The 2023 Major League Baseball Season could be wrapping up as soon as Wednesday as the Texas Rangers take a 3-1 lead into Game 5 in Phoenix. Despite it being the off-season for 28 other teams, news continues to flow in as clubs plan for 2024 and standout Playoff performances change the opinion of Roger Dorn Baseball League Front Offices.
Here's the latest 3 Up, 3 Down:
Adolis Garcia (3D/$15), San Mateo Oppo Tacos
Garcia has been the most impactful offensive player in the Playoffs thus far as he looks set to be among the first 3D/$15 players in RDBL History as the new rule hits its first season of implementation. Garcia finished the ALCS with 15 RBIs, a record for any postseason series while adding a walk-off home run in Game 1 of the World Series. He became the second player in major league history with four hits and two home runs in a winner-take-all game, joining Carlos Beltran from the 2004 National League Division Series, and the first player ever to drive in at least one run in six consecutive games in a postseason series.
The Oppo Tacos have a strong core expected to return, but those options are quite pricey which will likely lead to some off-season activity from GM Erik Nielsen. But as of now, Garcia doesn't look to be one of the contracts likely to be moved.
Henry Davis (Minors), Meinert Hops
With the Pirates off to a decent start, the club promoted Hops prospect Henry Davis to the big leagues in 2023 mainly to get his bat into the lineup. Oddly, the former top overall MLB Draft pick was pushed to the outfield to start his career, a spot he had only played a handful on innings in the Minors. A thumb injury then ended any hope of catching last season, ultimately logging just two games behind the plate and losing catcher eligibility heading into 2024, a big blow to the Hops plans.
Pirates GM Ben Cherington gave GM Garrett Shelley some hope last week as he detailed the off-season plans for Davis included preparing to return to catcher for 2024, sharing the duties with potential St. Joseph Jokers activation Endy Rodriguez.
“We believe in both cases that catcher is their primary position,” Cherington said of Rodriguez and Davis. “It has been for their entire life, and they are young players who are just getting to the big leagues. We owe it to them, and to us, to find out what it looks like at that position and give them a chance to be major league catchers.
“There are years down the road the road to make adjustments, but we think it's in the best interest of Henry, Endy and the Pirates to focus on catching going into 2024 with both of them. We believe they can do it.”
While the Hops will have to wait for him to reach five games at the position before he can be moved there, it will give GM Garrett Shelley some roster flexibility on Draft Day should they choose to activate Davis.
RHP Chase Burns (Minors), Las Vegas Aristocrats
By the middle of April, 2023 Reserve Draftee Paul Skenes was a clear steal for Burlingame Blue Ducks GM Ryan Walsh and a favorite for 1-1 in the MLB Draft (which he ultimately achieved). Las Vegas Aristocrats pitching prospect Chase Burns could make a similar rise this Spring after recently transferring from Tennessee to Wake Forest. Burns made his second Fall outing for Wake this week and was beyond impressive, sitting 97-100 with a wipeout slider.
He went 13-5 with a 3.54 ERA in two seasons at Tennessee, striking out 217 in 152 1/3 innings.
RHP Alex Cobb (2/$3), Asti Grape Stompers
Cobb will undergo surgery on his left hip labrum tomorrow, the Giants announced to reporters (including Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area). The surgery will also address the impingement issues that ended his 2023 season midway through September. The right-hander will need approximately six months to return to pitching, to say nothing of his readiness for the major leagues. That puts his earliest return at some point in May 2024, which could end his 2024 option with the Asti Grape Stompers.
The 36-year-old was a valuable contributor to the Giants’ rotation before his season came to an early end, making 28 starts with a 3.87 ERA. He pitched especially well in the first half, posting a 2.91 ERA through 16 starts and making the first All-Star Game of his 12-year career. Unfortunately, his performance was rather uneven in the second half; he threw a complete game gem on August 29, but he also failed to escape the fifth inning on three separate occasions. Presumably, the nagging issues in his hip were affecting his stuff down the stretch.
The injury could open the door for Casey Mize (2D/$5) to make the Grapes Opening Day rotation provided the right-hander proves to be healthy in Spring Training following his recovery from Tommy John. Dodgers right-hander Emmet Sheehan (2FA/$5) could also push his way into an Opening Day spot.
RHP Michael Kopech (3R/$5), Cloverdale Clovers
Once considered one of the premiere prospects in baseball, Kopech has been anything but over the course of his Clovers career. After skipping the 2020 season due to concerns with COVID, Kopech returned to the mound as a reliever in 2021, further delaying his RDBL activation. He finally joined the Active Roster is 2022, posting a strong 3.54 ERA, but managed to work just 119 1/3 innings in 25 starts, holding his total points down at 298.0. Things never got on track in 2023 as Kopech was bombed by the Giants in his season opener, limping to a 5.43 ERA and 1.59 WHIP in 129 1/3 IP before knee surgery ended his year.
The lack of consistency could spell the end of the line for Kopech in the green and gold, making the right-hander a potential buy-low trade candidate this off-season.
3B Jose Miranda (1R/$1), Maltese Falcons
A strong 2022 campaign planted Jose Miranda firmly in the long-term plans for the Maltese Falcons. A year following his activation, Miranda’s future in the organization could be in doubt after a rough year at the plate that concluded with shoulder surgery that will sideline him through early next year. Miranda posted 263.0 points in limited action in 2022, but followed it up with a .211/.263/.303 in 40 games.
With a wave of activations ready, the Falcons are likely to cut Miranda before Draft Day unless he can prove to be fully healthy and productive in Spring.
Comments