Regan's Rumblings: Lower Level Minor League Prospect Watch

As we continue to look toward the future, a lot of questions sent my way revolve around keepers and potential trades. Some leagues allow a minor league keeper or two (or far more). In those type of formats, everyone is familiar with the likes of Yoan Moncada, Alex Bergman, and Andrew Benintendi among others. Those guys are most likely long gone in keeper/dynasty formats, but there are many guys below the Double-A level that are going to rocket up the charts and make their MLB debuts in 2018 or perhaps late in 2017. Here are a few on my mind…

Brendan Rodgers (SS-COL, A-)

The Rockies obviously already have a shortstop, but there's plenty of time for that situation to sort itself out, as Rodgers likely won't make his big league debut until sometime in 2018. For now though, he'll probably progress a level or two a year, and given he's hitting .292/.362/.505 with 13 home runs in Low-A, a level bump at some point this summer looks very possible. Rodgers was the team's first round pick out of high school last year, and the growing pains have been minimal to date. He could be a top-10 overall prospect at this point next year.

Jorge Mateo (SS-NYY, A+)

Mateo was recently suspended this week for complaining about his lack of promotion to Double-A, a beef that makes little sense given he had been hitting .211 in his last 10 games. Regardless, Mateo is the best internal bet to be Derek Jeter's long-term replacement, as the 20-year-old is batting .266/.323/.396 with five home runs and an impressive 26 steals. He has, however, been caught stealing 12 times, and the overall slash line is average at best, but you have to look long-term here and at his tools. He's young for his level, has a great skill set, and yeah, those 82 steals last year were pretty impressive. He's going to be a huge fantasy contributor in a couple years as long as his bat and attitude develop.

Bobby Bradley (1B-CLE, A+)

With a line like .246/.371/.486, two things are obvious with Bradley: he has lots of power but contact is an issue. Bradley has 16 homers in 78 games, but he's also fanned a whopping 107 times, which is about a third of the time. Bradley smashed 27 long balls in 110 games last year to go with 150 strikeouts, so this is pretty much more of the same. Somewhat encouraging, I suppose, is that he's improved his K:BB from .38 to .49 compared to last year. Bradley just turned 20 at the end of May, so the Indians can be patient with their third-round pick with the hope that he can continue to make strides with his contact rate as he moves up the chain.

Kyle Tucker (OF-HOU, A-)

Tucker has just two home runs in 72 games to go with a .289/.350/395 slash, but he's also swiped 28 bases and given the first-rounder is just 19 and stands 6-foot-4, we have to think he'll hit with more power as he adds muscle and continues to grow into his frame. Even if he tops out in the 15-20 homer range, couple that with 30+ stolen bases, and you have an impressive fantasy prospect. It also doesn't hurt that he seems to have pretty good genes as the brother of Preston Tucker.

Nick Senzel (3B-CIN, A-)

The Reds did well to grab Senzel at No. 2 overall last month, and after a brief stint in Rookie ball, he is now batting .324/.405/.459 in nine games for Low-A Dayton. Senzel was drafted as a senior out of college, so at the age of 21 with an advanced bat, he's not that far off the big leagues. He's yet to homer in 19 minor league games, but 25-home run power should be in his future, and it's worth noting that he's already swiped 10 bases in 12 attempts. Senzel looks to be Todd Frazier's long-term replacement at the hot corner, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him make his big league debut sometime in the second half of 2017.

Rafael Devers (3B-BOS, A+)


Devers may be batting a modest .264/.326/.402 with five homers in 79 games for High-A Carolina, but keep in mind he won't turn 20 until October. Devers also hit .462 in his first 10 games in July after batting .313/.352/.386 in June. His approach at the plate is advanced for his age, as an 8.6% BB% and 16.9% K% would be the envy of many more experienced hitters. Devers, by all accounts, is expected to be a plus hitter with advanced power, so while he's probably two to three years off, it's not that difficult to envision a big leap forward sometime in 2017.


Mickey Moniak (OF-PHI, Rookie)

There was a center fielder with the name "Mickey" with a last name beginning with "M" that had some success in the past, though that's obviously not a fair comparison for anyone. Moniak was a bit of a surprise pick by the Phillies ahead of the likes of Nick Senzel and A.J. Puk, but it's been so far, so good in the Gulf Coast League - .245/.394/.448 in 29 at-bats. Moniak profiles as a guy who could compete for batting titles and steal 30+ bases, but at the most, 15 homers would appear to be his ceiling. Moniak will take a little time to make the big leagues, but he profiles as a top-of-the order type hitter.

Anderson Espinoza (SP-BOS, A-)

Espinoza's 4.18 ERA and 1.35 WHIP aren't exactly spectacular, but he's just 18 and already throws in the mid-90s, so this is more projection than anything right now. His delivery is said to be very clean and repeatable, and it's rare to see someone so young doing pretty well in full-season ball. His 8.2 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 are pretty good already, but once he has the experience and gets stronger and stronger, Espinoza has the three-pitch repertoire to be a top-of-the-rotation starter. He certainly carries some risk, but there's also plenty of potential reward.

