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The Itch

Author: The Itch

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The Itch

Prospect News: A Rising Tide or Hope and Burns

May 21, 2025 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects, Featured | 34 Comments

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I’m rearranging the rankings this week, so I figured I’d highlight the players that are rising so fast it’s hard to place them.

10. Padres SS Leo De Vries

11. Brewers SS Jesus Made

12. Giants 1B Bryce Eldridge

It’s more than just attrition: these guys have locked in their place among the top ten prospects in baseball until proven otherwise.  

De Vries has a 132 wRC as an 18-year-old in High-A, which puts him on track to join the Double-A club this summer before he turns 19 in October? Sorry, that’s not a question. I just . . . it’s hard to put a period there. That means he’s 19 in Triple-A to open 2025 if everything just stays peachy keen? Short list. Wouldn’t find many failures on that one, I’d guess. 

Please, blog, may I have some more?
The Itch

Prospect News: Stash List #4: Boston Needs A New Mayer

May 18, 2025 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects, Featured | 44 Comments

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1. Red Sox OF Roman Anthony (21, AAA) 

Turned 21 on May 13th, so Happy Belated Birthday, Roman! I wonder how he celebrated. The city of Boston would’ve been happy to throw him a big party, but that can wait, apparently. Tough to argue with their outcomes across the outfield this season. Cedanne Rafaela (87) has a higher wRC+ than Jarren Duran (84) this season, in case anyone cares. Gonna hit this drum just one more time and then let it rest: Rafaela has provided 1.1 Wins Above Replacement according to Fangraphs, while Duran has posted a 0.3 WAR. What is good for? Absolutely nothing. Just sayin. Does anyone remember Jack Cust? How did Grey used to spell Cust kayin’? Just like that, I guess, as confirmed by a quick giggle search. 

Please, blog, may I have some more?
The Itch

Prospect News: Moises Parts The C or Save It For A Rainiel Day

May 14, 2025 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects, Featured | 30 Comments

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I’ve heard some fantasy baseball people suggesting Diamondbacks SS Jordan Lawlar was called up to be the short side of a DH platoon, but I think it’s pretty safe to ignore that noise. Some players are too important to get wrong, and very few organizations (cough cough Colorado) play fast and loose with the development of those guys, sacrificing their progression to fill a big league bench role. 

Please, blog, may I have some more?
The Itch

Prospect News: It’s Not That Complex or Happy Mey Day!

May 7, 2025 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects, Featured | 29 Comments

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Complex League games have begun, so there’s about to be a run on pop-up prospects such as Prince Fielder’s son. You read that right; I didn’t mean to say Cecil. Time remains undefeated. 

I don’t have super big feelings after three games, but I do think you should consider adding young Fielder (Jadyn), Royals SS Yandel Ricardo, Dodgers SS Emil Morales, and Cardinals SS Yairo Padilla if they’re available in your league. Fielder should be lowest on that list, priority-wise. 

Please, blog, may I have some more?
The Itch

Prospect News: Do You Believe in Zach Agnos?

May 4, 2025 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects, Featured | 21 Comments

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Rangers 1B Blaine Crim (28) signed for $5,000 after Texas took him in the 19th round of the 2019 draft, so it’s nice to see him working toward his first big league game check while Jake Burger tries to recapture his flavor in Triple-A. A right-handed hitter at 5’10” 200 lbs, he’s far from the prototypical first baseman and has had to smash his way through any number of questions blocking his path. He’s always had power but has fine tuned his plate skills throughout his journey and was striking out at just 16.7 percent clip through 28 games. His walk rate is down a tick, but the aggression is paying off, leading to seven home runs and a slash line of .313/.365/.565. Has kind of a Christian Walker vibe. Better to add him now and ask questions later, I think. 

Please, blog, may I have some more?
The Itch

Prospect News: Stash List #2: Horton, Can You Hear Me?

April 27, 2025 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects, Featured | 28 Comments

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1. Red Sox OF Roman Anthony (20, AAA) 

Doing typical Roman stuff, conquering his contemporaries, slashing .313/.451/.588 with five home runs, two stolen bases, 21 strikeouts (20.6 percent) and 21 walks in 23 games. Ceddanne Rafaela has tripled his walk rate in the early going and has a 128 wRC+ since April 6. He’s an 80-grade defender in center field, so I don’t think he’s going anywhere, which I suppose surprises nobody who regularly reads this space. It’s gonna be interesting though. Wilyer Abreu can’t stop won’t stop hitting, and Jarren Duran is a core player. Can Rafael Devers play first base yet? Could Triston Casas be in trouble? He hit two homers this week, both of the three-run variety, but that’s all he’s done this week, and last week. Since April 6, he’s slashing .151/.286/.283 but with interesting plate skills: 12.7 percent walk rate and a 17.7 percent strikeout rate. If you’re playing a video game, you probably make that move today: call up Anthony and trade Casas. Rumor mill over the winter said the Red Sox were trying to swing a Casas trade, maybe even before the Bregman signing came through if I remember right. Tricky situation. Good problem to have though, especially in a video game.

Please, blog, may I have some more?
The Itch

Prospect News: Colonel Kurtz Brings The FAAB Apocalypse

April 23, 2025 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects, Featured | 27 Comments

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The Athletics are officially promoting 1B Nick Kurtz to the rank of major leaguer, and like the winding journey into the heart of darkness we find in Apocalypse Now, things are about to get a little weird in Sacramento. Good weird though, like the early Rockies teams that leaned all the way into the collect-mashers advantage of playing half your games in Coors Field. I don’t know if you have to avoid the A’s the way you had to avoid trips up the mountain, but I’d rather not throw any of my starters in their park if I could avoid it. A lineup composed of Kurtz, Soderstrom, Rooker, Butler, Langeliers, Bleday and Jacob Wilson presents a lot of tough outs with nasty consequences for misplaced pitches. My AL Only squad is stoked to see him. They’re in first place despite losing Grayson Rodriguez and Luis Gil before the season started, and their only chance to hold the top spot is to mash like a mixed league club. 

Please, blog, may I have some more?
The Itch

Prospect News: Mazur Finds His Way

April 16, 2025 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects, Featured | 27 Comments

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Marlins RHP Adam Mazur (23, AAA) struggled as a rookie with the Padres last season and found himself and his 7.49 ERA on a flight to Miami. He’s been much better as a Triple-A pitcher this year than he was last year, posting a 1.29 ERA and 0.63 WHIP in three games covering 14.1 innings. He pitched to a 4.73 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 93.1 innings last year, so an off-season with a new organization has done him some good. Miami has Cal Quantrill and Connor Gillispie in the rotation right now, so you can’t exactly say Mazur is blocked. They’re actually playing .500 baseball right now in South Beach at eight-and-eight. Probably not wise to bet on that continuing, but I thought it might take them until May to collect eight wins. Griffin Conine, Kyle Stowers, Xavier Edwards and Matt Mervis are all playing well and creating some optimism in the Wins category for investors in fishy pitchers. 

Please, blog, may I have some more?
The Itch

Prospect News: Feel The Peña Everyone or Take Zac Veen

April 9, 2025 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects, Featured | 14 Comments

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At the risk of overstating the reality, I’m happy to see the Zac Veen era is underway in Colorado. My bold predictions article says he’ll steal 40 bases this season, so that’s pretty much a lock at this point. Or perhaps he’ll be back in the minors a month from now. I’m betting against that, obviously. I think it’s more important for the organization to get Veen right than it is for them to, for example, get Jordan Beck right. 

Please, blog, may I have some more?
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