RotoBaller’s fantasy baseball prospects coverage is back. The 2022 season is quickly approaching and while the MLB season still hangs in the balance due to the lack of a Collective Bargaining Agreement, the minor league season will be unaffected (for players not on the 40-man roster).
We’re continuing our 2022 prospect coverage with the comprehensive Top 250 dynasty prospects list. And while this is always a challenging process, recent events have made it all the more difficult. Lost development time has hindered some prospects’ development and now we have a wide range of rule changes around minor league baseball that plays havoc with player evaluations. Some leagues have had automated strike zones while others have experienced new base running rules — both of which impacted some players’ statistics/results in 2021 and will continue to impact others in 2022.
With all that aside, we’re excited to begin another season of mining the minor leagues for the next big performers in fantasy baseball. Today, we’re continuing our breakdown of the Top 250 list with a look at prospects #51-100. You can read part one for prospects #176-250 here and part two for prospects 101-175 here. OK, let’s dig in.
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Fantasy Baseball Dynasty Prospect Rankings: #51-100
See the full list of the top 250 MLB prospect rankings for fantasy baseball dynasty leagues.
Top Fantasy Baseball Dynasty Prospects: #91-100
100. DL Hall, SP: The Orioles have had a terrible time keeping pitching prospects healthy and Hall has not been immune to the curse. He suffered a stress reaction in his throwing elbow in 2021 and will miss a portion of the 2022 season. Hall has the talent to be a top-shelf starter but his size and checkered injury past could push him to the bullpen where he’d no doubt be a high-leverage reliever.
99. Emerson Hancock, SP: Hancock was rated by most as a top-five option in the 2020 draft but I had him ranked lower due to his delivery, which I thought could eventually push him to the bullpen. Hancock has started throwing harder as a pro but his command has taken a step back and his secondary offerings haven’t developed quite as much as hoped. He still has a chance to be a mid-rotation starter but he could also end up as a multi-inning reliever with high-leverage potential.
98. Matt Brash, SP: As a Canadian coming from a colder region with a short baseball season, it’s taken Brash some time to develop but he could be a stud for the Mariners. The former fourth-round pick is a power pitcher with two plus offerings and two more pitches that show promise. Like Emerson Hancock, there is some reliever risk due to command/control issues but I think he has a slightly better chance to stick in the rotation and be an impact arm.
97. Kyle Muller, SP: Muller is a huge, left-handed power pitcher with massive upside if he can throw enough strikes to stick in the rotation. His MLB debut in 2021 was promising and he missed lots of bats. If he can’t limit the walks, he could be headed for shorter outings as a high-leverage reliever. Along with his long-term dynasty potential, Muller is an intriguing sleeper in 2022 redraft leagues.
96. Brailyn Marquez, SP: A shoulder injury shelved Marquez for much of the 2021 season but, when healthy, he has one of the best arms in the minors. The tall lefty has a power repertoire and can hit triple digits with his heater. The injury issues and lack of a consistent third offering could push him into the bullpen as a high-leverage arm.
95. Matthew Liberatore, SP: Liberatore isn’t a power pitcher but he can scrape the mid-90s and throws four pitches that have a chance to be better-than-average. The 22-year-old has a strong, durable frame with an advanced approach and above-average control. Once he polishes his command, he has a chance to be a solid mid-rotation arm.
94. Mark Vientos, 3B: I saw big things ahead for Vientos back in 2018 but his approach at the plate devolved and his over-aggressiveness hindered his development. However, he came back from the pandemic layoff with a more effective approach. Although he still swings and misses a lot, he’s seeing more pitches and making contact with more hitter’s pitches, which has allowed his raw power to play more consistently. He has 30+ homer potential.
93. Tyler Freeman, SS: The 22-year-old Freeman is an interesting prospect but he holds more real-life baseball value than in fantasy. A plus hitter, he could regularly hit .280-.300 but it’s an empty average without much pop or threat of stolen bases. He also makes so much contact that he doesn’t walk much.
92. Brayan Rocchio, SS: Rocchio had an intriguing debut in 2018 when he hit well over .300 and made lots of contact. He looked overmatched in 2019, though, and disappeared for a year during the pandemic. When he returned in 2021, he looked stronger and had a swing that was more geared to hitting the ball hard on a consistent basis. Rocchio has above-average speed but has yet to have much success on the base paths. If he can polish his base running, he could develop some intrigue with his power-speed mix although it will be as more of a 15-15 (HR-SB) player who also hits for a solid average.
91. Dustin Harris, 1B: Harris had a breakout season in 2021 and the A’s may soon (if they don’t already) deeply regret trading him to the Rangers. The 21-year-old split last year between two A-ball levels and slugged 20 homers with 25 steals and impressive plate rates. He’s also hitting .326 over his two-year pro career. Harris doesn’t have more than average speed (the steals were the result of good base running) but he could develop into a power hitter with the ability to produce strong on-base numbers and a good batting average.
Top Fantasy Baseball Dynasty Prospects: #81-90
90. Austin Wells, C: Wells’ first pro season was delayed by the pandemic but he looked good in 2021 while showing a solid hitting tool, above-average power, and excellent base running. Despite average speed, he was 16-for-16 in stolen base attempts while hitting 16 homers and producing a strong walk rate. Wells likely won’t ever catch regularly but he’s skilled enough back there to play enough games to gain eligibility in most leagues while also seeing time in the outfield and/or corner infield.
89. Luis Campusano, C: Campusano struggled during a brief MLB showing in 2021 but the young catcher has intrigue due to his above-average raw power. He’s also hit for a solid average in the minors but has struggled to make contact at times after not playing much in 2020 and being skipped over Double-A.
88. Justin Foscue, 2B: Selected 14th overall in the 2020 amateur draft out of college, Foscue looked like a future average regular at second base. However, the Rangers helped him tap into his raw power after he turned pro and he slugged 17 home runs in just 62 games in 2021 — albeit with lots of swing and miss, which isn’t uncommon at all for Texas prospects.
87. MacKenzie Gore, SP: The 2021 season was an ugly one for Gore, who did not look like the same pitcher after the lost 2020 season. It’s possible he was dealing with an injury last year but didn’t want to lose more development time after the long layoff — or he was pressing while being just one step away from the majors. Gore has the kind of talent that you don’t want to give up on easily but pitching prospects are also notoriously risky. The 2022 season is a big one for Gore and his fantasy owners.
86. Michael Busch, 2B: A strong-hitting college player, Busch has focused on adding more power as a pro and slugged 20 home runs in 2021 while hitting just .267 with significant swing-and-miss. He still got on base at an above-average clip thanks to a 14% walk rate. Busch isn’t much defensively and will likely see time at both second base and first base. If he can find a way to continue hitting for power while making more contact, he could be a real stud.
85. Curtis Mead, 3B/1B: A native of Australia, Mead has made huge developmental strides in a short period of time and finds himself in an organization that excels at developing prospects. Mead has a chance to develop into an above-average hitter with 20+ home runs with some defensive versatility (3B, 1B, LF). The jump up to Double-A in 2022 will be a big test for him.
84. Nolan Jones, 3B: Jones entered 2020 with some momentum but the lost season hurt him and he didn’t fare well during his first taste of Triple-A in 2021. He’s long struggled to consistently tap into his plus-plus raw power and hits too many ground balls. Jones also struck out at a 30% clip last year. With the right coaching and swing adjustments, he has 30+ homer potential with well-above-average on-base numbers but it’s going to come with a lot of strikeouts.
83. Cristian Hernandez, SS: A top international signee, Hernandez had a solid pro debut in the Dominican Summer League in 2021 with a strong offensive showing. The move to North America in 2022 will be a big test, though, and he struck out a bit too much and needs to make some adjustments to his swing to hit for more pop. Still, the raw skills are there for him to be an above-average big league hitter.
82. Luisangel Acuna, SS: The younger brother of Ronald Acuna, the Rangers prospect has plus speed and is stronger than his small frame would suggest. He hit 12 home runs during his first taste of full-season ball in 2021 — while also swiping 44 bases. There is some swing-and-miss to his game but that should improve as he matures as a hitter and he’s shown a willingness to take a walk — which is always a great sign from players with plus speed.
81. Trey Sweeney, SS: Sweeney was ranked by most as a second-round talent but I had him ranked as the 20th-best talent available in the 2021 amateur draft and the Yankees grabbed him with that exact pick. He performed exactly as I expected during his debut with good power — thanks to his above-average bat speed — and struggled a bit to make consistent contact. Still, I can see the potential for a .270 hitter who takes lots of walks and produces 20+ homers.
Top Fantasy Baseball Dynasty Prospects: #71-80
80. Jordan Groshans, SS/3B: A former first-round pick out of high school, injuries have slowed Groshans’ development. Still, he’s shown the potential to hit for both average and power and could eventually develop into a .280 hitter with 20+ homers — if he can stay healthy.
79. Quinn Priester, SP: The 21-year-old Priester is a promising arm with No. 2 starter upside. He has hit the upper 90s with his fastball, although he works more consistently in the mid-90s range and backs up the heat with an above-average breaking ball. Priester needs to sharpen his command and continue to polish his secondary offerings. He has yet to generate swings and misses at an elite rate but he generates a well-above-average number of ground-ball outs.
78. Asa Lacy, SP: Lacy was considered the top college pitcher in the 2020 amateur draft due to his power arsenal from the left side but control issues have hampered him as a pro. Despite flashing four above-average pitches, there is some reliever risk here due to his command/control struggles. If he can stick as a starter, he has the frame to provide a lot of innings.
77. Cole Winn, SP: Winn flashes three potentially plus offerings and made huge strides in 2021. The 2018 first-round pick spent most of 2021 in Double-A where he produced a 33% strikeout rate and showed improved control. He has a chance to see the majors by mid-2022 if stays healthy but he’s also never thrown more than 86 innings in a season so the Rangers will likely be somewhat cautious with him.
76. Gunnar Hoglund, SP: Hoglund entered the 2021 college season with the potential to be a Top 10 pick but he blew out his elbow, which required Tommy John surgery. He fell to the Jays with the 19th selection. He has three above-average offerings and great makeup, which could help him reach his ceiling as a No. 2/3 starter.
75. Jackson Kowar, SP: It would be nice if all prospects immediately performed up to their full potential from the moment they arrive in the majors but that’s rarely the case. Kowar took one on the chin during his debut while posting an 11.27 ERA in nine appearances. But this also came after allowing just 66 hits with 115 strikeouts in 80 2/3 innings at Triple-A. The stuff is still there for Kowar to be a mid-rotation starter but he needs to show much-improved command/control at the MLB level.
74. Jackson Jobe, SP: One of the top prep arms in the 2021 amateur draft, Jobe should move relatively quickly for a teenage arm. He has good athleticism, a nice delivery, and a good shot at having four above-average offerings. If he can add a little sustainable velocity, he has top-of-the-rotation potential.
73. Reid Detmers, SP: Detmers blew through the minors as expected but he stumbled during his first taste of MLB action after he uncharacteristically struggled with his command and control. The promise is still there, though, and he features a four-pitch mix, which includes a fastball that has worked more consistently in the 92-93 mph ranger since turning pro. He has mid-rotation upside.
72. Ronny Mauricio, SS: Mauricio is a slow-burn prospect. His massive, raw tools are evident but it’s taking time for him to fully develop them. It hasn’t helped that he’s consistently been one of the youngest players in each league that he’s played in. With that said, the power showed up more consistently in 2021 and he obliterated his career-high of four homers after launching 20 long-balls while spending most of the year in High-A ball as a 20-year-old.
71. Benny Montgomery, OF: I had Montgomery ranked lower than most prior to the 2021 amateur draft due to some funky hitting mechanics that could cause him to struggle to make consistent contact against good pitching but the bat speed and projectable raw power are undeniable (not to mention plus speed). He’s an intriguing project and could be an excellent hitter for Colorado but I give their development system very low marks
Top Fantasy Baseball Dynasty Prospects: #61-70
70. Joey Bart, C: With the surprise retirement of Buster Posey, the starting catching gig should be Bart’s to lose in 2022. The 25-year-old catcher has plus raw power but it comes with significant swing-and-miss so he’ll likely never hit for much of an average at the MLB level (His .294 average at Triple-A in 2021 was buoyed by a near-.400 BABIP). The other worrisome issue with Bart is the injury history; he has yet to play more than 79 games in a season.
69. Michael Harris, OF: Harris is trending upwards as a plus-hitting outfielder with above-average speed. He’s also growing into his raw power and could eventually hit the 20-homer plateau, although he topped out at just seven in 101 games in 2021. He’ll turn 21 shortly before the start of the 2022 season and will begin the year in Double-A.
68. Heliot Ramos, OF: Ramos has 30-homer potential to go along with the speed to generate double-digit steal totals. The downside with this 22-year-old outfielder, though, is the strikeout rate, which has consistently sat above 25% during his career. Ramos may never hit for a high average but he’s grown more patient at the plate and has also been one of the youngest hitters at each stop he’s made in the minors.
67. Nick Lodolo, SP: Lodolo isn’t the most flashy pitching prospect but he has a strong pitcher’s frame and above-average control. He’s consistently generated above-average strikeout rates despite possessing average fastball velocity. He has No. 3/4 starter upside but is a fairly safe bet to have a long run as a starting pitcher at the MLB level (assuming good health).
66. Aaron Ashby, SP: Ashby entered pro ball with more of a No. 4 starter profile but velocity gains have pushed his ceiling to that of a No. 2/3 starter. The lefty can now hit the upper 90s with his heater and works consistently in the mid-90s. He arrived in the majors in 2021 and flashed three above-average offerings, which helped him miss bats and he showed flashes of his long-term potential.
65. Max Meyer, SP: Meyer was one of the top arms in the 2020 amateur draft due to his upper-90s heat and move from the bullpen to the starting rotation at the college level. He also has an above-average slider. Meyer moved swiftly through the minors and reached Triple-A at the end of 2021. If he can polish a third offering and improve his command, he has No. 2/3 starter upside. If not, a high-leverage reliever role could be in his future.
64. Jose Barrero, SS: This raw Cuban athlete has the chance to be a 20-20 player for the Reds. The biggest question mark with Barrero revolves around his hit tool (and lack of consistency). He made much more contact at Double-A and Triple-A in 2021 while also showing more patience but all those gains dissolved at the MLB level when he reverted to his overly-aggressive ways.
63. Brady House, SS: House was a highly-ranked amateur in the 2021 draft coming out of high school but I had him graded a little lower as the 13th-best talent in the draft. He has plus raw power but I find his actions stiff and he showed noticeable swing-and-miss tendencies as an amateur. In his first 16 games of pro ball, though, he looked like a different player and showed more feel for hitting. I’m very curious to see if those tendencies continue to shine in 2022.
62. Bubba Chandler, SS/SP: I absolutely love this two-way prep player’s massive raw potential and had him ranked very aggressively as the sixth-best talent in the 2021 amateur draft (as a hitter). He gave off John Olerud vibes. The Pirates will reportedly allow him to pitch and hit early on in his career, which could slow his development. I found his pitching to be very rudimentary, despite a strong arm, so I would advocate for him to stick to hitting.
61. Maxwell Muncy, SS: Muncy was another prep bat that I was very fond of leading up to the 2021 amateur draft. I had him ranked as the 24th-best talent and he went 25th overall to the A’s. The young hitter has good bat speed, which should lead to above-average pop, and has shown the potential to develop into an above-average hitter. He should also provide double-digit steal totals.
Top Fantasy Baseball Dynasty Prospects: #51-60
60. Luis Gil, SP: Gil isn’t a perfect pitching prospect — He struggles with command/control and lacks a reliable third offering — but he also struck out big league hitters at a rate of almost 30% during his six-game MLB debut in 2021. Gil has a fastball that sits around 96 mph and a plus slider so he has the ingredients to be a high-leverage reliever if he can’t stick as a starter.
59. Daniel Espino, SP: I’ve loved Espino since his prep days and he came out of the pandemic layoff looking like a much more polished pitcher. The hard-throwing right-hander has built out his repertoire and could now feature four above-average offerings when he reaches the majors. His control has also taken a step forward, although he struggled with his command when he moved from Low-A to High-A in 2021. Even so, he’s produced massive strikeout rates at every stop in the minors.
58. Royce Lewis, SS/OF: The first overall selection in the 2017 amateur draft, Lewis has now lost two straight seasons of development time due to the pandemic and injuries — and he has yet to play more than 33 games above A-ball. However, Lewis has excellent makeup and strong athleticism so he’ll no doubt return to action a stronger player. He may never be an above-average hitter and the ACL injury casts a shadow of doubt on his plus speed but he has the raw power to hit 20-30 homers while playing all over the diamond.
57. Edward Cabrera, SP: Cabrera showed dominating stuff at both Double-A and Triple-A in 2021 but he stumbled at the MLB level after struggling with his control — something that started to become an issue at the highest level in the minors. Despite the need to improve significantly in this area, Cabrera has a high ceiling thanks to his upper-90s heat and above-average curveball (and two other average offerings).
56. Austin Martin, OF/SS: Selected fifth overall in the 2020 amateur draft, Martin was a top college hitter but he’s struggled with consistency as a pro. He’s shown the ability to be a plus hitter with a high on-base rate, and the ability to steal 20 bases but he’s struggled to hit the ball with authority as a pro. Throwing issues are also likely to keep him out of the dirt and push him into the outfield for the majority of his games, although he could still dabble in the infield enough to maintain multi-position eligibility in most fantasy leagues.
55. Gunnar Henderson, SS: Henderson burst out of the gates in 2021 before scuffling a bit in the second half of the season — in part because the Orioles pushed him too aggressively in the hopes of accelerating his development timeline. Previously too aggressive, he showed more patience last year but he was almost too passive at times and needs to find a happy medium if he hopes to realize his full potential and consistently tap into his raw power.
54. Nate Pearson, SP: A number of top pitching arms stumbled in 2021 and Pearson was not immune to the curse. For this hard-throwing right-hander, though, his struggles came from never really being healthy during the year. The source of his health woes was finally discovered and he underwent surgery for a sports hernia. Pearson has a high upside as a starter but he could also be a dominant multi-inning reliever with 100-mph velocity and a plus slider.
53. Sixto Sanchez, SP: Sanchez has a chance to be a very good MLB pitcher but his value as a fantasy hurler takes a bit of a hit because he doesn’t produce high strikeout rates and generates a lot of his outs via the ground ball. He also had shoulder surgery in 2021 and the success rate is not nearly as high as it is for Tommy John surgery. If all goes well, though, Sanchez has top-of-the-rotation stuff with upper-90s velocity and four average-or-better offerings.
52. Vidal Brujan, 2B/OF: Brujan caught the attention of fantasy owners early in 2021 when he showed unexpected power. That power dematerialized, though, and he returned to his normal ways in the second half of the year. Brujan is an above-average hitter with blazing speed and the ability to play multiple positions — an intriguing combination of assets that could make him a valuable fantasy player if he plays regularly.
51. Hunter Greene, SP: I’m a big Greene fan. He has the potential to be a No. 2/3 starter for the Reds due to his big-time velocity, athleticism, and above-average control. He also shows an above-average slider. The downside to Greene is that he lacks a reliable third offering and his fastball can be too hittable at times. If he can’t polish a third offering, he could end up as an Aroldis Chapman-type high-leverage reliever (with more strikes thrown).
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