Les Debutantes: MLB Debuts for the Week Ending August 7th

Rob Segedin - Los Angeles Dodgers 2016 spring training (Bill Mitchell)

Feature Photo: Rob Segedin, 3B, Dodgers

It’s not quite as crazy-busy for debutantes as the very first week of the MLB season, when teams break camp with all sorts of new faces. This year, between the season-opening Sunday night game and the following Sunday, 31 players made their major league debuts.

And it’s not as constantly heads-up as the first two weeks or so of September, when active rosters expand to 40 players and the minor league season ends (though playoffs tend to go on for a while, slowing the potential flow to more of a steady trickle).

But the last few days of July and the first few days of August tend to be one of the busiest ones when it comes to the sheer volume of MLB debuts. Big league players get traded, and while they pack their knives and go (gratuitous and self-indulgent “Top Chef” reference) pretty much right away, sometimes they’ve been dealt for prospects, meaning that the organization must dig into its own coffers for an immediate big league replacement. Other times, they’ve been dealt for another major league player, but until the scientific-techno powers-that-be perfect the art of being transported instantaneously, it usually takes a day or two for said “tradee” to arrive. Ergo, once again, into the system we go.

While not all of the debuts were the result of filling spaces left empty via trades, the combined effect is often the busiest debut week outside of opening week and closing month. This week, we had 15 debuts (including four players that had been ranked on 2080 Baseball’s Preseason Top 125) between the time that Arizona southpaw Steve Hathaway joined the team on July 30 and August 7, when Braves pitcher Madison Younginer and Dodgers INF/OF Rob Segedin saw action with their respective teams, both having been summoned earlier that day.

In addition, this week’s “Les Debutantes” also includes a very special “first” … while the staff here have been not only writing reports and sharing great information on hundreds of prospects, they’ve also been compiling a very impressive video and report library over the course of the season. This week, however, is the first time that we’ve had a “match” between video clips and debutantes! So be sure to check out not just our information about Red Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi but also the visuals!

 

American League Debuts

 

LogoMLBHOUJAMES HOYT, RHP, ASTROS
Ht/Wt: 6’5”/220  m  B/T:    R/R    BORN: September 30, 1986

ACQUIRED: Via trade from the Braves on January 14, 2015, along with C Evan Gattis for RHP’s Mike Foltynewicz and Andrew Thurman and 3B Rio Ruiz. Originally signed as an unsigned free agent (Centenary College in Louisiana) by Yuma of the independent North American League in May 2011.
CURRENT SEASON STATS: 4-3 with a 1.62 ERA with 28 saves in 45 games at Fresno (Triple-A), striking out 84 and walking 17 in 50 innings while allowing 26 hits.
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Fresno August 3 when RHP Doug Fister was placed on the Paternity List.
DEBUT: August 3, in a 3-1 loss to the Blue Jays. The second of three pitchers, he walked one and struck out two in one scoreless hitless inning, throwing one wild pitch. Coming on to start the top of the seventh inning in relief of starter Collin McHugh, he struck out the first two big-league batters he faced, Kevin Pillar and Darwin Barney, both swinging. The next batter, Devon Travis, reached on an error by the shortstop, after which Hoyt walked Jose Bautista and then threw a wild pitch which advanced Travis to third. He was stranded there, however, when Hoyt induced a groundout to shortstop from Josh Donaldson to end the inning.
PLAYER NOTES: Hoyt, who has been nearly untouchable as the Grizzlies’ closer the first half of the season, has had one of the most unusual journeys to the majors, going undrafted out of Centenary after a rough final season there and ending up winding his way through a few independent leagues before landing in affiliated ball. He worked his way from Yuma of the North American League to its sister team in Edinburg in May 2012, before being traded “up” to Wichita of the independent American Association in June 2012. He was pitching most recently for Tabasco in the Mexican League before signing with the Braves as a minor league free agent on November 15, 2012. The Boise, Idaho, native throws a fastball in the middle 90s and a slider, and he’s pretty effective with them. In 2015 at Fresno, he posted a 3.49 ERA with nine saves in 47 games, fanning 66 and walking 11 in 49 innings, after combining between Gwinnett (Triple-A/Braves) and Mississippi (Double-A/Braves) for a 3.17 ERA in 52 games in 2014, striking out 77 while walking 24 in 59.2 IP.

