A couple of pretty good prospects were called up this week. One was sent down just as soon as he came up, and another looks like he is here to stay. The one brought up and then down: Jameson Taillon, who started against the Mets, only to be demoted right after that start. The one to be brought up and stay up: Tim Anderson, shortstop for the Chicago White Sox.

Anderson had been doing very well at Triple-A and now appears to be the full-time shortstop for the ChiSox after journeyman Jimmy Rollins was designated for assignment. With Anderson’s speed and likely placement near the top of the lineup, he is worth a look in all 12+ team leagues, and possibly for some teams in 10 team leagues who are in need of shortstop help.

Editors Note: Check out all of RotoBaller's MLB prospects analysis here. You can also head over to the prospect rankings dashboard. Our Rankings Assistant is a handy free tool where you can find team-specific prospect breakdowns, tiered positional rankings, 500+ player outlooks, dynasty ranks and more - all in one easy place.

 

Top MLB Prospects - Fantasy Baseball Power Rankings

To be clear, this list is not the top 30 prospects in baseball. This is a list of the top 30 prospects who are likely going to rise to the major leagues and provide fantasy baseball value this season. The qualifications are simple: a player must not be on an active roster, they must have a clear path to the majors, and while they may have played in seasons prior to 2016, they must still have rookie eligibility. If a player is moved to the active roster of their team, they will be removed from this power rankings list and replaced.

 

1. Jameson Taillon (SP, PIT, AAA)
Stats: 61.2 IP, 2.04 ERA, 1.97 FIP, 8.90 K/9, 0.88 BB/9, 0.29 HR/9, 0.81 WHIP
ETA: This week
Taillon was very impressive in his big league debut, but clearly not impressive enough as the Pirates optioned him shortly after the game. Taillon dealt six innings of six hit, three run baseball with only two walks allowed and three strikeouts against the New York Mets. It may not have been enough to keep him in the big leagues that time around, but Taillon will be back and he will be back soon. From what it sounded like, the move of sending him down was more of a roster decision as they were short on arms and needed some help for the bullpen. No matter the reason, I would be extremely surprised if Taillon were not promoted before June 20 and kept up in the big leagues for good. He is simply too good to keep locked away in the minors while Jeff Locke proudly owns both an ERA and FIP above 5.00.

2. Blake Snell (SP, TB, AAA)
Stats: 63.0 IP, 3.29 ERA, 2.58 FIP, 12.86 K/9, 4.00 BB/9, 0.57 HR/9, 1.33 WHIP
ETA: This Thursday
Snell took a major jump up in the rankings for one very simple reason. He is going to be promoted (probably for good) this week to start against the Mariners. I could give a long spiel about how the Rays’ rotation really needs some help and how Blake Snell would be a major upgrade, but instead I’m just going to say that he will be promoted with Matt Andriese moving to the bullpen. He should now officially be owned in all leagues if he wasn’t before. Go and get Blake Snell today. He has immense strikeout upside and knows how to miss bats.

3. Tyler Glasnow (SP, PIT, AAA)
Stats: 71.0 IP, 1.90 ERA, 2.83 FIP, 10.90 K/9, 4.56 BB/9, 0.38 HR/9, 1.20 WHIP
ETA: Late June
I have been very overanxious about the call-up time regarding Tyler Glasnow (partially because I own him in a number of my league and am very excited for when he can be up), but nonetheless I am genuinely surprised as a baseball analyst that he has not received a promotion yet. Sure he has command issues, but those have always been well documented. And besides, not only does he miss enough bats to make up for a few extra walks, but it would certainly be better for him to work under pitching guru Ray Searage than the Triple-A pitching coach. Fantasy owners can afford to be a little bit patient, however, as the upside is absolutely tremendous. This is a guy who can become one of the premier strikeout pitchers in the game once he gets his chance and could start producing top of the rotation stuff as soon as he is called up. He is definitely worth stashing in most leagues, even if the call-up is still a little ways a way (don’t worry though, at the very least I am certain he will be up before August)

