Ah, the rookies. Fantasy baseball fanatics just love their rookies. You don’t even have to be in a keeper league to fall in love with them, as the majority of those who play the game get so hung up on discovering the next Mike Trout or the next Corey Kluber that they almost seem blind to some of the proven talent that already exists in the player pool. Is that the wrong way to go? No. Well, not always. We have to remember that this is still a game and if it’s fun for you to go mining through the minors, well then, so be it. You’ll hit it with some and miss with others, but if you avoid extremes and carefully blend them into the rest of your team, you could end up with a formidable squad filled with solid veterans and a sprinkle of some talented youth. 

The following list is the Top-32 rookies for the 2015 fantasy baseball season. Why 32? Because I just couldn’t settle on a nice round number. Maybe consider it a Top-30 list with a pair of bonus picks, if you need some order in your life. The two extra aren’t hurting anyone and I just couldn’t bear to make a pair of final cuts.

Now keep in mind that you’ll likely see some different names on a variety of lists, but just because someone is a hot prospect in one team’s farm system, doesn’t mean that they’re going to be helpful for the 2015 fantasy season. A player in High-A ball may be the next phenom that everyone is buzzing about, but his path to the majors may either be blocked or the organization just wants to ease him through the system and develop further. These are the guys, in ascending order, who could have an impact now as opposed to the ones who may not arrive for some time.

32. Lucas Giolito, RHP WAS – So much is going to depend on how the Nationals handle him. They are deep enough with starters to keep things slow, but potential injuries could easily fast-track Giolito to the majors at some point this season. The youngster had Tommy John surgery back in 2012 but came back in late 2013 with a consistent mid-to-upper 90s fastball and a plus-curve that hitters had immense difficulty picking up. He dominated in Low-A ball last year, posting a 10.10 K/9 and a 3.93 K/BB over 98 innings and should ascend through the system until the team caps his innings. That ascension, though, could finish at the major league level late in the year.

31. J.P. Crawford, SS PHI – Given that he’s only 19 years old and hasn’t played above High-A, Crawford is a major long shot to have any sort of 2015 impact. However, with the Phillies rebuilding and only the likes of Freddy Galvis and Andres Blanco standing in his way, Crawford could, if he opens the year in Double-A and plays well, find himself with a late-season call-up. He’s already shown outstanding plate discipline, strong on-base skills and some speed, as well as what scouts believe to be strong, developing gap power. He still has a lot to prove in the minors but should definitely be on your radar.

30. Mark Appel, RHP HOU – While the former No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 Draft has a strong arsenal that features both a two- and four-seam fastball, a fantastic slider and a solid changeup, the Astros aren’t inclined to fast-track him at all and he should open the 2015 season in Double-A. His strikeout potential could end up close to a batter per inning and his command seems to be steadily improving. The backend of the Astros rotation isn’t exactly ironclad, so with a strong start to the season, Appel could end up in the Show at some point in the second half.

29. Carlos Correa, SS HOU – He’d be much higher on this list (or lower, should we say, for the sake of the format) had the Astros not signed Jed Lowrie, but Carlos still deserves a spot in the top 32 because of his expected development and Lowrie’s injury history. The two could meet halfway this season if Correa can maintain his strong plate discipline, prove to be an efficient base-stealer and dazzle the minors with his defensive prowess. He has the talent to leapfrog a number of middle infielders in the organization, so a late 2015 appearance could yield some nice cheap speed.

28. Addison Russell, SS CHC – Similarly to Correa, Russell has the skill set to be a top-five player on this list. His overall talent and current projections show that he’s capable of playing at the highest level, but the Cubs are so loaded with strong middle infielders that his path is currently blocked. He’s shown strong, developing power that fantasy owners love in a middle infielder and he’s flashed some good speed as well. Once the path clears for him, he’s going to be a highly-coveted asset.

27. Eddie Butler, RHP COL – Shoulder and back issues put a damper on Butler’s season last year and were likely the cause for his reduced strikeout rate and troublesome command. Still, he has three solid pitches, including a high-90s fastball and a very deceptive changeup. If he can prove to be more durable and can maintain his command at the higher levels, then Butler’s heat could be on display in the bigs at some point during the season. 