 

LogoMLBHOUJOE MUSGROVE, RHP, ASTROS:
Ht/Wt: 6’5”/255    B/T: R/R     BORN: December 4, 1992

ACQUIRED: Via trade from the Blue Jays on July 20, 2012, with Ps Francisco Cordero, Asher Wojciechowski and David Rollins, OF Ben Francisco and C Carlos Perez for Ps Brandon Lyon, David Carpenter and J.A. Happ. Originally drafted by Toronto in the supplemental first round (#46 overall) of the 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft (Grossmont H.S., CA).
CURRENT SEASON STATS: 7-4 with a 2.74 ERA in 16 games, 14 of them starts, between Corpus Christi (Double-A) and Fresno (Triple-A), striking out 87 while walking 10 in 85.1 IP, allowing 79 hits.
PROMOTED: Recalled from Fresno August 1 to take the roster spot of RHP Scott Feldman, who was traded to the Blue Jays for RHP Guadalupe Chavez.
DEBUT: August 2, in a 2-1 loss to the Blue Jays. The second of two pitchers, he tossed 4.1 innings of shutout, one-hit ball, walking one while striking out eight. Coming on with two outs in the fifth inning and one batter, Jose Bautista, at second base when starting pitcher Lance McCullers had to leave the game with an injured elbow, Musgrove proceeded to strike out Edwin Encarnacion swinging to end the threat. He then retired the next nine batters in order, including striking out the side in the seventh. The only two baserunners he allowed reached in the ninth, when Michael Saunders led off by drawing a walk and then, with two outs, Melvin Upton Jr. singled to left field for the lone hit. However, Josh Thole struck out for the second time against Musgrove to end the game.
PLAYER NOTES: Musgrove’s eye-opening K:BB ratio ratio this season is not far off of what he’s done during his career thus far.   In 2015, he combined between three stops at Quad Cities (Class A), Lancaster (High A) and Corpus Christi (Double-A) to go 12-1 with a 1.88 ERA in 19 games, 14 of them starts, striking out 99 batters in 100.2 IP while walking eight (and no, that is not a typo).   Though he missed substantial time in 2012 (rotator cuff) and 2013 (sprained UCL), he’s more than made up for it since. He throws a plus fastball which he offsets with a slider and changeup and his MLB debut was one of the best anyone has posted thus far in 2016.
2080 NOTES: Musgrove was ranked at No. 62 on 2080 Baseball’s Top 125 Preseason Prospect Ranking List, where we had this to say about him: “Musgrove is an advanced pitcher with four average-or-better pitches and impressive command. He showed it at three levels in 2015 and will make a strong case for major league innings in 2016.” You can also read more about Musgrove in our Prospect Spotlight here.

 

LogoMLBTORDANNY BARNES, RHP, BLUE JAYS
Ht/Wt: 6’1”/195    B/T: L/R     BORN: October 21, 1989

ACQUIRED: Drafted by the Blue Jays in the 35th round of the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft (Princeton University).
CURRENT SEASON STATS: 3-1 with an 0.84 ERA in 36 games between New Hampshire (Double-A) and Buffalo (Triple-A), striking out 61 while walking just five and scattering 22 hits in 53.1 IP.
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Buffalo August 2 when RHP Bo Schultz was sent down.?
DEBUT: August 2, in a 2-1 win against the Astros. The second of three pitchers, he tossed one inning of one-hit, shutout ball, striking out two. Out of 17 pitches, 12 were for strikes. Coming on in relief of starter R.A. Dickey, Barnes started the bottom of the eighth inning and got the first batter he faced, George Springer, to pop out to shortstop. Alex Bregman followed by striking out swinging and then, after Jose Altuve singled to left field, Carlos Correa struck out swinging to end the threat.?
PLAYER NOTES: The New York-born Ivy Leaguer’s big league debut came in a low-scoring game that featured only five pitchers, but two of them were making their MLB debuts – Barnes for the Jays and Joe Musgrove for the Astros. Looking at his stats for the first half of 2016, they certainly indicate why the Jays called up the Princeton product (and only lead one to wonder what took so long). Barnes brings a career 2.45 ERA into his big league debut, and in his pro career overall had struck out 406 batters and walked just 88 in 312.1 IP. In 2015 at New Hampshire, he was 3-2 with a 2.97 ERA in 40 games, fanning 74 and walking 19 in 61 innings.

