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Marc Hulet's top 20 fantasy baseball prospects rankings list for Week 23. These MLB rookies, prospects and call-ups should make impacts in 2019 redraft leagues.
That’s all she wrote, ladies and gentlemen.
The minor league’s regular season is kaput for another year. And as always, it’s been a blast watching the rise and fall of prospect values throughout the 30 teams’ systems. With September 1 came the roster expansion around MLB, and a significant number of key prospects from last week’s list received promotions to the Majors including Kyle Tucker, Gavin Lux, Mauricio Dubon, Sheldon Neuse, Sean Murphy, Nathaniel Lowe, Anthony Alford, Jared Walsh, Bryse Wilson, Bryan Garcia, T.J. Zeuch, Jon Duplantier, and, Brusdar Graterol.
A number of top prospects will remain in the minors to participate in the playoffs before receiving their calls to join the Major League rosters. Don’t worry, this weekly feature isn’t ending just yet. We’ll be with you throughout your playoffs.
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Fantasy Baseball Prospect Rankings (1-10)
1. Carter Kieboom, SS, Nationals (AAA) (ETA: September)
Kieboom is a player that should see a good number of at-bats in September while allowing veteran players around the Nationals’ infield to rest up for the playoffs —assuming the team can hold on to a wild card slot. Kieboom has gained experience playing second base, third base, and shortstop at Triple-A this year. The young infielder has shown the ability to hit for average, power and also added 68 walks in 108 Triple-A games.
2. Kyle Wright, RHP, Braves (AAA) (ETA: September)
Wright continued to throw well right up until his final minor league start on Aug. 31 when he allowed two earned runs in seven innings. Over his last three starts, he’s struck out 24 batters. He’s still fighting his control at times but he can help a big league team.
3. Jesus Luzardo, LHP, Athletics (Rehab) (ETA: September)
Luzardo put an exclamation mark at the end of his MiLB season. In his final start, the southpaw threw six innings of one-run ball while posting a K-BB of 10-0. His consistency isn’t all the way back after his long layoff but he should be capable of throwing some key innings at the MLB level for a team in a precarious playoff position.
4. Jesus Sanchez, OF, Marlins (AAA) (ETA: September)
Sanchez didn’t have the most inspiring season, nor did he finish particularly strong. But he’s considered a Top 100 prospect by many and was a key acquisition at the trade deadline so the Marlins may want to get a good look at him since he’s already on the 40-man roster. Sanchez has promising raw power but his current swing generates too many ground balls to fully tap into it right now.
5. Deivi Garcia, RHP, Yankees (AAA) (ETA: September)
Garcia’s season didn’t end on the most encouraging note after his shift to the bullpen to preserve innings. He broke the 100-inning barrier for the first time in his career after a previous high of 74, which was reached last year. When his command and control are both working, Garcia has swing-and-miss stuff as witnessed by his 163 strikeouts in 108 innings.
6. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Pirates (AAA) (ETA: September)
Hayes really wants that MLB promotion. After a season-long slump, the athletic third baseman has hit .486 over his last 10 games while posting a BB-K of 4-6. Hayes doesn’t offer the power you’d normally expect from the hot corner but he provides a lot of doubles, double-digit home runs and steals, as well as a healthy number of walks.
7. Jorge Mateo, SS, Athletics (AAA) (ETA: September)
Mateo loves to swing. He has a BB-K of 29-144 in 118 games, which is ugly for any player but definitely for one whose greatest value is his base running. If he can make enough contact, the speedy prospect can also turn on a juiced ball as seen by his 18 home runs in Triple-A.
8. Keegan Akin, LHP, Orioles (AAA) (ETA: September)
Pitching is definitely the achilles heel of the Orioles’ rebuilding process so the club should want to get an early look at Akin’s potential this September. He had a strong finish to the Triple-A season with 27 strikeouts in his final four starts which totalled 21.2 innings. His control remains a work-in-progress.
