One September Callup We Hope To See For Every MLB Team
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Sept. 1 isn’t what it used to be, but it’s still a significant day for MLB rosters. On Sunday, teams can expand from their current 26-player MLB rosters to 28 players for the remainder of the regular season. Teams can only have 14 pitchers among those 28 players, so the callups largely end up being one position player and one pitcher.
Until the current CBA, teams were allowed to expand up to 40 players on the MLB roster for September, which meant waves of minor leaguers arriving to serve as defensive replacements, pinch hitters, pinch runners, extra bullpen arms and spot starters. Now, it’s a much more modest expansion.
Whether it’s because of that or just the different desires of teams, many logical Sept. 1 callup candidates have already gotten the call to the majors. Dylan Crews, Niko Kavadas, Rece Hinds, Bryan Ramos, Jacob Lopez and Tyler Gentry have all been called up this week.
Here’s our look at one player for each organization we’d love to see get a call to the majors when rosters expand.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Blaze Alexander, SS: An argument could be made for Yilber Diaz, but bringing Alexander back to serve as a multi-position infield backup makes a lot of sense for a team that looks ready for another playoff run.
Atlanta Braves
AJ Smith-Shawver, RHP. The 21-year-old already has four career callups to Atlanta, but remains rookie eligible because they all have been brief. Smith-Shawver pitched decently in one MLB spot start this season but has worked primarily for Triple-A Gwinnett in 2024. He is a logical September callup option to add one more arm to the Braves’ pitching staff.
Baltimore Orioles
Coby Mayo, 3B: Mayo was in the majors briefly in early August. There’s a case to be made for letting him get regular playing time in Norfolk. But with Chayce McDermott currently on the IL and a crowded 40-man roster, he makes the most sense as a callup. This time, though, it likely would be as a power bat off the bench.
Boston Red Sox
Vaughn Grissom, 2B: If there is a team that could pass on expanding their roster, the Red Sox would have a case for skipping it. The candidates who are currently on the 40-man roster are either struggling (Wikelman Gonzalez, Quinn Priester) or hurt (Luis Perales). Grissom hasn’t really made the case for a big league job in Boston (.228/.342/.323 at Triple-A Worcester), but September may be a last chance for Grissom to make a case for his 40-man roster spot.
Chicago Cubs
Owen Caissie, OF: Caissie will have to be protected from the Rule 5 draft this offseason, so adding him to the roster now makes sense. He can get a taste of the majors, serve as a bench bat with big power and use the month as preparation for trying to earn a regular role at some point in 2025.
Chicago White Sox
Tim Elko, 1B: The White Sox are on their way to record-setting futility. That isn’t the environment where you want Colson Montgomery to get acclimated to the majors, especially on the heels of a subpar season. So we’ll tab Elko as a logical candidate to get a taste of the majors. Elko’s defensive limitations and exceptionally aggressive approach may not work long term, but he’s got real power.
Cincinnati Reds
Blake Dunn, OF: It hasn’t been a great season for Dunn. He’s struggled to match his breakout 2023 season, even if he did get a brief big league callup. Getting him back to the majors would give the Reds a chance to see if he can fit in a backup outfield role in 2025.
Cleveland Guardians
Juan Brito, INF/OF: Brito has been on the 40-man roster for two seasons now, so bringing him up to serve as a multi-position backup provides depth at numerous positions. He has a patient eye and solid power that makes him a useful pinch hitter. His first callup would also help prep him and the Guardians for him taking hopefully a larger role in 2025.
Colorado Rockies
Greg Jones, OF: Getting a sense of whether Jones can help in 2025 would be a useful reason to call him up. Jones has used two options and will be 27 next year. It’s time to figure out if his speed can be an asset in the Rockies’ spacious outfield.
Detroit Tigers
Justyn-Henry Malloy, OF: Malloy struggled in his first taste of the big leagues. But with the Tigers’ youth movement gaining momentum, getting Malloy some more big league at-bats could be useful prep for 2025.
Houston Astros
Forrest Whitley, RHP: Whitley made his MLB debut on April 16 and recorded two outs. Since then, the Astros returned him to Triple-A, where he spent time on the injured list in May and June. Since returning on June 23, Whitley has made 21 relief appearances and allowed earned runs in just two games. The Astros don’t have a tremendous amount of exciting options already on the 40-man roster. Whitley is showing well in his new life as a reliever.
Kansas City Royals
Drew Waters, OF: The Royals have already brought up most everyone who can help, as this is an all-hands-on-deck approach to getting back to the playoffs. Waters is already on the 40-man roster, so bringing him back to be a backup outfielder who can pinch-run makes some sense, but the Royals don’t have a lot of logical callup candidates.
Los Angeles Angels
Christian Moore, 2B: We wouldn’t suggest bringing up a 2024 draftee for almost any other team. But the Angels love to push players quickly to the majors, as Nolan Schanuel, Zach Neto and Chase Silseth can attest. The Angels haven’t gotten a lot of production from Brandon Drury and Michael Stefanic, so Moore could slot right into the lineup.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Edgardo Henriquez, RHP: Henriquez has been one of the most dominant relievers in the minor leagues this season, thanks to an arsenal filled with high-octane pitches. His fastball lives in the world of triple-digits, and his slider can induce plenty of silly swings. He has moved from Low-A to Triple-A throughout the course of the season and has racked up 79 strikeouts in just 47 innings.
