Impact Fantasy Baseball Prospects Ready To Shine: Dylan Crews, Connor Norby, Jordan Beck

August 8, 2024

Jarod analyzes three top fantasy baseball prospects - Dylan Crews, Connor Norby, Jordan Beck - who could make big impacts this season. These MLB prospects are potential waiver wire pick-ups or stashes.

It's Week 21 of the MLB season, and some teams are positioning themselves for a deep postseason run while some are already prepping for next season. How do you prep for next season, you ask? Teams bring up top prospects in order to give them a taste of big-league pitching before thrusting them into full-time roles the following season.

With fantasy managers picking the waiver wire clean at this point in the season, prospect call-ups can be a fresh injection of offense, so it is important to know who might be on the way and what they can offer. I wanted to highlight three fantasy baseball prospects who could make notable impacts for their teams (and your fantasy teams) down the stretch.

These players are potential stash candidates if you don't want to miss out, especially in deeper leagues. I included the availability of each player in Yahoo leagues with each breakdown. Let's take a look at some of the hottest names in the minor leagues!

Dylan Crews - OF, Washington Nationals

Current Level: Triple-A Rochester
Availability: 10% rostered
2024 AA stats: 51 G, .274/.343/.446, 5 HR, 38 RBI, 26 R, 15 SB
2024 AAA stats: 36 G, .258/.329/.439, 4 HR, 17 RBI, 21 R, 6 SB

After a 3-for-4 day at the plate, Dylan Crews has his batting average up to .258 through 36 Triple-A games. He's more than held his own in his first sample of the highest level of the minors, slashing .258/.329/.439 with 10 doubles, three triples, and four homers plus six stolen bases. What may even be more telling about whether or not he's ready to test his mettle against major league pitching is that he's lowered his strikeout rate considerably since joining Rochester, from 23.7% at Double-A to just 16.8% for the Red Wings.

Have a game, Dylan Crews!

MLB's No. 4 overall prospect (@Nationals) goes 3-for-4 with a triple, double and a stolen base for the Triple-A @RocRedWings. pic.twitter.com/vrGsT65OzX

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 7, 2024

While not mathematically eliminated, the Nationals are more or less out of playoff contention at this point. Crews is a good bet to make the Opening Day roster in 2025, so before throwing him into the fire next season, the Nationals likely have plans to bring the 22-year-old up for a taste of major league pitching before the season is out. Time is starting to run out, though, which means they'll have to make a move soon. Perhaps Crews' three-hit day becomes the catalyst that puts him on a hot streak that leads to his eventual promotion.

MLB's fourth-ranked prospect offers some pop, perhaps not for a ton of home runs but certainly for extra bases, and also has the speed to steal some bases, so there is fantasy appeal here. The former first-round draft pick is available in 90% of Yahoo leagues, so he should be scooped up in deeper leagues for fantasy managers with an available bench spot, and in shallower leagues, he would become a viable waiver option whenever he does get the call.

Connor Norby - 2B, Miami Marlins

Current Level: Triple-A Jacksonville
Availability: 4% rostered
2024 AAA stats: 84 G, .294/.382/.506, 16 HR, 57 RBI, 72 R, 13 SB
2024 MLB stats: 9 G, .188/.188/.406, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R, 0 SB

Connor Norby was having himself a great season at Triple-A Norfolk in the Orioles organization, even making a nine-game cameo with the O's between June and July before being traded to the Marlins as part of the Trevor Rogers trade. In 80 games for the Tide, Norby posted a .297-16-57-71-13 line, and while the strikeouts were high (27.7%), he also walked at an above-average rate (12.5%).

3-hit night for Connor Norby vs. 3 different pitchers pic.twitter.com/boHIEbroFZ

— Fish On First (@FishOnFirst) August 7, 2024

So far in the Marlins organization, Norby hasn't done much of note, although he has collected five hits in four games. Miami has the third-worst record in baseball and is going nowhere this year. Norby offers an offensive upgrade over the likes of Otto Lopez, who is currently manning the keystone for the Marlins. In a full season, the former fifth-round pick profiles as a 20-plus homer hitter and has enough speed to steal bases, reaching double-digit steals in three consecutive seasons.

Managers who were relying on Jordan Westburg or Luis Rengifo as their second baseman and recently lost them to injury might consider picking up Norby in anticipation of a late-season call-up if there aren't many worthwhile replacements on the waiver wire. The youngster is available in nearly all Yahoo leagues for the taking.

Jordan Beck - OF, Colorado Rockies

Level: Triple-A Albuquerque
Availability: 1% rostered
2024 AAA stats: 35 G, .317/.406/.579, 8 HR, 32 RBI, 35 R, SB 6
2024 MLB stats: 23 G, .190/.198/.316, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 4 R, 2 SB

Drafted in 2022, Jordan Beck quickly ascended through the ranks of the Rockies organization, culminating with his major league debut earlier this season. Unfortunately, a fractured left hand put his season on hold in May, but he came off the IL in late July and has been hot since his return. The 23-year-old is on a four-game multi-hit streak, during which time he's 10-for-19 (.526) with two home runs, two RBI, six runs scored, and a stolen base.

Jordan Beck delivers for the Triple-A @ABQTopes!

The @Rockies No. 3 prospect leaves the yard for his ninth hit in four games. pic.twitter.com/O3ZfC0KaE8

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 8, 2024

While Beck's batting average from his time in Colorado might not have jumped off the page, he's clearly the future, as Jake Cave and Sam Hilliard are not. With the Rockies fading into the basement of the National League standings, the Rockies would be wise to give Beck another shot before the season is out. This recent hot streak might propel him to the majors once again, and managers in deeper leagues that are in need of some offense could take a flier on a youngster who would call Coors Field home.

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