Top 50 Fantasy Baseball Prospects for Week 16

July 17, 2021

Marc's updated Top 50 fantasy baseball prospects rankings for Week 16 outlining the top MLB prospects, rookies, and call-ups to have impacts in fantasy baseball redraft leagues for 2021.

Wow, what a busy last few days for prospects around Major League Baseball. On Sunday, we were treated to both the MLB Futures Game — a showcase of the sport’s best prospects — and the first round of the 2021 MLB Amateur Draft. The remainder of the 20-round draft will take place today and tomorrow.

Let’s focus on those prospects that have already firmly established themselves in pro ball with a look at the weekly Top 50 prospects for redraft leagues. We still have many of the same names among the Top 10 on the list and quite a few of those prospects could still have big impacts in redraft leagues during the second half of the 2021 season. However, last week’s list also lost a few players for a variety of reasons.

Vidal Brujan — who appeared briefly in The Show last week during a double-header before getting sent back down — was recalled to the majors after an injury to Mike Brosseau. Joey Bart also got the call on Saturday to replace the injured Buster Posey. Ultra-talented shortstop prospect CJ Abrams was removed from the list after it was revealed that he will miss the remainder of the season due to a nasty leg injury. Roansy Contreras was also taken off the list after it was announced that he will miss 2-4 weeks with a forearm strain.

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Top Impact Prospects for Redraft Leagues

This prospects list is a ranking for 2021 redraft leagues only and is not a dynasty ranking. It also does not include any prospects on MLB rosters.

Top 10 Prospects for 2021

1. Jarred Kelenic, OF: After one failed attempt at the MLB level, you know that the Mariners want to be sure Kelenic will thrive during his second opportunity. All signs are pointing in the right direction. He has a .320 batting average and a 137 wRC+ through 30 games at the Triple-A level.

2. Jarren Duran, OF: Rumors continue to swirl around Duran’s MLB arrival date and while we have not heard a definitive date, it’s no doubt getting close. He has a 148 wRC+ at Triple-A while showing an intriguing mix of power and speed.

3. Kyle Muller, SP: This is a bit of a cheat since Atlanta has already said he’ll be back after the All-Star break but he’s in the minors so he’s fair game for our list. Muller has looked like a different pitcher this year with improved command and a slider that he picked up last year. He’s shaken off the reliever risk that he’s carried since turning pro.

4. Seth Beer, OF/1B: With the Diamondbacks roster in need of another shakeup, now might be the time for the club to see if Christian Walker has any trade value at this point. That would open up an opportunity for Beer at the MLB level. He has a 120 wRC+ in Triple-A and has seen 28 of his 54 hits go for extra bases.

5. Keibert Ruiz, C:  No, there is no clear path to playing time with Will Smith at the MLB level, but Ruiz could still push to share the playing time with him in the second half — and keep both fresh for a long playoff run. Or, ideally, Ruiz could be used to help bring back a star player in a trade, which would free up Ruiz to play every day in the majors rather than waste his talent in Triple-A.

6. Josh Lowe, OF: Lowe continues to quietly produce a strong season at Triple-A with a 138 wRC+. He has an intriguing mix of power and speed and isn’t that far off from being a Kyle Tucker-like player.

7. Josh Jung, 3B: Despite missing a big chunk of the season to injury, Jung continues to look good at Double-A and has 20 hits through his first 18 games of the season. The Rangers have promoted prospects directly from Double-A in the past and it could happen here.

8. Cal Raleigh, C: Raleigh is hitting .320 and has seen 30 of his 56 hits go for extra bases. There’s very little reason to keep him in the minors during the second half of the season.

9. Luis Patino, SP: Patino is probably MLB-ready — he just needs a clear path to innings. He’s just 21 and has a 4.87 ERA in six appearances at the MLB level this season, but his xERA is 3.36 and his K-BB ratio of 24-5 in 20 1/3 innings is impressive.

10. Brandon Marsh, OF: Marsh is back at Triple-A after a four-game rehab stint in Rookie ball. He hit both a triple and a home run on Friday night and could be 2-3 weeks away from the majors if everything goes well.

Prospects 11-20

11. Alejandro Kirk, C: I’m cheating here a bit too, given that Kirk is on the 60-day injured list after opening the year in the majors. However, with Reese McGuire performing OK and Danny Jansen also healthy again, Kirk may be activated and assigned to Triple-A so the organization can preserve the catching depth.

