Top 100 MLB Prospects for 2026

Height/Weight: 6’4″, 215 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 1st Round (9), 2024 (PIT) | ETA: 2026

Griffin solidified himself as the best prospect in baseball with a ridiculous 2025 campaign where he turned his elite tools into production far quicker than expected while climbing three levels. Add in the intangibles and Griffin has the makings of a superstar.

Offense

Starting upright with a slight bend in his knees and his hands rested right by his slot, Griffin has worked to simplify his operation in the box in order to facilitate more repeatability and contact, but is also interacting with the ground far more effectively than he did as an amateur. As the 2025 season progressed, Griffin looked far more in control of his body throughout his swing, starting his load earlier with more rhythm and balance.

Seeing the ball earlier while holding his back side better helped Griffin create more barrel depth in his swing, resulting in significantly improved results against spin. After posting an OPS of .450 against breaking balls through his first 30 pro games at Low-A, Griffin doubled that figure to north of .900 in his subsequent 95 games at mostly High-A and Double-A.

Having already showcased the ability to turn around velocity, Griffin’s leap against breaking balls quickly hushed the hit tool concern with an improved ability to recognize secondaries to complement.

The raw power is already beyond the plus territory, running a 90th percentile exit velocity of nearly 108 MPH and an average exit velocity of 91.3 MPH in a season where he was still 18 years old on Opening Day.

Griffin’s adjustments also allowed him to elevate the ball more consistently in the back half of the season, providing optimism that he can reach towards 40 homer upside.

Defense/Speed

A superb athlete who excelled in football and basketball as well before shifting his focus solely to baseball, Griffin turns in double plus run times and projects as a strong defender at both shortstop and centerfield. He made the majority of his starts at shortstop in 2025, where his instincts are advanced and his plus arm is an asset. For such a physical player, his hands are soft and his footwork is impressive, giving Griffin plus defensive potential at shortstop and centerfield.

Griffin was a terror on the base paths in his first pro season, swiping 65 bags on 78 tries. His output slowed a tad at Double-A, but he is still easily a threat for 30+ bags annually.

Outlook

Elite offensive upside with the ability to play high level defense at two premium positions, Griffin has the makings of a superstar. Viewed as a bit of a project as an amateur, Griffin seemingly improved with every game he played, seeing his OPS rise as he climbed each level and now looks like he can debut as soon as 2026.

There may not be a better blend of power and speed in the minor leagues, now vaulted by a plus hit tool and a good approach. He posted an OPS north of 1.000 against pitches 95+ MPH over the course of the season with an OPS of .830 or above against each subtype of pitch.

Still 19 years old on Opening Day in 2026, Griffin is not only baseball’s definitive No. 1 prospect, but he’s one of the best prospects we have seen in years.

Height/Weight: 5’11”, 190 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 1st Round-A (37) – 2023 (DET) | ETA: 2026

The best pure hitter in the minor leagues, McGonigle is tapping into above average game power and has proven capable of sticking on the left side of the infield. He’s as safe of a prospect as you are going to find.

Offense

A wide, slightly open setup, McGonigle starts well into his legs and uses a toe tap load as his weight shifts into his backside. He naturally controls his body exceptionally well, consistently putting himself in position to get his A swing off against all pitch types with a great feel for the barrel to pair.

It’s tough to get McGonigle to expand, running a chase rate comfortably below 20% as a pro, but when he does swing outside of the zone, he does a great job of getting to pitches, making it extremely difficult to strike him out. Since being drafted, McGonigle has walked at a 15% clip while striking out just 10% of the time.

McGonigle had flashed above average exit velocities in 2024, but tapped into his power much more consistently in 2025, boasting an average exit velocity of nearly 92 MPH and a 90th percentile exit velocity of 105 MPH. Pair the strong exit velocities with a roughly 7% slash in ground ball rate and you get a player who could be closer to plus power than average.

One of the most eye-popping components of McGonigle’s batted ball profile is his average launch angle north of 20 degrees on batted balls 95 MPH and above. His best impact consistently being in the air makes it easy to envision an extra base hit machine.

Defense/Speed

Despite both an average arm and range, McGonigle moves his feet well enough and puts himself in good spots to make plays at shortstop with a great internal clock. He works low to the ground and reads contact off of the bat well, boasting impressive overall instincts and comfort throwing on the run and from different angles.

While his average athleticism may limit him from being an impact defender at shortstop, he may have a shot of sticking there thanks to his strong actions and feel for the game. The Tigers had McGonigle get reps at third base as well during his time in the Arizona Fall League where he quickly looked comfortable. If he slides over to second base, he would project as an above average defender there.

An above average runner, McGonigle is not a huge base stealer, but picks up speed when underway. He should be able to steal 15+ bags per season on his instincts alone.

Outlook

McGonigle’s 2025 season both proved that he can tap into above average power as well as stick on the left side of the infield, making it seemingly impossible to poke a hole in his profile. Even if the Tigers opt to move McGongle off of shortstop, he has the offensive ability to shoulder the demands of third base and then some or could be one of the most productive second baseman in the sport. McGonigle is as safe of a bet as there is in the minor leagues to be an everyday big leaguer, but he has the offensive skill set to be a consistent All Star.

Height/Weight: 6’3″, 215 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 3rd Round (91), 2024 (NYM) | ETA: 2025

Once a two-way prospect, McLean’s impressive feel to pitch has shifted the focus to the mound where he offers exciting projection based on the athleticism and data. He converted the projection into production in 2025, elevating both his quality of stuff and consistency.

Continuing to improve as the year progressed, McLean debuted with the Mets and immediately showcased one of the more unique starting pitch mixes in Major League Baseball.

Arsenal

McLean utilizes a six-pitch mix, headlined by a pair of unique heaters. The four seamer sits a tick harder than the sinker, averaging 95.5 MPH through the second half of the season. His low release and arm angle helps the four seamer generate plenty of whiff at the top half of the zone, creating a difficult tunnel with the sinker that looks the same out of the hand, but with 10 inches of vertical separation and another four inches of horizontal.

Between the above average whiff rates on the four seamer and a gargantuan 80% ground ball rate in 2025 on the sinker, McLean’s two heaters worked in tandem to stifle hitters all year long in completely different ways.

His sweeper averages more than 16 inches of horizontal break at nearly 3,000 RPM. Generally a pitch shape that would yield noticeable platoon splits, the sharpness and McLean’s feel for it makes it effective against opposite-handed hitters as well, though he did hang a few in his big league debut.

Landing it for a strike roughly two thirds of the time as a pro is particularly impressive given how much horizontal action it features in the mid 80s. The platoon splits may be more of a factor in the big leagues, but it should be a wipeout right on right pitch.

McLean really showcases his feel to spin it with his two plane curveball, averaging north of 3,200 RPM with 19 inches of horizontal and 15 vertical. It essentially sits by itself in the bottom left corner of a scatterplot with other MLB arms. With so much break, it can be tough to land for a strike consistently, but even tougher for hitters to do anything with when it is around the zone.

McLean’s upper 80s gyro slider is a good bridge pitch that can also induce ground balls as well as decent whiff numbers from hitters of both handedness. His splitter took a big step forward in 2025 becoming a more trusted pitch for him against lefties with a feel for it that improved as the year progressed.

Outlook

A fantastic 2025 season was capped off by dominance at the highest level that has McLean looking like the best pitching prospect in baseball heading into 2026.

McLean’s deep bag of pitches headlined by a pair of unique fastballs and a rare ability to spin it give him frontline upside while his elite ability to roll ground balls helps solidify the floor. His command continued to improve as the season progressed, which could be the final variable between him being a No. 2 starter and a true ace.

Height/Weight: 6’1″, 190 | Bat/Throw: S/R | IFA: $950K – 2024 (MIL)  | ETA: 2027

Made quickly made a name for himself with one of the best DSL showings in recent memory before following that up with a massive 2025 campaign where he climbed three levels, improving as the season progressed, finishing the year at Double-A not long after his 18th birthday. The switch-hitting shortstop could be one of baseball’s next big prospects thanks to his ridiculously quick hands and feel for the barrel paired with elite plate discipline and baseball instincts.

Offense

Starting slightly open and his feet a tad more than shoulder-width apart, Made sinks into his backside in tandem with a rhythmic barrel tip as he pulls his hands down towards his belt; the move is a little more pronounced from the left side. He will likely need to clean up such a loud move as it could be difficult to time and also puts him into a slot that is generally harder to launch from and limits his ability to elevate the ball as much as he should.

The fact that he is able to not only do plenty of damage from his launch position and consistently make contact is a testament to his freakish hands and athleticism in the box. He boasts a good feel to hit from both sides of the plate, but the left-handed bat-to-ball is particularly impressive. It’s rare bat speed from both sides of the plate, popping exit velocities north of 110 MPH from each side.

His 90th percentile exit velocity of 105 MPH is well above his peers and his improved ability to elevate in the second half of the season bodes well for his power outlook heading into 2026.

As he cleans up his operation in the box to be less dependent on raw talent and more conducive to repeating his moves and creating leverage, there should be plus game power in the tank. With his quickness, barrel accuracy and plate discipline, the elusive plus hit and power combination could be attainable for Made.

Defense/Speed

Made has good defensive tools boasting a plus arm, but his footwork and actions are a work in progress. Similar to how he operates in the box, it is natural athleticism over fundamentals at this point for Made, sometimes struggling with his first step and reading balls off of the bat. He has a knack for the acrobatic play and is comfortable charging in and throwing on the run. He has a shot to stick at shortstop but has the fallback of a quality third base or second base. An aggressive base stealer, Made swiped 47 bags on 60 tries in 2025.

Outlook

Made did everything you wanted to see to follow up an all-time DSL performance by settling into Low-A before dominating High-A and earning a Double-A cameo in a season where he was 17 years old at the start. He will start the 2026 season at Double-A with the focus on being optimizing his mechanics and approach a bit further to reach closer to his sky high ceiling. Made’s plus hit and power potential has him looking like a potential star who could debut as a teenager. There’s a lot of similarities to Ketel Marte.

Height/Weight: 6’0″, 195 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 1st Round (22) – 2023 (SEA) | ETA: 2026

One of the younger prep bats in the 2023 draft class, Emerson’s strong summer circuit and performance for Team USA helped him rise up draft boards. His polish both mechanically and approach wise have helped him stand out immediately as a pro, with the only hiccups being some minor injuries. He made a mechanical adjustment mid way through the 2025 season, kicking his production into another gear as he climbed up to Triple-A.

Offense

Emerson has a smooth swing from the left-side with a good feel for the barrel. He adjusted his stride to a toe tap that helped him use the ground more consistently, resulting in additional power and a better path. After making the change in middle of June, Emerson cut his ground ball rate by nearly 20%, OPSing .920 over his final 75 games between Double-A and Triple-A.

The improved bat path also aided his ability to hit secondaries OPSing north of .800 against non-fastballs and even stronger numbers particularly against breaking balls. With his gains in that department, Emerson looks like an exciting blend of plus hit and above average power and given the fact that he was just 19 years old for the majority of the 2025 season, there may be even more power to dream on.

Defense/Speed

Nothing jumps off the page when it comes to Emerson’s defensive tools, but he is fundamentally sound and has worked hard on his first step and actions. He is at least an average runner with an above average arm and soft hands. His glove has made a huge leap since the end of the 2024 season, now looking like at least an average defender at the position. He is much more aggressive to the baseball, picking it on more opportunistic hops with an internal clock that has improved.

He moves well enough in both directions and throws comfortably enough from different angles to stick at the position. Emerson has successfully fought off the third base risk, looking like an above average defender at shortstop.

Outlook

Emerson’s feel to hit, approach and likelihood of sticking on the left side of the infield make him a high probability big leaguer while there’s enough power potential to be an impact bat. The shift he made with tangible mechanical adjustments elevated both his floor and ceiling, while expediting his timeline, finishing 2025 with Triple-A success.

His baseball instincts only help elevate his solid tools across the board along with his chances of sticking at short. How much Emerson slugs will ultimately determine his ceiling, but the exit velocities are there with the improved angles to envision 20+ homers. He’s a well-rounded player with plenty of upside. He’s the future of the shortstop position for the Mariners.

Height/Weight: 6’1″, 210 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 1st Round (17), 2023 (PHI) | ETA: 2026

Plus raw power and good on base skills make Miller an exciting offensive piece; his positive swing adjustments only add to the intrigue. With major improvements on the defensive side of things to pair, Miller looks like one of the best shortstop prospects in baseball.

Offense

Previously featuring a significant barrel tip/hitch that he could overcome thanks to his plus bat speed, Miller made things easier on himself heading into his first full pro season, starting his hands up higher and quieting his pre-swing moves. He also found a better feel for his base, narrowing his stance with more of his weight stacked towards his back side.

Simpler moves and a stronger base have helped Miller make more consistent contact and produce impressive impact. As he has tapped into plus exit velocities, Miller’s more efficient bat path has made it easier for him to do damage to the pull side in particular — something he struggled with as an amateur and in his first stint as a pro.

Miller’s plus bat speed and enhanced path really stands out in his ability to turn around velocity, running a zone contact rate north of 90% against fastballs 94+ MPH in 2025. He has the tendency to pull off of secondaries at times, but hedges with superb plate discipline, running a chase rate of roughly 17% against non-fastballs.

The overall feel for the zone is a major asset for Miller, walking at a 16% clip at the upper levels in 2025 while leveraging his ability to pull the ball in the air well in the way that he leverages his advantage counts and recognizes spin early.

He will still likely need to improve in his ability to stay on secondaries a little bit longer swing path wise to reach his ceiling, but Miller offers an exciting blend of hit, power and patience that give him both a high floor and plenty to dream on.

Defense/Speed

Miller has come along impressively at shortstop to the point that he not only projects to stick at the position, but could be comfortably above average there. His footwork is an asset, especially moving to his left where he is smooth and under control as he’ll go into a slide or spinning throw to steal a hit up the middle.

He is not quite as comfortable working to his back hand yet, but has flashed the ability to make difficult plays in the hole thanks to his strong arm and ability to get the ball out quickly. A plus runner, Miller swiped 59 bags on 74 tries in 2025, maintaining his high volume in his Triple-A cup of coffee as well.

Outlook

It’s easy to like Aidan Miller’s offensive profile. He is a young hitter with standout bat speed, an advanced approach and has already demonstrated the ability to make positive swing adjustments. Tack on the increased likelihood of sticking at shortstop and you have one of the better infield prospects in the game.

Miller has the goods to be an on base machine who can clear 20 homers annually with as many as 30 in his best seasons if it all comes together. Miller at least looks above average at shortstop, but if he slides to second base or third base due to the presence of Trea Turner, he would likely provide plus defensive value.

Height/Weight: 5’10”, 190 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 1st Round (7), 2024 (STL) | ETA: 2026

Wetherholt entered the 2024 season as one of the favorites to go first overall in the draft before a hamstring injury sidelined him for a large chunk of the season. He impressed enough in his return to action to rekindle to 1-1 fire, but to the Cardinals benefit, he slipped to them. Wetherholt mashed through three levels, finishing the year as one of the most productive bats in Triple-A. There’s few prospects with a higher offensive floor.

Hitting

Starting open and upright, Wetherholt gets into his lower half with a big, rhythmic leg kick that he controls well as an impressive athlete. His path is conducive to elevating with consistency, entering the zone early and staying through it, but his elite bat speed and barrel accuracy also allows him to post plus contact rates while creating leverage to all fields.

He has always handled lefties well and it translated into pro ball, boasting an OPS of .880 in same-handed matchups in 2025. His plus plate discipline and ability to recognize spin resulted in as many walks as strikeouts in his pro debut, solidifying his archetype of a modern leadoff hitter.

Wetherholt took the upper minors by storm in 2025, boasting superb bat-to-ball and swing decisions. While the top end exit velocities may not be there like some of the other top prospects in baseball, his quality of contact floor is high, consistently finding the barrel and getting his A swing off. The data backs this with an average exit velocity of 90.5 MPH in 2025 and a Hard Hit rate of 47%.

He has improved his ability to get the ball in the air pull side, giving him at least average power with a skill set that should translate into plenty of doubles.

Defense/Speed

He’s a twitchy athlete and above average runner who can create some havoc on the base paths when healthy. The plan heading into Wetherholt’s junior season was for him to play a full season at shortstop in an effort to prove to scouts that he could fend off a move to second base. The aforementioned hamstring injury limited him to just 27 games there, where his footwork and actions looked better, though his arm still appears short for the position.

In his first full pro season, it looked like more of the same. He may be capable of surviving at shortstop, but there will almost always be a better defensive option, including in his own org currently. He has a knack for getting the ball out quick, which could hedge the lack of arm strength. It’s probably more likely than not that he moves off of the six, but he has earned a longer look and still has a shot to be an average defender there. If he moves to second base, he’d project as a plus defender there.

Outlook

Plus hit, at least average power and plus plate discipline make Wetherholt a high floor hitter who can climb through the Minor Leagues quickly. The hope is that the recurrent hamstring issue is behind Wetherholt, especially as he takes on a full professional workload at shortstop. Offensively, provides a high floor with still plenty to dream on. If it all works out, Wetherholt should be a high OBP table-setter who can run into around 20 homers and plenty of doubles. He controls his at bats like a top of the order bat, but flashes enough pop to drive in runs as well.

Height/Weight: 6’1″, 260 | Bat/Throw: L/R | IFA: $1.3M – 2021 (BAL) | ETA: 2025

Basallo was so productive at each Minor League stop that the Orioles signed him to an 8-year extension that could be worth as much as $88.5 million despite some defensive questions behind the dish. It’s a Devers-like offensive skill set with at least the ability to get by at catcher.

Offense

Starting with his bat rested on his shoulder, Basallo features a smooth, rhythmic load to get his hands slotted and sink into his back hip. Already built like a freight train, Basallo hammers balls to all fields, but really has a knack for getting into it to his pull side. Prior to his MLB call up, Basallo mashed 23 homers in just 76 Triple-A games with a Hard Hit rate of 57%.

Basallo is an aggressive hitter with a fair amount of underlying whiff through his pro career but he has kept his strikeout rate at a palatable rate thanks to his ability to make contact on pitches outside of the zone. He shows some adjustability in the box with relatively simple moves, providing optimism that he can make enough contact to get into his 70 grade power potential.

The chase rate has consistently been high for Basallo, which was really exposed at the big league level when he looked more rushed in the box. He hedges some of the chase concern by being one of the better bad ball hitting prospects, hitting more homers on pitches out of the zone than any other prospect in the Minor Leagues since debuting.

His average exit velocity of 93 MPH and EV90 of 108 MPH in 2025 paired with his improved feel to elevate gives him 35+ homer upside if his approach and whiff do not undermine him.

Defense/Speed

A plus throwing arm is the leading defensive tool for Basallo who may be a candidate to move from behind the dish. He moves well enough to continue to get looks at catcher, but his blocking and receiving has a ways to go with the latter particularly standing out as a weakness. His catch and throw skills are strong, gunning down nearly 30% of attempted base stealers as a pro with impressive pop times.

Basallo’s defense may ultimately be fringy, but as long as he is not a liability, his bat will justify several starts per week behind the dish with reps at first base mixed in, which the Orioles have made a point to get him more experience at.

Outlook

If Basallo’s defense can inch closer to big league average, he could be a rare commodity as an elite left-handed power threat at a tough position. His bat pushed him to Triple-A in his age 19 season and earned him an MLB debut and long term extension in his age 20 season, but it is still early in his overall development as a catcher.

Even if he is only behind the dish in a part-time capacity, his 35+ home run upside from the left side makes him a major impact player with more defensive utility than most players pushing flirting with that home run output. With Adley Rutschman manning the catching position in Baltimore, Basallo’s most clear path with the org is likely first base while catching a couple times per week.

Height/Weight: 6’1″, 190 | Bat/Throw: S/R | IFA: $4.2M – 2023 (SDP)  | ETA: 2028

De Vries is a switch-hitting shortstop with an extremely advanced hit and power combo. The Athletics did not slow his timeline down after acquiring him as the headliner in the Mason Miller trade, promoting De Vries to Double-A shortly after where he continued to thrive. He should climb through the Minor Leagues relatively quickly with the potential to be a star.

Hitting

Utilizing slightly different setups from each side, De Vries starts more open from the left side with his feet about shoulder-width apart and his bat resting on his shoulder. He pushes his hands upwards in tandem with a toe tap. He has quieted his hand movement more over time with his upper and lower half much more in sync. He’s extremely advanced for a teenage hitter, already using his lower half well, along with a swing path that generates consistent lift.

From the right side, his hands start higher with a small stride. He does not quite utilize his lower half as effectively from the right side as the left, which hampers his raw power some. His Hard Hit rate was roughly 5% higher from the right side in 2025 with a three MPH gap in 90th percentile exit velocity.

De Vries has become slightly more aggressive as he has aggressively climbed levels, which is entirely understandable as the youngest prospect at each stop. He still has a fantastic feel for the strike zone–especially from the left side–walking at a 12% clip overall in the 2025 season.

With more room to fill out as he matures, De Vries should easily tap into above average power given his advanced feel to elevate. The feel for the barrel translates into the ability to spoil tough pitches and battle as well. There’s potential for at least above average hit and power with the plate discipline to complement.

Defense/Speed

Like many young, projectable shortstops, there’s a chance De Vries could fill out and lose a step, preceding a move to third base. That said, he has the components to be able to stick at the position with good instincts. He is comfortable throwing on the run and from different angles, but lacks desired carry on his throws, which can run to his arm side or sink. He can get too nonchalant at times, fielding balls off to the side or with stagnant feet which inflates the error totals. As he hones in on the fundamentals, the case for him to stick at shortstop should be stronger. An above average runner, De Vries should be a decent stolen base threat capable of grabbing at least 10-15 bags, but has struggled with efficiency.

Outlook

One of the youngest players in full season ball for the 2024 season, De Vries needed a few months to get his feet wet before really hitting his stride. It was a similar story for De Vries in 2025, even with a block buster trade and Double-A promotion in between, posting to an OPS well over .800 in his final 50 contests.

The bat is understandably ahead of the glove, but De Vries has flashed what it takes to stick at shortstop, assuming he can continue to refine the more fundamental components in the field in his age 19 season. Should De Vries slide over to third, there is more than enough offensive production to accommodate the move.

His strong finish to the season at Double-A makes a big league debut prior to his 20th birthday not seem so far fetched. For a player of his age, De Vries has the foundation to be a star, but his present skill set already gives him a great chance of at least being a quality big leaguer or a long time.

Height/Weight: 6’1″, 195 | Bat/Throw: L/L | 1st Round (3), 2023 (DET) | ETA: 2027

A superb athlete who gets the most out of his frame, Clark flies, has a rocket for an arm and makes plenty of contact. He made a leap in the bat-to-ball and swing decision departments heading into 2025 that has yielded impressive results.

Offense

Previously starting with a wide, crouched stance and his hands low, Clark narrowed his stance some heading into the 2025 season and raised his hands. He worked hard on his path to handle secondary offerings with more success, which has been evident by a 20% increase in contact rates against non-fastballs along with a drop in chase.

His twitch, wiry strength and athleticism help him produce plus bat speed with ease. Even if the swing is somewhat more geared for line drives, he hits the ball hard to all fields with the ability to flash some pop pull side.

Clark is compact and quick to the ball, helping him see the ball longer and make good swing decisions. His barrel enters the zone early and seems to stay for a long time, helping him make plenty of contact.

Between his quickness to the ball, simple moves and feel for the barrel, it’s easy to see a plus hit tool for Clark. His hard hit rate has jumped by nearly 10% through the first 40 games of the 2025 while walking more than he has struck out. The numbers understandably slowed some upon his promotion to Double-A, but Clark’s batted ball data was still comfortably better than his season prior.

While Clark will likely always be a hit-over-power bat, he elevated his power outlook by flashing exit velocities north of 110 MPH along with improved angles. Even if the game power lands as fringy, his improved raw power and feel to hit should make him a threat to compile plenty of extra base hits to complement his plus on base skills.

Defense/Speed

A plus plus runner with a strong arm, Clark has the tools to be a superb defender in centerfield, he just needs to iron out his routes some. Running up to 94 MPH on the mound in high school, Clark easily boasts a plus arm. With his football background and ability to get to his top speed quickly, Clark should be a menace on the bases as well.

Outlook

Clark is a workaholic who has really bought into his approach in 2025 and the results were plenty evident with leaps in the contact and swing decision departments. His mechanical adjustments helped him hit the ball harder more consistently. Still just 21 years old for the entirety of the 2026 season while getting his second taste of Double-A, Clark is ahead of schedule with more room to grow. Between the on base skills, defensive ability and speed, Clark’s floor is high, but he continues to push his ceiling higher with improved offensive consistency and impact.

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 185 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 1st Round (19), 2024 (NYM) | ETA: 2026

Much like his OSU teammate Nolan McLean, Benge was a legitimate two-way talent for the Cowboys. After a big freshman season, Benge tapped into much more power in his draft-eligible sophomore year and carried that success into a dominant first full pro season, catapulting himself into the Mets 2026 plans. It’s tough to find a deficiency in Benge’s game.

Hitting

A noisy operation in the box, Benge starts with an open stance and rocks into his back side with a big leg kick and barrel tip. He starts it all very early with impressive lower half control and balance that likely spills over from his experience on the mound.

After struggling to elevate in his 2023 freshman season, Benge slashed his ground ball rate by more than 10% as a draft-eligible sophomore, more than doubling his home run total to 18 while increasing his slug by 130 points. It was more of the same in his first full pro season in 2025, maintaining a ground ball rate hardly above 40%, with leaps in the raw power department.

The improved angles paired with the uptick in the exit velocity department gives Benge above average power potential, evidenced by his 47 extra base hits in 116 games in 2025. He has a knack for getting his A-swing off and finding the barrel, boasting an average exit velocity of 91.5 MPH in 2025.

Benge could still benefit some from getting the ball in the air more frequently and his moves may be a bit more difficult to time up against big league pitching. He hedges those concerns with great hand-eye with impressive swing variance to get to pitches in tough spots.

A patient hitter, Benge has continued to draw walks at a high clip as a pro and can be difficult to put away. With the added raw power, Benge’s ceiling has been pushed a bit higher, with 25+ home runs not completely out of the realm of possibility, but at least the chance to hit at least 20 with plenty of doubles.

