It’s not unusual for this time of year to boast a bumper crop of big league debuts, as teams scramble to fill roster spots vacated by players traded at the deadline. But of the 10 players who debuted in the past week, there have definitely been some unexpected and unfamiliar names on the list, along with a few of the more obvious blue-chippers. Raise your hand if Dodgers pitcher Nate Eovaldi has been a household name among you and your fantasy league friends. Okay, the more discerning of you probably knew who he was. But I’m willing to bet that few aside from his immediate family (and maybe not even them) expected to see San Diego Padres pitcher Erik Hamren made his bg league debut, taking the spot left open by the deadline trade of relief ace Mike Adams to Texas.

NATHAN EOVALDI
RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
B/T: R/R H/W: 6-3/195 BORN: Feb. 13, 1990
ACQUIRED: Selected in the 11th round of 2008 out of high school in Texas
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Double-A Chattanooga Aug. 6 when P John Ely was sent down.
DEBUT: August 6 in a 5-3 win against the Arizona Diamondbacks: The starting pitcher, he earned the win with five innings of four-hit ball, allowing two runs and walking two while striking out seven.
NOTES: Eovaldi, a high school ace who slipped down the draft ranks after undergoing Tommy John surgery while a junior in high school, takes the rotation spot of rookie sensation Rubby De La Rosa, who also underwent the same operation this past week and will be out for the next year. Boasting a 3.64 ERA over his first three pro seasons coming into 2011, he was 6-5 with a 2.62 ERA in 20 games at Chattanooga, striking out 99 in 103 innings and limiting Southern League batters to a .203 average. He participated in the league mid-season All-Star Game, an honor he also held in 2010 in the Advanced A California League. In 2009, Eovaldi had a 3.27 ERA in his full-season debut at Class A Great Lakes. With a fastball in the mid 90s, he continues to work to tweak some small mechanical issues. On a rookie-laden Dodgers squad, Eovaldi had no lack of familiar faces when he came into the clubhouse.

JOHNNY GIAVOTELLA
2B, Kansas City Royals
B/T: R/R H/W: 5-8/185 BORN: July 7, 1987
ACQUIRED: Selected in the second round of 2008 out of University of New Orleans
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Omaha Aug. 4 when IF Yamaico Navarro was sent down.
DEBUT: Aug. 5 in a 4-3 loss to the Detroit Tigers: The starting second baseman, he batted sixth and went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI, doubling, drawing a walk and stealing base.
NOTES: Off to hot start, with a .455 average in his first three games, “Gio” had his breakthrough season in 2010 when he hit .322 with nine homers, 65 RBI and 13 steals at Double-A Northwest Arkansas. Prior to his promotion, he was hitting .338 with nine homers and 72 RBI at Omaha and was leading the minors with 153 hits. He jumped right into full-season ball after being signed out of his hometown college, University of New Orleans, hitting .299 with four homers and 26 RBI along with 10 steals at Class A Burlington in 2010. He’s been improving steadily with his glove but will probably always be viewed as an offensive second baseman. Joining youngsters such as first baseman Eric Hosmer, shortstop Alcides Escobar and third baseman Mike Moustakas in the bigs, Gio’s addition may give the Royals one of the best — if not THE best — young infield in the game.

PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT
1B, Arizona Diamondbacks
B/T: R/R H/W: 6-4/220 BORN: Sept. 10, 1987
ACQUIRED: Selected in the eighth round of 2009 out of Texas State
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Double-A Mobile Aug. 1 when 1B Brandon Allen was traded to Oakland.
DEBUT: Aug. 1 in a 5-2 win against the San Francisco Giants: The starting first baseman, he batted seventh and went 1-for-4.
NOTES: After setting a Texas State career record with 36 homers, Goldschmidt has been one of the most potent power prospects in the minors since starting his pro career in 2009. In fact, he earned MLB.com’s Arizona Organization Player of the Year award that summer, one of the rare times a short-season player has nabbed such an honor, after hitting .334 with 18 homers and 62 RBI at Missoula. He did plenty for an encore, hitting .314 with 35 homers and 108 RBI to earn California League MVP laurels last summer at Advanced-A Visalia, and with a .306 average, 30 homers and 94 RBI in 103 games at Mobile before his promotion, he could well repeat his league MVP run this summer in the Southern League despite being gone for the final month. Fresh off the Futures Game, Goldschmidt will get the chance to earn full-time work at first base.

