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Fantasy baseball prospects, rookies and taxi squad players to watch. Riley Mrack looks at rising MLB prospects that owners should be monitoring in Week 2 of the 2020 fantasy baseball season.
Perhaps there's nothing more tantalizing in fantasy baseball than drafting and up and coming prospect or rushing to the waiver wire to bid on a Triple-A call-up. With no minor leagues this year, our favorite prospects are now playing on taxi squads, making it difficult for us to fantasize about since we can't get eyes on their progress. However, that doesn't mean we don't know who's on the cusp of making the big leagues.
Although the 2020 season is shortened, MLB front offices have still found a way to manipulate control over their prospects. Thankfully, we won't have to wait long since July marks the service time deadline, so we should see several big names get the phone call this weekend.
We've already got a glimpse of the number three overall prospect, Luis Robert since the White Sox bought out his arbitration years, and we could see another two or three top-10 prospects in a big-league uniform later this week. The players on this list could already be scooped up in your league, but if they're available, you'll want to get ahead of your opponents and claim them on waivers before the price rises sky-high.
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Arriving Soon
Gavin Lux - 2B, Los Angeles Dodgers
It was surprising when the Dodgers announced that MLB's number two overall prospect Gavin Lux would begin the season on the taxi squad after playing 23 games with the club in 2019. He was a late arrival to camp, so his swing could need a little extra time to reach midseason form, plus they have two veterans in Kike Hernandez and Chris Taylor who can handle the keystone in the meantime.
Lux's callup is inevitable, and it could come as early as this weekend. The Dodgers do have the luxury of having plenty of infield depth, but he has the most talent among the aforementioned Hernandez and Taylor. After hitting over .316 in every minor league stop above Low-A, if he can flirt in the .280-.300 range in the majors, the counting stats will pile up batting in one of the league's top offenses.
Nate Pearson - SP, Toronto Blue Jays
After signing Hyun-Jin Ryu to a four-year contract this offseason, the Blue Jays could have a very formidable one-two punch in the coming years if Nate Pearson is as advertised. The 6'6" right-hander spent the majority of the 2019 season in Double-A, where he racked up an impressive 28.3% K-rate while holding a 2.57 ERA and 0.99 WHIP. With a fastball that hits triple-digits, he can get a little wild, but there's a lot to love with an effective changeup and slider also in his arsenal.
If the 2020 season had started on time, we likely wouldn't have seen Pearson until at least a couple of months into the season since he has only made three starts at the Triple-A level. Now with the added playoff spots, the Jays have a legitimate chance at grabbing a seed, and they'll need the flamethrower in their rotation to do so. Jays manager Charlie Montoyo confirmed that Pearson will join the club's rotation Wednesday versus the Nationals, so grab him now wherever available.
Dylan Carlson - OF, St. Louis Cardinals
Dylan Carlson couldn't do much more to rightfully earn a spot on the Cardinals 30-man roster, but it's hard to argue the business decision to keep him down for a week to gain an extra year of control. The 17th ranked prospect and number one in the Cardinals system hit well in spring training after slashing .292/.372/.542 with 26 homers in 126 games in the minors last season. It was clear back in March that he had nothing left to prove in the minors, and he reiterated the fact with another strong showing at the club's summer camp earlier this month.
It would be a shock if Carlson wasn't called up on the 29th, and when he does get the call, he'll play right field every day in St. Louis. He's a switch-hitter who can hit for power and average from both sides of the dish, and possesses the on-base ability to bat in the middle of the Cardinals lineup for years to come. If Carlson can adjust to the big-league setting early, he's an odds-on favorite for NL Rookie of the Year.
Spencer Howard - SP, Philadelphia Phillies
If service time wasn't a factor, Spencer Howard would have opened the season as the Phillies fifth starter. The team's top pitching prospect dominated his minor league opponents last season, holding a 2.03 ERA and 0.83 WHIP while striking out 94 over 71.0 IP. Howard can stay in the high-90s with his fastball, and uses a curve and a slider to keep hitters off-balance. Like most pitching prospects, command can be an issue, but the swing-and-miss stuff is real.
Howard turns 24 on July 28, and there would be no sweeter gift than to get a major-league promotion soon after. There have been some reports of him starting for the Phils on Friday, but nothing has been confirmed just yet. Some growing pains in the majors could occur since he skipped over pitching at the Triple-A level, but he has the potential to dominate on the mound in any given contest. If you roster Howard, you may want to keep him on the bench in his first couple of starts to let him adjust to his new environment, but don't let that hold you back from adding the right-hander.
Right Around The Corner
Jo Adell - OF, Los Angeles Angels
When asked about Jo Adell making the Angels Opening Day roster, manager Joe Maddon stated that there's "no rush" to bring him up, and he still has "things to work on." While we can't argue with Maddon's mindset, the fact remains that the Halos have a glaring need to fill in right field. Adell can provide a power bat with a bit of speed, and he'd make an immediate upgrade to the offense upon his arrival. It's only a matter of time before we see the 21-year-old make his debut in the bigs; we just may have to wait a little longer than expected.
Jarred Kelenic - OF, Seattle Mariners
The Mariners received some criticism when they dealt Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz to the Mets two offseasons ago, but once Jarred Kelenic arrives in the big leagues, general manager Jerry Dipoto will look like a genius. Kelenic tore up the minors in 2019, slashing .291/.364/.540 with 23 homers and 20 thefts in 117 games between Low-A and Double-A ball. Drafted sixth overall in the 2018 draft, the left-handed swinger hasn't spent much time in the minors, but with the M's not playing for much this season, his bat could get fast-tracked to the majors.
Brendan Rodgers - 2B/SS, Colorado Rockies
Drafted only behind Dansby Swanson and Alex Bregman in 2015, injuries have delayed Brendan Rodgers' permanent stay with the Rockies after undergoing shoulder surgery last July. A clear path to playing time has also stood in the way of the 23-year-old, and it will likely take an injury to a Rockies infielder for him to return to the club. As a player with outstanding plate discipline who can hit for power and average, the bonus of his favorable home park is the icing on the cake. Finding consistent at-bats is the only hurdle standing in his way.
Nick Madrigal - 2B, Chicago White Sox
Although Leury Garcia is off to a hot start as the second baseman for the White Sox, Nick Madrigal is the future at the position. Madrigal's 5'7" 165 lb frame doesn't possess much pop, but he can get on base, steal bases, and score runs like no other. Swiping 35 bags in 120 games across three minor league stops a year ago, the fourth overall pick from 2018 was a wizard with the bat striking out just 16 times in 473 plate appearances. Chipping in with 44 walks to aid a .377 OBP, if Madrigal can work his way to the top of the lineup this year, he can be a difference-maker in the R, SB, and BA categories.
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