Imaginary Brick Wall

Posted on July 4, 2022July 4, 2022 by Michael Halpern

Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (7/4/22)

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 (7/4/22):

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT, INCLUDING:
-TOP 10 TRADE NEGOTIATION TACTICS (one of my favorite things I’ve ever written)
-TOP 10 MID-SEASON TRADE TARGETS
-MID-SEASON OBP TOP 447 DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS
-MID-SEASON POINTS/6+CATS/OPS “UNIVERSAL” TOP 430 DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS
-JUNE 2022 TOP 350 DYNASTY PROSPECTS RANKINGS
-JUNE 2022 TOP 445 DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS

Edward Olivares KCR, OF, 26.4 – 2 for 4 with a 108 MPH homer and 108.9 MPH single. That has been the story of Olivares’ season as he’s been smoking the ball with a 91.2 MPH EV in 59 AB. While I doubt he can keep hitting the ball this hard, coming into more power in his late 20’s isn’t that hard to buy into. He’s also fast and his strong contact rates have transferred to the majors. I’ve never ranked Oliveras all that high in my dynasty rankings throughout his career, but maybe my hate of olives has subconsciously biased me against him. The high groundball rates might limit his upside, but he can be the fake Gucci bag version of Michael Harris and Alek Thomas.

Michael Harris ATL, OF, 21.4 – Speaking of Harris, he nuked a dinger of his own on a 108.8 MPH, 425 foot bomb. If you’re trying to acquire him at this point, you’re going to have to pay up like it’s one of those stores on 5th Avenue where you have to be buzzed in to even be let in the store.

Spencer Torkelson DET, 1B, 22.10 – 1 for 4 with a frozen rope of a homer for his 5th of the year in 70 games. Tork is struggling with a .587 OPS, but his 23.9% whiff% is above average, his 89 MPH EV is above average, his .319 xwOBA is above average and his 10.4% BB% is above average. Whatever you do, don’t give up on him.

Brandon Woodruff MIL, RHP, 28.5 – 6 IP, 6 hits, 0 ER, 8/0 K/BB vs. PIT. The stuff looks great. My dad has had Reynaud’s Syndrome basically my entire life, and while he would be in full arctic tundra gear when watching some of my baseball games, he would still kick my ass in stickball with a 4 pitch mix and pinpoint control. If Woodruff’s anything like my pops, he’ll figure it out.

Max Meyer MIA, RHP, 22.4 – Meyer hit the IL after two terrible starts in mid May, but he’s back to dominating since returning in mid June. He went 6 IP with 2 hits, 0 ER, and a 5/0 K/BB at Triple-A yesterday and now has a 1.62 ERA with an 18/1 K/BB in his last 16.2 IP. He could get the call at any moment.

Emerson Hancock SEA, RHP, 23.1 – 5.2 IP, 3 hits, 0 ER, 6/2 K/BB at Double-A. Hancock gets forgotten about, but he has plus control (7% BB%) of an MLB quality 4 pitch mix. He also understands the art of pitching. If he can stay healthy, I would be pretty surprised if he doesn’t end up a damn good MLB starter.

Vaughn Grissom ATL, SS, 21.6 – 3 for 4 with a double and a homer that he launched over the Green(ville) Monster. Grissom’s power is taking a big jump this year with 12 homers in 68 games at High-A and it hasn’t impacted his elite contact numbers at all (12% K%). He walks and has speed too. He’s easily entering Top 50 prospect status at the least.

James Triantos CHC, 3B, 19.5 – Triantos homered for the 3rd straight game, and this one left no doubt about his future power potential as he crushed it out to centerfield. It also happened to be some of the best camera work I’ve ever seen on a homer, following the ball perfectly against the backdrop of the clear black sky. The hit tool has been as advertised with a .280 BA and 17.5% K% in 66 games at Single-A, and now he has a decent 5 homers on the year.

Eguy Rosario SDP, 2B/3B, 22.10 – First there was Esports, and now there are Eguys. When will it end? Like Esports, Eguy is taking over, going 3 for 3 with 2 homers and a steal yesterday, and now has 13 homers, 13 steals, and a 21.8%/11.2% K%/BB% in 72 games at Triple-A. He also made one of the best catches I’ve ever seen. Eguys are just built different I guess.

Jordan Lawlar ARI, SS, 19.11 – 3 for 5 with a double and a homer at Single-A. He’s managed to get even better since returning from the IL, slashing .396/.476/.642 with 1 homer, 5 steals, and a 20.6%/12.7% K%/BB% in 14 games. He’s an elite prospect.

Andy Pages LAD, OF, 20.7 – The power explosion was inevitable, and it arrived in full force once the calendar hit June. He went 2 for 4 with a homer yesterday and has now hit 9 homers in his last 27 games at Double-A. His profile is pretty locked in as a low average, high walk slugger.

Shane Baz TBR, RHP, 23.1 – 6 IP, 7 hits, 1 ER, 7/2 K/BB vs. TOR. The fastball averaged 95.9 MPH and put up a 79.7 MPH EV on the pitch, while his slider and curve racked up whiffs with a 45% and 40% whiff%. It’s pretty clear he is healthy and on a beeline to become one of the best pitchers in baseball.

MacKenzie Gore SD, LHP, 22.4 – The walk problems are back as Gore walked 4 batters in 5.2 IP yesterday and has now walked 3 or more in his last 6 starts. It’s well beyond just a couple game blip at this point. You have to expect some growing pains, so I would stay patient, but it’s definitely a little concerning.

Bobby Miller LAD, RHP, 22.3 – Miller had his best start of the year, going 6 IP with 2 hits, 0 ER, and a 10/3 K/BB at Double-A. His season was starting to look pretty mediocre, so he desperately needed a start like this. The stuff is huge and is most certainly MLB quality, so while he might not be an ace, he should be able to get the job done in whatever role LA deploys him in.

Gavin Williams CLE, RHP, 22.11 – 6.2 IP, 4 hits, 0 ER, 6/0 K/BB at Double-A. The upper minors has been no issue for Williams with a pitching line of 1.69/1.13/19/8 in 16 IP. The fastball is his best pitch and it might legitimately be an elite pitch. His secondaries aren’t too shabby either. He’s trending towards being a #2 fantasy starter.

Jeremy Pena HOU, SS, 23.9 – Pena looked a little rusty after coming off the IL with a thumb injury and also after his collision with Alvarez, going 4 for 23 with a 10/0 K/BB in 5 games, but he found his rhythm yesterday going 4 for 5 with 2 homers. The only weakness to his game has been his walk rate with only a 5.1% BB%, and he didn’t walk that much in any league above Single-A, but I still couldn’t rank him any lower 67th overall on my OBP Top 447 Mid-Season Dynasty Baseball Rankings considering how exciting his debut has been.

Julio Rodriguez SEA, OF, 20.6 – 2 for 3 and he obliterated the ball in every at bat with a 112.4 MPH double, 110.6 MPH groundout, and 106.9 MPH homer. I’m almost at the point where it isn’t even worth mentioning him in these rundowns because he’s so locked into elite status.

Cavan Biggio TOR, 2B, 26.0 – Biggio is quietly getting his career back on track, ripping 2 line drive singles in 4 AB at 98.8 MPH and 95.4 MPH. He now has a career high .365 xwOBA and 13% Barrel%. The homer and steal numbers are still subdued with 2 homers and 1 steal in 104 AB, but he’s back to being an OBP beast and is getting near full time at bats in a stacked lineup.

Tyler Wells BAL, RHP, 27.7 – 6 IP, 3 hits, 1 ER, 7/1 K/BB vs. MIN. Wells had no trouble getting whiffs in this one with a 34% whiff% (22.2% on the season). He’s been thriving on weak contact with an 87.6 MPH EV against, but the lack of K’s has made me hesitant to buy in. Doing this against Minnesota’s tough lineup just evaporated a lot of that doubt.

Max Muncy OAK, SS, 19.9 – 1 for 4 with a homer. Muncy swings one of the quickest bats in the minors and it’s resulted in 15 homers in 70 games at Single-A. The 29.7% K% is high, but it’s been better of late with a 24.8%/17.9% K%/BB% in his last 25 games. He’s easily trending towards being a top 100 prospect if he’s not there already.

Jeferson Quero MIL, C, 19.9 – 2 for 4 with a homer at Single-A. Jeferson’s season got off to a slow start with a .665 OPS in April and .587 OPS in May, but he’s exploded in his last 23 games, slashing .333/.426/.556 with 5 homers, 6 steals, and a 12.8%/11.7% K%/BB%. He’s firmly back on track to be one of the top catcher prospects in the game by this time next year.

Endy Rodriguez PIT, C, 22.1 – 2 for 4 with a homer. Rodriguez is putting in Yeoman’s work at High-A with a 122 wRC+. He doesn’t have huge power with 8 homers in 65 games, and his hit tool took a step back against more advanced competition with a career worst 24.2% K%. I think he can be a solid hitting catcher, but I don’t think he is going to be a major fantasy difference maker.

Xavier Edwards TB, 2B/3B, 22.11 – I admittedly have no idea what to think of Edwards. His power is ticking up this year as he drilled his 4th homer in 29 games at Triple-A, and the elite contact rates are still there with a 13.5%/9.5% K%/BB%, but he’s struggled mightily on the bases with 1 steal in 5 attempts. He had 19 steals in 31 attempts last year, so this isn’t a one year blip. I’m personally struggling to buy in, but I get if you’re higher on him than I am.

Bubba Thompson TEX, OF, 24.1 – 2 for 3 with a homer and 0/2 K/BB. Bubba is another one I’m torn on. He was a favorite of mine coming out of his draft year, and his mouth watering talent is self evident with 10 homers and 37 steals in 60 games at Triple-A. The plate approach is rough with a 26.7%/5% K%/BB%, but it’s been better of late with a 23.1%/11.5% K%/BB% in his last 22 games. The improved BB% definitely has me a little excited as he could be setting up to be a late career breakout type.

Jonatan Clase SEA, OF, 20.1/Luis Rodriguez LAD, OF, 19.10 – Clase and Rodriguez both collected 2 hits with a homer yesterday for their 7th homers of the year, and are both prospects I like a lot, but they each have a 31.6% K% which is preventing me from really getting excited for them. I like Clase more between the two because he’s a speedster with 25 steals, so if he can get the K’s in check, his fantasy stock could soar.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ALL SEASON, INCLUDING:
-TOP 10 TRADE NEGOTIATION TACTICS (one of my favorite things I’ve ever written)
-TOP 10 MID-SEASON TRADE TARGETS
-MID-SEASON OBP TOP 447 DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS
-MID-SEASON POINTS/6+CATS/OPS “UNIVERSAL” TOP 430 DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS
-JUNE 2022 TOP 350 DYNASTY PROSPECTS RANKINGS
-JUNE 2022 TOP 445 DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS
-TOP 16 2023 FYPD RANKINGS
-TONS OF DYNASTY RUNDOWNS

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

Posted on June 27, 2022June 29, 2022 by Michael Halpern

IBW Presents Wild Card Week on the Patreon!

It’s Wild Card Week on the Patreon! Wild Card Week will include the Updated OBP Dynasty Rankings, Top 10 Mid-Season Trade Targets, Top 10 Trade Negotiation Techniques and more. First post will drop later tomorrow. There is also tons of content already up for June. Check it all out:

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ALL SEASON, INCLUDING:
-UPDATED JUNE 2022 TOP 350 DYNASTY PROSPECTS RANKINGS
-UPDATED JUNE 2022 TOP 445 DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS
-UPDATED JUNE POINTS/6+CATS/OPS “UNIVERSAL” TOP 430 DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS
-TOP 16 2023 FYPD RANKINGS
-TONS OF DYNASTY RUNDOWNS

-Halp

Posted on June 23, 2022June 25, 2022 by Michael Halpern

Patreon Post: Updated Points/6+Cats/OPS “Universal” Top 430 2022 Dynasty Baseball Rankings

The Updated Points/6+Cats/OPS “Universal” Top 430 2022 Dynasty Baseball Rankings are for leagues that juice up good real life hitters and devalues speed. Their 5×5 BA ranking is in parenthesis. Let’s get to it:

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR THE REST OF THESE RANKINGS AND TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ALL SEASON, INCLUDING:
-UPDATED JUNE 2022 TOP 350 DYNASTY PROSPECTS RANKINGS
-UPDATED JUNE 2022 TOP 445 DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS
-TOP 16 2023 FYPD RANKINGS
-TONS OF DYNASTY RUNDOWNS

Tier 1

1) (3) Juan Soto WASH, OF, 23.7 – Not dropping his ranking at all yet. Underlying numbers are still elite

2) (2) Ronald Acuna Jr. ATL, OF, 24.5

3) (8) Yordan Alvarez HOU, OF, 24.10 – Yordan and Vlad are made for this type of format where speed is devalued. I can see going with them even over Acuna depending on the specific rules

4) (1) Shohei Ohtani LAA, RHP/DH, 27.11

5) (9) Vladimir Guerrero Jr. TOR, 1B, 23.2

6) (4) Kyle Tucker HOU, OF, 25.4

7) (5) Fernando Tatis Jr. SD, SS, 23.5

8) (16) Mike Trout LAA, OF, 30.9 – So good that I think he deserves to be in Tier 1 in these kinds of formats despite the fact he is 30

9) (18) Rafael Devers BOS, 3B, 25.6 – Low walk rates are the only thing keeping me from ranking him even higher

10) (21) Aaron Judge NYY, OF, 30.0 -.465 xwOBA is 2nd to only Yordan

11) (11) Jose Ramirez CLE, 3B, 29.6

12) (15) Bryce Harper PHI, OF, 29.5 – UCL thing is still in the back of my mind even though it doesn’t look to be affecting him much

Tier 2

13) (24) Pete Alonso NYM, 1B, 27.5

14) (31) Austin Riley ATL, 3B, 25.1

15) (14) Wander Franco TBR, SS, 21.3 – He’s a great long term 5×5 fantasy asset, but he’s even better in a format that rewards good real life hitters

16) (6) Julio Rodriguez SEA, OF, 21.4 – Julio and Witt take a hit in these rankings because they have not established themselves as elite hitters yet and their stolen bases don’t make as much of an impact.

17) (7) Bobby Witt Jr. KC, SS, 21.10

Shadow17) (16) Shohei Ohtani LAA, DH only/Weekly Leagues, 27.9

18) (10) Trea Turner LAD, SS, 28.10

19) (19) Corbin Burnes MIL, RHP, 27.6

20) (20) Shane McClanahan TBR, LHP, 25.0

21) (32) Matt Olson ATL, 1B, 28.1

22) (12) Bo Bichette TOR, SS, 24.3

23) (13) Luis Robert CHW, OF, 24.10

24) (22) Manny Machado SD, 3B, 29.10

25) (17) Mookie Betts LAD, OF, 29.6 – On the IL with a cracked rib but they are hopeful he can return in a couple of weeks. There is definitely risk this could hurt his production when he returns

26) (44) Corey Seager TEX, SS, 28.0

Tier 3

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

Posted on June 20, 2022June 25, 2022 by Michael Halpern

Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (6/20/22)

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 (6/20/22):

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ALL SEASON, INCLUDING:
-UPDATED JUNE 2022 TOP 350 DYNASTY PROSPECTS RANKINGS
-UPDATED JUNE 2022 TOP 445 DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS
-TOP 16 2023 FYPD RANKINGS
-TONS OF DYNASTY RUNDOWNS

Juan Soto WASH, OF, 23.9 – Cranked his 14th homer on a 1 for 5 day but is still “struggling” with only an .807 OPS. This is deja vu from last year where he had a .851 OPS in the first half before going off in the 2nd half. The underlying numbers are elite with a .413 xwOBA, so the bonkos 2nd half is inevitable this year too. If this even opens up the tiniest sliver of a buying opportunity, I would be all over that, but clearly any dynasty owner worth their salt won’t price him any lower. Let me know if anyone sells low on Soto because I will personally show up at their house and collect all of their salt. They don’t deserve it.

Gleyber Torres NYY, SS, 25.8 – 3 for 5 with a double and a homer. Over his last 21 games he’s slashing .321/.369/.718 with 8 homers, 1 steal, and an 18/5 K/BB. I kept the faith on Torres this off-season, finishing his blurb in the Top 1,000 by writing, “Gleyber is starting to hit those man muscle years and the power should only tick up from here. I love him as a trade target this off-season.” I ranked him 78th overall on the Updated Top 445 June Dynasty Baseball Rankings that hit my Patreon last week. 2018-19 Gleyber is back.

Masyn Winn STL, SS/RHP, 20.2 – Power is the final step to go full breakout, and it seems to be happening as Winn destroyed his 4th homer in 23 games at Double-A all the way to the parking lot. He already cracked my Top 50 in the Top 350 June Prospects Rankings, and the arrow continues to point up.

Bryan Ramos CHW, 3B/2B, 20.3 – One of my favorite prospects in the minors, Ramos obliterated his 11th homer of the season so hard that it drew audible oooohhs and aaahhs from the crowd. He’s been red hot with 7 homers, a 10/8 K/BB and a .961 OPS in his last 19 games at High-A.

Quinn Priester PIT, RHP, 21.6 – Priester returned from an oblique injury a couple weeks ago and made his first start at Double-A yesterday, going 3 IP with 1 hit, 0 ER and a 3/0 K/BB. He throws a diverse pitch mix and the fastball has been sitting in the mid 90’s. The eye test has always looked better than the numbers with Priester, and I’ve decided to split the difference between the two when valuing him.

