Unfortunately, if you’re looking for pitchers, there aren’t any on this list. All of the top pitching prospects are either injured, in the low minors, or aren’t expected to make a significant impact this season. However, there are plenty of hitting prospects on the cusp of making an impact at the major league level. These aren’t necessarily the top five prospect in baseball, but the ones who should make an impact at some point this season.
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No. 5 Austin Meadows (OF – PIT)
After starting the Triple-A season in the worst slump of his career, Austin Meadows has finally started hitting like he’s capable of. Through 21 April games, his average sat just below the Mendoza Line at .195. That’s certainly not what we had been accustomed to seeing from him in his minor league career. The month of May was a whole different story for Meadows as he hit a more expected .300.
That slow start came at the most inopportune time for the young Georgia native as Starling Marte was suspended for 80 games only a few weeks into the season. If Meadows had gotten off to a hot start there’s a chance he would already be up in Pittsburgh’s outfield contributing for fantasy owners.
As it turns out, keeping Meadows in Triple-A was definitely the right call and one that lines up with how Pittsburgh has handled prospects in the past. The Pirates have brought up top prospects slower than most clubs. All three of Pittsburgh’s starting outfielders had between 735 and 1,304 at-bats combined at Double-A and Triple-A. Entering the 2017 season, Meadows had only compiled 318 at-bats in the top two levels of the minor leagues. Pittsburgh isn’t going to break that trend, especially after Meadows struggled to the tune of a .214 average in 126 Triple-A at-bats to end the 2016 season.
Meadows has budding power and above-average speed to go along with his .300+ batting average potential. He only has three homers so far this season but has racked up 14 doubles. Still only 21, Meadows should continue to add power to his 6-foot-3 frame. With his numbers on the rise, look for Pittsburgh to summon him at some point this summer. He should hit for a solid average and provide homers and steals once he’s called up.
Rest of Season MLB Projection (AVG/HR/RBI): .270/5/9 in 200 at-bats.
No. 4 Amed Rosario (SS – NYM)
Before 2016, Amed Rosario was a fairly average prospect. He did crack some top-100 lists but more so for his defensive abilities than for what he could do with the bat. Every fantasy owner knows his name now after he hit .324 with 19 steals in 479 minor league at-bats in 2016. That strong showing bumped him up to the Mets Triple-A team in Las Vegas and Rosario hasn’t disappointed. His average has risen to .340 and he’s already matched his home run total from last season.
Rosario bucks the trend of recent power-hitting shortstops that have debuted. He’s good but he’s not even close to being on the level of Carlos Correa, Corey Seager, and company. Power has never been a part of his game. The next home run he hits this season will set a new career high of six. He’s not a blazer on the base paths either. Last season marked a career high for Rosario in the stolen base department with 19. Over a full major league season, he should get in the vicinity of 25 steals or so, which is a solid total with steals on the decline across baseball.
With a call-up looming, the time is now to pounce on Rosario. He’s not as offensively gifted as the other four on this list but should be the first one called up to help fantasy owners in need of a shortstop.
Rest of Season MLB Projection (AVG/HR/RBI): .275/4/9 in 300 at-bats.
No. 3 Gleyber Torres (SS – NYY)
After dominating the Arizona Fall League, Gleyber Torres went from being a pretty good prospect to an elite one. There’s always going to be some added buzz when you’re a shortstop prospect playing in the Yankees’ farm system, and while Didi Gregorious is a decent player, Torres is the shortstop of the future in New York.
His 2017 statistics have been solid, yet unspectacular. Torres has been hovering around the .260 to .270 range all season but was hitting for solid power at Double-A. That hasn’t been the case so far in Triple-A, but once he adjusts to the advanced pitching, the power should begin to trend up.
So far in 2017, New York has gotten basically zero production out of third base, with Chase Headley being the main reason why. He’s hitting a paltry .225 with only three long balls so far. For a team pushing for the AL East crown, that’s simply not going to get it done. The Yankees have started giving Torres some time at third base in preparation for him taking over for Headley sooner rather than later.
You won’t win your league championship because you added Torres, but he’s solid enough to become your starting shortstop or to slot into your middle infield position. The average won’t kill you and he could have some added power with the help of the launching pad that is Yankee Stadium.
Rest of Season MLB Projection (AVG/HR/RBI): .255/10/6 in 250 at-bats.
No. 2 Lewis Brinson (OF – MIL)
Everyone loves players that can contribute both power and speed for their fantasy team. Milwaukee Brewers prospect, Lewis Brinson, provides just that. Brinson is a toolsy outfielder that spent most of his minor league career in the Texas Rangers system before he was the headliner in a package sent to the Brewers for Jonathan Lucroy.
He had a sensational 2015 season in Double-A where he hit .332 and fell just two steals shy of the 20/20 club. His 2016 season wasn’t as successful until that deadline deal to Milwaukee. The power and speed were still there, but Brinson’s average dropped all the way down to a paltry .237 in his 304 at-bats with the Ranger’s Double-A affiliate in Frisco.
You can attribute that near 100 point batting average drop to the fact that his BABIP dropped over 100 points from 2015 to 2016, down to a below average .264. Once in the Milwaukee farm system, Brinson began to flourish again and finished the season hitting .382 with four homers and four steals in only 89 at-bats. That success has carried over to this season and has put him on the cusp of a call-up to the majors.
Brinson doesn’t profile as a hitter that will win batting titles, but he’s talented enough that his average should remain solidly in the high 200s to go along with his tantalizing power/speed combination. When looking for a good comparison for Brinson, think Carlos Gomez circa 2012-2014.
That’s the upside this kid has. Ryan Braun isn’t due back soon, so Brinson could get his chance. He should get the call before the All-Star break and be a solid source of power and speed for your outfield the rest of the way.
Rest of Season MLB Projection (AVG/HR/RBI): .260/7/11 in 250 at-bats.
No. 1 Yoan Moncada (2B – CWS)
What is there to say about the young Cuban phenom that hasn’t already been said? He’s uber-talented and has dominated at every level since he signed with the Boston Red Sox in early 2015. While Moncada does everything well offensively, his best asset is his plus speed. In his first two minor league seasons, he racked up an impressive 94 stolen bases while only getting caught 15 times. That speed alone will allow him to be a fantasy factor as soon as he’s called up to Chicago.
The beauty of a player like Moncada is that he brings much more to the table other than his blazing speed. To start, he plays a position that is usually lacking a lot of strong options outside of the top guys like Jose Altuve and Robinson Cano. Out of all the non-catcher positions, second base is the usually the hardest to find reliable fantasy production from year to year. Adding a player like Moncada to your fantasy team mid-season would surely stabilize your second base spot if you’ve been having issues getting production there.
To go along with his plus speed, Moncada can hit for a high average and provide ample power. After hitting only eight homers during his 2015 debut, he upped that to 15 last season and already has six this year. His 6’2, 205-pound frame and quick wrists suggest that there’s more power coming. If you’ve ever seen Moncada you’ll know that he’s a physical specimen.
We should see Moncada up with the White Sox pretty soon. There’s no prospect in the minors with as much fantasy potential. If for some reason he’s still available in your league, stop reading this now and go get him. Don’t let his brief stint with Boston last year scare you off. He’s the real deal.
Rest of Season MLB Projection (AVG/HR/RBI): .275/9/16 in 300 at-bats.
Just Missed the Cut
Outside Chance at a Call-Up
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Eric Cross is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Eric, check out his archive and follow him @EricCross04.
