The App is Back! Don’t forget to download the NBC Sports EDGE app to receive real-time player news, mobile alerts and track your favorite players. Plus, now you can check out articles and player cards. Get it here!
On Monday, we took at the prospects who most impressed me in my look over the weekend at the Arizona Fall League.
Today, we’ll take a (slightly) broader look at the prospects who are participating in the league who can help fantasy rosters in 2022, and on Friday, we’ll go over the top long-term plays in the league.
Without further ado, here’s a look at the top prospects who have a chance to be fantasy contributors next season.
1. Spencer Torkelson, INF, Detroit Tigers -- It’s obvious, but, it’s worth writing about again. Torkelson is one of the very best prospects in baseball, and reached Triple-A in his first minor league season. The power is ahead of his hit tool, but that’s a compliment to the power rather than an insult to the hit; he should be able to provide plenty of production at both. Torkelson isn’t likely to make the Tigers to begin the year, but he should be up by the summer, and provide plenty of fantasy relevance.[[ad:athena]]
2. Nolan Gorman, INF, St. Louis Cardinals -- If the Cardinals wouldn’t have gone on their miraculous run in September, there’s a very good chance that Gorman would have made his debut in 2021. They did, so he didn’t, but there’s lots of reasons to believe Gorman is a contributor in 2022. He has plus-plus power from the left side, and while there is some swing-and-miss in his profile -- that’s an understatement -- the ball jumps off his bat. Right now, it looks like Gorman has a very good chance to be the starting second baseman for the Cards for the majority of the upcoming campaign.
3. Brett Baty, INF, New York Mets -- I wasn’t sure where I was going to rank Baty before I saw him over the weekend. It was pretty obvious that he belonged in the top three after, and the only reason he doesn’t rank above Gorman is because Gorman’s proximity makes him more likely to be up early. Still, this is a third baseman who can hit for average and power, and his ability to recognize pitches was readily apparent. There’s no guarantee that he sees time with the Mets this summer, but if he does, he’s someone fantasy managers should swoop up. Quickly.
4. Triston Casas, 1B, Boston Red Sox -- Casas didn’t make my list of prospects that impressed because I didn’t get a chance to see him, but there were (mostly) solid reports on one of the top prospects in the Boston system. Like Gorman, he has plus-plus power from his left-handed stick, but he has a better chance to hit for average and should get on base at a quality clip, as well. The concern with Casas is that at first base -- and he’s definitely limited to first base -- he has to max out offensively, but the middle-of-the-order hitting potential is obvious.
5. MacKenzie Gore, LHP, San Diego Padres -- Gore has gone from being the best pitching prospect in baseball to an incredibly volatile hurler, but considering he’s still just 23 (24 in February) and his pedigree, there’s reason for optimism. Cautious optimism, but optimism. He also looked good in his first start in the AFL, and appears to be repeating his new delivery on a more consistent basis. If he’s even a semblance of the arm we saw in 2019 that showed four swing-and-miss pitches, he’s got a chance to be a frontline starter.
6. CJ Abrams, INF, San Diego Padres -- Abrams hasn’t appeared in an Arizona Fall League game yet, but he’s on the roster, so he counts. His season came to an end after a sprained MCL, but when healthy, he ranks as one of the top shortstop prospects in baseball with a smooth line-drive swing that allows him to make hard contact all over the place. He also has 80-grade speed, and hopefully that remains the case even after the injury. Even if it’s down a smidgen, Abrams has tremendous fantasy potential, and has a real chance to be a regular for San Diego before 2022 comes to an end.
7. Bobby Miller, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers -- Miller was easily the best pitching prospect I saw over the weekend, and while some of that has to do with the rest of the pitching here -- sans Gore -- being mediocre at best, he’d be among the best pitchers regardless. A first-round pick out of Arizona, Miller has a fastball that gets into the high 90s and three secondary pitches that flash plus. He’d rank higher if he was in a different organization, but it’s not hard to see Miller succeeding if he gets a chance in Los Angeles.
8. Shea Langeliers, C, Atlanta Braves -- Langeliers is the definition of a prospect who has more “real life” value than fantasy, because his high rankings on list is mostly based on his defense. Having said that, there is well above-average power from the right side, and he’s beginning to tap into it on a more consistent basis. The defense will get him into the lineup, and assuming he makes his debut in 2022, he has a chance to be a solid contributor in two-catcher leagues.
Others to watch: Gabriel Moreno, C, Toronto Blue Jays; Bryson Stott, SS, Philadelphia Phillies; Roansy Contreras, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates; Sam Huff, C, Texas Rangers