Michael Halpern

Posted on November 5, 2021November 17, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Patreon Post: A Top 100 Sneak Peek of the Top 1,000 2022 Dynasty Baseball Rankings

I’m going to be releasing “Sneak Peeks” of my Top 1,000 Dynasty Baseball Rankings all off-season over on my Patreon. Here is A Top 100 Sneak Peek of the Top 1,000 2022 Dynasty Baseball Rankings:

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE AND TONS OF CONTENT ALL OFF-SEASON, INCLUDING:
-Dynasty Team Reports for every team (Top 10 Prospects/Interesting MLB guys/Strategy Talk)
–Positional Dynasty Rankings
-End of Season 2021 Top 466 Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-End of Season 2021 Top 322 Dynasty Prospects Rankings

Tier 1

1) Shohei Ohtani LAA, RHP/DH, 27.9 –Tatis has a shoulder issue. Acuna tore up his knee. Soto and Vlad don’t steal a ton, and they sure as hell don’t pitch. Yea, Ohtani’s older than them, but we are talking about a 27 year old, not someone approaching the dreaded 3 – 0 (see Mike Trout). He’s changed the definition of “all category” and “across the board” production in fantasy baseball forever. 2022 Projection: 96/37/98/.261/.365/.541/22 – 8/3.48/1.15/150 in 125 IP

2) Juan Soto WASH, OF, 23.5 – The underlying stats were elite all season, but it took until the 2nd half for the surface stats to catch up, slashing a ridiculous .348/.525/.639 in 72 games post break. He was my top pick in all non 5×5 AVG leagues last year (I will be updating those “Universal Rankings” this off-season too), and with his OBP projected to outpace everyone by a large margin, I might actually pick him over Ohtani in those leagues this year too. 5.8 degree launch angle is really the only thing you can quibble with. 2022 Projection: 108/33/103/.318/.460/.575/10

3) Ronald Acuna Jr. ATL, OF, 24.3 – Torn ACL could keep him out for at least a month into 2022, and it will be interesting to see how much he is willing to run when he returns. In the long run, missing a month shouldn’t impact his dynasty value too much, but when we are talking about the elite of the elite, every little bit counts. He would easily slot in at #2 without the injury. 2022 Projection: 99/35/85/.282/.389/.583/19

4) Fernando Tatis Jr. SD, SS, 23.3 – Tatis is foregoing surgery on his left shoulder, which after seeing the year Bellinger just had, I don’t blame him. It does add a layer a risk to an otherwise almost spotless fantasy profile. I say “almost” spotless, because his whiff% jumped up 6.8 percentage points to a pretty dangerous 34.8%. 2022 Projection: 102/39/99/.277/.366/.581/21

5) Vladimir Guerrero Jr. TOR, 1B, 23.0 – Vlad raised his launch angle 4.8 degrees to 9.4 degrees and all hell broke loose as he demolished 48 homers. He maintained his near elite K% and also notched a career high 12.3% BB%. This was the breakout we were promised. 2022 Projection: 113/41/110/.298/.385/.590/3

Tier 2

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

Posted on November 1, 2021December 26, 2021 by Michael Halpern

New York Mets 2022 Dynasty Baseball Report (Top 10 Prospects/Interesting MLB guys/Strategy Talk)

Along with a Top 10 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Ranking, I wanted to highlight some interesting MLB guys and talk some team specific strategy for every team to give a more complete Dynasty Team Report. Like during the regular season, I’m still going to be posting a few articles a month for free on my website. This is one of those articles. Here is the New York Mets 2022 Dynasty Baseball Report (Top 10 Prospects/Interesting MLB guys/Strategy Talk):

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF CONTENT ALL OFF-SEASON, INCLUDING:
–A Top 18 Sneak Peek of my 2022 Top 1,000 Dynasty Baseball Rankings with more early releases coming all off-season
-Dynasty Team Reports for every team (Top 10 Prospects/Interesting MLB guys/Strategy Talk)
–Positional Dynasty Rankings
-End of Season 2021 Top 466 Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-End of Season 2021 Top 322 Dynasty Prospects Rankings

Previous Teams on Patreon
Arizona Diamondbacks–Baltimore Orioles=Chicago White Sox=Miami Marlins–Milwaukee Brewers–Minnesota Twins–New York Yankees–Oakland Athletics–Philadelphia Phillies–Seattle Mariners–St. Louis Cardinals

Hitters

Francisco Lindor NYM, SS, 28.4 – Baseball players are human beings. When you’ve spent your entire career, from the time you were 17 years old, with one organization, it is going to take time to adjust to a new city, new fans, new teammates, coaches, expectations etc … And that goes doubly when that new city is New York. And even if you don’t buy into all that mumbo jumbo, his underlying numbers in 2021 were almost exactly in line with career norms. He just got a bit unlucky this year. One thing slightly outside of his career norms was that he swung and missed at a career worst rate (23.2% whiff%), but he offset that with a career best 11.1% BB%. Lindor is an easy buy this off-season. 2022 Projection: 93/29/85/.267/.344/.482/17

Pete Alonso NYM, 1B, 27.4 – Alonso quietly took a huge step forward with his contact ability, notching career bests in K% (19.9% vs. 25.5% in 2020) and whiff% (24.9% vs. 30.4% in 2020). He also had a career best 91 MPH EV. And while it led to an excellent season (37 homers and a 133 wRC+ in 152 games), there is now potential for him to put up some truly historic seasons as he enters his peak years. I would buy high on Alonso. 2022 Projection: 94/45/112/.268/.357/.561/2

Starting Pitchers

Jacob deGrom NYM, RHP, 33.9 – You almost have to do a double take when looking at deGrom’s season numbers. 1.08 ERA? 0.55 WHIP? 45.1%/3.4% K%/BB%? Give me a second to pick my jaw up off the ground. Of course, in this flawed universe we live in, there always has to be a yang to the yin. He put up those numbers in only 92 IP because of a partial tear in the UCL of his elbow. He already started to throw side sessions at the end of September, so the hope is that he will be 100% for 2022, but it certainly adds a healthy dose of injury risk. 2022 Projection: 13/2.48/0.93/258 in 175 IP

Tylor Megill NYM, RHP, 26.8 – Megill quickly cruised through the upper levels of the minors before immediately impressing in his MLB debut, putting up a 26.1%/7.1% K%/BB% and 3.87 xERA in 89.2 IP. He has the stuff to back up the numbers with an above average 3 pitch mix led by his 94.6 MPH fastball. His 4.52 ERA should keep the hype in check, and I’m planning on grabbing Megill for cheap in every size league I play in this off-season. 2022 Projection: 8/3.90/1.27/161 in 155 IP

Bullpen

Edwin Diaz NYM, Closer, 28.0 – Diaz’ ERA jumped to 3.45, but everything in his underlying numbers shows he is still elite with a 2.63 xERA. His 4 seamer and slider both hit a career high in velocity at 98.8 MPH and 90.6 MPH. His strikeouts did dip a bit, but with a 35.1% whiff% and 34.6% K%, he is still in rarified air. 2022 Projection: 3/2.76/1.10/94/34 saves in 61 IP

New York Mets Top 10 Dynasty Baseball Prospects

1) Francisco Alvarez NYM, C, 20.4 – Alvarez is a bulldog at the plate at 5’10”, 233 pounds with massive raw power and a precocious plate approach. He put up a silly 227 wRC+ with a 10.4%/22.4% K%/BB% in 15 games at the age appropriate Single-A before he went to High-A and bashed 22 homers in 82 games. This is a do it all, middle of the order bat who has a good chance of sticking at catcher. Rutschman is going to have some competition for that top spot in a couple years. ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 78/30/92/.272/.355/.495/4

