X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Eric Cross' Dynasty Notes - Andrew Abbott, Spencer Steer, Sebastian Walcott, and More!

Andrew Abbott - Fantasy Baseball Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Eric Cross' fantasy baseball dynasty news and notes analysis for Week 15 (2023). Notable prospects and risers/fallers for longer-term fantasy baseball dynasty leagues.

In the dynasty world, news and notes articles take on a whole new meaning. Not only are we discussing short-term value with these players, but we need to look long-term as well. A good dynasty manager is like Crazy Eyes from the movie Mr. Deeds. You have to have one eye on the present and one eye on the future. "I wasn't talking to you, Deeds. I was talking to that squirrel over there. [points at a goat]."

So that's what I'm going to do each week with this Dynasty News and Notes article here on RotoBaller. I'll be going around the league, discussing all the notable storylines and players both from a short-term and long-term perspective. Let's get to it.

In this week's report, I'll be discussing even more Cincinnati Reds players, recent promotions, low-level standouts, and more.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Fantasy Baseball Dynasty News and Notes

Last week's Dynasty News & Notes was centered around plenty of exciting players in Cincinnati and Baltimore. Well, we're not done talking about the Cincinnati Reds this week as Andrew Abbott has been highly impressive since debuting in early June. In seven starts overall, Abbott has posted a 2.38 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 8.4% walk rate, and a 28.9% strikeout rate. That line looked even better before he allowed six earned runs in four innings against the Brewers yesterday. Abbott has been missing bats consistently and has a whiff rate above 28% on all three of his offspeed pitches so far, including 42.6% on his changeup.

However, there are some red flags in the profile too that I just can't ignore. Abbott is allowing plenty of hard contact (11.5% BRL, 43.3% HH) and a whopping 69.2% of his batted balls allowed have been fly balls or line drives. That's certainly concerning when Abbott pitches half his games in the most pitcher-friendly venue in baseball. Long-term, I'm very much a believer in Abbott being an impact arm for fantasy, but now might be a decent time to at least see what you could get for him via trade given his hot start.

Let's keep it in Cincinnati for one more player and discuss Spencer SteerWhile Steer might not be the shiny new toy in Cincinnati, his performance this season has him currently inside my top-10 dynasty first base rankings, right in the same tier as Triston Casas and Nathaniel Lowe. In 368 plate appearances, Steer has racked up 14 home runs, nine steals, and a .284/.375/.489 slash line along with an impressive 11.4% walk rate and 18.2% strikeout rate.

Steer's quality of contact metrics, while solid, won't blow you away. However, he's able to maximize his power output and home ballpark given his optimum 18.9° launch angle. Steer is also displaying above-average plate discipline metrics with an 83.2% zone contact rate, 20.9% chase rate, and 22.5% whiff rate. And to wrap it all up, Steer's sprint speed is in the 77th percentile. I'm seeing no reason to believe that Steer can't remain a top-100 caliber fantasy player moving forward and a top-10 first baseman for dynasty leagues.

Moving to another National League Central team, St. Louis' Nolan Gorman has been in a major funk lately. Entering play on June 4th, Gorman had an impressive .276/.364/.564 slash line. but since then, he's slashing only .151/.232/.279 with a massive 40% strikeout rate in 95 plate appearances. Gorman's quality of contact metrics are very good with a 13.6% barrel rate and 49.4% hard-hit rate, but when you're running a 74% zone contact rate and 34.4% whiff rate, inconsistency will usually rear its ugly head throughout a full season.

Even if Gorman is more of a .240ish hitter moving forward, his ability to swat more than 30 homers annually keeps him in the top-10 overall discussion at the second base position long-term. So if you're fine with that, he makes for a decent buy-low right now. If you roster him and don't want to deal with the inconsistency, wait for him to heat back up then explore trade options.

Who knows how long he'll be up for, but it was exciting to see Dominic Canzone finally get the call to Arizona. If you've been following my Top 25 Prospects to Stash article every Tuesday here on RotoBaller, you'll know that Canzone has been a mainstay near the top of those rankings. And even though he's excelled in the minors over the last few seasons, Canzone still feels a bit underrated and undervalued to me.

Season Levels PA Slash Line HR SB BB% K%
2019 RK/A- 195 .281/.318/.535 8 5 4.6% 14.9%
2021 A+/AA 339 .302/.375/.522 14 19 9.4% 20.9%
2022 AA/AAA 436 .300/.367/.541 22 15 8.5% 19.0%
2023 AAA 304 .354/.431/.634 16 2 12.8% 13.2%

Canzone isn't running as much this season, but the rest of his offensive profile has been incredible, hitting for average and power while showing an exceptional approach at the plate. Yes, those numbers get inflated by the league and home ballpark he was in, but Canzone is absolutely legit. My only area of concern right now, and it's a minor one, is that he only has one home run in 84 plate appearances against southpaws. But again, that's minor as he's still hitting .271 against them. Long-term, I could see a Bryan Reynolds type of player here with Canzone if everything clicks at the Major League level.

