Top 250 MLB Dynasty Prospects - Final Preseason Update

4 years ago by Marc Hulet

The 2020 MLB season is going to look very different. But as long as the virus doesn’t rear its ugly head in an apocalyptic fashion, it’s still going to be fun. And to help fantasy managers prepare for this season and for those to come, we’ve updated our Top 250 dynasty fantasy baseball prospects list. The last update was made shortly before the season was paused back in March.

The biggest update to the list came with the addition of prospects from the 2020 amateur draft. We’ve added players regardless of their signing status - although almost all key, fantasy-relevant prospects have already signed on the dotted line with their respective clubs. We’ve infused a healthy dose of 38 players from the 2020 amateur draft onto the list. Two of those recent draftees are now among the Top 11 dynasty prospects in all of baseball.

The other changes to the list saw a smaller group of players lose value, while another group of players saw their fantasy relevance increase. We didn’t see any games played over the past four months but the delay allowed us time to complete additional research, which included watching hours and hours of additional video from the 2019 season and Arizona Fall League. And injuries have also played a small part in some of the adjustments.

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

Top 250 MLB Prospect Rankings

Ranking	Player	Pos	Team	Age	ETA
1	Wander Franco	SS	TB	19	2020
2	MacKenzie Gore	SP	SD	21	2020
3	Luis Robert	OF	CHW	22	2020
4	Gavin Lux	2B	LAD	22	2020
5	Jarred Kelenic	OF	SEA	20	2021
6	Nate Pearson	SP	TOR	23	2020
7	Jesus Luzardo	SP	OAK	22	2020
8	Jo Adell	OF	LAA	20	2020
9	Austin Martin	IF/OF	TOR	21	2023
10	Andrew Vaughn	1B	CHW	21	2021
11	Spencer Torkelson	1B	DET	20	2022
12	Julio Rodriguez	OF	SEA	19	2022
13	Matt Manning	SP	DET	22	2020
14	Brendan McKay	SP	TB	24	2020
15	Riley Greene	OF	DET	19	2022
16	Alex Kirilloff	OF	MIN	22	2020
17	Alec Bohm	3B	PHI	23	2020
18	Casey Mize	SP	DET	22	2020
19	Carter Kieboom	3B/2B	WAS	22	2020
20	Zac Veen	OF	COL	18	2024
21	Luis Patino	SP	SD	20	2021
22	Nick Madrigal	2B	CHW	23	2020
23	Brendan Rodgers	SS/2B	COL	23	2020
24	A.J. Puk	SP	OAK	24	2020
25	Dylan Carlson	OF	STL	21	2020
26	Nick Gonzales	2B	PIT	21	2022
27	Sean Murphy	C	OAK	25	2020
28	Asa Lacy	SP	KC	21	2022
29	Sixto Sanchez	SP	MIA	21	2020
30	Dustin May	SP	LAD	22	2020
31	Cristian Pache	OF	ATL	21	2020
32	Marco Luciano	SS	SF	18	2023
33	Nolan Jones	3B	CLE	21	2021
34	Ian Anderson	SP	ATL	21	2020
35	Michael Kopech	SP	CHW	23	2020
36	Drew Waters	OF	ATL	21	2020
37	J.J. Bleday	OF	MIA	22	2022
38	CJ Abrams	SS	SD	19	2023
39	Max Meyer	SP	MIA	21	2022
40	Spencer Howard	SP	PHI	23	2020
41	Joey Bart	C	SF	23	2020
42	Adley Rutschman	C	BAL	22	2022
43	Ronny Mauricio	SS	NYM	19	2022
44	Jasson Dominguez	OF	NYY	17	2024
45	Jordan Groshans	3B/SS	TOR	20	2022
46	Grayson Rodriguez	SP	BAL	20	2022
47	Tarik Skubal	SP	DET	23	2020
48	Forrest Whitley	SP	HOU	22	2020
49	Bobby Witt Jr.	SS	KC	20	2023
50	Daulton Varsho	C/OF	ARI	23	2020
51	Nick Solak	3B	TEX	25	2020
52	Vidal Brujan	2B	TB	22	2020
53	Corbin Carroll	OF	ARI	19	2022
54	Kyle Wright	SP	ATL	24	2020
55	Shane McClanahan	SP	TB	22	2020
56	Heliot Ramos	OF	SF	20	2021
57	Kristian Robinson	OF	ARI	19	2022
58	Trevor Larnach	OF	MIN	23	2021
59	Brandon Marsh	OF	LAA	22	2020
60	Hunter Bishop	OF	SF	21	2022
61	Matthew Liberatore	SP	STL	20	2022
62	Daniel Lynch	SP	KC	23	2021
63	Geraldo Perdomo	SS	ARI	20	2022
64	Orelvis Martinez	SS	TOR	18	2024
65	George Valera	OF	CLE	19	2023
66	Brailyn Marquez	SP	CHC	21	2022
67	Jackson Kowar	SP	KC	23	2020
68	Francisco Alvarez	C	NYM	18	2023
69	Pete Crow-Armstrong	OF	NYM	18	2024
70	Robert Hassell	OF	SD	18	2023
71	Austin Hendrick	OF	CIN	18	2024
72	Mick Abel	SP	PHI	18	2024
73	Jared Kelley	SP	CWS	18	2023
74	Logan Gilbert	SP	SEA	22	2021
75	Reid Detmers	SP	LAA	21	2021
76	Mitch Keller	SP	PIT	23	2020
77	Jordyn Adams	OF	LAA	20	2022
78	Alek Thomas	OF	ARI	20	2022
79	Nolan Gorman	3B	STL	20	2022
80	Shane Baz	SP	TB	21	2022
81	Emerson Hancock	SP	SEA	21	2022
82	Garrett Crochet	SP	CWS	21	2023
83	Noelvi Marte	SS	SEA	18	2023
84	Jazz Chisholm	SS	MIA	22	2021
85	DL Hall	SP	BAL	21	2021
86	George Kirby	SP	SEA	22	2022
87	Josh Jung	3B	TEX	22	2022
88	Sheldon Neuse	3B/2B	OAK	25	2020
89	Oneil Cruz	SS	PIT	21	2021
90	Nico Hoerner	2B/SS	CHC	22	2020
91	Deivi Garcia	SP	NYY	21	2020
92	Nick Lodolo	SP	CIN	22	2022
93	Jordan Balazovic	SP	MIN	21	2021
94	Jose Urquidy	SP	HOU	24	2020
95	Brady Singer	SP	KC	23	2021
96	Royce Lewis	SS/OF	MIN	21	2021
97	Jeter Downs	SS	BOS	21	2021
98	Edward Cabrera	SP	MIA	21	2020
99	Alek Manoah	SP	TOR	22	2022
100	Kody Hoese	3B	LAD	22	2022
101	Xavier Edwards	2B/SS	TB	20	2021
102	Triston McKenzie	SP	CLE	22	2021
103	Joshua Lowe	OF	TB	22	2020
104	Matthew Allan	SP	NYM	18	2023
