Minor League Barometer: Risers & Fallers

Could strikeout maven Jonah Tong appear for the Mets this season? He was recently promoted to Triple-A after a scintillating stint at Double-A where he produced a 1.59 ERA over 102 innings (20 starts) and fanned 162 over 102 innings while opposing batters hit .143 against. The former seventh-round pick has been dominant at every level since the start of 2024. With Kodai Senga, Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas all back, there's no current spot in their rotation. Tylor Megill is also set to return from injury soon while Triple-A prospects Nolan McLean and Brandon Sproat may also have something to say should a starter place open up. That being said, the Mets are fighting for their playoff lives. While unlikely, an MLB debut for Tong could provide the boost this tired-looking club appears to desperately need.

Let's take a look at some other prospects making headlines in this edition of the Minor League Barometer.

Take a look where future major league baseball stars slot into RotoWire's MLB Top Prospects & Rankings for 2025!

UPGRADE

Nate George, P, BAL – A 16th-rounder out of high school last year, George has overwhelmed the competition at two levels. He began the season in the Florida Complex League, where he slashed .383/.451/.556 with three homers, 14 RBI and 13 steals across 23 outings. That led to a quick promotion to Low-A, where George was nearly as impressive going .337/.410/.491 with a homer, 21 RBI and 25 stolen bases from 43 contests. His bat-to-ball skills and blazing speed wreaked havoc, resulting in yet another bump up to High-A. George may even end up developing more power as he matures and is still far away from making a big-league impact, but he's already significantly exceeded expectations.

Cooper Ingle, C, CLE – Ingle batted .305 across two levels during 2024, and returned to Double-A to start the current campaign where he's continued his batter's box success at .273 with a .391 OBP with almost as many walks (65) as strikeouts (70). He's also displayed enough power to be fantasy-relevant having clubbed nine home runs. Cleveland's catching offense has been awful as none of the current trio are even over .200. Ingle just made it to Triple-A, so there's a path for him to become the Guardians' starting catcher as early as next season.

Alfredo Duno, C, CIN – Duno has looked well beyond his years at Low-A despite only being 19 as he's managed a .271/.416/.449 line alongside nine homers, 57 RBI and five steals. His eye at the dish has been particularly notable with 77 walks versus 80 Ks. Duno also finally appears to be healthy. In an organization devoid of much catching talent, he looks like the Reds' backstop of the future - though that still probably won't materialize for a few years.

Griffin Herring, P, COL – The Rockies seem to be in a never-ending cycle to find starting pitching and acquired Herring at the trade deadline as part of the deal for Ryan McMahon. A 2024 sixth-round selection out of LSU by the Yankees, the former reliever has transitioned to the rotation with plenty of success having registered a 1.78 ERA and 111:37 K:BB through 96.1 innings with batters hitting .180 against. Herring isn't overpowering, but tends to keep the ball down by only allowing three homers from 18 starts - which is important to note as his future home games will be in Colorado. Next year at Double-A should dictate his path.

CHECK STATUS

Noble Meyer, P, MIA – Meyer was the 10th overall selection in 2023, but wildness has limited his effectiveness thus far. The opposition went .165 against between Low-A and High-A last season, yet he walked 55 over 74 innings. While Meyer's strikeouts have remained solid, the free passes remain as he holds a 4.53 ERA and 60:28 K:BB. He's still only 20 with plenty of room to grow, though he's only been slightly above-average at best while former teammate and fellow draft classmate Thomas White has far outpaced him within the Marlins' system.

LuJames Groover, 3B, AZ – The fire sale conducted by the Diamondbacks at the deadline may have opened a future place at the hot corner for Groover, yet questions remain as to whether he'll ultimately end up there defensively. Nevertheless, he was named to the Futures Game roster earlier this summer, and continues to hit for average and pick up plenty of walks. The 23-year-old is slashing .293/.374/.423 with 10 homers and 42 RBI through 94 outings at Double-A. The power numbers leave something to be desired and he hasn't shown the ability to swipe many bases. As such, Groover will need to hit for average and get on base at an elite clip to validate his eventual spot on the parent club.

Braden Nett, P, ATH – Nett has taken a circuitous route to becoming a top-10 prospect for the Athletics. Signed as a free agent in 2022 for $10,000 by the Padres, he slowly worked his way through that organization. Nett began the year at Double-A, where he recorded a 3.39 ERA and 86:34 K:BB through 74.1 innings before going to the Athletics as part of the Mason Miller deal and being assigned to Double-A. He can get close to 100 MPH while offering as many as five pitches. The only caveat is that Nett has been prone to walks throughout his pro career, though they were more under control at Double-A leading up to the trade. He could still end up in the bullpen, but for now will remain in the rotation.

Christian Oppor, P, CHW – The White Sox seem to like lefties as Oppor joins Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith as yet another strikeout-inducing southpaw. He was plucked from Gulf Coast State Junior College during the fifth round of the 2023 Draft. After struggling in the Arizona Complex League last season, Oppor began the campaign on a heater at Low-A with a 2.42 ERA and 34:7 K:BB in 22.1 innings. He was quickly promoted to High-A, where the results have been mixed as he continues to rack up the Ks by producing 57 in 44.1 innings, yet he's also walked 25 while surrendering six home runs from 12 starts after not giving up any across five Low-A outings. Oppor is still developing at 21, but has already shown growth with a three-pitch repertoire.

DOWNGRADE

Logan Henderson, P, MIL – The Brewers keep winning despite accumulating injuries. Following a setback to phenom Jacob Misiorowski, Henderson was inserted into the starting rotation and performed decently against the Nationals, though only lasted 4.1 innings. It was then revealed he suffered a right flexor strain in his throwing elbow. While the MRI came back clean and the news could have been far worse, Henderson will miss some time. When he's ready to return, Misiorowski will likely already be back. With the NL pennant Milwaukee's goal, it would appear unlikely that Henderson - whose previous start for them was in May - is set to receive more than a spot start or two down the stretch, even if healthy.

Malcolm Moore, C, TEX – Moore's sample size is small, so this downgrade doesn't reflect his abilities. That being said, the expectations are always high for a first-rounder as the Rangers selected him out of Stanford last year. The 22-year-old backstop suffered a broken finger early on, and only recently returned to High-A where he's slashed .202/.295/.298 with two homers and four stolen bases through 35 games. Moore has slightly struggled with his plate discipline without much pop, though that could partially be a result of the injury. He hasn't played much since entering the minors, so there's plenty of time to get back on track and fulfill the promise of his offensive tools.