Opening Morning in Japan was a few days ago, and that means it’s time to start releasing some of my rankings on the Brick Wall. The Top 146 2025 First Year Player Draft Rankings dropped on Monday, and we continue today with the Top 500 2025 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings, which has been on the Patreon since early February. Without further ado, here is the Top 500 MLB Prospects Rankings for 2025 Fantasy Baseball Dynasty Leagues:
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1) Roki Sasaki – LAD, RHP, 23.5 – Sasaki and his people pulled whatever back room deals that needed to be pulled and got him coming stateside this season, which is insanely exciting, because there is little doubt that he will be a true ace right from the get go, and possibly the best pitcher in all the land. He’s better than Yamamoto, and you saw Yamamoto’s seamless transition, other than the shoulder injury. But that injury might have pushed LA to a six man rotation, which works just fine for Sasaki. His fastball sits in the upper 90’s and regularly hits over 100 MPH. The splitter is truly elite and the slider is plus. He has prototypical size at a projectable and athletic 6’2”, 187 pounds, and he has plus control/command of his stuff. He’s been so insanely dominant in Japan that he has basically already hit legend status with so many crazy feats, and he’s only 23 years old. He put up a 2.35 ERA with a 28.7/7.1 K%/BB% in 111 IP this year. He was even better in 2023 with a 1.78 ERA and 39.1%/4.9% K%/BB% in 91 IP. As you can see, the biggest and only red flag is injuries, as he has a career high of 129.1 IP. He battled an oblique injury in 2023 and right arm discomfort in 2024. The right arm discomfort is particularly concerning because his stuff was actually down a tick or two this year. It was still beastly, but would any of us be surprised if Tommy John/internal brace surgery was right around the corner? You can’t be too scared off by that, because even if he needs it, he should still return as an ace. He’s so easily the top pick in First Year Player Drafts, and while I don’t think he’s a no brainer for #1 overall prospect in the game, how can you not put a ready made ace in the top spot, injury risk be damned. He’s my top dog. – 2025 Projection: 12/3.06/1.04/175 in 150 IP Prime Projection: 16/2.72/0.92/240 in 185 IP
2) Dylan Crews – WAS, OF, 23.1 – Crews’ dynasty value/hype has seen some fluctuations since being drafted, but the thing that was quietly flying under the radar, was how good he was on the bases, and for fantasy, that has a major impact on his value. He stole 25 bases in 100 games in the upper minors, and then he stole 12 bags with a double plus 29.3 ft/sec sprint in his 31 game MLB debut. He only stole 6 bases in 71 games his junior year of college, and then went 3 for 7 in his pro debut, so I can’t blame anyone for not expecting it, but it’s clearly a real skill he has, and it makes Crews insanely exciting for fantasy again. He combines the speed with above average contact rates (19.7% K%), above average chase rates (26.6%), and plus power (94.7 MPH FB/LD EV in the majors and a 90.2 MPH EV in the minors). The only quibble in his profile is the low launch (8.8 degrees), but he has the skillset to make that work, and he only needs to raise it a bit higher to be in a completely fine range, which I’m betting he will. The Langford vs. Crews debate might not end up as easy as we thought, and with Crews not really being considered in that lofty tier anymore, there could be a buy window here this off-season. If you can buy off the relatively subdued hype and .641 MLB OPS, I would be all over it. He also has a lock on a full time job. He’s my #1 prospect in baseball, non Roki Sasaki division. – 2025 Projection: 81/21/76/.259/.334/.448/26 Prime Projection: 94/27/97/.278/.359/.481/28
3) Jasson Dominguez – NYY, OF, 22.2 – The Yankees didn’t want to unleash Dominguez in the majors lasty year, and his .617 OPS in the 67 PA he did receive isn’t super impressive, but make no mistake, Dominguez is still on the superstar path. His 75.4 MPH swing is straight elite, which proves right there that his talent really wasn’t that overhyped as an international prospect. His 23.4% whiff% was comfortably above average, which is pretty huge to see, and his 28.1% Chase% was slightly above average. Tack on plus speed, and Dominguez’ beastly potential was even able to shine through despite the Yanks refusing to unleash him. And oh yea, he destroyed the upper minors immediately after returning from Tommy John surgery in mid May with a 135 wRC+, 11 homers, 16 steals (in 17 attempts) and a 20.0/8.8 K%/BB% in 58 games. Is he really 22 years old and not like 26 years old? Beats me. But I don’t care when it comes to a talent this huge (I gave my thoughts on MLB cracking down on players’ lying about their ages in the Philadelphia Phillies Dynasty Team Report). I see no reason why the Yanks won’t unleash him immediately in 2025, and he could be on a beeline for elite dynasty asset status in short order. Go after him. – 2025 Projection: 83/21/76/.246/.323/.434/26 Prime Projection: 109/28/91/.266/.351/.487/34
4) Kristian Campbell – BOS, 2B/OF, 22.3 – Campbell possesses one of the most visually disgusting swings I have ever seen, and I mean that in the best way possible. It looks like he literally unhinges his shoulder to turn his body into a cannon, absolutely unfurling on the baseball. Here is what I wrote about a homer Campbell hit in early September in the in-season Dynasty Baseball Rundowns: “on his latest homer, I think he dislocated his shoulder with one of the most bad intentions swings I’ve seen.” Underscoring my visual evaluation of that explosive shoulder movement is that shortly after that homer he hit the IL with a lat strain, which is right under the shoulder blades. Campbell underwent a well documented swing change and bat speed training to unlock more power last off-season, which was obviously successful beyond anybody’s wildest imagination, so let’s just hope that it’s not going to cause more injuries. That is the only small thing that is even rattling around in my brain as a negative, because the season he just had was nothing short or spectacular. He slashed .330/.439/.558 with 20 homers, 24 steals, and a 19.9/14.3 K%/BB% in 115 games spread across 3 levels (A+, AA, AAA). He was just as dominant in the upper minors as he was at High-A with across the board domination. He hits it hard, he has a good feel to hit, he has a good approach, he has size (6’3”, 191 pounds), he has bat speed, he can lift it, and he has speed. You can be hesitant to fully buy in because it feels like he came out of nowhere, but he put up a 1.033 OPS in 45 games in the ACC in 2023, a .932 OPS in 58 games in 2022 in the Northwoods League, and then a .911 OPS in 22 games at mostly High-A in his pro debut, so it’s not his fault that everyone underrated him. He always had a good feel to hit and good approach, and he always had the frame and athleticism to tack on more power, so I’m not going to hold it against him that he wasn’t more hyped (4th round pick in 2023). He still didn’t lift and pull the ball a ton with an under 40% Pull% and under 30% FB%, but he knew when to pick his spots (as you saw with that homer video above), and he has the type of profile that can thrive without an extreme lift and pull profile. I’m all in on Campbell. He’s an elite prospect who is knocking on the door of the bigs. 2025 Projection: 58/13/51/.252/.324/.423/15 Prime Projection: 98/26/89/.277/.356/.478/26
5) Roman Anthony – BOS, OF, 20.11 – Because the rule of prospecting is that if you are even the smallest, tiniest, teeny bit lower on a prospect than other prospectors (most have Anthony as the #1 prospect in baseball), you must bash that prospect with an overly critical lens, let me start with the negatives here. For one, Anthony isn’t the best base stealer with a career 38 steals in 52 attempts (he was 21 for 28 last year), so there is risk that he doesn’t run as much in the majors as we hope. Secondly, he hits the ball on the ground a lot with an around 50% GB% in 2024, which could limit his homer upside. And lastly, there is some hit tool risk with a 23.5% K%. Now that we got that out of the way, let me just say that I obviously love Anthony, he’s a legit 50/50 coin flip with Campbell, and he’s a no doubt elite prospect. He started the season as a 19 year old in the upper minors and obliterated both Double-A and Triple-A, slashing .291/.396/.498 with 18 homers, 21 steals, and a 23.5/14.6 K%/BB% in 119 games. He crushes the ball, he has speed, he has size, he has elite age to level production, and he hit both lefties and righties well in 2024. He’s as close to a Gunnar Henderson clone as there is, and if you wanted to put him as the #1 prospect in baseball, I wouldn’t argue with you. He’s going to be a beast. – 2025 Projection: 51/13/46/.251/.328/.422/10 Prime Projection: 92/31/98/.272/.363/.493/18
6) Matt Shaw – CHC, 3B/2B/SS, 23.4 – The little man discount never fails. Baseball scouts see a little man, and they immediately shave a few inches of projection right off the top. I don’t mind it, because it consistently creates excellent buying opportunities for the right players (see my 19 Dynasty Baseball Strategies/Thoughts for 2025 for more on this), and Matt Shaw is definitely one of those right players. He went a little later than he should have in the real MLB Draft, then he went a little later than he should have in Dynasty First Year Player Drafts, and now he’s getting ranked a little later than he should be on prospect lists. He’s an elite prospect that gets ranked like a merely good one. He’s under 6’0”, but his bat packs a true punch, putting up an 89.3 MPH EV with a 14.6 degree launch in 35 games at Triple-A. He smoked 21 homers on the season in 121 games split between Double-A and Triple-A. He’s not a pull machine, but a lot of these lift and pull machines put up some pretty low batting averages, and a profile like Shaw doesn’t need to only pull the ball. He can use his hard hit ability, plus speed (31 steals), and plus contact rates (18.2% K%) to do damage when he goes oppo. He also walks a ton with a 11.9% BB%, making him a likely top of the order bat. Don’t fall into the little man trap, Shaw is going to be a do everything fantasy terror when he gets his shot, and with the Isaac Paredes/Cam Smith trade, that shot is coming on Opening Day. Shaw’s been a target for me from before his junior year of college, and he remains a target for me. – 2025 Projection: 71/17/65/.256/.318/.419/22 Prime Projection: 96/23/83/.276/.348/.461/26
7) Carson Williams – TBR, SS, 21.2 – Williams put up a 31.8% K% in 105 games at High-A in 2023, so the worry was that the K rate would explode against upper minors pitching, but that didn’t happen. It actually improved at Double-A with a 28.5% K%, and that was good enough to let his special talent shine. He jacked 20 homers with 33 steals, a 11.5% BB% and a 142 wRC+ in 115 games. He’s a still projectable 6’2”, 180 pounds with an explosive righty swing that is made to launch homers. He’s also an excellent athlete with plus speed and plus SS defense. Tampa’s long term SS job is literally waiting for him (the Kim signing could impact Williams’ projected playing time for 2025, but it’s better for his long term development anyway to take it slow), and because of his plus defense, he is sure to have all the leash he can handle even if it takes his hit tool a year or two to adjust to MLB pitching. If he can keep the K% in the high 20’s, he will be a beast, and if he can continue to improve on it at only 21 years old, there is near elite dynasty asset upside. – 2025 Projection: 21/7/29/.230/.300/.424/9 Prime Projection: 89/28/96/.254/.334/.483/23
8) Leodalis De Vries – SDP, SS, 18.6 – De Vries is my pick to be the #1 overall fantasy prospect in baseball by this time next year (in a tight race with Walker Jenkins and Sebastian Walcott), that is unless he loses rookie eligibility because San Diego are madmen when it comes to promoting their elite prospects. There are already rumors they are considering calling De Vries and Salas up in 2025, which is straight wild. It did work out for Jackson Merrill, so who am I to judge? Merrill was 20 years old of course while De Vries and Salas are 18, but I love to see a team pushing the limits and setting new upper standards on how fast a prospect can fly through the minors. And De Vries has the type of talent that just might be able to pull it off. He was sent straight to full season ball for his pro debut, and while it took him a few months to find his footing, he went gangbusters once he did, slashing .275/.400/.563 with 11 homers, 8 steals, and a 20.5/14.9 K%/BB% in his final 40 games. Even with the early struggles, he still put up a 116 wRC+ in 75 games which is just silly for a 17 year old. The thing that separates De Vries from Jenkins, Walcott and De Paula for me, is that there are zero questions about him getting to his raw power. He put up a 32.4% GB%, 49.3% FB%, and 49.5% Pull%. I fully believe those other guys will get to their raw power as well, don’t get me wrong, but De Vries seems to be one step ahead of them in that area. His season ended in mid August with a shoulder injury, but he played in the AFL, and while he didn’t play especially well, it’s still nice to see the shoulder isn’t an issue. He’s an elite prospect right now, and if he doesn’t end up at #1, he won’t be far off. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 91/31/99/.271/.353/.513/20
9) Walker Jenkins – MIN, OF, 20.1 – My Kyle Tucker comp for Jenkins last off-season turned out to be eerily accurate, at least for what they each did in their first full year of pro ball as 19 year old’s. Tucker had 9 homers with 32 steals and a 16.3/10.1 K%/BB% in 117 games in the lower minors, while Jenkins had 6 homers with 17 steals and a 12.8/15.2 K%/BB% in 82 games. Like Jenkins, Tucker also wasn’t a burner, and nobody really expected the steal totals to stick in the majors, but they did. And like Jenkins, the only thing that hadn’t fully developed yet was the power, but Tucker had a monster power explosion the very next season, hitting 25 homers in 120 games split between High-A and Double-A. I see no reason why Jenkins can’t have that same power explosion at 6’3”, 210 pounds with one of the sweetest lefty swings this game has ever seen. He doesn’t hit the ball on the ground too much and he can pull it, so while his hard hit numbers weren’t too impressive, they weren’t too bad either, and it would be pretty shocking if he didn’t develop impact power. He’s on a beeline for elite dynasty asset, and he’s among the favorites to be the #1 prospect in baseball by the middle of 2025. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 103/27/96/.282/.365/.504/18
10) Andrew Painter – PHI, RHP, 22.0 – Painter underwent Tommy John surgery in late July 2023 and missed the entire 2024 regular season, but he got healthy in time for the AFL, and he’s gone right back to dominating with a 2.30 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and 18/4 K/BB in 15.2 IP over 6 outings. Just seeing that he was able to ramp up and start pitching in games without getting re-injured is a big first step that we can cross off our worry list this off-season. But he’s also proving he is nearly 100% healthy with the plus to double plus fastball sitting mid to upper 90’s. Like we saw with Shane Baz, it seems that breaking ball crispness and consistency can be something that lags behind after Tommy John, but long term the slider projects as plus and he also throws a lesser used curve and change that could end up plus pitches in their own right. If you ignore the injury, he’s basically a perfect pitching prospect with size, athleticism, velocity, double plus fastball, plus secondary, diverse pitch mix, and plus control. And now that we’ve seen him back on the mound and thriving, the injury risk is a bit lessened. He moves back into my top spot among pitching prospects after his AFL performance, but it’s still a tight race with Noah Schultz, who I absolutely love. It was announced the Phillies plan to slow play him in 2025, which his ETA in the majors around July, and if that helps keep him healthy, avoiding the end of season dilemma for a contending team where he’s at his innings limit, I’m all for it. – 2025 Projection: 6/3.68/1.20/86 in 80 IP Prime Projection: 15/2.95/0.91/225 in 180 IP
11) Noah Schultz – CHW, LHP, 21.8 – Baby Johnson is the #1B pitching prospect in baseball, and while there are other really good contenders (Jobe, Bubba, Kumar), Schultz holds this spot for being absolutely unprecedented. Even the Baby Johnson nickname might not fit, as Randy Johnson had an insane 318 walks in 400.1 minor league IP before getting the call to the bigs. Schultz is 6’9”, 220 pounds with an almost sidearm lefty delivery that he uses to fire a mid to upper 90’s fastball and double plus slider (he also mixes in a cutter and a change). He sliced through the minors with absolutely no problem, putting up a 2.24 ERA with a 32.1/6.7% K%/BB% in 88.1 IP at mostly Double-A. Having that level of control as a 20/21 year old at that size with that kind of stuff is really mind blowing. He’s not a finished product as he’s yet to eclipse 4 IP in any outing of his career and he needs to continue to work on a good third/fourth pitch, but the combination of floor/upside is simply off the charts. Other than Roki Sasaki (who really shouldn’t be considered a prospect), and Painter now that he’s healthy, there is no other pitching prospect I would take over Schultz. – 2025 Projection: 3/3.71/1.24/82 in 75 IP Prime Projection: 15/3.05/1.01/230 in 180 IP
12) Jordan Lawlar – ARI, SS, 22.9 – Lawlar had a completely lost season in 2024 due to a broken thumb and hamstring injury, playing in just 23 games. He’s no stranger to injuries as he also underwent major shoulder surgery in 2021. Out of sight, out of mind never loses in the prospecting industry, but Lawlar is the type of talent where you should fight that urge. He already had a huge year in the upper minors in 2023, and he’s only 22, so I don’t think lost development time should be a major consideration here. Even in the 23 games he played this year he put up .900 OPS, and he then got sent to the grown man Dominican Winter League and isn’t embarrassing himself with a .670 OPS. Only Hector Rodriguez of the Reds has a higher OPS of players around Lawlar’s age (he’s outdoing Noelvi Marte, Deyvison De Los Santos, and Liover Peguero). Just the fact he’s playing and getting reps in a league where everyone doesn’t put up silly numbers like the AFL is another reason to not get too hung up on the lost season. He has the potential for a special power/speed combo (20 homers and 36 steals in 105 games in 2023), and while there is some hit tool risk, it’s not really in that extreme zone with around mid 20 strikeout rates throughout his career. He’s not a finished product, and I would expect him to start the year in the minors, but Lawlar will be up eventually in 2025, and he can make a big impact immediately. Don’t ding him too much for the injuries. 2025 Projection: 55/14/57/.241/.312/.417/21 Prime Projection: 94/24/86/.266/.339/.459/38
13) Samuel Basallo – BAL, C/1B, 20.7 – Basallo didn’t quite obliterate the upper minors like he did the lower minors, slashing .278/.341/.449 with 19 homers, 10 steals, and a 21.1/8.6 K%/BB% in 127 games, but when you take into account that he was 19 years old for the vast majority of the season, it gets a lot more impressive. He was also much better at Double-A with a 134 wRC+ in 106 games than he was at Triple-A (62 wRC+ with a 31.4% K% in 21 games), so I think we can give him a pass for an adjustment period with a new team, coaches, teammates, league, home park etc … Even at Triple-A, the sweet lefty swinging, 6’4” Basallo put up a 91.1 MPH EV. He’s always put up solid contact rates in the minors, but the spike at Triple-A could also be an indicator that we shouldn’t expect the highest BA at least early in his career. He puts the ball on the ground a decent amount, but with his type of double plus power, he’s launch proof. I don’t know where he fits in defensively with Adley behind the plate, and plenty of competition at 1B (Mayo and Mountcastle), but long term there seems to be plenty of room for all of them. He’s a special power bat. – 2025 Projection: 28/9/35/.241/.300/.430/2 Prime Projection: 84/30/97/.268/.337/.505/6
14) Emmanuel Rodriguez – MIN, OF, 22.1 – You can’t talk about Rodriguez without talking about the fact that the guy is rarely on the field. He played in only 47 games this year due to a nagging thumb injury, and he played in only 47 games in 2022 due to a meniscus tear (knee). He did get in a mostly full season in 2023 though (he missed a few weeks with an abdominal strain), and he got in a full rookie ball season in 2021, so I’m hesitant to officially slap the injury prone label on him. It’s something to take into account to break a tie, but his upside is way too high to meaningfully move him down the rankings because of it. He’s a power/speed/OBP beast with 9 homers, 9 steals, and a .459 OBP at mostly Double-A in 47 games. It was good for a 203 wRC+ at the level. He crushes the ball, he lifts it, and he’s an excellent athlete who plays CF. Injuries aren’t the only concern though, he also has strikeout problems with a 29.7% K%. Some of it is because of how patient he is, but definitely not all of it. I wouldn’t say Minnesota’s OF is wide open, but Minnesota already announced how they want to limit Buxton to like 100-110 games next year, and while they have solid options for their corner spots, they are far from locked down. If Rodriguez is healthy and producing at Triple-A, it might not be long before he gets the call to the majors, and there is potential for monster fantasy impact, especially in an OBP league. – 2025 Projection: 36/10/31/.224/.310/435/8 Prime Projection: 92/29/89/.248/.342/.490/24
15) Sebastian Walcott – TEX, SS, 19.1 – The 6’4”, uber athletic Walcott is the type of special talent where you can watch a few swings of his on Youtube as a 16 year old and immediately fall in love with him, which is exactly what happened when he was my #1 target from his international class. He’s then been that rocket ship prospect you hope for, culminating with him putting up a 172 wRC+ at Double-A as an 18 year old … granted it came in 5 games with a 29.2/4.2 K%/BB%, but I felt it would be more dramatic to leave that part out. And what he did at Double-A was more or less meaningless when he was already over 4 years younger than the average player at High-A, where he slashed .261/.342/.443 with 10 homers, 26 steals, and a 25.5/10.6 K%/BB% in 116 games. It was good for a 123 wRC+. It can be harder to evaluate players when they are so much younger than the level, but there was actually a similarly talented 18 year old at High-A all season with Walcott, Ethan Salas, and Salas put up a 75 wRC+ for comparison. The elite dynasty asset potential is clear with a potentially plus to double plus power/speed combo, but he’s not quite there yet. The hit tool is still a risk and the K rates have been high at every stop. He also hasn’t fully tapped into his raw power yet with relatively low flyball rates (although he pulls the ball over 50%). I wouldn’t quite place him in the truly elite prospect tier, but he’s in the one right under that. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 87/28/94/.263/.339/.484/24
16) Travis Bazzana – CLE, 2B, 22.7 – Selected 1st overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Bazzana looks like a tightly wound ball of kinetic energy that is just ready to explode in the box (I think ball of “Potential” energy is actually the correct scientific term, but I felt like “Kinetic” just hit harder 
… There is toe tapping and bat wiggling before he absolutely uncoils on the baseball, jacking 28 homers in 60 games in the Pac 12 this year, and also smoking 6 homers with a 1.037 OPS in the wood bat cape cod league in 2023. He’s “only” 6 feet tall, but there is easy plus power in here at the least. He combines the plus power with a near elite plate approach/hit tool (12.5%/25.7% K%/BB%), and speed (16 steals). He didn’t standout in his pro debut, but he did enough to feel confident about him fulfilling his upside with 3 homers, 5 steals, a 126 wRC+ and 25.4/13.9 K%/BB% in 27 games at High-A. He’s the total offensive package, and there is a reason he got taken #1 overall by a very smart franchise despite limited defensive value. The only thing that can stop him seems to be his parents. His parents almost ended his career before it started when celebrating. His dad tried to rip his arm out of his socket, and then his mom put him in some kind of neck hold into a tripping maneuver. Travis almost looked like he was about to square up with his mom for a second there. I guess they do things differently Down Under in Australia. He ranked 2nd overall on the Top 146 2025 First Year Player Draft Rankings (this link is to the free Top 12 here on the Brick Wall). – 2025 Projection: 31/7/31/.247/.319/.420/8 Prime Projection: 91/24/79/.271/.349/.455/25
17) JJ Wetherholt – STL, 2B, 22.7 – Selected 7th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Wetherholt might not have quite the ceiling of Bazzana, but even that is highly debatable, and he’s establishing that he most probably has the floor edge with a 11.9% K% at Single-A vs. Bazzana’s 25.4% K% at High-A. Different levels, but that is a pretty stark difference. He hit the ball on the ground a lot more than Bazzana, which is where some of that upside edge comes in, but he did it with a 91.9 MPH EV, so don’t cap his power upside too much. He’s two inches smaller than Bazzana at 5’10”, but he rocks that little man leg kick that I’ve always loved, and always seems to get the most out of smaller guys raw power. He slid in the draft a bit after getting a lot of #1 overall buzz, likely due to missing about half of the season with a hamstring injury and still not being fully healthy when he returned. It was his 2nd major hamstring injury within the year. His 16 homer pace was also not that impressive when everyone else was hitting like 30+. What he does better than maybe anyone else in the draft though is hit. He put up a 10.4%/18.3% K%/BB% in 2024 and had a 8.2% K% in 2023. He’s a complete hitter who uses the entire field with a quick and simple lefty swing. Tack on plus speed (57 steals in 145 career games), and you have a damn enticing fantasy player even if his power upside doesn’t quite match some of the other bats in the class. I have Bazzana ranked over him, but I don’t think it’s some no brainer decision. JJ is right there. – 2025 Projection: 18/3/16/.259/.321/.401/5 Prime Projection: 96/19/73/.287/.353/.438/23
18) Josue De Paula – LAD, OF, 19.10 – De Paula doesn’t truly get the hype that Walker Jenkins, Sebastian Walcott and Leo De Vries gets, but he deserves every little bit of it. He might have the best hit/approach/power combo of all of them, putting up a 19.8/17.5 K%/BB% with a 130 wRC+ in 107 games split between Single-A and High-A. His game power still hasn’t exploded, but it ticked up from 2023 with 10 homers (2 homers in 2023), and he hits the ball so hard at 6’3” that there is little doubt about his power potential. He doesn’t sell out for power, and his groundball and pull rates are fine, so he has the potential to be one of those special monster triple-slash middle of the order mashers. He’s not a burner, but he went 27 for 30 on the bases, so the guy is obviously a good athlete who knows how to steal a base. He’s not a good defensive player, but with his potentially elite bat, I’m not scared off by that. He won’t get ranked as highly on real life lists as those aforementioned teenagers, but don’t let that deter you from thinking that Josue isn’t on that level. I was touting Josue back when he was barely heard of, and I’ll keep being high on him even as his hype gains steam. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 92/26/94/.276/.364/.482/14
19) Max Clark – DET, OF, 20.3 – Clark was the 3rd overall pick in a stacked 2023 draft class, and he played exactly as advertised in his first full season of pro ball, slashing .279/.372/.421 with 9 homers, 29 steals, and a 19.2/12.4 K%/BB% in 107 games split between Single-A (134 wRC+) and High-A (119 wRC+). He’s an absolutely electric player when you watch him with a vicious lefty swing and plus speed. He’s already one of the more exciting top of the order prospects in the lower minors, and when gains more power naturally, and starts lifting the ball a bit more (48% GB%), he can explode into a truly elite prospect. His hype has actually been relatively subdued considering how much pre draft hype he got, but make no mistake, Clark can be special. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 96/20/69/.277/.351/.443/30
20) Bubba Chandler – PIT, RHP, 22.7 – Just like with hitting prospects where there seems to be two camps between preferring the hit tool first, power later profile vs. power first, hit tool later, there is a similar split with pitching prospects which is pure stuff vs. refinement/command. Chandler most certainly fell into the pure stuff first category with his upside being obvious, but he had a lot of refinement needed with a 4.75 ERA and 25.6/10.9 K%/BB% 106 IP at High-A in 2023. And that refinement smacked upper minors hitters right in the face in 2024 with him exploding. He put up a 3.08 ERA with a 30.9/8.6 K%/BB% in 119.2 IP. He was even better at Triple-A than he was at Double-A. The fastball sits 96.8 MPH and notched a 30.5% whiff% at Triple-A. The changeup is his best secondary with a 83.6 MPH EV against and 41.2% whiff%. The slider is above average with a 85 MPH EV against and 29.4% whiff%. And the lesser used curve was a good pitch too. He also most certainly looks the part at a built up and athletic 6’2”. There is zero doubt that this is an elite pitching prospect with ace upside. He’s not a completely finished product and he needs to continue to improve his command and refine his pitches, but he’s shown he’s more than capable of making those improvements in 2024. He could crack the Pirates rotation out of camp, and even if he doesn’t, it won’t be long before he gets the call. I know everyone likes Jobe more, and I obviously love Jobe too, but I prefer Chandler by a hair – 2025 Projection: 7/3.87/1.25/137 in 130 IP Prime Projection: 14/3.34/1.13/220 in 185 IP
21) Jackson Jobe – DET, RHP, 22.8 – I love Jobe. He’s definitely an elite pitching prospect. But there are a few other truly elite pitching prospects in the minors right now (Painter, Schultz, Bubba, Kumar), and Jobe’s 25.6/12.0 K%/BB% in 91.2 IP at mostly Double-A just isn’t as impressive as theirs. It came with a 2.34 ERA, and the stuff is filthy with a 97 MPH plus fastball and 3 potentially plus secondaries in his sweeper, changeup, and cutter, so he’s right there with all of them, he just doesn’t hold down the top spot right now. Or the top 2. I have him 4th behind Painter, Schultz and Bubba, but there is no shame in that game as those guys are potentially true aces, just like Jobe is. Jobe should break camp with the team in 2025, or not every long after that, and while I wouldn’t expect an ace season right out of the gate, I’m betting on him getting there eventually. – 2025 Projection: 8/3.83/1.27/136 in 140 IP Prime Projection: 14/3.31/1.08/207 in 180 IP
22) Kumar Rocker – TEX, RHP, 25.4 – It’s been a super bumpy ride, to say the least, but Rocker has inexplicably blasted off into elite pitching prospect status after just 48.1 IP this season. Well, it’s not exactly inexplicable, it’s explicable because he always had the nasty stuff to get here if he stayed healthy. Can we say pitching 48.1 IP is “staying” healthy? I don’t know. But what I do know is that the high octane stuff is elite enough to take on that risk. The 4-seamer sits mid to upper 90’s, and while it’s not a huge bat missing weapon without tons of vertical break, he also throws a mid to upper 90’s sinker which pounds the ball into the dirt. He can start throwing the sinker more, and he can also work on the movement profile of the 4-seamer now that he’s healthy. The real money maker is the truly elite slider. It put up a 50% whiff% in 11.2 IP in the majors and a 71.4% whiff% in 10 IP at Triple-A. He rounds out the arsenal with a lesser used changeup, and how good he can get that pitch could be a big factor in just how high the upside will end up. Digging into the nitty gritty of his pitch mix is almost besides the point though, because staying healthy is essentially the only thing he needs to do. The Mets drafted him 10th overall and didn’t sign him because they didn’t like his medicals. He then underwent shoulder surgery shortly after that, but looked so good in Independent ball when he returned from the surgery, that the Rangers selected him 3rd overall the next year. Which he followed up with Tommy John in 2023, returning for the 2nd half of 2024, where he put up a 1.96 ERA with a 39.6/3.6 K%/BB% in 36.2 IP at mostly AA and AAA. It’s about as risky of a health profile as it gets, but all pitchers are so risky, that I don’t want to discount him too much because of it. I’ll take on extra risk when the upside is a true ace. The downside could be a high leverage reliever though if he keeps getting hurt. 2025 Projection: 9/3.71/1.20/146 in 130 IP Prime Projection: 12/3.35/1.13/190 in 160 IP
23) Chase Burns – CIN, RHP, 22.3 – Selected 2nd overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, dynasty managers owe a huge debt of gratitude to Cincinnati for going Burns over Condon. It would have made me legitimately sad to see Burns going to the Rockies. I know Cincinnati is no cake walk for pitchers themselves, but they just have a small ballpark, they don’t have different air. And we’ve seen plenty of pitchers have excellent seasons in Cincy (Castillo, Gray, Greene, Lodolo), so I wouldn’t let this landing spot move you off Burns at all. He has legit ace upside at a strong 6’3”, 210 pounds with a double plus fastball that sits in the upper 90’s and a double plus slider that put up elite whiff rates. It led to a 2.70 ERA with a ridiculous 48.8%/7.7% K%/BB% in 100 IP in the ACC. He’s inevitably going to get compared to Skenes, and Skenes put up a 1.69 ERA with a 45.2%/4.3% K%/BB% in 122.2 IP in the SEC. Skenes was in the tougher conference (although Burns pitched well in the SEC in 2022-23 before transferring to the ACC) with a better ERA, better walk rate and more IP. Burns isn’t as good as Skenes, but not many pitchers are better than Skenes, so that isn’t much of a knock. Burns also throws a curve and changeup to give him a legit starters pitch mix, and how well he can develop those pitches could dictate whether he becomes a true ace or a high K, #2/3 type. If your dynasty team is stacked with hitting, I don’t think taking Burns #1 overall in a FYPD should be ruled out. The teams that took Skenes over Langford and Crews in 2024 aren’t complaining too much right now, and while I already noted that Burns isn’t Skenes, the college hitting class also aren’t Langford/Crews. – 2025 Projection: 4/3.73/1.20/87 in 75 IP Prime Projection: 15/3.23/1.08/237 in 190 IP
24) Bryce Eldridge – SFG, 1B, 20.5 – Let me just pump the brakes on Eldridge a little bit … hold up … don’t kill me quite yet. I love Eldridge. He is so clearly a beastly power bat at 6’7”, 223 pounds with 23 homers in 116 games at mostly Single-A and High-A. But let me just bring up a few reasons why maybe not quite enough risk is being factored into his current humongous fantasy hype. For one, his hit tool is a legitimate risk with a 25.3% K%, and it was high in the AFL too with a 34.8% K% in 10 games. Sure he made it to the upper minors as a 19 year old, and while he didn’t embarrass himself or anything, he didn’t dominate either with only 1 homer in 17 games. His FB rates and launch are fine, but he’s not exactly a launch machine. And lastly, San Francisco is death on lefty homers. Eldridge has the power to overcome that, so I’m not going too crazy there, but combined with the swing and miss and moderate launch, that is a trifecta of negatives which tells me to maybe have just a small amount of restraint here. Again, I love Eldridge. He’s a special power bat. I just give this negatively tinted blurb relative to the monster hype he’s already getting, and maybe something to at least keep in mind when you are dealing in trade talks involving him this off-season from either direction. – 2025 Projection: 29/10/36/.227/.301/.423/2 Prime Projection: 88/32/97/.258/.342/.495/6
25) Marcelo Mayer – BOS, SS, 22.3 – Mayer was the 4th overall pick in the draft and just put up a 142 wRC+ in his age 21 year old season at Double-A, and the hype still feels so subdued on him. He might have to get used to that, because it seems like he’s setting up for a Bryan Reynolds-like fantasy career. Really good, but not good enough for anyone to seemingly care to really gush over him. That 142 wRC+ came with only 8 homers and 13 steals in 77 games. He did it on the back of the hit tool with a .307 BA and 19.7/9.0 K%/BB%, but the .367 BABIP did some of that heavy lifting, and his strikeout rates have been on the high side throughout his career, so you can’t really bank on a truly elite hit tool long term. His sweet lefty swing at 6’3” is what got him drafted so highly, and that swing is still special with power and quickness, but it’s geared more for all around hitting than pure homer power with a 47.4% GB% and 26.5% FB%. He’s a good baserunner, but he’s not a burner, so you can’t count on huge steal totals either. Reynolds is really the perfect comp with his 162 game career averages of a .276 BA, .352 OBP, 25 homers and 8 steals. Maybe playing with Boston instead of Pittsburgh will garner him more hype in the long run, but fantasy wise, that equals a really good fantasy player who never quite reaches great levels. 2025 Projection: 28/8/33/.256/.318/.415/6 Prime Projection: 91/25/93/.276/.352/.470/11
26) Colt Emerson – SEA, SS, 19.8 – There is a case to be made that Emerson is overrated. He has high groundball rates and he doesn’t pull the ball all that much, leading to only 4 homers in 70 games split between Single-A and High-A. It’s also not a Jackson Merrill situation where the guy smashes the ball. Emerson can hit it hard, but he’s not putting up gaudy EV’s. He’s also not a burner with average speed. So it’s a hit tool first profile, and like many hit tool first profiles, the hit tool can start to take steps back against more advanced pitching, which is what happened this year. He put up a .263 BA on the season, and the 21.6/10.8 K%/BB% in 29 games at High-A isn’t super impressive. A scenario where he ends up with a good, but not great hit tool, to go along with a moderate power/speed combo, definitely seems to be one possible outcome here. I’m only painting with a negative brush to start because I think it’s more interesting. We know what a positive outcome can look like, which is that both the raw and game power ticks up over time, the plate skills remain plus to double plus, and the base stealing ability is legit (15 steals in 17 attempts). And keep in mind he was only 18 years old for most of the season. This is a high floor/high ceiling prospect in the mold of your Wander Franco’s. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 99/22/72/.284/.362/.455/22
27) Christian Moore – LAA, 2B, 21.10 – Selected 8th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, the Angels don’t fuck around when it comes to promoting advanced college hitters to the majors, so you know Moore is going to be a contributor on your fantasy team real quick, possibly as soon as Opening Day. Shit, he almost made his MLB debut in 2024 with his absolute destruction of pro ball, slashing .322/.378/.533 with 5 homers, 2 steals, and a 29.6/8.2 K%/BB% in 23 games at Double-A. A knee injury (meniscus) is likely the only thing that stopped that from happening, but he returned to Double-A before the season ended and went 3 for 4 with a double and 4 RBI, so I wouldn’t be worried about the knee. I fell in love with his personality during his Draft Day interview. It was the perfect mix of confident, cocky, thoughtful, playful and mature. That just seems like the type of infectious attitude I want on my team. He wasn’t kidding when he said he had Champion in his blood. And of course, he was an absolute beast in the SEC, smashing 34 homers with a 1.248 OPS and 14.5%/11.3% K%/BB% in 72 games. He has a very strong righty swing at 6’1”, 210 pounds, producing at least plus power with average speed on the bases. In his freshman year in 2022, he put up a 1.062 OPS with 10 homers in 149 PA to give you an idea of the type of natural talent this is. As you saw with his K rate at Double-A, there are definitely some hit tool issues, which I’m not ignoring, but I’m also not letting it scare me off. I was high on Moore before his pro debut, and now I am over the moon for him. – 2025 Projection: 70/23/77/.242/.310/.437/8 Prime Projection: 85/28/94/.260/.335/.481/10
28) Coby Mayo – BAL, 3B, 23.3 – If you think Holliday had a bad MLB debut, get a load of this guy. Mayo was utterly lost at the dish with a .294 OPS and 47.8/8.7 K%/BB% in 46 PA. He had zero barrels with an 84.7 MPH EV and a 45.6% whiff%. It’s a small sample, but I’ve seen a lot of poor debuts, and this one is up there with some of the worst, especially for a hyped up prospect. The debut was especially bad, but we’ve seen plenty of eventual studs have a terrible MLB debut. Just to use one example, Aaron Judge had a .179 BA with a 42.5% whiff% in his 95 PA debut (although it came with 4 homers and a .608 OPS), and he’s been just fine. I don’t want to put too much weight on the scary debut when Mayo has so many other things going him. His power is unquestionable at 6’5”, 230 pounds with 22 homers and a 90.7 MPH EV in 89 games at Triple-A. He swings a lightning quick bat with a double plus 74.1 MPH swing, and it’s a relatively short swing too with a 7 foot length. His strikeout rates were also so much better in the minors with a 24.9% K% this year. He was getting sporadic playing time in the majors and doing a lot of pinch hitting, which is another reason to mostly ignore the MLB numbers. Is it in the back of my mind? Yea, I’m human. But I’m still treating him like an elite power hitting prospect. He currently doesn’t have a starting job, so he’s going to need injuries/ineffectiveness to open one up for him, or he’s going to have to truly kick the door down. – 2025 Projection: 39/14/49/.225/.302/.435/3 Prime Projection: 84/33/98/.249/.336/.512/6
29) Justin Crawford – PHI, OF, 21.3 – Crawford is just raw talenting his way through the minor leagues with elite bloodlines and elite talent an uber athletic 6’2”, 188 pounds. He slashed .313/.360/.444 with 9 homers, 42 steals, and an 18.7/6.4 K%/BB% in 110 games split between High-A and Double-A. He was even better at Double-A than he was at High-A with a 140 wRC+ in 40 games. He has double plus speed, he hits the ball hard, and he has a good feel to hit. It’s pure talent baby, but if he doesn’t start to refine his game, it will eventually catch up to him. He has an extreme 61% GB% and he chases a ton. Good defense and good pitchers, which he will find in the majors, are better able to take advantage of that than minor leaguers. But if he can start to refine his game, and at only 21 years old, I don’t see why he wouldn’t, watch the hell out. The upside is a legit elite dynasty asset, and while I wouldn’t bet on him reaching that lofty ceiling, he can be a game changing fantasy player with even a moderately good outcome. I think there is too much focus on his deficiencies, and not enough focus on what he does well. I love him. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 86/17/64/.273/.322/.420/39
30) Jaison Chourio – CLE, OF, 19.10 – Chourio gets plenty of love, but I’m not sure it’s nearly enough. A lot of his love gets couched in “but he’s not as good as his brother,” which isn’t quite fair, because I think there is near elite prospect upside in here, and he took steps towards that in 2024. His power didn’t explode (yet), but it did tick up with 5 homers in 98 games at Single-A (1 homer was his previous career high). He’s a still projectable 6’1” with an explosive swing, so as he gains more raw power, and as he raises his launch (49.3% GB%), there could be a real power breakout coming down the line. And he has the elite plate skills (16.0/`19.9 K%/BB%) and speed (44 steals) to do the rest. He’s yet to put up less than a 140 wRC+ at any stop of his career. This is easily a Top 30 fantasy prospect for me, and even that could be underselling him. If he gets lukewarm love in off-season prospect drafts where he’s available, you need to jump all over that. Now is the time to target him aggressively. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 98/18/68/.276/.355/.433/34
31) Aidan Miller – PHI, SS, 20.10 – Miller wasn’t a target for me in last year’s FYPD class based on his perceived value/hype, but he proved the hype was warranted in his pro debut, obliterating Single-A with a 153 wRC+, and hitting well at the more age appropriate High-A, slashing .258/.353/.444 with 6 homers, 12 steals, and a 22.1/11.6 K%/BB% in 58 games. His big, quick and powerful righty swing was what everyone fell in love with originally, and he proved he can combine that with a good feel to hit, a good approach, and good athleticism. He can also play a decent SS, so his glove is likely to stick somewhere on the infield and potentially end up an asset as well. He’s not exactly standout in any one area at the moment, but there is power upside in the bat which gives him the ceiling of a do everything, middle of the order masher. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 82/25/86/.269/.342/.468/15
32) Jesus Made – MIL, SS, 17.11 – I love to see deep international prospects who cracked my Top 1,000 Rankings have big breakouts, and I thought my blurb for him last off-season was pretty interesting considering how things played out: “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. Prime Projection: 76/24/81/.258/.334/.449/12.” And blow up Made did as one of the top breakouts in the DSL, slashing .331/.458/.554 with 6 homers, 28 steals, and a 13.0%/18.1% K%/BB% in 51 games. He’s projectable, he’s toolsy, he hits the ball hard, the plate approach is very strong, and he’s a good SS. That is the total package, and while there is still a lot of risk as DSL performance is the least trustworthy, there is also truly elite prospect upside. I know there are many leagues, usually shallower ones, where gunning for the top pure upside is the best strategy to take, but even in medium to deeper leagues, Made is worth the risk. And use Made as a reminder to not be afraid to dive into the mystery that is the international class as you get deeper into first year player drafts this off-season. That is why the last third of my Top 146 FYPD Rankings are always jam packed with these guys. Low upside, boring college guys just aren’t likely to be difference makers. Go for the lotto ticket. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 94/24/86/.276/.352/.472/26
33) Nick Kurtz – OAK, 1B, 22.1 – Selected 4th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Kurtz had one of the best pro debuts in his draft class with 4 homers in 7 games at Single-A, and a 129 wRC+ with a 20.0/13.3 K%/BB% in 5 games at Double-A. It was a just a continuation of the 3 years of dominance in the ACC. He’s a large man at 6’5”, 240 pounds in the mold of a Jim Thome, country strong type. But he’s not just brute strength, he has electric bat speed that led to 61 homers in 164 career games in college. He combines the at least plus power with an extremely patient plate approach and good feel to hit (16.2%/30% K%/BB%). He also has some sneaky athleticism, evidenced by a perfect 11 for 11 on the bases in his college career. The ceiling here is your classic complete hitting first baseman with power and patience. And it looks like the Athletics intend to fly him through the minors, so it might not even be crazy to see him break camp with the team, even if I wouldn’t bet on that. The biggest downside is that his season ended on August 24th with a hamstring injury, and injuries have plagued him throughout his career, so I think it’s something that has to be taken into account unfortunately. He returned in time to decimate the AFL with a 1.058 OPS in 13 games, so I don’t think you should overrate the injury risk too much, but it’s worth noting. – 2025 Projection: 48/16/57/.247/.323/.439/4 Prime Projection: 87/28/93/.269/.357/.490/7
34) Felnin Celesten – SEA, SS, 19.7 – Celesten finally made his long awaited pro debut in 2024, and he didn’t disappoint, slashing .352/.431/.568 with 3 homers, 5 steals, and a 19.4/12.5 K%/BB% in 32 games at stateside rookie ball. All of the explosive traits that made him such a hyped international prospect were fully present with an extremely athletic and powerful swing (particularly from the left side, but he dominated in 2024 with both swings) that already looks like an MLB swing. He’s an explosive athlete in general with plus speed, so seeing the excellent plate skills from the jump in pro ball is a big deal. He does have two blemishes on his profile preventing him from ranking even higher than this though. It’s the 2nd year in a row that an injury kept him out. A hamstring injury in 2023 wiped out his entire season, and a hamate injury that required surgery ended his season on July 23rd this year. The 2nd blemish is a 64.9% GB%, which is very extreme. Personally, I’m blinded by his extreme upside, and I’m apt to overlook the negatives. When a prospect has that type of upside, it almost never makes sense to trade them at this stage of their career. His value is pretty high right now, but I think he falls into the buy high range for me. Certainly don’t trade him, and see if you can get him included in a trade without seeming like you’re frothing at the mouth for him too much, because it could give his owner second thoughts if you come on too strong. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 88/25/86/.273/.344/.472/25
35) Konnor Griffin – PIT, OF, 18.11 – Selected 9th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Griffin has the highest pure upside in this entire draft. He’s 6’4”, 215 pounds and has the look of a #1 overall pick in the NFL Draft as a QB. He has the neck of a football player too. He also has the athleticism of a football player with legit potential to put up 30/30 seasons with a plus to double plus power/speed combo. He’s shown a good feel to hit with a good plate approach in his high school career, but like I mentioned back in February 2024 when I did a very early Top 10 FYPD Ranking, the swing isn’t necessarily the smoothest thing in the world, although it actually looks much better to me now than it did then. Plus you can tack on electric bat speed and bank on continued refinement considering how young he is for the class. Pitt obviously wasn’t worried enough about the hit tool to let him slip by them at #9, and for fantasy especially, I wouldn’t let it scare you off him either. This is legit elite dynasty asset potential. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 89/25/92/.261/.337/.470/33
36) Cam Smith – HOU, 3B, 22.1 – Selected 14th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, the 6’3”, 224 pound Smith generates a tremendous amount of power with very little movement in his swing. It is quick, powerful and short to the ball. It is straight up one of the quietest swings from one of the biggest men I’ve ever seen. The swing is geared more for a line drive, all fields approach rather than pull and lift, which is why he didn’t put up the gaudy homer totals as some of his other college hitting brethren with only 16 homers in 66 games in the ACC. But he has the raw power to make that profile work, and the upside is that it can come with a high BA. We saw what this profile can look like at it’s best in his dominant pro debut, slashing .313/.396/.609 with 7 homers, 2 steals, and a 17.9/11.2 K%/BB% in 32 games split between Single-A, High-A, and Double-A. He put up a 122 wRC+ in 5 games at Double-A, so the profile was transferring to the upper minors, and he clearly had no problems ripping dingers to all fields with the wood bat. He very well might have the top hit/power combo in the FYPD class, and it’s why Houston targeted him in the Kyle Tucker trade. The trade doesn’t really change his value at all, but he will definitely get a nice ballpark upgrade even if he doesn’t have the type of profile that necessarily needs it. – 2025 Projection: 62/16/67/.258/.322/.429/2 Prime Projection: 84/24/89/.273/.340/.466/4 Update: He’s been a man possessed this spring and might just break camp with the team
37) Jac Caglianone – KCR, 1B, 22.2 – Selected 6th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Caglianone’s pro debut was on the disappointing side, and with how tightly packed the talent is in the FYPD Top 12, he’s sliding down my rankings to the bottom of that Top 12 tier. He had hit tool and chase questions coming out of the draft, and hitting .241 with a 20.6/5.6 K%/BB% in his 29 game pro debut at High-A did nothing to quell those issues. He put up a lowly 94 wRC+ with 2 homers, which isn’t what you want to see from an elite college bat in the lower minors. He then went to the AFL where the pitching was so bad this year, they are actively trying to figure out how to improve the pitchers in that league in future years, and he still couldn’t dominate with a .749 OPS in 21 games. Tons of hitters were putting up just wacky numbers in that extreme offensive environment. He did jack 5 homers, and there is zero doubt about his massive power, so there is no doubt he has a carrying tool even if the hit tool and plate approach take time to adjust to pro pitching. He’s built like an NFL tight end at 6’5”, 250 pounds, and he obliterated the SEC with 75 homers in 165 career games. It took him some time to improve his plate skills in college as well, making big improvements his junior year with a 8.2/18.4 K%/BB% (18.2/5.3 K%/BB% his sophomore year), so the hope is that he can do the same in the majors. KC’s ballpark is death to lefty homers, and while I am factoring that in a bit, he has the type of power to not get too hung up on it. Even though the pro debut does have him sliding down the rankings a bit, it’s almost more because of how much comparable college talent there is at the top of this class to begin with. He’s still a very exciting power bat. 2025 Projection: 51/17/63/.232/.308/.449/4 Prime Projection: 81/31/92/.248/.329/.479/6 Update: Like Smith, he’s been a man possessed this spring and deserved to slide up the rankings. The Top 11 FYPD prospects were already very close
38) Tink Hence – STL, RHP, 22.8 – Tink is the forgotten about elite pitching prospect. He has injury/durability issues, but almost every pitching prospect has injury/durability risk, and I feel like it’s really easy to start picking and choosing whose injury/durability issues you hand wave away, and whose you hyper focus on. Everyone has seemed to hyper focus on Hence’s issues, where a guy like Painter can literally undergo Tommy John surgery and everyone is completely good with it, nothing to see here. Jobe, Schultz, and Rocker have all dealt with injuries and haven’t racked up innings. But for Tink, his problems are like the main focus of his evaluation, and the main focus should be on his nasty stuff. Here is a twitter compilation video of Hence making hitters look absolutely silly with his changeup, both lefty and righty hitters. And that isn’t even arguably his best secondary with a gyro slider and curve that he seems to have on a string, racking up strikeouts. He combines the 3 nasty secondaries with a mid 90’s fastball that he can blow by hitters up in the zone with a good movement profile. It all led to a 2.71 ERA with a 34.1/8.1 K%/BB% in 79.2 IP. There is definitely injury as he’s battled a variety of injuries in his professional career (shoulder, chest and lat issues with year), and he’s not a particularly huge/broad guy, but they talk about him like he’s 5 foot nothing, 150 pounds. The guy is 6’1”, 195 pounds. He’s not that small. All pitchers have injury risk to me, so I’m not one to hyper focus on the injury risk. You know what you are getting into when you draft a pitching prospect, no matter how big and broad they are, they can all go down. I’m focused on Hence’s true top of the rotation upside, and I feel like there is a bit of a buying opportunity right now. 2025 Projection: 4/3.89/1.30/78 in 80 IP Prime Projection: 13/3.48/1.17/186 in 168 IP
39) Emil Morales – LAD, SS, 18.6 – Morales was my 3rd ranked international prospect (behind only Leo and Paulino) and one of my top FYPD targets, writing in his Top 1,000 blurb, “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.” … and he more than came through as one of, if not the top DSL breakout, slashing .342/.478/.691 with 14 homers, 12 steals, and a 22.4/19.9 K%/BB% in 46 games. He’s a lift and pull machine and there is potential for double plus raw power at peak, meaning the home run upside here is elite. The swing is quick and athletic, and he’s a good athlete for his size too. Most places have Jesus Made over Emil Morales an easy call in Made’s favor, but I actually think it’s pretty damn close. Made has the hit tool and speed edge, but Morales has the game power and raw power edge, and often times that power edge can overcome all other flaws. A 22.4% K% is on the high side for the DSL, so I do agree that Made’s combo of floor and upside takes it, but I’m not 100% sure I’m making the right call there. Either way, I love both, and I really, really love Morales compared to his much cheaper price. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 86/33/98/.250/.338/.519/9
40) Quinn Mathews – STL, LHP, 24.6 – I think it’s easy to completely hand wave Mathews getting bombed at Triple-A to close out the season (6.48 ERA with a 27.8/17.7 K%/BB% in 16.2 IP), but I do think there might be at least a small amount of signal there that we shouldn’t just 100% dismiss. I’m not going to put too much emphasis on it either seeing as he was already at a career high in IP, and you have to give humans a chance to adjust to a new level, new team, new coaches etc …, but there is one wrinkle that makes me pause, and that wrinkle is that Triple-A is the only level to use the MLB ball. Every other level uses their own balls, and I mean, the ball is a pretty important factor. Blade Tidwell obliterated Double-A, got called up to Triple-A earlier in the season, and then stunk at Triple-A for a large sample. Everyone hates Blade Tidwell now. Mathews (and Brandon Sproat has a similar story too), didn’t have a large sample at Triple-A, so it’s easy to just hand wave it away, but I do think it’s something to keep in mind. Now just because I’m keeping it in mind, doesn’t mean I still don’t love Mathews. He’s a 6’5”, lefty with a mid 90’s fastball and two whiff machine secondaries in his slider and changeup (he also throws a curve and sinker). He dominated all season (other than at Triple-A) with a 2.76 ERA and 35.4/8.6 K%/BB% in 143.1 IP. And as you can see, he stays healthy, which does matter. I lean towards him being more of a #2 starter than a true ace, but add a star for his health, and he’s knocking on the door of the bigs. I like him a ton. Maybe I just feel the need to knock him down a peg because of my love for Tink, who I have ranked higher than Mathews, while most have it the other way around. The truth is, I love both of them (just Tink more ;). 2025 Projection: 6/3.98/1.32/97 in 100 IP Prime Projection: 14/3.59/1.20/190 in 180 IP
41) Dalton Rushing – LAD, C/OF, 24.1 – It seems that LA is set on keeping Rushing at catcher, which I completely understand for real life value, but for fantasy, I don’t think it’s great. Will Smith is signed until 2034, meaning Rushing looks ticketed for some kind of hybrid C/1B/OF/DH role, and with how hard it is to crack the Dodgers full time lineup (and with how little leash they give their prospects due to unlimited resources and strong organizational depth), it seems like Rushing is going to have to scratch and claw for playing time. They are not rolling out the red carpet for him at all, and I do think it hurts his fantasy value a bit. Putting defense aside for now, as a pure hitter, there is so much to like. He proved himself in the upper minors in 2024, slashing .271/.385/.512 with 26 homers, 2 steals, and a 20.5/12.7 K%/BB% in 114 games split between Double-A (149 wRC+) and Triple-A (128 wRC+). He has easy plus power with a 90.8 MPH EV, he has a launch made for both power and average, and he has a plus plate approach. The hit tool is solid, but I can see that dipping to below average against major league pitching, and like I mentioned earlier, we have seen LA be very quick with the hook if young players aren’t producing. I like the bat a ton, but defense, path to playing time, and the slight hit tool questions are enough to make me hesitant to really value him at a premium right now. – 2025 Projection: 38/12/45/.242/.310/.428/1 Prime Projection: 78/24/83/.262/.339/.465/2
42) Termarr Johnson – PIT, 2B, 20.10 – It only took 23 games in Johnson’s 2022 pro debut to realize that his hit tool was overrated coming of the draft, and that started to scare people off in 2023 and 2024 when that became even more glaringly obvious with a .244 BA and .237 BA in those respective years. But Johnson was never just a hit tool only guy, he has real power and speed, so while the hit tool troubles prevent him from rising to near elite prospect status as hoped, it doesn’t prevent him from still being a really exciting prospect. He swings an electric and powerful lefty bat that hits the ball really hard, resulting in 15 homers in 124 games, and his speed has always been a bit undersold, nabbing 22 bags. The hit tool isn’t as good as hoped, but the 21.3% K% isn’t bad at all, and he put up a 19.3% in 14 games when he got the call to Double-A as a 20 year old, which is exciting to see. He’s also an on base machine with a 15.6% BB%. With him falling out of favor in the mainstream, now is a really good opportunity to buy low if you can, because when he produces in the upper minors as a still 20 year old, the hype is going to hit all over again. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 88/23/78/.262/.343/.452/15
43) Zyhir Hope – LAD, OF, 20.2 – And this is why “In the Dodgers We Trust” is a dynasty motto that should be burned into our retinas. They take Hope, and turn it into reality. Hope was a high risk, high reward upside pick by the Cubs in 2023 who struck out 30.2% of the time in rookie ball in his pro debut. He got traded to the Dodgers in the off-season in the Michael Busch trade, and of course the Dodgers immediately drastically improved his only weakness, bringing the strikeout rate all the way down to 22.8% at mostly Single-A. There is still hit tool risk (he hit .228 with a 24.3% K% in 23 games in the AFL), but low to mid 20’s hit tool risk is in an entirely other bucket than hovering around 30% hit tool risk. And the hit tool improved without impacting any other areas of his game, slashing .290/.419/.484 with 9 homers, 9 steals, a 22.8/15.1 K%/BB% and a 144 wRC+ in 61 games. The reasons he’s not ranked even higher than this are because the ground ball rates are on the high side (45.1%), there is still hit tool risk, and his speed/stolen base skills seem to be more in the above average than truly great area. So a guy who swings and misses a lot, hits the ball on the ground, and doesn’t run quite as much as we would like isn’t necessarily a slam dunk. I’m saying this just as much to myself as I am to you, because it’s hard not to fall head over heels for him. He hits the ball very hard, he’s a great athlete, he’s in a great organization, and he’s done nothing but produce. I do feel some caution is warranted before really putting him into that near elite to elite prospect tier, but he’s not too far off from that already. I’m thinking something like Randy Arozarena could be a good ceiling comp. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 84/22/81/.255/.338/.445/19
