It's that time of year when Kyle and I grade our own picks so far this season. Accountability is extremely important to us, and it's always beneficial to learn from both our victories and mistakes. I had a lot of massive hits this season, but I also had some misses. Luckily, most of those were on 0-1% rostered deep league dart throws. If you are new to this article series, each week Kyle and I select five players each to recommend as pickups or drops in various league sizes, ensuring no overlap or repeat names. It's hard to believe that we've collectively recommended 150 players already this year!
Note: all stats current through Tuesday 7/15/25 and all minor league Statcast figures are sourced from TJ Stats.
Taylor Corso
Pickup Recommendation Grades
Carson Whisenhunt - 24/SP/SFG/AAA
Date Recommended: 4/4/25
Fantrax Rostership: 28%->31%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 181->145
Stats Since Writeup (AAA): 89.1 IP, 4.53 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 19.5% K, 7.5% BB
Recommendation Grade: B-
Justification: This has been a mixed bag. Whisenhunt's value has increased overall, but the performance hasn't been outstanding at AAA (particularly of late), and the strikeouts are down this season. On the plus side, the command has taken a step forward as Whisenhunt currently holds his lowest walk rate since 2022. The hope is that the performance will increase when he gets promoted out of the PCL, and that is likely to happen later this season.
Kameron Misner - 27/OF/TBR/MLB
Date Recommended: 4/4/25
Fantrax Rostership: 12%->12%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: Unranked->Graduated
Stats Since Writeup (AAA): 5 PA, .333/.600/.667, 0 HR, 1 SB, 40.0% BB, 40.0% K
Stats Since Writeup (MLB): 202 PA, .202/.269/.322, 4 HR, 8 SB, 7.9% BB, 32.2% K
Recommendation Grade: C-
Justification: For the first 15 games, Misner provided tons of value with a .378/.431/.689 slashline and just an 11.8% strikeout rate. Unfortunately, that didn't last, and Misner struggled in his next 51 games with a .145 average and a 39.1% strikeout rate. He was sent down in mid-June and played in just two games before landing on the IL. No reason to hang on to him now. It would be a D grade if not for the short-term value he provided.
Jake Mangum - 29/OF/TBR/MLB
Date Recommended: 4/4/25
Fantrax Rostership: 6%->39%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: Unranked->Graduated
Stats Since Writeup (AAA): 25 PA, .429/.520/.476, 0 HR, 0 SB, 16.0% BB, 12.0% K
Stats Since Writeup (MLB): 218 PA, .293/.332/.371, 2 HR, 10 SB, 5.0% BB, 12.4% K
Recommendation Grade: A-
Justification: Mangum has been a pleasant surprise as he has continued to show a great combination of contact with some steals. He missed some time in April and May due to a groin injury but has returned and been a league-average everyday player, hitting mainly in the middle of the Rays' lineup. The lack of power caps the ceiling, and this is a format-dependent profile; however, overall, it's a significant win for a player who was just 6% rostered when I wrote him up.
Tim Tawa - 25/1B,2B,3B,SS,OF/ARI/AAA
Date Recommended: 4/4/25
Fantrax Rostership: 4%->9%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 611->Graduated
Stats Since Writeup (AAA): 38 PA, .344/.447/.781, 0 HR, 0 SB, 13.2% BB, 2.6% K
Stats Since Writeup (MLB): 173 PA, .200/.262/.355, 6 HR, 7 SB, 7.5% BB, 27.2% K
Recommendation Grade: C
Justification: Tawa would receive the call just one day after my article was released and would hold his own initially, posting a 108 wRC+ with 6 HR and 6 SB in his first 35 games, despite limited playing time. However, he swooned in June and hit just .140 in his next 24 games before being demoted back to Triple-A on July 6th. There are some things to like here, as Tawa underperformed his expected stats a bit, posted above-average bat and sprint speeds, and was an above-average defender while splitting time between every defensive position except SS and C. However, he struggled to hit for power against LHP and struggled to make contact against RHP. You don't need to hang on to him currently in anything deeper than a 30-teamer, but this is a player I'll be watching closely if he gets another shot in the second half.
Chase Meidroth - 23/2B,3B,SS/CHW/AAA
Date Recommended: 4/10/25
Fantrax Rostership: 9%->42%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 182->Graduated
Stats Since Writeup (AAA): 8 PA, .000/.250/.000, 0 HR, 0 SB, 12.5% BB, 12.5% K
Stats Since Writeup (MLB): 296 PA, .243/.332/.293, 2 HR, 11 SB, 10.8% BB, 13.9% K
Recommendation Grade: B
Justification: Like Tawa, Meidroth was called up immediately after my article was published. He was a league-average hitter for much of the season before a recent slump dragged down his slashline. On the plus side, he's underperformed his expected stats, shown exceptional contact and approach, and been a good defender while splitting time between SS and 2B. He's also been hitting at the top of the White Sox lineup and stealing bases. On the negative side, the power he showed in Triple-A that had me so excited has disappeared, and his pull rate has cratered to prior career levels in the MLB. He's a format-dependent player, but one who has certainly gained value since I wrote about him.
Henry Bolte - 21/OF/ATH/AA
Date Recommended: 4/10/25
Fantrax Rostership: 9%->13%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 256->135
Stats Since Writeup (AA): 274 PA, .270/.370/.420, 7 HR, 31 SB, 11.8% BB, 27.6% K
Recommendation Grade: A-
Justification: I wrote up Bolte when he was showing insane contact and strikeout gains early on. They've since normalized to below-average levels but are still significantly better than anything he's shown to this point in his career. A 55.5% ground ball rate has limited his power, so there is still plenty of work to be done, but Bolte has certainly raised his stock.