Defense/Speed

He predominantly played right field in his collegiate career, but Benge looks like he can play up the middle. Though he’s closer to an average straight-line runner, Benge’s athleticism paired with the great reads he gets and efficient routes give him a good shot of becoming an average center fielder. If he moves off of the middle, he would easily grade as an above average defender in a corner where his plus arm would play well. He swiped 22 bags on 26 tries in 2025.

Outlook

Benge is a unique athlete who may just be scraping the surface of the player he can ultimately be. Shifting his focus from being a two way player to entirely hitting seems to have helped him in the box and there could be room for even more strength/power in his wiry frame. It’s not uncommon for two-way players to add mass upon shifting their focus from the mound and the raw power is already above average.

Benge has the potential to be an everyday center fielder with above average tools across the board. If he slides to a corner, there could be enough production and defensive value to be a well-above average regular, evidenced by his hard hit rate of nearly 50% and EV90 of 106 MPH. Benge is a high floor player whose All Star ceiling may be undersold.

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 200 | Bat/Throw: S/R | 3rd Round (72), 2021 (PIT) | ETA: 2025

Drafted as a two-way prospect who also boasted Power Five offers as a quarterback, Chandler has blossomed quickly as he has focused on pitching, with his athleticism more than evident. Chandler quickly silenced any concerns from the slow start in Triple-A in 2025 by turning in an impressive 31 1/3 MLB innings, highlighted by a dominant final three starts where he struck out 19 and walked nobody.

Check out our conversation with Bubba Chandler!

Arsenal

Athletic with elite arm speed, Chandler’s fastball explodes out of his hand with good carry. An easy plus heater, it sits 97-99 MPH, frequently hitting triple digits with above average carry. The velocity and pitch characteristics have helped Chandler pick up elite whiff and chase numbers, especially at the top of the zone.

Working off of Chandler’s lively heater is a plus changeup with late arm side fade in the low 90s. His ability to maintain his arm speed makes it difficult for hitters to differentiate from the fastball while the action makes it a consistent ground ball pitch.

The third offering for Chandler is gyro slider in the upper 80s. The pitch became more effective for him as he started to throw it harder as it tunnels well off of his fastball to righties. While it’s not a huge swing and miss pitch, Chandler gets a lot of contact on the ground with it.

Rounding things out for Chandler is a curveball in the low 80s that he initially used as an early strike stealer and occasional put-away pitch to lefties.

Outlook

As athletic as they come on the mound, Chandler made a huge leap in his first full season exclusively focusing on pitching in 2023 and followed that up with a dominant 2024 at the upper levels. After shaking off brief command issues in Triple-A in 2025, Chandler sprinted through the finish line at the big league level, showcasing his front line upside and solidifying himself as a clear rotation piece for the Pirates in 2026.

The progress of Chandler’s secondaries and his ability to keep the ball in the yard as a vert pitcher who likes to attack the top of the zone really helps shore up concerns about damage. After building up to roughly 120 innings in 2024, Chandler increased his workload to 131 1/3 innings in 2025 and is set up to compete for the National League Rookie of the Year in 2026.

Height/Weight: 6’1″, 210 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 3rd Round (78) – 2021 (KC) | ETA: 2026

Jensen enjoyed an offensive breakout in his age 20 season, and though it was in his second season at High-A, he validated it by continuing his strong performance into the upper levels of the minor leagues and a big league cameo. With the defense coming along as well, Jensen is trending towards a primary catcher’s outlook.

Hitting

Starting upright with his hands high, Jensen gets into his back side a gather and somewhat of a hovering stride. He has cleaned up his moves to be more repeatable and mitigate the counter-rotating that caused him to face some challenges with velocity in 2024, but his shoulders will still angle downwards as he loads, with a bit of a barrel tip towards the first base line which can make it difficult to get on plane for stuff at the top third of the zone.

His ridiculously quick hands and rotational explosion helps hedge that concern, boasting plus bat speed that translates into standout exit velocities for a hitter of his size. His average exit velocity of 93 MPH would put him in the top 20 in Major League Baseball, and his hard hit rate of 55% is one of the best figures in the Minor Leagues, which he maintained in his 20 big league games.

Jensen drives the ball in the air with frequency, which paired with his consistently strong exit velocities. Cleaning up his mechanics has really helped him in left on left matchups as well, posting the best numbers of his career in that regard in 2025, fending off some platoon risk. The approach has continued to come along for Jensen too, running a chase rate right at 20% at the upper levels. He has the power to hit 30 home runs, and the bat-to-ball has become good enough to believe that he can push close to that ceiling.

Defense/Speed

A good athlete behind the dish, it as been more about reps and maturity for Jensen than tools as he has progressed through the Minor Leagues. At points, Jensen’s motor was questioned, which contributed to 16 passed balls in 2023, a number he cut nearly in half in 2024, with much more focus and agility with the gear on.

His receiving has improved as well, particularly standing out with his ability to steal strikes on his glove side. Jensen’s arm is borderline plus and his athleticism is on display with his catch and throw skills, throwing out 25% of base stealers in more than 250 pro games. Jensen’s progress makes average defense at the highest level a more feasible outcome than before. A sneaky runner and opportunistic base stealer, Jensen could pick up around 10-15 stolen bases per season.

Outlook

There may not be a prospect who improved their stock more within the Royals system since the start of the 2024 season than Carter Jensen. The power uptick, improvements defensively, and strong showings at the upper levels leading into his 22nd birthday have Jensen leapfrogging Blake Mitchell as the perceived catcher of the future. If Jensen can hit enough, there’s 30+ home run upside and he hedges the hit tool concern with patience in the box and drastic improvements left on left. Jensen has some of the most underrated raw power in baseball and is a serious Rookie of the Year candidate going into 2026.

Height/Weight: 6’4″, 230 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 1st Round (20), 2024 (TOR) | ETA: 2025

Despite being one of the most consistent performers in college baseball, some health concerns caused Yesavage to slip to the Blue Jays at pick No. 20. He was eased into pro ball with seven Low-A starts before speed running through High-A, Double-A and Triple-A in 15 starts. After making three big league starts, Yesavage continued to shine in the postseason thanks to his extremely unique pitch characteristics.

Arsenal

Yesavage releases his three pitch mix from the highest release point in baseball at roughly 7.1 feet high. Such a towering release point can hedge the perceived ride of a fastball, but Yesavage averages north of 20 inches of induced vertical break in the mid 90s, still making it an above average fastball that can play well at the top. There’s also more deception built in compared to the average over-the-top release, as his shoulders rock backwards with his glove high.

The high release and ability to hide the ball works in the favor of his secondaries, both of which featuring good vertical separation from the fastball. Yesavage took a huge leap with his splitter in his draft year, with the pitch looking like a plus offering in the mid 80s. Averaging nearly 20 inches of total separation, the pitch is difficult to pick up out of the hand, generating high chase rates and a lot of ground balls.

Yesavage’s 86-88 MPH gyro slider was his most trusted secondary through his collegiate career. The vertical action on it makes it effective against hitters of both handedness, though it plays best against righties, where it flashes above average. It was a consistent weapon for him in his junior season picking up a third of his strikeouts with it, while allowing just one extra base hit.

Outlook

The uniqueness of Yesavage’s delivery and pitch movement aided his ability to climb quickly, stifling even the most experienced of hitters in the World Series. With all of his stuff working north/south, it will be interesting to see if MLB hitters can start to devise a better game plan against him, but he may just simply be too unique. Regardless, Yesavage’s elite splitter, plus gyro slider and above average fastball give him the stuff of a middle-rotation arm at least while already showcasing the upside for more on the grandest stage.

Height/Weight: 6’3″, 210 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 1st Round (32), 2022 (CIN) | ETA: 2025

An advanced feel to hit and plus raw power helped Stewart fly through the minor leagues. His improved ability to tap into that raw power in 2025 helped earn him a big league call up where he impressed.

Offense

Startling slightly open, Stewart gathers with a moderate leg kick and simple hand load that he starts early, helping him be on time consistently. Short and direct to the ball, Stewart’s compact stroke results in plenty of contact and positive results against velocity.

Something really clicked for Stewart during the 2025 season, slashing his ground ball rate from 49% in his first 60 games of the year to 35% the rest of the way. Given his hard hit rate north of 50% and 90th percentile exit velocity of 107 MPH, the improved angles coincided with plenty of game power, launching 15 homers in 56 second half games between Triple-A and the big leagues.

He recognizes spin well and has a knack for spoiling tough pitches, providing more than enough bat to ball capabilities to get into his plus power consistently. Stewart is built to be an extra base hit machine with 30 homer upside.

Defense/Speed

Stewart has worked on his quickness as a professional which has translated into better footwork at the hot corner, though his range is still fringy. He doesn’t necessarily make everything look the most natural, but his above average arm and decent hands help him make the plays he needs to make. The Reds played him more at first base with the acquisition of Ke’Bryan Hayes, which is more likely to be his longterm home. An opportunistic base stealer, Stewart may steal a handful of bags per year.

Outlook

Given his bat-first nature, it was important for Stewart to tap into his plus raw power in games and he did just that in 2025. Now elevating consistently with strong exit velocities and quality contact rates, Stewart is poised to mash in Great American Ballpark. He will be just 22 years old for the entirety of the 2026 season, looking like a building block for the Reds. Early returns were positive at first base and he can get by at the hot corner when needed, only helping his case. Stewart is a strong Rookie of the Year candidate in 2026.

Height/Weight: 6’3″, 215 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 1st Round (5), 2023 (MIN) | ETA: 2026

On the field, the skill set is high-floor, but injuries have been a consistent theme and Jenkins still needs to show more power to project as an All Star. His blend of bat-to-ball, approach and athleticism for his size allowed him to reach Triple-A in just 160 pro games since being drafted in 2023.

Offense

A relaxed setup with simple pre-swing moves, Jenkins is consistently on time with his sweet left-handed swing and requires little effort to hit the ball hard. His athleticism in the box is evident through his ability repeat his moves consistently.

Jenkins is still filling out, but flashes plus power to his pull side already impressively balancing his knack for driving the ball in the air with authority with his advanced feel to hit. He’s a relatively patient hitter who leverages his advantage counts well to look to do damage while showcasing the barely maneuverability to spoil a pitcher’s pitch when he’s behind.

Rarely missing fastballs, Jenkins has OPS’d north of 1.000 against heaters between the 2024 and 2025 seasons. He posts competitive contact rates against secondaries, but has the tendency to get onto his front foot a little prematurely, impacting the quality of contact some.

Jenkins has yet to flash the plus exit velocities that many have expected to develop as he matures, though the amount of time he has missed due to injuries since being drafted likely makes it more challenging to develop in that regard. His average exit velocity of 87 MPH in 2025 leaves a bit to be desired, but he did showcase a knack for pulling the ball in the air.

Jenkins has the ingredients to be a consistently high OBP threat who is capable of launching 20+ home runs if that power uptick comes. Even if the power stalls, his natural ability to hit and approach would still be enough to give him a solid chance at landing as a quality bit league bat.

Defense/Speed

A good runner who has looked comfortable in center field, Jenkins has a shot to stick up the middle. Should he move to a corner, his range and above average arm would likely make him at least an above average defender. A good runner, Jenkins was held back by a hamstring issue in 2024 and ankle issue in 2025, but still swiped 34 bags on 41 tries in 166 games between the two seasons.

Outlook

An advanced swing for a prep bat that has translated into professional success despite disruptions to his play time, Jenkins is a high probability MLB regular. That said, the goals are so much higher for a 6-foot-3, 220 pound plus athlete like Jenkins.

If his exit velocities can climb above the average mark they currently sit at, he should tap into above average power thanks to his feel to elevate the baseball, especially to the pull side. Health remains the biggest concern around Jenkins as he has yet to play more than 84 games in a season.

Given his polish and the fact that he finished the 2025 season at Triple-A, Jenkins will likely reach the MLB level before he is close to a finished product with the ability to still be a quality contributor. To reach his ceiling, the hope would be with more reps, health and strength that he can grow into his power at the big league level in a way that could be somewhat reminiscent of Christian Yelich.

Height/Weight: 6’7″, 220 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 1st Round (16) – 2023 (SF) | ETA: 2025

Drafted as a two-way prospect, Eldridge quickly turned heads with his bat with the Giants opting to shift his focus there. He has massive power upside while moving through the Minor Leagues quickly, making his MLB debut during his age 20 season.

Offense

Standing at a wiry 6-foot-7 with long levers, Eldridge already generates impressive bat speed and big exit velocities with a simple operation that really just sees him sink into his back side as his front foot pushes up onto his toe.

While there is hit-tool concern with any hitter with an NBA wing’s build, Eldridge has a quick bat and smooth stroke with pretty good body control already. He will whiff plenty, but consistently hitting the ball as hard as he does (his 95 MPH average exit velocity was one of the best figures in pro baseball) should allow him to make the most out of his contact, even when the ball isn’t leaving the yard.

Eldridge could be expansive with his swing decisions in 2024, but that is to be expected from a 19-year-old with a massive strike zone to have to cover who is being challenged by aggressive assignments.

In the upper minors in 2025, Eldridge’s swing decisions looked improved, particularly doing a good job of laying off of soft stuff down. The overall contact rate was just 67% between Double-A, Triple-A and his brief MLB debut, but if he can even just maintain that figure at the highest level, it should be enough to complement his elite quality of contact.

Eldridge hit 25 homers in 110 games between the three levels in 2025, putting him nearly on a 40 homer pace over 162 games. His left on left numbers were improved at the upper levels and his Hard Hit rate of 62% in 2025 was the highest among all qualified professional hitters. With the quality of contact floor so high, Eldridge is going to get the most out of things when he puts bat to ball. It will all just come down to whether he can do that consistently enough to reach his elite power upside.

Defense/Speed

A below-average runner, the Giants started Eldridge in right field defensively, but has since transitioned to first base. He is still getting his feet under him at first base, where he can ultimately be a fine defender with a plus arm.

Outlook

Eldridge has managed to keep the the swing and miss in a tolerable range with solid plate discipline, but ultimately those fears will not be fully eradicated until he enjoys success at the MLB level. He hits the ball as consistently hard as any player in the Minor Leagues, which has continued to be more rewarded as he has elevated more consistently.

Eldridge has 40 homer upside if he can maintain his contact rates at the highest level and continue his upward trajectory in the swing decisions department. Assuming he lands a bit shy of there, he’s still likely a middle-of-the-order threat who may fend off platoon risk.

Height/Weight: 5’11″, 185 | Bat/Throw: R/R | IFA: $800K, 2024 (MIL) | ETA: 2028

An advanced offensive skillset with plus-plus wheels, Peña has the potential to be a dynamic middle infielder. He feasted on DSL competition in 2024 then hit the weight room hard heading into 2025 adding plenty of functional strength which helped encourage the Brewers to have him skip the Arizona Complex League in tandem with Jesus Made and Peña did not miss a beat in Low-A. He faded towards the end of the season at High-A, which should be far from a concern as he enters his age 19 season.

Hitting

Starting upright with his feet a little for than shoulder-width apart, Peña utilizes a medium-sized gather with his front leg as he pulls his hands back. He patterned his moves to be much more cohesive and fluid heading into the 2025 season, helping him engage his more powerful lower half more effectively, aiding an uptick in bat speed and overall impact. His exit velocities leapt from fringy in the DSL to elite for his age in Low-A in a matter of a single offseason.

As he improved his loading pattern, the contact ability has only benefitted as well, making a seamless transition to Low-A where his contact rate was comfortably above 80% through his first 30 games. His entry point is steeper into the zone, but the bat speed is easily plus, making it more manageable. His average launch angle on hard hit baseball’s is still a bit lower than desired, but should improve as he finds more depth in his swing. Between the feel to hit and bat speed there’s plus hit and above average power to dream on for what could be an electrifying offensive profile.

Peña tends to be overly aggressive, especially on breaking balls, something that held him back once he reached the High-A level towards the end of his age 18 season. The Brewers made it a point of emphasis for Peña during instructionals and Spring Training heading into the 2026 season and were encoruaged by the results.

Defense/Speed

Peña is extremely quick on the base paths, comfortably turning in plus run times, but his lateral movement at shortstop leaves a bit to be desired. The arm is plus, which could accommodate a move to third base. A menace on the base paths in the early going of his pro career, Peña only needed 55 pro games to reach 50 stolen bases and it was more of the same between Low-A and High-A, stealing 44 bags on 51 tries.

Outlook

Though he’s still somewhat far off, Peña has a relatively polished game with the tools to potentially be an All Star. The uptick in power to go with what could be a plus hit tool and plus wheels is a dynamic skill set does not come around too often. Even if Peña moves to third base or second base, his offensive ability should still make him a high-impact player who can make his mark in many ways.

Peña added even more strength heading into the 2026 season, with a focus on handling the workload that comes with a full campaign after fading some towards the end of what was by far the longest season of his life in 2025. If the added strength and improvements against spin translate, Peña could very well be one of the top overall prospects in baseball by the end of 2026.

Height/Weight: 6’5, 210 | Bat/Throw: L/L | 1st Round-A (35), 2023 (MIA) | ETA: 2026

The top southpaw in the 2023 class, White already has an impressive feel for a strong four pitch mix. Despite some command challenges, White has flown through the Minor Leagues thanks to his big whiff stuff, reaching Triple-A by the end of his age 20 season.

Arsenal

Towering at a lanky 6-foot-5, White produces high quality stuff without a ton of effort and held his velocity throughout the season. His long arm action can be difficult to time up for him, affecting his command but his arm path also plays into the deception he creates, hiding the ball behind him before working down on the mound. The result is a fastball that can spring onto hitters more quickly than others at the same velocity despite just average extension.

His fastball sits in the mid 90s, touching 100 mph with late life. While that is already plenty of velocity, his projectable frame and relatively low-effort delivery make him a candidate to see an uptick into the upper 90s. Regardless, it is comfortably a plus heater.

Both White’s curveball and changeup are already above average with the latter looking like a plus pitch in the early stages of his pro career. The sweeping curveball sits in the low 80s with two plane break and roughly 14 inches of horizontal break. It is a big whiff pitch left on left but he has the tendency to leave it up at times, especially to righties. That said, it is still a great third option to opposite-handed hitters, especially when he buries it towards their back leg.

White’s preferred weapon to righties is his mid 80s changeup, which mirrors his fastball well thanks to his ability to maintain his arm speed and unique arm action. Averaging nearly 15 inches of vertical separation and 13 mph of velocity separation from his fastball with a similar movement profile to Ryan Weathers’ change.

Outlook

Already flashing three plus offerings and a quality fourth from the left side, White has frontline stuff. A strikeout rate of 40% between Double-A and Triple-A in his age 20 season only backs up the stuff, but he will certainly need to cut down on his 13.6% walk rate. With only a .174/.299/.225 slash line allowed in 2025 with just two home runs, it’s clear that the only person that can beat White in the upper minors is himself. There’s shades of Blake Snell here and, if White can manage even fringy command, he could still reach towards the front of a big league rotation.

Height/Weight: 6’4″, 235 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 1st Round (16), 2022 (CLE) | ETA: 2025

As athletic of a 6-foot-4, 230+ pound baseball player you’ll find in the Minor Leagues, DeLauter’s Junior season and professional debut was wiped out by a broken foot before another foot issue delayed his start to 2023. He has made up for lost time by putting up huge numbers in High-A, Double-A and the Arizona Fall League, flashing a potentially elite blend of hit and power.

DeLauter will get another late start to the season in 2025 after undergoing sports hernia surgery during Spring Training, then broke his hamate bone in July. He returned to make his MLB debut in the postseason for the Guardians at the end of the season.

Offense

Big and strong with a compact swing, DeLauter is direct to the baseball but still packs a punch. He struggled to control his lower half at times at James Madison University, drifting prematurely onto his front foot which could cause bat drag.

He has cleaned things up since joining the Guardians organization, engaging his lower half and holding his back hip more effectively. There’s still a noticeable slide forward as he swings, which results in the short finish that can look like he is cutting off his swing.

It is not necessarily a major detriment because of how efficient his path is, how much bat speed he generates and his barrel accuracy. He has no problem turning around hard stuff inside, which is a huge checkpoint as to whether DeLauter’s unorthodox mechanics could hurt him at the highest level. His ability to get on plane early and elite swing decisions make him a very difficult player to strike out, walking nearly as much as he has punched as a pro.

The exit velocities have only continued to climb for DeLauter, now comfortably plus in that territory. Though it’s a bit less than a 100 game sample, DeLauter’s EV90 of 107 MPH in that span stands out with a Hard Hit rate right around 50%. It may be more difficult for him to do damage on outer-third pitches, but he does a great job of both hunting the locations he wants and laying off/spoiling the locations he does not.

Defense/Speed

An above average runner, DeLauter’s solid reads and routes allow for him to play a viable centerfield, but he does not get to his top gear as quickly. Given his injury history as well, DeLauter likely projects best in right field, where his plus arm will play well. There’s value in his ability to fill in and hold it down up the middle and even if he is not a consistent stolen base threat, DeLauter is a net-positive on the base paths.

Outlook

Having only played a total of 100 collegiate games including his time on the Cape prior to his pro debut in 2023, DeLauter has had a lot of layoff time and not a lot of at bats. Factor in that DeLauter’s limited collegiate at bats was mostly against weaker competition at James Madison University and it is even more impressive how he was able to demolish his way through every Minor League level.

There’s serious injury concern after fractures on both feet and the sports hernia surgery, but in terms of skill set, there’s not many more well-rounded prospects in baseball. Even with large stretches of time off, DeLauter has returned to action and immediately hit at the upper levels. There’s a rare blend of hit and power, complemented by above average defense in a corner that give DeLauter a high floor in terms of baseball ability with an All Star ceiling.

Height/Weight: 6’7″, 240 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 1st Round (13), 2021 (PHI) | ETA: 2026

The top prep pitching prospect in the 2021 draft, Painter quicly solidified himself as one of the best pitching prospects in the game with a dominant 2022 that saw him pitch to a 1.56 ERA across three levels at just 19 years old.

Painter missed all of 2023 and the 2024 regular season due to Tommy John surgery that he had initially tried to avoid. He returned to action in the AFL where he looked sharp, but battled to shake off the rust as he pitched in Triple-A in 2025.

Arsenal

Possessing a five pitch mix that rivals any pitching prospect in baseball when he’s right, Painter previously bullied lower level hitters with a fastball that averages 97 MPH and can exceed triple digits. His fastball was hit hard in Triple-A in 2025, but that could be explained by a culmination of factors.

The Triple-A ball tends to kill some induced vertical break for pitchers, while fastball velocity can be there upon TJ return, some pitchers take some time to recreate the backspin feel and then the most common being just the feel to locate taking some time to return. Even with that considered, Painter’s fastball was alarmingly easy for hitters to barrel in 2025, which could be a factor of hitters just seeing it well from his delivery as well.

Painter had the tendency to miss over the heart of the plate with his fastball at points and found himself pitching from behind at Triple-A far more frequently than in 2022 when he walked just 6% of batters.

He also added an upper 80s cutter in 2025 that generated strong whiff numbers for, but similar to his fastball, yielded higher OPS against than desired due to execution. His splitter became his most used secondary behind the cutter as the season progressed, generating plus swing and miss figures with an improved strike rate with each start.

The increased splitter usage made his cutter more effective because it allowed him to cut down the usage of the latter against left-handed hitters. Lefties OPS’d 1.300 against the cutter (32 PA sample) compared to .636 against righties (64 PA).

Painter’s 82-84 MPH curveball is an above average pitch and he added a sweeper that is a couple ticks harder.

Outlook

Many pitchers have plenty of rust to shake off after returning from Tommy John surgery given the time off and change in the anatomy of the elbow, but Painter’s case may have been even more difficult. Having taken time off in an effort to avoid Tommy John surgery just to inevitably get it, Painter lost two full seasons while making the leap to Triple-A where the ball is different, the zones are tighter and the hitter’s are more disciplined.

Even with mixed results, Painter returned to action in 2025 with a more complete arsenal, held his velocity and logged 118 innings; all of which were important boxes to check. Painter is a candidate to have a big 2026 season as someone who could be a key piece in the Phillies rotation. Painter will need to execute a bit more consistently, especially with the f

Height/Weight: 6’1″, 180 | Bat/Throw: S/R | 1st round (1) , 2025 (WSN) | ETA: 2028

One of the younger players in the draft, the switch-hitting Willits reclassified to the 2025 class as scouts fell in love with his balanced skill set and polish at such a young age with big league bloodlines.

Hitting

A switch-hitter with a simple operation from both sides of the plate, Willits features little wasted movement leading into a quick and compact stroke. The repeatable moves and consistent timing help Willits see the ball well, boasting an advanced approach.

He’ll split the gaps regularly from both sides and projects to have fringe-average power at the next level, though there’s some more room for strength in his frame, especially considering the fact that he will still just be 17 years old when he makes his pro debut. At this stage, there’s a little bit more impact from the right side, which is common for young switch-hitters who are right-hand dominant.

Defense/Speed

A smooth defender with great instincts and an above average arm, Willits really stood out with the glove from the jump professionally. He can throw from different angles, showing comfort to his backhand thanks to his arm strength, along with the adjustability to throw across his body or on the run going glove side or crashing in. His instincts are ahead of his years making the game look much slower than it should for a 17-year-old infielder in Low-A. His plus speed should be an asset on the base paths as well.

Outlook

The son of former big leaguer Reggie Willits, it’s clear Eli grew up around the game in the way that he goes about his business and his overall feel between the lines at such a young age. Willits’ value comes from the sum of his parts, but you’d be hard-pressed to poke a hole in his game. Even if the power is iffy, the potential for a switch hitter with plus hit and speed with plus defense at shortstop gives him a great chance at becoming an above average regular with plenty more to dream on as he matures and hopefully fills out.

Film: USA 18U Trials

Height/Weight: 6’3″, 200 | Bat/Throw: L/L | 5th Round (151), 2023 (BOS) | ETA: 2025

An athletic lefty, Early has saw his velocity tick up since being drafted while benefitting from some tweaks to his arsenal, ultimately leading to a 2025 breakout that saw him not only finding big league success, but pitching in the postseason for the Sox. He now looks the part of a middle-rotation arm.

