I’ll be running down everything that caught my eye in the Dynasty Baseball world on most Mondays (in this case, Wednesday) throughout the season here on the Brick Wall. The rest of the week you can catch my Rundowns on the Patreon. Here is the Wednesday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (6/25/25):

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ALL SEASON, INCLUDING:
–JUNE 2025 TOP 302 PROSPECTS RANKS
–MAY 2025 TOP 443 DYNASTY RANKS (Mid-Season Top 400+ Dynasty Ranks coming next week)
-HALP’S DYNASTY BASEBALL PODCAST: JUNE MAILBAG! (dropped yesterday)
-TONS OF DYNASTY RUNDOWNS
-TOP 50 2026 FYPD RANKS COMING SOON
–SPREADSHEETS

Chase Burns – CIN, RHP, 22.3 – In my FYPD Strategy & Target Guide this off-season, I advised to stay put in that top tier of talent (through 12th overall), writing, “I truly believe that any player in this group can emerge as the top player in the draft class in the long run.” And that is basically exactly what we are seeing. Every week, a different guy in that tier is popping, making us all regret not picking him, and yesterday, my #4 overall (#3 not including Roki) FYPD prospect, Chase Burns, took centerstage. He made his MLB debut and went 5 IP with 6 hits, 3 ER, and a 8/0 K/BB vs none other than Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees. Here is the strikeout reel. The 98.1 MPH 4-seamer put up a 26% whiff% and the slider notched a 40% whiff%. That is the recipe right there. The lesser used changeup was also effective with a 38 CSW% and a 58.3 MPH EV against (on just one batted ball). The dude is an ace, and this debut left no doubt about that.

Ben Rice – NYY, 1B, 26.6 – But of course my man Ben Rice had to give Burns his welcome to the majors moment, cracking a 107.9 MPH homer off him. He slumped for a bit, but he’s back on the rise with a 1.305 OPS in his last 6 games, and if you think I was moving off him and his .412 xwOBA, you are crazy. That xwOBA is 9th best in baseball!!! He’s crushing the ball with a 93.4 MPH EV and he’s making plenty of contact with a 21.7% K%. I’m not budging off this man even with the playing time logjam, as 1B opens up next year, and there is no reason for him not to get that job. You need to be sticking with Rice like white on rice.

Christian Moore – LAA, 2B, 22.0 – Burns definitely owned the day from the 2025 FYPD class, but Moore had his coming out party in the majors too, crushing 2 homers at 108.4 MPH and 107.8 MPH. The 2nd homer was a bottom of the ninth, 2 run walk off. The man has Champion in his blood, just like he said in his Draft Day interview. That gives him 3 homers in 12 games, and the 73.6 MPH swing and 12.5% Barrel% backs that up. It’s also a short swing at 7 feet, which is a combo I love. Granted, the shortness isn’t helping the hit tool right now with a 35% K%, and the hit tool is definitely still a risk, but I’m betting on it getting into a good enough area long term. The 28 ft/sec sprint also shows the steals should start coming at some point too. I didn’t budge off Moore, and last night was just the start.

Kaelen Culpepper – MIN, SS, 22.4, AA – I’ve been waiting on Culpepper to get to Double-A to really start exploding him up my rankings even more than I already have been, and he made his first impression last night with a pull side bomb. Also did he hit us with the Michael Jordan, tongue out, right before crushing that bomb? I feel like “Tongue Out” with a silhouette of his tongue has a RotoWear T-shirt written all over it in the future. This was his 3rd game at the level and there has been a bit more swing and miss with a 28.6% K%, but he’s still killing it with a 147 wRC+. Obviously we need a bigger sample to say anything. I closed out his Top 1,000 blurb by writing, “He’s a nice little “let him come to you” target in off-season prospect drafts right now,” and then I pushed him into the Top 100 in May. And after hitting us with the Tongue Out, he might just be Top 50 for me now 😉

Ching-Hsien Ko – LAD, OF, 18.8, CPX – Speaking of guys I pushed into the Top 100 area, Ching-Hsien Ko showed off the power I know he so clearly has in there with his 3rd homer in 36 games at rookie ball. While the homer totals haven’t been huge, the man has been a hit machine all season, slashing .373/.484/.571 with an 18.5/15.3 K%/BB%. It’s good for a 175 wRC+. He’s 6’3”, 215 pounds with that upright, loose and powerful lefty swing that has damage written all over it. I’m already super high on him.

