Ever wonder what happened to the prospect the Rays traded David Price for?
Two weeks ago I brought you an updated top 100 prospect list. In that list, there were likely a few names even the most sincere prospect nuts didn’t recognize. Now that we are at the end of May, players have given us enough of a sample that we can know their breakout isn’t a fluke. Let’s check in on some of those names who jumped forward during the first month of the season, to see if their apparent breakout was the real deal. Tomorrow I’ll break down the pitchers who flew up the charts.
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Victor Robles (WAS, OF)
He has really “slowed down” the past few weeks, so he is now batting “just” .340/.430/.525 with 12 stolen bases. Yoan Moncada’s name has been tossed around as the next top prospect in baseball, but consider that Robles is doing the same type of thing while two years younger!
Alex Bregman (HOU, SS)
The No. 2 overall pick from 2015 was mediocre last season in his debut but has really hit his stride in 2016. The 22-year-old shortstop is batting .319 with a 1.085 OPS. Thanks to a power surge (11 homers in 31 games), the Astros’ future star could find himself in the top 10 or even top 5 prospects before long.
Andrew Benintendi (BOS, OF)
I boldly placed him No. 13 but it seems like I jumped the gun after he started off on a blazing pace (.341/.413/.563). The 21-year-old is still a top talent, but after struggling since being moved to Double-A (.105/.150/.158 in 19 AB), Benintendi is better suited around No. 25 at this point.
Willy Adames (TB, SS)
You will likely recognize this name (and strange spelling) from the seemingly absurd David Price trade, where the Rays landed a no-name 18-year-old shortstop for one of the best pitchers in baseball. Adames has progressed as the Rays have expected, and at just 20 years old, is having his way in Double-A against much older competition.
Lucius Fox (SF, SS)
No, not the one from Batman, but an 18-year-old from the Bahamas. He is a high-ceiling bonus baby from the 2015 international signings. You likely didn’t hear about him because he was overshadowed by Vlad Guerrero Jr, but Fox is immensely talented. After a blazing start, he has really cooled off, but the talent is there for him to become a top-20 prospect some day if he can put it all together.
Yusniel Diaz (LAD, OF)
The Dodgers signed this 19-year-old out of Cuba for 15+ million dollars last year. He had a great start but hasn’t been the same since a shoulder strain. The in-game power has yet to arrive, but the raw power is remarkable. If he can make himself useful at any position defensively, LA will have another great one on their hands.
Ke’Bryan Hayes (PIT, 3B)
Before the Marlins surprised everyone by taking Josh Naylor No. 12, most scouts believed Hayes was the better prospect. It is strange how one team’s opinion (a team with a questionable history with prospects, mind you) is enough to change the whole landscape on two prospects. Hayes is letting the numbers speak for himself though and is destined to become the next Pedro Alvarez in Pittsburgh before long.
Ronald Acuna (ATL, OF)
This 18-year-old speedster is hitting .300 with 12 steals in 30 games against much older pitching, and this while dealing with a nagging injury. His ISO is down from the start of the season, but he has always been a guy with first division talent. I can’t see him ever being more than a top 50 prospect, but he seems like a pretty sure bet to turn into a Tony Womack type of fantasy player.
Travis Demeritte (TEX, 2B)
Look up Dan Uggla in a thesaurus and you are likely to find a picture of Demeritte. It isn’t often that you come across a middle infielder with this type of pop (13 HR, 11 doubles in 42 games) and so much swing and miss to his game (59 Ks in 156 AB). He will hurt your fantasy team in BA eventually, but it is hard to pass up all those homers and RBI from a second basemen.
