2022 Fantasy Baseball Prospect Rankings - Prospects #26-51 (Part 1)

March 10, 2022

Part 1 of our 2022 fantasy baseball prospects rankings for redraft leagues. These MLB prospects can make fantasy baseball impacts in 2022 as rookies and call-ups.

We've seen quite a few challenges thrown at fantasy baseball managers over the past couple of years and the 2022 season is going to be no different. Labor discourse will delay and shorten the 162-game schedule, which will, in turn, have repercussions on fantasy baseball.

One of the biggest unknowns heading into the 2022 season will be the impact felt by prospects on the cusp of reaching the big leagues. Prospects not already on the 40-man rosters will be able to attend minor league spring training and start their seasons on time, which could give them a competitive advantage over their peers locked into 40-man roster spots. Those prospects already on the 40-man rosters will be stuck in purgatory along with the established MLB players while Major League Baseball and the MLBPA inch slowly towards an uneasy middle ground. Those prospects may then enter the 2022 season with more rust and fewer opportunities to prove themselves ready as Major League Baseball rushes through spring training.

For now, we’ll rank 2022 redraft fantasy baseball prospects — and provide ETAs — as if the season were to start with only a short interruption and will adjust as needed if the labor discussions continue to scuffle. The important thing to remember is that even with a strike dragging on, we can still enjoy minor league baseball (for players not on the 40-man rosters). Closely monitoring the developments in the upper minors could give fantasy managers an upper hand once the 2022 season finally gets underway. *Bear in mind, this is a redraft prospect review looking to predict 2022 impacts only — not a long-term dynasty ranking.*

2022 Fantasy Baseball Prospects - Part 1

The list below is for 2022 fantasy baseball redraft leagues. you can read part 2 of the Top 50 redraft rankings here for analysis on prospects 1-25.You can see our top 250 dynasty prospect rankings as well.

#46-51 Rankings - Fantasy Baseball Prospects

*When the list was originally published, we were hoping that Josh Jung’s shoulder injury was minor and would not impact his 2022 season. Unfortunately, the worst-case scenario popped up and the young hitter will spend upwards of six months rehabbing from surgery to repair a labrum issue so we've added a 51st prospect to the in-depth ranking.

51. Glenn Otto, SP (On 40-man): While the organization has made some bold moves on offense, the pitching depth… still has opportunities for improvement. That means there is more than enough room for a talented, young pitcher to step forward and seize a rotation spot. I like Otto’s chances of sticking as a starter better than any other young arm, including Spencer Howard, Kolby Allard, and Taylor Hearn. Yes, his ERA was ugly in 2021 at the MLB level, but he’s not going to continue to be hurt by BABIPs over .400 and history suggests his command is going to settle down. He’s going to strike out enough batters to be interesting and he also has the ability to induce ground balls at a solid clip, which should help him mute the long-ball effects. There is some reliever risk but I'm bullish on his outlook for 2022.

50. Grayson Rodriguez, SP (Not on 40-man): The Orioles aren’t going to compete in 2022 but the club is starting to see some real talent approach the major leagues. Rodriguez could arrive in The Show around the same time as top catcher Adley Rutschman. The hard-throwing hurler has a chance to be one of the top arms in the majors. He rolled through Double-A in 2021 and allowed just 47 hits in 79.2 innings while generating a 39% strikeout rate. The Orioles will no doubt be cautious with his innings in 2022 and he’s not going to rack up a lot of wins, but the strikeouts could make him an intriguing second-half option.

49. Kevin Smith, 3B/SS (On 40-man): Smith had a rough introduction to the majors when he was thrown into a stressful push for a playoff spot but he should be more relaxed in 2022. The club has an opening at the hot corner and the 25-year-old infielder produced a 144 wRC+ in Triple-A last year. He offers power and has the ability to steal some bases, and is a better offensive option than Santiago Espinal. Smith could also be an interesting trade piece if Toronto feels he’s better off being used to fetch some rotation depth.

48. Matthew Liberatore, SP (Not on 40-man): Liberatore, 22, was thrown to the wolves in 2021 when he was jumped from A-ball to Triple-A after the lost season in 2020 due to the pandemic. He more than held his own thanks to a deep repertoire and above-average control. From a fantasy perspective, Liberatore takes a hit because he’s not a power pitcher and won’t produce more than average-ish strikeout rates. His status as a non-roster prospect could allow him to gain a competitive edge against some of the other fringe arms on the 40-man roster.

47. Tucker Davidson, SP (On 40-man): Davidson looked poised to impact the 2021 season but a forearm injury cost him much of the year. He looked good in three of his four pre-injury appearances at the MLB level and was healthy enough to pitch in the final game of the year at Triple-A. If fully healthy in 2022, Davidson could help as either a starter or as a multi-inning reliever for the Braves. His ability to miss bats should help him in either role.

46. Bobby Miller, SP (Not on 40-man): The Dodgers organization has some holes to fill on the starting staff in 2022 and Miller could be one of the solutions in the second half of the season. He has less than 10 innings of experience above A-ball but he’s a polished former college product with above-average stuff. Once the summer hits, he could be ready to impact the big league club as either a starter or a multi-inning reliever. The latter role makes sense given that durability could be an issue as he’s never thrown more than 80 innings in a season — and that came back in 2019 at the college level.

#36-45 Rankings - Fantasy Baseball Prospects

45. Reid Detmers, SP (On 40-man): The addition of Noah Syndergaard helps the Angels rotation but it remains woefully thin, which could give Detmers an opportunity to establish himself in the majors in 2022. The young hurler rocketed through the minors in 2021 and he made five MLB starts in the second half. Unfortunately, he uncharacteristically struggled with his command and control, which lead to some disappointing results. If Detmers pitches more like himself in 2022, he has a chance to impact the Angels — and your fantasy roster.

44. Nolan Jones, 3B (On 40-man): Jones had a disappointing season in Triple-A in 2021 but the good news is that he’s still young and has time to see that light bulb click on. The 23-year-old has massive, untapped raw power but he struggles to make consistent contact and hits far too many balls on the ground. Jose Ramirez remains a roadblock for now but his name is consistently found in trade rumors and the club could still find ways to work the rookie into the lineup between third base, first base, and designated hitter — if he forces their collective hands.

43. Brennen Davis, OF (Not on 40-man): The 22-year-old outfielder has a huge ceiling but it could take a few months for him to be MLB-ready. He struggled to make consistent contact in Double-A and produced a 31% strikeout rate in 76 games. He appeared to iron things out once he moved up to Triple-A, but it was also only a 15-game sample. Once he’s a little more polished, Davis should be a massive power threat with strong on-base numbers and good speed — although he doesn’t run much at all.

42. Kyle Muller, SP (On 40-man): Between Tucker Davidson and Muller, the Braves have some intriguing young arms with high ceilings that are more or less MLB-ready. The latter took a big step forward in his development in 2021 and quieted some of the reliever-risk concerns — although he’ll likely never have better than average command/control. He misses enough bats, he’s historically done a good job of keeping the ball in the park, and his repertoire keeps getting better/deeper.

41. Jackson Kowar, SP (On 40-man): Kowar struggled mightily in his first taste of big league action in 2021 but that doesn’t erase his history of strong results both in college and in the minor leagues. Setting aside the ugly MLB numbers, this talented arm produced a 34% strikeout rate over 17 appearances in Triple-A. Once he becomes more consistent with his command, he’ll settle in nicely to the middle of the Royals’ rotation.

40. Oswald Peraza, SS (On 40-man): The Yankees organization is approaching a very good problem with the development of its middle infield prospects — with the likes of Anthony Volpe, Oswaldo Cabrera, and Peraza all looking to arrive in the majors over the next year. Of that trio, Peraza is the most likely to have an impact in 2022. He’s always run well but he showed up in 2021 with more muscle and promptly hit a career-high 18 home runs after previously topping out at five. There is no clear path to playing time right now but injuries are inevitable and he could be an intriguing option in the second half of 2022.

