Farm Futures: Rookie Hitter Rankings 2.0

• Rankings and tiers are for 2024 fantasy value only
• Only hitters with fewer than 130 at-bats and fewer than 45 days on the active roster were considered
• ADP is from NFBC 15-team Draft Champions that took place after Jan. 1 (57 drafts worth of data)
• I've included my player shares through five Draft Champions and one NFBC 50
• Listed positions are the positions they are eligible at in the NFBC, not necessarily their long-term positions
• Rookie Pitcher Rankings 2.0 next week

Upside Targets in the Top 200

1. Noelvi Marte, 3B, CIN, ADP: 169 (Shares: 1/6)

The Reds signed Jeimer Candelario and have yet to trade Jonathan India since Vol. 1.0, but I'm still betting Marte gets close to everyday playing time at the hot corner. Marte projects for 30-homer power during his peak years, but the biggest selling point in redraft leagues is that he has 25-steal upside at third base and is getting drafted in a range of the draft where impact speed from a player who could also help in power without hurting your average is hard to find.

2. Wyatt Langford, OF, TEX, ADP: 165 (Shares: 3/6)

Langford is extremely new to pro ball and there are no guarantees with regards to his MLB role, but he's ready to produce significantly in all five categories. Given that Langford would be the favorite to win AL Rookie of the Year if he gets full-time at-bats all year, it seems obvious that the Rangers would go that route in an attempt to get a Prospect Promotion Incentive draft pick in 2025. But we have to trust the Rangers to do the logical thing -- there might not be any public guarantees that Langford will be on the Opening Day roster until late March. In that respect and in the potential statistical output, Langford is similar to Julio Rodriguez prior to the 2022 season. If Texas signs a player who needs time at designated hitter (there have been Brandon Belt rumors), then that'd be a sign they plan to start Langford in the minors. Otherwise, there should be enough at-bats for Adolis Garcia, Leody Taveras, Evan Carter and Langford.

Floor + Ceiling

3. Evan Carter, OF, Rangers, ADP: 138

He doesn't hit the ball very hard and he hasn't hit lefties yet, but Carter excels in every other aspect of the game. We know he's going to play at minimum against all righties, and that gives him a 15-steal floor. It's realistic 20/20 upside with a good enough approach that he he could push for 80-plus runs even while sitting against a decent amount of lefties.

4. Jackson Chourio, OF, Brewers, ADP: 147

Chourio jumps up one tier from Vol. 1.0 after signing a long-term extension with Milwaukee. Since then, drafters have been fairly aggressive with Chourio as a source of speed with power in the early-100s. I expect peak Chourio to be a top-30 pick in fantasy, and maybe even a first rounder during his prime, but I also don't think 2024 will be a prime season. Something along the lines of 15-20 home runs and 20-30 steals is in play, but I expect Chourio to hit in the .240-.260 range — a lower batting average than I'd project for Marte, Langford and Carter. I understand the need to chase speed, but there's enough uncertainty here that I don't expect to end up with any Chourio shares, given the price tag.

5. Parker Meadows, OF, Tigers, ADP: 285 (Shares: 2/6)

Meadows doesn't have the same platoon issues as Carter, but he also projects to hit in a significantly worse lineup and home park. What gives Meadows such a high floor is his defense. He's got a plus arm and plus speed and is the team's best center fielder, so he'd have to be notably worse than his offensive projections to lose playing time. Meadows is a safe bet to go 15/15 with the upside to go 20/30.

More Ceiling than Floor

6. Jackson Holliday, SS, Orioles, ADP: 217

If the Orioles are playing Holliday regularly early in the season, that likely means he's up to the challenge and providing a solid return on investment. On the flip side, if the Orioles were not playing Holliday in April, May and June, it would be completely understandable, given their current organizational depth chart and the fact it's his age-20 season. The team is open to any outcome with Holliday, who could legitimately show up to big-league camp with 10-15 more pounds of muscle and louder tools across the board. It sounds like Holliday will be groomed for the second base job in the spring, presumably shifting Jordan Westburg to third base and allowing Gunnar Henderson to stick at shortstop, at least in the short term. The Orioles have four shortstops (Holliday, Henderson, Westburg, Jorge Mateo), but Holliday's defense is the weakest part of his game right now. I'm punting on Holliday at his price, but I could be singing a different tune in late March.

