RADIO
In some ways, it feels like the 2019 baseball season just began. But here we are, looking at less than a month’s worth of minor league baseball remaining before the regular season is over. So how do we deal with the crushing sadness that’s descending upon us? How about we take a look at the Top 30 dynasty players in baseball? I know that will make me feel better.
With teams relying more and more on young players, prospects are being pushed through the minors more aggressively. This, in turn, creates more turnover on prospect lists and we see quite a change in the dynasty list from earlier this season with the likes of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, Nick Senzel, Keston Hiura, Austin Riley, Yordan Alvarez, Brendan McKay, and others graduating from the list.
*Note, the list omits any players currently playing in the MLB — even if their rookie status has not officially expired.
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MLB Dynasty Prospect Rankings (1-10)
1. Wander Franco, SS, Rays (A+) (ETA: 2021)
The ETA on Franco is on the safe side. He could very well reach the Majors in 2020 if the young hitter continues to push the envelope and the Rays are willing to expedite his arrival. Eighteen-year-olds aren’t supposed to hit an easy .300 in High-A ball — or show this level of plate discipline and contact skill (47-30 BB-K in 98 360 at-bats). He’s in the same class as San Diego’s Fernando Tatis Jr. (Age 20 with a .994 OPS) and Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Age 20 with an .800 OPS).
2. MacKenzie Gore, LHP, Padres (AA) (ETA: 2020)
The Top 30 list features 15 pitchers and this 20-year-old hurler is the best of the best. He breezed through the California League earlier this year while posting a 1.02 ERA with a K-BB of 110-20 with 36 hits allowed in 79.1 innings. The Cal League is considered a hitter’s league. Someone just forgot to tell Gore. Now in Double-A, he’s found the hitters to be a little more challenging but he’s more than holding his own. Gore will likely reach the Majors with four better-than-average pitches and the ceiling of a true frontline starter.
3. Jo Adell, OF, Angels (AAA) (ETA: 2020)
If an injury hadn’t delayed the start of his season, Adell would very likely be in the Majors right now. The athletic outfielder has incredibly strong makeup which allows him to squeeze every ounce of talent out of his tools. The term five-tool player is thrown around a lot but Adell is one of those players that truly has all five (Six if you count maturity/makeup as a tool, which we really should). He could easily develop into a 20-20 (HR-SB) player capable of hitting .300.
4. Casey Mize, RHP, Tigers (AA) (ETA: 2020)
Selected first overall in the 2018 draft, Mize had an outside shot at reaching the Majors in 2019. Unfortunately, he suffered an injury in mid-June, which kept him out for a month and delayed his development. He’s back now but hasn’t found the same groove after allowing 15 earned runs in his last five starts — after allowing just eight in his previous 20 games. Even with that blip, batters are only hitting .193 against him this year. He’s another ace type with three potentially-plus offerings.
5. Luis Robert, OF, White Sox (AAA) (ETA: 2020)
I had my concerns about Robert before the season began. He doesn’t have the strongest plate discipline as witnessed by his BB-K of 23-100 in 99 games this year but he has next-level bat speed and generates excellent exit velocities. Along with plus power, he also has plus speed. He’s made a mockery of the minor leagues this year while playing at three levels with a .339 batting average, 24 home runs, and 34 stolen bases — in just 99 games.
6. Jarred Kelenic, OF, Mariners (A+) (ETA: 2021)
Kelenic is another top prospect that earns top grades on the sixth tool (makeup) and that’s helped to turn him into the second-best prospect to come out of the 2018 draft. The sixth overall selection comes from a cold-weather state so he should, in theory, need a little extra development time than those from the warmer states that can more easily play ball all year round. But Kelenic is already hitting .293 in High-A ball as a recently-turned-20-year-old outfielder. He has a chance to hit .300 in the Majors as a 20-20 threat.
7. Alex Kirilloff, OF, Twins (AA) (ETA: 2020)
Kirilloff, like Jo Adell above, had his season delayed by an injury. His minor league numbers were off-the-charts good in 2018 while playing at two A-ball levels but he’s never been able to get fully on track in 2019 at Double-A although he’s still posting a respectable .721 OPS. Kirilloff has battled a wrist injury all season and may not be fully healthy until he can give it an extended rest period during the off-season. When he gets back to full strength, he should be capable of hitting .300 with 20-plus home runs.
8. Nate Pearson, RHP, Blue Jays (AA) (ETA: 2020)
Pearson is another prospect who’s had injuries delay his arrival in the Majors. A 2017 first-rounder, the hard-throwing right-hander opened the year in High-A ball after missing most of 2018 when a line drive broke his arm in his first start of the season. He needed just six starts this year to earn a bump up to Double-A. His pitch count has been extremely tight most of the year but he’s posted a K-BB of 90-18 in 72 innings. Pearson is a monster on the mound at 6-6, 245 pounds. He can hit 100 mph and has above-average control.
