Fantasy Baseball Prospect Report: Paul Skenes, Junior Caminero, Heston Kjerstad

Fantasy Baseball Prospect Report: Paul Skenes, Junior Caminero, Heston Kjerstad

Welcome back to my weekly prospect report at FantasyPros! The goal of this column is to give you the most fantasy-relevant prospect information throughout the last week, all in one place.

The format of this weekly prospect report will be by level and we will go through players in order of their placing on my latest Top 150 Prospect Rankings. I won’t be hitting every prospect every week, but I will focus on the most relevant throughout the week and follow up on other notable players post my top 150. This article will not focus on any AAAA-type players or veterans in the Minors who have outlived their prospect status.

NOTE: Rookie status is determined by 130 ABs, or 50 IPs at the Major League level | All stats are as of Sunday, April 14.

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Fantasy Baseball Prospect Report

MLB Hitters

      • Season: .263/.328/.316 | 7.8 BB% / 17.2 K%| 2 XBH, 0 HR, 0 SB
      • This Week: 6/26 | 0 XBH, 0 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: Wyatt Langford is making great contact, barreling the ball and hitting it in the air. The issue might be his eye is too good and he’s getting strikes called against him that are clearly balls. Maybe he needs to chase a little more to let the skills play.
      • Season: N/A (first week!)
      • This Week: 0/11 | 0 XBH, 0 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: Jackson Holliday is up and he doesn’t have a hit… it’s the end of the world! He will be fine. Have patience, my friends.
      • Season: .244/.393/.422 | 17.9 BB% / 12.5 K%| 6 XBH, 1 HR, 1 SB
      • This Week: 6/24 | 3 XBH, 1 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: Evan Carter is about two weeks away from graduating prospect status. The contact rate is up, and he has only a .270 BABIP. The barrel rate is off at only 2.6% thus far.
      • Season: .240/.278/.380 | 5.6 BB% / 29.6 K%| 3 XBH, 2 HR, 2 SB
      • This Week: 4/21 | 0 XBH, 0 HR, 1 SB
      • Notes: A 23.1% barrel rate is unsustainable. Despite terrible plate skills thus far, Jackson Chourio’s tools are making it work, and he’s hitting the ball in the zone with a 90.9% Z-Contact rate.
      • Season: N/A
      • This Week: N/A
      • Notes: Jasson Dominguez is on the IL after getting Tommy John surgery late last season. He’s throwing and hitting on both sides of the plate, tracking for a rehab stint in the Minors in late April.
      • Season: N/A
      • This Week: N/A
      • Notes: Noelvi Marte was suspended for the first half of the season due to PEDs. He may need some time in the Minors to ramp up even before the return. We will see how the Reds treat him, as they might send him down, even as a punishment of some sort.
      • Season: .224/.296/.245 | 9.3 BB% / 18.5 K%| 1 XBH, 0 HR, 1 SB
      • This Week: 4/19 | 1 XBH, 0 HR, 1 SB
      • Notes: Colt Keith is hitting the ball decently hard (90.6 EV) and is showing good contact tools (80% contact and 90.6% in-zone). He has a tough home park, and it’s cold right now. I expect him to get better as the weather warms up because the barrel rate is only 5.6%, and he’s hitting the ball on the ground too much (46.2%) for his profile.
      • Season: .300/.397/.400 | 13.8 BB% / 19 K%| 3 XBH, 1 HR, 2 SB
      • This Week: 8/20 | 0 XBH, 0 HR, 2 SB
      • Notes: He’s hitting the ball hard and looking more like a big-time doubles hitter than a player who will translate to hitting 20 homers unless he starts getting more lift on the ball.
      • Season: .452/.471/.935 | 5.9 BB% / 23.5 K%| 9 XBH, 3 HR, 2 SB
      • This Week: 9/20 | 7 XBH, 3 HR, 2 SB
      • Notes: Colton Cowser should probably win AL Hitter of the Week. He was absolute fire and should be starting every day at the top of the lineup as long as he hits like this.
      • Season: .186/.245/.302 | 6.1 BB% / 28.6 K%| 3 XBH, 0 HR, 1 SB
      • This Week: 3/16 | 1 XBH, 0 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: The fScores saved me from making the mistake of drafting Ceddanne Rafaela. The fDiscipline for him was absolutely atrocious, and we can see how that’s translating this year.
      • Season: N/A
      • This Week: N/A
      • Notes: Ronny Mauricio tore his ACL in the Dominican Winter League and won’t be back until August at the soonest.
      • Season: .098/.158/.157 | 3.5 BB% / 21.1 K%| 3 XBH, 0 HR, 2 SB
      • This Week: 2/18 | 1 XBH, 0 HR, 1 SB
      • Notes: How does someone this fast have such a poor BABIP? Victor Scott II has a .122 BABIP on the season, even though his average EV is 88.4 (which is fine for a speed player). Scott II should be running a .350 BABIP.
      • Season: .258/.343/.258 | 8.6 BB% / 14.3 K%| 0 XBH, 0 HR, 0 SB
      • This Week: 3/15 | 0 XBH, 0 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: Curtis Mead is not hitting the ball hard or barreling it, but he’s a great contact hitter. I don’t think he’s going to be fantasy relevant because there isn’t enough power in the bat.
      • Season: .133/.133/.333 | 0 BB% / 46.7 K%| 1 XBH, 1 HR, 0 SB
      • This Week: 0/2 | 1 XBH, 1 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: Graham Pauley should not even be up on this team right now; he should be down in AAA getting ABs.
      • Season: .290/.294/.581 | 2.9 BB% / 14.7 K%| 3 XBH, 3 HR, 0 SB
      • This Week: 3/15 | 2 XBH, 2 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: Ivan Herrera might be the best backup catcher in baseball and should get a decent amount of playing time this year when Wilson Contreras is in at DH. So far this season, he’s hitting the cover off the ball with a 21.4% barrel rate and 91.3 average EV. Now that Contreras is healthy, though, he has not been playing (sadly)… both of these players should be in the lineup the way Herrera is hitting.
      • Season: N/A
      • This Week: 1/1 | 0 XBH, 0 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: Justin Foscue was just promoted after the Josh Jung injury, but with Jared Walsh playing so well and Ezequiel Duran covering third base,  I’m not sure how much playing time he will actually get. We can see only one AB from this past week, meaning there isn’t much value here for fantasy in 2024, pending additional injuries.

MLB Pitchers

      • Season: 7 IP | 30 K-BB%, 19.8% SwStr% | 2.22 SIERA
      • This Week: 2 IP | 4 Ks, 0 BBs, 18.8% SwStr% | -0.33 SIERA w/ 2 saves
      • Notes: Mason Miller looks like a top-five closer in baseball if he can stay healthy, even with the bad team.
      • Season: 17 IP | 16.9 K-BB%, 14.2% SwStr% | 3.65 SIERA
      • This Week: 6 IP | 7 Ks, 0 BBs, 20.9% SwStr% | 2.57 SIERA
      • Notes: Max Meyer didn’t have the best start against the Angels, but his next couple of starts at St. Louis and especially against Atlanta were very impressive. He dismantled the Braves’ offense Friday night.
      • Season: 17 IP | 20.6 K-BB%, 8.6% SwStr% | 3.57 SIERA
      • This Week: 6 IP v WAS | 8 Ks, 0 BBs, 8.6% SwStr% | 1.89 SIERA
      • Notes: Kyle Harrison started against the Padres and the Dodgers. So it was not the easiest first two starts of the season, but being in the NL West, he better get used to it. He made easy work of the Nationals at home and now gets a two-start week upcoming against the Marlins and Diamondbacks.
      • Season: 18 IP | 31.9 K-BB%, 18.9% SwStr% | 2.29 SIERA
      • This Week: 6 1/3 IP @ PHI | 8 Ks, 0 BBs, 15.3% SwStr% | 2.25 SIERA
      • Notes: Jared Jones has been one of baseball’s five-10 most impressive starters this season. It’s unlikely you’ll be able to get him at a reasonable value, but he’s worth buying high on, and I would probably rank him as a top-30 starter moving forward. Jones gets the Mets in New York this week.
      • Season: 10 1/3 IP | 16.3 K-BB%, 12.7% SwStr% | 3.66 SIERA
      • This Week: 4 2/3 IP @ SD | 5 Ks, 1 BB, 12.7% SwStr% | 3.68 SIERA
      • Notes: Ben Brown came up to replace the injured Justin Steele and may hold the rotation spot even after Jameson Taillon returns, given the way he has been pitching. The start at San Diego was specifically encouraging, and he looks to get a two-start week this week at Arizona and against the Marlins.
      • Season: 14 2/3 IP | 15.2 K-BB%, 17.2% SwStr% | 3.97 SIERA
      • This Week: 6 2/3 IP | 4 Ks, 0 BBs, 15.9% SwStr% | 3.98 SIERA
      • Notes: Gavin Stone looked insane against the Cardinals in his first start and has been pitching much better than his back-of-baseball card stats will show; I would buy him as a top 50-60 starter.
      • Season: 8 2/3 IP | 8.6 K-BB%, 8.6% SwStr% | 4.56 SIERA
      • This Week: 3 2/3 IP | 1 K and 1 BB, 7.3% SwStr% | 5.64 SIERA
      • Notes: I’ve been a big fan of Roupp as a reliever. I mentioned in my prospect article that he reminds me of a lesser Corbin Burnes in reliever form. He’s a great add for deep leagues or points leagues where you have to roster five relievers.
      • Season: 12 2/3 IP | 7.8 K-BB%, 7.5% SwStr% | 4.88 SIERA
      • This Week: 3 1/3 IP | 4 Ks, 1 BB, 10.5% SwStr% | 4.89 SIERA
      • Notes: DL Hall is down about 3 MPH as a starter vs. a reliever. His stuff is not playing thus far, as his swinging strike rate and K rates have been halved. The other big issue is the changeup has not been working; it’s down significantly in effectiveness, and he should lean more on the slider in the meantime rather than his average curveball.
    • Season: N/A
    • This Week: 3 IP | 3 Ks, 3 BBs, 11.4% SwStr% | 6.24 SIERA
    • Notes: Spencer Arrighetti has some really good stuff, but he’s one to go the Joe Boyle route because his control is pretty bad. I would avoid him in most leagues unless he can get the walk rate under 10%.

