August 2021 – Imaginary Brick Wall

Posted on August 25, 2021August 26, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Patreon Post: Top 314 August 2021 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings

I was very strict with my definition of a prospect in this one. Any player currently in the majors was excluded. Here is the Top 314 August 2021 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE AND TONS OF CONTENT THE REST OF THE SEASON AND ALL OFF-SEASON, INCLUDING:
-Top 422 August 2021 Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-2021/22 Top 50 First Year Player Draft Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-Tons of Dynasty Rundowns
-10 Dynasty Baseball Players to Target
-Dynasty Baseball Trade Strategies at the Halfway Point (Contending, Mid Pack, Rebuilding)

1) Bobby Witt Jr. KC, SS, 21.2 – He destroyed Spring Training. He obliterated Double-A. He’s annihilating Triple-A. MLB … you’re next

2) Julio Rodriguez SEA, OF, 20.8 – Plate approach has been better than Witt’s in the minors, so I might lean Julio in a league where speed is devalued, but Witt’s speed puts him over the top in a 5×5.

3) Brennen Davis CHC, OF, 21.10 – Strikeout rate has improved tremendously in his last 25 games at Double-A with a 22.4%/14.3% K%/BB%. He’s only 7 for 11 in stolen base attempts in 73 games on the year, so while he will contribute in stolen bases, he may not get close to 20

4) CJ Abrams SD, SS, 20.11 – With Tatis playing outfield, it now looks like the shortstop position is Abrams to lose in the long run.

5) Marco Luciano SF, SS, 19.11 – Strikeout rate has spiked to 42.9% in 17 games at High-A, but we’ve seen Luciano play this game before at a new level. Fool me once …

6) Spencer Torkelson DET, 3B/1B, 22.0– First six games at Triple-A have been rough with a 8/0 K/BB and a .465 OPS. Even if he doesn’t end up dominating the level by the end of the season (and I think he will), it’s been a hell of a year in his first year of pro ball.

7) Riley Greene DET, OF, 20.11 – Strikeouts are a concern with his K% rising to 38.5% at Triple-A (27.3% at Double-A), but considering his age relative to level, that should come down over time.

8) Zac Veen COL, OF, 19.7 – Continued to kill it in August, slashing .400/.467/.631 in 17 games.

9) Vidal Brujan TB, 2B, 23.7 – He hasn’t hit single homer since being sent back down, but he’s been an absolute hit machine with a 7.8% K% and .352 BA in 23 games. He also has a 13.6% BB% and 17 stolen bases over that time.

10) Noelvi Marte SEA, OF, 19.10 – He might be ready for a promotion as he’s ripped up Single-A in August with a .965 OPS and 8 steals in 18 games

11) Luis Matos SF, OF, 19.6 – He’s powering up with 9 homers in his last 49 games

12) Adley Rutschman BAL, C, 23.7 – Hasn’t missed a beat at Triple-A, maintaining his near elite 15.2% K% and putting up a 162 wRC+ in 10 games

13) Corbin Carroll ARI, OF, 21.0 – I’m seeing him being traded for a mighty reasonable price. The shoulder injury seems to have created a buying opportunity.

14) Grayson Rodriguez BAL, RHP, 21.10 – He always seems to have a bad start right before I update these rankings. He gave up 5 earned in 3.2 IP on Sunday, but he has continued to dominate the level with a 2.92 ERA (2.67 xFIP). I can see pushing Rodriguez up to as high as 9th on this list if you prefer the pitcher.

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

Posted on August 23, 2021August 23, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (8/23/21)

I’ll be running down everything that caught my eye in the Dynasty Baseball world on most Mondays throughout the season. Here is the Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (8/23/21):

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF CONTENT THE REST OF THE SEASON AND ALL OFF-SEASON, INCLUDING:
-Top 422 August 2021 Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-Top 300 July 2021 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings
-2021/22 Top 50 First Year Player Draft Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-Tons of Dynasty Rundowns
-10 Dynasty Baseball Players to Target
-Dynasty Baseball Trade Strategies at the Halfway Point (Contending, Mid Pack, Rebuilding)

Coby Mayo BAL, 3B, 19.7 – After destroying Rookie Ball, Mayo had his coming out party in full season ball by going 2 for 4 with his first homer at the level in 6 games. He has a lightening quick swing and the ball jumps off his bat. I can’t get enough of Mayo as a prospect, but as a condiment, the thought of it globbing out of my sandwich makes me queasy even as I’m writing this. Gotta go light on the mayo. He clocked in at #126 on my July Top 300 Prospects Rankings, and he’ll enter my Top 100 on the Updated August Prospects Rankings that are dropping tomorrow on my Patreon.