9. Matthew Liberatore, LHP, Rays (A) (ETA: 2022)
The Rays are notoriously cautious (ie. slow and methodical) in their development of pitching prospects and Liberatore has been no exception. A 2018 first-round pick, he opened this season in extended spring training before being sent to Low-A ball in May. He’s still polishing his command but he’s been very good as a 19-year-old. He has a K-BB of 69-29 in 71.1 innings and has a chance to hit the Majors with three above-average offerings.
10. Matt Manning, RHP, Tigers (AA) (ETA: 2020)
The rebuilding Tigers organization is suddenly flush with pitching prospects. Manning isn’t far off from catching Casey Mize as the best pitcher in the system. He has an excellent pitcher’s frame and has produced outstanding numbers as a 21-year-old in Double-A this year. His K-BB sits at 124-36 in 113 innings and he’s allowed just six home runs while producing above-average ground-ball rates.
MLB Dynasty Prospect Rankings (11-20)
11. Kyle Tucker, OF, Astros (AAA) (ETA: 2019)
It’s likely been a frustrating year for Tucker who has been stuck in Triple-A for a second full season. He’s been a little less consistent this year but he’s producing a .926 OPS with 30 home runs and 25 steals in 105 games. And he’s still just 22 years old. The Astros will have to find room for him in the starting lineup in 2020.
12. Gavin Lux, SS, Dodgers (AAA) (ETA: 2019)
This 2016 first-rounder struggled through his first two pro seasons before finding another gear last year. He’s reached an even higher level since being assigned to Triple-A a little over a month ago. Lux is hitting .456 with a 1.380 OPS in 136 at-bats. He has 62 hits in just 32 games since his promotion from Double-A. Overall on the year, he’s hitting .362 with 23 home runs.
13. Carter Kieboom, SS, Nationals (AAA) (ETA: 2019)
Kieboom had a taste of the Majors earlier this year but got homer-happy and hit just .128 in 11 games. Despite posting a .943 OPS in Triple-A, he’s been unable to get back to that level with Brian Dozier, Trea Turner and Anthony Rendon staying healthy. Along with showing good power, Kieboom has also produced a solid BB-K of 53-81.
14. Ian Anderson, RHP, Braves (AAA) (ETA: 2020)
This 21-year-old hurler has been excellent at Double-A this year with a K-BB of 147-47 in 111 innings. Anderson was recently promoted to Triple-A and is on targeted to reach the Majors early in 2020. He has the repertoire to be a mid-rotation starter and a chance to be even more.
15. Forrest Whitley, RHP, Astros (AA) (ETA: 2020)
It’s been a nightmare season for Whitley who’s battled through injuries and inconsistencies. He opened the year in Triple-A but posted a 12.21 ERA in eight appearances. The young hurler’s stuff has remained strong and he’s throwing well in Double-A now. And he doesn’t turn 22 until September so time is on his side.
16. Kyle Wright, RHP, Braves (AAA) (ETA: 2019)
Wright, like Forrest Whitley, has had a bit of a disappointing season — although not to the same extreme. Atlanta has jerked him around a bit with multiple recalls to the Majors with few innings and little consistency. He’s been very good at Triple-A since June. Overall, he has a K-BB of 87-23 in 89.1 innings.
17. Andrew Vaughn, 1B, White Sox (A+) (ETA: 2021)
Catcher Adley Rutschman was the consensus best player available in the 2019 draft — but I preferred Vaughn despite the difficult profile of being a right-handed, six-foot (ie. short) first baseman. But he has a special bat an the University of California alum has already blown through three minor league levels. He's hitting .296 in High-A ball and should hit for power and average in the Majors.
18. Brendan Rodgers, SS, Rockies (IL) (ETA: 2020)
It would be a forgettable year for Rodgers if not for the fact that he made his MLB debut. The 23-year-old shortstop posted a 1.035 OPS at Triple-A but could not earn regular playing time with the Rockies. An injury then knocked him out for the year in June. He should be ready for an everyday gig in 2020 but will the Rockies actually let him play? It’s anyone’s guess at this point.
19. Cristian Pache, OF, Braves (AAA) (ETA: 2020)
An .815 OPS in Double-A is a solid result for anyone but it’s all the more impressive when it comes from a 20-year-old. Pache still has some work to do, as witnessed by his BB-K of 37-107 in 104 games, but the skills are there for him to be an above-average regular in the Majors and his raw power is starting to poke through. He was recently promoted to Triple-A.
