Dynasty Baseball Rundown – Page 7

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):

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)

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 2, 2021August 2, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (8/2/21)

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 (8/2/21):

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR:
-Updated Top 300 2021 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings
-Top 450 July 2021 OBP/OPS/PTS “Universal” Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-10 Dynasty Baseball Players to Target
-Dynasty Baseball Trade Strategies at the Halfway Point (Contending, Mid Pack, Rebuilding)
-2021/22 Top 50 First Year Player Draft Dynasty Baseball Rankings

Kumar Rocker No Man’s Land, RHP, 21.8 – Unsigned and will now have to re-enter the draft in 2022. Only in baseball can the most popular amateur player in the game get fucked like this. And of course, leave it to the Mets trusted medical team to lead the way. Can’t wait for this off-season to hear what new cockamamie, convoluted rules MLB owners can think up and shove down the Players Union throat while pretending the players are the greedy ones who are ruining the game.

Jud Fabian SEC, OF, 20.10 – Fabian also failed to sign, but this one makes more sense as he wasn’t a first round pick and is one of the youngest players in the college class. He’ll try to cut down on his strikeouts and re-enter the 2022 MLB Draft at a still age appropriate 21 years old.

Fernando Tatis Jr. SD, SS, 22.7 – The baseball gods were not satisfied with taking Ronald Acuna from us, they came back and ripped Fernando Tatis Jr. away too. Mike Trout has been out for months. deGrom has been shutdown again. I feel like there is some Final Destination shit going on with our baseball superstars. Soto and Ohtani better watch their back. Or on second thought, maybe Ohtani is secretly an evil supervillain, sucking up everyone’s talent to become a single unstoppable force.

Wander Franco TB, SS, 20.5 – Finally some good news. Wander had his third straight 2 hit game and now has a respectable 99 wRC+ in 30 games. He may not be lighting the world on fire, but if he can hold his own in his age 20 season, I’ll take it.

Jhailyn Ortiz PHI, OF, 22.9 – Ortiz is a formerly hyped, high priced international prospect who everybody forgot about after he struggled in 2018-2019. He’s put himself back on the map this season as he crushed High-A with 19 homers in 74 games, and is now making his presence felt at Double-A with his first homer at the level yesterday. It was a pull side bomb off a relatively legit, well located breaking ball. He clocked in at #263 on my Updated Top 300 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings that dropped on my Patreon last week.

Reid Detmers LAA, LHP, 22.1 – 4.1 IP, 6 hits, 6 ER, 2/2 K/BB in his MLB debut vs. Oakland. He fastball sat 92.9 MPH and it got destroyed with a .541 xwOBA. The curveball was as advertised though and dominated with a 30% whiff%, 77.2 MPH EV against, and a .219 xwOBA. There are better days ahead.

Daulton Jefferies OAK, RHP, 26.0 – Jefferies went against Detmers in his first MLB start of the season and faired better, going 5 IP with 3 hits, 3 runs, and a 3/3 K/BB. He threw a 5 pitch mix featuring a 93.5 MPH sinker that he used 40% of the time. He notched a 27% whiff% overall on the back of his change and curve which both put up a 60% whiff%. He can be a solid back end fantasy starter with mid-rotation upside.

Shane McClanahan TB, LHP, 24.3 – 6 IP, 4 hits, 1 ER, 7/2 K/BB vs. Boston. His fastball sat 95.4 MPH and he put up a 30% whiff% overall. His velocity has been down 1-2 MPH recently on all of his pitches but he had the velocity to spare and it hasn’t hurt him much, if at all. I just love this guy and can tell you already I’ll be going after him everywhere he is available in 2022 drafts even if I have to “reach.”

Brandon Lowe TB, OF/2B, 27.1 – Lowe’s been slowly improving every month of the season (April-.665 OPS/May-.692 OPS/June-.879 OPS/July-1.032 OPS) and has now kicked off August with a bang as he cranked a 105.4 MPH dinger off Nick Pivetta. He has a 15.3% barrel% which is in the top 9% of the league.

Gabriel Arias CLE, SS, 21.5 – 3 for 4 with 2 doubles. Arias has quietly put together a very strong season at Triple-A with a 115 wRC+, and has been red hot in his last 43 games, slashing .325/.376/.548 with 7 homers, 2 steals, and a 39/12 K/BB. His plate approach is much improved with a 22.9%/9.8% K%/BB%, he’s a plus infield defender and he’s young for the level at 21 years old.

Jo Adell LAA, OF, 22.4 – Adell crushed his 23rd homer of the year 454 feet out to dead center. He has a 29.2% K% on the year, but has been better of late with a 23.7% mark in his last 26 games, and in those 26 games he’s mashed 7 homers with a 1.033 OPS. I think he’s ready for a 2nd chance in the bigs.

Alek Thomas ARI, OF, 21.2 – Smacked his 7th homer in what has been a solid but unspectacular season at Double-A, slashing .265/.363/.469 with 7 homers, 7 steals, and a 20.1%/12.0% K%/BB%. With the mediocre power/speed numbers, he might be shaping up to be a better real life player than fantasy player.

Anthony Volpe NYY, SS, 20.3 – The power breakout is so sincere (yes, I’m listening to Jay-Z right now) as Volpe lifted off for his 17th homer of the year and his 5th in 17 games at High-A. Volpe has a real shot at being a monster.

Jared Jones PIT, RHP, 20.0 – Jones had his best start as a pro, going 6 IP with 6 hits, 1 earned and a 8/1 K/BB. The fastball hits the upper 90’s and the slider is plus. Control is still an issue but this is what it could look like if it all comes together.

Liover Peguero PIT, SS, 20.7 – Peguero has been white hot as he bagged himself a couple homers yesterday and now has 5 homers in his last 4 games at High-A. The power/speed combo is starting to look real sweet with 11 homers and 17 steals (in 20 attempts) in 58 games.

Nick Loftin KC, SS, 22.6 – The 32nd overall pick of the 2020 draft had his best game as a pro, going 5 for 6 with 2 doubles, 1 triple, and a homer. He has a solid 114 wRC+ at High-A, but it doesn’t look like he is going to have difference making power or speed (7 homers and 7 steals in 61 games).

Hunter Brown HOU, RHP, 22.11 – 6 IP, 3 hits, 1 ER, 7/1 K/BB in his Triple-A debut. Brown has majorly struggled with his control all year at Double-A with a 13.4% BB%, but he is also a strikeout machine with a 35% K%. He’s got great stuff with mid 90’s heat and two power breaking balls, but the risk is high. Even with the risk, I have been way too low on him.

Luis Frias ARI, RHP, 23.2 – Frias threw a complete game, 7 inning no hitter, going 7 IP with 0 hits, 0 ER, and a 6/1 K/BB. He’s struggled at Double-A with a 5.27 ERA and has lost some the shine he was getting early in the season, but maybe this is the beginning of a strong 2nd half.

AJ Puk OAK, LHP, 26.3 – Puk was given his first start of the season and went 3 IP with 3 hits, 1 ER, and a 5/1 K/BB. The fastball/slider combo is still nasty and the start gives some hope that Oakland hasn’t completely given up on him as a starter. He does have a 6.16 ERA on the season, so we aren’t out of the woods quite yet.

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

Posted on July 19, 2021July 20, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (7/19/21)

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 (7/19/21):

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR:
-Top 450 July 2021 OBP/OPS/PTS “Universal” Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-10 Dynasty Baseball Players to Target
-Dynasty Baseball Trade Strategies at the Halfway Point (Contending, Mid Pack, Rebuilding)
-Top 300 June 2021 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings
-2021/22 Top 50 First Year Player Draft Dynasty Baseball Rankings

Wander Franco TB, SS, 20.4 – Demolished a 418 foot, 104 MPH homer off Drew Smyly for his 3rd of the year in 18 games. The 3 homers are nice, but the underlying numbers on his MLB debut aren’t great with a .275 xwOBA and a below average 25.2% whiff%. I still think he is going to be a beast, but damn would it have been nice for him to just come out and rake. I’m sick of having patience with top prospects …

Jarred Kelenic SEA, OF, 21.11 – Jarred “have patience” Kelenic has returned to the majors and it is not going much better in his first 3 games, going 3 for 13 with 3 singles and a 6/0 K/BB. Sometimes in fantasy you just gotta dust off that ole’ Zen Buddhism skillset and remind yourself to not sell low no matter how frustrating it can be.

