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Andersen looks at the top prospects coming off an impressive week in the minor leagues heading into Week 18 (2024). These MLB prospects may become strong fantasy baseball waiver-wire stashes or pickups.
Welcome back, RotoBallers! We're heading into Week 18 of the fantasy baseball season. Even as the All-Star Break led to a reduced schedule last week, there were still plenty of big plays and impressive prospect performances throughout Minor League Baseball.
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.
Savvy fantasy managers looking for an edge in their leagues 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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Omar De Los Santos - OF, New York Mets
Level: High-A
2024 stats: 61 G, .157/.243/.301, 6 HR, 18 RBI, 31 R, 35 SB, 9.4% BB%, 31.4% K%, .194 BABIP, .255 wOBA, 56 wRC+
De Los Santos signed with the Mets out of the Dominican Republic in 2019. At 24, he's on the older side for someone in High-A, but his results as of late could earn him consideration for a promotion to Double-A. The outfielder has a subpar swing that has led to real swing-and-miss concerns, but he's come into a little bit of power lately. He's having one of his better years defensively, compiling a .972 fielding percentage between his two primary positions, right and center field. Finally, his speed can't be ignored, as he's swiped 35 bags (and counting) thus far.
Last week, De Los Santos extended his hitting streak to four games. Over the course of three contests, he went 4-for-10 with two homers, three RBI, one walk, and three strikeouts. He also stole two bases along the way. De Los Santos will need to show that these results are sustainable before the Mets bring him back up to Double-A.
Omar De Los Santos with his third home run in four games gives Brooklyn the lead.pic.twitter.com/3IM5S91j4l
— Farm To Flushing (@FarmToFlushing) July 21, 2024
Devereaux Harrison - SP, Toronto Blue Jays
Level: Double-A
2024 stats: 17 G, 17 GS, 4-5, 82.2 IP, 4.25 ERA, 4.44 FIP, 7.73 K/9, 4.46 BB/9, 0.87 HR/9, .264 BABIP, 34.3% GB%
Harrison, a Long Beach State product, was selected in the ninth round of the 2022 draft. Originally labeled a reliever, Harrison has transitioned to the rotation and has not made an appearance out of the bullpen this year. He headlines his repertoire with a mid-90s fastball with good life and impressive metrics. He also throws a changeup and breaking ball, but both are merely average secondary pitches at the moment. He's continued to show trouble with command and control, and it would also be nice to see him induce a few more groundouts.
Harrison had an impressive outing last week, nearly silencing the Harrisburg Senators on Friday. He tossed six shutout innings, allowing just one hit and three walks. He also struck out a whopping 10 batters in the effort. This tied his longest outing of the season, and it was also his first shutout appearance since a four-inning gem on May 8.
Devereaux Harrison was masterful last night for Double-A New Hampshire in a 3-2 win posting his first career double-digit strikeout game.
W, 6 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 10 K's
After his disastrous first two starts of the year Harrison has posted a 3.14 ERA across his last 15 starts
— Blue Jays Prospect Tracker (@jays_tracker) July 20, 2024
Rubel Cespedes - 1B/3B, Minnesota Twins
Level: High-A
2024 stats: 71 G, .289/.361/.459, 10 HR, 31 RBI, 35 R, 3 SB, 9.9% BB%, 19.8% K%, .338 BABIP, .378 wOBA, 133 wRC+
Cespedes signed with the Twins out of the Dominican Republic in 2019. He's generally a solid hitter, capable of working walks, demonstrating power, and hitting to all parts of the field, but he has shown some susceptibility to elevated fastballs. Nevertheless, he has kept his strikeout rate at a decent level, especially for a power hitter. He's also an appealing player defensively, showcasing enough glovework and arm strength to play both corner infield roles. He's even earned some looks at second base.
Last week, Cespedes went 6-for-11 with two homers, three RBI, one walk, and one strikeout. His statistics this year are generally impressive, so it wouldn't be much of a surprise if he earns a mid-season promotion to Double-A.
Rubel Cespedes, our No. 14 prospect by @fangraphs, mashed his 9th and 10th HRs of the season for the @CRKernels 💣
3-for-4
2 HR (102mph/102mph)
3 RBI
2 runs scoredOn the season, he has a .820 OPS, which is the 8th best in the Midwest League (min. 300 PA)📈#MNTwins pic.twitter.com/8hKiHZ7vZn
— Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) July 22, 2024
Ricky Castro - SP, Minnesota Twins
Level: Single-A
2024 stats: 8 G, 5 GS, 4-2, 1 SV, 29.0 IP, 3.72 ERA, 3.06 xFIP, 12.10 K/9, 3.10 BB/9, 0.93 HR/9, .262 BABIP, 28.1% GB%
Castro has emerged as a success story early in his Twins tenure. The right-hander was signed out of the Frontier League in late May, so he's had less than two months in affiliated ball. Nevertheless, he has pitched well enough that Minnesota has already promoted him from Single-A to High-A. Castro gets outs by missing bats, as evidenced by his relatively high strikeout rate and low ground-ball rate. He's made appearances as both a starter and reliever, and while he certainly can occupy a rotation role, he likely won't go more than four innings in an average start.
In his final Single-A outing last week, Castro went five innings, tying his longest outing of the year. He allowed one hit and one hit batsman while striking out seven batters. Undrafted out of college, signed out of indy ball, and already promoted to High-A, Castro has shown an ability to defy the odds and challenge pro hitters in every appearance.
Ricky Castro has been promoted from Fort Myers to Cedar Rapids. Also, LHP Connor Prielipp has been activated from the 60-Day Injured List and is rejoining the Kernels.
— Seth Stohs (@SethTweets) July 22, 2024
Rodolfo Nolasco - OF, San Francisco Giants
Level: High-A
2024 stats: 69 G, .223/.321/.397, 10 HR, 40 RBI, 28 R, 8 SB, 11.5% BB%, 38.7% K%, .349 BABIP, .334 wOBA, 104 wRC+
Nolasco signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates out of the Dominican Republic in 2018, but he shifted organizations in May 2024 after the Giants acquired him in exchange for pitcher Daulton Jefferies. Nolasco is a strong and physical hitter, which has allowed him to tap into plenty of power throughout his young career. However, he does not have a polished swing, and as a result, his strikeout rate has steadily increased in each of the last few years. Defensively, he lacks the range to play up the middle, and there are also questions about whether he's capable of sticking in right field long-term.
Last week, Nolasco went 6-for-12 with two home runs, three doubles, five RBI, one walk, and four strikeouts. It's a promising surge, but it's too soon to go overboard with the hype. A 38.7 percent strikeout rate in High-A is concerning, especially for someone who may rotate between left field and designated hitter over the long haul.
Rodolfo Nolasco was 2 for 4 with two home runs in Saturday’s victory over Tri-City pic.twitter.com/MgAC6gSpaZ
— SFGProspects (@SFGProspects) July 21, 2024
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