Kyle Stowers – Imaginary Brick Wall

Posted on March 4, 2024March 4, 2024 by Michael Halpern

Monday Morning Spring Dynasty Baseball Rundown (3/4/24)

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 Spring Dynasty Baseball Rundown (3/4/24):

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ALL SEASON, INCLUDING:
-TOP 1,000 2024 DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS (these get released on IBW in very late March, right before the season starts)
-TOP 500 2024 PROSPECTS RANKINGS
-TOP 132 2024 FYPD RANKINGS (+Target & Strategy Guide)
-POSITION BY POSTION TARGET ARTICLES
-OBP TOP 450 DYNASTY RANKS
-6+CATS/PTS/OPS “UNIVERSAL TOP 450 DYNASTY RANKS
-PREDICTING THE TOP 50 2025 PROSPECT RANKS
-TOP 11+ 2025 FYPD RANKINGS
-HALP’S DYNASTY BASEBALL PODCAST
-ALL-IN-ONE RANKINGS SPREADSHEET

Zack Littell TBR, RHP, 28.6 – You have to be a damn fool to doubt Tampa in any way, and mama didn’t raise no fool. With Shane Baz announcing he is on a delayed schedule until “early to mid-season,” Littell looks locked into a rotation spot, and he’s now someone I’m going after everywhere. He went against essentially Minnesota’s real lineup yesterday and went 3 IP with 4 hits, 0 ER, and a 1/1 K/BB. He now has a 0.00 ERA with a 4/1 K/BB in 5 IP on the spring. The velocity was down a tick, but assuming he’s just easing into things, his 94+ MPH fastball in 2023 was actually already very good with with a strong .290 xwOBA and 21.8% whiff%. His control entered elite territory with a 3.2% BB%, and while his secondaries aren’t great, he added a sweeper to the arsenal in the 2nd half which was immediately his best secondary with a .247 xwOBA and 30% whiff%. He’s also been working on the now very popular splitter that he’s been incorporating into him arsenal more and more over the past couple years. If he really takes off with any of his secondaries, he’s going to be a major issue, and even if he doesn’t, double plus control of a good fastball will play. I mean, how many times does Tampa have to pull a rabbit of their hat for us to even stop questioning it even a little? Littell is currently going 344th overall in the NFBC and is going to be an afterthought in so many dynasty leagues. Easiest call ever is to grab this guy from the bargain bin in all league sizes.

Josue De Paula LAD, OF, 18.10 – I ranked Josue De Paula 6th overall in my Predicting the Top 50 2025 Prospects Rankings last week, writing, “Seeing Josue De Paula’s name is giving me visions of Scarface, directed by Brian De Palma, and all I can hear is “Say hello to my little friend.” That is what De Paula is going to be saying to minor league pitching as his power explodes in a major way. And combined with his elite approach, it’s going to be shades of Juan Soto all over again.” … And then right on cue he jacked out an opposite field homer off a sidearm lefty on a pitch that was in on his hands. One spring at bat, one homer. I wasn’t lying when I said we are about to see an explosion.

Erick Fedde CHW, RHP, 31.1 – We got our first look at Fedde and his reworked secondaries coming over from winning MVP in Korea, and if making Mike Trout look foolish on a slider is impressive to you, which it should be, I would say the secondaries looked impressive. He went 2 IP with 4 hits, 1 ER, and a 3/1 K/BB vs. LA’s real lineup, so he didn’t dominate, but seeing the swing and miss was the most important part after putting up a 16.4% K% in 2022. I’m not ready to reach for him, but I’ll still happily try to nab him slightly before the last couple rounds. If someone beats me to the punch, so be it.

Garrett Crochet CHW, LHP, 23.9 – Crochet might be the most exciting development out of Sox camp so far, and he pitched another crisp outing, going 2 IP with 0 hits, 0 ER, and a 3/0 K/BB. Here is he getting Trout looking for a called strike 3. Every Sox pitcher was eating off Trout yesterday. Crochet is rocking a windup that the Rockettes would be proud of, which shows off the athleticism, and he’s already hit 100 MPH this spring. He finally looks fully healthy coming off Tommy John surgery, and if Chicago was serious about using him the rotation, I don’t see how he’s not winning one of those jobs right now. He might be entering major target territory.

Juan Soto NYY, OF, 25.6 – 2 for 3 with a homer that showed off both his elite bat control and elite power. He now has a 2.616 OPS with 3 homers in 11 PA. The career year he was supposed to have in the shortened 2020 season, the one where he had the highest xwOBA in Statcast history (.475 xwOBA), is the one the baseball gods owe him over a full season in his contract year. He ranks 7th overall on my Top 1,000 Dynasty Rankings (patreon), and 3rd overall on my Top 450 OBP Dynasty Rankings (patreon).

DL Hall MIL, LHP, 25.6 – 2 IP, 0 hits, 0 ER, 1/1 K/BB vs. some of Arizona’s real lineup. The fastball sat 95.4 MPH with a 29% whiff%, and he threw all 3 secondaries for called strikes. He then did a post game interview with a massive ball of chew in his mouth, which is exactly what a ballplayer should look like. He talked about pounding the zone and being economical with his pitches, which is exactly what he needs to do, because his nasty stuff will do the rest. He’s one of my favorite pitcher targets headed into 2024, and has been from before he even got traded.

Matt Manning DET, RHP, 26.2/Casey Mize DET, RHP, 26.11 – Manning went 3 IP, with 1 hit, 1 ER, and 4/0 K/BB, and Mize went 2 IP with 1 hit, 0 ER, and a 2/2 K/BB vs. half of the Yanks real lineup (including Judge and Soto). Manning and Mize both got a much needed infusion of velocity this spring with their fastballs up 2 MPH to 95.4 MPH. It’s actually eerie how identical that is. There must be something in the water out there in Detroit. It makes me more likely to take a flier on them, but they still aren’t in target territory, because beyond the fastball, their biggest issue is lack of a standout secondary, and I’m not sure you can claim either has found that yet even with the added velocity. Mize didn’t record a single whiff on a secondary and Manning put up a 33% on the slider which is solid, but nothing to write home about. Their values are on the way up, but I would still have some caution.

Jung Hoo Lee SFG, OF, 25.7 – It’s becoming quite clear that all of the skills are transferring over stateside. Lee went 1 for 2 with a steal and 0/1 K/BB, and is now slashing .455/.500/.818 with 1 homer, 1 steal, and a 8.3%/8.3% K%/BB% in 12 PA. The high GB% is also transferring with a 60% GB%. He’s exactly who we thought he was. A .300/15/15 season is definitely within reach, and if he runs more than we think, that is where his fantasy upside will come from.

Colton Cowser BAL, OF, 24.0 – Cowser showed off some of that lift and pull with a 32 degree launch, 98 MPH homer off a Martin Perez 88.6 MPH fastball. Granted, I probably could turn around an 88 MPH fastball too (by probably, I mean 100% not), but especially with Camden Yard’s dimensions, he’s going to have to pull and lift the ball a lot more than he’s done in the minors if he wants to get to all of his power. This was his 3rd homer in 16 PA, and the first one that was pulled. Cowser continues to seem to be the odd man out, but he’s going to make it as tough as possible on Baltimore to make a decision, which is all you can ask of him.

Chris Sale ATL, LHP, 35.0 – 2.2 IP, 3 hits, 0 ER, 5/2 K/BB vs. the Phillies scrubs+Bohm. I mean just look at this utter filth from that arm angle. Is he kidding me? Safe to say the stuff is as good as ever. He had some velocity fluctuations last year, so I don’t think his freshness in spring means he can keep it up all season, but better to see him healthy and throwing filth than to be sitting low 90’s. Your guess is as good as mine as to if he can stay 100% healthy, but if he does, he’s going to rack up strikeouts no problem.

Kutter Crawford BOS, RHP, 28.0 – 3 IP, 2 hits, 0 ER, 4/0 K/BB vs. Toronto’s Quad-A+Kirk lineup. Here he is blowing the fastball by Davis Schneider. And I don’t say “blowing by” lightly. That is the textbook definition. Crawford was one of my favorite sleepers since I wrote the Boston Red Sox Team Report back in early December, but he’s had too much shine on his name recently, and you can’t really call him a sleeper anymore. I hope you were able to trade for him when I was hyping him early. He’s damn good, and everyone realizes it now.

