This prospect list will differ from others seen on sites like MLB.com. The main reason being is that I do not put much weight on defense, where Major League teams do. Defensive stats are not as vital in fantasy, and therefore a defense-first player will slide down in my rankings.
When ranking hitters, to me, the hit tool is the most important, which is another reason you will see differences in my list because I believe the hit tool is the easiest to translate to the Major Leagues. Guys that have a high strikeout rate paired with a low walk rate will fall down my rankings. For example, a guy like Joey Gallo, will not be as high on my list as he would be on many others. (That guy for me is Nolan Gorman, as you will see below.) The power can be enticing, but with a track record of high strikeouts, I believe that hitter will have a tough time making the needed adjustments, especially against MLB pitchers. Another reason for differences on my list is that I do not weigh speed as high as others. I do not like to draft speed only guys in fantasy baseball because I prefer a more rounded approach; therefore, these guys tend to fall on my list.
For pitchers, I take caution when ranking prospects. We can all name a top pitching prospect that has failed miserably. Pitching prospects, nowadays, are getting Tommy John surgery frequently, which instantly takes them out 18 to 24 months. I also recognize I am a better “scout” of hitters than pitchers.
When ranking this list, I went from the mindset of which guy I would draft first in a startup dynasty league. Lineup construction can change the direction of your picks and are things you must take into consideration during the draft itself.
Let the debate begin!
Rank | Prospect | Team | Pos | B | T | Age | Signed | Level | ETA |
1 | Wander Franco | TB | SS | S | R | 18 | 2017 | A+ | 2021 |
2 | Gavin Lux | LAD | 2B | L | R | 22 | 2016 | MLB | 2019 |
3 | Luis Robert | CWS | OF | R | R | 22 | 2017 | MLB | 2020 |
4 | Jo Adell | LAA | OF | R | R | 20 | 2017 | AAA | 2020 |
5 | MacKenzie Gore | SD | P | L | L | 20 | 2017 | AA | 2020 |
6 | Julio Rodriguez | SEA | OF | R | R | 19 | 2017 | A+ | 2020 |
7 | Alex Kirilloff | MIN | 1B | L | L | 22 | 2016 | AA | 2020 |
8 | Jesus Luzardo | OAK | P | L | L | 22 | 2016 | MLB | 2019 |
9 | Royce Lewis | MIN | SS | R | R | 20 | 2017 | AA | 2021 |
10 | Forrest Whitley | HOU | P | R | R | 22 | 2016 | AA | 2020 |
11 | Andrew Vaughn | CWS | 1B | R | R | 21 | 2019 | A+ | 2020 |
12 | CJ Abrams | SD | SS | L | R | 19 | 2019 | A | 2022 |
13 | Jarred Kelenic | SEA | OF | L | L | 20 | 2018 | AA | 2020 |
14 | Jasson Dominguez | NYY | OF | S | R | 16 | 2019 | Rookie | 2023 |
15 | Matt Manning | DET | P | R | R | 21 | 2016 | AAA | 2020 |
16 | Dylan Carlson | STL | OF | S | L | 21 | 2016 | AAA | 2020 |
17 | Bobby Witt Jr. | KC | SS | R | R | 19 | 2019 | Rookie | 2023 |
18 | A.J. Puk | OAK | P | L | L | 24 | 2016 | MLB | 2020 |
19 | Casey Mize | DET | P | R | R | 22 | 2018 | AAA | 2020 |
20 | Drew Waters | ATL | OF | S | R | 21 | 2017 | AAA | 2020 |
21 | Spencer Howard | PHI | P | R | R | 23 | 2017 | AA | 2020 |
22 | Kristian Robinson | ARI | OF | R | R | 19 | 2017 | A | 2022 |
23 | Marco Luciano | SF | SS | R | R | 18 | 2018 | Rookie | 2022 |
24 | Adley Rutschman | BAL | C | S | R | 21 | 2019 | A | 2021 |
25 | Michael Kopech | CWS | P | R | R | 23 | 2014 | MLB | 2018 |
26 | Nick Madrigal | CWS | 2B | R | R | 22 | 2018 | AAA | 2020 |
27 | Jeter Downs | LAD | SS | R | R | 21 | 2017 | AA | 2021 |
28 | Nate Pearson | TOR | P | R | R | 23 | 2017 | AAA | 2020 |
29 | Noelvi Marte | SEA | SS | R | R | 18 | 2018 | Rookie | 2023 |
30 | Vidal Brujan | TB | SS | S | R | 21 | 2014 | MLB | 2021 |
31 | Carter Kieboom | WAS | SS | R | R | 22 | 2016 | AAA | 2019 |
32 | Corbin Carroll | ARI | OF | L | L | 19 | 2019 | Rookie | 2022 |
33 | Jazz Chisholm | MIA | SS | L | R | 21 | 2015 | MLB | 2021 |
34 | Dustin May | LAD | P | R | R | 22 | 2016 | MLB | 2019 |
35 | Jordan Groshans | TOR | 3B | R | R | 20 | 2018 | A | 2022 |
36 | Sixto Sanchez | MIA | P | R | R | 21 | 2015 | MLB | 2020 |
37 | Brendan McKay | TB | P | L | L | 24 | 2017 | MLB | 2019 |
38 | Evan White | SEA | 1B | R | L | 23 | 2017 | MLB | 2020 |
39 | Nolan Jones | CLE | 3B | L | R | 21 | 2016 | AA | 2021 |
40 | Ke’Bryan Hayes | PIT | 3B | R | R | 22 | 2015 | MLB | 2020 |
41 | Tyler Freeman | CLE | SS | R | R | 20 | 2017 | A+ | 2021 |
42 | Alec Bohm | PHI | 3B | R | R | 23 | 2018 | AA | 2020 |
43 | Joey Bart | SF | C | R | R | 23 | 2018 | AA | 2020 |
44 | Sam Hilliard | COL | OF | L | L | 25 | 2015 | MLB | 2019 |
45 | Sean Murphy | OAK | C | R | R | 25 | 2016 | MLB | 2019 |
46 | Nico Hoerner | CHC | SS | R | R | 22 | 2018 | MLB | 2019 |
47 | Brendan Rodgers | COL | 2B | R | R | 23 | 2015 | MLB | 2019 |
48 | Luis Patino | SD | P | R | R | 20 | 2016 | AA | 2020 |
49 | Trevor Larnach | MIN | OF | L | R | 22 | 2018 | AA | 2021 |
50 | Cristian Pache | ATL | OF | R | R | 21 | 2015 | MLB | 2020 |
51 | Mitch Keller | PIT | P | R | R | 23 | 2014 | MLB | 2019 |
52 | Triston Casas | BOS | 1B | L | R | 19 | 2018 | A+ | 2021 |
53 | Alek Thomas | ARI | OF | L | L | 19 | 2018 | A+ | 2021 |
54 | Riley Greene | DET | OF | L | L | 19 | 2019 | A | 2021 |
55 | Brennen Davis | CHC | OF | R | R | 20 | 2018 | A | 2022 |
56 | Edward Cabrera | MIA | P | R | R | 21 | 2015 | MLB | 2020 |
57 | Grayson Rodriguez | BAL | P | L | R | 20 | 2018 | A | 2021 |
58 | Josiah Gray | LAD | P | R | R | 22 | 2018 | AA | 2020 |
59 | Matthew Liberatore | STL | P | L | L | 20 | 2018 | A | 2021 |
60 | Luis Matos | SF | OF | R | R | 17 | 2018 | Rookie | 2023 |
61 | Erick Pena | KC | OF | L | R | 16 | 2019 | Rookie | 2024 |
62 | George Valera | CLE | OF | L | L | 19 | 2017 | Rookie | 2021 |
63 | Brailyn Marquez | CHC | P | L | L | 20 | 2015 | A+ | 2021 |
64 | JJ Bleday | MIA | OF | L | L | 22 | 2019 | A+ | 2021 |
65 | Josh Lowe | TB | OF | L | R | 21 | 2016 | AA | 2021 |
66 | Abraham Toro | HOU | 3B | S | R | 23 | 2016 | MLB | 2019 |
67 | Nick Solak | TEX | DH | R | R | 25 | 2016 | MLB | 2019 |
68 | Jose Urquidy | HOU | P | R | R | 24 | 2015 | MLB | 2019 |
69 | Hunter Bishop | SF | OF | L | R | 21 | 2019 | Rookie | 2021 |
70 | Ronny Mauricio | NYM | SS | S | R | 18 | 2017 | A | 2022 |
71 | Clarke Schmidt | NYY | P | R | R | 23 | 2017 | AA | 2020 |
72 | Austin Hays | BAL | OF | R | R | 24 | 2016 | MLB | 2017 |
73 | Simeon Woods Richardson | TOR | P | R | R | 19 | 2018 | A+ | 2021 |
74 | Jordan Balazovic | MIN | P | R | R | 21 | 2016 | AA | 2021 |
75 | Nolan Gorman | STL | 3B | L | R | 19 | 2018 | A+ | 2021 |
76 | Xavier Edwards | TB | 2B | S | R | 20 | 2018 | A+ | 2021 |
77 | George Kirby | SEA | P | R | R | 21 | 2019 | Rookie | 2021 |
78 | Geraldo Perdomo | ARI | SS | R | R | 20 | 2016 | A+ | 2021 |
79 | Kameron Misner | MIA | OF | L | L | 22 | 2019 | A | 2021 |
80 | Luisangel Acuna | TEX | SS | R | R | 17 | 2018 | Rookie | 2023 |
81 | Maximo Acosta | TEX | SS | R | R | 17 | 2019 | Rookie | 2024 |
82 | Kody Hoese | LAD | 3B | R | R | 22 | 2019 | Rookie | 2021 |
83 | Nick Lodolo | CIN | P | L | L | 21 | 2019 | A | 2021 |
84 | Daniel Johnson | CLE | OF | L | L | 24 | 2016 | MLB | 2020 |
85 | Tarik Skubal | DET | P | L | L | 23 | 2018 | AAA | 2020 |
86 | Oneil Cruz | PIT | 3B | L | R | 21 | 2015 | MLB | 2021 |
87 | Orelvis Martinez | TOR | SS | R | R | 18 | 2019 | Rookie | 2022 |
88 | Brandon Marsh | LAA | OF | L | R | 22 | 2016 | AA | 2020 |
89 | Heliot Ramos | SF | OF | R | R | 20 | 2017 | AA | 2021 |
90 | Francisco Alvarez | NYM | C | R | R | 18 | 2018 | Rookie | 2022 |
91 | Monte Harrison | MIA | OF | R | R | 24 | 2014 | MLB | 2022 |
92 | Misael Urbina | MIN | OF | R | R | 17 | 2018 | Rookie | 2023 |
93 | Luis Garcia | WAS | SS | L | R | 19 | 2016 | AA | 2021 |
94 | DL Hall | BAL | P | L | L | 21 | 2017 | A+ | 2021 |
95 | Luis Medina | NYY | P | R | R | 20 | 2015 | MLB | 2021 |
96 | Kyle Wright | ATL | P | R | R | 24 | 2017 | MLB | 2018 |
97 | Taylor Trammell | SD | OF | L | L | 22 | 2016 | AA | 2021 |
98 | Ian Anderson | ATL | P | R | R | 21 | 2016 | AAA | 2020 |
99 | Tony Gonsolin | LAD | P | R | R | 25 | 2016 | MLB | 2019 |
100 | Brent Honeywell Jr. | TB | P | R | R | 24 | 2014 | AAA | 2020 |
Any feedback is welcome, and you can follow me on Twitter @DraftHouseNow.