Opening Morning in Korea was yesterday, and that means it’s time to start releasing some of my rankings on the Brick Wall. The Top 132 2024 First Year Player Draft Rankings dropped on Monday, and we continue today with the 2024 Top 581 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings, which has been on the Patreon since February 5th. Without further ado, here is the Top 581 2024 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings:

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1) Jackson Chourio MIL, OF, 20.1 – Baseball now uses minor leaguers like guinea pigs, testing out every hairbrained idea they have all willy nilly, and Chourio got caught in the crosshairs of it. The Southern League used a pre-tacked ball for the first half of the season, and Chourio put up a lowly .714 OPS in 71 games. When they went back to the regular ball, he immediately went gangbusters, slashing .324/.379/.538 with 11 homers, 21 steals, and a 13.4%/8.0% K%/BB% in 57 games. He closed out the season at Triple-A where he put up a 4.2%/8.3% K%/BB% in 6 games. He did all of this as a 19 year old. The power/speed combo is plus to double plus, and it sure looks like his contact rates are entering the elite range if you ignore what he did in the 1st half. Jackson Holliday seems to be the consensus #1 prospect in the game (and Wyatt Langford is the trendy #1 for fantasy), but if Chourio hit with the regular ball all season, I’m not so sure that would be the case. The main thing Holliday has over Chourio right now is plate approach, which makes him the safer prospect, but for fantasy, I gotta give the ever so slight edge to the power/speed combo. Milwaukee showed us they are all in by signing him to an 8 year, $82 million contract, and it ensure him a spot on the opening day roster as well. 2024 Projection: 77/20/74/.258/.320/.449/24 Prime Projection: 101/32/104/.283/.353/.523/41

2) Jackson Holliday BAL, SS, 20.4 – Holliday’s power/speed combo really wasn’t that huge with only 12 homers and 24 steals (in 33 attempts) in 125 games spread across 4 levels (A, A+, AA, AAA). It dropped off even further in the upper minors with 5 homers and 4 steals in 54 games. It seems crazy to start his blurb off with criticism, but when the battle for the top prospect in the game is so close, it needs to be highlighted. Now that we got that out of the way, Holliday had an absolutely insane season where he slashed .323/.442/.499 with a 20.3%/17.4% K%/BB%. He was in high school last year, and he displayed one of the most advanced plate approaches of any prospect all the way through Triple-A. This is why everyone drools over kids with baseball bloodlines, they tend to be far advanced beyond their years. As I mentioned, the power isn’t fully developed yet with relatively low flyball rates, but he hits the ball hard with a 30.2% Hard Hit% and a 90.9 MPH EV in 40 batted balls at Triple-A, so I’m not concerned about the power long term. And it should be noted that Holliday has completely flipped his hitting profile this spring with a 31% GB%, which is extremely encouraging for his future power potential. He has the safety edge over Chourio, but it’s not like Chourio is a risky prospect, so Holliday slots in at #2 for me. 2024 Projection: 83/18/71/.270/.339/.438/20 Prime Projection: 117/27/94/.296/.382/.506/28

3) Wyatt Langford TEX, OF, 22.5 – I have Chourio, Holliday, and Langford in a tier of their own. The only reason Langford is 3rd is because Chourio/Holliday have a longer professional track record and more impressive age to level production. But his power, speed, hit tool, plate approach, and production can rival anyone’s. He was selected 4th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft on the back of elite production in the SEC, slashing .373/.498/.784 with 21 homers, 9 steals, and a 44/56 K/BB in 64 games. He clearly separated himself from Dylan Crews in his pro debut, slashing .360/.480/.677 with 10 homers, 12 steals, and a 17.0%/18.0% K%/BB% in 44 games, and he was equally as dominant in the upper minors as he was the lower minors. He’s the total package, and if you wanted to rank him 1st overall (especially with him decimating spring training right now), I wouldn’t argue with you. 2024 Projection: 81/26/77/.262/.338/.479/16 Prime Projection: 103/34/109/.277/.364/.535/24

4) Junior Caminero TBR, 3B/SS, 20.9 – Caminero was a popular breakout pick this year (me included), and he more than lived up to the consensus hype by going full phenom beast mode. He made a mockery of High-A pitching with 11 homers and a 190 wRC+ in 36 games, and then he barely slowed down at Double-A with 20 homers and a 140 wRC+ in 81 games. He even improved his plate approach at Double-A with a 17.1%/9.1% K%/BB% (25.2%/6.3% at High-A). He completed the phenom cycle by jumping straight from Double-A to the majors as a 20 year old for a cup of coffee (he ordered the cold brew with a .631 OPS in 36 PA, but it obviously doesn’t mean much). His calling card is double plus power with a good feel to hit that reminds me of a righty version of Rafael Devers. And while he didn’t run a ton (5 for 10 on the bases), he put up a 28.6 ft/sec sprint speed in the majors, so he’ll certainly contribute in the category at the least. Tampa Bay is forever crowded, but a player like Caminero forces the issue. 2024 Projection: 57/20/64/.260/.323/.462/6 Prime Projection: 96/35/109/.284/.349/.525/10

5) Evan Carter TEX, OF, 21.7 – The only question is how much power will Carter get to, because the plate approach and speed are impregnable at this point. He’s a line drive hitter who didn’t exactly smash the ball in the minors, although a 89/95.8 MPH AVG/FB EV in his 75 PA MLB debut shows he’s not some light hitting weakling. He’s also 6’4”, 190 pounds and only 21 years old, so more raw power is certainly coming. He hit 12 homers in 105 games at mostly Double-A (133 wRC+), then he set the baseball world on fire by hitting 5 homers in his first 23 games in the majors (180 wRC+), and finally he closed out the year with 1 homer in 17 playoff games (155 wRC+). That’s 18 homers in 145 games. If he can just get to about 25 homers in his prime, the man is going to be a terror. The speed is double plus with a 29.5 ft/sec sprint speed (31 steals overall), and the plate approach is elite. He had a 9% chase% in his MLB debut and he’s been an elite plate approach guy his entire career in the minors. He struggles vs. lefties, but just like with Gunnar Henderson last year, I wouldn’t let that scare you off an elite prospect. The downside is a .260 hitter with 15 homers and 25 steals, which isn’t that bad, and the upside is a .280/25/35 guy. 2024 Projection: 87/18/72/.263/.334/.429/26 Prime Projection: 105/24/80/.278/.367/.468/31

6) Jordan Lawlar ARI, SS, 21.8 – I would completely ignore what Lawlar did in his super small sample, 34 PA MLB debut. Don’t even look at his Statcast page, it will only get in your head. Your focus should be on the pitchers he laid waste to in the upper minors. He slashed .278/.378/.496 with 20 homers, 36 steals, and a 20.6%/11.4% K%/BB% in 105 games at Double-A and Triple-A. His contact rates took a big step forward from 2022, he has truly elite speed with a 30.1 ft/sec sprint speed, and he hit the ball fairly hard, especially for a 20 year old, with a 31.8% Hard Hit%. He’s 6’2”, 190 pounds with room to add more muscle, so the power is only going up from here. He has legitimate Top 10 dynasty asset potential. 2024 Projection: 69/14/55/.248/.317/.410/25 Prime Projection: 103/24/84/.273/.351/.470/38

7) Yoshinobu Yamamoto LAD, RHP, 25.7 – When it comes to potentially elite, all category hitting prospects, you have to pry them from my dead cold hands, which is why I would struggle to give up any of the hitting prospects ranked above for Yamamoto (or even the few ranked after him depending on my team build). In fantasy, pitchers can’t contribute in every pitching category (saves at least, and some leagues have both saves and holds), so that right there limits their upside relative to an elite hitter. Not to mention the much much much higher injury risk which can knock out 2 years of their career off a single injury, and then the stress of whether or not they will get back to 100%. On a real life list, I can see ranking Yamamoto 1st overall, but for fantasy, it’s just not how I play the game, even for a pitcher that is expected to be as good as Yamamoto. The Dodgers made him the highest paid pitcher in history with a 12 year, $325 million contract (plus a $50 million posting fee). That is really all you need to know. He’s expected to be a true ace right from the get go, and signing with the best developmental team in the game also takes a lot of the risk out of his transition to a new ball, new country, new league etc … He’s been a true ace in Japan for years now, and that continued this year with a pitching line of 1.16/0.86/176/28 in 171 IP. He pitched 193 innings in both 2021 and 2022, so there also isn’t any concern of how many innings he can pitch. The fastball sits mid 90’s and regularly hits the upper 90’s. A nasty splitter is his most used secondary, and he also throws a very good curve, 2-seamer, and cutter. He has elite command over all of his pitches, and he has an unique, oddly athletic delivery which he varies constantly to mess with hitters timing. He’s a straight up nightmare to face, and looks like a ready made ace. 2024 Projection: 12/3.42/1.11/173 in 160 IP

8) Jasson Dominguez NYY, OF, 21.2 – The backlash to Dominguez’ early career hype made it hard to hold the line, but I remained all in on Dominguez last off-season, ranking him 10th overall, and he more than delivered on that ranking this year. He hit 15 homers with 37 steals and a 25.6%/15.2% K%/BB% in 109 games at Double-A as a 20 year old. Then he quickly ran through Triple-A with a 180 wRC+ in 9 games, before finishing out his season with 4 homers and a 162 wRC+ in 8 games in the majors. Unfortunately, Tommy John surgery put a halt to what was sure to be insane hype this off-season, but I wouldn’t let the Tommy John surgery scare you off. It isn’t as big of a deal for hitters as it is for pitchers, and he’s expected to return by the 2nd half of 2024. His extremely good MLB debut will likely make it hard to get good value for him this off-season even with the surgery, so my move would be to hope he needs to shake off some rust when he returns next season to bring his value into a more reasonable range again. 2024 Projection: 30/8/26/.242/.324/.438/10 Prime Projection: 92/26/86/.266/.361/.485/28

9) James Wood WAS, OF, 21.7 – The K% jumped to 33.7% in 87 games at Double-A, which is exactly what you are worried about with a player this tall (6’6”), but Wood is the type of unicorn athlete where you don’t want to let it scare you off him. He still cracked 18 homers with 10 steals and a 124 wRC+ at the level as a 20 year old. And that was coming off a 155 wRC+ in 42 games at the more age appropriate High-A. Despite his size and high strikeout rate, Wood has a relatively short and quick swing which gives hope he’ll be able to keep the strikeout rate in a range that allows his truly elite talent shine. Don’t expect a high BA, but expect him to kill it everywhere else. 2024 Projection: 45/17/51/.229/.308/.450/13 Prime Projection: 91/30/99/.253/.341/.508/18

10) Dylan Crews WAS, OF, 22.1 – Starting this blurb with anything other than the 73 wRC+ and 0 homers Crews put up in 85 PA at Double-A would be beating around the bush, and you know me, I don’t beat around the bush. The performance was bad enough to have Wyatt Langford clearly pass him for the top spot in my Top 130 2024 Dynasty Baseball First Year Player Draft Rankings (Wyatt’s dominance also had something to do with that), and also for me to prefer the newly minted highest paid pitcher in baseball history (Yamamoto), but that is where it ends. 85 PA isn’t enough to sour me on the 2nd overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. Crews is built like a solid rock at 6’0”, 203 pounds, and he swings the bat so fast and powerfully it almost looks like he’s using an illegally light bat (he’s not, at least I don’t think he is ha). The ball explodes off it on contact. He obliterated the SEC from the second he stepped on campus as a freshman, and he kept on improving through his junior year, slashing .380/.498/.689 with 58 homers, 23 steals, and a 146/152 K/BB in 196 career games. He also destroyed the lower minors with a 192 wRC+ in 71 PA at Single-A. His floor feels like a 30+ homer bat without the best BA or tons of steals, but the ceiling is that of a truly elite dynasty player. 2024 Projection: 55/16/61/.251/.327/.458/9 Prime Projection: 89/29/97/.268/.347/.489/16

11) Noelvi Marte CIN, 3B, 22.6 – Everyone called Marte fat and slow this off-season, so of course he put up double plus run times in the majors with a 29.1 ft/sec sprint speed. Be super wary of scouting speed grades as they are wildly inaccurate (see also, Henry Davis and Nolan Jones). Not only is he a speedster, but he crushed the ball with a 91.3 MPH EV, and the hit tool looked good with a 20.3% K% and .296 xBA in 123 MLB PA. It all resulted in a slash line of .316/.366/.456 with 3 homers, 6 steals, and a 20.3%/6.5% K%/BB%. He showed those same skills in the upper minors with 11 homers, 18 steals, and a .279 BA in 92 games. He did all of this as a 21-year-old. He’s fast, he hits it hard, he gets the bat on the ball, he produced in the upper minors, he produced in the majors, and he was super young. Quite simply, this is an elite fantasy prospect, and I’m not sure he gets the respect he deserves. 2024 Projection: 37/9/33/.261/.322/.431/11 Prime Projection: 96/27/91/.276/.354/.491/25 Update: Suspended 80 games for a PED suspension. My instinct isn’t to drop super talented players down the rankings for a PED suspension, which is the same thing I did with Tatis. Marte gets a small drop, but nothing drastic.

12) Walker Jenkins MIN, OF, 19.1 – Selected 5th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, the 6’3”, 215 pounds Jenkins has that sweet lefty swing that just oozes offensive potential. It’s athletic, quick, under control, powerful, smooth … I can go on and on. It’s hard to watch this guy hit and not completely fall in love. It has the potential for at least plus hit and plus power at peak, and he’s also a good athlete with above average run times. But we don’t have to only dream on the potential, as Jenkins’ showed it to us clear as day in his pro debut, slashing .362/.417/.571 with 3 homers, 6 steals, and a 12.2%/7.8% K%/BB% in 26 games split evenly between rookie ball (138 wRC+) and Single-A (182 wRC+). It’s the type of profile that can be an elite dynasty asset a la Kyle Tucker. Langford, Crews, and Yamamoto are locked in as my top 3 FYPD picks, and while there are good arguments for Skenes or even Matt Shaw at #4, I don’t think I can pass up on the truly “generational” (or maybe nearly generational would be more accurate ha) upside of Jenkins. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 94/31/102/.273/.345/.510/16

13) Pete Crow-Armstrong CHC, OF, 22.0 – I’ve been all in on Pete Crow since before he was drafted, and he finally fulfilled his elite prospect destiny in 2023. The power took yet another step forward with him jacking 20 homers in 107 games split between Double-A and Triple-A. He’s not an EV masher, but he doesn’t hit the ball weakly either, and his high launch will ensure he gets the most out of his still growing raw power. The CF defense and speed are elite with a 29.9 ft/sec sprint speed and 37 steals. There is bit more swing and miss than optimal with a 26% K%, but he’s always generally had a good feel to hit, and he’s never had low BA’s in the minors, so I’m not overly concerned about it. Armstrong has 20/40 written all over him. 2024 Projection: 41/9/29/.241/.310/.407/19 Prime Projection: 91/22/76/.257/.334/.439/34

14) Roman Anthony BOS, OF, 19.11 – I ended Anthony’s 2023 Top 1,000 blurb by writing, “There is a lot of refinement needed, but this is a high upside bat who could explode up rankings if everything comes together.” … well, everything came together and Anthony exploded up rankings, slashing .272/.403/.466 with 14 homers, 16 steals, and a 24.2%/17.5% K%/BB% in 106 games at mostly Single-A (109 wRC+) and High-A (164 wRC+). It was a little concerning that the K% jumped to 30.6% at High-A, but then he closed out the season at Double-A and had a 185 wRC+ with a 13.6%/18.2% K%/BB% in 10 games. And he did all this starting the season as an 18 year old. He’s an elite athlete at 6’2”, 200 pounds with a plus power/speed combo, powerful lefty swing, and a mature plate approach. The only things preventing him from being ranked even higher is that he’s not great at lifting the ball with an under 25% Flyball%, and he wasn’t a great base stealer with 16 steals in 23 attempts. He hits the ball so hard he can survive without a huge launch, and he has time to refine his base stealing skills as well, so neither are major concerns. He’s on a short list to be the #1 overall fantasy prospect in baseball by this time next year. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 96/25/88/.273/.358/.472/16

15) Jackson Jobe DET, RHP, 21.9 – Jobe made his season debut in mid June from lumber spine inflammation, which obviously sounded worse than it really was, because he immediately looked like the best pitching prospect in baseball when he returned. He had a 2.81 ERA with a 32.6%/2.3% K%/BB% in 64 IP at mostly High-A. He closed the season out with a gem at Double-A, going 6 IP with 4 hits, 0 ER, and a 6/0 K/BB, and then he went to the AFL and dominated in that extreme hitter’s environment with a 2.87 ERA and 19/5 K/BB in 15.2 IP. He looks absolutely electric on the mound at 6’2”, 190 pounds with an athletic delivery and a double plus 4 pitch mix. He was known for his high spin slider coming into the draft, and the pitch is so filthy it almost doesn’t look real. His changeup dominated as well with nasty tailing diving action, the fastball sits mid 90’s with excellent movement, and the cutter is a high spin pitch that misses bats. And he does all of this with pinpoint control. He still has to prove it in the upper minors, which I’m not too concerned about, and he has to prove he can stay healthy and maintain his stuff with a full MLB starters workload, which is more concerning, but that’s just the pitching prospect game. He’s my #1 pitching prospect in baseball, non Yoshinobu Yamamoto division. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 15/3.18/1.03/220 in 180 IP

16) Paul Skenes PIT, RHP, 21.10 – Selected 1st overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Skenes’ season was nothing short of jaw dropping with a pitching line of 1.69/0.75/209/20 in 122.2 IP in the SEC. His fastball sits in the upper 90’s and routinely hits over 100 MPH. His slider is elite, and while he didn’t go to his changeup as much, that pitch is also nasty. He also displayed plus control of his entire arsenal. He’s 6’6”, 235 pounds with a relatively athletic delivery and he’s a good athlete in general as evidenced by the fact he is also an excellent hitter. He had a career 1.121 OPS in 119 games in the Mountain West before transferring into the SEC. There were some whispers about poor fastball shape in his 6.2 IP pro debut, but I wouldn’t let that sour you on a generational type pitching prospect. He’ll still be just 21 years old on Opening Day, so plenty of refinement, tinkering, new pitches etc … are coming down the road. 2024 Projection: 8/3.80/1.27/133 in 120 IP Prime Projection: 15/3.28/1.06/237 in 190 IP

17) Chase DeLauter CLE, OF, 22.6 – A broken foot delayed the start of DeLauter’s pro career until June of this year, but he quickly answered every question you could have had about him in resounding fashion. He didn’t play in the toughest college conference (Coloniel Athletic Association), so seeing his hit tool and advanced plate approach completely transfer to pro ball is huge. He put up a 12.5%/5.7% K%/BB% in 42 games at High-A (164 wRC+), a 10.7%/17.9% K%/BB% in 6 games at Double-A (149 wRC+), and a 10.1%/12.8% K%/BB% in 23 games in the AFL. For a man with his type of talent at 6’4”, 235 pounds, that is incredibly exciting. He hit only 5 homers in 57 regular season games, but he doesn’t have any major groundball issues, he has plus raw power, and he’s hit 5 homers in 23 AFL games. The power is there. He also didn’t run a ton with 6 steals, but keep in mind he was coming off the foot injury, and he nabbed 5 bags in the AFL. He was a bit underrated at the end of 2023 and into the early off-season, but with his insane spring, he’s not underrated anymore.. 2024 Projection: 48/11/44/.257/.319/.438/11 Prime Projection: 88/25/86/.274/.343/.472/17

18) Spencer Jones NYY, OF, 22.11 – Strikeouts are the only thing we have to worry about with the uber talented 6’6”, 235 pound beast, which is why his 28.2% K% in 78 PA at Double-A is actually encouraging. That number could have easily skyrocketed against more advanced pitching after putting up a 29% K% in 100 games at High-A. Jones can live in the upper 20’s and still thrive due do his double plus power/speed combo. He hit 16 homers and stole 38 bags in 117 games. His groundball rates are on the high side, but with how hard he hits the ball, it might actually be a good thing to ensure his batting average doesn’t tank too low. It’s more or less the Elly De La Cruz package, and just like I’m buying Elly, I’m buying Jones too. 2024 Projection: 31/8/29/.228/.304/.421/9 Prime Projection: 89/25/86/.248/.326/.478/26 Update: Jones massively improved his swing and miss this spring, which is extremely encouraging considering his monster tools. I just ranked him 3rd overall on my Predicting the Top 50 2025 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings. I’ve been super high on Jones from the get go, ranking him 5th overall on my 2023 FYPD Rankings, and I’ll continue to be super high on him

19) Matt Shaw CHC, 2B/SS, 22.5 – Selected 13th overall, Shaw is only 5’11”, but he’s a thick dude who has real power, and he combines that with above average speed and excellent base stealing skills. He has that little man leg kick (which Chicago toned down a hair in pro ball) that I absolutely love in the mold of a Alex Bregman, Spencer Steer, and Zach Neto. It seems to be working for these slightly undersized guys, and it’s certainly working for Shaw. He smashed 24 homers with 18 steals and a 1.142 OPS in 62 Big Ten games. He also impressed in the wood bat Cape Cod League with 5 homers, 21 steals, and a 1.006 OPS in 36 games. He then ran through pro ball like it was nothing, finishing the year at Double-A slashing .292/.329/.523 with 3 homers, 6 steals, and a 17.1%/4.3% K%/BB% in 15 games at the level. Shaw was my top draft target pre-draft (I actually pointed out Shaw as my top target back in February before the season even started), but now that he absolutely blew up in pro ball, there is no chance you get great value on him. He’s worth his very high draft price though. 2024 Projection: 36/10/43/.253/.312/.432/11 Prime Projection: 85/25/89/.271/.337/.469/21

20) Parker Meadows DET, OF, 24.5 – I know this ranking seems high, but Meadows is looking mighty similar to my Nolan Jones and Zack Gelof buy calls from mid-season, and if you look at redraft and dynasty rankings this off-season, those guys now get valued in the range that elite prospects get ranked, or even higher. Meadows has the potential to make that same jump from afterthought prospect to highly valued dynasty asset, and you should get in this off-season before it happens. He has a very fantasy friendly skillset with the build and athleticism to back it up, but he always got vastly underrated on prospect lists. And unlike Jones and Gelof who have played far too well to still be underrated this off-season, Meadows is setting up to be in perfect buy territory with a .699 OPS in 37 games. He had a 89.3 MPH EV, 18.3 degree launch, 29 ft/sec sprint, 24% whiff%, and 11.7% BB%. And to top it all off, his at least above average CF defense should keep him in the lineup. That is a recipe for tons of fantasy goodness, and you might be able to acquire him for barely anything this off-season. His 293 NFBC ADP shows his perceived value to fantasy upside could be as wide as anyone’s right now. He’s a major target. 2024 Projection: 79/23/76/.248/.328/.432/24

21) Ricky Tiedemann TOR, LHP, 21.7 – Tiedemann’s dominance in the AFL quieted some of the risk that was growing after an injured and mixed bag season in 2023. He had a 2.50 ERA with a 23/8 K/BB in 18 IP. He went 5 IP in 3 of the 4 starts after not reaching 5 IP the entire season. The stuff is elite with a mid 90’s fastball and two plus secondaries in his slider and changeup. He also looks the part at 6’4”, 220 pounds with an almost sidearm lefty delivery. If he stays healthy and throws the ball over the plate, he’ll be an easy ace, but those are the two areas that can trip him up. He pitched only 62 innings all year, including the AFL, because of a biceps injury that kept him out for almost 3 months. It will probably take 3 years to truly build up his innings fully, and we all know the injury risk with young flamethrowers like this. His 12% BB% is also nearing the danger zone where inconsistency can end up a part of the profile. The profile isn’t without risk, but when dealing in upside prospect flamethrowers, that is just the game. He’s an elite pitching prospect. 2024 Projection: 5/3.81/1.31/111 in 100 IP Prime Projection: 14/3.38/1.19/213 in 170 IP

22) Colt Keith DET, 3B/2B, 22.8 – Keith more than hinted at a big breakout in 2022 with a 150 wRC+ in 48 games at High-A, but a shoulder injury cut the explosion short, and even though he made it back to dominate the AFL (1.004 OPS in 19 games), the hype was still relatively subdued last off-season. Well, the explosion continued right into 2023, and this time he did it in the upper minors with a 163 wRC+ and 14 homers in 59 games at Double-A, followed up by a 119 wRC+ and 13 homers in 67 games at Triple-A. He hits the ball very hard, he has a mature plate approach, and the hit tool is at least above average. He’s one of the most complete prospect hitters in the game, and while I already assumed he was going to break camp with the team, it’s now a foregone conclusion with him signing a guarantied 6 year extension with the club.. 2024 Projection: 74/24/81/.258/.329/.445/2 Prime Projection: 89/29/92/.276/.352/.480/3

23) Coby Mayo BAL, 1B/3B, 22.4 – My boldest prediction in last off-season’s Predicting the 2024 Top 50 Prospects Rankings (patreon) was that Coby Mayo would explode to a Top 10 prospect, predicting that “Mayo will follow in Gunnar Henderson’s footsteps with an off the charts type season in the upper minors. He’ll put up a 150 wRC+ at Double-A and a 130 wRC+ at Triple-A. The K% will be under 25%, the power will be huge, and there will be some surprising speed too.” … Mayo put up a 178 wRC+ in 78 games at Double-A and a 127 wRC+ in 62 games at Triple-A. The power was huge with 29 homers in 140 games, and the K% was under 25% at 24.1%. I don’t think I could have nailed that more even if I was actually able to see into the future. The surprising speed didn’t really show up with only 5 steals, but better than nothing. The 6’5”, 230 pound Mayo is now a truly elite power hitting prospect, just as I expected. 2024 Projection: 31/11/35/.242/.319/.455/2 Prime Projection: 86/34/99/.265/.346/.535/6

24) Jackson Merrill SDP, SS, 20.11 – Merrill did everything you could have asked of him in 2023. Most importantly, he brought his GB% way down from 59.6% at Single-A to 48.6% at High-A and 33.5% at Double-A. It resulted in 15 homers in 114 total games. His already strong contact rates got even better with a 12.1% K%, and he proved all of his skills will transfer to the upper minors, slashing .273/.338/.444 with 5 homers, 5 steals, and a 11.8%/8.5% K%/BB% in 46 games at Double-A. I’m still not seeing a monster power/speed combo, which is why I wasn’t the highest guy on him last off-season, but a few seasons of .300/20/20 doesn’t seem like that much of a reach. He’s set to break camp with San Diego as their starting CF. 2024 Projection: 76/15/68/.266/.315/.418/17 Prime Projection: 84/20/81/.283/.338/.451/20

25) Emmanuel Rodriguez MIN, OF, 21.1 – Baby Bonds scared us all for a minute there with a .677 OPS in his first 27 games at High-A coming off a season ending meniscus tear in 2022, but he was back to his dominant self after that with a .927 OPS, 14 homers, 18 steals, and a 27.3%/20.7% K%/BB% in his final 78 games. He finished the season with a stupendous 145 wRC+ in 99 games. He has at least plus power, the ability to lift the ball, speed, and elite on base skills. The only concern is the hit tool, but some of those issues are surely due to his extreme patience. This is truly elite dynasty upside, especially in an OBP league or 6+ cat league, and I think he’s still on the underrated side. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 94/29/89/.252/.361/.490/18

26) Ethan Salas SDP, C, 17.10 – At this point, I wouldn’t even be surprised if Ethan Salas broke camp with the big league club this spring 😉 (I think I’m just joking) … San Diego flew him through the minors at absolutely unprecedented rates. He made his pro debut at Single-A as a fucking 16 year old!!! Is that even legal? And the even crazier thing is that he dominated with a 122 wRC+, 9 homers, 5 steals, and a 25.9%/10.9% K%/BB% in 48 games. SD then got a little too nutty by promoting him all the way up to Double-A to close out the season where he struggled with a 51 wRC+ in 9 games. He struggled at High-A before that too with a 35 wRC+ in 9 games. Regardless, what Salas did at Single-A for his age is truly mind blowing, and I hesitate to put a cap on what his ultimate upside could be. It might be crazy to say his ceiling is one of the greatest catchers of all time, but with how crazy San Diego handled him this year, let’s just all jump aboard the crazy train. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 84/29/92/.278/.362/.505/10

27) Samuel Basallo BAL, C/1B, 19.8 – The biggest issue with Basallo has nothing to do with him. It’s that Adley isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. And with Baltimore trying to build a Tampa Bay North situation, I don’t think they are going to feel pressured to trade him either. His bat will profile just fine at 1B, but now we’re talking about competition with Coby Mayo and possibly Heston Kjerstad too. Maybe I’m just borrowing trouble a bit too much, because Basallo looks like he has a special bat. He’s a built up 6’3” with a treacherous lefty swing that is made to do damage, slashing .313/.404/.551 with 20 homers, 12 steals, and a 94/61 K/BB in 114 games at mostly Single-A and High-A. Four of those games came at Double-A where he put up a 220 wRC+. He’s a complete hitter with power, contact, and patience. And he did all of that as an 18 year old for most of the season. If defense wasn’t a slight issue (he’s not a particularly good defensive catcher either), I would likely be even higher on him, but he has the type of bat where maybe you should just completely ignore it. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 84/32/95/.272/.354/.517/5

28) Max Clark DET, OF, 19.4 –  Clark is the 2023 draft version of Pete Crow Armstrong and Corbin Carroll, two guys who I was the high man on in their first year player draft class, although Clark actually got the respect he deserved by getting selected 3rd overall. Maybe the success of those aforementioned players paved the way for a guy like Clark to get valued correctly. As you can tell from the comps, double plus speed with a plus hit tool and developing power is what you are buying. He’s a pretty thick and muscular 6’1”, 190 pounds, so I don’t think you have to squint too hard to see legitimate power developing down the line, even if he’s more a line drive hitter currently. After dominating rookie ball with a 146 wRC+ in 12 games, he got slowed down a bit at Single-A with a 73 wRC+ and 29.4% K% in 11 games, but he still had a .353 OBP, so it’s not like he was completely overmatched or anything. 5×5 BA leagues are going to be his bread and butter, but like Carroll, he can be a beast regardless of league type. He has elite dynasty asset upside. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 93/18/72/.278/.347/.433/33

29) Jett Williams NYM, SS, 20.4 – Jett Williams got much thicker in all the right places in 2023, and that extra muscle paid dividends with him cracking 14 homers in 125 games split between Single-A (79 games), High-A (36 games), and Double-A (10 games). 9 of those homers came in his final 47 games. He combines the uptick in power with elite speed (45 steals), and an excellent plate approach (22.1%/19.5% K%/BB%). If he wasn’t 5’6”, he might be a consensus elite prospect already. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 93/20/77/.274/.350/.445/38

30) Cade Horton CHC, RHP, 22.7 – Horton was a star quarterback in high school, and his pithing delivery very much looks like he’s throwing a football with a short arm action thrown from around his ear. That type of arm action tends to produce good spin rates, and Horton can mostly certainly spin a potentially double slider that falls completely off the table. The plus fastball has good movement too and sits mid 90’s. He also mixes in a changeup and curveball that have above average potential. He used that plus stuff to obliterate pro ball in his debut with a 2.65 ERA and 33.5%/7.7% K%/BB% in 88.1 IP split between 3 levels (A, A+, AA). The K/BB numbers dropped a bit when he got to Double-A with a 28.4%/10.1% K%/BB% in 27 IP, but he still crushed the level with a 1.33 ERA. He only averaged around 4 inning outings and Chicago was very careful with him in general as this was truly his first fully healthy season coming off Tommy John surgery in 2021. He still has to prove he can handle a full MLB starter’s workload while maintaining his stuff and staying healthy, but he’s on the right track to doing that. I would put high end #2 starter upside on him. 2024 Projection: 2/3.95/1.31/42 in 40 IP Prime Projection: 14/3.48/1.17/178 in 160 IP

31) Shane Baz TBR, RHP, 24.9 – Baz underwent Tommy John surgery in late September 2022, so he should be fully healthy for 2024 assuming he has no setbacks. If you’re going to take the Tommy John discount on pithing prospects, make sure they are elite ones, and Baz is most certainly an elite one. When healthy, he throws 3 potentially double plus pitches in his mid to upper 90’s fastball, slider, and curve, to go along with a developing lesser used changeup. He struggled with control earlier in his pro career, but he improved it to about average levels in 2021 and 2022. That level of stuff with average control screams ace upside. I do think you have to at least take into account the added risk from major elbow surgery, and keep in mind he has a career high of 92 IP, so it might take 3 years before he can truly throw a full top of the rotation workload, assuming he’s actually physically able to do it, but I also understand if you want to ignore all of it for his insane upside. 2024 Projection: 7/3.76/1.19/110 in 100 IP Prime Projection: 13/3.38/1.11/190 in 160 IP

32) Termarr Johnson PIT, 2B, 19.10 – Just call me Prospectdamus, because I nailed Johnson’s 2023 season in my Predicting the 2024 Top 50 Prospects Rankings back in February, writing, “Johnson’s hit tool at Single-A won’t be as good as the hype with an over 20% K% and under .280 BA. The power/speed numbers will be good though, and he’ll still destroy the level with a 130 wRC+.” … Johnson’s K% was over 20% at 26.7% and his BA was under .280 at .244, but he still destroyed the level with a 141 wRC+, 13 homers and 7 steals in 75 games. He put up almost identical numbers at High-A too with a 142 wRC+ in 30 games. He hits the ball hard, he has a very mature plate approach, and he has some speed. He didn’t hit his ceiling projection, but I would say he still lived up to the hype. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 93/25/82/.264/.351/.478/15

33) Sebastian Walcott TEX, SS, 18.1 – I know that nobody really cares/remembers who was “first” on a player. And being “first” on a player is a nebulous concept anyway as I guess the person who was really the first was the one to identify him when he was like an 8 year old probably. And saying you were “first” on a player who signed for $3.2 million might seem like a stretch in hindsight … but having said all that, I was first on Walcott 😉 …. his extremely elite athleticism at 6’4”, 190 pounds jumped off the screen in every video I watched of him last off-season before he was getting even a whisper of real dynasty hype. If you were a Patreon subscriber last off-season, I told you to target this kid in every first year player draft. His hype picked up in a major way later in the off-season, and I ain’t even mad at it, because he deserved the love. Texas knew they had a special kid on their hands too, promoting him to stateside rookie ball after just 9 games in the DSL, and he thrived, slashing .273/.325/.524 with 7 homers, 9 steals, and a 32.5%/6.4% K%/BB% in 35 games. The contact rates and plate approach were rough enough to assume that will be an area of his game he needs to work on, but they weren’t so bad considering his age to let it scare you off him. I’m all in on Walcott. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 84/32/92/.257/.328/.491/23

34) Druw Jones ARI, OF, 20.4 – I think we’ve all been spoiled by how many players came back with little to no rust from major shoulder surgery (Carroll, Lawler, Jung), and unfortunately, that wasn’t the case for Jones. He put up a .490 OPS with 0 homers in his first 25 games, and he battled hamstring and quad injuries all year too. But he finally settled down and showed glimpses of his special talent to close out the season, slashing .339/.438/.500 with 2 homers, 6 steals, and a 20.5%/15.1% K%/BB% in 16 games at Single-A. Obviously it would have been preferrable for him to light the world on fire all season, but this year was his very first taste of pro ball, he was coming off major shoulder surgery, and he dealt with multiple lower body injuries. I would be very careful about judging such a special talent like this too harshly under those conditions, and he showed what’s to come at the end of the year. He needs to learn how to get the ball in the air more as his groundball rates were very high, but he isn’t the type of player who needs an extreme launch to thrive with double plus speed, a relatively mature plate approach, and plus raw power potential. Tack on plus CF defense, and Jones is a high floor player with all the upside still present from his draft year. Buy low if you can. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 91/24/83/.268/.344/.476/31

35) Colt Emerson SEA, SS, 18.8 – Selected 22nd overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, the 6’1”, 195 pound Emerson had an electric pro debut, both statistically and visually. He slashed .374/.496/.550 with 2 homers, 8 steals, and a 17.5%/14.9% K%/BB% in 24 games at rookie ball (251 wRC+) and Single-A (147 wRC+). He has an athletic, lightning quick lefty swing that the ball absolutely rockets off of. It’s geared for both power and average. He’s not a true burner, but he has speed and he was perfect on the bases. He’ll also be 18 years old for most of the 2024 season. He checks off almost every box that you look for in a potential elite prospect coming out of the draft (size, power, average, speed, age, sweet swing, production). If you’re drafting in the mid to late 1st round, and all the buzzy names are off the board, you can confidently take Emerson knowing he can easily end up amongst the best in the class. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 93/26/86/.277/.356/.475/15

36) Andrew Painter PHI, RHP, 21.0 – Painter underwent Tommy John surgery in late July 2023, which will keep him out for all, or almost all of 2024. As I wrote in the Baz blurb, if you’re going to take the Tommy John discount on pithing prospects, make sure they are elite ones, and Painter is most certainly an elite one. He had a silly pitching line of 1.56/0.89/155/25 in 103.2 IP spread across 3 levels (A, A+, AA) in 2022. He’s 6’7”, 215 pounds with plus control of an upper 90’s fastball, plus slider, potentially plus change, and an average curve. The timing of his elbow injury in spring training and the ultimate decision to get surgery in July makes it that he will miss two entire seasons. I do think it is prudent to factor in at least some extra injury/performance risk, but if you want to assume he picks right back up from where he left off without any setbacks, I can see ranking him at least 20 spots higher. 2024 Projection: OUT Prime Projection: 15/3.28/1.08/215 in 180 IP

37) Mason Miller OAK, RHP, 25.7 – Injury risk is why I’ve been hesitant to truly put Mason Miller in the elite pitching prospect tier (he missed 4 months with a UCL sprain in 2023), and it seems Oakland has the same concerns as their GM announced Miller will start 2024 in the bullpen, and likely in the closer role. If I owned Miller, I wouldn’t even be mad at that outcome. Back in the day I was the high guy by far on Josh Hader, and while I was disappointed he never got a chance to prove he could be an ace, he’s been a mainstay on my fantasy team for 7 years. No injuries. No missed time. Just easy dominance that puts your mind at rest about scurrying for closers every year. Miller has the stuff to be in that elite closer tier with a 98.3 MPH fastball and an elite slider that put up a .207 xwOBA and 47.1% whiff% in 33.1 IP over 10 outings in his MLB debut. They haven’t ruled out a return to the rotation down the line, but I wouldn’t count on that as you plan for the future of your dynasty team. 2024 Projection: 4/3.25/1.14/88/25 saves in 65 IP

38) Jung Hoo Lee SFG, OF, 25.7 – San Francisco signed Lee to a 6 year, $113 million contract, which is definitely an eye opening amount, but he earned that contract for his real life baseball value, and not for his fantasy value. He had extremely high groundball rates in Korea with a 59.2% GB% in 2023, and he doesn’t hit the ball particularly hard. He hit only 6 homers in 86 games. He has speed, but he’s not a true burner, and he hasn’t been a good base stealer. He was 6 for 9 in 2023 and has a career high of 13 steals in 20 attempts. He also fractured his ankle in July which required season ending surgery, so that adds even more risk to his future steal projections. And to top it all off, he landed in one of the very worst hitter’s parks in the league. He’s truly elite at what he does well though, and that is hit for average. He had a 5.9%/12.7% K%/BB% in 2023, and he has a career .340 BA. He was a baseball prodigy with baseball bloodlines, dominating the KBO from the time he was 18 years old with a sweet lefty swing. He’s not a small guy at 6’0”, and there is most certainly room to tack on mass at a relatively skinny 171 pounds. He has a little bit of that Ichiro feel to him, where if he wanted to hit for more power, he would, and he did crack 23 homers in 142 games in 2022, so it’s not like he’s been some light hitter in his career. It’s also possible he runs a lot more with the new stolen base rules in MLB. It might take him a couple years to get fully acclimated like it has Ha-Seong Kim, but once he does, a .300/15/15 season looks well within reach, and it wouldn’t shock me if he got to 20/20. He might be more valuable in real life than fantasy, but that doesn’t mean he still can’t be a very good fantasy player. 2024 Projection: 81/11/51/.285/.341/.401/12 Prime Projection: 93/15/62/.305/.371/.437/15

39) Kyle Manzardo CLE, 1B, 23.8 – Manzardo was getting unlucky all season, and it was only a matter of time for him to get hot. Well, he got hot in a major way on September 8th and he took it right into the AFL. He smacked 6 homers in his final 11 regular season games and then crushed 6 dingers in 22 AFL games. He had a 90.6 MPH EV with very low groundball rates at Triple-A, so like I said, the homer binge was inevitable. The hit tool took a step back from 2022 with a .237 BA and 20.8% K% at Triple-A, so while there are still no contact issues, I might be leaning towards him being power over hit by a small margin. It will depend on how he adjusts vs. MLB pitchers. Cleveland gave up really good value to get him with Aaron Civale, so while he’s set to start the year in the minors, he should still see a ton of big league at bats this year. 2024 Projection: 61/21/72/.251/.328/.452/1 Prime Projection: 85/27/90/.269/.346/.482/1

40) Ceddanne Rafaela BOS, OF, 23.6 – Rafaela’s MLB debut was rough with a 74 wRC+, .238 xwOBA and 85.5 MPH EV in 89 PA, which fanned the flames of concern that he is too small (5’8″) to excel at the highest levels, but I’m using it as a buying opportunity. His floor is very high with at least plus CF defense and plus speed (39 steals and a 28.7 ft/sec sprint). He’s always had a good feel to hit (21.9% K% at Triple-A), he hit the ball hard in the upper minors with a 89.1 MPH EV, and he’s never had any groundball issues. He has a poor plate approach with a low BB% (5.5%) and high chase rates, but I don’t think that will hold him back while he’s in his physical prime. Cedric Mullins with a tick worse plate approach is the comp. It also looks like he’s breaking camp as the starting CF. 2024 Projection: 76/15/66/.245/.302/.401/25 Prime Projection:  87/19/68/.261/.318/.422/31

41) Xavier Isaac TBR, 1B, 20.3 – I was high on Isaac in 2023 First Year Player Drafts, ranking him 20th overall, because when a smart organization takes a poor defensive player in the 1st round, you know they must really, really love the bat (which is why I’m high on Ralphy Velazquez in 2024). And that strategy proved correct as Isaac obliterated the lower minors. He slashed .266/.380/.462 with 13 homers, 10 steals, and a 21.3%/14.9% K%/BB% in 90 games at Single-A, and then he blew the doors off at High-A to close out the season, slashing .408/.491/.898 with 6 homers, 2 steals, and a 21.1%/14% K%/BB% in 12 games. He’s a 6’3” 240 pound lefty who hits the ball hard with an excellent plate approach. The GB% was a little on the high side, but not concerningly so with it sitting at 45% at Single-A, and while he’s not fast, the 12 steals show he is a good athlete. By this time next year, he will be competing for at least top 10 fantasy prospect status. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 89/30/97/.278/.366/.491/5

42) Masyn Winn STL, SS, 22.0 – Winn’s 29 wRC+ in his 137 PA MLB Debut was the 4th worst mark in the league (130 PA min). If you want to look on the bright side, it could have been worse. He could have been Cam Gallagher with a negative 17. Winn earned that terrible wRC+ by hitting the ball very weakly with only 2 barrels in 101 batted balls, but surprisingly, nothing actually looks too concerning to me in the underlying numbers. An 86/91 MPH AVG/FB EV is honestly not that terrible of a starting point for a relatively skinny 21 year old, and his 87.6 MPH EV in the minors clearly shows he has the juice for me. He showed double plus speed with a 29.2 ft/sec sprint, he got the bat on the ball with a 19%/7.3% K%/BB%, and he didn’t have any groundball issues with a 12.8 degree launch. He also got unlucky with a .196 BABIP and a .211 wOBA vs. .250 xwOBA, so the bad debut looked worse than it actually was. We saw plenty of players with a similar profile thrive in 2023, and I want to stress again, his EV numbers really aren’t in the true danger zone. Everything the Cardinals brass has said this off-season leads me to believe Winn is locked in as their Opening Day starting SS. All signs point towards him being much much better in 2024. 2024 Projection: 72/13/59/.241/.309/.388/21 Prime Projection: 83/17/64/.268/.330/.421/28

43) Luisangel Acuna NYM, SS/2B, 22.1 – Acuna’s power didn’t take a step forward in 2023 as hoped with only 9 homers in 121 games at Double-A, but there is definitely more raw juice in the tank with an explosive righty swing, and that was the only blemish on an otherwise excellent season. He put up a career best (other than the DSL) 18.6% K%, and he stole a career high 57 bases. It’s also really, really hard to resist the pull of elite bloodlines. Even if Acuna never develops big power, he can still be an impact fantasy player, and if does, watch out. 2024 Projection: 36/6/25/.239/.300/.382/14 Prime Projection: 82/17/68/.258/.328/.427/35

44) Colson Montgomery CHW, SS, 22.1 – If you like a prospect who looks the part, you are going to love Montgomery. He’s a 6’3”, 205 pound SS with a nuclear and smooth lefty swing that quite clearly belongs on a major league baseball field. He also has a mature approach at the dish which resulted in 11 homers and a 20.3%/17.0% K%/BB% in 72 games across 4 levels (rookie, High-A, Double-A, AFL). I don’t want to be a party pooper, because he’s clearly very exciting, but I do think there is a world where his upside doesn’t end up all that high. His groundball rates have been on the high side throughout his career (45.2% GB% in 37 games at Double-A), and he’s not a threat on the bases (3 for 8 in 186 career games). The hit tool is good, but it dropped off at Double-A with a .244 BA and he’s not an elite contact rate guy. Those are the reasons that make me hesitant to rank him as high as I see him in other places, but there is no denying he is a damn good prospect no matter how you slice it. 2024 Projection: 24/6/19/.251/.320/.436/1 Prime Projection: 92/27/86/.272/.356/.478/4

45) Colton Cowser BAL, OF, 24.0 – Cowser had a terrible MLB debut with a lowly 40 wRC+ and .115 BA in 77 PA, but he got massively unlucky. He had a .175 BABIP, his .302 xwOBA was much higher than his .226 wOBA, and none of his underlying numbers looked concerning at all really. He was a beast at Triple-A with a 136 wRC+, 17 homers, and 9 steals in 87 games. Despite not being overly concerned with the MLB debut, there are a few things that make me think he could end up a more solid than standout 5×5 BA fantasy player. The strikeout rates are on the high side with a 26.8% K% at Triple-A and 28.6% in MLB, the launch angle is on the low side with a 25.2% flyball% at Triple-A and 4.6 degree launch in MLB, and he’s not a true burner with a 27.9 ft/sec sprint speed. Add a star in OBP leagues as he’s an extremely patient hitter who rarely chases, but I’m seeing a more solid across the board type than a true league winner. 2024 Projection: 53/12/46/.248/.322/.422/10 Prime Projection: 83/21/77/.264/.348/.440/14

46) Ronny Mauricio NYM, 2B, 23.0 – Mauricio tore his ACL and will underwent surgery after a non contact injury on the bases in Winter Ball. It’s deju vu all over again with Edwin Diaz tearing his knee in the WBC last off-season. It’s getting so sad for Mets fans that I don’t even want to crack a joke about it. I just feel bad. Mauricio was a major target for me this off-season, so it’s just a major bummer all around. He’ll likely miss the entire 2024 season, and even if he doesn’t, you can’t count on him for anything at the MLB level. He also wasn’t a burner, so even a small drop in speed isn’t great. I still like him. but he’s no longer a real target for me. Here was my write-up for him prior to going down with the injury, just so we can remember the good times: “I named Mauricio one of my top targets in the Top 10 Early Off-Season Dynasty Baseball Target article on Patreon. Mainstream prospects lists have been slowly sliding him down the rankings the closer he’s gotten to the majors, but I’ve done the exact opposite on my lists. He crushes the ball with a 117.3 MPH Max EV that was the 10th hardest hit ball all season. He had a 90.7 MPH AVG EV in 108 MLB PA (91.1 MPH at AAA). He loves to run with 7 MLB steals and 24 AAA steals, and his speed gets underrated with an above average 27.7 ft/sec sprint. He’s never had any major contact issues and he most certainly looks the part at 6’3” with a vicious swing. He doesn’t have a good plate approach with low walk rates, but keep in mind he’s always been very young for his level, and his 6.6% BB% at Triple-A (6.5% BB% in the majors) was a career high, so I wouldn’t bet against future improvement there either. His mediocre ranking on prospects and mediocre .643 OPS in the majors should create a very nice buy opportunity this off-season.” 2024 Projection: OUT Prime Projection: 78/24/83/.267/.325/.461/18

47) Kevin Alcantara CHC, OF, 21.8 – If you want to invest in one of those unicorn baseball talents in the mold of a Elly De La Cruz and James Wood, but don’t want to pay unicorn prices, Alcantara is the guy for you. He’s an elite athlete at 6’6”, 188 pounds with a plus power/speed combo and blink of an eye bat speed. He scuffled to start the season with a .604 OPS in his first 35 games, but he was en fuego after that, slashing .329/.401/.549 with 11 homers, 5 steals, and a 23.9%/10.7% K%/BB% in his final 71 games at mostly High-A. He closed out the regular season at Double-A where he put up a 130 wRC+ in 5 games, and then went to the AFL where he put up a .865 OPS in 21 games. The hit tool and plate approach still need continued refinement, but prospect rankers seem far too hesitant on shooting such a uniquely talented player up rankings. He should be in unanimous near elite prospect range, and he mostly sits in good but not great prospect range. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 80/26/85/.257/.333/.467/16

48) Marcelo Mayer BOS, SS, 21.4 – Mayer feels like he’s getting a bit of the treatment Noelvi Marte got last year. He was on a beeline for elite prospect status until there was an abrupt, general cooling on him throughout the industry, but like with Marte, I’m not sure it’s warranted. That sweet and vicious lefty swing obliterated the age appropriate High-A, slashing .290/.366/.524 with 7 homers, 5 steals, and a 22.%/10.4% K%/BB% in 35 games. He scuffled when he got to Double-A with a 63 wRC+, but there are multiple reasons to not get scared off by that. He was very young for the level, he was battling though a shoulder injury that eventually ended his season, and a .220 BABIP was really the biggest issue as 6 homers with a 25.8% K% in 43 games isn’t bad at all. He’s not that fast, but he’s a good enough base stealer to nab a handful of bags, and the strikeout rates have been higher than optimal, but the has the type of swing that can hit for both average and power even with a slightly higher strikeout rate. There are also only improvements coming from here. He’s right on track to become one of the better complete hitters in the game, especially hitting in Fenway. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 91/27/93/.272/.351/.484/9

