Updated Top 250 Dynasty Baseball Prospects

Marc Hulet's updated Top 250 fantasy baseball prospects rankings for 2021 dynasty leagues. These MLB prospects, rookies, and call-ups have the potential to become MLB stars.

Today, we refresh our Top 250 dynasty fantasy baseball prospects list at RotoBaller, which was last updated back in March. Providing accurate prospect valuations is a difficult job at any time, but the pandemic made it an even more challenging gig over the past 12-16 months. The 2020 minor league season was entirely wiped out and many prospects were left to their own devices while the lucky few were invited to work out at the alternate training sites run by their respective clubs.

That meant we had limited ways to track players' developments for more than a year. We've already seen a lot of players take huge jumps forward in their developments this season (Hello, Alek Manoah), while others have struggled to play catch-up and shake off the rust. It appears as though many of the prospects given the opportunity to participate in the alternate training sites have performed very well in 2021, while the lower level prospects who were more likely to spend time working out on their own have not developed as smoothly over the past year. We're also in the first year of consolidated Minor League Baseball and many of the leagues saw significant realignment and change.

So this all leads us to the updated Top 250 list for dynasty baseball. There have been a lot of changes with the list in roughly four months and there will be more ahead with the 2021 amateur draft less than a month away and the short-season leagues due to open in July. Let's see who you should be actively targeting in your dynasty leagues and who you should be keeping an eye on.

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Top 250 Fantasy Baseball Prospects

The Top 10 Prospects

1. Wander Franco, SS: The 20-year-old Franco faced a big challenge at the beginning of 2021 with a promotion to Triple-A. He started off the season in modest fashion but he's picked up his game in June. As of this writing, he was hitting well over .400 for the month and had an overall 146 wRC+ through 33 games.

2. Jarred Kelenic, OF: When the list was created, it looked like Jarred Kelenic was in the majors to stay, but he's now back in the minors. He had an ugly start to his MLB career, but it's not unusual for prospects to stumble in their first taste of big-league action.

3. Julio Rodriguez, OF: Rodriguez, 20, could possibly be in Triple-A or the majors by now if he hadn't been slowed by injuries in 2019 and by the pandemic in 2020. He has a natural feel for hitting, advanced power for his age, and he's shown more willingness to take a walk in 2021.

4. Marco Luciano, SS: The Giants organization is fairly conservative in its development of players, and while many clubs acted aggressively when assigning their top prospects in 2021, San Francisco started out Luciano at Low-A. He's not hitting for a huge average right now, but he's showing excellent plate rates while producing above-average power with 18 of his 34 hits going for extra bases, including seven homers.

5. CJ Abrams, SS: The Padres organization is aggressive with its player development and the 20-year-old Abrams was jumped all the way from Rookie ball to Double-A in 2021. He's not hitting for quite as much authority as he did in his debut back in 2019, but he's still showing extra-base pop, blazing speed (nine steals in nine tries), and is hitting .301 through 29 games.

6. Riley Greene, OF: Greene made a big jump from Low-A ball to Double-A ball in 2021 and it's taken him a little time to catch his breath. His natural baseball skill has allowed him to survive the jump and while he's striking out too much and not realizing his full power potential, he has a 122 wRC+ through 34 games as a 20-year-old against much older competition.

7. Nick Gonzales, 2B: This is probably the first big "Huh?" on the list for most readers. Gonzales had video-game-like numbers while playing at the college equivalent of Coors Field which caused some people to take his numbers with a grain of salt. However, he also posted very good numbers on the road and in the summer Cape Cod League. He also has tantalizing bat speed.

8. Spencer Torkelson, 1B: I was a little worried about Torkelson coming out of college with some pretty high strikeout rates for a college player, but after a slow start to his pro career this season, he's really picked things up and made some impressive adjustments. He recently got bumped up to Double-A after opening the year in High-A ball.

9. Bobby Witt Jr., SS: Witt Jr. got a little over-hyped this spring with some great results in major league camp. The Royals then pushed him a little too hard with an assignment to Double-A after he last played in Rookie Ball. He's done OK thanks to his strong athleticism, but he's gotten a little too homer-happy and needs to get back to being more of a well-rounded player.