7. Junior Caminero, 3B, Rays, ADP: 235

Caminero will go to camp with a path to being an everyday player this season. I think he'll earn that opportunity and play well enough to not give up the job. The question is, what does 135 games or so of rookie Caminero look like? ATC projections have Caminero slashing .265/.319/.440 with a 20.7 percent strikeout rate and if we prorate the projections to 135 games, Caminero projects for 21 homers. Those are really strong projections for a 20-year-old rookie slugger. Unlike a lot of these guys, Caminero won't steal bases, so he has four avenues to help us, not five. If his 2024 season plays out as I expect, I'll be buying in on Caminero for 2025, which is when I think we'd see the jump to 30-homer production.

8. Jordan Lawlar, SS, Diamondbacks, ADP: 313 (Shares: 1/6)

Lawlar's ADP was 245 in Vol. 1.0, so the market has cooled quite a bit, due in part to the Eugenio Suarez trade, as there's clearly just one spot now for Lawlar and Geraldo Perdomo. The Diamondbacks won't block Lawlar from that spot if they think he is ready on Opening Day, but Perdomo is a great option to keep shortstop warm if the team thinks Lawlar would be better served with another month or two at Triple-A. Lawlar's speed should allow him to be usable in 15-team leagues even if he's struggling as a hitter as long as he's playing regularly. A 20/30 season is a longshot possibility, but he will be in the bottom third of the lineup until he proves he needs to be slotted higher.  

9. Tyler Black, 3B, Brewers, ADP: 331

Black's defense is reportedly pretty bad everywhere, so the question is how committed the Brewers will be to play him anyway, at least against righties. We should be assuming Willy Adames gets dealt before Opening Day, shifting Joey Ortiz over to shortstop and opening up third-base playing time for Black, who could also see run at first base or designated hitter. He could provide similar counting stats to Tommy Edman, just with a lower AVG, higher OBP and fewer starts against same-handed pitchers. I prefer several players below him long term, but Black's potential to steal 25 bases with 3B eligibility makes him a more appealing short-term flyer.

10. Jasson Dominguez, OF, Yankees, ADP: 445 (Shares: 4/6)

I really didn't set out to draft Dominguez on a bunch of redraft teams, but I obviously disagreed with the way the market was valuing him in draft-and-hold leagues back in October and November. However, since then, the Yankees added Juan Soto, Alex Verdugo and Trent Grisham to the mix, so it's harder to envision a scenario where Dominguez surprises people with a return to the big-league lineup in June. When healthy and in the big-league lineup, I'd value Dominguez as a borderline top-100 fantasy player — the player we saw over Dominguez's final 50 games of 2023 looked like a superstar. A return to full-time center field work after the All-Star break is what I'm hoping for with my already drafted shares, and perhaps he could be back before then if Giancarlo Stanton is injured and Grisham has failed to carve out a role.

11. Coby Mayo, 3B, Orioles, ADP: 520 (Shares: 2/6)

Mayo is pretty similar to Caminero from a potential production standpoint (no speed, but strong long-term four-category upside), but his situation is extremely crowded. If one or two of Ryan Mountcastle, Ramon Urias or Ryan O'Hearn were traded in a consolidation trade, it would give Mayo a realistic avenue to playing time and his 2024 demand would increase. His bat is big-league ready, but unfortunately his home park will suppress his righty power more than most big-league venues. Mayo could add first-base eligibility once he's up, which is a big part of the appeal in his range of draft and holds.