44) Hagen Smith – CHW, LHP, 21.7 – Selected 6th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, the White Sox know a thing or two about developing vicious lefty starters with funky deliveries and some control risk. They’ve done just fine with Chris Sale, Garrett Crochet, and Noah Schultz. The 6’3”, 225 pound Hagen Smith is next on that list with a three quarter arm slot delivery that he uses to fire a double plus mid 90’s fastball and double plus slider. Both pitches are whiff machines, leading to a 2.04 ERA with a 48.6%/10.3% K%/BB% in 84 IP in the SEC. He also mixes in a splitter, and while he doesn’t throw it that often, it’s a good pitch when he goes to it. The walk rate is on the high side, and it was worse in his freshman and sophomore seasons with a 13.4% BB% in 148.3 IP. Improving his control/command and turning his splitter into a higher usage 3rd weapon can turn Smith into a true ace. If he can’t improve in those areas, a high K, mid-rotation starter is within the range of outcomes (and I guess the bullpen is too, but you don’t take a guy 6th overall to use him in the bullpen long term). I’m surprised that Smith was allowed to debut in 2024, but Chicago marches to the beat of their own drum. He more than held his own at High-A with a 3.52 ERA and 21.2/6.1 K%/BB% in 7.2 IP over 3 outings. The filthy stuff was as advertised, and while the K numbers weren’t off the charts, it’s nice to see that clean walk rate. Add a star for being young for the class, but take a star away for already undergoing Tommy John when he was 16 years old. – 2025 Projection: 2/3.91/1.28/50 in 50 IP Prime Projection: 13/3.48/1.17/203 in 175 IP
45) Thomas White – MIA, LHP, 20.6 – White is in the pole position to be the top pitching prospect in baseball by this time next year (with Travis Sykora and Alejandro Rosario right on his tail). He’s a built up 6’5” lefty with such dominant stuff that he basically slept walked through the lower minors. He quickly got the call to High-A and put up a 2.61 ERA with a 29.9/8.3 K%/BB% in 62 IP. He throws from an easy and athletic three quarter arm slot delivery which he uses to fire a mid 90’s fastball that completely overpowered lower minors hitters. He also has a plus breaking ball that he will use in any count to go along with a lesser used, but still very good changeup. He’s not a finished product as he’ll have some bouts of control problems, and he needs to continue to refine all 3 of his pitches really, but for his first year out of high school, that is an insanely impressive first full year of pro ball. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 14/3.39/1.15/215 in 185 IP
46) Chase DeLauter – CLE, OF, 23.6 – I don’t know if DeLauter needs to stop missing leg day at the gym, or by looking at the size of those trunks, maybe he needs to skip more leg days, but he has to figure out a way to keep the gams healthy. He broke his foot pre draft in 2022 which required surgery, and then he broke that same foot this year while running the bases. This one didn’t require surgery and wasn’t as serious, but at 6’3”, 235 pounds, those feet are going to continue to take a beating. He was able to return from the 2nd broken foot only to have a hamstring strain end his regular season about one month later. He dominated the AFL after the season, so that also wasn’t serious, but the injuries are starting to get concerning. They seemed to have stopped him from running at all this year with only 1 steal in 45 total games (although he stole 2 in 12 games in the AFL). The injuries haven’t stopped him from raking though. The hit tool and plate approach look truly elite with a 13.4/11.6 K%/BB%, and he has big power with 7 homers in 36 upper minors games. One of those homers was an inside the park job, which showed off his athleticism. He’s a special talent with above average to plus across the board skills, but he has to stay healthy, and staying healthy looks like it might entail not stealing a ton of bases, which does hurt the fantasy value a bit. – 2025 Projection: 16/5/19/.256/.320/.439/2 Prime Projection: 90/26/84/.278/.351/.472/11 Update: He just can’t shake the injury bug. He underwent hernia surgery which could keep him out for 3 months. It’s getting harder and harder to really hang on here. He’s dropping
47) Travis Sykora – WAS, RHP, 20.11 – Like I wrote above, I have White as the favorite to be the #1 pitching prospect in baseball by this time next year, because he did it at High-A for most of the season, but Sykora simply didn’t get that opportunity. All he could do was obliterate the competition that was put in front of him, and obliterate he did with a 2.33 ERA and 39.2/8.2 K%/BB% in 85 IP at Single-A. He’s a 6’6”, 232 pound beast with 3 at least plus pitches in his mid 90’s fastball, slider and splitter. He doesn’t have pinpoint control, but he throws the ball over the plate, and he doesn’t have the most athletic looking delivery, but it’s not unathletic either. Age to level doesn’t matter nearly as much for pitchers as it does hitters, but I do think it’s still something to take into account, so him being 20 years old at Single-A makes me want to see it at higher levels before truly crowning him. Regardless, this is easy ace upside, and his hype is going to blow up in 2025. He’s the type you might want to stick your neck out to grab if he’s out there in your off-season prospect draft. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 14/3.31/1.12/225 in 185 IP
48) Lazaro Montes – SEA, OF, 20.5 – Montes has three big negatives that prevent me from ranking him even higher than this. The first is that the hit tool is a real concern with a 26.1% K% in his 1,067 PA career in the lower minors. The 2nd is that Seattle is simply an awful ballpark to hit in. And the third is that he’s a very bad defensive player, and could end up DH only. That puts a ton of pressure on the bat, and as a lefty who hits righties much better than lefties, a strong side of a platoon power bat seems well within the range of outcomes. I do find it interesting that Bryce Eldridge has a nearly identical profile, and Eldridge is the darling of the prospect world while people seem lukewarm on Montes these days. I also prefer Eldridge, because the hit tool seems a bit safer, he’s a true unicorn at 6’7”, and he at least seems to have found a defensive home at 1B, but Montes is right there with him. He has beastly power at 6’3”, 210 pounds with 21 homers in 116 games, he’s an on base machine with a 14.4% BB%, and while the K% spiked to 29.6% when he got the call to High-A, it was starting to come down towards the end of the season, and seeing the 19.1% K% he put up at Single-A shows hope that he can improve that skill over time. He’s one of the premier lower minors power hitting prospects in the game, and his hype deserves to be damn close, if not equal to Eldridge’s, but the prospect world can be a fickle place. Even my ranking has a disparity between them, Maybe it’s just the nature of rankings. They are imperfect. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 84/33/95/.246/.333/.490/4
49) Jacob Melton – HOU, OF, 24.7 – Houston’s OF is nothing but opportunity right now, with not a single locked in OF starter on the roster, which means Melton is going to get all of the opportunity he can handle in the coming years. And considering how great of an athlete he is, I love the leash he is almost certain to get. He’s 6’2”, 208 pounds with plus speed and above average power. He cracked 15 homers with 30 steals in 105 games at Double-A and Triple-A. The reason why I’m so excited by the opportunity and leash, is that he might need it as the hit tool and plate approach are below average with a 23.5/7.0 K%/BB%. He’s also not a huge lift and pull guy, which isn’t the worst thing for his type of profile (speed and hard hit ability), and it doesn’t go extreme in the way direction either, so I’m not too worried about that. Is it possible he ends up a kinda fringy major leaguer who shows flashes but just doesn’t have the hit/plate approach to thrive? For sure that is a very realistic outcome. But I lean upside for fantasy, which Melton has plenty of, and when you combine it with proximity and opportunity, that is a profile I want on my dynasty team. 2025 Projection: 21/6/24/.228/.292/.402/8 Prime Projection: 77/19/75/.248/.319/.438/24
50) Heston Kjerstad – BAL, 1B/OF, 26.1 – Baltimore just doesn’t seem interested in the slightest to give Kjerstad a real shot. He’s once again blocked after the Tyler O’Neill signing. It seems obvious they want to use him as trade bait, but I guess nobody has bitten so far (that could change as they are still on the hunt for pitching). It’s a shame, because he’s clearly overdo for his shot. He smoked Triple-A with 16 homers, a 26.0/12.4 K%/BB%, and a 152 wRC+ in 56 games. It came with a 90.7 MPH EV and 16.8 degree launch. And then he was really good in the majors with 4 homers, a 116 wRC+ and 90.2 MPH EV in 114 PA. The swing and miss was on the high side with a 31.3% whiff% and 28.9% K%, but neither of those are too bad, and he also chased a lot with a 35% Chase%, so he needs to refine the plate skills, but that is to be expected with such little MLB experience. He’s not a great defensive player, so he’s definitely going to have to rake to hold down a job, but if he doesn’t rake, it doesn’t matter for us anyway. I love betting on the pedigree (2nd overall pick in the draft), history of production, and hard hit ability, but without opportunity, none of it matters. – 2025 Projection: 41/15/47/.250/.328/.440/2
51) Kevin Alcantara – CHC, OF, 22.8 – The Forgotten Unicorn continues to fly just low enough under the radar to not have the hype explode, while continuing to perform very well and show off his truly special tools. He’s a still projectable 6’6”, 188 pounds with a double plus raw power/speed combo. He put up a 91 MPH EV at Triple-A with a 29.2 ft/sec sprint in the majors. And it’s not like he’s struggled in the minors at all, He’s actually been extremely good his entire career, never putting up a wRC+ under 123 at any stop other than when he was a 16 year old in rookie ball. This year he did it in the upper minors all season as a 21/22 year old, slashing .278/.353/.428 with 14 homers, 14 steals, and a 26.0/9.9 K%/BB% in 111 games split between Double-A and Triple-A. The cherry on top is that he’s a good CF, which could make a potent OF with PCA in center and Alcantara in a corner down the line. He’s not a finished product with hit tool risk and too many groundballs, but his hype should be so much higher than it is. Alcantara makes for a great upside target. 2025 Projection: 22/7/29/.229/.294/.407/6 Prime Projection: 79/23/78/.251/.328/.449/18
52) Charlie Condon – COL, 3B/1B/OF, 21.11 – Let me just start by saying that I’ve been valuing pro debuts extremely high from the second I started writing back in 2015/16, and it has served me extremely well in both directions (moving guys both up and down). It was back before any other outlet would even consider changing their evaluation or ranking of a player based on their pro debut. When asked, they would just hand wave it away and say something like “small sample,” even though the sample was often actually bigger in pro ball than it was in their Junior year of college (back when the draft was in early June). It made no sense to me why the pro debut with wood bats and more advanced pitching wouldn’t be weighed more heavily. And now, you see basically every outlet change their ranking at least somewhat based on the pro debuts, which is the right move. That brings us to Charlie Condon, who just had the type of pro debut you have nightmares over. Despite all of his pre draft hype, he did have some hit tool questions at 6’6” with relatively high K rates throughout his college career. And the hit tool immediately didn’t transfer to pro ball with a .180 BA and 31.2/3.7 K%/BB% in 25 games at High-A. That isn’t just bad, that is atrocious. Completely lost. It’s not great that the only question he had coming out of the draft was immediately answered, and not in a good way. This was a 21 year old in the lower minors. You need a high FYPD college bat to dominate in the majors by like 23 years old, let alone High-A. Jacob Berry and Chase Davis were the last two hyped college bats to have poor pro debuts, and neither of their values are anywhere close to where you wanted them to be. Condon is a better prospect than both of those guys, and I’m not dropping him as far down as those guys at all, but I do believe he does deserve a real drop. This draft class was already really tightly packed at the top with a lot of really, really good college talent, but no one true standout. So based on Condon’s poor debut, I don’t see how it doesn’t make complete sense to drop him under those guys. He has a clear carrying tool in his power, and of course I do factor in that the pro debut was at the end of a long season, draft process, new team, new coach, new everything etc …, so he’s still a Top 10 FYPD pick for me. I still like him as a power bat who will get to hit in Coors (but also gets their developmental team, and it looks like he still needs development). I just wouldn’t be able to pull the trigger on him until the other similarly talented college players with better debuts were off the board first. I feel like that’s reasonable. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 77/30/88/.241/.322/.472/8
53) Braden Montgomery – CHW, OF, 22.0 – Selected 12th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, there was a lot of talk about Montgomery dropping his righty swing to hit exclusively lefty. That doesn’t really seem like what you want to hear from a highly drafted college bat, but the lefty swing is so smooth and powerful I get why it doesn’t seem like that big of a deal overall. He also had a 20% K% which is substantially higher than the college bats drafted before him. Maybe that is partly why he slipped a bit to 12th overall, and also why Boston was willing to include him in the Crochet trade. The broken ankle which he suffered pre draft on June 8th was also likely a major reason for the drop. So he certainly has some risk with hit tool, platooning and injury, but he also has very major power upside. He’s 6’2”, 220 pounds and he smashed 27 homers with a 1.187 OPS in 61 games in the SEC. He’s been smashing homers his entire career with 62 homers in 187 games split between the Pac 12 and SEC. He absolutely destroys the baseball with huge exit velocities. That gives him a no doubt carrying tool that will make him a fantasy force. As for the trade, it really doesn’t change his value at all. The path to playing time is clearer, but it’s an organization downgrade and a future lineup downgrade. It’s also a ballpark downgrade. If anything, it makes me like him slightly less, but again, this really shouldn’t change his value too much. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 81/28/89/.251/.333/.475/6
54) Kevin McGonigle – DET, SS/2B, 20.7 – McGonigle had one of the best hit tools in the high school class, and while this is generally a bucket of prospect that I don’t go after in first year player drafts, McGonigle showed what it looks like when that profile goes right. He slashed .309/.401/.452 with 5 homers, 22 steals, and a 8.5/14.0 K%/BB% in 74 games split between Single-A and High-A. He proved he wasn’t just hit tool though, hitting the ball pretty hard with a 88.9 MPH EV at Single-A, and also showing base stealing skills (22 for 24 on the bases). He didn’t have any groundball issues and he pulled the ball a lot (well over 50% pull rate). Even during the regular season I got too locked into him as a hit tool guy, when there is more to his skillset than that. He’s not a particularly big guy at 5’10”, 187 pounds, and I still see more of a moderate power/speed combo, so I still don’t mind my Stevan Kwan 2.0 comp, but McGonigle is already hitting the ball harder (and pulling the ball a lot more), so he can end up a souped up version of Kwan. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 92/15/58/291/.362/.422/21
55) Jett Williams – NYM, SS/OF, 21.5 – Jett’s season was a straight disaster. He underwent surgery on his right wrist just 11 games into the season and he didn’t return until the end of the August. Wrist injuries are known killers for hitters, so it’s not surprising to see he wasn’t great after returning from the injury either with 0 homers and a .656 OPS in 33 games on the season. I would call it a completely lost year, but if there is one small silver lining to take out of it, it’s that he was actually really good in his final 6 games at Triple-A. He had a 192 wRC+ with a 89.6 MPH EV. I know it’s just 6 games, but it shows how the 5’6” Jett can truly pack a punch. He also proved the GB rates (around a 32% GB%) and the plate approach (23.6/14.9 K%/BB%) won’t fall apart in the upper minors. Also keep in mind he was just 20 years old this year. Lift, speed, plate approach, and sneaky pop is a potent fantasy combination, and with Williams’ injury induced down year, I’m sensing some major buy low opportunities this winter. This is an electric player, size be damned. – 2025 Projection: 16/2/10/.238/.305/.385/5 Prime Projection: 96/19/66/.264/.345/.438/32
56) Jonny Farmelo – SEA, OF, 20.7 – Farmelo was on his way to becoming a legitimate possibility for Top 20 prospect status by this off-season, but he tore his ACL on June 11th after just 46 games. It was a non contact injury while tracking a line drive to centerfield. A lot of the excitement around him was due to his double plus speed and elite athleticism, so a torn knee kinda takes a shot directly to that strength. We’ve also seen guys tear their knee, and then keep tearing their knee again (or tear their other knee), like Kyle Lewis, Royce Lewis, and Ronald Acuna. On the flip side, we see NFL running backs return from torn ACL’s and get their explosion back, so at only 20 years old, I’m expecting Farmelo to retain most of his elite athleticism, but it’s certainly not good. And the injury is also expected to keep him out until mid-season 2025. So it could be hard for him to truly get the hype fully rolling again until 2026. Even with all that, I remain high on him because his upside is no joke. He slashed .264/.398/.421 with 4 homers, 18 steals, and a 23.5/16.3 K%/BB% in 46 games at Single-A. He’s 6’2”, 205 pounds with a powerful lefty swing and low groundball rates (34.1% GB%). He was thought to be on the raw side coming out of the draft, and while there is still hit tool risk, he showed a good feel to hit with an excellent approach in his debut. Assuming full health, he could be a beast, and even with the injury risk (and also the general risk of being a 19 year old in the lower minors), he should be considered a pretty sought after dynasty prospect. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 86/20/74/.256/.332/.439/30
57) Chase Dollander – COL, RHP, 23.5 – In a Baseball America Youtube interview (The Hot Sheet Show is a great show in general), Dollander mentioned that he’s literally not planning ahead at all, and doing absolutely nothing different for the looming Coors Field that awaits him. The Rockies literally don’t prepare their pitchers at all for eventually pitching with different air. That makes total sense to me based on how bad their franchise is. If I was heading up a franchise where the ballpark had different air, and their entire history of pitching in that environment was nothing short of horrific, the strategies necessary to thrive in that environment would run deep throughout my organization from rookie ball on up. Dollander answered the question as if nobody has even mentioned it to him ha. I just find that kinda wild. Now, maybe trying to change who you are as a pitcher would only get in your head, and maybe there literally is no good strategy for it, so I guess you might as well not think about it. I’m open to that being the case, but either way, for fantasy purposes, it just reinforces that I’m never going to be the high guy on Colorado pitching prospects, It sure seems like if anyone can slay the beast, it will be Dollander, and as a baseball fan, I’m rooting for him hardcore to be the one who breaks through. A true ace at Coors would be awesome. If we forget about Coors for a second, Dollander is an elite pitching prospect on his own merits with a 2.59 ERA and 33.9/9.4 K%/BB% in 118 IP at High-A and Double-A (he was equally dominant at both stops). The mid to upper 90’s fastball is a double plus bat missing weapon, which he combines with a 3 secondaries (gyro slider, curve, change) that aren’t as good as the fastball, but can be above average to plus pitches in their own right. Below average control is the only other demerit besides Coors Field. I’ve had a zero tolerance policy for Coors pitching prospects my entire life, and it has yet to come back to bite me. Maybe Dollander will be the one to finally make me regret it, and I’m genuinely rooting for him to be the one, even if it won’t happen on my dynasty team. 2025 Projection: 4/4.28/1.33/96 in 100 IP Prime Projection: 11/3.79/1.24/185 in 170 IP
58) Brandon Sproat – NYM, RHP, 24.6 – Baseball likes to make it as hard as possible to evaluate minor league players, and pitchers in particular. They love to use minor leaguers as guinea pigs, which I get, but life would be a lot easier if things were at least a bit more standardized among all levels. There was literally different rules for calling balls and strikes at Triple-A in the first 3 games of a series (fully automated) vs. the last 3 (umps call it with a automated challenge system). Then they switched the rules mid-season to just the automated challenge system with the umps calling them the rest of the time. Every level also uses different balls. Triple-A uses the MLB ball, while lower levels don’t. Enter Brandon Sproat, who utterly dominated at Double-A with a 2.45 ERA and 33.2/6.5 K%/BB% in 62.1 IP, only to completely fall apart at Triple-A with a 7.53 ERA and 16.3/8.5 K%/BB% in 28.2 IP. Was it the ball? Was it the strikezone? Was it the better competition? Was it that he was reaching a career high in IP? Was it a combo of everything? I don’t know exactly, but what I do know is that the stuff was still nasty. The 4-seamer sits 96.6 MPH and he has 2 potentially plus secondaries in his slider and changeup which both miss bats and induce weak contact. He also throws a cutter, curve and sinker, giving him a very diverse pitch mix. His control was below average throughout his college career, and it also was poor at the start of the season at High-A, so there is still some control/command risk in here even though he took a big step forward in that department overall. Does it worry me a bit that his numbers tanked so hard when he used the MLB baseball for the first time? It does. But at the end of the day the stuff don’t lie, and Sproat has monster stuff. – 2025 Projection: 3/4.08/1.32/87 in 90 IP Prime Projection: 13/3.63/1.20/189 in 170 IP
59) Luisangel Acuna – NYM, SS/2B, 23.1 – Acuna was in the midst of an extremely lackluster season at Triple-A with a 69 wRC+ in 131 games, but maybe he was just getting bored, because he gave his dynasty value a shot to the arm in his cup of coffee in the bigs. He jacked out 3 homers with a 91 MPH EV, 15% K% and 165 wRC+ in 40 PA. He might not be as good as his older brother, but the electric Acuna blood most certainly runs through his veins with a near elite 29.5 ft/sec sprint speed and a plus 73.5 MPH bat speed. He’s only 5’10”, and the 87.3 MPH EV at Triple-A wasn’t as impressive, but there is real juice in his bat, especially as he continues to get stronger. He’s a game changer on the bases with 40 steals at Triple-A, and he’s put up strong contact rates at every level, including the majors. He only had a 2.5% BB% in the majors, but he really didn’t chase a concerning amount with a 30.8% Chase%. The Mets are a wild card this off-season, so I hesitate to try to project their lineup right now, but he can play SS, 2B, and CF, which means he can basically play any position on the field, so that versality will keep his bat in the lineup if he’s producing. He looks like a mighty enticing dynasty asset right now. – 2025 Projection: 73/12/61/.256/.309/.394/23 Prime Projection: 84/16/69/.272/.328/.426/30
60) Zach Dezenzo – HOU, 1B, 24.11 – Houston is planning on using Dezenzo at 1B and LF in 2025, which works just fine because Houston has nothing but opportunity in their OF. He also has an offensive profile that I am super excited about. He’s going to have to earn it every step of the way, so he’s not the type of target I am going to stick my neck out for, but he is 100% a “let him come to you” target for me. He’s 6’5”, 220 pounds with an elite 75.4 MPH swing and a well above average 28.3 ft/sec sprint. We are talking about an absolutely elite, electric athlete here. He wasn’t great in his MLB debut with a 33.8/4.6 K%/BB% and 84 wRC+ in 19 games, so the hit tool is definitely a risk, but his 31.7% whiff% wasn’t too bad, and he dominated Triple-A with a 149 wRC+ and 22.1/13.3 K%/BB% in 25 games. I’m willing to take on that extra risk for the type of athlete he is. Don’t reach, but definitely put a big star next to Dezenzo’s name and hope he falls right into your lap. 2025 Projection: 62/15/69/.248/.312/.422/9 Prime Projection: 83/20/79/.262/.337/.444/15
61) Ronny Mauricio – NYM, 2B, 24.0 – I’m fighting off the prospect creep of “out of sight, out of mind,” because even when you are aware of that mind virus, it can still take a hold of you. Mauricio missed all of 2024 after undergoing surgery for a torn ACL that he suffered after a non contact injury on the bases in Winter Ball. It was deju vu all over again with Edwin Diaz tearing his knee in the WBC the off-season before that, but Diaz came back to basically full strength this season, and Mauricio can do the same in 2025. He hit the ball very hard with a 90.7 MPH EV in 26 games in the majors and a 91.1 MPH EV at Triple-A, he loves to run with 7 steals in the majors and 24 steals at Triple-A, and he gets the bat on the ball with a 18.2% K% at Triple-A. That K% jumped to 28.7% in the majors, he chases a ton, he hits the ball on the ground a lot and despite loving to run, he’s not a burner. He doesn’t really have the speed to lose, so the knee injury is definitely concerning in the stolen base department at the least.. I definitely have the pull to drop him down the rankings, but I’m fighting it with everything I have, because at full strength, Mauricio has a very fantasy friendly skillset. – 2025 Projection: 37/10/46/.248/.304/.419/8 Prime Projection: 75/22/77/.267/.325/.454/16
62) Spencer Jones – NYY, OF, 23.11 – Extremely high strikeout rate hitters often straddle that imaginary line between “he’ll hit enough for the huge talent to blow up” and “he can’t hit, making the huge talent worthless.” It often results in a very black or white ranking, because if you think they will hit enough, they get ranked extremely high, and if you don’t think they will hit enough, you might erase them completely from your rankings. I like to live in the Grey (not Grey as in Razzball Grey, that would just be odd, but Grey as in the Queen’s English of gray), so while I’m obviously less than enthused with Jones’ 36.8% K% in 122 games at Double-A, I don’t want to just banish him to purgatory. His talent is just too huge to do that at 6’6”, 235 pounds with an at least plus power/speed combo. And even with all of the strikeouts, he still showed out in the upper minors with 17 homers, 25 steals, and a 124 wRC+. He doesn’t have to bring the K rate down to like the mid 20’s, he can survive in the low 30’s. Jones isn’t Elly, but we saw the season Elly just put up with a 31.3% K%. The extremely high K rate rate definitely hurts his value (at least he’s no Elijah Green and his 44% K%), but I don’t think it means you should write him off. The upside is too high, and I don’t think the hit tool is hopeless. He’s still a Top 75 Prospect for me. 2025 Projection: 11/3/14/.217/.290/.399/4 Prime Projection: 75/21/79/.238/.317/.436/21
63) Cade Horton – CHC, RHP, 23.7 – Horton’s season ended after just 34.1 IP with a lat strain, and let’s hope that lat strain is what led to his terrible run at Triple-A. He put up a 7.50 ERA with a 27.2/13.6 K%/BB% in 18 IP. The fastball was down to 94.1 MPH. The good news is that the secondaries (changeup, curve, slider) still missed a ton of bats and induced weak contact, and he also pitched much better at Double-A with a 1.10 ERA and 29.0/3.2 K%/BB% in 16.1 IP. We can give him a pass for his performance at Triple-A due to the injury, but Tommy John surgery knocked out his entire 2021 season, so injuries are starting to become a concern. He’s never pitched more than 88.1 IP in a season, so it’s a question if he can truly put up a full starter’s workload year after year, and also what level of stuff he can hold over those innings. His value took a hit this year, but it would be too risk averse to completely tank his value. I’m holding relatively strong. 2025 Projection: 4/4.13/1.32/74 in 80 IP Prime Projection: 11/3.68/1.19/163 in 150 IP
64) Moises Ballesteros – CHC, C, 21.5 – Ballesteros is a below average defensive catcher which makes it unclear if he will end up sticking behind the plate. He’s only 21 years old, so maybe he’ll improve, and maybe Chicago will be fine with his below average defense because they are not strong at catcher in both the majors and the minors. Even if Ballesteros moves off catcher to 1B/DH, he definitely has the bat to clear that high bar. He possesses one of the best hit/power combos in the minors, slashing .289/.354/.471 with 19 homers, 1 steal, and a 18.3/8.9 K%/BB% in 124 games split between Double-A (154 wRC+) and Triple-A (106 wRC+). And keep in mind he did that as a 20 year old. He started to lift and pull the ball more at Triple-A, which spiked his K rate a bit, but we’ll take that tradeoff for more dingers. Lack of defensive value can certainly end up a real issue if his bat ends up more above average than great, but Chicago has every incentive for him to stick behind the plate, so I’m leaning he gets a real shot there. – 2025 Projection: 33/9/39/.258/.307/.420/1 Prime Projection: 73/24/84/.275/.332/.450/2
65) Colson Montgomery – CHW, SS, 23.1 – Montgomery had a pretty damn bad season at Triple-A with 18 homers, an 85.8 MPH EV, a 28.6/12.0 K%/BB% and an 88 wRC+ in 130 games. I’ve talked about this in a previous year’s Strategy Section, but it’s easy to assume every down year for a prospect is him regressing as a player, and every monster year is a true breakout, rather than it sometimes just being a down year or a career year. So even though I was a bit lower than most last year on Montgomery, writing, “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,” I’m still not going to jump ship. His profile remains the same for me as a 6’3”, 225 pound slugger with a clear path to playing time. He also came into the AFL fired up to wash the slate clean with 3 homers, a 6/10 K/BB, and a 1.167 OPS in 11 games, which shows everything you liked about him last off-season is still in here. Hold strong – 2025 Projection: 58/18/65/.223/.296/.411/3 Prime Projection: 82/26/88/.247/.332/.465/7
66) Adael Amador – COL, 2B, 22.0 – I warned that Amador’s elite hit tool would take a step back in the upper minors in my Predicting the 2025 Top 50 Prospects Rankings last off-season, writing,” Amador’s strikeout rate won’t be as elite in the upper minors as it was in the lower minors, and like many Rockies hitters who go from their hitter’s park haven at High-A to their more neutral Double-A park, the offensive production won’t be as eye popping. His value won’t tank but it won’t explode either.” … that is essentially exactly what happened with a .230 BA and 19.3/13.6 K%/BB% in 100 games. And his value actually tanked more than I thought it would, but I’m not sure it deserves to tank that hard. The .261 BABIP shows he was definitely on the unlucky side, and he still had 14 homers, 35 steals, and a 111 wRC+, so it was far from a disaster season. Colorado rushed him to the majors for 10 games in June because they are one of the weirdest franchises out there, but I would ignore those numbers. The 2B job is wide open for him, and while the power likely ends up below average, the hit, plate approach, and speed can certainly make a fantasy impact. – 2025 Projection: 28/5/26/.246/.305/.371/10 Prime Projection: 84/17/62/.273/.341/.426/27
67) Brice Matthews – HOU, SS, 23.0 – Matthews was one of my top targets from his FYPD class because I saw an explosive athlete when watching him, and he proved that explosiveness will translate to the upper minors in 2024, slashing .265/.384/.481 with 15 homers, 32 steals, and a 31.4/13.4 K%/BB% in 79 games at mostly Double-A (but also rookie, High-A and Triple-A). I wish I could raise the victory flag and truly explode him up the rankings, but unfortunately the hit tool was a bit worse than hoped. He was hanging in there with a 26.8% K% at High-A, but it immediately jumped to 33.7% at Double-A, and then 39.6% to close out in the season in 12 games at Triple-A. He’s now in the Puerto Rican Winter League and has a 35.3% K% in 20 games. Sure he’s 5.4 years younger than average in that league, but he’s already a 22 year old college bat who could conceivably break into the majors this year, so he’s not that young for that level really. The dude obviously has a very real strikeout problem, and I can’t just gloss over it. I comped him to Tommy Pham last year, and I predicted like Pham, it could take into his mid 20’s for the hit tool to click, but when it does click, the returns will be very big. I’m sticking with that timeline. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 78/24/74/.233/.318/.431/26
68) Owen Caissie – CHC, OF, 22.9 – Caissie is a super easy evaluation as a low BA, high OBP slugger, but he really doesn’t hit as many homers as you would think with 19 homers in 127 games at Triple-A. His 33.4% FB% is on the low side for a slugger, which is what is holding down the homer totals. It’s helping his BA, hitting .278, but with a 28.4% K% (which is a career best), he’s not going to hit for a high BA in the majors regardless. There could be a scenario where the strikeout rate is hovering around 30% in the majors with a launch that really isn’t all that high, which could result in some pretty mediocre numbers. I mainly bring this up because it’s the most interesting thing about projecting his future value, but when you pan out for the big picture, he’s a powerful and athletic 6’3”, 190 pounds with current plus power and possibly more coming down the line. He’ll also chip in with steals, nabbing 11 bags. And add two stars in OBP leagues with a 12.9% BB%. I don’t want to lose the forest through the trees by slicing and dicing the numbers too much, so I’m still projecting his as a low BA, high OBP slugger no matter how you slice it. There is a short term logjam for playing time, but long term I don’t see many roadblocks. 2025 Projection: 19/6/25/.227/.303/.420/2 Prime Projection: 78/28/91/.246/.335/.480/7
69) Orelvis Martinez – TOR, 2B/3B, 23.5 – Martinez got popped with an 80 game PED suspension in June, and I’m honestly struggling to figure out how much to dock him for that. I didn’t dock Tatis much for his PED suspension, and that turned out to be a good move. But Tatis was an established MLB superstar already. I then followed suit by not docking Noelvi Marte much, and that looks like a mistake with him possibly being the worst player in MLB last year, dropping off everywhere you look. Martinez clearly fits better into the Noelvi mold than Tatis mold, but everyone is their own person, and I don’t want Marte’s season to influence Martinez’ ranking too much for me. Martinez returned in September and he put up a .882 OPS with 1 homer in 11 games at Triple-A, so that is a good sign that the suspension won’t impact him that much. And before the suspension, he was beasting the league with 17 homers, a 13.1% Barrel%, 46.1% Hard Hit%, 23.8/8.5 K%/BB%, and a 120 wRC+ in 74 games. His power is no joke with 30+ potential on the MLB level. Toronto traded for Gimenez, but 3B is still open for the taking, and it wouldn’t be crazy to see Martinez win that role pretty quickly into 2025 (pending any off-season moves). I’m going to stay a bit restrained here because of the suspension, but I don’t want to be overly scared off. This is a big time power bat who is knocking on the door of the bigs with opportunity. I’m cautiously buying. – 2025 Projection: 36/12/43/.229/.298/.422/1 Prime Projection: 76/28/87/.247/.323/.477/3
70) Jacob Misiorowski – MIL, RHP, 23.0 – The hope was that Misiorowski’s control/command would take a step forward this season, but it just didn’t happen. He put up a 14.4% BB% in 97.1 IP at mostly Double-A. They moved him into the bullpen when he got the call to Triple-A, and the control didn’t improve in short outings either with a 14.3% BB%. He finished the season with a 3.33 ERA and 30.5/14.4 K%/BB%. His evaluation basically remains exactly the same from last off-season. He’s 6’7”, 190 pounds with premium stuff and super high upside. The upper 90’s fastball is a double plus bat missing weapon and his breaking balls are plus and miss bats. You hate to say it, but it is really a reliever profile right now. It’s far too early into his development process to write him off as a starter though, and I highly doubt Milwaukee is ready to do that either. Even if he breaks into the majors in the bullpen, he will definitely be a candidate to get transitioned back into the rotation at some point too. I’ll keep betting on the huge stuff and let the chips fall where they may. – 2025 Projection: 3/3.91/1.34/67 in 60 IP Prime Projection: 11/3.58/1.27/183 in 150 IP
71) Josue Briceno – DET, C/1B, 20.6 – As the world’s foremost expert on Josue’s, I presented you with the first zero hype Josue to pick up as quick as possible in 2022 (Josue De Paula), and then knowing a good Josue when I see one, I did the same for the 2nd zero hype Josue in 2023 (Josue Briceno). Both of their hypes have grown considerably since then, and if not for a knee sprain knocking out 2 and a half months of Briceno’s season, his hype could have been even more. But he’s making up for lost time right now in the AFL, winning the MVP award with 10 homers and a 1.376 OPS in 25 games. Even with the knee injury and not really having a good regular season, he still ended up with a 123 wRC+, 89.8 MPH EV and 14.8/12.5 K%/BB% in 40 games at Single-A. He’s 6’4”, 200 pounds with a potentially special hit/power combo. He’s likely a 1B long term, which is perfect for his type of bat. Even with his profile rising, it’s still not enough. He remains a major target for me this off-season. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 84/28/89/.275/.350/.488/3
72) Jarlin Susana – WASH, RHP, 21.1 – I called Susana the Hunter Greene starter pack that was still sitting in the plastic, waiting to be put together coming into this season, and well, he started to assemble those pieces in 2024. After a rough start, he caught fire, putting up a 2.79 ERA with a 39.4/9.3 K%/BB% in his final 77.1 IP split between Single-A and High-A. The Greene comp is actually extremely on point for the similarly sized, 6’6”, 235 pound Susana with an upper 90’s fastball that doesn’t get enough movement, a double plus slider, below average control, and a developing splitter. The improvements that Greene made this season (turning the splitter into a legit third weapon and improving his fastball movement) are the same improvements Susana has to make as he continues to climb the ladder. He also needs to continue to improve his control/command, as he can start to look a big relievery at times. There is still plenty of risk here, but there is legit top of the rotation upside, and he could have a soft landing spot as an elite closer. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 12/3.55/1.26/187 in 165 IP
73) Ethan Salas – SDP, C, 18.10 – Salas is an example of where pushing your prospects too fast goes wrong, although what Salas did as a 17/18 year old at High-A has to be graded on a major curve, and most importantly, it doesn’t matter what his numbers were this year. The only thing that matters is if he’s developing to be an impact major league player down the line, so it’s even too early to say it was a mistake. He slashed .206/.288/.311 with 4 homers, 10 steals, and a 20.9/10.0 K%/BB% in 111 games. The strong K/BB rate is important, because it shows he wasn’t completely overmatched or anything. He was also a bit better towards the end of the season with a .723 OPS in his final 28 games, which he’s carried over into the AFL with a .751 OPS in 23 games. And he hit really well in 2023 at Single-A, so he does have a track record to look at to not be overly concerned about this year. He’s an excellent defensive catcher who will have no problems sticking behind the dish, and that will also juice up his trade value as he ranks extremely high on real life lists. Catchers get downgraded in fantasy in general, and while I do still like his bat a lot, there is a question about exactly how high his offensive upside is. I would value him as a really good prospect, but not an elite one. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 78/24/85/.269/.342/.468/9
74) Brady House – WAS, 3B, 21.10 – House hasn’t had the elite prospect explosion we hoped for when he was a hyped high school bat, and his .241/.297/.402 triple slash with a 26.4/5.7 K%/BB% in 129 games split between Double-A and Triple-A isn’t all that impressive either, but when evaluating prospects, you have to have an eye towards who they can be, rather than who they are today, and House can definitely still be a middle of the order power bat at peak. His power did take a step forward this year with 19 homers, and he’s still a relatively svelte 6’4”, so I think there is more power coming when he gets into his man muscles years. Keep in mind he was just 21 years old in the upper minors, while hyped, similarly aged college bats were struggling or not exactly dominating in the lower minors. He needs to improve his hit tool and plate approach, which is why he isn’t ranked higher on this list, but he still looks on track to be that middle of the order power bat we thought he could be. The Nationals 3B job is also wide open for the taking in both the short term and the long term. – 2025 Projection: 28/9/36/.230/.291/.408/4 Prime Projection: 73/24/84/.253/.326/.457/9
75) Trey Sweeney – DET, SS, 24.11 – Sweeney was one of my favorite proximity stashes during the 2024 season, even moving him into my Top 100 at some point, and his MLB debut just emboldened my love for him. He’s 6’3”, 212 pounds with a 74.1 MPH swing which is in double plus territory. It resulted in a 91.1 MPH EV with a 12.8 degree launch. His 28.1 ft/sec sprint speed is above average to plus, stealing 16 bags in 96 games at Triple-A and 3 bags in 43 games in the majors (including the playoffs). He was also a plus defender at SS. This is a pretty special athlete here. His .642 OPS in 36 games isn’t super impressive, he didn’t exactly dominate Triple-A with a 88 wRC+, and there is hit tool risk with a 32.4% whiff%. But all of those are more than baked into his price, overly so in my opinion. My attention is on the things he does well, and that makes him a very enticing target relative to his perceived value. – 2025 Projection: 71/18/76/.237/.308/.416/11 Prime Projection: 83/22/78/.252/.328/.444/14
76) Deyvison De Los Santos – MIA, 1B/3B, 21.9 – De Los Santos is a one tool player, but that tool is so massive and so important, that it just might overcome that he does nothing else well on a baseball field. And that thing is of course double plus power. He’s a power hitting bull at 6’1” with 40 homers and a 90.6 MPH EV in 137 games in the upper minors. He swings and misses a lot (24.6% K%), he doesn’t walk (5.8% BB%), he hits the ball on the ground way too much (50%+ groundball rates), he’s bad on defense, and he doesn’t steal bases. There is actually one other thing going for him, which is that he’s been very young for the upper minors in 2023-24, and he’ll still be just 21 years old for almost half of the 2025 season. There is time for him to improve his plate skills and launch. If he can, he has the upside to be one of the best power hitters in baseball, but even if he can’t, there is a role for a guy who can hit 30+ homers even if that is all he does well. Miami should also have plenty of opportunity for him if he’s raking. – 2025 Projection: 61/22/72/.228/.280/.435/0 Prime Projection: 73/31/88/.256/.314/.495/2
77) Luke Keaschall – MIN, 2B/OF, 22.8 – Keaschall’s season ended on August 8th with an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery, but we all know by now that you don’t need elbows to hit. Ohtani just went 54/59 while rehabbing from internal brace or whatever super secret surgery he underwent. Keaschall ain’t Ohtani, but point being, I don’t think the surgery should ding his value too much. And his value was starting to get pretty exciting with him proving the profile will transfer to the upper minors, slashing .281/.393/.439 with 8 homers, 9 steals, and a 19.1/12.0 K%/BB% in 58 games at Double-A. He doesn’t have huge raw power, but he hits the ball fairly hard, and can definitely lift and pull it with a 35.3% GB% and 50.3% Pull%. He’s got speed, he gets the bat on the ball, and he has a good approach. It’s possible the good but not great tools will play down a bit on the major league level, and he’s also not a particularly good defensive player, so he’s going to have to hit. But a lift, speed, contact, approach profile is a lot of boxes to check, and the profile is fantasy friendly. – 2025 Projection: 18/4/12/.247/.304/.399/5 Prime Projection: 82/19/72/.266/.334/.436/19
78) Colby Thomas – OAK, OF, 24.2 – Colby Thomas comes to the plate with one thing in mind and one thing only … well, maybe two things … and those things are lifting it and pulling it. He has a relatively open batting stance that telegraphs his intentions, and he executes his plan with a 33% GB% and 54.5% Pull% at Triple-A which led to 17 homers in 73 games (31 homers in 132 games on the season). He’s not necessarily a raw power beast at 5’10”, but he’s pretty thick and he definitely has more than enough power to make his profile work. He’s also a good athlete who stole 15 bases this season and 25 bags in 2023, which gives him that added upside bump to make him a very enticing proximity stash headed into 2025. The thing that can tank him is that the hit tool is very shaky with a 30.3/7.3 K%/BB% at Triple-A, and there is something about the batting stance which feels like it could get a bit exposed in the majors. The profile is actually very similar to Connor Norby, except Thomas has more raw power and runs more, while I trust Norby’s hit tool more. Don’t overextend yourself here, but he’s definitely someone to put a star next to their name if you want to take an upside shot on someone who could very well break camp with the club. – 2025 Projection: 48/13/46/.229/.294/.420/10 Prime Projection: 75/23/78/.252/.318/.452/15
79) Denzel Clarke – OAK, OF, 24.11 – Back in 2023, I literally had Lawrence Butler and Denzel Clarke ranked back to back in my 2023 Top 1,000 Dynasty Baseball Rankings at #744 and #745. They both had extremely similar profiles. They are the same age, they are almost the same size, they are both excellent athletes with plus power/speed combos, they are both Oakland prospects, they are both outfielders, and they both had major swing and miss problems with strikeout rates north of 30% at High-A. But that is where their paths started to split, as Butler made extreme improvements to his strikeout rate, putting up a sub 20% K% in the upper minors in 2023 and 2024 (and obviously holding enough of those gains in the majors), while Clarke’s strikeout rate remained in the 30%+ area … that is until the 2nd half of this season. From June 12th on, Clarke slashed .317/.387/.524 with 9 homers, 30 steals and a 23.5/8.6 K%/BB% in 73 games at Double-A. Granted, he did it two years after Butler, so age to level isn’t as impressive, and he also had to lower his launch to do it with a 50.5% GB%, but that is still a major improvement to see, because like Butler, he has the type of power/speed combo to make a major fantasy impact. Even with the lower launch, he has the power and speed to make that type of profile work. I’ve been heavily debating Colby Thomas vs. Clarke, and while I gave the nod to Thomas because I trust his hit tool and launch more, I think Clarke has the upside nod. He’s a definite target this off-season. – 2025 Projection: 28/7/32/.220/.289/.397/9 Prime Projection: 76/20/74/.244/.318/.430/25
80) Ryan Clifford – NYM, 1B/OF, 21.8 – After hitting only 1 homer in 31 games in New York’s tough High-A ballpark (although he didn’t hit any homers on the road either), Clifford got the call to Double-A as a still 20 year old and lived up to his big power profile. He jacked out 18 homers with a 133 wRC+ and 28.9/15.6 K%/BB% in 98 games. Even at High-A he put up a 124 wRC+, which is the sign of a good player who can still produce when the homers aren’t coming (or it’s a sign that High-A pitchers just didn’t want to pitch to him with a 23.5% BB%). Clifford was one of my favorite targets in his first year player draft class because he looked like a sure bet to become an exciting power hitting prospect, and that is exactly what he’s become. The strikeouts are too high to really put him into that elite tier, but I wouldn’t rule out him improving there at a still young 21 years old. Even if he can’t, the power will play on any level. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 78/31/90/.239/.324/.491/4
81) Cam Collier – CIN, 3B, 20.4 – Collier might be the most underrated power hitting prospect in the minors. He’s a big physical guy at 6’1”, 210 pounds with a powerful and quick lefty swing that is made to do damage, so he most certainly looks the part. It’s what got him drafted 18th overall. And now he has the production part too with a blow up season at High-A as a 19 year old. He smashed 20 homers with a 25.0/13.0 K%/BB% and 129 wRC+ in 119 games. He crushes the ball and the power is at least plus. Age to level production, EV, pedigree, approach, eye test, great eventual home ballpark … Collier has a ton of things going for him, and he really gets barely any hype. There is definitely hit tool risk, but that often comes with the package for young power hitters. Don’t underrate Collier. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 82/29/93/.252/.333/.486/5
82) Xavier Isaac – TBR, 1B, 21.4 – Isaac was always a power over hit prospect, but his hit tool risk shot into the stratosphere this year. He put up a 30.1% K% in 71 games at High-A, and then it got even worse at Double-A with a 40.6% in 31 games. It stayed that bad when he went to the AFL too with a 40.3% in 15 games. He clearly has a major, major problem. He wasn’t nearly this bad in 2023 with a 21.3% K%, so while this didn’t come completely out of nowhere, it’s definitely much worse than expected. He crushes the ball with 18 homers in 102 games, he’s a good athlete with 15 steals in 18 attempts, he gets on base with a 13.3% BB%, and he’s very young, so he’s still a very exciting prospect, but it prevents him from jumping into that elite or near elite tier coming into 2025. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 77/28/86/.240/.324/.469/10
83) Zac Veen – COL, OF, 23.4 – Long gone are the days where Veen is a major prospect target for me. The book is far from written on him, but I think it’s more than fair to say he is one of my biggest misses in terms of ranking him as a near elite prospect a couple years ago. The development simply hasn’t happened like I thought it could, and him being a Rockies prospect, yea, maybe I should have seen that coming. But just because he hasn’t blown up, doesn’t mean he’s still not a pretty enticing fantasy prospect. As I expected, he bounced back from an injury induced down year in 2023, slashing .259/.346/.459 with 11 homers, 21 steals in 25 attempts, and a 24.8/11.1 K%/BB% in 65 games at mostly Double-A and Triple-A. We saw a power uptick that we were waiting for, but it was more of a moderate power uptick than a true explosion. And once again, his year was marred by injuries with a back and thumb injury, which once again sapped some power when he returned. I don’t know whether to think the constant injuries are hiding that upside that made me fall in love originally, or if he’s simply injury prone and it’s something that should be a demerit on his profile. Maybe a little of both. What makes him so exciting for fantasy is his speed and base running ability, which are at least plus, and he also has a good glove in the OF, which could get him on the field. The strikeout rates are elevated and the power looks like it might only end up average at best, so while I still see so much upside at a still projectable 6’3”, 190 pounds, I can’t rank him any higher than this. 2025 Projection: 29/6/26/.229/.292/.371/11 Prime Projection: 78/18/68/.248/.319/.418/25
84) Rhett Lowder – CIN, RHP, 23.1 – Lowder was known as a high floor, low ceiling, fast moving college pitcher in his draft year, and that is exactly what he gave us in 2024. He put up a 3.64 ERA with a 25.3/5.4 K%/BB% in 108.2 IP at mostly Double-A, and then he got the call to the bigs and held his own with a 1.17 ERA (4.25 xERA) with a 17.2/10.9 K%/BB% in 30.2 IP. I trust the K/BB and xERA more than the ERA, but even with the underlying numbers being lackluster, there were other positive takeaways from the debut. Namely his 93.5 MPH fastball put up a very good 27.8% whiff%. Plus control of a good fastball is a very strong foundation, and Lowder is more than just that with a legit 4 pitch mix. The slider and changeup were less impressive in the majors, and he wasn’t putting up big strikeout numbers in the minors, so development of those secondaries will be huge to unlock more upside. As is, he projects as a solid mid rotation starter, but there is definitely upside for more. – 2025 Projection: 5/4.11/1.31/106 in 120 IP Prime Projection: 13/3.72/1.16/177 in 175 IP
85) Zebby Matthews – MIN, RHP, 24.10 – Zebby had a mixed bag MLB debut, and I think it leaned more bad than good. The good part is that the 24.3/6.2 K%/BB% and 4.05 xFIP looks really solid. K/BB is King for pitchers, so that alone tells me that I think Zebby will be fine. But I have some concerns, and those concerns are that his heavily used 94.9 MPH fastball wasn’t nearly as good in the majors as it was the minors, and that his stuff got hit really damn hard in both the majors and Triple-A, leading to a 6.69 ERA in 37.2 MLB IP, and a 5.68 ERA in 19 AAA IP. His fastball put up a 94.3 MPH EV against in the majors and a 93 MPH EV against at Triple-A. His 2nd most used pitch, the slider, also got hit really hard at both stops with a 90.2 MPH EV against in the majors and a 94.7 MPH EV against at Triple-A. He had a 14% Barrel% against in the majors, which is wildly bad. His slider and changeup both missed bats, we know how good his control is with a ridiculous 7 walks in 97 IP in the minors, and this was just his first taste of the majors after starting the season at High-A. He definitely deserves some grace to have an adjustment period, especially because he was reaching a career high in IP, and the strong K/BB rate gives added confidence that he will figure it out. It’s just that I feel his reasonable upside projection drops from maybe a #2 to a #3. – 2025 Projection: 8/4.26/1.31/121 in 120 IP Prime Projection: 12/3.77/1.24/180 in 170 IP
86) Moises Chace – PHI, RHP, 21.10 – Chace has one of those beautiful double plus fastballs that is just a wonder to watch. It visually looks like it’s swimming through the air, picking up speed before it blows by some poor minor league hitter. Saying it’s explosive would be an understatement. It’s been racking up strikeouts in the lower minors since 2021, and then he got his first shot at the upper minors to close out 2024, and he shined with a 3.66 ERA and 45.5/9.1 K%/BB% in 19.2 IP over 4 outings. He combines the fastball with a potentially plus slider and solid changeup. The one thing that can tank him is his control as he put up a 12% BB% in 80.1 IP on the season, and it’s been even worse than that in the past. It definitely might end up being the fatal flaw which puts him in the bullpen, and it prevents me from really going too crazy here, because I do love the stuff. Even with that risk, he’s an excellent upside pitching prospect who should come at a very reasonable price. This isn’t a comp, but think something like what DJ Herz did this year. I’m going after him. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 10/3.81/1.27/168 in 150 IP
87) Brock Wilken – MIL, 3B, 22.10 – Wilken is a 6’4”, 225 pound masher who has the 3B job wide open for him right now with Willy Adames hitting free agency, likely moving Joey Ortiz to SS (or Turang to SS and Ortiz to 2B). There definitely seems to be a path to playing time, and there is little doubt that he will hit dingers and get on base when he gets that chance with 17 homers and a 13.4% BB% in 108 games at Double-A. The hit tool was worse than we hoped for with a .199 BA and 28.2% K%, but some of that was definitely bad BABIP luck. He was also hit in the face with a pitch on April 11th, sustaining multiple facial fractures, so I think we can cut him some extra slack for that, although he performed better the first 3 months after returning than he did in August and September, so maybe that is just an excuse. Either way, I’m betting on the monster power, pedigree (18th pick in the 2023 MLB Draft) and opportunity. – 2025 Projection: 27/11/36/.219/.296/.427/1 Prime Projection: 75/28/86/.238/.320/.476/2
88) Ralphy Velazquez – CLE, 1B, 19.10 – Velazquez was one of my top FYPD targets last off-season, ranking him 21st overall, and he more than delivered with a big season at Single-A. He cracked 10 homers with a 20.1/15.0 K%/BB% and 131 wRC+ in 82 games. He struggled when he got to High-A with a 54 wRC+ in 19 games, but considering he started the year as an 18 year old, that isn’t a big deal. Cleveland moved him off catcher to 1B, which isn’t surprising and is a good thing for fantasy. One of the reasons I loved him so much last off-season was because when a smart team takes a 1B prospect so high (23rd overall), you know they absolutely love the bat, and at 6’3”, 215 pounds with a smooth and powerful lefty swing, it’s hard not to love his bat. He profiles as a classic middle of the order slugger. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 84/30/92/.258/.345/.500/6
89) Cole Young – SEA, 2B/SS, 21.8 – Young put up a 119 wRC+ in 124 games at Double-A as a 20/21 year old, which is impressive, but he did it on the back of an elite 15.8/12.1 K%/BB%, making him a better real life prospect than fantasy prospect. He hit only 9 homers, there isn’t big raw power in here, and he’s not a guy looking to hit dingers with a low launch, all fields approach, so he doesn’t project for big power either. The biggest blow to his fantasy value is that he isn’t a good base stealer, going 23 for 34, and he’s not a true burner, so his upside on the bases is questionable too. I don’t think we should underrate the fact that he was 20 years old at Double-A, and that includes the power/speed numbers, so I don’t want to to be overly harsh, but he remains a better real life than fantasy prospect, which has been the book on him since being drafted. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 88/17/62/.278/.349/.426/18
90) Michael Arroyo – SEA, 2B, 20.5 – Arroyo always had precocious plate skills, writing in his 2024 Top 1,000 blurb, “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.” But I questioned his power upside at only 5’8”, and in 2024, he answered those power questions in a resounding fashion. He clubbed 23 homers in 120 games split between Single-A and High-A, and he did it while remaining a good all around hitter, slashing .285/.400/.509 with a 23.0/12.3 K%/BB%. He can lift and pull, and he can hit the ball hard. His swing looks damn quick to me too. He’s not a burner, but he can run a little bit too with 18 steals. There certainly seems to be some little man discount going on here, because Arroyo has a lot to be excited about. He’s easily a Top 100 dynasty prospect, and if he were 6’2”, we might be talking about him in an entirely different way. The biggest issue is that Seattle will be his home ballpark, and without huge raw power, it’s going to limit his upside. That is why I would hesitate to stick your neck out too much, but I still like him a lot. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 82/22/77/.268/.347/.445/14
91) Ricky Tiedemann – TOR, LHP, 22.8 – Tiedemann underwent Tommy John surgery in late July which will likely wipeout his entire 2025 season. It’s definitely a blow to his value, but honestly, with a young flamethrower like this, it should be completely expected. If you jump ship on every flamethrowing pitching prospect you own after undergoing major elbow surgery, you might as well not even draft them (which is a completely viable strategy, although I don’t mind taking a shot on one or two). I already used Tiedemann as a trade piece last season in my 12 teamer, as even when I do own them, I don’t hesitate to use them in win now deals. That deal netted me 2 years of Will Smith, who helped me secure 3rd place and my money back. Such a fitting lukewarm finish for the lukewarm fantasy player Smith has become. But back to Tiedemann, assuming full health, he has the potential for a plus to double plus fastball/slider combo, to go along with a pretty damn good changeup too. The control/command is below average, so along with the injury, there is certainly a lot of risk in the profile at the moment. Hopefully he can get back on the mound at the end of the season, or even in the AFL, to show the huge stuff is back and to get the hype going into the off-season. He’s definitely still a Top 100 Prospect for me, and even that might be selling him too low. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 13/3.53/1.21/185 in 165 IP
92) Tommy Troy – ARI, 2B/SS, 23.3 – Troy saved his season at the end of the year, because it looked like his dynasty value was in a nose dive before slashing .276/.375/.447 with 4 homers, 9 steals, and a 22.2/11.8 K/BB% in his last 32 games at High-A. He then went to the AFL and kept on hitting with a .864 OPS in 22 games. A hamstring injury knocked out 2 months of his season early in the year, and it seemed like he just couldn’t find a rhythm when he returned, so there is something to point to for the slow start. The skills and general explosiveness of his game that got him drafted 12th overall are all still there. His hype definitely dropped this year, but I would be careful about selling too low here. He’s still a Top 100 prospect for me. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 78/18/71/.251/.320/.427/23
93) Arjun Nimmala – TOR, SS, 19.6 – Nimmala got off to a slow start in full season ball, which is completely understandable considering he was only 18 years old, but once he found his footing, he showed why he was one of the most hyped high school bats in his class. He slashed .265/.331/.564 with 13 homers, 5 steals, and a 29.7/6.4 K%/BB% in his last 53 games. He has one of the sweetest righty swings in the game that is tailored made to launch the ball to the moon with a 46.6% FB%. It’s powerful too with a 89.1 MPH EV, and at a projectable 6’1”, there is only more power coming. He’s also a good athlete who should contribute in steals even if he isn’t a huge base stealer. The biggest issue is clearly the hit tool, but you have to give him some leeway for his age, and the upside is high enough to take on that extra risk. I have Nimmala grouped with Brandon Winokur and Eric Bitonti as tooled up power hitting beasts with hit tool risk in the back half of the Top 100 Prospects Rankings. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 77/28/89/.242/.321/.473/14
