The All-Star break is here and with the first half now in the books some of the major league clubs are calling up prospects to fill out their rosters. This season we have seen more prospects get the call to majors than any season prior. With the incentive to call up top prospects for draft picks it’s no surprise we are starting to see word of more prospects getting the call. Let’s dive into a few debuting and are on the cusp of their debuts at the beginning of the second half.
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Dynasty Prospects Getting The Call
Tyler Soderstrom, C/1B OAK
(69 GM, .254/.303/.536, 20 HR, 45 R, 59 RBI, 1 SB)
At only 21 years old Tyler Soderstrom is making his major league debut. Drafted 26th overall by the Athletics out of high school in the 2020 MLB draft, Soderstom was known for an advanced eye at the plate and raw power. Since turning pro, Soderstrom has hit 61 home runs in 260 career games. This season Soderstrom has hit 20 in only 69 games in a hitter-friendly ballpark and division in Las Vegas. The only concern I have with Soderstorm long-term would be the strikeout rate.
While not egregious, his current 27.6% strikeout rate will more than likely jump closer to or above 30% while in the majors. With the lack of high walk rates, the OBP might not be as high as originally projected but bolstered by high contact rates for Soderstrom. The duel eligibility is a major plus for dynasty purposes and with a potential 30-plus home run bat you can’t help but get excited.
Zack Gelof, 2B/3B OAK
(69 GM, .304/.401/.529, 12 HR, 60, 44 RBI, 20 SB)
Joining Tyler Soderstrom in his Oakland A’s debut is fellow Aviator Zack Gelof. A University of Virginia alumni, Gelof had a lot to be excited about this week with his brother Jake Gelof being selected by the Dodgers in the second round. This season Gelof has continued to improve as he has shown excellent plate discipline walking 13.3% while making a ton of solid contact. To go with the power surge of 12 home runs in only 69 games, Gelof has flashed the speed on the base paths swiping 20 bases in 25 attempts this year.
⬆️ I like this call up for the A’s. Gelof has some solid pop and has shown solid contact and walk potential. In AAA this year he is slashing .304/.401/.529, 12 HR, 60 R, 20 SB 13.3% BB% and a 27.9% K% in 69 GP. #Athletics @Fantrax @ZackGelof https://t.co/RJP6yWLi31
— Richard Haake (@Mustbethehawk) July 13, 2023
Like Soderstrom, Gelof will probably sit with a higher strikeout rate in the major leagues as he currently has a 27.9% in Triple-A this season. To me this profile is very Matt-Chapman-esque but with more speed for at least the first couple years of Gelof’s career. With second and third-base eligibility Zack Gelof has dynasty appeal and upside as a middle-to-corner infielder that could have a few 25 home runs and 30 stolen base seasons.
Prospects On The Cusp
Christian Encarnacion-Strand, 3B/1B CIN
(65 GP, .321/.392/.620, 20 HR, 62 R, 58 RBI, 2 SB)
The CES watch has got to be on right now. Since coming back from an injury that delayed the start of the season, Christian Encarnacion-Strand has been on a rocket! This season we have seen an increased walk rate of 9.8%. This with the high contact rates that CES has been able to show over the last three seasons is an encouraging sign of what is to come. The 23-year-old masher already has 20 home runs in 65 games this season.
Encarnacion-Strand is an impact bat that will slot in nicely with Elly De La Cruz and Matt McLain in the Cincinnati Reds lineup for years to come. With Joey Votto struggling leading up to the All-Star break, it would not surprise me if we see CES get the call. This profile reminds me a lot of Yordan Alverez with 30-plus home run potential and elite OBP numbers making CES a very valuable dynasty asset.
Robert Gasser, LHP MIL
(16 G, 15 GS, 80 IP, 95 K, .218 AVG, 3.94 ERA)
One of my watch guys that has come up on multiple articles this season has been Rober Gasser. Gasser had a slower start to the season but in the month of June and so far in July, he has really hit his stride. In four starts in June, Gasser had 27 strikeouts in 25.1 innings with a solid .206 average against and a 2.84 ERA with the Nashville Sound. This was a vast improvement on April and May for Gasser who gave up 25 earned runs in 49 innings pitched. Despite the early-season struggles, Gasser has maintained a solid 10.69 K/9 and has brought the walks down to 3.49 per nine.
📝📈 Keep your eyes on Robert Gasser here in the second half. After a slow April and May Gasser put together a dominant June and start to July. 10.69 K/9 and brought the walks down to a 3.49 BB/9. With a 3.94 ERA this season. #Thisismycrew @nashvillesounds @robertgasser5 https://t.co/sUdFy89hJS
— Richard Haake (@Mustbethehawk) July 13, 2023
It’s encouraging to see the improvements to the walk rate for Gasser as, similar to Andrew Abbott, he relies on a swing and misses out of the zone with his sweeping slider and sharp breaking ball. Gasser profiles as an SP3 with SP2 upside and with the Brewers’ history of getting the most out of their starters, Robert Gasser becomes very interesting. With these strong starts to finish off the first half, don’t be surprised if the Brewers call upon Gasser to bolster the rotation when a need arises.
Aaron Schunk, 3B COL
(63 GP, .320/.368/.552, 12 HR, 40 R, 49 RBI, 4 SB)
The Colorado Rockies player development has taken major steps forward over the last two seasons with the Rockies building a more robust farm system. Aaron Schunk is one of the names that has been popping up on my radar with eye-popping numbers in Triple-A. This season with the Isotopes Schunk has continued to show a good eye at the plate walking 7.4% of the time while maintaining a strikeout rate below 25% for the second season in a row. The plus power we projected back in 2019 is starting to take hold.
📝📈 COL 3B Aaron Schunk has taken the next step in his development and I believe he might be a sneaky grab for the second half. In AAA Schunk is slashing .320/.368/.552 with 12 HR, 49RBI and 4 SB in 63 GP. 7.4% BB and 24.3% K. #Rockies @RealSlimSchunky https://t.co/44ijc3NRFY
— Richard Haake (@Mustbethehawk) July 13, 2023
With 12 home runs at the halfway point, it’s easy to project 25-30 home runs a season once he gets up with the Rockies. This season Schunk has drastically increased his line drive rate hitting the ball harder than in seasons past. With improved bat-to-ball skills and the all-around approach for Aaron Schunk, it won’t surprise me to see him up shortly after play resumes.