We’ve gotten a taste of Major League callups in recent days, and as always, we’d like some more.
Late August can be a prime time for prospect promotions as it becomes guaranteed that prospects won’t exceed 45 days of service time this season, thus preserving their rookie status for another year. If they’re Top 100 prospects on two of three preseason lists (MLB Pipeline, Baseball America, ESPN) and are in the Majors within two weeks of Opening Day in 2026, they’ll be eligible to get their clubs a Prospect Promotion Incentive pick if they win Rookie of the Year or finish top three in MVP or Cy Young voting before becoming arbitration-eligible.
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In other words, now is a good time for teams to get their best young prospects a taste of the Majors and set up future success in The Show. Of course, there’s also the chance that these players could have big impacts on postseason races down the final stretch too.
Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo, Mets right-hander Nolan McLean and Cubs outfielder Owen Caissie are some of the big names to debut in recent days. Here are prospects we’d like to see get a similar call to the bigs before the 2025 season is up from each farm system:
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AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
Blue Jays: Trey Yesavage, RHP (No. 1/MLB No. 26)
Look, we know Yesavage’s Triple-A Buffalo debut didn’t go according to plan with four walks and two earned runs in only 1 2/3 innings, and he’s scheduled to start again for the Bisons on Thursday. But there’s a certain allure to seeing how Yesavage’s unique high arm slot and fastball-slider-splitter mix (all of which moves armside) would play in a bullpen setting for the Blue Jays down the stretch as they try to secure an AL East title. We know he can generate whiffs; his 41.9 percent K rate leads the Minors (min. 80 IP).
Orioles: Trey Gibson, RHP (No. 12)
Gibson has to be a strong contender for organizational pitching prospect of the year honors thanks to his work since he got to the upper levels, with a 1.41 ERA and a .151 average-against in 11 outings between Double-A and Triple-A. He tossed five innings of one-hit shutout ball in his first Triple-A start and looks like he could help a big league staff that’s currently 13th in the American League in ERA.
Rays: Carson Williams, SS (No. 1/MLB No. 47)
It hasn’t been an ideal age-22 season for Williams. His 34.2 percent K rate is third-highest among Triple-A qualifiers, and his 38.8 percent whiff rate is fifth-highest for the level (min. 250 PA). That said, the 22-year-old shortstop is hitting .246/.350/.527 with 16 homers in 59 games since the start of June, good for a 125 wRC+ in that span. He’s also notched his third straight 20/20 season with 22 homers and 21 steals. Williams, who is an exceptional defender at the six, is Rule 5 Draft-eligible this offseason and needs 40-man protection soon anyway. With Taylor Walls out with a groin strain and Ha-Seong Kim not setting the world on fire, Williams could be worth a late look at short to get him ready for a bigger role in ‘26.
Red Sox: Payton Tolle, LHP (No. 2/MLB No. 28)
Per Tommy Cassell of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, the Triple-A Worcester coaching staff hasn’t talked to Tolle about a move to the bullpen “to this point.” Those last three words could be important because it still leaves the door open for such a move. Entering Tuesday, Tolle sits at 86 2/3 innings on the season across three levels, and he’s struck out 124 in that span, thanks to a mid-90s fastball that plays up with elite extension. It might just be the most effective four-seam heater in the Minors. With Boston trying to hold onto an AL Wild Card spot and in need of relief help, it might be too tempting to leave Tolle in the International League.
Yankees: Spencer Jones, OF (No. 4/MLB No. 91)
As hot as Jones was in July (when he had 11 homers, a .946 slugging percentage and a 1.423 OPS in 18 games), he’s gone just as cold in August with a .154/.250/.215 line and 25 strikeouts in 17 games. If he turns things around in a week or so, Jones could still push for the Bronx considering he’ll be added to the 40-man roster this offseason anyway ahead of his Rule 5 eligibility. Few in baseball can match his raw power -- he ranks second in the Minors with 30 homers -- and his surprising speed at 6-foot-7 could be useful for the big club too. Notably, he’s mixed in more left field this month on top of his work in center.
AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL
Guardians: Juan Brito, 2B (No. 15)
Parker Messick’s impending Wednesday debut took away an easier option here, and admittedly, this might be a race against the clock. Brito suffered a left hamstring strain that put him on the Triple-A Columbus IL on July 8. He might be an option to return in September, when he’ll be closing out his third year on the 40-man without an MLB debut. Brito has hit .255/.366/.442 with 24 homers in 173 career games at Triple-A, and after all that time, it might be worth seeing what Cleveland has in him in the Majors (if healthy) while sorting out its second-base options.
Royals: Carter Jensen, C (No. 2/MLB No. 70)
The Royals traded backup catcher Freddy Fermin to the Padres at the deadline and have used Luke Maile in that spot since. Meanwhile, Jensen continues to produce fireworks at Triple-A Omaha, where he has 11 homers, a .603 SLG and a .975 OPS in 35 games since his arrival in late June. The left-handed-hitting backstop has run a 107.6 mph 90th-percentile exit velocity, good for the 93rd percentile at Triple-A -- signs that his power has been very real in games. With Jensen Rule 5-eligible in November, it could be worth Kansas City getting him some time to work with Salvador Perez late this season as the potential future of the catching spot.
Tigers: Dylan Smith, RHP (No. 21)
Another race against the clock as Smith has been out since July 6 with a shoulder strain, though a source indicated earlier this month that he was a possibility to return in September. The 25-year-old right-hander has found a comfortable role out of the bullpen this season, thanks to two plus pitches in his 93-96 mph fastball and mid-80s sweeper. He allowed only two earned runs over 13 innings across two stints in the bigs in June and July.
Twins: Mick Abel, RHP (No. 6)
Abel got his feet wet in earlier this year with the Phillies. He had a couple of good starts, and some not so good among his six appearances. The right-hander just turned 24 and he’s been pitching very well at Triple-A since coming to the Twins in the Jhoan Duran deal. In 15 1/3 innings over three starts since the trade, Abel has given up just three runs (1.76 ERA) while striking out 23 vs. just six walks and holding hitters to a .140 average-against.
White Sox: Peyton Pallette, RHP (No. 14)
The 2022 second-rounder has been relief-only since reaching the upper Minors last year, and he’s been pushing for the Majors at Triple-A Charlotte, where he’s been better than his 4.75 ERA. He’s fanned 34 in 30 1/3 innings with the Knights and has stood out more for his secondaries (a high-spin, low-80s curveball; a mid-80s changeup with a whiff rate above 50 percent; a mid-80s slider with good depth) than his 94-96 mph heater. If called, Pallette should be an option against righty-heavy lineups as he’s limited same-side hitters to a .185 SLG-against at Triple-A.
AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST
Angels: Nelson Rada, OF (No. 9)
This might be more of a wish-list deal, but the Angels do like to push prospects aggressively. Rada doesn’t turn 20 until next week and he’s already been jumped to Triple-A as a teenager. It’s a small sample, but it’s hard not to be impressed with how Rada first held his own at Double-A and has gone off in his first 13 games for Salt Lake with a .354/.483/.479 line, the same amount of walks as strikeouts and nine steals. Why not reward him now and see whether he’s ready to join the big league outfield at the start of the 2026 season?
Astros: Brice Matthews, 2B (No. 1/MLB No. 97)
Matthews got a chance to contribute with Houston in July, and while he did homer three times, he went 5-for-35 and landed back at Triple-A. He’s put up solid numbers with Sugar Land overall this year with a .275/.384/.481 line, 13 homers and 29 steals. Though he’s been scuffling a bit lately, he still can offer speed off the bench.
A’s: Henry Bolte, OF (No. 7)
Bolte’s power-speed combination has been exciting since the A’s drafted him in 2022. But he also carried a 34.1 percent strikeout rate into the 2025 season. He hasn’t gotten to his power quite as much this year, but the K’s are down (27.6 pct) and he’s over 40 steals for the second straight year. He’s hit .325/.429/.434 over 23 games with Triple-A Las Vegas, and while it’s a little crowded in the big league outfield, it sure would be fun seeing his tools on display at the highest level, especially with Denzel Clarke on the shelf.
