Prospects to Target in Redraft (NFBC Draft & Holds): Middle Infield

This week, I will be breaking down prospects that you should be targeting in NFBC Draft and Hold formats. These articles will be evergreen all offseason and applicable to NFBC formats and all redrafts. This article will go extremely deep, given the nature of the 50-round draft and hold format that NFBC hosts.

All ADPs referenced will be from NFBC Draft Champions, and I will give thoughts on their potential value in relation to that ADP.

Middle Infield Prospects to Target in Redraft

Jordan Lawlar, SS, 22, Arizona Diamondbacks, 6’2”/190, MLB (ADP: 318)

Injuries have been the story of Lawlar’s career to this point. While a relatively healthy 2023 saw him reach 534 plate appearances, he even made it to the Majors as a young 21-year-old. A torn ligament in his thumb saw Lawlar miss the first two months of the season, and shortly after returning, Lawlar strained his hamstring, sidelining him until September 8th.

He totaled just 104 plate appearances in 2024, slashing .318/.417/.482 with two home runs and nine extra-base hits. The underlying data suggests that injuries definitely affected him, as his average exit velocity of just 85 mph and the 90th percentile of 101 mph were both big steps down from 2023.

Lawlar controls the barrel and the strike zone well. The contact rates were fine, sitting at 71 percent overall and 81 percent in the zone. He also has shown respectable chase rates, which lead to walks and higher OBPs.

Speed is Lawlar’s best asset, checking in with 70-grade run times and a strong ability to steal bases. In his MiLB career, Lawlar has stolen 82 bases and been caught just 13 times.

Lawlar should have been the Diamondbacks' primary shortstop in 2024, instead, injuries derailed his season. Now the goal should be to have him fully healthy for 2025. We could see plenty of 20 home run/30 stolen base seasons with solid batting averages and on-base percentages.

Verdict: Lawlar has not been able to stay healthy and struggled in the Dominican Winter League. As things stand, Lawlar is slated to start the year in Triple-A. 250 plate appearances feels likely, making Lawlar a pass at his ADP.

Kristian Campbell, MI/OF, 22, Boston Red Sox, 6’3”/191, AAA (ADP: 319)

Campbell had an extraordinary year, and there is a clear reason why he was named Minor League Player of the Year by multiple big outlets. Ascending from High-A to Triple-A by season end, Campbell slashed .330/.439/.558 in 517 plate appearances. Campbell blasted 20 home runs and had 32 doubles and three triples to have an impressive 55 extra-base hits.

Early in the year, it seemed Campbell was trading his strong contact skills for power. In the first two months of the season, Campbell had a contact rate below 73 percent, which was a massive outlier from what he had been throughout his playing career. Month by month, Campbell found a way to blend his strong contact skills with impressive power gains.

From June forward, his overall contact rate was north of 82 percent, with an in-zone mark near 90 percent. He finished the season with a 78 percent overall mark and an 83 percent in-zone contact rate. The plate discipline was evident as well by a 21 percent chase rate.

The power gains were also real this year, as Campbell posted a 90th-percentile exit velocity of around 106 mph. He hit home runs as far as 450 feet with exit velocities north of 113 mph. He learned to elevate the ball more this year, thanks to an offseason swing change and the home runs showed up as Campbell hit 20 in 2024.

Built like an NFL wide receiver, Campbell is an incredible athlete and leader on and off the field. He is the clubhouse presence that teams want, and given his performance in 2024, he checks nearly every box. His versatility on the field should allow him to find a spot in the Red Sox lineup as soon as opening day 2025, where he should impact the game with power and speed.

Verdict: Campbell is not likely to break camp with Boston, and while the team seems to be in pursuit of every free agent out there, they have an opening at second base. Campbell should debut in May, making him a solid target at his ADP.

