Prospect Radar: Week 15
Stats/news updated as of July 18th, 2025.
Tigers prospects are still torching minor‑league pitching in July, but they aren’t alone. Cardinals infielder JJ Wetherholt, Phillies breakout bat Aroon Escobar and Dodgers speedster Kendall George have joined the party with eye‑catching production and fresh spikes (or slumps) in the card market.
🔥 Red‑Hot Bats
| Player | Level | PA | AVG | HR | RBI | SB | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin McGonigle | AA/A+ | 254 | .345 | 7 | 58 | 12 | 1.028 |
| Josue Briceño | AA/A+ | 254 | .296 | 15 | 58 | 1 | 1.009 |
| Samuel Basallo | AAA | 254 | .264 | 19 | 58 | 0 | .975 |
| Zyhir Hope | A+ | 335 | .293 | 9 | 56 | 12 | .873 |
| JJ Wetherholt | AAA/AA | 287 | .303 | 8 | 36 | 14 | .912 |
| Aroon Escobar | A+/A | 341 | .283 | 11 | 44 | 12 | .813 |
Hobby Angle
- McGonigle’s 2025 Bowman Chrome 1st auto refractor /499 raw copies are selling for $200‑280 on eBay.
- Briceño continues to fetch $150‑200 for raw autos after the Double‑A bump.
- Basallo’s 2023 Bowman Chrome 1st auto PSA 10 last closed at $371 on 7/16, down from June’s $395.
- Hope’s limited 2025 Bowman Chrome supply is inching upward alongside his OPS.
- Wetherholt’s 2025 Bowman Chrome 1st auto (raw) last sold for $122 on 7/17 and is up ~33 % over 30 days.
- Escobar’s base Chrome auto slid to $26 on 7/17, off roughly 40 % month‑over‑month.
🥶 Ice‑Cold Bats
| Player | Level | PA | AVG | HR | RBI | K% | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xavier Isaac | AA | 175 | .201 | 9 | 22 | 37.4 | High K‑rate, on IL |
| Jeferson Quero | AAA | 154 | .291 | 7 | 29 | 15.0 | OPS dipped 110 pts since mid‑June |
🌟 Season Spotlights
| Player | Level | PA | AVG | HR | RBI | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roman Anthony | MLB | 134 | .264 | 4 | 18 | Debuted 6/9; Underlying metrics remain strong |
| Walker Jenkins | AA | 134 | .252 | 3 | 14 | Gold‑glove‑caliber defense |
| Emmanuel Rodriguez | AAA | 164 | .300 | 8 | 32 | Three‑homer return game |
| Kendall George | A+ | 326** | .253 | 3 | 22 |
📈 Call‑Up & Injury Tracker
| Date | Player | Org | Rank | Move | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7/4/25 | Colson Montgomery | CHW | #95 | MLB debut | Former #1 Sox prospect |
| 7/9/25 | Cam Schlittler | NYY | #89 | MLB debut | Beat Mariners in debut |
| 7/11/25 | Brice Matthews | HOU | #98 | MLB debut | Called up from AAA |
Looking Ahead
- Triple‑A watch: Wetherholt’s quick adjustment in Memphis (.909 OPS in first week) has the Cards eyeing a September cameo.
- Phillies’ infield logjam: Escobar’s contact‑plus‑pop skill‑set will be tested in the tougher South Atlantic League—if the K‑rate stays under 18 %, he could skip Double‑A entirely.
- George’s green light: With 40 steals in 72 games (plus that six‑steal outing on 5/18) he’s tracking for an 80‑SB season, keeping his 2023 Draft autos liquid despite middling power.
- Tigers trifecta: McGonigle, Briceño and Max Clark are still on promotion paths that could converge in Triple‑A by August, setting up a late‑season hobby frenzy.
- Travis Bazzana: Returned to action last night, Bowman prices are at all-time lows.