Jake Burger CHW, 3B, 25.4 – Burger went 2 for 5 with his 12th dinger in 52 games at Triple-A. The power is certainly legit as he notched a 98 MPH EV in his MLB cup of coffee earlier this year, but the strikeouts will have to come down to get consistent playing time. With Burger slotting in under Mayo, now we just need a prospect named Frankie Buns to complete the happy meal.

Riley Greene DET, OF, 20.11 – Greene had already shot up into elite prospect status by ranking 7th overall on that July update, and he has only taken it up a notch since then, slashing .370/.452/.685 with 7 homers and a 32/15 K/BB in his last 27 games. The last 6 of those games were at Triple-A, and he obliterated an upper deck homer for his first at the level yesterday. It was a lefty on lefty shot off a pretty weak, mislocated breaking ball.

Blaze Jordan BOS, 3B, 18.8 – Jordan already blazed a trail well into my Top 100 prospects on my Updated August Top 422 Dynasty Baseball Rankings on Patreon, and he showed why yesterday as he blasted a grand slam after Nick Yorke was intentionally walked ahead of him. Nothing feels sweeter than getting disrespected and then immediately shoving it in the opposing teams face. It’s his 2nd homer in 3 games in full season ball.

Nick Yorke BOS, 2B, 19.6 – Speaking of Yorke, he got intentionally walked for a reason, and that reason is that he has been molten hot. He went 2 for 4 with 2 walks and is now slashing .413/.500/.800 with 7 homers and a 6/11 K/BB in his last 19 games. Boston obviously knew what they were doing when they drafted him 17th overall in 2020.

Robert Hassell SD, OF, 20.0 – Power is really the only thing Hassell hasn’t answered yet with a 52.7% GB%, but the power stroke looked good yesterday as he went deep to left centerfield on a high fastball. It was only his 6th on the year in 88 games, but his 17.2%/13.6% K%/BB%, 28 doubles, and 30 stolen bases have picked up the slack. It will likely take a swing adjustment to unlock more power, but even as is he is looking like he will be an impact fantasy player.

Cal Quantrill CLE, RHP, 26.7 – 7 IP, 2 hits, 0 ER, 9/2 K/BB. His sinker averaged 94.2 MPH and he put up a 29% whiff% overall. He has induced weak contact his entire career with an above average 87.3 MPH EV against, and now his K’s are picking up with 39 strikeouts in his last 37 IP. He has the bloodlines and Cleveland knows a thing or two about pitching development. He’s shaping up to be an interesting target in next year’s draft. This is the type of guy you need to get on the cheap and hit on if you build with offense first in dynasty.

Carlos Hernandez KC, RHP, 24.5 – 7 IP, 4 hits, 1 ER, 8/3 K/BB. His sinker averaged 97.5 MPH and his slider put up a 43% whiff%. Hernandez has big stuff with some control issues (11.3% BB%), and while he hasn’t put up big K numbers in his career, yesterday was definitely a step in the right direction. He’s another intriguing option who will likely be available in 2022 drafts in many leagues.

Nick Gonzales PIT, 2B/SS, 22.3 – 4 for 5 with a double and dinger. Gonzales has been red hot at High-A, slashing .375/.441/.602 with 5 homers, 2 steals, and a 35/12 K/BB in his last 31 games. He’s still striking out too much, but the guy definitely has some legit juice in his bat.

Nick Pratto KC, 1B, 23.0 – Pratto’s comeback tour continued yesterday as he ripped his 10th homer in 29 games at Triple-A. He’s homered in 4 straight games and is now putting up a higher wRC+ at Triple-A than he did at Double-A (164 vs. 156). Not too bad for a guy who was left for dead 2 years ago.

Ezequiel Tovar COL, SS, 20.2 – Tovar’s breakout season slowed down a bit at High-A, but he picked it up big time yesterday, going 5 for 8 with a double and a homer in a doubleheader. He’s maintained his elite contact percentage with a 10.9% K% in 14 games, so while his GB% and BB% have tanked, he hasn’t been too overmatched.

