Razzball Prospect Podcast: Projecting Recent Prospect Call-ups

A major influx of high impact offensive talent just recently hit the big leagues (Yoan Moncada, Rafael Devers, Lewis Brinson, Derek Fisher, Harrison Bader, Jordan Luplow, and Dominic Smith coming soon too), and Ralph and I went over each one of them and projected their rest-of-season numbers by playing over/under their Steamer projections. Even with so many of our favorite prospects getting the call, there still felt like there was a little something missing. That little something was Willie Calhoun, who we prayed is involved in the seemingly inevitable trade that sends an American League starter to Los Angeles. We also talked about the Tyler O’Neill for Marco Gonzales trade, Dansby Swanson’s demotion, and closed the show by discussing some of our favorite low minors breakouts. Finally, please make sure to support our sponsor by heading over to RotoWear.com and entering promo code “SAGNOF” for 15% off the highest quality t-shirts in the fantasy sports game.

Click here for the Razzball Prospect Podcast: Projecting Recent Prospect Call-ups

By Michael Halpern (@MichaelCHalpern)
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com
Twitter: Imaginary Brick Wall (@ImaginaryBrickW)

Razzball Fantasy Baseball Podcast: 2017 MLB Trade Deadline

I promised Grey I wouldn’t bring up anything to try to set him off this podcast, but he still found ways to get annoyed all on his own, starting with the fact he wants to be hyped up more during the introduction. He was also confused by the one word, “endorphin” fueled texts Ralph Lifshitz often sends him, who we brought on at the midway point of the podcast to talk about the recent call-ups of Rafael Devers and Yoan Moncada, along with discussing a few pitchers on his Top 100 Starters article, including Alex Wood, Rich Hill, and Aaron Nola. Before we brought Ralph on, Grey and I dug into the J.D. Martinez and Todd Frazier trades, while also discussing the potential landing spots for the top players remaining on the trade market. Finally, we give RotoWear.com a full on 3-headed endorsement with Grey, Ralph, and I talking up our favorite t-shirts, and hope you guys get in on the fun by heading over there and entering promo code “SAGNOF” for 15% off.

Razzball Fantasy Baseball Podcast: 2017 MLB Trade Deadline

By Michael Halpern (@MichaelCHalpern)
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com
Twitter: Imaginary Brick Wall (@ImaginaryBrickW)

Razzball Prospect Podcast: Trades, Call-ups, and Low Minors Update

We recorded the podcast too early to discuss the Tyler O’Neill for Marco Gonzales trade, but maybe that was for the best because Ralph Lifshitz and I were liable to wax poetic about “The King of the North” for the entire hour. Long story short, it really doesn’t change either of their fantasy values all that much other than the obligatory NL to AL drop for Gonzales. We did record the podcast right on time to get into the Blake Rutherford and J.D. Martinez trades, though, along with Yoan Moncada’s long awaited MLB debut. We talked Rafael Devers and Derek Fisher knocking on the door of the majors, and then dove deep into lower minors breakouts, including Michel Baez, Starling Heredia, Jahmai Jones, Royce Lewis, Heliot Ramos, and many more. Finally, we hammer home the insanely high quality of RotoWear.com‘s t-shirts, and implore you to head over there and enter promo code “SAGNOF” for 15% off.

Click here for the Razzball Prospect Podcast: Trades, Call-ups, and Low Minors Update

By Michael Halpern (@MichaelCHalpern)
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com
Twitter: Imaginary Brick Wall (@ImaginaryBrickW)

2017 Mid-Season Top 100 Dynasty/Fantasy Baseball Prospect Rankings: 71-100

I don’t know about you, but my favorite lists usually take about 3 weeks to finish 🙂 Without further delay, here is the 2017 Mid-Season Top 100 Dynasty/Fantasy Baseball Prospect Rankings: 71-100:

Click here for 1-15
Click here for 16-41
Click here for 42-70

71) Jahmai Jones LAA, OF – A poor start to the season dragged his overall stat line down, but in his last 59 games he is slashing .311/.385/.472 with 5 homers, 13 steals, and a 38/26 K/BB. I’m targeting Jones everywhere in upcoming trade deadline deals. Prime Projection: 89/15/71/.283/.341/.437/21 ETA: 2020

72) Adrian Morejon SD, LHP – 18-year-old who loves to attack the strike zone with 3 pitches that all flash plus (fastball, changeup, curveball). Prime Projection: 3.43/1.17/180 in 185 IP ETA: 2020

73) Keston Hiura MIL, 2B – I ranked Hiura 9th in my 2017 Top 36 MLB Draft Fantasy/Dynasty Baseball Prospect Rankings. Prime Projection: 93/17/81/.288/.372/.464/9 ETA: 2019

