When getting into a FYPD it’s crucial to take inventory in the place your workforce’s aggressive window is, and make the most of that to one of the best of your skills on draft evening. As a rebuilding workforce, I at all times assume you ought to be searching for extra upside, understanding that these gamers might take extra time to make their affect in your workforce, however the reward could be extraordinarily excessive. With that being mentioned, let’s check out the highest 5 upside FYPD prospects you must make a push for if you’re in a rebuild mode.
Rating the Prime 5
1) Konnor Griffin– SS/OF, Pittsburgh Pirates
There’s a legit argument to be made that Konnor Griffin has the best ceiling of any prospect from the 2024 class. As a reclassification from the 2025 class, Griffin was one of many youngest gamers within the class. Age is one thing many organizations worth, which has elevated Griffin’s prospect profile within the eyes of many. However he isn’t solely extremely regarded due to his age, he additionally options spectacular instruments.
Standing in at a bodily 6 foot 4, 205 lbs, Griffin would look the half in a giant league uniform right now. He makes use of his bodily body to his benefit, which permits him to generate spectacular bat velocity on the plate. The mix of dimension and bat velocity makes many consider 30 residence run potential is lifelike in his future. On prime of the spectacular energy, he’s additionally one of many quickest gamers within the class. He stole 85 bases, that’s proper 85, this highschool season in Mississippi. Griffin’s spectacular mixture of energy and velocity provides him a practical chance to push 30/30 on a yearly foundation. Mix that with potential Gold Glove affect at each SS and CF, and you’ve got the best ceiling within the class.
2) Vance Honeycutt– OF, Baltimore Orioles
Very hardly ever are you able to say a school prospect has one of many highest ceilings in a draft class, however that may be mentioned for Vance Honeycutt. Honeycutt is the definition of a cut up camp prospect. If you’re somebody who values athleticism, instruments, and upside, he could be one in all your favourite prospects in all of baseball. If you’re somebody that values hit instrument and speak to expertise, you wouldn’t contact him with a 10-foot pole. And the fact is each are right of their analysis.
If you’re somebody who solely watches the Faculty Baseball postseason, you’d have been shocked when Honeycutt fell to the Orioles at 22. He went on an absolute tear through the postseason, hitting six residence runs in 9 video games, together with 4 in 5 video games through the Tremendous Regional and Faculty World Sequence. Throughout that stretch he additionally had a bunt for a 1B, the place he showcased his 80 grade velocity with a 3.63 residence to 1st time, whereas enjoying elite protection in CF. Honeycutt at his greatest is a possible future MVP winner, however how usually is he at his greatest?
The primary concern with Honeycutt is his strategy and speak to charges. In the course of the 2024 season, he solely made contact with 69.3% of the pitches he swung at. Mix that with a 26.1% chase charge, and you’ve got a hitter who will likely be picked aside by skilled pitching. There must be an adjustment for Honeycutt to achieve his ceiling. And he’s in one of the best scenario to make that adjustment. The Orioles have been the pillar of success for growing hitters, and so they have their greatest take a look at but. In the event that they make the required changes, Honeycutt has the mix of plus energy, and elite velocity to be a menace to achieve 40/40 a number of occasions in his profession.
3) Jac Caglianone– 1B/LHP, Kansas Metropolis Royals
When speaking about upside, you can not go far with out mentioning Jac Caglianone. One other school bat who options immense upside, Caglianone had a formidable school profession. He completed his profession as Florida’s all-time residence run chief with 75. This was mainly accomplished in two seasons, the place he hit 33 as a Sophomore, and adopted that up with a formidable 35 as a Junior. Whereas doing that, Cags additionally pitched each Sunday for the Gators, flashing a FB as much as 100 mph and a plus CH. Cags future is most certainly as a hitter, however the upside potential of him as a 2-way expertise makes his worth even better.
Coming into the spring, I had considerations about Cags as a hitter. Positive he hit lots of residence runs. However that was with metallic bats and within the juiced ball period of faculty baseball. He additionally struggled together with his strategy on the plate. As one of the vital feared energy hitters within the nation, he solely walked 17 occasions whereas hanging out 58 occasions. Cags swung at all the things, and on account of his elite athleticism, he was in a position to get away with it. I didn’t assume that will work in skilled baseball.
Nicely in 2024, Cags took a serious step ahead. He improved his common from a stable .323 to .419. He showcased the flexibility to hit with two strikes and an general higher really feel for the strike zone. On the finish of the season, he had 58 walks with solely 26 strikeouts. Strolling greater than double your strikeout complete, whereas hitting .419 with 35 residence runs, is elite regardless of the run-scoring atmosphere.
Cags debut in professional ball confirmed some warts in his recreation, because the walks reverted again to the 2023 model of himself, and he swung and missed an honest quantity with 44 strikeouts in 48 video games. The extra gifted pitchers are exposing his flaws, however his mixture of athleticism and energy make him one of the vital intriguing prospects within the class. If it clicks, he has 50 residence run potential.
4) Kellon Lindsey– SS, Los Angeles Dodgers
The mix of velocity and athleticism with arguably one of the best developmental group within the MLB is a recipe for fulfillment. Lindsey remains to be uncooked as a prospect, on account of the truth that he spent a lot of his time in highschool cut up between the gridiron and the baseball area. This spring was his first season specializing in simply baseball, and he made main strides in his recreation, finally resulting in a 1st spherical draft choice.
Lindsey is a velocity first prospect, grading out as a legit 80-grade runner, however the athleticism that allowed him to be a high-level QB interprets to baseball. He will certainly stick up the center ultimately and has the potential to develop right into a dynamic defender together with his athletic traits. The swing wants some work, however he showcases spectacular bat-to-ball expertise. For a prospect as quick as Lindsey, he was in a position to focus merely on making contact in opposition to highschool competitors and seeing success. He might by no means be a 30-home run energy menace, however as he matures bodily and mechanically, he’ll develop into extra energy. Lindsey’s athleticism alone makes him one of many extra intriguing prospects from the category, and the Dodgers’ observe document with gamers like him provides much more motive to consider.
5) Cam Caminiti– LHP, Atlanta Braves
One other reclassification from the 2025 class, Caminiti combines age and upside that ought to make dynasty house owners intrigued. At simply 17 years outdated on draft day, the Braves chosen Caminiti with the twenty fourth general choice. He was dedicated to LSU as a legit two-way prospect, and that athleticism interprets to the mound for him. He flashes 4 potential plus pitches with the flexibility to throw constant strikes that make many assume he generally is a front-line starter.
The Fastball is at the moment his greatest providing, because it sits between 93-95 mph flashing as much as 98 this spring. As a two-way prospect and a projectable body, it’s simple to see the potential so as to add velocity as he continues to bodily mature, and focus solely on pitching. The easy nature to his supply makes many consider that triple digits could be in his future. Caminiti has three distinct offspeed pitches with a slider and a curveball, in addition to a changeup. Every pitch flashed plus potential at occasions this spring, however a give attention to one breaking ball may permit it to progress right into a dominant providing. My favourite attribute when evaluating a pitcher’s future command is athleticism and repeatability, and Caminiti does an excellent job repeating his mechanics. Caminiti has prime of the rotation upside, and the truth that he’s as younger as he’s makes me extra assured in his future growth.
Late First-Spherical Gamers to Goal
Bryce Rainer– SS, Detroit Tigers
Bryce Rainer is among the higher prospects within the class, however he lacks the athleticism and instruments that the others within the Prime 5 possess. Rainer is simply merely a very good baseball participant. He showcases a number of the greatest bat-to-ball expertise, as he hardly ever chases or strikes out, and when he does make contact it’s often loud. Rainer has proven the flexibility to persistently hit the ball 100+ mph with wooden. He nonetheless has some bodily growth forward of him, that might transfer him off of SS, however it doesn’t matter what the bat will play. My favourite comparability from an offensive standpoint and strategy is Christian Yelich. Skinny, left-handed hitting, highschool bat, who may develop into extra energy as he matures. It’s extra secure than growth, however Rainer is an especially good prospect for rebuilding dynasty house owners.
Ryan Sloan– RHP, Seattle Mariners
Many believed Sloan could be chosen within the first spherical, however he slipped to fifty fifth general, the place the Mariners needed to be ecstatic to pick the Prep arm. The Mariners’ observe document with right-handed pitchers is among the primary causes Sloan must be a goal for a lot of. As a corporation, their observe document of success has been spectacular. Sloan has lots of potential for the Mariners to work with. The Fastball sits between 93-96 mph, flashing as much as 99. He additionally flashes an above-average change-up which is among the harder pitches to develop. This enables him to assault lefties with an out pitch. The slider may use some work, nevertheless it has flashed plus potential. If he develops the slider, he’ll function three plus choices from a sturdy 6 foot 5, 220 lb body.
Finest Upside Waiver Targets
Dakota Jordan– OF, San Francisco Giants
Michael Massey– RHP, Detroit Tigers
The fact is farm methods are constructed by means of the waiver wire. When taking a look at prospects within the 2024 class who had first spherical expertise, however fell exterior the highest 30, Dakota Jordan and Michael Massey each match the invoice. Jordan is among the most athletically gifted prospects within the class. Standing at 6 foot, 220 lbs, his physicality interprets to the baseball area. He has an argument for probably the most uncooked energy and bat velocity within the class, with a 96.1 mph avg exit velocity, however he solely hit 30 residence runs in two school seasons (sure, I do know 30 is lots for many gamers). The “low” residence run complete was largely on account of how often he hit the ball on the bottom with a 47.5% groundball charge. As a draft-eligible Sophomore, Jordan is younger for the category whilst a school bat, and if he begins elevating the baseball he might be an elite MLB energy bat.
Massey is an attention-grabbing prospect as a result of I feel he may have benefitted from going again to Wake Forest for one more season. This spring was his first season as a beginning pitcher, and he battled accidents and inconsistencies that led him to fall within the draft. I select to judge Massey off the 2023 model of himself.
Throughout that season, he flashed a Fastball that sat between 94-96 with elite IVB of 20.2 inches. That pitch had a 41.2% whiff charge, which for Fastball requirements makes it elite. The FB isn’t even his greatest pitch. His Slider generated a 51.4% whiff charge within the 2023 season. These two pitches allowed him to strike out 47.5% of the batters he confronted. The power to have two 70 grade choices, mixed with the flexibility to throw strikes, jogs my memory of Spencer Strider when he got here out of Clemson. Massey has to point out the flexibility to begin, however he has two borderline elite pitches that he throws for strikes, and that could be a recipe for fulfillment within the trendy MLB.
Photograph by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire | Featured Picture by Justin Redler (@reldernitsuj on Bsky/Twitter)
