July 2022 – Imaginary Brick Wall

Posted on July 26, 2022August 1, 2022 by Michael Halpern

Patreon Post: Top 437 July 2022 Dynasty Baseball Rankings

With the trade deadline approaching, now is your last chance to make that push for a championship, or regroup for future years. Previous rankings from June through April are in parenthesis, in that order. Here is the Top 437 July 2022 Dynasty Baseball Rankings:

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR THE REST OF THESE RANKINGS AND TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT, INCLUDING:
-MID-SEASON TOP 314 2022 DYNASTY PROSPECTS RANKINGS
-TOP 10 TRADE NEGOTIATION TACTICS (one of my favorite things I’ve ever written)
-TOP 10 MID-SEASON TRADE TARGETS
-MID-SEASON OBP TOP 447 DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS
-MID-SEASON POINTS/6+CATS/OPS “UNIVERSAL” TOP 430 DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS
-TOP 40 2023 FYPD RANKINGS

Tier 1

1) (1) (1) (1) Shohei Ohtani LAA, RHP/DH, 28.1 – Ohtani’s all-encompassing dominance is starting to feel routine

2) (2) (3) (3) Ronald Acuna Jr. ATL, OF, 24.7 – He’s not back to 100% with a 28.2 ft/sec sprint speed (29.4 in 2021) and 11.9 degree launch angle (18.2 in 2021), but if he’s about 80% of himself this year, I’ll bet on him getting to like 95% in 2023. He may never truly get back to 100% though. Getting old sucks.

3) (3) (2) (2) Juan Soto WASH, OF, 23.9 – The inevitable huge 2nd half is in full swing with a 1.220 OPS in his last 22 games. In anything other than a 5×5 BA league he would jump over Acuna

4) (6) (22) (21) Julio Rodriguez SEA, OF, 21.7 – A 32.3% whiff% with a 6.8% BB% shows he isn’t really an elite hitter yet, but it would be just silly if he already had a mature plate approach with how dominant he is everywhere else

5) (7) (26) (20) Bobby Witt Jr. KC, SS, 22.1 – Witt is faster than Julio (and everyone else too with a league leading 30.4 ft/sec sprint speed), he swings and misses much less (26% whiff%), and he hits the ball in the air more (17 degree launch angle). He doesn’t hit the ball as hard though

6) (5) (4) (5) Fernando Tatis Jr. SD, SS, 23.7 – Tatis has been swinging with no issues and seems to be nearing a rehab assignment. The added injury risk would make it very hard for me to part with Julio or Witt for him right now though

7) (4) (5) (8) Kyle Tucker HOU, OF, 25.6 – 89.4 MPH EV is a career low and a 92.2 MPH FB/LD EV ain’t great

8) (8) (7) (15) Yordan Alvarez HOU, OF, 25.1 – .470 xwOBA leads the league by far with Judge a distant 2nd at .440. 96.2 MPH EV also leads the league

Tier 2

9) (10) (11) (7) Trea Turner LAD, SS, 29.1 – 30.4 ft/sec sprint speed is tied for first with Bobby Witt. When the inevitable speed decline comes, there will at least be a long runway before it drops off a cliff

Shadow9) (16) (14) (13) Shohei Ohtani LAA, DH only/Weekly Leagues, 27.9

10) (9) (6) (4) Vladimir Guerrero Jr. TOR, 1B, 23.4 – He’s falling back to somewhere in between his pre and post 2021 breakout self

11) (21) (24) (27) Aaron Judge NYY, OF, 30.2 – The Yanks might have to pay this dude $100 million per year at this rate

12) (11) (12) (12) Jose Ramirez CLE, 3B, 29.8 – .326 xwOBA vs. a .390 wOBA is definitely scaring me a little, but I’m ignoring it because nothing is really setting off alarm bells in the underlying numbers and he has a long track record of success

13) (15) (13) (13) Bryce Harper PHI, OF, 29.7 – Underwent thumb surgery and will return in mid August at the earliest

14) (13) (9) (10) Luis Robert CHW, OF, 25.0 – He’s basically Bo Bichette with more speed at this point, but his speed is also dropping with a career worst 27.8 ft/sec sprint speed

