X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Three Up, Three Down - 2018 Outfield Prospects

For most minor league outfield prospects, 2017 was generally a good year across the board for them all. Many prospects continued to trend upward in their fantasy value, with some putting up very impressive numbers.

Some outfielders though stumbled slightly on their journey to the majors, and because of the success of other players, their failings were amplified as a result.

For these six prospects, 2018 will be a big season for them as they try to either build upon their successes or rebound from their failures.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and weekly lineup resources:

 

Prospect Stocks Rising

Eloy Jimenez, Chicago White Sox

Traded to the White Sox from the Cubs in the Jose Quintana deal, Jimenez had a .312 average between High-A and Double-A in 2017, setting career-highs with a .379 on-base percentage and a .568 slugging percentage. He also set a career-high with 19 home runs, surpassing his 2016 total of 14 HR in 99 fewer at-bats. What shows the most promise for Jimenez however are his walk and strikeout rates. While not much, Jimenez did lower his strikeout rate from 20.3 percent to 19.5 percent in 2017, and he nearly doubled his walk rate from 5.4 percent to 9.5 percent.

These signs of improved plate discipline bode well for Jimenez, especially if he is able to translate that into more HR. Currently it looks like Jimenez will start the year in the minors, but if he gets off to a hot start he could be one of the first options the Sox call on if an outfield spot opens up due to injury.

Oscar Mercado, St Louis Cardinals

It was a breakout season for Mercado in 2017 as he set career-highs in just about every major category with the Cardinals' Double-A affiliate. He hit .287 with a .341 OBP and a .428 SLG — all career-highs — with 13 HR and 38 stolen bases. Mercado has shown plenty of speed throughout his career, averaging 38 a year, but his 2017 HR output nearly doubled his previous career total of eight.

The Cardinals have a loaded outfield at the moment after acquiring Marcell Ozuna from the Marlins, so Mercado has some time to work on improving his plate discipline before an opportunity to be called up arises. If Mercado can cut back on the strikeouts and maintain this newfound power, he could become one of the top fantasy options for owners looking for steals.

Austin Hays, Baltimore Orioles

Just over a year after hearing his name called in the third round of the 2016 Draft, Austin Hays earned a September call-up to the Orioles after destroying pitchers in the Carolina and Eastern Leagues. Hays' quick rise to the majors came after he hit .329 with a .593 SLG — the highest in the entire Baltimore organization in 2017. He hit 32 HR and 32 doubles between the Frederick Keys and Bowie Baysox, all while maintaining a relatively low strikeout rate of 15.1 percent.

While it would be nice to see Hays increase his walk rate from a very low 4.4 percent, all of his numbers so far make it appear that he is a potential All-Star in the making. As of now, Hays looks like he will be the fourth outfielder for the Orioles out of Spring Training, and it is entirely possible that he could be vying for a starting job by as early as June or July.

 

Prospect Stocks Falling

Braxton Davidson, Atlanta Braves

A former first round pick for the Braves, Davidson has puzzled some with his struggles at the plate through four seasons in the minors. Davidson led the entire Braves organization with 84 walks in 2015, and has averaged 63 walks a season while maintaining a career 15.4 percent walk rate. His problem though is that he may be too patient at the plate, as he has also averaged 129 strikeouts per year and holds a career 31.7 strikeout rate.

When he was drafted, Davidson's power was what many thought would be his biggest strength and when he does hit the ball he shows that power potential is still there. He's averaged 20 doubles and nine HR over the last three seasons, and if he can start better recognizing pitches to drive he could become one of the better prospects in the Braves system. As it stands now though, Davidson will need to show a significant improvement in 2018 before his value plummets even further than it has.

Mickey Moniak, Philadelphia Phillies

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 Draft, Moniak's numbers took a dive across the board in his sophomore season after making the jump from the Gulf Coast League to the South Atlantic League. Strikeouts were the big problem for the 19-year-old, as his strikeout rate increased from 18 percent in 2016 to 21.4 percent in 2017. The increase in strikeouts led to his batting average dropping 56 points to .236, while his .284 OBP and .341 SLG were both down more than 55 points from 2016. Another concern for Moniak was his tendency to hit a lot of ground balls. He was able to slightly lower his ground ball rate from 51.7 percent to 47.6 percent, but it was still among the highest rates in the South Atlantic League.

It is way, way too soon to label Moniak as a "bust," but the strikeouts are a concern that fantasy players should keep an eye on. If he can cut down on his ground balls and strikeouts in 2018, he should see his fantasy value return to where his potential says it should be.

