While going 20 deep at shortstop required an explanation, it makes perfect sense in the outfield, which is theoretically three times deeper than any infield position.
So why not go 30 deep? No doubt, there's talent around every corner of the outfield, but in terms of impact, big-name prospects who every Fantasy Baseballer needs to know, the position comes in a little light. No need to obsess over every teenager making a ruckus in the Florida and Arizona complex leagues (looking at you, Hedbert Perez, Kevin Alcantara and James Wood). If they keep it up, they'll have their day.
Top prospects: C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | OF | P
Tough decisions come with the territory and would simply take on a different form with an expanded threshold. Going 20 deep gives you a broad overview of what the outfield position has to offer while sparing you the obvious hand-wringing over retreads like Cristian Pache, Drew Waters and Heliot Ramos.
Note: This list is intended for a variety of Fantasy formats and thus weighs short-term role against long-term value. Not all of these players will contribute in 2022 — most, in fact, will not — but among prospects, they're the names Fantasy Baseballers most need to know.
1. Julio Rodriguez, Mariners
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2021: high Class A, Double-A
Minor-league stats: .347 BA (291 AB), 13 HR, 21 SB, 1.001 OPS, 43 BB, 66 K
The sort of baseball prodigy whose greatness was self-evident from age 17, Rodriguez wrought such devastation on the upper minors, hitting .362 after his promotion to Double-A, that it's hard to imagine the contention-minded Mariners doing anything to slow him down. He may have some launch-angle issues to sort out still, as Vladimir Guerrero did, but whatever you're imagining, I'll take the over.
2. Riley Greene, Tigers
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2021: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor-league stats: .301 BA (485 AB), 24 HR, 16 SB, .921 OPS, 63 BB, 153 K
There's some question as to whether Greene, drafted fifth overall in 2019, or Spencer Torkelson, drafted first overall in 2020, is the better Tigers prospect, and while the safe money is on the latter, Greene does provide the speed element Torkelson lacks. The strikeouts concern me some, but his hit tool is considered his best, with some evaluators forecasting batting titles.
3. Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2021: high Class A
Minor-league stats: .435 BA (23 AB), 2 HR, 2 3B, 2B, 3 SB, 6 BB, 7 K
The little bit Carroll played before tearing a couple shoulder capsules last season reinforced the idea that there's power to be found in his 5-foot-11 frame. And if so, he may be as complete a prospect as you'll find, capable of hitting lasers all over the field with a supreme batting eye and top-of-the-scale speed.
4. Zac Veen, Rockies
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2021: low Class A
Minor-league stats: .301 BA (399 AB), 15 HR, 36 SB, .900 OPS, 64 BB, 126 K
If power is your thing, Veen is your prospect -- and as long as he's in line to play at Coors Field, it stands to reason he'll hit for average, too. The stolen bases were inflated by the quirky pickoff rules of low-A ball, but his thunderous contact and launch-sequence swing plane are as real as a Rocky Mountain sunset.
5. Brennen Davis, Cubs
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2021: high Class A, Double-A, Triple-A
Minor-league stats: .260 BA (350 AB), 19 HR, 8 SB, .869 OPS, 50 BB, 118 K
The son of both an NBA point guard and a collegiate track star, Davis isn't lacking in athleticism, but he stands out just as much for his approach, consistently delivering high OBPs. His power projection came through in 2021, highlighted by his two home runs in the Futures Game. The strikeouts were a little unruly but aren't expected to be a longstanding issue.
6. Alek Thomas, Diamondbacks
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2021: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor-league stats: .313 BA (435 AB), 18 HR, 13 SB, .953 OPS, 52 BB, 99 K
I've scoffed at Thomas' Fantasy viability in the past, but then came the power in 2021. While the environment no doubt contributed to his bonkers numbers at Triple-A Reno, his .507 slugging percentage at Double-A Amarillo said enough on its own. His profile remains more table-setter than thumper, but his strengths across the board give him hope for a high-end outcome.
7. Robert Hassell, Padres
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2021: low Class A, high Class A
Minor-league stats: .302 BA (443 AB), 11 HR, 34 SB, .863 OPS, 66 BB, 99 K
Hassell was stretched at high-A to end the year but only after looking too good for low-A -- a positive sign for a 19-year-old making his professional debut. The eighth pick in the 2020 draft stands out most for his batting eye and all-fields approach, which makes for a sturdy foundation. If the power manifests as hoped, he'll be in business.
8. Luis Matos, Giants
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2021: low Class A
Minor-league stats: .313 BA (451 AB), 15 HR, 21 SB, .853 OPS, 28 BB, 61 K
Matos doesn't miss and also doesn't miss, if you catch my drift, boasting the contact rate of a slap-hitting middle infielder while regularly generating exit velocities in excess of 105 mph. I don't mean to throw the name Vladimir Guerrero (the older one) around, but he may be cut from the same cloth. We'll see how he responds to more breaking balls.
9. Jasson Dominguez, Yankees
Age (on opening day): 19
Where he played in 2021: complex, low Class A
Minor-league stats: .252 BA (206 AB), 5 HR, 9 SB, .731 OPS, 27 BB, 73 K
Dominguez was drawing Mike Trout comparisons at the ripe old age of 16, so it's no surprise his long-awaited debut failed to meet the hype. He was facing more advanced pitchers while shaking off the rust, and it showed. He still impacted the ball well and presents a high ceiling overall, though perhaps minus the speed given the way his body is developing.
10. George Valera, Guardians
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2021: high Class A, Double-A
Minor-league stats: .260 BA (285 AB), 19 HR, 11 SB, .910 OPS, 66 BB, 88 K
Having long stood out for his compact swing and disciplined approach, Valera finally brought that potential to a boil, generating big power while reaching base at a .405 clip. The strikeout rate ballooned again when he reached Double-A, but all in all, the profile is reminiscent of George Springer at a similar stage of development, if you're looking for an upside comp.
11. Austin Martin, Twins
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2021: Double-A
Minor-league stats: .270 BA (330 AB), 5 HR, .414 OBP, .796 OPS, 60 BB, 83 K
Though considered by some to be the top talent in the 2020 draft, Martin delivered maybe his worst-case outcome in his professional debut, prompting the Blue Jays to deal him at the deadline. His on-base skills are unmatched and will ensure him opportunities, but for Fantasy, we'll need to see more power, particularly if he winds up at third base.
12. Michael Harris, Braves
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2021: high Class A
Minor-league stats: .294 BA (374 AB), 7 HR, 27 SB, .798 OPS, 35 BB, 76 K
One of the biggest risers of 2021 excelled at everything except putting the ball over the fence. But don't be fooled: It's coming. Harris already knows how to identify his pitch and impact it with force, so a little more loft, not to mention a better home venue, should go a long way. The unassuming stat line will make him a sneaky pickup in some leagues.
13. Josh Lowe, Rays
Age (on opening day): 24
Where he played in 2021: Triple-A, majors
Minor-league stats: .291 BA (402 AB), 22 HR, 26 SB, .916 OPS, 61 BB, 123 K
Major-league stats: 1 for 1, SB, BB
Dynasty leaguers have been in on Lowe from the get-go, hyping his athleticism and power/speed profile. I'll admit I had reservations about whether he'd hit enough to make good on it, but he's now mastered Triple-A with a strikeout rate (26.2 percent) that's hardly disqualifying. The real question is where he fits in the Rays' ever-unorthodox plans.
14. Jarren Duran, Red Sox
Age (on opening day): 25
Where he played in 2021: Triple-A, majors
Minor-league stats: .258 BA (244 AB), 16 HR, 16 SB, .873 OPS, 30 BB, 66 K
Major-league stats: .215 BA (107 AB), 2 HR, 2 SB, .578 OPS, 4 BB, 40 K
Duran took us on a wild ride in 2021, first forcing his way onto everyone's sleeper list when he showed up to spring training with a new swing better leveraged for power. It translated early at Triple-A, but then somewhere along the way, he lost his way. He may need to get back to the basics and rely more on his speed.
15. Garrett Mitchell, Brewers
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2021: high Class A, Double-A
Minor-league stats: .258 BA (221 AB), 8 HR, 17 SB, .800 OPS, 46 BB, 71 K
After a blistering start to his pro career, Mitchell thudded with a move up to Double-A, batting .186 with a .554 OPS. He's strong enough to become a middle-of-the-order threat but to this point is content to hit everything into the dirt and let his legs do the talking. Maybe he'll be nothing more than a base-stealer, but let's not lower the ceiling yet.
16. Colton Cowser, Orioles
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2021: complex, low Class A
Minor-league stats: .375 BA (120 AB), 2 HR, 7 SB, .982 OPS, 25 BB, 23 K
The fifth overall pick in the 2021 draft is totally tooled up, but him having more walks than strikeouts in his pro debut should immediately catch your attention. Cowser's swing is geared more for line drives right now, but a prospect who starts out with a plus hit tool rarely bottoms out and also presents the best opportunity for a high-end outcome.
17. Andy Pages, Dodgers
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2021: high Class A
2019 stats: .265 BA (438 AB), 31 HR, .933 OPS, 77 BB, 132 K
Pages was one of just 10 minor-leaguers to exceed 30 homers in 2021 and the only one to hit them all at A-ball. He's up to 60 homers in 235 career games, so his power is firmly established. Between that and his 77 walks, tied with Spencer Torkelson for fifth-most in the minors, his OPS potential is sky high.
18. Joey Wiemer, Brewers
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2021: low Class A, high Class A
Minor-league stats: .295 BA (396 AB), 27 HR, 30 SB, .958 OPS, 63 BB, 105 K
Generally when a veritable masher doesn't register on traditional prospect lists, it's because he's a plodder whose only real position is DH, but Wiemer's athleticism is evident even in the way he evades tags. His swing mechanics are bizarre enough to make purists' heads explode and could derail him eventually, but until it actually happens, I can't sleep on these numbers.
19. Everson Pereira, Yankees
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2021: complex, low Class A, high Class A
Minor-league stats: .303 BA (188 AB), 20 HR, 9 SB, 1.084 OPS, 28 BB, 61 K
Just look at that power production. Pereira hit 14 home runs in 27 games at high Class A, where he finished the year. His .686 slugging percentage between three stops would have led all the minors if he had the at-bats to qualify. The hype Pereira received when he signed as a 17-year-old is owed to him now but is surprisingly lacking.
20. Sal Frelick, Brewers
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2021: complex, low Class A, high Class A
Minor-league stats: .329 BA (146 AB), 2 HR, 12 SB, .880 OPS, 21 BB, 25 K
I'm tempted to put Cleveland's Steven Kwan here but will refrain from favoritism with Frelick, a 2021 first-rounder who should have a short ascension to the majors with his quick hands, small strike zone and stress-inducing speed. He's like a less extreme version of Garrett Mitchell, the Brewers' first-round pick a year earlier, offering a higher floor but also a lower ceiling.
