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

Fantasy Baseball Prospect Risers (Week 20) - Rookies to Stash and Top Performers

Ty Madden - Fantasy Baseball Prospects, Draft Sleepers, MLB Rookie Rankings

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. 

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

 

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



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

Chris Sale10 hours ago

Wins National League Cy Young Award
Tarik Skubal10 hours ago

Wins 2024 American League Cy Young Award
Paul George10 hours ago

Exits Game On Wednesday, Hyperextends Left Knee Again
Scoot Henderson11 hours ago

Leaves Game On Wednesday, Won't Return
Jalen Johnson11 hours ago

Active On Wednesday Night
Zach Collins12 hours ago

Uncertain To Play On Thursday
Austin Eckroat12 hours ago

Heads To The RSM Classic After Win
Harris English12 hours ago

Finding Form Heading To The RSM Classic
Ben Griffin12 hours ago

Continues Playing Well Heading To The RSM Classic
Denny McCarthy12 hours ago

Returns to The RSM Classic
Patrick Williams12 hours ago

Likely To Miss At Least One Week
Kyle Anderson12 hours ago

Available For Matchup With Hawks
Victor Wembanyama12 hours ago

Out Again On Thursday
Jusuf Nurkic12 hours ago

Available On Wednesday
Stephen Curry12 hours ago

Will Play Against Atlanta
De'Anthony Melton12 hours ago

To Undergo Season-Ending ACL Surgery
Tre Mann12 hours ago

Probable For Thursday Night Matchup Against Detroit
Mike Conley13 hours ago

Appears On Injury Report For Thursday With Toe Injury
Donte DiVincenzo13 hours ago

Questionable Heading Into Thursday
Josh Jacobs13 hours ago

Limited With Multiple Injuries
DeVonta Smith13 hours ago

Misses Practice On Wednesday
Isaiah Hartenstein13 hours ago

To Make Season Debut On Wednesday
Tyrese Maxey13 hours ago

Active On Wednesday
Jarace Walker13 hours ago

Available On Wednesday
Ben Sheppard13 hours ago

Ruled Out For Wednesday
Myles Turner14 hours ago

To Play On Wednesday
Jalen Green14 hours ago

Available On Wednesday
Vince Williams Jr.14 hours ago

Out Versus 76ers
Wendell Carter Jr.15 hours ago

Unavailable Versus Clippers
Seth Jones15 hours ago

Expected To Miss Four Weeks
Sam Darnold15 hours ago

Limited With Foot Injury
Max Domi15 hours ago

Placed On Injured Reserve
Jalen Hurts15 hours ago

Limited On Wednesday
Connor Ingram15 hours ago

Out Day-To-Day With An Upper-Body Injury
Jake Ferguson15 hours ago

Picks Up A DNP On Wednesday
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen15 hours ago

Returns To Action Versus Kings
CeeDee Lamb15 hours ago

Listed As Limited, Dealing With Two Injuries
Alex Tuch15 hours ago

Available Wednesday
Tage Thompson16 hours ago

Remains Out On Wednesday
Sam LaPorta16 hours ago

Practicing In Full
Jordan Eberle16 hours ago

To Remain Out On Wednesday
George Kittle16 hours ago

Will Play In Week 12
Ludvig Aberg16 hours ago

Looks To Defend RSM Classic Title
Ladd McConkey16 hours ago

Does Not Practice On Wednesday
Si Woo Kim16 hours ago

An Intriguing Option At RSM Classic
Maverick McNealy16 hours ago

In Solid Form Ahead Of RSM Classic
Eric Cole16 hours ago

Chasing First Tour Victory At RSM Classic
San Francisco 49ers16 hours ago

Nick Bosa Does Not Practice On Wednesday
Christian McCaffrey17 hours ago

Does Not Practice On Wednesday
George Kittle17 hours ago

Limited During Wednesday's Practice
Brock Purdy17 hours ago

Limited On Wednesday
Alexander Mattison17 hours ago

Zamir White Not Practicing On Wednesday
Sam LaPorta18 hours ago

Trending Towards Playing In Week 12
Calvin Ridley19 hours ago

Out Wednesday With Illness
Isiah Pacheco20 hours ago

To Practice On Wednesday
D'Andre Swift20 hours ago

Won't Practice On Wednesday
Brandin Cooks21 hours ago

Cowboys Open Brandin Cooks' Practice Window
Mike Evans21 hours ago

Practicing Again On Wednesday
Connor Bedard24 hours ago

Ends Drought With Two Assists
Sam Reinhart1 day ago

Pushes Point Streak To 11 Games
Mark Scheifele1 day ago

Celebrates Ninth Career Hat Trick
Evan Bouchard1 day ago

Rocks Senators With Three-Point Period
Connor McDavid1 day ago

Nets Two Goals During Three-Point Night
TB1 day ago

Nicholas Paul Exits Early With Injury Tuesday
Zach Hyman1 day ago

Sits Out Third Period Versus Senators
1 day ago

Guardians' Stephen Vogt Named AL Manager Of The Year
Milwaukee Brewers1 day ago

Pat Murphy Named NL Manager Of The Year
Jonas Brodin2 days ago

Returns To Action
Joel Eriksson Ek2 days ago

Returns To Wild Lineup
2 days ago

Nick Pivetta Declines Boston's Qualifying Offer
Robert Thomas2 days ago

Back For Blues Tuesday
Jose Siri2 days ago

Mets Acquire Jose Siri From The Rays
Alexander Romanov2 days ago

Rejoins Islanders Lineup
Brayden Point2 days ago

Ready To Return Versus Penguins
Conor Garland2 days ago

A Game-Time Call Tuesday
J.T. Miller2 days ago

Takes Indefinite Leave For Personal Reasons
Jake Ferguson2 days ago

"Will Be Hard-Pressed" To Play In Week 12
2 days ago

Phillies To Meet With Juan Soto
2 days ago

Luis Severino Rejects Qualifying Offer From Mets
2 days ago

Willy Adames Declines Brewers Qualifying Offer
2 days ago

Teoscar Hernandez Declines Qualifying Offer From Dodgers
2 days ago

Juan Soto Declines Yankees' Qualifying Offer
Luis Gil2 days ago

Wins AL Rookie Of The Year Award
Paul Skenes2 days ago

Named 2024 NL Rookie Of The Year
Brady Singer3 days ago

Reds, Royals Discussing Jonathan India, Brady Singer
3 days ago

Sean Manaea To Reject Mets' Qualifying Offer
3 days ago

Braves Have Interest In Walker Buehler
3 days ago

Astros Interested In Willy Adames
Charles Oliveira3 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Michael Chandler3 days ago

Gets Dominated At UFC 309
Karine Silva3 days ago

Suffers Her First UFC Loss
Viviane Araujo3 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Mauricio Ruffy3 days ago

Extends His Win Streak To Six
Nick Martinez4 days ago

Signs Qualifying Offer With Reds
4 days ago

Luis Severino Likely To Decline Qualifying Offer From Mets
James Llontop4 days ago

Loses Clear-Cut Decision In Thrilling Fight At UFC 309
Paul Craig4 days ago

Loses Decision At UFC 309
Bo Nickal4 days ago

Remains Undefeated With Lackluster Performance At UFC 309
Stipe Miocic4 days ago

Retires After UFC 309 Loss
Jon Jones4 days ago

Gets TKO Win At UFC 309 To Defend Heavyweight Title
Grayson Rodriguez6 days ago

Orioles Optimistic Grayson Rodriguez Will Have A Full Spring Training
6 days ago

Red Sox Have Productive Meeting With Juan Soto

RANKINGS

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

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 

Video: Week 12 Must-Start Wide Receivers - 2024 Fantasy Football Streamers, Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Analysis

As we head into Week 12 we're dealing with multiple teams on byes. Be prepared to navigate those challenges by checking out our favorite 2024 fantasy football must-start wide receivers for Week 12! RotoBaller's Matt Donnelly discusses his top "Must Start" WRs that will have a fantasy football impact in Week 12, as well as […]


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL injury News

Steelers vs. Browns TNF Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Jameis Winston, Nick Chubb, David Njoku, Jerry Jeudy, Russell Wilson, Najee Harris, George Pickens

The Week 12 Thursday Night Football game between two bitter AFC North rivals (Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers) is not likely to end up like the Thursday night game from two weeks ago when two different AFC North teams (Bengals and Ravens) battled to a 35-34 shootout. Somewhere deep in the charter of the Pittsburgh […]


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

Free Week 12 NFL Betting Picks and Expert Predictions

Well, Week 11 turned out to be another week where we were just treading water. We nailed our Chargers moneyline pick as they got the job done against the Cincinnati Bengals. However, the Cleveland Browns let us down as they were completely destroyed by the New Orleans Saints. We dropped 1.02 units on that play […]


Brian Robinson Jr. - Fantasy Football Rankings Running Backs, Waiver Wire Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

NFL Survivor Pool Picks: Week 12 Targets and Avoids (2024)

Welcome to our NFL Survivor Pool Picks for Week 12 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 […]


Josh Downs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

WR/CB Matchups to Upgrade and Downgrade - Fantasy Football Week 12 (2024)

Welcome back to our WR/CB Matchups for Week 12 of the 2024 fantasy football season. 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 access for offensive and defensive players continues to skyrocket. Though we mainly focus on offensive […]


Joe Mixon - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Rest-of-Season Fantasy Football Rankings: Week 12 Updates for Top 200 (2024)

We're nearing Thanksgiving and the holiday stretch run of the fantasy football season, which means y'all get an early present with an updated rest-of-season rankings chart! The action isn't stopping so we can't slow down our efforts to constantly re-assess the field. Join us in analyzing risers and fallers with our Week 12 fantasy football […]


Justin Herbert

High-Powered Offenses: Players to Target in Week 12 Lineups Including Justin Herbert, Jared Goff, Quentin Johnston, Austin Ekeler, Will Dissly, More

Hello, RotoBallers, and welcome to our column High-Powered Offenses for Week 12 of the 2024 fantasy football season. Below, you’ll find a recap of the last week's offenses to target, a sneak peek of the offenses to target, a breakdown of the methodology, a snapshot of each metric in a data table, a few key […]


Drake Maye - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Sneaky Starts, Pivot Plays, and Post-Waiver Pickups for Week 12 - Drake Maye, Quentin Johnston, Hunter Henry and More!

Three weeks is all we have left of the regular season. It’s the point of the season where every matchup is critical for those teams fighting for their playoff lives. To make it extra difficult, there are six teams on bye this week.  If you are one of those managers fighting for a playoff spot, […]


Brock Bowers - Fantasy Football Rankings, TE, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

Late Slate: Daily Fantasy Football Week 12 NFL DFS Lineup Picks on DraftKings and FanDuel (2024)

Welcome back to our late slate Week 12 DFS picks article here at RotoBaller! In this piece, I will examine my top daily fantasy football lineup plays for the late slate in Week 12 of the NFL season. In Week 12, we have three games on the NFL DFS late slate on DraftKings and FanDuel […]


Tyreek Hill - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Picks

Fantasy Football Injury Reports For Week 12 (Thursday Updates): Tyreek Hill, Jalen Hurts, CeeDee Lamb, Isiah Pacheco and More

Week 12 of the NFL's 2024 slate is coming up, and as the fantasy football playoffs draw closer, it's becoming more important than ever to stay ahead of injury news for key players. Leaving a hurt player in your lineup can result in disaster. The author of this article missed out on the fantasy playoffs […]


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL injury News

PrizePicks NFL DFS Prop Picks - Over/Under Props for Steelers vs. Browns Thursday Night Football

Hello everybody and welcome to our PrizePicks NFL DFS prop picks for Week 12 Thursday Night Football -- Steelers vs. Browns! The 2024 NFL season is now past the midpoint and our friends over at PrizePicks have a TON of great props we can look to take advantage of. Our partners at PrizePicks offer some […]


Tucker Kraft - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Tight Ends Fantasy Football Start 'Em and Sit 'Em For Week 12

We are officially in the home stretch of the fantasy football regular season. Traditional 12-team leagues have three more weeks, making our start/sit decisions even more critical and stressful. Securing a playoff spot is always the goal, but that first-round bye can be the difference between a championship or an early playoff exit. The tight […]


49ers Defense D/ST Streamers, Rankings, Waiver Wire - Nick Bosa Fantasy Football IDP

IDP Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em for Week 12 - Streamers, Fades, Matchups for Defensive Players

Week 12 is one of the more significant bye weeks of the season, with Week 14 its primary rival in terms of volume and fantasy playoff impact. What arguably makes Week 14 worse than this week's bye is that some fantasy leagues still start their playoffs in Week 14, rendering key players unavailable when you […]