Imaginary Brick Wall

Posted on September 7, 2021September 10, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Patreon Post: Top 465 September 2021 Dynasty Baseball Rankings

I’m finishing the season strong with the final Updated Dynasty Baseball Rankings before I go over 1,000 deep this off-season. Here is the Top 465 September 2021 Dynasty Baseball Rankings:

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE AND TONS OF CONTENT THE REST OF THE SEASON AND ALL OFF-SEASON, INCLUDING:
-Top 316 August 2021 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings
-2021/22 Top 50 First Year Player Draft Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-Tons of Dynasty Rundowns
-Off-season content: Team Prospect Lists, Positional Dynasty Rankings, and early access to the Top 1,000 Dynasty Baseball Rankings

1) Shohei Ohtani LAA, RHP/DH, 27.2 – I’ve officially run out of shit to say for him. I’m speechless (written word less?)

2) Fernando Tatis Jr. SD, SS, 22.9 – Announced in this interview that his move to the outfield is temporary and he isn’t planning on getting off-season shoulder surgery. He’s attempted only 1 steal in his last 18 games since returning from his latest shoulder injury. I think it is fair to wonder if he will continue to be more cautious on the base paths moving forward.

3) Vlad Guerrero Jr. TOR, 1B, 22.6 – Had been slumping a bit with a .672 OPS in 26 games from Aug 3-29, but he broke out of it in a big way with 4 homers in his last 7 games.

4) Juan Soto WASH, OF, 22.11 – .505 OBP post all star break.

5) Ronald Acuna ATL, OF, 23.9

6) Bo Bichette TOR, SS, 23.6 – Has only been caught stealing once all year in 22 attempts

7) Trea Turner LAD, SS, 28.2

8) Kyle Tucker HOU, OF, 23.9 – Hasn’t struck out a single time in his last 37 PA and has a .818 SLG over that time

9) Ozzie Albies ATL, 2B, 24.8 – Homered in 3 straight games and has 9 homers in his last 23 games.

10) Luis Robert CHW, OF, 24.1 – 16.8% K% since returning is insanely encouraging. He’s also smacked 6 homers in those 21 games

11) Wander Franco TB, SS, 20.6 – Homer and steal totals aren’t huge with 7 homers and 2 steals in 59 games, but trading a 20-year-old Franco for one of the 28 year olds ranked after him seems like a decision you will regret pretty quickly.

12) Bryce Harper PHI, OF, 28.10 – Smoked 13 homers in his last 38 games

13) Mookie Betts LAD, OF, 28.11 – .667 OPS in his last 11 games since returning from right hip inflammation

14) Jose Ramirez CLE, 3B, 28.10 – Picked up the pace on the bases with 9 steals in his last 26 games

15) Rafael Devers BOS, 3B, 24.10

16) Mike Trout LAA, OF, 30.1

17) Yordan Alvarez HOU, OF, 24.2

18) Corbin Burnes MIL, RHP, 26.11

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE AND TONS OF CONTENT THE REST OF THE SEASON AND ALL OFF-SEASON, INCLUDING:
-Top 316 August 2021 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings
-2021/22 Top 50 First Year Player Draft Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-Tons of Dynasty Rundowns
-Team Prospect Lists, Positional Dynasty Rankings, and early access to the Top 1,000 Dynasty Baseball Rankings

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

Posted on August 25, 2021August 26, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Patreon Post: Top 314 August 2021 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings

I was very strict with my definition of a prospect in this one. Any player currently in the majors was excluded. Here is the Top 314 August 2021 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE AND TONS OF CONTENT THE REST OF THE SEASON AND ALL OFF-SEASON, INCLUDING:
-Top 422 August 2021 Dynasty Baseball 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)

1) Bobby Witt Jr. KC, SS, 21.2 – He destroyed Spring Training. He obliterated Double-A. He’s annihilating Triple-A. MLB … you’re next

2) Julio Rodriguez SEA, OF, 20.8 – Plate approach has been better than Witt’s in the minors, so I might lean Julio in a league where speed is devalued, but Witt’s speed puts him over the top in a 5×5.

3) Brennen Davis CHC, OF, 21.10 – Strikeout rate has improved tremendously in his last 25 games at Double-A with a 22.4%/14.3% K%/BB%. He’s only 7 for 11 in stolen base attempts in 73 games on the year, so while he will contribute in stolen bases, he may not get close to 20

4) CJ Abrams SD, SS, 20.11 – With Tatis playing outfield, it now looks like the shortstop position is Abrams to lose in the long run.

5) Marco Luciano SF, SS, 19.11 – Strikeout rate has spiked to 42.9% in 17 games at High-A, but we’ve seen Luciano play this game before at a new level. Fool me once …

6) Spencer Torkelson DET, 3B/1B, 22.0– First six games at Triple-A have been rough with a 8/0 K/BB and a .465 OPS. Even if he doesn’t end up dominating the level by the end of the season (and I think he will), it’s been a hell of a year in his first year of pro ball.

7) Riley Greene DET, OF, 20.11 – Strikeouts are a concern with his K% rising to 38.5% at Triple-A (27.3% at Double-A), but considering his age relative to level, that should come down over time.

8) Zac Veen COL, OF, 19.7 – Continued to kill it in August, slashing .400/.467/.631 in 17 games.

9) Vidal Brujan TB, 2B, 23.7 – He hasn’t hit single homer since being sent back down, but he’s been an absolute hit machine with a 7.8% K% and .352 BA in 23 games. He also has a 13.6% BB% and 17 stolen bases over that time.