49) Adael Amador COL, SS/2B, 21.0 – Amador has looked too advanced at every level he’s played at with an elite plate approach (10%/12% K%/BB% in 54 games at High-A in 2023), that is until he closed out the year in Double-A. He put up 35 wRC+ with a 19.5%/9.8% K%/BB% in 10 games. It’s only 10 games, he was only 20 years old, and he was also coming off hamate surgery which held him out for about 2 month, but it does at least plant the idea that his plate approach might not be quite as elite against more advanced competition. He’s also an extreme groundball hitter (55.9% GB% at High-A) without big raw power, and his speed grades are only average to above average (although we discussed in the Nolan Jones blurb how unreliable those grades can be). The upside seems a little lacking to me, but his floor is as high as anyone’s, especially with Coors Field waiting for him, and he’s so young that I wouldn’t rule out an uptick in power down the line. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 88/17/70/.282/.356/.429/22

50) Lazaro Montes SEA, OF, 19.5 – The only question for the sweet swinging, athletic, and beastly 6’4”, 250 pound Montes was how bad the contact rates would be stateside after putting up a 33.2% K% in the DSL in 2022, and he answered those questions in resounding fashion with him actually improving against the more advanced competition. He had a ,282 BA with a 25.3%/22.6% K%/BB% in 37 games in stateside rookie ball, and then he went to Single-A and had a .321 BA with a 25%/13.5% K%/BB% in 33 games. He’s obviously never going to be Nick Madrigal, but a 25% K% is a perfectly fine number for an elite power/OBP player, and considering how much he improved this year, I don’t see why he can’t take another step forward in the future. To nobody’s surprise, the power is so sincere with 13 homers in 70 games overall. He had a 150 wRC+ in rookie and a 165 wRC+ at Single-A. At minimum, Montes is an elite power hitting prospect, and if his contact rates take another step forward, he can be a true Top 5 prospect by this time next year. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 93/34/105/.252/.355/.525/4

51) DL Hall MIL, LHP, 25.6 – It looks like I wasn’t the only one to love DL Hall. Milwaukee targeted him in a trade for Corbin Burnes, and it seems like they have every intention to use him as a starter. This was a perfect landing spot for him both opportunity wise and developmental wise. Hall wasn’t able to properly ramp up last off-season which resulted in his fastball velocity dropping a tick or two in the 1st half, and he struggled because of it with a 4.67 ERA in his first 44.1 IP. Baltimore then shut him down for a month to build strength back up and his velocity returned in a bullpen role in the 2nd half. He closed out the year in the majors and showed why he’s been such a highly touted prospect with a 2.84 ERA and 31.2%/6.5% K%/BB% in 22.2 IP (including the playoffs). The 95.6 MPH fastball was silly elite with a .243 xwOBA and 30.2% whiff%, the changeup was plus with a 36.4% whiff% and .241 xwOBA, and the slider was mediocre with a 31% whiff% and .358 xwOBA. It resulted in a near elite 30.3% whiff% overall. The most impressive thing was his control (6.5% BB%) as he’s struggled with his control his entire career. This is legit top of the rotation upside in the mold of a Jesus Luzardo, and although the control improvements were in a small sample and out of the bullpen, they are extremely encouraging to me. I loved Hall even before the trade to Milwaukee, and now I’m really all in on him. 2024 Projection: 8/3.88/1.30/145 in 130 IP Prime Projection: 12/3.61/1.25/178 in 160 IP

52) Kyle Harrison SFG, LHP, 22.8 – The automated strike zone at Triple-A absolutely murdered Harrison with a cartoonish 16.3% BB% in 65.2 IP. It deflated all the way down to an above average 7.5% in 34.2 IP in the majors. I guess it was almost like playing basketball with ankle weights and then taking them off. The majors felt like easy mode compared to Triple-A. He didn’t have as much success with carrying over his extreme strikeout rates from the minors either though, as he put up a 35.6% K% in the minors vs. a 23.8% K% in the majors. His 93.6 MPH fastball was plus with .300 xwOBA and 24.8% whiff%, but all 3 of his secondaries got destroyed with lackluster whiff rates. The whiff rates on his secondaries weren’t all that great at Triple-A either. It’s still hard to fully trust the control, the secondaries aren’t great, and the fastball is plus but not elite quite yet, so that leaves Harrison in the 2nd tier of pitching prospects for me rather than the elite tier. 2024 Projection: 8/4.07/1.31/150 in 140 IP Prime Projection: 12/3.69/1.26/185 in 165 IP

53) Heston Kjerstad BAL, 1B/OF, 25.1 – Kjerstad finally played in his first full professional season since being drafted 2nd overall in 2022 due to myocarditis, and he showed why he got draft so highly, slashing .303/.376/.528 with 21 homers, 5 steals, and a 18.4%/7.7% K%/BB% in 122 games split between Double-A and Triple-A. He cooled off towards the end of the season with a .680 OPS in his final 34 games, but that’s understandable as he almost doubled his career high in games. He also closed the year out in the majors where he showed off the massive power with 2 homers, a 92.3 MPH EV and 19.3 degree launch in 33 PA. The power is unquestionable, but the plate approach was rough with a 30.3%/6.1% K%/BB%, and his plate approach hasn’t been the strongest point of his game going back to college, so there is certainly some risk there. There is also a major, no ending in sight playing time scrum brewing in Baltimore. 2024 Projection: 44/15/50/.246/.313/.452/3 Prime Projection: 76/27/85/.259/.325/.483/6

54) Jacob Misiorowski MIL, RHP, 22.0 – If you want to know what peak Misiorowski could be like, just take a look at Tyler Glasnow. Both are extremely tall righties with athletic deliveries, mid to upper 90’s fastballs, two plus breaking balls, and terrible control early in their careers. Glasnow put up a 36.3%/13.5% K%/BB% in 111.1 IP in his first year of full season ball in 2013, and Mis just put up a 35%/13.4% K%/BB% in 71.1 IP split between Single-A, High-A, and Double-A. The hope is that Misiorowski’s control improves throughout his career like Glasnow’s has. Glasnow just put up a 7.6% BB% this year after putting up a 14.4% BB% in 2017 in the majors. Point being, a big jump in control/command is very possibly in the cards for Mis down the line. Let’s just hope he doesn’t catch Glasnow’s injury bug, as he was shut down with arm fatigue after his last start of the season on August 15th. 2024 Projection: 2/3.92/1.34/30 in 25 IP Prime Projection: 12/3.54/1.22/190 in 160 IP

55) AJ Smith-Shawver ATL, RHP, 21.5 – Atlanta flew Shawver through their minor league system so fast that it put the prospect world in a tizzy, but they went a little too far with it, and the tizzy cooled off a bit by the end of the season. He put up a 1.09 ERA with a 35.2%/9.4% K%/BB% in his first 33 IP spread across 3 levels (A+, AA, AAA), but he wasn’t as good after getting promoted to the majors, putting up a 4.47 ERA with a 23.6%/14.0% K%/BB% in 54.1 IP the rest of the way in MLB and Triple-A. It was probably a little too much, a little too fast, but Atlanta showed how much they believe in this kid. He throws a legit 4 pitch mix led by a potentially plus mid 90’s fastball. His changeup was his least used secondary (10.6% usage), but it dominated MLB hitters with a .068 xwOBA and 50% whiff%. The slider is his most used secondary, and it has plus potential (35.1% MLB whiff%), and a potentially average to above curve rounds out the arsenal. Like most pitchers his age, he needs to refine his control/command and secondaries. There is #2 starter upside if it all comes together, and considering how he was able to hold his own at only 20 years old in the majors, the floor is pretty high too. 2024 Projection: 5/4.05/1.26/90 in 90 IP Prime Projection: 13/3.58/1.17/185 in 170 IP

56) Tyler Black MIL, 3B, 23.8 – Defense could be an issue for Black. Milwaukee moved him off 2B, playing the majority of his games at 3B, and he even got some run at 1B. It makes me concerned that he could be in for a part time bench role, at least early in his career. He’s also not the type of beastly masher where defense won’t really matter with a 86.2 MPH EV at Triple-A. But enough of the downsides. Black has plenty to be legitimately excited about with his destruction of the upper minors, slashing .284/.417/.513 with 18 homers, 55 steals, and a 100/88 K/BB in 123 games split between Double-A and Triple-A. As I talked about in the Frelick blurb, you don’t need to be an EV king to be an impact fantasy player if your supporting skills are good, and Black excels with his plus hit tool, elite on base ability, and plus speed. As a lefty, he’s made for the modern game with the new juicier ball, shift rules, and stolen base rules, it’s just a matter of getting him on the field. 2024 Projection: 46/8/39/.248/.329/.389/17 Prime Projection: 86/16/69/.267/.353/.427/32

57) Harry Ford SEA, C, 21.1 – Ford matched almost exactly what he did at Single-A in 2022, at High-A in 2023. He slashed .257/.410/.430 with 15 homers, 24 steals, and a 19.4%/18.3% K%/BB% in 118 games. It was good for a 135 wRC+ (132 wRC+ in 2022).  The contact rates are above average, the plate approach is nearing on elite, and he has plus speed. What he hasn’t done all that well is hit the ball hard, which isn’t great, but this is a thick dude with plus bat speed and more raw power in the tank. He also doesn’t have any groundball issues, so he will get the most out of his power. It’s something to consider, but combined with his other skills and still young age, I wouldn’t let it scare you off him. He has yet to play any other position than catcher in his career, so Seattle seems committed to keeping him at the position. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 83/21/73/.267/.352/.446/17

58) Carson Williams TBR, SS, 20.9 – The only thing holding Williams back from elite prospect status is a 31.8% K% in 105 games at High-A. That is certainly in the danger zone, and it’s a legitimate reason for why he’s not in that elite prospect range. Everything else is there though. He has a plus SS glove, plus power (23 homers), speed (17 steals), OBP (11.5% BB%), and age to level production as a 19 year old for the first half of the season. He’s an excellent athlete and he has projectable size at 6’1”, 180 pounds. The Wander Franco allegations, combined with his plus glove could put him on the fast track to the majors, but I hope that doesn’t happen. He needs more time in the minors to improve his hit tool and gain experience against upper minors pitching. It might be the best thing for Tampa, but it will burn valuable years of fantasy team control when he likely won’t be ready to be an impact player yet. I’m betting on the hit tool improving enough for his power/speed combo to shine, but it might take a few years. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 82/26/77/.246/.331/.453/21

59) Jacob Melton HOU, OF, 23.7 – Melton is seriously underrated. He is a supreme athlete at 6’3”, 208 pounds with thunder in his bat and plus speed. He hits the ball very hard which led to 23 homers in 99 games, and he’s an excellent base stealer with 46 steals in only 53 attempts. He handled his business at High-A with a 21.1%/12.2% K%/BB%, 18 homers, and 41 steals in 86 games, and while the plate approach wasn’t as good at Double-A with a 28.6%/7.1% K%/BB%, he played well there too with a 117 wRC+, 5 homers, and 5 steals in 13 games. With his level of talent, a 28.6% K% isn’t even that bad, and that was just in his first taste of advanced pitching. He struggled vs lefties with a .653 OPS, so there is some platoon risk, but for how he’s currently being valued, Melton is an easy target. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 75/25/81/.248/.322/.468/25

60) Samuel Zavala CHW, OF, 19.9 – Zavala is a baseball prodigy who looks like a 10 year MLB vet at the dish. He went against much older competition at Single-A and slashed .267/.420/.451 with 14 homers, 20 steals, and 26.4%/19.4% K%/BB% in 101 games. It was good for an elite 140 wRC+. He doesn’t jump off the screen with elite size or athleticism, but his swing is sweet as hell, and at 6’1”, 175 pounds, I don’t have any concerns about his ability to grow into more power. I have to at least mention the horrific negative 21 wRC+ he put up in 14 games at High-A to close out the season, but it’s too small of sample to read into. Zavala is starting to get the respect he deserves, but I still think his upside gets underrated. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 88/25/84/.266/.352/.473/16

61) Zac Veen COL, OF, 22.4 – Veen was likely my worst call in 2023. Not only didn’t the power tick up, it actually got worse with only 2 homers in 46 games at Double-A. My bad. I got it wrong. I talked about it on one of the Mailbag Podcasts during the season, I hate the guy who was clearly wrong, but still tries to convince you that he was actually right, or makes excuses for simply being wrong  …. buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut … there is a legitimate reason why Veen’s power disappeared. He was dealing with a hand injury since mid-season of 2022 which ended up requiring surgery in June of 2023, ending his season. Mid-season 2022 is exactly when his power dropped off a cliff. It’s not an excuse for being wrong, period. But looking into the future, he still showed a strong plate approach (21.4%/11.4% K%/BB%) and speed (22 steals), so if he comes into 2024 completely healthy, I might have simply been a year too early on the power breakout. I like him as a buy low this off-season. 2024 Projection: 19/3/16/.236/.300/.385/8 Prime Projection: 81/19/74/.256/.331/.422/30

62) Lawrence Butler OAK, OF, 23.9 – Butler had a weak MLB debut with a 60 wRC+ in 129 PA, but some of the important underlying numbers were relatively encouraging, so I wouldn’t it let hurt your opinion of him. He had a 9% Barrel%, 88.3/93 MPH AVG/FB EV, and 16.2 degree launch. That tells me his big power at 6’4”, 185 pounds is going to translate just fine to the MLB level once he gets acclimated. He also massively improved his hit tool in the minors, going from a 31.9% K% in the lower minors in 2022 to a 18.3% K% in the upper minors in 2023. The fact his 27.1% K% and 29.7% whiff% didn’t get completely out of control against MLB pitching is a pretty good sign the hit tool gains were at least partly for real, even if they weren’t all that great. The one area I will downgrade him for in his MLB debut is his speed. He stole 0 bags with an average-ish 27.4 ft/sec sprint speed, after stealing 21 bags in 89 games in the minors. He should still chip in with a handful, but not sure we should expect big steal totals. He has the type of profile that will get a big boost when Oakland moves to Las Vegas, and will presumably have a much much better hitter’s park. 2024 Projection: 51/18/57/.237/.305/.439/7 Prime Projection: 78/31/89/.250/.326/.482/9

63) Roderick Arias NYY, SS, 19.7 – Arias has elite prospect written all over him, and with a good showing in full season ball in 2024, it won’t be long before he skyrockets into the Top 10 overall. He hits the ball hard (6 homers in 27 games in stateside rookie ball), he has speed (17 steals), he has an excellent plate approach (22.3%/20.8% K%/BB%), he’s a good defender, and he has pedigree ($4 million international signing). He most certainly looks the part too with a vicious lefty swing (he went 2 for 11 on the entire season hitting righty). He won’t come super cheap this off-season, but he’s easily worth targeting at his current price. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 86/22/80/.264/.348/.471/24

64) Noah Schultz CHW, LHP, 20.8 – Baby Randy Johnson didn’t step on the mound until June and he only threw 27 IP, but that’s all it took for the 6’9”, 220 pound lefty to put jaws on the floor. He was untouchable with a 1.33 ERA and 36.5%/5.8% K%/BB% at Single-A on the back of a mid 90’s fastball and plus slider. It may seem like he came out of nowhere, but if you read my stuff last off-season you weren’t surprised. He was my top pitcher target relative to value in first year players drafts, writing in the FYPD Strategy Guide, “I know Barriera is everyone’s guy and is getting hyped, but Schultz is my guy. Not saying I don’t like Berriera too, but if hype is any indication, Schultz will be going for a much better value in drafts. He has that funky lefty delivery and very projectable frame. I think he could be a beast.” … beast status is confirmed. The only thing that could stop him is injuries, as a flexor strain is what delayed the start of his season, and a shoulder impingement is what ended it. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 12/3.35/1.13/190 in 160 IP

65) Victor Scott STL, OF, 23.2 – “Scott and the Case of the Missing Stolen Base.” If you look at Fangraphs, Scott led the entire minor leagues with 95 steals. Chandler Simpson was 2nd at 94 and Jonatan Clase was 3rd at 79. But if you look at Baseball Reference and MiLB.com, Scott only tied for 1st with 94 steals. Hmmmm … we need to hire a private dick to investigate the missing stolen base and then turn it into a 30 for 30 documentary. Then we can hire another private dick to figure out why private detectives are called private dicks. As you can clearly see, Scott has double plus speed and elite base stealing ability. He also has a good feel to hit with above average contact rates. He started the year at High-A with a 117 wRC+ in 66 games, and then he proved the skills will transfer to the upper minors, slashing .323/.373/.450 with 7 homers, 45 steals, and a 14.5%/5.8% K%/BB% in 66 games. The power is below average and he had relatively high K rates in college, so there’s definitely a chance he is an Estuery Ruiz like one trick pony, but like Ruiz, that one trick is so elite he can still be an impact fantasy player. Unlike Ruiz, he’s actually in a real organization where he won’t just be handed playing time. It seems likely that he will break into the bigs as a speedy 4th outfielder, and then have to earn more playing time from there. E2024 Projection: 45/8/37/.251/.310/.378/21 Prime Projection: 76/14/54/.262/.322/.398/52 Update: It seems Fangraphs fixed the glitch

66) Orelvis Martinez TOR, 2B/3B/SS, 22.4 – I named Orelvis a target and buy low last off-season, writing, “Nobody wants to give Orelvis the young for the level bump. I don’t completely understand why. His plate approach was also improving towards the end of the year. So he was young for the level, and he showed improvement at that level in the 2nd half, and he has a no doubt standout tool in his power … I’m buying the dip in value.” Now that he was more age appropriate he unsurprisingly (to me) crushed the level with 17 homers and a 122 wRC+ in 70 games. The improving plate approach from the 2nd half carried over into 2023 with a 20.5%/14% K%/BB%. He then went to Triple-A and performed well there too, slashing .263/.340/.507 with 11 homers and a 26.8%/10.6% K%/BB% in 55 games. He’s never going to hit for a high batting average, but he’s on track to be a beastly power hitter. 2024 Projection: 28/9/36/.219/.292/.425/2 Prime Projection: 79/32/91/.247/.325/.492/5

67) Curtis Mead TBR, 3B, 23.5 – Mead is the type to make it look easy in the batter’s box. He’s such a natural hitter with a statue of liberty batting stance that coolly sprays liners all over the field. He’s displayed an above average hit/power combo every single year of his career going back to 18 years old. He made his MLB debut in 2023, and while the power wasn’t there with only 1 homer and a 83.5 MPH EV, that advanced plate approach didn’t fail him with a 22.8%/7.6% K%/BB% in 92 AB. Pretty good for his first taste of big league pitching. I have zero concern that he will get that EV up very quickly to fulfil his above average hit/power combo potential, but I would still expect more of a good fantasy player than a great one. He’s not fast with a 26.7 ft/sec sprint, he’s a line drive hitter, and he’s not an extreme pull guy. He’s not a great defensive player and Tampa has a major infield logjam, but I’m not really too concerned about his playing time in the long run. They will find at bats for him if he’s hitting, and it’s only a matter of time before Brandon Lowe and Yandy Diaz get the Tyler Glasnow treatment. 2024 Projection: 39/10/45/.261/.328/.428/2 Prime Projection: 88/24/82/.278/.346/.469/5

68) Tink Hence STL, RHP, 21.8 – Hence finally met his match when he made it to Double-A with a 5.47 ERA and 22.2%/9.2% K%/BB% in 54.1 IP. It’s not great to see the production back up so much in the upper minors, but he was very young for the level, and he was blowing past his career high IP (96 IP). He also pitched very well at High-A with a 2.81 ERA and 27.9%/7.3% K%/BB%, and most importantly, he still looks absolutely electric on the mound. The delivery is extremely athletic, the mid to upper 90’s fastball explodes out of his hand, and the change, slider and curve all have plus potential. He doesn’t have prototypical starter size, but I think that is overblown in his case. He still screams ace upside to me, and I would take advantage of the hit to his value in 2023. Pitcher development is especially non linear. I expect him to have a big year in 2024. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 13/3.55/1.18/181 in 168 IP

69) Dylan Lesko SDP, RHP, 20.7 – Lesko was a little rusty coming off Tommy John surgery with a 5.45 ERA and 52/22 K/BB in 33 IP split between rookie, Single-A, and High-A, but I wouldn’t read too much into the numbers considering that was basically his spring training, and he was just returning from Tommy John. What you should be reading into was the absolutely filthy stuff is all the way back. He has an electric mid 90’s fastball with an elite, fall off the table changeup, and a potentially plus curveball. He put up a 37.7% K% against High-A hitters, and while he struggled with his control/command, that is often the last thing to return. He has ace written all over him. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 14/3.44/1.17/210 in 170 IP

70) Robby Snelling SDP, LHP, 20.4 – Snelling gives me shades of Andy Pettitte as a big physical lefty. I’m ready to go over there and teach him the cutter myself. Like Pettitte, Snelling also dominated right off the bat (er, mound) in his pro debut with a 1.82 ERA and 118/34 K/BB in 103.2 IP split between Single-A (51.2 IP), High-A (34.2 IP), and Double-A (17.1 IP). He was basically equally as dominant at all the levels. It’s not a direct comp as Pettitte was even bigger with a more athletic delivery and a pretty curveball, but Pettitte wasn’t a finished product at 19 years old either. Snelling throws mid 90’s heat with a potentially plus slider and a developing changeup. He looks like an easy mid-rotation starter to me, and with continued refinement, I wouldn’t rule out top of the rotation. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 12/3.68/1.22/182 in 175 IP

71) Austin Wells NYY, C, 24.9 – Wells’ MLB debut gave me a ton of confidence that the profile will transfer. He had a 14% barrel%, 89.5 MPH EV, 13.6 degree launch, 18.7% K%, and .367 xwOBA in 75 PA. Boone also praised his defense. He didn’t exactly blow the doors off the upper minors, but he still hit 17 homers in 96 games. The Yankee Stadium short porch is perfect for him, and the bar to clear to be an impact fantasy catcher isn’t very high right now. I don’t think he is going to be a fantasy beast, but I do foresee a top 10 fantasy catcher for years to come. 2024 Projection: 56/18/63/.235/.307/.410/3 Prime Projection: 71/23/77/.252/.331/.442/5

72) Michael Busch CHC, 3B, 26.4 – The trade to Chicago gives Busch a huge playing time upgrade. He goes from completely blocked, to the odds on favorite for the 1B job. While he gets a major bump in my rankings, I still think you should have some caution before going all in on him based on his gaudy Triple-A stats. He’s a poor defensive player, so he’s going to have to mash to hold down an everyday job in a relatively crowded organization (especially if Bellinger signs). He hits righties much better than lefties, and he had a terrible MLB debut with a 49 wRC+ in 81 PA. He was utterly dominant at Triple-A (150 wRC+, 27 homers, 18.8%/13.9% K%/BB% in 98 games), but he was 25 years old in an extreme hitter’s environment. I think the most reasonable projection is for him to be a good MLB hitter, but not necessarily a great one. 2024 Projection: 63/19/67/.241/.324/.438/3 Prime Projection: 79/27/83/.253/.339/.472/5

73) Cole Young SEA, SS, 20.8 – Young backed up his strong pro debut in 2022 with another great season in his first full year in pro ball, slashing .277/.399/.449 with 11 homers, 22 steals, and a 14.9%/14.5% K%/BB% in 126 games split between Single-A (128 wRC+) and High-A (142 wRC+) He’s not the type to jump off the screen, but the plate skills are nearly elite. The power likely tops out at around average, and he’s not a true burner with mediocre stolen bases skills (26 for 38 in his career), so the upside isn’t super high, but he projects to be an all around, top of the order hitter. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 91/17/62/.281/.362/.431/17

74) Bryan Ramos CHW, 3B, 22.1 – I’ve given up hope on Ramos getting the respect he deserves. I thought him raking at Double-A would do the trick, but nope. He slashed .271/.369/.457 with 14 homers, 4 steals, and a 21.9%/11.1% K%/BB% in 77 games. He’s 6’2”, 190 pounds with plus power, a good feel to hit and a good glove. And yet, not only doesn’t he rank highly on mainstream top 100 lists, he’s not even on the lists. It’s a major head scratcher, but for our purposes, it creates another opportunity to scoop him on the cheap. And his path to playing time looks pretty clear at the moment with Moncada’s contract set to expire after this year (2025 club option as well). 2B is also wide open, and there is talk of having Moncada play some 2B this year. 2024 Projection: 11/3/14/.244/.308/.430/1 Prime Projection: 79/26/85/.264/.333/.470/8

75) Owen Caissie CHC, OF, 21.9 – Chicago continued to be aggressive with Caissie’s assignments, sending the 20 year old to Double-A, which usually tells you what an organization thinks about a player. They love Caissie, and he rewarded their love with a monster season. He stared the Southern League pre-tacked ball in the eye and didn’t blink with a 144 wRC+, .918 OPS, and 22 homers in 120 games. Well, maybe he blinked, as the 33.9% K% in the 1st half was much higher than his 27.7% K% in the 2nd half. It got all the way down to 21.7% in his final 21 games, and considering how young he was for the level, I wouldn’t be extra concerned about his hit tool any more than your average high walk rate (14.4% K%), low BA slugger. The raw power is monstrous and he’s a relatively good athlete too. He’s one of the premier power hitting prospects in baseball. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 82/31/92/.248/.339/.492/5

76) Drew Thorpe CHW, RHP, 23.6 – Who needs a huge fastball anyway? Thorpe’s double plus changeup and above average slider was more than enough to obliterate minor leaguers. He put up a 2.81 ERA with a 32.4%/7.7% K%/BB% in 109 IP at High-A, and then he went to Double-A and was even better with a 1.48 ERA and 40%/4.5% K%/BB% in 30.1 IP. He’s a big boy at 6’4”, 225 pounds and his command is very good too. Plus changeup guys can sometimes get exposed against MLB hitters, and the aforementioned fastball only sits low to mid 90’s, which is why I’m hesitant to truly put top of the rotation upside on him, but this is a high floor starter with legit upside who should be up in the bigs very quickly into 2024. 2024 Projection: 6/4.13/1.28/115 in 110 IP Prime Projection: 13/3.64/1.18/190 in 175 IP

77) Joey Ortiz MIL, SS/2B, 25.9 – The trade to Milwaukee is a huge boost for Ortiz’ value. He was completely blocked in Baltimore, and there is so much more opportunity in Milwaukee both short and long term. With Adames set to hit free agency after this year, it’s clear Ortiz is their SS of the future, and probably the present if they can find a fair deal for Adames this year. Ortiz’ profile starts with a plus glove at SS which is what makes him so enticing as a real life prospect, but he has the offensive skills to be an impact fantasy player as well. He hits the ball quite hard (90 MPH EV at Triple-A and a 88.2 MPH EV in his 34 PA MLB debut), has above average speed (28.1 ft/sec sprint) and has above average to plus contact rates (17.7%/8.2% K%/BB%). The game power and stolen base skills are more moderate than standout, so we likely aren’t talking about a stud, but he can be a strong across the board contributor. 2024 Projection: 68/14/62/.258/.317/.398/14 Prime Projection: 78/18/74/.274/.331/.418/18

78) Thomas Saggese STL, 2B/3B, 22.0 – Saggese broke out in 2022, but many, including me, stayed skeptical because he’s not a big tools guy and the K%/plate approach weren’t particularly great, but some guys are just ballers, and Saggese balled out even harder in 2023. He slashed .306/.374/.530 with 26 homers, 12 steals, and a 22.9%/8.3% K%/BB% in 139 games at mostly Double-A. The same drawbacks that made me hesitant in 2022 are still present. His raw power is only average to potentially above average, he’s not fast, the plate approach isn’t great, and he’s not a big guy at 5’11”. But at some point, it’s silly to keep doubting a guy who is producing to this level. He’s obviously doing something right. He doesn’t have a clear path to playing time and I would still hesitate to put big upside on him, but I’m willing to to bet on him being a good MLB hitter at peak at this point. 2024 Projection: 18/5/23/.249/.308/.416/2 Prime Projection: 75/24/82/.266/.328/.444/8

79) Sterlin Thompson COL, 2B/3B/OF, 22.9 – Colorado’s High-A park is one of the most hitter friendly in the minors, and their Double-A park plays more neutral, which is a big part of why you see such a large production drop from so many Rockies prospects at Double-A (see Beck and Yanquiel as well). Thompson was victimized by it as well with a 147 wRC+ in 60 games at High-A versus a 111 wRC+ in 34 games at Double-A. He destroyed the AFL with a .935 OPS in 21 games (0 homers and 7 steals), but the AFL is an extreme hitters park too, so it doesn’t really change my opinion of him in either direction. He’s a 6’4”, 200 pound lefty with a quick and controlled swing that is geared towards line drives. There isn’t really a carrying tool here, but he hits the ball hard and has average to above average potential across the board. 2024 Projection: 20/4/20/.255/.318/.416/4 Prime Projection: 82/20/79/.273/.337/.441/12

80) Brady House WAS, 3B, 20.10 – House bounced back in a big way from a mediocre 2022. He put up a 142 wRC+ at Single-A in 36 games, 145 wRC+ at High-A in 16 games, and 127 wRC+ at Double-A in 36 games. He displayed all the skills that made everyone so excited in the first place with a .312 BA, 12 homers, and 9 steals in 88 total games from an athletic 6’4”, 215 pound frame. His big righty hack is made to do damage, and while the flyball rates have been low so far in his career, it’s the type of profile that projects for an above average to plus hit/power combo with some speed. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 77/24/83/.268/.332/.472/9

81) Drew Gilbert NYM, OF, 23.6 – Gilbert is one of the safest prospects on this list. He does everything well on a baseball field with contact ability (18.9% K%), on base ability (11.3% BB%), power (18 homers), speed (12 steals), and good defense in 116 games at mostly Double-A. The power/speed combo isn’t quite big enough at only 5’9”, 195 pounds to really fly him up prospect lists, but he has a big lefty swing that makes him look much bigger in the box than his listed height, and I wouldn’t be shocked if his power surprised in the bigs. He’s a high floor prospect who might have more upside than his small stature would indicate. 2024 Projection: 41/10/33/.253/.318/.409/7 Prime Projection:  84/20/72/.273/.340/.438/14

82) Tommy Troy ARI, 3B/2B, 21.8 – Selected 12th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, the first thing that pops out when watching Troy is his absolute vicious bat speed and rotation. It’s controlled violence at it’s finest. He used that explosive swing to have a monster junior year, slashing .394/.478/.699 with 17 homers, 17 steals, and a 42/35 K/BB in 58 Pac12 games. He’s not a huge tools guy 5’10”, 197 pounds, so the power/speed combo might not be huge on the Major League level, but he at least proved it will transfer to wood bats in pro ball, slashing .247/.343/.447 with 4 homers, 8 steals, and a 26.3%/12.1% K%/BB% in 23 games at High-A. His hit tool is good, but there is still some swing and miss in his game which popped up in his pro debut. There is definitely a chance the upside might not end up being very high, but he does a lot of things well, and like I highlighted above, the swing is truly impressive to me. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 82/20/76/.255/.330/.441/20

83) Josue De Paula LAD, OF, 18.10 – De Paula’s stateside debut wasn’t perfect, and it wasn’t the true explosion we were all hoping for, but it was still impressive when taking everything into account. The Dodgers showed how much they loved him by skipping him straight over stateside rookie ball, and he didn’t only hold his own against much older competition, his plate approach and hit tool were actually extremely mature with a 17.9%/13.5% K%/BB%, .284 BA, and 118 wRC+ in 74 games at Single-A. At a broad, athletic, and projectable 6’3”, 185 pounds with a sweet lefty swing, establishing this level of plate skills is relatively rare and exciting. Usually with these toolsy prospects we have to worry about the hit tool tanking them, but not with Josue. He hit only 2 homers, which is extremely low, so I’m not just going to hand wave it away, but he didn’t hit the ball particularly weakly, and he obviously made zero attempts to sell out for power. The raw power will certainly continue to tick up, which will make for a dangerous combination with his plate skills once it does. He’s not a burner, but he’s a good base runner with 14 steals in 17 attempts. Josue is taking the Juan Soto path, and the off-season after Soto’s 18 year old season were when the biggest trade mistakes were made with Soto (not saying he will be as good as Soto because Soto was even better in a shortened 18 year old season at Single-A). Stay patient on the explosion. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 88/24/81/.278/.352/.475/12

84) Jace Jung DET, 2B, 23.6 – Jace is following in his big brother Josh’s footsteps by making quick work of the minor leagues. He put up a 136 wRC+ with 14 homers in 81 games at High-A, and then he took it up a notch at Double-A with a 154 wRC+ and 14 homers in 47 games. He has a very mature plate approach (24.2%/13.7% K%/BB%), he lifts the ball (35% GB%), he has plus power, and he has plus bloodlines. Big bro is just a few years ahead of him to give him the lay of the land, lets just hope Jace can miss the shoulder surgery part. He’s an advanced college bat who doesn’t really need much more seasoning in the minors, so I would be surprised if he isn’t up by the 2nd half. 2024 Projection: 35/10/38/.246/.320/.435/2 Prime Projection: 84/25/85/.264/.350/.472/4

85) Brock Wilken MIL, 3B, 21.10 – Selected 18th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, the 6’4”, 225 pound Wilken is almost the exact definition of a lurking slugger. He quite literally lurks over the plate with an eerily calm and foreboding batting stance which he used to unleash 31 homers in 66 ACC games. He then stepped right into pro ball and raked with a .887 OPS in 47 games split between rookie, High-A, and Double-A. He has the huge EV’s to back up the power. The hit tool and plate approach made big jumps this year with a .345 BA and 58/69 K/BB in college, but he still isn’t expected to hit for much average, and a 36% K% in 6 games at Double-A hints at the hit tool risk. You are buying the monster power here. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 79/31/87/.247/.332/.495/3

86) Joendry Vargas LAD, SS, 18.5 – Vargas is basically Josue De Paula 2.0. It’s almost like the Dodgers are especially good at this developing baseball players thing. He’s a projectable and athletic 6’4”, 175 pounds, earning him one of the top international signing bonuses last off-season, and he had a great season in the DSL, slashing .328/.423/.529 with 7 homers, 19 steals, and a 14.9%/14.4% K%/BB% in 48 games. All of the ingredients are there for him to explode to elite prospect status in the next few years with at least plus power potential, plus athleticism, and plus plate skills. Get in on him now before the mainstream prospect lists start blowing him up next season. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 81/26/86/.268/.341/.481/13

87) Felnin Celesten SEA, SS, 18.8 – A hamstring injury prevented Celesten from making his pro debut in 2023, so we’ll have to wait for 2024 to see if his production can match the hype. Here was my blurb for him last off-season, and everything still applies as we head into 2024, “Celesten has that super smooth lefty swing (he also hits righty) in the mold of a Marcelo Mayer, George Valera, and Zac Veen. It just screams offensive potential. He’s also an excellent athlete with plus speed. We’ve seen plenty of international prospects with smooth swings just not hit enough against more advanced competition, but it’s hard not to fall in love with the swing and tools. Considering the last couple international classes haven’t really popped, Celesten could come at a very reasonable price in 2023 First Year Player Drafts. This could be the year to dive back into this market.” … obviously Celesten didn’t have the opportunity to pop, but I nailed my observation that 2023 was the year to jump back into the international player pool market with Ethan Salas and Sebastian Walcott exploding (along with Joendry Vargas and others). I’m staying all in on Celesten for 2024. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 83/26/87/.268/.336/.470/22

88) Leodalis De Vries SDP, SS, 17.6 – De Vries is the top player in the 2024 international class and is expected to sign for over $4 million. As per his signing bonus, he has almost everything you look for in a potentially elite prospect. He’s a switch hitter at projectable 6’2”, 175 pounds with an extremely quick, loose, and athletic swing. He’s known for his mature plate approach and good feel to hit, and there is certainly plus power potential in here at peak. He’s also an excellent athlete with above average speed. The plate skills give him as high of a floor as you can get for a 17 year old international prospect, and the upside is considerable as well. International prospects are definitely the most mysterious and risky class of prospect to shop in, but when they hit, they hit in a huge way. De Vries is worth taking on the risk. ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 89/24/86/.276/.352/.462/18

89) Shota Imanaga CHC, LHP, 30.7 – Imanaga’s stuff isn’t as big as Yamamoto’s, mostly sitting in the low 90’s with the fastball, but he’s a damn good pitcher in his own right. The fastball gets whiffs despite the mediocre velocity, and he combines that with a plus splitter as his main secondary. The slider is solid and he throws a curve too. He pitched against a stacked USA lineup in the WBC and the stuff was good enough to notch a 33% whiff%. The fastball sat 93.5 MPH and the slider and splitter racked up whiffs. He’s been an ace in Japan for years and put up a 2.66 ERA with a 188/24 K/BB in 159 IP this year. I wouldn’t put top of the rotation upside on him, but all signs points towards him being a good MLB starter, and the strikeout upside is high enough to be an impact fantasy starter as well. If you want the win now pitcher, I can see ranking him as high as 9th overall on FYPD Rankings. 2024 Projection: 11/3.91/1.22/175 in 160 IP

90) Jared Jones PIT, RHP, 22.8 – Jones stuff is straight fire with a traditional 4 pitch mix led by a 96.4 MPH fastball. The slider is above average, the curve is average, and the changeup is below average. He made quick work of Double-A with a 2.23 ERA and 26.3%/8.9% K%/BB% in 44.1 IP before slowing down at Triple-A with a 4.72 ERA and 28.3%/9.7% K%/BB% in 82 IP. The control is below average and he’s not a physical beast at 6’1”, 190 pounds. It’s hard to say he doesn’t have the ceiling of an ace with that nasty fastball, but there is still a lot of refinement to get there. A high K mid rotation starter seems more reasonable. 2024 Projection: 9/4.13/1.31/138 in 145 IP Prime Projection: 12/3.78/1.26/176 in 165 IP

91) Gavin Stone LAD, RHP, 25.6 – Stone had a truly horrific MLB debut with a 9.00 ERA and 14.5%/8.6% K% in 31 IP, but I’m trying not to panic. We only have to look at Brandon Pfaadt to be reminded to keep our heads when a top pitching prospect gets demolished in their debut. Pfaadt is just one of many examples (Jose Berrios immediately comes to mind as well). If you’re looking for silver linings, his stuff did a solid job of missing bats with his changeup putting up a 41.4% whiff%, his slider putting up a 40% whiff%, and his 4-seamer putting up a 23.5% whiff%. His stuff didn’t even get hit insanely hard either with a merely below average 8.7% barrel%. It certainly wasn’t a good year with his fastball velocity taking a step back to 94 MPH, and he wasn’t great at Triple-A either with a 4.74 ERA in 100.2 IP, but I think the prudent thing to do is to look at this year as a developmental bump in the road, rather than a true disaster. His value takes a hit, but you certainly shouldn’t be close to throwing in the towel on him. And his strong spring shows it was smart to not sell too low on him, as he’s looked good and has locked in the 5th starter job. 2024 Projection: 8/4.09/1.29/135 in 140 IP Prime Projection: 11/3.88/1.26/173 in 165 IP

92) Garrett Mitchell MIL, OF, 25.7 – Mitchell’s swing and miss is in that truly scary danger zone where you can’t just ignore it. He had a 35.6% K% and 39.7% whiff% in 73 MLB PA in 2023. He had a 41.2% K% in 68 MLB PA in 2022. It’s a major problem. He’s also not a huge home run hitter despite hitting the ball hard with a low launch angle. Lots of strikeouts and groundballs are not a recipe for success, no matter how fast you are. Having said that, Mitchell has actually been quite successful in his MLB career with a 119 wRC+ in 141 career PA. He has a 10.8% barrel% and 29.3 ft/sec sprint. The fantasy upside is so enticing, but the hit tool issues combined with the crowded organization puts him more in the nice bench stash category for me. 2024 Projection: 44/8/37/.235/.306/.420/14

93) Jordan Beck COL, OF, 22.11 – Beck’s wRC+ went from 150 in 76 games at High-A to 108 in 50 games at Double-A. His K% jumped from 20.8% to 31.8%. A drop off in stats like this is always a reminder of how impressive it is when some players get to Double-A and don’t miss a beat, but plenty of impact major leaguers struggled in their first taste of the upper minors before making adjustments the next year, so you shouldn’t get too scared off. And Beck is the type of athlete you don’t want to get scared off from with a plus power/speed combo from a 6’3”, 225 pound frame. He jacked 25 homers with 20 steals and a 12.9% BB% in 126 total games. Even with a below average hit tool, he has the ingredients to be a fantasy beast. 2024 Projection: 12/3/15/.223/.302/.413/4 Prime Projection: 76/25/81/.240/.320/.457/14

94) Yanquiel Fernandez COL, OF, 21.3 – Fernandez’ plate approach got exposed at Double-A with a 32.9%/6.3% K%/BB% in 56 games, which led to a 69 wRC+. He utterly obliterated High-A with 17 homers, a 148 wRC+, and a 17.9%/5.2% K%/BB% in 58 games, and he was very young for Double-A at only 20 years old, but considering he has limited defensive value, it’s not great. His lefty swing is a thing of beauty and his double plus power is a carrying tool, so I still like him a lot, but I am concerned he could be the type of prospect the Rockies don’t just hand a starting job to. The bat is going to have to hit it’s ceiling to hold down a full time job. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection:  72/28/87/.248/.319/.480/3

95) John Cruz NYY, OF, 18.7 – If Cruz were eligible for the 2023 MLB Draft, his hype would be through the roof. He has the scout’s dream build at a projectable 6’3”, 171 pounds, and it comes with a quick and powerful lefty swing. It resulted in him ripping up stateside rookie ball as a 17 year old, slashing .294/.376/.531 with 10 homers, 9 steals, and a 21.8%/10.9% K%/BB% in 48 games. Power, speed, build, production, age to level … this is everything you look for in a shooting star prospect. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 78/27/87/.251/.324/.473/12

96) Hurston Waldrep ATL, RHP, 22.1 – Pitcher’s don’t usually make big moves in either direction in their pro debut, but Waldrep bucked that trend. His double plus mid to upper 90’s fastball/splitter combo put up a 33.3% K% and 1.53 ERA in 29.1 IP spread across 4 levels (A, A+, AA, AAA). He also throws a curve and slider that both have plus potential. There is zero doubt about the strikeout ability with a 34.7% K% in 101.2 IP in the SEC in 2023 as well. The reason he only got selected 24th overall though, is that there is definitely some risk in his profile. The control is well below average with a 12.7% BB% at college and a 13.0% BB% in pro ball. He also had a mediocre college season with a 4.16 ERA and 1.40 WHIP, and the K/BB numbers weren’t quite as impressive in the upper minors with a 16/10 K/BB in 14.1 IP at Double-A and Triple-A. Ending up in Atlanta is a great landing spot as they know what they are doing when it comes to pitching, so I’m more apt to go after him now than I would have been if he went to a lesser organization. And if you go K chasing in fantasy, which I do, Waldrep is mighty enticing despite the risk. 2024 Projection: 3/4.13/1.35/75 in 70 IP Prime Projection: 11/3.71/1.28/185 in 165 IP

97) Jonny DeLuca TBR, OF, 25.9 – There are currently multiple paths to playing time for DeLuca, so if he hits well, he should get plenty of playing time. And Tampa is almost definitely the best team to get the most out of his offensive profile. In his pro debut, he put up plus contact rates (17.8% K%) with a 61.8% pull% and low EV’s (83.7 MPH EV). That’s almost Isaac Paredes like, except Paredes hits the ball in the air a lot more than DeLuca (8.7 degree launch). But what DeLuca has that Paredes doesn’t is elite speed with a 29.7 ft/sec sprint speed. He’s already showing Paredes like magic with an average-ish 102 wRC+ and 5.9% Barrel% despite the low EV, and the EV was much better at Triple-A (86.1 MPH). He’s also generally hit plenty of flyballs in the minors, so that launch should come up. If it all comes together, DeLuca can be Paredes with more speed and less power. 2024 Projection: 45/10/38/.253/.317/.416/6 Prime Projection: 79/18/66/.266/.328/.431/16

98) Davis Schneider TOR, 2B, 25.2 – Shane Spencer always comes to mind when thinking about older, out of nowhere, crazy MLB debuts. Spencer hit 10 homers with a 1.321 OPS in 27 games in 1998, and then never put up an OPS over .800 again in his career. Schneider hit 8 homers with a 1.008 OPS in 35 games this year. He was already starting to regress hard with a .268 OPS in his final 10 games. He was majorly lucky with a .424 wOBA vs. .353 xwOBA. He had a 37.3% whiff%, 30.5% K%, and a .214 xBA. I’m just saying to be careful about valuing Schneider super high in trades and drafts this off-season, but I do think he can become a solid MLB hitter. He obliterated Triple-A with a 142 wRC+, he hits the ball hard with a 94.6 MPH FB/LD EV, he lifts the ball with a 26 degree launch, and he gets on base with a 14.9% BB%. He looks like a low BA, high OBP slugger with a handful of steals. 2024 Projection: 74/25/77/.238/.321/.450/6

99) Nolan Schanuel LAA, 1B, 22.1 – Selected 11th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Schanuel is a classic Angels first round pick as a safe, fast moving college bat. And boy did he move fast as they sped him through the minors, jumping straight from Double-A to the majors on August 18th. To their credit, Schanuel was ready for the challenge with a 14.5%/15.2% K%/BB% and 112 wRC+ in 29 games. He put up a 14/71 K/BB in 59 games in Conference USA, and a 9/16 K/BB in 17 games at Double-A, so the plate approach certainly looks to be in the elite range. The problem is that the power/speed combo is majorly lacking. He put up a lowly 85.4 MPH EV with a 6.5 degree launch and 26.8 ft/sec sprint speed in the majors. It resulted only 1 homer and 0 steals. He hit the ball very weakly in the minors too with a 10.3% Hard Hit% and only 1 homer in 22 games. He did hit for more power in college with 19 homers this year, and he’s 6’4”, 220 pounds, so there is certainly more in the tank, but it doesn’t look like power is going to be a major part of his game. Buying a hit tool first 1B isn’t my optimal strategy, so I’m not overly high on Schanuel, but calling him the safest, most proximiest (I know that isn’t a word) bat in first year player drafts is an understatement. 2024 Projection: 80/15/70/.270/.355/.400/5 Prime Projection: 92/18/73/.291/.382/.437/6

100) Jairo Iriarte CHW, RHP, 22.4 – Iriarte looks absolutely electric on the mound with a whip quick arm and athletic delivery from a skinny and projectable 6’2” frame. He uses that delivery to throw fire stuff with a mid 90’s fastball that has nasty movement on it, a vicious plus slider, and a potentially plus changeup. It all led to a 3.49 ERA with a 33.2%/11.7% K%/BB% in 90.1 IP split between High-A and Double-A. Honestly, he had the year I thought Tink Hence was going to have, and the profiles are pretty similar. Iriarte’s control isn’t as good with a high walk rate, which adds some risk to the profile, but he has the type of arm to go after. 2024 Projection: 3/4.07/1.34/64 in 60 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.73/1.28/175 in 155 IP

101) Chase Hampton NYY, RHP, 22.8 – Hampton wasn’t quite able to keep up the breakout at Double-A with his ERA jumping from 2.68 at High-A to 4.37 at Double-A, and his K% dropping from 40.5% to 27.4%, but that shouldn’t put a damper on his excellent season, because he has the big stuff to get excited about. He’s 6’2, 200 pounds with mid 90’s heat and a diverse set of secondaries (slider, curve, cutter, change). The command is solid. With the production taking a step back against more advanced competition, I wouldn’t put top of the rotation upside on him, but I certainly think he can be an impact mid-rotation fantasy starter at peak. 2024 Projection: 4/4.28/1.33/86 in 90 IP Prime Projection: 12/3.78/1.23/177 in 170 IP

102) Dalton Rushing LAD, C/1B, 23.1 – If Robo Umps come to the majors in the future, it will take framing away as a catcher skill, but blocking balls in the dirt and throwing out runners on the bases will still be super important, so I wouldn’t assume catcher defense will just be thrown to the curb. On that note, Rushing isn’t a particularly good defensive catcher, so it puts a lot of pressure on his bat to max out. He was far too advanced for High-A with a 146 wRC+ on the back of a .404 OBP in 89 games, as an advanced 22 year old college bat should be, but the 15 homers, .228 BA, and 24.4% K% aren’t quite as impressive. His numbers likely would have been better if he didn’t suffer a concussion from a getting hit by a backswing in June, but not sure that is necessarily a point in his favor for fantasy. Catchers take a beating, which is why you should generally downgrade them. The bat is good enough to profile in a 1B/DH/backup catcher role, but it just makes playing time tougher to come by and the leash much shorter. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 78/25/81/.253/.339/.458/2

103) Tyler Locklear SEA, 1B, 23.4 – Locklear carried over his great pro debut in 2022 into 2023 with him smashing High-A, slashing .305/.422/.549 with 12 homers, 10 steals, and a 21.8%/13.1% K%/BB% in 61 games. He then missed about 2 months after breaking his hand, but he picked right up after returning, getting the call to Double-A and slashing .250/.361/.460 with 4 homers, 2 steals, and a 22.7/10.1% in 27 games. He’s a strong dude who hits the ball very hard, so the power isn’t in question, and he’s shown a relatively good feel to hit at every level. He’s not fast, but he was a perfect 12 for 12 on the bases in 85 games, so there is obviously a level of athleticism here too. He’s a 1B only at this point, so he’ll have to mash to hold down a full time job, but the potential is certainly there to mash. 2024 Projection: 18/5/23/.240/.317/.431/1 Prime Projection: 77/27/86/.255/.332/.468/5

104) Ryan Clifford NYM, 1B/OF, 20.7 – Here is what I wrote about Clifford in January of 2023 in my FYPD Target & Strategy Guide, “I’m planning on leaving every draft with Clifford, and he could be my #1 target in general. This guy checks almost every box you want to see for a monster power hitter (size, swing, lift, EV, organization, good pro debut, history of production). He also got drafted 343rd overall, meaning he should go super, super late in drafts. The one hiccup is the K rate was a bit on the high side, but the BB% was even higher to even it out, and he wasn’t expected to have major hit tool problems coming into the draft. He has legit star upside.” … you’re damn happy right now if you took my advice, as Clifford slashed .262/.374/.480 with 24 homers, 5 steals, and a 27.4%/12.5% K%/BB% in 115 games at mostly High-A. He scuffled after the trade to the Mets (so did Acuna), but I think you have to take into account an adjustment period when you join a new team, new city, new coaches etc … He’s right on track to become a high OBP, low BA slugger. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 78/30/86/.248/.332/.487/6

105) Bryce Eldridge SFG, OF, 19.5 – Selected 16th overall, Eldridge is a 6’7”, 220 pound unicorn type power hitter with monster raw power from the left side of the dish. He smashed pro pitchers in his pro debut with 5 homers and a 139 wRC+ in 16 games in rookie ball, and then he got the call up to Single-A and put up a 123 wRC+ in 15 games. There isn’t much speed and there is some swing and miss in his game with a 26.2% K%, but that’s balanced out by a 15.4% BB%, and he also had a .293 BA. He got drafted as a pitcher too, but it’s clear his future is as a power hitting beast. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 84/32/97/.251/.344/.512/5

106) Noble Meyer MIA, RHP, 19.3 – Selected 10th overall, Meyer has elite pitching prospect written all over him. He’s a loose and athletic 6’5”, 200 pounds with a mid 90’s fastball that he can get into the upper 90’s, an absolutely filthy slider that could be double plus, and a changeup that flashes plus. He also displays good control of all 3 pitches, although he struggled with his control in his pro debut with a 13.7% BB% in 11 IP. He had a 29.4% K% as well, and it was a small sample, so I wouldn’t be too concerned about the control right now. He speaks like he’s a physics professor with a well beyond his years understanding of the art of pitching. At the draft, the ESPN guys literally called him a nerd right to his face (in an endearing way) in their pre draft interview with him. Right handed high school pitchers are treacherous waters to wade in, but sometimes you make exceptions, and Meyer is that exception. I wouldn’t fade him at all and have no issue going out and reaching for him. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 14/3.48/1.16/205 in 180 IP

107) Christian Scott NYM, RHP, 24.10 – Scott had a truly elite 32.8%/3.4% K%/BB% in 62 IP at Double-A. He had a 107/12 K/BB in 87 IP on the season. Let’s not overthink things too much. Those are eye opening K/BB numbers and they led to a 2.57 ERA with a 0.86 WHIP. And it’s not like he did it with smoke and mirrors. He’s 6’4”, 215 pounds with a relatively easy, smooth, and athletic delivery . He throws a low to mid 90’s fastball that he can even got into the upper 90’s, and his slider is a plus, bat missing weapon. He rounds out the arsenal with a curve and change. To sum it all up, this a big man with elite control, a fastball that consistently hits the mid 90’s, a put away slider, a diverse pitch mix, and upper minors dominance. The more I think about and watch Scott, the more I love him. He’s getting considerably underrated. 2024 Projection: 3/4.22/1.28/44 in 45 IP Prime Projection: 12/3.72/1.18/169 in 160 IP

108) Kyle Teel BOS, C, 22.1 – Selected 14th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Teel is a better real life prospect than fantasy prospect like most prospect catchers. He has a hit over power profile, slashing .407/.475/.655 with 13 homers, 5 steals, and a 36/32 K/BB in 65 ACC games. He backed up that profile in pro ball, slashing .363/.483/.495 with 2 homers, 3 steals, and a 19.3%/18.4% K%/BB% in 26 games split between 3 levels (rookie, High-A, Double-A). He’s a good athlete, so he could nab a few bases which is nice for a catcher, and he immediately becomes Boston’s best catcher prospect, so he could move relatively fast through the system. Fenway is a great hitter’s park too which should help his profile play up. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 76/16/71/.281/.352/.433/8

109) Rhett Lowder CIN, RHP, 22.1 –  Selected 7th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Lowder is a relatively safe, quick moving college arm. None of his stuff is jaw dropping, but he has plus control of 3 above average to plus pitches in his 93-94 MPH fastball, slider and changeup. It led to a pitching line of 1.87/0.95/143/24 in 120.1 IP in the ACC. He’s 6’2”, 200 pounds with an athletic delivery, he works fast, and he throws strikes with good stuff. Take a star away for landing in Cincy’s hitter’s haven, but I wouldn’t let the landing spot completely spoil you on him. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 13/3.78/1.18/185 in 180 IP

110) Max Meyer MIA, RHP, 25.1 – Meyer missed all of 2023 after undergoing Tommy John surgery on August 9th, 2022, so he should be fully ready to go for 2024. He lands in a kinda middle area for me when it comes to going after the Tommy John discount on players. He’s not established on the MLB level, and he’s not quite an elite pitching prospect in my book, but he’s a very, very good one and he’s established himself in the upper minors with a 2.77 ERA and 199/61 K/BB in 172 IP. The stuff is big with a double plus slider that he proved will succeed against MLB hitters with a 42.1% whiff% and .255 xwOBA in his 6 IP MLB debut in 2022. He combines that with a mid 90’s fastball, a potentially above average changeup, and about average control. At full health, I pegged him as a high K mid-rotation starter, but I think the Tommy John surgery adds some extra bullpen risk on top if his arm keeps running into trouble. I’m not specifically targeting him, but I’m not avoiding him either. 2024 Projection: 5/4.23/1.32/88 in 90 IP Prime Projection: 11/3.71/1.24/160 in 150 IP

111) Brayan Rocchio CLE, SS, 23.3 – Rocchio was a sell for me last off-season, writing in his Top 1,000 blurb, “He’s not a target of mine, and because he has strong name value, if I owned him I would be willing to put him on the block for win now production.” I think that played out being the right move as he had a pretty lackluster year all around. He put up a 101 wRC+ in Triple-A with only 7 homers in 116 games. He doesn’t hit the ball hard with a 85.8 MPH EV and he doesn’t lift the ball. He had 25 steals, but he’s not fast with a 27.4 ft/sec sprint, and he didn’t steal any bags in 86 MLB PA. He had 12.3%/11.2% K%/BB%, but it fell apart completely in the majors with a 31.4%/4.7% K%/BB%. To top it all off, he wasn’t a good defensive player either with a negative 2.7 value. The one thing he does have is opportunity as it seems like the SS job is his for the taking at the moment, but even if everything works out, the upside isn’t very high. 2024 Projection: 66/9/47/.257/.309/.378/11 Prime Projection: 78/14/63/.276/.332/.409/18

112) Graham Pauley SDP, 2B/3B, 23.6 – I’m not seeing big fantasy upside from Pauley without a big power/speed and with a good, but not great hit tool. He’s also not a particularly great defensive player, so it’s not like his glove will force him onto the field. Having said that, the guy can clearly hit, slashing .308/.393/.539 with 23 homers, 22 steals, and a 16.9%/10.9% K%/BB% in 127 games split across 3 levels (A, A+, AA). The fact that he didn’t miss a beat when he got to Double-A is the most impressive part of his season with a 141 wRC+ and 13.6% K% in 20 games. He’s not my favorite type of prospect to go after, but the guy can play, and he might break camp with the team while Machado’s elbow continues to heal. 2024 Projection: 66/14/59/.252/.311/.406/12 Prime Projection: 76/19/73/.269/.328/.436/15

113) Marco Luciano SFG, SS, 22.7 – The elite prospect potential that Luciano hinted at earlier in his career has all but completely faded after his lackluster 2023 season, and it’s the hit tool that got him in the end. He put up a 29.8% K% and .228 in 56 games at Double-A, a 35.9% K% and .209 BA in 18 games at Triple-A, and a 37.8% K% and .231 BA in 14 games in the majors. The huge power is still there with 15 homers in 74 games in the minors, and a 93 MPH EV in the majors, so it’s not like he’s close to being a bust at this point. It just shaves a ton of upside off the top, and he now profiles as a low BA slugger. 2024 Projection: 66/23/74/.227/.309/.423/4 Prime Projection: 77/28/91/.246/.330/.468/4

114) Tyler Soderstrom OAK, C/1B, 22.4 – Soderstrom got called up to the majors in July and he was just so clearly not ready with a horrible 35 wRC+ and 31.2% K% in 138 PA. It was relatively predictable as the plate approach was rough at Triple-A too with a 26.3%/7.5% K%/BB% that resulted in a 88 wRC+ in 77 games. Oakland has been very aggressive with him, and the plate approach just hasn’t caught up, but I would expect it to improve over time. The power is so easy to dream on with 21 homers and a 91.6 MPH EV at Triple-A, and the 89.3 MPH EV in the majors wasn’t too bad considered how hard he struggled. He’s a below average defensive catcher and Shea Langeliers looks pretty likely to hold the majority of the catcher job in the near future, so it’s not a guarantee he retains catcher eligibility long term. You are buying a potentially special lefty power bat, but there is refinement needed in multiple areas of his game (launch, plate approach, defense). 2024 Projection: 41/14/48/.238/.300/.417/1 Prime Projection: 76/26/82/.263/.325/.471/2 (without catcher eligibility)

115) Blaze Jordan BOS, 3B/1B, 21.3 – Blaze is one of those prospects where every time I fly him up rankings in early rankings drafts, I get cold feet after looking them over a few times because he isn’t a good defensive player, he hits lefties much better than righties, and he’s yet to truly show that prodigious power he was known for as an amateur. But then I move him too far down the rankings, and get FOMO when I think about a 20 year old with big raw power, great contact rates, and great production. He slashed .324/.385/.533 with 12 homers and a 14.6%/8.7% K%/BB% in 73 games at High-A. It was good for a 145 wRC+. He then went to Double-A and hit 6 homers with a 13.8% K% in 49 games. He can look a bit stiff at the plate, but he’s talked about losing weight and working on his body this off-season, which will only help him both offensively and defensively at a very strong 6’2”, 220 pounds. As a pure bat, there is a lot to love, and if he can improve defensively this off-season, it would make prospect rankers feel a lot more comfortable about him. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection:  75/25/84/.269/.332/.465/3

116) Kahlil Watson CLE, 2B/SS, 20.11 – Watson hasn’t lived up to the hype from his draft year, both on and off the field, but he’s getting a fresh start with Cleveland, and he’s still an electric player with a boatload of talent. The numbers ain’t bad either with 14 homers, 25 steals, and a 104 wRC+ in 83 games at High-A. The hit tool is rough with a 26.8% K% and .217 BA, but it’s not like those contact rates are too bad at all, and bad luck had a lot to do with that BA with a low BABIP. He hit the ball hard, he has plus speed, and he has a beautifully vicious lefty swing. There is still time for him to fulfill his promise. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 80/22/73/.246/.323/.442/24

117) Brice Matthews HOU, SS, 22.0 – Selected 28th overall, Matthews is a major first year player draft target considering his upside vs. his hype. And if Houston trusts his hit tool enough to take him in the first round, that is good enough for me to go all in on him. He’s a top notch athlete with plus power and plus speed that led to 20 homers and 20 steals in 54 games in the Big 10. He’s a rock solid 6’0” with a swing that reminds me a bit of Tommy Pham’s. In fact, his entire game reminds me of Tommy Pham as a guy who hits the ball very hard with speed and some swing and miss. He lived up to his scouting report in his pro debut with 4 homers, 16 steals, a 120 wRC+ and a 26.7%/16% K%/BB% in 33 games at Single-A. The K rate was also coming down at the end of the year with a 15.2% K% in his final 11 games. Like Pham, maybe it takes him a couple extra years to figure it out, but the breakout will be loud when he does. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 78/21/74/.242/.320/.442/23

118) Luis Lara MIL, OF, 19.4 – The big question is if the 5’7” Lara can ever develop legitimate power. Just based on his size, the answer might be that he can’t, but he has the type of electric swing from both sides of the plate that says you shouldn’t rule it out. And even if he can’t develop a ton of power, he can still be an impact fantasy player with a plus hit, plus speed profile. He slashed .285/.379/.354 with 2 homers, 22 steals, and a 14.5%/12.3% K%/BB% in 70 games as an 18 year old at Single-A, and then he closed out the year at High-A where he put up a 107 wRC+ in 17 games. This is the type of precocious hitter that I want to bet on. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 90/15/65/.285/.360/.410/30

119) Everson Pereira NYY, OF, 23.0 – Pereira’s 43.1% whiff%, 38.8% K%, and 23 wRC+ in his 103 PA MLB debut is exactly what we didn’t want to see happen. That is the kind of disaster MLB debut that has to make you think twice about betting on a player, but I would be careful about giving up on Pereira too fast. He truly crushes the ball, he has well above average speed, and he decimated the upper minors with a 145 wRC+ at Double-A and 132 wRC+ at Triple-A. You only have to look at his teammate, Aaron Judge, to find hope, as Judge put up a 44.2% K% in his 95 PA MLB debut in 2016. When a guy hits the ball this hard, you don’t need to be Luis Arraez to do damage. The extreme swing and miss does have me less excited for him than I was before his debut, but I’m still betting on his talent long term. 2024 Projection: 24/9/29/.222/.291/.434/5 Prime Projection: 74/26/82/.244/.320/.482/12

120) Jonatan Clase SEA, OF, 21.11 – Clase put up an extremely fun power/speed season with 20 homers and 79 steals in 129 games split between High-A and Double-A, but there are reasons for some restraint when ranking him. He has below average raw power at only 5’9”, the strikeout rates are very high with a 27.7% K%, and the production dropped off at Double-A with a .222 BA and 94 wRC+. If he gets to the majors and the EV’s are low while the K rate is high, plus the fact he will be in a pitcher’s park, he might struggle to be even an average MLB hitter. The good news is that he only needs to get to about average to let his elite speed rack up fantasy value. It’s a risky profile, but it’s a high upside one too. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 76/16/61/.236/.322/.414/41

121) Anthony Solometo PIT, LHP, 21.4 – Solometo continued to live up to my high ranking of him since before he was drafted. He crushed High-A with a 2.30 ERA and 29.1%/10.7% K%/BB% in 58.2 IP, and then he more than held his own at Double-A as a 20 year old with a 4.35 ERA and 23%/6.5% K%/BB% in 51.2 IP. His velocity ticked up into the low to mid 90’s range on the fastball, the low 90’s sinker/2-seamer is filthy, and both his changeup and slider have above average potential at least. He does all this from a nightmare (for hitters) funky lefty delivery at 6’5”, 220. He’s one of my favorite pitching prospects in the minors. 2024 Projection: 2/4.13/1.32/27 in 30 IP Prime Projection: 12/3.72/1.24/185 in 170 IP

122) Sawyer Gipson-Long DET, RHP, 26.4 – Long was almost completely ignored as a prospect, but his MLB debut put us all on notice that he’s not to be taken lightly. He put up a 2.70 ERA with a 31.7%/9.8% K%/BB% in 20 IP, and while he’s obviously not going to maintain that over a full season, there is nothing that looks like a fluke. He leads with a plus slider that notched a 40.9% whiff% and a plus changeup that notched a 50% whiff% with a .134 xwOBA. He doesn’t throw gas with a 93.6 MPH 4-seamer and 92.4 MPH sinker, but both fastballs performed very well too. His entire arsenal plays perfectly off each other as it’s tough to pick up which of his pitches he’s going to until it’s too late for the batter. He controls the entire arsenal very well with plus walk rates throughout most of his minor league career. I’m inclined to think he’s the real deal, although he’s never had quite as much success in the minors as he did in his debut, so a little bit of caution is warranted. Detroit also added to their rotation this off-season, so he’s going to have to fight for a rotation spot. 2024 Projection: 6/3.95/1.29/103 in 100 IP

123) Nick Nastrini CHW, RHP, 24.1 – One of the biggest issues with Nastrini was that he was in a jam packed organization with the Dodgers, but that cleared right up with his trade to the pitching starved White Sox. He’s a big dude at 6’3”, 215 pounds with fire stuff (mid 90’s fastball) and a diverse pitch mix (slider, curve, change are all good pitches). It led to a 4.08 ERA with a 27.9%/10.8% K%/BB% in 114.2 IP at mostly Double-A. His control is below average, but this is a legitimately exciting prospect with high K upside and nothing but opportunity in Chicago. Nice little undervalued target this off-season. 2024 Projection: 6/4.28/1.35/132 in 130 IP Prime Projection:  10/3.80/1.28/172 in 155 IP

124) Ben Brown CHC, RHP, 24.7 – If you can buy low on Brown’s 5.33 ERA and 15.8% BB% in 72.2 IP at Triple-A I would be all over it. He had a 7.8% BB% in 20 IP at Double-A to start the year, and he had a 9.5% BB% at Double-A last year, so the Triple-A automated strike zone made his merely below average control look cartoonishly bad. He has legitimate top of the rotation stuff with 3 potentially plus pitches (mid 90’s fastball, curveball, slider) and all of them can look pretty damn similar until they get about halfway to the plate. He’s a nightmare to face at 6’6”, 210 pounds and it resulted in a 32.6% K% on the season in 92.2 IP. He missed all of August with a lat injury, and he pitched out of the bullpen when he returned in September, which does hint at some bullpen risk, but I’m looking at Chicago’s rotation, and they would be silly to not give this stud every chance to stick in the rotation. I really, really like Brown. 2024 Projection: 4/4.18/1.35/83 in 80 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.82/1.27/175 in 150 IP

125) Mick Abel PHI, RHP, 22.8 – Abel remains more or less the same pitcher he was when he was drafted 15th overall in 2020, and I mean that in both a good and bad way. He’s 6’5”, 190 pounds with explosive stuff and control issues. The fastball sits in the upper 90’s and has the potential to be a double plus pitch, and all 3 of his secondaries (slider, curve, change) have plus potential. But none of his pitches will reach their full potential if he doesn’t improve his scattershot control/command. He put up a 4.13 ERA with a 27.4%/13.5% K%/BB% in 113.1 IP at mostly Double-A. That walk rate is in the danger zone, and his filthy stuff should have produced a better ERA and K% against minor leaguers. It’s his 3rd full year of pro ball and there hasn’t been any improvement, but at the same time, he’s still just 22 years old, so writing off the possibility of future improvement would be too harsh. 2024 Projection: 3/4.37/1.37/58 in 60 IP Prime Projection: 11/3.79/1.29/176 in 165 IP

126) Connor Phillips CIN, RHP, 22.11 – Phillips’ control took a monster step forward at Double-A with a 9.5% BB% (14% BB% in 2022), but it proved to be a pre-tacked ball mirage. His walk rate exploded again at Triple-A and MLB with a 16.9% BB% and 13.5% BB%, respectively. When MLB tests out new rules/balls in the minors, they tend to make their way to the majors, so I wouldn’t be shocked if MLB incorporates a tackier ball at some point in the future. It will majorly help poor control guys like Phillips if they do, because his stuff is utter filth with a 96.4 MPH fastball and an elite slider that notched a 48.9% whiff% and .152 xwOBA in 20.2 MLB IP. With the pre-tacked balls at Double-A, he had a 3.34 ERA in 64.2 IP, but that jumped to 4.69 at Triple-A and 6.97 in the majors. The stuff is tantalizing and makes you want to bet on him, but the control is in the major bullpen danger zone with the normal baseballs. 2024 Projection: 4/4.28/1.37/88 in 80 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.86/1.32/170 in 150 IP

127) Jeferson Quero MIL, C, 21.6 – Quero doesn’t have a path to playing time with William Contreras notching a 5.4 WAR season in 2023, and he also doesn’t have the highest upside profile with an above average hit/power combo. His numbers also don’t exactly jump off the page with a 107 wRC+ in 90 games at Double-A. It’s making it hard for me to really want to go all in on him, but when you take into account he was only 20 years old, you can’t deny he’s a damn good prospect. If there was a clear path to playing time, I can see being higher on him. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 68/20/76/.268/.335/.442/4

128) Brooks Lee MIN, SS, 23.2 – There wasn’t much concern that a profile like Lee’s would transfer to the upper minors, but he went out and proved it anyway with a good feel to hit (16% K%) and some pop (16 homers) in 125 games at Double-A and Triple-A. His numbers dropped off at Triple-A with a 78 wRC+ in 38 games (120 wRC+ in 87 games at Double-A), but a lot of that had to do with a .258 BABIP, because the underlying numbers looked fine. He hit the ball generally hard all year (90.6 MPH EV at Triple-A), so while he’s more of a line drive hitter, I don’t think the power numbers will look too bad. It’s still a safety over upside profile, but an above average hit/power combo with a handful steals ain’t bad at all. 2024 Projection: 27/6/32/.254/.317/.401/2 Prime Projection:  84/19/73/.274/.338/.437/8

129) Nathan Martorella SDP, 1B, 23.1 – Italian Snack put on a clinic against High-A pitchers, putting up a 131 wRC+ with 16 homers and a 18%/15.1% K%/BB% in 112 games, and while he only had a 85 wRC+ in 23 games at Double-A, the 14.1%/9.1% K%/BB% and 3 homers look much better. He’s following in the footsteps of his fellow Italian brothers (Vinnie and Manzardo) as plus plate approach lefty sluggers, and there is nothing but opportunity in San Diego. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 77/24/83/.269/.343/.455/3

130) Tekoah Roby STL, RHP, 22.6 – Roby is getting a ton of helium this off-season, and while I most certainly like him, my money is still on Hence as the best pitching prospect in this system. Roby put up a 4.63 ERA with a 28.9%/6.3% K%/BB% in 58.1 IP at Double-A. He missed almost 3 months of the season with a shoulder injury, but he looked like fire when he returned, and he also impressed in the AFL despite a 5.93 ERA in 13.2 IP. The stuff backs up the production with a mid 90’s fastball, plus curve, and a potentially above average slider and change. He strikes me as a strong mid rotation type rather than a top of the rotation starter, and I think his relatively high home run rates and ERA bears that out. 2024 Projection: 2/4.28/1.33/48 in 50 IP Prime Projection: 12/3.86/1.24/175  in 170 IP

131) Chase Petty CIN, RHP, 21.0 – If Petty was throwing as hard he was throwing in his draft year (mid to upper 90’s), he would be an elite pitching prospect right now, but he’s settled in as a low to mid 90’s guy. Even with the modest velocity, he does everything else so well, this version of him might actually be better than the version we thought we were getting. He’s now a pitcher’s pitcher with elite control (5.5% BB%) and a very diverse pitch mix. He throws so many different pitches that all look pretty similar out of his hand and are all at around similar velocities, but they break a different way as they get closer to the plate. He throws a hard gyro slider, a hard split change, a 2 seam fastball, 4 seam fastball, and a slightly slower breaking ball. He’s a nightmare to face. You can almost say he’s a junk baller type, but he throws his secondaries so hard it wouldn’t exactly be accurate. He dominated with a 1.72 ERA and 24.1%/5.5% K%/BB% in 68 IP at mostly High-A. He closed out year at Double-A and was equally as dominant. The floor might be higher than the ceiling at the moment, but if he all of a sudden finds that old velocity of his, watch out. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 11/3.74/1.19/166 in 170 IP Update: Petty found the lost velocity from his draft year this spring, but he still has to prove he can maintain over a full starter’s workload, and he needs to prove he can maintain the plus control from 2023 with the newfound stuff

132) Wilyer Abreu BOS, OF, 24.10 – I had a lot of in-season Target article hits this year, ringing the five alarm bell on a bunch of guys right at the first sign of a sprouting breakout and before they were even close to getting the respect they deserved (Nolan Jones and Zack Gelof, among others, were my best calls), but my favorite call was probably the one I made on Wilyer Abreu. Here is what I wrote about Abreu on August 3rd, “ This one is probably more for my deep leaguers out there, but there is something I really love about Abreu that I just can’t shake. And that something is probably his sweet, sweet lefty swing. It’s resulted in 14 homers with a 89.6 MPH EV in 71 games at Triple-A. It also comes with a solid 22.3%/16% K%/BB% and a cannon for an arm in rightfield. I don’t think he is going to be a league winner, but I think he has a chance to be a rock solid MLB player.” … From that point forward, Abreu went absolutely bonkos, hitting 8 homers in just 15 games at Triple-A, and then earning a call up to the majors where he put up a ridiculous 135 wRC+ in 85 PA. It’s almost like I had a crystal ball on that one. He continued to hit the ball hard in the majors with a 91.3 MPH EV, he likes to run with 3 steals (8 steals at AAA), and the plate approach was solid with a 27.1%/10.6% K%/BB%. I still think he’s more of an impact player for medium to deeper leagues rather than shallow leagues, but he more than proved he can be a good big leaguer in the long run. 2024 Projection: 47/14/54/.242/.319/.423/6 Prime Projection: 76/24/82/.257/.338/.453/9

133) Cade Cavalli WAS, RHP, 25.7 – Cavalli underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2023 and is hoping for a June 2024 return assuming there are no setbacks. I’m all for taking the Tommy John surgery discount on guys, but I like to take it on players who are already established or are at least nearly elite pitching prospects. Cavalli doesn’t really fall into either of those categories, and while the Tommy John success rate is high, it’s not like there aren’t legitimate risks. Brent Honeywell comes to mind as someone who was never the same, and Gunnar Hoglund seems headed down that path (although there is still hope for him). Regardless, the 6’4”, 240 pound Cavalli does have plenty to be excited about with big time stuff (95+ MPH fastball) and three quality secondaries in his curve, changeup and slider. The control is inconsistent and his minor league career was a bit up and down, so combined with the Tommy John risk, he’s not someone I’m really targeting. 2024 Projection: 3/4.38/1.37/66 in 70 IP Prime Projection: 11/3.85/1.30/175 in 170 IP

134) Abimelec Ortiz TEX, 1B, 22.1 – The 6’0”, 230 pound Ortiz was a man amongst boys in the lower minors, and he bodied lower minors pitching with 33 homers and a .990 OPS in 109 games at mostly High-A. I never flew him too far up my in-season rankings because he was a hair older than optimal for High-A, the body is definitely maxed out, and the strikeout rates were very high with a 27.8% K%, but what he did in the AFL gives me some hope the plate approach could be improved. He put up a 8/12 K/BB with a 1.060 OPS in 12 games. It’s a small sample, but it’s something to hang his hat on going into next year. How he fares against upper minors pitchers will really cement his status as either a platoon bench bat, or as a legit everyday starting first baseman. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 73/28/87/.244/.323/.478/2

135) Alexander Canario CHC, OF, 23.11 – Canario returned from ankle and shoulder surgeries in mid June, and by the time he got back to Triple-A he looked mostly like himself, slashing .276/.342/.524 with 8 homers and a 28%/9.3% K%/BB% in 36 games. He swings the bat like it’s a bazooka with an extreme all or nothing approach, so he’ll easily pop 30+ homers if the hit tool doesn’t completely tank him, and it took him only 17 PA to hit his first major league grand slam. The part that didn’t come back was his speed with only 2 steals and 25.8 ft/sec sprint speed in his MLB debut, albeit in such a small sample I wouldn’t give it too much weight, and he was also just coming back from two major surgeries. He’ll have to earn his playing time every step of the way, and the hit tool is in the major danger zone, but his explosive power is worth taking a shot on. 2024 Projection: 22/8/29/.221/.292/.423/2 Prime Projection: 66/28/79/.237/.312/.466/7

136) George Valera CLE, OF, 23.5 – Valera underwent surgery on the hamate bone in his right hand last off-season, and not only did it delay the start of his season until May, it also took him awhile to truly heal from the injury. That injury is known to sap power and it did exactly that with only 3 homers and a .650 OPS in his first 49 games, but he looked like himself the rest of the way with 8 homers and a .897 OPS in his final 30 games. He’s a low BA, high OBP slugger on a team who needs some pop, and there is playing time to be won in that OF. I would buy his dip in value, and you could probably get him for almost nothing in most leagues right now. 2024 Projection: 42/13/46/.231/.318/.437/2 Prime Projection: 85/29/85/.248/.339/.484/5

137) Justyn-Henry Malloy DET, 3B/OF, 24.1 – Malloy was patiently waiting his turn all season at Triple-A, but his turn never came despite hitting well all year, slashing .277/.417/.474 with 23 homers, 5 steals, and a 24.9%/18.0% K%/BB% in 135 games at Triple-A. He has elite OBP’s, plus power, and a solid hit tool, but the thing that could be holding him back is that he isn’t a good defensive player. Detroit is a team on the rise, and there really isn’t a clear spot for him, which makes me worry he will be in a dog fight for playing time without much of a leash. Defense doesn’t matter for fantasy … until it does. 2024 Projection: 33/9/31/.243/.322/.427/2 Prime Projection: 78/24/76/.258/.341/.450/4

138) Ty Madden DET, RHP, 24.1 – Some players just never become darlings of the prospect world, both mainstream and underground dynasty, for whatever reason, despite having a ton to like about them, Madden has the size, stuff, strikeout upside, production, pedigree and proximity to be a hyped up pitching prospect, but he remains an afterthought on most rankings. He’s built like a horse at 6’3”, 215 pounds with a mid 90’s fastball and 3 legit secondaries in his slider, curve and changeup. It resulted in a 3.43 ERA with a 29.7%/10.2% K%/BB% in 118 IP at Double-A. He’s a perfect low key target for any league size for both win now and win later teams. 2024 Projection: 4/4.28/1.34/88 in 90 IP Prime Projection: 11/3.87/1.26/180 in 170 IP

139) Andy Pages LAD, OF, 23.4 – Out of sight, out of mind rules the prospect world, but Pages has the skills and opportunity to fight that instinct. He tore his labrum on a swing in mid May and missed the rest of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery. He was in the midst of having another excellent season (all he’s done in his career is have excellent seasons) with a 144 wRC+ in 33 games at Double-A. He has plus power with extremely low groundball rates (23.8%), and he combines that with a plus plate approach (22.5%/17.6% K%/BB%). He has some hit tool risk, especially with the extreme launch, but his strikeout rates have generally stayed out of the danger zone over his career. The Dodgers also don’t have much close to the majors OF depth with Outman, Jason Heyward, Chris Taylor, and Manuel Margot currently penciled into their OF slots. Pages can definitively kick the door down in 2024 assuming he returns to full health. 2024 Projection: 18/6/22/.223/.307/.431/2 Prime Projection: 78/27/82/.241/.335/.462/8

140) Moises Ballesteros CHC, C, 20.4 – Here is what I wrote about Bellesteros, in part, on my 2023 Top 1,000, “Most of the 2022 catcher breakouts are getting the full hype treatment, but Ballesteros is just chillin in corner waiting to get his fair due … The other catcher breakouts overshadowing Ballesteros’ impressive season creates a buying opportunity, making him one of my top prospect catcher targets for 2023.” … I would call Ballesteros’ great 2023 season a breakout, but he already broke out in 2022, so all the hype on him this year is just other people starting to notice. He destroyed the age appropriate Single-A with a 142 wRC+ and then went to High-A and put up a 128 wRC+. He did it on the back of a plus plate approach (15.8%/12.8% K%/BB%) and above average power (14 homers). The profile might be a tad better for real life than fantasy, and he’s starting to get valued correctly, but I’m still on Ballesteros at his fair value. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 69/22/73/.271/.342/.440/2

141) Justin Crawford PHI, OF, 20.3 – Saying Crawford has an extreme groundball problem is understating it. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a legitimate prospect have such high groundball rates. He put up a 68.5% GB% in 69 games at Single-A and a 74.5% GB% in 18 games at High-A. He’s a skinny, slap hitting speedster right now with 47 steals, 3 homers and a .332 BA in 87 games, and while that profile can thrive against lower minors defenders, it’s not going to work nearly as well as the competition improves. The good thing is, his power will most definitely improve naturally as he gets stronger, and he has the type of profile that can still thrive with higher groundball rates. The odds of him really hitting his hopeful power ceiling from his draft year are pretty low at this point, but he’s still on pace to be a high BA, high steal player. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 86/12/52/.274/.336/.401/44

142) Nelson Rada LAA, OF, 18.8 – Rada skipped right over complex ball to make his stateside debut at Single-A, and he wasn’t rattled with a 113 wRC+ and 18.1%/13.5% K%/BB% in 115 games. As a 17 year old, that is very impressive. He combines the mature plate approach with plus speed that he used to rack up 55 steals, but he doesn’t have much power (2 homers), and he doesn’t really project to have a ton of power down the line either. He had a 63.7% GB%, and he’s already relatively filled out at 5’10”. Obviously the power is only going to tick up from here, so how much he’s able to get to will determine his upside, but he set a very nice floor for himself. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 82/12/51/.273/.348/.398/27

143) Jaison Chourio CLE, OF, 18.10 – The power didn’t tick up this year with only 1 homer and a 54.1% GB% in 48 games (1 homer in 40 games in 2022), but everything that made us so excited about Chourio as a potential breakout last off-season is still present this off-season. He slashed .349/.476/.463 with 19 steals and a 19.6%/20.1% K%/BB% in 39 games in rookie ball. It was good for a 147 wRC+. We’ve seen his raw power on display in batting practices, he has a good frame at 6’1”, 162 pounds, and he’s a Chourio for crying out loud. I have little doubt that he will grow into more power and learn how to lift the ball more, and when he does, it will combine with his other skills to become a hyped through the roof prospect. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 87/17/69/.276/.352/.425/26

144) Cristhian Vaquero WAS, OF, 19.7 – If Vaquero was hitting for even modest power, his hype would be the through the roof, but he’s hit only 3 homers in 113 career games (2 homers in 58 games in 2023). Everything else is there with a 20.1%/15.8% K%/BB% and 22 steals split between rookie ball (118 wRC+ in 42 games) and Single-A (83 wRC+ in 16 games), so considering he certainly has the frame to add power in the future at a projectable and athletic 6’3”, 180 pounds, he makes for a very fairly priced dynasty target at the moment. And even if he never adds big power, his profile would still play for fantasy. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 88/18/71/.266/.338/.435/27

145) Jakob Marsee SDP, OF, 22.9 – I don’t put that much stock into AFL numbers in the vast majority of cases, but Marsee’s dominance in the AFL is more about putting an exclamation point, and highlighting what a great, underhyped season he had all year. He put up a 142 wRC+ with 13 homers, 41 steals, and a 16.4%/17.4% K%/BB% in 113 games at High-A. Then he proved the skills will transfer to the upper minors, slashing .286/.412/.446 with 3 homers, 5 steals, and a 21.7%/15.9% K%/BB% in 16 games at Double-A. He’s now the star of the AFL with a 1.215 OPS, 5 homers, and 16 steals in 24 games. He was great in his pro debut in 2022 as well, and he did nothing but produce in his college career. He must thinking, “what else do I have to do to get some respect around here.” Well, seeing all the hype his AFL performance has gotten him, I think he is about the get the respect he deserves this off-season. 2024 Projection: 31/5/26/.248/.313/.386/9 Prime Projection: 83/16/62/.273/.341/.416/26

146) Lonnie White PIT, OF, 21.3 – There have been more sightings of the Yeti than there have been of Lonnie White over the past couple of years, but he finally got extending playing time in the 2nd half of 2023, and the tantalizing talent was on full display. He slashed .259/.395/.488 with 8 homers, 12 steals, and a 28%/16% K%/BB% in 44 games at Single-A. He’s 6’3”, 212 pounds and could have gone to Penn State as a WR, so that tells you the type of elite athlete we are talking about. He has contact issues and he was old for Single-A, so the risk is high, but we’ve now the seen the upside for the first time, and it’s mouth watering. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 76/23/74/.233/.316/.438/24

147) Gabriel Gonzalez MIN, OF, 20.3 – Gonzalez’ numbers dropped off majorly when he got promoted to High-A. He put up a 149 wRC+ with a 13.7% K% in 73 games at Single-A vs. a 21.5% K% and 83 wRC+ in 43 games at High-A. Single-A was his age appropriate level, but it’s not a great sign that more advanced pitchers were able to exploit his extremely aggressive plate approach (6.5% BB%). He’s not a toolsy guy or imposing figure at 5’10” with below average speed, and his groundball rates have been on the high side at 53.4% at High-A. He does hit the ball hard with more power likely coming (18 homers in 2023), and he does have an excellent feel to hit, but it’s a profile that is lacking upside right now. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 73/20/81/.271/.326/.442/8

148) Ralphy Velazquez CLE, C, 18.10 – Selected 23rd overall, Velazquez is not a good defensive catcher, which tells you how much Cleveland loves his bat picking him this high. He rewarded their faith immediately with 2 homers and a 5/3 K/BB in 6 games in rookie ball. He’s a 6’3”, 215 pound bruiser with a smooth lefty swing that is geared for both power and average. He’s also young for his draft class as he’ll still be 18 years old at the start of 2024. I’m extremely high on him, and he strikes me as the Xavier Isaac of this draft class, who I was also high on. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 82/28/91/.267/.342/.491/3

149) Brayden Taylor TBR, 3B, 21.10 – Selected 19th overall, Taylor’s power took a jump this year with a career high 23 homers in 67 games in the Big 12. He’s not a huge raw power guy, but he hits the ball in the air and he knows how to barrel a baseball. Adding more power was the final step, because he’s an excellent all around hitter with an advanced plate approach. He has a career 146/158 K/BB with a 1.038 OPS in 184 Big 12 games. He’s not a particularly great athlete and he doesn’t have big speed, but he still stole 39 bases in 40 career attempts, so there certainly seems to be some stolen base skills here too. As for his pro debut, the 32.3% K% in 22 games at Single-A is a little scary, considering like I mentioned, he’s not some beastly athlete. On the flip side, he had 5 homers, 9 steals, a 141 wRC+, and is in one of the best organizations in baseball. One the flip side of the flip side, dealing with Tampa’s never ending logjam can be exhausting. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 81/23/76/.250/.335/.441/16

150) Tai Peete SEA, SS/3B, 18.7 – Selected 30th overall, Peete’s upside is considerable at a projectable 6’3”, 190 pounds with at least plus power potential and above average speed. He has a quick and vicious lefty swing with offensive potential written all over it, but the hit tool and plate approach are still on the raw side. He showed off both the upside and downside in his pro debut. The strikeout rates were on the high side with a 26.2% K% in 10 games in rookie ball and a 28.4% K% in 14 games at Single-A, but the huge talent was shining through with a 125 wRC+ in rookie, and 2 homers with 3 steals at Single-A. He’s also one of the youngest players in the class and won’t turn 19 years old until mid-August. He has a chance to be a truly special player. Don’t underrate him. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 79/26/86/.248/.326/.464/12

151) Dillon Head SDP, OF, 19.6 – Selected 25th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Head is the discount Max Clark. He has double plus speed with a good feel to hit and developing power from the left side. He’s an elite athlete at 5’11”, 180 pounds with room to tack on more muscle, and he’s hit some beastly pull side homers which flashes more power coming in the future. He also handled his business in pro ball, slashing .294/.413/.471 with 1 homer, 3 steals, and a 14.3%/17.5% K%/BB% in 14 games at rookie ball. He didn’t hit as well at Single-A with a 78 wRC+ in 13 games, but the 16.4% K% shows the skills are going to transfer in the future. If we’re debating Clark vs. Head by this time next year I wouldn’t be completely shocked. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 86/15/57/.274/.338/.428/27

152) Miguel Bleis BOS, OF, 20.1 – Bleis was the anti-Junior Caminero in 2023. Everyone wants to know which prospects can blow up from outside Top 50’s into elite prospect range, and Bleis and Caminero were both popular picks to do that this year. Caminero obviously fulfilled that elite prospect destiny, while Bleis completely imploded in on himself. He struggled hard at Single-A with 1 homer, 11 steals, a 26.8%/7.0% K%/BB%, and 71 wRC+ in 31 games, and then his season ended on May 30th with a shoulder injury that required surgery. The superstar traits are still there with a lightning quick swing, projectable power, and plus speed, but he didn’t seem all that close to putting it together in 2023, and the shoulder injury adds further risk. He’s not an overtly imposing presence at a skinny 6 feet, so he needs to tack on more muscle to reach his power potential, and the plate approach is below average. He can still obviously reach his elite prospect potential, but every year he doesn’t do it, the odds of it happening get a little lower. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection:  75/22/77/.255/.322/.438/24

153) Walker Martin SFG, SS, 20.1 – Selected 52nd overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Martin only slipped that far because of signing bonus demands, and he has the talent to back up his demands. He’s a pretty solid 6’2”, 188 pounds with room to add more muscle. He was also a star quarterback in high school to give you an idea of the type of all around athleticism we are talking here. He has plus power potential at peak with above average speed and a good feel to hit from a smooth lefty swing. He checks a ton of boxes. He’s not a completely finished product, and the biggest red flag might be that he will be 20 years old already on Opening Day 2024, which is a year older for his class. 19 year old high school kids aren’t my favorite group to buy from, but every player has to be evaluated on his own merits, and Martin has the type of skills and upside to overlook the age. He’s the Colson Montgomery of this year’s draft. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 78/25/83/.266/.337/.467/14

154) Aidan Miller PHI, SS, 19.10 – Selected 27th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, like Martin above, Miller was drafted as a 19 year old high school bat. It’s one of the major reasons I stayed away from Blake Rutherford in 2017 FYPD’s when he was getting lots of hype, but on the other hand, Colson Montgomery was also an older high school bat and he’s doing just fine. It’s a case by case basis, and Miller has the talent to ignore the age. He has one of the top hit/power combos in the high school class. He’s 6’2”, 205 pounds with a lightning quick and powerful righty swing that already generates big exit velocities. He combines that with a mature plate approach, good feel to hit, and a history of performance. He was far too advanced for rookie ball with a 179 wRC+ in 10 games, but he slowed down considerably at the more age appropriate Single-A with a 86 wRC+ in 10 games. He also hit 0 homers in 20 games, although he hit a monster shot in the Single-A playoffs, so I’m not too concerned with his ultimate power. He’s not really a target for me specifically, but the talent is pretty obvious, so I have no issues with being much higher on him. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 82/25/86/.269/.342/.468/7

155) Carson Whisenhunt SFG, LHP, 23.6 – Whisenhunt’s season ended on July 22nd with an elbow strain, and while all indications are that he should be good to go by Spring, it’s hard to be sure he’s completely passed the injury until he truly ramps up for the season. It adds a healthy does of risk to an otherwise very solid and enticing profile. He’s a 6’3”, 210 pound lefty with a clean and traditional delivery that has mid rotation MLB starter written all over it, especially in the pitcher’s paradise of SF. The money maker is a double plus changeup which racks up whiffs, and he combines that with an average curve and average mid 90’s fastball. The stuff completely overwhelmed lower minors hitters with a 56/12 K/BB in 39 IP, and while he wasn’t quite as good at Double-A, he was still good with a 3.20 ERA and 32.1%/13.1% K%/BB% in 19.2 IP. If not for the injury, I would say definitely go after this guy, but with the injury, I might be more comfortable letting him fall into my lap. 2024 Projection: 4/4.21/1.32/79 in 80 IP Prime Projection: 11/3.83/1.26/167 in 160 IP

156) Robert Gasser MIL, LHP, 24.10 – Gasser just doesn’t have the stuff to get too excited about him. His fastball sat 92.2 MPH and none of his 5 pitches notched more than a 29.2% whiff% at Triple-A. He’s really more of a junk balling lefty type that likely has #4 starter upside. The most attractive thing about him is his proximity to the bigs, and he’s also put up high strikeout rates throughout his minor league career (28% in 135.1 IP this year), so it’s not like there is nothing of value here, but this is more of a medium to deeper league play for me. 2024 Projection: 8/4.38/1.36/126 in 130 IP Prime Projection: 9/4.13/1.32/158 in 155 IP

157) Sal Stewart CIN, 3B, 20.4 – Stewart is proving to have an elite plate approach with a 15.2%/17.1% K%/BB% in 88 games at Single-A (128 wRC+), which he followed up with a 13.7%/13.7% K%/BB% in 29 games at High-A (127 wRC+). And he’s not the type of plus approach guy who doesn’t have much else to offer, Stewart is an excellent athlete at 6’3”, 215 pounds. He hit only 12 homers in 117 total games, but he hit the ball fairly hard, the raw power is only going up from here, and he didn’t have any major groundball issues. He also stole 15 bags, which shows his speed might be getting underrated. The biggest problem is his defense, and in a jam packed organization like Cincinnati, that could become an issue down the road. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 82/25/88/.274/.351/.473/8

158) Bubba Chandler PIT, RHP, 21.6 – Chandler’s stats don’t really jump out with a 4.75 ERA and 25.6%/10.9% K%/BB% in 106 IP at High-A, but his talent most certainly jumps out. He throws a mid to upper 90’s fastball with a plus slider and potentially plus changeup. You just have to watch how he closed out the season at Double-A, going 5 IP with 1 hit, 0 ER, and a 8/0 K/BB. He’s a solid rock at 6’2”, and this was his first year as a fulltime pitcher. It sure looks like he has ace upside watching him, but his performance will have to match the talent over an extended time period before I can really start ranking him like that. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 10/3.93/1.31/170 in 160 IP

159) Luke Adams MIL, 3B, 19.11 – Adams was one of my top late round FYPD targets from last year, and he hit in a major way with a 135 wRC+, 11 homers, 30 steals, and  22.5%/17.3% K%/BB% in 99 games at Single-A. He’s 6’4”, 210 pounds with one of the most fun swings in the game that features both a leg kick and a bat wiggle. It’s the type of swing that you would try out playing whiffle ball as a kid. The stolen base totals might be deceiving because he’s far from a burner, but stolen bases aren’t only about pure speed, so I wouldn’t completely dismiss them. Combine that with a plus plate approach and potentially plus power, and we have one exciting, considerably underrated prospect on our hands. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 77/22/74/.253/.337/.449/14

160) Ricardo Cabrera CIN, SS/3B, 19.5 – Here’s how I closed out Cabrera’s Top 1,000 blurb last off-season, ranking him 985th overall, “I don’t think it’s a good idea to give too long of a leash on hyped international prospects who struggle their first year or two in pro ball, but I also don’t want to pull the rip cord too early. Gotta give them at least a year to get acclimated.” That proved wise with Cabrera as he followed up a mediocre pro debut in the DSL in 2022 with a full scale breakout in 2023. He slashed .350/.469/.559 with 5 homers, 21 steals, and a 20%/12% K%/BB% in 39 games at stateside rookie, and then he went to full season ball and put up a 159 wRC+ in 5 games. He has a good feel to hit, a strong plate approach, and a potentially above average power/speed combo. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 81/20/77/.267/.330/.441/18

161) Carlos Jorge CIN, 2B, 20.6 – Jorge is a small guy at 5’10”, 160 pounds and he doesn’t hit the ball all that hard with low EV’s and hard hit rates. It makes me a little hesitant to rank him too highly, but he’s the type to get the most out his raw power through quality of contact. He pulled the ball over 50% of the time and he doesn’t have any groundball issues. He’s a destroyer of levels with a 173 wRC+ in 2021 in the DSL, a 151 wRC+ in stateside rookie in 2022, and a 140 wRC+ at Single-A in 2023 (he struggled at High-A to close out the year with a 86 wRC+). What you are really buying here is the very mature plate approach (19.7%/13.2% K%/BB%) and plus speed (31 steals). If the raw power meaningfully ticks up in the future, he will be a fantasy beast, and even if it doesn’t, he has the skillset to make a fantasy impact. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 83/15/61/.263/.337/.421/26

162) Hector Rodriguez CIN, OF, 20.1 – Rodriguez looks like such a natural and easy hitter at the dish. He has a calm setup before exploding with a pretty nasty lefty swing. He’s done nothing but produce in pro ball, and that continued in 2023, slashing .293/.347/.510 with 16 homers, 18 steals, and an 18.9%/6.1% K%/BB% in 101 games at Single-A before slowing down at High-A (88 wRC+ in 14 games). The problem is that he is a small guy at 5’8” who doesn’t have a ton of raw power. He also doesn’t walk a ton. Projecting that out on the MLB level, it could end up looking like a bottom of the order contact/speed play, but maybe that is just the small man bias kicking in. If he was taller, his hype would be a lot louder right now. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 78/16/69/.273/.328/.427/23

163) David Festa MIN, RHP, 24.1 – Festa is a long legged 6’6” 185 pounds with a relatively athletic righty delivery considering his size and build. He’ll likely never be a plus control guy, but a 9.6% BB% in 80 IP at Double-A isn’t too bad, and while that exploded to 16.7% in 12.1 IP at Triple-A, I would take it with a grain of salt considering the automated strike zone. The selling point is his truly plus stuff. He throws a mid 90’s fastball to go along with two legit secondaries in his changeup and slider. All three pitches have plus potential and get whiffs. It resulted in a 30.4% K% with a 4.39 ERA at Double-A. If the control remains below average, a high K, high WHIP mid-rotation starter is a reasonable outcome, but if he can get the control to at least average, there is #2 fantasy upside in here. 2024 Projection: 3/4.29/1.36/72 in 70 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.86/1.31/168 in 155 IP

164) Eduardo Quintero LAD, OF, 18.7 – Quintero was one of the top DSL breakouts, and is arguably THE top DSL breakout with a 180 wRC+ that led all qualified age appropriate 17 year olds. He slashed .359/.472/.618 with 5 homers, 22 steals, and a 16%/15.1% K%/BB% in 49 games. He doesn’t have De Paula or Vargas’ obvious projectable size, but he’s not small at 6’0”, 175 pounds, and he’s an electric athlete with plus speed and at least above average power potential. DSL stats have to be taken with some level of restraint, so when I truly stick my neck out for a DSL breakout, they optimally have that prototypical size and pedigree, but if you aren’t as concerned with that, Quintero has a real case to be valued equally to, or even higher than Vargas. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 83/20/77/.265/.336/.448/22

165) Brando Mayea NYY, OF, 18.7 – Signed for $4.35 million in 2023 international class, Mayea didn’t have nearly as loud of a season that Salas, Walcott or even Joendry Vargas had, but he still backed up the big signing bonus, slashing .276/.382/.400 with 3 homers, 22 steals, and a 15.9%/12.9% K%/BB% in 38 games in the DSL. Everything that landed him that big bonus is still present with a good feel to hit, double plus speed, and an athletic, quick and powerful righty swing. The ball jumps off his bat. He needs to raise his launch with a 58% GB%, and he’s not a not a huge guy at 5’11”, but even if the game power only gets to average, he could still end up a dangerous fantasy profile.  ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 88/20/81/.275/.345/.440/36

166) Zach Dezenzo HOU, 3B, 23.11 – Dezenzo is a big dude at 6’4”, 220 pounds with big raw power, and his hit tool took a big jump forward in 2023. He struggled with high strikeout rates his entire college career and in his pro debut last year, but he brought his K% all the way down to 20.3% in 31 games at High-A, and it resulted in an offensive explosion with a 195 wRC+. He couldn’t maintain the gains at Double-A with a 28.5% K% in 63 games, which is concerning, but he started lifting the ball a lot more, which allowed his power to shine with 14 homers and a 114 wRC+. He’s not a burner and he’s never stolen bases before this year, so I wouldn’t fully trust the 22 steals, but it definitely adds another layer of upside to his game. I like him, but I wouldn’t really say he is a target of mine as he’s a bit on the old side with hit tool issues and limited defensive value. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 68/23/75/.244/.318/.452/9

167) Elijah Green WAS, OF, 20.4 – I’ve coined myself the Autobahn of dynasty baseball in the past, because I’m willing to throw caution to the wind, but even I have the urge to throw a seatbelt on and slow down when it comes to Green’s 41.9% K% in 75 games at Single-A. It didn’t even come with a ton of game power with only 4 homers and a 26.7% FB%. The fact he even ranks this high shows the type of elite talent we are talking about though. He’s a yoked 6’3”, 225 pounds with double plus raw power and speed (he stole 30 bags). As we just saw with Brady House, you don’t want to write off elite draft prospects at the first sign of struggles, but extreme strikeout rate struggles are really in their own category. He needs to make major improvements to even get to below average. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 72/23/77/.234/.316/.468/24

168) Kristian Robinson ARI, OF, 23.4 – Robinson was finally able to resume his career after not playing since 2019, and he picked up right where he left off, both in a good way and a bad way. He smacked 14 homers with 23 steals and a .915 OPS in 65 games spread across 4 levels (rookie, Single-A, High-A, Double-A), but it came with a 31.6% K% which jumped to 41.2% in 5 games at Double-A. It’s also worth mentioning his groundball rates were well over 50%. You can give him a pass on the extreme K rates because he missed all of that development time, but you can’t get that development time back, and high strikeout rates were an issue for him to begin with. He kept himself in great shape and is still an elite athlete, so the hope is that he just ends up 2-3 years behind schedule, but the there is very real risk the hit tool ends up tanking him. For fantasy especially, he’s worth the upside shot, but there is a lot of work left to be done. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 72/24/77/.228/.315/.449/22

