Updated MLB Prospects Rankings: Fantasy Baseball Drafts (2023) (2024)

The 2023 MLB season is nearly here, and with that comes new prospects, rookies and call-ups. Prospects are exciting for MLB teams, their fans, and fantasy baseball managers. Prospects can emerge to become superstars, and help propel an MLB franchise or fantasy baseball team to a championship.

Below in this article you will find my updated 2023 fantasy baseball prospectsrankings for redraft leagues (non-keeper), along with an analysis of the prospects. A few weeks ago, I had released my top 25 fantasy baseball prospects rankings. Now, I'm back with an expanded list, adding in even more prospects to have on your mind as you complete your drafts before the season begins!

Be sure to also check out all our other fantasy baseball prospects articles and breakdowns. Now without any further ado, our top 50 fantasy baseball prospects for 2023.

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Top MLB Prospect Rankings for Fantasy Baseball

The list below is for 2023 fantasy baseball redraft leagues. These are MLB prospects, rookies, and call-ups to potentially make a fantasy baseball impact in 2023. You can also see our top 250 fantasy baseball dynasty prospects for longer-term outlooks.

Fantasy Baseball Prospects Rankings #1-7

Many top MLB prospects may be missing on this list, but understand in a redraft league that some players aren't going to impact until September – if they do at all. Those types of players are deducted from these redraft rankings due to that.

Corbin Carroll should open the season atop the Arizona Diamondbacks lineup, and he will grow into power in his home park while immediately offering steals and R/RBI. Gunnar Henderson will open on the left side of the Baltimore infield and will offer a strong batting average while he works to develop power at the big-league level.

Behind those is one of the biggest stories of spring training, the incredible performance of 20-year-old slugger Jordan Walker, who has assured himself of an early-season role with the St. Louis Cardinals. He may not break camp with the team, but he will certainly be up quickly, offering power and just a bit of speed as well.

After that are a quartet of hitters with Opening Day jobs in lineups that should allow them to produce strong fantasy stats. Vargas' versatility will be valued, with power at second base and eligibility at multiple positions in most formats. Jung and Casas should offer offensive value in their respective lineups, and injury has opened the door for Tovar to open the season in Colorado, where his gap power and speed should allow him to offer double-digit home runs and speed production.

Fantasy Baseball Prospects Rankings #8-15

While Grayson Rodriguez will certainly be up early for the Baltimore Orioles, his innings could be managed, and with his previous injury history, that's why he is here. Hunter Brown is in the same boat as Rodriguez as his raw stuff may be as good as any pitcher out there, but the Astros may ease him into the rotation by managing his innings, which could limit his impact.

Garrett Mitchell is one of the most athletic players in all of baseball, but he struggles with constant tinkering to his swing, limiting his ability to access power with consistency. Getting to power won't be the problem for Oscar Colas, though he may not be friendly to your batting average in your fantasy lineups, at least initially. Spencer Steer has been handed a starting job at third in Cincinnati, and his power should play very well in that park.

If Francisco Alvarez was assured a starting job with the New York Mets to open the season, he'd be worthy of bumping up a couple of spots as he has the potential to hit 30+ home runs this year once he is up, but he's going to open in AAA, so watch for his call up. After being acquired by the Angels last year, Logan O'Hoppe had his road to a starting job cleared, and he's got a strong offensive profile for a catcher.

Brett Baty has been a tremendous story this spring, only perhaps behind Walker in impressive displays by a prospect. He may not open the season in New York, but his bat will earn him time very quickly with the Mets.

Fantasy Baseball Prospects Rankings #16-24

Oswald Peraza could offer offensive value once his defense earns him a starting role in the Yankees infield. Anthony Volpe will join Peraza in the Yankees infield at some point, likely after getting some reps at second or third base.

While Matthew Liberatore may not be "sexy", he's a consistent starter that should fit well at the back of a rotation. He's going to be the first man up for a rotation that has multiple major injury risks and age concerns. Kyle Manzardo will begin the season in the minor leagues, but with his rare bat in the Rays' system, he will be up soon.

Hayden Wesneski had tremendous data numbers in his time with the Cubs last season and should open at the back of the rotation.

While Curtis Mead and Ben Joyce may not open the season for their respective teams in the major leagues, both should be up and provide an important spark before midseason. Mead has versatility between second and third base for the Rays and has a high-hitting aptitude while Joyce offers a blistering fastball that could immediately put him in the closer's role for the Angels.

The Dodgers will open with a prospect in the rotation, and Ryan Pepiot will most likely be the guy to take that role. He tossed 36 1/3 innings with 42 strikeouts last season in his MLB debut. The Miami Marlins will have a full rotation to open the season, but Eury Perez will likely be the top option when they need someone to fill in, and the teen righty has as much raw upside on the mound as any pitcher in the game.

Fantasy Baseball Prospects Rankings #25-39

Lefties Jared Shuster and Dylan Dodd are finalists for the fifth spot in the Braves rotation. Regardless of which one wins the job, both have shown that they are capable of eating innings in front of a good Braves lineup, which should give them streaming value in fantasy leagues. Similarly, Arizona has three options competing for a rotation spot, and each would be a viable streaming option with upside, as Ryne Nelson, Drew Jamesen, and Brandon Pfaadt each have some strikeout upside with the job.

The two biggest impressions by prospect pitchers have been by Ricky Tiedemann and Andrew Painter. Both are young and without any time in Triple-A and both ended their strong spring run with injury. That said, if the injury concerns are not serious as the season pushes forward, either could impact his team's regular rotation sooner rather than later.

The Milwaukee infield is still unsettled, but Brice Turang could benefit, with strong defense up the middle and excellent speed that will play for fantasy owners were he to work his way into a starting role. Will Brennan would offer a similar high average, high-speed value in the Cleveland outfield if he can break through with a role.

DL Hall has struggled with his velocity in the spring, but as he regains his top-end stuff, the Orioles could use him in a similar way to how the Twins utilized Jhoan Duran in 2022. That has fantasy value for ratios and strikeouts in most formats. Drew Waters was supposed to open the season with the center field role in Kansas City, but a spring injury will slow the start of his season. His power/speed combination will be a very welcome addition once he joins the team.

Ken Waldichuk is likely going to find himself among many options in Oakland, and his spring has not been great, but his stuff is the most fantasy-friendly of the A's options. Similarly, the Pirates will have multiple backend options for the rotation with prospect pedigree, but Luis Ortiz's blazing fastball and wicked breaking stuff offer strikeout upside that other options don't provide for fantasy owners. Bobby Miller is competing for a rotation job in Los Angeles now due to injuries, but the Dodgers are likely going to have him in Triple-A if he does not make the big league rotation rather than have him spend time in the bullpen.

The Cubs signed multiple options to seemingly block Matt Mervis from the opening 2023 in the major leagues over the offseason, but if Mervis hits the way he did last season, he'll ascend to Chicago quickly this year, and the cozy confines of Wrigley won't hold many of his hits.

Rest Of The Bunch

Jonathan Aranda and Joey Wentz may each end up leaving spring with a job, but even if they don't, they'll be called on early in the season as part of a deep position group that their respective team will likely be working through multiple options looking for the right mix early on in the season.

Sal Frelick is a very high-floor hitter with an excellent batting average and speed if he were to get a job in Milwaukee, but no clear opening right now.

Endy Rodriguez and Bo Naylor are both athletic backstops that have placeholder options in place for their respective clubs, but they will be up at some point in 2023 and will be intriguing fantasy options at catcher immediately when they have full-time jobs.

Taj Bradley and Kyle Harrison are part of excellent pitching development systems but are on the outside looking in currently for rotation spots. They are both are in the upper minors and have high pedigree, so either could push forward and provide an excellent option for fantasy owners.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand had a big spring showing to get on the radar in Cincinnati, but he has contact concerns. His big power should play if he is brought up for the Reds, however. Casey Schmitt is a defensive stalwart that took big steps forward offensively last year and has continued to show that offensive improvement at the plate this spring. With injuries for the Giants, he could get a shot early in the season on the left side of the infield.

Finally, Chourio and De La Cruz are two of the most exciting young players the game has seen in many years, and both spent time in Double-A in 2022, so they cannot be discounted to potentially continue a rapid ascent to the majors by midseason.

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