4. Trea Turner (2B, WAS, AAA)
Stats: 250 PA, .305/.369/.462, 3 HR, 19 SB, 19.6% K rate, 9.6% BB rate
ETA: Next week
The Nationals are taking this veterans over rookies (or defense over offense) thing a bit too seriously. We are in the middle of June and Espinosa is batting .214 and striking out 23.6% of the time. It’s not like the Nationals are a losing team and waiting to continue his service time clock and it’s not like Danny Espinosa is an established bat who is just mired in a rough season (like Joey Votto) and is just expected to play out of it. He has never hit well and that should not change this season. Turner, meanwhile has torn up Triple-A (see above numbers) and is batting a clean 1.000 in the majors this season. It should not be long before the Nationals get tired of Espinosa and his sub-.300 OBP and just make the call permanently for Turner to help their team. The 22-year-old shortstop should already be owned in most leagues, and that should only trend upward as a more permanent promotion should be coming up next for him.

5. Alex Bregman (SS, HOU, AA)
Stats: 216 PA, .310/.409/.592, 13 HR, 4 SB, 9.3% K rate, 12.5% BB rate
ETA: Late June
When Carlos Correa hurt his ankle last week, I’m sure many were immediately getting ready to pounce on Alex Bregman in all fantasy leagues. For those of you hoping that it was going to be Bregman’s time, I’m sorry, it looks like Correa will be returning to the starting lineup shortly. But don’t worry, Bregman will be getting his time. But he may have to wait a little bit. Since May 24, Astros third baseman Luis Valbuena has been on a tear, slashing .328/.431/.623 with five of his seven home runs coming in that span. This recent hot play has been built on an unsustainable .405 BABIP in that span, but for now it will keep Bregman in the minors. For fantasy owners of the talented shortstop prospect, expect to see him promoted to Triple-A and get a week or two there before going straight to the majors. I still fully expect to see him in the big leagues before the All-Star Break for Houston and he has enough of everything to offer from a fantasy perspective to make himself a must-own in all leagues.

6. Orlando Arcia (SS, MIL, AAA)
Stats: 242 PA, .292/.331/.407, 4 HR, 9 SB, 14.0% K rate, 5.4% BB rate
ETA: Late June
Aaron Hill, once thought to be a toxic asset both due to contract and poor performance, has put together a strong season that has seen him slash .261/.351/.403 with six home runs, three stolen bases and a very promising 0.83 BB/K ratio, the highest of his big league career. He and speedy shortstop Jonathan Villar have both turned in very solid seasons and appear very likely to be moved. If either of those moves take place (which I suspect both will), expect to see promising shortstop prospect Orlando Arcia reach the big leagues. Arcia has continued to do exactly what he did last season at Double-A: hit, hit and hit some more. He is clearly Major League ready and likely would have been promoted already if he played for a contender. For fantasy owners, Arcia can provide some speed, a little bit of pop and a very reliable batting average.

7. A.J. Reed (1B, HOU, AAA)
Stats: 201 PA, .244/.348/.471, 8 HR, 0 SB, 22.4% K rate, 13.9% BB rate
ETA: Mid-June
Going back to the Houston Astros and their early season struggles at the corner infield positions, let’s take a quick look at Tyler White. White began the year with so much promise. Between April 4 and April 20, he was slashing .340/.404/.720 with five home runs (albeit with a 29.8% strikeout rate). But something happened. Since April 20, White is slashing .161/.248/.271 with only three home runs. Ouch. Marwin Gonzalez hasn’t done much better, but lately he has picked up the slack, slashing .368/.415/.447 since May 31 (with the help of a .438 BABIP). What does all this turmoil mean? It means that A.J. Reed should soon be reaching the big leagues. He has not hit for the type of batting average, but he has still shown solid power and solid plate discipline. And for fantasy owners who are not so sure, Astros GM Jeff Luhnow said recently, “He’s getting closer. No question about it. . . I don’t think we’re that far away.” If you need help at first base and he is available in your league, it may be time to go ahead and stash him.

