X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

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

Prospect Stock Watch with Fantasy Implications - Week 2

Well, the Major League season is already 6% of the way done. Some owners think that they are on their way to victory while others are patiently waiting for things to turn around. Still, while all the victory laps are being taken, the smart owner is looking forward to the rest of the year and finding what value can still be had. While the season always seems to move quickly, the dog days of summer are still upon us.

Now that we are rolling along, so too are the call-ups. This week, the Rotoballer team keeps tabs on all the new names and faces, with insight into their fantasy value to help any team. For owners looking for a cheap spark, look no further.

This week’s list is not as deep as the opening to the year, but expect this to pick up with new injuries and deals bound to happen. And yet, the lack of name value is only good for careful owners. Take a look at the list today and grab names than many others in your leagues have yet to discover.

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

 

Rookie Debuts - Stock Up

These rookies hit the ground running in their 2019 debuts and have matched the preseason hype so far. The question is whether this provides a sell-high opportunity or if the fantasy owner should hold tight.

Jon Duplantier (SP/RP, ARI)

While he was already sent back down to the minors on Monday night, Duplantier is a player to know and own moving forward. While he projects as a starter, he debuted in the bullpen which might lead to some hints on his usage over the rest of the season. And yet, being sent down seems to mean that the Diamondbacks either want him to throw more often or that they still view him as a starter long-term. Whatever the case, Duplantier has good stuff, with a fastball and slider that grade out at 60, according to Fangraphs, and a curveball/changeup mix that could be plus offerings as well.

While only having four innings under his belt, Duplantier held his fastball velocity at 93.5 MPH and flashed a sinker that did not appear on other scouting reports. This could show either a new pitch, or a slider that is moving a bit differently, but either way, the stuff is there for Duplantier to be successful. In his first four innings, he allowed two walks and two hits, but also struck three batters out. While owners might need to wait a bit, Duplantier has been one of the top pitching prospects in the system and is clearly part of the D-backs' long term plans. The stock is up, even with the demotion, for the fact that the team has shown that he will play a role this year.

Josh Fuentes (3B, COL)

Fuentes raked at Triple-A Albuquerque last year, with a .327/.354/.517 slash with 14 homers. The one reason to hold back a bit is that the slugger had the benefit of both a hitter’s park and leagues. This means that owners should expect some regression even when he gets regular playing time with the Rockies. Still, the hit tool is there. The main issue for Fuentes right now is that he plays the same position as the Rockies' most expensive player in Nolan Arenado. Since the team locked up their star, Fuentes has been getting more time at first, and with the injuries to Ryan McMahon and Daniel Murphy, there seems to be a bit of a path to playing time.

With the Coors factor alone, if he is playing regularly, Fuentes will be a bat to own. Through his first four games, he has two hits and two runs scored, so he is already flashing production. The power will not be much but should be a double-digit option with the Rockies, so not an empty batting average at a critical spot. The other thing to watch will be walk rate, as while he struck out less than 20% of the time in the minors, he also did not walk more than 5% of the time. Something to watch for sure, but Fuentes will be one to stash for real upside.

 

Stock Neutral

These players neither helped nor hurt their fantasy value in the first week of play.

Jason Martin (OF, PIT)

With Corey Dickerson out for a bit, Martin looks to be getting his chance to impress early this year. After starting off hot at Double-A in 2018, he struggled a bit in Triple-A. Over a similar amount of games, the batting average dropped from .325 to .211, but the power and speed were still there. Over the full year, across both levels, Martin slugged 13 homers and stole 12 bases. With a glove that grades out as average, Martin looks to be the right profile to earn owners steady production out of a rookie call-up.

Currently slotted in on the long side of the platoon in left field, Martin will get his chance to earn staying power with the Pirates. And yet, owners should not expect him to be up all year unless he mashes. When the second half struggles kept him down a level, there is still some seasoning needed before a full-time gig. Still, Martin looks like the poor man’s Austin Meadows, with 12/12 potential a decent batting line. In deep leagues, Martin is worth a small FAAB bid, but do not be breaking the bank to add him.