2) Mark Vientos NYM, 3B, 22.4 – Vientos is 6’4, 185 pounds and was a power breakout waiting to happen. It happened. He crushed 22 homers in 72 games at Double-A and then he cracked 3 homers in 11 games at Triple-A to close the season. His strikeout rate spiked with the power to 28.4% at Double-A (30.2% at Triple-A), so there is risk, but his power has true elite potential. ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 76/32/88/.248/.327/.502/1

3) Brett Baty NYM, 3B, 22.4 – Baty personifies the proverbial “professional at-bat.” He slashed .292/.382/.473 with 12 homers and a 25.5%/11.9% K%/BB% in 91 games split between High-A and Double-A. There is some swing and miss to his game (39.3% K% in 13 AFL games) and while he has at least plus power, his groundball percentage is way too high to take advantage of it (61.2% at Double-A). He would rank #2 on an OBP Ranking. ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 83/25/81/.269/.353/.477/4

4) Alex Ramirez NYM, OF, 19.2 – I fell in love with Ramirez the second I saw his Youtube international prospect hype videos a few years ago. He remains a high upside lottery ticket who the Mets thought enough of to send straight to full season ball for his pro debut. He managed to hold his own with a near average 96 wRC+ and a respectable triple-slash of .258/.326/..384 with 5 homers, 16 steals and a 31.1%/6.9% K%/BB% in 76 games. He’s a projectable 6’3”, 170 pounds with a wicked righty swing and a potentially plus power/speed combo. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 78/23/81/.263/.331/.452/17

5) Ronny Mauricio NYM, SS, 21.0 – The power breakout arrived for the 6’3” Mauricio as he ripped 20 homers in 108 games at mostly High-A (1 homer in 8 games at Triple-A). He also cranked out this bomb a few days ago in LIDOM (Dominican Winter League). The plate approach is still raw with a 24.7%/5.7% K%/BB%, but 2021 was a step in the right direction to reaching his considerable upside. ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 74/24/81/.261/.323/.465/7

6) Matt Allan NYM, RHP, 20.11 – Allan underwent Tommy John surgery in May of 2021 which may keep him out until towards the end of the 2022 season. When healthy, he throws a mid 90’s fastball with a plus, high spin rate curveball and a changeup that was getting rave reviews at the alt site in 2020. He’s only pitched 10.1 professional innings in his career, and is now undergoing major arm surgery, so the risk is high, but so is the upside. ETA: 2024 Prime Projection: 12/3.83/1.25/175 in 160 IP

7) Khalil Lee NYM, OF, 23.9 – Lee has put up elite walk rates throughout his career and it hit a crescendo in 2021 with a career high 18.3% BB% in 102 games at Triple-A. It led to an impressive .951 OPS. He also has plus speed and plus raw power, but his high groundball rates (51.5%) and poor stolen base percentage (8 for 18 in 2021) makes it hard to project big homer and steal totals. His strikeout rates have also always been high with a 29.6% mark in 2021. It’s an interesting mix of tools and skills that has a very wide range of outcomes. 2022 Projection: 31/5/27/.222/.308/.391/4 Prime Projection: 77/18/74/.244/.333/.431/12

8) J.T. Ginn NYM, RHP, 22.10 – Ginn induces extreme groundball rates (64.1% at High-A) with a low 90’s, heavy sinking two seamer that generates a ton of drop and tail action. He combines that with a plus slider and developing changeup. It resulted in a strong season in the lower minors with a pitching line of 3.03/1.05/81/22 in 92 IP split between Single-A and High-A. He had also just undergone Tommy John surgery in March 2020, so he should only get stronger from here. ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 10/4.06/1.28/159 in 165 IP

9) Carlos Rincon NYM, OF, 24.6 – The 6’3” Rincon has beastly raw power and he has been able to get to all of it his entire professional career with 94 home runs in 479 career games. It was more of the same in 2021 with 22 homers in 101 games at Double-A. He doesn’t have any problem keeping the ball off the ground and while his strikeout rates have always been high, a 26.8% mark in 2021 isn’t that bad. 2022 Projection: 6/2/11/.218/.291/.415/1 Prime Projection: 66/22/72/.243/.318/.475/3

10) Jose Butto NYM, RHP, 24.0 – Butto is the type of pitcher to work fast and throw the ball over the plate. A nasty changeup is his money maker and he combines that with an average slider and a low 90’s fastball that seems pretty hittable. He put together a strong year split between High-A and Double-A with a pitching line of 3.83/1.10/110/24 in 98.2 IP. He has a 4/5 starter profile with mid rotation upside if the fastball or breaking ball tick up. 2022 Projection: 1/4.52/1.35/27 in 30 IP Prime Projection: 8/4.24/1.31/153 in 160 IP

Just Missed

11) Joel Diaz NYM, RHP, 18.1

12) Calvin Ziegler NYM, RHP, 19.6

13) Dominic Hamel NYM, RHP, 23.1

14) Carlos Cortes NYM, OF, 24.5

Strategy Talk

It seemed like things were headed in the right direction when Steve Cohen took over as owner, but it’s been nothing but a hilarity of errors since then. They’ve been turned down by everyone with a pulse for their open front office job. And it turns out one of the people involved in that search is none other than noted baseball mind Chris Christie. Their former GM got fired for a DWI after attending a party at Cohen’s house earlier that night. And all of this just makes me think of a story of one of my favorite comedians, Chris Distefano, told about bombing in front of Steve Cohen at his birthday. He might be a good time to hang out with, but I’m not sure I would want him owning my favorite baseball team. What does all this mean for dynasty owners? Admittedly not much because we still don’t know who is going to be running the show, and the Mets haven’t had any major issues developing talent, except when it comes to pitcher injuries. Even with the circus like atmosphere, I wouldn’t shy away from Mets prospects.

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

Posted on October 18, 2021November 12, 2021 by Michael Halpern

St. Louis Cardinals 2022 Dynasty Baseball Report (Top 10 Prospects/Interesting MLB guys/Strategy Talk)

I decided to switch it up a little bit, and instead of only doing a Top 10 Prospect list, I wanted to highlight some MLB guys too and talk some team specific strategy for every team to give a more complete Dynasty Team Report. Like during the regular season, I’m still going to be posting a few articles a month for free on my website. This is one of those articles. Here is the St. Louis Cardinals 2022 Dynasty Baseball Report (Top 10 Prospects/Interesting MLB guys/Strategy Talk):

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF CONTENT ALL OFF-SEASON, INCLUDING:
-Dynasty Team Reports for every team (Top 10 Prospects/Interesting MLB guys/Strategy Talk)
–Positional Dynasty Rankings
-A slow rollout and early access to my 2022 Top 1,000 Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-End of Season 2021 Top 466 Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-End of Season 2021 Top 322 Dynasty Prospects Rankings

Previous Team Reports on Patreon
Arizona Diamondbacks/Baltimore Orioles/Chicago White Sox/Miami Marlins/Milwaukee Brewers/Minnesota Twins/New York Yankees/Oakland Athletics/Philadelphia Phillies/St. Louis Cardinals

Hitters

Tyler O’Neill STL, OF, 26.9 – Who needs a good plate approach anyway? O’Neill is just a power/speed glutton, smashing 34 homers with a 93 MPH EV, and stealing 15 bags with a 29.7 ft/s sprint speed. There is tons of risk with a 31.3%/7.1% K%/BB% and 34.7% whiff%, but you can’t rule out improvement there with only 892 MLB AB under his belt. The BA is certainly coming down, but the power/speed combo is elite, and I’m willing to take on the risk for that upside 2022 Projection: 85/32/86/.263/.337/.510/13

