Andrew Benintendi has the potential to be seen as one of the game’s best hitters by the end of 2017
You do not need to take part in many mock drafts to discover that the outfield talent dries up very quickly this year. There is no such concern in the Minor Leagues with a plethora of budding superstars likely to make significant contributions in 2017.
This list features 10 players you should consider on Draft Day, although Nick Williams, Raimel Tapia, Jake Bauers, Mitch Haniger and Jesse Winker were unlucky not to make the final cut. Except for Andrew Benintendi, who is the clear number one, the rankings of the other players are easily interchangeable and very dependent upon playing time opportunities. Make sure you check FantasyPros for trade news and Spring Training developments.
Check out our 2017 consensus rankings 
10. Aaron Judge (NYY)
The 24-year-old is expected to start the season as the Yankees’ right fielder. In his MLB debut last season, the right-hander hit .179 with four home runs while striking out 42 times in 84 at-bats. He has huge power potential but will obviously need to improve upon the 60% contact rate to stick in the majors. The former first-rounder draws comparisons to Giancarlo Stanton, although recently non-tendered Chris Carter might be more appropriate.
9. Albert Almora (CHC)
The departures of Dexter Fowler and Jorge Soler open the door to greater playing time for the former top-20 prospect. Albert Almora hit .277/.308/.455 with three home runs in 47 games for the Cubs in 2016.
He is excellent in center field, although it could be argued that he is a better player in real life than fantasy. The addition of veteran John Jay (81 OPS+ over the last two years), will alleviate some of the pressure on Almora, allowing him to develop.
8. Roman Quinn (PHI)
The Phillies had the second-worst on-base percentage in the majors last season. Roman Quinn gets on-base, and when he gets on-base, he wants to steal. The former second-rounder had a .361 OBP at Double-A in 2016 and then .373 OBP in his debut stint in the big leagues, with five stolen bases in 15 games.
The switch-hitter has explosive speed but has been hampered by injuries. With Odubel Herrera and Howie Kendrick in the lineup, Roman Quinn, Aaron Altherr and Tyler Goeddel are expected battle for remaining outfield spot.
7. Bradley Zimmer (CLE)
A top-30 prospect coming into last season, Bradley Zimmer dominated Double-A in the first 93 games (.842 OPS) but stuttered in the move up to Triple-A (.654 OPS) for the final 27 games, striking out 37% of the time. Although not the fastest, the 24-year-old is an excellent base-stealer with 82 stolen bases over the last two seasons and will be a 20/20 candidate when he reaches the majors.
He was one of the best hitters in the Arizona Fall League with a .257/.421/.514 slash line and, encouragingly 19 walks to 26 strikeouts. With the Indians in “win-now” mode, expect Zimmer to receive an early season promotion if he can make improvements against left-handed pitching or if Tyler Naquin’s sophomore production disappoints.
6. Lewis Brinson (MIL)
The Brewers’ top prospect offers power, speed and elite defense in center field. His stock dropped in 2016 with his Double-A batting average falling by 50 points.
Lewis Brinson was the standout name in the package sent from the Rangers to secure the services of Jonathan Lucroy in August. He slugged .618 (.387 OBP) for Milwaukee’s Triple-A affiliate with four home runs and four stolen bases in 23 games. Unless the rebuilding Brewers’ trade veteran outfielder Ryan Braun, Brinson will face a Spring Training battle with Keon Broxton for the first shot in center field.
5. Manuel Margot (SD)
Fresh from topping the Dominican Winter League with 14 stolen bases, Manuel Margot could be a cheap source of runs, average and stolen bases this year. He is an elite center fielder but does not project as a power hitter, reaching double-digit home runs only once in five Minor League seasons.
The 22-year-old has little left to prove in Triple-A, having hit .304/.351/.426 last year with 98 runs and 30 stolen bases, while striking out just 11.3% of the time. Expect the right-hander to be the Padres’ center fielder on Opening Day, batting towards the top of the lineup.
4. Austin Meadows (PIT)
It was an eventful season for the Pirates’ top prospect who experienced three levels, hit .266/.333/.536 with 12 home runs, stole 17 bases and also landed on the DL twice. The Pirates arguably have the best outfield trio in the game, so an injury or an Andrew McCutchen trade is needed to create an opening for the 21-year-old.
When he does make the jump, expect Austin Meadows to be an annual 20/20 candidate while providing above-average defense in center field. Without an obvious route to the Opening Day roster, look for the left-hander to be available at a value on draft day.
3. Clint Frazier (NYY)
Clint Frazier was the highlight of the package the Indians sent to the Yankees in exchange for ace reliever Andrew Miller. The 22-year-old slashed .276/.356/.469 in Double-A with 13 home runs and 13 stolen bases before being promoted to Triple-A for the final 30 games of the season.
The right-hander is a powerful hitter but strikes out too much (23.5% over two levels in 2016). Although Frazier has made a slow start to each new level, he has continually improved his approach, and further seasoning in Triple-A should put him in line for a promotion to the Yankees’ outfield.
2. Hunter Renfroe (SD)
The 24-year-old hit .306/.336/.557 with 30 home runs on his way to becoming the MVP of the PCL, a title previously won by Nelson Cruz, Adam Eaton and Joc Pederson. Hunter Renfroe is expected to be the Padres’ right fielder on Opening Day and, as long as he can keep hitting, there is little competition to prevent him from keeping the job all season.
The right-hander’s cameo in the Major Leagues in 2016 will inflate his value, pushing him up draft boards, but that is what .800 SLG and four home runs in 11 games will do.
1. Andrew Benintendi (BOS)
Andrew Benintendi started 2016 hitting .341 in High-A before progressing to Double-A where he posted .872 OPS in 63 games. The left-hander skipped Triple-A and headed straight to the majors, where he slashed .295/.359/.476 with two home runs in 105 at-bats.
Andrew Benintendi’s skillset tantalizes with the realistic possibility of 20 home runs, 20 stolen bases and a batting average over .300. A feat only achieved in the outfield last season by Mike Trout and Mookie Betts.
The early data on FantasyPros ECR puts Andrew Benintendi in the top-100 (33rd ranked outfielder). If he continues to improve as projected, the 22-year-old could be a top-30 fantasy player at the end of the year.
Worth Mentioning
Victor Robles (WAS)
This highly-rated 19-year-old will be a top-20 prospect in this year’s lists and might eventually be the overall top prospect in the game. He has great strike zone judgment with a career .306 batting average and has stolen 83 bases in three years.
Eloy Jimenez (CHC)
A candidate to be the overall top prospect going into the 2018 season, Eloy Jimenez hit .329/.369/.532 in Single-A with 14 home runs and eight stolen bases. He is only 20-years-old so don’t expect to see him in the majors until 2019 at the earliest.
More Prospects:
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Gavin Tramps is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Gavin, check out his archive or find him @_tramps.
