10 Rising Fantasy Baseball Prospects In Our New Dynasty Rankings

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Image credit: Mets RHP Christian Scott (Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

Baseball America unveiled updated midseason dynasty rankings on Wednesday. In conjunction, we’re examining the biggest risers, both in the majors and down on the farm.

Here are 10 prospects who jumped up in the rankings.

James Wood, OF, Nationals (April Rank: 122. June Rank: 28. Movement: +94)

Wood is RoboScout’s top-ranked hitting prospect. His 173 wRC+ through June 25 is the third-highest mark for any Triple-A hitter with at least 100 plate appearances. Remember, he’s the fifth-youngest hitter at the level. A young outfielder who should produce early-round fantasy seasons that fill all traditional roto league categories, Wood is the best dynasty player who has yet to make his MLB debut. 

Christian Scott, RHP, Mets (April Rank: 432. June Rank: 114. Movement: +318)

Scott will soon be the highest-ranked prospect pitcher once soon-to-graduate Paul Skenes departs the list. Scott is RoboScout’s second-best Triple-A pitcher. He is armed with a flat 93-95 mph four-seam fastball, a mid-80s slider and a changeup with 9 mph separation and nine inches of vertical separation from the heater. Scott has put up a 29.2% strikeout-minus-walk rate, which is tied for best mark among Triple-A pitchers with at least 30 innings pitched. After a brief major league debut of five starts, the Mets sent him down to Triple-A at the end of May. He should return to Flushing within weeks and will likely be a midrotation mainstay for the next decade.

Noah Schultz, LHP, White Sox (April Rank: 467. June Rank: 188. Movement: +279)

The Southside’s next great southpaw has thrown 47 innings across two levels with a cumulative 35% strikeout rate and a 4% walk rate, most recently in Double-A Birmingham. Schultz is still two months shy of his 21st birthday. Slinging his predominantly fastball/slider combination with his 6-foot-9-inch frame, Schultz also has incorporated a cutter and changeup. With some of the best Stuff amongst minor league starting pitchers, Schultz should be a starting rotation mainstay for the White Sox, serious injury notwithstanding, no later than 2025. 

Agustin Ramirez, C, Yankees (April Rank: 589. June Rank: 238. Movement: +351)

Arguably the biggest 2024 hitting breakout, the Yankee catcher has seen a move from the near 600s to inside the top 250. Although he may not stick at catcher, the 22-year-old slugger led Double-A in home runs before his  promotion to Triple-A Scranton, taking Ben Rice’s roster spot after the latter’s major league callup. With some of the fastest bat speed in the minors–and with better-than-average contact ability–Ramirez is projected to be an above-average hitting catcher with 20+ home runs yearly.

Kevin McGonigle, SS, Tigers (April Rank: 532. June Rank: 253. Movement: +279)

In over 250 plate appearances at Low-A Lakeland, including his professional debut in 2023, McGonigle has put up a 150 wRC+ while playing remarkably good middle-infield defense. With swing decisions and bat-to-ball ability against all pitch-types that easily grades metrically as plus, the No. 37 pick in 2023 also adds in stolen base ability that should translate to 15 to 20 bags a year in the major leagues. Still a teenager, McGonigle looks like he will be hitting at the top of the Tigers’ lineup by the second half of 2026–and has a high likelihood of being a consensus top-20 fantasy prospect by the end of this season.

Quinn Mathews, LHP, Cardinals (April Rank: Unranked. June Rank: 314. Movement: +387)

A recent entry in the Baseball America Top 100 Prospects, the Stanford graduate has carved up lower-level hitters all season, accruing a 31% strikeout minus walk rate over 74 innings before earning a promotion to Double-A Springfield earlier this week. The biggest eye-opener this year has been his stuff, which has taken a big step forward. He has three 55-grade pitches  that he expertly commands. A former pitchability lefty who now sits 95 mph with excellent command, Mathews enters the top 350.

Zebby Matthews, RHP, Twins (April Rank: Unranked. June Rank: 354. Movement: +347)

The breakout Matthews with two t’s, Matthews first made waves this season by not walking a batter until his seventh start of the season. However, the 24-year-old righthander is not just a control artist. Matthews has a five-pitch mix including a four-seamer that touched 99 mph, plus a mid-80s slider and a downer curveball both generate whiffs around 40% of the time. The Twins have a full starting rotation already, so it will be interesting how they deploy Louie Varland, David Festa and now Matthews, who are all in the upper levels. Matthews should be a solid No. 3 starter for them beginning in 2025, and has as high a floor as any current minor league starting pitcher. 

Spencer Schwellenbach, RHP, Braves (April Rank: Unranked. June Rank: 399. Movement: +302)

Schwellenbach is another pitching prospect who went from unranked to inside the top 400. He’s a good example of why it’s often successful to not invest in starting pitching prospects, then act quickly early in the season. With such an approach, one could have rostered Quinn Mathews, Zebby Matthews, and Schwellenbach with very little FAAB investment outlay. The former two-way star has three 55-grade or better pitches and borderline plus command. He may only be a back-of-the-rotation starter in 2024, but he should be a Braves midrotation fixture–and receive excellent run support from a young, dynamic lineup–for the next few years. 

Michael Arroyo, 2B, Mariners (April Rank: 625. June Rank: 448. Movement: +177)

Arroyo is one of the most underrated hitting prospects in the minors. The Mariners middle infielder was just promoted along with Lazaro Montes to High-A Everett, five months shy of his 20th birthday. In 2024, Arroyo has shown 25+ home run power and has played excellent defense at (primarily) second base. He is still a ways away from the majors–and in competition with a deep Mariners system–but the 2022 international signing out of Colombia should not be overlooked. 

Alex Freeland, SS, Dodgers (April Rank: Unranked. June Rank: 496. Movement: +205)

Another previously unranked prospect, the Dodgers infielder has maintained his breakout performance all season. Pairing better-than-average swing decisions, contact ability, barrel rates, exit velocities and shortstop defense, Freeland is putting up a more impressive season in 2024 than Miguel Vargas or Gavin Lux ever were capable of at High-A Great Lakes, not to mention with excellent up-the-middle defense. Freeland is another Dodger success story.

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