We're roughly six weeks into the 2017 season and it's certainly been a fun one for baseball. But with so much attention focused on what is going on at the major-league level, looking at hot and cold pitchers and hitters, the minor leagues often receive less attention. But fans want to get excited about the future and get an idea of how the stars of tomorrow are performing.

So, every two weeks we'll take a look at how some of the top prospects in the minor leagues are performing and what it could mean for potential appearances in 2017, along with the prospect's long-term future. It won't all be hot starts, but it will provide a nice look at names to keep an eye on in the minor leagues.

Yoan Moncada, 2B, Chicago White Sox

MLB.com Rank: 1st          Baseball America Rank: 1st

'17 Stats: .333/.405/.511, .406 wOBA, 161 wRC+, .916 OPS. Six home runs and 10 stolen bases

Moncada, the consensus No.1 prospect in all of baseball, offers all the makings of a franchise-changing prospect. With 70-grade speed, 60-grade raw power, good hit tool and strong arm. Moncada brings all of these tools to the table at second base with the chance to develop into an MVP-caliber player and he is just approaching his 22nd birthday.

We've seen the raw talent immediately this season in Triple-A, with Moncada showing a mix of 24, 25 and 30-year olds are no match for him. His triple-slash line in 153 plate appearances clearly demonstrates that.  Moncada's six home runs, or a home run in every 22.5 at bats. For a 21-year-old, that's extremely impressive and will profile even better in Chicago's hitter-friendly park.

Certainly, Moncada carries some concerns and is far from a perfect prospect. Strikeouts remain a persistent problem for him and in a major way. Moncada struck out in 30.9 percent of his plate appearance last season in Double-A and in a short stint with the Boston Red Sox, he struck out in 12 of 20 plate appearances.

This season in Triple-A, Moncada holds a 27.5 strikeout percentage. An improvement over his Double-A line, but still a concerning mark for an eventual promotion to the majors. 

We will see Moncada in 2017, probably in June. Fantasy owners initially may have to deal with a low batting average and 30-plus strikeout rate, but he'll give a nice blend of power and compete for Rookie of the Year. Long-term, Moncada has the tools to be in MVP races throughout his prime.

Amed Rosario, SS, New York Mets

MLB.com Rank: 3rd           Baseball America Rank: 5th

'17 Stats: .359/.401/.493, .394 wOBA, 137 wRC+, .894 OPS

The barometer at shortstop for success and what is considered an All Star is different than other positions. Strong defense alone can make a player a high-caliber shortstop, you have an All Star when you pair that defense with a 50-grade bat, speed and power. Rosario, viewed widely as one of the five best prospects in baseball, doesn't get as much attention as the others at times.

He deserves lots of attention, especially given what he's done to Triple-A pitchers. In 157 plate appearances, the 21-year-old shortstop owns an excellent slash line and demonstrates a good idea for the strike zone at such a young age. With just a 14 percent strikeout rate and a high on-base percentage, Rosario already shows the ability to take advantage of his speed and be a run producer early on.

Unfortunately, it seems the Mets won't give him the opportunity for a little while longer. Even with Asdrubal Cabrera potentially headed to the disabled list, the team already ruled out a potential call up for Rosario. So he'll continue to hit near the top of the lineup in Las Vegas and further develop his all-around abilities. Plus, New York wants to additionally secure more contract control over Rosario, which really is the lone reason the team has yet to call him up.

When he is called up, Rosario should make for a solid fantasy contributor as a rookie. He should provide a respectable batting average and on-base percentage, in addition to 10-plus steals and six to eight home runs. Long-term he could turn into a 20-20 player or a 15-20 player, further adding to the stronghold that the shortstop position has become in fantasy.

Austin Meadows, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates

MLB.com Rank: 6th         Baseball America Rank: 4th

When MLB announced the 80-game suspension of Starling Marte, many wondered if it could open the door for Meadows to come up. Fans and some fantasy optimists saw the center field spot open for Meadows and the chance to see his power-speed combo on a major league diamond, but those ideas are premature. The 22-year-old has all the tools to be an All Star and is approaching MLB-ready, but the start to his 2017 season in Triple-A has shown he needs more time.

Meadows certainly offers enticing raw tools with 60-grade speed, 55-power and a potential 60-hit tool. But those tools have been spotty during his early stretch of games for Triple-A Indianapolis. Through his first 55 plate appearances, Meadows struck out 13 times and posted an ugly .184 batting average. His .222 BAIP did give some indication that Meadows was also unlucky, but even with that it was a struggle at the plate.

We've seen improvements in May that give signs for optimism. Through 11 games, Meadows owns a .261/.346/.370 slash line with .716 OPS and only three strikeouts in 46 plate appearances. His BABIP in May is also .279, closer to his career norms that sit around .300. Steadily, the numbers are climbing back in his favor.

But the power hasn't been there, with just one home run on the year, which raises a little concern. But fear not fantasy owners, Meadows' fly ball rate sits at 40 percent and is near his career norms, so he is still getting the ball in the air. The big difference, a HR/FB rate dropping from 13.6 percent in 2016 to 2.4 percent this season.

So the advanced numbers are there for Meadows to start turning things around stats wise. Pittsburgh is making things work in its outfield for now, buying themselves time so they can wait until Meadows numbers start to steady out for the better and he stays down long enough that his contract will be in its favor. Meadows may not be a major fantasy factor in 2017, but long-term he's got plenty of high-end OF2 upside.
 

Lewis Brinson, OF, Milwaukee Brewers

MLB.com Rank: 15th        Baseball America Rank: 20th

'17 Stats: .327/.398/.515, .399 wOBA, 140 wRC+, .913 OPS. Four home runs and five stolen bases

Brinson, who we wrote about in our Milwaukee Brewers overview before the season, is off to a hot start in Triple-A, as he continues to build off his initial success with Milwaukee's Triple-A affiliate after he was traded last year. The 23-year-old outfielder missed a week early in the season after he jammed his finger, but Brinson's shown no ill effects since his return to the plate.

Upon his acquisition by the Brewers, the prize prospect in the Jonathan Lucroy trade, Brinson crushed Triple-A pitchers to the tune of a .382/.387/.618 slash line with a 163 wRC+, four home runs and four steals in 23 games. It further fueled the attention and hype that surrounded Brinson's potential. Then when you sprinkle on how close he is to the majors, it gets fans and scouts excited.

With so much hype and anticipation from fans, it would be easy for a young hitter to struggle out of the gates in his second taste of Triple-A. Brinson's strikeout rate is high at 23.7 percent, but it's easily acceptable when you consider the average strikeout rate in the majors sits around 20 percent. So then you look at his power potential and 25 games in, he's on pace for a 20-20 season.

But Brinson won't get there, because it will require a full season at Triple-A. He won't be in the minor leagues long enough, he is showing the Brewers' management that he is almost ready to make the jump and suit up in a Milwaukee uniform to make his major league debut. It may not be this month or in June, largely because Milwaukee's outfield is full, but it should come immediately upon the trade of Ryan Braun in July or in August at the latest.

In non-keeper leagues, Brinson should probably stay in the free agency pool for awhile. But when he is called up, a high placement in Milwaukee's lineup in addition to half his starts coming in Miller Park, will make him a fantasy factor. As for the long-term potential, that's where the real excitements comes from with the future ability to hit 20-plus home runs and steal 30 bases as a center fielder.

Ronald Acuna, OF, Atlanta Braves

MLB.com Rank: 92nd          Baseball America Rank: 62nd

Acuna is a lesser-known prospect, but he could be ranked as one of the 15 best prospects in baseball at the end of the season. That's because of the quick work the 19-year-old made of High-A pitchers and quickly made the jump up to Double-A ball recently. If you want to know who the next Victor Robles is, it's Acuna.

We've seen Acuna climb up the minor league ranks quickly. He earned a promotion to Low-A ball as an 18-year-old and dominated the competition as one of the youngest players at that level. In 40 games last season, Acuna posted a 311/.387/.432 slash line with a .376 wOBA and 139 wRC+ and likely would have made it to High-A if not for an injury that kept him out from May 10 - Aug. 21.

Acuna entered 2017 healthy and started the season in High-A, his time there was short. In 28 games, Acuna swiped 14 bases, hit three home runs, five triples and posted a 131 wRC+.  The lone concern for Acuna was his 31.7 percent strikeout rate. But it seems to be an outlier given he struck out in just 16.4 percent of plate appearances last year.

Atlanta promoted Acuna to Double-A on May 9 and what a debut he made. On the very first pitch he saw, Acuna cracked a home run and he finished the day with three hits, a home run and stolen base. Since them, the 19-year-old is 13-for-25 with a home run, triple, two doubles, four stolen bases and a 3/3 K/BB ratio.

These are the type of breakout seasons that skyrocket a player's status and ranking. If Acuna keeps this up and continues to handle the Double-A level without any major issue, we could see him make it to Triple-A months before he even turns 20. We likely won't see him until 2018, but Acuna has the tools to be a star outfielder.