Every once and a while an old-for-level player takes a step forward to become a prospect worth rostering. In this Deep Sea Diving piece we're looking into the top 2025 season only PLIVE+ players who are old for level to see if we can find any interesting names.

Last year, players like Ben Rice, Spencer Horwitz, Chandler Simpson, Eric Wagaman, Payton Eeles and Alan Roden would have made this list depending on when it was run.

All these players were found with filtering down to the level, selecting the lower bound on age, and sorting "Year" PLIVE+. You can find the PLIVE+ tool here:

PLIVE+ App Suite
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And all my PLIVE+ articles here:

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Let's get started!

Triple-A

26+ years old

Ernesto Martinez Jr., 1B MIL (Triple-A)

Age: 26
PLIVE+ Year/Career: 149/141
8% Rostered on Fantrax

We covered Ernesto Martinez Jr. quite a bit early on in the season and while the bat has slowed, he's still showing some excellent plate skills and contact. He also missed a couple weeks at the end of April and beginning of May. The main rub continues to be the game power with just 4 HR over 133 PA and he hasn't posted an ISO over .200 since Single-A in 2021. That makes it rough to get by as a 1B-only guy. Martinez is one of the few players on this list with a solid Career PLIVE+ number. Per 600 PA, his Peak Projection is a 109 wRC+ with 20 HR and 14 SB. Personally, I think that SB projection is a bit pie-in-the-sky. While he stole 20 bags in 110 games in Double-A last year he's got just 1 SB and 3 CS thus far in Triple-A and he's also 6'6" 254 lbs.

There's not a ton of room in the bigs for Martinez due to a resurgent Rhys Hoskins at 1B and Christian Yelich in the DH spot. However, I do think Martinez will end up cracking the roster at some point this season, it's just not as immanent as we thought.

Anthony Seigler, C/2B/3B MIL (Triple-A)

Age: 26
PLIVE+ Year/Career: 148/116
1% Rostered on Fantrax

Anthony Seigler came up with the Yankees but signed with the Brewers as a minor league FA this offseason. He peaked in AA and had a decent season with a 122 wRC+ playing primarily 2B after developing as a catcher. With Milwaukee Seigler is splitting time between C and 2B while getting a couple games at 3B as well. The change of scenery has been positive thus far as he has a 159 wRC+ through 173 PA in his first taste of Triple-A. He's always been a selective hitter and this season he's walking more than striking out with a 19.1% BB and 18.5% K. With Statcast at Triple-A he's running a 50.9% HardHit and an extremely solid 89.6% Z-Contact. There probably isn't more than 15+ HR power here, but he could chip in 15+ SB over a full season with useful OBP.

With Caleb Durbin struggling in his first taste of the bigs and Seigler beginning to get some work at 3B, I wouldn't be surprised to see him get called up soon.

Will Robertson, OF TOR (Triple-A)

Age: 27
PLIVE+ Year/Career: 137/109
0% Rostered on Fantrax

Will Robertson is not all that different than Ryan Ward below. The 27 year old is enjoying improved chase and in-zone contact after year's of BB% on the wrong side of 10% and K% in the high 20's. He's also been on an absolute tear over the last 10 games, hitting 7 HR, including a 3 HR game. It does like he'll end up being platooned whenever he gets the call, he's already kind of platooning in Triple-A.

Ryan Ward, 1B/RF LAD (Triple-A)

Age: 27
PLIVE+ Year/Career: 130/122
1% Rostered on Fantrax

Ryan Ward came up in my PLIVE+ Deep Sea Diving article in mid-May as a hitter with an interesting projection profile and a few days ago was added to the Dynasty Diplomas watch list. On any other team I think Ward would already be up. Since covering him last month he's maintained, if not improved his already outstanding Triple-A numbers. Still just a strong side platoon, but a potentially good one!

Bryan Torres, OF STL (Triple-A)

Age: 27
PLIVE+ Year/Career: 132/112
0% Rostered on Fantrax

Bryan Torres is a fun story and not all that dissimilar to Payton Eeles who got some pub at the end of last season. Torres was plucked from Indy Ball heading into the 2024 season and he spent the entire year at Double-A where he slashed .331/.418/.416 with a 136 wRC+, 13.1% BB, 14.2% K and 33 SB over 528 PA. Torres was originally signed out of Puerto Rico back in 2015 by the Brewers but never made it out of Rookie ball. After COVID in 2021 he signed with the Giants and spent some time in Double-A but struggled. In 2022-23 he played with the Milwaukee Milkmen of the American Association and hit over .370 over 850+ PA.

This season Torres is continuing to show immaculate plate skills at Triple-A and has 3 HR and 8 SB over his 169 PA this year. The profile is certainly more 4th OF but he should get a chance at the big league level eventually.