74) Yordan Alvarez HOU, 1B – It’s a good sign when two of the best player scouting and development organizations in baseball target you. Los Angeles signed Alvarez for $2 million last season and then Houston basically immediately traded for him. Standing 6’5’’, 225 pounds he has obvious raw power, good plate discipline, and strikeouts are not a major issue (23% K%). Prime Projection: 80/29/90/.260/.360/.496/3 ETA: 2019

75) Shed Long CIN, 2B – Shed has struggled since being promoted to Double-A, slashing .162/.269/.324 in 68 at-bats, but his underlying numbers are still strong and his power/speed combo isn’t going anywhere. Prime Projection: 83/19/76/.262/.325/.448/17 ETA: 2019

76) Luiz Gohara ATL, LHP – 6’3’’, 210-pound lefty with an electric fastball/slider combo. Had off-the-field concerns in the past and some injury red flags too. Prime Projection: 3.48/1.20/176 in 174 IP ETA: 2018

77) Michel Baez SD, RHP – 6’8’’, 225-pound $3 million international signing who is cruising through the low minors with a 1.17 ERA and 31/4 K/BB in 23 IP. Chris Kusiolek seems to have been the first guy on Baez, and his twitter account is a must follow if you are trying to get the early scoop on Rookie ball breakouts. Prime Projection: 3.71/1.21/188 in 183 IP ETA: 2019

78) Cal Quantrill SD, RHP – Still shaking off some rust coming off Tommy John surgery, but he has remained healthy and his stuff has come all the way back. Prime Projection: 3.65/1.20/176 in 181 IP ETA: 2018

79) Franklin Perez HOU, RHP – Watch out Anthony Davis, Perez is coming for your best unibrow in pro sports crown. Prime Projection: 3.58/1.22/183 in 195 IP ETA: 2019

80) Lucas Giolito CHW, RHP – There have been a lot of excuses for Giolito since his fall from prospect grace, but his stuff is still good enough that you have to stay patient. Although, he is starting to feel like the type that breaks out when he is 27 years old, long after you already dropped him. Prime Projection: 3.81/1.27/187 in 196 IP ETA: 2017

81) Josh Naylor SD, 1B – Dom Smith 2.0. Prime Projection: 83/24/91/.283/.347/.472/6 ETA: 2019

82) Ryan Mountcastle BAL, SS/OF – Great feel to hit and added more power this year, but 3.7% walk rate needs improvement and is likely to move off SS. Prime Projection: 78/22/85/.277/.318/.468/9 ETA: 2019

83) Blake Rutherford CHW, OF – I always thought Rutherford was a little overrated, so I’m happy the Yanks were able to cash him in for a hell of a lotta win now and win later production. While Cashman’s free agent signings could use some work, nobody fucks with him when it comes to trades. Prime Projection: 86/18/82/.280/.333/.453/13 ETA: 2020

84) Nick Neidert SEA, RHP – Guys who rely on their plus changeups consistently get underrated in the minors (cough, Jacob Faria, cough), and I’m sure Neidert will follow that same path. Along with the changeup, he also has plus control and command with a measly 1.3 BB/9. Prime Projection: 3.49/1.18/180 in 195 IP ETA: 2019

85) Dylan Cease CHW, RHP – The White Sox are collecting quite the crew of hard throwing righties, with Kopech, Giolito, Alec Hansen, and now Cease joining the mix. These guys might not be able to find the plate, but hitters have an equally hard time of finding the ball. Prime Projection: 3.57/.1.26/196 in 182 IP ETA: 2019

86) Yadier Alvarez LAD, RHP – Alvarez’s Futures game performance mirrored his season to date, showing great stuff and elite athleticism, but ultimately getting hit and giving up runs. He was tagged with the loss for the World team. Prime Projection: 3.63/1.30/188 in 180 IP ETA: 2019

87) Luis Urias SD, 2B – Maintained his elite contact, no power profile as a 20-year-old at Double-A. DJ LeMahieu without needing Coors Field is the upside. Prime Projection: 93/10/59/.294/.363/.402/10 ETA: 2018

88) Cristian Pache ATL, OF – I’m doubling down on upside this year, and while Pache doesn’t have eye popping numbers (0 homers and a .698 OPS), he has been holding his own as an 18-year-old in full season ball. At prospect value peak, you are hoping for a Victor Robles type. Prime Projection: 100/14/75/.285/.363/.445/25 ETA: 2020

89) J.P. Crawford PHI, SS Just when people were ready to pour dirt on Crawford he’s caught fire in his last 26 games, slashing .289/.384/.598 with 6 homers and a 18/14 K/BB. He is still a special talent, and as a 22-year-old at Triple-A, you have to remain patient … well, kinda patient, since I dropped him about 70 spots from my off-season ranking. Prime Projection: 85/14/66/.271/.352/.420/11 ETA: 2018

90) Miguel Andujar NYY, 3B – Homerun power has ticked up while maintaining his excellent contact percentage. Prime Projection: 78/21/90/.284/.329/.462/4 ETA: 2018

91) Jordan Luplow PIT, OF – Power exploded with 20 homers in 86 games (4 in his last 14 games at Triple-A) while maintaining his advanced plate approach (55/37 K/BB). Prime Projection: 79/25/89/.277/.340/.474/7 ETA: 2018

92) Austin Hays BAL, OF – All Hays has done is rake and get underrated since being drafted. I might be guilty of it too, because his 10.7% K% and .247 ISO at Double-A is nothing short of elite. Prime Projection: 76/23/84/.280/.327/.468/6 ETA: 2018

93) Isan Diaz MIL, 2B/SS – Sometimes in the minors it can hard to tell if a player is having a true breakout or just a “career year,” and vice versa with unlucky or down seasons. Diaz’s overall profile has remained the same, so I’m inclined to think the average and power will both tick up down the stretch. Prime Projections: 82/20/79/.258/.327/.460/10 ETA: 2019

94) Erick Fedde WASH, RHP – After a short, mostly unsuccessful stint as a reliever, Fedde is being stretched back out into a starter. Apparently, this was Washington’s plan all along. Considering the mess Giolito turned into under their watch, and now the cockamamie handling of Fedde, Washington looks like it has a long way to go in the player development department. Prime Projection: 3.58/1.21/175 in 189 IP ETA: 2017 bullpen

95) Carter Kieboom WASH, SS – A hamstring injury back in May seems to have people completely forgetting about the torrid start Kieboom got off to as a 19-year-old at Single-A. He slashed .333/.398/.586 with 6 homers and 2 steals in 29 games. There isn’t huge power or speed here, but he was a 1st round pick last year who profiles as a solid all around player. Prime Projection: 85/22/85/.275/.330/.470/7 ETA: 2020

96) Jorge Mateo NYY, INF/OF – Mateo has unexpectedly come to life at Double-A, hitting .354 with 3 homers and 9 steals in 19 games. Maybe the Yanks should have listened to him when he threw a fit over not being called up to Double-A last year. Prime Projection: 87/13/62/.258/.317/.409/33 ETA: 2019

97) Austin Beck OAK, OF – I ranked Beck 3rd in my 2017 Top 36 MLB Draft Fantasy/Dynasty Baseball Prospect Rankings. Prime Projection: 81/24/77/.255/.311/.461/20 ETA: 2021

98) Zack Collins CHW, C – Word out of Chicago is that Collins has been fully focused on defense this season and they aren’t concerned about his low average. Great news for real life, not so much for fantasy. Prime Projection: 70/21/80/.253/.348/.465/2 ETA: 2019

99) Stephen Gonsalves MIN, LHP – Continues to dominate the minors with less than traditionally dominate stuff, thriving by focusing on spin rates over velocity. Prime Projection: 3.65/1.25/178 in 184 IP ETA: 2018

100) Colton Welker COL, 3B – Welker has been out since June 15th with an undisclosed injury. It seems like it is basically a free for all when it comes to disclosing injuries with minor league players. Before the mysterious injury, he was displaying a plus contact/power profile, and if he sticks with Colorado, that is one dangerous combination at Coors. Prime Projection: 82/24/90/.278/.334/.466/5 ETA: 2020

101) Bubba Thompson TEX, OF – I ranked Thompson 10th in my 2017 Top 36 MLB Draft Fantasy/Dynasty Baseball Prospect Rankings. Prime Projection: 86/16/76/.270/.330/.435/24 ETA: 2021

*) Dustin Fowler NYY, OF – If it wasn’t for the knee injury, Fowler would have ranked much higher after outplaying Clint Frazier at Triple-A and beating him to the big leagues too. The injury was very serious, though, and it is hard to guess if his plus athleticism will completely return.

By Michael Halpern (@MichaelCHalpern)
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com
Twitter: Imaginary Brick Wall (@ImaginaryBrickW)

Razzball Fantasy Baseball Podcast: Jose Quintana Trade, Madison Bumgarner Returns, and Dusty Gets Two New Relievers to Play With

*Completion of mid-season top 100 coming later today (for real this time)

I tried to get Grey going to start the podcast again, but he didn’t take the bait this time. He was too excited over his brand new podcast microphone. I wasn’t sure if I noticed a difference during the show, but listening back, I think he might be clearer. You guys can be the judge of that. We then get right into the blockbuster Jose Quintana trade, and how much this changes his fantasy value, if at all. We discuss Ryan Madson and Sean Doolittle heading to Washington, Madison Bumgarner’s return, and Johnny Cueto’s blisters. At the midway point of the show, we bring on Razzball’s own Mike Maher to talk about a few interesting hitters on his Top 100 Hitters post this week, including Marwin Gonzalez, Kyle Seager, Tommy Pham, Chris Taylor, and Keon Broxton. Finally, Grey and I gush over the insanely high quality of RotoWear.com’s t-shirts, and thank Kenny for hooking the Razzball community up with 15% off by entering promo code “SAGNOF.”

