5 Prospects to Watch (Ignoring Wander)
If you’ve watched any of the breaks, you’ve noticed my obsession with Wander Franco. Is he going to be an All Star? Yes. Is he the next superstar? I think so. Maybe it’s weird that I talk about a baseball player that much? A little. Pushing Wander aside, here are my top five position prospects to watch.
Gavin Lux - Dodgers - 2B/SS - 21yo
You could very well be looking, at a minimum, an All-Star caliber 2B/SS. Lux can hit both sides of the plate, and for power. He’s also quick and has great baserunning IQ, enough to be a 30/30 candidate once he finds a starting spot. He entered into the big leagues as a defense-first SS, but quickly learned how to hit exceptionally well sporting a 1.250 OPS currently in AAA in almost 200 AB’s. What puts him at the top of my list (not counting Wander) is the position he plays. Obviously a power hitting SS/2B is hard to find, especially the one with the defensive tools that he has. My player comp: a better Trevor Story
Jarred Kelenic - Mariners - OF - 20yo
Kelenic will see the field for the Mariners sooner than you think. His ability to play all outfield positions as well as his incredible talent at the plate as a lefty should shoot him up quickly. He has great vision and has what you want as a hitter, low strikeouts, high walks, and has the speed to swipe 25 bags. Scouts say his work ethic is legendary, and with his ETA according to MLB as 2022, I just can’t see him staying down that long. He’s in AA at the moment with only 15 games under his belt. In the Minors overall, he’s at a .905 OPS. My player comp: Whit Merrifield
Jo Adell - Angels - OF - 20yo
I would not be surprised if Adell was the starting LF by the end of next year. Basically, he’s above average at everything with his only knock being his swing and misses. There has been a couple injuries already, with a hamstring, shoulder, and ankle all factoring into missed playing time, but he is still very young and has some more growing to do. I look forward to hopefully seeing Trout, Adell, and Ohtani patrolling the outfield for the near future for the Angels. My player comp: prime Carlos Gonzalez
Luis Robert - White Sox - OF - 22yo
Much like Adell who was mentioned above, Robert has all above average tools. Size, speed, arm, with the ability to play CF if needed. He’s shown more speed the further he’s progressed in the minors and sports a 1.009 OPS. My player comp: an OF Yoan Moncada but faster.
Alec Bohm - Phillies - 1B/3B - 23yo
A better hitter than fielder, Bohm has MLB ready vision and power. He puts the ball in play consistently and rarely strikes out. He does need some work at 3B, which is why scouts are projecting the move to first. Whenever they do call him up, most likely next year, he should contend for starts at 3B. My player comp: Mike Moustakas
Under the Radar: Oneil Cruz - Pirates - SS (sorta) - 20yo
This may be a homer pick on my end, but bare with me. He has the body (6’6” 175lbs) and arm (70 grade) of Chris Sale. He has major league power right now. He has the speed and agility for the more premium positions in the game. His only downfall is his glove and vision. His projected position was all over the place from CF to 3B even a pitcher thanks to his cannon arm. He’s settled in to SS for the time, doing ok with a 93.5% fielding percentage. I’m excited to watch him grow given that he’s only 20 and has incredible athleticism. My player comp: I’ve got nothing. I’ve never seen a player like him.
