Hello, Prospect Report faithful, newbies and everything in between. Welcome to the Week 17 Prospect Report. No booze writing this week. Only baseball because there is so much to cover. A top 10 prospect is out for the season, the Futures Game was absolutely bonkers, and Vlad Guerrero Jr. is back and rust is off.
Read a great summary of the Futures Game top performers here by Jonathan Mayo at MLB.com.
And watch this great highlight real of all the HRs. Be sure to check out:
- :59 Luis Basabe takes a 102 MPH Hunter Greene fastball out of the park.
- 4:50 Taylor Trammell big ol’ bomb – he’s going to be so good!!
- 7:43 Peter Alonso hits an HR that orbited the earth.
2018 Fantasy Baseball Week 17 Prospect Report
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News & Notes
For all your rookie and prospect news.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 3B, Toronto Blue Jays (AA)
He’s back and beautiful. He was rehabbing in rookie and high A and now he is in AA looking great, recording a hit in every game since coming back on July 13th including two doubles and an HR Monday night. While not yet seeing pitches in AAA this year, he is likely to get there soon. Mookie Betts has the highest wOBA in MLB at .467. VGJ is at .477 and 19 years old.
Be sure to unmute:
https://twitter.com/FisherCats/status/1019643021321793536
Fernando Tatis Jr., SS, San Diego Padres (AA)
Tatis had 16 HRs and 16 SBs with a shiny .286/.355/.507 slash-line before fracturing his thumb. The prognosis looks like he is out for the season. Ligament damage, bro. It’s no joke. San Diego has a nice system with a lot of guys maturing towards being called up next year and year after. Don’t sleep on this 19-year-old. I know you won’t because he a consensus top 10 prospect.
Willie Calhoun, OF, Texas Rangers
Welcome to The Bigs Willie!!! After deserving to start the year in the majors Calhoun started the year in AAA, struggled, openly complained, and now he is up. My belief in Willie Calhoun has been documented extensively.
I just think his left-handed effort-full swing, quick hands, and low K% (9.8% in AAA this year) make for someone that could find success early and often. He is not hitting much in his first look in 2018 but that should not stop you from picking him up right away. Many more RISP rips in his future:
On Friday, Willie Calhoun made his 2018 debut and picked up his first hit & RBI. Tonight, the #Rangers' No. 2 prospect is batting 8th and playing left field.
Full scouting report on the @Rangers Top 30 list: https://t.co/Ebz4rwHMV8 pic.twitter.com/k0Ahy4VEGg— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 21, 2018
Francisco Mejia, C, San Diego Padres
Kind of an all over the place year for Mejia. Scuffled in the minors early on, turned things around some, got promoted for a minute, got sent back down, and now is a Friar after Brad Hand got sent to Cleveland.
Mejia has lost some pedigree for me this year with a walk rate going down from 7% to 5.4% and not finding his power stroke. He will get to the majors sooner in San Diego, but I see a guy who may hit for a .285-.300 average without many HRs thanks to his spacious new home confines.
Eloy Jimenez, OF, Chicago White Sox (AAA)
Eloy is back from the DL, in AAA, and sluggin’. I think he’ll see some time up this year. He has earned it with a .351 average and .449 wOBA in 74 ABs in AAA. He’s just seeing the ball so well right now and barely striking out at all. With his injury behind him and the ball launching off the bat in front of him, get excited for his call-up to The Show:
Hi @WhiteSox fans!
May we interest you in a pair of Eloy Jiménez dingers? pic.twitter.com/ryMSIQ0cuI
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) July 21, 2018
Quick Notes
Shane Bieber is starting on Tuesday against the Pirates. He has given up 11 ERs in his past three starts/19 IPs. He is just looking hittable with 22 hits in these three starts as well. I will say I think his control keeps him relevant but I’m wary of starting him against good offenses.
Victor Robles is rehabbing very nicely with a .343 average and six SBs in 13 rehab games.
Chris Paddack has turned a lot of heads this year moving his way up through the minors with an 88:5 K:BB. He missed 2017 with Tommy John and if he can keep momentum in AA I will keep paying attention. I’m just not a big fan of guys who find success with deception and don’t have great velocity. Joey Lucchesi turns me off for the same reason.
My two favorite prospects from this year’s draft class, Nolan Gorman and Nick Madrigal are finding early success. Madrigal has not struck out in 34 ABs between rooking and A ball.
Royce Lewis was promoted to high class-A. He is so legit.
The Next Big Thing
Guys you really need to know about.
Yordan Alvarez, 1B/OF, Houston Astros (AAA)
After tearing it up in AA to the tune of a .290 ISO and .429 wOBA Alvarez was promoted to AAA in early July. A big dude, coming in at 6’ 5” and 225, he generates plenty of power but not at the cost of having a sweet swing. He can and will hit for average especially because he has really been developing his ability to take a walk. He walked 10% of the time in AA and as his ability to pick up pitches and his hit tool develop I think he could be up next year.
Waiver Pick Ups
Players worth your team's consideration.
Kyle Tucker, OF, Houston Astros
Kyle Tucker is struggling/unlucky. He is hitting 57% ground balls contributing to his .179 BABIP in his small sample in the bigs. He is generating contact and some hard hit, though. He’s also sitting against lefties for now. He will turn it around… or get sent down. The only reason he is here is that he can turn it around right away and is owned in under 30% of ESPN leagues.
Astros confident Tucker will adjust to Majors
https://t.co/nHDpgj9dlz— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) July 21, 2018
Circle Change
Mid-Season circling back to some of my favorite minor league players who have not gotten enough love and attention from me (or the industry).
Brendan Rodgers, 2B/SS, Colorado Rockies (AA)
Without a ton of fanfare, Brenda Rogers has 17 HRs and 12 SBs in AA so far this year. This is a real improvement in his power stroke which will play nice a mile up from sea level. He has improved his walk rate by more than 2% and reduced his K% by 3%. None of this is eye-popping but this is what you like to see from a top 10 talent with a 60 FV hit tool and 55 FV power.
Cristian Pache, Atlanta Braves, (A+)
Pache is ranked 98 on MLB.com’s list and at 19 years old he is already looking like a Gold Glove candidate. But defense doesn’t get you on my radar. Pache got on my radar as a raw talent with blinding speed and incredible athleticism.
He is still too aggressive at the plate but is finding some success with a .284 fueled mostly by his ability to hustle. His slugging is .430. So, he is finding some extra-bases. He has not performed as well as some other guys I’m high on but I am far from down on him. Dude is made of lightning. One day Albies, Pache, Acuña, Riley and their army of elite arms will all be playing together.
Check out the rest of our great 2018 Fantasy Baseball content.
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