The last of the monthly Top 30 Fantasy Prospect Rankings for the preseason. This article should give fantasy owners a good idea of who to target in drafts and who could have some value this season. Not all of these rookies are worth drafting: some will open up the season with their team and begin the year immediately with their team while some will likely not see Major League time until mid-season. But all of these rookies will have some value to fantasy owners in 2016.

Starting in April, this will become a weekly series. Players that are on this list will disappear from the list if they are promoted to their Major League team so in April, if you don’t see Corey Seager or Steven Matz, this is why. Just because we try to cover as many prospects as possible during the season, we can’t keep guys like Corey Seager and Steven Matz on a list when clearly neither of them will be available to teams on the waiver wire.

For more MLB prospects news and analysis, head over to the 2016 fantasy baseball rankings dashboard. Our Rankings Assistant is a handy free tool where you can find team-specific prospect breakdowns, tiered positional rankings, 500+ player outlooks, dynasty ranks and more - all in one easy place.

 

Top MLB Prospects - Fantasy Baseball Power Rankings

1. Corey Seager (SS, LAD, MLB)
Stats: 113 PA, .337/.425/.561, 4 HR, 2 SB, 12.4% BB rate, 16.8% K rate
ETA: Opening Day
What is there to say about Corey Seager that hasn’t been said already? He is a slight step below Carlos Correa in terms of offensive production at shortstop, but still looks poised to be an elite shortstop in the Major Leagues. Fantasy owners in 2016 should expect Seager to bat somewhere in the neighborhood of .275 with 15-20 home runs. He won’t steal many bases, but his overall batting ability make him well worth owning in fantasy leagues. He is a Top 5 shortstop and should be taken in the first six to seven rounds of the draft.

2. Steven Matz (SP, NYM, MLB)
Stats: 35.2 IP, 2.27 ERA, 3.61 FIP, 8.58 K/9, 2.52 BB/9, 1.01 HR/9
ETA: Opening Day
Steven Matz will enter the season as the Mets’ fourth starter barring any injury. The term ‘fourth starter’ sounds alarming until you consider who is ahead of him - three potential Cy Young contenders. Matz proved last season that he is more than ready to face Major League hitters as he dominated all the way through the postseason. You can expect big things out of Matz next season and fantasy owners should consider taking him late in their fantasy drafts. He is too talented to pass up at this point.

3. Byron Buxton (OF, MIN, MLB)
Stats: 138 PA, .209/.250/.326, 2 HR, 2 SB, 4.3% BB rate, 31.9% K rate
ETA: Opening Day
When Aaron Hicks was traded away, that to me said the Twins were ready for Byron Buxton to take over center field for them. Buxton represents a potentially elite option in the outfield for fantasy owners, but struggles in 2015 will make him likely to fall to the lower rounds as many people will not be expecting much out of him. He is worth drafting in the later rounds as he has the potential to hit 20+ home runs and steal 35+ bags for Minnesota as soon as this year, if he can stay healthy. And if you too are nervous about his struggles last season, keep in mind that in Double-A last year, Buxton hit .235/.296/.434 in his first 34 games (152 PA) before turning on the jets in his next 25 games (116 PA) when he hit .347/.422/.564. Give Buxton time to show you what he can do in more plate appearances before you write him off completely.

4. Tyler Glasnow (SP, PIT, AAA)
Stats: 41.0 IP, 2.20 ERA, 2.82 FIP, 10.54 K/9, 4.83 BB/9, 0.22 HR/9
ETA: Mid-April
The Pirates are so loaded in terms of pitching depth. Tyler Glasnow is currently the sixth starter on the official depth chart behind the likes of Jon Niese, Jeff Locke, and Ryan Vogelsong. Juan Nicasio is also making a case to start. The Pirates will try to salvage Vogelsong after what has been a very unsuccessful past three years, but for a competing team in a tough division, don’t expect them to stick with him for too long if he doesn’t pan out. They will give Glasnow some time in Triple-A to start the season, but expect to see him in the rotation before too long. Glasnow is a future ace and a rookie of the year candidate in 2016. He is worth stashing even if he is not given a roster spot straight out of the gate. Fantasy owners should stash him in the later rounds of the draft as he will definitely spend a majority of 2016 in the majors.

5. Lucas Giolito (SP, WAS, AA)
Stats: 47.1 IP, 3.80 ERA, 3.18 FIP, 8.56 K/9, 3.23 BB/9, 0.38 HR/9
ETA: Mid-May
Lucas Giolito could turn out to be a better pitcher than Tyler Glasnow, but his situation is less than favorable for fantasy owners to start off 2016. The Nationals have a lot of young pitching depth with arms like Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and Gio Gonzalez locked in for 2016 rotation spots and Tanner Roark, Joe Ross, and AJ Cole all competing for the fourth and fifth spots. Giolito has not really dazzled in Spring Training (4.05 ERA in 6.2 innings), which only reaffirms the Nationals belief that he needs some more time to develop before he is big league ready. With the Nationals competing with the pitching-loaded Mets, the Nats will have short leashes on the fourth and fifth starters. Many people are expecting Giolito to make a Noah Syndergaard-esque splash. Few pitchers are worth holding as inactive players, but he has such immense upside that he is absolutely worth stashing right out of the draft.

6. Trevor Story (SS, COL, AAA)
Stats: 275 PA, .277/.324/.504, 10 HR, 7 SB, 5.8% BB rate, 24.7% K rate
ETA: Opening Day
With Jose Reyes likely facing a suspension, the battle over shortstop for Colorado has come down to Cristhian Adames and Trevor Story. So far, Story is winning the battle. Last season between Triple-A and Double-A, Story displayed his promising power/speed combo, mashing 20 home runs and stealing 22 bags. Though his lack of plate discipline could wind up holding him back from hitting above .270 in the majors, fantasy owners can rest easy knowing that he should provide plenty of home run and stolen base production. Assuming Story wins the shortstop role in Colorado, he would be worth a late round draft pick.

7. A.J. Reed (1B, HOU, AA)
Stats: 237 PA, .332/.405/.571, 11 HR, 0 SB, 11.4% BB rate, 20.7% K rate
ETA: Early May
Reed absolutely exploded onto the scene in 2015 and established himself as the best first base prospect in the minors. He displayed 35-40 home run power while also showing well above-average plate discipline. My dark horse candidate to win AL Rookie of the Year in 2016, Reed will not start the year with the Astros, but I expect by May the Astros will be done waiting for Jon Singleton to produce and they will turn to Reed to be their starter. He is probably not worth drafting as there is no guarantee that Singleton will struggle, but fantasy owners should add him off the waiver wire if Singleton shows signs of struggles in the early goings.

8. Blake Snell (SP, TB, AAA)
Stats: 44.1 IP, 1.83 ERA, 2.12 FIP, 11.57 K/9, 2.64 BB/9, 0.41 HR/9
ETA: Late May
Blake Snell struggled greatly in Spring Training (5.79 ERA in 4.2 innings) before being sent to minor league camp and it ensured that he will not enter the season with the big league club. Even still, Snell has a great chance to eventually crack the Rays rotation if he can dominate early like he did last season. Snell exploded onto the scene last year, a season which saw him begin in High-A and finish in Triple-A (not to mention the fact that he dominated at every level). He may have struggled with control early in his career, but has put much of that debate to rest after he posted a 2.64 BB/9 in his 44.1 IP in Triple-A. He may not be worth stashing just yet, but if it looks like the Rays will promote him, immediately add him to your roster as he has the potential to be a future top of the rotation arm.