Dasan Hill - 19/SP/MIN/A
Date Recommended: 4/10/25
Fantrax Rostership: 7%->16%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 316->104
Stats Since Writeup (A): 41.1 IP, 2.83 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 34.1% K, 14.2% BB
Recommendation Grade: A
Justification: Hill has seen his stock rise tremendously since I wrote about him earlier this year, and he was dominating until mid-June with a 1.50 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in his first eight starts. In the five starts since, he's had a 4.67 ERA and 1.79 WHIP, but is coming off arguably his best start of the season, where he threw a season-high 4.2 innings while allowing just two hits. The zero walks in the game were also great to see, as he has shown some control issues, which have contributed to his short outings. This is an exciting arm with plenty of time for further development.
J.T. Ginn - 25/SP/ATH/AAA
Date Recommended: 4/10/25
Fantrax Rostership: 9%->12%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: Unranked->Graduated
Stats Since Writeup (AAA): 10.1 IP, 2.61 ERA, 1.65 WHIP, 23.4% K, 14.9% BB
Stats Since Writeup (MLB): 32.0 IP, 4.78 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 27.9% K, 6.6% BB
Recommendation Grade: B-
Justification: Ginn got the call shortly after my article was published, and it's been a mixed bag ever since. He continued to struggle with injuries, landing on the IL twice due to elbow and quad injuries. When on the field, Ginn has struggled as a starter but has been better as a reliever. He has dominated right-handed pitchers but struggled against left-handed pitchers. His 3.68 xERA, 2.94 SIERA, and 21.3% K-BB indicate there is still some potential upside here.
Matt Allan - 23/SP/NYM/A
Date Recommended: 4/10/25
Fantrax Rostership: 6%->6%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: Unranked->575
Stats Since Writeup (A): 17.1 IP, 4.15 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, 21.2% K, 17.6% BB
Recommendation Grade: F
Justification: Allan might be my worst recommendation so far this year. I wrote him up after his strong debut, and he followed that up with another solid 3.2 inning start on April 12th. It's been all downhill since then, though, as he's been unable to pitch into the 3rd inning since, and was eventually moved to a relief role before going on the IL on June 13th. This was a deep-league recommendation to begin with, but there is little reason to roster him anywhere at this point.
Gabriel Rincones Jr. - 24/OF/PHI/AAA
Date Recommended: 4/17/25
Fantrax Rostership: 8%->8%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 298->332
Stats Since Writeup (AA): 266 PA, .190/.346/.289, 5 HR, 10 SB, 17.7% BB, 24.8% K
Recommendation Grade: D-
Justification: Rincones is a big miss for me, as he has struggled badly since I wrote him up and has seen his stock fall as a result. He's not quite an F, though, as his slashline is being dragged down by a low .262 BABIP, and he's posted fantastic EVs in Triple-A with a patient approach.
In addition to the BABIP the 15% increase in this years ground ball rate to 50% has been the main culprit in the poor performance. Even at his best he's a platoon bat, so I think he's best sent back to waivers in most leagues if you still roster him.
A.J. Ewing - 20/OF/NYM/A
Date Recommended: 4/17/25
Fantrax Rostership: 2%->13%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 574->84
Stats Since Writeup (A/A+): 312 PA, .291/.407/.403, 2 HR, 49 SB, 15.4% BB, 18.6% K
Recommendation Grade: A+
Justification: Ewing is one of my top recommendations of the year. Going from the outskirts of our top 600 to the top 100 is just a couple of short months. The contact and approach have been fantastic, and he's been an absolute menace on the basepaths. The only question is the long-term power, but even if it's below average, there is enough else in the profile to make him a very intriguing fantasy asset.
Adam Serwinowski - 20/SP/CIN/A+
Date Recommended: 4/17/25
Fantrax Rostership: 2%->3%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 301->300
Stats Since Writeup (A): 58.1 IP, 5.25 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, 27.3% K, 11.4% BB
Recommendation Grade: C-
Justification: Serwinowski had been a disappointment since I wrote him up, but things have turned around a bit lately as he's posted a 3.58 ERA since June 1st. It comes with both reduced strikeouts and reduced walks. Overall, it's been an inconsistent performance and a stagnant value.
Jack Wenninger - 23/SP/NYM/AA
Date Recommended: 4/17/25
Fantrax Rostership: 1%->9%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 594->204
Stats Since Writeup (A): 50.0 IP, 2.88 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 31.2% K, 7.3% BB
Recommendation Grade: A+
Justification: Wenninger gets overshadowed in a system stacked with intriguing arms, but all he has done is consistently shove this year. He has risen a ton in value, but still feels underrated somehow. The ceiling isn't extremely high, but this is still an excellent arm that is showing everything you want to see.
Aroon Escobar - 20/2B/PHI/A
Date Recommended: 4/24/25
Fantrax Rostership: 9%->19%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 521->50
Stats Since Writeup (A/A+): 240 PA, .258/.350/.392, 8 HR, 12 SB, 9.6% BB, 14.6% K
Recommendation Grade: A+
Justification: Escobar has slowed down a bit since I wrote him up, but the hype hasn't. Despite the slowdown, the data in Single-A was still fantastic.
Escobar has earned himself a recent promotion to High-A, and how he performs there will likely direct the trajectory of his value in the second half of the season.
Will Wilson - 26/2B,3B/CLE/MLB
Date Recommended: 4/24/25
Fantrax Rostership: 2%->3%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: Unranked->626
Stats Since Writeup (AAA): 70 PA, .292/.343/.523, 2 HR, 2 SB, 7.1% BB, 30.0% K
Stats Since Writeup (MLB): 74 PA, .159/.243/.206, 0 HR, 1 SB, 8.1% BB, 39.2% K
Recommendation Grade: D
Justification: I wrote up Wilson when he received an early-season call to the big leagues. Spoiler alert: it didn't go well. Wilson returned to the minors and raked again but showed far more swing and miss than he had when I wrote him up. He's now back in the bigs and doing no better the 2nd time around. I'm not writing off Wilson completely, but this is starting to look like a quad-A situation.
Victor Bericoto - 23/1B,OF/SFG/AAA
Date Recommended: 4/24/25
Fantrax Rostership: 1%->1%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 507->597
Stats Since Writeup (CPX/AA/AAA): 182 PA, .209/.261/.390, 7 HR, 1 SB, 6.0% BB, 24.1% K
Recommendation Grade: F
Justification: It's been a strange progression for Bericoto since I wrote him up. At the time, he had just been promoted to Triple-A. He struggled in 11 games there before being placed on the IL with an undisclosed injury, and upon his return, he was sent back to Double-A. Despite returning to the lower level, his struggles have continued. There is not much reason to hang onto him at this point.
Daniel Eagen - 22/SP/ARI/A+
Date Recommended: 4/24/25
Fantrax Rostership: 3%->4%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: Unranked->238
Stats Since Writeup (A+): 56.0 IP, 2.25 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 31.4% K, 12.8% BB
Recommendation Grade: B+
Justification: It's been more of the same for Eagen since I wrote him up. The walks have increased, but overall, he's still dominating. I can't give him a higher grade yet, as the hype hasn't taken hold, but he's a solid arm to roster in medium to deeper leagues.
Griff O'Ferrall - 22/2B,SS/BAL/A+
Date Recommended: 4/24/25
Fantrax Rostership: 3%->3%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 601->385
Stats Since Writeup (A+): 234 PA, .214/.298/.265, 2 HR, 20 SB, 10.1% BB, 15.7% K
Recommendation Grade: D-
Justification: O'Ferrall has failed to maintain the power gains he showed early on, and despite exhibiting good contact skills and speed, he has struggled at an age-appropriate level. I've lost all interest.
Gage Jump - 22/SP/ATH/A+
Date Recommended: 5/1/25
Fantrax Rostership: 4%->28%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 568->38
Stats Since Writeup (A+/AA): 62.1 IP, 1.73 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 27.9% K, 7.9% BB
Recommendation Grade: A+
Justification: Gage Jump has probably been my best recommendation of the season. Since I wrote him up, he's been promoted to Double-A, which has done nothing to stop him. The stuff is excellent, and he's now one of the top pitching prospects in the game. Hope you all got a share!
Tim Elko - 26/1B/CHW/AAA
Date Recommended: 5/1/25
Fantrax Rostership: 6%->8%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: Unranked->282
Stats Since Writeup (AAA): 143 PA, .287/.357/.519, 7 HR, 2 SB, 8.4% BB, 32.9% K
Stats Since Writeup (MLB): 67 PA, .159/.209/.355, 4 HR, 1 SB, 7.5% BB, 41.8% K
Recommendation Grade: D+
Justification: Elko got called up shortly after I wrote him up. He predictably struggled with contact but showed off his big-time power. He's bounced up and down since and is now on the IL with a knee sprain. The power is intriguing, but the hit tool likely isn't good enough.
Nate Dohm - 22/SP/NYM/A
Date Recommended: 5/1/25
Fantrax Rostership: 2%->4%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 580->296
Stats Since Writeup (A/A+): 38.2 IP, 3.26 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 27.8% K, 9.5% BB
Recommendation Grade: B
Justification: Dohm has been promoted and performed well since I wrote him up, and his stock has risen a bit as a result. He gets crushed occasionally, and his WHIP shows there is still work to be done. He has also thrown 1.2 innings in each of his last two outings, so I'm not sure what that's about.
Mike Sirota - 21/OF/LAD/A
Date Recommended: 5/1/25
Fantrax Rostership: 7%->23%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 494->53
Stats Since Writeup (A/A+): 199 PA, .323/.452/.594, 10 HR, 4 SB, 19.6% BB, 21.6% K
Recommendation Grade: A+
Justification: Somehow, Sirota got even better after I wrote him up. He was promoted to High-A, and it's been more of the same utter dominance. His stock has soared, and he's right up there with Jump as one of my best picks this year. He's 5/10 on the basepaths, so he may never be the baserunner he was initially touted as, but with the power and approach, he's still plenty valuable. Enjoy the ride if you have him!
Jared Thomas - 21/OF/COL/A+
Date Recommended: 5/1/25
Fantrax Rostership: 7%->11%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 315->153
Stats Since Writeup (A+/AA): 252 PA, .312/.401/.463, 7 HR, 19 SB, 12.3% BB, 24.6% K
Recommendation Grade: A
Justification: While Thomas hasn't quite reached the mark that Sirota has, he's still seen his stock increase significantly. A recent promotion to Double-A helps, though he has gotten off to a slow start there in a handful of games. Thomas does a little bit of everything, and it's a profile that could continue to rise in the 2nd half.
