Imaginary Brick Wall

I’ll be running down everything that caught my eye in the Dynasty Baseball world on most Mondays throughout the season here on the Brick Wall. The rest of the week you can catch my Rundowns on the Patreon. Here is the Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (7/28/25):

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ALL SEASON, INCLUDING:
–MID-SEASON 2025 TOP 437 DYNASTY RANKS
–JULY 2025 TOP 349 PROSPECTS RANKS
-TOP 60 2026 FYPD RANKS w/ Analysis & Prime Projections for every player
-TOP 9 MID-SEASON 2025 DYNASTY BASEBALL TARGETS
-HALP’S DYNASTY BASEBALL PODCAST: JUNE MAILBAG! (July Mailbag coming this week)
-TONS OF DYNASTY RUNDOWNS
–SPREADSHEETS

Edward Florentino – PIT, OF, 18.6, A – Konnor Griffin who? There is new Sherriff in Hype Town, and he just so happens to be on the same team as Konnor Griffin. Can’t wait for 2-3 years from now when Pitt really ramps up and builds a beast around Griffin, Florentino, Cruz and Skenes … ha, who am I kidding. But back to reality, Pitt fans can dream at least by watching Florentino unload for his 3rd homer in 3 nights. He’s now slashing .283/.407/.576 with 7 homers, a 167 wRC+ and a 25.8/15.3 K%/BB% in 28 games since getting called up to Single-A. He’s also stolen 16 bags at the level!!! In just 28 games. You can’t tell me this man has 30 grade speed. Ain’t no way. I’m not buying it. He has 22 steals in 25 attempts on the season. The guy can run. The guy can hit bombs. He’s an 18 year old, 6’4” beast whose raw power is only going to tick up. This is a stud, and it’s why I messed around and ranked him 22nd overall on the freshly updated Top 349 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings that dropped on the Patreon last week.

Leodalis De Vries – SDP, SS, 18.9, A+ – Leo De Vries, aka, Yesterday’s News, is trying to force his way back onto the Prospect front pages by smoking his 3rd homer in his last 12 games. He’s finally getting hot again with a .866 OPS in his last 25 games. His season numbers really aren’t all that impressive with 8 homers, 8 steals in 14 attempts, and a .247/.355/.411 triple-slash, but when you take into account he’s an 18 year old at High-A, and when you watch that beautiful and powerful swing, it gets a lot more impressive. He held strong at 11th overall on those Updated Prospects Rankings.

Carson Benge – NYM, OF, 22.5, AA – Florentino and De Vries had cute days hitting one dinger each, but Benge stole the show and cracked 2 yesterday on a 4 for 5 day. Seriously just watch that lefty swing. Or I should say, try to watch it. That thing is almost faster than the human eye. That didn’t even look real. It’s unsurprising that the swing is having no trouble since getting called up to Double-A, slashing .350/.458/.588 with 5 homers, 3 steals, and a 13.5/15.6 K%/BB% in 21 games. The above average across the board potential is easily transferring to the uppers minors. It looks like the Mets got a good one at 19th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft with him surpassing expectations in his first full year of pro ball. That 2024 FYPD class just keeps on looking better and better. Enjoy it, because I don’t think the 2025 class is going to end up as good, although I did my best to find the gems in my Top 60 2026 First Year Player Draft Rankings (Patreon).

Noelvi Marte – CIN, 3B, 23.8 – I just want to talk about Noelvi Marte for a second here, because he’s quietly back to the insanely talented player he was before the PED suspension, but there seems to be a ton of lag on his hype. He went 1 for 3 with a steal yesterday, and he’s now slashing .283/.338/.496 with 6 homers, 6 steals, and a 18.7/5.8 K%/BB% in 37 games. The 74.1 MPH swing is double plus and so is the 29.1 ft/sec sprint. His 116.7 MPH Max EV is in the top 2% of baseball, the 90.1 MPH EV is excellent, and the 13.6 degree launch and 18.6% Air Pull% is good too. And he plays in Cincy. This dude is back to being a fantasy beast, and it really doesn’t feel like many are jumping fully back on board. The plate skills still need improvement, so he’s not a completely finished product, but he’s still only 23 years old. He’s a major target if his current owner isn’t giving him the respect he deserves. This is an easy Top 100 dynasty asset right now and that might be underselling him.