9. Trea Turner (SS, WAS, MLB)
Stats: (from AAA) 205 PA, .314/.353/.431, 3 HR, 14 SB, 6.3% BB rate, 20.0% K rate
ETA: Early May
It should come as no surprise that Dusty Baker is currently leaning toward Danny Espinosa as the starting shortstop for the Nationals, but make no mistake, Trea Turner is coming. Turner is an explosive talent, capable of stealing 25+ bases per season and hitting over .290 in the majors. To this point, Turner has had a big Spring and could still theoretically swipe the shortstop position out from under Espinosa. I don’t expect to see Turner until May, but he still holds potentially elite fantasy production at shortstop and would become a must-own shortstop once promoted.

10. Jose Berrios (SP, MIN, AAA)
Stats: 75.2 IP, 2.62 ERA, 2.79 FIP, 9.87 K/9, 1.67 BB/9, 0.67 HR/9
ETA: Late April
Jose Berrios will not begin the season in the Twins rotation, but like every name on this list, it would be surprising to not see him in the starting five before the summer. Berrios has top of the rotation talent and proved at Triple-A last season that he doesn’t need much more conditioning. The Twins rotation is beginning to look like Phil Hughes, Ervin Santana, Tyler Duffey, Kyle Gibson, and Ricky Nolasco, but Nolasco has had a dismal Spring and could be booted out in favor of Berrios if he does not show improvement in April. The Twins are in a position where if they push all the right buttons, they could be in contention, so it would be unsurprising to see Berrios promoted to help make them a more legit contender. Berrios has the upside to be worth stashing in the last round of the draft as it likely will not be long until he is promoted.

11. Jon Gray (SP, COL, MLB)
Stats: 40.2 IP, 5.53 ERA, 3.63 FIP, 8.85 K/9, 3.10 BB/9, 0.89 HR/9
ETA: Opening Day
There is a legitimate chance that Jon Gray will start Opening Day for the Rockies although a recent abdominal injury could upset those plans. Rockies’ fans are clamoring over the idea that he could finally be the ace that has yet to be found at Coors Field. Gray’s 5.53 ERA was very concerning, but there were some major positives to be taken away from his season: he thoroughly dominated on the road (2.70 ERA, 2.63 FIP); he proved that he can strikeout Major League hitters (8.85 K/9); and he had a very high ground ball to fly ball ratio at home (1.90) which shows that he can improve in Coors Field. Fantasy owners may not want to take a risk on him as a full time rotation spot owner, but he at the very least a great guy to stream when he is pitching on the road.

12. Orlando Arcia (SS, MIL, AA)
Stats: 552 PA, .307/.347/.453, 8 HR, 25 SB, 5.4% BB rate, 13.2% K rate
ETA: Mid-July
As of right now, Jonathan Villar is slated to start at shortstop for the Milwaukee Brewers. But just as the non-competitive Philadelphia Phillies promoted the MLB-ready Maikel Franco last season, I expect the non-competitive Milwaukee Brewers to promote Orlando Arcia by midseason. Arcia is one of the best shortstop prospects in the game and could potentially be an elite fantasy contributor and perennial All-Star. Arcia should be able to easily hit over .280 each season while also swiping 20-35 bags per season. Arcia is not quite worth drafting because he does not have a guarantee of playing time, but if promoted, he immediately becomes a must-own prospect.

13. Nomar Mazara (OF, TEX, AAA)
Stats: (from AA) 470 PA, .284/.357/.443, 13 HR, 2 SB, 10.0% BB rate, 19.6% K rate
ETA: Mid-June
The signing of Ian Desmond complicates things as now Nomar Mazara has to compete with Desmond, Josh Hamilton, and Shin-Soo Choo (with the latter two playing on massive contracts making it difficult to want to pull them from the lineup). But if Mazara has shown anything this spring, it’s that his bat is explosive and is ready to compete with anybody for Major League playing time. Mazara has boasted an impressive .375/.394/.500 slash line in 32 at-bats during this Spring Training and it has many believing that he is very close to the majors. If there is an injury to any of the three corner outfielders, expect to see Mazara promoted immediately to help provide some extra thump to the position. Mazara is not worth owning at this point because he has no clear path to playing time, but he becomes a must own player in all leagues if he is promoted.

