The regular season is winding down, but the grind does not stop for dynasty managers. As some members in your league are tuning out, now is the perfect time to capitalize and keep making moves. Prospects are constantly rising and falling. This updated top prospect list also now includes the recent set of draftees.
Make sure to head over to the Pitcher List dynasty page for the latest news and notes on all things dynasty.
Prospect List Rules:
- All prospects listed are yet to debut in the Major Leagues.
- This list is only for prospects in the minor leagues; no major league players are included.
- Maximum of two positions listed per player.
- Primarily weighted for standard 5×5 leagues, but all league types are considered.
- This month’s ranking does not include recent draftees
Prospect List Graduates & Preface
This section of the prospect list is reserved for players who have recently been promoted to the major leagues. In the past month, we have seen plenty of prospects with dynasty relevance earn a promotion. The prospects who would be featured on this list, but have made their Major League debut are: Carson Whisenhunt, Jakob Marsee, Luis Morales, CJ Kayfus, Kyle Karros, Drew Gilbert, Dylan Beavers, Nolan McLean, and Samuel Basallo. These prospects are no longer included on this list.
Prospects Rising Quickly Up Dynasty Ranks
Kaelen Culpepper, #18 – Minnesota Twins
Kaelen Culpepper continues to impress in his first professional season. After being selected 21st overall in last year’s draft, the view on Culpepper was that he would be a solid, albeit unspectacular, producer who is a better real-life player than a fantasy asset. Culpepper is quickly putting those reports to rest. He has been nothing short of sensational all season. After batting .293 with nine homers in High-A, Culpepper has continued his success in Double-A. In just 48 games, he has doubled his season output in home runs (bringing his total to 18) while stealing another eight bases to bring his season total to 23. Oh, he is also batting .320 since his promotion.
As far as sustainable success, everything in Culpepper’s profile seems legit. He has great bat speed and barrel control. He consistently impacts the baseball while having a natural feel for pulling the ball. His pull rate helps his power to play up and gives him 20+ home run projection. A bit aggressive at times, Culpepper still makes contact at a high rate, and his line drive provides a level of safety in his batting average projection. On top of everything, Culpepper is a plus fielder, which will help carry him through the Minor Leagues and into the Major Leagues. Following the Twins’ fire sale at the deadline, the path to the Major Leagues has gotten even easier for Culpepper. He is a top-tier dynasty asset.
JD Dix, #58 – Arizona Diamondbacks
The significant jump for JD Dix is more about projection, and visual confirmation than it is about his current success. Since being promoted to Low-A, Dix’s production has been rather pedestrian. He has hit just one home run and is batting .269. Nothing to write home about, but it is all of the little things in Dix’s profile that should provide such a high level of confidence in his future projection. For starter’s Dix’s maturity and approach at the plate is years beyond his age. Dix’s contact rate in Low-A is 80.5%. On top of his high contact rate, Dix is also walking 14.2% of the time. Dix already profiles to be an extremely safe prospect for dynasty managers to count on.
The thing that makes Dix exciting is that it is not all about his floor. Dix has significant upside for dynasty managers to account for. For starters, Dix has plus speed. This speed has already been on display throughout his first season. In 74 games, Dix has stolen 21 bases. In addition, there is power upside to consider. His raw power and 6’2″ frame has not translated to game power yet, but Dix is still just 19 years old. The hope is that Dix’s power will continue developing turning him into a player with 20/20 upside. Watching Dix, he checks all of the boxes that dynasty managers look for. He moves up to 58th overall in this month’s update.
New Inclusions to the Top 100
Wehiwa Aloy, #89 – Baltimore Orioles
The only one of the recent draftees to get specifically mentioned in this article. No, Aloy does not rank the highest, but he is the only prospect not selected inside the top 30 picks to land inside of the top 100. Aloy was selected by Baltimore 31st overall in July’s MLB Draft. He spent his final two seasons at Arkansas, where he hit 35 homers and stole 16 bases. From a tools perspective, Aloy’s dynasty ceiling is extremely high. Standing at 6’2″, Aloy’s power is effortless. His size and strength give him power to all fields and he has more speed than his collegiate stolen base totals would suggest.
