2017 Prospects: Top 30 Impact Rookies for Fantasy Leagues (Week 22)

Published 3 weeks ago by Edward Sutelan - RotoBaller

Hello everyone, and welcome to my weekly Top-30 Fantasy Rankings for Impact Rookies! In this series, I will be going over the top prospects in baseball and discussing which ones figure to have an impact for the rest of this fantasy baseball season. This is the final Top 30 ranking of the year. Sad. With rosters expanding Friday, all prospects expected to have an impact will be recalled by the end of the week and there will be no more need for this list. But don’t worry, we will keep running out some solid prospect content. During the month of September, I will work on an article series in which I examine the playing time situations of various prospects in baseball and see who will benefit the most from their respective team’s situations. This should help owners get an idea of how to best maximize some of the promoted prospects.  

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. Franklin Barreto (SS, OAK, AAA) Stats: 494 PA, ..287/.332/.457, 15 HR, 14 SB, 4.7% BB rate, 28.1% K rate You may have had a nice August, but you probably haven’t enjoyed August as much as Barreto. The Oakland Athletics’ top prospect has slashed .340/.366/.567, blasted four home runs and stolen seven bases over 102 plate appearances this month. A bit concerning is the fact that he has taken just one walk to 28 strikeouts in the month, but with homers and stolen bases, owners can live with the plate discipline issues. Though those issues will make him somewhat susceptible to streakiness, the power/speed makes him an exciting add worth an own in some 12+ team leagues . . . if he can start to siphon away some playing time. 2. Tyler Glasnow (SP, PIT, AAA) Stats: 87.1 IP, 2.06 ERA, 2.34 FIP, 38.5% K rate, 9.1% BB rate, 10.9% HR/FB, .169 AVG Glasnow has been remarkable all season at Triple-A. I mean, really remarkable. Of his 14 starts, only three starts are not quality starts. And those are all only because he failed to get out of the sixth inning in those outings. He also has struck out at least seven in all but one start (that one outing had six strikeouts). His control has noticeably improved in the minors as well, as evidenced by the reasonable 9.1 percent. Now that he’s pitching out of the stretch, he has been far more effective on the bump and may be able to start reaching that lofty ceiling of his. If he is able to snag a few starts in September — he certainly deserves to — then he could be a high ceiling starter in 12+ team leagues. 3. Brent Honeywell (SP, TB, AAA) Stats: 131.1 IP, 3.63 ERA, 2.86 FIP, 30.5% K rate, 6.4% BB rate, 10.8% HR/FB, .255 AVG Fans have long been hoping Honeywell would be promoted, and evidently they are not alone. Honeywell expressed his displeasure with the team’s decision to not call him up to the big leagues, and as a consequence for his complaints, he was suspended four games. Conveniently, he always has four games in between starts so it’s possible it was more of a statement than an actual suspension. It is unknown at this point if this will affect his chances of being promoted this season. If he is called up and given a chance to start, he should be a solid add in 12+ team leagues. 4. Brandon Woodruff (SP, MIL, AAA) Stats: 77.1 IP, 4.31 ERA, 4.45 FIP, 21.3% K rate, 7.8% BB rate, 10.4% HR/FB, .264 AVG Woodruff probably has as legit of a case as anyone for being the top pitcher, yet here he is at No. 4. He has by far the clearest path to playing time as manager Craig Counsell has already said he will be their fifth starter in the month of September. The biggest reason for Woodruff not being super high is his somewhat lack of upside. He doesn’t have the super high floor and high ceiling of Honeywell nor does he have the sky-high ceiling of Glasnow. But the 2c on this list will be a great option for owners in 12+ team leagues to eat up some innings and rack up a decent number of whiffs along the way. 5. Harrison Bader (OF, STL, AAA) Stats: 470 PA, .279/.343/.468, 20 HR, 14 SB, 7.2% BB rate, 24.5% K rate Bader has seemingly turned a new corner this season in the minors after a rough showing at Triple-A last season. He now has re-established himself as a name to know among prospects and should be given a chance to continue to build on that reputation in the majors in September. Though Tommy Pham and Dexter Fowler are likely immovable in the outfield, the remaining position is still without much of an answer thanks to struggles from Stephen Piscotty and Randal Grichuk this season. And with the Cardinals hovering around playoff contention, they could opt to play the explosive prospect in Bader during September to see if he can help provide them with a spark. Bader possesses a solid-enough power/speed combination that owners in some 12+ team leagues could find value for him. 6. Jeimer Candelario (3B, DET, AAA) Stats: 437 PA, .262/.339/.488, 15 HR, 1 SB, 9.8% BB rate, 23.3% K rate The Detroit Tigers are heading towards a clear rebuild, and one of the first steps of that rebuild is to start to catch a glimpse of some of their younger talent. That means they are likely going to give their young up-and-coming third baseman Candelario plenty of time to shine in the majors. Though Candelario has not been spectacular in the minors, his bat and prospect status as a highly regarded young player should earn him some looks at the hot corner in September with the team shifting Nick Castellanos to his more natural position of left field. Candelario’s minor league struggles can hardly be dismissed, but the potential is there for a solid middle-of-the-order bat who can contribute some homers and RBIs in the middle of a still potent Detroit lineup. 7. J.P. Crawford (SS, PHI, AAA) Stats: 521 PA, .239/.350/.393, 13 HR, 5 SB, 14.4% BB rate, 17.9% K rate Though I have no doubt owners would rather see Scott Kingery’s name here, he is far more likely to be promoted than his double play partner at Lehigh Valley. Crawford has started to hit lately, turning around what had been a dismal season for him at the plate. Now he is taking reps at third base and is expected to push Maikel Franco aside for starting time in the month of September. Though Crawford’s profile does not appear to be the most exciting for fantasy purposes, he is a low-risk bat who should reach base frequently, could run into a bomb every now and again while tacking on an additional stolen base here and there. 8. Brett Phillips (OF, MIL, AAA) Stats: 425 PA, .309/.381/.574, 19 HR, 9 SB, 10.6% BB rate, 29.2% K rate Keon Broxton has been treading water in August. He really has done just enough to stay afloat out there in center field. With a .250/.325/.528 slash line, he is not a must-replace for the Milwaukee Brewers, but he certainly is not a must-stay in the lineup either. Phillips meanwhile has been swinging a hot bat in the minors since his demotion, slashing .354/.446/.552 with pair of homers and four stolen bases over 27 games (112 plate appearances). Though he is a strikingly similar profile to Broxton (power/speed, but major swing-and-miss tendencies), Phillips could offer at least a different look in the outfield and a possible platoon option for the right-handed Broxton who is slashing just .221/.292/.435 against righties this season. Phillips possesses a solid power/speed combination and could really provide owners of Broxton a boost, particularly if he does take over that strong-side platoon. 9. Magneuris Sierra (OF, STL, AA) Stats: 414 PA, .272/.320/.369, 1 HR, 19 SB, 6.0% BB rate, 16.2% K rate The second Cardinal outfielder listed, Sierra is more about speed than anything else. Though Sierra may not see as much playing time as the more mature Bader, he could be employed in a similar manner to Billy Hamilton back in 2013 for the Cincinnati Reds: as a pinch-runner and occasional spot starter in the outfielder. Sierra has the speed to impact fantasy leagues just with his legs as he is one of the best burners in the minors. Throw in a couple of spot starts atop the lineup and you’ve got a guy who could play an impactful role in some fantasy lineups making the playoff push. 10. Miguel Andujar (3B, NYY, AAA) Stats: 490 PA, .317/.355/.499, 15 HR, 4 SB, 5.5% BB rate, 13.7% K rate The placement of Andujar hinges on the idea that he starts on a semi-regular basis against southpaws when he is recalled. He has crushed lefties in the minors this season and seems as solid a bet as any to replicate that success in the majors. And with Chase Headley struggling to bat from the right side this year, Andujar makes for a sensible platoon partner at first base for him. However, there is a chance Andujar is used primarily as a bat off the bench, in which case his value will be severely limited. 11. Willie Calhoun (2B/OF, TEX, AAA) Stats: 506 PA, .292/.350/.564, 29 HR, 4 SB, 8.3% BB rate, 11.5% K rate Calhoun has not let the trade to Texas affect his performance. The now-Rangers member has already blasted six homers to accompany a .267/.315/.523 slash line. As always, you will read no questions about the bat here. The only questions asked about Calhoun are where will he play if he reaches the majors. Calhoun is a terrible defender virtually everywhere he plays, including in the outfield. If he sees any playing time in the majors, it will likely be at DH. However, the Rangers have a multitude of options to plug in at DH including Joey Gallo, and finding consistent playing time for Calhoun could be a challenge. His bat will certainly play in the big leagues enough to warrant an add in 12+ team leagues if the Rangers try to fit him into their lineup. But owners have to be wary that that could prove to be quite the challenge. 12. Willy Adames (SS, TB, AAA) Stats: 541 PA, .272/.361/.409, 9 HR, 10 SB, 11.8% BB rate, 22.2% K rate Adeiny Hechavarria definitely brought his good glove to Tampa Bay. But perhaps he left the lumber in Miami. Hechavarria has not hit near enough as he should, and though the defense has been nice, it’s probably not solid enough to keep him permanently in the lineup. Meanwhile Adames has impressed a lot of people in Durham this season, and comes with the prospect pedigree needed to force his way into the lineup in September. He is a prospect who could easily come up and start a handful of times a week and finish the last two or three weeks as the regular at shortstop if he runs away with the position. 13. Tom Murphy (C, COL, AAA) Stats: 146 PA, .239/.295/.410, 4 HR, 0 SB, 6.2% BB rate, 37.9% K rate Murphy has had his fair share of struggles this season at all levels, but there’s still reason to be excited for a power-hitting catcher playing in the most hitter-friendly stadium in baseball on one of the best-hitting teams in baseball. The question here is playing time. The Colorado Rockies need some help, and Murphy may not be the safest bet for them while Tony Wolters has turned in a solid campaign. If the Rockies decide to give him some playing time, he has the chance to post up some explosive power numbers for fantasy owners. His playing time will be important to monitor once rosters expand as he could be a solid own in 12+ team leagues if he starts half the games in September. 14. Walker Buehler (RP, LAD, AAA) Stats: 85.2 IP, 3.26 ERA, 2.66 FIP, 35.1% K rate, 8.4% BB rate, 11.1% HR/FB, .206 AVG Relievers are often over-looked on this list as they’re given short leashes and can often fail in their shorter outings. But most relievers don’t have the stuff Buehler has. He is considered by many to be a consensus top-50 prospect at this point — top-20 in some circles — and is likely going to be promoted in September as a reliever for the Los Angeles Dodgers. His stuff is so good that he probably shouldn’t struggle too much and could be given a chance to eat up multiple innings out of the bullpen with some serious strikeout upside. One bad outing could really spoil the trust given to him, but it would also be somewhat surprising if he really did get kicked around. He could be a solid add in 16+ team leagues. 15. Tom Eshelman (SP, PHI, AAA) Stats: 143.0 IP, 2.52 ERA, 3.61 FIP, 17.9% K rate, 3.3% BB rate, 8.6% HR/FB, .230 AVG The Philadelphia Phillies have had the worst pitching staff in the month of August, and it’s starting to appear clear their young rotation is feeling the wear and tear of a long year. Eshelman has not felt that same level of wear and tear, and actually has been quite good this month. After a brutal thrashing on Aug. 4, he has a nice 0.69 ERA and 3.27 FIP over his past 26 innings (four starts). The strikeouts aren’t there for him, as they haven’t been throughout his entire career, but he has walked only two batters over that time span, continuing to impress with his pinpoint control. Should he eat a few starts for the Phillies, he is the type of super low-risk/low-reward owners in deep/NL-only leagues could benefit from him eating up some innings. 16. Mauricio Dubon (SS, MIL, AAA) Stats: 527 PA, .275/.331/.378, 7 HR, 38 SB, 7.2% BB rate, 14.0% K rate Dubon has put up some really eye-popping numbers at Double- and Triple-A this season. He has found his power stroke somewhat at Triple-A, already bashing five homers in just 51 games. The career-high total in home runs (seven) and career-high in stolen bases between the two levels has drawn attention to Dubon, and could put him in a position to have some playing time in September. Should he get the call and start stealing some playing time around the infield, Dubon’s speed could make him a valuable asset to owners in some deeper leagues. 17. Ryan McMahon (1B/2B/3B, COL, AAA) Stats: 507 PA, .350/.396/.572, 19 HR, 11 SB, 7.7% BB rate, 17.8% K rate McMahon did not last long in the majors, though he seemed to make the most of his time in the majors. The batting average of .222 leaves a little to be desired, but he walked 18.2 percent of the time compared to only a 9.1 percent strikeout rate over four games. This came right after an absolute mockery of both Triple- and Double-A pitchers in which he not only improved his plate discipline, but maintained his well above-average power numbers. And as long as he has some positional versatility, he has an added bit of value. Should he find some playing time in September, he could be a potent bat to add in 14+ team leagues. 18. Franchy Cordero (OF, SD, AAA) Stats: 383 PA, .311/.354/.580, 16 HR, 15 SB, 5.5% BB rate, 29.2% K rate Cordero’s plate discipline leaves A LOT to be desired. He has consistently struck out nearly 20 percent more than he has walked throughout his professional career. But what makes him an exciting prospect is his power/speed upside. This season, he has racked up 16 homers and 15 stolen bases, which has been more than enough to whet the appetite of fantasy owners. The San Diego Padres are in no position to be competitive, and so they may opt to give a youngster like Cordero some playing time alongside guys like Manuel Margot and Hunter Renfroe. The plate discipline makes him a potentially risky asset, but the power/speed combination is exciting enough to at least tempt owners in NL-only/deep leagues. 19. Ronald Acuna (OF, ATL, AAA) Stats: 575 PA, .324/.373/.527, 20 HR, 41 SB, 7.1% BB rate, 23.8% K rate I’ve said it on here several times, but I don’t really believe Acuna will be promoted. He is not on the 40-man roster of the Atlanta Braves and it seems they will wait until next year to put him there. But the upside he brings is too high to leave totally off this list. If the Braves were to make the surprise move and add him to the roster, his power/speed combination is really unmatched by anyone on this list and would warrant an add in near all formats as they would not call him up just to sit him on the bench. He would likely be a regular starter if he were to be called up and could make quite the impact. But again, that’s only if he gets called up. 20. Erick Fedde (SP, WAS, AAA) Stats: 90.1 IP, 3.69 ERA, 3.37 FIP, 21.4% K rate, 6.2% BB rate, 10.1% HR/FB, .238 AVG Concerns with a lowered velocity have Fedde’s stock dropping a bit this week. With the Washington Nationals still miles ahead of anyone in their division, he seems like a decent option to take a spot start or two to rest some of the taxed arms in that rotation, but he can’t help eat innings if he is hurt. Still, scouts have said that the lowered velocity has not affected the lack of movement on his secondary stuff. If he can keep his offspeed pitches working, he could still be effective. He could be an intriguing streamer option in deep leagues if he manages to grab a few starts before the end of the year. 21. A.J. Reed (1B, HOU, AAA) Stats: 516 PA, .256/.355/.508, 30 HR, 0 SB, 13.0% BB rate, 26.6% K rate 22. Chance Sisco (C, BAL, AAA) Stats: 381 PA, .270/.336/.399, 7 HR, 2 SB, 7.3% BB rate, 26.0% K rate 23. Nick Gordon (SS, MIN, AA) Stats: 542 PA, .275/.349/.415, 8 HR, 13 SB, 9.6% BB rate, 22.7% K rate 24. Ronald Guzman (1B, TEX, AAA) Stats: 500 PA, .302/.374/.443, 12 HR, 4 SB, 8.8% BB rate, 16.0% K rate 25. Daniel Gossett (SP, OAK, AAA) Stats: 76.1 IP, 3.66 ERA, 3.87 FIP, 22.1% K rate, 7.5% BB rate, 8.8% HR/FB, .237 AVG 26. Yonny Chirinos (SP, TB, AAA) Stats: 163.1 IP, 2.81 ERA, 3.37 FIP, 21.5% K rate, 4.1% BB rate 11.0% HR/FB, .225 AVG 27. Jack Flaherty (SP, STL, AAA) Stats: 148.2 IP, 2.18 ERA, 3.33 FIP, 25.3% K rate, 6.0% BB rate, 8.0% HR/FB, .220 AVG 28. Jake Bauers (1B/OF, TB, AAA) Stats: 539 PA, .265/.368/.419, 13 HR, 16 SB, 13.4% BB rate, 19.7% K rate 29. Scott Kingery (2B/3B, PHI, AAA) Stats: 567 PA, .305/.357/.543, 26 HR, 28 SB, 6.7% BB rate, 18.2% K rate 30. Tyler O’Neill (OF, STL, AAA) Stats: 525 PA, .239/.318/.476, 26 HR, 14 SB, 10.1% BB rate, 27.8% K rate  