15) (18) (16) (14) Rafael Devers BOS, 3B, 25.8 – Elite everywhere but steals

16) (20) (35) (69) Shane McClanahan TBR, LHP, 25.2 – 2.29 xERA leads all starters

17) (19) (17) (16) Corbin Burnes MIL, RHP, 27.8

18) (12) (8) (6) Bo Bichette TOR, SS, 24.5 – He didn’t take a step forward as a hitter this year and his 27.4 ft/sec sprint speed is a career low, leading to a terrible 7 for 13 success rate on the bases

19) (14) (10) (11) Wander Franco TBR, SS, 21.5 – Underwent wrist surgery that will likely keep him out until early September. Wrist injuries are known to sap power and have also been known to linger. Like you I’m sure, I’m also feeling the itch to drop Wander lower than this, but his elite bat to ball skills makes it hard for me to give up on his upside. He’s only 21. I think the breakout is still coming

20) (22) (18) (18) Manny Machado SD, 3B, 30.0

21) (17) (19) (22) Mookie Betts LAD, OF, 29.8 – He definitely seems to be on the decline from his absolute peak with a below average 27.1 ft/sec sprint speed and a career worst 17.2% K%, but it doesn’t look like he is going to fall off a cliff anytime soon

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

Posted on July 19, 2022August 1, 2022 by Michael Halpern

Patreon Post: Top 40 2023 First Year Player Draft Dynasty Baseball Rankings

Major League Baseball finally did the MLB Draft right. They made it a glitzy red-carpet event in a cool location that was well produced and a ton of fun to watch. But of course, that is just the cherry on top for us dynasty fanatics. Predicting future production is what we care about. International Prospects are included in this one. Here is the Top 40 2023 First Year Player Draft Dynasty Baseball Rankings:

Tier 1 Strategy – Generational talents. Do whatever you can to get into the Top 4

1) Druw Jones ARI, OF, 18.8, 6’4”, 180 – Selected 2nd overall, Jones has that classic tall and projectable build that screams upside, and he has elite bloodlines with Andruw Jones being his father. He has near elite speed (6.31 60 yard dash) and truly elite bat speed (99.42 percentile-besting some marks put up by bat speed monster Harry Ford last year). His power has also exploded this year, with him launching some homers that blew up on Twitter (Will Hoefer). I don’t think he will have quite the hit tool that Termarr Johnson will have, but it’s still plus, and Johnson can’t touch the power/speed combo. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 99/30/108/.274/.355/.520/20 Mid-Season Top 314 Prospects Ranking: #10 – ranked around Hassell, Veen, Elly, Chourio, Wood, and Lawlar

2) Termarr Johnson PIT, 2B/SS, 18.1, 5’10”, 175 – Selected 4th overall, Johnson looks like a seasoned MLB vet at the dish, spitting at pitches out of the zone and making elite contact when he does swing. His swing looks geared more for contact than power at the moment, but he clearly showed his power potential in the 2021 Home Run Derby at Coors where he crushed 24 homers, one of which went 501 feet. He’s currently in the 98.22 percentile in his class for bat speed too. He’s not a burner, but a 6.65 60 yard dash (Perfect Game) is pretty damn good and he stole 9 bags in 8 Team USA games (he slashed .375/.483/.542 in those games), so his speed might be getting undersold a bit like Riley Greene’s was in his draft year with similar dash times (and maybe like Marcelo Mayer’s this year). ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 98/25/94/.290/.367/.503/10 Mid-Season Top 314 Prospects Ranking: #19 – ranked around Tovar, Noelvi, and Pete Crow

3) Elijah Green WAS, OF, 18.8, 6’3”, 225 – Selected 5th overall, Green has both Johnson and Jones beat on upside with truly elite speed (6.16 60 yard dash) and exit velocity numbers. Here he is demolishing a 109 MPH dinger earlier this year. He slashed .348/.444/.957 with 4 homers and 2 steals in 7 games for Team USA Baseball. He is a fully grown man at 6’3”, 225 pounds and his father, Eric Green, is a former 1st round pick, Pro Bowl NFL Tight End. What keeps him behind Johnson and Jones is that he does have some hit tool risk with whiffs present in his game. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 84/33/96/.254/.331/.511/21 Mid-Season Top 314 Prospects Ranking: #20 – ranked around Pete Crow, Triston Casas, and Nick Pratto

4) Jackson Holliday BAL, SS, 18.7, 6’1”, 180 – Baseball is starting to feel like it is a hereditary monarchy, where all star games are passed down based on bloodlines like it’s the 1300’s. Jackson is the son of Matt, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions and loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son. Husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the ne … my bad, lost myself there 🙂 … Like many plus bloodline kids, Jackson is an advanced hitter, and he combines that with plus athleticism and a plus power/speed combo. He truly wields the bat like it’s a samurai sword, gracefully killing the ball with a smooth and powerful lefty swing. He was selected 1st overall, but I still prefer the 3 high school bats drafted after him. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 96/25/88/.278/.357/.491/14 Mid-Season Top 314 Prospects Rankings: #26 – ranked around Curtis Mead, George Valera and Marcelo Mayer

Tier 2 Strategy – I’m not sure I would really look to stick my neck out for any of Tier 2. I wouldn’t look to specifically trade into this tier to grab someone. I obviously like these guys a lot, but I would sit tight in my draft spot and take the best available that falls into my lap

5) Justin Crawford PHI, OF, 18.6, 6’3”, 175 – Son of Carl Crawford. I could honestly end the blurb right there and you will know exactly the type of player Justin is. 6.11 second 60 yard dash is in the elite of the elite, and he has shown a good feel to hit. The power hasn’t fully developed yet, but he’s still very skinny, and I’m betting on him outdoing his father in the power department. The only reason I don’t have him in Tier 1 is because those guys have already shown big power, but Crawford could end up right there with them, especially in 5×5 BA leagues. He was selected 17th overall. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 93/18/74/.273/.328/.440/28 Mid-Season Top 314 Prospects Rankings: #63 – ranked around Colton Cowser, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Evan Carter

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

Posted on July 13, 2022July 15, 2022 by Michael Halpern

Patreon Post: Top 314 Mid-Season 2022 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings

I went back to being very strict with my definition of a prospect in this one. June and May Rankings are in parenthesis, in that order. Here is the Top 314 Mid-Season 2022 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings:

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR THE REST OF THESE RANKINGS AND TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT, INCLUDING:
-TOP 10 TRADE NEGOTIATION TACTICS (one of my favorite things I’ve ever written)
-TOP 10 MID-SEASON TRADE TARGETS
-MID-SEASON OBP TOP 447 DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS
-MID-SEASON POINTS/6+CATS/OPS “UNIVERSAL” TOP 430 DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS
-JUNE 2022 TOP 445 DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS
-TOP 16 2023 FYPD RANKINGS (UPDATED AND EXPANDED EARLY NEXT WEEK)

1) (2) (5) Corbin Carroll ARI, OF, 21.11 – Hit a dinger and made a highlight reel diving catch in his first game at Triple-A. He’s electric … boogie woogie woogie

2) (8) (12) Gunnar Henderson BAL, SS, 21.0 – I must have sent that “Gunnar Henderson is elite” memo by Pony Express because it took a few months for everyone else to catch up

3) (9) (13) Jordan Walker STL, 3B, 20.2 – Homer power is the only thing that isn’t thriving with 7 homers in 69 games, but that’s really the last thing we have to worry about with Walker because of his size and excellent EV numbers.

4) (16) (6) Anthony Volpe NYY, SS, 21.2 – The low BABIP has regressed in a good way, slashing .317/.405/.564 with 5 homers, 15 steals, and a 14/13 K/BB in his last 26 games. He has 35 steals in 74 games at Double-A

5) (17) (11) Robert Hassell SDP, OF, 20.11 – With Veen’s K% all the way down, I could go either way on Hassell vs. Veen

6) (18) (18) Zac Veen COL, OF, 20.6 – K% is all the way down to 21.1% and not only has his stolen bases not regressed from last year but he’s actually on a better pace with a much, much better success rate (35 for 37 in 75 games at High-A)

7) (54) (92) Elly De La Cruz CIN, SS/3B, 20.5 – The guy has 20 homers and 28 steals in 72 games at High-A. I mean, what the fuck? 30.5% K% is the only thing keeping him ranked even this low

8) (99) (158) Jackson Chourio MIL, OF, 18.3 – Chourio had already moved all the way up to this area in all of the Mid-Season Updated Dynasty Rankings. Both the stats and eye test is off the charts. 28.2% K% is the only quibble.

