Help for Minors

by jumperjah on Jan 16, 2026 4:34 PM EST Comment 25 comments

I'm debating on what I could use help with in my minor league system. Talked a little bit about my system here, and was wondering where the biggest hole I should be working on.

Major League Roster:

C: Geovany Soto
1B: Derrek Lee, Todd Helton, Jake Fox
2B: Ian Desmond (SS), Eric Young Jr.
3B: Chipper Jones, Brandon Wood
SS: Ryan Theriot
OF(3): Nate McLouth, Julio Borbon, Michael Brantley, Nyjer Morgan, Adam Lind

SP: Rich Harden, Mat Latos, Luke Hochevar, Ricky Romero, Wandy Rodriguez, Vin Mazzaro, Marc Rzepcynski
RP: Daniel Bard, Chad Qualls, Jeff Samardzija

Minors:

C: Buster Posey, Carlos Santana
1B: Justin Smoak
3B: Josh Vitters, Neil Walker
SS: Carlos Triunfel, Grant Green
P: Tim Alderson, Martin Perez

Clearly, I've been rebuilding, but I am wondering if there's any position I should be targeting, or honestly just looking for who I think the best player available is. I'm probably at least another season away from competing in this league, but always looking for suggestions. Any help is greatly appreciated.

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Read More: Geovany Soto (C - CHC), Derrek Lee (1B - CHC), Jake Fox (3B - OAK), Todd Helton (1B - COL), Eric Young Jr. (2B - COL), Ian Desmond (SS - WAS)

Comments

I think it's obvious,

that you could use a potential impact OF prospect. Borbon and Brantley are solid, but they won’t really help carry your roster.

Also, you have a handful of solid SP’s, but pretty much all of them have question marks: Harden/Latos/Mazzaro with injury risks, Hochevar/Romero with inconsistency, Alderson/Rzep with limited upsides. I love Wandy and I love Martin Perez, but other than that, there are some serious question marks there.

by soxkid on Jan 16, 2026 4:39 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I don’t think Alderson or Walker are worth owning. There must be some more upside you can get somewhere.

by WrenFGun on Jan 16, 2026 4:42 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

They're honestly both just holding spots

Kind of stuck. There’s no penalty for holding them, and if I dropped them I can’t add someone else instead.

I don’t have to really make a decision on either of them until they hit 175 AB/75 IP in the majors, so I probably have a little time on Alderson.

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by jumperjah on Jan 16, 2026 4:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Alderson...

is worth holding on to,b ut Walker should be gone. If I were you, I would trade Chipper, Derek Lee, Soto, and Morgan. None of these guys will help you in your goal to compete because they are either getting old or overrated. Two area you should traget are middle infield and pitching. I think you could use another good SS prospect because I see Grant green as being pretty risky. Also, other than Latos and rodriguez, your pitching is terrible. Perez is still too far away to impact your pitching anytime soon, but make sure you hold on to him.

by joegonzo on Jan 16, 2026 5:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Soto

It would be a retarded time to trade Soto. He had a very unlucky year in ‘09, and should be expected to perform significantly better in ’10, even without development. Even if you did find a taker for him in trade, they’d be looking for a discount.

by PissedMick on Jan 17, 2026 11:20 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed on Soto

His value is most likely as low as it will ever be right now and he has a lot of upside still. I would not give up on him based on a bad year plagued with injury and some poor judgement.
Plus this came out 2 days ago…sounds like he is taking it much more serious this year.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-16-cubs-geovany-soto-chicago-jan16,0,124387.story

Geovany Soto showed up at the Cubs Convention in better shape than he has been at any time in his career.

After a sophomore slump that many blamed on his weight, Soto says he lost 40 pounds.

by Rkdrip on Jan 18, 2026 12:12 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

+1

have faith in slimfast for soto!

by PrincetonCubs on Jan 18, 2026 12:38 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Sounds like usual offseason drivel to me

Player A has a new workout routine, he’s gonna be great this year!

Player B broke up with his wife, who was always nagging him, he’s gonna be great this year!

Player C has a new batting stance, he’s gonna be great this year!

by nivarsity on Jan 19, 2026 12:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Just by looking at it.

The league doesn’t seem way too deep. Walker is barely even a top 300 prospect, so he can be dropped. Easily. Alderson’s probably a top 150 guy, but I barely see that. Triunfel is another possibility if you can find someone better.