Razzball Fantasy Baseball Podcast: Jose Quintana Trade, Madison Bumgarner Returns, and Dusty Gets Two New Relievers to Play With

By Michael Halpern (@MichaelCHalpern)
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com
Twitter: Imaginary Brick Wall (@ImaginaryBrickW)

Razzball Prospect Podcast: Eloy Jimenez Trade, Jay Groome’s Dad, and 2nd Half Call-Ups (Ep. 47)

I start the podcast by letting Ralph’s real first name slip on air by accident in a conversation about me fearing that I would let Ralph’s real first name slip on air by accident (I don’t think he heard me, though, shhhh). We then discuss the blockbuster Eloy Jimenez trade, along with how much the news of Jay Groome’s father’s arrest should impact his fantasy value, if at all. We talk fake call-ups (Yoan Moncada), real call-ups (Zack Granite), and prospective call-ups (Amed Rosario, Rhys Hoskins, Brent Honeywell, Dominic Smith, Scott Kingery, and many more). Finally, I look forward to Rappin’ Ralph and Nick the Smooth Dick being featured on an upcoming RotoRhymes track, but in the meantime, make sure to head over to RotoWear.com and enter promo code “SAGNOF” to get 15% off the highest quality t-shirts in the fantasy game right now.

Razzball Prospect Podcast: Eloy Jimenez Trade, Jay Groome’s Dad, and 2nd Half Call-Ups (Ep. 47)

By Michael Halpern (@MichaelCHalpern)
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com
Twitter: Imaginary Brick Wall (@ImaginaryBrickW)

Razzball Fantasy Baseball Podcast: Breaking Down Grey’s 2017 Top 100 2nd Half Fantasy Baseball Rankings

*Completion of the 2017 Mid-Season Top 100 Prospect Rankings coming Thursday (Update: Final list coming Monday now. My bad guys.)

Grey was in such a great mood to begin the podcast, talking about frolicking around town on his off day eating rolled ice cream and LA ham sandwiches with little Asian girls. That is until I mentioned a bad podcast review we got on iTunes, which irreversibly changed the tone of the entire podcast and had him flying off the handle. He talked crap on the comments he gets under his daily articles which bother him, he goes hard at Fangraphs for incorrectly predicting Rougned Odor’s lack of power would make him cry at the all-star break, and he threatens to ban the IP address of the rogue bad reviewer if he ever finds out who did it. Through the angst, we manage to breakdown his Top 100 2nd Half Rankings, starting at the top with Bryce Harper, Paul Goldschmidt, Max Scherzer, Clayton Kershaw, and Mookie Betts. We dig into his optimistic Aaron Judge ranking and cautious Cody Bellinger ranking, and also discuss his ranking of young aces Lance McCullers, Luis Severino, Alex Wood, and James Paxton. Finally, we bring on our boy Kenneth Cashman from RotoWear.com to talk t-shirts and rapping, and he leaves us with an insane Razzball rap to end the interview.

Razzball Fantasy Baseball Podcast: Breaking Down Grey’s 2017 Top 100 2nd Half Fantasy Baseball Rankings

By Michael Halpern (@MichaelCHalpern)
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com
Twitter: Imaginary Brick Wall (@ImaginaryBrickW)

Razzball Prospect Podcast: The 2017 Mid-Season Top 100 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Show (Ep. 46)

It’s prospect list madness this week with mid-season top 100 prospect lists dropping faster than Ralph’s productivity at work. Ralph posted his top 100 last Sunday (and continued on to 200 earlier today) and I’ve been slowly ranking the top 100 over on my website ImaginaryBrickWall.com (currently up to 70). We discuss the discrepancies between our rankings, including Triston McKenzie vs. Walker Buehler and where we slot the 2017 MLB Draft guys, along with comparing our rankings to the behemoths of the industry, Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus. We talk similarities too, as we both gush over some of the top breakout prospects, such as Estevan Florial and Ryan McMahon. Finally, we rep our podcast sponsor RotoWear.com, who is hooking up all Razzball readers/listeners with 15% off their purchase by entering promo code “SAGNOF.”

Click here for the Razzball Prospect Podcast: The 2017 Mid-Season Top 100 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Show (Ep. 46)

By Michael Halpern (@MichaelCHalpern)
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com
Twitter: Imaginary Brick Wall (@ImaginaryBrickW)

2017 Mid-Season Top 100 Dynasty/Fantasy Baseball Prospect Rankings: 42-70

Mid-Season Top 100 prospect list season is just heating up, and Imaginary Brick Wall will be ranking at least the top 100 dynasty/fantasy baseball prospects over the next week. Here are the 2017 Mid-Season Top 100 Dynasty/Fantasy Baseball Prospect Rankings: 42-70:

Click here for 1-15
Click here for 16-41

42) Triston McKenzie CLE, RHP – With added weight, an uptick in velocity, and continued development of his changeup, McKenzie will be a no doubt top 20 prospect. As is, he already has a great feel to pitch, and the fastball plays up due to his elite release point (he releases the ball super close to the plate). Prime Projection: 3.40/1.17/192 in 188 IP ETA: 2019

