There is a ton of dynasty content from various outlets released daily. Sometimes, it can be a lot to keep up with. “Player x looked great!” “Player y made an adjustment to his swing.” There can be challenges keeping up with Major League players, let alone all of the players in the Minor Leagues. All of the content released is helpful, but sometimes, you just need to be told who to add and who to drop. That is the purpose of this article, which will be released bimonthly throughout the season. This article identifies players at various levels of rostership that dynasty managers should target on the waiver wire.
Using data from the Fantrax support team, an estimated 34% of all leagues on Fantrax are dynasty leagues. Another 30% of leagues are considered keeper formats. For this article, it is assumed that prospects are rostered in about 45% of leagues on Fantrax.
Be sure to head out to the Pitcher List Dynasty page for all of the latest news and notes from the team!
Prospects That Need to be Rostered in All Dynasty Leagues
This section is reserved for players more than 20% rostered already, but less than the estimated 45% of leagues that roster prospects
Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, ARI
24% Rostered
Ryan Waldschmidt’s rostership percentage is not low by any means. However, when considering the upside he possesses, I cannot understand why it is not even higher. For those following my work on the dynasty team, Waldschmidt has quickly become one of my favorite prospects. The Diamondbacks’ second pick in the 2024 draft is doing everything dynasty managers can ask and more. The most impressive start to his professional career has been his approach at the plate. In High-A, Waldschmidt is walking more than he is striking out. His contact rate sits at 78.6%. This gives Waldschmidt an incredibly high floor and stable base to continue building on.
With his floor established, dynasty managers should be excited for the ceiling potential in his profile. Standing at 6’2″, Waldschmidt utilizes a simple approach that can drive the ball to all fields. His willingness to take what the pitcher gives him leads to more doubles than home runs, but there is plenty of power potential to untap. He has already hit nine home runs this season and has 25+ homer upside. His speed is also a plus, as evidenced by his eight stolen bases. Waldschmidt is one of the more polished hitters in all of Minor League baseball. High-floor prospects rarely possess the upside that Waldschmidt does. He is a prospect that should be owned and valued highly in all dynasty formats.
Eduardo Quintero, OF, LAD
25% Rostered
Eduardo Quintero is doing it all early on. The fast-rising Dodgers’ prospect has flown up rankings (recently ranking inside the top 20 on June’s prospect list). Digging into the data, it is easy to see why dynasty managers are so excited for his potential. In 59 games at Low-A, Quintero has been one of the best hitters in all of Minor League baseball. He has 12 home runs, 33 stolen bases, and is batting .330. There are only five hitters in all of Minor League baseball with 150+ at-bats that have a higher wRC+ than Quintero. Those prospects being: Mike Sirota, Spencer Jones, Sam Antonacci, Max Anderson, and Esmerlyn Valdez. Quintero’s 600 PA pace is 25 home runs and 70 stolen bases. There is not a single red flag in his profile. Quintero is hitting a ton of line drives, getting to his pull side well, walking a lot, and running a contact rate of 77.5%.
Quintero’s rostership rate being only 25% is even more surprising given his track record of success. Toolsy prospects who perform well in the DSL and Complex League often are amongst the favorites in the dynasty community. Quintero certainly fits that mold. In 2023, Quintero slashed .359/.472/.618 in the DSL. Last season at the Complex League, Quintero hit .330 with three homers and 29 stolen bases. His success in full-season ball is just the next step in his ascent to dynasty stardom. Quintero should be rostered in even the most shallow dynasty leagues. He has five-category upside in an organization known for getting the most out of its prospects.
Prospects Dynasty Managers Should Add if Available
This section is reserved for prospects that are rostered in many formats but are less than 20% rostered in Fantrax Leagues
Jefferson Rojas, SS, CHC
18% Rostered
The shine on Jefferson Rojas has worn off. Rojas’ signing with the Cubs was a big deal back in 2022. Expectations were high for his transition to professional baseball, but many in the dynasty community were underwhelmed. After a strong DSL performance in 2022, Rojas posted mediocre numbers in Low-A in 2023. He followed this up with more mediocre results in 2024 in High-A. The lack of power in his profile has grown to be the biggest issue. Entering 2025, Rojas had hit just 14 professional home runs. More concerning was the lack of production in the batting average category, considering his hit tool is his carrying tool. This has kept the hype surrounding Rojas at a minimum despite his constant ranking inside of top 100 publications.
If Rojas is not rostered in your dynasty league, he is a prime player to target. Rojas is finding much more success in his second go at High-A. After hitting only six home runs all of last season, Rojas has already hit five. The jump in Rojas’ game power can be explained by two adjustments to his profile. The first is more patience at the plate. Rojas is swinging less, primarily on pitches out of the zone. His walk rate has spiked, and as pitchers have come more over the heart of the plate, Rojas is punishing them. Instead of his elite contact skills producing poor contact on pitchers’ pitches, Rojas is making solid contact on hitters’ pitches. On top of that, Rojas is also pulling the ball and getting it in the air at the highest rate of his career. Both of these adjustments bode well for his power outlook. The elite contact skills and plus speed are still present in Rojas’ profile. Despite having been around for a while, Rojas remains just 20 years old. He should be rostered in more than 18% of leagues and remains a strong dynasty asset.