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by cwhitman412 on Jan 16, 2026 5:01 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

3 rounds a year for Minors

ML Rosters are here

Only about 60 players on the minor league rosters right now. See the post right above this one about why I’m still holding Walker. 14 team league.

Only way we add players is through the draft, which I still have 5 more picks in: #4, #16, #25, #30, #32.

Jennings went #1, and I took Perez at #2.

It has been interesting to see how things change so quickly. Took Walker in the draft between 2007-2008 season, and before the Pirates took Alvarez. BA had him at #2 in the PIT system then.

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by jumperjah on Jan 16, 2026 5:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Who is available...

in the draft?

by joegonzo on Jan 16, 2026 5:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Best prospects available

Looking at John’s Grading:

A- : Chris Carter, Aroldis Chapman
B+: Mike Montgomery, Derek Norris, Mike Trout, Zack Britton, Donavan Tate, Ryan Westmoreland, Casey Kelly, Domonic Brown, Kyle Drabek, Michael Taylor, Christian Friedrich, Tyler Matzek, Jordan Lyles, Lonnie Chisenhall, Brett Lawrie, Casey Crosby, Jacob Turner, Devaris Gordon, Simon Castro, Matt Moore, and a lot more of the B+

There’s a link above to see the ML rosters.

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by jumperjah on Jan 16, 2026 6:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

From the Community Prospect List

- Domonic Brown
- Chris Carter
- Michael Taylor
- Christian Friedrich
- Ryan Westmoreland
- Aroldis Chapman
- Kyle Drabek
- Lonnie Chisenhall

Also Bryce Harper and anyone else from the 2010 and future drafts.

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by jumperjah on Jan 16, 2026 6:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

and you say there isn't any impact talent??

are you kidding me?

I would take any pitcher you listed over Alderson, Mazzaro, and Hochevar easily.
I would also take any hitter you listed over Walker, Helton, and Fox.

by soxkid on Jan 16, 2026 6:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not saying there isn't any impact talent

I’m saying that I can’t just go add them. Rules of our league are that players can only be added during the draft or through pickups during the season.

Trust me. If I could go pick up ANYONE to replace Walker, I would. But since there’s no penalty for having him on the roster, there’s no reason really to drop him.

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by jumperjah on Jan 16, 2026 6:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Or by being drafted, I mean

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by jumperjah on Jan 16, 2026 6:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I would target...

Chapman, Westmorland, Lawrie, Gordon, and Chisenhall.

by joegonzo on Jan 16, 2026 8:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Targets...

I agree in going for starting pitching, but you’re going to need help at 1b, 2b, OF, SP and RP.

Rp’s will fall into your lap throughout the season, so you just have to be weary and pay attention to your FA wire.

I’d start by targeting Chris Carter as your 1b’s are old and aren’t as productive as you’d like for fantasy. Next I would go either Chapman or Friedrich. 3rd for me is Lawrie (who I think will be special). Then, 4th, I would take either Taylor, Brown, or Westmoreland. If Carter is unavailable, the I would go best talent available then go from there.

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by JT12340 on Jan 16, 2026 11:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh Sure

Because Derrek Lee’s 4th best OPS and 6th best WAR for all ML 1Bs is god awful.

I reject your reality and substitute my own.

by WayneCampbell08 on Jan 18, 2026 11:30 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

if you're in a true rebuilding mode I would

get rid of: Helton, Lee, Chipper, Soto, Harden. Harden can’t stay healthy, but he should fetch a decent return. I’d attempt to get an “impact young hitter (someone like Upton, for instance)” and a potential stud pitcher in return for those deals or a potential sleeper OF prospect etc.

you really need saves, if you value those in your league.

your minors look fine, and you’re clearly looking to win in SBs and BA.

"Fantasy, reality, science Fiction. Which is which? Who can tell?"

by feslenraster on Jan 16, 2026 5:50 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

The other hitch with this league...

We each represent a team from the Majors, and are required to have 6 players on the roster from that team on our Major League Roster (as of the end of the World Series) - Had my 6 Cubs (Lee, Soto, Theriot, Harden, Samardzija, Fox) then. Thankfully I don’t have to have my 6 Cubs (or some other team I can switch to potentially) again until next Sept. 30th.

Been trying to move Helton, Lee, and pretty much anyone that’s not in it for the long-term, but not really been getting anything other than rejections. Still working on it though.

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by jumperjah on Jan 16, 2026 6:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs