Eight MLB Prospects Who Could Provide A Post-Deadline Boost
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The 2024 trade deadline is in the books. Some teams added reinforcements for the stretch run. Others flipped their most valuable pieces to playoff contenders and made big-time upgrades to their farm system in the process.
When the clock struck 6 p.m. ET, a whopping 89 prospects had moved—though none of them ranked among BA’s Top 100. Despite all the wheeling and dealing, the players who had the potential to make the biggest impact—lefties Tarik Skubal and Garrett Crochet and outfielder Luis Robert—stayed put.
From here on out, teams who seek to upgrade their rosters for October will have to look inward, either with big leagues returning from the injured list or prospects coming up from the minor leagues.
Here are eight players who fit into the latter category and could give their clubs a boost as the summer turns into fall.
Jackson Holliday, SS, Orioles
Baltimore has already pulled this lever, summoning Holliday from Norfolk for his second shot at capitalizing on his massive potential. The 20-year-old wunderkind struggled mightily in his first try at the highest level and was sent down for a reset. He dealt with an injury of the middle that stretch but otherwise performed well with Triple-A Norfolk. If the second time’s the charm and Holliday shows the same kind of gifts as have been evident throughout his time in the minors, the Orioles could reap massive rewards as they battle for AL East crown.
Jasson Dominguez, OF, Yankees
The Orioles made the first move by bringing their top prospect, Jackson Holliday, back to the big leagues for his second try in Baltimore. The Yankees—who are dueling with the O’s for the top spot in the division—can counter by bringing up Dominguez, their own top prospect. The switch-hitting slugger showed his worth in a brief stint last fall before tearing his ulnar collateral ligament and requiring Tommy John surgery. He has completed his rehab from that injury but quickly suffered a strained oblique that cost him more time. He’s back healthy now, though, and waiting for the call in Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Brewers
The list of pitchers in the minor leagues with better stuff than Misiorowski is tiny, if it exists at all. A year ago, the fireballing righthander took the mound at Dodger Stadium in the Futures Game and showed the world what he could do. Little has changed since then. After racking up a strikeout rate of 30.3% at Double-A Biloxi this season, the Brewers moved their top pitching prospect to Triple-A Nashville, meaning he’s just a step away from the big leagues. To stick as a starter he’ll need to throw far more strikes, but he could be a weapon soon if unleashed in a reliever’s role.
Bubba Chandler, RHP, Pirates
Paul Skenes has already taken a spot at the front of the Pirates’ rotation, and Jared Jones was dominant before going down with an injury. The Buccos’ pitching pipeline isn’t dry, though. Not by a long shot. Chandler, the team’s current top prospect, has positively petrified opposing hitters in the Eastern League over the last two months. Since the calendar flipped to June, the righthander has a been a beast rarely seen in Curve, Pa. In nine outings during that span, Chandler has gone 4-3, 2.82 with 54 strikeouts and just seven walks over 44.2 innings. He has allowed just 31 hits in that time.
Thomas Harrington, RHP, Pirates
For months, Harrington and Bubba Chandler were as fearsome a 1-2 punch as could be found in the Eastern League. Now, that duo has broken up and hitters will get at least a little room to breathe. The International League, however, is on notice. Pittsburgh bumped Harrington to Triple-A Indianapolis after a season of nastiness at Double-A. The righthanded Campbell alum completed his time in Altoona with a 2-2, 2.24 record and 74 strikeouts against just 10 walks in 68.1 innings. If the Pirates get hot and make a run at October, Harrington would be a fine addition to the pitching staff.
Junior Caminero, 2B/3B, Rays
Even after dealing away plenty of talented big leaguers, the Rays still have an outside shot at the playoffs. As of July 31, they sat just 3.5 games back of a wild card spot. Caminero, one of the premier power brokers in the minor leagues, could be just what the doctor ordered. The slugger made his big league debut last fall but has spent the entirety of 2024 in the minor leagues, with a protracted stint on the injured list mixed in as well. When healthy, he shows jaw-dropping power and the ability to impact the baseball like few others in the sport. His 90th-percentile exit velocity of nearly 110 mph attests to that fact. He’s gotten time at both second and third base in the minors but his biggest value-add would come in the batter’s box.
Emiliano Teodo, RHP, Rangers
Like the Rays and Pirates, the Rangers’ shot at the playoffs is long, but it’s not impossible. They bolstered their bullpen at the deadline by adding lefty Andrew Chafin from the Tigers, but another reinforcement might be waiting in the wings at Double-A Frisco. That’s where Teodo has spent his 2024 season, much to the chagrin of hitters around the Texas League. The fireballing righty changed his fortunes in 2023 by switching from a four-seamer to his sinker and has been nearly untouchable since then. He reached the Futures Game in 2024 and has punched out 91 hitters in 71.1 innings. Since May in particular, Teodo has been filthy. In that time, he’s gone 5-2, 1.15 with 73 strikeouts and 28 walks. He’s been a starter in the minors, but his powerful mix could aid the Rangers down the stretch.
Zebby Matthews, RHP, Twins
It might seem aggressive to suggest that a starting pitcher who began the year in High-A could make sense as a rotation addition in August or September, but Matthews isn’t your normal pitching prospect. Often command and control are the part of a game that slows a pitcher’s transition to the majors. The strike zone gets smaller as you climb the minor league ladder, but the margin of error within the zone gets tighter as well. Mistakes are more likely to be punished, and hitters don’t chase as often.That’s less of a problem for Matthews, because he has the best control in the minor leagues. In 16 appearances this season, he has walked just six hitters. He isn’t some soft-tosser, either. His fastball sits at 95 mph, and he has given up just 18 extra-base hits all year.
