Fantasy Baseball Today - Prospect Report: Stash Aranda & Busch Ahead of the Trade Deadline (Fantasy Baseball Today in 5 Podcast)

Starting point is 00:00:02 Who are the latest prospects that can help us out after the trade deadline? Find out next on Fantasy Baseball today in five. Welcome in to FBT and Five on Saturday, July 29th. I am Frank Sample joined by Scott White. The five prospects on the verge of getting the call and potentially helping your fantasy teams. Jonathan Aranda with the Tampa Bay Rays, Michael Bush with the Dodgers, Matt Mervis with the Cubs, Ronnie Maricio with the Mets, and Heston Kierstead with the Orioles.

Starting point is 00:00:33 Scott, what's the latest here? Who do you think might be the closest of this group? We want to be, in the next few days here, rooting very, very hard for Jonathan Aranda and Michael Bush to get traded. They seem like prime candidates on obvious contenders, both 25 years old.

Starting point is 00:00:53 They have overstayed their welcome in the minors. They're putting up huge numbers there. They deserve their chance. They just don't have openings. with their respective teams currently. So they seem like prime trade ships, and if they are traded, I imagine they'll take over as their new team's starter right away.

Starting point is 00:01:11 So let's root for that. That's why they're numbers one and two on this list. Trade deadline could also open up an opportunity for Matt Mervis. Lately, Bellinger. Cody Bellinger's been getting the majority of the starts at first base, and he is a trade candidate. So keep an eye on that. Obviously, Bellinger could move to the outfield

Starting point is 00:01:27 and open up a spot for Mervis either way. uh, Mets might be sellers. They just moved David Robertson. They're closer. I don't know. By the time you're listening to this, maybe they've done more. Uh, but Ronnie Maricio, that might be his ticket to the majors. He's gotten exposure to left field and second base of AAA this year,

Starting point is 00:01:45 natural shortstop, big raw power and is cut way down on a strikeouts this year. We talked about him a lot, but it may finally be time for Mauricio, uh, August. August may finally be time for him. Kyrstad has been. brought up in trade rumors as well as somebody who could be sold to bring in talent for the Orioles. Kind of doubt that's going to happen, but it's possible. He has it. He's 24, but his minor league career was stalled initially by health issues.

Starting point is 00:02:18 So it's not a clear case of him overstaying his welcome in the minors the way it is for the 25-year-old's Arunda and Bush. But Kyrstad's been performing well since making it up to AAA. He's cut way down on a strikeout this year too and has big power. You know, there's a chance. There's a chance we could see him in August as well. So you're saying there's a chance. There have been rumors of the Dodgers inquiring about Nolan Aronado from the Cardinals. I don't know if, you know, the Cardinals would be willing to,

Starting point is 00:02:51 or the Dodgers rather, would be willing to give up Michael Bush in that deal. But maybe, who knows? Let's see what happens. Five prospects on the periphery, some big names. on this list making noise recently. Jackson Churio, the outfield prospect with the Brewers, Tamar Johnson, second baseman with the pirates. Connor Phillips, a starting pitcher with the Reds,

Starting point is 00:03:09 and then two starting pitchers from the AL East, Wickleman Gonzalez from the Red Sox, and Drew Thorpe from the Yankees. Scott, what do we have on this group? Well, Jackson Chorio was off to a very slow start at Double A. He was getting a pass by all the prospect rank list, still considered the top five overall guy. And he was so young for being in AA.

Starting point is 00:03:33 That's part of the reason you got to pass. They were using pre-tacked baseballs in the Southern League, where the Brewer's AA affiliate is. They've stopped using them. And since they stopped using him, Chorio has just taken off. And the strikeout rate is way down. He seems to like less sticky stuff on the baseballs.

Starting point is 00:03:51 So, I mean, he might be, it's the kind of surge right now where he might be on the verge of going up to AAA. and once he's a AAA. Majors isn't out of the question. I doubt we'll see him in the majors at age 19 this year, but it's not outside of the question, Jackson, Chorio. Huge upside there. Tirmar Johnson, the fourth overall pick in last year's draft,

Starting point is 00:04:12 was considered a bat-first guy, and he got off to a slow start in low A, much further down the minors. But he has really turned things around lately. He looks like he's beginning to live up to his big potential. Connor Phillips is the clear, minor league leader in strikeouts. I believe Andrew Abbott was before him,

Starting point is 00:04:30 another Reds pitcher, obviously got called up and his pitch well in the majors. I think Connor Phillips has taken over, he has taken over the minor league lead in strikeouts. And if they need rotation help down the stretch, he's already up a AAA, so he could provide it. Throws harder than Abbott, does have walk issues, not a slam dunk to be a contributor in fantasy,

Starting point is 00:04:55 but definitely somebody to keep an eye on. All right, for more extensive fantasy baseball coverage, listen to the Fantasy Baseball Today podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcast, The Odyssey app, or anywhere else podcasts are found. Thanks for listening to Fantasy Baseball Today and Five, and we'll be back again next week. Bye-bye.

Fantasy Baseball Today - Prospect Report: Stash Aranda & Busch Ahead of the Trade Deadline (Fantasy Baseball Today in 5 Podcast)

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