Posted on by Michael Halpern

2016 End of Season Top 30 Fantasy Baseball Prospect Rankings: 1-10

Top 100 season is not until early February, but nobody said anything about doing a top 30. Without further ado, here are the 2016 End of Season Top 30 Fantasy Baseball Prospect Rankings: 1-10:

1) Yoan Moncada BOS, 3B/2B – Struggled with contact in his first 20 MLB PA (60% K rate!), but has unmatched 5-category upside. Prime Projection: 108/22/85/.275/.362/.479/27
ETA: Will likely compete for 3B job in Spring Training. Worst case scenario he is the next man up at Triple-A.

2) Andrew Benintendi BOS, OF – Not gonna lie, it hurts a little bit as a Yankees fan that the top two players on this list are both Red Sox. Only silver lining is that I’m really happy Boston fired the guy who built this Red Sox team and farm system. Prime Projection: 93/21/97/.300/.367/.477/11
ETA: Three months ago

3) Brendan Rodgers COL, SS/2B – Power showed up this year with 19 homers in 110 games at Single-A. OPS was much higher at home than on the road (.978 vs. .682) but I just call that good ole’ fashioned practice for Coors Field. Prime Projection: 89/27/103/.281/.338/.495/7
ETA: Cup of coffee in 2018. DJ LaMahieu will be a free agent after the 2018 season, so Rodgers looks to have a wide open spot in 2019, either at 2B, or at SS with Trevor Story moving to 2nd.

4) Alex Reyes STL, RHP – Averaged 96.8 MPH on his fastball in his MLB debut, to go along with a plus curveball and an 88 MPH changeup that looks more like a normal pitcher’s two seam fastball. If you watched his Futures Game performance, you realized this was a man against boys. Prime Projection: 3.18/1.18/237 in 204 IP
ETA: Will compete for a starting job in Spring Training, but St. Louis hasn’t been afraid to use their top pitching prospects in relief during their rookie season.

5) Lucas Giolito WASH, RHP – If you’ve waited this long for Giolito, you are not about to give up now. He had an up and down year in the minors and got hit around in the majors, but the plus fastball/curveball combo is still intact. Prime Projection: 3.25/1.15/217 in 209 IP
ETA: Washington has good rotation depth, so he will likely start the season in Triple-A before the inevitable injuries/ineffectiveness opens a rotation spot for him.

6) Tyler Glasnow PIT, RHP – Glasnow and Giolito are basically tied for me, but gave the edge to Giolito because Glasnow’s 5.2 BB/9 is one huge red flag. His stuff is unhittable, so once he learns to repeat his delivery and improve his command, the sky is the limit. Prime Projection: 3.15/1.19/222 in 200 IP
ETA: Will depend on free agent signings, but the door is wide open for him to win a rotation spot out of Spring Training.

7) Dansby Swanson ATL, SS – Safe 5-category production from the SS position. Was one at-bat short of losing rookie eligibility, slashing .302/.361/.442 with 3 homers and 3 steals in 129 MLB at-bats. Prime Projection: 89/18/83/.282/.346/.458/16
ETA: 10 weeks ago

8) Austin Meadows PIT, OF – Working through an orbital bone fracture in the beginning of the season and hamstring injury mid-year, Meadows still managed to significantly up his power output and slash a respectable .266/.333/.536 with 12 homers and 17 steals in 87 games split between Double-A and Triple-A. Andrew McCutchen is the only thing between him and a starting job. Prime Projection: 96/20/86/.293/.351/.470/14
ETA: In a classic prospect blocked situation. It will take a trade, injury, or NL DH to get him in the lineup.

9) Victor Robles WASH, OF – The 19-year-old Robles slowed down a bit at High-A after dominating Single-A, but he still flashed 5-category upside that only Moncada can top right now. Prime Projection: 96/16/77/.289/.339/.449/30
ETA: Type of prospect that can be up in a hurry. Wouldn’t be surprised if he was starting sometime in 2018.

10) A.J. Reed HOU, 1B – Rough MLB debut was a major bummer (.532 OPS), but if it’s any consolation, he did rake in the PCL (.924 OPS). I’m still fully on board with him becoming a big time power hitter, it just might not happen as quickly as I originally hoped. Prime Projection: 79/30/100/.269/.351/.499/1
ETA: Will have to earn playing time with a Houston franchise that is stacked with talented hitters. Has ability to carve out an everyday role vs. righties in 2017, but may struggle to find at-bats vs. lefties. Should have an everyday 1B/DH job available in 2018 if he performs.

11-20: End of Season Top 30 Fantasy Baseball Prospect Rankings
21-35: End of Season Top 30 Fantasy Baseball Prospect Rankings

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

Posted on by Michael Halpern

2016/17 Complete Top 40 Dynasty League First-Year Player Draft Rankings

The MLB regular season may be over, but that means Dynasty Leagues are just starting to ramp back up. Leading up to Saturday’s special edition of the Razzball Prospect Podcast: First-Year Player Mock Draft, I ranked the top draft picks and international free agents who signed with pro teams this season (make sure to also check out Ralph Lifshitz’ Top 30 over at Razzball). Here are the 2016/17 Complete Top 40 Dynasty League First-Year Player Draft Rankings:

