Sonny's Offseason Accountability - MiLB Edition
If you listen to the Dynasty Baseball Pickups Podcast then you know that we don’t just recommend players in season. Every winter we do a series of episodes focused on previewing each division and included in those episodes are two recommendations each, one major leaguer and one minor leaguer, for every team that we think are worth buying in dynasty. This year I’ve decided to hold myself accountable to those recommendations by checking back in on them now that we are just over a month into the season and with our top prospect rankings just getting their first in-season update I’ve decided to start with my minor league recommendations. So let's take a look at how I’m doing so far.
Note: all stats current through Tuesday May 12/26 and all minor league Statcast data is sourced from TJ Stats unless otherwise stated.
American League
Edgar Montero - ATH/SS**📉**
December PLive Prospect Ranking : 415
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 381
2026 Stats (A): 82 PA, .159/.280/.246, 2 HR/0 SB, 39% K%/14.6% BB%, 41 wRC+
Despite a slight rise in our rankings, this one doesn't look good right now. When I recommended Montero over the winter, I noted that his passive approach and questionable contact rates were keeping him down as a deep league name, and those flags have only grown a deeper shade of red as both his 62.9% zone-swing rate is in the bottom third of Single-A and his abysmal 57.6% contact rate ranks among the lowest in Single-A.
Ike Irish - BAL/OF**📈**
December PLive Prospect Ranking : 137
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 102
2026 Stats (A+): 121 PA, .294/.405/.539, 6 HR/10 SB, 24% K%/14.9% BB%, 145 wRC+
Irish is showing off all the tools so far, flashing an impressive power/speed combo while sporting a strong 3/4/5 triple slash. The contact rate is a touch lower than ideal at around 73%, but overall it’s been a great start to the year.
Anthony Eyanson - BOS/SP**📈**
December PLive Prospect Ranking : 243
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 63
2026 stats (A+/AA): 24.1 IP, 0.74 ERA, 0.58 WHIP, 44.7% K%/4.7% BB%
Eyanson may have been my biggest hit of the entire offseason. His ascent started over the winter with reports of added velocity in bullpens; it really took off when he was touching triple-digits in the Red Sox Spring Breakout game, and his performance to start the year has all but solidified him as a bona fide top 100 prospect and one of the biggest steals of the draft.
Jaden Fauske - CHW/OF
December PLive Prospect Ranking : 268
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 232
2026 Stats (A): 132 PA, .248/.402/.390, 1 HR/8 SB, 29.5% K%/18.9% BB%, 122 wRC+
Fauske’s strikeout rate is higher than we’d like to see, but that’s more due to a passive approach than it is contact issues. At 74.4%, he’s making enough contact to keep his swinging-strike below 10%, but his called-strike rate is over 20%, and his zone-swing rate is among the lowest in Single-A.
Dean Curley - CLE/2B
December PLive Prospect Ranking : 334
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 374
2026 Stats (A+): 128 PA, .247/.469/.427, 3 HR/5 SB, 25.8% K%/27.3% BB%, 148 wRC+
Curley needs to swing the bat more. Like, a lot more. I don’t think I’ve ever looked at a notable prospect’s profile and seen a swing rate near 25%. It’s allowing him to get on base nearly half the time, and what he’s done when he has swung the bat has largely been quite positive; he just needs to take the bat off his shoulder a lot more.
Bryce Rainer - DET/SS
Photo Credit: Yahoo Sports
December PLive Prospect Ranking : 23
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 16
2026 Stats (A/A+): 117 PA, .214/.333/.388, 3 HR/6 SB, 41% K%/15.4% BB%, 99 wRC+
Rainer has returned from injury with a new swing that looks a bit…different. He’s still punishing baseballs when he connects, including a max EV over 116 mph and a 90th percentile EV over 110 mph during his time in Single-A, but he’s having trouble making consistent contact while also displaying a far more passive approach than he did prior to injury. There's far too much talent here to even consider writing him off this early, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t getting at least a little bit worried.
Kevin Alvarez - HOU/OF
December PLive Prospect Ranking : 150
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 95
2026 Stats (A): 113 PA, .245/.292/.406, 3 HR/3 SB, 20.4% K%/4.4% BB%, 88 wRC+
My favorite player from the 2025 J15 cycle, Alvarez, continues to hit. He’s shown strong contact ability and athleticism, but the advanced approach he displayed in the DSL has evaporated as he’s now swinging at nearly everything. The promotion from the DSL, over the complex and straight into Single-A, is a huge vote of confidence, but might require some patience before we see the advanced approach return to form. The good news is that he’s still impressed with the bat.
Michael Lombardi - KC/SP**📈**
December PLive Prospect Ranking : 417
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 350
2026 stats (A): 21.2 IP, 3.32 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 42.4% K%/14.1% BB%
Much like in college, command continues to be a bit of an issue for Lombardi, but there is no questioning the results: excellent whiff and strikeout rates. He’s also gone 4+ innings in four of his six outings this year, an encouraging sign as he transitions into a starting role after being a reliever in college.
George Klassen - LAA/SP**📉**
Photo Credit: Carolyn Kaster
December PLive Prospect Ranking : 181
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 144
2026 stats (AAA): 22 IP, 5.32 ERA, 1.77 WHIP, 14.4% K%/10.6% BB%
2026 stats (MLB): 4.2 IP, 11.57 ERA, 3.64 WHIP, 18.8% K%/31.3% BB%
Klassen made his big league debut in April, and it didn’t go particularly well as he issued 10 free passes in 4.2 innings over two starts. The command has been better in Triple-A, but he’s struggled to strike batters out at anywhere near his normal rate since being sent back down.
Quentin Young - MIN/SS**📉**
December PLive Prospect Ranking : 256
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 281
2026 Stats (A): 129 PA, .224/.287/.353, 3 HR/2 SB, 45% K%/8.5% BB%, 78 wRC+
Young has been showing everything he was known for coming into the draft with staggering power, including a 90th percentile EV of 108.1 mph, and troubling contact rates, including just 66.1% in-zone. He still oozes potential, but he’s also showing why he didn’t go earlier in the draft.
Dillon Lewis - NYY/OF
December PLive Prospect Ranking : 431
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 382
2026 Stats (AA): 126 PA, .214/.302/.438, 6 HR/9 SB, 31.7% K%/11.1% BB%, 94 wRC+
Lewis was traded to the Marlins shortly after I recommended him, and while he’s continued to flash his power/speed upside with his new organization, his contact rate has dipped significantly, leading to a spike in his strikeout rate. It's his first taste of Double-A, so there may be a bit of an adjustment period before things click again.
Nick Becker - SEA/SS
December PLive Prospect Ranking : 217
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 194
2026 Stats (CPX): 31 PA, .208/.387/.333, 0 HR/5 SB, 41.9% K%/22.6% BB%, 105 wRC+
It’s still very early in the Complex season, but Becker is displaying the same contact concerns as when he made his pro debut for an equally small sample in Single-A last year. The approach seems solid, and good things happen when he puts the ball in play, but he’ll need to greatly improve his contact rate to keep rising.
Cooper Flemming - TB/SS**📈**
December PLive Prospect Ranking : 370
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 237
2026 Stats (A): 132 PA, .345/.447/.536, 3 HR/5 SB, 15.2% K%/12.9% BB%, 169 wRC+
Another of my better call-outs from this winter, Flemming has been every bit the advanced hitter expected, but the power production seems to be coming along even quicker than I anticipated. It’s not out of the question that he could receive a promotion to High-A by mid-season, and his stock will soar if he continues to perform there.
Dylan Dreiling - TEX/OF**📈**
December PLive Prospect Ranking : 482
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 353
2026 Stats (AA): 113 PA, .301/.402/.516, 6 HR/4 SB, 19.5% K%/15% BB%, 136 wRC+
Four of six rankers had Dreiling inside their top 450 in the most recent update, an improvement over the fact that Lucas Morel and I were the only two to rank him when I recommended him over the winter. Lucas and I remain the highest on him, placing him inside our top 300, and he’s quietly been a very strong performer in his first taste of Double-A. His approach is still a touch on the passive side, but if he keeps this up, I fully expect him to be on everybody’s rankings next time around.
Sean Keys - TOR/3B**📈**
Photo Credit: mlb.com
December PLive Prospect Ranking : 649
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 367
2026 Stats (AA): 131 PA, .299/.427/.617, 10 HR/5 SB, 26.7% K%/13.7% BB%, 166 wRC+
Keys has been punishing baseballs through the first month-plus of the season, and pairing plus EVs with an elite pull-air rate has resulted in fantastic production. A lowly .250 BABIP kept his 2025 performance out of the spotlight, but he’s caught the attention of many so far in 2026.
National League
David Hagaman - ARI/SP
December PLive Prospect Ranking : 224
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 209
2026 stats (A+): 10.2 IP, 8.44 ERA, 2.34 WHIP, 28.1% K%/17.5% BB%
I couldn’t find an explanation for why, but Hagaman got a late start to the season and has been slowly ramping up since then. The command numbers have slipped significantly to start the year, but it's far too early to be concerned. Expect regression back to the mean as he settles in for the year.
John Gil - ATL/SS**📈**
December PLive Prospect Ranking : 389
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 205
2026 Stats (A+): 149 PA, .298/.399/.496, 6 HR/21 SB, 18.1% K%/14.8% BB%, 140 wRC+
The game power has started to show up for Gil, who’s already nearly matched his HR total from all of last year. He’s quickly approached top 100 status on some lists, and although he hasn’t reached that same level here at PLive, he’s clearly on the rise for us as well.
Josiah Hartshorn - CHC/OF**📈**
Photo Credit: mlb.com
December PLive Prospect Ranking : 404
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 145
2026 Stats (A): 139 PA, .276/.446/.448, 4 HR/4 SB, 14.4% K%/21.6% BB%, 154 wRC+
Another massive hit, Hartshorn has burst onto the scene in his first professional season. He has slowed down some since the first couple of weeks of the season, but he’s still posted a tremendous overall line, especially for a 6th round pick who was flying under the fantasy radar coming into the year.
Eli Pitts - CIN/OF
December PLive Prospect Ranking : Unranked
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 596
2026 Stats: Has not played
There really isn’t much to talk about here since Pitts has yet to make his official pro debut. He possesses a fun blend of power and speed that will be worth keeping an eye on when he does debut.
Zac Veen - COL/OF
December PLive Prospect Ranking : 147
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 177
2026 Stats (AAA): 148 PA, .289/.412/.446, 4 HR/9 SB, 23.6% K%/17.6% BB%, 116 wRC+
The body transformation and kicking of bad habits have resulted in some improved numbers for Veen, but maybe not as much as we would have liked. He’s likely to return to the big leagues at some point in 2026, at which point we’ll have a better idea of how well this recommendation is (or isn’t) aging.
Elijah Hainline - LAD/SS
December PLive Prospect Ranking : Unranked
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 643
2026 Stats (AA): 119 PA, .255/.368/.449, 5 HR/3 SB, 27.7% K%/12.6% BB%, 120 wRC+
Hainline’s contact rates have backed up in his first taste of Double-A, but his approach is still strong enough that he’s having a decent season. He gets lost in the depths of the Dodgers system, but don’t forget the name.
Kevin DeFrank - MIA/SP**📉**
Photo Credit: Fish on First
December PLive Prospect Ranking : 236
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 180
2026 stats: Has not pitched
DeFrank was poised to be a big riser, but a bicep injury wiped out his season. There is a possibility he’s back in time for the tail end of the Single-A season (he was originally slated to pitch in the Complex league this year), but only time will tell if he’ll have an opportunity to show off his big arm before 2027.
Joshua Flores - MIL/SP
December PLive Prospect Ranking : 485
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 422
2026 stats: Has not pitched
Flores has yet to make his official pro debut. Flores has advanced stuff for a prep arm, but displayed shaky control as an amateur. The hope is that landing in one of the league's best development systems will help bring everything together.
Peter Kussow - NYM/SP**📉**
December PLive Prospect Ranking : Unranked
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 562
2026 stats: Has not pitched
This one crashed and burned before it even got off the ground; Kussow required labrum surgery that ended his season before it ever started. He’s still an intriguing deep league name and one to watch next year, but he’ll see his stock, which is already fairly low, slide all season as others who are getting a chance to perform pass him by.
Matthew Fisher - PHI/SP
December PLive Prospect Ranking : 323
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 356
2026 stats (CPX): 5.1 IP, 13.50 ERA, 2.25 WHIP, 20% K%/10% BB%
The numbers aren’t pretty for Fisher, but the sample is far too small to mean anything. The prep draftee possesses a lot of promise, but obviously, he’ll need to show better than this to make good on it.
Antwone Kelly - PIT/SP
December PLive Prospect Ranking : 338
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 270
2026 stats (AAA): 36 IP, 5.50 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 17.6% K%/10.9% BB%
Strikeouts are down, and walks are up for Kelly. Unfortunately, that’s a common theme among pitching prospects making their first appearance in Triple-A. It would be great if all minor league levels used the same ball, but that would be way too complicated.
Ryan Wideman - SD/OF**📈**
December PLive Prospect Ranking : 579
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 409
2026 Stats (A): 148 PA, .317/.408/.524, 3 HR/27 SB, 18.2% K%/8.8% BB%, 138 wRC+
Wideman is doing exactly what a college draftee should be doing in Single-A - destroying it. The most absurd part of the stat line is the fact that he has nearly as many stolen bases as games played. Get this man in High-A already.
Josuar Gonzalez - SF/SS
Photo Credit: McCovey Chronicles
December PLive Prospect Ranking : 51
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 34
2026 Stats (CPX): 17 PA, .286/.412/.357, 0 HR/0 SB, 35.3% K%/17.6% BB%, 111 wRC+
Gonzalez hasn’t been the most impressive youngster in San Fran’s Complex roster; that honor goes to Luis Hernandez, and Gonzalez is striking out a surprising amount so far, but there have still been positive signs from him. It's not what we were expecting from a top 50 prospect, but it's still only a handful of games.
Jesus Baez - STL/3B**📉**
December PLive Prospect Ranking : 204
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 248
2026 Stats (A+): 122 PA, .218/.270/.255, 4 HR/5 SB, 11.5% K%/7.4% BB%, 58 wRC+
A. 211 BABIP and overly aggressive approach are muting the overall production, but Baez has been making a ton of contact. If he can start to be a bit more selective, he should start lifting the ball more, and his stock should start to rise along with his slash line.
Yeremy Cabrera - WSH/OF**📈**
December PLive Prospect Ranking : 295
May PLive Prospect Ranking : 253
2026 Stats (A/A+): 147 PA, .322/.456/.626, 7 HR/18 SB, 24.5% K%/19.7% BB%, 182 wRC+
Although Cabrera’s contact rate has left something to be desired through the first month of the season, it hasn’t slowed down his red-hot production. For all the attention Ronny Cruz has been getting in the Nats org, Cabrera actually posted a slightly better wRC+ and better contact rates during their respective time in Single-A.
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