Hailed by Michael Salfino of the Wall Street Journal and Yahoo! Sports for its “insightful and often contrarian viewpoint to prospect rankings,” the Prospect Digest Handbook is a perennial favorite among baseball enthusiasts, minor league fans, and fantasy general managers. Now back for its fifth season, the Prospect Digest Handbook is the definitive guide to the minor leagues.

1. Triston McKenzie, RHP

Background: For the past couple of years my father-in-law and I head out to an Indians Hope Opener breakfast sponsored by the Cleveland Plain Dealer, or their parent company. It’s a nice way to spend a typical chilly April morning hobnobbing and rubbing elbows with some of the more prevalent sportswriters in the area. Last year, in a conversation with one of the writers, I mentioned that McKenzie would become one of the most talked about pitching prospects by the end of the year. There may or may not have been a friendly wager on it. Barely a month into the season McKenzie put together one of the most dominant pitching performances in recent memory, regardless of level or status. In a May 9th contest against the Carolina Mudcats, who were sporting a bevy of highly touted Brewers prospects like Corey Ray, Lucas Erceg, Isan Diaz, Jake Gatewood, and Trent Grisham, the wiry right-hander was simply unhittable – both literally and figuratively. McKenzie, a 2015 supplemental first round pick out of Royal Palm Beach High School, punched out 14, handed out just one free pass, and coughed up one hit in six innings of work. If that doesn’t get people talking nothing will.

Surprisingly, McKenzie spent the entirety of 2017 squaring off against – and often dominating – the Carolina League. In a career high 25 starts the 6-foot-5, 165-pound right-hander recorded a superstar-esque 186-to-45 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 143.0 innings of work. He finished the year with a 3.46 ERA, a 3.03 FIP, a 2.67 xFIP, and a 2.30 DRA (Deserved Run Average).

Projection: First, here’s what I wrote in last year’s book when I ranked the dominant right-hander as the 38th best prospect in baseball:

“Context. Context. Context. Right? OK. Here’s the context: Among all MiLB arms with at least 80 innings last season, McKenzie’s strikeout-to-walk percentage, or K/BB%, was the second highest mark (25.2%). More context: the last teenager to match or exceed that feat was none other than Madison Bumgarner in 2008 (though the big lefty spent the entire year in Low Class A as opposed to splitting time between there and short-season ball). Look for McKenzie’s workload to jump to about 120- to 130-innings in 2017, taking with it his skyward-pointing prospect arrow.”

Just how good was McKenzie last season? Buckle in, kids. He recorded at least 10 strikeouts in 24% of his starts last season – despite never pitching beyond the seventh inning. He struck out at least seven hitters in 56% of his starts. He allowed three of fewer hits 10 times. He walked three or more hitters just seven times. But here’s the most impressive stat, in my humble opinion: The Royal Palm Beach High School ace walked zero or one hitters in 12 of his 25 starts. It’s a level of absurdity beyond what most high octane pitching prospects ever dream about. But let’s continue…

Among all minor league arms with at least 100 innings thrown last season, McKenzie’s strikeout percentage, 32.8%, ranked third; his strikeout-to-walk percentage, 24.8%, was the fifth best and his 2.67 xFIP was good enough for the fourth lowest mark.

So how does his production stack up against his peers, historically speaking? Consider the following:

Since 2006, here’s a list of 19-year-old pitchers to strike out at least 21% of the hitters they faced in the Carolina League (min. 75 IP): Triston McKenzie – and his strikeout rate was more than 10 percentage points better in nearly double the workload.

Damn. Let’s expand it. Consider the following:

Since 2006, here’s a list of pitchers – under the age of 24 – to strike out at least 30% of the hitters they faced in the Carolina League (min. 75 IP): Triston McKenzie, Jake Odorizzi, Yordano Ventura, Drew Pomeranz, Wilmer Font, and Cody Buckel.

He’s going to be the best pitching prospect developed by the Indians since C.C. Sabathia.