Jasson Dominguez NYY, OF, 18.5 – Dominguez is living up to the hype as he’s ripping the ball all over the park at Single-A as an 18 year old, slashing .400/.429/.700 with 1 double, 1 triple, 1 homer, and a 3/1 K/BB in 5 games. For all of the people that took that leap of faith on his insane upside, this has to make you feel good. He ain’t no Kevin Maitan.

Orelvis Martinez TOR, SS, 19.10 – Martinez is going absolutely gangbusters with 7 homers in his last 6 games to bring his season wRC+ to 152 at Single-A. He doesn’t get the hype that some of the other 19 year old phenom mashers are getting, but he’s right up there with them.

Luis Matos SF, OF, 19.5 – Speaking of prospects not getting the hype they deserve, Matos has been heating up in his last 10 games with 4 doubles, 2 homers, 1 triple and a .405 BA. I ranked him 10th overall in my latest Top 300 Dynasty Prospects Rankings on Patreon because of his exceptional contact ability (14.4% K%), speed (16 steals in 19 attempts) and emerging power (6 homers in 59 games with a 42% FB%). 5.3% BB% is really the only negative to his game right now.

Grayson Rodriguez BAL, RHP, 21.8 – Considering I think Grayson has the stuff to dominate MLB hitters right now, it’s not too surprising to see him obliterate Double-A as he went 5 IP with 2 hits, 0 earned, and a 12/1 K/BB. He has a 2.04 ERA with a 57/8 K/BB in 39.2 IP at the level.

Brennen Davis CHC, OF, 21.8 – Davis cracked the top 100 overall (#94) in my latest OBP/OPS/PTS “Universal” Top 450 Dynasty Baseball Rankings on Patreon, and for good reason as he smashed a homer in back to back games at Double-A and now has a 151 wRC+ in 37 games at the level. I told you in last week’s Monday Morning Rundown to treat him like an elite asset, and he is living up to the billing.

Logan Gilbert SEA, RHP, 24.2 – 5.1 IP, 4 hits, 2 ER, 9/2 K/BB. It was his most strikeouts in a start all season as his secondaries are proving to be elite swing and miss pitches. His slider has a 40.5% whiff% on the season and his changeup has a 73.1% whiff% on the season. 73.1%!!! He only throws the change 7.9% of the time, but he threw it 17% of the time yesterday, and I have a sneaking suspicion we are going to see more of it

Brandon Marsh LAA, OF, 23.7 – Marsh made his MLB debut and went 0 for 4 with 2 K’s. He is a great athlete with a plus power/speed combo, but his groundball rates have been high throughout his career and his strikeout rates have been on the high side too. There is upside here, but there is also potential for struggles.

Shohei Ohtani LAA, RHP/DH, 27.0 – Ohtani went 2 for 3 with 2 walks and a homer. One of those hits was an infield single to first base where he beat the first baseman to the bag. There is nothing this guy can’t do. I’m half expecting him to drill a 3 in Game 6 of the NBA Finals tomorrow. He’s my newly minted #1 overall player in Dynasty Leagues.

Nolan Gorman STL, 3B/2B, 21.2 – Gorman is starting to find his groove at Triple-A as he walloped 2 homers yesterday and now has 3 homers in his last 2 games. His overall numbers at the level are mediocre with a .733 OPS in 15 games, but that is bound to keep rising.

Zac Veen COL, OF, 19.7 – The power has arrived in full force as Veen’s crushed 5 homers in his last 5 games to give him 9 on the season in 61 games. He’s shown a mature plate approach with a 24.6%/14.6% K%/BB% and is running like wild with 27 steals in 38 attempts. He’s shaping up to be an all category beast.

Heriberto Hernandez TB, 1B/OF, 21.7 – Heriberto has been in a deep power slump since his hot start with only 1 homer in his last 49 games prior to last night, but he broke out of it yesterday with 2 bombs, one an opposite field shot and one to his pull side. He was still walking a ton over that 49 game time period with a .354 OBP, and with a 47.5% FB%, the homeruns were bound to come back around

Miguel Vargas LAD, 3B, 21.8 – Vargas is one of my favorite still under the radar/underhyped prospects in the minors, and he keeps handling his business at Double-A with an opposite field bomb for his 7th homer in 28 games at the level (14 homers in 65 games on the season). He makes good contact (20.6% K%) and hits the ball in the air (50% FB%). He’ll eventually start getting the respect he deserves and you’ll hope you bought in before that.

Michael Conforto NYM, OF, 28.4 – Crushed a 418 foot homer off Richard Rodriguez yesterday and went 2 for 4 with 2 doubles the day before. I told my Patreon members to target Conforto weeks ago as he’s bound to have a big second half with a .356 xwOBA and a career high 14.6% BB%.

JD Davis NYM, 3B, 28.2 – JD Davis is another Met who is looking set up for a big 2nd half. He cracked two dingers on Saturday and has a career high 93.9 MPH exit velocity and 15 degree launch angle in 17 games, although his whiff% has exploded into the danger zone (41.3%).

Heliot Ramos SF, OF, 21.10 – Ramos went opposite field for his 10th homer of the year in 62 games at Double-A in an otherwise underwhelming season. He has a 27.4% K% and a 106 wRC+. He is only 21 and is putting up a 10.2% BB%, so you can look at it glass half full, but if you are looking to use him as trade bait I’m not sure he is going to get the other owner real excited (and I know because I’ve tried).

Jairo Pomares SF, OF, 20.11 – Pomares has been quietly ripping up Single-A with a full power breakout, drilling his 9th homer of the season yesterday in 27 games. He’s not exactly young for the level and his 26.9%/6.7% K%/BB% isn’t great, so there are some reasons for caution.

Dillon Dingler DET, C, 22.9 – Dingler hit a brick wall at Double-A (.604 OPS in 25 games) after destroying High-A (.925 OPS in 32 games), but he did slice an opposite field shot for his 10th homer of the season. He’s bound to get hot again.

Jordyn Adams LAA, OF, 21.8 – Adams was getting a lot of 2020 hype as a potential breakout prospect, but it has yet to materialize with him struggling hard at High-A with a 37.4% K% in 28 games. He did rip his 3rd homer of the year and 2nd in 2 games, so maybe this is the beginning of a hot streak, but that K% scares me. He’s dropping down my rankings.

Graham Ashcraft MIL, RHP, 23.5 – Double-A hasn’t slowed Ashcraft’s roll at all, as he went 6 IP with 4 hits, 0 ER, and 5/1 K/BB yesterday. He has a pitching line of 2.33/0.93/27/11 in 27 IP at the level. With his mid 90’s heat and a plus, high spin rate breaking ball, he is one of my favorite pop up prospects this year.

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

Posted on July 12, 2021July 12, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (7/12/21)

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 (7/12/21):

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR:
-July 2021 OBP/OPS/PTS “Universal” Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-10 Dynasty Baseball Players to Target
-Dynasty Baseball Trade Strategies at the Halfway Point (Contending, Mid Pack, Rebuilding)
-Top 300 June 2021 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings
-2021/22 Top 50 First Year Player Draft Dynasty Baseball Rankings

Ronald Acuna ATL, OF, 23.6 – The baseball world wept as Acuna went down with a torn ACL. Even if you are contending, I think you just gotta suck it up and hold no matter how much it sucks. Acuna is too good of a long term piece to give up even if it does get a you championship this year. I just ranked him #2 overall in my ongoing Updated Dynasty Rankings over on my Patreon, and this injury will knock him down to 5th overall.

