NEWS | Roger Dorn Baseball

Maulers, Goutfish Land Two Coveted Prospects in Waivers

Sunday's Waiver Claims could have ripple effects into 2024 as a pair of Title contenders landing potential Keepers and building blocks for next year.

The Mission Viejo Maulers, already overloaded with Keeper options for next season, landed Zack Gelof for $51, beating out eight other claims while slugger Christian Encarnacion-Strand received a $46 bid from the Lake Merced Goutfish, beating out six other bids.

The Spokane Fightin' Fish enter Period 17 with the most Waiver Budget remaining with $45. While claims will continue weekly through the remainder of the season, Period 19 Claims on 7/30 will be the last chance to acquire a player that is eligible to be retained as a Keeper for 2024.

Playoff Teams will receive a $25 reset to their Waiver Budget in Period 23.

Remaining Regular Season Waiver Budget

Lunatic Fringe - $28

Idaho Taters - $1

Cloverdale Clovers - $31

Mt. Diablo Devils - $11

Spokane Fightin' Fish - $45

Mission Viejo Maulers - $17

Lake Merced Goutfish - $4

St. Joseph Jokers - $41

Meinert Hops - $35

Alamo Short Stacks - $0

Asti Grape Stompers - $0

Burlingame Blue Ducks - $3

Maltese Falcons - $10

Honolulu Hammerheads - $0

Las Vegas Aristocrats - $0

Offers For - Zack Gelof Signed For $51 by Mission Viejo Maulers Dropped Andy Ibanez - DET Meinert Hops $35 Lost Cloverdale Clovers $31 Lost Lake Merced Goutfish $7 Lost Idaho Taters $1 Lost Asti Grape Stompers $0 Lost Maltese Falcons $0 Lost Las Vegas Aristocrats $0 Lost Spokane Fightin' Fish $0 Lost

Offers For - Christian Encarnacion-Strand Signed For $46 by Lake Merced Goutfish Dropped Jared Triolo - PIT Spokane Fightin' Fish $45 Lost Meinert Hops $35 Lost Cloverdale Clovers $31 Lost Mission Viejo Maulers $15 Lost Maltese Falcons $10 Lost Idaho Taters $1 Lost

Offers For - Taylor Walls Signed For $3 by St. Joseph Jokers Dropped None

Offers For - Brandon Williamson Signed For $1 by Alamo Short Stacks Dropped Tyler Anderson - LAA Maltese Falcons $0 Lost Honolulu Hammerheads $0 Lost

Offers For - Cole Ragans Signed For $0 by Asti Grape Stompers Dropped None

Offers For - Joey Wendle Signed For $0 by Burlingame Blue Ducks Dropped None

Offers For - Carlos Carrasco Signed For $0 by Maltese Falcons Dropped None Las Vegas Aristocrats $0 Lost Due To Tie Break Order Asti Grape Stompers $0 Lost Due To Tie Break Order

Offers For - Trey Cabbage Signed For $0 by Honolulu Hammerheads Dropped IL Claim - LAA

Offers For - Austin Gomber Signed For $0 by Las Vegas Aristocrats Dropped Hogan Harris - OAK Maltese Falcons $0 Lost Due To Tie Break Order

Offers For - Kevin Kiermaier Signed For $0 by Meinert Hops Dropped Gavin Sheets - CHW Honolulu Hammerheads $0 Lost Due To Tie Break Order Honolulu Hammerheads $0 Lost Due To Tie Break Order

Offers For - Daniel Bard Signed For $0 by Alamo Short Stacks

Offers For - Johan Rojas Signed For $0 by Asti Grape Stompers Dropped None

Offers For - Mike Moustakas Signed For $0 by Burlingame Blue Ducks Dropped None

Offers For - Jose Quintana Signed For $0 by Maltese Falcons Dropped None Honolulu Hammerheads $0 Lost Due To Tie Break Order Las Vegas Aristocrats $0 Lost Due To Tie Break Order

Offers For - Travis Jankowski Signed For $0 by Honolulu Hammerheads Dropped Kevin Newman - CIN Las Vegas Aristocrats $0 Lost Due To Tie Break Order

Offers For - Matt Strahm Signed For $0 by Las Vegas Aristocrats Dropped None

Offers For - Brennan Bernardino Signed For $0 by Honolulu Hammerheads Dropped Matt Moore - LAA

Offers For - Alec Marsh Signed For $0 by Las Vegas Aristocrats Dropped Kolby Allard - ATL

Offers For - Chris Martin Signed For $0 by Las Vegas Aristocrats Dropped None

Greg Shelley

Jul 14, 20233 min read

Early Candidates for 2024 Top Overall Pick

With the 2023 MLB Draft behind us and the RDBL Regular Season winding down with seven periods to play, it's never too early to take a look at potential 1.1 selections for the 2024 Reserve Draft.

As with every previous year in RDBL play, the Draft order is set by the previous year's Regular Season Standing, first going 7th through 15th, followed by 6th through 1st. While the teams at the top of the Draft are still clawing for a Wild Card spot, the Meinert Hops are the current owners of the top overall pick.

Five 1st Round Picks have already been traded this season, with the Honolulu Hammerheads, Idaho Taters, Cloverdale Clovers, Mission Viejo Maulers and Spokane Fightin' Fish currently without a selection in the top round.

Current 2024 Draft Order

1. Meinert Hops

2. Lunatic Fringe

3. Las Vegas Aristocrats

4. *Maltese Falcons (via Hammerheads)

5. Alamo Short Stacks

6. Maltese Falcons

7. Burlingame Blue Ducks

8. Asti Grape Stompers

9. St. Joseph Jokers

10. Maltese Falcons (via Maulers)

11. *St. Joseph Jokers (via Taters)

12. *Las Vegas Aristocrats (via Clovers)

13. Lake Merced Goutfish

14. Mt. Diablo Devils

15. *Burlingame Blue Ducks (via Fish)

3B Colt Keith, Detroit Tigers | Current Level: AAA

The Mississippi high school product has been one of the minor leagues’ biggest breakouts this year. He crushed in Double-A, made the Futures Game and continued hitting as one of the younger players in Triple-A. There are defensive questions, but he should hit his way to the big leagues.

OF Roman Anthony, Boston Red Sox | Current Level: High-A

One of the top breakout prospects in Low-A this season, Anthony has taken flight since seeing a promotion to High-A Greenville. His excellent bat-to-ball skills and discerning eye pair nicely with his developing plus power. Anthony has the ability to develop into a well-rounded offensive player who can handle center field defensively.

RHP Cade Horton, Chicago Cubs | Current Level: High-A

The Cubs’ first-rounder from 2022 has shown electric stuff in his pro debut. There were questions after a limited track record in college that also included a Tommy John surgery, but so far Horton has made the Cubs’ gamble look wise.

OF Yanqueil Fernandez, Colorado Rockies | Current Level: AA

Signed out of Cuba back in 2019, Fernandez has blossomed into one of the best power-hitting outfielders in the minor leagues. His profile is driven by his bat, which combines plus-plus power and special hands that show the ability to adjust to breaking balls mid-swing. Fernandez has an aggressive approach and a limited defensive skill set but should hit for enough impact to overcome those warts.

RHP Brody Brecht, University of Iowa | Current Level: College

Brecht has elite arm talent on the mound and averaged 97.5 mph this spring with his fastball while pitching in a starting role for Iowa. He posted a 3.74 ERA in 77 innings despite an unsustainable 18% walk rate and outperformed his peripherals thanks in part to stranding runners on base at an 84.5% clip after they reached. Brecht has a whippy fast arm and has eclipsed 100 mph many times, and he also has a slider that could be a 70-grade pitch and generated whiffs at a 53% rate this spring. He throws the fastball and slider equally and the breaking ball has terrific tilt and diving action in the upper 80s. As his walk rate suggests, there’s plenty of reliever risk here.

1B Nick Kurtz, Wake Forest | Current Level: College

Kurtz was the best overall hitter on one of the best teams in the country this past spring with Wake Forest. He’s likely the most well-rounded hitter in the class at this point and pairs a savvy batting eye with a clean lefthanded swing and plenty of raw power from his 6-foot-5, 235-pound frame. Kurtz slashed .353/.527/.784 with 24 home runs and 10 doubles, and has walked more than he’s struck out in both seasons with the Demon Deacons. He’s a terrific defender at first base and scouts think he might be athletic enough to play the corner outfield.

RHP Jacob Misiorowski, Milwaukee Brewers | Current Level: High-A Misiorowski possesses arguably the best stuff in the minor leagues with a high-90s swing-and-miss fastball that regularly hits triple-digits. His slider might be his best weapon, a high-80s pitch with good cut. He’ll also mix in a cutter, a curveball and a changeup. There are relief questions here, but Misiorowski may have the highest upside among pitchers in the minor leagues.

LHP Noah Schultz, Chicago White Sox | Current Level: Low-A

A strained left flexor muscle meant the White Sox had to wait a little while for Schultz—their first-round pick in 2022—to take his first official turn as a pro. It was worth it. At Low-A Kannapolis, Schultz has been filthy. He’s flummoxed hitters with a combination of a heavy mid-90s fastball, a silly-good slider and occasional changeup. Through a dozen innings over five starts, the massive southpaw has punched out 16 and allowed just one hit and a walk.

Greg Shelley

Jul 14, 20235 min read

Mid-Season Baseball America Top 100

Updated: Jul 17, 2023

Following the MLB Draft, Baseball America refreshed their Top 100 Prospect List on Friday which is headlined by Cloverdale Clovers shortstop Elly De La Cruz and Las Vegas Aristocrats infielder Jackson Holliday.

The Alamo Short Stacks certainly look to have taken advantage of being first to the seller's market this season as the club placed a RDBL-high 14 players in the Top 100 led by infielders Junior Caminero and Marcelo Mayer. The Asti Grape Stompers follow closely behind with 12 prospects ranked.

When it comes to potential start power, the Las Vegas Aristocrats and Burlingame Blue Ducks stand out, joining the Stacks as the only clubs with multiple prospects ranked inside the Top-10.

The all-in push by the Idaho Taters is quite evident by the Baseball America list as GM Mike Friedrich has cashed in the 2nd, 7th, 8th, 9th and 12th ranked prospects on the list in deals over the last six weeks.

2023 Mid-Season Baseball America Top 100

1 SS Elly De La Cruz, Cloverdale Clovers

2. SS Jackson Holliday, Las Vegas Aristocrats

3. OF Jackson Chourio, Las Vegas Aristocrats

4. OF Dylan Crews, Burlingame Blue Ducks

5. OF James Wood, Maltese Falcons

6. RHP Paul Skenes, Burlingame Blue Ducks

7. 3B Junior Caminero, Alamo Short Stacks

8. SS Marcelo Mayer, Alamo Short Stacks

9. RHP Gavin Williams, Las Vegas Aristocrats

10. RHP Bobby Miller, Lake Merced Goutfish

11. OF Wyatt Langford, Burlingame Blue Ducks

12. OF Evan Carter, Alamo Short Stacks

13. SS Jordan Lawlar, Asti Grape Stompers

14. OF Colton Cowser, Asti Grape Stompers

15. RHP Grayson Rodriguez, Lunatic Fringe

16. OF Pete Crow-Armstrong, Asti Grape Stompers

17. SS Jackson Merrill, Lunatic Fringe

18. C Ethan Salas, Asti Grape Stompers

19. OF Walker Jenkins, Idaho Taters

20. LHP Kyle Harrison, Asti Grape Stompers

21. 3B Colt Keith, Free Agent

22. OF Max Clark, Alamo Short Stacks

23. SS Adael Amador, Alamo Short Stacks

24. SS Carson Williams, Lunatic Fringe

25. *RHP Emmet Sheenan, Asti Grape Stompers

26. OF Luis Matos, Maltese Falcons

27. *RHP Bryan Woo, Alamo Short Stacks

28. C/OF Henry Davis, Meinert Hops

29. *C Logan O'Hoppe, Alamo Short Stacks

30. SS Colson Montgomery, Alamo Short Stacks

31. RHP Cade Horton, Free Agent

32. OF Sal Frelick, Maltese Falcons

33. RHP Andrew Painter, Cloverdale Clovers

34. 3B Coby Mayo, Maltese Falcons

35. OF Roman Anthony, Free Agent

36. SS Brooks Lee, Mission Viejo Maulers

37. *LHP Andrew Abbott, Burlingame Blue Ducks

38. C Dalton Rushing, Cloverdale Clovers

39. RHP Tink Hence, Las Vegas Aristocrats

40. RHP Jacob Misiorowski, Free Agent

41. RHP Mick Abel, Asti Grape Stompers

42. *RHP Shane Baz, Asti Grape Stompers

43. SS Masyn Winn, Alamo Short Stacks

44. LHP Noah Schultz, Free Agent

45. LHP Robby Snelling, Free Agent

46. C Tyler Soderstrom, Alamo Short Stacks

47. RHP AJ Smith-Shawver, Free Agent

48. IF Jordan Westburg, Alamo Short Stacks

49. OF Yanqueil Fernandez, Free Agent

50. LHP Ricky Tiedemann, Cloverdale Clovers

51. C Bo Naylor, Mt. Diablo Devils

52. RHP Dylan Lesko, Asti Grape Stompers

53. RHP Chase Dollander, Meinert Hops

54. RHP Noble Meyer, Free Agent

55. C Endy Rodriguez, St. Joseph Jokers

56. SS Oswald Peraza, Lake Merced Goutfish

57. 3B Noelvi Marte, Lunatic Fringe

58. C Jeferson Quero, Free Agent

59. SS Brayan Rocchio, Lunatic Fringe

60. RHP Chase Hampton, Free Agent

61. C Samuel Basallo, Free Agent

62. *RHP Mason Miller, Las Vegas Aristocrats

63. SS Marco Luciano, Cloverdale Clovers

64. RHP Brandon Pfaadt, Honolulu Hammerheads

65. SS Ronny Mauricio, Lake Merced Goutfish

66. OF Emmanuel Rodriguez, Asti Grape Stompers

67. 3B Orelvis Martinez, Mission Viejo Maulers

68. OF Heston Kjerstad, Spokane Fightin' Fish

69. RHP Jackson Jobe, Las Vegas Aristocrats

70. 2B Curtis Mead, Asti Grape Stompers

71. OF Jasson Dominguez, Mission Viejo Maulers

72. 1B Kyle Manzardo, Burlingame Blue Ducks

73. RHP Rhett Lowder, Burlingame Blue Ducks

74. C Diego Cartaya, Mt. Diablo Devils

75. RHP Jared Jones, Free Agent

76. RHP Gavin Stone, Las Vegas Aristocrats

77. C Harry Ford, Lunatic Fringe

78. SS Cole Young, Free Agent

79. SS Joey Ortiz, Free Agent

80. RHP Max Meyer, Las Vegas Aristocrats

81. 2B Michael Busch, Mt. Diablo Devils

82. OF Gabriel Gonzalez, Alamo Short Stacks

83. 3B Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Free Agent

84. RHP Daniel Espino, Maltese Falcons

85. SS Jacob Wilson, Alamo Short Stacks

86. C Austin Wells, Maltese Falcons

87. C Edgar Quero, Free Agent

88. OF Miguel Bleis, Alamo Short Stacks

89. 2B Tommy Troy, Free Agent

90. 2B Luisangel Acuña, Free Agent

91. OF Justin Crawford, Free Agent

92. LHP Carson Whisenhunt, Asti Grape Stompers

93. SS Sebastian Walcott, Free Agent

94. 3B Brady House, Mt. Diablo Devils

95. 3B Matt Shaw, Free Agent

96. OF Everson Pereira, Free Agent

97. 2B Termarr Johnson, Spokane Fightin' Fish

98. OF Spencer Jones, Idaho Taters

99. OF Druw Jones, Maltese Falcons

100. RHP Owen White, Mt. Diablo Devils

Free Agents (23)