Gavin Williams CLE, RHP, 22.10 – Williams made his 2nd start at Double-A and went 3 IP with 4 hits, 1 ER, and a 6/2 K/BB. The fastball is way too advanced for minor league hitters, and the breaking balls were so refined in this one that he pitched the entire game with his pinky up.

Jack Suwinski PIT, OF, 23.10 – Jack jacked 3 homers yesterday and Jack’s now jacked 11 homers on the year. He has a .339 wOBA with a .339 xwOBA. This guy jacks.

Tyler O’Neill STL, OF, 27.0 – 3 for 4 with a double. O’Neill returned from the IL a new man, slashing .354/.385/.521 with 2 homers, 3 steals, and a 12/3 K/BB in 12 games. Unfortunately he left the game with hamstring tightness, so we are back in wait and see mode.

Nick Pivetta BOS, RHP, 29.6 – 7 IP with 4 hits, 1 ER, and a 10/1 K/BB vs STL. He dominated with the fastball, throwing it 56% of the time with a 36% whiff% and 84.3 MPH EV against. Fantasy managers have been riding the Nick Pivetta rollercoaster for years now, so it’s hard to fully buy in, and the 3.31 ERA is much better than the 4.02 xERA. He’s solid, but I wouldn’t expect him to keep this up.

Juan Yepez STL, 1B/3B/OF, 24.4 – Drilled a pinch hit 114.4 MPH homer. That basically describes Yepez’ value all right there. He can rake, but playing time is an issue as he’s a bad defensive player with a negative 6 defensive value. It’s such a pain trying to figure out the correct ranking of a guy like Yepez, because if he gets the playing time his ranking will look silly low, and if he doesn’t his ranking will look silly high. There is no in between.

Jerar Encarnacion MIA, OF, 24.8 – Encarnacion made his MLB debut and it didn’t take long for him to show off the skills, crushing his first homer with a K on a 1 for 4 day. He hit the ball hard all day and starts his MLB career with a 99.6 MPH EV. The BA is going to be an issue with a 30.2% K% at Triple-A, but at 6’4”, 220 pounds, he’s going to mash.

Michael Harris ATL, OF, 21.2 – Checking in at #112 on the Updated Top 445 Dynasty Rankings, Harris launched his 3rd homer off Kyle Hendricks on a 105.4 MPH shot. Considering he’s 21 years old jumping straight from Double-A, he’s had a damn exciting MLB debut, slashing .321/.346/.538 with 3 homers, 2 steals, and a 18/3 K/BB in 21 games.

Buddy Kennedy ARI, 3B, 23.10 – Kennedy made his MLB debut last week and he got on the board with his first homer yesterday on a 394 foot bomb. He’s looked mature at the plate so far in 3 games with a 18.2%/9.1% K%/BB% and 1.164 OPS. I ranked Kennedy 693rd overall on my off-season Top 1,000 Dynasty Rankings and wrote, “When you watch Kennedy he doesn’t exactly scream upside, but he has baseball bloodlines and it definitely shows because he looks mature beyond his years at the plate. He vaguely reminded me of Jhonny Peralta a little.” He’s sneaky good.

Curtis Mead TBR, 3B, 21.7 – 2 for 4 with 2 homers at Double-A. Mead’s plus hit tool has transferred to the upper minors with a 18.2%/10% K%/BB% and .305 BA in 50 games, and now the power is coming too with 6 homers in his last 15 games. He has an unorthodox, Statue of Liberty like batting stance that you can’t help but love. He has a chance to be really damn good.

Blaze Jordan BOS, 3B, 19.5 – It was only a matter of time before the power started to come, and it came hard yesterday with 2 homers. He has all fields power, with one to the pull side and one going the opposite way. His contact rates have been excellent all year with a 17.3% K% in 57 games at Single-A. He’s laying the foundation to be one of the top power hitting prospects in the game in a year or so.

Andrew Heaney LAD, LHP, 30.10 – Heaney returned from a shoulder injury and he picked the breakout up right where he left off, going 5 IP with 5 hits, 1 ER, and a 7/1 K/BB. The fastball averaged 92.1 MPH, which is up 0.6 MPH from his season average, and he put up a 31% whiff% overall. He now has a 0.59 ERA with a 38.1% whiff% in 15.1 IP on the season. Heaney is yet another player I hit on in my early February Target Series on Patreon, writing, “I liked Heaney a lot going into last year because of above average strikeout and walk rates, but it obviously didn’t materialize. This is a bet on LA’s developmental prowess. If he’s good enough for the Dodgers rotation, he’s good enough for my fantasy squad.” We can’t develop the players as Dynasty owners, so taking the organization into account is a must for us.

Oscar Gonzalez CLE, OF, 24.7 – Gonzalez powered up with the lone run off Heaney, cracking a 395 foot homer off him for his 1st of the year in 22 games. A 1.8 degree launch is why it took this long to get on the board, but a 91.2 MPH EV shows there is more raw power in the tank if he can make adjustments.

Robert Gasser SDP, LHP, 23.2 – 7 IP, 0 hits, 0 ER, 8/1 K/BB at High-A. The 4.10 ERA in 63.2 IP isn’t great, but the 31%/7.8% K%/BB% looks much better. The stuff isn’t huge, making him more of a “crafty lefty” with a back end starter profile.

Gordon Graceffo STL, RHP, 22.3 – 7 IP, 3 hits, 2 ER, 6/0 K/BB at Double-A. The breakout has slowed a little bit a Double-A despite the 2.73 ERA in 29.2 IP. His K% is all the way down to 19.1%. His control has still been otherworldly though with a 1.7% BB%. Here he is painting the black with a 99 MPH fastball.

Everson Pereira NYY, OF, 21.3 – 4 for 7 with 2 doubles. Pereira has been heating up at High-A, slashing .294/.347/.533 with 5 homers, 4 steals, and a 22/8 K/BB in his last 22 games. He had only 1 homer before that, so it’s nice to see him finding his power stroke again after hitting 20 homers in 49 games last year.

Jordan Westburg BAL, SS, 23.3 – Westburg has been excelling since getting the call to Triple-A, going 2 for 3 with a double and steal yesterday, and is now slashing .405/.444/.810 with 3 homers, 2 steals, and a 22.2%/6.7% K%/BB% in 10 games. He’s no Gunnar Henderson, but he can be a solid across the board contributor as a key member of Baltimore’s next winning core.

Jacob Amaya LAD, SS, 23.10 – Amaya was starting to cool off at Double-A, but he must have been getting bored, because he’s exploded after the call to Triple-A. He went 2 for 3 with 2 walks yesterday and now has 2 homers with a 11.1%/11.1% K%/BB% in 6 games. He swings a wickedly dangerous bat, and he continues to grow on me. He hasn’t cracked my Top 100 yet, but that could end up being a mistake.

Oneil Cruz PIT, SS, 23.8 – The savoir of Pittsburgh has finally ascended with Cruz getting the call for tonight’s game vs. Chicago. I hope NL Central pitchers enjoyed their Father’s Day yesterday, because their new daddy has arrived.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ALL SEASON, INCLUDING:
-UPDATED JUNE 2022 TOP 350 DYNASTY PROSPECTS RANKINGS
-UPDATED JUNE 2022 TOP 445 DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS
-TOP 16 2023 FYPD RANKINGS
-TONS OF DYNASTY RUNDOWNS

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

Posted on June 14, 2022June 18, 2022 by Michael Halpern

Patreon Post: Top 445 June 2022 Dynasty Baseball Rankings

It’s Dynasty Baseball Rankings Week over on the Patreon. We complete the rankings today with the Top 445. Quick notes for almost every player. Here is the Top 445 June 2022 Dynasty Baseball Rankings:

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE AND TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ALL SEASON, INCLUDING:
-UPDATED JUNE 2022 TOP 350 DYNASTY PROSPECTS RANKINGS
-UPDATED JUNE 2022 TOP 445 DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS
-TONS OF DYNASTY RUNDOWNS

Tier 1

1) (1) (1) Shohei Ohtani LAA, RHP/DH, 27.11 – Surface stats haven’t been as good on the hitting side, but a .395 xwOBA shows he’s as good as ever. On the pitching side he’s setting a career high mark on K% (31.7%) and BB% (5.8% BB%).

2) (3) (3) Ronald Acuna Jr. ATL, OF, 24.5 – What torn ACL? Acuna is right back to being a beast with a .424 xwOBA and 11 steals in 32 games. His sprint speed is down to 28.1 ft/sec, but a 4.29 HP to 1B runtime is right in line with where he was in 2020-21

3) (2) (2) Juan Soto WASH, OF, 23.7 – 89.3 MPH EV is a career low, but his down surface stats (.835 OPS) are mostly due to a .228 BABIP.