Dylan Carlson STL, OF, 23.5 – Carlson is basically the anti Tyler O’Neill, putting together a yawner of a year, but sometimes boring can be good. He put up a 113 wRC+ in his rookie year which is quite good, he showed a mature plate approach with a 24.6%/9.2% K%/BB%, and he showed the ability to lift the ball with a 15.1 degree launch angle. He also popped off in his final 16 games with 5 homers and a 1.157 OPS to show what could be in store for the future. Carlson is a major buy this off-season. 2022 Projection: 89/23/79/.273/.350/.468/5

Starting Pitching

Jack Flaherty STL, RHP, 26.6 – I’m starting to grow a bit concerned with Flaherty. He put up a 5.07 xERA in 2020 and a 4.83 xERA in 2021. He missed time with an oblique strain earlier in the year and then with a shoulder strain later in the year, and his velocity was down a bit when he returned from those injuries. I guess you can look at this as a buying opportunity, but I would be hesitant to buy at name value price right now. If you can get a discount, then by all means. 2022 Projection: 10/3.83/1.18/181 in 168 IP

Adam Wainwright STL, RHP, 40.7 – Wainwright is a reminder that age can be such a dominating factor for dynasty owners, that older players can consistently get undervalued. He was a major reason why the eventual champion in my 12 team QS Dynasty League pulled away from the pack in the 2nd half of the season after I stupidly turned down multiple opportunities to trade for him myself before the deadline (I snuck into 2nd place on the final day of the season). He’s outperformed his xERA, xFIP, and FIP for the last 3 years, so I’m not exactly going after him, but I’m not going to completely dismiss him either. 2022 Projection: 11/3.95/1.27/156 in 175 IP

Bullpen

Alex Reyes STL, RHP, 27.7 – Reyes rightfully lost the closer job to Gallegos late in the year, and now has his eye on a rotation spot for 2022. He certainly has the arsenal to do it with a 5 pitch mix headlined by a 96.6 MPH 4-seamer and an elite slider, but his control is truly atrocious with a 16.4% BB%. He’s the ultimate high risk/high reward pitcher. If he improves his control, there is legitimate ace upside, but there is also a really good chance he ends up a high WHIP middle reliever. I’m prone to lean upside in fantasy, so I’ll definitely be willing to “overpay” by a few bucks (or a few rounds) in leagues where he is available this off-season. 2022 Projection: 7/3.89/1.34/130 in 115 IP

St. Louis Cardinals Top 10 Dynasty Prospects

1) Nolan Gorman STL, 3B/2B, 21.11 – Gorman’s hit tool took a huge step forward this year. He brought his K% down to 22% in the upper levels of the minors (29.7% in 2019), and he didn’t sacrifice much power with 25 homers in 119 games (and he’s already knocked one out in 3 games in the Arizona Fall League). The ingredients are there for him to become a complete middle of the order masher. 2022 Projection: 38/12/36/.248/.312/.445/2 Prime Projection: 83/28/90/.266/.339/.491/4

2) Jordan Walker STL, 3B, 19.10 – Walker has huge raw power at 6’5”, 220 pounds, and he got to a lot of it in his pro debut with 25 doubles, 4 triples, and 14 homers in 82 games split between Single-A and High-A. He’s also a good athlete for his size as he snagged 14 bags. While his plate approach regressed at High-A (27%/6.1% K%/BB%), it looked more advanced than expected at the age appropriate Single-A (17.2%/14.8% K%/BB%). He’s far from a finished product, but there is star upside. ETA: 2024 Prime Projection: 86/29/93/.262/.344/.502/8

3) Juan Yepez STL, 1B/3B/OF, 24.0 – Yepez completely destroyed the upper levels of the minors, slashing .286/.383/.586 with 27 homers and a 18.9%/11.8% K%/BB% in 111 games at mostly Triple-A. He carried that right over to the Arizona Fall League, going 3 for 10 with a homer, double, and 2/1 K/BB in 3 games. He’s always made solid contact throughout his minor league career and was showing seeds of a power breakout in 2019 before exploding in 2021. He’s not great on defense and he doesn’t exactly have a position, but you can’t ignore those offensive numbers. 2022 Projection: 21/5/25/.241/.303/.434/1 Prime Projection: 73/24/81/.258/.325/.470/3

4) Matthew Liberatore STL, LHP, 22.5 – Liberatore was given an aggressive assignment, jumping straight from Single-A in 2019 to Triple-A in 2021. He was a bit up and down in the first half, but he finished the season strong with a 2.55 ERA and 53/14 K/BB in his final 53 IP, which is a great sign. He doesn’t have overpowering stuff, but he has plus command of a 4 pitch mix and he knows how to pitch. 2022 Projection: 4/4.37/1.32/73 in 80 IP Prime Projection: 12/3.91/1.22/182 in 190 IP

5) Masyn Winn STL, SS/RHP, 20.0 – Winn might actually have a shot at being a two way player as he has explosive tools as both a pitcher and hitter. At the very least it gives him a legitimate back up plan if he can’t make enough of an impact at the plate. As for his hitting, he didn’t show much power in his pro debut with only 5 homers in 97 games split between Single-A and High-A, but there is more power coming down the line, and he had the wheels working with 32 steals in 37 attempts (obligatory disclaimer: rule changes made stealing bases easier at Single-A and High-A). He put up a 112 wRC+ in 61 games at Single-A before struggling at High-A with a 48 wRC+ in 36 games. As a pitcher, St. Louis gave him one inning towards the end of the season to show his stuff, and he impressed with a mid 90’s fastball and a nasty breaking ball. He pitched a clean inning with one K. ETA: 2024 Prime Projection: 77/15/62/.261/.320/.415/17 – 2/3.95/1.31/36 in 30 IP

6) Joshua Baez STL, OF, 18.9 – Drafted 54th overall in the 2021 MLB Draft, Baez was one of the youngest players in the draft and has one of the best power projections, notching a 102 MPH exit velocity at a Perfect Game event. He’s also relatively fast with a 6.67 60 yard dash time, showing he is not just a lumbering slugger. He doesn’t project for major strikeout issues, but there is some swing and miss to his game. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 79/25/84/.253/.336/.473/8

7) Ivan Herrera STL, C, 21.10 – Power broke out with 17 homers in 98 games at Double-A (played 1 game at Triple-A), and the plate approach remained strong with a 22%/13.7% K%/BB%. He’s not going to be a league winner, but he should be in the top 12 catcher conversation at peak. ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 69/20/73/.271/.342/.448/2

8) Alec Burleson STL, OF, 23.4 – Burleson was drafted 70th overall in 2020 on the back of his strong hit tool, but there was definitely more power in the tank at 6’2”, 212 pounds. That power was unleashed in 2021 as he cracked 22 homers in 119 games split between 3 levels (A+/AA/AAA). He didn’t sacrifice his hit tool to get to it either as he put up a 20.1%/8.3% K%/BB%. The ceiling might not be huge, but he has a chance to be a damn good overall hitter. 2022 Projection: 8/2/11/.245/.300/.410/0 Prime Projection: 68/20/75/.273/.330/.453/2

9) Michael McGreevy STL, RHP, 21.9 – Drafted 18th overall in the 2021 MLB Draft, McGreevy is a control artist who had a 1.5 BB/9 in his college career over 189.1 IP. The stuff isn’t huge with a low 90’s sinker and 3 secondaries (curve-best secondary, slider, change), but he’s young for his class and there could be more in the tank. ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 10/4.18/1.26/158 in 170 IP