10. Brandon Marsh, OF: Marsh looked ready for a big breakout in 2021 after impressing the Angels' coaching staff at the alternate training site in 2020. However, the start of his season was delayed by a shoulder injury and that issue cropped up again after only a handful of games.

Prospects 11-25

11. MacKenzie Gore, SP: As we've already experienced with multiple examples in 2021, even the best pitching prospects can be volatile. We definitely have not seen the best of Gore this year, but we also recently found out that he's been battling blister issues all season.

12. Adley Rutschman, C: The first-overall selection from the 2020 draft took a little time to get his feet under him at the pro level,but he now has a 171 wRC+ through 34 Double-A games. He's hitting for average, power and has an excellent BB-K ratio of 28-28. Now we have to hope the rigors of catching on a daily basis don't wear him down too much over a full season.

13. Alek Manoah, SP: Manoah made the biggest jump of any pitcher on the Top 250 dynasty list between March and now and he very likely won't qualify for the list by the time the next update occurs. He made massive strides at the Jays' alternate training site in 2020 and his strong makeup and drive to succeed helped him make the huge jump from short-season ball in 2019 to Triple-A in 2021. He needed just a handful of starts to show Toronto that he was ready for The Show and he looks like he belongs.

14. Jo Adell, OF: Adell remains a very frustrating prospect. He has massive power, but he also has big holes in his swing which leads to massive strikeout rates. He could still hit with impressive power if he dialed back the big hacks and focused more on making consistent, hard contact. He's shown flashes of doing that, but needs to be more consistent before he becomes an impact bat at the MLB level.

16. Jackson Kowar, SP: Kowar was absolutely dominant at Triple-A with a 0.85 ERA and K-BB ratio of 41-10 in 31 2/3 innings of work to earn a promotion to the majors, but then he was crushed in his first two MLB starts. Nerves appear to have played a huge role in his struggles early on.

17. Noelvi Marte, SS: With Jarred Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez nearing the ends of their minor league careers, they will likely pass the No. 1 prospect title in the Mariners system to the power-hitting Marte. Just 19, he has a 168 wRC+ in Low-A ball and has shown good power with eight home runs through 34 games.

20. Francisco Alvarez, C: I caused more than a few eyebrows to raise with my last Top 250 list update when Alvarez was ranked among the Top 20 players. It should be less of a shock now that we've seen Alvarez dominate pitchers at the Low-A level (.417 average, 15-7 BB-K ratio in 15 games) and earn a promotion to High-A. Just 19, he's producing a 128 wRC+ with impressive power against much older competition.

23. Jasson Dominguez, OF: Dominguez remains the tantalizing unknown. He was signed as an international free agent with a ton of hype, but the pandemic has kept him out of the public eye. The Yankees decided to play it safe with him and have him start the 2021 minor league season at extended spring training. He'll likely open the year in July in short-season ball or Low-A. Given how advanced he was supposed to be for his age, it's a little surprising he didn't open the year in Low-A.

24. Austin Martin, SS/OF: It took Martin some time to acclimate himself to the talent level at Double-A after jumping all the way up from the college ranks thanks to the pandemic, but he's looking good with an on-base average above .400 and a 132 wRC+. He's also splitting his time between shortstop and center field, two key defensive positions.

25. Nate Pearson, SP: Like MacKenzie Gore, Pearson struggled through a forgettable first month of the minor league season after having huge expectations heaped upon him early on. His command has taken a step back over the past year in part due to a collection of injuries. It can also take taller pitchers longer to get their pitching mechanics in sync and Pearson stands 6-foot-6.

Prospects 26-50

26. Grayson Rodriguez, SP: I've always ranked Rodriguez very aggressively and he's long been underrated as a prospect because he toils in the Baltimore system as opposed to a club in a media-heavy environment like New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago. He dominated High-A ball to earn an early promotion to Double-A and he hasn't missed a beat.

27. Hunter Greene, SP: Greene has easy velocity and can surpass 100 mph despite missing more than two seasons due to injuries (Tommy John) and the pandemic. Because of his smooth delivery, he projects to have above-average command/control as he continues to mature. All he really needs to do now is focus on the development of his secondary offerings.