*All projections are now juiced, like the balls

1) Nick Senzel CIN, 3B – I ranked Senzel 5th in my Top 30 MLB Draft Rankings, but his impressive pro debut (.305/.398/.514), combined with Kyle Lewis’ knee injury, Corey Ray’s struggles in High-A, and Will Craig’s mediocre power output, has undoubtedly vaulted him to the top spot. Prime Projection: 90/20/90/.286/.354/.469/14

2) Zack Collins CHW, C – The 10th overall pick in the draft, Collins responded to his aggressive High-A assignment, slashing .258/.418/.467 with 6 homers and a 39/33 K/BB in 36 games. Chicago is also the type of organization to stick with him behind the plate, despite his questionable catcher defense. Prime Projection: 78/26/87/.264/.364/.485/2

3) Kyle Lewis SEA, OF – Would have ranked #1 overall if not for the devastating knee injury, but I’ll bet on modern medicine and not drop him too far. He has been updating his rehab progress on Twitter. Prime Projection: 83/24/87/.278/.350/.491/8

4) Corey Ray MIL, OF – Unlike Collins, Ray struggled at High-A, slashing .247/.307/.385. He still flashed his enticing power/speed combo, but the struggles just exacerbate the questions that surrounded his hit tool coming into the draft. Prime Projection: 86/16/71/.261/.328/.441/22

5) Will Craig PIT, 1B/3B – The power didn’t show up, with only 2 homers 63 games at Low-A, but his .412 OBP and 37/41 K/BB proves he is one of the most advanced hitters in the draft. Prime Projection: 80/22/90/.284/.359/.480/3

6) Kevin Maitan ATL, SS – Pure projection and scouting reports. Highest upside in the rankings, but he is 16 years old … seriously, he was born in the year 2000. Prime Projection: 90/27/100/.285/.345/.510/6

7) A.J. Puk OAK, LHP – More projection than you would like for a college starter, but he is a big, hard throwing lefty who put up a pitching line of 3.03/1.07/40 in 32.2 IP at Low-A. Prime Projection: 3.51/1.26/195 in 185 IP

8) Mickey Moniak PHI, OF – Not the most exciting fantasy prospect, but has a plus hit tool, speed, and pumped up trade value being the #1 overall pick in the draft. Prime Projection: 89/12/63/.290/.357/.420/19

9) Ian Anderson ATL, RHP – 2.04/1.13/36 in 39.2 IP in rookie ball debut. Has an advanced 3 pitch mix for his age, and will be in a great pitching situation in Atlanta and the NL East. Prime Projection: 3.39/1.16/184 in 190 IP

10) Jason Groome BOS, LHP – 6’6’’, 220-pound lefty with a devastating curveball. Drafted 12th overall but had the talent to be the top overall pick in the draft. Unlike Anderson, will be facing adverse pitching conditions in Fenway and the AL East. Prime Projection: 3.44/1.20/197 in 195 IP

11) Matt Thaiss LAA, C/1B – Safe, fast moving college bat, but don’t expect him to light the world on fire. (Side note: Ralph and I have been butchering his name on the podcast for weeks now. It is pronounced “Thighz.” Check out this Youtube video for the correct pronunciation of his name, and also to see the extremely wide batting stance he employs.) Prime Projection: 78/20/84/.278/.344/.453/4

12) Cal Quantrill SD, RHP – Reports have been positive in the early going coming back from Tommy John surgery. Still some unknowns after basically not pitching since his freshman year of college, but has the upside to be the top pitcher on this list. Prime Projection: 3.50/1.22/180 in 180 IP

13) Heath Quinn SFG, OF – One of my favorite sleepers coming into the MLB Draft (ranked 14th overall), and he remains so after dominating in Low-A to kick off his professional career (.344/.434/.564). Getting drafted into AT&T Park is not the best situation, but as long as the balls don’t suddenly unjuice faster than Barry Bonds in retirement, he should be aight. Prime Projection: 79/23/87/.263/.339/.471/6

14) Bobby Dalbec BOS, 3B – Had the potential to be a first-round pick coming into the season, but a disastrous junior year turned him into a draft day sleeper. Boston scooped him in the 4th round, and after utterly destroying Low-A in 34 games (.386/.427/.674), it has to catapult him up the fantasy baseball rankings. Expect lots of power and strikeouts. Prime Projection: 76/23/85/.250/.322/.463/6

15) Bryan Reynolds SFG, OF – There seems to be about 4-5 MLB teams that are so far and away superior at the draft process that it makes the rest of the league look like they are stuck in the stone age. San Francisco is one of those teams, and they managed to snag one of the best college players in the country in the 2nd round. Expect Reynolds to do a little bit of everything, but not standout in any one category. Prime Projection: 83/18/77/.265/.340/.449/13

16) Taylor Trammell CIN, OF – Another one of my favorite prospects coming into the draft (13th overall), the raw Trammell didn’t look all that raw in his pro debut, slashing .303/.374/.421 with 2 homers and 24 steals in 61 games. An All-American running back in high school, he has speed and athleticism up the wazoo, to go along with excellent bat speed and the potential to hit for both average and power. Prime Projection: 88/14/74/.273/.340/.434/26

17) Eric Lauer SD, LHP – 0.69/0.74/125 in 104 IP in the MAC this year, a middling D1 conference, and looked strong in his pro debut as well, putting up a line of 2.03/1.07/37 in 31 IP. He remains possibly the safest starter on this list. Prime Projection: 3.47/1.23/175 in 190 IP

