The days of MLB rosters exploding to 40 players on Sept. 1 are a thing of the past.

Teams are now only allowed to expand their rosters from 26 to 28 players for the final month of the season, with a limit of 14 pitchers allowed in an effort to stop what was once a never-ending parade of relief pitchers each night in September.

For players not currently on their team's 40-man roster, they will need to be added by 11:59 p.m. ET on Aug. 31 in order to be eligible for the postseason.

Despite the narrowed scope of September call-ups, there is still plenty of potential for a young player to make a late impact on a contending team. Outfielder Evan Carter is a perfect example, as he made his MLB debut on Sept. 8 last season and ended up playing a crucial role in the Texas Rangers' run to a World Series title.

It also does not necessarily have to be a prospect making his MLB debut when it comes to September call-ups, as teams often use those additional roster spots on veteran players who have been shuttling between the MLB roster and Triple-A for much of the year.

With that in mind, we've predicted one September call-up for every postseason contender, with contending teams identified as anyone with at least a 10 percent chance of reaching the postseason, according to the latest odds from FanGraphs.

Players were chosen based on MLB readiness, recent performance and the potential path to playing time at the MLB level.

Arizona Diamondbacks: LHP Tommy Henry

Left-hander Tommy Henry pitched well at the back of the Arizona Diamondbacks rotation in 2023, posting a 4.15 ERA in 89 innings spanning 16 starts and one relief appearance, and he started the season on the Opening Day roster.

However, after scuffling to a 7.04 ERA in 38.1 innings while shutting between Triple-A and the majors, he has been stationed at Triple-A since June 22, waiting in the wings as organizational depth.

While his overall numbers don't jump off the page, he has seemingly found his groove of late, posting a 2.14 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 33.2 innings over his last six starts. There is not a spot for him in the starting rotation, but there could be a role for him in the bullpen as a lefty capable of chewing through multiple innings.

Atlanta Braves: 1B/3B Yuli Gurriel

Full disclosure: I had completely forgotten Yuli Gurriel was still playing organized baseball until I saw this tweet shortly after Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley suffered a fractured hand:

The 40-year-old signed a minor league deal with the Braves in April, and he has quietly hit .292/.378/.485 with 18 doubles, 12 home runs and 48 RBI in 75 games at Triple-A Gwinnett this season.

Given his age and the fact that he hit a middling .245 with a 77 OPS+ in 329 plate appearances with the Miami Marlins last season, it's unlikely he is going to make a major impact, but he could help bridge the gap to Riley's eventual return.

He was placed on the seven-day injured list with a slight hamstring tweak on Aug. 23, but should be back on the field in time to be considered as an option when rosters expand.

Baltimore Orioles: 1B/3B Coby Mayo

Coby Mayo had a forgettable first stint in the big leagues earlier this month, going 1-for-17 with 10 strikeouts in seven games before he was optioned back to Triple-A.

However, he is one of baseball's top prospects for a reason, checking in at No. 11 on Bleacher Report's most recent Top 100 prospect list on the strength of his huge offensive upside and strong track record of production in the upper levels of the minors.

The 22-year-old is hitting .296/.370/.580 with 22 doubles, 22 home runs and 67 RBI in 85 games at Triple-A, and he has an .830 OPS with two home runs and six RBI in eight games since he was demoted back to the minors.

With Ryan Mountcastle currently sidelined with a wrist sprain, there is a path to playing time at first base as the right-handed hitting side of a platoon with Ryan O'Hearn.

Boston Red Sox: 2B Kristian Campbell

When the 2023 season began, Kristian Campbell had just 22 pro games under his belt after being taken in the fourth round of the 2023 draft, and he was nowhere to be found on preseason top prospect lists for the Boston Red Sox.

Now he's one of the most promising young infielders in the sport and knocking on the door for a MLB promotion.

The 22-year-old started the season at High-A Greenville, but earned a promotion to Double-A after 40 games, and earlier this month he was bumped up again to the Triple-A level. All told, he is hitting .339/.444/.581 with 31 doubles, 19 home runs, 72 RBI and 22 steals in 103 games.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox rank last in the majors with a .525 OPS from their second basemen this season, and as they battle for a wild-card spot they will have to seriously consider all options for upgrading the roster for the stretch run.

Cleveland Guardians: IF/OF Gabriel Arias

When rookie Brayan Rocchio won the starting shortstop job for the Cleveland Guardians this spring, it pushed Gabriel Arias into a utility role on the bench to start the year, though he still broke camp with a spot on the Opening Day roster.