8. Lucas Giolito (SP, WAS, AA)
Stats: 61.1 IP, 2.64 ERA, 3.02 FIP, 9.10 K/9, 4.26 BB/9, 0.15 HR/9, 1.35 WHIP
ETA: Mid-July
Giolito has been on some kind of a roll recently. Since the debacle he had on May 4 when he allowed six earned runs in three innings, he has been absolutely dealing. He has thrown 42.2 innings over those next seven starts, allowing only 13 runs (seven earned) to the tune of a 1.48 ERA. Oh yeah, and he has a 9.49 K/9 and 3.16 BB/9 rate in that time frame. His last outing in particular was really something to behold. The top prospect in baseball produced seven scoreless innings in which he gave up only four hits and one walk while striking out 12. He should soon receive a promotion to Triple-A. And if Joe Ross continues to take some tumbles like he has recently (4.33 ERA, 4.55 FIP in six starts since May 10), we could see an opening emerge for the talented right-hander. There is still hope for those of you who stashed Giolito early in the season.

9. Alex Reyes (SP, STL, AAA)
Stats: 16.2 IP, 3.78 ERA, 2.89 FIP, 16.20 K/9, 4.32 BB/9, 0.54 HR/9, 1.26 WHIP
ETA: Late June
There have been some rumors lately that the Cardinals are considering moving one of their starters to their bullpen to make room for Reyes in the rotation. That would be good because none of their guys have been particularly great this season. None have a sub-3.40 ERA, none have a sub-3.40 FIP and only two even have a sub-4.20 ERA. Which of their starters do they shift to the bullpen? I can’t say for sure, but they may have to force something just to get Reyes to the big leagues. The Dominican right-hander got a late start to his season thanks to a suspension after testing positive for marijuana (which I think is ridiculous to be suspended 50 games for that, but that’s a rant for another day) and has since been unreal in Triple-A. He had a clunker his last time out, but before that he lasted six innings where he allowed only two runs on two hits and two walks with 11 strikeouts. He is big league ready, even if only for a bullpen role, and should be in St. Louis’ rotation by the end of the summer. If he does get that promotion, he should be owned in all leagues as the 50-game suspension could allow him to start more games in the backend of the season.

10. Willson Contreras (C, CHC, AAA)
Stats: 226 PA, .356/.447/.597, 9 HR, 4 SB, 13.3% K rate, 11.9% BB rate
ETA: Post-All-Star Break
The Cubs have reportedly been in talks with the Yankees about possibly acquiring one of the three backend relievers. That may not mean too much to too many, but it certainly means that a top prospect like Willson Contreras could be on the move. If Contreras is involved in that deal, most of his 2016 fantasy value would go down the drain as he certainly would not steal playing time away from Brian McCann behind home plate. But if he stays in Chicago, there is still a very solid chance he reaches the big leagues shortly after the All-Star Break. Contreras has been on a whole other planet this season in Triple-A while current Cubs’ catchers Miguel Montero and David Ross have struggled immensely. A promotion will almost certainly happen for the promising Cubs’ catcher, the only question from a fantasy owner’s perspective should be: how much playing time will he receive? And it is really unknown. But if you are in a two-catcher league, he would be an absolute must-own regardless of potential playing time.

11. Josh Hader (SP, MIL, AAA)
Stats: 57.0 IP, 0.95 ERA, 2.11 FIP, 11.53 K/9, 3.00 BB/9, 0.16 HR/9, 1.00 WHIP
ETA: Late June/Early July
The first couple sentences of a pitcher’s paragraph are normally where I talk about the team’s current pitching situation, but with Milwaukee there have been no injuries, no major changes, and no bright spots. So nothing has changed that needs talking about so I am just going to jump right into Josh Hader who jumped right up to Triple-A this past week. After thoroughly dominating Double-A, Hader finally was moved up to Colorado Springs where he should probably spend a couple of weeks before reaching the big leagues. There is absolutely no starter in the Brew Crew’s rotation good enough to keep this talented southpaw from making the cut. If he can replicate his success in Triple-A (a feat that his now teammate Jorge Lopez has struggled to do), he could be definitely worth a look in most fantasy leagues. I wouldn’t worry about stashing him just yet, but follow his progression in Triple-A and give him a stash if he continues to torch those hitters.