Chase Harlan – LAD, 3B, 18.11, CPX – Harlan has quietly found his groove at rookie ball after jacking out 2 homers yesterday, and he’s now starting to resemble my Austin Riley ceiling comp more and more, slashing .283/.339/.485 with 4 homers and a 19.6/8.9 K%/BB% in 27 games in stateside rookie. The hit tool and plate approach have been solid all season, and now the power is coming with 4 homers in his last 8 games. This was a underrated FYPD sleeper for me, and he’s starting to make his mark now. Keep an eye on him at the least, and he’s a pickup candidate in medium to deeper leagues right now.

Ryne Nelson – ARI, RHP, 27.5 – I named Nelson a Target in the June Mailbag Podcast (Patreon) yesterday, and then a few hours later he showed why, going 5 IP with 1 hit, 1 ER, and a 7/3 K/BB vs. CHW. The 95.5 MPH 4-seamer continues to dominate with a 29% whiff% and 78% usage. The curve induced weak contact with a 74.6 MPH EV against, and he mixed in a much lesser used slider, changeup and cutter. His 4-seamer now has a +12 Run Value which is tied for 3rd in baseball with Joe Ryan, behind only Hunter Brown and Zack Wheeler. He pitched well in the 2nd half of 2024, and he’s pitching well again in every role they put him in 2025. He’s in the rotation now, and I’m buying.

Denzel Clarke – OAK, OF, 24.11 – 2 for 3 with a 103.2 MPH homer off none other than Tarik Skubal. And most importantly, it came with 0 strikeouts! It’s been a rough offensive debut for Clarke, which honestly was to be expected with a 43.3/2.2 K%/BB%, but I’m actually encouraged by the 32.5% whiff% and 28.3% Chase%. To me, that indicates the K/BB numbers should definitely improve as he gets more comfortable, and he’s proven he’s capable of improving his contact rates in the minors. Someone this talented deserves patience, and with his insane CF defense, the Athletics are going to give him that patience. I’m holding Clarke.

Nick Gonzales – PIT, 2B, 26.0 – If you are struggling at 2B in your league and are looking for anyone to help out, Gonzales could be the guy to take a shot on. He cracked a 395 foot homer off Freddy Peralta yesterday, and he’s been excellent since returning from a fractured ankle that he suffered on Opening Day. He’s slashing .316/.345/.519 with 3 homers, 0 steals, and a 17.9/4.8 K%/BB% in 20 games. The 9.2% Barrel% and 90.3 MPH EV backs up the hot start. He’s not going to be a world beater, but beggars can’t be choosers if you are desperate for 2B help.

Tommy White – OAK, 3B, 22.3, A+ – White has grown on me more and more this season, ranking him 96th overall in the June Top 302 Prospects Rankings (Patreon), and he blasted off for his 8th homer in 43 games at High-A last night. I’m also starting to like his swing and stance much more than I did in college. It’s much more upright and loose, and he’s taking to the changes quite well. The power also comes with great contact with a 11.6% K%. We need to see it at Double-A for an advanced college bat like this, but he’s coming for that starting 3B job in short order. He’s really underrated right now.

Hunter Barco – PIT, LHP, 24.6, AAA – Barco had his best outing at Triple-A, going 6 IP with 5 hits, 0 ER, and a 6/1 K/BB. The sinker was down to 92.2 MPH, which isn’t great to see the velocity uptick slipping a bit as he’s building innings, but it still performed well with a 40% CSW%. The slider and splitter both missed bats and induced weak contact. I don’t love the velocity and the 23% whiff% overall wasn’t super impressive, but it’s still great to see him start to feel comfortable at Triple-A. He hasn’t been bad at the level with a 4.21 ERA and 28.2% K% in 25.2 IP, so hopefully he can keep building on this.

