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With the MLB draft just days away and the NCAA baseball regionals going on, it's time to look at dynasty draft sleepers. Guys like A.J. Puk of Florida and Kyle Lewis of Mercer are no-brainers, but there are many other draft prospects who could be big time fantasy producers in the future. After all, not every stud big leaguer was taken in the first round of their draft.
To be clear, these guys are players with a solid chance to be big league producers and sleepers in the majors. You will notice that there are no high school players on this list and there is a definite reason for that. Beyond your first round stud high school players, the risk begins to increase that the high school player will not pan out. However, many college players taken in the later rounds still have a chance to be solid producers, just not Mike Trout-level superstars. All of these players are current college baseball players and all of them will be taken in this year’s draft.
Editor's Note: you can read even more about 2016 MLB draft sleepers for fantasy baseball. Check our dynasty prospects, rookies and call-ups section for lots more great dynasty league analysis.
Five Dynasty Sleepers in the Upcoming Draft
Ronnie Dawson (OF, Ohio State)
The starting left fielder for the Ohio State Buckeyes, Ronnie Dawson has really risen on the draft boards of many with a stellar 2016 campaign. Entering this year, Dawson was considered by many to be a solid outfielder with a chance to be taken in the first five rounds, but after producing a slash line of .329/.423/.617 with 13 home runs and 20 stolen bases, he has now put his name out there as a likely second rounder, possibly a compensation or competitive balance pick.
The big catch with Dawson is his upside. According to Jim Callis of MLB.com and Baseball America, the 21-year-old outfielder has one of the best power/speed combos in the country. His power is considered to be his premier tool where scouts see him as a possible 25+ homer threat in the future. The speed should be able to play in the majors, but he probably tops out at about 15-20 steals per season with full playing time.
Defensively, there are a lot of questions about Dawson, but there are not nearly enough concerns to keep him from being worth owning in some dynasty leagues. His tools are mostly raw right now and could use a year or two of development to reach his full potential, but he could very possibly be a future 20/20 threat in the majors. His name is only just now starting to really emerge among dynasty owners, so it would be wise to start stashing him now as he could be a hot commodity in the near future.
Alec Hansen (SP, Oklahoma)
Originally believed to be an early first round pick, Alec Hansen has seen his draft stock plummet because of concerns with his forearm. And that was before the season began. Then, Hansen began 2016 and turned in the worst season in his college career. In his junior campaign, Hansen threw 51.2 innings, split between 10 games in the rotation and four as a reliever, and turned in a measly 5.40 ERA and walked an alarming 39 batters. In those 51.2 innings, however, he was able to strike out a whopping 75 batters.
Those numbers really sum up what to expect from Hansen. He has the stuff to be an absolutely lethal arm in the majors, but has some serious control issues. His fastball sits in the upper-90s. His primary out pitch has been an upper-70s curveball, but he also possesses one of the best sliders in college baseball and a changeup that has shown a lot of promise.
You are probably wondering after reading those aforementioned numbers why I am looking at Hansen as a sleeper. Sure, he is a serious reclamation project, but if drafted by the right team, Hansen could prove to be the steal of the draft. His stock has plummeted so much so that now, it is looking likely that he will not go until the second round or possibly early third round. Fantasy owners should still bank on the upside and try to snag him. His stuff and size (6’7”, 235 pounds) remind me of Tyler Glasnow (6’8”, 225 pounds): both had serious control concerns going into the draft, but both have near elite stuff. Hansen could be the next Glasnow and fantasy owners would be wise to at least give him a chance.
Jake Fraley (OF, LSU)
There is so much to like about Jake Fraley, junior outfielder at Louisiana State University, that it’s a wonder he has not received more recognition from scouts. In 2016, Fraley put just about everything together and showed off what he could do in the future for big league teams. The 21-year-old outfielder slashed .320/.405/.445 with four home runs and 27 stolen bases in 35 attempts. Want to know something even more impressive? Try 35 walks on the season to only 31 strikeouts.
The numbers really say it all. Scouts consider Fraley to have some of the best plate discipline in college baseball and as evidenced with a guy like Jesse Winker, that really goes a long way as it really raises the floor for him. He does not have much power to speak of and likely would top out at five home runs per season, but he has enough speed to swipe 30+ bags per season all while playing solid defense in center field. He has the player profile of a future leadoff hitter and could be a very wise stash for dynasty leagues looking for a sleeper source of steals.
Fraley is not going to be taken in the first round of this season’s draft and likely won’t be drafted until later in the second round, but that shouldn’t dull his shine for fantasy owners. Guys with plate discipline like him tend to fly through the minors and Fraley could be no different. If he can hit for a reasonable average in the minors next season, he could be up by September and a full-time starter in 2017.
Garrett Hampson (SS, Long Beach State)
The shortstop draft class in 2016 is nowhere near as talented as the shortstop class of 2015 that saw Dansby Swanson, Brendan Rodgers, and Alex Bregman all go off the board with the first three picks in the draft, but there are still some solid sleeper shortstops to look for in 2016. One such sleeper is Garrett Hampson from Long Beach State. Hampson has quietly put together three very solid seasons at LBS, capped off by his best season in 2016 where he slashed .305/.389/.399 with two home runs while going 21-29 in stolen base attempts.
Though he has virtually no power, the 21-year-old shortstop still has plenty of future upside to offer dynasty owners. Hampson has solid plate discipline (28 walks and 37 strikeouts in 233 at-bats) and makes consistent contact, giving him the profile of a future one or two hitter in the order. He also has 20+ stolen base speed which could make him a solid contributor from the middle infield position. His lackluster defense at shortstop will most likely force him to shift to second base, but that should not be enough to deter dynasty owners from considering him as a stash option.
Hampson is not going to be the next Swanson or Bregman, but he could be a solid middle infield player for any team willing to draft him. He is more than likely going to be taken in the late fourth/early fifth round of the MLB draft and could be a valuable stash for dynasty owners in need of some middle infield depth.
Thomas Hatch (SP, Oklahoma State)
If you want to find a guy with a considerably high floor and a very strong chance to eventually occupy a spot in a big league rotation, then look no further than Thomas Hatch. The ace of the Oklahoma State Cowboys, Hatch delivered an outstanding campaign in which he threw 112.1 innings with a 2.16 ERA, 102 strikeouts, only 28 walks, and three complete games (only made 16 starts).
Scouts view Hatch as a guy with limited upside, but also as someone who looks very likely to reach his full potential. He has a mid-90s fastball with heavy sinking movement, a wipeout slider that serves as his primary out pitch, and a reliable changeup that looks like a future above-average pitch. What makes him so reliable? His stellar command that appears very advanced for a Redshirt sophomore. His ground ball tendency and three quarter arm slot draw comparisons to Mike Leake, a very promising comparison for fantasy owners as Leake went straight from the draft to the majors when he was picked by the Reds.
Is Hatch going to be an ace? No. Is he going to be a number two starter? Probably not. But he has a very good chance of being a solid three or above-average four starter in the big leagues. Ranked 81st by MLB.com and 178th on Baseball America on their respective draft prospect rankings, there is no doubt that Hatch falls a little bit under the radar when compared to many other starting pitching prospects. This should not deter dynasty owners, however, as he appears to be as solid of a bet to produce in the big leagues as just about anybody.
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