14. Jose Peraza (2B, CIN, MLB)
Stats: (from ATL AAA) 427 PA, .294/.318/.379, 3 HR, 26 SB, 3.5% BB rate, 8.2% K rate
ETA: Opening Day
While there is no guarantee of immediate playing time, Jose Peraza will get a chance at some point this season with Cincinnati to play regularly. Peraza has blazing speed and has shown at every level that he knows how to hit for a solid average (just don’t expect many walks). Many expect to see Brandon Phillips dealt by the trade deadline and I would not be surprised to see Peraza compete to start in left field for the Reds. With his speed combined with the likelihood that he will get at least 300 plate appearances next season make him a very intriguing fantasy option. If it looks like he will break camp with the team, Peraza is well worth a late round draft pick. Very few players offer his type of stolen base potential.

15. John Lamb (SP, CIN, MLB)
Stats: 49.2 IP, 5.80 ERA, 4.16 FIP, 10.51 K/9, 3.44 BB/9, 1.45 HR/9
ETA: Late April
Injuries have pushed John Lamb out of a rotation spot for now, but he will likely rejoin the rotation once he is back to full health. Lamb’s 5.80 ERA in the majors last season was discouraging, but most of his peripherals showed a pitcher who was very unlucky. He possessed an xFIP of 3.73, a FIP of 4.16, and a SIERA of 3.56. When he returns to the rotation, Lamb becomes worthy of owning in 10+ team leagues. Don’t expect an ace, but a dependable middle of the rotation arm with strikeout upside can be counted on. Make no mistake, Lamb will reward fantasy owners who decide to own him this season.

16. Tyler Goeddel (3B/OF, PHI, AA)
Stats: 533 PA, .279/.350/.433, 12 HR, 28 SB, 9.0% BB rate, 18.4% K rate
ETA: Opening Day
Tyler Goeddel figures to see regular playing time for the Phillies giving their lack of outfield depth (especially after Aaron Altherr’s latest injury) and he could provide some significant value. Goeddel is capable of hitting 10-15 home runs per season while stealing 20+ bags per season as well. To top it all off, many scouts praise his plate discipline and see Goeddel as being capable of hitting above .260, giving him little risk in owning. Though he won’t be an explosive asset for fantasy owners, Goeddel is a medium risk/medium reward outfield option for fantasy owners in 2016. He may not be worth drafting, but fantasy owners in need of some third base or outfield depth could do worse than to turn to the 23-year-old righty.

17. Gary Sanchez (C, NYY, MLB)
Stats: (from AAA) 146 PA, .295/.349/.500, 6 HR, 1 SB, 7.5% BB rate, 19.2% K rate
ETA: Opening Day
Following the trade of JR Murphy to the Minnesota Twins, it appears that the New York Yankees are ready to give Gary Sanchez the role of backup catcher behind Brian McCann. The 23-year-old backstop has 20+ home run power and a very advanced approach to the plate which should help him hit for a high average if he gets enough playing time. Because Sanchez lacks a clear path to consistent playing time, he is not worth drafting, but he could have some value as a waiver wire add in deeper leagues and would have immense value in the event of a Brian McCann injury.

18. Joey Gallo (3B/OF, TEX, MLB)
Stats: 123 PA, .204/.301/.417, 6 HR, 3 SB, 12.2% BB rate, 46.3% K rate
ETA: Early July
Outside of Giancarlo Stanton, no player in baseball has more power than Joey Gallo. The 22-year-old outfielder/third baseman is capable of blasting 40 home runs in a full season and so therefore has quite a lot of upside. The biggest issues with Gallo is his lack of a clear path to playing time and he has astronomical struggles with plate discipline. Gallo has struck out over 25% at every level in the minors and lately has struck out above 33% of the time at both Double-A and Triple-A. I also expect that Gallo will spend the majority of the season in the minors as the Rangers are loaded in the outfield and Gallo will certainly not be displacing Adrian Beltre at third any time soon. Mike Podhorzer at Fangraphs compared him to Russell Branyan with more strikeouts. As harsh as it sounds, I tend to agree.

