Cade Cavalli – Imaginary Brick Wall

Posted on October 7, 2024October 7, 2024 by Michael Halpern

Washington Nationals 2025 Dynasty Baseball Team Report (Top 10 Prospects/Interesting MLB guys/Strategy Talk)

The 2025 off-season festivities have officially kicked off on the Brick Wall with the first Dynasty Team Report of the year. Like during the regular season, I will release a freebie here on Imaginary Brick Wall on some Mondays with the vast majority of the content over on the Patreon. Off-season content will include these Dynasty Team Reports, along with Deep Positional Rankings, strategy articles, target articles, podcasts, predicting future prospect lists, AFL/Winter League Updates, the Top 100+ FYPD rankings, Top 500+ Prospects Rankings, and Top 1,000+ Dynasty Rankings. Here is the Washington Nationals 2025 Dynasty Baseball Team Report (Top 10 Prospects/Interesting MLB guys/Strategy Talk):

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ALL OFF-SEASON, INCLUDING:
-END OF SEASON 2024 TOP 322 PROSPECTS RANKS
-END OF SEASON 2024 438 DYNASTY RANKS
-TOP 57 2025 FYPD RANKS with full scouting reports and prime projections
-HALP’S DYNASTY BASEBALL PODCAST: SEPTEMBER MAILBAG!
-SPREADSHEETS
-OFF-SEASON CONTENT! – Dynasty Team Reports (Top 10 Prospects/Interesting MLB guys/Strategy Talk) , Deep Positional Rankings, Predicting Future Prospect Lists, Fall/Winter League Updates, Top 100+ FYPD Ranks, Top 500+ Prospects Ranks, Top 1,000 Dynasty Ranks & so much more!

Pitchers

DJ Herz – WAS, LHP, 24.3 – What is the victory lapping etiquette for dynasty baseball? In a redraft league, the etiquette is much easier to figure out. Wait until the end of the season and you are safe. But for dynasty, you are wading in much more treacherous waters. Enter DJ Herz, who I named a major target in 2022, only to back off of a bit coming into 2023 and 2024. Now that he broke out this season with a 4.16 ERA (3.29 xERA) and 27.7/9.4 K%/BB% in 88.2 IP, can I claim he’s a “hit”? It feels weird to claim he’s a hit when most people probably dropped him or sold low over those last 2 years. On the other hand, when ranking prospects, you can’t truly know if someone is a hit or miss until several years down the line. Or maybe most importantly, does anyone give a crap? (I ruminate about this more in the Strategy/Thoughts section down below). At this point, the past is behind us, and it’s time to figure out how to value Herz going forward. And my advice is to value him pretty damn high. His 93.5 MPH fastball is a legitimate elite weapon which he throws 54.2% of the time. The pitch notched a 30.5% whiff% which was 4th best amongst starting pitchers. That alone makes him a high K, mid-rotation fantasy starter, and well, to be honest, that is actually all he has. His slider and changeup are decent and mostly get the job done, but they both grade out as slightly below average. And of course the biggest red flag is his below average control. It took a step forward in the majors this year, which sparked this breakout, but it was getting worse towards the end of the season, and it adds in a healthy dose of risk to his profile. I don’t believe Herz will be hyped to death this off-season, making him a relatively reasonably priced target if you to chase upside (control and/or secondaries improving can unlock near top of the fantasy rotation upside), but make sure to factor in the real risk (you can only be so good with a 12% BB% and mediocre secondaries). 2025 Projection: 9/3.73/1.25/181 in 155 IP

MacKenzie Gore – WAS, LHP, 26.1 – Here we go again. Gore is making himself comfortable in the breakout waiting room, and I just hope he doesn’t end up stuck there. The good news is that he definitely took a nice step forward this season with career bests in ERA (3.90), xERA (4.19), Barrel% (6.8%), BB% (8.9%), whiff% (28.6%), and velocity (96 MPH fastball). Those are 6 major categories to take a step forward in. You can see just from those stats that the ingredients are all in here to have a true explosion in 2025, and Gore would be far from the first top of the rotation starter to take a few years before getting to that lofty level (Scherzer, Wheeler, Gausman to name a few). But it also feels like a copout to just name 3 aces who weren’t as good earlier in their career as a reason to expect an explosion from Gore, and after predicting that breakout for Gore the last 2 years to mediocre results, it feels too much like wishful thinking to go too hard after it for a 3rd year. He’s more of a Top 300 dynasty asset for me rather than a Top 200 one. 2025 Projection: 11/3.82/1.34/195 in 173 IP

Hitters

James Wood – WAS, OF, 22.7 – I don’t need to do any deep victory lap philosophizing when it comes to if James Wood is a hit for me, because I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I can victory lap the hell out of James Wood. I named him a major First Year Player Draft Target in his draft year, and then I ranked him all the way up at 68th overall in the 2024 Top 1,000 Dynasty Baseball Rankings. I couldn’t help but buy into that beastly power/speed combo from a 6’7” frame, and the swing was always short enough to bet on the hit tool ending up good enough. And that is exactly how it played out in his rookie year with an elite 92.8/96.9 MPH AVG/FB EV, a plus 28.7 ft/sec sprint, a well above average 21% Chase%, and a not in the true danger zone 29.6% whiff%. It resulted in 9 homers, 14 steals, a .264 BA and a 120 wRC+ in 79 games. The 2.4 degree launch subdued the homer power a bit, but he hits the ball so hard that he’s launch proof, and that number is certainly coming up in the future. He’s basically Elly De La Cruz with better plate skills and half as many steals. There are very few players I’m parting with Wood for. He ranked 13th overall on the Top 438 End of Season 2024 Dynasty Baseball Rankings. 2025 Projection: 89/24/87/.251/.346/.474/26 Prime Projection: 105/32/105/.268/.364/.518/28

CJ Abrams – WAS, SS, 24.6 – Washington sent Abrams to his room like an unruly teenager to think about what he’s done after partying at a casino until 8 AM when he had a 1 PM game. Maybe he was exhibiting this type of behavior all season and it was a long time coming. But maybe this is also what a normal 23/24 year old does, and at that point of the season, the Nationals were so far out of it. I say give the kid a break, but either way, I’m not letting it impact his considerable dynasty value. His power has been slowly but surely ticking up with a 90.9 MPH FB/LD EV in 2022, followed by a 92.6 MPH FB/LD EV in 2023, and finally putting up a very respectable 93.6 MPH FB/LD EV in 2024. It resulted in his first 20 homer season in 138 games, and at a still wiry 6’2” with a 15.1 degree launch, this is just the beginning of his power ascension as he enters his mid 20’s. He wasn’t as good on the bases this year as he was in 2023 (31 for 43), but he finished the season 17 for 19 on steal attempts in his final 52 games, so I think that was just a small sample aberration. And really his biggest demerit is that the plate skills haven’t shown any improvement since he broke into the majors with a 21.3/6.6 K%/BB% and 35.4% Chase%. He can be an easy top 50 dynasty asset even if the plate approach never improves, putting up several 20/30 seasons, but if he wants to take the next step into near elite status, he needs to improve in that area. And entering his age 24 year old season, I don’t see why we shouldn’t expect improvement there. Abrams is just getting started. 2025 Projection: 89/23/76/.263/.329/.450/35

Bullpen

Kyle Finnegan – WAS, Closer, 33.7 – We’ve been waiting nervously for Finnegan to get traded out of the closer role for 2 years, but now that Washington looks on the brink of contention, he just might be off the trade block (famous last words). He’s not very good, but he mostly gets the job done with a 3.68 ERA, 38 saves, and a 22.1/8.9 K%/BB% in 63.2 IP. He has the big velocity with a 97.2 MPH fastball that he throws 67.6% of the time, but he doesn’t have a great secondary and the control is average at best. Even if he doesn’t get traded, Washington is liable to bring in someone else to close, he’s in the final year of team control, and he’s 33 years old. He’s a very low end closer option. 2025 Projection: 4/3.66/1.32/63/30 saves in 65 IP

Washington Nationals 2025 Top 10 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings

1) Dylan Crews – WAS, OF, 23.1 – Crews’ dynasty value/hype has seen some fluctuations since being drafted, but the thing that was quietly flying under the radar, was how good he was on the bases, and for fantasy, that has a major impact on his value. He stole 25 bases in 100 games in the upper minors, and then he stole 12 bags with a double plus 29.3 ft/sec sprint in his 31 game MLB debut. He only stole 6 bases in 71 games his junior year of college, and then went 3 for 7 in his pro debut, so I can’t blame anyone for not expecting it, but it’s clearly a real skill he has, and it makes Crews insanely exciting for fantasy again. He combines the speed with above average contact rates (19.7% K%), above average chase rates (26.6%), and plus power (94.7 MPH FB/LD EV in the majors and a 90.2 MPH EV in the minors). The only quibble in his profile is the low launch (8.8 degrees), but he has the skillset to make that work, and he only needs to raise it a bit higher to be in a completely fine range, which I’m betting he will. The Langford vs. Crews debate might not end up as easy as we thought, and with Crews not really being considered in that lofty tier anymore, there could be a buy window here this off-season. If you can buy off the relatively subdued hype and .641 MLB OPS, I would be all over it. He’s a Top 50 dynasty asset in my book. 2025 Projection: 81/21/76/.259/.334/.448/26 Prime Projection: 94/27/97/.278/.359/.481/28

2) Travis Sykora – WAS, RHP, 20.11 – The way I see it, it’s a two man race between Thomas White and Travis Sykora to be the top rated pitching prospect in baseball by this time next year, and while I have White as the favorite because he did it at High-A for most of the season, Sykora simply didn’t get that opportunity. All he could do was obliterate the competition that was put in front of him, and obliterate he did with a 2.33 ERA and 39.2/8.2 K%/BB% in 85 IP at Single-A. He’s a 6’6”, 232 pound beast with 3 at least plus pitches in his mid 90’s fastball, slider and splitter. He doesn’t have pinpoint control, but he throws the ball over the plate, and he doesn’t have the most athletic looking delivery, but it’s not unathletic either. Age to level doesn’t matter nearly as much for pitchers as it does hitters, but I do think it’s still something to take into account, so him being 20 years old at Single-A makes me want to see it at higher levels before truly crowning him. Regardless, this is easy ace upside, and his hype is going to blow up in 2025. He’s the type you might want to stick your neck out to grab if he’s out there in your off-season prospect draft. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 15/3.31/1.12/225 in 185 IP

3) Jarlin Susana – WASH, RHP, 21.1 – I called Susana the Hunter Greene starter pack that was still sitting in the plastic, waiting to be put together coming into this season, and well, he started to assemble those pieces in 2024. After a rough start, he caught fire, putting up a 2.79 ERA with a 39.4/9.3 K%/BB% in his final 77.1 IP split between Single-A and High-A. The Greene comp is actually extremely on point for the similarly sized, 6’6”, 235 pound Susana with an upper 90’s fastball that doesn’t get enough movement, a double plus slider, below average control, and a developing splitter. The improvements that Greene made this season (turning the splitter into a legit third weapon and improving his fastball movement) are the same improvements Susana has to make as he continues to climb the ladder. He also needs to continue to improve his control/command, as he can start to look a big relievery at times. There is still plenty of risk here, but there is legit top of the rotation upside, and he could have a soft landing spot as an elite closer. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 12/3.55/1.26/187 in 165 IP

4) Brady House – WAS, 3B, 21.10 – House hasn’t had the elite prospect explosion we hoped for when he was a hyped high school bat, and his .241/.297/.402 triple slash with a 26.4/5.7 K%/BB% in 129 games split between Double-A and Triple-A isn’t all that impressive either, but when evaluating prospects, you have to have an eye towards who they can be, rather than who they are today, and House can definitely still be a middle of the order power bat at peak. His power did take a step forward this year with 19 homers, and he’s still a relatively svelte 6’4”, so I think there is more power coming when he gets into his man muscles years. Keep in mind he was just 21 years old in the upper minors, while hyped, similarly aged college bats were struggling or not exactly dominating in the lower minors. He needs to improve his hit tool and plate approach, which is why he isn’t ranked higher on this list, but he still looks on track to be that middle of the order power bat we thought he could be. The Nationals 3B job is also wide open for the taking in both the short term and the long term. 2025 Projection: 28/9/36/.230/.291/.408/4 Prime Projection: 73/24/84/.253/.326/.457/9

5) Seaver King – WAS, SS, 21.11 – You know how I often say that if you hit it hard, hit if often, and are fast that good things tend to happen, well, that is King’s game to a T. Selected 10th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, the 6’0”, 195 pound King has a lightning quick swing that is very powerful, controlled and produces very hard contact. He can spray hard liners all over the field. He combines that with plus to double plus speed with 31 steals in 33 attempts in 149 career college games. And finally, tack on tons of contact with a 12% K% in 60 games in the SEC. That is a profile that consistently makes things happen on a baseball field. There isn’t a ton of game power because of his hitting profile, but he still jacked out 16 homers in college, and he’s an aggressive hitter with high chase rates. That profile completely transferred to Single-A, both the good (.295 BA, 14.4% K%, and 10 steals in 20 games), and the bad (0 homers with a 53.8% GB%). The hit tool and speed give him a high floor, and if he can raise his launch, the raw power is in there to give him some legit upside too. He ranked 16th overall on the Top 56 2025 Dynasty Baseball First Year Player Draft Rankings (Patreon). – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 87/16/69/.274/.330/.427/26

6) Cade Cavalli – WAS, RHP, 26.7 – Cavalli underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2023, and he never made it back on an MLB mound in 2024 at all. He barely made it back on a minor league mound with 8.1 IP at High-A and rookie ball after getting shutdown with a “dead arm.” It’s just a reminder that coming back from Tommy John surgery is not always smooth, and while it’s not a death knell by any means, it’s not always a cake walk right back into prime form. Here is how I finished his blurb in last year’s Top 1,000, and honestly, it’s still exactly how I feel now: “When healthy, the 6’4”, 240 pound Cavalli does have plenty to be excited about with big time stuff (95+ MPH fastball) and three quality secondaries in his curve, changeup and slider. The control is inconsistent and his minor league career was a bit up and down, so combined with the Tommy John risk, he’s not someone I’m really targeting.” The one thing he does have going for him is that there is plenty of opportunity in Washington’s rotation, so the leash should be very long for him to shake the rust off. 2025 Projection: 4/4.38/1.37/94 in 100 IP Prime Projection: 9/4.03/1.32/162 in 159 IP

7) Elijah Green – WAS, OF, 21.4 – I almost wrote Green off completely this year after putting up a quite ridiculous 44% K% in 106 games at Single-A as a 20 year old, and honestly, maybe I still should, but it’s so important to shoot for upside in the vast majority of dynasty leagues when it comes to prospects, that I believe his upside is still worth the shot in this area of the rankings. Even with that stupid strikeout rate, he still slashed .262/.342/.487 with 9 homers, 25 steals (only one caught stealing), and a 41.4/10.4 K%/BB% in his last 51 games. I don’t even want to do that whole “if he can improve his hit tool” spiel because I couldn’t even do it while keeping a straight face with that dumb stupid strikeout rate, but on the say 5-10% chance he can get that strikeout rate into the 30-35% range by his mid 20’s, there is dangerous power/speed combo lurking in here to do the rest at an uber athletic 6’3′, 225 pounds. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 59/21/72/.221/.302/.418/17

8) Luke Dickerson – WAS, SS, 19.8 – Selected 44th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, the 6’0”, 190 Dickerson is a strong kid who won a state championship as as hockey player. You can see that toughness in the box with a powerful righty swing, and he combines that with good athleticism and speed. He signed for $3.8 million, which was the 21st highest signing bonus in the class and tells you how much Washington loved this kid. I do prefer a few other high school bats that got drafted in that 2nd round area over Dickerson, but it’s hard to argue with that signing bonus, and his talent is right there with them. He ranked 46th overall on the Top 56 2025 Dynasty Baseball First Year Player Draft Rankings (Patreon). – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 76/20/79/.260/.330/.440/15

9) Alex Clemmey – WAS, LHP, 19.8 – I’ve been a sucker for a funky lefty delivery since the days of Josh Hader being one of the very first sleeper posts I’ve ever written back in 2015/16, and when you combine that with nasty stuff, it has all the makings of an upside pitching prospect that is worth taking the extra risk on. Clemmey is a projectable 6’6” with a mid 90’s fastball, a nasty, bat missing breaking ball, and a developing changeup that led to a 31.5% K% in 92.1 IP at Single-A. The 16.1% BB%, 4.58 ERA, and 1.41 WHIP aren’t nearly as impressive, and shows there is a long way to go with a lot of risk for him to reach his high K, mid rotation starter upside, but like with Hader, Clemmey has a soft landing spot as a potentially impact high leverage reliever as well. He was also 18 years old for most of the season, so him being raw was the expectation. ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 9/3.91/1.34/180 in 150 IP

10) Andres Chaparro – WAS, 1B, 25.11 – I fear that Chaparro ends up a good but not great short side of a platoon 1B/DH considering the .551 OPS in 87 PA vs righties in his MLB debut, but Washington doesn’t have a deep system, and they also have opportunity at 1B/DH depending on what they do this off-season. Chaparro also has a good enough contact/power profile to make a fantasy impact if he does get the playing time. He hit 23 homers with a 17.9% K% in 105 games at Triple-A, and then he held his own in the majors with 4 homers and a 18.2% K% in 132 PA. He doesn’t crush the ball, but he hits it hard enough, and he has a lift and pull profile to get the most out of his power. It’s most likely a bench bat long term, but if he makes it through the off-season with a job, he’s not the worst guy to have on your team. 2025 Projection: 41/13/50/.241/.316/.430/2

Just Missed

11) Robert Hassell – WAS, OF, 23.8

12) Cayden Wallace – WAS, 3B, 23.7

13) Yohandy Morales – WAS, 1B/3B, 23.6

Dynasty Baseball Thought/Strategy of the Day (which may or may not be related to the team I’m covering that day)

It’s no secret that I enjoy a good victory lap like Wade Boggs on horseback taking a victory lap around Yankee Stadium after beating the Braves in the 1996 World Series. Like Boggs, I also eat chicken before I write every article, and I also drink 107 beers on a flight before going 2 for 3 with 2 doubles just hours later. Come to think of it, maybe that was CJ Abrams problem. Not that he partied until 8 am, but that he went 0 for 3 right after that. Dude, we all know that if you are going to be a rebel, you better produce. Maybe he did deserve that punishment after all ;). Now where was I? Oh yea, victory lapping. While I do believe in celebrating your hits, I also believe in taking the walk of shame for your misses, so after horseback victory lapping James Wood and half ass victory lapping DJ Herz in this post, let’s kick off the first Dynasty Thoughts/Strategy section of the off-season by finding lessons in who I consider to be my biggest miss, Shota Imanaga. I had Imanaga pegged as a good, but not great MLB pitcher, giving him a projection of 11/3.91/1.22/175 in 160 IP. He ended up going 15/2.91/1.02/173.1 in 173.1 IP. I believe where I went wrong was that I overrated fastball velocity, and while to my credit, the 91.7 MPH fastball actually didn’t miss that many bats (17.5% whiff%) or induce weak contact (91.2 MPH EV with .327 xwOBA), it was still a positive value pitch with a 52% usage rate, and it came with elite control, an elite secondary (splitter), a diverse pitch mix, and a history of ace production in the 2nd toughest league in the world. I shouldn’t have let a low 90’s fastball blind me to how good and established the rest of the profile was, and also to the fact that the fastball was still pretty good despite the low velocity. This wasn’t my only miss, but I believe that every other miss I had, my process was good and I don’t regret my take on them. Imanaga is the only one where I’m disappointed in my evaluation, and I will be taking those lessons with me headed into 2025.

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

Posted on April 25, 2022April 26, 2022 by Michael Halpern

Monday Morning Dynasty Baseball Rundown (4/25/22)

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 (4/25/22):

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ALL SEASON, INCLUDING:
-UPDATED APRIL 2022 TOP 414 DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS
-UPDATED TOP 300 DYNASTY PROSPECTS RANKINGS COMING NEXT WEEK
-TONS OF DYNASTY RUNDOWNS

Jesus Luzardo MIA, LHP, 24.6 – 5 IP, 2 hits, 1 ER, 8/4 K/BB vs. Atlanta. Why improve your control when you can just make your stuff even nastier? Luzardo’s BB% is still sitting at 11.5%, but the fastball is up to 97.1 MPH and his whiff% is up 10.1 percentage points to 39.5%. It’s a good life lesson. If you can’t improve your weaknesses, just make your strengths even stronger.

Byron Buxton MIN, OF, 28.3 – 6 for 9 with 3 homers in his last 3 games. He now has a 97.8 MPH EV and a 1.361 OPS on the season. I ranked Buxton 32nd overall on my off-season Top 1,000 because I thought the injury risk was deflating his league winning upside too much. I’ll take a quick victory lap for Buxton while he’s still healthy, and also because if Buxton took the victory lap, he’d probably pull a hammy and be out for the year.

Connor Joe COL, 1B/OF, 29.7 – Continues to put in Yeoman’s work, going 1 for 4 with a double and a 0/1 K/BB. Joe has just been quietly performing like a near elite hitter with a career .370 xwOBA in 264 AB. He has a .406 xwOBA this year with a career best 17.3% whiff%, which backs up his excellent 18.6%/11.9% K%/BB%. He jumped all the way up to #183 on my Updated April 2022 Top 414 Dynasty Baseball Rankings over on Patreon. Don’t sleep on him. He looks like the next legit late career breakout.

Cody Bellinger LAD, OF/1B, 26.9 – I kept the faith on Bellinger, ranking him 63rd overall this off-season, and he has rewarded that faith, dropping two bombs yesterday to bring his season OPS up to .915. I would still be a tad cautious to consider him back to being elite because of a 33.3% K%, but it seems pretty safe to say he didn’t all of a sudden turn into a horrible ballplayer. It was just a rough couple years because of poor luck and injury.

Ty France SEA, 1B/2B, 27.9 – 3 for 5 with his 5th homer, and now has a 1.116 OPS on the year. He has a career best 10.5% K% and 89.6 MPH EV. Always gotta balance out all the back patting with one I got wrong, and while it’s not like I was super low on France, ranking him 163rd overall this off-season, I’ve been generally low on France his entire career. It was a mistake.

Corbin Carroll ARI, OF, 21.7 – Carroll’s ascent to truly elite prospect status was basically a foregone conclusion, and he’s fulfilling that promise with his 3rd homer on an electric swing down in the zone. He has a 192 wRC+ with 5 steals in 13 games at Double-A. I don’t care if you are in win now mode, do not trade this man unless you are getting back a near elite hitter back in return.

Michael Harris ATL, OF, 21.1 – Absolutely destroyed his first homer of the year at Double-A. and while he hasn’t hit many homers in his career, watching that one shows the kind of potential he has. All of the skills have basically transferred to Double-A with a .317 BA and 6 steals. Unlocking more of his plus raw power is the last step.

Masyn Winn STL, SS/RHP, 20.0 – St. Louis dropped the pitching thing and decided to have Winn focus solely on hitting. So far, so good as Winn unloaded for his first homer of the year to bring his season wRC+ up to 210 in 10 games at High-A on the back of a 15.6%/11.1% K%/BB%. He has 4 steals with a 38.7% GB% and plus raw power. Now could be the time to buy in before his value explodes.

Zack Collins TOR, C, 27.2 – Collins is stealing Alejandro Kirk’s presumed breakout, going 2 for 5 with his 3rd homer. He now has a .960 OPS on the season with a 94.9 MPH EV. but a 32.4%/2.9% K%/BB% and long term playing time concerns still makes me hesitant to buy in.

Jeremy Pena HOU, SS, 24.5 – Ripped a 425 foot walk off dinger off Jordan Romano for his 3rd of the year. He’s smashing the ball with a 90.6 MPH EV and has respectable contact rates with a 25.7% whiff%. He jumped to #158 on the Updated Dynasty Rankings.

Shane McClanahan TBR, LHP, 24.11 – 7 IP, 6 hits, 2 ER, 7/0 K/BB vs. Boston. Fastball sat 96.6 MPH and put up a 40% whiff% overall. His curve, slider, and changeup now have a 45.9%, 47.4%, and 57.1% whiff% on the season. He’s quickly cementing himself as an ace.

Nick Lodolo CIN, LHP, 24.2 – 5.2 IP, 5 hits, 1 ER, and a 7/0 K/BB vs. St. Louis. All of his skills are translating to the MLB level with a strong 86.1 MPH EV against, 7 degree launch angle, and a 27.5%/7.2% K%/BB%. If you can buy low off the 5.52 ERA, I would do so.

Randal Grichuk COL, OF, 30.8 – Grichuk got off the schneid with his first homer on a 414 foot, 108.7 MPH bomb. He went 3 for 4 on the day which brings his BA up to .404 on the back of a 14.3% K%. The power has been lacking to this point with an 86.9 MPH EV and negative 2.1 degree launch angle, but those numbers are so out of character for his career that they will almost certainly regress closer to career averages.

Austin Riley ATL, 3B, 25.0 – 3 for 5 with 2 doubles and a homer. Riley is backing up the 2021 breakout with a 93.4 MPH EV and .452 xwOBA. Don’t trade him unless you are getting an elite piece back.

Jo Adell LAA, OF, 23.0 – Cracked an opposite field grand slam for his 3rd of the year, and more importantly, didn’t strikeout once, which is the first game this season he hasn’t recorded a strikeout. He has a 21.4% Barrel% and 40.7% whiff% on the season.

Tylor Megill NYM, RHP, 26.8 – 6.2 IP, 5 hits, 2 ER, 7/1 K/BB vs. Arizona. He hasn’t been able to fully maintain his early season velocity uptick, but settling in at 95+ MPH, which is where he’s at now would be perfect. His slider has been silly untouchable with a .135 xwOBA and 50% whiff%. I’m fully buying in, ranking him 97th overall on the Updated Dynasty Rankings.

Eric Lauer MIL, LHP, 26.10 – 6 IP, 5 hits, 0 ER, 13/1 K/BB. Lauer is going full breakout with his fastball up 1.2 MPH to 93.8 MPH. He has a 34.6% K% on the year, although with a 26.5% whiff%, he’s unlikely to be able to come close to keeping that up. He was a favorite of mine in his First Year Player Draft class, and of course I no longer own him anywhere. I do own Kyle Wright in a couple leagues, who I didn’t like in his draft year. Just the nature of the pitching prospect beast.

Nolan Gorman STL, 3B/2B, 21.11/Elly De La Cruz CIN, SS/3B, 20.3 – It’s the strikeout and power hour of the dynasty rundown, as Gorman and Cruz both ripped another homer with 2 more K’s. That makes it 8 homers with a 32.3%/6.5% K%/BB% in 15 games at Triple-A for Gorman, and 3 homers with a 37.5%/6.3% K%/BB% in 12 games at High-A for Cruz. Gorman’s 2021 strikeout improvement has completely disappeared, and Cruz’ strikeout issues have gotten worse this year too.

Shea Langeliers OAK, C, 24.5 – Backing up his 2021 power breakout with his 5th homer in 15 games at Triple-A, and he’s doing it with a much improved 19% K%. He’s blocked by Sean Murphy, but there were rumors Murphy could be traded over the off-season, so he could be dealt before the deadline which would open up the full time job for Langeliers.

Jhonkensy Noel CLE, 1B/3B, 20.9 – Noel tore apart High-A last year with 8 homers in 26 games, and he’s back at it this year after going deep twice yesterday for his 3rd and 4th of the year. More important than the power, he has an excellent 23.4%/14.9% K%/BB% in 12 games.

Marco Luciano SFG, SS, 20.6 – Bouncing back from last year’s horrible showing at High-A with his 3rd homer in 12 games to bring his season OPS up to .981. The plate approach isn’t great with a 24.5%/8.2% K%/BB%, but it’s much better than last year’s 37.2%/6.9% mark.

Orelvis Martinez TOR, SS, 20.4 – Martinez’ plate approach, or lack thereof, is getting exposed at Double-A with a 33.9%/1.8% K%/BB%, but nothing can stop his power as he jacked his 6th homer of the year yesterday.

Brady House WAS, SS, 18.10 – Housed his 2nd homer of the year to bring his season wRC+ up to 171 in 15 games at Single-A. The plate approach has been strong at 22.1%/9.1%, but the GB% is a bit high at 50%. Keep in mind this dude is still just 18 years old.

Oneil Cruz PIT, SS, 23.6 – Smoked his first homer of the year, and when I say smoked, I really mean smoked. He’s struggled a bit to start the year with a 74 wRC+ and 31.1% K% at Triple-A, but all that really means is that Pittsburgh can continue to manipulate his service time without getting major blowback.

Andy Pages LAD, OF, 21.4/Michael Busch LAD, 2B, 24.4 – LA’s power and patience duo got back to work yesterday at Double-A. Pages hit his 2nd homer, and it comes with an excellent 20.3%/13% K%/BB% in 15 games. Busch got ahold of his 7th homer, and his comes with a 23.9%/21.1% K%/BB% in 15 games. Finding playing time in LA’s stacked lineup could be their biggest issue.

Jasson Dominguez NYY, OF, 19.2 – Dominguez went 2 for 4 with his 1st homer of the year, but he needs to do a lot more than that to dig himself out of the hole he’s in. He has a 37.3%/1.7% K%/BB% with a 67 wRC+ in 13 games at Single-A. He doesn’t really have the young for the level excuse anymore. His stock is dropping hard.

Max Meyer MIA, RHP, 22.11/Roansy Contreras PIT, RHP, 22.5 – Meyer – 5 IP, 4 hits, 2 ER, 7/2 K/BB. Contreras – 3.1 IP, 3 hits, 1 ER, 5/1 K/BB. Both are pushing hard for a rotation spot and could immediately be impact MLB starters when they do get the chance. I have them in a tier of elite pitching prospects with Daniel Espino and Jack Leiter.

Cade Cavalli WAS, RHP, 23.8 – 4 IP, 3 hits, 4 ER, 2/1 K/BB at Triple-A. I got slightly worried about Cavalli after MLB hitters ripped him apart in Spring, and he’s carried over those struggles into Triple-A with a 9.00 ERA and 12/4 K/BB in 12 IP. He also struggled hard at Triple-A last year. I’m far from panicking, but if I was in win now mode, I might be willing to use him as a centerpiece of a trade after he strings a few good starts together.

Moises Gomez STL, OF, 23.8 – 2 for 5 with his 9th homer. Gomez is ranked 2nd among all of the qualified minor league hitters with a 269 wRC+ at Double-A. He’s always had big power with low groundball rates, and it’s not like he is a completely out of nowhere prospect as he ranked 237th on my 2019 Top 472 Prospects Rankings. If he can keep his strikeouts in check (22.4% in 2022 vs. 38.2% in 2021), and considering St. Louis is an expert in developing these kind of hitters, he could really put himself back on the map.

Connor Scott PIT, OF, 22.6 – 2 for 3 with 2 steals. Ranked #407 on my 2022 Top 500 Prospects Rankings, Scott is off to a strong start at Double-A, slashing .400/.489/.600 with 1 homer, 3 steals, and a 17%/12.8% K%/BB% in 11 games. He’s a former 13th overall pick in the draft and has the athleticism to back that up at 6’3”, 200 pounds. He always had a solid plate approach throughout his MiLB career. He hasn’t had that wow year yet, but he’s just steadily climbing the ladder with a nice combo of safety and upside.

Adael Amador COL, SS, 19.2 – 1 for 3 with a steal. The plus plate approach is transferring to full season ball with a 12.3%/18.5% K%/BB%. It’s led to a 151 wRC+ in 14 games at Single-A. He also has 2 homers and 3 steals, but with a 56.8% GB% and 13 for 20 success rate on the bases in his career, not sure there is a big power/speed combo at the moment.

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

Posted on January 4, 2021March 3, 2021 by Michael Halpern

Top 50 2020/21 Dynasty Baseball First Year Player Draft Rankings

The Sneak Peek Series continues with the Top 50 2020/21 Dynasty Baseball First Year Player Draft Rankings. The full FYPD list will be released concurrently with the Top 1,000 Dynasty Baseball Rankings, expected to be out the week after the Super Bowl, sometime between February 8th-14th (2020’s list was out on Feb. 9th). Here is the Top 50 2020/21 Dynasty Baseball First Year Player Draft Rankings:

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Player Name TEAM, POSITION, AGE (Years.Months on 2021 Opening Day – Months are on a scale of 0-11 … I know it is not mathematically correct, but I do all of this manually)

Projections (Hitters): R/HR/RBI/AVG/OBP/SLG/SB
(Pitchers): Wins/ERA/WHIP/K/Saves

*Prime Projections – These projections are meant to give you a general idea of what I think about a prospect’s future stat profile in a relatively good outcome scenario. I find this helpful as a quick reference to see how a prospect’s tools/skills translate to fantasy categories.

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1) Spencer Torkelson DET, 3B/1B, 21.7 – Selected 1st overall in the 2020 MLB Draft, Tork launched 54 homers in 129 games at Arizona State. He’s a big bodied power hitter with patience, below average speed, and a BA that shouldn’t hurt you. The no brainer pick for #1 overall. ETA: 2022 Prime Projection: 89/35/102/.270/.353/.529/3

2) Austin Martin TOR, OF, 22.0 – Selected 5th overall in the 2020 MLB Draft but signed for the 2nd largest signing bonus. Martin has a quick bat with natural loft, an advanced plate approach and above average speed. If power fully develops, he will pass Tork as an elite all category stud. A great consolation prize if you missed out on the #1 pick. ETA: 2022 Prime Projection: 93/23/82/.284/.358/.455/13

3) Zac Veen COL, OF, 19.4 – Selected 9th overall, the 6’4”, 190 pound Veen has a lightening quick lefty swing with natural loft. His patient plate approach, good feel to hit, and at least plus power potential gives him the ingredients to turn into a heart of the order beast. Combine all that with Coors, and Veen has the highest upside on the list. ETA: 2024 Prime Projection: 86/28/93/.270/.342/.491/10

4) Ha-Seong Kim SD, SS/2B, 25.5 – At 5’9”, 167 pounds Kim has been one of the best players in the KBO since he was 19 years old. He took his game to the next level in 2020, slashing .306/.397/.523 with 30 homers, 23 steals, and a 68/75 K/BB in 138 games. He’s a safe proximity play with the ability to contribute in every category, and there is some nice upside too if the stats translate better than expected. 2021 Projection: 79/19/71/.271/.337/.433/15

5) Nick Gonzales PIT, 2B/SS, 21.10 – Selected 7th overall, the 5’10”, 190 pound Gonzales put up insane numbers in an extreme hitter’s environment at New Mexico State, rocking 12 homers with a .448 BA and 10/21 K/BB in 16 games before the season got shutdown. He performed well in the wood bat Cape Cod League too with 7 homers, a .351 BA and a 22/20 K/BB in 42 games. He has one of the best hit tools in the draft and while he isn’t projected for huge homer or steal totals, he should be an all category stat stuffer. ETA: 2022 Prime Projection: 86/21/74/.281/.348/.448/9

6) Asa Lacy KC, LHP, 21.10 – Selected 4th overall, Lacy is a 6’4” lefty with a nasty mid 90’s fastball and two potentially plus secondaries in his changeup and slider. His only 4 starts in 2020 were absolutely dominant with a 0.75 ERA and 46/8 K/BB in 24 IP. Walk rates were high in college with a 4.0 BB/9 in 152 IP, but his control/command is better than that number indicates. ETA: 2022 Prime Projection: 13/3.66/1.23/211 in 186 IP

7) Pete-Crow Armstrong NYM, OF, 19.0 -Selected 19th overall, Armstrong stands out for his plus speed, plus defense, and strong track record of hitting. Power hasn’t been a big part of his game, but he has recently added muscle onto his projectable 6’1” frame, and a 99 MPH exit velocity mark at a 2019 Perfect Game event is damn good. Armstrong is my favorite target in first year player drafts relative to consensus. ETA: 2024 Prime Projection: 88/18/73/.274/.340/.428/21

8) Max Meyer MIA, RHP, 22.1 – Selected 3rd overall, the 6’0”, 196 pound Meyer is an excellent athlete with an elite fastball/slider combo and a changeup that has the ability to develop into a legitimate third pitch. There is some bullpen risk, but we’ve seen predominantly two pitch starters given the chance to start of late and thrive. ETA: 2022 Prime Projection: 12/3.74/1.22/191 in 172 IP

9) Emerson Hancock SEA, RHP, 21.10 – Selected 6th overall, Hancock is a 6’4” righty with plus command of a mid 90’s fastball and plus changeup. Slider is inconsistent and will be the key to reaching his full potential. Watching some of his better starts makes you want to place him as the top overall pitcher, but the consistency hasn’t been there. ETA: 2022 Prime Projection: 12/3.83/1.20/186 in 178 IP

10) Garrett Mitchell MIL, OF, 22.7 – Selected 20th overall, Mitchell builds his game around double plus speed and plus centerfield defense. At 6’3”, 215 pounds the plus raw power is in there, but he hasn’t been able to tap into yet with a low launch angle and 0 homers in 15 games in 2020 (6 homers in 62 game in 2019). ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 82/16/66/.266/.328/.419/24

11) Cristian Hernandez CHC, SS, 17.3 – At 6’2”, 175 pounds Hernandez takes vicious hacks at the dish, foreshadowing monster power potential when his projectable frame fills out. He also gets high marks for his athleticism, feel to hit, and plus speed. The top international prospects consistently get underrated in first year player drafts, so while the risk is high, the discount in drafts mitigates that. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 83/26/87/.273/.341/.479/14

12) Wilman Diaz LAD, SS, 17.4 – At 6’2”, 170 pounds Diaz is a plus athlete who has displayed a good feel to hit and the ability to hit it with authority in Venezuelan youth leagues. The power potential is plus as he gains strength, and he should retain enough speed to steal 10+ bags even as he gains weight. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 87/22/79/.281/.352/.462/14

13) Garrett Crochet CHW, LHP, 21.9 – Selected 11th overall, Crochet made it all the way up to the Majors and unleashed an unhittable, double plus 100.1 MPH fastball. He’s never been a full time starter, so bullpen risk is high, although his upside would be considerable as a closer. Injury risk is high too as shoulder soreness delayed the start of his college season and he suffered a flexor strain to his forearm to end his season during the MLB playoffs. 2021 Projection: 2/4.23/1.33/34 in 30 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.77/1.28/185 in 161 IP

14) Heston Kjerstad BAL, OF, 22.2 – Selected 2nd overall, the 6’3”, 220 pound Kherstad has at least plus power and put up impressive home run totals from day 1 in the SEC, knocking 37 homers in 150 career games. The K/BB numbers are suspect (129/54), but he was in the midst of a Junior year breakout before the season got shutdown (6 homers with a 9/7 K/BB in 16 games). ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 73/28/88/.251/.320/.482/3

15) Austin Hendrick CIN, OF, 19.10 – Selected 12th overall, Hendrick generates incredible bat speed with at least plus power potential. He put up a 105 MPH exit velocity at a Perfect Game event in 2019, which puts him in elite territory for his class. On the downside, there is some swing and miss concerns, he’s old for his class, and he hasn’t consistently faced the toughest competition. ETA: 2024 Prime Projection: 76/29/89/.252/.334/.490/6

16) Bryce Jarvis ARI, RHP, 23.3 – Selected 18th overall, Jarvis took a major step forward in 2020 with his fastball ticking up into the mid 90’s. He refined his breaking balls to become above average pitches and showed much improved control. He didn’t have the opportunity to prove he can do it for more than 27 IP, but he now has the chance for 4 above average pitches (fastball, curve, slider, change) with above average control/command. Along with Pete-Crow Armstrong, Jarvis is a player I’m targeting everywhere relative to price. ETA: 2022 Prime Projection: 12/3.82/1.26/188 in 172 IP

17) Mick Abel PHI, RHP, 19.8 – Selected 15th overall, Abel is your prototypical projectable high school pitcher at 6’5”, 190 pounds with a potentially plus 3 pitch mix (fastball, slider, change). He throws strikes but he’s more control over command right now. ETA: 2024 Prime Projection: 13/3.72/1.23/192 in 184 IP

18) Carlos Colmenarez TB, SS, 17.4 – At 5’10”, 175 pounds Colmenarez has a quick, compact lefty swing with natural loft that should lead to more power as he ages. He’s hit well in games and is an average runner with above average potential. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 80/23/80/.275/.343/.453/10

19) Robert Hassell SD, OF, 19.8 – Selected 8th overall, Hassell has the consensus top hit tool in the high school class, but hasn’t hit for very much power and doesn’t project for huge power numbers down the line either. A 91 MPH top exit velocity mark at Perfect game events in 2019 isn’t bad, but it’s not great either. ETA: 2024 Prime Projection: 87/16/69/.286/.348/.416/15

20) Austin Wells NYY, C, 21.9 – Selected 28th overall, the lefty hitting Wells is an offensive minded catcher with a patient approach and power to all fields. College home run totals don’t exactly jump out at you (14 homers in 112 games including the Cape), and there are strikeout issues (103 K’s), but the Yankee Stadium short porch should help the power play up and his ability to hit to all fields gives him the chance to hit for average even with high strikeout totals. ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 77/24/83/.268/.341/.458/5

21) Tomoyuki Sugano FA, RHP, 31.6 – One of the best pitchers in Japan since 2013, Sugano is known for his pinpoint control (1.6 BB/9) rather than gaudy strikeout totals (8.6 K/9). He throws a low 90’s fastball with two different sliders and a split finger as his best secondary. 2021 Projection: 10/4.28/1.27/148 in 162 IP

22) Reid Detmers LAA, LHP, 21.9 – Selected 10th overall, Detmers is a 6’2” lefty with plus command over low 90’s heat and a deadly curveball. He’s polish over stuff, but it didn’t stop him from piling up K’s in college (19.6 K/9 in 22 IP in 2020). Change has the potential to be above average while the slider lags behind. ETA: 2022 Prime Projection: 11/3.92/1.26/188 in 179 IP

23) Yoelqui Cespedes CHW, OF, 23.6 – Cespedes recently packed on muscle weight and revamped his swing in order to get more power out of his 5’9”, 205 pound frame. He’s a plus runner and he has the bloodlines, so while he is mostly still a mystery and I see he is getting ranked lower in other places, I’m willing to take my shot at this point in the draft. You also won’t have to wait 4-5 years to see what you have. ETA: 2022 Prime Projection: 76/19/72/.255/.323/.430/16

24) Pedro Leon HOU, OF, 22.10 – Leon is an explosive athlete who has dominated in Cuba over two seasons, slashing .359/.420/.678 with 21 homers, 8 steals and a 46/20 K/BB in 65 games. He doesn’t have a long professional track record and the hit tool is questionable, but the upside is high. ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 77/22/74/.243/.326/.443/12

25) Pedro Pineda OAK, OF, 17.7 – Pineda has possibly the highest upside in the international class with a plus power/speed combo and a quick bat that is geared for flyballs. He’s had some swing and miss problems and is still raw at the plate, so the risk is high. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 73/24/81/.248/.327/.458/15

26) Aaron Sabato MIN, 1B, 21.10 – Selected 27th overall, Sabato is a 6’2”, 230 pound 1B only prospect who smashed 25 homers in 83 games in the ACC. He’s a patient hitter with some swing and miss concerns. ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 68/25/81/.252/.337/.469/0

27) Justin Foscue TEX, 2B/3B, 22.0 – Selected 14th overall, Foscue has the potential for plus hit but doesn’t have big power or speed. ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 83/19/71/.276/.339/.434/5

28) Ed Howard CHC, SS, 19.8 – Selected 16th overall, Howard’s best skill is his plus shortstop defense. The bat isn’t as strong, although he has hit well against top competition and will certainly add power at 6’2”, 185 pounds. ETA: 2024 Prime Projection: 79/20/77/.264/.332/.444/9

29) Nick Bitsko TB, RHP, 18.10 – Selected 24th overall, Bitsko is one of the youngest players in the draft due to reclassifying and coming out a year early. At 6’4”, 220 pounds he has prototypical starter size with a fastball that has touched 98 MPH and features a nasty curveball as his money pitch. He throws strikes and shows good feel on his lesser used changeup. Underwent surgery to repair a labrum issue in December and is expected to miss some of 2021. ETA: 2024 Prime Projection: 11/3.93/1.29/181 in 178 IP

30) Isaiah Greene NYM, OF, 19.7 – Selected 69th overall, Greene is a 6’1”, 180 pound lefty with plus speed and a swing geared for contact. He’s a great athlete with room to fill out his frame, so the power may come. ETA: 2024 Prime Projection: 82/17/68/.272/.336/.419/20

31) Jordan Walker STL, 3B, 18.10 – Selected 21st overall, Walker is 6’5”, 220 pounds with a quick swing and plus power. Like many hitters this tall, there are questions about the ultimate hit tool. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 75/25/82/.261/.330/.467/7

32) Jake Vogel LAD, OF, 19.6 – Selected 100th overall, Vogel’s calling card is his double plus speed and excellent athleticism. He’s only 5’11”, 165 pounds, but he has sneaky pop evidenced by a top exit velocity of 97 MPH at a 2019 Perfect game event, which puts him in the top 4% of his class. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 77/18/73/.262/.326/.420/22

33) Tanner Burns CLE, RHP, 22.3 – Selected 36th overall, Burns has a history of excellent production in the SEC with a pitching line of 2.86/1.17/210/67 in 188.2 career IP. He has plus command over a fastball he can ramp up to 97 MPH, to go along with a plus breaking ball and average change. He’s on the small side at 6’0”, 215 pounds and had shoulder problems in 2019, so durability is a concern. ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 10/4.15/1.27/162 in 168 IP

34) Maikol Hernandez BAL, SS, 17.6 – At 6’3”, 175 pounds Hernandez has loads of upside with plus speed and the potential for plus power. He’s currently an all fields, line drive hitter who consistently makes hard contact. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 73/24/78/.259/.327/.452/13

35) Cade Cavalli WASH, RHP, 22.7 – Selected 22nd overall, Cavalli has a prototypical starter build at 6’4”, 226 pounds with mid 90’s heat, two swing and miss breaking balls, and a developing changeup. He’s had injury issues which has prevented him from pitching very much and there are control problems too, so the risk is high. ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 9/4.06/1.33/155 in 156 IP

36) Bobby Miller LAD, RHP, 22.0 – Selected 29th overall, Miller is 6’5”, 220 pounds with a plus fastball that reaches the upper 90’s, a plus slider, and a potentially plus changeup. 2020 was the first year he was going to be a full time starter, and his delivery indicates some bullpen risk. ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 9/3.92/1.29/149 in 151 IP

37) Zach DeLoach SEA, OF, 22.7 – Selected 43rd overall, DeLoach exploded in the 2019 Cape Cod League with a .353/.428/.541 triple-slash after disappointing with a .611 OPS in the SEC earlier that year. He carried over the Cape Cod league success in 2020 with a 1.336 OPS, 6 steals and a 3/14 K/BB in 18 games. He doesn’t have any elite tools, but has the chance to be an all category contributor. ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 78/20/76/.267/.329/.437/10

38) Tyler Soderstrom OAK, C, 19.4 – Selected 26th overall, Soderstrom is an offensive minded catcher with the potential to hit for both average and power, but is not a lock to stick behind the plate. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 68/22/76/.268/.335/.446/4

39) Jhonny Piron TB, OF, 17.2 – At 6’1”, 165 pounds Piron is tooled up with excellent athleticism, plus speed and power projection, but needs to continue refining his hit tool. ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 77/20/74/.256/.323/.442/14

40) Jared Shuster ATL, LHP, 22.8 – Selected 25th overall, Shuster showed dramatically improved control in the 2019 Cape Cod League (1.4 BB/9 in 32 IP), and not only did he maintain that in 26.1 IP in 2020 (1.4 BB/9), but he also increased his fastball velocity by about 4 MPH with the ability to hit 97 MPH. His best pitch is a plus changeup to go along with an average slider. ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 10/4.21/1.30/168 in 173 IP

41) Jared Kelley CHW, RHP, 19.5 – Selected 47th overall, Kelley throws mid 90’s gas with a plus changeup, but lacks feel on his breaking ball. The upside is considerable if the breaking ball improves, but if it doesn’t he may end up in the pen. ETA: 2024 Prime Projection: 10/3.98/1.31/158 in 155 IP

42) Cole Wilcox TB, RHP, 21.9 – Selected 80th overall, Wilcox was starting to show improved control with only 2 walks in 23 IP before the season got shutdown (5.7 BB/9 in 2019). It’s a good sign as the stuff is nasty with a mid 90’s fastball, potentially plus slider and developing change. ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 9/4.08/1.33/161 in 158 IP

43) Jordan Westburg BAL, SS, 22.1 – Selected 30th overall, Westburg has the raw talent to be a plus power/speed combo, but he hasn’t been able to tap into his raw power with only 10 homers in 124 NCAA games, and the hit tool is also a concern with high strikeout rates throughout his career. ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 75/15/68/.246/.318/.420/13

44) Dillon Dingler DET, C, 22.6 – Selected 38th overall, Dingler was just starting to tap into his raw power in 2020 with 5 homers in 13 games. He’s a plus athlete for a catcher with the chance to steal a handful of bases, which is always nice to get from your catcher position. ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 69/17/63/.260/.323/.421/7

45) Clayton Beeter LAD, RHP, 22.6 – Selected 66th overall, Beeter has impressive stuff with a mid to upper 90’s fastball and the potential for two plus breaking balls. 2020 was his first year as a starter in college, and while the numbers are impressive (2.14 ERA with a 33/4 K/BB), it came in only 21 IP and he had a 8.7 BB/9 in 20.2 IP in 2019. Reliever risk is high. ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 7/3.83/1.32/141 in 127 IP

46) Hudson Haskin BAL, OF, 22.3 – Selected 39th overall, Haskin has shown the ability to hit for hard contact with strong plate approach numbers at Tulane, slashing .363/.457/.612 with 11 homers and a 39/40 K/BB in 73 career games. He’s a plus defender with plus speed although it only resulted in 5 career NCAA stolen bases. ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 76/18/70/.263/.324/.426/9

47) Jared Jones PIT, RHP, 19.8 – Selected 44th overall, Jones is a great athlete with a mid to upper 90’s fastball, potentially plus slider and developing change. Control has been spotty and he doesn’t have ideal size at 6’1”, 180 pounds. ETA: 2025 Prime Projection: 9/4.11/1.34/154 in 151 IP

48) Owen Caissie CHC, OF, 18.9 – Selected 45th overall, Caissie is young for his high school class and has plus raw power with above average speed at 6’4”, 190 pounds, but it comes with strikeout issues. ETA: 2024 Prime Projection: 73/24/79/.238/.321/.462/9

49) Jordan Nwogu CHC, OF, 22.1 – Selected 88th overall, Nwogu is 6’3”, 235 pounds with a plus power/speed combo and very strong numbers in his 3 years in the Big Ten, slashing .334/.430/.545 with 20 homers, 30 steals, and a 96/63 K/BB in 125 career games. There are some concerns over his swing, but the upside is considerable. ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 78/23/77/.253/.325/.457/14

50) Blaze Jordan BOS, 3B, 18.3 – Selected 89th overall, Jordan has been known for his prodigious raw power for years now, consistently putting up impressive exit velocity numbers, but limited defensive value means he’s likely going to have to hit his ceiling to see everyday at-bats. ETA: 2024 Prime Projection: 67/25/79/.250/.325/.473/4

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