ERIK HAMREN
RHP, San Diego Padres
B/T: R/R H/W: 6-1/195 BORN: Aug. 21, 1986
ACQUIRED: Signed as a minor league free agent out of the independent Northern League Oct. 20, 2010
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Double-A San Antonio July 31 when P Mike Adams was traded to the Texas Rangers.
DEBUT: Aug. 1 in a 6-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers: The last of three pitchers, he walked one and fanned one in one hitless shutout inning.
NOTES: I will be the first to admit it. I had never heard of Hamren before I saw his name in the Padres’ box score. So if that’s the case, you can admit it too. There. Don’t you feel better now? Anyway … originally signed as a 17th round pick by the Chicago Cubs in 2008 out of junior college, Hamren posted a 5.06 ERA in short-season action that summer and had a 5.98 mark at Class A Peoria in 2009, before being released that winter. He split his mound time between two Northern League teams, Kansas City and Joliet, last summer before inking with the Padres. His numbers this year, though, were more than worthy of a callup as he started the summer at Advanced A Lake Elsinore, posting a 2-0 record and 1.08 ERA in 15 games before moving up to San Antonio where had had an 0.92 ERA at the time of his promotion. A Texas League All-Star Game hurler, he’d fanned 69 in 65 2/3 innings while walking just 14.

BRETT LAWRIE
3B, Toronto Blue Jays
B/T: R/R H/W: 6-0/215 BORN: Jan. 18, 1990
ACQUIRED: Via trade from the Milwaukee Brewers for P Shaun Marcum Dec. 5, 2010
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Las Vegas Aug. 4 when OF Travis Snider was sent down.
DEBUT: Aug. 5 in a 5-4 win against the Baltimore Orioles: The starting third baseman, he batted ninth and went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
NOTES: Nicknamed “Gordie Dougie” by his fans because he is just so, so Canadian (thanks t my friend Sean Boulton for this tidbit!), Canadian baseball fanatics announced a national holiday on Dec. 5, 2010, when Lawrie was acquired from the Brewers in a winter meetings trade. Okay, they didn’t, but it’s not far from the truth. Joining the Jays was a huge deal for the longtime linchpin of the Canadian national teams. In fact, after being taken with the 16th overall pick by the Brewers in 2008 out of high school in Langley, B.C., as the highest-drafted Canadian hitter ever, he postponed turning pro so he could not only play for the junior national squad but ALSO played for the Canadian Olympic team. He also repped his homeland in the 2009 World Baseball Classic before making his pro debut in impressive fashion, hitting .274 with 13 homers, 65 RBI and 19 steals at Class A Wisconsin that summer. In 2010 he hit .285 with eight homers, 63 RBI, 36 doubles and 16 triples at Double-A Huntsville and was hitting .353 with 18 home runs and 61 RBI at Vegas before his promotion. A second baseman in high school who flirted with catcher, he is playing third now but could wind up in the outfield. His best position is batter.

JIMMY PAREDES
3B, Houston Astros
B/T: S/R H/W: 6-1/200 BORN: Nov. 25, 1988
ACQUIRED: Via trade from the New York Yankees with P Mark Melancon for 1B Lance Berkman July 31, 2010
PROMOTED: Recalled from Double-A Corpus Christi Aug. 1 when 3B Chris Johnson was sent down.
DEBUT: Aug. 1 in a 4-3 10-inning win against the Cincinnati Reds: The starting third baseman, he batted seventh and went 1-for-4 with a two-run triple in his first big league at-bat in the second inning.
NOTES: Originally signed as a free agent out of his native Dominican Republic, Paredes was off to a hot start since being called up nearly a year to the day after being the prime prospect in the deal for Berkman. Moved up quickly, twice skipping levels in the minors, he was hitting .282 in four pro seasons coming into 2011, including his first full season, 2010, when he hit .282 at Class A Charleston (S.C.) and Lexington, combining for eight homers, 65 RBI and 50 steals. At Corpus Christi, he was batting .270 with 10 home runs, 41 RBI and 29 steals prior to his callup.

