Our latest 3 Up, 3 Down is focused on checking in on some of the big risers and fallers among the prospect ranks in the Roger Dorn Baseball League. We went the extra mile and added a fourth and fifth selection to each section with several prospects making a major impact on their stock through mid-July including the Lake Merced Goutfish and Honolulu Hammerheads who are currently battling it out for the league's best Farm System this season.
C Francisco Alvarez, Lake Merced Goutfish
Alvarez, already well-regarded coming into the season, has turned himself into one of the game's top prospects in just 2.5 short months of the Minor League season. Moving into the Top 10-15 prospects overall in baseball, Alvarez received a recent promotion to High-A. Catching generally take longer to develop so the Goutfish will have to be patient but they certainly look to have a future star behind the plate in Alvarez.
RHP Grayson Rodriguez, Lunatic Fringe
A lack of faith in the Baltimore Orioles likely contributed to Rodriguez falling to the 14th overall pick but the Lunatic Fringe certainly don't mind as they look to have found a steal. Rodriguez is arguably the top pitching prospect in the Minor Leagues and received a recent promotion to Double-A. He's on track for a debut in 2022 and should be primed for an Opening Day activation in 2023 for GM Tony Guglielmi.
SS Noelvi Marte, Lake Merced Goutfish
It's hard for a prospect selected 4th overall to be a riser through just 2.5 months but Marte looks every bit the part of a future top overall prospect for the Lake Merced Goutfish. He's crushing Low-A at the age of 19 and should see time at High-A in the near future.
RHP James Kaprielian, Mt. Diablo Devils
Kaprielian has been one of the most surprising prospects in the RDBL and across baseball in 2021. A candidate to be dropped by GM Jason Watson for at least two seasons, the Devils stuck by their 2017 1st Rounder and it is paying off this season. He hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in a start during that stretch, lowering his ERA to 2.90 in 62 innings for the season. Kaprielian is scheduled to make his first start of the second half at home against the Angels.
OF Josh Lowe, Honolulu Hammerheads
The 23-year old went 3-for-4, with 2 runs, a double, 2 HR, and 4-RBI on Tuesday which highlighted a strong start to his season. The lefty is hitting .299/.369/.558 with 11 HR and 12 SB in Triple-A and is putting the pressure on the Rays despite a crowded depth chart in the outfield.
LHP MacKenzie Gore, Alamo Short Stacks
Gore has gone from being widely regarded as the game's top pitching prospect to being removed from the Triple-A rotation and hidden in Arizona as he works through his continued command issues. It certainly was a warning sign in 2020 when Gore was passed over multiple times by the Padres for important fill-in starts and those signs have only continued in 2021. The velocity and health remains intact so all is not lost on Gore, though no prospect has seen their prospect light dimmer more this season.
RHP Nate Pearson, Idaho Taters
It's been a slog of a start to Pearson's big league career after some were touting him as the top pitching prospect in the Minor Leagues entering 2020. Injuries have continued to hold him back and he owns a 4.74 ERA in six minor league outings while giving up three runs in his only big league appearance this season.
3B Carter Kieboom, Las Vegas Aristocrats
Kieboom looked like an Opening Day activation candidate for 2019, but faces an uncertain future more than a year later as he's back in Triple-A with a middling average. His future is up in the air for the Nationals and he could be a candidate to be moved before 2022 to another organization.
RHP Sixto Sanchez, Lake Merced Goutfish
Sanchez made slow progress across the last several months while recovering from right shoulder inflammation, but he had recently extended his throwing distance to 120 feet following his setback in mid-May. However, the 22-year-old recently underwent an MRI that revealed a small tear in the posterior capsule of his right shoulder with surgery set to end his season. The Marlins are hopeful that the right-hander will be ready for the start of spring training in 2022 but it's no doubt a major stepback for Sanchez's value.
RHP Matt Manning, Idaho Taters
Manning had established himself as one of the top arms in the Minor Leagues but it has been a forgettable start to 2021 for the right-hander despite a big league promotion. He posted an 8.07 ERA in seven outings before being called up and then posted a 6.95 ERA over five starts with the Tigers. The future could still be bright for Manning, but he looks like less of a lock for the 2022 Opening Day roster at this point.