Prospect Review Week 1

Minor league Week 1 Review

By Tyler Fredrick · April 4, 2026 · Updated October 12, 2026

{"template":"baseball-prospect-risers","subtitle":"Minor league Week 1 Review","readTime":"10","intro":"We're currently in the midst of what I call small sample size season. Pull up twitter and you'll see people posting outrageous stat lines, unsustainable savant pages, many making lofty comparisons, and some, quite frankly, making ridiculous conclusions. It's very easy to get overly excited if your guy is hot to begin the season, but if he's the one that can't get anything going then it's very easy to panic. Regardless of which side you're on, I highly recommend taking a step back and taking a deep breath. Stats need time to stabilize and it takes just one game to get your slumping hitter back on track. If you're still unsure after that, come on over to fantasy roundup and ask us a question, we're always around to help. With that in mind, let's take a look at some minor leaguers that have started the season well. Keep in mind that some of these guys will come crashing back down to Earth. AAA started just over a week ago and AA and below began on Thursday the 2nd. Still, you'll never know which ones will keep it going and become the next big thing so it's important to keep an eye on them and grab them early if you can. You can always cut them later for the next one that gets hot. ","tiers":[{"id":"tier-1","label":"% Owned on Fantrax Tibbs might be the minor leaguer generating the most buzz to begin the season. In just 7 games, he's already hit 4 homers and his slash line of .467/.529/1.067 is exactly what I was talking about above if you've seen it on twitter. Is he real though? It's hard to say. Tibbs went through a tumultuous year last season, getting sent to Boston in the Rafael Devers trade then suddenly getting moved to the Dodgers just a month and a half later for Dustin May. When two teams move on from a player that was drafted 13th overall the year before, it really makes you wonder if he just doesn't have it. But it also makes you wonder if they were just missing something because he's been demolishing the baseball since getting to LA. The hit tool looks better, the power looks real, and you can't argue with the numbers. I'm not willing to ignore his time with the Giants and Red Sox and go all in, but if he's available I would be running to get shares because he may start forcing his way to a promotion sooner rather than later, even in a crowded Dodger team. "},{"name":"Sam Antonacci","team":"CHW","position":"2B","age":"23","pctOwned":"27","writeup":"I wrote about Antonacci as a potential riser in 2026 and he's hit the ground running in AAA. With 2 homers in 6 games to start the year, I think it's fair to say that Antonacci does have a bit more power than most anticipated before the season after all. Combine that with his fantastic hit tool and plate approach, we're looking at a guy that has the potential to contribute to most fantasy teams in the near future. One thing to note is that he has played 5 out of his first 6 AAA games in left field and only one at 2B. I'd be surprised if the White Sox saw him as a future corner outfielder and ideally he gets eligibility at multiple positions, but it's definitely something to keep an eye on because LF only would be a bit of a let down. "},{"name":"Kevin Alcantara","team":"CHC","position":"OF","age":"23","pctOwned":"33","writeup":"Alcantara's numbers didn't jump off the page in 2025 and I get the feeling that the excitement that many seemed to have for him is fading. Let's remember that Alcantara has some of the loudest tools in minor league baseball and that he's still a legitimate prospect. He spent the first week of 2026 playing well, hitting two homers and stealing a bag in his first six games. The Cubs are extremely reluctant to give their young guys an extended run in the lineup but all it takes is an injury or two and Alcantara will get his chance. Keep an eye on him if you're looking for a guy with a high ceiling. "},{"name":"George Klassen","team":"LAA","position":"SP","age":"24","pctOwned":"30","writeup":"Klassen has some of the best stuff in the minors and started the season with a solid start, going 4.2 innings while giving up 1 run and striking out 5. Most importantly, he walked zero batters. Command has always been the biggest question mark here so if he continues to keep the walks down then the sky's the limit. "},{"name":"Ralphy Velazquez","team":"CLE","position":"UTIL","age":"20","pctOwned":"38","writeup":"One of the best all around bats in the minors, Velazquez picked up right where he left off last season by clubbing a homer in his first game of the year on Thursday. Still only 20 years old, if he keeps this up then there may not be much left for him to prove in AA and the Guardians may start to wonder if he could help the big league team sooner rather than later. "}]},{"id":"tier-2","label":"The power hitting 1B had a good 2025 and hit two homers to begin the new season. Burke has huge raw power but the hit tool is below average and may be a problem as he continues to move through the minor leagues. The homers came alongside three strikeouts so it will be something to keep an eye on. As a 1B only guy, the bat really needs to carry. So while the power gives him a high ceiling, the hit tool makes him very risky. "},{"name":"Jake Bennett","team":"BOS","position":"SP","age":"25","pctOwned":"12","writeup":"Traded to the Red Sox this offseason, Bennett got some buzz after manager Alex Cora praised him in camp. The lefty hit the ground running and was impressive in his first start of the year, going 3 innings, striking out 5, and walking none while giving up 1 unearned run. He'll likely have his innings managed after pitching 75 innings while working his way back from 2024 Tommy John surgery, but I'd bet that Bennett is playing a part for Boston in the big leagues in the second half of this year, either as a starter or in the bullpen. "},{"name":"Juan Valera","team":"BOS","position":"SP","age":"19","pctOwned":"14","writeup":"Valera has some fantastic stuff and that was on display for Greeneville's opening night, striking out 7 and getting 13 whiffs in 53 pitches. He only threw 32 strikes and you'd like to see that number a bit higher but his stock is on the rise after a great spring training and now a good debut. "},{"name":"Miguel Ullola","team":"HOU","position":"SP","age":"23","pctOwned":"11","writeup":"Ullola has one of the better fastballs in the minor leagues and was dominant in his first outing of 2026, throwing 5.2 innings, striking out 7, walking 1, and giving up 1 ER. Walks have been a major issue throughout his minor league career so it's great to see him dominate while keeping the walks down. Ultimately, this is probably a bullpen arm thanks to a career 15.9% walk rate but he's got potential to be a great reliever. "},{"name":"Joseph Dzierwa","team":"BAL","position":"SP","age":"21","pctOwned":"10","writeup":"Dzierwa was a second rounder out of Michigan State and absolutely dominated in his debut, throwing six innings, striking out 9, and giving up no runs with one hit and walk against. He was amazing in the spring breakout game as well where he struck out 8 over 3 winnings. The stuff isn't dominant but the 6'8\" lefty certainly looks the part and will be one to watch this year. "}]},{"id":"tier-3","label":"After only hitting two homers in all of 2025, Lara opened up 2026 with two homers in 7 games and has been fantastic to start the year. The 5'7\" outfielder probably isn't ever going to wow us with power but the hit tool is good and the speed is legit. At 9% owned, he's likely available in most leagues and his glove gives him a shot to be a legit big leaguer so there's some value to be had in deep leagues. "},{"name":"Jimmy Crooks","team":"STL","position":"C","age":"24","pctOwned":"9","writeup":"The Cardinals have yet another catcher that has a shot to be a good big leaguer. Crooks is a plus defender, and while his numbers haven't jumped off the page, he's put up above average numbers every year. Now, to start 2026, he's hit 3 homers in his first 5 games and has started the season on fire. I'm not sure he'll ever put up numbers to be exciting for fantasy leagues, but deep leagues and those that roster two catchers might want to keep an eye out. His glove will make sure he gets playing time. "},{"name":"Kohl Drake","team":"ARI","position":"SP","age":"25","pctOwned":"9","writeup":"Drake has made two starts to begin 2026 and has pitched well, giving up 3 runs in 9 innings while striking out 11. The upside isn't huge but Drake has a good fastball and has the potential to be a good number 4 for the D-Backs. We should see the 25 year old debut at some point this year. "},{"name":"Tanner Franklin","team":"STL","position":"SP","age":"21","pctOwned":"8","writeup":"Franklin was the 72nd overall pick in the draft last year and while he was mostly a reliever in college, St. Louis seems to think he can be a starter long term. He debuted Friday night and struck out 9 of the 16 batters he faced while giving up 2 unearned runs and walking 2. The fastball is amazing and is the main appeal here, but there's some developing to do if he's going to stick in a big league rotation long term. "},{"name":"William Bergolla Jr","team":"CHW","position":"SS","age":"21","pctOwned":"6","writeup":"Similar to Antonacci, Bergolla is a light hitting middle infielder with a plus hit tool and good plate approach. The only issue is that unlike Antonacci, there is no sneaky power here. Bergolla has only hit two homers in four years of minor league baseball. His ceiling for fantasy is a Luis Arraez type which is not very exciting. We can't fault his play to start the year though, his .565/.630/.739 line in his first six games certainly looks amazing. "}]},{"id":"tier-4","label":"Ramirez has quietly been a solid hitter throughout his minor league career despite not being talked about much. That is mostly due to his size, the 5'9\" infielder hasn't shown much power and the profile doesn't show a ton of upside. He's been smashing the ball to start the year though. 2 homers in 6 games and maxEV of 109.6 is nothing to scoff at. At only 4% owned, he's someone to watch in the deep leagues. "},{"name":"Dylan Jordan","team":"LAA","position":"SP","age":"21","pctOwned":"4","writeup":"Jordan threw a gem to begin 2026, going 5 innings, striking out 8, giving up 3 hits and no runs, while walking none. It's hard to get much better than that. The 2024 5th round draft pick had a good 2025 season split between the complex league and A ball and is someone I'll be keeping my eye on. It's hard to imagine he stays in A ball long if he keeps pitching well. "},{"name":"Brendan Tunink","team":"LAD","position":"OF","age":"20","pctOwned":"3","writeup":"Tunink launched two homers in his A ball debut Thursday night. He put up some great numbers in the complex league last year but the K's are a major problem. We saw that as well last night, with two strikeouts to go alongside the homers. Ultimately, I'm not sure if the hit tool is good enough but hitting two homers is always noteworthy. "},{"name":"Dylan Brown","team":"BOS","position":"SP","age":"21","pctOwned":"0","writeup":"An 8th rounder out of Old Dominion, Brown threw a gem in his first pro ball start, going 5 innings, giving up only two hits, striking out 6, and walking none. It's a college pitcher in A ball so there's no reason to get too excited yet, but I've mentioned my love of Boston's recent pitching development before so when I see an 8th rounder with a stellar debut, I'm going to take notes. "}]}]}