MLB Rookie Rankings

1. Aaron Judge (OF, NYY) 2. Cody Bellinger (1B/OF, LAD) 3. Rhys Hoskins (1B/OF, PHI) 4. Andrew Benintendi (OF, BOS) 5. Rafael Devers (3B, BOS) 6. Paul DeJong (SS, STL) 7. Bradley Zimmer (OF, CLE) 8. Ian Happ (2B/OF, CHC) 9. Yoan Moncada (2B, CWS) 10. Mitch Haniger (OF, SEA) 11. Derek Fisher (OF, HOU) 12. Trey Mancini (1B, BAL) 13. Raimel Tapia (OF, COL) 14. Matt Davidson (3B, CWS) 15. Jorge Bonifacio (OF, KC) 16. Jacob Faria (SP, TB) 17. German Marquez (SP, COL) 18. Ben Gamel (OF, SEA) 19. Josh Bell (1B/OF, PIT) 20. Manuel Margot (OF, SD)

2017 Prospects: Top 30 Impact Rookies for Fantasy Leagues (Week 21)

Published 4 weeks ago by Edward Sutelan - RotoBaller

Hello everyone, and welcome to my weekly Top-30 Fantasy Rankings for Impact Rookies! In this series, I will be going over the top prospects in baseball and discussing which ones figure to have an impact for the rest of this fantasy baseball season. We have now reached the point in the season where all the top remaining prospects will be promoted during the month of September. Anyone expected to be promoted before roster expansion has already been recalled or has remained in the minors due to a lack of a trade. This does not mean the players don’t have fantasy value. Some of these players could still have an impact on fantasy owners down the stretch when playoffs are starting up or the standings in your roto leagues appear to be coming down to the wire. Anyone likely to have an impact in 10-team or fewer leagues have probably already been recalled, but owners in deeper leagues than that could find some of the prospects on this list to have some value for them moving forward.  

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. Franklin Barreto (2B/SS, OAK, AAA) Stats: 469 PA, .274/.320/.440, 14 HR, 10 SB, 4.7% BB rate, 28.8% K rate ETA: September This was one of the players I was referring to when I said that prospects might still be in the minors because no trade happened. It was expected by many that Jed Lowrie would be moved at the deadline, freeing up a spot in the infield for Barreto. But alas, Lowrie is still wearing the green and gold of the Oakland Athletics today. However, that doesn’t mean Barreto will be completely irrelevant in September. Barreto is capable of playing all three outfield positions, second base and shortstop, and could very possibly steal time from players like Lowrie at all positions. And with his power/speed combination and eligibility at shortstop in all leagues, he could be a real boost to fantasy owners down the stretch should he receive regular playing time. 2. Tyler Glasnow (SP, PIT, AAA) Stats: 75.1 IP, 1.79 ERA, 2.50 FIP, 38.6% K rate, 9.2% BB rate, 12.2% HR/FB, .174 AVG ETA: September Pitchers often get a chance to reverse some early big-league struggles, and that could not be truer of Glasnow. The talented right-hander walked nearly 11 percent of batters at the big-league level, and though that rate is down to only 9.2 percent, he has walked only 4.1 percent of batters over his past four outings, lowering his FIP to 1.34 in that span. There is still so much upside left in his arm, and if he were to fill the spot of someone like Trevor Williams or another young arm in Pittsburgh’s rotation, he could pay dividends for a fantasy owner in need of starting pitching depth. 3. Brent Honeywell (SP, TB, AAA) Stats: 131.0 IP, 3.50 ERA, 2.79 FIP, 30.8% K rate, 5.9% BB rate, 10.9% HR/FB, .253 AVG ETA: September The Tampa Bay Rays’ playoff hopes appear to be dwindling as the team is now four games under .500 and have only an 8.5 percent chance to make the postseason according to FanGraphs. And while the stem of their problems does not tie solely into the struggles finding consistent starters in the backend of their rotation, it certainly has not been a strength for the ball club. Blake Snell has been inconsistent this season, as has Matt Andriese, Erasmo Ramirez and Jake Odorizzi. One starter who has not been inconsistent has been Honeywell, who has thoroughly dominated both Double- and Triple-A batters on a regular basis this season. His control has been given the added boost of stuff that now appears to be well above-average and capable of baffling even the best hitters (see the All-Star Futures Game). Honeywell is by no means guaranteed a rotation spot which is why he slots all the way down here at third, but the upside is extremely high with him as he appears to be a high floor/high ceiling type arm. If it looks like he will make some starts for the Rays, be sure to snag him in your leagues. 4. Brett Phillips (OF, MIL, AAA) Stats: 404 PA, .316/.386/.595, 19 HR, 9 SB, 10.4% BB rate, 28.5% K rate ETA: September Following the season-ending injury to Lewis Brinson, it is clear Phillips is the runaway candidate for the fourth outfielder spot in September. Though Phillips has not hit the cover off the ball in the majors, he has done more than enough to prove he deserves another look in Milwaukee after making a mockery of Triple-A pitchers this season. The speed has diminished for him in past seasons, but he still has quite a bit of thump as well as the patience to post a respectable OPS. If he is able to serve as a platoon option for either Domingo Santana or the streaky Keon Broxton, he could provide owners in 14+ team leagues with enough upside to make him worthy of an add. 5. Jeimer Candelario (3B, DET, AAA) Stats: 404 PA, .260/.342/.497, 15 HR, 1 SB, 10.6% BB rate, 22.8% K rate ETA: September As the Detroit Tigers are heading into a rebuild of sorts, they may decide in September they want to get a look at what the future of their lineup is going to look like. And according to several people, that is probably with Nick Castellanos in left field and Candelario at thrid base. Candelario has not been tearing up the minors this season as many probably hoped, but he has hit well enough to warrant a promotion to the big league club and to see some extended playing time. And for fantasy owners wondering what he brings to the table, he is a solid bat who should provide quite a bit of thump and some decent plate discipline to teams. The third base position limits his value, but he should hit enough to at least be worthy of an add in 14+ team leagues. 6. Brandon Woodruff (SP, MIL, AAA) Stats: 74.2 IP, 4.46 ERA, 4.41 FIP, 22.1% K rate, 7.8% BB rate, 11.0% HR/FB, .260 AVG ETA: September Woodruff was sent down to the minors, but he will be back. Manager Craig Counsell said as much when he stated, “We're not going to need a fifth starter until September. He'll be back in September, and he's certainly going to figure into the innings then, for sure.” And that’s exactly how owners should view Woodruff: as a guy who will figure into innings and a fifth starter. Though he has the upside of a No. 3 guy, Woodruff is a bulldog who will likely be a 200-inning guy on a regular basis who can provide owners with a solid 3.50 ERA. With the likelihood that he will take over that fifth starter’s spot in September, he could start to live up to that hype as early as this season. He should strike out enough batters to factor into 14+ team leagues. 7. Harrison Bader (OF, STL, AAA) Stats: 447 PA, .285/.348/.483, 20 HR, 12 SB, 6.9% BB rate, 23.7% K rate ETA: September The St. Louis Cardinals have struggled to find any form of consistency from their outfielders this season beyond Tommy Pham, leading to demotions to players like Stephen Piscotty, Randal Grichuk and Jose Martinez seemingly every other week. When September rolls around, there will be no more demotions, but there will also be some other young outfielders up who can more readily compete for starting ABs for the club. One such outfielder is Bader who has put all of his 2016 struggles behind him and really posted a quality 2017 campaign. The power of what I am calling the 1a and 1b Cardinals’ outfield prospects, Bader could be a decent source of thump should he steal away some at-bats from the struggling Cardinal outfielders, and could even throw in a steal here or there. The plate discipline is a concern as he walks drastically less than he strikes out, but if Paul DeJong can make it work, there’s no reason to count out Bader. If it looks like he is making a strong push for starting time in the outfield, he could be worth an add in 14+ team leagues. 8. Magneuris Sierra (OF, STL, AA) Stats: 390 PA, .275/.316/.368, 1 HR, 17 SB, 5.1% BB rate, 16.7% K rate ETA: September Unlike his predecessor on this list, Sierra is not a power-hitting, high risk/high reward outfielder. Where Bader has above-average power and speed with poor plate discipline and only average bat-to-ball skills, Sierra has little to no power with near-elite speed, poor plate discipline but a great ability to make consistent contact. Though it is clear by that description Sierra is more of a slap hitter, don’t let that scare you away too much. He is a better hitter than someone like Billy Hamilton and will likely give himself more opportunities to make the most of his speed than the Cincinnati Reds’ starting center fielder. Sierra does not have the same upside as Bader, but he possesses arguably the higher floor and would still provide quite a lot of value in the form of stolen bases to owners in 14+ team leagues should he be the one who steals away some of that precious time in Mike Matheny’s outfield. 9. Miguel Andujar (3B, NYY, AAA) Stats: 462 PA, .314/.351/.496, 14 HR, 4 SB, 5.2% BB rate, 13.6% K rate ETA: September Andujar’s best value will likely come in the form of a platoon option for Chase Headley. Headley has struggled batting from the right side this season, proving largely ineffective against lefty pitchers. Meanwhile, Andujar has proven to be a masher of southpaws in the minors, which could lead to him snagging a few starts in the big leagues during the month of September. He shouldn’t be counted on for regular playing time, but his emerging power combined with the potential to start three+ times per week in favorable matchups could serve as a nice platoon option for owners in some deeper leagues with daily lineup updates. 10. J.P. Crawford (SS, PHI, AAA) Stats: 485 PA, .242/.349/.406, 13 HR, 4 SB, 14.0% BB rate, 17.3% K rate ETA: September As we approach September, it is becoming more and more likely that Crawford will be promoted. The Philadelphia Phillies’ top prospect has been mashing as of late, and though he is not on the 40-man roster, he seems likely to be added to it before the end of the year (unlike No. 30 Scott Kingery whose hopes of a promotion seem to be dwindling by the day). philly.com's Matt Gelb has reported that Crawford is likely to join the big-league club and spell struggling third baseman Maikel Franco at the hot corner. Crawford combines a really high floor with the eligibility at shortstop that could give owners in even some shallower leagues a much-needed boost in the playoffs. He has a little bit of pop, and might even learn how to steal a few bases with his above-average speed when he joins the Phillies. He doesn’t bring quite enough offensive upside to recommend him in leagues shallower than 14-teams, but owners in those leagues could find some value in the top prospect. 11. Tyler Mahle (SP, CIN, AAA) Stats: 137.1 IP, 1.97 ERA, 2.69 FIP, 24.8% K rate, 5.6% BB rate, 5.1% HR/FB, .199 AVG ETA: September In case you haven’t noticed, the Reds rotation is a dumpster fire. Scott Feldman and Homer Bailey — counted on to be stable veterans in a young rotation — have been truly awful as of late while other youngsters like Robert Stephenson, Amir Garrett, Cody Reed and Sal Romano have proven inconsistent in the majors. With so many pitchers struggling, it seems like Bryan Price may opt to turn to a pitcher like Mahle who has dominated both Double- and Triple-A batters all season. He has always had a high floor because of his command, but his repertoire has emerged as solid enough to give him the upside of a No. 3 starting pitcher with some strikeout upside. If he gets a few starts — which I fully expect to happen — he could be a solid add in 14+ team leagues. 12. Tom Eshelman (SP, PHI, AAA) Stats: 130.0 IP, 2.70 ERA, 3.66 FIP, 17.8% K rate, 3.4% BB rate, 8.8% HR/FB, .237 AVG ETA: September The Phillies are locked in the cellar once again, and they clearly are headed towards a full rebuild. They have deployed youth at nearly every position, and are starting to at least look promising for the future. And while Eshelman does not have the high ceiling fantasy owners would like to see, he could be just the arm the Phillies are looking for: a high floor control specialist who can eat innings for a young starting rotation. Eshelman is no strikeout artist, but he has the best control of any pitcher in the minors and has done an excellent job eating innings in the minors this season. If he is given a rotation spot, he comes with little enough risk to be a worthy add in deep/NL-only leagues. 13. Willie Calhoun (2B/OF, TEX, AAA) Stats: 475 PA, .295/.354/.577, 28 HR, 3 SB, 8.4% BB rate, 11.6% K rate ETA: September With Calhoun, the numbers really speak for themselves. He is a rare power hitter like Jose Bautista who can rack up gaudy home run totals while limiting the strikeouts. Unlike Bautista — who is now playing both third base and right field — Calhoun does not have a clear defensive home, which will greatly diminish his chances of seeing meaningful playing time in September. If he manages to find time at DH, first base or the outfield, Calhoun has the bat to have a huge impact on fantasy owners. This placement in the rankings is based on the belief he will see occasional playing time, but will probably only start two to three times per week. If he starts more regularly than that, his value could rise up astronomically. 14. Willy Adames (SS, TB, AAA) Stats: 511 PA, .274/.367/.420, 9 HR, 9 SB, 12.3% BB rate, 21.9% K rate ETA: September Aside from just the Rays’ backend rotation issues, the Rays have not received the level of production they had hoped for out of Adeiny Hechavarria. The former Miami Marlin has a 0.1 fWAR this season and though he’s been solid defensively, the .242/.261/.335 slash line is downright atrocious. Adames meanwhile has been not only a formidable defender for the Durham Bulls, but he has also been hitting more than enough to warrant a look in the majors, certainly when the only other option is Hechavarria. The Rays need a spark, and Adames could be the guy to provide that spark. There is no guarantee he will be promoted, but the upside is there for a shortstop with a strong power/speed combination who could be quite valuable to fantasy owners. 15. Yandy Diaz (3B/OF, CLE, AAA) Stats: 366 PA, .351/.456/.464, 5 HR, 1 SB, 16.1% BB rate, 15.3% K rate ETA: September As is the question for most of the prospects on this list, Diaz’s biggest question with regards to fantasy value is just whether or not he can find some playing time. Diaz’s insane plate discipline and ability to make consistent contact gives him a remarkably high floor for a prospect, but he does have an admittedly low ceiling which limits his fantasy appeal. He could fit into Cleveland’s lineup, spelling players like Jason Kipnis, Jose Ramirez and any of the outfielders during September. Owners likely won’t be sprinting to grab him, but his high ceiling could at least give him some value in some deep/AL-only leagues. 16. Erick Fedde (SP, WAS, AAA) Stats: 84.1 IP, 3.63 ERA, 3.43 FIP, 21.4% K rate, 6.4% BB rate, 11.1% HR/FB, .242 AVG ETA: September Fedde had a miserable time in the majors, but he seemed to recover in his first outing back at Triple-A. He pitched seven innings — tied for his longest outing of the season — and allowed just two runs on seven hits, one walk and five strikeouts. The start was certainly step in the right direction for a talented arm who has struggled for much of this season. The stuff is there for him to be a solid No. 3 starting pitcher in the majors, and he could even see another start in the majors to serve as some relief for some of the injured arms in Washington’s bullpen as the Nationals look toward the postseason. If he does get a spot start, there is enough upside for teams in NL-only leagues to take a risk if the start is against a weaker opponent. 17. Walker Buehler (SP, LAD, AAA) Stats: 81.2 IP, 3.31 ERA, 2.76 FIP, 35.1% K rate, 8.8% BB rate, 11.5% HR/FB, .201 AVG ETA: September Bullpen arms rarely have a ton of fantasy value. But then again, most bullpen arms don’t have the stuff that Buehler has. Scouts have raved about his repertoire of pitches long before he was even fully healthy for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and now that he is back to full health, he is dominating the minors. The longterm outlook on Buehler still appears to be that of a starting pitcher, but there have been rumblings he could be recalled to serve as bullpen depth for the team. Who knows. Maybe he might also pick up a start to rest one of the regular starting pitchers in the current rotation. Regardless, his strikeout upside and ability to keep runs off the board should play well in some deeper leagues where bullpen arms can help. 18. Mauricio Dubon (2B/SS, MIL, AAA) Stats: 509 PA, .273/.327/.378, 7 HR, 38 SB, 6.9% BB rate, 14.3% K rate ETA: September The Milwaukee Brewers believed second base would be a major strength for the ball club heading into the 2017 season with Jonathan Villar manning the spot. But his struggles forced the team to venture outward and pick up Neil Walker from the New York Mets to try and find some stability at the position. And while Walker has been solid this season, he does not quite bring the same defensive versatility Dubon brings. Dubon could be the guy the Brewers hoped Villar would be: a speedy utility player whose bat could play well enough at multiple positions and could be a steady bat atop the lineup. Finding PT for him could be tough, but if Milwaukee finds some time for his bat to fit into the lineup, his speed could give him some value to owners in deep/NL-only leagues. 19. A.J. Reed (1B, HOU, AAA) Stats: 485 PA, .249/.351/.487, 26 HR, 0 SB, 13.2% BB rate, 26.4% K rate ETA: September The Houston Astros have gotten along well with Yulieski Gurriel at first base. He has 15 homers on the season, a solid .295/.322/.482 slash line and has accumulated 1.1 fWAR. But while he has done enough at the position to maintain a stronghold on it in the playoffs, Reed is far more likely to be the future at the position than Gurriel. The Cuban is already 33 years old while Reed is still only 24. Reed has struggled a bit at Triple-A this season, but the Astros have a comfortable lead in the AL West and can afford to rest Gurriel and get some looks at Reed at first base to see what adjustments he can make to big-league pitching. The batting average could be a bit of an issue, but he has more than enough thunder to impact fantasy owners in deep/AL-only leagues. 20. Ronald Acuna (OF, ATL, AAA) Stats: 533 PA, .323/.377/.538, 20 HR, 37 SB, 7.5% BB rate, 23.8% K rate ETA: September There is still far from a guarantee Acuna will be promoted, but the upside he brings to the table is too much to pass up in the event he is called up. His power/speed combination has a legitimate case for the best in the minors, and based on his impressive numbers at nearly every level this season, there is no reason to doubt his ability to post similar numbers in the majors. It is a longshot that he is recalled to Atlanta. But if he is, he immediately becomes a must-own in 12+ team leagues. 21. Chance Sisco (C, BAL, AAA) Stats: 361 PA, .275/.338/.392, 5 HR, 2 SB, 7.5% BB rate, 25.8% K rate ETA: September 22. Nick Gordon (SS, MIN, AA) Stats: 509 PA, .282/.356/.432, 8 HR, 13 SB, 9.6% BB rate, 22.2% K rate ETA: September 23. Tom Murphy (C, COL, AAA) Stats: 127 PA, .263/.307/.449, 4 HR, 0 SB, 5.5% BB rate, 37.8% K rate ETA: September 24. Ronald Guzman (1B, TEX, AAA) Stats: 469 PA, .314/.382/.463, 12 HR, 4 SB, 8.7% BB rate, 15.8% K rate ETA: September 25. Daniel Gossett (SP, OAK, AAA) Stats: 76.1 IP, 3.66 ERA, 3.88 FIP, 22.1% K rate, 7.5% BB rate, 8.8% HR/FB, .237 AVG ETA: September 26. Yonny Chirinos (SP, TB, AAA) Stats: 152.1 IP, 2.95 ERA, 3.42 FIP, 22.0% K rate, 4.1% BB rate, 11.7% HR/FB, .227 AVG ETA: September 27. Franchy Cordero (OF, SD, AAA) Stats: 359 PA, .314/.359/.596, 16 HR, 13 SB, 5.6% BB rate, 29.0% K rate ETA: September 28. Jordan Patterson (1B/OF, COL, AAA) Stats: 482 PA, .284/.349/.542, 23 HR, 3 SB, 6.8% BB rate, 24.9% K rate ETA: September 29. Jake Bauers (1B/OF, TB, AAA) Stats: 505 PA, .266/.368/.421, 12 HR, 15 SB, 13.3% BB rate, 19.8% K rate ETA: September 30. Scott Kingery (2B, PHI, AAA) Stats: 529 PA, .310/.362/.556, 25 HR, 27 SB, 6.8% BB rate, 18.1% K rate ETA: September  

MLB Rookie Rankings

1. Aaron Judge (OF, NYY) 2. Cody Bellinger (1B/OF, LAD) 3. Andrew Benintendi (OF, BOS) 4. Rafael Devers (3B, BOS) 5. Clint Frazier (OF, NYY) 6. Paul DeJong (SS, STL) 7. Yoan Moncada (2B, CWS) 8. Ian Happ (2B/OF, CHC) 9. Bradley Zimmer (OF, CLE) 10. Derek Fisher (OF, HOU) 11. Trey Mancini (1B, BAL) 12. Mitch Haniger (OF, SEA) 13. Josh Bell (1B/OF, PIT) 14. Manuel Margot (OF, SD) 15. Matt Davidson (3B, CWS) 16. Jacob Faria (SP, TB) 17. Hunter Renfroe (OF, SD) 18. German Marquez (SP, COL) 19. Luis Castillo (SP, CIN) 20. Austin Barnes (C/2B, LAD)

2017 Prospects: Top 30 Impact Rookies for Fantasy Leagues (Week 20)

Published 1 month ago by Edward Sutelan - RotoBaller

Hello everyone, and welcome to my weekly Top-30 Fantasy Rankings for Impact Rookies! In this series, I will be going over the top prospects in baseball and discussing which ones figure to have an impact for the rest of this fantasy baseball season. For those of you who have read the list regularly, you will notice the list has been largely cleared out. A large bulk of the prospects on this list at the beginning of the season are now in the majors and have been helping out fantasy teams for some time now. The players remaining are all likely to be promoted in September. There aren’t many who are expected to have the same kind of impact as others promoted like Rafael Devers or Yoan Moncada, but there are still some solid names on the list who could help provide depth to those of you heading to the fantasy playoffs.  