Jacob Wilson, SS, 22, Athletics, 6’2”/190, MLB (ADP: 360)

Few hitters have Wilson's contact ability. He made contact on over 94 percent of pitches he saw in the minors, which jumped near 98 percent on pitches in the zone. Big league pitching did not contest him either, as Wilson posted an 87 percent overall and 92 percent in-zone contact rate.

After tearing through the minors in 2024 with a slash of .433/.473/.668, Wilson got the call to the majors and continued to hit. While the slash did not look as good, the contact skills were still apparent. Unfortunately, Wilson was hurt in his first MLB, straining his hamstring, leading to an absence of over a month.

Given the low walk rate, you might assume that Wilson is swinging at everything, and that is the case. His swing rate of 50 percent is on the high end, and after chasing 33 percent of pitches out of the zone in the minors, Wilson saw that number jump to 37 percent in MLB. It is largely irrelevant due to how much contact Wilson makes.

The questions that remain with Wilson are: Can he lift the ball and raise his exit velocities? If so, this becomes an interesting player. For now, he plays best in a points league.

Verdict: Wilson would have exhausted prospect eligibility if not for a hamstring strain during his MLB debut. He is locked into every day playing time, which is king. It may not be flashy, but Wilson is a solid buy at this price tag.

Caleb Durbin, 2B/3B, 25, Milwaukee Brewers, 5’6”/185, AAA (ADP: 501/353 in the last two weeks)

An undersized 14th-round pick by the Braves seemed like an improbable major leaguer at the time, but Durbin now sits on the cusp of making his MLB Debut. A trade to the Yankees and then another this offseason sent Durbin to Milwaukee. He is now on the 40-man roster and should be on the Opening Day roster in 2025. After a very strong 2023 and start to 2024 in Triple-A, Durbin went down with a right-hand injury in late May and was just returning for his rehab appearance.

In Triple-A, Durbin hit ten home runs and 29 stolen bases to pair with a .287/.396/.471 slash. Walking more than he has struck out in each of the last two seasons is no surprise, considering his elite contact rates, checking in at 84 percent overall and 90 percent in-zone. Both of those numbers are near the top of Triple-A. Durbin also rarely chases out of the zone, checking in with a chase rate of 28.5 percent.

The power is not quite there as Durbin has just an 82 mph average exit velocity and a 100 mph 90th percentile. Those marks are bottom of the barrel for MLB hitters, but Durbin does hit the ball at ideal angles which helps the profile play up. He is closer to an average runner, but is highly aggressive and efficient on the base paths. He should be an MLB utility man for a long time.

Verdict: Durbin’s ADP has been flying up boards after his trade to Milwaukee. Some think he is a lock to start, but Durbin is more likely a utility type player that still has question marks surrounding his ability to hit MLB pitching. I am passing at the price tag.

Nick Yorke, 2B/OF, 22, Pittsburgh Pirates, 6’0”/200, MLB (ADP: 475)

Yorke was traded from Boston to Pittsburgh at the trade deadline and was on base in 33 of his 40 games in the Pirates org, earning a promotion to the Majors on September 16.

Finally, having a healthy 2024 season, Yorke posted a .303/.385/.449 slash line in the Minors with 12 home runs and 33 doubles. Yorke also stole 21 bases while posting impressive contact rates.

Yorke has made significant strides in the power department, posting an average exit velocity north of 91 mph and a 90th percentile above 105 mph. Both of these marks show above-average power. Yorke pairs it with respectable contact rates, which have also been strong, with an overall mark north of 79 percent and 86 percent in-zone.

Yorke knows the zone well and shows strong pitch recognition. He is not chasing often and has strong swing rates on pitches he can drive. Yorke does not show major swing-and-miss issues against breaking balls either, with a contact rate of 74 percent, a pretty good mark for breaking balls.

Given his time in the Majors, Yorke looks like the front-runner to be the Pirates starting second baseman heading into 2025.

Verdict: While you won’t find Yorke as the starting second baseman on Roster Resource, use that to your advantage. The Pirates did not bring in Yorke for him to sit on the bench. Yorke is a great value at ADP.

Christian Moore, 2B, 22, Los Angeles Angels, 6’1”/210, AA (ADP: 522)

Moore has hit pretty much his entire collegiate career at Tennessee, hitting over .300 and having an OBP north of .440 in all three seasons. The power gradually developed, but this year, he took off. Moore mashed 34 home runs and had 55 extra-base hits in 72 games.

Hitting the ball as hard as anyone in the class, Moore posted a 96 mph average exit velocity and a 112 mph 90th percentile. Handling all pitch types well was another important marker for Moore, who had an OPS north of 1.000 against high velocity, spin, and offspeed pitches.

The contact improvements were also notable. Having a pretty scary 65 percent overall contact rate and 75 percent in-zone in 2023 left questions about how his profile would work. This year, Moore saw his overall contact rate jump to 77 percent and the in-zone to 83. The question is, is it sustainable?

Solid chase rates of around 23 percent each of the last two years shows good pitch recognition and why he runs high OBPs. Moore lifts the ball with ease but does not pull it often. It did not matter this year clearly, as he hit 34 home runs. But it is something to watch.

Moore jumped into pro ball and performed, dominating in Single-A and Double-A. He seemed destined to make his MLB debut in 2024 if not for a meniscus injury. He did return and look fine in the final game of the 2024 season. Don’t be surprised when you see Moore suiting up for the Angels early in 2025.

Verdict: Let’s take a look at the timeline of the Angels’ last few first-round picks: Nolan Schanuel(97 MiLB PA, debuted his draft year), Zach Neto(217 MiLB PA, debuted April 15 after his draft year). Moore has 110 MiLB plate appearances. Luis Rengifo is slated to begin the year as the team’s second baseman, but his versatility is huge. I would put the estimated Christian Moore MLB debut date as May 23, when they begin a six-game home stand. Moore is the ultimate upside shot at second base. 

Colson Montgomery, SS, 23, Chicago White Sox, 6’3”/225, AAA (ADP: 523)

Montgomery had a down year in 2024. There is no nice way to put it. Playing in a hitter's haven in Triple-A Charlotte, Montgomery has slashed just .214/.329/.381 with 18 home runs and 42 extra-base hits.

Montgomery has shown some major regression from last season in both surface stats and the underlying statcast. Part of me wonders if it is due to a minor injury that has not gone away all season. No, it is not the back that has bothered him before. After healing for several weeks after the season, Montgomery put up a good showing in the Arizona Fall League.

The 90th percentile exit velocity still shows the power is there, having a mark of 104.5 mph and a max of 114. The contact skills are what have really fallen off. Montgomery has made contact on 71.5 percent of pitches and 80.5 percent in-zone.

Given the White Sox shortstop situation, Montgomery should be the favorite to take the starting job out of spring training as long as he is healthy. Expect a bounce-back season in 2025.

Verdict: The White Sox aren’t going to play Brooks Baldwin at shortstop and Miguel Vargas at third base for long. There will be openings for Montgomery in 2025 and if he has a strong spring, he could break camp with the team. Buy.

Will Wagner, 2B/1B, 25, Toronto Blue Jays, 5’11”/210, MLB (ADP: 543)

Wagner has always been a data darling and put up impressive performances after being drafted in the 18th round of the 2021 draft. The Astros developed Wagner to the point where he was ready for his MLB debut and traded him to Toronto as part of the Yusei Kikuchi deal. Wagner debuted with the Blue Jays, putting up a .305/.337/.451 with two home runs in 86 trips to the plate. In Triple-A, Wagner slashed .315/.432/.44 with more walks than strikeouts and had six home runs, and 23 extra-base hits in 77 games.

