Dynasty Dugout: Mid-Season Fantasy Baseball Prospect Rankings

In last week’s Dynasty Dugout, we looked into four post-hype prospects that have struggled thus far at the major league level. This week we switch over to every dynasty league owner’s favorite topic.

For those of us that play in dynasty leagues, prospects are basically as valuable as our own children. Okay, maybe that’s a bit far, but you get the point. The beauty of prospects is that no one really knows how good they can really be. For every person that thinks one prospect will be the next Mike Trout or Bryce Harper, there’s another that thinks he’ll be a bust.

Over the past few seasons, we have had numerous prospects break onto the scene and become fantasy stars in short order. From Carlos Correa to Corey Seager to Francisco Lindor, the list goes on and on. Even with the recent prospect invasion, there are still plenty of intriguing players in the minors.

Keep in mind as you read this that this is strictly for fantasy purposes only. Defensive abilities only matter when projecting one’s future position. How many gold glove awards a player can win means jack squat in these rankings. This is why a universal top-10 prospect didn’t even sniff this top-50 list, and frankly wouldn’t have been close to making it if this were a top-100 list either.

Alright, enough talk. You’re here for the list so here it is. Below are the rankings is some commentary on select players.

#1 Yoan Moncada (2B/3B – CHW) – Nothing has changed at the top of the rankings. It doesn’t matter where you look, Moncada is the best prospect in baseball. He’s strong enough to hit 30+ home runs and quick enough to steal 40+ bases from a typically offensively deprived position. There’s never a 100% sure bet when it comes to prospects, but Moncada is as close as you can get with the current batch of prospects.

#2 Victor Robles (OF – WAS) – There’s a chance that Robles ends up as the best fantasy player on this list if he adds a little power. His speed and hit tools are both plus and he’s already showing a little bit of pop. Robles could very well end up being similar to Moncada but with a higher average and a little less power.[the_ad id=”384″]

#4 Eloy Jimenez (OF – CHC) – Did you think the Cubs were out of elite hitting prospects? Well, they’re not. Waiting in the weeds is 20-year-old slugger Eloy Jimenez. Out of all the power hitting prospects in the minors, Jimenez is right near the top in terms of raw power. He’s even been compared to a young Giancarlo Stanton.

#5 Austin Meadows (OF – PIT) – I’m probably higher than most with Meadows right now. He’s struggled so far at Triple-A and his checkered injury history has again popped up this season, but the tools that made him a universal top-15 prospect are still there. He has a plus hit tool, blossoming power, and the wheels to steal over 30 bases annually. Don’t give up on him and buy-low if you can.

#6 Rafael Devers (3B – BOS) – There’s that power stroke we were all looking for from Devers. Through 268 at-bats in 2017, Devers has launched 17 home runs. I’m not saying he’s going to put up David Ortiz type numbers, but Devers is the left-handed slugger Boston needs in that lineup. Expect plenty of 30 HR/100 RBI seasons out of the young Dominican slugger, starting soon. Third base is wide open for him up in Boston.

#8 Ronald Acuna (OF – ATL) – The 2017 season has been Acuna’s coming out party. He was a good prospect coming into the year, but has been en fuego all season and skyrocketed up fantasy prospect rankings. A .306 average with nine home runs and 30 steals at the age of 19 will certainly create plenty of buzz. Acuna is a superstar leadoff man waiting to happen. For an MLB comparison, think of the Tampa Bay version of Carl Crawford, not the pathetic Boston version.

#9 Derek Fisher & #12 Kyle Tucker (OF – HOU) – Just when you thought the Houston Astros couldn’t get any better offensively. Both Fisher and Tucker possess an above average blend of power and speed and should be manning the corners for Houston before too long. However, one might have to be traded to find playing time as Josh Reddick and George Springer are under team control through 2020 and 2021 respectively.

#10 Alex Reyes (SP – STL) – It seems like most hard throwing pitchers have Tommy John surgery at some point in their career, and youngster Alex Reyes is no exception. Even with this setback, his arsenal, which includes a triple-digit heater and wipeout slider, is still the best out of any pitcher in the minors. Keep an eye on his progress, and if all goes well, bump him up into the top five. He’s that good.

#16 Luis Robert (OF –CHW) – Call me a sucker for Cuban prospects that ooze talent. The last import to come to the states with this much talent is currently atop these rankings. It’s still pretty early, but Robert has a lot of the same abilities as Moncada. His U.S. debut has gone well so far. Through 47 at-bats, Robert is hitting .277 with one home run, seven steals, and more walks (16) than strikeouts (12). This is a player that could very easily top this list as soon as next year.

#17 Rhys Hoskins (1B – PHI) – If you want power, Hoskins is your man. He’s your prototypical mashing first baseman with the ability to hit 40+ home runs over a full season. Move on over Tommy Joseph.

#19 A.J. Puk (SP – OAK) – More love needs to be thrown Puk’s way. For the reasons why click here.

#21 Nick Senzel (3B – CIN) – Senzel is one of the safest prospects on this list. He also might be one of the most boring. Once he gets into his prime he should be a solid .290-15-15 type fantasy third baseman. That’s good and all, but it doesn’t knock your socks off.

#22 Kevin Maitan (SS – ATL) – We’ve had to wait a while for last year’s number one international signing to debut, but Maitan is certainly worth the wait. When a player gets compared to Miguel Cabrera and Chipper Jones, us fantasy owners need to take notice. He’s a ways away from the majors, but we could be looking at the next superstar slugging shortstop with Maitan.

#24 Jordon Adell (OF – LAA) – The first 2017 draftee cracks the list at number 24. Adell has a plethora of raw tools, but scouts question how much he’ll hit for average. Luckily he has plenty of time to figure that out.

#26 Hunter Greene (SP – CIN) – Only one pitcher screamed “future ace” in this year’s amateur draft and it was Greene. His triple-digit fastball and plus slider are already big league ready, he just needs to work on his changeup and overall approach.

#27 Triston McKenzie (SP – CLE) – If you want a pitcher that could shoot into the top-10 next year, then take a long look at McKenzie. His lanky 6’5 frame is sure to fill out as he matures and that should add a touch of velocity to his low to mid-90’s fastball. There’s frontline starter potential here.

#31 Francisco Mejia (C – CLE) – It’s rare that a catcher can make an immediate fantasy impact upon his call-up, but Mejia is that type of player. He should routinely hit around .300 in the majors and provide double-digit home runs and maybe even a handful of steals for good measure.

#37 Lucas Giolito (SP – CHW) – Two years ago, Giolito would’ve been top five on this list. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to figure it out in Triple-A or the majors. Still only 22, he has time to turn it around, but his “future ace” status is starting to fade.

#40 Royce Lewis (SS – MIN) – Lewis is a player that could surprise a lot of fantasy owners. He has a plus hit tool and down the road could be an annual 20-20 player. He makes a lot of contact and rarely strikes out. For an best-case MLB comparison, think Xander Bogaerts.

#43 Mickey Moniak (OF – PHI) – At this stage of his minor league career, Moniak looks like he’s going to fall into that “better in real life than fantasy” category. His inclusion on this list is due to his plus hit and speed tools. He’s going to be a solid player, just don’t go overboard on him in dynasty leagues.

#44 Ryan McMahon (3B – COL) – Though his upside is apparent, as long as Nolan Arenado is around, McMahon has no chance to crack the Colorado lineup. Why is Vince McMahon’s entrance music stuck in my head now? He could end up being a trade chip to bring in another starter. That would certainly help his playing time situation, but leaving Coors Field is never fun.

On-Deck Circle (Next 10) – Tyler O’Neill (OF – SEA), Mitch Keller (SP – PIT), Tom Murphy (C – COL), Michael Chavis (3B – BOS), Domonic Smith (1B – NYM), Kolby Allard (SP – ATL), Harrison Bader (OF – STL), Ryan Mountcastle (SS – BAL), Dylan Cease (SP – CHC), Austin Beck (OF – OAK)

Notable Omission

J.P. Crawford (SS – PHI) – Remember the last paragraph of the opening to this article? Yeah, that was 100 percent about Crawford. I dare you to go find someone that thinks lesser of Crawford’s fantasy ability than I do. His hit tool has disappeared and he has barely any power or speed. Hard pass.

Got a question about a player not covered here? Feel free to ask in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @EricCross04. Thanks as always for reading, and check back next Tuesday for another edition of Dynasty Dugout.