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Eric Samulski identifies infield prospects who are under-the-radar and could be fantasy baseball sleepers. These rookies are breakout candidates in 2021.
When we talk about prospects, almost everybody wants to gravitate to the names at the top of the various lists; the guys like Wander Franco or Julio Rodriguez. The ones we've deemed "generational talents" or determined will "win you your league." But the issue, as we've seen with Vladimir Guerrero Jr., is that predicting prospect performance at the next level will always be a difficult task. We know the guys who are most likely to help your fantasy team, but just as often it's guys like Randy Arozarena or Trent Grisham who bounce around between organizations or seemingly "fail to deliver" when first given a chance who become the guys that help catapult you to success after we've forgotten about them.
With that in mind, I've been taking look at some prospects who are not likely to find their way to the top of many prospect lists but could help fantasy managers this season. Some of them may be raw, high-upside players who can contribute across the board, while others are more one-to-two category assets, but these are names I think aren't getting enough attention. Last week I looked at outfielders, so today is the chance to turn our attention to the infield. Rest assured that just because you're not going to find Wander Franco, Andrew Vaughn, Nolan Jones, Jeter Downs, or Jazz Chisholm on this list, doesn't mean there aren't useful names in their place.
I've modeled this list based on redraft leagues, so these are guys who could be solid late-round draft picks or names to have at the top of your waiver wire watch list as promotion dates inch closer. There are a lot of other exciting infielders on many prospect lists who don't get the love and attention they deserve from regular fantasy players, but we're only going to focus on guys who could reasonably be expected to contribute to your fantasy teams in 2021.
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Oneil Cruz - SS, Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates aren't going to win many games this year, which is probably the understatement of the year. I'm not even entirely sure the Pirates care that they're not going to win many games, but they do have some intriguing players in their farm system. Oneil Cruz is often the one that stands out the most and not only because he's a 6'7" shortstop. The 22-year-old also has some of the easiest natural power you'll see.
It looks like he slapped that over the shortstop's head, but the ball carries well out of the stadium. While he hasn't put that kind of power on display during games consistently so far, you simply can't teach that, and it makes him immediately interesting for fantasy purposes. Yet, what makes him more interesting is the way the Pirates organization has been talking about adding to his positional versatility in case he doesn't stick long-term at short.
In an interview with Ben Cherington, the GM said, “We do believe Oneil is a shortstop and capable of playing shortstop at the major league level. We also know that players need to be exposed to other positions. I don't know if many, or any players at the Major League level, didn't at least get some exposure to another position, some reps at another position as they get closer to the big leagues." That additional exposure, in addition to making him more valuable for fantasy, could also quicken Cruz's path to the major leagues (not that the Pirates really have anybody standing in his way).
In 35 games at Double-A in 2019, Cruz hit .269 and showed impressive patience with an 11% walk rate. He also reportedly looked good in offsite work last year, so if he shows well in Spring Training, there's a chance he starts the year at Triple-A and gets a chance to come up in the summer and show he's the long-term partner the Pirates need next to Ke'Bryan Hayes.
Sherten Apostel - 1B/3B, Texas Rangers
Another prospect on a team that isn't likely to win a lot of games this year, Apostel actually broke through to the majors last year despite having only played 41 games at High-A. Obviously, that mainly had to do with the unique nature of last season and not because Apostel was definitely ready for the level, with the 21-year-old hitting only .100 with a 42.9% strikeout rate in seven games.
Despite probably starting the year in Double-A, Apostel is likely to see time at the major league level again. Part of that is because of his clear power potential. With a big frame and the potential to make hard contact, Apostel has a clear swing and build to produce major league power. He hit 19 HR with a .203 ISO in 2019, so the power will almost certainly translate. He also has too much swing-and-miss in his game right now, so he would be more of a Bobby Dalbec type player if he gets called up, but with slightly less pop.
However, despite his limitations, only Rougned Odor stands in his way at 3B, and it seems like Odor may be on his last legs in Texas. If the results aren't there for the veteran early on, I can see Texas giving Apostel a chance to take the job or at least showcase him for another team. With 1B being Apostel's likely future home, the Rangers' deal for Nate Lowe may have sapped a bit of his long-term value, especially considering another name on this list is coming for that 3B job. The Rangers may need to see what Apostel can do against major league pitching this year to decide if he's part of their long-term plans at 1B/DH or whether they may want to flip him to a team with more long-term holes at the corner.
Jose Garcia - SS, Cincinnati Reds
Remember last year when the young Reds prospect put on a show in Spring Training? Well, it doesn't seem like many others do either. After becoming a prospect darling despite never playing above High-A, Garcia expectedly flopped in his first taste of the majors, hitting .194 with a 38.2% strikeout rate. Now he seems like a forgotten man. However, Garcia is still an athletic player with a quick, upper-cut swing designed for Great American Ballpark.
Considering Garcia is also an above-average shortstop, who, prior to his MLB cup of coffee, had shown good contact ability and serious 20-20 potential, it's best that we don't forget about him. The Reds lost Freddy Galvis and have, so far, only replaced him with Kyle Farmer, so there is a real chance that Garcia may play half a season at the Major Leagues after getting some more exposure to upper-level pitching to start the year. Don't let one aggressive promotion throw you off the scent; this is a player you may definitely want to stash in deep leagues with big enough benches.