10) Lars Nootbaar STL, OF, 24.7 – Tink Hence was originally in this #10 spot, but Nootbaar’s AFL performance made me rethink that. He’s going bonkers in Arizona, slashing .314/.437/.643 with 5 homers and a 15/14 K/BB in 18 games. He held his own in his MLB debut with a 101 wRC+, an above average 89.1 MPH exit velocity and an advanced plate approach (22.6%/10/5% K%/BB%). He’s never stolen many bases, but he does have speed with a 28.4 ft/sec sprint speed. I’m worried he’s only a part time player, which is why I didn’t have him in the top 10 to begin with, but he deserves to crack this list. 2022 Projection: 41/10/38/.258/.327/.420/2 Prime Projection: 74/19/68/.272/.338/.448/4

11) Tink Hence STL, RHP, 19.8 – Hence was the 63rd overall pick in the 2020 Draft. He shows good control of a fastball that can reach 96 MPH, to go along with a plus slider and developing changeup. He has an easy delivery with lightening quick arm speed. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 9/4.12/1.28/167 in 160 IP

Just Missed

12) Luken Baker STL, 1B, 25.1

13) Brendan Donovan STL, 3B/2B, 25.2

14) Zack Thompson STL, LHP, 24.5

Strategy

St. Louis is known for their keen eye on drafting underrated hitters and their top notch ability to develop them. They do such a good job of it that there always seems to be a logjam for playing time, and it can be hard for them to know which ones to keep and which ones to trade. The ones they kept finally had big years, O’Neill especially, but Bader too. Guys like Burleson and Yepez fit this mold exactly, and both will almost certainly end up better values than it will cost to acquire them this off-season. If they can’t find playing time in St. Louis, they will get flipped to a team that does have room for them.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF CONTENT ALL OFF-SEASON, INCLUDING:
-Dynasty Reports for every team (Top 10 Prospects/Interesting MLB guys/Strategy Talk)
–Positional Dynasty Rankings
-A slow rollout and early access to my Top 1,000 Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-End of Season Top 466 2021 Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-End of Season Top 322 Dynasty Prospects Rankings

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

Posted on September 27, 2021March 15, 2022 by Michael Halpern

Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (9/27/21)

I’ll be running down everything that caught my eye in the Dynasty Baseball world on most Mondays throughout the season. Here is the Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (9/27/21):

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF CONTENT THE REST OF THE SEASON AND ALL OFF-SEASON, INCLUDING:
-Top 466 September 2021 Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-Top 322 September 2021 Dynasty Prospects Rankings
-2021/22 Top 50 First Year Player Draft Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-Tons of Dynasty Rundowns
-Off-season content: Team Prospect Lists, Positional Dynasty Rankings, and early access to the Top 1,000 Dynasty Baseball Rankings

Paul Goldschmidt STL, 1B, 34.0 – On July 1st, I named Goldy one of my 10 Dynasty Baseball Players to Target on my Patreon, concluding the blurb by writing, “There is potential for him to have an absolutely monster 2nd half, and considering his age, he should come at a very reasonable price.” I can now humbly say, I fucking nailed that one. Goldy homered again yesterday, and is now slashing .338/.412/.624 with 20 homers, 7 steals, and a 62/37 K/BB in 74 games since making that recommendation. I know many of my Patrons took me up on that advice, and I couldn’t be more pumped for them.

Shane Baz TB, RHP, 22.3 – Baz rose to 8th overall on my End of Season Top 322 Dynasty Prospects Rankings, and he then went out and obliterated Miami, going 5.2 IP with 3 hits, 0 earned, and a 9/1 K/BB. His fastball sat 96.2 MPH and all 4 of his pitches were getting whiffs with a 39% whiff% overall. He’s a budding ace.

Jarred Kelenic SEA, OF, 22.1 – 2 for 4 with a 104.5 MPH homer off Shohei Ohtani. Kelenic has 6 homers, 2 steals, and a .926 OPS over his last 19 games. I’m keeping the faith, ranking him 40th on my September Dynasty Rankings. His .303 xwOBA is not that far off from the MLB average, which ain’t too shabby for a 21/22 year old getting his first taste of the bigs.

MJ Melendez KC, C, 22.11 – Melendez is running through the finish line as he blasted 2 more dingers yesterday for his 40th and 41st of the season. They must be feeding the catchers in KC something different because Salvador Perez broke the record for most home runs by a catcher with 46. Melendez is certainly a target this off-season because I’m still not sure the hype matches his potential production. Perez I’m staying away from because buying a 31 year old catcher coming off a record breaking career year seems foolish.

Spencer Torkelson DET, 3B/1B, 22.1 – After Witt and Julio, the battle for the #3 overall dynasty prospect is up for a grabs, and I have Tork leading the way of that 2nd tier. He drilled his 10th homer in 35 games at Triple-A, and his K% has actually been slightly better than it was at Double-A with a 21.3% K%.

Oneil Cruz PIT, SS, 22.10 – Cruz has been a man possessed in his 4 game Triple-A cup of coffee, going 6 for 14 with 3 homers, 1 steal, and a 5/5 K/BB. It is just a continuation of what he was doing at Double-A as he has a 1.181 OPS over his last 15 games. At 6’7”, there might always be some strikeouts to his game, but the power/speed combo has the potential to be scary.

Byron Buxton MIN, OF, 27.9 – Buxton smashed a 100.8 MPH dinger off Alek Manoah as he has officially shook the rust off since returning from a fractured hand, slashing .273/.341/.584 with 6 homers, 2 steals, and a 21/6 K/BB in his last 20 games. I can’t quit Buxton, ranking him 55th overall in my September Top 466 Dynasty Baseball Rankings, and while I know the injury risk is off the charts, I have faith the injury gods will smile down on him one of these years, and it will be glorious.

Alek Manoah TOR, RHP, 23.7 – Speaking of Manoah, he pitched well yet again, going 5.2 IP with 6 hits, 2 ER, and a 8/2 K/BB. His slider was insanely filthy with a 77% whiff% on the pitch.

Nick Pratto KC, 1B, 23.1 – Pratto closed out his resurrection season by smashing his 34th homer. It seems like everyone in KC’s farm system has gone bonkos this year, setting them up quite nicely for the next 6+ years before they can’t afford to resign any of them.

Oswaldo Cabrera NYY, SS/2B/3B, 22.6 – Cabrera is the forgotten child with Volpe and Peraza overshadowing him, but he dropped a 20/20 season (27 homers and 21 steals) this year in the upper minors. He went out in style with this bomb at Triple-A. The swing looks mighty sweet from the left side, but his righty swing hasn’t been as effective with a .608 OPS vs. lefties at Double-A.

Cody Morris CLE, RHP, 24.10 – 4.2 IP, 2 hits, 1 ER, 7/2 K/BB at Triple-A. Morris has been nothing short of phenomenal this year with a 1.62 ERA and 93/20 K/BB in 61 IP. He’s not young, and shoulder soreness delayed the start of his season until July, so there are some red flags, but Cleveland looks to have made themselves another under the radar gem.

Vidal Brujan TB, 2B, 23.8 – The power may have disappeared after his early season binge, but his bread and butter, speed, kept chugging as Brujan nabbed his 43rd steal yesterday in 49 attempts over 99 games. He’s still right on a schedule for a mid 20’s blow up with plus contact, a plus plate approach, double plus speed and developing power.