Troy Melton – DET, RHP, 24.7, AAA – It’s time to take Melton very seriously. He utterly dominated Triple-A last night, going 5.1 IP with 6 hits, 1 ER and a 10/1 K/BB. The fastball sat 97.1 MPH!!! and put up a 32% whiff%. The cutter was his next highest usage pitch, putting up a 29% whiff%, and the lesser used slider notched 2 for 3 whiffs. He also threw a change and curve a few times. He now has a 35.6/6.8 K%/BB% in 16 IP at the level. This coming off a 27.4/6.4 K%/BB% in 39 IP at Double-A. It’s an odd pitch mix as it is extremely heavy on 4-seamer and cutter, which makes me a bit hesitant to really go all in, but the guy is throwing mid to upper 90’s gas and he’s dominating the upper minors. It should be noted he does have a 5.63 ERA at Triple-A, and while the 2.47 xFIP looks much better, he had the same ERA problems last year (5.10 ERA with a 3.14 xFIP). I wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up in the pen, but he could end up a really good pen arm. Either way, he deserves our attention.

Travis Sykora – WAS, RHP, 21.1, A+ – 6 IP, 2 hits, 0 ER, 8/2 K/BB at High-A. There really isn’t much more to say about Sykora while he’s at High-A other than he’s an elite pitching prospect. I immediately called him an elite pitching prospect when he returned from hip surgery and looked more athletic on the mound than I had ever seen him. The surgery fixed a hip issue he was having for a few years, and while he was great with the hip issue, he’s even better now with a 1.21 ERA and 44.3/7.5 K%/BB% in 29.2 IP at High-A. He has 3 potentially plus to double plus pitches. We’re just waiting on the upper minors, but I doubt that slows him down too much.

Tyson Hardin – MIL, RHP, 23.5, AA – After handling his business at High-A, Hardin got the call to Double-A and he’s handling his business there too, going 6 IP with 6 hits, 1 ER and a 6/0 K/BB. He had a similar outing his first time out at the level too, giving him a 2.25 ERA with a 24.4/2.2 K%/BB% in 12 IP at the level. He’s a classic Brewers pitcher with a low to mid 90’s bat missing fastball and diverse pitch mix. Solid pitching prospect with mid-rotation upside, and it’s great to see him transfer the profile to Double-A.

Nate George – BAL, OF, 19.0, A – George popped onto my June Top 302 Prospect Rankings (Patreon) at #290 on the back of his strong pro debut at rookie ball, and now he’s looking pretty good at Single-A after going 3 for 4 with a double, triple, walk and stolen base yesterday. This coming off his first dinger at the level the day before. He’s now slashing .364/.417/.568 with 1 homer, 8 steals, and a 24.5/8.2 K%/BB% in 11 games at the level. Sure the K% spiked a bit, but this is a legit athlete at a strong and fast 6’0”, and now he’s doing it at an age appropriate level. He’s getting even more exciting.

Gage Jump – OAK, LHP, 22.1, AA – 3.2 IP, 2 hits, 2 ER, 3/6 K/BB at Double-A. This coming off an outing where he went 4.1 IP with 4 hits, 3 ER and a 3/4 K/BB. He’s human after all, and with that violent delivery, let’s just hope it’s just a rough patch … I don’t even want to put that on him … it’s just a rough patch

Quinn Mathews – STL, LHP, 24.8, AAA – 1.1 IP, 2 hits, 5 ER, 1/6 K/BB at Triple-A. The fastball was down to 92.9 MPH. He now has a 5.27 ERA with a 21.9/23.4 K%/BB% in 27.1 IP. Saying this is not the follow up we wanted to see from his breakout 2024 is an understatement. I warned not to hand wave away the small sample Triple-A struggles last year, and it’s clear this isn’t the guy we thought he was. He’s looking more like a back end arm right now.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ALL SEASON, INCLUDING:
–JUNE 2025 TOP 302 PROSPECTS RANKS
–MAY 2025 TOP 443 DYNASTY RANKS (Mid-Season Top 400+ Dynasty Ranks coming next week)
-HALP’S DYNASTY BASEBALL PODCAST: JUNE MAILBAG! (dropped yesterday)
-TONS OF DYNASTY RUNDOWNS
-TOP 50 2026 FYPD RANKS COMING SOON
–SPREADSHEETS

