With less than two months until the MLB postseason, every team is gearing up for one final push. There's so much unsettled competition in the Wild Card races, both in the AL and NL, meaning over half of MLB teams still have something to play for. Meanwhile, even for those focused solely on the future, it's late enough in the campaign to call up talented prospects without risking any service time ramifications.
Let's dive into a handful of underseen, unheralded players who could work their way into the national conversation over the final month or so of the season.
RHP George Klassen, Los Angeles Angels
The Angels are effectively out of the running, even in this uniquely non-competitively competitive American League, but right-hander George Klassen has already begun to turn a corner. He pitched seven scoreless innings against Houston on Tuesday, with seven strikeouts and only one hit allowed.
Like most young pitchers, the next step in Klassen's development will be refining his command. He has a solid 3.74 ERA through five starts, but his 17.8 percent walk rate is a glaring red flag. He allowed three walks in his demolition of the Astros, but that was by far the sharpest he has looked to date. Some young players just need to get their feet wet, to get a feel for the big-league game, before taking off.
The Angels traded José Soriano at the deadline and desperately need their younger arms to break through, otherwise the future is unbearably bleak. Klassen is making good, fast progress, with a big fastball and a slider that MLB opponents haven't quite seemd to figure out (.108 opposing average).
OF Brett Callahan, Detroit Tigers
Brett Callahan is the Tigers' No. 19 prospect at MLB Pipeline — far lower than Max Clark, for example, in the organizational pecking order. But he's hoping to change that perception. Despite not slugging all that much upon his promotion from Double-A to Triple-A this season, Detroit gave Callahan a call-up this month. He already has a home run, a triple and five RBI across four appearances with a 1.182 OPS. He's batting fifth in the lineup ahead of the aforementioned Clark (Detroit's No. 1 prospect) and two 2025 All-Stars in Zach McKinstry and Javier Báez.
Callahan is 4-for-11 with only two strikeouts, generating plenty of loud contact and flashing elite speed on the bases. Known more for his glove than his bat in the Minors, Callahan should have no trouble rounding out his impact nicely, assuming the hits continue to flow. He dramatically improved his walk rate this season in the Minors and cut down on swing-and-miss.
We can't take much away from a four-game sample, in all honesty, but Callahan's approach appears to be translating — and he could force his way into an everyday role, especially with Riley Greene on the IL and McKinstry (.633 OPS) providing next to nothing besides his defense this season. Detroit is still right in the mix for a Wild Card spot, with Callahan just part of a larger youth movement that's picking up steam.
LHP Hagen Smith, Chicago White Sox
The White Sox called up their top-ranked pitching prospect, Hagen Smith, earlier this month. So far, the uber-talented southpaw has been relegated to a few appearances out of the bullpen. He has allowed only one hit and one earned run in 4.2 innings, with seven strikeouts. He does have six walks on the ledger — another classic example of command issues in a young, untested arm — but Smith has thrown his fastball and slider, his two primary offerings, a total of 66 times. He has allowed zero hits off of them.
Chicago probably isn't keen on stretching him back out for a starting gig down the stretch, but then again the White Sox pitching staff is by far their greatest point of weakness. Chicago unquestionably has the offensive firepower to hang in a playoff series, especially given the dearth of quality competition in the AL, but if their starters can't get outs, it will fall perhaps on the bullpen — and Smith in a multi-inning relief role — to carry them through some games, both now and in October.
The 23-year-old clearly has the stuff, and he could become invaluable down the stretch, whether it's getting important outs late or setting the table earlier in games.
1B Ralphy Velazquez, Cleveland Guardians
Is there a more obvious late-August/early-September promotion candidate than Guardians first baseman Ralphy Velazquez? The Nathaniel Lowe trade cut off the cleanest path positionally, but the Guardians can explore slotting either Velazquez or Lowe in the DH role — or even testing the 21-year-old in the outfield, where he has occasionally gotten run in the Minors.