19. Tyler Naquin (OF, CLE, AAA)
Stats: 218 PA, .263/.353/.430, 6 HR, 6 SB, 11.5% BB rate, 22.5% K rate
ETA: Opening Day
When Abraham Almonte was suspended, it was widely assumed that there would be a tightly contested battle over who would be his replacement in centerfield. Tyler Naquin has done everything in his power this March to ensure that it is a no-contest decision. In 32 Spring Training at-bats, Naquin has slashed an impressive .438/.486/.688. Naquin is typically a defense first outfielder, but he has shown in the minors the ability to hit for a respectable average and steal his fair share of bases. Fantasy owners should not expect elite fantasy production, but Naquin can be counted on to hit .260 and steal 10-15 bases if given enough playing time. He is worth owning in 12+ team leagues.

20. Rymer Liriano (OF, MIL, AAA)
Stats: 549 PA, .292/.383/.460, 14 HR, 18 SB, 11.7% BB rate, 24.0% K rate
ETA: Mid-May
Rymer Liriano was on track to become the Brewers’ starting left fielder this season until he was recently struck in the face by a pitch. It did not look good and I would not expect to see him in the majors until Mid-May after an injury like that. If he can return to full form after this injury, there is a lot to like in his bat. He has shown in almost every season in the minors that he could hit 10-15 home runs and has the speed to swipe 20 bags in a full year. When he is back to full health, I would expect to see him regain his spot in the Brewers lineup and produce enough to make him worth owning in 10+ team leagues.

21. Max Kepler (OF, MIN, MLB)
Stats: (from AA) 482 PA, .322/.416/.531, 8 HR, 18 SB, 13.9% BB rate, 13.1% K rate
ETA: Late May

22. Lewis Brinson (OF, TEX, AAA)
Stats: (from AA) 120 PA, .291/.328/.545, 6 HR, 2 SB, 5.0% BB rate, 23.3% K rate
ETA: Late July

23. Colin Rea (SP, SD, MLB)
Stats: 31.2 IP, 4.26 ERA, 3.45 FIP, 7.39 K/9, 3.13 BB/9, 0.57 HR/9
ETA: Opening Day

24. Josh Bell (1B, PIT, AAA)
Stats: 145 PA, .347/.441/.504, 2 HR, 14.5% BB rate, 10.3% K rate
ETA:

25. Bradley Zimmer (OF, CLE, AA)
Stats: 214 PA, .219/.313/.374, 6 HR, 12 SB, 8.4% BB rate, 25.2% K rate
ETA:

26. Jorge Polanco (SS, MIN, MLB)
Stats: 94 PA, .284/.309/.352, 0 HR, 1 SB, 4.3% BB rate, 10.6% K rate
ETA: Mid-July

27. Robert Stephenson (SP, CIN, AAA)
Stats: 55.2 IP, 4.04 ERA, 3.35 FIP, 8.25 K/9, 4.37 BB/9, 0.32 HR/9
ETA: Early July

28. Dansby Swanson (SS, ATL, A+)
Stats: 99 PA, .289/.394/.482, 1 HR, 0 SB, 14.1% BB rate, 14.1% K rate
ETA: Early August

29. Jesse Winker (OF, CIN, AA)
Stats: 526 PA, .282/.390/.433, 13 HR, 8 SB, 14.1% BB rate, 15.8% K rate
ETA: September

30. JP Crawford (SS, PHI, AA)
Stats: 405 PA, .265/.354/.407, 5 HR, 7 SB, 12.1% BB rate, 11.1% K rate
ETA: September

 

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