The Dominican Summer League is about as far away from the MLB as possible, but there are always some intriguing players who come over to the states and see their prospect stock soar. Some of you have heard of Freudis Nova and other heralded prospects that are making their way stateside this year. Who are some guys flying under the radar that can elevate their status this year?

Eddy Diaz, SS/2B, Colorado Rockies, 18, 5’11” 170 lbs

GP Average OBP Isolated Slugging BB% K% Runs Home Runs RBI SB SBA 2017 DSL Stats 36 0.311 0.403 0.114 12.30% 13.50% 22 0 10 30 36

Numbers at the DSL can’t be taken too seriously, but there are three things that really intrigue me here: plate discipline, base-running, and organization.

Diaz plays for the Rockies, and that is a huge boost for dynasty league value. He had a nearly 1:1 BB:K ratio, which is impressive and suggests a potentially strong hit tool. The main event, though, is his baserunning…he literally attempted a stolen base per game. Imagine a world where Billy Hamilton attempted 150 steals in a season, or Byron Buxton, or any speedster you can think of. That should be a fantasy owner’s wet dream [Ed. Note- gross]. Obviously, that won’t continue as he gets to higher levels, but the speed and aggression that he showed last year are incredibly promising. He could someday be a guy who plays half his games in Coors, hits for a decent average, and steals over 40 bases…he’s obviously very far away and has a lot of risk as an unheralded prospect, but this is a dynasty prospect worth monitoring for that potential.

There hasn’t been much coverage of Diaz in prospect circles from what I can tell. Diaz signed out of Cuba for $750,000, and had played well on the Cuban U-15 team, but that’s about all I can dig up in terms of a scouting report. I drafted him in a 20 team league this year shortly after the next guy I’m about to write up was picked, and he’ll be a fun follow. Keep an eye on him this year.

Alex Canario, OF, San Francisco Giants, 18, 6’1″ 165

GP Average OBP Isolated Slugging BB% K% Runs Home Runs RBI SB SBA 2017 DSL Stats 66 0.294 0.391 0.170 12.00% 14.60% 42 5 45 18 28

Power? √. Speed? √. Plate Discipline? √. Canario looks like a potential 5-tool monster. He was pretty aggressive on the basepaths, showed power at a young age, had close to a 1:1 BB:K ratio. Canario received some love from KATOH, ranking as the 33rd best prospect according to the projection system. He’s not even remotely close to being a top-35 prospect, but there is something to be excited about with Canario.

He signed for $60,000 in 2016, and there have been some strong scouting reports despite his limited track record. Some scouts have said Canario has explosive bat speed, good batting eye, above average speed and a solid arm. Canario will be making his stateside debut this year, and his stock could skyrocket. MLB Pipeline already ranks Canario as the Giants 14th best prospect despite his limited track record. If you’re in a deep league, you might need to jump on Canario soon.

Ezequiel Duran, 2B, New York Yankees, 19, 5’11” 185

GP Average OBP Isolated Slugging BB% K% Runs Home Runs RBI SB SBA 2017 DSL Stats 15 0.393 0.415 0.361 4.60% 23.10% 12 3 11 4 5

In a league that already needs to be taken with a grain of salt, Duran’s 15 game sample size probably needs to be taken with more grains of salt than McDonald’s fries. That said, in the words of the great Kanye West, “No one Duran should have all that power!”…at least I think that’s what he said, people often think he says man but I’m pretty sure it’s Duran. In 15 games he hit 3 home runs, 4 triples, and 5 doubles, and as if that wasn’t enough he stole 4 bases as well.

Fangraphs went in deep on Duran in their Yankee prospect write-ups. He was an under-the-radar signing by the Yankees, and he has apparently knocked the socks off of everyone who has seen him. Even in a loaded Yankees system, Duran could take off this year. He looks like a 5-tool second baseman. Monitor him, and if you’re in a deep league jump on him. Someone beat me to the punch in my 20 team league by about 15 minutes before I was able to scoop him off the wire. Don’t let that happen to you.

Danny Drullard, OF, Texas Rangers, 18, 6’1″ 185

GP Average OBP Isolated Slugging BB% K% Runs Home Runs RBI SB SBA 2017 DSL Stats 47 0.278 0.366 0.235 13.10% 16.80% 35 8 34 6 7

The Rangers have a knack for developing international talent, and they may have something here with Drullard. Good pop, a trickle of speed, and a good batting eye; he is someone worth watching.

Drullard signed in 2016 for $100,000. There hasn’t been a lot written about Drullard from the scouting community, but he is seemingly going to debut stateside this year and could take off in a thin Rangers system.

Fernando Kelli, OF, Chicago Cubs, 20, 6’0″ 180

GP Average OBP Isolated Slugging BB% K% Runs Home Runs RBI SB SBA 2017 DSL Stats 67 0.320 0.447 0.123 11.90% 17.10% 61 3 39 58 73

In the time it took you to read this Fernado Kelli stole second base….third base…home plate….and my girlfriend. This speed is ridiculous. 73 stolen base attempts in only 67 games? holy cow. He is a bit old for a DSL prospect, as he is about to turn 20, but when someone has this kind of speed they are worth monitoring.

Kelli is coming over to the states this year, and will potentially move all the way up to Low-A. His speed makes him a potentially elite fantasy prospect, and that speed could translate to strong, maybe elite, center field defense, making him a decent real-life prospect. Keep an eye on him, he could be a fun one.