Ceiling: 6.5 -win player

Risk: Moderate

MLB ETA: 2019

2. Francisco Mejia, C

Background: Cleveland is no stranger to hard-hitting backstops throughout the franchise’s illustrious, storied history. From recent players like Victor Martinez and Yan Gomes (though he’s fallen on hard times the past couple of years) to Sandy Alomar Jr, the 1990 AL Rookie of the Year winner and six-time All-Star, to stars of yesteryear like Ray Fosse, Johnny Romano, and all the way back to Steve O’Neill, who topped the American League average production by 14% between 1919 and 1923. Well, Mejia’s all but guaranteed to throw his hat into the proverbial ring – as long as he remains behind the plate. Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2012, in a move exceptionally uncharacteristic for the organization, he was aggressively pushed to the Arizona Summer League for his debut the following year. The 5-foot-10, 180-pound switch-hitter proved to be up to the challenge. In 30 games with the club’s lowest stateside affiliate, Mejia slugged a robust .305/.348/.524 with nine doubles, one triple, and four homeruns. According to Weighted Runs Created Plus, his overall production topped the league average mark by 39%.

Mejia would spend the next season squaring off – and succeeding – against the New York-Penn League; he batted a more than respectable .282/.339/.409. The stocky backstop’s production would take a fairly severe nosedive during his first taste of full season action in 2015 (.243/.324/.345), but it came roaring back in fantastical fashion the following year.

Mejia opened the 2016 season back up in the Midwest League. This time, though, he put the opposition on notice. In 60 games with the Lake County Captains, the budding slugger shredded the competition to the tune of .347/.384/.531 and his bat barely slowed in a second-half promotion to the Carolina League. He finished the year with an aggregate .342/.382/.514 triple-slash line, slugging 29 doubles, four triples, and 11 homeruns.

Cleveland bounced the jewel of their farm system up to Akron for the 2017 season. And, of course, Mejia continued to shine, batting an impressive .297/.346/.490 with 21 doubles, a pair of triples, and 14 homeruns en route to topping the league average production line by 27%. Mejia also torched the Arizona Fall League pitching as well, slugging .365/.397/.476 in 15 games.

Projection: Here’s what I wrote about the dynamic switch-hitter in last year’s Handbook when I ranked him as the 24th best prospect in baseball:

“Just to put Mejia’s offensive explosion into perspective a bit, consider the following:

No other MiLB catcher with at least 400 PA was more lethal with the bat than Mejia’s combined 155 wRC+ last season.

Since 2006, there have been three other minor league backstops to post a 155 wRC+ or better in 400+ plate appearances before their age-21 season: Derek Norris, Wil Myers (before he was moved to the outfield), and Clint Coulter. Mejia being the only switch-hitter. Norris and Myers, by the way, have turned into better-than-average MLB bats.

Only one other player under the age of 21 with the same criteria was a better hitter in 2016 (Chicago Cubs’ Eloy Jimenez).

As a prospect Mejia appears to be the complete package: he hits for average and power, doesn’t swing-and-miss at an alarming rate, takes the occasional walk, and provides some additional value on the defensive side of the ball; he threw out 43% of would-be base-stealers in 2016.

Quite frankly, on one hand, this could be one of the trades that the front office is glad they didn’t make in the coming years. On the other hand, under Chris Antonetti’s watch, the Indians have never shied away from dealing top prospects (see: Alex White, Drew Pomeranz, Clint Frazier, and Justus Sheffield). So it wouldn’t be shocking to see the team flip Mejia to a contender in 2017. Either way, though, he has the talent to become an All-Star caliber backstop. CAL thinks he’s capable of putting together a .290/.340/.450-type line, which seems reasonable enough.”

So the club opted not to trade him, but – truthfully – if the Orioles were to come calling about a Manny Machado deal that would be based on Mejia and a solid middle-tier prospect I would certainly think long and hard about it. As for his production last season, consider the following:

Between 2006 and 2014, only one 21-year-old hitter met the following criteria in the Eastern League (min. 350 PA): a wRC+ between 122 and 132, a strikeout rate below 16%, and an ISO power mark of at least .170. That hitter is former Silver Slugger Neil Walker.

Admittedly that’s a bit of a disappointment, right?

Mejia looks like a budding superstar and Walker, on the other hand, is a nice, serviceable big leaguer. But consider this: Walker owns a 115 wRC+ career total in the big leagues with three separate years in which he’s eclipsed the 120 wRC+ threshold. Among all big league catchers with at least 400 PA last season, only four finished with a 120 wRC+ or better: Gary Sanchez, Buster Posey, Mike Zunino, and Willson Contreras. Throw in some average-ish defense by Mejia and he has the makings of a top-tier, upper echelon big league catcher.