Kaelen Culpepper– SS, MIN
15% Rostered
Dynasty managers are running out of time to get in on the Kaelen Culpepper hype train. Culpepper was the team’s first-round pick from this past year’s draft and is off to a strong start to his professional career. Starting the season in High-A, Culpepper hit nine home runs with 15 stolen bases in 54 games before recently being promoted to Double-A. Hitting is nothing new for Culpepper, who was dominant offensively in three seasons at Kansas State. The right-handed shortstop has a calm approach at the plate with excellent barrel control. He makes consistent hard contact and can drive the ball. He has a natural feel for his pull side thanks to lightning-quick hands, helping his power play up. There is 25+ homer pop in his bat.
Culpepper’s hit tool has also shone thus far at the professional level. He was batting .293 in High-A prior to his promotion with a contact rate of 78.7%. The one concern remaining has been a high ground ball rate. Culpepper sometimes can get pull-happy. Early looks point to a tendency to pull off the baseball, causing some rollovers. Considering this is still his first full professional season, this is only something to monitor and not something to be alarmed by. Culpepper’s profile is one that should be drawing more attention from the dynasty community. There is plus power, plus speed, and a great hit tool present here. If Culpepper is available in your dynasty leagues, you should make adding him a priority.
Deep Dynasty Prospects to Add to Rosters and Watchlists
This section is reserved for prospects who are less than 5% rostered in Fantrax Leagues
Leonardo Bernal, C, STL
5% Rostered
Note: This was written when Bernal was rostered in less than 5%. Glad to see the dynasty community is catching on!
The Cardinals have a wealth of catching prospects. Fantasy baseball managers have already grown enamored with Ivan Herrera at the Major League level. Then, Rainel Rodriguez is garnering all of the attention in the dynasty community. The team has Jimmy Crooks III in Triple-A, which leaves Leonardo Bernal in no-man’s land. Bernal signed with the Cardinals out of Venezuela back in 2021. Up to this point, his offensive production has been underwhelming, but he is breaking out in 2025. In just 50 games at Double-A, Bernal has already matched his career high in home runs with 11. On top of hitting for more power, the switch-hitting catcher is also still making contact more than 80% of the time. The one yellow flag is an aggressive approach that could lead to some struggles against tougher competition. Besides that, Bernal is a line drive machine with plus raw power and strong contact skills. He deserves to be more than 5% rostered and should generate just as much attention as other Cardinals’ catching prospects.
Allan Castro, OF, BOS
1% Rostered
Beating the Allan Castro drum has kind of become my thing over the past few seasons. After picking Castro as a breakout prospect prior to last season, the belief here is still that he is criminally underrated in dynasty communities. Castro’s 2024 season was largely disappointing, but he still managed to hit 15 home runs and steal 17 bases. The switch-hitting outfielder gets to nearly all of his power from the left side of the plate. The best thing for his future career could be to give up switch-hitting entirely. After suffering an injury on Opening Day this season, Castro returned to Double-A on May 7. After shaking off the rust, Castro has been on fire at the plate. Since May 25, Castro is slashing .297/.379/.484 with five home runs and four stolen bases. His contact skills have shown considerable improvement this season, and he continues to walk at an above-average rate. While Castro may never become a star, he offers a stable floor with 15/15 upside and a solid hit tool. His production continues to fly under the radar, making him a strong add in deep dynasty leagues.
Miguel Mendez, SP, SDP
1% Rostered
For those dynasty managers looking to take a super deep shot, go grab Miguel Mendez off of waivers. He is available almost everywhere! Mendez is a 6’2″ right-handed starter currently pitching in High-A. A bit old for the level, Mendez has battled consistency since signing with the Padres back in 2021. Although the walk rate still sits at 10.9% this season, Mendez is finding much more success on the mound. His success stems from an arsenal filled with plus stuff. Mendez gets good extension on his pitches from an over-the-top arm slot. His fastball sits in the upper 90s and works well at the top of the zone. His slider is far and away his best pitch and is a great strikeout pitch to righties, while he also mixes in a changeup to lefties. After two rough starts to begin the season, Mendez owns a 1.98 ERA across his last eight starts.
Dynasty managers should be aware that there is significant relief risk in his profile. Control has been an issue throughout his professional career, and a move to the pen might be the best long-term solution. However, the success he is generating early on this season is noteworthy. The fastball/slider combination gives him considerable upside that deep-league dynasty managers should be jumping all over.
Prospect Drop Options for Dynasty Managers
Shallow League Options
Prospects Rostered in More than 20% of Fantrax Leagues
Dylan Lesko, SP, TBR
20% Rostered
The likely root of the issue here is inactive leagues and inactive teams. Even still, it is difficult to believe that this is the case for the full 20%. If you are holding onto Dylan Lesko, it is time to let go. After being traded from San Diego to Tampa Bay, the hope was the Rays could work their magic and help realize the potential that made Lesko a first round pick. Unfortunately, things have gone from bad to worse with Tampa. Since making the jump to the pros, Lesko has had some of the worst control in all of Minor League baseball. Baseball is a mental sport, and Lesko cannot get out of his own head. The sad truth is, we may never see prime Lesko again. He pitched just four games out of the pen this season with High-A, allowing seven earned runs. He walked six batters in just 2.2 innings after walking more batters than he struck out last season as well. He is back down at the Complex Level, trying to work through things, but has not pitched in a professional game since April 19. There is no reason for dynasty managers to hold onto Lesko.
Daniel Espino, SP, CLE
22% Rostered
Daniel Espino has/had all of the potential in the world. Espino flashed dominant stuff in 2021 and 2022 before injuries have derailed his career. Espino pitched just 18.1 innings in 2022 and has not pitched in live game action since. He remains on the 60-Day IL with a shoulder injury. There is no clear timetable for a return to the mound. At this point, dynasty managers do not even know what a healthy Espino looks like. Assuming a return to the mound in 2026, Espino will have missed three full seasons of game action. The likely outcome is that the Guardians will transition him into a bullpen role in an attempt to keep him healthy. However, what will his stuff even look like? Any of the players listed above are more valuable than Espino at this point. If you are intent on shooting for upside, go grab Mendez. If you need some stability, grab Castro. There is no excuse for Espino to be rostered in nearly as many leagues as Quintero or Waldschmidt! The time for dynasty managers to rectify this situation is now.
Deyvison De Los Santos, 1B/3B, MIA
40% Rostered
Deyvison De Los Santos‘ rostership percentage is skewed slightly due to those stashing him in redraft leagues. De Los Santos ranked as the fifth-best stash amongst hitters still in the Minor Leagues, according to Jack, in last week’s edition of the Stash List. That being said, his overall rostership is still way higher than it should be. Dynasty managers are overvaluing De Los Santos’ value due to his proximity and his power potential. The power is significant. De Los Santos crushed 40 home runs last season. However, dynasty managers need to proceed with caution. Throughout his professional career, De Los Santos has always struggled with strikeouts. This year has been more of the same, and his contact rate remains well below 70%. He deploys an aggressive approach with a lot of swing and miss, which will likely get him in trouble against tougher pitching.
For those debating dropping De Los Santos, any of the top four players mentioned in this article are worth doing that for. Waldschmidt, Quintero, Culpepper, and Rojas are all much more stable prospects with plenty of upside. If you are in a deeper league, De Los Santos’ power potential makes him worth holding onto. Dynasty managers just need to level their expectations for his Major League production.
Deep League Options
Prospects rostered in less than 20% of Fantrax Leagues
Starlyn Caba– SS, MIA
16% Rostered
Starlyn Caba started making a name for himself last season as a prospect in Philadelphia’s organization. The 19-year-old shortstop found his name popping up on many top 100 lists, leading to a rush of dynasty managers adding him. The biggest thing to remember is that most of those publications are for real life, not dynasty. Caba’s glove is elite. His defense at a valuable position gives him significant value. From a fantasy perspective, his value is not quite the same. Caba has elite contact skills and plus speed. His plate discipline gives him a boost in on-base formats, but the lack of power is concerning. This is amplified following the trade to Miami. Caba hits a lot of ground balls and does not impact the ball much. His ceiling home run projection is likely 10, with 5-7 being a more realistic outcome. He is Chandler Simpson-like, with less speed and a better glove. Considering he is on the 60-day IL right now with a thumb injury after batting just .200 in 11 games, there are better options to roster in dynasty leagues.
Gavin Cross– OF, KCR
16% Rostered
Outside of Bobby Witt Jr, the Royals’ selection of first-round picks in recent seasons has been a disappointment. The same can be said of Gavin Cross, who the team selected ninth overall in 2022. Coming out of Virginia Tech, Cross was viewed as a powerful outfielder who had 20/20 potential. He put up strong numbers in his debut season back in 2022, but has failed to produce much since advancing past Low-A. The biggest issue for Cross has been limiting the strikeouts. He has an aggressive approach with plenty of swing and miss. He is especially struggling against lefties. Cross slashed .211/.230/.284 against lefties last year and is running into a similar issue this season. Part of his .184 average this season is due to unlucky BABIP, but struggling as a 24-year-old in Double-A should lead to a decline in his roster percentage in fantasy leagues. There are simply better options available despite the high draft pedigree of Cross.
