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Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fantasy Baseball Prospect Report: Will JJ Wetherholt force the Cardinals' hand and get a call-up this season?
A reminder: This is ONLY players who have Rookie of the Year MLB eligibility, and ONLY a look at potential help for 2025. That out of the way, here's a look at the top prospects who can help your fantasy baseball roster this season. Advertisement 1. Jordan Lawlar, 2B, Arizona Diamondbacks 2025 stats: 53 G, .319/.410/.583, 10 HR, 18 SB, 30 BB, 60 SO at Triple-A Reno; 8 G .000/.175/.000, 0 SB, 3 BB, 9 SO at Arizona. Well, now it gets tricky. There's no prospect who appears to be on the cusp in the minors — we had a nice run where we got to cheat at the top spot because of an imminent promotion for four straight weeks — and while Lawlar is the most talented prospect at the Triple-A level, he's now on the injured list with a hamstring strain. I'm still rolling with Lawlar as my top guy, because if he does get a chance to play sometime after the All-Star break, he's the prospect who has the best chance to fill five different categories. All that's been announced so far is that the former sixth overall pick is going to miss 'weeks,' so even if that debut doesn't come until August, I'll take him over any prospect right now. Call me crazy. 2. Samuel Basallo, C/1B, Baltimore Orioles 2025 stats: 57 G, .253/.372/.547, 16 HR, 0 SB, 36 BB, 51 SO at Triple-A Norfolk. Advertisement Frustrating. Even with the Orioles' catching depth dwindling by the minute, Baltimore has decided to roll with Jacob Stallings and Alex Jackson behind the plate rather than call up their top hitting prospect who has put up strong numbers in Triple-A. Clearly Baltimore is playing the long game with the backstop/first baseman position, and maybe if the Orioles were in playoff contention they'd be singing a different tune. I still have Basallo second on this list because there's no player in Triple-A outside of Lawlar who offers more fantasy upside; especially when you consider his positional value. If Baltimore changes its mind, fantasy managers should rush to add Basallo as well. [Smarter waivers, better trades, optimized lineups — Yahoo Fantasy Plus unlocks it all] 3. Harry Ford, C, Seattle Mariners 2025 stats: 66 G, .308/.425/.470, 9 HR, 4 SB, 49 BB, 52 SO at Triple-A Tacoma. Advertisement Ford continues to get on base at an impressive rate, and continues to do so while getting plenty of hits and drawing plenty of walks. Meanwhile, Mitch Garver has started to swing the bat better and has been solid behind the plate. Imagine me telling you Garver was going to become a defense-first backup catcher when the Mariners signed him to a two-year, $24 million deal. It's hard to imagine that Garver makes the Mariners better than Ford would, and there'd be plenty of ways to get him in the lineup assuming Jorge Polanco starts playing in the field on a more consistent basis. There's a little more risk with Ford in 2025, but there's reward because of his catcher-eligibility as well. 4. C.J. Kayfus, OF/1B, Cleveland Guardians 2025 stats: 73, .313/.406/.563, 12 HR, 4 SB, 39 BB, 81 SO at Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus. We got a newbie. Welcome, C.J. Kayfus. He was a 2023 third-round selection who has done nothing but hit at every level, and that includes the International League where he's slashing .297/.382/.554 with 11 homers over 55 games with Columbus. He's a left-handed hitter who can hit for both average and power, and has shown the ability to produce against both right- and left-handed hurlers. Right now he's playing mostly at first base, and that's one position the Guardians seem to not need room. He's a good enough athlete to handle the corner outfield, however, and it's pretty easy to see him being a solid fantasy option if/when Cleveland gave him that opportunity. He's not getting nearly enough attention in keeper leagues as well, so if that's what you read these articles for, go get him. Advertisement 5. JJ Wetherholt, INF, St. Louis Cardinals 2025 stats: 62 G, .300/.425/.466, 7 HR, 14 SB, 44 BB, 41 SO at Double-A Springfield. We are officially deep enough in the season where it becomes 'ok' to list players that have a real chance to not make their debut in 2025. The best of those players, in my humble estimation, is Wetherholt. The seventh pick of last year's draft out of West Virginia, Wetherholt has plus-speed, above-average power in a left-handed bat, and one of the best projected hit tools regardless of level. He's alternated between playing shortstop and second base as of late, and it'd probably be the latter position if Wetherholt is going to break into the Cardinals' everyday lineup. There are players with a higher ceiling than he possesses, but not many, and very few who have a higher (perceived) floor. Around the minors I debated a few players for the fourth spot — Wetherholt is probably going to remain in spot five until he receives a promotion to Triple-A or St. Louis — and the one that just missed was Cubs' outfield prospect Owen Caissie. Caissie went 3-for-5 during Sunday's game for Triple-A Iowa, and is slashing .280/.388/.556 with 16 homers over 70 games in the Pacific Coast League. The power being there is no surprise, but even with a considerable amount of swing-and-miss as seen in 93 strikeouts over 261 at-bats, his hit tool has a chance to be above average because there's so much loud contact. The problem for Caissie in 2025 is there's just no room at the inn, but if a spot opened up — or if he was to be traded in a blockbuster deal — he'd be well worth an add in most fantasy formats. Advertisement We featured Ryan Johnson last week, but we have to do it again after the top pitching prospect in the Angels' system had one of the best starts of any minor-league pitcher in 2025 for High-A Tri City on Saturday. He fired a complete game while allowing just one hit, and was able to strike out 12 without issuing a walk. Johnson has now gone seven innings in his last four starts — something you don't see in the majors very often, much less the minors — and allowed a total of four runs over 30 innings with a K/BB ratio of 32:4. Yes, Johnson wasn't ready for the majors, but you see why Los Angeles was so excited about the 22-year-old's potential. He has a chance to be a good one. Speaking of players that are too good for their current levels. Dakota Jordan was selected in the fourth round of the 2024 draft out of Mississippi State, but don't let that round fool you; he was considered one of the best collegiate athletes in the class and the Giants paid him a bonus just under $2 million to procure his services. He's spent all year with Low-A San Jose and is slashing .303/.377/.454 with seven homers and 27 stolen bases over 75 games. It's a little weird seeing a 22-year-old playing at that level, but it's nice to see him excelling at least. He's a tremendous athlete who was a former three-star wide receiver recruit out of high school, and there's the potential for considerable power in his right-handed bat as he fine tunes some things. Jordan should receive a challenge in High-A, but either way, he could be a solid option in fantasy leagues by the end of the decade. Advertisement The Rockies probably aren't going to make the postseason it looks like (hold for laughter), but they do have a solid farm system, and one of the more underrated prospects in that system is left-hander Konner Eaton. Eaton was a sixth-round selection out of George Mason by the Rockies in 2024, and he has a 3.31 ERA and 92/30 K/BB ratio over 84 1/3 innings in his professional season with High-A Spokane. He's been even better than that lately; he's thrown 13 shutout innings with 19 strikeouts against three walks over his past two starts. Eaton's stuff is certainly good enough to play at the highest level with a plus-slider and a mid-90s fastball that offers good movement, but the question has been if he can repeat his delivery well enough to throw consistent strikes. If the command is close to average he's a starter — potentially a mid-rotation one — but if not, it's easy to see Eaton being a potential high-leverage reliever. He's a name to keep an eye on over the coming seasons.
NBC Sports
07-07-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Top fantasy baseball prospects: C.J. Kayfus on the rise, Ryan Johnson impressing in High-A
A reminder: This is ONLY players who have Rookie of the Year MLB eligibility, and ONLY a look at potential help for 2025. That out of the way, here's a look at the top prospects who can help your fantasy roster this season. 1. Jordan Lawlar, 2B, Arizona Diamondbacks 2025 stats: 53 G, .319/.410/.583, 10 HR, 18 SB, 30 BB, 60 SO at Triple-A Reno; 8 G .000/.175/.000, 0 SB, 3 BB, 9 SO at Arizona. Well, now it gets tricky. There's no prospect who appears to be on the cusp in the minors -- we had a nice run where we got to cheat at the top spot because of an imminent promotion for four straight weeks -- and while Lawlar is the most talented prospect at the Triple-A level, he's now on the injured list with a hamstring strain. I'm still rolling with Lawlar as my top guy, because if he does get a chance to play sometime after the All-Star break, he's the prospect who has the best chance to fill five different categories. All that's been announced so far is that the former sixth-overall pick is going to miss 'weeks,' so even if that debut doesn't come until August, I'll take him over any prospect right now. Call me crazy. 2. Samuel Basallo, C/1B, Baltimore Orioles 2025 stats: 57 G, .253/.372/.547, 16 HR, 0 SB, 36 BB, 51 SO at Triple-A Norfolk. Frustrating. Even with the Orioles catching depth dwindling by the minute, Baltimore has decided to roll with Jacob Stallings and Alex Jackson behind the plate rather than call up their top hitting prospect who has put up those numbers in Triple-A. Clearly Baltimore is playing the long game with the backstop/first baseman, and maybe if the Orioles were in playoff contention they'd be singing a different tune. I still have to have Basallo second on this list because there's no player in Triple-A outside of Lawlar who offers more fantasy upside; especially when you consider his positional value. If Baltimore changes their mind, fantasy managers should rush to add Basallo as well. 3. Harry Ford, C, Seattle Mariners 2025 stats: 66 G, .308/.425/.470, 9 HR, 4 SB, 49 BB, 52 SO at Triple-A Tacoma. Ford continues to get on base at an impressive rate, and continues to do so while getting plenty of hits and drawing plenty of walks. Meanwhile, Mitch Garver has started to swing the bat better and has been solid behind the plate (note: imagine me telling you Garver was going to become a defense-first backup catcher when the Mariners signed to his two-year, $24 million deal), but it's hard to imagine that Garver makes the Mariners better than Ford would, and there'd be plenty of ways to get him in the lineup assuming Jorge Polanco starts playing in the field on a more consistent basis. There's a little more risk with Ford in 2025, but there's reward because of his catcher-eligibility as well. 4. C.J. Kayfus, OF/1B, Cleveland Guardians 2025 stats: 73, .313/.406/.563, 12 HR, 4 SB, 39 BB, 81 SO at Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus. We got a newbie. Welcome, C.J. Kayfus was a 2023 third-round selection who has done nothing but hit at every level, and that includes the International League where he's slashing .297/.382/.554 with 11 homers over 55 games with Columbus. He's a left-handed hitter who can hit for both average and power, and he's shown the ability to produce against both right and left-handed hurlers. Right now he's playing mostly at first base, and that's one position the Guardians seem to not need room. He's a good enough athlete to handle the corner outfield, however, and it's pretty easy to see him being a solid fantasy option if/when Cleveland gave him that opportunity. He's not getting nearly enough attention in keeper leagues as well, so if that's what you read these articles for, go get him. 5. JJ Wetherholt, INF, St. Louis Cardinals 2025 stats: 62 G, .300/.425/.466, 7 HR, 14 SB, 44 BB, 41 SO at Double-A Springfield. We are officially deep enough in the season where it becomes 'ok' to liste players that have a real chance to not make their debut in 2025. The best of those players, in my relatively humble estimation, is Wetherholt. The seventh pick of last year's draft out of West Virginia, Wetherholt has plus speed, above-average power in a left-handed bat, and one of the best projected hit tools regardless of level. He's alternated between playing shortstop and second base as of late, and it'd probably be the latter position if Wetherholt is going to break into the Cardinals' everyday lineup. There are players with a higher ceiling than he possesses, but not many, and very few who have a higher (perceived) floor. Around the minors: I debated a few players for the fourth spot -- Wetherholt is probably going to remain in spot five until he receives a promotion to Triple-A or St. Louis -- and the one that just missed was Cubs outfield prospect Owen Caissie. Caissie went 3-for-5 during Sunday's game for Triple-A Iowa, and he's now slashing .280/.388/.556 with 16 homers over 70 games in the Pacific Coast League. The power being there is no surprise, but even with a considerable amount of swing-and-miss as seen in 93 strikeouts over 261 at-bats, his hit tool has a chance to be above-average because there's so much loud contact. The problem for Caissie in 2025 is there's just no room at the inn, but if a spot opened up -- or if he was to be traded in a blockbuster deal -- he'd be well worth an add in most fantasy formats. We featured Ryan Johnson last week, but we have to do it again after the top pitching prospect in the Angels system had one of the best starts of any minor-league pitcher in 2025 for High-A Tri City on Saturday. He fired a complete game while allowing just one hit, and he was able to strike out 12 without issuing a walk. Johnson has now gone seven innings in his last four starts -- something you don't see in the majors very often, much less the minors -- and allowed a total of four runs over 30 innings with a K/BB ratio of 32/4. Yes, Johnson wasn't ready for the majors, but you see why Los Angeles was so excited about the 22-year-old's potential. He has a chance to be a good one. Speaking of players that are too good for their current levels. Dakota Jordan was selected in the fourth-round of the 2024 draft out of Mississippi State, but don't let that round fool you; he was considered one of the best collegiate bats in the class and the Giants paid him a bonus just under $2 million to procure his services. He's spent all year with Low-A San Jose and is now slashing .303/.377/.454 with seven homers and 27 stolen bases over 75 games. It's a little weird seeing a 22-year-old playing at that level, but it's nice to see him excelling at it, at least. He's a tremendous athlete who was a former three-star wide receiver recruit out of high school, and there's the potential for considerable power in his right-handed bat as he fine tunes some things. Jordan should receive a challenge in High-A soon, but either way, he could be a solid option in fantasy leagues by the end of the decade. The Rockies probably aren't going to make the postseason it looks like (hold for laughter), but they do have a solid farm system, and one of the more underrated prospects in that system is left-hander Konner Eaton. Eaton was a sixth-round selection out of George Mason by the Rockies in 2024, and he's forged a 3.31 ERA and 92/30 K/BB ratio over 84 1/3 innings in his professional season with High-A Spokane. He's been even better than that lately, as his last two starts have seen him throw 13 shutout innings with 19 strikeouts against three walks. Eaton's stuff is certainly good enough to play at the highest level with a plus slider and a mid 90s fastball that offers good movement, but the question has been if he can repeat his delivery well enough to throw consistent strikes. If the command is close to average he's a starter -- potentially a mid-rotation one -- but if not, it's easy to see Eaton being a potential high-leverage reliever. He's a name to keep an eye on over the coming seasons.
NBC Sports
01-07-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Top fantasy baseball prospects: Lazaro Montes, Spencer Jones impressing after promotions
A reminder: This is ONLY players who have Rookie of the Year MLB eligibility, and ONLY a look at potential help for 2025. That out of the way, here's a look at the top prospects who can help your fantasy roster this season. 1. Jordan Lawlar, 2B, Arizona Diamondbacks 2025 stats: 53 G, .319/.410/.583, 10 HR, 18 SB, 30 BB, 60 SO at Triple-A Reno; 8 G .000/.175/.000, 0 SB, 3 BB, 9 SO at Arizona. Well, now it gets tricky. There's no prospect who appears to be on the cusp in the minors -- we had a nice run where we got to cheat at the top spot because of an imminent promotion for four straight weeks -- and while Lawlar is the most talented prospect at the Triple-A level, he's now on the injured list with a hamstring strain. I'm still rolling with Lawlar as my top guy, because if he does get a chance to play sometime after the All-Star break, he's the prospect who has the best chance to fill five different categories. All that's been announced so far is that the former sixth-overall pick is going to miss 'weeks,' so even if that debut doesn't come until August, I'll take him over any prospect right now. Call me crazy. 2. Samuel Basallo, C/1B, Baltimore Orioles 2025 stats: 54 G, .264/.390/.579, 16 HR, 0 SB, 36 BB, 47 SO at Triple-A Norfolk. Basallo added another homer last week, and pitchers are starting to give the young backstop the 'we're not gonna let you beat us' treatment. He had a pair of three-walk efforts, and he continues to impress in his ability to draw free passes without a ton of swing-and-miss. In fact, he struck out just one time since our last update while drawing eight bases on balls. That's a great figure even before you consider the profile; this is not a dink-and-dunk hitter; on the contrary. Basallo should get a promotion to Baltimore this summer, and the fact he'll have catcher-eligibility adds to the intrigue. 3. Harry Ford, C, Seattle Mariners 2025 stats: 601 G, .306/.418/.459, 8 HR, 3 SB, 43 BB, 48 SO at Triple-A Tacoma. It looked like Ford was going to make his MLB debut this weekend against the Rangers, but it turned out to be a false alarm with Mitch Garver avoiding a trip to the injuries list with his head injury. Still, it seems like a promotion to Seattle isn't far away, even with Garver starting to swing the bat better. Seattle needs offensive help, and Ford's ability to get on base while tapping into his power at the age of 22 makes him a candidate to provide said help. Keep in mind that Cal Raleigh gets lots of playing time as the designated hitter, and it's reasonable to think Seattle would find a way to get Ford at-bats even with the MVP-level season from Raleigh. 4. JJ Wetherholt, INF, St. Louis Cardinals 2025 stats: 57 G, .305/.430/.453, 5 HR, 13 SB, 41 BB, 35 SO at Double-A Springfield. We are officially deep enough in the season where it becomes 'ok' to liste players that have a real chance to not make their debut in 2025. The best of those players, in my relatively humble estimation, is Wetherholt. The seventh pick of last year's draft out of West Virginia, Wetherholt has plus speed, above-average power in a left-handed bat, and one of the best projected hit tools regardless of level. He's alternated between playing shortstop and second base as of late, and it'd probably be the latter position if Wetherholt is going to break into the Cardinals' everyday lineup. There are players with a higher ceiling than he possesses, but not many, and very few who have a higher (perceived) floor. 5. Andrew Painter, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies 2025 stats: 13 G, 51.2 IP, 4.18 ERA, .246 BAA, 19 BB, 57 SO at Low-A Clearwater and Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Painter's latest start was a relatively familiar one, for better and worse. He went 4 1/3 innings and allowed two runs over five hits, and he struck out five and walked one. That's far from a terrible outing and shows Painter's potential to pile up the strikeouts with inarguably the best stuff of any pitcher in the minors. The concern for 2025 is that he's not getting deep into games, and the Phillies are going to treat the pitcher with kid gloves after he missed the last two seasons. Still, because of his upper-echelon stuff and well above-average ability to command it, Painter would absolutely be worthy of an addition in the majority of redraft leagues. Around the minors: The Mariners called up Lazaro Montes and Michael Arroyo to Double-A Arkansas, and both hitters have come out swinging. Literally and figuratively. Montes has homered in three of his first six games with the Travelers, while Arroyo is slashing .333/.452/.542 with a homer and two doubles. It seems more likely that both players are going to make their debut in 2026 than it does this season, but it can't be ruled out for the reasons we mentioned in Ford's write up. Both have a chance to be excellent fantasy options, but Montes and his unreal power from the left side is particularly intriguing. The Pirates are kind of a mess, but they do have some intriguing pitchers both in the minors and at the highest level, and one who may have gone under the radar is Hunter Barco. A 24-year-old left-hander who went with the 44th pick in 2022, Barco dominated in a short-stint in Double-A while not allowing an earned run over 24 innings, and after a bit of a scuffle when first promoted to Indianapolis, he's been excellent as of late. He has allowed just one run over his last 12 frames, and he's done so while showing his ability to command three above-average pitches; in particular a splitter that can give hitters from both sides of the plate fits. He should make starts before the end of the year with Pittsburgh, and there's enough upside to suggest he'll be fantasy-relevant in the coming campaigns. You'd be forgiven if you forgot about him because it was a reliever and it was a reliever who posted a 7.24 ERA, but remember the modicum of hype around Ryan Johnson? After he forged a bloated 7.24 ERA in his relief stints, the Angels decided to move Johnson to High-A Tri-City, and to work as a starter. The results have been solid, as he's gone seven innings in his last three outings for the Dust Devils, and in his last start he allowed no runs on three hits with eight strikeouts. The 74th pick of last year's draft has the deception in his delivery and a deep enough arsenal to be an effective starter, and command projects well above-average. Don't expect Johnson to be in the majors again soon, but don't give up on him as a fantasy prospect based on a bad decision made by the Angels this spring. Spencer Jones was the 25th pick of the 2022 draft by the Yankees, and his first two full professional seasons would best be described as middling. His 2025 season appears to be his breakout campaign, and after slashing .274/.389/.594 with Double-A Somerset over 49 games, he received a promotion to Triple-A Scanton/Wilkes-Barre. It's a very small sample, but he continued that good run by going 4-for-13 with homers in two of his three games. Jones has considerable power in his left-handed bat from his 6-foot-7 frame, and while he's assuredly going to pick up his fair share of strikeouts became of his frame, the ball jumps off his bat to give him a chance to hit for a decent average; and he's a patient hitter who gives pitchers a reason to not throw him strikes. Jones could make his debut in 2025, and the potential for pop makes him worthy of consideration if/when that takes place.
NBC Sports
23-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Top fantasy baseball prospects: Chase Burns getting the call, Colt Emerson heating up
A reminder: This is ONLY players who have Rookie of the Year MLB eligibility, and ONLY a look at potential help for 2025. That out of the way, here's a look at the top prospects who can help your fantasy roster this season. 1. Chase Burns, RHP, Cincinnati Reds 2025 stats: 12 G, 59 IP, 1.83 ERA, .170 BAA, 13 BB, 82 SO at High-A Dayton, Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Louisville. For the fourth straight week, we get to cheat. According to C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic, the Reds will select the contract of Burns on Tuesday for his MLB debut against the New York Yankees. First, yes, this is a tough first test. The Yankees have a few players -- particularly that really tall guy -- who can give players trouble. Also, it'll come in Great American Ball Park; a park that is well known for being hitter-friendly. That being said, this is a pitcher who can miss bats with multiple pitches and commands them well enough -- well enough is an understatement -- to have immediate success. The ceiling for Burns is ace, but even if he's not that in his first taste of MLB action, he's obviously talented enough to provide fantasy success immediately. 2. Jordan Lawlar, 2B, Arizona Diamondbacks 2025 stats: 52 G, .321/.411/.586, 10 HR, 18 SB, 30 BB, 60 SO at Triple-A Reno; 8 G .000/.175/.000, 0 SB, 3 BB, 9 SO at Arizona. L8awlar's average has taken a slight dip since being demoted back to Reno, but he's seen his slugging percentage go up and had another homer and stole two more bags since our last update. He also drew five free passes, as he's showing more patience at the plate and pitchers are terrified to throw the former first-round pick strikes. Even with how disappointing his run with Arizona was, there's doubt in my mind that he belongs on this list. There's five tools at his disposal, and he offers as much upside as any prospect in the minors -- at least at the higher levels. When the Diamondbacks give him another chance this summer, I'd still be willing to make the roster move. 3. Samuel Basallo, C/1B, Baltimore Orioles 2025 stats: 43 G, .264/.371/.588, 15 HR, 0 SB, 28 BB, 46 SO at Triple-A Norfolk. Basallo added another homer last week, and also doubled over his last two games as he continues to impress in the International League. Since the start of June, the 20-year-old has excelled with a slash of .352/.435/.722 with six homers over his 14 games. Pretty good. He's also been playing first base nearly as he has been behind the plate, which suggests the Orioles want to see him at both positions both in the short and long-term. Basallo isn't guaranteed to get a promotion this summer, but it sure seems likely, and his offensive upside competes with any prospects still in the minors. 4. Harry Ford, C, Seattle Mariners 2025 stats: 56 G, .306/.422/.468, 8 HR, 3 SB, 41 BB, 47 SO at Triple-A Tacoma. Another catcher? And this time one who is in the same organization as the best catcher in baseball in Cal Raleigh? Have I lost my mind? Probably, but I can explain my rationale. Ford has been one of the best hitters in Triple-A over the last month-plus for an offense that has been inconsistent -- at best -- in that time frame. Ford is also athletic enough to play in the outfield and first base, and Mitch Garver is currently languishing on the Seattle roster. Seattle would be able to find a way to get Ford at-bats, and the tools are there for him to be a fantasy-relevant player once that takes place. 5. Andrew Painter, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies 2025 stats: 12 G, 47.1 IP, 4.18 ERA, .243 BAA, 18 BB, 58 SO at Low-A Clearwater and Triple-A LeHigh Valley. Welcome to the list, Andrew. Painter's numbers aren't overly impressive, on paper, but they've been better as of late; including five innings of two-run baseball with five strikeouts against Triple-A Rochester on Saturday. Honestly, the numbers really don't mean as much here as they do with other prospects. This is a pitcher with three swing-and-miss pitches from a 6-foot-7 frame, and while he's battled some command issues this year, there's no concern that he has the ability to throw strikes at a consistent enough level to be a starter at the highest level. The Phillies are going to be careful with Painter because he's a hurler who missed the previous two seasons, but he'd be someone I'd roster immediately as soon as Philadelphia made that call. Around the minors: The Mariners have one of the best systems in baseball, and Colt Emerson ranks as the top player in the system. He's played at that level and then some as of late, as he's hitting .438/.550/.781 with a pair of homers and two stolen bases over his last 10 games. A first-round selection in 2023, Emerson has one of the best potential hit tools in the minors regardless of level, and he's beginning to tap into solid -- perhaps even better -- power as well. He has the ability to stick at shortstop, and of all the quality infield prospects Seattle has, he's the most likely to stay at that position outside of maybe Felnin Celestin. Wherever he plays Emerson's bat plays as well, and he could be an everyday option for Seattle by the end of 2026. Alex Freeland was another player that I considered for the fifth spot in this week's list, and if he played for a different team, he'd probably be up there. The 23-year-old has forged a solid .857 OPS in 2025, but he's been even better as of late with seven homers over the last month and a .703 slugging percentage over his last 10 games. Freeland has 55-grade (on the 20-80 scouting scale) hit and power tools, and is a solid defender who could play shortstop and third base. As much as Max Muncy has struggled with the glove, it seems likely that the Dodgers would need an injury before he got a chance to play at the highest level. He seems likely to be the future at that position, however, and is someone fantasy managers should do their best to acquire in keeper formats. If you're looking for a pitcher that isn't getting enough attention -- and who isn't? -- then you might wanna take a closer look at Henry Baez. In his 14 starts with Double-A San Antonio, Baez has forged a 2.06 ERA, 69/22 K/BB and 1.04 WHIP over 70 innings. The 22-year-old doesn't possess a pitch that tops the scales, but everything has a chance to be above-average, and his command should be good enough to allow that arsenal to play as a starter; although it could play up in a relief role. Baez should get a chance to face Triple-A hitting soon -- a much tougher test to be sure -- and if he handles that level with anything close to the level of his success in Double-A, he could be making appearances for San Diego by the end of the year. More than likely he's a 2026 play, and one who deserves attention in those keeper formats we mentioned with Freeland.
NBC Sports
16-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Top fantasy baseball prospects: Brady House joining the Nationals, James Tibbs traded to Boston
A reminder: This is ONLY players who have Rookie of the Year MLB eligibility, and ONLY a look at potential help for 2025. That out of the way, here's a look at the top prospects who can help your fantasy roster this season. 1. Brady House, INF, Washington Nationals2025 stats: 65 G, .304/.353/.519, 13 HR, 0 SB, 20 BB, 75 SO at Triple-A Rochester. For the third straight week, we get to cheat. House will be called up Monday against the Rockies to make his MLB debut. Yes, the Rockies still count as an MLB team, how dare you insinuate otherwise. House has considerable power in his right-handed bat, and while he does have swing-and-miss issues -- issues might be an understatement as you can tell from those strikeout totals -- he makes enough hard contact to compensate. Don't be surprised if there are some highs and lows for House in his first taste of MLB action, but he's worthy of a roster add for those looking for an offensive spark in their fantasy lineup. 2. Jordan Lawlar, 2B, Arizona Diamondbacks 2025 stats: 49 G, .324/.405/.583, 9 HR, 16 SB, 25 BB, 59 SO at Triple-A Reno; 8 G .000/.175/.000, 0 SB, 3 BB, 9 SO at Arizona. It's worth noting that Geraldo Perdomo suffered an injury during Sunday's game, but as of publication there was no word about a potential replacement or if said replacement is necessary. Lawlar's average has taken a dip since being demoted back to Reno, but he's seen his slugging percentage go up and had another homer and stole two more bags since our last update. Even with how disappointing his run with Arizona was, there's doubt in my mind that he belongs on this list. There's five tools at his disposal, and he offers as much upside as any prospect in the minors -- at least at the higher levels. When the Diamondbacks give him another chance this summer, I'd still be willing to make the roster move. 3. Samuel Basallo, C/1B, Baltimore Orioles 2025 stats: 43 G, .264/.371/.588, 14 HR, 0 SB, 25 BB, 44 SO at Triple-A Norfolk. Now, things get tricky. The majority of the top prospects in baseball are either in the majors or in the lower levels, so while this is not just the 'best of a bad situation' it's not all that far off. That being said, Basallo and the next three prospects on this list are far from slouches. The left-handed hitting backstop has considerable power in his left-handed bat, and while he may not be able to hit for a high average, he draws a good amount of walks and will carry catcher-eligibility. He's getting the majority of his reps at catcher, but the Tides have also had him play first base. There's no guarantee Basallo gets a promotion soon, but he'll absolutely be worthy of a fantasy addition if/when it takes place this summer. 4. Harry Ford, C, Seattle Mariners 2025 stats: 52 G, .315/.427/.495, 8 HR, 3 SB, 36 BB, 42 SO at Triple-A Tacoma. Another catcher? And this time one who is in the same organization as the best catcher in baseball in Cal Raleigh? Have I lost my mind? Probably, but I can explain my rationale. Ford has been one of the best hitters in Triple-A over the last month-plus for an offense that has been inconsistent -- at best -- in that time frame. Ford is also athletic enough to play in the outfield and first base, and Mitch Garver and Donovan Solano are currently languishing on the Seattle roster. Seattle would be able to find a way to get Ford at-bats, and the tools are there for him to be a fantasy-relevant player once that takes place. 5. Chase Burns, RHP, Cincinnati Reds 2025 stats: 12 G, 59 IP, 1.83 ERA, .170 BAA, 13 BB, 82 SO at High-A Dayton, Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Louisville. Burns was the second-overall pick of last year's draft, and made his first start in Triple-A on Thursday while allowing two runs over 5 1/3 innings. He did walk four,, but he also struck out seven in a very solid -- if unspectacular -- first outing at the second-highest level. Burns has as good of stuff as any prospect in the sport, and while it wasn't necessarily on display Thursday, he's able to command it at an impressive level. The one concern I have for Burns in 2025 is that the Reds may be looking to monitor his innings, but his ability to miss bats makes him well worth fantasy consideration if Cincinnati lets him make starts for the Reds this summer. All signs point to yes, even if he may be on a more rigid pitch count. Around the minors: Let's talk about James Tibbs, the top prospect acquired by the Red Sox in the blockbuster trade for Rafael Devers. Tibbs was selected with the 13th pick by the Giants out of Florida State -- one pick ahead of his collegiate teammate, Cam Smith -- and he's currently put together a.246/.379/.478 slash with 12 homers over 207 at-bats with High-A Eugene. The 22-year-old has plus power in his left-handed bat, and has a quality approach at the plate that should lead to a good amount of free passes. He's also prone to weak contact and will strike out at a pretty solid rate as seen in 45 strikeouts over 57 games, and he's a well below-average runner; hurting his chances of stolen bases and making his likely landing spot a corner-outfield role. He also may be a platoon player, so while there's a chance of him making an impact with Boston, his fantasy upside is a little more limited. Charlie Condon's season got off to a late start because of a fracture in his left wrist, but he's made up for lost time pretty quickly. Even after going hitless Sunday, Condon is still hitting an impressive .369 with an even more impressive .509 on-base percentage while slugging .488. The third-overall pick from last year's draft has enormous raw power in his right-handed bat, but he's shown that the hit tool isn't too shabby; albeit at the High-A level as a 22-year-old. Condon has gone a bit under the radar, but his offensive upside is considerable even before you consider the Coors Field factor. He should get a chance to shine at the upper levels before the 2025 season comes to a close, and he should be an everyday player by the end of 2026. Mariners infield prospect Michael Arroyo was hitting just .195 with a .718 OPS at the end of April at High-A Everett. That's not very good. He followed that up with an OPS of 1.001 in the month of May, and in June, he's been borderline unrealistic with a slash of .432/.563/.973. That'll play. Arroyo has tapped into his power quicker -- and better -- than anyone could have anticipated, and he stings the baseball to all parts of the field to give him a great chance to hit for average on top of it. There are some questions where he lands defensively even before you consider the Seattle infield situation, but whatever position he plays, Arroyo's offense plays at it and then some. He's maybe the most underrated fantasy prospect in the sport.
