The Dynasty Digest: June 6, 2023

Chris Clegg runs downs all of Monday's action that you need to know for dynasty leagues.

The Dominican Summer League, as well as the Arizona and Florida Complex Leagues kicked off on Monday and we have a ton to discuss. You can find my writeups on 40 players here that I liked coming into this week.

Before we dive in, I think it is important to preface this by saying that we need to be careful with DSL and Complex stat lines. They are fun to look into, and while it is good to speculate, it is important to remember perspective and what matters.

In the DSL, I think age-to-level performance matters a ton. We used to see plenty of 16-year-olds in the league because they would sign in July and immediately begin playing. But with the January 15 signing period, players are signing later and then don’t debut until June. 17-year-olds performing well certainly are worth paying attention to, but if you happen to come across a 16 year old doing things, you should really pay attention.

In all honesty, we do not see a lot of great pitching performances in Rookie ball, especially in the DSL. Some players just don’t have good gloves. Statistics are skewed by a lot of things that we just don’t see because there is limited game film to watch. Context matters a ton.

With that being said, it is important to be quick to jump on prospects that are performing. But how fast is too fast?

Well, in a dynasty league, I think it is always important to always have a roster spot or two to churn for hot prospects. You will never know if a prospect is going to pan out and be legit if you don’t take a chance. So, to go back to my question, I don’t think you can be too fast in most contexts. The deeper the dynasty, the easier it is actually to do that. So know your league and how prospects are handled and adjust accordingly.

Let’s get to Monday’s action.

Welbyn Francisca, CLE, SS, 17, DSL

Francisca started Rookie ball with a bigger bang than any prospect. He was lauded for a strong hit tool and speed. He was listed at 5’8”/148, but is already 5’10”/175. He honestly looks like he is bigger in terms of both height and weight. Regardless, Francisca just turned 17 and has plenty of time to grow and add to his frame.

Francisca went five-for-seven, yes, you read that right. Cleveland’s DSL team scored 28 runs. Francisca was a big part of that, scoring five times and driving in three while recording three singles, a triple, and a home run. He is a switch hitter who shows strong bat speed from both sides of the plate. Francisca can be aggressive but still shows strong contact ability.

I was a fan of Francisca after he signed, ranking him in my top 250 overall and top five among all international signees. I don’t want to get enamored with a one-game sample, but Francisca looked good. Watch all his at-bats on this thread from Cleveland Guardians Pro on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/CleGuardPro/status/1665810878598467584?s=20

Hancel Almonte, STL, OF, 17, DSL

Almonte was known for his power when he signed. At 17 years old, Almonte was said to already have some of the best present power in the J15 class. He is already developed physically at 6’1”/195 with quick bat speed. It is a power-over-hit tool profile, which likely a corner outfielder long-term.

It did not take long for Almonte to show off his game power though, as he went two-for-four with a home run, and two RBI. He was not talked about much coming out of the J15 signing period, but I would keep a close eye on Almonte this year.

Sebastian Walcott, TEX, SS, 17, DSL

Sebastian Walcott will be the name I keep shouting to get in on now before the hype train leaves the station. Walcott was just one-for-five in his DSL debut but did steal a base. The Rangers love this kid internally, and the tools are certainly there.

Walcott is an athlete. He is already 6’4 and 190 lbs as a 17-year-old. There is projection left in his frame but there’s already big power here. According to a report from Baseball America, Walcott turned on a 98 mph fastball on the backfields for a 105 mph home run. There is strong bat speed and despite being pretty big and having long levers, Walcott has not exhibited much swing and miss, and scouts speak highly of his contact skills for his age. Walcott could be one of the best fantasy assets to come out of this year's international class.

Not that it matters a ton for fantasy, but Walcott also shows a big arm at shortstop and is very quick in his first step and reaction. Walcott has all the makings of a five-tool player. Don’t miss out! Get in now. While you are at it, check out this video of his swing.

https://twitter.com/TEXPlayerDev/status/1661468100074807296?s=20

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