By Michael Halpern (@MichaelCHalpern)
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com
Twitter: Imaginary Brick Wall (@DynastyHalp)
Blue Sky: Dynasty Halp (@ImaginaryBrickWall)

I’ll be running down everything that caught my eye in the Dynasty Baseball world on most Mondays throughout the season here on the Brick Wall. The rest of the week you can catch my Rundowns on the Patreon. Here is the Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (6/16/25):

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ALL SEASON, INCLUDING:
–JUNE 2025 TOP 302 PROSPECTS RANKS
–MAY 2025 TOP 443 DYNASTY RANKS (5/30/25)
-HALP’S DYNASTY BASEBALL PODCAST: MAY MAILBAG! (June Mailbag coming soon)
-TONS OF DYNASTY RUNDOWNS
-PREDICTING THE TOP 50 2026 PROSPECTS RANKS
–SPREADSHEETS

Rafael Devers – SFG, 3B, 28.7 – I don’t know what Devers said to Red Sox owner, John Henry, when Henry flew out to Kansas City to have a meeting with Devers about his refusal to play 1B, but whatever he said, it was not what Henry wanted to hear. In a shocking trade, Devers and his 8.5 year, $254 million contract will head to San Francisco in return for Jordan Hicks, Kyle Harrison, James Tibbs and Jose Bello. I’m probably the only dynasty baseball psycho whose immediate thought was … “James Tibbs gets a lot more interesting not having to hit in San Francisco.” But we know it’s all about Devers, and while it’s most certainly a ballpark downgrade, any guy who hits the ball 94 MPH is highly likely to be ballpark proof. It’s a small downgrade, but I wouldn’t change his value too much because of it right now. Harrison gets the opposite bump with a ballpark downgrade, and like I said, Tibbs is really the most interesting for me, as he wasn’t the type of hitter to profile well in San Francisco. As for real life, I can’t imagine a scenario where you can be happy trading a 28 year old superstar with a .905 OPS. I don’t care that he refused to play 1B. I don’t care that he told the owner to fuck off. Losing a bat like this is not easy to replace. Brutal blow. I truly feel for Red Sox fans.

Konnor Griffin – PIT, OF, 19.1, A+ – Right before Griffin got the call to High-A, I ranked him 1st overall on my non debuted Top 302 June 2025 Dynasty Prospects Rankings (Patreon), and he’s more than proved he deserved that ranking by going bonkos at the level. He’s homered in back to back games, and yesterday’s shot was completely incinerated at 110 MPH. What put Griffin over the top for me, prompting me to place him 1st overall, was that his only weakness, plate skills, were improving massively in his last 16 games at Single-A, and those improvements have carried over into High-A with a 6.3/9.4 K%/BB% in 6 games. It also comes with 2 homers and 6 steals, giving him 11 homers with 32 steals in 56 games overall. This is a 6’4”, 225 pound uber athlete with unmatched upside, and now the plate skills are taking a massive step forward right before our eyes. And he’s doing at High-A as a barely 19 year old. He deserves that #1 spot on non debuted prospect rankings. There is no one else I would rather have.

Roki Sasaki – LAD, RHP, 23.5 – Sasaki has been shut down from throwing and there is a chance he doesn’t return at all this season. He hit the IL in May, after throwing 34.1 IP with a shoulder impingement. This is why I actually predicted this off-season that Roki would still be included on 2026 Prospect lists, ranking him 7th overall on my Predicting the Top 50 2026 Dynasty Prospects Rankings (Patreon), writing ” I don’t want to believe it either, but Sasaki will feel elbow soreness in May, hit the IL, and then succumb to Tommy John surgery with an internal brace procedure after throwing 33.2 IP in the majors.” … Eerily close … I even scare myself sometimes.

