RHD's Latest Top 150 Roto Prospects ("Mid-Season" Edition)

[rhd]

Now that the season is in the books, which players showed the most growth and which players surprised you most this year?

While I'm at it, what was your proudest call?

I dont know if this is directed at me but I'll respond.

I guess I'm proud that I didnt give up on Jasson Dominguez. He dropped way down on most lists and even dropped completely off some (BA, e.g.). I thought this was an overreaction. After the massive hype, he had a disappointing year in 2021 but I didnt think it was that bad so I kept him in the top 50. He really bounced back this year and will get a major jump on my next list, which should be out at least by the weekend.

I'm glad I was so bullish on Druw Jones, as he's already ranked as an elite prospect on virtually every list now.

I seemed to be on Sal Frelick before practically anyone and he's getting increasingly more hype now.

Luisangel (Jose) Acuna has been on my list for a while. He didnt even seem to be on anyone else's radar before but he's getting some hype now.

And, after the graduations early in the season, it was a question who should be the new #1. I'm kind of proud I decided on Carroll and he'll still be #1 on the next list.

[rhd]

Re: surprises, I'm pleasantly surprised at how well Gunnar Henderson is doing now. Last year, he didnt seem like a special talent to me. I ranked him #76 on my preseason list and even that was partially due to my deferring to the scouts. He sure looks like a special talent now.

[umjewman]

So I was dumping from the start this year and amassed what I think is a pretty nice stable of minor leaguers. Unfortunately, I can only keep 3 as MLEs. I can also keep 2 additional if I want to use my UT spots, OR, if they have played in the majors, I can put them at a position like any other keeper. Curious to hear the thoughts of the Pen here:

Elly de la Cruz - $8
Eguy Rosario - $1 (can put in a position)
Liover Peguero - $7
Michael Busch - $7
Sal Frelick - $5
Joey Wiemer - $7
Ryan Pepiot -$7
Cade Cavalli - $5
Ethan Small - $5
Eury Perez -$7

As we sit here today, my initial thoughts were Elly and Eury are definite for two of the three MLE spots. I was thinking I would keep Cavalli as a major league pitcher to free up a spot (possibly Pepiot as well, if he wins a rotation spot coming out of spring next year). Then I was thinking Frelick for that last MLE spot as of now. Agree? Disagree? If I go that route, would anyone keep Busch and/or Wiemer as a major leaguer, if it meant filling up a UT spot pre-draft?

[rhd]

So I was dumping from the start this year and amassed what I think is a pretty nice stable of minor leaguers. Unfortunately, I can only keep 3 as MLEs. I can also keep 2 additional if I want to use my UT spots, OR, if they have played in the majors, I can put them at a position like any other keeper. Curious to hear the thoughts of the Pen here:

Elly de la Cruz - $8
Eguy Rosario - $1 (can put in a position)
Liover Peguero - $7
Michael Busch - $7
Sal Frelick - $5
Joey Wiemer - $7
Ryan Pepiot -$7
Cade Cavalli - $5
Ethan Small - $5
Eury Perez -$7

As we sit here today, my initial thoughts were Elly and Eury are definite for two of the three MLE spots. I was thinking I would keep Cavalli as a major league pitcher to free up a spot (possibly Pepiot as well, if he wins a rotation spot coming out of spring next year). Then I was thinking Frelick for that last MLE spot as of now. Agree? Disagree? If I go that route, would anyone keep Busch and/or Wiemer as a major leaguer, if it meant filling up a UT spot pre-draft?

Is this dynasty or roto? And how many minor league roster spots do you have and who do you have in them now?

[umjewman]

Is this dynasty or roto? And how many minor league roster spots do you have and who do you have in them now?

Dynasty. My MLEs going into this year were all traded or have graduated so I have a clean slate heading into next year for MLEs. We get 3 ML exemptions, but can roster as many as we want in-season.

[rhd]

Dynasty. My MLEs going into this year were all traded or have graduated so I have a clean slate heading into next year for MLEs. We get 3 ML exemptions, but can roster as many as we want in-season.

Forgive me if I misunderstand. I dont play dynasty but my understanding of dynasty is you're allowed a very deep minor league system so I dont know why you wouldnt just keep them all as minor leaguers and just draft your MLB roster from scratch. But assuming you have only 3 minor league roster spots, I would keep all I could as MLBers, which would be Rosario, Cavalli, Pepiot and Peguero, who all have MLB experience, keep Elly, Eury and Frelick as your 3 regular MLBers and also Wiemer as one of your UTs. That would be 8 of your 10 guys. I wouldnt be interested in keeping Small, because I would think it would be easy to get someone better. And you could keep Busch, too. Elly, Peguero and Rosario are all MIFs so you're full up there but you have another UT spot so Busch could fit there. Of course, you can keep any 3 of these as minor leaguers so I would just select the lowest 3 of these for those spots, which would be Rosario, Pepiot and Peguero. So Small would be the only one I'd drop, but there's probably something that I'm not understanding about this.

[onejayhawk]

Re: surprises, I'm pleasantly surprised at how well Gunnar Henderson is doing now. Last year, he didnt seem like a special talent to me. I ranked him #76 on my preseason list and even that was partially due to my deferring to the scouts. He sure looks like a special talent now.

RJ tipped me off to his possibilities.

Henderson raked in AA and was already called to AAA when I picked him off WW, but no one seemed aware at the time. Even my 20 team league did not have him on the hot list yet.

[chancellor]

So I was dumping from the start this year and amassed what I think is a pretty nice stable of minor leaguers. Unfortunately, I can only keep 3 as MLEs. I can also keep 2 additional if I want to use my UT spots, OR, if they have played in the majors, I can put them at a position like any other keeper. Curious to hear the thoughts of the Pen here:

Elly de la Cruz - $8
Eguy Rosario - $1 (can put in a position)
Liover Peguero - $7
Michael Busch - $7
Sal Frelick - $5
Joey Wiemer - $7
Ryan Pepiot -$7
Cade Cavalli - $5
Ethan Small - $5
Eury Perez -$7

As we sit here today, my initial thoughts were Elly and Eury are definite for two of the three MLE spots. I was thinking I would keep Cavalli as a major league pitcher to free up a spot (possibly Pepiot as well, if he wins a rotation spot coming out of spring next year). Then I was thinking Frelick for that last MLE spot as of now. Agree? Disagree? If I go that route, would anyone keep Busch and/or Wiemer as a major leaguer, if it meant filling up a UT spot pre-draft?

I'd be inclined to go with Elly, Eury, and Wiemer in the MLE spots, Cavalli at P (I'm assuming you'd backfill with a good MR), and Frelick at UT, pending offseason/Spring Training results. I think Frelick has a much better chance of breaking with the team than Wiemer does at this point. Bigger issue is what do you do if the Brewers make it clear both Frelick and Wiemer start in AAA next year with no obvious path to bringing them up early - I'd still keep Frelick over Wiemer. Wiemer still has some giant holes in his swing, even though his AAA numbers this year looked pretty good from a BB:K rate.

[Ken]

Pretty much agree with the crowd here, Elly, Eury, Frelick are the top 3