105	Justin Dunn	SP	SEA	24	2020
106	Simeon Woods Richardson	SP	TOR	19	2021
107	Kyle Lewis	OF	SEA	24	2020
108	Braxton Garrett	SP	MIA	22	2021
109	Nick Bitsko	SP	TB	18	2024
110	Kris Bubic	SP	KC	22	2021
111	Clarke Schmidt	SP	NYY	24	2021
112	Jordan Walker	3B	STL	18	2024
113	Alejandro Kirk	C	TOR	21	2021
114	Taylor Trammell	OF	SD	22	2021
115	Mauricio Dubon	2B	SF	25	2020
116	Tyler Soderstrom	C/IF	OAK	18	2024
117	Bobby Miller	SP	LAD	21	2022
118	Keibert Ruiz	C	LAD	21	2020
119	Heston Kjerstad	OF	BAL	21	2023
120	Seth Beer	OF/1B	ARI	23	2020
121	Abraham Toro-Hernandez	3B/1B	HOU	23	2020
122	Gabriel Moreno	C	TOR	20	2022
123	Levi Kelly	SP	ARI	20	2022
124	Adam Kloffenstein	SP	TOR	19	2022
125	Evan White	1B	SEA	23	2020
126	Brent Rooker	OF/1B	MIN	25	2020
127	Ryan Mountcastle	1B/3B	BAL	23	2020
128	Justus Sheffield	SP	SEA	23	2020
129	Brennan Malone	SP	PIT	19	2023
130	Josiah Gray	SP	LAD	22	2020
131	Grant Lavigne	1B	COL	20	2022
132	Kyle Muller	SP	ATL	22	2020
133	Trevor Rogers	SP	MIA	22	2021
134	Jesus Sanchez	OF	MIA	22	2020
135	Jackson Rutledge	SP	WAS	21	2022
136	Luis Gil	SP	NYY	21	2022
137	Hans Crouse	SP	TEX	21	2022
138	Joe Ryan	SP	TB	23	2021
139	Bryan Abreu	SP/RP	HOU	22	2020
140	Tony Gonsolin	SP	LAD	25	2020
141	Austin Wells	OF/C	NYY	21	2023
142	Bobby Bradley	1B	CLE	23	2020
143	Brett Baty	3B	NYM	20	2023
144	Garrett Mitchell	OF	MIL	21	2024
145	Leody Taveras	OF	TEX	21	2021
146	Jhoan Duran	SP	MIN	22	2020
147	Ke'Bryan Hayes	3B	PIT	23	2020
148	Brennen Davis	OF	CHC	20	2022
149	Aaron Sabato	1B	MIN	21	2023
150	Hunter Greene	SP	CIN	20	2022
151	Brice Turang	SS	MIL	20	2022
152	Tyler Freeman	SS	CLE	21	2021
153	Luis Campusano	C	SD	21	2021
154	Cole Wilcox	SP	SD	21	2022
155	Ed Howard	SS	CHC	18	2024
156	Ryan Weathers	SP	SD	20	2022
157	Sean Hjelle	SP	SF	23	2021
158	JT Ginn	SP	NYM	21	2024
159	Seth Corry	SP	SF	21	2022
160	Austin Hays	OF	BAL	24	2020
161	Ronaldo Hernandez	C	TB	22	2021
162	Brusdar Graterol	SP/RP	LAD	21	2020
163	Adbert Alzolay	SP	CHC	25	2020
164	Bryson Stott	SS	PHI	22	2022
165	Sam Hilliard	OF	COL	26	2020
166	Travis Swaggerty	OF	PIT	22	2021
167	Jonathan India	3B	CIN	23	2021
168	Cole Winn	SP	TEX	20	2022
169	Daniel Cabrera	OF	DET	21	2023
170	Corbin Martin	SP	ARI	24	2021
171	Ronald Bolanos	SP	SD	23	2020
172	Bryce Jarvis	SP	ARZ	21	2023
173	Aaron Bracho	3B	CLE	19	2023
174	Khalil Lee	OF	KC	22	2020
175	Jared Jones	SP	PIT	18	2024
176	Jon Duplantier	SP	ARI	25	2020
177	Michael Busch	2B	LAD	22	2022