Matt Shaw – CHC, 3B/2B/SS, 23.7 – I’ve been preaching patience with Shaw, imploring you to give him a chance to get comfortable, and just as he’s getting comfortable, Chicago is threatening to trade for a 3B. Maybe hold off on that Chicago, because Shaw is finally showing true signs of a breakout. He went 1 for 4 with a 103.5 MPH double and a steal yesterday, and even his outs were hit hard with a 106.2 MPH groundout, 89.9 MPH fielding error and a 89.8 MPH groundout. The most important thing to see is him hitting the ball harder, and he’s doing that with a solid 88 MPH EV in his last 8 games. He has 4 dingers over that time with a 1.522 OPS. The contact has been strong with a 20.2% whiff% and 17.7% K%. The plate approach has been solid with a 8.5% BB% and 27.9% Chase%. And the speed is there with 14 steals and a 28.9 ft/sec sprint. Now the power is coming, and he looks setup to have a big last 2 months of the season. I really hope Chicago gets outbid for a 3B, because Shaw deserves the chance to continue this heater. But either way for dynasty, this is great to see.

Maikel Garcia – KCR, 3B/2B, 25.4 – Make it double digits for Maikel as he went deep in back to back games, this one at 103.6 MPH for his 10th homer of the season. The launch is up 3.3 degrees to a respectable 9.7 degrees and the Air Pull% is way up 5.3 percentage points to a strong 16.1%. He’s unlocking that game power, and he’s doing it without giving up skills anywhere else. The 13.1% K% and 8% BB% are career bests, he’s smashing the ball with a 91.1 MPH EV, and he’s running with 19 steals. This is the breakout I envisioned in the 2024 off-season when I named him a major target, and I think there could be more home run juice down the line. I still see those shades of the Ketel Marte power come up. Okay, I’ll stop dreaming, but even as is Garcia is extremely exciting. He ranked 76th overall in the Top 437 Mid-Season Dynasty Baseball Rankings (Patreon).

Eury Perez – MIA, RHP, 22.1 – 5 IP, 2 hits, 1 ER, 6/2 K/BB vs. MIL. The fastball sat 97.7 MPH and put up a 21% whiff%, and the 3 breakers missed bats, leading to a 27% whiff% overall. He has a 1.29 ERA with a 31.1/4.9 K%/BB% in his last 28 IP. I would say the TJ rust has been shaken off, and Eury is back to being one of the most coveted dynasty pitchers in the game. He’s back to being a Top 50 dynasty asset, and a few more outings could put him right alongside side that elite Skenes tier. He’s that good when fully healthy, and he’s looking fully healthy.

Noah Cameron – KCR, LHP, 25.10 – 5 IP, 3 hits, 0 ER, 6/1 K/BB vs. CLE. He put up a 30% whiff% on the back of his curve (45% whiff%), cutter (30% whiff%) and changeup (57% whiff%). The 92.2 MPH fastball chipped in with weak contact with a 80.5 MPH EV against, leading to a 79 MPH EV against overall. It was utter domination. The days of doubting Cameron need to be over. He now has a 2.44 ERA with a 22.2/7.2 K%/BB% in 81 IP. Sure that K/BB is still average-ish, but the 27.3% whiff% is well above average, and so is the 5.8% Barrel% against. He misses bats, he induces weak contact, he has a legit 5 pitch mix, and all 5 pitches are good. It reminds me so much of Ranger Suarez really. Another guy who could never get respect despite a career 3.31 ERA in 698.1 IP. Let’s hope Cameron can stay healthier than Suarez has in his career, because I’m betting on the excellent production to continue, but maybe not to this level.