 

LogoMLBBOSANDREW BENINTENDI, OF, RED SOX
Ht/Wt: 5’10”/170    B/T: L/L     BORN: July 6, 1994

ACQUIRED: Drafted by the Red Sox in the first round (#7 overall) of the 2015 MLB First-Year Player Draft (University of Arkansas).
CURRENT SEASON STATS: .312 with nine homers, 76 RBIs and 16 steals in 97 games between Salem (High A) and Portland (Double-A), with 31 doubles and 12 triples for a .532 SLG.
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Portland August 2 when INF Michael Martinez was designated for assignment.
DEBUT: August 2, in a 5-4 loss to the Mariners. He went 0-for-2. Pinch-hitting for Bryce Brentz in the seventh inning, he grounded out to second base in his first at-bat against reliever Donn Roach. He stayed in the game to play left field and came to bat again in the ninth inning against reliever Edwin Diaz, striking out looking to end the game.
PLAYER NOTES: Named Baseball America’s College Player of the Year in 2015 when he led Division I with 20 homers for the Razorbacks, Benintendi posted a .316/.416/.556 slash line between Lowell (Short-Season A) and Greenville (Class A) in his pro debut and rose just as rapidly in 2016 to make it to the big leagues with barely a year of pro ball behind him. He’s considered to be the best defensive outfielder in the organization and Baseball America also dubbed him the best pure hitter in Boston’s 2015 draft class, as he landed at No. 3 on their prospect list (and the top domestic prospect to boot). A plus runner as well, he received a $3.59 million signing bonus.
2080 NOTES: Benintendi was ranked No. 30 on 2080 Baseball’s Preseason Top 125 Prospect Ranking List, where we had this to say about him: “Armed with a sweet stroke and plus athleticism, Benintendi has just flat-out raked since hitting pro ball. He’s got a five-tool profile in center field, and if he continues to perform in the upper minors, his risk profile will become lower than most expected.” You can also check out a 2080 Baseball’s recent video clip of Benintendi.

And not surprisingly we also have a Prospect Spotlight about Benintendi. And, finally, we have a good old-fashioned scouting report on Benintendi here.

 

LogoMLBKANMATTHEW STRAHM, LHP, ROYALS
Ht/Wt: 6’4”/180     B/T: R/L     BORN: November 12, 1991

ACQUIRED: Drafted by the Royals in the 21st round of the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft (Neosho County C.C., KS).
CURRENT SEASON STATS: 3-8 with a 3.43 ERA in 22 games, 18 of them starts, at Northwest Arkansas (Double-A), striking out 107 and walking 23 while allowing 102 hits in 102.1 IP.
PROMOTED: Recalled from Northwest Arkansas July 31 when RHP Wade Davis was placed on the 15-day DL.
DEBUT: July 31, in a 5-3 loss to the Rangers. The second of five pitchers, he allowed one run on one hit in one-third of an inning, walking one and striking out one. Coming on to start the bottom of the seventh inning in relief of starter Dillon Gee, he gave up a single to center field to the first big-league batter he faced, Mitch Moreland. After Ryan Rua struck out on a foul tip, with Robinson Chirinos at bat, Strahm threw a wild pitch which allowed Moreland to move to second, after which Strahm walked Chirinos. At that point, the Royals replaced Strahm on the mound with reliever Peter Moylan, who gave up an RBI double to Hanser Alberto, allowing Moreland to score the lone run charged to Strahm.
PLAYER NOTES: After making his pro debut with 30 innings the summer he was drafted at Idaho Falls (Rookie), Strahm missed all of 2013 and most of 2014 after undergoing Tommy John surgery.   He showed he was ready to roll in 2015 when he combined between Lexington (Class A) and Wilmington (High A) to go 3-7 with a 2.59 ERA in 29 games, 11 of them starts, and striking out 121 batters while walking just 31 and scattering 60 hits over 94 innings. Coming into the 2016 season, he’d limited opposing hitters to a .197 average.

