As a reminder how this works: This is just a list for the 2024 season. It’s not a list of the best overall prospects, but of the players who have the best chance to make an impact in 2024.
Additionally, this is only a list of young players who are currently in the minors or who have youth eligibility. Players who are currently on MLB rosters or who have exhausted their rookie status are not considered eligible.
With those reservations out of the way, let’s take a look at the top prospects who have a chance to make a fantasy contribution in 2024.
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1. Junior Caminero, INF, Tampa Bay Rays
2024 Stats: 59 T, .274/.337/.521, 16 HR, 1 SB, 21 BB, 52 SO at Triple-A Durham.
Why are you still here? Caminero has been very good with the bat lately, finishing the week 3-for-4, hitting his 16th home run on Sunday against Norfolk. For a player many thought would make Tampa Bay’s roster after spring training, it’s a little surprising to see Caminero still facing Triple-A pitchers in August; even considering he missed a lot of time with his quadriceps injury. It still seems very likely that he’ll finish the year in the major leagues, and almost as likely that he’ll be a solid fantasy contributor.
2. Jason Dominguez, OF, New York Yankees
2024 Stats: 35 G, .284/.342/.463, 6 HR, 5 SB, 11 BB, 34 SO at Low-A Tampa, Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Dominguez hasn’t played particularly well lately. After going 0-for-4 on Sunday against Lehigh Valley, he’s now in a 2-for-20 slump over his last five games. He also hasn’t hit a home run in August, and his batting average in Triple-A has dropped to .386. It’s hard to worry too much about a small sample size like this, but there’s a little more pressure for him to play well because he’ll have to work hard to get the call. Brian Cashman recently told reporters that there’s no room for Dominguez right now. A lot can change between now and the end of the year, and Dominguez has the talent to make that change.
3. Jordan Beck, OF, Colorado Rockies
2024 Stats: 42 games, .316/.395/.540, 8 HR, 6 SB, 23 BB, 45 SO at Triple-A Albuquerque; 23 games, 190/.198/.316, 2 HR, 2 SB, 1 BB, 30 SO at Colorado.
Dominguez has issues. Beck doesn’t. The outfielder has multiple hits in seven of his last nine games, including three hits with a double against Sacramento on Sunday. He now has a .319/.402/.558 hitting average in Triple-A and really has nothing left to prove at the minor league level; a (pretty) crazy statement for a player drafted in 2022. Beck should finish the year in Colorado, and there are plenty of reasons to believe he can help fantasy managers once he gets another chance.
4. Moises Ballesteros, C, Chicago Cubs
2024 Stats: 94 games, .292/.361/.493, 16 HR, 1 SB, 36 BB, 65 SO at Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa.
Ballesteros has been on this list for so long that sometimes it’s easy to forget that this player doesn’t turn 21 until November. He certainly hasn’t played like a player who isn’t old enough to buy a wine cooler, as he now has a very strong batting average of .283/.346/.490 with the Triple-A Cubs. Chicago continues to struggle to be productive at the catcher position, and Ballesteros could help with that. The question now, unfortunately, is whether Chicago is interested enough in 2024 to give Ballesteros his service time.
5. Kyle Manzardo, 1B, Cleveland Guardians
Stats for 2024: 68 games, .269/.399/.550, 16 HR, 0 SB, 41 BB, 50 SO at Triple-A Columbus; 30 games, .207/.241/.329, 0 HR, 0 SB, 3 BB, 23 SO in Cleveland.
Manzardo has seen most of his numbers drop — though as you can see above, they’re still very good, at least in Triple-A — but he did hit a home run on Saturday against St. Paul. The only number that hasn’t dropped is his on-base percentage, as he continues to draw free runs at a high rate and has managed walks in four of his last six games. Manzardo has significant offensive potential, even if it wasn’t immediately apparent with Cleveland, and fantasy managers should give him a second chance if the Guardians do the same.
6. Tyler Black, 1B, Milwaukee Brewers
2024 stats: 70 games, .276/.389/.448, 11 HR, 16 SB, 39 BB, 55 SO at Triple-A Norfolk; 12 games, .235/.316/.294, 0 HR, 3 SB, 4 BB, 18 SO at Milwaukee.
Black’s power numbers continue to drop, which is bad, and his average is down 11 points over the last two weeks, which isn’t good either. He’s continued to put up a solid performance at bat with seven walks in his last 10 games, but he hasn’t stolen a base in August. Black needs an injury to be a regular in 2024, but his potential makes him worthy of roster consideration if that were to happen.
7. Dylan Crews, OF, Washington Nationals
2024 Stats: 91 G, .270/.343/.455, 11 HR, 22 SB, 32 BB, 81 SO at Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Rochester.
Crews is starting to get the hang of this thing in Triple-A, and after hitting home runs in two of three games for the Red Wings, he now has a .265/.344/.465 batting average with Rochester, along with six home runs and seven stolen bases in his 40 games. The second-rounder has everything it takes to be a successful fantasy player – successful is an understatement – and we’ve seen the Nationals aggressively pursue promotions before. It wouldn’t be a huge surprise if Crews finished the year with Washington, and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to be ready to sign him when that happens.
8. Bubba Chandler, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates
2024 Stats: 20 games, 871 IP, 7 HRA, 27 BB, 100 SO at Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis.
We’ve seen Jared Jones and Paul Skenes make a big impact on Pittsburgh and fantasy managers as prospects. Chandler could be next. The former quarterback prospect made his Triple-A debut against Nashville on Friday, throwing nothing more than seven scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and striking out six strikeouts. He’s thrown seven innings in back-to-back starts, and the right-hander is solid at three-above-average pitches while occasionally showing off a good fourth pitch. The 21-year-old doesn’t have the potential of the names listed above, and the Pirates may wait until 2025 to promote him, but he’s now just one step away from the highest level, and he’ll be worth a fantasy signing if/when Pittsburgh adds him to its current rotation.
9. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Milwaukee BrewersStats for 2024: .22 G, 84.1 IP, 7 HRA, 53 BB, 110 SO at Double-A Biloxi and Triple-A Nashville.
This is a little harder to sell, but I’ll do my best. Misiorowski has some of the best swing-and-miss skills in baseball, as you can see from these numbers, and he was recently promoted to Triple-A, so why is it so hard to sell? Misiorowski hasn’t pitched more than five innings since July 12, and he’s pitched just 4 2/3 innings since being traded to Nashville. However, I think this could actually represent a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It’s not hard for me to imagine Misiorowski (but it’s hard for me to spell it) as a bullpen arm for the Brewers, and while he won’t get any saves or wins, it’s very possible he’ll pile up the strikeouts with three strong offerings led by an above-average fastball and slider. We’re far enough into the year that we’re running out of options, and far enough along that you can target category guys. Misiorowski could be a category guy.
10. Jacob Wilson, SS, Oakland Athletics
2024 stats: 46 games, .438/.475/.686, 7 HR, 2 SB, 12 BB, 13 SO at short-season ACL, Double-A Midland and Triple8-A Las Vegas; 1 game, 1,000/.1,000/1,000, 0 HR, 0 SB, 0 BB, 0 SO in Oakland.
That’s cheating. Sort of. Wilson is technically on the MLB roster and that’s why he remains on this list. For those who missed it, Wilson was called up for his MLB debut and got a hit in his first at-bat, but while hitting a triple off Lawrence Butler, he pulled his hamstring. There’s no timetable yet, but assuming it doesn’t cost him the entire season, it might be better to keep the infielder on the injured list — depending on the current roster composition, of course. Wilson can just hit and considering how “late” we are in the season, I’d be willing to take the risk.
Also considered: Owen Caissie, OF, Chicago Cubs; Hurston Waldrep, RHP, Atlanta; Jace Jung, INF, Detroit Tigers
