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Welcome back, RotoBallers! We're heading into Week 25 of the fantasy baseball season. There were plenty of impressive prospect performances 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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Luis Verdugo - 3B, Chicago Cubs
Level: High-A
2023 stats: 78 G, .236/.303/.389, 7 HR, 41 RBI, 33 R, 4 SB, 8.8 BB%, 20.8 K%, .279 BABIP, .316 wOBA, 91 wRC+
Verdugo signed with the Cubs out of Mexico in 2017. Widely regarded as a talented defender, the 22-year-old has solidified himself as a long-term third baseman with impressive glovework, especially on challenging hops at the hot corner. On offense, there are real doubts about his bat and discipline, though he's shown improvement at the plate this season.
This past week showed that Verdugo has the potential to be a talented hitter. He went 12-for-23, slugging two homers and five doubles along the way. He also drove in seven runs, drew four walks, and struck out just three times. Whether this type of production will persist over a larger sample size remains to be seen, but you can't knock the potential.
Adam Macko - SP, Toronto Blue Jays
Level: High-A
2023 stats: 20 G, 20 GS, 5-5, 86.0 IP, 4.81 ERA, 3.97 FIP, 11.09 K/9, 4.19 BB/9, 0.73 HR/9, 44.8 GB%, .327 BABIP
Macko is an impressive starter who has used 2023 to show what he can do when healthy, given the fact that he made just 17 outings over the two seasons prior. Born in Slovakia, the southpaw went to high school in Alberta before the Mariners made him their seventh-round pick in 2019.
He found his way to Toronto in last offseason's Teoscar Hernandez trade. The 22-year-old's fastball sits in the mid-90s, and FanGraphs grades his fastball, slider, curveball, and changeup all as plus offerings. This advanced repertoire makes him a candidate to excel in the rotation long-term.
During his latest outing this past week, Macko delivered five hitless innings. He allowed zero runs and just two walks while amassing eight strikeouts, ultimately earning the win. Walks have definitely been an issue for him before, but the upside with his impressive repertoire and strikeout rate is too exciting to ignore.
Samuel Basallo - C, Baltimore Orioles
Level: Double-A
2023 stats: 110 G, .307/.398/.547, 20 HR, 84 RBI, 73 R, 12 SB, 12.8 BB%, 19.9 K%, .356 BABIP, .432 wOBA, 160 wRC+
Just 19 years old, Basallo has emerged as an impressive prospect with incredible bat speed and power. The Dominican Republic native is definitely a bat-first minor leaguer, and the Orioles have to be impressed by the decrease in his K/BB rate this season. Defensively, his arm strength and pop time are a little underwhelming. He still has plenty of time to develop before the organization makes a firm decision about whether he truly projects as a catcher long-term.
Pivoting back to Basallo's production at the plate, we can't ignore how he performed this past week. The young backstop went 9-for-19 with three homers, seven RBI, three walks, and three strikeouts. This hot stretch of games was enough to earn him a promotion to Double-A where he knocked a single in his first game.
Spencer Schwellenbach - SP, Atlanta Bravess
Level: High-A
2023 stats: 16 G, 16 GS, 5-2, 65.0 IP, 2.49 ERA, 3.49 FIP, 7.62 K/9, 2.22 BB/9, 0.42 HR/9, .253 BABIP
A former second-round pick, Schwellenbach has emerged as one of the Braves' top pitching prospects. Although the start of his pro career was delayed due to Tommy John surgery, he came out of his recovery with his fastball peaking at an impressive 98 mph.
He consistently demonstrates impressive control and has developed both his slider and changeup into effective secondary pitches. If the right-hander can continue to post favorable results over a larger sample size, he could emerge as one of the most promising young arms in all of baseball.
Last Wednesday, Schwellenbach lasted six full innings without surrendering a run, hit, or walk. The Nebraska product also struck out six batters and earned the win in what was arguably the best outing of his career thus far. Get ready because Schwellenbach will be a household name within a couple of years.
Brian Kalmer - 1B, Chicago Cubs
Level: Single-A
2023 stats: 35 G, .357/.426/.667, 10 HR, 42 RBI, 26 R, 0 SB, 10.1 BB%, 20.1 K%, .396 BABIP, .494 wOBA, 195 wRC+
Two Cubs in one article? Yes. Kalmer was an 18th-round pick just two months ago and has looked absolutely phenomenal in his limited pro action. Selected out of Gonzaga as a third baseman, Kalmer has primarily played first so far, but the Cubs have plenty of time to experiment with his defensive profile. Offensively, there's no denying his incredible talent for putting balls in play and launching home runs.
This past week, Kalmer went 10-for-23 with three homers, 10 RBI, one walk, and four strikeouts. It took just three games for him to get promoted from rookie ball to Single-A. He probably would've earned a quick promotion to High-A if the minor league season wasn't about to end. This is a player who will be very fun to watch over a larger sample size.
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