4) (5) (8) Kyle Tucker HOU, OF, 25.4 – 13.4% BB% is a career high by far. He’s on pace for a 29/29 season

5) (4) (5) Fernando Tatis Jr. SD, SS, 23.5 – CT scan did not show enough healing to resume swinging and his timeline is pushed back

6) (22) (21) Julio Rodriguez SEA, OF, 21.4 – Hasn’t established himself as a truly elite hitter yet, but it seems like a foregone conclusion

7) (26) (20) Bobby Witt Jr. KC, SS, 21.10 – Slashing .278/.339/.602 with 7 homers, 5 steals, and a 27/9 K/BB in his last 29 games. Rodriguez and Witt have done enough to prove they are going to be elite fantasy players, even if they aren’t quite there yet

8) (7) (15) Yordan Alvarez HOU, OF, 24.10 – .489 xwOBA is just stupid. In a 5×5 BA league I just don’t think I can give up the all category potential of Witt and Rodriguez though. I will update the Universal Rankings (and OBP rankings too) in 2 weeks, and those rankings will be a different story

9) (6) (4) Vladimir Guerrero Jr. TOR, 1B, 23.2 – .247 BABIP is keeping the surface stats down, and a .392 xwOBA is still elite. The launch angle is back down to 4.4 degrees though

Tier 2

10) (11) (7) Trea Turner LAD, SS, 28.10 – Here’s what I wrote in last month’s update, “2021 homer breakout hasn’t held with only 1 homer, but a career high 50% HardHit% shows the power will likely come” He’s ripped 6 homers since then

11) (12) (12) Jose Ramirez CLE, 3B, 29.6 – He’s back to running with 6 steals in his last 19 games. If I was rebuilding, I would likely prefer the youngsters ranked after him

12) (8) (6) Bo Bichette TOR, SS, 24.3 – Slashing .314/.369/.598 with 7 homers, 1 steal, and a 23/9 K/BB in his last 24 games. Sprint speed is down to a mediocre 27.3 MPH and he’s only 4 for 7 on the bases. It’s not a great sign for his future stolen base numbers

13) (9) (10) Luis Robert CHW, OF, 24.10 – In the midst of a cold streak with a .520 OPS in his last 14 games. Underlying numbers show he is still a 5×5 BA beast

14) (10) (11) Wander Franco TBR, SS, 21.3 – Has been out for all of June with a quad injury

15) (13) (13) Bryce Harper PHI, OF, 29.5 – Small tear in his UCL doesn’t seem to be an issue as he has a 1.006 OPS in his last 20 games

16) (14) (17) Mike Trout LAA, OF, 30.9 – He’s dodged a couple of land mines with some minor injuries that he’s managed to come back quickly from

Shadow16) (14) (13) Shohei Ohtani LAA, DH only/Weekly Leagues, 27.9

17) (19) (22) Mookie Betts LAD, OF, 29.6 – 1.038 OPS in his last 29 games definitely answered the question of whether he is still elite or not

18) (16) (14) Rafael Devers BOS, 3B, 25.6

19) (17) (16) Corbin Burnes MIL, RHP, 27.6

20) (35) (69) Shane McClanahan TBR, LHP, 25.0 – 0.90 ERA with a 51/4 K/BB in his last 40 IP. He might be the best pitcher in baseball. I named McClanahan as one of my Top 10 Targets on July 1st of last year, finishing the write up by saying, ” I would consider making an offer that seems like an overpay on it’s face, but actually might look like a steal one year from now.” Safe to say if you traded for him then, it looks like a steal today.

21) (24) (27) Aaron Judge NYY, OF, 30.0 – 24 homers leads the majors by far. Alsono is 2nd with 18

22) (18) (18) Manny Machado SD, 3B, 29.10 – Cooling off a little with a .625 OPS in his last 18 games

Tier 3

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

Posted on June 6, 2022June 6, 2022 by Michael Halpern

Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (6/6/22)

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 (6/6/22):

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ALL SEASON, INCLUDING:
-UPDATED JUNE 2022 TOP 350 DYNASTY PROSPECTS RANKINGS
-UPDATED MAY 2022 TOP 433 DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS
-TONS OF DYNASTY RUNDOWNS

Emmanuel Rodriguez MIN, OF, 19.4 – 1 for 2 with a homer, 2 walks and 0 K’s. Baby Bonds has more walks than strikeouts with a 51/54 K/BB in 45 games at Single-A, and his 1.063 OPS is far and away the best OPS in the FSL (the underrated Gabriel Martinez is 2nd at .883). Rodriguez still doesn’t get nearly the respect he deserves, and is already a Top 100 Prospect for me, checking in at #90 on my Top 350 June Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings that hit my Patreon last week.

Jackson Chourio MIL, OF, 18.3 – Chourio has a legitimate shot to be the next big thing. He’s a tooled up 18-year-old who is beating up on older competition in full season ball, muscling out his 4th homer of the year yesterday. He’s slashing .371/.417/.595 with 4 homers, 3 steals, and a 26.0%/7.9% K%/BB% in 27 games at Single-A.

Logan O’Hoppe PHI, C, 22.3 – O’Hoppe homered for the 3rd time in 4 games at Double-A. He now has 11 homers with a .997 OPS and 15.6%/11.8% K%/BB% in 44 games. The hype has really started to percolate on him. Here’s what I wrote about O’Hoppe in my off-season, February 10th Hitters to Target (Patreon) writeup, “Easily the most underrated catcher in the minors. He’s a lock to stick behind the plate with plus raw power and plus contact rates.” Let the record show that the aforementioned Chourio was also included in that off-season Target Series.

DL Hall BAL, LHP, 23.8 – 5 IP, 2 hits, 2 ER, 9/2 K/BB at Triple-A. Isn’t Grayson just the perfect child with his pristine walk rates, diverse pitch mix, and trendy first name, but now he’s out until September with a lat injury, and it’s time for the wild child to take centerstage. Yea, Hall’s control isn’t that great, and yea, he’s not 6’5” 220 pounds, but he’s ready to shine for all of the kids out there who grew up in their sibling’s shadow. And no, I’m definitely not projecting at all! 😉

Cole Henry WASH, RHP, 22.11 – Henry made his Triple-A debut and went 5 IP with 3 hits, 0 ER, and a 3/1 K/BB. He’s 6’4”, 215 pounds with some legitimately filthy stuff. He made Gabriel Moreno and his plus hit tool look silly on a first inning K.

Ezequiel Duran TEX, 2B/SS, 23.0 – I ranked Duran 39th overall in last week’s Top 350 June Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings and wrote, “Quickly becoming one of my favorite prospects with 7 homers, 7 steals, and a 17% K% in 41 games at Double-A. He also passes the “eye test” as he’s an explosive player and the ball explodes off his bat. 6.6% BB% shows he’s still a little too aggressive at the plate.” He has since got the call to the bigs and showed that explosiveness, drilling a 402 foot dinger off a 99.5 MPH Andres Munoz fastball. This dude can be a true difference maker.

Alejandro Kirk TOR, C, 23.7 – The inevitable Kirk breakout has finally arrived with him hitting a 416 foot blast for his 4th homer in 5 games. His underlying numbers are straight elite with a 8.6%/12.3% K%/BB% and a .393 xwOBA. Gabriel Moreno keeps getting more and more blocked.

Brendan Rodgers COL, 2B, 25.10 – 3 for 5 with a double and a homer. Rodgers has been red hot since May began, slashing .344/.380/.566 with 6 homers and a 20/6 K/BB in 30 games. The underlying numbers still aren’t all the great on the season with a 3.5 degree launch angle and .313 xwOBA, but if you’ve been holding strong on Rodgers for the last several years, this is your time.

Alex Kirilloff MIN, 1B/OF, 24.4 – 2 for 5 with 2 homers and now has 4 homers in his last 3 games at Triple-A. The wrist must be feeling A-OK as he’s utterly destroying Triple-A with a 1.050 OPS in 26 games. He’s back on track to become one the top young hit/power combo hitters in the game.

Bryson Stott PHI, SS, 24.8 – Stott is heating up, walloping his 2nd MLB homer and now has a 1.122 OPS in his last 5 games. An 84.1 MPH EV is still horrific, but a 24.3% whiff% and 16.7 degree launch angle is forming a nice foundation if he can keep hitting the ball harder.

Shane Baz TBR, RHP, 22.11 – 10/1 K/BB in 4.1 IP at Triple-A. Ummmm … I think it’s safe to say the rust has been shaken off. I can’t imagine it’s that much longer before he gets recalled.

