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Welcome back, RotoBallers! We're heading into Week 19 of the fantasy baseball season. 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 last week.
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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Anthony Prato - 2B, Minnesota Twins
Level: Triple-A
2023 stats: 80 G, .253/.395/.445, 9 HR, 46 RBI, 50 R, 16 SB, 15.6 BB%, 20.5 K%, .303 BABIP
Prato has always been a contact-first hitter, but he has shown some increased power this season, closing in on his career-high single-season home run total. What's interesting is that Prato opened the year with woeful batting numbers at Double-A but has been one of the best hitters in Minor League Baseball since being promoted to Triple-A. He has looked solid in a variety of defensive roles, logging reps at six positions (excluding catcher, pitcher, and center field).
This past week, Prato went 11-for-20 (.550) with seven extra-base hits, six RBI, a whopping nine walks, and just three strikeouts. Between his fantastic plate discipline and proven versatility in the field, Prato could push for a spot on the 26-man roster this month.
Luis Palacios - SP, Miami Marlins
Level: Double-A
2023 stats: 18 G, 17 GS, 9-5, 101.1 IP, 4.44 ERA, .272 BABIP, 1.95 BB/9, 7.46 K/9, 1.19 WHIP, .254 AVG
Palacios signed with the Marlins out of Venezuela in 2016. He has demonstrated fantastic control, relying heavily on his secondary pitches, including a nasty changeup with fade and an effective sinker with significant movement. (Palacios' primary offering is his fastball, and although it is a solid pitch, it maxes out around 90 mph.)
During his start last Thursday, Palacios lasted seven innings, allowing one unearned run, two hits, and one walk. Most notably, he struck out a whopping 11 batters, bringing his season total to 84. He is having a career year and figures to be a decent rotation piece in the majors, perhaps as soon as 2024.
Yunior Severino - 3B, Minnesota Twins
Level: Double-A
2023 stats: 82 G, .290/.365/.567, 24 HR, 61 RBI, 56 R, 3 SB, 9.3 BB%, 31.1 K%, .374 BABIP, .407 wOBA, 141 wRC+
Severino is a 23-year-old prospect from the Dominican Republic. He is a switch-hitter who has shown tremendous power from both sides of the plate, swatting 24 homers and averaging an extra-base hit in every other game this season. With that said, Severino's plate discipline has declined over the years, reaching a woeful rate of 3.34 strikeouts for every walk in 2023. Furthermore, Severino, who was initially signed as a middle infielder, has primarily played third base for the Wind Surge, indicative of subpar range and a slight decrease in defensive flair over the years.
We must look beyond some of the aforementioned negatives and focus on the big week that Severino just delivered. All in all, the third baseman went 8-for-23 with a whopping six home runs through six games. He also drove in 10 runs while logging four walks and seven strikeouts. There's no denying the power is there, even if the plate discipline and defensive makeup represent a bit of a concern.
Conor Larkin - RP, Toronto Blue Jays
Level: High-A
2023 stats: 24 G, 0 GS, 1-1, 30.1 IP, 4.45 ERA, 3.58 FIP, 10.38 K/9, 4.45 BB/9, 0.30 HR/9, .308 BABIP
Larkin is a former ninth-round pick who has excelled while pitching solely out of the bullpen over the last two years. He has a decent mid-90s fastball that sets the tone in at-bats, but it's his other offering, the slider, that is truly exceptional. Larkin gets impressive break on the pitch and has relied on it heavily late in counts.
The 2023 season has been a tale of two halves for Larkin, who owned a 6.66 FIP and 7.56 BB/9 through May but has posted an impressive 2.41 FIP and 11.05 K/9 over the last two months. Just this past week, the right-hander delivered three impressive outings for a total of five innings. He allowed just one hit, one walk, and zero runs while striking out a whopping 10 batters. Projecting the future fantasy value of a minor-league reliever is almost impossible, but Larkin continues to turn heads nonetheless.
Ethan Salas - C, San Diego Padres
Level: Single-A
2023 stats: 43 G, .292/.380/.532, 9 HR, 35 RBI, 35 R, 5 SB, 12.0 BB%, 24.0 K%, .350 BABIP, .411 wOBA, 139 wRC+
Salas is one of the most exciting players to watch in Minor League Baseball. Despite turning 17 years old this summer, he has already reached Single-A and ranks second on MLB Pipeline's list of Padres prospects. The expectations are high for the young backstop, and he's already making an impact in the minors.
Salas bats from the left side and has a smooth, controlled swing that peppers the ball to all parts of the field. There have been some questions about his power in the past, simply because this trait is more of a projection and less of an evaluation when you're still a teenager. However, Salas has already shown some pop in the minors, slugging nine homers through 43 games. Defensively, he is incredibly well-rounded behind the dish, showing off advanced receiving, blocking, and throwing skills.
This past week, Salas impressed at the plate, going 10-for-22 with three homers, six RBI, and six strikeouts. The future is bright for Salas, who already looks like a top-tier prospect despite having an MLB ETA of 2028.
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