X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Minor League Roundup - Who's Hot and Who's Not? (Week 5)

Minor league risers and fallers for Week 5 of the 2018 MLB season. Gurminder Singh identifies MiLB prospects for fantasy owners to watch and avoid in redraft and dynasty leagues.

In last week’s edition of “Who’s Hot, Who’s Not”, I mentioned Atlanta Braves pitcher Mike Soroka. After dominating Triple-A to start the season, Soroka was promoted to the Major Leagues on Tuesday, and made his big league debut. Soroka promptly dazzled with six innings of one-run ball.

Dane Dunning was also mentioned in last week’s piece, and the pitcher immediately got promoted to Double-A. This weekly piece won’t necessarily yield the same quick returns all the time, but you can count on some newsworthy developments from some of the game’s best, young talent.

Let's check out the first May edition of our minor league roundup with some big-name prospects that are making a case for promotions of their own.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Who’s Hot?

Yordan Alvarez, 1B, Houston Astros

Yordan Alvarez isn’t putting up out-of-the world numbers (yet), but coming into Tuesday, he’s been a very steady .280/.368/.500 almost a month in to the Double-A season. Alvarez has a modest five-game hitting streak, and he’s put up six doubles and four HR thus far. The left-handed hitting first baseman has also shown a knack for hitting left-handed pitching, picking up 11 hits in 27 AB versus southpaws.

Alvarez is the first baseman of the future for the Astros, and that is a future that could possibly come to fruition this season. Yulieski Gurriel has been struggling to start the season, although it’s still very early, but a team with championship aspirations (again) will not be able to tolerate anemic production from him all season. If Gurriel’s struggles continue halfway through this campaign, you can bet the Astros’ trigger finger will get rather itchy when it comes to giving Alvarez the call.

Jesus Luzardo, LHP, Oakland Athletics

Jesus Luzardo is gaining traction as one of the best left-handed pitching prospects in all of baseball. The A’s acquired him from the Nationals last summer, and the early results have been great.

The hard-throwing lefty is currently 2-1 with a 2.19 ERA and 0.89 WHIP in Single-A/Double-A. At just 20 years old, Luzardo could be on the fast track to the show, as he has already reached Double-A. He’s piled up strikeouts to the tune of 13.49 K/9, and he has an impressive 37/7 K/BB in 24 2/3 IP. Luzardo was not thought to be an option for Oakland this season, but he might just force their hand this season. If that happens, he could provide the A’s with a lethal 1-2 lefty combination along with Sean Manaea.

Austin Riley, 3B, Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves have shown the propensity to call some of their top prospects up early, and Austin Riley could be next in line for a promotion. The Braves are giving Jose Bautista a chance to play third base, but that obviously isn’t the long-term solution for the team.

Riley is hitting .310/.363/.619 in Double-A coming into Tuesday, and he also hit .315/.389/.511 at that level last season. The 21-year-old is carrying a bit of an 0-for-9 stretch, but the overall body of work at the level has been stellar. A call to Triple-A isn’t that far away for the young slugger, and if Bautista struggles like he did the last couple of years in Toronto, then Riley will be up to the big leagues very soon.

 

Who’s Not?

Chance Adams, RHP, New York Yankees

Chance Adams has exceeded the expectations of a fifth-round pick. The right-hander has dominated most levels throughout the minor leagues since he was selected by the Yankees in 2015. Adams has hit his first real rough patch in the minors this season, battling to a 5.11 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in five starts. In 24 2/3 IP, he has a 26/11 K/BB ratio.

Control has been a bit of a problem for Adams, even when he is dominating. In 337 2/3 minor league innings, he has a 3.12 BB/9, including 4.01 this season. If Adams hopes to sustain any success at the big-league level, then he is going to have to get that in check. If he can, then the 23-year-old can be a vital piece for the Yankees’ pitching staff (either as a starter or reliever) down the stretch this season.

Jorge Mateo, IF, Oakland Athletics

The Oakland A’s traded for Jorge Mateo in last season’s Sonny Gray trade. The speedy middle infielder hit .296 with eight HR in Double-A in 2017, and he added 24 stolen bases. He added another four HR and 28 steals in Single-A.

Mateo’s first taste of Triple-A has not been a success. He is hitting just .159/.195/.220, with a 4/25 BB/K ratio and four steals in six attempts. It was thought that the 22-year-old would get an opportunity with the big league club at some point this season. If the bat doesn’t catch fire, that may still happen; but it could only be in the context of a late-inning pinch-runner come September. Mateo still has some upside, and has improved his power numbers over the years, but this season’s value has definitely taken an early hit.