Ryne Harper (RP, MIN)

At 30 years of age, Harper is old for a rookie, but not old enough for a Disney movie. This is a fun story to root for this year, and Harper has the skills to be a real impact for the Twins. So far, in 3.1 innings, Harper is yet to allow a run and has only given up two total hits. The upside for fantasy value comes from the stuff. Last year, between Double-A and Triple-A, Harper struck out 32.6% of the batters that he faced. The walk rate was even better, with a career line under 5%. If this can translate to the Twins, Harper will be a great match-up option late in the game. While not in line for any saves, this is a bullpen in flux, so there might be a chance with more struggles late in games. Holding the stock neutral now, but he is on the radar with the call and playing time.

 

Stock Down

These players didn't get off to the kind of start fantasy owners would have liked but it's too early to discount them too much.

Richie Martin (SS, BAL)

While he has been with the Orioles since the beginning of the year, Martin appears on this week’s list due to the need for a more significant sample. Unlike other rookies who made their teams out of the spring, Martin was a Rule-5 pick, and therefore no one expected him to hit the ground running. While he was well regarded in the Athletic's system, there were fewer data points to use for projections than others who broke camp. For all of that, Martin was on the radar, but two weeks of batting data seemed to make the call a bit cleaner.

Through 11 games, Martin is slashing .179/.281/.250 with four runs and one steal. Nothing so far seems to hint that Martin will be that valuable in fantasy this year, as even if he does begin to hit, there is nothing around him to support the counting stats. While Baltimore might have made an excellent pick in the draft, this is not one that fantasy owners should be giving much thought for now. And yet, for owners needing ABs more than anything, it would be a shock to see Martin not stick with the team all year. Hard pass for now, but in those draft and holds, Martin might be a player that will offer valuable August and beyond? Even that is a stretch though. 

Frank Schwindel (1B, KC)

Schwindel making the roster to open the year was a massive boon for deep leaguers. An older prospect, with the bat skills in the minors to attract interest, this was the type of profile that was going to be given a shot at some point. And yet, the production so far has been underwhelming. Through five games he is slashing .083/.083/.083 with a single hit and two punch-outs. While, as usual, small sample size warning, if this prospect cannot make more contact against the likes of Chicago, Detroit, and Seattle there is not much to go on at this point.

The stock is down since this was a player who needs the contact skills to carry his playing time, especially when there are players like Ryan O’Hearn competing with him for time. The Royals clearly would like all their players to hit, but would not be disappointed to see O’Hearn run away with the job. That being said, the power is there, with a 20 plus floor in the minors for Schwindel. If he begins to hit, there is definite upside, but without some production, expect him to not be with the Royals for long this year.  

More MLB Prospects Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

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

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Shemar Stewart

Not Practicing With College Team
Uchenna Nwosu

Seahawks Place Uchenna Nwosu on PUP List
Taylor Decker

Alim McNeill, Taylor Decker Placed on PUP List
Tyrion Davis-Price

Titans Waive Tyrion Davis-Price
Tre Harris

Chargers Relying on Tre Harris to Be Starting X Receiver
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Expected Back Friday
Micah Parsons

Will Become Highest-Paid Non-QB
MarShawn Lloyd

Vying for RB2 Role
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith Finds End Zone in First Training Camp Practice
Tyler Shough

Pushing for Fully Guaranteed Rookie Deal
Ar'Darius Washington

Goes on PUP List
Lamar Jackson

to be Even Better in 2025?
Tre Harris

Agrees to Terms on Rookie Deal
Justin Herbert

Off to Good Start at Training Camp
Jameson Williams

Earning Rave Reviews from Lions Coaches
Christian Mahogany

Expected to Start for Lions
Zach Allen

an Extension Candidate in Denver?
Zaire Franklin

May Miss Start of Training Camp
Portland Trail Blazers

Damian Lillard Returning to Portland
Mason Taylor

to Play "Crucial" Role in Jets' Offense
Paul Skenes

Pirates Could Preserve Paul Skenes in Second Half
T.J. Watt

Once Again Becomes Highest-Paid Non-QB
RJ Harvey

Reaches Agreement on Four-Year Rookie Contract
Rashee Rice

Chiefs Believe Rashee Rice Will Receive Two- to Four-Game Suspension
Brooks Barnhizer