Hans Crouse PHI, RHP, 23.0 – Crouse made his MLB debut vs Pitt and went 3 IP with 2 hits, 1 ER and a 1/4 K/BB. His sinker sat 93 MPH and he relied heavily on his slider, throwing it 42% of the time. He induced weak contact with all three of his pitches, notching a 79.7 MPH against. Looking at Pitt’s lineup, I think I could have actually induced some weak contact too with my playground style sidearm delivery.

Tyler O’Neill STL, OF, 25.10 – Here’s what I wrote about O’Neill on my March 15th Monday Morning Dynasty Rundown, “Tyler O’Neill was one of the first players I ever wrote a sleeper post for in February 2016, and when I did, I did not expect for him to still be a sleeper in 2021! But here we are, and he is. O’Neill went 3 for 3 with a double and 0 K’s yesterday and is now hitting .476 with 2 homers and 5 K’s in 21 at-bats. He looks locked into a starting job. I told you he was a sleeper in 2016, and there is still time to buy! 😉” I gave you guys a 5 year cushion to get in on him! He put it all together this year with 32 homers and 14 steals, but his 34.9% whiff% still makes him a major batting average risk going into 2022.

Shohei Ohtani LAA, RHP/DH, 27.2 – 7 IP, 5 hits, 1 ER, 10/0 K/BB and also 1 for 3 with 0 K’s vs. Seattle

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

Posted on September 22, 2021September 23, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Patreon Post: Top 322 September 2021 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings

I went tiers on this one, because why not? Here is the Top 322 September 2021 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings:

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE AND TONS OF CONTENT THE REST OF THE SEASON AND ALL OFF-SEASON, INCLUDING:
-Top 466 September 2021 Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-2021/22 Top 50 First Year Player Draft Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-Tons of Dynasty Rundowns
-Off-season content: Team Prospect Lists, Positional Dynasty Rankings, and early access to the Top 1,000 Dynasty Baseball Rankings

Tier 1

1) Bobby Witt Jr. KC, SS, 21.3 – Your only job if you have Witt or Julio in your farm system is to resist the urge to trade them for the inevitable Trevor Story offer

2) Julio Rodriguez SEA, OF, 20.9

Tier 2

3) Spencer Torkelson DET, 3B/1B, 22.1

4) Brennen Davis CHC, OF, 21.11 – Put the cherry on top of his awesome season with 3 homers in 6 games at Triple-A

5) Riley Greene DET, OF, 21.0

6) CJ Abrams SD, SS, 21.0

7) Grayson Rodriguez BAL, RHP, 21.11 – Pitchers hold more risk. There is no way around that, but at some point you have to shoot your shot. Rodriguez and Baz are two great pitchers to shoot your shot on.

8) Shane Baz TB, RHP, 22.3 – Talk of the baseball town after showing off his elite stuff on the MLB stage. He went 5 IP with 2 hits, 2 ER, and a 5/0 K/BB vs. Toronto yesterday. The fastball sat 96.9 MPH and his slider dominated with a 50% whiff% and 40% usage rate.

9) Adley Rutschman BAL, C, 23.8

Tier 3

10) Zac Veen COL, OF, 19.8

11) Noelvi Marte SEA, OF, 19.11

12) Vidal Brujan TB, 2B, 23.8

13) Anthony Volpe NYY, SS, 20.5 – It took him 14 games to hit his first homer this year, and then he didn’t take a breath as he smashed 27 homers in 95 games the rest of the way

14) Marco Luciano SF, SS, 20.0 – Never turned it on at High-A, struggling to the very end with a .542 OPS and 17 K’s in 13 games in September

15) Jasson Dominguez NYY, OF, 18.8 – It wasn’t a perfect season, but he ended up an above average hitter as an 18 year old in full season ball with a 105 wRC+

16) Luis Matos SF, OF, 19.7 – Closed the season on a homer binge with 3 homers in his last 7 games. It gives him a respectable 15 homers on the season in 109 games

17) Corbin Carroll ARI, OF, 21.1

18) Robert Hassell SD, OF, 20.1 – K% jumped to 28.7% at High-A in 18 games, but the power jumped with it with a 48.1% FB% and 4 homers

19) Hunter Greene CIN, RHP, 22.2 – He may have hit a wall at the end of the season after pitching the most innings of his career by far (106.1 IP) with a 5.23 ERA and 19/8 K/BB in his last 20.2 IP

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

Posted on September 7, 2021September 10, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Patreon Post: Top 465 September 2021 Dynasty Baseball Rankings

I’m finishing the season strong with the final Updated Dynasty Baseball Rankings before I go over 1,000 deep this off-season. Here is the Top 465 September 2021 Dynasty Baseball Rankings:

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE AND TONS OF CONTENT THE REST OF THE SEASON AND ALL OFF-SEASON, INCLUDING:
-Top 316 August 2021 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings
-2021/22 Top 50 First Year Player Draft Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-Tons of Dynasty Rundowns
-Off-season content: Team Prospect Lists, Positional Dynasty Rankings, and early access to the Top 1,000 Dynasty Baseball Rankings

1) Shohei Ohtani LAA, RHP/DH, 27.2 – I’ve officially run out of shit to say for him. I’m speechless (written word less?)

2) Fernando Tatis Jr. SD, SS, 22.9 – Announced in this interview that his move to the outfield is temporary and he isn’t planning on getting off-season shoulder surgery. He’s attempted only 1 steal in his last 18 games since returning from his latest shoulder injury. I think it is fair to wonder if he will continue to be more cautious on the base paths moving forward.

3) Vlad Guerrero Jr. TOR, 1B, 22.6 – Had been slumping a bit with a .672 OPS in 26 games from Aug 3-29, but he broke out of it in a big way with 4 homers in his last 7 games.

4) Juan Soto WASH, OF, 22.11 – .505 OBP post all star break.

5) Ronald Acuna ATL, OF, 23.9

6) Bo Bichette TOR, SS, 23.6 – Has only been caught stealing once all year in 22 attempts

7) Trea Turner LAD, SS, 28.2

8) Kyle Tucker HOU, OF, 23.9 – Hasn’t struck out a single time in his last 37 PA and has a .818 SLG over that time

9) Ozzie Albies ATL, 2B, 24.8 – Homered in 3 straight games and has 9 homers in his last 23 games.

10) Luis Robert CHW, OF, 24.1 – 16.8% K% since returning is insanely encouraging. He’s also smacked 6 homers in those 21 games

11) Wander Franco TB, SS, 20.6 – Homer and steal totals aren’t huge with 7 homers and 2 steals in 59 games, but trading a 20-year-old Franco for one of the 28 year olds ranked after him seems like a decision you will regret pretty quickly.

