2018 Top 100 Fantasy Prospects: First Look

Happy Game 7 Day!

About a year ago I released my (2017) Top 50 Fantasy Prospect rankings using the Prospect Scorecard to weight a variety of important variables in the context of fantasy baseball.  Today I’m publishing an (early) expanded list of the Top 100 Fantasy Prospects for 2018 for both Ottoneu’s FanGraphs Points leagues (where wOBA is a key measure on offense) and Roto leagues (5 x 5).

A few quick notes before we begin:

  • Since “Cost” is league-dependent (auction salary, keeper round, etc.), I’ve ignored it here for simplicity by keeping it constant for every prospect listed. Feel free to use the Scorecard to make changes that reflect true player costs for your league, which will impact these rankings.
  • These rankings below are intended to represent the 100 most valuable prospects for fantasy leagues (depending on scoring format).
  • It’s quite possible I’m missing an obvious player that should be ranked, so let me know in the comments.  We can discuss the specific rationale for player rankings in the comments, too.  Player ages are current ages.
  • For a lot more prospect resources, check out the Ottoneu community.

Here are the (early) 2018 Top 100 prospects for the linear-weights-based FanGraphs Points scoring format (a good proxy for those in OBP leagues):

2018 Top 100 Fantasy Prospects – FGPTS
Rank Player Team Age POS Scouting Scoring Impact Hype Cost Total
1 Ronald Acuna ATL 19 OF 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 1.0 21.0
2 Eloy Jimenez CHW 20 OF 4.5 5.0 4.5 5.0 1.0 20.0
3 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. TOR 18 3B 5.0 5.0 4.0 5.0 1.0 20.0
4 Kyle Tucker HOU 20 OF 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 1.0 19.0
5 Gleyber Torres NYY 20 SS 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.0 1.0 18.5
6 Walker Buehler LAD 23 RHP 4.5 4.0 4.5 4.5 1.0 18.5
7 Michael Kopech CHW 21 RHP 4.5 4.0 4.0 5.0 1.0 18.5
8 Mitch Keller PIT 21 RHP 4.5 4.5 4.0 4.0 1.0 18.0
9 Brent Honeywell TB 22 RHP 4.0 4.5 4.0 4.5 1.0 18.0
10 Victor Robles WAS 20 OF 4.5 3.5 3.5 5.0 1.0 17.5
11 Fernando Tatis Jr. SD 18 SS 4.0 4.0 3.5 5.0 1.0 17.5
12 Nick Senzel CIN 22 3B 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.5 1.0 17.5
13 Brendan Rodgers COL 21 SS 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.5 1.0 17.5
14 Alex Reyes STL 23 RHP 4.5 4.0 4.0 3.5 1.0 17.0
15 Forrest Whitley HOU 20 RHP 4.0 4.5 3.5 4.0 1.0 17.0
16 Bo Bichette TOR 19 SS 4.0 4.0 3.5 4.5 1.0 17.0
17 Luiz Gohara ATL 21 LHP 3.5 3.5 5.0 3.5 1.0 16.5
18 Austin Hays BAL 22 OF 3.5 4.0 4.0 4.0 1.0 16.5
19 A.J. Puk OAK 22 LHP 4.5 4.0 3.5 3.5 1.0 16.5
20 Alex Verdugo LAD 21 OF 3.5 3.5 4.0 4.0 1.0 16.0
21 Lewis Brinson MIL 23 OF 4.0 3.5 3.5 4.0 1.0 16.0
22 Francisco Mejia CLE 22 C 4.0 3.5 3.5 4.0 1.0 16.0
23 Scott Kingery PHI 23 2B 3.5 3.5 4.0 3.5 1.0 15.5
24 Luis Robert CHW 20 OF 4.0 3.5 3.0 3.5 1.0 15.0
25 Keston Hiura MIL 21 2B 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 1.0 15.0
26 Willy Adames TB 22 SS 3.5 3.5 4.0 3.0 1.0 15.0
27 Willie Calhoun TEX 22 2B 3.0 3.5 4.0 3.5 1.0 15.0
28 Triston McKenzie CLE 20 RHP 4.0 3.5 3.0 3.5 1.0 15.0
29 Royce Lewis MIN 18 SS 4.0 3.5 2.5 3.5 1.0 14.5
30 Austin Meadows PIT 22 OF 4.0 3.5 3.0 3.0 1.0 14.5
31 J.P. Crawford PHI 22 SS 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.0 1.0 14.5
32 Hunter Greene CIN 18 RHP 4.5 4.0 2.5 2.5 1.0 14.5
33 Franklin Perez DET 19 LHP 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.0 1.0 14.5
34 MacKenzie Gore SD 18 LHP 4.0 4.0 2.0 3.0 1.0 14.0
35 Jorge Mateo OAK 22 SS 3.5 3.5 3.5 2.5 1.0 14.0
36 Sixto Sanchez PHI 19 RHP 4.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 1.0 14.0
37 Justus Sheffield NYY 21 LHP 3.5 3.0 3.0 3.5 1.0 14.0
38 Jesse Winker CIN 24 OF 3.0 3.0 4.0 2.5 1.0 13.5
39 Christian Arroyo SFG 22 SS 3.0 3.5 3.5 2.5 1.0 13.5
40 Ryan McMahon COL 22 2B 3.0 3.0 3.5 3.0 1.0 13.5
41 Jake Bauers TB 22 OF 2.5 3.5 3.5 3.0 1.0 13.5
42 Kyle Lewis SEA 22 OF 3.5 3.5 3.0 2.5 1.0 13.5
43 Anthony Alford TOR 23 OF 3.0 3.5 3.5 2.5 1.0 13.5
44 Leody Taveras TEX 19 OF 4.0 3.0 2.5 3.0 1.0 13.5
45 Jack Flaherty STL 22 RHP 3.0 3.0 3.5 3.0 1.0 13.5
46 Kyle Wright ATL 22 RHP 3.5 3.0 3.0 3.0 1.0 13.5
47 Jay Groome BOS 19 LHP 4.0 3.0 2.5 3.0 1.0 13.5
48 Brendan McKay TB 21 LHP 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.5 1.0 13.5
49 Juan Soto WAS 19 OF 3.5 3.5 2.5 3.0 1.0 13.5
50 Luis Urias SD 20 SS 3.5 2.5 3.0 3.0 1.0 13.0
51 Mike Soroka ATL 20 RHP 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 1.0 13.0
52 Alec Hansen CHW 23 RHP 3.5 3.0 2.5 3.0 1.0 13.0
53 Michel Baez SD 21 RHP 3.5 3.0 2.5 3.0 1.0 13.0
54 Yadier Alvarez LAD 21 RHP 3.5 3.0 2.5 3.0 1.0 13.0
55 Chance Adams NYY 23 RHP 3.0 3.0 3.5 2.5 1.0 13.0
56 Zack Collins CHW 22 C 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 1.0 13.0
57 Danny Jansen TOR 22 C 2.0 3.5 3.5 3.0 1.0 13.0
58 Jorge Alfaro PHI 24 C 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 1.0 13.0