39. Riley Greene, OF (Not on 40-man): I know you probably think this ranking is too low. From a dynasty perspective, I have Greene ranked very high — right up there with teammate Spencer Torkelson -- but the former isn’t quite as advanced right now as the latter. The 21-year-old produced a 153 wRC+ in 40 Triple-A games but he had a BABIP over .400 and I’d give him another couple of months in the minors to work on making consistent contact and prove he's ready to face those advanced arms every day.

38. MJ Melendez, C (On 40-man): Nothing says “Hey look at me!” like hitting 41 home runs in a minor league season. The former second-round draft pick showed some offensive promise early in his career but huge contact issues almost derailed his career. The lost 2020 season was a godsend for Melendez (and Nick Pratto), who made huge strides with his approach while not having to focus on catching every day. He has a chance to be an offensive beast behind the plate but the club will have to get creative to find at-bats for him while Salvador Perez is in town.

37. Juan Yepez, 1B (On 40-man): Yepez doesn’t have the same huge ceiling as some of the other prospects on this list, but he has a high floor and was another player that benefited from the lost minor league season in 2020. After barely approaching double-digit homers in the past, the 24-year-old made adjustments to his swing and approach, which saw him launch 27 homers between Double-A and Triple-A — while also showing more patience. Yepez is mainly a first baseman — which means he’s blocked by Paul Goldschmidt — but the rookie can play a little third base and the outfield… and the impending implementation of the designated hitter slot in the National League in 2022 could be huge for him.

36. Gabriel Moreno, C (On 40-man): If not for injuries (unfortunately a recurring theme for Moreno), he may have reached the majors in 2021. Toronto’s depth at the position -- with three MLB-ready backstops -- is working against the catching prospect but the Blue Jays have fielded quite a few calls about the trio and could use one of them to help shore up the pitching via a trade. Moreno was enjoying the breakout season I was expecting in 2021 before he was hit by a pitch that broke his thumb. The 22-year-old hit .373 with eight home runs — good for a 192 wRC+ — in 32 games before getting hurt. He came back for the Arizona Fall League and was one of the top hitters with a .329 average and a strong approach at the plate.

#26-35 Rankings - Fantasy Baseball Prospects

35. J.J. Bleday, OF (Not on 40-man): Bleday was the fourth-overall selection in the 2019 amateur draft, although I had my reservations about him given he really only had one college season where he put it all together and hit for both power and average. The lost season in 2020 really hurt this prospect after he had a modest showing in his pro debut and then had to wait until 2021 to try and redeem himself. He fell flat and did not look anything like the college version of himself from 2019 — at least until September. Bleday clearly made some adjustments in the final month of the season and that carried over to a strong Arizona Fall League performance. This gives me hope for 2022 but I’m still concerned his ceiling is a fringe-average to average corner outfielder.

34. Julio Rodriguez, OF (On 40-man): Rodriguez is another talented dynasty prospect — the top-ranked dynasty prospect by Rotoballer, in fact — but we need to wait and see what the Mariners organization’s plans are for him in 2022. There is some notable young talent ahead of him (Jarred Kelenic, Taylor Trammell, Kyle Lewis, Jake Fraley), as well as veteran Mitch Haniger, and Rodriguez only played 46 games above A-ball in 2021 (although he had a 173 wRC+). We’re probably looking at an early summer arrival for this talented young outfielder at the MLB level — possibly earlier if the Mariners are looking like a playoff contender and they think he’ll be an upgrade.

33. Sixto Sanchez, SP (On 40-man): Sanchez had a rough 2021 season while dealing with a shoulder injury that led to surgery in July. Shoulder injuries are always dicey for pitchers but the young hurler reportedly considers himself 100% recovered — although he’s not fully back on pitching schedule, which makes his timeline murky right now. He also threw just 39 official innings in 2020 and didn’t pitch in 2021 so he’s not going to come out and throw 180 innings in 2022. He’s on the list as a bit of a dark horse for the season and it wouldn’t shock me to see the Marlins ease him back in as a multi-inning reliever with the talent to be an impact pitcher in any role (assuming he fully bounces back).