Jakob Junis SFG, RHP, 29.9 – 6 IP, 2 hits, 1 ER, 8/2 K/BB vs. Miami. He has a 2.51 ERA in 43 IP, but I’m not sure I’m really buying in. A 23.9% whiff% overall is mediocre and his slider is only putting up a 26.8% whiff%. The sinker sits 91.1 MPH. I trust the 3.96 xERA more, which is still a step forward from where he’s been in his career prior to this year.

Martin Perez TEX, LHP, 31.2 – 6 IP, 7 hits, 2 ER, 7/2 K/BB vs. Seattle. 20.7% K%, 5.9% BB% and 2.6% barrel% are all career bests. This isn’t exactly an in your face breakout, more of a doing a little bit of everything better breakout. My gut says this will be hard to maintain, and I surely wouldn’t want to pay up big for him in a trade, but if I owned him (I don’t) I would be enjoying the hell out of the ride while it lasts.

Mike Trout LAA, OF, 30.10 – 29.4 ft/sec sprint speed is a 5 year high and nearly a career high, and yet he hasn’t attempted a single steal. Even with him absolutely mashing he’s still ranked only 24th on the Razzball Player Rater. That, plus his age, is why I find it hard to rank him over 14th overall on my Top 433 May Dynasty Baseball Rankings.

Spencer Steer MIN, SS, 24.6 – Steer went nuclear yesterday, cracking 3 homers. He now has 6 homers with an 11/6 K/BB in 13 games since getting the call to Triple-A. I see some Alex Bregman in his game and a little Brian Dozier too. Not saying he’ll be as good as those guys, but I’m buying in.

Colin Barber HOU, OF, 21.4 – Barber has quietly been having an excellent season, but it got a whole lot louder after going deep twice yesterday. He has a 17.4%/12.8% K%/BB% with a .956 OPS in 37 games at High-A. He’s ridiculously underrated.

Ian Lewis MIA, 2B, 19.4 – Lewis got a late start to the season, but it didn’t take him long to prove his skills will translate to full season ball. He drilled his 2nd homer of the year and has a .864 OPS with a 18.3% K% and 2 steals in 20 games at Single-A. His stock is rising.

Sal Frelick MIL, OF, 22.2 – Frelick got ahold of his first homer in 19 games since getting called up to Double-A. It’s just his 3rd homer in 41 games on the season, but it comes with 9 steals and a 14.6%/10.8% K%/BB%. I will say I’m a little concerned with how much his value will be tied to stolen bases. He’s been caught 4 times this year, and we’ve seen guys like Nick Madrigal not run at all. If the steal totals are mediocre on the MLB level, the upside really isn’t there.

Noelvi Marte SEA, SS, 20.7 – 2 for 4 with his 5th homer in 46 games at High-A. People are starting to sour on Marte with a mediocre .732 OPS, but I think it’s mostly due to poor HR/FB luck. 24.9%/10.8% K%/BB% with a 40.7% GB% tells me a homer binge is likely coming down the pike. If you’re a rebuilding team, now could be a good time to buy low if he’s sitting on the roster of a contender.

Angel Martinez CLE, 2B/3B/SS, 20.2 – Martinez went 3 for 5 with a double and 2 homers at High-A (3 homers in 34 games). The power is big to see because the plate approach (19.7%/13.6% K%/BB%) and speed (7 steals) are both there, so developing some legitimate power will take him to the next level.

Andres Gimenez CLE, 2B/SS, 23.9 – The power breakout is holding up with Gimenez smacking a 105.9 MPH dinger for his 3rd homer in his last 5 games in the majors. His 89.9 MPH EV is up 3.6 MPH from last year. He feels like he’s been around forever, but he’s only 23 years old, and he’s lightning fast with a 29.3 ft/sec sprint speed. 2.8% BB% isn’t great, but there is very real upside here in a 5×5 BA league especially.

Cal Mitchell PIT, OF, 23.4 – Mitchell rocked his first MLB homer off Zac Gallen. It’s nice to see the above average K rates transferring to the majors with a 18.4% K%, but there doesn’t seem to be much upside here with a 3.5 degree launch angle and 26.2 ft/sec sprint speed. His groundball rates were high at Triple-A too. He’s getting his shot and can certainly be solid, but not sure he’s going to be a difference maker.

Jack Suwinski PIT, OF, 23.10 – Between Mitchell and Suwinski, I think I prefer Suwinski, but it’s close. He went 3 for 4 with 2 doubles at 108.9 and 107.5 MPH. He’s kept the K% in check in the majors with a 25.6% K%, and he has some speed (28.5 ft/sec sprint speed) and some pop (6 homers in 34 games).

Pete Crow-Armstrong CHC, OF, 20.2 – Pete Crow got the call to High-A last week and it didn’t take long for him to get acclimated, cracking his first homer at the level to the deepest part of the ballpark. He has 8 homers in 43 games overall. He never got enough credit for his power potential, and he’s now leaving no doubt there is legitimate juice in his bat. I predicted the power breakout in my off-season Predicting the 2023 Top 50 Dynasty Baseball Prospects (Patreon), but I also predicted that Luis Matos would go 20/20, so it’s a give and take.

Marcus Semien TEX, SS/2B 31.8 – 2 for 5 with a dinger, and now has 3 homers, 4 steals, and a .822 OPS in his last 10 games. We have a pulse.

Cristian Hernandez CHC, SS, 18.6 – Rookie Ball starts today. Can’t wait to start digging for the next group of breakouts.

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

Posted on May 31, 2022June 2, 2022 by Michael Halpern

Patreon Post: Top 350 June 2022 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings

I reversed course on this one and was very lenient with my definition of a prospect, so the previous ranking in parenthesis might indicate a bigger drop than actually happened due to adding a bunch of players who weren’t eligible on my last stricter update. Here is the Top 350 June 2022 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings:

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR THE REST OF THESE RANKINGS AND TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ALL SEASON, INCLUDING:
-UPDATED MAY 2022 TOP 433 DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS
-UPDATED JUNE 2022 TOP 350 DYNASTY PROSPECTS RANKINGS
-TONS OF DYNASTY RUNDOWNS

1) (7) Royce Lewis MIN, SS, 23.0 – I’m trying to make a case why Lewis shouldn’t be the #1 prospect in baseball and I just can’t do it. He already rose to #7 overall in last month’s update before he got the call to the majors, and then he went out and proved the skills will translate against MLB pitching with a 16.2% whiff% and 90.7 MPH EV in 41 PA. He has all the talent in the world as a former #1 overall pick and he destroyed Triple-A in every facet of the game. While the prospects ranked after him are every bit as talented, proving it in the majors is a big deal, as we’ve seen top prospects come up and quickly establish they just can’t handle MLB pitching … cough, Jarred Kelenic, clearing throat sound, cough, cough. I obviously don’t love the knee injury after he crashed into the wall, but right now it’s not looking like a major injury

2) (5) Corbin Carroll ARI, OF, 21.9 – Hasn’t slowed down in May at all with a 1.031 OPS at Double-A

3) (1) Riley Greene DET, OF, 21.8 – Began his rehab assignment from a broken foot and went 1 for 4 in his first game back at Triple-A

4) (4) Oneil Cruz PIT, SS, 23.8 – K% is all the way down to a respectable 25.1%, and in his last 20 games he’s slashing .281/.392/.549 with 6 homers, 3 steals, and a 19/12 K/BB at Triple-A. I’m still all in on Cruz

5) (2) Grayson Rodriguez BAL, RHP, 22.6 – 0.94 ERA with a 43/9 K/BB in his last 28.2 IP at Triple-A. I have no idea why he isn’t in the majors already Update: Left his last start with a lat injury. Fucking pitching prospects man

6) (6/UR) Shane Baz TBR, RHP, 22.11 – Due to being more strict on my last prospects update, Baz wasn’t included, but he was my 6th ranked prospect in the Top 433 May 2022 Dynasty Baseball Rankings from 2 weeks ago. He recently began a rehab assignment at Triple-A and should be back in the majors soon.

7) (3) Adley Rutschman BAL, C, 24.4 – Plate approach skills are transferring to the majors with a 17.1%/11.4% K%/BB% in 35 PA. He has 0 barrels, but an 89 MPH EV ain’t bad, so he’ll find the barrel of the bat eventually

8) (12) Gunnar Henderson BAL, SS, 20.11 – Not only has his plate approach not regressed, but he’s taken it to another level recently with a 13.6%/22.2% K%/BB% in his last 19 games at Double-A

9) (13) Jordan Walker STL, 3B, 20.0 – Power hasn’t fully shown up with 4 homers and a 50.5% GB% in 40 games at Double-A, but at 6’5”, 220 pounds, that is the last thing we have to worry about

10) (8/UR) CJ Abrams SD, SS, 21.8 – I still love Abrams, but I just trust the power of Henderson and Walker more, and they are doing it in the upper levels of the minors now too. Like Baz, Abrams wasn’t included in the last Prospects Rankings but he ranked 8th on the latest Dynasty Rankings.

