The KBO Posting System Is About to Change

This would normally be the Yankees spring training Grapefruit League post but the Yankees are off today as they prepare to play host to the New York Mets tomorrow. With that said we will cover something that could not only affect the Yankees and the Mets but the entire league, the Korean Baseball Organization posting rules are about to change.

Currently the way Korean-born ballplayers make their way to the United States and the Major Leagues is through the blind posting system much like the Japanese League and Nippon Professional Baseball Organization had until recently. Major League Baseball wants the KBO to adopt a similar or identical policy as well after an influx of talent including Jung-Ho Kang and Byung-Ho Park have made their way over to the states in recent years.

When a Japanese league player is posted a MLB team has to basically post up $20 million to be in the pool of teams that the player picks from and the same will likely come from the KBO players as well. The posting fee will not be as high, the rumor right now is just $8 million, but the basic premise of the policy will be the same.

MLB, Rookies and Fantasy Baseball

Have you had your Fantasy Baseball Draft yet? If not we have a couple more tips, tricks and potential sleepers to send your way before you do. We slacked off a bit last month on the Fantasy baseball discussion only because I had so much prospects related content to use as a part of Prospects Month that something had to give and these posts got the axe temporarily. Have no fear though as they are back and keeping with the prospect spirit we will bring you a handful of rookies and prospects to keep on your watch list as you prepare for your draft. Some can help on Opening Day and some won’t likely help before July so keep this post bookmarked all season long just in case, you might need it.

Corey Seager is expected to be the Los Angeles Dodgers starting shortstop on Day One in 2016 and like I say with any National League player he should see what I like to refer to as some “cupcake” competition next season. The NL will boast two or three of the worst teams in MLB next season with the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers while teams in the Dodgers own division, the Padres especially, are planning on tearing things down and building back up slowly. Get Seager if you can because he is going to be a great shortstop for you in 2016.

The same can be said for fellow shortstop Trea Turner of the Washington Nationals. While Seager will see enough of those teams much of the NL expects to beat up on Turner will see them around 20 times per season each. Turner made a nice debut with Washington in 2015 batting .322/.370/.458 and he possesses 30 stolen base potential as well making him a potential bargain for fantasy owners.

Everything I said about Seager can be applied to the Minnesota Twins future center fielder and top prospect Byron Buxton with the exception of the fact that Buxton will play in the American League in one of the tougher divisions in baseball. Buxton is lightning quick though and you don’t get named top prospect in all of baseball twice if you’re a slouch everywhere else, Buxton is going to be special.

Is Steven Matz still considered a prospect? If so you have to have him on your radar as he fits in with the rest of those aces and #2’s in the New York Mets rotation. He’s finally back and healthy from Tommy John surgery and is primed to make a huge impact in 2016 both in fantasy and in the NL East Division.

I guess the same could be said for Byung-Ho Park of the Minnesota Twins and Hyun-soo Kim of the Baltimore Orioles. They are both technically rookies but at 29-years old and 28-years old respectively Park hit 50 home runs in back-to-back seasons in Korea before coming over to the states and is expected to be either the every day first baseman or DH while Kim will showcase his keen batting eye and outrageous contact skills to channel his inner Ichiro Suzuki.

The final prospect we cover today will miss at least 50 games this season with a drug suspension, the St. Louis Cardinals top pitching prospect Alex Reyes. Reyes is already overpowering hitters with a 95+ MPH fastball that can reach as high as 100 MPH when he really reaches back for it. Reyes failed a test for marijuana and not steroids but either way he could be a bargain and an absolute steal in your fantasy draft.

Fantasy Baseball: Who are the Minnesota Twins

If you’re anything like me your fantasy baseball drafts are coming up either sometime later this month or early next month. Some people like to draft as soon as Spring Training begins or even before, which I never understood FYI, but to each their own I guess. So much can happen between now and then. So many sleepers can emerge and so many stars can get injured while prospects can stand up and make a name for themselves making it impossible for the team to ignore. This is especially the case on small market teams that cannot simply outbid everyone else for a player’s services in free agency, a team like the Minnesota Twins perhaps.

Gone are the days of Johan Santana, Joe Mauer in his prime, Justin Morneau the MVP and Torii Hunter the spider and in are players such as Phil Hughes, former Yankee John Ryan Murphy and Korean import Byung-ho Park. 

Park was an absolute monster of a home run hitter during his last two seasons in Korea as he led the Korean Baseball Organization with 52 and 53 home runs respectively in 2014 and 2015. Even if the pitching is different and less difficult in Korea you have to think Park will run into at least 25 straight fastballs here in the states and could push 30-40 home run power. That’s hard to ignore in fantasy baseball, even if it comes with a .250 average and mediocre defense at first base. 

John Ryan Murphy will presumably be the everyday catcher in Minnesota but it’s hard to put a finger on what exactly to expect out of the young right-hander. I did like what I saw personally out of Murphy during his time in New York though. He showed a bit of power and he is a line drive hitter that is capable of a .275 average with plenty of doubles, on-base percentage and home runs if you don’t grab one of the top tier catchers in your draft. He’s a big risk to take and a relative unknown but I love the line drives that his swing produces and I think he can be a serviceable MLB catcher. 

Finally you have the defacto, or infacto depending on how you look at it, ace of the Minnesota Twins in Phil Hughes. Hughes was a monster in his first season with Minnesota as he rarely allowed a walk while striking out a healthy amount along the way. Hughes took a bit of a step back in 2015 and is no longer being relied on as the ace of the Twins staff, that distinction now belongs to Ervin Santana. If you need an ace don’t reach too high for Hughes but if you need around a 10.0 K/9 and 15 or so victories Hughes would be a great grab in the middle-to-later rounds. 

Those are your Minnesota Twins, hopefully one or two of them can help you own your Fantasy Baseball draft and league this season. Have a good night everyone!