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Southisene

Southisene receives his second promotion in less than two months, reaching the upper minors just a few months before his 20th birthday. He was Atlanta’s first-round pick in last year’s MLB Draft and has put together a breakthrough campaign, slashing .279/.408/.469 with 12 homers and 49 steals across 417 plate appearances between Low-A Augusta and High-A Rome. His stock has taken off in dynasty formats and he projects as an impact fantasy contributor down the line, mostly due to his stolen base ability. The fact that he’s continued adding over-the-fence power is a positive sign.

Baseball America’s Carlos Collazo reports Southisene will receive a $2.622 million signing bonus, which is well below the $3.983 million slot value for the 22nd pick. The 18-year-old prep shortstop is several hyperspace jumps from the big leagues, but we’ve seen plenty of position players with his profiles develop into impact fantasy contributors in short order.

Southisene offers a good amount of upside in his right-handed bat. The 18-year-old has a chance to hit for a solid average with a smooth swing, but there’s some power potential in his right-handed bat. He’s also a plus runner, and he could be a shortstop or center fielder at the highest level. Southisene isn’t likely to be a fast advancer, but if he reaches his upside, he’ll be worth the wait.