10) Noelvi Marte SEA, OF, 19.10 – He might be ready for a promotion as he’s ripped up Single-A in August with a .965 OPS and 8 steals in 18 games

11) Luis Matos SF, OF, 19.6 – He’s powering up with 9 homers in his last 49 games

12) Adley Rutschman BAL, C, 23.7 – Hasn’t missed a beat at Triple-A, maintaining his near elite 15.2% K% and putting up a 162 wRC+ in 10 games

13) Corbin Carroll ARI, OF, 21.0 – I’m seeing him being traded for a mighty reasonable price. The shoulder injury seems to have created a buying opportunity.

14) Grayson Rodriguez BAL, RHP, 21.10 – He always seems to have a bad start right before I update these rankings. He gave up 5 earned in 3.2 IP on Sunday, but he has continued to dominate the level with a 2.92 ERA (2.67 xFIP). I can see pushing Rodriguez up to as high as 9th on this list if you prefer the pitcher.

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

Posted on August 23, 2021August 23, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (8/23/21)

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 (8/23/21):

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)

Coby Mayo BAL, 3B, 19.7 – After destroying Rookie Ball, Mayo had his coming out party in full season ball by going 2 for 4 with his first homer at the level in 6 games. He has a lightening quick swing and the ball jumps off his bat. I can’t get enough of Mayo as a prospect, but as a condiment, the thought of it globbing out of my sandwich makes me queasy even as I’m writing this. Gotta go light on the mayo. He clocked in at #126 on my July Top 300 Prospects Rankings, and he’ll enter my Top 100 on the Updated August Prospects Rankings that are dropping tomorrow on my Patreon.

Jake Burger CHW, 3B, 25.4 – Burger went 2 for 5 with his 12th dinger in 52 games at Triple-A. The power is certainly legit as he notched a 98 MPH EV in his MLB cup of coffee earlier this year, but the strikeouts will have to come down to get consistent playing time. With Burger slotting in under Mayo, now we just need a prospect named Frankie Buns to complete the happy meal.

Riley Greene DET, OF, 20.11 – Greene had already shot up into elite prospect status by ranking 7th overall on that July update, and he has only taken it up a notch since then, slashing .370/.452/.685 with 7 homers and a 32/15 K/BB in his last 27 games. The last 6 of those games were at Triple-A, and he obliterated an upper deck homer for his first at the level yesterday. It was a lefty on lefty shot off a pretty weak, mislocated breaking ball.

Blaze Jordan BOS, 3B, 18.8 – Jordan already blazed a trail well into my Top 100 prospects on my Updated August Top 422 Dynasty Baseball Rankings on Patreon, and he showed why yesterday as he blasted a grand slam after Nick Yorke was intentionally walked ahead of him. Nothing feels sweeter than getting disrespected and then immediately shoving it in the opposing teams face. It’s his 2nd homer in 3 games in full season ball.

Nick Yorke BOS, 2B, 19.6 – Speaking of Yorke, he got intentionally walked for a reason, and that reason is that he has been molten hot. He went 2 for 4 with 2 walks and is now slashing .413/.500/.800 with 7 homers and a 6/11 K/BB in his last 19 games. Boston obviously knew what they were doing when they drafted him 17th overall in 2020.

Robert Hassell SD, OF, 20.0 – Power is really the only thing Hassell hasn’t answered yet with a 52.7% GB%, but the power stroke looked good yesterday as he went deep to left centerfield on a high fastball. It was only his 6th on the year in 88 games, but his 17.2%/13.6% K%/BB%, 28 doubles, and 30 stolen bases have picked up the slack. It will likely take a swing adjustment to unlock more power, but even as is he is looking like he will be an impact fantasy player.

Cal Quantrill CLE, RHP, 26.7 – 7 IP, 2 hits, 0 ER, 9/2 K/BB. His sinker averaged 94.2 MPH and he put up a 29% whiff% overall. He has induced weak contact his entire career with an above average 87.3 MPH EV against, and now his K’s are picking up with 39 strikeouts in his last 37 IP. He has the bloodlines and Cleveland knows a thing or two about pitching development. He’s shaping up to be an interesting target in next year’s draft. This is the type of guy you need to get on the cheap and hit on if you build with offense first in dynasty.

Carlos Hernandez KC, RHP, 24.5 – 7 IP, 4 hits, 1 ER, 8/3 K/BB. His sinker averaged 97.5 MPH and his slider put up a 43% whiff%. Hernandez has big stuff with some control issues (11.3% BB%), and while he hasn’t put up big K numbers in his career, yesterday was definitely a step in the right direction. He’s another intriguing option who will likely be available in 2022 drafts in many leagues.

Nick Gonzales PIT, 2B/SS, 22.3 – 4 for 5 with a double and dinger. Gonzales has been red hot at High-A, slashing .375/.441/.602 with 5 homers, 2 steals, and a 35/12 K/BB in his last 31 games. He’s still striking out too much, but the guy definitely has some legit juice in his bat.

Nick Pratto KC, 1B, 23.0 – Pratto’s comeback tour continued yesterday as he ripped his 10th homer in 29 games at Triple-A. He’s homered in 4 straight games and is now putting up a higher wRC+ at Triple-A than he did at Double-A (164 vs. 156). Not too bad for a guy who was left for dead 2 years ago.

Ezequiel Tovar COL, SS, 20.2 – Tovar’s breakout season slowed down a bit at High-A, but he picked it up big time yesterday, going 5 for 8 with a double and a homer in a doubleheader. He’s maintained his elite contact percentage with a 10.9% K% in 14 games, so while his GB% and BB% have tanked, he hasn’t been too overmatched.

Jhonkensy Noel CLE, 1B/3B, 20.3 – Noel slammed his first homer in 5 games at High-A to left center. He’s had some swing and miss issues at the level with a 8/0 K/BB which he didn’t show at Single-A (16.7% K%), so that will be something to watch. The power is unquestioned though as he now has 12 homers in 49 games on the year.

