Every Spring, many prospects are given the unique opportunity to spend some time with their Major League clubs to get some experience against other big leaguers, and to show that they have what it takes to compete. And with this, a few prospects are given the unique opportunity to prove that they’re ready to begin their MLB journeys as soon as Opening Day rolls around. Each time this happens, it’s incredibly exciting to see unfold. Last year, Anthony Volpe was the big prospect story during roster crunch season. This year, there’s plenty of similar stories unfolding in front of our eyes. In today’s article, we’re going to take a look at three of these players, examine how they’re playing, and how they fit into their team’s Major League rosters.
Prospect #1: Jackson Merrill, a New Starting CF in San Diego?
Ahead of the 2023 MLB season, the San Diego Padres made a massive splash in the free agent market, inking superstar Xander Bogaerts to an 11yr/$280 million dollar deal. While this was exciting for Padres fans at the time, this caused some issues for San Diego as well. The one that’s most notably played out so far, is that the Padres spent money on Bogaerts that they didn’t really have, which may have led to the Padres inability to continue extension talks with Juan Soto. However, this also had a large impact on former first round pick, Jackson Merrill.
Merrill, a first round selection in the 2021 Major League Baseball Draft, was beginning to make a name for himself as one of the best short stops in all of Minor League Baseball around the same time as the Bogaerts signing. Unfortunately, the Bogaerts signing further added to the blockade of infield prospects in the Padres system. This now meant that prospects like Merrill were expected to take on new roles, in order to fulfil their big league aspirations as soon as possible. This spring training, the Padres decided that the way to do that was to have Merrill begin to learn to play the outfield.
Many scouts expected this change to take a good while, potentially even leading to Merrill having to fully become an outfielder during the 2024 Minor League season before earning his shot at the big league roster. However, he’s welcomed this change with open arms, and has been excelling this spring. Merrill has played 11 games thus far, and he’s hit a homer, driven in 4 runs, posted an 8.6 BB%, just a 5.7% K%, slashed .344/.400/.531, with a .412 wOBA, and a 150 wRC+. Another thing to keep in mind, is that Merrill has been playing really solid defense from what we’ve seen, as he’s made plenty of diving catches to save runs from scoring.
The Padres have always been quick to develop their prospects, especially as of late. For example, last year Merrill played in two whole levels for a pretty notable amount of time, despite being just 20-years-old at the time. They’ve been doing a similar thing with Ethan Salas, someone who has played in Double-A before he was even legally an adult. And with Merrill playing so well, as well as the Padres lack of significant outfield depth, this could be a match made in heaven leading to his promotion.
Merrill is currently ranked as the number six prospect in all of baseball, as per the BSBWrites top 50, and he should only be trending up after a tremendous spring showing. With Merrill, you get an amazing raw set of tools, as well as a potential 125 or higher wRC+ type hitter. Merrill is now also set to travel with the team to Korea within the next few days, which is a good indication he may be given a chance come opening day.
Whatever the future holds for Merrill right off of the bat this year will be very exciting to watch, and I’m very curious to see where San Diego chooses to start him on Opening Day.
Prospect #2: Jared Jones, Key Rotation Piece for the Buccos?
This Spring Training, the Pittsburgh Pirates were faced with the challenge to resolve many positional holes before Opening Day rolled around. This spanned from the catcher battles, second base battles, and outfield battles, all featuring top prospects in the system. But, the most interesting of all has been the battle for a spot in their rotation. Many fans and experts have expected Pittsburgh to make more moves on the market, whether that be via trading for someone like Edward Cabrera, or via the free agent market for someone like Michael Lorenzen. However, they haven’t done anything more, and the season is about to begin within the coming weeks. The one name that’s making the best case to fill in? Pirates top prospect Jared Jones.
Jared Jones, a 22-year-old former second round pick in the 2020 Major League Baseball Draft, has burst onto the scene since moving his way up the lower Minor Leagues. This past season, he began the season at Double-A with the Altoona Curve, where he pitched to a 2.23 ERA, striking out 47 batters in 44.1 innings pitched. He moved to Triple-A Indianapolis after his good start, where he’d go on to struggle a little bit, but showcase good raw stuff. Jared Jones has become a mainstay in the Pirates starting pitching stockpile, and unlike with Merrill and the Padres, the space for Jones to make the team is wide open.
This spring, Jones has been given a decent amount of innings for the Major League team, and he’s really impressing many people. Jones has reportedly never reached above 99.9 miles per hour, and he’s thrown above 101 miles per hour multiple times this spring! Jones’ entire arsenal has been really impressive, but his fastball has definitely been the highlight. When comparing his fastball to Jacob deGrom’s fastball last spring, you see a lot of similarities across the board. Jones gets higher spin, significantly more horizontal break, the same induced vertical break, as well as similar VAA and extension numbers. Jones’ fastball isn’t the only pitch with fantastic shape, as his cutter, changeup, and curveball have all played extremely well. There’s also the slider he possessed last year, and the sinker-like fastball he’s thrown at times. Through Spring Training games so far, he’s not allowed a run through 7.1 innings, while also just being a dominant force on the hill.
