With over four months until the 2023 Roger Dorn Baseball League Draft, we are covering the strongest Keeper Rosters heading into the off-season. This is a look at the current talent on projected 2023 Keeper Rosters while taking into account the club's cap space.
The 2023 Projected Keeper Roster page was used for evaluation of the Power Rankings, taking into account 2022 production or making adjustments up based on injury or likely production next season.
1. Alamo Short Stacks
Top Keeper: Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. (3R/$5)
Potential Activations: OF Corbin Carroll, LHP MacKenzie Gore, C Luis Campusano, 3B Miguel Vargas
The Stacks will bring back much of the core that took home the 2022 RDBL Regular Season and Playoff Championship as they look to become the first Franchise to go back to back. Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., Ty France, and Manny Machado will lead the offense again while Brandon Woodruff, Julio Urias and Logan Gilbert will hold the rotation's top three spots. Corbin Carroll and MacKenzie Gore are locks for activation while the club is hopeful Luis Campusano and Miguel Vargas, both on their respective MLB club's Playoff rosters, can earn starting jobs and provide additional cap space flexibility for GM Greg Shelley.
2. Burlingame Blue Ducks
Top Keeper: Alek Manoah (2R/$3)
Potential Activations: IF Luis Garcia, 3B Nolan Jones
GM Ryan Walsh continues to build a perennial contender with the 2023 Keeper Roster potentially the best of his career. While the offense will need an infusion of depth, the Ducks will boast the league's top returning rotation with the foursome of Alek Manoah, Cristian Javier, Aaron Nola and Tony Gonsolin coming off dominant years while Jack Flaherty could provide a $1 boost at the back-end of the group.
3. Spokane Fightin' Fish
Top Keeper: OF Julio Rodriguez (1R/$1)
Potential Activations: *OF Julio Rodriguez, *1B Vinny Pasquantino
The J-Rod show was electric in the RDBL Playoffs before the outfielder was sidelined with a back injury and he's poised for a dominant 2023 season. GM Michael Tirabassi has 11 potential Keepers at $5 or cheaper alongside ace Shane Bieber who will likely unseat Gerrit Cole at the top of the Fish rotation while the club will likely hope for one more season of top-line production from 2022 surprise Martin Perez. With a strong core in place under exceptional values, Tirabassi has one of the best spending power cap situations in the RDBL giving them yet another run at a league title.
4. Maltese Falcons
Top Keeper: RHP Zack Wheeler (3/$25)
Potential Activations: 3B Jose Miranda, 1B Triston Casas
The Falcons will bring back the trio of Zack Wheeler, Kevin Gausman and Nestor Cortes on the mound while pairing them with a deep group of hitters. Activation candidates Jose Miranda and Triston Casas are cutting their teeth in the big leagues now and should be ready to contribute in a big way for 2023 as the Falcons look to produce their eighth cash finish in 10 seasons.
5. Cloverdale Clovers
Top Keeper: RHP Tyler Glasnow (2/$3)
Potential Activations: C Adley Rutschman, RHP Edward Cabrera, OF Alek Thomas, SS Oneil Cruz
The Clovers closed a window of contention with the trio of Mookie Betts, Juan Soto and Rafael Devers in 2022, but will open up a new window led by a dominant and cost-controlled starting rotation. The foursome of Miles Mikolas, Tyler Glasnow, Dustin May and Michael Kopech will be owed just $11 combined, giving GM Chris Shelley the cap space needed to shore up an offense that ranked 13th in 2022. The addition of Adley Rutschman will certainly help as he's likely to enter 2023 as the top ranked catcher in baseball. On paper, the Clovers have title-contention upside but will employ two pitchers in their first full season back from Tommy John and another oft-injured arm (Kopech) bringing significant risk.
6. Lake Merced Goutfish
Top Keeper: RHP Dylan Cease (2R/$3) / OF Yordan Alvarez (2R/$3)
Potential Activations: RHP Roansy Contreras, RHP Bobby Miller
No team is happier to turn the page on the 2022 season than the Lake Merced Goutfish. The club has plenty of talent remaining as Dylan Cease, Yordan Alvarez and Fernando Tatis, Jr. are a three-headed monster for just $11 combined. The Front Office will face some interesting decision on Matt Olson (2/$46) and Josh Bell (3/$27) who could both be trade candidates this off-season.
7. Meinert Hops
Top Keeper: SP/OF Shohei Ohtani (2/$88)
Potential Activations: OF Michael Harris, SS CJ Abrams, 3B Brett Baty
The Hops broke a seven year drought, finishing inside the money in 2022 with their Wild Card win. While they will part with Mike Trout, superstar Shohei Ohtani (2/$88) and the lethal 1-2 combo of Shane McClanahan (2R/$3) and Zac Gallen (2/$15) will be back alongside RDBL Hitting Prospect of the Year Michael Harris (1R/$1). That top line of talent is certainly a contender, but GM Garrett Shelley will likely be on the lookout for more depth to their Keeper Roster with hopes Andrew Vaughn (3R/$5) and Luis Robert (3R/$5) can take big steps forward in production in their final year of control.