Josh Jung - 3B, Texas Rangers
While Apostel is technically closer to the big leagues, since he played during his 2020 cup of coffee, Jung likely the future at 3B for the Rangers. While I know there are some doubts about his defense at the hot corner, the dude can flat out hit, batting .316 across two levels in his professional debut in 2019. During his time at Texas Tech, and in the minors, he showed a great feel for the strike zone, advanced barrel contact, and the ability to hit for power. He may not have the raw power Apostel does, but he's the far superior all-around hitter.
The good thing for Jung is that he seems very likely to stick at 3B. He absolutely has the arm strength and as a former SS, he has the agility to man 3B, so while he isn't a plus with the glove, he can be a solid defensive 3B. But the power needs to come. So far in this professional career, he's been more geared towards contact, but I think he has 25+ HR pop in the bat, which makes him an intriguing high batting average hitter with power potential. If he can show that power early in the season in the minors, I'd expect the Rangers to call him up early in the summer to see what they have in their former first-round pick. If he does hear his name called, I expect a solid batting average with some chip in stats all around.
Taylor Walls - SS, Tampa Bay Rays
Yes, Wall is a prospect in the Rays organization and also happens to play the same position as the top prospect in all of baseball, so his call-up would appear unlikely. However, Walls is an older prospect, at 24 years old, with a third-round draft pedigree of his own who has shown a good power-speed combo at all levels of the minors so far, so he shouldn't be dismissed.
When you look at Walls' stats, the first thing that stands out is his stolen base total. He swiped 31 bases in 2018 and 28 across two levels in 2019; however, he's also a switch hitter with the ability to hit for average and a little power from both sides of the plate. After showing well in high-A, Walls dominated Double-A and also continued his power growth with a .209 ISO, good for ninth in the league (as well as ranking 9th in SLG).
What might get him to the majors quicker than people think is his defense. By most reports, Walls is possibly even a better defender at short than Wander Franco. Now, that doesn't mean Walls will necessarily push Franco off of shortstop, but it's a possibility. In the more immediate, it means that Walls, who has also played 2B and 3B in the minors, could likely find another home on the diamond if the Rays wanted to keep both prospects on the field at the same time.
Because of Tampa Bay's depth, you're not going to draft Walls in any leagues, but if there is an injury or two on the infield, don't be surprised to see him up in Tampa as a fantasy asset you'd grab for the steals and enjoy for the well-rounded production.
Geraldo Perdomo - SS, Arizona Diamondbacks
At 21-years-old, Perdomo is a bit of a longshot to reach the majors this year, but there are a few things working in his favor. For one, the Diamondbacks are in a stacked division and are facing a steep uphill battle to make the playoffs. Secondly, Perdomo is a strong defensive shortstop. He has plus athleticism and smooth hands, which will be the easiest way to break into the lineup considering the Diamondbacks current starter at SS, Nick Ahmed, is a defensive-first option who can sprinkle in a little bit of power-speed.
Speed is something that Perdomo also has in spades. He's a bit too aggressive on the basepaths right now, but you tend to see that more at the lower levels of the minors. The kid can run, which is good because he also has elite feel for the strike zone. When you pair that with his strong contact ability from both sides of the plate, you get a hitter who is going to get on base a fair amount and cause problems for opposing defenses. Yes, he might never hit for tons of power, and certainly not this year, but he can help you in every other category.
I expect Perdomo to begin the year at Double-A, but the Diamondbacks don't have anybody especially stalwart blocking him in Ahmed and newly signed 2B Asdrubal Cabrera. If the playoffs look like a longshot, as I expect they will, Perdomo could get a mid/late summer call-up and be a strong option for fantasy managers to pick up steals at the end of the season. You don't need to draft him in redraft leagues, but I would certainly keep him on your radar.
Cal Raleigh - C, Seattle Mariners
Okay, putting Raleigh on here is cheating a bit because he's a catcher, but he's a name that intrigues me. In 2019, Raleigh led all Minor League catchers with 29 home runs across two levels. The power is legit.
While he will likely only be an average hitter in terms of batting average, that can still be a plus at the catcher position. In fact, during that 2019 minor league season, Raleigh hit .251/.323/.497 with 82 RBIs to go along with those 29 HRs in 121 games. If he can be a .240 hitter at the major league level with that kind of slugging ability, he would be an asset in most leagues.
The other benefit for Raleigh has been his jump in defensive ability behind the dish. He doesn't have a great arm, but he has soft hands and has reportedly made great strides as a framer due to a highly touted work ethic. If Raleigh has molded himself into a plus framer with real power, then he becomes a more exciting fantasy prospect than either of the current starters Luis Torrens and Tom Murphy. Raleigh will begin the season in Double-A or Triple-A, but he's likely the next name called if either guy struggles or gets hurt. Given the Mariners' stated desire to share catching duties, Raleigh would become immediately interesting in two-catcher leagues and potentially deeper single-catcher leagues if that power starts to play up from the beginning.
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