Caglianone, Mauricio and other prospects on the rise

Perhaps you missed the memo, but the Kansas City Royals, starved for discourtesy and particularly outfield power, promoted 1B Jac Caglianone from Triple-A. He is slated to marque his MLB debut connected Tuesday. Caglianone, selected No. 6 successful the 2024 draft, deed 15 location runs implicit 50 games and 228 sheet appearances crossed 2 insignificant league levels this season. He besides deed for majestic powerfulness portion astatine the University of Florida and, portion myriad strikeouts are expected to beryllium successful his contiguous aboriginal arsenic well, fewer question Caglianone's powerfulness imaginable successful the majors.

Fantasy managers are, and should be, rather interested. ESPN's Tristan H. Cockcroft delves into what to expect from Caglianone here. While I americium often the "realistic dependable of reason" connected promoted prospects, determination is simply a wide way for Caglianone to beryllium a top-10 archetypal baseman successful phantasy this season. I could spot him playing astatine a 30-plus HR gait (or 18-22 for the 4 months of this season), albeit with a debased batting average, thing successful the .245-.255 range.

Really, helium already reminds maine of Atlanta Braves 1B Matt Olson, different large, left-handed hitter who hits for prodigious powerfulness with an expected batting mean successful the .250 range, portion besides drafting galore walks and striking retired rather a bit. There is thing incorrect with this. Olson is simply a statement top-10 archetypal baseman and a top-50 points league hitter. Caglianone, inactive earthy astatine property 22 but worthy the hazard for the Royals and phantasy managers, is talented capable to execute these heights successful his archetypal season.

Similar concern successful Baltimore

Meanwhile, the last-place Baltimore Orioles are outscoring the Royals, but not by much. These are 2 of the six teams averaging less than 4 runs per game. The Orioles request help, too, and Triple-A C Sam Basallo tin supply it. Basallo, 20, boasts 10 location runs and six doubles successful 35 games and 138 PA for Triple-A Norfolk. Basallo's coagulated .891 OPS can't rather lucifer what Caglianone was doing, but 1B/OF Ryan O'Hearn is the lone Orioles regular with an OPS amended than .771 and nary Oriole has much than 10 location runs.

Basallo, who turns 21 connected Aug. 13, whitethorn look to beryllium buried connected the organizational extent illustration down C Adley Rutschman (who is having an atrocious play with a .632 OPS), but look closer. Basallo has played plentifulness of archetypal base, and the Orioles person nary regular DH. Basallo, who has ever deed done the insignificant leagues and has had nary issues with left-handed pitching, would supply an evident jolt to the offense, and helium could stock catching clip with Rutschman, possibly similar imaginable Dalton Rushing is doing for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Fantasy managers should beryllium proactive here.

Stock rising

Ronny Mauricio, 2B, New York Mets: Mauricio, 24, missed the 2024 play recovering from a torn ACL and helium got a precocious commencement to this season. He struggled implicit 10 rehab games successful the little minors, going conscionable 4-for-32. However, since arriving astatine Triple-A Syracuse, helium has intrigued phantasy managers arsenic helium is hitting .515 with 3 homers, 4 steals, 5 walks and lone 5 strikeouts implicit 9 games and 39 PA.

Just similar the Houston Astros (see below), the Mets aren't precisely getting Ryne Sandberg-like accumulation astatine 2nd base. That's wherefore it's not a astonishment that the tool-laden Mauricio, truthful afloat of powerfulness and velocity -- and usually a precocious strikeout complaint (he struck retired 28% of the clip successful his 2023 Mets debut) -- successful present backmost successful the large leagues, having been recalled by the Mets connected Tuesday morning. While helium comes recommended much for roto/categories leagues (because of the strikeouts), determination is large upside successful each formats.

Brice Matthews, 2B, Houston Astros: A aboriginal 2023 first-round pick, Matthews precocious missed 10 days portion dealing with a concussion. Since returning, helium is 11-for-23 with a brace of location runs and 10 RBIs. Matthews whitethorn not beryllium a notable apical prospect, but determination whitethorn beryllium a large league accidental since the Astros are getting paltry accumulation astatine 2nd basal (.228/.282/.310), careless of which presumption 2B/OF Jose Altuve handles. Matthews is not a high-contact hitter, but helium tin tally and defend. Desperate for discourtesy and with OF Yordan Alvarez (hand) inactive out, the Astros precocious promoted OF Jacob Melton. Matthews whitethorn beryllium next.

Mick Abel, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies: Abel is scheduled to get his adjacent large league accidental connected Wednesday successful Toronto, arsenic the abruptly sputtering Phillies determination RHP Taijuan Walker to the bullpen to woody with the troubling concern there. Abel, 23, bested Pittsburgh Pirates ace RHP Paul Skenes successful his MLB debut past month, tossing 8 shutout innings with 9 strikeouts, but phantasy managers shouldn't expect that show regularly. Abel misses bats, but often struggles with control, too. Better lineups volition unit him to propulsion strikes. Abel whitethorn beryllium backmost astatine Triple-A Lehigh Valley soon, with RHP Aaron Nola (ankle) connected the mend. Nevertheless, helium is idiosyncratic to ticker semipermanent if helium tin debar walks.

Stock falling

Hagen Smith, LHP, Chicago White Sox: The No. 5 prime successful the 2024 draught (just 1 prime up of Caglianone), Smith has not pitched for Double-A Birmingham successful 3 weeks arsenic helium deals with elbow soreness. The enactment believes Smith, 21, lone needs immoderate remainder (and not large surgery), truthful astatine slightest that's a positive. Smith has had immoderate mixed results implicit 7 starts and 25⅔ innings for the Barons, with coagulated tally prevention and a 39% strikeout rate, but he's served up 20 walks, too. Even if healthy, it is improbable we spot Smith successful the large leagues this season, truthful determination connected successful redraft formats.

Chase DeLauter, OF, Cleveland Guardians: A 2022 first-round pick, injuries person defined DeLauter ever since, with this play being nary different. DeLauter, 23, missed the archetypal six weeks of this play recovering from a hernia, and helium is hitting a specified .190 implicit his archetypal six games astatine Triple-A Columbus. Few tin question DeLauter's hitting quality and sheet discipline, and the Guardians could usage the help, but helium has tumbled successful the imaginable rankings due to the fact that helium hasn't proved helium tin enactment successful the lineup.

Aidan Miller, SS, Philadelphia Phillies: Miller, a 2023 first-round selection, is slashing .241/.333/.367 for Double-A Reading, underachieving successful 1 of the much notorious hitting parks successful the Eastern League. At 21, helium is young for the level, but the Phillies and phantasy investors apt expected much power. It's hardly excessively precocious for Miller to look -- and galore expect him to beryllium the semipermanent shortstop oregon 3rd baseman successful Philadelphia by 2027. That said, phantasy managers shouldn't expect statistical relevance successful 2025.