Jhonkensy Noel CLE, 1B/3B, 20.3 – Noel slammed his first homer in 5 games at High-A to left center. He’s had some swing and miss issues at the level with a 8/0 K/BB which he didn’t show at Single-A (16.7% K%), so that will be something to watch. The power is unquestioned though as he now has 12 homers in 49 games on the year.

Matthew Fraizer PIT, OF, 23.8 – Fraizer annihilated High-A with a 158 wRC+, but he was a bit old for the level to start getting excited. Now he’s performing even better at Double-A as he cracked his 2nd homer to go along with 6 doubles and 3 triples. He has a 1.112 OPS in 16 games. He’s still not a spring chicken at 23 years old, but I think it’s time to start getting excited.

Drey Jameson ARI, RHP, 24.0 – 7 IP, 3 hits, 1 ER, 10/2 K/BB at Double-A. Since giving up 8 earned in 3.1 IP on June 19th, Jameson has been lights out with a 1.81 ERA and 79/13 K/BB in 59.2 IP. 27.1 of those innings have come at Double-A where he’s dominated hitters with mid 90’s heat and a 4 pitch mix. After putting up a 4.2 BB/9 in college, he now has that down to 2.9 in pro ball.

Ryan Murphy SF, RHP, 21.10 – 5 IP, 1 hit, 1 ER, 7/1 K/BB at High-A on Friday. A Patreon member, Tate, who has a close eye on San Francisco prospects asked me why Ryan Murphy hasn’t been getting any hype. I’ll let him take it away: “I’ve been watching his starts every time they come up. I thought it was FB/SL but I’ve come away feeling (and if my numbers are correct) that the knuckle curve he throws is his best pitch. Most swinging strikes. Changeup is not good. Really stiff. I’m going to say something controversial: I think I prefer him to Kyle Harrison at this time.” If Murphy wasn’t on your radar before, he should be.

Kyren Paris LAA, SS, 19.10 – Paris got ahold of his 2nd homer in 28 games at Single-A. He has double plus speed (16 steals) and is a walk machine (20.5% K%), but either the K% is going to have to come down (28%) or the power is going to have to seriously tick up for him to take the next step.

Michael Busch LAD, 2B, 23.10 – Busch launched his 16th homer in 88 games at Double-A. He hasn’t been as extreme of a flyball hitter as the year has gone on with a 40% GB%, but he is still walking a ton with a 15.1% BB%

Connor Norby BAL, 2B, 21.2 – The 41st pick in the draft, Norby is known as a good all around hitter who uses the whole field, and he showed just that he cracked his first pro homer at Single-A to the opposite field. He put up some eye popping numbers this year in the AAC, and is starting to get hot in pro ball with a 1.020 OPS in 5 games at Single-A.

Jake McCarthy ARI, OF, 24.1 – 3 for 4 with a triple and a homer at Triple-A. McCarthy has been quietly putting together a very fantasy friendly season in the upper minors this year with 13 homers and 29 steals in 82 games. He brought his K% down to 22.9% in 47 games at Triple-A (29.5% at Double-A). He still hits the ball on the ground too much and will have to fight for playing time when he does eventually get his shot in the majors, but I have a sneaky suspicion he will be fantasy relevant in the near future.

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

Posted on August 16, 2021August 16, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (8/16/21)

I’ll be running down everything that caught my eye in the Dynasty Baseball world on most Mondays throughout the season. Here is the Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (8/16/21):

Yohel Pozo TEX, C/1B, 24.2 – My Patreon members have been all over Pozo since back in May as I’ve written about him a few times in my Patreon Dynasty Rundowns as a deep dynasty sleeper, and he is now making his mark in the majors. He smacked a 100.8 MPH dinger off Sergio Romo in his MLB debut and is 4 for 12 with 2 K’s in 3 games overall. He makes elite contact with plus power and that is about it. He doesn’t walk and he’s bad on defense, so playing time will be a constant struggle, but if you are only going to do two things well, those are the two things to do well.

Luis Matos SF, OF, 19.7 – Matos cracked my top 10 prospects way back in May because I trusted the power would come, and the power has come, as he cracked two bombs on Friday and has 6 homers in his last 24 games. Elite contact rate, plus speed, and now developing power … he’s gonna be a stud.