9) (43) (42) James Wood SDP, OF, 19.10 – Returned from a sore wrist and has been even better than before hitting the IL, slashing .333/.422/.563 with 3 homers, 7 steals, and a 17/12 K/BB in 21 games. I always call him Oneil Cruz 2.0, but he actually might end up better than Cruz because the hit tool is better

10) (20) (38) Jordan Lawlar ARI, SS, 20.0 – Called up to High-A and has struggled in 6 games with a .095 BA

11) (14) (21) Eury Perez MIA, RHP, 19.2 – I love these next 3 pitchers, but when push comes to shove, I just can’t take them over the potentially elite, all category hitters even if they are closer. Perez has a 1.88 ERA with a 31/5 K/BB in 24 IP since the last update. He’s healthy, so he gets the nod over Grayson and Espino

12) (5) (2) Grayson Rodriguez BAL, RHP, 22.6 – Right lat strain could end his season. He did begin light rehab activities after a “good” MRI, so there is some good news. If you want to downgrade him more because of the injury I have no issue with that

13) (13) (9) Daniel Espino CLE, RHP, 21.5 – Still out with that knee tendinitis they claimed wasn’t that serious

14) (1) (7) Royce Lewis MIN, SS, 23.0 – It feels like Kyle Lewis all over again with knee injury after knee injury, but like Lewis, Lewis’ talent is too good to give up on. Maybe it’s just a Lewis thing.

15) (23) (36) Ezequiel Tovar COL, SS, 20.11 – In the midst of his first slump, but even his slumps look good with a .311 BA in his last 18 games. It comes with only 1 homer and 1 steal though

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

Posted on July 11, 2022July 13, 2022 by Michael Halpern

Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (7/11/22)

I’ll be running down everything that caught my eye in the Dynasty Baseball world on most Mondays throughout the season. Here is the Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (7/11/22):

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT, INCLUDING:
-TOP 10 TRADE NEGOTIATION TACTICS (one of my favorite things I’ve ever written)
-TOP 10 MID-SEASON TRADE TARGETS
-MID-SEASON OBP TOP 447 DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS
-MID-SEASON POINTS/6+CATS/OPS “UNIVERSAL” TOP 430 DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS
-JUNE 2022 TOP 350 DYNASTY PROSPECTS RANKINGS
-JUNE 2022 TOP 445 DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS

Kyle Manzardo TBR, 1B, 22.0 – If you overslept for Italian Breakfast, Italian Lunch is just around the corner and they’re running a special where you get half a shrimp parm hero, a slice of pizza and Italian Ices for $10. Vinnie P 2.0 went 3 for 4 with his 11th homer in 48 games at High-A, and it comes with a near elite 36/34 K/BB. He was known for his at least plus hit tool, and the power has been better than expected with a 35.1% GB%. It’s all good for a 160 wRC+ at the level. Don’t wait until Manzardo’s crushing it in the upper levels of the minors and the hype makes it impossible to acquire him, enter in your coupon code and get in now.

Vinnie Pasquantino KCR, 1B, 24.9 – Speaking of Vinnie, he went 0 for 4 and his OPS is now down to .556, but the underlying numbers are mouth watering with a 94.4 MPH EV, 12.2%/14.3% K%/BB%, and .396 xwOBA. I would much rather have this start than if he had a 1.000 OPS and the underlying numbers looked like trash. His value is actually up in my mind, and on the off chance this creates a buying opportunity I would be all over it.

Oneil Cruz PIT, SS, 23.9 – 2 for 4 with a 416 foot bomb for his 4th homer in 20 games. Cruz is living up to his scouting report to a T with a 91.6 MPH EV, 30.1 ft/sec sprint speed and 34.2% K%. Even with the risk I’m all in on him, ranking him 36th overall on the Mid-Season OBP Dynasty Rankings over on Patreon. I simply don’t trade these potential core offensive pieces even if I was all in for a championship. Just keep dodging all the trade offers you’re inevitably getting like you’re Joey Gallo trying to hit a baseball.

