Opening Day is literally right around the corner, and that means it’s time to start releasing some of my rankings on the Brick Wall. We start with the Top 132 2024 FYPD Rankings, which has been on the Patreon since January 3rd (there is an accompanying FYPD Target and Strategy Guide up on the Patreon as well). The Top 582 2024 Prospects Rankings will drop on Thursday, and the Top 1,145 2024 Dynasty Baseball Rankings will drop next Monday. Without further ado, here is the Top 132 2024 Dynasty Baseball First Year Player Draft Rankings:

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1) Wyatt Langford TEX, OF, 22.5 – I know that taking the ready made ace in Yamamoto is extremely enticing, but there is no better asset in dynasty baseball than the young, impact all category beast, and Langford has a very good chance to become that. Building your team around a young pitcher is so much more risky. Just look at Ohtani who already had 2 major elbow surgeries that will knock out 3 of his 7 MLB seasons, but he’s been able to hit like a beast through it all. Unlike Ohtani, Yamamoto doesn’t hit. Langford was selected 4th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft on the back of elite production in the SEC, slashing .373/.498/.784 with 21 homers, 9 steals, and a 44/56 K/BB in 64 games. He clearly separated himself from Dylan Crews in his pro debut, slashing .360/.480/.677 with 10 homers, 12 steals, and a 17.0%/18.0% K%/BB% in 44 games, and he was equally as dominant in the upper minors as he was the lower minors. He’s the total package. I have Chourio, Holliday, and Langford in a tier of their own atop my Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings. The only reason Langford is 3rd is because Chourio/Holliday have a longer professional track record and more impressive age to level production. But his power, speed, hit tool, plate approach, and production can rival anyone’s, and if you wanted to rank him 1st overall on prospects rankings, I wouldn’t argue with you. 2024 Projection: 81/26/77/.262/.338/.479/16 Prime Projection: 103/34/109/.277/.364/.535/20

2) Yoshinobu Yamamoto LAD, RHP, 25.7 – The Dodgers made Yamamoto the highest paid pitcher in history with a 12 year, $325 million contract (plus a $50 million posting fee). That is really all you need to know. He’s expected to be a true ace right from the get go, and signing with the best developmental team in the game also takes a lot of the risk out of his transition to a new ball, new country, new league etc … He’s been a true ace in Japan for years now, and that continued this year with a pitching line of 1.16/0.86/176/28 in 171 IP. He pitched 193 innings in both 2021 and 2022, so there also isn’t any concern of how many innings he can pitch. The fastball sits mid 90’s and regularly hits the upper 90’s. A nasty splitter is his most used secondary, and he also throws a very good curve, 2-seamer, and cutter. He has elite command over all of his pitches, and he has an unique, oddly athletic delivery which he varies constantly to mess with hitters timing. He’s a straight up nightmare to face, and looks like a ready made ace. 2024 Projection: 12/3.42/1.11/173 in 160 IP

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

12) Leodalis De Vries SDP, SS, 17.6 – Last year in the Felnin Celesten blurb, I wrote, “Considering the last couple international classes haven’t really popped, Celesten could come at a very reasonable price in 2023 First Year Player Drafts. This could be the year to dive back into this market.” … obviously Celesten didn’t have the opportunity to pop, but I nailed my observation that 2023 was the year to jump back into the international player pool market with Ethan Salas and Sebastian Walcott exploding (along with Joendry Vargas and others). But now that we are coming off that international prospect explosion, prices are going to be much higher this year. And that starts with the top player in the 2024 international class, Leodalis De Vries. He has almost everything you look for in a potentially elite prospect. He’s a switch hitter at projectable 6’2”, 175 pounds with an extremely quick, loose, and athletic swing. He’s known for his mature plate approach and good feel to hit, and there is certainly plus power potential in here at peak. He’s also an excellent athlete with above average speed. The plate skills give him as high of a floor as you can get for a 17 year old international prospect, and the upside is considerable as well. International prospects are definitely the most mysterious and risky class of prospect to shop in, but when they hit, they hit in a huge way. De Vries is worth taking on the risk, an if you want the pure upside, I can seeing ranking him with Emerson and Clark. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 89/24/86/.276/.352/.462/18

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

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

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

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

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

18) Kyle Teel BOS, C, 22.1 – Selected 14th overall, Teel is a better real life prospect than fantasy prospect like most prospect catchers. He has a hit over power profile, slashing .407/.475/.655 with 13 homers, 5 steals, and a 36/32 K/BB in 65 ACC games. He backed up that profile in pro ball, slashing .363/.483/.495 with 2 homers, 3 steals, and a 19.3%/18.4% K%/BB% in 26 games split between 3 levels (rookie, High-A, Double-A). He’s a good athlete, so he could nab a few bases which is nice for a catcher, and he immediately becomes Boston’s best catcher prospect, so he could move relatively fast through the system. Fenway is a great hitter’s park too which should help his profile play up. If you’re not looking for safe proximity, I would drop Schanuel and Teel lower in the rankings, so your team, league, and strategy is a major factor in this area. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 76/16/71/.281/.352/.433/8

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

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

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

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

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

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

25) Walker Martin SFG, SS, 20.1 – Selected 52nd overall, Martin only slipped that far because of signing bonus demands, and he has the talent to back up his demands. He’s a pretty solid 6’2”, 188 pounds with room to add more muscle. He was also a star quarterback in high school to give you an idea of the type of all around athleticism we are talking here. He has plus power potential at peak with above average speed and a good feel to hit from a smooth lefty swing. He checks a ton of boxes. He’s not a completely finished product, and the biggest red flag might be that he will be 20 years old already on Opening Day 2024, which is a year older for his class. 19 year old high school kids aren’t my favorite group to buy from, but every player has to be evaluated on his own merits, and Martin has the type of skills and upside to overlook the age. He’s the Colson Montgomery of this year’s draft. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 78/25/83/.266/.337/.467/14

