7 Up-Arrow Fantasy Prospects Who Could Make The Next Dynasty Top 500 Update

Aroon Escobar, 2B, Phillies

You’ve probably seen Escobar’s name pop up around here lately, as we’ve been talking about the 20-year-old infielder for the better part of the last two months. He first flashed last season in the Florida Complex League and then was one of the more impressive players for scouts on the backfields this spring.

To start the season, Escobar has continued to hit and hit and hit. Over 22 games with Low-A Clearwater, he’s slashing .333/.456/.583 with five home runs and a walk rate (15.5%) almost five full points better than his strikeout rate (20.4%). Escobar makes good swing decisions, plenty of contact and he has a knack for finding the barrel. His exit velocity data is above-average for both age and level, and his angles, while inconsistent, aren’t bad on his best contact. Escobar also plays with a high-energy approach, squeezing out extra bases and making plays in the field. He’s a name likely to move onto the Dynasty 500 with continued strong performance. 

C.J. Kayfus, 1B, Guardians

Recently promoted to Triple-A, the former Miami Hurricane is proving that his successful 2024 was no fluke. Over 22 total games this season, primarily at Double-A, Kayfus has hit .363/.469/.600 with a pair of home runs. His 203 wRC+ is one of the highest among qualified hitters and proof of Kayfus’ ability to hit upper-minors pitching. He’s an unusual profile at first base, as he shows excellent swing decisions and angles on contact. Kayfus masks some swing-and-miss with a plan that limits his whiff when he chases. He lacks big raw power typical of many first baseman, but his ability to catch clean, flush contact with the barrel generates airborne contact at optimal angles consistently.

Whether Kayfus will hit for enough power for first base is a lingering question, but he has shown enough athleticism to play an outfield corner occasionally. Kayfus just continues to hit despite his warts, and he may force our hand in next month’s update. 

Sean Liñan, RHP, Dodgers

The Dodgers’ Colombian righthander has taken Low-A by storm so far this season. Liñan, aided by his screwball-like changeup, has struck out 47.4% of batters he’s faced in 2025. He mixes a trio of pitches: a fastball with heavy armside run that sits 91-93 mph and touches 95 at peak, a low-80s changeup with an average spin rate of 2700 rpm that shows, at times, shows negative vertical break and 16-18 inches of armside run and a mid-80s slider with cutter shape.

Beyond his interesting stuff, Liñan has gotten fairly deep into starts, pitching into the fifth in all of his appearances to date. Liñan is still quite a long way away from the major leagues and will likely have to add a few ticks of velocity, but the bat-missing upside is worth chasing in dynasty. 

Jurrangelo Cijntje, RHP/LHP, Mariners

While some might dismiss Cijntje’s switch-pitching as a sideshow trick, it may well prove to be a legitimate starter’s profile in time. Cijntje performance with High-A Everett has been better than his line indicates, as a pair of lefthanded-only relief appearances on April 9 and 30 account for seven of the 15 earned runs he’s allowed on the season.

Cijntje’s primary side is with the right hand, from which he sits mid 90s on his fastball and has seen his greatest success. If he can develop his lefthanded pitching into a situational weapon used to can same-side hitters off balance while driving a high rate of ground balls, it could be a significant platoon advantage for Cijntje.

Looking big picture, there are few pitching development groups in the game that have the track record of success the Mariners do. This puts Cijntje in a prime position to make a leap. He’s also an extremely fun player to roster, adding a little boost to his dynasty value. 

George Klassen, RHP, Angels

Klassen was a pop-up name early in the 2024 season with the Phillies’ Low-A affiliate. He was moved to the Angels at the deadline and struggled in his first taste of Double-A. He returned to Rocket City to open 2025 and has been excellent, striking out 30.6% of batters with a career-low 5.4% walk rate. The strikes are new for Klassen, though he’s been on an upward trajectory for the past few seasons.

Klassen has serious swing-and-miss stuff with multiple plus pitches. If his command is, in fact, now average-or-better, he could be making starts in the major leagues within a month. Klassen is one we might regret leaving out. 

A.J. Ewing, OF, Mets

Repeating Low-A is typically a red flag for prospects, but in the current environment, Ewing is making noise for his early performance. Ewing wound up receiving the promotion to High-A after a few weeks, and at the time, he was hitting .400/.506/.615 with St. Lucie. While that type of production will not sustain for long—particularly in a difficult home environment for lefthanded hitters in Brooklyn—Ewing has shown a combination of power, feel to hit and speed that could translate to producing a good fantasy line at peak.

Ewing will need to continue to hit to push his way onto the list in the next update, but if he does continue to produce, it will be too hard to ignore. 

Tim Elko, 1B, White Sox

After a storied college career at Mississippi State, Elko has continued to hit as a professional. He’s an older prospect at 26, but he’s shown significant power at Triple-A this year, hitting .333/.408/.657 with 10 home runs an a 172 wRC+.

With plenty of opportunity in Chicago, Elko could push his way to the major leagues shortly and fit the older, breakout corner infield profile not dissimilar from Max Muncy or Christian Walker. It’s a tough profile to make work, but Elko is in a perfect situation to make the most of his opportunities.