Brennen Davis CHC, OF, 21.8 – Davis was the star of the Futures Game as he blasted off for 2 dingers, one of which was a 428 foot bomb. He was heating up at Double-A too, slashing .338/.416/.618 with 4 homers, 3 steals, and a 21/7 K/BB in his last 19 games. He is quickly ascending into elite prospect territory. Do not deal him off unless you are getting an elite win now return.

Jose Barrero CIN, SS, 23.0 – Barrero also went deep in the Futures Game on a pull side, 426 foot missile. He’s struggled a bit since his promotion to Triple-A with a .171 BA, but is still showing power with 2 homers in 10 games

Henry Davis PIT, C, 21.10 – The newly minted #1 overall pick of the 2021 MLB Draft is my 5th ranked prospect in my Top 50 FYPD Rankings. You have to remember the MLB Draft doesn’t pick purely based on talent (not to say Davis wasn’t deserving), but signing bonus demands also come into play. Davis was the best college hitter in the class and with everyone expecting robo umps in the near future, seems very likely to stick behind the plate. Offensive catcher production will almost certainly see a huge boost with robo umps as pitch framing becomes worthless. Arm and bat will now rule the day, and Davis has those two areas covered.

Marcelo Mayer BOS, SS, 18.7 – Mayer fell right into Boston’s lap at #4 overall, and he is my #1 overall FYPD pick in non 5×5 leagues. He also had all the guys on MLB Network gushing over his good looks, how he has the “it” factor, and how he looked great in that Red Sox cap, which actually has me worried a bit. A big part of “Moneyball” was Billy Beane recognizing how easily scouts can be fooled by a guy that looks great in a uniform. I also always go back to Joey Harrington in the NFL who got similar praise for being good looking and playing a mean guitar. I love Mayer, and I’m just joshing around a bit, but these thoughts are in the back of my mind.

Jordan Lawlar ARI, SS, 19.0 – Lawlar went 6th overall to Arizona, and he is my #1 overall FYPD pick in 5×5 leagues. His stolen base potential gives him the edge over Mayer in leagues where speed matters a lot.

Kahlil Watson MIA, SS, 18.3 – Watson fell to #16 overall which creates a buying opportunity in more casual dynasty leagues where draft order carries a ton of weight. I have him ranked #3 overall. It is actually the exact same thing that happened with Corbin Carroll, who I also had as my #3 overall player before falling to #16 in the draft.

Gerrit Cole NYY, RHP, 30.10 – We might have been a little premature on pouring dirt over Cole’s grave, as he pitched angry on Saturday, going 9 IP with 3 hits, 0 earned and a 12/3 K/BB. His spin was still down and he put up only a 24% whiff%, so I’m not sure we are completely out of the woods quite yet, but this start inspires confidence he will be damn good regardless

Alec Burleson STL, OF, 22.7 – Burleson has caught fire again at Double-A, going 2 for 4 with his 15th homer of the year yesterday, and now has 4 homers in his last 4 games. His contact numbers have actually improved at Double-A too with a 23.4%/7.2% K%/BB%. He continues to be one of the most underrated prospects in the minors.

Jose Rodriguez CHW, SS, 20.2 – Rodriguez had a monster day yesterday, going 3 for 5 with a homer and 2 steals. He’s now slashing .284/.325/.470 with 8 homers, 18 steals and a 17.4%/5.1% K%/BB% in 55 games at Single-A. He’s now homered in back to back games and is easily worthy of a pick up in medium size leagues and deeper.

Benny Montgomery COL, OF, 18.9 – It’s hard not to get excited when Colorado drafts a hitter even with their poor track record of development and willingness to play young hitters. Montgomery was drafted 8th overall by the Rockies and is possibly the highest upside bat in the draft, putting up a 103 MPH exit velocity and a 6.32 60 yard dash time. That puts him at the top of the class in power and speed. Hit tool is still raw and he has to refine his swing, but this is the type of bat you target in fantasy. Colorado did dynasty players a solid on this one.

Edward Cabrera MIA, RHP, 23.3 – 5.2 IP, 5 hits, 4 earned, 7/1 K/BB at Double-A. This was Cabrera’s worst start since returning from injury and I mean that in the best possible way as it wasn’t all that bad and the K/BB was on point. His stuff is nasty and he is quickly re-establishing himself as one of the most exciting pitching prospects in the game.

Shane Baz TB, RHP, 22.1 – Baz was electric in his one inning at the Futures Game, striking out 2 with no hits or walks. He flung 99 MPH heat and showed off his newfound control by painting the black. There is a reason I have him as the #2 overall pitching prospect in baseball behind Grayson Rodriguez.

Cade Cavalli WASH, RHP, 22.10 – Cavalli impressed in his one inning as well, taking out Jasson Dominguez on a 100 MPH fastball. He struck out 2 and walked 2.

Spencer Strider ATL, RHP, 22.8 – 0.2 IP, 0 hits, 5 ER, 0/5 K/BB at Double-A. I still like Strider a lot but it is a reminder to not get too carried away with pop up pitching prospects in leagues where you can pick up prospects during the year. It’s easy to fall in love with every prospect who is dealing in the minors, I’ve definitely been guilty of it, but that is how you end up with a farm system with over 50% pitching prospects, which is a recipe for disaster. You have to pick your spots and take a chance on a few of them, but you can’t grab them all.

Hunter Greene CIN, RHP, 21.11 – Greene did his best Shohei Ohtani impression yesterday, going 5 IP with 6 hits, 1 earned and a 2/2 K/BB on the mound and went 1 for 2 with a RBI at the dish. He has the talent to truly be able to do both, but he won’t be given the opportunity.

Gilberto Jimenez BOS, OF, 21.0 – Jimenez went 3 for 6 with 2 doubles and a steal yesterday at Single-A, and he’s been heating up over his last 9 games, slashing .361/.400/.556 with 1 homer, 3 steals, and a 10/0 K/BB. He’s a dropper overall on the season though with a poor 21.1%/2.2% K%/BB% and only 2 homers in 51 games.

Kyle Harrison SF, LHP, 19.11 – Harrison had his longest outing of his career, going 7 IP with 6 hits, 2 earned, and a 7/0 K/BB at Single-A. Harrison’s stock took a big jump this season, but he still needs to work on his control/command (4.9 BB/9).

Joe Ryan TB, RHP, 25.1 – Ryan had the best pitching outing of the day yesterday, going 7 IP with 1 hit, 0 ER, and a 9/1 K/BB. He has utterly dominated every minor league level and now has a 34.8%/5% K%/BB% at Triple-A. There is no guarantee he ends up a starter, especially in Tampa, but I’m betting on him being effective in any role he pitches in.

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

Posted on June 28, 2021June 28, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (6/28/21)

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 (6/28/21):

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Wander Franco TB, SS, 20.4 – This hitting Major League pitching thing turns out to be pretty hard even in the post Spider Tack era, as Wander recorded his first hit since kicking the door down in his first game. The .614 OPS isn’t great, but the underlying numbers are a bit better with an above average .327 xwOBA. 16.2 degree launch is great to see, his plate approach numbers are excellent with a 5/5 K/BB in 6 games, and a 28.2 ft/sec sprint speed is nothing to sneeze at. I don’t think Wander is going to go the way of Kelenic and will get it going before it gets much worse.

Jarred Kelenic SEA, OF, 21.11 – Speaking of Kelenic, he had himself a great week at Triple-A with a 2 homer game on Thursday and then followed that up with a 4 hit game on Friday. He has a .911 OPS in 16 games since being sent down, and I’m betting on him doing much better his 2nd time around in the majors.

Gerrit Cole NYY, RHP, 30.10 – Speaking of Spider Tack, Cole got shelled by Boston, giving up 5 earned with 3 homers in 5 IP. Panic selling makes no sense, but it’s hard deny that Cole might have trouble being super elite without that sticky icky.

Shane Baz TB, RHP, 22.0 – Baz is showing why I ranked him as my 2nd overall pitching prospect and #17 overall on the Top 300 Dynasty Prospects Rankings I dropped last week on my Patreon, going 5 IP with 2 hits, 0 earned, and a 10/0 K/BB at Triple-A. The stuff is nasty and his improved control is remarkable with a 69/5 K/BB in 46.2 IP.