178	Zack Thompson	SP	STL	22	2021
179	Luis Garcia	SS	WAS	19	2021
180	Triston Casas	1B	BOS	20	2022
181	Brayan Rocchio	SS	CLE	19	2023
182	Luis Toribio	3B	SF	19	2023
183	Sam Huff	C	TEX	22	2021
184	Bryse Wilson	SP	ATL	22	2020
185	Ethan Hankins	SP	CLE	20	2023
186	Albert Abreu	SP/RP	NYY	24	2021
187	Jared Shuster	SP	ATL	21	2023
188	Cade Cavalli	SP	WAS	21	2023
189	Tucker Davidson	SP	ATL	24	2020
190	Gilberto Jimenez	OF	BOS	19	2023
191	Patrick Bailey	C	SF	21	2024
192	Daniel Espino	SP	CLE	19	2023
193	Monte Harrison	OF	MIA	24	2020
194	Masyn Winn	SP/IF	STL	18	2024
195	Randy Arozarena	OF	TB	25	2020
196	Sammy Siani	OF	PIT	19	2023
197	Mason Denaburg	SP	WAS	20	2023
198	Lewis Thorpe	SP	MIN	24	2020
199	Gage Workman	3B	DET	21	2023
200	Yusniel Diaz	OF	BAL	23	2020
201	Jorge Mateo	SS/OF	SD	24	2020
202	Willi Castro	IF	DET	23	2020
203	Greg Jones	SS	TB	22	2022
204	Anthony Kay	SP	TOR	25	2020
205	Casey Schmitt	3B	SF	21	2023
206	Thomas Szapucki	SP	NYM	23	2021
207	Bryan Mata	SP	BOS	21	2021
208	Quinn Priester	SP	PIT	19	2023
209	Miguel Hiraldo	2B	TOR	19	2023
210	Bo Naylor	C	CLE	20	2022
211	Lane Thomas	OF	STL	24	2020
212	Justin Foscue	2B	TEX	21	2023
213	Kyren Paris	SS	LAA	18	2024
214	Nick Loftin	SS	KC	21	2023
215	Jonathan Stiever	SP	CHW	22	2021
216	Lucius Fox	SS	TB	22	2021
217	Lewin Diaz	1B	MIA	23	2021
218	Michael Toglia	1B	COL	21	2022
219	Jeremiah Jackson	SS	LAA	20	2023
220	Dax Fulton	SP	MIA	18	2025
221	Bobby Dalbec	1B/3B	BOS	24	2020
222	Ryan Vilade	3B/SS	COL	21	2021
223	Dane Dunning	SP	CHW	25	2020
224	Jose Garcia	SS	CIN	21	2021
225	Jay Groome	SP	BOS	21	2023
226	Robert Puason	SS	OAK	17	2024
227	Kyle Isbel	OF	KC	23	2022
228	J.B. Bukauskas	SP/RP	ARI	23	2020
229	Terrin Vavra	IF	COL	22	2022
230	Jake Fraley	OF	SEA	24	2020
231	Tyler Callihan	3B	CIN	20	2023
232	Adonis Medina	SP	PHI	23	2020
233	Tyler Stephenson	C	CIN	23	2020
234	Tristen Lutz	OF	MIL	21	2022
235	Diego Cartaya	C	LAD	18	2023
236	Sherten Apostel	3B	TEX	21	2022
237	Joe Palumbo	SP	TEX	25	2020
238	Kameron Misner	OF	MIA	22	2022
239	Cal Raleigh	C	SEA	23	2021
240	Jarren Duran	OF	BOS	23	2021
241	Andres Gimenez	SS	NYM	21	2021
242	Pavin Smith	1B/OF	ARZ	24	2021
243	Ryan Jensen	SP	CHC	22	2022
244	Logan Allen	SP	CLE	22	2020
245	Freudis Nova	SS	HOU	20	2022
246	Alex Faedo	SP	DET	24	2020
247	Nick Gordon	2B	MIN	24	2020
248	Mark Vientos	3B	NYM	20	2023
249	Isaiah Greene	OF	NYM	18	2024
250	Drew Rasmussen	SP/RP	MIL	24	2020