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. Lewis Brinson (OF, MIL, AAA) Stats: 337 PA, .334/.404/.568, 13 HR, 11 SB, 9.5% BB rate, 18.4% K rate ETA: September Brinson has as much fantasy upside as anybody out there, but a leg injury could potentially derail the rest of his season. The extent of the injury is still largely unknown, but it will be an important situation to follow for the remainder of the season. 2. Franklin Barreto (2B/SS, OAK, AAA) Stats: 447 PA, .277/.324/.439, 13 HR, 10 SB, 4.9% BB rate, 28.2% K rate ETA: September Middle-infielders who can rake are always valuable. They are especially valuable when they can not only hit well, but are also quick on the basepaths. Barreto combines above-average pop with above-average speed, leading some to believe he could eventually be a 20/20 middle-infielder at some point in his future. Though playing time looks tough for him right now with Jed Lowrie still in Oakland, it is important to remember Barreto is a young prospect who looks like a future impact player for the Athletics. The team could try to make room for him in their lineup to get him some experience against MLB pitching. The strikeouts could limit his batting average, but the upside is there for him to be a well above-average fantasy performer at his position. 3. Luke Weaver (SP, STL, AAA) Stats: 77.2 IP, 2.55 ERA, 3.08 FIP, 24.9% K rate, 6.2% BB rate, 3.7% HR/FB, .221 AVG ETA: September Weaver has pitched as well as can ever be asked by anyone this season at Triple-A Memphis. He has kept the walks in check while missing bats at a high rate. He has also pitched well in the majors when he has been given the chance, posting a 3.77 ERA and 3.90 FIP over two starts (four appearances). The St. Louis Cardinals will at some point be forced to push him into their starting rotation, and he could be used as an arm to help rest up young guys like Michael Wacha and Carlos Martinez or Adam Wainwright who has struggled with some injuries this season. Weaver is probably not going to be a future ace, but he has the stuff to profile as a solid No. 3 starter. He seems like a solid bet to make a few starts in September, which could prove valuable to owners looking for an arm to fill in at the back of their playoff rotation. 4. Tyler Glasnow (SP, PIT, AAA) Stats: 68.2 IP, 1.57 ERA, 2.61 FIP, 38.4% K rate, 9.7% BB rate, 13.0% HR/FB, .174 AVG ETA: September This could be the perfect time to buy into Glasnow. The Pittsburgh Pirates’ former top prospect struggled mightily this season in the majors, and now that he’s no longer on prospect lists (he would not be a rookie in 2018), owners are probably assuming his stock has plummeted. Glasnow has actually found solid control of his elite repertoire at Triple-A since converting to the stretch full-time and could put himself right back on track to become an elite pitcher in the majors. He should receive some starts in September and even if his control issues come back, owners have the gaudy strikeout totals to fall back on. 5. Brent Honeywell (SP, TB, AAA) Stats: 125.0 IP, 3.38 ERA, 2.74 FIP, 30.9% K rate, 6.2% BB rate, 10.4% HR/FB, .253 AVG ETA: September The Tampa Bay Rays’ rotation is incredibly good, but Honeywell has the chance to make it even better. He has dominated the minors seemingly every year of his career and that trend has continued into 2017. He even won the Futures Game MVP this year. And while Honeywell is unlikely to crack the postseason rotation — the top three starters for the Rays aren’t going anywhere — he could provide them with some depth with guys like Jake Odorizzi, Blake Snell and Erasmo Ramirez struggling in 2017. If Honeywell is given starts with the big-league club, he is a near must-add in all 12+ team leagues. 6. Yandy Diaz (3B, CLE, AAA) Stats: 344 PA, .349/.459/.466, 5 HR, 0 SB, 16.9% BB rate, 15.4% K rate ETA: September Diaz’s plate discipline is truly exceptional. As demonstrated by the numbers above, he has a keen sense of the strike zone and reaches base enough to make up for the lack of power and speed he provides. And while owners would certainly love to have some of that thump and speed in their lineups, guys with a knack like Diaz for reaching base can be quite valuable as depth pieces or even possible starters. And as long as Jason Kipnis continues to struggle with health and performance issues, Diaz could emerge as a candidate to take some at-bats in September as the Cleveland Indians look to hold down their division lead. 7. Mitch Garver (C, MIN, AAA) Stats: 362 PA, .286/.384/.537, 17 HR, 2 SB, 13.5% BB rate, 23.2% K rate ETA: September Catchers always have added value to fantasy owners, so even though Garver is not a top prospect, he warrants a spot on this list. He is far more likely to be the starting catcher next season in Minnesota than the veteran Jason Castro, and his performance this season at Triple-A could lead him to see some starting time in September. Garver has absolutely mashed in the minors, and with few quality catching options available, he could be a solid add in two-catcher leagues if he grabs some starts in the big leagues. 8. Harrison Bader (OF, STL, AAA) Stats: 423 PA, .291/.348/.499, 20 HR, 10 SB, 6.1% BB rate, 23.6% K rate ETA: September Just going based on MiLB numbers alone, Bader is probably the most impressive prospect on this list. Though the scouts don’t necessarily believe his insane success this season is sustainable, owners have to be wary that he could carry a hot streak into the majors should he return there in September. His power/speed combination should be valuable to owners if he forces his way into the outfield spot alongside Tommy Pham and Dexter Fowler. And based on the Stephen Piscotty and Randal Grichuk have played this season, that may not be asking too much. 9. Jeimer Candelario (3B, CHC, AAA) Stats: 381 PA, .260/.346/.499, 14 HR, 1 SB, 11.3% BB rate, 22.0% K rate ETA: September Rumors have persisted that the Detroit Tigers are mulling the possibility of shifting Nick Castellanos to the outfield and plugging Candelario in at third base. This is exactly the type of scenario fantasy owners had likely hoped for when Candelario was traded, as it now looks like he has a future at third base and could avoid first base. Candelario has a potent bat with solid bat-to-ball skills as well as some decent power that should translate to 20+ homer pop in the majors. He should see some time at the hot corner in September with Castellanos in left field to prepare for next season, and owners in 14+ team leagues could see him as a solid corner infield option. 10. Tom Eshelman (SP, PHI, AAA) Stats: 123.0 IP, 2.85 ERA, 3.71 FIP, 18.1% K rate, 3.5% BB rate, 9.6% HR/FB, .241 AVG ETA: September Likely the best control pitcher in the minors, Eshelman is a starter with some of the lowest risk out there. Though his stuff is far from elite, Eshelman is truly pinpoint with his accuracy, leading many to believe he should at least be a No. 5 pitcher in the majors. The Philadelphia Phillies don’t have a ton of great options in their rotation as really only Aaron Nola and Jerad Eickhoff have been effective this season. Expect to see Eshelman take a few turns through the rotation in September. There he could be a solid deep league rotation depth piece. 11. J.P. Crawford (SS, PHI, AAA) Stats: 462 PA, .239/.349/.407, 13 HR, 4 SB, 14.3% BB rate, 17.3% K rate ETA: September Crawford started off the year on a serious cold streak, diminishing his prospect shine and leading to questions about whether or not his bat would ever catch up to his glove. But since the All-Star Break, he has a slash line of .289/.390/.578 with 11 home runs, a 13.8 percent walk rate and a 17.4 percent strikeout rate. The 22-year-old shortstop is still not the most attractive fantasy asset as he lacks explosive power or speed, but he is solid at everything and has one of the best approaches in the minors. If he is called up to the majors and inherits the starting shortstop position, he could be a very solid mixed league add for fantasy owners needing some middle-infield depth. 12. Tyler Mahle (SP, CIN, AAA) Stats: 132.1 IP, 1.97 ERA, 2.69 FIP, 25.1% K rate, 5.6% BB rate, 5.3% HR/FB, .191 AVG ETA: September Few pitcher’s stock have soared as high as Mahle’s this season. For a while, Mahle was looked at as just a potential back-of-the-rotation arm. Now, he looks like he could be a No. 3 guy, pitching more with command and control than overpowering stuff (though his stuff is certainly solid). The Cincinnati Reds’ rotation has been atrocious this season — the worst in the majors in fact — so it would not take a lot to crack it. And with the numbers Mahle has posted at Louisville, he should easily grab a rotation spot in September. He has the potential to be a solid add in 14+ team leagues. 13. Steven Brault (SP, PIT, AAA) Stats: 120.1 IP, 1.94 ERA, 3.29 FIP, 22.7% K rate, 9.2% BB rate, 4.8% HR/FB, .197 AVG ETA: September Glasnow will likely take a couple starts in September, but expect to see Brault snag a couple too. The Buccos’ southpaw has been a near-lock to strikeout at least 20 percent of opposing batters on an annual basis, and his walk rate is now as low as it has been since 2015. Now the Pirates’ rotation has not been bad, so Brault could have a challenging time piling up a ton of innings. But his strikeout upside could make every inning valuable to owners in deep/NL-only leagues as a solid depth piece, especially as he appears as likely as anybody on this list to pitch in the majors in September. 14. Willie Calhoun (2B/OF, TEX, AAA) Stats: 454 PA, .296/.352/.580, 27 HR, 3 SB, 8.1% BB rate, 11.7% K rate ETA: September Calhoun would be a no-doubt top-of-the-list name if he was any good defensively. He is a liability at second base and has limited experience in the outfield, so the best position for him is probably designated hitter. Of course though, the Texas Rangers have guys like Mike Napoli and Joey Gallo manning first base and designated hitter, and there will likely be no displacing of Rougned Odor at second base or any of the outfielders for Calhoun. The best case scenario for fantasy owners is for the Rangers to shift Gallo to first base and bump Napoli to the bench, leaving the DH spot open for Calhoun. His bat is explosive and any playing time could be a huge boost to plenty of fantasy teams in the playoffs. 15. Brett Phillips (OF, MIL, AAA) Stats: 375 PA, .318/.387/.598, 17 HR, 6 SB, 10.1% BB rate, 28.8% K rate ETA: September Though no Brinson, Phillips has had a pretty solid season in his own rate. Though the strikeouts have continued to pile up, so too have the home runs for Phillips, and he has hit for a high batting average in spite of the whiffs. He has not done much in the majors, but his eye-popping minor league numbers will likely lead to some playing time in September. And with his power, he could be a nice depth piece in NL-only leagues. 16. Walker Buehler (SP, LAD, AAA) Stats: 80.2 IP, 3.24 ERA, 2.78 FIP, 35.4% K rate, 9.0% BB rate, 12.0% HR/FB, .195 AVG ETA: September It is often you see someone likely to be a reliever upon his initial call up make the list, but that’s exactly the upside Buehler brings. He is an elite arm who will be a future front-of-the-rotation arm in the majors. But this season, it seems he could be headed to Los Angeles as a relief pitcher. And though he won’t touch the ninth inning, Buehler could eat multiple innings up at a time and provide owners in deep leagues with a valuable source of strikeouts and microscopic ERA. 17. Magneuris Sierra (OF, STL, AAA) Stats: 376 PA, .276/.315/.369, 1 HR, 16 SB, 5.1% BB rate, 17.3% K rate ETA: September Sierra has been an interesting story to follow this season for the Cardinals as he came up all the way from High-A to the majors, down to Double-A and then back up to the bigs. He is back at Springfield right now, but he figures to be in the Cardinals’ plans for September. The 21-year-old outfielder provides the team with an element they currently lack at the big league level: speed. He is incredibly quick and a true threat on the bases which could be valuable to a team whose second-leading base stealer is Yadier Molina (eight stolen bases). That speed could also pay dividends for fantasy owners in NL-only/deep leagues should Sierra see even semi-regular playing time during the final month of the season. 18. Miguel Andujar (3B, NYY, AAA) Stats: 441 PA, .311/.347/.500, 14 HR, 2 SB, 5.2% BB rate, 13.8% K rate ETA: September Andujar is far from the most exciting prospect out there, but he could see some playing time when September comes around. Andujar has crushed southpaws in the minors this season, posting a .342/.379/.567 slash line with six of his 14 home runs coming against lefties (despite 180 fewer PA against lefties than righties). The starting first baseman for the New York Yankees Chase Headley has not done well against lefties, only posting a .234/.267/.342 slash line this year. Andujar could emerge as a starting option for the team down the stretch, which could also help fantasy owners in need of some depth at the position of third base. His lack of power will limit his value to AL-only and other deep leagues. 19. Jake Bauers (1B/OF, TB, AAA) Stats: 482 PA, .262/.365/.409, 10 HR, 14 SB, 13.3% BB rate, 19.9% K rate ETA: September The Tampa Bay Rays may be one of the most underrated teams in baseball. With starters like Corey Dickerson, Kevin Kiermaier, Mallex Smith and Steven Souza in the outfield and the recently-acquired Lucas Duda at first base, it could be tough to see them finding playing time for Bauers despite the excellent season he’s having in Durham. But the Rays as a unit have really struggled against southpaws, posting only a 90 team-wRC+ this season. Despite the fact Bauers himself is a left-handed hitter, he has crushed lefties this season, posting a .805 OPS against them this season. And especially considering he has been no slouch against right-handers (.761 OPS), Bauers could be a matchup-proof hitter the team needs as they make that last push to the playoffs. If he is called up, his power/speed combination could play well in 14+ team leagues. 20. Ronald Acuna (OF, ATL, AAA) Stats: 510 PA, .317/.372/.521, 17 HR, 37 SB, 7.8% BB rate, 24.3% K rate ETA: September This placement is based solely on the upside. I do not believe Acuna will be promoted this year as it is a lost season for the Atlanta Braves and they may want to preach patience with their 19-year-old phenom. But if I’m wrong and Acuna is promoted, he has demonstrated elite upside at a really young age and could be a huge boost to fantasy teams. The Braves would not call him up to ride the bench, and it is likely he would push someone like Matt Kemp or Nick Markakis to a bench role. And with already having torn it up at literally everywhere he has played, there is reason to believe Acuna could keep up the hot-hitting in the majors. Don’t stash him because I still believe his ETA is really 2018, but he would become a must-add if the Braves decide to call him up. 21. Chance Sisco (C, BAL, AAA) Stats: 344 PA, .282/.343/.395, 4 HR, 2 SB, 7.8% BB rate, 26.2% K rate ETA: September 22. A.J. Reed (1B, HOU, AAA) Stats: 460 PA, .258/.354/.499, 25 HR, 0 SB, 12.8% BB rate, 28.1% K rate ETA: September 23. Nick Gordon (SS, MIN, AA) Stats: 488 PA, .280/.355/.430, 8 HR, 13 SB, 9.8% BB rate, 22.3% K rate ETA: September 24. Shawn Morimando (SP, CLE, AAA) Stats: 145.0 IP, 4.47 ERA, 4.73 FIP, 18.5% K rate, 8.0% BB rate, 12.2% HR/FB, .277 AVG ETA: September 25. Yohander Mendez (SP, TEX, AA) Stats: 123.1 IP, 3.79 ERA, 4.88 FIP, 21.8% K rate, 8.0% BB rate, 16.9% HR/FB, .226 AVG ETA: September 26. Ronald Guzman (1B, TEX, AAA) Stats: 448 PA, .317/.386/.474, 12 HR, 4 SB, 8.9% BB rate, 15.6% K rate ETA: September 27. Chance Adams (SP, NYY, AAA) Stats: 128.1 IP, 1.96 ERA, 3.62 FIP, 23.5% K rate, 9.8% BB rate, 6.6% HR/FB, .175 AVG ETA: September 28. Mauricio Dubon (SS, MIL, AAA) Stats: 483 PA, .279/.330/.387, 7 HR, 38 SB, 6.6% BB rate, 14.1% K rate ETA: September 29. Roman Quinn (OF, PHI, AAA) Stats: 197 PA, .274/.344/.389, 2 HR, 10 SB, 9.1% BB rate, 24.9% K rate ETA: September 30. Luis Ortiz (SP, MIL, AA) Stats: 81.1 IP, 3.98 ERA, 4.45 FIP, 21.5% K rate, 9.6% BB rate, 10.8% HR/FB, .214 AVG ETA: September  

MLB Rookie Rankings

1. Aaron Judge (OF, NYY) 2. Cody Bellinger (1B/OF, LAD) 3. Andrew Benintendi (OF, BOS) 4. Yoan Moncada (2B, CWS) 5. Rafael Devers (3B, BOS) 6. Paul DeJong (SS, STL) 7. Bradley Zimmer (OF, CLE) 8. Derek Fisher (OF, HOU) 9. Trey Mancini (1B, BAL) 10. Josh Bell (1B/OF, PIT) 11. Manuel Margot (OF, SD) 12. Ian Happ (2B/OF, CHC) 13. German Marquez (SP, COL) 14. Nick Williams (OF, PHI) 15. Jacob Faria (SP, TB) 16. Jordan Montgomery (SP, NYY) 17. Mitch Haniger (OF, SEA) 18. Matt Chapman (3B, OAK) 19. Austin Barnes (C/2B, LAD) 20. Luis Castillo (SP, CIN)

2017 Prospects: Top 30 Impact Rookies for Fantasy Leagues (Week 19)

Published 1 month ago by Edward Sutelan - RotoBaller

Hello everyone, and welcome to my weekly Top-30 Fantasy Rankings for Impact Rookies! In this series, I will be going over the top prospects in baseball and discussing which ones figure to have an impact for the rest of this fantasy baseball season. You may find that this list has been pretty thoroughly cleared out. There are only a handful of impactful prospects who figure to reach the majors before September at this point, especially considering that there are only roughly four more weeks until rosters expand. It is hard to believe how quickly the season has flown by. It’s hard to believe that it was several months ago I was wondering how in the world the Los Angeles Dodgers would find playing time for Cody Bellinger and whether or not Aaron Judge would make enough contact to be a valuable player this season.  

