The minor league season is chugging along. With top-performing prospects getting the bump to Triple-A or even to the Major Leagues straight from Double-A, we should keep our finger on the pulse to stay ahead of what’s coming next. In this article, I’ll dive into five of the top-performing prospects right now to target in your dynasty leagues. These prospects could be close to getting their opportunity to make their big league debut and you don’t want to miss it. Let’s get started.
Double-A Batting Prospects To Target In Dynasty
Matthew Lugo, SS BOS
(37 GP, .312/.407/.672, 10 HR, 21 R, 34 RBI, 9 SB)
Drafted in the second round of the 2019 MLB Draft Matthew Lugo has had a slow climb through the minor leagues to this point. The nephew of Carlos Beltran can’t be easy to be compared to but Lugo has shown solid production at times in his minor league career. None more so than this season. In 37 games played Lugo is slashing .312/.407/.672 with 10 home runs, 21 runs scored, 34 RBIs, and nine stolen bases in Double-A Portland. This is Lugo’s third stint in Portland and he looks to have mastered it. The 23-year-old is walking 13% while striking out 22.6% of his 146 total plate appearances.
Matthew Lugo keeps on raking!
On Friday he went 2-3, with a double and his team-leading 10th home run of the season. pic.twitter.com/OcGbapXT73
— Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) May 27, 2024
The power gains for Lugo have been fantastic. Of Lugo’s 39 total hits 22 have come as extra-base hits thus far. Lifting the ball has been huge for Lugo in Portland as his HR/FB percentage is 27% while the ground ball rate has dropped to 27.3%. For dynasty managers, Lugo is a fun prospect to watch right now as a promotion to Triple-A Worcester or a bypass straight to Boston is not out of the question.
Dylan Beavers, OF BAL
(38 GP, .289/.388/.511, 7 HR, 25 R, 19 R, 9 SB)
Since being drafted 33rd overall in the 2022 MLB Draft out of California Dylan Beavers has done nothing but rake at each level of the Minor Leagues. The 6’4” 206-pound outfielder has shown solid power and speed with his time in the minor leagues paired with an excellent approach at the plate. This season Beavers is slashing .289/.388/.511 with seven home runs, 25 runs scored, 19 RBIs, and nine stolen bases in 38 games played. Across 162 plate appearances, Beavers has walked 14.2% while striking out 24.1% of the time.
"Hold my drink" – Dylan Beavers pic.twitter.com/BDbNFg7M56
— Bowie Baysox (@BowieBaysox) May 26, 2024
Serving as a top-of-the-order bat has been Beavers’s specialty and could be a glimpse into what the Orioles could use him for in the future. There is a 25-plus home run bat here long-term for Beavers in a lineup that will score a ton of runs as they continue to get better. A target in dynasty leagues as a prospect who could debut later this season as a playoff contender.
Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF MIN
(36 GP, .287/.473/.607, 8 HR, 39 R, 20 RBI, 9 SB)
There is not one prospect analyst who is not enamored with Emmanuel Rodriguez and his power upside. Starting the season off in Double-A Wichita with the Wind Surge, Rodriguez has played in 36 games slashing .287/.473/.607 with eight home runs, 39 runs scored, 20 RBIs, and nine stolen bases. What has stood out the most has been the excellent plate approach. In 165 plate appearances, Rodriguez is walking 25.5% while striking out 27.9%. The strikeout rate could definitely come down but it’s nice to see the OBP as high as it is at .473.
Emmanuel Rodriguez rocketed a leadoff HR for the @WindSurgeICT in the win 🚀
He was 2-4 on the day with a home run (108.3 mph) and a walk
Over the last 2 weeks, he is slashing .389/.551/.833 (1.384 OPS) with more walks than strikeouts‼️#MNTwins
— Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) May 27, 2024
For dynasty managers, Rodriguez has the tools to be a stand-out player making this a hard prospect to trade for in most dynasty formats. The big power paired with the fantastic eye at the plate and speed he has shown to this point makes Rodriguez so interesting.
Carson Williams, SS TBR
(38 GP, .305/.392/.571, 8 HR, 37 R, 22 RBI, 11 SB)
Tampa Bay selected Carson Williams in the first round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of high school and he has continued to improve each season. Since 2022 we have seen improvements to the raw power Williams has paired with his advanced eye-drawing walks. The Rays started Williams off in Double-A this season where he has slashed .305/.392/.571 with eight home runs, 37 runs scored, 22 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases in 38 games. Williams has done a good job cutting back the strikeouts this season. In 105 games played at Hight-A in 2023, Williams struck out 31.8% while this season he has struck out just 26.7% across 176 plate appearances walking 10.8%.
Carson Williams homered twice yesterday and is now hitting .346 this season 🔥 pic.twitter.com/66siN65wbX
— Milb Central (@milb_central) May 19, 2024
When I watch Carson Williams play I see a similar profile to Gunnar Henderson but what will be key for Williams as he continues to face advanced competition is to cut back the strikeout rate. This is a fantastic dynasty trade target as he could be a difference maker now that Wander Franco appears to be out of the picture long term.
Colby Thomas, OF OAK
(42 GP, .272/.319/.549, 12 HR, 24 R, 36 RBI, 10 SB)
All aboard the Colby Thomas hype train. To this point, Thomas continues to get better. Drafted in the third round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of Mercer, Thomas has been great in Double-A Midland. In 42 games with the RockHounds, Thomas is slashing .272/.319/.549 with 12 home runs, 24 runs scored, 36 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases. What has continued to impress me this season has been the cut in his strikeout percentage from 2023. In High-A Lansing Thomas struck out 29.5% while this season he has cut it to 19.1% across 188 plate appearances while walking 4.8%. Of Thomas’s 47 total hits 23 have been for extra-base hits continuing to further the potential plus power in his bat.
💪🚀OAK OF Colby Thomas has some sneaky raw power and speed. In his first professional season Thomas played at -A Stockton and +A Lansing hitting
• .286 AVG
• .351 OBP
• .493 SLG
• 18 HR
• 87 R
• 25 SBThomas will need to cut the Ks back but the upside is here @Fantrax https://t.co/aLLaFMGewj
— Richard Haake (@Mustbethehawk) February 7, 2024
For dynasty managers, the cost to acquire Colby Thomas has started to increase and rightfully so. Take this opportunity to grab some shares of an outfield prospect who could be extremely solid once he gets his chance to break with the A’s.