18) Dakota Hudson STL, RHP – Big, strong righty with electric stuff. Control and command still needs work, but if any organization is going to get the best out of him, it is St. Louis. Prime Projection: 3.59/1.27/186 in 190 IP

19) Adrian Morejon SD, LHP – The top international pitcher on the list, and can easily end up the best pitcher on the list too. Doesn’t have the huge fastball (low 90’s) or huge size (6’1’’), but has tremendous polish for his age. Only reason he is this far down is because he is a year younger than even the high schoolers taken in the draft, and there are just more unknowns here in general. Prime Projection: 3.43/1.19/190 in 188 IP

20) Peter Alonso NYM, 1B – Was one of the best hitters in one of the best conferences in college baseball this season, slashing .374/.469/.659 with 14 homers and a 31/31 K/BB in 58 games in the SEC. He didn’t miss a beat once reaching pro ball, either, slashing .321/.388/.587 with 5 homers and a 22/11 K/BB in 30 games at Low-A. I might actually be too low on him here, but he is a 1B only and Citi Field is not exactly a power hitter’s haven. Prime Projection: 75/21/84/.271/.333/.465/2

21) Jorge Ona SD, OF – 19-year-old Cuban outfielder who signed for $7 million with San Diego. He is 6’2’’, 200 pounds with plus bat speed and raw power. He also dominated in the 2014 U18 Pam American Championship. There is risk due to the fact he just hasn’t played that much in the past year, but the upside is massive for fantasy. Prime Projection: 83/25/92/.260/.330/.500/5

22) Blake Rutherford NYY, OF – The 19-year-old Rutherford was ripping up Rookie ball (albeit with an over 20% K rate) before a hamstring injury ended his season. He doesn’t currently possess huge power or speed, but he can do a little bit of everything, and there is potential for more power down the line. Prime Projection: 80/18/80/.276/.332/.451/11

23) Alex Kirilloff MIN, OF – Known for his raw power coming into the draft, Kirilloff didn’t disappoint, knocking out 7 homers with solid contact numbers (32/11 K/BB) in 55 games at Rookie ball. He doesn’t have the quickest swing and he still needs to refine his plate approach, but there is a lot to like. Prime Projection: 77/22/87/.270/.329/.462/7

24) Braxton Garrett MIA, LHP – The 7th overall pick in the draft, Garrett throws an advanced curveball to go along with a low 90’s heater and developing changeup. He got drafted into a great situation for young pitchers in Miami, and is actually relatively safe as far as high school pitchers go. Prime Projection: 3.40/1.17/180 in 190 IP

25) Matt Manning DET, RHP – Basically the complete opposite of Garrett. Manning throws a fastball that can approach 100 MPH, but has an inconsistent curve and a changeup in the very early stages of development. His 46/7 K/BB in 29.1 IP in Rookie ball shows his limitless upside, but he is still very raw. Prime Projection: 3.72/1.29/198 in 187 IP

26) Justin Dunn NYM, RHP – Dunn is a recently converted reliever who throws an electric fastball/slider combo. Limited experience as a starter and slight build (6’1’’, 170 pounds) prevents me from ranking him higher, but the Mets have done an excellent job with developing starters in recent years (especially if you ignore the whole injury thing). Prime Projection: 3.61/1.24/173 in 180 IP

27) Anfernee Grier ARI, OF – I ranked Grier 10th in my pre-draft rankings, but his lackluster pro debut (.236/.277/.337) has him dropping. I love the power/speed combo, and am far from jumping off the bandwagon, but other guys have just passed him at this point. I would still target Grier in drafts, and you should be able to get him at great value now. Prime Projection: 79/16/72/.260/.316/.432/18

28) Chris Okey CIN, C – Okey was another one of my favorite pre-draft sleepers (ranked 19th overall), and he had a solid, if unspectacular pro debut, slashing .243/.323/.432 with 6 homers and a 49/14 K/BB in 42 games at Single-A. He also gets a bump for being a sure bet to stick at catcher. Prime Projection: 72/20/78/.258/.319/.447/4

29) Lucas Erceg MIL, 3B – Was a bit of a mystery coming into the draft because after a strong sophomore season in the PAC-12, he was forced to transfer to the less competitive Menlo College for academic reasons. But a strong pro debut, where he slashed .281/.328/.497 with 7 homers in 42 games at Single-A, has allayed some of those concerns. Erceg is your classic power hitting corner infielder. Prime Projection: 72/20/83/.262/.309/.449/7

30) William Benson CLE, OF – His Rookie ball numbers say it all, where he slashed .209/.321/.424, with 6 homers, 10 steals, and a 66/22 K/BB in 44 games. High risk, high reward. Prime Projection: 81/27/90/.241/.323/.473/10

31) Luis Almanzar SD, SS – The 16-year-old Almanzar signed with San Diego for $4 million. He is your classic toolsy SS who always makes bank during the international signing period, and they probably deserve to get paid even more. All projection and a long way off, but his upside can rival anybody’s. Prime Projection: 87/20/87/.285/.345/.480/10

32) Lazaro Armenteros OAK, OF – The 17-year-old Armenteros signed with Oakland for $3 million. He has dominated in international competitions and has oodles of raw talent. Prime Projection: 80/23/90/.270/.330/.480/18