 

LogoMLBCHWCHARLIE TILSON, OF, WHITE SOX
Ht/Wt: 5’11/175     B/T: L/L     BORN: December 2, 1992

ACQUIRED: Via trade from the St. Louis Cardinals on July 31, 2016, in exchange for LHP Zach Duke. Originally drafted in the second round of the 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft (New Trier H.S., IL).
CURRENT SEASON STATS: .282 with four homers, 34 RBIs and 15 steals in 100 games at Memphis (Triple-A/Cardinals) with 16 doubles and eight triples.
PROMOTED: Recalled from Charlotte (Triple-A/White Sox) on August 2 when OF J.B. Shuck was sent down.
DEBUT: August 2, in an 11-5 loss to the Tigers. The starting center fielder, he batted eighth and went 1-for-2 before leaving the game with a torn hamstring. In his first at-bat in the third inning, he led the frame off with a single to center field. In the fourth, he grounded into a force out to end the inning.
PLAYER NOTES: This is the kind of debut capsule that just makes me want to cry. A really solid prospect with great speed (his 46 steals in 2015 at Springfield led the Texas League), Tilson’s career had been interrupted by a variety of injuries along the way: A shoulder injury which cost him all of 2012, a fractured foot which kept him out of the Arizona Fall League in 2014 – but his 2015 campaign at Springfield (Double-A) had definitely gotten him back on track, as he batted .295 with four homers, 32 RBIs and those 46 steals in 134 games. He never even got into a game at Charlotte after being traded, and before being promoted. After getting the start in center field and collecting a hit in his first at-bat, though, he attempted a diving catch in the fifth inning and tore his left hamstring, necessitating surgery and ending his 2016 season. If the baseball gods are kind, this will not be the end of his story but rather a chapter he’ll be able to look back on when he’s a fixture in center field for the White Sox in 2017.
2080 NOTES: You can read more about Tilson in 2080 Baseball’s Prospect Spotlight on him here.

 

National League Debuts

 

LogoMLBATLROB WHALEN, RHP, BRAVES
Ht/Wt: 6’2”/200     B/T: R/R     BORN: January 31, 1994

ACQUIRED: Via trade from the Mets on July 24, 2015, along with RHP John Gant for 3B Juan Uribe and INF/OF Kelly Johnson. Originally drafted by the Mets in the 12th round of the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft (Haines City, H.S., FL).
CURRENT SEASON STATS: 7-6 with a 2.40 ERA in 21 starts between Mississippi (Double-A) and Gwinnett (Triple-A), striking out 112 and walking 44 while allowing 99 hits in 120 innings.
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Gwinnett August 3 when RHP Ryan Weber was sent down.
DEBUT: August 3, in an 8-4 win against the Pirates. The starting pitcher, he earned the win, allowing four runs, all earned, on four hits over five innings, walking four and striking out five while giving up one homer, throwing one wild pitch, and hitting two batters (well, actually, hitting one batter twice). Out of 98 pitches thrown, 54 were for strikes. All four runs were allowed in the first inning and all with two outs in the inning. After the first batter he faced, leadoff hitter Adam Frazier, flew out to right field, Gregory Polanco singled to right field and promptly stole second. Jung Ho Kang then flew out to center field before the floodgates opened. Whalen hit Starling Marte with a pitch (which he would do again in the fifth inning), putting two men on for Matt Joyce who unloaded a three-run homer to center field. The next batter, David Freese, singled to left field after which Whalen walked Jordy Mercer and Eric Fryer to load the bases. Whalen threw a wild pitch while opposing pitcher Jeff Locke was at bat, allowing Freese to score, before striking Locke out swinging to end the inning. Whalen did not allow another run, working his way through a few tough spots to make it through five full and earn the win as his Braves chipped away and scored at least one run in six innings in a row.
PLAYER NOTES: Whalen’s debut was definitely a variety pack of events. He checked in this season just making it onto Baseball America’s Top 30 prospects for the Braves’ system, ranked at No. 29 for his plus command of his arsenal of sinker, curveball, changeup and slider. He split the 2015 season between two High A spots pre- and post-trade, at St. Lucie (Mets) and Carolina (Braves), combining to go 5-7 with a 3.35 ERA. He also split the 2014 campaign between the Mets’ Gulf Coast club and Savannah (Class A) with a 9-2 record and 1.94 ERA in 14 games, striking out 63 while walking 21 in 69 .2 IP after an outstanding 2013 showing at Kingsport (Rookie) where he’d posted a 1.87 ERA in 12 starts, striking out 76 and walking 17 in 72 innings, allowing 50 hits and limiting Appalachian League batters to a .187 average. Whalen brought a combined 2.45 career ERA into his big league debut.

