X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Checking In: Top MLB Prospects to Make Fantasy Impacts

It's hard to believe that the Major League Baseball season is almost a month old. And while it's still very early, and sample sizes are still extremely small, certain trends are starting to develop. In addition, minor leaguers are starting to establish themselves as players worthy​ of call-ups.

Last season, I regularly took a look at minor leaguers that were having noteworthy seasons. A lot of them wound up making contributions at the big league level last season.

In this season's first installment, I look at a quartet of players that will likely be making the jump from minor league buses to big league luxury this season.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Impact Prospects for Fantasy Baseball

Lewis Brinson, OF, Milwaukee Brewers

Lewis Brinson's major league debut cannot and will not be delayed a whole lot longer. The outfielder was the key piece in the trade that sent Jonathan Lucroy to the Texas Rangers, and the Brewers believe they have a franchise cornerstone in center field.

After coming over from the Rangers last year, the Brewers promoted him to Triple-A immediately, despite some early-season struggles in Double-A. He hit .382/.387/.628 for Colorado Springs in the (hitter friendly) PCL, and that's where he's currently doing his damage. Through 46 at-bats, Brinson is hitting .370/.400/.652. While he needs to improve his strikezone command a bit, Brinson has all the makings of a 20/20 player at the big league level.

Keon Broxton and (to a lesser extent) Domingo Santana don't appear to be long-term everyday options in Milwaukee, and Brinson should get an opportunity soon to prove that he is in fact an option. Expect Brinson to display his five-tool talent as soon as this season.

 

Jeimer Candelario, 3B, Chicago Cubs

Jeimer Candelario's bat earned him a call up last year with the Cubs, but he went just 1-for-11. In the minors, Candelario has done nothing but hit recently. Last year, he hit .333/.417/.542 in Triple-A and he's started 2017 hitting .317/.432/.700 through 60 at-bats at that level.

The big issue for Jeimer is that Kris Bryant currently occupies his natural position of third base. The Cubs have also tried him in the outfield, and he's played first base a couple of times recently. Regardless of where the defending champs move him around, he's going to be hard-pressed to find at-bats on the current Chicago roster. The Cubs could use him as trade bait, and if they do, the 23-year-old could wind up in a situation that will allow him to make a big contribution this year.

If he does get that opportunity, the switch-hitter is a legitimate .300 type hitter, and could even contribute double-digit home runs at the big league level.

 

German Marquez, RHP, Colorado Rockies

It's tough to rely on Colorado pitchers for fantasy production, but pre-injury Jon Gray and rookie Antonio Senzatela have helped calm some of the worries about this new era of young Rockies hurlers. Another one of those potential arms comes in the form of German Marquez.

Marquez entered spring camp with a legitimate shot at earning a rotation spot, but the Rockies opted to go with Senzatela. That wasn't a slight on Marquez, but rather a recognition of how Senzatela performed in spring training. Instead of pouting because of his demotion, Marquez has gone down to Triple-A and blown away hitters. The Rockies have been limiting Marquez' pitch counts and are slowly building him up; they even brought him out of the pen in his first outing. Through 10 IP, the hard-throwing righty has allowed just eight hits and three runs. Oh, and he has an 18/0 K/BB ratio.

The 22-year-old has a middle of the rotation ceiling, and at the worst, he could wind up being a high-leverage reliever. Regardless of where he ends up, he should have an opportunity as a starter first, and will likely wind up in the bullpen if he pitches his way out of that role. Look for him to get that chance at the midway point this season.

 

Yoan Moncada, 2B, Chicago White Sox

Yoan Moncada is the best prospect currently in the minors, and his production in 2017 has matched that. Through 60 at-bats in Triple-A, Moncada is hitting .300/.382/.517. He's chipped in with four home runs while playing all his games at second base.

There isn't a single player the White Sox currently have that will block the soon-to-be 22-year-old from the majors, so expect him to be called up soon and hitting right at the top of the Chicago lineup.

While the outlook and the potential is great, the strikeouts seem to be a legitimate concern. He struck out in 12 of his 19 big league at-bats last year, and his 30.9% K-rate this year also jumps off the page. In order for Moncada to realize his full potential, he'll have to get a better handle of the strike zone. Big league pitchers will be better suited to take advantage of any big holes and weaknesses, as was displayed last year. Moncada has 20-20 potential, but again, the strikeouts must be toned down.

 

More Top MLB Prospects & Rookies




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Kelly Olynyk

Cleared to Play on Friday
Jeremy Sochan

Available to Play Friday Against Houston
Puka Nacua

Will Play in Week 10
Steven Adams

Cleared to Face the Spurs
De'Andre Hunter

Available on Friday
Luke Kennard

Ruled Out Friday Against the Raptors
Kyshawn George

Ruled Out Versus Cleveland
William Eklund

Moved to Injured Reserve
Cam Thomas

Out 3-4 Weeks
Gustav Nyquist

Expected to Remain Out Friday
Luguentz Dort

Will Miss Friday's Meeting with Sacramento
Thatcher Demko

Questionable to Play This Weekend
Brock Purdy

Questionable Again, Won't Start in Week 10
Austin Reaves

Out Again on Saturday
Rasmus Dahlin

Takes Leave of Absence
Filip Hallander

to Miss at Least Three Months With Blood Clot
Domantas Sabonis

Will Not Play Friday vs. the Thunder
Kevin Bahl

a Game-Time Call Friday
Patrick Kane

Returns to Action Friday
Garrett Wilson

Listed as Questionable for Week 10, Expected to Play
Shohei Ohtani

Headlines List of NL Silver Slugger Winners
MLB

Munetaka Murakami Officially Being Posted on Friday
Alvin Kamara

Listed as Questionable for Week 10
De'Aaron Fox

To Make Season Debut On Saturday
Aaron Jones Sr.

Questionable for Week 10
Brian Thomas Jr.

Ruled Out For Week 10
D'Andre Swift

Listed as Questionable for Week 10
J.K. Dobbins

Getting Second Opinion on Foot Injury
Collin Sexton

Downgraded from Probable to Doubtful on Friday
LaMelo Ball

Downgraded to Doubtful on Friday
Kyler Murray

Expected to Return This Season
Yves Missi

Remains Sidelined on Saturday
Al Horford

Tagged as Questionable on Friday
Anthony Edwards

Available for Friday's NBA Cup Game
Harold Fannin Jr.

Questionable for Sunday
Justin Fields

Jets Refusing to Name Starting QB; Justin Fields Expected to Get the Nod
Luke Kennard

Considered Questionable on Friday
Shedeur Sanders

Back in QB2 Role in Week 10
Kayshon Boutte

Ruled Out in Week 10 Against Tampa
Kyshawn George

Downgraded to Questionable on Friday
Rhamondre Stevenson

Officially Ruled Out for Week 10
Tetairoa McMillan

Questionable to Play With Hamstring Injury
Rico Dowdle

Cleared to Play Against Saints
Harold Fannin Jr.

Back at Friday's Practice, on Track to Play Sunday?
DeForest Buckner

Placed on Injured Reserve With Neck Injury
Chris Godwin

Will be Ruled Out in Week 10
Jordan Poole

Out with Quad Strain
Bucky Irving

Still Not Practicing, Won't Play in Week 10
James Cook

a Full-Go for Clash With Dolphins
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Available vs. Hornets
Norman Powell

Available vs. Hornets
Randy Brown

Set For UFC Vegas 111 Main Event
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Joseph Morales

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 111
Matt Schnell

Set For UFC Vegas 111 Co-Main Event
Uros Medic

Aims To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Muslim Salikhov

Looks For His Fourth Consecutive Win
Chris Padilla

Looks To Remain Unbeaten In The UFC
Chris Kreider

Extends Goal Streak to Four Games
Ismael Bonfim

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Nikita Kucherov

Lifts Lightning Past Golden Knights
Marco Tulio

Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Jalen Chatfield

Injured in Thursday's WIn
Christian Leroy Duncan

Set To Open Up UFC Vegas 111 Main Card
Dougie Hamilton

Exits Early Thursday
Anthony Cirelli

Expected to Be Fine for Saturday
Michael Misa

Sharks Place Michael Misa on Injured Reserve
Kyle Tucker

Headlines List of 13 Players to Receive Qualifying Offers
Pete Fairbanks

Becomes a Free Agent
Filip Hallander

Out Against Capitals
Tyson Kozak

Available Versus Blues
Cody Glass

Returns to Action Thursday
Connor Brown

Out on Thursday
Mats Zuccarello

Could Be an Option Friday
Matt Duchene

Remains Out Thursday
Roope Hintz

a Game-Time Call Thursday
CFB

Luke Fickell Will Return as Wisconsin's Head Coach in 2026
Bo Bichette

Blue Jays Extend Qualifying Offer to Bo Bichette
Craig Stammen

Named Padres New Manager
K'Andre Miller

Could Return to Action Thursday
Jorge Polanco

Declines his 2026 Option to Become a Free Agent
Chris Sale

Braves Picking Up Chris Sale's 2026 Option
Michael Thorbjornsen

Poised to Continue Hot Play in Mexico
Davis Riley

Struggling to Find Form Ahead of World Wide Technology Championship
Taylor Montgomery