The other notable promotion over the past week was Baltimore promoting outfielder Colton CowserIn 56 games for Triple-A Norfolk this season, Cowser slashed .330/.459/.537 with 10 doubles, 10 home runs, and seven steals. He's always been an elite source of OBP and even dropped his strikeout rate from 27.8% to 23.3% this season. With above-average to plus power and average or better speed, Cowser has top-50 overall upside and is basically Canzone with more speed and higher OBP upside. He's going to cost a lot more to acquire though as Cowser has been considered a top-20 fantasy prospect for a while now. But it should be worth it.

It's been around a month since rookie leagues started up and one of the most impressive bats so far has been Texas Rangers shortstop prospect, Sebastian WalcottIn nine games for Texas' Complex Level squad, Walcott has already racked up eight extra-base hits, five home runs, and three steals. The upside here is massive and Walcott's dynasty stock is already beginning to skyrocket. Given his big and projectable 6'4 frame along with the power and athleticism he's already displaying, Walcott could be a top-10 dynasty prospect by this time next season. This is a player that could cause major FOMO.

Another teenage prospect shooting up rankings this season is Gabriel Gonzalez from the Seattle Mariners. While he was already rising up rankings given his performance last season, he's taken his game to the next level this season in Lo-A, slashing .350/.402/.529 in 71 games with 19 doubles, nine home runs, and eight steals. Scouts have long praised his power and strong throwing arm, but Gonzalez has made strides in the hit tool department as well, now projecting as at least an average hitter with the potential for plus power. Don't expect a ton of steals from him as he's a fringe-average runner, but the all-around offensive profile is exciting for fantasy purposes and could have him flirting with the top-25 in my prospect rankings by the end of the season.

Out of all the impressive rookie arms this season, the one that isn't getting talked about enough is Seattle's Bryan Woo. On the surface, Woo has a 4.08 ERA which isn't overly impressive by itself. But this is why surface stats can be misleading. When you dig deeper, you see that Woo has an impressive 2.72 xERA (94th percentile), 6.7% walk rate, 32.8% strikeout rate (94th percentile), 33.2% chase rate, and a 29.1% whiff rate. If you take out Woo's Major League debut against the offensive juggernaut Texas Rangers, he would have a 2.36 ERA and 0.94 WHIP.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



More Fantasy Baseball Advice




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Ryan Blaney

Should Contend at Gateway
Denny Hamlin

Fastest in Qualifying, the Favorite to Win at Gateway
Christopher Bell

Looking for Redemption at Gateway
Joey Logano

Has Been Elite at Gateway
Austin Cindric

Should Be On Your Radar at Gateway
AJ Allmendinger

Could Be a Sleeper Again at Gateway
Tyler Reddick

Southern 500 Near-Miss Makes Tyler Reddick a Stronger Option for Gateway
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace a Likely Gateway Contender
Alex Bowman

a Long Shot to Advance in Playoffs
Austin Dillon

Richard Childress Racing Looks Slower at Gateway, Which Will Hurt Austin Dillon
Shane Van Gisbergen

Starts 18th in Gateway Debut
Ty Gibbs

Toyota Speed May Help Ty Gibbs at Gateway
Brad Keselowski

Probably the Best DFS Place-Differential Option
Chris Buescher

May Have Qualified Too Well to Start for DFS
Kyle Busch

If Kyle Busch Contends Anywhere, it Could be at Gateway
NASCAR

John Hunter Nemechek Could Benefit From Toyota Speed Like he Did at Darlington
Michael McDowell

Slow Hendrick Setups Will Likely Slow Michael McDowell at Gateway
Jameson Williams

Extending Tenure in Motor City
Pittsburgh Steelers

Cameron Heyward, Steelers Reach Agreement on Revised Deal, Will Play in Week 1
Bubba Chandler

to Make First Start on Sunday
Samuel Basallo

Exits Early with Hand Injury
Jeremy Swayman

Ready to Get Back on Track
Travis Hunter

to be Every-Down Wide Receiver
Connor McDavid

Aiming for More Goals
Shedeur Sanders

Unlikely to Play in 2025
NJ

Luke Glendening Signs Tryout Deal With Devils
Pete Crow-Armstrong

Leaves Early on Saturday After Fouling Ball Off his Knee
Dylan Harper

Hoping to be Ready for the Opener Versus Dallas
Christian McCaffrey

Signs Pointing Towards Christian McCaffrey Playing in Week 1
Quinshon Judkins

Signs Fully Guaranteed Deal with Cleveland
EDM

Derek Ryan Retires From Hockey
Connor Zary

Agrees to Three-Year Deal With Flames
Carey Price

Canadiens Trade Carey Price to Sharks
Quentin Johnston

Scores Twice in Brazil
Justin Herbert

Spectacular in Win Over Chiefs
Marquise Brown

Sees Absurd Target Share Friday
Bobby Witt Jr.

Dealing With Back Spasms
Bobby Witt Jr.