 

LogoMLBATLMADISON YOUNGINER, RHP, BRAVES
Ht/Wt: 6’4”/195    B/T: R/R     BORN: November 3, 1990

ACQUIRED: Signed as a minor league free agent November 10, 2015. Originally drafted by the Red Sox in the seventh round of the 2009 MLB First-Year Player Draft (Mauldin H.S., SC).
CURRENT SEASON STATS: 0-3 with a 3.46 ERA and 15 saves in 42 games between Mississippi (Double-A) and Gwinnett (Triple-A) with 54 strikeouts and 19 walks in 52 innings, allowing 45 hits.
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Gwinnett August 7 when INF/OF Brandon Snyder was designated for assignment.
DEBUT: August 7, in a 6-3 win against the Cardinals. The third of five pitchers, he allowed two runs, both earned, on three hits in two-thirds of an inning. Of 19 pitches thrown, 14 were for strikes. He came on to start the bottom of the eighth inning with the Braves holding a 6-1 lead and got the first batter he faced, Brandon Moss, to line out to center field. Matt Holliday followed with an infield single, after which Matt Adams flied out for the second out of the inning. Jhonny Peralta followed with an RBI double, and Yadier Molina’s RBI single to left field scored Peralta. At that point, Eric O’Flaherty came on for Younginer and after throwing a wild pitch and walking a batter, he got Greg Garcia to ground out to end the inning, closing the book on Younginer.
PLAYER NOTES: It may be a cliché to say that a change of scenery may have made the difference for a player, but after getting into only two games at Triple-A in six years with the Red Sox, it took Younginer four months with his hometown Braves to get to the big leagues. After a solid 2015 campaign in which he combined to go 8-4 with a 3.03 ERA in 41 games of relief between Portland (Double-A) and Pawtucket (Triple-A) with the Sox, striking out 57 in 77 .1 IP while limiting opposing hitters to a .228 average, Younginer signed with the Braves as a minor league free agent in the offseason. A star in high school, where he was the Gatorade Player of the Year for South Carolina in 2009, he’d been inconsistent in his earlier minor league career, struggling as a starter his first three pro seasons before finding his niche in relief.

 

LogoMLBMILORLANDO ARCIA, SS, BREWERS
Ht/Wt: 6’0”/165    B/T: R/R    BORN: August 4, 1994

ACQUIRED: Signed as an international free agent October 22, 2010 (MIL).
CURRENT SEASON STATS: .267 with eight homers, 53 RBIs and 15 steals in 100 games at Colorado Springs (Triple-A) with 19 doubles and six triples for a .403 SLG.
PROMOTED: Recalled from Colorado Springs August 2 to fill one of the spots left open with the trades of LHP Will Smith and RHP Jeremy Jeffress and C Jonathan Lucroy.
DEBUT: August 2, in a 3-2 win against the Padres. The starting shortstop, he batted seventh and went 0-for-4 with a strikeout. In his first at-bat in the second inning, he struck out swinging against starting pitcher Luis Perdomo. He grounded out in each of his next three at-bats in the fourth, sixth and eighth innings.
PLAYER NOTES: The Venezuelan-born Arcia, whose older brother Oswaldo plays in the Rays’ organization, has been anointed as the top prospect in the Brewers organization, thanks to his outstanding defensive prowess in all areas, his plus speed, and his maturity and composure in the game. A participant in the 2015 MLB All-Star Futures Game, he turned in his best offensive campaign that summer, hitting .307 with eight homers, 69 RBIs and 25 steals in 129 games at Biloxi (Double-A) after batting .289 with four homers, 50 RBIs and 31 steals in 127 games at Brevard County (High A) in 2014. His bat, which has produced a .282 average over five seasons, is more than solid enough to carry him to potential All-Star status for years to come.
2080 NOTES: Arcia clocked in at No. 15 on 2080 Baseball’s Preseason Top 125 Prospect Ranking List, where we had this to say about him: “Arcia’s defensive chops and bat profile are the two prime ingredients that create a very exciting prospect. He’s a complete player who will make the case for major league time in 2016.” You can also read our Prospect Spotlight about Arcia.