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AAA Hitters

      • Season: .333/.429/.583 | 14.3 BB% / 21.4 K%| 1 XBH, 1 HR, 1 SB
      • This Week: N/A
      • Notes: Junior Caminero hit the seven-day Minor League IL with quad-tightness. There is no date yet for his return.
      • Season: .415/.547/.707 | 22.6 BB% / 17 K%| 8 XBH, 2 HR, 5 SB
      • This Week: 12/27 | 6 XBH, 2 HR, 5 SB
      • Notes: James Wood is showing great discipline and has been hitting the ball hard (mostly on the ground) so far this young season. Wood should be in the Majors, but the Nationals likely don’t want him to finish near the top of the ROY voting because they would lose a year of eligibility. Otherwise, he would have just broken camp.
      • Season: N/A
      • This Week: N/A
      • Notes: Jordan Lawlar is on the IL for at least two months after undergoing thumb surgery.
      • Season: .208/.236/.377 | 3.6 BB% / 30.9 K%| 5 XBH, 1 HR, 5 SB
      • This Week: 2/21 | 0 XBH, 0 HR, 1 SB
      • Notes: Pete Crow-Armstrong (PCA) must show better plate discipline before getting a call-up. Still, he’s been electric in making things happen and should get the call within the next couple of months. He was great last week and terrible this week. This is just the type of player PCA will be: volatile.
      • Season: .278/.350/.444 | 6.6 BB% / 36.1 K%| 5 XBH, 2 HR, 1 SB
      • This Week: 8/25 | 4 XBH, 2 HR, 1 SB
      • Notes: Colson Montgomery had a nice week, which bumped his numbers significantly. Still, he needs to get his plate skills under control to maximize his potential.
      • Season: .283/.397/.348 | 13.8 BB% / 15.5 K%| 2 XBH, 0 HR, 1 SB
      • This Week: 6/18 | 0 XBH, 0 HR, 1 SB
      • Notes: Tyler Black missed his shot at making the Opening Day roster, getting beat out by Joey Ortiz after a stellar 2023. He will have to resume his push up the roster now as he will be competing with Brock Wilken for a future spot. Black is doing what he does by getting on base at a good clip, but we would like to see some extra-base hits out of that bat before the call-up.
      • Season: .278/.383/.444 | 17 BB% / 21.3 K%| 4 XBH, 1 HR, 0 SB
      • This Week: 6/17 | 2 XBH, 0 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: Kyle Manzardo had a nice week showing off the plate skills. The Guardians could use his bat in the lineup, and now that they have an extra year on him, it’s curious he has not been called up yet.
      • Season: .386/.471/.825 | 13.2 BB% / 19.1 K%| 11 XBH, 7 HR, 0 SB
      • This Week: 4/21 | 1 XBH, 1 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: Heston Kjerstad is a good enough hitter that he would be starting on almost every team in the Majors, just not the Orioles. Still, he’s making a case for himself to be starting at first base over Ryan O’Hearn with an insane beginning of the season.
      • Season: N/A
      • This Week: N/A
      • Notes: Jeferson Quero is getting shoulder surgery and will be out for the rest of the season. So we will see him fighting for a roster spot on Opening Day of 2025.
      • Season: .377/.433/.721 | 7.5 BB% / 34.3 K%| 10 XBH, 5 HR, 2 SB
      • This Week: 8/24 | 4 XBH, 3 HR, 1 SB
      • Notes: Coby Mayo is off to a strong start XBH-wise. However, his plate skills need to look better if he’s going to get a call-up, especially considering he might be battling Kjerstad for a roster spot. I’ve always been down on Mayo because the hit tools are slightly below average, and his plate skills are also below average. Still, the power is definitely there, and he made up some ground on Kjerstad this week.
      • Season: .279/.415/.395 | 17 BB% / 34 K%| 5 XBH, 0 HR, 0 SB
      • This Week: 3/18 | 2 XBH, 0 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: Owen Caissie might also be battling for a roster spot later in the season, but that depends on health and what spot might open up. We might see DH or first base open up before a corner outfield spot, though. Where is the power this year?
      • Season: .180/.212/.280 | 3.8 BB% / 25 K%| 2 XBH, 1 HR, 5 SB
      • This Week: 5/20 | 1 XBH, 0 HR, 4 SB
      • Notes: Luisangel Acuna could potentially beat Drew Gilbert up thanks to the Mauricio injury, but there’s a good chance the Mets hold many of these players down in the Minors until September. I think Acuna is overrated a bit due to the name and is being bumped above his level.
      • Season: .318/.426/.750 | 16.7 BB% / 25.9 K%| 9 XBH, 4 HR, 1 SB
      • This Week: 6/19 | 4 XBH, 2 HR, 1 SB
