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Opening day is just around the corner. So what better way to celebrate the occasion than to refresh the Top 50 prospects list for 2021 redraft leagues. If you're a habitual prospect watcher then you could have a leg up on your fantasy competition in 2021.
Managers around baseball will heavily rely on rookies like never before during the coming campaign. Coming off the truncated 2020 season, players will need time to build up to withstand the demands of a full 162-game schedule. That means that teams will lean on the minor leagues like never before to help pitchers stay healthy for the full season; most teams will be uncomfortable watching their top arms jump from 50-60 innings in 2020 to 190-200 in 2021. Clubs will need additional help on the hitting side, as well, to help ensure position players are not over-extended and hurt themselves.
This unique season will ensure that any young player performing well in the upper levels of the minors will receive a big-league opportunity. Heck, we may even see an "any warm body will do" scenario on the pitching side for some teams. This weekly service you're reading right now could be more important than ever before. Now that we're about a week away from opening day, let's see where things stand on the prospect front for redraft leagues. I'll provide another update right around April 1 once big-league rosters are mostly set.
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Top Prospects for 2021 Fantasy Baseball
These prospect rankings are for 2021 redraft leagues.
| Ranking | Player | Pos | Team | Age | ETA |
| 1 | Randy Arozarena | OF | TB | 26 | APRIL |
| 2 | Ian Anderson | SP | ATL | 22 | APRIL |
| 3 | Dylan Carlson | OF | STL | 22 | APRIL |
| 4 | Jarred Kelenic | OF | SEA | 21 | MAY |
| 5 | Bobby Dalbec | 1B | BOS | 25 | APRIL |
| 6 | Andrew Vaughn | 1B | CWS | 22 | APRIL |
| 7 | Ke'Bryan Hayes | 3B | PIT | 24 | APRIL |
| 8 | Jonathan India | 2B | CIN | 24 | APRIL |
| 9 | Tarik Skubal | SP | DET | 24 | APRIL |
| 10 | Triston McKenzie | SP | CLE | 23 | APRIL |
| 11 | Ryan Mountcastle | OF | BAL | 24 | APRIL |
| 12 | Sixto Sanchez | SP | MIA | 22 | APRIL |
| 13 | Alex Kirilloff | OF | MIN | 23 | MAY |
| 14 | Nate Pearson | SP | TOR | 24 | MAY |
| 15 | MacKenzie Gore | SP | SD | 22 | MAY |
| 16 | Wander Franco | SS | TB | 20 | MAY |
| 17 | Brent Rooker | OF | MIN | 26 | MAY |
| 18 | Alejandro Kirk | C | TOR | 22 | APRIL |
| 19 | Tejay Antone | P | CIN | 27 | APRIL |
| 20 | Trevor Rogers | SP | MIA | 22 | APRIL |
| 21 | Andres Gimenez | SS | CLE | 22 | APRIL |
| 22 | Garrett Crochet | RP | CWS | 21 | APRIL |
| 23 | Adrian Morejon | P | SD | 22 | APRIL |
| 24 | A.J. Puk | SP | OAK | 25 | APRIL |
| 25 | Taylor Trammell | OF | SEA | 23 | MAY |
| 26 | Spencer Howard | SP | PHI | 24 | MAY |
| 27 | James Karinchak | RP | CLE | 25 | APRIL |
| 28 | Brandon Marsh | OF | LAA | 23 | MAY |
| 29 | Jo Adell | OF | LAA | 21 | JUNE |
| 30 | Jazz Chisholm | SS | MIA | 23 | MAY |
| 31 | Deivi Garcia | SP | NYY | 21 | APRIL |
| 32 | Nick Madrigal | 2B | CWS | 24 | APRIL |
| 33 | Ryan Weathers | P | SD | 21 | APRIL |
| 34 | Casey Mize | SP | DET | 23 | MAY |
| 35 | Dane Dunning | SP | TEX | 26 | APRIL |
| 36 | JT Brubaker | SP | PIT | 27 | APRIL |
| 37 | David Peterson | SP | NYM | 25 | APRIL |
| 38 | Michael Kopech | RP | CWS | 24 | APRIL |
| 39 | Luis Patino | SP | TB | 21 | MAY |
| 40 | Tanner Houck | SP | BOS | 24 | JUNE |
| 41 | Akil Baddoo | OF | DET | 22 | APRIL |
| 42 | Cristian Pache | OF | ATL | 22 | MAY |
| 43 | Tyler Stephenson | C | CIN | 24 | APRIL |
| 44 | Jarren Duran | OF | BOS | 24 | JUNE |
| 45 | Daulton Varsho | C/OF | ARZ | 24 | JUNE |
| 46 | Logan Gilbert | SP | SEA | 23 | JUNE |
| 47 | Shane McClanahan | SP | TB | 23 | MAY |
| 48 | Bobby Bradley | 1B | CLE | 24 | JUNE |
| 49 | Jose Garcia | SS | CIN | 22 | JUNE |
| 50 | Jackson Kowar | SP | KC | 23 | JUNE |
Top 10 Prospects for 2021
1. Randy Arozarena, OF: Arozarena has had an uninspired spring to date but don't be concerned. Yes, the BB-K of 1-9 in 29 at-bats is ugly and he has just one extra-base hit but he's shown the ability to up his game when the spotlight shines on him.