  

LogoMLBARISTEVE HATHAWAY, LHP, DIAMONDBACKS
Ht/Wt: 6’1”/185     B/T: L/L     BORN: September 13, 1990  

ACQUIRED: Drafted in the 14th round of the 2013 MLB First-Year Player Draft (Franklin Pierce College).
CURRENT SEASON STATS: 2-3 with a 2.48 ERA in 37 games between Reno (Triple-A) and Mobile (Double-A), allowing 31 hits in 40 innings and walking 18 while striking out 35, limiting batters to a .223 average.
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Reno July 30 along with P Adam Loewen when LHP Zac Curtis was sent down and RHP Josh Collmenter was designated for assignment.
DEBUT: July 31, in a 14-3 loss to the Dodgers. The third of five pitchers, he allowed three runs, all earned, on three hits in one-third of an inning, striking out one and allowing one homer. Of 22 pitches, 13 were for strikes. Coming on in relief of Dominic Leone to start the bottom of the seventh inning, he gave up a single to the first batter he faced, Andrew Toles. With Kenta Maeda pinch-running for Toles, Chase Utley doubled to center to move Maeda to third base. Hathaway struck out Howie Kendrick on a foul tip, but Corey Seager followed with a three-run homer to left field, at which point Daniel Hudson replaced Hathaway on the mound.
PLAYER NOTES: Hathaway was one of four members of New Hampshire’s Franklin Pierce College team to be drafted in 2013 (the others: RHP Trevor Graham by the Cubs, and RHP Kevin McGowan and 1B Zach Mathieu by the Mets). He was a sophomore sign at age 23 and had missed significant time due to shoulder and elbow woes, but his mid-90s fastball and plus curveball still caught the eye of scouts. He appeared in just three games in his first pro season as he continued his recovery before seeing a bit more time – eight games – at South Bend (Class A) in 2014, posting a 3.68 ERA in 14.2 IP. In 2015, between two Class A stops at Kane County and Visalia, he went 5-3 with a 2.89 ERA in 45 games, striking out 48 batters in 43 .2 IP and walking just 15, allowing 35 hits to limit hitters to a .208 average. Overall, he brought a 3.07 combined ERA into his big league debut.

 

LogoMLBLADROB SEGEDIN, 3B, DODGERS

Ht/Wt: 6’2”/200    B/T: R/R     BORN: November 10, 1988

ACQUIRED: Via trade from the New York Yankees on January 12, 2016, for LHP Tyler Olson and 2B Ronald Torreyes. Originally drafted by the Yankees in the third round of the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft (Tulane University).
CURRENT SEASON STATS: .319 with 21 homers and 69 RBIs in 103 games at Oklahoma City (Triple-A), adding 23 doubles for a .598 slugging percentage.
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Oklahoma City August 7 when IF Chris Taylor was sent down and OF Trayce Thompson was transferred from the 15-day DL to the 60-day DL to clear a roster space.
DEBUT: August 7, in an 8-5 win against the Red Sox. The starting left fielder, he batted eighth and went 2-for-3 with four RBIs.   After grounding out to third base in his first at-bat against David Price in the second inning, he came up in the fourth with the bases loaded and one out and, once again facing Price, delivered a two-run double to center field. In the fifth inning, with the bases loaded once again and this time two outs, he hit a two-run single to right field. In the sixth inning, he was taken out of the game when Howie Kendrick moved from second base to left field as a defensive replacement.
PLAYER NOTES: Segedin, who had considered retiring just a year earlier when he was demoted from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to Double-A Trenton by the Yankees, set a Dodgers franchise record on Sunday with the most RBIs for a player making his MLB debut as a Dodger. Listed officially as a “third baseman/outfielder/first baseman,” he only played first and DH’d with Oklahoma City, and in fact had played in just two games in left field since 2012, yet that is where he made his debut. Another interesting factoid: He’d never hit more than 10 homers in a season in his six years with the Yankees, but exploded for 21 in the first half of the season in his new setting. He comes into his debut with a .280 average and a .357 OBA but after the trade to the Dodgers, Segedin committed himself to an off-season diet and workout regimen overhaul and that may have contributed to his huge turnaround.