Arsenal

Early utilizes a deep bag of offerings that work well off of each other from a low-three quarters release that can create a slight cross-fire feel for hitters. His plus extension allows his stuff to play up, which paired with the uptick in velocity he has seen has resulted in plenty of whiff.

His fastball has climbed from the low 90s at UVA to 92-94 MPH in his first pro season to 93-95 MPH in the early going of 2025. His below average release height and aforementioned release qualities result in above average zone whiff on the four seam along with a sinker that can really run in on the hands of lefties.

Early’s changeup has long been his best offering and has only played up more as he has gained velocity. It is a ground ball machine that picks up plenty of chase below the zone and off the plate away from righties.

The breaking balls took a huge leap forward for Early in 2025, gaining plenty of confidence in his low 80s curveball. The two-plane action particularly stifled right-handed hitters, but he will mix it in effectively to lefties.

Early developed a sweeper that he started to throw more in the big leagues as a left on left equalizer with plenty of success from a command and whiff perspective, overtaking his fringy gyro slider.

Outlook

Early was tabbed as a breakout candidate heading into 2025 and he did that plus more ripping through Double-A and Triple-A before validating his massive gains with MLB success. His release characteristics and the way that the arsenal works off of itself really shined through as his command and execution continued to come along, showcasing athleticism on the mound. Between the uptick in velocity and improved/added secondaries, Early easily looks the part of a middle-rotation starter, but his ability to continuously improve cannot be ignored.

Height/Weight: 5’11″, 225 | Bat/Throw: R/R | IFA: $300,000, 2024 (STL) | ETA: 2028

Rodriguez hit the ground running by mashing in the DSL to start his pro career in 2024 followed by major power surge between the Complex League and Low-A the next season launching 20 homers in just 80 games.

Hitting

Starting crouched and stacked towards his back side with the bat rested just above his shoulder, Rodriguez utilizes a simple operation. His repeatable moves with a path geared to elevate allowed for him to consistently catch the ball out front and do damage to the pull side.

His desire crush stuff in the air to left can cause him to pull off stuff breaking away from him on the outer half, but he rarely missed a hanging breaking ball and hammered fastballs on the inner half. Rodriguez generates above average bat speed with what looks like an easy stroke, boasting an average exit velocity of 89.5 MPH in his age 18 season with a max of 113.4 MPH.

Rodriguez’s ability to recognize spin and overall feel for the zone is advanced for his age, leveraging his hitter’s counts well and boasting a chase rate of roughly 18% against secondaries. While it’s not necessarily a projectable frame, Rodriguez should convert some of his mass into strength as he matures, which paired with the angles he creates, could give him the potential for plus or better game power.

Rodriguez offers an advanced blend of hit, power and approach that make him a fascinating bat with plenty to dream on.

Defense/Speed

Not the nimblest of movers, Rodriguez has work to do in the blocking and receiving department. His plus arm helps his case, throwing out 31% of attempted base stealers in 2025. Still with plenty of time to develop, Rodriguez should get plenty of runway to prove that he can stick behind the dish.

Outlook

While the ability to stick at catcher would significantly elevate his profile, Rodriguez’s bat alone was impressive enough in first season stateside to solidify him as one of the more intriguing teenage prospects in the game. There’s enough power potential for 30+ homers with the bat to ball and approach to allow him to get there or beyond if he can continue on his track.

Height/Weight: 6’3″, 210 | Bat/Throw: R/L | 1st Round (39), 2022 (SDP) | ETA: 2026

A top linebacker recruit in high school, Snelling is one of the more athletic pitchers you’ll find. After dominating to a 1.82 ERA across 103.2 IP. His stuff backed up a bit in 2024 and with that his command at points, resulting in a frustrating sophomore year before being traded to the Marlins as the headliner in the Tanner Scott/Bryan Hoeing return. Snelling worked hard in the offseason heading into 2025 to regain his stuff and optimize his mechanics, emerging with a vastly improved fastball and better overall stuff.

Check out our interview with Robby Snelling!

Arsenal

A good feel for three pitches, Snelling features a fastball, curveball and changeup. Starting with his fastball, Snelling sat more 92-94 MPH in 2023, then saw his velocity drop a tick in 2024 before making some mechanical tweaks heading into 2025 that have allowed him to tick up to 94-96 MPH with improved carry. He dominated upper minor league hitters to the tune of a batting average around .160, a strike rate north of 70% and a swinging strike rate of 15%, making it the best performing fastball in the Marlins organization.

In addition to his improved quality of fastball, Snelling’s mechanical tweaks helped him get his command back to where it typically has been, throwing strikes at an above average clip. He has leaned back into his sweeping curveball that had been effective for him early in his career, finding success with it in the upper minors both from a command and whiff perspective.

Snelling’s third offering is a changeup that is at least average and has benefitted from his improved fastball velocity and shape. He is not as consistent with it as his fastball and curveball, but it is a strong third pitch, averaging more than 13 inches of vertical separation and another six inches of horizontal.

Snelling added a gyro slider heading into 2025 which is a decent taste-breaking offering, especially left on left.

Outlook

After taking the Minor Leagues by storm in 2023, Snelling hit a wall in 2024 and was traded to the Marlins as part of the Tanner Scott/Bryan Hoeing return. As he detailed on The Call Up, Snelling worked hard in the offseason to optimize his mechanics and delivery, emerging in 2025 with the loudest stuff of his career and regained command.

Once viewed as a liability, Snelling’s fastball was one of the most effective in the entire minor leagues while maintaining his plus command. Teammates and people within the organization rave about the way that Snelling carries himself and competes. He is one of the highest floor arms in the minor leagues but has now pushed his ceiling to that of a No. 2 starter.

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 185 | Bat/Throw: L/L | 1st Round (3), 2025 (SEA) | ETA: 2026

Anderson was a highly touted prep arm in the 2023 class, though he withdrew his name from the draft after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2022. He put together a solid freshman season in 2024 before breaking out as the best arm in the country as a draft-eligible sophomore.

Arsenal

Everything about Anderson’s game screams high-floor, but there’s plenty to dream on too. He commands four quality offerings with confidence, starting with a 92-95 MPH fastball with good carry and some cut. Anderson’s frame is projectable wit a quick arm, providing optimism for more velo.

Anderson picked up plus whiff rates within the zone on the fastball, along with plenty of weak contact. Interestingly, Anderson’s fastball command can waver more than his trio of secondaries, but he still maintained a strike rate around 64% with the pitch.

Both of his breaking balls look like potentially plus pitches with good shape and velocity separation. Our Tyler Jennings referred to the slider as a “baby sweeper” with good teeth that makes it effective to hitters from both sides of the plate in the mid 80s.

His curveball has impressive tilt in the upper-70s, mixing it in evenly to hitters of each side of the plate. The depth and late bite helped him pick up plenty of contact on the ground while keeping righties in particular in check.

His changeup doesn’t jump off of the page shape wise, but averages 10 MPH in velocity separation and is extremely difficult for hitters to pick up out of the hand, especially off of his hoppy fastball. Opponents hit below .200 against the offering in 2025.

Outlook

While he does not require much development, Anderson and the Mariners are a match made in heaven. He’s likely to fly through the Minor Leagues quickly with a high probability of at least landing as a back end starter. If the anticipated uptick follows in pro ball and or his fastball execution improves, Anderson could reach closer to his No. 2 ceiling.

Film: Louisiana State/Tennessee – April 14, 2024, LSU/South Carolina

Height/Weight: 5’11″, 210 | Bat/Throw: L/L | 11th round (326) , 2023 (CHC) | ETA: 2027

Extremely toolsy with elite twitch, the Dodgers targeted Hope in the Michael Busch trade for his upside and despite injury, he flashed plenty of that in his first pro season, posting a 144 wRC+ in 61 games. Hope’s follow up campaign was productive, but with more whiff at High-A. It will come down to whether Hope can hit enough for his elite power and plus speed to translate.

Offense

Starting with his feet just wider than shoulder width with his hands relaxed just below his shoulder, Hope gets into his back side with a gathering leg kick as he coils. There’s a case that Hope may counter-rotate too much, with his chest facing towards the catcher as he finishes his load.

Hope is an explosive athlete with tons of torque and bat speed, doing plenty of damage, but the position he gets too pre-swing could make it more difficult to deliver the barrel at the top of the zone, a spot where his whiff was undoubtedly exacerbated.

That said, he crushes stuff down and has demonstrated the patience and discipline to avoid expanding at the top. It’s all fields power for Hope, with 70 grade raw power, evidenced by his 90th percentile exit velocity of 109.3 MPH in 2025.

Hope will likely need to improve upon his 66% contact rate in 2025 for his plus power to reliably translate, but that could very well come with simplifying his operation in the box. Even if the hit tool is around 40 grade, he has the power to leave the yard 30 or more times in a season.

Defense/Speed

A plus runner, Hope’s closing speed has helped him overcome slow reads and shaky routes in the early stages of his pro career. He has the ability to develop into at least an average defender in a corner where his plus arm would complement well. Hope has improved his base stealing ability, swiping 27 bags on 33 tries in 2025.

Outlook

There’s potential for a coveted combination of plus power and speed that could make Hope a dynamic outfielder with All Star upside, but he will need to prove that he can hit enough to tap into those tools. Even if the hit tool stalls, Hope has the ability to be a productive three-true-outcome hitter, with his defensive development becoming an intriguing variable from a WAR perspective.

There’s not many minor league hitters capable of doing the damage that Hope has flashed in his age 19 and 20 seasons. Set up for an age 21 season at Double-A, all eyes will be on Hope’s ability to keep the strikeout rate in check at the upper levels.

Height/Weight: 6’6″, 250 | Bat/Throw: L/L | 2nd Round (50), 2024 (BOS) | ETA: 2025

A big southpaw with a very unique delivery, Tolle started to dominate on the mound upon transferring from Wichita St.–where he was a two-way player–to TCU and focusing on solely pitching. Tolle’s deception and improved stuff has helped him make a smooth transition into pro ball, where he has dominated.

Arsenal

Tolle works down the mound impressively for a 6-foot-6 southpaw, getting 7.7 feet of extension, which would be tops in all of MLB. Pair that with a mid 90s fastball that gets decent carry, and you have an overwhelming heater that gets on hitters very quickly. As a result, Tolle has generated elite whiff rates on his fastball while holding opponents to a batting average around .180 against it.

The secondaries were a work in progress for Tolle as he entered pro ball and still have some room to improve. His gyro slider is ahead of his inconsistent changeup, filling up the zone with the pitch and tunneling well off of his fastball. Tolle’s changeup flashes average and could play up off of his fastball with better execution, but his iffy feel for it has it playing more like a fringy pitch at this point.

Tolle will also mix in a taste-breaking curve that is an effective pitch in the low 80s. He has started to bump the usage up as the season has progressed with the chance to overtake his changeup as his preferred offering against righties.

Outlook

The dominance of Tolle’s fastball and slider gave him a high-leverage relief floor, but now that his command and overall arsenal has come along further in his first pro season, the southpaw looks the part of a potential middle-rotation arm. He will need one of his changeup or curveball to separate as a reliable third pitch, though his 70 grade fastball hedges that prerequisite some.

Big and powerful at 6-foot-7, 250 pounds, Tolle is athletic for his size without much effort in his delivery, providing optimism that he can handle larger workloads too. All of a sudden, Tolle is one of the most exciting LHP prospects in the game.

Height/Weight: 6’4″, 220 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 2nd Round (55), 2024 (SEA) | ETA: 2028

Sloan was a first round consideration for several teams, but it was the Mariners who were able to reel in the prep right-hander with a $3 million bonus (29th pick value) in the second round. The arrow pointed upwards for Sloan as the draft approached, touching the upper 90s with a pair of intriguing secondaries.

Arsenal

Sloan is a big, powerful right hander with a strong lower half, helping him produce mid 90s velocity without major effort. He works down on the mound well, throwing from a high three-quarters release with slightly above average extension and a 5.6 foot release height. This creates a unique angle for hitters from his 6-foot-4 frame.

It can be difficult for Sloan to maintain vert on his fastball from that angle, causing the heater to flatten out some at times, but averaging 95.5 MPH in his age 19 season while touching 99 MPH with relatively light effort makes it easy to dream on the fastball.

Sloan has a great feel for his secondaries, both of which have a chance to be above average or better. His sweeper already looks the part of a plus pitch, dominating lower level hitters in his pro debut in the mid 80s with sharp bite. From his slot, it is particularly devastating pitch to righties, but he had plenty of success mixing it in to lefties.

He neutralized left-handed hitters with an upper 80s splitter that he already has a decent feel for. For it to play closer to the plus territory at higher levels, Sloan will likely need to find more velocity and shape separation. He will also mix in a cutter that was increasingly effective as the season progressed.

Outlook

Sloan is the ideal template for an organization that has had plenty of success developing arms. He’s just shy of Logan Gilbert’s body with a unique release and an advanced feel to spin it. There’s some things he likely needs to clean up shape wise to achieve his ceiling, but it’s reasonable to envision his fastball ticking closer to the upper 90s more consistently. Given his feel to snap breaking balls, Sloan could add a gyro slider or curveball that would help diversify his arsenal a bit as well.

For a big teenager arm, Sloan’s command was stellar, walking just 4.5% of batters. Relative to most hard-throwing prep righties, Sloan has a higher perceived floor while maintaining a sky high ceiling.

Height/Weight: 6’1″, 180 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 7th Round (209), NYM (2022) | ETA: 2025

Tong was the breakout arm in the Mets system for 2024, riding a nearly two tick leap with his fastball to a 3.03 ERA in 113 IP with a ridiculous 34% strikeout rate across mostly Low and High-A. The stuff was even better in 2025, catapulting Tong into the conversation with some of the better pitching prospects in the upper minors.

Arsenal

A unique, over-the-top release and slight cross-fire delivery make Tong an uncomfortable at-bat for hitters. Tong enjoyed another uptick with his fastball in 2025, now averaging 95 MPH the pitch plays up further for Tong as he averages more than 19 inches of induced vertical break from a release height slightly above six feet.

With the carry and deception, Tong dominates within the zone, generating elite whiff rates, while also getting chase at the top. An even bigger development than the uptick in velocity has been Tong’s changeup in 2025. Sitting in the mid 80s, the pitch is difficult to pick up out of his hand. It averages roughly 20 inches of total separation from the fastball, one of the highest marks in MiLB.

Tong’s downer curve ball in the upper 70s flashes above average, but his inconsistent feel for it makes it difficult to rely on. When he is able to locate it, it’s a strong third offering.

Tong made progress with a mid 80s slider in 2024, mostly utilizing it against righties with success, but he will tend to tug it glove side too frequently. The development of his changeup and effectiveness of it right on right has cut into the usage further and much like his curveball, Tong has really struggled to land it consistently.

Outlook

Yet another fastball uptick paired with what now could be a double plus changeup has elevated Tong significantly. When he’s on, there’s few arms in the minor leagues more effective and overpowering. He will need to find more consistency with his spin and overall command to reach his potential as a starter, still fighting to stay above an overall strike rate of 60%. He has middle-rotation upside, but there’s still some reliever risk with the right-hander.

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 175 | Bat/Throw: L/R | IFA: $395,000 – 2024 (PIT) | ETA: 2028

An exciting blend of hit and power, Florentino has been the biggest breakout prospect in the Pirates system in 2025, mashing his way off of the complex and not missing a beat in Low-A in his age 18 season.

Hitting

Starting with his feet a little more than shoulder-width apart and his hands far back in his stance with the barrel wagging, Florentino gets into his back side with a medium-sized leg kick as he pulls his hands back further. He has long legs and gains a fair amount of ground with his stride, but holds his back side well. Already using the ground so well while creating good separation/tension allows Florentino to tap into well above average raw power with a path that easily generates lift.

His feel to hit stands out for a tall, longer levered teenage bat, producing well above average contact rates. Florentino has had success against all pitch types between the complex and Low-A. He really caught my eye when he turned around 100 MPH from emergent pitching prospect Esteban Mejia (Orioles) with a 105 MPH shot to the pull side.

He already recognizes secondaries well too and his ability to stay back and barrel depth gives him such a wide contact range. With a hard hit rate north of 40% and 90th percentile exit velocity above 104 MPH, there’s plus raw power to look forward to when you consider how much more room for strength there is on Florentino’s frame as well, but if he stalls out in that regard, his ability to hit the ball in the air consistently–especially to the pull side–would point towards above average power.

The one small hole to poke in Florentino’s profile is his ability to hit lefties, something that he has both the bat-to-ball skills and time to rectify. Florentino has a chance to provide a valuable combination of above average hit and plus power, making him one of the more exciting teenage bats in the minor leagues.

Defense/Speed

Looks have admittedly been limited at Florentino defensively, but he appears to be more athletic than he initially received credit for. He has turned in average or better run times to first base and swiped 16 bags on 18 tries through his first 28 Low-A games at the time of this report. He has seen the bulk of his action in center field, but most expect him to move to a corner. The Pirates have also mixed in starts at first base for Florentino.

Outlook

It’s still very early in the development of Florentino, but his hot start to Low-A after mashing his way through the Florida Complex League has his stock rising quickly. The data beneath the hood and mechanical components of his swing pair to make Florentino one of the more intriguing teenage hitters in the Minor Leagues. The defensive outlook is still somewhat up in the air, though his above average hit and potential for plus power is enough to make that not matter very much.

Height/Weight: 6’4″, 200 | Bat/Throw: R/R | IFA: $3.2M – 2023 (TEX) | ETA: 2027

A big-framed teenager who already produces some of the highest exit velocities in the Minor Leagues, it is just a matter of putting it all of the extremely exciting ingredients together for Walcott to reach his star ceiling. The Rangers have aggressively pushed the talented infielder, playing him at the Double-A level for the entirety of his age 19 season. Unfortunately, Walcott’s follow up campaign will have to wait until 2027 as he will miss the entirety of the 2026 season with elbow surgery.

Hitting

Walcott starts upright with his hands rested on his shoulder with a hovering leg kick that he has toned down and a quiet hand load. He generates plus bat speed and exciting power with long levers that he already controls relatively well. Already flashing double-plus power, Walcott has popped exit velocities as high as 116 MPH as an 18-year-old with a strong 90th percentile exit velocity of 107 MPH in his age 19 season at Double-A.

His flatter path has hampered the game power some, with an average launch angle of just four degrees on hard hit balls. His path also makes it difficult to produce consistently against secondary offerings, producing more ground balls and pop ups than desired as he can be shallow through the zone.

Even with some things to clean up swing wise, Walcott still turned in an above average offensive season as one of the youngest players at Double-A. There’s plenty of meat still on the bone power wise between the launch angles and the gap between his average exit velocity (88 MPH) and 90th percentile exit velocity (107 MPH). His top end exit velocities at his age imply what should be a much higher hard hit rate than 40% (his 2025 figure) as he learns to find the barrel more consistently.

It will likely always be power-over-hit for Walcott, which is just fine considering the fact that he easily has 30+ home run upside and has already posted solid overall numbers at levels where he was several years younger than the average player. Further refinement to his approach and cleaning up his bat path to raise his quality of contact floor will surely help buoy his offensive profile as he heads into his age 20 season.

Defense/Speed

An above average runner, Walcott is a candidate to slow down a bit as he thickens and his actions/footwork at shortstop are a bit shaky. He tends to field balls off to the glove side and relies on his natural athleticism to make plays, booting too many routine grounders. He’ll flash decent range and his easy plus arm would play well at third base, where he could develop into an average defender as he hammers down the fundamentals further. Walcott swiped 32 bags on 42 tries in 2025.

Outlook

Despite swing and miss issues in the early going of his pro career, Walcott has continued to handled very aggressive assignments well. He cut his strikeout rate to a career-low 19.6% as a 19-year-old at Double-A an incredibly impressive feat for a hitter of his archetype. While the double plus raw power did not completely convert into game power in 2025, Walcott’s step forward approach and contact skills wise was encouraging. The detour in his age 20 season from being able to follow up on those gains is frustrating, but it helps that Walcott was ahead of schedule in terms of his development track.

With improved spray angles, Walcott could easily grow into 30+ home run power, especially with his improved ability to control his at bats. Assuming Walcott moves to third base, he could provide at least average defense there with the offensive upside to be one of the more productive hitters at the position.

Height/Weight: 6’4″, 205 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 1st Round (33), 2021 (BAL) | ETA: 2025

A well-rounded hitter, Beavers has cleaned up his swing mechanics and the positive results have followed as Beavers has mashed Triple-A pitching with the best strikeout-to-walk numbers and slug of his career.

Offense

Starting upright with his weight stacked slightly towards his back side and hands high, Beavers sinks into his back hip as he gets into a medium-sized leg kick and loads with his scap. The moves are in sync and create good separation.

Beavers path is much more efficient put lives in the zone for a long time, generating plenty of contact in the air with the quickness to crush balls pull side. His exit velocities are up big in 2025, seeing his 90th percentile jump by more than three mph and hard hit rate by 7%. With above average contact rates and a chase rate below 20%, it’s hard to poke a hole in Beaver’s offensive game. He is even performing well in left on left matchups.

Nothing jumps off of the page offensively, but there’s the potential for above average hit and plate discipline and average power.

Defense/Speed

A fringe-plus runner, Beavers takes long quick strides and covers plenty of ground in the outfield. His reads are shaky, not always looking the most comfortable as he closes in on balls which in turn affects his routes as well. His speed helps him get by in centerfield in a pinch, but he projects best in a corner where his plus arm plays well.

An efficient base stealer, Beavers swiped 31 bags on 34 tries in 2024 and is on pace to exceed that in 2025.

Outlook

Beavers has at least 50 grade tools across the board, making him a high probability big league regular. With the uptick in power, he fits the corner profile more easily, where around 20 home runs with good on base skills would place him in the comfortably above average regular territory. His speed makes him a legitimate 20-20 threat and a bat you may not have to platoon thanks to his success left on left. He impressed in his MLB debut at the end of the 2025 season, projecting as a key piece for the Orioles in 2026.

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 190 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 3rd Round (87), 2024 (CIN) | ETA: 2027

Few prospects have seen their stock endure more turbulence than Sirota. Viewed as a potential top 10 pick heading into the 2024 collegiate season, he really struggled through the first half, falling to the Reds in the third round before being traded to the Dodgers along with a compensation pick for Gavin Lux. Sirota burst onto the scene as one of the best hitters in the Minor Leagues through the first several months of the 2025 season, posting significantly higher exit velocities with wood than he did with metal the year prior.

Hitting

Starting with his feet a bit wider than shoulder-width and his back foot pigeon-toed inwards, Sirota utilizes a rhythmic hand load that can be a little noisy, but he seems to time his moves well in large part to him starting his load early with good lower half balance. The more upright setup was a large shift from his crouched stance he featured at Northeastern, where he struggled to keep his weight back and had the tendency to pull off of the baseball.

The changes have yielded significantly improved results, seeing his 90th percentile exit velocity leap from 103.5 MPH with metal to 108 MPH with wood through his first 30 or so pro games. There’s still some swing and miss, with a hit tool that will likely be fringy at best, but he hedges that concern with an extremely selective approach and strong ability to recognize spin.

Now flashing what could be plus power and comfort driving the ball to all fields, Sirota could slug more than enough if he skews closer to the three trout outcome outlook offensively, though there’s still time to iron things out further bat-to-ball wise.

Defense/Speed

An above average runner, Sirota gets good jumps in centerfield with an above average arm giving him a good shot of sticking up the middle with the ability to be a plus defender in a corner. Stolen bases are not a huge part of his game, but he should provide some value on the base paths.

Outlook

Sirota’s outlook has shifted as he has tapped into what could be plus power, taking some pressure off of the hit tool. With his knack for drawing walks and chance of sticking in center or providing defensive value in a corner, Sirota has the potential to be an above average outfield option. His ability to mash lefties and play all three outfield spots gives him a solid floor of at least a platoon piece.

Height/Weight: 6’3″, 195 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 1st Round (11), 2024 (DET) | ETA: 2028

A left-handed hitting shortstop with plus power potential and the tools to stick at the six, Rainer stood out as the top prep player in the 2024 class. A shoulder injury unfortunately cut his 2025 campaign short, but he is set to return healthy in 2026.

Offense

Rainer made some swing adjustments that helped elevate him in his senior spring. He now starts with his hands higher and uses the ground much more effectively. There’s natural loft in his left-handed swing with plenty of violence, already producing exit velocities as high as 114 MPH in Low-A. Between his present raw power, ability to elevate and room for more strength, it is easy to dream on plus power with Rainer.

Even with his improvements in the box, Rainer is still looking up at an average hit tool. He can be long to the ball, wrapping the bat far behind his head as he loads, which can cause the barrel to lag behind his body. Rainer has a good feel for the strike zone and has recognized spin well as an amateur. The solid plate discipline helps, but Rainer will need to make some strides in the bat to ball department to tap into his plus power potential.

Defense/Speed

A legitimate two-way prospect, Rainer could run it up to the mid 90s on the mound, but notified teams that he would prefer to hit. After playing all over the diamond for the USA National Team, Rainer focused his attention on the shortstop position where he impressed. The game has looked a little quick for him at shortstop in the early going of his pro career, with footwork that is a tad behind, but his double plus arm plays great on the left side of the infield. An average runner, Rainer is a savvy baserunner who will pick his spots to go.

Outlook

Left-handed hitting shortstops with plus power potential and a shot at the position do not grow on trees, especially in a Tigers system that lacks bats that can stick on the left side of the infield. He will need to make some strides in the contact department and refine his defensive mechanics to attain his ceiling, but the ingredients are there for Rainer to be an everyday shortstop and borderline All Star.

Height/Weight: 6’4″, 200 | Bat/Throw: L/R | IFA: $800K, 2022 (DET) | ETA: 2026

He may not stick behind the dish, but it’s Briceño’s immense offensive upside that makes him an intriguing prospect. He showcased just that by torching the Arizona Fall League after a knee injury limited him to just 40 Low-A games in 2024 and has kept the impressive slug rolling into 2025.

Offense

Starting upright and open with his bat rested on his shoulder, Briceño gathers into his back side with a big leg kick that is slow and controlled as he pulls his hands into his slot. Already standing at 6-foot-4, 200 pounds, Briceño repeats his moves well for such a young, big framed hitter, posting solidly average contact rates as a pro.