Ceiling: 5.0-win player

Risk: Low to Moderate

MLB ETA: Debuted in 2017

3. Nolan Jones, 3B

Background: The Indians’ front office broke the bank, literally and figuratively, when they signed Jones, a 2016 second round pick, to a hefty $2.5 million bonus. Not only was it the highest valued deal for any second round pick that year, but: (A) it was more than double the recommended slot bonus, (B) it was a record bonus for any second rounder in franchise history, and (C) it was more money than half of all first round picks. The only question that remains is: Was it worth it? Yes. Emphatically yes. Without a doubt. The sweet-swinging left-handed bat turned in one of the best showings among all minor league hitters in 2017. In 62 games with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers of the New York-Penn League, the 6-foot-4, 185-pound third baseman slugged a Ruthian .317/.430/.482 with 18 doubles, three triples, and four homeruns. His overall production, according to Weighted Runs Created Plus, topped the league average mark by a mind-boggling 71%.

Projection: Perhaps the most impressive statistic from Jones’ breakout campaign: he posted a hugely promising 60-to-43 strikeout-to-walk ratio, which comes on the heels of his debut when he fanned in nearly 37% of his plate appearances. Consider the following:

Between 2006 and 2014, here’s the list of 19-year-old hitters to eclipse the 150 wRC+ threshold in the New York-Penn League (min. 200 PA): Derek Norris, Ryan Westmoreland, and Luis Sumoza.

Norris peaked as a well above-average big league hitter, posting a 119 wRC+ between 2013 and 2014 before fading over the past couple of years. Westmoreland was once considered one of the top prospects in the game before retiring due to Cavernous Hemangioma, which required two separated surgical procedures on his brain. And Sumoza, unfortunately, flamed out a couple seasons after his breakout year in the NYPL.

Fortunately for Tribe fans, Jones’ peripherals are eerily similar to first two: above-average to elite patience at the plate, solid contact skills, and a better-than-average power. Plus, Jones’ 171 wRC+ was easily the best among the group. He’s a potential All-Star as long as those nasty platoon splits don’t pop up.

Ceiling: 4.0- to 4.5-win player

Risk: Moderate to High

MLB ETA: 2020

4. Bobby Bradley, 1B

Background: With only a few games remaining in the minor league season, I decided to drive down to Akron to catch a RubberDucks game. Bradley, who’s listed as 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds, is the largest 6-foot-1, 225-pound human being I’ve seen in person. He’s a behemoth, a physical specimen. Originally drafted by the club in the third round of the 2014 draft, Bradley, the 97th overall player taken that year, not only survived the minors’ toughest challenge, Class AA, but he thrived incredibly well for a 21-year-old hitter. In 131 games with the franchise’s Eastern League affiliate, the lefty-swinging first baseman slugged .251/.331/.465 with a career high 25 doubles, three triples, and 23 homeruns. According to Weighted Runs Created Plus, Bradley’s overall production topped the league average mark by 16%, trailing only teammate Francisco Mejia as the most productive bat in the league under the age of 23.

Projection: The hulking first baseman has really undergone an impressive transformation, despite steadily moving up the minor league ladder. Since entering first season action three years ago, Bradley’s strikeout rates have gone from horrifically poor (31.8%) to quite troublesome (29.7%) to, well, not concerning at all (22.9%). The Harrison Central High School product generates some of the best power potential in the system and has the capability to slug 35 homeruns in a big league season if everything breaks well for him. Bradley complements that above-average pop with an extraordinary eye at the plate; he’s walked in 11.6% of his career plate appearances. The lone red flag, though, was his triple-slash line against fellow southpaws last season: .176/.290/.277. He’s typically shown very little in terms of platoon splits, so there’s a sizeable amount of hope that he bounces back in 2018. But here’s the thing: he’s a first base-only prospect, which severely, severely limits his actual ceiling.

Ceiling: 2.5- to 3.0-win player

Risk: Moderate

MLB ETA: 2018

5. Shane Bieber, RHP

Background: Cleveland found a couple future big league arms in the third and fourth rounds of the 2016 draft. Aaron Civale, taken out of little Northeastern University, looked eerily like Cubs hurler Kyle Hendricks last season in the Carolina League. And then there’s Shane Bieber, who was taken a round later out of UC Santa Barbara. Bieber, a wiry 6-foot-3, 195-pound right-hander, was a stalwart in the rotation for Head Coach Andrew Checketts during his three-year run with the Gauchos. The Laguna Hills native made 45 appearances for the university, 44 of the coming via the start, posting an absurd 237-to-38 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 300 career innings.