Miguel Vargas LAD, 3B, 21.9 – Vargas has been underrated for months now and he continues to quietly destroy Double-A as a 21 year old, launching 2 more homers on Saturday and then going 3 for 5 yesterday. He has 12 homers with a 14.7%/10.9% K%/BB% and 142 wRC+ in 53 games at the level. He’s been firmly inside my top 100 for months now, but it’s long overdue for him to start getting some mainstream hype.

Chris Sale BOS, LHP, 32.4 – Sale looked electric in his return from Tommy John surgery, going 5 IP with 6 hits, 2 earned and a 8/0 K/BB. The fastball sat 93.2 MPH and his slider put up a 44.4% whiff%. He already clocked in at #88 overall on my Updated Top 422 Dynasty Rankings that dropped last week on my Patreon, as he looked great in his rehab starts, and he’ll keep climbing if he looks strong down the stretch.

Tyler Gilbert ARI, LHP, 27.8 – Threw a no hitter in his first MLB start by basically throwing all fastballs (cutter, 4 seam, sinker). He had a 5/3 K/BB and the 4 seamer averaged 89.3 MPH, so I’m not seeing a late career breakout here, but let’s just enjoy how awesome baseball can be when the stars align. You never know when history will be made on any given day.

Reid Detmers LAA, LHP, 22.1 – Third times a charm as Detmers finally broke through in his third MLB start, going 6 IP with 3 hits, 1 earned and a 6/2 K/BB. He dominated with the curveball which he threw 37% of the time, notching a 74 MPH EV against and a 30% whiff% on the pitch. His fastball is settling in at the low 90’s (92.1 MPH yesterday), and has gotten destroyed in general, but his breaking balls have been effective. The fastball will likely have to tick up if he wants to reach his top of the rotation ceiling.

Triston McKenzie CLE, RHP, 24.0 – McKenzie started to find his groove in July and he broke out with his best start of the season yesterday, going 8 IP with 1 hit, 0 earned and a 11/0 K/BB vs. Detroit. His curve and slider were untouchable as they put up a 67% and 63% whiff%, respectively. He struggled majorly with his control early in the year, but he now has a 40/7 K/BB in his last 42 IP.

Allan Cerda CIN, OF, 21.9 – I nabbed Cerda in the 5th round of my 30 team dynasty league’s prospect draft last off-season for his big power potential, and he’s shown exactly that this year at Single-A, smashing 2 homers yesterday to give him 12 dingers in 61 games. The hit tool is raw with a 32% K% and he’s old for the level, but he can mash.

Jose Miranda MIN, 3B/2B, 23.4 – The man is a machine as he went 2 for 5 with his 24th homer and 22nd double yesterday at Triple-A. He had a 162 wRC+ at Double-A and now has a 166 wRC+ at Triple-A. I just paid up for him majorly in my mid-season prospect blind auction in that same 30 teamer.

DJ Peters TEX, OF, 25.8 – Peters had Sean Manaea’s number yesterday, crushing two homers off him (108.3 MPH and 103.4 MPH). He’s a strikeout machine, but the power is legit and Texas has no reason not to keep running him out there as long as he’s producing.

Seth Beer ARI, 1B, 24.11 – Obliterated two more homers yesterday as he continues to thoroughly dominate Triple-A with 15 homers and a 63/34 K/BB in 83 games. Arizona is in last place and is still running out a 35 year old Asbrubal Cabrera who is hitting .244. What are they waiting for?

Francisco Alvarez NYM, C, 19.9 – Blasted his 15th homer in 61 games at High-A as Alvarez continues to cement his status as an elite prospect. I would be shocked if he wasn’t a top 10 prospect at some point next year.

Orelvis Martinez TOR, SS, 19.10 – Had his best game at High-A, going 3 for 5 with his 4th dinger in 11 games at the level. Martinez has 23 homers in 82 games this year and is a top 20 prospect for me.

Trey Sweeney NYY, SS, 21.6 – It took Sweeney a minute to adjust to full season ball as he started out 0 for 14 with 7 K’s, but he’s now homered in each of his last 2 games and tacked on a double as well. After going against inferior competition in college, the hit tool is still a question, but the power is looking good.

Bryson Stott PHI, SS, 23.11 – Stott might not have the highest upside, but he’s had a very solid year, homering yesterday for his 8th goner in 59 games at Double-A. He’s got a little speed, a good plate approach and above average power. He should make his debut in 2022.