Brandon Woodruff – MIL, RHP, 32.5 – 6 IP, 4 hits, 2 ER, 6/3 K/BB vs. MIA. Who needs the huge velocity anyway? Woodruff is still dominating even with his fastball down over 3 MPH from peak to around 93 MPH. He has a 2.02 ERA with a 34.5/3.6 K%/BB% in 22.1 IP since returning from shoulder surgery. The changeup is still silly elite with a 44.8% whiff%, the 4-seamer misses a ton of bats with a 38% whiff%, and the sinker and cutter have been positive Run Value pitches too. He’s only 32 years old, and while he’s not showing peak velocity, he’s showing he can still be a legit ace without it. He’s easily a Top 100 dynasty asset right now.

Ronny Mauricio – NYM, 2B/3B, 24.8 – 4 for 4 with a 104.7 MPH homer, 101.8 MPH double, 99 MPH double, and a 95.2 MPH single. Mauricio is back from that torn ACL, and while he’s slow as dirt now with a 25.8 fts/sec sprint that is in the bottom 15% of baseball, there is no doubt juice in that bat. He’s got 5 homers in 35 games and it comes with a 73.8 MPH swing, 90.8 MPH EV, 12.1 degree launch, and a 22.8% Air Pull%. This is easily a 25 homer bat at peak, except it was also supposed to come with 20+ steals, and now that is a bit of a question mark. The plate approach is still rough too with a 37.8% Chase% and 30.6% whiff%, so those steals were supposed to mitigates some of that risk. Hopefully with another full off-season to get healthy, he can get back to running, because I really want to bet on his power bat despite the plate skills. I held strong on his ranking throughout the injury because I didn’t let out of sight, out of mind infect me, and I’m happy I did right now.

Otto Kemp – PHI, 1B/3B/OF, 25.10 – If the Phillies can’t land Suarez, we might be seeing a lot more of Otto Kemp, and he made his case for the Phillies to not overpay for Suarez yesterday, blasting two homers at 105.2 MPH and 99.4 MPH. Both came off Carlos Rodon. That officially brings his wRC+ up to 106 in 35 games, and he surely has the fantasy friendly profile to take a shot on in fantasy with power (13% Barrel%, 91.6 MPH EV, 48.1% Hard Hit%) and speed (29.3 ft/sec sprint). He hit 14 homers with 11 steals in 58 games at Triple-A. The plate approach is still rough with a 28.2/4.8 K%/BB%, which is why Philly is going after Suarez, but it’s never been in the true danger zone in the minors with about 25% K rates or less, so it could easily improve as he gets more comfortable. He might get the rug swept out from under him at the deadline, but if he doesn’t, he’s a fun fantasy pickup.

Heriberto Hernandez – MIA, OF, 25.7 – While we’re on the topic of lowkey 25 year old MLB power breakouts, Hernandez is starting to make a name for himself too. He was actually a formerly pretty hyped prospect in his day before everyone got scared off by the hit tool, but hit tool be damned, the power is conquering all right now after he walloped a 99.8 MPH homer off Brandon Woodruff for his 5th homer in 36 games. The power is no joke with a 73.3 MPH swing, 13.2% Barrel%, and 47.1% Hard Hit%. The .375 xwOBA and .908 OPS are excellent. The hit tool is undoubtably still a major concern with a 39.8% whiff%, and he’s not playing everyday yet, but Hernandez is surely entering pick up territory.

Bryce Eldridge – SFG, 1B, 20.8, AAA – There is nobody in the minors with more power potential than Bryce Eldridge, and he keeps on showing that massive power at 6’7” with his 7th bomb in just 25 games at Triple-A, and his 14th homer in 61 games on the season. He has an absurd 96.4 MPH EV at the level. We are talking about elite of the elite type power here. Oneil Cruz level EV’s, and yes, I brought up Cruz for a reason, and that is because the big time whiffs are there too. It comes with a 31.7/8.7 K%/BB% and a 36.9% whiff%. He’s only 20 years old, so there is definitely plenty of leeway we have to give him there for improvements in the future, but strikeouts are always going to be a part of his game. The insane power can overcome it though, and it can also overcome San Francisco’s ballpark. He ranked 15th overall on the Updated Top 349 July 2025 Dynasty Baseball Prospect Rankings (Patreon).