He hit .222/.255/.353 over 161 plate appearances in a limited role before he was optioned to Triple-A at the All-Star break, and seeing regular at-bats has served him well in getting back into a rhythm at the plate.

The 24-year-old is hitting .348/.400/.667 with 11 extra-base hits over 75 plate appearances in August, and with the ability to play anywhere on the diamond other than pitcher and catcher, adding him to the bench for the final month should be a no-brainer while he's swinging a hot bat.

Houston Astros: RHP Forrest Whitley

Once upon a time, Forrest Whitley was baseball's top pitching prospect, reaching Double-A as a 19-year-old during the 2017 season and checking all the boxes to be the future ace of the staff for the Houston Astros.

Between a 50-game drug suspension in 2018, an injury-plagued 2019 season where he pitched just 59.2 innings, a cancelled 2020 minor league season and Tommy John surgery in 2021 he lost almost four full years at a crucial point in his development.

The injury bug continued to bite in 2022 and 2023 when he pitched a combined 70 innings, and the Astros finally decided to move him to the bullpen this year in an effort to keep him on the field.

Still only 26 years old, he has responded with a 2.17 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and a 40-to-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 29 innings at Triple-A. He made his MLB debut on April 16, but it was a lone appearance before he was sent back to the minors. He has earned a longer look down the stretch, and since he is already on the 40-man roster, it's an easy call-up.

Kansas City Royals: LHP Evan Sisk

The Kansas City Royals have emerged as contenders in the AL Central this season thanks in part to a terrific starting rotation, but the bullpen has been inconsistent for much of the year, ranking 25th in the majors with a 4.36 ERA and tallying 20 blown saves in 54 chances.

Lucas Erceg has moved into the closer's role since he was acquired at the trade deadline, while fellow trade pickup Hunter Harvey has been sidelined for most of his time in the organization with a back injury, so the team could still use further reinforcement.

Left-hander Evan Sisk was a complete afterthought heading into the season after he struggled to a 6.34 ERA in 58 appearances at Triple-A last season, but he has been lights out this year.

The 27-year-old has a 1.69 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and a staggering 70 strikeouts in 48 innings, tallying 11 saves in 49 appearances along the way. He has yet to make his MLB debut, but he has earned the opportunity this year.

Los Angeles Dodgers: RHP Michael Petersen

Pitchers Brusdar Graterol and Yoshinobu Yamamoto could both be ready to return from the injured list sometime in the first week of September, so whoever the Los Angeles Dodgers decide to add to the roster on Sept. 1 could end up being just a short-term addition until that duo is back in action.

Ace Tyler Glasnow is also working his way back from elbow tendinitis, but his recovery has been slow going, and there is still no timetable for him to rejoin the MLB roster.

So who could fill the roster gap for a handful of games until those key arms return to action?

Reliever Michael Petersen could be worth another look in the bullpen after he posted a 4.50 ERA in eight appearances during a quick stint on the MLB roster in June and July, as he has been dealing at Triple-A all season.

The 30-year-old has a 1.69 ERA, 0.78 WHIP and a 42-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 32 innings, and he has tallied nine saves in 34 appearances.

Milwaukee Brewers: RHP Jacob Misiorowski

The Milwaukee Brewers have a long history of using their top pitching prospects in relief roles to begin their MLB careers, with Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff the most high-profile examples of that approach.

Jacob Misiorowski is next.

The 22-year-old is the consensus top pitching prospect in the Milwaukee system and one of the top overall prospects in all of baseball, checking in at No. 25 on B/R's latest Top 100 prospect list.

The 6'7" right-hander has electric stuff with a 70-grade fastball that bumps triple-digits and a 70-grade slider, all from a deceptive three-quarters arm slot.

He was promoted to Triple-A on Aug. 3, and after two starts at that level, the Brewers moved him to the bullpen in preparation for his expected role on the big league club down the stretch. All told, he has a 3.29 ERA with 117 strikeouts in 90.1 innings this season, and he has limited opposing hitters to a .167 average.

Minnesota Twins: RHP Giovanny Gallegos

The Minnesota Twins bullpen has been spotty this season, and they are still actively searching for upgrades as earlier this week they designated deadline pickup Trevor Richards for assignment after claiming Michael Tonkin off waivers from the New York Yankees.

Right-hander Giovanny Gallegos was quietly signed to a minor league deal in early August after he was designated for assignment and ultimately released by the St. Louis Cardinals.

