3 Up, 3 Down: Organizational Trusts

In this week’s 3 Up, 3 Down, I highlight another tantalizing Mets and Brewers arm who’ve climbed into my rankings, along with a Guardians bat who’s bringing a lot to the table. On the flip side, I reflect on some names that just aren’t packing the punch needed to maintain their standing. These names have all been significant movers in my rankings recently.

🔥 3 Up

Wuilfredo Antunez, OF, CLE (Double-A)

.263/.337/.526, 15 HR, 11 SB, 9% BB, 23.3% K

Stats & Background
Antunez missed our Guardians' top 20 prospects this past offseason—and with good reason. In 2024, as a 22-year-old in Single-A, he slashed .255/.325/.459 with eight home runs, 15 stolen bases, a manageable 22% strikeout rate, and an elevated 8.8% walk rate despite his aggressive approach.

Baseball America had him outside their top 30 and noted:

“Antunez was a low-money signee out of Venezuela in 2019. He slashed .264/.326/.458 between Low-A and High-A in 2024. He has a compact, physical frame with some explosiveness, above-average raw power, plus speed, and a solid arm—potentially profiling in right field. He’ll need to become more selective at the plate.”

Today
So far in 2025, he’s done just that. Antunez has improved his chase rate by 8%, while maintaining a 55% swing rate. That better zone discipline has led to a slight uptick in walks—but more importantly, he’s attacking more hittable pitches. His slugging jumped 60 points in High-A, which earned him a well-deserved promotion to Double-A.

In High-A, he was an extra-base machine—14 home runs (second only to Josue Briceno in the Midwest League), and top-25 ranks in doubles, triples, RBI, and runs. He also chipped in 11 steals, going 11-for-12.

He’s only logged two Double-A games as of Tuesday but already has a homer under his belt. His swing path is tailored for damage—he hits the ball in the air over 70% of the time, and 50% of the time to the pull side. That’s a recipe for slugging success—if the approach holds.

Projection & Rankings Update
I’ve slotted Antunez just outside the top 200, right alongside Dakota Jordan in my July rankings. Both are older than you’d like for their levels, but putting up monster counting stats. Jordan has more raw tools, but Antunez offers a more well-rounded profile.
The second half will be a test. If he keeps slugging, he’s going to fly up the rankings. If he struggles, that’s to be expected at first, and I won’t ding him much. One key thing to monitor is his stolen base success. Going 11-for-12 in High-A is an excellent sign that his decision-making is improving.

Brendan Girton, RHP, NYM (High-A)

65 IP, 82 K, 28 BB, 2.49 ERA

Stats & Background
Another week, another Mets arm in the “up” column. Girton was a 10th-round pick in the 2024 draft out of Oklahoma. He only pitched three pro innings last year after battling injuries and splitting his college time between the bullpen and rotation.

Today
The Mets are handling him with care—he's yet to throw more than five innings in a start and usually gets pulled after 60–70 pitches. But he's making the most of his innings.
His 12.9% swinging strike rate ranks 13th in the South Atlantic League (min. 60 IP), and he’s keeping the ball on the ground with a 45% groundball rate (top 10 in the league). While his 10.6% walk rate isn’t ideal, it’s inflated by one five-walk outing on July 3rd. Outside of that, he's walked just one batter across his last five appearances.
What makes Girton pop is his fastball-slider combo. The fastball has sneaky life—like it finds a second gear on the way in—and the slider has sharp, two-plane break. The changeup is still developing but shows promise, which gives him a chance to stick in the rotation.

Projection & Rankings Update
Girton debuts at No. 340 in my July rankings after not being ranked in June. There’s plenty of room to rise if he stays healthy and keeps performing. The injury history and potential bullpen outcome add some hesitation, but the arsenal is trending in the right direction.

Tate Kuehner, LHP, MIL (Double-A)

88.1 IP, 98 K, 46 BB, 2.45 ERA

Stats & Background
The Brewers selected Kuehner in the 7th round of the 2023 draft. He debuted in High-A in 2024, putting up a 2.75 ERA and 28% strikeout rate before being promoted to Double-A, where he ran into more resistance. His strikeout rate dropped to below a K per inning, and the walk rate rose.

Today
Kuehner stands out with a deep pitch mix and excellent movement. His fastball, changeup, and slider all work off his low arm angle. The changeup has late drop and works in the zone. His slider, which averages around 80 mph, has strong horizontal action. His fastball sits ~10 mph above his change, giving him solid velocity separation.
Early in 2025, command was a major issue—31 walks in 48 innings. But something clicked. Over his last 45 innings, he's walked only 16 while striking out 57 (29.8% K, 8.4% BB). He’s inducing ground balls (50% GB rate), whiffs, and called strikes at a strong clip. Opponents are only making contact 68% of the time.

Projection & Rankings Update
Kuehner is now inside my top 300. I trust Milwaukee’s pitching development, and I like that he’s working effectively against both righties and lefties with a true three-pitch mix. If his adjustments hold, he could crack the top 200 by season’s end. Being 24 and in Double-A also means the bigs aren’t far off—though the Brewers rotation is no easy club to break into.