8. Mission Viejo Maulers
Top Keeper: OF Aaron Judge (3/$31)
Potential Activations: *SS/2B/OF Nico Hoerner, OF Josh Lowe
GM Chris Ferraro should be lauded for turning the league's 14th place team in 2021 into a title contender last season with the league's second best offense. While much of the offense returns including Hitter of the Year Aaron Judge and potential National League MVP Nolan Arenado, Ferraro will need to invest heavily in the rotation behind Justin Verlander in order to make it back to back Playoff trips for the Maulers.
9. Honolulu Hammerheads
Top Keeper: 3B Austin Riley (3R/$5)
Potential Activations: OF Jarren Duran, RHP Drey Jameson, RHP Ryne Nelson, RHP Brandon Pfaadt, C Ivan Herrera
The deadline addition of Paul Goldschmidt gives GM Ross Horiuchi a championship-level duo when matched with Austin Riley. They will need to replace the production of 2022 starters Carlos Rodon, Jacob deGrom and Corbin Burnes (a trio that was paid $76 combined last season and could be in line for $175 combined in 2023), turning to deadline addition Pablo Lopez (2/$13) while hoping Chris Sale (2/$1) can return to form despite throwing just 47 2/3 innings over the last three seasons combined. The biggest wild card for the Hammerheads might be the Diamondbacks rotation plans as Drey Jameson, Ryne Nelson and Brandon Pfaadt all finished 2022 scorching hot with at least two having the potential to hold down Opening Day rotation spots. Healthy returns for Tyler Stephenson (2R/$3) and Alex Kirilloff (2R/$3) will also be critical.
10. Mt. Diablo Devils
Top Keeper: IF Jose Ramirez (2/$47)
Potential Activations: OF Riley Greene, LHP Nick Lodolo, IF Michael Busch, RHP Cade Cavalli, RHP Luis Patiño, RHP James Kaprielian, SS Geraldo Perdomo
The Devils top five of Bryce Harper (2/$62), Jose Ramirez (2/$47), Bo Bichette (3R/$5), Merrill Kelly (2D/$5) and Wander Franco (2R/$3) is elite, but GM Jason Watson will be focused on getting more production behind the stars in 2023. The Devils will have a bevy of activation options led by outfielder Riley Greene and one of the lower cap numbers due to the contracts of Harper and Ramirez, making this an interesting Winter of decisions from Watson.
11. Lunatic Fringe
Top Keeper: RHP Sandy Alcantara (3R/$5)
Potential Activations: RHP Triston McKenzie, LHP Reid Detmers, OF Brandon Marsh
The activation of Triston McKenzie and acquisition of Lance McCullers will quickly patch up the biggest hole on the Fringe roster in 2022 as they struggled to find reliable starters being Pitcher of the Year Sandy Alcantara. That will likely push GM Tony Guglielmi's Auction investments into the offense which finished 12th in the league in scoring last season.
12. Las Vegas Aristocrats
Top Keeper: LHP Max Fried (3R/$5)
Potential Activations: C William Contreras, C Shea Langeliers, SS Bryson Stott, OF Garrett Mitchell
The strength of the Aristocrats Keeper Roster lies mainly in the starting rotation with Max Fried, Joe Musgrove and Joe Ryan set to lead the group while a young, but cheap core of hitters will be counted on in 2023. As currently constructed, the hitting group will need an infusion of star power but the 'Crats Front Office currently projects to have one of the league's top cap space numbers to match the best Free Agent Class we have seen in league history.
13. Idaho Taters
Top Keeper: 2B Jose Altuve (3/$25)
Potential Activations: 2B Nolan Gorman, 3B Josh Jung, RHP Matt Manning, LHP Matt Liberatore, IF/OF Vidal Brujan, OF Brennan Davis
The Taters Keeper Roster shares many of their same quality as they had entering 2022 -- lots of promise but coupled with uncertainty. The emergence of Sean Murphy gives GM Mike Friedrich a strong offense core with Jose Altuve and Brandon Nimmo. The remainder of the group is wild card with Spencer Torkelson, Jo Adell, Nolan Gorman and Josh Jung all looking to turn former prospect shine into big league production. With similar question marks (but plenty of options) in the rotation, expect Friedrich to look at the top of the Free Agent market at least twice to stabilize the young core.
14. Asti Grape Stompers
Top Keeper: SS Bobby Witt, Jr. (2R/$3)
Potential Activations: C Francisco Alvarez, RHP Hunter Greene
The Grapes have their key pieces in place with Bobby Witt, Jr. (2R/$3), Andres Gimenez (2D/$5) and Robbie Ray (3/$5) all likely 400+ point producers for 2023 for a combined 2023. Currently, depth on the Keeper List is an issue that GM Terry Shelley will need to address but the remainder of the group does come with significant upside provided Hunter Greene can continue his ascent and if Francisco Alvarez is awarded an Opening Day role.
15. St. Joseph Jokers
Top Keeper: SS Trea Turner (3/$49)
Potential Activations: SS Gunnar Henderson, C Joey Bart, C MJ Melendez, OF Trevor Larnach, OF JJ Bleday
The Jokers have rebuilt their Farm System which looks poised to produce as many as five activations for 2023 led by Gunnar Henderson and Kyle Wright. There is work to be done for the remainder of the Keeper List as the Jokers produced the lowest point total in RDBL History, with both the hitting group and pitching group ranking as the worst units since the move to the Playoff system in 2016. GM Rick Steen has the ammo to add with a bevy of draft picks and a fair amount of cap space if the club decides to part ways with mid-season acquisition Giancarlo Stanton (3/$31).