43) Estevan Florial NYY, OF – If Florial would have moved to Cuba and changed his name to Luis Robert he would be a lot richer right now. And far more hyped too. He has an elite power/speed combo with legitimate contact issues (30.4% K%), and considering he already has full season ball success, there is a case to be made that he should be ranked higher than Robert. Prime Projection: 84/25/90/.248/.334/.466/25 ETA: 2020

44) Michael Kopech CHW, RHP – It’s a battle of the 100+ MPH fastball vs. the 6.1 walks per nine. This is a bet on pure talent, because the numbers have been underwhelming this year. Prime Projection: 3.48/1.26/210 in 190 ETA: 2018

45) Mitch Keller PIT, RHP – The type of starter who relies heavily on locating his big sinking fastball and is consistently at the mercy of the BABIP gods and infield defense. Keller has a chance to be among the best of those types … that is if he can stay on the field. Prime Projection: 3.42/1.11/174 in 186 IP ETA: 2018

46) Ryan McMahon COL, 1B/3B/UTIL – Turns out that playing zero home games and not having a home ballpark might actually have a negative impact on a player’s season. Dunkin’ Donuts Park was ready to go for this season, though, and McMahon took full advantage by dramatically cutting his K% from 30% to under 20% and OPS’ing .998.  It wouldn’t be the first time slow Dunkin Donuts service caused someone to arrive late. Prime Projection: 83/24/92/.278/.337/.475/8 ETA: 2018

47) AJ Puk OAK, LHP – Puk has pitched as advertised with an elite strikeout fastball/slider combo to go along with control and command issues. Prime Projection: 3.53/1.24/207 in 184 IP ETA: 2018

48) Jay Groome BOS, LHP – Still just 18 years old with consistent mid 90’s heat and a true 12-6 curve. Wayne Cavadi at Minor League Ball had an awesome breakdown of his latest dominant start. Prime Projection: 3.36/1.15/195 in 195 IP ETA: 2020

49) Taylor Trammell CIN, OF – Trammell already cracked my top 100 this off-season because of his elite speed/power combo and solid Rookie ball debut. Single-A hasn’t slowed him down at all either, as he has added homerun power while maintaining a 22.8% strikeout rate and 11.8% walk rate. Prime Projection: 90/17/72/.268/.340/.455/ 28 ETA: 2020

50) Jordon Adell LAA, OF – I ranked Adell 4th in my 2017 Top 36 MLB Draft Fantasy/Dynasty Baseball Prospect Rankings. I had Austin Beck ranked ahead of him on my pre-draft list, but my rankings got razor thin after Royce Lewis, and Beck’s ugly 1 hit, 12 K and 0 BB in 21 at-bat debut has him slipping just a bit.  Prime Projection: 94/25/89/.274/.347/.473/20 ETA: 2021

51) MacKenzie Gore SD, LHP – I ranked Gore 5th in my 2017 MLB Draft Fantasy/Dynasty Baseball Prospect Rankings. Prime Projection:
3.30/1.10/200 in 200 IP ETA: 2021

52) Sixto Sanchez PHI, RHP – If Sixto wasn’t a small righty, he very well might be the runaway best pitching prospect in baseball with an elite fastball and multiple secondary offerings. Baseball Prospectus doesn’t seem all too worried about the height, though, as they just set the market on him in your Dynasty League by ranking him 18th overall on their mid-season update. Prime Projection: 3.33/1.07/182 in 187 IP ETA: 2020

53) Harrison Bader STL, OF – Batting line in last 30 games basically says it all, slashing .344/.385/.659 with 9 homers and a 32/4 K/BB. The high strikeout, low walk thing isn’t the best profile, but Bader makes some of the hardest contact in the minors. It will be fun when everyone acts like he came out of nowhere, meanwhile, it was easy to see this coming for like 2 years now. Prime Projection: 84/23/85/.272/.320/.471/9 ETA: 2017

54) Tyler O’Neill SEA, OF – A man with this kind of bat speed, exit velocity, and neck width can only be held down for so long, as O’Neill has launched 8 homers in his last 14 games. Strikeouts will always be an issue, but hitting the shit outta the ball is one thing you can 100% count on translating to any level. Prime Projection: 76/28/88/.253/.332/.482/9 ETA: 2018

55) Christin Stewart DET, OF – A homerun and on base machine with reasonable strikeout rates throughout his young career. His powerful lefthanded swing is a thing of destructive beauty. Prime Projection: 81/29/93/.268/.360/.490/3 ETA: 2018

56) Jack Flaherty STL, RHP – The major uptick in velocity has yet to come, which would vault Flaherty into ace territory, but his advanced pitchability already has him on the doorstep of the Majors. Prime Projection: 3.55/1.20/178 in 190 IP ETA: 2018

