If this is one of your first reads on this draft class, let me start by saying: welcome, and I’m flattered! Then let me say that this is a very deep FYPD class. There are plenty of intriguing prospects littered throughout the first fifty picks, and more with projection found later. I’ve yet to include the players expected to sign when the international signing period opens in January, but there should be plenty of good picks despite not having many ‘pop up’ guys in your league, due to the 2020 minor league season being canceled.

So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the list.

As far as observations go, you gotta start with the 1.1 MLB pick and probable 1.1 pick in your dynasty FYPD, Spencer Torkelson. As I mentioned in our FYPD mock, I have Tork easily as the best player available, with a high ceiling for power, and an equally high floor. It’s a great year to have the first pick in your dynasty league.

Maybe the story of this draft class is how strong the group of college pitchers is. The top three on this list are polished and have legitimate impact upside. It’s not every year that you have this many college pitchers who could make a big impact with little minor league seasoning, but that’s what we’re looking at with Emerson Hancock, Asa Lacy, and Alex Meyer. But the college arms don’t stop there; Garret Crochet has already arrived (though there are now injury concerns) and Reid Detmers will probably get the call in 2021. Others, like Cade Cavalli and Jared Shuster, could also need very little time in the minors. Further down the list, Bobby Miller can touch triple digits, Bryce Jarvis went to Driveline and added six mph to his fastball and now sits 95 comfortably. There are currently eighteen college arms in my top 50, and some could get overlooked and become value picks in the middle of your dynasty redrafts.

If you like high upside prep arms, Mick Abel and Nick Bitsko are your targets (assuming Bitsko comes through his shoulder surgery unscathed), and will surely go early in your drafts. After that, there are plenty of questions surrounding the high school pitchers (as there generally are) and this is an area you might find thin in this draft class. It’s counterbalanced by the quantity and quality of college pitchers available, but I currently only have five prep arms in my top 50.

As far as bats, there’s plenty to choose from as well. There are high upside college bats that are ready to contribute soon (Austin Martin, Nick Gonzalez, Heston Kjerstad & Austin Wells), and some high school bats you can dream on (Zac Veen, Robert Hassel, Pete Crow-Armstrong, & Ed Howard). Even after Tork, there’s power available at various tiers of the top 50 (Austin Hendrick, Aaron Sabato, Blaze Jordan) speed (Garrett Mitchell, David Calabrese), super athletic guys (Jordan Walker, Jordan Nwogu), and even some ‘safe’ bats (Daniel Cabrera, Justin Foscue). I’m admittedly higher on Robert Hassel III than others I’ve read, so look for a prospect profile on him soon.

The position that might have the most variance in ranks from one list to another is catcher. There were 5 catchers drafted in the first 38 picks of the MLB draft, but as two (Tyler Soderstrom & Drew Romo) are prep products, and two more (Patrick Bailey and Dillon Dingler) were drafted in large part for their work on defense, they might be higher on one person’s list to another. For me, since you don’t need a ton of production from a catcher to be above average, and there’s generally a shortage at the position in two catcher leagues, I like to invest in catching prospects and have ranked accordingly.

Overall, I really feel this is a deep draft class. There’s plenty to like about all these guys and it’s difficult to move one guy down when you see something you like in another. The players eligible for the international signing period are not yet listed, and there will be value picks when I expand this list to 100 as well. Despite likely not having many ‘pop up’ guys in your dynasty drafts this year, this is a solid group. You can be confident you will get a good prospect within the first fifty picks.