Gabriel Moreno

Not since Cristian Pache have we seen this big of a gulf between a player's ranking on real-life prospect lists and fantasy prospect lists. That's not to say Moreno will become fantasy irrelevant like Pache, but so much of his perceived real-life value is tied to his defense behind the plate. His hit tool is excellent, especially relative to other catching prospects, but Moreno has hit just 11 home runs in 99 minor-league games since the start of 2021 and his 24.9 Hard% in the minors last season is a middling mark. He did well in his first big-league stint as a 22-year-old, hitting .319 with a .274 xBA and 11.0 K% in 25 games, but he had just two extra-base hits. Prime Jonathan Lucroy - something like a .290 AVG and 15-to-20 HR - seems like a median outcome for his prime years and prime Buster Posey - say a .310 AVG and 20-to-25 HR - is a best-case scenario. Either one of those outcomes would be great for fantasy, and Moreno should have the immediate chance for everyday playing time after he was acquired by the Diamondbacks from the Blue Jays in December, though he could split starts with Carson Kelly early on.

Moreno was one of the top breakout prospects in the minors in 2021, even with a broken thumb limiting him to half a season. He had been internally labeled the team's catcher of the future entering the year, but even those highest on Moreno didn't expect him to hit .373/.441/.651 (192 wRC+) with eight home runs, a 9.7 BB% and a 15.2 K% in 32 games as a 21-year-old catcher at Double-A. He got bumped up to Triple-A for three games after returning from the thumb injury in September and then went to the Arizona Fall League, where he hit .329/.410/.494 with a 13:13 K:BB in 100 PA. It's Moreno's special skill with the bat that will make him a big piece of Toronto's future, not necessarily his work behind the plate, although he is good enough to stick there. However, third base is currently a bigger hole for the Jays, and he started there twice in the AFL, leading to speculation that the hot corner may be his long-term home. His big-league ETA and short-term playing time outlook are difficult to peg, but it's possible he is up in the first few months. Moreno has an excellent command of the strike zone for a player his age, and he has the bat speed to hit 20-plus home runs with one of the best batting averages among catcher-eligible players.