With Super 2 and its financial ramifications becoming less of a concern by the day, June has once again proven to be call-up season.
But while we're still waiting for some of the biggest names to arrive, some of the second-tier call-ups are making an impact themselves.
We've sung the praises of Sean Newcomb and Jacob Faria several times over in this space, and of course the need for pitching makes any Johnny-come-lately a priority off the waiver wire. But there are still some gaps, narrow though they may be, for hitters to squeeze into. They're just going to need to perform right away.
We saw one do exactly that Wednesday.
| 2017 minors | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Derek Fisher
HOU LF
| .335 BA | 16 HR | 13 SB | 245 AB |
Yes, I'm talking about Derek Fisher, who I spent most of Wednesday saying wasn't worth an immediate pickup, and I still wouldn't call him must-add. But reaching base four times, once on a home run (a wall-scraper, but still), in your major-league debut is a good first step toward earning a regular spot in the lineup, particularly one that features Norichika Aoki more days than not. An improved launch angle helped Fisher maximize his athletic skill set at Triple-A, so if you have a need for another outfielder, you might want to hitch yourself to this ride.
| Wednesday at Astros | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Francis Martes
HOU RP
| 5 IP | 3 H | 1 ER | 7 K |
I featured Francis Martes in Tuesday's Waiver Wire just because he's a pitcher and, again, we're all desperate for pitching. But it's fair to say I didn't expect his first major-league start to go like it did.
Of course Francis Martes is dominating in his first MLB start, because we didn't just see him compile a 5.29 ERA and 2.10 WHIP at Triple-A. pic.twitter.com/8Hj1LGcBLL
— Scott White (@CBSScottWhite) June 15, 2017
He was mostly fastball-curveball and clearly has some limitations at age 21, but his 12 swinging strikes in just five innings confirms he indeed has the stuff of a top prospect. If he keeps throwing strikes, he might just stick around.
| 2017 minors | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Matt Chapman
OAK 3B
| .259 BA | 16 HR | 174 AB | 63 K |
Matt Chapman hasn't actually arrived yet, but all reports point to him getting the call Thursday, with Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle even suggesting the Athletics may designate Trevor Plouffe for assignment to clear a spot for the 24-year-old. That means the Athletics are committing to Chapman as their primary third baseman right away, which is reason enough to pick him up in some deeper leagues. But for standard 12-teamers, corner infield is plentiful enough that you can probably wait to see if the slugger's high strikeout rate dooms him first.
| 2016-2017 minors | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Tom Murphy
COL C
| .315 BA | 20 HR | 30 2B | 352 AB |
Though not a call-up in the traditional sense, Tom Murphy is nonetheless nearing a return to the big leagues ... presumably. The Rockies have gotten enough production from both Tony Wolters and Ryan Hanigan (both plus defenders, it turns out) that they may keep the offensive-minded Murphy at Triple-A even after his rehab assignment for a fractured forearm ends.
If last year and this rehab assignment are any indication, though, the 26-year-old will hit out of his mind down there, and catchers who can do that are a rare breed. The Rockies won't be able to keep him down long, and Murphy has the kind of bat worth preemptively stashing at a thin position, particularly if Wilson Ramos is already owned.
| 2017 season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Andrelton Simmons
LAA SS
| .281 BA | 7 HR | 10 SB | 25 K |
Yes, I'm doubling down on Andrelton Simmons, whose 65 percent ownership has barely moved since I featured him in this space Tuesday. All he has done since then is homer and steal two bases. My confidence in him is still lacking, but he has moved into my top 12 shortstops seeing as none of the power, speed or plate discipline we're seeing now is completely foreign to him. The complete package stands out at a thin position, so surely someone needs him in your league even if you don't.
| Wednesday vs. Rays | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Francisco Liriano
TOR SP
| 7 IP | 5 H | 2 ER | 9 K |
I realize someone like Jordan Zimmermann has had a longer run of success and make more sense here for that reason, but every time I see a start like Liriano had Wednesday, I'm reminded of the upside he has and how just last August September and again this spring, he looked as dominant as he ever did in Pittsburgh. And in this environment, that pitcher -- the one who keeps the ball on the ground and misses bats aplenty -- would be even more valuable than he was then. If I'm taking a flier on an aging has-been, it's the one who still has a ceiling to get excited about.