33) Delvin Perez STL, SS – Almost a sure bet to stick at SS (but not sure how much a bump we should be giving SS in fantasy anymore) and a great real life prospect, but he is still very raw with the bat. He has plus speed and the talent to figure it out at the plate, so the potential to be an impact fantasy hitter is still there. Prime Projection: 84/10/66/.269/.309/.379/24

34) Jordan Sheffield LAD, RHP – Electric stuff with a mid-90’s fastball, but there is size, injury, and bullpen risk here. Prime Projection: 3.68/1.26/170 in 178 IP

35) Joey Wentz ATL, LHP – An uber-talented lefty who throws a low 90’s fastball with an already solid curveball and changeup. Has an athletic, repeatable delivery, and his potential is probably about equal to any pitcher on this list. Prime Projection: 3.56/1.18/191 in 186 IP

36) Forrest Whitley HOU, RHP – 6’7’’, 240-pound beast who has workhorse starter written all over him. Not much projection left, but he already throws a mid-90’s heater and power curveball. Prime Projection: 3.55/1.24/183 in 200 IP

37) Josh Lowe TB, 3B/OF – Showed the power is for real, blasting 5 homers in 54 Rookie ball games, but his .249 AVG and 59 K’s shows there is plenty of improvement left to go. Prime Projection: 83/23/87/.269/.345/.469/9

38) Victor Garcia STL, OF – Might have the most raw power and bat speed of anybody on this entire list, but still very raw. I wrote about him way back in my Week 12 Fantasy Prospect Rundown as one of my favorite international signing period sleepers. Prime Projection: 77/29/93/.250/.315/.490/2

39) Nolan Jones CLE, SS/3B – Mediocre Rookie ball debut, slashing .257/.388/.339 with 0 homers and a 49/23 K/BB in 32 games, but the potential remains the same. Prime Projection: 82/21/85/.267/.348/.460/8

40) Ronnie Dawson HOU, OF– A great power/speed draft sleeper who displayed those same skills upon reaching pro ball (7 homers and 12 steals in 70 games at Low-A), but didn’t do anything to answer the questions about his hit tool (.225 AVG). Prime Projection: 78/15/73/.249/.322/.425/16

*Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Unsigned, SS/OF – Unranked because he hasn’t signed with a Major League team yet. He is a toolsy, but still raw 22-year-old who would probably slot in around the 30-ish range. Prime Projection: 82/18/77/.275/.335/.440/13

You can check out my Top 30 MLB Draft Rankings for more in depth information and scouting reports on most of these players.

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

Posted on by Michael Halpern

2016/17 Top 40 Dynasty League First-Year Player Draft Rankings: 31-40

The MLB regular season may be over, but that means Dynasty Leagues are just starting to ramp back up. Leading up to Friday’s special edition of the Razzball Prospect Podcast: First-Year Player Mock Draft, I will be ranking the top draft picks and international free agents who signed with pro teams this season (make sure to also check out Ralph Lifshitz’ Top 30 over at Razzball). Here are the 2016/17 Top 40 Dynasty League First-Year Player Draft Rankings: 31-40:

1-10 – 2016/17 Dynasty League First-Year Player Draft Rankings
11-20 – 2016/17 Dynasty League First-Year Player Draft Rankings
21-30 – 2016/17 Dynasty League First-Year Player Draft Rankings

*All projections are now juiced, like the balls

31) Luis Almanzar SD, SS – The 16-year-old Almanzar signed with San Diego for $4 million. He is your classic toolsy SS who always makes bank during the international signing period, and they probably deserve to get paid even more. All projection and a long way off, but his upside can rival anybody’s. Prime Projection: 87/20/87/.285/.345/.480/10

32) Lazaro Armenteros OAK, OF – The 17-year-old Armenteros signed with Oakland for $3 million. He has dominated in international competitions and has oodles of raw talent. Prime Projection: 80/23/90/.270/.330/.480/18

33) Delvin Perez STL, SS – Almost a sure bet to stick at SS (but not sure how much a bump we should be giving SS in fantasy anymore) and a great real life prospect, but he is still very raw with the bat. He has plus speed and the talent to figure it out at the plate, so the potential to be an impact fantasy hitter is still there. Prime Projection: 84/10/66/.269/.309/.379/24

34) Jordan Sheffield LAD, RHP – Electric stuff with a mid-90’s fastball, but there is size, injury, and bullpen risk here. Prime Projection: 3.68/1.26/170 in 178 IP

35) Joey Wentz ATL, LHP – An uber-talented lefty who throws a low 90’s fastball with an already solid curveball and changeup. Has an athletic, repeatable delivery, and his potential is probably about equal to any pitcher on this list. Prime Projection: 3.56/1.18/191 in 186 IP

36) Forrest Whitley HOU, RHP – 6’7’’, 240-pound beast who has workhorse starter written all over him. Not much projection left, but he already throws a mid-90’s heater and power curveball. Prime Projection: 3.55/1.24/183 in 200 IP

37) Josh Lowe TB, 3B/OF – Showed the power is for real, blasting 5 homers in 54 Rookie ball games, but his .249 AVG and 59 K’s shows there is plenty of improvement left to go. Prime Projection: 83/23/87/.269/.345/.469/9

38) Victor Garcia STL, OF – Might have the most raw power and bat speed of anybody on this entire list, but still very raw. I wrote about him way back in my Week 12 Fantasy Prospect Rundown as one of my favorite international signing period sleepers. Prime Projection: 77/29/93/.250/.315/.490/2

