Here Come the Prospects: Diamondbacks and Angels

When it comes to fantasy baseball, not all prospects are created equally. In keeper leagues and dynasty leagues it’s important to have strategies around your prospects; you don’t want to just randomly grab a Top 10 or 20 prospect and hope for the best.

Along with skill, knowing a player’s ETA is key. Is the player advanced enough to help in 2016… or is he headed for a 2019 debut? Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is a talented dude but he’s not likely to visit the Great White North until 2020. Chicago (AL) drafted Carson Fulmer in 2015 with the eighth overall pick but he’s considered advanced enough to perhaps help the club in ’17. And then there’s Colorado’s Trevor Story, who is likely to turn the Jose Reyes soap opera and a strong spring into a ’16 starting gig.

As a result, your strategy around acquiring prospects should vary. If you’re grabbing a guy earmarked to help in 2017 or later, you should look at them like a stock — an investment that you hope to see increase in value before you cash out (either by adding to your active roster or by trading for an opportunity to win sooner). You also have to consider if you’re truly committed to a long-range prospect and willing to commit a roster spot to someone who may not help for three or four years — if at all. Prospects with a ’16 or ’17 should be viewed as players that can be valuable (albeit potentially inconsistent) contributors to the current makeup of your roster at a reasonable cost.

Over the course of the next few weeks we’ll have a look at the expect time frames for key prospects in each organization. So far we’ve looked at the Dodgers/Padres, and Giants/Rockies.

Diamondbacks

2016 Sleeper: Ryan Burr, RHP: A fifth-round selection from the 2015 draft, Burr might seem like a curious choice for the distinction of 2016 sleeper but he has the arsenal to move at light-speed. The right-hander works in the mid-90s and hits the upper-90s with his heater — along with a wipeout slider. He reached low-A ball in his debut and, in total, struck out 49 batters in 34 innings. A strong spring should catapult him to high-A to begin the year. Arizona’s bullpen is definitely a weak spot and Burr could eventually give the club a more traditional closer than Brad Ziegler.

2017 Stud: Anthony Banda, LHP: Banda doesn’t have the electric stuff that some of the other arms in the Diamondbacks system have but he has a well-rounded approach and good command/control that could allow him to succeed from the left side. He pitched in the offensive-minded California League in 2015 and not only survived but allowed just eight home runs — a skill that would serve him well pitching at home in Arizona. Look for him to open 2016 in double-A and he could make his big league debut this September.

Long-term Investment: Jose Martinez, RHP: You’ll be forgiven if you’ve forgotten about Martinez — who was considered one of Arizona’s top starting pitching prospects way back in 2013. Then he suffered an elbow injury and missed most of 2014 and part of ’15 while recovering from the stress fracture. He’s now a reliever with a mid-90s fastball that could move quickly in 2016. He’ll likely open the year in high-A ball but could move up to double-A around mid-year if he pitches as well as expected.

Angels

2016 Sleeper: Greg Mahle, LHP: Herky-jerky relievers with multiple angles are always fun to watch and Mahle falls into the category. As a lefty, he has added intrigue. Despite being a reliever, he comes at hitters with a four-pitch mix; combine that with his multiple arm angles and hitters never know what’s coming at them. The southpaw split 2015 between high-A and double-A so he should see triple-A quickly in 2016, if not right away. With a lack of depth in big league bullpen — especially from the left side — look for Mahle to make an impact in 2016.

2017 Stud: Victor Alcantara, RHP: The Angels have traded away all of their true impact prospects so “stud” is a bit of a stretch but Alcantara has impact stuff if he can make some adjustments. He can reach 99 mph with his heater and the low-90s with his slider. Unfortunately, he earns below-average grades with both his command and his control. Still, he survived the potent California League in 2015 and should have an easier time in double-A in 2016. Currently a starter, a move to the bullpen is very likely in the cards for this 22-year-old hurler.

Long-term Investment: David Fletcher, SS: Again, the cupboard is pretty bare in Los Angeles but Fletcher is a fun little ballplayer that could play bigger than his tools (or his size). The middle infielder played well during his pro debut in 2015 and reached low-A ball. A strong spring could catapult him to high-A ball to begin 2016 after he walked more than he struck out and hit more than .300 last year. He’s a solid defensive player but there are questions over his range so second base might be his long-term position rather than shortstop.