The divisional reports are a new series put out by the Pitcher List dynasty team. These reports provide a list of the top ten prospects on each team in the division and highlight notable news, promotions, and performances to keep you up to date. Each division will be updated once per month by our divisional experts. Be sure to head over to the Pitcher List Dynasty page for all things prospects.
After kicking off for the first time last month, the National League East farm system report is back for month two. Now that the season has started, this article will update the top ten prospects from each system while also providing the latest news and promotions from each team in the division. The goal is to help dynasty managers stay up to date on the latest information with in-depth looks at each specific team! Each division will come with a monthly update that readers can look forward to.
NL East
Top 10 Prospects
Notable Prospect Performances:
- George Klassen continues to dominate. Klassen has come out of nowhere this season and after being left off of the initial list, he finds himself as the Phillies’ sixth-ranked prospect. Through four starts, Klassen owns a 0.00 ERA with a 1.44 FIP and a strikeout rate over 40%. He relies heavily on a fastball sitting in the upper 90s with a big breaking curveball which is his go-to out pitch. He lacks a true option against lefties which could cause issues as he moves through the Phillies system.
- Another pitcher not getting nearly as much attention as Klassen is Luke Russo. While the stuff is not as overpowering (fastball sitting around 92), his deep five-pitch arsenal keeps opposing batters off balance. Russo currently owns a 1.29 ERA through his first three starts. Both his slider and curveball profile are plus offerings. The upside is not as high as Klassen’s, but Russo debuts at number eight in this update.
- Mick Abel is still struggling with his control. Abel has always flashed immense upside but has failed to ever fully put things together. Now in Triple-A, it is easy to begin questioning whether he ever will. Abel is still walking nearly 13% of batters struggling to a 5.60 ERA through his first four starts. He only moves down one spot this month but could plummet if these struggles continue.
Notable Promotions and News:
- Starlyn Caba generated some off-season hype but the Phillies have opted to not send him to full-season ball just yet. Caba remains out of official game action although dynasty managers should expect to see him sooner rather than later. The 18-year-old put together an impressive first professional season in the DSL last year. He is an elite defender with plus speed and contact skills. The development of power will be the key to unlocking his dynasty potential.
- The team added Jose Rodriguez to their Minor League depth just before the season started. Rodriguez was once a notable White Sox prospect before questionably being promoted to the Major Leagues and then being DFA’d. The Phils picked him up prior to the season and sent him to Double-A. He is currently batting just .176 but a .198 BABIP is part of the reason for his early season struggles.
- Using Griff McGarry out of the bullpen seems to be working. Relief risk was always obvious for McGarry as he had big-time stuff but lacked control. The team officially shifted him to the bullpen to start 2024 (which is why he fell off this list). So far, his strikeout rate sits at 34% with a walk rate at the lowest it has ever been in his career. His 5.59 ERA leaves plenty to be desired but his FIP and xFIP are much more encouraging. He could turn into a strong late-inning option in the Phillies bullpen.
Top 10 Prospects
Notable Prospect Performances:
- Christian Scott has been on fire to start 2024. Viewed as one of the most underrated pitching prospects in baseball entering the season, Scott is officially in the spotlight now. His strikeout rate sits above 38% while he is continuing to show off excellent control. The fact that he is not on the 40-man roster likely delays his timeline a bit, but dynasty (and redraft) managers should expect to see Scott pitching in Queens before the All-Star Break.
- Dynasty managers should start to be concerned with Drew Gilbert’s start in 2024. Gilbert still ranks atop this list, but the gap has closed considerably. Gilbert slid a good amount in my top 100 prospects update which you can check out here. In his first taste of Triple-A action, Gilbert’s strikeout rate and whiff rate are both alarmingly high. To make matters worse, his batted ball data is suspect at best. This is something to monitor moving forward.
- The Mets have had quite a few pitching prospects pop up this season and dynasty managers should add Blade Tidwell to their lists. Tidwell was the team’s second-round pick back in 2022 and is showing signs of growth this season. Strikeouts have never been an issue for Tidwell who deploys a high velocity fastball and a big breaking sweeper. The two issues have been limiting the long ball and free passes (both of which point to control issues). So far this season, Tidwell is yet to allow a home run and has the lowest walk rate of his professional career.
Notable Promotions and News:
- Ronny Mauricio was originally included in this list but landed on the Major League IL. From this point forward, I am going to consider him a Major League player and not include him in this farm system report.
- Jonah Tong was promoted from Low-A to High-A. Tong was on the bubble to crack into the Mets’ top ten prospects and the team has clearly been pleased with his performances early on this season. He struck out over 50% of batters he faced in Low-A quickly proving he is ready for a bigger challenge. His fastball averages over 20 inches of IVB helping the pitch to play better than his below-average velocity suggests.
- The Mets’ 2021 second-round pick Calvin Ziegler is going to miss the remainder of 2024 after undergoing Tommy John Surgery. Ziegler has struggled to stay healthy since being drafted having thrown under 50 innings in the last two seasons combined. We are unlikely to see Ziegler on the mound again until 2025 and it is likely his future ceiling is as a relief pitcher.
Top 10 Prospects
Notable Prospect Performances:
- Ever heard of Drew Compton? Neither have most dynasty managers. Compton played college at Georgia Tech before going undrafted and signing a Minor League deal with the Braves last May. All he has done since joining the organization is hit. His wRC+ this season sits over 200 and he is showing off increased contact skills with an average well over .300. There is plenty of raw power generated from his 6’2″ frame which will need to turn into game power for him to become fantasy relevant at first base. The sample size is too small to land him on this list, but this is a fun story to follow and root for.
- Dynasty managers should not expect Owen Murphy to be stuck in High-A for long. Murphy has been incredible to start the season striking out at least eight batters in each of his first four starts. Murphy already has more 10+ strikeout games this season (2) than he did throughout the previous two seasons combined. His slider is a true plus offering now capable of striking just about any batter out. Murphy is a top 100 prospect and deserves more recognition. P.S.: He is still only 20 and does not turn 21 until the end of September.
- Cade Kuehler is making a name for himself. In a farm system dominated by pitching prospects, the Braves have another notable one in Kuehler. Kuehler has made four starts two of which have been scoreless appearances. His control looks excellent as his walk rate sits below five percent. I wrote up Kuehler a bit more in my updated top 100 prospects list which you can check out here. His last two starts have not been as sharp, but the upside is still apparent.
Notable Promotions and News:
- Isaiah Drake is dealing with a hamstring injury. The toolsy outfielder generated some hype after his performance at the Spring Breakout game but has been out of game action since April 18th. Drake’s season was off to a rough start anyway as he struck out over 50% of the time through his first 11 games. Hopefully, this trip to the IL comes with the silver lining of a mental reset to get Drake right. His hit tool currently profiles as a well below-average tool.
- The Braves do have one intriguing bat in Triple-A. J.P. Martinez joined the Braves Minor League system this past off-season after making his Major League debut with the Rangers last season. Martinez is now 28 but has shown off a solid combination of power and speed throughout his Minor League career. In the event of an injury, Martinez is likely first in line to earn a promotion to Atlanta.
Top 10 Prospects
Notable Prospect Performances:
- Remember when Victor Mesa Jr.was a big-time International Free Agent signing? Mesa signed with the Marlins in what feels like forever ago and failed to ever post the offensive numbers many scouts expected him to. Still just 22 years old, Mesa is finally showing signs of life. The Marlins sent him to Triple-A this season where he has already hit five home runs with an average over .300. His swinging strike rate points to some regression coming in the strikeout department, and he has yet to steal a base this season. Still, he is rising up this list and turning into a prospect to keep your eye on.
- Standing at 6’3″, the hope has long been that Yiddi Cappe would be able to develop more game power as he matured. After hitting just five home runs last season, the optimism from many in the dynasty community seemingly died out. Well, he is still only in High-A, but he has already hit two home runs this season. Cappe is a plus runner with a natural feel for pulling the baseball. His power output is something to continue monitoring as the season moves along.
- Control is going to be the biggest issue for both of the Marlins’ top draft picks from 2023. Two prep arms Noble Meyer from the right side and Thomas White from the left side are both struggling to limit walks early on in 2024. Meyer in particular is struggling with more walks than strikeouts through his first four starts. White at least is racking up the strikeouts early on. Both have big-time dynasty upside but are far from finished products.
Notable Promotions and News:
- After a brief repeat stop at Low-A, the Marlins promoted Mark Coley II to High-A. Coley was drafted in the 17th round of last year’s draft and is already 23 years old. He wasted no time picking up right where he left off last season batting .375 in eight Low-A games before the Marlins decided he was ready for tougher competition. He has continued to his since being promoted with three home runs since joining High-A. Coley has a strong combination of power and speed that makes him an intriguing dynasty asset.
- Max Meyer finds himself atop this list after landing at two in the first edition. The initial plan was to exclude Meyer from this list entirely after he made the Opening Day roster and was pitching well for the Marlins. The team decided to be overly cautious with him instead though and optioned him back to Triple-A. There is really nothing left for Meyer to prove at the Minor League level and dynasty managers should expect him to return to Miami later this season.
- The team promoted Emmett Olson to High-A after his fast start to the 2024 season. Olson is a left-handed pitcher the Marlins drafted in the fourth round last season. He worked at least five innings in each of his first three starts and did not allow a single run to score. His fastball sits in the low-90s with over 18″ of vertical break. His changeup is proving to be an effective pitch against righties and could help Olson continue his success against tougher competition.
Top 10 Prospects
Notable Prospect Performances:
- James Wood is putting his name in the ring being the top prospect in baseball. Wood is off to an incredible start in Triple-A posting excellent batted ball metrics and counting stats. He is up to two home runs, seven stolen bases, and his average (which was the main concern entering the year) sits over .300. Wood is striking out less than he ever has while continuing to work walks far more often than the league average. Wood is going to be in Washington soon and dynasty managers should have high expectations.
- Andry Lara is becoming a name to pay attention to. He does not crack the top ten on this list but is off to a fantastic start to 2024. After posting mediocre strikeout rates for much of the past three seasons, Lara’s strikeout rate has spiked up to 38.9% through his first five starts. Signed back in 2019, Lara is still just 21 years old and is showing signs of a major breakout. A few more strong starts and he will find himself included in the table above next month.
- While Jarlin Susana was not the most well-known player in the Juan Soto trade, he was a prized acquisition for the Nationals’ front office. Susana created shockwaves through the dynasty community when he was easily hitting triple-digits at just 18 years old. Now 20, he is showing signs of becoming a more complete pitcher. Through four starts, his walk rate is just 6.8%. The stuff has never been a question. Now that he is showing more control, he could rise quickly up this list.
Notable Promotions and News:
- Cade Cavalli is facing live hitters. Although he is still yet to appear in any game action, the Nationals’ top pitching prospect is progressing well from Tommy John Surgery. Live hitters are an important milestone to hit in this rehab process. Reports are that Cavalli is expecting to begin a rehab assignment at some point this month and return to the Nationals’ rotation around the All-Star Break.
- 2023 10th-round pick Phillip Glasser was promoted from Low to High-A. Glasser played shortstop for Indiana University and is off to a fast start in his professional career. He is showing off plus contact skills and an excellent understanding of the strike zone. His hit tool is profiling as a plus tool while the development of his power will be the biggest key to his future dynasty relevance. The Nationals have already explored with moving him to third base or the outfield making it unlikely he sticks at shortstop as he progresses through their system.
- Travis Sykora is starting his season at Low-A. The team opted to be careful with their third-round pick out of Spring Training opting to hold him back for a few weeks before letting him get back onto a mound in official game action. Sykora has immense upside touching triple digits on his fastball with a plus splitter and slider that has no issues striking batters out. Sykora is a few years away from the Major Leagues but the start of his professional career is worth paying attention to.
Feature Image Adapted by Aaron Polcare (@bearydoesgfx on X)