Kyle Muller ATL, LHP, 23.9 – Dominated in his 2nd MLB start vs Cincy, going 5 IP with 1 hit, 0 earned and a 9/2 K/BB. His fastball averaged 94.1 MPH and his secondaries were missing bats with a 50% whiff% on his slider and 56% whiff% on his curve. I’m still worried his below average control will rear it’s ugly head (19 BB in 31.1 IP at Triple-A), but he’s proving his stuff is easily MLB quality.

Jose Miranda MIN, 3B/2B, 23.0 – One of the top hitting prospect breakouts in 2021, Miranda went 2 for 4 with his 13th homer in 47 games in the 2nd game of a doubleheader. His power is breaking out while maintaining an elite 11.5% K%.

Angel Martinez CLE, SS, 19.5 – Martinez was knocking on the door of my Top 100 and he showed why yesterday, going 4 for 5 with a double, homer and steal. He’s been doing a little bit of everything at Single-A all year with a 145 wRC+ in 37 games.

Alexander Ramirez NYM, OF, 18.6 – Ramirez was one of my favorite international prospects to target in his FYPD class and he has been holding his own in full season ball as an 18 year old with a 105 wRC+. He cranked a 103 MPH bomb for his 2nd of the year in 20 games to go along with 8 stolen bases. 33% K% is high, but relative to Puason’s 45.5% K% he might as well be Nick Madrigal.

Jordan Walker STL, 3B, 19.1 – 3 for 4 with a 0/1 K/BB. Walker now owns a ridiculously good for his age 17.2%/14.8% K%/BB% and 202 wRC+ in full season ball as a barely 19 year old. Walker is showing Puason and Ramirez how it’s really done.

Tarik Skubal DET, LHP, 24.7 – Impressed against one of the best lineups in baseball, going 7 IP with 1 hit, 1 earned and a 9/3 K/BB vs Houston. The most notable thing was how much he leaned on pitches other than his 4-seamer which he threw only 35% of the time (48.2% on the season). It led to a 48% whiff% on the day. I don’t think he’s ascended to ace status or anything, but it’s been fun watching his development this season. He’s establishing himself as a high K, high WHIP mid-rotation guy with upside still left in the tank.

Marco Luciano SF, SS, 19.10 – Completely smoked a pull side homer for his 10th in 44 games at Single-A. His slow start is a distant memory.

Nick Gonzales PIT, 2B/SS, 22.0 – Gonzales homered in his 2nd straight game since returning from a broken pinky that kept him out for over a month. Hand injuries can sometimes sap power, but if you had to pick one finger to break, I guess it would be the pinky. Gonzales has lit up High-A pitching with a 165 wRC+, but a 28.4% K% is a bit high for a college bat whose hit tool was supposed to be his carrying tool. Maybe he will be more of a low average, high power guy than we expected.

Keibert Ruiz LAD, C, 22.11 – The power breakout continues as Ruiz smashed his 9th homer in 30 games at Triple-A. He completely flipped his hitting profile with a 53.3% FB%, up from 35.1% in 2019 and his K% remains elite at 12.1%.

Mark Vientos NYM, 3B, 21.7 – Vientos always had huge raw power and it is now transferring into game power in a big way. He crushed his 12th homer in 37 games at Double-A. Over his last 12 games he is slashing .347/.429/.939 with 9 homers and a 14/5 K/BB. 30.2% K% will have to improve to take the next step.

Andy Pages LAD, OF, 20.7 – Pages skills are most certainly translating to full season ball as he launched one to Mars yesterday for his 15th homer in 48 games at High-A. 57.4% FB% might actually be a little too extreme, but he’s firmly within my Top 100 prospects.

Asa Lacy KC, LHP, 22.1 – Lacy had one of his best starts as a pro, going 4 IP with 1 hit, 1 earned, and a 9/3 K/BB. He continues to be a walk-fest with a 17.7% BB%, but at least the strikeouts are there too with a 36.7% K%.

Jared Jones PIT, RHP, 19.11 – Jones had his best outing as a pro by far, going 4 IP with 2 hits, 0 earned and a 11/1 K/BB. His fastball sits in the mid 90’s and he throws a 4 pitch mix. If he can show improved control over an extended period of time his stock will soar.

Nolan Jones CLE, 3B, 23.1 – Jones lifted off for just his 4th homer in 46 games at Triple-A, but he’s been much better of late, slashing .300/.425/.617 with 3 homers, 3 steals and a 15/10 K/BB in his last 18 games. He is much more appealing for me in an OBP league as he continues to walk at an elite rate with a 14.5% BB%.

Zac Veen COL, OF, 19.6 – 3 for 4 with a double and 2 more stolen bases. It would be nice to see more homerun power as he has only 1 homer in 44 games, but he’s getting on base with a 15.3% BB% and is running like wild with 24 stolen bases in 31 attempts.

Luisangel Acuna TEX, SS, 19.4 – 3 for 4 with a double, stolen base, and 0 K’s. He’ll never be his brother but he’s been strong in his full season debut with a 115 wRC+ and showing all around production. I also wouldn’t rule out a power breakout in his mid 20’s, which could take him to the next level.

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

Posted on June 7, 2021June 7, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (6/7/21)

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 (6/7/21):

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Diego Cartaya LAD, C, 19.9 – Cartaya has been a man on fire in his full season debut, crushing two more bombs yesterday to give him 5 homers in 8 games. Francisco Alvarez all of a sudden has some competition for the most hyped teenage catcher prospect in the lower minors.

Francisco Alvarez NYM, C, 19.6 – Not to be outdone, Alvarez had himself a day as well, going 3 for 4 with 2 doubles and a walk at High-A. He hasn’t been able to dominate this level as much as he did Single-A, but a 133 wRC+ ain’t too bad.

Adley Rutschman BAL, C, 23.4 – The elder statesman of the top catcher prospects group told those damn teens to get off his lawn, going 2 for 3 with his 8th homer and 5th double of the year at Double-A. He now has more walks than strikeouts with an 18.6%/20.2% K%/BB% in 28 games.

Luis Severino NYY, RHP, 27.3 – Severino was one of my favorite targets in dynasty leagues this off-season, and he took another huge step in his rehab from Tommy John surgery, going 2.2 IP with 2 hits, 1 ER, and a 3/1 K/BB at Single-A. His fastball was back into the upper 90’s. It might be too late to buy at a reduced price, but if you followed my rankings, you already own him.

Logan Gilbert SEA, RHP, 24.1 – Gilbert had his most impressive start in the majors, going 5 IP with 2 hits, 1 earned, and a 7/4 K/BB. His fastball sat 95.2 MPH and his slider put up a 45% whiff%. He had a 36% whiff% overall which is great to see as his season total sits at a slightly below average 23.9%.

Luis Garcia HOU, RHP, 24.6 – Garcia shot up to #206 overall on my latest Updated Dynasty Baseball Rankings over on my Patreon, and it might not have been high enough as he has kept on dominating. He went 6 IP with 3 hits, 1 earned and a 8/2 K/BB against the feared Toronto lineup. He put up a 41% whiff% on the day and his secondaries continue to befuddle hitters with utterly dominant xwOBA’s on all four of them.

Bobby Bradley CLE, 1B, 25.0 – Called up the majors and dominated in his first start, going 3 for 4 with a 103 MPH homer and a 114.2 MPH double. He hit only .196 with a 32.1%/6.4% K%/BB% at Triple-A, so I would keep your expectations in check, but he also hit 9 homers, so there is certainly thunder in his bat.

Brett Baty NYM, 3B, 21.7 – Baty is quickly becoming one of my favorite prospects with his advanced beyond his years plate approach, and when I ranked him 91st overall in my Patreon Mid May Top 100 Prospect Update, I knew the homer power would come. And boy has it come with him scorching his 4th homer in his last 6 games to go along with a 22.3%/16.5% K%/BB% in 24 games at High-A.