The exit velocities are also comfortably plus for Briceño, which has started to translate into consistent game power as he has improved his swing path. There was a clear shift upon returning form his knee injury, as he started to drive the ball in the air more consistently at the end of the regular season and carried that momentum into the Arizona Fall League where he paced all players with 10 home runs in just 25 games, including several tape measure shots to the pull side. He also put on quite a show in batting practice, demolishing home runs to all fields.

The added loft in his swing and his longer levers will likely result in a bit more whiff as he climbs levels, but his ability to recognize spin and above average feel for the zone help hedge strikeout concerns. It’s ultimately all about the game power for Briceño anyways and he now looks like he can launch 30+ homers if it all works out.

Defense/Speed

At the edge of outgrowing the position, Briceño’s receiving and blocking are below average, though he has made some progress as a pro. His arm is average but his catch and throw can be a bit choppy. There’s a good chance Briceño ultimately moves to first base.

Outlook

It’s hard to argue against the batted ball data of Briceño and he has shown flashes of what can be an exciting offensive player. A move to first base surely puts more pressure on the bat, but with game power that could push beyond plus territory, he should be able to handle it. With what looks like at least a fringy hit tool and above average plate discipline, Briceño has the offensive ingredients to be an above average big league power bat and if he can catch once or twice per week that only helps his case.

Height/Weight: 6’1″, 205 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 1st Round (31), 2021 (MIA) | ETA: 2026

After a couple frustrating seasons to start his pro career (so it goes with high school catchers), Mack broke out in a big way in 2024, launching 24 home runs while showcasing plus defense behind the dish. He followed that up with more of the same in 2025, launching 21 homers in 112 games–most of which at Triple-A–along with some of the best defense in the minor leagues.

Hitting

Starting upright with his hands high over his head and the barrel pointed towards right field, Mack pulls his hands down and back as he shifts his weight into his back side. Despite his hands traveling relatively far, Mack handles velocity extremely well, with an OPS around 1.000 against all fastballs and north of 1.000 against 93+ MPH.

On the contrary, Mack can struggle against spin. His overall production was better in 2025, but his 57% contact rate against breaking balls is something he will need to improve. A combination of pitch recognition issues and inconsistent body control likely contribute to the poor results against breaking balls, often spinning off with his front side and/or drifting onto his front foot prematurely.

His average exit velocity of 90 MPH and 90th percentile exit velocity of 105 MPH are comfortably above average and there may even be room for a bit more from Mack, especially as he finds more lower half control and balance. His feel to elevate paired with above average raw power give him 20-25 home run potential at the highest level, even if the hit tool is below average. Mack’s plate discipline has continued to progress, which could help take some pressure off of his contact skills.

Defense/Speed

Mack has all of the tools to be an elite defender behind the dish. His receiving grades out well above average while his arm is plus, throwing out 34% of attempted base stealers in 2024 and 33% in 2025, making caliber of throws that are even rarely seen at the highest level. A good blocker who is technically sound, Mack is an athletic catcher who moves well.

Outlook

With the hit tool likely to be below average, the power development has been huge for Mack’s offensive case. If Mack can improve his ability to hit secondaries, he has a chance to be an above average offensive threat which paired with his defense could make him a 4+ win catcher. Even if the hit tool is below average, his defensive ability and above average power should make him at least an average regular at the position.

Height/Weight: 6’4, 200 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 6th Round (187), 2023 (SEA) | ETA: 2027

The brother of outfielder T.J. Hopkins, Brody was a two-way player at Winthrop University, but struggled mightily with command issues. The Mariners drafted him as a pitcher in the sixth round of the 2023 draft, and he has since started to find the zone with a little more frequency. His stuff still far outpaces the command, but that is more a testament to his five-pitch mix from a unique slot. The Rays acquired Hopkins as part of the Randy Arozarena return. He has massive upside.

Arsenal

You can tell Hopkins had the athleticism to be a quality college outfielder by the way he used to move on the mound, turning inwards with a high leg kick before uncorking from a low three-quarters angle that has him releasing the ball at a 4.8-foot release height.

In the pursuit of more strikes, Hopkins simplified his delivery heading into 2025, staying more square as he lifts his leg while raising his arm angle from roughly 16 degrees to 30 degrees. It’s still a well below-average release height of 5.2 feet, creating a unique look for his high-octane arsenal.

Hopkins fastball jumped at tick to 97 MPH in 2025 with above average carry, topping out at 101 MPH. His most used secondary is a cutter at 91-93 MPH that he will mix in close to evenly to both lefties and righties.

The most devastating swing and miss pitch is Hopkins curveball, featuring more depth than just about any of the few curveballs you can find in the upper 80s. It’s a true 70 grade that he could probably benefit from throwing more as both lefties and righties.

Hopkins changeup has a chance to be a quality pitch, but the shape and command has been far too inconsistent to mix it in more than a handful of times per game. He also experimented with a splitter.

Outlook

Hopkins has a standout pitch mix that can miss a ton of barrels, exemplified by his 28.5% strikeout rate in Double-A in 2025. He upped his overall strike rate by 3% in 2025, but will need to improve upon his below-average command to reach his front-end of the rotation ceiling.

While there’s still some reliever risk, Hopkins continues to chip away at that through his success at each stop and steady gains in the strike department. If he were to land in the bullpen, it’s the kind of stuff that could make him an All-Star closer anyway. As is, Hopkins more likely looks the part of a volatile middle-rotation piece who could flash frontline stuff when he’s on and be frustrating when he’s not.

Height/Weight: 5’11″, 170 | Bat/Throw: R/R | IFA: $525,000, 2023 (BOS) | ETA: 2027

Signed as a glove-first shortstop in 2023, Arias has developed impressively in the batter’s box, tapping into more impact while maintaining good contact and chase rates. Arias is a strong candidate to be the Red Sox next top overall prospect after Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer graduate given his relative polish and upside.

Hitting

Arias showcases impressive balance and lower half control in the box, gathering into his back side with a slow, hovering leg kick. There’s a chance sharper secondaries at more challenging levels could pull him onto his front side more often, but his strong ability to recognize spin and repeat his moves has helped at Low-A. If his ground ball rate remains elevated, an adjustment to keep his weight back longer should not be too difficult for him given the feel for his lower half that he already has.

He boasts a great feel for the barrel, spoiling tough pitches and posting plus contact rates within the zone. After being promoted to High-A, Arias maintained his ability to recognize spin, but became more swing-happy against fastballs, cutting into his walk rate, but he maintained his overall contact rate of nearly 90%.

Arias flashes average power to the pull side with respectable exit velocities for his age, though at this stage, his flatter swing path is more likely to result in line drives and doubles rather than high home run totals.

There’s still more room for Arias to add strength and as he develops he could make adjustments to elevate the ball more consistently, but for now, he skews slightly towards hit-over-power with strong on base skills and still enough impact to hit around 15 homers.

Defense/Speed

Though he is just an average runner, Arias gets the most out of his speed thanks to his solid first step and impressive instincts. Good hands and footwork help Arias attack the baseball on the dirt with confidence and is capable of getting the ball out quick. He puts himself in position to make more difficult plays look routine with the ability to make the difficult plays thanks to his above average arm. Arias is unlikely to be more than an opportunistic base stealer.

Outlook

Solid tools across the board with the instincts and baseball IQ to squeeze the most out of his ability, Arias has the upside to be an above average regular at shortstop, but is at least a high probability big league piece with his defensive value and elite bat to ball skills. With the huge leap Arias made from his age 18 to 19 season and seamless transition to Low-A, the Red Sox are understandably optimistic on his chances of becoming an everyday shortstop moving him somewhat aggressively. He made his Double-A debut still at 19 years old at the end of the 2025 season and should play the majority of the 2026 season in Portland as well.

Height/Weight: 6’0”, 175 | Bat/Throw: R/R | IFA: $297,500 – 2023 (LAD) | ETA: 2028

A well-rounded ballplayer with a chance to stick in centerfield, Quintero tore up the DSL and Arizona Complex League, reaching Low-A prior to his 19th birthday in 2024. He followed that by mashing his way to High-A in the back half of 2025 where he continued to rake.

Hitting

Starting upright with his hands high, Quintero gathers with a hovering leg kick, showcasing good athleticism and patience in the box. His upper and lower half can get out of sync, impacting his ability to tap into power consistently. He flashed average pop in his age 18 season, posting exit velocities as high as 109 MPH, but his average exit velocity of 84 MPH and elevated ground ball rate were likely a result of being out of sync.

Quintero emerged in 2025 with much more patterned swing mechanics and a path more conducive to lifting the ball. He cut his ground ball rate in 2025 while his average exit velocity jumped to 88 MPH. His sub 20% chase rate helped him walk at a 16% clip between Low-A and High-A, which paired with his slightly above average contact rates, should help him keep the strikeout rate in check.

Since the hit tool is likely closer to average than plus, it was important to see Quintero tap into more power and he did just that in 2025, launching 19 homers in 113 games. There’s room for strength within his frame, giving him the potential to push higher in the power deparment given his knack for pulling the ball in the air.

Defense/Speed

A plus runner, Quintero already looks the part in centerfield, getting good jumps with the closing speed to cover plenty of ground. With an above average arm as well, he has the ingredients to be an above average defender or better up the middle as he refines his routes a bit more. Quintero is an aggressive base runner, swiping 47 bags on 60 tries in 113 games in 2025.

Outlook

Quintero’s above average offensive skill set and potential for above average defense or better in centerfield give him a great chance of landing as a big league regular but his uptick in game power and impressive approach really elevated the perceived ceiling in 2025. Another riser in the Dodgers system, Quintero seems to get better each time you see him.

Height/Weight: 6’3″, 175 | Bat/Throw: L/R | IFA: $1.5M, 2021 (LAD) | ETA: 2027

De Paula quickly emerged as one of the top prospects in baseball thanks to his advanced nature in the box for his age. It’s a bat-first profile, but De Paula’s blend of hit, power and patience could make him a force with the bat alone.

Offense

De Paula has a simple set up and a slow, controlled load. He has no problem turning around velocity, where his operation is rhythmic with a smooth swing. The challenge for De Paula has been maintaining his posture against secondaries, particularly right-handed secondaries. He tends to struggle to hold his back side, leaking forward prematurely causing the barrel to drag behind him with a steeper path.

There’s potential for above average hit if he can iron things out against secondaries with him likely to push closer to his plus power potential as well. His reverse splits give him a lot of ground to make up against right-handed pitching, but at least squash any concern about same-handed matchups, posting an OPS north of 1.000 against southpaws in 2025.

De Paula is extremely patient–sometimes passive–drawing plenty of walks throughout his professional career. He likely settles closer to average hit and above average power, but with De Paula’s ability to draw free passes and hit left on left, that would be more than enough for him to be a very productive MLB bat.

Defense/Speed

A fringe-average runner, De Paula has improved his reads and routes in the outfield to be able to get by out there. His arm is average. He’s an instinctual base runner who provides value on the base paths with his ability to pick spots to go. De Paula swiped 32 bags on 40 tries in 2025 after nabbing 27 on 30 tries in 2024.

Outlook

De Paula’s offensive upside is immense, compensating for limited value beyond the bat. He has posted exit velocities north of 114 MPH and is still learning to convert his plus raw power into games. With some mechanical improvements, De Paula could combine enough hit, power and patience to be a middle-of-the-order masher. Until he improves against secondaries though, De Paula may have some speed bumps in the upper levels. Turning 21 years old during the first few months of 2025 season, De Paula has plenty of time to get there.

Height/Weight: 6’3″, 250 | Bat/Throw: R/R | IFA: $3.1M, 2023 (CIN) | ETA: 2027

A power-hitting catcher with hit tool concerns, Duno has flashed exciting tools both offensively and defensively, but has dealt with injuries in his first two pro seasons. A crazy athlete for his size, Duno has made up for lost time in 2025, impressing on both sides of the ball at Low-A.

Hitting

A big-bodied right-handed hitter, Duno starts slightly stacked towards his back side with the bat waggling above his back shoulder before gathering with a sizable leg kick that results in him gaining plenty of ground. Often times, Duno had the tendency to gain too much ground, pushing forward onto his front side with the barrel dragging behind him.

He has cut down on the drift forward in 2025, holding his back side better, which has resulted in improved contact rates and more pull side damage. The contact rate is still below average at 70%, but is up nearly 10% from 2024.

Duno is powerful, registering exit velocities as high as 112 mph with a 90th percentile exit velocity of 105 mph as a pro. His approach stands out as well, running a chase rate around 15% and walking at a significant clip.

He his maxed out physically, but does not really need to add much in the raw power department to reach his plus power potential. Already cleaning up his mechanics some, Duno is headed in the right direction to be able to get into his power enough and his plate discipline only helps his case if the hit tool stalls.

Defense/Speed

Duno moves well for a player of his build with a plus arm behind the dish. He DH’d in his pro debut due to an arm issue, but has showed off the arm strength in Low-A in 2025, throwing out 27% of attempted base stealers. When it comes to receiving, he is still raw in terms of technique, but appears to have the skill set to be solid in that regard with the same to be said in the blocking department. He has the tools to be above average behind the dish

Outlook

With the potential for plus power and solid defense behind the dish, Duno could be an above average big league catcher, even if the offensive profile trends towards the three true outcomes. 2025 was an encouraging step in the right direction health wise and hit tool wise, highlighting his above average upside both at the plate and behind it. You can dream on 30 homers and good defense if it all works out, but anything close to that is a great outcome.

Height/Weight: 5’11″, 180 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 4th Round-C (134), 2023 (NYM) | ETA: 2027

A speedster with advanced abilities at the plate, Ewing broke out in a big way in 2025, looking like a high probability big leaguer with some versatility.

Hitting

A simple operation, Ewing starts with his feet a little more than shoulder-width apart and the bat rested just above his shoulder. He utilizes a moderate gather as he pulls his hands back slightly. His repeatable operation helps him be on time consistently, making posting above average contact rates with good plate discipline.

Ewing has a knack for finding the barrel, producing plenty of line drives and higher exit velocities than what may be expected from a hitter of his archetype, averaging 89 MPH in 2025 with a max of 112 MPH.

His swing path can flatten out at times, with an average launch angle on hard hit baseballs of just seven degrees, but his ability to consistently spray line drives to all fields helps hedge some of that concern. Ewing is comfortable in left on left matchups, actually producing slightly better contact rates against same-handed competition.

If Ewing can generate a bit more loft to the pull side, the exit velocities are there to produce more homers, but given his speed, production and ability to find the outfield gaps, it may be more of an “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” kind of thing.

As he currently stands, Ewing should still be able to mix in a hand full of homers with the ability to compile plenty of doubles and triples (he had 11 of the latter in 2025). His above average plate discipline and ability to hit lefties only helps solidify what is a strong floor for a hitter.

Defense/Speed

An elite runner, the Mets have continued to up Ewing’s reps in centerfield where his reads are improving, but his closing speed already compensates enough to get by.

While his routes can be indirect at times, Ewing’s ability to unlock another gear and athleticism to finish plays has him looking like a capable centerfielder, but with more refinement, he can grow into an above average defender out there. Ewing looks comfortable at second base, where he could also provide at least average defense.

One of five minor leaguers to steal at least 70 bags in 2025, Ewing was the second most efficient of that group and should be an elite base stealer at the highest level.

Outlook

Between the advanced offensive skill set, speed and defensive versatility, Ewing has a high floor as a player who should at least land in a utility role if the bat stalls. That said, his propensity for hitting line drives and solid exit velocities point towards what could be an everyday center fielder who can jump onto the dirt when needed. With a little bit more progress defensively up the middle, Ewing has a good chance to be an above average regular who could be an intriguing table-setter at the top of the order.

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 205 | Bat/Throw: R/R | PPI (31), 2024 (ARI) | ETA: 2026

A bat-first prospect who saw action all over the diamond throughout his collegiate career before settling on left field, Waldschmidt possesses intriguing offensive upside, but his limitations defensively place more importance on him tapping into more power.

Hitting

Starting wide and crouched, Waldschimdt deploys a no stride approach, shifting his weight into his back hip with a small hand load. While it is a simple operation, Waldschmidt’s swing is max effort and geared for lift, often swinging so hard his helmet nearly falls off of his head. His strong plate discipline and simple pre-swing moves aid his solid contact rates despite the violence once he launches.

Waldschmidt’s path is geared for pull-side lift can result in some challenges against softer stuff away, but he hedges that with his elite approach and pitch rec skills. Waldschmidt dismantled fastballs to an OPS north of 1.000 with a 93% Z-contact against fastballs 93+ MPH. His 15% chase rate was one of the lower figures in the minor leagues, helping him walk nearly as much as he struck out.

With his ability to drive the ball in the air consistently and slightly above average exit velocities, Waldschmitdt should provide above average power with strong on base skills.

Defense/Speed

After missing out on defensive reps in his draft year due to a torn ACL, Waldschmidt quickly flipped the script on his defense as a pro, looking good enough in the corners that the Diamondbacks gave him consistent reps in centerfield to close out the season at Double-A. He still projects as a corner outfielder, but a potentially above average one at that, now leveraging his above average wheels with cleaner routes and good jumps. He stole 29 bags in 2025, but could be more efficient, being caught 10 times as well.

Outlook

Waldchmidt was off to a fantastic start on the Cape before tearing his ACL. He still was able to return to the field for the start of the 2024 season, but the missed summer and injury did not help the already prevalent defensive questions surrounding him. As a result, Waldschmidt slipped to the Diamondbacks with the 31st overall pick.

He has quickly looked like a steal for the Diamondbacks outside of the top 30 selections, proving to be a much better defender than evaluators thought post-injury while his offensive qualities have translated seamlessly into pro ball. Mashing to an OPS north of .900 in a 68 game Double-A sample in his first pro season, Waldschmidt has really expedited his timeline and could even see big league action at some point in 2026. It’s easy to see an above average big league bat with underrated value defensively and with his legs.

Height/Weight: 5’8″, 180 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 1st Round (14) – 2022 (NYM) | ETA: 2026

Compact but explosive, Williams is a great athlete with more impact than his frame would suggest. His polish at the plate helped him fly through the minor leagues, reaching Double-A in his age-19 season in 2023, before having most of his 2024 wiped out by wrist surgery. He has returned to mashing at Double-A in 2025 before finishing the year in Triple-A. Williams was acquired alongside Brandon Sproat during the offseason in the deal that sent Freddy Peralta and Tobias Myers to the Mets.

Offense

A relaxed, narrow setup, Williams uses a decent-sized leg kick to gather into his back hip, but controls his lower half well. Despite his smaller frame, Williams is strong with a powerful lower-half, using the ground well to create power.

Between his lower half control and minimal movement with his hand load, Williams is consistently on time and leverages his small strike zone well. One of the more patient hitters in Minor League Baseball, Williams has chased roughly 15% of pitches as a pro.

Producing average exit velocities, Williams consistently drives the ball in the air consistently with good carry to the pull side, giving him a solid chance to hit for average game power. There’s a decent amount of zone whiff, especially on elevated four seamers that could create some challenges for Williams, but his approach helps hedge that concern.

Williams has the angles to out-slug his average exit velocities, but there’s some concern that the bat to ball may not be proficient enough to consistently get into it, especially with his tendency to expand more against sinkers than any other pitch type.

Defense/Speed

Williams has slowed down some since being drafted, putting on some weight ahead of the 2024 season. It more effected is ability to get to his top speed than footwork at shortstop, which actually looked improved.

He works low to the ball with good hands and an above average arm that is capable of making throws from different angles. While he can make the tough throws, he has the tendency to sail a few too many relatively routine throws, especially when he sits back on the ball.

With how quickly Williams has climbed through the minors and the presence of Francisco Lindor at the highest level, the Mets mixed in center field reps where he relies on his natural athleticism to get by, but has the closing speed and arm to get by out there. With the Brewers unique infield situation, Williams is expected to see reps all over the diamond, including third base.

Williams projects best at second base, where he could be an above average defender as apposed to the average-at-best defense he’d likely provide at shortstop or centerfield. He should consistently be a factor on the base paths, swiping 34 bags on 43 tries in 2025.

Outlook

2025 was an encouraging bounce back season for Williams after losing most of 2024 to injury, but there is still a question as to where he will play long term defensively with an offensive profile that will likely be somewhat dependent on him launching 15+ homers from his 5-foot-7 frame. His versatility is still an asset, which hedges some of the long term positional concern, even if he not particularly great at a singular spot.

The Brewers are bullish on their newly-acquired prospect, who could break into the big leagues in somewhat of a super-utility role. The versatility, speed, approach and sneaky pop give Williams the foundation to be a big leaguer for a long time. The questions of how much power he can get into and how good the defense is at what spot makes it difficult to project high-end WAR outputs.

Height/Weight: 5’11″, 195 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 1st Round (1), 2024 (CLE) | ETA: 2026

Bazzana’s bat-to-ball has not proven to be as elite as it was projected to be as an amateur, but he still offers a high-floor offensive profile thanks to his blend of at least average hit and power, seasoned by plus or better swing decisions.

Offense

Starting crouched with his hands relatively high and close to his slot, Bazzana gets into his back side with a leg kick and a slight pull backwards with his scap. Though it’s a big leg kick, Bazzana’s athleticism and body control allow him to repeat his moves well and consistently be on time. Though more whiff has crept into his game professionally likely due to his max-effort swing, Bazzana has the feel for the barrel to impact the baseball at all four quadrants of the zone.

His is particularly adept to getting to pitches on the inside part of the plate, turning fastballs around in spots that would blow up a lot of hitters. He creates a great angle for pulling the ball in the air while remaining as efficient as possible to pitches in that location, showcasing comfortably above average to his pull side. He handles left on left matchups with ease and comfort as well.

Bazzana’s has a fantastic feel for the strike zone and stays committed to his approach. His willingness to get into deep counts resulted in more strikeouts at the upper levels, but he leverages his small strike zone well and will draw plenty of free passes. It’s closer to average hit and power, maximized by potentially elite swing decisions, but Bazzana flashes above average pop to the pull side and it would be silly to count him out from maximizing that as he gains more comfort at the higher levels.

Defense/Speed

Bazzana exclusively played second base in his draft year, where he is sure-handed with a fringy arm. A plus runner, it could be worth auditioning him in centerfield or left field where his elite makeup and instincts could help him catch on quickly. He should provide value on the base paths, swiping 17 bags on 19 tries through his first 111 pro games between 2024 and 2025.

Outlook

Though he’s maxed out physically, Bazzana leaves little on the table. His ceiling may be a bit more limited than other No. 1 overall picks and while his first full pro season was slightly checkered due to injury, he showcased a skill set that makes him a high probability big league regular at second base. If he can lean into the pull side power a bit more, Bazzana could push closer to 25 homer upside, but he currently projects as a high-OBP second baseman who can go 20-20 in his stronger seasons while striking out a bit more than people may expect from a player of his archetype.

Height/Weight: 6’1″, 195 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 2nd Round (43), 2024 (CWS) | ETA: 2027

The Gatorade High School Player of the Year in back-to-back years in Michigan, Bonemer enjoyed a decorated high school career, but produced inconsistent results on the summer circuit, causing him into late first round consideration. The White Sox were thrilled to sign him away from a UVA commitment with first round money ($3 million), betting on his exciting offensive upside which stacked up with just about any prep hitter outside of the top 15 picks.

Offense

Starting upright with a slight favor towards his back side weight wise, Bonemer utilizes a very simple operation in the box with almost no hand movement and just a short stride. As the pitcher gets into his motion, Bonemer pre-sets himself with an early coil into his back side, then just strides from there.

He is so stagnant that it may result in him being too stiff or lacking rhythm. That said, he has showcased a decent feel for the barrel with a direct path that points towards a potentially average hit tool. He has already demonstrated a great feel for the strike zone, recognizing spin well with a solid approach, boasting a chase rate of roughly 16% in his first full pro season.

His path is efficient, but geared for pull side lift, helping him mash 46 extra base hits in 107 games in 2025 with a ground ball rate of just 35%.

There’s not a ton of room for strength to be added to his frame, but he is already physical, producing above average exit velocities with what looks like minimal effort. He also has had little issue elevating with consistency in the early going of his pro career. There’s good on base skills and above average power to dream on.

Defense/Speed

Bonemer has the arm and actions to stick on the left side of the infield, with the White Sox brass encouraged by his defensive chops at shortstop in the early going. There’s a chance he could slide over to third base, where he would likely project as an average defender or better. He’s an above average runner who should be a decent threat on the base paths.

Outlook

Bonemer created some positive buzz with a strong showing in the bridge league at the end of 2024 and carried the success into a really impressive first full pro season in 2025. Early returns have made it easy to envision above average power in Bonemer’s future with the plate discipline and sneaky athleticism to further elevate his profile. If he can stick at shortstop, Bonemer’s stock will soar, but even with the chance of moving to third base, his offensive abilities have made him one of the more intriguing prospects in the White Sox organization.

Height/Weight: 6’3″, 220 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 2nd Round (45), 2020 (SD) | ETA: 2025

A big left-handed hitter with some of the best raw power in the minors, Caissie has immense power upside while making progress with his approach and defense. He posted the best season of his career in his second taste of Triple-A before being shipped to Miami as the headliner in a three player package for Edward Cabrera.

Offense

Standing at 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, Caissie has consistently posted some of the better quality of contact figures in the minor leagues over the last few years. The big power has come with swing and miss, but he has chipped away at the strikeout rate as he has climbed to the upper levels, posting the lowest strikeout rate of his pro career in Triple-A in 2025 (27.9%).

Caissie has found more consistency with his pre-swing moves as he has compiled at-bats, syncing his upper and lower half more effectively. This has not only helped him hit the ball harder, but also in the air more consistently, converting more of his borderline-70 grade raw power into usable game pop to all fields.

His EV90 of 108 MPH in 2025 was up from the 2024 season, as was his Hard Hit rate of 51%. With a rolling contact rate that only improved as the season progressed, there’s reasonable optimism that Caissie will hit enough to get into his power with some consistency.

An important hurdle will be improving his chase rates against sliders and changeups in particular, though Caissie took a step in the right direction in that regard in 2025.

Defense/Speed

Caissie moves well for his size, but his limited experience in the outfield heading into 2022 was evident in his reads and routes. He has come a long way since then, projecting as an average defender in right with a plus plus arm.

