Fantasy Baseball Today - Prospect Report: Miguel Vargas' New Path & Ricky Tiedemann Hype (7/2 Fantasy Baseball Podcast)

Episode Date: July 3, 2022

Download and follow Fantasy Baseball Today in 5! You can find FBT in 5 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever else podcasts are found. Miguel Vargas has been playing the outfield at Triple-A, which could help him get promoted by the Dodgers. Ricky Tiedemann is rising in the Blue Jays organization. Might we see Cole Ragans with the Rangers soon? 'Fantasy Baseball Today in 5' is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Castbox and wherever else you listen to podcasts.  Get 20% off Fantasy Baseball Today merch: https://store.cbssports.com/collections/fantasy-baseball-today?utm_source=podcast-apple-com&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=buy-our-merch&utm_content=fantasy-baseball-collection Follow our FBT team on Twitter: @FBTPod, @CTowersCBS, @CBSScottWhite, @Roto_Frank Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/fantasybaseballtoday Sign up for the FBT Newsletter at https://www.cbssports.com/newsletters/fantasy-baseball-today/ For more fantasy baseball coverage from CBS Sports, visit https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/ To hear more from the CBS Sports Podcast Network, visit https://www.cbssports.com/podcasts/ You can listen to Fantasy Baseball Today in 5 on your smart speakers! Simply say "Alexa, play the latest episode of the Fantasy Baseball Today in 5 podcast" or "Hey Google, play the latest episode of the Fantasy Baseball Today in 5 podcast." To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Miguel Vargas has a new path to the majors. Let's discuss next on fantasy baseball today in five. Welcome into FBT and 5. As always, make sure to follow and stream us on Spotify. Today is Saturday, July 2nd. I am Frank Sample, joined by Scott White. Five prospects on the verge of getting the call. Miguel Vargas with the Dodgers, Jared Kelnick with the Mariners,

Max Meyer with the Marlins, Estéuri Ruiz with the Padres, and Brian Bejo with the Red Sox. What is this new path for Miguel Vargas? It's the outfield, Frank. It's the outfield. Something he hadn't played until making a couple appearances there very recently in left field. Vargas has gotten some exposure to first base, second base before.

So, you know, it's not crazy to see the Dodgers try them in left field, especially since he should have pretty good range out there. He's a fast runner. and the reason why I think it could be his path to the majors is because they just lost mooky bets and they don't really have a lot of outfield depth. You know, they traded AJ Pollock before the start of the season. Lately, they've had to make do with Trace Thompson, Eddie Alvarez. Trace Thompson and Eddie Alvarez out there.

There's not really, you know, championship caliber players. They're either one of them. And Vargas, you know, obviously. seems like he would be an improvement. Now, Betts' injury doesn't sound like a long-term one. But even so, they could use Vargas in a bunch of different places, including third base, you know, Justin Turner and Max Muncie, who they've mostly been using there this year.

Neither one of them is performing up to expectations and just may not bounce back like they're hoping. Vargas hitting-wise, this is what Dodgers' job. general manager Brandon Gomes had to say about Vargas's hitting. We feel really strongly about his ability to hit. I think he can roll out of the

bed and hit. So that's not what's keeping Vargas out. And so I just get the feeling this is going to happen sooner than later for him with the Dodgers trying to hold off the Padres. Fair enough. All right, let's take a look at the five prospects on the periphery. These are names doing something of note as of

late. Cole Reagan's starting pitcher with the Rangers, David VR, a third baseman with the Giants. Ricky Teeteman, a starting pitcher with the Blue Jays, Mason Montgomery, a pitcher with the Tampa Bay Rays, and Matt Mervis, a first baseman with the Cubs. What do we think here, Scott? So this is an interesting group. You've got Ricky Tiedeman, who's kind of emerged as an elite pitching prospect this year.

he's still only 19 years old, left-hander in the Blue J system, and he has just, the most hits he's allowed in any start is four. His swinging strike rate is 19%. He has just tremendous stuff, and the numbers are so good, like it's hard not to see him as

one of the best left-handed pitching prospects in the game now. So stock way up for Ricky Tiedman in, dynasty leagues. But you also have some older prospects who aren't, you know,

have never gotten much hype before. So, you know, it might be easy to dismiss them as just, okay, kind of quadruplea types ones who aren't really going to contribute in the majors, despite the numbers they're putting up in the minors. But I don't think that's necessarily true, especially for Cole Reagan's of the Rangers. Now, he's a left-handed starting

pitcher. He's a former first round pick, but he has had Tommy John surgery twice. And then in addition to that, lost the 2020 season due to the pandemic. So he's, uh, he's been stalled in the miners for a while. And this year, he's, he's finally delivering on his potential. He's been compared to Cole Hamill's before as a guy with a low to mid-90s fastball, great change up. Left-handed pitcher who throws strikes. And, you know, he's doing it a AAA. So Cole Regens could get the call soon for the Rangers. David VR of the Giants, the third basement, 25 years old, but hasn't been in the minors for that long.

Drafted out of college, obviously. He's already up over 20 homers in, you know, just a couple months time down there in the miners. So he's been delivering big power. He's been getting on base at a high rate. The strikeout rate is also high. And of course, he's in the giant system. wonder how much opportunity he would have to play full-time anyway.

But it won't take long in a Dynasty League to see if he's going to sink or swim. So David V.R. is interesting for that reason. And then Matt Mervis, I want to highlight him of the Cubs. They don't have an air apparent at first. They don't have an obvious air for Anthony Rizzo at first base. And Matt Mervis, 24-year-old, up to double A now, is hitting well over 300. He's about to 20 homers as well, 20 doubles as well. and

you know the numbers just really jump out at you and as a left-handed hitter he might be able to make it work you know I'd worry a little more if he was a right-hander that lowers his utility a bit

as a guy who's limited to first base but Matt Burface is somebody to keep an eye on Scott I know Frank Schindell is hurt right now but come on what is he chopped liver I mean he's not Not a long-term building block, I will say that.

Ah, well, tell that to my dynasty team. For more extensive fantasy baseball coverage, listen to the Fantasy Baseball Today podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Stitcher, your smart speakers, or anywhere else podcasts are found. And thanks for listening to Fantasy Baseball today in five. We'll be back again on Monday morning. Bye-bye.