26. Michael Taylor, OF WAS – The soon-to-be 24-year-old (March 26th) killed it at Double-A last year when he batted .313 with 22 home runs and 34 stolen bases. His strikeouts were too high, but a double-digit walk rate coupled with a consistently strong BABIP helped offset the whiffs and gave him an OBP that almost touched .400 for the year. He’ll likely open the year at Triple-A, but should be one of the first to be summoned when the Nationals need outfield help. The power/speed combo plays well in fantasy. He just needs the opportunity.


25. Alex Meyer, RHP MIN – The 24-year-old recovered from a shoulder issue in 2013 to post strong numbers in his first full season at the Triple-A level. He’s got a 96 mph fastball and a plus curve, and has done wonders in developing his changeup. His command tends to leave him at times, but he’s so strong otherwise that he gets hitters to fish out of the zone constantly and help maintain a double-digit K/9 all year. A strong spring could land him a job in the rotation, but he may see a cap of roughly 160 innings this year.

24. Henry Owens, LHP BOS – While it’s not exactly smoke and mirrors, deception and a downward plane are what helps Owens get the job done. His stuff is considered fairly average, with a low-90s fastball and a changeup and curve in need of some more work, but the lefty stands at 6’6” on the mound, so the downward plane at which the pitch travels tends to keep hitters off-balance. His delivery is also a bit deceptive, so hitters often have trouble picking up the ball upon release. If he can continue to mature and improve the off-speed stuff, he could end up with massive strikeout potential.

23. Daniel Norris, LHP TOR – With a four-pitch arsenal that includes strong breaking stuff and a plus-changeup, Norris has the potential of being a solid starter in the near future. Of course, a lot will have to be seen in how he recovers from October elbow surgery to clean out bone spurs. He is expected to be ready for spring training and will get a chance to compete for a spot in the rotation. His high strikeout potential is a nice bonus, but you always have to be careful with a fly-ball pitcher who calls the Rogers Centre home.

22. Justin Nicolino, RHP MIA – With the exception of a strikeout rate no one will love, Nicolino’s first full year at Double-A last year was considered a success. His command was on-point, his ground ball rates were strong,\ and he managed to keep the ball in the park. He’s got a decent fastball and his changeup is awesome, but his breaking stuff seems suspect and he doesn’t have a true out-pitch. He’s got the potential of producing decent ratios, but the lack of strikeouts makes him a less-attractive fantasy option.

21. Carlos Sanchez, 2B CHW – After two-plus seasons at the Triple-A level, Sanchez received a nice late-season opportunity to take over at the keystone for the White Sox. He was never known for his power and his speed was maybe slightly above average, but his plate discipline suffered greatly with the increase in level. Still, his defense was sound and he’s going to be given the opportunity to compete for the starting job this spring. Should he land the gig, he’s only going to be a low-end option, as the length of his stay will be directly tied to his overall performance at the plate. The Sox aren’t expecting huge things out of him, but they don’t need a hole in their lineup.

20. Andrew Heaney, LHP LAA – A few starts at the big league level last year showed Heaney’s potential but also confirmed that he wasn’t quite ready for prime time just yet. He has since been dealt to the Angels by way of the Dodgers and now actually has a fairly clear path towards a spot in the back end of the rotation. He’s got good strikeout potential and can keep hitters off-balance with a strong slider. That should help induce plenty of ground balls and keep his ratios in check. Look for him late in your draft and don’t give up on him should he struggle early.

19. Corey Seager, SS LAD – His promotion and relative success at the Double-A level last year gives promise to a potentially fast ascension to the majors this season. His size (6’4”, 205 lbs.) and sometimes limited range will likely push him off shortstop and over to third base, but that actually improves his path to the majors. He projects to hit for solid power and his contact rates indicate that he should hit for average as well. It might be very difficult for Juan Uribe to hold him off.

18. Robert Stephenson, RHP CIN – The 22-year-old has managed to keep a fairly low profile during his ascension through the Reds farm system, but grabbed some attention with 134 strikeouts over 114.1 innings over three levels in 2013. He stayed in Double-A for all of last year and maintained his strikeout rate, but seemed to battle some command issues, which could easily be related to his constant work at developing his changeup. His curve flashes plus-potential, though, so if he spends the first half of the season honing his secondary pitches, he could end up with a second-half call-up.