Ryan Clifford – NYM, 1B/OF, 22.0, AA – Speaking of power hitting prospects, Clifford is quietly having a monster power season himself, cracking his 21st homer in 93 games at Double-A. He’s not a true monster like Eldridge, but he’s a 6’3”, 200 pound beast who knows how to lift and pull. He’s made to hit dingers. Like Eldridge, it comes with plenty of hit tool risk with a 26.6/15.5 K%/BB%, but all of the other “3 true outcome sluggers” are getting tons of hype like Montes and Caissie, while Clifford doesn’t get a peep of it really. He was one of my favorite FYPD sleepers from his draft year, not getting nearly the respect he deserved, and it looks like he’ll continue down that no respect path. I guess it will take him ripping dingers in the majors before anyone notices.

Emil Morales – LAD, SS, 18.9, A – If any rookie baller can go all Edward Florentino at Single-A now that he got called up to the level, it’s the athletic and powerful 6’3” Emil Morales, but we know there is always an adjustment period with him. He’s 1 for 9 with 4 strikeouts in his first 2 games at the level. New level, same shit. Major K problems early before he gets comfortable and brings it down. Give him time.

Kristian Campbell – BOS, 2B/OF, 22.6 – Campbell finally came out of his coma recently after being on life support for months. Friends and family were gathered around him, ready to pull the plug. But no! Not yet! He smacked one of those classic 2024 Campbell bombs yesterday, and he’s now slashing .314/.375/.510 with 3 homers in his last 13 games. The 26.8/8.9 K%/BB% and only 1 steal isn’t that great over that time, but we’ll take what we can get. He’s moving his fingers and toes at least. Baby steps. Can’t lie, his dynasty value is shot, but you can’t give up on these young kids at the first sign of trouble. I would stay patient if I owned him in dynasty.

Joe Boyle – TBR, RHP, 25.11 – 3 weeks ago in this here Monday Morning Rundown I predicted that Boyle was coming for Taj’s starting spot, writing, “Boyle was piggybacking Rasmussen in this one, and there isn’t a clear spot in the rotation for him, but I think Taj could be in trouble. Bradley has a 4.79 ERA this season and he has a career 4.76 ERA in 340.1 IP. I still think Taj could breakout down the line. If Tampa had the room, he should stay in the rotation. But keeping Boyle out of the rotation at this point is downright silly. I suspect Tampa is going to do the right thing.” … and then they did the right thing and demoted Taj to the minors. Boyle is taking his spot. I’ve been touting Boyle for months, and his time is now. I’m pumped.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ALL SEASON, INCLUDING:
–MID-SEASON 2025 TOP 437 DYNASTY RANKS
–JULY 2025 TOP 349 PROSPECTS RANKS
-TOP 60 2026 FYPD RANKS w/ Analysis & Prime Projections for every player
-TOP 9 MID-SEASON 2025 DYNASTY BASEBALL TARGETS
-HALP’S DYNASTY BASEBALL PODCAST: JUNE MAILBAG! (July Mailbag coming this week)
-TONS OF DYNASTY RUNDOWNS
–SPREADSHEETS

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

I’ll be running down everything that caught my eye in the Dynasty Baseball world on most Mondays throughout the season here on the Brick Wall. The rest of the week you can catch my Rundowns on the Patreon. Here is the Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (7/7/25):

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ALL SEASON, INCLUDING:
–MID-SEASON 2025 TOP 437 DYNASTY RANKS
–JUNE 2025 TOP 302 PROSPECTS RANKS
-TOP 9 MID-SEASON 2025 DYNASTY BASEBALL TARGETS
-HALP’S DYNASTY BASEBALL PODCAST: JUNE MAILBAG!
-TONS OF DYNASTY RUNDOWNS
-TOP 50 2026 FYPD RANKS COMING NEXT WEEK
–SPREADSHEETS

