Moving right along through our Top 100, we have the back half of the top 50 prospects for 2019 fantasy baseball. I could say that this is where the list gets interesting, but it’s just a list of (potential) baseball players on the internet, so “interesting” might be giving myself too much credit. If you’re just joining us, you may want to check out the top 25 prospects for 2019 fantasy baseball. And for full reports on each team’s prospects, you’ll want to hit the 2019 minor league preview index. Two things you’ll notice about this chunk of the list: 1) it’s where the better 2018 signees reside; and 2) more pitching. I find that this section of the rankings goes nicely with a 12-year-old Highland Single Malt. Or Dewars. Either way. It’s ten in the morning.
26. Alex Verdugo, OF | LAD | 2019
27. Yordan Alvarez, OF | HOU | 2019
28. Nolan Gorman, 3B | STL | 2021
29. Nick Madrigal, 2B | CWS | 2020
30. Vidal Brujan, 2B | TBR | 2021
31. Jesus Luzardo, LHP | OAK | 2019
32. MacKenzie Gore, LHP | SDP | 2021
33. Alex Reyes, RHP | STL | 2019
34. Jarred Kelenic, OF | SEA | 2021
35. Trevor Larnach, OF | MIN | 2020
36. Victor Victor Mesa, OF | MIA |2019
37. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B | PIT | 2020
38. Leody Taveras, OF | TEX | 2020
39. Estevan Florial, OF | NYY | 2020
40. Alec Bohm, 3B | PHI | 2021
41. Seth Beer, 1B | HOU | 2021
42. Joey Bart, C | SFG | 2020
43. Casey Mize, RHP | DET | 2019
44. Touki Toussaint, RHP | ATL | 2019
45. Yusei Kikuchi, LHP | SEA | 2019
46. Brendan McKay, LHP | TBR | 2019
47. Travis Swaggerty, OF | PIT | 2021
48. Jonathan India, 3B | CIN | 2020
49. Michael Soroka, RHP | ATL | 2019
50. Justus Sheffield, LHP | SEA | 2019
Lots of new talent and more arms as promised. I was surprised at how often it was easy to go with one of the newer guys than the specs hanging around from last year. I guess I’m as guilty as anyone at “shiny new toy syndrome”. Still better than “GRIDS: gradual infant death syndrome” (h/t Dr. Katz – SquiggleVision!). On a side note, I’m in the (enviable?) position of getting to rank players twice – once on the team report and again here. I usually stick to the same order, but sometimes I use this as an opportunity to reflect and adjust here and there. Honesty is the best policy. At least that’s what my mom told me when she dropped me off at the orphanage in an Air Jordan shoe box. For example, I ended up flipping Madrigal and Kopech, Luzardo and Mateo, and Gordon and Larnach. So what to expect from this chunk of players? I’d be happy with $10-$20 in value from the hitters and rotation gigs with 9+ strikeouts per nine from the pitchers.