Matthew Fraizer PIT, OF, 23.8 – Fraizer annihilated High-A with a 158 wRC+, but he was a bit old for the level to start getting excited. Now he’s performing even better at Double-A as he cracked his 2nd homer to go along with 6 doubles and 3 triples. He has a 1.112 OPS in 16 games. He’s still not a spring chicken at 23 years old, but I think it’s time to start getting excited.

Drey Jameson ARI, RHP, 24.0 – 7 IP, 3 hits, 1 ER, 10/2 K/BB at Double-A. Since giving up 8 earned in 3.1 IP on June 19th, Jameson has been lights out with a 1.81 ERA and 79/13 K/BB in 59.2 IP. 27.1 of those innings have come at Double-A where he’s dominated hitters with mid 90’s heat and a 4 pitch mix. After putting up a 4.2 BB/9 in college, he now has that down to 2.9 in pro ball.

Ryan Murphy SF, RHP, 21.10 – 5 IP, 1 hit, 1 ER, 7/1 K/BB at High-A on Friday. A Patreon member, Tate, who has a close eye on San Francisco prospects asked me why Ryan Murphy hasn’t been getting any hype. I’ll let him take it away: “I’ve been watching his starts every time they come up. I thought it was FB/SL but I’ve come away feeling (and if my numbers are correct) that the knuckle curve he throws is his best pitch. Most swinging strikes. Changeup is not good. Really stiff. I’m going to say something controversial: I think I prefer him to Kyle Harrison at this time.” If Murphy wasn’t on your radar before, he should be.

Kyren Paris LAA, SS, 19.10 – Paris got ahold of his 2nd homer in 28 games at Single-A. He has double plus speed (16 steals) and is a walk machine (20.5% K%), but either the K% is going to have to come down (28%) or the power is going to have to seriously tick up for him to take the next step.

Michael Busch LAD, 2B, 23.10 – Busch launched his 16th homer in 88 games at Double-A. He hasn’t been as extreme of a flyball hitter as the year has gone on with a 40% GB%, but he is still walking a ton with a 15.1% BB%

Connor Norby BAL, 2B, 21.2 – The 41st pick in the draft, Norby is known as a good all around hitter who uses the whole field, and he showed just that he cracked his first pro homer at Single-A to the opposite field. He put up some eye popping numbers this year in the AAC, and is starting to get hot in pro ball with a 1.020 OPS in 5 games at Single-A.

Jake McCarthy ARI, OF, 24.1 – 3 for 4 with a triple and a homer at Triple-A. McCarthy has been quietly putting together a very fantasy friendly season in the upper minors this year with 13 homers and 29 steals in 82 games. He brought his K% down to 22.9% in 47 games at Triple-A (29.5% at Double-A). He still hits the ball on the ground too much and will have to fight for playing time when he does eventually get his shot in the majors, but I have a sneaky suspicion he will be fantasy relevant in the near future.

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

Posted on August 16, 2021August 16, 2021 by Michael Halpern

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):

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)

Posted on August 11, 2021August 13, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Patreon Post: Top 422 August 2021 Dynasty Baseball Rankings

The trade deadline is approaching in many leagues and now is your last chance to make any last minute deals to fine tune that championship roster, or plan ahead for 2022. Here is the Top 422 August 2021 Dynasty Baseball Rankings:

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE AND TONS MORE, INCLUDING:
-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)

1) Shohei Ohtani LAA, RHP/DH, 27.1 – Ohtani is making himself at home in this top spot. He actually managed to improve on the sole thing he was struggling with, his control, as he walked only 2 batters in his last 19 IP since last month’s update. He is so miraculous, I’m half expecting him to turn 26 years old next year. But seriously, even being four and a half years older than his main competition for this top stop, I’m not sure how you can turn down this level of all category production.

2) Fernando Tatis Jr. SD, SS, 22.7 – I wrote that the shoulder injury was “still in the back of my mind” on the July rankings, and it is now in the front of everyone’s mind with Tatis going down with a shoulder injury yet again. It looks as if he is going to try to gut through it this year, possibly as an outfielder, and then I wouldn’t be surprised if he underwent off-season surgery (but that is pure speculation based on zero medical knowledge).

3) Vlad Guerrero Jr. TOR, 1B, 22.5 – Only has an .888 OPS in the last month. It’s all falling apart :). Vlad gets the slight nod over Soto because of the beastly lineup he hits in.

4) Juan Soto WASH, OF, 22.9 – That “inevitable monster 2nd half” I called for in the July rankings has arrived in force, as Soto has a 1.204 OPS in his last 22 games.

5) Ronald Acuna ATL, OF, 23.8 – Tore his ACL and will be out for at least the rest of the this season, and who knows how much it cuts into his 2022 season. It is also fair to question if he will take it easy on the base paths when he does return. If non competing in a 5×5, I likely still rank him above Vlad and Soto.

6) Bo Bichette TOR, SS, 23.5 – The pure hitting numbers, both surface and underlying, aren’t necessarily elite, but the guy is a machine in a 5×5 league with 20 homers, 17 steals, and a .293 BA. He’s still only 23 years old, and I’m betting that his best is yet to come.

7) Trea Turner LAD, SS, 28.1 – He’s gunning for a 30/30 season and he now sits atop the Dodgers’ lineup.

8) Kyle Tucker HOU, OF, 23.8 – I hope you stayed patient through his April struggles because the underlying numbers didn’t lie as Tucker continues to explode with a .945 OPS post all star break. He’s an elite all category stud.

9) Bryce Harper PHI, OF, 28.9 – Harper’s BB% was sitting at a career low 12.9% in the last update and I mentioned it has nowhere to go but up, and up is exactly where it went as it now sits at 14.6%.

10) Mookie Betts LAD, OF, 28.10 – Hip injury has been a thorn in Betts’ side all season, but he was exploding when he was on the field with a 1.415 OPS in his last 13 games.