Joe Boyle – TBR, RHP, 25.11 – I’ve been calling for it. I’ve been pounding the table. And last week, I threw the gauntlet down, demanding Boyle get called up, flying him up to #178 overall in the Mid-Season Top 437 Dynasty Baseball Rankings (Patreon). If there was any question about Tampa’s magical ability to develop pitchers, they done proved it again by fixing Boyle’s control, and it was high time for him to get unleashed. That time came yesterday, and he didn’t disappoint, going 5 IP with 2 hits, 0 ER, and a 7/1 K/BB vs. MIN. The 98.3 MPH fastball put up a 27% whiff%, the slider dominated with a 71% whiff%, and the splitter was good too with a 29% whiff%. And he walked only one guy!!! It’s his 2nd great MLB outing of the season, and he’s been dominant at Triple-A with a 1.85 ERA and 32.9/10.6 K%/BB% in 73 IP. He was piggybacking Rasmussen in this one, and there isn’t a clear spot in the rotation for him, but I think Taj could be in trouble. Bradley has a 4.79 ERA this season and he has a career 4.76 ERA in 340.1 IP. I still think Taj could breakout down the line. If Tampa had the room, he should stay in the rotation. But keeping Boyle out of the rotation at this point is downright silly. I suspect Tampa is going to do the right thing, but honestly, I don’t know. What I do know is that I’ve been calling Boyle a major target for months now, and I have to believe his time has come.

Emmet Sheehan – LAD, RHP, 25.4 – Speaking of pitchers I flew up my Updated Dynasty Rankings, Sheehan checked in at #170, right in that range he sat before going down with Tommy John, because it’s clear he’s 100% healthy and back to being one of the most exciting young pitchers in the game. The Dodgers called him up for the start yesterday, and he too delivered, going 5 IP with 5 hits, 1 ER, and a 4/1 K/BB vs. HOU. The fastball sat 96.1 MPH, the slider notched a 45% whiff%, the changeup notched a 57% whiff%, and the curve went 1 for 2 on whiffs. It all led to a 31% whiff% with an 86.7 MPH EV against. He was silly elite in the minors with a 45.6/2.5 K%/BB% in 19.2 IP, and this was his 2nd strong outing the majors. I don’t know what happens when (or if) the Dodgers rotation gets more healthy, but I’m buying Sheehan hard regardless.

Byron Buxton – MIN, OF, 31.7 – 2 for 5 with a 104 MPH homer, a 101.1 MPH single and a stolen base. He’s now slashing .270/.334/.544 with 20 homers, 16 steals, and a 27.1/8.3 K%/BB% in 73 games. I feel like we’ve slipped into an alternative reality where Byron Buxton fully lived up to his all time great prospect status. Where he was never injury prone. Where 40/40 seasons were just the norm for him. Sure, this timeline also has the hell world this planet has descended into, but it’s all worth it for a healthy Buxton season 🙂 Maybe I’m a sucker, but I couldn’t resist his pull, jumping him up to #82 overall in the Mid-Season Top 437 Dynasty Rankings (Patreon), because if he actually had health on his side, this would  be a Top 20 dynasty asset today, ranked with the likes of Jose Ramirez, Francisco Lindor and Bryce Harper. That is his rightful place. But at this point, we’ll take Top 100 dynasty asset status … until … you know … don’t make me say it.

