Are Agustin Ramirez or Craig Yoho Worth Adding in Fantasy Baseball Leagues After Their Call Ups?
Looking at two prospects who got called up to the big leagues on Monday.
A couple more notable MLB prospects were called up on Monday, so let's assess each of their fantasy outlooks.
Miami called up Agustin Ramirez, while Milwaukee is going to promote Craig Yoho.
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Minor League Stats and Grades
Ramirez is a top-end prospect of the Marlins.
He is ranked fourth in the team's system and is 23 years old. He was signed as an international free agent by the Yankees in 2018 and then was traded to Miami in the Jazz Chisholm Jr. deal.
His best tools are power and arm, which are both graded as 55s. He's got a 45 mark in hitting, a 40 in fielding and just a 30 in running. Those numbers make sense for a power-hitting catcher and first baseman.
In parts of six minor league seasons, Ramirez has a .266 average and .352 on-base percentage across 376 games and 1,393 at-bats. Ramirez has 91 doubles, three triples and 60 home runs among his 370 total hits, along with 179 walks, 240 runs scored, 53 stolen bases and 304 strikeouts.
Looking at those numbers, Ramirez looks like a bit better runner than he's given credit for. I don't expect him to steal a ton of bases, but it's probably not as drastic as the 30 grade he was given in that tool.
Yoho is the No. 18 prospect for the Brewers.
He's 25 years old and was drafted by the Brewers in the eighth round of the 2023 MLB Draft. The reliever is a right-handed pitcher.
His best pitch (as you see in that tweet) is his changeup, graded as a 70 pitch. His slider is a 55, while his cutter is a 50 - his lowest-graded pitch is his fastball (45). Yoho has a 50 mark in control and a 45 overall grade.
In parts of three minor league seasons, Yoho has simply been dominant. In 70 innings, he's got a ridiculous 1.16 earned run average. He's struck out 113 batters while allowing a .167 average against him.
Ramirez's Fantasy Outlook
Ramirez has the chance to be the better fantasy asset. He joins a weaker team, but that should help him serve a bigger role right away.
Because he can also catch and play first base, that should help Ramirez get into the starting lineup often. Of course, he could also be the designated hitter if he struggles in the field too.
Miami isn't going to call him up to sit him on the bench every other game. Expect to see Ramirez starting most days, and only getting a day or maybe two off a week.
In his MLB debut game, he'll bat sixth and catch on Monday against the Reds. The Marlins are facing a left-handed pitcher in that contest, so it'll be interesting to see where Ramirez slots in when a righty is starting against them.
With plenty of pop, Ramirez could become a big fantasy asset in a hurry, so he needs to be on the fantasy radar of all owners. He's most valuable in dynasty/keeper leagues, but should see his own percentage rise.
A lot of deep-league owners are going to add him before he even plays his first game, and rightfully so. He's a highly-regarded prospect, and could be a daily fantasy starter if he is able to settle in quickly at the big league level.
A power surge early in his MLB career could mean Ramirez gets some waiver attention in standard leagues too. We'll keep an eye on him and include him in waiver stories if appropriate.
Yoho's Fantasy Outlook
Yoho is a reliever, so his fantasy value is low to begin with, especially because he likely won't be closing games.
The Brewers' closer is Trevor Megill, and despite him only having two saves and a 4.26 ERA, Yoho isn't being brought up to replace him.
Elvis Peguero was sent down after posting a 5.68 ERA across five games, and Joel Payamps has struggled mightily, with a 17.55 ERA across nine appearances. The Brewers need another right-handed reliever in the pen to go along with Abner Uribe (0.93 ERA across 10 games) and Grant Anderson (2.92 ERA across eight games).
Yoho being a changeup specialist is a different taste than the typical hard-throwing reliever, or pitcher who throws sliders or curveballs. Yoho could slot into a late-inning relief role immediately, and if he pitches well enough, could get the occasional save if Megill or Uribe are down for a game.
As a non-closer, Yoho shouldn't be added or utilized outside really deep fantasy setups, whether it be a redraft or dynasty/keeper league. He's one to keep tabs on in case he eventually steals the closer role away from Megill and others.
There's a few non-closer fantasy relievers who are worth rostering in standard leagues (or slightly larger leagues) every year, and Yoho definitely could work his way to that level if he continues what he's done at the minor league level.