Addison Barger - 25/3B,OF/TOR/MLB
Date Recommended: 5/11/25
Fantrax Rostership: 13%->76%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: Graduated->Graduated
Stats Since Writeup (MLB): 217 PA, .270/.324/.540, 13 HR, 3 SB, 7.4% BB, 26.7% K
Recommendation Grade: A+
Justification: When I wrote him up, I stated, "Addison Barger quietly appears to be on the verge of a breakout." At the time, he was hitting .222 with a 79 wRC+ and no home runs. I would say I was right on the money. Barger looks like an absolute stud for the future and was one of my best picks of the year.
Nate George - 18/OF/BAL/CPX
Date Recommended: 5/11/25
Fantrax Rostership: 1%->8%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: Unranked->277
Stats Since Writeup (CPX/A): 187 PA, .359/.422/.533, 3 HR, 29 SB, 8.0% BB, 16.6% K
Recommendation Grade: A+
Justification: Since I wrote him up, George has received the promotion to Single-A and has now spent more time there than at the Complex. It's done nothing to slow him down. The contact is excellent, and he's lowered the ground ball rate after the promotion. It's more doubles than over-the-fence power at the moment, but the ISOs are still strong, and the raw power is there. He hasn't been the most efficient base stealer, being caught 15 times in 45 attempts, but there is little else to nitpick here. I expect his rankings to rise in our next update.
Kyle DeBarge - 21/2B,SS,OF/MIN/A+
Date Recommended: 5/11/25
Fantrax Rostership: 5%->8%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 414->189
Stats Since Writeup (A+): 217 PA, .230/.327/.353, 2 HR, 29 SB, 12.0% BB, 21.2% K
Recommendation Grade: B
Justification: DeBarge has gained value since I wrote him up, but the power has waned significantly, with just a .123 ISO in his last 50 games, after starting the season with a .191 mark. He was struck by a pitch on the wrist and missed some time, which is why I'm curious if that's related. The big slump has come more recently in June and July, though.
Eli Serrano III - 22/OF/NYM/A+
Date Recommended: 5/11/25
Fantrax Rostership: 2%->3%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: Unranked->313
Stats Since Writeup (A+): 217 PA, .218/.310/.355, 3 HR, 3 SB, 11.7% BB, 18.6% K
Recommendation Grade: C
Justification: Despite the poor slashline since I wrote him up, Serrano has been an above-average hitter by wRC+. Like DeBarge, he missed some time with injury and hasn't looked quite the same since his return. I'm still intrigued, just not as much as I was when I wrote him up.
Rainiel Rodriguez - 18/C/STL/CPX
Date Recommended: 5/11/25
Fantrax Rostership: 6%->17%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 268->83
Stats Since Writeup (CPX/A): 217 PA, .270/.390/.547, 8 HR, 1 SB, 15.4% BB, 19.8% K
Recommendation Grade: A+
Justification: Since I wrote him up, Rodriguez has gotten the bump to Single-A. He's not dominating as much there, but he's still more than holding his own with a 117 wRC+ despite a .256 BABIP. He's also the first and only three-time Dynasty Baseball Pickups write-up, so Kyle and I continue to be huge fans.
Jose Anderson - 18/OF/MIL/CPX
Date Recommended: 5/15/25
Fantrax Rostership: 5%->8%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 391->217
Stats Since Writeup (CPX/A): 158 PA, .184/.270/.329, 3 HR, 4 SB, 8.4% BB, 30.9% K
Recommendation Grade: C
Justification: Anderson got the promotion to Single-A shortly after I wrote him up. Unfortunately, he has struggled badly there. Things have been better in July with a 104 wRC+, so hopefully he's finally adjusting to the level.
Ethan Workinger - 23/OF/ATL/AA
Date Recommended: 5/15/25
Fantrax Rostership: 0%->1%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 654->438
Stats Since Writeup (AA): 197 PA, .203/.276/.305, 4 HR, 5 SB, 8.1% BB, 17.3% K
Recommendation Grade: D
Justification: Workinger entered an extended slump shortly after I wrote him up. He's righted the ship with a .300 average and 137 wRC+, so there's still some hope, but it hasn't been the performance I was hoping for.
Mick Abel - 23/SP/PHI/AAA
Date Recommended: 5/15/25
Fantrax Rostership: 27%->47%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 255->86
Stats Since Writeup (AAA): 23.2 IP, 0.76 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 31.5% K, 10.9% BB
Stats Since Writeup (MLB): 25.0 IP, 5.04 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 19.4% K, 8.3% BB
Recommendation Grade: A-
Justification: This is a tough one to grade. Abel got called up right after I wrote him up and had a fantastic debut. He followed that up with another gem, but ever since, he's been hit or miss in the majors. In between MLB stints, he's shoved in the minors. The important thing is that the walk rate has stayed under control at both spots. He has improved his stock, but it may take some time for him to adjust to the majors.
Joswa Lugo - 18/SS/LAA/CPX
Date Recommended: 5/15/25
Fantrax Rostership: 7%->7%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 475->451
Stats Since Writeup (CPX): 122 PA, .222/.361/.293, 1 HR, 1 SB, 15.6% BB, 29.5% K
Recommendation Grade: F
Justification: Lugo has shown nothing of the early-season skills that got me excited about him. There has been virtually no power, tons of swing-and-miss, and a poor average, despite a .333 BABIP, after I wrote him up. He's also only played one game since June 21st. The walk rate is the only plus you can point to, but at this point, I'm fully out. That's what I get for buying into an Angels prospect.
