 percent and 10.3 percent walk rates he's posted in each of his first two seasons.
Obviously the problem with Baker is that he's blocked by Paul Goldschmidt, who is still signed through 2024. he has solely been a first baseman and designated hitter throughout his three years in the minors. So it's very likely that Baker will spend the majority of the year at Triple-A in 2022, and it will be interesting to see if the Cardinals try moving him to a different position next season. The big key to his future will be if he can repeat this season's performance, and if he starts out hot at Triple-A next year, we could see him called up at some point in the second half.
Shawn Semple - SP, New York Yankees
Level: Double-A
2021 stats: 17 G, 13 GS, 9-3, 2.83 ERA, 0.992 WHIP, 31.7 K%, 82.2 IP
I'll open with the caveat that Semple is on the older side pitching at High-A and Double-A this year, but you can't overlook the results he's putting up on the mound this year. He's currently sporting a 2.83 ERA and 0.992 WHIP — his best marks since 2017 in the Gulf Coast League — while his 31.7 percent strikeout rate is six percent higher than his career average. What we like to see is how he's bounced back from a poor start to the season. After going 2-2 with a 4.55 ERA over seven games to start the year at Double-A, he was demoted to High-A where he would go 4-1 with a 2.48 ERA over six starts. Since getting called back up to Double-A in mid-July, Semple has now gone 3-0 with a 0.96 ERA, 0.643 WHIP and 44.1 percent strikeout rate across his last 18 2/3 innings of work.
Semple is looking good on the mound right now, and it would not be surprising at all to see him get called up to Triple-A before the end of the season. It's very unlikely that he'll see any time in New York this season, but if he finishes out this year strong he will likely have a shot at joining the Yankees' pitching staff early on in 2022. Keep an eye on him this year, as he could be a high-upside strikeout pitcher sometime next season.
Ryne Nelson - SP, Arizona Diamondbacks
Level: Double-A
2021 stats: 15 GS, 5-2, 2.87 ERA, 1.075 WHIP, 36.8 K%, 75.1 IP
A second-round pick in the 2019 draft, Nelson has not let the cancelled 2020 season slow him down as he has been dominant pitching between High-A and Double-A this year. After posting a 33.7 percent strikeout rate in his debut campaign, Nelson has upped the ante as he currently sports a 36.8 percent strikeout rate across 75 1/3 innings of work. He's been especially on fire over his last five starts, as he's posted a 1.93 ERA and 1.036 WHIP with a 39.1 percent strikeout rate across 28 innings pitched. On top of the strikeouts, he's also shown some improvements with his command as he's lowered his walk rate from 13 percent to 11.2 percent.
This is a guy you really need to be watching, especially in dynasty formats. He's currently ranked the No. 18 prospect in Arizona's system by MLB Pipeline, and with the way he's pitching this year, he could very quickly rise up the rankings. Take into account Arizona's poor performance this year as they are well on their way towards rebuilding mode, and it's very possible we could see Nelson pitching for the Diamondbacks early in 2022. If you can get him in dynasty formats now is the time to stash him, and in redraft leagues he could be worth looking at as a late-round flyer in next year's drafts.
Darick Hall - 1B, Philadelphia Phillies
Level: Triple-A
2021 stats: 77 G, .224/.322/.400, 10 HR, 36 RBI, 29 R
Hall has been slowly but steadily climbing through the Phillies' farm system since being selected in the 14th round of the 2016 draft, and this year he's finally gotten his first taste of Triple-A action. Whether it was making the jump to tougher competition or just having the 2020 year off from game action, Hall struggled early on this season, slashing .161/.277/.280 over 49 games between May and June. Since July 1 things are finally clicking at the plate for him, as he's slashing .330/.402/.606 with six home runs, 22 RBI and 18 runs scored over his last 28 games. Oh, and he's also homered in each of his last three games. The really interesting thing with Hall is that even with the early season struggles, he's striking out at a career-best 20.3 percent rate — which is 3.4 percent lower than his career average entering this season.
Much like with Baker's situation, Hall is also currently blocked at the major league level by Rhys Hoskins. And also like with Baker, Hall has been solely a first baseman/designated hitter throughout his minor league career. So once again — like I mentioned above with Baker — if Hall finishes out the season on a high note then it's possible the Phillies could experiment with playing him at a different position in Spring Training. Baker is the more exciting prospect to keep an eye on for now, but Hall could be a very good bat to scoop up for 2022.
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