TAP FOR 6 MONTHS OF PREMIUM FREE 💰
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

Week 18 Rookie Roundup: Recently Promoted Prospects

The trade deadline necessitated a flurry of roster moves around the league. Those included below are just the most important prospect call-ups. Since we have so many names to slog through, I'll be going rapid fire on those who require the least analysis.

Without further ado, let's take a look at the recent rookie call-ups, and their outlooks moving forward.

Editor's Note: RotoBaller has the best Premium MLB Subscription for only $1.99 per week. We have all the tools to help win your seasonal and daily leagues: Hitter & Pitcher Streamers, Matchup Ratings for every player, Sleeper Surgers for AVG, HR, Ks, PLUS Daily DFS Cheat Sheets, Lineup Picks, Expert Lineups, Stacks and Avoids. 

 

Hitters

Andrew Benintendi - Boston Red Sox

After failing to acquire a left fielder at the trade deadline, the Red Sox settled for the internal solution by promoting Benintendi. The double-jumped the 22-year-old from Double-A. The lefty raced through the minors with barely a stumble, but he did require a few weeks to catch on in Double-A. The gap between there and the majors is huge - don't be surprised if he slumps before adjusting to the majors.

The statistical profile is a fantasy player's dream - solid power, above average speed, and excellent plate discipline. Be wary of red flags. His stolen base success rate at Double-A was just 8-for-15. He may not have a green light in the majors. Fenway is tough on left-handed power - the 10 feet left of Pesky's Pole being the lone exception. Don't expect a ton of early career power. Plate discipline sometimes evaporates in Triple-A and the majors. Since we didn't get to see him play at Triple-A, it's anyone's guess if he'll retain his quality strikeout and walk rates.

Orlando Arcia - Milwaukee Brewers

Fantasy owners have been clamoring for Arcia's promotion since before the season. Personally, I'm surprised it happened. He did very little to earn it, posting a below average batting line at arguably the highest octane hitting environment in professional baseball (Colorado Springs). Arcia features minimal pop, plus speed, and the potential to eventually hit for a high average. Give the 22-year-old a couple years to develop before you expect steady production. Consider him a source of empty steals for the rest of 2016.

Charlie Tilson - Chicago White Sox

Tilson tore a hammy in his debut on Wednesday. He's done for the season. The speedy lefty reminds me of Jon Jay. The profile reads like a good fourth outfielder with good plate discipline, almost no power, and plus speed. Redraft owners can cross him off their lists. Those in deep dynasty leagues may want to stash him for next spring.

Brandon Nimmo - New York Mets

With Yoenis Cespedes hitting the disabled list, Nimmo is back in New York. The left-handed hitter was nearly traded for Jay Bruce. Incidentally, the presence of Bruce, Michael Conforto, and Curtis Granderson all but assures Nimmo will spend most of his time on the bench. It's where he profiles best due to a wealth of merely adequate skills and no standout talents.

Richie Shaffer - Tampa Bay Rays

Shaffer is a power-first corner infielder whose top skill declined this season. He popped just eight home runs in 424 plate appearances at Triple-A. While owners in deep dynasty leagues should take a flier just in case, his path to playing time is muddy enough to ignore in most formats. If he does play, expect a low average, passable OBP, and modest power.

Gary Sanchez - New York Yankees

The Yankees still have Brian McCann blocking Sanchez, but they'll begin the transition by getting him extra reps as the designated hitter. Sanchez is an aggressive hitter with good power for a catcher. That puts him behind the eight ball as a batter-only. Developmentally, it's important for him to carve out a role as a regular receiver. He needs to make McCann expendable to the Yankees if he wants to take over next season. His fantasy use case is minimal outside of two catcher leagues. He'll bat down in the lineup and projects to provide a below average batting line.

A.J. Reed - Houston Astros

Reed may have officially entered the Quad-A phase of his career. He played 11 games in the minors after a late-July demotion. Over that span, he hit .436/.500/.821 with four home runs in 44 plate appearances. Since returning to the majors, he's 0-for-7 with three strikeouts. If it ever clicks, Reed offers an advanced power bat with plenty of plate discipline. Expect the strikeout rate to remain around 30 percent. I've noticed he can be too passive early in counts, falling behind by watching hittable pitches.

Jorge Polanco - Minnesota Twins

The Twins have called upon Polanco a few times over the years. Finally, they're committing to actually playing him. Polanco has double-plus contact skills with a hint of power and speed. The fantasy profile isn't jaw dropping, but he could become a younger, better Joe Panik. He profiles best as a super utility guy with a high average and OBP. Don't expect him to maintain his current .277 ISO. He'll probably post somewhere around a .120 ISO.