94) Dylan Beavers – BAL, OF, 23.7 – Beavers doesn’t have a clear path to a full time job right now, but there are bench jobs available for Beavers to force his way into the lineup at some point during 2025, and we all know injuries/trades happen. He can play all 3 OF spots and is a pretty good defensive player. There is a reason Baltimore didn’t use him as trade bait (yet). I think they like him a lot. There is going to be opportunity eventually, and he has the type of fantasy friendly skillset to go after. He’s a very athletic 6’4”, 206 pounds with a vicious lefty swing that hits the ball hard and hits the ball in the air (15 homers with a 49.1% FB% in 119 games at Double-A). He’s also fast with 31 steals. The hit tool isn’t great with a .241 BA and 22.6/13.2 K%/BB%, but the high walk rates mitigate some of that, and he has the type of power/speed combo to survive a low BA. Beavers looks like a very enticing, not hyped to death fantasy target right now. – 2025 Projection: 17/5/21/.228/.297/.391/5 Prime Projection: 81/20/75/.247/.326/.430/24
95) Brandon Winokur – MIN, SS/OF, 20.5 – Winokur is one of my favorite prospect targets right now relative to perceived value. 6’6”, 210 pound athletes like this don’t grow on trees, and I think he deserves to rise to true unicorn status. His big time power is obvious, and it resulted in 14 homers with a 89.6 MPH EV in 94 games at Single-A. The area of his game that gets considerably underrated, is how good of an athlete he is. He put up plus run times in high school, and then he went out and stole 23 bags in 29 attempts this year. He played both SS and CF this year. This is not some lumbering corner bat. This is a unicorn with real defensive value. The problem, of course, is the hit tool. He put up a 28.0/8.3 K%/BB% and he swings and misses a lot. There is no denying there is very real risk here, but that is why he isn’t like a Top 50 prospect. As is, I believe he is a top 100 fantasy prospect, and he won’t be valued anywhere close to that in off-season prospect drafts. He’s a major target. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 77/26/83/.246/.317/.471/15
96) Eric Bitonti – MIL, 3B, 19.5 – In my End of Season Mailbag Podcast (Patreon), I ran down a list of several of my favorite underrated and/or reasonably priced prospect targets to go after, and Bitonti easily cracked that list. He has future elite power hitting prospect written all over him at 6’4”, 218 pounds with a powerful, athletic and sweet lefty swing that is made to hit bombs. He smoked 8 homers with a 157 wRC+ in 51 games at the age appropriate stateside rookie ball, and then he got called up to Single-A and went nuclear with 8 homers in just 28 games. With his raw power and an over 50% FB%, he can’t not hit homers. He also gets on base a ton with a 16.5% BB%, which offsets some of the swing and miss issues (27.9% K%). And he’s a good athlete with 12 steals in 15 attempts over 79 games, so he should contribute at least a handful in that category. Definitely go after him everywhere. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 84/33/97/.242/.331/.497/8
97) Aidan Smith – TBR, OF, 20.8 – The Rays targeted Smith in the Randy Arozarena trade (along with Brody Hopkins), which is good news for Smith, because he goes from a ballpark that is terrible for his profile, to one that is perfect for him (assuming Tampa goes back to the Trop in future years). Isaac Paredes proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that the righty lift and pull profile can thrive in Tampa, and that is Smith’s game with a 35.7% GB% and 54.4% Pull% (11 homers in 97 games at Single-A). He combines that with projectable power at 6’2”, 190 pounds, plus speed with 41 steals in 47 attempts, and a strong plate approach with a 23.2/14.4 K%/BB%. The hit tool is still on the risky side, but if he gains meaningful raw power as he enters his 20’s, he has true explosion potential. He’s really exciting. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 82/22/76/.250/.338/.443/25
98) Cooper Pratt – MIL, SS, 20.8 – The only thing Pratt didn’t do at Single-A was hit for power, hitting only 3 homers with a 25% FB% in 73 games, but when he got the call to High-A, he immediately proved that he wasn’t going to have any problems getting to his potentially plus power with 5 homers and a 38.7% FB% in just 23 games. At a projectable 6’4”, there is no doubt the raw juice is in there, and he also proved to be an excellent athlete (27 steals) with a strong plate approach (20.0/10.3 K%/BB%). The plate approach was much better at Single-A than High-A, and some of that was certainly because he was trying to get to more of his power. So he’s not a finished product, but the ingredients are in here to be an impact across the board fantasy player. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 80/23/80/.262/.328/.453/18
99) Kyle Teel – CHW, C, 23.2 – Teel was known as a high floor, lower ceiling, quick moving college catcher in last year’s FYPD, and that is exactly what he did in 2024. He slashed .288/.386/.433 with 13 homers, 12 steals, and a 23.0/13.5 K%/BB% in 112 games split between Double-A (145 wRC+) and Triple-A (97 wRC+). His 86.3 MPH EV at Triple-A isn’t super impressive, but he knows how to lift and pull it, so he should get the most out of his raw power. He’s also a good athlete who likes to run relative to other catchers, so that can help his fantasy value even if the homer totals aren’t huge. He had a crystal clear path to Boston’s starting catcher job of the future (and the present), but with his trade to Chicago, he now has to battle it out with Edgar Quero. You have to think Teel is the favorite for most of the at bats, but that might be a bad assumption, and at the end of the day, that will get decided on the field. The trade probably doesn’t change Teel’s dynasty value too much in the grand scheme of things, but it’s a ballpark hit, organization hit, and a bit of a path to playing time hit. – 2025 Projection: 31/7/34/.244/.311/.383/4 Prime Projection: 74/17/68/.268/.342/.430/9
100) Welbyn Francisca – CLE, SS, 18.10 – After getting lots of hype coming off his strong pro debut in the DSL, Francisca’s hype seems to have quieted down to barely a whisper despite a very strong follow up season in 2024. He slashed .328/.418/.523 with 6 homers, 11 steals and a 12.4/12.4 K%/BB% in 45 games at stateside rookie ball, and then he went to full season ball as an 18 year old and didn’t slow down, slashing .325/.402/.402 with 1 homer, 8 steals, and a 20.5/10.6 K%/BB% in 29 games. He’s not a big guy at 5’8”, so power isn’t expected to be a huge part of his game, but he can definitely pack a punch in that small frame. And keep in mind he will still be just 18 years old at the start of 2025. He’s on pace to have one of the most enticing top of the order profiles in the minors, and I wouldn’t completely sleep on his power either. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 89/16/61/.280/.346/.427/28
101) Robert Calaz – COL, OF, 19.5 – The 6’2”, 202 pound Calaz is a straight power hitting beast. He cracked 7 homers in 43 games in the DSL in 2023, he smoked 10 homers in 49 games in stateside rookie in 2024, and then he chipped in 2 homers in 13 games at Single-A to close out the season. He crushes the ball with plus to double plus raw power, and his batted ball profile is conducive to both power and average. He slashed .327/.386/.571 at Single-A as an 18 year old, and has a career .336/.436/.603 triple-slash in 105 career games. He’s done nothing but obliterate every level of pro ball that’s been put in front of him. He doesn’t exactly have my favorite batting stance, but the swing is quick and powerful, and I’m not going to get too caught up in that. The biggest risk is the contact rates, as the strikeout rate has been high at every level (career 23.4% K%, which is quite high for rookie ball levels), culminating with a 28.1% K% at Single-A. We have to trust Colorado to develop him, which isn’t great, and then we have to trust Colorado to actually play him and give him leash, which also isn’t great. Combined with the hit tool risk, it prevents me from going higher than this, but he has one of the top 19 year old power bats in the minors. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 77/28/88/.247/.324/.471/7
102) Joendry Vargas – LAD, SS, 19.5 – Vargas was one of my favorite targets in his international class, and then was once again one of my favorite DSL breakout targets, so if anyone wants to crown him already, it would be me, but I can’t quite crown him yet. He had a strong year in stateside rookie ball with a 129 wRC+, but 4 homers in 38 games shows the game power isn’t quite there yet, the 22.8% K% is on the high side, and he wasn’t that successful on the bases, going 11 for 16. So that means he still needs to improve his hit tool, power, and speed. Completely reasonable for an 18 year old rookie baller to need to improve basically everywhere, and I still love the power upside at a projectable 6’4” with hard hit ability, but it’s not quite that straight rocket ship you really want. He’s a Top 100 prospect for me, but I can’t put him in that truly coveted tier quite yet. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 81/25/85/.257/.336/.465/8
103) Eduardo Quintero – LAD, OF, 19.7 – Quintero was one of, if not the top DSL breakout in 2023, and he mostly backed it up in stateside rookie ball in 2024, slashing .330/.459/.449 with 3 homers, 29 steals, and a 19.3/17.6 K%/BB% in 56 games. It was good for a 142 wRC+. He struggled when he got the call to Single-A with a 77 wRC+ in 27 games, but it came with a 19.6/16.1 K%/BB%, so it’s not like he was completely overmatched or anything. You have to give these kids time to adjust to a new level. He’s an excellent athlete at 6’0”, 175 pounds with plus speed, hard hit ability, a good feel to hit, and a plus plate approach. The launch is geared for both power and average, and he has a good glove in the OF. This guy basically does everything well on a baseball field, and while there is still plenty of development left to go (being more aggressive at the dish, getting stronger, unlocking more game power, proving it at higher levels), you have to trust the Dodgers to get the most out of him. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 86/19/74/.273/.341/.430/26
104) Bryce Rainer – DET, SS, 19.9 – Selected 11th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Rainer is your classic “looks the part” prospect at 6’3”, 195 pounds with a smooth lefty swing, plus power potential, plus athleticism, and a good glove at SS. Corey Seager and Kyle Tucker would be the absolute ceiling comps, while Colson Montgomery would be a more recent comp. Like Montgomery, Rainer is older for his class at 19 years old already, and his hit tool isn’t a slam dunk either quite yet. Come to think of it, Riley Greene might actually be the perfect comp here, and Detroit has done a great job developing Greene. Detroit got their SS version of Greene (although Greene was a slightly more touted prospect in his draft year, so he would be close to a ceiling comp as well). – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 82/25/86/.263/.336/.465/12
105) Braylon Payne – MIL, OF, 18.8 – When a smart franchise sticks their neck out and selects a high school bat higher than expected, you should take notice. I took notice when it happened with Xavier Isaac and Tampa, and then Ralphy Velazquez with Cleveland. I ranked both very high and named them targets. And now I’m going to do the same with Payne after the Brewers selected him 17th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft. The book on the 6’2”, 186 pound Payne coming into the draft was that he had big time talent and upside, but was still on the raw side. Which is why it was so exciting to see his electric pro debut where he slashed .438/.526/.625 with 0 homers, 4 steals, and a 15.8/15.8 K%/BB% in 4 games at Single-A. It’s only 4 games, and the swing isn’t geared towards power right now, but there is definitely raw power in there with a 110 MPH shot already to his name, and he has game breaking speed. He’s also young for the class and will be 18 years old for most of 2025. Payne is the type of target you stick your neck out for in off-season prospect drafts, and after the consensus Top group is off the board, Payne is my next target. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 89/18/63/.267/.334/.436/38
106) Theo Gillen – TBR, SS, 19.7 – Selected 18th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Gillen has near elite dynasty upside at 6’3”, 200 pounds with electric bat speed, potentially plus power, plus speed, and a good feel to hit. He still needs to learn how to fully tap into his raw power, and he underwent shoulder surgery from a torn labrum in 2022, so he’s not a finished product, and he’s not without risk. His pro debut underscored that with a 41.2% K%, .154 BA, and 86 wRC+ in 8 games at Single-A, but the 23.5% BB% mitigates that K rate a bit, it was only 8 games, and in the past, high schoolers debuted in rookie ball. Now they are thrown right into the fire in full season ball. I would give a lot of leeway for all of these high school bats, but I gotta be honest, the 41.2% K% is sticking in my craw right now. You can try to project the hit tool of these high school hitters all you want, but you really don’t know if they will be able to hit pro pitching until they get there. I’m not panicking at all over the super small sample, and I still like him a ton, but I do think that extremely high K rate could be a harbinger of things to come. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 82/20/76/.252/.331/.441/20
107) Sean Burke – CHW, RHP, 25.3 – Here is what I wrote about Burke right after his first start in the majojrs: “I’m far from ready to call Burke a target, but I will say that there are some interesting things brewing here that deserve our attention. He had his 2nd strong MLB outing in a row, going 5 IP with 5 hits, 2 ER, and a 5/2 K/BB vs. Oakland. The fastball sat 95.4 MPH and put up a 29% whiff%, while the slider and curve were solid as well with a 33% and 30% whiff%. It led to a 31% whiff% overall. His first outing against Cleveland was more of the same, and he now has a 2.25 ERA with a 30.4% whiff% in 8 IP. He has size (6’6”, 230 pounds), velocity (mid 90’s heat that misses bats) and bat missing secondaries (slider, curve change). He didn’t perform well at Triple-A with a 4.62 ERA in 64.1 IP, but all 4 of his pitches missed a ton of bats leading to a 31% K%. Control is the biggest problem here with well below average walk rates his entire career, but super tall pitchers can sometimes take longer to make control gains, and we all know that pitching development isn’t linear. So far in the majors he has a 8.3% BB%. Again, I’m not calling him a target, but I am saying there is some very interesting stuff going on here. There are definitely ingredients for a big breakout in the future, and as a free pick up in the vast majority of leagues, I don’t hate it all. Consider this your first little warning on Burke.” … and after that outing, Burke dominated in 2 more starts with 1 ER and a 14/4 K/BB in 11 IP. If he was able to do it in a larger sample, he might have been valued more closely with Spencer Arrighetti (both have similar-ish profiles), and I’m apt to use the small sample to my advantage. The skills are there are to be a high K mid-rotation starter, and he did prove it on the MLB level. He’s an excellent later round target. – 2025 Projection: 8/3.96/1.31/149 in 140 IP
108) Jack Leiter – TEX, RHP, 24.11 – We know that pitching development is especially non linear, which makes me want to stay strong on the 2021 2nd overall pick in the draft with plus bloodlines, but damn is Leiter making it hard. He made his MLB debut and got absolutely shellacked, putting up a 8.83 ERA with a 17.9/9.8 K%/BB% in 35.2 IP. He also didn’t have the minor league career you would have expected from a talent like this, although he was much better in 2024 than 2023 with a 3.51 ERA and 33.3/10.6 K%/BB% in 77 IP at Triple-A. The below average control is killing him, but there is more than enough here for me to stick to my guns about staying strong. His 96.4 MPH fastball is a bat missing weapon that put up a 32.1% whiff% at AAA and a 28.9% whiff% in the majors. His slider was a whiff machine at AAA with a 43.2% whiff%, but it dropped off in the majors with a 21.8% whiff%. But on the flip side, his lesser used curve and changeup were actually pretty good in the majors. The curve put up a .212 xwOBA with a 38.7% whiff% on 11.4% usage, and the change put up a .237 xwOBA with a 35.7% whiff% on 5.8% usage. The pieces are still here to turn into an impact fantasy starter, and it seemingly should be able to work even with below average control, but so far, it just hasn’t come together. We’ve seen this story a million times from top level talents like Leiter, so while he could easily end up being a bust, I’m not writing him off to that fate yet. He’s a hold for me. – 2025 Projection: 7/4.18/1.34/127 in 130 IP Prime Projection: 12/3.74/1.26/183 in 170 IP
109) Caden Dana – LAA, RHP, 21.4 – The Angels fast tracked the talented Dana through their farm system, because of course they did, and once again, it mostly paid off for them. With the right players, they are proving the strategy can definitely work. Dana spent the entire season at Double-A as a 20 year old and excelled with a 2.52 ERA and 27.4/7.3 K%/BB% in 135.2 IP. He then got a taste of the majors and struggled with a 9.58 ERA and 15.4/13.5 K%/BB% in 10.1 IP, but that is basically meaningless. He racked up an impressive amount of innings for a 20 year old, and that was at the end of a very long season. He most certainly looks the part at a rock solid 6’4”, 210 pounds. The fastball sat 93.7 MPH and it gets good movement with bat missing ability. There could also be another tick or 2 coming down the line. The slider is nasty and even in his rough MLB debut it performed well with a 37.5% whiff%. The lesser used changeup, curve and cutter all performed really well too with a 37.5%, 50%, and 66.7% whiff%, respectively. He has about average command of the entire arsenal. He showed off mid rotation upside in 2024, and that was as a 20 year old in the upper minors and the majors. If he can take a step forward this off-season with his arsenal and command, there could be yet another level in here. – 2025 Projection: 4/4.27/1.34/87 in 100 IP Prime Projection: 13/3.73/1.20/194 in 180 IP
110) Jacob Wilson – OAK, SS, 23.0 – Wilson stole just 2 bases in 3 attempts in 53 minor league games, and then he didn’t attempt a single steal in 28 games in his MLB debut. That is just brutal for his type of profile, and with a below average sprint speed, it doesn’t seem like there is much hope for him to really be a major contributor in steals. And without that, there is just no upside in this profile at all with legitimately bottom of the scale power. He had a 84 MPH EV with a 2% Barrel% at Triple-A, and a 85.4 MPH EV with 0 barrels in the majors. He’s a relatively thin and projectable 6’3”, so I definitely don’t think it’s impossible for him to gain power in his mid to late 20’s, but that is an extremely low point to start from. Of course what you are buying is the truly elite contact rates with a minuscule 4.3% K% at Triple-A and a 9.7% K% in the majors, but even with that, he’s going to need to hit the ball harder to truly take full advantage of that. This just isn’t the type of profile I go after in fantasy, but in deep leagues where safety gets a bump, I could see going higher than this. – 2025 Projection: 73/5/42/.273/.328/.381/7 Prime Projection: 88/10/50/.291/.356/.405/10
111) Agustin Ramirez – MIA, C, 23.7 – Ramirez was the crown jewel of the Jazz Chisholm trade, so there is no way that Miami makes this deal if they don’t have every intention of giving him a real shot, and with the catcher job wide open, it seems very possible that he breaks camp as the starting catcher (and also mixing in at some 1B and DH). He profiles as your classic low BA, slugging catcher with 25 homers and a .267 BA in 25 games in the upper minors. The 18.6/11.1 K%/BB% shows the plate skills are also pretty good, making him relatively low risk. The risk comes from the fact that he isn’t a particularly good defensive catcher, so it’s possible the bat will have to hit well enough to profile at 1B/DH as well. He also has former first round Joe Mack and his 2024 breakout right behind him, so there is definitely going to be some competition for that job in the near future. – 2025 Projection: 31/8/36/.238/.309/.418/2 Prime Projection: 58/19/69/.251/.328/.439/5
112) Braxton Ashcraft – PIT, RHP, 25.6 – I love Ashcraft when healthy, but his elbow health is a major question mark headed into the off-season with bright red warning signs flashing. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2022, and when he returned in 2023, his stuff looked electric in 52.2 IP. He again looked electric in the first half of 2024 with a 2.84 ERA and 25.8/4.0 K%/BB% in 73 IP at Double-A and Triple-A. But the elbow problems returned after his July 6th start, hitting the IL until August 30th. His stuff was way down in that one outing and then he hit the IL again with “a recurrent right forearm injury.” As much as I love the mid to upper 90’s fastball, the plus to double plus slider, plus control, size (6’5”), and pitch mix (he also throws a good changeup and curve), I can’t ignore the very major injury risk. It could end up landing him in the bullpen eventually, or very early into 2025 if he has problems ramping up. If I were to ignore the injury risk, I can see ranking him much higher than this, so this placement factors in a healthy dose of risk. – 2025 Projection: 2/4.10/1.28/45 in 50 IP Prime Projection: 8/3.72/1.17/130 in 130 IP
113) Grant Taylor – CHW, RHP, 22.10 – Taylor looked so exciting coming off Tommy John surgery in his pro debut with a 1.13 ERA and 43.1%/4.7% K%/BB% in 16 IP at Single-A over 4 outings, but a lat strain cut his regular season short. He’s 6’3”, 230 with a mid 90’s fastball and a plus breaker as his best pitches. He has high spin rates on all of his pitches. He was the perfect candidate to absolutely blow up with a strong AFL showing, and while he hasn’t done that with a 9.45 ERA and 12/6 K/BB in 6.2 IP over 3 outings, he has established that his nasty stuff is legit. The fastball sits mid to upper 90’s, the slider is potentially plus, and the changeup is promising. He barely has any track record at all with a career high of 31 IP in 2022 in the SEC (52 IP if you include the 2022 Cape), so it’s a mystery if he can stay healthy or if he can maintain this level of stuff over an entire season, but pitchers take this path all the time, and the stuff is undeniable. He definitely has some hype, so his price could vary depending on the league, but I would be more than happy to take a shot on Taylor if you are looking for a high upside arm. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 9/3.82/1.31/148 in 140 IP Update: He’s looked fire this spring and has been untouchable
114) Drake Baldwin – ATL, C, 24.1 – Baldwin has a path to playing time problem with Sean Murphy under contract through 2028 at least, and I don’t see why Atlanta would be motivated to trade either one of them (although it’s certainly possible). Both of their bats are good enough to get some DH at bats, so I think both could theoretically survive even without a trade, but it cuts majorly into the projected playing time for them over the next several years. It’s a shame for fantasy, because Baldwin is proving to have one of the most exciting prospect catcher bats in the game. He destroyed Triple-A with 12 homers, a 92.8 MPH EV, a 16.2/15.6 K%/BB% and 135 wRC+ in 72 games. He has the power, contact and plate approach to be a Top 5 fantasy catcher at peak, but along with Sean Murphy, there are a few things keeping me from going too crazy. His 96 wRC+ in 52 games at Double-A was not as good as his Triple-A run. His 7.7 degree launch isn’t great and his groundball rates have been pretty high in the upper minors. His hit tool is also projected to be closer to average at best, rather than a truly impact tool. You don’t need to be all that great to be one of the top hitting catchers in baseball, but tack on Sean Murphy to all of that, and he lands more as a Top 100 prospect for me rather than one I’m really targeting. 2025 Projection: 18/5/22/.238/.307/.399/1 Prime Projection: 64/20/78/.260/.335/.438/1
115) Alejandro Rosario – TEX, RHP, 23.3 – The only box Rosario didn’t check in 2024 was upper minors production, and while I do think that is a big step, even for pitchers, you can only dominate the competition that is put in front of you, and Rosario utterly dominated the lower minors. He put up a 2.24 ERA with a 36.9/3.7 K%/BB% in 88.1 IP split between Single-A and High-A. He’s 6’1”, 182 pounds with an athletic righty delivery that he uses to fire 3 potentially plus or better pitches. The fastball sit’s in the mid to upper 90’s and it’s a bat missing weapon, He combines that with two plus secondaries in his slider and splitter, giving him the ability to get both lefties and righties out. The control was elite this season. He wasn’t nearly this good in college (7.11 ERA with a 11.6% BB% in 74.2 IP his junior year), which is why he fell to 144th overall in the 2023 Draft, but Texas made some changes to his delivery and arsenal, giving reason to buy into the monster breakout. I would still like to see it in the upper minors first, and see him do it for a 2nd straight season in general, before truly valuing as an elite prospect, but if he dominates in his first start or two at Double-A in 2025, he will be a truly elite pitching prospect in the blink of an eye. White and Sykora have the more traditional path of size, youth, and pedigree, which is why my bet is on one of them to be the top dog in 2026, but maybe I’m sleeping on Rosario swooping in. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 13/3.52/1.18/189 in 170 IP Update: Underwent Tommy John which will knock him out for all of 2025
116) Trey Yesavage – TOR, RHP, 21.8 – Selected 20th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, the 6’4”, 225 pound Yesavage has been beating up on inferior competition in the American Athletic Conference for 2 years now, putting up a 2.03 ERA with a 40.4%/8.9% K%/BB% in 93.1 IP in 2024. But he’s not just the product of his competition with 3 potentially plus pitches in his mid 90’s fastball, hard slider, and nasty splitter. He has weapons to get guys out from both sides of the plate and his control is solid. He likely slid to 20th in the draft because of a collapsed lung that he suffered in May, which I guess does add some unknown long term risk, but all signs seem to indicate that he is okay now. There is definitely potential for him to become an impact mid rotation fantasy starter. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 12/3.76/1.22/180 in 170
117) Ryan Bliss – SEA, 2B/SS, 25.4 – Maybe I got a little too overexcited about Bliss when I named him a major target mid-season, but I still love his potential fantasy impact relative to his super, super subdued hype, and even after the Jorge Polanco signing, there is still a path to playing time if he forces the issue. The main selling point is the stolen base upside with him stealing 50 bags in 93 bags at Triple-A. But what makes him so exciting, is that he is not just a light hitting speedster. He can actually hit the ball pretty damn hard, and he showed that in his MLB debut with a 88.5/98.2 MPH AVG/FB EV. The EV was strong at Triple-A too with an 88.8 MPH EV. He’s not a huge lift and pull guy, but he can lift and pull enough to rip some dingers (12 in 93 games at AAA), and especially in Seattle’s ballpark, we don’t want him to lift and pull. Hitting the ball hard all over the field works perfectly for his profile. He’s also a good 2B. The biggest issue is that the hit tool is not quite optimal for this type of profile. He put up a 22.4% K% at AAA and a 31% K% in the majors. The plate approach is good with a 14.1% BB% at AAA and an excellent 21% Chase% in the majors, which mitigates the hit tool somewhat, but not all the way. That is the thing holding me back from going too crazy, but Bliss could be free to very cheap in most leagues, and why not take a shot. – 2025 Projection: 61/13/52/.237/.304/.380/23 Prime Projection: 77/17/66/.254/.325/.416/31
118) Jhostynxon Garcia – BOS, OF, 22.3 – Garcia is one of my top prospect targets relative to perceived value, and he was one of several prospect targets I named in my End of Season Mailbag Podcast (Patreon). He has legit thunder in his bat with a quick and powerful righty swing that resulted in 23 homers in 107 games. He hits the ball really hard and he lifts it with all fields power. He’s also a good athlete who can play CF, and he’ll run a bit too with 17 steals. He started the year at Single-A and flew all the way through to Double-A by mid August. He wasn’t quite as good at Double-A as he was in the lower minors, but he still put up an above average 103 wRC+, and the most important thing is that his K rate didn’t skyrocket with a 19% K%. The hit tool and plate approach are certainly the biggest risk here with a 21.6/7.2 K%/BB% overall, but the K rate actually got better at each higher level, and he walked a ton in 2021-23, so he has that skill in there. His combination of power, athleticism and good OF defense is very enticing, and the hit tool was actually pretty decent this year. Boston is crowded, so he doesn’t have a path to playing time, but trades happen and injuries/ineffectiveness happens too, so he’ll get his shot eventually, and when he does, we could be looking at a guy who puts up big EV’s with a high launch, above average sprint, positive defense value, and good enough K rates. He can be a legit impact fantasy bat going for a price way under that right now. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 76/25/84/.247/.321/.458/12
119) Brayden Taylor – TBR, 3B/SS, 22.10 – Taylor destroyed High-A with 14 homers, 26 steals, a 24.8/15.9 K%/BB% and a 154 wRC+ in 84 games, but he’s an advanced college bat, and he doesn’t have big raw power or big raw speed, so seeing what he could do in the upper minors was important, and it was a mixed bag at best. The K% exploded to 36.8% (.194 BA), but he still knocked out 6 homers with 3 steals and a 113 wRC+ in 30 games. He’s a lift and pull machine, so even without big raw power, he can hit dingers, and he’s not a burner, but he’s been a really good base stealer at every stop of his career. It’s the hit tool that is the real problem, and while I’m sure he will be better his second time around in the upper minors, it’s still not a good sign for what his hit tool will look like in the majors. A high K rate with mediocre EV’s and lots of flyballs is a recipe for a very low BA. It’s still a fantasy friendly skillset with pedigree (19th overall pick) and strong production at every stop of his career, so while I can’t call him a truly coveted prospect, I still like him. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 78/20/76/.242/.325/.435/15
120) Max Muncy – OAK, SS, 22.7 – Muncy cracks the 3B list too because there are rumors he could be competing for that open job. Considering he was the 25th overall pick in the 2021 Draft, he’s been flying super low under the radar despite strong minor league results throughout his career, especially when you consider age to level. Oakland has been relatively aggressive with him, and he’s responded to the challenge every single time, culminating with him putting up a 117 wRC+ in 50 games at Triple-A in his age 21 year old season this year. He doesn’t have a standout area in his game, which is likely why the hype has been so quiet, but he’s just a good all around player with 8 homers, 4 steals, and a 24.6/8.9 K%/BB%. He has about average power right now which should only tick up in the next few years, he’s a very good athlete who should contribute in steals, and he’s known as a good defensive SS, so his glove should help him get on the field The strikeout rates have been high throughout his career and there is definitely hit tool risk, so that combined with the fact he doesn’t really have standout power or speed makes me hesitant to go higher than this. He still feels underrated to me though. – 2024 Projection: 36/9/43/.226/.289/.392/7 Prime Projection: 72/20/77/.248/.321/.435/12
121) Alfredo Duno – CIN, C, 19.3 – Duno skipped right over stateside rookie ball and opened the season at Single-A, which tells you how much Cincinnati loved this kid. And really everyone loved this kid as a hyped up international signing who destroyed the DSL and most certainly looks the part at 6’2”, 210 pounds. Not only did he hold his own at the level, but he thrived with a 127 wRC+, 10.5% Barrel%, 89 MPH EV, and a 19 degree launch. He only hit 3 homers in 32 games, but that clearly isn’t indicative of his true talent level. And he only played in 32 games because his season ended in late May with a broken rib. There is hit tool risk with a 28.8% K%, but considering how young he was the level, I’m not overly concerned with that. He’s an elite power hitting catcher prospect waiting to happen, and he has the type of true upside to go after this off-season. I’ve been calling him a target since his signing year, and now is certainly the time to strike even in shallower leagues. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 74/28/82/.251/.338/.487/5
122) Harry Ford – SEA, C, 22.1 – Ford is just not hitting the ball hard enough to feel comfortable flying him up the rankings with only 7 homers in 116 games at Double-A. It’s not a hard and fast line, but if you don’t have the power breakout in your age 21 year old season, I start to dock some points on a prospect’s future power potential. Even without hitting the ball hard, he still had a very strong season with a 119 wRC+, 35 steals, and a 22.0/14.1 K%/BB% at Double-A. He definitely has more raw juice in his bat than he’s shown, so even though I do have his value sliding, it’s not like I think a future power breakout can’t happen, and if it does, the speed, lift, pull, and plate approach will be there waiting for it. It’s uncertain if he can stick at catcher with Seattle playing him in the OF some, but due to his speed, he has the fantasy upside to profile there. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 76/18/68/.248/.333/.411/21
123) Joey Cantillo – CLE, LHP, 25.3 – I’ve always had Cantillo as around a #4 upside type, and while I still have him pegged in that area, his performance in the majors showed he has the goods to beat that projection. He put up a 4.89 ERA (3.83 xERA) with a 27.0/9.2 K%/BB% in 38.2 IP. The 92.2 MPH fastball got hit hard, but it was able to miss bats with a 22% whiff%. The changeup was straight elite with a .207 xwOBA and 43.7% whiff%. The lesser used curve and slider also performed real well with above average xwOBA’s and bat missing ability. It led to a 31.1% whiff% overall, which is elite for a starter. The fastball is below average and the control is below average, which is why I’ve been hesitant to buy in, but proving he can miss that many bats on the MLB level is exciting. He doesn’t seem to have a rotation spot at the moment, but he can certainly win one, and I’m sure he’ll get plenty of innings regardless. I didn’t think I was going to like Cantillo a ton coming into this blurb, but I’m digging him. – 2025 Projection: 6/4.18/1.33/103 in 100 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.78/1.29/164 in 150 IP
124) Nick Yorke – PIT, 2B, 23.0 – Yorke was quietly smashing the ball all season at Triple-A with a 91.5 MPH EV, and then he got called up to the majors and put up a 15.4% Barrel%, 89.7 MPH EV, and a .383 xwOBA in 42 PA. He’s damn fast with a double plus 28.9 ft/sec sprint, he has a strong plate approach (24.4% Chase%), and he has a potentially above average to plus hit tool (.333 BA with a 18.9/12.2K%/BB% at AAA, plus a .290 xBA in the majors). I want to get really damn excited and tell you to target him everywhere, but there are a few things which I can’t just gloss over. He has a mostly line drive approach, so the game power isn’t huge right now, and he’s not a great base stealer, so he’s not going to rack up steals either. Really his biggest issue is that he isn’t a good defensive player. Nick Gonzales is the better defender and he had a relatively exciting year as well, so he’s the favorite for the job in the short term, and Termarr Johnson is the favorite to man 2B in the long run. That leaves Yorke as a utility type (he played 2B, OF, and 3B this year). Injuries happen and the cream generally rises to the top, so if Yorke hits, and I think he will, he is very likely to find plenty of at bats in 2025. Without being the favorite for a full time job, I wouldn’t be willing to really reach for him, but I will be hoping to scoop him up on the cheap everywhere I can. – 2025 Projection: 46/11/51/.252/.308/.403/10 Prime Projection: 81/18/73/.273/.334/.430/14
125) Yoeilin Cespedes – BOS, SS/2B, 19.7 – Cespedes’ season ended on June 21st a broken hamate, but he was one of the top rookie ball breakouts before going down with the injury. He slashed .319/.400/.615 with 5 homers, 3 steals, and a 18.1/11.4 K%/BB% in 25 games. It was good for a 163 wRC+, and this was coming off the 145 wRC+ he put up in the DSL in 2023. He’s a lift and pull machine who takes absolute daddy hacks at the dish with a monster righty swing. He swings much bigger than his 5’8” size would indicate. I’m thinking the contact rates could take a step back in full season ball, but I believe in the power despite not being a huge human being. If the contact rates don’t take a step back, we could be looking at a very potent hit/power combo, and even if they do, he should remain a very good prospect. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 77/25/84/.268/.329/.458/8
126) Alex Freeland – LAD, SS, 23.7 – I’m pretty certain I’m the only one crazy enough to have called Freeland a target in his FYPD class after getting drafted 105th overall, but you know how strongly I feel about good pro debuts (and bad pro debuts), even in small samples, and Freeland had himself a hell of a pro debut with a 152 wRC+, 3 homers, and 2 steals in 8 games in rookie ball. That was enough for me to target him late, and look at him just two years later, getting major mainstream hype. Please ignore the fact that he actually didn’t crack my 2024 Top 1,000 after his lukewarm year in 2023 
… but my point still stands, pro debuts mean a lot, and certainly when you are looking for late round sleepers. And now that he is getting rained down with hype, I hate to be that guy, but I think he might be getting overrated now. A lot of his damage and hype came from dominating High-A in 23 games, but he was 22 year old and repeating the level. He was good at Double-A too with a 127 wRC+, but a .245/.370/.422 triple-slash isn’t exactly blowing the doors off, and he struggled at Triple-A, slashing .243/.335/.396 with a 26.8% K% and 85 wRC+ in 39 games. The bottom line is that he hit under .250 at the age appropriate levels of the upper minors with a pretty high strikeout rate. He has very real hit tool risk. But enough raining on his parade. He’s definitely exciting with an above average to plus power/speed combo, jacking out 18 homers with 31 steals in 136 games. He hits the ball hard and he’s fast, so those numbers aren’t a mirage. He also has a good infield glove, so his glove should only help him get in the lineup. Whenever a former deep sleeper blows up, they will always hold a fond place in my heart, but perceived value shifts, and my feelings on a player have to shift with percieved value. Right now, I think he might be a tad overrated even though I still like him. – 2025 Projection: 17/3/19/.229/.293/.378/5 Prime Projection: 77/19/71/.248/.324/.421/21
127) Franklin Arias – BOS, SS/2B, 19.4 – I have Arias in the same category that I had Jefferson Rojas in last off-season when Rojas was getting a ton of hype. They don’t jump off the screen, they don’t have huge size, and they don’t have huge tools, but they are just really good baseball players who do a lot of things well on a baseball field. I like them, and I definitely like them for real life, but they are probably a bit overrated for fantasy. Arias demolished rookie ball with a 181 wRC+ on the back of elite plate skills with a 17.5/16.5 K%/BB% in 51 games. He then got the call to Single-A and wasn’t as impressive, slashing .257/.311/.378 with 3 homers, 5 steals, and a 17.5/9.6 K%/BB% in 36 games. He was only 18, so that is still a very solid line, but I do think it underscores how the production might not look so outsized against more advanced competition. He hit 9 homers in 87 games, so he has some pop, and he stole 35 bags, so a he’s a good baserunner despite not being a burner. An up the middle glove with good contact rates and some power and speed is a really high floor real life profile, but we play fantasy, and we want upside. He’s a Top 100-ish fantasy prospect, so again, I like him, but I don’t think he’s a truly coveted one. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 83/18/68/.273/.338/.428/15
128) Demetrio Crisantes – ARI, 2B, 20.7 – Crisantes doesn’t necessarily jump off the screen when you watch him, but he has a very quick and controlled righty swing, which he combines with plus plate skills, that has resulted in him raking everywhere he’s played. He made it to Single-A by the 2nd half of the season and slashed .333/.429/.478 with 6 homers, 20 steals, and a 15.9/12.9 K%/BB% in 63 games. He can hit the ball relatively hard, and there is room to tack on more mass at 6’0”, 178 pounds. The swing is geared more for average than power right now, he’s not a true burner, so the steal totals could come down against more advanced competition, and many of the best players at Single-A got promoted by the time he hit the league (that one is a very small one, but it’s something knocking around in my brain on 2nd half lines at Single-A). I like him, but I wouldn’t go too crazy for him quite yet. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 79/18/73/.272/.331/.427/20
129) Druw Jones – ARI, OF, 21.4 – Jones got his career back on track after a disastrous pro debut in 2023, but it still wasn’t a particularly impressive year considering what we expected out of him after getting drafted 2nd overall. He went back to Single-A and slashed .275/.409/.405 with 6 homers, 21 steals, and a 28.0/18.0 K%/BB% in 109 games. It was good for a 125 wRC+. The strikeout rate is way to high for a 20 year old at Single-A, and so is the 57.2% GB%. Even with a .409 OBP, he still only stole 21 bags in 26 attempts, and with speed now looking like the main selling point here, that really isn’t that impressive. All of the raw tools and bloodlines that got him drafted so highly are still there at a projectable 6’4”, 180 pounds with a plus raw power/speed combo, but he still looks so raw out there. He needs to refine his game in every aspect (other than defense, where he is a plus CF, which will help get him on the field for sure). Right now he looks on track to be more of a mid 20’s breakout candidate, which isn’t what you want when you draft a high schooler 2nd overall, but that is where we are at. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 78/17/67/.247/.320/.429/22
130) Joe Mack – MIA, C, 22.3 – Mack is a former 1st round high school catcher who had his power breakout in his age 21 year old season, cracking 24 homers in 125 games at mostly Double-A. A lot of 21 year old’s have that power breakout as juniors in college, while Mack had his at Double-A. It resulted in a well above average 129 wRC+. He’s built like a catcher at a strong 6’0”, 210 pounds with a powerful lefty swing, and he’s known as a good defensive player. Since Agustin Ramirez’ catcher defense is shaky, Mack very well might be the odds on favorite to be the Marlins catcher of the future. And they can certainly share the position with Ramirez getting at bats at 1B/DH as well. The 25.7/9.7 K%/BB% shows there is hit tool risk, so he likely profiles as your classic low BA, slugging catcher. – 2025 Projection: 10/4/14/.218/.283/.392/0 Prime Projection: 53/21/64/.242/.313/.431/2
131) Jeferson Quero – MIL, C, 22.6 – Quero underwent season ending shoulder surgery on his throwing shoulder just 1 PA into 2024. Shoulders are important for hitting, and they are also very important defensively for a catcher. It definitely adds in some risk that needs to be taken into account. He’s also very clearly blocked by William Contreras who isn’t a free agent until 2028, and I don’t think Milwaukee is going to have any urgency to move either of these guys, so Quero might have to wait until 2028 to take over the starting catcher job. Injuries and playing time aside though, Quero is an excellent catcher prospect with an above average hit/power combo and good defense. He hit 16 homers with a 17.8/10.0 K%/BB% in 90 games at Double-A in 2023. He can easily be a top 10 fantasy catcher at peak, and there is top 5 upside as well. If there was a clear path to playing time, I would rank him considerably higher than this. – 2025 Projection: 11/4/15/.245/.304/.408/1 Prime Projection: 65/20/74/.268/.329/.448/4
132) Thayron Liranzo – DET, C, 21.9 – The trade to Detroit must have lit a fire under Liranzo, because he went from hitting 7 homers with a .700 OPS in 74 games at High-A for LA, to jacking out 5 homers with a 1.031 OPS in 26 games for Detroit. He’s also decimating the AFL with a 1.158 OPS in 15 games. He came over in the Jack Flaherty trade along with Trey Sweeney, so you know Detroit loved this kid, and he proved them correct very quickly. He’s a big boy at 6’2” with a powerful swing from both sides of the plate. He’s not a lock to stick behind the plate, but he has the bat to profile at 1B/DH, and I don’t think Detroit makes this trade if they thought he couldn’t stick there. Detroit doesn’t have a strong organizational catcher depth chart at all, so they have every reason to stick with him there. He profiles as your classic low BA slugging catcher if he sticks. He’s less exciting as a 1B/DH prospect, but still not a bad prospect there either. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 66/24/73/.242/.323/.460/2
133) Eduardo Tait – PHI, C, 18.7 – Tait started his career as a 16 year old in 2023 … we think. Baseball has been catching players lie about their ages more and more, and lying about your age has really always been a thing in spots. I remember back in 2021 the Danny Almonte Little League World Series controversy where he ended up being two years older than claimed. I always assumed it was kinda an open secret that teams knew the players real ages internally, and it seems MLB is now trying to crack down on it. It’s always something I had in the back of my mind, but it’s never something I took into account when ranking players. I can’t just make wild speculations on which players are older than they claim, and beyond that, try to guess how much older. It just seems like too many wild goose chases, witch hunts, etc … and it’s just not something I want to poison my love for the game and prospects with. I want to get excited about these players, not think about them with a cloud of suspicion. I’m not using the Tait blurb to say all this for any reason other than being a professional baseball player at 16 years old is cool as hell, ha, and not only that, he’s a damn good one. He ripped up the DSL in 2023, and then he came stateside in 2024 and just kept on raking. He smacked 6 homers with a 14.6% K% and 132 wRC+ in 51 games in rookie ball, and then he got the call to Single-A and crushed 5 homers with a 28.9% K% and 117 wRC+ in 28 games. He did this as a 17 year old. He’s a thick 6’0” with a whip quick and powerful lefty swing that is made to launch the ball. There are questions if he can stick behind the plate and he chases a lot, so plenty of refinement is still needed, but who didn’t need refinement at 17 years old. He’s a really good candidate to be one of the best offensive catcher prospects in the game in the next 1-2 years. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 64/24/77/.260/.318/.450/3
134) Blake Mitchell – KCR, C, 20.8 – It was a bit of a head scratcher when the Royals selected Mitchell 8th overall, and while I still question the pick a bit, Mitchell proved he is an excellent catcher prospect in his first full year of pro ball. He slashed .238/.376/.439 with 18 homers, 25 steals, and a 30.5/17.0 K%/BB% in 106 games at Single-A. It was good for a 141 wRC+. He has a quick and powerful lefty swing that is made to lift and pull, giving him considerable power upside at peak, and while he’s not a burner, the 25 steals show how good of an athlete he is. He should at least chip in there. Of course, the big question is the hit tool. If he can just get to below average, he can be your classic low BA slugging catcher, but there is no guarantee he can get to that. Add a star in OBP leagues because he walks a ton, but the hit tool is going to have to show improvement no matter what. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 66/25/74/.227/.314/.438/9
135) Bryan Ramos – CHW, 3B, 23.1 – Ramos did not have a good MLB debut with a .586 OPS in 32 games, and he didn’t play particularly well in the minors either with a 98 wRC+ in 64 games at Triple-A, but like I mentioned in the Montgomery blurb, there is still a collection of skills here that I’m buying. Despite the poor MLB debut, he put up a 20.4% K%, 25.5% Chase%, a 90.1 MPH EV, an 11.8 degree launch, and a 28.7 ft/sec sprint speed. For a bad debut, that is a damn good collection of numbers. He was also getting hot at Triple-A towards the end of his stay there with 7 homers and a .894 OPS in his final 37 games, which shows you to not get too hung up on the down minor league numbers either. Chicago has nothing but opportunity, so they are going to give him every chance to establish himself. He might not be a league winner, but 20+ homers with a decent BA and a handful of steals is more than useful in most fantasy leagues. – 2025 Projection: 41/13/52/.233/.292/.403/4 Prime Projection: 71/23/80/.252/.318/.450/8
136) Tyler Locklear – SEA, 1B, 23.8 – Locklear’s hit tool fell off a cliff in his MLB debut with a .156 BA, 40.8% K%, and 37% whiff% in 49 PA. It’s a small sample, and you have to give him time to adjust to the highest level, but it’s really not what you want to see. He’s not the type of prospect that is just going to be handed a job, so he’s going to have to start hitting pretty quickly if he wants to lock in a full time role anytime soon. He’s also in a terrible hitter’s park, which will subdue his offensive stats to begin with. He has plus power with 16 homers in 111 games in the upper minors, and he even had an above average 8% Barrel% in the majors, so he can certainly make an impact, but the power isn’t really off the charts. Combined with the ballpark and hit tool issues, the reasonable ceiling here is likely more of a solid fantasy bat than a great one, and that is assuming he can win a job eventually. Seattle currently has opportunity at both 1B and DH, so he could earn that opportunity in 2025. – 2025 Projection: 35/11/42/.230/.302/.402/2 Prime Projection: 76/24/81/.251/.332/.448/5
137) CJ Kayfus – CLE, 1B, 23.5 – I just realized that I have the same birthday as CJ Kayfus! Let’s go Scorpios! That has to be worth at least a few spots in the rankings But you don’t need to have the same birthday to appreciate the season Kayfus just had. He obliterated High-A (188 wRC+ in 40 games), and then he proved the skills will transfer to Double-A with 10 homers, a 139 wRC+ and 28.2/12.1 K%/BB% in 67 games. He has one of the sweetest lefty swings out there which helps his solid but not great raw power play up at 6’0”, 192 pounds. He’s not an extreme lift and pull guy, but he can lift and pull it. The strikeout rate jumping so high at Double-A is a little concerning, because he doesn’t have big defensive value, and like I mentioned, the raw power isn’t off the charts. He’s a good 1B and he can play some corner outfield, so there is at lest some defensive value there. He has the type of bat you want to bet on, but Cleveland has a ton of competition for at bats at his positions, and his profile isn’t bulletproof enough to completely overlook that. He’s a fringy Top 100 prospect for me. – 2025 Projection: 16/5/19/.239/.308/.407/1 Prime Projection: 75/23/79/.252/.331/.447/6
138) Tre’ Morgan – TBR, 1B/OF, 22.9 – The only stop of Morgan’s career where he had less than a .316 BA was when he got to Double-A in late August. He put up a .211 BA in 21 games. His K% also jumped up to 18.7% from 7.8% at High-A. There isn’t high upside here with a moderate power/speed combo at best, so seeing him immediately struggle harder than he ever has the first time he faced advanced competition isn’t great. Don’t get me wrong, I still think he can be a solid MLB bat, but if the hit tool is only good and not great, I just don’t see how he can be a true impact fantasy player. He also struggled hard vs lefties (.521 OPS), so especially with Tampa, it looks likely he will be in a platoon role. This blurb ended up being much more negative than even I expected, because at the end of the day, I do believe this guy is going to hit at any level. I’m just worried about the upside. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 78/14/66/.280/.336/.422/13
139) Luke Adams – MIL, 3B, 20.11 – Everything I liked about Adams when I named him a deep FYPD sleeper in 2022/23, I still like about him now. He’s 6’4”. 210 pounds with plus raw power, good athleticism, and a plus approach. And he keeps proving the profile will transfer one level at a time. He conquered High-A in 2024 with a 154 wRC+, 11 homers, 28 steals and a 21.3/18.7 K%/BB% in 101 games. While there is a lot to like, you can pretty easily build a case against him too. He still hasn’t fully tapped into that raw power, he’s not a true burner and he gets caught stealing a solid amount (10 CS), and the hit tool has been pretty bad with a .227 BA in 2024 and .233 BA in 2023. It’s not hard to see this profile start to fall apart a bit when he gets to the upper minors, and then ultimately the majors. That is why seeing him prove it at Double-A in 2025 is going to be a big step, and only then can his hype really explode into Top 100 prospect range. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 81/20/76/.252/.333/.441/14
140) James Triantos – CHC, 2B, 22.2 – Triantos ran a ton in 2024, stealing 47 bags in 115 games split between Double-A and Triple-A. I’m leading with that because it gives his profile an upside boost which he needed for fantasy. The contact rates have consistently ranged from plus to elite throughout his minor league career, putting up an 11.1 K% this season, but both the game power and raw power are well below average. He put up a 85.9 MPH EV at Triple-A with a 2 degree launch. He doesn’t walk much with a 5.6% BB%, which isn’t great for his chances to hit at the top of the lineup, and he’s not really an asset on defense as a solid 2B. The hit/speed combo is certainly good enough to make him a good fantasy prospect, but lack of impact, OBP and defense keeps him just outside the Top 100. – 2025 Projection: 19/2/11/.260/.303/.365/7 Prime Projection: 81/11/52/.282/.328/.408/26
141) Seaver King – WAS, SS, 21.11 – You know how I often say that if you hit it hard, hit if often, and are fast that good things tend to happen, well, that is King’s game to a T. Selected 10th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, the 6’0”, 195 pound King has a lightning quick swing that is very powerful, controlled and produces very hard contact. He can spray hard liners all over the field. He combines that with plus to double plus speed with 31 steals in 33 attempts in 149 career college games. And finally, tack on tons of contact with a 12% K% in 60 games in the SEC. That is a profile that consistently makes things happen on a baseball field. There isn’t a ton of game power because of his hitting profile, but he still jacked out 16 homers in college, and he’s an aggressive hitter with high chase rates. That profile completely transferred to Single-A, both the good (.295 BA, 14.4% K%, and 10 steals in 20 games), and the bad (0 homers with a 53.8% GB%). The hit tool and speed give him a high floor, and if he can raise his launch, the raw power is in there to give him some legit upside too. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 87/16/69/.274/.330/.427/26
142) Slade Caldwell – ARI, OF, 18.9 – Selected 29th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, of course it was the Diamondbacks to jump on the 5’6” Caldwell at the end of the first round. They were also the team to jump on the undersized Corbin Carroll when he fell in his draft year. Little guys falling in the draft is a tale as old as time, and Arizona recognizes a good thing in a small package when they see one. Caldwell is basically the exact replica of Jett Williams from the 2022 draft, except he’s a lefty. He may be short, but he is not weak with a very built up frame and the ability to hit the ball pretty damn hard. He unleashes some explosive lefty swings, but as you can tell from the comps, what you are buying is the elite hit/speed combo. The plate approach is top of the class, he makes tons of contact, and the speed is double plus. He’s also super young for the class. Buy the little man discount. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 89/14/68/.284/.355/.423/30
143) Ryan Waldschmidt – ARI, OF, 22.6 – Selected 31st overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Waldschmidt is a rock solid 6’2”, 205 pounds with a howitzer of a righty upper cut swing. He hits the ball hard, he’s a good athlete who loves to run, and he has a strong plate approach. He slashed .333/.469/.610 with 14 homers, 25 steals, and a 16.5%/15.0% K%/BB% in 59 games in the SEC. It’s probably more of a solid across the board profile rather than a truly standout one on the MLB level, but he’s yet another really enticing college bat in a class full of really enticing college bats. And his strong pro debut made me like him even more with a 142 wRC+, 4 steals, and 13.6/22.7 K%/BB% in 14 games at Single-A. It’s a good sign that the solid across the board profile will play, and while it came with 0 homers, the 36.1% GB% and 51.4% Pull% shows the power should be fine. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 80/18/76/.265/.339/.438/19
144) Carson Benge – NYM, OF, 22.2 – Selected 19th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, the 6’1”, 181 pound Benge is lean, loose and mean at the dish with a quick and athletic lefty swing that most certainly looks the part. He slashed .335/.444/.665 with 18 homers, 10 steals, and a 16.8%/16.1% K%/BB% in 61 games in the Big 12. He then stepped right into pro ball and impressed with 2 homers, 3 steals, a 20.3/15.9 K%/BB% and a 152 wRC+ in 15 games at Single-A. It came with a solid 88.3 MPH EV and a 51.2 GB%, so a bit of a mixed bag there. He’s the type that does everything well on a baseball field with bouncy athleticism, bat speed, power, mature plate approach, and he even pitches too. He profiles as an average to above average across the board player with the upside to beat that projection. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 84/20/77/.267/.334/.440/16
145) Jurrangelo Cijntje – SEA, RHP/LHP, 21.10 – Selected 15th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Cijntje is a switch pitcher who will most likely pitch exclusively righty in the majors. He’s only 5’11”, 200 pounds but he has a very easy and athletic delivery. The ball effortlessly explodes out of his hand with mid to upper 90’s heat. He combines the juice with a bat missing slider and solid changeup. It all resulted in a 3.67 ERA with a 29.9%/7.9% K%/BB% in 90.2 IP in the SEC. Seattle has been a machine of late in developing impact fantasy starters (their impossible to hit in ballpark does a lot of that heavy lifting too), so you have to love this landing spot for him, and it shows how much they liked him by passing up Yesavage for him. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 11/3.84/1.25/170 in 170 IP
146) Griffin Burkholder – PHI, OF, 19.7 – Selected 63rd overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Burkholder is a strong and physical 6’2”, 195 pounds with double plus speed, potentially plus power, and a good feel to hit. He’s definitely the type of explosive athlete to jump off the screen with electric bat speed, and that explosiveness shined through in just one single game in his pro debut. He went 1 for 2 with a triple, and tell me you don’t get exited just watching that. He still needs to learn to tap into his raw power and there are still questions on just how good the hit tool will be, but this is a very enticing high school bat with legit upside. He’s a definite target. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 84/20/76/.257/.328/.443/28
147) Hye-seong Kim – LAD, 2B, 26.2 – It’s funny that I just had Kim and Lux ranked back to back in the 2B rankings, with Kim one spot ahead, and it looks like the Dodgers agreed with me. They preferred Kim to Lux at 2B too after they signed Kim and shipped out Lux to Cincinnati. Kim signed a 3 year, $12.5 million contract with the Dodgers, but he got better offers elsewhere. Smart move going to the best situation rather than taking the best offer. Kim’s contact/speed/defense profile is one that plenty of starting 2B have, and I think it will play in the majors. He slashed .326/.383/.458 with 11 homers, 30 steals, and a 10.9/8.3 K%/BB% in 127 games in the KBO. We can look at Jung Hoo Lee as a comp who just came over last year. Both are lefties and the same age with similar profiles. Lee is 2 inches taller, had much better contact rates, much better walk rates, and much better power numbers. He didn’t run nearly as much though, and steals are a huge part of fantasy, so that is a nice edge to Kim. Kim isn’t as good as Lee overall, but Lee’s skills more or less transferred to the bigs, so I don’t see why Kim’s couldn’t too. Just check out this homer he hit in 2023. I would say that swing could play. It seems like he has a full time job at the moment (although nothing is certain until the off-season is over), and as I wrote in the 2B rankings, if he ended up with a full time job, I’m apt to go after him. Even better that he ended up with one on the Dodgers – 2025 Projection: 41/5/33/.260/.307/.372/14 Prime Projection: 77/10/61/.273/.321/.398/26 Update: The Dodgers decided to change Kim’s swing to add more power, and they are going to start him at Triple-A to get more used to it. I still really like Kim long term, but part of this ranking was that he could be their starting 2B out of camp, and that clearly isn’t happenning
148) Enrique Bradfield – BAL, OF, 23.4 – I talked about it in the Strategy Section of the Tampa Bay Rays Team Report, but Enrique Bradfield’s profile just isn’t one I go out of my way to roster. It’s an extreme steals, extremely low power profile that just doesn’t fit in with how I build my teams, but if this is a profile you like, Bradfield is a good one to go after. He proved everything will transfer to Double-A in the last 27 games of the season, slashing .287/.395/.396 with 1 homer, 15 steals, and a 11.7/12.5 K%/BB%. He’s a good CF, the contact rates are excellent (although they weren’t as good at High-A with a 16.6% K% in 81 games), he gets on base, and he’s a demon on the bases. He’s a CF version of Xavier Edwards, and with Cedric Mullins hitting free agency after this year, it wouldn’t be crazy at all to see Bradfield winning the CF job in 2026 and beyond. – 2025 Projection: 19/0/7/.248/.298/.334/8 Prime Projection: 77/6/44/.278/.336/.369/43