After coming to terms with the club, Bieber was exceptionally dominant during his debut in the New York-Penn League: in nine appearances, the corner-painting pitcher posted a 21-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio and surrendered just 10 hits and one earned run in 24.0 innings of work. The front office fast tracked the former Gaucho in 2017 as they aggressively pushed him from the Midwest League up to the Carolina League and finally onto the minors’ toughest challenge, Class AA, for nine starts. In total, Bieber tossed 173.1 innings of work last season – the highest total in the minors – with 162 punch outs and just 10 walks. He finished with an aggregate 2.86 ERA and an even more impressive 2.30 FIP.

Projection: Oh, hell, let’s jump right into it. With respect to Bieber’s production in High Class A last season, consider the following:

Player Age IP K% BB% DRA Shane Bieber 22 90.0 22.90% 1.10% 2.24 Adam Civale 22 107.2 21.20% 2.20% 2.35 Kyle Hendricks 22 130.2 21.60% 2.90% 2.49

Bieber, by the way, owns the lowest walk percentage in the Carolina League since 2006, by a wide margin (min. 75 IP). And now let’s take it another step further. Let’s examine his production in the Eastern League. Consider the following:

Between 2006 and 2015, here’s the list of 22-year-old pitchers to post a walk percentage below 3.5% in the Eastern League (min. 50 IP): Aaron Nola.

Player Age IP K% BB% DRA Shane Bieber 22 54.1 22.40% 2.30% 1.89 Aaron Nola 22 76.2 20.50% 3.10% 2.91

Again, it’s going to be difficult for Bieber to ascend up to Hendricks/Nola status, but he’s another very, very intriguing arm. But like Civale, I think there’s some sneaky mid-rotation value to be had here, though with less risk because he’s already had success in Class AA. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Bieber make a dozen or so starts with Cleveland in 2018.

Ceiling: 2.5- to 3.0-win player

Risk: Moderate

MLB ETA: 2018

Background: The Akron RubberDucks were home to three of the most prodigious power hitters in the Eastern League last season: Eric Haase, Bobby Bradley, and Yu-Cheng Chang – each of whom ranked among the top six in homeruns in the league. Signed out of Taiwan for $500,000 in early June 2013, Chang has quietly churned out back-to-back solid offensive campaigns. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound infielder batted a respectable .259/.332/.463 with 30 doubles, eight triples, and 13 homeruns in 109 contests with Lynchburg in the Carolina League in 2016. And last season, his first in Class AA, Chang slugged .220/.312/.461 with 24 doubles, five triples, and a career best 24 homeruns. According to Weighted Runs Created Plus, Chang’s production last season topped the league average mark by 10%.

Projection: Here’s what I wrote in last year’s Handbook:

“Since the beginning of 2006 only two shortstops under the age of 21 have met the following criteria in High Class A: 450 plate appearances, a walk rate above 9.0%, and an Isolated Power north of .200. Those players: Addison Russell and Yu-Cheng Chang. While Chang isn’t up to par with Russell’s once illustrious prospect shine, the Taiwanese-born middle infielder does offer up a very promising skill set: above-average power, patience, and speed. And his overall numbers are actually better than they appear. He slugged .272/.346/.490 through the end of July. After that he would play just 13 more games the rest of the way courtesy of a wrist strain. Defensively speaking, according to Clay Davenport’s defensive metrics, Chang has been a revelation in the infield: he’s saved 17 runs at shortstop over the past two seasons.”

Let’s just jump right into the numbers. Consider the following:

Between 2006 and 2014, only five 21-year-old hitters posted a wRC+ mark between 105 and 110 in the Eastern League (min. 350 PA): Austin Jackson, Gary Sanchez, Alen Hanson, Che-Hsuan Lin, and Willy Garcia.

Chang’s an interesting prospect. He generally put up phenomenal defensive numbers that border on elite. He’s shown an above-average eye at the plate with plenty of power potential. The hit tool has just been trailing behind the other skills. There’s a little bit of Brian Dozier circa 2015 here. Dozier slugged .236/.307/.444 with 39 doubles, four triples, and 28 homeruns with the Twins that year. With Francisco Lindor entrenched at shortstop, Chang’s likely going to have to slide over to second or third bases.

Ceiling: 3.0-win player

Risk: Moderate to High

MLB ETA: 2018

7. Will Benson, RF

Background: Breaking from his predecessor’s mantra of safe, low ceiling draft classes, Chris Antonetti – and later Mike Chernoff –never shy away from gambling on risky high end talent. Like Will Benson, an Atlanta-born corner outfielder with dreamy tools and the physique of an NFL tight end. Standing an imposing 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, the book on Benson is already becoming clear: prodigious, earth-shattering power and a swing that generates so much force that’ll knock the leaves off the trees two counties over. Benson looked incredibly raw during his debut in the Arizona Summer League two years ago, hitting .209/.321/.424 with 10 doubles, three triples, and six homeruns in 44 contests. And he looked a little less raw when the front office bumped him up to the New York-Penn League last season.

In 56 games with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, Benson, the 14th overall pick in 2016, slugged .238/.347/.475 with eight doubles, five triples, and 10 homeruns. He also swiped seven bags in eight tries. His overall production, according to Weighted Runs Created Plus, topped the league average mark by a whopping 46%, the fifth best mark in the league.

Projection: Obviously the hit tool is lacking and strikeout rates are beyond concerning. But there is a silver lining to be had, of sorts. After looking lost for the first 19 games of the year – he batted .171/.247/.300 with a 32-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio – Benson slugged an impressive .275/.399/.573 over his remaining 37 contests with a 47-to-25 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The player development side of the Indians has done some impressive work with young hitters sporting problematic strikeout rates, case in point Bobby Bradley. And his 27% strikeout rate over his 37-game span is definitely a step in the right direction.

Consider the following:

Between 2006 and 2014, there were only three 22-year-old hitters to post a wRC+ mark between 140 and 150 with an ISO of at least .200 in the New York-Penn League (min. 200 PA): Marcell Ozuna, Dylan Cozens, and Zach Green.

If the second half surge is the actual baseline, Benson should have no trouble developing into a Marcell Ozuna-type player. But there’s a tremendous, tremendous amount of risk here.

Ceiling: 4.0-win player

Risk: High to Extremely High

MLB ETA: 2020

8. Aaron Civale, RHP

Background: Not exactly known as a baseball powerhouse, Boston-based Northeastern University has churned out a couple of solid big leaguers: Carlos Pena, a former All-Star and Silver Slugger recipient, was the 10th player chosen in the 1998 draft and veteran reliever Adam Ottavino, who was taken with the 30th overall selection in 2006. After the duo, though, Civale became the third highest drafted prospect in the college’s history. Taken with the 92nd overall selection in 2016, Civale blossomed as a Division I ace during his junior campaign with the Huskies. In 15 starts, the former full-time reliever tossed 114.1 innings with an absurd, videogame-esque 121-to-15 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound right-hander remained nearly unhittable during his debut with Mahoning Valley as well, throwing 37.2 innings with 28 strikeouts against just eight walks. The Connecticut-born hurler split time between Lake County and Lynchburg last season, averaging 7.7 strikeouts and just 0.8 walks every nine innings. He finished the year with an aggregate 3.28 ERA and a 3.09 xFIP.

Projection: Let’s have a little fun with his sniper-like control last season: among all minor league arms with at least 100 innings, Civale’s walk percentage, 2.1%, was the third lowest – out 505 qualified arms. Continuing: the sturdy right-hander walked just 14 hitters last season; those 14 walks came in 11 starts. Meaning: he didn’t walk a hitter in 16 of his 27 starts – or nearly 60% of his starts.

Consider the following:

Between 2006 and 2015, here’s the list of 22-year-old pitchers to post a walk percentage below 3.5% in the Carolina League (min. 100 IP): Kyle Hendricks, who placed third in the 2016 NL Cy Young voting.

Let’s continue:

Player Age IP K% BB% DRA Adam Civale 22 107.2 21.20% 2.20% 2.35 Kyle Hendricks 22 130.2 21.60% 2.90% 2.49

With that being said, it’s a pretty big leap to assume that Civale develops into a legitimate #2-type arm. But there’s some sneaky, sneaky upside in Civale’s right-arm. He could very easily develop into a nice #3. This is a bit of a bold prediction: but Civale could see some time in Cleveland as a late-season call-up.

Ceiling: 2.5- to 3.0-win player

Risk: Moderate to High

MLB ETA: 2019

9. Willi Castro, SS

Background: Handed a pretty hefty seven-figure bonus as a 16-year-old in 2013, Castro, who signed his name on the dotted line for $850,000, has a semi-famous bloodline. His father, Liliano, spent a couple years in the Detroit farm system in the late 1980s. A 6-foot-1, 180-pound switch-hitter, the young Castro has been quietly taking positive offensive strides since his disappointing debut showing in the Arizona Summer League four years ago – despite the front office slowly pushing him through the low levels of the minor leagues. Last season the Puerto Rican-born middle infielder spent the year as one of the Carolina League’s youngest qualified hitters. In 123 games with the Lynchburg Hillcats, Castro slugged .290/.337/.424 with 24 doubles, three triples, and 11 homeruns. His overall production, according to Weighted Runs Created Plus, topped the league average mark by 15%, easily the best mark of his career.

Projection: Consider the following comparison:

Name Age PA BB% K% ISO wRC+ Willi Castro 20 510 5.5% 17.6% 0.134 115 Oscar Tejeda 20 552 5.8% 17.4% 0.148 118

Tejeda, like Castro, was a mostly underwhelming stick before his breakout in the Carolina League in 2010. And, unfortunately for all parties involved, Tejeda never made it beyond Class AAA. But here’s where they diverge: Tejeda was an awful defensive shortstop, who eventually learned several other positions, and Castro looked like the second coming of Ozzie Smith last season. According to Clay Davenport’s defensive metrics, Castro was a +27 defender last season. That clearly has to be a mistake, right? Baseball Prospectus graded the young middle infielder as a great defender as well; he was a 5.0 Fielding Runs Above Average.

Castro has a decent offensive foundation, but it’s mostly in the developmental stage at this point. And it’s imperative to his future that his patience and power don’t back up in the Eastern League in 2018. Right now, he looks like a fringe starting shortstop. He could very likely be dealt to a non-contender before the end of July, though.

Ceiling: 1.5- to 2.0-win player

Risk: Moderate

MLB ETA: 2020

10. Luke Wakamatsu, SS

Background: The son of big league coach – and former Mariners manager – Don Wakamatsu. The Indians snagged the young shortstop in the late rounds of the 2015 draft and the two sides came to terms on a deal worth $300,000 – not a bad investment. The younger Wakamatsu, a 6-foot-3, 180-pound switch-hitter, turned in a nice little debut in the Arizona Summer League three years ago, batting .267/.339/.400 with five doubles, three triples, and one homerun. But a shoulder injury prematurely ended his sophomore campaign after just 17 contests with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers. Last season, the front office bumped the late round draft pick up to the Midwest League. And, once again, Wakamatsu showed some offensive promise – especially after missing the majority of 2016. In 100 games with the Lake County Captains, he batted .239/.301/.395 with 17 doubles, three triples, and 12 homeruns. His overall production, according to Weighted Runs Created Plus, was 4% below the league average mark.

Projection: Unsurprisingly, Wakamatsu got off to a rather slow start in Low Class A last season, cobbling together a paltry .145/.221/.171 over his first 22 contests. But that production spiked to .262/.322/.452 over his final 72 games – which was interrupted by a four-week stint on the disabled list. His production during that surge topped the league average mark by 17%. And because I think the slow start can be easily dismissed because Wakamatsu missed so much time the previous season, let’s focus solely on that 72-game stretch. Consider the following:

Between 2006 and 2014, here’s the list of hitters to post a 112-122 wRC+ mark with an ISO of at least .160, a strikeout rate between 20-25% in the Midwest League (min. 300 PA): Teoscar Hernandez and Fernando Perez, both eventually developing into big leaguers.

I think there’s some sneaky league-average starter upside with Wakamatsu, especially since he plays a premium position with above-average power potential (for the position). Overall, he’s well-rounded: solid eye, good pop, solid contact skills, speed, and defense. He could surprise some people in 2018.

Ceiling: 1.5- t o 2.0-win player

Risk: Moderate

MLB ETA: 2020/2021

Author’s Note: All statistics mentioned were gathered from Baseball Reference, FanGraphs, ClayDavenport.com, or Baseball Prospectus.