169) Rayner Arias SFG, OF, 17.11 – Arias played in only 16 games in the DSL due to a sprained wrist that he suffered while attempting to make a diving catch, but damn were those 16 games impressive. He slashed .414/.539/.793 with 4 homers, 4 steals, and a 14.5%/19.7% K%/BB%. He cracked my Top 1,000 last year at #993 on the back of plus bloodlines, a mature plate approach, and power potential with a big righty swing, so his DSL success shouldn’t come as a surprise. Many other DSL prospects got off to flaming hot starts too who ended up cooling off by the end of the year, but Arias dipped out of the season before giving his numbers a chance to regress. I would caution against putting too much weight on the ridiculous numbers, but Arias is no doubt an extremely exciting prospect. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 86/24/84/.268/.341/.458/9

170) Yophery Rodriguez MIL, OF, 18.4 – There is nothing dynasty players love more than the guy who goes from being on zero Top 100 lists, to hyped to death status in the blink of an eye, and Rodriguez is on the short list to potentially be that guy. He slashed .253/.393/.449 with 6 homers, 12 steals, and a 17.9%/18.3% K%/BB% in 52 games in the DSL. It was good for a 125 wRC+. He has the tools to back it up with a quick and powerful lefty swing that oozes potential. He also has the pedigree with a $1.5 million signing bonus. His prospect status is going to take a major jump in 2024. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 81/24/81/.266/.344/.463/14

171) Paulino Santana TEX, OF, 17.5 – Santana is the top international OF prospect, and when you watch his swing, you get it immediately. He has a blink of an eye righty swing that is absolutely electric. He combines that with a supremely athletic and projectable 6’2”, 180 pound frame. He has at least plus potential across the board. Texas just did a masterful job on the getting the hype machine overflowing with Sebastian Walcott (Santana isn’t as athletic as the truly insanely athletic Walcott), and they’re about to do the same with Santana. He’s the type of talent to stick your neck out for in first year player drafts. ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 89/26/94/.270/.340/.477/23

172) Jacob Wilson OAK, SS, 22.0 – Selected 6th overall, Wilson has one of the safest profiles in the draft. He’s a plus defensive SS with baseball bloodlines and truly elite bat to ball skills. He had a ridiculous 5/19 K/BB and .412 BA in 49 games in the WAC, and then he went to High-A and put up a 10.1% K% with a .318 BA. The power is minimal with only 6 homers this year in college and 1 homer in 26 pro games, but he’s a projectable 6’3”, 190 pounds, so Oakland is clearly betting on more power coming down the line. He’s not a burner, but he does like to run a bit with 12 steals in 14 attempts in 75 combined games. It’s not a very fantasy friendly profile as even with power gains he doesn’t expect to ever be a big home run hitter. It’s just not the profile I love going after, but in very deep leagues, I can see giving him a bump, and he should be up with Oakland in no time. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 84/14/59/.288/.347/.407/15

173) Arjun Nimmala TOR, SS, 18.6 –  Selected 20th overall, Nimmala is one of the youngest players in the class by far, and he’s already showing some of the best power potential with a recorded 103 MPH EV at a Perfect Game Event, which is elite for his age range. He has all the trademarks of being an elite power bat with a projectable 6’1”, 170 pound frame, to go along with a viciously quick and athletic righty swing. He also recorded a 6.54 60 yard dash time which is firmly above average. The hit tool still needs refinement which adds risk, but his age gives him a little extra breathing room there, and the upside is tantalizing. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 76/26/84/.248/.327/.469/12

174) George Lombard NYY, SS, 18.10 – Selected 26th overall, Lombard has baseball bloodlines with his father playing 6 years in the big leagues, and like most plus bloodlines kids, his game is mature beyond his years. He stepped right into pro ball and put up a 202 wRC+ with a 2/5 K/BB in 4 games at rookie ball, and then he closed the year out at Single-A with a 114 wRC+ and 10/8 K/BB in 9 games. He combines the high baseball IQ with plus athleticism at 6’3”, 190 pounds, and has the potential for an at least above average power/speed combo at peak. This is a really nice blend of safety and upside. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 83/22/77/.268/.341/.450/16

175) Jonny Farmelo SEA, OF, 19.7 – Selected 29th overall, the lefty Farmelo is 6’2”, 200 pounds with double plus speed, a good feel to hit and below average power. He’s already pretty built up, and while there is clearly still room for more muscle at only 19 years old, his swing is geared more towards line drives. That’s not necessarily a bad thing as he’s a true speedster, and he knows how to get the bat on the ball. He has a very nice blend of safety and ceiling. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 79/16/68/.266/.329/.427/23

176) Jun-seok Shim PIT, RHP, 20.0 – Shim has the size and stuff to be a major riser on rankings in 2024, but he’s pitched only 8 innings in his pro career, so he’s still mostly a mystery. I liked him a lot in first year player drafts last year because he has an innings eater build at 6’4”, 215 pounds, and he has the big fastball befitting of his stature with mid to upper 90’s heat. He has good control over his entire 4 pitch arsenal, with a big curveball as his best secondary. In those 8 innings, he put up a 3.38 ERA with a 43.3%/10% K%/BB% at stateside rookie ball. I really like him as a super cheap target. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 11/3.76/1.25/165 in 160 IP

177) Jordan Wicks CHC, LHP, 24.7 – Wicks is the type of safety over upside prospect that is more valuable in deeper leagues, but it’s not like there are no skills to get excited about. He understands the art of pitching with a 6 pitch mix, he has a legitimate plus offering in his changeup, and he keeps the ball on the ground with 3 of his pitches generating negative launch angles (sinker, cutter, curve). He had a 3.55 ERA with a 26.5%/8.6% K%/BB% in 91.1 IP split between Double-A and Triple-A, and then he held his own in the majors with a 4.41 ERA (4.18 xERA) and 16.3%/7.5% K%/BB% in 34.2 IP.  It’s likely #4 starter upside with only 92.1 MPH heat and average control, but he’s worth a spot in the back of your fantasy rotation even in shallower leagues. 2024 Projection: 9/4.22/1.31/136 in 150 IP

178) Joe Boyle OAK, RHP, 24.8 – Oakland is the land of misfit toys, and Joe “Wild Thing” Boyle is making himself at home. He’s put up insanely high walk rates every single year of his career, sitting at 17.8% in 117.1 IP split between Double-A and Triple-A in 2023. But Oakland has nothing to lose by letting his elite stuff fly in the majors and letting the chips fall where they may, and the chips fell in a perfect spot in his 16 IP MLB debut at the end of the season. He put up a 1.69 ERA with a 25%/8.3% K%/BB% over 3 outings. The fastball sat 97.8 MPH and the slider was plus with a .186 xwOBA and 32.3% whiff%. His entire career says you shouldn’t trust that MLB BB%, but Oakland seems intent on unleashing him, and you gotta love the upside. If the price is right, why not take a shot on him, and he has the fallback of having elite reliever potential. 2024 Projection: 5/4.43/1.44/126 in 120 IP Prime Projection: 4/3.43/1.24/85/20 saves in 65 IP

179) Joey Loperfido HOU, OF/2B, 24.11 – Loperfido actually already broke out in 2022 with a 142 wRC+ at Single-A and 166 wRC+ at High-A, but nobody seemed to care or notice. We’re noticing him now though with him fully keeping it up at Double-A, slashing .296/.392/.548 with 19 homers, 20 steals, and a 22.2%/12.9% K%/BB% in 84 games. He most certainly has the talent to back up the production at 6’4”, 220 pounds with plus power, plus speed, and a big lefty swing. He fell off towards the end of the year at Triple-A with a 32.6% K% and 79 wRC+ in 32 games, he’s on the old side even for the upper minors, and the groundball rates are higher than optimal, but I’m mostly buying the breakout. 2024 Projection: 27/5/22/.229/.302/.412/5 Prime Projection: 73/22/76/.247/.321/.448/16

180) Cam Collier CIN, 3B, 19.4 – Collier had a very lackluster season with only 6 homers, a 53% GB%, and a .706 OPS in 111 games at Single-A. There is no doubt his value is lower today than it was last off-season, but there are enough positives to think the best is yet to come. He was very young for his draft class and was just 18 years old playing the entire season in full season ball. He hit the ball very hard, especially for his age, and he showed a strong plate approach with a 23%/12.4% K%/BB%. His 98 wRC+ was also nearly average. If he can raise his launch angle, and I would bet on him being able to do so, he can still very easily live up to hit plus hit/power profile coming out of the draft. He’s a hold. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 77/24/84/.265/.334/.468/5

181) Blake Dunn CIN, OF, 25.7 – Dunn had a bonkos statistical season, slashing .312/.425/.522 with 23 homers, 54 steals, and a 23.3%/11.1% K%/BB% in 124 games at High-A and Double-A, but there are reasons to not go all in. He’s already 25 years old, his hard hit rates and EV are mediocre, and good luck figuring out where he fits into Cincy’s stacked organization. He might be in his late 20’s by the time he hits his full stride in the majors and has a full time job open up. He has the speed to make a fantasy impact if he does get playing time, and the hit tool is solid, so I certainly see the upside, but he’s not really a target for me. 2024 Projection: 18/3/15/.246/.310/.402/6 Prime Projection: 69/16/66/.261/.327/.423/26

182) Denzel Clarke OAK, OF, 23.11 – Lawrence and Clarke both came into 2023 as tooled up prospects with major hit tool issues, and while Butler was able to take a monster step forward, Clarke remains a tooled up prospect with major hit tool issues. He went Double-A and slashed .261/.381/.496 with 12 homers, 11 steals, and a 29.7%/12.9% K%/BB% in 64 games. He hits the ball very hard at 6’5”, 220 pounds and he has some speed too, but the hit tool can tank him. Oakland is a perfect organization to take a shot on guy like him though. 2024 Projection: 17/6/22/.214/.292/.418/3 Prime Projection: 69/27/78/.229/.316/.452/13

183) Edwin Arroyo CIN, SS, 20.7 – Arroyo got off to a cold start in April and May, be he turned it on in June and never looked back, slashing .281/.360/.480 with 9 homers, 25 steals, and a 20.1%/10.1% K%/BB% in his final 89 games. 4 of those games came at Double-A where he put up a 153 wRC+, albeit with a 30%/5% K%/BB%. He’s a switch hitter who hits well from both sides of the plate, he has plus speed, and at 6’0”, 175 pounds, there is definitely room for him to add more power. I’m not sure I see a star when I watch him, but he’s still quite young, and I wouldn’t completely rule that out as a possibility at this point. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 79/18/74/.253/.320/.428/25 Update: Underwent season ending shoulder surgery

184) Keiner Delgado NYY, 2B/SS, 20.3 – Delgado backed up his 2022 breakout in the DSL with all of his skills transferring stateside in 2023, slashing .293/.414/.485 with 8 homers, 36 steals, and a 13%/15.1% K%/BB% in 49 games. Proving it stateside is one box checked off, but he was still one year older than optimal for the level, and he is still a small guy at only 5’7”. It wouldn’t be all that surprising if he ended up a utility infielder, but he’s a legitimately electric player who I think can overcome his small stature. If he can keep up the production at a more age appropriate level, he will be an easy Top 100 prospect. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 83/16/62/.273/.343/.428/26

185) Edgar Quero CHW, C, 21.0 – Quero is a relatively boring fantasy prospect. He has a plus plate approach (16.7%/15.8% K%/BB%), strong age to level production (106 wRC+ as a 20 year old at Double-A), and above average raw power, but he hit only 6 homers in 101 games due to a 50% GB%. He’s also not a great defensive catcher, so it is no guarantee that his glove locks him down a full time catching job. Chicago’s catcher of the future job (and catcher of the present job) is wide open at the moment, so Quero might not have to even be that great to take ahold of the job in the near future. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 66/17/65/.267/.340/.432/5

186) Jackson Ferris LAD, LHP, 20.3 – Ferris is a big, slinging lefty at 6’4”, 195 pound lefty with a plus mid 90’s fastball that absolutely explodes out of his hand. He combines the heat with a two potentially plus breakers (slider, curve), and a lesser used, developing changeup. He dominated Single-A hitters with a 3.38 ERA and 32.5% K% in 56 IP, and while he did it in mostly short outings, he was up to 5 IP a couple times towards the end of the season. Along with staying healthy and building up innings, the biggest issue will be his control. He had a 13.9% BB% and he doesn’t exactly have the most repeatable delivery. There is elite pitching prospect upside with control gains and continued refinement, but there is also bullpen risk. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 11/3.77/1.32/185 in 160 IP

187) Jack Leiter TEX, RHP, 23.11 – Leiter followed up a disaster pro debut in 2022 with a slightly better, but still bad season in 2023. He put up a 5.19 ERA with a 30.7%/13.2% K%/BB% in 85 IP at mostly Double-A. The talent that made him the 2nd pick in the 2021 Draft is still there with an athletic delivery, an electric mid 90’s fastball, and a plus slider. Striking out over 30% of batters in the upper minors is impressive, and after Texas put him on the developmental list for almost 2 months in July-August for mechanical tweaks, he came back with better control, putting up a 29/6 K/BB in his final 19.2 IP. I’m inclined to keep betting on the talent and bloodlines here, although I think a high K mid rotation starter is a more reasonable ceiling right now. 2024 Projection: 2/4.38/1.39/31 in 30 IP Prime Projection:  10/3.95/1.32/179 in 165 IP

188) Brock Porter TEX, RHP, 20.10 – Porter pitched almost exactly to my scouting report of him coming out of the draft. The delivery still doesn’t look particularly great to me and his control/command is scattershot with a 14.3% BB% in 69.1 IP at Single-A, but the stuff is filthy with 3 potentially plus pitches. The fastball sits mid 90’s, the changeup is a nasty dive bombing pitch, and the breaking ball is potentially plus but still needs refinement. It led to a 2.47 ERA with a 32.4% K%. There is rawness all around in his game, but it was a successful pro debut in 2023, and there should only be further improvements from here. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 10/3.86/1.30/183 in 165 IP

189) Thomas White MIA, LHP, 19.6 – Selected 35th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, White is a big lefty with big stuff who is really easy to dream on. He’s 6’5”, 210 pounds with a mid 90’s fastball and two potentially plus secondaries in his curve and change that he fires from an almost sidearm lefty delivery. The delivery is very easy and repeatable. He doesn’t have pinpoint command, and he walked 6 batters in his 4.1 IP pro debut, so it’s possible control will be an issue early in his career. He has legitimate top of the rotation upside, but he obviously still has a lot to prove. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 12/3.79/1.28/190 in 170 IP

190) Hyun-Seok Jang LAD, RHP, 20.0 – When the Dodgers aggressively go after somebody (they made a trade for international moola right before signing Jang), you take notice, and you also jump aboard knowing how good they are at development. The 6’4”, 200 pound Jang was expected to be the #1 overall pick in the Korea League Draft before signing with LA, and after watching every video I could find of him, it’s very easy to see why. His stuff is genuinely explosive with a plus to double plus 4 pitch mix. He throws a mid 90’s fastball that rockets out of his hand, a knee buckling curve that looks like it could be double plus, a plus slider, and a potentially plus change. He is also way mature beyond his years on the mound with an athletic delivery and good control. I think he has legit ace upside and isn’t going to be ranked even close to where he deserves to be. Go after Jang hard in first year player drafts, and I’m tempted to go even higher on him, but you likely won’t have to reach too far to grab him in your drafts  based on his current hype. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 13/3.56/1.18/185 in 170 IP

191) Prelander Berroa CHW, Closer Committee, 24.0 – Berroa was unsurprisingly moved to the bullpen in 2023, which is exactly where he belongs with an upper 90’s fastball, double plus slider, and below average control. He dominated Double-A with a 2.89 ERA and 36.6%/14.1% K%/BB% in 65.1 IP, and then he closed out his season in the majors, throwing a perfect inning with 2 K’s. Chicago’s closer job is open, but he has a lot of competition, both for this year and in the future. 2024 Projection: 3/3.58/1.27/70 in 55 IP Prime Projection: 4/3.20/1.15/85 in 65 IP

192) Kyle Hurt LAD, RHP, 25.10 – All signs point towards LA deploying Hurt as a multi inning bullpen weapon in the near future. He reached 5 IP in only 4 of 26 upper minors outings, and he was already 25 years old for most of the 2023 season. His 92 IP this year was a career high. The profile also plays in shorter outings with below average control (11.3% BB%) of two plus to double plus pitches in his 95.5 MPH 4-seamer and 87.1 MPH changeup. It led to an insane 39.2% K%. He throws a decent slider and curve, so it’s not impossible for him to end up a starter, but neither misses a ton of bats. In shallower leagues, his likely middle innings role could make it hard to roster him, but in medium to deeper leagues, he’s good enough to make a real impact out of the bullpen, and he can certainly end up in the rotation if injuries open up a spot for him. 2024 Projection: 5/3.78/1.30/99 in 85 IP Prime Projection: 8/3.55/1.26/150 in 130 IP

193) Blade Tidwell NYM, RHP, 22.10 – The 6’4”, 207 pound Tidwell is a high upside pitcher with both control risk and reliever risk. He throws an electric fastball/slider combo with the fastball sitting mid to upper 90’s and the slider racking up whiffs. It led to a 3.09 ERA with a 33% K% in 81.2 IP at High-A and a 4.72 ERA with a 27.7% K% in 34.1 IP at Double-A. The problem is that his control is in the danger zone with a 12.9% BB%, and the changeup needs to develop into a legitimate 3rd pitch. You want to aim for upside in fantasy, which is why I like Tidwell at his current value, but he can very easily end up in the pen. 2024 Projection: 2/4.32/1.36/39 in 35 IP Prime Projection: 9/3.94/1.32/170 in 150 IP

194) Luis Morales OAK, RHP, 21.6 – I was relatively high on Morales in the 2023 FYPD Rankings after signing for almost $3 million, and his debut didn’t disappoint with a 2.86 ERA and a 29.4%/8.3% K%/BB% in 44 IP split between the DSL, stateside rookie, Single-A and High-A. He’s 6’3”, 190 pounds with an explosive mid to upper 90’s fastball that has reportedly hit triple digits, a plus breaking ball and a hard developing changeup. His control can be spotty, but he’s far from wild, generally throwing around the plate. He still has a ton to prove in terms of maintaining his stuff over longer outings, building up his innings, facing more advanced competition, and tightening up his control and changeup, but there is legit #2 starter upside here. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 10/3.83/1.24/163 in 150 IP

195) Adam Mazur SDP, RHP, 22.11 – Mazur checks a ton of boxes. He’s a projectable 6’2”, 180 pounds with an athletic delivery, low to mid 90’s fastball, elite control, diverse pitch mix (slider, curve, changeup), and upper minors success. He put up a 2.81 ERA with a 22.8%/4.3% K%/BB% in 96 IP at High-A and Double-A. The ERA ballooned to 4.03 at Double-A, so the stuff isn’t exactly unhittable, and the curve and changeup need more refinement. He has low WHIP, mid rotation starter upside. 2024 Projection: 2/4.41/1.31/34 in 40 IP Prime Projection: 10/4.08/1.24/148 in 160 IP

196) Mason Black SFG, RHP, 24.4 – Black performed very well in the upper minors with a 3.71 ERA and 155/52 K/BB in 123.2 IP split evenly between Double-A and Triple-A. He’s a 6’3”, 230 pound bull with an almost sidearm righty delivery that he uses to throw a bowling ball 93.7 MPH plus sinker. The slider is above average, he doesn’t go to his other secondaries very often, and the control is about average, so he feels more like a #4 type starter at the moment. There are multiple avenues to reach his mid-rotation upside (control jumping to plus, velocity bumping 1-2 MPH, non slider secondaries improving), but there is no guarantee any of that happens. I really liked him during the season, and while I still do, I’m pulling back on his upside a bit. 2024 Projection: 4/4.36/1.35/76 in 80 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.87/1.28/155 in 155 IP

197) River Ryan LAD, RHP, 25.8 – Ryan’s numbers don’t exactly jump off the screen with a 3.90 ERA and 24.6%/10.3% K%/BB% in 104.1 IP at mostly Double-A, but his stuff most certainly does with a mid to upper 90’s fastball and plus slider leading the way. He also throws a curve and changeup that both have plus potential. He has a repeatable and athletic righty delivery at 6’2”, 195 pounds, and he doesn’t have a ton of experience starting, so there might be more upside in here than your typical 25 year old. A mid-rotation starter is probably his most reasonable upside projection, but he has a bit more upside than your typical “mid-rotation upside” starter. 2024 Projection: 2/4.48/1.35/54 in 60 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.95/1.28/150 in 150 IP

198) Diego Cartaya LAD, C, 22.7 – Cartaya’s hit tool issues came to the forefront at Double-A with a .189 BA and 29%/9.2% K%/BB% in 93 games. A lot of that was back luck with a .216 BABIP, but it certainly wasn’t all bad luck. He was only 21 years old in the upper minors, so I would expect improvement in the future, but the hit tool is definitely a risk. The power isn’t a risk as the 6’3”, 220 slugger smacked 19 homers with a 31.6% GB%. Cartaya didn’t have the elite fantasy catcher explosion that we were hoping for in 2023, but his big power, low BA profile remains intact. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 64/26/72/.237/.321/.462/1

199) Thayron Liranzo LAD, C, 20.9 – Liranzo was one of the top breakout catcher prospects in 2023 on the back of at least double plus power. He slashed .272/.400/.562 with 24 homers and a 26.8%/16.7% K%/BB% in 94 games at Single-A. He’s a big boy at a thick 6’3” and he hits the ball tremendously hard from both sides of the plate (he’s better as a lefty). He’s not a great defensive catcher, the hit tool is still a risk, and LA is stacked at catcher up and down their organization, but Liranzo still seems underrated and underhyped to me considering the destruction he just laid in 2023. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 68/28/81/.242/.328/.464/3

200) Trey Sweeney LAD, SS, 23.11 – The ingredients seem to be in here for a legit breakout, which is obviously part of the reason LA traded for him. Sweeney has a plus plate approach (19.1%/13.8% K%/BB%), good raw power at 6’2”, 212 pounds, low groundball rates (32.9% GB%), and while he’s not a burner, he clearly has some base stealing skills (20 steals). He’s also a decent defensive SS. It was good for a 118 wRC+ in 100 games at Double-A. He hasn’t been able to fully tap into his raw power yet with only 13 homers and a very low hard hit rate. The lack of squaring up the baseball has also led to a mediocre BA (.252 BA). He also struggled mightily vs lefties with a .560 OPS. The Dodgers organizational SS depth is surprisingly weak right now, so Sweeney immediately becomes their 2nd best long term SS option behind Gavin Lux. He might never be anything but a below average MLB hitter, but the move to LA gives him both a developmental and opportunity bump. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 68/18/62/.248/.324/.429/11

201) Dylan Beavers BAL, OF, 22.8 – Beavers has yet to show the level of power he displayed in college on the pro level with only 11 homers and a weak 22.2% Hard Hit% in 119 games split between High-A and Double-A, but everything else in his profile looks strong with a mature plate approach, solid contact rates, and speed. He slashed .288/.383/.467 with 27 steals and a 22.1%/13.3% K%/BB%. He performed even better at Double-A (150 wRC+) than he did at High-A (125 wRC+). There is definitely more raw power in the tank at 6’4”, 206 pounds, so if he can find a way to tap into it more, he could be trouble. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 78/18/72/.260/.328/.421/16

202) Hunter Goodman COL, 1B/OF, 24.6 – One of the most attractive things about Goodman was his potential catcher eligibility, but it doesn’t seem like Colorado has any intention of using him behind the plate, so he’s going to be stuck fighting it out with Elehuris Montero, Michael Toglia, and probably others for 1B/DH/CO reps. The negative defensive value is an issue, especially when he’s had a poor plate approach throughout his career with a 31.2%/6.5% K%/BB% in his 77 PA MLB debut. There is no denying his massive power with 34 homers in 106 games split between Double-A and Triple-A, but his lack of supporting skills puts him in flier territory only right now. 2024 Projection: 38/13/45/.225/.296/.432/1 Prime Projection: 55/18/67/.242/.310/.449/2

203) Connor Norby BAL, 2B/OF, 23.10 – Norby doesn’t hit the ball hard (86.6 MPH EV), he doesn’t have a particularly great plate approach (21.6%/9.0% K%/BB%), he’s not particularly fast (10 steals in 138 games), he’s not a particularly good defensive player, he’s blocked in a stacked organization, and he’s small at 5’9”. I’m not gonna lie, that is a lot of deficiencies to overcome, and I just don’t see how he could be a coveted fantasy prospect with that profile. He’s produced throughout his minor league career, and that continued last year with a 109 wRC+ at Triple-A, so I certainly think he can be a solid hitter if given the chance, but there are too many things going against him for me to value him highly. 2024 Projection: 14/3/11/.246/.312/.405/1 Prime Projection: 75/21/75/.262/.328/.436/10

204) Justin Foscue TEX, 2B/3B, 25.1 – Foscue is a safety over upside bat who is knocking on the door of the bigs, but unfortunately the bigs are knocking back because he has no where to play with Texas, and his glove isn’t good enough to force the issue even if there was a slightly better path to playing time. He showed an elite plate approach with elite contact rates at Triple-A with a 12.4%/15.1% K%/BB% in 122 games. It was good for a 113 wRC+. He also hit 18 homers with 14 steals, but he doesn’t hit the ball hard (87.3 MPH EV) and he’s not that fast, so the power/speed numbers are going to be moderate at best on the MLB level. Buying an older prospect without big upside and without a path to playing time isn’t my favorite thing to do, but the guy looks like an MLB hitter to me in some way shape or form. 2024 Projection: 15/3/12/.249/.323/.398/1 Prime Projection: 77/18/73/.268/.337/.438/6

205) Marco Raya MIN, RHP, 21.8 – Raya doesn’t strike a physical presence on the mound at a relatively thin 6’0″, but his loud stuff does the talking for him. He fires a mid 90’s fastball to go along with 2 crisp breaking balls (slider/curve), and a changeup that has good diving action. It’s potentially 3 plus pitches, and I wouldn’t completely dismiss the changeup either. He also doesn’t have any control/command issues, and that could end up plus as well. He dominated the lower minors with a 2.94 ERA and 29.5%/6.1% K%/BB% in 33.2 IP, before slowing down at Double-A with a 5.28 ERA and 20.8%/11.2% K%/BB% in 29 IP, but he found his stride by the end of the year with only 1 earned in his final 16 IP. He pitched in mainly 3-4 inning outings and has a career high of 65 IP, so he still has a lot to prove in terms of building innings and maintaining his stuff over longer outings. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection:  10/3.88/1.25/156 in 150 IP

206) Chayce McDermott BAL, RHP, 25.6 – McDermott was a favorite of mine in his FYPD class due to his size (6’3”, 197 pounds), double plus athleticism and very good stuff, and while he still exhibits all of those traits, his control never took a step forward. Even with below average control, he still managed to dominate the upper minors with a 3.10 ERA and 30.9%/13.8% K%/BB% in 119 IP at Double-A and Triple-A. He throws a diverse pitch mix (fastball, slider, curve, change) with the slider as his best secondary. If his fastball sat 95+ MPH, and/or if he wasn’t already 25 years old, I would probably overlook the major control issues completely, but it “only” sits 93-94, which is still good. He has the high K rates and the “looking the part” aspect to get excited for him, but his control issues push his upside more into the high K, mid rotation starter bucket. 2024 Projection: 2/4.34/1.38/46 in 50 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.88/1.32/170 in 160 IP

207) Will Warren NYY, RHP, 24.9 – Warren has a video game slider that is an at least plus pitch and is very easy to get excited about, but that is just about the only thing that is standout in his profile. He throws 6 pitches (4-seamer, 2-seamer, cutter, slider, change, curve) that he is still tinkering with to find the best way to deploy them. The fastball sits around 94 MPH and the control is below average. The numbers were also mediocre at Triple-A with a 3.61 ERA and 25.6%/10.9% K%/BB% in 99.2 IP. He was lights out at the end of the season with a 1.36 ERA and 45/14 K/BB in 39.2 IP, so maybe he figured something out, but I think a #3/4 type starter is his most reasonable upside, and he very well may end up in the bullpen. 2024 Projection: 2/4.37/1.37/47 in 50 IP Prime Projection: 9/4.12/1.32/146 in 150 IP

208) Jefferson Rojas CHC, 2B/SS, 18.11 – Rojas was a barely 18 year old in full season ball and he more than held his own, slashing .268/.345/.404 with 7 homers, 13 steals, and a 19.9%/7.5% K%/BB% in 70 games at Single-A. His tools don’t necessarily jump out at you at 5’10”, but he’s the type to do everything pretty well on a baseball field (hit, power, speed, defense, arm). Taking into account his excellent age to level production (119 wRC+), you can probably tack on a tick more upside to project out a potentially above average across the board player. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 83/21/76/.276/.338/.441/15

209) Kyren Paris LAA, 2B/SS, 22.5 – I don’t know how we can trust the Angels to develop this kind of high risk, high reward prospect when so so many of them have stalled out at all levels of their system.  Paris put up a super fun fantasy line at Double-A with 14 homers and 44 steals in 113 games, but it came with a 29.4% K%, and then right on cue it jumped to 37% with a .100 BA in 46 MLB PA. He’s an OBP machine with a 17.1% BB%, he has double plus speed with a 29.2 ft/sec sprint, and he has average to above average power potential, but are we really betting on LA being the team to get his hit tool to a playable level? Even in Tampa, these guys sometimes don’t really start contributing until their mid to late 20’s. I have no problem taking a shot on him, but I think you have to assume it’s not going to work out, and if it does, it might take 3-5 years when he’s probably long off your roster. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 72/18/64/.227/.318/.413/24

210) Alex Ramirez NYM, OF, 21.3 – Ramirez continues to sit in the breakout waiting room for his 3rd straight year. I know it’s getting frustrating, but all of the same ingredients are there that made him so exciting in previous years. He had a very good 21.9%/10.7% K%/BB% in 120 games at High-A, and he also stole 21 bags. He just needs to finally start tacking on mass to his skinny 6’3” frame, because only 7 homers with a 78 wRC+ is not going to get the job done. He’s too young to give up on such tantalizing tools, but 2024 is the last year he gets to live on “potential.” We need to see some real production. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 73/18/72/.252/.320/.423/21

211) Kala’i Rosario MIN, OF, 21.9 – Rosario is a wide and thick 6’0” with at least plus power from a quick and relatively short righty swing. He smacked 21 homers in 118 games at High-A and then smacked 7 homers in 25 games in the AFL. The power comes with a high risk hit tool with a 31.7% K% in 2021 in rookie ball, a 32.5% K% in 2022 at Single-A, and a 29.6% K% in 2023 at High-A. He walked at a career best by far rate of 14.2%, and like I mentioned, the swing is relatively quick and short, so I think the hit tool has a chance to reach a good enough level to let the power shine. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 75/28/88/.239/.322/.476/4

212) Waner Luciano HOU, 3B, 19.3 – Luciano backed up a strong pro debut in the DSL (123 wRC+ in 56 games) with an even more impressive season in stateside rookie ball with 10 homers and a 18.6%/11.3% K%/BB% in 45 games. He has an athletic, powerful, and explosive righty swing that is very easy to dream on. He hits the ball very hard, he has a mature plate approach, he has above average contact rates, and he doesn’t have any groundball issues or extreme flyball rates. Those are the ingredients you look for when projecting out a complete all around hitter. He’s underrated and makes for a great target in a deeper league. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 78/25/80/.263/.334/.470/8

213) Luis Baez HOU, OF, 20.3 – Baez mashed in the DSL in 2022 with 9 homers in 58 games, and he mashed in stateside rookie ball in 2023 with 7 homers in 17 games, but he was one year older than optimal at each level, and his production dropped off when he went to the age appropriate Single-A with only 4 homers and a 26.8% K% in 41 games. He’s a strong kid at 6’1”, 205 pounds with plus power, and he signed for $1.3 million in the 2022 international signing period, so there is obviously real talent here. Considering the age, hit tool questions, and lack of speed, I don’t want to go too crazy for him, but there is potential for him to become a hyped power hitting prospect down the line. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 77/27/86/.254/.328/.468/2

214) Josue Briceno DET, C/1B, 19.6 – I was the first one on the first Josue hype train (Josue De Paula), so let me welcome you onto the 2nd Josue hype train as well. Meet, Josue Briceno. All 6’4”, at least 200 pounds of him. He has the type of jawline that could cut glass. And he used that big ole noggin of his to crack 7 homers in 44 games in rookie ball. He’s not just a “Josue see ball, Josue hit ball” type either, he has a refined plate approach with a 14.1%/11.6% K%/BB%. It all led to a 143 wRC+. He then put the cherry on top of his season at Single-A where he put up a 132 wRC+ with a 16.7%/14.6% K%/BB% in 11 games. This is the type of plus power, plus plate approach player to get very excited about. He’s a C/1B and he is more or less already physically maxed out, so he’s not the perfect prospect, but I’m betting on that big bat. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 76/26/79/.262/.335/.475/3

215) Alfredo Duno CIN, C, 18.4 – Duno was the 2nd best catcher in last year’s international class behind Ethan Salas, and while he didn’t get the chance to prove it at Single-A like Salas did, he more than handled his business in the DSL. He slashed .303/.451/.493 with 6 homers, 6 steals, and a 21%/19.5% K%/BB% in 45 games. It was good for a 153 wRC+. He’s a big, strong kid at 6’2”, 210 pounds with a powerful and relatively athletic (for a catcher) righty swing. He’s definitely a candidate to be an elite power hitting catcher prospect by 2025-26. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 72/27/78/.254/.338/.471/5

216) Juan Brito CLE, 2B/3B, 22.6 – Brito has put up impressive offensive numbers every year of his pro career since 2019, and that continued in the upper minors, slashing .276/.373/.444 with 10 homers, 3 steals, and a 16.8%/12.8% K%/BB% in 87 games at Double-A. It was good for a 125 wRC+, and he put up a 115 wRC+ in 5 games at AAA too. He’s not a huge guy, but he’s not small either at 5’11” 202 pounds, and he has a smooth lefty swing that is made for lift (35.2% GB%). He hits righty too, but not nearly as well (.649 OPS). Without a ton of speed, the upside isn’t huge, but he has plus hit, a mature plate approach, and developing power that he will be able to get the most of, so there is certainly potential for him to make a legit fantasy impact. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 82/18/68/.276/.348/.427/9

217) Jorbit Vivas NYY, 2B, 23.1 – The Yankees were on the hunt for plus contact hitters, and after acquiring the big fish (Soto) and the medium fish (Verdugo), they went out and got their small fish (Vivas). He slashed .280/.391/.436 with 12 homers, 21 steals, and a 10.6%/11.0% K%/BB% in 109 games at Double-A. He struggled when he got the call to Triple-A (63 wRC+ in 26 games), but he still had a strong 15.7%/12.4% K%/BB%. He doesn’t hit the ball hard (84.7 MPH at Triple-A), he’s not a particularly good defensive player and he’s not a burner, so the upside isn’t very high and he’ll have to fight for playing time, but there is room in the game for this type of profile (see Brendan Donovan). ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 77/14/61/.281/.348/.414/13

218) James Triantos CHC, 2B, 21.2 – If Triantos was a good defensive player, I would go higher on him, but Chicago is already prepping him for a Christopher Morel like, poor defensive player utility role. 2B, 3B, OF, 1B are all being tried out. It hurts his value, but the bat is good enough to not drop him too far. He has an at least plus hit tool with a 10.6% K% and .285 BA in 80 games at High-A, a .333 BA in 3 games at Double-A, and a .417 BA in 22 games in the AFL. He’s not a burner, but it looks like he’s a good base stealer (25 for 30 on the bases). He hit only 7 homers in 105 games, but he has more raw juice in his bat than that. He’s a hit tool driven, solid across the board contributor with no real defensive home. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 81/15/61/.282/.347/.423/15

219) Austin Charles KCR, 3B/SS, 20.4 – Charles is a 6’4”, 215 pound ball of clay with a potentially plus power/speed combo. His righty swing is controlled, athletic, and vicious, but he’s far from a finished product. He slashed .230/.290/.356 with 3 homers, 12 steals, and a 24.7%/7.4% K%/BB% in 69 games at Single-A. Considering he doesn’t have any groundball issues (36% GB%), and the strikeout rate wasn’t too bad, he’s definitely a great upside bet to make at his current very reasonable price. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 74/21/76/.246/.314/.433/19

220) Payton Martin LAD, RHP, 19.11 – Martin was only recently turned into a full time starter, and he’s taken to it well with a 2.04 ERA and 30.2%/9.4% K%/BB% in 39.2 IP at Single-A. Sometimes I think I could put up an under 3 ERA with 30% K rates in the lower minors if the Dodgers trained me for a year 😉 … He fires a mid 90’s fastball with a potentially plus slider, solid curve and developing changeup. He’s not a big guy at 6’0”, 170 pounds, but he has a quick arm with an athletic delivery. There is a long way to go, but the upside is high. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 10/3.78/1.27/157 in 150 IP

221) Henry Lalane NYY, LHP, 19.11 – Rookie ball pitchers aren’t my favorite to go after, but if you are going to go after one, a 6’7”, 211 pound lefty with good stuff and good numbers isn’t a bad choice. Lalane put up a 36.6%/4.5% K%/BB% in 21.2 IP in stateside rookie ball with 3 potentially plus pitches (fastball, breaking ball, changeup). He only reached 4 IP in one outing, and the fastball sits in the low to mid 90’s, so there is a long way to go, but if you squint hard enough, you can see a CC Sabathia starter pack here. Here’s to hoping he can pack on 130 pounds of pure Captain Crunch to fulfill his destiny. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 11/3.83/1.24/175 in 160 IP

222) Braxton Ashcraft PIT, RHP, 24.6 – The 6’5”, 195 pound Ashcraft returned from Tommy John surgery and looked dominant all the way through Double-A where he put up a pitching line of 1.35/0.95/29.1%/6.3% in 20 IP. The stuff backs up the results with a mid 90’s fastball, a beautiful plus curve, and a damn good cutter. He also showed plus control with a 5.2% BB% in 52.2 IP spread across 3 levels (A, A+, AA). He pitched in mostly 3 inning outings and 53 IP is his career high, so it’s a major question if he can handle a full starter’s workload at already 24 years old, but he’s legitimately exciting. 2024 Projection: 2/4.25/1.30/36 in 40 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.85/1.21/150 in 145 IP

223) Enrique Bradfield BAL, OF, 22.4 –  If Willie Mays Hayes were a real person, he would be Enrique Bradfield. Selected 17th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Bradfield is an absolute terror on the bases with 37 steals in 62 games at Vandy. He then literally stole a base a game in pro ball with 25 steals in 25 games at mostly Single-A. He has a legit shot of stealing over 50 bags with the new rules, and can maybe even approach Esteury Ruiz levels, but like Ruiz, the other parts of his hitting profile leave something to be desired. He has well below average power and the hit tool really isn’t that great either. He had a .279 BA this year in college and he hit 0 homers in his pro debut with the wood bats (he also had 0 homers in 11 games in the wood bat Cape League in 2022). He’s purely a speed play, but that speed can carry your fantasy team. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 77/8/49/.263/.331/.378/41

224) Benny Montgomery COL, OF, 21.7 – The uber talented 6’4”, 200 pound Montgomery is doing just enough to stay interesting with 10 homers, 18 steals, and a 95 wRC+ in 109 games at High-A, but he’s still mostly a project right now with a 27.2% K% and 62.6% GB%. Pounding the ball into the ground with a high strikeout rate is not a recipe for success, and he needs to make major strides in both areas to really get excited about him. He’s still young, and the plus raw power/speed combo which made him the 8th overall pick in the draft in 2021 is still there, so we’ll let him hangout in the breakout waiting room for at least another season. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 78/18/72/.252/.321/.423/18

225) Chase Davis STL, OF, 22.4 – Selected 21st overall, Davis went full Jacob Berry on us in his pro debut, and we saw Berry go from bad to worse in 2023. Davis’ pro debut was actually even worse than Berry’s with 0 homers, a 26% K% and .212 BA in 36 games at Single-A. It was good for a below average 91 wRC+ (Berry had a 118 wRC+). The most concerning thing was the lack of power with an 84.9 MPH EV. He also struggled to hit for power in the wood bat Cape Cod League in 2022 with 0 homers and a .629 OPS in 15 games. Those are scary numbers for a guy you are drafting for basically only his power. If you don’t want to put so much weight on the pro debut, Davis had a damn exciting junior year that got everyone excited going into the draft. He was a lefty power hitting beast who is a smooth operator in the box. I can honestly watch him crush homers all day. He cracked 21 homers in 57 Pac12 games this year. He’s not a particularly huge guy at 6’1”, but he’s a muscled up 216 pounds and the EV’s were legit in college. The swing is also very athletic, and he improved his hit tool this year (.362 BA with a 40/43 K/BB) after struggling with swing and miss in the past, but the struggles in pro ball show he still has a long way to go there too. I understand if you want to put more weight on the larger sample college production, but that would have been a mistake with Jacob Berry, and Davis seems to be headed down that same path. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 72/22/78/.242/.321/.437/7

226) Mac Horvath BAL, 2B/3B/OF, 22.8 – Selected 53rd overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Horvath is a high risk, high reward college bat with a big power/speed combo and hit tool issues. He’s a great athlete at a strong 6’1”, 195 pounds with a quick and powerful righty swing. He cracked 24 homers with 25 steals in 60 games in the ACC, and then he obliterated pro ball with a 323 wRC+ in 3 games in rookie ball, 160 wRC+ in 14 games at Single-A, and 184 wRC+ in 5 games at High-A. It was good for 5 homers and 14 steals in 22 games overall. He’s on the older side, the 26.3% K% shows the hit tool risk, and Baltimore is stacked, so the path to playing time isn’t clear, but he’s the type of prospect you buy when you want big upside from someone who isn’t a teenager. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 71/23/76/.237/.318/.448/18

227) Yohandy Morales WAS, 3B, 22.6 –  Selected 40th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Morales is a big man at an athletic 6’4”, 225 pounds with a big righty hack that jacked 20 homers in 61 ACC games. The problem is, he didn’t hit a single homer in his 182 PA pro debut, and he also didn’t hit a single homer in 65 PA in the wood bat cape cod league in 2021. His strikeout rates were relatively high throughout his college career, and he’s not a big threat on the bases, so I’m a little scared of buying a power prospect who hasn’t hit for power with wood bats. Having said that, his pro debut was still quite good with a .349 BA and .917 OPS at mostly Single-A and High-A, and considering his size and how hard he hits the ball, there has to be much more homer power coming than he’s showed with wood bats so far. He also has a clear path to playing time with only Nick Senzel standing in his way at 3B. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 73/23/79/.250/.325/.450/5

228) George Wolkow CHW, OF, 18.3 – Selected 209th overall, Wolkow screams upside everywhere you look. He’s 6’7”, 225 pounds with double plus power potential and he’s also an above average runner. That is James Wood type territory we are talking about. He’s super young for his class, and despite getting drafted so late, he landed a $1 million signing bonus. Like Wood, there is swing and miss concerns with a 33.3% K% in his 13 game pro debut, but it came with 1 homer, 3 steals, and a .392 OBP. The ingredients are here to truly explode. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 76/27/84/.242/.329/.464/11

229) Cooper Pratt MIL, SS, 19.7 – Selected 182nd overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Pratt most certainly looks the part at an athletic 6’4”, 195 pounds with a quick and powerful righty swing. He had a strong pro debut in rookie ball, slashing .356/.426/.444 with 0 homers, 4 steals, and a 20.4%/9.3% K%/BB% in 12 games. A lot of that was good BABIP luck, but he still showed a good feel to hit and no groundball issues (30.3% GB%). He has above average speed and should have at least plus power at peak, so that is a strong foundation to set, although it was only in 12 games, the K/BB numbers weren’t particularly great, he’s a bit old for his high school class, and he still needs to prove it against advanced competition. He’s already a buzzy name in FYPD circles, but considering how late he got drafted, he should still go for good value in most drafts, and he definitely has the upside to pay off. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 76/24/83/.253/.327/.451/10

230) Welbyn Francisca CLE, SS, 17.10 – Francisca couldn’t maintain his molten hot start in the DSL which put all the prospect-heads in a tizzy (1.118 OPS in his first 18 games vs. .706 OPS in his final 23 games), but it was still a great year overall, slashing .316/.419/.500 with 3 homers, 11 steals (in 18 attempts), and a 19.8%/13.4% K%/BB% in 40 games. He has such a natural swing and great feel to hit from both sides of the plate, to go along with plus speed and sneaky pop. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 84/16/63/.275/.341/.418/21

231) Josh Knoth MIL, RHP, 18.8 – Selected 33rd overall, the 6’1”, 190 pound Knoth throws two high spin, devastating breaking balls in his slider and curve. He combines that with a fastball that has ticked up into the mid 90’s and a developing changeup. He also commands his entire arsenal very well. He’s still only 18 years old and I really like Milwaukee’s pitching development. He’s the type of pitcher I would hope falls in first year player drafts to scoop up at a great price. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 11/3.72/1.26/185 in 170 IP

232) Zander Mueth PIT, RHP, 18.8 – Mueth was selected 67th overall in the 2023 Draft and signed for an over slot $1.8 million deal. I immediately fell in love after watching every video of him I could find. He’s 6’6”, 205 pounds with an athletic, deceptive, and funky righty delivery that he uses to throw filthy stuff. The fastball sits mid 90’s and the secondaries (slider, change) both have plus potential. He’s also young for the draft class. He needs to improve his control/command and more refinement is needed all around, but I’m very giddy about his upside. He’s going to be a major later round FYPD target for me. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 11/3.85/1.28/190 in 170 IP

233) Emil Morales LAD, SS, 17.6 – When taking a shot on raw international prospects, the team they sign with is a big deal. There is so much development that is needed, and I trust the teams with a long track record of development successes. All of that to say, the Dodgers signing Morales give him a bump in my book. And even without the Dodgers, his physicality in the box stands out immediately. He is a grown man at 6’3”, 180 pounds with a big righty swing that can punish a baseball. He combines that with a mature plate approach and a good feel to hit. It certainly looks like he can be a middle of the order beast, and he has the right team to get it out of him. He’s a definite target. ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 86/28/91/.263/.346/.488/7

234) Kendall George LAD, OF, 19.5 – Selected 36th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, George is a pure speed play. He has 80 grade speed with legitimately elite run times. He also makes a ton of contact and is a plus defensive centerfielder. That profile will play on the major league level, and it certainly played in the lower minors, slashing .370/.458/.420 with 0 homers, 17 steals, and a 20/17 K/BB in 28 games split between rookie and Single-A. He has below average power with extremely high groundball rates, and while it does project to tick up from here, it’s not expected to be a major part of his game. He’s the high school version of Enrique Bradfield. . ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 84/10/52/.284/.348/.390/41

235) Ty Floyd CIN, RHP, 22.7 – Selected 38th overall, the 6’2”, 200 pound Floyd has a plus to double plus mid 90’s fastball that he leans on heavily. It led to a 4.35 ERA with a 31% K% in 91 IP. There are more than a few heavy fastball usage pitchers who are doing well in the majors right now, but those guys generally have plus control and/or better secondaries than Floyd. Floyd’s control is below average with a 9.6% BB%, but it was improving as the year went on, and his slider, curve and change are about average at best. If the secondaries and/or control take a step forward, there is very real upside here, and I don’t mind targeting him at all as a later round arm if you focus on offense with your earlier picks. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 10/3.95/1.27/165 in 160 IP

236) Alex Clemmey CLE, LHP, 18.8 – Selected 58th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Clemmey is a high risk, high reward high school arm who landed in a perfect organization. He’s a 6’6”, 205 pound lefty with fire stuff led by a mid 90’s fastball and a filthy breaking ball. He also has a developing changeup. He still needs plenty of refinement and the control is below average, so he could ultimately land in the bullpen, but if you want to shoot for the moon, Clemmey is your guy. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.79/1.32/183 in 160 IP

237) Colin Houck NYM, SS, 19.6 – Selected 32nd overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, the 6’2”, 190 pound Houck is an excellent all around athlete who was also a heavily recruited star quarterback in high school. He’s not just raw tools though, he also has a good feel to hit with a mature approach at the plate. His value held serve in his pro debut with a dead average 100 wRC+, 0 homers, 0 steals, and a 22.2%/19.4% K%/BB% in 9 games. The power isn’t plus quite yet, and while he’s fast, he’s not lightning fast, so it all might project to an above average across the board profile. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 81/22/79/.272/.338/.453/14

238) Jose Perdomo ATL, SS, 17.6 – Perdomo is expected to land the highest signing bonus in the class at over $5 million. He has a very quick, simple, and controlled righty swing that makes a ton of contact. His size doesn’t necessarily jump off the screen at 5’11”, and he doesn’t really have that visual explosion I like going after, but he hits the ball hard and has plus speed. When going after risky international prospects, I lean towards prototypical size first, so I hesitate to really reach for Perdomo, but his combo of hit, power, speed, and signing bonus is hard to deny. ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 84/20/77/.271/.337/.441/24

239) Fernando Cruz CHC, SS, 17.5 – Starlin Castro is Fernando Cruz’ cousin, which doesn’t necessarily give me the warm and fuzzies with Castro’s relatively disappointing career. But “disappointing” is relative as he racked up 22 WAR in his 12 year MLB career. Not a bad outcome at all. As for the 6’0”, 180 pound Cruz, his tools jump out immediately with a chiseled and athletic frame. The swing and hit tool isn’t as refined as Perdomo’s, but it looks like it has more upside to me. There is definitely plus power potential in here and he also has plus speed. Tack on the baseball bloodlines, and Cruz makes for a very enticing target. ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 78/23/81/.261/.328/.447/22

240) Jake Gelof LAD, 3B, 22.1 – Selected 60th overall, Gelof has the baseball bloodlines with his older brother, Zack, breaking out in the majors this year. Jake is a thick 6’1”, 200 pounds with a powerful righty swing that is made to hit dingers. He popped 21 homers in 2022 and then followed that up with a 23 homer season in 2023. That continued in pro ball with him cracking 6 homers in 30 games at mostly Single-A. It might not be truly elite power, but it’s easy plus power. He has below average speed, and there is hit tool risk too which already reared it’s ugly head with a .225 BA and 29.9 K% at Single-A, but we’ve seen the Gelof’s thrive with high K rates (hello, Zack) You are buying the power here, and after getting drafted by the Dodgers, you are also buying the great developmental organization. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 74/27/83/.243/.326/.468/6

