Fantasy baseball: Top young outfielders for your dynasty roster
We’ve been profiling prospects who you can draft and hold on to for years.
By Bill Piotrowski / The Blade
Wed, 22 Jan 2020 19:49:29 GMT
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Trades and free-agent signings play a huge part in the offseason for fantasy baseball players, and you need to target who will benefit from the transactions.
We’ve been profiling prospects who you can draft and hold on to for years on your dynasty roster, and a top young outfielder just got closer to a promotion.
St. Louis lost star left-fielder Marcell Ozuna to Atlanta as a free agent Tuesday, so Dylan Carlson will compete for the starting job this spring.
Carlson, a switch-hitting 21-year-old, was a first-round pick of the Cardinals in 2016. He has a good feel for the strike zone and hit 21 homers in Double-A last season. He also had 72 at-bats at Triple-A Memphis, hitting .361 with five homers.
He is an above-average runner, stealing 20 bases last season. Carlson will battle Lane Thomas and Tyler O’Neill, who both got major league experience in 2019, but Carlson will get his opportunity to make the roster.
“We’re comfortable he can start in left and right,” St. Louis manager Mike Shildt said last week. “And then there will be evaluation of getting him some time.”
Another hot outfield prospect is Jo Adell of the Los Angeles Angels, who looks like he has all the tools to be a huge star. He played at three minor league levels last season, finishing with Salt Lake in Triple-A.
Adell, who will turn 21 years old in April, missed time to begin last year because of leg injuries. He has to work on his contact skills, but he hit .289 over 76 games last season with 10 homers, 27 doubles, and seven stolen bases.
An avenue is open for Adell, especially with the departure of right fielder Kole Calhoun. Adell is the No. 5 prospect on MLB Pipeline and should reach the majors this season. He will probably be a victim of service time manipulation, but will produce when he is called up in a lineup with Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon.
Minnesota outfielder Alex Kirilloff has been plagued by injuries to start his professional career, but the 22-year-old is one of the best hitters in the minor leagues. He is now healthy and ready to show the Twins what he can do.
The left-handed hitter, who projects as a corner outfielder and/or first baseman, hit .283 in Double-A last season and should start in Triple-A in 2020.
If Kirilloff starts the season hot and stays healthy, he could be called up sooner rather than later, if the Twins can find a spot for him. Grab him late in your draft and stash him for the second half of the season.
San Diego acquired top prospect Taylor Trammell in a blockbuster deal last season that sent Trevor Bauer from Cleveland to Cincinnati. Trammell, a 22-year-old left-handed hitter, was the MVP in the Futures Game in 2018 but regressed last season in Double-A.
The speedster batted only .234 with Chattanooga and Amarillo, hitting 10 homers and stealing 20 bases. Trammell has had a good walk rate throughout his career, but needs to make adjustments to take advantage of his physical tools.
The Padres’ outfield is not stacked, so if Trammell shows something in Triple-A, he can earn a promotion in 2020. He’s a high-risk, high-reward player, so grab him late if he’s there.
Because of the aforementioned signing of Ozuna with Atlanta, Cristian Pache’s ascension probably took a hit. The 21-year-old right-handed hitter has been invited to spring training with the Braves, but with Ozuna, Ronald Acuna, Nick Markakis, and Ender Inciarte in the mix, it’s easy to see Pache starting the season at Triple-A Gwinnett.
He hit .277 in 130 minor league games last year, hitting 12 home runs and stealing eight bases. He is a tremendous defensive centerfielder, and participated in the Futures Game.
He will need a break to make it to the majors before September.