The Dynasty Digest: 4/4

Chris Clegg runs down all you need to know from Monday's action

Zac Beck dropped his Top-100 prospects for Dynasty Points Leagues today! Be sure to check those out here:

Zac Beck's Top 100 Prospects for Dynasty Points

Let’s discuss all the important things to know for dynasty leagues from Monday’s games!

Reid Detmers, LHP, LAA

Reid Detmers first start of 2023 was probably the start I was anticipating watching the most of any pitcher in the early going. Detmers velocity was up all spring and his stuff looked improved as well. We highlighted that here at The Dynasty Dugout and encouraged dynasty players to go trade for him everywhere.

Detmers had a mixed bag kind of night. He pitched 4.2 innings pitched, allowing four hits, two earned runs, and three walks. Detmers struck out seven hitters and generated a 33 percent CSW rate thanks to an impressive arsenal.

Detmers fastball averaged 95.3 mph, that was up from 93.2 last year. After a ton of offseason work, Detmers increased his extension three inches which is likely a big factor in the improved velocity. Detmers slider averaged 3.7 mph faster than last year, sitting 90 last night. As usual, Detmers curveball was insanely good, generating a 63 percent CSW on 16 pitches thrown.

Detmers is close. The improvements in the arsenal are significant. Now it is just honing in that increased velocity and locating his pitches a bit better. A ton of Detmers high fastball’s were not close to the top of the zone making them easy pitches to lay off of. At the end of the day, if Detmers gets that to click, we could be looking at an SP1 caliber arm.

George Kirby, RHP, SEA

George Kirby faced off on the opposite side of Reid Detmers. Kirby seemed primed for a breakout in 2023 after a stellar 2022 rookie season. Kirby completed just 4.1 innings, allowing nine hits and four earned runs. He struck out five and walked one.

While it is not the best of starts and Kirby was hit hard, there were some positives to take away. Kirby did not throw his cutter that was hit extremely hard last season. He only threw his slider which looked improved and added nearly 3 inches of horizontal break.

Kirby finished the deal with a 34 percent whiff rate and a 38 percent CSW, both highly impressive numbers. His four-seam led the way as he located it well at the top of the zone and got 11 whiffs on 21 swings and had a 49 percent CSW. I would not be too worried about hit start from Kirby who showed plenty of good things. I think his dynasty stock only moves up this season.

Trevor Larnach, OF, MIN

Maybe I was too quick to write Trevor Larnach off. I felt as if he would potentially lose playing time when the Twins got healthy. But, it appears that Larnach has other things to say about that. He went two-for-five on Monday, hitting his first big fly off the season. He drove in three runs and scored twice. Larnach’s home run came off the bat at 103.1 mph, but he also had a triple that was 102.2 mph.

Larnach has always hit the ball hard, but never really tapped into his game power. The biggest change this season in a small sample is that Larnach is lifting the ball more consistently. He also brings strong plate discipline to the table and will play better in an OBP league. So far in 19 plate appearances, Larnach is slashing .438/.526/.750 this season.

Nolan Gorman, 2B, STL

Nolan Gorman continues to rake this season. He made a swing change in the offseason and really focused hard on his swing to make more contact. He did so without sacrificing power. Gorman had a two home run game on Sunday and added two more hits on Monday. He is up to a .500 batting average in the early going.

Gorman has always had massive power, but contact concerns and being without a position has hurt his stock. Gorman is proving his bat will play regardless. As a 22-year-old, Gorman’s best days are still to come! I am buying everywhere I can in dynasty leauges.

Luke Raley, 1B, TB

After featuring Luke Raley in my FAAB article last weekend, I picked him up in several deep leagues. I proceeded to sit him on the bench in those leagues while he launched two home runs and drove in three runs. The two home runs left the bat at 109.2 and 103.2 mph.

Raley is an interesting player, who is likely on the strong side of a platoon. So far he has only played against right-handed pitching, but that projects him out to close to 500 plate appearances. Raley has big power, hitting 14 home runs last year in 268 Triple-A plate appearances last season. His 109.2 mph 90th percentile exit velocity was one of the best among Minor Leaguers.

Raley may be a 28-year-old journeyman, but he does provide big power. Even with questionable contact skills, Raley is worth rostering in deeper formats.

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