59 Michael Chavis BOS 22 3B 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 1.0 13.0
60 Kolby Allard ATL 20 LHP 3.5 2.5 3.0 3.0 1.0 13.0
61 Max Fried ATL 23 LHP 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 1.0 13.0
62 Adbert Alzolay CHC 22 RHP 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 1.0 13.0
63 Tyler O’Neill STL 22 OF 2.5 3.5 3.0 3.0 1.0 13.0
64 Jo Adell LAA 18 OF 4.0 3.0 2.0 3.0 1.0 13.0
65 Yordan Alvarez HOU 20 OF 3.0 3.0 2.5 3.0 1.0 12.5
66 Cal Quantrill SD 22 RHP 3.5 2.5 3.0 2.5 1.0 12.5
67 Chance Sisco BAL 22 C 3.0 2.5 3.0 3.0 1.0 12.5
68 Kevin Maitan ATL 17 SS 4.0 3.0 1.5 3.0 1.0 12.5
69 Albert Abreu NYY 22 RHP 3.0 3.0 2.5 3.0 1.0 12.5
70 Stephen Gonsalves MIN 23 LHP 2.5 3.0 3.5 2.5 1.0 12.5
71 Blake Rutherford CHW 20 OF 3.5 3.0 2.0 2.5 1.0 12.0
72 Franklin Barreto OAK 21 SS 3.0 2.5 3.0 2.5 1.0 12.0
73 Dustin Fowler OAK 22 OF 3.0 3.0 2.5 2.5 1.0 12.0
74 Carter Kieboom WAS 20 SS 3.5 3.0 2.0 2.5 1.0 12.0
75 Estevan Florial NYY 19 OF 3.5 3.0 2.0 2.5 1.0 12.0
76 Taylor Trammell CIN 20 OF 3.0 3.0 2.0 3.0 1.0 12.0
77 Austin Riley ATL 20 3B 3.0 3.0 2.5 2.5 1.0 12.0
78 Domingo Acevedo NYY 23 RHP 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 12.0
79 Anderson Espinoza SD 19 RHP 4.0 3.0 1.5 2.5 1.0 12.0
80 Jon Duplantier ARI 23 RHP 3.0 3.0 2.5 2.5 1.0 12.0
81 Corbin Burnes MIL 23 RHP 2.5 3.0 3.5 2.0 1.0 12.0
82 Tyler Mahle CIN 23 RHP 3.0 2.5 3.0 2.5 1.0 12.0
83 Dylan Cease CHW 21 RHP 3.0 2.5 2.5 3.0 1.0 12.0
84 Nick Gordon MIN 22 SS 3.0 2.5 3.0 2.0 1.0 11.5
85 Jesus Sanchez TB 20 OF 3.0 3.0 2.0 2.5 1.0 11.5
86 Christin Stewart DET 23 OF 2.5 3.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 11.5
87 Corey Ray MIL 23 OF 3.5 2.5 2.5 2.0 1.0 11.5
88 Carson Kelly STL 23 C 3.0 2.5 2.5 2.5 1.0 11.5
89 Chris Shaw SFG 24 OF 2.5 3.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 11.5
90 Ian Anderson ATL 19 RHP 3.5 2.5 2.0 2.5 1.0 11.5
91 Yusniel Diaz LAD 21 OF 3.0 2.5 2.5 2.0 1.0 11.0
92 Joey Wentz ATL 20 LHP 3.0 2.5 2.0 2.5 1.0 11.0
93 Cristian Pache ATL 18 OF 3.0 2.5 2.0 2.5 1.0 11.0
94 Miguel Andujar NYY 22 3B 3.0 2.5 2.5 2.0 1.0 11.0
95 James Kaprielian OAK 23 RHP 3.0 3.0 2.0 2.0 1.0 11.0
96 Bobby Bradley CLE 21 1B 2.0 3.0 2.5 2.5 1.0 11.0
97 Matt Manning DET 19 RHP 3.0 2.5 2.0 2.5 1.0 11.0
98 Matt Thaiss LAA 22 1B 2.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.0 11.0
99 Jahmai Jones LAA 20 OF 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.0 1.0 10.5
100 Edwin Rios LAD 23 3B 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.0 1.0 10.5

Here are the (early) 2018 Top 100 prospects for Roto (5 x 5) scoring formats:

2018 Top 100 Fantasy Prospects – 5 x 5
Rank Player Team Age POS Scouting Scoring Impact Hype Cost Total
1 Ronald Acuna ATL 19 OF 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 1.0 21.0
2 Eloy Jimenez CHW 20 OF 4.5 5.0 4.5 5.0 1.0 20.0
3 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. TOR 18 3B 5.0 5.0 4.0 5.0 1.0 20.0
4 Kyle Tucker HOU 20 OF 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 1.0 19.0
5 Michael Kopech CHW 21 RHP 4.5 4.5 4.0 5.0 1.0 19.0
6 Victor Robles WAS 20 OF 4.5 4.5 3.5 5.0 1.0 18.5
7 Walker Buehler LAD 23 RHP 4.5 4.0 4.5 4.5 1.0 18.5
8 Gleyber Torres NYY 20 SS 4.5 4.0 4.5 4.0 1.0 18.0
9 Fernando Tatis Jr. SD 18 SS 4.0 4.5 3.5 5.0 1.0 18.0
10 Brent Honeywell TB 22 RHP 4.0 4.5 4.0 4.5 1.0 18.0
11 Nick Senzel CIN 22 3B 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.5 1.0 17.5
12 Brendan Rodgers COL 21 SS 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.5 1.0 17.5
13 Forrest Whitley HOU 20 RHP 4.0 5.0 3.5 4.0 1.0 17.5
14 Mitch Keller PIT 21 RHP 4.5 4.0 4.0 4.0 1.0 17.5
15 Alex Reyes STL 23 RHP 4.5 4.5 4.0 3.5 1.0 17.5
16 Bo Bichette TOR 19 SS 4.0 4.0 3.5 4.5 1.0 17.0
17 Luiz Gohara ATL 21 LHP 3.5 4.0 5.0 3.5 1.0 17.0
18 Austin Hays BAL 22 OF 3.5 4.5 4.0 4.0 1.0 17.0
19 Lewis Brinson MIL 23 OF 4.0 4.5 3.5 4.0 1.0 17.0
20 A.J. Puk OAK 22 LHP 4.5 4.5 3.5 3.5 1.0 17.0
21 Luis Robert CHW 20 OF 4.0 5.0 3.0 3.5 1.0 16.5
22 Alex Verdugo LAD 21 OF 3.5 3.5 4.0 4.0 1.0 16.0
23 Francisco Mejia CLE 22 C 4.0 3.5 3.5 4.0 1.0 16.0
24 Scott Kingery PHI 23 2B 3.5 3.5 4.0 3.5 1.0 15.5
25 Jorge Mateo OAK 22 SS 3.5 4.5 3.5 2.5 1.0 15.0
26 Triston McKenzie CLE 20 RHP 4.0 3.5 3.0 3.5 1.0 15.0
27 Keston Hiura MIL 21 2B 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 1.0 15.0
28 Willy Adames TB 22 SS 3.5 3.0 4.0 3.0 1.0 14.5
29 Willie Calhoun TEX 22 2B 3.0 3.0 4.0 3.5 1.0 14.5
30 Franklin Perez DET 19 LHP 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.0 1.0 14.5
31 Sixto Sanchez PHI 19 RHP 4.0 3.5 3.0 3.0 1.0 14.5
32 Royce Lewis MIN 18 SS 4.0 3.5 2.5 3.5 1.0 14.5
33 Hunter Greene CIN 18 RHP 4.5 4.0 2.5 2.5 1.0 14.5
34 Anthony Alford TOR 23 OF 3.0 4.0 3.5 2.5 1.0 14.0
35 Austin Meadows PIT 22 OF 4.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 1.0 14.0
36 J.P. Crawford PHI 22 SS 3.5 3.0 3.5 3.0 1.0 14.0
37 MacKenzie Gore SD 18 LHP 4.0 4.0 2.0 3.0 1.0 14.0
38 Leody Taveras TEX 19 OF 4.0 3.5 2.5 3.0 1.0 14.0
39 Justus Sheffield NYY 21 LHP 3.5 3.0 3.0 3.5 1.0 14.0
40 Jay Groome BOS 19 LHP 4.0 3.5 2.5 3.0 1.0 14.0
41 Ryan McMahon COL 22 2B 3.0 3.0 3.5 3.0 1.0 13.5
42 Kyle Lewis SEA 22 OF 3.5 3.5 3.0 2.5 1.0 13.5
43 Alec Hansen CHW 23 RHP 3.5 3.5 2.5 3.0 1.0 13.5
44 Jesse Winker CIN 24 OF 3.0 3.0 4.0 2.5 1.0 13.5
45 Luis Urias SD 20 SS 3.5 3.0 3.0 3.0 1.0 13.5
46 Jack Flaherty STL 22 RHP 3.0 3.0 3.5 3.0 1.0 13.5
47 Kyle Wright ATL 22 RHP 3.5 3.0 3.0 3.0 1.0 13.5
48 Jo Adell LAA 18 OF 4.0 3.5 2.0 3.0 1.0 13.5
49 Brendan McKay TB 21 LHP 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.5 1.0 13.5
50 Christian Arroyo SFG 22 SS 3.0 3.0 3.5 2.5 1.0 13.0
51 Jake Bauers TB 22 OF 2.5 3.0 3.5 3.0 1.0 13.0
52 Juan Soto WAS 19 OF 3.5 3.0 2.5 3.0 1.0 13.0
53 Taylor Trammell CIN 20 OF 3.0 4.0 2.0 3.0 1.0 13.0
54 Michel Baez SD 21 RHP 3.5 3.0 2.5 3.0 1.0 13.0
55 Mike Soroka ATL 20 RHP 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 1.0 13.0
56 Jorge Alfaro PHI 24 C 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 1.0 13.0
57 Max Fried ATL 23 LHP 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 1.0 13.0
58 Chance Adams NYY 23 RHP 3.0 3.0 3.5 2.5 1.0 13.0
59 Michael Chavis BOS 22 3B 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 1.0 13.0
60 Yadier Alvarez LAD 21 RHP 3.5 3.0 2.5 3.0 1.0 13.0
61 Adbert Alzolay CHC 22 RHP 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 1.0 13.0
62 Kolby Allard ATL 20 LHP 3.5 2.5 3.0 3.0 1.0 13.0
63 Franklin Barreto OAK 21 SS 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.5 1.0 12.5
64 Dustin Fowler OAK 22 OF 3.0 3.5 2.5 2.5 1.0 12.5
65 Tyler O’Neill STL 22 OF 2.5 3.0 3.0 3.0 1.0 12.5
66 Yordan Alvarez HOU 20 OF 3.0 3.0 2.5 3.0 1.0 12.5
67 Chance Sisco BAL 22 C 3.0 2.5 3.0 3.0 1.0 12.5
68 Zack Collins CHW 22 C 3.0 2.5 3.0 3.0 1.0 12.5
69 Cal Quantrill SD 22 RHP 3.5 2.5 3.0 2.5 1.0 12.5
70 Kevin Maitan ATL 17 SS 4.0 3.0 1.5 3.0 1.0 12.5
71 Albert Abreu NYY 22 RHP 3.0 3.0 2.5 3.0 1.0 12.5
72 Stephen Gonsalves MIN 23 LHP 2.5 3.0 3.5 2.5 1.0 12.5
73 Blake Rutherford CHW 20 OF 3.5 3.0 2.0 2.5 1.0 12.0
74 Carter Kieboom WAS 20 SS 3.5 3.0 2.0 2.5 1.0 12.0
75 Anderson Espinoza SD 19 RHP 4.0 3.0 1.5 2.5 1.0 12.0
76 Estevan Florial NYY 19 OF 3.5 3.0 2.0 2.5 1.0 12.0
77 Austin Riley ATL 20 3B 3.0 3.0 2.5 2.5 1.0 12.0
78 Domingo Acevedo NYY 23 RHP 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 12.0
79 Jon Duplantier ARI 23 RHP 3.0 3.0 2.5 2.5 1.0 12.0
80 Dylan Cease CHW 21 RHP 3.0 2.5 2.5 3.0 1.0 12.0
81 Corbin Burnes MIL 23 RHP 2.5 3.0 3.5 2.0 1.0 12.0
82 Tyler Mahle CIN 23 RHP 3.0 2.5 3.0 2.5 1.0 12.0
83 Nick Gordon MIN 22 SS 3.0 2.5 3.0 2.0 1.0 11.5
84 Yusniel Diaz LAD 21 OF 3.0 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.0 11.5
85 Jesus Sanchez TB 20 OF 3.0 3.0 2.0 2.5 1.0 11.5
86 Christin Stewart DET 23 OF 2.5 3.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 11.5
87 Cristian Pache ATL 18 OF 3.0 3.0 2.0 2.5 1.0 11.5
88 Corey Ray MIL 23 OF 3.5 2.5 2.5 2.0 1.0 11.5
89 Carson Kelly STL 23 C 3.0 2.5 2.5 2.5 1.0 11.5
90 Chris Shaw SFG 24 OF 2.5 3.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 11.5
91 Ian Anderson ATL 19 RHP 3.5 2.5 2.0 2.5 1.0 11.5
92 Danny Jansen TOR 22 C 2.0 2.0 3.5 3.0 1.0 11.5
93 Joey Wentz ATL 20 LHP 3.0 2.5 2.0 2.5 1.0 11.0
94 Matt Manning DET 19 RHP 3.0 2.5 2.0 2.5 1.0 11.0
95 Miguel Andujar NYY 22 3B 3.0 2.5 2.5 2.0 1.0 11.0
96 James Kaprielian OAK 23 RHP 3.0 3.0 2.0 2.0 1.0 11.0
97 Bobby Bradley CLE 21 1B 2.0 3.0 2.5 2.5 1.0 11.0
98 Matt Thaiss LAA 22 1B 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.0 1.0 10.5
99 Jahmai Jones LAA 20 OF 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.0 1.0 10.5
100 Edwin Rios LAD 23 3B 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.0 1.0 10.5

Full ranking list for both formats

For additional prospect resources:

Prospect Scorecard

2018 Dynasty Prospect Draft Reviews

Prospect Classes in Ottoneu

5MiLB Structure

The Secret to Rebuilding Your Fantasy Team





Trey is a 20+ year fantasy veteran and an early adopter of Ottoneu fantasy sports. He currently administers the Ottoneu community, a network of ~1,200 fantasy baseball and football fans talking sports daily. More resources here: http://community.ottoneu.com

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RonnieDobbs
6 years ago

Nice list. I think the top looks good. After that, I would just be being opinionated for the sake of doing so. Good work!