Format = Position Player | Age on 4/1/2024 | Highest Level Played | Estimated Time of Arrival
1. OF Lazaro Montes | 19 | A | 2026
At 6’4” 256 lbs with a picturesque swing from the left side, Montes invites visual comps to Yordan Alvarez and embraces them, incorporating regular video study and modeling his own game after the Houston slugger’s. He cut his strikeout rate by eight percent between the Dominican Summer League (33.2%) and the Complex League (25.3%) then maintained the gain with a 25 percent strikeout rate in 33 Low-A games. He slashed .321/.429/.565 with seven home runs and a 165 wRC+ in that month-plus of full-season ball. There’s plenty of reasons to rank other guys higher than him on this list, especially on the probability or speed fronts, but I just kept moving Montes up this totem pole and couldn’t really convince myself that I’d take any of these guys over him in a dynasty league I thought would last a long time.
2. SS Cole Young | 20 | A+ | 2025
A left-handed hitter with middle-infield athleticism on defense and a plus hit tool on offense, Young was selected 21st overall in 2022 and has cruised through three levels in 143 games since, slashing .286/.402/.456 with 13 home runs and 26 steals. He’s an easy eval on the eyes as it doesn’t take much to see his swing and think “oh that looks good.” Also has the arm to make up for a split second here or there on defense.
3. SS Colt Emerson | 18 | A | 2026
After the success of Cole Young, the Mariners went for a similar prospect at the 22 spot in the 2023 draft: Colt Emerson is a left-handed hitting middle infielder at 6’1” 195 lbs with excellent hands in the batter’s box. In 24 games across two levels, he slashed .379/.496/.549 with two home runs, ten doubles, 20 strikeouts and 17 walks. He went ninth overall in the Razz30 Supplemental Draft that just got underway.
4. C Harry Ford | 21 | A+ | 2025
The 12th overall pick in 2021, Ford has moved through the minor league assembly line with ease, posting an on base percentage of .400 or better at every level. His High-A slash line of .257/.410/.430 across 118 games isn’t the most impressive card-back we’ve seen, but he was young for the level and got better throughout the season after a slow start. His primary appeal for our game might be unique speed catcher. He’s swiped 23 and 24 bases the past two seasons, respectively, and has wheels enough to lose a step or two and remain a threat. In that same Razz30 Supp Draft, Ford got traded for the 22nd pick, which was used to select Chase Davis.
5. SS Felnin Celesten | 18 | NA | 2028
A poorly timed hamstring strain stopped Celesten from making his professional debut, so we don’t have any stats to see here. Celesten signed for 4.7 million and is a 6’1” 175 lb switch hitter with speed, power, and defense to spare. He’s still an easy dynasty buy until proven otherwise.
6. OF Jonatan Clase | 21 | AA | 2025
Clase stole 79 bases in 129 games across High and Double-A in 2023, slashing .242/.353/.449 with 165 strikeouts and 20 home runs. Clase is listed at 5’9” and all kinds of different weights, primarily 150 lbs, which is at least 25 pounds too light to the eye test. A left-handed hitter, Clase swings with everything he’s got and generates above average power. He’s gotten stronger and faster throughout his career, so even though the strikeouts are concerning, it makes more sense to bet on the profile than to write him off.
7. 1B Tyler Locklear | 23 | AA | 2025
A right-right, corner-only prospect, Locklear was a 2nd round pick out of Virginia Commonwealth in 2022 because the Mariners thought he could rake, and so far so good on that front. In 85 games across three levels in 2023, the 6’1” 210 lb Locklear slashed .288/.405/.502 with 13 home runs. Feels like he should be higher on the list, but this system is just loaded at the moment.
8. RHP Emerson Hancock | 24 | MLB | 2023
His fastball has a ton of run, which makes it hittable but also keeps it off some barrels. In his 12 big league innings, he surrendered just a 2.5 percent barrel rate. That will regress as hitters get more looks at Hancock, but it gives him a better chance than it may seem at first glance, given that he doesn’t miss many bats, and his fastball velocity of 92.6 is on the low end of what a righty can live with. If he finds the right mix and enough command, he’ll always be tough to square up with his mix of fastball, sinker, slider, changeup and could settle into an fifth-starter role this season.
9. SS Tai Peete | 18 | A | 2027
The 30th overall pick in 2023, Peete fits a profile the club likes: he’s a left-handed hitter at 6’2” 193 lbs with infield skills and athleticism that could play at several positions. He joined the Low-A club in time for a couple postseason games and should open there in 2024. If the hit tool works there, his plus power and speed will help him climb lists in a hurry.
10. SS Ryan Bliss | 24 | AAA | 2024
The recent trade for Jorge Polanco bumped Bliss down the org chart a bit, but he remains an intriguing blend of power and speed who hit 23 home runs and stole 55 bases in 128 games across two levels in 2023, slashing .304/.378/.524. His height 5’6” might be playing a role in the general lack of enthusiasm for him around the dynasty game, and I can admit this last trade took some air out of my sails as well.
Thanks for reading!