241) Echedry Vargas TEX, 2B/SS, 19.1 – I love it when the guys I dig deep for in the off-season hit. Here’s what I wrote about Vargas, in part, in the 2023 Top 1,000, ranking him 993rd overall, “He’s not a big singing bonus guy or a huge human being (5’11”, 170), but there is still an exciting set of tools here.” He backed up that DSL breakout this year in stateside rookie, slashing .315/.387/.569 with 11 homers, 17 steals, and a 24.3%/9.5% K%/BB% in 52 games. Everything I wrote about him last year is still true for this year, so he’s not the type to explode to elite prospect status, but the guy keeps on producing. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 76/19/74/.253/.321/.423/19

242) Caden Dana LAA, RHP, 20.4 – The 6’4”, 215 pound Dana is a strong kid who throws with the football like, at the ear throwing motion that always produces high spin rates. The combination of power and spin created a mid 90’s fastball with a ton of life that lower minors hitters swing right through. He pairs the plus fastball with a potentially plus slider, average curve and a lesser used, developing changeup. He put up a 3.56 ERA with a 31.7%/10.7% K%/BB% in 68.1 IP at mostly High-A. His control is a bit scattershot, he needs to continue to refine his secondaries, and he was shut down in mid July with arm fatigue, so he also needs to prove he can stay healthy with a full workload. There is a long way to go, but he established some strong building blocks towards his potentially impact mid-rotation starter upside. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 10/3.97/1.31/165 in 160 IP

243) Hayden Birdsong SFG, RHP, 22.7 – Birdsong is a big righty at 6’4”, 215 pounds. He fires a mid 90’s fastball to go along with a plus breaking ball and developing changeup. He dominated the lower minors with a 2.67 ERA and 116/31 K/BB in 77.2 IP, before slowing down at Double-A with a 5.46 ERA (3.75 xFIP) and 31.7%/12.5% K%/BB% in 23 IP. The control needs improvement and he needs a better third pitch, but he was used mostly out of the bullpen in college, and he’s the same age as many of the college starters that got drafted this year, so there should be more improvements coming down the line. There is reliever risk, but the upside is pretty high. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 9/3.88/1.32/158 in 145 IP

244) Ivan Herrera STL, C, 23.10 – Herrera would rank higher on this list if he wasn’t blocked by Willson Contreras (under contract through 2027 at least), and I don’t think St. Louis will be particularly interested in trading him because depth is important and Contreras is getting up there in age. He dominated Triple-A, slashing .297/.451/.500 with 10 homers, 11 steals, and a 20.5%/20% K%/BB% in 83 games, and then he performed well in his cup of coffee in the majors with a 122 wRC+ and 91.3/100.4 MPH AVG/FB EV in 44 PA. He has the ability to be a complete hitter with an average to above average hit/power combo, but he might not get a full time job until 2028 barring trade (Contreras might be the more likely one to get traded) or injury. 2024 Projection: 23/4/18/.251/.328/.403/2 Prime Projection: 72/19/66/.268/.343/.432/6

245) Drew Romo COL, C, 22.7 – Romo blamed his down power season in 2022 (5 homers in 101 games at High-A) on a hand injury, and that proved to be accurate as his power bounced back in 2023 with 13 homers in 95 games at mostly Double-A. The power will likely top out as average at best, but combined with Coors Field, and a good feel to hit (18.4% K%), he’ll very likely be fantasy relevant in the near future even if the upside isn’t very high. He has a plus glove and will be knocking on the door of the majors in 2024. 2024 Projection: 13/2/11/.248/.293/.384/1 Prime Projection: 61/15/65/.266/.327/.412/7

246) Luis Guanipa ATL, OF, 18.4 – Guanipa got off to a blistering first month in the DSL, but he couldn’t maintain it and ended up with lackluster numbers, slashing .238/.361/.384 with 4 homers, 20 steals, and a 20.2%/11.1% K%/BB% in 46 games. The low BA and mediocre K rates definitely knock his hit tool grade down a peg, but his power/speed combo is still very enticing (30.9% GB%, so he’ll get the most out of his growing raw power), and it’s not like the hit tool was that terrible. I still love the talent despite the non eye popping numbers. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 79/18/67/.257/.326/.421/28

247) Anthony Gutierrez TEX, OF, 19.4 – Gutierrez had one of those “breakout waiting room” years. He was a favorite upside pick of mine last off-season, and everything I liked about him then, I still like about now, but every year you don’t actually break out, the odds of it happening go down. He put up an underwhelming year at Single-A, slashing .259/.326/.338 with 2 homers, 30 steals, and a 22.2%/7.7% K%/BB% in 78 games as an 18 year old. He’s still a projectable 6’3”, 180 pounds, so the power should tick up, he’s an excellent athlete, and the plate approach was solid against much older competition. If the power meaningfully ticks up, he can still explode, but he also might Alex Ramirez it for the next year years. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 77/17/71/.264/.327/.425/22

248) Brandon Barriera TOR, LHP, 20.1 – Barriera pitched just 20.1 innings all year due to a variety of arm injuries. A shoulder injury delayed the start of his season until May, an elbow injury knocked him out for almost two months mid-season, and biceps soreness ended his season in late July. He pitched well when on the mound with a 3.98 ERA and 25/9 K/BB at mostly Single-A. The bat missing slider showed double plus potential and the 92.8 MPH fastball plays up. He also mixes in a changeup and sinker. He has easy Top 100 prospect potential if he can stay healthy, but with all of the arm injuries, it’s a question if he can. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 10/3.92/1.28/169 in 160 IP

249) Dawal Joseph SEA, SS, 16.11 – The first thing that jumps out about Joseph is an explosive and athletic righty swing at 6’2”, 175 pounds. He’s looking to do damage at the dish. His easy and smooth athleticism looks on par with Leo De Vries, although De Vries is known as the more mature hitter. Joseph is one of the top players in the class with the potential for a plus power/speed combo at peak, and he’s also one of the youngest. ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 76/22/78/.253/.324/.442/18

250) Victor Hurtado WAS, OF, 16.10 – Hurtado is a long and lean 6’4”, 180 pounds with a quick and powerful lefty swing that is made for launching baseballs. He’s also known for his good feel to hit. This is the type of profile that can turn into one of those EV hype beasts with eye popping dingers. The hit/power combo can be good enough for elite prospect status at peak if it all comes together, and even if he ends up with hit tool issues, the power is big enough to carry him. ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 81/28/89/.262/.341/.481/8

251) John McMillon KCR, Closer Committee, 26.2 – McMillon would be my bet for Kansas City’s closer of the future job, but it might take him a bit to really enter the circle of trust considering he has the least experience, and there is some injury risk. He made his MLB debut in August and was lights out in 4 IP with a 2.25 ERA and 8/0 K/BB before getting shutdown with a forearm strain. He dominated in the minors too with a 2.10 ERA and 91/25 K/BB in 51.1 IP at Double-A and Triple-A. The stuff is no doubt closer stuff with a 98.8 MPH fastball and plus slider that notched a 75% whiff% in his MLB debut. This is basically the prototype for “closer of the future,” but in the present, he definitely has competition for the job, and he’ll be the one that has to prove it first. 2024 Projection: 3/3.63/1.25/65/7 saves in 50 IP

252) Mason Barnett KCR, RHP, 23.5 – Barnett has very good stuff with a mid 90’s fastball and diverse pitch mix (slider, changeup, curve). He pitched very well at High-A for most of the year, and then kept it going when he got the call to Double-A with a 3.58 ERA and 31.4%/8.8% K%/BB% in 32.2 IP. Nothing seems crazy standout when watching him, but he’s not really missing anything either. The fastball has legit zip and all of the secondaries are pretty good. He certainly has mid rotation starter upside. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 10/4.08/1.30/143 in 150 IP

253) Keaton Winn SFG, RHP, 26.1 – Winn is in starter/reliever limbo where it’s hard to really prioritize him when he can easily end up in the bullpen long term. He has a fastball/splitter combo that probably belongs in the bullpen, so that is where I am projecting him. In his MLB debut, the fastball sat 96 MPH with a 30% whiff% and the splitter put up a 34.4% whiff% with a .271 xwOBA. He only put up a 4.68 ERA with a 20.3%/4.7% K%/BB% in 42.1 IP, but that K% is definitely on the low side with a 30% whiff%. He’s had good control in his career other than with the automated strike zone at Triple-A. If you are looking for possible breakout late inning relievers, Winn is not a bad option, and I guess there is chance they keep him in the rotation. 2024 Projection: 7/3.95/1.33/110 in 100 IP

254) Osleivis Basabe TBR, SS, 23.7 – Basabe wasn’t able to take advantage of his first shot at the majors, putting up a 67 wRC+ with 1 homer, 0 steals, and a 26.6%/6.4% K%/BB% in 94 PA, but it wasn’t a disaster season by any stretch. He proved his skills will translate to Triple-A with a .296 BA, 4 homers, 16 steals, and a 15.5%/7.3% K%/BB% in 94 games. The raw power/speed combo looked good with a 28.6 ft/sec sprint and an 88.4 MPH EV (88.5 MPH at AAA). He’s an extreme groundball hitter (53.1% GB% at AAA), so there isn’t much homer power, but good things happen when you hit it hard, get the bat on the ball, and have speed. Even if Wander stays out, Tampa has other options at SS like Jose Caballero, Taylor Walls, Junior Caminero, and Carson Williams, so Basabe is going to have to scratch and claw for playing time, but I do think he has a profile that can lead to real fantasy value at peak. 2024 Projection: 29/4/22/.258/.313/.391/6 Prime Projection: 79/13/60/.277/.328/.412/16

255) Kevin Parada NYM, C, 22.8 – Parada had such an underwhelming season for an advanced college bat. He had 11 homers with a 25.1%/7.9% K%/BB% in 87 at High-A, and then he put up a 38.3%/6.7% K%/BB% with a 70 wRC+ in 14 games at Double-A. He didn’t hit for a ton of power, he didn’t get on base, and he didn’t hit for average. He’s not considered a good defensive catcher, so he was probably putting a ton of focus into his defense, which is often why catchers take longer to develop in general, but that isn’t exactly a point in Parada’s favor for fantasy either. He’s starting to look like a pretty low upside option with multiple areas of risk (hit tool, defense, Francisco Alvarez). ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 66/20/75/.247/.323/.437/2

256) Nick Yorke BOS, 2B, 22.0 – A 24.1% K% and .268 BA at Double-A isn’t exactly super encouraging for a player who you are mostly buying for the hit tool. There also isn’t a clear path to playing time with the Grissom trade, Story under contract through 2027, Marcelo Mayer very likely ahead of him on the depth chart, and many others with similar skillsets to Yorke in the organization as well. And to top it all off, he isn’t a particularly good defensive player. But Yorke showed a good enough all around collection of skills/tools to stick with him. He hit 13 homers with 18 steals, a 10.1% BB% and 116 wRC+ in 110 games as a barely 21 year old in the upper minors. The Sox took him 17th overall in 2020, and when a team invests so much into a player, they usually want to give him every opportunity to succeed. His perceived name value is probably greater than his actual value, but he can still be a solid all around contributor at peak. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 78/18/71/.267/.332/.426/14

257) Ben Rice NYY, C/1B, 25.1 – Rice is on the old side for a prospect at Double-A, he isn’t a particularly good defensive catcher, and he struggled heavily vs. lefties, so I’m hesitant to fully buy into the huge numbers he put up in 2023. The numbers are undeniably beastly though, slashing .327/.401/.683 with 16 homers, 7 steals, and a 18.9%/9.5% K%/BB% in 48 games at Double-A. The statline scouting put Steamer into such a tizzy they already project him as an above average MLB hitter with a 103 wRC+. He has a contact oriented approach at the plate, but he has no problems lifting the ball with a 33.1% GB%, so he’ll get the most out of his raw power from a controlled lefty swing. It’s likely a bench bat profile, but there will certainly be opportunity to keep proving himself and to win a larger share of playing time. 2024 Projection: 13/2/9/.242/.305/.404/1 Prime Projection: 65/18/64/.259/.322/.430/6

258) Lyon Richardson CIN, RHP, 24.2 – Richardson returned from Tommy John surgery and he looked absolutely electric with mid to upper 90’s fastball and plus changeup. It led to a 3.50 ERA with a 34.5%/13.1% K%/BB% in 69.1 IP at mostly Double-A. He pitched in mostly 3-4 inning outings, his control wasn’t good, his breaking balls are mediocre, and he got knocked around in his cup of coffee in the majors (8.64 ERA with a 14.8%/18.5% K%/BB% in 16.2 IP). Maybe he comes back his 2nd year away from Tommy John even more refined and dangerous, but I think the safer bet is that he ends up a relief ace. 2024 Projection: 3/3.98/1.32/59 in 55 IP Prime Projection: 4/3.55/1.23/75/6 saves in 65 IP

259) Brandon Sproat NYM, RHP, 23.6 – Selected 56th overall, Sproat got drafted as a college senior, but with pitchers, it’s more about stuff than age, and Sproat most certainly has the stuff. He throws everything hard with a mid to upper mid 90’s fastball, an upper 80’s to low 90’s changeup, and an upper 80’s to low 90’s slider. Both his secondaries have plus potential. He also throws a slower curve. He didn’t exactly have the best statistical senior year with a 4.66 ERA and 1.27 WHIP in 106.1 IP, but the 134/48 K/BB looks much better. The control is below average and like I mentioned, he’s never really had that dominant season, but he has the frame (6’3”, 210) and stuff to get excited even if he ends up in the pen. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 9/4.05/1.33/156 in 155 IP

260) Blake Wolters KCR, RHP, 19.5 -, Selected 44th overall, Wolters is your typical big, power pitching high school prospect that doesn’t take much of a discerning eye to see his talent. He’s 6’4”, 215 pounds with a mid 90’s fastball, a slider that flashes plus and a developing changeup. He has good control over all of his stuff. The ingredients are there to be a top pitching prospect with continued refinement. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 12/3.93/1.28/175 in 170 IP

261) Charlee Soto MIN, RHP, 18.7 – Selected 34th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Soto is a 6’5”, 200 pound power pitcher who is still on the raw side, but that is understandable considering he was only 17 years old at the draft and he only recently got transitioned from shortstop. The fastball sits in the mid 90’s which he combines with a filthy changeup and potentially plus slider. There is still some inconsistency in his game and he has to tighten up his command, but the ingredients are there for him to be an elite pitching prospect with continued refinement. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.88/1.33/178 in 165 IP

262) Hiro Wyatt KCR, RHP, 19.7 – Selected 75th overall, Wyatt has a truly nasty fastball/slider combo with both pitches displaying that quick twitch movement that is a nightmare to face. The fastball sits mid 90’s with tight tailing action and the slider gets vicious horizontal movement. He also throws a cutter and change, and how good he can develop those pitches will play a major factor in how high his upside could be as a starter. He also needs to refine his control/command. He’s not a huge guy at 6’1”, 185 pounds, but he’s not small either and I wouldn’t worry about his size at all. He has considerable upside with the floor of a high leverage reliever. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.82/1.27/165 in 155 IP

263) Sean Bouchard COL, OF, 27.11 – Bouchard didn’t return to the majors until September coming off surgery for a ruptured biceps, but he once again got back to raking. He has a 158 wRC+ in 140 PA over 2022-23. He hits the ball hard with a 91 MPH EV, but that is about all he does particularly well with a 32.6%/9.3% K%/BB%, 7.8 degree launch, and 27.3 ft/sec sprint. He is going to have to compete for at bats with Hunter Goodman, and eventually Zac Veen, Jordan Beck, Sterlin Thompson, and Yanquiel Fernandez as well, so playing time in the short term and long term is far from guaranteed. A short side of a platoon role might be the best outcome, and he’s more likely a bench bat, although it does seem Colorado intends to give him first shot at the starting RF job. 2024 Projection: 57/15/51/.250/.326/.428/9

264) Homer Bush Jr. SDP, OF, 22.6 – Selected 128th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Bush is quickly becoming one of my favorite underrated FYPD targets. He has plus bloodlines (Former Yankee Homer Bush is his father), great size (6’3”, 200 pounds), and an excellent pro debut with a plus contact/speed profile. He slashed .325/.422/.440 with 3 homers, 22 steals, and a 12.8%/10.7% K%/BB% in 44 games split between 3 levels (rookie, A, AA). His production didn’t drop off at all at Double-A with a 149 wRC+ and 6.9% K% in 8 games. I’m planning on grabbing him for cheap in every FYPD I’m in this off-season. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 80/12/52/.271/.331/.405/25

265) Jose Rodriguez CHW, SS/2B, 22.11 – Rodriguez lowered his GB% from over 50% to 41.3% and it led to an uptick in homer power with 21 homers in 106 games at mostly Double-A, but it came at the expense of his hit tool with his K% jumping from 13.6% in 2022 to 22% in 2023. Considering he doesn’t hit the ball very hard, you can’t really buy into the homer totals, and he also has a poor plate approach with a lowly 4.1% BB%. He’s likely a utility infielder type, but I’ve pounded into the ground that plus hit, plus speed, low EV players like Rodriguez can produce impact fantasy numbers if given the playing time, and there very well could be opportunity in the middle of Chicago’s infield in 2024. Not the worst flier type. 2024 Projection: 25/4/18/.241/.284/.352/9 Prime Projection: 68/12/52/.262/.308/.396/21

266) Kenedy Corona HOU, OF, 24.0 – Corona isn’t as big and doesn’t have the overt physicality or raw power as the other breakout hitters in Houston’s system at 5’10”, 184 pounds, but what he does have is plus centerfield defense, which is often the determining factor in who gets on the field. He has plus speed with 31 steals in 117 games at mostly Double-A, and it’s not like he has no power with 22 homers. The hit tool is below average with a .244 BA and 25.9%/9.8% K%/BB%, and he was a barely average hitter overall as a 23 year old with a 101 wRC+. It’s a fringy 4th outfielder type profile who has fantasy upside if his glove gets him on the field. 2024 Projection: 18/3/12/.224/.291/.381/6 Prime Projection: 73/18/67/.240/.310/.422/21

267) Alan Roden TOR, OF, 24.3 – Roden got drafted as a 22 year old in 2022, and he was too old for the lower minors, but he proved age to level production isn’t everything as he crushed Double-A when he got the chance. He slashed .310/.321/.460 with 6 homers, 9 steals, and a 15.3%/12.4% K%/BB% in 46 games at the level. He’s a good athlete with a plus approach and a swing geared for liners. He projects as an average to above average across the board type. 2024 Projection: 18/3/13/.252/.318/.391/5 Prime Projection: 79/16/73/.277/.340/.419/18

268) Jake Eder CHW, LHP, 25.6 – It’s often the 2nd year back from Tommy John that pitchers really return to full health, so I would give Eder one more year, but it’s hard to deny that 2023 was a pretty discouraging season. He put up a 6.35 ERA with a 26.2%/13.5% K%/BB% in 56.2 IP at mostly Double-A. The fastball velocity only sat low to mid 90’s, but he still has the wipeout slider and solid changeup. He’s not in must hold territory, but I’m expecting a much better year in 2024. 2024 Projection: 3/4.48/1.40/67 in 70 IP Prime Projection: 8/4.09/1.34/162 in 150 IP

269) Adrian Santana TBR, SS, 18.9 – Selected 31st overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Santana is a plus defensive SS with elite speed, a good feel to hit and developing power. He’s not big at 5’11”, 160 pounds, so power will likely never be a big part of his game, but it’s not like he’s just a slap hitter with 11 homers in his senior year. The 73 wRC+ in 10 games in stateside rookie in his pro debut isn’t great, but the 19.1%/14.9% K%/BB%, 3 steals, and 42.9% GB% looks just fine. The glove should get him on the field, and the hit/speed combo should get him in your fantasy lineup. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 81/13/53/.269/.338/.403/33

270) Luke Keaschall MIN, 2B, 21.8 – Selected 49th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Keaschall is young for his college class, and he’s put up big production everywhere he’s played and every single year of his amateur career. He then stepped into pro ball and didn’t miss a beat, slashing .288/.414/.478 with 3 homers, 11 steals, and a 25/19 K/BB in 31 games at mostly Single-A. The raw power isn’t huge, but the 89.1 MPH EV he put up at Single-A shows he can make an impact, and the speed is plus. He might not be an upside league winner type, but he can be a speed first, legit all category producer. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 76/17/67/.261/.323/.410/22

271) Joe Whitman SFG, LHP, 22.7 – Selected 69th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Whitman is a 6’5”, 200 pound lefty with an extremely high spin, double plus slider as his standout pitch. It’s the type of filthy offering that can carry you straight into the majors. He heavily used that pitch to have a dominant Junior year at Kent State with a 2.56 ERA and 100/29 K/BB in 81 IP, and then he stepped into pro ball and did exactly the same with a 1.86 ERA and 13/3 K/BB in 9.2 IP at rookie ball and Single-A. If the fastball sat mid 90’s, we might have been talking about a top 10 pick, but it only sits in the low 90’s. Regardless, he spins that pitch well too and commands it well which allows it to miss bats and play above it’s velocity. He also flashes a potentially above average changeup. If the velocity ticks up, Whitman could be a truly hype beast pitching prospects by mid-season, and even if it doesn’t, the ingredients are there to be an impact fantasy starter. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 10/3.89/1.27/165 in 160 IP

272) Aidan Curry TEX, RHP, 21.8 – Curry has the ingredients to be a truly hyped pitching prospect by next season. He’s a projectable 6’5”, 205 pounds with room to tack on more muscle, and he already can get the fastball consistently into the mid 90’s. He combines the fastball with a nasty sweeper and a pretty damn good changeup as well. It all resulted in a 2.30 ERA with a 30.8%/9.0% K%/BB% in 82 IP at Single-A. He struggled in two outings to close the year out at High-A, but he was already well passed his career high IP. With an extra tick or two on the fastball, and continued refinement all around, Curry is someone who could explode. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 10/3.93/1.28/160 in 160 IP

273) Yordanny Monegro BOS, RHP, 21.5 – Monegro is a projectable 6’4”, 180 pounds with nasty stuff and a starter’s pitch mix. He throws a mid 90’s fastball with good movement, to go along with 2 plus breaking balls that he has full confidence in and will throw in any count, both in and out of the zone. He also mixes in a decent a changeup. He was too much for the lower minors with a 2.06 ERA and 34.6%/9.7% K%/BB% in 65.2 IP at rookie ball, Single-A, and High-A. He doesn’t have pinpoint control, but he’s not majorly wild either. Boston has a bunch of arms with similar value to Monegro, but I like his combination of upside and likelihood of sticking as a starter the most. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 10/3.93/1.31/160 in 155 IP

274) Yuki Matsui SDP, Closer Committee, 28.5 – Matsui has been one of the top closers in Japan for years, and he signed with a team (5 years, $28 million) who has an opening at closer. Robert Suarez might be the favorite for the job at the moment, and the recently signed Woo Suk Go will also be in the mix, so you can’t draft Matsui expecting him to win it, but he could easily end up the guy. He’s coming off an excellent season in 2023 with a pitching line of 1.57/0.89/72/13 in 57.1 IP. He doesn’t really have prototypical closer stuff with a low to mid 90’s fastball, but he has a plus splitter which gets whiffs and a good slider as well. Without the huge fastball, I wouldn’t expect an elite closer even if he wins the job, but he’s worth taking a shot on in deeper leagues and/or leagues where you are desperate for saves. 2024 Projection: 4/3.62/1.20/66/15 saves in 60 IP

275) Abner Uribe MIL, Setup, 23.9 – Nobody is better than Milwaukee at churning out elite relievers, and Uribe looks to be next in line. He throws absolute gas with a 99.4 MPH sinker, which he combines with an elite slider that notched a 58.1% whiff% and .226 xwOBA. It was good for a 1.76 ERA and 30.7%/15.7% K%/BB% in 30.2 IP in his MLB debut. That walk rate is too high even for a relief pitcher, and he’s had truly horrific walk rates his entire career, so it’s not a foregone conclusion the control improves enough to fulfill his elite closer potential, but I’m willing to take on the risk. 2024 Projection: 4/3.31/1.20/80/3 saves in 60 IP

276) Royber Salinas OAK, RHP, 23.0 – We just talked about Oakland letting a guy like Joe Boyle fly, so I see no reason why they wouldn’t do the same with Salinas. He’s a very thick (maybe too thick) 6’3” with big time stuff. The fastball sits mid 90’s and he has two potentially plus breaking balls in his curve and slider. He put up a 5.48 ERA (3.95 xFIP) with a 30.9%/10.8% K%/BB% in 67.1 IP. The control is below average, but it was double below average prior to this season, so he’s made improvements there. He also missed a month and a half of the season with an elbow injury, so injuries are another risk. He likely ends up in the bullpen, but Oakland should give him every chance to stick in the rotation. 2024 Projection: 1/4.22/1.38/37 in 35 IP Prime Projection: 6/3.91/1.32/128 in 120 IP

277) Darell Hernaiz OAK, SS, 22.8 – Hernaiz is currently penciled in as Oakland’s starting SS, but he would only be keeping the SS seat warm for Jacob Wilson. 3B is wide open long term, and he can play all over the infield, so if he performs, Oakland shouldn’t have a problem finding a spot for him long term. His hit tool driven, solid across the board profile completely transferred to the upper minors in 2023, slashing .321/.386/.456 with 9 homers, 13 steals, and 13.4%/8.9% K%/BB% in 131 games. The power/speed numbers were even more underwhelming than expected, but the hit tool was better than expected. His profile is actually remarkably similar to Jacob Wilson, except without the extra body projection and maybe a tick worse hit tool. 2024 Projection: 47/7/41/.253/.308/.369/8 Prime Projection: 78/14/61/.274/.330/.392/12

278) Austin Martin MIN, 2B/OF, 25.0 – Don’t stick a fork in Martin quite yet. He missed the 1st half of the season with an elbow injury, but he performed well at Triple-A when he returned, slashing .263/.386/.405 with 6 homers, 16 steals, and a 17.1%/14.3% K%/BB% in 59 games. He still doesn’t hit the ball hard, and while that doesn’t preclude him from being an impact fantasy player considering his other skills (plus speed, plus contact, plus plate approach), it’s not the type of profile that will demand a full time job right out of the gate. He’ll have to fight for playing time and will probably be in a utility role to start his career. 2024 Projection: 16/2/9/.238/.307/.373/4 Prime Projection: 76/14/59/.259/.332/.403/21

279) Deyvison De Los Santos CLE, 1B/3B, 20.9 – Cleveland selected De Los Santos in the Rule 5 Draft, and I’m honestly not sure this is a good thing for Deyvison or his fantasy owners. He’ll still be only 20 years old for the first 3 months of the 2024 season, and he’s already been advanced through the minors too aggressively to begin with. Now he’ll be thrown into the fire in the majors. Arizona assigned the 19 year old to Double-A to start the year and he struggled hard with 7 homers and a .570 OPS in his first 61 games at the level, but he found his groove in the 2nd half with 14 homers and a .927 OPS in his final 58 games. The plate approach is still rough with a 26%/5.2% K%/BB%, the groundball rates are still way too high with a 52.8% GB%, and he’s still a poor defensive player. If he sticks with Cleveland, he’ll likely be used as a bench bat, so you are burning years of team control in leagues that aren’t keep forever. Best case scenario is that Cleveland ends up sending him back to Arizona, which I might be leaning towards as the most likely outcome. His power is legit and will play at any level, so there is a possibility he surprises, which is the low risk bet Cleveland is making. 2024 Projection: 9/2/11/.218/.288/.397/1 before getting sent back to Arizona, if he even makes the team Prime Projection: 69/26/82/.248/.322/.458/3

280) Wilfredo Lara NYM, 3B/OF, 19.11 – Lara’s power took a big jump forward in 2023, and it led to a breakout season, slashing .264/.362/.452 with 14 homers, 17 steals, and a 21.8%/12.2% K%/BB% in 99 games at Single-A. He has a legitimately athletic and explosive swing, to go along with plus speed and above average CF defense. The hit tool needs continued refinement, but he’s a guy who you barely hear a whisper about, and he’s actually damn good. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 77/17/68/.253/.326/.418/19

281) James McArthur KCR, Closer Committee, 27.4 – The Royals closer job is wide open right now, and I wouldn’t feel comfortable betting on any of the options, although I guess it seems McArthur is in the pole position at the moment. He pitched well in 2023 in his MLB debut with a 4.63 ERA (2.95 xERA) and 25.6%/2.2% K%/BB% in 23.1 IP. He saved 4 games in the closer role at the end of the season, but he wasn’t used as a traditional reliever in the minors, and the stuff isn’t huge with a 94.1 MPH sinker and 24.8% whiff% overall. If I were forced to bet on who emerges from the Royals crew, I don’t think I would put my money on McArthur long term. 2024 Projection: 3/3.75/1.28/59/10 saves in 60 IP

282) Jhonkensy Noel CLE, 1B/3B/OF, 22.8 – Noel had a relatively uninspiring year at Triple-A with a 77 wRC+ in 138 games, but he still jacked 27 homers, and it doesn’t really change his ultimate profile all that much as a low BA (.220 BA), poor defensive slugger. He didn’t hit the ball particularly hard this year, but he’s 6’3”, 250 pounds with double plus raw power, so it isn’t too much of a concern. He’s currently in LIDOM and he’s already cracked 3 homers with a .174 BA in 7 games. Playing time will be an issue, but you know he’ll jack homers if he gets it. 2024 Projection: 13/4/18/.219/.296/.422/0 Prime Projection: 64/21/76/.238/.320/.461/1

283) Wilfred Veras CHW, OF, 21.5 – Veras put up some fun fantasy numbers with 17 homers, 24 steals and a .286 BA in 130 games split between High-A and Double-A. He was actually better in Double-A as a 20 year old. He’s 6’2”, 180 pounds with monster raw power and baseball bloodlines (his cousin is Fernando Tatis Jr.). All of that information should make me love him, but there are enough issues that make me hesitant. The plate approach is rough with a 25.7%/5.0% K%/BB%, the GB% is very high at 55.3%, and he doesn’t have much defensive value. He’s also not a burner, so you can’t fully trust the stolen base numbers. He’s kinda an extreme prospect with a bunch of things to absolutely love and a bunch of things to absolutely hate. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 68/21/77/.247/.308/.442/11

284) Victor Bericoto SFG, 1B/OF, 22.4 – Bericoto seems to be on a beeline for a short side of a platoon bat with SF. You know how SF loves their platoon bats. He has a legitimately electric righty swing that produces plus power, cracking 27 homers with an .840 OPS in 122 games split between High-A and Double-A. The hit tool and plate approach took a big step back at Double-A with a 26.5%/6.9% K%/BB% and .237 BA in 51 games, but he was only 21, and he was still an above average hitter with 11 homers and a 104 wRC+. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 43/16/51/.244/.318/.436/2

285) Cade Marlowe SEA, OF, 26.9 – I struggle to find a path to playing time for Marlowe, but he had a very encouraging MLB debut. 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%). He doesn’t hit the ball that hard with a 86.6 MPH EV, but a 20.8 degree launch will get the most out of his raw power. If he does work his way into playing time, he has a very intriguing fantasy profile, especially in OBP leagues. 2024 Projection: 36/8/33/.231/.322/.401/14

286) Victor Mesa Jr. MIA, OF, 22.7 – The Mesa brothers have been very disappointing since coming over from Cuba, but Victor Jr. still has a chance to make due on his promise. His power broke out in 2023 with 18 homers in 123 games at Double-A as a 21 year old, and looking at his pretty thick 6’0” frame with a big lefty swing, there could be more in the tank down the line. He’s also retained his athleticism with above average speed (16 steals) and above average CF defense. The hit tool and approach still need to take at least one step forward, as a .242 BA and 22.9%/7.7% K%/BB% led to an only 91 wRC+ despite the strong power/speed numbers. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 75/22/75/.247/.314/.433/11

287) Matt Mervis CHC, 1B, 25.11 – Mervis is starting to look mighty blocked in Chicago with the Michael Busch trade. He had a disaster pro debut with a 46 wRC+ and 32.3%/8.1% K%/BB% in 99 PA, and Chicago didn’t give him much leash to figure out his struggles on the MLB level. He dominated Triple-A again with a 132 wRC+ in 100 games, but he wouldn’t be the first older, 1B only bat who just couldn’t hit enough to hold down a full time job on the MLB level. He also struggles vs. lefties, so a strong side of a platoon bat might be the reasonable ceiling at this point. The one thing you can hang your hat on is how hard he crushed the ball with a 91/98.5 MPH AVG/FB EV, but he didn’t hit it quite as hard at Triple-A with a 88.8 MPH EV. 2024 Projection: 26/9/35/.239/.320/.431/1

288) Dustin Harris TEX, OF/1B, 24.9 – Harris’ power pulled back in 2023 with only 14 homers in 127 games split between Double-A and Triple-A, and the underlying numbers back up the decline with a 84.1 MPH EV at Triple-A. He’s hit the ball harder in the past and he’s got more raw power in the tank at a rock solid 6’3”, so I would expect a bounce back next year, but it’s not great. On the plus side, he continued to show an excellent plate approach (22.6%/14.8% K%/BB%), the ability to lift the ball (35.2% GB%), and speed (41 for 46 on the bases), so it’s a mighty enticing fantasy profile even if he never puts up beastly exit velocity numbers. He’s on the older side and he’s not a particularly good defensive player, so he’s a fringy-ish fantasy prospect on a team where their fringy-ish prospects will be used as bench pieces/depth. 2024 Projection: 14/2/10/.232/.307/.389/5 Prime Projection: 76/18/69/.247/.324/.424/19

289) Addison Barger TOR, 3B/SS/OF, 24.5 – Barger had a down year with a 92 wRC+ in 88 games at Triple-A. I’m calling it a “down year” because he had an elbow injury that contributed to a slow start to the year. He was much better in the 2nd half with a .809 OPS and 8 homers in his final 64 games. Everything that made him a fun breakout in 2022 is still present with plus power, and his plate approach actually improved with a 17.7%/13.7% K%/BB% over those last 64 games. He’s not a great defensive player, but Toronto played him all over the field, so he seems to have some versatility. He’s not going to be handed a full time job, but he has the type of bat that could win him one over time. 2024 Projection: 22/6/24/.232/.302/.403/2 Prime Projection: 76/24/81/.253/.328/.448/6

290) Luken Baker STL, 1B, 27.1 – Baker arguably had the best statistical season of any hitter in the minor leagues. He smashed Triple-A, slashing .334/.439/.720 with 33 homers and a 20.0%/15.5% K%/BB% in 84 games. It was good for a 180 wRC+. He wasn’t able to keep it up in the majors with a 31.3% K% and 79 wRC+ in 99 PA, but the ingredients are there for him to become a low BA slugger if he can find playing time. In the majors, he put up a 93.1/96.6 MPH AVG/FB EV with a 16.9 degree launch and a .320 xwOBA. The EV numbers were big in the minors too with a 92.1 MPH EV. He’s not the type of prospect I like to hold waiting for him to get playing time, but if a path opens up for him, he would be an easy pickup. 2024 Projection: 27/8/32/.231/.319/.432/0

291) Damiano Palmegiani TOR, 3B/1B, 24.2 – Palmegiani has been an absolute terror since entering pro ball in 2021. He put up a 167 wRC+ in rookie, a 141 wRC+ at Single-A, a 116 wRC+ at High-A, a 123 wRC+ at Double-A, and a 146 wRC+ at Triple-A. He’s now ripping up the AFL with a .941 OPS in 22 games. He has at least plus power with 26 homers in 144 games split between 3 levels (AA, AAA, AFL), but it comes with some swing and miss with a 27.2% K%, and he’s not a particularly good defensive player. Despite the hit tool and defensive risk, it’s easy to bet on a guy who has had nothing but success and a carrying tool in his power. 2024 Projection: 11/5/14/.230/.301/.421/0 Prime Projection: 66/25/77/.243/.321/.466/4

292) Robert Hassell WAS, OF, 22.8 – Hassell’s fall from grace was so brutal it almost makes you hesitant to invest too heavily in Nationals prospects at all (see below for the Dynasty Thought of the day). He’s someone with a hit tool driven profile, except he struck out 31.9% of the time with a .225 BA in 106 games at Double-A. He didn’t even run that much with only 13 steals, and he doesn’t have much power with 8 homers and a 53.1% GB%. I’m actually stumped on what we are buying here other than former prospect hype, but at the same time, it was his first truly down year of his career. We have to give him the opportunity to overcome adversity and come out the other side of it before completely tanking his ranking. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 76/14/61/.243/.318/.407/16

293) Gavin Cross KC, OF, 23.2 – Cross’ year was no doubt a disaster with a 91 wRC+ in 94 games at High-A. A 22 year old, advanced college bat should be doing damage against lower minors pitchers, but there were enough positives to not completely give up on him. The 27.8% K% wasn’t good, but it’s not hopeless either, he did show off a solid power/speed combo with 12 homers and 23 steals, and a relatively low .262 BABIP probably made a mediocre season look even worse. He utterly obliterated Single-A last year, so it’s not like he’s just been total trash in his pro career. The pedigree and power/speed combo has me thinking he’s in for a bounce back in 2024, but I would only acquire him if the price is very cheap. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 68/19/73/.239/.317/.427/14

294) Jansel Luis ARI, 2B/SS, 19.1 – Luis was excellent in the DSL in 2022 with a plus contact/speed profile, and the skills transferred completely to stateside rookie ball in 2023, slashing .297/.381/.495 with 3 homers, 9 steals, and a 14.3%/8.6% K%/BB% in 25 games. He then got the call to Single-A as an 18 year old and he held his own, slashing .257/.310/.417 with 4 homers, 7 steals, and a 22.6%/5.2% K%/BB% in 36 games. He’s a switch hitter who does everything well on a baseball field with plus contact, developing power, speed and good defense. He’s not a huge guy, but there is certainly plenty of projection left at a skinny 6’0”. If his power takes another step forward, he can really start popping, and the floor is pretty high as is. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 76/17/60/.269/.327/.420/23

295) Kevin McGonigle DET, SS, 19.7 – Selected 37th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, McGonigle is a hit tool play with one of the most advanced bats in the high school class. He has a simple and quick left handed swing that has racked up hits everywhere he’s played, and includes both stateside rookie (135 wRC+) and Single-A (151 wRC+) in his pro debut. He slashed .315/.452/.411 with 1 homer, 8 steals (in 13 attempts) and a 10.9%/19.4% K%BB% in 21 games. He’s only 5’11’, 185 pounds and the power/speed combo isn’t big, but it’s not like he doesn’t have any athleticism. He’s definitely a good athlete. Hit tool first high school prospects aren’t my favorite aisle to shop in, but McGonigle has enough upside to go after. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 86/15/59/.283/.354/.418/12

296) Enmanuel Tejeda NYY, 2B/3B, 19.3 – Tejada ripped up the DSL in 2022 with a 162 wRC+, and he did the same in stateside rookie ball in 2023, slashing .307/.465/.458 with 5 homers, 24 steals, and a 20.3%/20.3% K%/BB% in 50 games. He’s not a projectable tools guy at only 5’11”, but he has a quick righty swing and is a strong overall offensive player with average to above average hit, approach, power, and speed. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 82/18/68/.268/.339/.429/14

297) Myles Naylor OAK, SS, 19.0 – Selected 39th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Myles Naylor is your last chance to get in on the Naylor family without having to pay through the nose (Josh and Bo are his older brothers). The youngest Naylor is 6’2”, 195 pounds with a quick and powerful righty swing that jacked out 6 homers in 32 games at Single-A in his pro debut. He wasn’t expected to have major hit tool issues when he was drafted, but his 39.4% K% ended up being scary, and he struck out 3 times in 6 AB in rookie ball too. I want to give him a pass because of his plus bloodlines, aggressive assignment, and track record as an amateur, but the cold hard numbers without any narrative are a little hard to stomach. The high strikeout rate prevents me from flying him up FYPD rankings, but the swing is exciting, and his power is so sincere. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 74/28/85/.241/.323/.473/5

298) Robert Calaz COL, OF, 18.4 – Calaz was the Rockies top international signing with a $1.7 million signing bonus, and he delivered in his pro debut in the DSL, slashing .325/.423/.561 with 7 homers, 6 steals, and a 22.8%/11.6% K%/BB% in 43 games. It was good for a 155 wRC+. He has the tools to back it up at an athletic 6’2”, 202 pounds with plus power being his calling card. He’s definitely a candidate to explode when he gets stateside. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 74/25/79/.251/.322/.464/7

299) Abraham Nunez CHW, OF, 18.1 – If you like your DSL prospects to look the part, Nunez is your guy. He’s a projectable 6’3”, 170 pounds with baseball bloodlines (his dad played in the majors) and good athleticism. He played well in the DSL with 3 homers, 12 steals, and a 11.9%/17.8% K%/BB% in 44 games. He checks a lot of boxes in what you look for in a future breakout. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 76/22/79/.268/.338/.440/14

300) Javier Mogollon CHW, 2B/SS, 18.5 – Mogollon is not your typical tall drink of water, projectable DSL prospect at only 5’8”, but he’s a legitimately explosive player with power, speed and contact ability. He destroyed the DSL, slashing .315/.417/.582 with 10 homers, 11 steals, and a 14.1%/13.6% K%/BB% in 47 games. He’s definitely a candidate to be one of the next small, but still hyped prospect in the mold of a Jonatan Clase or Carlos Jorge. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 79/18/76/.275/.335/.425/18

301) Yoeilin Cespedes BOS, SS, 18.7 – Yoeilin Cespedes takes huge hacks at the dish, reminiscent of a miniature version of Vlad Guerrero Sr. And like Vlad Sr., he also makes tons of contact. He crushed the DSL in his pro debut, slashing .346/.392/.560 with 6 homers, 1 steals, and a 11.5%/6.7% K%/BB% in 46 games. He’s only 5’9”, and while he hits the ball hard, it’s hard to expect him to be a true beastly power hitter. He also doesn’t have much speed and he’s a very aggressive hitter at the dish. The swing is super fun and his hit/power combo proved to be legit in the DSL, so maybe I’m getting too caught up on the perceived negatives (size, lack of speed, and aggressiveness), but he’s not yet in that must target territory for me. I do like him at a reasonable price though. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 73/21/78/.268/.326/.432/5

302) Jeremy Rodriguez NYM, SS, 17.9 – Rodriguez signed for $1.25 million in last year’s international class, and he went out and earned that signing bonus in the DSL, slashing .293/.411/.467 with 3 homers, 19 steals, and a 15.3%/16.3% K%/BB% in 51 games. The Mets then targeted him at the deadline in a 1 for 1 trade with Tommy Pham. That tells you right there how highly the Mets think of him, and he’ll still be 17 years old for the first half of 2024. He’s a projectable 6’0”, 170 pounds with a quick lefty swing that should produce at least average power at peak, with a definite chance for more than that. He’s also an excellent all around athlete with a good glove at SS. There isn’t necessarily jaw dropping tools here, but he’s toolsy, and he showed an excellent plate approach in his debut. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 78/18/72/.267/.336/.421/18

303) Landon Roupp SFG, RHP, 25.7 – Roupp is 6’2”, 205 pounds with a relatively athletic righty delivery that uses to fire an elite spin, double plus curveball. He combines that standout pitch with plus control, a 4 pitch mix, and a low to mid 90’s fastball. He used that arsenal to dominate Double-A with a 1.74 ERA and 35%/7.5% K%/BB% in 31 IP. He only pitched in relatively short outings and he’s on the older side, but Roupp has literally never not pitched well at any level going back to his Freshman year of college. He also went longer outings in 2022 (2.60 ERA with a 152/37 K/BB in 107.1 IP). The one snafu is that he was shutdown for the season on June 30th with an unspecified injury, but it seems he’s expected to be healthy for 2024. 2024 Projection: 2/4.28/1.31/48 in 50 IP Prime Projection: 9/3.99/1.26/155 in 150 IP

304) Richard Fitts BOS, RHP, 24.3 – Fitts always strikes me as a #4 type starting pitcher when watching him, but plus control guys can often beat the visual evaluations of them. He put up a 3.48 ERA with a 25.9%/6.8% K%/BB% in 152.2 IP at Double-A. The fastball sits low to mid 90’s and an above average slider is his best secondary. He probably needs to up his control/command to an even higher level to be an impact fantasy starter, because the stuff is hittable when he catches too much of the plate. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 9/4.22/1.28/140 in 150 IP

305) Spencer Arrighetti HOU, RHP, 24.3 – I was feeling Arrihetti as a breakout candidate coming into this year in the mold of a Cristian Javier, and while I still wouldn’t rule that out, he disappointed when he got to Triple-A with a 4.64 ERA and 23.1%/13.4% K%/BB% in 64 IP. He fastball sat only 92.5 MPH and the slider was solid but didn’t dominate. The PCL is a tough league, he was much better at Double-A with a 4.15 ERA and 31.2%/9.1% K%/BB% in 60 IP, and the lesser used changeup took a step forward as an at least average pitch, so it wasn’t a disaster year by any stretch. He didn’t go full breakout like I thought was possible, but he remains an intriguing close to the majors arm in a great organization. 2024 Projection: 2/4.39/1.38/45 in 50 IP Prime Projection: 10/4.12/1.32/157 in 155 IP

306) Ignacio Alvarez ATL, SS, 21.0 – Alvarez was one of my top deep league, late round FYPD targets, finishing his Top 1,000 blurb by writing, “He doesn’t jump off the screen, but he’s not small at 6’0”, 190 pounds, and he looks like a player out there.” He backed up my evaluation of him with another strong year in his first full season of pro ball, slashing .284/.395/.391 with 7 homers, 16 steals, and a 17.4%/13.2% K%/BB% in 116 games at High-A. The upside isn’t high with an average at best power/speed combo, and he’s not a particularly good defensive player, but the guy can hit. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 75/15/72/.271/.337/.421/12

307) Michael Arroyo SEA, SS, 19.5 – Arroyo was an 18 year old at Single-A and put up a 118 wRC+ in 57 games. He looks like a seasoned vet at the dish, and is the type who jumps out immediately when you watch him hit. He’s completely locked in and makes hitting a baseball look easy. The rest of his profile is a little lacking though. His slash line isn’t as impressive as the wRC+, slashing .234/.389/.373 with 2 homers, 5 steals, and a 20.0%/13.6% K%/BB%. He doesn’t jump off the screen at 5’10” without big raw power or speed, and he’s not a particularly good defensive player. Without big upside, and without the plus glove to get him on the field, I’m hesitant to really go after him, although I don’t doubt this guy will hit at any level. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 79/18/76/.277/.344/.431/6

308) Cole Carrigg COL, C/SS/OF, 21.11 – Selected 65th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Carrigg was one of the top pro debut breakouts in his class. After destroying rookie ball (176 wRC+ in 13 games), he kept it going at Single-A, slashing .326/.376/.554 with 3 homers, 6 steals, and a 19.8%/6.9% K%/BB% in 23 games. It’s nice to see that level of production considering he didn’t play in one of the toughest conferences (Mountain West). He doesn’t have big power with only 7 homers in his 133 game college career, but at 6’3”, 200 pounds, you don’t have to squint too hard to see his ability to develop more as he ages. He also got caught stealing more than optimal in college and doesn’t walk a ton, but he can be a fun jack of all trades type who plays all over the field. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 74/14/68/.263/.319/.411/16

309) AJ Ewing NYM, 2B, 19.8 – Selected 134th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Ewing got dinged because of questionable power potential, but he’s not a small guy at a relatively strong 6’0”, and he hits the ball hard with a vicious lefty swing, so I’m not sure why that got put on him. He had a strong pro debut with a 161 wRC+, 0 homers (14.3% GB%), 1 steal, and a 28.6%/23.8% K%/BB% in 7 games. He has a good feel to hit, mature approach, above average speed, and more power than he is given credit for. He has a chance to be quite good. He makes for a great underrated FYPD target. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 82/20/79/.265/.336/.438/16

310) Nazzan Zanetello BOS, SS, 18.10 – Selected 50th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Zanetello had the type of rough pro debut that gives me some pause. He slashed .139/.311/.222 with 0 homers, 5 steals, and a 33.3%/20.0% K%/BB% in 12 games at rookie ball. It’s not so bad where I’m taking him off my draft list, but it’s bad enough where he would have to fall to me. The upside is most certainly there at a long and lean 6’2”, 190 pounds with double plus athleticism and a potentially plus power/speed combo. His upside is up there with almost anyone’s in this draft. He was already on the risky side when he got drafted, and the pro debut made him a whole lot riskier. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 73/18/71/.238/319/.427/21

311) Brandon Winokur MIN, SS/OF, 19.3 – Selected 82nd overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, the 6’5”, 210 pound Winokur has double plus power potential, and he’s also an excellent athlete with plus run times. He had no issue showing off the big power in his pro debut with 4 homers in 17 games in rookie ball, but it came with a terrible 32.4%/5.6% K%/BB%. He also had very high groundball rates with a 53.5% GB%, and despite the speed, he was 0 for 1 on the bases, so considering his size, I’m not sure we should expect big steal totals. There is very clearly still rawness in his game, but the upside is considerable. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 67/24/79/.236/.312/.442/7

312) Orion Kerkering PHI, Setup, 23.0 – Kerkering doesn’t look all that close to the closer job with a great bullpen in Philly, but he showed elite back end reliever potential in his 3 IP MLB debut. He gave up 0 earned with a 6/2 K/BB on the back of a 97.8 MPH sinker and plus sweeper. He was excellent in the minors with a 1.51 ERA and 79/12 K/BB in 53.2 IP. He’s really never shown major control issues in the minors, which combined with his level of stuff, is a very exciting profile. 2023 Projection: 3/3.47/1.19/69/5 saves in 55 IP

313) Yariel Rodriguez TOR, RHP, 27.3 – Toronto signed Rodriguez to a 4 year, $32 million contract, which is definitely a big enough commitment where they are expecting him to be an impact pitcher, but the only question is what role he will pitch in. It seems to me he will most likely pitch in a bullpen role, which limits his fantasy appeal. He was used as a reliever in Japan, and he dominated in that role with a 1.15 ERA and 60/18 K/BB in 54.2 IP. He has prototypical high leverage reliever stuff with a mid to upper 90’s fastball and plus slider. He also has the below average control of a typical late inning reliever, and the lack of a true third pitch, which makes the pen his most likely role. 2024 Projection: 4/3.51/1.23/65 in 60 IP

314) Jose Soriano LAA, Setup, 25.6 – Soriano looked to be in good position before LA signed Stephenson, but now he looks to be 3rd in line. He most certainly has closer stuff with two upper 90’s fastballs (98.8 MPH 4-seamer and 96.6 MPH sinker) and a double plus, bat missing curve (.236 xwOBA with a 47.1% whiff%). It resulted in a 3.64 ERA with a 30.4%/12.4% K%/BB% in 42 IP, His 36.2% whiff% is in the true elite zone. Soriano has the strikeout upside to provide real fantasy value in a setup role, and he will likely be next in line by at least 2025. 2024 Projection: 4/3.51/1.26/85/4 saves in 65 IP

