Make no bones about it, cracking the Major Leagues on Opening Day is a big deal. But sometimes we get so wrapped up in that initial roster that we lose sight of the fact that early-season callups can be just as effective whenever they occur.
We¡¯ve already seen notable prospects Chase Dollander, Zac Veen and Chase Meidroth come up to the bigs since Opening Day, and plenty more are bound to follow in the days and weeks ahead.
Here is one potentially impactful callup each organization can make from the Minor Leagues soon, including 13 involving MLB Pipeline's Top 100 overall prospects. (All stats entering play Wednesday.)
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AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
Blue Jays: Dillon Tate, RHP
With Orelvis Martinez and Jake Bloss off to rough starts at Triple-A, we turn to a much more veteran presence in Tate, who re-signed with the Jays in March after making four relief appearances for the big club last year. He¡¯s yet to allow a run over four outings (five innings), scattering five strikeouts, a walk and five hits allowed in that span. Tate is relying heavily on his 78-81 mph sweeper early on (44.3 percent usage) and for good reason; hitters are whiffing on 58.8 percent of swings against it.
Orioles: Coby Mayo, 3B/1B (No. 2/MLB No. 13)
We know his first go-round with Baltimore last year didn¡¯t go so well (.294 OPS), but 41 at-bats is way too small of a sample size. He¡¯s yet to really get it going this year back with Triple-A Norfolk, but this guy¡¯s power bona fides are legit with 73 homers in his three full seasons of Minor League ball and a .920 career Minor League OPS. He¡¯s going to get hot and the Orioles are going to have to find a way to get his bat into the lineup, perhaps moving him around at both infield corners and DH.
Rays: Chandler Simpson, OF (No. 7)
The Rays have gone with other prospects -- Kameron Misner and Jake Mangum -- in the early going instead of the electric Simpson, but there¡¯s no doubting what last year¡¯s Minor League steals leader could bring to the table. Entering Wednesday, he owns three of the four fastest home-to-first times measured by Triple-A Statcast (3,69, 3.70, 3.71), has eight steals in nine attempts over 15 games and is batting .297 thanks to a 95.5 percent in-zone contact rate. The slugging percentage will always be low, but all Simpson needs to do is put the ball in play to fly and he continues to do that at an elite rate.
Red Sox: Roman Anthony (No. 1/MLB No. 2)
A 2022 supplemental second-rounder from a Florida high school who has blossomed into the best position prospect in the game, Anthony is a plus hitter with plus-plus raw power who fits best in right field. Wilyer Abreu mans that spot for the Red Sox and has been their most productive batter this year, but Anthony is slashing .283/.441/.500 at Triple-A and Boston should find a way to incorporate his offense soon.
Yankees: Eric Reyzelman, RHP (No. 22)
After a cyst on his back required three surgeries and sidelined Reyzelman for most of his first two years as a pro, he dominated last year and has struck out 10 in his first 6 2/3 innings at Triple-A this season. A 2022 fifth-rounder from Louisiana State, he¡¯s on the verge of claiming a bullpen spot in New York with a fastball that reaches 99 mph with ride and a tight low-80s slider.
AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL
Guardians: Andrew Walters, RHP (No. 11)
Walters posted a 0.77 ERA in 13 appearances with the Guardians last season, including the playoffs, but was slowed by shoulder stiffness early in Spring Training this year. The 2023 supplemental second-rounder from Miami is fully healthy now and thriving again with a mid-90s fastball that plays up thanks to carry, command and deception and a mid-80s slider. He has struck out 11 of the 25 batters he has faced at Triple-A.
Royals: Noah Cameron, LHP (No. 5)
Hold onto those Jac Caglianone callup hopes for just a little bit longer. Cameron has dominated Triple-A batters since his arrival at Omaha last July, and he¡¯s continued that success with a 1.65 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 18 strikeouts through his first three starts (16 1/3 innings). He¡¯s yet to give up a hit on his plus low-80s changeup and has generated a 45 percent whiff rate on the cambio. Now on the 40-man roster, he¡¯s performing like the next starter up when Kansas City needs rotation help.
Tigers: Jace Jung, 3B/2B (No. 7)
Jung may have headed to Triple-A Toledo after failing to capture the Opening Day third-base job, but he¡¯s hitting like a guy trying to force his way back to Detroit with a .418 OBP, .519 slugging percentage and 159 wRC+ through 15 games. His three homers and seven extra-base hits both lead the Mud Hens, while his 15 walks are tied for the most at Triple-A. Jung does continue to have some bat-to-ball issues with a 29.9 percent K rate, but when he¡¯s made contact, it¡¯s often been loud.
Twins: Luke Keaschall, 2B/OF/1B (No. 3/MLB No. 57)
While Keaschall is still getting his defensive ¡°legs¡± back under him as he returns from last summer¡¯s Tommy John surgery, his bat and his advanced approach will play in Minnesota soon. The fact that once he¡¯s 100 percent he can play second and the outfield will only help get his bat into the lineup. He has the chance to hit, with enough juice in the bat, and runs well to boot.
