Another month has gone, the calendar has flipped to June, and Major League Baseball is already seeing its share of injuries. Injuries are never good for any team, but it does give an opportunity to promising minor leaguers who are itching for a chance to prove their worth on a big league club.
Jurickson Profar – Texas Rangers
I am not sure what it is about Profar, but I have a feeling that he is going to be a huge asset once he has been in the majors for a while. I drafted him for my fantasy team this year and he sat on my bench for months until he was finally called up to play for the Rangers. Obviously his minor league stats did nothing for me, but I knew he would get the call soon so I did not want to let him go. Now, since Ian Kinsler has been injured, Profar will get his chance to prove he can play ball with the big boys. According to ESPN, he will be splitting time at second base with Leury Garcia while Kinsler’s ribs heal. The 20 year old has been in 10 games so far with 6 RBIs and a .324 average. He has been on the major league radar since a young age when he pitched for the Dominican Republic in the Little League World Series. Most teams wanted him as a pitcher, but he signed with the Rangers because they gave him the freedom to play where he wanted.
Kevin Gausman – Baltimore Orioles
Some calls ups are good and some do not turn out quite as planned. The Baltimore Orioles called up starting pitcher Kevin Gausman recently and his debut did not go well. Not that Gausman will have a bad career, but his first opportunity to play in a big league club rattled him pretty severely. On the road with the Orioles, he pitched 9 innings and allowed 11 earned runs. That was 11. Earned. Sometimes even the most talented prospects cannot handle the intensity and skill of big league hitters. Once the team was on home turf, Gausman was able to relax and get more into a grove. During his last start, he allowed only 1 earned run over 6 innings which brought his ERA down to 7.20 with a 0-2 win-loss record. He still has a lot to learn, but hopefully it will not be at the expense of the Orioles.
Michael Wacha – St Louis Cardinals
When the St Louis Cardinals called up starting pitcher Michael Wacha he pitched 7 innings with only one earned run. After pitching a gem for his major league debut he ended up with a no-decision as the Cardinals bullpen could not keep it together. They lost after a 4 1/2 hour rain delay toward the end of the game, but Wacha certainly proved his ability to take on big league hitters. At least for now.
Fans everywhere get nervous and excited when suddenly a new player is added to their team’s active roster. Maybe the fans have no idea who these new players are, or maybe they have heard all about their bright futures, but either way every one watches closely to see how much they will either damage or help their club.
