Welcome back to the Weekly Wrap! It’s with great pleasure that we return this column from its hiatus to bring you all the latest prospect news. Just to refresh your memory, the Weekly Wrap will cover promotions, injuries, and DL reinstatements from all the major (and minor) prospects you know and love. Major league promotions will be handled in our Call-Up articles. Let’s get to it!
On The Shelf
Riley Ferrell, Astros pitching prospect, will miss the remainder of the 2016 season after undergoing surgery to repair an aneurism in his throwing shoulder. Yikes.
A.J. Reed, heralded Astros first base prospect, has hit the DL with a strained right hamstring. Reed was hitting just .229/.333/.457 at Triple-A Fresno, so a short DL stint might be just the thing to clear his mind before his return.
Forrest Wall, everyone’s favorite Rockies second base prospect, is expected to miss a few games after being hit in the hand by a pitch.
Giovanny Urshela (Indians) has been placed on the 7-day DL after tweaking his right hamstring.
Yankees pitching prospect Domingo Acevedo will hit the DL with an undisclosed lower body injury. Acevedo has been turning heads in his 2016 campaign with a fastball that has touched 102 mph. We’ll keep an eye on him.
Jacob May, White Sox outfield prospect, has been placed on the 7-Day DL with at Triple-A Charlotte with an oblique strain. May’s speed and ability to play center field makes him a possible outfield option for the big-league club once he returns.
Young Atlanta outfielder Ronald Acuna has sustained an injury sliding headfirst into second base. It’s unclear exactly how much time Acuna will miss, but he was spotted recently wearing a serious-looking cast.
Jen-Ho Tseng, a Cubs IFA signing, has hit the 7-Day DL with an undisclosed injury.
Brewers prospect Michael Reed will hit the 7-day DL after sustaining a concussion after running into an outfield wall.
Erstwhile catcher Clint Coulter will miss time due to an oblique strain. Coulter has been struggling both at the plate and in right field in his second time through the Florida State League.
Mets Triple-A shortstop Gavin Cecchini will hit the 7-Day DL as he attempts to recover from a sore back. Cecchini is off to a hot start this year, slashing .294/.388/.388 in 26 games.
Lefthanded pitcher Steven Brault will miss time due to a left hamstring strain. Brault was off to a hot start with Triple-A Indianapolis, where he lead the International League with 11.8 K/9.
Movin’ On Up
In perhaps the biggest news story in the Wrap this week, Andrew Benintendi has been promoted to Double-A Portland. The polished outfielder, who was taken seventh overall in last year’s draft, posted a cool .976 OPS with 15 walks and nine strikouts in 155 PAs at High-A. I’m still not a big believer in Benintendi reaching the majors in 2016, but a strong campaign in Double-A could mean a promotion to Triple-A by the end of the season if the Red Sox decide to be more aggressive in his development.
The Brewers 2015 first round pick, Trent Clark, has been promoted to low-A Wisconsin. James Fisher recently published his report on Clark in an Eyewitness Account in which he praises the outfielder’s advanced offensive skills and physicality.
Indians third base prospect Yandy Diaz has been promoted to Triple-A Columbus. .
Foster Griffin, Royals pitching prospect, has been promoted to High-A Wilmington. Atta boy, Griffin.
Left-handed reliever Grant Dayton has been promoted to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Dayton is 28 but is making big strides in his control. If he can sustain his progress, he could serve as bullpen depth at some point this season.
The intriguing San Francisco pitching prospect Joan Gregorio has been promoted to Triple-A Sacramento after posting a solid 2.33 ERA and a 33 to 6 K/BB ratio. If the 6-foot-7 Dominican righty can sustain his progress, he could earn a chance to start at the big-league level.
Walter Lockett, the Padres 2011 fourth round draft pick, has been promoted to High-A Lake Elsinore.
Oakland infielder Ryon Healy has been promoted to Triple-A Nashville after hitting .338 and slugging eight home runs in his Double-A campaign thus far.
The sixth-overall pick in the 2014 draft, Alex Jackson's career has progressed slowly, but he was promoted to Low-A Clinton, is still just 20 years old, and packs plenty of pop when he connects.
Back in Action
Rays outfielder Mikie Mahtook has been activated off the DL to rejoin Triple-A Durham. Mahtook missed time due to an oblique issue.
Phil Ervin, a Cincinnati outfield prospect, has returned to the lineup after missing the past few days with a hamstring injury, which appears to be mostly precautionary considering Ervin’s speedy return.
The Dayton Dragons were glad to see Cincinnati catcher Tyler Stephenson return from the disabled list when he belted a grand slam in one of his first at-bats. The Reds 2015 first-round pick has started slow thus far but may be showing signs of life after this 3-6 game.
After missing three weeks with an oblique strain, Philadelphia catching prospect Jorge Alfaro has made a splash with his return, going 5-for-15 with a home run in his first four games back.
Tigers outfield prospect Derek Hill has returned from the disabled list after running full speed into an outfield wall attempting to make a catch. He did not make the catch.
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