11) Jose Ramirez CLE, 3B, 28.9 – Quietly putting together another elite fantasy season. He is running at his lowest rate since 2017, and as he approaches his 30’s, I think you have to expect that to continue.

12) Rafael Devers BOS, 3B, 24.9 – BB% continues to rise as he’s walked 13 times in his last 21 games to bring his career best mark up to 9.6%

13) Mike Trout LAA, OF, 30.0 – The big 3 – 0 is here and Trout was fittingly sitting on the IL for his birthday due to this calf injury that just won’t heal. It hurts me to do it, but father time is undefeated, and he slides out of my top 10

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

Posted on August 2, 2021August 2, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (8/2/21)

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 (8/2/21):

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR:
-Updated Top 300 2021 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings
-Top 450 July 2021 OBP/OPS/PTS “Universal” Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-10 Dynasty Baseball Players to Target
-Dynasty Baseball Trade Strategies at the Halfway Point (Contending, Mid Pack, Rebuilding)
-2021/22 Top 50 First Year Player Draft Dynasty Baseball Rankings

Kumar Rocker No Man’s Land, RHP, 21.8 – Unsigned and will now have to re-enter the draft in 2022. Only in baseball can the most popular amateur player in the game get fucked like this. And of course, leave it to the Mets trusted medical team to lead the way. Can’t wait for this off-season to hear what new cockamamie, convoluted rules MLB owners can think up and shove down the Players Union throat while pretending the players are the greedy ones who are ruining the game.

Jud Fabian SEC, OF, 20.10 – Fabian also failed to sign, but this one makes more sense as he wasn’t a first round pick and is one of the youngest players in the college class. He’ll try to cut down on his strikeouts and re-enter the 2022 MLB Draft at a still age appropriate 21 years old.

Fernando Tatis Jr. SD, SS, 22.7 – The baseball gods were not satisfied with taking Ronald Acuna from us, they came back and ripped Fernando Tatis Jr. away too. Mike Trout has been out for months. deGrom has been shutdown again. I feel like there is some Final Destination shit going on with our baseball superstars. Soto and Ohtani better watch their back. Or on second thought, maybe Ohtani is secretly an evil supervillain, sucking up everyone’s talent to become a single unstoppable force.

Wander Franco TB, SS, 20.5 – Finally some good news. Wander had his third straight 2 hit game and now has a respectable 99 wRC+ in 30 games. He may not be lighting the world on fire, but if he can hold his own in his age 20 season, I’ll take it.

Jhailyn Ortiz PHI, OF, 22.9 – Ortiz is a formerly hyped, high priced international prospect who everybody forgot about after he struggled in 2018-2019. He’s put himself back on the map this season as he crushed High-A with 19 homers in 74 games, and is now making his presence felt at Double-A with his first homer at the level yesterday. It was a pull side bomb off a relatively legit, well located breaking ball. He clocked in at #263 on my Updated Top 300 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings that dropped on my Patreon last week.

Reid Detmers LAA, LHP, 22.1 – 4.1 IP, 6 hits, 6 ER, 2/2 K/BB in his MLB debut vs. Oakland. He fastball sat 92.9 MPH and it got destroyed with a .541 xwOBA. The curveball was as advertised though and dominated with a 30% whiff%, 77.2 MPH EV against, and a .219 xwOBA. There are better days ahead.

Daulton Jefferies OAK, RHP, 26.0 – Jefferies went against Detmers in his first MLB start of the season and faired better, going 5 IP with 3 hits, 3 runs, and a 3/3 K/BB. He threw a 5 pitch mix featuring a 93.5 MPH sinker that he used 40% of the time. He notched a 27% whiff% overall on the back of his change and curve which both put up a 60% whiff%. He can be a solid back end fantasy starter with mid-rotation upside.

Shane McClanahan TB, LHP, 24.3 – 6 IP, 4 hits, 1 ER, 7/2 K/BB vs. Boston. His fastball sat 95.4 MPH and he put up a 30% whiff% overall. His velocity has been down 1-2 MPH recently on all of his pitches but he had the velocity to spare and it hasn’t hurt him much, if at all. I just love this guy and can tell you already I’ll be going after him everywhere he is available in 2022 drafts even if I have to “reach.”

Brandon Lowe TB, OF/2B, 27.1 – Lowe’s been slowly improving every month of the season (April-.665 OPS/May-.692 OPS/June-.879 OPS/July-1.032 OPS) and has now kicked off August with a bang as he cranked a 105.4 MPH dinger off Nick Pivetta. He has a 15.3% barrel% which is in the top 9% of the league.

Gabriel Arias CLE, SS, 21.5 – 3 for 4 with 2 doubles. Arias has quietly put together a very strong season at Triple-A with a 115 wRC+, and has been red hot in his last 43 games, slashing .325/.376/.548 with 7 homers, 2 steals, and a 39/12 K/BB. His plate approach is much improved with a 22.9%/9.8% K%/BB%, he’s a plus infield defender and he’s young for the level at 21 years old.

Jo Adell LAA, OF, 22.4 – Adell crushed his 23rd homer of the year 454 feet out to dead center. He has a 29.2% K% on the year, but has been better of late with a 23.7% mark in his last 26 games, and in those 26 games he’s mashed 7 homers with a 1.033 OPS. I think he’s ready for a 2nd chance in the bigs.

Alek Thomas ARI, OF, 21.2 – Smacked his 7th homer in what has been a solid but unspectacular season at Double-A, slashing .265/.363/.469 with 7 homers, 7 steals, and a 20.1%/12.0% K%/BB%. With the mediocre power/speed numbers, he might be shaping up to be a better real life player than fantasy player.

