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5 Fantasy Baseball Prospects To Watch In Spring Training Right Now

By Richard Haake
James Wood Fantasy Baseball Hitting Prospects-750

Spring is here and teams are getting their work in ramping up for the long season ahead making this a prime time to keep an eye on some prospects having an impressive spring. In this article, we will dive into five hitting prospects that have been impressive in spring training to this point and should be on your radar going into the 2024 season.

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5 Fantasy Baseball Prospects To Watch This Spring

Ismael Munguia – OF SFG

(8 GP, .692/.714/1.154, 2 HR, 8 R, 3 RBI, 4 SB)

Although not a top-rated prospect in the San Francisco Giants organization, Ismael Munguia is one to watch early on in spring training. The now 25-year-old prospect spent the majority of the 2023 season in Double-A Richmond where he slashed .282/.356/.391 with six home runs, 51 runs scored, and stole 16 bases. Munguia is a hit-over-power prospect who has displayed excellent discipline at the plate at every stop in the minor leagues. While with the Richmond Flying Squirles, Munguia had a 7.2% walk percentage while striking out just 13.4% across 335 plate appearances.

The success Munguia had in 2023 is bleeding over into spring training where he has not only continued to hit for average but power as well. In eight games, Munguia is slashing .692/.714/1.154 with two home runs, eight runs scored, three RBIs, and four stolen bases. Even the 7.1% walk percentage and 7.1% strikeout rate track with Munguia’s career averages to this point. This makes Ismael Munguia an interesting prospect to watch this spring as he is likely to start the season in Triple-A Sacramento but don’t be surprised if he gets a look with the Giants at some point this season.

Wes Clarke – 1B/C MIL

(8 GP, .308/.308/1.000, 3 HR, 3 R, 4 RBI)

Picking up where he left off in 2023, Wes Clarke has had a strong spring training in the early going. Clarke, a first baseman and catcher, was impressive last season, crushing 26 home runs with 80 RBIs in 118 games played at Double-A Boluxi at just 23 years old. The 10th-round draft pick in 2021 out of the University of South Carolina has displayed an advanced approach at the plate, never having a walk rate below 10.4%. With a strong season, Clarke was sent to the AFL where in 21 games played he slashed .297/.435/.568 with five home runs, 17 runs scored, 20 RBIs, and made an appearance in the AFL home run derby.

This spring Wes Clarke is one of the top home run hitters to date. In his eight games, he is slashing .308/.308/.1.000 with three home runs, three runs scored, and four RBIs. Realistically Clarke will more than likely start the season in Triple-A Nashville where he could make a case for a mid-season call-up with a hot start.

Jordan Beck – OF COL

(11 GP, .500/.579/.750, 4 R, 5 RBI, 1 SB)

One of the most impressive bats in the Colorado Rockies organization is Jordan Beck. Drafted 38th overall in the 2022 MLB draft out of Tennessee, Beck has had solid performances at each of the levels he has ascended to this point. Beck split time between High-A Spokane and Double-A Hartford in 2023. While in Spokane Beck slashed .292/.378/.566 with 20 home runs, 72 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases in 76 games played. To go along with a solid slash line Beck walked 12.6% while striking out just 20.8% of his 341 plate appearances. Once promoted to Double-A Hartford Beck took a step back slashing .240/.342/.406 with five home runs, 22 runs scored, 19 RBIs, and stole nine bases in 50 games played. The walk rate remained solid at 13.5% while the strikeout rate jumped 11% to 31.8% across 223 plate appearances.

This spring we are seeing the advanced bat Jordan Beck wields in his short sample size. To this point, Beck has played in 10 games and is slashing .500/.556/.750 with three runs scored, five RBIs, and has one stolen base in 18 plate appearances. Beck has continued to walk effectively in spring training, 11.1% of the time while the strikeout rate is still high early on at 33.3%. There is little doubt that Beck will open the season back at Double-A Hartford where he looks to get back on track and push for Triple-A Albuquerque by the end of the season.

Owen Caissie – OF CHC

(10 GP, .500/.565/.800, 1 HR, 5 R, 6 RBI)

Big power, that’s what you get from Owen Caissie as we saw from the 21-year-old frequently in 2023. The Cubs are on the rise and making a push with some of their young prospects in the minor leagues; none more aggressive than Owen Caissie. At just 20 years old in Double-A with the Tennessee Smokies, Caissie slashed .289/.398/.519 with 22 home runs, 84 RBI, and seven stolen bases in 120 games played. Caissie displayed an advanced eye, walking 14.4% of the time against advanced pitching but as a result, we did see high strikeout rates of 31.1% in 528 plate appearances.

So far this spring Owen Caissie looks sharp. In nine games, Caissie is slashing .556/.619/.889 with one home run, five runs scored, and six RBIs in 21 plate appearances. What has jumped off the page in the small sample size so far is the 19% strikeout rate which is a fantastic sight to see going into the season. The Cubs are more than likely going to start Caissie out in Triple-A Iowa where he will still be one of the youngest players at that level. If we see a strong start to the season Caissie could be roaming the outfield with Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki by the All-Star break.

James Wood- OF WSH

(10 GP, .429/.556/.857, 3 HR, 8 R, 5 RBI, 1 SB)

What a spring so far for James Wood. The crown jewel of the Juan Soto Trade with the Padres, Wood has proven early on why he is one of the top prospects in the game right now. In his first full season in the Nationals organization Wood made the most of his opportunities playing at High-A Wilmington and finishing the season in Double-A Harrisburg at just 20 years old. With the Wilmington Blue Rocks, Wood slashed .293/.392/.580 with eight home runs, 36 RBIs, and eight stolen bases in 42 games played. Once promoted to Double-A Harrisburg, we saw the power come alive as Wood slashed .248/.334/.492 with 18 home runs, 55 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases in 87 games played with the Senators.

The only knock on Wood to this point in his young career has been the strikeout rate as he finished the 2023 season with a 33.7% strikeout rate in Double-A Harrisburg. This spring however things are looking interesting for James Wood. In 10 games played Wood is slashing .429/.556/.857 with three home runs, eight runs scored, five RBIs, and has one stolen base across 27 plate appearances. Plate discipline-wise the now 21-year-old Wood has a 22.2% walk rate and strikeout rate significant improvements over last season in the early going. There is an off chance the Nationals could start the season with Wood on the roster but more likely Wood will start the season either back in Double-A Harrisburg or with the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings. Regardless expect James Wood up at some point in 2024.

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