E.J. was drafted in the 16th round of the 2022 MLB draft out of Long Island University.
What Were Expectations?
Heading int0 2025 there were not many expectations for E.J. He has been a player that has shown flashes of brilliance, but over the course of a season pretty average numbers. E.J. possesses solid tools like his bat speed, overall in game speed, solid power, and the ability to play multiple positions in the infield – so he was a valuable prospect, but there weren’t many MLB grades given to his tools so he was considered more of a depth player.
2025 Results
Much like the previous three years, E.J. did show flashes of brilliance. He hit .269/.365/.485 across 37 games for the Rome Emperors showing solid power (six double, seven homers, one triple), and what appeared to be a bit of a rebounding approach that saw his walk rate go back up into the double digits (10.3%). To simplify it a bit, E.J. was hitting the ball, and hitting the ball hard and started to make a name for himself in the organization as someone with a potential higher offensive upside and capable of playing multiple positions in the infield.
E.J. was then rewarded with a promotion to Double-A Columbus and while Synovus Park is not quite Trustmark Park, it’s not the most hitter friendly. Combine that with just facing stronger competition and it’s a recipe for a struggle and that’s what happened with E.J. during his time in Columbus. Over a span of 62 games, E.J. would hit .220/.259/.332 which saw his walk rate drop down to just 4.3%. That said, he did get unlucky, putting up a .266 BABIP with coaches saying he was putting good swings on the ball and just not finding holes. Safe to say, it was definitely a mixed bag for him overall.
A lot went right in his stint in Rome as he was barreling the ball, walking at a good rate, and putting up a 157 wRC+. His 16.3% HR/FB rate was the best of his career which resulted in seven homers over 37 games.
After his promotion he appeared to be a bit overwhelmed at the plate as he expanded the zone resulting his walk rate diminishing.
Just outside the Top 30 list, E.J. comes up to a critical year as he should be Rule 5 Eligible. While there’s not necessarily much risk in another team picking him up, if he comes out and plays a full season like he did in Rome then anything is possible. However, another struggle and his chances of maybe making it to the majors takes a huge hit. He will still only be 25 when the season starts so there’s still hope he can put these pieces together and possibly succeed at the next level. That said, he will need to take major steps forward.
