As deadlines on transactions and trades loom in many leagues, I’ve been building this Sunday’s post around the concept of last call for transactions in dynasty leagues, kind of like I did a few weeks ago in Prospect News: Junior Franco Files for Recognition from the Chamber.
Rangers OF Anthony Gutierrez (17, CPX) was already mentioned in that article but has since been promoted to the complex league just a month into his professional career. Giddyup. In six games at the complex, where the average age is 2.7 years older than Gutierrez, he’s hitting .333/.346/.625 with one home run and two stolen bases. Also zero walks and six strikeouts. Doesn’t matter yet though. Might be truly looking at last call on this one. Will be interesting to see how he fares in the league as new players trickle in from the draft, and that goes for pretty much everyone on this list who’s not in the Dominican Summer Leagues. Every affiliate in the lower minors is about to get a talent boost. Good time to zero in.
Cubs 1B Matt Mervis (24, AAA) hit a double in his Triple-A debut and could set himself up as the primary option for 2023 with a solid stretch run. Outside chance he gets promoted this season in September if he really tears it up in Des Moines.
Angels C Edgar Quero (19, A) would be amazing for your Low-A Fantasy Teams, slashing .312/.426/.502 with ten homers and ten steals in 72 games. 57 Runs and 45 RBI, too, as long as we’re following this thread. Does anyone play in season-long, minor league roto leagues, by the way? That could be pretty neat. Quero should be in High-A soon and could open next year in Double-A as a 20-year-old. I might do this jump-the-timeline math on a couple more guys today, but it’s implicit in most of these selections. These kids have the chance to break the age-to-level metrics and demand the spotlight.
Reds 3B OF Carlos Sanchez (17, DSL) is slashing .412/.550/.505 with two home runs and eight steals in 32 games. Not a ton of power yet (five extra base hits), but he’s too young for that to matter at the moment, especially with him demonstrating these hand-eye skills as a left-handed hitter at 6’0” 177 lbs.
Marlins SS Kahlil Watson is back in action in the Florida Complex League after being sent to AAA for a week to study what it means to be a professional, or so the reports go, and probably also to work with different coaches. I like the move by Miami. Kids swing and swing in the lower minors. It’s contagious, just as taking pitches is contagious. I hope he finds his way soon. I struggle to buy low on anyone these days. A trade offer from me leads to doubt, research, and waiting, but you might have better luck sending out a feeler or two for Watson in your leagues. Might still be too soon to get much of a discount, but if you want in, the window’s open.
In 33 games with Low A Delmarva, Orioles SS Frederick Bencosme (19, A) has struck out 12 times across 135 plate appearances. He’s got 13 walks, six stolen bases and a .364/.430/.430 slash line, and while we’d obviously love to see a few more extra base hits, Bencosme is a 6’0” 160 lb left-handed hitter with plenty of room to add muscle as he ages.
Yankees 2B Jared Serna (20, CPX) has done exactly that, building strength between last year and this one and slugging .625 in 26 games on the complex after posting a .384 SLG last season in the DSL. He’s also maintained his plus plate skills (17 BB, 12 K) and speed (13 SB). I’m eager to see him in Low A. It’d be a quick jump, but his .486 OBP and 198 wRC+ suggest he’s up for the challenge.
Rangers 3B Gleider Figuereo (18, CPX) turned 18 on June 27, and like a lot of guys in this series, he’s a skinny (6’0” 165 lbs) teenage left handed hitter who throws right. Unlike a lot of guys on this list, Figuereo requires no patience for his power to come along. He’s slugging .662 through 22 games with five homers, six steals, five triples and five doubles, and his plate skills are solid for someone his age doing this much damage: 13.7 percent walk rate, 24.2 percent strikeout rate. Will be fun to follow him and Gutierrez up the system together.
Mariners SS Michael Arroyo (17, DSL) looks like he’s next in the pipeline of young Seattle mashers signed on the international market. He’s not related to Edwin, Christian, or Bronson Arroyo, in case that’s what you’re thinking. DSL stats don’t mean much, but it’s still nice to see him posting impressive plate skills (12.4% BB, 16.3% K) and slashing .343/.481/.586 with four home runs and three stolen bases.
Thanks for reading!
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