There are many different ways to build a fantasy baseball team. Some managers will go for high floors with proven veterans, while others will take a little more risk and go after prospects with higher upside. But there are several factors that go into sifting through MLB prospect rankings and deciding which players to grab during your draft and when.
Those in re-draft leagues generally want to stay away from players who have a chance at only a September call-up, while those in keeper and dynasty leagues should be head-hunting the top minor leaguers listed in RotoWire's fantasy baseball dynasty rankings. League rules and settings play a major factor, as does having a good understanding of when certain prospects are expected to be called up, and that's where RotoWire's fantasy expert's advice can help your decision-making.
Why Timing Matters When Drafting Top MLB Prospects
There's a delicate balance in play when considering when to go after MLB prospects in your fantasy draft. Managers need to understand that the jump from Triple-A to the Majors is far greater and more difficult than any other level. Consider Diamondbacks prospect Jordan Lawlar, considered one of the best young talents in the game. He has a career .910 OPS in the minors, but he's just 16-for-97 with a .410 OPS in the Majors.
Not every prospect is going to be Paul Skenes, who went from Triple-A pitcher to All-Star Game starter in a matter of a few months. Don't always expect instant success
There are many different ways to build a fantasy baseball team. Some managers will go for high floors with proven veterans, while others will take a little more risk and go after prospects with higher upside. But there are several factors that go into sifting through MLB prospect rankings and deciding which players to grab during your draft and when.
Those in re-draft leagues generally want to stay away from players who have a chance at only a September call-up, while those in keeper and dynasty leagues should be head-hunting the top minor leaguers listed in RotoWire's fantasy baseball dynasty rankings. League rules and settings play a major factor, as does having a good understanding of when certain prospects are expected to be called up, and that's where RotoWire's fantasy expert's advice can help your decision-making.
Why Timing Matters When Drafting Top MLB Prospects
There's a delicate balance in play when considering when to go after MLB prospects in your fantasy draft. Managers need to understand that the jump from Triple-A to the Majors is far greater and more difficult than any other level. Consider Diamondbacks prospect Jordan Lawlar, considered one of the best young talents in the game. He has a career .910 OPS in the minors, but he's just 16-for-97 with a .410 OPS in the Majors.
Not every prospect is going to be Paul Skenes, who went from Triple-A pitcher to All-Star Game starter in a matter of a few months. Don't always expect instant success even when players get the call. Many managers will fall in love with the idea of drafting the next superstar, but those types of stars often go too early.
"You can win your league without rostering the prospects with the highest ADP," said RotoWire baseball expert James Anderson, "and if you can hit on a couple prospects late who are undervalued for one reason or another, that will help push your well-balanced team over the top."
How League Formats Influence MLB Prospect Draft Value
The type of league you're in will dictate how important MLB prospects are to your strategy. In re-draft leagues, managers shouldn't consider prospects outside of the top 2 or 3 until the final rounds of the draft. The exception would be leagues that have deep benches, where stashing a player who may not play until September won't hurt as much.
"If you don't have deep benches and are playing in a tough league, playing time becomes more important," said Anderson, "which makes stashing prospects more detrimental."
The opposite is true in dynasty and keeper leagues. Prospects will be swooped up early and often as teams stash them for a year or two and then reap the benefits once they're called up. Managers in those types of leagues can use RotoWire's fantasy baseball draft assistant to see how stashing prospects will impact their roster, though many leagues have a separate minor league roster for those types of players.
Factors That Impact a MLB Prospect's Draft-Day Timeline
MLB organizations use extra caution when deciding when to call up their top prospects. There are financial reasons and contract control considerations, but it can be a massive leap and they want to make sure the player is ready for it. Teams are most likely to call up top prospects on Opening Day, when an Award-winning performance can earn a Prospect Promotion Incentive draft pick, or in late August, when delaying a debut preserves rookie eligibility and keeps that PPI opportunity alive for the following season.
"Knowing this, you can take some shots late on players like Cardinals infielder JJ Wetherholt and Mariners infielder Colt Emerson, knowing that their teams have an incentive to break camp with them if they earn it," Anderson said.
Sometimes a star prospect will play his way into forcing an organization's plan, Skenes is a great example, though he's an outlier in many ways, and at other times an injury necessitates it. Keep an eye on the MLB injury report each day to see whether a hot prospect may be on his way up. They can be a quick source of good stats, even if it's only for a week or two.
How MLB Call-Up Trends Affect Fantasy Draft Decisions
Call-ups that are relevant to fantasy baseball happen less often than you think. Some prospects will get a cup of coffee in the Majors if they're needed to replace an injured player or for a spot start. Truly impactful call-ups, where a prospect has a clear path to serious playing time and is able to produce fantasy-relevant stats, are minimal.
Keep that in mind when drafting a prospect with the intention of using him that year, and take a look at MLB depth charts and check what the RotoWire fantasy experts have to say, to determine whether that player will be seeing the field often enough to help your team even if they do get a call-up. It's always a risk, which is why we recommend doing so later in drafts or based on cheaper fantasy baseball auction values.
Ways Fantasy Managers Can Monitor Top MLB Prospects
There are thousands of MLB prospects, but you won't need to track all of them manually. Fantasy baseball managers can follow the game's top prospects with fantasy baseball news that is updated daily by RotoWire experts.
In re-draft leagues, you'll only need to pay attention to the top handful of prospects when building your fantasy baseball draft strategy. Keeper leagues and dynasty leagues require more research, but the payoff can be massive if you hit on one of these bright, young stars.