2. Ian Anderson, SP: Entering the 2021 season, Anderson is easily the top rookie arm. He's dominated this spring and produced strong results at the MLB level in 2020. When Mike Soroka comes back to join Max Fried and Anderson, the Braves organization will have a strong (and youthful) 1-2-3 punch at the top of the rotation.
3. Dylan Carlson, OF: Carlson had a slow start to the year before warming up recently and the Cardinals appear committed to him in right field. He's also a much better hitter than either Austin Dean or Lane Thomas so he should have a pretty long leash in 2021. He probably won't open the year hitting in the middle of the lineup but he could get there by the summertime.
4. Jarred Kelenic, OF: If I thought Kelenic was going to open the year with the Mariners, he'd challenge Randy Arozarena for the No. 1 overall ranking. But it looks like the minor injury he suffered in the spring could cause the Mariners to take things cautiously and have him continue to work out at the alternate training site until they see what they have with Taylor Trammell and, perhaps, Jake Fraley.
5. Bobby Dalbec, 1B/3B: I entered the spring with fairly low expectations when it came to Dalbec being able to replicate his insane MLB production from 2020. Well, he's looked very good once again but it's also important to note it's "just the spring." With MLB reportedly going to a new, less "juicy" ball in 2021, home runs could be harder to come by but I doubt it will slow down this powerful player.
6. Andrew Vaughn, 1B: It appears that Vaughn is under serious consideration for Chicago's opening day roster and, if he makes the club, he's going to play every day. He's a well-rounded player that should hit for both power and average but I wouldn't be surprised if he struggles a bit early while he acclimates himself to the majors.
7. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B: Hayes hasn't stopped hitting. He hit last year and he's once again been driving the ball this spring. However, I have two concerns with Hayes. Firstly, he hit .376 last year but his BABIP of .450 was otherworldly and won't be replicated this season. Secondly, he's still hitting a ton of balls on the ground so his extra-base power is going to be doubles over homers -- which could actually work out OK for him if the new baseball causes homer rates to drop around baseball.
8. Jonathan India, 2B: No other prospect has improved their game year-over-year as much as India has. He's showing a great approach, he's producing, and scouts are enamored with the changes. He does not look like a spring-training-induced mirage He's a hot commodity in fantasy leagues right now so don't wait to snap him up.
9. Tarik Skubal, SP: Going back to last season, I called Skubal the most advanced pitching prospect out of Detroit's "big three." The young lefty continues to lead the pack in 2021 and looks like he's primed to be an impact arm for the club during the coming season. The only real concern so far this spring has been his control (eight walks in 12 innings) but he's struck out 15 hitters.
10. Triston McKenzie, SP: McKenzie enters 2021 as one of Cleveland's most promising young arms but he's also been off with both his command and his control. He'll likely work it out before too long but he's ranked down a little further for me because, after missing a year-and-a-half with injuries prior to 2020, I think Cleveland will be ultra-cautious with his innings in 2021.
Prospects 11-20
11. Ryan Mountcastle, OF/1B: After posting a 141 wRC+ in 35 MLB games in 2020, Mountcastle has secured a starting role on the rebuilding Orioles. He has impressive raw power but has fallen back into old (aggressive) habits this spring so keep an eye on that development. He's also coming off a year where he posted a .398 BABIP.
12. Sixto Sanchez, SP: Sanchez would be higher on the list if we were talking real-life baseball instead of fantasy baseball. However, his lack of strikeouts as a ground-ball pitcher causes him to slide down a bit but he also limits home runs and doesn't walk many batters. If he starts getting more outs via the swing-and-miss then his fantasy value will increase.
13. Alex Kirilloff, OF: Kirilloff started the year further up the rankings but he's had an uninspired spring to date and was recently demoted to the alternate training site. Fellow Twins outfield rookie Brent Rooker is also among my favorite 2021 rookies as an underrated power bat. If Kirilloff receives an opportunity to play every day, perhaps starting in May, I think he'll end up as one of the top MLB rookie hitters by the end of the year.