The 33-year-old was one of baseball's best relievers during the four-year stretch from 2019 through the 2022 season, posting a 2.84 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 11.1 K/9 in 212 appearances out of the St. Louis bullpen.

His ERA jumped to 4.42 last season and he struggled to a 6.53 mark in 21 appearances this year before he was released, but he has thrown the ball well in his limited time at Triple-A and could at least be worth a look in early September to see if he can be a factor.

New York Mets: RHP Brandon Sproat

New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns stopped well short of ruling out a September promotion for Brandon Sproat when asked about the breakout prospect earlier this month.

"This is a very new player to professional baseball, and he has moved very rapidly through our system. He's earned that and deserved that. But we also need to make sure he dominates the level he's at now before we start talking about what comes next," Stearns told reporters.

The 23-year-old threw the ball extremely well at High-A (25.1 IP, 1.07 ERA, 33 K) and Double-A (62.1 IP, 2.45 ERA, 77 K), but he has struggled since moving up to Triple-A (17.1 IP, 8.83 ERA, 11 K) on Aug. 8.

That likely takes him out of the mix for a Sept. 1 call-up, but if he strings together a couple strong starts, he could be in the mix to join the roster as the final month unfolds.

New York Yankees: OF Jasson Dominguez

After starting the season on the injured list recovering from Tommy John surgery, Jasson Dominguez returned to action in the middle of May, but a crowded outfield at the MLB level has kept him in the minors for the bulk of the season.

The 21-year-old was called up as the 27th man in a double header on Aug. 18, and since returning to the minors after that one-game stint he is hitting .351/.368/.541 with two doubles, one triple, one home run and five steals in eight games.

Long hyped as one of baseball's future stars, Dominguez posted a 157 OPS+ with four home runs in 33 plate appearances as a September call-up last year, but his arm injury cut his debut short and took him out of the running for an Opening Day job.

With Alex Verdugo hitting just .229/.300/.313 with one home run in 151 plate appearances since the All-Star break, Dominguez might be able to play his way into a larger role if he gets another shot when rosters expand.

Philadelphia Phillies: IF Scott Kingery

Remember Scott Kingery?

The former top prospect signed a six-year, $24 million extension with the Philadelphia Phillies before making his MLB debut in 2018, and after a disappointing rookie season, he showed flashes in 2019 when he posted a 101 OPS+ with 34 doubles, 19 home runs, 55 RBI and 2.5 WAR in 126 games.

However, he struggled mightily during the abridged 2020 season, and he was optioned to the minors after a poor spring training in 2021. He was designated for assignment that June and removed from the 40-man roster when he went unclaimed on waivers, and after appearing in just one game in the majors in 2022 he spent all of last year in the minors.

The 30-year-old has again been a fixture on the Triple-A Lehigh Valley roster this season, and it has been a productive one as he is hitting .281/.329/.518 with 23 home runs, 63 RBI and 23 steals in 106 games.

With utility man Edmundo Sosa struggling offensively since a terrific first two months of the season, there could be a role for Kingery in September.

San Diego Padres: RHP Alek Jacob

Alek Jacob won 2021 West Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year honors at Gonzaga when he went 8-1 with a 2.52 ERA and 112 strikeouts in 85.2 innings, but he was already 23 years old at the time and slipped to the 16th round in that year's draft as a result.

The 6'3" right-hander relies more on command and a deceptive arm slot than on overpowering stuff, but he has completely baffled MLB hitters in limited action over the past two seasons.

The 26-year-old has struck out 18 of the 35 batters he has faced in seven appearances over the past two seasons, allowing just four hits and one earned run in 9.1 innings of work. The San Diego bullpen is stacked, but there is no such thing as too many good relievers during a playoff push.

Seattle Mariners: IF/OF Nick Solak

Once a promising up-and-comer for the Texas Rangers, Nick Solak has spent most of the past two seasons toiling in the minors waiting to get another shot at the big league level, and he has done enough at Triple-A this year to warrant a look.

The 29-year-old is hitting .300/.387/.430 with 17 extra-base hits and 10 steals in 274 plate appearances while playing primarily left field, and his contact skills could be a nice change of pace for a Mariners team leading the majors with a 27.8 percent strikeout rate.

Infielder Luis Urías is another candidate to potentially give the offense an in-house boost. He is hitting .262/.381/.417 with 12 doubles, 10 home runs and 56 RBI in 75 games since he was outrighted to Triple-A in May.