12) Bryce Harper PHI, OF, 28.10 – Smoked 13 homers in his last 38 games

13) Mookie Betts LAD, OF, 28.11 – .667 OPS in his last 11 games since returning from right hip inflammation

14) Jose Ramirez CLE, 3B, 28.10 – Picked up the pace on the bases with 9 steals in his last 26 games

15) Rafael Devers BOS, 3B, 24.10

16) Mike Trout LAA, OF, 30.1

17) Yordan Alvarez HOU, OF, 24.2

18) Corbin Burnes MIL, RHP, 26.11

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE AND TONS OF CONTENT THE REST OF THE SEASON AND ALL OFF-SEASON, INCLUDING:
-Top 316 August 2021 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings
-2021/22 Top 50 First Year Player Draft Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-Tons of Dynasty Rundowns
-Team Prospect Lists, Positional Dynasty Rankings, and early access to the Top 1,000 Dynasty Baseball Rankings

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

Posted on August 25, 2021August 26, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Patreon Post: Top 314 August 2021 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings

I was very strict with my definition of a prospect in this one. Any player currently in the majors was excluded. Here is the Top 314 August 2021 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE AND TONS OF CONTENT THE REST OF THE SEASON AND ALL OFF-SEASON, INCLUDING:
-Top 422 August 2021 Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-2021/22 Top 50 First Year Player Draft Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-Tons of Dynasty Rundowns
-10 Dynasty Baseball Players to Target
-Dynasty Baseball Trade Strategies at the Halfway Point (Contending, Mid Pack, Rebuilding)

1) Bobby Witt Jr. KC, SS, 21.2 – He destroyed Spring Training. He obliterated Double-A. He’s annihilating Triple-A. MLB … you’re next

2) Julio Rodriguez SEA, OF, 20.8 – Plate approach has been better than Witt’s in the minors, so I might lean Julio in a league where speed is devalued, but Witt’s speed puts him over the top in a 5×5.

3) Brennen Davis CHC, OF, 21.10 – Strikeout rate has improved tremendously in his last 25 games at Double-A with a 22.4%/14.3% K%/BB%. He’s only 7 for 11 in stolen base attempts in 73 games on the year, so while he will contribute in stolen bases, he may not get close to 20

4) CJ Abrams SD, SS, 20.11 – With Tatis playing outfield, it now looks like the shortstop position is Abrams to lose in the long run.

5) Marco Luciano SF, SS, 19.11 – Strikeout rate has spiked to 42.9% in 17 games at High-A, but we’ve seen Luciano play this game before at a new level. Fool me once …

6) Spencer Torkelson DET, 3B/1B, 22.0– First six games at Triple-A have been rough with a 8/0 K/BB and a .465 OPS. Even if he doesn’t end up dominating the level by the end of the season (and I think he will), it’s been a hell of a year in his first year of pro ball.

7) Riley Greene DET, OF, 20.11 – Strikeouts are a concern with his K% rising to 38.5% at Triple-A (27.3% at Double-A), but considering his age relative to level, that should come down over time.

8) Zac Veen COL, OF, 19.7 – Continued to kill it in August, slashing .400/.467/.631 in 17 games.

9) Vidal Brujan TB, 2B, 23.7 – He hasn’t hit single homer since being sent back down, but he’s been an absolute hit machine with a 7.8% K% and .352 BA in 23 games. He also has a 13.6% BB% and 17 stolen bases over that time.

10) Noelvi Marte SEA, OF, 19.10 – He might be ready for a promotion as he’s ripped up Single-A in August with a .965 OPS and 8 steals in 18 games

11) Luis Matos SF, OF, 19.6 – He’s powering up with 9 homers in his last 49 games

12) Adley Rutschman BAL, C, 23.7 – Hasn’t missed a beat at Triple-A, maintaining his near elite 15.2% K% and putting up a 162 wRC+ in 10 games

13) Corbin Carroll ARI, OF, 21.0 – I’m seeing him being traded for a mighty reasonable price. The shoulder injury seems to have created a buying opportunity.

14) Grayson Rodriguez BAL, RHP, 21.10 – He always seems to have a bad start right before I update these rankings. He gave up 5 earned in 3.2 IP on Sunday, but he has continued to dominate the level with a 2.92 ERA (2.67 xFIP). I can see pushing Rodriguez up to as high as 9th on this list if you prefer the pitcher.

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

Posted on August 23, 2021August 23, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (8/23/21)

I’ll be running down everything that caught my eye in the Dynasty Baseball world on most Mondays throughout the season. Here is the Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (8/23/21):

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF CONTENT THE REST OF THE SEASON AND ALL OFF-SEASON, INCLUDING:
-Top 422 August 2021 Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-Top 300 July 2021 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings
-2021/22 Top 50 First Year Player Draft Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-Tons of Dynasty Rundowns
-10 Dynasty Baseball Players to Target
-Dynasty Baseball Trade Strategies at the Halfway Point (Contending, Mid Pack, Rebuilding)

Coby Mayo BAL, 3B, 19.7 – After destroying Rookie Ball, Mayo had his coming out party in full season ball by going 2 for 4 with his first homer at the level in 6 games. He has a lightening quick swing and the ball jumps off his bat. I can’t get enough of Mayo as a prospect, but as a condiment, the thought of it globbing out of my sandwich makes me queasy even as I’m writing this. Gotta go light on the mayo. He clocked in at #126 on my July Top 300 Prospects Rankings, and he’ll enter my Top 100 on the Updated August Prospects Rankings that are dropping tomorrow on my Patreon.

Jake Burger CHW, 3B, 25.4 – Burger went 2 for 5 with his 12th dinger in 52 games at Triple-A. The power is certainly legit as he notched a 98 MPH EV in his MLB cup of coffee earlier this year, but the strikeouts will have to come down to get consistent playing time. With Burger slotting in under Mayo, now we just need a prospect named Frankie Buns to complete the happy meal.

Riley Greene DET, OF, 20.11 – Greene had already shot up into elite prospect status by ranking 7th overall on that July update, and he has only taken it up a notch since then, slashing .370/.452/.685 with 7 homers and a 32/15 K/BB in his last 27 games. The last 6 of those games were at Triple-A, and he obliterated an upper deck homer for his first at the level yesterday. It was a lefty on lefty shot off a pretty weak, mislocated breaking ball.

Blaze Jordan BOS, 3B, 18.8 – Jordan already blazed a trail well into my Top 100 prospects on my Updated August Top 422 Dynasty Baseball Rankings on Patreon, and he showed why yesterday as he blasted a grand slam after Nick Yorke was intentionally walked ahead of him. Nothing feels sweeter than getting disrespected and then immediately shoving it in the opposing teams face. It’s his 2nd homer in 3 games in full season ball.

Nick Yorke BOS, 2B, 19.6 – Speaking of Yorke, he got intentionally walked for a reason, and that reason is that he has been molten hot. He went 2 for 4 with 2 walks and is now slashing .413/.500/.800 with 7 homers and a 6/11 K/BB in his last 19 games. Boston obviously knew what they were doing when they drafted him 17th overall in 2020.

Robert Hassell SD, OF, 20.0 – Power is really the only thing Hassell hasn’t answered yet with a 52.7% GB%, but the power stroke looked good yesterday as he went deep to left centerfield on a high fastball. It was only his 6th on the year in 88 games, but his 17.2%/13.6% K%/BB%, 28 doubles, and 30 stolen bases have picked up the slack. It will likely take a swing adjustment to unlock more power, but even as is he is looking like he will be an impact fantasy player.

Cal Quantrill CLE, RHP, 26.7 – 7 IP, 2 hits, 0 ER, 9/2 K/BB. His sinker averaged 94.2 MPH and he put up a 29% whiff% overall. He has induced weak contact his entire career with an above average 87.3 MPH EV against, and now his K’s are picking up with 39 strikeouts in his last 37 IP. He has the bloodlines and Cleveland knows a thing or two about pitching development. He’s shaping up to be an interesting target in next year’s draft. This is the type of guy you need to get on the cheap and hit on if you build with offense first in dynasty.

Carlos Hernandez KC, RHP, 24.5 – 7 IP, 4 hits, 1 ER, 8/3 K/BB. His sinker averaged 97.5 MPH and his slider put up a 43% whiff%. Hernandez has big stuff with some control issues (11.3% BB%), and while he hasn’t put up big K numbers in his career, yesterday was definitely a step in the right direction. He’s another intriguing option who will likely be available in 2022 drafts in many leagues.

Nick Gonzales PIT, 2B/SS, 22.3 – 4 for 5 with a double and dinger. Gonzales has been red hot at High-A, slashing .375/.441/.602 with 5 homers, 2 steals, and a 35/12 K/BB in his last 31 games. He’s still striking out too much, but the guy definitely has some legit juice in his bat.

Nick Pratto KC, 1B, 23.0 – Pratto’s comeback tour continued yesterday as he ripped his 10th homer in 29 games at Triple-A. He’s homered in 4 straight games and is now putting up a higher wRC+ at Triple-A than he did at Double-A (164 vs. 156). Not too bad for a guy who was left for dead 2 years ago.

Ezequiel Tovar COL, SS, 20.2 – Tovar’s breakout season slowed down a bit at High-A, but he picked it up big time yesterday, going 5 for 8 with a double and a homer in a doubleheader. He’s maintained his elite contact percentage with a 10.9% K% in 14 games, so while his GB% and BB% have tanked, he hasn’t been too overmatched.

Jhonkensy Noel CLE, 1B/3B, 20.3 – Noel slammed his first homer in 5 games at High-A to left center. He’s had some swing and miss issues at the level with a 8/0 K/BB which he didn’t show at Single-A (16.7% K%), so that will be something to watch. The power is unquestioned though as he now has 12 homers in 49 games on the year.

Matthew Fraizer PIT, OF, 23.8 – Fraizer annihilated High-A with a 158 wRC+, but he was a bit old for the level to start getting excited. Now he’s performing even better at Double-A as he cracked his 2nd homer to go along with 6 doubles and 3 triples. He has a 1.112 OPS in 16 games. He’s still not a spring chicken at 23 years old, but I think it’s time to start getting excited.

Drey Jameson ARI, RHP, 24.0 – 7 IP, 3 hits, 1 ER, 10/2 K/BB at Double-A. Since giving up 8 earned in 3.1 IP on June 19th, Jameson has been lights out with a 1.81 ERA and 79/13 K/BB in 59.2 IP. 27.1 of those innings have come at Double-A where he’s dominated hitters with mid 90’s heat and a 4 pitch mix. After putting up a 4.2 BB/9 in college, he now has that down to 2.9 in pro ball.

Ryan Murphy SF, RHP, 21.10 – 5 IP, 1 hit, 1 ER, 7/1 K/BB at High-A on Friday. A Patreon member, Tate, who has a close eye on San Francisco prospects asked me why Ryan Murphy hasn’t been getting any hype. I’ll let him take it away: “I’ve been watching his starts every time they come up. I thought it was FB/SL but I’ve come away feeling (and if my numbers are correct) that the knuckle curve he throws is his best pitch. Most swinging strikes. Changeup is not good. Really stiff. I’m going to say something controversial: I think I prefer him to Kyle Harrison at this time.” If Murphy wasn’t on your radar before, he should be.

Kyren Paris LAA, SS, 19.10 – Paris got ahold of his 2nd homer in 28 games at Single-A. He has double plus speed (16 steals) and is a walk machine (20.5% K%), but either the K% is going to have to come down (28%) or the power is going to have to seriously tick up for him to take the next step.

Michael Busch LAD, 2B, 23.10 – Busch launched his 16th homer in 88 games at Double-A. He hasn’t been as extreme of a flyball hitter as the year has gone on with a 40% GB%, but he is still walking a ton with a 15.1% BB%

Connor Norby BAL, 2B, 21.2 – The 41st pick in the draft, Norby is known as a good all around hitter who uses the whole field, and he showed just that he cracked his first pro homer at Single-A to the opposite field. He put up some eye popping numbers this year in the AAC, and is starting to get hot in pro ball with a 1.020 OPS in 5 games at Single-A.

Jake McCarthy ARI, OF, 24.1 – 3 for 4 with a triple and a homer at Triple-A. McCarthy has been quietly putting together a very fantasy friendly season in the upper minors this year with 13 homers and 29 steals in 82 games. He brought his K% down to 22.9% in 47 games at Triple-A (29.5% at Double-A). He still hits the ball on the ground too much and will have to fight for playing time when he does eventually get his shot in the majors, but I have a sneaky suspicion he will be fantasy relevant in the near future.

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

Posted on August 16, 2021August 16, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (8/16/21)

I’ll be running down everything that caught my eye in the Dynasty Baseball world on most Mondays throughout the season. Here is the Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (8/16/21):

Yohel Pozo TEX, C/1B, 24.2 – My Patreon members have been all over Pozo since back in May as I’ve written about him a few times in my Patreon Dynasty Rundowns as a deep dynasty sleeper, and he is now making his mark in the majors. He smacked a 100.8 MPH dinger off Sergio Romo in his MLB debut and is 4 for 12 with 2 K’s in 3 games overall. He makes elite contact with plus power and that is about it. He doesn’t walk and he’s bad on defense, so playing time will be a constant struggle, but if you are only going to do two things well, those are the two things to do well.

Luis Matos SF, OF, 19.7 – Matos cracked my top 10 prospects way back in May because I trusted the power would come, and the power has come, as he cracked two bombs on Friday and has 6 homers in his last 24 games. Elite contact rate, plus speed, and now developing power … he’s gonna be a stud.

Miguel Vargas LAD, 3B, 21.9 – Vargas has been underrated for months now and he continues to quietly destroy Double-A as a 21 year old, launching 2 more homers on Saturday and then going 3 for 5 yesterday. He has 12 homers with a 14.7%/10.9% K%/BB% and 142 wRC+ in 53 games at the level. He’s been firmly inside my top 100 for months now, but it’s long overdue for him to start getting some mainstream hype.

Chris Sale BOS, LHP, 32.4 – Sale looked electric in his return from Tommy John surgery, going 5 IP with 6 hits, 2 earned and a 8/0 K/BB. The fastball sat 93.2 MPH and his slider put up a 44.4% whiff%. He already clocked in at #88 overall on my Updated Top 422 Dynasty Rankings that dropped last week on my Patreon, as he looked great in his rehab starts, and he’ll keep climbing if he looks strong down the stretch.

Tyler Gilbert ARI, LHP, 27.8 – Threw a no hitter in his first MLB start by basically throwing all fastballs (cutter, 4 seam, sinker). He had a 5/3 K/BB and the 4 seamer averaged 89.3 MPH, so I’m not seeing a late career breakout here, but let’s just enjoy how awesome baseball can be when the stars align. You never know when history will be made on any given day.

Reid Detmers LAA, LHP, 22.1 – Third times a charm as Detmers finally broke through in his third MLB start, going 6 IP with 3 hits, 1 earned and a 6/2 K/BB. He dominated with the curveball which he threw 37% of the time, notching a 74 MPH EV against and a 30% whiff% on the pitch. His fastball is settling in at the low 90’s (92.1 MPH yesterday), and has gotten destroyed in general, but his breaking balls have been effective. The fastball will likely have to tick up if he wants to reach his top of the rotation ceiling.

Triston McKenzie CLE, RHP, 24.0 – McKenzie started to find his groove in July and he broke out with his best start of the season yesterday, going 8 IP with 1 hit, 0 earned and a 11/0 K/BB vs. Detroit. His curve and slider were untouchable as they put up a 67% and 63% whiff%, respectively. He struggled majorly with his control early in the year, but he now has a 40/7 K/BB in his last 42 IP.

Allan Cerda CIN, OF, 21.9 – I nabbed Cerda in the 5th round of my 30 team dynasty league’s prospect draft last off-season for his big power potential, and he’s shown exactly that this year at Single-A, smashing 2 homers yesterday to give him 12 dingers in 61 games. The hit tool is raw with a 32% K% and he’s old for the level, but he can mash.

