The Players I Am Not Leaving my FYPD Without

A breakdown of the prospects that you should not leave your dynasty fantasy baseball FYPDs without

Every year, I put out a post on social media about the top players I want to grab in every FYPD. The goal is to help you find players that might be in a sweet spot in the draft and offer plenty of value to you in return.

You can find a thread on those players from previous seasons here. And the 2025 Edition here. The hit rate overall has been pretty impressive, better than I expected. But why am I targeting specific guys this year? Let’s break it down.

Be sure to check out the FYPD Primer and the Top 310 rankings.

The Players I Am Not Leaving My FYPD Without

Griffin Burkholder, OF, Philadelphia Phillies, 6’2”/195

The Report

Burkholder was drafted in second round, 63rd overall by the Phillies in the 2024 draft. He received a $2.5 million bonus, nearly double the slot value, and the same bonus that the Phillies handed out to first-rounder Dante Nori. Burkholder made his pro debut, but it was just one game in which he smoked a 101 mph triple and showed of his 70 grade wheels.

At the Super 60 Pro Showcase, Burkholder clocked exit velocities at the top of his class and hit the ball at ideal angles, having an 84 percent air percentage. The hand and bat speed both ranked among the top of all prep hitters.

On top of the power potential, Burkholder grades extremely well as an athlete, having one of the top vertical jumps and sprint speeds in the class. On the 60-yard dash, Burkholder posted an insane 6.29 seconds, which is an elite mark. In the 30-yard, a home to the first equivalent, Burkholder posted a 3.54-second mark.

The frame is strong and there is still a little projection left. There is a real chance Burkholder could have plus power and 70-grade speed when all is said and done.

The Why

Burkholder is everything I look for in a prep-bat. It is how I found Roman Anthony, Aidan Smith, Jonny Farmelo types. Burkholder has plus power and speed and I believe in his hit tool. He could soar into top 100s pretty fast.

Ryan Sloan, RHP, Seattle Mariners, 6’4”/225

The Report

Sloan is a tall and physical righty who made major gains on his fastball this year and shows quality stuff across the board. This spring his fastball sat in the mid-90s, touching 98. He throws it in the zone often and gets nice horizontal movement. It is a low effort delivery, but the velocity comes easy.

Dialing it back, Sloan has a heavy fading changeup sitting in the mid-to-upper 80s that gets 13-15 inches of fade while showing good carry. It plays extremely well off his fastball.

The slider gets good horizontal separation the other way, averaging 15 inches of sweep and sometimes getting near 18 inches. It sits in the low-to-mid 80s with high spin. The command of each pitch is pretty impressive for his age, which bodes well for him as a prep arm moving forward as a professional.

The Why

Prep pitchers are the riskiest demographic. But Sloan has all the intangibles to take a big step forward and become one of the better pitching prospects in the game. Avoiding prep pitchers would cause you to miss on the Andrew Painters, Jackson Jobes, and Bubba Chandlers of the world.

Tyson Lewis, SS, Cincinnati Reds, 6’2”/195

The Report

Power, speed, and athleticism? Lewis checks all three boxes while having a strong 6’2”/195 frame. The lefty generates natural loft in his swing and registered exit velocities as high as 108 mph which easily tops his class. Not to mention, he clocked a 6.4-second 60-yard dash, which is plus or better speed.

Lewis is known as one of the harder workers in the class and has undergone a swing change over the last year. He now looks much more natural with his swing. While he already has a great frame, he still has room to fill out and add more power. Among the prep shortstops, he already has some of the best power in that group.

There are some concerns about swing and miss against secondary pitches right now, but the results spoke for themselves. Lewis slashed an impressive .496/.579/.912 with eight home runs and 29 extra-base hits. He stole 31 bases as well. This is a profile I’m very intrigued by.

The Why

You can copy and paste a lot of what I said about Burkholder here. He is blazing fast and has plenty of power upside to dream on. If he cleans up contact against secondary pitches, the stock soars.

Eddie Rynders, SS, Pittsburgh Pirates, 6’2”/195

The Report

Rynders was selected in the fourth round of the 2024 MLB Draft out of Lutheran HS in Wisconsin. Maybe one of the more slept-on players in the class, Rynders has skills that could translate to a fun power/speed combo.

Participating in PBR’s Super 60 event, Rynders showed off an impressive swing from the left side with immense power and ran a strong 6.7 60-yard dash. Having long legs and a strong lower half, Rynders uses a leg kick to help start his swing with his explosive lower half. His bat speed ranked toward the top of his peers in the draft class, and Rynders pairs it with good on-plane efficiency.

The exit velocities have been off the charts and Rynders has a swing geared for loft. He hits a ton of line drives and fly balls and has shown the ability to get to the pull-side. When you pair the power with the run times, Rynders can be a solid power and speed threat.

Being a good athlete, Rydners ranked extremely well among draftees in vertical jump and is quite advanced physically. If the hit tools appear to be average, the skillset will play.

The Why

An easy power stroke with good speed. Rynders is a top notch athlete and could excel across the board. He has little buzz but don’t let that deter you from drafting him in an FYPD.

Kale Fountain, 3B, San Diego Padres, 6’5”/225

The Report

Fountain has about as good of a frame as you’ll find among the prep class, standing at 6’5”/226 lb. Not only does he have a physically imposing frame, but Fountain is just an athlete. The power upside is immense, but Fountain clocked a 6.7-second 60-yard dash showing the kind of speed he has.

In the Super 60 showcase event, Fountain posted a max exit velocity of 108.2 mph and an average of 103.7 mph. The present power plus factoring in growth and projection gives vibes that he could be a 70 raw power type of bat. The bat speed is elite for his class and even for MLB standards, and Fountain has extremely strong hands, generating power with ease.

The swing is geared for natural loft and Fountain puts the ball in the air often. He does let it get a little deeper on him rather than catching the ball out in front of the plate so I do wonder if the contact point needs to change a bit to make more consistent contact against better pitching.

If you like upside, Fountain is your guy.

The Why

Fountain is massive and still has projection left on his 6’5” frame. One of the better athletes you will find for someone that size, Fountain runs well and shows immense power upside. The swing is compact and direct to the ball and he has shown a good feel for contact.

Kevin Alvarez, OF, Houston Astros, 6’4”/185

The Report

Alvarez is a high-waisted, impressive athlete who has plenty of projection. After moving from Cuba to the Dominican Republic in 2021, Alvarez has displayed an impressive skillset and has steadily improved.

The left-handed swing is picturesque and Alvarez controls the barrel extremely well for someone with long levers. He starts with the barrel just slightly above his shoulders and a wide stance before using a leg kick. He leads with his lower half before exploding the barrel through the zone. The bat speed comes easy for Alvarez.

Alvarez won’t be a huge threat on the base paths, but the power and hit combo is impressive.

The Why

In an international class that lacks a Leodalis De Vries type player, I would rather take my shots a little later and that is where Alvarez comes into play. A massive frame and a beautiful left-handed swing, Alvarez could have a strong feel for contact plus big power.

Ryan Forcucci, RHP, Houston Astros, 6’3”/205

The Report

A successful three-year career at UC San Diego sadly ended after just five starts into 2024 due to a UCL injury, ending in Tommy John. There is a chance Forcucci could have pushed first-round status in the draft, instead the Astros got a great value in the third round.

Improving each season, Forcucci had a 2.16 ERA across his five starts and 25 innings, which also included 37 strikeouts to six walks. His fastball sits around 94 mph, missing bats at a high clip thanks to unique traits. Coming from a low-release height, Forucci creates a good ride and run, creating a plus offering.

Forcucci’s slider sits in the mid-80s, topping at 88 mph, and has a strong two-plane break. It missed bats at a near 40 percent rate and gets plenty of chase out of the zone. He also mixes in an upper-70s curveball with good depth. While it was his third offering, it had a whiff rate of 57 percent, which was in the 99th percentile for pitchers in college baseball. There is a lesser-used, upper-80s changeup that could become a nice platoon-neutralizing pitch against left-handed hitters.

Throwing strikes at a high clip in 2024, Forcucci showed strong improvement with command and control. This will be something to watch as he returns from Tommy John surgery. We may not see him pitch in an affiliated ball until 2026, as he likely spend time at the complex upon return.

The Why

Forcucci was likely a first-round pick if he had not torn his UCL and had Tommy John Surgery. While he will miss most of 2025, he is worth a stash at the end of your FYPD.

Cameron Sullivan, RHP, Cleveland Guardians, 6’2”/200

The Report

The Guardian snagged Sullivan in the seventh round of the 2024 draft but gave him a bonus of $525k, double the slot value for his pick. A 6’2” righty from Indiana, Sullivan has the traits of a cold-weather arm that could pop off in the Guardians org.

Sullivan spins the ball exceptionally well and saw his velocity tick up more than nearly any arm from 2023 to 2024. After sitting in the upper-80s in 2023, Mobley worked 93-95 mph all spring and topped at 97 mph. Running spin rates north of 2600 rpm on the fastball on average, he creates an elite 17 inches of IVB from his 5’2” release height. The pitch gets strong horizontal movement but lacks extension, something he could work on this offseason.

The slider has a strong gyro shape and spin rates near 3000 rpm. Mobley will throw a couple of variations with the upper-80s gyro cutter and low-80s sweeper. He rounds out the arsenal with a firm changeup that presently lacks velocity separation from the fastball, sitting 88 mph but touching 92 mph. It reached 22 inches of fading action last spring and got heavy sinking action. More velocity separation will lead to more success on the pitch that already grades out well metrically.

Sullivan grades out exceptionally well athletically and is a good mover on the mound. He will need to locate his offerings better, but if he can be an average strike thrower, there is quite a bit to dream about here. Sullivan has SP3 upside, but it could be an arm that takes a couple of years to develop the command/control you want to see out of him.

The Why

Sullivan offers a cheaper prep pitcher option with plenty of upside. Its a unique arsenal from a low release height. Cleveland pitch development is tremendous and Sullivan already has the intangibles.

Chase Mobley, RHP, Cleveland Guardians, 6’5”/205

The Report

Mobley was selected in the tenth round of the 2024 draft, but that does not reflect his talent level. The Guardians had a bottomless bonus pool and bought Mobley down and gave him a $1.8 million bonus. While turning 18 just before draft day, Mobley has long been known for being one of the better prep pitching prospects in the 2024 draft class.

The fastball sits in the 92-96 range but has reached 99 mph with strong traits. He throws from a lower three-quarters slot but creates strong carry from the release point with plus horizontal movement. Relying heavily on the fastball and beating high school hitters relatively easily, he rarely needed his secondaries.

The slider sits in the low-80s, but it is probably the changeup that is Mobley’s best secondary. It plays well off the fastball, sitting in the low-80s with late tumble and fading action. Mobley will also drop in a hammer curveball in the mid-70s.

Mobley is an advanced strike-thrower for his age, and he has a highly projectable frame. He could still add velocity, and the development of the secondaries will go a long way for him as a prospect. Given Cleveland’s track record of developmental success, Mobley is an arm I would bet on rising rankings fast.

The Why

Mobley is built in a similar mold to Sullivan, offering plenty of upside and already having a strong reputation as a strike thrower. He should dominate lower level hitters and fly up rankings.

Cobb Hightower, SS, San Diego Padres, 6’0”/180

The Report

Hightower landed with the Padres in the third round of the 2024 MLB Draft, signing him away from his commitment to UNC. He was somewhat of a late riser in the draft cycle, but now he looks like a player more teams might regret not getting in on early.

The bat speed stands out when you watch Hightower, and he does a great job finding the barrel. Having a good weight distribution in his setup, he utilized a big leg kick for his 6’0” frame and created a wide stride. The point of contact is strong and out in front of the plate, and Hightower keeps the bat's barrel in the zone for a long time.

He posted strong run times, having a 60-yard dash as fast at 6.6 seconds. The athleticism is there, and Hightower could have quite a well-rounded skillset. The knocks on his age should probably be ignored, given his skillset.

The Why

Hightower is a prospect I struggled to rank in the FYPD process, but the reports out of instructs and the bridge league were quite strong. He has a strong 6’0” frame and has impressive speed. A late riser in the draft, Hightower could move up rankings fast.

Owen Hall, RHP, Detroit Tigers, 6’3”/185

The Report

Tell me if you have heard this before? The Tigers draft a projectable prep arm out of Oklahoma who can really spin it. For those of you who don't know, that other arm was Jackson Jobe.

Hall made major strides during his senior year seeing his fastball tick up pretty substantially to now touching 98 and sitting in the 92-94 mph range. Having projection on his frame at 6’3”/185, he could definitely begin to sit in the mid-90s sooner than later.

Having two distinct breaking balls, the slider has two plane break sitting in the low-80s. The curveball sits in the mid-70s with incredible depth and sweep. It generates a ton of whiffs and gets plenty of chase out of the zone. The changeup development will be a big point of emphasis for Hall.

The Why

Detroit has done a great job of developing pitchers in this mold. Hall has a potential plus fastball/slider combo with a developing change up. I’d rather be early on Hall than take the risk on missing out.

Braylin Antunez, OF, Milwaukee Brewers, 6’0”/194

The Report

Antunez has been known for some time as one of the better players in Venezuela, especially hailing from Jackson Chourio’s hometown, Maracaibo. After being an infielder for most of his life, Antunez transitioned to centerfield and plays it exceptionally well.

Antunez has a swing at the plate that resembles Vlad Guerrero Jr. in some ways. Starting with his back elbow high, Antunez uses a leg lift for timing but returns it to almost the same spot it started. He tips the barrel, but it works great for Antunez and his powerful stroke.

Having strong pitch recognition skills, Antunez adjusts well to breaking balls in the box. The swing can get a bit long sometimes, but the bat-to-ball skills are above-average. He sprays the ball to all fields well and can leave the yard to the pull side. This is the kind of bat you want to bet on continuing to develop.

The Why

If there is any org that scouts the international side better than others, its the Milwaukee Brewers. Every year, they have multiple DSL players pop off. This year, it is Antunez.

Brandon Clarke, LHP, Boston Red Sox, 6’4”/220

The Report

A tall, left-handed JuCO pitcher from Florida-Manatee, Clarke brings a ton to like to the table. Joining an organization that has overhauled its pitching development and saw many successes in 2024, Clarke landed in the perfect spot.

Being taken in the fifth round, Clarke throws from a low three-quarters release height and gets a ton of extension on all of his pitches. While the command is inconsistent at times, the arsenal is impressive.

Still being pretty young in his pitching career, Clarke has a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and has been up to 99 mph. He gets good horizontal movement and above-average ride from this release point.

The curveball has good depth and high spin rates while sitting in the upper-70s. The changeup is a little firm at 90 mph, but does show good potential. Adding a slider or cutter to the profile could work wonders for Clarke, who I think will find a ton of success with Boston.

The Why

A projectable left-handed arm in a good pitching development org. Clarke already has a great fastball and solid secondaries. While there is still a lot of development to be had, Clarke could take big steps forward in 2025.

Nate George, OF, Baltimore Orioles, 6’0”/200

The Report

George is the biggest wild card on the list and in my FYPD rankings. A 16th-round selection, George received a bonus from the Orioles of $455k, or $300k overslot. Built with a strong 6’0” frame, George is an impressive runner with big power.

During his senior year, George posted a .404 batting average with nine home runs, 26 extra baser hits, and 22 stolen bases. He posted an impressive 6.39-second 60-yard dash, making him one of the faster players in the draft.

From a power standpoint, George reached 104 mph with exit velocities, which is strong for his age and has impressive bat speed. While he does take aggressive swings, it is controlled well as well as his swing path and barrel.

George has a cannon for an arm and is smooth in the outfield. He shows impressive athleticism, and considering how late he went, Geroge could wind up a steal.

The Why

A 16th-round pick with zero buzz, George has the intangibles to really pop off. The skill set is there, and if he makes enough contact, the power/speed combo will play up. In a deep league, make sure you grab George.