In this post we will look at three prospects to watch in 2022 for three different teams. This can be looked at from a sports card investing opportunity or just as a fan of the sport. Hopefully, we can get the season started on time and see some of these players in action.
O'neal Cruz
Cruz is a 6’ 7” SS in the Pirates organization. Yes you heard that right, 6’ 7” SS. His ceiling is naturally quite high from the plate given his height and ability to put on size as he gets older. Cruz is currently ranked at 52 on MLB.com for 2022 prospects. He hit .292 with a .346 OBP in double AA while hitting over .500 in 6 games at triple A last year. As he fills out over time, his power should improve and make him a really good all around player. Expect him to make a run to make the big league team this year and should be a great pairing with K’bryan Hayes coming back from injury.
Tristan Casas
Casas is a 6’ 4” 1B for the Red sox organization. He is currently ranked at 18 on MLB.com’s list. Casas played for the olympic team in 2021 so his games played numbers last year are diminished due to this. He hit .280 with an almost .400 OBP last year in the minors which is great to see for a young player. Casas hit 14 HR’s in 86 games which is not a bad ratio and he will definitely be a cornerstone for the red sox for years to come. 1B is a weak position for the red sox so I would expect him to contribute this year in some capacity even if he starts the year in the minors.
Austin Wells
Wells is a catcher in the yankees organization and has risen the ranks over the years in the yankees system. He does not have great defensive metrics and seems to fit more as a first basemen or OF in the future. His power and hitting ability have been graded at 55 respectively by baseball america. This is quite good for a high A player. His stats for the minors last year show a .270 AVG and .390 OBP. The high on base percentage is great to see and something yankees players are known for. He is also a lefty which plays well at yankee stadium and would be a nice addition to a right hand heavy lineup.
Sports Card Pricing: First Bowman Chrome PSA 10
Cruz: $80
Casas: $67
Wells: $60
If I had to choose one of these players to invest in, casas would be my pick. He has done it in the minors at the highest level and the red sox have a good history of developing players such as mookie better, rafael devers, and xander bogaerts. He will have JD Martinez to learn from and could be a very similar hitter in the future to JD from the left side.
I hope you all enjoyed this article and it gets you excited for some baseball. Prospects are always fun to watch and gives every fan hope for the future.