Mariners: Harry Ford, C (No. 4/MLB No. 40)
The 22-year-old backstop has had a fine year at the plate, with a .292/.413/.475 line and 15 steals. After playing a handful of games in the outfield last year, he’s only caught this year, leading some of us to think he could be a good trade piece since he’s blocked behind the dish by Cal Raleigh. But he’s still here and his bat could still be an asset, even if it’s just off the bench in September. He’ll almost certainly be added to the 40-man roster this offseason, so why not bring him up ahead of that and let him help the playoff push?
Rangers: Abimelec Ortiz, 1B/OF (No. 18)
Sure, Ortiz has played only 13 games at Triple-A Round Rock, but they’ve been a heck of a baker’s dozen. The 23-year-old has slashed .342/.468/.737 with four homers since joining the Express earlier this month. He’s already topped out with a 112.7 mph exit velocity on one of those dingers, backing up the reports on his above-average pop from the left side. That’s well-timed considering he faces Rule 5 eligibility this offseason. Texas has worked through Jake Burger and Rowdy Tellez at the cold corner of late but could offer Ortiz a look if it plans to protect him come November anyway.
NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST
Braves: JR Ritchie, RHP (No. 2)
Ritchie is looking more and more like the future starting pitcher the Braves thought they were getting when they drafted him in 2022. Tommy John surgery is well behind him and he’s second in the organization in ERA and strikeouts while topping the system in BAA. He’s been really impressive in five Triple-A starts, four of which saw him go into the sixth inning, with a .180 BAA and a 0.96 WHIP.
Marlins: Joe Mack, C (No. 3/MLB No. 75)
A battery callup of Mack and lefty Robby Snelling would be fun, but we’ll give Mack the nod because he’ll have to be added to the 40-man this offseason anyway. After a red-hot start at Double-A, the backstop’s Triple-A production has been more modest, but he’s hit 10 homers in 77 games for Jacksonville. He’s also thrown out more than 30 percent of potential basestealers all year.
Mets: Brandon Sproat, RHP (No. 5)
The 24-year-old right-hander’s second foray into Triple-A has been uneven (4.24 ERA, 100 strikeouts in 110 1/3 innings), and it was notable that the Mets turned to Nolan McLean when a rotation spot opened up last week. But Sproat continues to build his own case, as he did Tuesday with one earned run and eight punchouts over six innings. He has a 2.13 ERA with 49 strikeouts and 12 walks in his last eight starts (42 1/3 innings) and continues to show good velocity sitting 95-98 mph with a pair of fastballs, a mid-80s sweeper and an 89-92 mph changeup that can get whiffs.
Nationals: Christian Franklin, OF (No. 13)
Yes, the Nats have too many young outfielders in need of playing time in James Wood, Dylan Crews, Daylen Lile, Robert Hassell III and Jacob Young. But if any of them suffer an injury in the remaining weeks of the season, the club should turn to Franklin, who was acquired from the Cubs in the Michael Soroka deal at the deadline. The 25-year-old outfielder is hitting .353/.441/.549 with two homers and four steals in 13 games for Triple-A Rochester since the trade as he continues to show off loud exit velocities and low chase rates. Franklin is Rule 5-eligible this offseason.
Phillies: Andrew Painter, RHP (No. 1/MLB No. 10)
Since the beginning of the year, it seemed like the plan was for the Phillies to manage Painter’s first year back from Tommy John surgery after missing all of 2023 and 2024 in order for him to contribute in Philadelphia down the stretch. But after a very solid start at Triple-A, it’s been a bit of a slog and he’s given up 14 earned runs in 13 1/3 innings over three August outings. The Phillies do need some pitching help, so if Painter can right the ship, there’s still time for him to help the big club out.
NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL
Brewers: Jeferson Quero, C (No. 4/MLB No. 65)
Taken out by a right shoulder injury in '24 and hampered by hamstring/left shoulder issues at times this summer, Quero is finally hitting his stride for Triple-A Nashville with a .379/.459/.759 line and six extra-base hits in nine games this month. He continues to balance catching and DH duties to protect his health down the stretch, but the bat is looking closer to being MLB-ready for the red-hot Crew.
