2088 - A preview of next year's First Year Player Draft for Dynasty Leagues
The following players are discussed:
1.Dylan Crews (OF, Was, #2)
Highest Level: Draft ETA: 2025-26 Fantasy Ceiling: First-Round Fantasy Pick
Tools Summary: 20-20 upside with a feel to hit.
Dylan Crews had the best combination of safety and upside in the 2023 Draft. A handful of high school players have a higher upside, but when you combine his proven ability to hit in the SEC with a 20-20 profile, he should be the top player selected in supplemental Dynasty League Drafts. If you’re looking for a comp, I liken him to Jackson Holliday.
Yep, he has a chance to be that good.
2.Wyatt Langford (OF, Tex, #4)
Highest Level: Draft ETA: 2025-26 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 30 OF
Tools Summary: 20-30 upside with high OBP skills.
Right behind Dylan Crews in the Draft was Wyatt Langford.
He has plus power and is a 70-runner with a feel to hit. From a fantasy standpoint, if you’re picking #2 in supplemental drafts, do not fret, as there is a chance that Langford will be as good as Crews. Crews might be the slightly better hitter, but Langford has more power and speed potential.
3.Paul Skens (RHP, Pit, #1)
Highest Level: Draft ETA: 2024-25 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 SP
Tools Summary: He has the size and arsenal to be a #1 starter. Given how hard he throws, there is risk of early arm troubles, as seen with Hunter Greene.
Paul Skens attended the Air Force Academy for two years but then transferred to LSU for his Junior year. Apparently, cadets are allowed to leave the academy before their junior year. While I’m not sure about the rules, I’m surmising that the relaxed rules that have allowed college players to transfer through the NCAA Portal, has opened up this capability for players who decide to pursue a professional career. That rule was not available to those who remember Noah Song.
When you’re 6-foot-6 and sitting in the upper 90s and routinely hit the triple-digits with your fastball, you get drafted early. Should he have gone one overall? There is an argument. I would have gone with Crews, but he’s deserving. It’s a Hunter Greene starter kit. He throws hard, but his fastball is relatively straight with secondary pitches that should get plenty of strikeouts. If you decide to take him in your supplemental drafts, the correlation of high velo pitchers to arm trouble is increased. Just know the risk.
4.Max Clark (OF, Det, #3)
Highest Level: Draft ETA: 2026-27 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 30 OF
Tools Summary: Extremely athletic with plus speed and plenty of bat speed to project future power.
Max Clark is one of the most athletic players in the 2023 Draft, with 70-grade speed and plenty of bat speed to project future power.
While high school stats should be taken with a grain of salt, he did steal 35 bases while hitting .551. In reviewing film, the swing should work, and over time, I believe he’ll add bulk to his frame with over-the-fence power.
The Tigers will be careful with him, so I expect him to spend all of 2024 in Low-A. Once fully developed, the upside is a 15-30+ player with more power as he fills out.
5.Walker Jenkins (OF, Min, #5)
Highest Level: Draft ETA: 2026-27 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 40 OF
Tools Summary: Athletic with a lefty swing built for 30+ home run future pop.
I saw Walker Jenkins multiple times in high school, and he’s a plus athlete with a beautiful lefty swing that should be built for power.
He’s a plus runner, but as he fills out his 6-foot-3 body, I think he will emerge into a power-hitting corner outfielder with a handful of stolen bases. It will come down to how much he hits, and the early returns look encouraging.
6.Matt Shaw (SS, CHC, #13)
Highest Level: Draft ETA: 2024-25 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 10 2B/3B
Tools Summary: Plus power with a feel to hit and speed early in his career.
I was surprised when Matt Shaw dropped to pick 13 in the 2023 Draft. He’s a natural hitter with considerable power despite his 5-foot-11 frame. Across his sophomore and junior season at Maryland, he hit 48 home runs and stole 30 bases in 122 games. He also walked nearly as much as he struck out (14% K-Rate). The profile reminds me a lot of Alex Bregman, and while I don’t think he’ll pop 40 home runs, I think he’ll have serious power.
7.Rhett Lowder (RHP, Cin, #7)
Highest Level: Draft ETA: 2025 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 30 SP
Tools Summary: 70-grade change-up with a chance for at least a 60 slider. Plus, he throws strikes. If the Reds can get him to throw harder, he has the ceiling of a number two starter.
Kyle Boddy has made the Reds pitchers better. So when the Reds went early on Rhett Lowder, I immediately set up in my chair. It’s not a big fastball, but he’s got a double-plus change-up with a slider/sweeper that, over time, could grade out as plus. Plus, he throws strikes.
