This article is part of our Imminent Arrivals series.
A reminder that this list is only players who still maintain rookie eligibility, and also only players who are still in the minors qualify.
With those caveats out of the way, here's a look at the Top 10 Hottest MLB prospects still in the minors who offer the potential for fantasy contributions in 2023.
All stats are as of July 18.
1. Colt Keith, INF, Detroit Tigers
2023 stats that matter: 287 AB, .324/.392/.571, 16 HR, 3 SB, 31 BB, 68 SO at Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo.
With Christian Encarnacion-Strand finally getting the call-up, Keith deserves the top spot. The third baseman has struggled in his three games after the break with a 1-for-12 effort, but it's hard to be too concerned about a three-game sample. Keith can hit for both average and power, and while he won't help in the stolen-base category, he won't have to if he lives up to his offensive upside in the other categories. Detroit may choose to have Keith spend the remainder of 2023 in Triple-A before giving him a chance to succeed in 2024, but he'd be the fantasy prospect I'd be rostering if asked "you can only have one."
2. Ronny Mauricio, INF, New York Mets
2023 stats that matter: 334 AB, .299/.344/.512, 14 HR, 14 SB, 17 BB, 60 SO at Triple-A Syracuse.
Mauricio homered in back-to-back games over the weekend before going 0-for-4 in the finale against Rochester on Sunday. The infielder has seen his average
A reminder that this list is only players who still maintain rookie eligibility, and also only players who are still in the minors qualify.
With those caveats out of the way, here's a look at the Top 10 Hottest MLB prospects still in the minors who offer the potential for fantasy contributions in 2023.
All stats are as of July 18.
1. Colt Keith, INF, Detroit Tigers
2023 stats that matter: 287 AB, .324/.392/.571, 16 HR, 3 SB, 31 BB, 68 SO at Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo.
With Christian Encarnacion-Strand finally getting the call-up, Keith deserves the top spot. The third baseman has struggled in his three games after the break with a 1-for-12 effort, but it's hard to be too concerned about a three-game sample. Keith can hit for both average and power, and while he won't help in the stolen-base category, he won't have to if he lives up to his offensive upside in the other categories. Detroit may choose to have Keith spend the remainder of 2023 in Triple-A before giving him a chance to succeed in 2024, but he'd be the fantasy prospect I'd be rostering if asked "you can only have one."
2. Ronny Mauricio, INF, New York Mets
2023 stats that matter: 334 AB, .299/.344/.512, 14 HR, 14 SB, 17 BB, 60 SO at Triple-A Syracuse.
Mauricio homered in back-to-back games over the weekend before going 0-for-4 in the finale against Rochester on Sunday. The infielder has seen his average dwindle over the past few months – he was hitting .340 not all that long ago – but he's still showing the potential power/speed combination that all fantasy managers covet. The Mets have really struggled offensively as of late – they haven't scored more than two runs since July 7 (yes there's an All-Star break mixed in, but still), and a bat like Mauricio could help both the team and fantasy managers in turn. He's more than worth a roster addition if New York gives him an opportunity.
3. Curtis Mead, INF, Tampa Bay Rays
2023 stats that matter: 140 AB, .286/.348/.457, 3 HR, 2 SB, 16 BB, 26 SO for Triple-A Durham.
July continues to be a banner month for Mead, and it was punctuated with a 5-for-5 effort Friday against Triple-A St. Paul. Yes it's only nine games, but since returning from injury the infielder is slashing .432/.488/.649 with a homer and a stolen base over 43 at-bats. That'll work. Mead has one of the best potential hit tools of any prospect in baseball, and the only reason he's not in the top spot is the loaded Tampa Bay roster. If he keeps this up, the Rays are going to find a way to get him into the lineup.
4. AJ Smith-Shawver, RHP, Atlanta Braves
2023 stats that matter: 9 G, 40.1 IP, 2.68 ERA, 3 HR allowed, 21 BB, 52 SO for High-A Rome; Double-A Mississippi and Triple-A Gwinnett; 4 G, 16.2 IP, 4.32 ERA, 5 HR allowed, 6 BB, 15 SO for Atlanta.
Smith-Shawver returned to the mound for the first time in two weeks for Gwinnett on Sunday, and it was a mixed result, at best. He struck out four and allowed just two hits over his four innings, but he also walked five and gave up two runs against Triple-A Memphis. Command is the biggest concern for the 20-year-old right-hander, but the swing-and-miss stuff is readily apparent, and was shown in his brief time with Atlanta in the majors. The majority of quality pitching prospects are either in the lower levels or already up in the Show, but Smith-Shawver represents the best of the arms in the minors who could still help in 2023.
5. Michael Busch, INF/OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
2023 stats that matter: 229 AB, .301/.423/.529, 12 HR, 2 SB, 44 BB, 56 SO at Triple-A Oklahoma City; .200/.294/.267, 0 HR, 1 SB, 6 BB, 16 SO at Los Angeles (NL).
Busch hasn't been outstanding since being sent back down to Oklahoma City. On the contrary, really, as he's slashed just .200/.273/.300 over his last 10 games. It's difficult to be too hard on that considering how good he's been for the overwhelming majority of the Triple-A season, and he's held his own in his brief time with the Dodgers as well. It's probably going to take another injury or trade for Busch to reach the majors again, but he has the talent to contribute in several offensive categories if/when that opportunity rises.
6. Ceddanne Rafaela, INF/OF, Boston Red Sox
2023 stats that matter: 304 AB, .289/.331/.457, 10 HR, 31 SB, 15 BB, 70 SO for Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester.
Rafaela has not had any issue since being promoted to Triple-A at the start of the month, and after going 2-for-4 for the Woo Sox on Sunday, he's registered an .853 OPS with four homers over his 59 at-bats in the International League. If there's a slight concern, it's that he's stolen just one base since joining the Worcester roster, but considering he stole 30 in 60 games with Double-A Portland, we all know the talent is there for him to succeed in that category. It's worth noting that Rafaela has exclusively played center field in Triple-A outside of two appearances at shortstop, so it appears that's the position the Red Sox believe he's ready to contribute at if Boston decides to call him up. The potential to contribute in several categories should they do so makes Rafaela someone fantasy GMs have to monitor.
7. Masyn Winn, SS, St. Louis Cardinals
2023 stats that matter: 362 AB, .273/.345/.420, 11 HR, 16 SB, 35 BB, 67 SO for Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester.
Winn was a candidate for this list anyway, but his strong play of late makes it an easier justification. In his last 10 games with the Triple-A Cardinals he's slashing .341/.408/.659 with three homers and a pair of stolen bases. The 54th pick of the 2020 draft, Winn is an outstanding athlete with one of the best throwing arms you'll see from a shortstop, and you shouldn't ever have to worry about him changing positions. That helps in the long-term, but in the short-term he has value as someone who can steal bases and has tapped into his power more quickly than anticipated. The Cardinals are basically out of this, and it wouldn't be a surprise if they gave Winn a chance to be the starting shortstop down the stretch in a disappointing 2023 campaign.
8. Owen White, RHP, Texas Rangers
2023 stats that matter: 16 G, 72.1 IP, 3.61 ERA, 9 HR allowed, 33 BB, 57 SO for Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Round Rock.
White has been excellent in run-prevention over his last two starts with Round Rock, with nine combined innings of shutout baseball in those outings. He's also allowed just four hits in those starts, but he has also walked five with only five strikeouts in that timeframe. White has four pitches that grade 60 on the 20-80 scouting scale, and despite his control issues over the last two appearances, his delivery suggests that throwing strikes won't be an issue for the 23-year-old going forward. White has already made his MLB debut while allowing three runs over two innings back in June, but it's likely he'll get a chance to make starts for the Rangers in the coming weeks, if not sooner.
9. Ben Brown, RHP, Chicago Cubs
2023 stats that matter: 16 G, 70 IP, 4.24 ERA, 10 HR allowed, 40 BB, 104 SO for Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa.
Brown remains on this list despite another disastrous outing for Iowa last week where he went just 1.1 innings while allowing six runs and walking five against Triple-A St. Paul on July 9. That's the second time in three starts that he's failed to get out of the second inning, and it's just another example of him not being able to follow a strong outing (5 IP, 2 ER, 6 SO on July 3) with a competent one. The talent is there for Brown to have success, but there has to be more consistency before he joins the Cubs' rotation.
10. Brandon Pfaadt, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks
2023 stats that matter: 12 G, 60.2 IP, 3.71 ERA, 11 HR, 16 BB, 69 SO for Triple-A Reno; 6 G, 25.2 IP, 9.82 ERA, 9 HR, 10 BB, 21 SO for Arizona.
I know what you're thinking. Pfaadt has been awful in his MLB action this year, and his Triple-A numbers aren't exactly awe-inspiring. There have been some moments that have reminded why he was considered one of the best pitching prospects in the sport coming into the year, and one of those came Sunday when he fired 5.2 scoreless frames with eight strikeouts against Las Vegas. The homers are concerning, but he does offer four quality pitches and the ability to throw them for strikes. Depending on the matchup, fantasy managers should still consider Pfaadt when the D-Backs give him another chance this summer.
Also considered: Kyle Harrison, LHP, San Francisco Giants; Kyle Manzardo, 1B, Tampa Bay Rays; Jordan Lawlar, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks; Sal Frelick, OF, Milwaukee Brewers
