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It's coming down to the wire in fantasy baseball season, and it could be time for one last push to the finish line.
One way to get that final push is to look to the minor leagues one last time in redraft leagues for prospect help. It's tricky timing now, however, because rosters have expanded, and teams could wait until next season to get a glimpse at their prized prospects.
The right call on a prospect, however, could provide a playoff boost in head-to-head leagues or that much-needed category jump in roto leagues. Here is a look at five hitting prospects still in the minor leagues that could still make an impact.
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Deyvison De Los Santos - 3B/1B, Miami Marlins
De Los Santos is the most obvious name still in the minor leagues and at this point, it's worth wondering why he isn't already in the major leagues and contributing his plus-power bat to the Marlins' lineup.
The 21-year-old has little left to prove in the minors with 38 homers, 114 RBI, and a .297 batting average across three teams this season. The Marlins have little to play for so if they haven't called De Los Santos up yet, they might just wait until the beginning of next season.
MiLB homer leader Deyvison De Los Santos playing for the @JaxShrimp is aptly named because this ball was crushed in a JUMBO fashion 🚀
No. 38 on the year, 10th since joining the @Marlins org. pic.twitter.com/zQ2cTKeSzE
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) September 12, 2024
But if he does get a call-up this is the top impact bat worth stashing. His power should play at the big-league level, making him the perfect target for those in need of help in the home run and RBI categories. Let's hope for a late-season promotion.
Dalton Rushing - C/DH/OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
Rushing has transitioned well to an outfield/designated hitter role with Triple-A Oklahoma City after spending most of his time in the minor leagues as a catcher. He is hitting .268/.384/.503 in 30 games at Triple-A with six homers and 19 RBI.
The key here is that Rushing remains catcher-eligible and could play every day in the outfield if given an opportunity with the Dodgers. That is gold in fantasy baseball.
"It's me. Hi. I'm the problem, it's me."
-Dalton Rushing, probably. pic.twitter.com/5tqg2oFO98
— Oklahoma City Baseball Club (@okc_baseball) September 13, 2024
Once again, though, anticipating a call-up for Rushing is a difficult proposition at this point in the season. However, it could pay off in a big way in two-catcher leagues.
Matt Shaw - 3B/2B/SS, Chicago Cubs
Shaw continues to impress at Triple-A Iowa, a team which now features several of the Cubs' top prospects. With his infield versatility and his solid bat, Shaw is perhaps the most major-league-ready of the talented bunch in Iowa.
He has two homers and three RBI in eight September games, while hitting .297. Between Double-A and Triple-A this season, Shaw is hitting .277/.371/.473 with 19 homers, 62 RBI, and 28 stolen bases.
"That ball was smoked!"
106.6 mph, 418 ft for @Cubs No. 1 prospect Matt Shaw, who has notched three consecutive multihit game for the Triple-A @IowaCubs. pic.twitter.com/kHOILm2k1s
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) September 13, 2024
That's good all-around production that would make him a nice contributor for the Cubs if he were to get a late-season call-up and could potentially help fantasy managers get over the hump.
Roman Anthony - OF, Boston Red Sox
Anthony is shooting up prospect lists with his recent performance and his enormous potential due to his off-the-charts athleticism. He has even garnered No. 1 overall prospect status according to Baseball America.
Between Double-A and Triple-A, the 20-year-old phenom is hitting .287/.384/.499 with 18 homers, 59 RBI, and 19 stolen bases. Anthony is a tricky prospect in redraft leagues because it's perhaps most likely that he starts next season challenging for a spot in Boston rather than earning a late-season look.
It's official.
Roman Anthony is the new No. 1 prospect in baseball 👀https://t.co/NWqZ92kDGu pic.twitter.com/SWVLqCzSsB
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) September 11, 2024
However, this is now the top prospect in baseball and he could be a game-changer for the stretch run if given a surprise chance.
Colson Montgomery - SS, Chicago White Sox
It has not been a stellar season at Triple-A this year for Montgomery but the talented shortstop has turned it up a notch in September, making one last push for a potential promotion to the White Sox.
Montgomery, the No. 25 prospect in baseball, has had a disappointing slash line of .216/.330/.384 with Charlotte. He does have 17 homers and 56 RBI which is not a terrible output for a shortstop-eligible player.
Colson, crushed.
White Sox No. 2 prospect (MLB No. 27) Colson Montgomery belts his 15th homer of the season 410 feet for @KnightsBaseball.
Watch the @MiLB Free Game of the Day LIVE: https://t.co/mdJU7n82gS pic.twitter.com/AZoVJT9u6S
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) September 5, 2024
This is still a player with 60-grade power and a 50-grade hit tool, so it's not time to abandon ship. If the White Sox come calling, Montgomery could bring his hot hitting to the big leagues and fantasy lineups.
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