14. Nate Pearson, SP: Pearson has fallen down the ranking due to the groin strain that he suffered this spring. It's yet another injury in what is becoming a long line of injuries for this hard-throwing right-hander who has the talent to be an ace if he can show some durability.
15. MacKenzie Gore, SP: Gore is a player that would be higher on talent alone but the Padres went out and acquired three veteran starting pitchers during the offseason which added to an already-solid starting staff. Gore will likely open the year at the alternate training site or in the big-league bullpen.
16. Wander Franco, SS: Shortstop incumbent Willy Adames had a so-so 2020 season with way too many strikeouts (36%) but he's also still just 25 years old (and cheap) so the Rays aren't going to give up on him any time soon. Franco will open the year at the alternate training site but a strong month or two could catapult him up to the majors at either shortstop or third base.
17. Brent Rooker, OF: Rooker could hit 20+ home runs at the MLB level if given a fair shot at an everyday job. He's never posted an ISO rate below .211 in any of his minor league stops since 2017 and looked great in 2020 at the MLB level before an errant pitch ended his season after seven games. With Alex Kirilloff heading to the minors to start the year, Rooker has a good opportunity to prove himself.
18. Alejandro Kirk, C: Kirk is ranked high for a player that doesn't project to start the year as the everyday catcher but his bat is special and he lost a lot of weight in the offseason to get into better shape. If Kirk makes the team, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Jays find a way to carry three catchers and get Kirk some time at DH.
19. Tejay Antone, P: Antone is my top prospect sleeper entering the 2021 season. He has a power fastball, outstanding spin rates, and excellent underlying numbers from his 35.1 MLB innings from 2020. I'd have him ranked higher if A) He wasn't dealing with injuries, and B) I was confident that the Reds were going to give him a fair shot at starting.
20. Trevor Rogers, SP: Rogers has looked very good this spring which should help catapult him into an opening day role with the Marlins. He's struck out 19 batters in 13.1 innings and flashed an improved breaking ball in the spring which bodes well for his future.
Prospects 21-30
21. Andres Gimenez, SS: The pressure will be high as Gimenez replaces Francisco Lindor and, while he doesn't have the same power potential, he should hit for a solid average and provide 20+ steals.
22. Garrett Crochet, RP: Crochet likely won't move into the starting rotation this year but he should still be an impact MLB reliever while providing multi-inning coverage out of the bullpen. The White Sox prospect gets the nod over Cleveland's likely closer James Karinchak because he should pick up a good number of vulture wins this season as a multi-inning bullpen arm and rack up a ton of strikeouts. I also expect him to start games in the second half of the year.
23. Adrian Morejon, P: Like A.J. Puk (see right below), I believe Morejon would be more successful pitching multiple innings out of the bullpen but it appears injuries will force him into the starting rotation to open the season. Morejon is a talented pitcher but his command is inconsistent so the shorter stints later in games would likely benefit him.
24. A.J. Puk, SP: Puk should probably be in the bullpen as a multi-inning reliever given his ugly injury history but the A's likely need him in the starting rotation to start the year. If he can stay healthy, he still has impact stuff. I'll be shocked if he breaks the 100-inning mark this year.
25. Taylor Trammell, OF: One of the biggest surprises of the spring, Trammell could open the season in the majors -- at least while the Mariners buy some additional time for Jarred Kelenic to prove he's healthy after a spring injury scare. Trammell has contact issues but he's very athletic with the ability to grow into a 20-20 (HR-SB) player.
26. Spencer Howard, SP: Howard would be much higher on this list if we were looking at just his raw stuff. Unfortunately, like Nate Pearson above, injuries are a reoccurring theme for this talented right-hander and he's thrown fewer than 100 innings since the end of 2018.
27. James Karinchak, RP: Karinchak has already proven that he can be one of the best closers in the majors but relievers are wildly inconsistent and the right-hander's control has been off this spring. But it still hasn't stopped him from striking out 18 batters in eight innings.
28. Brandon Marsh, OF: Marsh has passed Jo Adell on the depth chart and could be in line for the next big-league opportunity before his teammate. Marsh impressed team staff during his stay at the alternate training site in 2020 and he has 20-20 potential if he can hit more balls in the air.
29. Jo Adell, OF: I receive a fair bit of flack for my low rankings of Adell but, while he's very talented, he has massive contact issues. He had a 33% strikeout rate at triple-A in 2019 and it was 42% in the majors last season. If we're looking for positives, he whiffed just six times in 25 plate appearances this spring but he didn't face a lot of premium talent. He has to earn my trust back this year but also has the threat of losing opportunities to Brandon Marsh.
