With the minor league season winding down, finding new intriguing names that Kyle and I haven’t previously covered is becoming increasingly difficult (as evidenced by my only adding one minor leaguer in the past week). As the Triple-A regular season ends next week, this will likely be my second-to-last pickup recommendation article, so I hope I can deliver some useful names for you. 

If you are curious about my playoffs, I somehow won all my matchups again last week (though it took me a couple of tiebreakers). The current count is four teams in the finals, five in the semi-finals, and one in the quarterfinals. This season is either shaping up to be one of my best ever or (more likely) one full of heartbreak. I hope you all are doing well in yours!

*Note: All stats current through Tuesday, 9/10/24

MiLB Players I’ve added recently (210-450 prospects rostered) 

  • Jackson Baumeister

Ian Seymour 25/SP/TBR/AAA

Height/weight: 6’0”/210 lbs

Throws: L

Fantrax Rostership: 10%

Top 500 Prospect Ranking (June 24): 351

My Top 300 Rank: (June 24): Unranked

Tools (2024): Fastball: 50, Curveball: 40, Slider: 45, Change: 70, Command:45

PLive- (2024): 84

2023 stats (CPX/A/A+/AA): 42.0 IP, 1.50 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 29.7% K, 10.3% BB

2024 stats (AA/AAA): 140.1 IP, 2.31 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 28.6%K, 6.9%BB;

Why to pick up: Seymour was a 2nd round pick in the 2020 draft but has struggled with injuries in his minor league career. He missed most of 2022 and 2023 due to Tommy John surgery but has looked great upon his return. This season, he has shown far more control than in the past, posting the best walk rate of his career. The results have been consistently great all year and have persisted with a promotion to Triple-A. In all of the minors this year, Seymour ranks 6th in strikeouts with 158 and 13th in innings pitched with 140.1. He has blown past his career high of 55 innings in 2021 and is a workhorse on the mound, routinely pitching 6-7 innings, and has only failed to reach five innings three times all season. He combines a low 90s fastball that plays up due to its shape and Seymour’s low release point. His best pitch is an elite changeup, which racks up whiffs. He also has a curveball, slider, and cutter, but they are all less effective offerings.

Why to think twice: Despite his ability to pitch deep into games, Seymour profiles more as a bulk reliever than a true starter, particularly in the Rays organization. He will likely need to develop a better third pitch if he wants to succeed at the big league level, and his past injuries increase the risk of his profile.

Final Thoughts: Seymour is an interesting prospect who has shown promise upon his return from Tommy John. He will need to improve his other secondaries beyond the changeup to truly take off. Still, his ability to pitch deep into games and rack up strikeouts while enhancing his control this year has been very encouraging. I wouldn’t put it past the Rays to make him a valuable fantasy option. For now, he’s a good pickup in mid-sized leagues, particularly those where proximity pitching is hard to find.

Where to pick up: Leagues with 350+ prospects rostered

FAAB bid: Minimal (0-5%)

Kyle Karros 22/3B/COL/A+

Height/weight: 6’5”/220

Bats: R

Fantrax Rostership: 3%

Top 500 Prospect Ranking (June 24): 501

My Top 300 Rank: (June 24): Unranked

Tools (2024): Unranked

PLive+ (2024): 116

2023 stats (CPX/A): 156 PA .285/.397/.331, 0 HR, 3 SB, 14.1% BB, 16.0% K

2024 stats (A+): 539 PA .311/.390/.485, 15 HR, 12 SB, 10.0% BB, 22.8% K

Why to pick up: Kyle Karros, a 5th-round pick in the 2023 draft, is the son of former big leaguer Eric Karros. While he posted solid numbers in his professional debut, he struggled to hit for much power. Fast forward to this season, and he has shown a lot more in that department, with 15 home runs and a .174 ISO through 123 games. The power is a welcome development for a prospect with a good approach and almost never chases with a 93rd percentile chase rate at High-A. While the 15 home runs may not blow you away, he’s tied for the 8th most doubles in the minors with 33. Friend of the podcast, Enrico, who has a great track record picking out underrated prospects, recently picked him up in several leagues, so I asked him for insights on Karros. He mentioned his proficiency in hitting doubles and spraying the ball to all fields that could play up in Coors Field. He also mentioned that he could see Karros adding additional muscle and making some adjustments to hit more home runs. Karros is also a good defender at 3B, which should improve his opportunities.

Why to think twice: Karros posted great contact numbers last season, but they have taken a step back this year with his whiff and zone contact rates being about average for the level. While he has contributed double-digit steals, he isn’t known for his speed and likely won’t be a huge asset in the majors. It also needs to be mentioned that the Rockies are historically known as one of the worst development organizations in the majors.

Final Thoughts: Karros is a name who has been on my watchlist all year, and while he’s not the typical prospect I go after, there does seem to be a solid potential big leaguer here with a good approach and decent contact skills as well as some improving power. I still see him as more of a higher-floor, lower-ceiling prospect, but in deeper leagues, particularly points formats where that profile is valuable, he’s certainly worth an add. He’s also a good one to watch to see if the power can continue to trend up or if the contact can take a step forward.

Where to pick up: Leagues with 400+ prospects rostered

FAAB bid: Minimal (0-5%)

Payton Eeles 24/2B,3B,SS,OF/MIN/AAA

Height/weight: 5’5”/180

Bats: L

Fantrax Rostership: 2%

Top 500 Prospect Ranking (June 24): 522

My Top 300 Rank: (June 24): Unranked

Tools (2024): Unranked

PLive+ (2024): 129

2023 stats (DNP): DNP

2024 stats (A/A+/AAA): 406 PA .309/.438/.491, 9 HR, 34 SB, 14.0% BB, 13.8% K

Why to pick up: Undrafted out of college, Eeles started the year playing indie ball for the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of the Atlantic League. Signed by the Twins in May, Eeeles was initially assigned to Single-A, where he put up a 135 169 wRC+. After over a month there, he spent two weeks raking at High-A with a 170 wRC+ before the Twins promoted him again, this time to Triple-A. Since his promotion, He’s continued to rake, hitting .302/.421/.488 (142 wRC+) with five home runs and 13 steals in 51 games. He has good contact skills with an 87th percentile zone contact rate, 92nd percentile chase rate, and 97th percentile whiff rate at Triple-A, where he has spent the bulk of his season. He can play all over the diamond and see time in the bigs as soon as this season.

Why to think twice: Eeles lacks power, putting up just a 21st percentile average EV and 30th percentile 90th EV, 14th percentile hard-hit rate, and 41st percentile barrel rate. Listed at 5’5”, he’s not likely to increase those marks in the majors. That height would also make him one of the shortest players in the minors. There are reports that he is 5’7”, which would be a bit more encouraging but regardless he is very short for a baseball player. With his lack of pedigree, he may not get much runway to prove himself in the majors. Much of his performance in the lower levels needs to be discounted a bit based on his age.

Final Thoughts: Eeles is a great story, and shoutout to Ryan for calling him out in a recent Under the Radar article. While he may not contribute a lot of power as a short king, he combines good contact skills, approach, and speed with proximity, and his aggressive promotions show that his organization is paying attention to him. His ability to play all over the diamond should give him a shot soon, and he’s a fun proximity add in deeper leagues.

Where to pick up: Leagues with 400+ prospects rostered

FAAB bid: Minimal (0-5%)

Spencer Nivens 22/OF/KCR/A+

Height/weight: 5’10”/185

Bats: L

Fantrax Rostership: 1%

Top 500 Prospect Ranking (June 24): Unranked

My Top 300 Rank: (June 24): Unranked

Tools (2024): Unranked

PLive+ (2024): 109

2023 stats (CPX/A): 139 PA .202/.338/.316, 2 HR, 8 SB, 17.3% BB, 15.8% K

2024 stats (CPX/A+): 362 PA .251/.342/.492, 21 HR, 6 SB, 12.0% BB, 26.8% K

Why to pick up: Nivens was a 5th-round pick in the 2023 draft who had a forgettable professional debut last season. This season, however, he’s shown plenty of improvement, particularly in the power department. Despite missing some time due to injury in mid-April, he already has over 20 home runs and has been particularly hot over the last two months. In 50 games since July 5th, Nivens has slashed .328/.396/.692 with 18 HR, a 10.4% walk rate, and a 24.3% strikeout rate. His wRC+ during that time is an insane 200. He has average contact and whiff rates and doesn’t chase much.

Why to think twice: Despite his decent contact, Nivens has a higher strikeout rate than you would prefer for a 22-year-old in high-A. While he has played some centerfield, Nivens appears to mostly be a corner outfielder, which will put some pressure on his bat. 

Final Thoughts: Nivens has shown significant power this year and has done so while making average contact for the level. Combined with a solid approach, this makes Nivens an interesting prospect to monitor heading into next year. In deeper leagues, he’s well worth an add to see if he can continue to build on this next season. 

Where to pick up: Leagues with 400+ prospects

Andrew Navigato 26/2B,3B,SS,OF/DET/AAA

Height/weight: 5’11”/188

Bats: R

Fantrax Rostership: 0%

Top 500 Prospect Ranking (June 24): Unranked

My Top 300 Rank: (June 24): Unranked

Tools (2024): Unranked

PLive+ (2024): 113

2023 stats (A/AA): 306 PA .280/.333/.505, 11 HR, 8 SB, 6.5% BB, 19.3% K

2024 stats (AA/AAA): 478 PA .276/.362/.512, 21 HR, 20 SB, 10.0% BB, 24.5% K

Why to pick up: Navigato is an older prospect who, at 26, appears to be breaking out at Triple-A. He was originally a 20th-round pick in the 2019 draft and has spent half a decade working his way up through the minors. That persistence may be paying off this season; he has logged his first 20/20 season with an impressive slash line. Navigato lifts and pulls the ball a lot to get into his power. He has also exhibited some defensive versatility, having played every position this season except for pitcher, catcher, and first base. 

Why to think twice: The underlying contact skills are below average, with a 43rd percentile zone contact rate, 38th percentile outside contact rate, 36th percentile chase rate, and 41st percentile whiff rate. The quality of contact metrics is also less than impressive, with a 40th percentile average EV, 48th percentile 90th EV, and 38th percentile hard-hit rate. The 20 steals are a career high. Navigato has struggled with baserunning efficiency in his professional career, including last season, where he was successful on only 50% of base-stealing attempts. This might impact his contributions to this category once he reaches the majors.

Final Thoughts: Navigato is an interesting utility profile with some power/speed skills. The underlying metrics show fringey contact and power and his struggles with getting caught on the basepaths could limit his steals totals in the big leagues. On the other hand, his ability to play all over the diamond could make him a useful contributor in the near future. For now, I’m only interested in deeper leagues where proximity matters, but I’m keeping the name on my watchlist and am interested in seeing how his skills translate to the highest level.

Where to pick up: Leagues with 500+ prospects rostered

FAAB bid: Minimal (0-5%)