12. Hunter Greene, SP: Greene has now allowed four runs or more in three of his four Triple-A starts. His command and control just haven’t been as sharp, but I think he’ll figure it out quickly. The most like scenario has Greene getting some innings out of the Reds’ bullpen in the second half.   

13. Edward Cabrera, SP: The 23-year-old Cabrera continues to look outstanding at Double-A. He has a 1.77 ERA with a K-BB ratio of 26-5 through 20 1/3 innings of work.

14. Jo Adell, OF: Adell slides down the list a bit with the return of Brandon Marsh, who I feel will get the next MLB opportunity if healthy. Adell continues to flash his plus power, but the BB-K ratio of 15-74 in 54 games is not good.

15. Nick Lodolo, SP: Lodolo was recently activated off the injured list after dealing with a blister problem. He went two shutout innings as the Reds eased him back into game action at Double-A.

16. Tanner Houck, SP: .Houck hasn’t thrown five innings or more since his first start of the season and the Red Sox are no doubt trying to be conservative with his workload due to an early injury and also in the hopes of keeping him fresh for the season half of the year if he’s needed at the MLB level.

17. Jose Miranda, 1B: Miranda exploded offensively at Double-A this season to earn an early promotion to Triple-A. He’s been even better at the higher level and has 188 wRC+ with three home runs through 10 games.

18. Jahmai Jones, 2B: The Orioles organization has done a great job of helping Jones turn his fortunes around. He’s been an on-base machine in 2021 at Triple-A with a .413 on-base percentage while stealing some bases and showing some gap pop.

19. Edward Olivares, OF: Poor Olivares. He has been promoted to the Royals four times already this year but has managed to appear in just 11 games. He has a 167 wRC+ in 37 games at Triple-A and deserves an extended look given his power/speed potential.

20. Cody Thomas, OF: It’s difficult to know exactly what the A’s have with Thomas because he plays in Las Vegas — a park that is very kind to hitters. He has shown an ability to hit home runs in the past and it’s possible that the club could catch lightning in a bottle with him if he can make enough consistent contact.

Prospects 21-30

21. Kevin Smith, SS/3B: Smith has slumped a bit in the early part of July with a .154 average, but he’s still hitting well overall and has double-digit home runs and steals at Triple-A.

22. Jeter Downs, 2B/SS: Downs started to redeem himself in June after a disappointing May, but he’s slumping again. He has a .174 batting average in July and has yet to hit an extra-base hit. On the plus side, he has struck out just four times.

23. Brent Rooker, OF: Rooker had a powerful month of June with eight home runs and a .628 slugging percentage, but he’s hitting just .188 with one homer so far in July.

24. Drew Waters, OF: Waters has been on a bit of a hot streak lately. He’s hitting .389 in July while providing both power and speed. He’s also showing an improved contact rate, although he’s not showing any additional patience. The injury to Ronald Acuna Jr. could make something happen.

25. Lewin Diaz, 1B: Diaz still isn’t hitting for average this year but he went deep twice last week to remind us all of his impressive raw power, which he’s still learning to consistently tap into on a regular basis.

26. Cade Cavalli, SP: Cavalli has been nearly unstoppable this season, but he had a hiccup during his start last week when he walked six batters in 4 2/3 innings. With a K-BB ratio of 103-29 in 62 innings, it’s likely just a one-game anomaly.

27. Jose Barrero, SS: Barrero, formerly known as Jose Garcia, left Double-A with a .300 batting average but he’s hitting just .171 through his first 10 Triple-A games. He has flashed some power though with two home runs.

28. Nick Pratto, 1B: After a modest performance in June, Pratto has heated up again in July. So far this month, he’s hitting .286, has eight walks, and has seen five of his eight hits go for extra bases.

29. Jackson Kowar, SP: Kowar is still working through some command issues, but he’s shown signs of promise in two July starts. In his first start this month, he struck out 10 batters. In his second start, he lasted just 3 2/3 innings, but he battled and ultimately allowed just one run.

30. Matthew Liberatore, SP: Liberatore was roughed up during his last Triple-A start when he allowed eight hits and two walks in 4 2/3 innings of work.

