Daily Sheet 4/17/25: The Roman Anthony Empire & Free Sheet Friday

Happy Free Sheet Friday. We've got 77 names covered below from Single-A (Adam), High-A (Grant), Double-A (Trevor), Triple-A (Rhys) and Major League Baseball (Smada).

New this year we're getting emojis next to player names to help identify standout performances on the fly as well as have some fun.

The Daily Sheet emoji appendix

🆕 for debuts at a new level

💣💣 for Double Dongs (💣💣💣 for a Throng of Dongs)

🍔🍟 for a Combo Meal (HR & SB)

👟 for multiple SB (👟👟 for 4+ SB)

🔄 for a Cycle

‼️for stand out starting pitching

🔜 for rehab assignments

🚑 for in-game injuries

Major League Baseball

Covered by Smada

I wrote way too much about Ben Rice again, but made up for it by writing way too much on Mark Vientos. However, I came away with more questions than answers.

👟 Corbin Carroll, OF ARI (MLB) 

1-for-5, 2 R, RBI, 3 K, 3 SB

And just like that, any SB concerns are washed away. Through 88 PA Carroll is up to 6 HR and 4 SB and 192 wRC+.

🍔🍟 Pavin Smith, 1B ARI (MLB) 

2-for-3, HR, 2B, R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, K, SB

Smith’s 2nd straight game with a home run and 3rd in his last six games. I’ve written more than I need to on the platoon bat, but it’s tough to ignore when he’s slashing .404/.491/.745. If Ks come back down to earth it’ll be difficult for the Dbacks to hold him back against LHP.

Edward Cabrera, RHP MIA (MLB) 

4 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 6 K, HR allowed

I personally gave up on Cabrera before last season, but if you’re still hanging on I’m not quite sure what hope it is that you’re hanging on to. When I saw his no-walks starts in his AAA rehab starts I thought maybe he could have found something, but he hasn’t. It’s now over 300 IP of a 13% BB. I don’t think that’ll ever change.

Connor Norby, 3B MIA (MLB) 

1-for-5, 2 K

Norby is back from opening the season on the IL with an oblique. He immediately slotted into the two-hole. Content with their CI/DH options, the Marlins moved Jonah Bride (-15 wRC+) to MIL for cash prior to Norby’s recall. For me, Norby looks to have a tweener profile. Some game power in the bat, moderate SB potential, but quite a bit of whiff to go with below-average walks. The good news is that he’ll get plenty of reps in Miami at the top of the order. As I hold one share of Norby in a win-now dynasty I’m tempted to shop him, but also think he’ll be a solid contributor in a 20-team league for 2025. Long term, some plate discipline and or contact improvement needs to happen for it all to work.

🍔🍟 Oneil Cruz, CF PIT (MLB) 

1-for-3, HR, R, RBI, BB, 2 K, SB

Combo meal for Cruz brings him up to 4 HR and a league leading 9 SB. He’s got a good shot at a 30/30 season with health.

Andrew Heaney, LHP PIT (MLB) 

7.1 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K

I rec’d Heaney as a “win-now” team buy after his 2nd start of the season and he’s back with another 7+ IP outing in his 4th start. He’s developed into a crafty lefty and while projections hate him now, I wouldn’t be surprised to see his ERA end up at his current 3.40 xFIP by the end of the year.

Dennis Santana, RHP PIT (MLB) 

0.2 IP, K, SV

Drew Wheeler’s bold prediction that Santana would become the closer already came true… now let’s see if he can keep that job long enough to get the 15 saves Drew was hoping for. 2 down, 13 to go.

Randy Arozarena, LF SEA (MLB) 

2-for-4, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K

Arozarena has looked very sold thus far with 4 HR and 6 SB. He’s also got a 19% BB through 84 PA. It’s not looking great for those who faded him heading into the season.

Tyler Soderstrom, 1B SAC (MLB) 

1-for-5, HR, R, RBI, K

Brent Rooker, LF SAC (MLB) 

3-for-5, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, K

🍔🍟 Lawrence Butler, RF SAC (MLB) 

1-for-3, HR, 2B,  R, RBI, BB, 2 K, SB

Jacob Wilson, SS SAC (MLB) 

2-for-3, 2 2B, R, 2 RBI, BB

Can’t say how impressed I am by this group of young A’s hitters. Tyler Soderstrom leads the league with 9 HR. I put up a poll on whether or not Soderstrom should be considered a top 100 dynasty player and the results came back with about a 2/3rds “yes.” Brent Rooker is getting games in the OF to make room for Nick Kurtz while continuing to hit bombs. Lawrence Butler only has 2 HR on the season but has completely flipped the script on his approach by chasing significantly less, swinging at more balls in the zone and making more contact on those ball in the zone. It’s led to a 13% BB,13% K and a 152 wRC+. Butler’s also chipped in 4 SB.  Jacob Wilson has struck out 3 times all season and is batting .338 and is 3rd in the league in Contact%.

