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

Top NL West Prospects for 2017 Dynasty Leagues

Welcome to the sixth and final edition of RotoBaller’s six-part midseason dynasty league prospect update! Today I am looking at the American League East Division, analyzing which prospects are going to be the best long-term assets for fantasy owners in dynasty leagues.

Just to be clear, this is an overview of the entire division, meaning prospects from all five teams will be discussed here. I am not going to delve into the value of each prospect in the teams’ respective Top 10 lists and only focusing on the elites of the elite, but we’ll do a more advanced look into each of the teams’ prospects during the offseason. And of course, if at any point you have any prospect related questions, you can hit me up @EdwardSutelan on Twitter.

By the way, if you are interested in more MLB prospects columns, head on over to our 2017 fantasy baseball rankings dashboard. Throughout the offseason, you will find the rest of our team prospect breakdowns, fantasy baseball prospect rankings, tiered positional rankings, keeper values articles, and more - all in one easy place.

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

 

NL West Top Prospects for Dynasty Leagues

I have covered all of the other divisions in baseball. We will update the prospect lists for every team in the offseason this year. To read more about my prospect coverage, click here.

Top Overall Talent: Brendan Rodgers (SS, COL)
Top Prospect who won’t debut in 2017: Brendan Rodgers (SS, COL)
Ordinary hitters gain substantial boosts in value when they play for the Colorado Rockies. So what happens when you have one of the best prospects in the game who plays in the minors of the Rockies? Then you have a future fantasy superstar, and it’s safe to say Rodgers is doing everything he can to turn himself into that superstar. The Rockies were likely extremely happy when Rodgers fell to them at third in the 2015 draft, because he is now starting to emerge as one of the best prospects in the minors.

He made it to High Class-A this season, and posted a .400/.419/.700 slash line with 12 homers in 48 games there before being promoted to Double-A. Now 20 years old, Rodgers could be ready to debut in 2018 with the big-league club, and with Coors Field being his home and an already-superb power tool, Rodgers could be one of the most productive shortstops in all of baseball.

Top Prospect to Debut in 2017: Chris Shaw (1B/OF, SF)
Shaw has done a lot this season to put himself in this position. Sure, there is not a deep crop of prospects in this division who seem likely to debut this season, but let’s not take anything away from Shaw. He has built on a middling Double-A debut in 2016 to a strong campaign in Richmond this season, posting a .301/.390/.511 slash line while reducing his strikeout rate by 5 percent. He is now continuing to bash at Triple-A — though the strikeouts have gone up — and could reach the majors if the San Francisco Giants decide to sell off some big-leaguers and free up a spot for him. He is probably a first baseman or left fielder going forward, but with his power, he could still be a solid fantasy contributor in a lot of leagues.

Biggest Boom or Bust: Chris Paddack (SP, SD)
Paddack had been enjoying a breakout 2016 campaign between both the San Diego Padres’ and Miami Marlins’ Class-A affiliates. He was walking less than 5 percent of opposing batters while whiffing over 40 percent. All of that helped to keep his ERA below 1.00 the entire season. However, his season was cut short at only 42.1 innings after it was announced he would require Tommy John surgery. But in his limited time, Paddack flashed two plus-pitches and a curveball that looked to be a future plus pitch for him. He also boasted some of the best command of any pitcher at his age. And standing at 6-foot-4, 195 pounds, Paddack presented a frame with room to build and potentially add some extra velocity and durability. TJ surgery is rough, and could totally knock his future stardom off course. But if he can rebound as well as some before him have, he could be a future No. 2 or 3 starter in the majors.

Biggest Sleeper: Sam Hilliard (OF, COL)
It is easy to see why people have slept on Hilliard. He is a 23-year-old still sitting in High Class-A, coming off a season where he struck out 28.5 percent of the time at Class-A. However, Hilliard has posted jaw-dropping numbers at Lancaster this season, registering a .288/.352/.468 slash line with 12 homers and 23 stolen bases. He is still striking out in roughly a quarter of his plate appearances, but with that power/speed potential, owners will live with the strikeouts. After all, Bradley Zimmer has been regarded as a pretty solid fantasy player, right? If Hilliard can limit the strikeouts enough to maximize his power and speed, he could reach the majors by 2018 or 2019. Should he stay with the Rockies, that power/speed combination playing in Coors Field could look really nice on fantasy rosters.

 

Top Prospect Hitters

Best Power Hitter: Chris Shaw (1B/OF, SF)
With 15 homers in 79 games already this season, it should be no surprise that Shaw has a little bit of pop. A season ago, he totaled 21 homers between 132 games at High- and Double-A. Scouts believe Shaw to be a future 25+ home run hitter in the majors, with many believing there may even still be some raw power left for him to tap into. He has done an effective job lately making more contact as well, which should help him make the most of his strong, powerful swing. San Francisco is not an easy place to hit home runs, just ask Brandon Belt, but Shaw should still be an annual 20-homer threat, making him valuable enough to own in most dynasty leagues.

Most Likely to Hit over .300: Alex Verdugo (OF, LAD)
There’s a very good chance Verdugo is one of the most frustrating prospects in baseball. So many have predicted power and speed to come from him over the years, and yet over his three-year career, he has only reached double-digit totals in either home runs or stolen bases twice (once with homers, once with steals). However, Verdugo has remained consistent with the bat, as he has only posted a full-season batting average below .300 once (last season) and that was still a very respectable .273. Verdugo is basically another version of Jesse Winker, but with the ability to play all three outfield spots. Verdugo takes his fair share of walks and really limits the strikeouts this season. In fact, this season at Triple-A Oklahoma City, he has a 10.3 percent walk rate and only a 9.4 percent strikeout rate. Whether he develops power or speed awaits to be seen, but Verdugo should at least prove to be a reliable source of a high batting average for fantasy owners.

Best Burner on the Bases: Buddy Reed (OF, SD)
Reed is a big guy, but he doesn’t move like one. The 6-foot-4, 210 pound center fielder has true 70-grade speed, as exhibited by his 15 stolen bases a season ago at Low Class-A (51 games) and his seven steals this season with Class-A (42 games). Scouts give near universal praise of his speed, with some believing he has the capability deep down to steal 30 bases or more per season. Of course, you have to reach base to steal bases, and Reed does not reach base that often. His inability to hit could limit his fantasy usefulness, and could even prevent him from reaching the majors. His speed could be a solid reward should he reach San Diego, but owners will need to be patient as he learns how to hit.

 

Top Prospect Pitchers

Strikeout Machine: Yadier Alvarez (SP, LAD)
It was tempting to give this to fellow-Los Angeles Dodger Walker Buehler, but ultimately I settled on Alvarez. The reason for that simply being Alvarez has the greatest strikeout potential. Though he is only whiffing 23.1 percent of batters this season, this is the first time that number has ever been below 30 percent. And if you talk to scouts, they will tell you Alvarez might have the most electric repertoire in the minors. Not only can he frequently touch triple-digits with the fastball, but he has two other above-average pitches (curveball and changeup) as well as a nasty, mid-80s slider that is his top secondary offering. The control can waver at times, and Alvarez has had his fair share of struggles this season, but with his outstanding stuff and sky-high upside, Alvarez is as fine a bet as any to be a strikeout machine in the majors as anybody.

Best Command: Walker Buehler (SP, LAD)
Buehler went from not a single appearances in the minors in 2015 (TJ surgery), to just three appearances in 2016 to now emerging as one of the top pitching prospects in baseball and already at Double-A. The former Vanderbilt standout has dominated Double-A this season, racking up 56 strikeouts compared to only 12 walks in 45.1 innings of work. Scouts have praised not only his stuff in his first real taste of pro action, but his outstanding command as he has located his pitches with exceptional accuracy this season. He does not quite have the upside of Alvarez, but Buehler and his control give him a higher ceiling, and the safer guy to bet on to reach the big leagues as an effective starter.

 

Top 10 Overall Dynasty Prospects for the NL West

1. Brendan Rodgers (SS, COL)
ETA: 2018

2. Willie Calhoun (2B, LAD)
ETA: 2018

3. Ryan McMahon (1B/2B/3B, COL)
ETA: 2018

4. Walker Buehler (SP, LAD)
ETA: 2018

5. Fernando Tatis (SS, SD)
ETA: 2020

6. Yadier Alvarez (SP, LAD)
ETA: 2019

7. Alex Verdugo (OF, LAD)
ETA: 2018

8. Chris Shaw (1B/OF, SF)
ETA: 2017

9. Pavin Smith (1B, ARI)
ETA: 2019

10. Mackenzie Gore (SP, SD)
ETA: 2021

 

Top 10 Dynasty Prospects for the Arizona Diamondbacks

1. Pavin Smith (1B, A-)
ETA: 2019

2. Drew Ellis (3B, A-)
ETA: 2019

3. Dawel Lugo (3B/SS, AA)
ETA: 2018

4. Daulton Varsho (C, A-)
ETA: 2020

5. Domingo Leyba (2B/SS, AA)
ETA: 2018

6. Taylor Clarke (SP, AA)
ETA: 2018

7. Jasrado Chisholm (SS, A)
ETA: 2020

8. Socrates Brito (OF, AAA)
ETA: 2017

9. Anthony Banda (SP, AAA)
ETA: 2018

10. Matt Tabor (SP, NA)
ETA: 2021

 

Top 10 Dynasty Prospects for the Colorado Rockies

1. Brendan Rodgers (SS, AA)
ETA: 2018

2. Ryan McMahon (1B/2B/3B, AAA)
ETA: 2018

3. Tom Murphy (C, AAA)
ETA: 2017

4. Forrest Wall (2B, A+)
ETA: 2019

5. Colton Welker (3B, A)
ETA: 2019

6. Riley Pint (SP, A)
ETA: 2020

7. Peter Lambert (SP, A+)
ETA: 2019

8. Sam Hilliard (OF, A+)
ETA: 2019

9. Garrett Hampson (SS, A+)
ETA: 2019

10. Pedro Gonzalez (OF, ROK)
ETA: 2021

 

Top 10 Dynasty Prospects for the Los Angeles Dodgers

1. Willie Calhoun (2B, AAA)
ETA: 2018

2. Walker Buehler (SP, AA)
ETA: 2018

3. Yadier Alvarez (SP, A+)
ETA: 2019

4. Alex Verdugo (OF, AAA)
ETA: 2018

5. Yusniel Diaz (OF, A+)
ETA: 2019

6. Jeren Kendall (OF, NA)
ETA: 2020

7. Mitchell White (SP, A+)
ETA: 2019

8. Gavin Lux (SS, A)
ETA: 2020

9. Starling Heredia (OF, ROK)
ETA: 2020

10. Will Smith (C, AA)
ETA: 2019

 

Top 10 Dynasty Prospects for the San Diego Padres

1. Fernando Tatis Jr. (SS, A)
ETA: 2019

2. Mackenzie Gore (SP, NA)
ETA: 2021

3. Anderson Espinoza (SP, NA)
ETA: 2019

4. Cal Quantrill (SP, AA)
ETA: 2018

5. Jorge Ona (OF, A)
ETA: 2019

6. Adrian Morejon (SP, A-)
ETA: 2020

7. Josh Naylor (1B, AA)
ETA: 2018

8. Luis Urias (2B/SS, AA)
ETA: 2018

9. Franchy Cordero (OF, AAA)
ETA: 2017

10. Eric Lauer (SP, AA)
ETA: 2018

 

Top 10 Dynasty Prospects for the San Francisco Giants

1. Chris Shaw (1B/OF, AAA)
ETA: 2017

2. Bryan Reynolds (OF, A+)
ETA: 2019

3. Christian Arroyo (2B/3B/SS, AAA)
ETA: 2017

4. Austin Slater (OF, MLB)
ETA: 2017

5. Heliot Ramos (OF, ROK)
ETA: 2022

6. C.J. Hinojosa (SS, AA)
ETA: 2018

7. Tyler Beede (SP, AAA)
ETA: 2018

8. Sandro Fabian (OF, A)
ETA: 2020

9. Steven Duggar (OF, A+)
ETA: 2019

10. Andrew Suarez (SP, AAA)
ETA: 2018




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

Ed Oliver

Could Return for the Playoffs
Brock Purdy

Ruled Out Again in Week 9
Trey Hendrickson

Logan Wilson Inactive for Week 9
Dalton Schultz

Officially Active for Week 9 Against Broncos
Isiah Pacheco

Expected to Return After the Chiefs' Bye Week
Austin Cindric

is A Driver to Avoid for Phoenix DFS Lineups
Joe Flacco

Will Play in Week 9 Against Bears
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Named World Series MVP
Alex Bowman

Could Alex Bowman be A Sneaky Tournament Play for Phoenix?
Miami Dolphins

Dolphins Committed to Mike McDaniel for the Foreseeable Future
Noah Gragson

Should DFS Players Roster Noah Gragson At Phoenix?
Erik Jones

Is Erik Jones Worth Rostering for DFS at Phoenix?
Breece Hall

Unlikely to be Traded
Connor McDavid

Records Three Assists in Saturday's Win
Michael McDowell

an Easy Recommendation for DFS at Phoenix
Vladimir Tarasenko

Ends Dry Spell With Three-Point Effort
Nick Suzuki

Collects Two More Apples
Timothy Liljegren

Sustains Upper-Body Injury
Nick Cousins

Injured on Saturday
Sam LaPorta

Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta Approaching Contract Extension Territory
Christopher Tanev

Leaves on Stretcher Saturday
Jauan Jennings

Several Teams Interested in Trading for Jauan Jennings
Calvin Ridley

Emerging as a Potential Trade Target
Trey Hendrickson

Bengals Don't Intend to Trade Trey Hendrickson
Kevon Looney

Questionable Versus OKC
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
Cooper Kupp