Corbin Carroll ARI, OF, 21.10 – Carroll is the only prospect still in the minors that I have ranked over Cruz, and he made himself at home real quick with a homer in his first game at Triple-A. He also made a beautiful diving catcher in center. Kid knows how to make an entrance.

Noelvi Marte SEA, SS, 20.8 – Marte has been a man on a mission since the whispers started about his value dropping, going 1 for 3 with a homer yesterday and now has 7 homers with a 1.401 OPS in his last 14 games at High-A. Granted, he is starting to look a little thick, which is where some of the worry has stemmed, but the power isn’t a question.

Pete Crow-Armstrong CHC, OF, 20.3 – 3 for 3 with a steal and an absolute rocket out to center for his 10th homer in 60 games and 3rd homer in 22 games at High-A. He has a .978 OPS with 1 homer, 3 steals and a 13/2 K/BB in his last 11 games at the level. The strikeout to walk rate has taken a step back, but it’s a small sample and everything else looks great. I called him the less hyped version of Robert Hassell this off-season, and he’s lived up to the moniker.

Forrest Whitley HOU, RHP, 24.9 – 1.2 IP, 1 hit, 0 ER, 1/0 K/BB at Triple-A. Whitley returned from Tommy John surgery in mid June and it’s been ugly with a 7.15 ERA in 11.1 IP. It got uglier yesterday as he had to leave the start with shoulder inflammation. Sad to say, but he’s probably droppable in many leagues, and even in deeper leagues I’m not sure he’s a must hold if there are more enticing options out there on the wire. This is just the life of a pitching prospect.

Bobby Miller LAD, RHP, 23.3 – 5 IP, 1 hit, 0 ER, 9/1 K/BB at Double-A. This was Miller’s 2nd straight gem as I guess he got sick of Gavin Stone getting all the hype. Here is an edit of all his strikeouts. You can’t not be excited about this guy, especially considering the organization.

Quinn Priester PIT, RHP, 21.9 – 5 IP, 4 hits, 0 ER, 6/0 K/BB at Double-A. His breaking balls were dominating all day, and he now has a pitching line of 2.81/1.25/18/4 in 16 IP. When you watch him he looks like he has top of the rotation upside, but his numbers indicate more of a mid-rotation guy.

Josh Lowe TBR, OF, 24.5 – Lowe remined us all he still exists, having his best day in the majors, going 2 for 4 with a 418 foot homer and 0 K’s. He still has a rough .557 OPS in 139 PA, but the underlying numbers aren’t hopeless with a not horrific 31.2% whiff% and an above average 88.9 MPH EV. His value has definitely dropped for me, especially considering the 31.2% K% he put up at Triple-A this year too, but it’s far too early to give up on him.

Jonathan India CIN, 3B, 25.6 – I was a little worried about India’s below average 87.6 MPH EV from 2021, and it’s gotten even worse so far this year, dropping all the way down to 83.4 MPH. The new balls aren’t doing any favors to guys who don’t crush the ball. He went 1 for 5 with a homer yesterday, but even the homer wasn’t hit all that hard at 95.8 MPH. Granted it was a nice piece of hitting where he really had to stretch down and away to even get to the pitch. Really no choice but to remain patient and assume he just hasn’t been able to find his rhythm yet this year fighting through a couple injuries.

Taijuan Walker NYM, RHP, 29.11 – 7 IP, 3 hits, 0 ER, 7/1 K/BB vs. MIA. We all blinked and Walker decided to turn into an ace with a 1.85 ERA and 43/8 K/BB in his last 39 IP. He uses a 6 pitch mix with his splitter really standing out this year with a .172 xOBA. Overall, while I think he can be a solid starter, this just looks like a hot streak to me. None of his pitches are whiff machines and his 3.56 xERA is much worse than his 2.63 ERA. I wouldn’t be willing to pay up for him in a trade.

Michael Kopech CHW, RHP, 26.2 – 5.1 IP, 4 hits, 2 ER, 4/3 K/BB vs. DET. Kopech started the year with his velocity down from 2021, and then it’s just kept declining with it hitting rock bottom yesterday at a paltry 92.1 MPH. He already dropped a bit in my latest Mid-Season OBP Dynasty Rankings to #139, and while I don’t want to drop him much further than that, it’s legitimately concerning.