Davis Schneider TOR, 2B, 25.2 – Kutter isn’t the only one blowing pitches by Schneider, as he went 1 for 3 with 2 K’s and now has a 50% K% in 14 PA. The 37.3% whiff% and 30.5% K% were the two majors reasons I preached caution on Schneider this off-season, and at the very least, this spring showing is not assuaging my concerns. I’m not against taking him if the price is right, I actually took him in the 3rd round of my 18 team off-season prospect draft because I need the 2B depth, but make sure the price is right.

Grayson Rodriguez BAL, RHP, 24.5 – 2 IP, 3 hits, 1 ER, 2/2 K/BB vs. about half of Pitt’s real lineup. Grayson wasn’t that great in his first outing either. It’s clear he’s far from mid-season form with the fastball down 1.5 MPH to 95.9 MPH and the slider down 2.6 MPH to 79.7 MPH. He’s also working on a new 2-seamer/sinker that he is trying to mix in. You obviously shouldn’t put much stock in this early spring performance, but it’s worth noting he wasn’t good in the first half of 2023 and didn’t find his rhythm until the 2nd half. If he does get off to a slow start this season, remember not to panic. He’ll find his stride eventually.

Rhett Lowder CIN, RHP, 22.1 – 2 IP, 3 hits, 1 ER, 0/1 K/BB vs. most of KC’s real lineup. We know Lowder is a safe college arm, but how much upside he’s going to have against MLB hitters is the question, and this outing definitely didn’t highlight that upside. He’s obviously just getting his feet wet, so it doesn’t mean much, but at the same time this is the first time we’re seeing him against that advanced competition, so I think it’s worth mentioning.

Nestor Cortes NYY, LHP, 29.4 – 4 IP, 1 hit, 1 ER, 3/1 K/BB vs. Detroit’s mostly backups lineup. Cortes’ 2023 season ended because of a shoulder injury, so the most important thing is to see him healthy, and he looks healthy. The fastball sat 92.4 MPH, up 0.8 MPH from last year, and he notched a 31% whiff% overall. The injury still adds future injury risk, but he looks ready to go for 2024.

Alejandro Kirk TOR, C, 24.9 – Kirk badly needs to find his power again after his EV tanked to 87.6 MPH in 2023, and his homer yesterday sure seems to indicate he may have found it. He crushed a bomb over the replica monster for his 2nd in 11 PA. Toronto’s lackluster off-season is good news for Kirk and Jansen, because they should each be able to find enough at bats to be in the startable catcher range for most leagues.

Gabriel Moreno ARI, C, 24.1 – Moreno’s playoff homer fest has continued into spring with him launching a 38 degree, 400 foot homer off Freddy Peralta for his first of spring. He still has a 66.7% GB% in 12 PA, and his 51.2% GB% was high in the playoffs too, so I don’t think the homer explosion is showing a change in approach. He’s going to be a really really good hitter, but I don’t think he’s going to hit for enough homer power to be an elite fantasy catcher.

Jeferson Quero MIL, C, 21.6 – Quero smashed his first spring homer on a 100.2 MPH shot he had to go down to get, showing off the bat control and power. I would be much higher on Quero if he wasn’t completely blocked, but he’s completely blocked with William Contreras in town, and I don’t think Milwaukee has any intention to trade him.

Gavin Stone LAD, RHP, 25.6 – 3 IP, 2 hit, 0 ER, 1/0 K/BB vs. a depleted Rockies lineup. My money is on Sheehan to take that final starter spot, and my money is on Sheehan long term as well to be the better pitcher, but that doesn’t mean I don’t think Stone will bounce back from a rough 2023. The changeup is legit, he fired off a few crisp breaking balls in this outing, and I trust the Dodgers to improve his fastball command. It’s a jampacked rotation with more talent on the way, so Stone isn’t guaranteed anything, but I do think he can be a good MLB starter. Just not one I’m targeting quite yet.

Jordan Hicks SFG, RHP, 27.7 – The Jordan Hicks experiment is not going smoothly in the early going. He had his 2nd rough outing, going 2.2 IP with 5 hits, 2 ER, and a 2/2 K/BB in 2.2 IP. He already talked about how he isn’t going to sit anywhere close to 100 MPH like he did out of the bullpen, which he obviously doesn’t need to to still have nasty stuff, but quite frankly, he wasn’t even all that dominant out of the bullpen with that level of stuff. He had a 1.36 WHIP last year. As a starter with less stuff, what kind of numbers do you think we will be looking at? I have a sneaking suspicion this might be a short lived experiment with Carson Whisenhunt and Mason Black knocking on the door, along with the Blake Snell rumors intensifying and Ray and Cobb coming off the IL at some point. As a high upside flier of course I get it, but I wouldn’t reach for him.

Caden Dana LAA, RHP, 20.4 – The 20 year old Dana is already in major league camp, which tells you how much LA loves this kid, or it tells you how barren their farm system is, but either way, he’s exciting. He handled his business against a rough (not in a good way) Chicago lineup, going 2 IP with 1 hit, 1 ER, and a 2/1 K/BB. He has a legit plus fastball/slider combo that is already doing damage against MLB vets. He’s set to fly up rankings in 2024.

Kevin Alcantara CHC, OF, 21.8 – The forgotten Unicorn smoothly and easily demolished a ball out of the deep center for his first spring homer. Alcantara gets some criticism for his swing getting out of sync, but that looked pretty damn synced up to me there. He’s also struck out 3 times in 8 PA and had a 33.3% K% in 5 games in his first taste of Double-A, so watching that K% will be super important.

Jonny Farmelo SEA, OF, 19.7 – Farmelo didn’t debut in 2023, so he wasn’t able to get the hype going like some of his other high school brethren, but he’s trying to make up for lost time. He showed off the legs yesterday ripping a ball down the line that he turned into a stand up triple. He’s now 2 for 4 with 2 K’s. That kind of speed from a 6’2”, 205 pound frame is so easy to dream on.

Cade Marlowe SEA, OF, 26.9 – I named Marlowe an “if he had playing time” target, and he showed why going deep off Yu Darvish for his first spring homer. But he still doesn’t have a playing time, which can make it hard to roster a guy like this. At the very least put him on your watch list and jump on him when he does get his shot, because he showed encouraging skills in his MLB debut in 2023. He was a plus defensive player, with plus speed (28.9 ft/sec sprint), an above average barrel% (7.3%), a 112 wRC+, a 12% BB%, and a not horrible 29.4% whiff% (despite a 33% K%). If he does work his way into playing time, he has a very intriguing fantasy profile, especially in OBP leagues.

Kyle Stowers BAL, OF, 26.3 – If Cowser can’t find a job, I don’t know how Stowers is going to be able to do it. I’m doing my darndest to not get sucked back into Stowers, but it’s hard not to when I still firmly believe he can be an MLB masher if given the chance. He cracked a 101.8 MPH single today and now has a 1.308 OPS with 3 homers in 16 PA on the spring. He crushed 17 homers with a 93.8 MPH EV in just 68 games at Triple-A in 2023. I just can’t trust Baltimore to ever give him a chance if history is any indication, and they have more highly touted guys than him blocked.

Estiven Florial CLE, OF, 26.5 – I like Florial as a late round dart throw as much as the next guy, but there is a reason the Yanks gave him away for peanuts. He went 0 for 3 with 3 K’s yesterday and is now hitting .077 with a 50% K% in 16 PA. The Yanks seemed certain the hit tool wasn’t going to play, and so far, it’s not playing.

Nolan Schanuel LAA, 1B, 22.1 – This is your regularly scheduled Nolan Schanuel power check … 1 for 3 with a single. He’s now 6 for 19 with 6 singles, which is good for a .316 BA and .316 SLG. New year, same guy …

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

Posted on October 17, 2022October 17, 2022 by Michael Halpern

Baltimore Orioles 2023 Dynasty Baseball Team Report (Top 10 Prospects/Interesting MLB guys/Strategy Talk)

Along with a Top 10 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Ranking, I wanted to highlight some interesting MLB guys for every team and talk some strategy to give a more complete Dynasty Team Report. Like during the regular season, I’m still going to be posting a few articles a month for free on my website. This is one of those articles. Here is the Baltimore Orioles 2023 Dynasty Baseball Report (Top 10 Prospects/Interesting MLB guys/Strategy Talk):

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ALL OFF-SEASON, INCLUDING:
-TOP 13 EARLY OFF-SEASON DYNASTY TARGETS
-TOP 8 OFF-SEASON DYNASTY SELLS
-TOP 360 END OF SEASON 2022 DYNASTY PROSPECTS RANKINGS
-TOP 456 END OF SEASON 2022 DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS
-Dynasty Team Reports, Positional Dynasty Rankings, strategy articles, target articles, and early access to the Top 100 FYPD Rankings, Top 500 Prospects Rankings, and Top 1,000 Dynasty Rankings hot off the presses as I put them together (released for free on IBW at some point in March)

Previous Team Reports on Patreon
Arizona Diamondbacks—Boston Red Sox—Minnesota Twins—Washington Nationals

*Ages are as of Opening Day 2023
**Prime Projections represent a relatively good outcome scenario that is meant to shine more light on the type of numbers I think a prospect projects for. It is not necessarily a most likely outcome.