Luis Morales – OAK, RHP, 22.8, AAA – The most underrated pitching prospect in baseball is officially starting to conquer one of the hardest places to pitch at. Triple-A is a beast of a challenge these days for all pitchers, with tons dropping off immediately, and Morales got sent to the extra tough Las Vegas in the PCL. But after yesterday, he’s proving my lofty ranking of him (34th overall in the June Top 302 Prospects Ranks) and the hype I’ve been giving him all season is warranted, going 5 IP with 4 hits, 3 ER, and a 9/1 K/BB. All 5 of his pitches were insane whiff machines, leading to a 53% whiff% overall. The 96.4 MPH fastball put up a 36% whiff%, the slider put up an 88% whiff%, the cutter went 3 for 5 on whiffs and the changeup went 2 for 2. He now has a 29.6/8.3 K%/BB% in 26.2 IP at the level. This dude is a near elite pitching prospect, and he doesn’t get nearly that level of hype.

Jonah Tong – NYM, RHP, 21.11, AA – 5 IP, 2 hits, 1 ER, 5/0 K/BB at Double-A. I think this changeup broke both of the batter’s ankles, and almost doesn’t even look real. He had it all working yesterday, blowing mid 90’s heat by guys, dotting the black, vicious breakers, and filthy changeups. It was only his 2nd start of the season with 0 walks, but that 12.3% BB% is more than mitigated by the wild 40.7% K%. And he’s been untouchable with a 1.97 ERA in 59.1 IP. He was an off-season target for me, and now he’s risen to 44th overall on the June Top 302 Prospect Ranks.

Ryan McMahon – COL, 3B, 30.3 – Ryan McMahon is kinda sneakily super intriguing right now. He cracked a 106.1 MPH homer yesterday, and that was his 4th homer in his last 8 games. He’s a 30 year old vet with a 95 wRC+ and a career 90 wRC+, but he’s not the same hitter this year. His bat speed is up almost 2 MPH to 74.4 MPH, and his Pull Air% is up majorly to 17.7% (11.1% in 2024). The 12.7% Barrel%, 94.7 MPH EV, .360 xwOBA and 52.5% Hard Hit% are all career highs. Something is going on here, even if the surface stats are the same as usual. I’m just saying, if he has a crazy 2nd half where he hits like 20 bombs, don’t be completely shocked. He could be a very sneaky acquisition in fantasy leagues right now, and I can’t imagine the price is very high, if not completely free on the waiver wire.

Angel Genao – CLE, SS, 21.0, AA – Genao got a late start to the season due to a shoulder sprain, and after jacking 3 homers in 8 games in rookie ball, he got ahold of his first bomb at Double-A, which unfortunately the camera man was sleeping on, so we only saw the aftermath. This is his first taste of Double-A and the skills are most certainly transferring with a 10.3% K%, .321 BA and 147 wRC+. He’s a bit like the less hyped version of Kevin McGonigle right now, and if he keeps raking, it won’t be less hyped for long.

Luke Adams – MIL, 1B/3B, 21.1, AA – Adams has been quietly destroying Double-A, and it got a lot louder yesterday with him smoking a frozen rope grand slam. He’s now slashing .245/.429/.495 with 11 homers, 9 steals, and a 21.1/16.6 K%/BB% in 56 games. That’s good for a 179 wRC+! He’s lifting and pulling, he’s running, and the great plate approach has completely transferred to the upper minors. He’s doing everything we want of him this season, and I’m pumped to see it as he was a deep FYPD sleeper of mine after getting drafted 372nd overall in 2022. He’s still underrated now, mainly because it’s looking more and more likely that he’s a 1B, but I mean, the OBP, power, speed profile should be good enough to clear that bar. I was buying 3 years ago, and I’m still buying now.

George Wolkow – CHW, OF, 19.5, A – Keep an eye out for Big George, and it sure seems like he’s starting to figure it out a little bit, He smoked his 8th homer in 55 games at Single-A which the fan completely botched the play on, and he’s now slashing .287/.370/.543 with 7 homers, 3 steals, and a 21.3/8.3 K%/BB% in his last 26 games. He’s been showing contact rate gains all season with a 25.4% K%, which is a huge deal, because 6’7”, 240 pound Wolkow has massive power upside, and the 16 steals show the type of athlete he is too. I loved him coming out of the draft, and while there have been some bumps in the road, it looks like he’s in the process of leveling up.

