Farm Futures: 20 Hitter Predictions

It's prediction time here at RotoWire, so I came up with some prospect predictions for the 2016 season. Some of these are bold, some are just sensible, and some will inevitably look horrible at the end of the season. This week's Farm Futures will feature predictions regarding hitting prospects, and next week's piece will feature predictions for pitching prospects.

1. Yoan Moncada will finish the season as the top prospect in the game, following the graduations of Byron Buxton and Corey Seager. He will do so by hitting 20-plus homers and stealing 40-plus bases across stops at High-A and Double-A, while also getting a two-week taste of Triple-A to close out the minor league season.

2. Nomar Mazara will lead the Pacific Coast League in batting average while hitting 10-plus homers in the first three months before he is inevitably called upon to join the Rangers around the All-Star break. It is not clear where Mazara will play, or who he will replace in the Rangers' lineup, but it will be abundantly clear after the first month or two of the season that he has nothing left to prove at Triple-A.

3. Tim Anderson will be up to the majors in time to lead the team with 20-25 steals, and while he may have more steals than walks, his combination of speed and a high batting average will prompt the industry to rank him as a top-150 player heading into drafts in 2017.

4. Joey Gallo will be the talk of the minor leagues in the first half of the season, leading major league and minor league hitters in home runs prior to a call-up in June or July. However, he may only get in the big league lineup a couple times each week, unless Adrian Beltre or Prince Fielder suffer an injury.

5. Franklin Barreto will be up for the A's in August, but not before hitting 20-plus homers with a dozen or so steals and an average north of .300. This will force Marcus Semien to a utility infielder role, and Barreto will make for a nice late-season add in standard leagues.

6. Andrew Benintendi will be the first position player from the 2015 draft to reach the major leagues, taking over in left field in early August as the Red Sox make a push to win the AL East. His across-the-board production and 70-grade hit tool will allow him to contribute immediately in standard leagues.

7. Jorge Mateo will finish the season as a top-three prospect for dynasty leagues. He has 80-grade speed, the potential for 12-15 homers, and an on-base ability that belongs at the top of a big league lineup. The 20-year-old shortstop also has elite makeup, and the total package amounts to a dynasty league building block who should be one of the top trade targets for owners looking to buy before the price goes through the roof.

8. Victor Robles will finish the season as a top-five prospect for dynasty leagues. He will begin the year at Low-A, but could be promoted to High-A before his 19th birthday on May 19. Robles (pronounced "robe-less") will be an asset in batting average and steals, but if he grows into a bit more power, he could post Andrew McCutchen-esque numbers in time.

9. Bobby Bradley will hit 30-plus homers while getting his K-rate under 30 percent, cementing his status as a top-10 prospect in dynasty leagues heading into 2017.

10. Dominic Smith's doubles power will start to turn into over-the-fence pop, and he will hit 15-plus homers, which, paired with his plus-plus hit tool, will make him a top-25 prospect at the end of the season.

11. Jomar Reyes will hit more homers in the Carolina League than Rafael Devers, opening up a debate as to which hulking teenage third base prospect is preferable in dynasty leagues.

12. Jacob Nottingham will get a September call-up following a mid-season Jonathan Lucroy trade. The top catching prospect in the game for dynasty league purposes, Nottingham will show off his impressive raw power to the tune of 20-plus homers prior to the call-up, and will be the Brewers' Opening Day catcher in 2017.

13. Brandon Drury will be the most valuable Diamondbacks infielder not named Paul Goldschmidt. A plus hit tool highlights his offensive skillset, and while he doesn't offer elite power or speed, he profiles as a No. 2 hitter in the big leagues, which should allow for him to post Matt Carpenter-esque numbers in time. He should see time at second base and third base this season, giving his owners valuable position flexibility.

14. Colin Moran will come up in the first half and trail only Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa in batting average as the team's starting third baseman for the final two-thirds of the season.

15. Mallex Smith will be a FAAB drain upon a first half call-up, but due to a slight frame that limits his ability to impact the baseball, he will hit below .250 and end up on waiver wires in standard leagues within a month of his call-up.

16. Willie Calhoun will hit his way to Triple-A in the first half of the season, showcasing one of the best hit tools in the minor leagues and above average power for a second baseman. The Dodgers won't have room for him at the big league level until rosters expand in September, but Calhoun will use his bat to convince the front office that he is ready to start at the keystone in 2017.

17. Jorge Alfaro's contact and pitch recognition issues will keep him in the minor leagues for all of 2016, and his status as the Phillies' catcher of the future will come into question, leaving his dynasty league value at its lowest point since 2010.

18. Christin Stewart will emerge as the Tigers' top prospect by abusing Eastern League pitching following an early-season promotion from High-A Lakeland. He will then be dealt at the deadline for a win-now piece in a deal that will turn out to be a boon for his new organization.

19 . Cole Tucker will return from his shoulder injury with authority, re-establishing himself as a top-100 prospect for dynasty leagues by season's end.

20. Chris Gittens will emerge on the dynasty league landscape as a legitimate first base/DH prospect after terrorizing Florida State League and Eastern League pitching to the tune of an OPS north of .900 across multiple levels.