RADIO
Eric Samulski finds under-the-radar dynasty assets for 2020 fantasy baseball. These unheralded prospects are sleepers that could develop into top-100 players.
Dynasty leagues are always a lot of foresight and mental math. Are you competing this year or in the future? Are you trying to stockpile pitching assets to balance against their heightened risk or take a lot of hitters because of their relative safety? What skills project the best for you? All of these questions are complicated even more knowing that we will not have a true minor league season this year (or, really, baseball for that matter).
If the players and owners can come to some agreement, fans and fantasy owners can feel confident that the top prospects in each organization will be given reps and experience regardless of the situation. However, the future for the fringier prospects has become murkier. Perhaps some teenagers will be allowed to have a year of just drills and instruction, knowing that they will have years ahead of them to develop in games. But some teams may only prioritize the young guys with upside while giving the potential late bloomers short shrift.
The goal of this article is to highlight some players who are commonly left off of Top-100 lists that are worthy of being on your dynasty league roster. Obviously, depending on the depth and size of your league, some of these players may be owned, but I want to "plant my flag" into prospects who are not discussed as regularly but are nonetheless worthy of your time and attention. And possibly some trade offers.
Catcher
Ivan Herrera, St. Louis Cardinals - The catcher position in dynasty leagues can often be a crapshoot, but I think Herrera has a real chance to stick behind the plate and be a consistent offensive contributor. The Cardinals have been aggressive in promoting him, and he's hit at all levels so far. The power will come as he grows, which could make him one of the few catchers you want to target in fantasy leagues.
Heriberto Hernandez, Texas Rangers - Listen, Heriberto is not a catcher. He's likely not an outfielder long-term either. I don't have any confidence in guessing a future defensive home for him but I have total confidence in his bat. He hit .344 in the Arizona League with a 1.079 OPS, which was indicative of his true plus power. He's a few years away, so he has time to settle in at first base or maybe he'll only be a designated hitter but I'll take a chance on that bat in any dynasty draft.
First Base
Mason Martin, Pittsburgh Pirates - The first base prospect landscape isn't overflowing with options but Mason Martin's power demands to be noticed. As a 20-year-old who advanced all the way to High-A, Martin put on a power display in 2019, posting a .254 AVG with 35 home runs and a .908 OPS at an age that was young for the level. He's a pull-heavy power hitter and one who isn't going to get you a high batting average. But damn, that power might be special.
Michael Toglia, Colorado Rockies - The Rockies have had a few first base prospects come in and out of fashion, whether it's Tyler Nevin, Grant Levigne, or Toglia. I'm putting Toglia here because he's my pick to win the first base job in the long-run and given his future home park, that's an asset that I want on my dynasty team. Toglia is a huge dude but is still somehow a plus defender at first, and his 15.7% BB% hints at a strong understanding of the strike zone to go with his plus power.
Brent Rooker, Minnesota Twins - Rooker is 25-years-old, doesn't really have a defensive position, and is buried behind a dynamic Twins major league lineup. All of that adds up to him being off the radar for many people. However, his power is real enough to warrant attention. He's probably a DH in the future and he'll need to cut down on the strikeouts to become a true fantasy asset, but the guy can hit and would likely be a starter at 1B/DH on most other teams in 2020.
Middle Infield
Terrin Vavra, Colorado Rockies - I know Mike Kurland is the "Vavra guy," but there is still room on the bandwagon. The Rockies middle infield is a logjam, but I think there might be space for Vavra once a likely divorce with Nolan Arenado comes to bear. The son of a coach, Vavra is a highly intelligent player who is well-rounded and can play anywhere around the infield. He may never be a stud, but he is a plus hitter who will call Coors Field home and can slot in at various positions. I love that kind of relative safety on my dynasty teams.
Tucupita Marcano, San Diego Padres - A shortstop by trade but also available for second base, Marcano is a high-contact hitter with solid speed and the defensive ability to stay at shortstop long-term. He's not going to hit for lots of power but I think he can be a high-OBP table-setter. Marcano has the speed to also chip in 20+ steals and is an organization that has a lot of intriguing talent coming up to potentially fill out a lineup with him.
Ronny Mauricio, New York Mets - Most of the Mets prospect talk centers around Andres Gimenez but Mauricio could very likely be the better pro. He might not be the defender that Gimenez is, but he's no slouch with the glove and his bat could be much better. At 18-years-old, he doesn't quite have the power to make consistent hard contact but his approach and mechanics suggest it's coming, along with added strength in his forearms and lower body.
Liover Peguero, Pittsburgh Pirates - Peguero was the central piece in the Starling Marte deal and for good reason. He might not have one elite tool, but he is solid all across the board. His .377 OBP and 9.9 SwStr% suggest a solid understanding of the strike zone and good contact skills. And at only 160 pounds soaking wet, his offensive game only figures to improve as he gets older and stronger.
Greg Jones, Tampa Bay Rays - Xavier Edwards is a little bit higher profile given his inclusion in the Tommy Pham trade and Blake Snell's reaction on Twitter, but Greg Jones may wind up being the better pro. A switch-hitter with plus speed and solid plate discipline, Jones has the all-around tools to hit near the top of the lineup for the Rays, as evidenced by his .412 OBP in his first professional season. As an advanced college bat with a solid contact approach, Jones could move quickly up the levels for Tampa Bay.
Third Base
Kody Hoese, Los Angeles Dodgers - Hoese was the Dodgers' first-round pick in 2019, so he's not exactly an off the radar asset. However, judging by ADP and recent drafts, he doesn't seem to be attracting too much attention in dynasty leagues. Perhaps he's overlooked because of all the players in the Dodgers' system or since he's an average defender, which could be concerning for his long-term viability in the National League. He showed power potential at Tulane and the ability to make consistent contact in his professional debut, which means his bat figures to get him in a lineup, with the Dodgers or a team he's traded to, even if he's an average defender.
