Top 100 Prospects: Biggest Risers
With every new update on our Top 100, the stock on some prospects goes way up. Here are the biggest risers from the last list to the new one.
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There was once a wise man who said, “If you ain’t first, you’re last”. Then there is the old saying, “slow and steady wins the race”. Needless to say, Just Baseball may not have been the first to release an updated Top-100 Prospect List recently, but I would be darned if I did not say that it is truly the best one.
What I find most fascinating about this list in particular is the number of graduations that we have seen from the preseason list to this update. In particular, players like Konnor Griffin, Kevin McGonigle, JJ Wetherholt, and Samuel Basallo have gone and graduated from prospect status. Four players who were prominent top-10 prospects across the industry have now established themselves on their respective teams big league roster.
With all of the graduations comes an opportunity for a lot of new faces to make the updated list now that we have a little over two months of Major League Baseball in the books.
Along with all of the movement come major adjustments to the rankings. In this article, I am going to highlight some of the biggest risers since the last update and provide a breakdown as to why the jump is justified.
Top-100 Prospects: Biggest Risers
10. OF Ryan Waldschmidt, ARI No. 44 –> No. 21 (+23)
Height/Weight: 6’2″, 205 | Bat/Throw: R/R | PPI (31), 2024 (ARI) | ETA: 2026
There was never much question regarding Ryan Waldschmidt’s bat, and he has been able to prove that so far through his 26-game sample size in the majors. When the Diamondbacks decided to promote him, they did so with the corresponding transaction being the closing of the door on the career of Alek Thomas. It also came after only 148 games in the minor leagues.
Despite the advanced bat, he was never one to post high contact rates throughout his progression through the minors, but it’s the damage he had been able to do when he was making contact, as evident by his wRC+ never falling under 140 in his two seasons prior to this one. Evidently, the Diamondbacks were never truly dependent on a high-end power output. Dating back to his time at Kentucky, he had never hit more than 14 home runs, totaling only 28 in his three college seasons.
Waldschmidt has even shown his value on the defensive side of the ball, giving the Diamondbacks 2 FRV in his 241.1 innings. Not to mention a spring speed that currently sits a smidge under the 89th percentile, further solidifying his above-average speed grade.
Needless to say, the jump from No. 44 to No. 21 now at the update shows continued confidence that he will only develop more game-power as he gets more reps and settles into the big league lineup.
9. SS George Lombard Jr., NYY No. 53 –> No. 20 (+33)
Height/Weight: 6’3″, 190 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 1st Round, (26) 2023 (NYY) | ETA: 2027
It wasn’t long before the lofty expectations were set on George Lombard Jr. after he was selected by the New York Yankees in the first round of the 2023 draft. Not because he is the son of a former big leaguer, but because he was immediately labeled, as every other shortstop drafted by the Yankees, as the next successor to Hall of Famer Derek Jeter.
If you just look at the surface-level stats, you’re likely going to question why he jumped 33 spots in the recent update. However, if you were to take a look at the underlying stats, there would be one stat in particular that jumps out. That stat being the Z-Contact% and how it has jumped right around 10%, from 78.7% to 86.9%, since the 2024 season.
Lombard was promoted to Triple-A after lighting Double-A on fire, and, while the numbers don’t look appetizing, the traits that justified the first-round selection are still there. His plate discipline continues to be well above-average, and that has not changed since he was drafted, never posting a walk rate below 10.7%. This is also carrying over through the initial struggles in Triple-A, with the BB% sitting at 17.1% through 55 games.
As I mentioned before, the expectations have been lofty for the shortstop, but he has not let that faze him in the slightest. He has also proven plenty durable, playing in over 100 games each of his three seasons.
8. OF Theo Gillen, TB No. 75 –> No. 19 (+56)
Height/Weight: 6’3″, 200 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 1st Round (18), 2024 (TB) | ETA: 2028
To be honest, I did not care much about the injury history during the 2024 draft process with Theo Gillen because I thought he was so polished. Clearly, the Rays were of the same thought process as I after having taken him 18th overall that year.
Though the injury troubles have lingered into his professional career, when he is on the field, all he does is hit, further solidifying the decision to take him. His age-18 season following the draft is one you can just overlook. If you want to know why Gillen had a 56 spot jump at this update, you look at the 116 games that have followed.
During his 73-game 2025 season in Single-A, Gillen “only” hit .267, but he had an OBP of .433, boosted by a 19.8% walk rate, and a wRC+ of 151. Transition over to the 2026 season, where he has played all 45 games in High-A, and the left-handed hitter is hitting .325, still maintaining an OBP comfortably north of .400, and is now sporting a wRC+ of 158.
All this is being done with a contact rate that is just south of 75%.
When Gillen is healthy and on the field, there is no denying he is one of the best prospects in the minor leagues.
7. OF Josue De Paula, LAD No. 41 –> No. 18 (+23)
Height/Weight: 6’3″, 175 | Bat/Throw: L/R | IFA: $1.5M, 2021 (LAD) | ETA: 2027
If you didn’t know Jose De Paula before the 108.5 MPH three-run bomb he hit in the 2025 Futures Game, then it is likely you just tend to not pay attention to the Dodgers and how strong their farm system continues to be.
It was justifiable to say that the Dodgers’ outfield prospect was ranked too low at 41 in the preseason list. Depending on who you ask, some prefer him to his org-mate, Zyhir Hope. 18 feels far more comfortable of a ranking.
In Double-A, De Paula has a wOBA of .432 to go along with his .319 batting average, 10 home runs, 16 stolen bases, and a 157 wRC+. The question with De Paula’s approach right now is that he tends to be a little pull-happy, but it is often overlooked when you’re posting a contact rate of 85% on the season.
Freshly off being named the Texas League Player of the Month, De Paula is likely to find himself planted firmly in the top-10 come season’s end.
6. 1B Ralphy Velazquez, CLE No. 57 –> No. 17 (+40)
Height/Weight: 6’1″, 240 | Bat/Throw: L/R | 1st Round (23), 2023 (BOS) | ETA: 2027
Year after year, we clamor loudly for the Guardians to go out and add some thump to their lineup. Could their lack of aggression to fill that need be in large part due to their first base slugger, Ralphy Velazquez?
I would assume so, as the former catcher has continued to provide the Cleveland system with plenty of pop.
The lefty is currently slugging .528 in 50 games this season and was freshly promoted to Triple-A Columbus just a couple of weeks ago. It is safe to say the Guardians are doing everything they can to prep Velazquez for a big league debut in the future with him having played more outfield recently.
Though he will never make enough contact to post high numbers in the batting average column, there is true 30+ home run upside for the lefty, and that is something that the Guardians’ fan base would be more than happy with in their current state.
Look for Velazquez to make his major league debut sooner rather than later.
5. C Alfredo Duno, CIN No. 42 –> No. 11 (+31)
Height/Weight: 6’3″, 250 | Bat/Throw: R/R | IFA: $3.1M, 2023 (CIN) | ETA: 2027
If you are a avid follower of prospect content on social media, it is highly unlikely you have gone a day without seeing a clip of Reds catching prospect Alfredo Duno doing damage at the plate in High-A Dayton.
The stocky catcher possesses true 70-grade future game power with just how he impacts the baseball. Duno has been recorded posting an average exit velocity of 109 MPH, ranking in the 90th percentile.
As a prospect evaluator, what I love to see the most in a profile like this is a chase rate sub-20%. The 16.7% walk rate this year would be the third-best mark of his career, and that includes the 19.5% walk rate that he had in his first professional season down in the Dominican Summer League.
The fact that Duno is likely going to stick at the catcher position while posting season-long home run numbers north of 30 is enough to place him just one spot shy of the top-10.
4. C Ethan Salas, SD No. 100 –> No. 9 (+91)
Height/Weight: 6’2″, 190 | Bat/Throw: L/R | IFA: $5.8M, 2021 (SD) | ETA: 2027
If you do not recall, Ethan Salas was the international prospect signed for big money in the 2023 International Free Agent class and was immediately told he was going to be a part of big league spring training. Needless to say, there have been lofty expectations set upon the young catcher from day one.