Chad Stevens, 3B/SS/OF/1B LAA (Triple-A)

Age: 26
PLIVE+ Year/Career: 130/98
0% Rostered on Fantrax

Chad Stevens is another older bat who's displaying plate skills he hasn't in his prior four MiLB seasons. He was drafted by the Astros out of the 11th round in 2021 and struggled through 3 years and 3 levels with elevated strikeouts. Houston dropped Stevens after a month of poor play in 2024 and he was picked up by the Angels. They sent him to the Complex for 4 games, then had stops at High-A, Double-A and Triple-A through the remainder of 2024. The end result looked the same, but different. High strikeouts, (29%) but certainly showing more life in the slash line than he had previously.

Stevens has been a different animal in 2025. Through 206 PA he's got an 11.7% BB, 20.9% K, 10 HR and 8 SB with a .311/.393/.356 slash. He's been playing games in the corner OF and 1B lately and it looks likely the Angels are trying to get him ready to be a utility guy at the next level. Deep league players who get value out of MLB guys with minor eligibility should jump on Stevens.

Anthony Prato, OF/2B/3B MIN (Triple-A)

Age: 27
PLIVE+ Year/Career: 127/102
0% Rostered on Fantrax

Anthony Prato has been with the Twins since being drafted in the 7th round in 2019 out of UConn. He first got up to Triple-A in 2023 and hit to the tune of a 150 wRC+ over 299 PA. Then Prato struggled in 2024 slashing .228/.370/.350, but it appears he's back to his 2023 success with a 133 wRC+ over his first 113 PA this season. While he's improved is contact this year, there isn't much power and SB don't look like a huge part of his game. It's possible he gets a look this year, but I'm not as interested in Prato as I am others on this list above.

Double-A

24+ years old

Spencer Jones, OF NYY (Double-A)

Age: 24
PLIVE+ Year/Career: 144/140
43% Rostered on Fantrax

Everyone should know Spencer Jones but it may come as a surprise to some that he's considered "old-for-level" as a 24 year old in Double-A. He's repeating the level, but it's worth mentioning he did miss most of May with an injury. This year he's shown the power and speed that put him on the map as well as the swing and miss that has muted the hype surrounding him. Last year the lowest qualified contact rate in the big leagues was Zack Gelof at 65.4%. Spencer Jones had a 61.6% Contact last season and 58.6% this season. Could he be Joey Gallo with speed? No, because Joey Gallo had his 2nd 40 HR season in the big leagues at 24 years old.

Kyler Fedko, OF MIN (Double-A)

Age: 25
PLIVE+ Year/Career: 128/107
0% Rostered on Fantrax

Kyler Fedko is repeating Double-A this year but missed nearly half of 2024 with an injury. Matt Thompson wrote up Fedko's 2 HR game last week in the Daily Sheet and said this:

Breakout prospect alert!!!! Fedko is hitting .278/.410/.556 in Double-A this year with a strong 26% line drive rate. He is tied for the league lead in homers with ten, and has nearly as many walks as he does strikeouts.

Fedko has always had solid walk and strikeout rates and has a patient approach but the game power has emerged with his 11 HR in 199 PA being greater than his combined 2023/2024 total of 9 HR over 505 PA. He's also chipped in 9 SB this season and it looks like there's potential for double digit bags. I know this is an old-for-level special, but if the power is coming along without sacrificing the rest of his game, I'm interested in seeing more. I'm actually a bit surprised that he's still 0% rostered on Fantrax and I'd pounce in leagues with 400+ prospects owned. He should see Triple-A soon, and from there, who knows what'll happen.

Jorel Ortega, 2B/OF MIN (Double-A)

Age: 24
PLIVE+ Year/Career: 125/108
0% Rostered on Fantrax

A 2022 6th round pick out of Tennessee, Jorel Ortega spent 2023 across Single-A and High-A then spent all of 2024 in Double-A where he struggled to the tune of an 85 wRC+. This season he's pumped that back up to a 124 wRC+ with improved contact and patient approach, walking nearly as much as striking out with a 17.5% BB and 18.3% K. Across 120 PA this season he's hit 5 HR and has 5 SB. Ortega has played all over the diamond and appears to be a utility-type long term. I wouldn't say he's someone we need to run out and grab, but we should at least know the name.

High-A

23+ years old

Jay Thomason, 3B/2B/1B/OF MIN (High-A)

Age: 23
PLIVE+ Year/Career: 129/128
0% Rostered on Fantrax

Jay Thomason was a 17th round pick out of Air Force last season. The 23 year-old tore up Single-A with 180 wRC+, 7 HR and 17 SB over 153 PA. Thomason had an extreme-patience approach with just a 37% Swing that resulted in a 19.6% BB and 24.8% K. He JUST got moved up to High-A while writing. Also while writing, he hit his first High-A homer (see below). The oppo bomb here is not a one-off and is speaks to the overall power. PLIVE+ sees Thomason really similarly to Mac Horvath (profiled below) and has 20/20 potential if he can keep the contact rates high enough to play everyday. So if you like Horvath, go pick up the 0% owned Thomason.

Nate Baez, 1B/C MIN (High-A)

Age: 24
PLIVE+ Year/Career: 114/113
0% Rostered on Fantrax

Nate Baez has had quite the K% improvement this season. In 2023 he had a 30.7% K, in 2024 a 28.1% K and so far this season he's struck out just 15.1% of the time through 166 PA. At this point, Baez needs to get moved up to Double-A. The only thing that's been underwhelming is the game power and without it I don't think there's much to get excited over from either a catcher or first base.

Jonah Advincula, OF CLE (High-A)

Age: 24
PLIVE+ Year/Career: 114/110
0% Rostered on Fantrax

Jonah Advincula was an 8th round pick in 2023 who spent all of last year in High-A where he ran wild with 32 SB over 373 PA. This season he's back at it again with 16 SB through 148 PA. He's only got 3 HR on the season but 2 of them came on the same day. Nate Rasmussen just covered Advincula's Double Dong day on the Daily Sheet and had this to say:

Advincula is a former D3 ball player from the University of Redlands in California. He’s old for the level at 24, but has torn through High-A pitching for two straight years now. The profile is contact over power with good speed and defense to raise the floor. I would expect a promotion coming soon for Jonah.

I agree that he'll end up with a promotion sooner than later given the high contact rates and the ability to play all 3 OF positions.

Mac Horvath, 3B/OF/2B TB (High-A)

Age: 23
PLIVE+ Year/Career: 119/110
7% Rostered on Fantrax

Mac Horvath came out of the draft scorching hot getting looks at 3 levels (CPX, A, A+) in just under 100 PA. Starting back at High-A in 2024, he was fine with a 114 wRC+ over 317 PA but the Orioles moved to the Rays as part of the Zach Eflin deal. He'd finish 2024 at High-A with unremarkable results. We're now almost two years from Horvath's draft date and he's still sitting at High-A. This season has at least been solid with a 123 wRC+, 10 HR and 11 SB over 192 PA. The heavy flyball profile will never result in a high batting average but PLIVE+ thinks there is 20/20 potential if he ever manages 600 PA. You've got to think a move up to Double-A is coming soon and that'll obviously be a big test.

Single-A

21+ years old

Victor Figueroa, 1B SD (Single-A)

Age: 21
PLIVE+ Year/Career: 151/155
14% Rostered on Fantrax

If you missed it, check out the article I wrote on Victor Figueroa:

You Need to Know Victor Figueroa
Get to know Victor Figueroa, the prospect who can’t stop hitting at the Complex
Prospects LiveSmada

Since then, Figueroa has been promoted to Single-A and has continued raking. The Fantrax ownership also skyrocketed from 1% to 14% in a short amount of time. Figueroa still has over a .425 BA and .500 OBP in his combined 100 Complex and Single-A PA. Maybe he gets exposed at higher levels, but PLIVE+ is in love and has him ranked as the 12th best hitter in the minor leagues.

Tommy Hawke, CLE (Single-A)

Age: 22
PLIVE+ Year/Career: 115/114
1% Rostered on Fantrax

Finally we get a pure speedster on the list in Tommy Hawke. A 6th round pick in 2023, he spent all of 2024 in Single-A and was assigned there again to start this season. He's absolutely wreaking havoc on the bases with 48 SB over just 203 PA. The approach is extremely passive with just a 30.4% Swing, but when he does swing, he's making contact. I have zero clue why Hawke is still chilling in Single-A but I can't imagine he's there for much longer.

Nick Mitchell, MIN (Single-A)

Age: 21
PLIVE+ Year/Career: 115/125
0% Rostered on Fantrax

Nick Mitchell was a 4th round comp pick out of Indiana last season and hit 4 HR and 3 SB over 103 Single-A PA straight out of the draft. This season he's only played in 17 games due to an undisclosed injury and half of them were rehab appearances at the complex. However, in his 9 Single-A games this year he's already stolen 7 bases and has been an on-base machine. PLIVE+ kind of likes Mitchell with a 97 wRC+ and 14 HR, 17 SB peak projection but there's a long road ahead before he can get to those numbers in the big leagues. Given the lack of fantasy impact I'm not running to grab Mitchell, but am intrigued by the contact so far.

Players Removed from the Original List

  • Ramon Rodriguez, C MIL (Double-A) was removed due to getting placed on the IL for the remaining of the season with an undisclosed injury.
  • Roc Riggio, NYY (High-A) was removed due to getting promoted to Double-A while writing the article. He tore up the level with a 186 wRC+ over 94 PA. He's just 1% owned on Fantrax and that needs to increase.