Hitters

Jorge Mateo BAL, SS, 27.10 – Mateo is one my top sells this off-season. Those 13 homers and 35 steals are going to look mighty enticing to a speed needy team, but he still ranked only 114th overall on the Razzball Player Rater because of weak production everywhere else. He had a .221 BA with 63 runs and 50 RBI. His underlying numbers look even worse with a .272 xwOBA which is in the bottom 6% of the league, and his plate approach is terrible with a 27.6%/5.1% K%/BB%. I’m not even sure the new stolen base rules are going to help him because he doesn’t get on base enough to take advantage of it, and steals aren’t going to be as hard to find next year in general. If those were the only issues, I might not even be too scared off, but Baltimore’s stacked minor league system is breathing down his neck with Gunnar Henderson, Connor Norby, and Jordan Westburg ready to stake their rightful claim to the infield. Mateo was an excellent defensive SS last year, but I don’t think it will be enough for him to hold down the starting job. I think he’ll be a super utility player by the 2nd half of the season. 2023 Projection: 68/11/53/.230/.277/.385/28

Adley Rutschman BAL, C, 25.2 – Rutschman stepped into the majors and immediately turned Baltimore into winners. He didn’t get called up until late May and his 5.3 WAR was still the 2nd best catcher mark in the majors (JT Realmuto was 1st with a 6.5 WAR). His 133 wRC+ was the 4th best overall. It’s a hell of a MLB debut, and as much as I want to go crazy for Rutschman, I would pump the brakes slightly in a 5×5 BA league. He’s never really been a monster home run hitter with 13 homers in 113 games, and while his 87.9/93 MPH AVG/FB EV is solid, it’s not like he was smashing the ball. In an OBP league or in 6+ categories, by all means go crazy for his elite plate approach (18.3%/13.8% K%/BB%) and .362 OBP. Having said that, I still like him a lot in 5×5 BA as his 15.6 degree launch angle is conducive to both power and average, and his counting stats should be elite for a catcher. There are a lot of really talented catcher prospects in the pipeline behind Rutschman, but Rutschman is leading the pack as my #1 catcher for Dynasty Baseball no matter what the league categories are. 2023 Projection: 86/22/78/.266/.374/.465/5

Anthony Santander BAL, OF, 28.5 – Baltimore turned into one of the worst hitter’s ballparks in the league, but someone forget to tell Santander that. He quietly turned into one of the better hitters in baseball with plus contact rates (18.9% K%), a career best walk rate (8.5% BB%), strong EV’s (90.1 MPH), and a launch angle that is made for dingers (21.4 degrees). It all led to 33 homers with a .352 xwOBA. His .240 BA kept his overall line in check, and while he’s not a high BABIP guy, a .248 BABIP is below his career average of .264. He’s not going to be super undervalued, but there should still be some meat on the bone for where he’ll likely be going. 2023 Projection: 81/31/92/.254/.326/.477/1

Starting Pitchers

Tyler Wells BAL, RHP, 28.7 – Out of all of Baltimore’s fringy starting pitchers, Wells is my favorite. He’s 6’8”, 255 pounds with near elite control (6.6% BB%) and an above average whiff rate (25.1% whiff%). He throws a high spin 93.5 fastball to go along with 3 secondaries that all put up well above average xwOBA’s (slider-.283/change-.219/curve-.185). It all led to a 3.78 xERA (4.25 ERA) and a 1.14 WHIP in 103.2 IP. He has some injury risk as an oblique strain held him out for all of August, and then his season ended in September due to shoulder inflammation, but his price is likely to be dirt cheap this off-season. He’s going to be a target of mine everywhere. 2023 Projection: 10/3.95/1.18/138 in 150 IP

Bullpen

Felix Bautista BAL, Closer, 27.10 – Bautista’s control took a big step forward this year and it propelled him to the land of the elite. He dropped his BB/9 from 5.8 in the minors in 2021 to 3.2 in the majors in 2022. He throws a 99.2 MPH fastball to go along with a whiff inducing splitter (52.9% whiff%) and slider (42.5%). He put up a pitching line of 2.19/0.93/88/23 in 65.2 IP, and took over the full time closer job after Jorge Lopez got traded, notching 15 saves. Baltimore should provide him with plenty of saves opportunities next season. His lack of track record and name value should keep his price from completely exploding this off-season. 2023 Projection: 4/2.93/1.06/90/36 saves in 65 IP

Top 10 Baltimore Orioles Fantasy Baseball Prospects

1) Gunnar Henderson BAL, SS/3B, 21.9 – Nothing makes me more comfortable about a prospect than one who gets called up to the majors and immediately puts up elite exit velocity numbers. Henderson smacked the crap outta the ball to the tune of a 92.4/98.1 MPH AVG/FB EV in 132 MLB PA. That would almost be enough for me to love love a player on it’s own, a la Oneil Cruz, but Henderson does just about everything else well too. His hit tool improved majorly this year, dropping his K% from 30.1% in 2021 in mostly the lower minors, to 23.1% in 2022 in the upper minors. The improvements transferred to the majors with a very reasonable 26.6% whiff% and 25.8% K%. He’s put up high walk rates his entire career and he’s also very fast with a 29.1 ft/sec sprint speed. He’s almost a flawless prospect. 2023 Projection: 82/25/85/.262/.347/.473/14 Prime Projection: 106/32/102/.278/.383/.518/16

2) Jackson Holliday BAL, SS, 19.4 – Baseball is starting to feel like it is a hereditary monarchy, where all star games are passed down based on bloodlines like it’s the 1300’s. Jackson is the son of Matt, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions and loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son. Husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the ne … my bad, lost myself there 🙂 … Like many plus bloodline kids, Jackson is an advanced hitter, and he combines that with plus athleticism and a plus power/speed combo. He truly wields the bat like it’s a samurai sword, gracefully killing the ball with a smooth and powerful lefty swing. He stepped right into pro ball and was far too advanced for rookie ball (220 wRC+ with a 6.1%/30.3% K%/BB% in 8 rookie ball games) before performing well in 12 games at Single-A (130 wRC+ with a 17.5%/26.3% K%/BB%). Druw Jones and Holliday are in a tier of their own on my First Year Player Draft Rankings. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 96/25/88/.278/.357/.491/14

3) Grayson Rodriguez BAL, RHP, 23.5 – Rodriguez really shouldn’t be on this list. He should have graduated. But he did what pitching prospects do and missed 3 months with a lat strain. He was a bit rusty when he returned in September with a 4.12 ERA and 29/14 K/BB in 19.2 IP. He had a 2.09 ERA with a 80/14 K/BB in 56 IP at Triple-A before going down with the injury. When completely healthy he has plus control of a devastating 4 pitch mix, all of which have the potential to be at least plus. It’s true ace upside. He’s my #1 pitching prospect in baseball and is a good bet to break camp with the team. 2023 Projection: 10/3.73/1.22/161 in 150 IP Prime Projection: 15/3.15/1.05/240 in 200 IP

4) Colton Cowser BAL, OF, 23.0 – Cowser’s hit tool got exposed this year, putting up a 28.4% K% at High-A, 25.4% K% at Double-A, and 30.6% K% at Triple-A. It’s a little concerning considering that was supposed to be his best skill, but it’s not like he’s chopped liver everywhere else. He walked a ton with a 15% BB%, and he displayed an above average power/speed combo with 19 homers and 18 steals in 138 games. Even with the high strikeout rates he still put up a .278 BA. He showed more risk than optimal in 2022, but it was still a positive year overall with a .874 OPS. His strong across the board profile remains intact. 2023 Projection: 20/4/18/.248/.319/.405/4 Prime Projection: 85/20/77/.264/.343/.442/15