It didn’t stop there.
At the conclusion of spring training, the young 17-year-old was assigned to Low-A, and then promoted to High-A, before he would have been legally allowed to vote in the United States. To say he has had to overcome a plethora of obstacles is putting it lightly.
There were a lot of positive reviews coming out of the offseason that Salas was able to back up once camp was underway. From his maturity at the plate to the tangible improvements he made on the defensive side of the ball, Salas has done a complete 180 in 2026.
At still just 20 years old, Salas has seen his production skyrocket, thanks in large part to a resurgence in the contact percentage and a more aggressive approach at pitches in the zone.
A preseason ranking still in the top-100 was likely in large part due to the hope the talent would show forth. A new placement in the number nine spot is far more representative of the player Salas is going to be once he makes his highly anticipated debut.
3. RHP Seth Hernandez, PIT No. 49 –> No. 6 (+43)
Height/Weight: 6’4″, 200 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 1st Round (6), 2025 (PIT) | ETA: 2028
After being labeled the best pitcher in the 2025 MLB draft class, Seth Hernandez has done nothing but justify just how lauded he was throughout the process.
All you have to do is take one look at Hernandez, and you can see dominance. Standing at 6-foot-4, he is an imposing figure who possesses a fastball that has been sitting in the upper-90s so far this year. The 19-year-old right-handed has been making quick work of the minors in just his first season of professional baseball.
Though the fastball has proven dominant, it isn’t even the best pitch in his arsenal. When he is able to command it at a high clip, the change-up has the potential to become a 70-grade pitch.
There isn’t much more to say than what the 2.17 ERA in 45.2 innings speaks for in itself. Pair it with the 14.98 strikeout per nine, and you begin to envision what a one-two punch of Paul Skenes and Hernandez will look like in a couple of seasons.
2. RHP Ryan Sloan, SEA No. 28 –> No. 5 (+23)
Height/Weight: 6’4″, 220 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 2nd Round (55), 2024 (SEA) | ETA: 2028
What I find most fascinating when it comes to Ryan Sloan is how he can showcase such high-level consistency when he pitches with a delivery that isn’t necessarily ideal for pitchers. However, for Sloan, he benefits from the fact that he landed in an organization with a successful track record of developing arms with his skillset.
A big reason why he is able to be so successful is in large part due to his fluidity down the mound. He maintains strong balance throughout his pitching mechanics, which allows him to be as consistent as he is with all of his pitches, specifically the splitter.
The 2024 second-rounder was seen as a steal by many when the Mariners selected him, and he is proving them right through his performance for them so far. There is a strong case of high-ceiling/high-floor with Ryan Sloan that is a large reason why he jumped into the top five in our latest update.
1. SS Franklin Arias, BOS No. 39 –> No. 3 (+36)
Height/Weight: 5’11″, 170 | Bat/Throw: R/R | IFA: $525,000, 2023 (BOS) | ETA: 2026
There is arguably no other prospect in baseball with as much hype this season as there is with Red Sox infield prospect Franklin Arias.
When he first signed with the Red Sox back in the 2023 IFA period, it was the glove that was hyped up more than the bat. Which is a tad surprising considering the high-level bat control that he has throughout the zone, and has continued to show since his professional debut.
It wasn’t long, however, before Arias was able to showcase just how advanced a hitter he was at the plate as a young 17-year-old. In his three seasons, including the 44 games spent in Double-A this year, Arias has never posted a sub-100 wRC+. In fact, the lowest was actually last season’s 109 wRC+ in an 116-game split between three different levels (Single-A to Double-A).
What truly stands out this season is that he has finally tapped into the game power that many were hoping he would be able to develop. In 47 games, he already has 13 home runs, which is four more than his previous career-high of nine he hit in 87 games back in 2024.
Though the overall contact numbers have dipped for the young shortstop, it’s the quality of contact he has been making that has been the biggest reason he’s been as successful as he has been thus far, and is why he now finds himself as the third overall prospect in the game right now.
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Written by
Cristian has been at Just Baseball since 2021, when he first started writing about prospects. He spent eight years working in Major League Baseball with the…