It's time to look at some recent stand outs in the minor leagues in our dynasty baseball under the radar prospects 5-19-23.
This series has some impressive alumni to show through two months of the 2023 season. Emmet Sheehan continues to dominate at Double-A, as he just posted his best line of the season with 5 IP, 10 K, 2 H and zero walks. Louie Varland looks like the real deal with the Twins, and Matt McLain is finally getting a shot with the Reds.
Of course, we're also seeing some growing pains with players who recently jumped up a level like Ben Brown and Jonatan Clase. As always, it's worth remembering that some of these prospects are excellent sell-high options if you're looking to win now.
Below is a rundown of five dynasty baseball prospects who are worth adding or possibly trading for right now. They are all owned in 15% or fewer of Fantrax leagues. All of these prospects should be on your radar going forward in 2023.
Dynasty Baseball Under the Radar Prospects 5-19-23
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Luis Lara, OF, Milwaukee Brewers
Do we have another Jackson Chourio situation on our hands? Probably not, but the hype is slowly building around this 18-year-old.
Lara is currently slashing .283/.426/.358 with a 134 wRC+ in Low-A. His counting stats aren’t eye-popping. However, his advanced approach stands out with 17.6% BB and 8.8% K rates.
Baseball America gives him 70-grade speed. The hit tool is there, and while his frame doesn't project a major power outbreak on the way, he has already posted 108+ MPH exit velocities.
The Brewers clearly believe they have something special in the works.
Luis Lara (CF 18) who the Brewers signed for 1.1 million last year, was fast-tracked to Single A. On Tuesday Lara had four hits including his first stateside homer in his 12th game.
— Michael Schneider (@mikecschneider) May 17, 2023
Lara is one of the most added players on Fantrax this week, but his ownership is still only at 7%. Dynasty owners should make him a priority right now.
Yanquiel Fernandez, OF, Colorado Rockies
Fernandez probably caught the attention of plenty of owners by hitting for the cycle last week. This month he’s batting .353 with 5 HRs, 20 RBIs and a 1.041 OPS.
🚨 CYCLE ALERT 🚨
No. 10 #Rockies prospect Yanquiel Fernandez needed just 6 innings to notch High-A Spokane's first such milestone since 1979: https://t.co/UNzn7nuQCa pic.twitter.com/bFkYHFuVw6
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 11, 2023
Power is his calling card. Fernandez hit 21 homers in 112 games last season at Low-A. Surely you can envision that swing playing well as an outfield masher at Coors Field.
However, the plate approach must improve. He swings at just about everything, and he’s currently hitting grounders 48.7% of the time. The strikeouts aren’t out of control at 21.4% right now, but he does have a 16.6% SwSt rate.
He’s owned in 14% of Fantrax leagues. Fernandez is one to monitor to see how the approach develops.
Mike Vasil, SP, New York Mets
Vasil’s 2023 campaign makes a case for him to be considered the Mets top pitching prospect. He posted one of his best lines of the season last night.
𝐑𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐏𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐖𝐈𝐍 ‼️
Congrats to Mike Vasil on picking up his first Double-A win tonight!
7 IP / 3 H / 0 R / 2 BB / 5 K
Mike's Eastern League ranks through 7 starts:
• K/BB: 1st (7.67)
• WHIP: 1st (0.70)
• Opp. AVG: 1st (.154)
• ERA: 3rd (2.19) pic.twitter.com/wKrHaNTqqj— Binghamton Rumble Ponies (@RumblePoniesBB) May 19, 2023
His 2.68 xFIP backs up his dominance at Double-A. Vasil is sporting a 29.0% K-BB% through seven starts. He pounds the strike zone and currently averages just 1.46 BB/9.
The Athletic points out Vasil’s has been attacking hitters with his split-change and generating more swing and miss. This fourth pitch development, along with the improved command, could lead to bigger things in the MLB.
He sits at No. 494 in Mike Schneider’s latest F6P Dynasty Baseball Prospect Rankings. Another top add on Fantrax this week, expect a jump up prospect rankings soon.
Landon Knack, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers
It’s time for our weekly Dodgers pitching prospect installment.
Knack has turned things around at Double-A this season. Through 34.0 IP, he has a 1.59 ERA (3.66 xFIP), 30% K rate and 5.4% walk rate.
Landon Knack struck out 9 tonight in his 5.0 IP of one run ball. Season stats update:
34.0 IP
1.59 ERA
39/7 K/BB
.180 opp avg
0.85 WHIPHe’s healthy, his velo’s up, and he’s too much for the Texas League. The big club needs arms, Knack’s 25, get him to OKC and then in the mix.
— Josh Thomas (@jokeylocomotive) May 19, 2023
Health is the biggest question mark for the 25-year-old. Last season went off the rails, leading Knack to completely change his diet ahead of the 2023 season.
It appears to be paying off for him. The control issues we witnessed in 2022 are gone. That’s the key to his game.
Knack is owned in 9% of Fantrax leagues after plenty of dynasty owners gave up on him last year. He’s due for a move up to Triple-A, and if he continues to take care of his body, we could be looking at a reliable back-end starter for the Dodgers.
Chandler Simpson, OF, Tampa Bay Rays
This is one of the more intriguing prospects I’ve come across so far in this series. He basically offers zero power. He has yet to hit a homer in 39 minor league games, and he homered once in 115 college games.
You’re ready to buy in, right?
Well, you should also know he’s one of the fastest players in baseball. Simpson has 28 steals in 31 games at Low-A. Fangraphs and Baseball America give him 80-grade speed.
He brings an excellent approach to the plate. His draft report shows he saw 618 fastballs in 2022, and he swung and missed just nine times. [Ed Rooney voice] Nine times.
He also led college baseball in batting average and is hitting .314 so far in his minor league career. Simpson has some incredible tools, and depending on your league settings and size, he might be worth a look.
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