It’s finally time for my yearly DSL top performer’s list, which is personally the piece I’m the most proud of each year. Starting with my original “DSL Top 20 Under 18, not on any top 30’s and sub $1,000,000 bonus” list in 2021 that unearthed Yanquiel Fernandez, Junior Caminero and Leonardo Balcazar. Then upping to 40 names including Josue De Paula at #2 when he was less than 1% owned on Fantrax, as well as names like Lazaro Montes, Michael Arroyo, Emmanuel Tejeda, Cristofer Torin, John Cruz, Echedry Vargas, Nelson Rada, etc. It’s my proudest work, because it requires the most work and has almost no real consensus to work off of. Just data for the basis of the rankings and video for the write ups.
This year, I decided to up to 50 given the extremely strong DSL class, with the restrictions that you must be 17 or younger at the start of the DSL season and reach either 100 PA or 30 IP (with one very notable exception made).
The rankings are based solely off of performance with a 50/50 blend of a model I made and some subjectivity for how I value the profile as a whole. It’s not a top prospects list. There were players who I consider top 20 prospects at the level who did not make the cut. That said, I made an effort to indicate how I feel about the fantasy prospects of each player in their write up. So read the blurbs for fantasy impact!
Rayner Arias, CF, Giants
6’2 185 R/R
Full disclosure, Arias didn’t technically qualify for the list, which was supposed to have a minimum of 100 PA and Arias only managed 76. That said, the stats were too nutty to leave off. Arias was simply the most dominant hitter at the level bar none and the underlying stats bear it out. On paper, Arias projects as an average hitter, who will likely see a slight uptick in swing and miss with more spin and his desire to launch in the higher levels, but makes the swing decisions and contact to still be functional. It’s not OMG-level pop, but there’s genuine plus power projection here and he can get to most of it in games. Arias is an average runner now, with the instincts to play CF, but projects to a corner spot where he could be a quality defender with a strong arm. Arias is physically and technically advanced, with MLB bloodlines and grew up around the game. Arias is rocked up for his age, but a bit tight and injuries will be a big concern for me going forward. Arias has long drawn Eloy comps and it’s hard not to see it, both the good and the bad. Arias projects as a 50-hit, 60-power, 40-speed corner OF at maturity who will be an injury risk. He’s a good prospect, who should be owned in 200+ rostered leagues and monitored in 100+, although I do think the stats might be a bit misleading.
2. Eduardo Quintero, CF, Dodgers
6’0 175 R/R
There wasn’t a single player in the DSL I got more hype from scouts on than Quintero. Signed for $300,000 as a catcher, Quintero ticked way up athletically and began posting easy 70 run times upon reaching the Dodgers academy. He then checked off almost every box you could want to see. Put the ball in the air in a range to do damage with consistency? Check. Limit swing and miss while showing good swing decisions? Check. Borderline 80-grade speed with huge range in CF and 22 SB in 49 games? Check. Plus defense in CF with an easy plus arm? How does zero errors, plus range factors and 8(!) assists sound? But what about power? How about 27 XBH in 49 games? Quintero also stood out on both sides of the ball, with a steal in the DSL All-Star game as the National League CF. Quintero projects as a 55 hit, 50 power, 70 run player who is a 60 glove with a 60 arm. I think he’s a real life and fantasy top 100 player who is a no-brainer to own in all formats and the best prospect I researched at the level this year.
3. Yeremi Cabrera, RF, Rangers
5’11 155 L/L
One of the younger players in the 2022 INT class out of the infamous Bani, DR, Cabrera was a quiet $10,000 signing, but took a massive leap in 2023. Cabrera showcased the ability to square up and pull the ball at an elite clip, causing his below-average power to play way up in games. Despite the approach, Cabrera managed to limit swing and miss while making plus swing decisions and taking his walks. Cabrera is an average runner who struggles with his jumps at times defensively. The huge season led to an All-Star appearance for Cabrera. Overall, Cabrera projects as a 55-hit, 40-power, 50-run player who is most likely destined for left field long term. That would make the projection more of a 4th OF for me, but he’s definitely an arrows up player. I’d hold off on Cabrera in sub-300 prospect leagues, but he’s a name to monitor if the performance continues.
4. Javier Mogollon, 2B, White Sox
5’8 160 R/R
A smaller Venezuelan second baseman that signed for just $75,000, Mogollon stood out as soon as he got to the White Sox academy. Mogollon is a smaller-statured player, but make no mistake, he does not lack impact. Mogollon generates big-time bat speed with a surprisingly athletic frame for 5 '8 and now has power. Mogollon got the ball over the fence 10 times in 199 PA and while he does have a slight pull tendency, he can go deep to center as well. Mogollon isn’t just a daddy hacker either, showcasing above average contact skills with very solid swing decisions, both avoiding K and taking BB. Mogollon not only barrels the ball consistently but lives in the launch angle sweet spot consistently. A plus runner, Mogollon is a genuine SB threat with the range for SS, but a much better projection as a 2B. Mogollon’s impressive line wasn’t even aided by BABIP, as his .323 BABIP looks very sustainable for a plus runner. This isn’t a comp, but Mogollon sure looks like Altuve on a DSL field. It’s tough to project 5’8 160 17-year-old ceilings, but Mogollon checks every box you could ask him to prove at the level and has some legitimate tools. I’d add him in 250+ leagues and monitor him in all leagues. He’s my pick for this year's Enmanuel Tejeda and may be a better prospect on paper.