5) Connor Norby BAL, 2B, 22.10 – Norby must have been bored at High-A because he lifted off when he got to the upper minors. He put a 99 wRC+ in 48 games at High-A, a 158 wRC+ in 64 games at Double-A, and a 190 wRC+ in 9 games at Triple-A. It resulted in 29 dingers, 16 steals, and a 20.8%/10.1% K%/BB% in 121 games. It’s a do it all profile and it shouldn’t be long before he gets his first shot at the bigs. 2023 Projection: 58/14/61/.258/.324/.427/7 Prime Projection: 82/22/78/.275/.339/.450/10

6) DL Hall BAL, LHP, 24.7 – Hall’s had major control issues his entire career and it really didn’t take a step forward this year with a 14.2% BB% and 1.45 WHIP in 76.2 IP at Triple-A. His stuff is utter filth, so he can be effectively wild with a whiff inducing 96.2 MPH fastball to go along with a potentially plus slider, change, and curve. The stuff translated against MLB hitters with a 29.7%/9.4% K%/BB% in 13.2 IP mostly coming out the pen, albeit with a 5.93 ERA (2.57 ERA). Baltimore’s rotation is so weak at the moment, there is no reason they wouldn’t give him every opportunity to start, and he has legitimate ace upside if the control takes a step or two forward. 2023 Projection: 7/3.95/1.37/130 in 120 IP Prime Projection: 12/3.65/1.32/195 in 172 IP

7) Coby Mayo BAL, 3B, 21.4 – Mayo is a 6’5”, 215 pound power hitting bull with an electric, lightning quick swing. He drilled 19 homers in 104 games split between High-A and Double-A. His hit tool took a step back when he got to Double-A with it spiking to 34.5% in 34 games (21.5% at High-A), but he was only 20 and I don’t think he has major hit tool issues. He likely won’t hit for a high average in the majors, but he has legitimate 40 homer upside at peak. ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 80/32/91/.256/.338/.515/6

8) Jordan Westburg BAL, SS, 24.1 – Wesburg’s power exploded this year, jacking 27 homers in 138 games split between Double-A and Triple-A after hitting 15 homers in 112 games in 2021. He’s a former 1st round pick who’s an excellent athlete at 6’3”, 203 pounds and has a mature plate approach with a 23.6%/11.3% K%/BB%. He was actually better at Triple-A (129 wRC+ in 91 games) than he was at Double-A (122 wRC+ in 47 games). He’s a big part of the season why I’m concerned Mateo ends up in a super utility role. 2023 Projection: 47/12/51/.246/.312/.408/6 Prime Projection: 74/24/79/.261/.328/.443/11

9) Kyle Stowers BAL, OF, 25.3 – Stowers seems to be the forgotten prospect in Baltimore, but his power hitting upside is very real. He cracked 19 homers in 95 games at Triple-A and then got called up to the majors and put up a 91.1 MPH EV with a 107 wRC+ in 98 PA. He’s a lefty that might actually hit lefties better than righties, so there isn’t major platoon risk. He only had a 92.6 MPH FB/LD EV, and there are hit tool concerns with a 29.6% K%, but he will be an excellent later round shot to take in the majority of dynasty leagues. 2023 Projection: 69/24/76/.242/.317/.448/2 Prime Projection: 75/28/84/.253/.326/.470/3

10) Jud Fabian BAL, OF, 22.6 – Selected 40th overall in the 2022 MLB Draft, Fabian’s hype almost completely disappeared after he decided to return to college for his senior year, even though he is still the same age as many juniors. His strong pro debut has people talking again though with a 1.070 OPS and 21/19 K/BB in 22 games at mostly Single-A. He did improve his swing and miss issues this year in college, but a .239 BA with a 22.3 K% isn’t exactly great. It’s a 3 true outcome slugger profile, except he has speed and defensive ability to go with it. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 76/26/74/.232/.315/.435/8

Just Missed

11) Dylan Beavers BAL, OF, 21.8

12) Heston Kjerstad BAL, OF, 24.2

13) Samuel Basallo BAL, C/1B, 18.8

14) Drew Rom BAL, LHP, 23.4

15) Darell Hernaiz BAL, SS, 21.8

16) Seth Johnson BAL, RHP, 24.6

17) Cade Povich BAL, LHP, 23.0

18) Hudson Haskin BAL, OF, 24.3

19) Joey Ortiz BAL, SS/2B, 24.9

Dynasty Baseball Thought/Strategy of the Day (which may or may not be related to the team I’m covering that day)

Last off-season I took part in a 20 team Dynasty Mock Draft over at Rotowire and went with the bold strategy of taking Bobby Witt and Julio Rodriguez with the 18th and 23rd overall picks. All of my top targets were off the board, and I wanted to come up with angle to give me a long term leg up against very savvy, tough competition. It definitely raised some eyes and got some push back. Needless to say, the strategy paid off as I now have two long term pillars to build around for years. The other players I was considering in that area (Betts, Yordan, Machado) all had excellent years too, so I’m not claiming to be some genius, but it’s a reminder that the true elite of the elite prospects deserve to be right in that conversation, and I wouldn’t hesitate to do the same thing with Gunnar Henderson and Corbin Carroll this year. These guys have elite dynasty upside, and while it certainly adds more risk than going with a chalk pick, a little extra risk isn’t necessarily a bad thing when you’re trying to beat out 19 other owners.

Previous Team Reports on Patreon
Arizona Diamondbacks—Boston Red Sox—Minnesota Twins—Washington Nationals

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 February 13, 2019February 18, 2019 by Michael Halpern

2020 Top 90 Dynasty Baseball First Year Player Draft Rankings (1st Edition)

2019 prospects are old news. If you’re anything like me, you’ve spent so much time watching, listening, and reading about these guys, you know them better than you know thyself. With the NCAA Baseball season kicking off this weekend, I figured now is as good a time as any to roll out the first edition of my 2020 Dynasty Baseball First Year Player Draft Rankings. Disclaimer: these rankings may change drastically as we get closer and closer to the June draft. Here are the 2020 Top 90 Dynasty Baseball First Year Player Draft Rankings (1st Edition):’

Click the links below for my previous off-season content:
2019 Top 1,000 Dynasty Baseball Rankings
2019 Top 472 Dynasty Baseball Prospect Rankings
11 Dynasty Baseball Rules to Live By

Player Name POSITION, TEAM, AGE (Years.Months on 2019 MLB Opening Day – Months are on a scale of 0-11 … I know it is not mathematically correct, but gimme a break, I was a History major)

Projections (Hitters): R/HR/RBI/AVG/OBP/SLG/Steals
(Pitchers): Wins/ERA/WHIP/K

1) Bobby Witt Jr. SS, High School, 18.10 – Won of the Home Run Derby at the High School All-Star game and won MVP at the Under Armour All-America Game. Witt has posted elite exit velocity for his age and has plus speed. This is the high upside prospect you are looking for in Dynasty leagues. Prime Projection: 89/28/96/.257/.339/.485/22 ETA: 2024 Where he would rank on my 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #35 – ranked around Gavin Lux, Kristian Robinson, Danny Jansen, and Josh James.

2) Jasson Dominguez OF, NYY, 16?? – Expected to sign for about $5 million with the Yankees. Dominguez is a chiseled 5’10”, 195 pounds with a plus power-speed combo and good feel to hit. There isn’t that much info out there on him, but the ball explodes off his bat from the three Youtube clips I watched, and the $5 million signing bonus speaks for itself. Prime Projection: 96/28/94/.281/.357/.511/19 ETA: 2025 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #36 – ranked around see above, plus Mike Soroka, Vidal Brujan, and Andres Gimenez

3) Corbin Carroll OF, HS, 18.7 – Undersized at 5’10”, 165 pounds but has a quick and powerful stroke that has produced excellent exit velocity readings. Advanced approach with plus hit and 70 grade speed are his bread and butter. Prime Projection: 96/23/92/.285/.358/.478/26 ETA: 2023 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking:#47 – ranked around Jeter Downs, Victor Victor Mesa, and Jarred Kelenic.

4) Andrew Vaughn 1B, California, 21.0 – Insane sophomore year in the Pac12 with a 18/44 K/BB, 23 homers, and a triple-slash of .402/.531/.819. Plus hit, plus bat speed, plus power and plus exit velocity. If you prefer a quick moving college bat, I would’t blame you if you took Vaughn 1st overall. Prime Projection: 82/30/94/.285/.361/.514/2 ETA: 2021 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #58 – ranked around Austin Riley, Nathaniel Lowe, and George Valera.

