Inspired by an episode of the Effectively Wild podcast, we’re highlighting the MLB debuts that have occurred in the past week. Our goal is to not only inform you about the top prospects you already know but give you some insight into some of the lesser known players who may only be up for a single cup of coffee.
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Previous editions can be found here.
Week of Sept 23-Oct 1
With the final week of baseball finally completed we bring you the last four debuts of the 2018 season.
Thank you for reading over this past year and we hope to see you next year.
Harold Castro, UTL
Born: November 30, 1993 (24)
Throws: Right Hits: Left
Team: Detroit Tigers Debut: September 23, 2018
Castro was signed as a 16 year old in 2010. He has served as a sort of Swiss Army knife over the last two seasons, playing every position except catcher and bouncing between affiliates as needed. In 2018, he was transferred between Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo six times based on roster needs. 2018 saw him slash .265/.283/.319 with 63 strikeouts and 9 walks between those two teams. He got the news that he was headed to the big leagues when he was already home in Caracas, his minor league season had ended but he was given the call up in time for him to play with a player he grew up watching, Victor Martinez in his last game. “I’ve been watching him play for a long time,” Castro said. “The chance to play with him, even for one day, is very great.”
Debut Game
Hitting: 0 PA (Used as a pinch runner)
Player Pages
Prospect Rankings (Team / Overall)
MLB Pipeline: NA / NA
Fangraphs: NA / NA
Baseball Prospectus: NA / NA
Edmundo Sosa, 2B/SS/3B
Born: March 6, 1996 (22)
Throws: Right Hits: Right
Team: St. Louis Cardinals Debut: September 23, 2018
Sosa signed with the Cardinals as an international free agent in July 2012. In 2016, Sosa played for the Panama national team in the 2017 World Baseball Classic qualifiers. Sosa has suffered with injuries, in 2016, a stress reaction in his wrist ended his season in late July and he also sustained a broken hand, as well as an ankle injury in 2017 that limited him to 58 games. He was able to play 123 games in 2018 between Double-A and Triple-A, where he slashed .270/.313/.420 he walked 22 times and hit 12 home runs. He’s going to have to hit and get on base to have offensive value because there isn’t much power to project and he isn’t a base stealing threat. He does have defensive value, however, with the hands and enough arm to play shortstop on a regular basis.
Debut Game
1 PA | 1 BB
Player Pages
Prospect Rankings (Team / Overall)
MLB Pipeline: 15 / NA
Fangraphs: 12 / NA
Baseball Prospectus: NA / NA
Jon Berti, 2B
Born: January 22, 1990 (28)
Throws: Right Hits: Right
Team: Toronto Blue Jays Debut: September 26, 2018
The Athletics selected Berti in the 36th round of the 2008 draft, but he did not sign. The Blue Jays selected Berti in the 18th round of the 2011 draft. Berti was invited to Major League spring training on January 12, 2016, and was traded to the Indians in April of 2018, and 25 games later was traded back to the Blue Jays. In 2018 he slashed .296/.384/.446 with 46 home runs and 38 walks.
Debut Game
3 PA | 1 H | 1 K
Player Pages
Prospect Rankings (Team / Overall)
MLB Pipeline: NA / NA
Fangraphs: NA / NA
Baseball Prospectus: NA / NA
John Means, SP
Born: April 24, 1993 (25)
Throws: Left Hits: Left
Team: Baltimore Orioles Debut: September 26, 2018
The Braves selected him in the 46th round of the 2011 draft. He intended to sign with the Braves, but was injured when a Braves scout visited him, and the scout recommended he go to college. The Orioles selected Means in the 11th round of the 2014 draft. He threw a no-hitter for Single-A in July of 2015. 2018 saw John pitch in both Double-A and Triple-A, in 26 starts, and 2 relief appearances, he had a 3.72 ERA and a 7-9 record with a 4.06 strikeout to walk ratio.
Debut Game
3.1 IP | 6 H | 5 ER | 1 HR | 4 K | 0 BB
Player Pages
Prospect Rankings (Team / Overall)
MLB Pipeline: NA / NA
Fangraphs: NA / NA
Baseball Prospectus: NA / NA
Thank you for reading. If you know anyone that would enjoy this newsletter please tell them to subscribe. All past issues can be found here.
Contributors to this newsletter are Brenden Becherer, Nicholas Carr, Simon Gutierrez, Jon Jacoby, Seth Moland-Kovash, Mike Moriarty, Tyler Nelson, and Connor Watrous.
This Week In Baseball Debuts
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