Top 100 prospects: Injuries & roster moves
Here is the latest on injuries and roster moves involving MLB Pipeline's Top 100 prospects:
LATEST NEWS
No. 9 Coby Mayo, 3B, Orioles
Expected to rejoin MLB roster Sunday (source)
The Orioles are expected to recall Mayo, according to a source. MLB rosters expand from 26 players to 28 on Sunday, when Baltimore closes out a three-game series vs. Colorado at Coors Field.
Mayo had a tough first stint in the big leagues earlier in August, going 1-for-17 (.059) with three walks and two runs scored in seven games from Aug. 2-14. The 22-year-old third baseman got his first hit in his final game, knocking a single against the Nationals on Aug. 14. (Last updated: Aug. 31)
No. 78 Christian Moore, 2B, Angels
Injury: Lower left leg
ETA: TBD
Moore left the game on Aug. 30 with Double-A Rocket City in the seventh inning with a lower left leg injury after trying to make a catch on a liner at second base. Moore appeared to land awkwardly on his left knee and was removed from the game. He was the No. 8 selection in this year's Draft and was considered a September callup candidate after a strong start to his Minor League career. But now that could be on hold, depending on the severity of his injury. (Last updated: Aug. 30)
No. 91 Braxton Ashcraft, RHP, Pirates
Injury: Recurrent right forearm injury
ETA: TBD
Ashcraft pitched one inning on Aug. 30 in his first start back from the injured list, but was again placed on the injured list the following day. Ashcraft has excelled on the field, but has made three trips to the injured list since June 28, with right elbow inflammation causing him to miss a month and a half from mid-July to late August. (Last updated: Aug. 31)
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(ordered by ranking)
No. 4 Marcelo Mayer, SS, Red Sox
Injury: Lumbar strain
Expected return: 2025
Mayer will miss the final month of the season for a second straight year, Ian Browne confirmed on Aug. 26. Boston's top prospect was promoted from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester along with Roman Anthony (MLB's No. 13 prospect) and Kyle Teel (MLB No. 26) on Aug. 11, but he hadn't played since July 30, and on Aug. 20 he was placed on the injured list without appearing in a WooSox game.
Mayer had been leading the Eastern League in hitting, having slashed .307/.370/.480 with eight homers and 13 stolen bases through 77 games. Last year, the fourth overall pick of the 2021 Draft struggled through a left shoulder impingement to bat .236/.306/.433 -- but .337/.414/.582 before the injury -- before being shut down in August. (Last updated: Aug. 26)
No. 8 Jordan Lawlar, SS, Diamondbacks
Injury: Left hamstring strain
Expected return: Potentially late August/early September
Two games into a rehab assignment in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League, Lawlar reinjured his left hamstring and is expected to miss six to eight weeks, D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said on July 10. The club's top prospect initially injured his left hamstring while legging out a triple in the ninth inning of Triple-A Reno's June 15 game. Lawlar had an MRI exam on June 17 that showed a Grade 1 strain.
The 2021 first-rounder also landed on the IL earlier this year after opening the 2024 campaign with a thumb injury. He played his first Minor League game of the season on May 29. (Last updated: July 10)
No. 15 Brooks Lee, INF, Twins
Injury: Right biceps tendinitis
Expected return: Late August
Lee began a rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul on Aug. 24 and went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer as the Saints' designated hitter. Lee had been throwing and hitting from both sides of the plate without pain, head athletic trainer Nick Paparesta said on Aug. 20, and the rookie infielder took batting practice at Target Field with Twins teammates on Aug. 23.
Lee went to the IL on Aug. 9, the same day he received a cortisone injection in his right shoulder. The IL stint is retroactive to Aug. 8. (Last updated: Aug. 24)
No. 21 Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF, Twins
Injury: Right thumb strain
Expected return: TBD
Rodriguez reaggravated his thumb injury on a swing during his rehab assignment in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League in early July. On July 6, he went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and a walk while starting in center field. He then went 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts on July 8 before being sidelined again. The 21-year-old initially landed on the Minor League 7-day IL on June 7 when he sprained his thumb on a slide into second base on a double to left-center field -- which was his first game back after missing a week of action due to a separate hand injury. (Last updated: July 21)
No. 24 Matt Shaw, SS, Cubs
Injury: Back strain
Expected return: TBD
Shaw made an impressive play to record the final out of the bottom of the second for Triple-A Iowa on Aug. 25, ranging deep into the hole at short and making a leaping throw to first, but he was then lifted for a pinch-hitter in the top half of the third. The Cubs' No. 1 prospect reportedly strained his back making the play and could miss a few days. The 2023 first-rounder (No. 13 overall) has posted a .254/.389/.441 line with three homers and nine RBIs in 18 games since being promoted to Iowa. (Last updated: Aug. 26)
No. 30 Cade Horton, RHP, Cubs
Injury: Right lat strain
Expected return: 2025
Horton is expected to miss the remainder of the year due to a setback in his rehab from a right lat strain, MLB.com has confirmed. The expectation is Horton will get back to throwing, but given where the calendar is, the 22-year-old getting back to competitive action before the end of the Minor League season would be difficult.
