Forrest Wall

Wall's slugging percentage took a nosedive in 2016, which was particularly surprising considering he was playing in the hitter-friendly confines of the California League. Still, he did manage to swipe 22 bases in 120 games for High-A Modesto. It was the second straight season Wall stole at least 20 bases. Unfortunately, his strikeouts rose and his walks declined, resulting in a less-than-ideal slash line of .264/.329/.355. Despite the minor struggles at the dish, Wall is a toolsy second baseman who will play his future home games in the thin air of Colorado. As long as he can keep his average up, that means Wall has the potential to hit double-digit home runs. The 21-year-old could start the 2017 season as high as Double-A if the Rockies want to be aggressive with his development.

As a 19-year-old Wall slashed .280/.355/.438 with seven home runs and 23 steals (on 32 attempts) in 416 plate appearances at Low-A. Additionally, he maintained an excellent approach, and now boasts a 106:74 K:BB in 144 career games in the lower levels of the minors. His eventual home ballpark is a hitter’s paradise and, with apologies to DJ LeMahieu’s fans, nobody is blocking Wall at the keystone in Colorado. There are truly no obvious flaws in his prospect profile. He may not hit 20-plus home runs annually, but 15-plus big flies is a reasonable expectation for his prime seasons, and that would keep him in the upper echelon of second basemen. Throw in a hit tool that borders on plus, and speed that exceeds the plus grade, and there is the potential for a fantasy star here. Wall is probably more than two years away from The Show, but he is quite easily a top-50 prospect in dynasty leagues.

The Rockies nabbed Wall, a high school infielder from Florida, with their Competitive Balance Round pick in June’s draft, inking him quickly and assigning him to their rookie-level club at Grand Junction. While there, Wall lived up to his billing as a player with advanced plate discipline (14.4 BB% over 188 plate appearances) and plus speed (18 stolen bases). As is often the case with most young players with slight builds, Wall figures to add a little more power over time, but it’s his ability to hit for contact, draw walks and wreak havoc on the basepaths that will drive his long-term value. Though Wall possesses the ranginess to play shortstop, a labrum tear suffered during his amateur days still seems to be compromising his arm strength, which could permanently relegate him to second base. For now, the Rockies will let his performance against advanced pitching dictate how quickly he progresses through their system. Look for the 19-year-old to spend the 2015 campaign at Low-A Asheville.