11) (8) George Kirby SEA, RHP, 24.4 – Exactly as advertised with plus control (2.4% BB%) of a plus 95.5 MPH fastball (30.4% whiff%), to go along with effective but not exceptional secondaries

12) (13/UR) MJ Melendez KCR, C, 23.6 – K% hasn’t ballooned in the majors with a respectable 27.1% whiff% which has allowed his no joke power to shine with a 91.7 MPH EV and 4 homers in 22 games

13) (9) Daniel Espino CLE, RHP, 21.5 – Currently out with some knee tendinitis that doesn’t seem serious, but he’s also been out since April 29th so maybe it was more serious than they were letting on. I wouldn’t downgrade him one iota because of the injury at this point

14) (21) Eury Perez MIA, RHP, 19.2 – 2.12 ERA with a 20/4 K/BB in 17 IP in May. The fastball has hit over 100 MPH this year. He’s gonna be an ace

15) (29/UR) MacKenzie Gore SDP, LHP, 23.3 – He’s outperforming the underlying numbers with a 1.71 ERA vs. a 3.32 xERA (also a 28.3% K% vs. a 25.1% whiff%), but that is just nitpicking as his electric 4 pitch mix is shining due to improved control (8.4% BB% in 42 IP)

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

Posted on May 23, 2022May 26, 2022 by Michael Halpern

Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (5/23/22)

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 (5/23/22):

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ALL SEASON, INCLUDING:
-UPDATED MAY 2022 TOP 433 DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS
-UPDATED MAY 2022 TOP 316 DYNASTY PROSPECTS RANKINGS
-TONS OF DYNASTY RUNDOWNS

Josh Naylor CLE, 1B/OF, 24.11 – Naylor crushed a low fastball out to centerfield at 108.1 MPH for his 6th homer in 21 games in the majors. He’s been crushing the ball all year with a 50% HardHit% (top 10% of the league). He never sold out for the flyball revolution, keeping that launch angle low (7.8 degrees), and it’s finally paying off with MLB going back to the dead ball which rewards line drive hitters. It’s a good life lesson. You don’t always have to adjust to the trends, just keep doing what you’re doing and let the trends come to you. He checked in at #308 on the Top 433 May 2022 Dynasty Baseball Rankings that hit my Patreon last week.

Nolan Gorman STL, 3B/2B, 22.1 – 3 for 5 with a 108.1 MPH double and is now 5 for 10 with a 1/2 K/BB in his 3 game Quad-A debut vs Pitt. The double came off Bryce Wilson and his 7.53 ERA. Gorman hits for power in his sleep with a 93 MPH EV and 19.4 degree launch angle. He also hasn’t been swinging and missing like a madman with a 22.7% whiff%. Of course, all of this damage came against Pitt, so the difficulty level might have actually been easier than his competition at Triple-A. Can’t wait for him to make his real MLB debut.

Roansy Contreras PIT, RHP, 22.7 – Speaking of that better competition at Triple-A, Pitt is finally deciding to field something that might resemble a real MLB team by calling up Contreras. Contreras was a guy who used to sit in the low 90’s and got by on the art of pitching, and then he showed up in 2021 pumping upper 90’s heat. He lost some control in that transformation, but that’s a tradeoff you gotta take. He’s a must add in all formats. Now we’re just waiting on Oneil Cruz control.

Oneil Cruz PIT, SS, 23.8 – Enter Mr. Cruz stage left, as Cruz destroyed his 4th homer in 35 games off what looked like a pro whiffle ball pitcher. He’s coming on after an understandably slow start (because of the ridiculousness of not cracking the MLB squad out of camp) with 3 homers, 2 steals, a .879 OPS and 11/11 K/BB in his last 14 games.

Trevor Story BOS, SS, 29.6 – The post Coors adjustment period seems to be over as Story has been out of his mind over his last 7 games with 6 homers, a 1.572 OPS and a 4/5 K/BB. His 14.7% Barrel% is actually a career high. He’s back, baby.

Tony Gonsolin LAD, RHP, 28.1 – 6 IP, 3 hits, 1 ER, 7/1 K/BB vs. Philly. Gonsolin was one of my top pitcher targets this off-season, and he’s paying dividends with a 1.61 ERA (2.48 xERA) on the back of an excellent 86.9 MPH EV against. 23.5% HardHit% against is in the top 2% of the league. His fastball hasn’t been great, but all 3 of his secondaries have been dominating. He was a no brainer target for me considering his price, and this start really cemented his status as an impact fantasy starter.

Michael Kopech CHW, RHP, 26.1 – 7 IP, 1 hit, 0 ER, 6/2 K/BB vs. NYY. The only pitcher I was targeting more than Gonsolin was Kopech, and he’s also been on point with a 1.29 ERA (2.64 xERA) in 42 IP. He hasn’t gone full breakout like I hoped he would with a solid but unspectacular 26% whiff%, but he’s inducing weak contact with a well above average 4.9% Barrel% against.

Adley Rutschman BAL, C, 24.2 – The slow trickle of Baltimore’s top prospects getting the call has begun with Adley fittingly leading the charge. He’s 2 for 8 with a 1/1 K/BB in 2 games, so the plus plate approach looks good so far.

Grayson Rodriguez BAL, RHP, 22.6 – Grayson can’t be far behind, going 6 IP with 4 hits, 2 ER, and 9/1 K/BB at Triple-A. There is nothing left for him to prove in the minors with a 38.6%/8.2% K%/BB% in 43.1 IP. Baltimore’s time is coming.

Kyle Stowers BAL, OF, 24.5 – Stowers doesn’t always get included in that upcoming Baltimore youth movement, but he’s doing his best to stay noticed after cranking 3 homers yesterday to give him 9 on the season. More important than the power, which was never in doubt, is the excellent 22.8%/11.7% K%/BB% in 34 games at Triple-A.

Graham Ashcraft CIN, RHP, 24.5 – Ashcraft made his MLB debut and went 4.1 IP with 4 hits, 2 ER, and a 3/2 K/BB vs. Toronto. He’s not a huge strikeout guy, but his big stuff (97.4 MPH cutter and 97.2 MPH sinker) induces weak contact (84.1 MPH EV against) and keeps the ball on the ground (negative 5.4 degree launch angle). This isn’t a pitching style comp, but numbers wise maybe he can end up something like Framber Valdez.

MacKenzie Gore SDP, LHP, 23.3 – 6 IP, 3 hits, 1 ER, 6/2 K/BB vs. SFG. The fastball sat 96.4 MPH and he put up a 28% whiff% overall. With Clevinger hitting the IL with a triceps strain, Gore has a chance to really lock down that rotation spot. He’s just another example of pitching prospect development being all over the place.

Christopher Morel CHC, OF, 22.11 – Morel didn’t play yesterday, but he’s been too good not to mention. He’s has always had big talent, and he’s starting to refine that talent this year. He got the call straight from Double-A (147 wRC+), and hasn’t missed a beat in the majors with a 95.2 MPH EV, 23.5%/11.8% K%/BB%, and 27.7 ft/sec sprint speed. It’s resulted in 2 homers, 1 steal, and a 1.145 OPS in 15 AB. There is still hit tool risk, but he seems to be coming into his own. He’s worth a shot in any league, and he cracked my Updated Dynasty Rankings at #424.

Pete Crow-Armstrong CHC, OF, 20.0 – Here’s what I predicted about Armstrong in my Predicting the 2023 Top 50 Dynasty Prospects Rankings this off-season, “Armstrong will not only pick up where he left off before he underwent shoulder surgery, he will show power potential many people doubt he has. He’ll profile as a less hyped version of Robert Hassell.” … Armstrong smashed his 6th homer yesterday and his profile looks exactly like a less hyped version of Robert Hassell, slashing .372/.463/.584 with 6 homers, 10 steals, and a 18.%/12.5% K%/BB% in 33 games at Single-A.

Anthony Volpe NYY, SS, 21.1 – Volpe ripped his 5th homer and stole his 18th bag in 34 games at Double-A. He only has a 94 wRC+, but it’s mostly due to a .227 BABIP. 24.5%/13.5% K%/BB% and the power/speed numbers all look good. Don’t sell low based on the .197 BA.

Zac Veen COL, OF, 20.6 – 2 for 4 with a 0/1 K/BB and his 4th homer in 34 games at High-A. After an early season K binge, Veen’s notched a 22.4% K% in his last 23 games which is great to see considering his hit tool is really the only concern. He has a 134 wRC+ with 10 steals and a 13.7% BB%. He has one of the most vicious swings in the minors, and I think he’s going to be a fantasy stud when it’s all said and done.

