I’ll be running down everything that caught my eye in the Dynasty Baseball world on most Mondays throughout the season here on the Brick Wall. The rest of the week you can catch my Rundowns on the Patreon. Here is the Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (4/8/24):

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ALL SEASON, INCLUDING:
-DYNASTY RUNDOWNS AND MONTHLY DYNASTY & PROSPECTS RANKINGS UPDATES
-TOP 42 PROSPECTS TO STACH FOR 2024 ONLY (4/3/24)
-PREDICTING THE TOP 50 2025 PROSPECT RANKS
-HALP’S DYNASTY BASEBALL PODCAST: MAILBAG!
-POSITION BY POSTION TARGET ARTICLES
-OBP TOP 450 DYNASTY RANKS
-6+CATS/PTS/OPS “UNIVERSAL TOP 450 DYNASTY RANKS
-ALL-IN-ONE RANKINGS SPREADSHEET

Dylan Crews WAS, OF, 22.1 – 1 for 5 with 3 K’s yesterday and is now 1 for 13 with 7 K’s at Double-A on the season. This coming off a spring where he hit .156 with a 31.6% K% in 38 PA. Which came off a pro debut in 2023 where he put up 73 wRC+ in 85 PA at Double-A. I hate horror movies, and this is getting scarier than any horror movie I have ever seen (I still get nightmares from Event Horizon). Granted, the competition has been tough. Here he is getting completely dominated by a 99 MPH Jackson Jobe fastball yesterday. And he faced Ty Madden in his 2nd game who is an MLB ready mid-rotation starter. Not sure what his excuse is for Lael Lockhart in game 1, although again to be fair, Lockhart dominated everyone in that game with 0 ER and 9 K’s in 4.1 IP. Lockhart was also dominant in the upper minors last year … wait, who the hell is this Lockhart guy? (he actually looks interesting for my 30 teamers out there) … but let’s not get off track. Crews has every one of his dynasty owners in a full Patrick Ewing sweat right now, and I’m not sure I can be the guy to talk you down from the ledge. Regardless, there is nothing you can do but hold, because there is no sense in selling low. I would still be pretty shocked if he can’t even get it going against minor league pitching.

Zack Gelof OAK, 2B, 24.5 – And this is why losing our minds after a week and a half of games can get silly. Gelof came into Sunday with a .508 OPS in 9 games and he left it with a .781 OPS in 10 games. One game turned his season from “should I drop him” trash into having a pretty damn good start. Granted, it was a great day, going 4 for 5 with a 108.3 MPH homer to show off the power, and a 81.6 MPH triple to show off the legs. He came into the game with 2 steals. If you think this is good, just wait until Oakland moves to that PCL bandbox in Sacramento for the next 3 years. Aaron Judge won’t be the only player hitting bombs there.

Noah Schultz CHW, LHP, 20.8 – Schultz is healthy and once again putting jaws on the floor with a level of dominance that is not normal. He went 4 IP with 2 hits, 0 ER and a 10/0 K/BB at High-A on Saturday. There was no broadcast of the game, but he was reportedly sitting mid to upper 90’s and the slider was filthy. This coming off his insane 2023 with a 1.33 ERA and 36.5%/5.8% K%/BB%. He was my top pitching target from his FYPD class, so hopefully you already own him, because he’s going to be the #1 pitching prospect in baseball one day, and that day is probably like 3-4 months away. The only thing that could stop him is something I don’t even want to bring up. We’ve been hit with enough bad news in the last few days (Bieber, Strider, Eury etc …)

Dylan Lesko SDP, RHP, 20.7 – Lesko might have something to say about that claim that Schultz will take over as the top pitching prospect in the game, throwing a “no hitter” yesterday, going 4 IP with 0 hits, 0 ER, and a 1/3 K/BB at High-A. The control was scattershot, which isn’t great because all we’ve seen of Lesko in pro ball has been scattershot control (15.2% BB% in 33 IP in 2023), but the plus to double plus stuff was on full display. The fastball was in the mid 90’s, he befuddled lefties with the double plus change and dominated righties with the slider. I don’t think there was a single ball hit hard all day. He needs to show improved control before he can really fly up rankings, and I’m betting on him figuring that out at some point.