 

Pitchers

Mike Clevinger - Cleveland Indians

The Indians have a number of pitching prospects with breakout potential like Clevinger and Cody Anderson. Clevinger's short term prognosis isn't particularly exciting - something like a league average strikeout rate with too many walks and runs allowed. As he learns to command his arsenal more consistently, he could become an occasional streamer candidate.

Ariel Miranda - Seattle Mariners

The Mariners acquired Miranda in exchange for Wade Miley. As of this writing, the 27-year-old was scheduled to make his first major league start later in the evening. The Cuban reportedly owns a 94-95 mph fastball with a solid curve and changeup. He may profile better in relief. He averaged 93 mph on the gun in a two-inning debut.

Brock Stewart - Los Angeles Dodgers

Stewart had the misfortune of pitching at Coors Field on Wednesday. It did not go well. However, the righty has a useful mix of traits. He can induce whiffs, throws 93 mph, and has above average command. Although he isn't a touted prospect, he has the stuff and wherewithal to become a back end fantasy starter. If they continue to use him this season, there may be a few streaming opportunities.

Julio Urias - Los Angeles Dodgers

Urias appeared in relief of Stewart and that didn't go well either. The 19-year-old phenom is set to chill in the bullpen. He could be a good source of ratios and vulture wins if you have a particularly deep bench. Now may also be a good time to pry him from contending owners in keeper leagues.

Jose Berrios - Minnesota Twins

Berrios earned his first major league win on Monday. He held the Indians to three runs in six innings of work. Berrios is one of the top pitching prospects in the league because he can overwhelm opponents with his 94 mph fastball and a sharp power curve. The pitch is particularly tough on right-handed hitters. Scouting reports credit him with an above average to plus changeup, but I've yet to see much from that particular offering. Command remains an issue for the young righty.

Joe Musgrove - Houston Astros

Musgrove is expected to take the place of Lance McCullers while he recovers from a (hopefully minor) elbow injury. As is the case with most command and control prospects, Musgrove will need to quickly adapt to working the edges. In the minors, command pitchers can run a tiny walk rate without getting punished. If they fall behind in the count, they just pump strikes. In the majors, they have to be more willing to pitch outside the zone in three ball counts. This must be done deceptively with pitches that legitimately look like strikes.

If it comes together, Musgrove could post numbers comparable to Jordan Zimmermann. That's the upside, expect closer to a high-3s ERA with 7.00 K/9 and 3.00 BB/9.

 

Live Expert Q&A Chats - Every Weekday @ 1 PM and 6 PM EST (DFS)

Fantasy Baseball Chat Room

[iflychat_embed id="c-55" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="400px"]

 


Check out RotoBaller's entire fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and sleepers list, updated daily!




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

Teuvo Teravainen

Set to Return Tuesday
CFB

Darian Mensah Reaches Settlement with Duke, Expected to Land at Miami
Simon Edvinsson

Out Until Olympics
Josh Norris

Won't Play This Week
Zeev Buium

Lands on Injured Reserve
Brock Boeser

Canucks Place Brock Boeser on Injured Reserve
Sean Durzi

Hurt on Monday Night
Lauri Markkanen

Expected to Return Tuesday
Keyonte George

Resting Tuesday
Malik Monk

Tagged as Questionable for Tuesday
Zach LaVine

Iffy for Tuesday's Action
Kawhi Leonard

Questionable Tuesday
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Without Timetable for Return
Devin Booker

Unavailable This Week
Anthony Edwards

Won't Play on Monday Night
Jusuf Nurkić

Jusuf Nurkic Not Expected to Play on Tuesday Night
Jalen Green

Questionable to Suit Up on Tuesday
Santi Aldama

Back in Action on Monday
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Not Drawing Interest on Open Market?
Tre Jones