Exits Early on Friday
Xavier Worthy

Injures Shoulder Early in Brazil, Questionable to Return
Adolis García

Adolis Garcia Placed on Injured List With Quad Strain
Tyler Glasnow

Scratched on Friday With Back Tightness
Jayden Reed

Questionable to Play in Season Opener
Christian McCaffrey

Listed as Questionable for Season Opener With Calf Issue
Tyreek Hill

Cleared for Week 1
Rasmus Hojgaard

Finishes Tied For Second at Omega European Masters
Tyrrell Hatton

Finishes Tied for 32nd at LIV Indianapolis
Matt Fitzpatrick

Finishes Fifth at Omega European Masters
Patrick Cantlay

Finishes Tied For Second in 2025 FedEx Cup Standings
Xander Schauffele

Finishes 42nd in 2025 FedEx Cup Standings
Tyler Glasnow

Scratched From Friday's Start for Undisclosed Reasons
Christian Kirk

Ruled Out for Week 1
Shohei Ohtani

Returning to the Mound on Friday
Kyle Finnegan

Lands on Injured List With Adductor Strain
Aaron Judge

Returns to Right Field on Friday
De'Von Achane

Without Injury Designation Heading Into Week 1
Christian McCaffrey

Seen Working on Side Field During Friday's Practice
Malik Nabers

Cleared to Play on Sunday
Willson Contreras

' Suspension Reduced, to Start Serving it on Friday
Kodai Senga

Mets Send Kodai Senga to Triple-A to Get Right
Chris Godwin

Officially Ruled Out for Week 1
Malik Nabers

' Reps Limited Friday Due to "Tight" Back
Caio Borralho

Set For A Title Eliminator Bout
Nassourdine Imavov

Looks To Earn A Title Shot
Mauricio Ruffy

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Set For UFC Paris Co-Main Event
Modestas Bukauskas

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Paul Craig

In Dire Need Of Victory
Mason Jones

Set for Main-Card Bout
Bolaji Oki

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Rhys McKee

Set To Open Up UFC Paris Main Card
Axel Sola

Alex Sola Set To Make His UFC Debut
Saquon Barkley

Scores Touchdown in Low-Yardage Outing
Jalen Hurts

Rushes for Two Touchdowns on Thursday
Pablo López

Pablo Lopez Expected to Return on Friday
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Exits With Knee Contusions
Will Smith

Unlikely to Play This Weekend
Shohei Ohtani

to Pitch on Monday
Jon Rahm

Looks to Prove His Importance on European Ryder Cup Team
Tommy Fleetwood

Among Leaders of European Ryder Cup Team
Brandon Sproat

to Start for Mets on Sunday
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Close to Triple-Double Versus Serbia
Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokic Fills Box Score Against Turkey
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Shakes Off Minor Injury
E.J. Liddell

Inks Two-Way Deal With Nets
NBA

Ben Simmons Reportedly Considering Retirement
P.J. Washington

Agrees to Four-Year, $90 Million Extension
Mike Trout

Plans to Return on Thursday
Will Smith

X-Rays Negative on Will Smith's Hand
Will Smith

Exits With Hand Contusion
Sepp Straka

Gets Captain's Pick to Join Team Europe
PGA

Victor Hovland to Make Third Ryder Cup Appearance for Team Europe
J.J. Spaun

Set to Represent Team USA for First Time at Bethpage
Russell Henley

Makes First Ryder Cup Appearance at Bethpage
Harris English

Named to Ryder Cup Team for Second Time
Justin Thomas

Making Fourth Ryder Cup Team Appearance at Bethpage
Ben Griffin

Making First Career Ryder Cup Appearance at Bethpage
Bryson DeChambeau

Set to be Part of Team USA at Bethpage
Santi Aldama

Bags Double-Double in Losing Effort
Guerschon Yabusele

Erupts for 36 Points Against Poland
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Leads Slovenia Into Next Round at EuroBasket
San Antonio Spurs

Stanley Umude Signs Training Camp Deal With Spurs
Reece Beekman

Joins Magic for Training Camp
Justin Minaya

Signs Exhibit 10 Deal With Magic
Alexandre Sarr

to Miss Rest of EuroBasket
Jared McCain

"On Pace" for Training Camp
Luke Hughes

Devils Optimistic About Signing Luke Hughes
Martin Fehérváry

Martin Fehervary on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Dylan Holloway

Good to Go for Start of Season
Josh Morrissey

Fully Healthy for Start of Season
Dennis Hildeby

Signs Three-Year Extension With Maple Leafs
Franz Wagner

Collects Double-Double in Blowout Win
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Achieves Rare Numbers at EuroBasket
Nikola Vučević

Nikola Vucevic Dominates Against Sweden
Kristaps Porzingis

Finding Form at EuroBasket
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Suffers Minor Injury at EuroBasket
Victor Wembanyama

Looking "Quite Stellar"
Denny Hamlin

Ends Eventful Day at Darlington in Seventh Place
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Almost Earns a Top-Five Finish at Darlington
John Hunter Nemechek

has His Best 2025 Performance at Darlington
Ryan Blaney

Has An Underwhelming Performance At Darlington

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP