I don’t know about you, but my favorite lists usually take about 3 weeks to finish 🙂 Without further delay, here is the 2017 Mid-Season Top 100 Dynasty/Fantasy Baseball Prospect Rankings: 71-100:
Click here for 1-15
Click here for 16-41
Click here for 42-70
71) Jahmai Jones LAA, OF – A poor start to the season dragged his overall stat line down, but in his last 59 games he is slashing .311/.385/.472 with 5 homers, 13 steals, and a 38/26 K/BB. I’m targeting Jones everywhere in upcoming trade deadline deals. Prime Projection: 89/15/71/.283/.341/.437/21 ETA: 2020
72) Adrian Morejon SD, LHP – 18-year-old who loves to attack the strike zone with 3 pitches that all flash plus (fastball, changeup, curveball). Prime Projection: 3.43/1.17/180 in 185 IP ETA: 2020
73) Keston Hiura MIL, 2B – I ranked Hiura 9th in my 2017 Top 36 MLB Draft Fantasy/Dynasty Baseball Prospect Rankings. Prime Projection: 93/17/81/.288/.372/.464/9 ETA: 2019
74) Yordan Alvarez HOU, 1B – It’s a good sign when two of the best player scouting and development organizations in baseball target you. Los Angeles signed Alvarez for $2 million last season and then Houston basically immediately traded for him. Standing 6’5’’, 225 pounds he has obvious raw power, good plate discipline, and strikeouts are not a major issue (23% K%). Prime Projection: 80/29/90/.260/.360/.496/3 ETA: 2019
75) Shed Long CIN, 2B – Shed has struggled since being promoted to Double-A, slashing .162/.269/.324 in 68 at-bats, but his underlying numbers are still strong and his power/speed combo isn’t going anywhere. Prime Projection: 83/19/76/.262/.325/.448/17 ETA: 2019
76) Luiz Gohara ATL, LHP – 6’3’’, 210-pound lefty with an electric fastball/slider combo. Had off-the-field concerns in the past and some injury red flags too. Prime Projection: 3.48/1.20/176 in 174 IP ETA: 2018
77) Michel Baez SD, RHP – 6’8’’, 225-pound $3 million international signing who is cruising through the low minors with a 1.17 ERA and 31/4 K/BB in 23 IP. Chris Kusiolek seems to have been the first guy on Baez, and his twitter account is a must follow if you are trying to get the early scoop on Rookie ball breakouts. Prime Projection: 3.71/1.21/188 in 183 IP ETA: 2019
78) Cal Quantrill SD, RHP – Still shaking off some rust coming off Tommy John surgery, but he has remained healthy and his stuff has come all the way back. Prime Projection: 3.65/1.20/176 in 181 IP ETA: 2018
79) Franklin Perez HOU, RHP – Watch out Anthony Davis, Perez is coming for your best unibrow in pro sports crown. Prime Projection: 3.58/1.22/183 in 195 IP ETA: 2019
80) Lucas Giolito CHW, RHP – There have been a lot of excuses for Giolito since his fall from prospect grace, but his stuff is still good enough that you have to stay patient. Although, he is starting to feel like the type that breaks out when he is 27 years old, long after you already dropped him. Prime Projection: 3.81/1.27/187 in 196 IP ETA: 2017
81) Josh Naylor SD, 1B – Dom Smith 2.0. Prime Projection: 83/24/91/.283/.347/.472/6 ETA: 2019
82) Ryan Mountcastle BAL, SS/OF – Great feel to hit and added more power this year, but 3.7% walk rate needs improvement and is likely to move off SS. Prime Projection: 78/22/85/.277/.318/.468/9 ETA: 2019
83) Blake Rutherford CHW, OF – I always thought Rutherford was a little overrated, so I’m happy the Yanks were able to cash him in for a hell of a lotta win now and win later production. While Cashman’s free agent signings could use some work, nobody fucks with him when it comes to trades. Prime Projection: 86/18/82/.280/.333/.453/13 ETA: 2020
84) Nick Neidert SEA, RHP – Guys who rely on their plus changeups consistently get underrated in the minors (cough, Jacob Faria, cough), and I’m sure Neidert will follow that same path. Along with the changeup, he also has plus control and command with a measly 1.3 BB/9. Prime Projection: 3.49/1.18/180 in 195 IP ETA: 2019
85) Dylan Cease CHW, RHP – The White Sox are collecting quite the crew of hard throwing righties, with Kopech, Giolito, Alec Hansen, and now Cease joining the mix. These guys might not be able to find the plate, but hitters have an equally hard time of finding the ball. Prime Projection: 3.57/.1.26/196 in 182 IP ETA: 2019
86) Yadier Alvarez LAD, RHP – Alvarez’s Futures game performance mirrored his season to date, showing great stuff and elite athleticism, but ultimately getting hit and giving up runs. He was tagged with the loss for the World team. Prime Projection: 3.63/1.30/188 in 180 IP ETA: 2019
87) Luis Urias SD, 2B – Maintained his elite contact, no power profile as a 20-year-old at Double-A. DJ LeMahieu without needing Coors Field is the upside. Prime Projection: 93/10/59/.294/.363/.402/10 ETA: 2018
88) Cristian Pache ATL, OF – I’m doubling down on upside this year, and while Pache doesn’t have eye popping numbers (0 homers and a .698 OPS), he has been holding his own as an 18-year-old in full season ball. At prospect value peak, you are hoping for a Victor Robles type. Prime Projection: 100/14/75/.285/.363/.445/25 ETA: 2020
89) J.P. Crawford PHI, SS – Just when people were ready to pour dirt on Crawford he’s caught fire in his last 26 games, slashing .289/.384/.598 with 6 homers and a 18/14 K/BB. He is still a special talent, and as a 22-year-old at Triple-A, you have to remain patient … well, kinda patient, since I dropped him about 70 spots from my off-season ranking. Prime Projection: 85/14/66/.271/.352/.420/11 ETA: 2018
90) Miguel Andujar NYY, 3B – Homerun power has ticked up while maintaining his excellent contact percentage. Prime Projection: 78/21/90/.284/.329/.462/4 ETA: 2018
91) Jordan Luplow PIT, OF – Power exploded with 20 homers in 86 games (4 in his last 14 games at Triple-A) while maintaining his advanced plate approach (55/37 K/BB). Prime Projection: 79/25/89/.277/.340/.474/7 ETA: 2018
92) Austin Hays BAL, OF – All Hays has done is rake and get underrated since being drafted. I might be guilty of it too, because his 10.7% K% and .247 ISO at Double-A is nothing short of elite. Prime Projection: 76/23/84/.280/.327/.468/6 ETA: 2018
93) Isan Diaz MIL, 2B/SS – Sometimes in the minors it can hard to tell if a player is having a true breakout or just a “career year,” and vice versa with unlucky or down seasons. Diaz’s overall profile has remained the same, so I’m inclined to think the average and power will both tick up down the stretch. Prime Projections: 82/20/79/.258/.327/.460/10 ETA: 2019
94) Erick Fedde WASH, RHP – After a short, mostly unsuccessful stint as a reliever, Fedde is being stretched back out into a starter. Apparently, this was Washington’s plan all along. Considering the mess Giolito turned into under their watch, and now the cockamamie handling of Fedde, Washington looks like it has a long way to go in the player development department. Prime Projection: 3.58/1.21/175 in 189 IP ETA: 2017 bullpen
95) Carter Kieboom WASH, SS – A hamstring injury back in May seems to have people completely forgetting about the torrid start Kieboom got off to as a 19-year-old at Single-A. He slashed .333/.398/.586 with 6 homers and 2 steals in 29 games. There isn’t huge power or speed here, but he was a 1st round pick last year who profiles as a solid all around player. Prime Projection: 85/22/85/.275/.330/.470/7 ETA: 2020
96) Jorge Mateo NYY, INF/OF – Mateo has unexpectedly come to life at Double-A, hitting .354 with 3 homers and 9 steals in 19 games. Maybe the Yanks should have listened to him when he threw a fit over not being called up to Double-A last year. Prime Projection: 87/13/62/.258/.317/.409/33 ETA: 2019
97) Austin Beck OAK, OF – I ranked Beck 3rd in my 2017 Top 36 MLB Draft Fantasy/Dynasty Baseball Prospect Rankings. Prime Projection: 81/24/77/.255/.311/.461/20 ETA: 2021
98) Zack Collins CHW, C – Word out of Chicago is that Collins has been fully focused on defense this season and they aren’t concerned about his low average. Great news for real life, not so much for fantasy. Prime Projection: 70/21/80/.253/.348/.465/2 ETA: 2019
99) Stephen Gonsalves MIN, LHP – Continues to dominate the minors with less than traditionally dominate stuff, thriving by focusing on spin rates over velocity. Prime Projection: 3.65/1.25/178 in 184 IP ETA: 2018
100) Colton Welker COL, 3B – Welker has been out since June 15th with an undisclosed injury. It seems like it is basically a free for all when it comes to disclosing injuries with minor league players. Before the mysterious injury, he was displaying a plus contact/power profile, and if he sticks with Colorado, that is one dangerous combination at Coors. Prime Projection: 82/24/90/.278/.334/.466/5 ETA: 2020
101) Bubba Thompson TEX, OF – I ranked Thompson 10th in my 2017 Top 36 MLB Draft Fantasy/Dynasty Baseball Prospect Rankings. Prime Projection: 86/16/76/.270/.330/.435/24 ETA: 2021
*) Dustin Fowler NYY, OF – If it wasn’t for the knee injury, Fowler would have ranked much higher after outplaying Clint Frazier at Triple-A and beating him to the big leagues too. The injury was very serious, though, and it is hard to guess if his plus athleticism will completely return.
By Michael Halpern (@MichaelCHalpern)
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com
Twitter: Imaginary Brick Wall (@ImaginaryBrickW)