Ryan Pepiot TBR, RHP, 26.0 – 6 IP, 3 hits, 0 ER, 11/0 K/BB vs. COL at Coors. That improved control from last year showed back up, which is what made me call him a major target in my September 2023 Early Off-Season Target article. The fastball sat 94.1 MPH and put up a 50% whiff%. The slider and changeup were effective too, inducing weak contract and getting whiffs. It all led to a 86.5 MPH EV with a 41% whiff%. He’s in good hands with Tampa, and maybe add a star because he doesn’t throw 100 MPH? I’m ready to welcome in our new age of soft tossers who stay healthy 😉 … 94 MPH seems like a perfect compromise.

Garrett Crochet CHW, LHP, 23.9 – Crochet cements his status as a young ace with every outing. He impressed for the 3rd time in a row yesterday, going 5 IP with 5 hits, 2 ER, and a 5/0 K/BB vs. KCR. The fastball sat 96.6 MPH and the slider notched a 64% whiff%. Most importantly, the control was once again pristine (1 walk in 18 IP on the season) and the third pitch, the cutter, performed well again with a 44% whiff%, 57% CSW%, and 78.7 MPH EV against. He’ll be entering at least my Top 150 overall when I update the Dynasty Rankings this month on the Patreon.

MJ Melendez KCR, OF, 25.4 – Melendez might be turning into a superstar right before our eyes. Statcast was yelling at us to buy low after he hit only 16 homers last year, because when someone puts up an insane 93.1 MPH EV with a 16.9 degree launch, it should not be taken lightly. And now he’s making up for lost homers after walloping his 3rd homer in just 9 games. And even better, his K% is all the way down to 20.6% (28.2% in 2023). There is no guarantee he can maintain the contact gains, but it’s certainly a good sign, and it is a near guarantee he can maintain the power. Melendez has a chance to be one of the best power hitters in the game for a long time.

Riley Greene DET, OF, 23.6 – A .143 BABIP is the only thing in the way of everyone gushing over Greene, because everything else is screaming he is about to explode this year. He went 2 for 3 with a 102..9 MPH homer off lefty Kyle Muller. He’s still only hitting .188, but the 13.6 degree launch and 21.1%/15.8% K%/BB% says this is the real breakout we have been waiting for.

Colt Emerson SEA, SS, 18.8 – The next wave of hyped up prospects are coming to take their rightful spot at the top of prospect rankings, and that starts with none other than Colt Emerson. He stayed calm and loose in the box before unfurling a swing that reminded me of a big cat striking it’s prey in the jungle. Just a vicious swing that murdered the baseball for his 2nd homer in 3 games at Single-A as an 18 year old. If you want to nitpick, it comes with a 62.5% GB% and 28.6%/7.1% K%/BB%, but it’s only 3 games, so it’s merely something to watch.

Arjun Nimmala TOR, SS, 18.6 – The 18 year old Nimmala faced off against the MLB proven, 26 year old Sawyer Gipson-Long, and Nimmala’s pretty and explosive righty swing came away the victor. He hit a pretty nice looking breaking ball 376 feet at 100 MPH for his first professional homer in 3 games at Single-A. Like Emerson, we still have to watch that GB% (66.7%) and strikeout rate (46.2%), but these are two of the most explosive, and youngest players at Single-A.

Zyhir Hope LAD, OF, 19.2 – Hope didn’t have the 1st round hype of Emerson and Nimmala, drafted 326th overall, but he sure has the talent to be put in the same group as them, and he actually one upped them yesterday. He cranked 2 homers yesterdays to the same spot, and the 2nd one was crushed harder than the first. I already gave him the full hype treatment on the Patreon after he hit his first homer of the year on Friday, so this makes it 3 in 3 games. Even better, the 20%/20% K%/BB% and 33.3% GB% looks great after struggling with both at rookie ball last year. Along with the very legit power, he has double plus speed (1 steal) and legit athleticism. He might be the biggest pure riser in the very early going. When the Dodgers come knocking on the door for your prospects, just say no (he was traded with Jackson Ferris for Michael Busch this off-season, so Chicago came out just fine too-Busch looks legit).