57) Josh Hader MIL, LHP – Stuff is still unhittable but control took a step back this season. Bullpen risk looms larger than ever, but if you own him in a Dynasty League (like I do), you have no choice but to hold. Prime Projection: 3.47/1.29/190 in 180 IP ETA:2017

58) Luke Weaver STL, RHP – On the latest prospect podcast, I assumed Weaver was somehow related to Jered/Jeff Weaver because of how much they looked like each other on the mound (and obviously because of the last name). He isn’t related at all, but it turns out that I’m not crazy, as I dug up this quote from Luke Weaver shortly after he was drafted in 2014: “I model my baseball game after Jered Weaver. No relation, but we could be bro’s one day, but that’s his decision.” Prime Projection: 3.64/1.24/189 in 184 IP ETA: 2017

59) Michael Chavis BOS, 3B – The mediocre 7.4% BB% keeps me from completely diving in head first, but the power, bat speed, and exit velocity are undeniable and the reason Chavis was drafted 26th overall in 2014. Prime Projection: 77/27/89/.265/.322/.485/2 ETA: 2019

60) Bobby Bradley CLE, 1B – The 21-year-old Bradley is quietly having an excellent season in Double-A, slashing .266/.355/.506 with 15 homers and a 69/35 K/BB in 76 games. He cut his strikeout rate from 29.7% last year to 22.5% this year and has a sweet lefty uppercut that is sure to deliver power. Prime Projection: 80/30/95/.252/.350/.489/3 ETA: 2019

61) Nick Gordon MIN, SS –  The poor man’s Amed Rosario in that he should chip in a little bit in every category. His value will probably be tied heavily into where he is hitting in the order and if Minnesota’s power hitters can drive him in. Prime Projection: 88/11/61/.276/.334/.415/17 ETA: 2018

62) Mickey Moniak PHI, OF – Having a boringly decent season at Single-A (101 wRC+), which is what I fear will be the story of his career. Considering his plus CF defense, that won’t be a bad outcome for him in real life, but not so much for fantasy. Prime Projection: 91/15/68/.286/.349/.445/19 ETA: 2020

63) Adam Haseley PHI, OF – I ranked Haseley 6th in my 2017 Top 36 MLB Draft Fantasy/Dynasty Baseball Prospect Rankings. Prime Projection: 86/18/79/.280/.340/.455/15 ETA:2019

64) Brendan McKay TB, 1B/LHP – I ranked McKay 8th in my 2017 Top 36 MLB Draft Fantasy/Dynasty Baseball Prospect Rankings. Prime Projection: 83/22/87/.283/.350/.470/4 ETA: 2019

65) Ian Anderson ATL, RHP – John Calvagno of Notes from the Sally wrote a great breakdown of an Ian Anderson start that sums up Anderson perfectly. I loved his changeup coming out of the draft, and I think mastering that pitch can have him rise above his probable mid-rotation destiny. Prime Projection: 3.58/1.23/181 in 181 IP ETA: 2020

66) Forrest Whitley HOU, RHP – Whitley is a physical beast who carved through Single-A before dropping a no hitter in 5 IP with 9 strikeouts in his High-A debut. I should never doubt a Houston draft pick. … now let me get back to underrating JB Bukauskas. Prime Projection: 3.67/1.25/193 in 200 IP ETA: 2020

67) Mike Soroka ATL, RHP – Just another 19-year-old Braves prospect who is ripping up Double-A. Soroka is putting up a pitching line of 2.55/1.11/73/21 in 91.2 IP, and while he currently doesn’t have the huge strikeout upside, if he is this good already, I’m not going to doubt that he may learn a new trick or two as he gains experience. Prime Projection: 3.51/1.22/173 in 187 IP ETA: 2018

68) Kyle Wright ATL, RHP – I ranked Wright 7th in my 2017 Top 36 MLB Draft Fantasy/Dynasty Baseball Prospect Rankings. Prime Projection: 3.67/1.24/183 in 189 IP ETA: 2019

69) Chance Adams NYY, RHP – Adams has dominated since being converted into a starter just last season, but I am a little cautious of a right handed mid-rotation starter at Yankee Stadium. He is ranked here more for proximity than upside. Prime Projection: 3.77/1.28/ 173 in 176 IP ETA: 2017

70) Corey Ray MIL, OF – When hit tool concerns materialize, it looks a little something like what Ray is doing this year at High-A. He has a minor league career batting average of .238 with 158 strikeouts in 124 games. He is only 22 years old and the speed/power combo is still there, but he has a lot of work to do. Prime Projection: 80/16/70/.242/.318/.432/20 ETA: 2019

Click here for 71-100

By Michael Halpern (@MichaelCHalpern)
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com
Twitter: Imaginary Brick Wall (@ImaginaryBrickW)

