Surely by now you've seen my top 100 prospects. Maybe you've even reviewed our prospect-only mock drafts for good measure.
But what if you play in a longstanding Dynasty league where all of the best prospects are already rostered? What if the only prospects to add in your league are the new arrivals? What if your Dynasty league conducts what's come to be known as a first-year player draft, a common way of distributing all the incoming talent from the past calendar year? If so, then it's probably coming up soon.
Here are my top 25 for such a draft, consisting mostly of players drafted in 2022. International signees were also considered, but the trend seems to be moving away from drafting them, at least the 16- and 17-year-olds who make up the majority of the class. The wait is too long and the outcomes too unpredictable. The number of misses in recent years hasn't helped to inspire confidence.
If you insist on drafting such a player, the best choices would be Mariners shortstop Felnin Celesten, Padres catcher Ethan Salas and Dodgers shortstop Joendry Vargas. I'll again stress, though, that most of us would be better off selecting from the following instead ...
1. Druw Jones, OF, Diamondbacks
Age: 19
The son of Andruw Jones shares many of the traits of his father, offering power, speed and a surefire center field profile.
2. Jackson Holliday, SS, Orioles
Age: 19
The one player drafted ahead of Jones in real life, Holliday's advanced approach might make him the preferred choice in points leagues as well. He's also the son of a big-leaguer, Matt Holliday.
3. Termarr Johnson, 2B, Pirates
Age: 18
It's a testament to Johnson's bat that he could be drafted fourth overall -- out of high school, no less -- despite standing 5-feet-7 and having a shaky defensive outlook.
4. Elijah Green, OF, Nationals
Age: 19
Green is a physical marvel with a wide range of outcomes. He's also the son of a professional athlete, in this case Pro Bowl tight end Eric Green.
5. Brooks Lee, SS, Twins
Age: 22
Of everyone in these rankings, Lee's skill set might be the most optimized for points leagues, defined equally by good plate discipline and a lack of speed, with potential outcomes ranging from Alex Bregman to Xander Bogaerts.
6. Kodai Senga, SP, Mets
Age: 30
If you're impatient, you'll just take Senga, who qualifies as a first-year player only by technicality as a free agent out of Japan and has the tools to be a successful pitcher in the short-term.
7. Zachary Neto, SS, Angels
Age: 22
A strong professional debut has elevated Neto's Fantasy stock, his power playing better than expected as the Angels attempt to fast-track him to the majors.
8. Kevin Parada, C, Mets
Age: 21
Even with Francisco Alvarez at the precipice of the majors, the Mets used their first-round pick on a bat-first catcher who should move quickly based on his collegiate experience.
9. Jacob Berry, 3B, Marlins
Age: 21
Berry should hit enough to play in the majors in some capacity, but whether he'll hit with the requisite power to hold down a first base job is the big question. He won't last at third.
10. Cam Collier, 3B, Reds
Age: 18
Collier took the Bryce Harper path of graduating early and enrolling in junior college, putting him ahead of the curve developmentally, and he should stick at third base.
11. Jace Jung, 2B, Tigers
Age: 22
The younger brother of Josh Jung profiles for similar production, only from the left side, but his defensive limitations give him little margin for error offensively.
12. Gavin Cross, OF, Royals
Age: 22
No one in the 2022 draft class outshined Cross statistically, but he was a collegiate standout beating up on less experienced pitchers, which gives him something to prove still.
13. Chase DeLauter, OF, Guardians
Age: 21
DeLauter's college numbers were exceptional, demonstrating power, speed and a disciplined approach, but the sample was small because of injuries, including a broken foot last year.
14. Spencer Jones, OF, Yankees
Age: 21
Between Jones' 6-foot-7 frame and top-of-the-charts exit velocity readings, Aaron Judge comparisons are inevitable, but strikeouts could present a major hurdle as he works his way up the ladder.
15. Dylan Lesko, SP, Padres
Age: 19
The Padres showed unusual faith in a pitcher coming off Tommy John surgery, making Lesko the 15th overall pick, but his plus control and devastating fastball/changeup pairing should make him worth it.
16. Masataka Yoshida, OF, Red Sox
Age: 29
Another awkward fit for a prospect list, Yoshida is expected to take over as Red Sox leadoff hitter and should have the requisite on-base skills, but the home runs and stolen bases figure to be in short supply.
17. Dalton Rushing, C, Dodgers
Age: 22
No one from the 2022 draft class did more to raise his stock in a couple months' time than Rushing, the Dodgers' second-round pick who took a wrecking ball to the lower minors. Defense, however, is an issue.
18. Cole Young, SS, Mariners
Age: 19
Young already stands out for his hit tool, which is good enough to project him as at least another Jeff McNeil type, but it's too early to rule out the possibility of him developing more power.
19. Connor Prielipp, SP, Twins
Age: 22
Tommy John surgery was the only reason Prielipp slipped to the Twins in Round 2. His stuff plays up because of his arm angle, and his slider is a genuinely elite pitch, registering spin rates in excess of 3,000 rpm.
20. Cooper Hjerpe, SP, Cardinals
Age: 22
The left-hander is the new king of funk, his one-of-a-kind delivery creating maximum extension from a low release point for a fastball that plays beautifully up in the zone.
21. Ivan Melendez, 1B, Diamondbacks
Age: 23
The reigning Golden Spikes Award winner for best college player gets overshadowed in prospect circles as a true first baseman with zero margin for error offensively, but his foul pole-to-foul pole power invites comparisons to Pete Alonso.
22. Jett Williams, SS, Mets
Age: 19
It's unlikely the 5-foot-8 Williams will develop much power, but he's well suited as a table-setter, showing good contact skills, a confident approach and plenty of aggression on the base paths.
23. Drew Gilbert, OF, Astros
Age: 22
Gilbert is a high-octane player who excels at putting bat to ball, but his scouting report reads a little like that of Alek Thomas, raising questions as to whether he'll provide the requisite power.
24. Brock Porter, SP, Rangers
Age: 19
The Rangers gave the right-hander a first-round bonus to secure him with a fourth-round pick, and he has the upside to justify it with a well-developed changeup and an optimal frame for adding velocity.
25. Brandon Barriera, SP, Blue Jays
Age: 19
Barriera is unusually advanced for a left-hander drafted out of high school, showing the makings of four plus pitches, an ability to command each, and enough physical projection to speculate on more velocity.