5) Adley Rutschman C, Oregon State, 21.2 – Switch hitting catcher with power from both sides, an advanced plate approach, and a sure bet to stick behind the plate. Plus catcher defense makes him more valuable in real life. Prime Projection: 78/25/87/.278/.366/.483/3 ETA: 2021 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #64 – ranked around Trevor Larnach, Seth Beer, and Michael Chavis.

6) CJ Abrams SS, HS, 18.6 – Prototypical top of the order hitter with elite contact ability and elite speed. At 6’2”, 180 pounds he has the frame to grow into more power, and has posted a top exit velocity of 93 MPH at a Perfect Game showcase, which isn’t bad.. Prime Projection: 96/18/71/.287/.349/.453/29 ETA: 2023 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #71 – ranked around Bubba Thompson, Nico Hoerner, and Mitch Keller.

7) Riley Greene OF, HS, 18.6 – Pure hitter with plus bat speed and plus exit velocity that should lead to more power as he matures. Greene has one of the smoothest lefty swings in the draft. Prime Projection: 91/25/92/.288/.373/.505/9 ETA: 2023 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #75 – ranked around Ke’Bryan Hayes, Estevan Florial, Yusniel Diaz, and Isaac Paredes.

8) Jerrion Ealy OF, HS, 18.7 – Elite two-sport athlete (he’s also a star running back) with double plus speed, vicious bat speed, and elite contact ability. These two sport stars always seem to be a little underrated (see Taylor Trammell and Bubba Thompson, two guys I was much higher on than any other list pre-draft). Ealy has the potential to be an absolute stud. This ranking doesn’t take any signability concerns into account. I would just be wildly guessing at the odds he chooses to go to college to play football. Same goes for my #10 ranked prospect, Maurice Hampton. Prime Projection: 91/21/86/.277/.345/.461/30 ETA: 2023 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #78 – ranked around Nolan Jones, Joey Bart, Travis Swaggerty, and Corey Ray.

9) Michael Busch 1B/OF, North Carolina, 21.5 – Plus hit, plus power combo with sneaky athleticism. Dominated the Cape Cod League, slashing .322/.450/.567 with 6 homers, 3 steals, and a 17/19 K/BB in 27 games. Prime Projection: 85/26/88/.274/.353/.479/8 ETA: 2021 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #90 – ranked around Alec Bohm, Tyler Nevin, and Jordyn Adams.

10) Maurice Hampton OF, HS, 17.8 – Elite two sport athlete (star cornerback) with plus speed and plus exit velocity, but inexperience shows up in his raw hit tool. Hampton is another underrated two sport star. Upside is elite. Prime Projection: 83/24/83/.258/.330/.468/23 ETA: 2024 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #91 – ranked around Jordan Adams, Julio Pablo Martinez, and Wander Javier.

11) Robert Puason SS, OAK, 16?? – Dominguez and Puason are the top tier of the 2019 J2 class. Puason is a long and lean 6’2” with elite athleticism and plus speed. Prime Projection: 93/23/87/.277/.351/.479/22 ETA: 2025 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #100 – ranked around Kevin Smith and Marco Luciano.

12) Carter Stewart RHP, Junior College, 19.5 – Selected 8th overall by Atlanta in the 2018 draft, but never signed due to concerns over a wrist injury. Stewart is a 6’6”, 200 pound man child with a nasty high spin rate curveball. He has an intimidating presence on the mound with a fastball that tops out at 97 MPH. Prime Projection: 15/3.54/1.23/198 in 180 IP ETA: 2022 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #101 – ranked around Luiz Gohara, Jon Duplantier, Luis Patino, and Ryan Mountcastle.

13) Graeme Stinson LHP, Duke, 21.8 – 6’5”, 245 pound lefty with a nasty fastball/slider combo that racks up strikeouts. Changeup is far behind and he has been a reliever for most of his college career, so bullpen risk is high. Prime Projection: 11/3.48/1.24/171 in 145 IP ETA: 2021 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #111 – ranked around see above, plus Brent Rooker, Willians Astudillo, and Ryan McKenna.

14) Daniel Espino RHP, HS, 18.3 – Fastball sits in the mid 90’s and can touch 100 MPH, to go along with a plus curveball and potentially plus slider. Espino might have the most electric stuff in the draft. Prime Projection: 14/3.55/1.25/193 in 178 IP ETA: 2023 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #113 – ranked around see above, plus Anderson Espinoza, Isan Diaz, and Heliot Ramos.

15) Brennan Malone RHP, HS, 18.7 – Power pitcher at 6’5”, 210 pounds with a fastball that hits 97 MPH and an arm action that looks like it could launch military grade weapons. Secondaries are still raw, but curveball flashes plus, and has good arm speed and fade on developing changeup. Prime Projection: 15/3.69/1.24/201 in 185 IP ETA: 2023 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #121 – ranked around Leody Tavares, Brandon Marsh, and Justin Dunn.

16) Josh Jung 3B, Texas Tech, 21.2 – Big, physical hitter at 6’2”, 215 pounds who needs to start pulling the ball more to fully tap into his raw power. 32/39 K/BB in 65 games shows good feel to hit. Prime Projection: 78/26/91/.271/.339/.470/4 ETA: 2021 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #127 – ranked around Adam Haseley, Grant Lavigne, and Oscar Mercado.

17) Will Holland SS, Auburn, 20.11 – Plus power/speed combo who performed very well in his sophomore year in the SEC, slashing .313/.406/.530 with 12 homers and 9 steals. Has a very pronounced wide and low batting stance, and a 49/28 K/BB in 66 games shows his plate approach needs improvement. Prime Projection: 84/20/79/.258/.334/.445/23 ETA: 2022 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #128 – ranked around Oscar Mercado, Sandy Alcantara, DJ Stewart, and Cole Tucker.

18) Michael Toglia 1B/OF, UCLA, 20.8 – Toglia is one of the youngest players in the college draft class. He has plus raw power with a patient approach at the plate that leads to high strikeout totals. At 6’4”, 205 pounds, the potential is there for him to turn into an absolute beast. Prime Projection: 82/27/91/.262/.354/.476/4 ETA: 2022 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #133 – ranked around Luis Alexander Basabe, Austin Beck, and Zack Collins.

19) Yolbert Sanchez SS, Cuba, 22.1 – Slick fielding shortstop with plus speed and everything else still pretty much a mystery. His numbers in Cuba were unimpressive, although he was mostly a teenager and he rarely struck out. Prime Projection: 78/15/75/.274/.331/.423/20 ETA: 2021 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #149 – ranked around Nick Neidert, Logan Gilbert, and Akil Baddoo.

20) Greg Jones SS, UNC-Wilmington, 21.1 – Tooled up athlete with double plus speed and developing power. 70/33 K/BB in 60 games shows he is still raw. Prime Projection: 80/15/73/.255/.337/.418/26 ETA: 2022 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #152 – ranked around Akil Baddoo, Anderson Tejada, and Austin Hays.

21) Kameron Misner OF, Missouri, 21.3 – Plus power-speed combo but approach is more line drive oriented. Was leading Division 1 in walks in 2018 before breaking his foot on a foul ball. Prime Projection: 86/23/79/.262/.350/.465/17 ETA: 2022 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #158 – ranked around Dane Dunning, Tirso Orneles, and Tristen Lutz.

22) Rece Hinds 3B, HS, 18.7 – Hinds is 6’4”, 220 pounds with possibly the most power potential in the entire draft class. Struggles to pick up spin and has some legitimate swing and miss. Prime Projection: 81/35/96/.247/.338/.516/5 ETA: 2024 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #165 – ranked around Parker Meadows, Jordan Groshans, and Triston Casas.

23) Tyler Dyson RHP, Florida, 21.3 – 6’3”, 225 pounds with a fastball that consistently hits the mid 90’s, a tight slider, and a developing changeup. Reminds me of Trevor Bauer a bit with the odd way the ball comes out of his hand. I’m very intrigued by Dyson. Prime Projection: 14/3.73/1.26/183 in 180 IP ETA: 2021 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #165 – ranked around Brady Singer, Ryan Weathers, and Freudis Nova.

24) Jackson Rutledge RHP, Junior College, 20.1 – 6’8”, 260 pounds with a fastball that can hit the upper 90’s and a potentially plus slider and curveball. Has a delivery that hides the ball very well. Rutledge has a chance to shoot up the rankings by draft time. Prime Projection: 14/3.81/1.28/191 in 185 IP ETA: 2022 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #166 – ranked around see above.