5. Jeremy Rodriguez, SS, Mets
6’0 170 L/R
The top bonus prospect for the Diamondbacks ($1,250,000) out of the DR, Rodriguez was traded to the Mets for Tommy Pham in what looks to me like highway robbery for the Mets. Rodriguez looked solid for the D-Backs before absolutely exploding when he got to the Mets academy. Rodriguez has one of the better all-around skill sets in the class. There is above average bat-to-ball, with an above average approach, plus contact ability, feel for launching the ball and plus speed. Rodriguez projects as a SS long term with a plus hit tool and a chance to grow into 45-grade power and plus speed. That would make him an easy top 50 prospect if he could reach that realistic outcome. I’d look to add Rodriguez in 200+ rostered leagues and he should be monitored in all leagues as a potential breakout name next year.
6. Joendry Vargas, SS, Dodgers
6’4 175 R/R
Vargas was the headliner of the Dodgers INT class, signing for $2,077,500 out of the DR. Vargas has a long, lean frame with excellent first step and instincts but a frame that will likely outgrow SS as he fills in. Vargas has the making of a borderline plus hit tool, with line drive contact, a good approach and feel for contact. Vargas has always had plus raw power potential, but has gotten to a lot more of it than expected now given how thin he is. The line drive approach will likely be a slight limiter to the HR numbers, but he did manage 7 this year. Vargas is an advanced runner, but has just average speed and gets SB more due to jumps than speed. Vargas, who was a DSL All-Star, projects as a 55 hitter with 55 in game power, fringe average speed at maturity and as a plus glove at 3B. There's a borderline all star upside here in a good org. Vargas should be rostered in 150+ owned leagues and you can make a case as a top 100 fantasy prospect right now.
7. Angel Perez, C, Pirates
5’10 160 R/R
IDK what the deal is with these 5 '10 160 catchers out of Venezuela, but there seems to be an exciting one every year now. Perez has some swing and miss, but shows an exceptional approach that saw nearly as many balls as strikes. Perez generates silly bat speed for his size with a steeper bat path that sacrifices a bit of contact for launch. The end result was a 1.030 OPS with over the fence power and very very little soft contact. It may be early to jump on Perez as a smaller teen catcher in a system that is suddenly rivaling the Dodgers for the most catching depth in the MLB, but Perez should be monitored going forward as a two-way catcher with fantasy upside.
8. Robert Calaz, CF, Rockies
6’2 200 R/R
The Rockies top INT bonus in 2023, Calaz signed for a hefty $1,700,000 bonus out of the DR. Calaz draws a shockingly wide range of run times reviews, ranging from legitimate 70 grades to as low as a 30. He’s flashed plus run but is very slow to react off of the bat in CF and is a raw defender at the position, who I’d expect to move to RF long term, where his plus arm would play well. Calaz has some length to his swing and will swing and miss, but has compensated by making good swing decisions and keeping a reasonable overall strikeout rate. He projects as a fringe average hitter, with a chance to land as average if he can continue to make strides with his contact. The power is absolutely massive, jaw dropping. I think Calaz has 70 raw (114 MPH EV’s at 17) and he has the contact quality to get to it in games. If Calaz can maintain his conditioning and speed, there is a chance for legitimate 70 power, 60 speed and he’s not a mess at the plate..and he’s headed to Coors…I’d add (and have) Calaz in 150+ owned leagues. The fantasy ceiling here is massive, even with some risk. Calaz profiles very similarly to Rangers RF Adolis Garcia.
9. Derek Bernard, 2B, Rockies
6’0 190 L/R
The youngest player in the 2022 J15 class, Bernard becomes the first player to ever repeat on the list. Born in the USA, but signed for $185,000 out of the DR, I was pretty surprised to see Bernard repeating the level, given his success last year and a lack of culture shock coming stateside. Regardless, Bernard continued to show the ability to make hard contact in games and flash above average speed, while improving his approach greatly in 2023. Bernard has a linedrive geared swing and has cut down on his swing and miss to a reasonable 23.7% swstr rate. Bernard does put the ball on the ground a lot and is an absolute mess defensively, both of which hold back his ceiling a bit. Ultimately, I think Bernard’s statline is more impressive than his prospect status, with a 40-hit tool, 50 raw power and defense that will likely limit him to LF only, but he did make strides in 2023 and if he can continue to do so, he could become interesting given his chance to one day call Coors home. Bernard did make the DSL All-Star game as a DH. He’s an add in 500 prospects rostered leagues, but I’d monitor in 300-500 and wouldn’t add him in sub 300 owned.
10. Braylin Morel, RF, Rangers
6’2 180 R/R
Signed for just $97,500 out of the DR, Morel is a fundamentally somewhat raw player with dynamic twitch to his game. Morel is a plus runner, with a plus arm and plus or better bat speed. Among DSL hitters with over 100 PA (sub 18-years-old at season start) Morel led the league in ISO and had 32 XBH in 47 games. There’s some length to the swing, but Morel gets leverage without having a grooved swing and generally squares the ball up when he connects. There is swing and miss here and it’s optimistically a 40 hit tool. His actual speed plays down in games as his instincts and jumps are a bit delayed. That said, the Rangers have quality player dev now and these are VERY loud traits to play with. Morel looks a lot more like a $1,500,000 traits based projection than a sub $100,000 flier. There’s clear cut fantasy intrigue here and while there’s clear risk in the profile, the upside is a 20+ HR, 20 SB bat with plus defense in RF if it all comes together. Morel should be owned in 300+ leagues and you can make a case at 200 if you’re feeling risky. Morel hit cleanup as the starting RF in the DSL All-Star game and roped a double.