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. Rhys Hoskins (1B, PHI, AAA) Stats: 455 PA, .282/.385/.574, 27 HR, 3 SB, 13.6% BB rate, 15.8% K rate ETA: This Week/Next Week It sounds like Hoskins’ imminent promotion to the majors could come at some point this week. According to Matt Breen of philly.com, Hoskins is probable to at least reach the majors in August, and stated he could even be up once Philadelphia wrapped up their West Coast road trip (already concluded). Hoskins has proven last season was no fluke with another extraordinary campaign, and his plate discipline and power should help give him a high floor. It is time to go ahead and stash him in 12+ team leagues, and any others where you need first base help. 2. Reynaldo Lopez (SP, CWS, AAA) Stats: 121.0 IP, 3.79 ERA, 4.18 FIP, 25.4% K rate, 9.5% BB rate, 11.7% HR/FB, .218 AVG ETA: Friday Chicago White Sox GM Rick Hahn basically spilled the beans on Saturday that Lopez will be called up. In fact, he almost point-blank said that Lopez will be up on Friday against Kansas City. In an article by Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune, Hahn was quoted as saying, “I said he might want to look into the Kansas City series … (Lopez) is certainly forcing the issue and seems to be ready for the next step. Right now, our plan is for him to start for Charlotte (Sunday), and then you can ask me on Tuesday.” Though that start on Sunday did not go so well, Lopez had been on a really long string of success, posting a 2.16 ERA and 2.54 FIP over his past seven starts. And with a 32.5 percent strikeout rate over that time span, the fantasy upside is there. Expect him to be recalled this week. He has plenty of upside and would absolutely be worth an add in 12+ team leagues. 3. Dominic Smith (1B, NYM, AAA) Stats: 486 PA, .332/.389/.524, 16 HR, 1 SB, 8.0% BB rate, 16.9% K rate ETA: This Week It seems that Las Vegas may be sending another one of its top players to the majors. Shortly after shortstop prospect Amed Rosario was called up, it appears we are nearing the point where Smith may be joining his former teammate in the bigs. MLB.com New York Mets’ beat writer Anthony DiComo tweeted that GM Sandy Alderson had said Smith will be up before September and that he is not far behind Rosario. Smith is not quite the uber-prospect that Rosario is, but Smith is still a low-risk first baseman who should provide a nice batting average and some decent power numbers. He is certainly not a starter in shallow leagues, but he could be a nice depth piece and a starter in some deeper leagues. 4. Franklin Barreto (2B/SS, OAK, AAA) Stats: 411 PA, .285/.333/.454, 13 HR, 8 SB, 5.4% BB rate, 28.0% K rate ETA: September Many expected Jed Lowrie to be traded. He seemed one of the most likely players available to be dealt at the deadline. Yet, here we are, and here Lowrie is, still manning second base in Oakland. This certainly was not a great development for Barreto, but just because Lowrie wasn’t traded on July 31 does not mean he will not be dealt. After all, Yonder Alonso has already been traded to clear the way for Matt Olson at first base. However, Joe Stiglich of CSN Bay Area reported Oakland Athletics’ general manager Billy Beane said the plan is to “decide on (his option) in the offseason.” Certainly not a great sign for owners. But Oakland is always difficult to predict, and they could still find the right offer for Barreto. And Barreto is certainly forcing the issue lately, slashing .357/.379/.571 with a pair of homers and stolen bases over his past 13 games. He has the fantasy upside to be extremely valuable and could be a big contributor if he gets some playing time in September. 5. Lewis Brinson (OF, MIL, AAA) Stats: 317 PA, .339/.410/.556, 10 HR, 11 SB, 9.8% BB rate, 18.9% K rate ETA: September Brinson was briefly in the majors for a second stint, totaling 20 plate appearances over seven games. And though he had been crushing Triple-A pitching, he recorded only two hits — both homers — and posted a .125/.300/.500 slash line. The fantasy appeal is pretty clear. In just 21 MLB games, he has a pair of homers and a stolen base. But the risk is also clearly there, as he has not spent an extended period of time in the majors and still has clear issues swinging-and-missing (30.9 percent strikeout rate). The Brewers’ outfield is crowded right now with Ryan Braun, Domingo Santana, Keon Broxton and Hernan Perez, so playing time could be tough to find for him. But if Brinson should find himself in a starting role at some point in September, the upside is too high to pass up. 6. Luke Weaver (SP, STL, AAA) Stats: 66.0 IP, 1.91 ERA, 2.94 FIP, 27.3% K rate, 5.5% BB rate, 4.5% HR/FB, .202 AVG ETA: September Weaver made a pair of starts with the St. Louis Cardinals, posting only a mediocre start against Arizona on July 27 and dazzling against the Milwaukee Brewers on August 2, allowing just two runs on five hits and two walks over 6.1 innings of work with eight punch outs. Weaver has dominated hitters at Triple-A and certainly warrants a more extended look in the majors. Though he was only up as a replacement to Adam Wainwright, he should see another look in the majors at some point. And he certainly has the upside to be a worthy starter in all 12+ team leagues should he see more time in the Cardinals’ rotation. 7. Tyler Glasnow (SP, PIT, AAA) Stats: 61.2 IP, 1.61 ERA, 2.62 FIP, 38.0% K rate, 10.3% BB rate, 11.4% HR/FB, .171 AVG ETA: September Remember Glasnow? He was that Pittsburgh Pirates’ pitcher who was once considered a top prospect and a future ace? Once, as in, earlier this year. Glasnow’s stock has taken a nosedive this season thanks to “inconsistent” control (to put it kindly) in the majors. While in the majors, he struck out only 18.9 percent of opposing batters while walking an abhorrent 10.9 percent. And while Triple-A has not fixed the control issues, he has regained his ability to generate swings and misses (38 percent) and has contained the home run ball much more than he had in the majors (11.4 percent at AAA compared to 18.5 percent in the majors). He will likely be recalled in September and could see a few starts with the big-league club. The upside is still there for him to be a high strikeout No. 2 or 3 starting pitcher in the majors, and owners should take advantage of his low present value to add him for September. 8. Brent Honeywell (SP, TB, AAA) Stats: 113.1 IP, 3.73 ERA, 2.84 FIP, 31.3% K rate, 6.5% BB rate, 11.3% HR/FB, .258 AVG ETA: September Speaking of once great pitching prospects whose command failed them in the majors, Blake Snell was sent back down to Triple-A. Jake Odorizzi will fill the vacancy as he is due back on Aug. 9, though Odorizzi has been largely ineffective this season, and may need to put together a streak of solid starts. Honeywell, meanwhile has been cruising in the minors, particularly since July 4 as he has registered a 1.33 ERA and 2.67 FIP over those five starts (27 IP). The Rays’ top pitching prospect has exceptional command and control which should help him maintain a relatively high floor in the majors. And now that he has the strikeouts piling up in the minors, he is starting to look like a solid add in 12+ team mixed leagues if he is added to the rotation in September. 9. Ryan McMahon (1B/2B/3B, COL, AAA) Stats: 456 PA, .355/.399/.587, 18 HR, 11 SB, 7.5% BB rate, 17.8% K rate ETA: September Mark Reynolds began the season on a tear, causing many to believe he was back. And though his overall season numbers are still fine, he has been mired in an extended slump since June 30 (spanning 30 games), slashing only .239/.325/.422 with four homers and a scary 35.8 percent strikeout rate. McMahon meanwhile has been mashing Triple-A pitchers after putting on a similar show at Double-A. The chief difference being that he has actually improved since arriving in Alburquerque, now slashing .379/.412/.630 in 56 games compared to .326/.390/.536 over 49 games at Hartford. McMahon has a ton of power, which should play very well in Colorado. It will play especially well in the middle of that lineup. Should McMahon find himself starting at any point in the bigs at first base, he would immediately become a must-own in all 12+ team leagues. 10. Mitch Garver (C, MIN, AAA) Stats: 335 PA, .278/.376/.524, 16 HR, 1 SB, 13.4% BB rate, 23.3% K rate ETA: September This probably should not come as much of a surprise to anyone, but Jason Castro has not done a great job behind the dish in Minneapolis this season. The 30-year-old veteran is slashing only .224/.313/.369 and has caught only 24 percent of would-be base stealers. He has been in a steady decline since 2013, and the rebuilding Minnesota Twins are likely going to start looking more towards the future soon. And while Garver is no top prospect, he certainly is more of the future than Castro. Garver has posted a strong season at Triple-A and has earned a chance to prove he is the next starting catcher for Minnesota. At only 26 years old, Garver still has the best years of his career ahead of him, and could be a valuable catcher as a guy who can provide both some pop and a nice batting average in mixed leagues if he receives any starting time in September. 11. Harrison Bader (OF, STL, AAA) Stats: 391 PA, .297/.353/.513, 19 HR, 9 SB, 6.1% BB rate, 23.3% K rate ETA: September Bader put together a very disappointing season in 2016 at Triple-A, but he has really turned it around this year. The key to his turnaround has been better contact. He has reduced his groundball and fly ball rates by 5 and 2 percent respectively while increasing his line drive rate by 7 percent. It has resulted in a little more power and a better batting average. The stolen bases are not quite where they used to be last season (nine this year compared to 13 between AA and AAA last season), but his speed remains at least an above-average tool for him. And with outfielders like Randal Grichuk and Stephen Piscotty struggling to hit this season, Bader could force his way into some playing time once September rolls around. 12. Dietrich Enns (SP, MIN, AAA) Stats: 51.1 IP, 2.10 ERA, 2.70 FIP, 25.1% K rate, 5.9% BB rate, 4.2% HR/FB, .206 AVG ETA: September It is no secret that the Twins’ rotation has been disappointing this season. It currently sits 24th overall among MLB rotations with a 3.8 fWAR and has posted a 4.89 ERA and 5.06 FIP on the year. Both Jose Berrios and Ervin Santana have been bright spots, but everyone has been somewhat of a disappointment. Enns is no top prospect or anything, but he is a young, 26-year-old starting pitcher having a solid season at Triple-A with a low innings total. He has been effective at generating swings and misses while displaying improvements in his control from past seasons. If he is called upon to take a turn or two through Minnesota’s rotation, Enns should not be expected to carry any fantasy team’s rotation, but he could be a solid streamer or deep league add. 13. Tom Eshelman (SP, PHI, AAA) Stats: 117.0 IP, 2.92 ERA, 3.69 FIP, 17.9% K rate, 3.5% BB rate, 9.2% HR/FB, .240 AVG ETA: September Much like the Twins, the Philadelphia Phillies have not found a ton of success in their rotation. Though they sit at 19th with a 5.7 fWAR, that total is almost entirely composed of just two pitchers: Aaron Nola (3.0) and Jerad Eickhoff (1.5). They have struggled to find consistent arms who will round out that rotation. And like with Enns, while Eshelman is no top prospect or future ace, he is a solid arm who could help provide some stability in Philadelphia. His control is impeccable and he does a great job keeping runs off the board, particularly this season. The 23-year-old should eventually receive a look in the majors at some point this season, and could be a nice high floor add for owners in deep leagues. 14. Brett Phillips (OF, MIL, AAA) Stats: 349 PA, .307/.378/.583, 17 HR, 6 SB, 10.3% BB rate, 29.2% K rate ETA: September Brinson is not the only Brewers’ prospect to see starting time in the majors this season. He is not the only one who has failed to do anything productive with that time. Phillips had 39 PA over 15 games in the majors, but posted a meager .229/.289/.429 slash line with a pair of homers, a stolen base, a 7.7 percent walk rate and an obscene 41 percent strikeout rate. Brinson has swing and miss issues, but Phillips takes that to a whole new level. He is really quite the strikeout king. However, his power/speed upside is difficult to ignore as he could be a 20/10 player in the majors if he saw a full starting role in the big leagues. If he gets a chance in September to have any playing team, owners willing to swallow the abhorrent batting average could be content with the home run totals and occasional stolen bases. 15. Boog Powell (OF, OAK, AAA) Stats: 239 PA, .340/.416/.490, 6 HR, 11 SB, 11.7% BB rate, 11.3% K rate ETA: September The near-polar opposite player of Phillips, Powell is a contact-first outfielder who has more speed than power, but is really not great at either of those two areas. He is very similar to his former teammate in Seattle Ben Gamel. And unlike Phillips, Powell does not have four-plus outfielders ahead of him on the depth chart. He is expected to be promoted in September and is exactly the type of player Oakland will likely try and start on a semi-regular basis as he is a young outfielder who fits into their future plans. He is more of a low-risk depth piece who could be a decent add in deeper leagues. 16. Tyler Mahle (SP, CIN, AAA) Stats: 127.1 IP, 1.98 ERA, 2.54 FIP, 25.2% K rate, 5.5% BB rate, 4.8% HR/FB, .194 AVG ETA: September I’ve talked a lot today about struggling MLB rotations. Well there is none worse than that of the Cincinnati Reds. They are in danger of posting back-to-back seasons of negative fWARs as they currently sit at -0.1 on the year. There are a few young arms like Luis Castillo and Sal Romano who have been solid, but others like Amir Garrett, Cody Reed, Robert Stephenson and Rookie Davis have disappointed. Mahle has certainly not disappointed in the minors this season and has driven his stock up from a near no-name in the Reds’ system to MLB Pipeline’s No. 87 prospect on their Top 100 list. Mahle’s stuff is not as electric as Castillo’s or even that of some of the failed Cincinnati prospects, but he knows how to control it with near pinpoint accuracy and could keep the ball in the yard — an issue that has plagued many of the team’s young arms. And though he is not known for having strikeout stuff, he has missed plenty of bats this season and should at least do an effective job striking hitters out in the big leagues. Don’t be scared off by the track record of Cincinnati on the younger arms. Mahle could be a solid 14+ team league add if he sees extended time in the Reds’ rotation. 17. Steven Brault (SP, PIT, AAA) Stats: 106.1 IP, 2.20 ERA, 3.27 FIP, 23.8% K rate, 9.1% BB rate, 5.5% HR/FB, .208 AVG ETA: September Brault was briefly promoted to make a pair of relief appearances. During his time in the bigs this season, he gave up a pair of runs on four hits and two walks with two strikeouts in four innings. Not great, but not terrible. Brault has always been something of a strikeout machine in the minors, so it was a bit surprising not to see him rack up better totals in the majors. But during his MLB stint last season, he struck out batters at a 17.5 percent clip, a rate that still may wind up being a bit low. Though the Pirates also have Glasnow, they may want to give Brault a few looks through the rotation in September. And with his strikeout upside, he could be a solid add to owners in deeper leagues. 18. Willie Calhoun (2B/OF, TEX, AAA) Stats: 430 PA, .293/.351/.573, 25 HR, 3 SB, 8.4% BB rate, 11.6% K rate ETA: September This is one of those rare cases where a player’s glove impacts his bat. If Calhoun was even remotely decent at fielding at second base, he could challenge Rougned Odor for playing time right now. He certainly can hit extremely well, boasting both incredible power and an ability to make tons of contact. However, because he can’t field at second base and is probably not mobile enough for anywhere other than left field, it is tough to find playing time for him. After all, he will not unseat Nomar Mazara in left field at any point soon, and the Texas Rangers already have several first base/DH options. Calhoun is on the list because his bat is just that potent, but finding a defensive home — and thus playing time — is a real challenge. 19. Yandy Diaz (3B, CLE, AAA) Stats: 307 PA, .349/.459/.472, 5 HR, 0 SB, 16.6% BB rate, 15.3% K rate ETA: September Another guy who stands out more for his floor than his ceiling, Diaz has put together by far the best season of his Minor League career, walking at an incredibly high rate and keeping the strikeouts low. Though the power still has not shown up as much as some might like to see, his ability to reach base at a high clip would prove valuable to owners in need of some corner infield depth. Diaz is not a must-add really in most formats unless he carves out some regular playing time, but he could be a solid depth piece for owners looking for help at third base. 20. Dansby Swanson (SS, ATL, AAA) Stats: 35 PA, .200/.314/.200, 0 HR, 0 SB, 11.4% BB rate, 20.0% K rate ETA: September Swanson is the second prospect to show up on this list who will not be rookie eligible next season, but qualifies as one for this season, the first being Glasnow. It may be safe to say that as was the case with Glasnow, Swanson’s club rushed him up to the majors before he was truly ready and he will now need to spend some time building up confidence and proving he can hit. He mustered only a .213/.287/.312 slash line with six homers and two stolen bases. Though he did walk at a solid 9.7 percent clip, the 23.2 percent strikeout rate was a bit alarming. Swanson still has plenty of potential and may just need some time to tighten up a few areas of his game, but his struggles in the big leagues can’t be ignored even if he hits at Triple-A. At this point, even if he does regain his starting spot alongside Ozzie Albies in the infield, he is a deep league add at best. 21. Walker Buehler (SP, LAD, AAA) Stats: 76.2 IP, 3.40 ERA, 2.81 FIP, 35.2% K rate, 8.8% BB rate, 12.5% HR/FB, .201 AVG ETA: September 22. Miguel Andujar (3B, NYY, AAA) Stats: 410 PA, .318/.351/.511, 13 HR, 2 SB, 4.9% BB rate, 13.7% K rate ETA: September 23. Jake Bauers (1B/OF, TB, AAA) Stats: 452 PA, .275/.374/.429, 10 HR, 13 SB, 13.1% BB rate, 19.2% K rate ETA: September 24. Chance Sisco (C, BAL, AAA) Stats: 324 PA, .276/.343/.390, 4 HR, 2 SB, 8.3% BB rate, 26.5% K rate ETA: September 25. A.J. Reed (1B, HOU, AAA) Stats: 427 PA, .251/.349/.481, 22 HR, 0 SB, 12.9% BB rate, 26.0% K rate ETA: September 26. Nick Gordon (SS, MIN, AA) Stats: 460 PA, .281/.357/.435, 8 HR, 13 SB, 10.0% BB rate, 21.7% K rate ETA: September 27. Shawn Morimando (SP, CLE, AAA) Stats: 140.2 IP, 4.09 ERA, 4.60 FIP, 18.8% K rate, 7.3% BB rate, 12.0% HR/FB, .272 AVG ETA: September 28. Yohander Mendez (SP, TEX, AA) Stats: 121.1 IP, 3.86 ERA, 4.97 FIP, 21.5% K rate, 8.1% BB rate, 17.4% HR/FB, .228 AVG ETA: September 29. Ronald Guzman (1B, TEX, AAA) Stats: 429 PA, .313/.385/.470, 12 HR, 4 SB, 9.1% BB rate, 15.9% K rate ETA: September 30. Chance Adams (SP, NYY, AAA) Stats: 122.1 IP, 1.99 ERA, 3.60 FIP, 23.4% K rate, 10.1% BB rate, 6.3% HR/FB, .175 AVG ETA: September  