Josh Jung, Texas Rangers - It's been Jung's teammate, Sherten Apostel, who's getting drafted ahead of Jung in recent dynasty drafts, but I don't quite understand it. Yes, Apostel will likely have more future power, but Jung hit .343 with 15 HRs as a college shortstop and then transitioned to third base in the minors and carries above-average athleticism for the position. He has tremendous bat speed and doesn't strike out often. I believe more consistent power will come and Jung will eventually emerge as the Rangers third baseman of the future.
Kevin Padlo, Tampa Bay Rays - Padlo was a high draft pick who seemed like he was never going to pan out. Then he changed his approach to add more consistent loft and pull, and wound up hitting 21 HR, with a .535 SLG% in 2019. Paired with the plus patience evidenced by a 15.7% BB%, you get a potentially solid regular. He's never going to set the world on fire, but he could be a 20 HR threat in the majors with a solid batting average and good OBP. Nobody seems to be in on him because he's already 23, but we all know that prospect growth isn't linear.
Outfielder
Misael Urbina, Minnesota Twins - Urbina is only 17-years-old, so his availability fully depends on how deep your league is. However, his professional debut showed two attributes that make me excited about his long-term viability. For one, he flies. You can't teach speed, and he certainly has it. Second, Urbina registered a 10.6 BB% and a 6.5 K%. Anytime you have a 17-year-old who has that kind of understanding of the strike zone, I'm extremely interested.
Josh Lowe, Tampa Bay Rays - Josh Lowe appears on some Top-100 lists, so he doesn't fit the true profile of this article. However, I also own Lowe in every dynasty league I'm in, so I felt that I needed to shout him out here. Lowe has some contact issues in his game, but he has plus speed, solid defense across the board, and the potential for plus power. I think you're looking at a real power-speed threat in an organization that has shown it knows how to develop players effectively. I'm (obviously) all in here.
Gilberto Jimenez, Boston Red Sox - As a 19-year-old switch-hitter with plus speed, Jimenez had a solid 2019 season. He's currently a little bit of a free-swinger and doesn't take many walks, but he also doesn't strikeout an outrageous amount, so he might simply be a player who makes an aggressive approach work for him. With his speed, he could hit atop the order for Boston and push 30+ steals a year with a solid average.
Jordyn Adams, Los Angeles Angels - Jordyn Adams is a talented prospect, but not quite a fixture in all dynasty leagues, partially because he's overshadowed by the presence of Jo Adell and Brandon Marsh. Adams is much further away than them and certainly isn't as polished, but he is an incredible athlete with tremendous speed. Many scouts think there is plus power in his bat to go along with it, so he's worth a gamble, even if he takes a few years to pay off.
Jeisson Rosario, San Diego Padres - The Padres minor league system is loaded with talent that's on many dynasty-league owners' radars, but there are often talented players who get overlooked in the stream of names. Rosario is one that I find myself personally intrigued by. His BB% suggests a strong feel for the strike zone, which he pairs with outstanding athleticism and good speed. He's super raw, but I like the combination of his athletic make-up and a solid approach at the plate.
Pitcher
Jhoan Duran, Minnesota Twins - Duran is on the fringes of Top-100 status, but if he continues the progression he made last year, he'll be locked into the list. At 6-foot-5, Duran packs an imposing frame with an upper-90s fastball. Additionally, last year he also showed evolution by adding more consistency to his curveball. He still needs to refine his approach, but if the curve remains an asset, he becomes a three-pitch pitcher, (he throws a two and four-seam fastball) even without his changeup becoming a consistent weapon yet.
Yerry Rodriguez, Texas Rangers - Rodriguez is nasty. Let's just get that out of the way from the start. He has easy, consistent velocity and off-speed pitches that flash plus. From a pure stuff standpoint, he's a guy you want on your squad. His momentum takes him to the first-base side of the rubber, which can cause stress on his arm and may have contributed to his UCL injury last year. However, I believe the Rangers can fix the mechanics and get him back throwing darts.
Bryan Mata, Boston Red Sox - It feels like Mata has been around forever, but he's still only 20-years-old. Given his age, what he did in AA last year was impressive. Adding a cutter helped offset his lack of over-powering velocity, and he now has four pitches that show good movement. If he can begin to hone his command, he could be a reliable starter for years on a franchise that's usually competitive.
Tucker Davidson, Atlanta Braves - Davidson is often excluded from the conversation of talented Braves pitching prospects, but that would be a mistake. The left-hander can run it up into the upper-90s and possesses four pitches that he can throw for strikes. He's close to being Major League-ready now, and if he continues to make improvements with his command, he could be a mid-rotation starter for a long time.
Jackson Rutledge, Washington Nationals - Rutledge is one of the Nationals' top prospects, but he's not as sexy a name as some of the other pitching prospects in dynasty leagues. However, the gigantic right-hander is an exciting prospect to me because he has a mid-90s fastball and a plus slider already. The curve can be dynamic, so if he finds the consistency with that pitch, he's a top of the rotation arm.
Quinn Preister, Pittsburgh Pirates - The Pirates have a few intriguing arms in their minor league system, and with their organization publicly adopting a new pitching philosophy, it makes me more apt to take a chance on some of them to reach their ceilings. Priester is one who I often see being overlooked. A multi-sport athlete, the 19-year-old has plus athleticism and apparently is a diligent worker, which makes me feel good about investing in his improvement. He already has a solid fastball and curve, so if he can throw a consistent third pitch, I can see him shooting up prospect lists.
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