Fantasy baseball: Bubba Chandler and other prospects on the rise

The most-rostered pitching prospect in ESPN standard fantasy baseball leagues is Pittsburgh Pirates RHP Bubba Chandler — and for good reason. Chandler is arguably the top pitching prospect in the sport after striking out 148 hitters over 119 2/3 innings at two minor league stops last season, posting a 3.08 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP. The 2021 third-round pick from a Georgia high school throws hard, notably reaching 101.5 mph on Sunday for Triple-A Indianapolis. After three starts, he boasts a 1.69 ERA and a 46% strikeout rate.

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Chandler, 22, may not have had a good chance of making the Pirates this spring, as the organization wisely wishes to be cautious. That said, his numbers didn’t help either, as he walked four of the 12 hitters he faced and permitted five runs over 2 2/3 innings. Still, he threw hard. He impressed. In addition to a blazing fastball that occasionally reaches triple digits, he features a nasty slider in the 90-mph range and an improving changeup. Walks can be a problem, as he has issued 20 of them across 50 Triple-A innings (including last season), but otherwise, he looks ready for the major leagues.

Fantasy managers should know that investing in young hitters — and we examined the most-rostered hitting prospects two weeks ago — is far safer than pitchers, not just for injury/workload purposes but also performance. Still, there is a reason everyone drools over potential aces. Chandler may not offer the generational upside of future teammate Paul Skenes, but if one is going to covet a current minor-league pitcher for this season and the future, Chandler is it. The Pirates may promote him to the majors at any point. With promising RHP Jared Jones out for months, their rotation lacks depth.

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If Chandler isn’t the top pitching prospect in the minors, it may be Philadelphia Phillies RHP Andrew Painter. Five months older than Chandler, Painter has traveled a far different path to the edge of the big leagues, coming off 2023 Tommy John surgery. In fact, Painter, a 2021 first-round selection who also reaches triple digits with his fastball, retired four hitters for Single-A Clearwater last Friday, his first game action since 2022. The contending Phillies have been clear on the plan. A healthy, methodically handled Painter should debut in July. As with Chandler, expectations are high, and fantasy managers are excited.

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Nick Kurtz, 1B, Athletics: Kurtz continues to rake for Triple-A Las Vegas, posting a 1.226 OPS over 14 games, with seven home runs and 22 RBI. Some scouts have compared him to Hall of Famer Jim Thome, not only for look and build, but for power and plate discipline tendencies. The Athletics 1B Tyler Soderstrom is hitting for power, and the club recently gave DH Brent Rooker a start in right field, perhaps a harbinger of more to come. Kurtz could become the DH at any point and, if he keeps hitting, his promotion may arrive soon.

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Zebby Matthews, RHP, Minnesota Twins: Matthews could have received the call to replace injured RHP Pablo Lopez in the Twins rotation, but the team is being a bit more cautious with their control artist after things went poorly in his debut last season (6.69 ERA, 11 HR in 37 2/3 IP). Matthews is off to a solid start for Triple-A St. Paul, posting a 1.80 ERA with 13 strikeouts over 10 innings. His time will soon come, so don’t let the lack of immediate promotion worry you. Matthews, 25, hardly offers the mad upside of a Chandler or Painter, but the eighth-round pick from the 2022 draft is far better than his debut numbers. Invest now in AL-only formats, at least.

Sal Stewart, 2B, Cincinnati Reds: Stewart, a 2022 first-round pick, is off to a strong start for Double-A Chattanooga, posting a 1.132 OPS over eight games, with two home runs and four stolen bases, including a walk-off grand slam in a weekend game. A contact-oriented power hitter who can also steal bases, Stewart missed months last season with a wrist injury, and he should move quickly to Triple-A this summer. In recent years, the Reds always seem to be loaded with infield possibilities, but there is also always room for a healthy, productive player. Stewart may debut in the majors this season.

Hyeseong Kim, 2B, Los Angeles Dodgers: Kim, 26, signed a three-year contract with the World Series champions after years of success in Korea, but he struggled in Spring Training and earned himself only a ticket to Triple-A Oklahoma City. He is hitting .290/.362/.581 with three home runs and four stolen bases through 14 games and 70 PA, so don’t be surprised if he debuts for the Dodgers soon. Fantasy managers probably overrated him in March, and many may have moved on, but Kim can hit. He is not expected to provide much power, but his stay in Oklahoma should be a short one.

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Colson Montgomery, SS, Chicago White Sox: Montgomery, a 2021 first-round pick, hit only .214 for Triple-A Charlotte last year over a full campaign of 130 games and 570 PA, showing modest power. This season, he is hitting just .122 over 13 games and 54 PA, with three walks against 26 strikeouts — that’s a 48% K rate! There is so much opportunity at the big-league level with an historically terrible club, but Montgomery, 23, is hardly proving that he is ready for promotion. Fantasy managers should act accordingly.

Quinn Mathews, LHP, St. Louis Cardinals: Mathews, a popular preseason fantasy sleeper due to the Cardinals likely having rotation opportunities, not only didn’t make the club, but he has hit the International League’s IL with a sore shoulder after walking 15 of the 55 hitters he faced for Triple-A Memphis. He has posted a 6.10 ERA and a 2.52 WHIP over three starts. Mathews, 24, isn’t likely to pitch for the Cardinals anytime soon, and now we worry about his health.

Walker Jenkins, OF, Minnesota Twins: Jenkins remains one of the top prospects in the land, though some may be wondering about his durability. The No. 5 pick in the 2023 draft, still only 20, missed considerable time last season due to a hamstring injury. He is currently on the IL at Double-A Wichita with a recurring ankle sprain from Spring Training. Jenkins hit only .160 over 28 PA at the level late last season, and he has just one single in eight PA to start this year. Don’t panic, of course, as there was little expectation Jenkins would debut in the majors this season anyway, but we would like to see him healthy and pounding Double-A pitching.

Thomas Harrington, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates: Many fantasy managers weren’t pleased when Harrington got the call over Chandler to start for the big club on April 1 against the Rays. Harrington, a solid prospect himself who has moved quickly through the minors, permitted six runs against Tampa Bay. He did earn a four-inning save six days later (allowing three runs), showing improved control against the Cardinals, but now he is back at Triple-A Indianapolis, with his first outing there coming in a relief role. Fantasy managers should hardly give up on Harrington so quickly, as he will get more chances for the Pirates, but this is not someone who approaches 100 mph as he is more in the 92-mph range.