MiLB Weekly Discussion: Major League Impact

This week we turned the discussion over to what potential non-roster invitees or prospects could make the team or eventually make their way onto the ML roster.

Brooks

Considering these NRI's and the few prospects on the 40-man roster,

http://houston.astros.mlb.com/team/roster_nri.jsp?c_id=hou

who do you think has the best chance to make the opening day roster?

And if you don't think one will make it, which prospect do you think is the first to contribute at the ML this year?

Ashitaka

As for guys who still have rookie status, Sclafani would be my guess. James Hoyt might have an outside shot if he really lights it up, but I seem him as more of an option mid-season due to injuries or whatever. Appel just annihilating everything is the only way I see him as having a prayer as far as Opening Day.

Irish Pete

I do not see anyone having much of a shot at all on that list. I could see Aplin making the team if the Astros decide that Alex Presley is expendable. He gives them another good defensive option in the outfield that can play all 3 positions and is a left handed bat like Alex Presley. In that case, Preston Tucker would also not shock me to hit in spring training well enough to force his name into the discussion, since he is also another left handed bat.

Anthony Boyer

Perennial All-Star and RoY candidate Joe Sclafani may not make the team out of spring training, but he'll make an impact at the major league level in 2015, taking over sometime in May as the starting third baseman.

I also think Hoyt has a shot to fill a role in the bullpen nicely. Maybe not an impact player, but I wouldn't rule it out, either.

Brooks

I don't see any prospects making the team out of the gate either. That said I can see Sclafani squeezing his way into a utility role at some point but will have to out-perform Ronald Torreyes in AAA since he's on the 40-man.

Of the arms, I honestly can see Jordan Jankowski working his way into the ML bullpen at some point this season. He has one of the best sliders in the system and has impressive strikeout numbers to back that up.

In general as for everyone with rookie status left, Domingo Santana is the most likely to have any impact.

This was actually last weeks (brief) discussion. There will not be another until next week as I will be out of town this week.

Do you see any prospects making the opening day roster or forcing their way onto the scene by performance? We will likely see a few based on injuries or ineffectiveness at the ML level, but by who?