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Welcome back, RotoBallers! The regular season is in full gear. We're heading into Week 11 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 10.
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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Imanol Vargas - 1B, Los Angeles Dodgers
Level: Double-A
2023 stats: 45 G, .268/.396/.490, 8 HR, 38 RBI, 28 R, 17.6 BB%, 34.1 K%, 135 wRC+, .396 wOBA, .400 BABIP
Vargas signed with the Dodgers out of Venezuela in 2017. He has slowly progressed through the minor leagues and could still be in Double-A when his 25th birthday comes around at the end of June. Although Vargas is primarily a first baseman, he has spent more than two dozen innings in right field this year, suggesting that the Dodgers are at least optimistic about his glovework and throwing arm.
Offensively, Vargas has a tendency to get on base by drawing plenty of walks, but he needs to cut down on his high strikeout rate. He has also shown solid power, homering roughly once every five games and posting a decent .886 OPS this season.
This past week, Vargas went 7-for-21 (.333) with three homers and 11 RBI. He also struck out 11 times during that span while drawing five walks over his last four games. It was an impressive week for the 24-year-old and one that does a good job representing his offensive makeup: power, walks, and too many strikeouts. He'll need to record fewer strike threes before ascending to Triple-A and the majors.
Yu-Min Lin - SP, Arizona Diamondbacks
Level: High-A
2023 stats: 8 G, 8 GS, 0-2, 32.2 IP, 3.58 ERA, 2.44 FIP, .324 BABIP, 12.40 K/9, 2.48 BB/9, 48.5 GB%
Lin, now 19, signed with the Diamondbacks out of Taiwan in December 2021. He wasted no time transitioning to baseball in America, quickly emerging as one of the top prospects in Arizona's system.
When facing batters, Lin sets the tone with a low-90s fastball. However, he really leaves his mark with his breaking and offspeed offerings. Lin's curveball has a fantastic vertical bite, and the horizontal break on his slider is equally impressive. He also harnesses his changeup with ease, getting great fade and just enough arm-side movement to miss bats. If that wasn't enough, MLB Pipeline reports that he also deploys a "splitter and screwball-like pitch to keep hitters guessing."
This past week, Lin had one of pro baseball's best outings in recent memory. He lasted five innings, striking out a whopping 13 batters. That would be impressive for a nine-inning game, but it's all the more impressive when you consider he faced just 17 batters and recorded 15 outs.
His final stat line included just one walk, one hit, zero runs, and the no-decision. Lin has emerged as one of the best strikeout throwers in Minor League Baseball as a teenager. Just imagine the impact he could have in a few short years. Don't be surprised if the lanky left-hander is a hot fantasy commodity in the future.
Jace Jung - 2B, Detroit Tigers
Level: High-A
2023 stats: 44 G, .274/.391/.464, 7 HR, 27 RBI, 23 R, 14.9 BB%, 23.8 K%, 148 wRC+, .397 wOBA, .342 BABIP
Jung, 22, found his way to the Tigers with the 12th pick in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft. The Texas Tech product produced enough in college to hear his name called alongside some of the best up-and-coming prospects in baseball.
Jung is already viewed as the Tigers' top prospect thanks to an impressive blend of tools. In the field, he's a fine fielder but lacks the arm and range needed to play the left side of the infield. He projects as a long-term second baseman and should perform around average or slightly above average at the position.
Jung makes up for a lackluster defensive report with very strong offensive makeup. He has an unorthodox batting stance but hasn't let it hinder his production, drawing walks at a solid clip and keeping his strikeout rate within reason. He hits the ball to all parts of the field and could even develop more power than your average second baseman.
This past week, Jung went 13-for-23 (.565) with two homers and 10 RBI. He added three walks and six strikeouts along the way. Don't be surprised if Jung gets bumped up to Double-A in the next month or two.
Drew Thorpe - SP, New York Yankees
Level: High-A
2023 stats: 9 G, 9 GS, 4-1, 51.2 IP, 3.31 ERA, 3.73 FIP, 10.28 K/9, 3.48 BB/9, .315 BABIP, 50.8 GB%
The Yankees selected Thorpe, a Cal Poly product, with their second-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. He delivered fantastic results in his final season of Division I action and was considered a great pick for the Yankees at the time of his selection. Less than 12 months later, New York still loves what it has seen out of the right-hander and might just view him as the top pitching prospect in its farm system.
In addition to a fine low-90s fastball, Thorpe boasts a fading changeup and active slider. Both of these offerings complement the heater nicely, and Thorpe has done a great job harnessing them to miss bats. In general, he has displayed fantastic command, allowing him to strike out batters, limit walks, and perhaps most importantly, pitch deep into games.
After allowing four runs in his final outing of May, Thorpe bounced back in a big way this past week. He faced Aberdeen on Sunday, allowing just one hit and two walks over eight dominant, shutout innings. He also struck out seven batters along the way and earned the win.
Justin Crawford - OF, Philadelphia Phillies
Level: Single-A
2023 stats: 32 G, .352/.434/.744, 12 HR, 34 RBI, 29 R, 10 SB, 10.5 BB%, 23.8 K%, 205 wRC+, .508 wOBA, .405 BABIP
Last year, the Phillies spent their first-round pick on Crawford, a Bishop Gorman product, mere months after he turned 18 years old. The son of Carl Crawford dominated the prep circuit and has wasted no time making his presence felt within the Philadelphia organization.
Crawford is an incredibly well-rounded athlete with enough high-level speed to steal an awful lot of bases at the MLB level. Between his speed, strong arm, high baseball IQ, and quick reflexes as soon as the ball is put in play, Crawford should have no trouble playing center field deep into his career.
Beyond being a great fielder, he's equally impressive at the plate, showing an advanced ability to put the ball in play, then use his wheels to leg out extra bases. If there's one tool he lacks, it's power, but the Phillies reportedly like what they've seen from him in that regard as he gains weight and strength.
The 19-year-old played in just four games last week but made a very big impact. He went 10-for-17, tallying two doubles and two triples along the way. Although he didn't draw any walks, he did limit his strikeouts to two, all while stealing four bases. The young outfielder truly can do it all and has the potential to be a potent fantasy option in the future.
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