Power is going to be Aloy’s calling card. Shortstops with 30+ homer potential do not come around every day and Aloy has that. In addition, he made significant strides with his hit tool all three years he was in college. Aloy has developed a more patient approach, which should serve him well in the pros. Teams do not draft with fantasy baseball in mind. There is a lot of real-life value that goes into a player’s draft slot (amongst signing bonus restrictions and other things). Aloy’s fantasy baseball appeal ranks much higher than 31st from this most recent draft class. 89th overall may be aggressive, but Baltimore is a great organization to land with and one that should help pull the most out of Aloy’s exciting profile.
Rainel Rodriguez, #95 St. Louis Cardinals
Rainel Rodriguez has not slowed down since his promotion to Low-A. In 48 games, Rodriguez has hit eight more home runs, bringing his season total to 15 on the season. While Rodriguez’s power has continued to impress, it has been his hit tool that has him moving into the top 100. His success at the Complex League was exciting, but it was difficult to view his profile and not see the 17.2% swinging strike rate. Especially, after he posted a swinging strike rate north of 20% last season. However, as Rodriguez’s sample size has grown, his swinging strike and contact rates have become rather impressive. In Low-A, Rodriguez is making contact 78.6% of the time. He also continues to walk at 15.9% of the time. With an improved hit tool, Rodriguez’s power becomes all the more enticing for dynasty managers.
Prospects Moving Down
Aidan Smith, #51 – Tampa Bay Rays
Entering 2025, expectations were high for Aidan Smith. After being acquired from Seattle as part of the Randy Arozarena trade, things seemed to finally click for Smith. In 20 games with his new organization, Smith hit .306 with two homers and 13 stolen bases. After struggling with strikeouts in his first couple of seasons, Smith’s contact rate soared to 79.4% and his strikeout rate dropped down to 18.6%. A 2025 breakout seemed imminent.
Unfortunately, Smith’s speed has been the only bright side to an otherwise disappointing season. Smith has stolen 32 bases in 85 games. His speed is still expected to be a tremendous asset for fantasy managers in the future. However, his hit tool has taken a major step backwards in High-A. Smith is striking out 32.3% of the time this season, leading to a .218 batting average. Even his power has failed to take the next step. His 11 home runs and 12.6% HR/FB are not bad rates, but they are nothing to write home about. Potential alone keeps Smith hanging around the top-50 prospects, but it is fair to say his 2025 season has been a disappointment.
Yolfran Castillo, #107 – Texas Rangers
The thought process here was simple. Projectable players who find success in the DSL, are often safe bets to rise up dynasty rankings. Standing at 6’3″ with plenty of athleticism, Castillo certainly fit the bill. Splitting 2024 between the DSL and Complex League, Castillo hit a combined .377 with 10 stolen bases. Hit contact rates and plate discipline were sensational, giving what appeared to be a solid base to build off of in 2025. The hope and projection was that the power was going to come as Castillo matured and developed within the Rangers’ system.
That projection and hope still remain as Castillo is only 18. However, we have not seen any sort of development in this area in 2025. Castillo has hit only one home runs since joining professional baseball last season. His tall and slender build project well for his speed profile (Castillo has stolen 22 bases this season), but that is not helping much in the power department. Castillo’s batting average has also taken a massive hit this season dropping all the way down to .248 on the season. Castillo remains a projectable bat with upside, but his struggles in 2025 have pushed him down on the prospect list.
Prospect List: Top-100
Prospects Inching Closer to the Top 100
Tai Peete, #102 – Seattle Mariners
Tai Peete’s season is not garnering enough attention from the dynasty community. He was the 30th overall pick by Seattle back in 2023. Projectable, athletic, and toolsy, Peete did not produce much in his first season. However, Peete is making significant strides in the right direction this year. The biggest difference this season has been the power outburst. Peete has already set a career-high in home runs with 17. His speed has continued to be a plus as well. Overall, on the season, Peete has stolen 24 bases. He profiles as a 25+ base stealer in the future and this recent power outburst gives him 20/20 potential.
No, it has not been all sunshine and rainbows. That is the reason Peete still does not rank inside of the top 100. Strikeouts have been a major issue for Peete. His 31.4% strikeout rate is the primary driving force for his .218 batting average. His contact rate sits just a tick over 70% while he is swinging over 48% of the time. Peete’s hit tool is a significant risk. That being said, this is a 20-year-old player with significant fantasy upside and more projectability to tap into. There are very few safe prospects, but Peete has the upside to be a difference maker for fantasy managers.
Gage Jump, #109 – Athletics
Gage Jump just continues to dominate on the mound. In 20 starts this season, Jump owns a 1.90 ERA. The major hurdle to moving Jump further up the list was his lack of success against more advanced competition. Jump’s strikeout rate dipped following his promotion to Double-A. Now, Jump’s strikeout rate is increasing once again. Over his last six starts, Jump is striking out 30.9% of the batters he has faced in Double-A. His walk rate has remained impeccable at just 3.7%. His combination of control and strikeout ability is rare amongst prospects.
Projecting Jump’s future dynasty value is difficult to judge. His fastball sits consistently in the low to mid-90s. This is typically below average for what dynasty managers look for. However, his unique arm slot and delivery help add deception, which will allow the pitch to play up. His slider and curveball both figure to be average pitches but it is debatable how much strikeout potential he truly has. He moves up in this month’s prospect list, but still just misses the top 100.
The Next 50
Prospect List the next 50
Newcomers to the Top 150 Prospects
Hayden Alvarez, #116 – Los Angeles Angels
Hayden Alvarez is the kind of prospect you want to get in on early. Being young, flashy, and toolsy makes Alvarez’s success in 2025 all the more noteworthy. Alvarez dominated the Complex League this seaosn to the tune of a .335/.427/.429 slash. In a small sample, it seems like this success has continued since his promotion to Low-A. The most impressive part of Alvarez’s success has been his hit tool. Alvarez’s contact rate sits at over 80% while showing off impressive plate discipline. Add in his plus speed, and Alvarez has an excellent base to build off of. The key will be the development of his game power. Standing at 6’3″, Alvarez has obvious projectability in his profile. Right now, he prioritizes contact with a lot of ground balls and an all-fields approach. If he can develop power, he will become a significant dynasty asset. At just 18 years old, Alvarez is certainly a name to pay attention to.
Tommy Troy, #130 – Arizona Diamondbacks
The amount of true fantasy upside in Troy’s profile is still to be determined. However, his production this season is worth paying attention to and vaults him inside the top 150. Speed is certainly something that is in his favor. In 87 games at Double-A, Troy has stolen 21 bases. His speed is among the best in Minor League baseball, but his tendency to steal bases is far from elite. He profiles as a 20-30 steal player at the Major League level.
The biggest key will be how his game power develops. Troy has a short swing that works best when he is pulling the ball. His aggressive approach at the plate leads to some weak contact and puts some inconsistencies in his batted ball data. He profiles more as a 15-20 homer player rather than a true difference maker at the plate. Overall, Troy does not do any one thing at an elite level. However, he has the draft pedigree and overall tools to be an impactful fantasy asset down the line.
Deep Prospects to Note
Miguel Mendez, San Diego Padres
At this point, it was difficult to keep Miguel Mendez out of the top 150 prospects. Mendez struggled through his first four seasons of professional baseball before breaking out this season. He has a plus fastball sitting in the mid-90s, but his money pitch is the slider. This is a plus-plus strikeout pitch and one that should help him sustain success. In a 10-start stretch from May 30 through August 7, Mendez posted a 0.65 ERA. There was a five-start stretch in there where he struck out 35.8% of batters, not allowing a run. What is holding Mendez back is his age-to-level production. Mendez is now 23 and has only made two starts above High-A. In his most recent start, he allowed eight earned runs in 3.2 innings. Showing sustained success against tougher competition will be key to Mendez’s continued push up prospect rankings.
Ben Hess, New York Yankees
Injuries throughout his collegiate career were not enough to scare away the Yankees from selecting him in the first round of the 2024 draft. The inconsistencies from college seemed to follow Hess to the pros as he was walking 14.8% of the batters through his first nine starts this season. The 33.9% strikeout rate looked great, but his 4.32ERA was underwhelming. As the season has moved along, things have started to click. Over his last eight starts, Hess is still striking out 31.9% of the time. However, his walk rate is down at 6.8%. His ERA over that time has dropped to 3.18, and his FIP sits at 2.47. With a big fastball and two solid secondaries, Hess has the arsenal to move quickly up rankings. After a slow start to his career, the shine has worn off. Now could be the best opportunity to grab him while the price is low.
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