Anthony Volpe NYY, SS, 20.3 – The power breakout is so sincere (yes, I’m listening to Jay-Z right now) as Volpe lifted off for his 17th homer of the year and his 5th in 17 games at High-A. Volpe has a real shot at being a monster.

Jared Jones PIT, RHP, 20.0 – Jones had his best start as a pro, going 6 IP with 6 hits, 1 earned and a 8/1 K/BB. The fastball hits the upper 90’s and the slider is plus. Control is still an issue but this is what it could look like if it all comes together.

Liover Peguero PIT, SS, 20.7 – Peguero has been white hot as he bagged himself a couple homers yesterday and now has 5 homers in his last 4 games at High-A. The power/speed combo is starting to look real sweet with 11 homers and 17 steals (in 20 attempts) in 58 games.

Nick Loftin KC, SS, 22.6 – The 32nd overall pick of the 2020 draft had his best game as a pro, going 5 for 6 with 2 doubles, 1 triple, and a homer. He has a solid 114 wRC+ at High-A, but it doesn’t look like he is going to have difference making power or speed (7 homers and 7 steals in 61 games).

Hunter Brown HOU, RHP, 22.11 – 6 IP, 3 hits, 1 ER, 7/1 K/BB in his Triple-A debut. Brown has majorly struggled with his control all year at Double-A with a 13.4% BB%, but he is also a strikeout machine with a 35% K%. He’s got great stuff with mid 90’s heat and two power breaking balls, but the risk is high. Even with the risk, I have been way too low on him.

Luis Frias ARI, RHP, 23.2 – Frias threw a complete game, 7 inning no hitter, going 7 IP with 0 hits, 0 ER, and a 6/1 K/BB. He’s struggled at Double-A with a 5.27 ERA and has lost some the shine he was getting early in the season, but maybe this is the beginning of a strong 2nd half.

AJ Puk OAK, LHP, 26.3 – Puk was given his first start of the season and went 3 IP with 3 hits, 1 ER, and a 5/1 K/BB. The fastball/slider combo is still nasty and the start gives some hope that Oakland hasn’t completely given up on him as a starter. He does have a 6.16 ERA on the season, so we aren’t out of the woods quite yet.

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

Posted on July 27, 2021July 29, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Patreon Post: Top 300 July 2021 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings

I was very strict with my definition of a prospect in this one. Any player currently in the majors was excluded. Here is the Top 300 July 2021 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings:

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE AND TONS MORE, INCLUDING:
-Top 450 July 2021 OBP/OPS/PTS “Universal” Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-10 Dynasty Baseball Players to Target
-Dynasty Baseball Trade Strategies at the Halfway Point (Contending, Mid Pack, Rebuilding)
-2021/22 Top 50 First Year Player Draft Dynasty Baseball Rankings

1) Julio Rodriguez SEA, OF, 20.7 – With Wander and Kelenic under fire in the bigs, Julio takes the top spot in the calm waters that is the minors. His transition to Double-A has been seamless with a 146 wRC+

2) Bobby Witt Jr. KC, SS, 21.1 – If prospect rankings could have ties, Julio and Witt would be tied for first, but the only rule of prospect rankings is that there are no ties, so Witt slides in at #2. He didn’t take long to show off the power/speed combo at Triple-A with 2 homers, 1 double and 1 steal and in his first 6 games at the level.

3) CJ Abrams SD, SS, 20.10 – Fractured tibia and sprained MCL ended his season. Doesn’t have Julio or Witt’s power, but he beats them in speed and batting average.

4) Marco Luciano SF, SS, 19.11 – Currently day to day with minor shoulder discomfort. Plate approach hasn’t declined at all in full season ball with a 21.3%/12.1% K%/BB% and neither has his power with 16 bombs in 64 games

5) Spencer Torkelson DET, 3B/1B, 21.11– Bashed 9 homers with a 20.7%/13.3% K%/BB% in 33 games at Double-A

6) Brennen Davis CHC, OF, 21.9 – 32% K% is a bit high at Double-A, but everything else is there with 9 homers and a 12.6% BB% in 42 games

7) Riley Greene DET, OF, 20.10 – Putting up a 125 wRC+ at Double-A with speed (11 steals), but a 28.5% K% is on the high side

8) Zac Veen COL, OF, 19.6 – Power exploded with all 11 of his homers coming in his last 29 games. He added the power to a plus plate approach (23.9%/13.8% K%/BB%) and speed (27 steals)

9) Vidal Brujan TB, 2B, 23.6 – Has hit only 2 homers in his last 36 Triple-A games since his early season homer binge. Wasn’t given a real shot in his MLB debut

10) Noelvi Marte SEA, OF, 19.9 – Cooled off in his last 22 games with a .580 OPS, but he’s been strong overall with a 113 wRC+ in full season ball

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

Posted on July 19, 2021July 20, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (7/19/21)

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 (7/19/21):

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR:
-Top 450 July 2021 OBP/OPS/PTS “Universal” Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-10 Dynasty Baseball Players to Target
-Dynasty Baseball Trade Strategies at the Halfway Point (Contending, Mid Pack, Rebuilding)
-Top 300 June 2021 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings
-2021/22 Top 50 First Year Player Draft Dynasty Baseball Rankings

Wander Franco TB, SS, 20.4 – Demolished a 418 foot, 104 MPH homer off Drew Smyly for his 3rd of the year in 18 games. The 3 homers are nice, but the underlying numbers on his MLB debut aren’t great with a .275 xwOBA and a below average 25.2% whiff%. I still think he is going to be a beast, but damn would it have been nice for him to just come out and rake. I’m sick of having patience with top prospects …

Jarred Kelenic SEA, OF, 21.11 – Jarred “have patience” Kelenic has returned to the majors and it is not going much better in his first 3 games, going 3 for 13 with 3 singles and a 6/0 K/BB. Sometimes in fantasy you just gotta dust off that ole’ Zen Buddhism skillset and remind yourself to not sell low no matter how frustrating it can be.

Jasson Dominguez NYY, OF, 18.5 – Dominguez is living up to the hype as he’s ripping the ball all over the park at Single-A as an 18 year old, slashing .400/.429/.700 with 1 double, 1 triple, 1 homer, and a 3/1 K/BB in 5 games. For all of the people that took that leap of faith on his insane upside, this has to make you feel good. He ain’t no Kevin Maitan.

Orelvis Martinez TOR, SS, 19.10 – Martinez is going absolutely gangbusters with 7 homers in his last 6 games to bring his season wRC+ to 152 at Single-A. He doesn’t get the hype that some of the other 19 year old phenom mashers are getting, but he’s right up there with them.

Luis Matos SF, OF, 19.5 – Speaking of prospects not getting the hype they deserve, Matos has been heating up in his last 10 games with 4 doubles, 2 homers, 1 triple and a .405 BA. I ranked him 10th overall in my latest Top 300 Dynasty Prospects Rankings on Patreon because of his exceptional contact ability (14.4% K%), speed (16 steals in 19 attempts) and emerging power (6 homers in 59 games with a 42% FB%). 5.3% BB% is really the only negative to his game right now.

Grayson Rodriguez BAL, RHP, 21.8 – Considering I think Grayson has the stuff to dominate MLB hitters right now, it’s not too surprising to see him obliterate Double-A as he went 5 IP with 2 hits, 0 earned, and a 12/1 K/BB. He has a 2.04 ERA with a 57/8 K/BB in 39.2 IP at the level.

Brennen Davis CHC, OF, 21.8 – Davis cracked the top 100 overall (#94) in my latest OBP/OPS/PTS “Universal” Top 450 Dynasty Baseball Rankings on Patreon, and for good reason as he smashed a homer in back to back games at Double-A and now has a 151 wRC+ in 37 games at the level. I told you in last week’s Monday Morning Rundown to treat him like an elite asset, and he is living up to the billing.

Logan Gilbert SEA, RHP, 24.2 – 5.1 IP, 4 hits, 2 ER, 9/2 K/BB. It was his most strikeouts in a start all season as his secondaries are proving to be elite swing and miss pitches. His slider has a 40.5% whiff% on the season and his changeup has a 73.1% whiff% on the season. 73.1%!!! He only throws the change 7.9% of the time, but he threw it 17% of the time yesterday, and I have a sneaking suspicion we are going to see more of it

Brandon Marsh LAA, OF, 23.7 – Marsh made his MLB debut and went 0 for 4 with 2 K’s. He is a great athlete with a plus power/speed combo, but his groundball rates have been high throughout his career and his strikeout rates have been on the high side too. There is upside here, but there is also potential for struggles.

Shohei Ohtani LAA, RHP/DH, 27.0 – Ohtani went 2 for 3 with 2 walks and a homer. One of those hits was an infield single to first base where he beat the first baseman to the bag. There is nothing this guy can’t do. I’m half expecting him to drill a 3 in Game 6 of the NBA Finals tomorrow. He’s my newly minted #1 overall player in Dynasty Leagues.

Nolan Gorman STL, 3B/2B, 21.2 – Gorman is starting to find his groove at Triple-A as he walloped 2 homers yesterday and now has 3 homers in his last 2 games. His overall numbers at the level are mediocre with a .733 OPS in 15 games, but that is bound to keep rising.

Zac Veen COL, OF, 19.7 – The power has arrived in full force as Veen’s crushed 5 homers in his last 5 games to give him 9 on the season in 61 games. He’s shown a mature plate approach with a 24.6%/14.6% K%/BB% and is running like wild with 27 steals in 38 attempts. He’s shaping up to be an all category beast.

Heriberto Hernandez TB, 1B/OF, 21.7 – Heriberto has been in a deep power slump since his hot start with only 1 homer in his last 49 games prior to last night, but he broke out of it yesterday with 2 bombs, one an opposite field shot and one to his pull side. He was still walking a ton over that 49 game time period with a .354 OBP, and with a 47.5% FB%, the homeruns were bound to come back around

Miguel Vargas LAD, 3B, 21.8 – Vargas is one of my favorite still under the radar/underhyped prospects in the minors, and he keeps handling his business at Double-A with an opposite field bomb for his 7th homer in 28 games at the level (14 homers in 65 games on the season). He makes good contact (20.6% K%) and hits the ball in the air (50% FB%). He’ll eventually start getting the respect he deserves and you’ll hope you bought in before that.

Michael Conforto NYM, OF, 28.4 – Crushed a 418 foot homer off Richard Rodriguez yesterday and went 2 for 4 with 2 doubles the day before. I told my Patreon members to target Conforto weeks ago as he’s bound to have a big second half with a .356 xwOBA and a career high 14.6% BB%.

JD Davis NYM, 3B, 28.2 – JD Davis is another Met who is looking set up for a big 2nd half. He cracked two dingers on Saturday and has a career high 93.9 MPH exit velocity and 15 degree launch angle in 17 games, although his whiff% has exploded into the danger zone (41.3%).

Heliot Ramos SF, OF, 21.10 – Ramos went opposite field for his 10th homer of the year in 62 games at Double-A in an otherwise underwhelming season. He has a 27.4% K% and a 106 wRC+. He is only 21 and is putting up a 10.2% BB%, so you can look at it glass half full, but if you are looking to use him as trade bait I’m not sure he is going to get the other owner real excited (and I know because I’ve tried).

Jairo Pomares SF, OF, 20.11 – Pomares has been quietly ripping up Single-A with a full power breakout, drilling his 9th homer of the season yesterday in 27 games. He’s not exactly young for the level and his 26.9%/6.7% K%/BB% isn’t great, so there are some reasons for caution.

Dillon Dingler DET, C, 22.9 – Dingler hit a brick wall at Double-A (.604 OPS in 25 games) after destroying High-A (.925 OPS in 32 games), but he did slice an opposite field shot for his 10th homer of the season. He’s bound to get hot again.

Jordyn Adams LAA, OF, 21.8 – Adams was getting a lot of 2020 hype as a potential breakout prospect, but it has yet to materialize with him struggling hard at High-A with a 37.4% K% in 28 games. He did rip his 3rd homer of the year and 2nd in 2 games, so maybe this is the beginning of a hot streak, but that K% scares me. He’s dropping down my rankings.

Graham Ashcraft MIL, RHP, 23.5 – Double-A hasn’t slowed Ashcraft’s roll at all, as he went 6 IP with 4 hits, 0 ER, and 5/1 K/BB yesterday. He has a pitching line of 2.33/0.93/27/11 in 27 IP at the level. With his mid 90’s heat and a plus, high spin rate breaking ball, he is one of my favorite pop up prospects this year.

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

Posted on July 12, 2021July 12, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (7/12/21)

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 (7/12/21):

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR:
-July 2021 OBP/OPS/PTS “Universal” Dynasty Baseball Rankings
-10 Dynasty Baseball Players to Target
-Dynasty Baseball Trade Strategies at the Halfway Point (Contending, Mid Pack, Rebuilding)
-Top 300 June 2021 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings
-2021/22 Top 50 First Year Player Draft Dynasty Baseball Rankings

Ronald Acuna ATL, OF, 23.6 – The baseball world wept as Acuna went down with a torn ACL. Even if you are contending, I think you just gotta suck it up and hold no matter how much it sucks. Acuna is too good of a long term piece to give up even if it does get a you championship this year. I just ranked him #2 overall in my ongoing Updated Dynasty Rankings over on my Patreon, and this injury will knock him down to 5th overall.

Brennen Davis CHC, OF, 21.8 – Davis was the star of the Futures Game as he blasted off for 2 dingers, one of which was a 428 foot bomb. He was heating up at Double-A too, slashing .338/.416/.618 with 4 homers, 3 steals, and a 21/7 K/BB in his last 19 games. He is quickly ascending into elite prospect territory. Do not deal him off unless you are getting an elite win now return.

Jose Barrero CIN, SS, 23.0 – Barrero also went deep in the Futures Game on a pull side, 426 foot missile. He’s struggled a bit since his promotion to Triple-A with a .171 BA, but is still showing power with 2 homers in 10 games

Henry Davis PIT, C, 21.10 – The newly minted #1 overall pick of the 2021 MLB Draft is my 5th ranked prospect in my Top 50 FYPD Rankings. You have to remember the MLB Draft doesn’t pick purely based on talent (not to say Davis wasn’t deserving), but signing bonus demands also come into play. Davis was the best college hitter in the class and with everyone expecting robo umps in the near future, seems very likely to stick behind the plate. Offensive catcher production will almost certainly see a huge boost with robo umps as pitch framing becomes worthless. Arm and bat will now rule the day, and Davis has those two areas covered.

Marcelo Mayer BOS, SS, 18.7 – Mayer fell right into Boston’s lap at #4 overall, and he is my #1 overall FYPD pick in non 5×5 leagues. He also had all the guys on MLB Network gushing over his good looks, how he has the “it” factor, and how he looked great in that Red Sox cap, which actually has me worried a bit. A big part of “Moneyball” was Billy Beane recognizing how easily scouts can be fooled by a guy that looks great in a uniform. I also always go back to Joey Harrington in the NFL who got similar praise for being good looking and playing a mean guitar. I love Mayer, and I’m just joshing around a bit, but these thoughts are in the back of my mind.

Jordan Lawlar ARI, SS, 19.0 – Lawlar went 6th overall to Arizona, and he is my #1 overall FYPD pick in 5×5 leagues. His stolen base potential gives him the edge over Mayer in leagues where speed matters a lot.

Kahlil Watson MIA, SS, 18.3 – Watson fell to #16 overall which creates a buying opportunity in more casual dynasty leagues where draft order carries a ton of weight. I have him ranked #3 overall. It is actually the exact same thing that happened with Corbin Carroll, who I also had as my #3 overall player before falling to #16 in the draft.

Gerrit Cole NYY, RHP, 30.10 – We might have been a little premature on pouring dirt over Cole’s grave, as he pitched angry on Saturday, going 9 IP with 3 hits, 0 earned and a 12/3 K/BB. His spin was still down and he put up only a 24% whiff%, so I’m not sure we are completely out of the woods quite yet, but this start inspires confidence he will be damn good regardless

Alec Burleson STL, OF, 22.7 – Burleson has caught fire again at Double-A, going 2 for 4 with his 15th homer of the year yesterday, and now has 4 homers in his last 4 games. His contact numbers have actually improved at Double-A too with a 23.4%/7.2% K%/BB%. He continues to be one of the most underrated prospects in the minors.

Jose Rodriguez CHW, SS, 20.2 – Rodriguez had a monster day yesterday, going 3 for 5 with a homer and 2 steals. He’s now slashing .284/.325/.470 with 8 homers, 18 steals and a 17.4%/5.1% K%/BB% in 55 games at Single-A. He’s now homered in back to back games and is easily worthy of a pick up in medium size leagues and deeper.

Benny Montgomery COL, OF, 18.9 – It’s hard not to get excited when Colorado drafts a hitter even with their poor track record of development and willingness to play young hitters. Montgomery was drafted 8th overall by the Rockies and is possibly the highest upside bat in the draft, putting up a 103 MPH exit velocity and a 6.32 60 yard dash time. That puts him at the top of the class in power and speed. Hit tool is still raw and he has to refine his swing, but this is the type of bat you target in fantasy. Colorado did dynasty players a solid on this one.