Not Expected to Play Vs. Washington
Alvin Kamara

Saints Expect Alvin Kamara to Play Vs. Rams
Travis Hunter

Optimism Surrounding Travis Hunter's Knee Injury
Jakob Poeltl

to Remain Sidelined Sunday
Jakobi Meyers

Raiders "Set a High Price" on Jakobi Meyers
Walker Kessler

Out on Sunday
Mitchell Robinson

Listed as Questionable for Sunday
Trey Benson

Moving Closer Toward a Return
Dillon Brooks

to Miss Fourth Straight Game Sunday
Jalen Green

Unavailable Against Spurs
Norman Powell

Questionable to Suit Up Against Lakers
Jaylen Waddle

Miami "Highly Unlikely" to Trade Jaylen Waddle
Jeremy Sochan

Remains Absent Sunday
De'Aaron Fox

Still Out Sunday
Daniel Gafford

Makes Season Debut With Minutes Restriction
D'Angelo Russell

Cleared to Play Saturday
Deandre Ayton

Listed as Probable for Sunday
Paul George

Unavailable Sunday
Joel Embiid

to Sit Out Sunday's Action
Sam Merrill

May Skip Another Contest Sunday
Jarrett Allen

Questionable for Sunday
Darius Garland

to Remain Out Sunday
Donovan Mitchell

Could Miss Another Game Sunday
Chet Holmgren

Not Ready to Return Sunday
Trae Young

to Be Re-Evaluated in Four Weeks
Payton Pritchard

Ready to Face Rockets
Tua Tagovailoa

Benching "Not off the Table"
Connor Brown

Won't Play on Saturday
Dylan Strome

Ready to Return Saturday
Sean Couturier

Out on Saturday
Ilya Mikheyev

Set to Return Saturday
Warren Foegele

Kings Place Warren Foegele on Injured Reserve
TOR

Chris Tanev Cleared for Action
William Nylander

Remains Out Saturday
Shohei Ohtani

to Start Game 7 of World Series
Kyler Murray

Making Progress, but Won't Start on Monday Night
Tony Pollard

Titans Fielding Trade Calls on Tony Pollard
Alejandro Kirk

X-Rays Come Back Negative on Alejandro Kirk's Hand
Alejandro Kirk

Goes for X-Rays After Being Hit on the Hand
Mackenzie Blackwood

Set for Season Debut Saturday
Ryan Reaves

Remains Under Evaluation
Trevor Moore

Expected to Return Saturday
Zach Benson

Placed on Injured Reserve
Pierre-Luc Dubois

Sustains Lower-Body Injury Friday
Jacob Markstrom

Devils Sign Jacob Markstrom to Two-Year Extension
Connor Brown

Considered Questionable for Saturday
Gleyber Torres

Undergoes Sports-Hernia Surgery
Dylan Strome

Remains Out Friday
Bo Bichette

Not Expecting to Need Offseason Knee Surgery
George Springer

Back in Leadoff Spot for Game 6 of World Series
David Onama

Set For UFC Vegas 110 Main Event
Steve Garcia

Returns At UFC Vegas 110
Waldo Cortes-Acosta

Set For Co-Main Event
Ante Delija

In Search For His Second UFC Win
Themba Gorimbo

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 110
Jeremiah Wells

Looks To Return To The Win Column
Yadier del Valle

Looks To Remain Undefeated
CFB

Arizona State Quarterback Sam Leavitt Out for the Season
Isaac Dulgarian

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Daniel Frunza

Looks For His First UFC Win
Charles Radtke

Looks To Bounce Back
Allan Nascimento

Set To Open Up UFC Vegas 110 Main Card
Cody Durden

In Dire Need Of Victory
George Springer

"Strong Possibility" That George Springer Returns in Game 6 of World Series
Bryce Miller

Not Expected to Need Elbow Surgery
Washington Nationals

Nationals Finalizing a Deal to Hire Blake Butera as Next Manager
CFB

Arch Manning Listed as Questionable for Vanderbilt Matchup
CFB

Arion Carter Listed as Questionable Ahead of Oklahoma Matchup
Minnesota Twins

Twins Name Derek Shelton as Their New Manager
CFB

Jordyn Tyson Questionable for Iowa State Matchup with Hamstring Injury
George Springer

Not in the Lineup for Game 4 of World Series
George Springer

Pulled Early in Game 3 With Side Injury
Baltimore Orioles

Orioles Finalizing Deal to Hire Craig Albernaz as the Next Manager
William Byron

Dominates at Martinsville and Advances to the Championship Round
Kyle Larson

Advances to the Championship Round After Top-Five Finish
Ryan Blaney

Falls Short of the Victory and Title Contention at Martinsville
Chase Elliott

Eliminated From 2025 Title Contention Despite Strong Martinsville Run
CFB

Behren Morton Will Start Against Kansas State
CFB

Lane Kiffin Says Money Won't Impact his Decision-Making
CFB

Arch Manning in Concussion Protocol, Misses Practice Monday

RANKINGS

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