Austin Martin TOR, OF, 22.2 – Speaking of power coming around, Martin drilled an opposite field shot for his 2nd homer in 4 games. He’s handled the aggressive assignment to Double-A well with a .396 OBP and 131 wRC+.

Cade Cavalli WASH, RHP, 22.9 – One of the fastest rising pitching prospects in the minors was at it again, going 6 IP with 5 hits, 3 earned, and a 11/2 K/BB at High-A. He’s now rocking an elite 41.8%/7.5% K%/BB% with the premium stuff to back it up. He’s in the conversation for the top pitching prospect in the game.

Edward Cabrera MIA, RHP, 23.2 – Cabrera made his season debut after being sidelined by a right biceps injury, and it didn’t take long to re-establish himself as a beast, going 3 IP with 2 hits, 0 ER and a 3/0 K/BB at Single-A with the fastball reaching 97 MPH. Any buy low window has been slammed shut and it might not be all that long before he is called up to the majors.

Jake Eder MIA, LHP, 22.8 – Possibly the top pop up pitching prospect of 2021 continued to rise to the occasion, pitching a new age perfect game, going 5 IP with 0 hits, 0 earned and an 8/0 K/BB at Double-A. The days of letting pitchers go until their arms fall off during no hitters/perfect games are over, and rightfully so. He now has a silly pitching line of 0.61/0.81/50/12 in 29.2 IP

Brayan Bello BOS, RHP, 22.1 – Bello resents me giving Eder the top pop up pitching prospect crown, as he dominated yesterday as well, going 5.1 IP with 4 hits, 1 ER, and a 9/0 K/BB at High-A. His fastball can reach the upper 90’s and he can control it too with a 5.7% BB%.

Kyle Bradish BAL, RHP, 24.9 – Bradish would like to have a word with me as well, as his spectacular season continued, going 5 IP with 4 hits, 0 earned and a 8/4 K/BB at Triple-A. He throws a legitimate 4 pitch mix and has a sparkling 1.00 ERA in 27 IP, but his 13.6% BB% is a bit on the high side.

Evan Carter TEX, OF, 18.9 – Smoked his 2nd homer of the year at Single-A, and while his .213/.403/.360 triple-slash isn’t super impressive, he’s 18 years old in full season ball with a 21.8%/.21.8% K%/BB% and a 126 wRC+. He’s only going to grow into more power at 6’4”, 190 pounds and he has 12 steals on the year. Carter has a chance to be an absolute monster.

Miguel Vargas LAD, 3B, 21.7 – Vargas was one single away from the cycle yesterday as he went 3 for 5 with his 11th double, 1st triple, and 5th homer in 30 games at High-A. His 18.8% K% with a 27.8% GB% is a recipe for success. I liked him coming into the year and his stock keeps rising. Now is the time to make a move on him if he is still available in your league.

Gavin Sheets CHW, 1B, 25.1 – After a brief call up to the majors that resulted in 0 at-bats, Sheets got right back to raking at Triple-A with him launching his 5th homer in 25 games yesterday. He’s had strong contact numbers his entire career going back to college (18.9% K% in 2021), and his game power is now breaking out as he had hit only 26 homers in 301 minor league games prior to this season.

Ethan Small MIL, LHP, 24.4 – Small has yet to strikeout less than 6 batters in any of his 6 starts this season, and yesterday was no exception with him going 5.2 IP with 2 hits, 0 ER and a 8/2 K/BB at Double-A. He doesn’t have huge stuff and his 16.5% BB% is a little concerning, but the man knows how to miss bats.

Carmen Mlodzinski PIT, RHP, 22.3 – Mlodzinski’s pro debut is going swimmingly as he’s been lights out in all 4 of his outings. He went 5 IP with 4 hits, 0 ER, and a 7/1 K/BB at High-A yesterday. The 39.7% K% is great to see after he put up a 7.8 K/9 in 25.1 IP in the SEC during the shortened 2020 season.

Taylor Walls TB, SS, 24.11 – Walls smacked 2 doubles en route to a 3 for 5 day with 0 K’s. His underlying numbers have been very strong in the early going with a 90.9 MPH exit velocity, 17.3 degree launch angle, 18.8% whiff%, 16% BB%, 28.5 ft/sec sprint speed and a .371 xwOBA. He’s never going to put up huge power/speed numbers, but he looks like a legit top of the order hitter and there definitely might be some more juice in his bat as he enters his mid 20’s.

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

Posted on May 24, 2021May 24, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (5/24/21)

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 (5/24/21):

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Adley Rutschman BAL, C, 23.3 – The top catching prospect in baseball launched a clutch 445 foot homer to tie the game in the 9th, going 3 for 4 with a 0/1 K/BB on the day. He now has a .432 OBP with 4 homers in 17 games at Double-A.

Francisco Alvarez NYM, C, 19.5 – The soon to be top catching prospect in baseball connected for his 2nd homer and is now slashing a ridiculous .417/.567/.646 with 2 homers and an elite 10.4%/22.4% K%/BB% in 15 games at Single-A. It’s not crazy to say he may end up an even better hitter than Rutschman.

Triston Casas BOS, 1B, 21.4 – A newly minted Top 10 Prospect in my Updated Top 100 Prospect Rankings over on my Patreon, Casas kept raking with his 4th dinger at Double-A. He now has a 162 wRC+ at the level with a very reasonable 24% K%.

Gage Workman DET, 3B, 21.7 – The 102nd overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, Workman’s been hitting the ball hard all year at Single-A, and he blew up yesterday with 1 homer, 1 triple, 1 double, and 1 single. That’s what we call hitting for the cycle round these parts (and round every other parts in the baseball world too). He’s handled his business with a 143 wRC+ in 17 games.

Brennen Davis CHC, OF, 21.7 – Made noise in his 2nd game of the season after getting hit in the head with a pitch in MiLB spring training, drilling a homer with 3 walks and a stolen base in 4 PA at Double-A. His power/speed combo is obvious, so his plate approach is the number one thing to watch. So far, so good.

Bobby Witt Jr. KC, SS, 20.11 – Heating up at Double-A with a 450 foot bomb and a double in 5 AB yesterday. He’s on a 5 game hitting streak with 2-hit games in his last 3.

Cade Cavalli WASH, RHP, 22.7 – Cavalli hasn’t pitched a bad game yet in 4 outings, going 6 IP with 3 hits, 1 ER and a 7/2 K/BB yesterday. He has a 2.05 ERA with a 34/8 K/BB in 22 IP at High-A with the premium stuff to back up the numbers. His stock keeps rising.

DL Hall BAL, LHP, 22.7 – 4 IP, 2 hits, 0 ER, 8/2 K/BB at Double-A. We are not quite out of the woods yet with his control issues (11.9% BB%), but his stuff is filthy and his K% is blowing up (46.3%). He is one of the top early season pitching risers.

Jo Adell LAA, OF, 22.1 – Smoked 2 homers yesterday for his 8th and 9th of the season in 16 games at Triple-A, but his 34.2%/7.9% K%/BB% is more concerning than the power surge is encouraging. He’s still only 22, so there is plenty of time to figure it out, but the strikeout issues against minor league pitching has his stock dropping a bit for me.

Orelvis Martinez TOR, SS, 19.8 – Got ahold of his 3rd homer at Single-A and has been rock solid in his full season debut, slashing .269/.347/.478 with 3 homers, 2 steals and a 24%/9.3% K%/BB% in 16 games at Single-A. I still don’t think his hype matches his talent, making him a great target in trades for rebuilding teams.

Ke’Bryan Hayes PIT, 3B, 24.4 – Don’t forget about Hayes, as all this guy does is rake. He cranked a homer on his rehab assignment at Triple-A and is now 3 for 6 in 2 games.

Jordan Westburg BAL, SS, 22.1/Hudson Haskin BAL, OF, 22.5 – The 30th and 39th overall pick in the 2020 draft, respectively, both went deep yesterday. Westburg has tallied 2 hits in 8 straight games and is destroying Single-A with a 218 wRC+, 3 homers and 4 steals in 15 games. Haskin hasn’t been bad himself with a 169 wRC+, 2 homers and 8 steals in 15 games.