Braxton Bragg - 24/SP/BAL/AA
Date Recommended: 5/15/25
Fantrax Rostership: 3%->8%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 333->186
Stats Since Writeup (AA): 25.1 IP, 2.84 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 29.7% K, 6.9% BB
Recommendation Grade: B
Justification: If it weren't for injuries, this one would be an easy A. However, Bragg is now on his 2nd IL stint for forearm discomfort in less than a month. It isn't easy to evaluate him until we receive more information, but the red flags are currently flying.
Joseph Sullivan - 22/OF/HOU/A+
Date Recommended: 5/22/25
Fantrax Rostership: 3%->6%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 401->196
Stats Since Writeup (A+): 122 PA, .220/.368/.369, 4 HR, 17 SB, 16.1% BB, 23.0% K
Recommendation Grade: B+
Justification: When I wrote up Sullivan, he was rocking a 30.5% strikeout rate but was showing more power than expected. Things have since flipped the other way. However, the steep drop in strikeout rate has me more encouraged than ever that eventually he'll put it all together. His swinging strike rate is now around 9% and his contact rate is up as well. Perhaps most importantly, the groundball rate is still down. If anyone has dropped Sullivan after he cooled down, I suggest you pick him up. He's in for a huge 2nd half.
Bo Davidson - 22/OF/SFG/A+
Date Recommended: 5/22/25
Fantrax Rostership: 5%->9%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 351->255
Stats Since Writeup (A+): 122 PA, .292/.425/.468 5 HR, 7 SB, 18.1% BB, 23.3% K
Recommendation Grade: A
Justification: Davidson has finally been gaining some hype lately, but he's still criminally underrated. He's finally getting the call to Double-A, and if he performs well there, I expect the hype to take off.
Luis Mey - 23/RP/CIN/MLB
Date Recommended: 5/22/25
Fantrax Rostership: 18%->9%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: Unranked->672
Stats Since Writeup (AAA): 15.0 IP, 1.80 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 28.1% K, 8.8% BB
Stats Since Writeup (MLB): 4.1 IP, 10.38 ERA, 2.08 WHIP, 9.1% K, 22.7% BB
Recommendation Grade: D+
Justification: Sometimes I think this game loves messing with me. I was initially hesitant to buy into Mey, but after watching him pitch his first 10 MLB innings, I was ready to take a shot. Immediately after I wrote him up, the control completely abandoned him, and he got crushed in several consecutive outings, ultimately ending up back in Triple-A. This is why I rarely get excited about relief prospects. He has looked quite good since his demotion and should get a shot in the 2nd half. I'll likely pick him up again when he does.
Ching-Hsien Ko - 18/OF/LAD/CPX
Date Recommended: 5/22/25
Fantrax Rostership: 3%->12%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 358->237
Stats Since Writeup (CPX): 127 PA, .362/.484/.496 2 HR, 4 SB, 17.6% BB, 16.4% K
Recommendation Grade: A
Justification: Ko is rocking a .980 OPS with more walks than strikeouts since I wrote about him, and his stock has soared. Expect his rankings to rise in our next update. You'd like to see more homers and steals, and the slashline is boosted by a .440 BABIP, but Ko shows no signs of slowing down and could even see a promotion to Single-A soon.
Jose Dickson - 18/2B,SS/DET/CPX
Date Recommended: 5/22/25
Fantrax Rostership: 0%->0%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: Unranked->Unranked
Stats Since Writeup (CPX): 105 PA, .239/.324/.304, 1 HR, 7 SB, 10.5% BB, 25.7% K
Recommendation Grade: D-
Justification: The early improvements I saw with Dickson are mostly illusions. Feel free to move on, as there is nothing to see here.
Esmerlyn Valdez - 21/1B,OF/PIT/A+
Date Recommended: 5/29/25
Fantrax Rostership: 3%->10%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 346->227
Stats Since Writeup (A+/AA): 154 PA, .296/.383/.526, 6 HR, 2 SB, 9.7% BB, 22.7% K
Recommendation Grade: A
Justification: Valdez continued to rake after I wrote him up and got the promotion to Double-A as a result. It's been a slow start there, but it's still a small sample. The most notable improvement is that the contact has continued to improve throughout the year. Another one that could continue to rise in the second half.
Handelfry Encarnacion - 17/OF/MIL/CPX
Date Recommended: 5/29/25
Fantrax Rostership: 1%->1%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: Unranked->348
Stats Since Writeup (CPX): 119 PA, .274/.353/.425, 2 HR, 3 SB, 9.2% BB, 16.8% K
Recommendation Grade: C+
Justification: Encarnacion has been solid, if unspectacular, as an underage bat at Complex. He hasn't caught any hype yet, but the performance has ticked up recently, and there is still plenty of time for the hype to hit later in the season.
David Shields - 18/SP/KCR/A
Date Recommended: 5/29/25
Fantrax Rostership: 6%->7%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 511->329
Stats Since Writeup (A): 23.2 IP, 3.42 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 21.6% K, 7.8% BB
Recommendation Grade: B-
Justification: David Shields hasn't been as dominant since I wrote him up, but he's still been pretty good. The stock has risen slightly as a result.
