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A look at top prospects who impressed during Week 4 of the 2023 fantasy baseball season in the minor leagues and may be strong waiver wire stashes or pickups.
Welcome back, RotoBallers! The regular season is in full gear. We're heading into Week 4 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 3.
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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Tyler Freeman - 2B, Cleveland Guardians
Level: Triple-A
2023 stats: 13 G, .365/.484/.615, 2 HR, 13 RBI, 15 R, 5 SB, 7.8 BB%, 14.1 K%, 185 wRC+, .481 wOBA, .415 BABIP
Freeman is a 23-year-old second baseman who made his MLB debut last season but opened 2023 in the minors. He has looked great with Triple-A Columbus, showing a clear tendency to put the ball in play and drive in runs. His walk and strikeout rates have been solid, and he's also stealing bases at a higher clip than usual.
Traditionally, Freeman has been regarded as a very advanced hitter with impressive bat speed, great balance in the box, and top-tier plate discipline. He may lack power, but he can still hit line drives to the gap, moving himself and other runners around the bases. Defensively, Freeman is a polished fielder with smooth footwork and a strong glove, but his average range and arm will likely keep him bound to second base long-term.
Freeman is coming off a strong week in the minors during which he made a case for a potential promotion. All in all, he went 12-for-22 with one homer, seven RBI, two walks, one strikeout, and three stolen bases. This hot run included an impressive two-day stretch in which he hit 9-for-10 with five extra-base hits. Perhaps we could be seeing the second baseman back in the majors sooner rather than later.
Mason Miller - SP, Oakland Athletics
Level: Triple-A
2023 stats: 2 G, 2 GS, 1-0, 8.2 IP, 2.08 ERA, 0.23 WHIP, .069 OBA, 19.73 K/9, 0.00 BB/9, .000 BABIP, .345 OPS
Miller, 24, is a talented right-hander whom the Athletics selected with their third-round pick in 2021. Injuries limited him to just 20 innings over his first two seasons, but during that span, he posted impressive strikeout and walk metrics while keeping runs to a minimum. Despite his limited pro experience, the hurler has seemingly fast-tracked to Triple-A and could be knocking on the door of the majors very soon.
A Gardner-Webb product, Miller ranks third in the Athletics' farm system, per MLB Pipeline. He's best known for a triple-digit fastball that has been utterly dominant since his collegiate days, but he has also worked on developing a lethal slider that complements his heater nicely and can be an effective putaway pitch. He rounds out his repertoire with a changeup, which is simply a tertiary pitch that could use some refinement. All in all, though, Miller, who checks in at 6-foot-5, has the makings of a long-term starter. He could be an impactful fantasy weapon in the near future.
Speaking of impact, Miller is coming off a strong Triple-A debut in which he struck out 11 batters over five innings without allowing a walk or hit. He, of course, earned the win, improving to 1-0 on the year and dropping his FIP to -0.35.
Andy Pages - OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
Level: Double-A
2023 stats: 9 G, .393/.561/.750, 2 HR, 13 RBI, 9 R, 2 SB, 22.0 BB%, 17.1 K%, 231 wRC+, .557 wOBA, .450 BABIP
Pages, signed out of Cuba in 2018, is off to a red-hot start this season, posting career-bests in both walk and strikeout rates. Historically a power player with plenty of strikeouts to go along with high home run totals, Pages has demonstrated an ability to focus on his plate discipline and drive in runs so far this season. It's unclear whether this approach is intentional and here to stay, but at the very least, it's a sign of immense promise for the young outfielder.
Pages uses great bat speed and leverage to launch baseballs out of the park, but as mentioned, his aggressive approach can lead to strikeouts. In the outfield, he has average speed but still gets a quick jump on balls hit toward him. He takes great angles and tracks balls with ease, demonstrating his baseball IQ before showing off his elite arm strength. He certainly has the strong-arm, powerful-bat makeup of a stereotypical right fielder.
The outfielder showed up big in the box scores this past week, hitting 8-for-18 with two doubles, two homers, and 10 RBI. He also drew a whopping eight walks while striking out four times. Pages' most impressive game came on April 14 when he went 3-for-4 with a double and two homers. Currently 22 years old in Double-A, Pages should reach Triple-A this year with a chance to make his MLB debut in 2024. When he does, he might just have instant fantasy appeal.
Andrew Abbott - SP, Cincinnati Reds
Level: Double-A
2023 stats: 2 G, 2 GS, 1-0, 10.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, -0.73 FIP, 21.09 K/9, 0.84 BB/9, .222 BABIP
Abbott, a southpaw, is a former second-round pick who has looked much better in Double-A this season than he did at the end of the 2022 campaign. Quite simply, he struggled with walks, hits, and runs during the final half of last year with Chattanooga, though he seems to have bounced back so far this season.
The University of Virginia product has a low-90s fastball with solid cut that plays particularly well against left-handed hitting. Even more devastating, though, is his plus curveball with decent velocity and pronounced vertical break. This pitch complements his fastball quite nicely and has blossomed into a very strong putaway pitch. Abbott has also added a slider with good horizontal bite and a changeup that is a fine quaternary offering.
Abbott put on a show this past week, mowing down batters in his April 13 outing against Mississippi. The hurler lasted six innings, allowing zero runs, zero walks, and just two hits. By far most impressive, though, was the fact that he struck out 14 batters. Adding that total to his 11 strikeouts over 4.2 innings on April 6, Abbott now owns an otherworldly 21.09 K/9 rate.
Kyle Nevin - OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
Level: Single-A
2023 stats: 9 G, .486/.558/.649, 7 RBI, 8 R, 1 SB, 14.0 BB%, 20.9 K%, 232 wRC+, .567 wOBA, .643 BABIP
The son of Los Angeles Angels manager Phil Nevin, Kyle is off to a strong start in Single-A this season. As a recent draftee splitting 20 games between rookie ball and Single-A in 2022, he finished with a poor .496 OPS.
Despite a slow start to his pro career, the former 11th-round pick has traditionally been regarded for his impressive power from the right side of the plate, his quick bat speed, and his impressive ability to distribute the ball to all parts of the field. He also flashes speed on the basepaths and in the outfield.
Nevin certainly put his tools on display last week, going 14-for-26 at the plate with four doubles, four RBI, four walks, and four strikeouts. Los Angeles has no reason to rush the Baylor product through the minors, but if he keeps performing like this, he should earn the nod to High-A very soon.
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