2017 Mid-Season Top 100 Dynasty/Fantasy Baseball Prospect Rankings: 16-41

Mid-Season Top 100 prospect list season is just heating up, and Imaginary Brick Wall will be ranking at least the top 100 dynasty/fantasy baseball prospects over the next week. Here are the 2017 Mid-Season Top 100 Dynasty/Fantasy Baseball Prospect Rankings: 16-41:

Click here for 1-15

16) Ozzie Albies ATL, SS/2B – 21 for 23 on the base paths and has already surpassed his career high in homeruns with 7. If it seems like a lot of minor league players have seen an uptick in power, that is because a lot of minor league players have seen an uptick in power. Every single league (other than the Cal League which changed ballparks) has seen a legitimate spike in homeruns per game, with the Midwest League leading the pack at a 50% increase (as of June 29). Prime Projection: 103/13/67/.288/.379/.432/32 ETA: 2018

*Upon further contemplation, Albies with rise to #11 overall

17) Willie Calhoun LAD, 2B/OF – I’ve been preaching to buy Willie’s elite contact/power profile since the 2015 off-season, way back when he was a lowly 4th round pick out of Yavapai Junior College. Well, he’s all growns up now, completely destroying the PCL with a .296 AVG, 18 homers, and a career high .269 ISO. The PCL has seen about a 19% increase in HR/game, so his wRC+ is almost identical to what it was last year at Double-A. Prime Projection: 81/30/97/.286/.329/.498/2 ETA: 2017

18) Francisco Mejia CLE, C – What do you know? Mejia has a career high ISO of .220 while maintaining his elite average and contact profile. When the homerun spike was affecting only Major Leaguers, it was fair to expect called up prospects to experience an immediate jump in homerun power, which is what happened with guys like Trea Turner. Now that things seem to be evening out for whatever reason (maybe they wound the minor league balls tighter too this year?), we can’t make that same assumption. Prime Projection: 86/18/91/.305/.356/.470/3 ETA: 2018

19) Walker Buehler LAD, RHP – A groundball machine with elite strikeout upside and good control. Alex Reyes is a man amongst boys, but Buehler is already fully recovered from his August 2015 Tommy John surgery, and has everything you look for in a top pitching prospect. Prime Projection: 3.28/1.12/203 in 189 IP ETA: 2017 bullpen piece

20) Alex Reyes STL, RHP – At full health, Reyes would have ranked as high as 8th on this list, but he was not a finished product at the time of the injury, and even though many Tommy John survivors come back to full health, there is still some inherent risk. Prime Projection: 3.36/1.22/212 in 187 IP ETA: 2018

21) Kevin Maitan ATL, SS – With every offensive player breaking out on the Major League level (literally all of them), it has me leaning upside more and more with prospects. There is still very little to go on with Maitan (currently 2 for 5 in Rookie ball), but if he were draft eligible, I would have ranked him #1 overall. Prime Projection: 90/29/100/.285/.360/.505/7 ETA: 2021

22) Hunter Greene CIN, RHP – I ranked Greene #1 overall on my 2017 Top 36 MLB Draft Fantasy/Dynasty Baseball Prospect Rankings. Prime Projection: 3.18/1.09/220 in 200 IP ETA: 2020

23) Royce Lewis MIN, SS/OF – Slashing .310/.394/.552 with 1 homer, 2 steals, and a 2/3 K/BB in his first 7 games in Rookie Ball. I ranked Lewis #2 overall on my 2017 Top 36 MLB Draft Fantasy/Dynasty Baseball Prospect Rankings. Prime Projection: 104/17/71/.285/.348/.467/28 ETA: 2020

24) Kyle Lewis SEA, OF – Like Reyes, Lewis is another player who would have ranked much higher if not for a debilitating injury. He is back to playing rehab games in Rookie ball (he homered on July 2nd), so we should have a much better idea of who he is by the end of the season. Prime Projection: 87/27/96/.273/.354/.488/10 ETA: 2018

25) Anderson Espinoza SD, RHP – It wouldn’t be all that surprising if Espinoza needed Tommy John surgery at some point before breaking into the big leagues considering how young he is and hard he throws, and it just so happens that those are the two traits that get people so excited about him. It is quite the conundrum for young pitchers (and really all pitchers). He is also a plus athlete with a curveball and changeup that are advanced beyond his years. Prime Projection: 3.34/1.13/192 in 185 IP ETA: 2019

26) Scott Kingery PHI, 2B – The top pop up prospect of 2017, Kingery saw a massive spike in power, which is corroborated by a legitimate approach change, and is now being doubly validated by keeping it up outside of Reading in Triple-A. He is also very fast with an elite SB%. Prime Projection: 91/20/74/.270/.332/.452/30 ETA: 2018

27) Anthony Alford TOR, OF – In the midst of his best, most complete season until fracturing his left hamate (which required wrist surgery) 4 games into his MLB debut. Hand/wrist injuries are notorious for lingering for up to a couple of years, so it is something to monitor when he returns. Prime Projection: 88/18/84/.277/.355/.469/20 ETA: 2018