Prospects 31-40

31. Alec Burleson, OF: Burleson has been on fire in July after a modest June. He entered the weekend with three home runs in his last two games and he’s hitting .324 this month.

32. Deivi Garcia, SP: Allowing 30 walks in 38 2/3 innings is not going to endear you to anyone, but that’s exactly what this young right-hander has done. Still, the options at Triple-A for the Yankees are limited in the event of an injury to the big league rotation.

33. Jonathan Stiever, SP: Stiever’s 5.76 ERA is nothing to write home abou,t but he’s throwing strikes and missing some bats. His biggest issue has been the home run ball and he’s allowed 10 in just 45 1/3 innings. Both Stiever and Jimmy Lambert are the best bets right now to back up the White Sox big league rotation.

34. Kyle Bradish, SP: Consistent command control continues to elude Bradish at Triple-A but he has shown the ability to miss bats with a 28% strikeout rate.

35. Jake Meyers, OF: The 25-year-old Meyers has quietly reinvented himself this year with more power — both in terms of hard-hit balls and home runs — and he can also steal a base here and there. He has a 149 wRC+ and plays good defense.

36. Cory Abbott, SP - The transition to the bullpen at the MLB level was a tough one for Abbott, who struggled to throw strikes and miss bats. He’s back at Triple-A now and his next shot might come back in his familiar role as a starter.

37. Thomas Hatch, SP: Officially off the injured list after a lengthy rehab assignment, Hatch is working on increasing his stamina so he can assist the pitching-needy Blue Jays in the second half of the season.

38. Owen Miller, IF: Miller has a .333 batting average at Triple-A, but he’s been promoted to and demoted from the majors three times this year after failing to show much with the bat.

39. Yariel Gonzalez, 3B/2B: With a 129 wRC+ and 12 home runs in 45 games, Gonzalez has been consistently one of the better hitters in Triple-A this year. He’s been outstanding in July and is worth a shot on a rebuilding Tigers club.

40. Nolan Jones, 3B: Jones had an ugly May but bounced back with a decent June. Unfortunately, his July effort is currently falling somewhere in the middle of his first two months. Contact issues have plagued him.

Prospects 41-50

41. Shane Baz, SP: Baz has been lowered due to his impending participation in the Summer Olympics, but he could be a weapon for the Rays in the late stages of the season.

42. Joe Ryan, SP: Like Baz above, Ryan has been lowered due to his impending participation in the Summer Olympics. He could see some key innings out of the bullpen (or starting rotation) for the Rays in August and beyond.

43. Jake Eder, SP: Eder was named to the MLB Futures Game as an injury replacement, which is pretty impressive considering he was a little-known fourth-round draft pick just a year ago. He has a 1.33 ERA with 80 strikeouts in 54 1/3 innings at the Double-A level.

44. Daniel Lynch, SP: This young lefty is a mess right now. He has allowed 15 runs over his last two starts, but entered the year looking like he was on the cusp of settling into a nice MLB carer.

45. MacKenzie Gore, SP: Gore isn’t officially on the injured list, but he hasn’t pitched since June 18 and has been battling blister issues this season.

46. Julio Rodriguez, OF: The 20-year-old Rodriguez has a 155 wRC+ in 10 Double-A games since being promoted from A-ball. His strikeout rate is up a bit, but he also has a 19% walk rate.

47. Bobby Witt Jr.: It remains a stretch to think that we’ll see Witt Jr. at the big league level in 2021 — unless Kansas City goes on an incredibly hot streak that sees them threaten for a wild card slot. He’s been impressive at Double-A with a 145 wRC+, especially considering he skipped both levels of A-ball altogether.

48. Adley Rutschman, C: Like Witt Jr. above, there is very little incentive for the Orioles to promote Rutschman. Pushing service time issues aside, it certainly would give the fans something to get excited about in the second half. He has a 151 wRC+ at Double-A.

49. Max Meyer, SP: The 1.67 ERA is nice to see and he’s been difficult to hit, but the strikeout rate isn’t quite as high as you’d like and his walk rate has been increasing over the past month.

50. Grayson Rodriguez, SP: Since his promotion to Double-A, Rodriguez is holding hitters to a .169 batting average while producing a 34% strikeout rate. However, Baltimore has little-to-no incentive to bring him up this year.

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