25) Logan Davidson SS, Clemson, 21.3 – Plus power-speed combo with a high strikeout rate. Raked in his two years at Clemson, but was horrific in the Cape Cod League, slashing .194/.292/.266 in 139 at-bats in 2018. Prime Projection: 79/23/84/.246/.332/.457/14 ETA: 2022 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #188 – ranked around Austin Dean, Blake Rutherford and Orelvis Martinez.

26) Nasim Nunez SS, HS, 18.7 – 5’9”, 160-pound speedster with plus athleticism and one of the best gloves in the draft. Limited power projection. Prime Projection: 89/11/59/.277/.343/.401/30 ETA: 2023 2019 Top 2019 472 Prospects Ranking: #208 – ranked around Noelvi Marte, Matt Thaiss, and Tony Santillan

27) Myles Austin SS, HS, 18.2 – Long and lean at 6’3”, 180 pounds. Austin has good athleticism and a plus power/speed combo, but is still raw at the dish. High risk, high reward prospect. Prime Projection: 79/23/81/.254/.322/.450/16 ETA: 2024 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #213 – ranked around Wenceel Perez, Calvin Mitchell, and Kyle Lewis.

28) Spencer Jones LHP/1B, HS, 17.10 – Two way player but ultimate future is likely as a pitcher. Intimidating mound presence at 6’7”, 205 pounds with a low 90’s fastball and good feel for a curveball. He has the upside to be the best pitcher in the class as he gains more experience. Offensively, he has a plus power/speed combo but is still raw. Prime Projection: 14/3.71/1.27/171 in 175 IP ETA: 2024 2019 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #215 – ranked around Dakota Hudson, Kolby Allard, and Kyle Muller.

29) Nick Lodolo LHP, TCU, 21.2 – Projectable 6’6”, 180 pounds with a downhill low 90’s fastball to go along with an inconsistent curveball and changeup. Stuff and upside are better than college numbers indicate at this point in his career. Prime Projection: 13/3.83/1.29/174 in 177 IP ETA: 2022 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #219 – ranked around Jay Groome, Evan White, and Lazaro Armenteros.

30) Matthew Lugo SS, HS, 17.11 – High upside prospect with the potential for above average tools across the board. Swing looks great in batting practice, but he is still a bit of a dart throw. Prime Projection: 80/20/76/.260/.335/.450/16 ETA: 2024 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #228 – ranked around Grayson Rodriguez, Luis Rengifo, and Ryan Vilade.

31) Bryson Stott SS, UNLV, 21.6 – A bunch of the college hitters ranked beyond this point are almost sure to shoot up this list based on who takes the next step in their junior year. I leaned young upside for this first edition, but as the safe college bats become even safer with another year of improvements, the good ones will rise. Stott has elite contact rates with a 18/32 K/BB and .365 BA in 59 games his sophomore season. He has above average speed, and while he presently has below average power, at 6’3”, 195 pounds, there is more power to be unlocked. Prime Projection: 88/18/71/.284/.348/.441/17 ETA: 2021 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #233 – ranked around Kyle Isbel, Jake McCarthy, and Tyler Freeman.

32) Braden Shewmake SS, Texas A&M, 21.8 – Solid offensive skills across the board with near elite contact rates (21/21 K/BB in 60 games his sophomore season). Good base runner with above average speed and at 6’4”, 180 pounds, there could be a tick more power in here. Prime Projection: 82/21/77/.275/.340/.460/15 ETA: 2022 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #237 – ranked around Tyler Freeman, Moises Gomez, and Daniel Johnson.

33) Shea Langeliers C, Baylor, 21.5 – Plus defensive catcher who is a much better prospect in real life than fantasy. Solid offensive skills across the board except for base running, but nothing is standout. Prime Projection: 66/22/74/.260/.338/.449/2 ETA: 2022 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #260 – ranked around Tyler Stephenson, Chavez Young, and Garrett Whitley.

34) Will Wilson SS, North Carolina St., 20.8 – Has done nothing but rake since entering the SEC, slashing .307/.376/.588 with 15 homers and a 41/27 K/BB in 59 games in 2018. Good feel to hit with at least above average power, but he is not a major threat on the bases. Prime Projection: 79/23/85/.267/.338/.464/6 ETA: 2022 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #261 – ranked around Aramis Ademan, Jose Siri, and Micker Adolfo.

35) Matt Wallner OF, Southern Miss., 21.4 – Prodigious raw power with the home run totals to prove it, smashing 19 his freshman year, 16 his sophomore year, and 4 in 23 Cape Cod games. Has some swing and miss and needs to refine his plate approach. Prime Projection: 73/27/87/.248/.325/.472/6 ETA: 2022 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #262 – ranked around see above.

36) Matthew Thompson RHP, HS, 18.8 – Plus athlete with a lightening quick arm and good feel for a curveball and slider. Prime Projection: 12/3.90/1.28/176 in 175 IP ETA: 2023 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #269 – ranked around Taylor Widener, Nicky Lopez, and TJ Friedl.

37) Blake Sabol C/OF, USC, 21.3 – Mediocre numbers at USC thus far, but broke out in the Cape Code League, slashing .340/.445/.573 with 7 homers, 14 steals, and a 21/21 K/BB in 37 games. The tools back up the power/speed numbers. Sabol could be a fast riser with a strong junior season, especially for fantasy. Prime Projection: 78/22/81/.255/.328/.448/12 ETA: 2022 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #273 – ranked around Luis Gonzalez, Jeissen Rosario, and Junior Santos.

38) Jack Leiter RHP, HS, 18.11 – Son of Al Leiter, and as expected, Jack is advanced beyond his years with a 4-pitch mix headlined by a high spin rate, plus curveball. Doesn’t have overpowering stuff, but he is as safe as a high school pitcher gets. Prime Projection: 12/3.88/1.26/161 in 168 IP ETA: 2023 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #274 – ranked around Junior Santos, David Peterson, and Patrick Weigel.

39) Jack Kochanowicz RHP, HS, 18.3 – Projectable 6’6”, 207 pounds, Kochanowicz throws strikes with a low 90’s fastball, curve that flashes plus, and developing changeup. Like Tyler Dyson, Kochanowicz is another pitcher where I just like the way the ball comes out of his hand. Prime Projection: 14/3.77/1.26/180 in 180 IP ETA: 2023 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #280 – ranked around Michael Grove, Mickey Moniak, and Seth Romero.

40) Nick Quintana 3B, Arizona, 21.6 – Slashed .313/.413/.592 with 14 homers and a 47/32 K/BB in 56 games in 2018. Power showed up in the Cape too, but strikeout issues reared their ugly head with a 44/16 K/BB in 35 games. Prime Projection: 77/24/86/.265/.338/.464/3 ETA: 2022 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #281 – ranked around Braxton Garrett, Lenny Torres, and Simeon Woods Richardson.

41) Austin Shenton 3B, Florida International, 21.2 – When I tweeted on Tuesday about this list dropping today, a Cape Cod league scout (my former podcast co-host Ralph Lifshitz) immediately texted me, “Austin Shenton > Logan Davidson. Don’t overlook him.” So of course I still ranked Shenton below Davidson. What can I say? I’m hard headed 😉 But I did move Shenton up higher than I had him. He destroyed the Cape, slashing .348/.450/.490, and while he doesn’t have huge power, his hit tool is definitely going to play. Prime Projection: 79/21/81/.278/.346/.456/5 ETA: 2022 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #285 – ranked around Trevor Rogers, Willi Castro, and Bryan Abreu.

42) Matthew Allan RHP, HS, 17.11 – Prototypical big bodied (6’3”, 210 pounds) teenage pitching prospect with a power fastball that can hit 97 MPH and good feel for a curveball. Command and changeup lag behind. Prime Projection: 12/3.78/1.31/168 in 173 IP ETA: 2024 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #298 – ranked around Josiah Gray, Thomas Szapucki, and Jojo Romero.

43) Bayron Lora OF, TEX, 16?? – Expected to sign for about $4 million with Texas. Lora is a physical beast at 6’4” with a quick bat and the potential for double plus power at peak. Prime Projection: 83/32/95/.263/.348/.518/4 ETA: 2026 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #305 – ranked around Blaze Alexander, Jeremy Eierman, and Kody Clemens.