Anthony Volpe NYY, SS, 20.1 – Volpe connected on his first homer of the year at Single-A and has been impressing overall with a 15.9%/19.5% K%/BB% and 10 steals in 15 games. He might not have the highest upside, but has a good glove with on base ability and solid all category potential.

Tucker Davidson ATL, LHP, 25.2 – 6 IP, 1 hit, 1 ER, 9/1 K/BB. He’s been lights out all year at Triple-A with a 0.90 ERA, and pitched solid in his one MLB start last week. He’s close to the majors with mid-rotation upside, but without overpowering stuff (92.7 MPH fastball), he’s more attractive to me in deeper leagues.

Aaron Ashby MIL, LHP, 23.0 – Had his best start of the season, going 5 IP with 1 hit, 0 ER and a 6/2 K/BB at Triple-A. He still has a 22.1% BB%, making a bullpen role the most likely destination, but he can be nasty in that role.

Josh Lowe TB, OF, 23.3 – Living in the shadow of Wander and Brujan can’t be easy, but Lowe is making due as he cracked his 6th homer yesterday to give him a 171 wRC+ at Triple-A. The 29.8%/3.5% K%/BB% isn’t quite as impressive.

Gabriel Arias CLE, SS, 21.3 – 2 for 5 with 0 K’s. His plate approach was the biggest concern coming into the year and he is answering those questions with a 21.5%/13.8% K%/BB% in 16 games as a 21 year old at Triple-A. The overall numbers aren’t eye popping (110 wRC+), but the arrow is pointing up on Arias.

Alek Thomas ARI, OF, 21.0 – 2 for 4 with 2 doubles and 0 K’s at Double-A. The power/speed totals are far from blowing up (1 homer and 1 steal), but his mature plate approach is transferring against advanced competition with a 21.4%/15.7% K%/BB% in 15 games. He also has 6 double, 2 triples and a .328 BA.

Taylor Trammell SEA, OF, 23.7 – Continues his assault on Triple-A pitching, going 4 for 4 with a homer and is now 22 for 43 with 5 homers in 10 games. He struggled mightily in his MLB debut, but he’ll get another shot eventually and I’m betting on him performing better the next time around.

Blake Rutherford CHW, OF, 24.1/Jake Burger CHW, 3B, 25.1 – In what feels like a blast from the past, Chicago’s 1st round picks in 2016 and 2017 are both starting to find their groove with both tallying 3 hits at Triple-A. Rutherford has a .317 BA and Burger’s flipped 6 homers. I’m more interested in Burger’s power for fantasy, while I’m not buying into Rutherford with a still mediocre 26.2%/7.7% K%/BB% and limited power.

Gabriel Moreno TOR, C, 21.3 – Making a mockery of Double-A pitching his 3rd homer and is now slashing .404/.483/.654 with a 21.7%/10% K%/BB% in 13 games. He’s not a great defender and Toronto has a bunch of interesting catchers, so his path to playing time isn’t very clear at the moment.

Zach DeLoach SEA, OF, 22.9 – I was relatively high on DeLoach this off-season and he has more than held his own at High-A as he cranked his 3rd homer yesterday. He has a 17.1%/11% K%/BB% at the level with 3 steals.

Kai-Wei Teng SF, RHP, 22.6 – 5 IP, 3 hits, 2 ER, 11/2 K/BB at High-A. His first two starts of the year have been rough, but his last two have been excellent with a combined 18/3 K/BB in 10 IP with 2 ER. He can get his fastball into the mid to upper 90’s and has the potential for 3 quality secondaries. He is a pick up in deeper leagues and a watchlist guy in shallower leagues.

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

Posted on May 10, 2021May 10, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (5/10/21)

I mixed it up with both MLB and MiLB players on this one and I’m planning on doing it this way more often moving forward. Here is the Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (5/10/21):

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Rafael Devers BOS, 3B, 24.6 – 2 for 4 with a 110.7 MPH homer and 106.5 MPH double. His sprint speed is back up to 27.6 ft/sec, his K% is back down to 21.3%, and his BB% is at an all time high 11.8%. I was a little concerned with his low sprint speed and high whiff% early in the season, but Devers not only bounced back from 2020, he took his game to another level. He is an elite dynasty asset.

Gleyber Torres NYY, SS, 24.5 – Welcome to 2021, Gleyber Torres, as he knocked his first dinger of the year off Joe Ross. His 18.2%/12.4% K%/BB% is still strong, and there is no reason to think his 84.9 MPH exit velocity won’t normalize as he we get deeper into the season. He’s no Rafael Devers, but don’t sell too low on him either.

Sandy Alcantara MIA, RHP, 25.8 – Alcantara has been dominating with the changeup all year and that continued yesterday as he went 7 IP with 5 hits, 1 earned and a 6/2 K/BB. He threw his changeup 46% of the time and put up a 31% whiff% overall. He’s inching closer to being a top 50 dynasty asset if he isn’t there already.

Pete-Crow Armstrong NYM, OF, 19.1 – Armstrong was my favorite target in first year player drafts this year, and he is showing why in the early going as he is slashing .450/.593/.550 with 2 doubles, 1 steal (on 3 attempts), and a 5/6 K/BB in 20 AB.

Corbin Carroll ARI, OF, 20.8 – Carrol was my favorite target in his draft year too and he went off yesterday, going 3 for 4 with a triple, homer, and 2 steals at High-A. The homer was an opposite field bomb. He’s now slashing .333/.455/.722 with 1 homer, 3 steals, and 7/4/ K/BB in 18 AB.

CJ Abrams SD, SS, 20.7 – Abrams had himself a day at Double-A, going 3 for 5 with a dinger and 0 K’s. His homer was also an opposite field shot. He’s slashing .320/.412/.560 with 1 homer, 2 steals, and a 9/4 K/BB in 25 AB. Both Abrams and Carroll’s strikeout rates are a bit high, but they have been showing off their explosive tools.

Cedric Mullins BAL, OF, 26.7 – The Cedric Mullins breakout continues with his 6th homer of the year off Nick Pivetta. He’s shown a good feel to hit (17.5% K%) with an above average 89.7 MPH exit velocity and a career best 9.4% BB%.

Harrison Bader STL, OF, 26.11 – 1 for 2 with a 1/2 K/BB. It’s only been 32 AB and he has still not hit great vs righties (.660 OPS), but Bader has his K% down to 13.5%. If he did make real improvements to his contact numbers, his power/speed combo has a real chance to shine through. I’m not giving up assets for him, but he is worth a pick up if he is out there on your wire.

Lewis Brinson MIA, OF, 27.0 – Cracked his 2nd homer on a 107.8 MPH, 412 foot shot, and went 3 for 4 on the day. He’s hitting the ball hard at 91.7 MPH, but he is swinging and missing more than ever (38.2% whiff%) and is barely walking (2% BB%). I’m continuing to stay away.

Yordan Alvarez HOU, OF, 23.10 – 3 for 4 and is now slashing .362/.395/.638 with 6 homers. It’s a very encouraging start considering the knee surgeries, but his .438 BABIP is likely juicing up that line a bit. The only other thing that really sticks out is his 3.5% BB% after walking 14.1% of the time his rookie year. Regardless, his stock is back on the rise.

Dane Dunning TEX, RHP, 26.5 – Dunning was a strikeout machine yesterday, going 5 IP with 6 hits, 2 earned, and a 10/3 K/BB. He put up a 43% whiff% on the back of his slider and changeup. Both pitches have dominated all season long with a .138 and .171 xwOBA, respectively. He’s backing up his strong 2020 MLB debut.

Huascar Ynoa ATL, RHP, 22.11 – 6 IP, 4 hits, 1 ER, 6/1 K/BB. His slider dominated with a 47% whiff% and his fastball hit a high of 99.6 MPH. I wouldn’t be so quick to sell high on him.

Kyle Tucker HOU, OF, 23.5 – It’s about time Tucker started to heat up as he went 2 for 3 with a triple, dinger, and a walk. His underlying numbers are still excellent, so I’m thinking he is about to get hot.

Nate Pearson TOR, RHP, 24.8 – Got knocked around in his MLB season debut, going 2.1 IP with 4 hits, 3 earned and a 0/5 K/BB. He put up a 6% whiff%. His stuff is too good to panic, but damn was this a terrible start.

Tyler Anderson PIT, LHP, 31.4 – 8 IP, 4 hits, 2 ER, 6/1 K/BB. He now has a 3.05 ERA on the year, but I buy more into his 3.83 xERA. He can be a solid starter, but I’m not giving up any assets to acquire him.

Adolis Garcia TEX, OF, 28.2 – 3 for 4 with a 106.1 MPH bomb, 2 hard hit singles, and 0 K’s. His 30.3%/5.5% K%/BB% still makes him high risk, but he is absolutely smoking the ball with a 92.3 MPH exit velocity. The longer he keeps raking, the more you gotta trust him.

Shane McClanahan TB, LHP, 24.0 – 4 IP, 4 hits, 3 ER, 5/2 K/BB. Stuff was still nasty with a 97.5 MPH fastball and a slider that put up a 44% whiff%. He does have a 94.4 MPH exit velocity against, which is in the bottom 1% of the league, and his slider has been his only positive value pitch, so it hasn’t been all roses.

Chris Paddack SD, RHP, 25.4/Ryan Weathers SD, LHP, 21.5 – Paddack and Weathers both pitched 3 shutout innings. Paddack’s fastball was up to 95.2 MPH and it put up a 64% whiff% which was great to see. Weathers had his fastball/slider combo working for him and he gave up a single hit in the outing.

Alexander Mojica PIT, 3B, 18.9 – I was already pretty high on Mojica, and he is showing why as an 18 year old in full season ball, slashing .333/.429/.667 with 2 homers and a 5/1 K/BB in 18 AB. He was one of the best hitters in the Dominican Summer League in 2020 with big raw power, and he is continuing that success in 2021. He is a pick up in deeper leagues, and a watch list guy in shallower leagues.

Sammy Siani PIT, OF, 20.5 – Siani hit his first dinger at Single-A which is a good sign as he is known for his good feel to hit with plus speed. He doesn’t project to have a huge impact on the MLB level, but he can be a well rounded player with all category production.

Luis Garcia PHI, SS, 20.7 – After a terrible year in 2019, Garcia is finally getting the chance to bounce back and he is doing just that, hitting his first homer of the season yesterday and is now slashing .375/.448/.542 with 1 homer, 1 steal and a 6/4 K/BB and Single-A. There were reports of increased power in 2020, and his hot start to 2021 has his stock back on the upswing.

Estevan Florial NYY, OF, 23.7 – Absolutely destroyed his 4th homer of the year at Double-A and has a reasonable 6/3 K/BB in 22 AB. Could this finally be the breakout we have been waiting years for?

Josh Lowe TB, OF, 23.3 – Josh Lowe powered up for his 3rd bomb of the season at Triple-A as he joins Wander Franco and Vidal Brujan as the next wave of Tampa’s seemingly never ending pipeline.

Luis Medina NYY, RHP, 22.0 – Had his 2nd lights out start of the season, going 5 IP with 1 hit, 0 earned and a 7/2 K/BB. His stuff has always been nasty, so seeing the improved control is huge.

Lyon Richardson CIN, RHP, 21.4 – 5 IP, 4 hits, 0 ER, 6/1 K/BB for his 2nd strong outing of the season. His velocity was reportedly up in 2020 and he has a real chance to breakout in 2021.

Evan Carter TEX, OF, 18.8 – Carter snuck onto my Top 1,000 at #1,000, and I’m happy he did as he had a 3 hit day yesterday and is now 7 for 18 with 3 doubles and a 8/7 K/BB as an 18 year old in full season ball. At 6’4”, 190 pounds with a plus power/speed combo, Carter has loads of potential, and now has some production to back it up.

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

Posted on May 5, 2021May 5, 2021 by Michael Halpern

MiLB Opening Day Dynasty Baseball Rundown

There weren’t enough screens in my house to keep up with everyone I wanted to watch last night, but I made due by flipping around like a maniac trying to catch everything I could. Here is the MiLB Opening Day Dynasty Baseball Rundown:

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Austin Martin TOR, OF, 22.1 – Martin kicked things off on the opening pitch of the MiLB season with a Jeter-esque single going the opposite way. If things go right, he could be putting up some Jeter-esque batting lines in the majors for years to come.

Wander Franco TB, SS, 20.2 – Launched a deep triple for his first of 3 hits on the day (3 for 5), and his speed looked in top form to my eye flying around the bases. He also tacked on a stolen base. Launch angle? Check. Speed? Check.

DL Hall BAL, LHP, 22.7 – Hall looked unhittable in his Double-A debut throwing his upper 90’s fastball up in the zone and then landing his breaking ball both in and out of the zone. He went 4.1 IP with 2 hits, 0 earned, and a 10/2 K/BB. He wasn’t necessarily consistently hitting his spots, but he also wasn’t completely out of control. If one start could have your stock on the rise, this one was it.

Grayson Rodriguez BAL, RHP, 21.5 – In the battle for Baltimore’s top pitching prospect, Rodriguez did not want to be outdone as he went 4 IP with 1 hit, 0 earned and a 5/2 K/BB at High-A. With John Means dominating on the MLB level, it could be the dawn of a new era in Baltimore.

Shane McClanahan TB, LHP, 24.0 – McClanahan toed the rubber for the Major League club and he looked masterful with a fastball that sat 98.7 MPH and a slider that put up a 57% whiff%. He went 4 IP with 2 hits, 0 earned, and a 5/2 K/BB. He may never rack up innings in Tampa, but it sure looks like he will dominate in the innings he does pitch.

Keibert Ruiz LAD, C, 22.9 – Smashed a 106.5 MPH homer off Kyle Hendricks in his first MLB at-bat of the season. He also homered in his first MLB at-bat in 2020 as well. The guy knows how to make a first impression.

Colin Barber HOU, OF, 20.5 – David Gonos of The Athletic gave me a playful ribbing for leaving Barber off my Top 1,000 Dynasty Baseball Rankings when he named that ranking one of the top free fantasy baseball resources, and Barber set out to prove Gonos right in the early going as he tallied his first dinger at High-A. Barber has a good feel to hit with speed, so showing off the power is exactly what you want to see.

CJ Abrams SD, SS, 20.7 – Abrams already made a big jump for me into the land of the elite based on his spring performance, and he kept is going at Double-A with 2 doubles, 0 K’s and a walk in 5 at-bats.

Gabriel Arias CLE, SS, 21.2 – Arias was 8 for 13 with 3 K’s in spring training, and yesterday he displayed some power with his first homer at Triple-A (1 for 4 with a K). He’s a plus defensive player whose glove will keep him on the field, and there is offensive upside if he can continue to refine his pitch recognition and plate approach.

Nate Pearson TOR, RHP, 24.7 – 3.2 IP, 4 hits, 1 earned, 8/1 K/BB. His fastball velocity was in prime form and so was his swing and miss slider. He is working on new mechanics to keep himself healthy, and if the early returns mean anything, it is going well.

Gunnar Henderson BAL, SS, 19.11 – Cracked possibly the most impressive homer of the day, hitting a no doubter the other way that left the ballpark. The hype was already starting to percolate based on 2020 reports, and that dinger should put it into overdrive.

Jackson Kowar KC, RHP, 24.7 – Kowar went against a relatively tough lineup in his Triple-A debut and was lights out, going 5.1 IP with 2 hits, 0 earned and a 9/2 K/BB. It shouldn’t be long before he joins Daniel Lynch in the rotation.

Matt Manning DET, RHP, 23.4 – 5 IP, 6 hits, 5 earned, and a 6/1 K/BB. He gave up 3 homers. He didn’t look all that great to me in spring training either (5.00 ERA in 9 IP). He’s not exactly forcing Detroit’s hand to say the least, and while I’m holding strong with his ranking, I’m starting to keep my expectations in check when he does get the call.

