Second base has traditionally been a position for small-bodied infielders with great speed, a high contact rate, and a patient plate approach. They often get a bad wrap, stereotyped as a player who couldn’t cut it defensively at shortstop and doesn’t have the offensive power to man a corner infield position. Baseball continues to evolve, however, and the MLB as a whole seems to be trading in singles and stolen bases for more home runs and strikeouts. Second base is no exception to this and most of the top prospects at this position are a perfect reflection of that. These young sluggers are not only future stars but the future of their position as a whole in Major League Baseball.
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Michael Busch (2B – LAD)
The Dodgers seem to have a knack for finding young talent and quickly turning those prospects into versatile utility players with big league-ready bats. Michael Busch fits this profile perfectly, as he played first base and outfield at the collegiate level but has been converted into a second baseman since entering Los Angeles’ system. All scouting reports indicate that Busch’s offensive ceiling is incredibly high, as he controls at-bats with extreme patience and can hit for both average and power. He hit 20 home runs and slashed .267/.386/.484 at the Double-A level last year and shows the potential to produce similar numbers in the big leagues. MLB Pipeline projects that Busch will be playing in Dodger Stadium at some point in 2022 and when he gets the call he should be a well-balanced offensive addition to fantasy lineups.
Here you go, @Dodgers fans.
Hall of Famer Jim Thome has more on Michael Busch. #MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/OGFxbUcsu2
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) June 4, 2019
Nolan Gorman (2B/3B – STL)
Gorman was drafted as a third baseman in 2018 and has been slugging his way through St. Louis’ farm system since. It just so happens that the Cards already have a Nolan playing third base, however, and that Nolan has nine Gold Glove Awards to his name. Hence, moving Gorman to second base was the most logical way the Redbirds could get his bat in the big league lineup quickly. The former first-round pick has always had power and he belted 25 home runs last season between Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis. His 26% career strikeout rate is a bit of a concern for his fantasy value, but he did show improvement in that area last season. As long as he can keep the strikeouts in check at the big league level, he should be able to hit for a decent average and tack on 20+ home runs per season.
Nick Gonzales (2B/SS – PIT)
Though Gonzales has yet to even break into AA ball, he seems to be on the fast track to the majors. He was the MVP of the Cape Cod League where he slashed .351/.451/.630 before being selected with the seventh overall pick of the 2020 draft. The New Mexico State alumni then spent the entirety of 2021 with High-A Greensboro, where he hit .302/.385/.565. His quick, compact swing and above-average bat speed also helped him knock 45 extra-base hits last season. The Pirates lost over 100 games last season but are loaded with young talent in their farm system, so they will certainly be looking to promote many of their top prospects in the upcoming season. This means Gonzales’ chance should be right around the corner.
Would you like to see open-side looks at both of Nick Gonzales' HRs yesterday? Here you go. #Pirates pic.twitter.com/FfwW6VEHeQ
— Josh Norris (@jnorris427) August 9, 2021
Xavier Edwards (2B/SS – TB)
Edwards is the sole prospect on this list that fits the stereotypical second baseman mold. He was drafted 38th overall by the Padres in 2018 but was shipped to Tampa Bay in a package deal in exchange for Tommy Pham and Jake Cronenworth after the 2019 season. The Rays fully expect Edwards to develop into a top-tier leadoff hitter as he has a high contact rate (4% swing and miss rate in 2019), hits the ball to all parts of the field, and can bat from both sides of the plate. He has only hit one home run in his professional career and the lack of power is the biggest downside to his game. The good far outweighs the bad, however. Edwards has a .320/.390/.389 career slash line and incredible speed. He’s stolen 75 bases with a 77% success rate in three professional seasons. When he gets the call up, Edwards will have immediate fantasy value and an ability to contribute in many different stat categories.
Xavier Edwards (@xedwards9) had his third consecutive multi-hit game last night in Montgomery’s victory over Biloxi. He’s reached base safely in all but one game he’s played this season.
Today’s Minor League Report: https://t.co/2nIn0LmuIh#RaysUp pic.twitter.com/CPuWk78o5Y
— Rays Player Development (@RaysPlayerDev) June 27, 2021
Justin Foscue (2B – TEX)
Foscue is one of multiple top-tier infield prospects in the Rangers’ farm system, ranking behind only third baseman Josh Jung in the MLB Pipeline. He played across three levels of minor league ball last season and ended the year with Double-A Frisco. Foscue is a pull heavy hitter, has plus power, and manages to maintain a somewhat reasonable strikeout rate. He hit 17 home runs and slashed .275/.371/.590 across 62 games last year. He is projected to be a 20+ home run hitter at the big league level. Foscue’s major league ETA is projected to be sometime in the 2023 season, but if he continues to slug the ball as he did in ’21 that time could come even sooner.
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