Edward Cabrera MIA, RHP, 23.3 – 5.2 IP, 5 hits, 4 earned, 7/1 K/BB at Double-A. This was Cabrera’s worst start since returning from injury and I mean that in the best possible way as it wasn’t all that bad and the K/BB was on point. His stuff is nasty and he is quickly re-establishing himself as one of the most exciting pitching prospects in the game.

Shane Baz TB, RHP, 22.1 – Baz was electric in his one inning at the Futures Game, striking out 2 with no hits or walks. He flung 99 MPH heat and showed off his newfound control by painting the black. There is a reason I have him as the #2 overall pitching prospect in baseball behind Grayson Rodriguez.

Cade Cavalli WASH, RHP, 22.10 – Cavalli impressed in his one inning as well, taking out Jasson Dominguez on a 100 MPH fastball. He struck out 2 and walked 2.

Spencer Strider ATL, RHP, 22.8 – 0.2 IP, 0 hits, 5 ER, 0/5 K/BB at Double-A. I still like Strider a lot but it is a reminder to not get too carried away with pop up pitching prospects in leagues where you can pick up prospects during the year. It’s easy to fall in love with every prospect who is dealing in the minors, I’ve definitely been guilty of it, but that is how you end up with a farm system with over 50% pitching prospects, which is a recipe for disaster. You have to pick your spots and take a chance on a few of them, but you can’t grab them all.

Hunter Greene CIN, RHP, 21.11 – Greene did his best Shohei Ohtani impression yesterday, going 5 IP with 6 hits, 1 earned and a 2/2 K/BB on the mound and went 1 for 2 with a RBI at the dish. He has the talent to truly be able to do both, but he won’t be given the opportunity.

Gilberto Jimenez BOS, OF, 21.0 – Jimenez went 3 for 6 with 2 doubles and a steal yesterday at Single-A, and he’s been heating up over his last 9 games, slashing .361/.400/.556 with 1 homer, 3 steals, and a 10/0 K/BB. He’s a dropper overall on the season though with a poor 21.1%/2.2% K%/BB% and only 2 homers in 51 games.

Kyle Harrison SF, LHP, 19.11 – Harrison had his longest outing of his career, going 7 IP with 6 hits, 2 earned, and a 7/0 K/BB at Single-A. Harrison’s stock took a big jump this season, but he still needs to work on his control/command (4.9 BB/9).

Joe Ryan TB, RHP, 25.1 – Ryan had the best pitching outing of the day yesterday, going 7 IP with 1 hit, 0 ER, and a 9/1 K/BB. He has utterly dominated every minor league level and now has a 34.8%/5% K%/BB% at Triple-A. There is no guarantee he ends up a starter, especially in Tampa, but I’m betting on him being effective in any role he pitches in.

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

Posted on July 8, 2021July 15, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Patreon Post: Top 450 July 2021 OBP/OPS/PTS “Universal” Dynasty Baseball Rankings: 1-450

These OBP/OPS/PTS “Universal” Rankings are for leagues where speed is devalued and the value of good real life hitters who get on base and hit for power are juiced up. It still isn’t a perfect ranking (is there such thing as a perfect dynasty ranking?), but I believe it is helpful in a universal sense for points leagues and category leagues too that play with OBP, or add in a 6th or 7th hitting category. Here is the July 2021 OBP/OPS/PTS “Universal” Dynasty Baseball Rankings: 1-450:

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE AND MUCH MORE, INCLUDING:
-10 Dynasty Baseball Players to Target
-Dynasty Baseball Trade Strategies at the Halfway Point (Contending, Mid Pack, Rebuilding)
-Top 300 June 2021 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings
-2021/22 Top 50 First Year Player Draft Dynasty Baseball Rankings

1) Shohei Ohtani LAA, RHP/DH, 27.0 – Living legend. He has an elite power/speed combo in the box (31 homers and 12 steals) and an elite strikeout rate on the mound (30.7%). He’s truly the first elite all category player in the history of fantasy baseball (except for saves/holds obviously).

2) Ronald Acuna ATL, OF, 23.7 – The major strikeout gains he made earlier in the year didn’t stick as Acuna has a 30% K% in his last 51 games.

3) Fernando Tatis Jr. SD, SS, 22.6 – Shoulder injury is still in the back of my mind which is where it belongs as long as he keeps putting up insane production

4) Vlad Guerrero Jr. TOR, 1B, 22.4 – 95.3 MPH exit velocity is 2nd best in the league behind Aaron Judge. Machado is #3 at 93.8 MPH. With these rankings devaluing speed, I was tempted to put Vlad #2, but Acuna and Tatis have the longer track record.

5) Juan Soto WASH, OF, 22.8 – Surface stats aren’t elite (.853 OPS), but the underlying numbers are (.422 xwOBA). His inevitable monster 2nd half has already started with homers in his last 2 games. Flip a coin between Soto and Vlad.

6) Mike Trout LAA, OF, 29.11 – On track to return shortly after the all-star break. He’s getting a little long in the tooth (which I just learned derived from the fact horse teeth grow as they age), and has been injury prone, but he’s elite when healthy.

7) Bryce Harper PHI, OF, 28.8 – 12.9% BB% is actually a career low, which means he has nowhere to go but up, and he’s been damn good as is with a .416 xwOBA.

8) Mookie Betts LAD, OF, 28.9 – Underwhelming year with a .809 OPS. Whiff% (18.3%) and sprint speed (27.3 ft/sec) are career worsts

9) Jose Ramirez CLE, 3B, 28.8 – Career best 91.2 MPH exit velocity and .388 xwOBA

10) Rafael Devers BOS, 3B, 24.8 – Career best 8.2% BB% and is still smoking the ball with a 93 MPH exit velocity

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