28. Vidal Brujan, IF/OF: Brujan is back to his old self after an unexpected early power display. He hit seven homers in May, but had yet to go deep as of mid-June. Still, he has the ability to hit for a high average, steal a lot of bases, and score a ton of runs while offering defensive versatility.

29. Zac Veen, OF: I had Veen as the top overall talent in the 2020 amateur draft. He's off to a decent start in his first taste of pro ball, and full-season ball, after missing his debut last year due to the pandemic. He's holding his own with a 104 wRC+, 17% walk rate, and 20 steals in 34 games. The raw power is there to tap into and I'm confident he'll cut down on the swing-and-miss tendencies with more experience.

31. Joey Bart, C: Bart has battled nagging injuries in 2021, but he's shown an advanced bat and looks MLB ready. He'll probably always have some swing-and-miss to his game but he should still hit for a solid average with power.

32. Ronny Mauricio, SS: Mauricio doesn't get as much love as some other prospects because he's still growing into his frame and has battled inconsistent contact. He might take a little longer to develop than some of the other hitters, but he should produce above-average pop in time with his feel for hitting TBD.

33. Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF: I've always been one of the biggest Crow-Armstrong fans around. His floor seems to be a Kevin Kiermaier type of player, but I see a plus defensive outfielder with much more feel for hitting. His ceiling will ultimately hinge on how much power he develops, but he should provide a high average, good on-base numbers, and speed.

34. Nolan Gorman, 3B: Gorman entered the year with the reputation of being a slugger and nothing more. He kicked off 2021 with a much-improved approach at the plate that led to him hitting .328 through the middle of June. However, he hit just three homers in the first month of the year. Gorman then exploded for seven long-balls in the first half of June and maintained his solid approach.

35. Garrett Mitchell, OF: Mitchell was seen as a raw-but-toolsy talent in college and earned a first-round selection for his immense potential. He looked impressive in the spring, but an early-season injury kept him out of action for much of May. Mitchell has plus speed and has shown an excellent eye at the plate. If he can keep the swing-and-miss tendencies in check, he could develop into a very good player.

37. Robert Hassell III, OF: I'm a big Hassell III fan and love his feel for hitting. He's also shown good speed this year with 13 stolen bases in 34 games and has a 141 wRC+ in his first taste of pro ball. I believe the power will come with 20+ homer potential as he fills out and adjusts his swing path.

41. Asa Lacy, SP: Lacy is a big, strong lefty with the potential to be a dominant arm at the big league level. However, he's struggled mightily with his control in 2021 and also showed signs of control issues during his college career although the shortened season in 2020 may have helped hide the issue a bit.

42. George Kirby, SP: Kirby has battled with some injuries in 2021, but he's been a very good pro pitcher thanks to his solid stuff and plus-plus control. If he can show average-or-better command of his pitches, he has a chance to be a No. 3 starter or better for the Mariners.

43. Emerson Hancock, SP: I wasn't the biggest Hancock fan entering the 2020 draft and my opinion on him hasn't changed much although his rank reflects his potential. He has two very good pitches, and if he can show improved command/control and a reliable third offering, he could be a No. 2/3 starter. If not, he could end up as a dominant reliever.

44. Reid Detmers, SP: Detmers isn't flashy, but he has a chance to be a reliable, mid-rotation arm for the Angels. Which is not a bad thing because the club desperately needs pitching help.

45. Jordan Walker, 3B: I had Walker aggressively ranked in the 2020 draft as the 15th-best talent available even though others had him as more of a supplemental-round or second-round talent. He missed close to a month this year with an undisclosed injury, but he's also produced a 181 wRC+ as a 19-year-old in his first taste of pro-action.

46. Orelvis Martinez, SS: Martinez is prone to strikeouts at times, but he has plus raw power and a developing hit tool. He needs a little time to develop further but there is a big upside here.

47. Luis Matos, OF: Matos entered the 2021 season with just five games of experience in North America, but he's hitting close to .300 through 32 games. He doesn't walk much because he has such a strong feel for the barrel and he needs to continue to add strength to develop into a plus hitter, but he's also just 19.

