Prospect News: Bateman Handles The Banana Stand or Zac Veen Vs Worms

The Rockies recalled OF Zac Veen (24) and then sat him on the bench Tuesday against Arizona lefthander Mitch Bratt. I suppose they were right to duck him because Bratt spanked them for six innings. Veen should play regularly the rest of this season. That doesn’t mean he will, but he should, and if he does, he’ll provide speed and power with the potential to go nuclear in a head-to-head matchup late on the fantasy calendar. I don’t mean to overstate his impact, but there’s not many guys left roaming the wire who can match his maximum output. 

Twins SS Kaelen Culpepper (23) homered in his major league debut but hasn’t had a hit since then and might struggle to make contact down the stretch. I’d resist the urge to hold that against him in the dynasty game, if possible. It’s tough jumping into a pennant race, and this guy has tended to adjust across time. 

Like the rest of us, Nationals LHP Jackson Kent (23) has spent much of the year half awake in a fake empire, but Kent’s a major leaguer now, so I think the glasses are off, and we’re about to see what he’s really made of. Superman, he’s probably not, but Kent features a Kryptonian change-up that can carry him as long as he’s placing his pitches. 

The Brewers reported that SS Jett Williams (23, AAA) aggravated an existing wrist injury and will head to the injured list. I’m all for a good conspiracy, but I don’t think we need Jason Concepcion to understand why the Tigers preferred Zyhir Hope to an injured Jett Williams. 

Marlins OF Esteury Ruiz (27) has flashed extreme fantasy goodness in the past only to see the dream slip through our collective fingers, but something about this current run feels slightly more sustainable to me. Note to self: do not write “fingers comma but” ever again. Okay. Thank you kindly, self. The Marlins aren’t expecting him to hit well against everybody. They pick their spots, and the game has changed since he first debuted in 2022. Speed was kind of neat then. Now, it’s a nightmare for the opposition. Ruiz has 27 steals in 154 plate appearances across 75 games. I’m starting him in two leagues right now, and I don’t mind at all when he’s on the bench in the first inning. He often gets first base for free in that scenario as a pinch runner. He’s also earned more time in the starting lineup. Not a lot of downside here from what I can see. 

Blue Jays OF Brett Bateman (24) is a master of making consistent contact. He, Bateman, came over from Chicago in the Kevin Gausman trade and immediately passed Go to collect his major league dollars. There’s always money in the banana stand. Why he’s a better player than Yohendrick Pinango, we might never knownango. Bateman’s pretty good in his own right thoughnango. Or on his own, right? Heyango! 

Reds 1B Michael Toglia has had his fair share of chances, but Cincinnati is a fountain of youth for wayward corner bats. I’m not saying he’ll carry anyone to the money zone, but he’s a better use of a roster spot than, say, Edwin Arroyo, who a dynasty pert offered me straight up for Jordan Lawlar this week. 

Tigers RHP Jackson Jobe (24) has been beset by a nigh-biblicial number of troubles in his quest to find a sustainable living at the highest level at which a human can play baseball. Nonetheless, he returned triumphant on August 8th against the Giants and allowed just two baserunners with four strikeouts across five shutout innings. I would not be surprised at all to see him combine with Melton, Valdez, Montero and Drew Anderson to give Detroit the pitching they need to win that division despite trading Skubal and Mize. Would make for a fun September, especially if they could get River Ryan back and/or Zyhir Hope into the lineup. 

Nationals RHP Luis Perales (23) is reportedly next in line for a rotation opening in the nation’s capital. The front office has had a great year, so I don’t think they’d rush Perales out there to prove they weren’t crazy to trade LHP Jake Bennett (25) to the Red Sox. Still, it couldn’t hurt to see him sizzling 100 mph fastballs and 94 mph cutters past baffled hitters before the season runs its course. 

Nationals C Maxwell Romero (25, AAA) has five home runs in his last six games and 18 home runs in 72 games across two levels this season. He’s slashing .296/.397/.630 in 16 Triple-A games and could give us a free September power-up for our second-catcher spots. 

I made room for Brewers OF Brailyn Antunez (18, A) in a couple 15-team dynasty leagues where roster spots are precious, and I’d suggest you do the same. Maybe he’ll cool off soon, and this blistering couple weeks will fade to the vagaries of time, but for now, he’s slashing .409/.519/.841 with five home runs and six stolen bases in 12 games as an 18-year-old in Low-A full-season ball. Can’t do much better than that. 

Thanks for reading!