Minor League Barometer: Risers & Fallers

The baseball world was shocked when Rafael Devers was traded to the Giants on Sunday. In return, the Red Sox received Jordan Hicks, rookie league hurler Jose Bello, former top prospect Kyle Harrison and 2024 first-round pick James Tibbs. Though Hicks and Harrison may be considered the main pieces, Tibbs shouldn't be overlooked as he was slashing .246/.379/.478 with 12 homers, 32 RBI and three steals in 57 games at High-A with almost as many walks (42) as strikeouts (45). The Red Sox organization thinks so highly of him that he'll be receiving a move up to Double-A. Though the trade of their best hitter raised many eyebrows, the deal provides the Red Sox increased flexibility with their young hitting phenoms, where Tibbs could be coming through the pipeline as well as early as 2026.

Let's take a look at some other prospect news in this edition of the Minor League Barometer.

Check out where future major league baseball stars slot into RotoWire's MLB Top Prospects & Rankings for 2025!

UPGRADE

Brady House, 3B, WAS – House is set to make his Major League debut on Monday after successfully navigating Triple-A as the Nationals' top hitting prospect produced a .304/.353/.519 line with 13 home runs and 41 RBI. He should carry plenty of power and is expected to play every day for Washington. Some concerns remain about House's aggressiveness at the dish, though he's been able to make more consistent contact while earning a few extra walks this year to neutralize his strikeout tendencies. He should have ample opportunity to work out the kinks as the Nats are 11 games under .500 with little chance of competing for the Wild Card.

A.J. Ewing, OF, NYM – Ewing is in the midst of a breakout season. After two mediocre campaigns, the 20-year-old started at Low-A and made quick work of the opposition hitting .400 over 18 contests alongside 14 stolen bases and 20 RBI while collecting more walks (15) than strikeouts (10). Ewing deservedly received a bump to High-A, where the results have been remarkably similar through 39 outings as he's batting .308 with a .420 OBP and 31 swipes. The only knock on him is a lack of pop, yet he still has seven doubles, three triples and one homer at the current level. The combination of on-base skills and speed makes Ewing a valuable commodity and has him rocketing up the prospect charts. As an aside, the Brooklyn Cyclones currently boast a monstrous offensive squad with elite up-and-comers Carson Benge, Jacob Reimer, Chris Suero, Eli Serrano and Ewing.

Caleb Bonemer, SS/3B, CHW – Bonemer has surprised in a few ways displaying far more patience at the plate than initially anticipated. Labeled with an "aggressive" approach coming out of the 2024 Draft, the teenager has instead registered 44 walks from 54 games at Low-A en route to a stellar .409 OBP while hitting .265. Bonemer has also been more fleet of foot than expected by notching 19 stolen bases. His home run numbers have yet to catch up with his raw power and above-average bat speed, where the former was supposedly touted as his top tool. Once Bonemer's pop comes, he could legitimately be one of MLB's leading hitting phenoms.

CHECK STATUS

Carlos Lagrange, P, NYY – Lagrange boasts massive strikeout stuff and can hit triple-digits on the radar gun, but his inconsistency in hitting his spots and lack of a third pitch leave some doubters.  The 6-7 pitcher started the year at High-A, where he's largely kept his wildness in check posting a standout 64:12 K:BB in only 41.2 innings with opposing batters going .203 against, though curiously lists a 4.10 ERA. Even so, Lagrange was promoted to Double-A. His first two outings there have been rather ugly as he's allowed 11 hits - including two homers - across 10 innings to go with six walks and only eight Ks. The sample size is extremely small and Lagrange has plenty of time to right the ship, yet his future path remains murky as he could become a frontline starter, a devastating closer, or fail to throw enough strikes to stay relevant.

Jonny Farmelo, OF, SEA – On the plus side, Farmelo returned early from a torn ACL and appeared to show no ill effects from the injury by slashing .288/.348/.610 during 15 games at High-A where he also went deep six times. Unfortunately, he suffered a stress reaction in his ribs soon after coming back and isn't expected to reappear until July. The positive is that the new issue has nothing to do with his knee and is considered a short-term absence. The toolsy Farmelo remains one of the Seattle's top offensive prospects and his plate discipline has been much better than anticipated. He still needs to prove he can stay on the field and probably won't reach the bigs for a few years, yet the talent and promise is evident.

Alex Freeland, SS, LAD – If Freeland played for a different club, he'd likely already be up in the Majors. The 23-year-old has spent the better part of the last year at Triple-A, where he's flashed positional versatility and an intriguing combination of power, speed and the ability to get on base. Through 67 outings there, Freeland has managed a .272/.386/.448 line with eight homers, 51 RBI and 13 steals. He's also looked even better of late by hitting over .300 the last week. The Dodgers could choose to keep Freeland as an insurance policy at second, short or third, but could also attempt to flip him for some pitching help near the Trade Deadline. A move to another organization would certainly improve his chances to get to the big leagues this season, though that is far from a guarantee. For now, Freeland will continue to bide his time in the minors.

Joseph Sullivan, OF, HOU – The Astros seem to have a type when it comes to hitting phenoms, and Sullivan fits the bill. While his High-A batting average leaves a lot to be desired (.218), the 22-year-old is toolsy and athletic, yet the former football star has tallied 12 home runs and 24 steals through 57 contests. Sullivan also offers superb plate discipline by drawing 52 walks en route to a .408 OBP. He needs to make a bit more contact from the left side, but his improvement in the power department is noticeable. With an intriguing combination, Sullivan has pushed himself up team's rankings - especially with the current Houston outfielders struggling.

DOWNGRADE

Braxton Bragg, P, BAL – One of the better pitching prospects in the Baltimore system, Bragg was having a stellar campaign before suffering a forearm strain. He was selected in the eighth round during 2023  after mainly operating as a reliever in college, but began to show his potential the next year. The 24-year-old righty then tossed three dazzling gems to start this season while failing to concede an earned run across 16.1 High-A innings. This resulted in a quick promotion to Double-A, where Bragg had been equally impressive by producing a 1.82 ERA and 49:11 K:BB from 34.2 innings. His start was skipped last week, then got placed on the IL before his latest scheduled outing. The initial diagnosis could prove ominous, though the Orioles are simply exercising caution with a hurler who offers a four-pitch arsenal with strikeout stuff ticking up. If Bragg requires Tommy John surgery, it's unlikely he'll get to the Majors before turning 26.

Josh Adamczewski, 2B/SS, MIL – Adamczewski was off to a scorching start before being going on the IL with a back ailment. A 15th-round pick from 2023, he's already exceeded expectations.  Playing with phenoms Jesus Made and Luis Pena at Low-A, Adamczewski more than held his own prior to being sidelined as he slashed .360/.450/.539 in 24 contests. There's currently no timetable for his return, and back issues can be fickle. As such, the Brewers are likely to exercise caution with Adamczewski where his progress could be put on hold.