48. Gunnar Henderson, SS: The Orioles have seen a number of prospects take big steps forward in their developments in 2021 despite the lost 2020 season. Henderson is showing signs of developing into a run-producer capable of generating above-average power.

49. Oswald Peraza, SS: I've reversed my feelings on Peraza a bit after his strong start to the 2021 season. In previous looks, I've never seen the player that the glowing scouting reports alluded to. However, he was consistently good at the plate with improved pop in High-A ball before earning a bump to Double-A as a 21-year-old.

Prospects 51-75

52. Royce Lewis, SS/OF: Lewis remains a massive tease due to his considerable athletic abilities, but he's just never been able to put it all together. Losing the full 2021 season to injury isn't going to help. On the positive side, he has plus makeup so I'm not going to underestimate him.

53. Jhoan Duran, SP: Duran has the potential to be a beast with the ability to hit triple digits and then drop 15-20 mph with his off-speed stuff. However, there are some durability concerns and he's struggled with his command. There is some reliever risk here.

54. Matt Manning, SP: Manning has had a nightmare 2021 season at Triple-A while batting long-ball issues. He allowed eight home runs in his first three games of the season and has been fighting his command all year. If everything clicks, he has a higher ceiling than Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal.

55. Shane Baz, SP: Baz has some serious helium. He can hit the upper-90s with his heater, shows a breaking ball with plus potential, and his control has taken a huge step forward in 2021.

56. Nick Lodolo, SP: Lodolo is another pitcher that has looked much improved in 2021. The lefty doesn't have the same ceiling as some of the other arms among the Top 100, but he has a higher floor and could be a very reliable mid-rotation arm for the Reds.

57. Austin Hendrick, OF: Hendrick was ranked by many as neck-and-neck with Pete Crow-Armstrong and Robert Hassell III in the 2020 draft, but this prep outfielder was much more physically mature with a more questionable approach at the plate. He's spent considerable time on the IL this year, but the 36.5% strikeout rate is worrisome.

60. Keibert Ruiz, C: Ruiz can struggle to maintain consistent effort, but he's been very good in 2021 while showing a plus hit tool and improved power. He probably really needs to get out of the Dodgers system given the catching depth and he could be an intriguing trade chip this summer as he'd bring back a good return.

65. Josh Lowe, OF: Lowe gets overlooked in a very deep Rays system, but he has 20-20 (HR-SB) upside. He reminds me a little bit of Kyle Tucker.

67. Cade Cavalli, SP: Cavalli was a beast at the High-A level in 2021 and earned a recent bump to Double-A, which will be a better test of his ability. I'm leery of pitchers in the Washington system because the organization doesn't have a great track record developing them.

68. Brett Baty, 3B: Baty is another player with significant helium in 2021. He has a chance to be a solid hitter with strong on-base numbers and above-average power.

69. Jesus Sanchez, OF: Sanchez recently earned another shot at the majors after disappearing for almost two years due to modest outputs. He's consistently hit for a high average this season, but the power has continued to come and go.

74. Jarren Duran, OF: Duran started to show improved power during his stay at the alternate training site in 2020 and he has 10 homers through his first 24 games of 2021. However, he needs to avoid falling into the trap of chasing home runs and losing the other aspects of his game.

75. Gabriel Moreno, C: Yet another big helium player, Moreno has shown signs of developing into a plus-hitting catcher for a few years now. He flirted with .400 into early June and has shown improved pop.

Prospects 76-100

77. Oneil Cruz, SS: Cruz has massive potential, but he has also battled with maturity issues, so I've been hesitant to rank him too aggressively. He's looked outstanding so far in 2021 at Double-A.

80. J.J. Bleday, OF: Bleday entered pro ball with a lot of hype, but he's shown some serious rust so far in 2021. Miami has also perhaps been a little too aggressive with him.

81. Edward Cabrera, SP: Cabrera recently returned to action after missing almost six weeks due to an injury. He has No. 2/3 starter upside if everything clicks.

87. Josh Jung, 3B: Jung is another prospect that has missed significant time early on in 2021 due to injury, but he has a chance to hit for both power and average. I love his bat but he'll likely move over to first base at some point in the not-to-distant future.

