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Welcome back, RotoBallers! We're heading into Week 23 of the fantasy baseball season. There were plenty of big plays and impressive prospect performances throughout Minor League Baseball during last week's action.
It's imperative to monitor the top fantasy baseball prospects who have turned heads thus far. The players listed here are not only coming off dominant weeks but have also impressed over the entire season. Don't be surprised when these exact names are painting corners, mashing homers, and swiping bags at the big league level soon.
Savvy fantasy managers looking for an edge in their leagues should certainly keep an eye on these players over the long haul, as they may prove to be excellent adds in no time.
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Spencer Nivens - OF, Kansas City Royals
Level: High-A
2024 stats: 89 G, .242/.337/.465, 17 HR, 50 RBI, 47 R, 5 SB, 12.2% BB%, 27.7% K%, .297 BABIP, .367 wOBA, 126 wRC+
Nivens was selected in the fifth round of last year's MLB Draft. He struggled immensely at the plate early in the season but suddenly started to swing a very hot bat in July.
Defensively, Nivens lacks the skills needed to play up the middle, so he'll likely settle into a corner outfield role over the long run. As a result, he will need his bat to continue to play to get in the lineup daily.
The bat was no problem last week as Nivens went 12-for-21 with four homers, 10 RBI, six walks, and three strikeouts. He also stole a base. The Missouri State product flashed a little bit of everything, including power, contact skills, and plate discipline.
Ok, one more Spencer Nivens note:
Including the @MiLB-best 11 home runs, Spencer is slashing .342/.418/.861 in August. Over his last 10 games, he owns a 𝟭.𝟲𝟭𝟰 𝗢𝗣𝗦, which is better than anyone in Minor OR Major League Baseball.
Next highest: Aaron Judge, 1.563. pic.twitter.com/feCNrbgngK
— Kyle Kercheval (@kyletkerch) August 24, 2024
Colton Gordon - SP, Houston Astros
Level: Triple-A
2024 stats: 20 G, 19 GS, 7-1, 97.0 IP, 4.55 ERA, 4.56 FIP, 8.81 K/9, 3.06 BB/9, 1.02 HR/9, .308 BABIP, 39.3% GB%
Gordon is a former Tommy John surgery recipient who has flashed upside throughout all levels of Minor League Baseball. The 6-foot-4 hurler gets good extension behind his pitches and projects as a long-term starter.
Gordon's repertoire consists of a low-90s fastball, effective curveball, sharp slider, and deceptive changeup. All are fine offerings, but the slider has the most potential to be lethal at the next level.
In his latest appearance last Saturday, Gordon tossed six full innings, allowing two hits, one walk, and zero runs. Most importantly, he struck out 11 batters, which is the highest mark of his pro career and also represents the first time he's hit double digits in the strikeout column.
Colton Gordon was DOMINANT for Sugar Land tonight:
6 IP | 2 H | 0 R | 1 BB | 11 K
He generated 18 whiffs which is a season high for him. #Astros #Relentless pic.twitter.com/XQZYx1vKC8
— Astros Future (@AstrosFuture) August 25, 2024
Garrett Martin - OF, New York Yankees
Level: High-A
2024 stats: 77 G, .210/.319/.433, 12 HR, 41 RBI, 47 R, 14 SB, 10.2% BB%, 27.4% K%, .258 BABIP, .343 wOBA, 113 wRC+
Martin is a former Baltimore Orioles draft pick who bet on himself and went to college rather than turning pro. While he wasn't drafted out of Austin Peay, the outfielder did land with the Yankees as a non-drafted free agent.
Martin has posted a subpar batting average, but other underlying metrics suggest his offense is at an average or above-average level. He draws walks at a decent clip and has shown flashes of power this year.
Last week contained perhaps the best stretch of Martin's career. Over seven games, he hit 8-for-21 with three homers, nine RBI, eight walks, and six strikeouts. He also went 2-for-2 on stolen base attempts. The young outfielder flashed a balance of skills, including power, speed, and plate discipline.
Oat Milker, Renegade ... it was all the same to Garrett Martin on his 3-homer day 💪
Not to be overshadowed by the @HVRenegades' no-hitter in the nightcap, the @Yankees prospect powered up across a doubleheader: pic.twitter.com/ETHWI0FR8k
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) August 23, 2024
Carlson Reed - SP, Pittsburgh Pirates
Level: High-A
2024 stats: 21 G, 21 GS, 6-3, 96.1 IP, 2.06 ERA, 3.23 FIP, 11.12 K/9, 4.58 BB/9, 0.37 HR/9, .275 BABIP
Reed is a former collegiate closer who has shown real potential as a starter in the lower levels of affiliated ball. He throws a mid-90s fastball while also deploying an incredibly effective changeup that sits in the mid-80s. He rounds out his repertoire with a mid-80s slider.
The right-hander's advanced repertoire helps mask some of his control issues, which are the biggest stain on his profile to this point. In particular, he'll need to cut down on walks before a promotion to the next level.
Reed impressed in his latest appearance last Friday, allowing just one hit and one walk over six scoreless innings. This was the first time in his career that Reed went six full innings without allowing a run. He also set another career-best with 10 strikeouts.
Carlson Reed was lights out with the @GSOHoppers.
🔥 6.0 IP
🔥 1 H
🔥 0 R
🔥 10 K pic.twitter.com/0YF4ABJdun— Young Bucs (@YoungBucsPIT) August 24, 2024
Cam Smith - 3B, Chicago Cubs
Level: Single-A
2024 stats: 14 G, .319/.411/.787, 6 HR, 12 RBI, 10 R, 1 SB, 14.3% BB%, 21.4% K%, .300 BABIP, .525 wOBA, 224 wRC+
Smith had a fantastic career at Florida State and rightfully went to the Cubs with the 14th pick in this summer's MLB Draft. Accordingly, he landed a lucrative $5,070,700 bonus with the club.
So far, it appears Smith is worth every penny. He's mashing the baseball while also playing solid defense at the hot corner. Excluding his fringy speed, Smith has all the tools needed to be a perennial All-Star at the MLB level.
Smith's stardom was evident last week as he went 11-for-21 with six homers, 11 RBI, four walks, and two strikeouts. He also stole a base, because why not?
The biggest headline from this stretch of games is Smith homering in all six contests and simultaneously setting a Myrtle Beach Pelicans record for most consecutive games with a dinger. Unsurprisingly, he was promoted to High-A on Tuesday.
Cam Smith (@Cubs No. 8) goes yard in his SIXTH straight game 🤯
The 2024 first-rounder sports a 1.176 OPS for Single-A @Pelicanbaseball. pic.twitter.com/j9KzJ5xyBv
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 25, 2024
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