Michael Kopech (SP-BOS, A-)

The first two things that come to mind when we think of Kopech is not that he was a first-round supplemental pick or has a fastball that's been clocked as high as 101 mph recently. Unfortunately, it's a pair of off-field incidents that have been front and center: a 50-game suspension for a banned stimulant and a fight with a teammate that left Kopech with a broken right hand and a delayed start to his season. Kopech, though, is back and looking to make amends with his on-field performance. The 6-foot-3 Texan with the big arm has about as much upside as any pitcher in the minors, and at age 20, if everything clicks, he could rocket to the big leagues in short order.

Yadier Alvarez (SP-LAD, Rookie)

Alvarez received a $16 million bonus out of Cuba last July, so big things are obviously expected. He's tossed just 16 innings in the Arizona Rookie League, allowing two runs on just five hits while walking nine and striking out 21. Given hitters are batting a paltry .093 against him, his stuff is obviously more than good for this level, but the control will need some refinement. Alvarez likely won't get a look in the big leagues until sometime in 2018, but it's easy to project the 6-foot-3 righty adding muscle and developing into a No. 2 starter. It's just as easy to envision him not developing his control and winding up in the bullpen, but as a lottery ticket, you could do worse.

Jack Flaherty (SP-STL, A+)

A couple of uneven performances in recent starts leave Flaherty with a 4.00 ERA and 1.35 WHIP in 15 starts (78.2 IP). Still, his 76:25 K:BB in 78.2 innings is excellent, and as a 20-year-old first-round pick out of a Southern California high school, Flaherty already has the profile as a future mid-rotation level starter. His secondary pitches are more developed than most guys his age, so I can see him finishing 2016 in Double-A with an eye toward a late-2017 big league debut.

Mitch Keller (SP-PIT, A-)

Prior to this season, Keller was a bit of an afterthought in a pitching-rich Pittsburgh system. A forearm strain limited him to just six starts last season, but he's been healthy and more than effective in 15 starts so far in 2016. Keller has posted a 2.87 ERA with phenomenal ratios –- 10.1 K/9, 1.2 BB/9. He was a bit of a wild card heading into this season, as forearms strains are often precursors to Tommy John surgery, but he's been excellent, and Keller is now arguably a top-20 overall pitching prospect. Health allowing, Keller could make his debut sometime in 2018.

Domingo Acevedo (SP-NYY, A+)

In last year's writeup, we mentioned how Acevedo can hit upwards of 100 mph with his fastball, but that his command is a bit of a work in progress. This year, he's improved his command and control (1.7 BB/9), and he's posted a 10.2 K/9 in 42.2 High-A innings. Acevedo, at a minimum, would seem to have the ceiling of Dellin Betances, but if he can continue to develop his secondary offerings and work to prevent hitters from sitting on the fastball, he could be a top starter in a few years. Acevedo has a chance to finish this season at Double-A while the 22-year-old looks toward a debut sometime in 2017 or at the latest, mid-2018.

Hunter Harvey (SP-BAL, Short-season)

Harvey has dealt with multiple arm injuries as well as a sports hernia that delayed his 2016 debut until this month. Back now and rehabbing with short-season Aberdeen, a healthy Harvey has a chance to end this year at the High-A level or higher. So far this season in just 11.1 innings, Harvey has struck out 17 while posting a 2.38 ERA and 1.50 WHIP. Harvey made 17 starts in 2014 in Low-A and posted a 10.9 K/9 in 87.2 innings. Despite all the missed time and the feeling he's been around awhile, Harvey is still just 21, so don't give up quite yet.

Phil Bickford (SP-SF, A+)

Bickford is a product of the baseball factory in Southern California. Failing to sign with the Blue Jays as the No. 10 overall pick in 2013, Bickford went No. 18 to the Giants in 2015. Bickford was recently promoted to High-A after posting a 2.70 ERA and 10.3 K/9 in Low-A (60 innings), and in three starts at his new level, Bickford has a 1.59 ERA and 25:4 K:BB in 17 innings. Bickford just turned 21 and like most first-round talents with big fastballs, has a big ceiling as long as he can stay healthy.

A.J. Puk (SP-OAK, Rookie)

The No. 6 overall pick in this year's amateur draft, Puk is a polished 6-foot-7 lefty drafted out of college. The term "polished" can, however, have some negative connotations, but Puk is no soft-tosser. His fastball touches the mid-90s and he recently made his pro debut with a pair of scoreless innings. Puk could advance rapidly this year, perhaps to High-A or even Double-A depending on performance, and a 2017 MLB debut seems likely. He struggled a bit with his control in college, preventing him from going deep into a lot of games, but he's about as projectable as they come.