Matt Canterino MIN, RHP, 23.8 – Canterino returned last week from elbow inflammation that kept him out since May, and he was back at High-A yesterday, going 3 IP with 0 hits, 0 earned, and a 8/1 K/BB. As you can tell from the pitching line, he looked absolutely filthy and should be back on your radar if you forgot about him after the elbow injury.

Ian Seymour TB, LHP, 22.8 – 4 IP, 3 hits, 1 ER, 8/0 K/BB. Seymour was the 57th overall pick in the 2020 draft, and he’s had a strong pro debut with a pitching line of 2.97/0.89/49/12 in 30.1 IP. He ranked 818th on my off-season Top 1,000 with a plus fastball/changeup combo and developing breaking ball. While Tampa can be tricky with their pitchers, they are excellent at developing them.

Everson Pereira NYY, OF, 20.5 – Pereira has played at 3 levels this season (Rookie, Single-A, High-A) and he rose to the occasion at each level. He went 2 for 4 with a homer yesterday, and is now slashing .295/.392/.659 with 5 homers, 3 steals, and a 14/6 K/BB in 11 games at High-A. His stock continues to rise and his value isn’t that far off from a top 100 guy.

Brayan Rocchio CLE, SS, 20.10 – 3 for 6 with his 3rd homer in 14 games at Double-A. Rocchio has been red hot since a poor May, and is now putting up impressive numbers as a 20 year old at Double-A, slashing .255/.369/.527 with 3 homers and a 10/7 K/BB in 14 games. He has the potential to be an impact all category contributor.

Edward Cabrera MIA, RHP, 23.5 – Cabrera has been absolutely blowing up at Triple-A. He went 6 IP with 2 hits, 1 earned, and a 12/4 K/BB on Friday and now has 33 K’s in his last 16.2 IP. He has true top of the rotation potential with absolutely filthy stuff and is knocking on the door of the bigs.

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

Posted on August 11, 2021August 13, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Patreon Post: Top 422 August 2021 Dynasty Baseball Rankings

The trade deadline is approaching in many leagues and now is your last chance to make any last minute deals to fine tune that championship roster, or plan ahead for 2022. Here is the Top 422 August 2021 Dynasty Baseball Rankings:

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE AND TONS MORE, INCLUDING:
-Top 300 July 2021 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings
-2021/22 Top 50 First Year Player Draft Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-Tons of Dynasty Rundowns
-10 Dynasty Baseball Players to Target
-Dynasty Baseball Trade Strategies at the Halfway Point (Contending, Mid Pack, Rebuilding)

1) Shohei Ohtani LAA, RHP/DH, 27.1 – Ohtani is making himself at home in this top spot. He actually managed to improve on the sole thing he was struggling with, his control, as he walked only 2 batters in his last 19 IP since last month’s update. He is so miraculous, I’m half expecting him to turn 26 years old next year. But seriously, even being four and a half years older than his main competition for this top stop, I’m not sure how you can turn down this level of all category production.

2) Fernando Tatis Jr. SD, SS, 22.7 – I wrote that the shoulder injury was “still in the back of my mind” on the July rankings, and it is now in the front of everyone’s mind with Tatis going down with a shoulder injury yet again. It looks as if he is going to try to gut through it this year, possibly as an outfielder, and then I wouldn’t be surprised if he underwent off-season surgery (but that is pure speculation based on zero medical knowledge).

3) Vlad Guerrero Jr. TOR, 1B, 22.5 – Only has an .888 OPS in the last month. It’s all falling apart :). Vlad gets the slight nod over Soto because of the beastly lineup he hits in.

4) Juan Soto WASH, OF, 22.9 – That “inevitable monster 2nd half” I called for in the July rankings has arrived in force, as Soto has a 1.204 OPS in his last 22 games.

5) Ronald Acuna ATL, OF, 23.8 – Tore his ACL and will be out for at least the rest of the this season, and who knows how much it cuts into his 2022 season. It is also fair to question if he will take it easy on the base paths when he does return. If non competing in a 5×5, I likely still rank him above Vlad and Soto.

6) Bo Bichette TOR, SS, 23.5 – The pure hitting numbers, both surface and underlying, aren’t necessarily elite, but the guy is a machine in a 5×5 league with 20 homers, 17 steals, and a .293 BA. He’s still only 23 years old, and I’m betting that his best is yet to come.

