Minor League Barometer: Risers & Fallers

If Jordan Lawlar can stay on the field, he finally looks ready for that breakout campaign. He's still only 22, though it seems as if the Diamondbacks' phenom has been talked about forever. Lawlar was limited to 23 games last season following thumb surgery and a lingering hamstring ailment, but logged at least 100 in each of the previous years. He's tearing the cover off of the ball so far in 2025 slashing .325/.423/.627 with five homers, 20 RBI and eight steals at Triple-A. The D-Backs resisted the temptation of promoting Lawlar when Ketel Marte got hurt, yet options are thin at second base otherwise. He's a shortstop by trade, but has already seen action this season at the keystone and hot corner. Positional versatility only increases the odds Lawlar will soon get to Arizona in a hotly contested NL West.

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

UPGRADE

Caleb Durbin, 3B, MIL – The chief return in the Devin Williams deal (sorry, Nestor Cortes), Durbin nearly made the big club out of spring training but was ultimately sent down to Triple-A. He's hit .278 with two home runs and three steals from 13 outings, and the woeful start for Oliver Dunn allowed the two to essentially swap places late last week. Durbin has already gone deep once with a swipe through four games with the Brewers. Given what Milwaukee gave up to land him and the lack of other viable options, he should receive enough opportunities.

Agustin Ramirez, C, MIA – Another former Yankees farmhand, Ramirez notched two hits along with a stolen base in his MLB debut on Monday. The Marlins' top offensive prospect registered 25 homers and 22 stolen bases between Double-A and Triple-A last year alongside a .361 OBP. With Ramirez's pedigree and Miami being short on talent, he's primed to get significant at-bats. He may play more DH than catcher due to subpar defense, yet his bat should keep him in the lineup.

Chase Burns, P, CIN – Burns unsurprisingly found little resistance at High-A with a 3.09 ERA and 20:5 K:BB in only 11.2 innings before receiving a move to Double-A.  The second selection from the 2024 Draft is only 22 and can hit triple-digits on the radar gun while using a devastating slider and above-average curveball. Burns has also been uncharacteristically healthy for someone who throws so hard. He isn't the size of Hunter Greene, but is still sturdy at 6'3", 210. Burns is one of baseball's top pitching phenoms and could debut with the Reds as early as 2026.

Nolan McLean, P, NYM – The former two-way player has decided to focus on pitching, and the Mets may have yet another pitching stud on their hands. After 18 starts at Double-A last season, McLean has returned to that level and has been virtually unhittable through three starts sporting a 0.60 ERA and 22:7 K:BB across 15 innings offering a high-spin slider/fastball combination limiting the opposition to a .173 average. A star high school football player, the uber-athletic and competitive McLean is working on his control and additional secondary pitches to round out his arsenal.

CHECK STATUS

Jarlin Susana, P, WAS – Susana has an imposing presence at 6'6", 235, and the 21-year-old has been superb to start 2025 at Double-A with a 2.63 ERA and 23:8 K:BB through 13.2 innings while  opposing batters are batting .229 against. Part of the return in the original Juan Soto deal, Susana lights up the radar gun with his heater alongside a standout slider. His changeup remains a work in progress, and there have been whispers he looks more the part of a dominant closer than frontline rotation anchor. Susana will stick as a starter for now and remains highly regarded in prospect circles.

Edgar Quero, C, CHW – Kyle Teel is breathing down Quero's neck, but for now the latter is technically ahead on the depth chart and getting big-league at-bats. He was off to a white-hot start at Triple-A prior to being promoted going .333 with a .444 OBP with almost as many walks (11) as strikeouts (14). Quero also produced 16 home runs over 98 games a year ago between Double-A and Triple-A. He seems to be platooning with Matt Thaiss, though the switch-hitter should get more at-bats if he continues to rake and is so far 4-for-15 (.267) in five games. Teel's looming presence could eventually complicate matters, though the DH slot is also a option for both. Quero may only be 22, yet the White Sox youth movement looks to be in full swing.

Tirso Ornelas, OF, SD – An injury to Jason Heyward opened a spot for Ornelas after he almost played himself into a roster spot during spring training. He's spent a lot of time in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League the past couple of seasons, so it remains to be seen if his numbers are a bit inflated. Ornelas slashed .299/.370/.501 with 23 homers and 93 RBI at Triple-A last year and managed a .418 OBP at the same level, but hasn't yet recorded a hit in two contests with the big club. A slew of outfield injuries has allowed Ornelas to pick up some at-bats, and the Padres farm system has been thinned out of late, though it remains to be seen if the organization can be patient with a slow start considering how well they're doing on the field. Even with the injuries mounting, he may not see enough at-bats to stay relevant.

DOWNGRADE

Quinn Mathews, P, STL – Mathews endured an ugly first three outings at Triple-A, accumulating an unsightly 7:15 K:BB en route to a bloated 6.10 ERA. His velocity was also down last time out and he was subsequently placed on the IL with what has been deemed "shoulder soreness". There's no timetable for Matthews' return, and there could be some cause for concern. In the span of two months, he's gone from potentially earning a spot in the big-league rotation to possibly spending significant time sidelined.

Xavier Isaac, 1B, TB – Isaac is currently shelved with an elbow issue, yet he's struggled even when available at Double-A since 2024. In 31 games at the end of last season, he only produced a .211/.341/.349 line with three home runs and 54 strikeouts. Isaac also K'd seven times from four contests to start the current campaign before getting hurt again. He's expected to return soon, but there is concern as to his ability to make contact at the higher levels.

Emiliano Teodo, P, TEX – The starting pitching experiment for Teodo appears to be done as the 24-year-old righty has made all six of his appearances so far out of the bullpen. He's always boasted massive strikeout potential, though his inability to consistently throw strikes has been a red flag throughout his pro career. As a result, Teodo appears ticketed to become a high-leverage reliever, but his start in 2025 has been anything but smooth as he's slumped to an 8.68 ERA with eight walks across 9.1 innings. Though he does have 13 Ks over that stretch, he's also surrendered three homers already. Teodo's value is already diminished due to being a reliever instead of a starter. He has plenty of time to get back on track, yet his stock is trending the wrong way.