12. Robert Stephenson (SP, CIN, AAA)
Stats: 65.2 IP, 3.29 ERA, 4.65 FIP, 6.85 K/9, 4.52 BB/9, 0.96 HR/9, 1.29 WHIP
ETA: This week
Alfredo Simon was finally replaced in the rotation, but his replacement, Daniel Wright, is no stud pitcher in his own right (pun intended, I’m sorry). The three guaranteed mainstays right now in the Reds rotation are Anthony DeSclafani, Dan Straily and Brandon Finnegan who have all solidified a spot in the five. Raisel Iglesias and Michael Lorenzen will both go to the bullpen once activated from the DL. John Lamb has been decent, but not great, Daniel Wright has made one unspectacular start, Tim Adleman is hurt, Tim Melville was not very good, and Jon Moscot has been dreadful, and Homer Bailey’s return is nowhere in sight. That leaves two openings in the rotation. The most likely guy to fill the first spot is Robert Stephenson.

Stephenson has already reached the majors twice this season and has been solid, not great, but solid. Most importantly, however, recently is that manager Bryan Price hinted at a possible Stephenson sighting in the near future when talking with John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Stephenson has not racked up gaudy strikeout numbers this season, but he has the stuff to start doing it in the big leagues and if nothing else represents a guy to be kept on watch lists. He would be a must-own in 14+ team leagues and is worth looking into in 12 team leagues.

13. Dansby Swanson (SS, ATL, AA)
Stats: 261 PA, .273/.368/.432, 5 HR, 10 SB, 15.3% K rate, 11.9% BB rate
ETA: Post-All-Star Break
It is so tough to get a read on the Atlanta Braves and their prospects. They have always been aggressive with promoting their prospects, showing very frequently a tendency to pluck guys straight from Double-A and skipping Triple-A to get some big league at-bats. In Swanson’s case, no one is blocking him at shortstop as Erick Aybar has been dreadful and he certainly has done everything in his power to warrant a promotion. So what’s up? Do the Phillies suddenly care about service time clocks? Maybe. I still don’t see any way this summer passes without Swanson reaches the big leagues and fantasy owners I’m sure understand that he reaches the big leagues before Albies, but it is tough to gage whether or not he will be up before or after the All-Star Break. I’m leaning towards after the break at the moment, but fantasy owners need to be ready for a possible promotion at any time. He would be a very valuable shortstop to own for his speed and guaranteed playing time in the leadoff spot for Atlanta.

14. Cody Reed (SP, CIN, AAA)
Stats: 58.2 IP, 3.38 ERA, 3.46 FIP, 8.90 K/9, 2.30 BB/9, 0.92 HR/9, 1.21 WHIP
ETA: Late June
As discussed with Robert Stephenson earlier, the Reds are looking for new pitchers and Bryan Price hinted at a possible promotion by one of the younger pitching prospects (Reed and Stephenson). My personal bet is on Stephenson being up first just since he has been at Triple-A longer and has seen time in the bigs already, but Reed may not be too far behind him. The southpaw has easily been the most impressive of the two starters this season and has done a lot to convince scouts that his control issues are concerns of the past. I am not a betting man, but if I was, my money was on Stephenson first and Reed not too long afterwards. If Reed is promoted, he, like Stephenson, would be worth owning in all 12+ team leagues.

15. Jose Peraza (2B, CIN, AAA)
Stats: 237 PA, .269/.309/.352, 1 HR, 9 SB, 13.1% K rate, 5.5% BB rate
ETA: Late July
It is amazing what trades will do for the fantasy stock of prospects. Just think about Jose Peraza. Right now, he is blocked at all positions he can play at by either performance, too much money invested in the player, or both. However, if the Reds deal either Brandon Phillips or Zack Cozart (the latter the much more likely) by the deadline, all of a sudden Peraza is a starting middle infielder for Cincinnati. It is looking more and more likely by the day that Dick Williams will deal Cozart at or before the deadline, giving Peraza some immense fantasy value. This is a potential top of the lineup, prolific base-stealing threat playing at a middle infield position. Peraza would have a major impact in most fantasy leagues, especially for teams in need of immediate stolen base help. If you start hearing more serious trade rumors involving Cozart (or even Phillips, however unlikely), then it may be time to start looking into stashing Peraza. A trade really could happen at any time between now and the deadline so fantasy owners will need to be ready to snatch the speedy middle infielder as soon as a deal is struck.

