Mid-Week Dynasty Baseball Pickups - 4/30/26

Welcome back to another week of Dynasty Baseball Pickups! In case you missed it, I wrote about Eduardo Rivera last week, right before his MLB debut, which was electric: 3.1 scoreless innings out of the pen, three strikeouts to no walks, and he faced the minimum as the only baserunner (a single by Jose Caballero) was quickly erased by a ground ball double play. Since then, he was optioned to Triple-A and made one more outing in relief, where he allowed two runs on three hits in 3.0 IP, striking out six and walking none. The rest of the pickups also had good weeks in full-season ball, except for Josh Owens, as he's still at extended Spring Training, and he may start the year at the Complex.

Dynasty Baseball Pickups - Prospects LiveRaj Mehta and Kyle SonntagProspects LiveKyle Sonntag

Note: all stats current through Tuesday April 28th, 2026.

Mid-Week Pickups

Tate Southisene - 19/2B,SS/ATL/A

Photo Credit: Battery Power

Height/Weight: 5’11”/180 lbs Bats/Throws: R/R Fantrax Roster%: 9% PLive+: 109 PLive Prospect Ranking (Feb. 2026): 464th 2025 stats (A): 15 G, 66 PA, .219/.242/.297, 0 HR/3 SB, 40.9% K%/1.5% BB%, 57 wRC+ 2026 stats (A): 21 G, 104 PA, .269/.442/.513, 4 HR/16 SB, 24.0% K%/17.3% BB%, 157 wRC+

Why to pick up: Tate Southisene was drafted in the first round by the Braves in last year’s MLB draft out of Basic Academy in Nevada. Coming into the draft, our scouts loved his athleticism, giving high praise for his bat and foot speed, as well as his approach at the plate. As a result, he entered 2026 with a 60 grade run tool, along with 55 power, 55 throw, 50 field, and 45 hit, with our scout Grant Carver writing the following:

There's plus bat speed here and the ball jumps off his bat when he gets a hold of it. The hit tool is fringe for now and it struggled pretty heavily in his small sample size in pro ball, but I wouldn’t read too much into that. He might not ever be a guy with above average contact rates and the plate discipline struggles due to an over aggressive approach at times, but it’s also not a glaring red flag for now. Power is what drives the upside here, which looks above average thanks to the plus bat speed and athletic lower body that he uses to his advantage.

Southisene struggled mightily in 2025 — as you’d expect when dropping a high schooler straight to Single-A — but I don’t think many expected him to turn it around so well and add 100 points to his wRC+. His contact rate is now a respectable 74.3% figure, and when he’s making contact, he’s hitting it hard, as evidenced by his .244 ISO. The speed, which was his calling card coming out of the draft, is on full display: he already has 16 stolen bases on the year, tied for 5th among all minor league hitters and just two away from the MiLB lead. That blend of contact, power, and speed from a teenager is rare, and it’s making the Braves look very smart so far for reaching for him and signing him to an underslot deal.

Why to think twice: Despite being drafted as a shortstop, the Braves are actually having Southisene play second base for the majority of his games, instead opting for second-round pick Alex Lodise at the six. That’s fine in a vacuum (Lodise is seen as a better defender by some scouts), but given that Southisene has an above average arm, and has already received criticism that he may be forced to move to third base or right field, it’s odd not to see him at the hot corner instead, where the Braves’ Single-A affiliate has used a revolving door of names, none of whom are particularly notable prospects. Admittedly, a move to second or third base may help Southisene’s value as those positions are much shallower in dynasty compared to shortstop, but it does give pause as to how the Braves view his defensive tools, to the point where he may be viewed as more of an outfielder long-term, which would hurt his value more than if he stuck in the infield.

Final thoughts: Among minor leaguers with at least 15 SB, only Ronny Cruz has more home runs, and while he has received more buzz (his roster rate is more than double, at 20%), I am more wary of Cruz due to his extremely low contact rate of 61.2%. Southisene feels like a much safer pick while still giving you similar HR/SB upside. I foresee 15-20 HR and 20-25 SB as a median outcome for Southisene, with the potential for a 25/40 season at peak.

Where to pick up: Leagues with 250+ prospects rostered FAAB Bid: Moderate (5-10%)

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