Cardinals: JJ Wetherholt, SS/2B (No. 1/MLB No. 6)
St. Louis brass has indicated that, ahead of a 40-man roster crunch this winter, Wetherholt needn’t be rushed to the Majors, but the '24 seventh overall pick might force the club’s hand all the same. Wetherholt is hitting .310/.403/.670 with nine homers in 26 games since joining Triple-A Memphis, as he marries a disciplined approach with what could be at least above-average power. He’s also mixing in reps at third base to help his chances at finding a place in the Cardinals’ infield puzzle.
Cubs: Moisés Ballesteros C/1B (No. 2/MLB No. 52)
Owen Caissie is up now and Ballesteros had brief chances in May and late July. It’s clear the guy can hit and he sports a .319/.382/.482 slash line at Triple-A this year. At the very least, providing some left-handed thump off the bench during the playoff race could be an asset, even if the Cubs don’t want to put him behind the plate in crunch time.
Pirates: Bubba Chandler, RHP (No. 2/MLB No. 7)
Much like with Andrew Painter across the state with the Phillies, Chandler seemed like a no-doubt callup at some point this season. He looked like he was on the cusp when he had a 2.03 ERA and a .181 BAA through May, but then lost feel for his stuff and posted an 8.53 ERA over five June starts. July was better, allowing the buzz to begin again, but his three August starts were rough (7.50 ERA). After news broke Wednesday that Chandler will be called up Friday, he’ll get his feet wet in a relief role with an eye toward starting in 2026.
Reds: Sal Stewart, 3B/2B (No. 1/MLB No. 31)
We’re not exactly sure he’ll get at-bats with trade acquisition Ke’Bryan Hayes at third and Matt McLain at second, but we are sure that Stewart can hit. He has a combined .890 OPS this year and the 2025 All-Star Futures Gamer has hit .314/.392/.610 in his 28 games since he got to Triple-A. Perhaps the Reds can get him ABs moving him around the hot corner, the keystone and even at DH as they try to contend for a Wild Card spot.
NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST
D-backs: Jordan Lawlar, INF (No. 1/MLB No. 23)
Lawlar returned to the Triple-A Reno lineup on Aug. 14 after missing almost two months with a hamstring strain, and he had hits in each of his first four games back as he tries to squeeze in an MLB return before the year is out. Three of those four starts came at third base, and that’s where Arizona has the clearest opening following Eugenio Suárez’s move to Seattle. Lawlar -- a plus-plus runner with an impressive glove on the dirt -- will have to improve his offensive work against breaking stuff whenever he does get back to the bigs.
Dodgers: Jackson Ferris, LHP (No. 6)
Ferris’ overall numbers just seem OK, with an ERA just under 4.00 and too many walks (4.5 per nine) for Double-A Tulsa. But over his last nine starts, beginning with six shutout innings in an outing at the end of June, the lefty sports a 1.46 ERA and a .209 BAA. We don’t presume the Dodgers would jump a 21-year-old from Double-A into the rotation, but seeing him take care of some lefties out of the 'pen to get him his first big league action would be a lot of fun.
Giants: Bryce Eldridge, 1B (SF No. 1/MLB No. 13)
Eldridge surprised many by touching all four full-season affiliates in the system during his first full season in '24. He started this year back at Double-A and missed some time with a hamstring issue, but he’s still just a home run away from his second straight 20-homer season. He’s been finding his power stroke in August (five homers in 16 games). Seeing his 6-foot-7 presence in the left-handed box in San Francisco this year is on our wish list.
Padres: Tirso Ornelas, OF (No. 11)
Ornelas missed two months while dealing with plantar fasciitis but has been back with Triple-A El Paso since Aug. 8, slugging .515 with more extra-base hits (five) than strikeouts (four) over eight games in that span. Ramón Laureano’s arrival from Baltimore helped solve San Diego’s issue in left field, thus blocking Ornelas, but the 25-year-old could still provide a decent blend of patience and power as a left-handed-hitting option off the bench when rosters expand by two in September.
Rockies: Sterlin Thompson, OF (No. 17)
Thompson has enjoyed hitting at Triple-A Albuquerque this year, producing a .291/.388/.506 slash line. He has 43 extra-base hits in 98 games and his .894 OPS leads all Colorado farmhands. The Rockies need to see which bats can help them turn things around in '26. They’re currently giving third baseman Kyle Karros an audition. They should let Thompson join him.