MILB, MLB and Fantasy Baseball

Opening Day Incoming
Cam Smith’s stock has skyrocketed since being drafted 14th overall last year. It’s been a meteoric climb and Smith now has a shot to make the Astros OD roster despite only 134 minor league PA’s. Smith destroyed the ball this spring and sure looks like the Astros best overall option in RF, even with such limited experience there.

2025 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Preview: Targets, Fades and Prospects
“The Cardinals will have opportunities in their rotation and after breezing through the minors last year Quinn should see at least 15 big league starts this year. It’s a reasonable cost at ADP 408 and he often goes in the mid 450’s.”

2025 Fantasy Baseball Outfield Preview: Targets, Fades and Prospects
This is a “grab him when he fits your teams needs” recommendation on Dylan Crews. Specifically, an OF with wheels and enough power to have a 20/30 (maybe 40?!?) season in the realm of outcomes. Steamer: .246/76/17/64/25

2025 Fantasy Baseball Third Base Preview: JRam, Jazz, Junior, Burger, Shaw and More
Jose Ramirez is easily the top 3B once again. That’s what a career 162 game average of .279/100/28/96/27 will do for you. Yep, you read that correctly. Since debuting in 2013 JRam has nearly a 30/30 AVERAGE across his career!

2025 Shortstop Preview: Top 10, Targets, Avoids, Prospects
What Shohei Ohtani did last year is probably the best fantasy baseball season since we have had fantasy baseball. So, how can Bobby Witt Jr. rank over Shohei?

2025 Second Base Preview: Altuve, Albies, McLain, Garcia Jr, and Turang
Second base likely won’t be a position of high end production for many of us in 2025. So, we have to ask what we want to accomplish with the position from a team construction standpoint. And how much should we pay for that?

2025 First Base Preview: Vladdy, Harper, Freddie, Walker and Vinnie
From a value and draft strategy standpoint I prefer Christian Walker at ADP 102 over the top 5 first basemen on this list. In fact, Walker’s Steamer projections are quite similar to Pete Alonso’s despite Walker going 5 rounds later.

Early Fantasy Baseball Drafts Part 3: Olson, Luzardo, Prospects and Saves
What’s so interesting about Jordan Hicks you ask?
Rotation spot secure
Good pitchers park
3.79 era over 95 IP in the first half of 2024
Two legit out pitches in his split and sweeper
Still just 28yo with only 28 MLB starts

Early Fantasy Baseball Drafts Part 2: Matt Shaw, Sanchez, Steals, Saves, and SP’s
Currently Steamer projects Matt Shaw for 14/53/53/14 .250 over 452 PA’s. If Shaw makes the Cubs out of spring training, which is very possible, he will exceed the counting stats…
Arizona Fall League Oct 24, 2024 / Scottsdale v Mesa
What actually gets my attention is Josue Briceno’s swing. It’s surprisingly simple and fairly short for a player his size. With the type of power he seems to have keeping the swing tight like this should be a big plus as he faces more advanced pitching. You can take a look at Briceno in the videos that follow.
Top Prospects - 2024 Arizona Fall League
A look at many of the key prospects and future big leaguer’s playing in the 2024 Arizona Fall League. Ethan Salas, Xavier Isaac, Moises Ballesteros, Joe Caglianone and so many more!

MLB Trade Deadline, Ranking Prospects, Matt Olson and Josh Lowe
“what may have jumped at me the most is Olson’s 2024 spray chart when compared to 2023. Last year he did so much damage to all parts of the ballpark but this year he doesn’t have a single home run to the opposite field or center field!”

MLB Weighted Home Runs Plus Stolen Base Leaders
“the 2024 list specifically showcases a number of names I consider to be undervalued in many leagues. If you are looking to make a move for your pennant run consider pushing in hard and dealing for…”

Trade Deadline, Soto Trade, Josh Smith, Rooker, Quinn and Seymour
Brent Rooker is a name that we should see moved at the deadline and he will likely bring a haul back to the Athletics. Rooker makes no bones about it, he goes up to the plate trying to do damage - and he has been doing just that. Rooker’s Statcast page shows elite rankings in all the places that make baseballs go really far really fast.

NYY v BAL, Skenes, Riley, McGonigle, Brayden and Bubba
I intended to write about how exciting the Pirates top 3 starting pitchers are. So, of course, news just broke that Paul Skenes SP will start the All-Star game for the National League. I absolutely love this!

Fantasy Focus: Infield Buy, Sell, Hold
Buy: Go get Josh Naylor CLE if you can. He’s hitting cleanup for the 1st place Guardians and currently sits .242/45/20/61/3. Naylor’s ISO is at an all time high

Wood, Ketel, Kristian Campbell and OPS Leaders
We’ve been talking about James Wood OF WAS most of the season. And you know I have felt he is ready for the big leagues for some time. We are FINALLY at the point where Wood has been promoted! He will make his debut in DC against the New York Mets and LHP David Peterson.

Merrill, Pablo, Jarren, Nacho, Zebby and Roster Moves
I think we are past the point of anyone not realizing Jackson Merrill OF SD is really good. Merrill is clearly outperforming the other Jackson mega prospects (Chourio and Holliday). Since Jun 8 Merrill is hitting .370 with 7 home runs, 4 doubles, 10 runs scored, 13 RBI and an .833 SLG.

Gunnar, Teoscar, Crochet, Emmanuel Rodriguez and Evan Longoria.
Jun 14, 2024
Gunnar is the key player on a team loaded with talent up and down the lineup. If it weren’t for Aaron Judge I would have Gunnar in the lead for AL MVP.

Gunnar, Witt Jr., Brewers and Logan Evans
May 31, 2024
Gunnar Henderson is tied for the MLB lead in home runs at 18 and he has hit all of them from the leadoff spot. The MLB record for a leadoff hitter is 41, set last year by Ronald Acuna Jr.