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

27) Paulino Santana TEX, OF, 17.5 – Santana is the top international OF prospect, and when you watch his swing, you get it immediately. He has a blink of an eye righty swing that is absolutely electric. He combines that with a supremely athletic and projectable 6’2”, 180 pound frame. He has at least plus potential across the board. Texas just did a masterful job on the getting the hype machine overflowing with Sebastian Walcott (Santana isn’t as athletic as the truly insanely athletic Walcott), and they’re about to do the same with Santana. He’s the type of talent to stick your neck out for in first year player drafts. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 91/24/88/.270/.340/.477/23

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

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

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

31) Jonny Farmelo SEA, OF, 19.7 – Selected 29th overall, the lefty Farmelo is 6’2”, 200 pounds with double plus speed, a good feel to hit and below average power. He’s already pretty built up, and while there is clearly still room for more muscle at only 19 years old, his swing is geared more towards line drives. That’s not necessarily a bad thing as he’s a true speedster, and he knows how to get the bat on the ball. He has a very nice blend of safety and ceiling. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 79/16/68/.266/.329/.427/23

32) Thomas White MIA, LHP, 19.6 – Selected 35th overall, White is a big lefty with big stuff who is really easy to dream on. He’s 6’5”, 210 pounds with a mid 90’s fastball and two potentially plus secondaries in his curve and change that he fires from an almost sidearm lefty delivery. The delivery is very easy and repeatable. He doesn’t have pinpoint command, and he walked 6 batters in his 4.1 IP pro debut, so it’s possible control will be an issue early in his career. He has legitimate top of the rotation upside, but he obviously still has a lot to prove. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 12/3.66/1.24/190 in 170 IP

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

34) Enrique Bradfield BAL, OF, 22.4 –  If Willie Mays Hayes were a real person, he would be Enrique Bradfield. Selected 17th overall, Bradfield is an absolute terror on the bases with 37 steals in 62 games at Vandy. He then literally stole a base a game in pro ball with 25 steals in 25 games at mostly Single-A. He has a legit shot of stealing over 50 bags with the new rules, and can maybe even approach Esteury Ruiz levels, but like Ruiz, the other parts of his hitting profile leave something to be desired. He has well below average power and the hit tool really isn’t that great either. He had a .279 BA this year in college and he hit 0 homers in his pro debut with the wood bats (he also had 0 homers in 11 games in the wood bat Cape League in 2022). He’s purely a speed play, but that speed can carry your fantasy team. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 77/8/49/.263/.331/.378/41

35) Chase Davis STL, OF, 22.4 – Selected 21st overall, Davis went full Jacob Berry on us in his pro debut, and we saw Berry go from bad to worse in 2023. Davis’ pro debut was actually even worse than Berry’s with 0 homers, a 26% K% and .212 BA in 36 games at Single-A. It was good for a below average 91 wRC+ (Berry had a 118 wRC+). The most concerning thing was the lack of power with an 84.9 MPH EV. He also struggled to hit for power in the wood bat Cape Cod League in 2022 with 0 homers and a .629 OPS in 15 games. Those are scary numbers for a guy you are drafting for basically only his power. If you don’t want to put so much weight on the pro debut, Davis had a damn exciting junior year that got everyone excited going into the draft. He was a lefty power hitting beast who is a smooth operator in the box. I can honestly watch him crush homers all day. He cracked 21 homers in 57 Pac12 games this year. He’s not a particularly huge guy at 6’1”, but he’s a muscled up 216 pounds and the EV’s were legit in college. The swing is also very athletic, and he improved his hit tool this year (.362 BA with a 40/43 K/BB) after struggling with swing and miss in the past, but the struggles in pro ball show he still has a long way to go there too. I understand if you want to put more weight on the larger sample college production, but that would have been a mistake with Jacob Berry, and Davis seems to be headed down that same path. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 72/22/78/.242/.321/.437/7

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

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

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

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

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

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

42) Emil Morales LAD, SS, 17.6 – When taking a shot on raw international prospects, the team they sign with is a big deal. There is so much development that is needed, and I trust the teams with a long track record of development successes. All of that to say, the Dodgers signing Morales give him a bump in my book. And even without the Dodgers, his physicality in the box stands out immediately. He is a grown man at 6’3”, 180 pounds with a big righty swing that can punish a baseball. He combines that with a mature plate approach and a good feel to hit. It certainly looks like he can be a middle of the order beast, and he has the right team to get it out of him. He’s a definite target. ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 86/28/91/.263/.346/.488/7

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

60) Yuki Matsui SDP, Closer Committee, 28.5 – Matsui has been one of the top closers in Japan for years, and he signed with a team (5 years, $28 million) who has an opening at closer. Robert Suarez might be the favorite for the job at the moment, and the recently signed Woo Suk Go will also be in the mix, so you can’t draft Matsui expecting him to win it, but he could easily end up the guy. He’s coming off an excellent season in 2023 with a pitching line of 1.57/0.89/72/13 in 57.1 IP. He doesn’t really have prototypical closer stuff with a low to mid 90’s fastball, but he has a plus splitter which gets whiffs and a good slider as well. Without the huge fastball, I wouldn’t expect an elite closer even if he wins the job, but he’s worth taking a shot on in deeper leagues and/or leagues where you are desperate for saves. 2024 Projection: 4/3.45/1.15/69/15 saves in 60 IP

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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By Michael Halpern (@MichaelCHalpern)
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