17. Christian Bethancourt, C ATL – With the move of Evan Gattis to the outfield, Bethancourt is being given the opportunity to compete with newly-acquired A.J. Pierzynski for the starting job. He should remain in the conversation for his defensive abilities, but you won’t be able to expect much in the way of power or average. He’s never produced double-digit homers in any year in the minors and it’s doubtful he starts now. Expect low-end totals and a probable time-share behind the dish all year.

16. Maikel Franco, 3B PHI – In truth, 2014 was a devastating year for Franco’s outlook as he put together one of the worst performances from such a highly-regarded prospect when he moved up to Triple-A. Everything from his power to his plate discipline disappeared and many are on the fence as to what type of hitter he will end up being. The raw power is there, which gives him an advantage over incumbent Cody Asche, and he has maintained a strikeout rate under 15 percent in each of the last three years, but if he doesn’t improve the overall plate discipline or learn to make cleaner contact, then he’s not going to be long for this game. 

15. Noah Syndergaard, RHP, NYM – Before getting caught up in Syndergaard’s less-than-spectacular numbers at Triple-A last year, keep in mind that the Pacific Coast League is seriously hitter-friendly and the ballpark in Las Vegas, which he called home, is easily one of the friendliest. Instead, look to the well-maintained K/BB ratio and the steady development of his pitches, particularly his curve, which has—according to scouts—gone from average to plus in just a very short time. The back end of the Mets rotation is ripe for the picking, so a strong spring could possibly see him open the year as the No. 5 starter. 

14. Jonathan Gray, RHP COL – Triple-digits on the radar gun will always draw eyes your way, but many scouts project Gray to eventually end up a high-leverage reliever due to only average secondary offerings. Still, the Rockies are working him as a starter and will continue to develop him in that fashion. Because of that, though, you’ll have to look at his 2014 totals as a fairly reasonable benchmark for him as his off-speed stuff will get hit a lot more, resulting in fewer strikeouts at the big league level and a potentially unsavory ERA. Should things come together for him, though, he could be a great late-season addition and just not tour through the majors more than once.

13. Dylan Bundy, RHP BAL – While some may see a risk here, Bundy could offer a fantastic buy-low opportunity. His recovery from Tommy John surgery was lengthy, as the Orioles held him back to make sure there were no setbacks or need for a second elbow procedure, so his command issues upon his return drew tremendous criticism. But if you understand that the command is the last thing to return following the surgery, you’ll feel more confident in him when he starts to display some of his pre-surgery skills. He still has a solid arsenal of pitches, his velocity is strong and he could find his way to the majors as early as mid-season.

12. Carlos Rodon, LHP CHW – He was the No. 3 pick overall in the 2014 Draft and his stuff was so nasty that many speculated he could be the answer to the White Sox bullpen woes with a September call-up. But once the Pale Hose fell out of contention, they opted to let Rodon continue his work in the minors and watched as he bypassed Double-A completely and finished the year in Charlotte. His biggest asset is his slider, which helped produce a 13.71 K/9 in the minors. The addition of David Robertson hurts his closing potential, but as a lefty set-up man, he could produce devastating totals.

11. Archie Bradley, RHP – While the Diamondbacks are hedging their bets after an injury-plagued season filled with some command issues, they remain open-minded regarding his potential 2015 contributions. Many, in fact, attribute last year’s struggles to an immense amount of pressure the local media put on the youngster when Patrick Corbin suffered his season-ending injury. Bradley has a strong mid-to-upper-90s fastball, a plus curve and a very deceptive changeup in his arsenal. There’s no denying the skills. If his mental makeup can catch up to his raw skill set, he’ll be a solid middle-of-the-rotation starter. 

10. Francisco Lindor, SS CLE – He’s a very recognizable name for those who love to scout the prospects, but keep in mind that Lindor could be one of those players who is great for real baseball but average, at best, for the fantasy game. He’s got a tremendous glove and should eventually be a staple for ESPN Web Gems, but he doesn’t have much in the way of power, and his plate discipline and contact numbers have been a little inconsistent. Scouts expect him to develop more gap power and ultimately have a stronger batter’s eye, but should he receive his call to the bigs this season, don’t expect game-changing totals at all.

9. Yasmany Tomas, 3B ARI – A six-year, $68.5 million contract with an opt-out clause after four years screams Opening Day starter. Originally slated to be a corner outfield option, the Diamondbacks are giving him an opportunity to win the starting third base job, which would only increase his fantasy value. Tomas has tremendous raw power, but he is not as polished a hitter as some of the other Cuban imports we’ve seen. His plate discipline is not something scouts rave about, and he’ll often try to pull the ball just for the power display. Expect a need for an adjustment period and keep the overall expectations at a reasonable level.

8. Aaron Sanchez, RHP TOR – The 22-year-old right-hander looked extremely sharp during his 33-inning stint out of the Jays bullpen last year. His fastball stayed in the upper 90s, his curveball was sharp and his ability to cleverly mix in his changeup helped maintain his strikeout rates from the minors. Not to mention, the rate at which he induces ground balls should help offset the hitter-friendly dimensions of the Rogers Centre. He may not open the year in the majors, but his ascension should be quick. Quick enough that our own Ray Flowers has him pegged as the potential AL Rookie of the Year. 

7. Joey Gallo, 3B TEX – The power is just ridiculous. Gallo smacked 82 home runs from rookie ball to Double-A over the last two seasons and the Rangers are dying to have that in Arlington. Unfortunately, it comes with a very Chris Davis-like strikeout rate (37-percent in 2014) thanks to a very long swing. If he can shorten his swing up and maintain his outlandish Isolated Power rates, the Rangers are going to be forced to bring him up. With Adrian Beltre blocking him at third, though, he may need to move to another franchise to realize his big league aspirations in 2015. 

6. Rusney Castillo, OF BOS – The book that was written on Castillo had to be changed after scouts watched his mid-season workout last year. Suddenly everyone was increasing their power projections, as he added 20 pounds of muscle to his 5’9” frame and showed strong line-drive power once he shortened up his swing. He does have the ability to lift the ball, but the Red Sox are likely to favor the improved mechanics and will be much happier with a consistent swing than power that will likely come with a high strikeout total. His 2014 totals are far too small a sample size to project from, but he seems to have the capability of producing a 15/15 season with a strong average here in his first full season.

5. Miguel Sano, 3B MIN – Had it not been for Tommy John surgery last March, Sano likely would have finished the 2014 season as the Twins starting third baseman. Missing the year put a roadblock in his development, but he was already cleared to throw, hit, and field back in November. He was held out of winter ball to err on the side of caution, but he will be unleashed this spring. The Twins don’t want to push too hard too soon, so he should start the season in the minors. However, with the expectation of him maintaining his power stroke, he won’t be held down for long. The strikeouts are likely to remain, however, so don’t go hoping for an average much beyond the .250 range.

4. Joc Pederson, OF LAD – The trade of Matt Kemp has opened the door nice and wide for Pederson to step in and put those power/speed skills to work in the Dodgers outfield. Over the last three seasons, we’ve seen steady improvement across the board, from power to speed to Joc's ability to draw walks at an alarming rate. The strikeouts have also increased as well, but proportionally, to maintain a BB/K that hovers around 0.65. When a guy goes 20/30 in Double-A and then follows it up with a 30/30 season in Triple-A, all while posting a .380-plus OBP and .350-ish BABIP, it’s hard not to take notice.

3. Jorge Soler, OF CHC – His 2014 cup of coffee was both rich and delicious as the 23-year-old showed strong power and reasonably efficient contact rates. His plate discipline numbers were off from his minor league totals, but that can likely be chalked up to rookie exuberance. Once he settles in to his expected corner outfield role, he should hit for both power and average while also posting above-average on-base numbers. 

2. Byron Buxton, OF MIN – Throw out the injury-plagued season of 2014 and concentrate on the actual skill set. Buxton has the capability of being a true five-tool asset and an eventual fantasy stud. His power may never reach beyond the 20-homer threshold, but he’s got fantastic speed, strong contact rates, and the kind of on-base skills you rarely see in a youngster. His defense is also top-notch, so that should never hold him back in his ascension through the Twins’ system. His path may be blocked early on in the year, but the Twins have so many interchangeable parts that they’ll be able to make room for him as soon as he’s ready.

1. Kris Bryant, 3B/OF CHC – While the current Cubs depth chart doesn’t reflect it, Bryant could very well be the starting third baseman to open the season. Possibly an outfielder. He’s one of the top power-hitting prospects in the game, with isolated-power numbers hovering in the stratosphere at every level he’s played. Strikeouts have been a little high, but with a 14.5-percent walk rate in each of his last two seasons, it is evident that there is strong plate discipline present. He should prove to be a staple in the middle of the Cubs order for years to come.