7) Trea Turner LAD, SS, 28.1 – He’s gunning for a 30/30 season and he now sits atop the Dodgers’ lineup.

8) Kyle Tucker HOU, OF, 23.8 – I hope you stayed patient through his April struggles because the underlying numbers didn’t lie as Tucker continues to explode with a .945 OPS post all star break. He’s an elite all category stud.

9) Bryce Harper PHI, OF, 28.9 – Harper’s BB% was sitting at a career low 12.9% in the last update and I mentioned it has nowhere to go but up, and up is exactly where it went as it now sits at 14.6%.

10) Mookie Betts LAD, OF, 28.10 – Hip injury has been a thorn in Betts’ side all season, but he was exploding when he was on the field with a 1.415 OPS in his last 13 games.

11) Jose Ramirez CLE, 3B, 28.9 – Quietly putting together another elite fantasy season. He is running at his lowest rate since 2017, and as he approaches his 30’s, I think you have to expect that to continue.

12) Rafael Devers BOS, 3B, 24.9 – BB% continues to rise as he’s walked 13 times in his last 21 games to bring his career best mark up to 9.6%

13) Mike Trout LAA, OF, 30.0 – The big 3 – 0 is here and Trout was fittingly sitting on the IL for his birthday due to this calf injury that just won’t heal. It hurts me to do it, but father time is undefeated, and he slides out of my top 10

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

Posted on August 2, 2021August 2, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (8/2/21)

I’ll be running down everything that caught my eye in the Dynasty Baseball world on most Mondays throughout the season. Here is the Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (8/2/21):

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR:
-Updated Top 300 2021 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings
-Top 450 July 2021 OBP/OPS/PTS “Universal” Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-10 Dynasty Baseball Players to Target
-Dynasty Baseball Trade Strategies at the Halfway Point (Contending, Mid Pack, Rebuilding)
-2021/22 Top 50 First Year Player Draft Dynasty Baseball Rankings

Kumar Rocker No Man’s Land, RHP, 21.8 – Unsigned and will now have to re-enter the draft in 2022. Only in baseball can the most popular amateur player in the game get fucked like this. And of course, leave it to the Mets trusted medical team to lead the way. Can’t wait for this off-season to hear what new cockamamie, convoluted rules MLB owners can think up and shove down the Players Union throat while pretending the players are the greedy ones who are ruining the game.

Jud Fabian SEC, OF, 20.10 – Fabian also failed to sign, but this one makes more sense as he wasn’t a first round pick and is one of the youngest players in the college class. He’ll try to cut down on his strikeouts and re-enter the 2022 MLB Draft at a still age appropriate 21 years old.

Fernando Tatis Jr. SD, SS, 22.7 – The baseball gods were not satisfied with taking Ronald Acuna from us, they came back and ripped Fernando Tatis Jr. away too. Mike Trout has been out for months. deGrom has been shutdown again. I feel like there is some Final Destination shit going on with our baseball superstars. Soto and Ohtani better watch their back. Or on second thought, maybe Ohtani is secretly an evil supervillain, sucking up everyone’s talent to become a single unstoppable force.

Wander Franco TB, SS, 20.5 – Finally some good news. Wander had his third straight 2 hit game and now has a respectable 99 wRC+ in 30 games. He may not be lighting the world on fire, but if he can hold his own in his age 20 season, I’ll take it.

Jhailyn Ortiz PHI, OF, 22.9 – Ortiz is a formerly hyped, high priced international prospect who everybody forgot about after he struggled in 2018-2019. He’s put himself back on the map this season as he crushed High-A with 19 homers in 74 games, and is now making his presence felt at Double-A with his first homer at the level yesterday. It was a pull side bomb off a relatively legit, well located breaking ball. He clocked in at #263 on my Updated Top 300 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings that dropped on my Patreon last week.

Reid Detmers LAA, LHP, 22.1 – 4.1 IP, 6 hits, 6 ER, 2/2 K/BB in his MLB debut vs. Oakland. He fastball sat 92.9 MPH and it got destroyed with a .541 xwOBA. The curveball was as advertised though and dominated with a 30% whiff%, 77.2 MPH EV against, and a .219 xwOBA. There are better days ahead.