Blake Rutherford, Chicago White Sox

Another prospect the White Sox acquired in a mid-season trade, Rutherford hit a sophomore slump in 2017, which saw his batting average drop 91 points to .260 and his OPS drop 312 points to .674. He hit 25 doubles between the Chicago and New York affiliates in the South Atlantic League, but in 310 more plate appearances than in 2016 he only slugged two HR — one fewer than his 2016 mark. On a positive note, Rutherford was able to reduce his strikeout rate from 23.1 percent to 17.3 percent, but he also saw a slight decrease in his walk rate, from 10 percent down to 8.6 percent. A reduction in both his walk and strikeout rates suggests that his struggles might come after making contact, a theory that is supported by his 51.9 percent ground ball rate in 2017. While it was lower than his 56.1 percent rate in 2016, it is still on the high side if he wants to succeed in the majors.

Much like Moniak, it is considerably early to be panicking over Rutherford's numbers. With another season under his belt he could very well have a good year in 2018 and see his fantasy stock go back up. But for now, until he is able to show those improvements he is on a slight downward trend when it comes to his value for fantasy owners.

 

More MLB Prospects and Dynasty




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

William Eklund55 mins ago

Ruled Out For Thursday
Jake Walman1 hour ago

To Remain Out For Fifth Consecutive Game
Samuel Ersson1 hour ago

Labeled As Day-To-Day
Valeri Nichushkin1 hour ago

Out On Thursday
Kirill Kaprizov1 hour ago

Likely Out For At Least Two More Games
Auston Matthews2 hours ago

Remains Out On Thursday
Darcy Kuemper2 hours ago

Logs 33-Save Shutout Against Devils
Gabe Vincent2 hours ago

Iffy To Face Trail Blazers
Dalano Banton2 hours ago

Considered Questionable Thursday
Alex Caruso2 hours ago

Sits Out Thursday's Action
Jerami Grant2 hours ago

Ruled Out For Thursday
Gary Payton II3 hours ago

Misses Fourth Straight Game
Draymond Green3 hours ago

Probable For Thursday's Game
Drake Maye11 hours ago

Limited As Week 18 Prep Begins
Anthony Richardson11 hours ago

Colts Hopeful Anthony Richardson Can Play Despite Missing Practice
Patrick Mahomes11 hours ago

Limited As Week 18 Prep Begins
Tony Pollard11 hours ago

Limited As Week 18 Prep Begins
Noah Clowney13 hours ago

Suffers A Back Injury Versus Toronto
Anthony Davis14 hours ago

Uncertain For Thursday
Jae Crowder14 hours ago

Is Active On Wednesday
Kyle Lowry14 hours ago

Starting On Wednesday
Eric Gordon14 hours ago

Available On Wednesday
P.J. Washington14 hours ago

Exits Early On Wednesday Night, Won't Return
Kelly Oubre Jr.14 hours ago

Ruled Out On Wednesday
Andre Drummond14 hours ago

Active Wednesday Against Kings
Jaden Ivey14 hours ago

Leaves Game Early On Wednesday Night, Stretchered To Locker Room
Tee Higgins14 hours ago

Logs Another Limited Session
Joe Burrow15 hours ago

Limited Again Wednesday
Khris Middleton15 hours ago

Probable Heading Into Thursday Night
AJ Green15 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Thursday Night
Giannis Antetokounmpo15 hours ago

Probable For Thursday Against Brooklyn
Kristaps Porzingis15 hours ago

Listed Questionable For Thursday
Jaylen Brown15 hours ago

Questionable For Thursday Night In Minnesota
Bilal Coulibaly15 hours ago

Ruled Out For Remainder Of Wednesday Night's Game Against Chicago
Aaron Rodgers17 hours ago

Says Sunday Could Be His Final Game
Joshua Palmer18 hours ago

Ladd McConkey, Joshua Palmer Miss Wednesday's Practice
A.J. Brown18 hours ago

DeVonta Smith Miss Practice On Wednesday
Deebo Samuel Sr.19 hours ago

Does Not Practice On Wednesday
Chris Olave19 hours ago

Practices In Full On Wednesday
Jaylen Warren19 hours ago

Upgrades To Full Participation On Wednesday
Derek Carr19 hours ago

Does Not Practice On Wednesday
Alvin Kamara20 hours ago

Not Practicing On Wednesday
James Conner20 hours ago

Placed On Injured Reserve, Michael Carter Promoted
George Kittle20 hours ago

Not Practicing On Wednesday
Chase Brown21 hours ago

Not Seen At Wednesday's Practice
Jimmy Garoppolo21 hours ago

To Start For Rams In Week 18
Travis Kelce21 hours ago

Among Chiefs Regulars That Could Rest On Sunday
Jalen Hurts21 hours ago

Still In Concussion Protocol, Not Expected To Play In Week 18
Green Bay Packers21 hours ago

Jaire Alexander Done For The Season
Xander Schauffele21 hours ago

Hoping To Find Success Again At Majors In 2025
Chris Kirk21 hours ago

Starts 2025 Defending The Sentry Title
Max Homa21 hours ago

Hopes To Rebound After Disappointing 2024 Season
Nick Dunlap21 hours ago

Looks To Build On Impressive Rookie Season
Collin Morikawa21 hours ago

Heads To The Sentry After Excellent 2024 Season
PGA21 hours ago

Sungjae Im Hoping To Start 2025 Season Strongly At The Sentry
Russell Henley21 hours ago

Closes Out 2024 Season Strong
Jason Day21 hours ago

Looks Ahead To 2025 Season At The Sentry
Akshay Bhatia21 hours ago

To Repeat Last Year’s Sentry Performance?
Ludvig Aberg21 hours ago

Returns To The Sentry
Jesús Luzardo22 hours ago

Jesus Luzardo Feeling 100 Percent
Maverick McNealy22 hours ago

Making First Career Start At Kapalua
Corey Conners23 hours ago

Making Third Consecutive Start At Kapalua
Viktor Hovland24 hours ago

A Gametime Decision For Year's First Event
Tony Finau1 day ago

Making Sixth Start At Kapalua After Rumor-Filled Offseason
Justin Thomas1 day ago

Looks To Get Off To Fast Start In 2025 At Kapalua
Jason Robertson1 day ago

Tallies Three Points In Victory
John Tavares1 day ago

Extends Point Streak To Eight Games
Valeri Nichushkin1 day ago

Departs Early On Tuesday
Samuel Ersson1 day ago

Departs Early On Tuesday
Kris Letang1 day ago

Placed On Injured Reserve, Marcus Pettersson Activated
Igor Shesterkin1 day ago

Placed On Injured Reserve
Ivan Ivan2 days ago

Out Week-To-Week
Radek Faksa2 days ago

Misses Winter Classic
Jeff Skinner2 days ago

Re-Enters Oilers Lineup Tuesday
Simon Holmstrom2 days ago

Considered Day-To-Day
Kirill Kaprizov2 days ago

Will Remain Out On Tuesday
Kris Letang2 days ago

Out On Tuesday, Considered Day-To-Day
Patrick Cantlay2 days ago

Looks For Hot Start In 2025
Sam Burns2 days ago

In Top Form Ahead of Kapalua
Cameron Young2 days ago

Needs To Avoid Bad Rounds In Hawaii
Sahith Theegala2 days ago

Looking For Big 2025 Start In Hawaii
Hideki Matsuyama2 days ago

Always A Threat In Hawaii
Billy Horschel2 days ago

Seeks To Build Off Great 2024 Campaign
Alec Martinez2 days ago

Nearing Return
Kaapo Kakko2 days ago

Tallies Two Helpers On Monday
Jack Flaherty2 days ago

Orioles Interested In Reunion With Jack Flaherty
Alex Bregman3 days ago

Tigers "All-In" On Alex Bregman
Trevor Williams3 days ago

Returning To Washington On Two-Year Deal
Josh Bell4 days ago

Returning To Washington
Pete Alonso4 days ago

Giants Have Pete Alonso "On Their Radar"
Corbin Burnes5 days ago

Inks Six-Year Deal With Arizona
Teoscar Hernández6 days ago

Teoscar Hernandez Returning To Los Angeles On Three-Year Deal
Masataka Yoshida6 days ago

On The Trade Market

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Cameron Dicker - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups, Kickers, Streamers

Week 18 Fantasy Football Kicker Rankings: Kicker Updates Include Justin Tucker, Cameron Dicker, Zane Gonzalez, Chris Boswell, Jake Moody, Tyler Bass

If your fantasy football league extends to Week 18, it's worth noting that kickers are not directly affected by teams sitting starters. However, their opportunities to score could take a hit, so that is factored into the rankings. Use our Week 18 fantasy football kicker rankings for 2024 to guide you in setting optimal lineups. […]


Jayden Reed - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Lineup Picks

Fantasy Football Playoff Rankings for Week 18 - Thursday Updates for Jameson Williams, Tony Pollard, Jordan Addison, Jayden Reed, Kyle Pitts, Breece Hall

If you're nervous about your lineups heading into fantasy football championship action, use our Week 18 fantasy football overall rankings for 2024 to guide your close calls and start-or-sit decisions. It's not time to overthink your start 'em, sit 'em calls. Let's navigate the overall rankings below to see where key fantasy options like Jameson […]


Malik Nabers - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

Wide Receiver Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 18 Thursday WR Updates for Malik Nabers, Ladd McConkey, Jalen McMillan, Darnell Mooney, Josh Downs

If your fantasy football league extends to Week 18, you probably already know it's going to be a tough week of lineup calls due to key players out of action. We're here to help with our Week 18 fantasy football wide receiver rankings for 2024. Below, you'll find out where key wideouts such as Malik […]


Jauan Jennings - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Fantasy Football FLEX Rankings (RB, WR, TE) - Week 18 Thursday Updates for Ladd McConkey, Jauan Jennings, Ray Davis, Kenneth Gainwell, Josh Downs

If your fantasy football title game is in Week 18, you will have a ton of things to sort through as teams are either resting starters or "tanking." Our Week 18 fantasy football FLEX rankings for 2024 are here to help your lineup calls and DFS efforts. Ahead of the final slate of the 2024 […]


Zach Charbonnet - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

Running Back Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 18 Thursday RB Updates for Zach Charbonnet, Rico Dowdle, Ameer Abdullah, Blake Corum, Ray Davis

Week 18 is by far the most difficult slate to navigate for fantasy football. That said, our Week 18 Thursday fantasy football running back rankings for 2024 are here to help you with start-sit calls. Dig into the rankings below to find out where key Week 18 options such as Zach Charbonnet, Rico Dowdle, Ameer […]


Chig Okonkwo - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Tight End Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 18 Thursday TE Updates for Jonnu Smith, Noah Gray, Chig Okonkwo, Mark Andrews, Zach Ertz, Tucker Kraft

Week 18 is always tough to navigate for fantasy football and DFS. Several teams will rest key starters, so we're here to help our Week 18 fantasy football tight end rankings. Let's dig into the player rankings below to see where TEs on the start-sit bubble like Jonnu Smith, Noah Gray, Chig Okonkwo, Mark Andrews, Zach […]


Sam Darnold - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

Quarterback Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 18 Thursday QB Updates for Sam Darnold, Jared Goff, Russell Wilson, Joshua Dobbs, Bryce Young, more

If your fantasy football league plays on to Week 18 or you are just reviewing rankings for DFS purposes, our Week 18 fantasy football quarterback rankings for 2024 are here to assist your league-winning or tournament-winning lineup calls. Let's navigate the rankings below to find out where key QBs like Sam Darnold, Jared Goff, Russell […]


Mark Andrews - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Saturday Slate: Daily Fantasy Football Week 18 NFL DFS Lineup Picks on DraftKings and FanDuel (2025)

If you love high-stakes NFL DFS action on small slates, this Saturday is your time to shine! With just two divisional matchups on the schedule, every lineup decision is magnified. The action kicks off with the Baltimore Ravens hosting the Cleveland Browns at 5:30 p.m. EST, where the Ravens are heavy favorites with an implied […]


Video: Week 18 Must-Start Wide Receivers - 2024 Fantasy Football Playoff Streamers, Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Analysis

Though most season-long fantasy football leagues wrapped up last week, there are still some squads in action in Week 18. We're here to help with those tough start/sit decisions at the WR position! RotoBaller's Matt Donnelly discusses his top "Must Start" WRs that will have a fantasy football impact in Week 18, as well as […]


Mike Evans - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

NFL Survivor Pool Picks: Week 18 Targets and Avoids (2024)

Welcome to our NFL Survivor Pool Picks for Week 18 of the 2024 NFL season! There are so many different pools, fantasy leagues, weekly bets, and futures bets that it's hard to decide what to do with these choices. But survivor pools are the oldest and simplest leagues out there. All you have to do is […]


Lamar Jackson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

NFL Pick'em Pool Picks (Week 18) - Targets, Avoids, Predictions for Pick'em Contests (2024)

We’ve reached the final week of the NFL regular season. While some games will be of no consequence, others will come with significant playoff implications. Each week of the NFL season, I’ll share my picks for each game and rank their selections for those who play in a format that requires it. The games will […]


Russell Wilson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

PrizePicks NFL DFS Prop Picks - Over/Under Props for Week 18 (Saturday Slate)

Hello everybody, and welcome to our PrizePicks NFL DFS prop picks for Week 18 - Saturday Main Slate! The 2024 NFL season is now through the holiday season and gearing up for the playoffs, and our friends over at PrizePicks have a TON of great DFS plays we can look to take advantage of. Our […]


Adam Thielen - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

WR/CB Matchups to Upgrade and Downgrade - Fantasy Football Week 18 (2024)

Welcome back to our WR/CB Matchups for Week 18 of the 2024 fantasy football season. Congrats to all of you who won a championship or reached the title game! For those unfamiliar, this weekly series looks at fantasy football matchups for wide receivers versus the cornerbacks who are projected to cover them. The data we […]