Lazaro Montes SEA, OF, 19.5 – Montes already made his ascension and proved himself at Single-A in 2023, but he’s back for more in 2024 with his first bomb of the season, golfing one out like Tiger Woods. These days, you might as well have one foot in the grave if you’re 19 years olds at Single-A. That is so 2021. But he’s showing off his experience with a 6.7%/13.3% K%/BB% in 3 games. He improved the hit tool in 2023, and if he’s taking another step in 2024, he might be entering Yordan Alvarez ceiling territory, rather than “just” a low BA/high OBP slugger.

Jonny Farmelo SEA, OF, 19.7 – Seattle has an embarrassment of riches at Single-A, and Farmelo joined the party yesterday too with his 2nd homer in 3 games. The guy has yet to a hit a single groundball, but has been swinging and missing plenty with a 40% K%. He’s just pure upside with double plus speed to go along with the power, and like most of these young kids, the hit tool will dictate how good they can become.

Aidan Smith SEA, OF, 19.8 – Emerson, Montes, Farmelo … and now Aidan Smith is joining the fun in Seattle as well, going deep twice. This game seemed more like batting practice than a real game, or maybe this Seattle team is the Single-A version of Baltimore’s Triple-A team. Seattle has an army ready to supplement Julio and that rotation in a couple years. Watch your back, Texas.

Shota Imanaga CHC, LHP, 30.7 – No cake matchup excuse this time, Imanaga went out there and dominated the Dodgers, going 4 IP with 2 hits, 0 ER, and a 3/0 K/BB. The 92.3 MPH fastball notched a 33% whiff% and the splitter was solid with a 43% CSW%. There is zero doubt at this point that Imanaga’s low 90’s stuff will easily transfer to MLB. It sure looks like he might be a legit ace, or near ace, and that isn’t exaggerating. He now has a 0.00 ERA with a 34.3%/0% K%/BB% in 10 IP. I didn’t give him enough respect this off-season.

Max Meyer MIA, RHP, 25.1 – 6 IP, 3 hits, 1 ER, 3/1 vs/ STL. The ballyhooed slider is living up to the billing, dominating with a 49% usage, 45% whiff%, and 81 MPH EV against. The fastball sat 94.6 MPH, and the changeup was solid too with a 84.8 MPH EV against. It’s getting pretty safe to say that Meyer is 100% healthy coming off Tommy John, and he’s establishing that he’s the real deal on the MLB level. He might be approaching Top 200 dynasty asset status.

Ronel Blanco HOU, RHP, 30.7 – Blanco followed up his no hitter with a 1 hitter over 6, going 6 IP with 1 hit, 0 ER, and a 4/4 K/BB vs. TEX. He didn’t get many whiffs with a 14% whiff%, but he induced weak contact with a 83.3 MPH EV, so it’s certainly not pure luck. I’m still not fully buying in, because I’m a K/BB guy at the end of the day, but it’s obvious he’s not a complete mirage either. Solid mid-rotation starter is as high as I can go on him right now.

 Jackson Merrill SDP, SS, 20.11 – There was a reason Merrill made the team as a 20 year old out of camp, and that is because he is clearly ready after going 4 for 4 with a stolen base yesterday. And those hits came off Logan Webb (103.1 MPH, 93 MPH, and 72.3 singles) and Camilo Doval (104.8 MPH single). He’s now slashing .324/.395/.471 with 1 homer, 1 steal, and a 18.4%/10.5% K%/BB% in 12 games. The 92.6 MPH EV and 10.1 degree launch looks great as well. He’s not even 21 yet. He’s going to be a superstar.

Jazz Chisholm MIA, OF, 26.2 – I can’t guarantee that Jazz is going to stay healthy, but I can guarantee that he is healthy right now with how he looks to start 2024. He cracked a 105.4 MPH, 412 foot bomb off Kyle Gipson for his 2nd of the year. He now has a 91.7 MPH EV with a 21.7% Barrel%. The plate approach has also been much improved with a 26.2%/19% K%/BB%. I kept the faith on him, ranking him 34th overall, and let me feel pretty good about that before the other shoe drops (hopefully it doesn’t).

Landen Maroudis TOR, RHP, 19.4 – Talented 2024 FYPD pitching prospect, Landen Maroudis, saw what Barrett Kent did on Friday, and one upped him (just like his signing bonus one upped him-Maroudis signed for $1.5 million and Kent for $1 million), going 4 IP with 0 hits, 0 ER, and a 5/0 K/BB vs. a Single-A Tigers lineup that featured Max Clark and Josue Briceno. The fastball sat 94.5 MPH and the slider and curve notched a 40% and 100% whiff%, respectively. He also mixed in a sinker and changeup. He’s a projectable 6’3” with an athletic and explosive righty delivery. The fastball was crisp and he had the breaking balls on a string. It sure looks like he’s about to blow up.