 

LogoMLBWASBRIAN GOODWIN, OF, NATIONALS
Ht/Wt: 6’0”/205     B/T: L/R     BORN: November 2, 1990

ACQUIRED:   Drafted in the first round (#34 overall) of the 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft (Miami Dade College).
CURRENT SEASON STATS: .284 with 11 homers, 62 RBIs and 14 steals in 109 games at Syracuse (Triple-A) with 25 doubles for a .434 SLG and .350 OBP.
PROMOTED: Recalled from Syracuse August 6 when 1B Ryan Zimmerman went on the 15-day DL.
DEBUT: August 6, in a 7-1 loss to the San Giants. A defensive replacement in right field, he went 0-for-1. Coming in to play right field for starter Bryce Harper in the seventh inning, he led off the eighth against reliever Will Smith and flew out to right field.
PLAYER NOTES: The first position player to make his MLB debut for the Nationals in 2016, and just the fourth Nat overall to debut this season, the former top prospect had been struggling to get his footing in recent years. After making it to Syracuse in 2014, he hit just .219 there with four homers and 32 RBIs and was sent back to Harrisburg (Double-A) where he spent all of 2015, hitting .226 with eight homers, 46 RBIs and 15 steals in 114 games. In 2016, though, he returned to Syracuse and his stats across the board reflect strong flashes of what made him a first-round pick to begin with.

                                                                                                

LogoMLBPHIJAKE THOMPSON, RHP, PHILLIES:
Ht/Wt: 6’4”/235     B/T: R/R     BORN: January 31, 1994

ACQUIRED: Via trade from the Rangers on July 31, 2015, with RHPs Matt Harrison, Alec Asher and Jerad Eickhoff, C Jorge Alfaro and OF Nick Williams for LHP Cole Hamels and RHP Jake Diekman. Originally drafted by the Tigers in the second round of the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft (Rockwall-Heath H.S., TX).
CURRENT SEASON STATS: 11-5 with a 2.50 ERA in 21 starts at Lehigh Valley (Triple-A), striking out 87 and walking 37 in 129 .2 IP while allowing 105 hits.
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Lehigh Valley on August 6 when LHP Brett Oberholtzer was designated for assignment.
DEBUT: August 6, in a 9-7 loss to the Padres. The starting pitcher he took the loss, allowing six runs, all earned, on seven hits in 4.1 IP, walking two and striking out one. The first batter he faced, Travis Jankowski, singled to left field on the first pitch of the game. With the No. 2 batter, Wil Myers, at the plate, Thompson threw a wild pitch before walking Myers, and then surrendered a single to Yangervis Solarte, allowing Jankowski to score. Alex Dickerson made the first out, a lineout to right field, and Thompson then recorded his lone strikeout, getting Jabari Blash looking. However, Ryan Schimpf then drew a walk to load the bases with two outs and Christian Bethancourt’s line drive double to center field cleared them. The inning was finally over when Alexei Ramirez grounded out to shortstop. Thompson retired the side in order in the second on a trio of groundouts, and danced between some small threats in scoreless third and fourth innings before the floodgates opened again in the fifth. Jankowski and Myers once again got things started, this time with back-to-back doubles, after which Thompson hit Solarte with a pitch. Dickerson grounded out to first but at that point, with one out and runners on second and third, the Phillies turned the ball over to reliever Luis Garcia. After walking Blash, he gave up a sacrifice fly to Ryan Schimpf, scoring Jankowski with the final run charged to Thompson. Thompson also went 1-for-2 at the plate, though, hitting an infield single in the fourth inning against Padres starter Paul Clemens.
PLAYER NOTES: The 2,000th player to don a Phillies uniform in franchise history, Thompson is arguably also the organization’s top pitching prospect. Now with his third system, after having been dealt by the Detroit Tigers, who drafted him, to the Texas Rangers (with RHP Corey Knebel for RHP Joakim Soria on July 23, 2014), he boasts the system’s best slider to go with a mid-90s fastball, curveball and changeup. He was on a hot streak when promoted, having posted a 1.21 ERA in his last 11 starts at Lehigh Valley. He combined in 2015 for an 11-7 record and 3.73 ERA in 24 starts between two Double-A teams, Frisco (Rangers) and Reading (Phillies), striking out 112 in 132 2/3 innings while walking 42 and allowing 127 hits. In his career, he’s combined for a 3.06 ERA.
2080 NOTES: Thompson got the nod at No. 35 in 2080 Baseball’s Preseason Top 125 Prospect Rankings List where we had this to say about him: “With a big, physical workhorse build, and a solid four-pitch mix with a plus slider and sinker, Thompson was a solid low-risk get for the Phillies as part of the Cole Hamels deal with the Rangers last year. The upside may not be as high as some, but his low risk and proximity to the major leagues pushes him up to the top 1/3 of our list.” You can also read our Prospect Spotlight about Thompson here, and check out our scouting report on Thompson here.

