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

Hot Fantasy Prospects To Watch For Week 6

fantasy baseball prospects MLB prospects rookies call-ups

It's Opening Day 2.0! At 6 p.m. ET, the first pitches of the 2021 minor league season will be thrown in Portland, Maine and Altoona, Pennsylvania as MiLB will resume play after last year saw their season end before it even began.

Since the last time we had minor league action there have been quite a few changes. The short-season Rookie and A leagues are gone. There were teams that changed affiliations and leagues that saw major restructuring. But in the midst of all the changes, the biggest unknown is how will a missed year of development affect the players working their way up through the system? The top prospects will likely not be as affected by the year off, but for the fringe guys that had shown some promising signs, that missed year could end up costing them their shot at reaching the majors.

As we progress through the season, I'll be looking more at prospects that could have an impact in fantasy in 2021 or 2022, but for this week I wanted to take a look at some deeper, fringe guys that I am going to be watching early on. None of these guys are ranked in the top-100, and Brewer Hicklen (25) and Terrin Vavra (12) are the only guys ranked in their team's top 30 prospects list on MLB Pipeline. It's sink-or-swim time for these guys, so let's see what kind of potential they have if they can overcome an unexpected gap year.

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

 

Matt Hearn - OF, Colorado Rockies

2021 Level: Double-A
2019 stats: 130 G, .292/.361/.363, 1 HR, 39 RBI, 86 R, 45 SB

Hearn had spent the 2017 season playing independent baseball after the Braves released him from their system following his 2016 debut. After opening the 2018 campaign back in the Frontier League again,  the Colorado Rockies signed him to a minor league contract. Since then, Hearn has put up solid numbers over 197 games between Low-A and High-A ball.

The name of the game for Hearn is speed, as he was 45-for-60 on stolen base attempts in 130 games at High-A Lancaster in 2019. This came after swiping 18 bases in 67 games in 2018, and after recording 33 steals in 89 games playing in the Frontier League. He also managed to show improvement in his plate discipline, dropping his strikeout rate from 16.9 percent in 2018 to 15.7 percent while raising his walk rate from 6.8 percent to 9.1 percent.

He will start off the 2021 season playing in Double-A, where there will be a fair amount of pressure on him to succeed early on. Hearn is 25 this year, which makes him about a year to a year and a half older than the average age of Double-A players. Players with that much of an age discrepancy tend to be on a shorter leash in the minors, so if Hearn struggles early on, he could find himself a free agent by the end of the season.

I like a guy who can swipe a lot of bases and hit for a high average, which is why I'm keeping an eye on Hearn. There's a slight chance that if he hits well this season he could get a shot at playing in Colorado sometime this year (most likely as a September call-up). However, he likely wouldn't have an impact in fantasy until 2022.

 

Brewer Hicklen - OF, Kansas City Royals

2021 Level: Double-A
2019 stats: 125 G, .263/.363/.427, 14 HR, 51 RBI, 70 R, 39 SB

While Hearn was an average-plus-speed combo, Hicklen boasts both speed and power. Playing the full season at High-A in 2019, Hicklen hit 13 doubles, seven triples and 14 home runs in 125 games while also stealing 39 bases. It marked his second straight season with double-digit home runs and steals, having launched 18 homers and stealing 35 bases in 104 games between Single-A and High-A in 2018.

In three seasons now since being drafted in the seventh round, Hicklen has 36 home runs and 90 steals, while slashing .283/.368/.476. And like Hearn, Hicklen also showed an improved approach at the plate in 2019, dropping his strikeout rate from 29.2 percent in 2018 to 28.3 percent while raising his walk rate from 6.6 percent to 11.1 percent.

The big thing I'm watching for early on with Hicklen is how his average will fare early on. After hitting .289 with a .864 OPS in 2018, both those numbers dipped in 2019 to .263 and .790, which were both career-worsts for him. And like with Hearn, Hicklen is 25 this year which makes him on the older side for Double-A. However, Hicklen will have a little more job security due to his higher draft position, as well as being considered one of the top-50 prospects in Kansas City's system by most prospect rankers.

I like the power-speed combo that Hicklen has shown so far, and with a solid year in the minors in 2021, I think he could be potentially competing for a bench spot in 2022.

 

Yusniel Padron-Artilles - SP, Boston Red Sox

2021 Level: High-A
2019 stats: 19 G, 12 GS, 88 IP, 7-3, 3.38 ERA, 1.170 WHIP, 29.8 K%

Padron-Artilles has just two seasons in the minors under his belt — tied with Vavra for the fewest out of everyone on this list — but he showed improvement on the mound in 2019. Pitching between Low-A and Single-A, Padron-Artilles improved on nearly every number in his stat line while increasing his workload from 21 2/3 innings in 2018 to 88 innings.

In particular his strikeout rate saw a significant increase, jumping from 21.3 percent to 29.8 percent. While overall his numbers looked good in 2019, he did show some struggles making the jump to Single-A, as he posted a 5.25 ERA with a 23.8 percent strikeout rate and 6.7 percent walk rate in 24 innings with Greenville.

Out of the four guys on this list, I think Padron-Artilles will have the shortest leash as far as how long the Red Sox will give him before moving on. I have concerns about how he will handle the year off and how he will fare at a higher level after showing struggles in a brief appearance at Single-A. And seeing as he'll be on the older side for High-A and is a former 22nd round pick, the deck is stacked against him a bit right now.

I do like the strikeout potential, which is what I'll be focusing on early in the season. He's still a couple years away from having any impact in fantasy, but he'll be a guy to watch for this year as a potential long-term fantasy sleeper.

 

Terrin Vavra - 2B/SS, Baltimore Orioles

2021 Level: Double-A
2019 stats: 102 G, .318/.409/.489, 10 HR, 52 RBI, 79 R, 18 SB

And now we'll close out this column with the highest-ranked prospect on this list, as well as the only one to have played in Spring Training. Vavra is new to the Orioles' system, having been acquired in the trade that sent Mychal Givens to the Rockies in 2020. He appeared in 10 games during Spring Training this year, but only managed to go 1-for-5 with two runs and four strikeouts in his Baltimore debut. But in his last season in the minors, Vavra looked much better as he set career-highs in nearly every category at Single-A.

I'm a sucker for a power-speed combo guy, but another thing I like about Vavra is the plate discipline. After posting a 20.1 percent strikeout rate and 13.1 walk rate at Low-A in 2018, Vavra posted a 13.7 percent strikeout rate and 13.7 percent walk rate, as he recorded 62 strikeouts and 62 walks in 453 plate appearances at Single-A.

Vavra looks like he could be a potential 15-homer, 15-steals threat while also being a high-OBP player. It makes sense that the highest ranked guy on this list is the guy I like the most, but in particular I like seeing these numbers out of a middle infielder. I will be looking to see how Vavra responds to both the year off as well as being in a new farm system. In particular, I want to see if he can maintain that solid plate discipline he has shown early in his career.

Vavra is probably the closest out of these guys to getting the call to the show, as Baltimore doesn't have a ton of depth in their system at second base or shortstop. At the same time, the Orioles aren't necessarily in a rush to promote him as 2021 will be a rebuilding year. If he does get called up though, managers in OBP formats should look to scoop him up off the waiver wire as he should be able to make an impact pretty quickly.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



More Fantasy Baseball Prospects and Rookies




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

Mike Evans2 hours ago

Likely Back On Sunday
Daniel Gafford5 hours ago

Dealing With Shoulder Soreness
Jordan Poole6 hours ago

Uncertain For Sunday's Game Against Indiana
Al Horford6 hours ago

Questionable To Play Against Minnesota
Mike Conley6 hours ago

Still Out On Sunday
Volkan Oezdemir7 hours ago

Drops Decision At UFC Macau
MMA7 hours ago

Carlos Uberg Extends Win Streak At UFC Macau
MMA7 hours ago

Cong Wang Gets Submitted In Upset Fashion At UFC Macau
Gabriella Fernandes7 hours ago

Pulls Off Massive Upset At UFC Macau
Deiveson Figueiredo7 hours ago

Falls Short At UFC Macau
Petr Yan7 hours ago

Gets Dominant Win At UFC Macau
Ladd McConkey9 hours ago

Tagged As Questionable For Week 12
Wendell Carter Jr.9 hours ago

Still Out Versus Detroit
Victor Wembanyama9 hours ago

Upgraded To Probable
Ausar Thompson9 hours ago

To Play On Saturday Night
Kirill Kaprizov11 hours ago

Ruled Out For Saturday
Auston Matthews11 hours ago

May Return To Maple Leafs Lineup Next Week
Max Domi11 hours ago

To Remain Out On Sunday
Jakub Vrana11 hours ago

Sits As Healthy Scratch Saturday
Alex Pietrangelo12 hours ago

Remains Out Saturday
William Eklund12 hours ago

A Game-Time Call For Saturday
Kasperi Kapanen12 hours ago

Moves To First Line Saturday
Darnell Nurse12 hours ago

Expected To Return On Saturday
Aaron Rodgers15 hours ago

Could Be Placed On IR Or Benched
Jordan Eberle18 hours ago

To Miss At Least Three Months
Matthew Knies18 hours ago

Placed On Injured Reserve
Owen Power18 hours ago

Tallies Two Helpers On Friday
John Gibson19 hours ago

Busy In Overtime Loss
Connor Hellebuyck19 hours ago

Sharp in Friday's Victory
Kyle Connor19 hours ago

Tallies Two Points In Friday's Victory
Noah Fant1 day ago

Questionable For Week 12, Update Coming On Saturday
Brock Purdy1 day ago

Week 13 Status Uncertain
1 day ago

Nationals Non-Tender Kyle Finnegan On Friday
1 day ago

Rays Non-Tender Dylan Carlson
1 day ago

Rockies Non-Tender Brendan Rodgers, Cal Quantrill
Mike Yastrzemski1 day ago

Avoids Arbitration With Giants
1 day ago

Blue Jays Non-Tender Closer Jordan Romano
Dustin May1 day ago

Dodgers Sign Dustin May To One-Year Deal To Avoid Arbitration
Walker Kessler1 day ago

Might Return To Action Saturday
Kyle Filipowski1 day ago

To Miss Saturday's Game
Jordan Clarkson1 day ago

Considered Questionable For Saturday
Miles McBride1 day ago

Questionable To Face Jazz
Joel Embiid1 day ago

To Remain Out On Sunday
Nikola Jokic1 day ago

Returns To Action Friday
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope1 day ago

No Longer On Injury Report
Wendell Carter Jr.1 day ago

Considered Questionable For Saturday
Brady Singer1 day ago

Shipped To Cincinnati
Jonathan India1 day ago

Traded To Kansas City
Tre Mann1 day ago

Listed As Out For Saturday
Torrey Craig1 day ago

Available Versus Hawks
Nick Richards1 day ago

Ruled Out For Saturday
Jarace Walker1 day ago

Ready To Face Bucks
Ben Sheppard1 day ago

Misses A Third Consecutive Game
Anfernee Simons1 day ago

Returns To Action Friday
Rashod Bateman1 day ago

Added To Week 12 Injury Report
Vince Dunn1 day ago

Could Be An Option For Kraken Next Week
TOR1 day ago

Alexander Nylander Joins Maple Leafs On One-Year Deal
George Kittle1 day ago

Cleared For Week 12
Jason Dickinson1 day ago

Expected To Play On Saturday
Cam York1 day ago

Expected To Return Saturday
San Francisco 49ers1 day ago

Nick Bosa Won't Play Against Packers
Mason McTavish1 day ago

Remains Out On Friday
Brock Purdy1 day ago

Ruled Out For Week 12
Tage Thompson1 day ago

Continues To Sit On Friday
Kevin Hayes1 day ago

A Game-Time Call Friday
Ladd McConkey1 day ago

Returns To Practice On Friday
CeeDee Lamb1 day ago

Cleared To Play In Week 12
Sam LaPorta1 day ago

Off The Injury Report, Cleared For Week 12
Jake Ferguson1 day ago

Ruled Out With Concussion
DeVonta Smith1 day ago

Ruled Out For Week 12
Brock Purdy1 day ago

Not Seen At Friday's Practice
T.J. Hockenson1 day ago

Expects To Be More Involved In Week 12
Alexander Mattison1 day ago

Zamir White Doubtful To Face Broncos
Nico Collins1 day ago

Set For Increased Workload Against Titans
Mike Evans1 day ago

Officially Listed As Questionable
Malik Nabers1 day ago

Questionable For Week 12, Intends To Play
Sam Darnold2 days ago

Cleared For Sunday
Shohei Ohtani2 days ago

In Early Stages Of Recovery From Shoulder Surgery
Tabatha Ricci2 days ago

Looks To Extend Her Win Streak
Yan Xiaonan2 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Muslim Salikhov2 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Macau
Chris Sale2 days ago

To Have Normal Offseason
Garrett Crochet2 days ago

Drawing Plenty Of Interest
Song Kenan2 days ago

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Zhang Mingyang2 days ago

Set For His Second UFC Fight
Ozzy Diaz2 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Macau
Carlos Ulberg2 days ago

Looking To Cement Himself As A Title Contender At UFC Macau
Volkan Oezdemir2 days ago

Eyes Another Knockout At UFC Macau
Gabriella Fernandes2 days ago

A Big Underdog At UFC Macau
MMA2 days ago

Cong Wang Puts Undefeated Record On The Line At UFC Macau
Deiveson Figueiredo2 days ago

Looks To Extend Win Streak At UFC Macau
Petr Yan2 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Macau
Shohei Ohtani2 days ago

Named National League MVP In 2024
Aaron Judge2 days ago

Wins American League MVP Award
Cody Bellinger3 days ago

Cubs Looking To Trade Cody Bellinger?
3 days ago

Blake Snell Has Met With Red Sox, Dodgers
Chris Sale3 days ago

Wins National League Cy Young Award
Tarik Skubal3 days ago

Wins 2024 American League Cy Young Award
Austin Eckroat3 days ago

Heads To The RSM Classic After Win
Harris English3 days ago

Finding Form Heading To The RSM Classic
Ben Griffin3 days ago

Continues Playing Well Heading To The RSM Classic
Denny McCarthy3 days ago

Returns to The RSM Classic
Ludvig Aberg3 days ago

Looks To Defend RSM Classic Title
Si Woo Kim3 days ago

An Intriguing Option At RSM Classic
Maverick McNealy3 days ago

In Solid Form Ahead Of RSM Classic
Eric Cole3 days ago

Chasing First Tour Victory At RSM Classic
4 days ago

Guardians' Stephen Vogt Named AL Manager Of The Year
Milwaukee Brewers4 days ago

Pat Murphy Named NL Manager Of The Year
4 days ago

Nick Pivetta Declines Boston's Qualifying Offer
Jose Siri4 days ago

Mets Acquire Jose Siri From The Rays
Charles Oliveira6 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Michael Chandler6 days ago

Gets Dominated At UFC 309
Karine Silva6 days ago

Suffers Her First UFC Loss

RANKINGS

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

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Bucky Irving - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Key Starters and Tough Calls - Week 12 Lineup Spotlights for Fantasy Football Include Bucky Irving, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, DeVaughn Vele And More

Scott Engel’s Lineup Spotlights on RotoBaller.com feature key players to consider starting every week during the 2024 fantasy football season. “The King” highlights preferred starting options when you are dealing with challenging lineup decisions. The players included in this rundown are based on Scott’s Premium Weekly Lineup Rankings, available in the RotoBaller NFL Premium Pass. Enter the […]


DK Metcalf - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS and Betting Picks

Wide Receiver Matchups to Target in Week 12 - DK Metcalf, Courtland Sutton, Jauan Jennings, Noah Brown, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine

Week 12 is here, and with it, another edition of WR Matchups to Target. Last week was one of our most successful of the season, with two home run DFS picks (3x multiplier on DraftKings salary) in Jauan Jennings and Marquez Valdes-Scantling to go along with two additional hits (2x multiplier). Week 12 brings a […]


Matthew Stafford - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Fantasy Football Landmines to Avoid for Week 12 - Matthew Stafford, D'Andre Swift, Mark Andrews, and more

Week 12 in the fantasy football season is a critical juncture. With six teams on bye, options are slim, and managers must make savvy lineup decisions as the playoffs loom.  One misstep—a "landmine" starter who underperforms—could cost you a victory and potentially a playoff berth. This week, we spotlight five players who may look tempting […]


Devaughn Vele - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

High-Upside Bench Stashes: Weekend Waiver Wire Adds for Week 12 Includes Blake Corum, Trey Benson, Keaton Mitchell, Jaylen Wright, Devaughn Vele, Theo Johnson, and more

Mastering the waiver wire is a crucial skill that can lead you to a fantasy football championship. It's not just about strategically placing your FAAB budget on specific players but also about knowing when to stash players. This dual strategy keeps you engaged and focused on your ultimate goal of winning a fantasy championship. As […]


Kareem Hunt - Fantasy Football Rankings, Waiver Wire Pickups, NFL Injury News

2024 Fantasy Football Rankings (Weekly Rankings)

Check out all of RotoBaller's fantasy football rankings. Staff rankings are updated regularly for all positions and include standard formats, PPR scoring, tiered rankings and dynasty leagues.


Tampa Bay Bucs Defense D/ST Streamers, Rankings, Waiver Wire - Vita Vea Fantasy Football IDP

Week 12 Team Defense Rankings for Fantasy Football: D/ST Updates for Buccaneers D/ST, Chiefs D/ST, Commanders D/ST, Vikings D/ST, Lions D/ST

If you've struggled to get strong production out of your D/ST and need a few wins to qualify for the fantasy football playoffs, you have come to the right place. Our NFL team's Week 12 fantasy football defense (D/ST) rankings are here to guide you in setting the best optimal lineup. The Broncos, Chiefs, and Vikings […]


C.J. Stroud - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Week 12 Superflex 2QB Rankings for Fantasy Football: Updates for C.J. Stroud, Justin Herbert, Kyler Murray, Matthew Stafford, Baker Mayfield

With bye weeks and injuries being major factors this week, Superflex fantasy managers will need to dive deeper into the rankings to find the top available options. Our Week 12 fantasy football Superflex rankings (2QB) for 2024 are here to help you navigate close start-or-sit calls and take home a "W" in an important week […]


Courtland Sutton - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Week 12 PPR Rankings for Fantasy Football: Overall Updates Include Courtland Sutton, Rome Odunze, DJ Moore, Austin Ekeler, Tony Pollard, DeAndre Hopkins

Welcome back to another weekend edition of RotoBaller's overall fantasy football rankings. It's a must-win week for many fantasy managers, so it's time to lock in. Below, you'll see our NFL team's updated Week 12 fantasy football PPR rankings for 2024. Let's see where key players like Deebo Samuel Sr., Jameson Williams, Austin Ekeler, Jaylen […]


Rico Dowdle - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Week 12 FLEX Rankings for Fantasy Football (RB, WR, TE) - Updates Include Jameson Williams, Jayden Reed, Jakobi Meyers, Rico Dowdle, Christian Watson

The 12th slate of the NFL season featured many players out of action via bye week or injury. That said, fantasy managers will need to dig deep into this week's rankings to find the top available FLEX consideration. We're here to help with our NFL team's updated Week 12 fantasy football FLEX rankings for 2024. […]


Chuba Hubbard - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Week 12 Running Back Rankings for Fantasy Football: RB Updates Include Bucky Irving, Kareem Hunt, Chuba Hubbard, J.K. Dobbins, Tyrone Tracy Jr.

Somehow, we're already onto the 12th week of the fantasy football season. Needless to say, time is running out to stack wins together, so let's get to crucial start-or-sit decisions with help from our updated Week 12 fantasy football running back rankings for 2024. Let's see where key players such as Jonathon Brooks, Chuba Hubbard, […]


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

Week 12 Wide Receiver Rankings for Fantasy Football: WR Updates Include Josh Downs, Quentin Johnston, Jauan Jennings, Calvin Ridley, Tank Dell

The wide receiver position is volitile, and WRs that aren't clear must-start studs are largley matchup dependent. If you need help with your start-or-sit calls ahead of the important Week 12 slate, we're here to assist with our NFL team's updated Week 12 fantasy football wide receiver rankings for 2024. Let's dig into the rankings […]


Anthony Richardson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL News

Week 12 Quarterback Rankings for Fantasy Football: QB Updates Include Anthony Richardson, Bo Nix, Tua Tagovailoa, Geno Smith, Sam Darnold, Jared Goff

Early in the 2024 NFL season, quarterbacks struggled in fantasy football due to a regression in passing productions. However, many are picking up steam in the second half of the year. Still, start-or-sit decisions remain difficult when comparing two similar QBs. We're here to help with our updated Week 12 fantasy football quarterback rankings for […]


Will Dissly - Fantasy Football Rankings, Waiver Wire Pickups, NFL Injury News

Week 12 Tight End Rankings for Fantasy Football: TE Updates Include Will Dissly, Cade Otton, Zach Ertz, Jonnu Smith, Sam LaPorta, TJ Hockenson, Cole Kmet

It's make-or-break time for many fantasy managers, as the fantasy football playoffs are quickly approaching. Tight ends are always the toughest offensive position to navigate, so if you need help setting optimal lineups, you can come to the right place. Below, you'll see our NFL team's updated Week 12 fantasy football tight end rankings for […]