Outlook

Despite being young for the level, Caissie turned in another strong offensive campaign, producing a 115 wRC+ in his age 21 season at Triple-A in 2024. He followed that up by improving across the board at the same level in 2025, producing a wRC+ of 139 with three more homers in 28 less games while marginally improving his strikeout and walk rates.

Caissie has the power to eclipse 30 home runs, but the hit tool questions will cast a slight shadow over his profile until he proves it at the highest level. He could benefit from being a bit more selective at the plate as well. With his strides defensively and solid numbers left on left, Caissie looks like a quality everyday corner outfielder who likely skews towards the three true outcomes. After being traded to the Marlins as the headliner of the Edward Cabrera deal, Caissie should be a factor for the Fish early in the 2026 season.

Height/Weight: 6’4″, 200 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 1st Round (6), 2025 (PIT) | ETA: 2028

The best arm in the 2025 Draft class, Hernandez earns high marks for his sheer stuff paired with advanced pitchability for his age and frame.

Arsenal

At 6-foot-4, 200 pounds, Hernandez has plenty of projection remaining to his frame, and his operation is as easy as they come. He’s very athletic and moves fluidly down the mound with loud arm speed and a methodical nature to his timing.

His fastball has sat in the mid 90s, touching triple digits. There is some concern that the fastball could be limited by its shape, but that should be guarded some by velocity that could easily be sitting in the upper 90s as Hernandez matures.

His change-up is immediately one of the best in the minor leagues, a low-80s parachute that flashes plus with a ton of sinking action and velocity separation from the heater. He’ll mix in a bigger curveball in the low-80s that dives beneath the barrels of lefties and righties.

He will also mix in a cutter/slider hybrid in the upper 80s that flashes average and has the potential to be a strong fourth offering.

Outlook

His secondary command will need refinement, but overall, he peppers the strike zone. The mix of pure stuff, projection, and athleticism makes him as exciting of an arm as there is in the lower minors, even acknowledging the risk of the prep righty archetype.

Hernandez was a bit older for the class, but has the ingredients to move quicker than his peers with a pitch mix that could give him frontline potential. Aside from the obvious caveat of pitcher health, biggest variable for Hernandez to reach that potential may be his fastball shape.

Height/Weight: 5’11″, 205 | Bat/Throw: L/L | IFA: $2.5M, 2019 (MIN) | ETA: 2025

One of the most exciting power bats in the lower minors, Rodriguez has monster offensive upside. Injuries have slowed Rodriguez’s development a bit, but he has been fantastic when on the field and appeared to be putting the final pieces together at the upper levels in 2024 before suffering a thumb injury that limited him to 47 games. 2025 was more of the same for Rodriguez, playing just 52 games as he dealt with more injuries.

Offense

Lightning quick bat speed and an explosive lower half helped Rodriguez put up elite exit velocities as a teenager and he has continued to grow into more juice as he has matured and gotten healthy. Rodriguez unfortunately tore his meniscus in June of his 2022 campaign, cutting his coming out party short with a 1.044 OPS in 47 games. The combination of plus power and patient approach allowed Rodriguez to feast on Low-A pitchers despite a 68% contact rate.

Rodriguez had to shake some rust off in the early going of his 2023 campaign, but really hit his stride once June rolled around. One of the most patient hitters in the Minor Leagues, Rodriguez found himself bordering on overly passive at points, taking pitches he could do damage on leading to far too many deep counts.

He has since done a better job of pulling the trigger on pitches in the zone, while running an unfathomably low chase rate below 10% in 2024. He seemed to have taken another step forward overall, dismantling Double-A and Triple-A competition to the tune of a 1.045 OPS with the aforementioned chase rate resulting in a gargantuan 24.4% walk rate, before thumb issues limited him to just 47 games.

Rodriguez was hitting the ball as hard as ever in 2024, running an average exit velocity of 94.7 MPH, which would have ranked fourth in MLB among qualified hitters. With his ability to hit the ball in the air consistently and leave the yard to all fields, Rodriguez could push towards 40 home runs.

Defense/Speed

An above average runner, Rodriguez covers enough ground to play a viable center field. His reads have continued to improve and despite his big frame, Rodriguez has maintained more agility and quickness than many scouts imagined when he was at the lower levels. If the moves to a corner he could be a borderline plus defender. He swiped 20 bags in 99 games in 2023 and was on pace to exceed that total in 2024 before the Twins encouraged him to stay put at first base to mitigate injury risk.

Outlook

Rodriguez has enough power to clear 30 home runs easily with the athleticism to provide 20+ stolen bases and stick in center field. Pair all of that with one of the most selective approaches in the minor leagues and steady improvements to his overall offensive game and the Twins could have an All Star slugger on their hands. It will be a three true outcome profile, but maybe as exciting of an example as you can find. It’s all about health for Rodriguez heading into 2025.

Height/Weight: 6’5″, 220 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 1st Round, (7) 2025 (MIA) | ETA: 2027

Long levered with underrated athleticism and intriguing power potential, Arquette looks the part of an above average regular, even if he slides over to third base.

Hitting

Starting with his feet a little more than shoulder-width apart and his hands just in front of his back shoulder, Arquette looks very relaxed in his setup before getting into a decent-sized leg kick. While his hands are a little noisy, he hasn’t had much trouble timing up the barrel movement with his leg kick, looking controlled and rarely rushed.

Arquette’s long levers make it easy for him to generate good bat speed, producing plus exit velocities while hitting the ball at optimal angles. His average launch angle on batted balls 95+ MPH was nearly 20 degrees in 2025, giving him the potential for plus game power at the highest level.

Despite his longer frame and loft in his swing, Arquette has a decent feel for the barrel producing solid contact rates in his draft year, providing optimism for an average hit tool. He recognized spin well as an amateur, with but it will be important to monitor if his moving parts can lead to some timing issues against higher quality stuff in pro ball.

It will likely be power-over-hit for Arquette, but his plus power potential will give him a good chance to be an above average bat, even if the hit tool is fringy. If the hit tool and plate discipline progress to average, there’s enough there to be a middle-of-the-order masher.

Defense/Speed

A good athlete for his size, the Marlins are going to give Arquette every opportunity to stick at shortstop where his range is sneaky with pretty good hands and a plus arm. It can take some time to get the ball out and he can struggle to throw from different arm angles. If Arquette moves to third base, he would easily project as an above average defender.

While he only stole seven bags on eight tries in 2025, Arquette is at least an average runner underway, sometimes turning in above average run times up the line.

Outlook

The Marlins were thrilled to land the top college bat in the 2025 class with the seventh overall selection, instantly becoming the organization’s top infield prospect. Of course, the profile is more appealing if Arquette can play an average shortstop, but even if Arquette moves to third base, his power upside and glove would give him above average regular upside.

Height/Weight: 6’0″, 200 | Bat/Throw: L/L | CB-B (73), 2024 (ATH) | ETA: 2026

One of the most biggest breakout arms of 2025, Jump has seen his fastball velocity climb by two ticks as a pro while finding a much better feel for his breaking balls.

Arsenal

Jump’s fastball leads the way, now sitting in the mid 90s with plus carry, averaging 18 inches of induced vertical break from a below average release height. He also has a slight hesitation in his delivery that seems to only add to the uncomfortable nature of his fastball for hitters. The velocity and life it features makes it a big whiff pitch within the zone as well as a chase pitch at the top.

Working off of his plus fastball is a pair of breaking balls with the sweeper leading the way at 82-84 MPH. Jump’s breaking ball shapes have some variance that seems to be unintentional, but he still has little trouble landing them for a strike consistently. Sometimes it’s more of a true sweeper, other times it’s shorter horizontally with a bit more depth vertically.

Jump’s curveball is a bit more consistent shape wise, featuring two-plane break at 79-81 MPH. He prefers to throw it to righties, showcasing a good feel to back door it as well as bury it towards the back leg of hitters.

Lagging well behind is Jump’s changeup, which he only mixes in around five percent of the time with a strike rate below 50%.

Outlook

Jump’s uptick in stuff and improved pitchability helped him breakout in a big way in the early going of the 2025 season and he did not miss a beat after quickly being pushed to Double-A. His standout fastball will easily be a plus pitch at the highest level and with a pair of breaking balls that he has developed a great feel for to go with it, Jump now looks like a potential No. 3 starter who should at least land as a quality No. 4 option.

Height/Weight: 6’3″, 190 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 1st Round, (26) 2023 (NYY) | ETA: 2027

The son of former big leaguer and second round pick George Lombard, the Yankees were intrigued by Lombard Jr.’s well-rounded game at shortstop along with plenty of physical projection. Combine the projectable frame and bloodlines with the fact that he was one of the youngest players in his class and it’s easy to see why the Yankees were eager enough to shell out $3.3M ($300K over slot) to sign him. Early returns have been validating has he showed up to camp in 2026 stronger with a better swing and the results have followed.

Offense

Starting upright with his feet a tad more than shoulder width apart, Lombard’s pre-swing moves are rather simple with a minimal leg kick in tandem with a rhythmic hand load. His swing path was somewhat steep in his first pro season, minimizing his window for contact and resulting in more ground balls, but he made some adjustments that improved both his swing path and coordination of his upper and lower half.

He already flashes good bat speed and a solid feel for the barrel as well as athleticism in the box that should help him develop into an average hitter. Where Lombard is particularly impressive is his pitch recognition and feel for the strike zone. He rarely expands the zone and leverages his advantage counts successfully, which in large part encouraged the Yankees to aggressively push him to Double-A within the first few months of the 2025 season.

With his path cleaned up and added strength, Lombard has a chance to tap into at least average power and above average hit. His plate discipline really shores up his offensive outlook.

Defense/Speed

An above average runner, Lombard moves his feet well at shortstop and boasts a plus arm. He is comfortable making throws on the run from different angles and off balance. He has the tendency to sit back on balls from time to time (common for young infielders with big arms), but it’s easy to envision Lombard sticking at the position with above average defense. He swiped 39 bags on 47 tries in 2024 and has been more effective in that department as he has gained more experience.

Outlook

Already with some impressive polish for one of the youngest players in the 2023 class, Lombard looks to have the ingredients of a well-rounded everyday shortstop if the bat can continue to come along. The Yankees have understandably pushed him aggressively given the superb makeup and advanced nature of his game. How much power Lombard can tap into will help elevate his ceiling, but with average or better tools across the board, he seems like a high probability regular at short with plenty more to dream on.

Height/Weight: 6’6″, 235 | Bat/Throw: R/R | IFA: $1.7M 2022, (SDP) | ETA: 2026

Acquired by the Nationals in the Juan Soto haul, Susana turned heads at the complex with electrifying stuff, headlined by a triple digits fastball that he struggle to reign in. Now filling up the strike zone in High-A, Susana’s stock is skyrocketing.

Arsenal

Easily some of the best raw stuff in the Minor Leagues, Susana offers two distinct fastballs: a four seamer that averages 100 mph and a two seamer at 99 mph. He can run the four seamer up to 103 mph, exploding through the zone and dominating at the top third. His two seamer averages 14 inches of horizontal run and is mostly utilized to blow up righties inside or catch them looking at the back door.

His cutterish slider at 89-91 mph has consistently left hitters baffled, with hard gyro break that dives beneath the barrels of hitters from both sides of the plate. Through his first 18 starts of 2024, opponents hit just .140 against the offering with even splits. His command of the pitch has really come along, landing it for a strike 67% of the time. The action of both his two seamer and slider result in plenty of ground balls, helping him keep his pitch count down.

Susana will also mix in a slurvy curveball in the mid 80s that flashes above average. Rounding out his arsenal is a power changeup that he will mix in a couple times per start in the low 90s. It has a chance to be a solid fourth offering if he finds more comfort and feel for it.

Outlook

Susana has exclusively worked out of the stretch for most of his pro career, however something clicked for him mid-way through his age 19 season, repeating his release point much more consistently with a delivery that does not appear high effort for the output that the 6-foot-6 power pitcher is generating. While two distinct fastballs at 100 mph and a wipeout slider gives Susana the floor of a high leverage arm, his shocking strides in the command department and ability to generate ground balls now have him tracking like a high-upside starter, albeit, still with plenty of volatility.

Height/Weight: 5’8″, 235 | Bat/Throw: L/R | IFA: $1.5M – 2021 (CHC) | ETA: 2025

A bat-first profile, Ballesteros offers an exciting blend of hit and power that helped him climb three levels as a 19-year-old in 2023 and reach Triple-A as a 20-year-old in 2024. He has raked at every stop, but he offers little value beyond the bat.

Offense

Starting upright with his barrel resting on his shoulder, Ballesteros gets into his backside with a big leg kick that he starts as the pitcher breaks his hands. Though it’s a big move, he controls it well and starts it early, helping him consistently be on time.

The big gather allows Ballesteros to really utilize his powerful lower half, holding his backside well before unleashing impressive rotational explosion. The controlled violence Ballesteros possesses with his swing is hard to find, controlling the barrel exceptionally well with a bat that seemingly lives in the zone forever, but with plus bat speed.

His path gives him a wider margin for error, entering the zone deep and maintaining his direction and bat angle well. As a result, Ballesteros has the ability to drive the ball with carry to all fields. 20 of his 44 extra base hits in 2024 were to the opposite field. His wider margin for error helps him get away with a slightly aggressive approach as he is able to spoil tough pitches and adjust when fooled.

While there may not be much projection on his frame, he could convert some of his mass to strength as he matures, potentially helping his power reach the plus territory. Right now, his pop is comfortably above average, boasting a 90th percentile exit velocity of 105 MPH with flashes of plus pop to his pull side (113 MPH max).

Left-on-left matchups were a challenge for Ballesteros in 2023, posting an OPS below .600, before improving drastically in that regard in 2024 (.804 OPS). Offensively, he has the goods to be an everyday big league bat.

Defense/Speed

Big and bulky, Ballesteros is a work in progress behind the dish. A below average blocker, his thicker build limits his mobility behind the dish. His arm is plus, but he tends to be inconsistent with his pop times, though he has flashed average throw times down to second base when everything goes right. He threw out just 12% of base stealers in 2024.

Standing at just 5-foot-8 with measurements being thrown out an inch in either direction depending on who you ask, Ballesteros would be shortest first baseman in MLB, perhaps increasing the importance of him sticking behind the plate. He may only be a part-time catcher, with a lot of his at bats coming from the DH spot.

Outlook

Ballesteros is a natural hitter in every sense. His ability to handle aggressive assignments with relative ease only helped hammer that notion home. The focus for Ballesteros has been the defensive side of things since reaching Triple-A, working through the offseason in the Arizona Fall League and at the Cubs complex to get his defense to a passable level.

He most likely projects as a below average defender behind the dish who splits time at DH, placing more pressure on the bat. The good news is, he has a chance to hit for both average and power while fending off platoon concerns.

Height/Weight: 6’0″, 180 | Bat/Throw: L/R | IFA: $90K, 2024 (PHI) | ETA: 2028

An under-the-radar IFA signing in the 2024 class, Tait quickly looked like a gem of a find, mashing his way off of the complex prior to his 18th birthday. His bat leads the way, boasting plus raw power as a teenager and a good enough feel to hit to get into it, but he also has a rocket for an arm behind the dish. Tait was traded to the Twins as part of the Jhoan Duran package at the 2025 Trade Deadline.

Offense

Tait features an unorthodox set up, starting so upright he almost looks like he is leaning back against a wall with his hands just above his belt buckle. Right as the pitcher breaks from his glove, Tait pulls his hands up to his slot along with a gathering leg kick that he synchronizes well. He already flashes above average pop to his pull side, flashing exit velocities as high as 114 mph. His 90th percentile exit velocity of 104.5 mph is far ahead of his peers.

He can be a bit pull-happy at times, though he has showcased a feel for the barrel to drive the ball hard to all fields. Like many young, productive hitters, Tait can be aggressive in the box. Still, his ability to spoil tough pitches has helped him maintain a strikeout rate around 20% between Low-A and High-A in his age 18 season. Already pulling the ball in the air with frequency, Tait seems like a safe bet to develop into at least above average power with a fair shot to grow into the plus territory.

Defense/Speed

Tait has the ingredients to give him a chance of sticking behind the dish. He is advanced on the catch and throw side of things, with a plus arm that carries quick pop times. He has even flashed the ability to throw from his knees when needed. His blocking is a bit behind, as is the receiving, sometimes tardy to his spot, but he is athletic enough to improve back there.

Outlook

Tait’s age 17 season could not have been much more impressive, earning him an aggressively assigned age 18 campaign where he spent the second half of the season at High-A. The headline piece in the Jhoan Duran return for the Twins, Tait is far and away the best catcher prospect in the Twins organization and offers as much power upside as anybody not named Emmanuel Rodriguez.

Standing at 5-foot-10, 225 pounds, Tait may not have much of a positional fall back defensively, but he has the components to develop into at least a passable defender behind the dish and his plus power potential could make a part time catcher role more tolerable if the defense does stall out.

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 235 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 1st Round (23), 2023 (CLE) | ETA: 2027

A big left-handed slugger, Velazquez shook off a rough second half in 2024 with a very impressive 2025 that saw him sprint through the finish line by OPSing nearly 1.000 in the second half, which included a Double-A promotion.

Offense

Starting crouched with a wide base and the bat rested on his shoulder, Velazquez features a simple load, coiling inwards as he pulls his hands backwards to his slot. The stretch and his powerful lower half help him create plenty of torque, already boasting plus power to the pull side.

Being so rotational can sometimes take Velazquez off of pitches on the outer third, but it appears to be more of a matter of an aggressive intention to pull something hard in the air rather than an inability to stay on such pitches. That said, Velazquez looked far more adjustable in 2025 and has continued to develop into a well-rounded hitter.

He destroys fastballs and was particularly impressive against higher velocity, running a zone contact rate of 90% against fastballs 93+ mph along with a .964 OPS.

Velazquez really gained comfort in getting into his power consistently in 2025, boasting a hard hit rate of 50% and a ground ball rate of 36%. His 90th percentile exit velocity in the second half climbed north of 107 mph as he had little issue adjusting to Double-A pitching.

Between the raw power and angles, it’s easy to dream on 30+ home run potential for Velazquez with the contact skills to get into it.

Defense/Speed

Initially drafted as a catcher, the Guardians opted to move Velazquez to first base and allow him to focus on his development with the bat. He moves his feet well enough for his size and should grow into an average defender at the position.

Outlook

Velazquez entered the 2025 season with only Low-A success under his belt and finished the year by dominating Double-A to the tune of a 187 wRC+ in 28 games. From July 1 onward, he was one of the best hitters int he Minor Leagues, slashing .330/.408/.591 with a strikeout rate of just 14%. The leap in Velazquez’s quality of contact, paired with a dwindling strikeout rate makes it easy to buy stock in the slugger as he enters his age 21 season (he will be 20 years old for the first few months of the 2026 season).

There’s 30+ home run upside for Velazquez who also boasts the contact skills and approach to provide a well-rounded offensive profile if it all comes together.

Height/Weight: 6’0″, 170  | Bat/Throw: S/R | IFA: $3M – 2025 (SF) | ETA: 2029

A quick-twitch, switch hitting shortstop who is expected to stick, De Jesus was one of the top players in the 2025 IFA cycle and has the upside of an above average regular at the position.

Hitting

Starting slightly wide and open with his hands rested just above his shoulder, De Jesus gathers into his backside in rhythm with a hand pump before unleashing a quick, compact stroke. Like most young hitters, he’s still learning how to control his weight shift, fighting the tendency to teeter back forward prematurely, but his quick hands and athleticism still allow him to make plenty of contact.

As he learns to use the ground more effectively, De Jesus will likely be able to tap into more power, though the profile will be hit over impact. His left-handed swing is comfortably ahead of his right side at this point. He has a good feel for the zone, but is still learning to recognize spin more effectively. Already popping exit velocities of 109 MPH at 17 years old, only helps facilitate optimism in that regard.

Defense/Speed

A plus runner, De Jesus’s quickness is plenty evident both on the base paths and in the field. His actions are advanced for his age, with soft hands and comfort, throwing on the run from different angles. His arm is currently average, and the internal clock is understandably a work in progress, with the tendency to sit back on balls at times, but he has the ingredients to be above average at the position.

Outlook

As is the case with any recent IFA signing, a lot can change in regards to the outlook on the player, but early returns on De Jesus are a relatively high-floor prospect between his above-average feel to hit, defensive tools at shortstop, and speed. His right side will need to come along further, as will the overall hitting mechanics, with a solid foundation to build on. De Jesus is a candidate to move quicker than his peers.

Height/Weight: 6’7″, 215 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 2nd Round (68), 2023 (CHC) | ETA: 2026

A tall, lanky right-hander Wiggins can flirt with triple digits while flashing a pair of impressive secondaries, it’s all about finding the strike zone more consistently for the former second round pick.

Arsenal

Wiggins’ four pitch mix is headlined by his 95-98 MPH fastball with decent run and ride from a high release. Lefties particularly struggle with the heater as it runs away from them, posting above average whiff and chase rates on the pitch. His feel for the changeup is ahead of his slider, both of which hover around 85-88 MPH. It gets good vertical separation with decent arm side fade, making it an effective swing and miss offering within the zone and giving him a second plus pitch.

Wiggins’ slider features short, gyro action and while he predominantly throws it against right-handers, the shape should make it an effective offering against opposite-handed hitters as well. Wiggins clearly has more confidence in his changeup at this point, posting a strike rate 10% higher while using it more as the season progressed.

Outlook

The Cubs knew Wiggins would be a project when they drafted him 68th overall in 2023, especially considering the fact that they would be taking over the back end of his rehab from Tommy John surgery. He returned with his high octane stuff, striking out 28% of batters in his pro debut while working up to nearly 60 innings, all great indicators heading into his 2025 campaign. He has built on that momentum through his first dozen outings of 2025, cutting his walk rate below 10%.

If Wiggins cannot rein it in, it’s easy to see a transition to the bullpen where he could feature closer stuff in short spurts. Still with plenty of time before needing to force that issue, Wiggins will begin the year in High-A in 2025 and if his command can even reach fringe-average, his arsenal should allow him to stick in a rotation.

Height/Weight: 6’4″, 210 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 1st round (4) , 2025 (COL) | ETA: 2028

The younger brother of 2022 first overall pick Jackson, Ethan is already more physical and displaying louder tools than Jackson did at this stage, albeit with more swing and miss concern. The positive trend hit tool wise as the draft got closer only further solidified him as the top prep player in the 2025 class.

Hitting

After struggling with some swing and miss in the summer circuit, Holliday made some adjustments to his setup and pre-swing moves that yielded much better results. He raised his hands higher while ditching the leg kick for a toe tap that helped him ride his back hip longer.

Holliday previously had the tendency to see his weight leak forward prematurely, which would cause some bat drag, missing under higher quality fastballs. After making his tweaks, Holliday not only handled velocity better, but he was more comfortably staying back on spin as well. That said, there was plenty of whiff in his 20 game pro debut (58% contact rate), which should not have too much weight placed on it, but also does not necessarily calm some of the hit tool concern that hung over him as an amateur.

The power potential is immense, already flashing exit velocities as high as 111 MPH during 18U trials with a huge frame that will only result in more strength as he matures. His swing is geared for loft, which paired with what could be double-plus raw power, gives Holliday a sky-high ceiling.

He’s patient as well, which can help hedge some hit tool concern if he stalls in that regard, giving him the fall back of a high-impact three-true outcome bat. If the hit tool is even just average, he has the upside to be a monster, but he still has a ways to go to get to average.

Defense/Speed

Given how big Holliday’s frame already is, he is not necessarily the fleetest of foot, but has improved his footwork enough on the dirt to give himself some runway to prove that he can stick at shortstop. His easy plus arm only helps his case as well, though he ultimately seems mostly likely to slide over to the hot corner, especially as he presumably adds more mass.

Outlook

Built more like his father than his brother, there’s no shortage of big league bloodlines in the Holliday family. Gunnar Henderson would serve as the lofty blue print and ceiling if everything goes perfectly, but that type of hit tool gain is rare. The most likely scenario is a solid defensive third baseman who offsets some swing and miss with power and patience, skewing towards the three true outcomes.

Film: 18U USA Trials

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 190 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 1st round (8), 2025 (TOR) | ETA: 2028

“JoJo” Parker stood out as one of the best pure hitters in the class with a fantastic summer, providing flashes of what could be a exciting offensive profile.

Hitting

Parker employs a narrow and open stance, coiling over his back leg as he brings himself back closed, then striding forward. He gains a lot of ground from his upright starting point, but holds his back side well. It is worth wondering if higher quality stuff could pull him onto his front side more, though he has had little issue as an amateur.

It’s a quick, compact stroke, handling heaters extremely well, boasting a 93% contact rate against them during the summer circuit. He flashes above average pop to his pull side with a smooth stroke that lives in the zone for a long time. Parker has a good feel for the zone and controls his at-bats well.

Defense/Speed

Defensively, Parker has the tools, instincts, and arm strength to give himself a shot to stick at shortstop, but his footwork and range could result in a slide over to third base or second base. Parker is closer to an average runner, turning in above average run times down the line on occasion.

Outlook

One of the best pure hitters in the 2025 prep class, Parker has a well-rounded profile with the potential for above average hit and power. Even if he moves off of shortstop, the offensive upside is there to be an above average regular. If Parker can manage his bigger pre-swing move with the same level of comfort against more challenging professional pitching, a plus hit tool could be in the cards. Should Parker stick at shortstop, his game would be enviably well-rounded.

Film: Draft Combine

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 220 | Bat/Throw: S/R | 1st Round (12), 2024 (BOS) | ETA: 2026

A switch hitter with big power potential and an elite arm Montgomery has the potential to be a force in a corner outfield spot assuming the hit tool continues to come along. He was acquired alongside three other Red Sox prospects as part of the Garrett Crochet haul.

Offense

Starting slightly bent at his knees before sinking further into his back side with a leg kick, Montgomery effectively gets his lower half involved, capable of producing eye-popping bat speed from both sides of the plate. While exit velocities were up across college baseball last season, Montgomery enjoyed one of the largest leaps in the country in that department, seeing his 90th percentile exit velocity jump by more than four mph at around 110 mph.