Daulton Jefferies OAK, RHP, 26.0 – Jefferies went against Detmers in his first MLB start of the season and faired better, going 5 IP with 3 hits, 3 runs, and a 3/3 K/BB. He threw a 5 pitch mix featuring a 93.5 MPH sinker that he used 40% of the time. He notched a 27% whiff% overall on the back of his change and curve which both put up a 60% whiff%. He can be a solid back end fantasy starter with mid-rotation upside.

Shane McClanahan TB, LHP, 24.3 – 6 IP, 4 hits, 1 ER, 7/2 K/BB vs. Boston. His fastball sat 95.4 MPH and he put up a 30% whiff% overall. His velocity has been down 1-2 MPH recently on all of his pitches but he had the velocity to spare and it hasn’t hurt him much, if at all. I just love this guy and can tell you already I’ll be going after him everywhere he is available in 2022 drafts even if I have to “reach.”

Brandon Lowe TB, OF/2B, 27.1 – Lowe’s been slowly improving every month of the season (April-.665 OPS/May-.692 OPS/June-.879 OPS/July-1.032 OPS) and has now kicked off August with a bang as he cranked a 105.4 MPH dinger off Nick Pivetta. He has a 15.3% barrel% which is in the top 9% of the league.

Gabriel Arias CLE, SS, 21.5 – 3 for 4 with 2 doubles. Arias has quietly put together a very strong season at Triple-A with a 115 wRC+, and has been red hot in his last 43 games, slashing .325/.376/.548 with 7 homers, 2 steals, and a 39/12 K/BB. His plate approach is much improved with a 22.9%/9.8% K%/BB%, he’s a plus infield defender and he’s young for the level at 21 years old.

Jo Adell LAA, OF, 22.4 – Adell crushed his 23rd homer of the year 454 feet out to dead center. He has a 29.2% K% on the year, but has been better of late with a 23.7% mark in his last 26 games, and in those 26 games he’s mashed 7 homers with a 1.033 OPS. I think he’s ready for a 2nd chance in the bigs.

Alek Thomas ARI, OF, 21.2 – Smacked his 7th homer in what has been a solid but unspectacular season at Double-A, slashing .265/.363/.469 with 7 homers, 7 steals, and a 20.1%/12.0% K%/BB%. With the mediocre power/speed numbers, he might be shaping up to be a better real life player than fantasy player.

Anthony Volpe NYY, SS, 20.3 – The power breakout is so sincere (yes, I’m listening to Jay-Z right now) as Volpe lifted off for his 17th homer of the year and his 5th in 17 games at High-A. Volpe has a real shot at being a monster.

Jared Jones PIT, RHP, 20.0 – Jones had his best start as a pro, going 6 IP with 6 hits, 1 earned and a 8/1 K/BB. The fastball hits the upper 90’s and the slider is plus. Control is still an issue but this is what it could look like if it all comes together.

Liover Peguero PIT, SS, 20.7 – Peguero has been white hot as he bagged himself a couple homers yesterday and now has 5 homers in his last 4 games at High-A. The power/speed combo is starting to look real sweet with 11 homers and 17 steals (in 20 attempts) in 58 games.

Nick Loftin KC, SS, 22.6 – The 32nd overall pick of the 2020 draft had his best game as a pro, going 5 for 6 with 2 doubles, 1 triple, and a homer. He has a solid 114 wRC+ at High-A, but it doesn’t look like he is going to have difference making power or speed (7 homers and 7 steals in 61 games).

Hunter Brown HOU, RHP, 22.11 – 6 IP, 3 hits, 1 ER, 7/1 K/BB in his Triple-A debut. Brown has majorly struggled with his control all year at Double-A with a 13.4% BB%, but he is also a strikeout machine with a 35% K%. He’s got great stuff with mid 90’s heat and two power breaking balls, but the risk is high. Even with the risk, I have been way too low on him.

Luis Frias ARI, RHP, 23.2 – Frias threw a complete game, 7 inning no hitter, going 7 IP with 0 hits, 0 ER, and a 6/1 K/BB. He’s struggled at Double-A with a 5.27 ERA and has lost some the shine he was getting early in the season, but maybe this is the beginning of a strong 2nd half.

AJ Puk OAK, LHP, 26.3 – Puk was given his first start of the season and went 3 IP with 3 hits, 1 ER, and a 5/1 K/BB. The fastball/slider combo is still nasty and the start gives some hope that Oakland hasn’t completely given up on him as a starter. He does have a 6.16 ERA on the season, so we aren’t out of the woods quite yet.

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