Brandon Walter – HOU, LHP, 28.9 – 6.2 IP, 6 hits, 1 ER, 9/0 K/BB at MIN. This was Walter’s 3rd gem in a row and he now has a 1.53 ERA with a 27.5/1.4 K%/BB% in 17.2 IP. It might feel like Walter came out of nowhere, but I remember when he was getting some near Top 100 buzz a few years ago. When you put up the type of K/BB numbers he has throughout his entire career, you should take notice no matter how fast a guy throws, because once again, K/BB is proving to be King. His 91.7 MPH sinker keeps the ball on the ground, the 88.7 MPH cutter and especially the changeup (.181 xwOBA) keeps righties in check, and the sweeper was his most used pitch in this outing, putting up an 83.6 MPH EV on the season. Even the lesser used 4-seamer dominates when he goes to it with a 55.6 whiff%. And all of his stuff plays up with elite control. He was dominating Triple-A all year with this formula as well. And we know Houston is a great organization. I can’t buy that he’s actually this good, but I think a low WHIP mid rotation starter can definitely be in the cards.

Noah Cameron – KCR, LHP, 25.10 – Nobody wants to believe, and Cameron keeps on humming along, going 5 IP with 4 hits, 0 ER, and a 7/1 K/BB vs. the Athletics. All 5 of his pitches were missing bats in this one, leading to a 32% whiff%, and while the 19.6% K% in 42.1 IP on the season is low, the 26.7% whiff% is well above average. The 92.1 MPH fastball hasn’t been a great pitch with a 8.3% whiff%, but all 4 of his other pitches have been excellent with a +2 Run Value on the changeup, +4 on the slider, +5 on the curve and + 2 on the cutter. He uses all 5 pitches almost equally. It’s led to a 1.91 ERA, and while the 3.07 xERA isn’t as good, that is still a damn good ERA. I’m struggling to truly fully buy into him myself, but he keeps on making his doubters look silly.

Grant Holmes – ATL, RHP, 29.0 – Holmes has been solid all season, but he’s starting to hit another level, especially after yesterday’s gem, going 6.1 IP with 2 hits, 2 ER, and a 15/2 K/BB vs. COL. The 94.5 MPH fastball dominated with a 71.5 MPH EV against and 32% whiff%. The slider was just silly with 16 of 28 whiffs, and the curve and cutter contributed a bit too, leading to a 48% whiff% overall. Even before this outing, the strikeouts were ticking up with 22 K in 14.1 IP (again, not even including yesterday’s start). The 28.1% K% and 28.9% whiff% are now in near elite territory. He was a major target for me this off-season, and everything I liked about him this off-season, is now fully showing up. Well, except the 10.4% BB%, and the 3.97 ERA isn’t exactly dominant, but he’s starting to look really exciting with the uptick in strikeouts of late.

Nick Kurtz – OAK, 1B, 22.3 – Kurtz is going through an adjustment period in the majors, which is to be expected considering he was partying at Wake Forest at this time last year, but he looked comfortable yesterday, smashing a 108 MPH homer off Carlos Estevez on a 2 for 4 day. The huge power has been on full display with a 13.3% Barrel%, 77.8 MPH swing, 92.6 MPH EV and 49.3% Hard Hit%, leading to 6 homers in 33 games. It’s the hit tool that needs some time with a .235 BA and 33.3% K%. He’ll probably always have an elevated strikeout rate, but he has the type of all fields power where he can still have a high BA and hit tons of homers with a mid 20’s K rate, and I’m betting on him being able to bring that K rate down in future seasons. I’m still all in on Kurtz.

Junior Caminero – TBR, 3B, 21.9 – Speaking of getting over that MLB adjustment period hump, Caminero went through the ups and downs in 2024, and now he’s out the other side of it with him cementing himself as one of the top young sluggers in the game. He’s been a homer machine and he cracked his 17th in 65 games with a 103.6 MPH shot yesterday. His 77.9 MPH swing with a 17.8% K% is silly elite, and while the 8.8 degree launch is low, the 21.1% Air Pull% is much better. Dude is an elite young slugger. Simple as that.