32. Luis Gil, SP (On 40-man): If Gil comes into the spring showing some improvements with his control he could be a valuable arm for the Yankees in 2022. Yes, the club has some starting pitching depth but this young hurler has talent — as witnessed by the .183 batting average against and his 30% strikeout rate against big league hitters. And that came while struggling to consistently throw strikes. Gil may open the year as a multi-inning reliever with a chance to transition into a starting role when injuries inevitably pop up.

31. Mackenzie Gore, SP (On 40-man): There is no way around it: The 2022 season was an ugly one for Gore. On the cusp of the majors at the end of 2019, the young hurler then missed the 2020 season due to the pandemic and was never really healthy in 2021. If he comes back at full strength this season, he could be a real sleeper for the Padres — and his dwindling number of fantasy owners. Gore will no doubt open the year in Double-A or Triple-A while working to re-establish a consistent delivery in hopes of rediscovering the form that saw him projected as a top-shelf starter with four above-average offerings.

30. Adley Rutschman, C (Not on 40-man): Rutschman is likely on a lot of early lists predicting the top Rookie of the Year candidates, and he may get there this year but I’m taking the cautious approach with him. The first overall selection of the 2019 amateur draft had a strong showing late last season in Triple-A when he produced a 142 wRC+ in 43 Triple-A games. Given the small sample size, I think the Orioles will give him another month or two in the minors before bringing him up. From there, he’ll be tasked with learning a new pitching staff and dealing with the increased responsibilities of a big-league catcher, which can take a toll on the offensive side of the game.

29. Drew Waters, OF (On 40-man): The Braves have a few promising outfield prospects on the way with Cristian Pache having already landed in Atlanta (with disappointing results). Michael Harris has the highest ceiling but his ETA is most likely 2023, which leaves us hoping for something from Waters in 2022. Like Pache, this young outfielder was rushed through the minors which has clearly not benefited anyone. Continued contact issues suggest Waters is never going to hit for a high average — without significant help from the BABIP gods — but he has plus speed and has shown a much more patient approach over the past two seasons. If he can get on base more consistently via the walk, he’ll have even more opportunities to impact on the base paths, which is a very good thing. The power is also showing up more consistently.

28. Triston Casas, 1B (On 40-man): Sophomore Bobby Dalbec will likely open the 2022 season as the everyday first baseman for the Red Sox but an uneven rookie season showed that Casas is likely the undisputed future first baseman in Boston. The 22-year-old slugger has just nine games of experience at Triple-A so he’ll likely need to prove himself for a couple of months before being considered for the high-pressure role of starting first baseman for the Sox. When he’s ready, though, he’ll bring above-average hitting skills and plus raw power to the lineup.

27. Michael Busch, 2B (On 40-man): With the loss of Corey Seager, the Dodgers have changes coming to the infield, which could include shifting Trea Turner from second base back to shortstop. That would then open up second base for Busch — although he’s not likely to arrive until mid-season. A first-round draft pick from 2019, the young infielder played just 10 pro games before missing out on traditional development time in 2020 due to the pandemic. The Dodgers then jumped him to Double-A for the 2021 season and he slugged 20 home runs with a 14% walk rate. On the downside, he struggled to consistently hit for average and he struck out at a 26% rate. Busch has shown the ability to hit for average in the past but he’s gotten pull happy while seeking out the long ball. If he can find a happy medium, he could be an above-average regular for the Dodgers.

26. Gabriel Arias, SS (On 40-man): The 22-year-old Arias is a toolsy, talented infielder whose overly-aggressive approach at the plate undermines his effectiveness on offense. But he’s showing signs of maturing as a hitter — even after skipping Double-A entirely due to the pandemic – which gives hope that he can develop into a .260-.280 hitter with enough pop to hit 20+ home runs. An unsettled/unproven infield in Cleveland — with the exception of Jose Ramirez, whose name is consistently mentioned in trade rumors — means that Arias should have a big-league opportunity sooner rather than later after producing a 115 wRC+ in Triple-A.

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