Top 100 prospects: Injuries & roster moves

September 12th, 2024

Here is the latest on injuries and roster moves involving MLB Pipeline's Top 100 prospects:

LATEST NEWS

No. 19 Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF, Twins
Injury: Right thumb sprain
Expected return: TBD
Just eight games after returning from injury, Emmanuel Rodriguez has been placed on the 7-day IL. The Twins' No. 2 prospect was removed in the second inning of St. Paul's game on Sept. 11 after reaggravating his thumb injury on a swing in his first at-bat.

Rodriguez missed three months with a right thumb sprain in late May. He played in two rehab games in July but suffered a setback and didn't return until Aug. 30. In seven Triple-A games, he slashed .217/.400/.348 and hit one homer. (Last updated: Sept. 12)

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No. 3 Walker Jenkins, OF, Twins
Promoted to Double-A Wichita
After finishing the High-A season with a .290/.382/.481 slash line, Jenkins will head to Double-A to extend his 2024 campaign. The No. 5 pick in the 2023 Draft has continued to hit at every stop this season, piling up 31 XBH, including six homers in 76 games, between High-A, Single-A and the Florida Complex League. Additionally, Jenkins has driven in 57 runs, stolen 15 bases and walked 53 times compared to 43 strikeouts. (Last updated: Sept. 9)

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. 7 Jackson Jobe, RHP, Tigers
Promoted to Triple-A Toledo
Jobe, MLB Pipeline’s top-ranked pitching prospect and No. 7 prospect overall, went 4-2 with a 1.95 ERA over 16 starts this season at Double-A Erie, allowing just 42 hits over 73 2/3 innings (5.1 H/9) with 38 walks and 81 strikeouts. The 22-year-old is coming off his best start of the season, having tossed a career-high seven innings on Sept. 5 against Reading with a run on three hits, two walks and eight strikeouts over 90 pitches, 68 strikes. It was a welcome bounce back from his previous start, when he left with two outs in a 29-pitch second inning due to organizational limits on pitches in an inning.

Though the Tigers have emphasized the value of postseason experience in the Minor Leagues under president of baseball operations Scott Harris, Jobe’s work when he’s attacking the strike zone and getting swings and misses suggests he’s ready for Triple-A hitters and the automated strike zone of the ABS challenge system. Moreover, Harris said a month ago that Jobe would need to pitch at Triple-A before being considered for a Major League callup. The Mud Hens are on the road at Omaha next week before finishing their season at home against Columbus Sept. 17-22. (Last updated: Sept. 7)

No. 16 Jasson Domínguez, OF, Yankees
Promoted to MLB
Jasson Domínguez is returning to the Yankees. New York on Monday called up the 21-year-old outfielder, its No. 1 prospect, amid a number of roster moves. Domínguez was a sensation in his first eight MLB games last season, hitting four home runs with one steal before tearing the UCL in his right elbow and undergoing Tommy John surgery. He's made one appearance with the Yankees this year, going 0-for-4 as the 27th man at the Little League Classic on Aug. 18.

He's put up massive numbers with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre since then, with a .347/.398/.560 slash line, four home runs, 11 RBIs and seven steals in 18 games. (Last updated: Sept. 9)

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. 37 Sebastian Walcott, SS/3B, Rangers
Promotion to Double-A Frisco
The Rangers' No. 1 prospect will finish the season with a stint in the Double-A Texas League, MLB.com's Kennedi Landry reported on Sept. 8. Walcott, 18 years old, came into the year with 48 pro games under his belt.

The native of the Bahamas spent the bulk of his first full season with High-A Hickory. Over 116 games with the Crawdads, he batted .261/.342/.443, leading the South Atlantic League with 192 total bases, 50 extra-base hits and nine triples and placing second with 113 hits and 31 doubles. He also recorded 10 homers and 26 stolen bases. (Last updated: Sept. 8)

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. 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. 77 Christian Moore, 2B, Angels
Injury: Left meniscus injury
Expected return: Possibly this season
Moore left Double-A Rocket City's game on Aug. 30 in the seventh inning with a left knee injury after trying to make a catch on a liner at second base. The eighth overall pick in this year's Draft appeared to land awkwardly on his left knee and was removed from the game. Moore was considered a candidate to be a September callup after a strong start to his Minor League career.

The Angels announced on Sept. 4 that Moore was evaluated in Alabama and diagnosed with a meniscus injury in his left knee. The plan is to treat it conservatively, and he could return this season. He's not expected to undergo surgery. (Last updated: Sept. 4)

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)

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)

No. 97 Kumar Rocker, RHP, Rangers
Promoted to MLB
Right-hander Kumar Rocker, the Rangers' No. 2 prospect, will make his MLB debut for Texas on Thursday against the Mariners in Seattle at T-Mobile Park.

The 24-year-old right-hander returned from Tommy John surgery on July 5 and has a 1.96 ERA over 10 games between the Arizona Complex League Rangers, Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Round Rock this season, including striking out eight across five innings of two-run ball in his last start on Friday for Round Rock. (Last updated: Sept. 9)