2020 Amateur Draft Picks

Austin Martin, IF/OF, Blue Jays: You might be a little surprised to see Martin, who went fifth overall to the Blue Jays, ranked ahead of Spencer Torkelson, who went first overall to the Tigers, but you really shouldn’t be. He has an advanced bat that shouldn’t require much work in the minors which means he’ll arrive during the prime years of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Cavan Biggio, and Bo Bichette. That’s a potent list of young, high-ceiling players for Martin to play with, which can only help his personal results. Along with the ceiling of a .300+ hitter with the ability to steal 20+ bases, he has the power to eventually hit 15+ home runs as he physically matures and adds muscle. The Jays have yet to commit to a permanent position for Martin, which is good news for fantasy owners as he could end up eligible at a number of key positions including shortstop, outfield, and third base. But it's also somewhat telling that Martin's arrival in Jays camp coincides with the news that Guerrero Jr. is suddenly making the transition to first base.

Spencer Torkelson, 1B/3B, Tigers: Torkelson is loaded with plus power potential and he took a ton of walks during his college career, but there is some swing-and-miss to his game and we have yet to get a good read on how good his hit tool will be. Plus he has limited defensive value/versatility despite the Tigers’ desire to try him at third base. Torkelson is currently ranked just behind fellow first base prospect Andrew Vaughn of the White Sox. Vaughn has the benefit of playing pro ball plus he has a better swing which gives him a better shot at being a plus hitter even if he doesn’t possess the same raw power (although he’s no slouch in that area). Like Torkelson, Vaughn is also being pushed to see if he can handle other positions on the baseball diamond.

Zac Veen, OF, Rockies: The next draftee to appear on the list is prep outfielder Veen. If I were running the draft for the Tigers, I would have personally taken Austin Martin or Veen with the first overall selection. The 18-year-old outfielder already stands 6-foot-5 with lots of room to add muscle and good weight. Along with the developing frame and bat speed that combine to suggest a future potential for 30+ home runs, Veen has an exceptionally clean swing for such a young player and should hit for a high average, too. Add in the fact he ended up being drafted by Colorado and you have a player with a massive ceiling. I was a huge Jarred Kelenic fan from the beginning and I think Veen has a chance to be just as good — if not better.

Nick Gonzales, 2B, Pirates: Gonzales is another player I’m seriously considering investing in early. He may be the only college player with a bat more advanced than Austin Martin’s. Gonzales didn’t land in the best hitting environment in Pittsburgh but there should be a respectable supporting case around with the likes of Josh Bell, Gregory Polanco, and Bryan Reynolds. For me, Gonzales is a surefire threat to repeatedly hit .300. There is great debate among scouts when it comes to how much power he’ll possess given that he played for the college equivalent of Coors Field, but he also homered 12 times in 16 games during his junior seasons (prior to the cancellation of the season) and went deep 15 times as a sophomore. His feel for the barrel is outstanding and he quite possibly has plus-plus bat speed which is going to guarantee a certain number of home runs -- if he can produce even an average launch angle with his swing.

Asa Lacy, LHP, Royals: The Top 2 pitchers to come out of the draft are Lacy at 30 and Max Meyer at 40. The Royals are absolutely stacked in the pitching department with four or five pitchers that have a good chance at developing into No. 3 starters or better with Lacy carrying the highest ceiling. In two to three years, the club could have a rotation of Lacy, Jackson Kowar, Daniel Lynch, Brady Singer, and possibly Kris Bubic. Lacy has the stuff to be a No. 1 starter. The left-hander has the size, velocity, and a four-pitch mix with multiple offerings that can induce strikeouts.

Max Meyer, RHP, Marlins: As for Meyer, he enters another organization that is starting to acquire an impressive group of young arms (although I still can’t believe they traded Zac Gallen). He’ll quite quickly join Sixto Sanchez at the top of the Marlins’ starting rotation. Meyer’s fastball-slider combination should generate a ton of whiffs but, like Sanchez, he’s on the smaller side for a pitcher so it remains to be seen if he can consistently provide 180+ innings at the MLB level.

Prep Outfielders: The 2020 amateur draft saw four high-ceiling prep outfielders selected within the first 19 picks. Pete Crow-Armstrong was the last to be selected at 19 by the Mets but I’m a fan of his strong overall offensive package. His plus center-field defense won’t help us in fantasy but he has a chance to hit for solid power, steal 20+ bases, and hit for a strong average. Robert Hassell joins a good, young team in San Diego that has a strong player development system. His swing hints at future .300 seasons and, although the power output is currently below average, he has the frame (once he adds some muscle) and the bat speed to eventually provide above-average power numbers. Reds’ first-rounder Austin Hendrick is the most physically mature out of the four players and has 30+ home run potential but his bat also comes with some concerning swing-and-miss tendencies.

Sleepers: As for sleepers from the draft to monitor, keep a close eye on third baseman Jordan Walker (Cardinals), starting pitcher Bobby Miller (Dodgers), two-way player Masyn Winn (Cardinals), third baseman Casey Schmitt (Giants), and outfielder Isaiah Greene (Mets). In particular, I had Walker ranked as a talent worthy of being drafted in the 15-20 range. Pre-draft, most publications had him ranked as more of a supplemental-first-round or second-round talent but the Cardinals snapped him up at 21. The prep third baseman is a huge kid with massive raw power but he has more feel for the bat than you'd expect. There may be some swing-and-miss to his game -- especially early on -- but if he can hit spin and has the drive to get consistently get better -- then there is star potential here.

