Farm Futures: Breakout Rookie Level Hitters

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Updated on May 10, 2024 2:59PM EST

Yophery Rodriguez and Alfredo Duno have been aggressively assigned to Single-A this season, but their peers from the 2023 international signing class began play in the Arizona and Florida complex leagues less than a week ago. There were also a handful of 2023 high school draftees who are being eased into things in rookie ball, while most of their peers began the year at Single-A. We also have the next wave of exciting teenage hitters from the Jan. 15, 2024 international signing class beginning their pro careers in the Dominican Summer League, with the exception of Leodalis De Vries, who was jumped all the way to Single-A to start his pro career.

I can't get in-person or video looks at what's happening on the backfields in the spring or in fall instructs, so I have to rely on the reporting from places like Baseball America and FanGraphs for information on these players beyond what they put up in official DSL games last season. While we know we're working with minimal accurate intel on these players, we also know that every summer, a dozen or more prospects shoot up rankings based on what they do in the ACL, FCL and DSL.

What I've tried to do here is give you my personal watch lists for each of these leagues, plus some rookie-level pitchers worth paying attention to. I've also noted the strengths and weaknesses for each of these players (+ is good, - is bad, blank is N/A or neutral). While we may have an OK idea of a player's tools and skill at this stage, the scouting reports on 17- and 18-year-old hitters can evolve rapidly and drastically, as every few weeks represents a large percentage of their pro samples.

Trying to jump on breakout rookie-level hitters is always a popular dynasty-league tactic this time of year, and my hope with this article is to provide you a sense of what each of these prospects brings to the table. There will be guys who break out and are not listed in this article, but that doesn't mean that they aren't legitimate prospects -- I wanted to narrow the focus here somewhat. Let me know whose rookie-league stat line is catching your eye in the comments, on Twitter or on Discord.

For those interested, I previewed the rookie leagues with Chris Welsh on last week's Prospect Podcast:

Arizona Complex League

	Prospect	Team	Position	Performance	Age/Level	Pedigree	Hit	Power	Speed	Body
1	Felnin Celesten	SEA	SS	N/A		++		++	++	++
2	Rayner Arias	SF	RF	++		++	++	++		+
3	Joendry Vargas	LAD	3B/SS	++		++	++	+		+
4	Walker Martin	SF	3B/SS	N/A	--	++		+	+	+
5	Eduardo Quintero	LAD	CF	++		+	++	+	++	++
6	Robert Calaz	COL	RF/LF	++		++		++		+
7	Jose Pirela	CLE	CF/RF/LF	+	+	+		+	+	++
8	Welbyn Francisca	CLE	2B/SS	++	+	++	++		+	-
9	Braylin Morel	TEX	RF	++				++
10	Pedro Catuy	ARI	CF	+			+		++	++
11	Derniche Valdez	CHC	SS/2B/3B	-		++	-	+	+
12	Yeremi Cabrera	TEX	LF	++	-	--	+	+
13	Adrian Gil	CHW	1B/3B	++		--	++	+	-	-
14	Sammy Stafura	CIN	SS	--	--	++	-	+	+	+
15	Sheng-En Lin	CIN	SS/CF/RHP	-		+	+	-	+
16	Ramon Ramirez	KC	C	++		--	+	+	-
17	Eric Bitonti	MIL	3B/RF/1B	-		+	-	++	-
18	Luis Merejo	CLE	1B/RF	++	++	+	+	+	-
19	Yassel Soler	ARI	3B/1B/2B			+	++		-	--
20	George Wolkow	CHW	RF			+	-	++	-	--
21	Angel Cepeda	CHC	2B/3B			+	+
22	Javier Mogollon	CHW	2B	++		-	+	+		--
23	Elias Medina	LAD	3B/SS	+				++	+
24	Gian Zapata	ARI	RF/CF	-		++	-	++
25	Abraham Nunez	CHW	LF/RF/CF	+		+	+		+
26	Derek Bernard	COL	LF	+			-	+	-	-
27	Arnaldo Lantigua	LAD	LF/RF/CF			+		+
28	Filippo Di Turi	MIL	SS/2B			++	+	-
29	Pedro Ibarguen	MIL	2B/LF/3B	+	++	--
30	Dario Laverde	LAA	C	+	-		+	+		--

