A reminder of how this works: This is a list for the 2024 season only. This is not a list of top overall prospects, but rather the players who have the greatest chance of making a difference in 2024.
Additionally, it is just a list of prospects who are currently underage/have prospect eligibility. Players who are currently on MLB rosters or who have exhausted their rookie status are not considered eligible.
With those caveats out of the way, here are the top prospects who will have the chance to make a fantastic contribution in 2024.
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1. James Wood, OF, Washington Nationals
2024 Stats: 49 G, .348/.463/.590, 10 HR, 10 SB, 39 BB, 41 SO at Triple-A Rochester.
Wood returned to the Red Wings lineup after missing just under a month with a hamstring injury, and went 3-for-12 in his four games against Syracuse with one home run and four walks. The 21-year-old outfielder has all the tools you look for in a fantasy prospect, and the Nationals are surprisingly competing for a playoff spot midway through the 2024 campaign. Wood should be hidden right now, as he is the only prospect who is projected as a helper in five categories for the rest of the year.
2. Heston Kjerstad, OF, Baltimore Orioles
2024 Stats: 56 G, .300/.397/.601, 16 HR, 2 SB, 32 BB, 67 SO at Triple-A Norfolk; 7 G, .142/.294/.143 0 HR, 0 SB, 2 BB, 6 SO in Baltimore.
We can cheat. Kjerstad will be called up to play against the Guardians on Tuesday, and as you can see from the minor league numbers above, there is considerable offensive upside in the former second overall pick. As you can see from the numbers to the right of them, he didn’t have much offensive success in his brief time with Baltimore, but he also didn’t get many chances. That’s my biggest concern with this Kjerstad call, but those looking for outside help would be wise to give him a chance at lightning in a bottle. If he doesn’t play/hit when he does, you move on. Very simple.
3. Noelvi Marte, INF, Cincinnati Reds2024 Stats: 11 G, .143/.143/.163, 0 HR, 1 SB, 0 BB, 14 SO at Triple-A Louisville.
I debated whether or not Marte should be included on these lists, but he has rookie eligibility, and with the plethora of injuries at the highest levels – more on that later – he belongs on this list. He’s been awful since the start of his “rehab” assignment, but keep in mind that this is essentially spring training for him, and he’s a player widely considered one of the best fielding prospects in the sport who has had an O.P.S. 822 with three homers. and six steals in 35 games with Cincinnati last year. Marte will join the Reds at some point this year, and despite those ugly numbers, he has a real chance to help fantasy players and CIncinnati before the season comes to an end.
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.
Caminero was placed on the seven-day IL with a quadruple strain and hasn’t been able to play since May 28. He also hasn’t exactly been tearing up the baseball cover lately with a .430 OPS 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 over the next few weeks, he definitely has the potential to be an impact bat at some point this summer.
5. Coby Mayo, INF, Baltimore Orioles
2024 Stats: 51 G, .307/.381/.654, 17 HR, 3 SB, 22 BB, 61 SO at High-A Aberdeen and Triple-A Norfolk
Mayo returned to Triple-A on Tuesday and, unsurprisingly, he hit well by hitting in all four games and hitting a home run. The infielder has hit .347/.429/.796 over his last 10 games, and while five of those games have been at the High-A level, it’s an example of how much offensive upside there is to his right-handed bat. Mayo will need something to go wrong or a trade to be a long-term option for Baltimore this year, but in terms of potential production, there simply aren’t many prospects who offer as much as he does.
6. Moisés Ballesteros, C, Chicago Cubs
2024 Stats: 61 G, .304/.370/.500, 10 HR, 1 SB, 22 BB, 38 SO at Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa.
Welcome to the list, Moses. Ballesteros moved to Triple-A this week and hit .350 with a .550 slugging percentage with a double and a home run among his seven hits in 20 at-bats. The 20-year-old has scored three of his five games so far and, although he is not considered an elite defender, he should be fine in that capacity. Where he will be more than fine – at least potentially – is at the plate with solid strength and an extra hitting tool. The Cubs have gotten nothing out of their defense in 2024. Ballesteros could help answer that conundrum while also helping fantasy managers. Win, win.
.7 Jackson Holliday, INF, Baltimore Orioles
2024 Stats: 50 G, .270/.433/.466, 7 HR, 5 SB, 54 BB, 54 SO at Triple-A Norfolk; 10 G, .059/.111/.059, 0 HR, 0 SB, 2 BB, 18 SO in Baltimore.
Holliday was placed on the injured list last Friday with inflammation in his right elbow, and it is unclear how serious the injury is at this time. Simply put, this has been a horrible year for injuries and prospects, and the healthy guys haven’t ripped the cover off baseball. Are all four of these players — five if you count Lawlar — elite prospects who can contribute significantly to fantasy? Yes and a little more. There’s a big risk with all of them, at least for 2024. Yes. It’s a strange time, folks.
8. Brooks Lee, INF, Minnesota Twins
2024 Stats: 24 G, .367/.421/.561, 4 HR, 2 SB, 9 BB, 14 SO at Low-A Fort Myers and Triple-A St. Louis.
Lee showed off his underrated power with three home runs last week, including two in a game against Toledo on Wednesday. Since being recalled to Triple-A, the infielder has slashed .350/.400/.617, and over his last 10 games, he has a 1.059 OPS in the International League. It’s a little difficult to see where Lee would be playing now, but it’s worth noting that he played second base in the two-homer contest. Most of his reps have been at shortstop – the same position that Carlos Correa plays – so it doesn’t appear that a promotion is imminent at this stage. He is still someone who needs to be on radars.
9. Kyle Manzardo, 1B, Cleveland Guardians
2024 Stats: 34 G, .294/.384/.595, 9 HR, 0 SB, 20 BB, 25 SO at Triple-A Columbus; 30 G, .207/.241/.329, 0 HR, 0 SB, 3 BB, 23 SO in Cleveland.
Manzardo was sent back to Triple-A shortly after last week’s roster was published, and that’s understandable based on the numbers above. However, there have been some decent moments in his month with the Guardians and there is still reason for optimism in the short and long term. He certainly wouldn’t be the first or last player to fight at the highest level in his first action experience, that’s for sure. Manzardo has limitations because he can only help in certain categories, but the talent is there for him to be a strong option at first base. I’d give him another chance whenever Cleveland did; depending on his list, of course.
10. Jasson Dominguez, OF, New York Yankees
2024 Stats: 23 G, .356/.404/.609, 6 HR, 3 SB, 7 BB, 19 SO in Low-A Tampa, Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Well, shoot. We were awaiting news on the severity of Dominguez’s injury last week, and unfortunately, he was diagnosed with a “moderate” oblique strain that will keep him out for up to eight weeks. The bad news is that this essentially keeps him out until the end of August. The good news is that this doesn’t necessarily mean he can’t be a fantasy contributor later in the year. It would be nice if you could put Dominguez on your injured list, but without that ability, it’s difficult to roster him at this stage. That said, he would be higher on the list if not for the injury, so again, keep him on your radar.
Also considered: Owen Caissie, OF, Chicago Cubs; Hurston Waldrep, RHP, Atlanta; Jace Jung, INF, Detroit Tigers; Cade Horton, RHP, Chicago Cubs
