Who's Up? Prospect Autos with the Largest Gains - 8/12/25

The season is winding down, but our risers are not slowing down. In the 3rd edition of "Who's Up", our focus has slightly shifted. As leagues come closer to the end, we are less worried about the short-term, and have begun gearing up for the off-season. Despite there being fewer games, there are still lots of variables at play. This includes fall-league (extended seasons), late season promotions and performances (momentum), and factors that seem impossible to quantify (hype, media, external rankings, etc.). Regardless, I have began listing cards for players who have risen over this season and have met my criteria for ROI with the hope that this will free up capital to re-invest in players this off-season. I plan to take a more diverse approach and rely on stats and metrics that have shown the strongest correlation to rising prices - age (Dakota Jordan), power (Colton Ledbetter), speed, and plate discipline (Tony Blanco Jr.). Regardless of the underlying stats and metrics, certain situations afford for certain investment opportunities. Last year, Cooper Ingle was one of my most fruitful investments, despite being older with mediocre projections and performances. With that being said, knowing what to look for goes a very long way in prospecting.

When I say "specific circumstances" I am talking about the right combination of age, performance (real-life stats), pricing (Hobby+ average price), and peak projections (available through Hobby+ and the Prospects Live App Suite). There is no scientific formula or correct approach. Use these articles and your own historical experiences to make the best/most informed decisions.

In this article, we focus on four facets of investments: Age, Power, Plate Discipline, and Price. I know I have said it before, but younger players command higher premiums, especially those performing well at higher levels. This does not mean that we can not look to the lower levels (CPX/A/A+) to find potential investments. Instead, it should be used to help inform our approach. For example, Dakota Jordan - he has had a fantastic season, no matter how you spin it, but he is old for the level he is at. Sure, he is a college bat, but he is 22 and still in Low-A. Context matters, and in his case, he was largely limited (only appeared in 2 games in 2024) by a lingering hamstring injury in his first professional season, but he has remained in Low-A all season despite his strong performance. Of course, for the right price he may be worth some consideration as a potential investment, but the situation in which we invest is much more limited. Similarly, the situation in which we invest in a player like Colton Ledbetter is limited. Although a different logic applies to players like Colton Ledbetter, the circumstances in which we would invest are quite limited. He has displayed average-to-below average power this season which prohibits him from being a potential investment. Tony Blanco Jr. has shown significant power, but poor plate discipline. His prices may be rising, but the foundation on which they are built remains fragile. Strikeouts seem to prohibit long-term success and/or promotions. But, if his prices dropped to the right price, his power could create a good opportunity to re-invest.

Top 5 7-Day Risers

1. Luke Keaschall: $38.00 → $105.50 (+178%)
   7-Day Stats: AVG .400 | ISO .360 | wRC+ 221 | HR 2 | Games 6

Analysis: Luke Keaschall had a rather explosive introduction to the MLB after his debut in April. Unfortunately, it was cut short after he was hit by a pitch which fractured his right forearm on April 25. This injury had sidelined him for three months, but he was recently reinstated on 8/5. Since his return, there have been few days in which he has not made headlines on top of his rather ridiculous batting splits. On August 10, he went 3-5 with a walk-0ff, 2 run home run in the bottom of the 11th inning. On 8/11, he was named AL Player of the Week. Since his return he has garnered significant media attention and social media hype, which he has supported with a rather dominant performance. I'm not sure how active you may be on social media, but some of the stats/records he has acquired since his debut have put him on list with some of the best names in baseball history.

Recommendation: Sell/Hold
I will probably come to regret this, but I am not sure how long he can keep this run up or how high the hype will carry him. We probably should have been buying his autos while he was out with injuries, but now it feels like the train has left the station. Everything indicates that the train is only accelerating, but there has to be a peak, and I feel that investing at current prices (considering fees, taxes, and shipping) just leaves little room for profit. If you did buy in while he was out injured, I would recommend selling some of your inventory (at least enough to cover initial investment) and if you have a desire to take the gamble, continue holding remainders. I foresee his card prices growing, but I can't imagine we are too far from the ceiling.