Grabs 19 Points, Nine Boards in Summer League Win
Jeremiah Fears

Scores 22 Points in Summer League Loss to Thunder
Isaiah Collier

Collects 17 Points In Summer League Win
Caleb Houstan

Joins Hawks
AJ Johnson

Erupts for 25 Points in Summer League Loss
Washington Wizards

Leaky Black Logs Double-Double in Loss to Jazz
Connor Norby

Undergoes Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-8 Weeks
Trey Alexander

Tallies 25 Points in Losing Effort
Johni Broome

Records Second Consecutive Double-Double
Jahmir Young

Has Historic Summer League Outing
Rob Dillingham

Plays Big Role in Wednesday's Win
Tyrese Proctor

Erupts for 35 Points Against Kings
Cody Williams

Leads Jazz to Victory Against Wizards
LeBron James

Mavs Not Interested in "Gutting its Roster" For LeBron James
Josh Hart

Undergoes a Procedure on Right Finger
Jake Burger

Goes on 10-Day Injured List With Quad Strain
Sal Frelick

Dealing With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain, TBD for Start of Second Half
Chris Sale

Plays Catch
Los Angeles Clippers

Bradley Beal Heading to Los Angeles to Join Clippers After Contract Buyout
Rayan Rupert

Scores 24 Points in Summer League Win
Derik Queen

Collects Third Consecutive Double-Double in Summer League Loss
GG Jackson II

Records 13 Points in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Johni Broome

Logs Double-Double Against Wizards
DaRon Holmes II

Records Double-Double in Summer League Loss to Raptors
Kyle Schwarber

Named All-Star Game MVP
Harris English

Takes Stellar 2025 Performance to The Open Championship
Aldrich Potgieter

Seeks Better Result in Northern Ireland
Cameron Young

Likely to Hang Around at The Open Championship
Cameron Smith

Just Trying to Make the Cut at Royal Portrush
Jordan Spieth

Is Jordan Spieth Still a Natural for Links Style Golf?
Patrick Reed

a Viable Option at The Open Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Wants to Rebound from Last Experience at Royal Portrush
Xander Schauffele

Looks to Defend His Claret Jug at Royal Portrush
Tony Finau

Trying to Turn Tide at Royal Portrush
Daniel Brown

Seeks a Rebound at The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy

Will be the Most Watched Player This Week at Royal Portrush
Daniel Berger

Trending Poorly as The Open Championship Looms
Clayton Kershaw

Retires Both Batters In ASG Appearance
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Hit In Pinky In All-Star Game, X-Rays Negative
MLB

NL All-Stars Win On Tie-Breaker Home Run Swing-Off
Robert MacIntyre

Hoping to Bounce Back at Open Championship
Shane Lowry

Hopes to Repeat at Royal Portrush
Brian Harman

Hopes to Rekindle Some Magic at the 153rd Open
UTA

Michael Carcone Returns to Utah on One-Year Contract
Bowen Byram

Signs Two-Year Deal with Sabres
Morgan Barron

Jets Re-Sign Morgan Barron for Two Years
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Oneil Cruz

Ties Home Run Derby Distance Record
Cal Raleigh

Wins 2025 Home Run Derby
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Michael Lorenzen

Royals Put Michael Lorenzen on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Junior Tafa

Unsuccessful in his Light-Heavyweight Debut
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Tosses Gem Against Giants
Shota Imanaga

Shuts Down Yankees on Sunday
Nathan Eovaldi

Dominant Again in Seventh Win
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Chicago White Sox

Billy Carlson Goes 10th Overall to White Sox
Cincinnati Reds

Steele Hall Selected Ninth by Cincinnati
Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker with Eighth Overall Pick
Miami Marlins

Marlins Select Aiva Arquette With Seventh Overall Pick
Pittsburgh Pirates

Pirates Select Seth Hernandez with Sixth Overall Pick
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF