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Welcome back, RotoBallers! The regular season is in full gear. We're heading into Week 8 of the fantasy baseball season, and while there has already been plenty of action in the majors, we can't ignore some of the top prospect performances that took place in the minor leagues during Week 7.
It's imperative to monitor the top fantasy baseball prospects who have turned heads thus far. The players listed here are not only coming off dominant weeks but have also impressed over the entire season. Don't be surprised when these exact names are painting corners, mashing homers, and swiping bags at the big-league level soon.
Fantasy managers should certainly keep an eye on these players over the long haul as they may prove to be excellent adds in no time.
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Tyler Fitzgerald - SS, San Francisco Giants
Level: Triple-A
2023 stats: 30 G, .324/.411/.622, 5 HR, 18 RBI, 16 R, 6 SB, 12.4 BB%, 27.1 K%, .431 BABIP
Fitzgerald, 25, was a fourth-round pick out of Louisville back in 2019. He has shown solid strides offensively over the last few seasons, headlined by terrific pop in his bat. With that said, this increased power production has led to higher strikeout rates for the middle infielder.
A solid base stealer, Fitzgerald has shown enough speed and range to stay at shortstop long-term. He has an average arm and solid defensive instincts, and the expectation is that he could absolutely handle a move to third or second base if shortstop just doesn't work out.
This past week, Fitzgerald went 9-for-23 with three doubles, three homers, and six RBI. He also notched five walks, eight strikeouts, and three stolen bases. Don't be surprised if Fitzgerald earns a promotion to the majors sooner rather than later.
Cade Povich - SP, Baltimore Orioles
Level: Double-A
2023 stats: 6 G, 6 GS, 3-2, 26.2 IP, 1.43 FIP, .364 BABIP, 14.85 K/9, 3.38 BB/9, 52.7 GB%
Povich is a talented southpaw who was selected in the third round of the 2021 draft by the Twins before being flipped to Baltimore at the trade deadline. While he may not have been viewed as the absolute centerpiece of that trade at the time, he has quickly emerged as a rising star in the Orioles' system.
A mid-90s fastball headlines Povich's well-rounded, five-pitch repertoire. In addition to the heater, he boasts a changeup, slider, curveball, and cutter. The breaking balls both have dramatic break on them and should develop into effective putaway pitches.
Povich made a big impact this past week, allowing just three hits, one walk, and zero runs over five innings of work. Most notably, he struck out 10 batters along the way. If the 23-year-old can continue to dominate the minors, he'll climb through the ranks rather quickly.
Yunior Severino - 3B, Minnesota Twins
Level: Double-A
2023 stats: 27 G, .286/.375/.619, 10 HR, 24 RBI, 23 R, 2 SB, 10.8 BB%, 36.7 K%, 153 wRC+, .430 wOBA, .392 BABIP
The minor league grind has been a long and tedious prospect for Severino, who signed with the Braves as an international free agent back in 2017. He has since worked his way through the minors, and now, at the age of 23, is making his case for a promotion to Triple-A.
Severino has shown terrific power at the plate, but he also takes enormous hacks that can lead to far too many strikeouts. His strikeout rate is consistently in the thirties, and his walk rate almost always hovers around 10 percent. A three-to-one strikeout-to-walk ratio is far from ideal, even for someone who hits a lot of home runs. Defensively, he has shown impressive glovework and instincts, locking him into second or third base long-term.
Severino is coming off a big week in which he went 11-for-22 with four homers, eight RBI, four walks, and seven strikeouts. It would not be surprising at all to see the Twins promote him to Rochester very soon.
Trenton Wallace - SP, Toronto Blue Jays
Level: High-A
2023 stats: 5 G, 5 GS, 4-1, 25.0 IP, 1.80 ERA, 2.59 FIP, 10.80 K/9, 1.44 BB/9, .220 BABIP, 45.6 GB%
Wallace, 24, has blossomed into an appealing prospect since being selected in the 11th round of the 2021 draft. He has an advanced repertoire and is comfortable using all of his offerings regardless of the count.
The southpaw has shown a knack for striking out batters recently, logging 10.80 K/9 this season. He can set the tone and miss bats with his mid-90s fastball, but his best offering is a mid-80s slider with phenomenal movement. Undoubtedly, this is his highest-graded pitch and should serve him quite well as he treks through the minors.
Wallace had a great outing last Friday, tossing five innings without allowing a run, hit, or walk. Furthermore, he kept hitters off guard, finishing the game with 10 strikeouts. The Iowa product is truly a pleasure to watch and shouldn't take long to climb through the levels of affiliated ball.
Justice Bigbie - 1B, Detroit Tigers
Level: High-A
2023 stats: 21 G, .286/.322/.595, 7 HR, 24 RBI, 15 R, 1 SB, 5.6 BB%, 21.1 K%, 141 wRC+, .402 wOBA, .288 BABIP
Bigbie is a talented, hard-working prospect who was selected in the 19th round of the 2021 draft. He had put together an impressive career at Western Carolina and seems to be producing similar results through less than two seasons in the Tigers' system.
The 24-year-old has shown flashes of increased power this season, all while posting his lowest strikeout rate since he was drafted. He has put the ball in play, reached base with ease, and shown a tendency to drive in runs. Defensively, Bigbie played all over the field in college, including outfield and both corner infield positions. While there's still plenty of time to find his long-term spot, it's looking like his future could be at first base.
This past week was one to remember for Bigbie, who went 13-for-21 with two homers, nine RBI, four walks, and four strikeouts. Continue to keep tabs on Bigbie as he works his way through the minors.
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