Jasson Dominguez NYY, OF, 19.4 – 2 for 4 with 2 K’s and his 4th homer. Dominguez has fully shook off his slow start and is now slashing .298/.372/.548 with 4 homers, 3 steals, and a 30/9 K/BB in his last 21 games. The K’s are still a problem, but a 118 wRC+ in 33 games at Single-A ain’t bad at all. He’s not going full Kevin Maitan on us, thankfully, but he’s not going full Wander Franco either. He’s settling in somewhere in between.

Jairo Pomares SFG, OF, 21.8 – Pomares went deep twice yesterday to bring his season wRC+ up to 121 in 27 games at High-A. His walk rate is up to a career high 9.7%, but the K% remains high too at 31.1%. He’s got a whip quick swing and just looks like a player in the box. He’s not exactly dominating with a .768 OPS, but I’m still in on him.

Vinnie Pasquantino KCR, 1B, 24.6 – Vinnie with the Skinny just keeps on crushing, going 3 for 4 with a homer and 0 K’s. He has 10 homers with a 14.6%/13.5% K%/BB% in 40 games at Triple-A. This man has been as consistent as they come with a 152 wRC+ at Rookie Ball in 2019, a 154 wRC+ at High-A in 2021, a 153 wRC+ at Double-A in 2021, and now a 152 wRC+ at Triple-A this year.

Miguel Vargas LAD, 3B, 22.4 – Vargas is right on Pasquantino’s tail for the plate approach/power combo crown, going 2 for 4 with his 7th homer yesterday. He now has a 15.1%/14.6% K%/BB% with a 137 wRC+ in 41 games at Triple-A

Vaughn Grissom ATL, SS, 21.5 – 3 for 4 with a double, homer, steal, and 0/1 K/BB. Grissom’s plate approach has been silly elite with a 12.6%/11.3% K%/BB% in 34 games at High-A, and while that’s his calling card, don’t underestimate his very solid power (4 homers) and speed (6 steals).

Ken Waldichuk NYY, LHP, 24.5 – Waldichuk made his Triple-A debut and showed out, going 5.1 IP with 3 hits, 1 ER, and a 9/2 K/BB. He’s been an absolute strikeout machine his entire pro career with 267 strikeouts in 173.1 IP. He doesn’t have huge stuff but the guy knows how to pitch and the results don’t lie.

Matt Canterino MIN, RHP, 24.5 – 4 IP, 0 hits, 0 ER, 6/1 K/BB at Double-A. Canterino does have the huge stuff, but injuries have derailed his hype train. He’s been nothing but filthy when on the mound and now has a 1.53 ERA and 116/26 K/BB in 76.1 career IP. Now is mostly certainly the time to pounce if he’s still out there in your league.

Antoine Kelly MIL, LHP, 22.5 – 5.2 IP, 3 hits, 3 ER, 13/1 K/BB at High-A. Kelly is bouncing back from a terrible 2021 due to shaking the rust off from thoracic outlet surgery (9.78 ERA), and now has a 2.58 ERA with a 33.8%/12.1% K%/BB% in 39.1 IP this year. The fastball sits mid 90’s from a three quarters arm slot and the slider looks good too. Still risk, but big K upside.

Gabriel Martinez TOR, OF, 19.10 – Martinez is putting himself on the map, going 4 for 7 with a dinger yesterday. He’s showing off an above average hit/power combo as a 19 year old at Single-A, slashing .278/..342/.474 with 6 homers and a 17.1%/8.2% K%/BB% in 36 games. He’s a nice grab in a deeper league.

Bo Naylor CLE, C, 22.3 – Naylor was on the map, and then off the map after a tough 2021, and now he’s putting himself back on the map with a strong season at Double-A. He homered yesterday and now has a very respectable triple-slash of .281/.423/.479 with 3 homers, 7 steals, and a 21.1%/18.7% K%/BB% in 30 games. A catcher who can chip in with steals and maintain a solid average isn’t too bad at all.

Joe Mack MIA, C, 19.3 – Mack made his season debut on May 17th and it didn’t take long for him to get going as he’s 4 for 6 with a double and a homer in his last 2 games. He has a cool 200 wRC+ in 4 games and has the potential to be one of the top catcher prospects in baseball in the not too distant future.

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

Posted on May 17, 2022May 20, 2022 by Michael Halpern

Patreon Post: Top 432 May 2022 Dynasty Baseball Rankings

It’s that time of the month again when the flowers are blooming and the rankings are flowing. It’s Dynasty Baseball Rankings Week! Last month’s rankings are in parenthesis. Here is the Top 432 May 2022 Dynasty Baseball Rankings:

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Tier 1

1) (1) Shohei Ohtani LAA, RHP/DH, 27.10 – Strikeouts are down in a good way (22.4% K% at the dish) and up in a good way (35.4% K% on the hump)

2) (2) Juan Soto WASH, OF, 23.6 – Perfect 3 for 3 on the bases keeps him just enough in that all category contributor category

3) (3) Ronald Acuna Jr. ATL, OF, 24.4 – Sore groin has kept him out since the 10th, but he should return soon. K rate is a bit high at 37% and sprint speed is a bit low at 27.7 ft/sec, but it’s merely something to keep an eye on as he’s back to dominating in 10 games since returning from a torn ACL

4) (5) Fernando Tatis Jr. SD, SS, 23.4 – Been slowly ramping up baseball activities as he tries to return from a broken wrist at some point in June

5 (8) Kyle Tucker HOU, OF, 25.3 – Has a 1.093 OPS in his last 19 games. Underlying numbers were elite even while he was slumping early. Tack on 8 steals and there is no way around the fact that Tucker is the elite of the elite

6) (4) Vladimir Guerrero Jr. TOR, 1B, 23.1 – Launch is back down to 4.5 degrees and he hasn’t been able to keep up last year’s insane breakout, but taking into the account the suppressed run environment, he’s still killing it with a 140 wRC+

7) (15) Yordan Alvarez HOU, OF, 24.9 – 95.1 MPH EV trails only Stanton and Judge, and the plate approach is elite with a 18%/14.1% K%/BB%

Tier 2

8) (6) Bo Bichette TOR, SS, 24.2 – Swing and miss is up with a 25.3% K%, launch angle is still down with a 7.2 degree launch, and BB% is still low with a 5.1% BB%. A next level breakout doesn’t seem to be in the cards this year, but he’ll still be a 5 cat stud.

9) (10) Luis Robert CHW, OF, 24.9 – Backing up his 2021 contact gains with a 13.9% K%

10) (11) Wander Franco TBR, SS, 21.2 – Power is looking good with a 90 MPH EV, and he’s running enough to keep him interesting in that category with 3 steals. I almost popped him over Bichette, but I couldn’t do it quite yet

11) (7) Trea Turner LAD, SS, 28.10 – 2021 homer breakout hasn’t held with only 1 homer, but a career high 50% HardHit% shows the power will likely come. Only reason for the small drop was because the youngsters (Yordan, Robert, Franco) don’t seem as risky after strong starts

12) (12) Jose Ramirez CLE, 3B, 29.6 – Still elite

13) (13) Bryce Harper PHI, OF, 29.5 – Still elite

14) (17) Mike Trout LAA, OF, 30.8 – He’s healthy. Career high 24.7% barrel%

Shadow14 (Shadow13) Shohei Ohtani LAA, DH only/Weekly Leagues, 27.9

15) (9) Ozzie Albies ATL, 2B, 25.4 – .236 BABIP is the main thing keeping the numbers down (.698 OPS), although he hasn’t been hitting the ball very hard (87 MPH EV), and he’s been a bit slower (27.3 ft/sec sprint speed).

16) (14) Rafael Devers BOS, 3B, 25.5 – Hit/power combo looks as good as ever

17) (16) Corbin Burnes MIL, RHP, 27.5 – Backing up his much improved control from last season with a 4.7% BB%

18) (18) Manny Machado SD, 3B, 29.9 – Here’s what I wrote for Machado in my off-season Top 1,000, “He’s been a bit inconsistent in his career, going back and forth between great years and solid years since 2017, so if the trend holds, he is in for one hell of a 2022.” … The trend is holding as Machado is going insane with a 1.029 OPS

Tier 3

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR THE REST OF THESE RANKINGS AND TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ALL SEASON, INCLUDING:
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By Michael Halpern (@MichaelCHalpern)
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com
Twitter: Imaginary Brick Wall (@DynastyHalp)

Posted on May 9, 2022May 17, 2022 by Michael Halpern

Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (5/9/22)

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 (5/9/22):

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George Kirby SEA, RHP, 24.2 – Kirby made his MLB debut and went 6 IP with 4 hits, 0 ER and a 7/0 K/BB vs. Tampa. The 4-seamer dominated, sitting 95.8 MPH with a 48% whiff% on the pitch. He had just climbed to #8 overall on my Updated Top 316 Prospects Rankings over on my Patreon, writing, “He could take Brash’s spot in the rotation shortly.” Granted, you didn’t have to be Prospectdamus to see that one coming.

