Data has been updated through games on 5/3 and that includes one day worth of Complex data!
The last couple articles have dove into 18 year old hitters and 19 year old pitchers. Today I'm just running through some players catching my eye, including some very low-owned players on Fantrax.
As always, PLIVE+ data and all our other tools can be found here:
Smada
Hitters
Otto Kemp, 3B PHI (Triple-A)
The 25 year old Otto Kemp is the 18th ranked bat by PLIVE+ when looking at 2025 data only. The career PLIVE+ projection isn't as friendly and projects him for .229/.314/.375. He's been mentioned on the Daily Sheet 8 times already so I hope this isn't the first time you're hearing about him. Instead of summarizing his season myself I'll let Will Thompson do that in his tweet from today:
Otto Kemp is one of the most underrated prospects in the game right now. Has hit at every level and is absolutely destroying Triple-A pitching to a .339/.432/.686 line coming into today and this is his 10th homer of the season in his 31st game.
There's some swing and miss with Kemp, but man does he hit the ball hard when he makes contact (52.3% hard-hit). Basically the anti-Alec Bohm who continues to struggle at the big league level. Pretty insane rise for the UDFA signing out of D2 powerhouse Point Loma. Kemp needs a shot in the big leagues and if it's not with the Phillies then someone else is going to want him at the deadline when they're buyers.
Kemp is indeed scorching the ball, but the over-the-fence power of this magnitude is a new development. He's not physically imposing at 5-11, 185 lbs and he only hit 16 HR over 529 PA in 2024. Statistically, with the recent power burst, he kind of reminds me of Connor Norby from last year (granted a couple years older). The swing and miss is present and could hinder the overall profile, but is playing his way out of AAA.
Marvin Alcantara, 2B/SS BOS (High-A)
Marvin Alcantara is just 1% owned and is the 10th best bat at High-A by PLIVE+ when looking at just 2025 data. He may have the starkest year to year difference in his walks, strikeouts, and whiffs of any minor league player this season. Over 456 PA last season, Alcantara ran a 6.1% BB and 22.6% K as a 19 yr old in Single-A. So far 86 PA at High-A this year, he's got a 10.5% BB and 9.3% K! The SwStr% has been nearly cut in half from 11.7% to 5.9%. While Alcantara hasn't shown much power and has put the ball on the ground a lot this season (65.6%) we can't ignore major contact gains. Especially out of a Boston org that has developed some bats recently. Not sure if we're looking at the next Chase Meidroth, but I'd be keeping an eye out in leagues where that profile is enticing.
Alejandro Nunez, 2B/SS HOU (High-A)
The hitter right above Alcantara in the High-A PLIVE+ single-season ranks is Alejandro Nunez, a 20 year-old and 0% owned middle infielder in the Astros system. Last season Nunez was solid but unspectacular as a 19 year old in Single-A and then had a rough 12 game sample in High-A. He hit 4 HR and had 18 SB over 380 PA with a 28.2% K which is typically not a great indicator at the level with such low power output. This season he's already hit 4 HR and stolen 6 bases in 83 PA and has dropped the strikeouts in the small sample to 18.1%. However the 15.5% SwStr points to that raising. He's been on the Daily Sheet a couple times, including yesterday, where Tom Gates recommended him as a churn and burn option. I don't disagree, but I'll add that it's probably in 500+ prospects owned territory given the unsupported K% improvement.
Updates on Hitters Mentioned Before
Braylin Tavera, OF BAL (Single-A)
I said I wouldn't bore you with updates on Braylin Tavera but when he hits 3 HR over a 4 game period I've got to mention it. He's is up to 5 HR in 96 PA after hitting just one last season and I'm becoming more convinced that he was playing hurt with the shoulder. The Ks are still elevated at 36.5% on the year but the wRC+ is up to 144. If he can get a quick call up to High-A and rejoin his cohort I'd be much more interested again. There is serious prospect rebound potential here in deep leagues. He's a true CF with speed and developing power out of a 6-3 frame and still just 20 years old.
Andrew Salas, 2B/OF MIA (Single-A)
Welp, just as Ethan Salas broke PLIVE+ a couple years back, Andrew Salas is doing it again. The 17 year old isn't finding any trouble with the immediate full-season assignment and has a 23% BB, 17.6% K and 174 wRC+ thus far. He's yet to hit a home run but already has 9 SB through 17 games. All that to say he ranks 8th overall in PLIVE+ which will continue to move drastically week to week as the BABIP comes down.
Pitchers
Felipe De La Cruz, LHP NYM (Triple-A)
We've got a 1% owned Mets arm at Triple-A with a 34.2% K-BB thus far. Is that something you might be interested in? Felipe De La Cruz was the highest PLIVE- riser at the Triple-A level thanks to the promotion and a 6 IP, 1 H, 9 K debut at the level. If you missed Will Thompson's blurb on the performance yesterday in the Daily Sheet, here it is:
Well welcome to Triple-A Felipe De La Cruz! The lefty dazzled in his first start with Syracuse since being promoted, allowing just one hit over six shutout innings with nine strikeouts. His slider was downright unhittable in this one, generating 13 whiffs at a 54% rate that he pairs with a sinker up to 97. De La Cruz is definitely a name on the rise in the Mets organization, which has quietly become one of the best farm systems of the game quickly under David Stearns. He’s barely rostered at all in Fantrax dynasty leagues so if you need some minor league pitching, De La Cruz is worth an add.
Even though it's mainly a 2-pitch mix and he had a middling performance at High-A last year, I'm interested. Mid-90s with 29 K over 19.2 IP in the upper minors should have your attention.
Brandon Clarke, LHP BOS (High-A)
We've given Brandon Clarke quite a bit hype across multiple articles at this point, but it's been deserved and PLIVE- agrees. Clarke is now the 9th ranked pitcher overall and the highest ranked at High-A after his great debut outing at the level. Removing regression from PLIVE- he's the top ranked pitcher ahead of Chase Burns, Gage Jump and Trey Yesavage.
Noah Beal, RHP TB (Single-A)
Let's transition to a 0% owned 23 year old in Single-A who hasn't thrown more than 3 IP in an outing yet. Noah Beal is the second highest weekly riser by PLIVE- and was an undrafted free agent signing out of Fresno State. He was second in Ks in the Mountain West with 93 K in 79 IP. He did a decent job limiting free passes as well with a 2.6 BB/9. Otherwise though he just gave up a ton of hits which led to a 5.13 ERA. He's flashing a 5 pitch mix of low-90s fastball, cutter, slider, curveball, changeup. So far this season Beal has 19 K and 3 BB over 12.2 IP, punctuated by his last appearance (video below) where he struck out 7 batters over 3 perfect innings. Beal is old for level, has lack of pedigree, low-90s velo and is coming out of the bullpen thus far. But it's the Rays and he's 6 foot 4, 205 pounds and is performing well in the early going with a starters repertoire. This is deep league sicko territory, but if you didn't know about him, now you do.
Rehabbing Pitchers
- Travis Sykora was out with a hip injury in spring and made a 2 inning start back in the complex where he faced 8 hitters, giving up 1 hit, 1 walk and struck out the rest (6). Can't wait to see Sykora against higher level hitting.
- Sean Sullivan (COL version) had an offseason hip surgery and also received his first start on the complex. He went 2.2 IP facing 12 batters, walking 1, hitting 2 and striking out 7. I would not be surprised if he debuted this season.
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