Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (8/16/21)

I’ll be running down everything that caught my eye in the Dynasty Baseball world on most Mondays throughout the season. Here is the Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (8/16/21):

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF CONTENT THE REST OF THE SEASON AND ALL OFF-SEASON, INCLUDING:
-Top 422 August 2021 Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-Top 300 July 2021 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings
-2021/22 Top 50 First Year Player Draft Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-Tons of Dynasty Rundowns
-10 Dynasty Baseball Players to Target
-Dynasty Baseball Trade Strategies at the Halfway Point (Contending, Mid Pack, Rebuilding)

Yohel Pozo TEX, C/1B, 24.2 – My Patreon members have been all over Pozo since back in May as I’ve written about him a few times in my Patreon Dynasty Rundowns as a deep dynasty sleeper, and he is now making his mark in the majors. He smacked a 100.8 MPH dinger off Sergio Romo in his MLB debut and is 4 for 12 with 2 K’s in 3 games overall. He makes elite contact with plus power and that is about it. He doesn’t walk and he’s bad on defense, so playing time will be a constant struggle, but if you are only going to do two things well, those are the two things to do well.

Luis Matos SF, OF, 19.7 – Matos cracked my top 10 prospects way back in May because I trusted the power would come, and the power has come, as he cracked two bombs on Friday and has 6 homers in his last 24 games. Elite contact rate, plus speed, and now developing power … he’s gonna be a stud.

Miguel Vargas LAD, 3B, 21.9 – Vargas has been underrated for months now and he continues to quietly destroy Double-A as a 21 year old, launching 2 more homers on Saturday and then going 3 for 5 yesterday. He has 12 homers with a 14.7%/10.9% K%/BB% and 142 wRC+ in 53 games at the level. He’s been firmly inside my top 100 for months now, but it’s long overdue for him to start getting some mainstream hype.

Chris Sale BOS, LHP, 32.4 – Sale looked electric in his return from Tommy John surgery, going 5 IP with 6 hits, 2 earned and a 8/0 K/BB. The fastball sat 93.2 MPH and his slider put up a 44.4% whiff%. He already clocked in at #88 overall on my Updated Top 422 Dynasty Rankings that dropped last week on my Patreon, as he looked great in his rehab starts, and he’ll keep climbing if he looks strong down the stretch.

Tyler Gilbert ARI, LHP, 27.8 – Threw a no hitter in his first MLB start by basically throwing all fastballs (cutter, 4 seam, sinker). He had a 5/3 K/BB and the 4 seamer averaged 89.3 MPH, so I’m not seeing a late career breakout here, but let’s just enjoy how awesome baseball can be when the stars align. You never know when history will be made on any given day.

Reid Detmers LAA, LHP, 22.1 – Third times a charm as Detmers finally broke through in his third MLB start, going 6 IP with 3 hits, 1 earned and a 6/2 K/BB. He dominated with the curveball which he threw 37% of the time, notching a 74 MPH EV against and a 30% whiff% on the pitch. His fastball is settling in at the low 90’s (92.1 MPH yesterday), and has gotten destroyed in general, but his breaking balls have been effective. The fastball will likely have to tick up if he wants to reach his top of the rotation ceiling.

Triston McKenzie CLE, RHP, 24.0 – McKenzie started to find his groove in July and he broke out with his best start of the season yesterday, going 8 IP with 1 hit, 0 earned and a 11/0 K/BB vs. Detroit. His curve and slider were untouchable as they put up a 67% and 63% whiff%, respectively. He struggled majorly with his control early in the year, but he now has a 40/7 K/BB in his last 42 IP.

Allan Cerda CIN, OF, 21.9 – I nabbed Cerda in the 5th round of my 30 team dynasty league’s prospect draft last off-season for his big power potential, and he’s shown exactly that this year at Single-A, smashing 2 homers yesterday to give him 12 dingers in 61 games. The hit tool is raw with a 32% K% and he’s old for the level, but he can mash.