Rayner Arias (wrist) and Pedro Catuy (lower-body) are both sidelined to begin the ACL season. Felnin Celesten, Yeremi Cabrera, Braylin Morel, Sheng-En Lin, Sammy Stafura and Derniche Valdez are some of the most notable hitters off to good starts, but the samples are so small, the leaderboards can change very quickly. With someone like Alexander Albertus, who is repeating the ACL as a 19-year-old after dominating there last year while he awaits an assignment to Single-A, it's fairly irrelevant how he performs (as long as he performs well), since we already know he can handle this level. I'm really interested to see what's going on with Walker Martin. He's too old to have been legitimately assigned to the ACL, and he hasn't played in any games, so I'm hoping he's just banged up or something and they're waiting to send him to Single-A.

Florida Complex League

	Prospect	Team	Position	Performance	Age/Level	Pedigree	Hit	Power	Speed	Body
1	Jose Perdomo	ATL	SS	N/A	++	++	++		+
2	Yoeilin Cespedes	BOS	2B/3B	++		++	++	++	-	-
3	Brailer Guerrero	TB	RF/1B		++	++	+	++	-	--
4	Starlyn Caba	PHI	SS	+		++	++	-	++	-
5	Enmanuel Bonilla	TOR	RF/LF	+		++	+	++
6	Jeremy Rodriguez	NYM	2B/SS	+	++	++	++		+	+
7	Brando Mayea	NYY	CF			++	++		++	+
8	Andres Valor	MIA	CF	+		+		+	++	++
9	Jose Monzon	TB	2B/SS	+		+	++
10	Luis Guanipa	ATL	CF	-		++	-	+	++	+
11	Erick Lara	TB	3B/SS	+	++	--	+	+		+
12	Branny De Oleo	NYM	2B/SS	+	-	--	++			+
13	Mario Baez	ATL	2B/SS	+	++		++	-	++	-
14	Franklin Arias	BOS	SS	+		+	++	-	+
15	Carson Rucker	DET	3B/SS		--		-	+	+	+
16	Estuar Suero	PIT	CF/RF	--		+	--	+	+	+
17	Eduardo Tait	PHI	C	+	++	-		+	--
18	Joshua Liranzo	BAL	3B		++	+
19	Anibal Salas	DET	RF/LF	+		+		+		-
20	Luis Almeyda	BAL	SS/2B/3B	-	+	++	-	+
21	Simon Juan	NYM	RF	--		++	-	++
22	Fabian Lopez	MIA	SS	-		+	-		+
23	Yordany De Los Santos	PIT	3B/SS		-	++	-	+		+
24	Angel Perez	PIT	1B/C	++			+	+		-
25	Dameury Pena	MIN	2B	+		--	++	-	-	-
26	Bryan Acuna	MIN	3B/SS	-		+			+
27	Enrique Jimenez	DET	C			++	+
28	Sam Shaw	TOR	LF/2B		--
29	A.J. Ewing	NYM	LF/2B/CF		--

Jose Perdomo (undisclosed) and Brando Mayea (undisclosed) are both sidelined to start the season, and with Perdomo on the 60-day injured list, it's possible that his injury is serious enough that he'll miss the entire complex-league season. Enmanuel Bonilla, Brailer Guerrero, Starlyn Caba, Jeremy Rodriguez and Jose Monzon are off to great starts, so that's where I'd look first if you want to speculate on one of these guys.

Dominican Summer League

	Prospect	Team	Position	Age/Level	Pedigree	Hit	Power	Speed	Body
1	Paulino Santana	TEX	CF/RF/LF		++	++	++	+	++
2	Dawel Joseph	SEA	SS	+	++	+	+	+	++
3	Adolfo Sanchez	CIN	CF/RF		++	+	+	+	++
4	Francisco Vilorio	NYY	RF/CF		++		++	+
5	Jorge Quintana	MIL	SS		++	+		+	++
6	Luis Cova	MIA	CF		++	+	+	++	++
7	Dexters Peralta	NYY	SS	++	+	+		+	++
8	Emil Morales	LAD	3B/RF/LF		++	+	++
9	Fernando Cruz	CHC	SS		++		+	+
10	Yandel Ricardo	KC	SS/3B		++	+	+		+
11	Bralyn Brazoban	PIT	CF/RF		++		+	+	+
12	Yovanny Rodriguez	NYM	C		++	+	+
13	Adriel Radney	ARI	RF/CF	++	++		+		++
14	Victor Hurtado	WAS	RF/LF	+	++		++
15	Alfredo Benzan	ARI	SS/3B		+	+	+	+	++
16	Elvin Garcia	BAL	SS		+	+	+	+	++
17	Yairo Padilla	STL	SS	++	+	+	+		++
18	Carlos Carrasquel	BOS	3B		+	+	++
19	Edward Lantigua	NYM	CF/RF		+	+	+	+	++
20	Naibel Mariano	CIN	3B		++		++
21	Angel Feliz	WAS	3B		++		++
22	Robert Arias	CLE	CF/LF		++	++	-	+	+
23	Gabriel Rodriguez	CLE	SS	+	+	+		+	+
24	Cristian Arguelles	COL	CF/LF	++	+	+			+
25	Daiber De Los Santos	MIN	SS/CF		++	-	+	++	++
26	Leonardo Pineda	TB	LF/CF		++		+	+
27	Eduardo Beltre	MIN	CF/RF/LF		++		+	+
28	Richard Matic	NYY	3B	++	+	+	+
29	Joswa Lugo	LAA	3B/SS		++		++
30	Jesus Pinto	DET	CF		+			+	+
31	Ashly Andujar	COL	SS	++	++	+
32	Emilio Sanchez	BAL	2B/3B/SS		++	+	+
33	Jhonny Level	SF	SS		+	+		+
34	Belfi Rivera	ARI	CF		++			+
35	Stiven Martinez	BAL	RF/1B	++	+		++
36	Jesus Made	MIL	3B/SS	+	+		+
37	Jalvin Arias	PHI	RF/LF/CF		++	-	++
38	Anderson Navas	PHI	C				++
39	Vladimir Asencio	BOS	CF/LF		+	++	-		-
40	Jhonayker Ugarte	KC	3B/SS		++	+	+
41	Anderson Paula	HOU	RF/LF		+		++
42	Luis Pena	MIL	SS/2B		+			++
43	Andreimi Antunez	TB	SS			+	-	+
44	Edgar Montero	OAK	3B/SS		++		+
45	Jose Ramos	OAK	CF		++			+	+
46	Curley Martha	TEX	SS/2B/3B		+	+
47	Pascual Archila	TOR	LF/CF		+	+
48	Franklin Rojas	TOR	C		++	+
49	Leandro Romero	SEA	SS		+	-	+
50	Eduardo Herrera	CHW	3B/1B		++	-	++	--	-
51	Nestor Miranda	DET	1B/3B	--	++	-	++	--	--
52	Junior Arias	TOR	RF/LF		+	-	+	--
53	Angel Guzman	TOR	SS/2B		+	+

If you want to read up on these players, check out Ben Badler's work at BA. Covering DSL prospects before they play in official games is an impossible job, and Ben is the best in the business. Age appropriate for the DSL is 17 years old. If a player is older than 17 and making their pro debut in the DSL, there could be a good reason, like a visa issue, for them not being stateside, but it's a big red flag if an 18- or 19-year-old hitter is repeating the DSL. For pedigree, I'm basically judging based on signing bonus. Santana will likely head to the Arizona Complex League after a couple weeks in the DSL, and if any of these other guys get similar promotions midway through the DSL season, that's a big mark in their favor.

Pitchers Worth Tracking

ACL

Jeter Martinez - SEA

Cole Schoenwetter - CIN

Hyun-Seok Jang - LAD

Hiro Wyatt - KC

Jesus Tillero - LAD

FCL

Zander Mueth - PIT

Jose Urbina - TB

Paul Wilson - DET

Blake Dickerson - DET

Dylan Questad - MIN

Jerson Alejandro - NYY

David Matoma - PIT

Trevor Harrison - TB

DSL

Yander Maria - CHC

Orlando Suarez - CHW

Jose Paulino - MIA

Humberto Cruz - SD

Branneli Franco - STL

Rostering pitchers in rookie ball is not something I'd advise in most dynasty leagues, but these pitchers have enough upside to justify at least keeping tabs on how they're performing. The top pitchers in this group could quickly move to Single-A if they have early success in rookie ball.

I know Henry Lalane and Carlos Lagrange are listed as being on the Yankees' Florida Complex League roster, but they're both injured, and I assume Lalane, and probably Lagrange, would be sent to Single-A Tampa once they're healthy.