Whittling Down A Farm Team

[CaptnAmerca]

Hello all,

I've been lurking a while and finally decided to register to ask for some help from this knowledgable group.

I took over a team in a 20-team dynasty league, with a 15-man minor league roster. The major league club is at least a few years from competing, so I used a few spots on prospects like Rougned Odor, Maikel Franco, Miguel Almonte.

I'd like to transfer them to my minor league team to make room for trades, but I would have to drop some players.

Who on this roster looks like dead weight? i'm leaning towards Joseph, Heathcott or Jenkins, but I'm not sure. I'm really not familiar with a lot of players outside the usual Top 100 or so. Anyways, thanks for looking.

1. Taylor Guerrieri SP TB
2. Tommy Joseph C PHI
3. J.R. Graham SP ATL
4. Tyler Glasnow SP PIT
5. Julio Urias SP LAD
6. Tyrell Jenkins SP STL
7. Delino DeShields 2B HOU
8. Luis Heredia SP PIT
9. Slade Heathcott OF NYY
10. Lewis Brinson OF TEX
11. Nick Kingham SP PIT
12. Bobby Wahl SP OAK
13. Vincent Velasquez SP HOU

[rhd]

Jenkins, Joseph and Heathcott are the ones I'd drop for your 3 new guys (did you acquire even more than these?). Graham got hurt and it remains to be seen how he recovers from his injury, but if he comes fully back, he could be a borderline top 100 guy. Guerrieri also is out w a major injury but he's a top 100 guy when fully healthy. Joseph also was hurt last year, but he might not be a top 100 candidate even if healthy. I dont like most catching prospects for roto anyway, but it might be different for dynasty. Velasquez is an up-and-comer, but probably not a top 100 guy. I dont know where to rank Wahl rt now but he was a fairly highly regarded 2013 draftee.

I have Glasnow, Urias and Kingham as the only guys you inherited that will make BA's top 100. DeShields is possible also, but there seem to be some question marks about his makeup now.

[james33]

20 teams x 15 minor league rosters, plus you mentioned that a few teams might have minor leaguers on their active rosters- this means approx 310 minor leaguers are rostered? Can you roster college, hs, Japan, Cuba players on your minor league roster?

[CaptnAmerca]

@rhd -- thanks for the response. I can only move players to my prospect roster that have zero appearances in MLB. I have a few others on my MLB team that qualify -- Oscar Taveras, Trevor Story, Alen Hanson, Nicolino, Wisler, Sean Gilmartin. These could be moved, but that means dropping more from the farm.

@james33 -- Thanks for the response. The way our draft works is you can choose anyone, but if they aren't signed by Opening Day, you lose the rights (but get a compensetory pick next year). All the best first-year players and likely Int'l players are long gone (Appel, Braynt, Frazier, Tanaka, etc).

Its a rebuild in progress, so I know it's going to be painful. Appreciate the interest, guys.

[rhd]

@rhd -- thanks for the response. I can only move players to my prospect roster that have zero appearances in MLB. I have a few others on my MLB team that qualify -- Oscar Taveras, Trevor Story, Alen Hanson, Nicolino, Wisler, Sean Gilmartin. These could be moved, but that means dropping more from the farm.

I'm not sure I understand your reply. Forgive me for not understanding dynasty, but this wouldnt seem to affect my recommendations. You could move 2 of these 6 w/o dropping anyone. The only guys that figure to get significant playing time in 2014 are Taveras and Gilmartin, so I guess you should keep them on your MLB roster. Gilmartin isnt a very good prospect but he could get playing time in 2014 as a reliever. Taveras of course is a stud. Then if you wanted to move the other 4, you have to drop more guys from your prospect roster. Hanson and Wisler are worth dropping someone for, as they're both probably Top 100 guys. I'd drop Wahl and either Velasquez or Nicolino for them. Nicolino is borderline for the Top 100 and Story is a former top 100 guy who had a miserable season. I wouldnt drop anyone for them. So the question would seem to be whether there are 2 available guys that might contribute in MLB in 2014 to justify dropping the 2 guys I'm recommending dropping. Or 2 minor leaguers that would be better. I guess it depends on whether or how much you want to try to compete in 2014. I would say that you probably can find 2 available guys that are likely to contribute in MLB in 2014. It also depends on whether you have a reserve MLB roster and how big it is. If you can tell me more about your league and team, I probably can give some better advice.

[chancellor]

It's rare I'd disagree with rhd on minor league prospects - he really knows his stuff - but I like Guerrieri better than Brinson. Brinson is toolsy and super athletic, but already has an ungodly K rate and huge holes in his long swing. Tampa cycles through SPs fast, so I expect Guerrieri will get a shot well before Brinson, and I like his odds better. I'm not that high on Heathcott, either - anyone in the Yankee system, IMO, ends up overrated, he's already 22, and for a guy with a huge power rep, still hasn't slugged over .470 in the minors at any location, and hasn't slugged over .450 for any year. Add two shoulder injuries on top of it, and a rep for barroom brawling, and I'd scuttle him before Guerrrieri, too.

[rhd]

It's rare I'd disagree with rhd on minor league prospects - he really knows his stuff - but I like Guerrieri better than Brinson.

I didnt recommend dropping Guerrieri. I'd recommend keeping him. I do like Brinson a bit better tho because Guerrieri's injury increases his risk. I agree that Brinson is risky himself tho.

[chancellor]

I didnt recommend dropping Guerrieri. I'd recommend keeping him. I do like Brinson a bit better tho because Guerrieri's injury increases his risk. I agree that Brinson is risky himself tho.

My bad. I misread your first post.

[CaptnAmerca]

My fault for not being clear. I was trying to condense everything and not make an enormous post, but I inadvertently left a bit out.

The only way dynasty comes into play is my window for competing is 2015 and beyond. I inherited an old clunker of a team, and I'm in the process of rebuilding from FA scraps, trades and drafting.

We have a 15 man farm team. International prospects who don't sign by Opening Day 2014 are lost. Here is my farm team.

1. Taylor Guerrieri SP TB
2. Tommy Joseph C PHI
3. J.R. Graham SP ATL
4. Tyler Glasnow SP PIT
5. Julio Urias SP LAD
6. Tyrell Jenkins SP STL
7. Delino DeShields 2B HOU
8. Luis Heredia SP PIT
9. Slade Heathcott OF NYY
10. Lewis Brinson OF TEX
11. Nick Kingham SP PIT
12. Alfredo Despaigne OF CUBA
13. Kenta Maeda SP JAPAN
14. Bobby Wahl SP OAK
15. Vincent Velasquez, P, HOU

I neglected to include Maeda and Despaigne, but it looks like they aren't going to sign, so consider them two empty slots.

And just to lay it all out there, here's my entire roster. Bolded players have no MLB at-bats, so can be moved to the farm team.

Ryan Doumit,
Evan Gattis,
Lucas Duda
Brett Lawrie
Jonathan Villar
Marcus Semien
Paul Konerko
Tim Beckham
Jonny Gomes
Jacoby Ellsbury
Yasiel Puig
Derek Jeter
Marcell Ozuna
Chris Owings
Oscar Taveras
Maikel Franco
Rougned Odor
Alen Hanson
Trevor Story

Paul Maholm
Felix Doubront
Matt Garza
Bronson Arroyo
Mark Buehrle
Wei-Yin Chen
Josh Collmenter
Brian Matusz
Heath Bell
Matt Belisle
Alex Torres
Carter Capps
Tanner Roark
Edwin Jackson
Ervin Santana
Jorge De La Rosa
Michael Wacha
Scott Kazmir
Roy Halladay
Eric O'Flaherty
Gavin Floyd
Felipe Paulino
Juan Carlos Oviedo
Sean Gilmartin
Miguel Almonte
Justin Nicolino
Matthew Wisler

That's what I've got to work with. Not much in the way of keepers, but also some potential. My main concern is not wasting valuable farm team or MLB space with prospects that arent worthwhile.

Thanks again for your time.

[Kevin Seitzer]

I would have Velasquez ahead of at least half your list. He certainly would not be the first one I would drop.