88. Kyren Paris, 2B/SS: Paris is a player that I ranked very aggressively entering the 2019 draft and he was just 17 at the time. He has a very good feel for hitting, although he's also had some swing-and-miss issues that need to be addressed.

90. Alejandro Kirk, C: Kirk would probably have graduated from this list by now if not for an injury that's kept him on the sidelines. He has a natural feel for hitting and good power.

91. Simeon Woods Richardson, SP: Woods Richardson has consistently produced above-average results as a pro despite always being one of the younger players in his league. However, he has just average-ish fastball velocity, which limits his ceiling.

Prospects 101-150

103. Luis Medina, SP: Medina made some big strides with his control over the past year, but he's started to slip back into old habits and has a walk rate up over 14%. However, he's been downright dominant at times and has held batters to a .161 average and has a 38% strikeout rate. He could very well end up as a one- or two-inning reliever.

104. Jeter Downs, SS/2B: Downs has struggled to shake off the rust after the lost season, but he's looked better lately and has an intriguing power/speed offering.

107. Matt Canterino, SP: A rising prospect to keep an eye on, Canterino is on the injured list with right elbow inflammation. He's been outstanding as a pro thanks to his high-spin fastball even though he has just average velocity.

109. Nick Pratto, 1B: Pratto is essentially coming off of two lost years. This 2019 season was ugly and then the pandemic hit. He looked better in the spring and has maintained that success through the first 33 games of the minor league season. He has a 194 wRC+ in Double-A.

112. Diego Cartaya, C: Cartaya is another good, young prospect to watch in the Dodgers system. He's hitting .353 and has seen 11 of his 18 hits go for extra bases (including six homers) in just 13 games.

113. Cal Raleigh, C: Raleigh looks like a completely different hitter after the downtime in 2020. In 29 Triple-A games, he's making excellent, hard contact and has seen more than half of his 42 hits go for extra bases.

117. Tahnaj Thomas, SP: Thomas has returned from the lost season with some rust and appears to have lost all the strides he made in improving his control back in 2019. However, he still hits 100 mph with ease and could end up as a high-leverage reliever if he can't rediscover the strike zone.

120. Masyn Winn, OF/SP: An ultra-athletic, two-way player in high school, Winn is expected to continue with both roles in pro ball, although he has yet to pitch in a game this year. He's looked promising at the plate with a 15% walk rate, all-field approach, and 12 steals in 34 games but he needs to get stronger.

128. Austin Wells, C: Drafted out of high school as a good-hit, questionable-glove backstop, Wells has a 140 wRC+ and good plate rates so far. However, he has struggled to throw out base runners and has nine passed balls in 24 games. He could end up in the outfield.

130. Greg Jones, SS: Jones is known more for his speed and athleticism, but he has seven home runs in 22 games at High-A in 2021. The power output has come with swing-and-miss issues though, as shown by his 30% strikeout rate.

133. Michael Harris, OF: Harris is an intriguing player that does a little bit of everything well. The 20-year-old has a 133 wRC+ through 32 games, but he's been a little over-aggressive at times.

135. Jake Eder, SP: Eder, a fourth-round pick from 2020, has been outstanding as a pro. There are some who see him as a reliever due to inconsistent command and lack of a reliable third pitch, but this lefty deserves attention for the success he's had while starting his pro career in Double-A.

140. Shea Langeliers, C: Known more for his glove, Langeliers has shown unexpected pop this season with nine homers in 30 games. However, it has come with a 27% strikeout rate.

147. Alec Burleson, OF: Burleson got off to a quick start to the season at Double-A but has quieted down a bit. Still, he had just 11 games of pro experience prior to the pandemic, so he's more than holding his own with a 124 wRC+ and the Cardinals do an excellent job of identifying underrated college players.

148. Anthony Volpe, SS: Volpe had only modest first-round buzz coming out of high school in 2019 when the Yankees took him 30th overall. I had him ranked as an easy first-round talent and he's looked excellent in 2021 with a 158 wRC+, more walks than strikeouts, and 16 steals in 33 games.

Prospects 151-250

156. Hunter Bishop, OF: Bishop hasn't been healthy in 2021 and he's appeared in just three games. He has an intriguing power/speed mix, but he also struggles to make consistent contact.

