Minor League Prospect Report - Week 1

Not only has the Major League Baseball season kicked off, but the Minor Leagues finally opened last week as well! It's easy to keep track of how your favorite Major Leaguers are performing, but it takes a little extra effort to see how some of the top names are doing in the Minors. That's where I come in!

Each week I will be updating you on how some of the top Minor League players are doing and hopefully give you a little clarification as to when we can expect to see them get the call to the Big Leagues. That way you can get the jump on your dumbass league mates and beat them to the punch when it comes time to adding them to your fantasy baseball roster. Some of these players could become difference makers later in the season for you, so it's important to learn about them as soon as possible.

Here is one thing I am going to do different than I did with this report last season. Last season I covered fewer players and did longer write-ups. This year I am changing that up a bit and going to cover more players, but only give their weekly stats (and season totals starting next week) as well as only one sentence (occasionally two) on each player. Let's be honest...no one wants to hear me ramble on and I don't want this to be a cumbersome read. Short. Sweet. To the point. That's my goal. 

You can follow me on Twitter @fantasygeek37

Hitters

Ronald Acuña, OF ATL:  Week 1  2 Games, 0-8 (.000), 3 SO, 0 BB

The Braves are expected to add Ronald Acuña to their roster sometime in the middle to end of April, and while he struggled in his first couple of games, he's one of the best prospects in baseball and should be on a fantasy baseball roster RIGHT NOW!

Nick Senzel, 3B CIN:  Week 1  3 Games, 4-13 (.308) 1 R, 1 SB

Nick Senzel will be jumping for joy when he gets the call up to the Reds.

An injury to Reds' third baseman Eugenio Suarez is expected to keep him out of action six to eight weeks, and many expect Senzel, who possesses one of the best hit tools in the Minors, to be in consideration to join Cincinnati in the next month or so.

Victor Robles, OF WAS:  3 Games, 5-12 (.417), 1 RBI, 3 R, 2 SB

The Nationals future outfielder got off to a hot start, but fell hard on his wrist as he dove for a ball in center field on Monday and could very well miss an extended amount of time.

Gleyber Torres, MI NYY:  Week 1 3 Games, 5-14 (.357) 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 SB

With Didi Gregorius holding down shortstop in the Bronx, Torres is waiting for something at second or third base to open up where he can make his move to the Yankees.

Kyle Tucker, OF HOU: 4 Games, 6-17 (.353), 1 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R, 1 SB

Do you know who led all of Spring Training in RBIs this year? Yup, it was this guy, Kyle Tucker of the Astros.

One of the best outfield prospects in the game, Kyle Tucker is off to a hot start for the Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies. The Astros have a gluttonous amount of talent on their roster, so it may take some time and/or injuries for Tucker to find a spot in their outfield.

David Dahl, OF COL: 2 Games, 4-9 (.444), 4 RBI, 1 R, 1 SB

There is a crowded outfield currently in Colorado, but Dahl could be the second most talented of the group behind only Charlie Blackmon.

Willie Calhoun, OF/DH TEX: 4 Games, 3-18 (.167), 7 SO, 0 BB

His poor fielding prowess (or maybe more likely, service time consideration) has forced Willie Calhoun to start the season at Triple-A, but we should see the Rangers' future designated hitter, sometime in May or June.

Pitchers

Jack Flaherty, SP STL: 1 Game, 7 IP, 1 ER, 11 SO, 0 BB

Jack Flaherty pitched a gem for the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds on Sunday, and if you combine that to his start at the beginning of the season for the Cardinals where he went five innings, giving up one earned run with nine whiffs and one walk, this dude is absolutely ballin'. I have to add a quick second sentence and say if you have a spot at the end of your roster, I wouldn't hesitate adding him now.

Walker Buehler, SP LAD:  1 G, 4 IP, 1 ER, 5 SO, 0 BB

Walker Buehler can be a big asset to the Dodgers in a penant run.

I think I own more of Walker Buehler in my seven leagues than I do of any other player on this list, and with him estimated to get 140-150 innings this season, I expect to see more of these four or five inning outings so he can be utilized without restriction by the Dodgers from roughly June through the end of the year.

Michael Kopech, SP CHW:  Has not played yet

One of the hardest throwers in the sport, Michael Kopech spent a lot of time in Double-A last season, and if he performs well at Triple-A Charlotte, we could see him in a White Sox uniform sometime mid-summer.

Mitch Keller, SP PIT: 1 Game, 6 IP, 0 ER, 8 SO, 0 BB

Mitch Keller is the number one prospect in the Pirates farm system, he can hit the mid to upper 90's on his fastball that he combines with a plus curve and changeup and he could be a "top of the rotation" starter in Pittsburgh for years to come.

Sidelined 

Eloy Jimenez, OF CHW: Expected to miss a week or two with a strained pectoral muscle. 

Luiz Gohara, SP ATL: Gohara has a sprained ankle. He should be able to pitch in Triple-A in the next week or two and join Atlanta sometime in May.

Forrest Whitley, SP HOU: Whitley is currently serving a 50 game PED suspension and will likely not see the Majors until a potential late-season call up.