39) Nolan Jones CLE, SS/3B – Mediocre Rookie ball debut, slashing .257/.388/.339 with 0 homers and a 49/23 K/BB in 32 games, but the potential remains the same. Prime Projection: 82/21/85/.267/.348/.460/8

40) Ronnie Dawson HOU, OF– A great power/speed draft sleeper who displayed those same skills upon reaching pro ball (7 homers and 12 steals in 70 games at Low-A), but didn’t do anything to answer the questions about his hit tool (.225 AVG). Prime Projection: 78/15/73/.249/.322/.425/16

*Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Unsigned, SS/OF – Unranked because he hasn’t signed with a Major League team yet. He is a toolsy, but still raw 22-year-old who would probably slot in around the 30-ish range. Prime Projection: 82/18/77/.275/.335/.440/13

You can check out my Top 30 MLB Draft Rankings for more in depth information and scouting reports on most of these players.

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

Posted on by Michael Halpern

2016/17 Top 40 Dynasty League First-Year Player Draft Rankings: 21-30

The MLB regular season may be over, but that means Dynasty Leagues are just starting to ramp back up. Leading up to Friday’s special edition of the Razzball Prospect Podcast: First-Year Player Mock Draft, I will be ranking the top draft picks and international free agents who signed with pro teams this season (make sure to also check out Ralph Lifshitz’ Top 30 over at Razzball). Here are the 2016/17 Top 40 Dynasty League First-Year Player Draft Rankings: 21-30:

1-10 – 2016/17 Dynasty League First-Year Player Draft Rankings
11-20 – 2016/17 Dynasty League First-Year Player Draft Rankings

*All projections are now juiced, like the balls

21) Jorge Ona SD, OF – 19-year-old Cuban outfielder who signed for $7 million with San Diego. He is 6’2’’, 200 pounds with plus bat speed and raw power. He also dominated in the 2014 U18 Pam American Championship. There is risk due to the fact he just hasn’t played that much in the past year, but the upside is massive for fantasy. Prime Projection: 83/25/92/.260/.330/.500/5

22) Blake Rutherford NYY, OF – The 19-year-old Rutherford was ripping up Rookie ball (albeit with an over 20% K rate) before a hamstring injury ended his season. He doesn’t currently possess huge power or speed, but he can do a little bit of everything, and there is potential for more power down the line. Prime Projection: 80/18/80/.276/.332/.451/11

23) Alex Kirilloff MIN, OF – Known for his raw power coming into the draft, Kirilloff didn’t disappoint, knocking out 7 homers with solid contact numbers (32/11 K/BB) in 55 games at Rookie ball. He doesn’t have the quickest swing and he still needs to refine his plate approach, but there is a lot to like. Prime Projection: 77/22/87/.270/.329/.462/7

24) Braxton Garrett MIA, LHP – The 7th overall pick in the draft, Garrett throws an advanced curveball to go along with a low 90’s heater and developing changeup. He got drafted into a great situation for young pitchers in Miami, and is actually relatively safe as far as high school pitchers go. Prime Projection: 3.40/1.17/180 in 190 IP

25) Matt Manning DET, RHP – Basically the complete opposite of Garrett. Manning throws a fastball that can approach 100 MPH, but has an inconsistent curve and a changeup in the very early stages of development. His 46/7 K/BB in 29.1 IP in Rookie ball shows his limitless upside, but he is still very raw. Prime Projection: 3.72/1.29/198 in 187 IP

26) Justin Dunn NYM, RHP – Dunn is a recently converted reliever who throws an electric fastball/slider combo. Limited experience as a starter and slight build (6’1’’, 170 pounds) prevents me from ranking him higher, but the Mets have done an excellent job with developing starters in recent years (especially if you ignore the whole injury thing). Prime Projection: 3.61/1.24/173 in 180 IP

27) Anfernee Grier ARI, OF – I ranked Grier 10th in my pre-draft rankings, but his lackluster pro debut (.236/.277/.337) has him dropping. I love the power/speed combo, and am far from jumping off the bandwagon, but other guys have just passed him at this point. I would still target Grier in drafts, and you should be able to get him at great value now. Prime Projection: 79/16/72/.260/.316/.432/18

28) Chris Okey CIN, C – Okey was another one of my favorite pre-draft sleepers (ranked 19th overall), and he had a solid, if unspectacular pro debut, slashing .243/.323/.432 with 6 homers and a 49/14 K/BB in 42 games at Single-A. He also gets a bump for being a sure bet to stick at catcher. Prime Projection: 72/20/78/.258/.319/.447/4

29) Lucas Erceg MIL, 3B – Was a bit of a mystery coming into the draft because after a strong sophomore season in the PAC-12, he was forced to transfer to the less competitive Menlo College for academic reasons. But a strong pro debut, where he slashed .281/.328/.497 with 7 homers in 42 games at Single-A, has allayed some of those concerns. Erceg is your classic power hitting corner infielder. Prime Projection: 72/20/83/.262/.309/.449/7

30) William Benson CLE, OF – His Rookie ball numbers say it all, where he slashed .209/.321/.424, with 6 homers, 10 steals, and a 66/22 K/BB in 44 games. High risk, high reward. Prime Projection: 81/27/90/.241/.323/.473/10

31-40 – 2016/17 Dynasty League First-Year Player Draft Rankings

You can check out my Top 30 MLB Draft Rankings for more in depth information and scouting reports on most of these players.