It’s a tough ending to what was shaping up to be a positive season for Horton in his developmental path. The Cubs’ 2022 first-round Draft pick was promoted from Double-A Tennessee to Triple-A Iowa on April 30, after he posted a 1.10 ERA in four starts with the Smokies, with 18 strikeouts in 16 1/3 innings. He exited his May 29 start for Triple-A Iowa after logging 20 pitches in one inning (two runs allowed) against Louisville. (Last updated: Aug. 9)
No. 32 Kevin McGonigle, SS/2B, Tigers
Injury: Right hamate fracture
Expected return: TBD
The Tigers moved McGonigle to the injured list with a right hamate fracture suffered Aug. 10 at High-A West Michigan. McGonigle fouled off a 1-2 pitch in his first at-bat, then asked for time and was seen clutching and shaking his right hand before looking uncomfortable swinging at strike three. He was slated to undergo surgery on Aug. 15.
In his first full season, the 37th overall pick of last year's Draft put together a .309/.401/.452 slash line with 25 extra-base hits and 22 stolen bases over 60 games for Single-A Lakeland and 14 for West Michigan. He also drew 46 walks compared to 28 strikeouts. (Last updated: Aug. 13)
No. 33 Andrew Painter, RHP, Phillies
Injury: Partial tear in right elbow
Expected return: 2025
Painter has progressed to throwing off a mound in Clearwater, Fla., after undergoing Tommy John surgery in late July 2023. He is not expected to return to game action until the 2025 season. Painter will still be just 21 years old on Opening Day next year. (Last updated: July 22)
No. 41 Chase DeLauter, OF, Guardians
Injury: Right hamstring strain
ETA: TBD
While it remains to be seen what level of hamstring strain DeLauter suffered, the injury comes during a time when the 2022 first-round Draft selection was scorching at the plate. Since being promoted to Triple-A Columbus on Aug. 20, DeLauter went 7-for-23 (.304) with two homers (one inside-the-park), four doubles and four walks through his first six games with the Clippers. The Guardians announced on Friday that he was being placed on the 7-day IL. (Last updated: Aug. 30)
No. 42 Jeferson Quero, C, Brewers
Injury: Torn labrum in right shoulder
Expected return: 2025
Triple-A Nashville catcher Jeferson Quero underwent season-ending surgery for a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder, delaying until 2025 the rapid ascent of one of baseball’s top catching prospects.
Quero, 21, dislocated his right shoulder in his Triple-A debut when he dove back to first base. After being examined by Brewers team doctors, Quero sought a second opinion from shoulder guru Dr. Barry Meister, the same surgeon who repaired Milwaukee starter Brandon Woodruff’s shoulder last fall, and elected for a surgical route that will sideline Quero for approximately nine months. (Last updated: April 10)
No. 44 Nick Kurtz, 1B, Athletics
Injury: Right hamstring strain
Expected return: TBD
Kurtz exited in the third inning of Double-A Midland's game on Aug. 24 after stretching to make a play at first base. The No. 4 overall pick in July's Draft immediately grabbed for his hamstring and tried jogging before exiting the game. Kurtz is 5-for-13 at Double-A this season and has a 1.283 OPS in 12 games across two levels. MLB.com's Martín Gallegos reported that Kurtz will land on the injured list, although there is no timetable for his return yet. (Last updated: Aug. 25)
No. 46 Leodalis De Vries, SS, Padres
Injury: Right shoulder strain
Expected return: TBD
De Vries' breakout first professional season may be coming to an early end. The Padres' 17-year-old shortstop prospect -- the top-ranked international signing in the current class -- suffered a strained right shoulder while diving for a ball Aug. 18.
De Vries' shoulder strain will likely keep him sidelined for at least a couple weeks, sources told MLB.com's AJ Cassavell. Without much season left for Single-A Lake Elsinore, a return seems unlikely, though the club has not ruled it out. Still, the Padres will undoubtedly be cautious with De Vries.
