The prospect world moves fast, and there is already tons of movement in the first Top 300+ Updated Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings of 2023. Off-season rank is in parenthesis. Quick blurbs for every player. Top 20 free here on IBW. Here is the April 2023 Top 300+ Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings (1-157):
CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR THE REST OF THESE RANKINGS & TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT, INCLUDING:
-UPDATED TOP 433 APRIL DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS
-TOP DYNASTY BASEBALL TARGETS (4/28/23)
-HALP’S DYNASTY BASEBALL PODCAST: MAILBAG!
–TONS OF DYNASTY RUNDOWNS
-PREDICTING THE 2024 DYNASTY BASEBALL PROSPECTS RANKS
-7 EARLY SEASON DYNASTY STRATEGIES AND THOUGHTS
1) (4) Anthony Volpe NYY, SS, 22.0 – Buy low on Volpe if you can. He is not far off from exploding into a fantasy beast. He is running like wild with 8 steals and a plus 28.2 ft/sec sprint speed, the 15.9% BB% is elite, and the 87.9 MPH EV with a 16.9 degree launch is respectable. The 30.5% K% is high, but it was much, much better in the minors and that is very likely to come down in the near future. And now with Walker sent down to the minors, he’s my #1 prospect
2) (5) Jordan Walker STL, 3B/OF, 20.11 – It’s not the full on JRod explosion we wanted to see, but considering Walker’s 20 years old and completely skipped over Tripe-A, the MLB debut ain’t bad at all with a 90/95.3 MPH AVG/FB EV, 25.6% K%, and 101 wRC+. There is plenty to improve upon, namely the 3.8% BB% and 2.7 degree launch, but he’s laying a pretty solid foundation right now Update: Walker got sent down which is the right move if they didn’t want to play him everyday
3) (7) Jordan Lawlar ARI, SS, 20.9 – Say hello to the new top dog once Walker and Volpe officially graduate. Lawlar has a 24.1%/17.2% K%/BB% with 3 homers, and 6 steals in 20 games at Double-A. .233 BABIP is the biggest issue which has led to a .217 BA. It’s the right mix of safety and upside, and he’s now doing it in the upper minors
4) (3) Jackson Chourio MIL, OF, 19.1 – Showing some inexperience at Double-A with a 27.9%/5.9% K%/BB% in 15 games, but he’s still knocked out 3 homers and 2 steals with an almost average 98 wRC+. One of those homers came off Eury Perez
5) (19) Kyle Manzardo TBR, 1B, 22.9 – Italian Lunch is powering up this year with big time EV readings that he didn’t show last year. He’ll Vinnie P the majors when he gets the chance
6) (13) Jackson Holliday BAL, SS, 19.4 – Complete across the board domination at Single-A with a 223 wRC+ in 13 games. It already earned him a promotion to High-A/ He’s on a beeline for the top prospect in the game
7) (6) Elly De La Cruz CIN, SS/3B, 21.3 – Debuted a few days ago and has a 53.8% K% in 3 games. We’re back
8) (14) Grayson Rodriguez BAL, RHP, 23.5 – Hasn’t immediately ascended to ace status in his MLB debut with a 5.12 ERA in 19.1 IP, but he’s showing huge stuff with a 96.5 MPH fastball and is missing bats with a 28.7 K%. I’m not gonna lie, I like it better when pitching prospects come in and dominate from the jump, but the signs still point to an explosion in the near future
9) (35) Taj Bradley TBR, RHP, 22.0 – As opposed to Grayson, this is exactly what you want to see from a top pitching prospect debut. 2.61 ERA with a 42.5%/5% K%/BB% in 10.1 IP. The plus 95.8 MPH fastball is dominating with a 28.9% whiff%, .206 xwOBA, and 49.1% usage. He’s also proving the secondaries will play against MLB competition. It’s a full on MLB breakout, and I was close to putting him over Rodriguez
10) (9) Miguel Vargas LAD, 3B, 23.4 – 20.5%/17.9% K%/BB% with a 86.5 MPH EV and 27.9 ft/sec sprint is kinda backing up the better in real life than fantasy tag many gave him this off-season. But the .375 xwOBA is almost elite, and if anything, he’s a buy for me
11) (163) James Outman LAD, OF, 25.10 – As I discussed in Halp’s Dynasty Baseball Podcast: Mailbag! Edition on Friday, there is no reason not to treat Outman’s breakout like it’s real. Locking in young MLB core pieces is what the game of dynasty is all about. The high 28.2% K% still makes him high risk, but that is why he isn’t ranked even higher. This ranking does seem a bit crazy, but are you really dealing Outman right now for anything less than this? And you can arguably go even higher than this on him
12) (16) Ricky Tiedemann TOR, LHP, 20.8 – Tiedemann is a low arm slot slinging lefty who has been off the charts since spring. He has a 55.6%/7.4% K%/BB% in 6.2 IP at Double-A as he’s been babied a bit coming back from “minor” shoulder soreness. If not for the shoulder hiccup, he would probably be my top pitching prospect
13) (34) Evan Carter TEX, OF, 20.7 – Power might be ticking up with 3 homers in 12 games at Double-A (although the hard hit rate still isn’t great), and the plate approach is still elite with a 18.6%/22% K%/BB%. The high floor profile with speed and emerging power is hard to argue against now that he’s proving it in the upper minors
14) (8) James Wood WAS, OF, 20.7 – 25.5%/7.3% K%/BB% with a 102 wRC+ in 13 games at High-A. You always gotta be a little cautious with the hit tool on guys this big
15) (10) Jasson Dominguez NYY, OF, 20.3 – Dominguez is starting to look like a streaky player. After destroying spring, he’s off to a cold start at Double-A with a 66 wRC+, but his .091 BABIP is silly low. He’ll get hot
16) (11) Zac Veen COL, OF, 21.4 – Veen is another BABIP victim with a .188 BABIP, but the 18.4%/14.3% K%/BB% looks great. The hits will start dropping, I’m not moving off him
17) (15) Eury Perez MIA, RHP, 20.0 – Hasn’t exactly been insanely dominant with a 3.21 ERA and 29.8%/8.8% K%/BB% in 14 IP at Double-A, but the stuff, size, and age relative to level all scream ace upside
18) (21) Andrew Painter PHI, RHP, 19.5 – Continues to ramp up from the elbow injury and will start to throw on back to back days. Not out of the woods yet, but so far, so good
19) (20) Hunter Brown HOU, RHP, 24.8 – 8.2% BB% is the most important stat, because he’ll perform well as long he doesn’t lose his control, and he’s doing just that with a 3.09 ERA in 23.1 IP
20) (17) Francisco Alvarez NYM, C, 21.4 – Called up to the majors so he can play sporadically, which is the recipe for struggles (10 wRC+ in 27 PA)
CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR THE REST OF THESE RANKINGS & TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT, INCLUDING:
-UPDATED TOP 433 APRIL DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS
-TOP DYNASTY BASEBALL TARGETS (4/28/23)
-HALP’S DYNASTY BASEBALL PODCAST: MAILBAG!
–TONS OF DYNASTY RUNDOWNS
-PREDICTING THE 2024 DYNASTY BASEBALL PROSPECTS RANKS
-7 EARLY SEASON DYNASTY STRATEGIES AND THOUGHTS
By Michael Halpern (@MichaelCHalpern)
Email: michaelhalpern@imaginarybrickwall.com
Twitter: Imaginary Brick Wall (@DynastyHalp)