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NBC Sports
4 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Top fantasy baseball prospects: Jac Caglianone getting the call, Harry Ford heating up in Tacoma
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. Jac Caglianone, 1B/OF, Kansas City Royals 2025 stats: 50 G, 322/.389/.593, 9 HR, 2 SB, 24 BB, 46SO at Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Triple-A Omaha. Last week, I talked about how I wouldn't be surprised if Caglianone was off this list because of promotion. Well, he made it to the list, but he won't be here next week. Multiple outlets report that the 2024 first-round pick will have his contract selected before Tuesday's game against the Cardinals. The left-handed hitter has massive power in his left-handed stroke, and while he is prone to strikeouts, the ball jumps off his bat; giving him a chance to be a contributor in the average category as well. There's some obvious risk with using a rookie in your lineup and particularly one who will swing and miss, but there's an enormous amount of upside in hie left-handed bat as well. 2. Roman Anthony, OF, Boston Red Sox 2025 stats: 53 G, .303/.430/.492, 8 HR, 3 SB, 45 BB, 4349 SO at Triple-A Worcester. Anthony's dealing with his first struggles of 2025 over the last week, and one could easily wonder if perhaps he's getting a bit bored at the Triple-A level. Even his struggles haven't really been too dire, there's just a lot of one-hit efforts lately. It's very hard to panic based on a week of so-so handful of games, and you can see from the numbers above that he's been excellent for the overwhelming majority of 2025. Anthony deserves to be with the Red Sox, and he deserves a roster spot when that takes place, if not sooner. 3. Jordan Lawlar, 2B, Arizona Diamondbacks 2025 stats: 39 G, .338/.414/.569, 6 HR, 13 SB, 19 BB, 43 SO at Triple-A Reno; 8 G .000/.175/.000, 0 SB, 3 BB, 9 SO at Arizona. Well, that didn't go great. Lawlar is back in the minors after essentially serving in a utility role with Arizona, and he wasn't able to pick up a hit in his week-plus with the club. These things happen. The top prospect went hitless in his first game back with Reno, but then went 3-for-4 with a run scored Sunday while drawing a walk and also driving in a pair. 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. 4. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers 2025 stats: 12 G, 58.1 IP, 2.31 ERA, .177 BAA, 28 BB, 73 SO at Triple-A Nashville. Speaking of bad weeks. Misiorowski made two appearances since our last update, and one outing was shaky, the other ugly. The better was four innings of two-run baseball -- one of those runs earned -- with eight strikeouts. The ugly was two innings where he allowed five runs and he issued six walks; an unfriendly reminder of Misiorowski's command issues that have caused concern over the last two seasons. The 23-year-old has been excellent for the overwhelming majority of 2025, and still offers significant fantasy upside in his right arm. He's just going to have to get back on track before he's going to join the Brew Crew's rotation. 5. Christian Moore, 2B, Los Angeles Angels 2025 stats: 46 G, .269/.374/.363, 2 HR, 8 SB, 29 BB, 56 SO at Double-A Rocket City and Triple-A Salt Lake. It's a little surprising that a first-round pick from the previous year hasn't gotten called up yet based on their recent history, but Moore did receive a promotion to Triple-A, and it has gone well so far, albeit in a small sample. The eighth-overall pick has hit .362/.456/.468 since joining the Bees over a dozen games, and he's stolen three bases with three extra-base hits. Moore has plus power and speed in his bat, and while he will strike out, he's also a patient hitter who can draw free passes and put those wheels to work. The Angels have been playing well, but their middle infield still leaves a lot to be desired. I like his chance for fantasy success whenever he does get the call. Around the minors: Mariners catching prospect Harry Ford struggled to begin the 2025 season, and he hit just .200 with a .662 OPS in the month of April. To say things went better for Ford in the month of May is the understatement of understatements. He finished that month with an OPS of 1.120 with a slash of .411/.475/.644 buoyed by three homers and nine extra-base hits. A 2021 first-round pick, Ford has an outstanding approach at the plate and tremendous athleticism for a player who mostly plays behind the plate, and he's starting to tap into his above-average power in his right-handed bat. He's definitely not going to usurp Cal Raleigh as the starter, but it's possible the Mariners find a way to get Ford's bat in the lineup after recently calling up Cole Young from Tacoma, and he'd be worthy of fantasy consideration whenever that takes place. It's been an impressive first professional season for Chase Burns, and he continued his strong run with a couple of quality outings last week. The second pick of last year's draft struck out 10 Sunday for Double-A Chattanooga, and he followed it up with six scoreless frames for the Lookouts on Saturday. His ERA on the season is now 1.93 over 46 2/3 innings, and that number dips to 1.54 when you look just as his numbers since being promoted from High-A. At this point, I would be more surprised if Burns didn't pitch for the Reds in 2025 than if he did. Even in the Reds' less-than-ideal park for pitchers, he'd obviously be worthy of roster consideration should that take place. Caglianone has been one of the best hitters in the minors, but the hottest hitter at the Triple-A level as of late is Rockies infield prospect Ryan Ritter. Ritter has homered eight times over the last week, and three of those occurred in one game against Reno. The shortstop is now up to 16 homers on the season, and he's also forged an impressive .307 average and 1.059 OPS over 199 at-bats. Ritter was better known for his defense than his offense coming into the year, but clearly he's taken a step forward with the bat in 2025. At the very least, he's now a name to monitor; especially since he's on track to play his home games in Colorado.
