Hot Sheet: Baseball’s 20 Hottest Prospects From The Past Week (7/11/23)

2. Grayson Rodriguez, RHP, Orioles

Team: Triple-A Norfolk (International)

Age: 23

Why He’s Here: 0-0, 0.00, 9 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 15 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Rodriguez’s first turn in the big leagues didn’t go as planned, but he’s rounding into form back at Triple-A. His first start of the week was a masterwork. The righthander held Durham to three hits while punching out a career-best 12 over seven innings. He got 27 swings and misses in that outing alone and was dominant from open to close. Rodriguez followed it up with a shorter outing on Sunday which included three more strikeouts in as many one-hit innings. 

3. Heliot Ramos, OF, Giants

Team: Triple-A Sacramento (Pacific Coast)

Age: 23

Why He’s Here: .462/.462/1.115 (12-for-26), 8 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 10 RBIs, 0 BB, 5 SO, 0-for-1 SB

The Scoop: After spending most of the season rehabbing an oblique injury, Ramos debuted with Sacramento on July 3 and quickly made an impact. The 23-year-old swatted four home runs in six games, tripling the total he’d produced at Triple-A before the injury. Ramos already has big league time. If he keeps this up, he could find himself back in San Francisco in short order.

4. Xavier Edwards, SS/2B, Marlins

Team: Triple-A Jacksonville (International)

Age: 23

Why He’s Here: .621/.645/.828 (18-for-29), 12 R, 3 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 10 RBIs, 2 BB, 1 SO, 7-for-7 SB

The Scoop: Edwards has been a hitting machine of late. The offseason trade acquisition from Tampa Bay has had two or more hits in each of his last seven games, including a string of six straight games with three hits or more. He also has struck out just five times over his last 36 games, which spans from May 1 forward. 

5. Ceddanne Rafaela, OF, Red Sox

Team: Triple-A Worcester (International)

Age: 22

Why He’s Here: .308/.357/.769 (8-for-26), 6 R, 3 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 6 RBIs, 1 BB, 7 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: There’s zero question about Rafaela’s eventual ability to impact the game with his legs and his glove. Now, will he hit enough to reach his potential? He’s shown some positive signs early in his tenure with Triple-A—including four home runs in just 11 games—but the strikeouts remain a concern. At 22 years old there’s plenty of time for Rafaela to refine his approach, and if he does the Red Sox could have an excellent player on their hands. 

6. Thomas Saggese, SS/2B, Rangers

Team: Double-A Frisco (Texas)

Age: 21

Why He’s Here: .455/.538/.909 (10-for-22), 6 R, 4 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 4 RBIs, 2 BB, 6 SO, 1-for-2 SB

The Scoop: Saggese was Texas’ final pick in the shortened 2020 draft, which also netted it top prospect Evan Carter. So far, Saggese is looking like a steal. The California high school product has hit for both average and power with Double-A Frisco and has helped scouts believe he has a big league future as an offensive-minded utility player who can move around the diamond and get plenty of at-bats. 

7. Hayden Birdsong, RHP, Giants

Team: High-A Eugene (Northwest)

Age: 21

Why He’s Here: 0-0, 0.90, 10 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 19 SO, 1 HR

The Scoop: In his first start of the week, Birdsong was part of history. The righthander from Eastern Illinois dazzled fans at PK Park with the first five innings of a no-hitter against Tri-City on the Fourth of July. He struck out 11 in that game before handing the ball to Mat Olsen, William Kempner and Sam Delaplane to give the fans a nice pre-fireworks appetizer. Birdsong closed the series with eight more strikeouts over five more innings and now has 30 Ks in his first 22 High-A frames. 

8. Gabriel Rincones Jr., OF, Phillies

Team: High-A Jersey Shore (South Atlantic)

Age: 22

Why He’s Here: .450/.560/.950 (9-for-20), 4 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 4 RBIs, 5 BB, 5 SO

The Scoop: Out of the draft last year, Rincones was lauded for his excellent power potential. So far, it’s shown up. He hit five home runs in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League, which is still tied for third on the Clearwater team despite Rincones having been promoted to High-A Jersey Shore nearly a month ago. He clubbed his first High-A homer this past week, then added two more for good measure. 

9. Denzel Clarke, OF, Athletics

Team: Double-A Midland (Texas)

Age: 23

Why He’s Here: .455/.571/.727 (10-for-22), 8 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 9 RBIs, 6 BB, 3 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: Clarke is one of the more interesting prospects in the Oakland system, an (ahem) athletic outfielder with big league bloodlines—he is cousins with Josh and Bo Naylor—and one of the more exciting tool sets in the system. He hit two more home runs this past week, bringing his season total to 11, tops on a Rockhounds team that also includes fellow prospect and 2023 Futures Gamer Lawrence Butler. 

10. Jordan Beck, OF, Rockies

Team: High-A Spokane (Northwest)

Age: 22

Why He’s Here: .320/.346/.680 (8-for-25), 4 R, 3 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBIs, 1 BB, 4 SO, 3-for-3 SB

The Scoop: All season long, Beck has been one of the best overall hitters in the Northwest League. With two more home runs on his ledger, the Tennessee alum now leads the league in HRs (20), RBIs (72), hits (86), total bases (167) and runs (62). In other words, he’s had a monster of a season, and it’s only the middle of July. 

11. Chase DeLauter, OF, Guardians

Team: High-A Lake County (Midwest)

Age: 21

Why He’s Here: .611/.611/.944 (11-for-18), 4 R, 6 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 4 RBIs, 0 BB, 1 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: After having his pro debut delayed by a pair of foot injuries, DeLauter wasted no time showing why Cleveland spent its first-round pick on him a year ago. The James Madison alum jumped from rehabbing in the ACL all the way to High-A and immediately hit the ground running. The lefty has already racked up seven doubles in eight games with Lake County, which puts him just six off of the team lead. 

12. Christian Encarnacion-Strand, 3B, Reds

Team: Triple-A Louisville (International)

Age: 23

Why He’s Here: .333/.400/.630 (9-for-27), 9 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 4 RBIs, 3 BB, 7 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: Encarnacion-Strand was one of the talks of spring training and is part of the massive infusion of talent the Reds have received over the past two seasons. Encarnacion-Strand, who came over from the Twins in the Tyler Mahle deal, crushed two more home runs last week and now has 20 for the season. The figure places him in a four-way tie for fourth place in the International League, which he leads in total bases (168). 

13. Blade Tidwell, RHP, Mets

Team: High-A Brooklyn (South Atlantic)

Age: 22

Why He’s Here: 0-0, 3.00, 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 11 SO, 1 HR

The Scoop: Like fellow Hot Sheeter Jordan Beck, Tidwell is a Tennessee alum who heard his name called on the first day of the draft a year ago. The righthander has been a bit inconsistent in High-A, but of late he’s been nasty. That was especially true in June, when he went 3-0, 1.35 with 40 strikeouts in 26.2 innings. He closed that month with an 11-strikeout performance against Jersey Shore, then K’d 11 more against Wilmington to open July. 

14. Carlos De La Cruz, OF, Phillies

Team: Double-A Reading (Eastern)

Age: 23

Why He’s Here: .368/.400/.842 (7-for-19), 4 R, 3 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 3 RBIs, 0 BB, 7 SO

The Scoop: Without question, power is De La Cruz’s calling card. The massive Phillies prospect can hit balls out of any park and to any sector with eye-popping exit velocities. He hit two more home runs this past week and added three doubles as well. His 16 longballs this season place him four off the Eastern League lead, and his slugging percentage (.500), hits (91), extra-base hits (34), runs (54) and total bases (158) each place among the EL’s top five. 

15. Grant McCray, OF, Giants

Team: High-A Eugene (Northwest)

Age: 22

Why He’s Here: .346/.370/.654 (9-for-26), 3 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBIs, 0 BB, 8 SO, 0-for-1 SB

The Scoop: McCray burst upon the scene last year with an excellent season spent mostly at Low-A San Jose. It’s been a bit rougher sledding for the toolsy prospect this year, but this past week was a solid indicator of what McCray can do at the peak of his powers. There was contact and impact to produce nine hits and five extra-base hits, including speed enough to leg out a triple. The eight strikeouts and no walks also showcase the hole in his game. Much like fellow Hot Sheeter Ceddanne Rafaela, McCray has four loud tools. Improving his hittability would help the power and speed play even more often.

16. Chase Hampton, RHP, Yankees

Team: Double-A Somerset (Eastern)

Age: 21

Why He’s Here: 0-0, 3.60, 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 10 SO, 1 HR

The Scoop: The Texas Tech alum has been the breakout story of the Yankees’ system this season. After being shut down post-draft in 2022, he opened the year at High-A and bulldozed the competition before earning a promotion to Double-A on June 15. In his most recent start, Hampton rung up 10 strikeouts against Reading, giving him 103 for the season, enough to just edge fellow 2022 draftee Drew Thorpe for the system lead. The 10 Ks also tied a career best he’d equaled three previous times this season. 

17. Caden Dana, RHP, Angels

Team: High-A Tri-City (Northwest)

Age: 19

Why He’s Here: 0-1, 0.00, 6.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Dana was on the losing end of Eugene’s no-hitter on the Fourth of July—which was started by fellow Hot Sheet honoree Hayden Birdsong—but he put forth a pretty darn good outing himself. The New Jersey prep product fanned nine over 6.2 innings, giving him 62 strikeouts in 47.1 innings since moving up from Low-A Inland Empire on April 25. His overall total of 80 strikeouts is tied for the second-most in the Angels’ system. 

18. Gabriel Gonzalez, OF, Mariners

Team: Low-A Modesto (California)

Age: 19

Why He’s Here: .381/.500/.762 (8-for-21), 4 R, 0 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 2 RBIs, 4 BB, 2 SO

The Scoop: Gonzalez is having a monster season in the Low-A California League. The 19-year-old hit a pair of home runs last week, which helped him stay atop the circuit’s batting race. His average of .348 is excellent on its own, but the on-base and slugging percentages of .403 and .530 helped make him part of a very exclusive club. He is one of just two players 19 or younger who have slash lines of .300/.400/.500 after 150 or more plate appearances. The other? Jackson Holliday. 

19. Zack Gelof, 2B, Athletics

Team: Triple-A Las Vegas (Pacific Coast)

Age: 23

Why He’s Here: .367/.367/.600 (11-for-30), 5 R, 4 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 5 RBIs, 9 BB, 3 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: Gelof had an excellent week entering the all-star break at Triple-A Las Vegas, and then capped it off by watching his brother Jake get his name called by the Dodgers on the first night of the draft. The elder Gelof was an on-base machine during the most recent Hot Sheet period. He had nearly as many walks (nine) as hits (11) and threw in a stolen base as well. His four two-baggers gave him 20 on the season, making him one of five PCL players to reach that mark. 

20. Isaac Coffey, RHP, Red Sox

Team: Double-A Portland (Eastern)

Age: 23

Why He’s Here: 2-0, 3.48, 10.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 5 BB, 16 SO, 1 HR

The Scoop: Coffey carved up the competition something fierce in the South Atlantic League before a promotion to Double-A. He’s found the sledding a little rougher in the Eastern League, but he’s still managed to rack up the strikeouts. With 16 Ks this past week, he’s up to 23 in 16.1 Double-A innings and 106 (against just 19 walks) for the season. 

HELIUM

Henry Lalane, LHP, Yankees

Lalane was signed by New York in 2021 and spent 2022 in the Dominican Summer League before moving stateside this year. Now in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League, the lefthander has impressed evaluators with a mix of stuff, athleticism and body control that suggests a very high ceiling. He’s only thrown 3.2 innings so far in the FCL, but he’s yet to allow a hit and has brought his fastball into the mid 90s. The fastball is backed up by a potentially above-average slider and a changeup that could be at least plus. He commands his mix well, and the combination of size, athleticism, command and stuff could lead to very big things.