Jose Miranda MIN, 3B/2B, 23.4 – The man is a machine as he went 2 for 5 with his 24th homer and 22nd double yesterday at Triple-A. He had a 162 wRC+ at Double-A and now has a 166 wRC+ at Triple-A. I just paid up for him majorly in my mid-season prospect blind auction in that same 30 teamer.

DJ Peters TEX, OF, 25.8 – Peters had Sean Manaea’s number yesterday, crushing two homers off him (108.3 MPH and 103.4 MPH). He’s a strikeout machine, but the power is legit and Texas has no reason not to keep running him out there as long as he’s producing.

Seth Beer ARI, 1B, 24.11 – Obliterated two more homers yesterday as he continues to thoroughly dominate Triple-A with 15 homers and a 63/34 K/BB in 83 games. Arizona is in last place and is still running out a 35 year old Asbrubal Cabrera who is hitting .244. What are they waiting for?

Francisco Alvarez NYM, C, 19.9 – Blasted his 15th homer in 61 games at High-A as Alvarez continues to cement his status as an elite prospect. I would be shocked if he wasn’t a top 10 prospect at some point next year.

Orelvis Martinez TOR, SS, 19.10 – Had his best game at High-A, going 3 for 5 with his 4th dinger in 11 games at the level. Martinez has 23 homers in 82 games this year and is a top 20 prospect for me.

Trey Sweeney NYY, SS, 21.6 – It took Sweeney a minute to adjust to full season ball as he started out 0 for 14 with 7 K’s, but he’s now homered in each of his last 2 games and tacked on a double as well. After going against inferior competition in college, the hit tool is still a question, but the power is looking good.

Bryson Stott PHI, SS, 23.11 – Stott might not have the highest upside, but he’s had a very solid year, homering yesterday for his 8th goner in 59 games at Double-A. He’s got a little speed, a good plate approach and above average power. He should make his debut in 2022.

Matt Canterino MIN, RHP, 23.8 – Canterino returned last week from elbow inflammation that kept him out since May, and he was back at High-A yesterday, going 3 IP with 0 hits, 0 earned, and a 8/1 K/BB. As you can tell from the pitching line, he looked absolutely filthy and should be back on your radar if you forgot about him after the elbow injury.

Ian Seymour TB, LHP, 22.8 – 4 IP, 3 hits, 1 ER, 8/0 K/BB. Seymour was the 57th overall pick in the 2020 draft, and he’s had a strong pro debut with a pitching line of 2.97/0.89/49/12 in 30.1 IP. He ranked 818th on my off-season Top 1,000 with a plus fastball/changeup combo and developing breaking ball. While Tampa can be tricky with their pitchers, they are excellent at developing them.

Everson Pereira NYY, OF, 20.5 – Pereira has played at 3 levels this season (Rookie, Single-A, High-A) and he rose to the occasion at each level. He went 2 for 4 with a homer yesterday, and is now slashing .295/.392/.659 with 5 homers, 3 steals, and a 14/6 K/BB in 11 games at High-A. His stock continues to rise and his value isn’t that far off from a top 100 guy.

Brayan Rocchio CLE, SS, 20.10 – 3 for 6 with his 3rd homer in 14 games at Double-A. Rocchio has been red hot since a poor May, and is now putting up impressive numbers as a 20 year old at Double-A, slashing .255/.369/.527 with 3 homers and a 10/7 K/BB in 14 games. He has the potential to be an impact all category contributor.

Edward Cabrera MIA, RHP, 23.5 – Cabrera has been absolutely blowing up at Triple-A. He went 6 IP with 2 hits, 1 earned, and a 12/4 K/BB on Friday and now has 33 K’s in his last 16.2 IP. He has true top of the rotation potential with absolutely filthy stuff and is knocking on the door of the bigs.

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

Share this:

Related