Top fantasy baseball prospects: Chase Burns getting the call, Colt Emerson heating up

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3 hours ago

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.