Royce Lewis MIN, SS, 22.10 – Lewis followed in Kirby’s footsteps, rising to #7 on the Updated Prospects List and then getting the call shortly after that. He’s 3 for 10 with a double and K in his 3 game debut, and the underlying numbers are impressive with a 91.8 MPH EV, 22.1 degree launch, and an 11.1% whiff%. He might not stay up with Correa’s injury not as bad as originally feared, but Lewis is trending towards being a fantasy star.

Manuel Margot TBR, OF, 27.6 – I’ve had Margot in the late career breakout bucket for awhile now, seeing a similar career path to Lorenzo Cain, and it might finally be happening as Margot ripped his third homer of the year to bring his season wRC+ up to 170 in 24 games. He has a career high 91.4 MPH EV, 17.3 degree launch angle, and 19.7% whiff%.

Juan Yepez STL, 1B/3B/OF, 24.0 – Yepez smashed his first MLB homer on a 406 foot shot to the deepest part of the ballpark. He is starting his MLB career on a 5 game hit streak, and 4 of those games were multi hit games. He’s not guaranteed a full time job, but as long as he keeps hitting, they will find a way to get his bat in the lineup.

Owen Miller CLE, 1B/2B, 25.6 – Miller stays hot with his 3rd homer in 22 games. He’s handily outperforming his underlying numbers (.445 wOBA vs. .368 xwOBA), so while I think he can be a solid bat long term, I don’t think he is going to maintain anything close to this level. I would consider him a sell high candidate.

Corbin Carroll ARI, OF, 21.7 – Carroll has been going bonkos all season, and he’s now going doubly bonkos with his 2nd straight 2 homer game. That’s 4 homers in his last 2 games for 9 homers on the season. Tack on 8 steals and a .326 BA and he is in the conversation for the top prospect in baseball. He checked in at #5 on my Updated Top 316 Prospects Rankings.

Zack Gelof OAK, 3B, 22.5 – Gelof lifted off twice as well for his 3rd and 4th homers in 25 games at Double-A, and both were hit the opposite way. A fan in a cartoonishly sized cowboy hat had the first homer all lined up but he botched the play. Gelof has a 123 wRC+ at the level, but a 27.6%/6.5% is a little worrisome when trying to project his production out on the MLB level.

Austin Martin MIN, OF, 23.0 – It took long enough but Martin finally got on the board, pulling a breaking ball that never really broke for his 1st homer of the year. 13.7%/12.8% K%/BB% with 14 steals in 25 games at Double-A looks great, but he’s just not doing enough damage on contact with a .337 SLG.

Jordan Lawlar ARI, SS, 19.8 – Lawlar continues to separate himself from the 2021 high school SS class, going 2 for 5 with a double, homer, and 0 K’s. He’s now slashing .301/.443/.542 with 6 homers, 15 steals, and a 25.5%/16% K%/BB% in 23 games at Single-A.

Taj Bradley TBR, RHP, 21.0 – 5 IP, 1 hit, 0 ER, 5/0 K/BB at Double-A. Plus control of his mid 90’s fastball is his bread and butter, and the secondaries have been more refined this year. He rose to #53 overall on the Updated Prospects Rankings, one spot ahead of one of my favorite prospects, Brayan Bello.

Mick Abel PHI, RHP, 20.7 – 4 IP, 1 hit, 0 ER, 6/5 K/BB at High-A. Seeing all the walks coming back is not great, but it’s still been much improved overall with a 10.4% BB% in 18 IP. The stuff is filthy and he’s been a K machine with a 37.7% K%. After the top arms in the upper levels graduate, Abel should rise into elite pitching prospect territory.

Edward Cabrera MIA, RHP, 23.11 – Max Meyer is making everyone forget about Cabrera, but he did his best to make as all remember yesterday, going 5 IP with 3 hits, 0 ER, and a 6/1 K/BB. He’s still struggling with his control on the season though with a 15/8 K/BB in 13 IP. Meyer should be the next man up in Miami, but it’s not out the realm they go back to Cabrera first.

Edwin Arroyo SEA, SS, 18.7 – 2 for 5 with his 5th homer in 24 games at Single-A. He now has a 149 wRC+ with 6 steals and a 18.6%/10.6% K%/BB%. Arroyo has been out of his mind recently and is one of the top breakouts in the first month of the season. He climbed to #167 on the Updated Top 316 Prospects Rankings, and even that might not be enough.

Carson Williams TBR, SS, 18.9 – Williams is another 18 year old breaking out in full season ball, jacking his 3rd homer in 21 games and is now slashing .301/.372/.578 with 3 homers, and 7 steals. The 37.2% K% is quite high, but he’s only 18, and his swing is so damn explosive at 6’2”, 180 pounds it’s hard not to get excited.

Roberto Campos DET, OF, 18.10 – Campos crushed his first homer of the year in 25 games at Single-A, but he’s been hitting the ball really hard all year and his power isn’t in question. More importantly, the K rate has been strong with a 22.4%/7.1% K%/BB% and has been solid all year with a 108 wRC+. Now is probably the time to buy in if he’s still out there.

Jackson Chourio MIL, OF, 18.1 – The 18 year old Chourio made his season debut at Single-A last week and he’s done nothing but hit since then. He cranked his first homer yesterday and is now slashing .480/.519/.800 with 1 homer, 2 steals, and a 14.8%/7.4% K%/BB% in 6 games. I’ve ranked Chourio pretty aggressively, and the hype is about to blow up if he keeps this up. Elite prospect potential.

Triston Casas BOS, 1B, 22.2 – Make it #6 for Casas at Triple-A. I imagine that when Bobbly Dalbec looks in the mirror to brush to his teeth in the morning, he sees Casas right behind him like it’s a hacky horror movie.

Nick Yorke BOS, 2B, 20.0 – Yorke’s been finding his power stroke of late, drilling his first 2 homers of the year in his last 5 games. This one was a no doubter out to deep centerfield, showing he definitely has some raw juice in the tank. He has a 21.3% K% with a .238 BA, so the hit tool hasn’t exactly been as elite as hoped.

Justin Foscue TEX, 2B/3B, 23.1 – Foscue has been quietly putting in work at Double-A, going 2 for 3 with a homer and 2 walks. He has a 15.9%/14.5% K%/BB% with a 145 wRC+ in 16 games at Double-A. He’s joining Josh Jung as two rock solid college bats who should produce in Texas for years to come.

Brendon Davis LAA, 3B/OF, 24.8 – 2 for 5 with his 5th homer. The surface stats haven’t been great with an 88 wRC+, but the underlying numbers look excellent with a 17.9%/12.2% K%/BB% and a 37.6% GB% in 28 games at Triple-A. He has big power at 6’4”, 185 pounds, and seeing the K rate being kept in check is big.

Blaze Alexander ARI, SS, 22.11 – Alexander is bouncing back from a down 2021, walloping 2 homers yesterday and is now slashing .322/.403/.644 with 4 homers and 3 steals in 15 games. 31.3% K% is still too high, but he’s putting himself back on the map.

Ken Waldichuk NYY, LHP, 24.3 – Waldichuk had the best start of the day, going 5 hitless innings with a 12/3 K/BB. He’s a 24 year old “crafty lefty” dominating younger competition at Double-A with a 1.14 ERA and 40/9 K/BB in 23.2 IP. I wouldn’t go crazy for him, but the guy obviously knows how to pitch.

Hayden Wesneski NYY, RHP, 24.4 – Wesneski is the 24 year old Yankees pitching prospect I prefer, and he pitched damn well himself, going 5 IP with 4 hits, 2 ER, and a 6/1 K/BB at Triple-A. He does have the big stuff and is now sitting on a 2.48 ERA with a 32/6/ K/BB in 29 IP.

Michael Burrows PIT, RHP, 22.5 – One of the most underrated pitchers in the minors continued his dominance, going 4 IP with 1 hit, 0 ER, and a 6/1 K/BB. The stuff is straight filthy and he’s rocking a 34%/6.8% K%/BB% in 26.2 IP at Double-A. He’s a must pick up in every league.

Jacob Amaya LAD, SS, 23.8 – The Amaya breakout continues, going 3 for 5 with a triple, homer, and a 1/3 K/BB in a doubleheader. Simply calling it a breakout might be an understatement because the the numbers are straight elite, slashing .351/.473/.797 with 7 homers (27.9% GB%), 2 steals, and a 13.2%/18.7% K%/BB% in 22 games at Double-A. He cracked the Updated Prospects Rankings at #200, and he just keeps on rising.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ALL SEASON, INCLUDING:
-UPDATED APRIL 2022 TOP 414 DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS
-UPDATED TOP 316 DYNASTY PROSPECTS RANKINGS
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By Michael Halpern (@MichaelCHalpern)
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com
Twitter: Imaginary Brick Wall (@DynastyHalp)