Andrew Painter – PHI, RHP, 22.2, AAA – We’ve been staying patient for Painter to shake off that last bit on Tommy John rust, and he looked damn crisp yesterday, going 5 IP with 1 hit, 0 ER, and a 6/2 K/BB at Triple-A. The 4-seamer sat 96.7 MPH and the four secondaries (cutter, curve, change, slider) all missed bats, leading to a 29% whiff% overall. It hasn’t been the pure dominance, perfect pitching prospect performance of his pre surgery days, but this start brings him a bit closer to those days with a 4.35 ERA and 26.3/9.8 K%/BB% in 31 IP. Tommy John is rarely a career ender these days, but it’s not a walk in the park either. Tons of guys have major rust, and some never really return to that tippy top upside. I’m still betting on Painter becoming an ace, but we are seeing that it’s a process coming off the surgery.

Eury Perez – MIA, RHP, 22.1 – Speaking of Tommy John rust, Perez went 4 IP with 4 hits, 1 ER, and a 0/3 K/BB, I mean, good outing, but 0 K’s is wild for him. This coming off his first outing where he gave up 4 ER in 3 IP. This rust was extremely easy to foresee, as it is just part of the process for the vast majority of TJ returnees. The good news is that the stuff is back with a 97.6 MPH fastball, but the control and the secondaries are not fully back. Not to be a downer, but we’ve seen with Shane Baz that there really isn’t a guarantee they ever get fully back to pre surgery levels, but just like with Andrew Painter, I’m betting on Perez getting back to ace level. Definitely stay patient.

Kumar Rocker – TEX, RHP, 25.6 – 5 IP, 4 hits, 0 ER, 6/1 K/BB vs. CHW. I would love to say that Rocker had a statement start here and that he’s back. I would love to say that everyone has given up on this man so fast. But, I mean, it was against the Quad-A White Sox, and the 21% whiff% isn’t very impressive. The 95+ MPH 4-seamer and sinker weren’t particularly great either at inducing weak contact or missing bats. This is still a young, super talented pitcher trying to figure it out, and while some really have seemed to completely give up, I still see the big talent in here. The cutter is coming along and it performed well in this one with a 84.3 MPH EV against and 33% CSW%. He’s got bat missing breakers in his slider and curve. And he’s got huge velocity. He’s still tinkering and he’s still trying to figure out the right pitch mix, but don’t throw in the towel on this man. I would stay patient.

Brady House – WAS, 3B, 22.0 – House got the call to the bigs, and while a lot of places were fading him right off their Top 100’s this off-season, I held strong and ranked him 74th overall, writing, “when evaluating prospects, you have to have an eye towards who they can be, rather than who they are today, and House can definitely still be a middle of the order power bat at peak.” We saw him look more like that potential middle of the order masher in 2025, slashing .304/.353/.519 with 13 homers, 0 steals, and a 26.5/7.1 K%/BB% in 65 games at Triple-A. The power is legit with a 46.2% Hard Hit%, but he’s still really far from a finished product with a below average plate approach and low launch. I would actually be surprised if he stepped into the majors and raked, but his talent deserved patience this off-season, and it will continue to deserve patience even if he struggles in his first taste of the bigs.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ALL SEASON, INCLUDING:
–JUNE 2025 TOP 302 PROSPECTS RANKS
–MAY 2025 TOP 443 DYNASTY RANKS (5/30/25)
-HALP’S DYNASTY BASEBALL PODCAST: MAY MAILBAG! (June Mailbag coming soon)
-TONS OF DYNASTY RUNDOWNS
-PREDICTING THE TOP 50 2026 PROSPECTS RANKS
–SPREADSHEETS

By Michael Halpern (@MichaelCHalpern)
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com
Twitter: Imaginary Brick Wall (@DynastyHalp)
Blue Sky: Dynasty Halp (@ImaginaryBrickWall)