In addition to improved exit velocities, Montgomery looked much more natural with his right-handed swing in 2024, finding much more rhythm and consistency in his moves. It’s extremely difficult to sneak a fastball by him, hitting well over .400 with 7 home runs against 93+ MPH in 2024. It is a max-effort swing with violence that can work against adjustability, making him less likely to spoil tough pitches or pull out a B swing when he’s fooled. Changeups can be particularly difficult for Montgomery.

Getting his most powerful swing off consistently with quality hand-eye should allow him to continuously punish fastballs and hangers, but there’s even more importance placed on his swing decisions. While the hit tool is likely to be fringy, Montgomery’s strides with his right-handed swing and ability to tap into his game power give him 30 home run upside. He will need to improve his ability to recognize spin to reach that upside though.

Defense/Speed

Montgomery is at least an average runner who moves well enough cover enough ground in a corner, accentuated by an arm that could be 80 grade. He should be at least an average defender in either corner.

Outlook

A two-way talent through his first couple collegiate seasons, Montgomery tapped into more power as he shifted his focus predominantly to the batter’s box. Despite transferring from a hitter-friendly PAC-12 to the gauntlet that is the SEC, Montgomery increased his production, solidifying himself as a sure-fire top 15 pick. Swing and miss concerns may have caused the outfielder to slip to the Red Sox at pick No. 12 and there’s a real chance he’s fringy in that department.

Being a switch-hitter with easy plus raw power and the ability to play a solid corner helps hedge potential contact concerns, but improved swing decisions could really shore up his offensive profile. The profile could be similar to Anthony Santander offensively.

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 205 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 11th Round (340), 2021 (SD) | ETA: 2024

A former two-way player at Division II UNC-Pembroke, Ryan stood out as an infielder, hitting .308 while serving as the team’s closer. It was Ryan’s electric stuff that really turned the heads of Padres officials (and Dodgers) on the backfields, shifting his focus to the mound and impressing with his feel for an impressive assortment of pitches. He missed the first half of 2024 with a shoulder issue before Tommy John surgery cut his standout MLB debut short.

Arsenal

You can tell Ryan was a collegiate infielder with the way he operates on the mound. His delivery is loose, athletic and repeatable with plus arm arm speed. The right-hander will mix in five offerings with his fastball leading the way at 45% usage.

The pitch averaged 96.5 MPH in 2023, touching triple digits with impressive ride. Generating around 16 inches of induced vertical break from a 5.7 foot release height helps the fastball dominate at the top of the zone, setting up his assortment of secondaries.

Ryan’s slider is his best pitch, sitting in the upper 80s with late gyro break. The pitch dives beneath barrels making it effective to both righties and lefties while picking up plenty of ground balls. He racked up a 19% swinging strike rate on the pitch along with a 55% ground ball rate. Even with 23% usage, Ryan did not surrender a home run with his slider in the 2023 season, an impressive feat in the Texas League and PCL.

The second breaking ball for Ryan is a curveball in the low 80s that he effectively separates from his slider with around 13 inches of vertical break and 11 inches of horizontal break. He will mix it in around 15% of the time, predominantly to lefties, with his lowest strike rate among any of his offerings.

Rounding out the arsenal for Ryan is an average cutter at 89-91 and a fringy upper 80s changeup. The cutter gives Ryan another look and was effective for him as a weak-contact inducer despite throwing it far less as the season progressed. Though he did not command his iffy changeup well in 2023, Ryan sprinkled a few in for a strike each start.

Outlook

2024 will be Ryan’s third year as a starting pitcher and he will likely make his MLB debut at some point in the season. Given the success he already has under his belt despite his lack of relative experience, there could be more to dream on with the 25-year-old righty. His lively fastball and impressive assortment of secondaries paired with his elite athleticism on the mound make Ryan a potential big whiff middle rotation arm. His fastball and slider alone give him the floor of a high leverage reliever.

Height/Weight: 6’7″, 210 | Bat/Throw: R/R | IFA: $10,000, 2022 (NYY) | ETA: 2026

A towering, lanky right-hander, Lagrange worked on his conditioning and delivery heading into the 2025 season and the results have followed. Lagrange is throwing harder than ever along with more strikes.

Arsenal

Lagrange looks like a giant on the mound and has worked to make his delivery more simple and repeatable, sitting in the upper 90s with what looks like minimal effort. Lagrange’s fastball has ticked up to 98 MPH on average, touching 101 MPH with some run and ride.

Working off of his plus fastball is a sweeper and a slider that have both looked much improved for Lagrange. The gyro-slider sits in the mid 80s and can be tough for hitters to pick up out of his hand, making it his preferred secondary offering against lefties. His low 80s sweeper is a well above average pitch right on right while the changeup flashes average with the chance to be a quality fourth offering.

Outlook

Lagrange will need to expand on his impressive start in 2025 to fully shed the reliever risk that came with him after being challenged to throw strikes in his first several pro seasons, but he has taken a huge step in that direction by increasing his strike rate by 13% through his first eight starts of the 2025 season. After dealing with a back issue in 2024, Yankees have let Lagrange push close to 100 pitches in his starts in 2025 and he has successfully held his velocity deeper into starts. If Lagrange continues on his trajectory he could reach towards a middle-rotation outlook, but his improvements have him looking like at least a strong back end option with pops of more or a high leverage relief arm.

Height/Weight: 6’9″, 220 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 1st Round (26), 2022 (CWS) | ETA: 2026

Standing at a towering 6-foot-9, Schultz throws a surprising amount of strikes with budding stuff. After a flexor issue delayed his start to his pro career in 2023, Schultz dominated the rest of the way and it was more of the same in 2024. His build, stuff and command make him one of the better LHP prospects in baseball. His stuff has backed up a bit in 2025, which is a slight concern as he has struggled to miss bats at the same clip with more free passes.

Arsenal

A tall, lanky lefty, Schultz hides the ball well until his arm whips around at a three quarter release point. Shultz sits 93-95 MPH with his fastball, touching 98 MPH with a ton of late arm side run. The late movement on Schultz’s fastball helps him get hitters to whiff or roll over it frequently. With a long, slender frame and a somewhat low-effort delivery, there’s hope that Schultz can grow into even more velocity.

Schultz’s sweeper has the potential to be a devastating pitch, averaging 16 inches of horizontal break from his low release point. He is confident during the pitch away from lefties as well as down on the back leg of righties. It was the potential to be a wipeout pitch if Schultz can command it consistently.

Rounding out the arsenal is a changeup that had really come along in 2024 but has backed up in 2025. Schultz’s ability to use his fastball and sweeper to take care of right-handed hitters takes some pressure off of the immediate need for a changeup, but even an average change would improve Schultz’s starter outlook a good bit if he can regain some of the prior form of the pitch.

Outlook

The fact that a 6-foot-9 prep southpaw has been able to pound the strike zone through his first two pro seasons really solidified his starter outlook through his first two pro seasons, though his shaky start to 2025 has stifled that momentum some, walking more batters than he did in the previous season in half the innings.

Already possessing good stuff from a tough angle to pick up with, it seems like Schultz has the fall back of becoming a lights out reliever, but he has flashed the ability to not only stick as a starter but potentially sit towards the top of a rotation.

Using his fastball to generate more ground balls will be a key to go deeper into starts and keep the pitch count down as his plus slider and changeup should help him consistently get whiffs as well as the sheer velocity on his fastball when he wants to dial it up at the top. One way or another, Schultz has a great chance of filling a big league role, but he’ll have to overcome the 2025 lull he has battled.

Height/Weight: 6’3″, 230 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 6th Round (193), 2023 (PHI) | ETA: 2025

After a undergoing Tommy John surgery as a freshman at Minnesota and struggling to throw strikes afterward, Klassen saw things click in pro ball, quickly looking like a steal by the Phillies in the sixth round. Klassen was packaged as the headliner, along with Samuel Aldegheri, in the Angels return for Carlos Estevez.

Arsenal

The stuff is loud for Klassen boasting a fastball that averaged 97 MPH in 2024 along with a pair of nasty breaking balls. His fastball can flirt with the dead zone, but Klassen generates whiffs off of sheer velocity and deception, turning inwards and hiding the ball as he strides forward before uncorking somewhat of a sling shot delivery.

His breaking balls really play up from this slot, with a 90 MPH gyro slider that hovers around zero inches of vertical and horizontal break, darting sharply below bats. It was one of the best performing breaking balls in the minor leagues in 2024, holding opponents to an OPS below .400. Klassen’s power curveball at 85-87 MPH with slurvy two-plane action. He will utilize it more against left-handed hitters who OPS’d below .500 against it in 2024.

Outlook

Klassen still is below average in the command department and the maximum effort in his delivery lends concern that it may be difficult for him to consistently throw strikes as a starter. His sheer quality of stuff and pair of breaking balls that are effective to lefties and righties could continue to help him fend off the reliever risk, but he will need to take another step forward in the command department in 2025 to stick as a starter and push closer to his middle-rotation upside. If he moves to the bullpen, Klassen could be a wipeout high leverage arm.

Height/Weight: 6’6″, 230 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 3rd Round (71), 2023 (WSN) | ETA: 2027

A powerful prep arm who overpowered hitters on the summer circuit, the Nationals shelled out borderline-first round money to sign Sykora away from the University of Texas in 2023, and it’s paying dividends to open his pro career. The start of Sykora’s 2025 season was delayed due to hip surgery followed by Tommy John surgery just 30 innings into his return.

Arsenal

Standing at 6-foot-6 with a three pitch mix that generates plenty of whiff, Sykora really turned heads as an amateur with a fastball that can get into the upper 90s but sits 94-96 MPH. While characteristics are more generic, the pitch performs well off of the sheer velocity from his unique short arm release, setting up his secondaries well. He still has room to improve in regards to his command of the heater, tending to throw too many non-competitive fastballs well above the zone.

His slider is his go-to out pitch at 83-85 MPH with gyro break, tunneling off of his fastball well with the downward action from his tough release. The pitch picks up plenty of swing and miss (25% whiff rate) and when hitters are fortunate enough to get to it, it’s typically weak contact on the ground. He commands the pitch more consistently than his fastball at this point, landing it for a strike nearly 70% of the time.

Rounding out the arsenal for Sykora is a splitter in the mid 80s that flashes above average. He maintains his arm speed well while killing spin to around 1,200 RPM, helping it drop late. With a more consistent feel for the pitch, it could play closer to plus, racking up gaudy whiff numbers when it is around the zone. He has started to find a better feel for the pitch as the season has progressed.

Outlook

For a prep arm with such exciting stuff, Sykora has a pretty good feel to pitch and will even do little things like speeding up his delivery or slowing it down to throw off hitter’s timing. He throws enough strikes to maintain a reasonable walk rate, but he tends to mix in too many non-competitive pitches at this stage, particularly with his fastball. Sykora enjoyed quite an impressive season for a 6-foot-6 prep arm who was still 19 years old at season’s start, already flashing middle rotation upside. As he climbs levels, location and execution will become more important, but three at least above average offerings and a unique delivery makes Sykora the most exciting Nationals pitching prospect not named Jarlin Susana.

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 180 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 1st Round (28), 2021 (TB) | ETA: 2025

One of the best defensive shortstops in the minor leagues, Williams took a big step forward with his plate discipline while launching 20 homers for the second consecutive season. Swing and miss is still a concern, but he looks like the future at shortstop for the Rays if he can hit enough.

Offense

Williams starts with an upright stance and relies on his natural bat speed and athleticism to produce thump, but his lack of lower half involvement leaves power/adjustability on the table for him. His bat path is geared for lift, helping him produce plenty of home runs and extra base hits, but also leaving him susceptible to higher whiff figures.

After showcasing some improvements in the strikeout department in 2024, Williams was challenged in Triple-A, punching out 34% of the time before seeing that figure climb to 41% in his 31 game MLB debut.

Already reaching exit velocities as high as 112 MPH along with a 90th percentile exit velocity of 106.5 MPH in 2025, Williams has the potential to hit plenty of homers given his feel to elevate. His 60% contact rate may hold him back from being able to get into said power frequently enough, placing importance on the approach to supplement as well, which also took a bit of a hit at Triple-A.

It’s 30 home run power, but it may also be 30 grade hit. If Williams can be more selective at the plate, his most likely path to success is skewing towards the three true outcomes with an approach that allows him to circumvent the whiff enough to tap into his plus raw power in games with some frequency.

Defense/Speed

Williams is an above average runner with an easy plus arm. His actions are smooth and his feet are quick. He attacks the baseball with confidence and is capable of making difficult throws from all sorts of angles. Williams’ instincts at the position are ahead of his years, making him an easy bet to stick at the position and likely a plus or better defender.

While he is not a burner, Williams is fast enough to be a factor on the base paths. He increased his stolen base output at the upper levels, swiping 24 bags on 29 tries in 2025.

Outlook

A plus defender a shortstop with big power potential is easy to get excited about. Williams will need to build on his improvements offensively, but 30 home run upside with impact defense at short does not grow on trees. It was somewhat of a frustrating season in 2025 between Triple-A and the MLB level, but Williams will be 22 years old for the first half of the 2026 season as he gets his second taste of the big leagues.

A high strikeout rate may just come with the territory, but even if he is just a mistake hitter, Williams has defensive ability to be a regular at shortstop.

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 175 | Bat/Throw: R/R | IFA: $75K, 2019 (BOS) | ETA: 2026

Boasting an elite fastball, secondaries and command are a work in progress, but through the 2023 season, Perales has only thrown 127 pro innings due to the pandemic and injuries. Despite not pitching above High-A the upside of Perales was enough for the Red Sox to add Perales to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft. Perales was enjoying a breakout in 2024 before Tommy John surgery cut his campaign short and wiped out 2025. He returned for the Arizona Fall League where his stuff was all of the way back.

Arsenal

A unique delivery with even more unique pitch characteristics, Perales features and over-the-top delivery, but creates an uphill angle as his hands break and he takes his arm back. This creates a bit of a slingshot effect, with his arm being the last thing that the hitter sees.

His ridiculous arm speed from the over-the-top angle creates elite ride and minimal horizontal movement. Perales saw his fastball tick up 97.5 MPH on average through his first nine starts of 2024 with above average carry from a standard release height.

He picked up elite whiff numbers within the zone often generating high chase rates (36%). It’s easily a double plus heater and one of the best in the minor leagues. In his 50 pitch spurts in the AFL, Perales has sat north of 99 MPH with his fastball.

Searching for more consistency with his secondaries throughout the 2023 season, Perales gained confidence in his cutter, throwing it more frequently in the latter half of the season before unveiling an improved version of it in 2024. He tweaked it to have a bit less ride and more horizontal, looking more like a cutter/slider hybrid at two ticks higher velocity.

The whiff and chase numbers are strong on the offering which sits in the low 90s, but his tendency to leave it over the middle at times can result in some loud contact too.

The pitch that made the biggest leap for Perales in 2024 was his splitter. More than doubling his usage, Perales was able to kill five inches of vertical movement on it while filling up the zone at a near 70% clip. Between the ride his fastball features as well as his arm speed and release angle, the splitter creates a tunneling nightmare for hitters, looking the same out of the hand before the 16 inches of vertical separation and 12 MPH velocity separation pulls the splitter out of the sky.

Perales has struggled to regain the feel for it as he returned from Tommy John surgery and utilized a different baseball in the AFL. He will also mix in a mid 80s slider that has fallen behind his cutter and splitter, but is a reliable offering to right-handed hitters.

Outlook

Perales demonstrated everything you would want to see from him and then some in 2024 before his season was cut to just nine starts. His fastball was up two ticks, but he was far less reliant on it thanks to the development of his splitter and cutter. He also filled up the zone at a career-best clip of 66% between those seven High-A and two Double-A starts. The result was pure dominance for Perales, striking out 56 batters in 33 2/3 innings.

It will be important to see how Perales returns from Tommy John surgery in 2026, but the early results in the Arizona Fall League were encouraging, averaging 99 MPH in his 50 pitch spurts assuming it looks anything like the 2024 version of him, he will quickly re-solidify himself as one of the nastier arms in the minor leagues.

Perales has the potential for top of the rotation stuff if he can harness it and maybe find something that breaks downwards more as his entire plot sits at the X axis or above. If he moves to the bullpen, he could be one of the game’s more electrifying relievers, but his 2024 gains and the patience that typically comes with a Tommy John surgery return should earn him plenty of runway as a starter.

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 220 | Bat/Throw: L/L | 1st Round (5), 2025 (STL) | ETA: 2026

A year after impressing in a starting role for Coastal Carolina, Doyle transferred to Ole Miss where he struck out 35% of batters, but with an ERA just under 6.00. He transferred again to Tennessee for his draft year where his heater ticked up to become the best in college baseball, resulting in a 43% strikeout rate and 3.20 ERA.

Arsenal

It’s all about the fastball with Doyle, averaging 96 MPH with elite carry. Doyle went to the heater north of 60% of the time, generating a zone-whiff and chase rate north of 30%. Opponents hit around .170 against it, but it was righties who were particularly overwhelmed by the fastball, with a batting average that drops below .150.

Doyle’s best secondary offering is his splitter at 85-88 MPH. It tunnels well of of his fastball with nearly 18 inches of vertical separation. His feel for the pitch improved as the season progressed picking up plenty of ground balls with it, but still only mixing the offering in just shy of 15% of the time.

His preferred secondary to lefties is a cutter in the upper 80s that flashes above average but is inconsistent and can lack some necessary bite. It has a chance to be a decent third pitch if it comes along and is well ahead of his low 80s slider.

Outlook

Doyle’s high-effort delivery and heavy fastball reliance provides some reliever risk, but even if things were to trend in that direction, he has closer-caliber stuff from the left side. His improved command and overall stuff in 2025 really helped his case to potentially be an impactful starter, and with a 70 grade fastball, Doyle could still turn lineups over with just average secondaries. It will be fun to monitor what arsenal tweaks Doyle may make as a pro, but he has a great foundation to start with.

Film: Tennessee/South Carolina (X/Twitter), SEC Tournament

Height/Weight: 6’3″, 210 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 2nd Round (56) – NYM (2023) | ETA: 2025

Drafted by the Mets twice, (90th overall in 2022), it was dazzling stuff that made Sproat a first round candidate as the 2023 draft approached, however below average command dropped him to the second round.

Sproat exploded in 2024, looking like one of the more exciting pitching prospects in baseball before his stuff and command regressed in Triple-A at the end of the 2024 season, it was more of the same through the first half of 2025 before things clicked, earning a four big league starts to close the year out where he held his own. Following the season, Sproat was sent alongside Jett Williams in exchange for Freddy Peralta and Tobias Myers.

Arsenal

At his best, Sproat boasts three above average offerings with his changeup being plus. Sproat will utilize both a four seamer and two seamer with the former sitting a tick higher. Through the first half of 2025, Sproat averaged 96 MPH with his fastball, but that climbed to 97 MPH over his final 15 starts.

Given the roughly dead zone shape of his four seamer, the velocity is important, making the return back to the upper 90s important for his success. The four seamer is more effective than the sinker, but his command of it is spotty.

The best pitch for Sproat is his changeup in the low 90s, averaging 16 inches of horizontal action and nearly zero inches of induced vertical break, giving it a late heaviness that facilitates high ground ball rates and plenty of whiff/chase at the bottom of the zone.

Sproat’s sweeper looked far improved in 2025, both from a command and shape perspective, giving him a swing and miss pitch for right-handed hitters as his shorter, harder slider lags behind. Though the results with the pitch were not great in his pro debut, Sproat’s curveball flashes at least average and should be a decent pitch to mix in to both lefties and righties.

Outlook

With his stuff ticking back up in the second half of the 2025 season, Sproat regained much of his prospect shine and looked like a potential rotation piece for the Mets heading into 2026 before they shipped him out to Milwaukee for Freddy Peralta. Though his control has improved as a pro, his execution can be inconsistent, making it more difficult to put hitters away at times while also leaving himself susceptible to more damage.

Sproat’s ability to get ground balls and mix six offerings gives him a back end starter’s floor, but the below average fastball shape and overall execution probably limits his ceiling, with the most likely outcome being a No. 4 starter. There is some optimism that the Brewers could unlock more out of the right-hander, pushing him closer to middle-rotation territory if it all clicks.

Height/Weight: 5’10″, 170 | Bat/Throw: S/R | IFA: $1.1M – 2021 (CLE) | ETA: 2026

The prize of the Guradians’ 2021 IFA class, Genao immediately stood out with his polish at the plate and ability to pick it on the left side of the infield. He has tapped into a bit more impact in 2024.

Offense

A switch hitter, Genao starts slightly more crouched and open from the left side of the plate with his hands higher. He gets into a sizable leg kick from both sides with a big hand load, but has a good feel for his body and repeats his moves pretty well. As he faces more challenging pitching, he may benefit from toning down the operation, but the contact rates have been consistently strong through the lower levels. He has already flashed the ability to do so, sometimes simplifying to a toe tap with two strikes.

Power is unlikely to be a huge part of his game, but Genao offers a bit more impact than the other switch-hitting middle infield types in the Guardians org with an average exit velocity above 88 mph. He has more pop from the right side, with slightly higher exit velocities and lower ground ball rates while he makes more consistent contact from the left side.

Though he does not walk much, Genao makes good swing decisions overall and sticks to his approach, helping him perform better than most with two strikes. A well-rounded hitter, Genao has the ingredients to climb the Minor Leagues quickly.

Defense/Speed

Comfortable actions, a good arm and solid instincts give Genao a good chance at sticking on the left side of the infield. His range is fringy for shortstop, though the aforementioned instincts and arm strength help compensate. It took time for Genao to regain his quickness after a meniscus tear during 2023 Spring Training, but he is now moving like an above average runner, who could steal 20 bags annually.

Outlook

The most intriguing of the Guardians middle-infield prospects, Genao has made a big leap in 2024 thanks to health and simply settling into pro baseball. His feel for the game on both sides of the ball, likelihood of sticking on the left side of the infield and advanced ability to swing it from both sides make Genao a high-probability big leaguer who could grow into an above average regular.

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 205 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 1st Round (29), 2023 (SEA) | ETA: 2027

Tools galore with a feel to hit that may be better than anticipated, Farmelo has a chance to be a dynamic centerfielder. A torn ACL in June of 2024 ended Farmelo’s impressive start to the season with a return expected around mid-way through 2025. A rib issue put a damper on his return, but Farmelo was sent out to the Arizona Fall League where he offered plenty of encouraging signs.

Offense

Starting slightly crouched with his barrel flat, Farmelo gathers into his back side with a sizable leg kick. He sometimes looks rushed with the big move, but cuts down the height of his stride with two strikes or when pitchers are quicker to the plate. It’s also a rather new move for him, using a toe tap in his load as an amateur.

Farmelo’s swing path is geared for lift, but he has showed an improved feel for the barrel and some adjustability that he appeared to lack at points as an amateur, providing optimism for an above average hit tool. There’s above average juice to dream on as Farmelo continues to grow into his frame and gains more comfort swinging for damage in the box.

Farmelo is a patient hitter, already showing a good feel for the strike zone. The improved feel to hit takes some pressure off of the need to slug, but there’s potential for average hit and above average power buoyed by strong plate discipline.

Defense/Speed

An absolute burner, Farmelo turns in double plus run times and has already translated that speed into impact on the base paths and in center field. With an average arm and his elite athleticism, he has the ingredients to be a well above average defender up the middle and a high-volume base stealer.

Outlook

Already an exciting prospect based on sheer tools, strides in the contact department in the early going of his professional career only adds to the intrigue. There’s potential for a dynamic everyday centerfielder who can pack a bit of a punch and get on base at a good clip. It will be interesting to see how he returns from his ACL tear, but given his age and explosiveness, he should bounce back fine. Swing wise, it would be more of a concern if it were his back (left) knee that he injured rather than his right.

Farmelo will enter his age 20 season with less than 50 pro games under his belt, but he has already flashed enough upside both offensively and defensively to be one of the top prospects in the Mariners system. Once gets back into the swing of things, Farmelo has the skill set to see his prospect stock soar in 2026.

Height/Weight: 5’10″, 200 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 1st Round (12), 2021 (SEA) | ETA: 2026

Ford is very unique. He has come along a good bit defensively, but is still a bit of a tweener offensively. His approach, defense and speed should carry him with the leap behind the dish taking plenty of pressure off of the bat.

Offense

A physical 5-foot-10, 200 pounds, Ford generates impressive bat speed and a lofty swing geared for lift. Ford scrapped the leg kick in favor of a toe tap in 2024, but still battled the tendency to drift forward prematurely. He found more balance and consistency with his lower half heading into 2025 and the results have been evident, especially with velocity. He also featured quite a lofty path that helped him slug more than his exit velocities would imply, but made it difficult to cover the top of the zone.

The shift against velocity has been dramatic for Ford in 2025 as he is giving himself more time to get the barrel out with an uptick in bat speed. His path is slightly flatter which has resulted in a higher ground ball rate, though his exit velocities and contact rates have climbed, helping him do more damage on contact, hitter-friendly PCL aside.

Ford’s elite plate discipline helps solidify his offensive floor as he his likely to get on base at a strong clip even with average contact rates. It’s a unique offensive profile, but even with a 15+ homer outlook he could provide above average production.

Defense/Speed

Drafted as a project defensively, Ford has made significant progress as a blocker and receiver, cutting his passed balls from 20 in 2023 to just five in 2024. Ford’s transfer and arm strength have made gains at the upper levels as well, helping him limit the run game at an improved clip. He should be an average defensive catcher.

An easy plus runner, Ford also saw action in left field for the first time in his pro career towards the end of his Double-A season. The Mariners have somewhat put that experiment on ice as Ford has progressed behind the dish, but could be worth revisiting if he forces his way to the big leagues. An aggressive base runner, Ford swiped 35 bags on 44 tries in 116 games during the 2024 season, though he has been more hesitant to steal in Triple-A.

Outlook

Ford earns high marks for his makeup and work ethic and his steady improvements as a catcher only help validate that assertion. Even if the hit and power are average at best, his superb on base skills and speed should help maximize his offensive value and the uptick in contact and quality of contact in 2025 with what looks like solidly average defense behind the dish only helps solidify his high probability of landing as a big league regular.