9. Tanner Houck, RHP, Red Sox (AAA) (ETA: September)
Boston’s playoff hopes are dim but not extinguished. Houck, a converted starter, remains at-the-ready in the club’s Triple-A bullpen. Over his last six games, the right-hander has 15 strikeouts and just three walks in 10 innings. It took some time for Houck to get comfortable in the new role but he looks ready to help in the seventh or eighth inning.
10. Daulton Varsho, C/OF, Diamondbacks (AA) (ETA: September)
Varsho began learning a new position late in the season while pulling a Craig Biggio and shifting from catcher to center field. The focus on his new defensive responsibilities did not hurt his offense and he hit .351 with two home runs over his last 10 games. He’s a 20-20 (HR-SB) threat and also finished the year with a batting average above .300.
Fantasy Baseball Prospect Rankings (11-20)
11. Justin Dunn, RHP, Mariners (AA) (ETA: September)
This former first rounder ended up spending the entire 2019 season in Double-A after also pitching there for a half a season in 2018. He finished this year with 158 strikeouts and just 39 walks in 131.2 innings. That’s back-to-back seasons with more than 150 strikeouts in just over 130 innings.
12. Jake Cronenworth, INF/RHP, Rays (AAA) (ETA: September)
Cronenworth’s .339 batting average and versatility could earn him a shot at a roster spot this September. The 25-year-old prospect has to be added to the 40-man roster this fall anyway since he’d be a rather attractive option in the winter’s Rule 5 draft given the additional roster spot that teams will have next year when rosters expand from 25 to 26 men (with limits on the number of pitchers that can be kept). Cronenworth can play second base, third base, shortstop and even pitch.
13. Bobby Dalbec, 3B, Red Sox (AAA) (ETA: September)
Dalbec isn’t going to win any batting titles but he slugged 27 home runs on the season and added 72 walks in 134 games. Along with manning the hot corner, the slugger can play first base.
14. Edward Olivares, OF, Padres (AA) (ETA: September)
Olivares doesn’t get the attention that he deserves — especially considering San Diego thinned out some of the MLB outfield depth at the trade deadline. The 23-year-old outfielder hit 18 home runs while stealing 35 bases in Double-A. He’s now produced three straight seasons with at least 12 home runs and 20 steals.
15. Joe Palumbo, LHP, Rangers (AAA) (ETA: September)
Palumbo had a strong finish to the season in Triple-A. Over his final two starts, the southpaw struck out 14 hits while issuing just three hits and three walks in 11 innings. His first taste of MLB action didn’t go so well but he looks better positioned this time around.
16. Bobby Bradley, 1B, Indians (AAA) (ETA: September)
Bradley is very much a one-dimensional player but he has prodigious power. He hit 33 home runs in 106 Triple-A games (but also struck out 152 times). He finished the season on an up-swing with a .324 average, three home runs and a BB-K of 5-11 in his last 10 games.
17. Austin Hays, OF, Orioles (AAA) (ETA: September)
Consistency continues to elude Hays but he gives glimpses of his raw potential. He finished the season strong at Triple-A with a .295 average and two home runs in 10 games. His aggressive nature, though, continued to undermine his raw talent and he finished the year with a BB-K of just 18-83.
18. Nick Madrigal, 2B, White Sox (AAA) (ETA: September)
Like teammate Luis Robert, Madrigal played at three levels in 2019 and finished the year in Triple-A. He has elite bat-to-ball skills and produced a BB-K of 44-16 in 468 at-bats. That’s a strikeout rate of 3%. He also finished the year with a .300 batting average and 35 steals.
19. Drew Waters, OF, Braves (AAA) (ETA: September)
The Braves were extremely aggressive with both Cristian Pache and Waters in 2019. Both young outfield prospects spent most of the year in Double-A but received late-season additions to the Triple-A roster. Waters swings and misses too much (162 strikeouts in 133 games) but also offers speed and his 40 doubles hint at the raw power he has.
20. Tyler Stephenson, C, Reds (AAA) (ETA: September)
Stephenson remains on target to become the Reds starting catcher in 2020 or 2021 after a solid season in Double-A. He needs to be added to the 40-man roster this fall so he could get a look in September. He has stands 6-4 but has yet to fully tap into his raw power potential.
More MLB Prospects Analysis