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

Posted on by Michael Halpern

2016/17 Dynasty League First-Year Player Draft Rankings: 11-20

The MLB regular season may be over, but that means Dynasty Leagues are just starting to ramp back up. Leading up to Friday’s special edition of the Razzball Prospect Podcast: First-Year Player Mock Draft, I will be ranking the top draft picks and international free agents who signed with pro teams this season (make sure to also check out Ralph Lifshitz’ Top 30 over at Razzball). Here are the 2016/17 Dynasty League First-Year Player Draft Rankings: 11-20:

1-10 – 2016/17 Dynasty League First-Year Player Draft Rankings

*All projections are now juiced, like the balls

11) Matt Thaiss LAA, C/1B – Safe, fast moving college bat, but don’t expect him to light the world on fire. (Side note: Ralph and I have been butchering his name on the podcast for weeks now. It is pronounced “Thighz.” Check out this Youtube video for the correct pronunciation of his name, and also to see the extremely wide batting stance he employs.) Prime Projection: 78/20/84/.278/.344/.453/4

12) Cal Quantrill SD, RHP – Reports have been positive in the early going coming back from Tommy John surgery. Still some unknowns after basically not pitching since his freshman year of college, but has the upside to be the top pitcher on this list. Prime Projection: 3.50/1.22/180 in 180 IP

13) Heath Quinn SFG, OF – One of my favorite sleepers coming into the MLB Draft (ranked 14th overall), and he remains so after dominating in Low-A to kick off his professional career (.344/.434/.564). Getting drafted into AT&T Park is not the best situation, but as long as the balls don’t suddenly unjuice faster than Barry Bonds in retirement, he should be aight. Prime Projection: 79/23/87/.263/.339/.471/6

14) Bobby Dalbec BOS, 3B – Had the potential to be a first-round pick coming into the season, but a disastrous junior year turned him into a draft day sleeper. Boston scooped him in the 4th round, and after utterly destroying Low-A in 34 games (.386/.427/.674), it has to catapult him up the fantasy baseball rankings. Expect lots of power and strikeouts. Prime Projection: 76/23/85/.250/.322/.463/6

15) Bryan Reynolds SFG, OF – There seems to be about 4-5 MLB teams that are so far and away superior at the draft process that it makes the rest of the league look like they are stuck in the stone age. San Francisco is one of those teams, and they managed to snag one of the best college players in the country in the 2nd round. Expect Reynolds to do a little bit of everything, but not standout in any one category. Prime Projection: 83/18/77/.265/.340/.449/13

16) Taylor Trammell CIN, OF – Another one of my favorite prospects coming into the draft (13th overall), the raw Trammell didn’t look all that raw in his pro debut, slashing .303/.374/.421 with 2 homers and 24 steals in 61 games. An All-American running back in high school, he has speed and athleticism up the wazoo, to go along with excellent bat speed and the potential to hit for both average and power. Prime Projection: 88/14/74/.273/.340/.434/26

17) Eric Lauer SD, LHP – 0.69/0.74/125 in 104 IP in the MAC this year, a middling D1 conference, and looked strong in his pro debut as well, putting up a line of 2.03/1.07/37 in 31 IP. He remains possibly the safest starter on this list. Prime Projection: 3.47/1.23/175 in 190 IP

18) Dakota Hudson STL, RHP – Big, strong righty with electric stuff. Control and command still needs work, but if any organization is going to get the best out of him, it is St. Louis. Prime Projection: 3.59/1.27/186 in 190 IP

19) Adrian Morejon SD, LHP – The top international pitcher on the list, and can easily end up the best pitcher on the list too. Doesn’t have the huge fastball (low 90’s) or huge size (6’1’’), but has tremendous polish for his age. Only reason he is this far down is because he is a year younger than even the high schoolers taken in the draft, and there are just more unknowns here in general. Prime Projection: 3.43/1.19/190 in 188 IP

20) Peter Alonso NYM, 1B – Was one of the best hitters in one of the best conferences in college baseball this season, slashing .374/.469/.659 with 14 homers and a 31/31 K/BB in 58 games in the SEC. He didn’t miss a beat once reaching pro ball, either, slashing .321/.388/.587 with 5 homers and a 22/11 K/BB in 30 games at Low-A. I might actually be too low on him here, but he is a 1B only and Citi Field is not exactly a power hitter’s haven. Prime Projection: 75/21/84/.271/.333/.465/2

21-30 – 2016/17 Dynasty League First-Year Player Draft Rankings
31-40 – 2016/17 Dynasty League First-Year Player Draft Rankings

You can check out my Top 30 MLB Draft Rankings for more in depth information and scouting reports on most of these players.