44) Chris Newell HS, OF, 17.11 – Underwent Tommy John surgery in September 2017. Above average runner with a left handed swing geared for flyballs. At 6’3”, 190 pounds, Newell has a chance to grow into a 5 category stud. Prime Projection: 82/23/87/.269/.343/.472/14 ETA: 2024 2019 Top 472 Prospect Ranking: #307 – ranked around Tristan Pompey, Josh Stowers and Miguel Vargas.

45) Emmanuel Dean OF, HS, 18.9 – Dean is a ripped up 6’5”, 210 pounds with elite exit velocity readings and plus 60 yard dash times. If he was Cuban, baseball writers heads would be exploding. But he’s not, so he’s underrated. Prime Projection: 78/25/83/.245/.329/.468/16 ETA: 2024 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #310 – ranked around Myles Straw, Jose Garcia, and Jonathan Orneles.

46) Jason Hodges OF, HS, 17.9 – Hodges is a big and broad 6’3”, 210 pounds with at least plus raw power at maturity. Near elite exit velocity readings for his age, and is about an average runner as well. Prime Projection: 77/26/81/.249/.328/.477/9 ETA: 2024 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #313 – ranked around Osiris Johnson, Joe Perez, and Jameson Hannah.

47) Drew Mendoza 3B, Florida St., 21.6 – 6’4”, 200 pounds with plus raw power, patience, and strikeouts. Hasn’t performed well in the Cape and hasn’t tapped into all of his power, but has been strong in the ACC (.934 OPS in 2017 and .931 OPS in 2018). Prime Projection: 74/25/82/.247/.332/.470/4 ETA: 2022 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #318 – ranked around Joe Gray, Sandy Gaston, Diego Cartaya, and Jose De Leon.

48) JJ Bleday OF, Vandy, 21.4 – Power exploded in the wood bat Cape Cod League with 5 homers in 36 games. Has already displayed a good feel to hit throughout his college career, so if the power gains roll over, he could continue to rise as the draft approaches. Prime Projection: 75/23/82/.267/.339/.462/3 ETA: 2022 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #319 – ranked around see above.

49) Kyle Stowers OF, Stanford, 21.3 – Above average power with a swing designed to lift the baseball, but it also comes with a healthy number of strikeouts. Prime Projection: 73/23/81/.251/.327/.451/8 ETA: 2022 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #321 – ranked around Osiel Rodriguez, Tyrone Taylor, and Luis Toribio.

50) JJ Goss RHP, HS, 18.3 – Low 90’s fastball with a swing and miss slider and good feel for a changeup. He throws strikes and the fastball should tick up as he fills out. Prime Projection: 12/3.88/1.29/165 in 164 IP ETA: 2024 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #357 – ranked around Jacob Nix, Hunter Harvey, and James Kaprielian.

51) Glenallen Hill Jr. OF, HS, 18.6 – Glenallen Hill’s son. 5’9”, 169 pounds with plus speed and vicious bat speed. Hill profiles as a leadoff hitter with enough power for 10+ bombs. Prime Projection: 86/13/54/.268/.332/.409/25 ETA: 2023 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #361 – ranked around Ryan Rolison, Jason Martin, and Randy Arozarena.

52) Erick Pena OF, Royals, 16?? – 6’3” with a smooth and powerful left handed swing. Prime Projection: 83/27/91/.268/.347/.485/5 ETA: 2026 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #378 – ranked around Esteban Quiroz, Raynel Delgado, and Misael Urbina.

53) Yhoswar Garcia OF, PHI, 16?? – Prototypical leadoff hitter with double plus speed and good feel to hit. At a lean 6’0”, he should develop more power as he ages. Prime Projection: 92/13/59/.279/.340/.418/27 ETA: 2025 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #381 – ranked around Misael Urbina, Zack Short, and Max Schrock.

54) Zack Thompson LHP, Duke, 21.5 – 4-pitch mix headlined by a deceptive low 90’s fastball and breaking ball that flashes plus. Injury issues and control/command issues throughout his career. Prime Projection: 11/3.97/1.33/156 in 169 IP ETA: 2022 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #383 – ranked around Logan Webb and Mike King.

55) Tyler Callihan 3B, HS, 18.9 – Plus raw power with a quick left handed swing, advanced approach, and good feel to hit. Prime Projection: 76/25/86/.269/.348/.473/4 ETA: 2024 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #390 – ranked around Kevin Cron, DJ Peters, Dylan Cozens, and Roberto Ramos.

56) Brett Baty 3B, HS, 19.5 – Plus raw power with a quick, uppercut lefty swing. Advanced hitter with the ability to pick up spin and doesn’t sell out for power. Chance he has to move across the diamond to 1B. Prime Projection: 74/26/85/.263/.347/.471/2 ETA: 2023 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #391 – ranked around see above.

57) Alek Manoah RHP, West Virginia, 21.3 – After being used mostly out of the bullpen in his college career, Manoah broke out in the Cape Cod league as a starter, leading the league in strikeouts with 48 in 33.1 IP. He’s 6’6”, 260 pounds with mid 90’s heat, a slider that flashes plus, and a developing changeup. Prime Projection: 9/3.72/1.31/136 in 130 IP ETA: 2021 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #402 – ranked around Luis Ortiz, Dillon Tate, Dennis Santana, and Tim Cate

58) Erik Miller LHP, Stanford, 21.2 – At 6’5”, 230 pounds and the potential for 3 above average to plus pitches, Miller could shoot up draft boards with a great junior year, but he struggles with command and got lit up in the Cape Cod League (7.71 ERA in 23.1 IP). Prime Projection: 11/3.93/1.34/158 in 165 IP ETA: 2022 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #403 – ranked around see above.

59) George Kirby RHP, Elon, 21.2 – Potential for 4 average to above average pitches with mid 90’s heat and good control. Prime Projection: 11/3.98/1.31/151 in 160 IP ETA: 2022 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #404 – ranked around see above.

60) Ryan Zeferjahn RHP, Kansas, 21.1 – 6’4”, 215 pounds with a fastball that can reach the upper 90’s and a potentially plus slider. Control/command will have to take a step forward in 2019 to shoot up this list. Prime Projection: 10/4.02/1.33/153 in 155 IP ETA: 2022 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #405 – ranked around see above.

61) Dominic Fletcher OF, Arkansas, 21.8 – 5’10”, 185 pounds but packs a powerful punch with his strong and quick left-handed swing. He’s smacked 22 homers in his 128 game SEC career. Prime Projection: 73/23/82/.258/.333/.454/4 ETA: 2022 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #406 – ranked around Luis Campusano, Anthony Banda, and Buddy Reed.

62) Chase Strumpf 2B, UCLA, 21.1 – Breakout sophomore year, slashing .363/.475/.633 with 12 homers and a 53/45 K/BB in 58 games. Doesn’t have any loud tools, but is solid across the board. Prime Projection: 78/20/77/.260/.330/.442/7 ETA: 2022 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #410 – ranked around Jared Olivia, Miguel Hiraldo, and Ronny Brito.

63) Will Robertson OF, Creighton, 21.3 – Good feel for contact with plus raw power. Slashed .333/.412/.641 with 12 homers and a 31/17 K/BB in 50 games played at one of the toughest ballparks to hit homers in. Prime Projection: 73/24/80/.263/.335/.467/2 ETA: 2022 2019 Top 472 Prospects Rankings: #414 – ranked around Edwin Rios, Josh Ockimey, and Luken Baker.

64) Hunter Barco LHP, HS, 18.4 – Prototypical starter size at 6’4”, 208 pounds with an almost sidearm delivery. Barco flashes the potential for 3 plus pitches (fastball, slider, chanegup), but a lot of that is based on projection at his point. Prime Projection: 11/3.93/1.30/167 in 173 IP ETA: 2024 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #428 – ranked around Luis Medina, Gregory Santos, and Rogelio Armenteros.

65) Wil Dalton OF, Florida, 21.7 – Plus power-speed combo who destroyed junior college freshman year and then had a strong season in his SEC debut, slashing .262/.338/.542 with 19 homes, 8 steals, and a 74/24 K/BB. Struggles with breaking balls and is still raw at the plate. Prime Projection: 77/22/78/.246/.320/.442/14 ETA: 2022 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #441 – ranked around Adam Kloffenstein, Kyle Cody, and Jayce Easley.

66) Sammy Siani OF, HS, 18.4 – Brother of Mike Siani, a 4th round pick in 2018 and my 198th ranked prospect. Sammy isn’t as highly regarded as his brother, but he has plus speed and makes good contact with a smooth left handed swing. Prime Projection: 78/14/69/.269/.337/.410/20 ETA: 2024 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #443 – ranked around Jayce Easley, Joe McCarthy, and Nick Decker.