Height/Weight: 6’3″, 200 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 1st Round (18), 2024 (TB) | ETA: 2028

Advanced for a prep bat, Gillen slid just beyond the middle of the first round due to a rough injury history and an anticipated change from the infield dirt to the outfield as a pro. Gillen had surgery for a torn labrum in 2022 and dealt with knee and wrist issues after that with a delayed start to the 2025 season due to a calf issue. 

The Rays moved Gillen to centerfield where his plus wheels could play well as he gains more experience and reps, but his offensive upside is what the organization was mostly betting on when they snagged him 18th overall. 

Already with a smooth left-handed swing and patient approach, there’s power to dream on in Gillen’s 6-foot-3 frame as he matures physically and learns to utilize his lower half more effectively. He has showed signs of doing so in the early going of his pro career, popping exit velocities as high as 112 MPH with a hard hit rate north of 45% through his first 25 Low-A games. He may ultimately trend towards hit-over-power, but with potentially plus raw power in the tank and plus plate discipline, there would still be plenty going for him offensively.

Getting through a full pro season healthy will be an important first step, especially when taking on a physically demanding position like centerfield. The Rays may take Gillen’s development slowly, but he has a chance to provide above average power and plus speed at a premium position.

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 190 | Bat/Throw: L/L | 1st round (39), 2025 (NYY) | ETA: 2029

Kilby’s 18-game pro debut was impressive enough to quickly shift the perspective on him to a player who should have been considered in the top 10 selections of the 2025 draft. There’s an exciting combo of hit and power from the left side that could make Kilby an exciting piece.

Hitting

A simple operation with minimal pre-swing movement, Kilby repeats his moves well with a quick stroke that gets on plane early. As a result, he has a natural ability to catch barrels and what looks like a high quality of contact floor.

Though there were only 56 batted ball events in his pro debut, the average exit velocity was a whopping 92 MPH. That likely wouldn’t maintain over a larger sample, but given his max exit velocity of just 109 MPH, it’s clear how consistently he was getting his A swing off as he faced the toughest talent leap of his career.

Kilby is extremely patient in the box as well, running a chase rate of just 11%. I think his discipline will continue to be an asset against more challenging competition, given how simple his operation is with a quick bat that rarely makes him look rushed.

Assuming he continues to fill out some, there should be more power in the tank for Kilby to tap into, but the strong contact skills and approach, paired with already solid exit velocities, give him a presently solid foundation.

Defense/Speed

An above-average runner, Kilby is a standout athlete in terms of explosiveness, but is still learning to convert that into quick feet and range at shortstop. His arm strength is presently fringy, which presents another hurdle in sticking at shortstop as well.

A move to second base could be in the cards, but for now, he will get plenty of looks at short. With his above-average wheels, he should be a solid stolen base threat.

Outlook

Kilby’s pro debut was brief, but his strong showing in a few weeks of games, paired with the impression he made on the Yankees during the team’s instructional camp, quickly contributed to a growing amount of buzz around the teenage infielder.

Even if he moves off of short, the blend of hit, power and patience from the left side of the plate could make him a top-of-the-order bat in a first-division lineup. The same qualities also give him a solid floor, even if the tools do not progress as envisioned.

Height/Weight: 6’4″, 250 | Bat/Throw: L/R | IFA: $2.5M – 2022 (SEA) | ETA: 2026

An imposing figure with as much raw power as you’re going to see from a teenage hitter, Montes has 40 home run upside, but swing and miss concerns and limited defense put plenty of pressure on him to reach close to that power plateau.

Offense

A gargantuan human, Montes towers at 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, easily producing elite exit velocities as a teenager. Starting with a wide stance, Montes utilizes a big leg kick that he controls well. For such a big frame, Montes repeats his moves well, but there’s still whiff concern, especially as he faces more challenging pitching.

Montes didn’t quite post the same gaudy exit velocities in 2024, seeing his hard hit rate drop by 7% and his 90th percentile exit velocity by a tick to 105 MPH, but that did not compromise his power as he hit balls in the air consistently as ever, cutting his ground ball rate by more than 10%.

The approach continued to come along for Montes as the 2024 season progressed, not only cutting his chase rate, but making more sound swing decisions overall. The contact rates are concerning, however Montes’ ability to consistently do damage in games and draw walks helps hedge that. The upper levels will be a very telling challenge for the power-hitting lefty, who has sky-high impact to dream on if the hit tool will allow.

Defense/Speed

Montes has worked hard on his agility and reads in the outfield, which in turn has at least placed him on a path to being passable in a corner. His arm has pushed north of average territory and he has drastically improved his ability to attack balls and make throws.

Outlook

With next to no value beyond his bat, it’s going to be important for Montes to hit enough to tap into his double plus power potential. Maintaining his ability to draw walks as he climbs levels will be key for the slugger as well, especially with his likelihood of running a high strikeout rate. If it all comes together, Montes could become one of the most dangerous power hitters in baseball, but he still has a ways to go. If he can continue to cut down the chase rate, the Kyle Schwarber offensive archetype seems like his most likely path to reaching towards his ceiling.

Height/Weight: 6’5″, 185 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 6th Round (171), 2023 (TEX) | ETA: 2027

A multi-sport athlete in high school, Scarborough flew under the radar before the Rangers snagged him in the sixth round in 2023, signing him for early fifth-round money. He looked very raw in his first pro season, which was also disrupted by a lat strain, before bursting onto the scene in 2025 at Low-A and High-A.

Arsenal

Mostly a two-pitch mix for Scarborough at this point, the right-hander dominated lower-level hitters with his fastball and sweeper. The fastball sits 93-95 MPH, touching 97 with carry that will play up from his 5.1 foot release height and roughly 25 degree arm angle.

He also commands the fastball well, boasting a strike rate of nearly 70% in 2025 while working well to all four quadrants. He naturally creates plenty of arm-side run as well from his low slot, making it a decent ground ball pitch when he locates it at the lower half.

Scarborough’s best pitch is his sweeper in the low 80s. It averages more than 16 inches of horizontal action, which only plays up from his slot. Despite the big shape, Scarborough commands it well, generating good in-zone whiff and chase figures.

Rounding things out is a splitter that is a work in progress, but has flashed. He started to mix it in a bit more as the season progressed, with the chance to be a decent third offering.

Outlook

Scarborough’s athleticism and deception, paired with his impressive command of a good fastball and slider tandem gives him a strong foundation. The splitter coming along will surely help diversify his arsenal, but given his feel to pitch, a cutter or shorter slider shouldn’t be too big of a hurdle for him to add to the equation.

The Rangers are understandably very excited about Scarborough’s upside, and after a great first full pro season, he has a chance to truly break out in 2026.

Height/Weight: 6’3″, 180 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 1st Round (17), 2022 (PHI) | ETA: 2026

The son of 15-year big leaguer Carl Crawford, Justin is also a speedy center fielder with a knack for making contact from the left side. He has impressed with strong numbers the numbers as a pro, but there’s some concerns with his batted ball profile.

Offense

Starting wide and crouched with his hands high above his head, Crawford sinks deeper into his lower half as he loads along with a small stride. He is very athletic in the box, boasting impressive adjustability that helps him get to pitches in tough locations. His swing path is flat and can be long, resulting in a contact point that is extremely deep on average and a ground ball rate north of 60%.

Crawford’s speed helps him get away with such high ground ball rates, but an average launch angle of -1 degrees against fastballs with a pull rate of just 9% will make it difficult to be consistently productive against MLB pitching. His swing decisions also restrict him, chasing at a north of 30%, however that is improved from the 40% figure he posted in 2024.

His feel for the barrel and elite speed help hedge his aggressive nature in the box, spoiling plenty of tough pitches (67% O-Contact) while rarely getting beat within the zone (89% Z-contact). Crawford has flashed some impact when he is able to catch balls further out front (generally hangers), flashing exit velocities as high as 110.6 MPH. He will likely need to find a way to be shorter and more efficient to the ball to tap into that pull side impact more frequently.

Crawford’s natural ability is abundant and the fact that he has hit comfortably above .300 in his pro career despite poor plate discipline and a concerning batted ball profile. His strong feel to hit and room for more strength help provide optimism for his offensive profile, but he will likely need to make some sort of mechanical adjustment along the way. He flashed some improvements down the stretch of the season in 2025, slowly chipping away at his ground ball rate and the slug numbers ticked up.

Defense/Speed

Much like his father, Crawford is an easy plus runner who can wreak havoc on the base paths and close in on baseball’s impressively in center field. While solid in center, Crawford relies on his speed over jumps, having the tendency to get a late start that he can make up for like few can. With continued reps, his reads and routes should get more comfortable, giving him a chance for plus defense up the middle with his athleticism, though he more likely settles in as an above average defender out there. He should be a threat for 30+ stolen bases and has been much more efficient of a base stealer at the upper levels.

Outlook

On the surface, Crawford has been as good as the Phillies could have hoped since they drafted him 17th overall in 2022, hitting comfortably over .300 with an OPS north of .800 through three pro seasons, with his best showing thus far as a 21-year-old in Triple-A. Continuing his production at the upper levels is encouraging, though there is no precedent for a hitter with an average launch angle at or below zero having success at the big league level, especially when combined with a chase rate above 30%.

The good news is, Crawford can remedy his batted ball profile with some mechanical changes and the feel for making contact that he possesses is a much more difficult skill to develop. His exit velocities on balls in the air is above average, and there’s more room for strength though that is all moot if he cannot cut down on his 60+% ground ball rate. Good defense in center field helps his profile, but if he can reach plus territory out there, it will take some more pressure off of the bat as well.

Height/Weight: 6’0″, 200 | Bat/Throw: R/R | IFA: $350K – 2019 (BOS) | ETA: 2026

Built like an NFL running back, Garcia is physical and athletic. He could use more refinement both offensively and defensively, but his natural ability really started to shine through in his breakout 2024 campaign that saw him climb three levels.

Hitting

Starting upright, Garcia gets into his lower half with a big leg kick as he sinks into his back side. His hands are extremely quick, but his swing is grooved for lift. The loft paired with strong bat speed helped Garcia launch 23 home runs and 52 extra base hits in 107 games in 2024, but also contributed to some challenges against elevated fastballs as well as staying on spin at times.

Garcia is an aggressive hitter, with a chase rate north of 30% and fringy contact rates, providing some concern that he could be challenged to get into his power consistently enough at the upper levels, but considering the fact that he started his age 22 season at the Double-A level in 2025, Garcia has plenty of time to refine his offensive game.

Defense/Speed

An above average runner, Garcia can cover a fair amount of ground in center field, but his jumps could be quicker and his routes more efficient. His closing speed and ability to finish plays make him capable of potentially sticking in centerfield, but he may project best in a corner where his plus arm will play well. Garcia’s speed hasn’t yet translated into a ton of stolen bases, as he was 17 for 24 in that department in 2024. 

Outlook

After two below average seasons to start his pro career, Garcia broke out in a big way in 2024, climbing three levels while posting an OPS near .900. The power and speed combination is exciting from Garcia, but he will need to clean up his approach and sharpen his reads and routes to continue on an above average regular track, but he has a good chance of at least settling as a toolsy platoon option.

Height/Weight: 6’3″, 210 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 11th Round (343), 2022 (HOU) | ETA: 2026

Drafted in the 11th round by the Astros, Clifford signed for second-round money ($1.25 million) to forego his Vanderbilt commitment before being traded alongside Drew Gilbert for Justin Verlander at the 2023 deadline. Clifford made some mechanical adjustments during the 2025 season which helped him cut down swing and miss.

Hitting

Clifford starts wide with his hands rested on his shoulder, before pushing his hands up and back to his slot with a pronounced coil as he loads. The emphasis on the coil is likely in an effort to mitigate his tendency to be heavy with his front foot, but during the 2025 season, he cut down his stride which in turn helped him hold his back side longer.

Now not pushing onto his frontside as early or heavily, Clifford’s barrel did not drag nearly as much, turning around velocity much more effectively. His contact rate on fastballs 93+ MPH jumped from 63% to 74% in 2025 with an OPS up roughly 200 points.

His improvements against velocity seemingly helped him control his at bats better as well. Now looking less rushed in the box, Clifford was much more effective against changeups as well, recognizing and staying back more easily.

Utilizing his lower half more effectively also translated into more consistently strong exit velocities. His hard hit rate jumped by 14% with a gaudy 90th percentile exit velocity of 108.5 MPH. His patience in the box can border on passivity at times, but Clifford’s swing decisions improved in 2025.

The contact rates are unlikely to be better than fringy at the highest level, though it is much easier to envision a quality power bat as he has rounded out some of the edges to his offensive profile while further tapping into his plus raw power in 2025.

He may ultimately be sheltered from left on left matchups, but Clifford has the offensive skill set to be a three true outcome hitter who can push north of 30 homers if he can maintain his contact gains at the highest level.

Defense/Speed

A below average runner, Clifford has seen action both in right field and first base. His easy plus arm could be more of an asset in right field, though his limited range and iffy reads could result in him playing most of his games at first base.

Outlook

Clifford’s easy plus power has always been his calling card, and with improved contact rates and approach, he is knocking on the door of the big leagues going into his age 22 season.

While his glove is not an asset, the ability to at least plug into the outfield corners in addition to first base helps his case. Ultimately, Clifford projects best as a bulk-platoon, three true outcome power bat, capable of launching 30+ homers.

Height/Weight: 6’4″, 245 | Bat/Throw: R/R | UDFA, 2023 (BAL) | ETA: 2026

Gibson is looking like a major scouting success for the Orioles, signing as a non-drafted free agent after standing out on the Cape in 2023. A deep bag of pitches and command that has made a leap in 2025 has him tracking like a potential rotation piece for the Orioles in 2026.

Arsenal

A five-pitch mix, Gibson can really spin it with plus extension. His fastball sits near the mid-90s, topping out at 98 MPH with sneaky run and ride that plays up from his nearly seven feet of extension. He utilizes his secondaries pretty evenly with a slight edge to his upper-80s cutter and low-80s curveball.

The cutter is an effective weak-contact inducer, generating a low average exit velocity and high ground ball rate. It tunnels off of his heater well, resulting in a plus chase rate. The depthy curveball may be Gibson’s best pitch, averaging roughly 17 inches of vertical break and 10 horizontal.

Despite the big shape, Gibson commands it well, landing it for a strike 65% of the time with a plus zone-whiff rate. He favors the pitch more to lefties, who have struggled to do anything against it across multiple levels, but will still mix it in to righties.

The sweeper is utilized more against righties, with plenty of movement in the mid-80s. He has the tendency to miss over the heart of the plate more frequently with the sweeper than his slider, exemplified by the slug numbers yielded, but the underlying data points towards it being at least an average pitch.

The slider is not far off in velocity from the cutter, though its slurvy shape distinguishes it with more downward action and an even higher ground ball rate. It’s his least used pitch, but not due to lack of effectiveness, generating some of the most gaudy whiff and chase numbers of his entire arsenal at just north of 10% usage.

Outlook

Gibson has all of the ingredients to be a reliable big league starter, and his leap from fringy command to above-average only helps his case. It’s a clean, repeatable delivery from a 6-foot-4, 240-pound frame with an arsenal that should give him consistent platoon splits and the ability to pitch deep into ball games with the way he can vary his looks. There’s middle-rotation upside.

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 185 | Bat/Throw: R/R | CB-A Round (35) – ATL (2022) | ETA: 2026

A Comp A pick in the 2022 draft, the Braves handed Ritchie $2.4 million to sign him away from UCLA, betting on both his polish as an amateur and projection. Tommy John surgery wiped out most of his 2023 campaign, returning to the mound in June of the 2024 season with slightly diminished stuff, but looked more comfortable as he compiled more starts. By 2025, Ritchie’s stuff looked as good as ever, climbing nearly two ticks with his fastball along with a deeper bag of pitches.

Arsenal

Ritchie took the mound in 2025 with a fastball sitting 93-95 MPH and several new pitches. He will utilize both a four seamer and sinker, with the four seamer generating more whiff and pop ups at the top of the zone than the shape may imply thanks to his flat approach angle and execution. Paired with Richie’s sinker that he executes well, yielding a ground ball rate of nearly 70% in 2025, he is able to set the tone with two different fastball shapes.

Another Braves pitcher who works across the rubber, Ritchie starts on the first base side, but will plant his foot two thirds of the way towards the third base side of the rubber as he strides. While it’s not quite a cross-fire delivery, it does help Ritchie hide the ball longer and adds to the deception with the two different fastball shapes.

All of Ritchie’s secondaries were effective in 2025 and mixed in at similar clips. His changeup had a slight edge usage wise, generating 15 inches of arm side fade with 15 inches of vertical separation from the four seam fastball.

His new two-plane curveball in the low 80s really chewed up left-handed hitters, quickly showcasing a good feel for it for how much it breaks (more than 13 inches both vertically and horizontally), picking up good whiff and plenty of weak contact.

Ritchie added a sweeper to keep right-handed hitters at bay. His command of it is a little bit more spotty than his other offerings, but it has the looks of at least an average pitch to righties. It has surpassed his more traditional slider as his preferred weapon to righties, but the slightly harder slider is still an effective pitch to mix in.

He will also flash a cutter several times per start in the 89-91 mph range, that he will almost exclusively throw to lefties.

Outlook

As Ritchie has further distanced himself from Tommy John surgery, he has regained his impressive feel to spin the baseball and execute east and west. He seemingly has an offering that works in every direction, with his pitches working off of each other in a way that makes for a very difficult at bat for lefties and righties alike (both hit below the Mendoza line against him).

In addition to his improved velocity and added pitches, Ritchie compiled 141 innings and maintained his quality of stuff throughout the season, seemingly setting him up for the big leagues in 2025 as he did not slow down in his 11 Triple-A starts to wind down the season. Ritchie is a high floor arm who should anchor the back end of the Braves rotation for years to come, but his assortment of offerings and ability to execute could push him towards a fringe middle-rotation arm.

Height/Weight: 6’0″, 185 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 1st Round (21) – 2024 (MIN) | ETA: 2027

Culpepper is a high floor infield prospect thanks to his strong feel to hit and improvements defensively. He answered two big questions in his first full pro season by tapping into more game power and looking the part defensively at shortstop.

Hitting

Starting slightly open and his hands relaxed just above his back shoulder, Culpepper gets himself back even with a moderate stride and small hand load. Culpepper’s simple operation allows him repeat his mechanics and timing, resulting in well above average contact rates, especially within the zone. His swing had generally been more geared for line drives than consistent lift, but he demonstrated huge improvements in his ability to pull the ball in the air at a solid clip, resulting in 20 homers in 113 games despite average exit velocities.

Culpepper can struggle to lay off of secondaries, running a chase rate of nearly 40% against non-fastballs in 2025, but he was also productive against off-speed, with an OPS right around .800. Nothing jumps off of the page with Culpepper, but the feel to hit has translated into pro ball with improved ability to air pull that can combine to give him a productive offensive profile if the swing decisions improve some.

Defense/Speed

Culpepper proved capable of sticking at shortstop in his first pro season, continuing to make gains with his footwork and actions. He has showcased the athleticism necessary to make difficult plays paired with more than enough arm strength. Culpepper is so comfortable throwing on the run that he will sometimes do it when he doesn’t need to, rather than setting his feet and working towards his target when he can.

He would project as an above average defender at both third base or second base if he were to move off of shortstop, however he looks the part of an average big league shortstop defensively as he cleans up the little things. An above average runner, Culpepper should be a threat for around 15 bags and was an efficient base stealer in 2025, grabbing 25 bags on 29 tries.

Outlook

There may not be a clear plus tool, but it’s difficult to find a deficiency in Culpepper’s game. His 2025 season was indicative of the sum of his parts value he provides, launching 20 homers, swiping 25 bags, along with above average contact rates and decent defense at shortstop. Culpepper is a high probability big league regular who earns high marks for the way he approaches the game and his competitiveness. He could reach Minnesota as soon as the second half of 2026.

Height/Weight: 6’0″, 210 | Bat/Throw: R/R | IFA: $200K, 2019 (MIL) | ETA: 2026

An impressive defensive catcher with intriguing offensive tools, Quero’s success in both facets of the game at Double-A as a 20-year-old solidified him as one of the best catching prospects in the game. A torn right labrum in the first game of the 2024 season wiped out his entire year and he got a late start in 2025 due to a hamstring issue.

The residual effects of the shoulder injury are concerning. His once elite arm looked like a shell of itself when he returned and his power at the plate looked diminished until the latter third of the season.

Offense

Using a rhythmic leg kick that precedes a short, flat swing, Quero repeats his moves well and produces a ton of line drives. Quero is an aggressive hitter, but drives the ball to all fields well and is able to get to pitches in difficult locations.

Like many young hitters with a solid feel to hit, Quero can give away at bats by taking “B-swings” at pitcher’s pitches early in counts. He has chipped away at his high swing rate some at the highest level, but will seemingly always be an aggressive hitter. His ability to recognize spin is actually solid, showcasing the ability to lay off of secondaries as counts get deeper. Possessing a good feel for the barrel, Quero makes plenty of contact and projects as above average bat to ball wise.

Quero produced strong exit velocities in 2023, flashing plus raw pop that he started to tap into more consistently. In the first half of 2025, Quero’s exit velocities were clearly compromised by injury, but he started to flash above average pop again down the stretch.

If Quero can continue to refine his approach and continue to regain his strength the further he is removed from surgery, he could develop into a quality blend of hit and power. 

Defense/Speed

Viewed as a glove-first catcher because of his athleticism and maturity/energy behind the dish, Quero earns high marks for the way he commands games and works with pitchers. Quero blocks and receives well while boasting a plus arm prior to his injury. He gets the ball out quick, throwing out 35% of attempted base stealers in 2023.

His arm strength was a shell of what it once was in 2025, resulting in a CS% that was cut in half, but the Brewers are cautiously optimistic that he will make up some ground the further removed he is from such a serious shoulder injury. His defensive skillset, paired with the intangibles have Quero looking like a potential plus defender even if he can claw back just some of the once elite arm strength.

Outlook

Quero has lost roughly a season and a half since the start of the 2024 season, yet he will get his second significant taste of Triple-A at 23 years old in 2025. He has the skill set to be above average on both sides of the ball, with the two biggest variables being his arm strength and approach. Quero’s encouraging finish to the 2025 season and solid showing in winter ball give him some momentum heading in 2026 as he looks to regain his status as one of the most well-rounded catcher prospects in the Minor Leagues.

Height/Weight: 5’10″, 170 | Bat/Throw: L/L | IFA: $300,000, 2024 (CLE) | ETA: 2028

A left-handed hitter with the potential for above-average hit and power, Caceras was one of the best hitters in the DSL in 2024 before showcasing more of the same in the ACL, earning a promotion to Low-A prior to his 18th birthday. Caceres possesses standout bat speed for his age and good hand-eye; it’s just a matter of converting it at the higher levels.

Hitting

A somewhat noisy operation, Caceres will start with the bat on his shoulder before getting into a sizable leg kick as he pushes his hands upwards. Caceras gets by on hand-eye coordination and plus bat speed, but if he is able to smooth out his mechanics as he matures, there could be even more in the tank.

His hands can get somewhat wrapped behind him, likely causing his lower half to feel like it needs to leak out early, evident by the toes of his front foot facing the pitcher when he lands from his stride. That can cause him to pull off of stuff away and lose some power, and even then, Caceres ran a 90th percentile exit velocity of 105 MPH with a max of 111.4 MPH in his age 17 season.

With more power and refined mechanics, there could be a lethal combination of hit and power, but if he cannot clean up the mechanics, there could be some challenges against more difficult competition. There’s clearly a great feel for the barrel regardless, running a contact rate of 85% in 2025.

Defense/Speed

The bat is ahead of the glove or Caceres, who will almost surely land in an outfield corner. He is an average runner with at least an average arm, but showcases enough speed to cover ample ground in a corner as his first step and routes improve.

Outlook

It’s a projection game with Caceres, but he is easy to dream on between his plus bat speed and natural feel for the barrel. If he can refine his mechanics, there will be even more in the tank, exit velocities-wise–in addition to simply maturing–and he will likely have much more success getting the ball in the air.

With gains in those two departments, plus power is not out of the question down the line.

Even if he does not reach that ceiling, it’s easy to envision at least average hit and game power for Caceres, with his raw pop aiding both departments. There’s plenty of time for the teenager to push towards the loftier outcome as he gets his second taste of Low-A in his age-18 season in 2026.

Height/Weight: 6’4″, 230 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 6th Round (186) – NYM (2023) | ETA: 2026

A sixth-round pick in 2023, Wenninger’s fastball jumped nearly three ticks in 2025, facilitating a breakout as he nearly halved his ERA in his first year at Double-A while tossing 135 2/3 innings.

Arsenal

After averaging roughly 92.5 MPH on his heater in 2024, Wenninger sat above 95 MPH in 2025, seeing his velocity continue to climb as the season progressed. Over his final 10 starts, Wenninger averaged 95.8 MPH with his four-seamer and a half tick below that with his sinker.

Wenninger’s four-seamer gets some run and ride, generating good whiff numbers within the zone and really crowding right-handed hitters on the inner half, hitting just .170 against the pitch at Double-A.

His best pitch is his plus splitter in the mid 80s, getting plenty of vertical separation from the fastball, often looking like it runs out of gas just before home plate. While it is his preferred secondary to lefties, the way the pitch works off of his fastball makes it effective to righties as well, generating a chase rate north of 40% while going to more than 20% of the time.

Wenninger’s go-to secondary against righties is his mid-80s gyro slider. He’ll throw it nearly 30% of the time to same-handed hitters with far better results than when he mixes it in to lefties. It’s likely an average third offering that flashes above.

Outlook

Already comfortable filling up the zone with each of his offerings, Wenninger was able to maintain a walk rate south of 8% as his quality of stuff took a massive leap in 2025. He could benefit from mixing in another secondary pitch, but the quality of his fastball and splitter takes some pressure off.

The strike-throwing ability and pitch mix give him a great chance to sit in the back of a rotation as a sturdy innings eater.

Wenninger has the upside of a middle-rotation starter and reached closer to that with the way he closed out his season at Double-A, making him a candidate to see big league action with the Mets in 2026.

Height/Weight: 6’4″, 210 | Bat/Throw: R/R | CB-A (34), 2023 (MIN) | ETA: 2027

A big right-hander who was one of the youngest players in his draft class, Soto is raw on the mound but progressed nicely in his first pro season. Arm issues wiped out his 2025 season, but Soto should be ready to go for 2026.

Arsenal

An infielder for much of his time as an amateur, Soto focused on the mound later than many of his peers, quickly turning heads with his upper 90s fastball and natural feel for a changeup. He will throw a four seamer and two seamer, both sitting in the mid 90s in 2024, but have ticked up in 2025.

His fastballs previously left a bit to be desired in terms of shape and characteristics, but he found more vert with his four-seamer, now featuring good carry in the upper 90s. His two seamer averages about seven inches less of induced vertical break and four inches more of horizontal break.

Soto’s best pitch is his plus changeup, in the mid 80s with sword-inducing fade, averaging around 17 inches of horizontal run.

The vertical drop of the pitch widens his margin for error, still getting whiffs within the zone when he leaves it higher than he intended. The movement is so difficult for hitters that Soto confidently throws it right-on-right as a put-away pitch, with same-handed hitters going 1-for-31 against it with 18 strikeouts.

Like many of the arms in the Twins organization, Soto will utilize both a slider and a cutter. They’ll morph together some, and Soto’s harder cutters in the upper 80s can back up over the middle.

His slider looks like it can be an average third offering. The effectiveness of Soto’s changeup against both lefties and righties hedges the need for the slider to be anything more than average.

Outlook

One of the youngest players in the Florida State League at the start of the 2024 season, Soto entered pro ball with fewer amateur innings under his belt than most other teenage arms as a converted shortstop. There are plenty of pitching success stories with converted shortstops hopping onto the mound, and Soto has the talent to be another.

Soto really hit his stride over the final three months of the season, pitching to a 3.67 ERA over his final eight starts while only allowing four extra base hits and he appeared to be building on that finish and them some with his strong camp and significantly improved stuff in the early going of the 2025 season before a triceps issue placed him on the IL not to be seen on the mound again during the season.

If Soto can sustain his fastball shapes and velocity, along with continued gains in the command department, there’s middle rotation upside, but at this point, there’s risk that he could become too changeup dependent. He’ll be just 19 years old for the entirety of the 2025 season, which, given his limited experience on the mound, provides optimism that he can continue to progress.

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 200 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 1st Round (7), 2023 (CIN) | ETA: 2024

Lowder made his closing argument as the second best college arm in the 2023 draft by going toe-to-toe with Paul Skenes in a winner-take-all semifinal game in Omaha. As expected, Lowder flew through the minor leagues, making his MLB debut after just 22 starts where he showed well. Lowder is a high floor arm with middle-rotation upside.

Arsenal

A four pitch mix, Lowder wields a pair of fastballs: a four seamer that averaged just above 94 mph in 2024 and a sinker a tick slower. Lowder utilizes the four seamer more frequently to lefties and while nothing jumps off of the page, he varies the shape between run and ride and true ride, throwing hitters off. Across all levels, Lowder held left-handed hitters to an OPS right around .600. The sinker is his preferred weapon to righties, averaging 17 inches of horizontal break while picking up a ground ball rate north of 60%.

Lowder’s mid 80s slider is his best pitch. The gyro action it features and his feel to consistently locate it resulted in a ground ball rate north of 50% in 2024 with high chase figures. His 86-88 mph changeup has not been as consistent as a pro, but has the potential to be a comfortably above average pitch.

Outlook

Plus command of a quality four pitch mix makes Lowder a high probability MLB starter. The effectiveness of his duo of fastballs in his pro debut and MLB debut only help his case. If Lowder can regain his the feel for his changeup he flashed at Wake Forest, he has the upside of a No. 3 option. His ability to get contact on the ground and prevent free passes makes him a great fit to handle the offensive haven that is Great American Ball Park.

Height/Weight: 6’2”, 200 | Bat/Throw: S/R | 3rd Round (105) – 2022 (LAD) | ETA: 2025

A well-rounded, switch-hitting shortstop, Freeland made a leap offensively in 2024, elevating his ceiling to a potential above average regular at the position.

Hitting

An upright and slightly open setup from both sides of the plate, Freeland’s operation in the box is simple, utilizing a toe tap and slight barrel tip as he loads. Freeland’s repeatable moves helped him find the barrel more consistently, bolstering his contact rate by 7% in 2024. The improved timing also helped Freeland’s swing decisions, cutting his chase rate all the way down to roughly 15%, helping him walk at a 15% clip.

Elevating the ball more consistently with an average exit velocity that jumped to 91.5 MPH, Freeland launched a career-high 18 home runs while mixing in 35 doubles and triples in 136 games. Freeland is a better hitter from the left side, posting better contact rates and an OPS more than 100 points higher. There’s enough power to hit 20 home runs with the feel to find both gaps that should allow for plenty of doubles.

Defense/Speed

Freeland has the tools to be an average big league shortstop, but could move off of the position in deference to a more impactful glove. His above average arm would play well at third base where his range would be above average as well. He would comfortably project above average at second base too. An above average runner, Freeland has great instincts on the base paths, swiping 31 bags on 33 tries in 2024.

Outlook

Average or better tools across the board with the instincts to get the most out of his abilities, Freeland is a relatively high probability MLB regular if he can sustain his improvements bat-to-ball wise. Freeland projects as an above average regular who can move around the infield, but with a bit more defensive progress, you wouldn’t have to squint too hard to see an above average everyday shortstop.

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 215  | Bat/Throw: L/R | UDFA: $50,000 – 2023 (SF) | ETA: 2027

A unique story, Davidson played at two different junior colleges with a year off in between before the Giants identified him in the Coastal Plains League.

Davidson offers an intriguing combination of above-average power and speed, breaking out in 2024 between the complex and Low-A, capped by a solid AFL showing. He followed that up by posting a 137 wRC+ between High-A and Double-A in 2025.

Hitting

Starting slightly stacked towards his back side, with his hands relaxed in front of his back shoulder. It’s a simple pre-swing operation, with a moderate stride and a slight pull backwards with his hands.

There’s more cohesion to Davidson’s swing now, with his lower half and torso working more in tandem, aiding his timing while looking more under control against spin.

While Davidson has improved against spin, he still struggles to stay back at points. That may be why he starts stacked towards the back side, but he may need to find a move that helps him stay there longer.

Overall, 2025 has been a step in the right direction for the pop-up prospect. His bat speed is plenty evident when he is turning around velocity, punishing fastballs in the zone, which can also make him overly ambitious against heaters at the top.

He’s flashed plus power, with a 90th percentile exit velocity of 106 MPH and a max of 112.5 MPH with room for more. There’s a decent gap between his average exit velocities and the top 10%, meaning too much weak contact is still getting mixed in, predominantly against secondaries.

Even with the hit tool gains, it will be a power-over-hit profile, but there’s enough power to push towards 30 homers if it all works out.

Defense/Speed

A plus runner with a good arm, Davidson has the tools to stick in centerfield if his reads and navigation can continue to come along, but if he settles in a corner, he’d project as above average there.

There’s a chance that Davidson could slow down a tick if he continues to fill out, adding more likelihood that he pushes to a corner, the late-bloomer nature of his game, and improvements he has already made in center make it difficult to count him out.

Davidson swiped 19 bags on 25 tries in 2025 and should be a threat for around 20 bags per season as he continues to settle in as a base stealer.

Outlook

If Davidson can stick in center, that would take some pressure off the bat, but he has the power and defensive ability to be an above-average regular in a corner. If things stall defensively, he should at least be able to get by in centerfield when needed.

There’s platoon risk as he has struggled some in left-on-left matchups, though his ability to potentially play all three outfield spots–even if centerfield is not his primary position–should help him stay in the lineup. There’s plus power and speed potential with a player whose late-blooming nature and projectable frame imply potential for more in the tank.

Height/Weight: 6’0″, 210 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 4th Round (116), 2022 (MIL) | ETA: 2025

An outlier fastball and improved command helped Henderson dominate at the Triple-A level to start the 2025 season before carrying it into big league success. His heavy fastball usage makes him more of a five and dive type at this point, but he has overwhelmed hitters in that role.

Arsenal

Henderson’s fastball averages just 93 MPH but stands out as a plus or better pitch due to its elite run and ride from a 5.2 foot release height. With such a flat approach angle, hitters consistently miss under his fastball, which generates plus whiff numbers within the zone and elite chase figures at the top.

His changeup features 19 inches of total separation from his fastball playing up with the way it tunnels off of a fastball that hitters feel like they need to swing down to in order to get on top of it. His feel for the changeup has really improved in 2025, landing it for a strike at roughly a 65% clip.

Henderson does not have as much success spinning the baseball with an upper 80s cutter that of his slider that lacks teeth. He will go to both around 8-10% of the time with the cutter performing best against lefties.

Outlook

The Brewers litany of controllable arms has resulted in Henderson bumping up and down between Triple-A and the Major Leagues, but in his limited MLB action, it has been clear that his unique fastball can play like a plus pitch at the highest level. With the changeup working off of it and above average command, Henderson looks the part of a quality No. 4 starter who may need to be shielded from the third time through the order on days where the cutter and slider aren’t there. If one of the two offerings can even be consistently average, Henderson could reach towards middle-rotation upside.

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 205 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 4th Round (119), 2024 (NYM) | ETA: 2027

A California prep bat, Reimer was selected in the fourth round of the 2022 draft, turned in an impressive first pro season in 2023 before injuries limited him to just 21 regular season games in 2024. The Mets sent Reimer out to the Arizona Fall League to make up for lost reps, where he posted mostly average numbers, but started to make the mechanical adjustments that have him breaking out in 2025.

Hitting

Reimer previously started with his weight stacked on his back side and back knee bowed out towards home. Starting so stacked with his back knee at that angle likely made it more difficult to hold his weight back as he began his launch, resulting in some drift forward.

He now starts more upright, coiling into his back side with rhythm along with his barrel getting into a slot that is much easier to get on plane (he dropped his hands too low with the bat more vertical as he loaded before).

These improvements have Reimer’s barrel living in the zone much longer while putting him in a more powerful position to hit. He has cut his ground ball rate by 10% while his hard hit rate has jumped from 33% in 2023 and 2024 combined to a whopping 49% through his first 50 games in 2025.

While finding more barrel depth, Reimer has maintained solid contact rates while his pitch recognition skills and feel for the strike zone stand out. There’s above average power potential with the feel to hit and approach to get into it.

Defense/Speed

Not necessarily the fleetest of foot, Reimer’s range is fringy at third base, but he has an above average arm and is comfortable throwing on the run and from different angles. He may ultimately profile best at first base, but Reimer should be able to provide passable defense at third.

Outlook

Earning high marks for his work ethic and knowledge of his swing, Reimer followed an injury-riddled 2024 season with tangible adjustments in the box and added strength that have him breaking out offensively in 2025. Even if there is limited value beyond the bat, Reimer has the offensive ingredients to get on base at an above average clip and hit 20-25 homers.

Height/Weight: 6’6″, 215 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 1st Round (3), 2024 (COL) | ETA: 2026

Condon put up one of the best collegiate seasons of all time as a redshirt sophomore, winning the Golden Spikes Award while breaking the Georgia program record in just two seasons. His blend of hit and power could match what the Rockies were hoping to get from Kris Bryant when they signed him to a $182 million deal. Condon was slow out of the gate and also battled a wrist issue that delayed is 2025 start, but Condon returned to action in May, looking more like the standout bat he was in college at High-A and maintained solid production at Double-A.

Offense

Starting with his hands rested just in front of his shoulder and a slight bend in his knees, Condon sinks further into his base as he loads with an early toe tap that leads into a stride. The toe tap helps Condon get his weight back and breaks up what would be a big move for a hitter with levers as long as his, making it easier to control.

Condon likes to catch the ball out front, handling velocity well, even at the top of the zone, with a contact rate of 82% and an OPS north of .900 against fastballs. His desire to catch balls out front and go pull side can cause him to lose direction and while he is able to get on plane for fastballs, he has the tendency to leave the zone too quickly on secondary stuff. That said, he rarely misses hangers and put up video game numbers against fastballs.

Despite improvements overall against secondary stuff, Condon’s contact rate drops from 82% against fastballs to just 62% against secondaries. His ability to pull velocity in the air elevates bodes well for his game power, but there’s some concern that his path is geared towards that and not much else.

6-foot-6 with a relatively slender frame, Condon has the upside to push beyond the plus power territory. He has a good feel for the strike zone for a player who has to deal with such a large zone. Continued refinement of his swing decisions would help hedge the pull-dependency concern as there are plenty of examples of hitters with far less power (I.E. Isaac Paredes) whose unrelenting approach allows them to be pull-dependent sluggers.

Condon is too good against fastballs and hanging breaking balls not to find some level of success, but to attain his lofty ceiling, he might need to make a slight adjustment path wise or reach towards the plus territory in the plate discipline department.

Defense/Speed

The Rockies have seemingly moved Condon to first base full time where he is athletic enough to develop into become an average defender. He’s not a very good runner, but not a clog either.

Outlook

Condon bounced back from his small sample struggles, overcoming a preseason wrist injury to finish with Double-A success under his belt in 2025. There may be some deficiencies swing wise that could ultimately hold him back from reaching his ceiling, but Condon’s ability to crush fastballs and hangers with an approach that continues to improve give him a good shot at developing into a quality power bat.

There could not have been a much better landing spot for him than the Rockies as his blend of big power and decent hit is easy to dream on in a cavernous Coors Field that is a mile above sea level and suppresses secondary movement. Even though he lacks some desired adjustability with his swing, Condon has flashed good enough bat to ball to get into his plus raw power enough to launch 30+ homers if it all works out.

Height/Weight: 6’0″, 185 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 1st Round (20), 2023 (TOR) | ETA: 2027

Few prospects enjoyed more helium heading into the 2023 draft than Nimmala. One of the youngest players in the class, his present bat speed and projectable frame has evaluators dreaming on what could be. A slow start to his pro career that included a Development List stint slowed the momentum some, but he returned looking much more polished at the plate while tapping into his intriguing power potential more consistently.

Offense

A quick stroke grooved for lift, Nimmala really began to lean into his ability to pull the ball in the air in his first full pro season. The loft in his swing resulted in some challenges with swing and miss, something he improved upon after a brief stint on the Development List to refine some of his swing mechanics. His subtle changes aided his ability to turn on velocity which spilled into his ability to recognize spin as he looked less rushed in the box.

Nimmala extended those improvements into the 2025 season where he made a seamless transition to High-A thanks to his significant improvements against secondaries and enhanced adjustability in the box, spoiling tough pitches with a tangible increase in the O-Contact department. He has also getting his A swing off more consistently, pushing his average exit velocity and hard hit rate up.

The hit tool will likely be fringy for Nimmala, but his improving swing decisions and the ability to already get into his game power give him the ingredients to be an above average offensive threat. There’s still room to fill out physically and he could still stand to use his lower half a bit more effectively to tap into more pop.

Defense/Speed

An average runner with good footwork and range at shortstop, Nimmala has the arm strength to stick at the position with the actions to be a good defender there. Nothing jumps off of the page, but he consistently puts himself in good positions to make plays with fluid actions. Though he does not record the best home-to-first times, Nimmala still provides some value on the base paths and was 9-for-10 on stolen bases in 82 Low-A games in 2024.

Outlook

Nimmala’s strong second half and ability to make mechanical tweaks in his age 18 season is encouraging. Even with the improvements, there’s some risk to the profile given the swing and miss (29.7% K-Rate after Dev. List), but his chances of sticking at shortstop and advanced feel to get into his power in games helps round out his profile. There was a bit of an adjustment for Nimmala at High-A, posting a 91 wRC+ in 120 games, but at just 19 years old and having shown the ability to adjust in the past, there’s not a ton of reason to sound the alarms on the relative 2025 struggles.

Plate discipline will be an important wrinkle for Nimmala, who will likely need to walk at a decent clip to maintain desired on base numbers and his tangible improvements to both recognize and hit spin provide optimism in that department. There’s potential for above average power and defense at short if the hit tool continues to trend in the right direction.

Height/Weight: 6’0″, 175 | Bat/Throw: R/R | IFA: $247,500, 2025 (KC) | ETA: 2029

The biggest breakout in the Royals system in 2025, Chourio immediately proved to be a steal in the 2025 IFA class, quickly dominating his way out of the DSL and ACL before continuing his success in Low-A as a 17-year-old.

Arsenal

A three-pitch mix in the early stages of his career, Chourio has the feel to pitch and spin to diversify his arsenal as he matures. His fastball leads the way, already sitting in the mid 90s, touching 98 MPH. He already pounds the zone with it, registering a 74% strike rate and 62% in-zone rate in 2025.

As he climbed levels, Chourio’s 85-88 MPH changeup became his most effective secondary. The shape can be a bit inconsistent at times, but flashed good vertical separation and fade.

Chourio’s curveball is depthy in the upper 70s with two-plane break. He had the tendency to spray it a bit in his first pro season while also snapping some breakers that flashed at least average.

Chourio would likely benefit from a shorter, harder-breaking ball, which shouldn’t be entirely difficult for him to add.

Outlook

Well ahead of his years on the mound, Chourio’s eye-popping 64 strikeouts against just six walks as a 17-year-old across the DSL, ACL, and Low-A is remarkable. He’s understandably still developing from a pitch shape and execution standpoint, but Chourio has plenty of time to do so as he gets his second taste of Low-A in a season where he will be 18 years old for its entirety.

Already with such a strong foundation and plenty of room to run, Chourio is one of the most exciting teenage arms to watch in the minor leagues.

Height/Weight: 5’11″, 200 | Bat/Throw: S/S | 1st Round (15), 2024 (SEA) | ETA: 2027

An extremely athletic pitcher who can throw with both arms, Cjintje projects best as a righty, though he has only focused his energy entirely on the mound for a few years, giving him exciting upside.

Arsenal

As a right-hander, Cjintje has a four-pitch mix headlined by a lively fastball and a pair of impressive breaking balls. His fastball sits in the mid 90s with plus ride from a below-average release height.

It easily projects as a plus fastball as he gains comfort with his ability to locate it more consistently. In his first full pro season, Cijntje’s fastball command has been the most impressive leap.

The best pitch for Cjintje is his cutterish slider in the upper 80s. He commands it as well as any pitch in his arsenal. It moves most similarly to Jeremiah Estrada’s slider, allowing it to play well even when he messes up, but it can dive right off the table when he starts it in the lower third.

His ability to throw it for a strike has waned somewhat in pro ball, but it has still looked like a plus offering.

His slurvy curveball in the low 80s developed into a reliable swing and miss pitch for Cjintje later in the year, and while he only threw it about 10% of the time, it has the looks of an above-average offering that can hedge his dependence on a developing changeup to get lefties out.

While the changeup flashes average or better, Cjintje struggled to command it in 2024, and it has been spotty in pro ball, landing it for a trike hardly north of 50% of the time at around 8% usage. He is still learning how to consistently kill vert on the pitch, but it averages 17 inches of horizontal break with about 10 MPH in velocity separation.

As a left-hander, Cijntje sits in the low 90s with a fastball that is heavier with sinking action. He will throw a slider off of that, which looks like it can be an above-average pitch to lefties, but it seems as though Cijntje is more limited upside-wise as a southpaw.

Outlook

From the right side, Cijntje has middle-rotation upside. His athleticism on the mound makes it easy to forget that he has only really focused on pitching for a short period of time prior to the draft.

His ability to execute and sequence is a work in progress as he is still learning himself as a pitcher, especially since he is two pitchers in one.

The leap fastball command-wise in his first pro season stands out, especially with the fantastic characteristics the pitch possesses. With a pair of quality breaking balls to work off of it and a changeup that has at least flashes, there’s plenty to like.

He fits the bill of the low-release, high carry fastball guys that the Mariners identify well from the right side, and his secondaries give him a chance to be a strong No. 3 option as he gains more of a consistent feel for them along with locating his heater better.

He may benefit from focusing entirely as a right-handed pitcher.

Height/Weight: 6’3″, 200 | Bat/Throw: L/L | 1st Round (24), 2024 (ATL) | ETA: 2027

The nephew of former MLB NL MVP Ken Caminiti, Cam reclassified into the 2024 class, making him one of the youngest players in the draft. Despite a delayed start due to forearm tendinitis, Caminiti turned in an impressive first pro season, generating plenty of momentum as a candidate to make a big leap in 2026.

Arsenal

A three pitch mix, Caminiti’s fastball leads the way, already sitting 93-95 MPH with room for more velocity in his repeatable delivery. While the characteristics on the fastball are somewhat standard, it plays up a bit from his slight cross-fire delivery. With his physicality and athleticism, it would not be surprising to see Caminiti sit in the mid 90s as he develops.

After lagging behind at points, Caminiti’s slider has come along nicely, flashing above average at around 80-82 mph. He’s still working to tighten it up some, but it has the potential to be a plus offering. His upper 80s changeup flashes as a solid third offering if he can find a bit more separation either velocity or shape wise. He flashed a good feel for it as an amateur, with the chance for it to develop into at least an average offering as he throws it more.

Outlook

Caminiti’s athleticism and easy mechanics give him the potential for above average command with an uptick in stuff easily in the tank. The top prep arm in the class, the Braves were thrilled for Caminiti to slip to them at the No. 24 selection despite the vast majority of the organization’s top prospects being arms.

They were immediately validated in Caminiti’s first pro season, as he pitched to a 2.08 ERA in Low-A, while striking out 32% of batters. He will be 19 years old for nearly the entirety of the 2026 season with plenty to dream on from a velocity and pitch shape perspective, giving him as much upside as any arm in the Braves system.

Height/Weight: 6’1″, 215 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 4th Round (127), 2022 (STL) | ETA: 2026

Crooks is a well-rounded catcher who took a big step forward offensively at Double-A in 2024 and carried that success into Triple-A in 2025, earning a late-season call-up. He is a grinder behind the dish who pitchers love working with.

Hitting

Starting very open with his front foot on the outer-edge of the batter’s box and his hands cast out in front of him. He utilizes a big leg kick to close himself off while pulling his hands back to his slot. He manages the moving parts well, starting his load early and repeating his mechanics well.

There’s some concern that big league secondaries could take him out of his rhythm and timing, especially as a hitter who likes to make contact further out front than the average hitter.

Crooks has little issue being on time for the heater, hammering fastballs through his Minor League career. While he was productive against secondaries overall, Crooks’ contact rates drop significantly.

Against non-fastballs in 2025, Crooks made contact with just 57% of pitches, but hedges that by hammering hangers and showcasing decent pitch-rec skills.

After struggling mightily against southpaws in 2023, Crooks put together respectable numbers in same-handed matchups in both 2024 and 2025. While the top-end exit velocities don’t jump off the page, Crooks’ average exit velocity of 90 MPH is comfortably above average.

Crooks tends to spray fastballs all over the field with more tendency to pull softer stuff given his out-front contact point. He likely projects for average power, but could have room for a bit more. The hit tool may be fringy at best, but he hedges that with improvements left on left and the ability to do damage against all pitch types.

Defense/Speed

It’s difficult to poke a hole in Crooks defensive game, grading out as an above-average receiver with a strong arm, throwing out a third of attempted base stealers in Double-A and Triple-A. His blocking has steadily improved since his draft year at Oklahoma, but it may be the one area where he is not clearly and comfortably above average.

Crooks earns high marks for how he works with the Cardinals’ arms.

Outlook

Crooks has the upside to provide slightly above average offense and plus defense if it all works out, but even if the production is closer to league average, Crooks has the ingredients to be a steady primary catcher at the MLB level.

With swing and miss expected to creep into his game more in the big leagues, there will be added importance for him to tap into his at least average power potential and draw walks.

Between his strike-stealing and run-stopping skills, Crooks has the floor of a backup catcher, with how much he hits likely determining whether he is a primary catcher or high-end second option.

Height/Weight: 6’2″, 190 | Bat/Throw: L/R | IFA: $5.8M, 2021 (SD) | ETA: 2027

A wunderkind of a catching prospect, Salas signed for $5.8 million as the top prospect in the 2023 IFA class and was immediately thrusted into big league spring training action, followed by a Low-A assignment prior to his 17th birthday and a High-A assignment before he turned 18. His offensive output has expectedly been meager given his unprecedented assignments, but the talent to be a good big league catcher has still been evident.

Offense

Salas starts upright with his weight slightly stacked on his back side before sinking a bit further into his back hip with minimal hand movement in his load. His pre-swing moves are slow and controlled, while his swing is quick. Salas incorporates his lower half really well, producing plus bat speed and above average pop.

He already has a great feel for the zone and recognizes spin well, though his chase rate did climb by five percent to 25% at High-A. The jump was mostly predicated on a spike in chase against fastballs, not breaking balls, pointing towards a young hitter who is perhaps a little overzealous rather than challenged to recognize spin.

His feel to hit is impressive for his age, posting league-average contact rates at High-A despite being the youngest player in any full season league. Given where Salas is already at, it’s easy to imagine him developing into an above average hitter. There may not be a ton of room for projection, but the teenager simply maturing will likely result in added power with his four home runs in 24 Arizona Fall League games already providing some optimism that he can start to trend closer to his average power potential in 2025.

Defense/Speed

It’s hard to remember a more advanced teenage catching prospect when it comes to receiving than Salas, reeling in the ball smoothly with elite hands. He moves well behind the dish making strides as a blocker in his first pro season.

The Padres brass has raved about the maturity of Salas and the way he handles bullpens since he arrived at the complex which should translate into strong game calling. Already with a well above average arm, Salas has a plus arm and his improved transfer resulted in a 28% caught stealing rate in 2024. He has goods to be a plus defensive catcher as he hammers down the fundamentals.

Outlook

Salas has the ability to be an elite defender with above average offensive average offensive production. The Padres have challenged Salas more than any prospect in professional baseball in recent memory, making it difficult to draw much from his career .657 OPS in 179 games. That said, evaluators will likely want to see progress offensively for Salas in what will be his third pro season. That may be a bit unfair, but so it goes when you are regarded as one of the top catcher prospects in the game prior to the performance that generally merits it.

On talent alone, Salas still deserves to be considered one of the best prospects at his position as even with below average offensive production, his defensive ability and intangibles should make him a big league catcher for a long time. He likely lands somewhere in the middle as a glove first catcher who is still a net positive with the bat, such as Gabriel Moreno.