This Week in Fantasy Baseball · Lee Keller, John Ke

TWF 138 - NL Hitting Prospects Ready to Debut w/ Matt Heckman

·1 hr 4 min·4 clips

Jesús Made's ceiling projection is .280 with 20 homers, 30 steals, and an 11% walk rate.

1. This Week in Fantasy Baseball focuses on National League hitting prospects Matt Heckman expects to debut in 2026. 2. Jon Cudd and Patrick Fitzgerald host Matt Heckman, Pitcher List's Dynasty Manager, because his prospect rankings shape dynasty and first-year-player drafts. 3. The episode asks which NL bats can help fantasy managers in 2026 and which names only belong on watch lists. 4. Matt says his prospect list started with obvious names, 40-man roster additions, and team needs, then moved to older Triple-A depth players. 5. He connects that process to Pitcher List's January team prospect articles and the dynasty content schedule running into February and March. 6. Aiden Miller draws the first deep dive because Matt calls him one of the safest prospects with speed, contact, and line-drive production. 7. Miller's 59 stolen bases, .356/.492/.596 finish after July 27, and 20-25 homer upside make him a strong fantasy target. 8. Matt says Miller could fit at shortstop, third base, or second base in Philadelphia depending on how the infield shifts. 9. Matt also warns that Miller may need time for major-league power to settle in even if the steals and walks arrive quickly. 10. Carson Bench earns top-prospect treatment because Matt sees loud left-handed power, a polished college bat, and a clear path in the Mets outfield. 11. Bench's 15 homers, 92.1 mph average exit velocity, 17.7% strikeout rate, and 13.1% walk rate give him a strong statistical base. 12. Matt says Bench's game power could reach 25-30 homers, and he already stole 22 bases in Triple-A. 13. Jesús Made stands out because Matt describes him as a twitchy athlete with switch-hitting contact skills and shortstop ability at age 18. 14. Matt points to Made's six home runs, 47 steals, and double-A cameo as reasons Milwaukee could push him quickly if the bat explodes. 15. Matt gives Made a ceiling of .280, 20 homers, 30 steals, and an 11% walk rate, while noting the floor is still strong. 16. JJ Wetherholt comes next because Matt thinks his power has been overlooked since first-year-player drafts last year. 17. Wetherholt's home-run rate rose from 9.1% at Low-A to 12.1% at Double-A and 20.8% at Triple-A, while his average exit velocity reached 91.4 mph. 18. Matt says Wetherholt can handle second, short, or third base, and Nolan Arenado's departure leaves a clearer opening in St. Louis. 19. The episode has a scouting-report tone with plenty of draft talk, stat lines, and playing-time speculation rather than broad baseball debate. 20. Dynasty managers and prospect drafters will get the most from this episode; casual MLB-only fans may skip it.

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