      • Notes: Jordan Beck hit a couple of monster home runs. It’s the PCL, so we have to take some power with a grain of salt, but the fact he’s in AAA, while Stelin Thompson and Yanquiel Fernandez aren’t, is a good sign for him in the outfield pecking order in Colorado. He’s continued his torrid start by mashing a couple more homers this week and even swiping a bag.
      • Season: .333/.415/.907 | 12.3 BB% / 33.8 K%| 11 XBH, 10 HR, 1 SB
      • This Week: 11/27 | 6 XBH, 5 HR, 1 SB
      • Notes: Joey Loperfido barely missed the cut with the Astros to good ole Jon Singleton, but I would expect him up in the Majors if there are any outfield injuries. His power on display is insane, and he should be starting in center field over Jake Meyers.
      • Season: .262/.429/.452 | 21.4 BB% / 32.1 K%| 4 XBH, 2 HR, 1 SB
      • This Week: 3/18 | 2 XBH, 2 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: Justyn-Henry Malloy (JHM) is looking to transfer full-time to a corner outfield spot and has shown the plate skills for the Majors already. However, he needs to show good enough defense to get the call.
      • Season: .305/.373/.576 | 9 BB% / 20.9 K%| 8 XBH, 4 HR, 0 SB
      • This Week: 3/20 | 0 XBH, 0 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: Between Kjerstad, Mayo and Connor Norby, the Orioles’ Minor League squad is ridiculous. Who will make it up into a starting role? Who is heading for the bench? Who is trade bait? Norby is the Michael Busch of the Orioles.
      • Season: .351/.433/.596 | 10.4 BB% / 17.9 K%| 7 XBH, 3 HR, 2 SB
      • This Week: 13/25 | 5 XBH, 3 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: Andy Pages had a strong spring and looks to show he’s healthy and ready to rip. In the event of a Dodgers injury, he could get the call, even before Miguel Vargas. However, the Jason Heyward injury wasn’t bad enough for Pages to move up, and I don’t see the Dodgers cutting Chris Taylor or Kike Hernandez.
      • Season: .333/.462/.392 | 20 BB% / 27.7 K%| 3 XBH, 0 HR, 3 SB
      • This Week: 6/24 | 1 XBH, 0 HR, 2 SB
      • Notes: Marco Luciano was sent down in a bit of a shocker, but it might end up being the best long-term move for his development if he can improve his plate skills at AAA. He’s looking good so far at AAA.
      • Season: .195/.298/.537 | 6.7 BB% / 26.7 K%| 6 XBH, 4 HR, 0 SB
      • This Week: 4/14 | 1 XBH, 1 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: Tyler Soderstrom has a good amount of work to do in the Minors after being promoted a year too early in 2023. At this rate, I might drop him out of my top 150 in the next rankings.
      • Season: .239/.337/.370 | 17.7 BB% / 29 K%| 4 XBH, 1 HR, 10 SB
      • This Week: 7/21 | 3 XBH, 1 HR, 6 SB
      • Notes: Ryan Bliss missed out on a super-utility role with the Mariners to start the season, but if he keeps hitting and running like this week, they won’t be able to hold him down.
      • Season: .264/.328/.679 | 5.2 BB% / 20.7 K%| 10 XBH, 6 HR, 0 SB
      • This Week: 1/14 | 1 XBH, 5 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: Kyle Stowers had a killer spring and a hot start to his season, but he has slowed down this week, as has most of Norfolk, after losing Holliday, their catalyst.
      • Season: .346/.424/.712 | 8.5 BB% / 25.4 K%| 9 XBH, 4 HR, 0 SB
      • This Week: 9/21 | 5 XBH, 1 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: We have been here before with Heliot Ramos. He might be a AAAA player or someone who just can’t break out in San Francisco due to his skills. Still, here he is again performing in the Minors.
      • Season: .224/.345/.510 | 12.1 BB% / 36.2 K%| 8 XBH, 1 HR, 8 SB
      • This Week: 6/22 | 4 XBH, 0 HR, 3 SB
      • Notes: Caleb Durbin looks like the next Jon Berti, but could he be more than a super-utility type?
      • Season: .242/.324/.333 | 5.7 BB% / 22.9 K%| 6 XBH, 4 HR, 2 SB
      • This Week: 5/23 | 3 XBH, 2 HR, 2 SB
      • Notes: I don’t think Everson Pereira is more than a bench bat or pinch hitter at the Major-League level, but he can mash when he’s hot.
      • Season: .273/.396/.455 | 17 BB% / 15.1 K%| 5 XBH, 1 HR, 0 SB
      • This Week: 5/16 | 3 XBH, 1 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: Addison Barger might be better than Cavan Biggio and Isiah Kiner-Falefa. He could finally get some playing time this year.
      • Season: .273/.360/.523 | 12 BB% / 26 K%| 5 XBH, 3 HR, 0 SB
      • This Week: 3/17 | 1 XBH, 1 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: Mark Vientos might be at the same point as Pereira, where his best role is an off-the-bench pinch hitter.

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AAA Pitchers

      • Season: 9 1/3 IP | 51.5 K-BB%, 20 SwStr% | 0.00 ERA, 0.64 WHIP
      • This Week: 3 1/3 IP | 8 Ks, 1 BB | 0.00 ERA, 1.20 WHIP
      • Notes: Paul Skenes, destroying again, goes an extra 1/3 of an inning this time out. They’re not really building him up, and I feel like it’s possible we see him at any point now.
  • #21 Ricky Tiedemann (SP – TOR)
      • Season: 8 IP | 2.4 K-BB%, 13.2 SwStr% | 5.63 ERA, 2.00 WHIP
      • This Week: 3 2/3 IP | 7 Ks, 3 BBs | 4.91 ERA, 1.64 WHIP
      • Notes: Ricky Tiedemann continues to get roughed up, though he was definitely better this last time out. I’m concerned about him, both from a short-term production standpoint for 2024 fantasy and long-term for his ability to be an effective starter.
  • #55 AJ Smith-Shawver (SP – ATL)
      • Season: 3 IP | 10.5 K-BB%, 16.5 SwStr% | 18.00 ERA, 3.33 WHIP
      • This Week: 2 1/3 IP | 5 Ks, 1 BBs | 11.57 ERA, 2.14 WHIP
      • Notes: Skenes, Tiedemann and AJ Smith-Shawver are all getting this short stint-type treatment, which means the MLB teams are planning on a good amount of use later in the season for each of them. These starts are more like an extended spring or rehab than them needing to show they’re ready for the call.
      • Season: 8 IP | 11.9 K-BB%, 13.8 SwStr% | 13.50 ERA, 2.37 WHIP
      • This Week: 1 1/3 IP | 2 Ks, 5 BBs | 47.25 ERA, 6.75 WHIP
      • Notes: The Giants aggressively promoted Carson Whisenhunt to AAA to start the year. I love it and am looking forward to a debut at some point in 2024 (probably in the second half). Whisenhunt was rocked this week, but this is the PCL, and the K-BB is more important than ERA. The walks were obviously a problem, and hopefully, it was a blip, not a trend.
      • Season: 8 1/3 IP | 2.6 K-BB%, 13.7 SwStr% | 2.16 ERA, 2.04 WHIP
      • This Week: 2 2/3 IP | 4 Ks, 4 BBs | 3.37 ERA, 2.62 WHIP
      • Notes: David Festa is the seventh man in the Twins rotation, clearly still behind Simeon Woods Richardson.
      • Season: 12 1/3 IP | 11.5 K-BB%, 9.2 SwStr% | 2.16 ERA, 2.04 WHIP
      • This Week: 5 1/3 IP | 6 Ks, 2 BBs | 10.13 ERA, 1.31 WHIP
      • Notes: Carlos F. Rodriguez won’t be a superstar, but he could be an effective back-end starter for the Brewers.
      • Season: 8 1/3 IP | 24.2 K-BB%, 14.8% SwStr% | 0.00 ERA, 0.96 WHIP
      • This Week (in AAA): 5 IP | 8 Ks, 0 BBs | 0.00 ERA, 0.96 WHIP
      • Notes: Clayton Beeter pitched a game out of the pen, but they moved him back down to AAA to start, which is smart in the event they run into injuries. However, Beeter’s best role in the future might be as a high-leverage reliever, where his stuff plays up against his poor control. He’s looked good so far in his AAA starts.
      • Season: 13 2/3 IP | 25.9 K-BB%, 11.2 SwStr% | 1.98 ERA, 1.02 WHIP
      • This Week: 5 IP | 7 Ks, 2 BBs | 0.00 ERA, 0.40 WHIP
      • Notes: Mason Black was the last cut on the Giants, and if there’s an injury before Alex Cobb or Robbie Ray return, he could be first up (with Kai-Wei Teng already up in the pen).
      • Season: 7 IP | 27 K-BB%, 18.2 SwStr% | 7.71 ERA, 2.14 WHIP
      • This Week: 4 IP | 8 Ks, 1 BB | 4.50 ERA, 1.50 WHIP
      • Notes: Nick Nastrini had a rough start against the best team in the Minors, the Norfolk Tides, the first time out this season. Still, he looked good this week and could be up in the Majors as soon as next week.
      • Season: 9 IP | 51.4 K-BB%, 18.2 SwStr% | 4.00 ERA, 0.89 WHIP
      • This Week: 5 IP | 10 Ks, 1 BBs | 1.80 ERA, 0.60 WHIP
      • Notes: Christian Scott looked fantastic in his first AAA start. It will be hard for the Mets to hold him down once they gain the extra year of arbitration. He should be bumped up into the top 100 easily.
      • Season: 14 1/3 IP | 38.6 K-BB%, 16.4 SwStr% | 3.77 ERA, 0.98 WHIP
      • This Week: 6 IP | 10 Ks, 0 BBs | 4.50 ERA, 1.00 WHIP
      • Notes: Jack Leiter is back. He might not be the superstar we expected, but he should be a solid No. 3 if he can translate these ratios to the Majors. He could be the sixth man up for the Rangers now; keep an eye on him. The fastball is up a tick as well.
      • Season: 15 2/3 IP | 20.3 K-BB%, 16.7 SwStr% | 4.02 ERA, 0.96 WHIP
      • This Week: 5 2/3 IP | 6 Ks, 2 BBs | 4.76 ERA, 0.88 WHIP
      • Notes: The never-ending parade of Dodgers starters continues with Landon Knack, who might also end up in the pen like Michael Grove, Kyle Hurt and Ryan Brasier just because they are inundated with so much talent.
      • Season: 11 IP | 28.2 K-BB%, 11.3 SwStr% | 0.82 ERA, 0.55 WHIP
      • This Week: 5 IP | 9 Ks, 3 BBs | 1.80 ERA, 1.00 WHIP
      • Notes: Cade Povich looked good in his first start. Even though I like Chayse McDermott‘s stuff better, I think Povich looks more like a back-end starter and McDermott a reliever.
      • Season: 12 IP | 20 K-BB%, 14.9 SwStr% | 0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP
      • This Week: 4 IP | 6 Ks, 3 BBs | 0.00 ERA, 1.25 WHIP
      • Notes: As if the Tigers didn’t have enough pitching depth, Keider Montero is up half a tick on his fastball. Montero’s slider is also up a level and has looked very slick thus far.