Miami Marlins
Deyvison De Los Santos, 1B: The Marlins added De Los Santos when they traded AJ Puk to the D-backs this summer. He has mashed 35 home runs in the minors this season, so Miami could use September to gauge whether his power will play next season. The Marlins are likely going to add De Los Santos to the 40-man roster this offseason. He went unprotected by Arizona last year and was selected in the Rule 5 draft before ultimately being returned.
Milwaukee Brewers
Jacob Misiorowski, RHP: Misiorowski gave up two runs on three walks in his first relief appearance for Triple-A Nashville. Since then, he has allowed just one hit in 10.2 innings over six appearances. His near top-of-the-scale stuff could be an asset in anyone’s bullpen and he could make a case for a spot in the postseason bullpen. Much of the same could be said for Nashville teammate Craig Yoho, thanks to Yoho’s exceptional changeup.
Minnesota Twins
DaShawn Keirsey, OF: Keirsey is not on the 40-man roster and the Twins have avoided calling him up even as they have battled injuries in the outfield. But Keirsey’s combination of center field defense, speed on the basepaths and a significantly improved bat could be a useful role player down the stretch as the Twins push for a playoff spot.
New York Mets
Luisangel Acuña, SS. Acuña has not exactly torn up Triple-A, but he has carrying tools in his speed, arm and defense, particularly in terms of his versatility. He plays shortstop, second base and center field and is already on the 40-man roster.
New York Yankees
Jasson Dominguez, OF: There aren’t many players on this list who should step right into a regular role. Not only should Dominguez come up, he should be given a shot to see if he can produce more than left fielder Alex Verdugo, who is hitting .228/.303/.313 in the second half of the season. Dominguez is already on the 40-man roster and will retain rookie eligibility for 2025, so this seems like an obvious choice.
Oakland Athletics
Denzel Clarke, OF: There aren’t many great callup candidates for the A’s, but Oakland is facing a decision on whether to roster Clarke this offseason, so there is a case for promoting him from Double-A if the team has already decided to add him to the 40-man roster this offseason.
Philadelphia Phillies
Mick Abel, RHP: The 2020 first-rounder has struggled with control at Triple-A, as many young power pitchers do with the automated ball-strike system. But Abel’s last five efforts have been better—3.20 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 25.1 innings—hinting at possible utility in a swingman or short relief role this September. If not called up, he will likely be added to the 40-man roster this offseason to shield him from the Rule 5 draft.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Bubba Chandler, RHP: It’s unlikely to happen, as it would require adding him to the 40-man roster, but getting Chandler some late-season MLB innings would be an excellent way to help prep him for a rotation spot in 2025.
San Diego Padres
Tirso Ornelas, OF: The Padres added Ornelas to the 40-man roster in July, so bringing him up to the majors won’t require clearing a roster spot. He has had easily his best season as a pro. Ornelas could get some work off the bench or in spot starts in a corner outfield spot.
Seattle Mariners
Emerson Hancock, RHP: Hancock has made nine starts for the Mariners already this year. Bringing him back to work as a spot-starter/long-man would further bolster the strength of the Mariners. There aren’t a whole lot of options to help bolster the Mariners’ weakness: their inability to score runs.
San Francisco Giants
Marco Luciano, SS: Despite reappearing in the big leagues again, Luciano has had a season he’d probably like to reset. Nonetheless, with the team’s playoff chances on life support, it might be time to give their No. 2 prospect some extended run in order to see just what he can do with consistent playing time. He has shown plenty of tools throughout the course of his career, but he has also been prone to slow starts. If given some runway, Luciano’s talent might show up in September.
St. Louis Cardinals
Tink Hence, RHP: Hence isn’t on the Cardinals’ 40-man roster, so this is likely just a pipe dream. Those that are, like Sem Robberse, aren’t that exciting. Hence has returned over the last month and is rounding into shape. With a 40-man roster spot looming this offseason, Hence could get a late-season cup of coffee out of the pen.
Tampa Bay Rays
Joe Rock, LHP: The Rays need to protect Rock on the 40-man roster this offseason or else he becomes Rule 5 eligible. Adding him to the roster a couple months early just advances what is likely an easy decision for a solid, if unspectacular, lefthanded option.
Texas Rangers
Jack Leiter, RHP: This one is cheating, because Leiter will return to the big leagues and start Wednesday against the White Sox. The 2021 first-rounder made his debut earlier this season and found out he had plenty more polish to apply before he was ready to return. After a few tweaks, Leiter has spent the last month or so dominating at Triple-A Round Rock. In two August starts, the righthander has struck out 20 and walked just two over 9.1 innings.
Toronto Blue Jays
Jake Bloss, RHP: Bloss has not allowed a run in three starts for Triple-A Buffalo since Toronto acquired him in the Yusei Kikuchi trade. They will need to monitor his innings, but Bloss makes some sense for a Blue Jays team without a lot of candidates.
Washington Nationals
Zach Brzykcy, RHP: The 25-year-old reliever is in his first season back from Tommy John surgery and on the 40-man roster. Brzykcy reached Triple-A in mid August and should be a factor in the Nationals’ 2025 bullpen with his power fastball/curveball mix.
