Los Angeles Angels - Taylor Rashi
Bit of a spicy slection to start us off here. Arizona has a few interesting hitting prospects in the pipeline, and expect Andrew Saalfrank to be a big factor out of the BP this year, but Taylor Rashi, 28, is an interesting name as well. He got a late start last year due to injury, but the former star at UC Irvine and in the Giants system was electric upon returning to action. He's got a 2.28 ERA and 13.1 K/9 at AA in his career, and should start this season at AAA.
Los Angeles Dodgers - Matt Gage
It's always hard to pick for the Dodgers because they generally lack needs and when needed fill them with highly ranked prospects. Matt Gage bucks the trend here. A veteran Minors toiler of 31, Gage has seen short stints with Toronto and Houston the past two seasons, acquitting himself quite well when called upon. He's not to sleepy as a member of the Dodgers 40-man, but he's certainly the most sneaky member of said roster.
San Francisco Giants - Spencer Bivens
There are guys you find and stick to when you follow indy and foreign leagues. The men who do both are some of baseball's biggest unicorns. Junior Guerra and Jason Simontacchi are two such unicorns, and baseball could add another in Spencer Bivens, long a baseball nomad until he finally found a home in the Giants system in 2022. Bivens isn't some toolsy future star, but one thing he is is one of baseball's greatest stories of perseverance. And that's gotta count for something. I recommend reading the following piece on Bivens, it's an interesting one.
https://theathletic.com/3898494/2022/11/15/san-francisco-giants-spencer-bivens/
San Diego Padres - Nick Hernandez, Jayvien Sandridge, and Robert Perez Jr.
There is always at least one team I can't pick one name for. Nick Hernandez, 29, is the safe pick to see MLB action this season, as his track record at AAA shows. Jayvien Sandridge took a curious path to the Padres, one that included playing pro ball, going to college, than returning to the pros with the Reds. The lefty has a cannon for an arm, recording 91 strike outs in 63 innings last year. If he can pare down the walks, he could see San Diego this year. Robert Pérez Jr., 23, is an interesting outfielder who broke out in 2022 at the A levels in the Seattle system before taking a step back at AA last year. He's a strong power threat who could help San Diego piece together their outfield this season.
Colorado Rockies - Brendan Hardy
The Rox have many interesting prospects in their system, but I went and locked in my pick quite quickly this year. Brendan Hardy, 24, was a 31st round upside play by the Mets in 2018, but was stuck in neutral as a prospect until 2022. Prior to that season, Hardy completely overhauled his mechanics, adding velocity, extension, and strong secondary action. The results? A 2.79 ERA and 14.3 K/9. He was even more dominant in 2023, leading to a look in the AFL. For more on Hardy, see the following post from Metsmerized.
https://metsmerizedonline.com/crucial-timing-brendan-hardys-rule-5-push/
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