In his draft year, he walked less than two per nine; and this is the most critical aspect of his profile. You see, Major League teams are drafting pitchers like Lowder, with plus secondary pitches and the ability to throw strikes, and getting them to throw harder. It would not surprise me to see him touching 97 shortly after the Reds get him into their system. The upside is a number two starter.
Finally, don’t you need a Rhett on your Dynasty League team? I know I do!
8.Enrique Bradfield (OF, Bal, #17)
Highest Level: Draft ETA: 2025-26 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 45 OF
Tools Summary: An 80-grade runner that, with some swing tweaks, could unlock power. The Orioles are a perfect landing spot for him.
Enrique Bradfield’s carrying tool is his 80-grade speed, with the MLB Network comping him to Willie McGee. It was hard to deny the similarities when they threw up his swing and put it side-by-side with Bradfield. He does produce high exit velocities, but his swing is more geared for contact. This is where you have to trust the Orioles.
I think they can tweak the swing to get him more upright and add loft, and that below-average current power will turn into average power quickly. From a fantasy standpoint, he could steal 40 bases, and his elite defense will make him a big leaguer. I’m investing.
9.Tommy Troy (3B, Ari, #12)
Highest Level: Draft ETA: 2025-26 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 3B
Tools Summary: A potential plus hit tool with above-average speed and power.
I’m not a fan of Stanford hitters as they coach their hitters to all hit the “Stanford way” - a very structured approach and swing. This has proven to be sub-optimal for many players over the years. However, it seems to have worked for Tommy Troy, as he can flat-out hit. He hit .394 in his draft year with 17 home runs and 17 stolen bases. The swing is built for contact and lacks loft, so projecting plus future plus power might be a reach. But I can safely project a 15-15 player with a .270 average and 60 to 70 points on top of that for OBP.
10.Colin Houck (SS, NYM, #32)
Highest Level: Draft ETA: 2026-27 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 SS
Tools Summary: He has a feel to hit with speed and power.
Colin Houck is a great athlete with size for future power. At least early in his career, he will have plus speed. He hit .487 with eight home runs in his Senior Year. I’m not sure how he lasted to the 32nd pick, but if he signs, I think the Mets got a huge bargain here.
1.Dylan Crews (OF, Was, #2)
Highest Level: Draft ETA: 2025-26 Fantasy Ceiling: First-Round Fantasy Pick
Tools Summary: 20-20 upside with a feel to hit.
Dylan Crews had the best combination of safety and upside in the 2023 Draft. A handful of high school players have a higher upside, but when you combine his proven ability to hit in the SEC with a 20-20 profile, he should be the top player selected in supplemental Dynasty League Drafts. If you’re looking for a comp, I liken him to Jackson Holliday.
Yep, he has a chance to be that good.
2.Wyatt Langford (OF, Tex, #4)
Highest Level: Draft ETA: 2025-26 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 30 OF
Tools Summary: 20-30 upside with high OBP skills.
Right behind Dylan Crews in the Draft was Wyatt Langford.
He has plus power and is a 70-runner with a feel to hit. From a fantasy standpoint, if you’re picking #2 in supplemental drafts, do not fret, as there is a chance that Langford will be as good as Crews. Crews might be the slightly better hitter, but Langford has more power and speed potential.
3.Paul Skens (RHP, Pit, #1)
Highest Level: Draft ETA: 2024-25 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 SP
Tools Summary: He has the size and arsenal to be a #1 starter. Given how hard he throws, there is risk of early arm troubles, as seen with Hunter Greene.
Paul Skens attended the Air Force Academy for two years but then transferred to LSU for his Junior year. Apparently, cadets are allowed to leave the academy before their junior year. While I’m not sure about the rules, I’m surmising that the relaxed rules that have allowed college players to transfer through the NCAA Portal, has opened up this capability for players who decide to pursue a professional career. That rule was not available to those who remember Noah Song.
When you’re 6-foot-6 and sitting in the upper 90s and routinely hit the triple-digits with your fastball, you get drafted early. Should he have gone one overall? There is an argument. I would have gone with Crews, but he’s deserving. It’s a Hunter Greene starter kit. He throws hard, but his fastball is relatively straight with secondary pitches that should get plenty of strikeouts. If you decide to take him in your supplemental drafts, the correlation of high velo pitchers to arm trouble is increased. Just know the risk.
4.Max Clark (OF, Det, #3)
Highest Level: Draft ETA: 2026-27 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 30 OF
Tools Summary: Extremely athletic with plus speed and plenty of bat speed to project future power.
Max Clark is one of the most athletic players in the 2023 Draft, with 70-grade speed and plenty of bat speed to project future power.
While high school stats should be taken with a grain of salt, he did steal 35 bases while hitting .551. In reviewing film, the swing should work, and over time, I believe he’ll add bulk to his frame with over-the-fence power.
The Tigers will be careful with him, so I expect him to spend all of 2024 in Low-A. Once fully developed, the upside is a 15-30+ player with more power as he fills out.
5.Walker Jenkins (OF, Min, #5)
Highest Level: Draft ETA: 2026-27 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 40 OF
Tools Summary: Athletic with a lefty swing built for 30+ home run future pop.
I saw Walker Jenkins multiple times in high school, and he’s a plus athlete with a beautiful lefty swing that should be built for power.
He’s a plus runner, but as he fills out his 6-foot-3 body, I think he will emerge into a power-hitting corner outfielder with a handful of stolen bases. It will come down to how much he hits, and the early returns look encouraging.
6.Matt Shaw (SS, CHC, #13)
Highest Level: Draft ETA: 2024-25 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 10 2B/3B
Tools Summary: Plus power with a feel to hit and speed early in his career.
I was surprised when Matt Shaw dropped to pick 13 in the 2023 Draft. He’s a natural hitter with considerable power despite his 5-foot-11 frame. Across his sophomore and junior season at Maryland, he hit 48 home runs and stole 30 bases in 122 games. He also walked nearly as much as he struck out (14% K-Rate). The profile reminds me a lot of Alex Bregman, and while I don’t think he’ll pop 40 home runs, I think he’ll have serious power.
7.Rhett Lowder (RHP, Cin, #7)
Highest Level: Draft ETA: 2025 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 30 SP
Tools Summary: 70-grade change-up with a chance for at least a 60 slider. Plus, he throws strikes. If the Reds can get him to throw harder, he has the ceiling of a number two starter.
Kyle Boddy has made the Reds pitchers better. So when the Reds went early on Rhett Lowder, I immediately set up in my chair. It’s not a big fastball, but he’s got a double-plus change-up with a slider/sweeper that, over time, could grade out as plus. Plus, he throws strikes.
In his draft year, he walked less than two per nine; and this is the most critical aspect of his profile. You see, Major League teams are drafting pitchers like Lowder, with plus secondary pitches and the ability to throw strikes, and getting them to throw harder. It would not surprise me to see him touching 97 shortly after the Reds get him into their system. The upside is a number two starter.
Finally, don’t you need a Rhett on your Dynasty League team? I know I do!
8.Enrique Bradfield (OF, Bal, #17)
Highest Level: Draft ETA: 2025-26 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 45 OF
Tools Summary: An 80-grade runner that, with some swing tweaks, could unlock power. The Orioles are a perfect landing spot for him.
Enrique Bradfield’s carrying tool is his 80-grade speed, with the MLB Network comping him to Willie McGee. It was hard to deny the similarities when they threw up his swing and put it side-by-side with Bradfield. He does produce high exit velocities, but his swing is more geared for contact. This is where you have to trust the Orioles.
I think they can tweak the swing to get him more upright and add loft, and that below-average current power will turn into average power quickly. From a fantasy standpoint, he could steal 40 bases, and his elite defense will make him a big leaguer. I’m investing.
9.Tommy Troy (3B, Ari, #12)
Highest Level: Draft ETA: 2025-26 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 3B
Tools Summary: A potential plus hit tool with above-average speed and power.
I’m not a fan of Stanford hitters as they coach their hitters to all hit the “Stanford way” - a very structured approach and swing. This has proven to be sub-optimal for many players over the years. However, it seems to have worked for Tommy Troy, as he can flat-out hit. He hit .394 in his draft year with 17 home runs and 17 stolen bases. The swing is built for contact and lacks loft, so projecting plus future plus power might be a reach. But I can safely project a 15-15 player with a .270 average and 60 to 70 points on top of that for OBP.
10.Colin Houck (SS, NYM, #32)
Highest Level: Draft ETA: 2026-27 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 SS
Tools Summary: He has a feel to hit with speed and power.
Colin Houck is a great athlete with size for future power. At least early in his career, he will have plus speed. He hit .487 with eight home runs in his Senior Year. I’m not sure how he lasted to the 32nd pick, but if he signs, I think the Mets got a huge bargain here.