67) Cade Doughty 3B, HS, 18.0 – Good athlete who can play all over the field. Posted plus 60 yard dash times and plus exit velocity. Type of player who will chip in a little bit in every category. Prime Projection: 82/18/73/.268/.336/.432/15 ETA: 2024 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #445 – ranked around Nick Decker, Terrin Vavra, and Will Benson.

68) Gunnar Henderson SS, HS, 17.9 – Above average exit velocity and 60 yard dash times with a good feel to hit. One of the youngest players in the draft class. Prime Projection: 79/20/78/.267/.346/.445/9 ETA: 2024 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #449 – ranked around Jamie Westbrook, Heath Quinn, Dom Thompson-Williams.

69) Zach Watson OF, LSU, 21.9 – Good athlete with at least plus speed and developing power. Strong power-speed numbers in the SEC (7 homers and 14 steals in 57 games) but 45/16 K/BB shows approach still needs some work. Prime Projection: 77/18/76/.259/.316/.428/19 ETA: 2022 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #452 – ranked around Brock Deatherage, Osleivis Basabe, and Larry Ernesto.

70) Ismael Mena OF, SD, 16?? – Mena is a lean and projectable 6’2” with plus speed and a smooth lefty swing that generates effortless bat speed. He’s a future 20/20 threat. Prime Projection: 87/22/84/.265/.335/.465/19 ETA: 2026 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #454 – ranked around Larry Ernesto, Owen White and Jake Wong.

71) Alexander Ramirez OF, NYM, 16?? – A 6’3” plus power-speed combo. It goes without saying I don’t have much information on these J2 kids, but he looks like a potential stud on Youtube. Prime Projection: 83/25/89/.262/.337/.479/16 ETA: 2026 2029 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #455 – ranked around Mario Feliciano, Will Banfield, and Francisco Morales.

72) Luis Rodriguez OF, LAD, 16?? – Advanced at the plate with solid tools across the board. Prime Projection: 88/23/86/.278/.353/.475/10 ETA: 2026 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #468 – ranked around JJ Matijevic, Juan Guerrero, and Tyler Phillips.

73) Ryne Nelson RHP, Oregon, 21.2 – Fastball that can hit the upper 90’s with a potentially plus hard slider that he fires from a projectable 6’4”, 182 pound frame. 2019 will be his first year as a starter, so while the upside is high, so is the risk. Prime Projection: 9/3.61/1.28/125 in 119 IP ETA: 2021 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #469 – ranked around Griffin Roberts, Daulton Jefferies, and Mike Ford

74) Mason Feole LHP, Connecticut, 21.? – Unorthodox, reliever like delivery. Feole has a low 90’s fastball and potentially plus curveball that racked up 120 strikeouts in 100.2 IP in 2018, but due to a lack of third pitch and aforementioned delivery, there is major pen risk. Prime Projection: 8/3.65/1.25/112 in 110 IP ETA: 2022 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #470 – ranked around see above.

75) Kendall Williams RHP, HS, 18.7 – Projectable 6’6”, 190 pounds with a low 90’s fastball that should tick up as he ages and good feel for a breaking ball. Prime Projection: 12/3.85/1.31/165 in 171 IP ETA: 2024 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #471 – ranked around see above

76) Logan Wyatt 1B, Louisville, 21.5 – Advanced approach at the plate with plus raw power that he hasn’t completely tapped into. Prime Projection: 78/22/81/.267/.359/.459/2 ETA: 2022 2019 Top 472 Prospects Ranking: #472 – ranked around see above

77) Kyren Paris SS, HS, 17.4 – One of the youngest players in the draft class. I always have an affinity for these guys because I was one of the youngest players in my “draft” class too. Paris is an above average runner who makes good contact and should develop more power as he ages. Prime Projection: 76/16/76/.273/.339/.427/13 ETA: 2024

78) Quin Cotton OF, Grand Canyon, 21.0 – Good athlete with a plus power-speed combo. How much of that raw power he taps into this season will dictate his draft day value. Prime Projection: 78/18/75/.257/.318/.421/13 ETA: 2022

79) Quinn Priester RHP, HS, 18.6 – Cold weather arm who has less experience than many of his peers. High spin rate curveball and developing high spin rate two seamer are his best weapons. Prime Projection: 11/3.95/1.32/154 in 162 IP ETA: 2024

80) Matt Canterino RHP, Rice, 21.4 – Solid 4-pitch mix. Herky jerky reliever like delivery, but can’t argue with the numbers he put up at Rice (3.06/0.93/116/22 in 94 IP) and the Cape (2.59/1.08/29/10 in 24.1 IP). Prime Projection: 9/3.78/1.27/126 in 132 IP ETA: 2021

81) Rick Devito RHP, Seton Hall, 20.7 – Dominated the Big East his sophomore season with a pitching line of 1.88/1.03/67/22 in 62 IP. Devito has the potential for 3 above average pitches (fastball, curveball, changeup), all of which he can throw for strikes, and he is young for the class. Prime Projection: 11/3.92/1.30/166 in 178 IP ETA: 2022

82) Judson Fabian OF, HS, 18.6 – Plus bat speed and plus speed with an advanced approach at the plate. Power should develop as he matures. Prime Projection: 82/18/73/.273/.347/.441/16 ETA: 2024

83) Bryant Packard OF, East Carolina, 21.6 – Slashed .406/.462/.671 with 14 homers and a 46/20 K/BB in the American Athletic Conference, and then backed up that performance in the Cape Cod League (.997 OPS in 18 games). At 6’3”, 210 pounds, Packard has the attributes to be a power hitting corner outfielder. Prime Projection: 73/22/80/.264/.345/.458/6 ETA: 2022

84) Jimmy Lewis RHP, HS, 18.5 – Projectable 6’6”, 200 pounds with good control and the potential for 3 above average pitches (fastball, curveball, changeup). Prime Projection: 13/3.89/1.25/178 in 181 IP ETA: 2024

85) Dilan Rosario SS, HS, 17.10 – Plus 60 yard dash times with a swing geared towards all field contact and plenty of power projection at 6’2”, 170 pounds. Prime Projection: 79/17/74/.270/.335/.430/18 ETA: 2024

86) Hylan Hall OF, HS, 18.2 – Toolsy athlete with plus speed and a quick bat. Raw at the plate and power is currently below average, but there are skills to dream on here. Prime Projection: 78/18/74/.257/.326/.438/18 ETA: 2024

87) Maximo Acosta SS, TEX, 16.5 – Prototypical leadoff hitter with plus speed, a good feel to hit, and developing power. Prime Projection: 88/16/69/.273/.338/.427/23 ETA: 2026

88) Anthony Volpe SS, HS, 17.11 – Plus defensive middle infielder with plus speed and makes hard line drive contact. Has a chance to be a solid all around contributor. Prime Projection: 78/15/71/.271/.335/.422/15 ETA: 2024

89) Christian Cairo SS, HS, 17.9 – Son of Miguel Cairo. Christian is a plus runner with a high contact oriented approach and below average power. Prime Projection: 81/13/62/.276/.341/.412/15 ETA: 2024

90) Spencer Brickhouse 1B, East Carolina, 21.0 – Big raw power befitting his last name, but the gains he made with his contact percentage his sophomore year in the AAC disappeared in the Cape Cod League. Prime Projection: 71/24/78/.252/.324/.451/2 ETA: 2022

91) Brooks Lee SS, HS, 18.1 – Good feel to hit and good defensive player but has below average power and speed. Better in real life than fantasy. Prime Projection: 81/17/69/.283/.345/.420/7 ETA: 2024

92) Arol Vera SS, LAA, 16?? – Another lean, 6’2” projectable J2 kid. Vera is a switch hitter with a smooth swing from both sides. Good feel to hit and has shown power in batting practice. Prime Projection: 81/21/78/.275/.348/.459/8 ETA: 2026

93) Adael Amador SS, COL, 16?? – Not a long, lean, and projectable J2 prospect, but Amador is an advanced hitter with a strong history of performance in international competition. Prime Projection: 82/18/66/.283/.351/.435/9 ETA: 2025

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT MY WORK I WOULD BE FOREVER GRATEFUL. PLEASE CONTRIBUTE WHATEVER YOU FEEL IS APPROPRIATE:

CLICK HERE FOR MY PAYPAL ACCOUNT
CLICK HERE FOR MY VENMO ACCOUNT

THANK YOU!

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