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Dynasty Prospects Of The Month: June Edition

Prospects of the month for June

Rick Haake
Dynasty 6/30/2024

The month of June has flown by and we are back to dive into some of the top-performing prospects for each position. Dynasty managers are still on the grind searching for the best chance to stay ahead in their dynasty leagues. In this article, we will break down the top prospects from the month of June highlighting each position giving you an opportunity to snag one of these guys for your dynasty squad and dominate your leagues. 

Be sure to check out May’s edition here!

 

Prospects For the Month of June

 

Catcher

 

Agustín Ramírez, C NYY Triple-A

63 GP|.269/.352/.526|16 HR,|47 R|50 RBI|13 SB

 

Off to an excellent start to the 2024 season, Agustín Ramírez has been promoted to Triple-A Scranton. While in Double-A Somerset Ramirez played in 58 games slashing .290/.372/.570 with 16 home runs, 46 runs scored, 49 RBIs, and stole 13 bases. Across his 261 plate appearances with the Patriots Ramirez walked 10.7% while lowering his strikeout rate to 16.5% (Down 2.9% over his Double-A strikeout rate in 2023). It’s been slow going in just five games with the Railriders but it’s no surprise that Ramirez didn’t just impress enough for this mention but to start skyrocketing up dynasty prospect rankings. Take this opportunity to snag Ramirez as he is only a call away from his major league debut.

 

First Base

 

Brett Squires, 1B KCR High-A

62 GP| .309/.390/.481|9 HR|36 R|42 RBI|16 SB

 

There is another left handed power bat coming up slowly in the Kansas City Royals farm system. Brett Squires was signed by the Royals as an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma after the 2022 MLB draft and already he has hit the ground running. Coming off a solid debut season in Low-A Columbia Squires slashed .263/.381/.430 with 15 home runs, 65 runs scored, 69 RBIs, and stole 32 bases. Going into the prospect showcase games Squires got a chance to shine with the top Royals prospects and made the most of it. This encouraged the Royals to promote Squires to High-A where he has gone on to play 62 games slashing .309/.390/.481 with nine home runs, 36 runs scored, 42 RBIs, and stole 16 bases. Across 270 plate appearances, Squires has struck out 25.9% which is down 2.7% over the 2023 season, while walking a solid 11.9%.

For dynasty managers, this is a solid waiver wire pick-up for the solid numbers he has produced as well as his approach at the plate thus far. The only drawback is the fact that Squires is closing in on 24 and half years old making it imperative that the Royals continue to push him up the farm system to gain further dynasty upside.

 

Second Base

 

Kevin McGonigle, 2B/SS DET Low-A

46 GP|.328/.405/.472|3 HR|31 R|29 RBI|14 SB

 

One of the most impressive names this season in Low-A has been Detroits Kevin McGonigle. Selected by the Tigers 37th overall out of high school in the 2023 MLB Draft McGonigle has been fantastic. In 12 games to finish the 2023 season, McGonigle slashed .350/.438/.475 with one home run, seven runs scored, five RBIs, and two stolen bases. Across those 48 plate appearances, he walked 14.6% while striking out 10.4%. Fast forward to this season and he has continued to shine. With 46 games played McGonigle is slashing .328/.405/.472 with three home runs, 31 runs scored, 29 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases. If you were curious McGonigle has continued to walk more than he has struck out as the 19-year-old has a 12.3% walk rate and just a 10% strikeout rate in 211 plate appearances.

 

For dynasty managers this is prime time to get in on the ground floor with McGonigle. Already we have seen the excellent bat-to-ball skills mixed with speed on the basepaths but I believe there is more power to come. So far this season McGonigle has 17 extra base hits with 11 doubles in 180 at-bats.

 

Shortstop

 

Shay Whitcomb, SS/2B HOU Triple-A

70 GP|.315/.395/.577|17 HR|54 R|66 RBI|14 SB

 

Tearing it up right now in Triple-A in the Astros organization has been Shay Whitcomb. The former fifth-round pick by the Astros in the condensed 2020 MLB Draft out of UC San Diego has been quietly rising through the organization but now he seems primed and ready to go. In 70 games played Whitcomb is currently slashing .315/.395/.577 with 17 home runs, 54 runs scored, 66 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases in 18 attempts. At the plate, Whitcomb has made significant improvements raising his walk percentage to 11.3% (6.1% in 2023) and lowering his strikeout percentage to 21.7% down from 31.1% in Triple-A in 2023.

This is a sneaky player to stash on your dynasty roster right now as there could be a solid 20-20 upside here but the main question remains. Where will Whitcomb play? Baseball is funny and these things always seem to figure themselves out with injury’s and under performing players. Currently, Whitcomb will be rule-5 eligible this off-season so the Astros very well might see what they have in Whitcomb here soon before the trade deadline passes.

 

Third Base

 

Charles McAdoo, 3B PIT High-A

64 GP|.338/.417/.579|11 HR|45 R|55 RBI|15 SB

 

The San Jose State standout has impressed so far this season ascending two levels to earn his spot in the Altoona Cruves lineup. Charles McAdoo was drafted in the 13th round by the Pirates in 2023 and in his first 60 games played in High-A Greensboro, it quickly looked like they got a steal of a draft pick. McAdoo slashed .336/.415/.561 with the Grasshoppers with nine home runs, 40 runs scored, 52 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases. Across 258 plate appearances, McAdoo walked 10.5% while striking out 21.7%. Now up with the Altoona Curve McAdoo has made the most of his four games played so far slashing .353/.450/.824 with two home runs, five runs scored, three RBIs, and one stolen base.

For dynasty managers, there is a lot to like here. After watching McAdoo live in Greensboro multiple times there is a ton of raw power in his bat so a 25-plus home runs season is definitely in play here with 20-25 stolen bases sprinkled in. For McAdoo to continue to succeed is his approach at the plate and so far in 20 plate appearances in Double-A, he has dropped his strikeout percentage to 10% which is a solid sign.

 

Outfield

 

Henry Bolte, OF OAK High-A

66 GP|.282/.395/.522|11 HR|58 R|51 RBI|26 SB

 

Despite Oakland’s future plans in Las Vegas for A’s Fans, there is some hope on the horizon as young talent continues to develop and make their way to the major leagues for the Athletics. Henry Bolte is a name to watch closely as the Athletics drafted him in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of high school. Bolte’s potential plus power and speed combination has been interesting but this season we have seen the average jump giving us a glimpse of what could be coming. In 66 games played in High-A Lansing Bolte is slashing .282/.395/.522 with 11 home runs, 58 runs scored, 51 RBIs, and 26 stolen bases in 32 attempts. Across 304 plate appearances, Bolte has shown an eye for drawing his walks as he currently has a 12.8% walk percentage.

One area of opportunity with Bolte is limiting the strikeouts, something he has struggled to do since being drafted but over the last three seasons the strikeout rate has continued to tick down. Currently, Bolte’s strikeout rate is at 31.6% certainly too high. The future power is massive here as we have seen with the 11 home runs to this point, and you can tack on that 34 of his 72 total hits thus far this season has gone for extra bases. On this pace, Bolte should long surpass the 32 stolen bases he posted in 112 games played at Low-A in 2023 making this a true 20 home run, and 30 stolen base threat long term.

 

Starting Pitcher

 

David Festa, RHP MIN Triple-A

14 GS|59.2 IP|87 K|13.12 K/9|3.62 BB/9|3.77 ERA

 

Right now David Festa is one of the best pitchers in Triple-A right now and should be getting his opportunity to make his mark in Minnesota here soon. The 6’6″ right-hander was selected in the 13th round of the 2021 MLB draft out of Seton Hall by the Twins and has done nothing but strike batters out at an alarming rate. In his 14 starts this season in Triple-A, Festa has 87 strikeouts in 59.2 innings pitched, good for a 13.12 K/9, with a .240 average against, while sporting a 3.77 ERA. Festa has done a solid job cutting back the walks that plagued his Triple-A debut back in 2023 (6.57 BB/9) down to a solid 3.62 BB/9.

When it comes to pitch mix, Festa features a four-pitch repertoire including a mid 90’s four-seam fastball that has reached 98 mph; the slider might be one of Festa’s best offerings coming in at 87 mph but with excellent spin rates that has racked up the strikeouts. His 86 mph change-up has improved since being drafted while the curveball is still a work in progress but has shown major improvement this season. For dynasty managers, this could be a fun pitching prospect to have in your minor league system as a call to the majors seems imminent for this season with the upside of a SP2 if things break right.

 

Relief Pitcher

 

Eric Adler, RHP CHW Double-A

22 GP|25.2 IP|32 K|11.42 K/9|5.71 BB/9|3.16 ERA|10 SV

 

Projecting future closers is a messy game when it comes to stashing relief pitching prospects in your minor leagues but when one hits it goes a long way to building a sustainable winner. When the White Sox drafted Eric Adler in the sixth round of the 2022 MLB draft out of Wake Forest, it seemed high-leverage situations were going to be their major focus. In 2023 we saw Adler save five games between Low-A Kannapolis and High-A Winston Salem finishing the season with 42 strikeouts in 31.1 innings pitched and a 2.87 ERA across 28 appearances. This season Adler has played in High-A Winston Salem as well as Double-A Birmingham where he has appeared in 26 games striking out 32 batters over 25.2 innings pitched with 10 saves and a 3.16 ERA.

When it comes to pitch mix Adler keeps it simple as he pumps in a high 90’s fastball that tops out at 98 mph paired with a hard-breaking curveball at 83 mph. The cutter’s velocity and shape changes as Adler sees fit typically coming in at 88 mph but has peeked at 92 mph. For dynasty managers, this is a prospect that has gone largely under the radar to this point and could be available on your waiver wires right now.

 

Honorable Mentions

 

Pedro León, OF HOU Triple-A

72 GP|.288/.375/.502|13 HR|47 R|61 RBI|18 SB

 

The clock is ticking on Pedro León as the rule-5 draft looms this December but so far he has made the most of his opportunity in Triple-A. In 72 games played, Leon is slashing .288/.375/.502 with 13 home runs, 47 runs scored, 61 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases. At the plate, Leon has improved his approach walking 9.7% while striking out 26.1% of his 329 plate appearances down 2.3% from his time in Triple-A in 2023. This is now his fourth season back in Triple-A and Leon is showing the signs of figuring the level out but the main question is how will he fair with an opportunity in the major leagues? Will the Astros be the team to give him that chance? Will they trade him at the deadline or risk losing the 26-year-old in the rule-5 draft?

 

Mavis Graves, LHP PHI Low-A

11 GS|58 IP|87 K|13.50 K/9|3.10 BB/9|2.48 ERA

 

The Philidelphia Phillies pitchers in Low-A have been on fire this season and Mavis Graves is quickly standing out as a left-handed arm to watch. Drafted in the 6th round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of high school Graves features a mid 90’s four-seam fastball, 91 mph two-seam/sinker, mid 80’s cutter/slider, 82 mph curveball, and 86 mph fading change up. On the mound, he has been dominant making 12 appearances and 11 starts while striking out 87 batters over 58 innings pitched, good for a 13.50 K/9, with a solid .202 average against, and currently sporting a 2.48 ERA. This success is helped in large part by Graves cutting back the walks from 7.68 in 34 innings pitched at the Complex League in 2023 down to 3.10 walks per nine here in Low-A.

With this level of dominance in Low-A, it shouldn’t be long before Graves joins George Klassen in High-A Jersey Shore. If you are in a dynasty league with deep minor leagues this is a great stash as the 6’6″ 20-year-old lefty continues to impress.

 

Deyvison De Los Santos, 1B/3B ARI Triple-A

69 GP|.348/.400/.674|23 HR|50 R|65 RBI|1 SB

 

One of the hottest bats in all the minor leagues this season has been Arizona’s Deyvison De Los Santos. Selected by the Guardians in the 2023 rule-5 draft and sent back to Arizona De Los Santos is playing with a chip on his shoulder and dynasty managers are loving it. Across 69 total games between Double-A and Triple-A De Los Santos is slashing .348/.400/.674 with 23 home runs, 50 runs scored, 65 RBIs, and one stolen base. While in Triple-A De Los Santos has not looked outmatched as he is walking 6% while striking out just 21.1% of his 133 plate appearances with the Reno Aces.

The call to the Major Leagues could be coming sooner rather than later for De Los Santos. While in the Minor Leagues this season De los Santos has primarily played first base but has played six games a third base as well making both a potential option with the Diamondbacks if the need arises.

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