Ke’Bryan Hayes PIT, 3B, 25.5 – Hayes snapped an extended slump with a big day, going 3 for 4 with a double and a homer. The only thing he doesn’t do well is lift the ball with a 6.6 degree launch angle, and he hasn’t shown any indications he is looking to change that throughout his career. He’s good as is, especially in a 5×5 league, but if he’s ever going to take it to another level he will have to make an adjustment to unlock more homer power.

Nelson Velazquez CHC, OF, 23.6 – Velazquez destroyed the most nonchalant 109.1 MPH, 428 foot homer I might have ever seen off David Price. His swing and miss is a major concern with a 41% whiff%, and his K% was 36.2% at Triple-A, so this isn’t an MLB adjustment period thing or anything. He looks like the younger version of Patrick Wisdom.

Deyvison De Los Santos ARI, 3B, 19.1 – 2 for 4 with his 12th homer in 73 games at Single-A. De Los Santos has been unconscious over the last couple months, slashing .370/.399/.574 with 9 homers in his last 41 games at Single-A. The 56.3% GB% and 6% BB% still isn’t great, but his power is so huge he will rip homers even with a high GB%. I wrote in the off-season he could end up with a Franmil Reyes like profile, and that remains accurate.

Warming Bernabel COL, 3B, 20.1 – Bernabel got the call to High-A and has been crushing the level just as easily as he crushed Single-A, jacking out his 2nd homer in 5 games and now has a 1.000 OPS at the level. He’s had elite contact rates with a high FB% his entire career, and his power naturally taking a step forward this year has propelled him to the next level. I think he’s the real deal and is pushing top 100 status if he’s not already there.

Hunter Bishop SFG, OF, 24.0 – Bishop is getting his career back on track, going 2 for 4 with a homer yesterday and now has 12 homers and 17 steals in 70 games. There are still some red flags as he’s only doing it at High-A, and a 34.3% K% is extreme. The power/speed numbers clearly show the talent is still there, so while there is still a long way to go, he’s a late career breakout candidate.

Cristian Mena CHW, RHP, 19.7 – Mena tore through Single-A and he’s now doing the same at High-A, going 5 IP with 1 hit, 0 ER, and a 6/3 K/BB. He has a pitching line of 1.89/1.11/17/8 in 19 IP at the level. He has an athletic delivery with a filthy breaking ball and is one of the more underrated pitching prospects in the minors. Now is the time to grab him if he’s still out there in your league.

Jack Leiter TEX, RHP, 22.2 – 1.1 IP, 6 hits, 6 ER, 2/2 K/BB at Double-A. He missed his last 2 starts before this one with arm fatigue. It just keeps getting worse.

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

Posted on July 4, 2022July 4, 2022 by Michael Halpern

Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (7/4/22)

I’ll be running down everything that caught my eye in the Dynasty Baseball world on most Mondays throughout the season. Here is the Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (7/4/22):

Edward Olivares KCR, OF, 26.4 – 2 for 4 with a 108 MPH homer and 108.9 MPH single. That has been the story of Olivares’ season as he’s been smoking the ball with a 91.2 MPH EV in 59 AB. While I doubt he can keep hitting the ball this hard, coming into more power in his late 20’s isn’t that hard to buy into. He’s also fast and his strong contact rates have transferred to the majors. I’ve never ranked Oliveras all that high in my dynasty rankings throughout his career, but maybe my hate of olives has subconsciously biased me against him. The high groundball rates might limit his upside, but he can be the fake Gucci bag version of Michael Harris and Alek Thomas.

Michael Harris ATL, OF, 21.4 – Speaking of Harris, he nuked a dinger of his own on a 108.8 MPH, 425 foot bomb. If you’re trying to acquire him at this point, you’re going to have to pay up like it’s one of those stores on 5th Avenue where you have to be buzzed in to even be let in the store.

Spencer Torkelson DET, 1B, 22.10 – 1 for 4 with a frozen rope of a homer for his 5th of the year in 70 games. Tork is struggling with a .587 OPS, but his 23.9% whiff% is above average, his 89 MPH EV is above average, his .319 xwOBA is above average and his 10.4% BB% is above average. Whatever you do, don’t give up on him.

