A reminder on how this works: This is a list for the 2024 season only. It is not a list of the top overall prospects, but the players who have the best chance of making a difference in 2024.
Also, it’s only a list of prospects who are currently in the minors/have prospect eligibility. Players who are currently on MLB rosters or have exhausted their rookie status are not considered eligible.
Those caveats out of the way, here’s a look at the top prospects who have a chance to make a fantasy contribution in 2024.
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1. James Wood, OF, Washington Nationals
2024 stats: 52 G, .353/.463/.595, 10 HR, 10 SB, 40 BB, 42 SO at Triple-A Rochester.
It’s official. Wood is heading to the majors with Eddie Rosario being designated for assignment. The outfielder missed time with a hamstring injury, but as you can see from the numbers above, he’s capable of helping in several categories, and helping quite a bit in a few of them. There will be some ups and downs because baseball is really hard, but Wood is a special offensive talent who is an absolute must-add in all formats. There’s just too much ceiling to not make him a part of your roster.
2. Junior Caminero, INF, Tampa Bay Rays
2024 stats: 34 G, .261/.333/.478, 8 HR, 1 SB, 14 BB, 35 SO at Triple-A Durham.
Caminero was placed on the seven-day IL with a quad strain and hasn’t been able to play since May 28. He also wasn’t exactly tearing the cover off the baseball as of late with an OPS of .430 over his last 40 at-bats. Still, Caminero has some of the best offensive upside in the sport regardless of level, and assuming good health in the coming weeks, he definitely has the potential to be an impact bat at some point this summer.
3. Coby Mayo, INF, Baltimore Orioles
2024 stats: 57 G, .317/.393/.674, 20 HR, 3 SB, 25 BB, 65 SO at High-A Aberdeen and Triple-A Norfolk.
Another awesome week for Mayo -- something Miracle Whip fans hate to hear -- he picked up three multi-hit games and also homered in all three of those games. Over his last 50 at-bats, Mayo is slashing a sensational .431/.525/.961 with seven homers while drawing eight walks and adding six doubles. Simply put, his offensive upside competes with any prospect in baseball, and you could argue that he’s the best power-hitting prospect still in the minors. You probably should. It’s just a matter of finding him playing time in 2024.
4. Moises Ballesteros, C, Chicago Cubs
2024 stats: 66 G, .311/.378/.506, 10 HR, 1 SB, 25 BB, 42 SO at Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa.
Speaking of multi-hit games. Ballesteros has picked up two hits in four of his last five games, and while he didn’t homer, he did add four doubles himself. The 20-year-old backstop was certainly good in Double-A with an .867 OPS, but his Triple-A slash -- admittedly a much smaller sample of 41 at-bats compared to 41 -- is now a scorching .366/409/.561 over his 10 games in Iowa. There’s no guarantee that Ballesteros is going to get a promotion, but it’s very easy to see him helping the Cubs and fantasy managers in the second half of the 2024 campaign.
5. Jackson Holliday, INF, Baltimore Orioles
2024 stats: 50 G, .269/.437/.458, 7 HR, 5 SB, 60 BB, 54 SO at Triple-A Norfolk; 10 G, .059/.111/.059, 0 HR, 0 SB, 2 BB, 18 SO at Baltimore.
Holliday returned from the injured list from his elbow injury, but he’s just going to be playing as a designated hitter for the time being. It’s very important to remember/remind that this is just a list of 2024 prospects; if this was a long-term list, Holliday would absolutely still remain at the top of the list. Because of the injury, and at least a smidgen because of his struggles over his 10 games, he remains more of a long-term option than one worth a roster spot in 2024. That being said, if Baltimore does give him another shot this year? I’ll be doing the same.
6. Brooks Lee, INF, Minnesota Twins
2024 stats: 29 G, .353/.417/.571, 6 HR, 2 SB, 13 BB, 17 SO at Low-A Fort Myers and Triple-A St. Paul.
Lee showed off his underrated power with two more homers last week. Since being called back up to Triple-A, the infielder has slashed .333/.400/.617, and over his last 10 games he has an OPS of 1.105 in the International League. It’s a little tough to see where Lee would be playing right now, but it’s worth pointing out that he’s played some second base. Most of his reps have come at shortstop however -- the same position the white-hot Carlos Correa plays -- so it doesn’t seem like a promotion is imminent at this stage. Still someone who has to be on radars.
7. Kyle Manzardo, 1B, Cleveland Guardians
2024 stats: 40 G, .297/.394/.641, 13 HR, 0 SB, 25 BB, 31 SO at Triple-A Columbus; 30 G, .207/.241/.329, 0 HR, 0 SB, 3 BB, 23 SO at Cleveland.
Manzardo had a monster week for Columbus with four homers and seeing his slugging percentage improve by 50 points. The first baseman wasn’t terrible at the highest level, but obviously didn’t come close to finding this level of success while a member of the Guardians. With Cleveland looking like a legitimate World Series contender, it’s easy to see them either giving Manzardo another chance to help the lineup and in turn fantasy managers, or maybe even moving Manzardo at the deadline which would create a chance to help another team, but still fantasy players in the process.
8. Christian Scott, RHP, New York Mets
2024 stats: 9 G, 42.1 IP, 2.76 ERA, 10 HRA, 12 BB, 55 SO at Triple-A Syracuse; 5 G, 27.2 IP, 3.90 ERA, 3 HRA, 6 BB, 25 SO at New York (NL).
Amazingly, this is Scott’s first time on the list. That’s partially because I am a little lower on Scott than some other folks, but he probably should have been on this list the last few weeks, and I regret the error. Scott is expected back with the Mets rotation soon, and while there are some command issues -- more so than control, although he did walk three in his last outing over just four innings with Syracuse -- there’s the ability to miss bats with all three of his pitches, to be sure. It’s more streamer than everyday starter, but Scott is worth consideration whenever the Mets bring him back into the fold.
9. Jacob Wilson, SS, Oakland Athletics
2024 stats: 38 G, .463/.497/.705, 5 HR, 2 SB, 9 BB, 13 SO at short-season ACL, Double-A Midland and Triple-A Las Vegas.
Full disclosure: These numbers are boosted a bit by his 14 at-bats in Arizona where he hit .571/.647/.857 during his rehab assignment. Fuller disclosure: The numbers outside of that are really, really good even without them. Wilson is now back in Triple-A, and he hit two homers on Saturday while picking up four hits and followed it up on Sunday by going 3-for-5 with a couple of doubles to improve his Triple-A slash to .447/.490/.650. Yes, there’s been some good luck for Wilson and his exit velocities don’t jump off the page. He’s still a player with a plus-plus hit tool, solid if unspectacular pop, and he doesn’t strike out. There’s just a lot to like here, and if the A’s give him a chance, I think he’s well worth adding to see how this works. What’s the worst that can happen?
10. Jasson Dominguez, OF, New York Yankees
2024 stats: 23 G, .356/.404/.609, 6 HR, 3 SB, 7 BB, 19 SO at Low-A Tampa, Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Well, shoot. We were waiting for word on the severity of Dominguez’s injury at this point last week, and unfortunately, he was diagnosed with a “moderate” oblique strain that is going to keep him out for up to eight weeks. The bad news is that it keeps him out essentially until the end of August. The good news is that it doesn’t necessarily mean he can’t be a fantasy contributor at the end of the year. It’d be nice if you could place Dominguez on your injured list, but without that ability, it’s tough to roster him at this stage. That being said, he’d be at the top of this list if not for the injury, so again, keep him on your radar.
Also considered: Owen Caissie, OF, Chicago Cubs; Hurston Waldrep, RHP, Atlanta; Jace Jung, INF, Detroit Tigers; Cade Horton, RHP, Chicago Cubs; Jordan Lawlar, INF, Arizona Diamondbacks