While hitting the ball hard and making plenty of contact, Wagner’s biggest flaw has been too many ground balls. Posted a 104 mph 90th percentile exit velocity with an 88.5 mph average exit velocity stand out, but it came with a ground ball rate north of 50 percent.

The contact and plate discipline are plus or better. Wagner made contact on 92 percent of swings in the zone and 85 percent overall. He chased just 23 percent of pitches out of the zone and walked an impressive clip.

Wagner has the potential to be an MLB regular for the foreseeable future. While he lacks in the field, the bat is impressive.

Verdict: Even though the Blue Jays brought in Andres Gimenez, there is still an open spot for Wagner at DH. The profile won’t wow you as he likely won’t provide many home runs or stolen bases, but he is going to get on base at a high clip and potentially score plenty of runs. Buy.

Juan Brito, MI, 23, Cleveland Guardians, 6’0”/202, AAA (ADP: 650)

It has been an interesting career arc for Brito, who was just a name in the Rockies org and even after being traded to Cleveland. In his first entire season, Brito exploded on the scene, moving from High-A to Triple-A by year’s end. After a relatively slow start to the season in 2024, it seemed like people just saw him as an afterthought again.

Meanwhile, the season-long slash finished at just .256/.365/.443, and Brito ended the year with an OPS north of .800 for the second straight year. The power continued to develop as Brito hit 21 home runs and had 40 doubles across 144 Triple-A games.

Through his first 33 games of 2024, Brito was slashing just .174/.342/.287. After that date, his swing rate jumped five percentage points, which may not seem like much, but it has made all the difference. He walked 12 percent of the time and struck out just 15 percent of the time over those 88 games and has a slash of .278/.371/.484 with 18 home runs, 36 doubles, and 12 stolen bases.

The contact rates have been good all year, with a 78 percent overall mark and 85 percent in-zone. The exit velocity data is not off the charts, but it is pretty close to average, with an 88 mph average exit velocity and a 102 mph 90th percentile. The power plays up beyond the exit velocities due to a healthy fly ball rate and a 47 percent pull rate.

Verdict: Brito is slated to play every day at second base with the Guardians. It won’t be a flashy profile, but Brito has a strong feel to hit and could run into 15 home runs and steal ten bases. His ADP is likely to rise, but he is currently a bargain at his ADP.

Chase Meidroth, INF, 23, Chicago White Sox, 5’10”/170, AAA (ADP: 691)

If you evaluate players strictly based on their appearance, Meidroth does not have the physicality you might want to see. He appears shorter than his listed height/weight. But Meidroth does not let that affect him on the field, as he plays well above his body.

The former fourth-rounder out of San Diego has done nothing but hit his entire career. One of the more passive hitters in baseball, he swung at just 30 percent of pitches seen while chasing at a 17 percent clip. The contact skills are the name of the game, as Meidroth posted an 88 percent overall contact rate, which jumped to 93 percent on pitches in the zone.

While the contact skills are firmly plus, the power is closer to a 30-grade. Meidroth checked in with a 101 mph 90th percentile exit velocity. The average exit velocity did take a step forward in 2024, up to 88.5 mph from 87 in 2023. His swing path is more conducive to ground balls and line drives, as Meidroth had just a 25 percent fly-ball rate in 2024. The approach is one to all fields, hitting more balls the opposite way than to the pull side.

The profile is pretty limited from a fantasy perspective. Meidroth is a below-average runner who will likely not steal many bases, and the batted ball profile/projection does not suggest more than a ten-home run bat. The hit tool is stellar, and the OBP skills will allow Meidroth to play well in a fantasy points format, but he should get plenty of playing time now with the White Sox at second base.

Verdict: The White Sox infield is bad to put is nicely. Meidroth is fully developed and needs no more time in the Minors. He is not going to hit a ton of home runs or steal many bases, but the profile is Jacob Wilson lite. I would not be surprised to see Meidroth get 400-500 plate appearances in the majors. As a depth piece in a DC, you could do a lot worse.