Michael Harris ATL, OF, 20.2 – Electric start to the season at High-A as he went 3 for 4 with a double, stolen base, OF assist, and a 1/1 K/BB. I was too low on him in my off-season rankings, even though my blurb and projection for him was glowing. I will rectify that mistake in my next update.

Francisco Alvarez NYM, C, 19.5 – Got off to a hot start at Single-A, going 4 for 5 with a double and a walk. If he keeps this up he’s on track to become the top catching prospect in the game when Adley Rutschman graduates.

Travis Swaggerty PIT, OF, 23.10 – There were reports of improved pull side power at that alt site and he showed that off at Triple-A yesterday with his first dinger (3 for 4 with a BB). He has speed and a plus glove in the OF, so the power coming around is big to see.

Ronny Mauricio NYM, SS, 20.1 – Mauricio has become a bit of a divisive prospect with more tools than production, but he got off to a strong start at High-A with 2 doubles and a walk in 4 AB. He’ll have to keep producing this season if he doesn’t want his prospect ranking to dip.

Liover Peguero PIT, SS, 20.4 – Smacked a homer out to deep CF at High-A for his only hit of the day (1 for 4 with a 2/1 K/BB). He has speed with a potentially plus hit tool and glove, so the power is the final piece.

Michael Toglia COL, 1B, 22.8 – Bombs away as Toglia got a hold of his first homer at High-A. He also struck out twice and is a bit old for the level, but his upside at Coors is exciting if they ever give him the chance to play.

Jesus Sanchez MIA, OF, 23.7/Lewin Diaz MIA, 1B, 24.5 – A pair of Marlins went deep at Triple-A as they push for a MLB roster spot. They will get their shot at some point this summer.

Luis Medina NYY, RHP, 22.0 – 4 IP, 1 hit, 0 ER, 8/2 K/BB at High-A. He looked great in the Puerto Rico Winer League before struggling in spring training. He has nasty stuff, so continuously showing the ability to harness it will be key this season. So far, so good.

Luis Gil NYY, RHP, 22.11 – Gil is another high risk, high reward Yankees prospects who got off to a good start yesterday. He went 3.2 IP with 2 hits, 0 ER, and a 6/1 K/BB. At the least, these guys can be electric arms out of the pen.

Nick Pratto KC, 1B, 22.6 – After dominating in spring with 4 homers in 29 AB (albeit with 14 K’s), Pratto picked right up at Double-A with his first homer (1 for 5 with a K). His stats bottomed out in 2019 with a .191 BA, and it certainly looks like a resurgence could be upon us.

Jordan Walker STL, 3B, 18.11 – Crushed a weak breaking ball for a pull side homer with a quick, vicious hack. Nobody was questioning his power at 6’5”, 220 pounds, but it doesn’t hurt to see it.

Updated Dynasty Baseball Rankings are up on my Patreon! Click here to join for that article and a ton of other content including Dynasty Rundowns, FYPD Rankings, Strategy articles and more

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

Posted on April 19, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (4/19/21)

Today’s Rundown is more of buy/sell/price check based on early season returns rather than a traditional Rundown. Check out my Patreon for the 2021/22 Top 30 First Year Player Draft Rankings that I will be expanding on as we get closer to the draft, and I’m also working on a Dynasty Rankings update that should drop at the end of the month. Here is the Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (4/19/21):

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Yermin Mercedes CHW, C, 28.2 – Ripped his 4th homer and while his exit velocity doesn’t jump out at 87.7 MPH, he has an elite 12.8% whiff% and 10.5% Brls/PA%. Yermin is a “buy high” for me, meaning I would target him in a trade because nobody will expect you to give up your very best prospects and there is a good chance you can strike a very reasonable deal.

Jazz Chisholm MIA, SS, 23.2 – I was encouraged by Jazz’s 25.5% whiff% in 2020, shooting him up my rankings, and he is rewarding my faith in 2021 keeping it at a reasonable 30.7%. He’s also been absolutely crushing the ball with a 92.5 MPH exit velocity, and his speed is up a bit too with a 28.6 ft/sec sprint speed. I don’t have to tell you guys because he’s been the talk of the town, but this is a full on breakout.

Sean Murphy OAK, C, 26.6 – Cracked his 1st homer of the year and there will be more where that came from as he has a 93.3 MPH exit velocity and 17.4 degree launch angle. He is swinging and missing a ton with a 40% whiff%, but he is also walking a ton with a 15% BB%. In OBP leagues especially, Murphy is a buy.

Giancarlo Stanton NYY, OF, 31.5 – Blasted his 3rd homer yesterday. Stanton is still crushing the ball (95.1 MPH exit velo), but his 25.1 ft/sec sprint speed (27.1 in 2019) shows that he is declining athletically. If he can sustain this mini hot streak, it might not be a bad time to cash in and see what you can get for him.

Taylor Trammell SEA, OF, 23.6 – Trammell looks like the odd man out when Kelenic gets called up. He isn’t hitting the ball hard with an 82.4 MPH exit velocity and is striking out a ton (42.6% K%). His 27.4 ft/sec sprint isn’t bad, but it’s not great either.

Rafael Devers BOS, 3B, 24.5 – There was talk he didn’t come into the 2020 season in shape, which is why his speed dropped off and he had a down year, but in 2021 his speed has dropped even more to a 25.2 ft/sec sprint speed (26.5 in 2020), and his whiff% remains high at 31.5%. He’s still demolishing the ball with a 94.2 MPH exit velocity, but the indicators we wanted to see improve haven’t at this point.

Michael Kopech CHW, RHP, 24.11 – Got the start and continued his domination with 3 IP, 1 hit, 1 ER, and a 4/1 K/BB. His fastball/slider combo has been lights out with a .220 xwOBA and 34% whiff% on the fastball, and a ridiculous .057 xwOBA with a 56.3% K% on the slider. This is a growth stock I’m buying even as the price continues to rise.

Christian Yelich MIL, OF, 29.4 – Whiff% remains at career high levels at 32.8%, making it hard to buy into a bounce back in that area. The launch angle gains he made in 2019 also do not look to be sticking as it dropped to 7.1 degrees in 2020 and 5.2 degrees this year. Considering his .333 BA right now, I would see if I could get a haul for him when he returns from the IL.

Trevor Story COL, SS, 28.4 – Surface stats are down with a .674 OPS, but underlying stats look great with a career high 91.8 MPH exit velocity and 19% K%. He’s a buy for me if you are in win now mode.

Charlie Blackmon COL, OF, 34.9 – Blackmon is another Rockie whose surface stats are down (.623 OPS), but underlying stats look much better with a career best 88.5 MPH exit velocity and 13.2% K%. His .350 xwOBA is right in line with career norms. He is a buy for a win now team.

Luis Robert CHW, OF, 23.8 – Whiff% down to 31.8% from 41.5% in 2020 which is huge to see. He’s also crushing the ball with a 91 MPH exit velocity. He won’t come cheap, but Robert is a major buy before his surface stats explode.

Yoan Moncada CHW, 3B, 25.10 – Not hitting the ball hard (85.3 MPH) and now has a below average 26.6 ft/sec sprint speed. Basically everything we wanted to see bounce back has gotten even worse. It is a concerning start, but you have to stay patient and hope he hits his stride at some point. Don’t sell for pennies on the dollar.

Carson Kelly ARI, C, 26.9 – Launched his 3rd homer of the season and his power surge is backed up by a 97.1 MPH FB/LD exit velocity. His .400 BA is not backed up by the underlying stats though with a career high 37.3% whiff% (26.8% in 2020).

Victor Robles WASH, OF, 23.10 – 1 for 2 with a walk. He is getting on base with a career high 12.2% BB%, but his 85.3 MPH exit velocity and career low 26.3 ft/sec sprint speed is not exactly screaming breakout season.

Akil Baddoo DET, OF, 22.7 – It hurts me to say it, but with a 85.8 MPH exit velocity, 46.3% whiff%, and 2.5% BB%, Baddoo is a sell high.

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