Lotta movement to cover this week. The Royals lineup looks pretty different these days with Jac Caglianone beefing up the middle. Vinnie P is heating up with the weather, posting a 167 wRC+ over his last 16 games. Maikel Garcia and Bobby Witt Jr. are both in rhythm right now, so this team could go on a nice summer run. They’re 32-and-29 despite scoring six fewer runs than the Chicago White Sox this season.
Please, blog, may I have some more?
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Format = Team Position Player | Age | Level | ETA
1. Red Sox OF Roman Anthony | 20 | AAA | 2025
2. Athletics 1B Nick Kurtz | 22 | MLB | 2025
3. Brewers SS Jesus Made | 18 | A | 2028
4. Royals 1B Jac Caglianone | 22 | AAA | 2025
5. Rangers SS Sebastian Walcott | 19 | AA | 2026
6. Padres SS Leo De Vries | 18 | A+ | 2027
7. Reds RHP Chase Burns | 22 | AA | 2025
Interesting times at the top. Made and De Vries both feel like a smart place to put your money during these volatile economic times. Kurtz and Caglianone get these spots partly for floor, but they’re also closer to the Torkelson-Vaughn vortex than anyone in the lower minors. Gotta try to account for all facets of reality, and in doing that, I can see Chase Burns making a Skenesian impact over the final stretch this season. The pitcher penalty felt pretty outdated as I watched him dominate. The only thing most people can agree on here is that Anthony represents the best combination of proximity, probability and potential.
Please, blog, may I have some more?If you look around my minor league rosters, you’ll find a few organizations extremely well represented, especially the Red Sox, Brewers, Mets, and Dodgers. My favorite way to play this game is to identify competent developmental teams and lean into that. It’s not like I refuse to roster someone from a bottom-feeder; I just zoom in more closely on great organizations and give tie-breaker preference in that direction. Perhaps that understates the reality of how my rosters end up looking. For example, I have five minor league pitchers on my Razz 30 roster: three Red Sox (Yordanny Monegro, Juan Valera, Eduardo Rivera) and two Dodgers (Sean Linan, Christian Zazueta).
Please, blog, may I have some more?
Prospect News: Jac In The Box or Denzel In Training
May 25, 2025 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects, Featured | 15 Commentsby: The Itch
Earlier this week, the Rangers signed Korean high schooler Seong-Jun Kim and announced they will develop him as a two-way player. I’ve only seen the hype video the org posted, but he looks best at shortstop, then on the mound, then with the bat. I’ve noticed he’s getting added in a bunch of Fantrax leagues, but I’m probably not spending any spots on him. Feels like every FAAB run these days involves several young players I really want to add and hold for the long term, but Kim would fall into a trade-chip bucket for me because I’m not patient like that. Kim won’t join the club until January, making him something like a half-decade away from impacting our game in the categories.
Please, blog, may I have some more? Prospect News: A Rising Tide or Hope and Burns
May 21, 2025 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects, Featured | 33 Commentsby: The Itch
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?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?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?Graduated from Stash List #2: Horton, Can You Hear Me?: Cade Horton, Coby Mayo 1. Diamondbacks SS Jordan Lawlar (22, AAA) In addition to slashing .340/.417/.597 with six home runs and 13 stolen bases, Lawlar is further refining his plate skills, striking out at a 17.4 percent and drawing a 9.3 percent walk rate […]
Please, blog, may I have some more?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? Prospect News: Do You Believe in Zach Agnos?
May 4, 2025 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects, Featured | 21 Commentsby: The Itch
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?Dodgers RHP Ben Casparius is a FAAB focus point this week. He’s been excellent in a swing role on the strength of two plus breaking balls he commands pretty well. The team is forever searching for innings and will give Casparius a chance to stretch into the starting rotation. I like his chances.
Please, blog, may I have some more? Prospect News: Stash List #2: Horton, Can You Hear Me?
April 27, 2025 | Fantasy Baseball Prospects, Featured | 28 Commentsby: The Itch
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?