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Welcome back, RotoBallers! The All-Star Break and trade deadline are in the rearview mirror. We're heading into Week 21 of the fantasy baseball season, and the minor league season rages on. It would be foolish to proceed without highlighting the top performances from Week 20.
It's imperative to monitor the top fantasy baseball prospects who have turned heads thus far. The players listed here are not only coming off dominant weeks but have also impressed over the entire season. Don't be surprised when these exact names are painting corners, mashing homers, and swiping bags at the big-league level soon.
Fantasy managers should certainly keep an eye on these players over the long haul as they may prove to be excellent waiver wire adds in no time.
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Josh Jung - 3B, Texas Rangers
Level: Triple-A
2022 stats: 18 G, .333/.405/.773, 8 HR, 22 RBI, 12 R, .318 BABIP, 8.1 BB%, 18.9 K%
Jung was the Rangers' first-round pick in 2019 and has quickly earned the title of No. 1 prospect in the Texas system. A talented hitter with great bat-to-ball skills, Jung has nearly perfected his technique at the plate, allowing him to produce hits, improve his discipline, and hit for power.
Although he may be a bat-first player, Jung's defense is quite impressive, too. The 24-year-old has a slick glove at the hot corner and pairs it up nicely with his strong arm. He has no trouble fielding sharp grounders or charging slow rollers, all before executing a strong and accurate throw across the diamond.
Jung, who hits and throws right-handed, has played in just 18 games this season (and only 10 at Triple-A due to injury). However, when he's on the field, he's on fire. Jung put on a show once again this past week, going 9-for-19 (.474) with three homers, two doubles, and 11 RBI over the course of his last six games. He continues to compete for a promotion to the major league club, and as soon as he gets that call, he'll be worth rostering in most leagues.
Kyle Harrison - SP, San Francisco Giants
Level: Double-A
2022 stats: 20 GS, 92.1 IP, 4-3, 2.24 ERA, .303 BABIP, 14.91 K/9, 3.90 BB/9
Another week, another Flying Squirrels starter on the list of the top prospects. Harrison has an advanced fastball in the mid-90s, as well as a sharp slider and fading changeup. He has shown confidence in all of his offerings, allowing him to thrive as he ascends the ranks of Minor League Baseball.
Harrison's strikeout rate has been quite impressive over his first two seasons, but he has also walked batters at a higher clip. He'll need to improve his control a bit more, even if it comes at the cost of allowing opponents to put a few more balls in play.
The 21-year-old southpaw excelled this past week, allowing just two hits over six scoreless innings. Most notably, he walked just one batter and recorded 10 strikeouts. This marked the fourth time he notched double-digit strikeouts through 20 starts in 2022.
Jordan Walker - 3B, St. Louis Cardinals
Level: Double-A
2022 stats: 97 G, .309/.393/.525, 16 HR, 55 RBI, 85 R, .368 BABIP, .402 wOBA, 133 wRC+, 10.9 BB%, 21.6 K%
At 6-foot-5, Walker is a physical specimen who offers upside in all five aspects of the game. He produces a very hard, strong swing that puts the ball in play, often with plenty of power. Equally important are his long arms, which allow him to reach his bat over the entire strike zone — and then some.
Walker also boasts above-average fielding and an impressive arm. He has shown that he is more than capable of playing third base and could certainly patrol the hot corner long-term, but the Cardinals have also experimented with him moving around the outfield.
Walker found success at Double-A this past week, going 5-for-15 (.333) with three homers and five RBI. Considering he has spent all of 2022 (so far) with the Cardinals' affiliate in Springfield, it would not be surprising to see Walker close out the year at Triple-A.
Jaden Hill - SP, Colorado Rockies
Level: Single-A
2022 stats: 8 GS, 13.1 IP, 0-0, 2.70 ERA, .424 BABIP, 12.50 K/9, 2.70 BB/9
Tommy John surgery delayed Hill's professional debut until last month, a full year after the Rockies made him a second-round pick. He made seven relatively short outings at in the Complex League before being promoted to Single-A this past week.
Hill is a hard thrower, touching 99 mph with his fastball and maintaining his high velocity throughout his entire start. He also throws a changeup that is well above average, baffling hitters with its late fade. Both his changeup and plus slider work quite nicely off his heater.
In Hill's Single-A debut, he was held to just three innings but still found time to impress. The right-hander allowed three hits and one walk while striking out a whopping seven batters in the process.
Yunior Garcia - OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
Level: Single-A
2022 stats: 87 G, .305/.383/.512, 13 HR, 74 RBI, 58 R, .362 BABIP, .404 wOBA, 130 wRC+, 8.8 BB%, 19.9 K%
Garcia, 21, was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2017. He has a solid outfield profile, checking in at 6-foot and 198 pounds. He has made good strides offensively but would still benefit from improving his discipline so that he can draw more walks and cut down on strikeouts.
Defensively, Garcia is a strong fielder with a powerful arm. However, given his subpar speed, he likely won't be able to play center field long-term. On a positive note, he does have the tools needed to play right field.
Garcia is coming off a strong week in which he went 6-for-14 (.429) with three homers, six RBI, three walks, and one strikeout. The vast majority of his production came during an impressive outing on August 19 in which he clobbered all three homers and drove in all six runs.
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