149) Chandler Simpson – TBR, OF, 24.5 – Simpson’s profile is as extreme as it gets with 1 homer, 104 steals, and a 8.5% K% in 110 games at mostly Double-A. It’s a little too extreme for my taste, but he’s also a good CF, so if he gets his bat in the lineup, he will be a fantasy difference maker in the steals category. These type of steals only types have never been the type of player I like going after. It creates too much of a hole in the power department for me, but that’s not to say they don’t have value in the game. Just because it’s not my style, doesn’t mean you can’t make it work. – 2025 Projection: 27/1/12/.253/.303/.326/11 Prime Projection: 76/5/41/.278/.332/.346/46
150) Jackson Ferris – LAD, LHP, 21.3 – I definitely like Ferris a lot, and was quick to jump on him during the season last year, but I don’t love the K/BB taking such a huge step back when he got to Double-A. He put a 3.39 ERA with a 29.2/10.5 K%/BB% in 98.1 IP at High-A and a 2.54 ERA with a 21.3/11.5 K%/BB% in 28.1 IP at Double-A. The stuff is good, but it’s not really standout with a low to mid 90’s fastball, two good breaking balls, and a lesser used, but good change. He gets a lot of “looks the part” extra hype as a 6’4”, 195 pound lefty with an athletic delivery, but as is, it might be a back end profile. The reason why I was so quick to jump on him, and why he gets lots of love, is because we try to project who a player could be in the prospect world, and at his young age with his projectable frame, you can definitely dream on a mid rotation starter or better with an extra tick on the fastball and continued refinement. Again, I like him a lot, but I would be hesitant to put too high a value on him right now. I’m staying a little cautious here. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 10/3.88/1.27/162 in 165 IP
151) Christian Scott – NYM, RHP, 25.9 – Scott underwent a hybrid Tommy John surgery and internal brace procedure in late September which will knock him out for all of 2025. I don’t know if it’s worse that he needed both or if this kind of elbow surgery is just evolving, but I’m going to assume it’s the latter … or is it the former? … no, it’s the latter … am I the only one who takes way too long to figure out which is the former and which is the latter? Either way, Scott straddles the line between the type of pitcher I like taking the Tommy John discount on and ones I don’t. He wasn’t quite an elite pitching prospect, but he wasn’t far off from it, and he didn’t fully established himself on the MLB level yet, but he was starting to set a pretty strong foundation. He put up a 4.56 ERA with a 19.8/6.1 K%/BB% in 47.1 IP in his MLB debut. Plus control of a highly used, above average 94.2 MPH fastball is his bread and butter. He combines that with a potentially plus sweeper, above average splitter, and decent slider. None of the secondaries missed enough bats in the majors to keep up the 33.5% K% he put up at Triple-A, and the fastball isn’t quite a good enough pitch to make up for it. He can be a plus control mid-rotation starter even if the secondaries don’t miss a ton of bats, but he’ll have to unlock more if he wants to beat that projection. And now also tack on risk from the elbow surgery. Don’t forget about him, but I’m not sure I’m going out of my way to get him either. – 2025 Projection: OUT Prime Projection: 10/3.93/1.22/150 in 150 IP
152) Jace Jung – DET, 3B, 24.6 – I called Jung a good prospect to use as trade bait, instead of one you hold before he made his MLB debut this year, and his poor debut showed why. He hit 0 homers with 0 steals, an 86.4 MPH EV, a 26 ft/sec sprint speed, and a 30.9% K%. It’s not that I don’t think he can be a solid MLB hitter, and his 102 wRC+ and 16% BB% shows very clearly that he can be a solid MLB hitter, it’s just that there isn’t big fantasy upside. He doesn’t hit the ball hard, he’s slow, and the hit tool is below average. He can lift and pull it, but both his lift and pull plummeted in the majors, and while that should improve, it’s not the best sign. He’s also a bad defensive player and he put up a .649 OPS vs. lefties in the minors. His best skill is that he walks a lot, so add a star in OBP leagues, but in general, Jung is not one of my guys. – 2025 Projection: 42/10/35/.238/.318/.402/2 Prime Projection: 82/20/76/.254/.343/.440/3
153) Sal Stewart – CIN, 2B/3B, 21.4 – If you like a plus plate approach, Stewart is your man. He put up a 16.9/14.8 K%/BB% in 80 games at High-A which led to a 144 wRC+. It’s basically the same thing he did in 2023 and 2022. But he’s not just a plus plate approach, he also has very real raw power. Just watch him crush this dinger 454 feet out to centerfield. This is a big physical guy in the box who can certainly unleash more game power if he tries. He hit only 8 homers this year and he likes to spray liners all over the field, so he would definitely have to change his hitting approach to do it, which may or may not work. He might just be content to plate approach his way through the minors. I don’t love betting on plate approach guys who don’t have much speed and aren’t particularly good defensive players, but if he does unlock more game power, he could end up having a very potent hit/power combo at peak. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 84/21/76/.274/.350/.452/9
154) Tai Peete – SEA, SS/OF/3B, 19.7 – Tai Peete is the same age as many of the high schoolers in the 2024 Draft (he’s 1 month younger than Bryce Rainer), and his pure talent can rival any of them (maybe not Konnor Griffin’s, but everyone else’s). He also already has a pretty strong season at Single-A under his belt with a .269/.343/.408 triple-slash in 115 games. That is a pretty good slash for an 18 year old in full season ball. He hit only 7 homers, but all 7 of them came in his final 59 games, which is the improvement you want to see from a young player as the season goes along. And he has no joke raw power at 6’2”, 193 pounds, so there is a lot more of that coming. He’s a really good athlete and he displayed elite base stealing ability with 45 steals in 50 attempts. What I’m trying to say, is that Peete is getting mighty underrated right now. I understand why he’s getting rated so low, because the hit tool is a legit problem with a 30.7% K%, but he walked 10.4% of the time too, and you have to take into account his young age for the level. There is definitely still a lot of rawness to his game, but he performed pretty well despite that rawness, so imagine what he can do as he starts to refine his game. I aim for upside in fantasy, and Peete is all upside. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 77/20/75/.247/.323/.432/26
155) Staryln Caba – MIA, SS, 19.4 – Caba is a better real life prospect than fantasy prospect with an elite glove at SS and little to no raw or game power, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t enticing at all for fantasy. His plate skills are elite with both plus contact rates and a plus approach. He put up a 14.4/19.7 K%/BB% in 78 games split between stateside rookie and Single-A. He’s also a plus runner who loves to steal with 50 steals in 62 attempts. If he can make enough impact to the baseball, he could be a potent top of the order hitter with BA, OBP and tons of steals. But how much impact he will make is the question. He’s not a big guy at 5’10”, he doesn’t hit the ball hard with a 83.7 MPH EV at Single-A, and his ground ball rate was around 50%. He’s young and has time to get bigger and add power, but just how much he can get to is the question. Guys like Caba generally top out at around Top 75-ish fantasy prospects for me when they are knocking on the door of the bigs, and since Caba isn’t knocking on the door of the bigs, he’s more of a Top 150-ish prospect. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 92/12/51/.284/.353/.395/34
156) Angel Genoa – CLE, SS, 20.10 – Genoa will rank higher on real life lists because he has a good glove at SS and a solid all around offensive game, but he’s not nearly as exciting for fantasy. The reason I even have him ranked this high is because getting ranked highly on real life lists boosts fantasy trade value, whether rightly or wrongly, and having a good glove also gets you on the field. Opportunity and leash is a big factor for success, and Genoa’s glove should give him that. And it’s not like he’s a zero on offense at all. He slashed .330/.379/.499 with 10 homers, 25 steals, and a 15.5/7.7 K%/BB% in 110 games split between Single-A and High-A. He’s a 6 foot switch hitter who should get to average power at peak, and while he’s not a burner, he should contribute in steals as well. He’s a solid but unspectacular across the board contributor. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 77/17/74/.268/.323/.428/17
157) Roderick Arias – NYY, SS/2B, 20.7 – Arias was one of the top bets to go full elite prospect status in 2024, and it’s good reminder that even though it can feel like a rookie ball prospect is inevitable, they aren’t actually inevitable. There is a lot of inherent risk if you haven’t even hit full season ball yet. Arias struggled to adjust for the first 3+ months of the season with a .652 OPS and 34.9% K%, but he finally found his groove in the final 2 months, giving hope that the big prospect breakout can still happen in 2025. In his final 47 games he slashed .276/.390/.471 with 7 homers, 16 steals, and a 24.4/14.6 K%/BB%. The strikeout rate has been high throughout his career, so there is definitely hit tool risk here, but he hits the ball hard, he has speed and he gets on base. I don’t think it’s fair to expect a truly elite prospect breakout anymore. You are really aiming for those rocket ships with little to no bumps in the road, and that isn’t quite Arias. But just because his stock took a hit, doesn’t mean he’s not a really talented prospect. Just more of a Top 100-150 one. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 77/20/77/.247/.326/.442/23
158) Joswa Lugo – LAA, SS, 18.2 – Lugo signed for $2.3 million in last year’s international class with the big tools to back it up at 6’3”, and then he went out and impressed in the DSL, slashing .301/.370/.466 with 5 homers, 18 steals, and a 23.3/7.8 K%/BB% in 53 games. He has power potential written all over him with a smooth and quick righty swing that already packs a major punch. He had no groundball issues with a 35.3% GB%, so he should be able to get to all of his power at peak. He’s also a really good athlete who is currently at SS, so while he’s likely to fill out and slow down over time, he should be at least be a contributor in stolen bases, along with a possible asset with the glove (or at least not a total nothing). The biggest red flag is that the K/BB rates were pretty weak against DSL competition, so there is still a ton of risk present here, but if he performs well when he comes stateside, he has the type of talent that can explode in a hurry. He’s one of my favorite DSL breakouts. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 76/26/86/.251/.321/.471/12
159) Kellon Lindsey – LAD, SS, 19.6 – Selected 23rd overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, elite speed is the the 6’0”, 175 pound Lindsey’s calling card, and it comes with a good glove at SS and a good feel to hit. There isn’t big power in here, and while that should tick up over time, he doesn’t really project for big power down the line either. The hit tool is solid, but it’s not really in that near elite range and there is some risk with how it will perform against more advanced pitching. He’s an excellent athlete who played QB and DB in high school, so there is plenty of upside in here, but going after a speed first guy without huge power and with a good but not great hit tool I think warrants some caution. I know getting drafted by LA and getting Trea Turner comps is exciting, but I’m not sure I’m reaching for Lindsey quite yet. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 82/15/66/.270/.328/.420/31
160) Josuar Gonzalez – SFG, SS, 17.6 – Gonzalez is expected to sign for one of the top bonuses in the class, and he earned that bonus by being a great athlete and doing everything well on the baseball field. He’s not a huge guy at 5’10”, 170 pounds, so he’s more in the mold of a Jesus Made than a Emil Morales to use two comps from last years class. Of course, that is if everything goes right. If everything doesn’t go right, he’s more in the mold of a Fernando Cruz or Brando Mayea. He’s a switch hitter who looks super smooth, explosive and locked in at the dish. He has a good feel to hit, approach, he can hit it hard, he’s fast, and he has a good glove. He’s not one of those overtly physical prospects that I really love sticking my neck out for, so I’m not going to fly him up my rankings, but he’s definitely exciting. I’ve been going back and forth in my mind if I prefer the 2nd tier of high school bats from the MLB draft class, or the top tier of international bats, and right now I’m leaning draft bats. But it’s close. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 88/18/62/.277/.342/.421/28
161) Luis Baez – HOU, OF, 21.2 – Please just watch how fast this home run left Baez’ bat. Is that even real? That looked like a cartoon or something. And while you’re at it, also check out how athletic that swing was. For such a powerful man, that is a damn athletic swing. It’s no surprise he demolished 20 homers in 92 games at High-A (and he also stole 9 bags, showing off that athleticism I was talking about). His power is no joke, and he lifts and pulls it. The problem is that the hit tool and plate approach are both double below average with a 27.3/5.4 K%/BB%. He got a cup of coffee at Double-A to end the season, and it was nice to see the 18.0/13.1 K%/BB% in 14 games, but it came with only 1 homer and a 84 wRC+. He can play some OF, so he’s not a defensive liability, but he’s not likely to add much value with the glove. The bat is going to have to hit it’s ceiling, and he still has to prove it in the upper minors, but it’s so easy to fall in love with that swing and power. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 72/27/84/.245/.316/.463/5
162) Brailer Guerrero – TBR, OF, 18.9 – Guerrero suffered a torn labrum which required surgery in 2023, limiting him to just 7 games in the DSL, and then that surgically repaired shoulder once again gave him problems in 2024, ending his season in late July after 28 games at stateside rookie ball. But he showed enough in those 28 games to take on the added injury risk. He’s a big and physical 6’1”, 215 pounds with a vicious lefty swing that smokes the ball. He slashed .330/.452/.466 with 2 homers, 13 steals, and a 25.4/17.5 K%/BB%. He’s not a burner, but he’s a good athlete, and he signed for $3.7 million in 2023, which tells you the type of talent he has. He hit the ball on the ground too much (50%), he struck out too much, and there is injury risk, but there is also big upside in here. The shoulder injuries are really just creating a larger buy window here than there should be. And he’ll still be just 18 years old for half of 2025, so there is plenty of time for development. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 76/26/87/.257/.326/.469/9
163) Yilber Diaz – ARI, RHP, 24.7 – Diaz is too far down the pecking order in Arizona to get too pumped for him, but path to playing time aside, there is plenty to like here. He put up a 3.80 ERA with a 32.1/10.8 K%/BB% in 104.1 IP in the upper minors. He then got a shot in the majors, and while the 16% K% in 28.1 IP isn’t impressive, his slider (36.5% whiff%) and curve (35.3% whiff%) were both whiff machines, so he clearly has more in the tank. He also throws gas with a 96.1 MPH fastball, although it wasn’t a very good pitch in the majors. He threw the fastball more than 50% of the time, and combined with the below average control and lack of rotation spot, there are enough seasons to doubt him to not get too carried away here. But velocity, swing and miss secondaries, and upper minors production is a strong trifecta, so if he works his way into a rotation spot, I’d be happy to roster him to see how it plays out. 2025 Projection: 3/4.31/1.35/66 in 70 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.93/1.31/151 in 150 IP
164) Noble Meyer – MIA, RHP, 20.3 – There is no two ways about it, Meyer had a really rough first full year of pro ball with a 5.18 ERA and 23.5/17.9 K%/BB% in 40 IP at HIgh-A. He was better at Single-A, but it still came with a 16.3% BB% in 34 IP. That is just an insanely high walk rate over 74 IP, and it’s really hard to overlook as much as I want to overlook it. Maybe if it came with mid to upper 90’s heat, it would be easier, but the fastball sat more low to mid 90’s this year. The reason I want to overlook the poor numbers, is because Meyer still looks like that electric, hyped pitching prospect when you watch him. He’s a projectable and athletic 6’5” who most certainly looks the part. And while the fastball velocity wasn’t off the charts, it explodes out of his hand and is a bat missing weapon. He combines the fastball with a potentially plus to double plus slider and a lesser used, but good changeup. The ingredients and eye test are definitely here to still be a top of the rotation starter, but he clearly has a ways to go with his control/command to get there. I can definitely see scenarios where I would prefer him over Agustin Ramirez and De Los Santos, so placing him 2nd on this list wouldn’t be unreasonable at all. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 12/3.87/1.31/180 in 170 IP
165) Thomas Harrington – PIT, RHP, 23.9 – Harrington is a floor over upside prospect with plus command of a diverse pitch mix. He has a heavily used low to mid 90’s fastball that is probably about an average pitch at best when you factor in his command over it. He combines that with a plus changeup, an average-ish sweeper, an average-ish cutter, and a lesser used curve which is a good pitch when he goes to it. None of his pitches really missed enough bats at Triple-A to get really overly excited, but they generally induced weak contact, and a 22.5% whiff% on the fastball, 30.0% whiff% on the changeup, and 33.3% whiff% on the lesser used curve isn’t that bad. It all led to a 2.61 ERA with a 25.1/4.1 K%/BB% in 117.1 IP in the upper minors. I see more of a low WHIP, mediocre K #3/4 starter on the MLB level, which isn’t bad, but it’s also not exactly the upside I love aiming for. – 2025 Projection: 3/4.30/1.32/72 in 90 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.86/1.23/144 in 160 IP
166) George Lombard – NYY, SS, 19.10 – Lombard’s hit tool was not as good as hoped in his first full year of pro ball with a 24% K% and .232 BA in 81 games at Single-A, and then a 19.8% K% and .226 BA in 29 games at High-A. A large chunk of his value was coming from that hit tool, because he doesn’t have big present power with only 5 homers in 110 games. The launch and approach are geared more for line drives than homers, so it’s not just about gaining more power naturally, which he will. He has good tools at 6’3”, 190 pounds and there is definitely room to tack on more mass. He’s also fast and a good baserunner with 39 steals. He has a mature approach (12.3% BB% with a .338 OBP), he’s a good defensive SS, and he’s young for his class at a still 19 years old as of 2025 Opening Day. There is potential for him to be an above average across the board player at peak, but he’s going to have to show real hit tool gains pretty soon, or a major power increase if he doesn’t want the profile to start looking a bit lackluster. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 79/17/69/.259/.324/.419/23
167) George Klassen – LAA, RHP, 23.2 – The 22 year old Klassen got a little bit worse at every level as he climbed the minor league ladder. He put up a 0.71 ERA with a 39.6/8.3 K%/BB% in 38 IP at Single-A. A 4.22 ERA with a 35.2/9.9 K%/BB% in 21.1 IP at High-A. And then a 5.65 ERA with a 28.3/17.3 K%/BB% in 28.2 IP at Double-A. Age for level isn’t as important for pitcher as it is for hitters, but I think Klassen is a good example for why it still needs to be taken into account. An older, more advanced pitcher can definitely have real advantages over less experienced hitters, which will make them look better than they really are. But the reason it doesn’t matter as much for pitchers, is that stuff don’t lie, and Klassen got that stuff. He throws a plus mid to upper 90’s fastball, which he combines with a plus curve and a potentially plus hard slider/cutter. The control/command is below average, and it’s not great how quickly he fell apart in his first taste of the upper minors, but it’s hard not to fall in love with that stuff. He’s a great proximity upside play with a soft landing spot as a high leverage reliever. – 2025 Projection: 2/4.33/1.36/61 in 60 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.79/1.28/182 in 165 IP
168) Winston Santos – TEX, RHP, 23.0 – Santos might be one of the more underrated pitching prospects in the minors right now, and he fits squarely into that pitching prospect bucket that I love to shop in. He has big stuff with a plus to double plus mid 90’s fastball that misses bats and has a great movement profile. The slider is above average and it plays up because of his good control/command over it. And while he doesn’t go to the changeup that often, it flashes as a really good pitch. It all led to a 3.67 ERA with a 30.1/7.4 K%/BB% in 110.1 IP split between High-A and Double-A. The ERA spiked to 4.89 at Double-A, but the 3.63 xFIP and 29.5/7.3 K%/BB% shows he got unlucky. As is, he can be a solid #3/4 starter with good K rates and a good WHIP, but if he can develop his changeup more and/or take his control up to double plus levels, he can beat that projection. I like him a ton relative to perceived value. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 12/3.81/1.22/175 in 168 IP
169) Jonah Tong – NYM, RHP, 21.9 – Here is what I wrote about Tong in the in-season Dynasty Baseball Rundowns after his first start at Double-A on September 5th, “Tong got the call to Double-A, and if there were any questions about how his stuff would translate against upper minors hitters, there aren’t questions anymore after he went 6 IP with 0 hits, 0 ER, and a 9/0 K/BB. Talk about making a statement. The low to mid 90’s fastball will play just fine. Here he is blowing a fastball by Spencer Jones. Granted, I think I could strikeout Spencer Jones right now, but still. It wasn’t just Jones, it was everyone. Showing that level of dominance in the upper minors was a big hurdle to clear.” … He wasn’t as good in his 2nd start at the level (and final start of the season) with 3 ER and a 5/4 K/BB in 3.1 IP, but we already knew that below average control is a weakness in his game. Seeing the stuff so clearly fully translate was exciting. The breaking ball is absolutely filthy, the bat missing fastball can be a plus pitch despite the mediocre velocity, and he rounds out the arsenal with a cutter and changeup. If he can improve him control/command, Tong could be a beast, and even if he can’t, he can be a high K, mid rotation starter. I’m definitely in on him. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 11/3.71/1.27/174 in 155 IP
170) Edwin Arroyo – CIN, SS, 21.7 – Arroyo underwent shoulder surgery in late March and missed all of 2024, but he made it back for the AFL, so he should be able to have a completely normal off-season and be 100% healthy for 2025. Granted, he didn’t hit very well in the AFL with a .642 OPS in 18 games, but he’s 2.2 years younger than average, and this is basically his spring training coming off a major surgery. I would only take it as a positive that he is even playing in the league. He’s a switch hitter who hits well from both sides of the plate, he has plus speed, and at a pretty skinny 5’11”, there is definitely room for him to add more power. The hit tool and approach aren’t quite good enough to get really excited for this type of profile, but if he can add real power, there is definitely potential for him to put up some super impactful fantasy seasons hitting in Cincinnati. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 81/17/64/.253/.320/.426/25
171) Cade Cavalli – WAS, RHP, 26.7 – Cavalli underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2023, and he never made it back on an MLB mound in 2024 at all. He barely made it back on a minor league mound with 8.1 IP at High-A and rookie ball after getting shutdown with a “dead arm.” It’s just a reminder that coming back from Tommy John surgery is not always smooth, and while it’s not a death knell by any means, it’s not always a cake walk right back into prime form. Here is how I finished his blurb in last year’s Top 1,000, and honestly, it’s still exactly how I feel now: “When healthy, 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.” The one thing he does have going for him is that there is plenty of opportunity in Washington’s rotation, so the leash should be very long for him to shake the rust off. – 2025 Projection: 4/4.38/1.37/94 in 100 IP Prime Projection: 9/4.03/1.32/162 in 159 IP
172) Logan Henderson – MIL, RHP, 23.1 – It’s a little worrisome that Henderson’s production took a big step back when he got to Triple-A, because the stuff isn’t really that huge, but he still wasn’t too bad with a 4.56 ERA and 26.5/6.1 K%/BB% in 23.2 IP. He was lights out at Double-A with a 3.30 ERA and 32.6/3.9 K%/BB% in 46.1 IP. The fastball only sits 92.5 MPH but it gets good movement and is a bat missing weapon. The nasty changeup is his best secondary and a heavily used pitch that both misses bats and induces weak contact. He rounds out the arsenal with a mediocre cutter. Plus control with an excellent secondary and a bat missing, low 90’s fastball can definitely work, but lack of a good breaking ball is a problem. Maybe he’s just a back end starter, but I think there is some mid rotation upside in here, and if he can develop a legitimate breaking ball (he’s still only 22 as of this writing), I don’t think it’s out of the question for him to end up a legit impact fantasy starter. You also have to trust Milwaukee with a guy like this. Henderson is definitely a nice proximity arm to target even in shallower leagues. – 2025 Projection: 3/4.31/1.30/63 in 70 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.85/1.23/155 in 155 IP
173) Caleb Durbin – MIL, 2B/3B, 25.1 – I see the huge offensive season Durbin just had at Triple-A, slashing .287/.396/.471 with 10 homers, 29 steals, and a 9.9/12.5 K%/BB% in 82 games (he was even better in the AFL with a .976 OPS in 24 games), but I’m struggling to get past the extremely low 83 MPH EV. He’s only 5’6”, he’s already 25 years old (as of 2025 Opening Day), and while he has a solid infield glove, he’s not some slick fielding SS whose glove will get him on the field. It seems like a utility infielder profile to me, and while the trade to Milwaukee helps his value, I’m not sure he’s more than a utility infielder on their team either. On the other hand, his contact/speed combo gives him a very clear path to fantasy usefulness if he does work his way into the lineup. He can also lift and pull it, which we know can overcome a low EV, but an 83 MPH EV isn’t just low, it’s among the worst in baseball low. I know Durbin has his big supporters, and while I’m not one of them, I understand what they see with contact, speed, lift, pull, and proximity. I don’t mind him as a proximity play, but he’s not really one of my guys. – 2025 Projection: 49/7/33/.250/.313/.360/17 Prime Projection: 76/10/58/.271/.325/.383/26
174) Chase Meidroth – CHW, 2B/3B/SS, 23.9 – Meidroth was part of the return for Garrett Crochet, and if Chicago didn’t think he has a very good chance of being a starting caliber player, why would they even want him included. It sure feels like he’s the favorite for the starting 2B job right out of the gate, which is a big boost to his value. Unfortunately, that big boost still doesn’t boost him very high in my book. The power is lacking with only 7 homers, a 5 degree launch, and a 2.2% Barrel% in 122 games at Triple-A, and so is the speed with 13 steals in 19 attempts. An elite plate approach is his game with a 12.7/18.8 K%/BB%, which led to a .293 BA, .437 OBP, and a 132 wRC+. His 88.6 MPH EV also isn’t bad, so while it hasn’t led to homers, it could be good enough to maintain the high BA/OBP on the MLB level. If he were potentially hitting atop a really good lineup, I could see real fantasy value here, but in the White Sox lineup, the fantasy value is likely to be lacking for the next few seasons. I can see a path to a solid fantasy player, but it’s not a journey I’m looking to go on. – 2025 Projection: 63/11/49/.255/.320/.386/7 Prime Projection: 84/15/61/.276/.352/.416/9
175) Matthew Lugo – LAA, OF, 23.10 – Lugo had a monstrous breakout at Double-A this season, slashing .315/.405/.664 with 11 homers, 9 steals, and a 21.1/11.7 K%/BB% in 43 games. It’s also not the first time he’s had a huge season. He had a big time year in 2022 as well. His numbers dropped off at Triple-A, but he still performed well with a 107 wRC+, 5 homers, 7 steals, and a 27.0/8.5 K%/BB% in 35 games. His raw power is currently below average with a 86.5 MPH EV, but there is still some projection on his frame at 6’1”, so that can easily tick up in his mid 20’s, and best of all, he’s a lift and pull machine, so he’ll get the most out of his raw power. He also has good speed and went 16 for 17 on the bases in 79 total games. The hit tool is below average and the talent probably isn’t quite big enough to just overlook that, but a lift and pull profile with speed is very fantasy friendly, and he’s knocking on the door of the bigs. I’m starting to like Lugo a decent amount in medium to deeper leagues as proximity play. 2025 Projection: 21/5/28/.229/.290/390/3 Prime Projection: 76/19/74/.246/.313/.420/11
176) Gavin Cross – KC, OF, 24.2 – Cross bounced back in 2024 from a disappointing first full year of pro ball, slashing .261/.342/.428 with 15 homers, 30 steals, and a 24.1/10.3 K%/BB% in 101 games at Double-A. It was good for a 115 wRC+. It certainly has his value back on the rise, and while this isn’t the player many were hoping to see after getting selected 9th overall, there is still an intriguing power/speed combo in here for fantasy. He doesn’t smash the ball, but the raw power is solid, and he knows how to lift and pull it. He’s not a burner, but he has speed, and he’s been an excellent base stealer throughout his career, going 30 for 32 this year. The two biggest issues are that the hit tool is below average, and KC is absolutely death (dead last) for lefty homers. It seems like a recipe for a low BA and limited homers. If Cross played in a different park, I might be enticed by the profile, but in KC, I’m a little worried it’s going to be lackluster. 2025 Projection: 19/5/24/.221/.298/.391/7 Prime Projection: 74/18/76/.242/.318/.421/18
177) Echedry Vargas – MIA, SS, 20.1 – Vargas has been ripping up rookie ball for the last 2 years, and in his first taste of full season ball, he just kept on producing, slashing .276/.321/.454 with 14 homers, 29 steals, and a 21.1/5.0 K%/BB% in 97 games. It was good for a 125 wRC+. As you can see from that low walk rate, he chases a ton, and it gives him plenty of risk as he climbs the minor league ladder. He also isn’t the type to jump off the screen with huge size or eye popping athleticism, but he can hit the ball hard, he can lift it, he can pull it, and he has speed. He’s done nothing but produce in his career, and he generally has a good feel to hit. It might not end up the highest upside profile, but he has the potential to be an across the board contributor. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 72/19/77/.252/.317/.426/16
178) Justin Wrobleski – LAD, LHP, 24.9 – It’s just super hard to roster Dodgers pitchers. You have no idea when or if they will get a shot, and they will get almost no leash when they do get a shot. It’s just too big of a pain in the ass for fantasy, and while I like Wrobleski, his upside isn’t quite high enough to wait around and hope he ends up in the rotation. He has a plus mid 90’s fastball that misses bats and induces weak contact, both in the upper minors and in the majors. He pairs that with a potentially above average slider as his best out pitch, and he has a diverse pitch mix (he also throws a cutter, curve, sinker, and changeup). It all resulted in a 3.76 ERA with a 25.9/7.7 K%/BB% in 95.2 IP at Double-A and Triple-A. He got knocked around in the majors with a 5.70 ERA and 16.9/10.4 K%/BB% in 36.1 IP, but he has still able to show the skills could potentially translate if given the leash. He has no leash though, and he has no rotation spot. – 2025 Projection: 3/4.29/1.33/55 in 60 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.93/1.28/155 in 160 IP
179) Cam Caminiti – ATL, LHP, 18.8 – Selected 24th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Caminiti has a lot of things working in his favor to give him the best chance at success. He has baseball bloodlines as the nephew of Ken Caminiti, he got drafted into one of the best pitching development organizations in baseball, and he’s young for his class. He’s not just narrative though, he has a strong foundation for Atlanta to build on at 6’2”, 205 pounds with a mid 90’s fastball that is a whiff machine and has double plus potential. The secondaries aren’t as refined, but he has a traditional starters pitch mix (slider, curve, change), and he also looked really good in his pro debut. He went 3 IP with 3 hits, 1 ER and a 4/0 K/BB at Single-A. The fastball sat low to mid 90’s and the slider looked good. He threw the ball over the plate. I think #2/3 starter upside is fair to put on him right now, but he’s so young with so much development time ahead, his range of outcomes is wide. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 12/3.71/1.18/190 in 180 IP
180) Tyson Lewis – CIN, SS, 19.3 – Selected 51st overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, the 6’2”, 195 pound Lewis is a high upside high school bat with at least plus speed, plus power potential, and a quick and powerful lefty swing. He’s not the most refined high school bat, just recently undergoing a swing overhaul, and there are also some hit tool questions as he faces more advanced pitching. On pure upside, he rivals or surpasses Theo Gillen, but his bat isn’t as safe and he’s just not as refined. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 80/20/78/.259/.322/.438/23
181) Caleb Bonemer – CHW, SS, 19.6 – Selected 39th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Bonemer has one of the top power/speed combos in the high school class with plus run times and electric bat speed. He’s performed against advanced competition and has a good feel to hit. He doesn’t have the smoothest batting stance/swing, which adds some hit tool risk, and he’s not one of those obvious giant human beings with a 6’1”, 195 pound frame, but he’s far from small. He’s a big, physical guy. He’s an excellent upside pick who should come at a reasonable price. I like Bonemer a lot – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 80/20/80/.256/.325/.440/20
182) AJ Smith-Shawver – ATL, RHP, 22.4 – Shawver was an absolute rocket ship in 2023, flying from the lower minors straight through to the majors, but he got a dose of reality in 2024. He put up a 4.86 ERA with a 28.5/11.0 K%/BB% in 87 IP at Triple-A. He might not have been the wunderkind we hoped for, but he’s still a good pitching prospect with a 95 MPH fastball that gets good movement and misses bats. The secondaries are good too with a changeup that notched a 42.3% whiff% and 84.8 MPH EV, a slider that notched a 34.8% whiff% and 86.1 MPH EV, and a decent curve that notched a 81.6 MPH EV and 23.9% whiff%. That is 3 potentially above average to plus pitches with a decent 4th pitch. Even with below average control, that profile could work as a #3/4 type starter, but what would really pull this entire thing together is a big step forward in control/command. Atlanta is also a great organization to bet on for pitching prospects. He’s more of a Top 200 guy than Top 100 one, so his value certainly took a hit, but I would try to stay strong one more year if you can. 2025 Projection: 4/4.32/1.36/83 in 90 IP Prime Projection: 9/3.95/1.31/155 in 150 IP
183) Yordanny Monegro – BOS, RHP, 22.5 – Monegro is one of my top pitching prospect targets relative his extreme lack of hype. He checks a hell of a lot of boxes with size (6’4”, 180 pounds), mid 90’s velocity, diverse pitch mix, nasty secondaries, and excellent production. He put up a 2.73 ERA with a 30.8/9.8 K%/BB% in 66 IP at High-A. He has an explosive righty delivery with a mid 90s 4-seamer, 2-seamer, a nasty change, and 2 good breaking balls in his slider and curve. He’s not a finished product as he has to continue to refine his control/command and all of his secondaries, plus he hasn’t thrown that many innings in his career (76 IP was a career high this year), but all of that is way over factored into his price. He’s a pretty special talent who has done nothing but dominate for the past two years when he’s been on the mound. If he keeps it up at Double-A, his price should take a big jump in 2025. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 11/3.76/1.21/169 in 160 IP
184) Luis Morales – OAK, RHP, 22.6 – This isn’t a comp, but Morales reminds me a lot of where Bubba Chandler was sitting last off-season. Like Chandler, Morales is a huge talent ($3 million signing bonus in 2023), with a scouts dream build at 6’3”, 190 pounds (although Chandler was more built up and wider), super obvious humongous stuff, below average control, and mediocre results at High-A. Morales put up a 4.22 ERA with a 24.9/10.7 K%/BB% in 81 IP at the level while Chandler put up a 4.75 ERA with a 25.6/10.9 K%/BB% in 106 IP at the level. Just because Chandler exploded to elite prospect status in 2024 doesn’t mean Morales will, but that high end outcome is definitely in the cards. Morales’ delivery is so easy and athletic it almost lulls you into a false sense of security before he fires off a mid to upper 90’s fastball, a potentially plus breaking ball, and a promising, but still developing changeup. He can definitely still look pretty raw on the mound, making the bullpen a very possible destination long term, but this is the type of upside you want to chase. I was relatively high on Morales in his FYPD year, and I’m going to remain high on him headed into 2025. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 10/3.78/1.29/168 in 155 IP
185) Gary Gill Hill – TBR, RHP, 20.7 – Gill Hill most certainly looks the part at 6’2” with a super loose and athletic righty delivery. His nasty stuff has plus potential across the board with excellent movement on all of his pitches. The mid 90’s fastball is a bat missing weapon, he can throw the plus breaking ball both in and out of the zone, and the changeup flashes plus as well. And while he’s not a control artist, he has solid command over all of his pitches, especially relative to his age. It resulted in a 3.15 ERA with a 24.2/6.2 K%/BB% in 108.2 IP at Single-A. If he keeps getting stronger, there could be another tick or two of velocity in here at peak, and his delivery is so easy he certainly has the potential to end up with plus command at peak too. He’s young and needs to refine his game all around, but there is considerable upside in here, and the floor is about as high as it gets for a 19 year old pitcher in A ball. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 12/3.69/1.18/167 in 160 IP
186) Santiago Suarez – TBR, RHP, 20.3 – The 6’2” Suarez has a bulldog mentality on mound, going right at hitters with a plus, mid 90’s fastball that has good life. He combines the fastball with an above average breaking ball and cutter. He has excellent control of all of his pitches which allows them to play up. It resulted in a 4.11 ERA (2.97 xFIP) with a 25.7/4.7 K%/BB% in 111.2 IP at Single-A. Hill’s stuff is a bit nastier, but Suarez easily has the command edge. I’ll lean the nastier stuff, but they are pretty close to a coin flip for me. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 11/3.76/1.18/160 in 160 IP
187) Alan Roden – TOR, OF, 25.3 – Roden projects as a solid across the board corner outfielder, but he’s already 25 years old, and with how high the offensive bar is for a corner outfielder, I’m not sure Roden’s bat is quite good enough to clear that bar. Having said that, the guy has done nothing but rake in the minors, and he had another great year in 2024, slashing .293/.391/.475 with 16 homers, 14 steals, and a 14.2/12.1 K%/BB% in 125 games in the upper minors. He doesn’t hit the ball particularly hard (87.6 MPH EV), he’s not a burner, and he doesn’t lift it a ton (7.4 degree launch). He’s also going to have to scratch and claw for playing time. 2025 Projection: 31/8/34/.251/.312/.392/3 Prime Projection: 66/14/62/.269/.328/.414/10 Update: He looks damn good in spring. I was too low on him
188) Kaelen Culpepper – MIN, SS, 22.3 – Selected 21st overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, the 6’0”, 185 pound Culpepper is a proven college performer with solid across the board skills. He slashed .328/.419/.547 with 11 homers, 17 steals, and a 14.1%/12.0% K%/BB% in 61 games in the Big 12. He reminds me a lot of Minnesota’s 2nd round pick in 2023, Luke Keaschall, who has similar size, speed, and feel to hit. Nothing jumps off the screen, but they get the job done in all facets of the game. Minnesota has had a lot of success with Keaschall, and Culpepper looks to be next with his strong pro debut. He cracked 3 homers with 4 steals, and a 13.4/9.8 K%/BB% in 26 games split between Single-A and High-A. He’s a nice little “let him come to you” target in off-season prospect drafts right now. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 81/16/72/.268/.330/.420/18
189) Henry Bolte – OAK, OF, 21.8 – Bolte came into pro ball as a high risk, high reward $2 million dollar signing bonus 2nd round pick, and he’s still a super talented high risk, high reward prospect. He’s a tooled up 6’3”, 195 pounds who most certainly looks the part, and he showed off that upside at High-A with 11 homers, 28 steals, and a 159 wRC+ in 69 games. He showed off the risk too with a 31.8% K% and 54.5% GB%, and then he went to Double-A and the strikeout rate exploded to 38.8% in 54 games. Even with the high K rate though, his talent still shined in the upper minors in his age 20 year old season with 4 homers, 18 steals, and a 107 wRC+. The extremely high strikeout and groundball rates show how raw he still is, but if he can put up these kind of numbers this raw, imagine the upside if he can actually start improving on those skills. Considering his age and upside, along with the fact he isn’t really all that hyped of a prospect, I’m more than fine going after Bolte at fair value, and if you want to lean pure upside, there is an argument for him to be 4th on this list. Just know the likelihood that he busts completely is high. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 68/17/62/.228/.306/.419/19
190) Elijah Green – WAS, OF, 21.4 – I almost wrote Green off completely this year after putting up a quite ridiculous 44% K% in 106 games at Single-A as a 20 year old, and honestly, maybe I still should, but it’s so important to shoot for upside in the vast majority of dynasty leagues when it comes to prospects, that I believe his upside is still worth the shot in this area of the rankings. Even with that stupid strikeout rate, he still slashed .262/.342/.487 with 9 homers, 25 steals (only one caught stealing), and a 41.4/10.4 K%/BB% in his last 51 games. I don’t even want to do that whole “if he can improve his hit tool” spiel because I couldn’t even do it while keeping a straight face with that dumb stupid strikeout rate, but on the say 5-10% chance he can get that strikeout rate into the 30-35% range by his mid 20’s, there is dangerous power/speed combo lurking in here to do the rest at an uber athletic 6’3′, 225 pounds. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 59/21/72/.221/.302/.418/17
191) George Wolkow – CHW, OF, 19.3 – Wolkow was one of my favorite underrated FYPD Targets last off-season, and while he certainly still has his problems, he more than put his name on the map in 2024. The 6’7” behemoth obliterated the age appropriate stateside rookie ball with 148 wRC+ in 15 games, and then he got called up to Single-A as a an 18 year old and cracked 11 homers with 6 steals and a 126 wRC+ in 76 games. This is a no joke unicorn type talent, but like a lot of no joke unicorn type talents, the hit tool is a major question. And for Wolkow, it’s getting close to off the charts with a 38.8% K% at stateside rookie and a 40.6% K% at Single-A. He walks a lot too, and he’s very young, but that really isn’t a strikeout rate you just hand wave away. It’s why he really can’t be close to consideration for a Top 100 spot, but it won’t stop me from valuing him in the Top 200 range. The deeper you get into prospects rankings, the higher the bust rates become for everyone, so why not swing for the fences with a guy like Wolkow. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 75/28/87/.237/.319/.470/9
192) Vance Honeycutt – BAL, OF, 21.10 – Selected 22nd overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Honeycutt is an elite athlete at 6’3”, 205 pounds with a plus to double plus power/speed combo (he went 28/28 in 62 games in the ACC) and plus CF defense. The only reason he even fell to 22nd, was because he is a strikeout machine with a 27.5% K%, and unfortunately, that risk was at the forefront in his pro debut with a 36.1% K% in 8 games at Single-A and a 55% K% in 5 games at High-A. The odds that he simply won’t be able to hit MLB pitching nearly well enough to let his tools shine are quite high, but expecting the hit tool to be magically fixed in his first taste of pro ball was unrealistic. It was also a small sample. Let’s see what Baltimore can do with him over a full off-season and season, because his upside is tremendously exciting. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 73/20/71/.223/.302/.428/17
193) James Tibbs III – SFG, OF, 22.6 – Selected 13th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, James Tibbs the Third sounds like he comes from generational wealth, in a family that can trace their lineage back to pre Revolutionary War times. I think his great great great great great great grandfather led the charge at Bunker Hill. He straight up even looks like one of those old timey pictures of a Civil War general. His bloodlines are so refined that he steps up to the plate with his pinkie up, and it’s no surprise that he has one of the more refined plate approaches in the draft with a 11.6%/18.1% K%/BB% in 66 games. He’s not a super tooled up guy at 6’0”, 200 pounds, but he has a powerful lefty swing that produced 28 homers in the ACC this year and 55 homers in 176 games in his career. He can definitely hit it hard. San Francisco is just about the worst landing spot for him as I’m not sure he has the no doubt raw juice to make him ballpark proof, which is why I’m lower on him than his draft slot. His mediocre pro debut also didn’t assuage my fears about his lack of upside with a .636 OPS and 31/6.9 K%/BB% in 26 games split between Single-A and High-A. The only scenario I would honestly see myself drafting him is in like a 30 team league, or if he falls so far I simply don’t have a choice (and even then I might keep on passing). Maybe this ranking is too low, but he’s just not my guy. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 76/20/75/.261/.330/.432/8
194) Eduardo Beltre – MIN, OF, 18.6 – Beltre was one of the top DSL breakouts, slashing .326/.453/.618 with 11 homers, 10 steals, and a 23.8%/15.5% K%/BB% in 43 games. Those 11 homers were tied for 2nd in the league with Arnaldo Lantigua, and behind only Emil Morales’ 14 bombs. He has an athletic righty swing with no doubt power. The K rate is a bit high and the tools aren’t necessarily off the charts at 5’ll”, but he signed for $1.5 million, so we are talking about a legit prospect here. His swing and offensive profile reminds me a lot of Orelvis Martinez, maybe with a bit less power and a bit more speed. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 76/24/81/.252/.333/.458/10
195) Yorger Bautista – SEA, OF, 17.6 – Bautista looks like he was born with a bat in his hands when you watch him swing. He moves that bat in a totally controlled way like a samurai warrior, coolly crushing everything that comes his way with both power and contact. He was always known for his good feel to hit, and then he got much bigger and stronger at a rock solid 6’1”, 175 pounds, so he can end up with a truly potent hit/power combo. Then tack on the fact he also has plus speed, and you have one of, if not the most enticing prospects in the international class. I have Gonzalez #1 one right now, but Bautista is 1A for me. It’s a coin flip with the tie going to Gonzalez’ superior perceived value. I don’t think you are going to have to go even close to this high to grab Bautista. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 91/25/93/.277/.351/.473/21
196) Mason Barnett – OAK, RHP, 24.5 – Barnett is a very reasonably priced, mid rotation upside arm who has nothing but opportunity in Oakland’s rotation. He’s a thick 6’0”, 218 pounds with a mid 90’s fastball that has good life, a plus slider, good curve, and a decent changeup. He’s not a control artist, but he’s far from wild. He caught fire in the 2nd half of the season with a 2.03 ERA and 30.0/9.3 K%/BB% in his last 84.1 IP at Double-A. There is some bullpen risk, but that lessens considerably with how wide open Oakland’s rotation is, and he checks plenty of boxes (good size, velocity, swing and miss, diverse pitch mix). The coming ballpark downgrade definitely makes me a little more hesitant to go after him than if they were sticking in Oakland, but Barnett definitely qualifies for that pitching prospect aisle that I love to shop in, and he gets a clear opportunity boost. – 2025 Projection: 4/4.29/1.34/91 in 100 IP Prime Projection: 9/3.92/1.28/150 in 150 IP
197) Sawyer Gipson-Long – DET, RHP, 27.4 – Gipson-Long underwent an internal brace procedure (or possibly Tommy John, it’s not entirely clear) in April after his first outing of the season, and then he also underwent hip surgery in July. He’s expected to be out until mid-season 2025, and it sure seems like he has a lot to come back from. I get writing him off until he proves he is healthy, as he was never a hyped pitching prospect either. But it’s hard to write him off when you remember how good he was in his 2023 MLB debut. He put up a 2.70 ERA with a 31.7/9.8 K%/BB% in 20 IP. His 35.0% whiff%, even in a small sample, is very impressive. His slider and changeup were untouchable and the 93.6 MPH 4-seamer and 92.4 MPH sinker performed well too. If he does get healthy, and if he can pick up from 2023, he definitely has impact fantasy starter upside. At this point in the rankings, I think it’s worth hanging onto him. – 2025 Projection: 2/4.23/1.33/38 in 40 IP Prime Projection: 9/3.82/1.24/152 in 140 IP
198) River Ryan – LAD, RHP, 26.7 – Ryan underwent Tommy John surgery in August which will wipe out his entire 2025 season. He was breaking out on the MLB level before going down with the injury with a 1.33 ERA and 22.2/11.1 K%/BB% in 20.1 IP. He had the big stuff to back it up with a 96.3 MPH fastball, a diverse pitch mix, and bat missing secondaries. But like so many Dodgers pitchers in this category, who knows when he will be able to claw his way back into the rotation. He’s good enough to not ignore, but he’s not so good where I would say he’s the type I love to take the Tommy John discount on. – 2025 Projection: OUT
199) Hurston Waldrep – ATL, RHP, 23.1 – Waldrep had an impressive pro debut in 2023 which had his stock rising, but his numbers weren’t as impressive when he got to Double-A, and that proved to be a precursor for what to expect in 2024. He put up a 3.47 ERA with a 23.7/11.0 K%/BB% in 93.1 IP at mostly Double-A and Triple-A. Those K/BB numbers are not very impressive against minor league competition, and he was atrocious in the majors with a 16.71 ERA and 8.3/22.8 K%/BB% in 7 IP. The devasting splitter lived up to the hype and is definitely an at least plus bat missing weapon, but that seems to really be all he has. The fastball sits in the mid 90’s, but it doesn’t miss many bats, the slider is average at best, and the control is well below average. This is a profile that can so easily end up in the bullpen, and it looks like it might be headed there right now. I’m not giving up on him as a starter, and he could be someone who transitions back into the rotation even if he starts his career in the pen, but this wasn’t the year we wanted out of Waldrep. His value took a hit in 2024. – 2025 Projection: 2/4.09/1.34/58 in 60 IP Prime Projection: 4/3.56/1.26/77 in 68 IP
200) Logan Evans – SEA, RHP, 23.10 – Evans was a popular breakout pick late in the off-season, and while a 21.9/9.4 K%/BB% in 107 IP at Double-A isn’t impressive enough for me to really love him, I would say he lived up to the breakout hype. He put up a 3.20 ERA, and the big stuff that got a lot of people very excited was most certainly there. He has a mid 90’s fastball that keeps the ball on the ground to go along with an out pitch in his sweeper. He also has a diverse pitch mix with a curve, cutter and changeup. It seems more like a #4 type profile to me right now, but this was his first full year of pro ball, so more improvement is coming, and you have to love the organization/ballpark. – 2025 Projection: 3/4.31/1.34/45 in 50 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.87/1.29/147 in 160 IP
201) Jaden Hamm – DET, RHP, 22.7 – Hamm was one of the top statistical breakout pitchers in the minors with a 2.64 ERA and 30.6/7.8 K%/BB% in 99 IP. And he’s not just stats, he has the talent to back it up with a plus low to mid 90’s fastball and plus slider, to go along with an average change and curve. He combines that with about average control. He never made it to Double-A for even a cup of coffee, and I would really like to see how the profile plays against upper minors hitters before really flying him up the rankings, because I have a feeling that K rate is coming down against better competition. I see more #3/4 fantasy starter upside, but if his control/command takes a step forward, or he gains more velocity, or the changeup takes a step forward, he can beat that projection. – 2025 Projection: 1/4.35/1.34/24 in 30 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.90/1.25/160 in 160 IP
202) Brody Hopkins – TBR, RHP, 23.2 – The 6’4”, 200 pound Hopkins has funky righty delivery with the funky stuff to match. He slings a sometimes unreal, double plus slider that is his calling card. He combines that with a tailing mid 90’s fastball that looks like he often has little idea where it is going to end up, and he rounds out the arsenal with a decent, lesser used changeup. It resulted in a 3.05 ERA with a 27.2/10.8 K%/BB% in 115 IP split between Single-A and High-A. There is definite control risk that seems like it will always be a part of his game with that funky delivery, so he very well might end up in the bullpen, but with a just a tad more refinement he could be a high K, mid rotation starter, and Tampa is a great team to bet on for that refinement. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 10/3.83/1.29/158 in 145 IP
203) Yoniel Curet – TBR, RHP, 22.5 – Curet is a thick 6’2” with the build of a power NFL running back, and he uses that power to fire an electric mid to upper 90’s fastball that is a double plus pitch. He combines the heat with a plus slider. He’s been dominating the lower minors since 2021, so it was a big deal to see him keep up the production at Double-A where he put up a 1.75 ERA with a 35.9/10.7 K%/BB% in 25.2 IP. The control is below average and he lacks a good third pitch, so it definitely looks like a reliever profile right now, but he can be an elite high leverage one. He could also very well be a short outing, two times through the order starter. Where he ends up could be decided by how healthy and effective Tampa’s rotation is when he’s ready to get the call. – 2025 Projection: 1/3.77/1.30/23 in 20 IP Prime Projection: 4/3.35/1.20/85/26 saves in 65 IP
204) Luis Perales – BOS, RHP, 22.0 – Perales underwent Tommy John surgery in late June which will essentially knock out his entire 2025. It’s such a bummer as he was going full breakout and keeping it up at Double-A. He put up a 2.94 ERA with a 38.9/8.3 K%/BB% in 33.2 IP at High-A and Double-A. The stuff is electric with a plus to double plus mid to upper 90’s fastball. He made improvements to his changeup/splitter, which flashed nasty in 2024, and he rounds out the arsenal with a cutter and slider. He was a breakout candidate coming into the season because of the electric stuff, and it sure looked like the control and secondaries took real steps forward to combine with that stuff. He was on the path to be one of the most hyped pitching prospects this off-season before the injury. He wasn’t quite established enough in the upper minors for me to love taking the TJ discount on, and he’s not a big guy, so injury risk is a real downside, but the upside is certainly here, and he was on the verge of truly establishing himself. I would take him if the price is right, but I wouldn’t stick my neck out. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 11/3.78/1.26/160 in 150 IP
205) Owen Murphy – ATL, RHP, 21.6 – Murphy was one of the top pitching prospect breakouts in 2024 with an uptick in stuff and dominant production, but the ghost of Tommy John got another one with Murphy undergoing Tommy John surgery in early June. That likely keeps him out for most or all of 2025, but it does give him enough of a cushion to prove he’s healthy by the end of the season and possibly into the AFL, so there could be some budding hype by this time next year assuming full health. And if he hadn’t gotten hurt, the hype could have been hitting hard already with a 1.54 ERA and 38.7/7.7 K%/BB% in 41 IP at High-A. The fastball only sits low 90’s, but it gets a ton of movement and is a plus pitch. The slider and curveball both still need refinement, but the slider in particular will flash at least plus. And the control/command is potentially plus with an extremely easy and athletic righty delivery. He’s not necessarily that in your face, upper 90’s, mountain of a man pitching prospect (6’1”) that will get no doubt elite pitching prospect love, but he’s the one who will sneak up on you real fast until he’s all of a sudden doing it against MLB hitters. The injury obviously complicates things, but I like him enough to not have it kill his value. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.87/1.23/152 in 150 IP
206) JR Ritchie – ATL, RHP, 21.9 – If you want to make a case for Owen Murphy, you don’t have to look very far, because JR Ritchie just showed what it looks like to have everything go smoothly returning from Tommy John almost the exact same time as Murphy underwent the surgery (just one year earlier obviously). Ritchie looked like he could have been headed for a breakout in 2023 before undergoing the surgery in late May, and he not only was able to return before the end of 2024, but he shined. He put up a 2.90 ERA with a 27.3/8.3 K%/BB% in 49.2 IP between 3 levels (rookie, A, A+). He looks the part at 6’2”, 185 pounds with a low to mid 90’s fastball, starter’s pitch mix, and potentially above average or better control/command. Both the slider and changeup are legit weapons, giving him the ability to get both lefties and righties out, and the fastball certainly has the ability to tick up into the mid 90’s considering it was closer to the mid 90’s before the injury. With a normal off-season, there is a chance he could look even stronger across the board in 2025, making him a very reasonably priced breakout option. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 10/3.93/1.27/154 in 160 IP
207) Emiliano Teodo – TEX, RHP, 24.2 – Teodo is likely a reliever long term with well below average control, but he most certainly has closer stuff, and it seems like he could be a heavy contender to eventually be Texas’ closer of the future. And on the off chance he can remain a starter, the strikeout upside is there to make an impact for fantasy. He put up a 1.98 ERA with a 30.7/14.0 K%/BB% in 86.1 IP at Double-A. The fastball sits upper 90’s and the slider is double plus. He also has a lesser used changeup that does have some potential. An upper 90’s fastball with a wipeout secondary and below average control is a classic back of the bullpen profile to get excited about. If Texas makes the decision to bullpen him, he could end up in the majors before you know it. 2025 Projection: 2/3.88/1.29/32 in 30 IP Prime Projection: 4/3.42/1.19/80/32 saves in 65 IP
208) Ben Hess – NYY, RHP, 21.10 – Selected 26th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Hess is a high floor real life arm at 6’5”, 255 pounds with a mid 90’s fastball and 3 legit secondaries in his slider, curve and changeup. He didn’t pitch particularly well this year with a 5.80 ERA and 1.39 WHIP in 68.1 IP in the SEC, but the 34.8%/11.5% K%/BB% looks much better. I call him a “high floor real life arm” because as a college starter with his size, velocity and pitch mix, there is a very high probability he will be a major league arm in some capacity. But for fantasy, there is risk he ends up in the bullpen, or a back end starter if his control can’t improve. I’m apt to bet on the size and stuff here, and his price should be very reasonable in First Year Players Drafts. Hess ranked 28th overall on the End of Season Top 56 2025 First Year Player Draft Rankings (Full off-season Top 100+ coming soon on the Patreon). – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 10/3.95/1.32/165 in 160 IP
209) Jonathan Santucci – NYM, LHP, 22.3 – Selected 46th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Santucci had the type of talent to be in position to possibly be a top 10 pick with a huge season, but inconsistency dropped him into the 2nd round. He shows flashes of being a potentially impact MLB starter, but the control/command isn’t there and 58 IP in his career high due to injuries. The stuff is filthy enough to thrive without great command, putting up a 3.41 ERA with a 35.0%/14.0% K%/BB% in 58 IP in the ACC. He’s 6’2”, 205 pounds with an athletic lefty delivery, mid 90’s fastball, plus slider, and average to above average change. There is a lot of risk here, both injury and control, but he’s a high upside college arm who should come at a very reasonable price in drafts. I don’t mind him as a “let him come to you” target in drafts. Don’t reach. Let him fall into your lap. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 10/3.81/1.32/168 in 155 IP
210) Ryan Sloan – SEA, RHP, 19.2 – Selected 55th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Seattle went for a safer college starter in the first round, and then turned around and went for an upside high school starter in the 2nd. As I talked about in the June Mailbag Podcast, it made all the sense in the world for Seattle to focus on arms, and their entire draft was extremely arm heavy. Well done, Seattle. Sloan reminds me of Blake Wolters from the 2023 Draft, in that he looks the part and checks a lot of boxes. He’s 6’4”, 225 pounds with a mid 90’s fastball, potentially plus slider, and solid changeup. He controls all of his pitches relatively well. And you have to love Seattle as his landing spot. He’s a very enticing high school arm. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 12/3.83/1.24/178 in 170 IP
211) Kale Fountain – SDP, 3B, 19.8 – Selected 151st in the 2024 MLB Draft, Fountain is a mountain of a man at 6’5”, 225 pounds, and he has the type of power befitting of his size with monster homer totals in high school. He’s also a sneaky good athlete with above average run times. He was drafted in the 5th round but signed for $1.7 million, so this was a highly sought after prospect. There is definite hit tool risk, and he’s on the old side for his class, but there is tons to like for fantasy. He reminds me of the Brandon Winokur of this year’s draft, and Winokur just cracked my Top 100. Fountain is a definite target. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 73/25/81/.240/.315/.462/9
212) Luke Dickerson – WAS, SS, 19.8 – Selected 44th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, the 6’0”, 190 Dickerson is a strong kid who won a state championship as as hockey player. You can see that toughness in the box with a powerful righty swing, and he combines that with good athleticism and speed. He signed for $3.8 million, which was the 21st highest signing bonus in the class and tells you how much Washington loved this kid. I do prefer a few other high school bats that got drafted in that 2nd round area over Dickerson, but it’s hard to argue with that signing bonus, and his talent is right there with them. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 76/20/79/.260/.330/.440/15
213) PJ Morlando – MIA, OF, 19.11 – Morlando was selected 16th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, and if he was picked by a team who I respected (like Xavier Isaac in 2022, or Ralphy Velazquez in 2023, or Braylon Payne this year), I might be inclined to go after him as a potentially plus hit/power bat at 6’3”, 200 pounds without much defensive value, but I just don’t trust the Marlins with hitters. Morlando getting picked this high by them just doesn’t warrant a bump in my book. But having said that, he certainly has big talent at the dish with big raw power and a great feel to hit. The wide and low batting stance just isn’t my favorite type of swing and it isn’t conducive to big game power, so he’ll likely need a swing change to fully tap into that raw power. He’s also old for the class, while the previously mentioned Isaac, Ralphy, and Payne were all young for the class. He got one plate attempt at Single-A before his season ended with a lumbar stress reaction in his back. Bit of a bummer to see a back injury so early into his career, but you can’t read too much into it at this point. There is appeal, but despite the high draft slot, I’m not going out of my way to get Morlando. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 76/23/82/.262/.333/.458/5
214) Elian Pena – NYM, SS, 17.6 – Pena is expected to sign for the top bonus in the class (non Roki Sasaki division), and when you watch his lefty swing, it’s easy to see why he has a potentially very exciting hit/power combo. He’s only 5’10”, but he already has that sturdy trunk and hard hit ability that portends him being a bruiser in the box. And he combines that power potential with a good feel to hit and excellent approach. I definitely see the middle of the order masher potential, but like Josuar Gonzalez, I’m not sure I’m so blown away that I really want to stick my neck out for him. I’ll take him if the price is right, but I’m not going to reach. Maybe I’m being too conservative at the moment, but that is how I would play it right now. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 86/26/91/.273/.348/.475/10
215) Cole Carrigg – COL, OF, 22.10 – I really wish we could have seen Carrigg at Double-A, because it’s hard for me to buy in too hard here as an advanced college bat in the lower minors. The Rockies High-A park is also notoriously hitter friendly, with many of their hitters immediately falling off in their Double-A ballpark. At best, you can use his lack of time at Double-A as a buying opportunity, because there is a lot to like, but at worst, it could be a trap. The rosy outlook on Carrigg is that he’s 6’2”, 200 pounds with about average power (16 homers in 111 games at High-A), an average hit tool (19.0/9.8 K%/BB%), double plus baserunning (53 steals), and defensive versality which should add value. The less rosy outlook is that the hit tool drops to below average at higher levels and he won’t have the power to make up for it, relegating him to a utility role. If we saw it at Double-A, I would be more apt to buy into the first narrative, but until I do, I’m staying a little cautious. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 74/16/67/.262/.323/.417/28
216) Ty Johnson – TBR, RHP, 23.6 – Johnson absolutely blew up after his trade to the Rays, putting up a 0.78 ERA with a 46.4/4.8 K%/BB% in 23 IP at High-A. He was pitching well all season with Chicago too, but Tampa tweaked his arm slot to that at the ear fastball, and it gave High-A hitters fits. He’s a tall drink of water at 6’6”, 205 pounds, and he uses that frame to fire that heavily used, mid 90’s fastball that is a plus pitch, to go along with a plus slider. He doesn’t have a third pitch and there is definitely bullpen risk, but let’s see what Tampa can do with a full off-season of him. Finding a third pitch could unlock mid rotation upside. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 9/3.91/1.24/140 in 140 IP
217) Hyun-Seok Jang – LAD, RHP, 21.0 – I just couldn’t resist writing up Jang even though he didn’t crack the Top 10, because if there is one pitcher in the minors who can jump into near elite pitching prospect range extremely quickly into 2025, it’s Jang. If he has literally a few good outings to start the season, maybe even just one good outing, the hype is going to hit really damn hard. He was one of my top FYPD pitching targets last off-season, and while his control/command was too raw to say he was a major hit, he more than showed the upside that I just can’t resist. He put up a ridiculous 41% K% in 36.2 IP split between rookie ball (41.5%) and Single-A (39.6%). He’s 6’4”, 200 pounds with an athletic righty delivery that fires a mid 90’s fastball that can reach the upper 90’s, to go along with a 2 potentially plus breakers (slider, curve), and a developing changeup that flashes plus. He was improving as the year progressed with a 2.19 ERA in 12.1 IP at Single-A (6.14 ERA on the season), which is a good sign, but the 16.3% BB% remained high all year, and that is just way too high. He has the type of stuff that can thrive with below average control, but he has work to do to get to even that. The way I see it, the raw control gives you one more off-season to get in for cheap or possibly nothing before he really starts to pop. Last year was his first year in a new country and his first year in pro ball. There was a lot of adjusting to do, and I think he’s going to look a lot more comfortable in year 2. He’s a major target. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 11/3.69/1.28/180 in 160 IP
218) Daniel Espino – CLE, RHP, 24.3 – Sometimes you just gotta say eff it. If you said eff it with Kumar Rocker and held onto him, it would have paid off in a major way for you this year. Rocker had both shoulder and elbow surgeries. Granted, Espino’s shoulder problems seem way more serious with him missing all of 2024 with another shoulder surgery. He hasn’t pitched since 2022. But his stuff was so off the charts nasty with upper 90’s heat, a plus slider, and a diverse pitch mix, that I think it’s worth it to just say eff it. Maybe he’s a shell of his former self. Maybe he keeps getting hurt. Or maybe he ends up in the bullpen. But on the off chance that his shoulder actually does get back to full health, he has the potential to Kumar Rocker the minors. From an afterthought to an elite, hyped pitching prospect in the blink of an eye. I’m going to hold on to see where it goes. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 3/3.81/1.29/65 in 60 IP
219) Edgar Quero – CHW, C, 22.0 – Quero is a super safe catcher prospect who had a clear path to playing time, but after the Kyle Teel trade, he’s going to have to battle it out. He’s had an excellent plate approach his entire professional career, putting up a 17.4/9.7 K%/BB% in 98 games split between Double-A and Triple-A. There is some juice in his bat too with 16 homers, but there isn’t huge raw power at 5’10” (87.3 MPH EV at Triple-A), and the launch isn’t very high either (7.2 degrees at Triple-A). It’s an above average hit/power combo in the minors which might play as an average hit/power combo in the majors, but at only 22 years old, you can give him a bump for age to level. He’s the type that has more value the deeper the league is, because I’m seeing more of a solid than standout hitting catcher. – 2025 Projection: 36/10/41/.246/.305/.391/1 Prime Projection: 66/17/72/.266/.339/.429/3
220) Tomoyuki Sugano – BAL, RHP, 35.6 – Sugana is a 35 year old who just put up an 18.3% K% in 156.2 IP in Japan, so we aren’t talking about big dynasty value here, but he can easily end up a solid win now piece. Here is Sugano himself talking about his arsenal and strategy in an MLB.com article by Adam Berry, “Obviously not a guy that throws 100 mph, but I’m very confident in my control, command, my pitch mix. That’s why I’ve had a lot of success in Japan. I’m not looking to really change anything now. I want to use my pitch selection, my pitch mix, my command to pitch in the States and see where it takes me from there.” That says it all as Sugano art of pitching’d his way to a 1.67 ERA and 0.95 WHIP in 2024, and a 2.43 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in his 1,873.1 IP career. The guy knows how to pitch, and while he’s not going to be an under 3 guy in MLB, I don’t see why his profile wouldn’t transfer. Baltimore wouldn’t have paid him $13 million if they didn’t think he could be effective. I would expect a #3/4 type starter with a high 3 ERA and low WHIP, but the lack of K’s and age still blunts his dynasty value. Putting him on a list like this is kinda pointless, because your league size and whether you are in win now mode will drive his value. – 2025 Projection: 9/3.88/1.18/120 in 150 IP
221) Tirso Ornelas – SDP, OF, 25.1 – Ornelas was once upon a time a popular sleeper bat back in 2018 as a 19 year old, and while he didn’t have the explosion many hoped for, here he is popping back up on the radar in 2025. The 6’4”, sweet lefty swinging Ornelas slashed .297/.367/.497 with 23 homers, 7 steals, and a 16.1/9.7 K%/BB% in 128 games at Triple-A. The 87.6 MPH EV and 8.4 degree launch don’t exactly scream big time power hitter in the majors, but the raw power is definitely in there, and the contact rates were really good. It’s probably a bench bat long term, but San Diego is a very thin team right now, so Ornelas is in position to get plenty of at-bats in 2025. It’s also not out of the question for him to level up again if he can raise his launch, and his teammate Jackson Merrill is a perfect guy to talk to about that. He’s not a bad underrated proximity bat at all for deeper leagues. – 2025 Projection: 41/10/47/.238/.303/.409/2 Prime Projection: 43/12/51/.260/.321/.435/3
222) Juan Brito – CLE, 2B/3B, 23.6 – Brito isn’t a good defensive player and Cleveland has started to move him all over the field (1B, 2B, 3B, OF), which isn’t a good sign because he doesn’t really have that no doubt offensive upside either. But his season at Triple-A was too good to ignore. He slashed .256/.365/.443 with 21 homers, 13 steals, and a 16.1/13.5 K%/BB% in 144 games. The 87.3 MPH EV isn’t great, but it’s not terrible, and it came with a 17.5 degree launch and a 47% Pull%. We know that a strong plate approach with a lift and pull profile can most certainly work. If he can get into the lineup, and he has opportunity at 2B before Bazzana arrives, he should be a rock solid MLB hitter, but his glove could cause problems on that front long term. – 2025 Projection: 22/5/27/.241/.302/.394/2 Prime Projection: 76/20/79/.259/.328/.430/8
223) Everson Pereira – NYY, OF, 24.0 – Pereira’s season ended on May 19th after undergoing elbow surgery. He was doing his usual big power, big strikeout thing before going down with the injury with 10 homers and a 32.4/8.6 K%/BB% in 40 games at Triple-A. That K rate at Triple-A is scary, and it was even worse when he got a shot in the majors in 2023 with a 38.8% K% and 43.1% whiff%. But strikeouts aside, Pereira is an exciting talent with the ability to crush the ball and above average speed. He’s basically obliterated every stop of the minors. These guys generally get a shot at some point in time, often with the Miami Marlins of the world, and the fantasy upside is worth staying patient with. With Juan Soto now officially a goner, maybe Pereira’s status in the Yankees organization gets a little bump, and even if he isn’t handed a starting job (which he won’t be), he might hang around in that next man up territory. He’s a bit more interesting to me now than he was before Soto signing with the Mets. 2025 Projection: 28/10/35/.222/.291/.424/5 Prime Projection: 71/24/78/.235/.312/.454/12 Update: Stanton injury could open the door a crack for Pereira
224) Drew Gilbert – NYM, OF, 24.6 – A hamstring injury knocked out 3 months of Gilbert’s season, and he couldn’t get comfortable until the final month where he went bonkos with 9 homers, 2 steals, and a 16.2/10.3 K%/BB% in his last 29 games at Triple-A. It was more of the same in the AFL with 3 homers and a 5/8 K/BB in 11 games. But the batting average didn’t follow behind with a .200 BA in the AFL and a .222 BA during that hot streak at Triple-A, and I’m not sure it’s purely bad luck. He only had a 85 MPH EV at Triple-A to go along with a 46.9% FB%, which is a recipe for a low batting average. The Mets ballpark also isn’t the right park for that kind of profile with it being one of the worst parks for lefty homers this year. He’s had less extreme flyball rates in the past, but with the mediocre at best EV’s, I don’t think it’s going to matter much, and while he runs a bit, it doesn’t seem like he will rack up steals. He’s close to the majors and he can definitely end up a solid fantasy player, but it’s not someone I’m going after unless it’s a deeper league. – 2025 Projection:.25/5/29/.235/.301/.395/3 Prime Projection: 76/18/74/.251/.322/.428/13
225) Wilfred Veras – CHW, OF, 22.4 – Veras is one of my favorite underrated proximity stashes in the minor leagues right now. He has that perfect mix of talent, upside, production, path to playing time, and absolutely non existent hype. He’s 6’2” with a big righty swing that has easy plus power potential, and he used that to club 16 homers in 128 games at Double-A. He’s not a burner but he loves to run, stealing 25 bags in 34 attempts, and I don’t see why Chicago wouldn’t let him run, especially if they are going to be bad for the next few years. And the most exciting part is that he at least hinted at improving his well below average plate approach in the 2nd half of the season with a 23.2/8.7 K%/BB% in his final 70 games. He was only 21 years old in the upper minors with a 118 wRC+, and his biggest weakness, the plate approach, showed signs of improving. I love taking some high risk, high reward shots on guys who aren’t teenagers, so Veras is in that perfect zone of upside and proximity for a cheap price that isn’t always easy to find. – 2025 Projection: 27/8/36/.221/.280/.389/5 Prime Projection: 69/22/78/.246/.309/.442/13
226) Miguel Bleis – BOS, OF, 21.1 – We already knew that Bleis was not going to be that rocket ship elite prospect that we hoped for after his disappointing 2023 season, and as often happens with these uber talented, close to a breakout but never quite breaks out prospects (see Alex Ramirez), they can just sit in the breakout waiting room for years, sometimes all the way into their late 20’s. So I fear Bleis is going to get comfortable in this breakout waiting room, but that is where he is after another mediocre at best season. He conquered Single-A with a 123 wRC+, but he was a 20 year old repeating the level, and he struggled when he got to the more age appropriate High-A with a 70 wRC+ in 50 games. That hit tool is still quite raw with a .221 BA on the season. The good news is that the upper echelon talent is still here with 11 homers, 38 steals, and a lift and pull profile. The hit tool isn’t good, but a 21.4/9.1 K%/BB% isn’t too bad. He also has a good glove in the OF. Is he just Alex Ramirez 2.0? Probably. But even Alex Ramirez can still breakout down the line, and Bleis certainly can too. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 67/20/71/.241/.309/.417/23
227) Yophery Rodriguez – MIL, OF, 19.4 – Rodriguez didn’t have the flashiest season with 7 homers, 7 steals, a .726 OPS and a 23.8/12.2 K%/BB% in 110 games at Single-A, but it resulted in a 117 wRC+, and when you take into account he was an 18 year old who skipped over stateside rookie ball, it’s much more impressive. He has a whip quick lefty swing, and he has good size at 6’1”, 185 pounds, so he should be able to get to above average to plus power at peak. He’s also an excellent athlete who signed for $1.5 million in 2023, although he needs to improve his base stealing (19 for 31 in his career and 7 for 12 this year). More refinement is needed in all areas of his game, which is to be expected at this stage in his career, but it’s not hard to see an above average across the board player at peak. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 82/22/80/.266/.344/.451/10
228) Yanquiel Fernandez – COL, OF, 22.3 – Fernandez simply didn’t have a good enough year for a bat only prospect. He put up a 98 wRC+ with 12 homers in 122 games split between Double-A and Triple-A. The plate approach is really bad (7.2% BB%), the hit tool is below average (.262 BA with a 19.4% K%), he’s almost a literal zero in steals, and the launch isn’t great either with a 44.1% GB%. Don’t get me wrong, I still love that sweet lefty swing and big power potential, but his bat really needed to be pretty bulletproof as the climbed the minors, and it just wasn’t in 2024. He’s a guy who is going to have to scratch and claw for playing time. I don’t hate him, but it’s just not a profile that deserves to get ranked very highly right now. 2025 Projection: 11/3/14/.228/.281/.398/0 Prime Projection: 66/24/71/.251/.318/.451/1
229) Paulino Santana – TEX, OF, 18.4 – Leodalis De Vries, Paulino Santana, and Emil Morales were my top 3 targets from last year’s international class, and while De Vries and Morales have gone full blow up, Santana is still sitting in a very reasonable price range. He didn’t hit for nearly enough power to be a coveted prospect with 0 homers in 53 games in the DSL, but everything else was there with a 14.6/20.0 K%/BB%, 20 steals, and a 142 wRC+. He’s a projectable 6’2”, 180 pounds and he didn’t have any major groundball or pull issues with a 35.4% flyball percentage and a 49% Pull%, so the game power should tick up naturally over time as the raw power starts coming in. The super quick and super athletic righty swing that made me fall in love with him is still fully present. The big breakout hasn’t come yet, but I still think it’s coming down the line. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 88/20/76/.278/.347/.446/28
230) Kash Mayfield – SDP, LHP, 20.3 – Selected 25th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Mayfield has prototypical size at 6’4”, 200 pounds with a deceptive lefty delivery that hides the ball well, before releasing it with a short arm action and 3 quarter arm slot. The deception and movement on the fastball allows the low to mid 90’s pitch play up. He combines the heater with two potentially plus secondaries in his slider and changeup, to go along with potentially plus control/command. He’s old for the class and seems a bit more floor over upside at the moment, but there is plenty here for San Diego to work with. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 11/3.91/1.22/160 in 165 IP
231) Thomas Saggese – STL, 2B/3B/SS, 23.0 – Saggese was always a guy who produced above his tools, demanding respect in the prospect world despite being a 5th round pick, but pro ball finally caught up with him at Triple-A. He put up 93 wRC+ with a 23.1/5.9 K%/BB% in 125 games. He then got a cup of coffee in the majors where he struggled hard with a 57 wRC+ and 26.9/3.8 K%/BB% in 52 PA. He just doesn’t hit the ball hard enough (87.3 MPH at AAA and 85.7 MPH in the majors), or have good enough plate skills (see K/BB above), or run enough (9 steals) to be too enticing of a fantasy prospect. There also isn’t much defensive value, so it’s not like the glove will force him on the field. I’m not saying he can’t be a solid bat at peak, because I think he can be, I’m just not too enthused about rostering him until it maybe happens. – 2025 Projection: 25/5/29/.237/.293/.389/2 Prime Projection: 66/19/74/.259/.318/.420/8
232) Shay Whitcomb – HOU, 3B, 26.6 – If Whitcomb had a starting job, or even some semblance of a path to a full time job, I would really love him, but he really doesn’t have a path. And at already 26 years old, it’s hard to say you should hold him for the future. It’s a shame, because he’s a tooled up hitter with a powerful righty swing (25 homers with a 89.5 MPH EV and 16.9 degree launch in 105 games at Triple-A), and he finally made the hit tool improvement he needed to make, which stuck in his small sample MLB debut. He put up a 19.8/11.0 K%/BB% at Triple-A and a 17.4/10.9 K%/BB% in 46 PA in the majors. The 17.9% whiff% is even more impressive. His 76 wRC+ wasn’t impressive, but he got unlucky with a .342 xwOBA. He’s not a burner with a 27.4 ft/sec sprint (in a small sample, so that might not be his true talent level), but he’s a good athlete and he loves to run with 26 steals at Triple-A. He’s the type where I would keep a close eye and pounce the second you see him getting at bats, but it’s hard to hold until that happens. – 2025 Projection: 22/7/28/.244/.308/.417/8
233) Marco Luciano – SFG, SS/2B, 23.7 – Luciano’s prospect star has slowly faded as he’s continued to climb the ladder, and it came to a head in 2024 with a terrible year in the majors, and also a very mediocre year at Triple-A. He put up a 59 wRC+ with a 34.6/6.2 K%/BB%, 0 homers, and 0 steals in 81 MLB PA. And at AAA he slashed .250/.380/.380 in 83 games. He’s not good on defense, the hit tool is below average at best, and he’s not fast with average speed. Power was always his main selling point, and that is still present with a plus 73.7 MPH swing and 89.8 MPH EV at Triple-A, but the launch is relatively low, he doesn’t particularly pull it a ton, and SF is just a deadly ballpark for power hitters. He’s also been passed on the depth chart, so he doesn’t have a clear path to playing time at the moment. Without much defensive value, hit tool problems, little speed, no starting job, and good but not great power, I just don’t see him as a very unique or valuable player right now. He’s still on the radar, he has legit power, and he’s young, so I’m not giving up on him completely, but this is as high as I can go. – 2025 Projection: 28/7/24/.234/.310/.400/2 Prime Projection: 68/24/73/.248/.322/437/6
234) Gabriel Rincones – PHI, OF, 24.1 – Rincones is a powerfully built 6’3”, 225 pounds with easy plus power, and in his first shot at the upper minors in 2024, he dominated. He slashed .263/.357/.487 with 11 homers, 20 steals, and a 25.6/11.6 K%/BB% in 59 games at Double-A. It was good for a 141 wRC+. He’s not a burner, so don’t expect big steal totals in the bigs, but he should at least be a contributor in the category. He’s a corner outfielder and there are hit tool issues, but I’ll bet on a guy who looks the part, hits the ball hard, disposed of Double-A immediately, and is knocking on the door of the bigs. The biggest issue is that he’s terrible vs. lefties, so it might end up in a platoon role. 2025 Projection: 18/5/24/.228/.298/.420/4 Prime Projection: 68/23/75/.245/.323/.462/9
235) Jefferson Rojas – CHC, SS, 19.11 – I was a bit lower on Rojas than consensus last off-season, because I just didn’t see big enough tools to get really excited about him for fantasy, and that played out in 2024 with a mediocre season. He hit 6 homers with 21 steals (in 29 attempts) and a 88 wRC+ in 96 games at High-A. We have to grade on a curve because he was young for the level, and the 15.3% K% was excellent, so it’s not like it was a terrible year or anything, it just displayed that he’s a better real life prospect than a fantasy one. He can play SS and he gets the ball on the ball, which gives him a very high floor, but the power/speed combo projects to be moderate at best. He’s a solid fantasy prospect, but not a truly coveted one at the moment. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 78/17/71/.273/.326/.421/15
236) Jeral Perez – CHW, 2B, 20.5 – Perez getting traded from LA to CHI is a major developmental downgrade, and while it does theoretically create a better path to playing time down the line, I don’t think the trade off is worth it. Perez has a lot of development left to go as he’s only reached Single-A. Having said that, he’s still a really good lower minors prospect. I gave him the Andy Pages 2.0 comp, and that really sums him up pretty well. They are both 6’0” righties with relatively extreme lift and pull profiles, above average to plus raw power, a plus plate approach, and mid 20 K rates. He slashed .262/.370/.423 with 12 homers, 4 steals, and a 22.9/12.9 K%/BB% in 105 games. Andy Pages set a strong foundation for himself in 2024 to be an above average MLB bat, and Perez has the potential to do the same in a few years. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 80/22/80/.255/.332/.440/6
237) Luken Baker – STL, 1B, 28.1 – With the news of Contreras moving to 1B, that takes a lot of the wind out of Baker’s sails in terms of playing time projections. It doesn’t seem like St. Louis is interested in him as anything more than a power bench bat. Which is understandable considering his age and hit tool risk, but it’s still unfortunate as far as fantasy goes, because the guy is a home run machine. He hit 33 homers in 84 games at Triple-A in 2023 and then hit another 32 homers in 108 games this year. He smashes the ball with a 91.1 MPH EV and he lifts it with a 17.5 degree launch. He hasn’t exactly kicked the door down when he’s gotten his small shots in the majors, which is what a bat like this has to do, but the power has most certainly transferred with a 92.3 MPH EV and 16.6 degree launch in 148 career MLB PA. It’s come with a .198 BA though, and even though his 22.4% K% this year looks good, the 33% whiff% doesn’t look good. He not only hits for power, he walks a ton too with a 14.3% BB% in the majors, so I thought he was worthy of getting a shot at an everyday job, but it’s not to be. He’ll have to Kool Aid Man the door down, and at 6’4”, 285 pounds, he just might. – 2025 Projection: 31/11/36/.228/.321/.427/0 Prime Projection: 63/20/68/.236/.331/.462/1
238) Jonathon Long – CHI, 1B, 23.2 – I’m a hawk for great pro debuts coming right out of the draft, and Long’s great pro debut in 2023 certainly got my attention. Despite getting picked 266th overall as a college bat (he signed for slot value, so there were no complicating signing bonus factors), I messed around and placed Long on my Top 1,000 Rankings, writing in part, “Long makes for an interesting late round target in deeper leagues … 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.” He then went out and proved in 2024 that he is most certainly a legit prospect, to say the least. He slashed .340/.455/.528 with 7 homers and a 16.5/17.5 K%/BB% in 46 games after getting the call to Double-A. He then went to the AFL and obliterated the league with a 1.088 OPS and 6 homers in 18 games. He’s still a mostly 1B prospect (he can play some 3B too) whose reasonable projection is more of a good bat than a great one, so he’s still more of a deeper league guy, but he most certainly backed up that great pro debut. He’s a close to the majors bat who can make a fantasy impact if he can work his way into the lineup. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 68/20/76/.257/.326/.441/1
239) Jesus Baez – NYM, SS/3B, 20.1 – Baez’ season ended on July 3rd after undergoing knee surgery for a torn meniscus, but he has showing off a very impressive hit/power combo before going down with the injury. He cracked 10 homers with a 15.7 degree launch, 16.2% K% and 123 wRC+ in 64 games at Single-A, and then he snuck in 8 games at High-A where he proved everything will transfer with 1 homer, a 15.6% K% and a 119 wRC+. He’s not a huge tools guy at 5’10”, but he’s powerfully built and he surely has a powerful righty swing with a 89.7 MPH EV. He’s not particularly projectable and the plate approach isn’t great, so it might be someone who sees his production drop, or maintain, as he gets to higher levels, rather than someone who just keeps on improving. I think a reasonable upside projection for him would be an above average hit/power combo, rather than a truly special one. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 71/24/79/.263/.321/.441/7
240) Pablo Guerrero – TEX, 1B, 18.8 – Pablo Guerrero is Vlad Guerrero’s son and Vlad Guerrero’s brother. He has the power of a Guerrero with 7 homers and a 119 wRC+ in 51 games in rookie ball, but he doesn’t have the contact rates of a Vlad with a 30.0%/8.0% K%/BB%. He closed out the season at Single-A as a barely 18 year old and struggled with a 64 wRC+ and 1 homer in 27 games, but considering his age, I wouldn’t put too much stock into that. It’s super fun to bet on a Guerrero, and at 6’2”, 200 pounds with the patented Guerrero family swing, he most certainly has a carrying tool in his power. Even with the shaky hit tool, I’m apt to go after him. I think he’s a bit underrated, which is hard to believe considering the bloodlines. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 72/28/85/.247/.322/.473/2
241) Adrian Del Castillo – ARI, C, 25.6 – Del Castillo is not a good defensive catcher, and he might be a DH only, which is a major problem in projecting his future playing time. His bat is really going to have to max out, and the good news is that it maxed out in 2024. He utterly obliterated Triple-A with a 144 wRC+, 26 homers, and a 16.9/11.6 K%/BB% in 105 games, and then he utterly obliterated the majors with a 146 wRC+, 4 homers, and a 32.2/8.0 K%/BB% in 25 games. As you can see from that K/BB though, the hit tool is a major risk, and his strikeout rates in the minors prior to this season were very high. The power is plus and he puts the ball in the air, but the hit tool risk combined with the poor defense could be enough to keep him as a bench bat. He’s highly unlikely to take the starting catcher job away from Gabriel Moreno anyway, even if he was better on defense. In most leagues, he’s probably someone you jump on when/if he does get in the lineup, rather than someone you hold waiting for it. – 2025 Projection: 41/10/47/.245/.312/.423/1
242) Carter Jensen – KCR, C, 21.9 – The unheralded Jensen continued to rake his face off everywhere he’s played, and it’s high time we start heralding him. He put up a 137 wRC+ in 84 games at High-A, and then he got the call to Double-A where he put up a 112 wRC+ with 8 homers in 41 games. He obliterated the AFL too with a silly 1.382 OPS and 4 homers in 12 games, but granted, I think I could have put up a 1.000+ OPS against AFL pitching this year. He hits the ball very hard, he has no groundball issues, and he can pull it. He’s a legit exciting power bat with a howitzer lefty swing, but it comes with legit hit tool risk too. He hit .233 with a 26.5/8.8 K%/BB% when he got to Double-A, and he has a career .235 BA in 373 minor league games. He walks a ton, so add a star in OBP leagues, but the hit tool still needs to take a step forward to be a slam dunk starting MLB catcher. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 63/22/68/.232/.317/.435/5
243) Abimelec Ortiz – TEX, 1B, 23.1 – I was never the high guy on Ortiz, and I kinda wrote him off after his poor first half of the season, but he redeemed himself in the 2nd half, slashing .308/.406/.570 with 15 homers, 2 steals, and a 21.1/14.2 K%/BB% in his final 60 games. He’s 5’10”, 230 pounds with a howitzer of a lefty swing that is made to launch the ball. He’s not a good defensive player and he was bad vs. lefties (.623 OPS in 107 PA). Tack on the hit tool risk, and it’s still not a player I’m going to be super high on. But there is no doubt power in his bat, so if he does get the playing time, he’s going to pop dingers. – 2025 Projection: 9/3/13/.224/.291/.409/0 Prime Projection: 61/21/74/.246/.318/.451/2
244) Chase Davis – STL, OF, 23.3 – The Ghost of Poor Pro Debut Past actually didn’t have a bad year at all in 2024, but it wasn’t that good either considering all the hype he had after the draft, proving the weight put on the poor debut was the proper evaluation. He slashed .252/.349/.417 with 12 homers, 9 steals, and a 23.8/11.8 K%/BB% in 112 games at mostly Single-A and High-A. He got a cup of coffee in the upper minors to close out the season and put up a 103 wRC+ in 8 games. He still has that smooth and athletic lefty swing, but the raw power has only been above average at best, and it comes with a low launch (47.5% GB%). He doesn’t have the hit tool, speed or defensive value to really make up for the power not being standout. It’s just not a very unique profile as a good but not great corner outfield bat, and I’m kinda being generous even saying “good” there. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 51/14/53/.251/.325/.423/5
245) Billy Amick – MIN, 3B, 22.5 – Selected 60th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, the reason Amick isn’t grouped on the FYPD Rankings with the higher end college hitter prospects, and didn’t get drafted as highly as that group of hitting prospects either, is because of his 18.2%/9.9% K%/BB% in 65 games in the SEC. That is both too much swing and miss and too much chasing. He can definitely mash with 23 homers and a 1.026 OPS, and he’s a proven SEC hitter, so I still like the bat a lot, and he had a strong pro debut to back up the strong college production. He ripped 3 homers with an 88.5 MPH EV and 19.5/15.6 K%/BB% in 18 gamest at Single-A. It came with a .222 BA and 53.2% GB%, so it wasn’t all roses, but it was nice to see the strong plate skills. He’s a solid but unspectacular power bat. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 72/22/78/.253/.320/.447/5
246) Tommy White – OAK, 3B, 22.1 – Selected 40th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, the 6’1”, 228 pound White has that low and wide batting stance which I’ve always disliked since I started writing, and now it seems like teams and mainstream scouts are also open about not liking. It’s all about the upright batting stance into a leg kick these days. He fell to 40th overall despite ripping up the SEC and ACC all 3 years he was in college, hitting 75 homers with a 14.5%/8.2% K%/BB% in 187 games. And his poor pro debut (2 homers with a 67 wRC+ in 25 games at Single-A) did nothing to change the lukewarm attitude I have (and MLB seems to have had) towards him. A poor defensive player with no speed and low walk rates is a recipe for scratching and clawing for playing time. Having said all that, the contact/power combo from a proven major college performer is good enough to take a shot on at this point of the rankings, and while “Oakland” is getting more crowded, you have to think there will be playing time available if he hits. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 67/22/79/.253/.310/.450/2
247) Blake Burke – MIL, 1B, 21.10 – Burke was selected 34th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, which is relatively high for a DH/1B bat to get drafted, which means Milwaukee really believes in Burke’s bat. And why not, as Burke is a 6’3”, 240 pound masher who hit 50 homers in 182 career games in the SEC (20 homers in 72 games this season). He’s had hit tool and chase issues throughout his career, but a 14.9/10.8 K%/BB% this year shows he’s capable of improvement. He played in only 5 games at High-A in his pro debut for reasons I am unsure of. He didn’t hit a homer, but a 22.2/11.1 K%/BB% is a good sign that the hit tool won’t blow up in a bad way in pro ball, and we know the power is in there. He’s not a good defensive 1B, so there is a ton of pressure on his bat to become more than a part time power hitter, but for fantasy especially, why not take the shot here. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 67/23/79/.250/.322/456/2
248) Austin Charles – KCR, 3B/SS, 21.4 – Charles was a super raw, super talented project at an uber athletic 6’5” coming into 2024, and he more or less heads into 2025 with that exact same profile. He was 20 years old and repeating Single-A, which is never a great sign, and while he had a much better season this year with a 121 wRC+, the .257/.353/.386 triple slash with a 25.8% K% and 10 homers in 117 games doesn’t exactly look great. You only have to watch him swing the bat once with an insanely athletic, quick, and powerful righty swing to overlook the lackluster statistical profile, and he can certainly lift and pull it with a 35.2% GB% and 60.1% Pull%, so he should be able to get to most of his power down the line. He also has plus speed with 36 steals. The real question is the hit tool, and while it seems the odds are against him hitting enough to be a full time regular, the upside would be considerable if he can figure it out. He continues to hover in that Top 200-ish area for me as a high risk, high reward lotto ticket. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 69/18/74/.233/.308/.423/19
249) Jhonny Severino – PIT, SS.3B, 20.5 – You only have to watch Severino demolish a homer to completely get his appeal. He’s a still projectable 6’2”, 185 pounds with that absolute vicious and athletic righty swing that jacked out 16 homers in 84 games split between stateside rookie and Single-A (6 homers in 28 games at Single-A). He’s also a good athlete who stole 16 bags in 20 attempts. He was a 19 year old at rookie ball for his first 56 games of the season, so I was a little skeptical of the 15.9/11.8 K%/BB% at that level, and that skepticism proved correct as he put up a much worse 30.1/6.5 K%/BB% at the more age appropriate Single-A. There is definitely risk with much more refinement needed, but the upside is easy to dream on. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 75/24/82/.242/.313/.448/12
250) Jeremy Rodriguez – NYM, SS, 18.9 – Rodriguez was one of the top high-floor DSL breakouts in 2023, and he remains a high floor prospect after a solid showing in stateside rookie ball, slashing .282/.355/.400 with 3 homers, 17 steals, and a 17.1/9.7 K%/BB% in 50 games. If you want to get a little crazy with the comp, his swing reminds me more than a bit of Francisco Lindor’s, and Rodriguez is basically the same size with the same skillset. Lindor’s power was also undersold as a prospect. But Lindor is obviously the stupid ceiling comp. You can also find utility infielders with similar profiles and size. You get the point. He gets the bat on the ball, he’s 6’0” with room for muscle, he’s a good athlete, and he has a good glove. He’s probably a bit underrated right now if anything. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 82/17/60/.269/.331/.413/20
251) John Gil – ATL, SS/3B, 18.10 – Gil is a pretty toolsy and projectable 6’1”, 175 pounds, and he’s now conquered both levels of rookie ball, putting up a 120 wRC+ in 48 games in the DSL in 2023, and then putting up a 124 wRC+ with 3 homers, 26 steals, and a 16.1/13.3 K%/BB% in 51 games at stateside rookie ball in 2024. He struggled when he got the call to Single-A with a 72 wRC+ in 39 games, but he was barely 18 years old, and the 23.3/11.9 K%/BB% with 14 steals wasn’t bat at all. There is definitely room to tack on more mass, and he was lifting and pulling in rookie ball, so he should be able to get to most of his eventual raw power. Gil checks a lot of boxes for a rookie ball player with contact, approach, speed, athleticism, good size, and projection. He’s a definite legit breakout candidate in 2025. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 82/16/58/.273/.336/.419/26
252) Luis Pena – MIL, SS/3B/SS, 18.4 – Pena was the top hit/speed combo breakout in the DSL, slashing .393/.457/.583 with 1 homer, 39 steals, and a 8.2/8.2 K%/BB% in 44 games. He’s not a big guy at a relatively skinny 5’11”, but he has an explosive righty swing that can hit the ball hard, there is plenty of room to tack on mass, and he doesn’t have any major lift and pull problems, so there is definitely potential for him to develop some level of real power down the line. If he can, that makes for a pretty exciting prospect with contact, speed and power. If he can’t, there should still be enough impact there for him to be a enticing hit/speed prospect. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 82/15/64/.272/.331/.425/28
253) Jhonny Level – SFG, SS, 18.0 – Level signed for $1 million in last year’s international class, and he then went on to decimate the DSL, slashing .275/.393/.517 with 10 homers, 18 steals, and a 16.7/14.0 K%/BB% in 48 games. He doesn’t necessarily have the scouts dream body you can really project on to fly him up rankings, but he’s a rock solid and athletic 5’10”, which can certainly work. He excelled in all facets of the game, and while there might not be a true standout tool when he gets to higher levels, he very well might have enough juice to stay very productive across the board. I wouldn’t stick my neck out too much, but he’s definitely one of my favorite DSL breakouts. He’s a fun one. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 81/21/79/.268/.332/.437/15
254) Yolfran Castillo – TEX, SS, 18.2 – Castillo obliterated the DSL with a 8.2%/22.7% K%/BB%, 6 steals, and a 188 wRC+ in 20 games before Texas showed how much they liked the kid by calling him up to stateside rookie. He proved the profile will transfer there too with a 10.6% K% and 4 steals in 15 games. He didn’t hit a homer this year, but he’s a projectable 6’3” with good bat speed, so more power is certainly coming down the line. He signed for a solid $647,500, and with how quick Texas promoted him, they are tipping their hand as to how much they value him. He has both floor (elite contact rates with a good glove) and upside (size, projection and athleticism). He’s definitely a good target. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 85/18/71/.278/.343/.428/18
255) Tyler Black – MIL, 1B, 24.8 – Black didn’t play a single game at 2B this year, telling me they have given up on playing him at that position, and he only played 9 games at 3B and 12 games in the OF. He spent the majority of his time at 1B and DH. And the bottom line is that low EV 1B/DH don’t really exist, especially ones who have a good but not great hit tool. He put up an 83 MPH EV with 0 barrels, a .561 OPS and a 29.8% K% in his 57 PA MLB debut. The EV sat at 85.7 MPH at Triple-A. He also doesn’t have the type of extreme lift and pull profile to really pull that off, but it doesn’t go in the extreme the other way either, so he can definitely pop some dingers. If he had a viable position, I wouldn’t mind the speed, OBP, good BA, some pop profile at all, but he doesn’t have a position, and I don’t think the upside is high enough to really wait to find out if he can find one. – 2025 Projection: 33/5/24/.245/.306/.383/9 Prime Projection: 77/13/61/.263/.332/.415/24
256) Charles McAdoo – TOR, 3B, 23.1 – McAdoo was a 13th round pick in 2023 who has done nothing but rake in pro ball, slashing .279/.364/.479 with 17 homers, 21 steals, and a 24.7/10.4 K%/BB% in 124 games split between High-A and Double-A. His production was much worse at Double-A than High-A with a .675 OPS in 63 games, which is a bad sign, but that drop off only happened after he was traded to Toronto, so I want to give him some leeway for a major life event (new city, new org, new coaches, etc …). He’s power over hit at a very strong 6’1”, 210 pounds with a powerful righty swing, and he lifts and pulls a ton. He’s not a burner, but he’s a good athlete. He’s going to have to scratch and claw for playing time, and there is hit tool risk, but there is fantasy upside in here if he gets his shot. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 58/18/66/.238/.309/.431/9
257) Dante Nori – PHI, OF, 20.6 – Selected 27th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, the first thing that jumps out about Nori is that he’s already an old man at 20.6 years old on Opening Day 2024. I thought he was going to need a walker to get to the podium. Being old for your high school class is so 2008, when Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers book came out. These days it’s all about being 17 years old. But Philly isn’t afraid to take old high schoolers, like they did with Aidan Miller last year, and they went back to that well in 2024 with Nori. Nori might be old, but his tools are undeniable with a built up 5’11” frame, elite speed, a good feel to hit, a good glove in CF, and above average raw power. His grandfather was an assistant college baseball coach and his father is an assistant coach in the NBA. He has coaches’ son in his veins. The profile also mostly transferred to pro ball with 0 homers (55.4% GB%), 4 steals, a 123 wRC+ and 21.2/24.1 K%/BB% in 14 games at Single-A. I’m usually scared off by old high school bats, and they don’t get any older than Nori, but I’m intrigued enough by Nori’s combination of floor and upside to not get too hung up on it. I like him. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 83/15/62/.264/.332/.418/30
258) Wyatt Sanford – PIT, SS, 19.4 – Selected 47th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Sanford has baseball bloodlines with his dad playing 19 games in the bigs, and like most baseball bloodlines kids, you can tell. He has a plus SS glove with a natural lefty swing, good feel to hit, and plus speed. While the swing is smooth, the stance isn’t all that smooth and is geared more for contact than power. The 6’1”, 185 pound frame definitely has room to tack on more mass, but he’s not expected to be a big power hitter down the line. There is a nice combination of floor and upside here, but both the floor and upside aren’t quite high enough for me to rank higher than this. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 77/17/70/.268/.331/.4247/25
259) Nelson Rada – LAA, OF, 19.8 – Rada is a tough evaluation as an 18 year old at Double-A, but let’s try to parse through the numbers and skillset. The one thing that is for sure is that he has impact speed and baserunning ability. He stole 27 bags in 50 games in the DSL in 2022, 55 bags at Single-A in 2023, and 35 bags in 123 games at Double-A this season. The hit tool and ultimate power projection isn’t as easy. He hit .234 with a 23.3% K% this year, but considering how young he was for the level, that can be considered pretty impressive. The only year he was at an age appropriate level, 2022 in the DSL, he hit .311 with a 12.6% K%. As a 17 year old at Single-A he hit .276 with a 18.1% K%. This could easily end up being a plus hit tool at peak with an easy and simple lefty swing. He also has a very strong plate approach with a 11.4% BB% and .331 OBP. He was excellent in that department his entire career. He’s a plus CF, so his glove will keep him on the field, and his speed gives him a decent floor for fantasy. It’s not hard to see a potent top of the order hitter … if he can do enough damage when he does make contact. He’s had extreme groundball rates his entire career (56.6% this year), he doesn’t hit the ball hard, and he’s already a decently filled out 5’8”. He’s hit just 4 homers in 288 career games and just 1 this season. That says more bottom of the order hitter than top of the order, but considering how young he is, I don’t want to rule out a power uptick down the line. If he can just get to 10+ homer power, there is impact top of the order potential in here. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 78/8/57/.268/.332/.372/25
260) Ryan Johnson – LAA, RHP, 22.8 – Selected 74th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Johnson’s delivery is so unique and weird, and not necessarily in a good way, but I think the true uniqueness gives him some extra intrigue to me. Different can add some unknown upside, and while most teams are probably risk averse and shy away from different, I go towards it when it comes at a steep discount. And weirdness is far from the only thing going for Johnson. He has the size, production and elite K/BB to back it up at 6’6”, 215 pounds with a 2.21 ERA and 35.9%/3.3% K%/BB% in 106 IP in Conference USA. The fastball sits 92-95 but can hit the upper 90’s and the sweeper is a devastating pitch that he goes to often and racks up whiffs. He also throws a curve and change. If the Rays drafted him, I would feel so confident about naming Johnson a major target, but it’s definitely a red flag that he lasted until 74th and got picked by the Angels. I always say you can’t be too much of a slave to organization, so I’m not going to let it scare me off too much. I really really really like Johnson as a FYPD sleeper pick. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 10/3.95/1.26/165 in 160 IP
261) Jared Thomas – COL, OF/1B, 21.9 – Selected 42nd overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Thomas gets the Coors bump, and he has enticing fantasy upside, but he also feels like the type of guy that Colorado never really gives a full chance to become a full time player. He performed well in his two years in the Big 12, slashing .349/.435/.635 with 16 homers, 18 steals, and a 20.6%/10.7% K%/BB% in 60 games in 2024. He’s 6’2”, 190 pounds with room to tack on some more muscle, and he’s a good athlete with above average speed and plus defense at 1B (he also can play CF, again showing off his athleticism). Add a star for being young for the class, and another another star for having a strong pro debut with 2 homers, 1 steal, a 19.4% K% and 146 wRC+ in 8 games at Single-A. 15/15 with 20/20 upside is in the cards here, and the hit tool will get as much help as possible in Coors. I like him relative to his lack of hype. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 74/16/71/.254/.325/.428/16
262) Tytus Cissell – ARI, SS, 19.0 – Selected 132nd overall in the 2024 MLB Draft and signing for $800,000, Cissell was a late riser in the draft process, and sometimes those guys that pop up later in the process can have a lag on their value, which is what Arizona is hoping for after they swiped him in the 4th round. He’s 6’2”, 185 pounds with an absolutely vicious swing. He’s a switch hitter and the swing is smoother from the left, but it’s truly vicious from both sides. He’s also a plus runner and athlete with a good up the middle glove. The hit tool isn’t a lock, but if he manages solid contact rates in pro ball, his stock could fly in a hurry. He’s definitely an enticing later round target. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 77/19/72/.250/.322/.427/21
263) JD Dix – ARI, SS, 19.6 – Selected 35th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Dix is a 6’2”, 180 pound SS with a simple and quick swing from both sides of the plate, developing power, and some speed. The hit tool is the most standout tool right now, profiling as a solid across the board type at peak. There really isn’t anything too remarkable about his profile. Just your classic really good high school prospect with good size, good feel to hit, and good overall athleticism. He’s good. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 79/18/72/.273/.338/.429/16
264) Luis Cova – MIA, OF, 18.2 – Cova was a popular international prospect breakout pick coming into the season, and while he didn’t explode into truly coveted prospect territory, he did enough to have his value hold serve in the breakout waiting room. He hit 3 homers with 36 steals and a 10.0/15.3 K%/BB% in 55 games in the DSL. He only hit .239, but that was mostly due to bad BABIP luck, so I’m not too concerned about that considering the contact rates. He’s a projectable and athletic 6’2′”, so when the power ticks up to combine with the plate skills and speed, that big breakout could be right around the corner. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 82/18/69/.270/.338/.430/28
265) Cris Rodriguez – DET, OF, 17.2 – Rodriguez has some of the highest pure upside in the class, but he’s not quite refined enough to really go after him too hard. He’s 6’4”, 200 pounds with present power and more coming down the line. He’s also a really good athlete with speed. The swing is definitely fast and powerful, but it’s not really that natural or smooth, and he’s had some hit tool issues. I like him, and he could easily emerge as a Julio Rodriguez type if it really all clicks, but that doesn’t seem like the most likely outcome, to say the least. Still a really good upside pick. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 79/26/86/.251/.322/.461/16
266) Dorian Soto – BOS, SS, 17.1 – Soto is the type of international prospect that I love to target. He’s not the most hyped guy in his class, but he has that prototypical size at a projectable 6’3”, 185 pounds, and his swing jumps off the screen as uber quick and powerful. He already has big time power and it could end up double plus at peak depending on how he fills out. He’s a good athlete but isn’t considered a burner, and while he’s known to have a solid hit tool and approach, I’m thinking there could be some hit tool risk in here looking at the swing. If he were faster, I might really, really love him, but as is I still really like him as an upside target. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 79/28/88/.250/.322/.469/13
267) Richard Fitts – BOS, RHP, 25.3 – Here is what I wrote about Fitts in the latest Dynasty Rundown: “2.1 IP, 2 hits, 1 ER, 4/3 K/BB vs. a very weak Braves lineup. He now has a 1.42 ERA with a 32.1/14.3 K%/BB% in 6.1 IP. Fitts came into spring a new man with upper 90’s heat and filthy stuff, and that was on display yesterday as well. He was mostly a control over stuff guy coming into this year, but it sure looks like he’s changing that profile into a stuff over control guy now, and for fantasy, that is definitely what we want to see, but he still has to prove he can truly harness the stuff in a starting role. He’s so obviously a major riser this spring, and with Bello starting the year on the IL, there is a rotation spot to be won, so he makes for a great underrated target. I’m just worried with how much hype he’s getting, he’s not actually going to be all that underrated.” 2025 Projection: 6/4.33/1.36/108 in 110 IP
268) Drew Thorpe – CHW, RHP, 24.6 – Thorpe had the type of nightmare MLB debut that can shake a dynasty owner to their core, putting up a 13.2/11.1 K%/BB% with a 5.48 ERA in 44.1 MLB IP. He simply doesn’t have the type of stuff to just ignore that. His 91 MPH fastball was batting practice for MLB hitters with a 7.7% whiff% and 93.5 MPH EV against. His slider and cutter were bad too. The only good pitch was his unique changeup (really more of a knuckleball) which put up a 37.9% whiff% and .260 xwOBA. He also ended the season on the IL with an elbow injury that required surgery to remove a bone spur. Not the end of the world, but it’s something to note. The famed changeup transferring to the bigs gives him a silver lining to the terrible season, but this looks like a low K #4 type upside profile. It’s just not enticing for fantasy. – 2025 Projection: 6/4.38/1.34/111 in 140 IP
269) Steven Zobac – KCR, RHP, 24.5 – Zobac might be one of the more underrated pitchers in the minors right now as he checks a solid amount of boxes. He certainly looks the part at an athletic 6’3”, 185 pounds. His stuff is good with a low to mid 90’s fastball that has a great movement profile and is a bat missing weapon, to go along with an above average slider and solid changeup. And he has plus control over the entire arsenal. The final box is that he has upper minors production too with a 3.25 ERA and 28.6/6.2 K%/BB% in 55.1 IP at Double-A. He wasn’t quite as good at High-A with a 3.95 ERA and 20.0/5.2 K%/BB% in 70.2 IP, so I would temper expectations a bit, but there is a lot to like here. He definitely falls into that pitching prospect bucket that I like to take shots in, but Zobac is still probably more for medium to deeper leagues than shallower ones right now. – 2025 Projection: 1/4.30/1.32/35 in 40 IP Prime Projection: 10/4.05/1.25/154 in 160 IP
270) Chase Petty – CIN, RHP, 22.0 – Petty was known as a flamethrower in his draft year, throwing mid to upper 90’s, but he was more of a low to mid 90’s, plus control guy in his pro career prior to this season. He worked on regaining that velocity this off-season, and it worked with him back up into the mid 90’s all season. It came at the cost of his control, and he didn’t have a particularly great year, but we are watching the development of a very talented, first round high school arm right before our eyes on the professional level. He was a freshly turned 21 in the upper minors all season and put up a 4.20 ERA with a 22.4/10.2 K%/BB% in 137 IP. He racked up innings, he maintained his stuff, and he more than held his own against much older competition. He has an excellent bat missing secondary in his slider, he has a solid change to use against lefties, and the big velocity is back. I’m sure he’s going to go back in the lab this off-season to continue to improve and work on his game. He’s not a truly coveted pitching prospect, but he’s a still a good one. – 2025 Projection: 1/4.44/1.38/38 in 45 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.93/1.28/174 in 170 IP
271) Carson Whisenhunt – SFG, LHP, 24.5 – Whisenhunt struggled at Triple-A with a 5.42 ERA and 28.4/11.3 K%/BB% in 109.2 IP, and considering he’s mostly a two pitch guy (with only one of them being legitimately good), the odds of him landing in the bullpen seem quite high at the moment. The two main things he has going for him though are that all of his pitches can miss bats (sinker, change, cutter, slider), and he’ll have a great ballpark at his back if he does get a shot in the rotation. Strikeouts and a run suppressing home ballpark could be good enough to make an impact. The changeup is a legit double plus weapon and 93.2 MPH sinker can be asset when it’s at it’s best, but it wasn’t at it’s best in 2024. The slider and cutter also show promise as legit 3rd and 4th pitches, so there is a world where everything comes together and Whisenhunt can thrive in the rotation. But I think the most likely world is that he ends up in the bullpen, or as a back end 4-5 IP type guy. – 2025 Projection: 2/4.44/1.38/55 in 60 IP Prime Projection: 8/4.18/1.33/135 in 140 IP
272) Hunter Barco – PIT, LHP, 24.4 – Barco has been nothing but a strikeout machine at every stop of his career from a freshman in the ACC in 2020, to a 23 year old at Double-A in 2024. He put up a 3.34 ERA with a 30.4/8.7 K%/BB% in 62 IP at High-A, and then he got just a small taste of Double-A (2.25 ERA with a 46.2/0/0 K%/BB% in 4 IP) before his season ended with a lower leg injury in late July. No injury is good, but it’s not an arm injury, so I’m not concerned. He throws a low to mid 90’s fastball from a deceptive lefty delivery, to go along with a plus slider and a pretty good splitter. He generally attacks zone with average control. He might end up a back end guy, but there is high K mid rotation upside in here too. – 2025 Projection: 1/4.37/1.36/41 in 45 IP Prime Projection: 9/3.94/1.29/158 in 150 IP
273) Mike Burrows – PIT, RHP, 25.5 – I’ve always felt Burrows was underrated, and while he’s not the type of pitcher I take the Tommy John discount on, he returned from the surgery in 2024 and showed he was more or less healthy. He put up a 4.06 ERA with a 26.6/8.9 K%/BB% in 37.2 IP at Triple-A. All 4 of his pitches were absolute whiff machines with the 94.4 MPH fastball putting up a decent 21.9% whiff%, the changeup putting up a 49% whiff%, the slider notching a 37.9% whiff%, and the curve putting up a 35.3% whiff%. That is damn impressive. He’s also generally had solid control throughout his career. It’s probably #4 starter upside, but there are jobs to be won in Pitt’s rotation, and I like his profile. He’s a deep league target. – 2025 Projection: 4.35/1.35/83 in 90 IP Prime Projection: 10/4.02/1.29/140 in 150 IP
274) Jackson Baumeister – TBR, RHP, 22.9 – Baumeister got traded to the Rays and something immediately clicked with his control, putting up a 4.8% BB% in 29 IP with Tampa vs. a 14% BB% in 70.2 IP with Baltimore. The Baltimore sample is bigger, so it’s hard to fully trust the control gains, but this wouldn’t be the first time a pitcher has seen big control gains with Tampa, and if he can maintain those gains, he’s a very exciting pitching prospect. He put up a 1.24 ERA with a 41.9/4.8 K%/BB% with Tampa, showing what he’s capable of when he’s hitting his spots. The fastball sits low to mid 90’s, but it can reach the upper 90’s, and it has great shape which makes it a plus pitch that can miss bats. The curve is a beautiful pitch which goes 12 to 6, and he also mixes in a cutter, slider and change. The control gains might not stick, and then he’ll end up in the bullpen, but he’s worth a shot at this point in the rankings in case they do. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 9/3.96/1.31/148 in 140 IP
275) Dillon Dingler – DET, C, 26.6 – Dingler had a monster breakout at Triple-A, slashing .308/.379/.559 with 17 homers, 5 steals, and a 20.3/10.0 K%/BB% in 71 games. The 91 MPH EV with a 18.4 degree launch backs up the breakout, but he was already 25 years old, and he was terrible in the majors with a 37 wRC+ and 35.5/3.4 K%/BB% in 27 games. He graded out as an above average defensive catcher, but he’s not as good as Jake Rogers, so the tie will go to Rogers if both of their offensive outputs are close. Dingler is going to have to outhit Rogers to take over the starting job, which is certainly possible, and he has the pop to be fantasy relevant if he does. – 2025 Projection: 27/8/34/.221/.279/.391/1
276) Malcolm Moore – TEX, C, 21.8 – This is a very weak class for catchers, and in shallower leagues, you might want to ignore the catcher position completely in this draft. But in medium to deeper leagues, Moore is your best option if you need a long term catcher. He immediately becomes the best catcher in Texas’ system by a long shot, and he could be in the starter mix as soon as 2027 with Jonah Heim hitting free agency after the 2026 season. Texas selected him with the last pick in the first round at 30th overall for his prowess with the bat more than his process behind the plate, which is perfect for fantasy. He’s a 6’2”, 215 pound bruiser who has a squared up batting stance that looks more like he’s ready the beat the shit out of the pitcher rather than hit a baseball off him. It’s kinda intimidating, and he’s raked over two years in the Pac 12 with 31 homers and a .958 OPS in 118 games. The plate approach also took a big step forward this year with a 14.3%/18.0% K%/BB%. He’s not likely to become a star, but he can become an above average hitting catcher. He didn’t have the best pro debut with a 94 wRC+ and 27.9/7.7 K%/BB% in 25 games, but he was thrown right into High-A, and he also jacked 3 dingers, so I have his value as mostly holding steady. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 60/19/71/.247/.319/.433/2
277) Shotaro Morii – OAK, SS/RHP, 18.4 – Morii is the rare Japanese player to come stateside right out of high school, which I think adds some extra intrigue to his profile. He’s a two way player with upside on both the mound and at the plate, so it’s hard to say where he’s going to end up. I’ll start with the bat, which I’m pretty damn excited about. He has a vicious lefty swing with quickness, power, and barrel control from a pretty built 6’1”, 180 pound frame. He hit 45 homers in high school. He reminds me a bit of Hideki Matsui if you are looking for a ceiling comp. On the mound he gets up to 95 MPH with a splitter, slider and curve that all need more development. I hope he sticks as a bat, but he has two real paths to be an impact prospect. I’m a fan. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 78/24/83/.268/.333/.445/9
278) Levi Sterling – PIT, RHP, 18.6 – Selected 37th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Sterling is maybe the most “projection” pitcher in the draft. I mean that in the sense that this could be like buying 2025’s top high school arm a year early. The last time I said that, I said that about Walter Ford, and Ford has yet to live up to that promise. So the downside is that the projection you are hoping to see never materializes, or doesn’t materialize on the timeline that you would like. What gives Sterling that projection is that he was very young for his class at 17 years old at the time of the draft, and he’s very projectable at 6’5”, 200 pounds with an athletic righty delivery. If the fastball can tick up from the low 90’s into the mid 90’s, he has a chance to explode with plus control and 3 legit secondaries in his change, curve, and slider (change is the best secondary). Something like a Logan Gilbert/George Kirby/Bryce Miller would be a dream outcome here. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 10/4.10/1.25/170 in 170 IP