20. Luis Patino, RHP, Padres (AA) (ETA: 2021)
Patino’s name should become much more familiar to MLB fans as he makes his way up to top prospect lists. Just 19, he was recently promoted to Double-A after posting a 2.69 ERA and a K-BB of 113-34 in 87 innings in High-A ball. Patino could have three plus pitches when he reaches the Majors.
MLB Dynasty Prospect Rankings (21-30)
21. Brusdar Graterol, RHP, Twins (AA) (ETA: 2020)
Graterol’s season was interrupted by a shoulder injury but he’s expected back soon. Minnesota is even considering promoting him late in the year to help out since they struck out on impact arms at the trade deadline. He can fire the fastball into the upper 90s and could eventually have three better-than-average offerings.
22. Jesus Luzardo, LHP, Athletics (IL) (ETA: 2019)
Speaking of injuries, Luzardo has had more than his fair share of setbacks in 2019 thanks to a serious shoulder strain and a subsequent lat strain. He should be back soon but has thrown just 21.1 innings this season. Standing six feet tall, there is some concern over his ability to hold up over the course of a full season (He also had Tommy John surgery in high school), although he has developed a mature, muscular frame. He has a chance to be a frontline starter with three above-average offerings.
23. Adley Rutschman, C, Orioles (A-) (ETA: 2022)
Selected first overall in the 2019 draft, Rutschman is advanced on both sides of the ball as a catcher. He’s also a vocal leader and has solid makeup, which should help him succeed at the demanding position. He’s hitting just .173 as a pro through his first 15 games but he also has much more to learn than the average first-year pro and his BB-K of 8-9 in 52 at-bats hints at better days ahead.
24. Mitch Keller, RHP, Pirates (AAA) (ETA: 2019)
Keller isn’t the most electric hurler but he does have a firm fastball in the mid-90s, as well as a promising curveball. He also has above-average control but needs to harness his command to succeed at the MLB level. He throws a lot of strikes but has too often left them in a hitter’s wheelhouse, as witnessed by his 21 hits allowed in 12 big league innings.
25. Grayson Rodriguez, RHP, Orioles (A) (ETA: 2022)
Just 19, Rodriguez already stands 6-5 and weighs 250 pounds. He can dial up his heater into the 94-97 mph range and he backs it up with a pair of promising breaking balls. Selected 11th overall in 2018, Rodriguez has a K-BB of 101-31 in 75.1 innings at the Low-A ball level.
26. Nolan Jones, 3B, Indians (AA) (ETA: 2021)
It’s a tough decision to pick the best third base prospect in the game but, for me, Jones edges the Phillies’ Alec Bohm. Standing 6-4, the Indians prospect is loaded with power potential but he has also shown a willingness to take a walk, which helps compensate for some of the swing and miss in his game. He’s done a better job of getting the ball in the air since moving from High-A to Double-A.
27. Drew Waters, OF, Braves (AAA) (ETA: 2020)
On the surface, Waters appears to have better numbers than teammate and fellow outfield prospect, Cristian Pache. But the big concern with the former is the lack of discipline at the plate, which has led to a BB-K of 28-126 in 111 games. Waters is a speedy player, even though he doesn’t steal a lot of bases, but he’s due for some regression on his Double-A BABIP, which was at .436 prior to a recent promotion to Triple-A.
28. CJ Abrams, SS, Padres (A) (ETA: 2022)
I had Abrams ranked as the third-best prospect in the 2019 draft but he lasted until the Padres nabbed him with the sixth-overall selection. The ultra-athletic player rewarded them with a .401 batting average in 32 rookie ball games, which earned him a recent promotion to full-season A-ball at the age of 18. He actually stole as many bases (14) as he struck out, and he also showed more pop than expected with 23 extra-base hits.
29. Sixto Sanchez, RHP, Marlins (AA) (ETA: 2020)
Sanchez opened the year in extended spring training after struggling through injuries in 2018 but he’s pitched well since reaching Double-A. He has a K-BB of 86-17 in 88 innings. He has good command and control for his age (21) and also flashes three potentially-plus offerings.
30. Deivi Garcia, RHP, Yankees (AAA) (ETA: 2020)
Like the pitcher ahead of him on the list, Garcia is an undersized player who can nonetheless dial the heater up into the mid-90s. Just 20, he’s pitched at three levels in 2019 but has struggled to command the Triple-A baseball (which is the same baseball used in the Majors but different from any other minor league level). If Garcia can improve his changeup a little bit, it will help to further enhance his plus curveball.
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