315) DJ Herz WAS, LHP, 23.3 – I’m a sucker for a bat missing lefty with a funky delivery, and while Herz will most likely end up in the bullpen, he has the opportunity to be a high leverage reliever if he does end up there. Washington’s rotation and organizational pitching depth is also nearly barren, so they may give him every opportunity to start. He put up a 3.43 ERA with a 32.4% K% in 94.1 IP at Double-A led by a bat missing low to mid 90’s fastball,  plus changeup, and average breaking ball. It comes with a 13.7% BB%, which is where the bullpen risk comes in, but you have to aim for upside in fantasy, and Herz’ elite K rates throughout his entire minor league career has upside written all over them. 2024 Projection: 2/4.21/1.36/51 in 45 IP Prime Projection: 4/3.48/1.22/88/15 saves in 65 IP

316) Wikelman Gonzalez BOS, RHP, 22.0 – There is no doubt that Gonzalez has fire stuff with a nightmare mid to upper 90’s fastball that gets a ton of whiffs to go along with a plus breaking ball and a solid changeup. It led to a 3.96 ERA with a 35.2% K% in 111.1 IP at High-A and Double-A. The problem is that his control is in the major danger zone with a 14.7% BB%. He can survive with below average control, but he needs to improve to even reach below average, so his most likely role will be out of the bullpen. It’s closer type stuff though. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 4/3.45/1.22/81/25 saves in 65 IP

317) Luke Little CHC, Setup, 23.7 – Little made his MLB debut in September, and he was an absolute terror with a 0.00 ERA and 40%/13.3% K%/BB% in 6.2 IP. He’s a 6’8”, 220 pound lefty with a 96.6 MPH 4-seamer and a double plus sweeper that notched a 56% whiff% in the majors. He dominated the upper minors too with that same profile. It’s not going to be long before he climbs Chicago’s bullpen pecking order, and he has a chance to be an elite high leverage reliever for a long time. 2024 Projection: 3/3.46/1.28/85/1 save in 60 IP

318) Reggie Crawford SFG, LHP, 23.6 – Crawford was considered a project when San Francisco drafted him 30th overall in 2022, and he remains a project. It looks like SF is developing him mostly as a pitcher, but they are taking that development super slow, not eclipsing 2 IP in any outing. He threw 19 IP all season battling mononucleosis in the beginning of the year and an oblique injury at the end of the year. He’s 6’4”, 235 pounds with a fire upper 90’s fastball and the curve is plus, resulting in a 39% K% against lower minors hitters, but he seems a long way off from being considered a starter. The changeup lags behind and the control is spotty with a 12.4% BB%. If you want to a pure upside shot, Crawford is your guy, but a late inning reliever might be his most likely outcome at the moment. Or more likely SF will turn him into a 2-3 inning opener/follower type that they love so much. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 7/3.87/1.32/129 in 120 IP

319) Kumar Rocker TEX, RHP, 24.5 – Rocker underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2023 which will likely knock him out until the 2nd half of 2024. It’s a major bummer as he was actually looking really good with a 3.86 ERA and 37.8%/6.3% K%/BB% in 28 IP at High-A. A high mid 90’s fastball with a bat missing slider is his game when healthy, but he’s struggled to remain healthy. A bullpen role could be in his future if his arm can’t handle a starter’s workload. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 4/3.78/1.26/73 in 65 IP

320) Nick Frasso LAD, RHP, 25.6 – Frasso underwent shoulder surgery and will miss all of 2024. I already thought a bullpen role was coming at least early in his career, and now I think it’s highly likely he ends up in the bullpen. Here was my blurb for him before the injury: “When everything is clicking, Frasso looks like a near ace at an athletic 6’5” with a deceptive righty delivery, fire stuff, and above average control. But everything isn’t always clicking for him as he ran extremely hot and cold this year, his stuff can be up and down, he’s been very injury prone in his career, and 93 IP was a career high by far (60 IP was previous career high in 2018). He throws a mid 90’s fastball with a plus slider and a changeup that flashes plus. It was good for a 3.77 ERA and 26.8%/7.8% K%/BB% in 93 IP at mostly Double-A. His ultimate role is still very much in the air, and in an organization that grows pitching prospects on trees and can sign/acquire high priced pitchers whenever they want, a bullpen role seems likely in the first couple years of his career.” 2024 Projection: OUT Prime Projection: 6/3.91/1.28/90 in 85 IP

321) Daniel Espino CLE, RHP, 23.3 – Espino underwent shoulder surgery in early May with a 12-14 month timetable. That puts his best case return date in the 2nd half of 2024, and shoulder surgeries scare me more than elbow surgeries. I love buying the elbow surgery discount, but I’m not nearly as gung-ho about the shoulder surgery discount. At full health, Espino has elite fantasy upside which he displayed in 2022 with a ridiculous 51.5%/5.9% K%/BB% in 18.1 IP before going down with a knee injury that turned into the shoulder injury. The stuff is nasty with a 5 pitch mix led by an upper 90’s fastball and plus slider. If he wasn’t so filthy with insane upside, I would go way off him, but he’s too good to completely write off. 2024 Projection: OUT Prime Projection: 4/3.72/1.26/70 in 65 IP Update: Espino underwent another shoulder surgery, and this one has to kill his value. A bullpen role seems most likely, and that is if he can even get healthy at all

322) Griff McGarry PHI, RHP, 24.10 – McGarry just can’t improve his control with a 15.6% BB% in 54.2 IP at Double-A, which makes it very likely at this point that he will be a reliever, but he has the type of stuff to be an impact reliever. The fastball sits mid to upper 90’s, the slider is plus, and the cutter and changeup are good pitches too. It resulted in a 3.13 ERA and 32% K% at the level. If you’re hunting for possible high K, high leverage relievers, McGarry isn’t a bad bet, and it’s still possible something clicks with his control to remain a starter. 2024 Projection: 2/4.03/1.37/56 in 50 IP Prime Projection: 4/3.61/1.28/77 in 62 IP

323) Dominic Fletcher CHW, OF, 26.7 – The trade to Chicago opens up a path to playing time for Fletcher, but he’s still going to have to fight for it, and he’s a low upside fantasy player. The hit tool is solid, but it’s not great with a 18.6% K% at Triple-A and 21.6% K% in 102 PA in the majors. The game power is below average with low flyball rates (29.5% FB% at Triple-A and 8.5 degree launch in the majors), the speed is below average with a 26.5 ft/sec sprint,, and he struggles vs. lefties. He hits the ball relatively hard, but a 89.1 MPH EV at AAA and 89.7 MPH EV in the majors isn’t hard to enough to overcome everything else in his profile. He’s mostly produced everywhere he’s been, and that includes the majors with a 113 wRC+, but an above average hit tool with a below average everything else isn’t what I look for in fantasy. 2024 Projection: 41/9/41/.250/.317/.409/4

324) Xavier Edwards MIA, 2B/OF, 24.8 – I try not to be a slave to exit velocity, especially for prospects with good complimentary skills, but Edwards’ exit velocities are low enough to scare me off. He put up a 82.4 MPH EV in 93 games at Triple-A and a 82.2 MPH EV in 84 PA in his MLB debut. The contact rates and plate approach were elite in Triple-A with a 6.9%/12.0% K%/BB%, but he wasn’t able to maintain that in the majors with a 16.7%/3.6% K%/BB%. And he’s fast with a 28.3 ft/sec sprint speed, but that isn’t really lightning fast. There is obviously a path to impact fantasy production with a plus hit/speed combo, but I’m staying away from him as anything other than a flier with those horrific exit velocities. 2024 Projection: 39/3/24/.263/.326/.362/16 Prime Projection: 76/8/51/.277/.338/.385/32

325) Haydn McGeary CHC, 1B, 24.6 – McGeary is a big man at 6’4”, 235 pounds with big raw power and a mature plate approach. He slashed .255/.382/.435 with 16 homers, 4 steals, and a 23.8%/15.2% K%/BB% in 104 games at Double-A. The flyball rates have been low throughout his career, and while he’s been able to raise it to a decent 36.9%, I’m concerned it will ultimately cap his power upside without the hit tool, speed or defensive value to really make up for it. He’ll have to scratch and claw for playing time. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 47/15/54/.252/.338/.442/2

326) Colin Barber HOU, OF, 23.4 – The upside might not be loud, but Barber keeps quietly producing everywhere he goes. This year he did at Double-A with 11 homers, 5 steals, a 22.7%/14.0% K%/BB%, and a 111 wRC+ in 79 games. He has a mature plate approach and the ability to lift the ball with an average power/speed combo. Nothing to write home about, but he can easily end up an average big leaguer with contributions in every category. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 78/20/76/.264/.337/.432/10

327) Jose Rodriguez MIN, OF, 18.10 – Rodriguez didn’t have a huge year in his stateside rookie ball debut with a 91 wRC+ in 49 games, but he laid down a foundation of skills to set up a future breakout. And keep in mind he will still be 18 years old at the start of 2024. He showed a good feel to hit with a 19.6% K%, plus power potential with 6 homers, and the ability to lift the ball with a 49% FB%. He hits the ball hard and he’s a strong dude at a powerful 6’2”. If he continues to show the solid hit tool and lift, big years are definitely coming. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 74/27/86/.258/.327/.473/3

328) Marco Vargas NYM, SS, 18.10 – Vargas had an excellent year in the DSL in 2022 (139 wRC+), and everything transferred completely to stateside rookie ball, slashing .275/.432/.389 with 2 homers, 13 steals, and a 15.2%/21.2% K%/BB% in 54 games. He’s 6’0”, 170 pounds with a smooth and easy lefty swing that has natural loft. There should be at least average power at peak, and I think above average power is in play too. He’s not a burner, but he should at least contribute in steals as well. And of course what you are buying is the plus hit tool and plate approach. He reminds me of Juan Brito a bit, and I think Vargas has a tick more upside. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 81/18/66/.273/.351/.432/12

329) Wade Meckler SFG, OF, 23.11 – Meckler’s plate approach was far too mature for the minor leagues in his first full year of pro ball. He started the year at High-A, and he didn’t hit a road bump all the way through Triple-A with a 19.6%/17.6% K%/BB% and 144 wRC+ in 24 games. It all fell apart in the majors though with a 39.1%/9.4% K%/BB% in 64 PA. His power is double below average with a 81.4 MPH EV in MLB and a 83.8 MPH EV at Triple-A, and while he’s fast with a 29.4 ft/sec sprint, he’s only an average to slightly above average base stealer. Considering the upside isn’t super high, the plate approach being so terrible in the majors, even in small sample, scares me a bit, and he’s in San Francisco’s platoon factory. 2024 Projection: 26/4/21/.247/.323/.376/6 Prime Projection: 66/10/48/.263/.342/.401/13

330) AJ Vukovich ARI, 3B/OF, 22.8 – I’ve always been a fan of AJ Vukovich because he’s a big guy and an excellent athlete, and he finally starting popping in 2023, slashing .263/.333/.485 with 24 homers, 20 steals, and a 28.4%/9.1% K%/BB% in 115 games at Double-A. He wasn’t a great 3B, so it’s very interesting to see he played 60 games in CF. That speaks to his level of speed and athleticism, and it gives him another route to get his bat in the lineup. The hit tool is below average, the plate approach isn’t great, and the groundball rates are slightly higher than optimal, but I love betting on an athlete like this. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 67/21/75/.248/.317/.436/11

331) Ruben Santana ARI, 3B, 19.1 – Santana hit well in the DSL in 2022 with a 142 wRC+, and he backed that up stateside in 2023, slashing .316/.389/.487 with 4 homers, 7 steals, and a 23.7%/8.1% K%/BB% in 52 games. He’s a strong kid who hits the ball hard and is an excellent athlete. The hit tool and plate approach still need refinement, but this is a nice high upside dart throw as you get into the later rounds of your off-season prospect draft. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 74/23/77/.248/.321/.445/15

332) Jacob Berry MIA, 1B/3B, 22.11 – All of the fears over Berry’s poor pro debut in 2022 were proved correct with another disappointing showing in 2023. He slashed .233/.284/.388 with 9 homers, 10 steals, and a 20.5%/5.3% K%/BB% in 107 games split between High-A and Double-A. The only saving grace is that he was actually better at Double-A to close out the season with 5 homers and a decent .743 OPS in 28 games, and he kept that mediocrity going in the AFL with 2 homers and a .770 OPS in 17 games. Seeing how far he’s fallen just one year after being drafted 6th overall is wild, but it’s deserved. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 66/15/71/.257/.318/.420/4

333) Won-Bin Cho STL, OF, 20.0 – Cho had a perfectly fine year at Single-A with a 114 wRC+, 7 homers, 32 steals, and a 21.7%/14.2% K%/BB% in 105 games. He has a mature plate approach, he hits the ball fairly hard, and he’s a good athlete. The 50% GB% is the biggest issue with his profile, but it was much better last year in rookie ball (34.7%), so I don’t think it’s going to be a fatal flaw for him. Lars Nootbaar could be a good comp here. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 78/17/72/.262/.341/.428/15

334) Yu-Min Lin ARI, LHP, 20.9 – Lin has done nothing but dominate pro ball at an impressively young age for the past two years. He put up a 3.34 ERA with a 32.1%/9.3% K%/BB% in 60.1 IP at High-A as a 19-year-old, and then to celebrate his 20th birthday, Arizona sent him to Double-A where he put up a 4.28 ERA with a 24.7%/10% K%/BB% in 61 IP. A plus changeup is his best pitch, he has a diverse pitch mix (fastball, change, slider, curve, cutter) and he has a deceptive and athletic lefty delivery. The problem is the the fastball is below average in the very low 90’s, he’s pretty small at a skinny 5’11”, and deceptive plus changeup guys have often dominated the minors before getting crushed in the majors. We already saw the numbers take a step back at Double-A. An uptick in velocity would do wonders for him, and at only 20 years old with his build, I would bet on it rising at least a bit. #4 starter is his most reasonable projection. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 10/4.14/1.30/155 in 160 IP

335) Owen Murphy ATL, RHP, 20.6 – Murphy doesn’t stand out physically when watching him and his stuff isn’t really standout either. He throws a low 90’s fastball with two really good breaking balls in his slider and curve. It resulted in a 4.72 ERA with a 29.6%/8.4% K%/BB% in 89.2 IP at mostly Single-A. He can really spin all of his pitches, so everything plays up, but he likely needs to become a plus control/command guy to be an impact fantasy starter, which I do think he has the ability to do. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 10/4.12/1.28/145 in 150 IP

336) Wilmer Flores DET, RHP, 23.1 – I loved Flores coming into the season, but he wasn’t able to build on his excellent 2022 with all of his numbers taking a step back, most notably his control. He had a 3.90 ERA with a 24.3%/9.5% K%/BB% in 80.2 IP at Double-A after putting up a 3.01 ERA with a 27.5%/6.1% K%/BB% in 83.2 IP at the level last year. The plus control was a major reason why I liked him so much, so seeing that back up has him dropping for me, but he’s still a good pitching prospect with a mid 90’s fastball, plus breaking ball and a developing cutter. 2024 Projection: 3/4.34/1.36/57 in 60 IP Prime Projection: 9/4.05/1.31/150 in 150 IP

337) Yeison Morrobel TEX, OF, 20.4 – Morrobel’s season ended after just 37 games, but he was hitting well with a 110 wRC+, 1 homer, 12 steals, and a 22.5%/14.6% K%/BB% at Single-A. He’s an athletic guy at 6’2”, 170 pounds with a solid plate approach, nice lefty swing, and speed. He needs to add more raw power and likely needs to start lifting the ball more as well, but there is a nice collection of skills and athleticism here. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 76/17/72/.262/.331/.422/18

338) Yasser Mercedes MIN, OF, 19.5 – Mercedes put up a cover your eyes 57 wRC+ in 25 games in stateside rookie ball, but a lot of that had to do with a .211 BABIP. His contact rates were fine (21.9% K%), he hit for power (4 homers), and he stole some bags (4 steals despite a .248 OBP). The raw talent at a projectable 6’3”, 180 pounds is still fully there with an electric righty swing. He needs plenty of refinement, but I’m still buying the upside. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 73/23/78/.246/.317/.448/18

339) Austin Shenton TBR, 1B/3B, 26.4 – I’m not sure Shenton is every going to find a pocket to lock in full time playing time with Yandy at 1B, Paredes at 3B, and Caminero, Mead, Isaac, Carson Williams, Braden Taylor and more all on the way. But his play in the upper minors warranted a decent spot on this list, slashing .304/.423/.584 with 29 homers and a 26.8%/16.3% in 134 games split between Double-A and Triple-A. I’m not sure the raw power is quite huge enough to make up for the hit tool issues, but the plate approach is mature and he’s knocking on the door of the bigs. He has a chance to work his way into a strong side of a platoon role down the line. 2024 Projection: 16/4/19/.230/.307/.398/0 Prime Projection: 43/13/45/.242/.323/.424/0

340) Malcom Nunez PIT, 1B, 23.1 – Nunez didn’t have a good year at Triple-A with a 69 wRC+ in 67 games, but he’s knocking on the door of the bigs and Pitt has a long term opening at 1B/DH, so I don’t want to write him off. Down years happen in baseball, he’s been a very good hitter throughout his pro career, and he battled a shoulder injury this year which certainly impacted his production. He hits it relatively hard and he’s never shown any major strikeout issues (23.6% K% this year). He should get his shot at some point in 2024. 2024 Projection: 18/6/23/.235/.301/.417/0 Prime Projection: 43/15/49/.251/.326/.447/1

341) Ivan Melendez ARI, 1B/3B, 24.4 – I was hesitant to buy into a 22 year old college bat, and that proved prudent as Melendez showed major hit tool and plate approach issues in 2023 with a 34.3%/7.3% K%/BB% in 96 games split between High-A and Double-A. The problems got worse at Double-A and he wasn’t great in the AFL with a .229 BA and 2 homers in 21 games. But he still cracks this list because the power is massive. He jacked 30 homers with low groundballs rates. If he can improve his contact rates, he will mash, but if doesn’t, he’ll hit under the Gallo line. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 32/15/41/.226/.310/.450/1

342) Brennen Davis CHC, OF, 24.5 – I always get a little sad when I think about Davis. He was a near elite prospect who got derailed by injuries, and making this list might be more nostalgia than anything else. He put up a 49 wRC+ with 4 homers in 62 games at Triple-A. The back injury has completely sapped his power. The 22.6%/8.6% K%/BB% and 9 steals actually weren’t bad, so if he can fully recover from his injuries and regain his power, there is hope for a bounce back. Forget regaining his former near elite prospect status, I’m just hoping he can get his career back on a reasonable track. 2024 Projection: 7/1/5/.220/.290/.387/1 Prime Projection: 39/10/41/.244/.308/.421/10

343) Cade Povich BAL, LHP, 24.0 – Povich profiles as a back end starter with below average control and below average velocity. He put up a 4.87 ERA with a 33.4%/10.5% K%/BB% in 81.1 IP at Double-A, and a 5.36 ERA with a 26.9%/14.7% K%/BB% in 45.1 IP with the automated strike zone at Triple-A. The fastball sat 92.1 MPH and he uses a six pitch mix led by a plus changeup and curve. The high K rates keep him interesting for fantasy, but he will need to improve his command to reach his high K, mid rotation starter upside. 2024 Projection: 2/4.51/1.40/46 in 50 IP Prime Projection: 9/4.25/1.32/155 in 150 IP

344) Joey Cantillo CLE, LHP, 24.3 – Cantillo has solid stuff with a 93.5 MPH fastball, he misses bats with a changeup and slider that helped notch a 26.1% K% overall at Triple-A, and he’s close to the bigs, but the control is below average with a 12.9% BB% and he wasn’t all that great at Triple-A with a 4.64 ERA in 95 IP. Without taking a big step in control/command, he’s likely a back end guy. 2024 Projection: 2/4.55/1.40/46 in 50 IP Prime Projection: 9/4.27/1.34/150 in 150 IP

345) Cooper Hjerpe STL, LHP, 23.0 – Hjerpe’s velocity did not tick up this year like many hoped with him sitting in the high 80’s to low 90’s. He has the type of hjerpe jerky, sidearm lefty delivery to make it work, but that is still dangerously low. He also didn’t have the most impressive pro debut from a statistical or injury standpoint. He put up a 3.51 ERA with a 29.8%/14.6% K%/BB% in 41 IP and missed 4 months of the season after undergoing surgery to get loose bodies removed from his elbow. Low velocity, poor control, and injury risk is not the 3 headed monster you are looking for. At this point, a #4 starter seems like a reasonable upside projection for him. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 10/4.17/1.31/163 in 160 IP

346) Thomas Harrington PIT, RHP, 22.8 – Harrington pitched well in the lower minors like an advanced college starter should, putting up a 3.53 ERA with a 27.8%/7.8% K%/BB% in 127.1 IP split between Single-A and High-A. A filthy, at least plus slider is his moneymaker, which he combines with a low to mid 90’s sinker and 4-seamer. As is, it’s likely a #4 starter profile. He’ll likely need to enter plus to double plus control/command territory to beat that projection, which I wouldn’t rule out. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection:  9/4.16/1.29/142 in 150 IP

347) Alonzo Tredwell HOU, RHP, 21.11 – Selected 61st overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Tredwell is 6’8”, 230 pounds with an athletic delivery and plus control. Just those 3 combination of skills makes him an unique and intriguing pitching prospect. He put up a 2.11 ERA with a 62/6 K/BB in 47 innings out of the pen in 2022 at UCLA, and then he was transitioned into the rotation this year where he put up a 3.57 ERA with a 51/12 K/BB in 45.1 IP before getting shutdown with back and rib injuries. The stuff doesn’t necessarily jump off the screen with a low to mid 90’s fastball, but he throws a legitimate 4 pitch mix (slider, curve, change), and everything plays up because of his control. If it all comes together, think something like Bailey Ober (not a direct comp). ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 9/4.16/1.20/150 in 150 IP

348) Caden Grice ARI, LHP, 21.10 – Selected 64th overall, Grice is a supreme athlete at 6’6”, 250 pounds with potential as both a pitcher and hitter (he put up a 1.029 OPS in 60 games in the ACC), but his future is very likely on the mound. He has all the makings of that prototypical mid rotation workhorse with a relatively athletic delivery, but he probably needs the fastball to tick up to get there. He currently sits in the low 90’s, and while it’s hard to predict a velocity increase, his two way player status and build seems to point towards a bump if he focuses solely on pitching. He also throws a good slider and changeup. It all led to a 3.35 ERA and 31.4%/10.2% K%/BB% in 78 IP. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 10/4.05/1.29/164 in 170 IP

349) Leonardo Bernal STL, C, 20.2 – Bernal’s power is going to have to tick up to become an impact fantasy catcher with only 3 homers in 78 games at Triple-A, and he’s already pretty thick, so there might not be a ton more coming. Everything else is there though with an advanced plate approach (17%/15.2% K%/BB%) and potentially plus catcher defense. I trust St. Louis to develop hitters like him, so he’s in a perfect organization. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 66/14/59/.267/.338/.412/3

350) Blake Mitchell KCR, C, 19.2 – Selected 8th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Mitchell got drafted so highly mostly because of his defensive prowess. He’s a good defensive catcher with an elite arm. He’s not chopped liver at the dish either with a powerful lefty swing at 6’1”. 200 pounds that projects for plus power at peak, but it comes with plenty of swing and miss. His 13 game pro debut in rookie ball showed the rawness of his offensive game with 0 homers, a .147 BA, and 26.9% K%, but the 32.7% BB% saved the debut from being a complete disaster. He projects to be that classic plus defense, low BA slugging catcher. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 72/21/69/.244/.330/.443/4

351) Jacob Gonzalez CHW, SS, 21.10 – Selected 15th overall in the 2023 Draft, Gonzalez is a safe, quick moving college bat who doesn’t have big upside. He’s a SS who has an excellent plate approach and bat to ball skills. He had a .327 BA with a 28/35 K/BB in 54 SEC games. An up the middle defender who gets the bat on the ball is probably the safest profile there is. He has a bit of an awkward lefty swing, and while he’s 6’2”, 200 pounds, there isn’t big power with only 10 homers this year. He also has below average speed. His lack of upside was on full display in his pro debut, slashing .207/.308/.261 with 1 homer, 1 steal, and a 16.8%/14.6% K%/BB% in 30 games at Single-A. He should move fast through the system and is a high probability big leaguer, but he’s not a fantasy target. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 75/17/67/.263/.332/.418/4

352) Colton Ledbetter TBR, OF, 22.5 – Selected 55th overall, the 6’2”, 205 pound Ledbetter has that classic solid across the board profile. He transferred into the SEC from the Southern League for his junior year and he had no issues against the superior competition, slashing .320/.452/.574 with 12 homers, 17 steals, and a 36/47 K/BB in 53 games. The profile also completely transferred into pro ball with 2 homers, 3 steals, and a 21.6%/13.5% K%/BB% in 18 games at Single-A. The raw power/speed combo is only about average, which caps his upside, but Ledbetter can do a little bit of everything on the baseball field. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 78/15/69/.267/.334/.422/15

353) Travis Honeyman STL, OF, 22.6 – Selected 90th overall, the 6’2”, 190 pound Honeyman makes a ton of contact, hits the ball fairly hard, and has above average speed. That is a strong combination of skills, and it led to an excellent season in the ACC, slashing .304/.383/.534 with 6 homers, 10 steals, and a 11.5% 7.1% K%/BB% in 39 games. He’s never been a big home run hitter in college, but his frame definitely has room to add power, and he also hit 4 homers with a .930 OPS in 24 games in the wood bat Cape Cod League in 2022. I like Honeyman a lot, and he makes for an excellent underrated FYPD target. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 79/18/73/.264/.321/.422/17

354) Carson Rucker DET, 3B/SS, 19.7 – Selected 107th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Rucker is 6’2”, 193 pounds with a big righty swing that should produce plus power at peak, and he’s a good athlete with above average speed. The hit tool was a bit of a question coming into the draft, but it looked solid in his pro debut with a 22.0%/14.6% K%/BB% in 9 games at stateside rookie. He also hit 1 homer with 4 steals, which was good for a 110 wRC+. He has the upside to become a legit hyped prospect. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 74/22/78/.256/.330/.446/10

355) Adolfo Sanchez CIN, OF, 17.6 – The 6’2”, 175 pound Sanchez has one of those sweet lefty swings that just oozes offensive potential. He’s known for his great feel to hit, and when his power naturally ticks up, it’s going to be easy above average power at the very least. He’s a good athlete, but he’s not a burner, so something like Marcelo Mayer is the prospect ceiling here. ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 84/24/86/.273/.345/.462/9

356) Joswa Lugo LAA, SS, 17.2 – Lugo is already a relatively physical presence in the box at 6’2”, 175 pounds, and he’s still only 16 years old as of this writing. He has easy plus power at peak, and he does it with a smooth, effortless, and controlled righty swing. The hit/power combo has plus potential at peak, and he’s a good athlete too. He definitely has middle of the order, complete hitter potential. ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 82/26/86/.273/.341/.471/8

357) Luis Cova MIA, OF, 17.2 – I didn’t really love Cova’s swing in my first run through the international prospects rankings, and with so many toolsy prospects, I had him as one of the just misses on my FYPD rankings, but that was a mistake. His athleticism stands out with double plus speed, and he’s grown as well with a projectable 6’2”, 175 pound frame. I’m still not quite as high on him as others, but there is obviously a ton of potential in here. ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 79/18/73/.262/.328/.435/26

358) Eric Bitonti MIL, 3B, 18.4 – Selected 87th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Bitonti just turned 18 in mid November. He’s the same age or younger as many of the DSL prospects, and he started his career in stateside rookie ball. He’s 6’4”, 218 pounds with a big lefty swing that could have double plus power at peak. He already cracked 2 homers in 12 games in his pro debut. The hit tool is still very raw with a .179 BA and 31.1% K%, but the 18.8% BB% mitigates that a bit, and so does his young age. He has a chance to be a premier power hitter at peak. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 68/26/79/.240/.324/.457/3

359) Andrew Nardi MIA, Setup, 25.8 – If Miami is serious about making Puk a starter (which I don’t think they are), Nardi might be in position to be next man up. He had a strong year in 2023 with a 2.67 ERA, 17 holds, 3 saves, and a 30.8%/8.9% K%/BB% in 57.1 IP. The stuff isn’t huge with a 94.5 MPH fastball, but he’s a weak contact machine with an 84.6 MPH EV against, and he still gets plenty of whiffs with a 28.5% whiff%. 2024 Projection: 5/3.45/1.22/77/4 saves 63 IP

360) Yovanny Rodriguez NYM, C, 17.5 – The 5’11”, 180 pound Rodriguez is the top catcher in the 2024 international class. A lot of that has to do with his potentially plus defense, but he’s no slouch with the bat either. He has a quick twitch swing with easy bat speed. He’s already pretty strong with more power coming, and he has a good feel to hit. ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 72/21/76/.268/.336/.447/6

361) Angel Martinez CLE, 2B/3B/SS, 22.4 – Martinez had an underwhelming year in the upper minors with a 96 wRC+ in 99 games at Double-A and a 78 wRC+ in 37 games at Triple-A, but his profile mostly remains the same. He has a solid contact rates (20.1% K%), with developing power at 6’0″, 200 pounds (14 homers in 136 games), and average speed (11 steals). It’s an average across the board profile. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 76/18/65/.267/.330/.419/11

362) Cameron Cauley TEX, SS, 21.2 – Cauley’s swing and miss is in the major danger zone with a 31.6% K% in 100 games split between Single-A and High-A. He then went to the AFL and put up a .186 BA with a 43.8% K% in 21 games. That strikeout rate is brutal enough to stay away from him, but his power/speed combo is too good to just ignore. He has double plus speed with 39 steals, and he hits the ball hard with 16 homers. If he can make substantial gains to his hit tool, he could explode, but even one step forward would go a long way for his profile. As of now though, that strikeout rate scares me. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 53/13/44/.223/.309/.414/25

363) Carlos Rodriguez MIL, RHP, 22.4 – The Brewers rotation is very rough looking at the moment, so Rodriguez could have plenty of opportunity in 2023. He had a strong season with a 2.77 ERA and 29.5%/10.3% K%/BB% in 123.2 IP at Double-A. The stuff isn’t very big with a 91.6 MPH fastball, but he throws a six pitch mix with a plus changeup leading the way. It looks like a junkbally back end starter to me, but I trust Milwaukee’s pitching development, and you have to like the minor league K rates. 2024 Projection: 3/4.58/1.42/68 in 75 IP Prime Projection: 9/4.26/1.34/145 in 150 IP

364) Ben Joyce LAA, Setup, 23.7 – Joyce made it look easy in his pro debut in 2022, jumping straight into Double-A and dominating with a 2.08 ERA with a 35.1%/7.0% K%/BB% in 13 IP, but 2023 was a completely different story. He struggled at both Double-A (4.60 ERA with a 34.3%/18.6% K%/BB% in 15.2 IP) and the majors (5.40 ERA with a 20.8%/18.8% K%/BB% in 10 IP). He missed 3 months mid-season with ulnar neuritis, adding injury risk onto the profile. The insane fastball velocity was still there with a 100.9 MPH fastball, but despite the velocity, it only played as an above average pitch at best on the MLB level, and the slider was average at best with a .319 xwOBA and 31.3% whiff%. Maybe he wasn’t quite healthy, or maybe it was a developmental bump in the road, but his inevitable beeline to the closer role doesn’t look all that inevitable anymore. 2024 Projection: 3/3.82/1.31/67/2 saves in 55 IP

365) Estiven Florial CLE, OF, 26.5 – The Yankees clearly didn’t believe in Florial at all, so getting traded to Cleveland will only help, and their CF job is definitely open for the taking. The reason the Yanks didn’t believe in him is because his hit tool is double below average. He has a career .209 BA with a 40.2% whiff% in 134 MLB PA. He hit very well at Triple-A with a 130 wRC+, 28 homers, and 25 steals, but even there the K% is in the danger zone at 29.9%. He has double plus speed with a 29.3 ft/sec sprint and he has plus raw power (90.6 MPH EV at AAA), but it seems unlikely that he can truly hit MLB pitching at 26 years old already. We’ve seen talents like this breakout in their late 20’s, sometimes it takes that long for a guy to improve the hit tool, and if that happens, the elite tools will be there to do the rest. 2024 Projection: 28/6/25/.221/.309/.392/9

366) Johnathan Rodriguez CLE, OF, 24.5 – Rodriguez has legit power with 29 homers and a 91.5 MPH EV in 135 games at Double- A and Triple-A, but it comes with major hit tool risk. He had a 32.7% K% in 47 games at Triple-A. Cleveland could use the power bats, but I think Valera and Noel are the better bats, so I’m not prioritizing Rodriguez. 2024 Projection: 11/4/16/.221/.292/.422/0 Prime Projection: 41/15/49/.238/.312/.453/1

367) Nasim Nunez WAS, SS/2B, 23.7 – Washington took a shot on Nunez in the Rule 5 Draft for a reason, and that is because their infield situation outside of CJ Abrams is unsettled. He put up a 79 wRC+ with 5 homers in 125 games at Double-A, but his supporting skills make him a legitimate fantasy prospect. He has a plus SS glove which should get him on the field, he has double plus speed with 52 stolen bases, and he gets on base with a 14.9% BB%. He’s only 5’9”, 168 pounds, so there likely isn’t much more power coming, but he has the skills to be among the league leaders in steals if he can hit just enough to not get stuck in a utility infielder role. 2024 Projection: 19/1/9/.238/.318/.354/7 Prime Projection: 73/8/42/.256/.331/.380/36

368) Dillon Dingler DET, C, 25.6 – Dingler will be competing with Jake Rogers for Detroit’s starting catcher job before long. Their profiles are mighty similar too with plus power (16 homers in 89 games split between 3 levels) and hit tool issues (29.6% K% in the upper minors). He’s a deeper league proximity play. 2024 Projection: 16/4/21/.210/.282/.383/2 Prime Projection: 46/17/55/.225/.297/.414/5

369) Agustin Ramirez NYY, C, 22.7 – Ramirez is a thick 6’0”, 225 pounds, and he used that stout frame to hit the ball very hard. He cracked 18 homers in 114 games split across 3 levels (A, A+, AA). He did it with a good feel to hit as well with a 17.3% K%. He struggled when he got to Double-A with a 62 wRC+ in 31 games, which is a little concerning, but he still had strong contact rates (19.4% K%), and it was his first taste of the upper minors after playing in rookie ball all of last year. The defense isn’t that great, which could force a move to 1B/DH, and that would put a whole lot of pressure on his bat to absolutely max out. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 41/15/49/.255/.320/.443/5

370) Ryan Bliss SEA, 2B/SS, 24.4 – Bliss was putting up video game numbers at Double-A with 12 homers, 30 steals, and .358 BA in 68 games, but his numbers dropped off in the 2nd half at Triple-A with a still respectable .779 OPS in 60 games. He’s a particularly small guy at 5’6” and he had an 86 MPH EV at Triple-A, so you can’t trust the 23 homers he hit in 128 games. The hit tool is good, but not great, so he’ll likely have to start his career in a utility role, and with Seattle trading for Polanco, his path to playing time is gone. 2024 Projection: 17/3/12/.238/.304/.373/5 Prime Projection: 71/14/57/.248/.319/.401/22

371) Javier Vaz KCR, 2B/SS/OF, 23.6 – Vaz is a little guy at 5’9” with elite contact rates, high walk rates, plus speed, and some pop. He’s on the older side at 23 years old and KC played him all over the field (2B, SS, CF, LF). This type of profile often ends up as a utility player, but he got a lot more interesting when he was able to fully keep up the production from High-A when he got the call to Double-A. He slashed .304/.391/.429 with 2 homers, 4 steals, and a 13.8%/11.5% K%/BB% in 33 games at level. He’s more of a deep league flier type, but KC has plenty of opportunity in the near future, and he has the type of skills that can make a fantasy impact if he does get the playing time. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 66/8/52/.268/.327/.386/16

372) Samad Taylor SEA, 2B/OF, 25.9 – Taylor’s first shot against MLB pitching didn’t go well with a 31.9% K% and .546 OPS in 69 PA, but in such a barren minor league system, why not take a shot on a guy who can actually be a fantasy difference maker. And that difference making ability is his speed. He stole 8 bags in those 69 PA and that was with barely being on base. He also jacked 43 bags in 89 games at Triple-A. Speaking of Triple-A, he did damage there with 8 homers, a 20.5%/15.9% K%/BB%, and 128 wRC+. He’s looking like a speed bench bat with little power and hit tool issues, but that speed can make a legit impact. 2024 Projection: 37/4/29/.236/.307/.378/14

373) Carlos De La Cruz PHI, 1B/OF, 24.6 – Cruz is one of those unicorn baseball players at 6’8”, 210 pounds with big power, but he’s one I’m not really going after. The strikeout rates have been very high throughout his pro career and sat at 27.5% at Double-A this year. His walk rates have been relatively low and while the 9.3% BB% he put up this year is solid, it’s not particularly great considering his skillset and age. He doesn’t run much with only 3 steals and the groundball rates are on the high side at 46.1%. Having said that, he jacked out 24 homers with a 118 wRC+ in 129 games. He’s a fine pick in deeper leagues or as you get into the late rounds of your draft, but I’m not going after him. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 33/9/39/.232/.308/.428/2

374) Tyler Gentry KCR, OF, 25.2 – Gentry got off to a rough 1st half of the season, but he got back to mashing in the 2nd half, slashing .288/.425/.495 with 10 homers, 9 steals, and a 48/46 K/BB in 58 games at Triple-A. He’s not exactly a masher, but his power is legit with a respectable 88.8 MPH EV, and he combines that with a mature plate approach and some speed. The poor first half had a lot of people forgetting about the relative excitement for Gentry coming into the year, me included, but he has a strong across the board profile, and he’ll compete for a big league job this Spring. 2024 Projection: 31/7/35/.232/.311/.414/5

375) Rece Hinds CIN, OF, 23.7 – Hinds hit tool and plate approach are just too brutal to fully jump on board. He had a 32.8%/7.4% K%/BB% in 109 games at Double-A. His strikeout problems were just as bad in the lower minors. The power is legit at 6’4”, 215 pounds with 23 homers, and he’s a good athlete with 20 steals, but the odds of the hit tool tanking him are very high. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 32/11/38/.222/.291/.429/5

376) Jud Fabian BAL, OF, 23.6 – Fabian had major strikeout issues in college, and while he managed to keep them at a reasonable rate in the lower minors (25.7% K% in 56 games at High-A), they got completely out of control when he faced advanced pitching for the first time with a 37.5% K% in 64 games at Double-A. The power/speed combo is big with 24 homers and 31 steals in 120 games overall, but that K rate is much too high for me to buy in too hard, especially in Baltimore’s stacked organization. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 48/16/53/.235/.320/.435/12

377) Braylin Tavera BAL, OF, 19.2 – The 6’2”, 175 pound Tavera was a high priced international signing who played well this year at stateside rookie, slashing .262/.391/.421 with 4 homers, 13 steals, and a 17.3%/16.5% K%/BB% in 35 games. He has the type of talent that could fly up rankings with a strong showing in full season ball. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 73/20/77/.255/.333/.438/11

378) Marcos Torres TEX, 1B/OF, 19.6 – Torres hit well in the DSL in 2022 with a 133 wRC+, and he backed that up stateside in 2023, slashing .250/.378/.494 with 7 homers, 23 steals, and a 23.9%/13.4% K%/BB% in 48 games. At 6’3”, the power is most certainly legit, but he doesn’t have any defensive value and there are some hit tool issues which reared their ugly head at Single-A with a 43.9% K% in 10 games to close out the season. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 66/23/74/.243/.321/.434/9

379) Jose Pirela CLE, OF, 18.0 – Pirela has all the tools to blow up in 2024. He’s an athletic 6’3”, 180 pounds with plus power potential. He performed well in the DSL, slashing .270/.395/.480 with 6 homers, 8 steals, and a 21.6%/13.5% K%/BB% in 41 games. The K rate is higher than optimal, but at the very least you should keep a close eye on him in his stateside debut and pounce quickly if he’s performing well. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 76/24/81/.250/.325/.457/9

380) Andres Valor MIA, OF, 18.5 – Valor wasn’t a hyped international signing, but he wasn’t cheap either at $520,000, and he has the build and skills to get excited about. He’s a projectable 6’3”, 180 pounds with plus athleticism and a swing geared for both power and average. He had an excellent season in the DSL, slashing .294/.360/.466 with 5 homers, 21 steals, and a 24.1%/9.2% K%/BB% in 51 games. The K rate is a bit on the high side for the DSL, but he’s an exciting lotto ticket that could pay off big in a couple years. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 68/21/73/.245/.317/.431/14

381) Enmanuel Bonilla TOR, OF, 18.2 – Bonilla was a very high priced international signing ($4.1 million) known for his plus power and good feel to hit, and while he didn’t destroy the DSL, he hit well, slashing .307/.407/.429 with 3 homers, 5 steals, and a 24.3%/11.9% K%/BB% in 50 games. It was good for a 127 wRC+. He remains in the lotto ticket bucket as a possible future hyped breakout. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 74/26/83/.248/.326/.467/9

382) Gabriel Lara NYY, OF, 18.4 – Gabriel is one of, if not the most underrated DSL breakout prospect. I don’t see a whisper of hype for anywhere, but he’s legitimately very exciting. He slashed .267/.401/.411 with 4 homers, 18 steals, and a 16.5%/15.4% K%/BB% in 43 games. He has double plus speed, and while he’s not a big guy at 5’9”, he has a strong lefty swing. He’s in the mold of a Carlos Jorge. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 78/15/59/.267/.336/.411/25

383) Max Muncy OAK, SS, 21.8 – The good news is that Muncy didn’t let his strikeout rate get out of control as he climbed the minor league ladder. He put up a 29.5%/9.9% K%/BB% with a .255 BA in 72 games at High-A and a 23.2%/9% K%/BB% with a .302 BA in 51 games at Double-A. The bad news is that he needed to give up some of his power to do it with only 10 homers and relatively low hard hit rates in 123 games. He also stole only 13 bags, so we can’t count on big steal totals either. He’s only 21 years old and he’s obviously trying to find the right balance of hit vs. power. Putting up a 124 wRC+ in your age 20 season at Double-A is nothing to sneeze at either. The hit tool is still hard to trust, and he’s yet to put up that truly special season, but the ingredients are there to breakout in the next 1-2 years. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 67/20/74/.241/.320/.433/13

384) Chase Dollander COL, RHP, 21.9 – Selected 9th overall, Dollander was picked by Colorado, which could honestly end the blurb right there. I’m just not in the business of going after Rockies prospect pitchers, no matter how highly touted they are. Jon Gray is probably pretty close to the best case scenario. Dollander is 6’2”, 200 pounds with a plus to double plus mid 90’s fastball which he didn’t command as well in 2023 as he did in 2022. He had a 2.39 ERA with a 108/13 K/BB in 79 IP in 2022 vs. a 4.75 ERA with a 120/30 K/BB in 89 IP in 2023. The slider is his best secondary and while it’s good, it’s not really in the elite filth area. He also mixes in a good curveball and changeup. If he were drafted by another team, I could see overlooking the step back he took in 2023, but in Coors Field, I’m staying far away  ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 10/4.15/1.31/173 in 170 IP

385) Travis Sykora WAS, RHP, 19.11 – Selected 71st overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Sykora is a 6’6”, 230 pound righty with a huge fastball that has eclipsed 100 MPH. Those two things alone make Sykora an interesting later round option in first year player drafts. There is a reason he didn’t get drafted higher though. The delivery looks a bit gangly to me, the control isn’t great, he’s on the older side for his high school class, and his secondaries (slider & split changeup) need plenty of refinement. Washington went way over slot to sign him ($2.6 million), and the upside is certainly there for him to explode. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 9/3.94/1.34/160 in 150 IP

386) Justin Wrobleski LAD, LHP, 23.8 – Wrobleski is another Dodgers success story, ho hum, with a 2.90 ERA and 26%/8.3% K%/BB% in 102.1 IP at High-A. He throws a mid 90’s fastball with a 3 good secondaries in his slider, curve, and changeup from a very clean lefty delivery. He doesn’t really standout when watching him in particular, but there is not much to nitpick with the profile either. He was old for the level, the control/command wasn’t great, and the K rates weren’t off the charts, so my read is that a #4 starter is a reasonable projection with mid rotation upside. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 9/4.06/1.29/136 in 145 IP

387) Jackson Rutledge WAS, RHP, 25.0 – Rutledge is a low upside proximity play with opportunity in Washington. He’s also a mountain of a man at 6’8”, 250 pounds with big stuff, which always keeps a pitcher interesting even if the results aren’t there. And the results certainly weren’t there with a 4.44 ERA and 19.6%/13.3% K%/BB% in 50.2 IP at Triple-A. He got decimated in the majors too with a 6.75 ERA and 13.6%/6.8% K%/BB% in 20 IP. He throws a 95.8 MPH fastball with a potentially plus slider, which is the only reason he cracks this list. There is always a chance a coaching staff can unlock something if the stuff is big. 2024 Projection: 3/4.69/1.44/67 in 80 IP Prime Projection: 8/4.34/1.35/125 in 145 IP

388) Nick Gonzales PIT, 2B, 24.10 – Gonzales had a rough MLB debut with a 64 wRC+ in 35 games. He didn’t hit the ball hard (85.5 MPH EV), he didn’t get the bat on the ball (32.4% whiff%), and he didn’t run (0 steals). He didn’t do any of those things well at Triple-A either, but he did perform well at that level with a 121 wRC+ in 99 games. He’s a fringy prospect and he has competition for playing time, but as the former 7th overall pick in the draft, I get the sense Pitt will want to give him every chance to succeed. 2024 Projection: 38/7/36/.236/.303/.394/4

389) Chase Meidroth BOS, 2B/3B, 22.8 – Meidroth was utterly destroying High-A with a 173 wRC+ in 20 games, but his numbers fell back down to earth at Double-A, slashing .255/.386/.375 with 7 homers, 9 steals, and a 19.7%/14.9% K%/BB% in 91 games. He has an above average hit tool with a mature plate approach, but the groundball rates are over 50%, he doesn’t hit the ball all that hard, he’s not that fast, and he’s not a great defensive player. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 73/14/67/.264/.332/.416/7

390) Nick Loftin KC, 1B/2B/3B, 25.6 – Loftin is a hit tool first super utility type who doesn’t have enough power or speed to really go after in anything but very deep leagues. He made his MLB debut in 2024 and put up a .323 BA in 68 PA, but it was mostly due to a .392 BABIP. The 86.3 MPH EV was well below average and the 27.2 ft/sec sprint speed was also pretty discouraging. If I’m going to roster a utility type, they better have plus speed, and Loftin doesn’t have it. The defensive versatility, plus contact rates, and proximity should have him on your radar, but that is about all right now. 2024 Projection: 43/7/44/.257/.313/.394/7

391) Mason Montgomery TB, LHP, 23.10 – Montgomery is a deceptive lefty with low 90’s heat and a plus changeup as his best secondary. He put up a 4.18 ERA with a 28%/10.5% K%/BB% in 107.2 IP at Double-A. The walk rates are bit too high for this type of profile, but if anyone can turn him into an impact fantasy starter, it’s Tampa. 2024 Projection: 1/4.41/1.38/26 in 30 IP Prime Projection: 8/4.17/1.32/136 in 140 IP

392) Eduardo Herrera CHW, 3B, 17.6 – Herrera is an already built up 6’2”, 215 pounds with an extremely quick and powerful righty bat that crushes baseballs. He looks like a grown man out there and will have easy plus power at peak. He also has a good feel to hit and is a good athlete. He has a chance to be a complete, middle of the order bat. He’s expected to land a signing bonus that approaches $2 million. ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 81/26/86/.263/.345/.478/8

393) Ricardo Yan ARI, RHP, 21.5 – Yan has a funky, athletic, herky jerky, rubber arm, almost sidearm righty delivery that would be a nightmare to go against. It’s super fun watching him. He uses that delivery to fire a low 90’s sinker, plus slider, and solid changeup. It resulted in a 3.65 ERA with a 31.9%/10.4% K%/BB% in 103.2 IP at Single-A and High-A. He keeps the ball on the ground and gets whiffs, which is a great combo. He’s a skinny 6’4”, so he could easily add velocity in future years. A bullpen role might be his most likely outcome, but damn is there some legitimate, really fun upside in here. I actually really really like Yan. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 10/3.92/1.31/147 in 145 IP

394) Wenceel Perez DET, 2B/OF, 24.5 – Perez has an interesting fantasy profile with an above average hit tool (16.4% K%), plus speed (26 steals), and some pop (9 homers in 116 games in the upper minors), but I don’t see a clear path to playing time, so he’ll likely be a utility infielder for at least the first few years of his career. 2024 Projection: 16/2/9/.248/.311/.377/4 Prime Projection: 73/14/59/.266/.328/.412/21

395) Justice Bigbie DET, OF, 25.2 – Bigbie had a huge season with a .343 BA in 115 games at mostly Double-A, but buying into a batting average fueled breakout isn’t really my thing. He’s an aggressive, line drive hitter with a 15.9%/8.7% K%/BB%, so a high BABIP is part of his profile, but his K% fell apart when he got to Triple-A with a 25.9% K%, and his strikeout rates have been on the average to below average side previously in his career. He doesn’t steal a lot of bases, and the launch limits his power upside with 19 homers and 6 steals. It seems like more of a bench bat or non impact starter type to me. 2024 Projection: 11/2/9/.246/.307/.398/1 Prime Projection: 51/14/57/.266/.327/.432/5

396) Tsung-Che Cheng PIT, 2B/SS, 22.8 – Cheng wasn’t able to maintain his outstanding production from High-A (163 wRC+ in 57 games) when he got to Double-A (80 wRC+ in 66 games), but he showed all of his skills will translate to the upper minors with a 18.9% K%, 4 homers, and 13 steals. He’s an up the middle defender with plus contact rates, a mature plate approach, plus speed, and sneaky pop. It’s a high floor profile with fantasy friendly upside, but he could easily end up a utility infielder. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 73/12/57/.262/.328/.391/22

397) Cristofer Torin ARI, SS/2B, 18.10 – Torin will still be just 18 years old for the first two months of the 2024 season, and he already made it all the way up to Single-A in 2023. He earned that promotion by being insanely mature for his age in stateside rookie ball, slashing .320/.437/.427 with 2 homers, 15 steals, and a 7.1%/16.7% K%/BB% in 26 games. He slowed down at Single-A with a 74 wRC+ in 30 games, but the 19.2% K%, 2 homers and 6 steals shows he wasn’t completely overmatched. You’re buying the advanced bat and approach because he doesn’t have a huge power/speed combo, but he’s definitely got some pop with more coming, and he’s a good base stealer with some speed. He can be a hit tool driven, solid across the board contributor at peak. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 84/16/58/.278/.352/.421/15

398) Diego Velasquez SFG, 2B/SS, 20.6 – Velasquez’ power ticked up in 2023 with 8 homers in 111 games at Single-A, and it was enough to put him on the prospect map considering his other skills. He has a good feel to hit (15.9% K% and .298 BA), he gets on base (10.8% BB%), and he has speed (23 steals). It was good for a 125 wRC+. He’s a projectable 6’1”, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there is more power coming down the line. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 77/16/65/.272/.331/.413/18

399) Leonardo Balcazar CIN, SS, 19.9 – Balcazar was playing well at Single-A before going down for the year with a torn ACL. He slashed .324/.427/.471 with 1 homer, 2 steals, and a 26.8%/15.9% K%/BB% in 18 games. It was good for a 147 wRC+, and it was basically the exact same thing he did in the DSL in 2021 (135 wRC+), and stateside rookie in 2022 (144 wRC+). I wrote in his Top 1,000 blurb last year that he “was flying too far under the radar,” and just when he was about to get his due, he went out and busted up his knee. If he returns to full health, I have no doubt he will continue to show the same mature plate approach, speed, and developing power that he has every single year of his career. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 78/18/73/.257/.336/.423/18

400) Quinn Priester PIT, RHP, 23.7 – I’ve felt Priester has been overrated for awhile now, and he had another mediocre season at both Triple-A and the majors. He put up a 7.74 ERA with a 15.4%/11.5% K%/BB% in 50 MLB innings. He had a 4.00 ERA with a 25.3%/10.2% K%/BB% in 108 IP at Triple-A. The stuff isn’t all that big with a 93.5 MPH sinker, and the control is below average. It’s a back end starter profile who gets too much hype because he looks the part at 6’3”, 195 pounds with a diverse pitch mix. 2024 Projection: 4/4.60/1.42/72 in 90 IP Prime Projection: 8/4.32/1.35/131 in 145 IP

401) Alejandro Osuna TEX, OF, 21.6 – Osuna is the type of prospect who is never going to get big love, but I comp him to pre-roids Melky Cabrera, and Melky never got any prospect love either. He lived up to that Melky comp with a good year at the age appropriate High-A with a 115 wRC+, 22.1%/15.2% K%/BB%, 5 homers, and 16 steals in 70 games. He has a quick and strong lefty swing with speed, a mature plate approach, and developing power. I think he can be a rock solid player. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 74/16/66/.268/.337/.423/21

402) Gabriel Rincones PHI, OF, 23.1 – Putting up a 104 wRC+ with a .238 BA and 10 homers in 72 games at High-A as a 22 year old isn’t very impressive, but Rincones has the tools to remain interesting. He’s 6’3″”, 225 pounds with legitimate raw power, and while he’s not a burner, stealing 32 bags in 120 games shows he’s a good athlete. The strikeout rates are on the high side with a 24.8% K% at High-A, so there is hit tool risk which keeps him more in the flier territory.  ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 52/15/52/.241/.319/.430/8

403) Seth Johnson BAL, RHP, 25.0 – Johnson returned from Tommy John surgery in August and the big stuff was back with a mid to upper 90’s fastball and two potentially plus breaking balls. He closed out the season at Double-A, going 3 IP with 3 hits, 1 ER, and a 4/2 K/BB. He generally hasn’t had major control problems with his career, so if his control returns and he remains healthy, he could start to look very exciting in 2024. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 6/3.89/1.32/120 in 110 IP

404) Luis Perales BOS, RHP, 21.0 – Perales has an electric mid to upper 90’s fastball that explodes out of his hand, but he needs to make gains to the rest of his profile if he wants to remain a starter. The control is below average with a 12.7% BB%, and the secondaries are inconsistent with a potentially plus slider and developing changeup. He pitched well at Single-A with a 3.21 ERA and 31.4%/12.4% K%/BB% in 53.1 IP, but those numbers immediately took a step back at the more age appropriate High-A with a 4.95 ERA and 26.3%/13.2% K%/BB% in 36.1 IP. A reliever is probably his most likely outcome, but he’s young enough where you can factor in enough gains to his supporting skills to remain a starter. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 8/4.13/1.32/142 in 140 IP

405) Gunnar Hoglund OAK, RHP, 24.3 – Like Sims, Hoglund is another case of a player not returning to form after Tommy John surgery. He returned from the injury in July of 2022 only to almost immediately go back on the IL with a biceps issue. His season was delayed in 2023 from the same issue, and he wasn’t good when he got back on the mound with a 6.05 ERA and 46/12 K/BB in 61 IP spread across 3 levels (A, A+, AA). The one saving grace is that he finally starting looking a little bit like his pre Tommy John self with a 2.55 ERA and 19/2 K/BB in his last 17.2 IP. The plus control certainly still seems to be in here, but the stuff isn’t all the way back. He looks like a back end starter right now, but there is upside in the hope he returns to full health in 2024 after his first normal off-season in awhile. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 8/4.35/1.30/125 in 140 IP

406) Hunter Barco PIT, LHP, 23.4 – Barco returned from Tommy John surgery in July and put up a 3.44 ERA with a 28/6 K/BB in 18.1 IP at rookie and Single-A. He looked mostly healthy with a low 90’s fastball and two solid, but not standout secondaries in his changeup and slider. The almost sidearm lefty delivery helps everything play up. The fastball velocity is going to have to tick up and/or the control will have to enter near elite territory for him to beat a 4/5 starter projection, either/both of which is possible as he gets further away from the injury. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 9/4.21/1.29/144 in 150 IP

407) Josh Stephan TEX, RHP, 22.5 – Stephan’s stuff doesn’t really jump off the screen with a below average low 90’s fastball, but if the fastball can tick up in the future, he has the plus slider and plus control to really start popping. He put up a 2.17 ERA with a 31.2%/5.1% K%/BB% in 62.1 IP at High-A, and then proved the skills will translate to Double-A in one start (5/1 K/BB in 4.1 IP) before getting shutdown with a back injury. He’s 6’3”, 185 pounds, so there is room to tack on more muscle to get that velocity up. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 9/4.25/1.26/130 in 145 IP

408) Aeverson Arteaga SFG, SS, 21.0 – A former Brick Wall favorite, Arteaga has just never been able to put all the tools together. He had another mixed bag season at High-A with 17 homers, 8 steals, and a 24.2%/8.3% K%/BB% in 126 games. It was good for a below average 89 wRC+. All of the individual components are in here with plus power potential, speed, defense, and an improving feel to hit, but at some point it has to come together. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 73/19/69/.244/.317/.420/9

409) Jose Ramos LAD, OF, 23.3 – Ramos has plus power with 19 homers in 113 games at Double-A, but the hit tool is well below average with a 28.9% K% and .240 BA, and there isn’t a path to playing time in LA. He looks like a power bench bat. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 45/16/56/.236/.312/.436/3

410) Leandro Arias BAL, 2B/3B/SS, 19.2 – Arias had a strong year at stateside rookie, slashing .271/.370/.414 with 3 homers, 12 steals, and a 12.3%/12.3% K%/BB% in 44 games. He’s a projectable 6’1′ and hits the ball hard with an excellent plate approach and speed. He could definitely start popping with a strong showing in full season ball. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 78/18/72/267/.334/.429/18

411) Alexander Albertus LAD, 3B/SS/2B, 19.5 – Albertus started the season by repeating the DSL as an 18-year-old (148 wRC+ in 31 games), which usually isn’t a good sign, but he made it stateside to close out the season, and he proved he can also rake against age appropriate competition. He slashed .313/.532/.438 with 1 homer, 1 steal, and a 8.5%/29.8% K%/BB% in 14 games. It’s also not like he struggled in the DSL in 2022 with a 143 wRC+. He’s 6’1”, 176 pound with an explosive righty swing, so more power is certainly coming, and his plate approach sure looks like it could have near elite potential. He’s got some speed too. His hype could explode in 2024. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 84/18/68/.273/.349/.428/15

412) Eric Brown MIL, SS, 23.3 – Brown feels completely forgotten about just one year after being drafted 27th overall, but he had a solid year in 2023 with 6 homers, 37 steals, and a 16.7%/11.1% K%/BB% in 63 games at Single-A. He was never expected to hit for big power, but his power was even weaker than expected with an extremely low hard hit rate and .343 SLG. His K rate also exploded in a very small sample at Double-A with a 37.5% K% in 5 games. It feels early to just be completely off him, but a utility infielder role looks more likely than it did in his draft year. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 66/10/48/.255/.327/.389/24

413) Rafael Ramirez CLE, SS, 18.8 – Ramirez was one of the younger players in stateside rookie as a 17 year old for the first two months of the rookie ball season, and he was a well above average hitter with a 133 wRC+. He has an explosive lefty swing at 6’0”, and while he hit only 4 homers in 41 games, there is more power coming with no groundball issues (34.5% GB%). He also has some speed (6 steals) and a patient (maybe too patient) plate approach (28.4%/26.3% K%/BB%). Edouard Julien isn’t the worst comp right now. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 82/19/73/.248/.344/.431/10

414) Staryln Cabo PHI, SS, 18.4 – The 5’10,”, 160 pound Cabo was a hit/speed DSL breakout, slashing .301/.423/.346 with 0 homers, 16 steals, and a 9.8%/17.1% K%/BB% in 38 games. He signed for $3 million last international signing period, so he certainly has the pedigree too. He’s a switch hitter with enough projectable power to get to at least average at peak, and he was also known for his excellent glove. He has a chance to be a real riser with a strong stateside debut and power gains. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 83/15/64/.275/.348/.411/26

415) Cayden Wallace KC, 3B, 22.7 – Wallace’s numbers dropped off a cliff when he got promoted to Double-A with a 75 wRC+ in 33 games vs. a 116 wRC+ in 97 games at High-A. That isn’t what you want to see from an advanced college bat, but he still showed off a potentially solid across the board profile that makes him interesting. He gets the bat on the ball with a 20.6% K% overall, he puts a sting into the ball with 13 homers, and he has some speed with 18 steals. They took him with the 49th overall pick in 2022, so KC obviously likes him. It’s not the highest upside profile, but this does look like an MLB bat in some capacity. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 62/18/67/.252/.318/.431/10

416) Jacob Reimer NYM, 3B, 20.1 – In last year’s FYPD Target & Strategy Guide, I named Jacob Reimer, Ignacio Alverez, Luke Adams, and Alex Freeland targets, calling them “deep league sleeper bats”, and 3 out of the 4 saw their values rise considerably this year (even Freeland was decent). Reimer had an excellent season at Single-A with a 129 wRC+ and 19.6%/14.1% K%/BB% in 75 games. Hit only 6 homers with a 47.1% GB%, but he’s a big boy at 6’2”, 200 pounds with plenty of raw power in the tank (and more coming down the line), so establishing such a strong plate approach is exciting. He didn’t hit as well when he got called up to High-A with a 89 wRC+ in 25 games, but he still had a strong 22.2%/17.2% K%/BB%. He just looked like a really solid hitter to me in his limited time in 2022, and he proved my eyes weren’t deceiving me with a really strong first full year in pro ball. Think something like Jeimer Candelario as a ceiling comp. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 72/20/77/.262/.332/.437/3

417) Jack Brannigan PIT, 3B, 23.1 – Brannigan is too old and showed too much swing and miss to go too crazy for his great year in the lower minors, but he undoubtedly had a great year, slashing .275/.390/.524 with 19 homers, 24 steals, and a 29.9%/14.2% K%/BB% in 87 games split between Single-A and High-A. His K% was even higher at High-A with a 33.5% K%, and he hit .177 with a 37.6% K% in 23 games in the AFL. He checked in at #946 on the 2023 Top 1,000, so he didn’t exactly come out of nowhere, and he played exactly to his scouting report with a plus power/speed combo and hit tool risk. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 58/15/58/.231/.312/.421/12

418) Mitch Jebb PIT, 2B/SS, 21.11 – Selected 42nd overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Jebb has a traditional leadoff hitter profile with plus hit, plus approach, double plus speed, and well below average power. He slashed .337/.438/.495 with 1 homer, 14 steals, and a 11.6%/13.3% K%/BB% in 50 games in the Big Ten. The skills completely transferred to pro ball, slashing .297/.382/.398 with 1 homer, 11 steals, and a 7.2%/11.1% K%/BB% in 34 games at Single-A. He’s 6’1”, 185 pounds, so the raw power can certainly tick up from here, but it’s still a spray hitting, contact oriented approach. Even with the limited power, I like him as a later round speed target in medium to deeper leagues. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection:79/10/47/.257/.330/.391/24

419) William Bergolla Jr. PHI, 2B/SS, 19.6 – The 18-year-old Bergolla skipped right over stateside rookie and made his 2023 debut at Single-A. He has the type of precocious contact rates and mature plate approach where it made sense, and he didn’t disappoint in those areas with a 7.5%/13.2% K%/BB% in 55 games. He did disappoint overall though with 0 homers, 2 steals in 7 attempts, and a 84 wRC+. His lack of baserunning skills is a major problem, because he was never expected to hit for big power, and even his power is worse than expected. Luis Arraez is the wishcasting comp. 82/10/46/.288/.360/.398/9

420) Yandel Ricardo KCR, SS, 17.6 – The 6’2”, 185 pound Ricardo is a switch hitter with projectable size, plus athleticism, a good feel to hit, and a quick swing. Nothing is truly standout in his profile, but he does a lot of things very well and is expected to get one of the biggest bonuses in the class. ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 77/20/77/.262/.331/.440/16

421) Jose Corniell TEX, RHP, 20.10 – Corniell had a breakout season with a 2.92 ERA and 29.8%/7.6% K%/BB% in 101.2 IP split between Single-A and High-A. The stuff is above average with a mid 90’s fastball, 2 potentially plus breaking balls and a developing changeup. He doesn’t necessarily jump off the screen, and I don’t necessarily see big upside, but there is mid-rotation potential if it all comes together. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 9/4.18/1.29/141 in 150 IP

422) Matt Sauer KCR, RHP, 25.2 – The Royals selected Sauer in the Rule 5 draft, and I love the pick for them. I’m the only person in the world who believes in him, and the Royals rotation and rotation depth are both truly cover your eyes horrific. This gives Sauer a much, much better chance of being given a shot to remain a starter. His career likely starts in the bullpen, and he’s only a flier even in deep leagues, but keep his name in mind if he ends up with a rotation spot at some point. He put up a 3.42 ERA with a 29.5%/10.3% K%/BB% in 68.1 IP at Double-A. He has an above average to plus fastball/slider combo, and has the strikeout upside to be worthy of cracking this list. 2024 Projection: 4/4.31/1.36/88 in 90 IP

423) Troy Melton DET, RHP, 23.4 – Melton pitched well in the lower minors with a 2.74 ERA and a 24.9%/6.4% K%/BB% in 92 IP split between Single-A and High-A. The strikeout rate immediately plummeted from 30% to 22.8% when he got to High-A, which isn’t great to see for an older pitcher, but he was able to maintain the plus control. The stuff is very good with a mid 90’s fastball, two breaking balls that have plus potential, and a solid changeup. If the production transfers to the upper minors, he could start to gain some legitimate hype. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 10/4.07/1.28/141 in 150 IP

424) Joander Suarez NYM, RHP, 24.1 – Suarez closed out the season at Double-A and put up a 0.00 ERA with a 32.2%/6.8% K%/BB% in 18 IP. He’s a big guy at 6’3”, 223 pounds and has legit stuff with a mid 90’s fastball, two good breaking balls, and a developing changeup. His numbers at High-A weren’t as good (5.08 ERA with a 29.3%/11.2% K%/BB% in 90.1 IP), so I wouldn’t get too excited, but I think he’s a legit MLB arm with mid-rotation upside. He’s underrated. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 9/4.23/1.32/137 in 150 IP

425) Keider Montero DET, RHP, 23.9 – Montero has big stuff with a mid 90’s fastball and a nasty breaking ball, but the control is below average, and he got knocked around in the upper minors. He put up a 4.93 ERA with a 28.2%/9.2% K%/BB% in 111.1 IP at Double-A and Triple-A  There is enticing K upside, but he can look at bit reliever-ish out there. 2024 Projection: 1/4.09/1.33/31 in 35 IP Prime Projection: 3/3.68/1.26/71 in 65 IP

426) Yoniel Curet TBR, RHP, 21.5 – The thick 6’2” Curet throws an absolutely electric mid to upper 90’s fastball that explodes out of his hand. Lower minors hitters were completely overmatched by the pitch. He put up a 2.94 ERA with a 33.3%/16.9% K%/BB% in 104 IP at mostly Single-A. He combines the double plus fastball with an above average slider and developing changeup. The control is well below average and he looks like a future reliever out there, but maybe Tampa improves the control enough to be a 5 IP starter down the line. He could be someone they start in the bullpen and then transition into a starter in his mid to late 20’s. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 7/3.71/1.31/125 in 120 IP

427) Jhancarlos Lara ATL, RHP, 21.2 – Lara is 6’3”, 190 pounds with big stuff (mid 90’s fastball with a slider that flashes plus), but the control needs improvement and he needs to work on his changeup. He put up a 4.09 ERA with a 33.1%/12.2% K%/BB% in 81.1 IP at mostly Single-A. He definitely looks reliever-ish out there on the mound right now, but he’s still young, and he has upside in any role. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 7/3.95/1.34/128 in 120 IP

428) Santiago Suarez TBR, RHP, 19.2 – Santiago has produced everywhere he’s been in his young career. He put up a 2.31 ERA with a 24.8%/3.9% K%/BB% in 39 IP in the DSL in 2022, a 1.13 ERA with a 25.3%/5.3% K%/BB% in 39.2 IP at stateside rookie ball this year, and then closed out the season at Single-A where he put up a 2.29 ERA with a 17.1%/3.7% K%/BB% in 19.2 IP. Those walk numbers are elite, and he has good supporting skills as well with a low to mid 90’s fastball, good curve, and developing changeup. He also has good size at 6’2”, 175 pounds. As is, it’s a back end profile, but he’s only 19 years old, so improvement to his velocity and secondaries could vault him to the next level. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 9/4.05/1.24/135 in 150 IP

429) David Sandlin KCR, RHP, 23.1- Sandlin dominated Single-A with a 3.38 ERA and 33.5%/5.5% K%/BB% in 58.2 IP, but he was old for the level and his 2 starts at High-A weren’t nearly as impressive with a 4.50 ERA and 8/5 K/BB in 8 IP. He then got shutdown for the season with a lat strain. The stuff is good with an above average to plus fastball/slider combo and a changeup that flashes plus. Even in the lower minors, those kind of K/BB numbers, combined with good stuff is very interesting. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 9/4.16/1.28/132 in 145 IP

430) Stiven Martinez BAL, OF, 16.10 – Martinez is a very projectable 6’3”, 170 pounds with a vicious righty swing that has monster power potential written all over it. He’s also an excellent athlete with speed and the ability to play CF. This is the type of plus power/speed combo that fantasy managers drool over. The hit tool and plate approach are still unrefined, so there is a lot of risk here, but the upside is considerable. ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 73/23/79/.244/.317/.449/16

431) Eddys Leonard DET, SS, 23.5 – Javier Baez is in free fall, and if that continues, Leonard could be next man up at SS for Detroit. He had a solid year in the upper minors, slashing .269/.342/.447 with 19 homers, 5 steals, and a 21.8%/8.2% K%/BB% in 132 games split between Double-A and Triple-A. He hits the ball reasonably hard with a 90.4 MPH EV at AAA. The hit tool is average at best, the groundball rates are on the high side, and he doesn’t have speed, so this isn’t a high upside profile even if he does work his way into playing time. 2024 Projection: 11/3/11/.240/.306/.390/1 Prime Projection: 63/16/68/.253/.321/.419/3

432) Casey Schmitt SFG, 3B/SS, 25.1 – There was excitement around Schmitt after his big Spring Training, and then again after he got off to a hot start in his MLB debut in May, but I never really fully bought into it, and by the end of the season he was who I thought he was. And that is a glove first player who isn’t really a target in fantasy. He ended up with a lowly 59 wRC+ and 5 homers in 277 MLB PA, and he wasn’t that good at Triple-A either with a 88 wRC+ and 4 homers in 47 games. The plate approach is rough with a 38.5% Chase% in the majors, and the power is mediocre with a 87.2 MPH EV in the minors. Tack on San Francisco’s extreme pitcher’s park, plus their undying loyalty to platoons, and Schmitt is someone I’ll continue to shy away from. 2024 Projection: 31/7/37/.238/.295/.402/2

433) Peyton Graham DET, SS, 23.2 – Graham had an underwhelming first full year of pro ball with 4 homers and a 95 wRC+ in 54 games at Single-A. That is a level he should have handled easily, and he didn’t make it look easy. It wasn’t a total nightmare with a solid 22.2%/11.7% K%/BB% and 15 steals, but he just didn’t hit the ball hard enough with a 85.8 MPH EV. The good news is that he has plenty of room to tack on mass at 6’3”, 185 pounds, so hopefully he’s hitting the weight room hard this off-season. If he can naturally gain more raw power, I definitely think a real breakout can still be in the cards. I would hold onto Graham for one more year if you can. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 66/16/64/.248/.323/.431/21

434) Yunior Severino MIN, 3B/2B, 24.6 – Severino does one thing well, and one thing only, and that is hit for massive power with 35 homers in 120 games in the upper minors. The strikeout rate is extremely high at 32.8%, the groundball rates are on the high side, and he’s not a good defensive player. He’s probably a bench power bat, but he’s young enough and close enough to the majors for his elite power to get him on this list. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 34/11/39/.222/.297/.436/3

435) Tanner Schobel MIN, 3B/2B, 22.10 – Schobel’s numbers dropped off hard when he got to Double-A with a 75 wRC+, 2 homers, and 3 steals in 49 games, and it’s kinda turned me off him. The upside isn’t huge with an average at best hit/power combo, and while he’s fast, he hasn’t run a ton even going back to college. Then tack on the huge production drop when he finally faced advanced pitching, and it’s not a profile I’m going after. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 68/13/59/.257/.328/.416/15

436) Jeral Perez LAD, 2B/3B/SS, 19.5 – Perez’ destruction of rookie ball (11 homers with a 120 wRC+ in 53 games) earned him a promotion to Single-A where he more than held his own with a 118 wRC+ and 22.2%/18.5% K%/BB% in 7 games. He doesn’t necessarily jump off the screen with a thick and stocky build, and he’s not a huge tools guy, but he’s done nothing but produce as every level, including the DSL in 2022 (130 wRC+). He has a mature plate approach, he lifts the ball, and he’s in a great organization, so he should be able to get the most of his talent. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 66/19/74/.245/.323/.430/8

437) Yiddi Cappe MIA, 2B/SS, 21.6 – Cappe got off to a hot start at High-A with a .938 OPS and 3 homers in his first 19 games, but he fell off a cliff after that and finished with a 55 wRC+ and 5 homers in 123 games overall. He still surely looks the part at a smooth and athletic 6’3”, 175 pounds. He also had strong contact rates (19% K%) with plus speed (18 steals). He needs to get stronger to actually do damage when he makes contact, and he needs to refine his plate approach (3.4%), but considering he will be the same age as most of the college kids in the 2024 draft class, I wouldn’t rule out him making those improvements. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 67/14/66/.244/.306/.412/18

438) Dyan Jorge COL, SS, 21.0 – Jorge’s production dropped off a cliff when he got to full season ball with his wRC+ dropping from 178 in 21 games in rookie ball to 82 in 49 games at Single-A. Considering he was 20 years old, it’s pretty discouraging, but there is still enough to dream on to crack this list. He’s a skinny 6’3”, 170 pounds with plenty of room to tack on muscle. Even with his struggles at Single-A, he still got the bat on the ball with a 16.3% K% (.283 BA) and showed off his speed with 10 steals. If the power ticks up (3 homers in 70 total games), the upside is immense. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 73/13/61/.256/.312/.401/21

439) Austin Gauthier LAD, 2B/3B/SS, 24.11 – The 24 year old Gauthier got a lot more interesting when he got called up to Double-A and kept the production up, slashing .293/.411/.433 with 6 homers, 14 steals, and a 13.8%/16.3% K%/BB% in 84 games. Even at an advanced age, that plate approach is extremely impressive, and he combines that with good baserunning skills and some pop. He’s most likely a bench bat, but if he can start lifting and pulling the ball more, which we’ve seen these types make that adjustment before, he could end up a being a problem. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 48/9/42/.262/.333/.407/9

440) Pedro Ramirez CHC, 2B/3B, 20.0 – Ramirez put up a strong 119 wRC+ in 104 games as a young 19 year old at Single-A, but I’m not seeing big upside to really go after. He hit only 8 homers and he’s only 5’8”, so power isn’t going to be a major part of his game. The hit tool is good, but it’s not great with a .266 BA and 17.1%/11.8% K%/BB%, and he has speed, but 17 steals in 24 attempts isn’t standout. He’s also not a SS, so the glove might not get him on the field either. His contact, speed, and age are good enough to keep him interesting, but only as a safe infield glove towards the bottom of your farm system. ETA: 2026 Prime Prime Projection: 66/8/45/.262/.327/.396/14

441) Eddinson Paulino BOS, SS/3B/2B, 21.9 – Paulino is trending towards a bench utility player. He’s not a good defensive player, which is really the biggest issue for his profile, and he doesn’t have a standout offensive skill. What he does have is a smooth and sweet lefty swing, and it produced at High-A, slashing .257/.338/.421 with 12 homers, 26 steals, and a 22.6%/10.0% K%/BB% in 115 games. He’s not a burner and the power is currently below average. He needs an uptick in power to really become anything more than a flier type prospect. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 51/12/46/.259/.328/.416/9

442)  Jared Serna NYY, 2B/SS, 21.10 – Serna was putting up video game numbers at Single-A with 19 homers, 19 steals, and a 16.9% K% in 95 games at Single-A, but he wasn’t able to keep up the power when he got to the more age appropriate High-A with 0 homers in 27 games. He was able to keep up the speed (10 steals) and contact rates (12.5%), but at only 5’6”, the High-A power numbers are probably closer to his true talent level. He’s likely a utility infielder who will have to earn it every step of the way. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 46/8/38/.258/.319/.389/13

443) Shay Whitcomb HOU, SS, 25.6 – Whitcomb was a 24 year old at Triple-A who put up a 62 wRC+ with a 31.1%/6.1% K%/BB% in 87 games. That is horrific, and he’s not young enough to really bank on future improvement. He’s a good athlete, he has plus power, and he’s put up really fun homer/speed totals in his minor league career (35 homers with 20 steals in 118 games in 2023), so sometimes these types can breakout in their late 20’s. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 28/11/34/.221/.297/.429/6

444) Emeliano Teodo TEX, RHP, 23.1 – Teodo is likely a reliever long term, but it’s potentially elite high leverage reliever stuff. The sinker sits in the upper 90’s and the breaking ball is plus. A plus to double plus sinker/breaking ball combo with below average control is very easy to envision in the back of a bullpen. He showed what that could look like in the AFL with a 0.00 ERA and 19/3 K/BB in 11 IP over 8 outings. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 4/3.42/1.18/78/30 saves in 65 IP

445) Ronan Kopp LAD, LHP, 21.8 – Kopp is likely a reliever long term, and he has the attributes to be a damn good one. He’s 6’7”, 250 pounds with a mid to upper 90’s fastball and plus slider. The control is well below average and the changeup isn’t great, which is what makes his likely role in the bullpen. He was in the bullpen in the AFL and put up a 1.13 ERA with a 15/6 K/BB in 8 IP over 7 outings. He pitched in short outings during the regular season too and had a 2.99 ERA with a 35.8%/16.7% K%BB% in 72.1 IP at High-A. We’ve seen LA work magic with drastically improving a pitchers control in the past, so that is what he needs to do to remain a starter. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 4/3.46/1.23/80 in 65 IP

446) Michael Arias CHC, RHP, 22.4 – Arias has an athletic and funky delivery with a plus mid 90’s fastball to go along with a solid slider and changeup. It resulted in a 4.09 ERA with a 31.3% K% in 81.1 IP at Single-A and High-A. The control is bad enough with a 14.5% BB% that the bullpen is his most likely role, but he has the type of stuff to be high leverage reliever. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 4/3.66/1.27/73 in 65 IP

447) Jacob Lopez TBR, LHP, 26.1 – Some of this ranking is betting on Tampa magic because a 26 year old pitcher with a 90.8 MPH fastball isn’t exactly all that enticing, but Lopez has things to like even without Tampa. He dominated Double-A with a 2.57 ERA and 41.7%/8.3% K%/BB% in 28 IP, and while he wasn’t as good at Triple-A with the automated strike zone (26%/14% K%/BB%), he still had a 2.72 ERA in 79.1 IP. The slider is a bat missing weapon and put up a 41.4% whiff% in his 12.1 IP MLB debut. He held his own in the majors overall with a 4.38 ERA and 14.8%/3.7% K%/BB%. He’s the type that pitches well out of the bullpen and then Tampa turns him into an ace at 30 years old out of nowhere. 2024 Projection: 2/4.23/1.32/44 in 50 IP Prime Projection: 7/3.93/1.28/115 in 120 IP

448) Mike Vasil NYM, RHP, 24.0 – Vasil is a back end starter proximity play with solid but not standout stuff. He put up a 5.30 ERA with a 24.9%/11.7% K%/BB% in 73 IP at Triple-A, but he was better at Double-A without the automated strike zone with a 3.71 ERA and 28.9%/4.1% K%/BB% in 51 IP. The fastball sits about 93 MPH and he throws a diverse pitch mix. 2024 Projection: 1/4.68/1.42/36 in 40 IP Prime Projection: 9/4.31/1.34/138 in 150 IP

449) Zack Showalter STL, RHP, 20.2 – Showalter has a plus low to mid 90’s fastball that he throws with a kinda odd delivery that hides the ball really well. He also mixes in a solid slider and developing changeup. He was pitching well at Single-A before getting shutdown with an undisclosed injury on August 8th, putting up a 3.10 ERA with a 28.1%/11.2% K%/BB% in 20.1 IP. There is obviously a long way to go, but the fastball alone makes him interesting. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 9/4.04/1.29/139 in 145 IP

450) Juaron Watts-Brown TOR, RHP, 22.1 – Selected 89th overall, Watts-Brown didn’t have the best year in college (5.03 ERA in 82.1 IP) with a low 90’s fastball, but he’s an excellent athlete and he still has room on his 6’3”, 190 pound frame to level up again in pro ball. His plus slider is a true out pitch that he goes to often, and despite the low velocity on the fastball, it looks pretty electric coming out of his hand. He also throws a curve and change. He missed a ton of bats with a 33% K%, so the ERA is certainly inflated. If he can improve his control (12.8% BB%) and/or add a tick or two to the fastball, he has some real upside in the tank. As is, he might be more of a #4 type. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 9/4.08/1.33/155 in 150 IP

451) Max Anderson DET, 2B, 22.1 – Selected 45h overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Anderson had an absolutely beastly junior year, slashing .414/.461/.771 with 21 homers, 0 steals, and a 29/20 K/BB in 57 games. He doesn’t necessarily look the part at a wide 6’0”, 215 pounds with little to no speed, and he has an aggressive plate approach, but he has legitimate all fields power with plus contact rates. I would have liked to see more power in his pro debut with only 2 homers in 32 games at Single-A, but he generally hit well with a 17.9% K%, .790 OPS, and 112 wRC+. The hit/power combo from a fast moving college bat is worth a later round pick in deeper leagues. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 67/20/74/.263/.322/.437/2

452) Cristian Mena ARI, RHP, 21.3 – Mena looks the part at a projectable 6’2” with an athletic delivery, and he also has youth on his side as a 20 year old in the upper minors, but his stuff is really more of a back end profile. He got hit around with a 4.85 ERA and 156/64 K/BB in 133.2 IP at mostly Double-A. The fastball sits low to mid 90’s and the control is below average. He gets whiffs with his plus breaking ball, but he needs to improve his control/command and add velocity to take the next step. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 9/4.20/1.33/145 in 150 IP

453) Gino Groover ARI, 3B, 22.0 – Selected 48th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Groover is a complete hitter and rock solid college bat, but the power/speed combo leaves a little something to be desired. He slashed .332/.430/.546 with 13 homers, 2 steals, and a 26/36 K/BB in 57 games in the ACC. He then stepped into pro ball and showed off those same excellent hitting skills with a 9.0%/8.0% K%/BB% in 23 games at High-A, but it came with only 1 homer and 1 steal. It was good for a below average 97 wRC+. He’s 6’2”, 212 pounds, so there is more raw power in the tank, but it’s not like there aren’t a million “not small” guys who just don’t hit for big power, so I’m not really assuming some big power jump in the future. The deeper the league, the more I would like him. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 72/18/75/.263/.332/.421/4

454) Matthew Etzel BAL, OF, 21.11 – Selected 301st overall, Etzel’s college numbers don’t jump off the screen with 7 homers, 23 steals, and a .853 OPS in 66 games in the non major Sun Belt Conference, but he has the type of skills that can produce everywhere he plays, rather than the type that will dominate levels. He hits the ball hard with above average speed, a solid feel to hit, and good CF defense. He played well in pro ball, slashing .323/.455/.510 with 2 homers, 21 steals, and a 23/21 K/BB in 30 games at mostly Single-A. He hasn’t completely tapped into his raw power yet, but he doesn’t have any major groundball issues, and at 6’2”, 211 pounds, he certainly has the size. He’s much better than his draft selection would indicate. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 74/15/65/.261/.324/.421/17

455) Carson Roccaforte KCR, OF, 22.0 – Selected 66th overall, Roccaforte has a very similar profile to Matthew Etzel. They both came from the Sun Belt Conference, and they both hit the ball hard with above average speed and a solid feel to hit. He didn’t blow the doors off in his pro debut, but he was solid, slashing .257/.377/.356 with 0 homers, 11 steals, and a 25.4%/15.6% K%/BB% in 21 games at Single-A. He hit 24 homers in 123 games over his last 2 years in college, but he struggled in the wood bat Cape Cod league in 2022 with 0 homers in 22 games, and then he again hit 0 homers with wood bats in his pro debut, so homer power is concern. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 72/14/61/.255/.320/.412/15

456) Jack Hurley ARI, OF, 22.0 – Selected 80th overall, the 6’0”, 185 pound Hurley’s power ticked up this year with 17 homers in just 45 games in the ACC, but the plate approach didn’t follow suit with a mediocre 40/20 K/BB. Those plate approach issues reared their ugly head in pro ball too with a 28.5%/5.7% K%/BB% in 20 games at High-A, and the power wasn’t as big either with 1 homer. The profile is fantasy friendly with a potentially above average power/speed combo (10 steals in his pro debut), but the plate approach needs to take a big step forward. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 73/17/73/.244/.317/.420/13

457) Sabin Ceballos ATL, 3B, 21.7 – Selected 94th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Ceballos is 6’3”, 225 pounds with plus power. He ripped 18 homers in 59 games in the Pac12, and he did it with an excellent 14.1%/13.3% K%/BB%. He’s also an excellent defense player at 3B with a big arm. He showed some hit tool risk in his pro debut with a 31.4% K% in 9 games at Single-A, and he doesn’t have speed, but he’s an excellent underrated FYPD college power bat. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 67/23/78/.250/.320/.439/2

458) Jace Bohrofen TOR, OF, 22.5 – Selected 184th overall, Bohrofen has an easy and quick lefty swing that produces plus power from his strong 6’2”, 205 pound frame. He crushed 16 homers in 60 games in the SEC, and then he crushed 6 homers in 17 games at Single-A. The hit tool is risky with a 23.6% K% in college, but it’s a good sign it didn’t get out of control in pro ball with a 23.4%/19.5% K%/BB%. He destroyed pro ball in general with a 189 wRC+. He won’t really be tested until he faces upper minors competition, but Bohrofen has a chance to be a legit impact power bat. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 72/23/77/.245/.322/.438/3

459) Nehomar Ochoa HOU, OF, 18.8 – Selected 344th overall, Ochoa is 6’4”, 210 pounds with big raw power, and he showed that off immediately in pro ball with 3 homers and a 29.2% GB% in 12 games in rookie ball. He also showed a good feel to hit with a 16.7% K%, and he’s very young for his class. He’s playing in the Australian Winter League right now where he’s over 7 years younger than average, and he’s not embarrassing himself with a .648 OPS in 24 games. His bat looks legit. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 73/24/81/.263/.321/.445/4

460) Angel Mateo TBR, OF, 18.7 – A 96 wRC+ in 48 games at stateside rookie ball isn’t anything to write home about, but Mateo is a toolshed at 6’2”, 190 pounds, and the individual components look better with 4 homers, 12 steals, and an 18.3%/7.1% K%/BB%. He closed the season out at Single-A showing off his risk with a 31.1% K% in 12 games, but his upside is worth keeping on your radar. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 68/18/68/.248/.319/.428/14

461) Arnaldo Lantigua LAD, OF, 18.4 – Lantigua was one of the top power breakouts in the DSL, smacking 7 homers with a 21.8%/15.1% K%/BB% in just 29 games. He’s 6’2”, 200 pounds and was a relatively highly thought of international signing. He hit only .222 and the 113 wRC+ doesn’t standout, but he has the talent to start popping when he comes stateside. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 68/26/79/.242/.323/.447/8

462) Angel Bastardo BOS, RHP, 21.10 – The 6’1”, 175 pound Bastardo has an athletic delivery and above average stuff with a mid 90’s fastball and two good secondaries in his changeup and breaking ball. He pitched well at High-A with a 4.62 ERA (3.66 xFIP) and 31.8%/10.5% K%/BB% in 103.1 IP before getting knocked around at Double-A to end the season (5.63 ERA with a 14.5%/13% K%/BB% in 16 IP). He needs to improve his control/command and refine his secondaries to beat his current back end starter projection: ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 7/4.24/1.34/125 in 140 IP

463) Pedro Leon HOU, OF/2B, 25.10 – Leon probably doesn’t deserve to crack this list. He put up an 88 wRC+ with 84.8 MPH EV and 28.4% K% in 128 games at Triple-A as a 24/25 year old. He has more raw power than the EV indicates and he pulls the ball a ton, so he gets the most of his power with 21 homers. He also has plus speed with 21 steals. It’s a fantasy friendly profile if he can work his way into playing time, but he might not be able to even hit .200, and others have passed him in the organization. 2024 Projection: 7/1/9/.215/.282/.355/2

464) Grant McCray SFG, OF, 23.4 – A 29.3% K% as a 22 year old at High-A in 127 games makes McCray very, very high risk, but he has the power/speed combo to hang onto until we see what he can do in the upper minors. He has average to above average power potential with 14 homers, and he has plus speed with 52 steals. He’s also a patient hitter with a 12.3% BB%. It was good for a 114 wRC+. The upside is there, but the hit tool is going to have to take a major step forward to be a full time player. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 44/9/38/.238/.317/.408/16

465) Kemp Alderman MIA, OF, 21.7 – Selected 47th overall, Alderman’s pro debut was bad enough to completely scare me away. He put up a 68 wRC+ with a 29.3%/5.3% K%/BB% in 34 games at Single-A. That is a level he should have handled easily. I really liked him before the debut, so I don’t want to completely ignore him either though. He is 6’3”, 250 pounds, but it’s not a sloppy 250, it’s an edge rushing linebacker type 250. He swings the bat like it’s a tooth pick with double plus power that led to 19 homers in 54 games in the SEC. Considering he’s relatively young for his class, his size, athleticism, and power, I can overlook some of that pro debut, but not all of it. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 51/18/63/.242/.314/.448/5

466) Sammy Stafura CIN, SS, 19.4 – Selected 43rd overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Stafura had one of those disaster pro debuts that makes you want to stay away in first year player drafts. He put a 43.4% K%, .071 BA and 7 wRC+ in 12 games. It’s a small sample and I’m sure he’ll be better in the future, but when past high school bats put up such extreme K rates in their debuts, they usually continue to have hit tool risk to some degree going forward. He’s a toolsy SS at 6’0”, 187 pounds, but he doesn’t necessarily knock your socks off when watching him, so the extreme hit tool problems are extra worrisome. There is plus speed and the potential for average to above average power in the future, but he was supposed to also have a good feel to hit, and he clearly has a long way to go in that department. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 72/16/66/.241/.316/.416/19\

467) Chase Jaworksy HOU, SS, 19.8 – Selected 164th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Jaworsky is a projectable and athletic 6’1, 170 pounds with a potentially plus power/speed combo. He showed a strong plate approach in his pro debut with a 15.8%/15.8% K%/BB% in 9 games, and he has a big lefty swing that can definitely do damage to go along with plus speed. It’s nice when you can piggyback a strong organization like Houston for a prospect like this. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 72/20/76/.253/.326/.440/10

468) Aidan Smith SEA, OF, 19.8 – Selected 124th overall and signed for $1.2 million, Smith is a great athlete at 6’3”, 190 pounds with plus power potential and plus run times, but his swing isn’t geared for homers right now and he also has hit tool risk. He had a strong pro debut in rookie ball with a 128 wRC+, but it mostly came on the back of a .400 BABIP and 20% BB% in 8 games. He then went to Single-A and struggled with a 60 wRC+ and 29.6%/7.4% K%/BB% in 12 games. There is a lot of refinement needed to his launch and hit tool, but you are betting on the athlete that he makes those improvements. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 67/18/71/.247/.319/.426/11

469) Mario Baez ATL, SS, 17.7 – Baez was 16 for almost the entire year in the DSL, and he killed it, slashing .311/.393/.422 with 3 homers, 24 steals, and a 12.4%/9.7% K%/BB% in 47 games. He’s a thick but athletic 5’9”, so I definitely think there is real juice in his bat. The hit tool looked good and he has speed too. He definitely has the look of a player who can overcome his small stature and be a truly impact bat. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 74/21/78/.267/.332/.437/14

470) Jesus Baez NYM, SS, 19.1 – Baez’ numbers didn’t stand out with a 71 wRC+ in 40 games at stateside rookie ball, but his explosive righty swing most certainly stands out. He’s already putting up big EV numbers. He also showed a solid plate approach with a 17.5%/11.9% K%/BB% and no major groundball issues with a 43.9% GB%. The power is most certainly coming. He doesn’t have much speed and he’s a stocky-ish 5’9”, so we aren’t talking about a ton of upside, but an above average hit/power combo at peak is within reach. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 76/20/79/.268/.334/.433/6

471) Jhonny Severino PIT, SS, 19.5 – Severino is an athletic power hitting middle infielder at 6’2”, and he started to tap into that power in 2023 with 5 homers in 15 games in stateside rookie ball. The plate approach is very rough, both this year, and in the DSL in 2022, so the hit tool is high risk. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 72/23/79/.242/.317/.442/8

472) Darren Bowen MIN, RHP, 23.2 – Bowen purely makes this list because he looks the part, and Minnesota obviously thinks they can turn his talent into production. He’s a projectable 6’3”, 180 pounds with a highly athletic delivery and good stuff. He’s already 23 years old though, so it’s not like it’s a projectable high school kid, and the numbers weren’t that great at Single-A with a 3.88 ERA and 25.7%/10.9% K%/BB% in 55.2 IP. The fastball sits mid 90’s and the two breaking balls miss bats. If he was younger or if his stats were much better against much inferior competition at Single-A it would be easy to love him, but I don’t want to fly a guy up my rankings because he proverbially looks great in the uniform. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 8/4.33/1.35/120  in 140 IP

473) David Hamilton BOS, SS, 26.6 – Boston doesn’t really seem to believe in Hamilton for anything other than a utility role. I thought there was a chance he could have been a legit impact fantasy player if given the opportunity, but all signs point towards him not getting the opportunity. Even in a utility role, he has the speed (29.2 ft/sec sprint) and base stealing skills (57 steals in 103 games at Triple-A) to be relevant in many leagues. He also hit 17 homer at Triple-A, and had a 89 MPH EV with a 17.7 degree launch, 20% whiff%, and 15.4% BB%% in 39 MLB PA. I thought he had the lift, contact, OBP, speed profile to be a true player. 2024 Projection: 21/4/17/.242/.318/.409/9

474) Tyler Fitzgerald SFG, SS/OF, 26.7 – Fitzgerald put up fun numbers at Triple-A with 20 homers, 29 steals, and a 23.8%/9.7% K%/BB% in 102 games, but he was 25 years old, and he has below average exit velocity numbers and a below average hit tool. He put up a 86.6 MPH EV at AAA and a 29.4%/5.9% K%/BB% in his 34 PA MLB debut. He has elite speed with a 30.1 ft/sec sprint, and he has a lift/pull profile which gets the most of his raw power, but it seems SF views him as a super utility player/depth piece. 2024 Projection: 18/3/15/.231/.293/.398/7

475) Juan Baez MIL, 3B/SS, 18.9 – Baez broke out in stateside rookie ball with a 11.2% K%, 4 homers and 17 steals in 48 games. Milwaukee was impressed enough to give him some run at Single-A to close out the season, and while he only had a 65 wRc+ in 9 games, the 11.8% K% was impressive. He’s not a big guy and he doesn’t jump off the screen at 5’9”, 175 pounds, but you gotta respect those contact/speed numbers with some pop as a 17/18 year old. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 68/12/55/.271/.325/.401/18

476) Willy Vasquez TBR, 3B/2B, 22.7 – A 93 wRC+ in 114 games at High-A as a 21 year old probably shouldn’t be good enough to crack this list, but Vasquez’ athleticism at 6’2”, 191 pounds keeps him on it. He put up a 23.1%/9.7% K%/BB% with 16 homers and 17 steals, which isn’t bad taken on it’s own. He needs to gain strength and start hitting the ball harder, along with refining all parts of his game, but his upside is worth staying patient with for one more year in deeper leagues. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 53/10/46/.243/.311/.409/13

477) Elias Medina LAD, 3B/SS, 18.5 – Medina was a DSL breakout, slashing .313/.381/.553 with 7 homers, 16 steals, and a 21%/9.1% K%/BB% in 44 games. He’s not a huge guy at 5’10”, but there is definitely some explosion in his game with a potential above average to plus power/speed combo. The plate approach and hit tool need refinement, but he’s one to at least keep an eye on as he comes stateside in 2024. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 68/18/73/.243/.317/.421/22

478) Brady Smith LAD, RHP, 19.2 – Selected 95th overall, Smith is almost purely a bet on the Dodgers. He’s a projectable 6’2”, 170 pounds with a low 90’s fastball and 3 secondaries that all flash well in his slider, curve and changeup. If you’re going to take a shot on a toolsy high school pitcher, why not let the Dodgers do the development for you. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.91/1.29/160 in 160 IP

479) Cole Schoenwetter CIN, RHP, 19.6 – Selected 105th overall, Schoenwetter is 6’3”, 190 pounds with an easy and repeatable delivery that he coolly fires a plus fastball/curve combo with. The fastball sits mid 90’s and the curve is a beauty with traditional curve shape. He needs a ton of refinement in basically all areas of pitching (control/command, changeup, holding his stuff deeper into starts, consistency etc …), but if it all comes together, he can become a hyped pitching prospect. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 9/3.95/1.32/158 in 155 IP

480) Jarlin Susana WASH, RHP, 20.1 – Susana was a favorite breakout pick of mine coming into the season with the Hunter Greene starter pack, and unfortunately, that pack is still sitting in the plastic, waiting to be put together. He put up a 5.14 ERA with a 21.8%/14.1% K%/BB% in 63 IP at Single-A. The huge stuff is still there with an upper 90’s fastball that hits over 100, a potentially plus slider, and developing changeup, but the longer he doesn’t actually put it together, the more likely he ends up in the bullpen. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 8/4.13/1.37/147 in 145 IP

481) Paul Wilson DET, LHP, 19.4 – Selected 76th overall, the 6’3”, 197 pound Wilson has a bit of a funky lefty delivery and fires the baseball from a 3 quarters arm slot. He’s definitely tough to pick up. He uses that delivery to throw a low to mid 90’s fastball that is a bat missing weapon and a plus slider. He also mixes in a curve and change. The delivery still looks on the raw side and he needs to improve his control/command, so plenty of refinement is needed all around. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.94/1.31/168 in 160 IP

482) Barrett Kent LAA, RHP, 19.7 – Selected 234th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft and signed for an over slot $1 million, the 6’4”, 215 pound Kent leads with a mid 90’s fastball that he pairs with two potentially plus secondaries in his slider and changeup. The changeup actually might have double plus potential with nasty diving and tailing action. He dominated in his pro debut with a 0.00 ERA and 27.8%/11.1% K%/BB% in 8.2 IP at rookie and Single-A. The delivery isn’t particularly athletic, he doesn’t consistently maintain his velocity, and his secondaries need refinement, so plenty of improvement is needed all around. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 9/4.19/1.32/150 in 150 IP

483) Landen Maroudis TOR, RHP, 19.4 – Selected 121st overall and signed for $1.5 million, Maroudis’ signature pitch is a plus changeup that is already nasty, to go along with a low to mid 90’s fastball and decent slider. He’s 6’3”, 195 pounds and his athleticism is evident in that he is also a good hitter. More refinement is needed all around, but there is a reason he got such a high signing bonus. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.89/1.27/160 in 160 IP

484) Steven Echavarria OAK, RHP, 18.8 – Selected 72nd overall, Echavarria doesn’t have the pure electricity as some of the other high school starters ranked above him, but he has a really strong combination of skills. He’s 6’2”, 180 pounds with a mid 90’s fastball and good control over all of his stuff. None of his secondaries standout, but he throws a slider, curve, and changeup that all have above average potential. It’s likely mid-rotation upside. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 9/4.14/1.29/150 in 160 IP

485) Kameron Misner TBR, OF, 26.3 – Misner has the chance to be the next Luke Raley/Jose Siri-like late 20’s “breakout” on the Rays. He has a plus power speed combo with 21 homers and 21 steals in 130 games at Triple-A, but it comes with a horrible hit tool (35.8% K% and .226 BA). He’s a physical specimen at 6’4”, and he gets on base with a 17.5% BB%. He’s a sneaky upside play in deep leagues with some semblance of opportunity over the next few years. 2024 Projection: 28/6/23/.216/.307/.398/6

486) Ismael Javier SDP, SS, 18.7 – Javier was a DSL breakout, slashing .280/.386/.505 with 9 homers, 8 steals, and a 17.1%/13.4% K%/BB% in 51 games. He’s not a big guy, and he was known for his hit/defense combo, but the power was clearly bigger than expected. He has a chance to be a true small guy breakout in 2024 when he comes stateside. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 77/16/62/262/.327/.410/18

487) Drake Baldwin ATL, C, 23.0 – Baldwin most certainly has the look of a catcher with two big tree trunks for legs, and he uses that strong base to hit the ball very hard, leading to 16 homers and a 135 wRC+ in 92 games at High-A. He then got the call to the upper minors in September and kept producing with a .811 OPS in 17 games. He’ll likely break in as a back-up catcher/solid bench bat and will have to earn it every step of the way from there. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 39/13/48/.254/.326/.431/0

