Every year, a bunch of prospects make a huge splash for their respective teams and the lucky owners who took a chance on drafting them or making an in-season pickup. Last year OF Luis Robert, OF Kyle Lewis, 3B/1B Alec Bohm, and 1B/SS/OF Ryan Mountcastle all proved to be great players if any manager was savvy enough to draft or use a waiver-claim on them if they were available. Let’s take a look at some of the best hitting prospects looking to make a splash in 2021.
SS Wander Franco Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays are an outstanding team. They were only one win away from winning their first World Series title ever but, luckily for them, their farm system is still loaded with huge talent. Franco is the number one prospect heading into the 2021 season and has been for the past two seasons. If not for Covid, Franco would’ve been called up at some point last season. Franco has all the tools you love in a fantasy hitter. He is going to hit for average and power with some speed added in as well.
I think Franco probably won’t start right away. The dreaded service time rule will keep him down, and SS Willy Adames is also no slouch. I do not doubt that Franco will be up sooner than later and will be a huge part of winning fantasy teams this season. Whether your league has an NA spot or not, Franco should be drafted. He is as close to a can’t miss prospect as there has been since OF Ronald Acuna Jr of the Atlanta Braves.
OF Jarred Kelenic Seattle Mariners
Kelenic is another guy that if not for service time, he would be called up immediately. But the Mariners, much like the Rays, will keep him down to gain an extra year of control. Kelenic also has come down with an adductor strain which will sideline him for a couple of weeks. I still think he will have a huge impact once he is called up to the light-hitting Mariners.
Kelenic, much like Franco, should contribute in all categories offensively and will more than likely be put right into the middle of the Mariners’ lineup. He was the big piece of the deal that sent 2B Robinson Cano and RP Edwin Diaz to the New York Mets, and I feel once Kelenic gets up to the big leagues, the Mariners will be quite pleased. He will prove they won this deal by a mile.
1B/3B Spencer Torkelson Detroit Tigers
Unlike Kelenic and Franco, Torkelson is not a sure thing. The Tigers may not want to call him up this season, but I think his skill will force their hand. The Tigers have gotten a lot of great pitching prospects the past couple of seasons, but with the first pick in last year’s draft, they took the best-hitting prospect in Torkelson. Having the best power tool of any prospect is just one of Torkelson’s skills, but this is the best one that is going to get him to the majors the quickest.
The Tigers hitter who had the most home runs for them as a team was DH/1B Miguel Cabrera with ten home runs, but no other player was in double digits. I feel this would be a perfect time to call up Torkelson so he could learn from one of the best hitters of all-time. Torkelson would only be drafted if your league has an NA spot, but I feel like the Tigers are primed and ready to get their prospects up quickly.