Sidelined Versus Lakers
Jonas Brodin

to Miss 6-8 Weeks
Sam Merrill

Won't Play Monday
Kasperi Kapanen

Returns From Three-Game Absence Monday
Lawson Crouse

Available Against Lightning
Draymond Green

Considered Questionable for Monday
Carson Soucy

Won't Play Monday
Rasmus Ristolainen

Returns to Flyers Lineup
Al Horford

Ruled Out for Monday's Matchup with Minnesota
Ryan Pulock

Misses Second Consecutive Game
Shedeur Sanders

Named as Pro Bowl Replacement
Stephen Curry

Questionable on Monday
Simon Holmstrom

a Game-Time Call Monday
Framber Valdez

Among Many High-End Pitchers on Free-Agent Market
Jose Altuve

Won't Participate in World Baseball Classic
Harrison Bader

Agrees With Giants on Two-Year Deal
Paddy Pimblett

Drops Decision
Justin Gaethje

Becomes the New Interim-Lightweight Champion
Song Yadong

Suffers Unanimous Decision Loss
MMA

Sean O'Malley Gets Back In The Win Column
Waldo Cortes-Acosta

Extends His Win Streak
Derrick Lewis

Suffers Second-Round TKO Loss
Los Angeles Chargers

Chargers Officially Hire Mike McDaniel as Offensive Coordinator
Nathan Eovaldi

Doesn't Expect Any Limitations in Spring Training
Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Dominates in NFC Championship Game Win
Scott Wedgewood

Activated From Non-Roster List
Nikita Zadorov

Questionable for Monday
Stephen Halliday

Injured Sunday
Jack St. Ivany

Exits With Upper-Body Injury Sunday
Brock Boeser

Takes Hit to the Head
Evgeni Malkin

Suffers Apparent Injury in Sunday's Win
Sam Merrill

Still Uncertain to Play Monday
Deni Avdija

Could Miss Second Straight Game Monday
Zaccharie Risacher

Misses Ninth Straight Game Monday
Kristaps Porzingis

Still Out Monday Against Pacers
Austin Reaves

Not Ready to Return Monday
Philipp Kurashev

Joins Sharks for Road Trip
Charle-Edouard D'Astous

Placed on Injured Reserve
Matthew Stafford

Plans to Return in 2026
CFB

Arthur Smith to Become Ohio State's Offensive Coordinator
Bo Nix

Sidelined for 12 Weeks With Broken Ankle
Jose Altuve

to Mainly Play Second Base
Yu Darvish

Considering Retirement
Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers Finalizing Deal to Make Mike McCarthy Their Head Coach
José Ramírez

Jose Ramirez Signs Seven-Year Extension With Guardians
Gunnar Henderson

is Fully Healthy Heading into Spring Training
Tyreek Hill

Dolphins Expected to Release Tyreek Hill
Paddy Pimblett

Set For Interim Lightweight Title Fight
Justin Gaethje

An Underdog At UFC 324
Song Yadong

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
MMA

Sean O'Malley Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Derrick Lewis

Returns At UFC 324
Waldo Cortes-Acosta

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Philip Rivers

Interviewing for Bills Head-Coaching Job
NFL

Fernando Mendoza Officially Declares for NFL Draft
CFB

Arch Manning Undergoes Foot Surgery
Dalton Kincaid

Played Through Torn PCL
CFB

College Football Playoff Expected to Remain a 12-Team Field in 2026
Baltimore Ravens

Ravens Hire Jesse Minter as Their Head Coach
Indianapolis Colts

FBI Investigating the Death of Colts Owner Jim Irsay
MacKenzie Gore

Rangers Acquire MacKenzie Gore From the Nationals
Brandon Sproat

Dealt to Brewers in Four-Player Trade
Jett Williams

Brewers Acquire Jett Williams From Mets
Freddy Peralta

Mets Acquire Freddy Peralta From Brewers
Kyle Tucker

Expected to Bat Second or Third in Dodgers' Lineup
Brandon Aiyuk

has "Played his Last Snap as a Niner"
Cody Bellinger

Signs Five-Year, $162.5 Million Contract With Yankees
Adam Scott

Looks to Overcome Putting Woes at American Express
Billy Horschel

Looking to Rebound at The American Express
Josh Allen

Might Need Foot Surgery
Russell Henley

Looks to Build on Strong Start at The American Express
Jason Day

Looking to Start 2026 Strong at The American Express
Wyndham Clark

Looking to Regain Form at The American Express
Sam Burns

Looks to Continue Success at The American Express
Akshay Bhatia

Looking to Flip the Script at The American Express
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Looking to Build on Strong Fall in Season Debut
Kurt Kitayama

Hopes To Continue Strong Start to 2026 Season at American Express
CFB

Princewill Umanmielen Expected to Sign with LSU
Scottie Scheffler

Returns To American Express After Missing Last Year's Edition
Robert MacIntyre

Keeps Momentum Rolling Heading Into American Express
Brian Harman

Can Challenge at American Express if His Putter Stays Hot
Ben Griffin

Outstanding Form Continues Heading Into American Express
Matt Fitzpatrick

Continues Playing Well Following Outstanding Finish to 2025 Season
Patrick Cantlay

Looks to Get a Jump Start on His 2026 Season
Blades Brown

Set to Make First PGA Tour Appearance of 2026

RANKINGS

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