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

Posted on by Michael Halpern

2016/17 Dynasty League First-Year Player Draft Rankings: 1-10

The MLB regular season may be over, but that means Dynasty Leagues are just starting to ramp back up. Leading up to Friday’s special edition of the Razzball Prospect Podcast: First-Year Player Mock Draft, I will be ranking the top draft picks and international free agents who signed with pro teams this season. Here are the 2016/17 Dynasty League First-Year Player Draft Rankings: 1-10:

*All projections are now juiced, like the balls

1) Nick Senzel CIN, 3B – I ranked Senzel 5th in my Top 30 MLB Draft Rankings, but his impressive pro debut (.305/.398/.514), combined with Kyle Lewis’ knee injury, Corey Ray’s struggles in High-A, and Will Craig’s mediocre power output, has undoubtedly vaulted him to the top spot. Prime Projection: 90/20/90/.286/.354/.469/14

2) Zack Collins CHW, C – The 10th overall pick in the draft, Collins responded to his aggressive High-A assignment, slashing .258/.418/.467 with 6 homers and a 39/33 K/BB in 36 games. Chicago is also the type of organization to stick with him behind the plate, despite his questionable catcher defense. Prime Projection: 78/26/87/.264/.364/.485/2

3) Kyle Lewis SEA, OF – Would have ranked #1 overall if not for the devastating knee injury, but I’ll bet on modern medicine and not drop him too far. He has been updating his rehab progress on Twitter. Prime Projection: 83/24/87/.278/.350/.491/8

4) Corey Ray MIL, OF – Unlike Collins, Ray struggled at High-A, slashing .247/.307/.385. He still flashed his enticing power/speed combo, but the struggles just exacerbate the questions that surrounded his hit tool coming into the draft. Prime Projection: 86/16/71/.261/.328/.441/22

5) Will Craig PIT, 1B/3B – The power didn’t show up, with only 2 homers 63 games at Low-A, but his .412 OBP and 37/41 K/BB proves he is one of the most advanced hitters in the draft. Prime Projection: 80/22/90/.284/.359/.480/3

6) Kevin Maitan ATL, SS – Pure projection and scouting reports. Highest upside in the rankings, but he is 16 years old … seriously, he was born in the year 2000. Prime Projection: 90/27/100/.285/.345/.510/6

7) A.J. Puk OAK, LHP – More projection than you would like for a college starter, but he is a big, hard throwing lefty who put up a pitching line of 3.03/1.07/40 in 32.2 IP at Low-A. Prime Projection: 3.51/1.26/195 in 185 IP

8) Mickey Moniak PHI, OF – Not the most exciting fantasy prospect, but has a plus hit tool, speed, and pumped up trade value being the #1 overall pick in the draft. Prime Projection: 89/12/63/.290/.357/.420/19

9) Ian Anderson ATL, RHP – 2.04/1.13/36 in 39.2 IP in rookie ball debut. Has an advanced 3 pitch mix for his age, and will be in a great pitching situation in Atlanta and the NL East. Prime Projection: 3.39/1.16/184 in 190 IP

10) Jason Groome BOS, LHP – 6’6’’, 220-pound lefty with a devastating curveball. Drafted 12th overall but had the talent to be the top overall pick in the draft. Unlike Anderson, will be facing adverse pitching conditions in Fenway and the AL East. Prime Projection: 3.44/1.20/197 in 195 IP

11-20 – 2016/17 Dynasty League First-Year Player Draft Rankings
21-30 – 2016/17 Dynasty League First-Year Player Draft Rankings
31-40 – 2016/17 Dynasty League First-Year Player Draft Rankings

You can check out my Top 30 MLB Draft Rankings for more in depth information and scouting reports on most of these players.

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

Posted on by Michael Halpern

Episode 8 – Razzball Fantasy Baseball Prospect Podcast

In Episode 8 of the Razzball Fantasy Baseball Prospect Podcast, I complain that my apartment is literally a brick oven, while Ralph Lifshitz bemoans the coming winter when his radio studio/garage becomes uninhabitable. Oh yea, we also talk prospects, starting with San Diego finally calling up their exciting youngsters, before moving on to marvel at some of the top minor league playoff performances over the past few weeks. We finish the show by attempting to predict who the top breakout prospects will be for 2017.

Click here for Episode 8 of the Razzball Fantasy Baseball Prospect Podcast

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

Posted on by Michael Halpern

2016 MiLB Player Superlatives/Awards

What better way to honor the youngsters in the Minor Leagues than to hand out some good ole’ fashioned high school superlatives? Yeah, I can probably think of a few better ways too, but handing out these bullshit awards is just more fun. Here are the 2016 MiLB Player Superlatives/Awards:

Player Who Hasn’t Even Begun To Peak, And When He Does Peak, He Will Peak All Over Your Face: Tim Tebow NYM, OF – For being just as delusional about his abilities as Dennis Reynolds is from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Most Likely To Succeed: Yoan Moncada BOS, 2B/3B – Kinda cheating because signing a $31.5 million signing bonus is already considered succeeding, but he is now the #1 prospect in baseball too.

Most Likely To Have His Dad Threaten To “Turn This Car Right Around” If He Doesn’t Stop Whining In The Backseat: Jorge Mateo NYY, SS/2B – For being suspended 2 weeks after throwing a tantrum about not being called up to Double-A when he wanted to be called up.

First To Get Married: Chase Vallot KC, C – Do you want to be the one to tell @craycray_tay that it’s over right before breaking into the big leagues? … I didn’t think so.

Most Likely To End Up In Prison: Danry Vasquez HOU, OF – For getting arrested after allegedly assaulting his girlfriend in a stairwell at the stadium of the Corpus Christi Hooks. No joke here, just a logical guess.

Teacher’s Pet: J.P. Crawford PHI, SS – Isn’t he so perfect with his great plate approach, contact numbers, up-the-middle defense, and high ranks on prospect lists. But with only 7 homers and 12 steals, he is no fun for fantasy.

Most Likely To Have Keith Law Call Him A Reliever All Off-Season: Josh Hader MIL, LHP – We get it, he has a funky delivery.