NBC Sports
26-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Top fantasy baseball prospects: Jac Caglianone crushing in Omaha, Travis Sykora impressing on the mound
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. Roman Anthony, OF, Boston Red Sox 2025 stats: 47 G, .321/.453/.518, 7 HR, 3 SB, 42 BB, 43 SO at Triple-A Worcester. Anthony moves back to his usual top spot, and I'm getting a little tired of updating his stats if I'm being honest with you. It was nice to see some power this week with his two roundtrippers over the week, as they were the first homers he's hit in the month of May. He's also hitting .362 during the month, so yeah, he can hit. Fantasy managers who have rostered Anthony have every right to be frustrated, but they need to remain patient. There's no prospect in baseball who offers close to his upside in the minors. 2. Jac Caglianone, 1B/OF, Kansas City Royals 2025 stats: 326/.389/.607, 8 HR, 2 SB, 20 BB, 41 SO at Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Triple-A Omaha. Caglianone makes his debut, and I won't be terribly surprised if he's off the list due to promotion when we do this again next week. The 2024 first-round pick has been outstanding since his promotion to Omaha with a slash of .346/.357/.923, and he's homered in four-straight games including a two-homer game Sunday. His patience at the plate has been a bit of a question mark, but there's 80-grade power in his left-handed swing, and the ball jumps off his bat. That's an understatement, really. The Royals have an outstanding pitching staff and an offense that leaves a lot to be desired. This seems pretty obvious. 3. Cole Young, 2B, Seattle Mariners 2025 stats: 50 G, .260/.374/.433, 5 HR, 3 SB, 26 BB, 27 SO at Triple-A Tacoma. We mentioned it last week, but Young's numbers are so much more impressive when you consider how bad he was to begin the year. After going 3-for-5 with a homer Sunday for the Rainiers, Young is now slashing .345/.436/.667. That slash in April, you ask? How about .200/.327/.274. Yep, that's some improvement, folks. Meanwhile, the Mariners are starting Leo Rivas and Miles Mastrobuoni at second base on a relatively consistent basis. The Mariners may want to see a little more sustained success from Young, but he's absolutely worthy of a fantasy addition if/when they do it this summer. 4. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers 2025 stats: 10 G, 52.1 IP, 1.55 ERA, .157 BAA, 20 BB, 63 SO at Triple-A Nashville. Misiorowski only went three innings in his last start; but he struck out four and allowed just a run in the second game of a doubleheader. The right-hander has not allowed more than in a start since April 16, and his command seems to get better in each start. Misiorowski has as much upside in his right arm as any starter in the minors, and it's a bit weird that he hasn't gotten a chance to help the Brew Crew and their rotation. Whenever they realize the folly in their ways, fantasy managers should add him, even acknowledging that there's some WHIP risk in his profile. 5. Christian Moore, 2B, Los Angeles Angels 2025 stats: 40 G, .272/.377/.374, 2 HR, 8 SB, 25 BB, 48 SO at Double-A Rocket City and Triple-A Salt Lake. It's a little surprising that a first-round pick from the previous year hasn't gotten called up yet based on their recent history, but Moore did receive a promotion to Triple-A, and it has gone well so far, albeit in a small sample. The eighth-overall pick has hit .478/.552/.652 since joining the Bees over six games, and he's stolen three bases with a couple of extra-base hits. Moore has plus power and speed in his bat, and while he will strike out, he's also a patient hitter who can draw free passes and put those wheels to work. The Angels have been playing well, but their middle infield still leaves a lot to be desired. I like his chance for fantasy success whenever he does get the call. Around the minors: Justin Crawford has a really good last name, but has also performed really well in Triple-A for Lehigh Valley. The son of former All-Star outfielder Carl Crawford is hitting .326 with an OPS of .832, and he's stolen 16 bases in that timeframe. The one concern for Crawford is a lack of power -- he's hit one homer in 183 at-bats -- but he's an 80-grade runner with a 60-grade hit tool with enough strength to put the ball into the gaps. The 21-year-old offers some risk because of his less-than-ideal power, but it's not hard to see him helping in several categories, and it's not hard to see it coming before the end of 2025. Also, he has a really good last name. Did I mention that? Travis Sykora missed the first month of the season while recovering from offseason hip surgery, but he's done nothing but impress since his return to the mound. His latest outing saw him strikeout nine over four scoreless innings while allowing just one hit, and he's given up just one run over his 15 innings (0.60 ERA) with an other-worldly 32/4 K/BB ratio. Sykora has three pitches that can miss bats in his fastball, splitter and slider, and the 6-foot-6 21-year-old has above-average command of those offerings, too. Sykora is likely a year away from making the majors, but he has a chance to be a fantasy ace someday. After going just 1-for-12 in his limited time with Baltimore, Coby Mayo has unfortunately brought those struggles with him to Triple-A. Over his last 10 games with Norfolk, Mayo has hit just .189/.231/.351, and he's struck out in 15 of his 39 plate appearances, giving him a K rate of 38.5 in that timeframe. The 23-year-old still has the tools to be a successful MLB player -- successful is really an understatement -- but he needs to get the contact issues in check if those tools are ever going to translate. One of the more tough prospects to get a read on from a fantasy perspective is Sal Stewart, and there are certainly things to like, especially in the month of May. He's hit .349 over his last 30 games, and the third baseman has also added four stolen bases for good measure. He's also hit only one homer in that sample, and there's a chance he won't provide even average power production from the hot-corner position. That being said, the hit tool has a chance to be plus, and he's a solid athlete who could provide 15-plus stolen bases at the highest level. Stewart might provide more 'real-life' value than fantasy, but a chance to play in Cincinnati could allow that skill set to play up, as well. You'd be forgiven if you've never heard of Patrick Copen, but there's a good chance that's about to change, even for the ever-so-small sample of people who don't read this article. He's struck out double-digit hitters in three of his last four starts including 10 in his most recent outing, and he's now fanned a whopping 73 batters over 44 innings for High-A Great Lakes. The 2023 seventh-round pick has outstanding stuff including a fastball that gets into the high 90 mph range with movement, and he complements that heater with 60-grade offerings in his slider and cutter. He also often doesn't know where those pitches are going to end up, as he's walked 29 batters and offers a good deal of effort in his delivery. As long as he keeps the walks to a dull roar Copen has a chance to be a very solid starter. If not, he could be dynamite as a reliever. Either way, a name to keep an eye on.
NBC Sports
19-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Top fantasy baseball prospects: Matt Shaw gets the call, Cole Young 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. Matt Shaw, 3B, Chicago Cubs 2025 stats: 24 G, .286/.409/.560, 5 HR, 5 SB, 17 BB, 11 SO at Triple-A Iowa; 18 G, .172/.294/.241, 1 HR, 0 SB, 10 BB, 18 SO at Chicago (NL). . Just as I was starting this article, it was announced that Shaw will be heading back from Iowa to Chicago before the Cubs' game against the Marlins on Monday. The infielder struggled in his two-plus week sample in the majors, but it's hard to be too discouraged by such a small sample; uninspiring as it may have been. Shaw appears to have rediscovered his pop in Triple-A, and even if you can't expect that kind of slugging mark at the highest level, he's far from a dink-and-dunk hitter. He's also the rare third baseman who has a chance to provide swipes. Shaw deserves a second chance in fantasy lineups, as he'd be far from the first player to scuffle in his first taste of MLB action only to have success. 2. Roman Anthony, OF, Boston Red Sox 2025 stats: 41 G, .322/.446/.503, 5 HR, 3 SB, 35 BB, 37 SO at Triple-A Worcester. Even knowing Shaw is heading up, I still strongly considered keeping Anthony in the top spot. The ball still isn't going over the fence as he still hasn't homered in the month of May, but he's 14-for-36 over his last 10 games with three doubles. Pretty hard to complain about that lack of production. Pretty easy to complain about Anthony not being a member of the Red Sox so far, and while it should be soon, fantasy managers have every right to be frustrated that he's 'toiling' in the minors instead of in Boston. Stay patient. It's coming soon. 3. Cole Young, 2B, Seattle Mariners 2025 stats: 44 G, .250/.364/.423, 4 HR, 1 SB, 23 BB, 27 SO at Triple-A Tacoma. Welcome back to the list, Cole. With Jordan Lawlar now back in Arizona, Young gets the spot. Those numbers above aren't overly impressive on the surface, but they're not indicative of how well he's played as of late. In his 16 games in the month of May, he's hitting .349/.438/.698 with four homers for the Rainiers. The 2022 first-round pick has an easy plus hit tool from the left side, and he's clearly beginning to tap into his power as well. Seattle is currently playing Leo Rivas, Miles Mastrobuoni and Dylan Moore at second base. Yeah, there's an opening here, and if Young keeps this up, that opening will be filled by one of the top prospects in the system. 4. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers 2025 stats: 9 G, 49.1 IP, 1.46 ERA, .151 BAA, 19 BB, 59 SO at Triple-A Nashville. Misiorowski went seven innings in his last start, and he held Triple-A Memphis to just one run with five strikeouts against one walk. That's three straight outings that the right-hander has gone at least six innings, and he's issued no more than one walk in four of his last five starts. The Brewers are keeping it coy in terms of a potential call-up for Misiorowski, but have mentioned him as a potential 'option' for the rotation. It's understandable that they are playing the long-game with the 23-year-old, but it's hard to imagine Misiorowski doesn't make the Brew Crew better right now. It's hard to imagine he wouldn't make fantasy rosters better when Milwaukee comes to that conclusion, as well. 5. Bubba Chandler, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates 2025 stats: 9 G, 37.1 IP, 2.17 ERA, .197 BAA, 16 BB, 56 SO at Triple-A Indianapolis. Chandler's last start was just so-so, as he gave up a pair of runs while allowing seven hits over 4 1/3 innings against Louisville on Sunday. He was much better in his first start since our last update with five scoreless frames and eight strikeouts; also against Louisville. Chandler looks ready to go and then some, and the Pirates are going nowhere. Even if Pittsburgh limits the innings, there's loads of fantasy upside in his right arm. It's hard to see him not making starts in the majors before 2025 comes to a close. Around the minors: The Pirates selected Konnor Griffin with the ninth pick of last year's draft, and based on the early results, there could be a few teams that regret passing on him. He's now hitting .324 with a .920 OPS over 33 games for Low-A Bradenton, and he's been even better as of late; going 18-for-37 with five extra-base hits and five steals over his last 10 games. Griffin is a fantastic athlete with plus-plus speed and a weapons-grade arm, and the Marauders have used him at both shortstop and the outfield in 2025. There's the potential massive power in his right-handed bat, and the hit tool is more advanced than anticipated. Griffin has a chance to be a fantasy star in the coming years, and could help the Bucs by the end of 2027. Luis Morales was given a $3 million bonus by the Athletics in 2023, and it appears to have been a wise investment. After a so-so first full professional season in High-A with Lansing, he's forged a 2.98 ERA over 42 1/3 innings that's accompanied by a 53/15 K/BB ratio and 1.02 WHIP over eight starts. His last two starts have seen the 22-year-old at his best; striking out 11 over 13 innings while allowing just three runs. With a plus-plus fastball that can get into the high 90s without much effort and well above-average slider, Morales has the stuff to be a mid-rotation starter or better, and it's not out of the question he could make starts for the A's by the end of 2025. He's definitely a name to keep an eye on for this season and beyond. There may not be a prospect who has seen his stock improve more in 2025 than Aroon Escobar, and he had another big night Saturday for Low-A Clearwater. He went 5-for-5 with a homer and a double for the Thrashers, and he's now hitting .328/.429/.573 with eight homers over his 33 games in the Florida State League. The 20-year-old has tapped into his well above-average power, and the ball jumps off his bat, giving him a chance for an above-average hit tool to go with it. He's not going to be a major stolen base threat, but if the other offensive tools play to their ability, that won't matter. Escobar is far too good for Low-A, but the long-term upside makes him a player that needs to be rostered in the overwhelming majority of keeper formats.
NBC Sports
12-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Top fantasy baseball prospects: Jacob Misiorowski strikes out 11, Joc Caglianone keeps hitting
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. Roman Anthony, OF, Boston Red Sox 2025 stats: 35 G, .302/.423/.476, 5 HR, 3 SB, 28 BB, 33 SO at Triple-A Worcester. If there's a negative to how Anthony has been playing since the start of May, it's the lack of extra-base hits. And by lack of extra-base hits, I mean an entire lack, as he hasn't picked up a single one in that time frame. That's not ideal, but he's gone 12-for-37 (.324) and drawn seven walks during those games, and getting on at a .422 clip is nothing to sneeze at. On the contrary. The Red Sox have some, well, roster issues right now, but unless a certain former third baseman wants to become a current first baseman, it's a little hard to see a roster spot for Anthony in the coming days. It should be by the end of the month, and he's well worth rostering now so you don't miss out. 2. Jordan Lawlar, INF, Arizona Diamondbacks 2025 stats: 37 G, .336/.413/.579, 6 HR, 13 SB, 18 BB, 39 SO at Triple-A Reno. Lawlar was due for some struggles, and the fact that he's hit just .267/.283/.333 since the end of April and still has these kind of stats tells you just how good the former first-round pick has been. Like Anthony, he hasn't been able to go deep since the calendar turned, but he has added three doubles. The D-Backs may want Lawlar to get on another run before they decide to bring him up to the highest level and there's no obvious roster spot, but it's pretty obvious Lawlar is ready to face MLB pitching again. Fantasy managers should pounce on it as soon as the Diamondbacks make that call. 3. Matt Shaw, 3B, Chicago Cubs 2025 stats: 18 G, .262/.392/.415, 1 HR, 3 SB, 13 BB, 9 SO at Triple-A Iowa; 18 G, .172/.294/.241, 1 HR, 0 SB, 10 BB, 18 SO at Chicago (NL). Shaw failed in his time with the Cubs to open the year. Those who watched Shaw play know that, and those who didn't can just look at those stats. But you know how this works. You know how hard baseball is. You know how many young players faltered to begin their career and still went on to become excellent players. Shaw started out slowly after being demoted to Triple-A, but the infielder has turned a corner and been a solid contributor since May began. Shaw isn't guaranteed to help fantasy rosters in 2025, but there's obviously enough talent for him to be a contributor in redraft leagues this summer. He wouldn't be on this list if that wasn't the case. 4. Bubba Chandler, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates 2025 stats: 7 G, 28 IP, 2.25 ERA, .160 BAA, 11 BB, 41 SO at Triple-A Indianapolis. Chandler was due for a bad start, and he had one Wednesday against Columbus. He went just 2 2/3 innings while allowing three runs on five hits, and while he did strike out five, he also issued four walks. Considering how dominant he was prior to that start -- he had a 1.42 ERA bump up to 2.25 due to the struggles -- it's hard to be too concerned about it. Chandler's stock was high coming into the year, but the stuff and command have seen it rise so much that many believe he's now the best pitching prospect in baseball. Even pitching for a bad baseball team like the Pirates, there's still a great chance he's relevant in 2025. 5. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers 2025 stats: 8 G, 42.1 IP, 1.49 ERA, .148 BAA, 18 BB, 54 SO at Triple-A Nashville. Chandler struggled in his last outing. Misiorowski did the opposite. He was able to work 6 2/3 innings while allowing just two hits without giving up a run, and he struck out a season-high 11 batters against just one walk. It's nice to see him bounce back from the four free passes he gave up in the outing before, but even that one saw him give up just one run. The Brewers have dealt with a plethora of injuries in their rotation, and while Aaron Civale and Brandon Woodruff have a chance to come back soon,, it's hard to imagine that Misiorowski isn't one of their best options. The risk with the command is real, but so is the reward with electric swing-and-miss stuff. Around the minors: Jac Caglione lost the race to Nick Kurtz to be the first big bat from 2024 to make the majors, but to say he's impressing in the minors is quite the understatement. Over his last 10 games, Caglianone is slashing .410/.477/.795 with five homers and drawn five walks for good measure. The Royals offense is playing better -- it would be hard to play much worse -- but it's hard to argue that Caglianone doesn't make them better right now. I seriously considered him for the final spot in this week's list, and if you wanted to argue he should be rostered over those two pitchers -- or even Shaw -- I wouldn't argue with you for too long. Jonah Tong was a seventh-round pick back in 2022 who didn't receive much fanfare before 2024, but he posted a 3.03 ERA while reaching Double-A last season, and things have gone well for the right-hander in 2025; particularly as of late. He threw 6 2/3 perfect innings for Double-A Binghamton on Saturday, and he did it while striking out 13 hitters. His low-to-mid 90 mph fastball plays up because there's so much deception in his delivery, and he complements that heater with a plus curve and solid slider. Command is an issue at times, but Tong's ability to miss bats gives him a chance to be a mid-rotation starter -- maybe more -- in the coming years. When the Nationals drafted Elijah Green with the fifth pick in 2022, the hope was that his elite athleticism would translate into making him a potential star. That athleticism still shows up, but the translation hasn't been good. That's an understatement, unfortunately. Over his last 10 games Green has whiffed 20 times in 37 at-bats, and he's hitting an unusable .157/.242/.259 with a whopping 58 strikeouts in 108 at-bats over 30 games. It's worth pointing out that Green struck out 206 times in 2024, so this isn't new. It's just disappointing it hasn't gotten better. There could be some sellers' remorse for those who move on from Green in dynasty leagues, but there's just too many issues here to bet on him becoming more than organizational depth at this point. I hope I'm wrong. Hey. Remember Everson Pereira? You'd be forgiven if you don't; there are a lot of baseball players to remember and Pereira only played 40 games last year because of internal brace surgery. He also missed a couple of weeks in 2025, but he's made the most of his time on the field with eight homers and a .951 OPS over 24 games for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Strikeouts are always going to be an issue for Pereira, but he has plus power from his right-handed bat, and the 24-year-old also has above-average speed that gives him a chance to steal 15-to-20 bases -- possibly more -- in his best seasons. The Yankees don't have room right now, Pereira may force his way into their plans, and if not, he could be a player to watch if he was to be moved at/near the deadline.
NBC Sports
28-04-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Top fantasy baseball prospects: Roman Anthony, Moises Ballesteros continue to impress in minors
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. Roman Anthony, OF, Boston Red Sox 2025 stats: 23 G, .313/.451/.588, 5 HR, 2 SB, 21 BB, 21 SO at Triple-A Worcester. Anthony continues to hit for average, hit for power and get on base at an exceptional clip with the Triple-A Red Sox. The outfielder has been especially good over the last week-plus, and he's hitting .353/.465/.706 over his last 10 games with three homers and eight free passes. He isn't running, but that's not a big part of Anthony's game, and it doesn't need to be if he's maxing out in those other categories. The Red Sox have no room at the inn, but that's not going to matter soon if Anthony keeps hitting like this. He should be rostered now, because it's going to be very hard to get him later if you don't. 2. Jordan Lawlar, INF, Arizona Diamondbacks 2025 stats: 26 G, .356/.451/.644, 5 HR, 12 SB, 16 BB, 29 SO at Triple-A Reno. Lawlar, as the kids once said, is 'on one' right now. He's picked up multiple hits in five of his last six games, and over that same 10-game sample as Anthony he's slashing .382/.482/.647 and he's added eight stolen bases for good measure. It's easy to forget how talented Lawlar is because he played so little in 2024, but what he's done in 2025 -- even in a small sample size of a month -- cannot be ignored. Whenever the Diamondbacks decide to make him part of their roster, fantasy managers should do the same if they can. 3. Coby Mayo, 3B/1B, Baltimore Orioles 2025 stats: 19 G, .256/.361/.500, 4 HR, 1 SB, 15 BB, 25 SO at Triple-A Norfolk. . Mayo hasn't homered since April 15, but he's shown that he's capable of being more than a one-category player in that timeframe. He's picked up two hits in three of his last four contests, and he's seen his batting average raise 31 points since Tax Day. The reason Mayo is considered one of the top prospects in baseball is largely based on his impressive power from the right side, but also because that power has a chance to play since there are other tools that will allow it too. Mayo needs to either change organizations or for Baltimore to make some significant roster changes -- be it via injury or trade -- but even with his ugly line with the team in 2024, fantasy managers should pounce on adding him when Baltimore gives him a shot. 4. Bubba Chandler, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates 2025 stats: 5 G, 20.1 IP, 1.33 ERA, .106 BAA, 6 BB, 27 SO at Triple-A Indianapolis. Chandler was once again impressive in his latest start with five scoreless innings, one hit allowed and four strikeouts against Triple-A St. Paul on Friday. The right-hander has not allowed more than two runs in any outing thus far this year, and while he's not missing bats at an exceptional rate, there's more than enough punchouts to go with weak contact and a lack of self-inflicted damage to be excited about what he's doing in the International League. Chandler should be up soon, and while the Pirates may not provide a ton of win chances, his stuff is good enough to roster him and adding him to lineups against all but the best teams in the sport. 5. Marcelo Mayer, SS, Boston Red Sox 2025 stats: 19 G, .280/.324/.548, 7 HR, 1 SB, 7 BB, 20 SO at Triple-A Worcester. We need a new name with Nick Kurtz already in the majors, and while there are a few decent candidates, I'm adding another Boston prospect in Mayer. The former fourth-overall pick has the tools to hit for both average and power from the left side, and he's done just that -- particularly the latter -- to begin the 2025 season with Worcester. The reason Mayer ranks this 'low' is because Boston just doesn't seem to have an open spot for him, but it's the same thing with Anthony; when the Red Sox feel he's ready to help, they're going to find a place for him to play. It's not quite the upside of the names above, but there's still a lot to like about his chances of making a fantasy impact when he gets that call. Around the minors: There are a plethora of quality shortstop prospects at the lower levels, but Leo De Vries might be the best of them from a fantasy perspective. Despite being just 18 until October, the Padres gave him an assignment with High-A Fort Wayne and he's picked up nine extra-base hits, three homers and forged an .854 OPS over his 17 games with the TinCaps. A switch-hitter, De Vries has the potential for plus power from both sides of the plate, but it's his pitch-recognition skills and smooth swing that make his hit tool the best in his skill set. He also has plus speed, and shouldn't have an issue sticking at shortstop. De Vries is a couple years away, but there's a great chance he's a five-category player when he's ready to roll in the latter part of the decade. Bryce Eldridge was finally able to make his season debut after missing the first few weeks of the campaign with a wrist injury, and he homered in his first at-bat back. He's gone just 1-for-12 since that, but the most important thing is the 20-year-old first baseman is back on the field for Double-A Richmond. A 6-foot-7 left-handed hitter that was considered a two-way prospect in high school, Eldridge has enormous power from his enormous frame, and he makes enough hard contact to suggest that he'll hit for a decent average even with strikeouts basically a guarantee. He's limited to first base so the bat is going to have to max out, but if it does, we're talking about a 35-plus homer hitter who gets on base at a high clip and registers an average that won't kill you. That's obviously a very valuable fantasy prospect, and it's one that could make his debut in the majors this summer. George Lombard Jr. was the Yankees first-round pick back in 2023, and his first season didn't go very well as seen in a .672 OPS over 110 games at the Low- and High-A levels. He was assigned to High-A Hudson Valley to begin 2025, and at least over the first month, things have gone better. Much better, in fact, with a slash of .306/.494/.452 over 62 at-bats with nine stolen bases in his first 19 games. The son of former top prospect George Lombard, Lombard Jr. has outstanding athleticism, but also a strong baseball acumen with the willingness to draw walks and put his speed into play. The power is still a work in progress, but both that tool and his hit project to be average; with a chance for plus in the latter. He's a very strong defensive player, and there's plenty of time for his skills to develop as a player who doesn't turn 20 until June. Lombard Jr. needs to be on the roster radar in dynasty leagues as a player who could help in multiple categories in a few years. Moises Ballesteros is one of the top catching prospects in baseball, and to say he's playing like it right now is the understatement of understatements. After reaching four times against Louisville on Sunday with two hits and two walks, he's now slashing an unrealistic .414/.475/.586 over 22 games with two homers and 10 extra-base hits. Ballesteros has exceptional bat-to-ball skills, and the 21-year-old has enough power to turn on mistakes for 15-to-20 homer seasons with plenty of doubles. He's considered a below-average defender, but not so bad that he has no chance of sticking at the position. The Cubs have gotten quality production out of Carson Kelly so far, but when Kelly starts playing like, well, Carson Kelly, the Cubs should turn to Ballesteros. Fantasy managers might want to do the same when that occurs at some point in 2025.