12. Ceddanne Rafaela, OF, Red Sox, ADP: 372

He's arguably the best athlete covered in this article, and he's capable of playing any position on the field. It's just not clear when and how the Red Sox will make the pieces fit. I believe we're a couple years away from Rafaela's fantasy prime and that there will be growing pains between now and when we get there. However, he's toolsy enough that he could start paying off in fantasy ahead of schedule, and he'll at least contribute speed if he's playing regularly. It's not out of the question that he adds shortstop eligibility in season. I'd take the first five players in the next tier ahed of Rafaela, but he fits better in this tier.

More Floor than Ceiling I

13. Colt Keith, 3B, Tigers, ADP: 348 (Shares: 1/6)

I don't think Keith would have made the club out of spring training if he hadn't signed a long-term extension, but now that he has, he'll surely be given every chance to break camp as the everyday second baseman. He has gone as high as 245 in this sample of DC's, and if you want him, you'll probably need to take him ahead of ADP. Keith doesn't offer any speed and his home park and lineup will suppress his counting stats. He'll enter the year eligible at third base before picking up second base eligibility. 

14. Kyle Manzardo, 1B, Guardians, ADP: 347

First basemen need to be really good to be worth the final years of arbitration anyway, so there's not a major drawback to Cleveland starting Manzardo on the Opening Day roster and giving themselves an outside shot at the Prospect Promotion Incentive draft pick. Barring some out-of-nowhere signing of a J.D. Martinez or C.J. Cron type, it would be odd for Manzardo to be left out of the fray when they break camp. I'd be anticipating a similar arrangement to what they had with Josh Bell and Josh Naylor last season, where they split the 1B/DH duties. The big question is whether Manzardo sits against lefties. He had a .595 OPS and 25.2 K% in 131 plate appearances against lefties in 2023 and had an .819 OPS and 23.1 K% in 79 PA vs. LHP in 2022. He could pay off his current price, but I think the realistic upside as a rookie is something like a .280 AVG with 20 HR and no speed and that's not sexy enough to make up for the uncertainty.

15. Masyn Winn, SS, Cardinals, ADP: 358

Winn has a decently high long-term ceiling, but a pretty low realistic ceiling in 2024. I believe the Cardinals will play him every day at shortstop and bat him ninth all season. It's not always a true meritocracy when we're talking about shortstops of the future, and Winn isn't going to improve as a hitter with a return to Triple-A. Long term, I think he can be a 15-homer/30-steal shortstop who hits above .250. I'd just be hoping for 10 homers and 15 steals this year, however.

16. Wilyer Abreu, OF, Red Sox, ADP: 385

Abreu looks like a better big-league player than I was expecting him to be, but he's still likely to be platooned. Whenever there's a period where the Red Sox have mostly righties on the schedule and they are playing at home or in another favorable park, Abreu will be a really solid fourth or fifth outfielder to plug in, but you won't want to be using him without those contextual advantages. Even as a platoon bat he could flirt with a 20/10 season, but the runs and RBI won't be great.

17. Joey Ortiz, 2B, Brewers, ADP: 659 (Shares: 2/6)

The biggest riser since Vol. 1.0, Ortiz went from being a backup to the backup to being a pretty clear everyday player for Milwaukee. It's been said ad nauseum since the trade, but Ortiz is a great defender and a skilled hitter whose swing is geared more for doubles than homers. He also lacks impact speed. I'm viewing him as a discount version of Vaughn Grissom — Grissom's upside is something like 15/15, and I'd project Ortiz to go 10/10 with good health. The nice thing is he'll add third base or shortstop eligibility in season, and possibly both. Ortiz's highest selection in 2024 Draft Champions is 406, but if you want him, ignore the pre-trade ADP and start looking at him around pick 350.

18. Curtis Mead, 3B, Rays, ADP: 477

After digging in on Mead's 2023 season, I think he's potentially underrated in dynasty leagues, but I'm still not sure exactly how his playing time will shake out in 2024. His overall Triple-A numbers from last season are OK, but he was dominant after returning midseason from an injury, slashing .336/.439/.604 with seven home runs, 15 doubles and as many walks as strikeouts (26) in 39 games. Mead should add second-base eligibility at some point (playing there against LHP) and he could win everyday playing time right out of the gate, but a return to Triple-A is also possible. He's a potential .300 hitter with 20-25 homer power at peak, but he'll probably just show flashes of that upside in his age-23 season.

