Given that there hasn't been much novel prospect news since the last installment of this column, I decided to focus the 2022 Fantasy Baseball Week 8 Prospect Report on the minor league injury ward.
This comes, of course, with the caveat that these three currently-convalescing prospects are A) either slated to begin or in the middle of a rehab assignment and B) due for imminent summer call-ups to their respective ball clubs.
Before we get to that, though: if you kept the faith and stuck with Julio Rodriguez, Bobby Witt, Jr., and bought in on Nolan Gorman, you probably had yourself a fairly volcanic offensive output in Week 7. Maybe sell high on Gorman? Maybe. But in both dynasty and redraft leagues, I wouldn't part with any of those studs. I'm all in. Keep rolling them out, and kick your feet up while they eviscerate your enemies.
For now, though, let's patrol the rehab wing of the minor leagues and check out three names potentially worth stashing on your IL slots.
2022 Fantasy Baseball Week 8 Prospect Report
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Riley Greene, CF, Detroit Tigers
Had Greene not fractured his right foot at the end of spring training, he very likely would be starting in center field for the Detroit Tigers right now. But alas.
He's the No. 2 prospect in all of baseball, with fantastic hit and speed tools. The Tigers just yesterday shifted his rehab assignment from Single-A Lakeland to Triple-A Toledo. His foot seems to be recovering just fine, as he's already stolen a base on his rehab assignment.
The Tigers have myriad other injuries in their outfield at the moment (Robbie Grossman, Victor Reyes, and Austin Meadows are all on the shelf), so there's incentive here to fast track their prized prospect to the bigs. If he's available, stash him now.
Shane Baz, SP, Tampa Bay Rays
We got a taste of Baz last year, when he pitched in the bigs to the tune of a 2.03 ERA and a 0.68 WHIP over 13.1 innings. We know he's got the stuff to foster long-term major-league success.
But he had arthroscopic elbow surgery last autumn, and that should concern any shrewd investor. But he's looked great in his three rehab outings this year, pitching to a line of 1.04 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP. On Monday, he pitched four scoreless innings, only giving up one hit and one walk. He struck out four.
He's rostered in 67.8% of ESPN leagues, so he may not be out there for stashing when you go searching for him. But if he is, he's worth the IL spot. The upside here is elite, and imminently so.
Triston Casas, 1B, Boston Red Sox
I've spoken before in this space about how Triston Casas might be the answer to the Sox's offensive woes at first base. That was, of course, before he injured his ankle two weeks ago and ended up on the Triple-A IL.
He's still the No. 2 overall prospect for the Red Sox, and though their offense has surged of late, they could use his bat. He's been out since May 17, and his timeline remains a bit unclear, but he's due to begin a rehab assignment sooner than later.
Before his injury, Casas hit .248/.359/.457 with six homers in 36 games for the WooSox. If he gets healthy soon, and shows that his bat hasn't lost any pop, you can bet the Red Sox will fly him to Fenway to give him a run at major league pitching. Worth a stash, no doubt.
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