16. Gary Sanchez (C, NYY, AAA)
Stats: 147 PA, .290/.333/.529, 6 HR, 3 SB, 15.6% K rate, 4.8% BB rate
ETA: Early July
Since recovering from his injury, Sanchez has begun to work out at first base and get some reps in there. Now for those of you worrying that that means he will move from being a catcher to a first baseman, let me reassure you. There is little to no doubt that Sanchez’s future is as a catcher. But right now, the Yankees need help at first base as they currently have Rob Refsnyder and Chris Parmelee managing the position. And while both are solid, none have the bat of Sanchez. Fantasy owners must be chomping at the bit for Sanchez to take over at first base because in all leagues he qualifies as a catcher and he would immediately become one of the best offensive ‘catcher’ bats in fantasy baseball. Look for him to skyrocket up this list if things sound good for him defensively at first and Refsnyder and Parmelee struggle. This could be a major game-changing fantasy buy.

17. Chad Kuhl (SP, PIT, AAA)
Stats: 67.0 IP, 2.15 ERA, 4.08 FIP, 7.25 K/9, 1.88 BB/9, 1.21 HR/9, 1.03 WHIP
ETA: Next week
Chad Kuhl? Who the heck is Chad Kuhl? He’s just the guy with an ERA barely over Glasnow and Taillon with more innings pitched. While most fans only want to see Glasnow and Taillon reach the big leagues, Kuhl has quietly been very productive not only this season at Triple-A, but also the past couple seasons in the minors and has really made a compelling argument to reach the big leagues and help further solidify that rotation. Last season at Double-A, Kuhl owned a 2.48 ERA, 3.68 FIP in 152.2 innings with a 5.95 K/9 and a mere 2.42 BB/9 rate. Is he a strikeout artist or ace that the other two Pirates’ pitchers are? Absolutely not, but he will provide fantasy owners with consistent, solid innings. There is a chance he is called up to assist in the bullpen, but with four of the Pittsburgh starting pitchers owning fWAR below 1.0 and three of them sub-zero, there is always room for improvement. He is probably not worth owning in leagues with fewer than 12 teams, but 12+ team leagues could find some value in him if he is used as a starter when promoted.

18. Jake Thompson (SP, PHI, AAA)
Stats: 68.1 IP, 3.42 ERA, 4.34 FIP, 6.98 K/9, 2.90 BB/9, 1.05 HR/9, 1.23 WHIP
ETA: Late July
When Vince Velasquez hit the DL, many were probably expecting to hear Jake Thompson’s name called and may have been disappointed to hear Zach Eflin’s name called. Eflin has been much better at Triple-A this season than Thompson as evidenced by the 2.90 ERA and 2.55 FIP and certainly deserved a promotion. But for people who wanted to see Jake Thompson, there is still hope. Jeremy Hellickson and Adam Morgan continue to pitch very poorly for a Phillies team that has quickly fallen out of the playoff picture. Thompson has been a reliable innings-eater in the minor leagues and has always shown the ability to get outs albeit, not frequently via the strikeout. He should definitely see time in the big leagues this season, even if it isn’t until later in the summer. Once promoted, he is a must-own in 12+ team leagues and may be worth consideration in 10 team leagues.

19. Jesse Winker (OF, CIN, AAA)
Stats: 235 PA, .288/.383/.369, 2 HR, 0 SB, 13.2% K rate, 14.0% BB rate
ETA: Late July/Early August
As Jay Bruce’s MLB trade value goes up, so too does Jesse Winker’s fantasy baseball stock value. A Bruce trade means a probable Winker promotion with either him or the home run machine Adam Duvall to right field with the other manning left. At Triple-A, Winker continues to display very promising plate discipline and the ability to hit for a solid average, even with unspectacular power numbers. But keep this in mind, Eugenio Suarez has hit 13 home runs in 59 games already this season (with eight of those 13 dingers coming at home). Before he came to Cincinnati, Suarez’s career high in home runs at either the big leagues or minors was nine that he hit in 111 games of Double-A with the Tigers. Winker will hit for some pop when he comes to play in Great American Ballpark.

20. J.P. Crawford (SP, PHI, AAA)
Stats: 254 PA, .227/.354/.318, 3 HR, 6 SB, 14.2% K rate, 16.5% BB rate
ETA: Mid-August
Ryan Howard recently lost his starting job at first base to rookie Tommy Joseph, proving that the Phillies do not mind starting the rookie over the established veteran. Of course, Joseph had been mashing big league pitching and not scuffling at Triple-A like J.P. Crawford has so far. In 83 plate appearances, Crawford is slashing a measly .153/.265/.181 with a .73 BB/K ratio (the lowest at any level in which he registered at least 65 PA). If Crawford can start hitting, he will almost certainly get a look at the big leagues this season. But he really needs to start hitting soon or else he may not get enough time to really warrant owning in fantasy leagues. He is an intriguing name to keep tabs on, but he is not currently worth stashing in any leagues right now.

21. Joe Musgrove (SP, HOU, AAA)
Stats: 55.1 IP, 2.44 ERA, 3.02 FIP, 8.95 K/9, 1.14 BB/9, 0.81 HR/9, 1.08 WHIP
ETA: Early/Mid-July

22. Ozzie Albies (SS, ATL, AAA)
Stats: 265 PA, .289/.347/.423, 3 HR, 8 SB, 15.8% K rate, 7.5% BB rate
ETA: Late July/Early August

23. Jose De Leon (SP, LAD, AAA)
Stats: 8.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.35 FIP, 16.88 K/9, 1.13 BB/9, 0.00 HR/9, 0.38 WHIP
ETA: Early August

24. Josh Bell (1B/OF, PIT, AAA)
Stats: 257 PA, .306/.397/.486, 7 HR, 1 SB, 17.9% K rate, 11.7% BB rate
ETA: Mid-July

25. Jose Berrios (SP, MIN, AAA)
Stats: 47.2 IP, 3.59 ERA, 3.52 FIP, 9.63 K/9, 3.78 BB/9, 0.76 HR/9, 1.22 WHIP
ETA: Mid-July

26. Alec Mills (SP, KC, AA)
Stats: 60.2 IP, 2.67 ERA, 2.22 FIP, 8.46 K/9, 1.78 BB/9, 0.30 HR/9, 1.10 WHIP
ETA: Late June/Early July

27. Hunter Renfroe (OF, SD, AAA)
Stats: 252 PA, .303/.321/.578, 13 HR, 3 SB, 17.9% K rate, 2.8% BB rate
ETA: Late July/Early August

28. Joey Gallo (3B/OF, TEX, AAA)
Stats: 160 PA, .286/.431/.651, 12 HR, 0 SB, 25.6% K rate, 20.0% BB rate
ETA: Mid-July

29. Lewis Brinson (OF, TEX, AA)
Stats: 210 PA, .219/.273/.417, 7 HR, 8 SB, 18.1% K rate, 6.2% BB rate
ETA: Early August

30. Jorge Lopez (SP, MIL, AAA)
Stats: 56.2 IP, 5.56 ERA, 4.86 FIP, 6.99 K/9, 6.19 BB/9, 0.32 HR/9, 1.80 WHIP
ETA: Early August

 

MLB Rookie Rankings

1. Corey Seager (SS, LAD)

2. Nomar Mazara (OF, TEX)

3. Trevor Story (SS, COL)

4. Steven Matz (SP, NYM)

5. Aledmys Diaz (SS, STL)

6. Kenta Maeda (SP, LAD)

7. Jon Gray (SP, COL)

8. Trayce Thompson (OF, LAD)

9. Byung-Ho Park (1B, MIN)

10. Michael Fulmer (SP, DET)

11. Jameson Taillon (SP, PIT)

12. Brandon Drury (2B/OF, ARI)

13. Tyler Glasnow (SP, PIT)

14. Trea Turner (2B, WAS)

15. Alex Bregman (SS, HOU)

16. Orlando Arcia (SS, MIL)

17. A.J. Reed (1B, HOU)

18. Byron Buxton (OF, MIN)

19. Blake Snell (SP, TB)

20. Lucas Giolito (SP, WAS)

 

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