As I previously mentioned, the Pirates still have a rotation spot wide open, and Jones is the perfect fit. No other pitcher on their spring rotation has done even close to as well as Jared Jones, and he’s the slam dunk choice for this spot. Manager Derek Shelton has said that Jones is “in play” for this last spot, but only time will tell as to how true this ends up being. The Pirates have shown that they aren’t afraid to give their young guys a shot over the last season, and there’s a very good chance Jared Jones is the next one up on this list.
Jones was ranked as one of the few prospects on the BSBWrites top 50 list who just missed, and if he doesn’t make the roster he will definitely be featured on the next update. Jones’ amazing stuff paired with the Pirates’ open spot in the rotation truly makes this a match made in heaven. It’s closer to roster crunch time now, so we should be finding out any day now if Jones will make the rotation or not.
Prospect #3: Jackson Holliday, MLB’s Number 1 Prospect is on the Cusp of Making it to the Show
The Baltimore Orioles are coming into 2024 with a whole new mood around their franchise than at this point last year. During 2023’s Spring Training, the clubhouse and air around the Orioles was filled with hope and a generally positive outlook on the future, but many believed they were still a year or two away from being the legitimate American League East threat people had anticipated them to eventually be. However, this year, it’s totally different. The Orioles won 101 games, which was the first time they had completed this feat since 1980. They made an incredibly historic, and surprising run, as many of their prospects are blossoming into the superstars everyone knew they’d be, right before their eyes. Baltimore has now seen the rises of Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson into the superstars everyone knew they could be. Baltimore has also pulled off a big move on the trade market in Corbin Burnes, which is not normal for Baltimore. But, the positive outlook is only getting brighter with their future star short stop of the future , Jackson Holliday, potentially being ready to make his MLB Debut.
Holliday, the consensus number one prospect in all of baseball, is finally nearing the point of being ready to make his Major League Debut. Ever since the Orioles took Jackson first overall in 2021, they knew they had something special. But, nothing could’ve prepared them for just how good he would become. The short stop position is currently being held down by Gunnar Henderson, but with Henderson more realistically profiling into a third baseman, there seems to be room for Holliday to finally get his shot.
Jackson Holliday put on quite the show during his 2023 campaign, as he played in Low-A, High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A, all in the same season. Most notably, he spent the majority of his time in High-A, where he would hit 5 homers, post a BB% near 20%, while posting a 162 wRC+, and other excellent marks. By the time Holliday was getting settled in at High-A, he’d get a shot at Double-A with the Bowie Baysox, where he instantly impressed. In just 36 games, he hit 3 homers, posted a BB% near 13%, all while posting a .412 wOBA, and a 154 wRC+. By this time, scouts were in awe of his raw talent, and everyone was ready to see what he could do at the next level. He’d struggle in his short time at Triple-A, but with Jackson being just 19-years-old, this wasn’t something to worry about too much.
Fast forwarding to this spring, Jackson Holliday is currently one of the best hitters in all of Major League Spring Training. Through 10 games, he’s hit a homer, while hitting 4 other extra-base hits, slashing .323/.344/.613 with a .408 wOBA, and a 148 wRC+. As I touched on previously, Gunnar Henderson moving to third base full time is a real possibility, especially given how well Holliday is currently doing. Although Jackson is currently just 20-years-old, there’s a very real possibility he cracks the opening day roster.
There’s also the very real possibility that Jackson is sent back to Triple-A to get in some more experience against better pitching, especially given his struggles last year. But, with how Holliday has been hitting, it’s becoming harder and harder to reason with keeping him in the minors any longer. Especially since the Orioles have shown that they aren’t afraid to move him up quicker than the average prospect.
Once again, with Holliday being just 20-years-old, there truly isn’t a huge rush to keep moving him up through the levels. Especially given the fact that there isn’t a real sense of urgency to move Henderson just yet. But, if Baltimore does decide to give him a real shot at the starting short stop job to start the new season, the left side of the infield in Baltimore will become must-watch TV.
Conclusion
The time of year where rosters start to shrink, and lineups become set is one of the most exciting times of the year as a baseball fan. Especially when we get to see new prospects make their way on to these teams. Time will tell if these players will all make the roster to start the year, or if prospects like Wyatt Langford will begin their careers in the coming weeks. Regardless, it’s going to be fun to watch.
BSBWRITES 
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