⬇️ 3 Down

James Triantos, 3B, CHC (Triple-A)

.251/.298/.342, 2 HR, 19 SB, 6% BB, 15.7% K

Stats & Background The Cubs’ second-round pick in 2021, Triantos has bounced around defensively (2B, SS, 3B, CF) but has always been a high-contact bat. He’s run contact rates north of 80% since 2022 and excels on pitches in the zone.

Today
Despite an 82% contact rate, Triantos lands on the "down" list because he’s just not doing anything with that contact. His 2.5% barrel rate and 86.3 mph average exit velocity are well below average.
That weak contact is dragging down the rest of his profile. Once known for a strong batting average, he’s now hitting below .250 at Triple-A. His OBP is nearly 50 points lower than last year, limiting his opportunities to use his speed—just 19 stolen bases in 60 games, compared to 47 in 115 last year.
The Cubs may be aggressive at the deadline, and Triantos could be a trade chip. That might help his big-league chances—but ideally, his bat should be forcing the issue on its own.

Projection & Rankings Update
After flirting with the top 100, Triantos has taken a steep tumble and now sits outside my top 300. I once hoped he could be a Zach McKinstry-type utility guy: tough ABs, 10 HRs, 15–20 SBs. At 22, I’m not giving up, but expectations are shifting until he starts impacting the baseball.

Asbel Gonzalez, SS, KC (Single-A)

.258/.371/.312, HR, 61 SB, 9.8% BB, 15.6% K

Stats & Background
Known for speed and contact, Gonzalez has long been a profile we hoped would add power as he grew into his 6’2” frame. He had just one professional home run before 2025 (in the DSL).

Today
At Single-A, Gonzalez continues to show good swing decisions—75% in-zone swing rate, 82% contact rate, <30% chase. But he’s not changing his bat path, and 50% of his contact is on the ground. While he’s making better swing choices, there’s still no power to speak of. It's always troubling to see someone's OBP higher than their slugging.
The 10% walk rate is a silver lining—it should help him keep stealing bases—but without extra-base hits, the fantasy ceiling is limited.

Projection & Rankings Update
Gonzalez slides outside my top 250. I’m still intrigued by the speed-contact combo, but I need to see something in the power department to keep him ranked. Our scouts gave Gonzalez a 45 for his power, so there is some hope. He's only 19 years old, so it's feasible to see him add some muscle in the next couple of years.

Payton Eeles, 2B, MIN (Triple-A)

.280/.365/.341, HR, 13 SB, 10% BB, 17.5% K

Stats & Background
Eeles signed as an undrafted free agent in 2024 and rocketed through three levels, slashing .299/.419/.500 with 12 HR and 20 SB. He was a surprise pop-up name last year.

Today 2025 has been far more challenging. Eeles has just one home run and an 85.5 mph average exit velocity. He’s also putting 50% of balls on the ground and spraying 40% to the opposite field—bad combinations for unlocking power.
His low EVs were also present last year, so this may just be who he is. He’s still getting on base and demonstrating his speed, but the impact potential is fading.

Projection & Rankings Update
It's very easy to make the Jose Altuve comp with his size, but really, there are similarities with their size, speed, and power potential. If Eeles wants to find more success, he would benefit from copying Altuve a little more. Altuve can put up the type of power numbers he does not only by taking advantage of the Crawford boxes, but by looking to pull the ball. 55% of the time, Altuve is pulling the ball. He's not selling out for the home run and isn't even a lift-and-pull guy. He's just trying to get to his pull-side more. If Eeles can make that adjustment, he should get back to the 15-homer power we saw last year.
Eeles holds steady around No. 250 for now, in part due to the injury he’s returning from. I'll be keeping an eye on his batted ball profile going forward to see if it was just a matter of him shaking off the rust with the knee injury.

🧠Final Thoughts

Wuilfredo Antunez has my attention because of the approach he’s embracing — trying to pull the ball in the air. That intent alone is promising. Add in some sneaky speed, with just one caught stealing all year, and there’s even more to like. While he doesn’t project for a high ceiling right now, Antunez is trying to make it work by doing a lot of things well. There aren’t any standout tools, which likely makes his path to the top 100 more difficult — he'll have to be consistently productive to rise. Still, the profile is intriguing, and he’s one to watch.

The arms in the “3 Up” group are a reminder of just how many pitching prospects emerge midseason. If you're starting a dynasty league this upcoming year—especially a deeper one—I'd avoid over-investing in minor league pitching early. Guys like Payton Tolle, Brandon Clarke, Jaxon Wiggins, Dasan Hall, or Carlos Lagrange were likely available off waivers at some point in 2025. The arms will come—your job is staying on top of it.

Reflecting on the “3 Down” group, I think I overestimated the likelihood some of these players would naturally grow into power. They still might—but it’s becoming clear that high-contact, low-impact bats are increasingly challenging to bet on unless they’re elite in other ways.

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