Brandon Woodruff MIL, RHP, 28.5 – 6 IP, 6 hits, 0 ER, 8/0 K/BB vs. PIT. The stuff looks great. My dad has had Reynaud’s Syndrome basically my entire life, and while he would be in full arctic tundra gear when watching some of my baseball games, he would still kick my ass in stickball with a 4 pitch mix and pinpoint control. If Woodruff’s anything like my pops, he’ll figure it out.

Max Meyer MIA, RHP, 22.4 – Meyer hit the IL after two terrible starts in mid May, but he’s back to dominating since returning in mid June. He went 6 IP with 2 hits, 0 ER, and a 5/0 K/BB at Triple-A yesterday and now has a 1.62 ERA with an 18/1 K/BB in his last 16.2 IP. He could get the call at any moment.

Emerson Hancock SEA, RHP, 23.1 – 5.2 IP, 3 hits, 0 ER, 6/2 K/BB at Double-A. Hancock gets forgotten about, but he has plus control (7% BB%) of an MLB quality 4 pitch mix. He also understands the art of pitching. If he can stay healthy, I would be pretty surprised if he doesn’t end up a damn good MLB starter.

Vaughn Grissom ATL, SS, 21.6 – 3 for 4 with a double and a homer that he launched over the Green(ville) Monster. Grissom’s power is taking a big jump this year with 12 homers in 68 games at High-A and it hasn’t impacted his elite contact numbers at all (12% K%). He walks and has speed too. He’s easily entering Top 50 prospect status at the least.

James Triantos CHC, 3B, 19.5 – Triantos homered for the 3rd straight game, and this one left no doubt about his future power potential as he crushed it out to centerfield. It also happened to be some of the best camera work I’ve ever seen on a homer, following the ball perfectly against the backdrop of the clear black sky. The hit tool has been as advertised with a .280 BA and 17.5% K% in 66 games at Single-A, and now he has a decent 5 homers on the year.

Eguy Rosario SDP, 2B/3B, 22.10 – First there was Esports, and now there are Eguys. When will it end? Like Esports, Eguy is taking over, going 3 for 3 with 2 homers and a steal yesterday, and now has 13 homers, 13 steals, and a 21.8%/11.2% K%/BB% in 72 games at Triple-A. He also made one of the best catches I’ve ever seen. Eguys are just built different I guess.

Jordan Lawlar ARI, SS, 19.11 – 3 for 5 with a double and a homer at Single-A. He’s managed to get even better since returning from the IL, slashing .396/.476/.642 with 1 homer, 5 steals, and a 20.6%/12.7% K%/BB% in 14 games. He’s an elite prospect.

Andy Pages LAD, OF, 20.7 – The power explosion was inevitable, and it arrived in full force once the calendar hit June. He went 2 for 4 with a homer yesterday and has now hit 9 homers in his last 27 games at Double-A. His profile is pretty locked in as a low average, high walk slugger.

Shane Baz TBR, RHP, 23.1 – 6 IP, 7 hits, 1 ER, 7/2 K/BB vs. TOR. The fastball averaged 95.9 MPH and put up a 79.7 MPH EV on the pitch, while his slider and curve racked up whiffs with a 45% and 40% whiff%. It’s pretty clear he is healthy and on a beeline to become one of the best pitchers in baseball.

MacKenzie Gore SD, LHP, 22.4 – The walk problems are back as Gore walked 4 batters in 5.2 IP yesterday and has now walked 3 or more in his last 6 starts. It’s well beyond just a couple game blip at this point. You have to expect some growing pains, so I would stay patient, but it’s definitely a little concerning.

Bobby Miller LAD, RHP, 22.3 – Miller had his best start of the year, going 6 IP with 2 hits, 0 ER, and a 10/3 K/BB at Double-A. His season was starting to look pretty mediocre, so he desperately needed a start like this. The stuff is huge and is most certainly MLB quality, so while he might not be an ace, he should be able to get the job done in whatever role LA deploys him in.

Gavin Williams CLE, RHP, 22.11 – 6.2 IP, 4 hits, 0 ER, 6/0 K/BB at Double-A. The upper minors has been no issue for Williams with a pitching line of 1.69/1.13/19/8 in 16 IP. The fastball is his best pitch and it might legitimately be an elite pitch. His secondaries aren’t too shabby either. He’s trending towards being a #2 fantasy starter.

