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

Top Fantasy Baseball Prospects - AL Central

If you are in a dynasty league, then the number one thing you likely focus on year-round are prospects. It's a never-ending hunt to find the best prospect and acquire them for the lowest cost possible. Not only are owners looking for the best prospect, they also have to discern whether or not they will make it to the major leagues and succeed. For example, will the top prospect that hit 43 home runs in a season end up like Kris Bryant or Brandon Wood? Numbers don't always translate from the minors to the majors, and owners must closely examine each player to figure out who is real and who isn't.

The AL Central is one of the more loaded divisions when it comes to prospects. Led by the top ranked White Sox system, there are many interesting prospects to keep an eye on in this division. It's hard to narrow this list down to only 10 players, and there are prospects that don't make this list that likely would have in any other division. Some of these players might be ranked too high, others too low, and some people may feel shouldn't have made this list in favor of other deserving candidates.

What there is no doubt about though, is all 10 of these prospects have the potential to become fantasy studs in the future. So without further ado, let's dive into this list.

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

 

Top 10 Dynasty Prospects - AL Central

10. LHP Stephen Gonsalves — Minnesota

Over five years in the minors Gonsalves has shown himself to be a strikeout machine, compiling a career 9.7 K/9 while recording at least an 8.8 K/9 every season. Gonsalves also took a step forward in 2017 by improving his command, posting a career-low 2.5 BB/9 and 7.2 percent walk rates. The big question for Gonsalves in 2018 is how he will adjust to the next level of competition after he struggled upon promotion to Triple-A Rochester at the end of last year. Over 22.2 innings, Gonsalves had a 10.7 H/9 and 1.6 HR/9 rate along with a 5.56 ERA — all three of which were career-worsts at a single level. Gonsalves continued to struggle with surrendering hits in Spring Training, as he allowed six hits over 3.2 innings pitched. He will start off the year back in Triple-A where he will work to show that his struggles were simply a fluke as he adjusted to pitching at the next level. There's a lot to like about Gonsalves and his potential, but 2018 will be a big indicator as to what kind of a career is in his future.

9. RHP Matt Manning — Detroit

The No. 9 overall pick in the 2016 draft showed off his strikeout potential once again in 2017, posting a double-digit strikeout-per-nine-innings rate for the second year in a row. Over 51 innings between Single-A and Short-season-A ball, Manning recorded a 10.9 K/9 rate — bringing his career rate to 12.1 K/9 — while posting a 4-2 record with a 3.18 ERA over 14 starts. Manning's numbers took a dip after his promotion to the Midwest League — allowing eight earned runs while striking out four over 2.1 innings in his first two starts — but he finished strong in his last three starts where he allowed three earned runs over 15.1 innings while striking out 22. There's still a learning curve for the 20 year old, but as he continues to make adjustments, he can rise quickly through the Tigers' organization and be pitching in Detroit by 2020.

8. RHP Fernando Romero — Minnesota

In his second season back from Tommy John surgery, Romero was arguably the ace of the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts pitching staff, posting an 11-9 record with a 3.53 ERA and 8.6 K/9. He was fourth in K/9 in the Southern League among qualified pitchers, and his 22 percent strikeout rate and 13.8 percent strikeout-to-walk rate ranked him sixth and seventh respectively. Romero has consistently had at least an 8.0 K/9 rate every season in the minors except for 2014 when he underwent TJS, and he posted an 8.0 K/9 rate in Spring Training — albeit only over eight innings of work. He will start off his age 23 season back in Chattanooga, but he will very likely see a call-up to Triple-A soon after the season starts, and from there he will likely be one of the options called upon if Minnesota needs a spot start later this year.

7. OF Khalil Lee — Kansas City

Making his full season debut at age 19, Lee was a force to be reckoned with in the South Atlantic League. He led the Lexington Legends with 17 HR, 71 runs scored and six triples, and was second on the team with 20 stolen bases. Lee showed some promising plate discipline by finishing fifth in the league with a 12.2 percent walk rate, but he also had the second-worst strikeout rate in the league at 31.1 percent. Along with the high strikeout rate, Lee's batted ball percentages raise some question as to whether he can repeat his power output in 2018. Despite seeing a 5.7 percent drop in his fly ball rate from 2016, Lee's HR/FB rate increased from 13.6 percent to 20 percent. Lee will be 20 this year, and if his power is legitimate he could end up as a 20-20 player in the near future.

6. SS Royce Lewis — Minnesota

The first overall pick in last year's draft, Lewis made a splash in his pro ball debut by launching a home run in his first career at-bat. Lewis went on to hit four HR with a .279 average and .788 OPS, while also stealing 18 bases over 54 games between the Gulf Coast and Midwest Leagues. There's a lot of potential in Lewis, but there also isn't much of a sample to draw conclusions from. Lewis can end up being a fantasy star at a position that doesn't always have much depth, but he is several years away from getting the call to the majors. Getting a full season under his belt in 2018 should provide fantasy owners with a better picture of what Lewis can be in the future.

5. OF Luis Robert — Chicago

The teenage phenom from Cuba, Robert batted .310 with a 1.027 OPS and 12 stolen bases in his pro ball debut in 2017 playing in the Dominican Summer League. He showed impressive discipline at the plate for a 19 year old, drawing 22 walks while striking out 23 times in 114 plate appearances. Much like Lewis, there simply isn't much data to draw solid conclusions from on Robert. But again, there is a lot of potential here for Robert to become a star player.

4. RHP Dylan Cease — Chicago

One of the headlining players the White Sox received in the Jose Quintana trade, Cease followed up an impressive 2017 campaign with an equally impressive Spring Training before being reassigned to minor league camp. Over 6.1 innings this spring, Cease allowed no runs, three hits and three walks while striking out nine to give him a 12.8 K/9 rate. This came off the heels of a 1-10 season for the 22-year-old, where he posted a 3.28 ERA and 12.2 K/9 while setting a career-best with 4.2 BB/9. Cease will likely start off the season in Double-A, but he is not too far from reaching the majors. If Cease can put together another stellar performance in 2018, he could have a good shot at winning a spot in the starting rotation out of Spring Training next year.

3. RHP Triston McKenzie — Cleveland

The top pitching prospect in the Indians organization, McKenzie has been nothing short of dominant at every level since being drafted out of high school in 2015. In his first taste of full season ball, McKenzie led the Carolina League in nearly every category, including wins (12), strikeouts (186), K/9 (11.7) and strikeout-to-walk percentage (24.8). Over three seasons, McKenzie has averaged 100 strikeouts per year, and the worst K/9 rate of his career is only 11.2. There's no rush to promote the 20-year-old straight to Cleveland, but he isn't that far away from becoming the Indians' ace.

2. C Francisco Mejia — Cleveland

Out of all the players on this list, Mejia is probably the closest to regular playing time in the majors. Mejia hit 14 HR and 21 doubles in Double-A last season with a team-best .297 average and an .835 OPS. It was the second year in a row for Mejia with at least 100 hits, 10 HR and an .830 OPS, which earned him an invitation to Spring Training. Over 11 games this spring, Mejia hit .421 with two home runs and a 1.292 OPS while also taking some reps playing third base. The Indians have since decided to try Mejia in the outfield after they assigned him to Triple-A to begin the year. It is clear though that Cleveland is trying to get Mejia's bat into the major league lineup, and he could be back in the majors this year by the All-Star break.

1. OF Eloy Jimenez — Chicago

The White Sox acquired Jimenez along with Cease in the Jose Quintana trade last year, and he has quickly become the team's top prospect. In 89 games between the Southern and Carolina Leagues, Jimenez set career-highs with 19 HR, a .379 OBP and a .568 SLG, while also batting .312 with an 8.97 percent walk rate. After back-to-back seasons with a .900 OPS, Jimenez was invited to Spring Training where he slugged two home runs and hit .571 over four games. He has since been assigned to Double-A to start the year, but if he mashes his way to a hot start at Birmingham, he could break into the big leagues by August if not sooner.

 

More 2018 MLB Prospects Analysis




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

Darius Slayton27 mins ago

Enters Concussion Protocol Sunday
Justin Jefferson43 mins ago

Goes Over The Century Mark Yet Again
Drake London52 mins ago

Dealing With Hip Pointer, Oblique Injury
Courtland Sutton53 mins ago

Produces Second Straight 100-Yard Game, Throws A Touchdown
Jamal Murray2 hours ago

Listed As Out On Monday Against Toronto
Bradley Beal2 hours ago

Questionable Going Into Monday Night's Matchup Against Philadelphia
Rudy Gobert2 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Monday Night
Zach LaVine2 hours ago

Listed As Questionable On Monday
NASCAR2 hours ago

Speeding Penalty Foils Martin Truex Jr.'s Last Realistic Shot At Winning
Denny Hamlin2 hours ago

Fails To Advance To Championship 4 But Runs Well
Shane Van Gisbergen2 hours ago

Shane van Gisbergen Earns Best Oval Finish at Martinsville
William Byron2 hours ago

Tentatively In Championship 4 Pending Ruling On Manufacturer Orders
Anthony Davis2 hours ago

Listed As Probable For Monday
Stephen Curry2 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Monday Night
Jaylen Brown3 hours ago

Listed As Out For Monday Night's Matchup In Atlanta
Joel Embiid3 hours ago

Listed As Out For Monday Night's Game
Giannis Antetokounmpo3 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Monday Night
Paul George3 hours ago

Expected To Make Debut On Monday Night
Erick All Jr.3 hours ago

Potentially Done For Season
Caleb Williams3 hours ago

Expected To Be Fine
Mike Gesicki4 hours ago

Keeps It Going In Week 9
Chase Brown4 hours ago

Thrives Versus Vegas
Joe Burrow4 hours ago

Has Another Strong Showing In Week 9
Jayden Reed4 hours ago

Leads Packers In Receptions And Yards In Week 9 Loss
Geno Smith5 hours ago

Tosses Three Interceptions In Week 9
Jaxon Smith-Njigba5 hours ago

With A Monster Day In Week 9
Saquon Barkley5 hours ago

Tallies Nearly 200 Total Yards, Scores Twice
Jalen Hurts5 hours ago

Has Another Strong Performance In Week 9
MMA5 hours ago

Ariane Lipski Submitted At UFC Edmonton
Jasmine Jasudavicius6 hours ago

Gets Submission Win At UFC Edmonton
Caio Machado6 hours ago

Still Winless In The UFC
Brendson Ribeiro6 hours ago

Edges Out Split Decision At UFC Edmonton
CeeDee Lamb6 hours ago

Has AC Joint Issue, To Undergo An MRI
Amir Albazi6 hours ago

Falls Short At UFC Edmonton
Brandon Moreno6 hours ago

Dominates At UFC Edmonton
A.J. Brown6 hours ago

Won’t Return Versus Jacksonville
Zay Flowers6 hours ago

Puts Up Huge Performance Against Broncos
Quentin Johnston6 hours ago

Has A Big Game In His Week 9 Return
Dak Prescott7 hours ago

Set For An MRI On Monday
J.K. Dobbins7 hours ago

Scores Twice In Week 9 Win
Lamar Jackson7 hours ago

Posts A Perfect Game Against Broncos
Artturi Lehkonen7 hours ago

Activated From Injured Reserve
NJ8 hours ago

Nathan Bastian To Miss "Several Weeks"
Brayden Point8 hours ago

Exits With Injury Sunday
Dan Vladar8 hours ago

Set For Second Consecutive Start Sunday
Nicholas Robertson8 hours ago

Re-Enters Maple Leafs Lineup Sunday
Jakub Vrana8 hours ago

Scratched On Sunday
Onyeka Okongwu10 hours ago

Lands On Injury Report
Immanuel Quickley10 hours ago

Doubtful For Monday's Game
Austin Reaves10 hours ago

Participates During Sunday's Practice
Jarred Vanderbilt10 hours ago

Practices On Sunday
Ben Simmons10 hours ago

Available On Sunday
Austin Barnes15 hours ago

Returning To Los Angeles
15 hours ago

David Robertson To Test Free Agency
Wilmer Flores16 hours ago

Giants Exercise Club Option On Wilmer Flores
Owen Miller16 hours ago

Shipped To Colorado
Merrill Kelly16 hours ago

Staying In Arizona
16 hours ago

Eloy Jimenez Headed To Free Agency
Daniel Suarez17 hours ago

Will Start 20th At Martinsville
Zane Smith17 hours ago

Might Be An Underrated Value Play For Martinsville
Tyler Reddick17 hours ago

Is A Top DFS Recommendation For Martinsville Lineups
Joey Logano17 hours ago

Will Be One To Watch At Martinsville
Brad Keselowski17 hours ago

Should DFS Players Rely On Brad Keselowski For Martinsville Lineups?
Carson Hocevar17 hours ago

Is A Great DFS Option For All Martinsville DFS Lineups
Ty Gibbs17 hours ago

Is Ty Gibbs Worth Rostering At Martinsville This Week For DFS?
Austin Cindric17 hours ago

Could Have A Top-20 Performance At Martinsville
William Byron17 hours ago

Might Be Usable Only In DFS Tournaments At Martinsville
Chris Buescher17 hours ago

Should DFS Players Roster Chris Buescher At Martinsville?
Alex Bowman17 hours ago

Expect A Solid Top-10 Performance From Alex Bowman At Martinsville
Josh Berry17 hours ago

May Be Set For Long-Run Struggles At Martinsville
Dylan Larkin17 hours ago

Scores Twice On Saturday
Cam Talbot18 hours ago

Stops 31 Shots In Saturday's Victory
Cale Makar18 hours ago

Tallies Goal, Assist On Saturday
Anton Forsberg18 hours ago

Records Shutout Victory On Saturday
Philip Broberg18 hours ago

Leaves Saturday Early With Lower-Body Injury
Sidney Crosby18 hours ago

Nets Two More Goals In Saturday's Victory
Chase Elliott20 hours ago

Will Be Tough To Beat At Martinsville
Ryan Blaney20 hours ago

A Great DFS Play At Martinsville
Denny Hamlin20 hours ago

Wrecks In Practice, Will Start Last At Martinsville
Kyle Larson20 hours ago

Going Overlooked At Martinsville
Martin Truex Jr20 hours ago

. Will Be Strong At Martinsville On Sunday
Joel Embiid1 day ago

Reportedly Shoves Columnist On Saturday
Desmond Bane1 day ago

Diagnosed With An Oblique Strain
Marcus Smart1 day ago

Labeled Week-To-Week
Jordan Hawkins1 day ago

Back On The Injury Report
Wendell Carter Jr.1 day ago

Questionable Against Dallas
Bradley Beal1 day ago

Returning On Saturday Night
1 day ago

Joc Pederson To Test Free Agency
1 day ago

Anthony Rizzo Headed To Free Agency
Freddy Peralta1 day ago

Milwaukee Picking Up Option On Freddy Peralta
1 day ago

Ha-Seong Kim Headed To Free Agency
Adam Pelech1 day ago

To Miss At Least Four Weeks
Mathew Barzal1 day ago

Ruled Out For 4-6 Weeks
Tyler Seguin1 day ago

Day-To-Day With A Lower-Body Injury
Ilya Samsonov1 day ago

Out On Saturday
Mark Stone1 day ago

Good To Go Saturday
Mark Jankowski1 day ago

Back For Predators On Saturday
Brandon Montour1 day ago

Returns To Kraken Lineup
Samuel Ersson1 day ago

Suffers A Lower-Body Injury Saturday
Robbie Ray1 day ago

Doesn't Opt Out Of Contract, Stays With Giants
1 day ago

Yankees Could Make Play For Pete Alonso This Offseason
1 day ago

Sean Manaea Opts Out Of Contract, Becomes Free Agent
Cody Bellinger2 days ago

Picks Up $27.5 Million Player Option With Cubs
Gerrit Cole2 days ago

Opts Out Of Contract With Yankees
Rhys Hoskins2 days ago

Staying In Milwaukee
2 days ago

Seattle Declines Club Option On Jorge Polanco
Luke Weaver2 days ago

Returning To New York
Eugenio Suárez2 days ago

Arizona Picks Up Club Option On Eugenio Suarez
Nikolaj Ehlers2 days ago

Totals Four Points Versus Blue Jackets
Rose Namajunas2 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Edmonton
Clayton Kershaw2 days ago

To Undergo Two Surgeries
Erin Blanchfield2 days ago

Returns At UFC Edmonton
Brandon Lowe2 days ago

Rays Pick Up Club Option On Brandon Lowe
Marc-Andre Barriault2 days ago

Dustin Stoltzfus Set To Face Marc-Andre Barriault At UFC Edmonton
Marc-Andre Barriault2 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Edmonton
Trevin Giles2 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Mike Malott2 days ago

Opens Up UFC Edmonton Main Card
Brendson Ribeiro3 days ago

Searching For 1st UFC Win At UFC Edmonton
Caio Machado3 days ago

Drops Down To Light Heavyweight At UFC Edmonton
Jhonata Diniz3 days ago

Gets Big Step-Up At UFC Edmonton
Derrick Lewis3 days ago

Faces An Unranked Heavyweight At UFC Edmonton
Amir Albazi3 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Edmonton
Brandon Moreno3 days ago

Ends Layoff At UFC Edmonton

RANKINGS

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

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Quentin Johnston - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Waiver Wire Express - Week 10 Lightning Round Including Quentin Johnston, Xavier Legette, Ray-Ray McCloud III, Ray Davis, Jauan Jennings, Cedric Tillman, Bo Nix

October is in the past and many of you moved your clocks around, with several of you are here seeking help at wide receiver. Amidst the usual chaos of Sunday's football, we absorbed several high-profile losses at wideout. We're all doing our best to stay hot in November with our fantasy football waiver wire pickups […]


Jordan Love - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football Injury Reports For Week 9 (Sunday Morning Updates): Jordan Love, Puka Nacua, Josh Jacobs, Tank Bigsby, Tony Pollard, and more

Heading into Week 9 of the NFL season, injuries continue to impact the upcoming schedule. These play a huge factor in start/sit decisions for fantasy managers. Our injury updates and reports for Week 9 as of Sunday, November 3, 2024, will give you the latest updates on key fantasy football players. The injury news for […]


Bijan Robinson - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em - Week 9 Matchups Analysis

Welcome back, RotoBallers, to another start'em and sit'em piece as we look ahead to Week 9! With the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers on bye this week, fantasy managers will have to replace George Pickens, Najee Harris, Deebo Samuel Sr., and George Kittle in their lineups. This Week 9 matchups analysis and Start 'Em, Sit 'Em piece will help you make the right lineup decisions […]


Michael Pittman Jr. - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

WR/CB Matchups to Upgrade and Downgrade - Fantasy Football Week 9 (2024)

Welcome back to our WR/CB Matchups for Week 9 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 […]


Zay Flowers - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Week 9 Fantasy Football Busts? Players Who May Disappoint Include Josh Jacobs, Zay Flowers, Tank Bigsby, Rachaad White, Nick Chubb, Bucky Irving

Welcome to Week 9, the midway point of the 2024 fantasy football season. It's arrived quickly for most, but there's still plenty of season left! Injuries to wide receivers have left a sour taste in the mouths of fantasy managers, therefore propping up running backs. However, some running backs may have a rough week while […]


Rachaad White - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, 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.


Fantasy Football Matchups We Love - Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Picks for Week 9 Include Caleb Williams, Alvin Kamara, DeVonta Smith, Josh Jacobs, more

What a week it was for fantasy goodness. Quarterbacks were on fire, and thus, so were offenses around the NFL. If you were on the right side of that output, then I commend you. If you received duds on your roster, then I feel your pain. This was a topsy-turvy week in the NFL and […]


Keon Coleman - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Key Starters and Tough Calls - Week 9 Lineup Spotlights for Fantasy Football Include Chase Brown, Keon Coleman, Ladd McConkey, Joe Flacco, more

Scott Engel’s Lineup Spotlights are an essential weekly feature on RotoBaller.com for the 2024 fantasy football season. Every week, he focuses on players to choose as starting options when you are dealing with tight lineup decisions. The lineup picks included in this rundown are based on Scott’s Premium Weekly Lineup Rankings, available as part of the RotoBaller […]


Terry McLaurin - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Wide Receiver Matchups to Target in Week 9 - Terry McLaurin, Chris Olave, Ladd McConkey, Jakobi Meyers

Welcome to WR Matchups to Target for Week 9. Last week’s picks yielded one “in the money” pick (3x multiplier on DraftKings salary) in Keon Coleman, giving us 11 such picks over the first eight weeks of the season. Each week, we will use matchup data from PFF to determine which wide receivers to target […]


Bryce Young - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

High-Upside Bench Stashes: Weekend Waiver Wire Adds for Week 9 Includes Jalen Coker, Troy Franklin, Jaylen Wright, Erick All Jr., Kimani Vidal, Blake Corum

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 […]


Jameis Winston - NFL DFS Picks, Waiver Wire, Fantasy Football Rankings

Booms and Busts - Fantasy Football Starts and Sits for Week 9 Lineups

Well, November is here, and we have officially entered the third month of the 2024 NFL season. It never ceases to amaze me how fast it moves once it’s finally here. Week 8 was more of the same for us here. Some good calls mixed in with some poor ones. Our big miss of the […]


Chicago Bears Defense - Jaquan Brisker, DST, D/ST, Rankings, Streamers

Week 9 Defense (DEF) Streamers and Starts - 2024 Fantasy Tiers, Rankings

Welcome back, RotoBallers, to our Week 9 fantasy football defense streamers and D/ST rankings for the 2024 fantasy football season. Every week, I'll go through the best and worst fantasy defenses. With two teams on bye (Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers), I will be ranking fantasy defenses from No. 1 to No. 30.  With the 49ers and […]


Devin Singletary - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Sneaky Starts, Pivot Plays, and Post-Waiver Pickups for Week 9 - Joe Flacco, Devin Singletary, Xavier Legette, Dalton Schultz, Bo Nix, Josh Downs

We have reached the point in the season when some of you may be in season-saving mode. If you are sitting at 3-5, this may apply to you. To save your season, you have to change your approach. Rather than holding injured players and waiting for them to return, you have to trade them.  Yes, […]