In our third installment of the RDBL Top 10 Prospects by position, we tackle second base which is led by RDBL Hitting Prospect of the Year and Las Vergas Aristocrats phenom Jackson Holliday. Having played five games at second in 2023, Holliday carries eligibility across both positions into 2024 which only adds to his already sky-high value.
The position as a whole is extremely deep with a wave of prospects expected to be positioned for an activation in 2024 by their respective RDBL clubs.
1. 2B/SS Jackson Holliday, Las Vegas Aristocrats
Acquired: 2023 Trade from Idaho Taters | ETA: 2025
Awarded Baseball America’s Player of the Year in the Minor Leagues, Holliday has ascended into RDBL’s top hitting prospect. Originally a selection of the Idaho Taters, Holliday was one of the highest profile prospects to be traded in League History as the Las Vegas Aristocrats were able to pry him away. He’s on track to make his big leagues in 2024 with a potential Playoff activation or 2025 Opening Day addition to follow. Currently eligible at both shortstop and second base, his long-term future will largely be decided by the Orioles loaded depth chart and who has established themselves at the time of his promotion.
2. 2B/SS Matt McLain, St. Joseph Jokers
Acquired: 2021 Reserve Draft, 5th Round | ETA: 2024
McLain was one of baseball’s breakouts in 2023, slashing .290/.357/.507 while taking over the starting shortstop spot for the Cincinnati Reds. He torched Triple-A to start the season, hitting .340/.467/.688 and looks the part of a Top-10 producer at the position over the next three seasons for the St. Joseph Jokers who will look to build around McLain and Gunnar Henderson.
3. 2B Edouard Julien, Maltese Falcons
Acquired: 2023 Reserve Draft, 4th Round | ETA: 2024
Julien might be a surprise for some this early on the list, but the slugging second baseman looks poised to immediately step in as a Top-10 producer at the position in 2024. Julien's Rookie debut went exceptionally well in Minnesota, ranking 5th in OPS (.840) among second basemen with at least 250 at-bats, ahead of the likes of Marcus Semien and Gleybar Torres. Despite just 109 games overall, Julien ranked fifth in walks (64) at his position, aligning his skillset perfectly with the RDBL.
4. 2B Adael Amador, Alamo Short Stacks
Acquired: 2023 Trade from Lake Merced Goutfish | ETA: 2025
In just 69 games this season, Amador racked up 15 doubles, 12 home runs, and 15 steals with a .287/.380/.495 slash line and more walks (39) than strikeouts (37). If he didn't miss around half of the minor league season recovering from surgery on his right hamate bone, Amador might be in the top 10 overall discussion heading into 2024. While Amador might not have the flashy power/speed blend that most of the names ahead of him in my rankings have, he's still around average game power and speed, maybe even above average in the power department. That's enough to flirt with 20/20 seasons when half of your games are going to be in Coors Field. Add in a plus or better hit tool and outstanding approach, and you have a well-rounded offensive middle infielder with a fairly high floor as well that should be ready to take on a full-time role in Colorado in 2025.
5. 2B/SS/3B Ronny Mauricio, Lake Merced Goutfish
Acquired: 2021 Reserve Draft, 2nd Round | ETA: 2024
Mauricio has a carrying tool in his plus power, but his below-average on-base ability has generally weighed down his overall offensive production. Mauricio has the electric bat speed and twitch to produce majestic drives to his pull side, and his first MLB hit was a 117.3 mph double that was the hardest hit ball by any Mets hitter in 2023. He also led the Mets with one of the highest chase rates in MLB, undone by poor swing decisions against sliders and changeups. The switch-hitting Mauricio is much stronger from the left side, hitting .284/.334/.497 with a 21% strikeout rate against righthanders in the upper minors and majors. He is an above-average runner and efficient basestealer who went 7-for-7 in his MLB debut. Mauricio is a steady defensive shortstop with a plus arm who fanned out to second base, third base and left field at Triple-A to create avenues to Queens. Playing outfield was abandoned in August, but he looked at home at second and third in New York where he figures to play a prominent role in 2024.
6. 2B/3B Curtis Mead, Asti Grape Stompers
Acquired: 2022 Reserve Draft, 7th Round | ETA: 2024
Mead got his feet wet in the big leagues, earning 24 games of action with a .675 OPS after acing two stops in the Minor Leagues with .287/.377/.502 line. Profiling at both second and third base, Mead brings a strong approach to the plate with emerging power that should allow him to reach his potential as a 350-400 point contributor that could push him into a 2024 activation for the Grapes.
7. 2B/3B/SS Jordan Westburg, Alamo Short Stacks
Acquired: 2023 Reserve Draft, 5th Round | ETA: 2024
Westburg forced his way to the big leagues in 2023, posting a .939 OPS in 67 Triple-A games with 35 overall extra base hits. Facing a crowded depth chart for the first place Orioles, Westburg found his way into 208 big league at-bats across shortstop, second and third base, improving his OPS in each month. Earning a pair of Playoff starts, Westburg looks to be firmly in the O's plans for next season making him a strong candidate for an Opening Day activation.
8. 2B/3B Michael Busch, Mt. Diablo Devils
Acquired: 2022 Trade from Honolulu Hammerheads | ETA: 2024
In his three full minor league seasons, Busch has been a consistent offensive performer, especially in the power department where he's flexed his plus raw power often. After hitting 32 homers in 142 games in 2022, Busch cranked 27 more in 2023 in just 98 games with a .323/.431/.618 slash line. Both the .618 SLG and .295 ISO were career-best marks for Busch. In addition, Busch also improved his walk rate from 11.5% to 13.9% while trimming his strikeout rate from 26.1% to 18.8%. Despite earning the PCL MVP Award, the Dodgers left Busch off their Playoff Roster and don't seem overly ready to hand him a big league job despite the Minor League production. He's a candidate to be moved this Winter which could be a big boost to his value.
9. 2B Termarr Johnson, Spokane Fightin' Fish
Acquired: 2023 Trade from Mission Viejo Maulers | ETA: 2026
Johnson displayed elite patience, posting the highest walk rate among the Minors’ full-season qualifiers (21.9 percent), but some more was expected at the plate after hitting .244 on the season across stops at Low-A and High-A. With many above him on this list set for graduation to the big leagues, Johnson figures to move up significantly during his Age-20 season in 2024 and remains a strong piece of the Fish's future.
10. 2B Connor Norby, Spokane Fightin' Fish
Acquired: 2023 Reserve Draft, 1st Round | ETA: 2024
Norby is the victim of a crowded Baltimore Orioles depth chart that is filled with young hitters pushing for a big league job. Ranked as a Top-100 prospect by multiple publications entering the year, Norby spent all of 2023 at Triple-A where he slashed .290/.359/.483 with 21 home runs and 40 doubles. In another organization, he might already be locked into a 2024 big league job but his immediate future is more uncertain in Baltimore with Jordan Westburg currently ahead of him.
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