A reminder on how this works: This is a list for the 2024 season only. It is not a list of the top overall prospects, but the players who have the best chance of making a difference in 2024.
Also, it’s only a list of prospects who are currently in the minors/have prospect eligibility. Players who are currently on MLB rosters or have exhausted their rookie status are not considered eligible.
Those caveats out of the way, here’s a look at the top prospects who have a chance to make a fantasy contribution in 2024.
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1. Drew Thorpe, RHP, Chicago White Sox
2024 stats: 11 G, 60 IP, 1.35 ERA, 3 HRA, 17 BB, 56 SO at Double-A Birmingham.
Love it when we get to cheat. Thorpe is being called up to start Tuesday for the White Sox, and he’ll face the Mariners. The right-hander is one of the top pitching prospects in the sport with an elite change-up at his disposal and the ability to locate a solid-average fastball and plus slider at an impressive level. The White Sox won’t give Thorpe many chances for wins, but he can miss bats, and the Mariners have as much swing-and-miss in their profile as any club in baseball. I’d roster him. I’d obviously roster him. I have him first on this list.
2. Jasson Dominguez, OF, New York Yankees
2024 stats: 19 G, .380/.429/.690, 6 HR, 2 SB, 6 BB, 17 SO at Low-A Tampa, Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Yes, I did consider moving Dominguez to the top spot, and assuming he’s not called up next week (note: he probably won’t), he’ll be at the top spot unless we get to cheat again. Dominguez has absolutely blistered Triple-A pitching since being brought up to that level in his rehab assignment with a .500 average and .950 slugging percentage. The only concern here is really how the Yankees plan to deploy Dominguez in 2024, as there doesn’t seem to be an obvious answer outside of long-term injury. Still, the ability to help in as many categories as Dominguez can is simply too good to not roster now. The Yankees are going to find a way to get his bat in the lineup, I have to think/hope.
3. James Wood, OF, Washington Nationals
2024 stats: 45 G, .355/.465/.596, 9 HR, 10 SB, 35 BB, 37 SO at Triple-A Rochester.
Wood is still on the injured list because of his hamstring injury, as he hasn’t been able to play since May 23. He still belongs near the top of this list as long as the Nationals continue to say this is a minor injury, and he reportedly was able to participate in practice sessions over the last week. Simply put, there’s no prospect at the upper levels who can fill out all five categories the way Wood can. You may not see him until the middle of June at the earliest, but to say he has the potential to be worth the wait is quite the understatement.
4. Junior Caminero, INF, Tampa Bay Rays
2024 stats: 34 G, .261/.333/.478, 8 HR, 1 SB, 14 BB, 35 SO at Triple-A Durham.
Three of the top four names on this list are both on the injured list, as Caminero was also placed on the seven-day IL with a quad strain. He also wasn’t exactly tearing the cover off the baseball as of late with an OPS of .430 over his last 40 at-bats. Still, Caminero has some of the best offensive upside in the sport regardless of level, and assuming good health in the coming weeks, he definitely has the potential to be an impact bat at some point this summer.
5. Jackson Holliday, INF, Baltimore Orioles
2024 stats: 48 G, .277/.430/.478, 7 HR, 5 SB, 49 BB, 51 SO at Triple-A Norfolk; 10 G, .059/.111/.059, 0 HR, 0 SB, 2 BB, 18 SO at Baltimore.
I had Holliday in the top spot last week with the chance for him to replace Jorge Mateo (concussion), but shortly after the article was posted, the Orioles called up Connor Norby instead. We regret the error? The 2022 first-overall pick continues to perform well in Triple-A for the most part, and he remains the best prospect in baseball in the long-term in my eyes with a chance to be a five-category player. There’s just a real chance that we don’t see him helping fantasy players or the Orioles again in 2024, and that’s at least a smidgen disappointing.
6. Tyler Black, 1B, Milwaukee Brewers
2024 stats: 47 G, .284/.384/.497, 9 HR, 10 SB, 25 BB, 29 SO at Triple-A Nashville; 7 G, .227/.261/.318, 0 HR, 2 SB, 1 BB, 8 SO at Milwaukee.
Black didn’t play over the weekend, but the first baseman put together another solid week when he was on the field with a .342 on-base average and .462 slugging mark over his last 10 appearances. He’s still not running quite as often as he did last year, but he does have three thefts in those 10 games as well. Black is going to need an injury to make a substantial contribution in 2024 -- or for some of the Brewers players to not play as well as they have to justify a promotion -- but his fantasy upside competes with anyone at the Triple-A level.
7. Carlos Rodriguez, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers
2024 stats: 11 G, 62.2 IP, 5.17 ERA, 8 HR, 29 BB, 66 SO at Triple-A Nashville.
It’s back-to-back Brewers, and it’s the second player on the list that we get to cheat with. Rodriguez is coming up to start Tuesday against the Blue Jays to help a rotation that has been decimated with injuries over the past few weeks on top of some poor results from the healthy options. That 5.17 ERA is a bit misleading, as he’s been excellent since the start of May as seen in an ERA of 7.16 before the start of that month. He has shown five solid pitches at times, and for the most part he keeps those offerings in the zone. This is not a strikeout artist and the Blue Jays have some capable bats, but I think the stuff is good enough to give him a look in deeper formats.
8. Coby Mayo, INF, Baltimore Orioles
2024 stats: 42 G, .291/.359/.605, 13 HR, 3 SB, 17 BB, 53 SO at Triple-A Norfolk
Mayo is still working his way back from the fractured rib that has sidelined him since May 16. The infielder was obviously enjoying quite the season before that injury, and it’s a disappointing development for one of the best power-hitting prospects in the sport. That injury along with the loaded Baltimore infield makes Mayo’s ETA tough to predict. That’s the only reason he’s not listed in the top three of this list. He’s ready to hit.
9. Brooks Lee, INF, Minnesota Twins
2024 stats: 14 G, .346/.414/.404, 0 HR, 1 SB, 6 BB, 9 SO at Low-A Fort Myers and Triple-A St. Paul.
Lee is finally back in Triple-A after missing the overwhelming majority of the season with a back injury. He’s hit just .214 since reaching that level, but that’s a sample of 14 at-bats with St. Paul so we’ll let it slide. Lee has one of the best hit tools among prospects regardless of level with the ability to slash the ball to all parts of the field, and there’s above-average power in his switch-hitting bat as well. Minnesota’s infield has dealt with injuries and shaky play as they look to make the postseason again in 2024. If Lee performs well, he has a chance to help them and fantasy players at some point this year.
10. Heston Kjerstad, OF, Baltimore Orioles
2024 stats: 45 G, .310/.401/.632, 14 HR, 1 SB, 27 BB, 51 SO at Triple-A Norfolk; 7 G, .142/.294/.143 0 HR, 0 SB, 2 BB, 6 SO at Baltimore.
Kjerstad didn’t get much of a chance to play in his time with Baltimore, and didn’t really impress in that limited action. He’s clobbered Triple-A pitching and has plus-power in his left-handed bat, but he has to rank a little lower on this type of list just because it’s so hard to see a path to consistent playing time in the majors. He still belongs on this list because of the potential upside if a path does open, or if Baltimore were to include him in a trade. The latter seems a little more likely.
Also considered: Orelvis Martinez, INF, Toronto Blue Jays; Jordan Lawlar, INF, Arizona Diamondbacks; Cade Horton, RHP, Chicago Cubs; Jacob Wilson, INF, Oakland Athletics; Colson Montgomery, INF, Chicago White Sox
