25 MLB prospects who still might help teams in 2023

Acquired from the Phillies last year, Brown has made huge strides as a prospect over the last two seasons. He posted a 3.38 ERA and 12.9 K/9 between High-A and Double-A last season and has been even more impressive this year between Double- and Triple-A. Some control issues make Brown a somewhat risky prospect as a starter, but he can undoubtedly help the Cubs down the stretch.

Caminero has emerged as one of the elite position prospects in MLB over the last year and could be on the cusp for the deep Rays team. Recently promoted to Double-A, Caminero hit .356-11-32 in only 159 plate appearances at High-A and hasn't slowed down early in his time with Double-A Montgomery. If the production continues, Caminero could force Tampa Bay to promote him for the final stretch of the season.

Cody Bellinger was signed as a center-field placeholder for Crow-Armstrong in the offseason, and that plan remains intact. The former first-round pick of the Mets had an .852- OPS with seven home runs and 13 stolen bases in his first 37 games for Double-A Tennessee and could be an option late in the year if the Cubs sell major league pieces.

The first overall pick in the 2021 draft, Davis has looked the part this season. He was promoted to Triple-A after hitting .284-10-27 with a .981 OPS in 41 games at Double-A Altoona. As Pittsburgh continues to hang around in the NL Central, the prospects of Davis seeing MLB time in 2023 increase.

The fifth overall pick in the 2021 draft, Cowser has taken his game to the next level at Triple-A this season. The Sam Houston State alum was hitting .347/.484/.590 through 39 games, showing his ability as a pure hitter. He could force his way to the MLB roster soon.

The Reds have already promoted top prospects Andrew Abbott and Elly De La Cruz, and Encarnacion-Strand could be next. After tearing up Spring Training, he hit .352-15-39 in his first 38 games at Triple-A Louisville. The biggest issue is finding a place for him to play with Joey Votto's return also pending, but the Reds might not have a good reason to keep Encarnacion-Strand down if they remain in playoff contention.

Frelick has missed significant time this season with a thumb injury, but he has a chance to return to the field in late June. The Brewers could desperately use his help after losing outfielders Tyrone Taylor and Garrett Mitchell to injuries. A former first-round pick, Frelick struggled at Triple-A before the injury but hit .365-4-25 with nine steals in 46 games at that same level last season.

Acquired in the Josh Hader deal from San Diego last season, Gasser has big upside for the Brewers pitching staff. While he's struggled with his control at Triple-A this season, Gasser has excellent stuff and has consistently posted an 11-plus K/9 in the minors. The Brewers staff is still reeling with injuries, so Gasser's time could come soon.

With Oakland's losing ways, there's no stopping their top prospects when ready for the majors. Gelof is almost there, hitting .288-5-20 with 14 steals in his first 42 games at Triple-A Las Vegas.

San Francisco entered the season with considerable pitching depth, but injuries have taken their toll. Harrison is waiting in the wings, leading the Pacific Coast League in strikeouts. Unfortunately, the lefty also had 34 walks in his first 38 innings, so a relief role seems more likely than starting initially.

Detroit's season is starting to go the wrong way after significant injuries to Eduardo Rodriguez and Riley Greene. Keith could be looking at a promotion if his minor league performance continues at its current rate. He hit .325-10-41 in his first 47 games at Double-A Erie.

The second overall pick out of Arkansas in the 2020 draft, Kjerstad took a leap forward at Double-A, hitting .310-11-23 in 46 games. At age 24, he could move quickly from Triple-A to the majors, though the Orioles don't have a major need if Cedric Mullins is able to return from a groin injury.

Leiter was an accomplished pitcher at Vanderbilt and the second overall pick in the 2021 draft. While he struggled last season, Leiter is back on track at Double-A Frisco this year with a 3.88 ERA and 12.2 K/9 in his first 11 starts. Control remains an issue, but the right-hander could be valuable in a relief role for the surprising Rangers.

Tampa Bay doesn't have a need at first base with the way Yandy Diaz has played, but Manzardo is still knocking on the door. He's hit .261-8-28 with a strong walk rate in his first 51 games at Triple-A Durham. Most likely, Manzardo will get a taste of the majors later this season before earning a starting role in 2024.

Brett Baty and Francisco Alvarez have made significant impacts for the Mets early this season, and Mauricio could be next. He's taken a big step at Triple-A Syracuse, hitting .333-8-34 with nine steals in his first 56 games. New York doesn't have a spot for Mauricio, but he could serve as a utility man.

Mayo is somewhat blocked by rookie Gunnar Henderson in the majors, but his bat could eventually force Baltimore's hand. He's hit .281-7-25 in 49 games at Double-A Bowie with a strong walk rate. He could see the majors around September.

Cleveland is getting almost nothing from their catchers in the majors, but they've remained hesitant to give Naylor a look as he works on his defense at Triple-A. In the meantime, Naylor's bat has shined, hitting .258-11-44 with a .907 OPS in his first 53 games. His time will come eventually, especially if the Guardians sell at the trade deadline.

Painter looked like Philly's fifth starter in Spring Training, but an elbow injury has sidelined him for the first two months of the season. The team has rightfully been conservative with their top pitching prospect, but Painter could jump to the majors whenever he gets back on the mound.

Priester has seen mixed results at Triple-A Indianapolis this season, with a 4.38 ERA in his first 11 starts. Control remains the biggest concern for the former first-round pick, but his time in the starting rotation is getting closer as the MLB rotation suffers more injuries.

Hitting isn't coming as easily this season for Rodriguez as it did last year, when he hit .323-25-95 between three levels. This year he hit .247-4-16 in 39 games at Triple-A, but continues to show excellent plate discipline. With Austin Hedges struggling to hit in the majors, Rodriguez is likely still an improvement at the plate when he's called up.

The powerful Soderstrom has split time between catcher and first base at Triple-A Las Vegas, hitting .251-12-39 in 48 games. Plate discipline remains a big concern and reason for the lowly A's to hold him back a bit longer, but it's inevitable that Soderstrom will be helping in 2023.

Winn is taking his lumps at Triple-A Memphis, hitting only .258-6-22 with a .698 OPS in 55 games while facing older competition. He still has excellent upside, particularly on defense, and the Cardinals could turnover some of the roster at trade deadline if their struggles continue.

Wells has missed time with injury early this year, but he's hit .269-8-26 in his first 26 games at Double-A. He has a chance to be a plus hitter at the catcher position, eventually pairing with Jose Trevino in the Bronx. The Yankees could give Wells a long look down the stretch.

Westburg continues to rake at Triple-A this season, hitting .308-15-48 with a .988 OPS through his first 51 games. While MLB shortstop Jorge Mateo was great at the plate in April, he's struggled since then, creating some calls for Westburg's promotion. It sems likely Westburg will finish the season as Baltimore's starting shortstop.

Cleveland has already seen big contributions in the starting rotation from Logan Allen and Tanner Bibee. Williams could be next. The former first-round pick had a 1.93 ERA and 12.4 K/9 in his first 10 starts this season between Double- and Triple-A, showing premium stuff.