MLB Rookie Rankings

1. Aaron Judge (OF, NYY) 2. Cody Bellinger (1B/OF, LAD) 3. Yoan Moncada (2B/3B, CWS) 4. Bradley Zimmer (OF, CLE) 5. Derek Fisher (OF, HOU) 6. Andrew Benintendi (OF, BOS) 7. Rafael Devers (3B, BOS) 8. Ozzie Albies (2B/SS, ATL) 9. Clint Frazier (OF, NYY) 10. Amed Rosario (SS, NYM) 11. Ian Happ (2B/OF, CHC) 12. Trey Mancini (1B, BAL) 13. Paul DeJong (SS, STL) 14. Mitch Haniger (OF, SEA) 15. Matt Davidson (3B, CWS) 16. Jacob Faria (SP, TB) 17. German Marquez (SP, COL) 18. Manuel Margot (OF, SD) 19. Hunter Renfroe (OF, SD) 20. Josh Bell (1B/OF, PIT)

2017 Prospects: Top 30 Impact Rookies for Fantasy Leagues (Week 18)

Published 2 months ago by Edward Sutelan - RotoBaller

Hello everyone, and welcome to my weekly Top-30 Fantasy Rankings for Impact Rookies! In this series, I will be going over the top prospects in baseball and discussing which ones figure to have an impact for the rest of this fantasy baseball season. The trade deadline has come and gone, and with it several of the game’s top prospects have been removed from the list. From the first article in this series from July, nine of the 30 prospects have already been promoted with another one (the top guy in this week’s list) being promoted today. And there are still several more promotions likely left to be made. Between teams finalizing their rosters in the coming days, the remaining waiver trades that will be made before the waiver trade deadline and the roster expansion in September, prospects could still be called up and help fantasy owners with depth and contribute to many potential postseason runs.  