Mickey Moniak, OF, Philadelphia Phillies

Two years is not a large enough sample size to call a first overall pick a bust, but Mickey Moniak is certainly trending in that direction. The Phillies made him pick 1.1 in 2016, but Moniak has been a disappointment, for lack of a better word.

Moniak is getting his first taste of High-A ball, and he’s hitting just .213/.228/.258 heading into Tuesday. He has zero HR in 89 AB and has a 2/22 BB/K ratio. The soon-to-be 20-year-old has been better of late, but his struggles overall, as well as his subpar season last summer are great deals of concern. As a first-overall pick, Moniak will be given every opportunity to excel. That said, he is going to have to start producing soon.

 

More 2018 MLB Prospects Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Kon Knueppel

Struggles in Summer League Win
Walter Clayton Jr.

Plays Well on Friday Night
Cody Williams

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Leads the Way on Friday Night
Sauce Gardner

Wants to be Highest-Paid Cornerback
Rhamondre Stevenson

Heading into an Important Season
Minnesota Vikings

Josh Metellus, Vikings Have Mutual Interest in Extension
Tua Tagovailoa

2025 Could be Tua Tagovailoa's Last Season in Miami
Rashawn Slater

has "Full Confidence" a Deal Will Get Done
Byron Buxton

Returns on Friday
Isaiah Jackson

Signs Three-Year Extension
Jake Meyers

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Calf Strain
Brandon Lowe

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Oblique Tightness
Kodai Senga

Reinstated to Start on Friday
Alex Bregman

Officially Activated and Starting on Friday
Marvin Bagley III

Joining the Wizards
Herbert Jones

Signing Extension with Pelicans
Jacob Toppin

Returning to Hawks
Chicago Bears

Bears Extend General Manager Ryan Poles
Dalton Knecht

Avoids Serious Injury
MarShawn Lloyd

in a "Much Better Spot" Heading Into Training Camp
Javon Small

Signs Two-Way Deal
Dustin Hopkins

Browns Still Counting on Dustin Hopkins
Demarcus Robinson

Sentenced to Three Years of Probation
Jalen Nailor

In Line for WR3 Role in Minnesota
Andrew Thomas

Could Miss Start of 2025 Season
Alex Bregman

Expected to Return on Friday
Julio Rodríguez

Julio Rodriguez Won't Suit Up for Midsummer Classic
Trey Smith

Chiefs, Trey Smith Expected to Work Out Long-Term Extension
Bernhard Raimann

a Candidate for an Extension This Summer
C.J. Stroud

Could Sign Multi-Year Deal Before 2026 Season
Kyle Juszczyk

Says Christian McCaffrey Looks Healthy, Explosive
Kyren Williams

Showing Improved Explosiveness
Christian Barmore

"Dominant" this Spring
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
Pete Crow-Armstrong

Homers Twice, Drives in Three
Brice Matthews

Joining Astros
MLB

White Sox-Guardians Postponed on Thursday
Brandon Aiyuk

Likely to Begin Season on PUP List, but Not Ruled Out for Week 1
Jameson Williams

Not in the Team's Long-Term Plans?
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Micah Parsons

Plans to be Present for Start of Training Camp
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Ikem Ekwonu

Next Up for Extension in Carolina?
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Set To Open Up UFC Nashville Main Card
Junior Tafa

Set For Light-Heavyweight Bout
Alex Bregman

Will Return to Red Sox This Weekend
Chris Sale

Braves Won't Consider Trading Chris Sale
Clarke Schmidt

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery on Friday
Jalen Williams

Signs Contract Extension With Thunder
Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Byron Buxton

Sitting Thursday
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Are "Actively Trying to Trade" Anfernee Simons
NBA

Alex Ducas Heading to Australia
Dominick Barlow

Inks Two-Way Deal With 76ers
Jordan McLaughlin

Spurs Re-Sign Jordan McLaughlin to One-Year Deal
Dylan Harper

Out Thursday, Expected to Play Saturday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Homers Twice on Wednesday
Mike Trout

Homers Twice in Win Over Rangers
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Leads Yankees to Victory
Salvador Perez

Crushes Two Homers in Win
VJ Edgecombe

Diagnosed with a Sprained Thumb
Devin Booker

Agrees to Extension with Phoenix
Trevor Williams

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery
Byron Buxton

Exits After Hit-by-Pitch, X-Rays Negative
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Playing on Wednesday
Walter Clayton Jr.

Leads Jazz to Summer League Win
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF