- Ratings (OVERALL/POTENTIAL) and age are as of July 21, 2042
- 2042 WAR figures are projected out for the rest of the year
- Salary figures in italics are projected arbitration totals
- Players selected in the 2042 First Year Draft were not considered for the list due to lack of professional experience
Part II: #50-#41
We continue our run-through the list, today looking at #40-#21, with the top twenty to be unveiled Monday:
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#40 - Júlio Barajas, Rockville, RF 70/70
PREVIOUS RANK: 42
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2040 | 19 | 3.8 | $500,000 |
| 2041 | 20 | 5.1 | $500,000 |
| 2042 | 21 | 1.9 | $4,401,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $17,200,000
REMAINING AAV: $5,666,667
With a bat that can carry a franchise, Barajas has slowed from his normal explosive pace this year. A natural .300+ hitter with 35+ homer pop, the Chilean corner outfielder with the arm like a cannon has just three years of team control remaining, however at under $6M per year, he's a steal. If there's any question about his value, just ask Rockville and his 2039 Cartwright Series MVP showing.
#39 - José Salas, Edmonton, LF 65/80
PREVIOUS RANK: NR
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2040 | 21 | 1.0 | $500,000 |
| 2041 | 22 | 4.8 | $500,000 |
| 2042 | 23 | 4.7 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $19,900,000
REMAINING AAV: $4,975,000
The fourth-overall pick in the 2037 Draft, Salas helps lead Edmonton both on the field with his stellar bat as well as his incredible make-up and character in the clubhouse. The left fielder nicknamed "Slinky" also has the penchant for coming up big in the spotlight, as shown by his MVPs in the 2041 Cartwright Cup and Landis Memorial Series. Salas has upped his power production and is looking like a regular 5.0-WAR player with very few holes in his game. With three more arb seasons left at a team-friendly AAV of $5M, Salas can help the Jackrabbits chase down another Landis or bring back a nice package of talent for a team looking to get younger and deeper.
#38 - Bing-de Zhào, Rockville, 1B/2B 80/80
PREVIOUS RANK: 33
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2040 | 20 | 3.1 | $500,000 |
| 2041 | 21 | 4.8 | $500,000 |
| 2042 | 22 | 3.1 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $19,700,000
REMAINING AAV: $4,925,000
An international free agency signee in 2037, Zhào ascended to #1 prospect status in 2038 but has struggled to stay healthy in his career. In fact, two stints on the disabled list this year alone has slightly lowered his future arbitration estimates. Still, the perennial .300 hitter with a standout glove at first base has great value. Scouts believe Zhào's bat plays better at 2B but regardless of where he ends up on the diamond, Rockville has an elite talent to go along with their fantastic pitching.
#37 - Ángel Zalapa, Valencia, SS 75/80
PREVIOUS RANK: 47
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2040 | 24 | 5.8 | $10,562,500 |
| 2041 | 25 | 6.0 | $12,090,000 |
| 2042 | 26 | 4.6 | $24,970,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $133,850,000
REMAINING AAV: $26,770,000
Zalapa ranked 10th in 2040 after averaging 6.7 WAR per season between 2037-2039, then fell all the way down to #47 due to being a pending free agent. Now after signing a massive six-year, nearly $160M extension, the shortstop (and outstanding second baseman, if needed) is locked up as Valencia’s premium star. Zalapa's AAV is the highest in the Top 50, and by a decent margin, but there's no denying "Poison" is the premiere shortstop in the league.
#36 - Hao Hang, Chicago, RF 65/65
PREVIOUS RANK: NR
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2040 | 20 | -- | minor leagues |
| 2041 | 21 | 3.0 | $500,000 |
| 2042 | 22 | 6.7 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $23,000,000
REMAINING AAV: $4,600,000
After destroying minor league pitching for two straight years, Hang made his anticipated major league debut last year and didn't disappoint, swatting 23 HR and knocking in 75 runs in just 95 games. All the smooth-swinging lefty has done as an encore is to be on pace for over 45 HR, 120 RBI, and a .300 average, along with double-digit steals. Scouts have always like the Canadian since being the 16th-overall pick in the 2039 Draft, but they never expected this. The Black Sox will enjoy the spoils for at least the next five years while fan favorite Hang is under team control.
#35 - Quinton Lara, Charm City, C 70/70
PREVIOUS RANK: 27
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2040 | 22 | 4.9 | $500,000 |
| 2041 | 23 | 4.3 | $500,000 |
| 2042 | 24 | 3.6 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $25,100,000
REMAINING AAV: $8,366,667
Lara has ranked between #27-#35 the last three years, proof he's one of the most valuable catchers in the league today. With Ron Shiplack no longer in Charm City, the future of the position lays with Lara, who's seen his arb estimates rise with his stout production. Already a three-time All-Star, Lara's name has been on the trade block in the past, but now as the Jimmies' #1 man, there's plenty of big seasons in store for the lefty-swinging backstop.
#34 - Felipe Vega, Brooklyn, LF 75/75
PREVIOUS RANK: NR
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2040 | 21 | 5.1 | $500,000 |
| 2041 | 22 | 3.5 | $500,000 |
| 2042 | 23 | 5.0 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $16,000,000
REMAINING AAV: $5,333,333
Three months after being selected in the Supplemental First Round in the 2038 Draft, New Jersey-native Vega was dealt from Long Beach to Brooklyn for left fielder Santiago Sanchez, who already finds himself out of baseball at the age of 29. Robins' general manager Alan Ehlers was keen on Vega's upside and boy was he right. The lumbering outfielder has upped his home run totals the last three season from 39 to 45 and now on a pace for 52. If not for questionable decisions to give him playing time in centerfield, Vega's WAR totals would be even higher. With just three years of team control remaining, he provides the Robins with consistent, top-notch offense.
#33 - James Browning, Louisville, SP 65/80
PREVIOUS RANK: 31
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2040 | 19 | -- | minor leagues |
| 2041 | 20 | 1.4 | $500,000 |
| 2042 | 21 | 4.6 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $16,500,000
REMAINING AAV: $3,300,000
In last year's list, Browning and Don Smith were ranked back-to-back and their capsules were combined as a comparison of young pitchers who get called up to the big leagues before being even moderately developed. Regarding Browning, it was said "Louisville is one of the best teams in the league and recently made the decision to call up twenty-year-old Browning, who wasn’t exactly setting the world on fire in the minors. Browning is still raw with an under-developed third pitch, however his potential could be a difference-maker for the Sluggers who are set to make the playoffs again." Flash-forward twelve months and "Bijou" has seen his development take off and is a key arm for the top team in the Brewster. Scary to think the lefty hasn't even reached his ceiling. If not for a penchant for picking up random minor injuries, he would likely rank higher as one of the more coveted young pitchers in the league. Browning may just make the jump on his own as he continues to dominate Frick batters.
#32 - Pedro Huerta , Edmonton, RF 65/65
PREVIOUS RANK: 36
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2040 | 20 | -- | minor leagues |
| 2041 | 21 | 4.6 | $500,000 |
| 2042 | 22 | 4.8 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $20,600,000
REMAINING AAV: $5,150,000
How's this for a 2041 rookie season? All-Star, Geoghegan Round MVP, Landis Memorial champion, RBI crown. Not bad, right? As a follow-up, the silky smooth 6'4" right fielder is continuing to rip the cover off the ball, generating extra base hits at a rapid pace to go along with double digit steals. A true five-tool stud, Huerta looks to be a bargain for Edmonton during his arbitration years.
#31 - Armando Feliciano, Louisville, SP 65/80
PREVIOUS RANK: NR
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2040 | 20 | 1.5 | $500,000 |
| 2041 | 21 | 1.8 | $500,000 |
| 2042 | 22 | 4.6 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $18,500,000
REMAINING AAV: $4,625,000
Drafted #3 overall in 2037, "Commie Child" was dealt in a six-player trade from Wichita to Louisville a year later. Feliciano reached the level of being the #4 overall prospect but his injury history, including a torn UCL in 2039, has tempered expectations over the years. A partially torn labrum last year raised more questions but thankfully for the Sluggers, Feliciano has put together his best season in his young career. As a young pitcher with off-the-charts stuff, Feliciano would normally rank higher but the red flags as a fragile arm suppresses his value a dozen or so spots.
#30 - Cristián García, New Orleans, SP 65/75
PREVIOUS RANK: NR
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2040 | 20 | -- | minor leagues |
| 2041 | 21 | 2.6 | $500,000 |
| 2042 | 22 | 6.8 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $20,800,000
REMAINING AAV: $4,160,000
Here come the Baby Crawdads. New Orleans' deep minor league system is starting to reach the bigs and reap rewards, and García as the looks of a front-line southpaw ace. After an excellent rookie season (9-2, 2.86 ERA, 1.25 WHIP), the lanky power pitcher has quickly become one of the best pitchers in the Johnson League, if not all of baseball. After being signed out of the Dominican Republic by Mexico City as an international free agent in 2037, García was quickly flipped in a massive deal to New Orleans. By 2039, he was named the Granville League's (AAA) Pitcher of the Year and was beginning to be discussed as one of the top young lefties in the minors. New Orleans looks to be a force to be reckoned with for the next decade, and holding chips with tremendous value like García will either help them on the field or in the trade market.
#29 - Salvador Allende , Madison, SS 75/75
PREVIOUS RANK: 28
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2040 | 19 | 2.5 | $500,000 |
| 2041 | 20 | 3.1 | $500,000 |
| 2042 | 21 | 4.8 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $26,800,000
REMAINING AAV: $6,700,000
The youngest player to crack the Top 50 last year, Allende is having a breakout follow-up to his great sophomore campaign. Already a two-time All-Star, the prototypical leadoff hitter has game-changing speed (on pace for 60+ steals) and the ability to play all over the infield. Allende has improved his defense in each season, a great sign for one of the premiere talents and valued players in the Brewster.
#28 - Lineu Aldo, Montreal, 2B 75/75
PREVIOUS RANK: 13
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2040 | 20 | -- | minor leagues |
| 2041 | 21 | 8.6 | $500,000 |
| 2042 | 22 | 3.5 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $31,000,000
REMAINING AAV: $7,750,000
Aldo was a Silk Award finalist as a rookie last year, so we’re talking about rarified air here. Still, we may need to temper expectations just a tad, as the 6’5” mashing infielder has taken a step back in 2042, both at the plate and on defense. There’s no reason why Aldo can’t jump into the top ten next season, as hinted in last year’s edition, but he’ll need to rediscover his rookie ways now that the league has seen him for a season-and-a-half.
#27 - David Simpson, California, LF 75/75
PREVIOUS RANK: 18
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2040 | 23 | 6.0 | $500,000 |
| 2041 | 24 | 2.6 | $500,000 |
| 2042 | 25 | 5.7 | $7,500,000 |
TEAM CONTROL THROUGH: 2044
REMAINING CONTRACT: $22,000,000
REMAINING AAV: $11,000,000
After two straight years ranked in the top 10, Simpson fell to #18 last year and finds himself just inside the top 30. Horrible? Not in the slightest. After a down 2041 – a slash line of .284/.403/.506 that most ball players would kill for – Simpson is back with a vengeance, on pace to set career-highs in 2B, HR, RBI, and BB. The biggest reason for Simpson’s slide in the rankings is his rising AAV and shrinking years of team control. California could fetch a tremendous package in dealing Simpson, but they’re more likely to lock him up as a potential Crusader for life.
#26 - Carlos Valle, Yellow Springs, SP 65/70
PREVIOUS RANK: 29
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2040 | 27 | 7.1 | $6,000,000 |
| 2041 | 28 | 7.5 | $6,000,000 |
| 2042 | 29 | 5.8 | $30,000,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $96,000,000
REMAINING AAV: $19,200,000
Valle moves up a few spots from last year despite knocking on the door of age 30 and earning $30M this season and $25M next year. So where’s the value, you ask? Check out those WAR totals the last two-plus seasons. Also consider Valle hasn’t landed on the injured list since 2033 and even then, it was only due to a mild oblique strain. What’s best is his front loaded contract is “only” at an average of $17.8M the last four years, making him an elite arm at a below-market cost.
#25 - Gilberto Nevárez , New Orleans, SP 55/80
PREVIOUS RANK: 18
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2040 | 19 | -- | minor leagues |
| 2041 | 20 | -- | minor leagues |
| 2042 | 21 | -- | minor leagues |
REMAINING CONTRACT: --
REMAINING AAV: --
As the only minor leaguer to make this year’s Top 50, Nevárez’s value has the chance to be as volatile as anyone’s on this list. Young, off-the-charts potential, upper-90s velocity, first-round pedigree, minor league All-Star. However, a spotty injury history and a change-up that is long from being a dependable third pitch leave some questions. Omaha already sold high on Nevárez in 2039, will New Orleans do the same? Or will the Crawdad’s front office roll the dice and unleash the Nicaraguan in the near future?
#24 - Sawyer Slizz , Brooklyn, CF 65/65
PREVIOUS RANK: NR
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2040 | 19 | -- | minor leagues |
| 2041 | 20 | 2.2 | $500,000 |
| 2042 | 21 | 7.8 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $26,000,000
REMAINING AAV: $5,200,000
This time last year, Slizz was just getting accustomed to his new team, arriving from Calgary along with Bobby Lynch for a mediocre return, suggesting Slizz was included to sweeten trade talks for the Pioneers to rid themselves of Lynch’s contract and damaged left elbow. Disregarding all other parties involved, the deal looks awesome for Brooklyn as they have a 20-something franchise centerfielder, an archetype every front office yearns for. After a strong rookie showing, Slizz has entered the MVP discussion in his second full season as a potential 40/40 threat with Zimmer-quality defense. If 2042’s production is real, you can expect Slizz to rise up these ranks while Brooklyn contends for Landis trophies.
#23 - Carlos Pineda, Yellow Springs, SP 70/80
PREVIOUS RANK: 15
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2040 | 20 | 1.6 | $500,000 |
| 2041 | 21 | 5.8 | $500,000 |
| 2042 | 22 | 3.3 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $26,300,000
REMAINING AAV: $6,575,000
Last year’s edition: “Early 20s? Check. Lefty? Check. 98+ MPH fastball with pinpoint control? Check. As if straight from Central Casting for the role of “Young Franchise Starter,” Pineda is already Ace #2 in Yellow Springs’ talented rotation.” Well, not much has changed, and Pineda’s star still shines bright, however he’s failed to build on last year’s breakout. The stat line is good, even better in some metrics, but a decrease in scouts’ faith to keep the ball in the part and a nearly double in HR/9 from his career norms is a minor blimp on the screen. Chalk it up to bad luck, perhaps, but with four more years of team control, count the Nine as the lucky ones to roll Pineda on the mound every five days.
#22 - Joe Bradshaw, Twin Cities, C 65/65
PREVIOUS RANK: NR
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2040 | 19 | -- | minor leagues |
| 2041 | 20 | 1.5 | $500,000 |
| 2042 | 21 | 7.0 | $500,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $24,600,000
REMAINING AAV: $4,920,000
Catchers who can handle a pitching staff while contributing 40 home runs and a .330 average don’t come around very often, so it’s no surprise that this is the highest appearance for a catcher since Francisco Flores was #11 in 2039. The switch-hitting Wisconsinite is blessed with incredible power and has the defensive chops to stick behind the plate for the next ten-plus seasons.
#21 - Alex Ramírez, Wichita San Fernando, 3B 80/80
PREVIOUS RANK: 12
| YEAR | AGE | WAR | SALARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2040 | 24 | 6.3 | $7,260,000 |
| 2041 | 25 | 3.2 | $7,260,000 |
| 2042 | 26 | 4.8 | $7,260,000 |
REMAINING CONTRACT: $72,210,000
REMAINING AAV: $14,442,000
Last year's edition suggested that "Ramírez’s value may very well be tested in the next twelve months," suggesting a potential trade on the horizon, as the superstar third baseman was heading into his final year of his 2040 extension. Wichita tested the waters but ultimately signed the face of the franchise to a five-year deal at what looks to be a hometown discount. That said, Wichita has been the worst franchise in the league since their expansion season in 2035, averaging 91 loses per year and on-pace to reach 101 losses in 2042. By inking Ramírez, the Aviators hold a tremendously valuable, and talented, asset that could still be flipped down the road to help jump start their path towards respectability. [Note: Ramírez was moved in a multi-player deal on 8/4/42 with San Fernando.]
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Who would be your top five for 2042?
Last year:
#5 - Dennis French
#4 - Juan Rivera
#3 - Dong-po Thum
#2 - Semei Kwakou
#1 - Danya Tchekanov
The answers -- and much much more -- coming in a few days...thanks for reading!