Jose Miranda MIN, 3B/2B, 23.4 – The man is a machine as he went 2 for 5 with his 24th homer and 22nd double yesterday at Triple-A. He had a 162 wRC+ at Double-A and now has a 166 wRC+ at Triple-A. I just paid up for him majorly in my mid-season prospect blind auction in that same 30 teamer.

DJ Peters TEX, OF, 25.8 – Peters had Sean Manaea’s number yesterday, crushing two homers off him (108.3 MPH and 103.4 MPH). He’s a strikeout machine, but the power is legit and Texas has no reason not to keep running him out there as long as he’s producing.

Seth Beer ARI, 1B, 24.11 – Obliterated two more homers yesterday as he continues to thoroughly dominate Triple-A with 15 homers and a 63/34 K/BB in 83 games. Arizona is in last place and is still running out a 35 year old Asbrubal Cabrera who is hitting .244. What are they waiting for?

Francisco Alvarez NYM, C, 19.9 – Blasted his 15th homer in 61 games at High-A as Alvarez continues to cement his status as an elite prospect. I would be shocked if he wasn’t a top 10 prospect at some point next year.

Orelvis Martinez TOR, SS, 19.10 – Had his best game at High-A, going 3 for 5 with his 4th dinger in 11 games at the level. Martinez has 23 homers in 82 games this year and is a top 20 prospect for me.

Trey Sweeney NYY, SS, 21.6 – It took Sweeney a minute to adjust to full season ball as he started out 0 for 14 with 7 K’s, but he’s now homered in each of his last 2 games and tacked on a double as well. After going against inferior competition in college, the hit tool is still a question, but the power is looking good.

Bryson Stott PHI, SS, 23.11 – Stott might not have the highest upside, but he’s had a very solid year, homering yesterday for his 8th goner in 59 games at Double-A. He’s got a little speed, a good plate approach and above average power. He should make his debut in 2022.

Matt Canterino MIN, RHP, 23.8 – Canterino returned last week from elbow inflammation that kept him out since May, and he was back at High-A yesterday, going 3 IP with 0 hits, 0 earned, and a 8/1 K/BB. As you can tell from the pitching line, he looked absolutely filthy and should be back on your radar if you forgot about him after the elbow injury.

Ian Seymour TB, LHP, 22.8 – 4 IP, 3 hits, 1 ER, 8/0 K/BB. Seymour was the 57th overall pick in the 2020 draft, and he’s had a strong pro debut with a pitching line of 2.97/0.89/49/12 in 30.1 IP. He ranked 818th on my off-season Top 1,000 with a plus fastball/changeup combo and developing breaking ball. While Tampa can be tricky with their pitchers, they are excellent at developing them.

Everson Pereira NYY, OF, 20.5 – Pereira has played at 3 levels this season (Rookie, Single-A, High-A) and he rose to the occasion at each level. He went 2 for 4 with a homer yesterday, and is now slashing .295/.392/.659 with 5 homers, 3 steals, and a 14/6 K/BB in 11 games at High-A. His stock continues to rise and his value isn’t that far off from a top 100 guy.

Brayan Rocchio CLE, SS, 20.10 – 3 for 6 with his 3rd homer in 14 games at Double-A. Rocchio has been red hot since a poor May, and is now putting up impressive numbers as a 20 year old at Double-A, slashing .255/.369/.527 with 3 homers and a 10/7 K/BB in 14 games. He has the potential to be an impact all category contributor.

Edward Cabrera MIA, RHP, 23.5 – Cabrera has been absolutely blowing up at Triple-A. He went 6 IP with 2 hits, 1 earned, and a 12/4 K/BB on Friday and now has 33 K’s in his last 16.2 IP. He has true top of the rotation potential with absolutely filthy stuff and is knocking on the door of the bigs.

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

Posted on August 11, 2021August 13, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Patreon Post: Top 422 August 2021 Dynasty Baseball Rankings

The trade deadline is approaching in many leagues and now is your last chance to make any last minute deals to fine tune that championship roster, or plan ahead for 2022. Here is the Top 422 August 2021 Dynasty Baseball Rankings:

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-Top 300 July 2021 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings
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-10 Dynasty Baseball Players to Target
-Dynasty Baseball Trade Strategies at the Halfway Point (Contending, Mid Pack, Rebuilding)

1) Shohei Ohtani LAA, RHP/DH, 27.1 – Ohtani is making himself at home in this top spot. He actually managed to improve on the sole thing he was struggling with, his control, as he walked only 2 batters in his last 19 IP since last month’s update. He is so miraculous, I’m half expecting him to turn 26 years old next year. But seriously, even being four and a half years older than his main competition for this top stop, I’m not sure how you can turn down this level of all category production.

2) Fernando Tatis Jr. SD, SS, 22.7 – I wrote that the shoulder injury was “still in the back of my mind” on the July rankings, and it is now in the front of everyone’s mind with Tatis going down with a shoulder injury yet again. It looks as if he is going to try to gut through it this year, possibly as an outfielder, and then I wouldn’t be surprised if he underwent off-season surgery (but that is pure speculation based on zero medical knowledge).

3) Vlad Guerrero Jr. TOR, 1B, 22.5 – Only has an .888 OPS in the last month. It’s all falling apart :). Vlad gets the slight nod over Soto because of the beastly lineup he hits in.

4) Juan Soto WASH, OF, 22.9 – That “inevitable monster 2nd half” I called for in the July rankings has arrived in force, as Soto has a 1.204 OPS in his last 22 games.

5) Ronald Acuna ATL, OF, 23.8 – Tore his ACL and will be out for at least the rest of the this season, and who knows how much it cuts into his 2022 season. It is also fair to question if he will take it easy on the base paths when he does return. If non competing in a 5×5, I likely still rank him above Vlad and Soto.

6) Bo Bichette TOR, SS, 23.5 – The pure hitting numbers, both surface and underlying, aren’t necessarily elite, but the guy is a machine in a 5×5 league with 20 homers, 17 steals, and a .293 BA. He’s still only 23 years old, and I’m betting that his best is yet to come.

7) Trea Turner LAD, SS, 28.1 – He’s gunning for a 30/30 season and he now sits atop the Dodgers’ lineup.

8) Kyle Tucker HOU, OF, 23.8 – I hope you stayed patient through his April struggles because the underlying numbers didn’t lie as Tucker continues to explode with a .945 OPS post all star break. He’s an elite all category stud.

9) Bryce Harper PHI, OF, 28.9 – Harper’s BB% was sitting at a career low 12.9% in the last update and I mentioned it has nowhere to go but up, and up is exactly where it went as it now sits at 14.6%.

10) Mookie Betts LAD, OF, 28.10 – Hip injury has been a thorn in Betts’ side all season, but he was exploding when he was on the field with a 1.415 OPS in his last 13 games.

11) Jose Ramirez CLE, 3B, 28.9 – Quietly putting together another elite fantasy season. He is running at his lowest rate since 2017, and as he approaches his 30’s, I think you have to expect that to continue.

12) Rafael Devers BOS, 3B, 24.9 – BB% continues to rise as he’s walked 13 times in his last 21 games to bring his career best mark up to 9.6%

13) Mike Trout LAA, OF, 30.0 – The big 3 – 0 is here and Trout was fittingly sitting on the IL for his birthday due to this calf injury that just won’t heal. It hurts me to do it, but father time is undefeated, and he slides out of my top 10

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