RHD's Latest Top 150 Roto Prospects ("Pre-BA Top 100" Version)

[Roy Hobbs]

I'm glad I concentrated on hitters last year instead of pitchers. I think I can win next year because of it. My pitchers aren't as good with Cole, Arreita, Darvish, Hernandez, Price, Hill, Tallion, Hand, and Morrow, but I have Gary Sanchez, Rizzo, Segura, Devers, Turner, Odor, Hoskins, Votto, Merrifield, Trout, Upton, Bellinger, and Zimmerman as hitters. With Acuna, Guerrero, Tucker, Winker, Calhoun, and Robles waiting in the wings, I'm pretty sure I'll eventually add some pitching I need. By the way, I have Michel Baez, Ian Anderson, and Jason Groome just in case. Dynasty league, no salaries.

[Dans]

Just want to say thanks for all your hard work here rhd. I really appreciate it.

[rhd]

Just want to say thanks for all your hard work here rhd. I really appreciate it.

Thanx for the props, Dans!

[pitbull]

I'm taking over a team in a 12 team NL only league that needs a complete make-over including the farm system. There are a couple of interesting prospects that will be available for the draft next month Keston Hiura 2B Mil and Jose Siri OF Cin. You have then ranked 54 and 93. Hiura is a top prospect in the Mil farm system and Siri has very interesting power/speed combo. Thoughts on both prospects?

[YourPalChrisMal]

I'm taking over a team in a 12 team NL only league that needs a complete make-over including the farm system. There are a couple of interesting prospects that will be available for the draft next month Keston Hiura 2B Mil and Jose Siri OF Cin. You have then ranked 54 and 93. Hiura is a top prospect in the Mil farm system and Siri has very interesting power/speed combo. Thoughts on both prospects?

FYI - Siri slammed into the outfield wall yesterday, and it sounds like he tore ligaments in his thumb. The Reds said he won't be playing for a quite a while but didn't give a timeline.

[rhd]

I'm taking over a team in a 12 team NL only league that needs a complete make-over including the farm system. There are a couple of interesting prospects that will be available for the draft next month Keston Hiura 2B Mil and Jose Siri OF Cin. You have then ranked 54 and 93. Hiura is a top prospect in the Mil farm system and Siri has very interesting power/speed combo. Thoughts on both prospects?

Thanx for the response, pitbull.

Hiura got pretty good ratings on the top prospect lists so I moved him up a bit to #49. He can really hit. He led all Div 1 college hitters in BA, then hit .371 as a pro. He has excellent bat speed, power to all fields and average speed but doesnt figure to gets many SBs according to BA. The concern w him is defensive position. He's had elbow problems and was limited to DH last year. But even if he has to move to LF he projects to have the bat for it. He also is considered to be almost MLB-ready.

Siri has plus power potential and 80-grade speed according to BA. He also is a potential elite CFer. His issue is a very aggressive hitting approach which makes him a pretty risky prospect. But some think that he's so talented that he might succeed anyway even if he doesnt refine his approach. He's a very intriguing player but he is so risky that I decided to bump him down a bit to #100. He's also probably much farther away from MLB than Hiura. He's your classic hi-upside/hi-risk prospect but if I had room on my minors roster I'd want to stash him w a later pick.

[revo]

RHD, I'm curious on your thoughts on a couple of high draft picks who are not on your list, and haven't gotten a lot of love elsewhere either--Austin Beck and Jake Burger. Beck, I know has a ton of risk, but I'm tempted by his bat speed and overall upside. Burger I need help on, cuz he looked good to me, but obviously, most people are pretty meh on him for some reason.

I won my league last year, so I have the last pick in a 14 teamer, so I'm trying to scout guys I think might be there at my pick. Not sure Beck will be, but maybe. I'm sure Burger will be. I also like Shane Baz better than most, and Faedo, since he is a Gator (my alma mater), and you have him pretty high. Anyone else I should be looking at who might realistically fall to the 14th pick in a league with 20 minor league spots per team, so with 280 players rostered, almost all of the talent available are 2017 draftees and internal players like Ohtani and Robert? I see you rank Pavin Smith over Burger. His lack of power scares me. Do you see him as a lot better than Burger?

Jake Burger blew out his achilles yesterday and is done for 2018.

[Sour Masher]

Jake Burger blew out his achilles yesterday and is done for 2018.

Thanks for the heads up Revo. Our minors draft is coming up soon, and he was on my radar...not anymore.

[onejayhawk]

We are getting into the prospect phase of a keeper draft. Are there any significant movers based on camp?

J

[rhd]

We are getting into the prospect phase of a keeper draft. Are there any significant movers based on camp?

J

Thanx for the response, J.

No. Any big moves probably would be based on significant expected playing time increases and I havent heard of any so far among the players on my list.

[Sour Masher]

RHD, any thoughts on two guys not on your list--Brent Rooker and Austin Beck? Different types of guys. Rooker I can see being in the bigs as early as next year and provide a nice floor of solid power at 1b or LF. Beck will take several years and has huge bust potential, but man, those skills are enticing. It doesn't surprise me that Beck isn't on the list yet, but Rooker seems like a candidate for the top 150.

[rhd]

RHD, any thoughts on two guys not on your list--Brent Rooker and Austin Beck? Different types of guys. Rooker I can see being in the bigs as early as next year and provide a nice floor of solid power at 1b or LF. Beck will take several years and has huge bust potential, but man, those skills are enticing. It doesn't surprise me that Beck isn't on the list yet, but Rooker seems like a candidate for the top 150.

Thanx for the response, Sour Masher.

Rooker is on the list now at #145. In deference to scouts, I have Beck not too far off but he'll have to show at least some actual production before I'm likely to put him on.

[Sour Masher]

Thanx for the response, Sour Masher.

Rooker is on the list now at #145. In deference to scouts, I have Beck not too far off but he'll have to show at least some actual production before I'm likely to put him on.

Thanks RHD. Good to know Rooker is in your top 150 now. I like his power potential. Should be interesting to see how he shows against advanced pitching.

On Beck, I've read some insiders on As forums talk about him battling illness early in the season. Later in the season, he didn't look quite so horrible, so maybe there is hope. I try to temper my over-emphasis on organization when looking at prospects, but the As recent track record on developing hitters makes me feel good about Beck's landing spot, despite the fact that if he stays there, the Coliseum will sap his power. Should be an interesting year for him--either he is just another toolsy wash out like so many other 1st round reaches that don't pan out, or he harnesses those tools and shoots up draft boards. It wouldn't surprise me if he wasn't a top 300 prospect by this time next year, and it wouldn't surprise me if he was a top 30 prospect.

[revo]

Luis Robert sprained his thumb and is expected to miss up to 10 weeks.

[kawaise]

rhd - Where would you rank Julio Pablo Martinez (of, Tex)? Supposedly, Badler thinks he should be in about the 60 range. What are your thoughts?