 

LogoMLBPITMAX MOROFF, 2B, PIRATES
Ht/Wt: 6’0”/175     B/T: S/R     BORN: May 13, 1993

ACQUIRED: Drafted in the 16th round of the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft (Trinity Prep H.S., FL).
CURRENT SEASON STATS: .229 with seven homers, 41 RBIs and eight steals in 102 games at Indianapolis (Triple-A).
PROMOTED: Recalled from Indianapolis July 31 when LHP Steven Brault was sent down.
DEBUT: July 31, in a 4-2 loss to the Brewers. Pinch-hitting for reliever Juan Nicasio in the eighth inning, went 0-for-1. Coming in in the top of the eighth and facing RHP Will Smith, he struck out swinging on a 2-2 count.
PLAYER NOTES: Moroff had made a steady climb through the Pirates system, one level at a time, and in the process also moved from shortstop to second base which improved his defensive potential. After struggling at the plate in 2013 at West Virginia (Class A) and 2014 at Bradenton (High A), not getting his average over .244 in that time, he made strides at Altoona (Double-A) in 2015, hitting .293 with seven homers, 51 RBIs and 17 steals along with 28 doubles in 136 games. Moroff was sent back to the minors on August 4.

 

LogoMLBCINTONY RENDA, INF, REDS
Ht/Wt: 5’8”/175      B/T: R/R     BORN: January 24, 1991

ACQUIRED: Via trade from the Yankees on December 28, 2015, along with RHP Caleb Cotham and RHP Rookie Davis and INF Eric Jagielo for LHP Aroldis Chapman. Originally drafted by the Nationals in the second round of the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft (Cal-Berkeley).
CURRENT SEASON STATS: .315 with three homers, 35 RBIs and 17 steals between Pensacola (Double-A) and Louisville (Triple-A) with 27 doubles and a .443 SLG.
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Louisville August 2 along with OF Scott Schebler to fill the roster spots left open when OF Jay Bruce was traded and INF Jose Peraza was sent down.
DEBUT: August 2, in a 7-5 win against the St. Louis Cardinals. Pinch-hitting for RHP Blake Wood, he went 1-for-1. He came on in the bottom of the eighth inning with the Reds trailing, 6-4, with two on and no outs after Eugenio Suarez and Tucker Barnhart had drawn walks, and laid down a bunt single on which everyone was safe to load the bases. Though the Reds did not score on that opportunity, they tallied three in the bottom of the ninth to pull out the win (and yes, for those of you doing the math at home, it WAS a walk-off three-run homer, by Schebler).
PLAYER NOTES: Renda, in his first season with the Reds after the multi-player off-season deal with the Yankees, has now been traded twice in just over a year. He had come to the Yankees from the Nationals on June 11, 2015, in a straight-up deal for RHP David Carpenter. He has decent speed (look for double digits every season, as he’s done thus far, including a 30-steal season at Class A Hagerstown in his first full summer) and minimal power (do NOT look for double digits there as he’s combined for nine homers in five seasons). He has wielded a solid bat, boasting a .290 career average, and while he’s played primarily shortstop and second base in the past, this year he has seen most of his time in the outfield.