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. Amed Rosario (SS, NYM, AAA) Stats: 425 PA, .328/.367/.466, 7 HR, 19 SB, 5.4% BB rate, 15.8% K rate ETA: Today The New York Mets announced that they will promote their top prospect on Tuesday to debut against the Colorado Rockies. Rosario has put together quite the season at Triple-A Las Vegas, and though the Mets moved neither Asdrubal Cabrera nor Jose Reyes, Rosario should still expect to see regular playing time at shortstop. He should provide owners with both a strong batting average as well as some promising speed numbers. If you haven’t added him already to your roster, you should probably get on that now. 2. Dominic Smith (1B, NYM, AAA) Stats: 462 PA, .343/.396/.539, 16 HR, 1 SB, 7.6% BB rate, 16.0% K rate ETA: This Week Rosario’s teammate at Las Vegas should be expected to rejoin his fellow compatriot in the Big Apple before too long. During the same press conference Mets GM Sandy Alderson announced Rosario’s promotion, he acknowledged Smith is “not far behind.” With Lucas Duda no longer at first base to block him, Smith should be expected to be promoted at some point this week. He has stellar plate discipline and makes plenty of contact — recently with some more power — and should be expected to contribute even at first base. Smith is not a must-own in all leagues, but he remains a solid first base option for a lot of teams. 3. Franklin Barreto (2B/SS, OAK, AAA) Stats: 387 PA, .270/.319/.419, 11 HR, 7 SB, 5.4% BB rate, 28.7% K rate ETA: Early August Barreto was expected to be called up as soon as the Oakland Athletics moved Jed Lowrie. There is just one problem. The A’s did not move Lowrie. He still remains in the Bay Area and could provide Barreto with an obstacle. However, the waiver deadline is still ahead and Lowrie could still be moved to open up playing time for Barreto. And with his offensive profile, Barreto is too exciting a prospect to completely ignore. 4. Reynaldo Lopez (SP, CWS, AAA) Stats: 111.0 IP, 3.65 ERA, 3.99 FIP, 24.8% K rate, 8.9% BB rate, 10.6% HR/FB, .221 AVG ETA: Early August Lopez has been an absolute beast over the past month and it should result in a promotion soon. Over his last six starts (36.2 IP), Lopez has posted a 49:8 strikeout-to-walk ratio with a 1.96 ERA and 2.49 FIP. He has been near unhittable as of late coming off a slow start to the season, and now with Jose Quintana gone and no other pitchers talented enough to block Lopez, it should not be long until he finds himself in the big leagues again. He is one of the game’s top pitching prospects for a reason and could represent a major pitching upgrade in the backend of a lot of fantasy teams’ rotations. 5. Lucas Sims (SP, ATL, AAA) Stats: 115.1 IP, 3.75 ERA, 4.31 FIP, 28.1% K rate, 7.7% BB rate, 16.2% HR/FB, .223 AVG ETA: Tuesday Sims has enjoyed a breakout campaign in Triple-A, and the former first-round pick is starting to re-kindle some of that prospect flame that made him such a highly regarded arm a few seasons ago. Sims has been missing bats at an incredibly high rate this season, and his only real problem has been issues keeping the ball in the yard. Hitter-friendly Suntrust Park does not provide him with the most hitter-friendly home environment, but the strikeouts could prove valuable to owners looking for starting pitching depth. Editor's note: Sims will start Tuesday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers 6. Marco Gonzales (SP, SEA, AAA) Stats: 86.1 IP, 3.02 ERA, 4.04 FIP, 21.4% K rate, 6.5% BB rate, 7.9% HR/FB, .204 AVG ETA: Early August As with Sims, Gonzales has seen the shine of his once-bright future outlook dim just a little bit over the years. Multiple injuries, diminished velocity and poor results in the majors no longer have him standing out as a future front-of-the-rotation starter. However, he still has one of the minors’ best changeups, and his velocity has started to come back to him a bit this season. He is no future ace, but he could provide some owners with strikeouts and solid results as a streaming option in some leagues. 7. Jeimer Candelario (3B, DET, AAA) Stats: 330 PA, .266/.361/.507, 12 HR, 0 SB, 12.4% BB rate, 21.8% K rate ETA: Early August The most inevitable prospect-to-be-moved was moved on July 30 as Candelario was shipped off to the Detroit Tigers in the Justin Wilson/Alex Avila deal. Though the Tigers have Miguel Cabrera at first and Nick Castellanos at third, Castellanos’ suspect defense at third and the recent hole opened up in the outfield by J.D. Martinez’s departure could result in a slight shift that could end with Candelario becoming the everyday third baseman for Detroit before too long. The switch-hitting third baseman does not have a ton of power, but he knows how to hit and should eventually blossom into a 20-homer bat. And with the juiced ball, he could even start to see some of that power production show up this season. He is not a must-own, but he could be a solid CI depth option for teams in 12+ team leagues if he is promoted. 8. Chris Shaw (1B/OF, SF, AAA) Stats: 391 PA, .288/.348/.500, 16 HR, 0 SB, 8.2% BB rate, 24.6% K rate ETA: Mid-August Shaw is not on the San Francisco Giants’ 40-man roster, and the lack of trades at the deadline have done nothing to free up a spot for him. However, it had been reported earlier that while he was not at the time being considered for a spot on the roster, he could earn it by hitting. And it’s safe to say he has hit extremely well. Though the Giants don’t need a new first baseman, he could slot into left field where he has seen plenty of playing time while at Sacramento. Shaw has the power to have an impact, so a promotion to the majors could prove fruitful for owners in several leagues. 9. Ozzie Albies (2B, ATL, AAA) Stats: 443 PA, .286/.332/.443, 9 HR, 21 SB, 6.3% BB rate, 20.1% K rate ETA: Late August/September Albies may be a September promotion, but his speed and the fact that he plays second base could give him immense fantasy value. Stolen bases are a much rarer commodity this season, and second base has not been near as deep in production this year as it was last year. There is of course a chance he gets a promotion early if the Braves are able to move Brandon Phillips before the waiver deadline. That seems a tad unlikely, but owners should not be scared off by Albies’ late promotion. As long as he sees semi-regular playing time, he could prove to be a valuable piece. 10. Yandy Diaz (3B, CLE, AAA) Stats: 281 PA, .336/.444/.466, 5 HR, 0 SB, 16.0% BB rate, 14.6% K rate ETA: Mid-August The Cleveland Indians are seemingly loaded at all positions, but they have been stretched in the infield a bit following an injury to Jason Kipnis. Though Kipnis is due back in a little while, Diaz is the type of bat who could play well at third base, helping rest Jose Ramirez who could also shift into a super-utility role himself. Diaz provides only limited fantasy upside with little power and speed. But he should have no trouble reaching base at a reliable clip and could be a solid depth piece for some owners. He is by no means a must-own, but if he is promoted to the Indians, he would be better than several other third base options out there, assuming he sees semi-regular playing time. 11. Tom Eshelman (SP, PHI, AAA) Stats: 113.0 IP, 2.39 ERA, 3.72 FIP, 18.4% K rate, 3.4% BB rate, 9.2% HR/FB, .231 AVG ETA: Early August Once Eshelman comes off the 7-day DL, he could be about ready to head up to Philadelphia. The elite control specialist has enjoyed a fine season at Lehigh Valley, albeit without many strikeouts. The Phillies are trying to get younger, and with Jeremy Hellickson now off to Baltimore, a spot has opened in the rotation. Eshelman is no top prospect, but his elite control gives him a high ceiling that should help him at least remain a solid 14+ team league add. 12. Rhys Hoskins (1B, PHI, AAA) Stats: 435 PA, .281/.384/.559, 24 HR, 3 SB, 13.6% BB rate, 15.9% K rate ETA: Mid-August The Philadelphia Phillies still have Tommy Joseph on their roster, and though the waiver deadline is still ahead, it seems unlikely he will don a different uniform before the end of the season. That doesn’t mean the team won’t give Hoskins a shot at the big leagues. He has hit more than enough to warrant a promotion, and should see a chance to begin an early tryout for the starting job in 2018. But it certainly does not help his fantasy value that he will not inherit the full-time starting spot for a little while. 13. Ryan McMahon (1B/2B/3B, COL, AAA) Stats: 434 PA, .360/.403/.596, 17 HR, 11 SB, 7.4% BB rate, 17.3% K rate ETA: September Many figured if the Colorado Rockies made any major moves that they would move McMahon, an infield prospect who is essentially blocked at all positions by All-Stars. But the Rockies acquired Jonathan Lucroy without having to send away one of their top prospects and held McMahon. At this point, he figures only to have value as a super-utility player (albeit one who is fairly lousy defensively at every position other than first) should he be promoted in September, and could be an explosive source of home runs and RBI. I’m still not entirely sold on the batting average just because of his past issues with plate discipline, but he could get hot for a month in the big leagues and prove me wrong. 14. Willy Adames (SS, TB, AAA) Stats: 438 PA, .263/.356/.405, 7 HR, 8 SB, 12.3% BB rate, 21.7% K rate ETA: September In a somewhat surprising development, the Baltimore Orioles acquired Tim Beckham from the Tampa Bay Rays. The move initially was more to free up a spot for Brad Miller who will now need to play shortstop following the acquisition of Duda from the Mets, but it could free up a spot now for Adames to see playing time in the majors. Back when the Rays had a ton of shortstop depth (Beckham, Miller, Adeiny Hechavarria), Adames did not have a clear path to playing time. Now he does. Even if Adames is only promoted in September, the combination of his shortstop eligibility with his power/speed combination should be productive for fantasy teams looking for some shortstop depth. 15. Dietrich Enns (SP, MIN, AAA) Stats: 45.1 IP, 1.99 ERA, 2.39 FIP, 26.4% K rate, 5.6% BB rate, 2.5% HR/FB, .193 AVG ETA: Mid-August One of the two pieces in the Jaime Garcia trade, Enns has put together quite a respectable season at Triple-A for the New York Yankees. Though he is not considered to be a top prospect by many, he has posted near elite control stats (low walk and home run rates) while also maintaining a high strikeout rate. And with the Minnesota Twins looking more towards the future than to this season, it seems likely the 26-year-old could have an impact in Minnesota sooner rather than later. Enns should soon grab a handful of spot starts and could even hold onto a rotation spot for the rest of the season. 16. Brent Honeywell (SP, TB, AAA) Stats: 108.1 IP, 3.82 ERA, 2.87 FIP, 30.9% K rate, 6.8% BB rate, 10.8% HR/FB, .255 AVG ETA: Late August Honeywell has put together an impressive campaign at Triple-A. Though the ERA remains relatively high, his FIP has been spectacular as he has maintained his incredibly high strikeout rate and low walk rate. And with Jake Odorizzi recently hitting the DL, an opening has emerged (even if it is only for a short period of time). The team has opted to fill it temporarily with Austin Pruitt who was kicked around by the Yankees in his first start back to the majors (five runs on four hits and two walks over five innings). If Odorizzi’s injury proves to be more extensive than originally believed, it would not be surprising to see the playoff-hopeful Rays call up their top pitching prospect. 17. Tyler Mahle (SP, CIN, AAA) Stats: 119.1 IP, 1.96 ERA, 2.51 FIP, 25.8% K rate, 5.4% BB rate, 5.2% HR/FB, .199 AVG ETA: September It is an understatement to say that the Cincinnati Reds’ starting rotation has been atrocious this season. Aside from a handful of bright spots (Luis Castillo chief among them), there has not been a lot to get excited about. However, the performance of Mahle in the minors this season should have Reds’ fans excited as he appears to be cruising towards an impactful role by next season. He should be among the Reds’ September call-ups and it would not be surprising to see him grab a handful of spot starts as his inning total is still relatively low. He not only has strikeout upside, but also the control to provide owners with a high floor pitching prospect. Mahle could be a nice depth piece for playoff teams. 18. Casey Gillaspie (1B, CWS, AAA) Stats: 395 PA, .227/.296/.357, 9 HR, 1 SB, 9.1% BB rate, 19.5% K rate ETA: Mid-August This was absolutely the best-case scenario for Gillaspie. He went from being a slugging first baseman for a team loaded with guys whose primary position is first base to a slugging first baseman in a team that only has one first baseman and no real bat at DH. Unfortunately for Gillaspie, he fractured his toe in his last game for Durham, so he will need to spend some time recovering from that. However, once he has, it would not be surprising to see the Chicago White Sox call him up and see what he can do against big-league pitching despite lackluster results at Triple-A. This would become especially likely to happen should Chicago move Jose Abreu during the waiver trade period. 19. Austin Meadows (OF, PIT, AAA) Stats: 283 PA, .250/.314/.363, 4 HR, 10 SB, 8.1% BB rate, 16.6% K rate ETA: September Gregory Polanco is expected back soon, but the Pittsburgh Pirates still have only a 6.2 percent chance of making the playoffs according to FanGraphs. What does that have to do with anything? Well if they were in a competitive state, they might want to always field the most reliable lineup on a daily basis. But now out of the playoff picture, the team may opt to give youngsters like Meadows a shot to see MLB pitching in September. This is no guarantee. Meadows has not been a fixture of health himself and he certainly has not set the world on fire at Triple-A, but the 22-year-old should fight for playing time next season (if Andrew McCutchen is traded this offseason or before). So giving him a chance to see MLB pitching in advance could prove valuable in longterm. And with his upside, he could be worth a look in some deep leagues. 20. Walker Buehler (SP/RP, LAD, AAA) Stats: 70.1 IP, 3.33 ERA, 2.69 FIP, 35.6% K rate, 8.9% BB rate, 12.8% HR/FB, .200 AVG ETA: September Buehler is listed up here purely as an upside play for fantasy owners. Though there is little to no doubt he cracks the rotation, Buehler has elite stuff and has not thrown many innings this season which could lead him to grab a spot start or two in September. The Los Angeles Dodgers rotation — especially after the Yu Darvish acquisition — is truly loaded, but with guys like Rich Hill and Alex Wood who have had injury issues in the past and a nearly insurmountable lead in the NL West, the Dodgers could decide to rest up some of their starters and give Buehler a start every now and again. There may be other prospects who see more innings than Buehler, but there is no prospect with better stuff than him who is likely to be promoted this season. 21. Dan Vogelbach (1B, SEA, AAA) Stats: 413 PA, .298/.392/.460, 13 HR, 3 SB, 13.6% BB rate, 17.9% K rate ETA: September 22. Willie Calhoun (2B/OF, TEX, AAA) Stats: 414 PA, .298/.357/.574, 23 HR, 3 SB, 8.7% BB rate, 11.8% K rate ETA: September 23. Christin Stewart (OF, DET, AA) Stats: 413 PA, .260/.344/.518, 22 HR, 3 SB, 10.7% BB rate, 26.6% K rate ETA: September 24. Miguel Andujar (3B, NYY, AAA) Stats: 398 PA, .318/.352/.516, 13 HR, 2 SB, 5.0% BB rate, 13.8% K rate ETA: Late August 25. Chance Sisco (C, BAL, AAA) Stats: 308 PA, .280/.347/.389, 3 HR, 2 SB, 8.4% BB rate, 26.0% K rate ETA: September 26. Scott Kingery (2B, PHI, AAA) Stats: 448 PA, .310/.365/.568, 23 HR, 27 SB, 7.4% BB rate, 18.1% K rate ETA: September 27. Jake Bauers (1B/OF, TB, AAA) Stats: 430 PA, .272/.367/.418, 9 HR, 13 SB, 12.8% BB rate, 19.3% K rate ETA: September 28. Yohander Mendez (SP, TEX, AA) Stats: 121.1 IP, 3.86 ERA, 4.96 FIP, 21.5% K rate, 8.1% BB rate, 17.4% HR/FB, .228 AVG ETA: Early August 29. Nick Gordon (SS, MIN, AA) Stats: 431 PA, .288/.357/.440, 7 HR, 11 SB, 9.5% BB rate, 21.6% K rate ETA: September 30. Chance Adams (SP, NYY, AAA) Stats: 110.1 IP, 1.96 ERA, 3.50 FIP, 24.3% K rate, 10.1% BB rate, 6.5% HR/FB, .170 AVG ETA: September  

MLB Rookie Rankings

1. Aaron Judge (OF, NYY) 2. Cody Bellinger (1B/OF, LAD) 3. Andrew Benintendi (OF, BOS) 4. Yoan Moncada (2B/3B, CWS) 5. Bradley Zimmer (OF, CLE) 6. Rafael Devers (3B, BOS) 7. Clint Frazier (OF, NYY) 8. Ian Happ (2B/OF, CHC) 9.  Derek Fisher (OF, HOU) 10. Mitch Haniger (OF, SEA) 11.  Raimel Tapia (OF, COL) 12. Paul DeJong (SS, STL) 13. Trey Mancini (1B, BAL) 14. Josh Bell (1B/OF, PIT) 15. German Marquez (SP, COL) 16. Ben Gamel (OF, SEA) 17. Jacob Faria (SP, TB) 18. Hunter Renfroe (OF, SD) 19. Jorge Bonifacio (OF, KC) 20. Manuel Margot (OF, SD)

2017 Prospects: Top 30 Impact Rookies for Fantasy Leagues (Week 17)

Published 2 months ago by Edward Sutelan - RotoBaller

Hello everyone, and welcome to my weekly Top-30 Fantasy Rankings for Impact Rookies! In this series, I will be going over the top prospects in baseball and discussing which ones figure to have an impact for the rest of this fantasy baseball season. This has been a busy week for prospect promotions. The Chicago White Sox promoted top prospect Yoan Moncada to the big leagues just minutes after trading away Todd Frazier. The Houston Astros promoted Derek Fisher to serve temporarily as George Springer’s replacement (although it would not surprise me at all to see him stick in left field when Springer returns). And of course, the most shocking revelation, the Boston Red Sox promoted Rafael Devers, who made his MLB debut last night against the Seattle Mariners. But if you thought this week was busy for prospect promotions, just wait until next week. With the trade deadline officially coming next Monday, teams will be reloading their rosters throughout that day as well as on Tuesday, and probably throughout the whole rest of the week. It could be a busy time for that waiver wire!  