Ceddanne Rafaela – BOS, SS/OF, 24.9 – The poor man’s PCA is starting to move up into the middle class after another big day at the dish yesterday, going 3 for 4 with a 109.7 homer that was the hardest hit ball of the game. He’s been hitting the ball hard all season with career bests in Barrel% (13%), EV (90.8 MPH), Max EV (112.1 MPH) and Hard Hit% (47.1%). He’s also been making more contact, bringing his K% down 7 percentage points to 19.4%. He combines the improved power and hit with his already elite defense and speed, leading a breakout season, slashing .264/.307/.456 with 11 homers and 11 steals in 86 games. Sure it comes with a 42.6% Chase%, but that is where the middle class man’s PCA comes in. He doesn’t lift and pull nearly as much as PCA, and he doesn’t run nearly as much, but the profiles are so damn similar. Rafaela is on the come up.

Chase Burns – CIN, RHP, 22.6 – It was crucial to see how Burns bounced back from his first true road bump in his professional career after getting bombed in his last outing, and I would say he passed the test, going 4.2 IP with 2 hits, 1 ER, and a 7/4 K/BB vs. PHI. The 98 MPH fastball notched a 26% whiff% and the slider notched a 50% whiff%. That’s what he does. Don’t let the hiccup scare you off.

Brandon Woodruff – MIL, RHP, 32.4 – Woodruff made his return to the majors from October 2023 shoulder surgery, and while the stuff was down, he delivered a vintage performance, going 6 IP with 2 hits, 1 ER, and a 8/0 K/BB vs. MIA. The 4-seamer was down around 3 MPH from prime levels to 93.2 MPH, but it still dominated with a 33% whiff%. The changeup notched a 50%, leading the way to a 30% whiff% overall. He also threw a sinker, cutter, sweeper and curve. That is the type of pitch mix that can survive a drop in velocity. And Woodruff is the type of elite of the elite aces that can still be a damn good pitcher in the back nine of his career with diminished stuff. I got scared off by the surgery, diminished stuff, and the lackluster results at Triple-A (20.6/7.1 K%/BB% in 42 IP) but I never should have doubted legend status. He’s not back to prime levels, but it sure looks like he can still be damn good.

Edward Cabrera – MIA, RHP, 27.2 – I’ve been ringing the buy bell on Cabrera for almost 2 months now, and he keeps on chugging along, going 7 IP with 5 hits, 2 ER, and a 5/0 K/BB v. MIL. He didn’t do it with whiffs (15% whiff%), but he did it with weak contact (86.1 MPH EV). Which quite frankly, Cabrera not needing whiffs to maneuver through a strong start is exciting. He’s becoming a real pitcher and not just a thrower. The control and command have been much better for awhile now with a career best 9.2% BB%, and it’s been even better over the last 2 months at 8%. He has a 2.11 ERA with a 25.3% K% over his last 59.2 IP. The man is learning how to pitch, and he still has the big stuff (96.5 MPH sinker), and whiff ability. I was ready to put Cabrera in the bullpen this off-season as their closer and call it a day, but credit to Miami for never wavering. He jumped up to #164 on the Mid-Season Top 437 Dynasty Ranks (Patreon).

Edward Florentino – PIT, 1B/OF, 18.6 – Florentino was already on the path to Top 100 Prospect status, ranking him 177th overall in the June Top 302 Prospects Rankings (Patreon), writing, “He certainly looks in the next wave of Top 100 sluggers.” And that was before he got to Single-A. After his nuclear explosion yesterday at Single-A, he ain’t waiting on the next wave, he’s here now. Just watch him demolish homer #1 412 feet out to dead center, and then homer #2 with an absolute howitzer of a swing. He’s now slashing .286/.357/.592 with 3 homers, 6 steals, and a 24.6/8.8 K%/BB% in 14 games in full season ball as an 18 year old. He most certainly looks the part at 6’4”, 200 pounds and while you can’t expect him to be a big base stealer, he’s 12 for 14 on the bases in 43 games this season, showing he’s a good athlete. That is all of the ingredients you look for in elite power hitting prospects. He’s blowing up.

