Farm Tracker: Prospects to Watch in Short-Season and Rookie Ball

The MLB draft has come and gone. Six more leagues have begun play within the last two weeks, including the Class A Short-Season New York-Penn and Northwest Leagues, as well as the Appalachian, Pioneer, Arizona, and Gulf Coast Rookie Leagues.

For dynasty owners, this is a critical time of year. Many keeper leagues hold rookie drafts as early as July, so it is essential to know which players have signed with their MLB clubs and where those players have been sent to begin their professional careers. Here, then, is a primer for all six leagues, including a “six-pack” of prospects to watch in each league:

League: New York-Penn Size: 14 teams Teams and Affiliates: Aberdeen Ironbirds (Orioles), Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets), Hudson Valley Renegades (Rays), Staten Island Yankees (Yankees), Auburn Doubledays (Nationals), Batavia Muckdogs (Marlins), Mahoning Valley Scrappers (Indians), State College Spikes (Cardinals), West Virginia Black Bears (Pirates), Williamsport Crosscutters (Phillies), Connecticut Tigers (Tigers), Lowell Spinners (Red Sox), Tri-City ValleyCats (Astros), Vermont Lake Monsters (Athletics) Prospects to Watch: Justin Dunn, RHP Brooklyn; Will Craig, 3B West Virginia; Daz Cameron, OF Tri-City; Garrett Whitley, OF Hudson Valley; Triston McKenzie, RHP Mahoning Valley; Juan Hillman, LHP Mahoning Valley.

League: Northwest Size: 8 teams Teams and Affiliates: Everett AquaSox (Mariners), Spokane Indians (Rangers), Tri-City Dust Devils (Padres), Vancouver Canadians (Blue Jays), Boise Hawks (Rockies), Eugene Emeralds (Cubs), Hillsboro Hops (Diamondbacks), Salem-Keizer Volcanoes (Giants) Prospects to Watch: Kyle Lewis, OF Everett; Robert Tyler, RHP Boise; J.B. Woodman, OF Vancouver; Marcus Wilson, OF Hillsboro; Luiz Gohara, LHP Everett; Dylan Cease, RHP Eugene.

League: Appalachian Size: 10 teams Teams and Affiliates: Bluefield (Blue Jays), Burlington (Royals), Danville (Braves), Princeton (Rays), Pulaski (Yankees), Bristol (Pirates), Elizabethton (Twins), Greeneville (Astros), Johnson City (Cardinals), Kingsport (Mets) Prospects to Watch: Alex Kirilloff, OF Elizabethton; Adrian Rondon, SS Princeton; Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., OF Bluefield; Bryce Denton, 3B Johnson City; Leonardo Molina, OF Pulaski; Kolby Allard, LHP Danville.

League: Pioneer Size: 8 teams Teams and Affiliates: Billings Mustangs (Reds), Great Falls Voyagers (White Sox), Helena Brewers (Brewers), Missoula Osprey (Diamondbacks), Grand Junction Rockies (Rockies), Idaho Falls Chukars (Royals), Ogden Raptors (Dodgers), Orem Owlz (Angels) Prospects to Watch: Nick Senzel, 3B Billings; Riley Pint, RHP Grand Junction; Matt Thaiss, C Orem; Taylor Trammell, OF Billings; Gilbert Lara, SS Helena; Demi Orimoloye, OF Helena.

League: Arizona Size: 14 teams Teams and Affiliates: Angels, Athletics, Cubs, Diamondbacks, Giants, Brewers, Dodgers, Indians, Reds, White Sox, Mariners, Padres, Rangers, Royals Prospects to Watch: Cal Quantrill, RHP Padres; Will Benson, OF Indians; Eric Lauer, LHP Padres; Alec Hansen, RHP White Sox; A.J. Puckett, RHP Royals.

League: Gulf Coast Size: 17 teams Teams and Affiliates: Astros, Cardinals, Marlins, Mets, Nationals, Braves, Pirates, Tigers East, Yankees East, Blue Jays, Phillies, Tigers West, Yankees West, Orioles, Rays, Red Sox, Twins Prospects to Watch: Mickey Moniak, OF Phillies; Joshua Lowe, 3B Rays; Delvin Perez, SS Cardinals; Dakota Hudson, RHP Cardinals; Joey Wentz, LHP Braves; Akil Baddoo, OF Twins.

Dynasty-league owners should keep in mind that rosters will change as more 2016 draftees sign contracts.