Leaning on Putter at World Wide Technology Championship
Stephan Jaeger

Offers Strong Value at World Wide Technology Championship
Ben Griffin

Looks to Stay Hot at El Cardonal
Nick Dunlap

Looking to Find His Game at El Cardonal
Wyndham Clark

Searching for Consistency at El Cardonal
Michael Brennan

Aims to Extend Fairytale Start at El Cardonal
Shane Bieber

Staying in Toronto for 2026
Salvador Perez

Agrees to Two-Year Extension With Royals
Trevor Story

Opts in for Remaining Two Years on his Contract
Yu Darvish

to Miss All of 2026 Following Flexor-Tendon Surgery
Shota Imanaga

Becomes a Free Agent
Luis Robert Jr.

White Sox Pick Up 2026 Option on Luis Robert Jr.
CFB

LJ Martin Expected to Play in Top-10 Matchup Against Texas Tech
PGA

LIV Golf Expanding To 72-Hole Format In 2026
Atlanta Braves

Braves Hire Walt Weiss as Their Next Manager
Kris Bubic

Cleared to Begin a Throwing Program
Brandon Woodruff

Declines Mutual Option for 2026
Freddy Peralta

Brewers Exercise 2026 Option on Freddy Peralta
Lucas Giolito

Declines his 2026 Player Option
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Sixth at Procore Championship
PGA

Matti Schmid Finishes Tied for 46th at Baycurrent Classic
Keith Mitchell

Finishes Tied for 10th at Baycurrent Classic
Si Woo Kim

Finishes Tied for 21st at Genesis Championship
Mackenzie Hughes

Misses The Cut at Sanderson Farms Championship
Max Greyserman

Finishes Second at Baycurrent Classic
Austin Eckroat

Finishes Tied for 56th at Baycurrent Classic
Luke Clanton

Finishes Tied for 56th at Bank of Utah Championship
Pete Alonso

Officially Opts Out of his Contract With Mets
Alex Bregman

Opts Out of his Contract With Boston
Kyle Larson

Wins His Second NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix
Ryan Blaney

Concludes the 2025 Season with A Win at Phoenix
William Byron

Strong Championship Effort Ends With Late-Race Flat-Tire Crash
Denny Hamlin

Overtime Four-Tire Call Costs Denny Hamlin the Championship
Chase Briscoe

Championship Bid Never Really Started After Two Tire Failures
Brad Keselowski

Nearly Steals Phoenix Race
David Onama

Suffers First-Round TKO Loss
Steve Garcia

Scores First-Round TKO Win
Ante Delija

Suffers His First UFC Loss
CFB

Dylan Raiola Suffers Season-Ending Injury
Waldo Cortes-Acosta

Gets Knockout Win
Themba Gorimbo

Drops Decision At UFC Vegas 110
Jeremiah Wells

Gets Back In The Win Column
Yadier del Valle

Remains Undefeated
Isaac Dulgarian

Cut By UFC Following Submission Loss
Daniel Frunza

Still Winless In The UFC
Charles Radtke

Dominates Daniel Frunza
Allan Nascimento

Gets Submission Win
Austin Cindric

is A Driver to Avoid for Phoenix DFS Lineups
Alex Bowman

Could Alex Bowman be A Sneaky Tournament Play for Phoenix?
Noah Gragson

Should DFS Players Roster Noah Gragson At Phoenix?
Erik Jones

Is Erik Jones Worth Rostering for DFS at Phoenix?
Michael McDowell

an Easy Recommendation for DFS at Phoenix
Chase Briscoe

Probably Won't Win the Title
Joey Logano

Could Play Spoiler in Championship Battle at Phoenix
Tyler Reddick

Seeking to End Winless Drought, but Probably Won't Have the Speed
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Looks to Protect Top-10 Points Finish at Phoenix
Brad Keselowski

Hasn't Been Fast at Phoenix With RFK Racing
Daniel Suarez

With Nothing at Stake, Expect Little From Daniel Suarez
Kyle Busch

Qualifies Well, but Will Probably Finish Worse Than he Starts
Chris Buescher

Ryan Preece has a Shot to Overtake Chris Buescher as RFK Racing's Lead Driver
Austin Dillon

Looks to Avoid Finishing Last in NASCAR Playoffs
AJ Allmendinger

A.J. Allmendinger Might be a Worthy DFS Option

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP