Anyone who’s anyone loves prospect, right? Especially in fantasy, more specifically dynasty players because, let’s face it, dynasty players are more hard-core than redraft players! That’s right, I said it; prove me wrong if you disagree! But I digress; I wanted to write an article that ended up turning into a series about prospects outside the top-100 that dynasty owners should be paying attention to mainly because, well, that’s what we do, isn’t it?!? Over the next few articles, I will discuss prospects outside the top-100 who should be on your radar. Today we start with prospects in the 201 to 300 range, all under the age of 21-years-old. So let’s jump right in, shall we?
Catcher – Bo Naylor, CLE (age: 20)
45 Hit | 55 Power | 45 Field | 55 Arm | 45 Run
Bo Naylor is a power-first, toolsy backstop. Once his behind-the-dish skills develop, he could very well become the catcher of the future for the Indians. Either way, he’ll need to develop his hit tool first to be given a shot at the MLB level. Keep a close eye on Bo in the upcoming season, so where how things shake out for him.
1B – Grant Lavigne, COL (age: 21)
45 Hit | 45 Power | 50 Field | 30 Arm | 30 Run
Let me start by saying that yes, I realize Lavigne is right at the upper limit for players in this section, but, honestly, I struggled to find a 1B in 201-300 rankings – outside of Mason Martin, who was covered in a separate Deep Prospect Dynasty League Sleeper article by a DSE colleague – so I pushed the boundary to add Grant into this article.
For a 6’4″, 220-pound guy with explosive bat speed, who, by the way, gets to play half his games in Coors Field, I’m excited to see how Lavigne plays this upcoming season. If he can make the correct adjustments this season in Asheville and induce more hard contact, I would look to see Lavigne jump to AA and possibly even AAA in the upcoming year or two. He will forever be limited to 1B, but if he finds his power stroke and develops a consistent hit tool, the Rockies maybe have their 1B of the future!
2B – Alex De Jesus, LAD (age: 18)
50 Hit | 55 Power | 45 Field | 55 Arm | 30 Run
Should De Jesus reach his full potential, the Dodgers could be looking at a plus MLB 3B. I know, I know, I have him slotted in at 2B, which is where he’ll get most of his reps in the minors, but with his limited speed, he’s already being tagged as MLB 3B by many scouts.
3B – Luis Toribio, SF (age: 20)
55 Hit | 50 Power | 45 Field | 60 Arm | 40 Run
Toribio may be the best pure hitter in the Giants system. The Dominican-born, international signee also may have the best exit velocity in the Giants’ entire prospect system. He is currently being viewed as a 20 home run candidate, but he may push that to 25-30 home runs if he fills out his frame accordingly. Keep a close eye on Toribio next year to see how he progresses in the San Francisco system.
SS – Arol Vera, LAA (age: 18)
45 Hit | 45 Power | 50 Run | 55 Arm | 55 Field
Vera is a defensive first switch hitter with above-average hand-eye coordination. Scouts are hopeful that his hand-eye coordination will improve his hit tool. Watch Vera’s progress in the upcoming season for a better feel for the future with the Angels but don’t be surprised if he figures out his mechanics at the plate!
OF – Ismael Mena, CHC (age: 18)
50 Hit | 50 Power | 60 Field | 55 Arm | 70 Run
Mena’s comps range from Franchy Cordero to Gregory Polanco with his wiry yet athletic frame. He makes hard contact and can barrel up the ball from the left side of the plate. Mena is already being seen as an above-average defender with sneaky power and apparent speed.
OF – Alexander Ramirez, LAA (age: 18)
45 Hit | 50 Power | 55 Field | 50 Arm | 55 Run
At 6’2″, 220-pounds, this 18-year-old is athletic with elite bat speed. He was a top international signing in 2018. Ramirez will need to cut down on his 33.3% K% from 2019, but scouts seem confident he will make the necessary adjustments at the plate. Look for Ramirez to be a future MLB OF with high-end power!
OF – Jeferson Espinal, ARI (age: 18)
45 Hit | 30 Power | 70 Run | 50 Arm | 60 Field
In terms of potential, Espinal checks all the boxes. As he matures and grows into his 6’2″ frame, the hope is his hit tool, and power comes catches up to his fielding and running. If that happens, watch out because the Diamondbacks will have a hands-down top OF prospect!
Pitcher – Jared Jones, PIT (age: 19)
50 FB | 50 SL | 40 CH | 45 Control | 40 Command
Jones was a two-way high-school star who fell to the Pirates in the 2nd round of the 2020 draft. He probably would have gone in the first round as a pure hitter because his pitching needs notable work. However, his high baseball IQ, along with his competitive nature – something which the Pirates organization has lacked in recent years – has his drawing comps to DL Hall’s likes. Jones is a definite prospect to watch in the coming years!
Pitcher – Blake Walston, ARI (age: 19)
60 FB | 60 CB | 55 SL | 50 CH | 55 Control | 50 Command
In 2019, over 11 IP, Blake had 17 K’s, 2 BB’s, 2.45 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, gave up 0 home runs, and had an opponent batting average of .200. Walston will need to continue to develop his fastball, but his curveball is legit. He’s also been improving his slider and change-up. In a perfect world, Blake can be penciled in as a mid-rotation starter for the Diamondbacks in a few seasons.
Pitcher – Matt Allan, NYM (age: 19)
60 FB | 60 CB | 50 CH | 55 Control | 50 Command
Allan has a plus fastball/curveball combo and, since being drafted, has thrived with the Mets tutelage. He’s being projected as a potential front-line starter for the Mets with a mid-rotation starter floor. However, the Mets’ feeling is he’s got the size, frame, and arsenal to reach his ceiling. Allan is a buy-now candidate already by a bunch of analysts, but my feeling is after the 2021 season, he’ll be on everyone’s radar!
Here are the links to the other articles in this series:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
As always, feel free to reach out to me via Twitter @drunkenangelz.
