The season is slowly winding to a close but I am as active as ever in my dynasty leagues. If we are being honest, I am probably in too many leagues but what can I say, I love the game. Even in my smaller dynasty/keeper leagues, I try to have a couple of minor spots where I churn and burn. In my smaller keeper leagues, I also like to have a ‘rover’ spot in my major league active roster to move players in and out. Below you will find a few players that have landed on my team over the last few FAAB runs.
Endy Rodriguez, C, Pirates, Double-A
League Size: 12 team, 240 prospects rostered
Justification: It might be odd to lead a dynasty pickup article with a catcher but Rodriguez has been too good to leave on the waiver wire. He signed with the Pirates in July of 2018 and was known more his work behind the dish than at the plate. That has all changed as his bat has moved past his defense and has become his carrying tool. At the present time, it is contact-over-power but that type of profile is one of my favorites. Rodriguez has spent most of his time at High-A and only recently got the call to Double-A. In High-A, the 22-year-old hit .302/.392/.544 with six homers and 77/42 K/BB ratio over 370 plate appearances. He has also had a double-digit walk rate at each stop of his career so he is perfect for OBP leagues. Rodriguez does have 2021 first round pick, Henry Davis ahead of him in Double-A but I’m keeping my fingers crossed that they move Davis from behind the dish and play him at first base or designated hitter.
Endy Rodriguez has gone yard for the second time in Double-A!! We lead it 5-1 in the fifth inning! pic.twitter.com/Y6MX5ILH57
— Altoona Curve (@AltoonaCurve) August 14, 2022
Aaron Zavala, OF, Rangers, Double-A
League Size: 16 team, 256 prospects rostered
Justification: Zavala was the Rangers second round selection in last year’s draft and his bat will carry him to the majors but he has the ability to play all three outfield spots and will probably land in right field at the end of the day. Zavala’s swing is very quick and compact and has an above-average eye at the plate. Just like Rodriguez above, Zavala has spent most of the season in High-A and was recently promoted to Double-A. Across 375 plate appearances in High-A, the 22-year-old slashed .278/.424/.441 with 111 homers and ten steals. While I am not expecting him to run in the majors, he is the type of player that can easily swipe a handful over the course of the season. Zavala returned from the injured list on August 22 and promptly went 1-for-3 with two walks, one stolen base, and two runs scored. While the Rangers outfield is a little crowded but Zavala can easily win out over Josh H. Smith and Bubba Thompson within the next couple of years.
I mean, good grief Aaron Zavala. pic.twitter.com/QR9AcK3C3k
— Tepid Participation (@TepidP) August 7, 2022
Justin Dirden, OF, Astros, Triple-A
League Size: 16 team, 450 prospects rostered
Justification: This might be the deepest name in this article, folks. Dirden was undrafted after the 2020 draft but signed with the Astros late in the summer. Houston assigned him to Low-A to begin the 2021 season and was quickly promoted after slashing .267/.402/.535 with 11 homers in 58 games. To be honest, the Astros have to be thrilled to find him and he has produced at every single level. Dirden demolished 20 balls out of the park in Double-A to start the 2022 season and is now raking at Triple-A. Other than being a UDFA, why isn’t Dirden getting more love? I think a lot of it has to do with Dirden doesn’t need to be added to the 40–man roster until the 2023 offseason. The Astros will have some holes in their outfield (Michael Brantley is a free agent this winter) and I am banking on the Astros using their free agent dollars elsewhere and promote Dirden to add another left-handed bat to the mix.
Justin Dirden 3 run HR for Sugar Land! His first HR in Triple-A and 21st HR this season! #Astros pic.twitter.com/P8OmPO8WqG
— Astros Future (@AstrosFuture) August 15, 2022
Addison Barger, SS, Blue Jays, Double-A
League Size: 16 teams, 240 prospects rostered
Justification: Barger has been one of my favorite deep league pickups this season. He was a sixth-round selection by the Blue Jays in the 2018 amateur draft who struggled out of the gate in his first professional assignment. I remember pursuing leaderboards back then and locked in on his 38/25 K/BB ratio and was impressed to see that from a prep hitter. Barger showed up in a big way after missing a year due to the COVID pandemic and smashed 18 homers across 374 plate appearances in Low-A in 2021. I was still a bit hesitant to pick him up but after seeing that he popped 14 bombs over 292 plate appearances in High-A this year, I swooped in. The Blue Jays promoted him to Double-A July 12 and his power production has decreased ever so slightly, his strikeout rate has decreased while he increased his walk rate. Barger has a very pronounced leg kick and swing can get a bit long, but seeing the easy transition to a more advanced league, I think the bat will be able to play. The Blue Jays will have to make a descion soon as Barger will need to be added to the team’s 40-man roster this winter.
uhhhhhh, I'm pretty sure @AddisonBarger (Addison Barger) just left the stadium.
— Brennan Delaney (@Brennan_L_D) August 18, 2022
That... I'm in shock.#BlueJays #NextLevel pic.twitter.com/opZPDIL7EM
Michael Massey, 2B, Royals, MLB
League Size: 10 teams, 150 prospects rostered
Justification: This league is a little more complicated as there are contracts involved and a fantasy manager cannot pick up a minor league until he makes his major league debut, unless he was drafted in the draft in the preseason. I will freely admit, that Massey was not on my radar until this year. After having an excellent sophomore season, Massey fell in the draft due to a back injury but his 10% strikeout rate should have drawn me in. I will freely admit that I have a bias to bat-to-ball guys. He began this year at Double-A showed more power than expect when he smashed seven homers and 13 doubles across 143 plate appearances. After being promoted to Triple-A, he didn’t miss a beat and was hitting .281/.319/.422 in 20 games before being promoted to the major league team after the Royals traded long-time second baseman, Whit Merrifield. Massey has more than held his own and is hitting .281/.319/.422 with a homer and stolen base. Even more impressive than that is that Massey has an average exit velocity of 92.7 MPH on flies and liners, which puts him right around Bobby Witt Jr. and Vinnie Pasquantino.
Bryan Woo, RHP, Mariners, High-A
League Size 20 teams, 300 prospects rostered
Justification: Woo was drafted in the sixth round last year but didn’t make his professional debut until this season. We all know the TINSTAPP motto but give me a moment here. The 22-year-old righty has quickly moved from the complex leagues to High-A this year. Woo has an even split of 20 ⅓ innings of work between Low-A and High-A and has sustained a 30 K%, which is well above league average while lowering his walk rate from 7% to 4% with the promotion to High-A. What I like to see is that Woo already has three-pitch mix and average command. The Mariners are also letting him get plenty of innings per start and has thrown 20 1/3 innings with 27 strikeouts in his last four starts. Is it risky to roster a pitcher this far away? Yes but pick him up now and ask questions later.
Don’t mess with Bryan Woo 🤯
— Mariners Player Development (@MsPlayerDev) August 20, 2022
🔥 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 11 K 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ShMxRXKlA3
