I just did my final set of rankings for the year, so go check those out if you’d like to know how I feel about a player. Of course, what I didn’t know then was that Caden Dana was getting called up this weekend or that Vinnie Pasquantino was about to suffer a regular season-ending injury.
Rhett Lowder – SP Reds – Rostered in 10 percent of Yahoo leagues
It probably wouldn’t be happening if not for the Reds’ rash of pitching injuries, but Lowder will make his major league debut Friday following just one Triple-A start. The seventh overall pick in the 2023 draft pitched six scoreless innings then, striking out seven and walking none. He has a 3.64 ERA and a 113/24 K/BB ratio in 108 2/3 innings overall in the minors this season.
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Lowder possesses impressive command of a mid-90s fastball, plus slider and changeup. He’s also proven to be above average at generating grounders in the minors, which will be very important as he arrives in Cincinnati and homer-happy Great American Ballpark. It’s not quite ace-type stuff, but he’s one of the best bets in the minors to enjoy a career as a No. 2 or No. 3 starter in the majors. Right now, the problem is the schedule; the Reds have one of the league’s toughest the rest of the way. Lowder is due to face the Brewers, Astros, Cardinals and Braves in his first four starts. That’s not a disaster, but it seems like he should only be tried in deeper mixed leagues at the moment.
Freddy Fermin – C Royals – Rostered in 10 percent of Yahoo leagues
Unless there’s an unreported name on waivers who might be able to step in, the Royals have no good option for replacing Pasquantino, who is down for the rest of the regular season with a broken thumb. Freddy Fermin is already playing more than half the time as a catcher when Salvador Perez DHs and as an occasional DH himself. He’ll be asked to do even more now with Perez often stepping in at first base.
Fermin has quietly served as one of the league’s best part-time performers the last two years, hitting .290/.333/.433 while also playing above average defense behind the plate. Statcast thinks he’s overperformed this year, as his exit velocity numbers are considerably worse than last season. Still, he doesn’t strike out a lot, and he’s in a nice environment for offense in…