Tyler Fitzgerald, 2B SF (MLB) 

1-for-4, HR, R, RBI, 3 K

Tyler Fitzgerald in a nutshell… talked more at length about him few days ago.

‼️ Cristopher Sanchez, LHP PHI (MLB) 

7 IP, 4 H, 3 R (2 ER), BB, 12 K, HR allowed

Sometimes that spring pitcher hype is real! That sinker velo has remained up a tick and a half from 2024 but the changeup has been unreal. He threw 50 (!) changeups with 22 (!) whiffs on 29 (!) swings! The tradeoff so far has been with homers as he’s allowed 4 HR through 4 starts.

Gunnar Henderson, SS BAL (MLB) 

2-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 R, RBI, K

Gunnar finally got his 1st HR of the season and is heating up with 4 extra base hits in his last 4 games. The walks are down, but he’s hitting the ball as hard as he ever has. I’m not sure if a buying opportunity will arise in the same way it did for Corbin Carroll, but I’ve got little reason to believe he’s not the same player he was last season.

Ben Rice, 1B NYY (MLB) 

4-for-5, 2B, 2 R

Similar to Tyler Soderstrom, I put up a poll on whether or not Rice should be considered a top 100 dynasty player and the results came back with about a 60% “no.” The reason people seem to have the need to wait on Rice is some combo of age and what I think would be considered a poor debut in 2024. Possibly also some lost PA against LHP. A tweet I found by @rational_yankee also made a good point about hitting directly in front of Aaron Judge is leading to attacking Rice. Being protected by Judge doesn’t just automatically mean you become a good hitter, but I could see how it could amplify the opportunities that Rice is getting given his passivity and approach to hunt fastballs. I keep going back and forth on where he’ll rank in my upcoming dynasty release, but it’ll be around that top 100 mark. The approach is too solid, the power too real and last season’s debut difficulties included some bad luck on batted balls. At this point I care very little of Rice being 26 years old. It’s not entirely his fault they tried him at catcher for as long as they did in the minor leagues, and he hit like crazy at every stop. Also, let’s not forget that 27 year old breakouts were a “thing” for a long time. My main concern is that he continues to get games off against LHP bringing down the seasonal PA total.

Mark Vientos, 3B NYM (MLB) 

1-for-4, HR, R, RBI

Vientos finally gets his first HR of the season and is now slashing .152/.253/.258 out of the gate. Given I don’t have any Vientos on my rosters and that he hadn’t done anything noteworthy yet, meant I hadn’t looked at his line at all. I was surprised to find and increased BB% and lowered K% in the early season sample. I just assumed he’d been expanding the zone, striking out and just not getting to that power that came so easily last year. In a lot of ways, Vientos looks similar to what Lawrence Butler has done. Cut the chase and increase the in-zone contact. Essentially, make better swing decisions. The problem though, and something that isn’t happening to Butler, is the swing-speed is down. It’s gone from average in 2024 to below average thus far in 2025. I’m not sure if Vientos is battling a silent injury or is simply undergoing an approach change, but despite the better K/BB profile I’m not encouraged.

‼️ Kumar Rocker, RHP TEX (MLB) 

7 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 8 K

Rocker finally led with the slider and turned in his best MLB start. It was the first time Rocker had been through 6 IP let alone 7. His slider got 12 whiffs on 25 swings and ended with a 47% CSW. I’m not sure if I’ve got to put the caveat “but it was against the Angels,” but it WAS against the Angels. Regardless, an efficient start without a walk and just 78 pitches to get through 7 IP is incredibly encouraging after how he opened the season.

Triple-A

Covered by Rhys White

Doug Nikhazy, LHP CLE (Triple-A) 

4.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 4 K 

Eleven swings and misses for the depth arm in the Guardians. Nikhazy is an uncomfortable at-bat and may play out of the bullpen in a long-relief role. Which in the right organization has its value as he can be a multi-inning save type. But not this organization with some absolute dawgs in the back end of the bullpen. Nikhazy could see a bump in prospect stock if he were to get moved to a different organization, but with these types, I don't feel the need to roster them, even in a 30-teamer. 

Moises Ballesteros, C CHC (Triple-A) 

1-for-3, 2 BB

What is holding back the final evolution of Squirtle, Ballesteros, is the Carson Kelley silver slugger campaign, which was not on my bingo card, even as someone who is rostering him in my aforementioned 30-teamer. Ballesteros could be a nice spark plug for the Cubs, as one of the few ways for them to get better is their catcher offense when Carson Kelly cools off. Ballesteros on a regular fitting roster might have been up already, but there is nowhere to put Ballesteros, despite his bat being ready last season. 

Marco Raya, RHP MIN (Triple-A) 

3 IP, 4 H, BB, 3 K 

The Twins might as well just push Raya to the bullpen at this point. It is starting to get ridiculous. He’s 22, and he is only allowed to throw 48 pitches in a start where he looks good. I get having kid gloves on for pitchers, but you have to stress test them every once in a while. 

Thomas Harrington, RHP PIT (Triple-A) 

3 IP, 3 H, R (ER), 2 BB, 4 K 

Harrington has made his major league debut and has his first major league save, which was not on my bingo card; I really wanna play bingo. In his return to Triple-A, Harrington was sharp; he was allowed to throw more than just a handful of pitches, and he looked sharp. He features a splitter to left-handed batters that I would like to see sprinkled in more. But how is this for an idea, Thomas Harrington, and another prospect for Coby Mayo? The Orioles and the Pirates match up so well in a trade that it isn’t even funny. Harrington might be the ace for the Orioles next year, even though his ceiling is just that of a mid-rotation starter. 

Chandler Simpson, CF TB (Triple-A) 

1-for-5, 2 R 

Tre’ Morgan, 1B TB (Triple-A) 

2-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI

Tanner Murray, SS TB (Triple-A) 

1-for-5, HR, R, 2 RBI 

Bob Seymour, 1B TB (Triple-A) 

3-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, RBI 

The Rays continue to do it; with prospects you know and prospects you don’t know, they get the most out of their prospects—Chandler Simpson and Tre’ Morgan, you know. Chandler Simpson is the supercharged version of an old-school lead-off hitter; yeah, he is gonna have no power, but he can win stolen bases for you. Morgan is not your conventional first-base prospect, as he is. What if Evan White was a good baseball hitter? Both these two might be better real-life players, but given their defense and other soft skills, they should be able to get out of the Rays platoon nonsense they love to run. Tanner Murray is from UC Davis, and I feel bad for the guy as UC Davis smells bad. But hey, he has turned himself into an excellent depth piece for this org; he can play shortstop and may be able to help in an extreme injury situation. Bob Seymour should go by Bobby, but that’s neither here nor there; he is a perfectly fine Triple-A first-base type who hits the ball hard, strikes out too much, and can’t really pay first-base. He will be a fun one for the Durham Bulls before he embarks on a career in the KBO. 

Jairo Iriarte, RHP CWS (Triple-A) 

4 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 5 K

*To the tune of Enrique Iglesias’ only hit song - Hero* I can be your Jairo baby; I can get swings and misses. I will be so good in the bullpen you can count on me to be a good source of saves on the next good White Sox team. *End song* Okay, now that we are done singing, Jairo Iriarte does not show starter-level command, which may push him to the bullpen as soon as this year. The fastball and slider are good, but could realistically play up in shorter spurts. 

👟 Justin Crawford, CF PHI (Triple-A) 

4-for-5, 2 SB

This is your prototypical Justin Crawford slash line, empty calorie singles, and stolen bases. I like him more than most, as I am encouraged by his 85% in-zone contact rate, but what is causing me to be worried is that as he has climbed up the minor leagues, the ground-ball rate has steadily risen with him. Currently, he is rocking, and not well, with a 64% ground ball rate, which is not tenable. To add to that, we have very little power here. I think Crawford will be good; the red flags are here, even if he is a better option long-term than Marsh and Johan Rojas.

Mick Abel, RHP PHI (Triple-A) 

5.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 8 K, HR Allowed

Mick Abel has never questioned the stuff, but what does have me worried is the command. It is not just the amount of walks he gives up; if you do give up a long ball, it can hurt that much more. Abel’s stuff has never been questioned. He is up to 98 with two good breakers, but if he is ever going to be an inefficient 5 starter, then the command needs to take a half jump up. Abel projects out as a five-and-dive starter, but breaking into this loaded Phillies rotation looks tough this year. Maybe he gets pushed to bullpen in the second half of the year, and he can provide some value in the stretch run of the fantasy playoffs. 

🍔🍟 Agustín Ramirez, C MIA (Triple-A) 

2-for-5, HR, 2B, 2 R, RBI, SB 

Deyvison De Los Santos, 1B MIA (Triple-A) 

2-for-5, R, RBI

Maximo Acosta, SS MIA (Triple-A) 

1-for-5, HR, R, RBI

It's a combo meal for a catching prospect; the Marlins let just about anyone run these days. Ramirez has some interesting power, as he could hit 30 homers, and it would not surprise me; those are 30 of the 50-60 hits he gets a season. DDLS continues to hit in Triple-A and may ultimately be a Triple-A player. Acostqa has been hitting well, even if he rarely impacts baseballs. He is a deep flier in your deepest of deep leagues. He could become a 15-homer bat with 15 stolen bases, but that is like the 99th-percentile outcome. 

Alex Freeland, SS LAD (Triple-A) 

2-for-5, 2B

I for one can not wait to see how Alex Freeland fares as the 9 hole hatter for the Dodgers lineup. He could be the everyday shortstop, serve as an old-school second lead-off hitter type and put up plenty of fantasy value in that sort of role. Think along the lines of a 20 homer threat who can steal 15 bases. Which like I mentioned for a team like the Dodgers, hits 8th or 9th when everyone is healthy. 

Jordan Lawlar, 2B ARI (Triple-A) 

2-for-4, HR, R, 2 RBI

From one NL West shortstop prospect to another, Lawlar has been hitting the crap out of the ball in Reno, and I wish the D'Backs would move on if they are gonna block him at every junction. They even called up Tim Tawa when they could have called him up. Lawlar needs a change of scenery at this point; I wouldn't be shocked if he were the best prospect dealt with at the deadline. 

💣💣 Roman Anthony, DH BOS (Triple-A) 

2-for-5, 2 HR, 2 R, 5 RBI 

This is my Roman empire. A Double Dong for the best prospect in the game. Let's get him up to Boston, please, PLEASE. He smashed these two batted balls at 106 and 107 off the bat. That is the good stuff. The outfield situation in Boston is crowded, but at some point, the Sox will have to sit Rafaela; as much as I love him, that is when the Roman empire can truly start. 

Double-A

Covered by Trevor Hooth

🔜 Wyatt Langford, OF TEX (Double-A) 

1-for-3, HR, 2 R, RBI, BB, K

A rehabbing Wyatt Langford hit a home run. This game marks the first of his rehab assignment and his 13th Double-A game ever. All in all, this was his 48th total game in the minor leagues. Anyway, he should be back very soon. It’s expected to be as soon as he’s eligible to come back from the IL. 

Jared Sundstrom, OF TEX (Double-A) 

3-for-4, HR, R, RBI

Jauntily singing to the tune of Annie: The Sund will homer in this game! Sining ends, massive applause ensues. Through his first 11 games the 2023 10th rounder is hitting .325 with 7 stolen bases. This was his first homerun, but he has hit a pair of triples. Three hits in this game helped him to stand out. 

JJ Wetherholt, SS STL (Double-A) 

2-for-3, BB

I just want to say once again that JJ Wetherholt is really good and honestly just let him go to Triple-A. Or the majors. Whatever is easier, honestly. He’s hitting .364 following this two hit performance and it’s amazing he slid to St. Louis in the draft.

Mikey Romero, SS BOS (Double-A) 

3-for-5, HR, R, RBI, K

The former first round pick hit his second homer in his first nine games. He got a taste of Double-A last season. It’s worth noting that he’s walked 5 times already after walking 18 times total last season. It seems like, at least in the early going, there might be a new aspect developing in his game. A little more patience could help, though strikeouts have never been a huge issue. 

Romeo Sanabria, 1B SD (Double-A) 

1-for-4, HR, R, 2 RBI

What’s that? You don’t think I can do another musical bit on this Sheet? Well here’s a Sublime cover. I don’t roster Sanabria, I ain’t have no shares at all. Well he has a trio of homeruns, but he hasn’t walked at all. Romeo Sanabria’s walk rate is at 2.2 percent in a small sample, but usually he’s been in the mid teens. If he can add some more home runs to his game then he becomes a potentially really interesting prospect based on his performances. 

Hagen Smith, LHP CWS (Double-A) 

5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K

The Birmingham Barons pitching rotation is honestly crazy. Hagen Smith gave up just a few hits, and would’ve thrown shutout innings if not for a homerun. Some fun facts about Smith so far this year he’s thrown 9.2 innings with 17 strikeouts. There are some warts, like his 6 walks and 2 hit batters, but there’s been a lot of impressive things happening so far. 

Kyler Fedko, OF MIN (Double-A) 

3-for-4, HR, R, 3 RBI

This was Kyler Fedko’s third homerun of the season, which ties his season total from a year ago in the same level. He’s looking for a better performance than hitting .227 a year ago. Fedko’s operation is pretty interesting. He starts with his knees bent, leaning over the plate. When he loads he sits back in a very quick motion to get ready to start his swing. 

‼️ Luis Morales, RHP OAK (Double-A) 

6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K

Electricity personified. When Luis Morales is on, it’s so much fun to watch. He walked 4 batters in his previous start, then he comes out in this one and struck out 8 without walking anyone. This was his best outing yet, and he doubled his innings total this season after this one. 

Joe Mack, C MIA (Double-A) 

3-for-5, 2 2B, 2 R, 2 K

Double doubles for Joe Mack, who just continues to hit. He’s hitting .333 through his first 10 games this year. He now has 4 doubles and a pair of homeruns. Entering the year, the heir-apparent for the catcher in Miami was pretty clear, and it wasn’t Mack. Now, the conversation may be turning into more of a debate.

Evan Fitterer, RHP MIA (Double-A) 

5.2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K

The start of the yearer couldn’t be going betterer for Evan Fitterer. He’s thrown 14.2 innings with a 14:3 K:BB and a 1.23 ERA. It seems hard to believe he was a 2019 5th rounder and is still just 24-years-old. He got to Triple-A last year, but is starting back in Double-A this year. We’ll see how his year unfolds, though he may wind up a decent bullpen arm at some point rather than rotation. 

Lucas Braun, RHP ATL (Double-A) 

6.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 K

It’s really hard to argue with Lucas Braun’s 10.03 K/9 and 1.54 BB/9 through his first 11.2 Double-A innings this year. It’s not as hard to argue with his 4 homers allowed in 3 starts, though none in this start. What worries me with Braun is his fastball. The breaking pitch is great, but he’s living in the low-90’s and giving up bombs. The latter can be true for the former to work long term. 

Craig Kimbrel, RHP ATL (Double-A) 

1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K

What a neat prospect story this is. Atlanta drafted Kimbrel back in 2008 and he’s 36, still trying to make it to the big leagues. Okay, make it back to the big leagues. Apparently he’s had a pretty decent career there already. Anyway, he faced 4 batters in this one and struck them all out. 

Jose Acuna, RHP CIN (Double-A) 

5 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 10 K

This is arguably Jose Acuna’s worst start of his three this season. He’s thrown exactly 5 innings in all of them, but in the 10 innings prior to today he’d only surrendered a single run. That being said, he didn’t hit double digit strikeouts in either one. Either way, it culminates to a 2-0 record with a 3.00 ERA with 19 strikeouts through 15 innings. 

🍔🍟 Jett Williams, SS NYM (Double-A) 

2-for-5, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 K, SB

The power/speed appeal of Jett Williams was on display in this one with a bomb and a steal. The idea of being a speedster named Jett is super fun. So fat this year he’s played shortstop and second, while in the past he’s also played the outfield. Where he winds up defensively will be something to pay attention to.

Jack Wenninger, RHP NYM (Double-A) 

5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K

The Jack Wenninger hype continues to grow. This isn’t a normal Sheet day for me though, so I’m super pumped I get to once again tell you to keep Wenninger in mind. Through his first 3 starts and 15 innings he’s struck out 22 batters with a 1.20 ERA. More like Jack Winninger, honestly.

Donta' Williams, OF WAS (Double-A) 

3-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB

The former 4th rounder of the Orioles joined the Nationals organization prior to the start of the year. He was locked in during this game. This was his first long ball of the year and he’s hitting just .182 in the early going of the season. 

Jarlin Susana, RHP WAS (Double-A) 

4.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 10 K

Imagine getting Mackenzie Gore, James Wood, and CJ Abrams and also having Jarlin Susana’s lightning rod of a right arm. And that wasn’t even everyone in the trade package. Sure, you traded Juan Soto, but it’s a haul. Susana is looking better and better all the time. His stuff is absolutely nasty.

C.J. Kayfus, 1B CLE (Double-A) 

1-for-4, 3B, R, 3 RBI, K

So, uh, I looked at C.J. Kayfus’s stats for the first time this season right before writing this blurb and hitting .452 through 42 at bats is crazy. It’s still really early, but my goodness has he been on fire. My keyboard caught on fire just writing about it. This includes 4 triples. How long can he keep this up?

💣💣 Spencer Jones, OF NYY (Double-A) 

3-for-5, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI

Double dong day for Spencer Jones. He’s got 5 homers on the season now as his power abilities are showing early in the year. Just don’t look too hard at his strikeout rate, which is north of 30 percent. But, of his 12 hits at this point in the year exactly half of them have gone for extra bases. 

High-A

Covered by Grant Carver

Leo De Vries, SS SDP (High-A)

1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 K

First home run of many this season. Starting the year in High-A for an 18 year old is insane, but yet he warrants the challenge. Just an insane combination of hit/power for a guy at his age and if you read our daily sheet, you probably know how exciting this guy is. 

💣💣 Rosman Verdugo, 3B SDP (High-A)

2-for-4, 2 HR, 4 RBI, K

Double Dong day for Verdugo in this one. He does not typically show an abundance of power, so this one must feel extra nice for him. The problem with Verdugo’s profile is the lack of impact combined with the lack of a hit tool. If you’re going to be a buy that hits for little power, you cannot survive with the amount of swing and miss this guy has. He has to start showing improvements there to stay on the radar.

Jose Devers, SS CLE (High-A)

3-for-5, 2 2B, K

Solid night for Devers, who is repeating High-A to start the year and has a lot to prove. He makes a fine amount of contact in the zone, but the problem is the overall approach. He showed way too much chase last year and a big time lack of plate discipline. Tough to survive with those traits as a soft hitting middle infielder, so we’ll see if he can fix some issues here.

👟 Walker Janek, C HOU (High-A)

3-for-5, 3 1B, R, RBI, 3 SB

I love a plus defender behind the plate, and seeing him with three singles in this one is refreshing. I’m lower on the hit tool than most, and that’s the big question for me. Also, three stolen bases for this guy? He’s got decent speed for a catcher but the pitchers in this one caught napping too often.

Jaxon Wiggins, RHP CHC (High-A)

5 IP, 2 H, ER, 2 BB, 7 K

Wiggins went 68th overall to the Cubs back in 2023 and has shown some kinks to work through since then. He has a tall and athletic frame that you love to see from a pitcher and the stuff is ridiculous. His fastball and slider are both plus right now and are explosive pitches. The problem lies within the control, which is poor as it stands. There is a ton of reliever risk here, but Wiggins has all the tools to be a mid rotation guy and even if the control is never great, it’s dangerous stuff out of a bullpen.

Keiner Delgado, SS PIT (High-A)

3-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI, BB

Delgado had been struggling with the strikeouts to start the year, so good to see a productive night for him at the plate. I actually think he’s a bit underrated in this system as a skilled bat to ball middle infielder, but the ceiling makes it hard to buy into him. The complete lack of size and projection make it hard to see any power coming and the plate discipline would need to become elite, which it is not. He is good at making contact, but he needs to make better swing decisions this year to keep advancing.

Carson DeMartini, SS PHI (High-A) 

3-for-5, 2 2B, R, BB, K

Lots of extra bases for DeMartini in this one. If the hit tool can hold up, the Phillies would be real looking real good for snagging him in the 4th round of last years draft. He’s got above average power and a clean swing with quick hands, and when he launches one it’s pretty to watch. Will be real interested in what the whiff numbers look like in 30 days for this guy.

‼️ Michael Forret, RHP BAL (High-A)

5 IP, 0 H, ER, BB, 9 K

Forret has pitched well since being taken in the 14th round back in 2023 by Baltimore and is one of their better arm prospects. He has an average fastball, combined with a deep and solid arsenal. His consistent secondaries vary between a slider, a curveball, and a splitter, with the slider being the ebay of the bunch. He needs to fine tune the secondary command, but a guy with an arsenal this deep of at least average pitches has my attention.

‼️ Drew Beam, RHP KCR (High-A)

6 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K

Impressive nice for Beam, who is underrated and I have a few shares of myself in dynasty. The fastball was reportedly up to 98 mph tonight, which you love to see. That pitch is still his bread and butter, and he loves throwing it. None of the secondaries jump out to me, but both the curve and the changeup flash at least average. He needs those to become “out” pitches as he raises in the minors.

Jadher Areinamo, 2B MIL (High-A)

2-for-4, HR, BB

The rare power sighting for Areinamo. The Brewers have a very deep system, but don’t sleep on this kid as a potential utility guy. The contact rates are elite and I think they will stay that way.The lack of size and projection hurts, but the floor might be good enough to make him stick.

Kyle DeBarge, 2B MIN (High-A)

2-for-5, 2B, 4 RBI

DeBarge is red hot out of the gate and continues that tonight. The guy can hit for sure, he just lacks the power projection you like to see. But much like Areinamo, sometimes a guy that can play multiple positions and make a ton of contact still turns into a pretty useful player. 

‼️ Daniel Eagen, RHP ARI (High-A)

6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 12 K

Dominant performance for the right hander in this one. The breaking stuff was getting all sorts of chases and the fastball was getting strikeouts as well. He’s got an average fastball, but both his curveball and slider are above average offerings. They playoff each other well and both have good bite. Eagen was taken in the 3rd round of last year's draft and has the arsenal to stick in a rotation.

Demetrio Crisantes, SS ARI (High-A) 

1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI

First home run of the season for Crisantes and power is not his calling card. He’s still one of the more underrated prospects in the game for me. Showed an incredible combination of contact skills and plate discipline last year, and he is still 20 years old. The hit tool is plus and he has some room to add power, so I’m all in here.

Single-A

Covered by Adam Kiel

Bryce Rainer, DH DET (Single-A)

0-for-2, 2 R, 2 BB

Bryce is having a slow start to his professional career. 1-for-6 is certainly not what he envisioned but good ball players find ways to impact the game even when they aren’t playing their best. Even so, this will be a player that requires patience. 

Griffin Herring, LHP NYY (Single-A)

6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 9 K 

6th round pick in LSU where he was used as a reliever. This offseason he worked hard to improve his arsenal adding everyone’s favorite, a kick changeup, and improving his slider. His fastball is a low to mid 90’s average-ish pitch, the Slider is a big sweeping pitch that sits mid 80’s and can get a fair amount of whiffs. The change up adds a third offering that could be an average to above average offering to round out a solid arsenal. A fun archetype to chase early season is the college reliever turned starter in the pros. The stuff is usually pretty good and just has solid questions of durability and/or command. Griffin had  a 8.8% career walk rate in college, so the command is at least good enough to build off of. The durability concerns are in play, with his career season-high at just 50.1 IP. So far the transition for Griffin is going well, but if he is to stick at starter it will take some time to build up to a full season's work. At the very least, he can transition back to the bullpen and move quickly to the pros if it is decided the starter path isn’t best for the Yankees. 

Braylon Payne, CF MIL (Single-A)

0-for-2, R, 2 BB, K, SB

Cards on the table. I am not a big Braylon Payne guy. I avoided him in FYPDs. I didn’t pick him up off the waiver wire when available. I’m still not a huge supporter, I fear the hit tool is being overlooked a bit. However, good ball players find ways to impact that game or whatever. In all seriousness, 11 SBs and a .444 OBP are worth noting. His quick twitch athleticism is the reason he got drafted, the projected power is why he got moved into the first round - along with some money games. If it continues to develop the hit tool there's a chance for a speed-first fantasy baseball monster, if it lands just in the 45 range, you’ll still likely end up happy you drafted him. 

👟 Asbel Gonzalez, CF KCR (Single-A)

4-for-5, R, 2 RBI, BB, 2 SB

This Columbia Fireflies team ran all over Kannapolis catcher Ronny Hernandez. 7 stolen bases in this one including Asbel’s MiLB leading 16th and 17th on the season. It’s no surprise that he is given a borderline plus run grade. Unfortunately for fantasy purposes, he is a run and defense based prospect with some OBP based skills. His power is on the light side and since he joined affiliated baseball in 2023 he has exactly 1 home run. It’s a name to remember but just a watchlist guy for me currently. Real life I could see him having a fun role for a future Royals team though. 

Ty Floyd, RHP CIN (Single-A)

4 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K

Following shoulder surgery, Floyd made his professional debut and is slowly building back up. Throwing 64 pitches in this one, including 64% strikes, Floyd had his best outing so far. Watching how he looks as the season progresses will show if there’s any buying opportunity or if he can produce the mid-rotation upside. 

💣💣 Cole Mathis, DH CHC (Single-A)

2-for-5, 2 HR, 2 R, 5 RBI, K 

A top mid-major bat, Mathis has had a slow start but might be heating up. Two multi-hit, multi-extra base hit days in a row. This time, it's a double-dong day.  It’s too early to change much of your opinion but the power looks legit. I won’t mention the log jam ahead of him in the system, but I wouldn’t bank on this one racing to the Majors. For anyone asking “Adam should I pick him up if he went undrafted?” The answer is yes, leagues of 450 or more he should be rostered. Especially if they insist on him being a 3B.  

👟 Konnor Griffin, SS PIT (Single-A)

2-for-5, 2 R, RBI, 3 SB 

I believe I called him “one of the most talented players in the draft” and I was still too low on him. He looks currently like the best fantasy prospect in the draft. Buy at the first dip in production. 

‼️ Eli Jones, RHP MIN (Single-A)

5 IP, H, BB, 6 K

7th round pick out of South Carolina, Eli is enjoying his time being more advanced than his competition. This might sound derogatory, and that's because it is a little bit, but it’s better than the alternative. I added him because he’s a recent draftee and finding good pitching performances longer than 3 innings this time of the year is surprising. He’s projected to be more of a groundball specialist than a strikeout power pitcher, but he’s got potential to develop into a back rotation arm if it all breaks right for him. Nothing actionable, just a good performance.  Now back to actionable fantasy evaluation….

‼️ Wei-En Lin, LHP ATH (Single-A)

4 IP, 9 K

19-year-old out of Taiwan is dominating the level. 24 Ks in 12 IPs. He also maintains his impressive walk rate at 0%. Is this real? I honestly can’t say. He isn’t overwhelming hitters with velocity, he sits low-90’s. He is just pounding the zone and hitting his spots. Watch list for sure. I will admit, I went to add him in a points league with 600 prospects because you have to be first to arms there. I’d say he’s a perfect churn and burn candidate. Add him and be ready to drop if he struggles. 

Dakota Jordan, CF SFG (Single-A)

3-for-6, 2B, 3B, 3 R, 2 RBI, K

This was quietly a guy I liked a fair amount in the draft, but like many including those that make the selections, his hit tool scared me. He slipped to the 4th round after having late first round buzz late in the draft cycle. .341/.462/.561 is a phenomenal start. Now many would rightly point out that this is just proof he’s too advanced for the level and they would be correct. The swing and miss concerns are not going away. He is still running a 30+% K rate. But this is a glimpse of what the profile can provide, if not a little light on the homeruns. If you want actionable advice, you could try and ride this hot start into trading him away. You’re probably not getting a huge return on your investment in that case, or you could hold and see if this boom-or-bust guy becomes an FYPD steal. 

Mike Sirota, LF LAD (Single-A)

2-for-5, 2B, 3B, 2 R, 3 RBI, K 

I feel like this man is still quite underrated. I am a big fan but I will refrain from victory lapping anything pre-30 PAs because that would be silly. But I would be remiss if I didn’t point out his slash line currently sits at .393/.452/.643. The concern is just simply can he face advanced pitching. That can’t really be answered here, but he can gain confidence and prove to be a prospect that you should roster. Back in February the Dynasty squad placed him just inside the top 500. I would say definitely should be rostered in leagues 450+. I am more bullish and think he is probably in the 380 range, but that's based on a belief the hit tool develops to average or better and power is closer to 45 than 40. I am not in the majority here. 

‼️ Boston Bateman, LHP SDP (Single-A)

5 IP, 1 BB, 7 Ks

👀 San Diego is on the phone now looking to trade him before his stock drops. Jokes aside, the 19-year-old bounced back from a rough first start to throw this gem. He is quite raw and has a wide range of outcomes but the upside for him is there. I don’t have the stones to even say more, the Sasquatch is one of the riskier day 1 picks. 

Brody Brecht, RHP COL (Single-A) 

2 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, BB, 5 K, 2 HR Allowed

Lets just ignore everything but the walk. Hey look! Just one walk for Brody! 

I have not and likely will not recover from the whiplash I had when I saw Brody Becht’s name flash on the screen when the Rockies selected him. As an Iowa fan I was so excited to see him go into a good development program and have them improve his command so he could thrive. And then those pesky Rockies had to ruin my day. He slid so far down my rankings. I am trying not to be dramatic, but I think I am mostly out on him in general. He couldn’t prove it in Iowa, he isn’t flashing much that says the walk rate will even threaten a sub 10% rate. It’s huge potential if he ever does, but I am not sure I personally want to roster the headache, but I might just still be supremely bitter.