The MLB Prospect Risers

Spencer Howard, RHP, Phillies: Howard has moved up a few slots to better position him among the best pitching prospects in the game. I remain somewhat concerned after he broke down the year after surpassing 100 innings for the first time as a pro but his stuff is outstanding. A half-season like this could really benefit a young pitcher like Howard. He won’t face the same constant competition that he would have in the minors but working alongside the veteran players in summer camp could really help him take the next step while keeping the innings down.

Francisco Alvarez, C, Mets: of the Mets has moved up as he belongs in the conversation when discussing the Top 5 catching prospects in baseball. There is a lot of risk with him given the failure rate with young catchers and the fact he has yet to play above Rookie ball. but Alvarez has also shown above-average raw power and a strong understanding of the strike zone.

Tony Gonsolin, RHP, Dodgers: Gonsolin also moves up. I’m a huge fan of this pitcher and he’s shown flashes of having four above-average pitches and excellent spin rates. His previous lower rating was over concerns that he would struggle to find an opportunity to start given the Dodgers’ depth. However, the shortened season and recent thinning out of potential starters could help Gonsolin’s cause. Ross Stripling will likely get the first shot at the starting rotation — and has shown that he’s a solid big league pitcher — but Gonsolin’s upside and outstanding stuff could move him up the pecking order quickly.

Bryson Stott, SS, Phillies: I’ve never been the biggest Stott fan and I’ve been perhaps a little hard on him in terms of fantasy value so I’ve moved him up a little bit. He’s probably not a big-league shortstop and I’m not convinced he’ll hit for a high average but there is some power potential here and he’s shown the willingness to take a walk which could give him additional value in on-base leagues.

Other Movers: Some of the other players to move up include Michael Busch (Dodgers), Kyren Paris (Angels), Jose Garcia (Reds), Pavin Smith (Diamondbacks), and Mark Vientos (Mets).

The MLB Prospect Fallers

Brusdar Graterol, RHP, Dodgers: The offseason saw Graterol involved in some controversy after the Twins were prepared to deal him to the Boston Red Sox. His new-club-to-be then rebuffed the swapped after concerns over his health. The Twins then ended up making a deal with the Dodgers.

The medical issues come as no major surprise given that Graterol missed significant time in 2019 with a shoulder issue. He also had Tommy John surgery shortly after turning pro. And with the Dodgers reportedly viewing the young hurler as a reliever, his fantasy value takes a hit. Now, make no mistake, Graterol has shown the ability to be downright dominant as a starter so the move to the pen suggests he could also be an outstanding high-leverage reliever. He could be in line for holds and the odd save starting in 2020 and is likely Kenley Jansen’s eventual replacement.

Adonis Medina, RHP, Phillies: Medina also gets knocked down after further research. The right-hander can get his heater into the mid-90s and back it up with a good changeup but he lacks a reliable breaking ball. Making matters worse, his fastball lacks movement and is fairly straight. That makes him far more hittable than he should be and we’ve seen that over the past two years as he’s become more hittable. On the plus side, he induces a healthy number of ground ball outs but his ceiling is slipping down and he currently looks like more of a No. 4/5 starter.

Nick Gordon, SS, Twins: Gordon takes a bit of a slide with both Luis Arraez and Jorge Polanco looking fairly secure in their starting roles. The good news is that the infield prospect has increased his versatility so he could bounce around the diamond in an effort to find playing time and versatility on a fantasy roster is always a nice thing to have. But even if he plays every day, Gordon has shown limited power potential and, although he has solid speed, he doesn't run much — surpassing 20 steals just once in the last four seasons. He also doesn’t walk very often so he has little value in on-base leagues. There's a lot of pressure on his hit tool.

Injured Players: Rays’ starter Brent Honeywell and Rangers’ starter Brock Burke have both fallen completely off the list. Honeywell just can’t stay healthy and will miss the 2020 season after yet another surgery. Burke had pretty serious shoulder surgery and is also out for the 2020 season.

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