John Rave - 27/OF/KCR/MLB
Date Recommended: 5/29/25
Fantrax Rostership: 3%->2%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: Unranked->461
Stats Since Writeup (MLB): 154 PA, .194/.282/.258, 2 HR, 3 SB, 11.1% BB, 26.4% K
Recommendation Grade: D+
Justification: I wrote up Rave shortly after he was promoted as an interesting deep league dart throw. While he has continued to receive playing time, he has done very little with it so far. However, it's worth noting that Rave features elite bat and sprint speed and has shown a solid approach with minimal chase in the big leagues. He's also underperforming his expected stats a bit. I don't necessarily expect a breakout, but he's one I'll speculate on again if he gets hot.
Roc Riggio - 22/2B/NYY/A+
Date Recommended: 5/29/25
Fantrax Rostership: 1%->5%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: Unranked->321
Stats Since Writeup (A+/AA): 148 PA, .275/.358/.542, 9 HR, 5 SB, 9.5% BB, 23.0% K
Recommendation Grade: A
Justification: When I wrote up Riggio, he was still in High-A. A week later, he would get a promotion to Double-A and go absolutely nuts. He slumped a bit in late June but has a 1.058 OPS in July. He remains very underrated, and he'll be a huge riser in our next set of rankings. Your window to pick him up in leagues of 200+ prospects could be closing.
Devin Fitz-Gerald - 19/2B,3B,SS/ATL/CPX
Date Recommended: 6/5/25
Fantrax Rostership: 4%->6%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: Unranked->337
Stats Since Writeup (CPX/A): 148 PA, .271/.420/.357 1 HR, 6 SB, 19.3% BB, 14.8% K
Recommendation Grade: A-
Justification: Fitz-Gerald finally got promoted to Single-A a couple of weeks after I wrote him up. He's continued to perform well with a fantastic approach. The power has disappeared, but he's been more active on the basepaths. He's another one I expect to jump in the next set of rankings and keep rising in the second half.
Kenny Fenelon - 17/OF/MIL/DSL
Date Recommended: 6/5/25
Fantrax Rostership: 3%->3%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 471->423
Stats Since Writeup (DSL): 113 PA, .179/.345/.214 0 HR, 9 SB, 15.9% BB, 24.8% K
Recommendation Grade: F
Justification: I wrote up Fenelon after an impressive two-game start in the DSL. I was trying to catch lightning in a bottle, and I failed—time to move on in most leagues if you are still holding.
Freili Encarnacion - 20/1B,2B,3B/BOS/A+
Date Recommended: 6/5/25
Fantrax Rostership: 2%->4%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: Unranked->373
Stats Since Writeup (A+): 107 PA, .200/.250/.350 3 HR, 1 SB, 5.6% BB, 30.6% K
Recommendation Grade: C-
Justification: Encarnacion had just been promoted to Single-A when I wrote him up, and it's been a tough adjustment so far. Still plenty of time for him to turn it around, but not what you want to see. The increase in value keeps this from being a D.
Jerar Encarnacion - 27/1B,OF/SFG/MLB
Date Recommended: 6/5/25
Fantrax Rostership: 17%->4%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: Graduated->Graduated
Stats Since Writeup (MLB): 16 PA, .125/.125/.188, 0 HR, 1 SB, 0.0% BB, 31.3% K
Recommendation Grade: F
Justification: Encarnacion has been hurt and bad since I wrote him up. The acquisition of Devers also significantly impacts his future opportunities. I didn't bother to include his one Complex rehab game in the statline above. Time to move on if you haven't already.
Cedric De Grandpre - 23/SP/ATL/A+
Date Recommended: 6/5/25
Fantrax Rostership: 1%->1%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: Unranked->691
Stats Since Writeup (A+): 19.1 IP, 2.33 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 23.3% K, 18.6% BB
Recommendation Grade: C+
Justification: The walk rate has spiked, and the 2.33 ERA is masking a 4.04 FIP, accompanied by a poor WHIP. However, De Grandpre also has a 0.00 ERA (1.88 FIP), 0.66 WHIP, 33.3% K rate, and 7.7% BB rate in two July starts, so things are looking up.
Jaxon Wiggins - 23/SP/CHC/AA
Date Recommended: 6/12/25
Fantrax Rostership: 9%->16%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 462->102
Stats Since Writeup (AA): 9.1 IP, 2.79 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 33.3% K, 17.9% BB
Recommendation Grade: A
Justification: Wiggins has only pitched two games since I wrote him up and was then shut down to manage his innings. A Futures Game selection has done nothing to dull his hype, though. Hopefully, we'll see him on the mound again soon.
Yohendrick Pinango - 23/OF/TOR/AAA
Date Recommended: 6/12/25
Fantrax Rostership: 4%->6%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: Unranked->265
Stats Since Writeup (AAA): 104 PA, .244/.330/.422, 3 HR, 0 SB, 11.5% BB, 17.3% K
Recommendation Grade: B
Justification: Pinanago hasn't caught fire yet but is continuing to hit for more power and has been putting up some incredible data in Triple-A.
He could surprise in the second half and make his MLB debut sooner rather than later.
Maykel Coret - 17/OF/TBR/DSL
Date Recommended: 6/12/25
Fantrax Rostership: 6%->7%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 419->372
Stats Since Writeup (DSL): 59 PA, .245/.305/.264, 0 HR, 1 SB, 6.8% BB, 25.4% K
Recommendation Grade: C-
Justification: Coret has disappointed since I wrote him up. There are still some intriguing tools, but I've moved on to other prospects until he shows something.