Lonnie White PIT, OF, 21.3 – White demolished an absolute NUKE that I’m pretty sure hit off the scoreboard for his 2nd homer in just 3 games at High-A. That is the type of raw talent I was talking about when I ranked him 46th overall on my Predicting the 2025 Top 50 Prospects Rankings (Patreon), writing, “White will start the year at the age appropriate High-A and do exactly what he did at Single-A in 2023 to High-A in 2024. The elite level athleticism combined with age to level production will have everyone buying in.” He now has a .953 OPS, but there is one small snafu … okay, one big snafu … it comes with a 7/1 K/BB. The hit tool is the thing that can tank him, and right now, the K’s are just as concerning as the homers are impressive. He’s going to need to make better contact to make due on my Top 50 prediction for him.

Jordan Beck COL, OF, 22.11 – Beck is simply unconscious at Triple-A, popping his 3rd homer in 8 games, and he didn’t strike out in this one either. He could be one of the top impact hitting prospects to get called up in 2024, and he’ll have Coors Field at his back. I gave you the heads up to stash him last Monday, and he’s only continued his dominance.

Samuel Zavala CHW, OF, 19.9 – Zavala had a rough cup of coffee at High-A last year, so it’s nice to see him getting off to a hot start this year after hitting his 1st homer in 3 games. He has a 209 wRC+, but we need to see the 31.3%/6.3% K%/BB% improve before we can get really excited.

Alex Ramirez NYM, OF, 21.3 – Ramirez has been sitting the breakout waiting room for a long time, and this year it’s now or never. He’s choosing now as he sliced an opposite field dinger for his first of the year at Double-A. He’s now hitting .455 with 4 steals and a 30.8%/15.4% K%/BB% in 3 games. I know we all have prospect fatigue with him, but he’s still just 21 years old at Double-A. This could finally be the explosion.

Max Muncy OAK, SS, 21.8 – Muncy is another 21 year old who the prospect community has tired on, but he’s ripping up Triple-A right now, and he’ll play at a Triple-A ballpark until 2027, making him even more enticing. He hit his first homer and finished the day 3 with 4 with 2 doubles and 0 K’s. He now has a 163 wRC+ with 2 steals and a 14.3% K%. He’s always had the talent, drafted 25th overall in 2021, and he just might be coming into his own.

Wilfred Veras CHW, OF, 21.5 – Veras is another super talented 21 year old in the upper minors who is making waves after pimping the shit out of his 2nd homer at Double-A. He now has a 387 wRC+ with an 18.2% K%. Chicago is desperate for some real talent, and Veras certainly has real talent as Fernando Tatis’ cousin. He might also be entering sneaky 2nd half stash appeal.

Tyler O’Neill BOS, OF, 28.10 – Remember Cardinals Devil Magic? Where the Cardinals were able to turn every off the radar hitter into gold. Well, there is a dark side to dancing with the Devil, and that bill has been coming due over the last few years. Now every former Cardinals outfielder turns to gold once they leave St. Louis, and O’Neill is next in line after ripping his 5th homer yesterday. He now has a 1.407 OPS, 92.1 MPH EV, 22.7% Barrel%, and 16.2%/18.9% K%/BB% in 9 games. Don’t question the dark arts. This was inevitable.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ALL SEASON, INCLUDING:
-DYNASTY RUNDOWNS AND MONTHLY DYNASTY & PROSPECTS RANKINGS UPDATES
-TOP 42 PROSPECTS TO STACH FOR 2024 ONLY (4/3/24)
-PREDICTING THE TOP 50 2025 PROSPECT RANKS
-HALP’S DYNASTY BASEBALL PODCAST: MAILBAG!
-POSITION BY POSTION TARGET ARTICLES
-OBP TOP 450 DYNASTY RANKS
-6+CATS/PTS/OPS “UNIVERSAL TOP 450 DYNASTY RANKS
-ALL-IN-ONE RANKINGS SPREADSHEET

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