158. Roansy Contreras, SP: The Yankees parted with Contreras in the Jameson Taillon deal and it's looking like a great move for the Pirates. He's on the smallish side for a pitcher, but he has a chance to develop three above-average offerings.

164. Will Wilson, SS: A first-round pick of the Angels, the Giants essentially bought Wilson for taking on a bad contract during an offseason trade in the winter of 2019. He doesn't have a huge upside, but he could be a solid everyday player up the middle if he can make a little more contact as he moves up.

167. Seth Beer, DH: Beer has been consistently good as a pro and has hit everywhere that he's played. Unfortunately, he's not very good defensively and really needs to find his way to the American League where he can serve as the DH.

174. Joe Ryan, SP: Ryan is another solid prospect that gets lost in a very good Rays system. He throws strikes and has never had a strikeout rate lower than 35% at any minor league stop.

183. Gage Workman, SS: Selected in the fourth round of the 2020 draft, Workman is an athletic-but-raw former college player. He has a high-bust probability, but he also has a small chance at being something special. I had him ranked as a second-round talent in that draft.

184. Pedro Leon, OF/SS: It took Leon some time to get his feet underneath him in his first taste of pro-action, but he's shown some flashes of the power/speed mix that convinced the Astros to give him $4 million to sign.

193. Ethan Small, SP: Small isn't overpowering in terms of velocity, but he has a sneaky-good fastball and promising changeup. Both of those offerings have helped him strike out batters at a rate around 45% in 14 career starts.

201. Dillon Dingler, C: Lost a bit in the shadow of Spencer Torkelson, Dingler received an early season bump from High-A to Double-A like his teammate. He had a 148 wRC+ in 32 games before his promotion.

202. Tanner Burns, SP: Burns has been very good in 2021 while getting very little attention. He has a 30% strikeout rate and has thrown a lot of strikes while posting a 2.51 ERA in 28 2/3 innings at High-A.

206. Hudson Haskin, OF: A hit/run prospect, Haskin doesn't have big home-run potential, but he's getting on-base at a .400 clip and has 12 steals in 31 games. He's also 22 and playing in Low-A ball.

214. Ryan Pepiot, SP: A 2019 third-round steal, Pepiot has been excellent in 2021 with a 39% strikeout rate in six Double-A starts. His control needs some work as does his breaking ball, but there is upside here.

215. Andy Pages, OF: The 20-year-old Pages has plus raw power as hinted at by his nine home runs in 37 games at High-A, but he needs to focus on making consistent contact to realize his full potential.

219. Heriberto Hernandez, OF: Hernandez generated buzz in the Rangers system as a catcher with outstanding offensive results in Rookie ball. He hasn't seen as much success since moving to the Rays in the offseason and he's also moved to the outfield permanently.

220. Ezequiel Duran, 2B: Duran is an intriguing offensive-minded infielder in the Yankees system that has a chance to reach the majors and hit for power if he keeps showing improved contact abilities.

223. Peyton Burdick, OF: Burdick is a very raw but toolsy former third-round pick out of college. He's struggling to put it all together as a pro and the Marlins have done him no favors by needlessly rushing him to Double-A.

236. Josh Winder, SP: A former seventh-round pick, Winder has turned himself into a very good pro pitcher. He has a 2.12 ERA with a 32% strikeout rate thanks to above-average control and sneaky-good (but not overpowering) stuff.

238. Edward Olivares, OF: Olivares remains one of my favorite sleepers due to his power/speed potential, but he's streaky and needs a chance to play every day.

246. Jake Burger, 3B: Between serious injuries and the pandemic, Burger missed three straight seasons and last appeared at Low-A in 2018. He's held his own at Triple-A in 30 games,which is pretty impressive.

250. M.J. Melendez, C: Melendez, 22, is a player that's been on my radar for a few years. However, a poor approach at the plate has always been his downfall. He has plus raw power as seen by his 11 homers in 30 games, but he regularly strikes out at a clip consistently above 30%. This year at Double-A has been different as he's sitting at a strikeout rate of 23% with a 12.5% walk rate.

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