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. Amed Rosario (SS, NYM, AAA) Stats: 398 PA, .329/.367/.473, 7 HR, 17 SB, 5.3% BB rate, 14.8% K rate ETA: August 1 I would bet quite a bit that Rosario is not long for this list. It has been widely suggested the New York Mets are going to start selling, and if they do, guys like Asdrubal Cabrera and Jose Reyes could be on the move. If it’s not via trade, it could even just be via the Pablo Sandoval route and they may just be DFA’d. The reason for this is because it has been widely reported that the Mets believe Rosario is now big-league ready and want to get him into their lineup. He is no Moncada in terms of fantasy upside, but he has the ability to hit for a high average and swipe plenty of bases. It is about time to start stashing him, if he hasn’t been stashed already. 2. Lewis Brinson (OF, MIL, AAA) Stats: 307 PA, .345/.417/.569, 10 HR, 11 SB, 10.1% BB rate, 18.9% K rate ETA: Late July/Early August The Milwaukee Brewers made the decision to option Keon Broxton after he has gone 3-for-47 over the past several weeks. For now, Brett Phillips will be the presumed starter in center field, but Phillips shares the same major flaw as Broxton (tons of strikeouts) and therefore could be the same streaky player Broxton was. And with Brinson tormenting Triple-A pitchers and starkly reducing his strikeout rate, Brinson could soon be on his way up from Colorado Springs. If he reaches the big leagues again, don’t expect him to struggle the way he did in his first taste, and be ready to add him in nearly all leagues. 3. Rhys Hoskins (1B, PHI, AAA) Stats: 410 PA, .282/.376/.561, 23 HR, 3 SB, 12.4% BB rate, 16.1% K rate ETA: August 1 Hoskins continues to put together an outstanding campaign coming right on the heels of a breakout season in 2016, and is likely on his way to a second half promotion. The Philadelphia Phillies have Tommy Joseph at first base currently, but he is an affordable first baseman who could still have value to an American League team as either a DH or first baseman. They should not have too much of an issue trying to get him moved. Should the Phillies find a way to send Joseph out of Philadelphia, it appears the clear favorite to inherit the spot in the lineup is Hoskins. It is not often a first base prospect is worth a stash, but Hoskins is that special of a bat that owners in 14+ team leagues may want to start stashing him already. Once he reaches the majors, owners in all leagues will likely want some stock in Hoskins. 4. Franklin Barreto (2B/SS, OAK, AAA) Stats: 365 PA, .269/.320/.424, 11 HR, 6 SB, 5.8% BB rate, 29.6% K rate ETA: August 1 Barreto has already seen time in the majors before being sent back down to the minors. Though the batting average hasn’t been there for him in the minors since his demotion, he has added three homers and two stolen bases to his totals in just 12 games back down, and could be back up if the Oakland Athletics complete the trade of Jed Lowrie. It had been reported earlier in the year that once Lowrie was gone, Barreto was going to be back up in the majors. He may not have hit well, but if he returns to the majors, Barreto’s skill set lends itself well to fantasy teams as he is both a solid power hitter and a solid runner. He has enough upside to warrant stashes in 12+ team leagues. 5. Luke Weaver (SP, STL, AAA) Stats: 66.0 IP, 1.91 ERA, 2.96 FIP, 27.3% K rate, 5.5% BB rate, 4.5% HR/FB, .202 AVG ETA: August 1 With reports that the St. Louis Cardinals are heavily shopping Lance Lynn, stock for Weaver should be going through the roof. Weaver has been nothing short of sensational this season at Triple-A, and has been deserving of a starting spot in a rotation for a long time now. Conveniently, the day he starts just so happens to align perfectly with Lynn’s spot in the rotation. A deal still needs to be struck for Lynn before Weaver is a must-own prospect, but it certainly has that feeling that he is getting there. 6. Reynaldo Lopez (SP, CWS, AAA) Stats: 106.0 IP, 3.65 ERA, 4.05 FIP, 23.8% K rate, 8.9% BB rate, 10.2% HR/FB, .221 AVG ETA: Late July/Early August It is a tad surprising to me that Lopez has not been promoted already. After Jose Quintana was traded, it seemed to be the perfect time for a call-up of the Chicago White Sox’s most MLB-ready pitcher. Especially given the way Lopez has pitched of late, registering a 1.71 ERA and 2.40 FIP over his last five starts (31.2 innings) with just six walks and 39 strikeouts. Reports suggest the White Sox brass is mulling whether to promote Lopez, Carson Fulmer or Lucas Giolito. And if you’ve seen the numbers on the latter two, you’ll know Lopez deserves to be the front-runner. 7. Dominic Smith (1B, NYM Stats: 440 PA, .337/.391/.526, 15 HR, 0 SB, 7.5% BB rate, 15.9% K rate ETA: August 1 Another Mets’ prospect likely to be affected by the trade deadline, Smith stands to benefit the most from a potential Lucas Duda trade. Which, if you’ve been following the news, seems more and more likely to happen with each passing day. Duda is in his walk year, has expressed interest in testing free agency and the Mets have fallen behind the Atlanta Braves in the standings. That’s not good. So if Duda is moved, Smith, who has been having a strong season at Las Vegas, seems like the most likely guy to be called up. He already has set a career-high in home runs, has career-highs across the board on his triple-slash line and is still striking out less than 16 percent of the time. He’s not as exciting a first base prospect as Hoskins, but he would be a solid own for fantasy owners should he get his shot at the majors. 8. Chance Adams (SP, NYY, AAA) Stats: 103.1 IP, 19.2 ERA, 3.48 FIP, 24.2% K rate, 10.2% BB rate, 6.0% HR/FB, .173 AVG ETA: Early August It would be very surprising to me now that Michael Pineda is out if Adams does not get a look in the rotation at some point. Over his last seven starts (32.2 IP), Adams has been on fire, posting a 2.20 ERA and 3.50 FIP while going at least five innings in five of the seven starts. He is not a future ace, but he does not have to be given the rate he misses bats and controls the zone. His stuff is not great and could lead him to the occasional bad game in the majors, but he should be a solid No. 3, Jordan Montgomery-esque add for fantasy owners. 9. Scott Kingery (2B, PHI, AAA) Stats: 420 PA, .303/.361/.576, 23 HR, 26 SB, 7.9% BB rate, 17.4% K rate ETA: August 1/September Kingery has moved up the list, but really only by default. Though he has continued to have an outstanding, breakout campaign, he is a highly risky asset because there is still a good chance he will not be promoted even if the requisite trades take place. He is not on the 40-man roster, and does not need protection from the Rule 5 Draft until next season. If he is promoted, his power/speed combination at second base would warrant ownership in all formats. But he is too risky of an asset to advise stashing. 10. Marco Gonzales (SP, SEA, AAA) Stats: 80.1 IP, 2.91 ERA, 3.98 FIP, 21.8% K rate, 5.7% BB rate, 8.3% HR/FB, .210 AVG ETA: Early August Once considered one of the top pitching prospects in the game, Gonzales was almost treated as one when the St. Louis Cardinals dealt him to acquire Tyler O’Neill — one of the top outfield prospects in the game. Gonzales has seen the past several years of his career marred by injuries, but an uptick in velocity and a still lethal changeup make him an intriguing option in fantasy leagues. Some are speculating he will grab a rotation spot after a few starts in the minors, but that awaits to be seen. If his stuff is truly back, he could be worth a flier in 14+ team leagues, and even some shallower leagues if he gets off to a hot start in the majors. 11. Erick Fedde (SP, WAS, AAA) Stats: 77.1 IP, 3.72 ERA, 3.53 FIP, 21.7% K rate, 6.6% BB rate, 12.3% HR/FB, .240 AVG ETA: Early August Fedde has spent a lot of 2017 working in the bullpen, but the Washington Nationals are now stretching him out again to start. With the rotation vacancy left by Joe Ross (Tommy John surgery), Fedde remains one of the leading candidates to fill the spot for the longterm as the Nationals are unlikely to trade for a starting pitcher considering they have bigger needs to address at the deadline (e.g. their bullpen). Fedde is considered one of the top pitching prospects in the game and has the stuff to succeed at the next level. The strikeouts haven’t been there for him as much this season, but he’s too talented of a pitching prospect to totally ignore. He is worth a speculative grab in some 12- and 14-team leagues. 12. Chris Shaw (1B/OF, SF, AAA) Stats: 366 PA, .289/.347/.500, 15 HR, 0 SB, 7.9% BB rate, 23.2% K rate ETA: August 1 It has been a season to forget for the San Francisco Giants, there’s no doubt about that. But Shaw has had a season to remember, and could potentially help make the season more memorable at the big-league level. With the way Shaw has hit, and now adding the outfield to his repertoire, Shaw could be up in the majors manning left field at some point if the Giants make some space for him by clearing out someone like Denard Span (shift Austin Slater to center) or Hunter Pence (shift Slater to right) and then bring Shaw up. If he does reach the majors, Shaw has plenty of thump to play well even in a pitcher-friendly ballpark. 13. Jeimer Candelario (1B/3B, CHC, AAA) Stats: 307 PA, .258/.352/.491, 10 HR, 0 SB, 12.1% BB rate, 22.5% K rate ETA: August 1 The Chicago Cubs are starting to heat up again and are now hovering right around that top spot in the division again. Despite clicking on all cylinders, the Cubs are likely not done shopping and may still look to add some pieces at the deadline. After pulling off that deal with the Chicago White Sox, the only real piece left in that farm system is Candelario, who almost certainly will be the key piece in any deal. Candelario has the bat to have an impact in both a big-league and fantasy lineup, so a trade could prove to be just as valuable to him as it might be to other teams. He has 20-homer pop and the ability to hit a .260-.280 batting average if he has full playing time, and could be a solid add in 14+ team leagues if he gets dealt away. 14. Ryan McMahon (1B/2B/3B, AAA) Stats: 410 PA, .350/.393/.572, 15 HR, 11 SB, 7.1% BB rate, 18.0% K rate ETA: Early August There’s probably no one who has made as much of a mockery of Triple-A pitchers as McMahon does. He crushed Double-A pitching, posting a .326/.390/.536 slash line with six homers in 49 games. It didn’t look like he could do much better at Triple-A. And yet, he has. In 45 games at Albuquerque, he owns a .373/.395/.606 slash line with nine homers and has lowered his strikeout rate by 1.9 percent. Not only is he hitting well, but he has demonstrated some defensive versatility, now adding second base to his defensive repertoire. Most see him as a first baseman, but in Coors Field, he will still hit enough to be valuable there. Playing time looks tough for him to find at the moment, but he is a special bat and owners have to be at least aware of the fantasy upside he has. After all, baseball is a funny game and anything can happen. 15. Ozzie Albies (2B, ATL, AAA) Stats: 421 PA, .287/.330/.447, 9 HR, 21 SB, 5.9% BB rate, 20.2% K rate ETA: Early August/September There are several paths to playing time for Albies. Brandon Phillips could be traded at the deadline and Albies could be his replacement. Dansby Swanson could be demoted to the minors and Albies could be his replacement. He is only 20 years old, however, so it is tough to suggest he is going to see the majors for any impactful time before September. But both qualifying as a middle-infielder and being a true-70-grade burner on the bases, Albies could really help fantasy rosters in both the stolen base and batting average fields if promoted. So don’t stash him just yet, but make sure to follow up on the Braves’ plans for their two current middle infielders. 16. Christin Stewart (OF, DET, AA) Stats: 386 PA, .266/.347/.518, 20 HR, 3 SB, 10.4% BB rate, 26.7% K rate ETA: Early August Following the trade of J.D. Martinez, it is clear the Detroit Tigers are starting to head towards a possible rebuild. It is also clear that there is now an opening in the outfield in Detroit. Stewart is only at Double-A, but the numbers are certainly eye-popping. And at 23 years old, he is the kind of age a rebuilding team like the Tigers might want to see in the majors. Stewart has the power to have an impact if he gets called up, so while there is no indication the Tigers are going to call him up soon, he is a name worth keeping an eye on. 17. Destin Hood (OF, MIA, AAA) Stats: 254 PA, .260/.349/.498, 14 HR, 5 SB, 12.2% BB rate, 26.0% K rate ETA: August 1 The Miami Marlins continue to be the subject of near-constant trade rumors, especially with regards to their trio of outfielders. All three — Marcell Ozuna, Christian Yelich and Giancarlo Stanton — would make any outfield in baseball better and could all fetch a substantial return for Miami. Of course, it still awaits to be seen if a trade of any of those three does happen. Should a trade for one of the three All-Star caliber outfielders go down, Hood seems the most likely candidate to be promoted and take the outfield spot. He may not hit for a great average, but the power upside is there, which should be worth something in some leagues. 18. Austin Meadows (OF, PIT, AAA) Stats: 281 PA, .248/.313/.358, 4 HR, 10 SB, 8.2% BB rate, 16.7% K rate ETA: Mid-August With the Pittsburgh Pirates looking unlikely to sell, Meadows’ path to playing time is starting to look narrower. Andrew McCutchen now looks locked into Pittsburgh’s lineup and Starling Marte is back. But Gregory Polanco is now on the DL, and there is still no timetable for his return. Meadows is dealing with his own injury, but he has begun the rehab process and could start to get closer to returning to Triple-A. If Meadows beats Polanco back to full health, he could emerge as a viable candidate to replace him temporarily. Meadows still has the potential to have a major impact on a fantasy roster just with his power/speed upside, but he is not a recommended stash as it still requires a few things for him to reach the bigs. 19. Yandy Diaz (3B/OF, CLE, AAA) Stats: 254 PA, .335/.437/.453, 4 HR, 0 SB, 15.0% BB rate, 15.7% K rate ETA: Early August The Cleveland Indians have been dealing with a litany of injuries, currently trudging along without second baseman Jason Kipnis or outfielders Lonnie Chisenhall and Austin Jackson. Guys are filling in admirably, but at some point, Diaz should start to emerge into the fold of guys who could receive playing time. He has been crushing Triple-A pitching — albeit without much power — and is the type of utility player they could really use. If Kipnis’ injury keeps him out for a while, expect to see Diaz reach the majors shortly after the deadline. 20. Tom Murphy (C, COL, AAA) Stats: 70 PA, .277/.314/.492, 2 HR, 0 SB, 4.3% BB rate, 45.7% K rate ETA: September Originally a staple in the top three of this list, Murphy spent most of the first half of the season injured, returned to the majors and could not have struggled more, slashing .050/.136/.100 in eight games. And he has not been much better at Triple-A. Though he is slashing .277/.314/.492, he is striking out 45.7 percent of the time with a walk rate of only 4.3 percent. And with just two homers, he is not hitting for enough power to balance it all out. He has the potential to be an insanely valuable fantasy prospect as a power-hitting catcher, but he needs to make some contact first. 21. Chance Sisco (C, BAL, AAA) Stats: 294 PA, .284/.354/.395, 3 HR, 2 SB, 8.8% BB rate, 26.2% K rate ETA: Early August 22. Tyler Mahle (SP, CIN, AAA) Stats: 112.0 IP, 1.93 ERA, 2.56 FIP, 26.0% K rate, 5.5% BB rate, 5.8% HR/FB, .202 AVG ETA: Mid-August 23. Ronald Guzman (1B, TEX, AAA) Stats: 388 PA, .312/.384/.474, 11 HR, 3 SB, 9.0% BB rate, 15.7% K rate ETA: Mid-August/September 24. Miguel Andujar (3B, NYY, AAA) Stats: 373 PA, .312/.346/.500, 11 HR, 2 SB, 5.1% BB rate, 13.9% K rate ETA: September 25. Walker Buehler (SP, LAD, AAA) Stats: 65.1 IP, 3.44 ERA, 2.81 FIP, 34.6% K rate, 8.8% BB rate, 13.2% HR/FB, .209 AVG ETA: August 1 26. Jake Bauers (1B/OF, TB, AAA) Stats: 403 PA, .277/.375/.426, 8 HR, 11 SB, 13.4% BB rate, 19.1% K rate ETA: Mid-August 27. Brent Honeywell (SP, TB, AAA) Stats: 102.1 IP, 3.96 ERA, 2.77 FIP, 31.2% K rate, 6.7% BB rate, 10.3% HR/FB, .256 AVG ETA: September 28. Tom Eshelman (SP, PHI, AAA) Stats: 113.0 IP, 22.39 ERA, 3.74 FIP, 18.4% K rate, 3.4% BB rate, 9.2% HR/FB, .231 AVG ETA: Early August 29. Nick Gordon (SS, MIN, AA) Stats: 403 PA, .294/.362/.449, 7 HR, 11 SB, 9.4% BB rate, 22.1% K rate ETA: September 30. Lucas Sims (SP, ATL, AAA) Stats: 110.1 IP, 3.75 ERA, 4.38 FIP, 27.7% K rate, 7.4% BB rate, 16.4% HR/FB, .220 AVG ETA: Mid-August  

MLB Rookie Rankings

1. Aaron Judge (OF, NYY) 2. Cody Bellinger (1B/OF, LAD) 3. Andrew Benintendi (OF, BOS) 4. Bradley Zimmer (OF, CLE) 5. Ian Happ (2B/OF, CHC) 6. Paul DeJong (2B/SS, STL) 7. Yoan Moncada (2B/3B, CWS) 8. Mitch Haniger (OF, SEA) 9. Raimel Tapia (OF, COL) 10. Trey Mancini (1B, BAL) 11. Matt Davidson (3B, CWS) 12. Jordan Montgomery (SP, NYY) 13. Ben Gamel (OF, SEA) 14. Jacob Faria (SP, TB) 15. Jorge Bonifacio (OF, KC) 16. Manuel Margot (OF, SD) 17. German Marquez (SP, COL) 18. Josh Bell (1B/OF, PIT) 19. Austin Barnes (2B/OF, LAD) 20. Clint Frazier (OF, NYY)