30. Jazz Chisholm, 2B/SS: Chisholm had a wide-open opportunity to win the second base job this spring but he may lose the job to utility man Jon Berti. The rookie has an intriguing power-speed mix but his continued lack of consistent contact undermines his potential.
Prospects 31-40
31. Deivi Garcia, SP: Garcia has been solid this spring but Jordan Montgomery and Domingo German have been better. Still, I expect Garcia to get a solid MLB opportunity this year.
32. Nick Madrigal, 2B: The good news is that Madrigal is hitting .294 this spring. The bad news is that he's been dealing with soreness in his surgically-repaired shoulder. Those injuries tend to linger (Brendan Rodgers) and it could also impact Madrigal's willingness to run (sliding headfirst or any accidental collision could re-injure the shoulder).
33. Ryan Weathers, P: I've never been the world's biggest fan of Weathers but he's made some impressive improvements over the past year and even had his MLB debut in the playoffs last season. He should open the year as a reliever for the Padres but could see starts as the year goes on.
34. Casey Mize, SP: I'm at that point where I'm worried about Mize. He's allowed 10 walks and four home runs in 10 innings so far this spring. If I'm the Tigers, there is no way I let him near the opening day roster. He needs time to sort things out at the alternate training site without the pressure of competitive games.
35. Dane Dunning, SP: Dunning's move from the White Sox to the Rangers puts the rookie on a club desperately in need of quality pitching. I like Dunning more than most and feel he can be a very good No. 3/4 starter although he needs to show average-or-better command/control to succeed.
36. JT Brubaker, SP: Brubaker threw 47.1 innings at the MLB level in 2020 and projects to be a solid No. 4 starter for the rebuilding Pirates.
37. David Peterson, SP: Peterson ended 2020 exactly one-third of an innings away from losing his rookie eligibility so here he is. The injury to Carlos Carrasco provides the lefty another shot at starting for the Mets and he's a solid No. 4/5 starter.
38. Michael Kopech, RP: Kopech could flourish in a bullpen role if his head is (finally) screwed on straight and he remains focused and healthy for a full season.
39. Luis Patino, P: Patino was only used in one-inning stints this spring so he was clearly not in serious consideration for an opening day gig. Still, with all the innings that will need to be covered this year, we'll very likely see Patino pitch in a healthy number of games for the Rays.
40. Tanner Houck, SP: As good as Houck looked last year at the MLB level, he looked equally bad this spring. He'll need time to sort things out at the MiLB level but we've seen what he can do when he's fully in sync.
Prospects 41-50
41. Akil Baddoo, OF: A Rule 5 pick out of the Twins system, Baddoo has looked very impressive this spring with an increased power output to go with his promising speed. Still, there is noticeable swing-and-miss to his game so you'll have to live with an above-average amount of strikeouts.
42. Cristian Pache, OF: When 2020 ended, Pache looked to be on the cusp of an offensive breakout but he hasn't looked good with the bat this spring. The talent is here for him to break out with the bat but it could take a little longer than expected.
43. Tyler Stephenson, C: Stephenson has a chance to be a good hitting catcher but he'll open 2021 stuck behind defensive whiz Tucker Barnhart. His upside makes him a solid addition in two-catcher leagues.
44. Jarren Duran, OF: Duran opened some eyes this spring after successfully carrying over adjustments he made at the alternate training site in 2020. He's always been a threat to steal bases but he's added more power to his game.
45. Daulton Varsho, OF/C: Outfielders that have eligibility at catcher have a chance to be extremely valuable in fantasy baseball. Unfortunately, Varsho's bat started off slowly this spring although it has more recently shown signs of life.
46. Logan Gilbert, SP: Gilbert is going to open the year in the minors but the former first-round pick is not far off from being ready to help out at the MLB level. He has a mid-rotation ceiling and is better than most people realize.
47. Shane McClanahan, SP: Like Luis Patino above, McClanahan was used sparingly during the spring despite showing dynamic stuff as one-inning stints. He'll move down to the alternate training site to stretch out as a starter.
48. Bobby Bradley, 1B: Jake Bauers is probably going to win the first base job because Bradley has a minor-league option remaining but the former has yet to show he can actually hit. I expect Bradley (who has been the better hitter this spring) and his 30-homer pop to be up for good by the summer.
49. Jose Garcia, SS: Garcia had a wide-open opportunity to seize the shortstop job this spring but he showed that there is still work to do before he turns his raw tools into useable MLB skills.
50. Jackson Kowar, SP: When the year began, I thought we'd see Daniel Lynch up before Kowar but the latter pitcher has looked much better than the former this spring. Interestingly, Kowar pitched in the same college rotation as future teammate Brady Singer.
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