279) Mike Sirota – LAD, OF, 21.10 – Selected 87th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Sirota was a potential first round pick coming into the season, but instead of having the big junior year breakout, he took a step back. He went from hitting 18 homers his sophomore year to just 7 homers in 51 games in the Colonial Athletic Conference his junior year. The hit tool isn’t good enough to see the power take a step back with a 18.8% K%, and considering he’s not from a major conference, the profile needed to be pretty bulletproof. But having said that, it could create a buying opportunity for our purposes. He’s 6’3”, 188 pounds with plus speed and good raw power. The swing and stance is geared more for average than power, but he’s young for the class, and hopefully pro instruction can get the most out of his raw power (I wrote this blurb just minutes before he got traded to the Dodgers, and now you have to feel even better about the Dodgers unlocking his power). He also has an excellent plate approach with a 23% BB%. He’s most likely a 4th outfielder, but joining the Dodgers gives him the best chance possible of beating that projection. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 69/16/57/.246/.319/.418/19
280) Chase Harlan – LAD, 3B, 18.9 – Most of the high school hitting class, except for Morlando and Fountain, are speed over power prospects at the moment, so if you are looking for an upside power bat later in the draft, Harlan is your guy. Selected 98th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Harlan is a 6’3”, 205 pound bruiser putting up some of the best exit velocities in the class. He’s also young for the class and will still be 18 years old for half of the 2025 season. If you squint hard enough, you see an Austin Riley clone down the line. And equally as exciting as his profile is that he landed with the Dodgers. If anyone can figure out the best batting stance for him, and get his hit tool to a good enough level for the power to shine, it’s the Dodgers. I really like him and he’s definitely underrated. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 74/26/82/.243/.326/.465/5
281) Rodney Green – OAK, OF, 22.0 – Selected 104th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Green is a high risk/high reward college bat, and with Oakland’s relative success with a very similar bat in Denzel Clarke, Green could be next in line. Granted, Clarke is both a bigger and better athlete, and he didn’t strikeout as much as Green in college, so even Clarke could be a low percentage outcome. Regardless of comps, I like Green a lot at 6’3”, 190 pounds with a plus power/speed combo. And his strong pro debut made me like him even more, slashing .289/.368/.464 with 3 homers, 9 steals, and a 26.1/11.4 K%/BB% in 24 games. He put up a 28% K% his junior year, but he walked a ton, and he cracked 14 homers with 15 steals in 55 games. Seeing the hit tool remain solid at Single-A is a good first step. He lasted to 104th overall, so it’s clear most teams don’t think he will hit enough (although he did sign for almost $300K above slot at $1 million, so the threat of returning for his senior season also likely contributed to the drop), but if he does, the upside is substantial. He’s a good later round upside in fantasy drafts if you don’t want to draft a teenager. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 73/18/69/.228/.310/.423/18
282) Trevor Harrison – TBR, RHP, 19.8 – Harrison was Tampa’s 5th round pick in 2023, and he had a very strong pro debut in 2024 with a 3.15 ERA and 29.3/11 K%/BB% in 40 IP at Single-A. He’s a big guy at 6’4”, 225 pounds, although the delivery doesn’t look particularly athletic to me. He’s fastball heavy with a mid 90’s fastball, while the slider and changeup need more refinement, but show flashes. It’s a strong foundation to work with and you gotta trust Tampa. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.87/1.27/150 in 150 IP
283) Jedixson Paez – BOS, RHP, 21.2 – Paez put up a 29.0/3.1 K%/BB% in 96.2 IP split between Single-A and High-A. K/BB is king for pitching, so that is really all you need to know for Paez to be interesting and on the radar. He has a very fun, super athletic righty delivery and 2 potentially plus secondaries (slider, change). The fastball only sits low 90’s, but there is some projection there at a relatively thin 6’1”. If his fastball ticks up, there is very legit explosion potential in here. I like him a ton and is one of my favorite deep pitching sleepers. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 10/3.91/1.22/150 in 160 IP
284) Chen-Wei Lin – STL, RHP, 23.4 – Lin is 6’7” with a pretty athletic righty delivery and nasty stuff. He put up a 2.79 ERA with a 26.6/7.8 K%/BB% in 116 IP at Single-A. The fastball sits 96.4 MPH and he has a diverse pitch mix with multiple bat missing secondaries (change, splitter, slider). He’s still a bit on the raw side overall, as evidenced by the fact that he’s already 23 and pitched the entire season at Single-A last year. The K/BB rate was good at the level, but it wasn’t really off the charts like you would want to see from a 22 year old with nasty stuff. Having said that, dude is a beast with very obvious potential, and he pitched well all season. I like him a lot. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 10/3.96/1.28/155 in 160 IP
285) Kendry Rojas – TOR, LHP, 22.5 – Rojas got a decent amount of off-season love in 2024 that I wasn’t buying into, and that proved to be a mistake as he leveled up this year at High-A. He had a 2.43 ERA with a 27.0/5.3 K%/BB% in 55.2 IP. He’s 6’2” with an athletic lefty delivery that certainly looks the part. The fastball has ticked up into the low to mid 90’s this year which he combines with a plus changeup and good slider. He’s a definite candidate to level up again in 2025 if he can stay healthy and build off this season. – ETA 2026 Prime Projection: 9/4.06/1.30/150 in 150 IP
286) Dylan Lesko – TBR, RHP, 21.7 – What a disaster. Lesko was coming off Tommy John surgery when he made his pro debut in 2023, so some of the extreme control problems were excused, but it actually got worse in 2024, so it’s getting harder and harder to blame rust. He put up a 6.96 ERA with a 19.2/25.6 K%/BB% in 84 IP at High-A. If you thought getting traded to Tampa was going to help, he actually put up an insane 31.1% BB% in 14.1 IP with them, so whatever they tried, clearly didn’t work. Just looking at those numbers, even this ranking seems like wishful thinking, but the stuff is still so good, it really does make you want to stay patient. The fastball sits mid to upper 90’s, the changeup is his best secondary and it’s a nasty pitch that can end up double plus, and the curve is another potentially plus pitch. But he’s clearly very far away from putting it all together. He’s a high upside lotto ticket right now. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 7/4.16/1.34/150 in 140 IP
287) Michael McGreevy – STL, RHP, 24.9 – McGreevy’s strong MLB debut is what gets him on this list, because his minor league track record isn’t very impressive. He put up a 4.02 ERA with a 21.6/6.9 K%/BB% in 150 IP at Triple-A. The fastball only sits low 90’s and none of his secondaries miss a ton of bats. It’s a back end profile, but I can’t ignore his MLB debut. He put up a 1.96 ERA with a 20.9/2.3 K%?BB% in 23 IP. His slider put up a very good 34.5% whiff%, the 92.9 MPH fastball put up an elite 30% whiff% the cutter was an excellent pitch with a .208 xwOBA, his sinker put up a negative 8 degree launch, and his much lesser used curve put up a 50% whiff%. Those pitches didn’t perform as well at Triple-A as they did in the majors, so there is definitely some small sample stuff going on, but at the least, the pro debut proved his profile will transfer. He might end up an elite control #3/4, which will definitely play. – 2025 Projection: 9/4.15/1.29/125 in 150 IP
288) David Sandlin – BOS, RHP, 24.1 – Sandlin’s 5.34 ERA in 57.1 IP split between High-A and Double-A isn’t that impressive, but the 33.2/7.3 K%/BB% is much more indicative of his true talent level. He has high octane stuff with a mid to upper 90’s fastball, two variations of a slider that miss bats, and a developing changeup/splitter. He pitched in mostly short outings in 2024, and he’s yet to pitch in more than 66.2 IP over the course of a season in pro ball. He’s already 24 years old, so it’s on the old side to be so far from being fully ramped up. It makes me think that Boston views him more as a bullpen weapon on their ascending team. There is upside, and he for sure could work his way into the rotation at some point, but I’m kinda leaning bullpen arm, at least for the first few years of his career. – 2025 Projection: 2/4.23/1.32/48 in 50 IP Prime Projection: 9/3.85/1.26/148 in 140 IP
289) Yeremi Cabrera – TEX, OF, 19.9 – Cabrera comes with both hit tool risk and some age to level risk, and he doesn’t jump off the screen physically at 5’11”, but what does jump off the screen is his absolutely vicious lefty swing. That thing is made to launch the ball to the moon, and that is exactly what Cabrera did to stateside rookie ball, slashing .301/.348/.571 with 9 homers, 17 steals, and a 20.0/19.0 K%/BB% in 49 games. It was good for a 151 wRC+. He’s a bit of a tweener age wise with his birthday smack dab in the middle of baseball season, so while I wouldn’t say he was old for the level, he was on the older side, and when he got the call to Single-A, the numbers dropped off hard with 0 homers, a 73 wRC+ and a 29.8% K% in 23 games. It’s fair to give him an adjustment period to full season ball, so I don’t want to be too hard on him for that. It does underscore the risk in his profile, namely the hit tool risk, but his power/speed combo is legit, and that is what I love to chase in fantasy. He’s high risk, high reward. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 78/21/78/.244/.327/.438/19
290) Andres Valor – MIA, OF, 19.5 – Valor is a tooled up and projectable 6’3”, 180 pounds, and he had has 2nd strong season in rookie ball, slashing .289/.374/.421 with 2 homers, 35 steals, and a 25.1/8.8 K%/BB% in 54 games in stateside rookie ball. It was good for a 119 wRC+. He did basically exactly the same in the DSL in 2023. There is hit tool risk, he still needs to both add more power and tap into that raw power more, and he’s only been good but not great in rookie ball, so it’s a lotto ticket, but it’s a high upside lotto ticket. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 76/19/71/.245/.317/.423/22
291) Braylin Morel – TEX, OF, 19.2 – Morel has now conquered both levels of rookie ball, cracking 7 homers with a 168 wRC+ in 47 games in the DSL in 2023, and then cracking 7 homers with a 142 wRC+ in 41 games at stateside rookie. He has a powerful righty swing at 6’2”, so the power is legit, and he’s a good athlete with 12 steals. The hit tool is still a question though with a 23.6% K%, and he has to prove it in full season ball, but he can get pretty exciting with a good showing in 2025. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 68/22/75/.244/.319/.429/8
292) Walker Martin – SFG, SS, 21.1 – Martin put up a 46.3% K% in 25 games at Single-A after putting up a 37.6% K% in 44 games at rookie ball. As a 20 year old, those K rates are really enough for him to not crack this list, but his talent demands we stay patient for at least one more year. He has a damn smooth, athletic and powerful lefty swing at 6’2”, 188 pounds that most certainly looks the part of a major leaguer. Even with the high strikeout rates, he still performed pretty well with 8 homers, 6 steals, a .391 OBP, and a 108 wRC+ on the season. He was considered a bit more on the raw side when he was drafted, so some of this hit tool risk was expected. He’s clearly never going to be an “age to level” guy, but his talent isn’t going anywhere, and if he can figure out the hit tool in his mid 20’s, there could be a big payoff here. I’m inclined to buy super low, but make sure the price is actually super low. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 76/23/78/.235/.318/.434/14
293) Elvin Garcia – BAL, SS, 18.2 – Garcia was a talented international prospect who signed for half a million, and then he went out and produced in the DSL, slashing .294/.439/.505 with 1 homer, 12 steals and a 18.0/19.4 K%/BB% in 36 games. It was good for a 154 wRC+. He’s a projectable 6’2” and he didn’t have any groundball issues, so the homer power should come in time, which he will combine with a good feel to hit, speed, and a good glove. With a good showing stateside, and with an uptick in power, he might have the highest real life prospect helium upside of anyone in the Baltimore system outside of Mayo, Basallo, and Kjerstad. He’s a good later round target if you can handle the risk. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 78/17/71/.266/.325/.421/23
294) Yairo Padilla – STL, SS, 17.9 – Padilla signed for $760,000 in last years international class, so he was certainly a legit prospect, and then he went out in the DSL and played well, slashing .287/.391/.404 with 1 homer, 22 steals, and a 17.9/10.5 K%/BB% in 35 games. He’s a smooth operator in all facets of the game at an athletic and projectable 6’0”. More power should definitely be coming down the line, he has a good feel to hit, he has a really good glove at SS and he has speed. He didn’t exactly blow the doors off DSL pitching, but he hit well, and he’s still only 17 years old. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 76/17/69/.261/.320/.416/24
295) Sam Aldgheri – LAA, LHP, 23.7 – Aldegheri is likely a back end arm, but he’s close to the majors (he’s already made his MLB debut), and there is definitely enough in here to give him mid rotation upside. The fastball only sits 92.2 MPH, but it put up a 19.4% whiff% in the majors, which really isn’t all that bad considering he was a 22 year old who jumped straight to the majors from Double-A. That tells me the low 90’s fastball can definitely play, and he combines that with a plus slider that actually ate up MLB hitters, putting up a .091 xwOBA with a 38.5% whiff%. He also mixed in a below average changeup and below average curve. He wasn’t good in the majors with a 4.85 ERA and 14.9/14.9 K%/BB% in 13 IP, but I’m actually impressed with the fastball/slider combo and pitch mix. He was also a K machine in the minors with a 3.59 ERA and 33.5/10.3 K%/BB% in 95.1 IP split between High-A and Double-A. His K rate didn’t dip in the upper minors, which is a big step. If he didn’t have below average control, I might be willing to get really excited for him, but with below average control, I’m leaning a #4 as his reasonable upside. Improving his control, or his third pitch, or his velocity could easily take him up a notch. He’s growing on me. 2025 Projection: 3/4.31/1.35/79 in 85 IP Prime Projection: 9/3.94/1.32/151 in 150 IP
296) Chayce McDermott – BAL, RHP, 26.7 – McDermott has always been talented at a very athletic 6’3”, 197 pounds with good stuff and big strikeout numbers, but his control/command has yet to take a step forward in his 4 year professional career with a 13.7% BB% in 100 IP at Triple-A. The stuff is quite good with a bat missing 93.7 MPH fastball, 3 plus, bat missing secondaries (slider, changeup, sweeper) and a solid curve too. It resulted in a 3.78 ERA with a 32.9% K%. Pitchers are notorious for having something click later in their career, so even at 26 years old, I don’t think that is too old for a breakout considering the talent is still in here. One other complicating factor is that he went down with a shoulder injury after his July 30th start. He returned for one start at the end of the season where the velocity was down 2 ticks. He was probably just taking it easy, but it does tack on extra risk heading into the off-season. Baltimore has tons of opportunity is their rotation right now, so they have every reason to keep McDermott a starter for as long as possible, and he has the fantasy friendly upside to roster as a proximity arm in medium to deeper leagues. – 2025 Projection: 3/4.29/1.35/90 in 90 IP Prime Projection: 9/3.94/1.31/172 in 155 IP
297) Brandon Birdsell – CHC, RHP, 25.0 – Birdsell is certainly in the bucket of pitching prospect I like to shop in that I talked about in the Ben Brown blurb, but his profile reminds me a bit of Adam Mazur’s, who burned me this season, so I’m going to stay restrained in my expectations for Birdsell. Like Mazur, he has plus control of a 95 MPH fastball that doesn’t have a great movement profile, although Birdsell’s fastball missed considerably more bats at Triple-A than Mazur’s did. And like Mazur he has an above average slider as his best secondary to go along with a starter’s pitch mix. It all resulted in a 3.91 ERA with a 23.5/5.4 K%/BB% in 135.2 IP split between Double-A and Triple-A. Like Mazur, I’m leaning towards more of a #4 starter as a reasonable upside projection for Birdsell. The deeper the league, the more value he has. 2025 Projection: 2/4.36/1.34/56 in 70 IP Prime Projection: 9/4.07/1.25/138 in 150 IP
298) Robert Gasser – MIL, LHP, 25.10 – Gasser’s MLB debut was a major success with a 2.57 ERA and 14%/0.9% K%/BB% in 28 IP. The 21.6% whiff% was better than the K rate, and his most used pitch, the sweeper, had a strong 34.5% whiff%. He missed plenty of bats in the minors, so the K rate (and walk rate) should have normalized over time, but he didn’t have time. He injured his elbow and underwent Tommy John surgery in June 2024 which will knock him out for most or all of 2025. He doesn’t have the upside I look for when taking the TJ discount, so he’s not a target for me, but he was looking like another underrated Brewers success story before going down with the injury. – 2025 Projection: OUT Prime Projection: 9/4.08/1.30/140 in 150 IP
299) Drue Hackenburg – ATL, RHP, 23.0 – I was very low on Hackenburg this off-season because he wasn’t very good in college and because of his below average bloodlines (I say this tongue in cheek as a Penn State and Jets fan living through the Christian Hackenberg years), but he proved the Braves right for picking him in the 2nd round, putting up a 3.07 ERA with a 26.3/11.3 K%/BB% in 129 IP spread across 3 levels (A+, AA, AAA). He’s a built up 6’2”, 220 pounds with mid 90’s heat, a diverse pitch mix, and a bat missing secondary in his curve. The control is below average and that curve is really his only standout pitch, so even with him beating my expectations, it’s still likely a back end starter with mid-rotation upside. 2025 Projection: 2/4.50/1.41/42 in 50 IP Prime Projection: 9/4.09/1.32/145 in 160 IP
300) Blade Tidwell – NYM, RHP, 23.10 – Tidwell looked like he was going full breakout at Double-A with a 2.41 ERA and 29.9/7.5 K%/BB% in 37.1 IP, but the wheels fell off when he got the call to Triple-A, and now everyone hates him. He put up a 5.93 ERA with a 19.8/13.7 K%/BB% in 85 IP. Triple-A was messing around with the automated strikezone and challenge system, so a lot of guys struggled there, but they are also the only level to use the MLB ball, which adds a different dynamic to evaluating pitchers. Quinn Mathews and Brandon Sproat had a similar split between Double-A and Triple-A, but because theirs happened in a small sample at the end of the season, everyone is just ignoring it. Because Tidwell struggled over a longer sample, everyone has completely jumped ship. The stuff was still good at Triple-A with a 94.8 MPH seamer and a plethora of secondaries that missed some bats and induced weak contact. I’m also docking Tidwell much more than Mathews/Sproat, but a part of me is seeing some picking and choosing with these evaluations. I would be careful about giving up on Tidwell so far, or conversely, maybe be careful about crowning Sproat and Mathews. Or maybe a little of both. – 2025 Projection: 2/4.36/1.37/34 in 40 IP Prime Projection: 9/4.13/1.31/144 in 150 IP
301) Nolan McLean – NYM, RHP, 23.8 – McLean was an early season breakout at High-A with a 2.57 ERA and 32.1/8.9 K%/BB% in 28 IP, but he wasn’t able to fully keep it up when he got the call to Double-A, putting up a 4.19 ERA with a 22.8/9.1 K%/BB% in 81.2 IP. The stuff is really good with a mid 90’s fastball and potentially plus slider, and he’s relatively inexperienced as a pitcher, so it’s not unreasonable to see him struggle in his first taste of the upper minors as he is hitting career highs in IP. We have to see him dominate the upper minors before flying him up the rankings, but he has the potential to do that in 2025. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 10/4.06/1.29/138 in 150 IP
302) Michael Forret – BAL, RHP, 21.0 – Forret was a 14th round pick in 2023, but when he made his pro debut in 2024, he had already made major strides from his draft year. Most notably, the fastball ticked up into the mid 90’s, and it turned him into a beast with a 3.88 ERA and 28.8/10.2 K%/BB% in 99.2 IP at Single-A and High-A. He has the starter’s build at 6’3”, the delivery is pretty athletic. He combines the gas with a potentially plus slider and a pretty good changeup. The control is below average and there is more refinement needed all around, but he’s the type who could really pop with a good showing in the upper minors. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.93/1.27/146 in 150 IP
303) Charlee Soto – MIN, RHP, 19.7 – Soto was a high upside, high signing bonus high school pitcher in the 2023 Draft, and while he didn’t explode in 2024, his value held serve. He put up a 3.60 xFIP (5.23 ERA) with a 26.4/10.0 K%/BB% in 74 IP at Single-A. He has 3 potentially plus to double pitches with a mid to upper 90’s fastball, a nasty changeup, and a nasty slider. He was young for the class and known to be on the raw side, so the expectation shouldn’t have been a breakout in 2024. It might not truly happen in 2025 either, but as long as the stuff remains top shelf, and the production is solid, his value should hold strong. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 11/3.88/1.31/168 in 160 IP
304) Parker Messick – CLE, LHP, 24.5 – Messick is likely a back end arm with a plus changeup, low 90’s fastball profile, but him keeping up the production at Double-A is what gets him on this list. He put up a 2.06 ERA with a 32.3/8.0 K%/BB% in 65.2 IP at the level. I still think he’s a back end starter, but every higher level he’s able to miss bats at that pace is a slightly better chance that he could reach that #4 starter upside, which would make him fantasy relevant. You also have to trust Cleveland. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 9/4.18/1.28/141 in 150 IP
305) Matt Wilkinson – CLE, LHP, 22.4 – Wilkinson was a statistical beast in 2024 with a 1.90 ERA and 37.6/8.0 K%/BB% in 118.2 IP split between Single-A and High-A, but it was only the lower minors, and he mostly dominated with an upper 80’s to lower 90’s fastball, which doesn’t seem like a repeatable thing on the MLB level. He also throws a good slider and changeup, so it’s not like he has nothing else, but it’s super hard for me to bet on this kind of stuff, especially if he hasn’t proven it in the upper minors yet. I’m rooting for him, and fat pitchers are always a favorite of mine (David Wells was one of my favorite pitchers growing up), but I can’t call Wilkinson an especially sought after pitching prospect for me quite yet. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 9/4.21/1.29/138 in 150 IP
306) Boston Bateman – SDP, LHP, 19.7 – Selected 57th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, you know I love me some monster human beings who are good athletes and have some funk in their deliveries. Enter Boston Bateman, who is a 6’8”, 240 pound beast with an athletic lefty delivery that features a pretty high leg kick and deception by almost keeping his back to the hitter. I absolutely love it. The stuff is there too with a low to mid 90’s fastball and a filthy curve, to go along with a slider and change. He’s far from a finished product, needing continued refinement to his delivery and control/command, but I love the ingredients and will be targeting Bateman everywhere. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 12/3.72/1.28/175 in 170 IP
307) Blake Larson – CHW, LHP, 19.1 – Selected 68th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Larson has that raw, uncut nastiness that I am just drawn to. Of course the White Sox were the team to pick him, they love this profile almost as much as I do. And that profile is a projectable 6’3”, 185 pound lefty with a funky delivery and filthy stuff. The fastball sits low to mid 90’s with tailing action, and the slider is a sharp breaker with at least plus potential. He has a developing changeup as well. He is still raw, he needs to improve his control/command and he needs to refine his changeup, but you know this is a profile I love betting on, and I will bet on it again with Larson. Chicago knows what they are doing with these guys too. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 10/3.74/1.31/173 in 160 IP
308) Gage Jump – OAK, LHP, 22.0 – Selected 73rd overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Jump was a pretty hyped high school lefty in the 2021 Draft class, but he decided to go to UCLA where Tommy John surgery essentially wiped out his freshman and sophomore years. He stayed healthy in 2024 though, and he showed why he was such an exciting high school arm with a 3.47 ERA and 29.8/6.5 K%/BB% in 83 IP in the SEC. He throws a low to mid 90’s fastball that is a bat missing weapon, along with 2 good breaking balls and a decent, lesser used changeup. He’s not a particularly big guy at 6’0”, the delivery seems a bit reliever-ish to me (not to say it can’t work in the rotation though), and there is still injury risk, but I don’t see why he wouldn’t move very quickly through Oakland’s farm system, and Oakland is desperate for impact starters, so the opportunity will be there. I think a #4 starter projection is reasonable for him right now. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 8/4.03/1.31/140 in 145 IP
309) Yassel Soler – ARI, 3B, 19.2 – Soler’s production in rookie ball isn’t all that impressive with a 97 wRC+ in the DSL in 2023 and a 105 wRC+ in 53 games at stateside rookie in 2024, but he has a swing/hit/raw power combo that you want to bet on. He has a quick and powerful righty swing from a strong 5’1l” frame that definitely looks the part. He also makes a ton of contact with a 17.2% K%. He hits the ball on the ground too much (50.3% GB%), so the 6 homers in 55 games isn’t impressive, but his hard hit ability still led to a .303/..351/.472 triple-slash. He’s a long way off and the upside probably isn’t truly huge, but you can easily envision a pretty enticing hit/power combo prospect in a couple years. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 68/22/76/.262/.319/.436/6
310) Carter Johnson – MIA, SS, 19.1 – Selected 56th overall, Johnson is a safe high school bat with plus hit as his best tool. Watching his super easy and smooth lefty swing reminds me of when I was evaluating Mickey Moniak in his draft year (Moniak went first overall, but I didn’t have him even close to 1st overall on my FYPD Rankings). Let’s hope he ends up better than Moniak though, whose hit tool immediately didn’t transfer to pro ball … and spoiler alert (I wrote that above blurb before Johnson debuted), the hit tool immediately didn’t transfer to pro ball with a .221 BA and a 33.1% K% in 28 games at Single-A. He was thrown into the deep end at Single-A as an 18 year old, so I don’t want to overrate that small sample, but considering I got visions of Moniak before the debut, it doesn’t add confidence. Then tack on the fact that that he doesn’t have a big power/speed combo (although at 6’2”, 180 pounds, the hope is that he can get to average power) and I don’t trust the Marlins to develop him at all, it’s just not the type of profile I like going after. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 76/17/68/.270/.325/.421/9
311) Kyle DeBarge – MIN, SS, 21.9 – Selected 33rd overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, DeBarge gets the little man discount at 5’9”, 175 pounds, and he gets the non major conference discount playing in the Sun Belt Conference, but he’s a legitimately electric player with a lot to be excited about. He has an explosive righty swing that jacked out 21 homers in 62 games, he has a potentially plus hit tool with a 10.3% K%, he’s got speed with 10 steals, and he’s young for the class. I wish he had a better pro debut, because I might have went after him this off-season, but I was a little underwhelmed by the hit tool (.235 BA with a 24.3% K%) and power (1 homer in 26 games at Single-A). He wasn’t a great base stealer in college, he didn’t walk a ton, and his size does limit his ultimate power projection (0 homers in 25 games in the wood bat Cape Cod league as well), so it might not be a huge upside profile, but maybe I’m falling into the little man trap as well. Minnesota took him 33rd overall for a reason. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 76/16/69/.261/.321/.414/16
312) David Coronil – SDP, SS, 17.6 – Coronil could sneakily be my favorite international prospect in this SS class. He has that nearly perfect long, lean, and projectable frame at 6’3”, 175 pounds, and he has that smooth and athletic lefty swing that is easy to dream on. If he tacks on more mass while retaining that athleticism, we could be talking about a prototypical hyped prospect here with power, speed and feel to hit. Lastly, he has one of the best SS gloves in the class, which will be a big help to his real life hype. He’s definitely one of my top targets in the international class. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 80/20/80/.255/.328/.436/20
313) Braylin Antunez – MIL, OF, 17.4 – At 6’0”, 194 pounds, Antunez’ build, movements and type of athleticism remind me of an NBA point guard. He has present power, he’s fast, and he has a good feel to hit. There might not be as much projection as some of the other long and lean builds in this class, but there is some Jasson Dominguez vibes in the sense he might be pretty filled out already, but it’s the type of athleticism that he will maintain. Some of these guys could fill out and slow down considerably, while Antunez has already proven he can do both. I like him a lot, and how can you not trust Milwaukee after Chourio and Made. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 89/20/72/.266/.335/.434/28
314) Kenny Fenelon – MIL, OF, 17.6 – If Antunez (ranked above) isn’t the next Milwaukee success story, it could be Fenelon. The 6’0”, 180 pound Fenelon might not be a particularly huge guy, but he’s absolutely explosive on the field with both power and speed. He has a strong righty swing that already produces big power, and he’s a good centerfielder with excellent athleticism. The hit tool has some risk to it, which is why he isn’t getting hyped with the top guys in the class, and while I generally like taking shots on like a 6’3” guy, Fenelon just looks explosive out there. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 73/22/77/.247/.318/.439/26
315) Cobb Hightower – SDP, SS, 20.0 – Selected 88th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, the pretty skinny 6’0” Cobb swings a quick righty bat that has some thump behind it already. When he starts to fill out, he can definitely end up with some legitimate power. He’s a good athlete with plus run times, he has a good feel to hit, and he has the ability to play up the middle. He was a late riser before the draft and San Diego popped him pretty early despite little pre draft hype, which tells you how much they like him. He’s old for the class, and the upside doesn’t seem huge, but like San Diego thought, he could be a sneaky pick late in first year player drafts. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 74/15/63/.262/.320/.415/18
316) Noah Cameron – KCR, LHP, 25.8 – Cameron is probably your classic back end, crafty lefty with a 92.2 MPH fastball that gets decent movement and has some bat missing ability, but it’s not one of those low 90’s fastballs to get really excited about. It’s the plus control and plus changeup that has been befuddling upper minors hitters, and we know that profile can often stall in the majors. Regardless, he’s knocking on the door of the bigs, and the upper minors production is certainly there with a 3.08 ERA and 27.8/6.7 K%BB% in 128.2 IP split between Double-A and Triple-A. He also throws a solid curve and cutter, giving him a starter’s pitch mix. I wouldn’t completely rule out of a mid rotation outcome, but considering his age and stuff, that seems like the very, very high end. 2025 Projection: 2/4.38/1.35/52 in 60 IP Prime Projection: 10/4.11/1.28/143 in 160 IP
317) Leonardo Bernal – STL, C, 21.2 – The 6 foot, 245 pound Bernal is a switch hitting catcher with a pretty vicious lefty swing that can definitely do damage. The righty swing ain’t bad either, and he continued to put up very good offensive numbers in 2024. He put up a 120 wRC+ with 10 homers and a 22.8/9.7 K%/BB% in 96 games at High-A. He struggled in a small taste at Double-A with a 68 wRC+ in 14 games, but the 16.4/10.9 K%/BB% shows he was far from overmatched. He’s also a pretty good defensive catcher. Bernal is a very solid catcher prospect who is probably on the underrated side, although he projects as more of a solid around hitter rather than a true beast. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 67/17/72/.258/.327/.421/3
318) Creed Willems – BAL, C/1B, 21.10 – Willems isn’t a good defensive player, he chases a lot, and there is hit tool risk, so playing time is always going to be an issue, but if he does get his bat in the lineup, he’s going to hit dingers. He has plus raw power and he gets to all of it with very high flyball rates, jacking out 13 homers in 82 games at High-A and 4 homers in 16 games at Double-A. It’s a good sign that his K% didn’t explode at Double-A with a 18.8% K% (20.9/10.7 K%/BB% at High-A), although it came with a 2.9% BB%. He’s almost certainly going to need a trade to find a full time job, so he should be solid trade bait at the deadline. And if he ends up on a team who needs a power bat, Willems could fill that role. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 66/22/75/.238/.312/.441/2
319) Johanfran Garcia – BOS, C, 20.4 – Garcia’s season ended after just 14 games after undergoing knee surgery, but they were an impressive 14 games, slashing .385/.467/.596 with 2 homers and a 25.0/10.0 K%/BB%. He 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 with a blink of an eye righty swing. If not for the injury, he could have really blown up in 2024, just like his brother, Jhostynxon, did. He’s not a lock to stick behind the plate, which does complicate his future projection a bit, but assuming full health, I’m expecting his hype to start percolating in 2025. – ETA: Prime Projection: 64/20/72/.253/.325/.438/3
320) Edgleen Perez – NYY, C, 18.10 – Perez isn’t my typical big game power upside catcher that I like to go after, especially if you’re in rookie ball, but his supporting skills are good enough to get excited. His plate skills are elite for his age with a 16.2/20.8 K%/BB%, and it resulted in a 138 wRC+ in 51 games at stateside rookie ball. It only came with 2 homers due to a 51.7% GB%, but he hits the ball hard, so there is more game power in the tank if he can raise his launch. And he has a chance to be a good defensive catcher, so his glove could get his bat in the lineup. Ivan Herrera is my favorite dynasty catcher target this off-season, and Perez could develop a similar profile down the line. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 74/15/68/.276/.343/.430/3
321) Kyle Karros – COL, 3B, 22.8 – Karros cuts an impressive figure at an athletic looking, Kris Bryant-like 6’5”, 220 pounds, and he had an excellent season at High-A, slashing .311/.390/.485 with 15 homers, 12 steals, and a 22.8/10.0 K%/BB% in 123 games. He was a 5th round pick in 2023, but he was young for his college class, and there could be some late bloomer traits with it taking a bit longer to get his swing down pat with long levers. He’s gone through multiple batting stances and it still doesn’t exactly look comfortable to me. He’s never hit a ton of homers even in college with more of a line drive, all fields approach, but clearly there is more in the tank in a perfect world. It’s not a perfect world though, and I’m not sure Colorado is going to be the team to get the most out of him. Interesting prospect, but he’s going to have to prove it in the upper minors before I get too excited. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 59/16/69/.244/.311/.408/5
322) Jack Brannigan – PIT, 3B/SS, 24.1 – Brannigan was a 23 year old at Single-A who had a .238 BA with a 26.1% K%. Odds are the hit tool isn’t going to be good enough to be an MLB starter, bit if he can make real improvements to the hit tool, the upside is high enough for him to make an impact. Think something like a Luke Raley type career arc, where he breaks out when he’s in his late 20’s, but you’re still not quite sure if he truly has a lock on a full time job. And like Raley, Brannigan has that type of power/speed combo with 18 homers and 12 steals in 77 games. He can lift and pull, he can hit the ball hard, he’s a good athlete, and he has a decent infield glove too. He fits nicely into that reasonably priced, high upside bucket of prospect where you don’t have to wait 5 years to see what you have. You will know pretty quickly into 2025 once he hits the upper minors. I’m kinda liking him the more I’m thinking about him during this blurb, but the odds are still that he won’t hit enough, a la Joey Wiemer. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 58/18/66/.228/.311/.431/9
323) Brant Hurter – DET, LHP, 26.7 – Hurter doesn’t seem to have a rotation spot, he’s already 26 years old, and the upside isn’t that high, so it’s hard to really stick your neck out for him, but he had a pretty exciting MLB debut which would have made him an intriguing sleeper if he had a spot. He put up a 2.58 ERA with a 21.7/3.4 K%/BB% in 45.1 IP. The control is elite, he has a bat missing secondary in his sweeper (37% whiff%), and all 4 of his pitches put up impressive xwOBA’s (from .148 to .263). He very well might be one of Detroit’s 5 best starters, and if that’s true, I’m sure he’ll make his way into the rotation eventually. But without a current spot, it’s hard to go higher than this. – 2025 Projection: 6/3.98/1.26/86 in 100 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.82/1.23/133 in 150 IP
324) Will Warren – NYY, RHP, 25.2 – Warren put up a 10.32 ERA in his 22.2 IP MLB debut, which is hard to find silver linings with, but let’s try to find a few. The 4.52 xERA and 26.4/9.1 K%/BB% look much better, and his pitches were missing bats. His 93.8 MPH 4-seamer actually performed excellently with a 24.6% whiff% and .255 xwOBA. His famed sweeper wasn’t great, but it still put up a 37.1% whiff%, which tells me better day are ahead, and the underlying numbers on the changeup were really good with a .221 xwOBA and 32% whiff%. Both the changeup and sweeper got massively unlucky, which was the main culprit for the ridiculous ERA. He also throws a sinker and cutter, giving him a diverse pitch mix. He wasn’t good at Triple-A either with a 5.91 ERA in 109.2 IP, but again, the 28.0/8.0 K%/BB% looked much better. He’s probably a back end starter, but I don’t think his 2024 was as bad as it seemed on the surface. Looking at the underlying metrics of the individual pitches actually paints a kinda encouraging picture. He’s only a deeper league play right now, but I would hold him in those leagues. 2025 Projection: 7/4.31/1.35/124 in 130 IP Prime Projection: 8/4.18/1.32/153 in 150 IP Update: Injuries could push him into a starting role and he’s looked good this spring
325) Robby Snelling – MIA, LHP, 21.4 – Snelling simply wasn’t even close to backing up his truly spectacular 2023 in 2024. He put up a 5.54 ERA with a 22.6/8.8 K%/BB% in 115.1 IP at mostly Double-A. And he doesn’t have the type of stuff to overlook the poor numbers with a pretty average at best 4 pitch mix. The fastball and sinker sit 93 MPH, the slider is solid and the changeup is still developing. He’s a bull on the mound at an athletic 6’3”, 210 pounds, and this is 2nd straight year of staying healthy and racking up innings. He was also heating up in the 2nd half with a 3.64 ERA and 28.3/7.7 K%/BB% in his final 54.1 IP, showing that great 2023 was not a complete mirage. If you combine both seasons, he has a 3.58 ERA with a 233/79 K/BB in 219 IP, and you have to take into account that he was a 20 year old in the upper minors all season this year. It’s a workhorse #4 type profile right now, but coming into his age 21 year old season, I think there is upside in here for more with continued refinement. – 2025 Projection: 2/4.53/1.38/40 in 50 IP Prime Projection: 8/4.16/1.32/152 in 165 IP
326) Alex Clemmey – WAS, LHP, 19.8 – I’ve been a sucker for a funky lefty delivery since the days of Josh Hader being one of the very first sleeper posts I’ve ever written back in 2015/16, and when you combine that with nasty stuff, it has all the makings of an upside pitching prospect that is worth taking the extra risk on. Clemmey is a projectable 6’6” with a mid 90’s fastball, a nasty, bat missing breaking ball, and a developing changeup that led to a 31.5% K% in 92.1 IP at Single-A. The 16.1% BB%, 4.58 ERA, and 1.41 WHIP aren’t nearly as impressive, and shows there is a long way to go with a lot of risk for him to reach his high K, mid rotation starter upside, but like with Hader, Clemmey has a soft landing spot as a potentially impact high leverage reliever as well. He was also 18 years old for most of the season, so him being raw was the expectation. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 9/3.91/1.34/180 in 150 IP
327) KC Hunt – MIL, RHP, 24.9 – Hunt was a big breakout in 2024 after a pretty bad college career, and while age doesn’t matter as much for pitching prospects as it does for hitting prospects, I think it’s important to note he will already be 24/25 during the 2025 season. He obliterated the lower minors in 2024, and while he couldn’t keep it up fully at Double-A, he was still damn good in Double-A with a 2.20 ERA and 29.8/6.9 K%/BB% in 32.2 IP. He dominated with above average control of a plus slider, but his other pitches aren’t as impressive. The fastball sits low to mid 90’s and he also mixed in a curve and changeup. He was mostly a reliever in college, and there is still reliever risk long term. We’ve seen Milwaukee work magic with these types consistently, so I don’t want to doubt them, and Hunt’s statistical season was outstanding, but I don’t know, my heart just isn’t in him. I get the appeal, but he’s not really one of my guys. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 8/3.91/1.28/135 in 130 IP
328) Cooper Hjerpe – STL, LHP, 24.0 – Hjerpe was proving the profile was going to transfer to Double-A with a 3.07 ERA and 35.1%/14.0% K%/BB% in 14.2 IP, but his season ended after July 2nd with an elbow injury. The walk rate is too high considering the fastball is only low 90’s at best, but I still love the funky lefty delivery, and I love to see the K rates stick in the upper minors. A high K, mid rotation starter is definitely in play, if not a high end outcome. Unfortunately the injury now adds unknown risk to an already risky profile. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 9/4.04/1.31/159 in 150 IP
329) Joey Oakie – CLE, RHP, 18.11 – Selected 84th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, the 6’3”, 205 pound Oakie is a sidearming righty with stuff that dashes and dives in every direction. The fastball sits low to mid 90’s with tons of movement, the slider is a vicious pitch with at least plus potential, and he also has a developing changeup. The stuff is almost too nasty for his own good in that he doesn’t seem to always know where it is going, so he will need to refine his control/command to remain a starter, but I love me a funky righty (Zander Mueth last year), and I like Oakie a ton this year. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 10/3.88/1.33/175 in 160 IP
330) Braylon Doughty – CLE, RHP, 19.4 – Selected 36th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Doughty is a short righty at 6’0”, 196 pounds with a very easy and athletic delivery. He only throws low to mid 90’s, and he isn’t that projectable, but he can break off some absolutely nasty sliders and curves. The delivery also seems conducive to potentially plus control down the line. You gotta trust Cleveland when it comes to pitcher development, and while this doesn’t seem like the highest upside arm, he has some of the best and crispest breaking stuff in the class. Adding more velocity and/or improving his control/command to plus or better can make him a legitimate impact starter. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 9/4.09/1.29/146 in 150 IP
331) Jairo Iriarte – CHW, RHP, 23.4 – Iriarte had a super exciting breakout in 2023, but he wasn’t able to back it up in 2024. He put up a 3.71 ERA with a 22.8/10.7 K%/BB% in 126 IP. The stuff backed up a tick or two, and the performance backed up with it. The fastball sits about 94 MPH and it wasn’t able to miss many bats. It put up a 4.8% whiff% in his 6 IP MLB debut. The slider misses bats (47.1% whiff% in that small MLB sample), and he throws a lesser used changeup which can be an average pitch. Chicago’s rotation is horrific, so they have every reason to stick with Iriarte in the rotation, but it’s not a special profile. It’s a back end profile with mid-rotation upside, which can say about tons of pitching prospects. And it might be a bullpen profile on a team who had a real rotation. – 2025 Projection: 3/4.54/1.41/82 in 90 IP Prime Projection: 9/4.24/1.33/135 in 150 IP
332) Michael Kennedy – CLE, LHP, 20.4 – Kennedy is my attempt to be less of a velocity snob. His fastball sat only 89.8 MPH at Single-A, which makes me want to put him in a back end starter bucket and call it day, but I’m fighting that urge. He has the secondary skills to not get too caught up on the velocity. He put up a 3.66 ERA with a 27.8/5.6 K%/BB% in 83.2 IP split between Single-A and High-A. The fastball may not be fast, but it can miss bats, and the changeup and slider are both good pitches which can miss bats and induce weak contact. Tack on plus control, and this is a profile that can actually work as a mid rotation fantasy starter. It’s also a good sign the Cleveland targeted him in the Spencer Horwitz trade. I’m kinda liking him, but I wouldn’t get too crazy. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.82/1.24/137 in 150 IP
333) Drew Romo – COL, C, 23.7 – Romo was always destined to be Colorado’s catcher of the future, for better or worse, and as of right now, it looks like he might fulfill that destiny in 2025. The problem is that he isn’t very good offensively. He hit .297 with 14 homers and a 17.8/4.3 K%/BB% in 85 games at Triple-A, which is good on the surface, but it only resulted in a 104 wRC+ to give you an idea of the offensive environment, and more importantly, the 85.2 MPH EV is very unimpressive. He then got a taste of the majors where he was atrocious in 53 PA. He put up a 9 wRC+ with an 82.2 MPH EV and 34.0%/3.8% K%/BB%. Hitting in Coors could make him useful in some of his peak years, but even Coors isn’t enough to save this profile. He’s going to have to hit the ball a lot harder to make a real impact. – 2025 Projection: 31/5/34/.232/.281/.358/1 Prime Projection: 50/13/57/.256/.309/.394/4
334) Dominic Keegan – TBR, C, 24.8 – Keegan was my favorite very deep league catcher target last off-season, and he now looks one step closer to claiming Tampa’s catcher of the future job. He made his upper minors debut in 2024 and didn’t blink with a 138 wRC+, 9 homers, and a 20.4/11.3 K%/BB% in 104 games. His upside isn’t huge as he’s more of a complete hitter than one who sells out for power, but he’s got more raw power in the tank if he ever decides to try to unleash it. He’s not known as a particularly great defender, but he’s improving, and Tampa’s Catcher depth chart is horrendous, even after the Danny Jansen signing, so beggars can’t be choosers. He remains a very deep league target for me. – 2025 Projection: 18/4/22/.237/.296/.368/0 Prime Projection: 55/14/61/.252/.327/.420/1
335) Jake Bloss – TOR, RHP, 23.10 – Bloss is your classic likely back end starter with mid rotation upside. These guys are more valuable in real life than fantasy, but if they hit their ceiling, they have good fantasy value. His heavily used 93.4 MPH fastball has a good movement profile, and while it got destroyed in his 11.2 IP MLB debut, leading to a 6.94 ERA and 20.0/5.5 K%/BB%, it was an above average pitch at Triple-A. He throws a diverse 5 pitch mix, and his sweeper stands out the most as a bat missing weapon in both the majors (44.4% whiff%) and AAA (38.5% whiff%). None of his pitches are really standout though, and his control has been average to below average throughout his career. He wasn’t all that great in the minors either with a 23.3/9.5 K%/BB% in 93.1 IP. He’s just not a particularly enticing fantasy prospect right now. – 2025 Projection: 2/4.51/1.38/50 in 60 IP Prime Projection: 8/4.29/1.32/130 in 150 IP
336) Adam Mazur – MIA, RHP, 23.11 – Mazur had the type of rough MLB debut that makes you want to just give up on a player. He put up a 7.49 ERA with a 13.9/13.3 K%/BB% in 33.2 IP. And quite frankly, there are no silver linings. None of his pitches were good. The fastball in particular got destroyed. The slider was the only pitch to perform halfway decently. And worst of all, his elite control from the minors was nowhere to be found, probably because he didn’t want to throw the ball over the plate with how easily his stuff was getting crushed. He didn’t only get hit up in the majors, he also didn’t pitch well at Triple-A with a 6.20 ERA in 61 IP, although at least it came with a 60/13 K/BB. Plus control of a 94.6 MPH fastball with a diverse pitch mix and an above average slider is a good profile in theory, but in practice, it’s clearly not working. The fastball is way too hittable despite the good velocity. He looks like a back end arm right now. – 2025 Projection: 2/4.50/1.41/64 in 80 IP Prime Projection: 6/4.21/1.34/112 in 130 IP
337) Kohl Drake – TEX, LHP, 24.8 – I was skeptical that Drake’s extreme High-A success would translate to the upper minors, because he was dominating by just pumping his low to mid 90’s fastball in there, and like I thought, upper minors hitters were able to get to him. His K%/BB% dropped from 33.9/6.5 at High-A to 24.4/13.4 in 20.1 IP at Double-A. But just because I knew not to buy into the High-A numbers doesn’t mean I don’t like him as a prospect. He’s a 6’5” lefty with good control over a good fastball and good curveball, to go along with a changeup and slider as well. It’s probably a #4 upside type, but there is definitely mid rotation upside in here too. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 9/4.16/1.31/141 in 150 IP
338) Nate Dohm – NYM, RHP, 22.3 – Selected 82nd overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Dohm looks like a nice little college sleeper arm right now with his budding 3rd year breakout cut way short with a forearm strain. But he returned in May with his stuff all the way back, and the results were back to full form in shorter outings as well. He dominated in the innings he did pitch on the season with a 1.23 ERA and 32.7%/3.5% K%/BB% in 29.1 IP. He’s a big boy at 6’4”, 210 pounds, and he has legit stuff with mid 90’s heat, a nasty breaking ball, and a changeup which flashes nasty. He fills up the zone as well. The injury adds risk, but it also tanked Dohm’s value to almost non existent levels. He might even be a sleeper for 30 teamers, and I see legit impact potential in here. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 9/4.03/1.30/146 in 150 IP
339) Will Wagner – TOR, 2B, 26.8 – Wagner is smack dab in the middle of Toronto’s fringy young player clusterf*ck, and while his excellent plate approach and strong MLB debut could put him in the pole position for playing time, he just doesn’t have the type of profile I like rostering. He put up a 125 wRC+ in his 24 game MLB debut, but it came with 2 homers and 0 steals. He swings a slow bat (68.9 MPH), he’s slow himself (26.4 ft/sec sprint), and he doesn’t hit the ball all that hard (88.1 MPH EV with a 4.4% Barrel% at Triple-A). He had a 90.6 MPH EV with a 9.1% Barrel% in the majors, but the AAA numbers were the bigger sample. The hit tool and approach are the calling card (10.4/16.6 K%/BB% at Triple-A and a 18.6% K% and .305 BA in the majors), but as you guys already know well, this isn’t my type of player. He’s a fine 2B, so it’s not like his glove is really going to force the issue either. He’s a bench infielder long term, and even if he does get a full time job, the upside isn’t worth it. – 2025 Projection: 35/6/35/.275/.323/.407/3
340) Alexander Canario – NYM, OF, 24.11 – I was always visually amazed when watching Canario swing, writing, “he swings the bat like it’s a bazooka with an extreme all or nothing approach,” in last year’s Top 1,000 writeup, and now with bat speed tracking, we saw Canario put up an eye poppingly elite 78 MPH swing. It was in a small sample (40 swings), but that was 4th best in all of baseball. My eyes certainly weren’t deceiving me, and it’s what keeps Canario interesting to me for fantasy. He’s going to rip dingers if he gets playing time, like he did at Triple-A with 18 homers and a 16.8% Barrel% in 64 games. He also keeps producing in the majors in small samples (despite an extremely high K%) with a 148 wRC+ in 17 PA in 2023 and a 128 wRC+ in 28 PA in 2024. The swing is on the long side and he strikes out a ton (30.4% K% at Triple-A), so the batting average is a major risk, and it may prevent him from ever really truly locking down a full time job, but that power upside is big enough to crack this list. 2025 Projection: 28/10/37/.223/.301/.438/2 Prime Projection: 64/25/78/.235/.314/.469/6
341) Mike Boeve – MIL, 1B/2B/3B, 22.11 – Boeve is a better real life prospect than fantasy prospect with a solid hit tool and lackluster power/speed combo, but with Milwaukee’s 3B job open right now, being a good real life hitter could get him into that lineup. I like Brock Wilken to take the job based on pedigree and upside, but just because I like that, doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. Boeve proved his hit tool will transfer to the upper minors, slashing .306/.374/.447 with 6 homers, 1 steal, and a 17.0/9.3 K%/BB% in 66 games. He has some raw power, but the launch is low and it’s a line drive approach, so there isn’t big homer upside, and he doesn’t run much. He’s not a small guy at a thick 6’1”, so it’s possible for him to tap into more game power down the line. This isn’t a profile I love buying into, but with the current opening at 3B, I can’t ignore the possibility that he could hit his way into the role pretty quickly. – 2025 Projection: 23/5/27/.249/.300/.385/1 Prime Projection: 68/15/65/.269/.326/.418/4
342) Darell Hernaiz – OAK, 3B/SS, 23.8 – There are rumors Max Muncy could be considered for the 3B job, which tells me that Oakland optimally sees Hernaiz as a utility infielder long term with Muncy, Wilson, and Gelof as the starters, but just because that’s the plan, doesn’t mean it’s going to work out that way. And Hernaiz is good enough to keep the pressure on all 3 of those guys, slashing .333/.376/.493 with 5 homers, 6 steals, and a 14.0/7.6 K%/BB% in 35 games at Triple-A. He struggled hard in the majors with a 50 wRC+, but a 20.0/8.1 K%/BB% with a 87.1 MPH EV isn’t that bad. The launch is low and the 27.5 ft/sec sprint is slightly above average, so we aren’t talking about a big talent here, but the guy can hit. If he does find himself with full time at bats, he could put up average across the board numbers. – 2025 Projection: 21/3/18/.248/.291/.353/6 Prime Projection: 68/12/51/.266/.324/.388/11
343) Alejandro Osuna – TEX, OF, 22.6 – I’ve comped Osuna to pre-roids Melky Cabrera for a few years now, and in 2024, he’s getting closer to the roids version of Melky. He slashed .292/.362/.507 with 18 homers, 17 steals, and a 23.6/7.8 K%/BB% in 102 games split between High-A (132 wRC+ in 45 games) and Double-A (151 wRC+ in 57 games). He’s not a big guy at 5’9”, and while he can lift it and hit it fairly hard, he doesn’t pull it a ton, and he doesn’t project for big homer totals on the MLB level. The K/BB rates weren’t exactly great and he’s not a great base stealer (17 for 23 this year). He’s a good ballplayer, and I see the appeal, but he’s not really one of my guys. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 74/17/66/.261/.322/.420/14
344) Kahlil Watson – CLE, 2B/OF, 22.0 – Cleveland selecting Bazzana first overall is an absolute killer for Watson’s path to playing time, but the biggest killer to his path to playing time is the hit tool. He just put up a 30.7% K% with a .220 BA in 96 games at Double-A. He was only 21 years old, so there is some age to level leeway you can give him, and he still put up a 104 wRC+, so he wasn’t bad. The electric power/speed combo that made him a hyped high school prospect is still here with 16 homers and 15 steals. Even with the hit tool risk, I still like him for fantasy, but he has to get on the field in order to help us. And it just doesn’t seem like a team is going to hand him a full time job anytime soon. This could shape up to be more of a mid to late 20’s type breakout scenario. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 73/20/71/.233/.316/.425/15
345) Luis Guanipa – ATL, OF, 19.4 – Guanipa was one of the top breakout targets from the 2023 international class, and while he’s yet to truly explode, he remains a very enticing high upside option. He played well in the age appropriate stateside rookie ball with 2 homers, 4 steals, a 12.3% K% and 112 wRC+ in 20 games, but he struggled hard when he got the ball to Single-A with a 42 wRC+ in 32 games. The 25.7/8.1 K%/BB% shows he wasn’t completely lost, and at only 18 years old with very little pro experience, I wouldn’t kill him too much for struggling there. Plus speed and potentially plus CF defense are his best two attributes right now, and he’s starting to lock in at least a pretty good feel for contact. Contact, defense and speed is a pretty safe profile that also has fantasy upside. How much power he gets to is the ultimate question, and while he’s an explosive player, he’s not a big guy and he hit the ball on the ground a decent amount this year. He wasn’t that to the moon prospect we hoped for, but there is still a nice little combination of floor and upside in here. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 77/16/66/.265/.325/.416/24
346) Yohandy Morales – WAS, 1B/3B, 23.6 – The Nationals are really weak organizationally at corner infield, and they selected Morales pretty high at 40th overall, so he’s in the right situation to get as much opportunity as he can handle. And he’s done nothing but produce in pro ball, putting up a 119 wRC+ in 69 games at Double-A this year. It only came with 5 homers, 4 steals, and a 24.5% K%, so it was more underwhelming than the wRC+ would lead you to believe, but still. He’s a big guy at 6’3”, 225 pounds with big raw power. He’s not as finished of a product as you would hope for a college bat, needing to improve his game power and hit tool, but there is power potential in here, and there is a long term path to playing time. – 2025 Projection: 16/3/18/.221/.289/.377/1 Prime Projection: 68/17/74/.244/.312/.414/5
347) Cayden Wallace – WAS, 3B, 23.7 – If Tena stumbles, and House isn’t ready, Wallace could slide right into that 3B job so easily in 2025. He’s a good defensive 3B and he can get the bat on the ball, so if the higher upside, flashier options fail, the safe and stable Wallace could look mighty enticing. He put up a 17.8/7.3 K%/BB% in 56 games at mostly Double-A, and while he didn’t perform that well with a 96 wRC+, 3 homers and 4 steals (in 8 attempts), he was playing much better before an oblique injury, followed by a trade to the Nationals, and then followed by a broken rib interrupted his season. It’s a mostly low launch, all fields approach, and while he can nab a few bags, he doesn’t have big speed, so even if he can find full time at bats, it’s a low upside fantasy profile. – 2025 Projection: 16/2/19/.236/.288/.372/2 Prime Projection: 51/13/56/.255/.317/.414/7
348) Gino Groover – ARI, 3B, 22.11 – Low upside college bats aren’t exactly my favorite targets, but Groover played to the very top of that profile in 2024, and after keeping it up at Double-A to close out the season, he definitely has my attention. He cracked 3 homers with a 16.4/9.1 K%/BB% in 13 games at the level. This coming off a strong showing at High-A with 7 homers, 3 steals, a 13.7/11.4 K%/BB% and 129 wRC+ in 40 games. I’m still not seeing huge fantasy upside as he doesn’t hit the ball all that hard, he doesn’t run much, and while the glove is solid, it’s not so good that it is going to force him on the field. He can be a solid MLB hitter, and Eugenio Suarez’ contract is up after this year, so there is a path to fantasy relevance, but it’s just not my type of prospect stash. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 69/18/73/.267/.328/.416/7
349) George Valera – CLE, OF, 24.4 – Add Valera to the pile of Cleveland’s strong corner depth. I don’t know who is going to emerge out of this group, but at least a few of them will emerge over the next few years, and the ones that do can definitely make an impact. Valera had injuries slow his career and allowed others to catch up to him on the depth chart, so now he’s in a dog fight like the rest of them. He had a strong year in 2024 with 17 homers, a 90.5 MPH EV and 27/12 K%/BB% in 90 games at Triple-A, showing off the power potential. He still has that damn smooth lefty swing. The best way to play Cleveland’s fringier prospects are to probably wait to see who gets the opportunity, and then pounce, rather than hold on, but in deeper leagues you probably don’t have that luxury. Something tells me that I still want to bet on Valera, but it will probably come as a strong side of a platoon bat. – 2025 Projection: 15/6/21/.221/.301/.424/1 Prime Projection: 66/23/73/.245/.327/.469/6
350) Johnathan Rodriguez – CLE, OF, 25.5 – Good teams know how to build depth, and Cleveland is building strong offensive depth basically at every position. It’s great for real life, but it makes it very hard to know if and when a good but not great prospect will get an opportunity. Rodriguez is in that bucket as a slugger with no defensive value. He destroyed Triple-A, slashing .301/.390/.540 with 29 homers, 8 steals, and a 25.2/12.6 K%/BB% in 118 games. The 7.2 degree launch was low, but the 92.5 MPH EV more than made up for it. He didn’t have a good MLB debut in a small sample with a .486 OPS in 40 PA, but he still put up a 91.3 MPH EV. If he gets playing time, there is little doubt that he will be fantasy relevant, but who knows when or if he will get playing time. – 2025 Projection: 18/6/24/.232/.307/.432/2 Prime Projection: 48/16/54/.244/.325/.457/ 5
351) Kala’i Rosario – MIN, OF, 22.9 – I just wrote Rosario up in yesterday’s AFL Rundown, and it really encapsulates my thoughts perfectly on him: “An elbow injury knocked Rosario out for almost 3 months mid-season, and in the prospect world, you already know that out of sight, out of mind is a real thing, so it’s great to see Rosario back in sight in the AFL. And he’s making sure he gets seen with an absolute 113.1 MPH rocket for his first homer. He’s 1 for 7 with 2 strikeouts overall. We all know that Rosario is a power hitting beast, and he hit 8 homers in 67 games in Double-A this year, but the reason he didn’t crack my End of Season Prospect Rankings is because I don’t like the 30.4% K% and 54.2% GB% combo. Huge power conquers all, so I’m not saying he can’t overcome the K’s and groundballs, but I don’t love it. He ranked 211th for me last off-season, and he probably does deserve to rank at least in the Top 300 now too.” – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 68/24/78/.238/.316/.452/5
352) Brooks Baldwin – CHW, 2B/SS, 24.7 – Colson Montgomery is going to take the starting SS job sooner rather than later, but if Chicago slow plays it, or if he struggles hard, Baldwin could be their best option at SS at the moment, and he has the speed to be fantasy relevant. He has a 29.1 ft/sec sprint and he stole 17 bags in 82 games in the upper minors, and then 4 bags in 33 games in the majors. He doesn’t have big raw power with an 87.4 MPH EV, but he puts it in the air a ton with a 26.2 launch, so he can pop some dingers. It’s certainly a fun homer/steal combo for fantasy, but the plate approach isn’t good (25.6/5.0 K%/BB%), and he doesn’t hit the ball hard to take advantage of the flyball rates, so it’s a recipe for a super low BA (.211 BA). He’s likely a utility infielder long term, but one with some fantasy upside. – 2025 Projection: 31/8/31/.227/.290/.393/9
353) Nacho Alvarez – ATL, SS/3B/2B, 22.0 – Nobody is a bigger Nacho fan than me. I named him a super deep sleeper in his FYPD class for deep leagues, and seeing him blossom has been fun to watch, but unfortunately, he’s still really only a deep league option. The power/speed combo is just far too lackluster with an 86.3 MPH EV at Triple-A and below average speed. He’s also not a lift and pull guy, so he can’t fall back on that either. The hit tool and plate approach are great with a 15.6/12.8 K%/BB% at Triple-A, but that immediately didn’t transfer to the majors with a 31.3/0.0 K%/BB% in 32 PA. He was 21 and it’s a super small sample, so I’m not giving it too much credence, but considering the below average power/speed combo, that hit tool/approach needs to be bulletproof. It sure looks like a utility player to me, or a low end regular. – 2025 Projection: 11/2/13/.248/.297/.353/2 Prime Projection: 76/13/62/.276/.338/.411/10
354) Ricardo Cabrera – CIN, 3B/2B/SS, 20.5 – I want to like Cabrera more, but a 83.9 MPH EV in 105 games at Single-A is super underwhelming. He was only 19, so I’m not saying he can’t improve there, he almost certainly will, it’s just a very low starting point, and it’s hard to bet on him truly hitting the ball very hard in the future. It’s also not like he was that great statistically, slashing .252/.333/..399 with 11 homers, 19 steals, and a 22.1/6.8 K%/BB%. He also had a 50.2% GB%. He was a high priced international signing who has hit well in pro ball, which is why I feel the pull to like him more, but objectively, he’s just not that unique or special of a prospect. He’s fine. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 67/15/71/.264/.322/.411/13
355) Jansel Luis – ARI, 3B/2B/SS, 20.1 – Luis was a breakout candidate coming into 2024, and while he didn’t breakout, he did enough to stay on the future breakout radar. He slashed .265/.337/.414 with 7 homers, 20 steals, and a 20.8/7.6 K%/BB% in 109 games at Single-A. He’s a pretty explosive player at 6’0”, 170 pounds with plenty of room to add more raw power down the line, but he’s still raw in most aspects of his game. He needs to refine the hit tool, plate approach, base stealing, unlocking more game power and defense. It’s a lot, but simply hitting the ball harder would cure a lot of ills and he should naturally hit the ball harder as he ages. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 74/16/62/.265/.321/.403/18
356) Max Acosta – MIA, SS/2B, 22.5 – Acosta was a popular international target in his incoming 2021 class (by me as well), and while he’s had a solid pro career, it just goes to show you that you are really looking for those rocket ship prospects. 2025 will be going on year 5 of holding him, waiting for him to turn into a likely utility infielder by 24 years old. That’s 7 years of waiting for maybe a utility player. This is almost the worst case scenario when you select hot international prospect names. You almost rather them be complete busts where you can just move on, rather than hanging around the fringes, which is where Acosta has been hanging. To be fair to him, he’s coming off a damn good year in 2024 with a 119 wRC+ in 104 games at Double-A. He slashed .288/.353/.425 with 8 homers, 26 steals (in 35 attempts), and a 13.4/7.8 K%/BB%. He’s not a home run hitter, but he’s got some pop in his bat, and he’s not a true burner, but he likes to run. The most encouraging part is obviously the contact rates. A guy who gets the bat on the ball that much and has a solid up the middle glove is a very high floor prospect. There is definitely a path for him to be a full time regular, but even in that scenario it’s probably a low end one. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 58/8/41/.263/.318/.391/16
357) Andrew Salas – MIA, SS/OF, 17.1 – I can’t deny that I’m starting to feel a little worn out/underwhelmed with the Salas family. I was a fan of Andrew’s oldest brother, Jose Salas, and liked him as a breakout candidate, but he bottomed out hard in 2023 and 2024. His middle brother, Ethan, has been so insanely hyped for a while now, and his 2024 was underwhelming to say the least. And now here comes Andrew, who is is hit tool/plate approach first prospect with a moderate power/speed combo, which isn’t my favorite profile to begin with. He’s 6’2”, 185 pounds with a quick and controlled swing from both sides of the dish. With those bloodlines, we know he has an advanced feel for the game too. He’s a floor over upside type, but it’s not like he’s devoid of upside, and his floor seems higher than your typical international prospect due to those bloodlines. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 74/21/77/.262/.326/.423/10
358) Aaron Parker – TOR, C, 22.3 – Searching for pro debut breakouts coming out of the draft has been one of my favorite things to do since I started writing back in 2015/16. Back then, nobody else was really doing it, and now I’m happy to see the prospect hounds out there giving great pro debuts the respect they deserve. Harrison Bader and Willie Calhoun were two of my favorite players from this bucket way back in the day, and both still hold a warm place in my heart to this day. Alex Freeland, Luke Adams and Nacho Alverez were 3 guys I named targets in this bucket in their draft year. And just this past season, CJ Kayfus, Tre Morgan, and Jonathan Long were three guys who cracked my off-season rankings on the back of their excellent pro debuts. Now moving onto this season, Aaron Parker, who was selected 187th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, is someone that is demanding recognition for his pro debut. The dude absolutely smashed the ball with a 93.9 MPH EV, and it resulted in 5 homers and a 154 wRC+ in 24 games. The 27% K% is too high, but he’s shown a good feel to hit throughout his amateur career, and it comes with a 17% BB%. He was a 6th round pick known for a good bat and decent catcher defense. Catcher definitely isn’t my favorite position to stash for fantasy, but Morgan and Kayfus were 1B without huge power, which also isn’t my favorite thing to stash, but look how that turned out. He’s my favorite pro debut breakout in this year’s class, and is a definite target later in first year player drafts. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 64/18/69/.246/.319/.427/1
359) Cole Messina – COL, C, 21.11 – Selected 77th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, after Aaron Parker, Messina is my top later round catcher target in First Year Player Drafts, and based purely on path to playing time, maybe he should be my top later round target. He has a chance to be a good defensive catcher, Colorado’s organizational depth chart at catcher is terrible, and of course, he will get to hit in Colorado. He also has the big power I generally like to target with my catchers, smoking 21 homers in 59 SEC games with the hard hit ability to back it up at 6’0”, 230 pounds. There are hit tool concerns with a 23.4% K% his junior year, but he had a 16.8% K% his sophomore year, and he had a 19.6% K% in his pro debut (17 games at High-A). Granted, he didn’t hit well in his pro debut with a 33 wRC+, but in this year’s catcher class, you take what you can get. He has the ability to stick behind the plate, the path to playing time, the excellent home park, and power upside. Messina and Parker are my top targets for a late round FYPD catcher in deeper leagues. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 57/18/69/.237/.312/.433/4
360) Carson DeMartini – PHI, 3B/SS, 22.3 – Selected 130th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, DeMartini was a pro debut breakout, and you know how much I love my pro debut breakouts. He slashed .315/.385/.478 with 2 homers, 8 steals, and a 13.5/8.7 K%/BB% in 24 games at Single-A. And it’s not like he wasn’t an absolute beast in his amateur career too. He put up a 1.110 OPS his freshman year in the ACC, a 1.048 OPS his sophomore year, and a 1.072 OPS with 21 homers in 54 games his junior year. He’s not a huge guy at 6’0”, 197 pounds, but he can hit it hard enough, and he knows how to lift and pull it. He’s also not a burner, but he knows how to steal a bag. The reason he got drafted so late is that he had a 27.7% K% this year in college, but it came with a 16.8% BB%, and it was much better his sophomore year with a 17.1% K%, so it’s not like he has some definite fatal flaw there. The fact that he had a 13.5% K% in his pro debut is also a great sign. He might not be a world beater, but DeMartini is a very, very interesting later round college bat for deeper leagues. He’s a definite target late in the draft. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 77/18/69/.253/.321/.422/12
361) Chase Hampton – NYY, RHP, 23.8 – Hampton didn’t make his season debut until July 1st due to an elbow injury. When he returned, his stuff was diminished and the results were poor with a 21.1/11.8 K%/BB% in 18.2 IP. He then went right back on the IL with a lower body injury that ended his season. Pitching prospects are fun ;). At full health, he’s 6’2, 200 pounds with mid 90’s heat, a diverse set of secondaries (slider, curve, cutter, change), and solid control/command. He looked like he had the potential to be an impact mid-rotation fantasy starter, and if he returns to full health in 2025, he still has that potential. But the risk couldn’t be more evident. 2025 Projection: 2/4.38/1.37/21 in 25 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.91/1.30/157 in 155 IP Update: Out with a UCL injury that seems ominous
362) Craig Yoho – MIL, Setup, 25.5 – Here is what I wrote about Yoho in my latest Rundown: “Even in my 30 team leagues, I’m not the type to roster minor league relief pitchers. I prefer to get my relievers from super small sample MLB pop ups, but Yoho is really making me rethink that strategy. At least for him in particular. He went 2 perfect innings with 4 K’s yesterday and now has a 0.00 ERA with a 52.9/5.9 K%/BB% in 5 IP. This coming off a 42.4% K% in the minors in 2024. Here he is ripping off a disgusting breaker, and that isn’t even his best secondary, it’s the change. He’s just super fun, and I’m getting drawn in.” 2025 Projection: 4/3.57/1.21/78 in 60 IP
363) Rece Hinds – CIN, OF, 24.7 – How can a guy who put up a 1.051 OPS with 5 homers and 2 steals in his 51 PA MLB debut not make this list? Well, I guess the answer to that question is by striking out 37.9% of the time and putting up a 68 wRC+ at Triple-A. Maybe he shouldn’t make this list, but Hinds has very real upside, and he’s close to the majors, so let’s roll the dice. He’s a very athletic 6’4”, 215 pounds with a plus power/speed combo. He had a 29.2 ft/sec sprint with a 91.6 MPH EV and 18.9 degree launch in the majors. He smacked 14 homers with 20 steals in 99 games at Triple-A. If he can even strikeout just like 32% of the time, he could do some major fantasy damage, as he did in the majors with a 31.4% K%. Odds are he can’t hit enough to become an MLB regular, but in shallower leagues especially, why not take a shot on this kind of close to the majors upside at this point in the rankings. – 2025 Projection; 16/6/21/.207/.266/.412/3 Prime Projection: 42/16/56/.219/.282/.432/10
364) Mac Horvath – TBR, 2B/3B/OF, 23.8 – Horvath is a lift and pull machine, so it’s unsurprising that Tampa was intrigued by him in a mid-season trade, and it’s an upgrade to get out of Baltimore’s logjam. The hit tool is the real problem though with .229 BA and 25.9% K% in 102 games at High-A, and it got way worse after the trade to Tampa with a 34.6% K% in 31 games. He’s an excellent athlete with power and speed, but his K rates have been very high in the lower minors, which is not a great sign for an advanced college bat. If anyone can make it work, it’s Tampa, but often a guy like this ends up in a part time role for them in their mid to late 20’s, which is only so helpful for fantasy. Still a decent upside shot though if the hit tool can improve. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 54/16/56/.233/.309/.422/18
365) Jud Fabian – BAL, OF, 24.6 – Fabian’s contact rates always seem to be on the brink of total implosion before he brings them back off the ledge. He put up a 29.4% K% at Florida at 20 year old, before improving that to 22.3% in his age 21 season. He put up a 37.5% K% at Double-A in 2023, and then improved that in 2024 with a 29.9% K%. And then he got to Triple-A this year where he put up a 40.8% K% in 30 games, but we know how this story goes, and I’m expecting that to come down in 2025. Just how far down he can get it down against MLB pitching is the ultimate question, and while it seems likely he will never be able to get it down quite enough, the power/speed/defense trifecta is good enough to roster him in medium to deeper leagues on the off chance he can. He jacked out 20 homers with 16 steals in 128 games, and he put up a 117 wRC+ at Double-A. He’ll compete with Beavers and Bradfield for bench at bats/next man up status in 2025, and while my money is one Beavers or Bradfield, don’t completely count out Fabian. – 2025 Projection: 11/3/16/.210/.289/.389/2 Prime Projection: 55/18/53/.228/.309/.429/11
366) Colton Ledbetter – TBR, OF, 23.5 – Ledbetter was a 22 year old advanced college bat in the lower minors, so the 28.3/8.1 K%/BB% in 109 games at High-A isn’t a great sign, but the power/speed numbers were there with 16 homers and 34 steals, and the 130 wRC+ was just fine as well. He hits the ball in the air a ton with a 28.6% GB%, and he’s always been an excellent base stealer with some speed. It’s likely he ends up in some kind of strong side of a platoon role with the Rays (he hits righties much better than lefties), but the power/speed combo is in here to make an impact when he gets on the field. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 56/15/61/.244/.318/.429/15
367) Dylan Dreiling – TEX, OF, 21.11 – Selected 65th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Dreiling is a proven SEC performer from the second he stepped on campus and is a complete hitter, slashing .342/.459/.715 with 23 homers, 4 steals, and a 20.5%/17.5% K%/BB% in 71 games at Tennessee. He hits the ball hard and he’s a disciplined hitter. He’s likely a corner outfielder, he’s not a huge guy at 5’11”, 197 pounds, the K rate is a bit high, and he doesn’t run much, so I’m not sure the upside is super high, but it’s a testament to how deep this year’s college bat class is that you can get a guy with these kind of numbers this late. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 68/18/74/.248/.324/.423/7
368) Dakota Jordan – SFG, OF, 21.11 – Selected 116th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft but signing for $2 million, Jordan is a beast at the dish at a rock solid 6’0”, 220 pounds, and he has the big power to back up the build with 20 homers in 63 games. I don’t love the crouched batting stance, but he kinda rises up as the pitch comes, and it’s an athletic swing, so I’m not holding it against him. The hit tool is the biggest issue with a 29% K%, and he also hits the ball on the ground a lot. That is not the best combo of skills to have, but hard hit ability can conquer all, and Jordan has done nothing but hit the ball hard and produce his entire career. If he landed somewhere other than SF, I could maybe see liking him more, but I just can’t come around on him being one of my guys. Love the obvious huge power, but too many other things are going against him (contact, grounders, ballpark). – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 67/21/74/.226/.311/.434/4
369) Cole Mathis – CHC, 1B, 21.8 – Selected 54th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Mathis is 6’1”, 210 pounds and he looks big and physical in the box with a strong and controlled righty swing. He didn’t play in a major conference (CAA), but he dominated the competition put in front of him, slashing .335/.472/.650 with 14 homers, 14 steals, and a 12.6/18.1 K%/BB% in 52 games. Maybe most impressively, he obliterated the wood bat Cape league too, slashing .318/.381/.667 with 11 homers, 0 steals, and a 17.0/8.2 K%/BB% in 38 games. He’s a really good all around hitter with the ability to hit for power and average, and while he’s not a burner, he’s definitely a good athlete. He’s a good pitcher too, and while his future is likely with the bat, I wouldn’t rule out a return to pitching if he doesn’t develop as hoped. He didn’t make his pro debut yet, he didn’t face the toughest competition in college, and I prefer my 1B bats to have big time game power already, but there is plenty to like here. And despite those negatives, a smart organization took him pretty high, although I suspect part of that reason is because pitching might not end up on as much of the back burner as we think, which isn’t great for fantasy. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 71/18/73/.263/.329/.427/9
370) Eddie Rynders – PIT, 3B, 19.5 – Selected 229th overall (and signed for slot value) in the 2024 MLB Draft, the best way I can describe Rynders’ lefty swing is that it’s a bit gangly, but it’s definitely big and powerful at 6’2”, 195 pounds. He has legit power upside and he’s a good athlete too. He struck out 7 times in 13 PA in the 2024 MLB Draft League, and while that is clearly a very small sample, I think it does foreshadow some possible hit tool issues in pro ball. He’s a power first high risk, high reward high school bat. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 66/23/78.241/.313/.435/9
371) Luis Merejo – CLE, 1B, 18.10 – Merejo put up a 147 wRC+ in the DSL in 2023, a 123 wRC+ in stateside rookie in 2024, and then finally a 145 wRC+ in 30 games at Single-A to close out the season as a barely 18 year old. The guy does nothing but produce, and at a well built 6’2″, he definitely looks the part as well. He’s not really excelling in any one way with a 24.8% K%, 3 homers and 3 steals in 30 games at Single-A, but with a 30.6% GB%, the power should only tick up from here. I generally like my 1B prospects to already have big game power, and his K rates, even in rookie ball, are on the high side, but his age, production, size, and lift all point towards a possible blowup in future years. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 74/22/79/.255/.333/.446/7
372) Will Simpson – TBR, 1B, 23.7 – The good pro debut strikes again. Granted, this one slipped by even me, but Simpson isn’t slipping by me anymore. He was a 15th round pick in 2023, but he stepped right into pro ball and raked with 6 homers and a .910 OPS in 36 games at mostly Single-A. In 2024, he just kept on producing, but this time he did it in the upper minors, slashing .348/.408/.493 with 2 homers, 1 steal, and a 23.7/9.2 K%/BB% in 18 games at Double-A. He destroyed High-A too with 16 homers and a 142 wRC+ in 109 games. He’s 6’3”, 225 pounds with a powerful righty swing, and he can lift and pull it, so his power is legit. The bat has a high bar to clear, making the most reasonable projection as a part time power bat, but if he does get playing time, he can hit homers. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 58/16/64/.245/.318/.438/3
373) Rayner Arias – SFG, OF, 18.11 – Arias was an absolute machine in the DSL in 2023 with 4 homers and a 230 wRC+ in 16 games, but he couldn’t repeat that magic in stateside rookie in 2024 with 0 homers and a 98 wRC+ in 25 games. The 25.7% K% was too high, he showed no power and he’s not great on the bases (3 for 6). He’s had some injury issues in his young career (multiple wrist injuries after diving for balls in the OF), and considering the $2.7 million signing bonus at a projectable 6’2”, 185 pounds, some patience is prudent here. The down and injured 2024 has his stock dropping, but I want to give him one more year before really tanking him. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 68/20/73/.257/.324/.428/9
374) Khal Stephen – TOR, RHP, 22.3 – Selected 59th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Stephen reminds me of a classic Seattle Mariners type pitcher. He’s a big guy at 6’4”, 225 pounds with good control of a good low to mid 90’s fastball as his bread and butter. The slider is also pretty good and he’ll use a decent change against lefties. It all resulted in a 3.28 ERA with a 27.9/5.5 K%/BB% in 96 IP in the SEC. It’s probably more #4 type upside right now, but I think there are multiple paths for him to bump that up to a #3 in a best case scenario. Pitching in Seattle would have been one of those best case scenarios, but obviously he got drafted by Toronto, so he will not have that advantage. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 10/4.09/1.25/149 in 160 IP
375) David Shields – KCR, LHP, 18.7 – Selected 41st overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Shields is a very athletic 6’2”, 210 pounds who was an excellent high school quarterback as well. He has a smooth lefty swing too even though his future is definitely on the mound, but it does show the type of athlete he is. You can see that athleticism on the mound with a lefty delivery that is easy to dream on, especially since he was one of the youngest players in the draft. The stuff isn’t quite as exciting yet with a low 90’s fastball and 3 still developing secondaries (slider, curve, changeup), but he throws a ton of strikes, and it’s so easy to project improvement on all of his pitches. There is definitely nice upside in here if the velocity ticks up and he refines the secondaries, but there is also a long way to go. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 9/4.16/1.27/145 in 150 IP
376) Luis Lara – MIL, OF, 20.4 – Lara is your typical little guy (5’7”) contact/speed play with a 15.7% K% and 45 steals in 110 games at High-A. There isn’t much hope for more power coming with only 4 homers, and the 95 wRC+ is underwhelming, but he was very young for the level. I had hope that he could be one of the higher end versions of this profile, but after the lackluster season, he just wasn’t able to separate himself from the pack. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 73/8/47/.267/.321/.374/26
377) Kendall George – LAD, OF, 20.5 – George lived up to his billing as a contact/speed play after getting drafted 36th overall in 2023, slashing .279/.384/.328 with 1 homer, 36 steals, and a 20.5/14.1 K%/BB% in 86 games at Single-A. The reason he doesn’t rank higher is because that power output is true bottom of the scale, the 20.5% K% is higher than optimal, and he got caught 12 times on the bases. Usually with these types I want to see truly elite contact rates or potential for legit power, and it doesn’t seem like George has either of those right now. Still a good speed first prospect though. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 74/6/45/.267/.330/.369/31
378) Lisbel Diaz – SFG, OF, 19.8 – Diaz is a big physical dude at 6’2”, 201 pounds, and he’s hit everywhere he’s been, including in full season ball as a 18 year old in 2024. He slashed .279/.333/.433 with 6 homers, 8 steals, and a 18.8/5.5 K%/BB% in 55 games at the level. This coming off a 138 wRC+ in 22 games at stateside rookie earlier in the year, and a 124 wRC+ in 22 games in the DSL in 2023. He needs to learn how to lift the ball more to get to his pretty considerable raw power with about 50% groundball rates, but he mitigates that a bit by pulling it over 50% of the time, and he’s a good athlete for his size too. The approach isn’t great and there are some hit tool concerns, but Diaz is legitimately exciting. He’s definitely underrated. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 68/20/76/.251/.317/.428/9
379) Dasan Hill – MIN, LHP, 19.3 – Selected 69th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Hill is a thin and lanky 6’4”, 170 pounds who reminds me a bit of Brandon Williamson (Williamson was even lankier at 6’6”). He should theoretically put on weight and gain velocity, but he also might just stay skinny and lanky with low to mid 90’s heat. He combines the fastball with a potentially plus slider, potentially above average change, and good control with an athletic lefty delivery. He’s not my favorite high school arm drafted in this area, but his talent is right there with them. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 8/4.12/1.31/145 in 155 IP
380) Payton Tolle – BOS, LHP, 22.5 – Selected 50th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, when you think of Tolle, think something like a Joey Cantillo type. The fastball might not be huge, the control might be not be great, but he’s a big lefty (6’6”, 250 pounds) with an effective low 90’s fastball and a diverse pitch mix. He’ll never likely get the big prospect hype, but before you know it he’ll be knocking on the door of the bigs while continuing to pitch effectively at every level. He put up a 3.21 ERA with a 37.1/11.0 K%/BB% in 81.1 IP his junior year. He was a two way player in college, so that gives you an idea of his general athleticism. He doesn’t have the highest upside, and there is also risk, but like Cantillo, he just feels like a guy who will keep getting the job done. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 10/3.91/1.30/158 in 160 IP
381) Ryan Forcucci – HOU, RHP, 22.4 – Selected 101st overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, the Astros took the Tommy John discount in the 3rd round on Forcucci as he was in the running to be a first round pick before his season ended just 5 starts into the season. He hurt his elbow and underwent Tommy John surgery in June, which will likely delay his pro debut until mid-season 2025 at the earliest. He was in the midst of a Junior year breakout before going down with the injury with a 2.16 ERA and 37/6 K/BB in 25 IP. The fastball sits mid 90’s and is a bat missing weapon, which he combines with a plus slider as he his best secondary. He also mixes in a curve and changeup to give him a starter’s pitch mix. The righty delivery is controlled, athletic and pretty explosive. I wouldn’t say he’s generally my type to take the Tommy John discount on, but he shouldn’t be very expensive, so if I wanted a more advanced arm later in the draft, and Forcucci was sitting there, I could see taking that shot. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 9/4.05/1.28/145 in 150 IP
382) Bryce Cunningham – NYY, RHP, 22.3 – Selected 53rd overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Cunningham is a built up 6’5”, 230 pounds with the big mid 90’s fastball to match. He combines the heat with a slider and changeup that can both miss bats, giving him 3 legit pitches with bat missing ability. There is a reason the Yanks selected him relatively high despite pretty lackluster college production. He has a career 4.95 ERA in 160 IP in the SEC, and while 2024 was his best season, it wasn’t exactly dominant with a 4.36 ERA and 26.6/9.4 K%/BB% in 84.2 IP. The stuff gives him a high real life floor as a potentially impact reliever, and there is rotation upside too if he can improve his control/command and continue to refine his pitch arsenal. He’s not the worst option if you are looking for a college arm in the mid to late rounds of your First Year Player Draft, but he’s not exactly a target for me either. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 9/4.22/1.33/146 in 150 IP
383) Chase Mobley – CLE, RHP, 18.10 – Selected 295th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft but signing for $1.8 million, Mobley’s talent backs up that signing bonus at 6’5”, 205 pounds with a mid 90’s fastball that he fires from a funky, low slot arm angle. That pitch is a straight nightmare for high school hitters, and he combines that with a potentially plus changeup and two breaking balls that need refinement. He generally throws the ball over the plate and the delivery is athletic. Cleveland is an excellent organization for pitcher development, and there are so many things to like here (size, athleticism, strike throwing). Mobley is a definite later round pitcher target. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 11/3.73/1.21/166 in 160 IP
384) Johnny King – TOR, LHP, 18.7 – Selected 95th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft but signing for $1.25 million, King is one of the youngest players in the class, and he also has the size and stuff to get pretty excited. He’s 6’3”, 210 pounds with an athletic three quarters arm slot delivery that fires off a low to mid 90’s fastball to go along with two damn nasty breaking balls. He has to refine all aspects of his game, and the velocity likely has to tick up to reach his upside, but at only 18 years old, all of that could be coming down the line. He’s damn electric out there. I like King as a later round upside pitcher. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 11/3.82/1.29/169 in 160 IP
385) Owen Hall – DET, RHP, 19.5 – Selected 49th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Hall is 6’3”, 185 pounds with an explosive arm action that fires a low to mid 90’s fastball that blows right by hitters. He combines that with two good breaking balls in his slider and curve, and he rounds out the arsenal with a developing changeup. While the ball explodes out of his hand, the delivery does look a bit relievery, and he does have some control risk, so there is definitely bullpen risk here if he can’t improve his control and/or develop the changeup more. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 10/3.95/1.32/155 in 150 IP
386) Kevin Alvarez – HOU, OF, 17.2 – I love the guys where the bat looks like an absolute twig when they swing it, and that applies to the 6’4”, 185 pound Alvarez who has an easy, but lightning fast lefty swing. He’s known for his advanced approach and good feel to hit, so when he adds more power onto on his projectable frame, this could end up a truly potent hit/power combo masher from a corner outfield spot. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 79/24/84/.263/.342/.451/8
387) Eguy Rosario – SDP, 3B, 25.7 – On surface stats alone, Rosario had an excellent season at both Triple-A and the majors. He slashed .263/.361/.531 with 21 homers, 19 steals, and a 21.3/12.3 K%/BB% in 95 games at Triple-A, and then he popped 3 homers with a 125 wRC+ in 57 MLB PA. The underlying numbers weren’t bad either, but they weren’t quite as impressive with a 86.8 MPH EV at Triple-A, and a 41.9% whiff% and 34.7% Chase% in the majors. Granted, he did crush the ball in the majors with a 14.7% Barrel%, and he definitely has some legit raw juice in his bat. He ran a lot in the minors, but he wasn’t a particularly good base stealer, and he’s not a burner, so while he’ll likely contribute in the category, I wouldn’t expect big totals. He seems like a bench bat to me optimally, but San Diego is thin, so he’s not far away from playing time. – 2025 Projection: 29/8/34/.241/.298/.417/4
388) Gage Workman – CHC, SS/3B, 25.5 – The Cubs took Workman 10th overall in the Rule 5 Draft, giving him a leg up on a roster spot, and with 3B currently ticketed for an unproven rookie, Matt Shaw (who I obviously absolutely love, but as we all know, nothing is guaranteed), it’s conceivable that Workman ends up fantasy relevant in 2025. There is very real fantasy upside in here too at 6’4”, 202 pounds with a plus power/speed combo. He also had a big time year at Double-A, slashing .280/.366/.476 with 18 homers, 30 steals, and a 27.5/11.7 K%/BB% in 126 games. He was 24 years old and the hit tool is a major issue, which is why he was available in the Rule 5, but if he can make enough hit tool gains in his mid to late 20’s, which we’ve seen plenty of toolsy prospects do in the past, he will get interesting in a hurry. He’s a lefty who was much better vs. righties than he was vs lefties, but I think that’s a good thing in this case, because it means he can end up a very fun strong side of a platoon player. And his 25.2% K% vs. righties was a tad better. I kinda like him in deeper leagues as a proximity play. – 2025 Projection: 17/5/19/.218/.289/.381/5 Prime Projection: 44/11/41/.231/.309/.413/15
389) Payton Eeles – MIN, 2B/3B, 25.4 – Payton Eeles is the type of player you want to root for. He’s 5’5” and went undrafted after playing 4 years at a Division II school. So he played a 5th year in Division 1, and then he played in Indy Ball. And oh yea, he’s literally raked everywhere he’s been. Minnesota gave him a shot in 2024, and he continued to do what he’s done everywhere, and that is produce all the way through Triple-A. He slashed .299/.419/.500 with 8 homers, 20 steals, and a 14.6/12.7 K%/BB% in 64 games. He’s only 5’5”, but he’s thick and he’s damn explosive. He’s almost like an older version of Jett Williams and Slade Caldwell, except without a one hundredth of the respect. He only put up an 85.4 MPH EV at Triple-A, and the groundball rates are around 50%, so there isn’t much power upside, but the hit/speed combo looks pretty damn good. It’s probably a utility infielder long term, which is still a super fun success story, but I wouldn’t be so sure to cap him there. I think he has starting 2B potential. – 2025 Projection: 19/2/11/.249/.303/.355/7 Prime Projection: 74/10/52/.266/.328/.379/28
390) Billy Cook – PIT, 1B, 26.3 – Cook is a 26 year old who just put up a 38.8/0.0 K%/BB% in his 49 PA MLB debut, and his strikeout rates have been anywhere from the mid 20’s to upper 30’s in the minors, so the hit tool probably isn’t good enough to be an MLB starter, but he’s quietly kinda interesting. He put up a 92.6/97.1 MPH AVG/FB EV in the majors, and he’s a launch machine with a 28.6 degree launch. Neither of those numbers were quite as extreme in Triple-A, but this guy is going to hit homers, and he hit 3 in his 16 game MLB debut (17 homers in 115 games in the minors). He’s also really fast with a 29.3 ft/sec sprint, and he’s a good base stealer with 26 steals in 32 attempts. Pitt traded for Cook at the deadline from Baltimore, so they obviously like him. In deeper leagues, he’s a really fun proximity play, and even in shallower leagues he’s worth a looksie if you see him getting full time at bats at some point in 2025. – 2025 Projection: 31/9/35/.225/.298/.416/5
391) Cooper Bowman – CIN, 2B/OF, 25.2 – The Reds selected Bowman 7th overall in the Rule 5 Draft, which gives him a leg up on an Opening Day roster spot, and it seems like he could be next man up at several positions for them now. And if he does get pushed into full time action, he has the base running ability to make a fantasy impact with 43 steals in 118 games at Double-A and Triple-A. The Athletics left him unprotected for a reason, and that reason is that the hit/power combo probably isn’t good enough to be a true MLB starter. He hit 0 homers with a 80.5 MPH EV, 24.3/7.9 K%, .218 BA and 48 wRC+ in 38 games at Triple-A. Granted he hit much better at Double-A with 12 homers, a 20.2/12.4 K%/BB% and a 138 wRC+ in 80 games, but at 24 years old, he’s already too old to be taking his upper minors numbers fully seriously. I see some similarities with David Hamilton, and like Hamilton, if Bowman gets the at bats, the steals should keep him afloat in fantasy. – 2025 Projection: 38/6/31/.232/.304/.379/16
392) Homer Bush Jr. – TBR, OF, 23.5 – Bush was a college bat who didn’t exactly dominate High-A with a 111 wRC+ in 86 games, but he doesn’t have the type of profile to dominate a level. He’s the type where he can do what he does regardless of the competition, which is run like wild (57 steals) and get the bat on the ball (18.8/9.3 K%/BB%). He’s 6’2”, 200 pounds, so he has the size to add more power, but it’s really not a big part of his game with 6 homers. He’s likely a part time player, but with his speed, he’s a part time player that can make an impact. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 71/8/42/.258/.321/.391/28
393) Jonatan Clase – TOR, OF, 22.10 – There were points where I really liked Clase, and only 22 years old, maybe I shouldn’t be so quick to cool on him, but the warts in his profile are starting to take forefront in my mind. He doesn’t hit the ball hard with an 85.8 MPH EV at AAA and 0 Barrels in his 66 PA MLB debut, and at a small 5’10”, it’s hard to expect a lot more there. He’s also had contact issues his entire career with a 26% K% at AAA and a 25.8% K% in the majors. And lastly, he has a below average 70.7 MPH swing which is even worse from the left side with a 69.3 MPH swing (the side he swings with more often). He’s also not particularly great on defense. He has elite speed and base running ability, which makes him so fun for fantasy, but I think a bench OF is his most likely role. At only 22, maybe he can make improvements to the power, defense, and hit tool, which is why I don’t want to write him off completely, but I’m just not too excited by him anymore. – 2025 Projection: 25/3/21/.228/.292/.360/9 Prime Projection: 63/10/41/.249/.319/.391/24
394) Hao-Yu Lee – DET, 2B, 22.2 – Lee’s season ended on August 15th with lumbar spine inflammation, but he was having an impressive season before going down with the injury, slashing .298/.363/.488 with 12 homers, 16 steals, and a 17.9/8.5 K%/BB% in 87 games at Double-A. It was good for a 141 wRC+ as a 21 year old, which is damn good. He doesn’t jump off the screen at 5’10”, and he doesn’t jump off the screen electricity wise either, but he’s just a really solid baseball player who has produced everywhere he’s been, and now that’s continued in the upper minors. The power/speed combo isn’t huge, he’s not particularly good on defense, and the hit tool is good, but not great, so he’s not exactly one of my favorite targets, but there is average across the board potential here at peak. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 74/18/71/.261/.323/.416/12
395) Eiberson Castellano – MIN, RHP, 23.11 – Castellano was selected by Minnesota in the Rule 5 Draft, which means it’s likely they are going to keep him in the bullpen all season. I’m not sure it’s a great thing for his fantasy value as it will be easy for him to just get stuck in the bullpen. But I like his profile enough to still crack this list on the change he can work his way into the rotation. He’s a big boy at 6’3” but the delivery is pretty damn athletic for his size. He also has really good stuff with a mid 90’s fastball, a potentially plus curve, and a solid changeup. It all resulted in a 3.99 ERA with a 31.3/6.7 K%/BB% in 103.2 IP split between High-A and Double-A (he was just as good at each level). I do think his selection dooms him to the bullpen unfortunately, but on his own merits, he’s a pretty interesting pitching prospect. – 2025 Projection: 3/3.98/1.31/65 in 65 IP
396) Connor Prielipp – MIN, LHP, 24.3 – Prielipp is likely a reliever long term with 2 major elbow surgeries (Tommy John and then internal brace) since 2021, but when he got back on the mound in 2024, he showed off impressive upside. He put up a 2.70 ERA with a 45.1/7.7 K%/BB% in 23.1 IP at mostly High-A. The fastball sits mid 90’s and is a bat missing, which he pairs with a plus to double plus slider. It was only the lower minors, his injury history scares me, and it was only in short outings, so I lean him being a reliever, but I lean upside in fantasy, and even as a reliever he can make an impact. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 4/3.45/1.21/76 in 65 IP
397) Tekoah Roby – STL, RHP, 23.6 – I poured some cold water on Roby this off-season when everyone was ranking him over Tink Hence (not me, and maybe some foreshadowing on everyone ranking Quinn Mathews over Hence now, although I actually like Mathews a ton, so it’s not a completely comparable situation), and Roby had a straight terrible season. He put up a 6.57 ERA with a 22.2/8.5 K%/BB% in 38.1 IP at mostly Double-A. He missed a large chunk of the season due to a shoulder injury, but he looked just as bad before the injury as he did when he returned from it. He can definitely bounce back in 2025 if he’s healthy with a mid 90’s fastball, plus curve, and diverse pitch mix, but he’s just not a very highly sought after pitching prospect right now. He’s in prove it territory. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 8/4.27/1.33.133 in 140 IP
398) Henry Lalane – NYY, LHP, 20.10 – Lalane was a fun breakout pick before the season, but he was limited to just 12.1 IP due to shoulder fatigue. It was a completely lost season. This is just the life of a pitching prospect, and it’s why rookie ball pitchers are some of my least favorite prospects to go after. There is just so much that can go wrong. But when you play the rookie ball pitcher game, you know what you are getting into, so the hope is that he can come back completely healthy in 2025 and immediately get the hype rolling again. Here was my blurb for him in the 2024 Top 1,000, and nothing has really changed assuming full health: “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: 10/3.93/1.28/165 in 160 IP
399) Ty Floyd – CIN, RHP, 23.8 – Floyd underwent shoulder surgery and missed all of 2024. He’s yet to pitch in the pros. I liked him as a FYPD college arm, but who knows how healthy he will be coming off the surgery. Here was my blurb for him before the injury: “ 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.” … now with the injury risk though, he’s really more in pure flier territory, especially having to pitch in Cincy. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 8/4.28/1.31/135 in 140 IP
400) Kannon Kemp – SDP, RHP, 20.7 – Selected 251st overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, but signing for a well over slot deal, Kannon Kemp cracks this list on name alone. Come to think of it, the Padres drafted Boston Bateman, Kale Fountain, Kash Mayfield, Kannon Kemp, Tyson Neighbors, Kavares Tears, Cobb Hightower, and Brandon Butterworth. Are they just picking guys based on cool names? But Kemp is not just a cool name, he also cracks this list for potential at a projectable 6’6”, 225 pounds with a low to mid 90’s fastball that has he good control over and has the potential to be a plus pitch. He combines the fastball with good feel for a slider and changeup, but both pitches still need more refinement. His path can still take many directions, but plus control of a really good fastball with 2 solid secondaries and a beastly frame is a really good profile to bet on. I like Kemp a lot. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.93/1.24/160 in 160 IP
401) Brody Brecht – COL, RHP, 22.6 – Okay, I guess I’ll put a Coors pitcher on here. Maybe it’s the Dollander afterglow that is easing me up, even if Dollander hasn’t proven anything yet really. We all already knew he was a really good prospect (granted, he’s been better than really good, he’s been great), but it was Coors Field that is the looming problem that he’s yet to truly conquer. Either way, Brecht was selected 38th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, and he deserves to crack this list. He’s 6’4”, 235 pounds and is an elite athlete who also played wide receiver for Iowa. I’m gonna be honest, his delivery doesn’t really look all that athletic to me, and maybe that is why he put up a 14.2% BB% in 78.1 IP, which is simply way too high. The hope is that by focusing solely on baseball, that can improve, and he did have his best season after dropping football, putting up a 3.33 ERA with a 37.2% K%. The stuff is also legit with a mid to upper 90’s fastball, two heavily used, bat missing sliders, and a developing split change. The upside is very obviously quite big, but his control issues, and getting drafted by Colorado prevents me from buying. I’m just not in the market for Coors pitchers. It’s as simple as that. It’s hard enough being a pitching prospect, and I only like to roster a small percentage of pitching prospects anyway, so a Coors pitcher is just never going to be one of them for me. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 9/4.15/1.33/169 in 160 IP
402) Luke Holman – CIN, RHP, 22.3 – Selected 71st overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Holman is a safety over upside arm with a strong history of production in the toughest conference in college baseball (SEC). He put up a 2.75 ERA with a 33.7/8.8 K%/BB% in 91.2 IP this year. The stuff isn’t off the charts, but the low to mid 90’s fastball is a good pitch with good life and bat missing ability. The slider is his best secondary and it misses a ton of bats, and he has a good curve too. The control/command is about average. It’s not the most enticing profile, but it’s why he will be available pretty late in first year player drafts, and he’s not a bad option if you are looking for a fast moving college arm. It’s also not like he’s completely devoid of upside at 6’4”, 200 pounds, so there is certainly room to tack on a MPH or two on the fastball. I could have gone with any of the names in the just missed section over Holman, as they all have similar value to me, but why not highlight a fresh name rather than guys who I’ve been writing about for years now. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 8/4.12/1.32/128 in 150 IP
403) Trey Gregory-Alford LAA, RHP, 18.11 – Selected 322nd overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, but signing for $1.96 million, Alford has the size and stuff to match that big signing bonus. He’s a built up 6’5”, 235 pounds with a mid 90’s fastball that has been up to 101.4 in a bullpen session, which he combines with a potentially plus, but still developing slider. It’s a reliever profile as is with below average control and without a third pitch, but he’ll still be just 18 years old on Opening Day, so there is plenty of time for him to refine his arsenal and command. There is obviously a ton of risk here, but the upside is high too. He’s likely to be one of the more interesting true upside arms that you will be able to get very late in first year player drafts. At the very least, keep an eye on him early in 2025, because his loud stuff will get people’s attention quickly if he’s pitching well. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 9/3.93/1.30/156 in 150 IP
404) Brendan Tunink – LAD, OF, 19.6 – Selected 250th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Tunink is a high upside high schooler drafted by the Dodgers. That is an excellent foundation right there. He’s a strong 6’0”, 185 pounds with an absolutely vicious lefty swing that is looking to do damage, and it’s a short and controlled swing too. He combines that with plus speed and a good feel to hit. This is a bet on the Dodgers just as much as it’s a bet on Tunink. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 76/17/68/.252/.321/.421/17
405) Jimmy Crooks – STL, C, 23.8 – Crooks is likely headed to a backup role at least early in his career, and he has a lot of competition at catcher in St. Louis’ system (although a trade can clear that up very quickly), but he has the skills to be interesting in deeper leagues. His strong glove gives him a leg up as many of the catchers on this list are iffy to stick at the position, and it’s not like he’s chopped liver on offense either. He just handled his business at Double-A with a 156 wRC+, 11 homers, and a 21.0/11.6 K%/BB% in 90 games. He has a good feel to hit, a good approach, and he can hit it hard at 6’0”, 230 pounds. It just seems like he would be the perfect backup to Ivan Herrera, but even there he has very real competition. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 48/13/56/.251/.323/.403/3
406) Ramon Ramirez – KCR, C, 19.10 – Ramirez was a popular DSL breakout target last off-season, and while his numbers fell off in stateside rookie ball, he still had a good season, slashing .265/.379/.459 with 7 homers, 1 steal, and a 20.7/12.8 K%/BB% in 49 games. He has a strong, quick and athletic righty swing that mostly certainly passes the eye test, and he has the big pop to back that up. There is hit tool risk, he’s been on the old side for the level the past 2 seasons, and there is no guarantee he sticks at catcher, but he has plenty of development time to go, and his impressive swing/power potential makes him an exciting young prospect to at least keep an eye on. What he does in full season ball will swing his value in a major way in either direction. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 62/21/69/.246/.318/.440/3
407) Rainiel Rodriguez – STL, C, 18.3 – Rodriguez is the top catcher breakout coming of the DSL, slashing .345/.462/.683 with 10 homers, 1 steal, and a 13.6/16.3 K%/BB% in 41 games. It was good for a 186 wRC+. He’s not a particularly big guy at 5’10”, 197 pounds, but he hits the ball very hard and the plate approach was excellent. 5’10” DSL catchers aren’t exactly my favorite targets for fantasy, and he’s not a lock to stick behind the plate, but those numbers are hard to ignore. He’s definitely a candidate to be a top catcher prospect in a few years if he keeps progressing. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 66/18/73/.260/.335/.438/1
408) Edward Florentino – PIT, 1B/OF, 18.5 – Florentino is a big dude at 6’4”, 200 pounds, and he signed for a not bad $395,000 in last year’s international class. He played a bunch of CF along with 1B, so while his glove isn’t expected to be an asset, he could end up a solid corner outfielder. And of course, we are buying the bat here with big raw power and excellent production in his pro debut in the DSL. He slashed .260/.432/.459 with 5 homers, 8 steals, and a 18.9/20.0 K%/BB% in 49 games. He put the ball in the air a ton with a 30.5% GB%. He’s setting up to be your classic three true outcome slugger. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 76/26/83/.246/.328/.453/6
409) Justin Gonzales – BOS, 1B/OF, 18.3 – Like Florentio, Gonzales is a big dude at 6’4”, 210 pounds, and he signed for $250,000 in last year’s international class despite limited defensive value. That means the Red Sox liked his bat a lot, and I’m sure they like it even more after his excellent pro debut in the DSL, slashing .320/.391/.517 with 5 homers, 8 steals, and a 10.4/9.9 K%/BB% in 47 games. He hit the ball on the ground too much to fully get to his big raw power, but his contact/power combo is impressive. Obviously so much risk with DSL guys and lack of defensive value, but the upside on the bat is good enough to slot in here. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 74/22/81/.266/.326/.447/6
410) Teilon Serrano – MIN, OF, 16.10 – Betting on Serrano was just as big of a bet on the Dodgers as it was on Serrano, so I can’t say I like him as much with the Twins as I did with the Dodgers (the Dodgers had to decommit to him after signing Roki). But I still love me a prospect with such a visually fast and explosive swing at 6’0”, 185 pounds. Combine that with double plus speed and I think he could have some of the best speed first upside in this class. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 83/16/64/.259/.328/.413/30
411) Royel Strop – STL, OF, 16.10 – Strop has baseball bloodlines with his father, Pedro Strop, just finishing his MLB reliever career in 2021. And now his father is turning to the training/coaching game as he coached his son, Royel, to be one of the best international prospects in the class. Strop is a strong and still projectable 6’1”, 165 pounds, and he has a controlled and powerful lefty swing that is geared for both power and average. Tack on plus speed, and you have a very enticing international prospect. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 78/18/69/.265/.328/.426/18
412) Maykel Coret – TBR, OF, 17.6 – Coret has one of the highest upsides in the class at 6’4”, 190 pounds with a potentially plus power/speed combo. The swing is athletic and powerful, and while it’s not the shortest swing, I like that he’s trying to do real damage. He can already hit the ball very hard. He’s also an excellent athlete who certainly looks the part on the field with smooth and explosive movements. If the hit tool is at least solid in the DSL, he definitely has potential to get some real hype very quickly. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 76/25/81/.254/.329/.453/21
413) Caleb Lomavita – WAS, C, 22.5 – Selected 39th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, taking Lomavita might be an indication that Washington is not locked into Keibert Ruiz as their long term catcher despite Ruiz being under contract until 2032. They are also light on organizational catcher depth, so maybe it has nothing to do with that, but point being, Lomavita could start competing for that catcher job in the next few seasons. And he has enough fantasy upside stemming from his speed to be an interesting deep league option. He stole 12 bags in 55 games in the Pac 12 this year and has stolen 36 in 158 games in his career. He combines the well above average athleticism for a catcher with above average power (15 homers). The downside is that his plate approach is well below average with a 16.7%/4.7% K%/BB%, so he simply just might not be a very good hitter against more advanced competition. And we saw that downside play out in his pro debut with 0 homers, a .213 BA, and a 76 wRC+ in 17 games at Single-A. The 18.3/7.0 K%/BB% wasn’t too bad though, so it’s not like he was completely overmatched or anything, and he stole 3 bags. He’s a deep league FYPD option for a catcher needy team. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 49/14/53/.247/.307/.412/9
414) Andres Chaparro – WAS, 1B, 25.11 – I fear that Chaparro ends up a good but not great short side of a platoon 1B/DH considering the .551 OPS in 87 PA vs righties in his MLB debut, but Washington doesn’t have a deep system, so injuries could end up forcing his bat into the lineup even with their recent acquisitions. Chaparro also has a good enough contact/power profile to make a fantasy impact if he does get the playing time. He hit 23 homers with a 17.9% K% in 105 games at Triple-A, and then he held his own in the majors with 4 homers and a 18.2% K% in 132 PA. He doesn’t crush the ball, but he hits it hard enough, and he has a lift and pull profile to get the most out of his power. It’s most likely a bench bat long term. – 2025 Projection: 21/7/26/.241/.316/.430/1
415) Jared Serna – MIA, 2B/SS, 22.10 – Serna’s stats dropped off when he got to the upper minors, slashing .247/.328/.356 with 2 homers, 4 steals (in 7 attempts), and a 20.7/8.1 K%/BB% in 45 games. He’s a small guy at 5’7” with high ground ball rates, so the power upside is very limited. He has speed, but he started to get caught a lot in the upper minors, and the plate skills dropped off in the upper minors too. He’s likely a utility infielder, but the Marlins entire infield is far from locked down, so he’s on the right team for opportunity. I still think Miami has better options than him though. – 2025 Projection: 18/2/11/.246/.299/.351/6 Prime Projection: 61/9/42/.262/.323/.388/18
416) Devin Saltiban – PHI, 2B, 20.2 – Saltiban was a 3rd round pick in 2023 who immediately hit well in pro ball. He put up a 124 wRC+ in 10 games at rookie ball in 2023, and then in 2024 he put up a 123 wRC+ with 17 homers, 22 steals and a 24.8/12.2 K%/BB% in 97 games at Single-A. He’s not a big guy at 5’9”, 180 pounds, but he’s got a quick righty swing and he can lift and pull it a bit. The 86.2 MPH EV isn’t too bad for his age, and the 9.7% Barrel shows the power production wasn’t a fluke. He also has speed and is a good baserunner, going 22 for 24 on the bases. If the strikeout rate was a bit better, I could see being even higher on him, but I’m a fan. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 76/17/71/.253/.325/.417/23
417) Mikey Romero – BOS, 2B/SS, 21.3 – Here is what I wrote about Romero in the in-season Dynasty Rundowns towards the end of the season, and my thoughts remain the same: “The Red Sox 1st round pick, 24th overall, in 2022 has been almost completely ignored by everyone, including me, but Mikey is demanding our attention right now after calmly jacking out his 4th homer in 7 games since getting called up to Double-A as a 20 year old. He had 10 homers in 59 games at High-A. The reason he has been ignored is because he doesn’t have big raw power, he doesn’t have speed (1 steal all season), and his hit tool/plate approach isn’t particularly good either with a 21.9/5.0 K%/BB% in 60 games overall. Those deficiencies still make me pretty lackluster on his future potential, but production matters, and the guy is no doubt producing while being super young for the level. Maybe he can lift and pull his way into like Connor Norby type territory.” … He closed out the season at Double-A with 6 homers and a 33.8/2.7 K%/BB% in 16 games. That K rate is scary, but he was just 20 years old getting a taste of the upper minors. It was much better at High-A with a 21% K%. He’s getting no love, but the guy was picked 24th overall, he reached Double-A by 20 and showed he can do damage against upper minors pitching. I don’t think he’s a major dynasty asset either, but show the guy just a little bit of love, will ya. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 66/17/71/.245/.303/.412/3
418) Cooper Kinney – TBR, 2B, 22.2 – Kinney was the 34th overall pick in 2021 and then missed the entire 2022 season with shoulder surgery. He’s just been kinda slowly plodding through the minors since with good but not eye catching production. He slashed .289/.352/.494 with 10 homers, 6 steals, and a 22.2/8.9 K%/BB% in 87 games at High-A this year. It was good for a 137 wRC+. Being 21 years old at High-A is fine, but it’s one year older than optimal, and nothing really stands out in his game. He has good size at 6’1”, 200 pounds, and he has a sweet lefty swing, which are the things that got him drafted so highly out of high school, but without a standout tool/skill, he remains kinda lukewarm for fantasy. If he can keep up the production at Double-A, that will give him a bump, and there is definitely potential for a power breakout if he can start to lift and pull more. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 65/18/71/.261/.318/.414/6
419) William Bergolla Jr. – CHW, 2B/SS, 20.5 – I really liked Bergolla’s hit/speed/bloodlines combo in his international signing year, and while the hit was most certainly there with elite contact rates, he wasn’t running at all. That changed this year with him stealing 27 bags in 33 attempts at High-A. He combined that with a 10.6/8.1 K%/BB%, a .300 BA and a 114 wRC+ in 89 games as a 19 year old. He truly has special contact ability. There is absolutely zero power in here with 1 homer in his entire 168 game career, and he’s a small guy without much raw power, so he isn’t going to grow into much more either. It’s likely a utility infielder profile, but those contact rates are elite, and if he hits his way into the lineup, he should steal enough bases with it to be interesting for fantasy. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 73/7/38/.283/.332/.371/23
420) Cameron Cauley – TEX, SS/2B, 22.2 – Every year that Cauley doesn’t improve the hit tool makes it less likely that it’s ever going to really happen. He once again put up a 29.2/8.4 K%/BB% in 93 games at High-A, which just isn’t going to get the job done. But he remains on the back of this list because he’s a true talent. He’s lightning fast with 27 steals in 29 attempts, and he has both raw and game power with 12 homers. He also has a potentially plus up the middle glove. His glove and pure talent should eventually get him on an MLB field, but it’s likely a case where the hit tool isn’t good enough until his mid to late 20’s, if it ever gets good enough at all. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 51/14/46/.226/.300/.415/23
421) Jakob Christian – SFG, OF, 22.6 – Selected 149th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Christian is 6’5”, 225 pounds with big power and good athleticism. I love betting on a big dude who is also a good athlete, and while Christian has plenty of flaws, there is plenty to like for fantasy. He’s done nothing but rip homers in his college career starting from his freshman year, crushing 67 homers in 160 career games. He definitely has hit tool risk, but a 20% K% isn’t too bad, and he was good in his pro debut, slashing .267/.378/.500 with 1 homer and a 21.6/13.5 K%/BB% in 9 games at Single-A.. He’s a high risk, high reward power hitting college bat. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 58/16/66/.233/.301/.429/6
422) Kavares Tears – SDP, OF, 22.7 – Selected 134th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Tears is proven SEC power bat with hit tool risk. He’s a strong 6’0” with a powerful lefty swing that is made to do damage. He cracked 20 homers in 71 games at Tennessee. He’s also a good athlete with some speed, and while he’s not a huge base stealer, he should still contribute a handful. The problem is that it came with a 25.3% K%, and while the 15.4% BB% mitigates that a bit, it’s still not good. His bat has a high bar to clear as a mostly corner outfielder, and you can see by him getting drafted 134th overall, teams aren’t fully convinced he can clear it. He’s still worth the shot late in first player drafts if you want a good college bat rather than a 17 year old mystery. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 66/18/74/.240/.314/.420/7
423) Wilfri De La Cruz – CHC, SS/3B, 17.6 – De La Cruz certainly looks the part at a very projectable and relatively broad 6’2” with a smooth lefty swing that is geared for both average and power. The righty swing isn’t as smooth, but you can see he’s trying to drive the ball with that one too, not just slap it. He’s known to have a good feel to hit and a solid plate approach, but it seems likely to me that this will end up power over hit at peak. He’s also a good athlete who should at the very least contribute in steals as he fills out, and maybe more than that. Feel to hit/approach, size, athleticism, projection … that is basically what you look for in an international prospect. De La Cruz is a good one. – ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 77/23/79/.257/.338/.449/12
424) Alejandro Cruz – CHW, 3B, 18.3 – Cruz will already be 18 years old when he enters pro ball, which is a bit on the older side for the international class, although he’s from Cuba and they don’t seem to stick with that 17 year old timeline that other areas mostly do, so I wouldn’t hold it against him too much. He’s already a relatively imposing 6’3”, 180 pounds, and it certainly looks like he could end up being a real bruiser at the dish at peak. He’s fast too though, so maybe he keeps a more a athletic physique to keep his speed. These are the type of guesses you have to make when talking about such young players. No matter how his body fills out though, his righty swing is damn fast and it’s quick and short too, so he could have a pretty potent hit/power combo if it all comes together. Tack on that speed, and Cruz has plenty of upside to be a fun late FYPD lotto ticket. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 72/21/76/.253/.326/.438/14
425) Harold Rivas – BOS, OF, 16.11 – Rivas is visually super explosive at the dish with an athletic and powerful righty swing that definitely has power potential as he continues to fill out his 6’2”, 170 pound frame. He’s also a plus runner who plays a good CF. The hit tool isn’t bulletproof, and he’s not necessarily the broadest guy, but he’s on the young side for the class, so who knows how his body ends up. Either way, he’s got the power/speed combo we like for fantasy, so the upside is definitely in here. – ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 74/18/63/.248/.313/.427/22
426) Diego Tornes – ATL, OF, 16.9 – Tornes is one of the youngest players in the class but he’s also already one of the most physically mature at 6’4”, 200 pounds. This is a big boy already with big boy power from a quick and powerful swing. He’s a switch who hits better lefty than righty, and he’s a good athlete despite his already impressive size. He has some of the best power upside in the class. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 74/25/83/.250/.320/.450/9
427) Rafael Flores – NYY, C/1B, 24.5 – Flores’ power took a big step forward in 2024, and it resulted in him destroying Double-A, slashing .274/.359/.519 with 15 homers, 6 steals, and a 26.7/10.3 K%/BB% in 65 games. He also so easily passes the eye test at 6’3”, 220 pounds with a smooth righty swing that looks like an MLB swing. I mean, his offensive power upside is no joke. He’s already 24 years old, the hit tool has risk as you can see from that strikeout rate, and he’s not a particularly good defensive player, but it’s so easy to fall in love watching his swing. I like him, but a bench bat is probably his most reasonable outcome. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 54/18/65/.241/.317/.437/3
428) Manny Cedeno – NYY, SS, 16.8 – Cedeno is one of the youngest players in the class (you are drafting a full child here basically), but you already see the seeds of a grown man righty swing that can potentially punish baseballs. His righty swing is powerful and fast, and he makes it look easy. He also has one of the best hit tools in the class and is a good athlete. He’s currently 5’11”, but I guess at his age he could easily grow more, which would make him even more dangerous. I like him. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 72/23/81/.268/.333/.451/9
429) Cristopher Polanco – TOR, SS, 17.3 – Polanco has one of, if not my favorite pure swing in the class. It is a super sweet and smooth lefty swing that is easy and under control. And when he wants to put his back into one, he can really crank it with that same smooth motion. I love it. He’s not a particularly big guy at 5’11”, 180 pounds, but I think he’s going to have the ability to hit the ball pretty hard at peak, and he’s already known for a good hit tool. If he was a bit bigger, I would really love him, but even at his size I think he can be damn good. I’m a big fan. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 77/18/74/.277/.346/.429/16
430) Nieves Izaguirre – PHI, SS, 17.3 – Izaguirre is Acuna’s cousin, so how could I leave him off this list. He’s more Luisangel than Ronald though, but that ain’t bad either as I like Luisangel a lot. Like Luisangel, he’s not a big guy, but he has a big righty swing that looks pretty damn electric, and he combines that with a good hit tool and speed. I think he can definitely follow in Luisangel’s footsteps. Don’t expect Ronald’s footsteps though. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 81/14/57/.266/.331/.388/28
431) Conrad Cason – BOS, SS/RHP, 18.8 – Selected 237th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft and signing for $1.25 million, Cason is a two way player whose future is likely on the mound. He was a multi sport star as well, so this is a guy who can do just about anything athletically at a high level, and the hope is that when he finally focuses fully on one thing, he can really thrive. That one thing seems to be pitching as his fastball already sits mid 90’s and can touch upper 90’s, to go along with a changeup that flashes plus and a solid slider. He’s 6’2”, 185 pounds with an athletic delivery, and while all areas of his game still needs refinement, he’s still just 18 years old. If pitching doesn’t work out, he can give hitting a go with plus speed, above average power potential, a good glove, and decent hit tool. He also needs refinement in all areas of his hitting, so that is why it seems his pitching is a bit farther ahead, and where the most upside lies. You are basically drafting the athlete here, and seeing where the chips fall, just like the Sox did. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 9/4.13/1.29/141 in 150 IP
432) Niko Kavadas – LAA, 1B, 26.6 – Kavadas is likely a very low BA, bench power bat, but his power is huge enough, and he’s close enough to the majors to crack this list. It’s not hard to envision him becoming fantasy relevant if injuries hit, because the guy will rip dingers. He smoked 17 homers with a 92 MPH EV and 18.8 degree launch in 83 games at Triple-A, and then he hit 4 homers with a 91.7 MPH EV and 27.3 degree launch in 30 MLB games. He had a 33.4% K% at Triple-A and a 38.7% K% with a .183 BA in the majors, so the BA will tank you. He walks a ton though with a 17.3% BB% at AAA and 10.4% BB% in the majors, so in deep OBP leagues, he definitely has a chance to be useful. – 2025 Projection: 23/8/26/.208/.309/.416/0
433) Daniel Susac – OAK, C, 23.11 – Susac was the 19th overall pick in the 2022, and with how many former first round catchers leveled up in 2024, it’s not hard to see Susac taking that same path when he’s in his mid to late 20’s. He put up a solid season at Double-A with 12 homers, 7 steals, and a 103 wRC+ in 88 games. It came with a terrible 25.9/4.3 K%/BB%, and while he improved his launch this season, he’s still not a huge launch guy. He’s 6’4”, 218 pounds with a big and powerful righty swing, so he has legit raw power, and he’s a solid defensive catcher. Maybe he can become fantasy relevant in like 2028. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 45/15/58/.236/.291/.417/5
434) Ben Williamson – SEA, 3B, 24.5 – I was scratching my head on why so many people were so hyped up for Williamson last off-season, and to their credit, a 146 wRC+ at High-A and a 114 wRC+ at Double-A is good, but he was already 23 years old, and the .272/.365/.374 triple-slash with 3 homers and 15 steals in 95 games at Double-A is not very fantasy friendly. He hit 4 homers in 124 games all season. He doesn’t lift, he doesn’t pull, and while the hit tool is solid, it’s not standout. This still isn’t my type of profile, especially hitting in Seattle, but considering the solid year at Double-A and the solid glove, it’s possible he could be a solid real life bat at peak. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 66/12/58/.256/.325/.392/9
435) Sammy Stafura – CIN, SS, 20.4 – I know that I go on and on about pro debuts, but Stafura is a good example of someone who had a terrible pro debut and then turned it around the next season. After putting up a 7 wRC+ with a 43.4% K% in 12 rookie ball games in 2023, he then hit pretty well in full season ball in 2024, slashing .270/.387/.412 with 8 homers, 31 steals, and a 24.7/15.2 K%/BB% in 92 games at Single-A. I give respect where it’s due, and his value definitely rose from last year, but he’s still not really all that enticing of a prospect, so I don’t think the poor pro debut rankings drop led you in the wrong direction. The 85.9 MPH EV was low and the 24.7% K% was high. That’s not a great combo, and he’s really not all that electric of an athlete at 6’0” with good but not great athleticism. It’s just not that unique or enticing of a profile. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 77/16/63/.251/.325/.412/23
436) Aroon Escobar – PHI, 2B, 20.3 – Here is what I wrote about Escobar in the latest Rundown: “I generally hate players who are “old” for their rookie ball leagues. These include 18 year olds repeating the DSL and 19 year olds in stateside rookie ball, but with the recent contraction of the minor leagues, I might have to loosen up my stance on that. With fewer teams, more deserving guys are going to repeat rookie ball levels, and on the flip side, Single-A is getting more rookie ball-ish itself. High-A might really be the true “full season ball” jump that Single-A used to be. It’s something to keep in mind, and something that I have to continue adjusting to myself. Enter Aroon, who destroying rookie ball as a 19 year old with a 172 wRC+, 3 homers, 9 steals, and a 9.6/20.2 K%/BB% in 24 games. I wasn’t in on him because of his age, but I’m feeling regret for that after he crushed him first homer this spring at a grown man’s 108.2 MPH. He now has a 505 wRC+ in 2 PA ;). He’s not necessarily a big tools guy, which is another reason I wasn’t in on him, but he can end up a very strong across the board contributor. He deserved more respect from me.” ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 77/15/69/.269/.333/.421/16
437) Griff O’Ferrall – BAL, SS, 22.2 – Selected 32nd overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Baltimore followed up their super risky pick of Honeycutt, with a super safe pick of O’Ferrall. Griff is a low upside college bat without much power, so while the real life profile of up the middle defense, contact, and some speed is enticing, it’s less so for fantasy. He hit only 5 homers in 63 games in the ACC this year, and he hit only 8 homers in 186 career college games. He didn’t hit a single homer in his 20 game pro debut in the lower minors. He did make a lot of contact with a 14.4% K% and he ran a bit with 2 steals in 6 attempts. The deeper the league, the more enticing he becomes, but even in deeper leagues I’m not super excited. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 76/9/58/.268/.324/.392/21
438) Daiber De Los Santos – MIN, SS, 18.6 – De Los Santos was a big time international prospect, signing for $1.9 million, and he went out and proved he deserved that money in his pro debut, slashing .301/.384/.460 with 5 homers, 17 steals, and a 31.0/8.9 K%/BB% in 47 games in the DSL. He’s an excellent athlete at a projectable 6’1” with a powerful and athletic righty swing to go along with plus speed. He also lifted and pulled a ton, so he should get the most of his raw power. The big red flag is obviously the 31% K%, which is way too high for the DSL especially. He’s a very high risk, very high reward DSL breakout. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 70/23/76/.238/.309/.438/19
439) Walker Janek – HOU, C, 22.7 – Selected 28th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Janek was the first catcher taken in the draft, but he’s known more for his defense than his offense. He has an excellent glove and excellent arm, so there is zero doubt that he sticks behind the plate. The only question is how much offense he will provide with an average hit/power combo at 6’0”, 190 pounds. He has hit for both average and power all 3 years of his college career in the WAC and CUSA with 37 homers and .325 BA in 166 games, and maybe most notably, he’s done the same in the wood bat Cape Cod League with 5 homers and a .281 BA in 30 games. But he had an awful pro debut with 1 homer, a 29.1/3.9 K%/BB% and 42 wRC+ in 25 games, which really dampens any excitement I might have had for him. I’m projecting him as a light hitting, defense first catcher, and Yainer Diaz isn’t a free agnet until 2029. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 42/14/51/.235/.306/.402/5
440) Johan De Los Santos – PIT, SS, 17.5 – De Los Santos is the brother of Yordany De Los Santos, who went through this process only a few years ago and also signed with Pitt. Yordany was one of the first misses for this SS list, but his younger brother cracks it, because the name of this game is finding the lotto ticket that pays off big, not the one you have to hold for 7 years in order to get a utility infielder out of it (not saying Yordany is doomed to that fate, it’s just the long and slow development process is not what you are looking for when you draft a 17 year old). De Los Santos could easily end up in the same bucket as his older brother, but his bonus is expected to double his brother’s, so maybe he has a cleaner path in pro ball too. His lefty swing definitely looks the part. It looks super natural with both feel to hit and the intent to do damage. As he adds more strength at 6’0”, 175 pounds, the hope is that the power comes. And like most of these kids, he has a good feel to hit and speed. He’s pretty electric though, and that electricity does stand out a bit amongst his peers. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 76/17/68/.258/.319/.413/24
441) Jose Pena – BAL, SS, 16.8 – I can’t find any video of Pena, probably because he has such a common name, which is a shame because it seems like he could be someone I really like. I will keep an eye out though and I’m sure I’ll find a video that pops up eventually, in which time I could change his ranking here. He’s one of the youngest players in the class and has one of the best frames at a projectable 6’2”, 155 pounds. He supposedly swings a quick and explosive bat (which I haven’t seen) and he’s fast. I know you could say that seeing a few swings isn’t that big of a deal, but I don’t know, I’ve had a ton of success picking out my favorite international prospects based on watching their swings and movements, so without seeing that, I can’t really say he’s a target for me yet. I’m just going to keep my eye out for that video, which I know is clearly out there somewhere. I just can’t find it. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 78/18/72/.260/.320/.425/28
442) Ayden Johnson – OAK, SS, 17.2 – It’s always a little crazy to me watching some 14 year olds workout video and evaluating them for dynasty baseball, hah, but here we are, and Johnson put together a fire training video. He also shows a body transformation of going from a chubby kid to ripped. At one point his trainer says, “Can you believe this kid is just 14 years old?” … hah, and I mean, you can’t help but laugh and say, “no.” … but I’m just being tongue in cheek, I already talked about not going down that path of disbelieving everyone’s age. It is what it is. He already speaks perfect English, which I guess is considered a good thing? Does that really matter though? I’m not so sure. Okay, on to things that really matter, which is that he has a ton of the traits you look for in a hyped international prospect. He’s a rock solid 6’2”, 180 pounds with a quick and powerful righty swing that should have plenty of power potential at peak. He’s also a good athlete and has a good feel to hit. And he’s quite clearly a hard worker. It seems to me his future is as a power hitting bruiser if it all works out. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 74/24/79/.259/.324/.456/9
443) Ty Southisene – CHC, SS, 19.9 – Selected 120th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft and signed for $1 million, Southisene is a small guy at 5’9”, 160 pounds, and he’s on the older side for the class, but Chicago didn’t pay him over slot for nothing. He’s the quintessential little man discount as he’s raked and been a standout performer everywhere he’s been. There isn’t much power potential in the bat, but he has a potentially plus hit/speed combo which can certainly be impactful for fantasy. Utility infielder is probably the most likely relatively good outcome scenario, but if you love betting on the underdog who just keeps on raking while not getting enough love (although he just made one million dollars at 19 years old, so he’s doing just fine ;), that’s Southisene. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 76/9/48/.268/.323/.372/24
444) Jose Perdomo – ATL, SS, 18.6 – Perdomo received the highest signing bonus in the international class at $5 million, but unfortunately he was limited to just 8 games in the DSL due to a hamstring injury. He didn’t do much in those 8 games with a 66 wRC+, but the 18.2/9.1 K%/BB%, 37.5% GB%, and 2 steals all look fine, so basically the sample is too small to say anything. We have to give him a mulligan and run it back in 2025. He’s known for his excellent hit tool with the ultimate power/speed combo still in some question. He’s not a huge guy at 5’11”, but it seems he’s trending towards power over speed right now. There is plenty of time for him to change his body in multiple ways, so we’ll see which way he decides to go. I’ll split the difference for now and assume it will end up a hit tool first profile with a moderate power/speed combo, but there is still so much mystery here. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 78/18/72/.268/.327/.429/15
445) Didier Fuentes – ATL, RHP, 19.9 – The 18/19 year old Fuentes had a phenomenal season at Single-A, putting up a 2.74 ERA with a 32.1/6.9 K%/BB% in 75.1 IP. He also has the stuff to back it up with a heavily used mid 90’s fastball that can miss bats, a potentially plus slider, and a developing changeup. He’s not a particularly big guy and there are definitely some reliever traits here, but I respect the age, production, stuff, and organization. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.97/1.26/144 in 150 IP
446) Victor Lizarraga – SDP, RHP, 21.4 – Lizarraga cracks this list on the back of his youth and build, because the present stuff and performance isn’t too impressive. He’s a relatively filled out 6’3” with an athletic righty delivery that put up a 4.03 ERA and 25.1/10.3 K%/BB% in 96 IP at Double-A. The curve is his best pitch and is potentially plus, but that is really his only plus attribute. The fastball sits low 90’s, the changeup is still developing, and the control is average-ish at best. He’s was only 20 in the upper minors, which makes his season more impressive, but he needs to improve his velocity, control, and/or third pitch to be more than a back end guy. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 8/4.25/1.33/130 in 150 IP
447) Brian Holiday – STL, RHP, 21.10 – Selected 80th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Holiday is a small and athletic righty with a plus control profile. He put up a 2.95 ERA with a 28.6/4.2 K%/BB% in 113 IP in the Big West. The fastball only sits in the low 90’s, but it’s a bat missing weapon because of it’s movement profile from a low release point. He also mixes in three secondaries (slider, curve, change) with his slider being his best swing and miss secondary. There could be some little man, and low velocity discrimination going on here, so there might be some more upside in here than he gets credit for. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 9/4.05/1.26/138 in 150 IP
448) Ethan Anderson – BAL, C/1B, 21.6 – Selected 61st overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Anderson cracks this list more on the back of how weak of a catcher class it is in first year player drafts this year. I have to grade the position on a curve, and while staying away from it completely even in deep leagues is reasonable, it’s nice to know your best options. Anderson is one of those options after raking all 3 years he’s played in the ACC with a good feel to hit and good pop. He hit .341 with 28 homers in 178 career minor league games, and then he stepped into pro ball and kept on producing there too. He put up a 125 wRC+ in 14 games at Single-A and a 155 wRC+ in 5 games at High-A. He’s a switch hitter and he’s young for the class, two things that can portend a bit more potential than a typical college selection, and he’s got good size at 6’2”, 215 pounds with a swing geared towards lift. There is no guarantee he can stick at catcher, but there are definitely things to like about Anderson. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 55/14/55/.263/.329/.411/4
449) Jacob Cozart – CLE, C, 22.3 – Selected 48th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Cozart is a big dude at 6’3”, 222 pounds, and he has the big lefty swing and plus power to match. He cracked 19 homers with a 1.038 OPS in 61 games in the ACC. The hit tool was considered a risk coming into the draft, and that unfortunately played out in his pro debut with a 36.7% K% and 26 wRC+ in 13 games at High-A. He’s not a bad defensive player who has a chance to stick behind the plate. He has the upside to be a classic low BA, slugging catcher, but it might take until his mid to late 20’s for him to realistically have a shot at reaching that ceiling with a full time job. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 46/15/54/.227/.301/.418/0
450) Gabriel Davalillo – LAA, C, 17.5 – Francisco Alvarez is really the very easy and perfect ceiling comp here with an almost identical profile. Davalillo is a 5’11”, 215 pound bull with plus power, but the hit tool isn’t bulletproof and neither is his defense at catcher. He’s the top international catcher in the class, and he has real power, but considering I already don’t love rostering a bunch of catcher prospects in dynasty, Davalillo has enough warts to make me hesitant to really fly him up the rankings. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 66/22/78/.252/.321/.443/3
451) Bryce Meccage – MIL, RHP, 19.0 – Selected 57th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Meccage is similar to Josh Knoth, who Milwaukee took 33rd overall in 2023, so they clearly have a type. And Milwaukee has done well with pitching development, so they are a good team to bet on. Meccage is 6’4”, 210 pounds with a low to mid 90’s fastball, two breaking balls (slider, curve), and a developing changeup. He can spin all of his pitches, like Knoth, and he has a solidly athletic right delivery with a good idea of where the ball is going. Not the flashiest profile, but there is plenty to like. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 9/4.02/1.27/160 in 160 IP
452) Drew Beam – KCR, RHP, 22.1 – Selected 76th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Beam is a floor over upside college starter who should move through the system quickly. Plus control is his best attribute, putting up a 6.5% BB% in his 262.2 IP college career in the SEC, and he was throwing strikes the second he stepped on campus as a freshman. He also most certainly looks the part at an athletic 6’4′, 208 pounds. The career 3.60 ERA and 22.7% K% isn’t as impressive as the size and walk rates, and his stuff is more in the average to above average category than truly standout with two 94 MPH fastballs, a curve and a changeup. It’s a #4 upside type profile, as you can see from falling to 76th overall in the draft, and the lack of strikeouts subdues his upside for fantasy too. The deeper the league, the more value he has. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 8/4.21/1.29/130 in 150 IP
453) Emelien Pitre – TBR, 2B, 22.6 – Selected 58th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Pitre is a lower upside infielder who is probably a better real life prospect than fantasy, but that’s not to say there is no fantasy intrigue. He’s 5’11” with some room to tack on a bit more mass, and he had a power breakout his junior year with 10 dingers in 62 games in the SEC (1 was his previous career high). A strong plate approach and speed is what you are buying, and that immediately transferred to pro ball, slashing .299/.402/.403 with 0 homers, 7 steals, and a 12.0/13.0 K%/BB% in 21 games at Single-A. He can hit the ball hard, but it’s geared more for all fields line drives, so there isn’t big upside in here. He likely profiles as one of Tampa’s many moving parts, part time players down the line. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 66/10/51/.262/.323/.393/15
454) Aiden May – MIA, RHP, 21.11 – Selected 70th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, May has that quick, fast moving delivery that has the look of guy that is hungry to attack hitters and is confident in his stuff. And I get it, because he has really good stuff with a 94 MPH sinker that can keep the ball on the ground to go along with a legitimately nasty, plus slider and a lesser used changeup. It all led to a 3.05 ERA with a 27.0/7.4 K%/BB% in 73.2 IP in the Pac 12. It’s probably a back end or a reliever profile, but if he can develop the changeup, or improve his control/command, he could beat that projection. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 8/4.18/1.34/126 in 140 IP
455) Joshua Kuroda-Grauer – OAK, SS, 22.2 – Selected 75th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Grauer has been a contact machine everywhere he’s played, putting up a .428 BA with a 7% K% in 53 games in the Big Ten his Junior year, and then stepping right into pro ball and doing the same with a .324 BA and 7.1% K% in 28 games at Single-A, High-A, and Triple-A. Even the fact he made it to Triple-A shows how fast Oakland thinks he can contribute. He combines the elite contact rates with speed (5 steals in pro ball and 24 steals in college), a solid plate approach, and decent hard hit ability. He won’t hit many homers with very high groundball rates (5 homers his junior year and 0 homers in pro ball), but he doesn’t need to aim for homers with his profile. He’s probably best suited for a utility role on a good team, but his contact/speed profile can definitely make an impact if he works his way into an everyday job. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 66/7/42/.268/.327/.376/19
456) Ethan Schiefelbein – TBR, LHP, 19.0 – Selected 72nd overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Schiefelbein makes this list mostly because Tampa drafted him, because I trust them to develop his pitches to match his already excellent pitchability. His delivery reminds me of Cole Hamels as a 6’2”, 180 pound lefty (Hamels was two inches taller than him, and much better than him, obviously), and he’s known to have some of the best command in his class. The fastball only sits low 90’s and he doesn’t necessarily have any electric secondaries (slider, curve, change), but he’ll rip off some sweet looking curveballs. If he gains velocity and just refines his pitches all around, there is real elite command type upside in here. And why not trust the Rays. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 9/3.96/1.22/139 in 150 IP
457) Landen Maroudis – TOR, RHP, 20.3 – Maroudis was looking really good in his 10.2 IP pro debut at Single-A before going down with an elbow injury that required an internal brace surgery in May. The puts his likely return date at some point mid-season, which could be enough time to get the hype rolling again. He had a 0.84 ERA with a 31.6/10.5 K%/BB%. The fastball sat 93.6 MPH, the curve and change got whiffs, and the slider induced weak contact. He also throws a sinker. He’s not the type I love taking the “Tommy John” discount on, but I think he’s worth a shot this late in the rankings as he was on a clear upward trajectory before going down with the injury. If he returns to full health, I don’t see why he can’t pick up from where he left off. Major elbow surgery is just part of the pitching prospect journey. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 10/3.98/1.27/160 in 155 IP
458) Jack Perkins – OAK, RHP, 25.3 – Perkins is most likely a reliever long term, but he’s in the right organization to get as long of a leash as possible. He has a potentially plus fastball/slider combo with below average control, which is a classic reliever profile. But it was good enough to dominate Double-A with a 2.88 ERA and 32.1/10.9 K%/BB% in 78 IP. He also throws a cutter, curve, and changeup, so it’s not like he’s a purely two pitch pitcher, but those are much lesser used pitches. He’s already 25 years old, and Oakland does have a bunch of similar options, so it’s not clear what number he is in the pecking order. I’m betting on reliever, but the K upside and possible opportunity is good enough to crack this list. – 2025 Projection: 2/4.11/1.32/33 in 35 IP Prime Projection: 4/3.74/1.25/69 in 65 IP
459) Franyerber Montillo – DET, 2B/SS/3B, 19.11 – I’m not sure Montillo deserves to crack this list after how hard he struggled once he got the call to Single-A. He was already 19 years old, so seeing him put up a 42 wRC+ with a 31.6% K% in 20 games is not a good sign. He looked really good in rookie ball with a 136 wRC+ and above average across the board production, but those numbers don’t look as impressive after the immediate drop off at the more age appropriate Single-A. The reason he does crack this list though is because I just like the look of him at the plate. He’s a pretty electric player at 6’0” with some power and athleticism. He can also lift and pull it, so he should be able to get the most out of his power. And he’s walked a ton in his career, even at Single-A with a 15.2% BB% at that level. I’ll give him a pass for the struggles in full season ball because it’s not like he was ancient at a relatively recently turned 19, and regardless of age, there is an adjustment period humans often have to make to tougher levels, new teams, cities, coaches etc … Hard to say he’s too sought after of a prospect, but there is something here that I definitely like a lot when watching him. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 73/17/66/.250/.330/.418/18
460) Javier Sanoja – MIA, OF/SS/2B, 22.7 – Sanoja can play basically every position on the field, and Miami’s corner outfield spots are pretty wide open, so there seems to be plenty of opportunity for him to rack up at bats. He had elite contact rates in the minors which transferred to the majors with a 11.1% K% in 36 PA, and he’s got speed with a 28.7 ft/sec sprint and 17 steals in 126 games in the upper minors. He doesn’t hit the ball hard (84.6 MPH EV in the minors), and as you saw from that steal total, he doesn’t really run enough for this type of profile. He’s a utility player on the vast majority of teams, but with Miami, he’s liable to get 500+ PA. – 2025 Projection: 38/4/36/.245/.297/.338/12
461) Josh Kasevich – TOR, SS, 24.3 – Kasevich is a hit tool/defense play, which doesn’t excite me for fantasy, but he hits the ball hard enough, and runs just enough to remain kinda interesting. And unlike some other fringy prospects on the Jays, his glove might actually get him on the field. The hit tool is damn good with a 11.8% K% and .296 BA in 128 games in the upper minors. He put up an 89.6 MPH EV at Triple-A, which is pretty good, and he was 13 for 14 on the bases with solid speed. The deeper the league, the more value he will have, but if the hit tool transfers to the majors, he could end up having value in most league sizes. – 2025 Projection: 9/1/10/.259/.305/.357/2 Prime Projection: 73/9/58/.276/.323/.382/11
462) Robert Hassell – WAS, OF, 23.8 – Hassell hasn’t lived up to his draft promise as the 8th overall pick in the draft, and now it seems likely that he’s a 4th outfielder. After putting up an 85 wRC+ at mostly Double-A in 2023, he followed that up with a 87 wRC+ in 2024 at mostly that same level. He doesn’t hit for power (5 homers), he doesn’t steal a ton of bases (15 steals in 85 games), and the contact rates aren’t that great either (21% K%). He cracks this list for pedigree and proximity. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 44/8/39/.242/.311/.389/13
463) Grant McCray – SFG, OF, 24.4 – McCray is really testing the limits on how much I lean power/speed over hit tool. That hit tool is as brutal as it gets with a 43.1/4.6 K%/BB% in 37 games, and I just can’t overlook that. He’s an elite athlete with a 29.2 ft/sec sprint and an 11.8% Barrel% (90.2 MPH EV), which led to 5 homer and 5 steals in those 37 games, but even I can’t just gloss over the hit tool risk. Then tack on ballpark risk and the fact he’s not a big launch guy, and I just can’t get behind this. He’s an upside true last pick flier. – 2025 Projection: 29/7/26/.218/.284/.395/9
464) Jadher Areinamo – MIL, 2B/SS/3B, 21.4 – Areinamo is probably a utility infielder long term with one of the wackiest swings I’ve ever seen. I imagine if they ever drew Micky Mouse playing baseball, they would have him swing something like Areinamo. It’s amazing that he has elite contact rates with that swing, but he does with a 11.1% K% and .301 BA in 110 games at High-A. He doesn’t have big raw power with only 10 homers at 5’8″, and he’s not a burner despite 32 steals, so I don’t think his fantasy value is huge. But if the elite contact rates stick in the upper minors, he’ll be interesting for deeper leagues. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 58/9/42/.268/.321/.387/16
465) Dillon Head – MIA, OF, 20.6 – Head’s season ended after just 26 games due to a hip injury that required surgery. He wasn’t all that impressive before the injury either, slashing .243/.317/.396 with 2 homers, 5 steals, and a 24.4/8.1 K%/BB% at Single-A. Considering he’s supposed to be a hit/speed guy, neither the contact rates nor the stolen base totals are where you wanted them to be. He was a first round pick in 2023 and I liked him a lot coming out of the draft, so I don’t want to completely write him off, but this was a rough start to his career. He needs to prove himself in 2025 to start climbing back up the rankings again. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 61/10/53/.251/.319/.406/16
466) Griffin Conine – MIA, OF, 27.8 – Conine seems to have a path to playing time in Miami at the moment, although he’ll have plenty of other fringy competition, and he can definitely hit some dingers if given the opportunity. He cracked 19 homers with an 89.9 MPH EV in 112 games at Triple-A, and then he cracked 3 homers with a 114 wRC+ in 89 PA in the majors. He got lucky in the majors with a .289 xwOBA, the hit tool is terrible (31.5/6.7 K%/BB%) and he’s already 27 years old, so he’s a bench power bat at best. But as long as he has opportunity, he deserves to sneak on this list. – 2025 Projection: 29/10/34/.220/.297/.409/1
467) Pedro Leon – HOU, OF, 26.10 – Leon cracks this list basically solely for that 77.8 MPH swing in his MLB debut. And also for the 24 homers and 29 steals in 118 games at Triple-A. And also for the opportunity in Houston’s OF. He’s 26 years old and the hit tool probably isn’t good enough to be a starter with a 27.0/8.1 K%/BB% at Triple-A and a 47.6% K% in 21 PA in the majors, so he’s merely a deep league flier. – 2025 Projection: 16/4/13/.210/.283/.374/6 Prime Projection: 33/8/36/.222/.298/.391/8
468) Bo Davidson – SFG, OF, 22.9 – Davidson put up a 173 wRC+ in 53 games at Single-A, but considering he was already 21/22 years old, it isn’t quite as impressive. He can hit the ball hard at 6’1”, 205 pounds, leading to 9 homers at the level, but a 48.4% GB% and 35.5% Pull% isn’t conducive to big homer totals long term, and neither is his eventual home ballpark. He’s not a great base stealer (6 steals in 9 attempts), and the 23.9% K% is on the high side. He’s a good athlete who can play CF, and he comes from the Junior college level, so maybe there could be some more developmental upside than his age would indicate. I’m just not seeing big fantasy upside here, but that doesn’t mean there is nothing to like. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 55/14/55/.252/.321/.418/8
469) Nathan Martorella – SDP, 1B, 24.1 – Italian Snack couldn’t keep up his production in the upper minors with a 104 wRC+ in 127 games at Double-A, and with a 1B bat like this, that is basically a death knell for his prospect status. Your bat needs to be bulletproof. But he still displayed a solid hit/power combo with 18 homers and a 18.2/9.3 K%/BB%. He can lift and pull, so he’ll get the most out of his above average raw power, and there is opportunity in Miami. He’s only a deep league option right now though. – 2025 Projection: 15/3/17/.243/.302/.381/1 Prime Projection: 38/10/41/.258/.320/.425/3
470) Hector Rodriguez – CIN, OF, 21.1 – Rodriguez generally hits everywhere he’s been, and while he hit well again this year, it was a bit more underwhelming with a 106 wRC+, 12 homers, and 12 steals in 125 games at High-A. He’s not a big guy at 5’10”, and while the 13.3% K% is excellent, the 4.8% BB% isn’t. He’s likely a utility player long term. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 63/10/51/.262/.313/.395/10
471) Gabriel Gonzalez – MIN, OF, 21.3 – Gonzalez had an underwhelming year in 2024, slashing .255/.326/.381 with 5 homers, 5 steals, and a 14.5/6.8 K%/BB% in 81 games at High-A. The contact rates were still good, but the power/speed numbers were very lackluster, and as a maxed out corner outfielder, it’s not looking like a starting profile right now. He’s hit for more power in the past, and he gets the bat on the ball, so I want to give him one more year before dropping him off this list. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 48/13/56/.257/.320/.417/4
472) Samuel Zavala – CHW, OF, 20.8 – Zavala was a straight disaster in 2024, slashing .187/.340/.301 with 8 homers, 14 steals, and a 22.3/17.8 K%/BB% in 111 games, but I don’t want to write him off completely quite yet. He’s always been very young for the level, and he continued to show the mature plate approach that was his bread and butter. He’s 6’1”, 175 pounds, so there is room for him to tack on more muscle, and he doesn’t have any issues lifting and pulling it. Simply getting stronger and playing against people his own age could go a long way. I’m giving him one more year. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 56/13/49/.248/.324/.412/9
473) Ching-Hsien Ko – LAD, OF, 18.7 – The Dodgers signed Ko mid-season like they did with Hyun-seok Jang the year before, which kept the hype in check, but they signed him for $750,000, so they obviously like him. He only played in the 9 games in the DSL, but he played well in those games with 1 homer, 1 steal, a 17.5/27.5 K%/BB%, and a 150 wRC+. He was a strong international performer as well in tournaments, so there is some history of production here. And he most certainly looks the part at 6’3”, 215 pounds. He profiles as a potentially big power hitter with a strong plate approach, but clearly he has a lot to prove. ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 74/23/77/.255/.335/.445/7
474) Juan Sanchez – TOR, SS, 17.7 – Sanchez is another one I can’t find video on (see Jose Pena above too), again probably because his name is just too common, but I will continue to keep my eye out and I’m sure I’ll find some eventually. He definitely has the build and tools you are looking for though at 6’3”, 200 pounds with power and speed. That’s a big boy with athleticism. When I find the video, I will add more. Not much more I can say until then. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 71/23/79/.245/.317/.448/10
475) Larry Suero – COL, 2B/3B, 17.0 – Suero is 6’2”, 182 pounds with a sweet lefty swing, a good feel to hit, and good athleticism. Signing with Colorado is a double edged sword, as you get their ballpark at the end of the road, but you also get their poor development on the way to that. There isn’t a ton of video out there on him, and he seems probably 14/15 years old in the video I have seen, but even the younger version of him had an athletic and sweet lefty swing, so it’s not hard to envision legit offensive upside at 6’2”. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 77/22/79/.268/.334/.447/10
476) Raymer Medina – TBR, SS, 17.5 – The thing that stands out about Medina to me is that the ball jumps off his bat from a very controlled and powerful swing from both sides of the plate. He’s not a huge guy at 5’11”, but he’s got the right kind of strength/thickness, and he definitely packs a punch with that swing. I think more power is coming, which he can combine with a good feel to hit and athleticism. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 74/20/77.255/.316/.433/12
477) Warel Soriano – TBR, SS, 17.7 – Soriano has a vicious righty swing that is fast and made to do damage, which is what I love to see from these prospects, and he’s also fast and projectable at a skinny 6’0”, 165 pounds. It’s so hard to say how these kids are going to mature and end up physically, but there is definitely a path for him to develop a truly impact power/speed combo down the line. It’s not like he’s 6’3”, so I’m not going to say it’s super high upside, but this is definitely an upside pick, and the hit tool is solid too. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 71/22/77.251/.314/.442/16
478) Trey Snyder – NYM, SS, 19.6 – Selected 144th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft and signing for $1.32 million, the first thing that jumps out about Snyder is how much bat speed he can generate from such a simple swing, and at a solid 6’2”, 195 pounds, there is power behind it too. The swing is more geared for average than power right now, but he has plus speed too, so that profile can work even if he doesn’t try to lift and pull more down the line. He made his pro debut in 2024, and while he didn’t perform well with a 58 wRC+ in 6 games, he was thrown right into Single-A, and the 23.1/15.4 K%/BB% was actually pretty encouraging. He has the potential to be a solid across the board contributor. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 79/16/61/.264/.329/.416/18
479) Ronny Cruz – CHC, SS, 18.8 – Selected 90th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft and signing for an under slot $620,000, Cruz is 6’1”, 170 pounds with a big righty swing that has power potential written all over it. The swing mechanics are still raw, there is hit tool risk, and he’s not a burner, so I wouldn’t necessarily circle him as a later round target right now, but he’s young for the class, and the Cubs popped him relatively early, so they obviously like him even if part of the reason was the under slot bonus. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 71/23/78/.244/.317/.441/8
480) Juan Cabata – CHC, SS, 16.11 – Luis Pena of the Brewers is what you hope that Cabata can duplicate in 2025. He has one of the best hit tools in the class with a very smooth, easy and fast lefty swing. He’s not a big guy at 5’11”, 165 pounds, so power likely isn’t going to be a big part of his game, but the hope is that it can get to average. And he’s got some speed and base stealing ability. He could be one of the top hit/speed combo coming out of the DSL if things go right. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 77/14/59/.266/.325/.412/23
481) Brayan Cortesia – WSH, SS, 17.4 – Cortesia hit a growth spurt of late, which yes, that is what boys do from the ages of 13 years old to 16 years old ha, growing to 6’1”, and those extra inches gives him that added boost of upside to combine with his good feel to hit, good glove, and plus speed. If the power really starts to come down the line, there is potential for him to be a complete prospect, and his righty swing definitely looks the part (quick, powerful, athletic, launch). – ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 79/18/69/.266/.326/.423/24
482) Ramcell Medina – KCR, SS, 17.5 – Medina has a perfect combination of refinement, history of production, and now size/projection. He’s grown to 6’2”, 180 pounds, and he looks pretty damn physical in the box already. He could end up with real power to go along with an advanced feel at the plate and solid athleticism. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 77/22/77/.262/.334/.434/7
483) Juan Tomas – CHC, SS, 17.4 – Tomas has that prototypical build you are looking for at a projectable 6’3”, and he’s a switch hitter with a quick and powerful swing from both sides of the dish. He has that Alonso Soriano type athleticism, and like Soriano, he has the potential for an impact power/speed combo if it all comes together. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 76/20/74/.250/.318/.436/20
484) Darwin Ozuna – OAK, OF, 17.0 – Ozuna has big time power upside at a broad and still projectable 6’3”, 195 pounds with a powerful righty swing that already does damage. He’s a good athlete but he’s not a burner, and there are some hit tool questions, so it’s a power first profile with some risk. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 68/23/77/.245/.317/.446/8
485) Ian Seymour – TBR, LHP, 26.4 – Seymour is likely a back end arm with that classic plus changeup, low velocity profile, but Tampa is known to work magic, so he might have a chance to end up at the high end of this profile type. He put up a 2.35 ERA with a 28.1/7.1 K%/BB% in 145.1 IP split between Double-A and Triple-A (he dominated both levels equally). The fastball only sits 90.7 MPH, but it put up a 32.4% whiff% at Triple-A, and the changeup is at least plus with a 45% whiff%. The cutter and slider are useful pitches too which can induce weak contact. The control is solid, but it’s been below average at points in his career, and you probably really have to count on plus control to maximize this profile. – 2025 Projection: Prime Projection: 10/4.19/130/149 in 160 IP
486) Troy Melton – DET, RHP, 24.4 – Melton put up a 5.10 ERA in 100.2 IP at Double-A, but the 27.2/7.0 K%/BB% ad 3.14 xFIP is much more indicative of how he really pitched. He’s a big guy at 6’4”, 210 pounds with a decently athletic delivery, a mid 90’s fastball, and a starters pitch mix. It might not be the highest upside, but he’s a rock solid pitching prospect who is definitely on the underrated side. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 9/4.11/1.28/134 in 145 IP
487) Connelly Early – BOS, LHP, 23.0 – Early certainly looks the part at 6’3”, 195 pounds with an athletic lefty delivery, and he has the production to match with a 3.99 ERA and 30.8/8.7 K%/BB% in 103.2 IP split between High-A and Double-A. The stuff doesn’t necessarily blow you away with a low to mid 90’s fastball, but the changeup can be a legit plus pitch, and he also throws a slider and curve. He’s already 23 years old, and it’s likely a back end starter profile, but there is enough here to crack the list. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 9/4.21/1.30/136 in 145 IP
488) Nestor German – BAL, RHP, 23.1 – German put up a 1.59 ERA with a 31.4/5.9 K%/BB% in 73.2 IP at Single-A and High-A. With numbers like that, it’s not hard to see why he’s getting a lot of sleeper buzz this off-season, but he’s not really one of my guys. He’s a big guy at 6’3”, 225 pounds, but the delivery really isn’t all that athletic. It’s definitely reliever=ish to me. The stuff is good, but it’s not really great with an average to maybe above average traditional 4 pitch mix. And he’s never shown this level of control on the college level. I’m just not too blown away when watching him, and it makes me not want to put too much weight on an advanced college arm who is fully physically mature beating up on lower minors hitters. It’s not like he’s all that expensive, and I respect a K/BB like that no matter what, so I get the love, but he’s not one my guys. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 8/4.29/1.32/128 in 140 IP
489) Josh Knoth – MIL, RHP, 19.8 – Knoth was a favorite of many last off-season in FYPD’s (including me), and while he didn’t have a particularly great year, his value held serve with a 4.48 ERA and 26.6/11.1 K%/BB% in 84.1 IP at Single-A. The mid 90’s fastball is a potentially plus pitch and bat missing weapon, which he pairs with a potentially plus slider. He also mixes in a curve and change. There is obviously more refinement needed all round, but he’s still only 19 years old, and Milwaukee is a good organization to trust for pitcher development. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 11/3.91/1.29/165 in 160 IP Update: Underwent Tommy John surgery which will keep him out for all of 2025
490) Blaze Jordan – BOS, 3B/1B, 22.3 – I wasn’t sure Jordan deserved to crack this list with his 2nd straight year of poor performance at Double-A (98 wRC+ in 89 games), but that 12.1% K% is still pretty impressive. He has good raw power despite hitting only 7 homers, and being 21 years old at Double-A is still on the slightly young side. He doesn’t have much defensive value, but he can play a decent 3B, so it’s not like he doesn’t have any at all. I doubt he finds a role on the Red Sox, but I’ll take a shot on his contact/power combo at this point in the rankings. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 67/18/76/.266/.315/.421/3
491) Nick McLain – CHW, OF, 22.4 – How could I not put little Matty McLain’s little brother, Nicky McLain, on this list. The McLain’s are not big people (Nick is also 5’10”), but they are damn good baseball players. Nick was selected 78th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft coming off a very productive college career in the Pac 12. He slashed .342/.457/.663 with 12 homers, 6 steals, and a 11.7/14.4 K%/BB% in 48 games his junior year. He’s not quite as good of an athlete as his brother with an average power/speed combo, and he’s a corner outfielder, so if he wasn’t a McLain, he might not have cracked this list. But plus bloodlines matter, and he has then. And he also has a good feel to hit. So I wouldn’t bet against him becoming a solid all around baseball player, it just might come as a bench bat. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 65/14/59/.258/.319/.413/8
492) Yasser Mercedes – MIN, OF, 20.5 – Mercedes destroyed stateside rookie ball with a 163 wRC+, but he was already 19 years old, and when he got to the age appropriate Single-A, he fell apart with a 37.5% K% and 41 wRC+ in 10 games. It’s fair to give him more time to adjust to a new level regardless of age, and he’s a toolsy prospect with power (6 homers in 61 games overall) and speed (21 steals) at 6’1”, 175 pounds. He’s a mid 20’s breakout type prospect. It’s going to be a slow burn, but the upside is worth a spot at the back of the rankings. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 58/14/58/.234/.306/.418/16
493) Casey Saucke – CHW, OF, 21.8 – Selected 107th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Saucke was a big time major conference performer his entire career, culminating in a junior year where he slashed .344/.407/.578 with 14 homers, 9 steals, and a 18.2/9.5 K%/BB% in 62 games in the ACC. He also looks the part at a rock solid 6’3”, 210 pounds with a pretty athletic and controlled righty swing. He’s a corner outfielder, and the bat probably isn’t going to be good enough to clear that bar, which is why he lasted until 107th overall, but the size and production are there, so there is some potential here to become an impact fantasy bat if it all works out. He’s also very young for the class, and he hit decently at the age appropriate High-A with a 110 wRC+, 2 homers, 2 steals, and a 26.3/6.1 K%/BB% in 24 games. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 41/12/46/.238/.301/.413/5
494) Gage Miller – MIA, 3B/2B, 22.1 – Selected 92nd overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Miller was a standout Junior College player in his freshman and sophomore years, and then he transferred into the SEC and kept on raking, slashing .381/.474/.702 with 18 homers, 0 steals, and a 24/27 K/BB in 55 games. If he had a good pro debut, I could see liking him more, but his debut was rough, slashing .240/.305/.298 with 0 homers, 2 steals, and a 16.9/5.9 K%/BB% in 26 games split between Single-A and High-A. He’s not a particularly toolsy guy and he’s not particularly physical at 6’0”, 200 pounds. His strong amateur production and decent draft slot gets him on the list, but he’s not a very interesting fantasy prospect right now. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 45/12/45/.253/.318/.402/4
495) Eli Lovich – CHC, OF, 19.7 – Selected 332nd overall in the 2024 MLB Draft but signing $650K, Lovich has the size (6’4”), projection (a skinny-ish 185 pounds), and athleticism (above average speed) you look for in an enticing fantasy prospect. He can already hit the ball hard, and while the swing isn’t really all that smooth or pretty, it’s definitely fast and powerful. There could be hit tool issues in here, but there is upside as well. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 62/16/66/.244/.315/.426/7
496) Zander Mueth – PIT, RHP, 19.9 – Mueth was a favorite of mine in the last off-season FYPD’s as a funky righty, but his 2024 wasn’t good enough to get too excited here. He put up a 2.31 ERA with a 23.8/15.1 K%/BB% in 74 IP split between rookie and Single-A. The 93.8 MPH sinker keeps the ball on the ground and the slider is a potentially plus bat missing weapon. The control/command was much worse than hoped though, and he needs to develop the changeup more as well. He needs to take steps forward in 2025 to remain on this list, because 2024 was pretty unexciting. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 8/4.27/1.32/133 in 150 IP
497) Dylan Jordan – LAA, RHP, 19.6 – Selected 143 overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, but signing for $1.25 million, Jordan has prototypical size at 6’3”, 200 pounds, and he has that three quarters arm slot, funky righty delivery which I definitely love, similar to Zander Mueth. It hasn’t worked out fully for Mueth so far, but he still has plenty of time. As for Jordan, the fastball currently sits low to mid 90’s which he combines with a potentially plus slider, but he needs to improve his changeup and control/command. Back end starter/reliever might be the most likely outcome, but there is obviously so much development time to go. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 8/4.24/1.33/126 in 140 IP
498) Juan Valera – BOS, RHP, 18.10 – Valera put up a 2.35 ERA with a 31.1/15.6 K%/BB% in 23 IP at Single-A as an 18 year old. He’s already a thick 6’3” with a mid 90’s fastball and a potentially slider. There is a lot of reliever risk here and there is obviously a long way to go, but he has the size, stuff, age to level, and production to be firmly on your radar. He’s a candidate to pop in 2025. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 8/4.14/1.32/145 in 140 IP
499) Shinnosuke Ogasawara – WSH, LHP, 27.6 – Ogasawara signed a 2 year, $3.5 million contact with Washington, which says it all. He’s expected to be a swingman/long reliever in the bigs, but nobody knows for sure if his skills will fully translate or not, so on the chance they do, he cracks this list for mystery alone. He put up a 3.12 ERA with a 13.6/3.7 K%/BB% in 144.1 IP in Japan. He had a 20.2% K% in 2023, so he’s capable of better in that department than he showed in 2024. It’s a classic plus control, junk baller profile with a low 90’s fastball and a multiple of secondaries. He might not have a rotation spot, and he might get bombed in the majors, but I think there is a chance the profile transfers, and he’s only 27, so if he does, there could be multiple years of a solid starter. – 2025 Projection: 6/4.27/1.29/88 in 110 IP
500) Axiel Plaz – PIT, C, 19.8 – Plaz put himself on the map with an excellent season in the DSL in 2022, and after a down year in 2023 at stateside rookie, he once again made waves in 2024, this time in full season ball. He smashed 15 homers with a 89.5 MPH EV and 13% Barrel% in 76 games at Single-A. Those are super impressive marks. He’s not a huge guy at 5’11”, but his righty swing is athletic and absolutely vicious. The 29.2/11.4 K%/BB% and .207 BA shows the very major batting average risk though. He’s a very high risk prospect, but if he can improve the hit tool, that power will get his name spoken more and more in coming years. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 51/18/59/.227/.307/.428/1
501) Cooper Ingle – CLE, C, 23.1 – Ingle was a low upside college bat who got selected in the 4th round in the 2023 Draft, and while he’s still a low upside bat, he’s now proven it in the upper minors, slashing .281/.379/.416 with 2 homers, 4 steals, and a 15.5/13.6 K%/BB% in 25 games. There isn’t big power or speed and he’s not a particularly good defensive catcher. He’s likely a backup catcher long term, but if the defense ticks up, and if he can work his way into a starting job, the bat can be solid enough to be fantasy relevant. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 42/9/46/.262/.334/.410/4
502) Kevin Bazzell – WAS, C, 22.0 – Selected 79th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, Bazzell is a hit over power catcher who is new to the position. He played mostly 3B before his junior year, but his bat is only interesting as a catcher, so whether he can stick behind the dish will make or break his profile. His bat to ball skills are impressive, putting up a 10.1% K% in 49 games in the Big 12, and then putting up a 16.7/18.3 K%/BB% with a 148 wRC+ in 14 games at Single-A. He didn’t hit a homer in pro ball with a 51.4% GB%, and he hit only 6 his junior year. There isn’t big power upside in here, which makes him a safety over upside option. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 37/8/41/.268/.324/.392/3
503) Stiven Martinez – BAL, OF, 17.8 – The 6’3”, 198 pound Martinez cracked my Top 1,000 last off-season on the back of his impressive power potential, and while there were some positives and negatives from his pro debut in the DSL, the 137 wRC+ is good enough to crack this list again in 2025. He slashed .278/.417/.466 with 4 homers, 2 steals, and a 30.4/16.7 K%/BB% in 41 games. The K rates is too high to go too crazy here, but he’s still only 17 years old, and he’s an impressive athlete. He’s still a high upside lotto ticket. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 67/23/76/.241/.320/.433/8
504) Robert Arias – CLE, OF, 18.6 – Arias’ 102 wRC+ with 0 homers in 41 games in the DSL doesn’t jump off the screen, but his double plus speed most certainly does with 29 steals, and so do the elite contact rates with a 8.3/13.9 K%/BB%. He’s a projectable 6’1” with the potential to reach average power at peak, so as the raw power grows naturally, he could end up one of the top contact/speed plays coming out of the DSL this year. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 76/13/58/.263/.327/.392/29
505) Jose Anderson – MIL, OF, 18.4 – Anderson was one of the top DSL performers, slashing .283/.403/.512 with 8 homers, 14 steals, and a 18.9/14.4 K%/BB% in 46 games. It was good for a 143 wRC+. He wasn’t a high priced international signing, but Milwaukee does absolutely elite work in this market, so you have to trust the organization there, and it’s not like Anderson doesn’t have talent. He can hit the ball hard, he can lift it, and he can pull it. He’s also a good athlete who plays CF and can steal some bags. He’s not one of those diminutive breakouts either at a solid 6’0”, 183 pounds. He’s one to at least keep an eye on in 2025 as he comes stateside. ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 71/18/68/.250/.320/.425/14
506) Warren Calcano – KCR, SS, 17.6 – Calcano simply checks a lot of boxes as a switch hitting SS with projection (6’1”) and an ease about all aspects of his game. He looks like a natural at the dish and in the field with good athleticism. Nothing really sticks out too much in his profile, but he seems to have a high floor (relative to the international class), and there is definitely some upside in here too. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 78/15/63/.265/.335/.415/15
507) Elian De La Cruz – ARI, OF, 17.6 – Cruz checks plenty of the international prospect boxes. He’s projectable at 6’1”, 180 pounds, he has a quick righty swing, he has a good feel to hit, and he has speed. Nothing particularly stands out too much, but he definitely has the talent to pop with a strong showing in the DSL. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 76/17/67/.250/.320/.418/18
508) Carlos Taveras – MIN, OF, 16.10 – Taveras has a smooth and controlled lefty swing that is geared for both power and average, and at 6’1”, 213 pounds, it’s not hard to envision a potent hit/power combo at peak. He’s also a good runner despite his size, so this is a good athlete too. The swing isn’t super explosive and he’s not quite as generally explosive as a lot of the other kids in this class, but he’s a still a good one. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 81/20/76/.267/.333/.440/10
509) Carlos Renzullo – COL, 2B/OF, 18.6 – Renzullo is one of the top hit/speed breakouts in the DSL, slashing .360/.455/.447 with 1 homer, 18 steals, and a 6.0%/14.0% K%/BB% in 50 games. There isn’t big power here at 5’8” with high groundball rates, and often with these types the hit tool will just keeping getting a bit worse at every level, leaving them with a pretty lackluster speed and not much else profile. But if you want to take a shot on a DSL contact/speed play, Renzullo is not a bad shot. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 72/9/55/.273/.328/.385/27
510) Liberts Aponte – CIN, SS, 17.5 – You are hoping for a Starlyn Caba type rise for Aponte. He has a standout glove at SS, so if the contact rates are strong and he steals some bags, the real life hype can be the driver of his value. His BP is pretty unimpressive, but he’s obviously young, so if he gets stronger and bigger as he ages, combined with his other skills, there can definitely be some hype coming down the line on the back of the glove. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 73/10/51/.262/.323/.365/21
511) Kenly Hunter – STL, OF, 16.11 – Hunter has a history of production against international competition, he has a good feel to hit, he’s got speed, and he’s projectable at 6’0”, 160 pounds. I can’t find video on him, but that seems to be a pretty good floor/upside combo, and one worthy of being on the radar. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 76/15/61/.268/.324/.409/21
512) Ruben Castillo – NYY, OF, 17.3 – Castillo has a damn smooth and powerful lefty swing that is fun to watch, and while he’s not a huge guy, there is definitely power projection at 6’0”, 165 pounds. He also has a good feel to hit and speed, giving him plenty of ingredients to be a quick performer in the DSL. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 76/18/71/.263/.323/.427/18
513) Jacob Gonzalez – CHW, SS, 22.10 – Gonzalez cracks this list purely for pedigree (15th pick in the 2023 Draft), glove, and opportunity. Chicago actually isn’t that weak in the infield anymore, but that is only theoretical as nobody is established, so Gonzalez should certainly get some opportunities to battle for playing time in the near future. When you take a guy 15th overall, you generally want to give him a look, no matter how mediocre the pro career has been, and it’s been damn mediocre. He just put up a .225/.284/.321 triple slash with 5 homers, 10 steals, and a 14.0/6.9 K%/BB% in 94 games at Double-A. He gets the bat on the ball and he has a solid infield glove and that is about it. He’s only relevant in probably like 30 teamers, but the opportunity I forsee him eventually getting is why he barely cracks the list. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 63/12/48/.252/.321/.392/10
514) Damiano Palmegiani – TOR, 3B/1B, 25.2 – Maybe Palmegiani doesn’t deserve to crack this list with a 82 wRC+ in 123 games at Triple-A as a 24 year old, but the power upside is in here if he works his way into a shot, which would make him fantasy relevant. He hit 19 homers with an 89.3 MPH EV, 19.4 degree launch, and a 53.6% Pull%. The .210 BA and 28.1% K% is why the wRC+ was so low, and that probably does limit is reasonable upside projection to a bench bat. He’s a righty that didn’t hit righties that well either (.648 OPS), so it’s also a short side of a platoon bench bat. First Base seems especially weak to me up and down the rankings, so he also cracks this list purely on 1B scarcity. – 2025 Projection: 11/3/14/.218/.292/.400/0 Prime Projection: 36/12/42/.231/.316/.436/2
515) Ivan Melendez – ARI, 3B/1B, 25.4 – Melendez’ hit tool is not nearly good enough to be an MLB regular with a 30.1/7.7 K%/BB% in 107 games at Double-A, but there is zero doubt this guy will rip dingers if given the chance with 22 homers, a 36.1% GB%, and 51.5% Pull% at 6’1”, 225 pounds. It might come with a BA under the Gallo line, but if you hit dingers, you have the potential to be fantasy relevant. A power bench bat seems to be a good scenario outcome for him. Hitting 30+ homers in a foreign league is another good scenario outcome. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 28/12/34/.219/.299/.428/1
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