Early in the season, the 17-year-old dealt with an injury to his other shoulder and struggled as a result. But once he got healthy, he turned in an outstanding summer, posting a .284/.407/.589 slash line in July and August. (Last updated: Aug. 19)
No. 56 Jett Williams, SS/OF, Mets
Injury: Right wrist soreness
Expected return: August
Williams, who underwent surgery on June 6 to address right wrist soreness, is reportedly set to begin a rehab assignment with Single-A St. Lucie on Aug. 21 before returning to Double-A Binghamton the following week. The 2022 first-rounder will also reportedly compete in the Arizona Fall League to make up for the time he missed. (Last updated: Aug. 19)
No. 62 Edgar Quero, C, White Sox
Injury: Back discomfort
Expected return: Late August
Quero was placed on the 7-day IL on Aug. 17 (retroactive to Aug. 16) with back discomfort. The Cuba native has not played since Aug. 13, and is not expected to miss extended time, per Francys Romero. Since being promoted to Triple-A Charlotte on July 4, Quero is slashing .313/.408/.506 with four homers in 23 games. (Last updated: Aug. 19)
No. 64 River Ryan, RHP, Dodgers
Injury: Tommy John surgery
Expected return: Late 2025/early 2026
The Dodgers will be without their top pitching prospect for an extended period of time after announcing on Tuesday that right-hander River Ryan will undergo Tommy John surgery. Full Tommy John surgery typically requires a recovery timetable of between 12 and 18 months.
The 25-year-old Ryan, ranked by MLB Pipeline as the club's No. 3 prospect, excelled in four starts after his first big league callup on July 22. The former 11th-round pick posted a 1.33 ERA and struck out 18 batters over 20 1/3 innings but was forced to leave an August start against the Pirates early with tightness in his forearm. (Last updated: Aug. 13)
No. 66 Luke Keaschall, 2B/OF, Twins
Injury: Right elbow injury
Expected return: 2025
Luke Keaschall will undergo Tommy John surgery after battling elbow issues for much of the season. According to Do-Hyoung Park, the Twins likely knew this needed to happen at some point when they selected the 21-year-old in the second round (No. 49 overall) of the 2023 Draft out of Arizona State.
Minnesota's top-ranked position player prospect did not appear hampered by the injury this season, batting .303 with 15 homers, 48 RBIs, 80 runs scored and 23 stolen bases across two levels of the Minors. Keaschall even replaced No. 2 Twins prospect Brooks Lee at the All-Star Futures Game in July. Although listed as a 2B/OF, he played mostly 1B/DH this season due to the injury. By ending his season short, the organization is hopeful that Keaschall will be ready for Spring Training next year. (Last updated: Aug. 9)
No. 69 Jaison Chourio, OF, Guardians
Injury: Broken left wrist
Expected return: 2025
Chourio is out for the rest of the year, MLB.com's Mandy Bell confirmed, after the 19-year-old outfielder sustained an injury to his left wrist while diving for a ball in center field in the fifth inning of Single-A Lynchburg's 3-0 win at Salem on Aug. 24.
The younger brother of the Brewers' Jackson Chourio, the Guardians' No. 4 prospect batted .269/.414/.398 with 44 stolen bases and 31 extra base hits over 98 games this year, his third pro season. (Last updated: Aug. 26)
No. 70 Edwin Arroyo, SS, Reds
Injury: Left shoulder surgery
Estimated return: 2025
Arroyo is out for the season after having surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder during Spring Training. In a March 13 Cactus League game vs. the Giants, the 20-year-old was injured diving back to first base during a pickoff throw. (Last updated: May 17)
No. 71 Felnin Celesten, SS
Injury: Left hamate injury
Expected return: 2025
Celesten recently underwent season-ending surgery after experiencing multiple setbacks with a left wrist injury. After further inspection, doctors discovered that the prolonged pain was related to an old injury to his hamate.
"When we went and did the imaging after his first setback, they noticed the remnants of an old injury in there," Mariners GM Justin Hollander said. "They didn't know whether it would prevent him from building back up and playing, or if it was just going to continue to linger. When he felt pain again, the doctor recommended we just remove the remnants of the old hook of the hamate fracture."
The development means Celesten's season will end due to an injury for the second straight year, after he was sidelined at the end of 2023 with a Grade 2 hamstring strain. He wound up playing in 32 games in '24, all at the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League, where he slashed .352/.431/.568 (.999 OPS) with three homers, four triples, 10 doubles, five stolen bases, 27 RBIs, 18 walks and 28 strikeouts in 144 plate appearances. (Last updated: Aug. 7)
No. 82 Sal Stewart, 3B/2B, Reds
Injury: Hand
Expected return: TBD
Sal Stewart was placed on the 7-day injured list by the Dayton Dragons on July 17 and is reportedly dealing with a hand injury. The 2022 first-round pick is batting .279 with an .845 OPS, eight home runs and 46 RBIs across 80 games. (Last updated: Aug. 1)