488) Daniel Susac OAK, C, 22.11 – The former 19th overall pick in the 2022 Draft, Susac hit well at High-A with a 128 wRC+ in 99 games, but a 54.9% GB% limited him to just 7 homers. The plate approach and hit tool are only solid at best (21.5%/9.5% K%/BB%), so he’s going to have to raise that launch considerably to be an impact offensive catcher. At 6’4”, 218 pounds, he certainly has the raw power in the tank to make that adjustment work if he can pull it off. He closed the year out at Double-A, and while he didn’t hit particularly well (71 wRC+ in 13 games), it was a small sample and he wasn’t too bad either with 1 homer and a .280 BA. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 52/16/61/.254/.319/.412/5

489) Carter Jensen KCR, C, 20.9 – The 6’1”, 210 pound Jensen has a good looking lefty swing with a great eye at the dish (18.5% BB%) and the ability to lift the ball (36.3% GB%). The most impressive thing about him is probably his age to level production as he put up a 109 wRC+ in his age 19 season at High-A. The power isn’t huge right now with 11 homers in 116 games, but there is more in the tank. The biggest problem is of course the hit tool. He had a .211 BA with a 24.1% K%. He had a .226 BA at Single-A in 2022. The contact rates aren’t so bad that he’s a hopeless case, but it does have the potential to tank his profile when he faces more advanced pitching. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 66/18/63/.236/.318/.424/7

490) Yeiner Fernandez LAD, C/2B, 21.7 – Fernandez has elite contact rates with an excellent plate approach, but he doesn’t have the raw power, game power, or base stealing ability to get too excited about him. He slashed .273/.360/.375 with 6 homers, 4 steals, and a 12.9%/10.9% K%/BB% in 99 games at High-A. He then went to the AFL and put up a .939 OPS with 1 homer and a 5/8 K/BB in 11 games. He’s a small guy (5’9”) with high groundball rates (50.6% GB%), so the odds of a legitimate power breakout aren’t that high. He likely projects as a super utility bench player, but it wouldn’t be the first time a small, elite plate approach guy had a much better career than anyone expected. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 58/8/42/.273/.338/.398/7

491) Dominic Keegan TBR, C, 23.8 – The Rays don’t sign big free agents and they don’t have an obvious catcher of the future. It leaves the door open for a guy like Keegan to break through in the next year or two. He was a 4th round pick in 2022 out of Vandy, so it’s not like he’s coming out of obscurity. He’s always had a good bat, and he proved it in the lower minors, slashing .287/.386/.467 with 13 homers and a 90/59 K/BB in 106 games. He then went to the Fall League and ripped that up too with a 1.031 OPS in 15 games. His defense needs work, but it’s been improving and he has a big arm. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 38/10/44/.242/.316/.421/1

492) Christian Cerda ARI, C, 21.3 – Cerda has been one year older than optimal at every level from the DSL-Single-A, but he reached the age appropriate High-A in the 2nd half and proved his strong numbers weren’t a mirage. He hit 6 homers with a 20.8%/22.6% K%/BB% and 134 wRC+ in 40 games. He got acquired by Arizona in 2022 for David Peralta, so they obviously identified something they like in the kid. He’s playing in LIDOM now and he recently ripped his first bomb with a 1.333 OPS in 3 games. He needs to work on his defense, but his power/patience profile is very interesting. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 46/13/42/.241/.323/.429/1

493) Johanfran Garcia BOS, C, 19.4 – Garcia was a relatively high priced international signing in 2022 ($850,000), and he played very well his first year in stateside rookie ball, slashing .302/.408/.497 with 5 homers, 3 steals, and a 20.7%/10.6% K%/BB% in 42 games. He’s already pretty physically mature at a muscular and beefy 5’10”, and he unsurprisingly hits the ball relatively hard. He had a poor showing at Single-A to close out the season with a 60 wRC+ and 35.3% K% in 15 games, but I wouldn’t put too much weight on that as an 18 year old. He has the potential for an average to above average hit/power combo. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 65/20/73/.257/.324/.438/2

494) Ramon Ramirez KCR, C, 18.10 – Ramirez was a bit old for the DSL, but he went above and beyond in obliterating the level, slashing .344/.440/.615 with 8 homers, 6 steals, and a 12%/14% K%/BB% in 41 games. He’s a thick and athletic 6’0”, 180 pounds and he hits the ball very hard. He also has good defensive upside behind the dish. Ramirez has legitimate potential for prospect helium if he keeps performing. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 63/18/68/.263/.336/.443/5

495) Julio Zayas NYM, C, 18.1 – DSL catchers aren’t exactly my favorite targets, but Zayas’ hit/power combo is one of the best the league with 7 homers and a 12.9% K% in 49 games. He hits the ball hard and he gets it in the air with a 36.7% GB%. He obviously has a long way to go, but he’s a candidate to start popping when he gets stateside. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 62/20/68/.257/.323/.434/1

496) Eduardo Tait PHI, C, 17.7 – Tait was a 16 year old in the DSL and he was still one of the better hitters in the league, slashing .333/.400/.517 with 3 homers, 4 steals, and an 18.8%/7.3% K%/BB% in 44 games. He has a relatively simple and controlled lefty swing and he hits the ball hard. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 64/18/66/.255/.321/.429/3

497) Michael Stefanic LAA, 2B/3B, 28.1 – Stefanic is the Angels new David Fletcher. He has a truly elite plate approach/contact rates and nothing else. He put up a 7.3%/13.2% K%/BB% in 99 games at Triple-A (139 wRC+) and then did the same in the majors with a 11.3%/11.3% K%/BB% in 71 PA (109 wRC+). Unfortunately, he has only 1 barrel in 104 MLB batted balls with a 26 ft/sec sprint. He’s a utility infielder, but if he does work his way into playing time, he could be a positive for BA and OBP. 2024 Projection: 29/4/26/.265/.339/.378/4

498) Andres Chaparro ARI, 1B/3B, 24.11 – Chaparro’s 90 wRC+ in 137 games at Triple-A isn’t great, but the 25 homers and 21.8%/10.8% K%/BB% shows his plus power, solid plate approach profile remains intact. He hits the ball hard (89.1 MPH EV) and he lifts it (34.4% GB%). He’s a poor defender and even with him signing with Arizona, he’s still going to struggle for playing time. 2024 Projection: 14/5/18/.237/.298/.420/0 Prime Projection: 33/10/37/.251/.320/.431/0

499) Oswaldo Osorio LAD, SS/3B, 19.0 – Osorio was one of my favorite DSL breakouts last year, and while he had a good year in stateside rookie ball (114 wRC+), it wasn’t good enough to keep targeting him. The biggest issue is that he stole only 1 bag in 49 games, and he didn’t have a good success rate in the DSL last year either. If we can’t count on steals contributions, it puts a ton of pressure on his good, but not great bat (6 homers with a 26.9%/14.4% K%/BB%). ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 73/21/73/.245/.327/.424/7

500) Franklin Arias BOS, SS, 18.4 – Arias was a DSL breakout, slashing .350/.440/.453 with 1 homer, 3 steals, and a 8.8%/11.9% K%/BB% in 37 games. He has a solid SS glove and he gets the bat on the ball. That is a very safe profile, and if he starts impacting the ball more as he gets older at 5’11”, 170 pounds, he can definitely become a very legit prospect. Probably not the highest upside though. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 76/17/65/.272/.338/.417/9

501) Nikau Pouaka-Grego PHI, 2B/3B, 18.7 – Grego tore his ACL and missed all of 2023. He ranked 881st in last year’s Top 1,000, and his blurb remains the same assuming he returns to full health: “Pouaka-Grego was 17 years old playing in stateside rookie ball and he excelled, slashing .301/.424/.466 with 3 homers, 2 steals, and a 16/16 K/BB in 35 games. He has a smooth lefty uppercut swing that is made to hit flyballs (36.1% GB%), and he combines that with an advanced plate approach. He’s not a big raw power or speed guy, so the upside might not be huge.” ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 76/18/73/.273/.344/.432/6

502) Dameury Pena MIN, 2B, 18.7 – Pena doesn’t have much power with 0 homers in 39 games in the DSL, but he does everything else well, slashing .382/.453/.496 with 13 steals and a 6.5%/10.1% K%/BB%. He’s not particularly small at 5’10”, and he’s not an extreme groundball hitter, so if the power ticks up, he could get some real hype. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 78/14/59/.275/.343/.405/22

503) TJayy Watson PHI, OF, 19.2 – Selected 130th overall, Watson is a 6’3”, 225 pound power hitting beast who is already putting up big exit velocities with a powerful and controlled righty swing. And he’s not just big raw power and nothing else. He also has a mature plate approach and average speed. He had a strong pro debut with a 211 wRC+ on the back a .714 BABIP and 17.6% BB%, but he had 0 homers and a 35.3% K% in 5 games. If it all comes together, he can be a middle of the order slugger, but there is plenty of risk. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 74/23/77/.244/.328/.441/7

504) Antonio Anderson BOS, 3B, 18.9 – Selected 83rd in the 2023 MLB Draft, Anderson had a rough pro debut with a 41 wRC+ and 33.3% K% in 5 games in rookie ball, and a 26 wRC+ with a 32.1% K% in 7 games at Single-A. It’s only a small sample, and he’s on the young side for his class, but considering he was supposed to be a relatively advanced hitter, that isn’t a great sign. If advanced hitting was his only skill, I would be out, but he’s much more than that. He hits the ball hard at 6’3”, 205 pounds with a controlled lefty swing, and he’s a good athlete with average to above average run times. The poor debut means I’m not going out of my way for him, but if I’m looking for upside in the later rounds of a deeper league, I can see popping Anderson. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 62/19/69/.246/.324/.437/8

505) Jesus Made MIL, SS, 16.11 – Stop me if you heard this one before, but the switch hitting Made is a projectable and toolsy 6’1”, 165 pounds with a swing geared towards launching the ball. He has a mature plate approach and he has the potential to be a very good defensive SS. I know these international prospect blurbs can get repetitive especially as we get deep into the class, but these are the prospects that can blow up if you want upside. Embrace the mystery. ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 76/24/81/.258/.334/.449/12

506) Francisco Vilorio NYY, OF, 17.5 – The 6’2” Vilorio sure looks good in the box with a big righty swing that is made for launch. He’s already hitting for power and it’s not hard to envision much more coming in the future. He also has speed and a good feel to hit. He looks the part of a damn exciting prospect, so if the production is there, he’ll blow up fast. ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 76/24/81/.255/.336/.453/14

507) Daiber De Los Santos MIN, SS, 17.6 – The 6’1”, 160 pound De Los Santos is an excellent all around athlete with the potential for a plus SS glove. He has good size, power potential, speed, and feel to hit. A lot of refinement is needed and he’s not a physical beast, but the ingredients are there to be a good one down the line. ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 78/20/78/.260/.325/.430/15

508) Jorge Quintana CLE, SS, 17.0 – Quintana is a projectable 6’2”, 170 pounds with a strong all around skillset. Based on his scouting report, he’s kinda the George Lombard of the international class with plus plate skills and a potentially above average power/speed combo. ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 79/20/76/.265/.335/.430/14

509) Ashley Andujar COL, SS, 16.8 – Andujar is one of the youngest players in the class and is expected to sign with Colorado. The Rockies obviously play in a great ballpark, but talking about what ballpark a 16 year old might hit in 6+ year from now is a bit silly as that is the least of our concerns. What is our concern is Colorado’s lack of developmental prowess and lack of commitment to their non elite prospects, so signing with them is probably more of a negative than anything. As for Andujar, he’s a projectable and toolsy 6’1”, 160 pounds with a great feel to hit and aggression on the bases. A low K% and lots of steals in the DSL will definitely put you on the deep dynasty league map, and Andujar has the potential to put up that kind of stat line in 2024. ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 73/18/76/.267/.323/.422/21

510) Roberto Arias CLE, OF, 17.6 – Arias has a vicious and controlled lefty swing that makes a ton of contact and can start to do real damage when he grows into his skinny 6’1” frame. He’s also a premium athlete with plus speed potential. If he grows into plus raw power, that swing and his athleticism will do the rest. ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 79/21/77/.269/.328/.437/19

511) Spencer Horwitz TOR, 1B/OF, 26.5 – Horwitz is a low upside proximity play. He has limited defensive value with a plus plate approach and a swing geared for line drives. He made his MLB debut in 2023 and wasn’t able to maintain the elite 14.9%/16.1% K%/BB% he had in Triple-A with a 27.3%/9.1% K%/BB% in 44 MLB PA. He also had a 87 MPH EV, 1.5 degree launch, and 25.1 ft/sec sprint. It’s a small sample and he still had a 106 wRC+, so I do think he can be a solid MLB hitter, but I don’t the see the upside, and it comes with playing time risk. 2024 Projection: 39/8/44/.262/.338/.408/3

512) Tre’ Morgan TBR, 1B/OF, 21.8 – Selected 88th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Morgan isn’t your prototypical power hitting first baseman with only 9 homers in 69 games in the SEC, but all of his other skills/traits are good enough to crack this list. He’s young for his college class, his excellent plate approach transferred to pro ball with a 4.5%/18.2% K%/BB% in 11 games at Single-A, he has speed with 4 steals at the level, and he’s an excellent defensive 1B who can also play OF. The upside isn’t super high, but Tampa is a great organization for him to work his way into playing time a few years from now. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 58/12/42/.262/.328/.414/10

513) Zach Levenson STL, OF, 22.1 – Selected 158th overall, Levenson has done nothing but hit in his amateur career, never putting up an OPS under .938 at any of his 4 stops, and that continued right into pro ball, slashing .268/.331/.480 with 6 homers, 2 steals, and a 23%/8.6% K%/BB% in 34 games at Single-A. He hits the ball hard at 6’2”, 210 pounds and the plate approach is generally solid. Solid big league bat is probably his ceiling, but the Cardinals churn these types out all the time. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 61/17/66/.253/.324/.429/3

514) Shalin Polanco PIT, OF, 20.2 – Polanco was a high priced international signing with the requisite sweet lefty swing and power/speed combo, but his production has been lacking since entering pro ball. He didn’t blow the doors off in 2023 either, but it was his best season with 12 homers, 17 steals, and a 104 wRC+ in 70 games at Single-A. The 28.7%/9.6% K%/BB%, shows he still has a long way to go, but he’s been improving every year, and the talent is certainly there. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 57/15/62/.243/.314/.425/7

515) Julian Aguiar CIN, RHP, 22.10 – Aguiar throws an above average 5 pitch mix with all of his pitches moving in different directions. The 4-seamer and 2-seamer sit mid 90’s, and he has a trio of secondaries (slider, curve, change) which are all effective pitches. The 2-seamer is probably the pitch that stands out the most, which keeps his groundball rates high. It was too much for lower minors hitters with a 1.92 ERA in 70.1 IP, but the production slowed down at Double-A with a 4.28 ERA and 26.3%/5.6% K%/BB% in 54.2 IP. It’s likely a back end guy but there is mid rotation upside. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 9/4.23/1.31/135 in 150 IP

516) Dominic Hamel NYM, RHP, 25.1 – Hamel is a back end starter (with mid rotation upside) proximity arm. He pitched very well at Double-A with a 3.85 ERA and 30.4%/9.3% K%/BB% in 124 IP on the back of a 93 MPH fastball that gets whiffs. He rounds out the arsenal with a curve, slider, cutter and change that are all solid pitches. He’s already 25 years old, the stuff isn’t really that electric, and the control is average to below average, which is why I put the back end starter label on him despite the big rates in the upper minors. 2024 Projection: 1/4.52/1.39/36 in 40 IP Prime Projection: 9/4.29/1.33/135 in 145 IP

517) Dax Fulton MIA, LHP, 22.6 – Fulton underwent surgery on his UCL (internal brace and primary repair procedures) in June, which will likely keep him out for most or all of 2024. When healthy, he makes for an extremely uncomfortable at bat at 6’7”, 225 pounds with a bit of a herky jerky lefty delivery. The fastball was ticking up this year with it more consistently getting into the mid 90’s, which he combined with a plus curve and average changeup. The profile is exciting enough to keep him on the fantasy radar, but it’s not so good to make him anything other than a fringe Top 500 guy. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 8/4.12/1.33/145 in 145 IP

518) Michael Burrows PIT, RHP, 24.5 – Burrows underwent Tommy John surgery in April 2023 after just two outings which will keep him out until mid-season 2024. I liked him coming into 2023 with a plus fastball/curve combo that he had good control over, but he’s not quite in the class of prospect I like to take the Tommy John discount on. He’s someone you should keep an eye on to see if he returns to full health, but I’m not sure he’s a particularly great stash before that. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 6/4.30/1.33/100 in 110 IP

519) Gordon Graceffo STL, RHP, 24.1 – Graceffo started getting hype based on a plus mid to upper 90’s fastball, but that fastball was gone in 2023 with a 94 MPH fastball. He can still get it into the upper 90’s, but that extra zip that really put him over the top is currently gone. And without it, he doesn’t have the numbers to get excited about with a 4.92 ERA and 20.9%/11.6% K%/BB% in 86 IP at Triple-A. He’s a low upside proximity play with a glimmer of hope that the fastball ticks back up again. 2024 Projection: 2/4.67/1.43/44 in 50 IP Prime Projection: 7/4.34/1.36/120 in 140 IP

520) Owen White TEX, RHP, 24.8 – White is an overhyped, low upside proximity play. His stuff backed up in 2023 with the fastball sitting about 93 MPH. He battled a shoulder and hip injury throughout the year, but I’m not sure that helps his case. The results were terrible too with a 21.1%/10.1% K%/BB% at Double-A and a 13.5%/13.5% K%/BB% at Triple-A. He got obliterated in the majors with an 11.25 ERA in 4 IP. The hope is that the stuff ticks back up again in 2024 and he remains healthy. 2024 Projection: 1/4.65/1.44/34 in 40 IP Prime Projection: 7/4.32/1.37/120 in 140 IP

521) Nathan Hickey BOS, C, 24.4 – Boston drafting Kyle Teel essentially ends Hickey’s chance of earning a large share of the catcher job, so now he’s kinda stuck in no man’s land as a platoon DH/back up catcher type. The bat is still worthy of him cracking this list though, slashing .258/.352/.474 with 15 homers, 3 steals, and a 27.2%/11.9% K%/BB% in 80 games at Double-A. He most likely ends up a bench bat, but I can see him working his way into a strong side of a platoon role of some sort down the line. 2024 Projection: 9/2/12/.226/.293/.401/1 Prime Projection: 41/16/49/.244/.320/.434/2

522) Jorge Barrosa ARI, OF, 23.1 – Barrosa is very small at 5’5”, and is likely a 4th outfielder type with a plus hit/speed/defense profile. He slashed .274/.394/.456 with 12 homers, 15 steals, and a 16.3%/15.9% K%/BB% in 120 games. If Alek Thomas doesn’t get the job done, it’s possible they give Barrosa some run before Druw Jones takes over the job for good in a year or two. 2024 Projection: 27/2/16/.246/.305/.355/5 Prime Projection: 53/6/37/.264/.322/.390/12

523) Dylan O’Rae MIL, 2B/OF, 20.1 – At 5’7” with every high groundball rates, O’Rae’s lack of power will likely relegate him to a utility role, but his speed, hit tool, and plate approach are all elite enough to take a shot on. He slashed .330/.439/.375 with 0 homers, 16 steals, and a 13.1%/15.9% K%/BB% in 23 games at Single-A. He’s a late round speed play. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 63/5/41/.268/.334/.376/22

524) Vaun Brown SFG, OF, 25.9 – Brown is why it’s prudent to have some restraint when drooling over older prospects in the lower minors. He put up Fun House numbers in the lower minors, but it all came crumbling down at Double-A with a 37.5%/6.3% K%/BB% and 90 wRC+ in 50 games. The power/speed combo is still big though (8 homers and 15 steals at the level), so if he gets it figured out at say 27 years old, he can still be a late career breakout. But he’s merely in flier territory right now. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 34/7/29/.227/.293/.396/10

525) Zach Cole HOU, OF, 23.8 – Cole has a big power/speed comb with 19 homers and 37 steals in 111 games in the lower minors, but it comes with a bottom of the scale hit tool. His 33.1% K% at High-A is enough to scare me off, but the upside is high if something clicks in his mid 20’s. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 28/6/25/.221/.308/.411/8

526) Leonardo Pineda TBR, OF, 17.0 – Pineda is only 5’11”, but he’s a strong 5’11” with a powerful swing that can hit a baseball hard. He also has speed and a good feel to hit. His prospect upside is in the mold of a Corbin Carroll, Dillon Head, and Max Clark. ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 84/17/59/.273/.338/.420/22

527) Zyhir Hope LAD, OF, 19.2 – Selected 326th overall, Hope is the hit tool risk version of Dillon Head. He has a carrying tool in his double plus speed, and he had a strong pro debut, slashing .286/.491/.543 with 3 homers, 3 steals, and a 30.2%/18.6% K%/BB% in 11 games at stateside rookie. Like Head, he has good raw power but hits the ball on the ground way too much to fully tap into it. Unlike Head, he has hit tool risk, but the high walk rate mitigates that a bit. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 66/13/51/.252/.326/.416/21

528) BJ Murray CHC, 3B, 24.2 – Murray raised his launch considerably in 2023 and it led to a moderate power breakout with 16 homers in 124 games at Double-A. It didn’t impact his mature plate approach at all either with a 23.8%/15.1% K%/BB%, and it all led to a 128 wRC+. He hits the ball fairly hard, but he’s not a beast or anything, and he’s not a great defensive 3B. He’s likely a bench bat long term. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 35/9/35/.246/.328/.418/4

529) David McCabe ATL, 3B, 24.0 – McCabe is too old for the lower minors to get too excited, but he had a strong season at Single-A and High-A, slashing .276/.386/.450 with 17 homers, 10 steals, and a 21.6%/15.3% K%/BB% in 123 games. He’s a big guy at 6’3”, 230 pounds and he hits the ball hard, but the bat speed doesn’t really standout to me and he’s more of a “heavy” 230 than a built up one. Proving it against upper minors pitching would go a long way, but it’s still not a high upside profile. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 36/9/33/.246/.325/.417/2

530) Cade Doughty TOR, 2B/3B, 23.0 – Doughty’s 29.7% K% is a bit on the high side for a college bat at High-A, but he still produced with 18 homers and a 116 wRC+ in 102 games. He can put a sting into the ball and he’s produced everywhere he’s played since 18 years old. A bench bat seems his most likely role at the moment, but I want to keep him on this list until he at least gets a shot to show what he can do in the upper minors. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 36/10/41/.241/.316/.418/3

531) Mike Boeve MIL, 2B/3B, 21.11 – Selected 54th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Boeve is a plus hitter who put up an eye popping 9/32 K/BB and .401 BA in 47 games in the Summit League. The power/speed combo is average at best with only 4 homers and 6 steals, and the hit tool didn’t look nearly as impressive when he got to High-A with a .250 BA and 22.6%/11.7% K%/BB% in 19 games. He’s a relatively safe, low upside college bat. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 47/10/42/.262/.330/.416/7

532) Braylin Morel TEX, OF, 18.3 – Morel is a powerful 6’2”, 180 pounds and he used that power to mash 7 homers with a 168 wRC+ in 47 DSL games, but the 24.5% K% shows there is legit hit tool risk. He also has plus speed, but he stole only 2 bags, so the base stealing skills need work. It’s a high risk, high upside profile. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 51/18/59/.234/.309/.432/7

533) Gian Zapata ARI, OF, 18.7 – Zapata is a tooled up 6’4”, 195 pounds with a plus power/speed combo, and he showed it in the DSL with 9 homers and 5 steals in 44 games, but it comes with a scary 29.1% K%. High risk/high reward. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 53/18/59/.234/.313/.436/6

534) Sam Bachman LAA, RHP, 24.7 – The Angels system is brutally bad, which is evidence enough to stay away from their prospects in any kind of situation where you are torn on two players. Bachman immediately took 5 steps back the second the Angels got their hands on him. It’s almost like history is repeating itself with Joyce now. Like Joyce, Bachman looked good in his pro debut in his draft year before the Angels were able to mess with him (3.77 ERA with a 25.9%/6.9% K%/BB% in 14.1 IP at High-A). He then imploded in on himself with injuries and terrible performance in 2022 and 2023. This year, he put up a 5.81 ERA with a 24.6%/16.9% K%/BB% in 26.1 IP at Double-A, and a 3.18 ERA with a 18.2%/14.3% K%/BB% in 17 IP in the majors. His season ended in July with shoulder inflammation. The stuff is still huge with a 96.9 MPH fastball, but it performed as a below average pitch in the majors, and the slider was above average at best with a 34% whiff%. The Angels say they are still developing him as a starter, which I’m not sure is a good thing or a bad thing for his fantasy value at this point. Middle reliever is the most likely outcome, but the stuff, proximity and pedigree (9th overall pick) is enough to stay interesting in a barren system. 2024 Projection: 2/4.21/1.38/54 in 60 IP

535) Clayton Beeter NYY, RHP, 25.5 – Beeter is likely a reliever with an above average fastball/slider combo and below average control. He put up a 3.62 ERA with a 165/75 K/BB in 131.2 IP at Double-A and Triple-A. If the fastball sat 95+ MPH, I can see being a bit more excited about him, but it only sits 93-94 MPH, which is why in a pen role it might be able to play up in the 95 range. 2024 Projection: 1/4.36/1.38/37 in 40 IP Prime Projection: 3/3.81/1.31/64 in 61 IP

536) Spencer Schwellenbach ATL, RHP, 23.10 – Schwellenbach was a two way player who pitched only one year as a closer in college, but Atlanta liked his stuff enough to draft him in the 2nd round in 2021. He needed Tommy John surgery after the draft and missed the entire 2022 season. He returned this year, and immediately showed why Atlanta liked him so much with a 2.49 ERA and 55/16 K/BB in 65 IP at Single-A and High-A. The fastball sits mid 90’s, the breaking ball is plus, the changeup is solid, and he has good control over all of his stuff. He missed some time this year with a shoulder injury, so the injury risk is very high considering he’s almost 24 years old and 65 IP is his career high. He also looked like a grown man out there at a thick 6’1” against lower minors hitters. There is legitimate bullpen risk, and if I had to guess, I would say that is where he ends up, but there is also upside because he has so little experience as a pitcher. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 4/3.65/1.18/67 in 65 IP

537) Peyton Pallette CHW, RHP, 22.11 – Pallette made his pro debut in 2023 after returning from Tommy John surgery and missing all of 2022 (his junior year of college). He put up a 4.13 ERA with a 24.4%/12.8% K%/BB% in 72 IP at Single-A. He really never had a particularly great year in college either with a 4.02 ERA and 67/20 K/BB in 50 IP his sophomore year. The stuff is good with a plus mid 90’s fastball and a beautiful plus curve that he has on a string, but the fastball was a tick better in college and so was his control. Maybe everything looks much better his 2nd year back, but he’s not a target for me at the moment. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 9/4.23/1.33/140 in 150 IP

538) Zach DeLoach CHW, OF, 25.8 – DeLoach gets an opportunity bump moving to Chicago. He’s been a solid hitter in the upper minors, slashing .286/.387/.481 with 23 homers, 8 steals, and a 27.8%/13.3% K%/BB% in 138 games at Triple-A. He hits the ball relatively hard with a 89.3 MPH EV and he can get it in the air with a 36.7% FB%. He’s on the old side for a prospect and there is hit tool risk, so it’s not really a profile to stash in most leagues. If he ends up with playing time, I can see taking a shot on him at that point. 2024 Projection: 28/7/25/.230/.308/.402/2 Prime Projection: 53/15/48/.242/.321/.418/5

539) Landon Sims ARI, RHP, 23.3 – Sims returned from Tommy John surgery and he just didn’t look the same. The stuff and production were both way down with a low 90’s fastball and 5.47 ERA with a 28/12 K/BB in 24.2 IP. This is a reminder that taking the Tommy John surgery discount can definitely backfire. Tommy John surgery success rates are good, but it’s not 100% by any means. Betting on Sims is simply a bet that the elite fastball/slider combo will return the further away he gets from the surgery, but it sure seems much more likely that ends up in the pen either way at this point. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 3/3.85/1.29/70 in 65 IP

540) Ryan Birchard MIL, RHP, 20.9 – Selected 155th overall, Birchard is a big boy at a thick 6’0” with legit stuff. He throws a mid 90’s fastball with 2 potentially plus breaking balls in his slider and curve. He also throws a developing changeup. He dominated the MLB Draft League with a 1.00 ERA and 16/1 K/BB in 9 IP. A power reliever might be his most likely role, but he’s only 20 years old, and if he continues working on his body and refining his command, I wouldn’t rule out him remaining a starter. Milwaukee is also a great organization for him regardless of what role he ends up in. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 4/3.45/1.21/80 in 65 IP

541) Steven Zobac KCR, RHP, 23.5 – Zobac has an above average fastball/control profile with mid 90’s heat and a 6.4% BB%. The slider looks about average-ish to me and and the changeup is still developing. He dominated Single-A with a 2.09 ERA and 29.9%/5.9% K%/BB% in 51.2 IP, but High-A slowed him down with a 5.31 ERA and 21.8%/7.1% K%/BB% in 39 IP. If the secondaries improve, he could start popping. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 9/4.13/1.25/130 in 150 IP

542) Frank Mozzicato KC, LHP, 20.10 – Mozzicato got off to such a promising start to the season with a 2.14 ERA and 74/25 K/BB in 46.1 IP at Single-A, but it all fell apart after that. He put up a 7.12 ERA with a 25.3%/18.5% K%/BB% in his final 36.2 IP at High-A. He really hasn’t taken any steps forward since KC drafted him 7th overall with the control still well below average and the fastball still sitting in the low 90’s. He’s only 20, the curveball might already be plus, and he’s been a strikeout machine in his pro career, so a few extra ticks on the fastball and a big step forward with his control could catapult him in the future, but he has a long way to go. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 4/3.74/1.28/75/10 saves in 65 IP

543) Troy Johnston MIA, 1B, 26.11 – Johnston is a bit more hit over power than I would like for a 1B prospect, but his power ticked up this year with 26 homers and decent hard hit rates in 134 games split between Double-A and Triple-A. He did it without sacrificing the hit tool with a 18.0%/10.3% K%/BB%, and while he’s not fast, he showed some athleticism with 24 steals in 26 attempts. He’s also a lefty who hit lefties well too with a .908 OPS. He’s likely a bench bat, but in very deep leagues, a low key proximity bat like this can sometimes provide sneaky value. 2024 Projection: 9/2/13/.242/.303/.394/1 Prime Projection: 34/8/38/.257/.323/.428/4

544) CJ Kayfus CLE, 1B, 22.5 – Selected 93rd in the 2023 MLB Draft, Kayfus is another 1B prospect who doesn’t have that prototypical power you want to see, but his supporting skills are good enough to crack this list. He has a good feel to hit with a strong plate approach and some speed. He slashed .348/.464/.581 with 13 homers, 8 steals, and a 44/46 K/BB in 62 games in the ACC, and then he excelled in pro ball, slashing .271/.429/.542 with 4 homers, 5 steals, and a 15.6%/19.5% K%/BB% in 17 games at Single-A. After hitting only 1 homer in the wood bat Cape Cod league in 2022, it was nice to see him pop 4 in his pro debut. He still looks like there is some room to tack on muscle, so if he takes a step forward in raw power, he could be a very interesting prospect. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 49/10/39/.254/.324/.422/8

545) Niko Kavadas BOS, 1B, 25.5 – Kavadas is a strong side of a platoon bat(.524 OPS vs. lefties), 3 true outcome slugger (91.2 MPH EV at AAA). He slashed .206/.377/.428 with 22 homers and a 35.8%/20.4% K%/BB% in 117 games split between Double-A and Triple-A. The swing and miss is a bit too much to even be too sure of him ever locking in a full platoon role. 2024 Projection: 11/4/14/.203/.300/.410/0 Prime Projection: 36/14/43/.218/.321/.435/0

546) Jonathon Long CHI, 1B/3B, 22.2 – Selected 226th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Long makes for an interesting late round target in deeper leagues. He had a big Junior year in the Big West, slashing .312/.404/600 with 15 homers and a 44/29 K/BB in 55 games, and then he proved he’s not just a product of a weaker conference, slashing .260/.380/.533 with 6 homers and a 19.6%/12.0% K%/BB% in 23 games at Single-A. He has a very quick and powerful swing that looks relatively legit to me, and he hits the ball hard. Obviously don’t expect a league winner, but I think he’s a real prospect. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 56/18/69/.245/.317/.441/1

547) Trevor Werner KCR, 3B, 23.6 – Selected 199th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Werner is old for the class as a Senior, and his college numbers weren’t that great, but his off the charts pro debut should put him on your radar. He slashed .354/.459/.699 with 8 homers, 8 steals, and a 23.0%/15.6% K%/BB% in 31 games at Single-A. He’s 6’3”, 225 pounds with big power and he’s also a good athlete. The hit tool likely stalls him against upper minors pitching, but if you’re in a deep league and want upside from someone who isn’t 17 years, Werner isn’t a bad pick. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 35/10/43/.232/.310/.416/6

548) Brian Kalmer CHC, 1B/3B, 23.7 – Selected 536th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Kalmer had an absolutely beastly pro debut, slashing .358/.423/.683 with 10 homers and a 20.3%/9.4% K%/BB% in 32 games at Single-A. He transferred out of the Pac12 after his sophomore season because he wasn’t getting any run, and then he went on to destroy Junior college in his junior year, and dominate for Gonzaga in his senior year. He’s 6’2”, 215 pounds with a pretty beastly righty swing that hits the ball hard. The hit tool and plate approach both still need work, and he was obviously far too old for the lower minors, but why not take a chance on a kid who was never given a shot, and then when he found his own path, has done nothing but rake. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 33/10/37/.236/.309/.421/1

549) Angel Feliz WAS, 3B, 17.6 – Feliz is an athletic and projectable 6’3”, 190 pounds with plus power potential. He has solid barrel control and a good feel to hit, but he doesn’t exactly looked refined at the dish right now. He’s a ball of clay lotto ticket, but at this point in the draft, I prefer taking guys like this who could turn into truly coveted prospects, rather than low upside college bats who will likely never make a true impact. ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 64/17/61/.252/.321/.436/11

550) Luis Suisbel SEA, 1B/3B, 20.11 – Suisbel repeated the DSL in 2022, and then was a 20 year old in rookie ball to start 2023. 20 is even on the older side for Single-A, and while he hit well when got the call to that level with a 132 wRC+ and 6 homers in 31 games, it still came with a poor 29.9%/8.3% K%/BB%. He has big hit tool risk and the big production is mitigated by his advanced age, but there is definitely nice power potential in the bat, and there was big production in 2023. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 32/10/37/.238/.315/.426/2

551) Ben Williamson SEA, 3B, 23.5 – Selected 57th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Williamson was a college senior from a non major conference who had a shaky pro debut. He was known for his excellent plate approach with a 22/40 K/BB in 55 games in college, but that immediately didn’t transfer to Single-A with a 10/2 K/BB in 10 games. He hits the ball fairly hard, but he didn’t put up big homer totals in college. I’m honestly not sure how he got picked so high or why so many people seem to particularly like him. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 35/7/31/.245/.321/.410/4

552) Maximo Acosta TEX, SS, 21.5 – Acosta’s power ticked up in 2023 with 11 homers in 110 games at High-A, and he combined that with a good feel to hit (21.1% K%) and some speed (26 steals). The power still isn’t all that big, the hit tool is solid, but it’s not great, and he’s not a true burner. His 92 wRC+ also wasn’t great. He’s likely a utility infielder long term, but he’s young enough to improve across the board, so I don’t want to write him off quite yet. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 51/9/42/.252/.318/.408/12

553) Christian Knapczyk CLE, SS, 22.4 – Selected 161st overall in the 2023 Draft, Knapczyk is likely a utility infielder with a plus hit/speed combo, but the skills are there to make a fantasy impact if he does end up with a full time job. He slashed .331/.455/.408 with 1 homer, 19 steals, and a 19/21 K/BB in 45 games. He has a quick lefty swing that sprays hits all over the field, but the power is very, very minimal. For a guy like this, the hit tool needs to be in the elite range to really get excited about him, but it’s a very safe profile and he should move fast through the minors. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 34/2/21/.266/.324/.355/13

554) Jalvin Arias PHI, OF, 17.6 – Arias is 6’3”, 210 pounds with easy plus power potential. The swing doesn’t necessarily look super smooth, but it’s quick and powerful. The plate approach and athleticism are both good as well. A strong showing in the DSL will have his stock quickly rising. ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 72/23/76/.251/.323/.436/9

555) Andres Arias TOR, OF, 17.6 – Arias is a physical specimen at 6’4”, 180 pounds who is known for his big power potential. There isn’t any video of him I can find, so I can’t see how sweet the swing is, but he projects as a corner bat, so you know the offensive potential is legit if he’s landing a big signing bonus. He’s a shot in the dark power upside bat, and I’ll continue to be on the lookout for more video. ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 72/25/81/.245/.325/.450/7

556) Dylan Ray ARI, RHP, 22.11 – Ray put together a strong season at High-A with a 3.81 ERA and 30.4%/7.9% K%/BB% in 99.1 IP, but he got crushed at Double-A to close out the season with a 8.36 ERA and 22.4%/11.9% K%/BB% in 14 IP, which hints at his likely backend starter projection. He’s a big guy at 6’3”, 230 pounds with a solid but not standout 4 pitch mix. The fastball sits low to mid 90’s and he throws a trio of effective secondaries (curve, slider, change). He has some ingredients for mid rotation upside, but a 4/5 starter or bullpen role is his most likely big league role. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 6/4.28/1.34/108 in 110 IP

557) Logan Henderson MIL, RHP, 22.1 – Henderson obliterated at Single-A with a 2.75 ERA and 35.2%/8.6% K%/BB% in 78.2 IP, but it’s the type of profile that can often dominate less advanced hitters before struggling in the upper minors/majors. He throws low 90’s heat with a plus changeup and the occasional slider. The fastball will likely have to tick up or the control will have to become near elite to really start getting hype. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 8/4.32/1.31/120 in 140 IP

558) Justin Campbell CLE, RHP, 23.1 – Campbell underwent ulnar nerve decompression surgery on his elbow in June and missed all of 2023, which sounds scary, but the timetable was only a few months, so maybe it’s better than it sounds. He’s yet to make his pro debut after getting drafted in 2022, and I liked him coming out of the draft. The elbow injury makes it questionable if he ever returns to full health, but here was my 2023 Top 1,000 blurb for him, “Selected 37th overall in the 2022 MLB Draft, Campbell is 6’7”, 220 pounds with an easy and athletic delivery. Sometimes guys this tall can have an awkward delivery, but not Campbell. His dive bombing changeup in his best pitch, to go along with a low to mid 90’s fastball which gets plenty of whiffs, and 2 effective breaking balls in his curve and slider. His 3.82 ERA was a little inflated, but the 141/25 K/BB in 101.1 IP is much more indicative of his talent. Cleveland knows a thing or two about pitching development, and Campbell is legitimately exciting, especially if his fastball can tick up.” ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 9/4.25/1.32/130 in 140 IP

559) JR Ritchie ATL, RHP, 20.9 – Ritchie looked like he was headed for a breakout before going down with an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery in late May 2023. He had a 5.40 ERA (1.40 xFIP) with a 47.2%/5.7% K%/BB% in 13.1 IP at Single-A. He played exactly to his scouting report as an advanced pitcher with a low to mid 90’s fastball, potentially plus slider, and developing changeup. This isn’t really the type of pitcher I like to take the Tommy John discount on, so he’s not a target for me, but if he does come back 100%, he could be a good one. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 9/4.11/1.27/140 in 150 IP

560) Jackson Baumeister BAL, RHP, 21.9 – Selected 63rd overall, Baumeister put up a 5.09 ERA in 69 IP in the ACC, and he also put up mediocre ERA’s his freshman year (5.60 ERA) and in the Cape (4.29 ERA). He was a draft eligible sophomore though, so this upcoming season was going to presumably be his breakout year, and he’s always missed a ton of bats. He put up a 30.9%/9.4% K%/BB% this year on the back of an above average, bat missing low to mid 90’s fastball. He combines that with a potentially above average curve and a developing slider and change. He needs to improve his command and his secondaries to take the next step. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 9/4.18/1.31/150 in 155 IP

561) Justin Lange NYY, RHP, 22.7 – Lange is a big guy at 6’4”, 220 pounds and he has big stuff with a mid to upper 90’s. He also has a legit starters pitch mix with a cutter, slider, and changeup. But he needs his control to take a major step forward to harness that stuff. He put up a 4.75 ERA with a 33.2%/16% K%/BB% in 85.1 IP at mostly Single-A. He most likely ends up in the bullpen, but the upside is high if something clicks with his control. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 3/3.81/1.32/67 in 62 IP

562) Cade Kuehler ATL, RHP, 21.10 – Selected 70th overall, Kuehler has good, but not great stuff, he has below average control, he’s from a non major conference, and he hasn’t thrown that many innings. He did have an excellent season in the Big South with a 2.71 ERA and 29.4%/8.4% K%/BB% in 73 IP. His 94 MPH fastball is his best pitch and it’s a bat missing weapon. He combines that with a decent slider and curve. I see him as a #4 type, but he gets the bump for being drafted by Atlanta. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 6/4.21/1.32/123 in 130 IP

563) Isaiah Drake ATL, OF, 18.9 – Selected 162nd overall, Drake is very raw with a 64 wRC+ and a 37.7% K%/BB% in his 18 game pro debut, but his upside is worth taking a shot on this late. He has elite speed and plus raw power potential, and he is very young for his draft class, so some of that extreme rawness is mitigated. It’s a complete lotto ticket, but it’s one of those $1 billion jackpots if it hits. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 38/8/32/.231/.304/.416/19

564) Matt Rudick NYM, OF, 25.9 – Rudick is small and old, so he’s probably a bench bat, but his numbers are too good to ignore. He slashed .271/.414/.449 with 9 homers, 12 steals, and a 15.8%/17.3% K%/BB% in 61 games at Double-A. The plate approach is very mature, he has some speed, and he has a lift and pull profile that will get the most out of his 5’6” frame. 2024 Projection: 17/3/12/.242/.326/.395/3 Prime Projection: 55/9/39/.251/.338/.412/8

565) Grant Taylor CHW, RHP, 21.10 – Selected 51st overall, Taylor is a Tommy John surgery discount pick, but after getting burned by Landon Sims last year, I’m hesitant to go in on Taylor as he was far from established before going down with the injury. What Chicago is so excited about him is that he looked great in the Cape with a 2.14 ERA and 30/2 K/BB in 21 IP before the injury wiped out his junior year at LSU. He’s 6’3”, 230 with a mid 90’s fastball and a potentially plus breaker as his best pitches. He has high spin rates on all of his pitches. There is reliever risk and there is injury risk, but there is certainly upside too. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 4/3.68/1.24/78 in 65 IP

566) Aaron Zavala TEX, OF, 23.9 – Zavala clearly wasn’t healthy after returning from surgery on a torn UCL (elbow). He had a 37.3% K%, 5 homers, and 79 wRC+ in 95 games at Double-A. In 2022, he had a 133 wRC+ and 20.9% K% in 30 games at Double-A, so I’m willing to give him a redo as he gets further away from that surgery. It’s not the highest upside profile to begin with with a moderate power/speed combo, so seeing the major hit tool issues in 2023 is scary regardless of the reason. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 31/7/28/.246/.321/.410/4

567) Emaarion Boyd PHI, OF, 20.8 – Boyd is your classic plus contact speedster with a 14.9% K% and 54 steals in 91 games at Single-A. The groundball rates are very high and the EV’s are very low, so his power is at the very bottom of the scale with only 1 homer. He’s also not a big OBP guy with a 8.7% BB%, and the 99 wRC+ isn’t that impressive. His ceiling is a bottom of the order slap hitter. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 52/5/27/.259/.319/.386/28

568) Chandler Simpson TBR, OF, 23.4 – Simpson is probably a speed bench player, but the speed is truly elite with 94 steals, and so are the contact rates with a 8.7% K% in 115 games at Single-A and High-A. He hit 0 homers, which will make it hard to be a full time player, and he still has to prove it in the upper minors. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 51/2/28/.266/.331/.346/29

569) Yeremi Cabrera TEX, OF, 18.9 – Cabrera is repeating the DSL which made me want to keep him off this list, but he’s still only 18 years old, and the numbers are impressive, slashing .329/.445/.559 with 7 homers, 9 steals, and a 28/33 K/BB in 46 games. The tools are only average, so he’s not really a target for me. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 68/14/64/.262/.328/.415/10

570) Derek Bernard COL, 2B, 18.8 – Bernard repeated the DSL, and even though he was still relatively age appropriate for the level, it makes me heavily discount his numbers. Even heavily discounted, his numbers are impressive though, slashing .311/.411/.563 with 7 homers, 17 steals, and a 17.8%/14.4% K%/BB% in 42 games. Along with repeating the level, he hits the ball on the ground well over 50% of the time and he’s a poor defensive player. There is above average offensive potential here, but he’s only a deep league flier for me. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 61/17/72/.242/.318/.422/17

571) Daniel Palencia CHC, Setup, 24.2 – Palencia made his MLB debut and certainly showed “future closer” stuff with a 98.4 MPH fastball and plus slider that notched a 55.7% whiff%. It only resulted in a 4.45 ERA and 27.7%/11.8% K%/BB% in 28.1 IP, and he’s actually been pretty bad throughout his minor league career, but that stuff doesn’t lie. 2024 Projection: 3/3.87/1.26/68 in 58 IP

572) Gabriel Terrero NYY, 2B, 18.7 – Terreo is only 5’6”, he doesn’t play SS, and the 21.6% K% is a little high, which makes me hesitant to put him on this list, but he crushed the DSL with 7 homers, 14 steals, and a 146 wRC+ in 37 games. He’s small, but he packs a punch. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 76/15/62/.251/.325/.407/19

573) Cory Lewis MIN, RHP, 23.6 – Lewis has a back end starter profile with low 90’s heat and diverse pitch mix, but he throws a hard knuckleball which sets him apart, and the fastball misses bats despite the low velocity. He put up a 2.49 ERA with a 28.6%/8.0% K%/BB% in 101.1 IP split between Single-A and High-A. He likely needs to get to near elite control to beat his back end starter projection, but he’s a fun one. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 9/4.20/1.30/120 in 145 IP

574) Wes Clarke MIL, 1B/C, 24.5 – Clarke was a standout in the AFL, slashing .297/.435/.568 with 5 homers and a 29.3%/18.5% K%/BB% in 21 games, and while that shouldn’t really change his value, it does highlight the excellent year he had at Double-A. He slashed .241/.392/.497 with 26 homers, 6 steals, and a 29.2%/17.7% K%/BB% in 118 games. He hits the ball very hard with a 35.2% Hard Hit% and he gets on base, but his K rates exploding to danger zone territory is not a great sign for his ability to be a full time MLB starter considering his weak defense. He’s trending towards a short side of a platoon bench power bat. 2024 Projection: 15/5/21/.218/.302/.409/0 Prime Projection: 36/12/43/.233/.323/.436/2

575) Andrew Cossetti MIN, C/IB, 24.2 – Minnesota’s High-A manager did a Q&A on Twins Player Development Twitter recently, and was asked what player isn’t getting the recognition they deserve. His answer was Andrew Cossetti, writing, “Andrew Cossetti did a nice job for us after joining us from Ft. Myers. His ability to get on base plus drive the baseball made him a tough out, plus his catching is coming along.” He put up a 1.069 OPS in 35 games at Single-A before heading to High-A and putting up a .898 OPS with 9 homers in 60 games. He hits the ball very hard, and he hasn’t had any hit tool issues going back to college. He’s likely a backup catcher/bench bat, but he’s an interesting older bat. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 33/10/38/.248/.325/.433/1

576) Creed Willems BAL, C, 20.10 – Willems absolutely obliterated Single-A with a 192 wRC+ in 30 games, but his numbers fell off hard at the more age appropriate High-A with a 60 wRC+. A lot of that was bad luck though (.237 BABIP), as his 9 homers and 27.7% K% in 75 games doesn’t look as horrific. He’s a thick boy at 6’0”, 225 pounds with plus raw power and the ability to lift the ball, but the hit tool and defense are both risks. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 42/12/47/.234/.311/.428/1

577) Drue Hackenburg ATL, RHP, 22.0 – Maybe it’s because I’m both a Penn State fan and a Jets fan that I want to keep Drue, the brother of infamous QB bust Christian Hackenburg which everyone but the Jets saw coming from a mile away, off this list, but that would make him the only 2nd rounder to not make the list. Selected 59th overall and signed for $2 million, Hackenburg seems like an unlikely 2nd round pick even keeping the emotions out of play. He put up a mediocre 5.80 ERA with a 24.8%/6.5% K%/BB% in 85.1 IP in the ACC. He throws a mid 90’s fastball which induces grounders to go along with a bat missing slider and good control. He also put up a 3.30 ERA in 2022, so it’s not like he hasn’t had success in college. Based on draft slot, signing bonus, and the team that drafted him, he deserved to crack this list. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 9/4.26/1.32/145 in 155 IP

578) Maddux Bruns LAD, LHP, 21.9 – Well below average control is holding Bruns back considerably, because the rest of his profile is really enticing. He’s a big lefty at 6’2” and throws mid 90’s heat with two plus breaking balls in his slider and curve. He also throws a decent changeup. He didn’t perform that well at High-A with a 4.74 ERA and 27.2%/15.8% K%/BB% in 76 IP, so he really needs to improve his command if he wants to have success against upper minors hitters. Being with the Dodgers gives him the bump to crack this list. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 4/3.72/1.28/70 in 65 IP

579) Alex Isola MIN, C/1B, 25.8 – Isola came in at #1,004 on last year’s Top “1,000,” and he backed that up with another strong year in 2023 with 20 homers, a 122 wRC+ and a 21.5%/10.8% K%/BB% in 110 games at Double-A. The plate approach is solid, he lifts it, he pulls it, and he can hit it hard. He was old for the level and he’s not a good defensive player, so a bench bat is his mostly role. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 32/10/36/.239/.320/.427/2

580) Aneudis Mordan BAL, C/1B, 19.10 – Mordan struggled in the DSL in both 2021 and 2022, which is why he was a year older than optimal for stateside rookie ball in 2023, but he dominated the level, slashing .274/.390/.504 with 7 homers, 2 steals, and a 20.6%/13.5% K%/BB% in 38 games. He then got called up to Single-A for a 3 game cup of coffee and knocked out 1 homer with a 211 wRC+. He’s 6’1”, 175 pounds with a quick, powerful and fairly athletic righty swing. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 32/9/39/.238/.308/.424/3

581) Daniel Pena MIN, C/1B, 19.1 – Pena hit well in the DSL in 2022 with a 121 wRC+, and then he was even more impressive stateside, slashing .278/.376/.474 with 5 homers and a 12%/12.8% K%/BB% in 34 games. He also just graduated high school in September, so congrats to him! He certainly looks the part of a catcher with a big trunk and developing power, and his contact rates have been bordering on elite. He needs to work on his defense and obviously there is a long way to go, but he’s one to watch in 2024. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 48/14/53/.261/.332/.435/1

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