White Sox: Tim Elko, 1B (unranked)
A cult hero at Mississippi after hitting seven homers in 21 games on a torn ACL in 2021 and helping the Rebels win the College World Series the following year, Elko signed for $35,000 as a 10th-rounder in 2022. "Righty-hitting first baseman" isn¡¯t a coveted prospect profile, but he launched 46 homers in his first two full pro seasons and is slashing .348/.412/.478 at Triple-A while the White Sox struggle to score runs.
AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST
Angels: Christian Moore, 2B (No. 1/MLB No. 64)
Caden Dana, the club's second-ranked prospect, might be more immediate -- he already made one appearance in the big leagues earlier this month -- but even though Moore has gotten off to a slow start with Double-A Rocket City, the 2024 first-rounder is sure to get going and continue the legacy of Angels college draftees making it to the highest level in a hurry. Kyren Paris¡¯ surprising 2025 could slow this down a bit, but Paris can also move around the diamond to make room.
Astros: A.J. Blubaugh, RHP (No. 10)
A sleeper 2022 seventh-rounder from Milwaukee, Blubaugh's fastball velocity has ticked up (sitting at 94 mph, topping out at 98) and his sweeping low-80s slider has improved while he's maintained his quality low-80s changeup early in the Triple-A season. After leading the Pacific Coast League in victories (12) and strikeout rate (24 percent) while ranking second in ERA (3.83) and fourth in strikeouts (128 in 124 2/3 innings) a year ago, he has a 1.38 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 13 innings in his return.
A¡¯s: Nick Kurtz, 1B (No. 1/MLB No. 35)
It was exciting when the A¡¯s sent their first-round pick from last year straight to Triple-A to begin the 2025 season. It was even better when the left-handed-swinging first baseman started out by hitting seven homers and 22 RBIs in 17 games, with an OPS of 1.152. Tyler Soderstrom¡¯s hot start in the big leagues makes this harder, but if Brent Rooker can handle more reps in the outfield, then Kurtz and Soderstrom can share first base and DH duties.
Mariners: Tyler Locklear, 1B (No. 11)
Give Locklear a mulligan for his MLB debut last year, and it was only 45 at-bats. He¡¯s back raking at Triple-A so far this year (.327/.393/.473). Meanwhile, the first basemen in Seattle (Rowdy Tellez and Donovan Solano) are hitting a combined .094. The Mariners' lineup could use a boost and Locklear¡¯s feel from the right side could help upgrade the offensive production from the infield corner.
Rangers: Justin Foscue, 2B/1B (No. 15)
Though he¡¯s fairly blocked in Texas, Foscue is a solid hitter with good plate discipline, albeit with fringy power and limited defensive value. A 2020 first-rounder from Mississippi State, he¡¯s batting .322/.406/.424 at Triple-A.
NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST
Braves: AJ Smith-Shawver, RHP
He¡¯s no longer a prospect, and if we¡¯re being honest, we were a little surprised he got sent back to the Minors after striking out seven and giving up two runs over five innings on April 12. He¡¯s been up and down a few times over the past two seasons, so it¡¯s easy to forget he¡¯s only 22. He still needs to refine his command (4.7 BB/9 at all levels, including Atlanta), but it looked like he was starting to figure things out. Look for him to take lessons learned at Gwinnett to improve his all-around game and work his way back up.
Marlins: Agust¨ªn Ram¨ªrez, C/1B (No. 4)
The primary prospect in the Jazz Chisholm Jr. trade with the Yankees last July, Ram¨ªrez is coming off a 25-homer, 22-steal season and is slashing .264/.339/.491 at Triple-A. The Marlins could use some offense out of the catching spot and his well-above-average raw power could fit the bill, even if his defense is still a work in progress.
Mets: Brandon Sproat, RHP (No. 1/MLB No. 43)
New York¡¯s top prospect has done a nice job of rebounding from a rough season debut with two earned runs across 8 1/3 innings over his last two starts for Syracuse. He continues to build up his pitch count as well, with 75 pitches in his last start. Sproat has flashed six different pitch types (four-seamer, sinker, slider, sweeper, curveball, changeup) and has touched 98.3 mph with his heat. Justin Hagenman got the nod when the Mets needed an arm Wednesday, but if there¡¯s an opening that lines up better with Sproat¡¯s schedule, he could get his own call before long.
Nationals: Robert Hassell III, OF (No. 11)
If Dylan Crews can turn around this really rough start as hoped by everyone in D.C., the Nats will remain well stocked in the outfield. But if they deem they need outfield help any time soon, Hassell is waiting at Triple-A after his offseason 40-man addition. The 23-year-old outfielder is slashing just .255/.305/.309 through 14 games (playing all of them in the cold of New York and Pennsylvania), but his speed and defense in center or the corners would certainly play quickly in the Majors.
Phillies: Andrew Painter, RHP (No. 1/MLB No. 7)
Be patient, Phillies fans! And don¡¯t pay too much attention to that first outing with Single-A Clearwater. Painter is still ramping up, so think of that like a Spring Training start. The organization slow-rolled his progress this spring so he¡¯d have innings at the end of the year in his first healthy season in two years. So this one might take a bit to get him up the ladder and ready for Philly, but he has the chance to play a significant role down the stretch ¡ and perhaps into October.
NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL
Brewers: Craig Yoho, RHP (No. 18)
There¡¯s a certain temptation to pick Caleb Durbin here for Milwaukee¡¯s third-base issues or Jacob Misiorowski for his electric stuff. But in terms of who could make an instant impact from Day 1, Yoho fits the description. The 25-year-old¡¯s upper-70s changeup would become one of the best in the Majors straight away with 18 inches of run and massive drop. It¡¯s helped his 92-94 mph sinker play up too, and his mid-70s sweeper (breaking 20 inches on average the other way) gives batters plenty to consider. Yoho hasn¡¯t allowed an earned run through six Triple-A appearances (7 1/3 innings) this season.
Cardinals: Michael McGreevy, RHP (No. 10)
The 2021 first-rounder posted a 1.96 ERA with only two walks in 23 Major League innings last season, but the Cardinals opted to go with more veterans in their season-opening rotation. McGreevy has been more solid than spectacular in his return to Triple-A Memphis (3.86 ERA, 11 K, 3 BB in 14 IP), but he continues to throw plenty of strikes as is his bread-and-butter. With Quinn Mathews on the IL with left shoulder soreness, the righty faces even less competition to be the next arm up.
Cubs: Cade Horton, RHP (No. 2/MLB No. 48)
The No. 7 overall pick in 2022 out of Oklahoma, Horton would have made his big league debut last year if he hadn¡¯t strained his shoulder in May. He¡¯s back dealing with a mid-90s fastball that tops out at 98 mph and a wicked mid-80s slider with two-plane depth, and he has allowed just one run while striking out 12 in 7 1/3 Triple-A innings.
Pirates: Bubba Chandler, RHP (No. 1/MLB No. 14)
This is just a matter of the right-hander getting built up enough to be ready to step into the Pirates¡¯ rotation. Stuff-wise -- a fastball that¡¯s been averaging 98 mph to go along with a slider and a changeup that all miss plenty of bats -- he¡¯s ready to get big league hitters out. After Paul Skenes, Mitch Keller and Andrew Heaney, the big league rotation has been inconsistent, so once Chandler is pitching deeper into games with Triple-A Indianapolis, that¡¯s a sign a callup might be imminent.
Reds: Chase Petty, RHP (No. 6/MLB No. 99)
We just added Petty to the Top 100 and he¡¯s close to knocking on the door of the big leagues. Even though the Reds¡¯ pitching staff has been very good (third in the NL in ERA), there¡¯s always the need for more pitching. Petty has evolved over the years from thrower to pitcher since being drafted by the Twins in the first round out of high school in 2021. He just turned 22 and has three plus pitches in his fastball, slider and cutter, with the chance to be a mid-rotation starter in short order.
NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST
D-backs: Jordan Lawlar, INF (No. 1/MLB No. 10)
Shortstop Geraldo Perdomo¡¯s extension meant the D-backs planned to move Lawlar around the infield at Triple-A Reno, and it¡¯s notable that six of his last seven starts have come at second base, corresponding with Ketel Marte¡¯s time on the IL with a hamstring injury. Offensively, Lawlar continues to take care of business. In his last five games, six of his eight hits have gone for extra bases, including three homers. Arizona, which can¡¯t afford to fall behind in a loaded NL West, hopes to have Marte back by the end of the month, but if that absence is prolonged, turning to Lawlar could be a solid option.
Dodgers: Dalton Rushing, C/OF (No. 2/MLB No. 28)
The Dodgers have begun playing Rushing in left field and first base in order to find ways to get his bat into their loaded lineup, though he still doesn't have an obvious opening. Los Angeles¡¯ top pick (second round) in the 2022 Draft, the Louisville product combines all-around offensive ability with underrated defense and athleticism, and he¡¯s hitting .308/.417/.436 at Triple-A.
Giants: Carson Whisenhunt, LHP (No. 2)
A year after riding one of the best changeups in baseball to a second-place finish in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League in strikeouts (135 in 109 2/3 innings), Whisenhunt is back there and has compiled a 3.86 ERA with 14 whiffs and just one walk in 14 frames. The 2022 second-rounder from East Carolina also features a low-90s sinker and a low-80s slider.
Padres: Bradgley Rodriguez, RHP (No. 14)
Known to be aggressive with prospects who have elite tools, San Diego gave the 21-year-old righty a decently long look this spring before sending him to Double-A San Antonio, where he¡¯s notched two saves in three appearances. Rodriguez has fanned seven and walked only one in five frames, leaning on his upper-90s fastball and upper-80s changeup. Beyond those two 65-grade pitches, the control improvement is perhaps most promising and could be what hastens his route to the Friars' bullpen.
Rockies: Jaden Hill, RHP (No. 18)
The Rockies have already called up Dollander, Veen and Adael Amador to lend support in the early going. Hill got his feet wet in the bigs last year and has been much sharper at Triple-A so far this year. He has back-end bullpen stuff and has been throwing more strikes this year, a big reason why he has a 1.17 ERA, .148 BAA and a 15/2 K/BB over his first six appearances.