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Jarod analyzes three top fantasy baseball prospects - Junior Caminero, Jasson Dominguez, Jace Jung - who could make big impacts this season. These MLB prospects are potential waiver wire pick-ups or stashes.
As we head into the final weeks of the season, fantasy managers are looking around to see who can help solidify their lineups. While we've seen numerous prospects make their debuts this season, there are still more on the way.
Some are lower-tier prospects while some are of course top-tier. I wanted to highlight three top-tier fantasy baseball prospects who could make notable impacts for their teams (and your fantasy teams) down the stretch in 2024 and into next season.
These names could become household names and valuable fantasy assets for years to come. I included the availability of each player in Yahoo leagues with each breakdown. Let's take a look at some of the hottest names!
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Junior Caminero - 3B, Tampa Bay Rays
Current Level: MLB
Availability: 53% rostered
2024 MLB stats: 2 G, .143/.250/.143, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 R, 1 SB
2024 AAA stats: 53 G, .276/.331/.498, 13 HR, 34 RBI, 33 R, 1 SB
It seemed Junior Caminero's 2024 debut was imminent after hitting .309 with seven home runs over his first 27 games, but a 3-for-33 (.091) stretch from mid-to-late-May threw cold water on it.
Then a quad strain that sent him to the IL put the debut on ice. Thankfully, when he returned, the 21-year-old picked up where he left off, belting three home runs on a rehab assignment in the Florida Complex League, then hitting .304 with five home runs in 19 games in his return to Triple-A.
After the trade deadline passed and the dust settled, Caminero finally returned to the majors after a brief 2023 debut. As of this writing, MLB's No. 2 overall prospect has just two games under his belt in 2024.
To the disappointment of fantasy managers who had stashed him in anticipation of his return, the Dominican has gone just 1-for-8 with no homers, RBI, or runs scored yet.
Looking on the bright side though, he's already stolen a base after stealing just one in 53 games at Triple-A this season, and his lone hit came off the bat at 116.3 mph.
Junior Caminero's first hit back in The Show comes at 116.3 mph, a top 50 exit velocity recorded during the MLB season.
MLB's No. 2 prospect (@RaysBaseball) ranked second at Triple-A in avg. EV and hard-hit rate prior to his callup. pic.twitter.com/Fq92nf5wTX
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 14, 2024
Patience will be key here, but Caminero has elite power, so when he starts rolling he'll reward fantasy managers handsomely and it should be just in time for the fantasy baseball playoffs.
Jasson Dominguez - OF, New York Yankees
Current Level: Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
Availability: 23% rostered
2024 AA stats: 10 G, .316/.350/.632, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 8 R, 1 SB
2024 AAA stats: 24 G, .280/.343/.430, 3 HR, 14 RBI, 12 R, 7 SB
Like the aforementioned Caminero, Jasson Dominguez had a productive 2023 in the minors that catapulted him into the majors by season's end. He showed well for the Yankees, slashing .258/.303/.677 in an 8-game cameo before an elbow injury forced Tommy John surgery.
After such a performance, it seemed it wouldn't be long until Dominguez would be back with the big league club, especially after hitting .356 with six home runs in 23 games across three levels of the minors to begin the 2024 campaign after his return from Tommy John.
But with the Yankees signing Alex Verdugo and Juan Soto along with Aaron Judge, the Yanks were set in the outfield. Eventually Giancarlo Stanton would return as well, plus they also acquired Trent Grisham, so there was no path to playing time.
Also like Caminero, an injury would sidetrack Dominguez's season after tweaking an oblique in June, sidelining him until late July.
Since his return from the IL, "the Martian" is hitting just .211 with three extra-base hits in 15 games, so coupled with a crowded outfield, there is no urgency to get him back on the big league roster.
Despite this, Dominguez remains the Yankees' top prospect (MLB No. 17), and with such a high ceiling, fantasy managers with an available bench spot should continue to stash him in the event of a call-up (don't force it though, as it is not imminent!).
Dominguez's calling card is his power, but he also has speed, nearly swiping 40 bags in consecutive seasons in 2022 and 2023.
Speed Kills! ⚡
No. 1 @Yankees prospect Jasson Domínguez legs out an infield single, advances to second on the errand throw, and then swipes third base! pic.twitter.com/aLOACk10LX
— SWB RailRiders (@swbrailriders) August 15, 2024
If not at any point this season, the switch-hitter appears poised to make a run at superstardom in 2025, and it will be fun to watch him in the same lineup as Judge and possibly Soto and/or Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Jace Jung - 2B/3B, Detroit Tigers
Level: MLB
Availability: 5% rostered
2024 MLB stats: N/A -- expected to debut August 16
2024 AAA stats: 91 G, .257/.377/.454, 14 HR, 60 RBI, 50 R, 2 SB
Jace Jung was drafted in 2022 and has quickly moved through the ranks of the Tigers organization, culminating with his expected big league debut on Friday, August 16.
The Tigers are reportedly calling up MLB's No. 64 overall prospect (DET No. 5) Jace Jung for what would be his Big League debut! pic.twitter.com/zlRk4izS02
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) August 15, 2024
Jung began 2023 at High-A and earned a promotion to Double-A where he put up even better numbers, slashing .284/.373/.563 with 14 home runs in just 47 games.
That propelled him to Triple-A to start this season where the 23-year-old has slashed .257/.377/.454 with 14 home runs in 91 games.
Like the two other prospects discussed here, Jung was sidelined for a bit with an injury, having suffered soreness in his right wrist. It appears as though the injury is a thing of the past though, as Jung was riding a nine-game hit streak before a hitless day this past Tuesday.
During the nine-game stretch, the former first-round draft pick went 12-for-35 (.343) with three doubles, six RBI, seven runs scored, a stolen base, and perhaps most impressively -- a 9:5 BB:K.
A good eye at the plate has been an attribute that Jung has carried throughout his minor league career, carrying a 15.4% BB% since his pro debut, which has led to a career OBP of .377.
Colt Keith is the current Tigers second baseman, so it's likely Jung sees time at third. The left-handed hitter has 60-grade power that may keep him at third long-term, although he's currently only eligible at 2B on Yahoo.
Managers looking for a potential power boost could consider rostering the Texas Tech product, although it might be best to see how he handles his first taste of major league pitching. Eligibility at 3B should come with time and positional flexibility could give him some added fantasy value.
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