Velazquez will almost certainly be a negative defender, especially if he's not at first base, but he's one of the most polished hitters in the Minors right now. The power-hitting lefty has 16 home runs and an .873 OPS in just 65 games at the Triple-A level. Cleveland always needs more slug in the heart of the order; it's what seems to undermine the Guardians every damn postseason.
Now, with a playoff berth far from guaranteed and the lineup in clear need of stimulation, letting Velazquez get a head start on his MLB career is the only logical next step. He could end up batting cleanup by the time October rolls around, if the Guards are fortunate enough to get there.
SS Franklin Arias, Boston Red Sox
Franklin Arias became Boston's top-ranked prospect after the much-anticipated trio of Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell graduated. The Red Sox were in the market for high-profile shortstops at the trade deadline, with Zach Neto and Francisco Lindor among the names floated in the rumor mill, but nothing came to pass. Boston decided to liquidate their farm for switch-hitting catcher Adley Rutschman instead.
While Red Sox manager Chad Tracy has said the plan is for Trevor Story to return from the IL and resume his shortstop duties, Story's waning defensive value and nonexistent offense (.547 OPS) make that an unappealing strategy — especially when Boston has received so much life and production from Andruw Monasterio, Nick Sogard, Anthony Siegler and their next-gen infielders.
Calling up Arias, who's mashing in Triple-A with an .850 OPS across 20 games, is an obvious alternative. Bench Story, stomach the bad optics of his contract and put your best foot forward. The American League is wiiiiiiide open, and Boston has as good a chance as any team to run the gauntlet. There should be no stone left unturned, and Arias presents as both an elite defender and a pro-ready hitter who can bat for average and work deep into counts.
C Rafael Flores Jr., Pittsburgh Pirates
Rafael Flores Jr. is basically waiting to be unleashed, with a 1.140 OPS and six home runs for the Pirates in 19 games since his June debut. The talented right-hander pinch-hit for Henry Davis on Wednesday night and went 2-for-2 with a couple dingers, helping Pittsburgh pull off their 4-3 comeback victory over a Tigers team that's also jockeying for position in the Wild Card race.
Pittsburgh has struggled to overcome the regression of Paul Skenes and what was once the most anticipated collection of young pitchers in MLB, but the lineup continues to produce. The recent return of Oneil Cruz, with Konnor Griffin also on the mend, should only help.
Flores has found spot starts at both catcher and first base for the Pirates, but any lingering defensive qualms should eventually give way to his unmatched offensive production. The 25-year-old has an elite 14.3 percent walk rate with expected slugging (.603 xSLG) that matches the eye test and the early production. Pound for pound, he has been one of the best hitters in baseball when the Pirates let him eat. It's time to find a home for him in the everyday lineup; you can figure out what to do with Davis or Spencer Horowitz.
LHP Matt 'Tugboat' Wilkinson, San Francisco Giants
There is power in a name, and Matt "Tugboat" Wilkinson's nickname alone could endear him to fans all across the country. San Francisco does not have much left to play for, but the 23-year-old southpaw made his debut on Wednesday — against the team that drafted him. Tugboat pitched two scoreless innings against a Guardians club still hoping to claim a spot in the postseason, allowing just one hit, before he was yanked in favor of the more experienced Adrian Houser. Wilkinson set the table for what ended up being a 1-0 Giants victory.
Tugboat is not ranked among San Francisco's top 30 prospects at MLB Pipeline, but he leans heavily on a low-90s fastball famed for its deception, aptly nicknamed the "Invisiball." Tugboat did not light the world on fire in Triple-A this season, with a 5.36 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 43.2 innings across 10 starts, but the Giants are clearly anxious to get big-league eyes on him down the stretch. His low-velocity archetype is not too popular nowadays, but every team needs an unconventional fan favorite. Perhaps Tugboat can catch fire and earn a cult following before the year is out. More performances like Wednesday's will help him, to be sure.
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