JJ Wetherholt – STL, 2B, 22.10 – You don’t gotta be 6’4” to jack a couple dingers, the 5’10” Wetherholt got ahold of 2 of his own, both coming lefty off lefty, and both were frickin laser beams. Here’s the first pull side blast, and here’s the one out to dead center. He’s now slashing .300/.425/.466 with 7 homers, 14 steals, and a 14.5/16.0 K%/BB% in 62 games at Double-A. The profile is completely transferring to the upper minors. He’s going to be hitting atop St. Louis’ lineup for a long time.

Walker Jenkins – MIN, OF, 20.4 – If “out of sight, out of mind” can come for Walker Jenkins, it can come for anyone. I’m actually shocked at the amount of hype that Jenkins lost for being out with an ankle injury. I didn’t think anyone would actually budge on him, but people were budging. They budged. I tried my darndest not to let it take hold of me, and I’m happy I didn’t, because he’s now a 20 year old at Double-A who is having little issue. He went 2 for 4 with a 0/1 K/BB yesterday, and he’s now slashing .284/.429/.418 with 2 homers, 7 steals (in 7 attempts) and a 19.0/19.0 K%/BB% in 18 games. That’s good for a 143 wRC+. Being perfect on the bases shows he’s clearly healthy, the elite plate skills are transferring to the upper minors, and he’s showing some power too. There is also no doubt that a lot more power is coming. I’m always just amazed at how “out of sight, out of mind” almost never fails, but Jenkins is most certainly back is sight, and back in mind right now.

Spencer Jones – NYY, OF, 24.2 – Jones has been absolutely unconscious, and yesterday he blasted one 445 feet into the mountains at Triple-A for his 4th homer in 8 games at level. He had guys trying to climb that rock wall to secure the home run ball. The massive potential has never been a question for Jones, it’s the contact rates, and right now they are sitting at a reasonable 30% K% with a 15% BB%. They were on the way down a bit at Double-A too, sitting at a more palatable 33.7%, at least compared to last year’s 36.8% mark. If he can truly sit low 30’s in the majors, I think that just might be good enough to let his massive power/speed combo shine. The hit tool probably does tank him at the end of the day, but man I just can’t quite this power/speed combo.

Zac Veen – COL, OF, 23.7 – I know the fatigue is strong on Veen, and deservedly so, but he’s actually finally starting to have that raw power explosion that we have been waiting for. He went the opposite way for his 5th homer in 46 games at Triple-A, and while that number isn’t super impressive, it comes with a 50% Hard Hit%. The .311/.382/.494 triple slash with a 17.6/9.8 K%/BB% ain’t bad either. He’s not running as much with only 6 steals, and the 107 wRC+ isn’t super impressive, but I wouldn’t be so quick to give up on him quite yet. Seeing the raw power uptick is low key exciting.

Jacob Reimer – NYM, 3B, 21.3 – Reimer recently got the call to Double-A after destroying High-A (159 wRC+), and he reamed his 3rd homer in just 11 games at the level. The much improved lift and pull he demonstrated at High-A is transferring to the upper minors, although the K% has spiked to 33%. Still a small sample and still just something to watch, but it’s a sign the contact rates could take a step back against more advanced competition.

Grant Holmes – ATL, RHP, 29.3 – 6 IP, 4 hits, 2 ER, 5/3 K/BB vs. BAL. The K/BB wasn’t that impressive, but the whiff% was with a 35% whiff%. The slider led the way with a 50% whiff% as his most used pitch. The 94.3 MPH fastball put up a 82.6 MPH EV against with a 22% whiff%. The cutter dominated with a 40% whiff% and 85.9 MPH EV against. The curve put up a 77.9 MPH EV against. All of his pitches were working, and Holmes is now the midst of that huge breakout I foresaw when I named him a target this off-season. His 31.2% whiff% on the season is in the elite range. He has a 3.44 ERA with a 27.8/11.3 K%/BB% in 102 IP, and he’s been even better than that of late. He rocketed up to #148 on the Mid-Season Top 437 Dynasty Baseball Rankings (Patreon), and even that might not be high enough.

