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We are officially in the second half of the season, and several top prospects have gotten off to a hot start in the minor leagues. Some of these prospects are able to carry this success into the big leagues and can become a viable fantasy baseball contributor.
However, the question is, do these minor-league performances truly matter for this season? How easy will it be for these prospects to reach the big leagues, and are they worth stashing on your redraft roster?
Knowing which prospects to watch can put you ahead of your league mates and in the driver’s seat during the second half of the season. Adding the right prospect can fill the missing piece on your roster and power you to a fantasy baseball championship. This fantasy baseball prospects biweekly series will examine a few key players in the minor leagues and assess whether they have a path to fantasy stardom in 2024.
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Brandon Sproat, SP, New York Mets
Mets No. 5, Overall 94
New York Mets starting pitching prospect Brandon Sproat leads off this prospect piece.
The right-hander recently earned a promotion to Triple-A Syracuse over the weekend. However, this accomplishment is just scraping the surface of how dominant Florida's product has been this summer.
When discussing Florida Gators in the Mets pipeline, Christian Scott usually comes to mind, especially since he spent most of the summer in the big leagues.
Surprisingly, Sproat made his professional debut this season after being selected in the second round of last year’s draft. He opened the season immediately at High-A and held a 1.07 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and a 32.4% K rate.
He then moved up to Double-A, where he barely missed a step with a 2.45 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, and a 33.2% K rate.
Under the hood, his production remained steady through both levels, which is very promising. The 23-year-old boasted a 3.77 xFIP at High-A compared to an even better 2.57 xFIP at Double-A. In addition, he had an almost identical 27.5% FB rate and 32.6% FB rate at both levels.
In his final start at Double-A Binghamton, Sproat struck out 11 batters in a row and finished the game with 13.
Sproat has joined the ‘must-watch’ territory going forward, as he could only need a slight tune-up at Triple-A before he heads to Queens.
Verdict: Stash in deeper redraft leagues
Caden Dana, SP, Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles No. 1, Overall 88
You have probably seen me report almost every start Dana has made on the news desk, and looking back; I was surprised I waited this long to discuss him in this column.
Dana is ranked as the top prospect in the Angels pipeline on MLB.com and 88th overall.
The right-hander joined the Angels system in the 11th round of the 2022 MLB Draft. That summer, he debuted in the Rookie League and also got a brief taste of Single-A ball.
In 2023, he opened the summer at Single-A but needed only a handful of starts to move up to High-A Tri-City, where he would spend most of the campaign. Between these two levels, the 20-year-old posted a modest 3.56 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and a 30:89 BB:K ratio.
This summer, Dana has taken a significant step forward and is one of the best arms in the minor leagues.
He has spent the entire season so far at Double-A, holding a strong 2.91 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and a 33:122 BB:K ratio across 111 frames of work.
By looking at his metrics, you can see not only how well the right-hander has performed against tougher competition but also how much he has improved.
The 20-year-old holds a career-best 7.5% walk rate and 3.51 xFIP at Double-A. In the lower levels of the minor leagues, his walk rate was over 10%, and xFIP was over 4.00.
In addition, he currently boasts a 24.8% IFFB rate (infield fly-ball rate), which shows how well he generates easy outs.
Lastly, his .240 BABIP is significantly better than the .339 BABIP he posted at High-A last summer.
Dana is enjoying the best season of his career against the hardest competition he has faced so far. That is always a great sign (obviously) for a prospect's development. While Dana has a slim chance of reaching the majors this season, he does have a pretty good chance of moving up to Triple-A, which makes him an intriguing stash in keeper formats.
Verdict: Continue To Monitor, On Track For 2025 Debut
Ty Madden, SP, Detroit Tigers
Detroit No. 6, Overall N/A
Rounding out this list is Ty Madden, the sixth-ranked prospect in the Tigers system on MLB.com. While I usually discuss prospects who are performing exceptionally and knocking on the major league door, I want to take this summary in the opposite direction.
Madden was selected in the 2021 MLB Draft and spent his first professional season in 2022, primarily at High-A, posting a 3.10 ERA and 1.09 WHIP.
In 2023, Madden moved up to Double-A, where he continued to post a solid 3.43 ERA and 1.28 WHIP.
However, this summer, through his first 61 innings at Triple-A, the 24-year-old has an 8.56 ERA and 1.82 WHIP, which are significantly worse than his previous totals.
While his ground-ball rate and fly-ball rate remain similar across the boards, he gives up hard contact very often.
He currently has a hefty 23.5% HR/FB rate, which is more than ten points higher than his marks over the past two summers.
Although, there have been times when Madden has looked like his previous self. He has logged 11 starts, allowing three runs or less, and in six of those, allowing just one run or less.
Unfortunately, his blowup starts have been common. He has served up at least six earned runs on five separate occasions, with a high of eight earned runs.
The home run has halted his development at the top level of the minor leagues. However, given his track record, I would not be surprised if the right-hander can work out these kinks and get back on track.
A major league debut was in the cards this year, but given his performance, it is not likely now. However, it does present an intriguing buy-low opportunity in the deepest dynasty formats.
Dynasty managers should monitor his performance down the stretch as it could be vital in predicting where he will spend most of 2025.
Verdict: Could Debut Late This Season, Leave On Waiver-Wire For Now
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