Prospects, forever prospects

Prospect rankings can be tricky.

Oh yeah, tell me about it.

That's not to say they can't be useful. On the contrary. There's a reason that everyone drops lists before, after and during the season. They can be extremely helpful in helping you sort out players you can pick up for the season or prospects that can help your dynasty club in the near or distant future.

It's just that not all prospect lists have a fantasy tilt, and some prospects are better bets to give you fantasy value, and some prospects are more likely to provide value in the real world than on a rotosheet.  What's a rotosheet ?  Google it, what I am ...an encyclopedia.

I thought I'd give some examples of both over the next two weeks, starting with some prospects that should be ranked higher on "real" prospect lists than fantasy. Please note: These prospects certainly have fantasy value, too. With some rare exceptions, any prospect that projects to be a regular in the majors or pitch in a rotation are worth taking a look at, of course.

Without further ado, here's a look at six prospects that have more real life value than fantasy.

Hitters

Sean Murphy, C, Oakland Athletics -- Murphy has made big strides with the bat since being drafted in the third-round out of Wright State in 2016. That being said, the reason why Murphy is considered a top 50 prospect by some is because of the defensive value he provides behind the plate. He has average power from the right side of the plate, and while he makes a lot of contact, a good deal of it is weak, keeping the hit tool from reaching that level. The fact that his double-plus defense gives him an excellent chance to be an everyday player is solid, but it's hard to imagine he'll provide a ton of offensive fireworks in Oakland.

Ke'Bryan Hayes, 3B, Pittsburgh Pirates -- Give Hayes a ton of credit; the word "bust" was beginning to be used on the 2015 first-round pick, and to say that phrasing isn't being used anymore is an understatement. As for his fantasy value, however, there are some limitations that should give you at least some pause. The 21-year-old can certainly hit for average, but there are serious questions about his power, and since he's a lock for the corner infield, that could present issues. There's also a lot of value tied to his on-base percentage -- not always a fantasy category -- and his defense -- never a fantasy category. Hayes is certainly a quality fantasy prospect, but there's a great deal more "real life" value here.

Evan White, 1B, Seattle Mariners -- White has become one of the best prospects at first base in baseball, but he's nowhere close to one of the best fantasy options at the position. He is unlikely to ever hit for power, and while he certainly has a chance to hit for average, you'd really like more doubles and homers to go along with it if he's going to be in your lineup. A caveat here is that White has excellent speed for the position, so if he starts stealing bases, his ranking would obviously rise. He hasn't been running as a professional, however (four steals last year), so until he starts running/starts showing more pop, you will want to take a cautious approach.

Pitchers

Kolby Allard, LHP, Atlanta Braves -- Allard's profile is the definition of one who is going to be more successful in the MLB than it is in fantasy. That wasn't always the case, but because the left-hander has lost so much on his fastball (once up to 96, now sitting 88-90 mph), it's difficult to project many strikeouts. Take note kids: Velocity matters. Allard has a great chance to stick in a rotation because he commands that fastball and two other solid secondary pitches well, but he's always going to be at risk to be lit up because of the mediocre heater, and he just won't give you enough strikeouts to be more than a spot starter, in my estimation.

Justus Sheffield, LHP, Seattle Mariners -- This one is tough. I've been a big fan of Sheffield for a long time, and I think his fantasy value took a big step up after being trades to Seattle in the James Paxton Deal. I also think there are some limitations here that could give you long-term trouble. His fastball is a plus offering and there are two more above-average offerings here that can miss bats. My issue here is that the command went backwards last year -- though some of that has to do with experimenting with a new delivery -- and he hasn't always missed bats at an elite level in the minors. I think he has a high floor because of his profile and he'll be a member of my top 10 prospects for 2019 with good reason, but there are some long-term concerns about his role. At least in fantasy circles.

Jon Duplantier, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks -- A caveat here: If Duplantier ends up pitching as either a starter or a closer, there's a lot of intrigue here. The reason why the right-hander makes this list is because I'm not sure he's going to be either. He's going to turn 25 in July, and he's never thrown more than 136 innings in a season. Because of his injury issues that have followed him since college, he seems like the perfect candidate to be one a multi-inning reliever that bridges the gap to a closer. There's a ton of value on that in an MLB roster, in fantasy? You better miss a ton of bats. It's certainly possible Duplantier will with three plus pitches, but it's asking an awful lot.