Week 21 MLB Prospect Watch: Jordan Lawlar, Kyle Harrison Promotions Looming?

Explore the top minor league players poised for MLB call-ups in September, with scouting notes, fantasy baseball impact, and late-season stats for hitters and pitchers to watch.

Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Jordan Lawlar against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Chase Field. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

After this weekend, most major league teams will have about 37 games, leading six weeks of baseball for fantasy teams to climb the standings. This week will be my final minor league watch of the year, and hopefully, some of this week’s players will reach the majors over the next couple of weeks.

Catcher

Samuel Basallo, Baltimore Orioles

On Wednesday, Basallo saw his seven-game hitting streak (11-for-33 with six runs, three home runs, and 16 RBIs) end with a 0-for-3 night at AAA. He’s only been in the lineup for eight games this month over the first 14 days. Over 266 at-bats this year, Basallo hit .274 with 49 runs, 23 home runs, and 67 RBIs while celebrating his 21st birthday this week (8/13).

First Base

Bryce Eldridge, San Francisco Giants

After a hot 10 games at AAA (.359/9/5/18 over 39 at-bats), Eldridge only has one hit over his last 22 at-bats with two runs, one home run, and three RBIs while striking out 12 times. Between AA and AAA over 274 games, he hit .255 with 34 runs, 19 home runs, and 63 RBI, but his strikeout rate (30.7%) is much too high for him to hit the ground running when Eldridge starts his major league career.

Second Base

Vaughn Grissom, Boston Red Sox

From June 28th to August 5th (.326/23/7/20/1 over 92 at-bats), Grissom tried his best to get a major league opportunity and raise his hand high enough for another team to acquire him at the trade deadline. He went hitless over his last 12 at-bats with no walks and three strikeouts. Over his 370 at-bats for the season, Grissom hit .270 with 69 runs, 13 home runs, 48 RBIs, and nine stolen bases.

Third Base

Sal Stewart, Cincinnati Reds

Between AA and AAA this season, Stewart has appeared in 104 games, leading to success at both levels (.313 over 387 at-bats with 68 runs, 16 home runs, 64 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases). His bat has reached a higher level over his last 17 games at AAA (.400/15/5/18/2) while taking the same number of walks (10) as strikeouts (10). The Reds drafted Stewart 32nd overall out of high school in the 2022 MLB June Amateur Draft.

Cincinnati Reds second baseman Sal Stewart (84) hits a homer in the eighth inning of a Cactus League game between the Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Ariz. Reds won 8-1. | Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Shortstop

Jordan Lawlar, Arizona Diamondbacks

After disappearing off the fantasy radar for 44 days, there was Lawlar sighting yesterday in a game at AAA. He has two hits over five at-bats with a double and one strikeout. The Diamondbacks will certainly call him up once his bat regains its form. Lawlar has delivered stud stats over his 221 at-bats at AAA this season (.321/49/10/45/18), but major league pitchers sent him back to the dugout all 19 times with no hits and only one RBI. He brings a difference-maker skill set that will get a longer look in the majors in September.

Outfielders

Kyler Fedko, Minnesota Twins

Last season, Fedko posted empty stats over his 251 at-bats at AA (.227/24/3/21/7), putting him out of sight in all fronts of baseball. His bat has been surprisingly productive at the same time this year (.253 over 312 at-bats with 62 runs, 20 home runs, 58 RBIs, and 26 stolen bases. The Twins promoted him to AAA on August 1st, and he has been up to the task (17-for-46 with 13 runs, three home runs, 12 RBIs, and five stolen bases).

Jhostynxon Garcia, Boston Red Sox

Over the past week, Garcia went 5-for-25 at AAA with five runs, two home runs, three RBIs, and two steals while striking out nine times. He continues to have winning stats this season at AAA (.300/49/17/51/2 over 247 at-bats), giving him a chance to get called up to the majors in September. 

Dylan Crews, Washington Nationals

The Nationals lost Crews for almost 15 weeks with an oblique injury. Over past two weeks or so, he has been rehabbing his swing at AAA (10-for-41 with five runs, two home runs, seven RBIs, and one steal). Washington called him up on Thursday, leading to a 1-for-3 game with a walk and a stolen base. 

Washington Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews (3) gestures while rounding the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Atlanta Braves during the second inning at Nationals Park. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The excitement of Crew this year in the majors was dashed due to his higher strikeout rate (27.7%) over 46 games. He opened the season with 31 hits over 158 at-bats (.196) with 24 runs, seven home runs, 15 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases. His counting stats were much better than his outcome in batting average.

Starting Pitching

Kyle Harrison, Boston Red Sox

Since arriving in Boston after the Rafael Devers trade, Harrison has spent his time at AAA, working on revamping his approach to batters. He was a challenging buy-and-hold carry in fantasy leagues after three poor starts (11 runs, 20 hits, five home runs, and five walks over 13.0 innings with 10 strikeouts) in the Red Sox farm system.

His arm has been trending toward Boston over his last six starts (1.59 ERA. 1.45 WHIP, and 34 strikeouts over 28.1 innings with no home runs allowed). Harrison is riding a 10.0-inning scoreless streak with three hits, seven walks, and 15 strikeouts. The next step in his development is throwing more strikes. He looks poised to be back in the majors soon. Boston has added a slider to his repertoire this summer.

Robby Snelling, Miami Marlins

Snelling is on the doorstep of the majors after dominating AAA batters over six starts (1.34 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 43 strikeouts over 33.2 innings), highlighted by two 11 strikeout games. Before his call-up to AAA, he pitched three other stellar games (two runs, 16 baserunners, and 22 strikeouts over 18.0 innings) at AA. Over his first 11 starts this season, Snelling was a liability on the mound (4.47 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, and 63 strikeouts). The Padres drafted in the first round in 2022 (39th overall).

Tai Bradley, Minnesota Twins

Hope can be dashed so quickly when trying to chase down struggling, talented arms in fantasy baseball. Bradley looked poised to be back in the majors with the Twins after two excellent starts at AAA (one run, five hits, two walks, and seven strikeouts over 13.0 innings). Unfortunately, his next outing came in the minors, leading to a disastrous showing (six runs, 11 hits, and one home run over 4.2 innings with six strikeouts). The downside of this poor outing is that it will take him more time to reach Minnesota.

Former Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Taj Bradley (45) laughs during the fifth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Mick Abel, Minnesota Twins

Since being acquired at the trade deadline by Minnesota, Abel has made two starts at AAA (one run, five hits, six walks, and 12 strikeouts over 9.1 innings). He has a 2.16 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 93 strikeouts this season at AAA over his 15 starts. On the downside, Abel was liability this year with Philadelphia (5.04 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and 21 strikeouts over 25.0 innings) due command issues (nine walks) and home runs (seven).

Shane Bieber, Toronto Blue Jays

The arrival of Bieber has been pushed back another week due his next scheduled start at AAA coming on Saturday (8/16), seven days after his last game. Over his first two starts at AAA, he allowed four runs, 11 baserunners, and two home runs over 10.2 innings with 12 strikeouts.