28) Brent Honeywell TB, RHP – Hasn’t been all that great at Triple-A with a 4.54 ERA, but the strikeout to walk numbers are still elite and nobody doubts his advanced pitchability. Honeywell would rank higher if not for the AL East. Prime Projection: 3.47/1.16/196 in 193 IP ETA: 2018

29) Francis Martes HOU, RHP – Houston is going through more starters than the rotund Martes does before his main course, so they were forced to call him up whether he was ready or not. He has gotten by on pure stuff alone so far, as he is walking 5.1 per nine after walking 7.8 per nine at Triple-A. Prime Projection: 3.45/1.20/204 in 196 IP ETA: 2017

30) Fernando Tatis Jr. SD, SS – The 18-year-old Tatis Jr. might have as much upside as anybody in the minors, and he is standing out at Single-A with a .274/.360/.466 triple-slash, to go along with 12 homers, 15 steals and a not unreasonable 26.2% K rate. Now may be the very last chance to buy at anything resembling a reasonable price. Prime Projection: 89/25/87/.280/.360/.479/12 ETA:2020

31) Leody Taveras TEX, OF – Speaking of upside, Taveras has a 14.8% K% as an 18-year-old in full season ball while also flashing some power (5 homers) and speed (12 steals). This is a potential #1 overall fantasy prospect in just a couple of years. Prime Projection: 98/16/76/.290/.353/.452/27 ETA: 2020

32) Alex Verdugo LAD, OF – Might have the best pure hit tool of anybody in the minors with a ridiculous 9.6% K% and .350 AVG as a 21-year-old at Triple-A. The tape backs up the numbers, as Verdugo has some of the best bat speed in the minors too. Prime Projection: 102/18/80/.310/.378/.449/14 ETA: 2018

33) Willy Adames TB, SS – My second favorite Willy, Adames has come on like gangbusters of late, bringing his season line up to a respectable .280/.371/.432 with 6 homers and 6 steals. Like Verdugo, he is around the same age as this year’s incoming college draft class, so the power has time to come around. Prime Projection: 87/17/81/.283/.355/.446/12 ETA: 2018

34) Franklin Barreto OAK, SS – Strikeout rate exploded to around 30% out of nowhere, but he is still hitting the ball hard and has above average speed. He is currently in the Majors, but might be sent down when Semien is activated from the disabled list tomorrow. Prime Projection: 83/22/85/.267/.328/.458/17 ETA: 2017

35) Juan Soto WASH, OF – 0 for 5 since returning from an ankle injury, but Soto was on track to be ranked even higher than this with a 8.3% K%, 10.4 BB%, and .163 ISO as an 18-year-old in full season ball. Prime Projection: 84/22/95/.296/.364/.471/6 ETA: 2020

36) Bo Bichette TOR, 2B – Talking about all of these 18-year-olds at Single-A makes Bichette look a grizzled vet as a 19-year-old, but he has been obliterating the league, slashing .388/.448/.633 with 10 homers and 12 steals in 69 games. Prime Projection: 85/26/97/.270/.338/.483/8 ETA: 2020

37) Rhys Hoskins PHI, 1B – Leads the International League by a wide margin with a .977 OPS (next highest is .917) and is clearly showing he is no Reading mirage. The only knocks on him are that he is already 24 years old and a right handed first baseman. Prime Projection: 82/29/93/.277/.348/.491/2 ETA: 2017

38) Dominic Smith NYM, 1B – You can flip a coin between Hoskins and Smith to decide who the best first base prospect is in the minors right now. Smith is two years younger and can match Hoskins’ strikeout to walk numbers, but he hasn’t come close to matching his power. Prime Projection: 80/22/91/.292/.366/.487/2 ETA: 2017

39) Luis Robert CHW, OF – This type of elite power/speed combo is rare to find, and while the hit tool is still a question, Robert has managed to put up a pretty impressive debut in the Dominican Summer League, slashing .255/.479/.392, with 1 homer, 8 steals, and a 14/17 K/BB in 17 games. Prime Projection: 88/21/83/.255/.342/.469/23 ETA: 2020

40) Kolby Allard ATL, LHP – Strikeout numbers have been underwhelming at 7.7 K/9 and home ballpark went from a positive to a negative, but Allard is more than handling himself as a 19-year-old at Double-A, and his curveball is an MLB ready pitch. Prime Projection: 3.39/1.14/185 in 193 IP ETA: 2018

41) Jesus Sanchez TB, OF – A 6’3’’, 210 pound 19-year-old who has a 15.8% K rate and .193 ISO in Single-A. Sanchez has top 10 fantasy prospect potential by this time next year. Prime Projection: 89/25/97/.280/.340/.490/10 ETA: 2020

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By Michael Halpern (@MichaelCHalpern)
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com
Twitter: Imaginary Brick Wall (@ImaginaryBrickW)