Post-draft excitement is here and so are some rising corner infield prospects. Two of the top-drafted first baseman are featured as rising prospects due to hype and potential. Nick Kurtz and Jac Caglianone are well on their way to the top prospect rankings. Below are some other rising and falling prospects that deserve both more praise and avoidance until they rebound.
Be sure to head over to the Pitcher List dynasty page to check out other helpful articles such as the dynasty performance report for outfielders!
Dynasty Risers:
Nick Kurtz, 1B, OAK:
One of the top bats coming out of the 2024 MLB Draft, Kurtz went fourth overall to the A’s. Kurtz has been on fire in his short debut, making his way to Double-A. Making quick work of Low-A, Kurtz went 10-25 with four home runs and a 10BB:7K ratio. Showing off the plus patience and power potential, Kurtz was ready for a tougher task. In his first game at Double-A, Kurtz went 2-4, showing off the effortless opposite field strength with a double. Coming into the college baseball season, Kurtz was the favorite for first overall pick. He dropped a bit due to a shoulder injury and the question about his power output. Kurtz did have a stretch in college where he homered six times in seven at-bats.
The overall talent and profile is here and the A’s are moving him quickly. If he continues to showcase power, Kurtz will be the steal of the 2024 MLB Draft. The walk numbers are elite and are one of the four potential plus categories for Kurtz. OBP, Power, RBI, and runs should all be above average when Kurtz slots into the middle of an MLB lineup. Kurtz will most likely make quick work of Double-A and push for an early season promotion in 2025. The A’s best shot at rookie of the year in 2025 is Kurtz, and he could be the cornerstone of the future.
Jac Caglianone, 1B, KCR:
Easily the most intriguing player out of the 2024 MLB Draft, Jac Caglianone can pitch and hit. While the velocity was down in his final college appearance, Cags still made an impact at the plate. The raw power in the bat of Jac Caglianone is top of his class in my opinion. Caglianone would have been my vote for first hitter off the board, just ahead of Kurtz and Bazzana. Most likely a full time hitter, Caglianone profiles as a 30 home run bat at 1B. Jac Caglianone is holding a 12K:6BB ratio through 12 High-A games with two home runs. The .214 average is not where you want it to be, but the small sample size doesn’t outweigh the potential.
Slotting in as the Royals number one prospect, Caglianone will look to lead the younger crop of prospects. The obvious cheat code here is Caglianone can fall back to pitching, or provide double value as a pitcher and hitter. To me, the bat is going to carry him to the top of the dynasty rankings at 1B. Cags stands 6’5, and is built with plenty of strength. The bat speed and strength, combined with the build, are what bring Caglianone the plus power. Cags has the ability to provide plus numbers in the home run, run, and RBI categories. The profile brings so much potential in these categories, he can enter the top 10 prospect range.
Honorable Mention
Agustín Ramírez, C, MIA:
A true breakout season for Agustín Ramírez, the Yankees catcher was rising up the ranks. Traded for Jazz Chisholm Jr., Ramirez has a much clearer path to MLB playing time. Likely to follow in the footsteps of J.T. Realmuto, Agustin has 22 home runs and 20 steals in 102 MiLB games. A 20/20 catcher isn’t something that happens often and the Marlins have the potential for two in a short span. Headed into 2025, Ramirez should get the opportunity for an everyday role. The offensive profile has been on full display in 2024 at Double-A and Triple-A. Putting up the power and speed numbers, while maintaining a mid .200 average and low strikeout total is very promising. Ramirez is going to lead part of this new Miami retool and rebuild for the next few years.
Matt Shaw, 3B, CHC:
One of the top rising prospects from the 2023 MLB Draft, Shaw has showcased his entire ability. While it’s no secret that Shaw is a top prospect, Shaw has entered the top five for dynasty. Shaw has reached Triple-A in his first professional season and is pushing an MLB promotion. With Dansby and Nico holding down the middle of the infield, Shaw will most likely shift to third base. Shaw would be the main focus here for me, but he has gotten plenty of hype after his hot 2024. Most lists have Shaw firmly in the top 50, but he’s on this list because I believe he’s much higher. Through his first 136 MiLB games, Shaw has slashed .302/.382/.513 with 24 home runs and 42 stolen bases. With a 73K:50BB ratio, Shaw makes solid contact and draws walks when needed. Those are absurd numbers, and while he’s older, Shaw is a top five dynasty prospect.
Dynasty Fallers:
Carter Jensen, C, KCR:
This pick may seem like a head scratcher, but there are reasons. After a down 2022 and 2023, Jensen has had a bit of a comeback in 2024. Jensen had a solid start to 2024 at High-A with 10 home runs and 16 stolen bases. To go along with that, he slashed .271/.386/.435 with a solid 83K:57BB ratio. Still only 21 years-old, Jensen looked to be living up to the third round pick potential. After hitting .226 and .211 in his last two seasons, Jensen turned it around until his promotion to Double-A. Only 21 games in, Jensen is hitting .189, with a 23K:9BB ratio. Adding in four home runs and one stolen base, Jensen is mostly struggling with the average. Reverting back towards his 2022 and 2023 season numbers, Jensen hasn’t answered the hit questions.
The hit tool is clearly the question and while High-A looked to change that, Double-A has brought doubt back. The strikeout rate is under control and the walk rate is promising but Jensen would be a stretch to lock in for 20-20. Given the value comes from his 20-20 potential, Jensen would need to clear that at the MiLB level to provide clear value. A prospect to watch, Jensen has been gaining a lot of buzz. Some of this buzz feels a bit premature to me. There are a lot of moving parts here, but it needs to all come together against advanced competition before Jensen enters the top 10 catching prospect options.
Jacob Berry, 3B, MIA:
Jacob Berry has been trending in the wrong direction for some time now. The former sixth overall pick has yet to live up to the hype. Now 23 years old, Berry has only reached Double-A and has a career .236 MiLB average. Once projected to be the third baseman of the future, Berry is now likely to be a utility player. Still struggling to produce with the bat, Berry is hitting .234 with nine home runs in 2024. A .352 and .370 hitter in college with average power, Berry hasn’t been able to replicate that success in his MiLB career. While he isn’t striking out a ton, Berry also isn’t drawing a lot of walks. An aggressive bat with a swing-first mentality, Berry will need to look to draw more walks. With the power having yet to tick up, there really isn’t a category that Berry can provide an at average level.
The Marlins are short on bats so Berry might see a chance in early 2025. However, there isn’t much to excite or expect from him until the approach changes. 27 walks and a .360 slugging leaves much to be desired for a corner infielder. Berry has added in 11 stolen bases, and speed has arguably become his most valuable category. A switch hitter, Berry profiled as a potential two hitter coming out of college. No longer a top prospect, Berry looked to make a resurgence in the AFL. Unfortunately, this hasn’t carried over to Double-A in 2024 and Berry is not a viable fantasy option.
Honorable Mention
Daniel Susac, C, OAK:
The 19th overall selection in the 2022 MLB Draft, Susac profiled as a hit first catcher. Hoping the 6’4 frame would allow him to tap into 20+ home runs a year, Susac has yet to reach 20 total in his 211 MiLB games. The positive is the .292 career MiLB average. Susac is a good hitter that can slot in the back end of an MLB lineup. There isn’t much to the offensive profile outside of the hit tool and Susac is a better real-life player than fantasy. A low walk rate with limited power and speed, Susac has his OBP tied to how well he hits. The power has increased in 2024, but we’re still looking at 15-18 home run per year player. With the high average, and catcher being thing, Susac could be a sneaky late pick. But until the home run total increases, and the approach is more patient, Susac provides average across all categories.
Carlos De La Cruz, 1B, PHI:
Coming off a solid 2022 and 2023, De La Cruz was looking to make an impact at the MLB level in 2024. After putting up good Double-A numbers in 2024, De La Cruz struggled at Triple-A. The power is his calling card, so the home run total dropping down to 10 in 2024 tanks his value. 111 strikeouts in 89 games, with only 27 walks shows the aggressive nature of his approach. A .161 Triple-A average isn’t the answer most were hoping for on the questionable hit tool. With no need at the MLB level at first base, De La Cruz has time to get back on track at the Triple-A level. After trending upwards in the last two seasons, De La Cruz has balanced out to a power bench bat until proving otherwise.