Jeremy Pena HOU, SS, 23.9 – Pena looked a little rusty after coming off the IL with a thumb injury and also after his collision with Alvarez, going 4 for 23 with a 10/0 K/BB in 5 games, but he found his rhythm yesterday going 4 for 5 with 2 homers. The only weakness to his game has been his walk rate with only a 5.1% BB%, and he didn’t walk that much in any league above Single-A, but I still couldn’t rank him any lower 67th overall on my OBP Top 447 Mid-Season Dynasty Baseball Rankings considering how exciting his debut has been.

Julio Rodriguez SEA, OF, 20.6 – 2 for 3 and he obliterated the ball in every at bat with a 112.4 MPH double, 110.6 MPH groundout, and 106.9 MPH homer. I’m almost at the point where it isn’t even worth mentioning him in these rundowns because he’s so locked into elite status.

Cavan Biggio TOR, 2B, 26.0 – Biggio is quietly getting his career back on track, ripping 2 line drive singles in 4 AB at 98.8 MPH and 95.4 MPH. He now has a career high .365 xwOBA and 13% Barrel%. The homer and steal numbers are still subdued with 2 homers and 1 steal in 104 AB, but he’s back to being an OBP beast and is getting near full time at bats in a stacked lineup.

Tyler Wells BAL, RHP, 27.7 – 6 IP, 3 hits, 1 ER, 7/1 K/BB vs. MIN. Wells had no trouble getting whiffs in this one with a 34% whiff% (22.2% on the season). He’s been thriving on weak contact with an 87.6 MPH EV against, but the lack of K’s has made me hesitant to buy in. Doing this against Minnesota’s tough lineup just evaporated a lot of that doubt.

Max Muncy OAK, SS, 19.9 – 1 for 4 with a homer. Muncy swings one of the quickest bats in the minors and it’s resulted in 15 homers in 70 games at Single-A. The 29.7% K% is high, but it’s been better of late with a 24.8%/17.9% K%/BB% in his last 25 games. He’s easily trending towards being a top 100 prospect if he’s not there already.

Jeferson Quero MIL, C, 19.9 – 2 for 4 with a homer at Single-A. Jeferson’s season got off to a slow start with a .665 OPS in April and .587 OPS in May, but he’s exploded in his last 23 games, slashing .333/.426/.556 with 5 homers, 6 steals, and a 12.8%/11.7% K%/BB%. He’s firmly back on track to be one of the top catcher prospects in the game by this time next year.

Endy Rodriguez PIT, C, 22.1 – 2 for 4 with a homer. Rodriguez is putting in Yeoman’s work at High-A with a 122 wRC+. He doesn’t have huge power with 8 homers in 65 games, and his hit tool took a step back against more advanced competition with a career worst 24.2% K%. I think he can be a solid hitting catcher, but I don’t think he is going to be a major fantasy difference maker.

Xavier Edwards TB, 2B/3B, 22.11 – I admittedly have no idea what to think of Edwards. His power is ticking up this year as he drilled his 4th homer in 29 games at Triple-A, and the elite contact rates are still there with a 13.5%/9.5% K%/BB%, but he’s struggled mightily on the bases with 1 steal in 5 attempts. He had 19 steals in 31 attempts last year, so this isn’t a one year blip. I’m personally struggling to buy in, but I get if you’re higher on him than I am.

Bubba Thompson TEX, OF, 24.1 – 2 for 3 with a homer and 0/2 K/BB. Bubba is another one I’m torn on. He was a favorite of mine coming out of his draft year, and his mouth watering talent is self evident with 10 homers and 37 steals in 60 games at Triple-A. The plate approach is rough with a 26.7%/5% K%/BB%, but it’s been better of late with a 23.1%/11.5% K%/BB% in his last 22 games. The improved BB% definitely has me a little excited as he could be setting up to be a late career breakout type.

Jonatan Clase SEA, OF, 20.1/Luis Rodriguez LAD, OF, 19.10 – Clase and Rodriguez both collected 2 hits with a homer yesterday for their 7th homers of the year, and are both prospects I like a lot, but they each have a 31.6% K% which is preventing me from really getting excited for them. I like Clase more between the two because he’s a speedster with 25 steals, so if he can get the K’s in check, his fantasy stock could soar.

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