Edward Florentino - 18/1B,OF/PIT/CPX
Date Recommended: 6/12/25
Fantrax Rostership: 4%->20%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 493->396
Stats Since Writeup (CPX/A): 113 PA, .322/.438/.622, 5 HR, 14 SB, 16.8% BB, 20.4% K
Recommendation Grade: A+
Justification: Since I wrote him up, Florentino was promoted to Single-A, where he has arguably gotten even better. His value has skyrocketed as a result of the hype surrounding him. Hopefully, you were able to get some shares when you had a chance! Expect him to be among the biggest risers in our next rankings update.
Zach Thornton - 23/SP/NYM/AA
Date Recommended: 6/12/25
Fantrax Rostership: 3%->3%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 462->398
Stats Since Writeup (AA): 9.1 IP, 3.86 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 21.7% K, 6.7% BB
Recommendation Grade: C-
Justification: Thornton had a mediocre three-start stretch before landing on the IL July 4th for undisclosed reasons.
Trey Gibson - 23/SP/BAL/AA
Date Recommended: 6/19/25
Fantrax Rostership: 3%->5%
Stats Since Writeup (AA): 18.1 IP, 3.44 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 26.7% K, 12.8% BB
Recommendation Grade: B
Justification: The walks have been an issue for Gibson since I wrote him up, which has led to the elevated WHIP. However, it's still been an intense stretch for Gibson otherwise.
Ryan Gallagher - 22/SP/CHC/A+
Date Recommended: 6/19/25
Fantrax Rostership: 2%->2%
Stats Since Writeup (A+): 25.0 IP, 5.40 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 20.8% K, 2.8% BB
Recommendation Grade: C-
Justification: It's been a rough stretch for Gallagher as the home runs have been an issue since I wrote him up with a 1.80 HR/9 during that four-start stretch. He was at 0.76 HR/9 prior to this stretch, so I'm not too concerned. It seems likely he's just been throwing in the zone a bit too much.
Dominic Canzone - 27/OF/SEA/MLB
Date Recommended: 6/19/25
Fantrax Rostership: 5%->17%
Stats Since Writeup (MLB): 65 PA, .354/.354/.631, 5 HR, 0 SB, 0.0% BB, 16.9% K
Recommendation Grade: A-
Justification: This is a tough one to grade as Canzone's performance likely warrants an A+, but he's not walking at all and has some chase issues. The contact and power have been great, though.
A strong side platoon role dings him further, and his historic minor league splits don't give much hope that will change. It will be interesting to see what he does in the 2nd half.
Brandon Walter - 28/SP/HOU/MLB
Date Recommended: 6/19/25
Fantrax Rostership: 39%->42%
Stats Since Writeup (MLB): 23.0 IP, 5.87 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 21.9% K, 1.0% BB
Recommendation Grade: C
Justification: It's a very similar situation to Gallagher above, as Walter has been in the zone a bit too much. It's led to inconsistent performance and a homerun rate of 2.35 HR/9 since I wrote him up. Prior to this stretch, it was 1.02 HR/9 at the bigs and 0.57 HR/9 at Triple-A. The low WHIP and 3.39 xFIP during this stretch provide some hope, as does the fact that he's gone six innings in three of the four starts he's made since I wrote him up.
David Sandlin - 24/SP/BOS/AA
Date Recommended: 6/26/25
Fantrax Rostership: 7%->7%
Stats Since Writeup (AA): 14.1 IP, 3.77 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 32.2% K, 10.2% BB
Recommendation Grade: B
Justification: Sandlin has been solid in his three starts since I last wrote about him. The 4.58 FIP during that period, along with the lack of roster movement, limits the grade, though.
Jonathan Santucci - 22/SP/NYM/A+
Date Recommended: 6/26/25
Fantrax Rostership: 8%->9%
Stats Since Writeup (A+/AA): 14.1 IP, 2.55 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 35.7% K, 7.1% BB
Recommendation Grade: A
Justification: Santucci received the promotion to Double-A on July 11th and made his debut there. He has a 1.59 FIP since I wrote him up and has been dominant in those three starts. The hype will catch up quickly if he starts the second half hot.
Casey Schmitt - 26/1B,2B,3B,SS/SFG/MLB
Date Recommended: 6/26/25
Fantrax Rostership: 25%->17%
Stats Since Writeup (MLB): 27 PA, .130/.259/.174, 0 HR, 0 SB, 11.1% BB, 22.2% K
Recommendation Grade: D+
Justification: Schmitt got hit by a pitch on the wrist right after I wrote him up. He eventually landed on the IL and has struggled in a small sample since his return. I'm still holding my shares where I picked him up.
Braden Nett - 23/SP/SDP/AA
Date Recommended: 6/26/25
Fantrax Rostership: 4%->7%
Stats Since Writeup (AA): 10.0 IP, 5.40 ERA, 2.30 WHIP, 18.0% K, 18.0% BB
Recommendation Grade: C+
Justification: Nett's stats are being dragged down by one terrible outing sandwiched between two good ones. The rostership has still grown, and it will continue to rise in the second half.
Eduardo Rivera - 24/SP/BOS/AA
Date Recommended: 6/26/25
Fantrax Rostership: 2%->2%
Stats Since Writeup (AA): 15.1 IP, 3.52 ERA, 1.70 WHIP, 19.1% K, 13.2% BB
Recommendation Grade: C
Justification: Rivera has had an inconsistent performance with too many walks in his three latest starts. Too small a sample to move the needle one way or the other.
Incomplete Grades:
These are players who I've written up too recently to feel like I can grade them accurately. I won't be giving these players grades or justifications.
Chase Harlan - 18/3B/LAD/CPX
Date Recommended: 7/3/25
Fantrax Rostership: 5%->6%
Stats Since Writeup (CPX): 28 PA, .286/.412/.429, 0 HR, 1 SB, 17.6% BB, 20.6% K
Esteban Mejia - 18/SP/BAL/CPX
Date Recommended: 7/3/25
Fantrax Rostership: 5%->16%
Stats Since Writeup (CPX): 4.1 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.69 WHIP, 31.3% K, 6.3% BB
Wilber Dotel - 22/SP/PIT/AA
Date Recommended: 7/3/25
Fantrax Rostership: 1%->1%
Stats Since Writeup (AA): 7.2 IP, 9.39 ERA, 1.96 WHIP, 17.9% K, 5.1% BB
John Klein - 23/SP/MIN/AA
Date Recommended: 7/3/25
Fantrax Rostership: 1%->1%
Stats Since Writeup (AA): 4.2 IP, 11.57 ERA, 1.71 WHIP, 8.7% K, 8.7% BB
Aidan Longwell - 23/1B/COL/A+
Date Recommended: 7/3/25
Fantrax Rostership: 0%->0%
Stats Since Writeup (CPX): 47 PA, .233/.277/.279, 0 HR, 0 SB, 6.4% BB, 36.2% K
Alex Clemmey - 19/SP/WAS/A+
Date Recommended: 7/10/25
Fantrax Rostership: 14%->15%
Stats Since Writeup (A+): DNP
Tyler Locklear - 24/1B/SEA/AAA
Date Recommended: 7/10/25
Fantrax Rostership: 21%->23%
Stats Since Writeup (AAA): 21 PA, .529/.571/.706, 0 HR, 1 SB, 9.5% BB, 19.0% K
Dakota Jordan - 22/OF/SFG/A
Date Recommended: 7/10/25
Fantrax Rostership: 7%->8%
Stats Since Writeup (A): 18 PA, .294/.333/.647, 2 HR, 0 SB, 5.6% BB, 22.2% K
Marconi German - 17/SS/WSH/CPX
Date Recommended: 7/10/25
Fantrax Rostership: 4%->7%
Stats Since Writeup (CPX): 18 PA, .231/.444/.538, 1 HR, 0 SB, 27.8% BB, 27.8% K
Joey Loperfido - 26/OF/TOR/MLB
Date Recommended: 7/10/25
Fantrax Rostership: 14%->19%
Stats Since Writeup (MLB): 4 PA, .000/.250/.000, 0 HR, 0 SB, 25.0% BB, 0.0% K
Drop Recommendation Grades
Tyler Black 24/1B,3B,OF/MIL/AAA
Date Recommended: 4/4/25
Fantrax Rostership: 31%->27%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: 106->215
Stats Since Writeup (CPX/AAA): 134 PA, .223/.351/.375, 3 HR, 3 SB, 16.4% BB, 20.9% K
Recommendation Grade: A+
Justification: I went out on a limb by calling Black, a heavily rostered and borderline top-100 prospect, a drop in leagues of 200+ prospects (150+ OBP), and that seems to be the right call. Upon returning from injury, he raked on a rehab assignment in the Complex but has struggled to a .160/.284/.284 slash in 22 Triple-A games and hasn't contributed much on the basepaths either. Both the quality of contact and contact statcast at Triple-A have been terrible as well.
I would expect Black to continue to fall in our latest update. At just 24, there's still a chance he'll turn it around eventually, but I'm not holding my breath.
Kris Bryant 33/DH/COL/MLB
Date Recommended: 4/17/25
Fantrax Rostership: 20%->14%
Prospects Live Consensus Rank: Graduated->Graduated
Stats Since Writeup (MLB): DNP
Recommendation Grade: A+
Justification: When I wrote up Bryant, the latest news was that he'd return to the lineup on April 23rd. He never did, instead having injections and eventually an early May back surgery. He experienced pain during his rehab, and earlier this month, it was reported that he had been visiting several doctors before starting experimental treatments. It's extremely sad to see, and I'm rooting for him, but Bryant's career could be effectively over at this point.
Christopher Morel - 25/OF/TB/MLB
Date Recommended: 6/19/25
Fantrax Rostership: 48%->46%
Stats Since Writeup (MLB): 26 PA, .250/.308/.542, 2 HR, 2 SB, 7.7% BB, 26.9% K
Recommendation Grade: B-
Justification: A couple of home runs are propping up the slashline, but Morel's playing time is still heavily limited as he's had just nine plate appearances in July with a .125 batting average.
Final Grade
After grading 65 of the 75 players I have recommended so far this season, I'm pretty happy with the results.
37% of my picks made considerable gains in value (A), and 57% made at least moderate gains in value (A, B). 78% of my picks held their value or increased (A, B, C). That is right in line with last year's mark of 81% at the all-star break. I would have liked that number to be higher, and there's always room for improvement, but I've earned a solid B+ for my work this year. But what I think doesn't matter, I care what you think! Feel free to drop a grade in the comments section and let me know how you think I did!
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