Most Likely To Kneel During The National Anthem: Dan Vogelbach SEA, 1B – Not in protest, but because he just gets easily winded being 6’0’’, 250 pounds.

Most Likely To Actually Still Be In High School: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. TOR, OF – We were all “Party(ing) Like It’s 1999” with Prince to bring in the new millennium, while Guerrero was sucking on his momma’s teat, being about 9 months old at the time and all (born 3/16/99). He literally still has braces on in his player picture.

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

Posted on by Michael Halpern

2016 Fantasy Baseball Minor League Prospect Rundown: Extra Innings

Every Monday, I will be running down some of the notable performances from around the Minor Leagues, or anything that might have caught my eye in general. Here is the 2016 Fantasy Baseball Minor League Prospect Rundown: Extra Innings:

Remember when I said I was going to shift over to fantasy football? Fuck it, I’m sticking with fantasy baseball prospects. I’m sure I will sprinkle in some football stuff here and there, but I have too much fun writing about prospects to stop.

Yoan Moncada BOS, 3B – Is Byron Buxton’ing himself in his MLB debut, going 4 for 18 with 11 K’s. Like Buxton, just have to stay patient.

Alex Bregman HOU, 3B/SS/OF – Has been red hot for about a month now as I’m sure you know, but just wanted to note it hasn’t been on the back of his elite minor league contact skills, as he is carrying a 23% MLB K rate. That is why I value bat speed, exit velocity, and power at least equal to plate approach and contact skills in the minors. Everybody is striking out in the majors, so when you do make contact, better make it count.

A.J. Reed HOU, 1B/Aaron Judge NYY, OF – On the flip side of the coin, if you are already striking out a lot in the minors, it could get even worse in the majors. A 22.6% K rate for Reed has turned into a 33.1% rate in the majors (.175 avg) and a 24% K rate for Judge has turned into a 43.8% rate in the majors (.177 avg). I’m still on board with both players, but the risk is obvious.

Tyler O’Neill SEA, OF – Has turned it up another notch in the playoffs, launching 3 homers in 4 games. He also carried Team Canada in the Pan-Am games last year, as I noted in the off-season sleeper post I wrote for him. I’m one of those crazy humans who believes that “clutch” is a real thing, and it’s becoming clear that O’Neill is clutch. He is starting to have all the makings of a big time Major Leaguer.

Victor Robles WASH, OF – Carried over his hot hitting from the end of the season into the playoffs, going 6 for 14 in 3 games. His season line at High-A doesn’t stand out, but that’s just because he ran out of time.

Jose Berrios MIN, RHP – It’s been only 44.2 IP, but Berrios’ MLB debut has been an absolute disaster. He couldn’t get out of the 3rd inning in his start this week, going 2.2 IP, 3 ER, 3 Hits, 4 BB, 1 K. This certainly doesn’t doom his MLB career, but I am starting to question how high his upside is.

Luke Weaver STL, RHP – I’ve been preaching that changeups are underrated in the prospect world, and Weaver is showing why they deserve more respect, spinning 6 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BB, 8 K this week. He now has a 39/8 K/BB in 31 MLB IP.

Kyle Tucker HOU, OF/Rafael Devers BOS, 3B – Two of the most promising 19-year-olds in baseball each have a dinger in 3 post-season games. The more the game power shows up, the better.

Franklin Barreto OAK, 2B/SS – The 20-year-old Barreto is dominating the Triple-A playoffs, slashing .421/.500/.947. What started off looking like a solid but unspectacular year has ended up being a major step forward.

Renato Nunez OAK, 3B/1B/OF – Drilled 3 homers in 5 post-season games. He put up only a .690 OPS in Triple-A this year, but I like him a lot as a buy low/bounce back candidate for next season.

Kevin Gadea SEA, RHP – 6 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BB, 11 K in his playoff start this week. On the season, he has a pitching line of 68.2 IP, 18 ER, 56 Hits, 14 BB, 95 K. Who is this guy? Baseball America had him as an international sleeper back in 2013 after signing with Seattle for $42,000. He is 6’5’’, 190 pounds with a low 90’s fastball and a legitimate curveball and changeup. I don’t know much about him, but anybody his size putting up those kind of numbers with 3 legitimate pitches should be on our radar. Hat tip to bp42810 in the comments section at Minorleagueball.com for bringing him to my attention.

Jason Martin HOU, OF – In the same comments section, check out what Revilo wrote about 2013 8th round pick Jason Martin. At 5’11’’, 190 pounds he will almost surely remain underrated throughout his entire minor league career, but what he has done this year deserves to put him on the map. He slashed .270/.357/.533, with 23 homers, 20 steals, and 108/55 K/BB in the Cal League. He has a short, quick lefty swing that is geared more towards line drives than homers, but as evidenced by his power surge this year, there is definitely plenty of pop in his bat too. And oh yea, he has had two multi-homer games in the playoffs already.

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

Posted on by Michael Halpern

Episode 6 – Razzball Fantasy Baseball Prospect Podcast

Episode 6 of the Razzball Fantasy Baseball Prospect Podcast is up! We start with getting an inside look at the inner workings of the Lifshitz household, and then move on to talk about some of the hot names of the week (Buxton, Murphy, Tapia, Otani). Ralph and I then continue our rankings series with a look at the top OF prospects.

Click here for Episode 6 of the Razzball Fantasy Baseball Prospect Podcast

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