2. Colton Ledbetter: $5.12 → $12.01 (+135%)
   7-Day Stats: AVG .174| ISO .043 | wRC+ 54 | HR 0 | Games 6

Analysis: This past week has not been the most exciting or high production week for Colton Ledbetter, though the stats make it seem worse than it truly was. He has gone hit-less in 4 of his last 6 games, but the two games that he did have hits, he went 2 for 3 and 2 for 4, scoring 2 runs respectively. Interestingly, his peak price and market volatility (6 sales; all between $7.99- $13.99) occurred on August 8th which coincides with his 2-3, 1 BB, 2 R game. Since then he has gone 0-4 and 0-5 with 5 K's, and his prices have started to come back down to earth.
Prior to August 1st, his average base auto rarely eclipsed $6.00. This tells me that the market seems to have reacted heavily to some of his most recent games. But over the last week, he has displayed a boom-or-bust approach at the plate which is not something I typically like to invest in. Additionally, he has displayed average-to-below average power, with 5 home runs in 96 games this season in AA (last HR on 6/24), and does not seem to have much hype behind him on social media. As such, I am hesitant to invest. Maybe you could capitalize on a future hot streak, but that does not seem like a sustainable or successful business model, in my opinion.

Although he has not gotten much attention on social media, he has been mentioned in several recent articles. He was recently named the #18 prospect in the Tampa Bay Rays organization and was identified to be Montgomery's AVG leader, though this no longer appears to be the case after his recent cold-streak.

Recommendation: Monitor The Situation.
Colton Ledbetter would not be one of my top choices for cheap investments - he is 23 years-old (which is old for investing), and has displayed average-to-below average power throughout this season. He has shown flashes of power since being taken in the 2nd round of the 2023 Draft. This tells me that the power is in there, he just needs to capitalize on it in game settings. If prices dip back below $4 or $5, it might make sense to snag a couple base autos or cheaper parallels - more of a low financial risk, high reward type player investments. We have seen that the market is willing to pay $12+ for his base autos. With the right set of circumstances, I would not be surprised to see this sell above $12 again.

3. Conrad Cason: $6.91 → $12.20 (+77%)
   7-Day Stats: AVG 0.000 | ISO 0.000 | wRC+ 0 | HR 0 | Games 0

Analysis: Not much to say on this matter. Conrad Cason was drafted in the 8th round of the 2024 Draft by the Boston Red Sox. He made his MiLB debut in the CPX league on 5/3 where he recorded 2 IP, 1 BB, and 5 Ks. On 5/5, he played his first game as a hitter where he went 1-4 with 1 single, 1 RBI, and 2 Ks. He has not pitched or played since due to right arm fatigue, something that was again re-iterated in July, but various articles reported that he had resumed/begun hitting. Unfortunately, it seems as if he has much higher upside as a pitcher than as a shortstop, which seemed to be reinforced by his continued absence throughout the CPX season. He had begun hitting, but did not appear in any games throughout the remainder of the season.

Without any stats, recent articles, or attention-grabbing Tweets over the past week, the etiology for his change in pricing is unknown. If I had to guess, it seems to be more of a market correction. Although his market has been up-and-down over the last 30 days, it seems to always bounce-back with occasional sales above $10. There was a recent period of time, where his card had sold consistently below $10, with sales as low as $6. As such, the price growth seems to be a correction of his market.

Recommendation: Off-Season Buy
Conrad Cason has limited professional IP or AB's, but he has shown some flash as a pitcher. Wait for prices to fall again before looking to invest. It is still early in his career and right-arm fatigue could be somewhat concerning, but he did not need or have TJ, and the hype of a two-way player may be enough to carry us to profit.

4. Kaelen Culpepper: $26.20 → $45.80 (+75%)
   7-Day Stats: AVG .261 | ISO .261 | wRC+ 120 | HR 2 | Games 5

Analysis: Although the 7-day stats line may not be the most impressive, Kaelen Culpepper has had a really good week. He began the week by hitting a 3-run blast resulting in back-to-back home runs after Walker Jenkins hit a solo shot. On 8/7 he went 3-4 with 1 BB and 1 K. On 8/8 he hit his 17th home run of the year (eighth since being promoted to AA). His dominate performance has led to media attention and top 100 rankings across different people/platforms. The higher he rises, the worse the investor FOMO.

Recommendation: Off-Season Buy
At the end of the day, we saw his prices climb quite high over the last several days, with 6 sales $49.99 or higher. Thankfully (for us), his most recent sale was back down to $30. I would not mind buying anything under $30, and would not be surprised to find it even cheaper ($25 or lower) in the off-season. He has good tools, good power, good speed, and good plate discipline; Or in other words, he has everything indicative of a good buy, especially at $30 or below.

5. Dakota Jordan: $22.20 → $34.70 (+56%)
   7-Day Stats: AVG .222 | ISO .333 | wRC+ 153 | HR 2 | Games 5

Analysis: In his first full season of professional ball, Dakota Jordan has been lights out. Across 88 games, he has batted .311 with a .186 ISO and 137 wRC+. Over recent weeks, it seems that his production has somewhat slowed down. As you can see, he was batting .222 over his last 5 games. If we were extend this to his last two weeks, he has batted .406. But his decreased production is probably good news for us. It may open up a new investment window.
Regardless, although his production has slowed down, he has still found his way into the headlines with some ridiculous performances. He had hit home runs in three-straight games (8/2-8/5), capped by a two home run game on 8/5. Which, as you can see from the below graph, appears to be the catalyst to some rather significant price growth. Before 8/2, his card consistently sold for $20 or less. Since his stretch of three straight games with home runs, his prices have grown and now consistently fetch $30+. Although I enjoy seeing his success, I do hope that he slows down and affords us the opportunity to buy.

Recommendation: Monitor The Situation

This is a tough one. Other than age, Dakota Jordan has everything you could want in a prospect to invest in. Good power, good speed, moderate plate discipline. But age goes a long way, and despite being the #6 prospect in the Giants organization, I don't know how far hype will carry his prices. I think the best plan of action would be to monitor the situation. Barring any late-season promotions or lights out performances, his prices will likely drop into the off-season. If we can find cards priced less than $15, I would consider this to be a strong investment. If he were to be promoted this late in the season, I would probably be more hesitant, as explosive price-growth or short-term ROI opportunities would be fewer and farther between.

Top 5 14-Day Risers

1. Tony Blanco Jr.: $6.20 → $31.69 (+411%)
   14-Day Stats: AVG .324 | ISO .382 | wRC+ 199 | HR 4 | Games 9

Analysis: Tony Blanco Jr. began the season on the 60-day IL with an apparent leg injury. He returned on 7/15 with a two-game rehab stint in the CPX before being assigned to Single-A ball. Over the last month, his return to action has been quite remarkable with consistent highlight plays and media attention. His cards were consistently selling for $10 or less, up until the beginning of August, when his performance really stepped up. Since July 28, he has batted .324 with 4 home runs. Since his 'promotion' to Low-A, a league with statcast-equipped ballparks, he hit two home runs with EVs > 118 MPH. One of which was recorded at 119.8, which is the hardest hit ball recorded in the minors this season. But this should come at no surprise, as he also owns the four hardest hit balls in Single-A this season. His 119.8 mph, 450' home run garnered a lot of attention amongst reporters and on social media. He has also garnered some comparisons to Oneil Cruz, as he stands at 6' 7" and absolutely crushes baseballs (though this is not a comparison I would make or have made, I am just simply reporting what I read).

Recommendation: Sell/Monitor The Situation

He has been around the block for a few years now, with this marking his fourth season playing professional ball. Over his four seasons, he has struggled with plate discipline and strikeouts. I am hesitant to invest in anybody who struggles with strikeouts, as this seems to put a damper on promotions and long-term success. The power is fun, but it's only part of the occasion. He has also benefited from above average BAPIP in his career; an indicator of luck and possible regression. As such, I would recommend selling while the iron is hot and continuing to monitor for a chance to buy back in. He recently returned from injury and has been putting up highlight reel plays since. I feel as if he is due to slow down at some point, and if/when that happens, I will reconsider the possibility of investment.

2. Lucas Ramirez: $5.33 → $12.23 (+129%)
   14-Day Stats: AVG 0.000 | ISO 0.000 | wRC+ 0 | HR 0 | Games 0

Analysis: Price growth coming on the heels of the Arizona Complex League championship which was won by the Angels with impressive performances by Lucas Ramirez. In three games between the semifinal and final of the Arizona Complex League, Lucas Ramirez had a .364 AVG/ 1.112 OPS slash line with 1 HR and 6 RBI's.
He finished his first full season of professional baseball with a .282/.374/.454 slash line over 49 games - which I would consider to be solid for the 19-year-old son of Manny Ramirez. He also finished with a team high .172 ISO, which came as a surprise to many. He displayed average plate discipline and contact rates, which can be built on as he continues his development throughout the minor leagues. Although he was not a highly regarded draft pick or scout's favorite, he seems to have some potential. I think the best time to buy is during the off-season before he gets too much attention.

Recommendation: Off-Season Buy

Given this season's performance and improvements made over a short-period of time, I think he could be a good buy if the price is right. He flashed some power and had a knack for the big hits this season. He needs to continue to work on his plate discipline and contact rates, but given his physical stature, first professional season, and familial relationships, I think he could be a good buy at the right price - In this case, below $5. Let the championship hype die out and monitor where his prices are before making this decision.

3. Drew Gilbert: $11.00 → $28.18 (+156%)
   14-Day Stats MLB: AVG .077 | ISO .000 | wRC+ -66 | HR 0 | Games 4
   14-Day Stats MiLB: AVG .333 | ISO .238 | wRC+ 186 | HR 0 | Games 7

Analysis: Drew Gilbert was recently traded from the Mets to the Giants in the Tyler Rogers deals on 7/30. Shortly after he was traded, he hit a walk-off double in AAA which made the rounds on social media. On 8/8, he was called up to make his MLB debut where he batted 9th against the Washington Nationals. He has struggled since his debut, batting .077 with 1 hit and 5 Ks in 13 at bats. He did get his first MLB hit on 8/11, which may be directly tied to our most recent sale at $30. Before his promotion, he had early success with the Giants Triple-A affiliate with two triples and a walk-off double. Although prices seem to be driven largely by excitement within a new organization/fanbase and his MLB Debut, the MLB stats don't seem to support any of the recent price growth. He has shown above average power and plate discipline throughout his MiLB career, and although he has struggled in his short stint at the MLB level, seems to have a positive long-term forecast. That being said, prices need something to support them, and currently, his prices are built on a fragile foundation. I would not be surprised to see him sent back down to AAA and for prices to drop.

Recommendation: Sell

I anticipate that he will be sent back down to AAA in the near-future. At this point in time, his card values will not be sustained. If you bought in below $15, sell now to lock in some profit and look to re-buy in the off-season. Maybe with some continued time with the same organization, he will be better equipped if/when he is recalled to the MLB.

4. Carson Benge: $52.40 → $120.95 (+131%)
   14-Day Stats: AVG .261 | ISO 0.283 | wRC+ 147 | HR 3 | Games 11

Analysis: Recently named the Mets Minor League player of the week for the week of 7/28- 8/4. During this week he put up a ridiculous slash line (.450/.476/1.000) at Double-A. He frequently found himself in the headlines, with back-to-back home runs to end July, a triple to start August, and another home run on 8/3. Despite a scorching hot run, over the last 7 days, his performance has started to come back down to Earth. His recent performances resulted in a promotion to Triple-A on 8/11 when the Mets promoted a battery of top prospects (Carson Benge, Jett Williams, Jonah Tong, and Ryan Clifford). He was also recently named the #1 prospect in the Mets organization.

Recommendation: Sell/Hold

Very few prospects see their base auto prices surpass $100, and of course, recent performances have helped prices skyrocket, but I am not so sure the long-term projections and historical performances support this recent growth. Especially considering how far he has come.

5. Eduardo Tait: $26.91 → $46.73 (+74%)
   14-Day Stats: AVG 0.263 | ISO 0.105 | wRC+ 86 | HR 1 | Games 9

Analysis: Eduardo Tait was recently traded to the Twins in the Jhoan Duran trade. After being traded, he was promoted to High-A by the Twins. Since his promotion, he has hit 1 HR, on 8/6, which made the rounds on social media. Additionally, there was some speculation regarding his perceived value compared to other top prospects in the Phillies organization. Now in Minnesota the ranking calculus changes, likely in his favor.

Recommendation: Wait

He has seen some short-term growth, but has lower sales volume over the past 3 months. As such, fewer sales = larger % changes. Shortly after being traded, his prices jumped (1 sale at $60 on 8/5), but his performance has not supported this growth. As such, wait until the off-season. I like his long-term upside, but feel like we should look to buy in < $40.

We are shifting into a new mindset for the stretch run. With fewer games left, prices are being pushed more by attention and events than by steady production. This means that the best move is to sell into spikes, lock in profits, and build cash for off-season buys. Use age at level as your anchor since younger players performing higher up get the biggest, most durable premiums. Layer in power, speed, and plate discipline to separate real skill from short heaters. Treat viral moments, awards, call-ups, re-ranks, and championship buzz as small sell windows, not reasons to chase. Through this lens, we can explain all names listed in our 3rd edition. Keaschall is a trim and hold after a hype surge, Ledbetter is a watchlist-only until prices sink, Cason is a patient off-season speculation, Culpepper is a buy if he drifts to the low 30s or 20s, Jordan is appealing but age at level caps upside, Blanco’s power is loud but strikeouts make him a sell or wait, Ramírez is a small off-season stab if it slips under five, Gilbert is event priced and a sell, Benge is priced in a tough tier after awards and promotion, and Tait is a wait until the trade noise fades. In short, de-risk now, then redeploy in the off-season into younger movers with real tools and workable swing decisions.

Sell Heat, Buy Skill.