Will Good Teams Play Top Prospects?

I would think the most likely would be Rooker if they find a need for some right-handed power.

Next up, maybe Duran? If the Odo, Hill, Homer injuries turn out to be more than blips on the radar, they may need high upside arms to serve as reinforcements. Either for the pen or rotation. 

Good teams play prospects when the prospects are better than the available veterans. Don’t see that being much different in 2020. That means the Twins won’t play prospects as long as health holds out, they’ve established the position they covet in the postseason tournament, or trades are made.

Meanwhile, it might be fair to say that OUR center fielder “has a chance to be pretty good”. But, I’m not sure it’s fair to say that of the White Sox new center fielder. Luis Robert shows every indication that he left “pretty good” in the dust probably a couple of years ago. He’s currently batting leadoff for a very good batting order, and accumulating WAR at an astonishing rate.

Hitting seems to be lagging behind pitching this season, so Duran and Balazovic might make more sense than one of the position players. So much depends on guys getting healthy off the IL...

The only prospects I see having a chance of playing this year are those who would be Rule 5 eligible come November. If they aren't, they aren't going to be activated this year.

Considering Balazovic isn't with the group in St. Paul, it is highly unlikely we will see him.

Is Balazovic now on the 60 man list?  I thought he had not been added.  Personally I would prefer Kiriloff or Larnach to Cave.  

I pitching staff is really doing well and it has carried the team so far. I would like to know the true story on Hill and Bailey and Odorizzi.  We need at least one of them to join the Berrios, Maeda, Dobnak rotation. 

Only a few bats seem alive - We have only five players batting 250 or better - one is Gonzalez who is supposed to be the utility man and a second is Avila our second string catcher.  

The Twins are very deep - position players, as well as starting and relief pitching. Barring injuries, multiple bad performances, or a Covid problem, the Twins should go with the great team they have. Someone is considering replacing Cave with a prospect - have you been watching Cave so far in 2020?????

I do not expect any top team to bring up a prospect unless there is injury or a hole in the lineup that they fit into.  If they were slotted in this season to not need them, as long as that continues no point in bringing up.  Twins for example will have no need to bring up any of top prospects unless there is injury, most likely.  Maybe if there is major slump that is hurting the team, but right now the depth at the MLB level is too deep to break in absent injury.  

For teams on the fringe that have a hole in the lineup I can see it happening if the team believes they give them a better chance to win.  Why send out a lessor player?

I don’t foresee the Twins doing this, outside of Duran in the bullpen. They’ve got enough depth to not need to.

There's 3 categories to consider:

1] Non contending teams: They have some of their top prospects on the 60 man already so they can still continue to work and progress. No doubt a few of them will make their debut at some point. Detroit and Mize is a great example.

2] Contending teams: Other than injury or covid-19 issues, a contending team is not going to want to mess with their 40 man, if at all possible, as it means a mess at the end of the year and potential loss of a player or two they might have to leave off in preparation for 2021 and beyond.

Now, if a guy looks ready, then his addition is just following the normal path of addition and subtraction.

But part of the problem remains roster size and end of season call ups. As of now, the reduction to 28 and then 26 man rosters is in effect. But with so many injuries and various outbreaks, I believe roster sizes might end of up being changed on the fly and moved back up to 28 or 30. But even then, you still have 40 man issues to potentially deal with.

3] Twins: Everything stated above concerning contending teams applies here. The "negative" of being a contending "going for it" is the large number of AAAA players on the 60 man for depth rather than additional milb prospects getting developmental work. And that's a good problem to endure, of course! But if injury or illness requires those guys to come up, you play a 40 man game with guys you don't regret having to waive later.

Bringing up and playing non 40 man guys that are top prospects really messes with the 40 man going forward. So barring disaster, there will be no Lewis, Kirilloff, Larnach, Jeffers, etc. They will continue to work out and gain development time. Though I am still utterly confused and lost why Balazovic isn't in St Paul.

Let me state for the umpteenth time, yet again, just how ridiculous and short-sighted the entire September call up situation is! Regardless, this where you could see a couple of Duran, Chalmers, Gordon, Celestino or Blankenhorn get a shot. Perhaps Rooker or Celestino get added over someone "disposable".

The long and short is the Twins, and any contending team, will only promote via business as usual to replace a lesser player. Only the lesser teams, BAU again, will be promoting top prospects.