MANNY PINA
C, Kansas City Royals
B/T: R/R H/W: 6-0/230 BORN: June 5, 1987
ACQUIRED: Via trade from the Texas Rangers in September 2009 for P Danny Gutierrez.
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Double-A Northwest Arkansas July 31 when C Matt Treanor went on the DL.
DEBUT: Aug. 3 in a 6-2 win against the Baltimore Orioles: The starting catcher, he batted ninth and went 2-for-4 with a run scored and a double.
NOTES: Originally signed as a free agent out of Venezuela by the Rangers in 2004, Pina is in his seventh pro season. He was hitting .250 in three games at Northwest Arkansas but .241 with five home runs and 16 RBI at Triple-A Omaha this season after batting .259 with seven homers and 44 RBI for the Naturals in 2010.

TRAYVON ROBINSON
OF, Seattle Mariners
B/T: S/R H/W: 5-11/195 BORN: Sept. 1, 1987
ACQUIRED: Via trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 31 in a three-way multi-player deal that included the Boston Red Sox in which P Erik Bedard was the biggest “name.”
PROMOTED: Recalled from Triple-A Tacoma Aug. 5 when OF Greg Halman was sent down.
DEBUT: Aug. 5 in a 1-0 loss against the Los Angeles Angels: The starting left fielder, he batted ninth and went 1-for-3.
NOTES: One of the LA-area Urban Academy gems, Robinson was originally signed by his hometown Dodgers out of Crenshaw High School in the 10th round of 2005. Though dealt to the Mariners a few days before his debut, he did make that debut near home, on the road against the Mariners. Primarily known for his speed prior to 2010, with 38 steals at Double-A Chattanooga in 2010, 47 steals in 2009 and 43 steals in 2008, his power really saw a breakthrough this summer as he was hitting .293 with 26 homers and 71 RBI at Triple-A Albuquerque before the deal. His defense is outstanding, as anyone who saw his debut — or the highlights on the sports reports — witnessed with his web gem in the third inning, saving a potential homer from Torii Hunter. Robinson’s arrival in Seattle continues an impressive youth movement there as he becomes the 13th rookie to play for the team and the Major League-leading ninth player to make his big league debut for Seattle this season.

DAVE SAPPELT
OF, Cincinnati Reds
B/T: R/R H/W: 5-9/195 BORN: Jan. 2, 1987
ACQUIRED: Selected in the ninth round of 2008 out of Coastal Carolina
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Louisville Aug. 7 when OF Chris Heisey went on the DL.
DEBUT: Aug. 7 in an 8-7 win against the Chicago Cubs: The starting left fielder, he batted leadoff and went 1-for-5 with a run scored.
NOTES: Sappelt’s small and stocky build is deceptive as he wields a big bat, earning Southern League MVP honors as well as Cincinnati’s Minor League Player of the Year award in 2010 when he combined between three levels — Advanced A Lynchburg, Double-A Carolina and Triple-A Louisville — to hit a combined .342 with 10 homers and 74 RBI and a .507 slugging percentage, including a .361 average in 89 games for the Mudcats. A .308 hitter in three seasons coming into 2011, he was batting .313 with seven homers and 29 RBI at Louisville before his callup.

J.B. SHUCK
OF, Houston Astros
B/T: L/L H/W: 5-11/185 BORN: June 18, 1987
ACQUIRED: Selected in the sixth round of 2008 out of Ohio State
PROMOTED: Contract purchased from Triple-A Oklahoma City Aug. 5 when OF Luis Durango was sent down.
DEBUT: Aug. 5 in an 8-1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers: In a double switch with starting pitcher J.A. Happ, Shuck came on in right field and batted ninth, going 1-for-2.
NOTES: A good hitter with minimal power and better speed than he’s shown thus far on the stat sheet, Shuck was hitting .302 with no homers, 27 RBI and 19 steals at Oklahoma City prior to his promotion, including a .437 clip in his last 19 games. Shuck hit .300 at short-season Tri-City in his pro debut in 2008, moving up to Advanced A Lancaster in 2009 where he batted .315 with one homer and 18 steals. In 2010 at Double-A Corpus Christi he hit .298 with two homers, 35 RBI and 16 steals and batted .273 in a brief move up to then-Triple-A Round Rock. He has excellent plate patience and strike zone discipline.