19. Austin Wells, C, Yankees, ADP: 307

It looks like Wells has a clear path to the strong side of a platoon at catcher, just because we know how mediocre the incumbents are. However, Wells is the worst defender of the bunch, so there could be some push and pull between what the front office, manager and pitching staff want happening behind the dish. Jose Trevino even projects to be more valuable on a per-plate appearance basis, per Steamer. Even if he sits against all lefties and some righties, Wells should push for 15-plus home runs as a rookie thanks to the dimensions of Yankee Stadium, but he's not going to hit for a very high average or steal more than a few bases and he could bat ninth.

20. Brayan Rocchio, SS, Guardians, ADP: 490

Rocchio appears to have hit a bit of a wall as a power hitter against Triple-A and MLB pitching. He had an ISO over .160 at High-A and Double-A, but he has just 12 homers in 172 total games at Triple-A and the majors. His hard-hit data suggests he's deserved that mediocre output. He is still capable of playing anywhere on the infield and has a decent hit tool and good enough speed and instincts to steal 15-20 bases over a full season. I doubt you'll ever be excited about plugging Rocchio into a DC lineup, and he's not assured of regular playing time at any point in 2024, although he is the favorite to be the Opening Day shortstop.

21. Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF, Cubs, ADP: 358

I don't think he's ready to hit for a decent average in the majors. I'm expecting him to hit around .230 (ATC has him for .248, for what it's worth) with 15-20 steals and around 10 homers to go with Gold Glove caliber defense in center field. He may be back and forth a couple times between Triple-A and the majors. There's always a chance he's better than what I'm projecting for 2024, and he doesn't have to be great offensively to play every day.

22. Heston Kjerstad, UT, Orioles, ADP: 555

Kjerstad's left-handed power will get him playing time this season, but he's likely not going to play much against lefties and he could open the year back at Triple-A, depending on how active the Orioles are this offseason with consolidation trades. He's UT-only to start the year, and there's no guarantee he gets outfield or first base eligibility anytime soon. Still, Kjerstad should hit for power at a 25-homer pace when he's in the majors.

23. Colton Cowser, OF, Orioles, ADP: 515 (Shares: 2/6)

Cowser will need to earn his playing time, but he's too talented on both sides of the ball to go another full season without carving out a role at some point. That said, he probably opens back at Triple-A. Two big things working in his favor over the course of the season are his defensive chops (better in the outfield than Connor Norby and Heston Kjerstad) and his handedness -- Baltimore's home park is much better for lefty power than righty power. 

24. Michael Busch, 3B, Cubs, ADP: 360

Busch getting traded into a better situation is like the opposite of when a pitcher I'm fading gets injured before March. Essentially, I'm not drafting him and now those who are drafting him will be using a much higher pick. Even after the trade to the Cubs, Busch has flaws that could cost him playing time, most notably poor defense and subpar production against left-handed pitching (.795 OPS as a 25-year-old in the minors). He had to repeat Triple-A to master it, which is a bad sign for a 26-year-old at the bottom of the defensive spectrum. Still, he should add first base eligibility at some point this season, and he could hit 20 homers with a mediocre batting average if he's able to hold onto the strong side of a platoon.

25. Nolan Schanuel, 1B, Angels, ADP: 425

All Schanuel is going to do is play and not tank your batting average, but there's no counting stat upside to dream on (The BAT X, a projection system that incorporates Statcast data, has him for seven homers in 116 games). I don't think that's a worthwhile use of a top-450 pick because the ceiling is so low. There is value in having a 1B-eligible player on the bench that you feel confident you'll be able to use as an injury replacement, but from a skills standpoint, he's basically Spencer Horwitz.

26. Hunter Goodman, OF, Rockies, ADP: 422

Goodman doesn't really fit in any of these tiers. He has upside in home games when he's a regular in the lineup, he's usable in a pinch when he's a regular in the lineup for road games, and there's a decent chance he's not a regular in the lineup for any significant length of time in 2024. The fact he bats right-handed and isn't a good defender anywhere hurts his chances, but he could hit 25-plus homers if they gave him regular run. 

27. Darell Hernaiz, SS, Athletics, ADP: 549 (Shares: 1/6)

I really wish Hernaiz's context was better, because he's an underrated talent. His lack of impact speed, terrible home park and sub-standard teammates cap his ceiling, but he's a strong draft-and-hold target due to his floor and path to playing time. Hernaiz only hit nine home runs last year while stealing 13 bases, but he hit .321 with a 13.4 K%, 105.4 mph 90th percentile EV and a 112 mph maxEV (very good data for a 22-year-old shortstop). It wouldn't be surprising to see him hit .275 with 10 homers and 15 steals if he were in the big-league lineup for 135 games or so. 

28. Brooks Lee, SS, Twins, ADP: 631

Another riser on Vol. 2.0, Lee should benefit at some point this year from the Jorge Polanco trade to Seattle, although he'll probably head back to Triple-A to start the year. He's a power-hitting shortstop with no speed and I don't expect him to hit his stride as a hitter for average or power as a rookie, so he's really not a great redraft target beyond the fact he's shortstop-eligibile and that position is really weak in the back half of draft and holds. Lee has gone as high as 459 since the Polanco trade.

29. Marco Luciano, SS, Giants, ADP: 464

The selling point with Luciano is that the Giants have essentially said he's going to be their shortstop next season. ATC projects a .225/.302/.369 slash line for Luciano, which if anything, seems generous to me, so even if he is the Opening Day shortstop, there is no guarantee he holds that job for long. He'll steal more than zero bases next season but fewer than 10 and his hit tool is below average. His top tool is his power but his home park will suppress that output. The floor is that he tanks your batting average and becomes unusable and the ceiling isn't very high.

30. Dominic Fletcher, OF, White Sox, ADP: 727

Fletcher was going to be stuck in a reserve role in Arizona, but he still isn't very exciting with the move to Chicago, where his defense and contact ability should allow him to play regularly against righties. This is as low-upside as it gets from a power/speed standpoint — you're just buying the plate appearances — but I had to slot him somewhere.

Summer Stashes

31. Chase DeLauter, OF, Guardians, ADP: 601 (Shares: 1/6)

DeLauter just looks like a big leaguer. He's been the best player in most of the games he's played in as a professional, and the contrast between his physicality and raw tools compared to Cleveland's other outfielders is so stark, I think it's a worthwhile gamble in rounds 30-40 of a DC. He was a .402 hitter in college, was a .355 hitter in the minors and hit .299 with a .914 OPS in the Arizona Fall League. DeLauter's 6-foot-4, 235-pound frame is notable as he has missed a lot of time with lower-body injuries.

32. Jackson Merrill, SS, Padres, ADP: 621

It wouldn't be nefarious to keep Merrill in the upper levels of the minors for most of 2024, but the big-league depth chart is so top-heavy, that he will likely look like a viable alternative sooner than later. Merrill could probably play anywhere in the infield and could masquerade in left field when needed, and once he's up, he'll be in the lineup every day. He could go 15/15 as a rookie but isn't a burner and probably won't start regularly getting to his considerable raw power in games until 2025 or 2026.

33. Dylan Crews, OF, Nationals, ADP: 526

Crews has an extensive track record of performance, except for his 20-game showing at Double-A to close last season. I'd bet against Crews being up before late-August and I'd bet against him being a strong fantasy contributor if/when he is up in 2024, but if things click for him quickly in the upper levels, there's no denying the Nationals will bring him up and play him every day. 

34. Matt Shaw, SS, Cubs, ADP: 643 (Shares: 2/6)

Shaw had the best debut from the 2023 college crop outside of Wyatt Langford, climbing all the way to Double-A. I loved the offseason news Shaw will focus on third base — it's not a natural position for him, but it signals that the Cubs will keep that spot open for him. He could produce at a 20/20 clip once he's up, and I'm interested to see how long the Cubs keep him in big-league camp this spring.

35. Orelvis Martinez, SS, Blue Jays, ADP: 602 (Shares: 3/6)

I don't even believe Martinez will be good in the majors this year, I just think he was way too cheap in draft and holds back when I was drafting him in the endgame in October/November. He's on the 40-man roster, has monster raw power that he's always gotten to in games, and the Blue Jays have an opening at third base, his long-term position. Martinez's hit tool used to be so bad I didn't think he'd make it in the majors, but his .340 OBP and 23.8 K% as a 22-year-old at Double-A and Triple-A were strong enough marks that I'm cautiously optimistic about him making it as a .235 AVG/30-HR type of corner bat.

36. Drew Gilbert, OF, Mets, ADP: 721

Unlike Jett Williams and Luisangel Acuna, I think Gilbert gets the call whenever the Mets think he's ready. They're more likely to need an outfielder (at least one of Starling Marte or Harrison Bader will get injured at some point) than a middle infielder, and Gilbert is already 23. He got off to a slow start at Double-A for Houston before the trade but hit .312/.388/.537 with 10 home runs, five steals and an 18.8 K% over his final 58 games.

37. Thomas Saggese, 2B, Cardinals, ADP: 690 (Shares: 1/6)

Saggese is a few good months at Triple-A away from taking over as the everyday second baseman, if that spot is up for grabs. A career .298/.369/.508 hitter in the minors, Saggese does a little bit of everything and is also capable of playing third base or shortstop in a pinch. Unfortunately, he lacks plus speed and probably won't steal more than a half dozen bases in a full season.

38. Connor Norby, 2B, Orioles ADP: 645

A man without a clear home in Baltimore, but a man who could slot in at second base or left field for any rebuilding club that might acquire him. He's just a natural hitter who can do a bit of everything.

39. James Wood, OF, Nationals, ADP: 590

A high-upside play I'd bet against, at least in 2024. Wood needs to improve his hit tool, but if he does, he's toolsy enough to pay off this cost over the final 2-to-3 months.

40. Colson Montgomery, SS, White Sox, ADP: 501

The White Sox are telegraphing that Montgomery will be up for a good chunk of the year, but his lack of speed limits my interest for his rookie season, especially if they rush him up. 

41. Bryan Ramos, 3B, White Sox, ADP: 736

Ramos is very good on both sides of the ball and not far from being big-league ready. He hasn't played at Triple-A yet, but he is on the 40-man roster, so a Yoan Moncada trade or injury could expedite his ascent.

42. Everson Pereira, OF, Yankees, ADP: 715 (Shares: 2/6)

I was high on Pereira long term when he debuted last year but I also expected him to struggle mightily in his first exposure to big-league pitching, so his MLB debut was not alarming to me. He takes big cuts and will run lower contact rates, but when he connects he can hit the ball very hard and Pereira can also chip in on the bases. Unfortunately, after all their offseason acquisitions, the Yankees are going to send him to Triple-A, perhaps until the trade deadline. I expect Pereira to put up huge numbers at Triple-A and hopefully a smart team will trade for him.

43. Victor Scott, OF, Cardinals, ADP: 496

A pre-AFL sleeper, now Scott's game is well known. The Cardinals need to organize the roster, but Scott could be a stolen-base monster if he gets regular run in center field at some point in the second half.

44. Johnathan Rodriguez, OF, Guardians, ADP: 748

Obviously Rodriguez, who hit 29 homers in the upper levels of the minors last year, brings a power element that the Guardians' big-league outfielders lack, but he is also a couple grades worse with the hit and speed tools. Rodriguez is on the 40-man roster and has a prototypical right-field profile, however, so if he cuts the strikeouts at Triple-A, he'll get his shot.

45. Austin Shenton, 3B, Rays, ADP: 743

Shenton could be this year's Luke Raley (minus the stolen bases) if the Rays felt inclined to give him that much run. He bats left-handed and has plus power with a three-true outcomes type of offensive skill set. Shelton could gain first base eligibility once he's up.

46. Rece Hinds, OF, Reds, ADP: 750

Hinds, like Jackson Chourio and Owen Caissie, went on a red-hot heater after the pre-tacked balls were removed from the Southern League. It's already getting a little crowded in Cincinnati, but Hinds, who is on the 40-man roster, has monster raw power and could play an outfield corner for the Reds in the second half. His 20 steals at Double-A oversell his potential in that category.

47. Justin Foscue, 2B, Rangers, ADP: 658 (Shares: 1/6)

Foscue has nothing left to prove at Triple-A. But he's also proven that he doesn't fit anywhere on the Rangers' full-strength roster. Foscue is a high-OBP, high-AVG, 20-homer type who will be a defensive negative, and most teams already have a guy like that hanging around the upper levels.

48. Addison Barger, OF, Blue Jays, ADP: 720

The lefty-hitting Barger saw time at right field, shortstop, third base and second base while at Triple-A. He was just OK last year, with some hot stretches and some cold stretches surrounding a first-half elbow injury. Toronto will be active in free agency, but there are multiple spots up for grabs as things stand.

49. Juan Brito, 2B, Guardians, ADP: 749

Unlike most Guardians middle infielders of recent vintage, Brito is a bat-first prospect with a good command of the zone, kind of in the Isaac Paredes mold. He is already on the 40-man roster, it's just a matter of when Cleveland wants to jump him over the Brayan Rocchio, Tyler Freeman types.

50. Luisangel Acuna, SS, Mets, ADP: 619

Acuna is on the 40-man roster, but it doesn't strike me as a David Stearns maneuver to quickly turn to Acuna in his age-22 season when he's entering the year with zero experience at Triple-A. Anything is possible if injuries strike or he's running hot at Triple-A, but I'm expecting Acuna to debut in late-August.

51. Kyle Teel, C, Red Sox, ADP: Undrafted

A perfect pairing in last year's draft, Teel is obviously Boston's catcher of the future, we just don't know when they'll start that era. He's probably going to look like one of their two best catchers in spring training, so it could be early if they care about just having the right guy back there, but if they play service-time games, we might not see him until late-August.

52. Ben Rice, C, Yankees, ADP: 648

Rice is a low-probability upside flyer at the catcher spot. He had a 182 wRC+ at Double-A, has never played at Triple-A and turns 25 in February.

53. Blake Dunn, OF, Reds, ADP: 716

I know he's already 25, but I think the Reds will take their time with Dunn since he's not on the 40-man roster yet. He played 77 games at Double-A and zero games at Triple-A last year, but had a .433 OBP, 15 homers and 35 steals in those 77 games. 

54. Jeferson Quero, C, Brewers ADP: 721

I think we'll see Quero up at some point this year, but I think it's unlikely we'll want to use him in fantasy as a rookie. He's fine if you just want a super cheap emergency catcher for the final couple months, but that's not how I'd want to use a roster spot.

55. George Valera, OF, Guardians, ADP: Undrafted

I'd bet against Valera performing in the majors, but the Guardians may give him a shot if he has a bounce-back year at Triple-A. This is his last year with a minor-league option, so one would assume Valera has put in the work this offseason after an injury-plagued 2023.

More Floor than Ceiling II

56. Dane Myers, OF, Marlins, ADP: Undrafted (Shares: 1/6)

Myers made his big-league debut last year as a 27-year-old, so he's not a traditional prospect, but he's in one of the shallowest organizations in the game, so he's going to play this year again at some point. His 600 plate appearance projected pace, per Steamer, would be 16 home runs, 11 steals and a .255 average, which is pretty solid for a guy who is available in the endgame.

57. Spencer Horwitz, 1B, Blue Jays, ADP: 720 (Shares: 1/6)

The Jays brought in Justin Turner to handle designated hitter duties, but if Turner or Vladimir Guerrero get injured, Horwitz could all of a sudden be playing quite a bit. He's 26 and had a 144 wRC+ with more walks than strikeouts at Triple-A. Horwitz just doesn't hit for typical power for the bottom of the defensive spectrum.

58. Nick Loftin, 1B, Royals, ADP: 606

I like Loftin as a real-life bench player, but he's not going to provide much counting-stat juice, even if he falls into regular playing time. He's got the potential to add positional eligibility in season, but it's a bad park and a bad lineup and Loftin has fringe-average raw power and average speed.

59. Kyren Paris, SS, Angels, ADP: 748

Very toolsy yet overmatched in his big-league cup of coffee, Paris probably isn't someone you'll want to have in your lineup, but he might be getting playing time for the Angels this summer. He's just 22 and stole 44 bases at Double-A last year.

60. Matt Mervis, 1B, Cubs, ADP: 522

I was too high on him a year ago (I took him in at least one NFBC Gladiator draft!), but he's a Quad-A guy until further notice. There's nobody ahead of him on the depth chart, but that was also the case a year ago, and we don't want to fall into that trap again. Even if they surprisingly gave Mervis the job, I'd be expecting something like a .240 AVG and 20-HR output over a full season, so you're not leaving much upside on the table by looking elsewhere in this range.

61. Alexander Canario, OF, Cubs, ADP: 737

Canario looks like a short-side platoon slugger who could use a trade -- the exact thing we would have said about Nelson Velazquez a year ago, and now he might be an everyday player for the Royals. Canario is UT-only to start the year and he is out of minor-league options.

62. Eguy Rosario, 3B, Padres, ADP: 742

Rosario seems like a big-league bench player all the way, but the Padres' current roster is shallow enough that he could find his way into playing time for stretches of the season. There's at least a little speed, which is nice.

63. Deyvison De Los Santos, 3B, Guardians, ADP: 700

On the one hand, I understand that the Guardians wanted to pounce on De Los Santos for his raw power and youth in the hopes that they can aid him with his swing decisions and defense enough for him to hang on the big-league roster all season as a Rule 5 draft pick. On the other hand, it seems highly unlikely to me that he is much better than a .200 hitter with a 35 percent strikeout rate this year.

Maybe in Late-August:

Roman Anthony (BOS), Walker Jenkins (MIN), Jett Williams (NYM), Adael Amador (COL), Brady House (WAS), Owen Caissie (CHC), Sterlin Thompson (COL), Marcelo Mayer (BOS), Spencer Jones (NYY), Xavier Isaac (TB), Ethan Salas (SD), Zac Veen (COL), Samuel Basallo (BAL), Jakob Marsee (SD), James Triantos (CHC)

I'm sure someone from this tier will force the issue before late-August, and roughly half this tier won't be up this year at all. There's premium talent in this tier, but it's very unlikely any of them are up in time to exhaust their rookie eligibility for 2025. Instead of waiting until the third week of April to call up the Kris Bryant's and Ronald Acuna's, teams like the Red Sox and Nationals are now incentivized to wait until there are about 10 days left in August to promote the Roman Anthony's and Brady House's to the majors.

Honorable mention: 

Dustin Harris (TEX), Joey Loperfido (HOU), Jorge Barrosa (ARI), Graham Pauley (SD), Trey Cabbage (HOU), Haydn McGeary (CHC), Jose Rodriguez (CHW), Nick Yorke (BOS), Justyn-Henry Malloy (DET), Alan Roden (TOR), Andy Pages (LAD), Wade Meckler (SF), Pedro Leon (HOU), Jhonkensy Noel (CLE), Jonatan Clase (SEA), Luis Vazquez (CHC), Blaze Alexander (ARI), Jacob Wilson (OAK), Kenedy Corona (HOU), Jorbit Vivas (NYY), Damiano Palmegiani (TOR), Jace Jung (DET), Denzel Clarke (OAK), Drew Romo (COL), Yohandy Morales (WAS), Justice Bigbie (DET), Ryan Bliss (SEA), Eddys Leonard (DET), David Hamilton (BOS), Robert Hassell (WAS), Yunior Severino (MIN), Zach DeLoach (CHW), Jacob Hurtubise (CIN), Troy Johnston (MIA)