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AA Hitters

      • Season: .214/.290/.357 | 6.3 BB% / 31.3 K%| 2 XBH, 1 HR, 0 SB
      • This Week: 6/20 | 1 XBH, 1 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: Be patient for more of a sample size with the AA hitters.
      • Season: .160/.344/.240 | 21.9 BB% / 21.9 K%| 2 XBH, 0 HR, 0 SB
      • This Week: 3/18 | 2 XBH, 0 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: See above with Dylan Crews.
      • Season: .333/.500/.611 | 20.8 BB% / 25 K%| 2 XBH, 1 HR, 2 SB
      • This Week: 5/15 | 2 XBH, 0 HR, 1 SB
      • Notes: Matt Shaw is running quite a bit, while also being caught stealing twice. He’s off to a hot start.
      • Season: .314/.351/.400 | 5.4 BB% / 13.5 K%| 3 XBH, 0 HR, 4 SB
      • This Week: 8/27 | 3 XBH, 0 HR, 3 SB
      • Notes: Cole Young is running a lot more to start the year, which is nice to see. Young is very underrated, thanks to Colt Emerson.
      • Season: .129/.300/.323 | 17.1 BB% / 31.7 K%| 4 XBH, 1 HR, 4 SB
      • This Week: 2/22 | 2 XBH, 0 HR, 1 SB
      • Notes: Be on the lookout for a fast promotion with Jakob Marsee. He’s run into some bad BABIP luck to start the young season.
      • Season: .185/.290/.333 | 9.7 BB% / 16.1 K%| 3 XBH, 0 HR, 2 SB
      • This Week: 4/18 | 3 XBH, 0 HR, 1 SB
      • Notes: Jett Williams and Acuna will be interesting to watch, as the rumors are that Williams will likely move to the outfield. Between these two and Mauricio, the Mets have many up-the-middle players to move around the diamond for 2025.
      • Season: .385/.556/1.038 | 27.8 BB% / 30.6 K%| 8 XBH, 4 HR, 4 SB
      • This Week: 7/19 | 7 XBH, 4 HR, 1 SB
      • Notes: Emmanuel Rodriguez is finally doing it! The back-of-baseball card stats have always been behind his underlying metrics, and they are finally catching up. I love to see it!
      • Season: .259/.333/.333 | 10 BB% / 13.3 K%| 2 XBH, 0 HR, 1 SB
      • This Week: 1/17 | 1 XBH, 0 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: James Triantos started hot but had a rough week at the plate this week.
      • Season: .167/.211/.222 | 0 BB% / 42.1 K%| 1 XBH, 0 HR, 0 SB
      • This Week: 1/10 | 1 XBH, 0 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: Brock Wilken was nailed in the face and suffered facial fractures with no timetable for a return. Je will probably miss quite some time based on the Taylor Ward injuries from last year.
      • Season: .353/.371/.588 | 2.9 BB% / 31.4 K%| 4 XBH, 2 HR, 1 SB
      • This Week: 8/25 | 1 XBH, 1 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: Deyvison De Los Santos returned to Arizona with a vengeance after being a Guardians Rule 5 and not making the cut.
  • Alex Ramirez (OF – NYM)
      • Season: .320/.357/.560 | 6.9 BB% / 34.5 K%| 3 XBH, 1 HR, 5 SB
      • This Week: 5/18 | 2 XBH, 1 HR, 2 SB
      • Notes: It’s nice to see Alex Ramirez rebounding after a terrible 2023 campaign.
      • Season: .438/.514/.844 | 10.8 BB% / 16.2 K%| 5 XBH, 4 HR, 3 SB
      • This Week: 10/25 | 4 XBH, 3 HR, 2 SB
      • Notes: A third-rounder in 2022, he looks like a potential breakout this season.

2024 Fantasy Baseball Probable Pitchers Two Start Pitchers

AA Pitchers

      • Season: 11 IP | 33.3 K-BB%, 21.3 SwStr% | 2.05 ERA, 0.73 WHIP
      • This Week: 6 IP | 7 Ks, 1 BBs | 1.50 ERA, 0.83 WHIP
      • Notes: Drew Thorpe should be up in the Majors sooner rather than later. I assume he’s in AA rather than AAA because they want him throwing to Quero.
      • Season: 9 IP | 16.7 K-BB%, 11.6 SwStr% | 2.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP
      • This Week: 5 IP | 6 Ks, 1 BBs | 1.80 ERA, 0.80 WHIP
      • Notes: Robby Snelling had a better second start than the first; I’m a huge Snelling fan and hope to see him in the Majors by the deadline.
      • Season: 7 1/3 IP | 15.2 K-BB%, 16 SwStr% | 4.91 ERA, 1.50 WHIP
      • This Week: 3 IP | 4 Ks, 3 BBs | 0.00 ERA, 2.00 WHIP
      • Notes: Jacob Misiorowski will be volatile because of his control issues, but he will be unhittable if he can reign in his control.
      • Season: 10 IP | 29.4 K-BB%, 18.1 SwStr% | 0.90 ERA, 0.40 WHIP
      • This Week: 5 IP | 8 Ks, 0 BBs | 1.80 ERA, 0.60 WHIP
      • Notes: Tink Hence threw a no-hitter through five innings in his first start of the season. In his second start, he had a killer strikeout-to-walk ratio. He looked absolutely dirty and could bump it to the Majors in 2024.
      • Season: 8 IP | 30.8 K-BB%, 19.5 SwStr% | 5.63 ERA, 1.63 WHIP
      • This Week: 5 IP | 10 Ks, 1 BBs | 7.20 ERA, 1.60 WHIP
      • Notes: Ignore the ERA and WHIP; the dude has a .500 BABIP against.
      • Season: 11 IP | 30.6 K-BB%, 16.5 SwStr% | 0.82 ERA, 0.55 WHIP
      • This Week: 6 IP | 4 Ks, 0 BBs | 0.00 ERA, 0.50 WHIP
      • Notes: Adam Mazur looks legit, and it’s possible he beats Snelling to the Majors as the older college player.
      • Season: 5 IP | 52.9 K-BB%, 24.2 SwStr% | 0.82 ERA, 0.55 WHIP
      • This Week: N/A
      • Notes: Ian Seymour is likely starting this weekend since he hasn’t pitched yet this week.
      • Season: 4 IP | 11.1 K-BB%, 12.3 SwStr% | 0.00 ERA, 1.50 WHIP
      • This Week: N/A
      • Notes: Jario Iriarte is also likely starting this weekend, since he also has not pitched yet this week.
      • Season: 9 2/3 IP | 20.5 K-BB%, 15.3 SwStr% | 2.79 ERA, 1.03 WHIP
      • This Week: 5 IP | 8 Ks, 0 BBs | 5.40 ERA, 1.00 WHIP
      • Notes: Gunnar Hoglund has been injured and is finally healthy. He has the highest ceiling in the A’s organization for pitchers outside of Mason Miller.
      • Season: N/A
      • This Week: 5 IP | 8 Ks, 1 BBs | 0.00 ERA, 0.60 WHIP
      • Notes: Carson Palmquist has always carried some nice strikeout numbers, and it’s interesting to think the Rockies organization might have Dollander, Sullivan and Palmquist all in the Majors in a few years.

Fantasy Baseball Lineup Assistant Who Should I Start

A+ Hitters

      • Season: N/A
      • This Week: 0/1 | 0 XBH, 0 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: Walker Jenkins got hurt in his first game with a quad strain and could be on that Royce Lewis timeline to begin the year.
      • Season: .261/.370/.304 | 14.8 BB% / 29.6 K%| 1 XBH, 0 HR, 2 SB
      • This Week: 3/14 | 1 XBH, 0 HR, 1 SB
      • Notes: Ethan Salas is back at High-A, where he should perform strongly in his repeat season.
      • Season: .375/.500/.500 | 5.7 BB% / 22.9 K%| 3 XBH, 0 HR, 5 SB
      • This Week: 8/17 | 2 XBH, 0 HR, 4 SB
      • Notes: Bradyen Taylor is an advanced hitter and should move quickly through High-A.
      • Season: .269/.406/.500 | 18.8 BB% / 21.9 K%| 2 XBH, 2 HR, 5 SB
      • This Week: 6/20 | 2 XBH, 2 HR, 2 SB
      • Notes: It’s very interesting to see this much power from Justin Crawford this early, after only hitting three homers last year.
      • Season: .286/.459/.393 | 21.6 BB% / 13.5 K%| 1 XBH, 0 HR, 1 SB
      • This Week: 6/22 | 1 XBH, 1 HR, 1 SB
      • Notes: Jack Brannigan is repeating High-A, and the increased plate skills should get him bumped up to AA quickly.
      • Season: .440/.517/.440 | 13.8 BB% / 13.8 K%| 0 XBH, 0 HR, 8 SB
      • This Week: 7/21 | 0 XBH, 0 HR, 5 SB
      • Notes: For those who don’t know, Chandler Simpson is very good friends with Scott II, and they had a stolen-base competition last year. He is ready for AA.
      • Season: .367/.387/.600 | 3.2 BB% / 22.6 K%| 3 XBH, 2 HR, 0 SB
      • This Week: 9/22 | 2 XBH, 1 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: Cam Collier is looking to rebound in 2024 after a lackluster 2023 that saw him drop outside my top 150.
      • Season: .300/.344/.567 | 6.3 BB% / 18.8 K%| 3 XBH, 2 HR, 2 SB
      • This Week: 7/22 | 2 XBH, 1 HR, 2 SB
      • Notes: Jefferson Rojas is showing increased power so far in 2024, but it’s a small sample size, so let’s see if it’s real after a few more weeks.
      • Season: .321/.387/.893 | 6.5 BB% / 35.5 K%| 7 XBH, 4 HR, 1 SB
      • This Week: 8/20 | 6 XBH, 3 HR, 1 SB
      • Notes: What a week for Lonnie White Jr. He has been boom-or-bust over his prospect timeline, but we will learn more by watching him over the next month or so. His K rate needs to drop significantly for him to be a real consideration as a potential Big Leaguer.

Fantasy Baseball Trade Finder

A+ Pitchers

      • Season: 9 IP | 22.2 K-BB%, 15.9 SwStr% | 1.00 ERA, 0.89 WHIP
      • This Week: 5 IP | 5 Ks, 1 BBs | 1.80 ERA, 1.00 WHIP
      • Notes: Rhett Lowder should be a fast climber; I would expect him in AA within the next month or two.
      • Season: 10 IP | 27.5 K-BB%, 21.3 SwStr% | 0.90 ERA, 0.80 WHIP
      • This Week: 5 IP | 7 Ks, 1 BBs | 1.80 ERA, 0.80 WHIP
      • Notes: Chase Dollander would be ranked ahead of Lowder if it weren’t for the fact he will be pitching in Colorado when he gets to the Majors. Still, Lowder isn’t really much better off in Great American Ballpark.
      • Season: 7 IP | 33.3 K-BB%, 11.5 SwStr% | 0.00 ERA, 0.57 WHIP
      • This Week: 4 IP | 4 Ks, 0 BBs | 0.00 ERA, 0.50 WHIP
      • Notes: Hunter Barco will move up a level pretty quickly and should already be in AA based on his age.
      • Season: 11 IP | 44.2 K-BB%, 22.4 SwStr% | 1.64 ERA, 0.91 WHIP
      • This Week: 5 IP | 6 Ks, 0 BBs| 3.60 ERA, 1.00 WHIP
      • Notes: Sean Sullivan is good enough to move quickly and should be up in AA sooner rather than later.
      • Season: 10 IP | 37.8 K-BB%, 21.4 SwStr% | 0.90 ERA, 0.70 WHIP
      • This Week: 6 IP | 9 Ks, 0 BBs | 1.50 ERA, 0.50 WHIP
      • Notes: Andrew Morris is old for the level as a 2022 draftee and is a breaking ball-command pitcher more than one with killer stuff. I’m interested to see what he would be doing in AA.
      • Season: 10 2/3 IP | 23.8 K-BB%, 15.8 SwStr% | 0.84 ERA, 0.94 WHIP
      • This Week: 5 2/3 IP | 7 Ks, 0 BBs | 0.00 ERA, 0.53 WHIP
      • Notes: Winston Santos is also a little old for the level, but his 2023 wasn’t great, so it makes sense the Rangers would want to see him have success before bumping him up to AA.

Fantasy Baseball DFS Lineup Optimizer DraftKings FanDuel Yahoo

A Hitters

      • Season: .136/.286/.136 | 17.9 BB% / 28.6 K%| 0 XBH, 0 HR, 0 SB
      • This Week: 3/15 | 0 XBH, 0 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: It’s still a small sample size here, but Max Clark’s eye is looking good; let’s give the tools some room to play.
      • Season: .379/.471/.517 | 8.8 BB% / 8.8 K%| 2 XBH, 1 HR, 0 SB
      • This Week: 9/22 | 2 XBH, 1 HR, 3 SB
      • Notes: Lazaro Montes is too good for this level, but I guess they want to build his confidence before promoting him to high-A.
      • Season: .154/.207/.192 | 6.7 BB% / 53.3 K%| 1 XBH, 0 HR, 0 SB
      • This Week: 4/19 | 1 XBH, 0 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: I’m concerned for Druw Jones. He hasn’t played baseball in almost two years.
      • Season: .280/.379/.680 | 13.8 BB% / 37.9 K%| 6 XBH, 2 HR, 0 SB
      • This Week: 4/17 | 4 XBH, 2 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: Keep in mind that Chase Davis is old for the level as a college player and we shouldn’t really put too much into these stats until he can do this in A+ or AA. Still, it’s nice to see some progress… even though the K rate is horrendous.
      • Season: .318/.400/.591 | 8 BB% / 20 K%| 2 XBH, 2 HR, 1 SB
      • This Week: 5/13 | 1 XBH, 1 HR, 1 SB
      • Notes: One would have thought that Colt Emerson should start out in high-A with his success last year. I guess they want him to start the season on the right foot and are looking to build some confidence.
      • Season: .200/.294/.233 | 8.8 BB% / 23.5 K%| 1 XBH, 0 HR, 2 SB
      • This Week: 4/22 | 1 XBH, 0 HR, 1 SB
      • Notes: It’s a small sample size, but this dude will be a stud.
      • Season: .212/.297/.445 | 8.1 BB% / 51.4 K%| 5 XBH, 1 HR, 0 SB
      • This Week: 4/24 | 3 XBH, 0 HR, 0 SB
      • Notes: I’m less confident in Roderick Arias, but he’s a fun name to keep a watch on.
      • Season: .318/.407/.445 | 14.8 BB% / 22.2 K%| 2 XBH, 0 HR, 3 SB
      • This Week: 3/14 | 0 XBH, 0 HR, 2 SB
      • Notes: Cooper Pratt is showing some good plate skills, which could help him get promoted to high-A quickly.
      • Season: .179/.303/.357 | 12.1 BB% / 30.3 K%| 2 XBH, 1 HR, 3 SB
      • This Week: 2/21 | 2 XBH, 2 HR, 2 SB
      • Notes: Arjun Nimala is striking out too much, but he’s showing some electricity when he gets on base.
      • Season: .286/.364/.464 | 12.1 BB% / 21.2 K%| 3 XBH, 1 HR, 5 SB
      • This Week: 6/20 | 2 XBH, 1 HR, 4 SB
      • Notes: Aidan Miller is a player I thought would move off shortstop to third, but he’s showing some early athleticism this season.
      • Season: .364/.481/.591 | 14.8 BB% / 14.8 K%| 3 XBH, 2 HR, 2 SB
      • This Week: 6/14 | 2 XBH, 2 HR, 1 SB
      • Notes: Jaison Chourio is only a year younger than his brother and could be close to as good. Still, the Guardians are an organization that promotes slowly, so it’s unlikely we’ll see a jump similar to what the Brewers did with Jackson.
      • Season: .321/.406/.786 | 9.4 BB% / 18.8 K%| 7 XBH, 3 HR, 2 SB
      • This Week: 6/21 | 5 XBH, 2 HR, 1 SB
      • Notes: The Dodgers have an embarrassment of riches. Zyhir Hope was an 11th-rounder they got back in the Michael Busch trade.
      • Season: .480/.606/.720 | 21.2 BB% / 15.2 K%| 3 XBH, 1 HR, 1 SB
      • This Week: 10/19 | 3 XBH, 1 HR, 1 SB
      • Notes: An international signee from Venezuela, this dude has come out of nowhere.

MLB Daily Lineups

A Pitchers

      • Season: 10 IP | 46.9 K-BB%, 19.2 SwStr% | 0.00 ERA, 0.37 WHIP
      • This Week: 5 IP | 9 Ks, 0 BBs | 0.00 ERA, 0.40 WHIP
      • Notes: Santiago Suarez looks insane statistically, and I’m putting him on my video list for my next top 150.
      • Season: 8 1/3 IP | 36.4 K-BB%, 22.4 SwStr% | 1.08 ERA, 0.96 WHIP
      • This Week: 5 IP | 11 Ks, 0 BBs | 0.00 ERA, 0.20 WHIP
      • Notes: Quinn Matthews is known as a college player who pitched a ton of innings and should probably have started in high A. However, the Cardinals have been passive about promotions (annoyingly).
      • Season: 10 IP | 45.5 K-BB%, 16.7 SwStr% | 0.00 ERA, 0.50 WHIP
      • This Week: 5 IP | 8 Ks, 2 BBs | 0.00 ERA, 0.80 WHIP
      • Notes: Geroge Klassen, like Matthews, is too old for the low-A level and needs to be bumped up soon. So, while the numbers are eye-popping, the age-to-level is not really fair.

Fantasy Baseball Trade & Waiver Wire Advice


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Tim Kanak

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I have a Broadcast Journalism degree from the University of Missouri and reported sporting news for the local NBC affiliate. I also have a Masters from UCF. I own and operate multiple construction businesses in South Florida and in my free time write about fantasy baseball and podcast; including creating the fScores. Find me via the Fantasy Aceball Podcast, here on Fantasy Pros or on FWFB. Twitter @fantasyaceball.

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