Fantasy Baseball 2020: Gavin Lux, Luis Robert and Top Prospects to Target

As Major League Baseball continues to explore ways to play this season, the fantasy world continues to roll on with the hope that we will eventually see games on the field in some way, shape or form. 

One hallmark of recent fantasy drafts has been the value of rookies. Teams have gotten more aggressive promoting their top prospects, aside from the occasional bits of service-time shenanigans. There's certainly more value for clubs because first-year players are among the lowest-paid in the sport. 

For fantasy players, though, the benefit can be the difference between winning and losing a championship. Last year, for instance, New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso was ranked outside of ESPN top 50 fantasy stars to start the season before winning NL Rookie of the Year with an MLB-high 53 home runs. 

Looking at the crop of prospects in 2020 who have impact potential, it's another strong group with two obvious standouts because it appears they will start the year in MLB. 

Here are the best rookies to target in your fantasy draft for this season. 

Gavin Lux, 2B, Los Angeles Dodgers

A natural shortstop, Gavin Lux began his MLB tenure with the Los Angeles Dodgers at second base because Corey Seager is still with the team. 

In his first exposure to the big leagues, Lux hit .240/.305/.400 with two homers and nine RBI in 23 regular-season games last September. It wasn't the immediate breakout showing some prospects have, but it's in no way indicative of the immense talent he possesses. 

The Dodgers are clearly aware of Lux's potential, based on reports throughout the offseason they refused to include him in trade talks for established All-Stars like Mookie Betts and Francisco Lindor. 

With Lux in line to start this season as Los Angeles' every day second baseman, he will be given every opportunity to become the next star for an organization that has done a fantastic job developing players over the past five years. 

Per The Athletic's Keith Law, who has Lux ranked as the No. 4 overall prospect in 2020, the 22-year-old has "proven to be a much more disciplined hitter" than expected as he's gone through the minors over the past three seasons: "Out of all minor-league hitters who had at least 25 homers in 2019, he had the fifth-lowest strikeout rate at 19.5 percent, behind two Triple-A guys at least six years his senior. "

Lux has hit .305/.383/.483 with 48 homers, 193 RBI with 202 walks in 396 games in the minors. ZiPS projects the Wisconsin native to hit .267/.331/.456 with 21 homers, 79 RBI and 10 stolen bases in 2020. 

If those numbers prove true, Lux would end this season with more homers than Tommy La Stella (16) and Cavan Biggio (16) and RBI as a second baseman than Jose Alutve (74) and Whit Merrifield (74) had in 2019. 

Luis Robert, OF, Chicago White Sox

The Chicago White Sox seemingly ended any suspense that Robert would begin this season in the big leagues when they signed him to a six-year, $50 million contract in January. 

Robert, 22, has been on the radar for prospect junkies since signing with the White Sox after defecting from Cuba in 2017. His $26 million signing bonus was the second-richest ever for an international free agent, trailing only Yoan Moncada's $31.5 million deal from the Boston Red Sox two years earlier.

In two full minor league seasons, Robert can stake a claim as the best pure hitting prospect. The Cuban sensation hit .328/.376/.624 with 32 homers, 92 RBI, 36 stolen bases in 122 games across three levels last year.

MLB.com has Robert ranked as the No. 3 overall prospect this season: 

"Few players anywhere can match his electric combination of bat speed and foot speed, both of which grade as well above average. His huge right-handed power plays to all fields and he repeatedly drives the ball in the air, though he may have to develop more patience when pitchers refuse to challenge him."

Some may be concerned about Robert initially transitioning to MLB, but he is an aggressive hitter who punched out 55 times in 202 at-bats after getting called up to Triple-A. He still managed to hit .297/.341/.634 at that level, so it's not like he was completely overwhelmed going against advanced competition. 

As long as Robert makes enough contact in the big leagues, his bat speed and raw power will give him a lot of homers right out of the gate as he adjusts to hitting elite-level pitching. 

Jo Adell, OF, Los Angeles Angels

Unlike the first two players listed, it's unclear if Jo Adell will open this season in MLB. The Los Angeles Angels' top prospect only played 76 games in 2019 because of a sprained ankle and strained hamstring he suffered on the same play during spring training. 

Of those 76 games, Adell only played 27 at Triple-A and struggled in a small sample size with a .264/.321/.355 slash line. 

In March, MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger listed Adell in the "possibilities" category when putting together the Angels' Opening Day roster, noting the 21-year-old is "likely" to open the year back in Triple-A. 

Reigning American League MVP Mike Trout, Justin Upton and Brian Goodwin were considered locks for the three outfield spots by Bollinger. 

Despite signing a five-year, $108 million extension after the 2017 season, Upton seems like the most vulnerable starting outfielder on the roster right now. The 32-year-old hit .215/.309/.416 with 12 homers and was limited to 63 games last season because of injuries. 

Adell is MLB.com's sixth-ranked prospect coming into this season thanks to a strong offensive profile:

"He still swings and misses quite a bit, carrying a 25.3 percent strikeout rate in his pro career into the 2020 season. He could draw more walks, and it was encouraging to see him walk in nearly 10 percent of his AFL plate appearances, but his elite bat speed and ability to read pitches more than offsets that deficiency. He can drive the ball to all fields and his raw power will almost certainly show up more consistently as he matures."

The Angels made aggressive moves this offseason to take advantage of Trout's prime after missing the playoffs in each of the past five seasons. They signed Anthony Rendon away from the Washington Nationals to handle third base and add an impact bat to their lineup.

Adell might have to wait a little longer before getting the call up to Los Angeles, but all indications are the team is ready to be bold in an attempt to keep pace with the Houston Astros and Oakland Athletics in the AL West. 

Wild Card: Jesus Luzardo, LHP, Oakland A's

If Jesus Luzardo can stay healthy, he has the upside to give Oakland the No. 1 starting pitcher it has lacked during this recent run of success. 

In three full seasons of professional baseball, Luzardo has only made more than 20 appearances once (2018). He was on pace to start last season in the big leagues until a strained rotator cuff suffered late in spring training shut him down until June. 

The A's brought Luzardo up in September to help with their playoff push. The 22-year-old looked electric with a 1.50 ERA, 16 strikeouts and five hits allowed in six games out of the bullpen. He also tossed three shutout innings in the AL Wild Card Game against the Tampa Bay Rays. 

Law ranked Luzardo as his No. 26 prospect in 2020:

"He’s been up to 97 mph and can sit 92-95 as a starter, with an above-average change and curveball that became plus when he pitched in relief for the big club. Luzardo threw 51 curves and got big-league hitters to swing and miss at 13 (25.5 percent). If he can hold up as a starter, he has a higher pure ceiling than teammate A.J. Puk, with better secondaries and probably better present command."

Obviously, the major caveat for Luzardo is durability. One potential solution for the A's, at least this season, is to use him as a high-leverage multi-inning reliever and/or closer before eventually stretching him out as a starter in 2021 and beyond. 

If that ends up being the case, Luzardo will be tremendous fantasy value because of his ability to rack up saves and high strikeout totals in short bursts. He is a big gamble because of his injury history, but the ceiling is so high to make the risk worth taking in the later rounds of your draft.