Trevor Rogers – BAL, LHP, 27.8 – Pitching prospects never die. You can slice them up. You can beat them down. You can write them off. And then there they are again. Ready to give it another go on your fantasy team, and now Rogers is calling your name again. Like a ghost you can’t shake. He went 6.2 IP with 4 hits, 0 ER, and a 6/2 K/BB yesterday vs. ATL. The 4-seamer was down to 92.4 MPH, but it still performed well with a 29% whiff%. His sweeper and slider combined for an over 50% whiff%, leading to a 32% whiff% overall. That’s his 4th good start in 5 outings, giving him a 1.57 ERA with a 21.8/7.3 K%/BB% in 28.2 IP. I can’t in good conscious get overly excited here, but it’s wild that he’s firmly back on the fantasy radar. He’s worth a pick up for a pitching needy team.

Cam Schlittler – NYY, RHP, 24.4 – I hate the way Schlittler is getting his shot, because I was a huge Schmidt fan this off-season and have been loving what he’s doing, but when one door closes, another opens. Schmidt is down with Tommy John, and Schlitter is next man up. Schlittler jumped up to #266 on the Updated Dynasty Rankings, as I’ve been just blown away by his stuff at Triple-A. He flings upper 90’s heat with 3 different bat missing breakers. His 35.1% whiff% at Triple-A was straight elite. And he’s a 6’6”, 225 pound beast on the mound. He’s a buy in all league sizes.

Chase Dollander – COL, RHP, 23.5 – 3.2 IP, 5 hits, 3 ER, 2/4 K/BB vs. CHW at home. It could be vs. my 10 year old nephew’s little league team, and if it’s at Coors, he would still get hit up. It brings me no joy to report he now has a 9.37 ERA with a 22/18 K/BB in 32.2 IP at home vs. a 4.25 ERA with a 30/15 K/BB in 36 IP on the road. I implored you with everything I had to stay away from Dollander this off-season. If you haven’t read it already, here was my blurb for him in the off-season Top 1,000, “In a Baseball America Youtube interview (The Hot Sheet Show is a great show in general), Dollander mentioned that he’s literally not planning ahead at all, and doing absolutely nothing different for the looming Coors Field that awaits him. The Rockies literally don’t prepare their pitchers at all for eventually pitching with different air. That makes total sense to me based on how bad their franchise is. If I was heading up a franchise where the ballpark had different air, and their entire history of pitching in that environment was nothing short of horrific, the strategies necessary to thrive in that environment would run deep throughout my organization from rookie ball on up. Dollander answered the question as if nobody has even mentioned it to him ha. I just find that kinda wild. Now, maybe trying to change who you are as a pitcher would only get in your head, and maybe there literally is no good strategy for it, so I guess you might as well not think about it. I’m open to that being the case, but either way, for fantasy purposes, it just reinforces that I’m never going to be the high guy on Colorado pitching prospects, It sure seems like if anyone can slay the beast, it will be Dollander, and as a baseball fan, I’m rooting for him hardcore to be the one who breaks through. A true ace at Coors would be awesome. If we forget about Coors for a second, Dollander is an elite pitching prospect on his own merits with a 2.59 ERA and 33.9/9.4 K%/BB% in 118 IP at High-A and Double-A (he was equally dominant at both stops). The mid to upper 90’s fastball is a double plus bat missing weapon, which he combines with a 3 secondaries (gyro slider, curve, change) that aren’t as good as the fastball, but can be above average to plus pitches in their own right. Below average control is the only other demerit besides Coors Field. I’ve had a zero tolerance policy for Coors pitching prospects my entire life, and it has yet to come back to bite me. Maybe Dollander will be the one to finally make me regret it, and I’m genuinely rooting for him to be the one, even if it won’t happen on my dynasty team.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ALL SEASON, INCLUDING:
–JUNE 2025 TOP 302 PROSPECTS RANKS
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-TOP 50 2026 FYPD RANKS COMING SOON
–SPREADSHEETS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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By Michael Halpern (@MichaelCHalpern)
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com
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