Kansas City Royals 1B prospect Nick Pratto clubbed 36 home runs across two minor-league levels last season, including 21 at Triple-A Omaha, and he had fantasy baseball managers salivating about his eventual promotion to the majors. However, Pratto is not having a similar season in 2022. Instead, it is another left-handed hitting first baseman for the Omaha Storm Chasers making the big news this time. Vinnie Pasquantino boasts a .997 OPS and 17 home runs, along with excellent plate discipline. Fantasy managers should dream about him as well.
Pasquantino had delivered an excellent (if surprising) 2021 season as well, hitting 24 home runs with a .957 OPS across two minor-league levels himself, even though Pratto was the one lauded as a future star. Today, Pasquantino may be the more interesting prospect. He is one year older than Pratto and certainly a better well-rounded offensive player, hitting for average at each stop of the minors and keeping a low strikeout rate. Pratto strikes out 30% of the time. Meanwhile, Pasquantino is at 13.6% -- with a far superior contact rate -- and the Old Dominion product has a .911 OPS versus left-handed pitching (1.038 OPS versus RHP).