MLB Prospects Who Just Missed Our Latest Top 100 Update

Just Baseball’s most recent Top 100 Prospects update went live at the end of July, and with this being the first update since the 2025 MLB Draft, there were many newcomers to the list. Unfortunately, the flip side was that many prospects ended up falling just shy of being included.

This year, we saw plenty of players who were just drafted with legitimate cases to be included, while the same could be said for many more prospects already in the minor leagues. As is the case in any season, impressive performances, mechanical changes, and more help push players to be included on this list.

The players named below are a mixture of prospects that fit one or more of those descriptors. There are plenty of additional players who aren’t listed who also received serious consideration.

Let’s take a look at some of the prospects that just missed our latest Top 100 list who had the most interesting cases to be included.

Hector Rodriguez – OF – Cincinnati Reds

Affiliate: Louisville Bats – Triple-A

Jay: After being dealt by the New York Mets back in 2022, outfielder Hector Rodriguez has become quite the prospect in the Reds’ organization. He’s hit very well this season, allowing him to split his 2025 campaign between Double-A and Triple-A.

When taking a closer look at his offensive skill set, his raw tools show some upside and polish right away. His hit tool is the main piece of his game, which has allowed him to put up such good numbers this season. Even with his hit tool standing above his power, he’s still found decent pop this season.

Between two levels, Rodriguez has slugged 15 homers, slashed .307/.367/.490 with a 142 wRC+. He’s put up these incredible offensive numbers while also maintaining good plate discipline, as his strikeout rate has come in at just 14% so far this year.

Although he didn’t make this version of our top 100, Rodriguez came incredibly close to being featured on this list. At just 21 years old, the Reds may have a legitimate blossoming star on their hands in Triple-A.

Kaelen Culpepper – SS – Minnesota Twins

Affiliate: Wichita Wind Surge – Double-A

Jay: This season, the minor leagues have produced many surprising stars as well as hot names. One of the hottest names in the minors right now is former first-rounder Kaelen Culpepper, who is taking the prospect world by storm.

After being selected by the Twins in the first round of last year’s draft, Culpepper entered his first full pro season looking to do damage. He’s done just that, as he played well enough in the beginning of the season to earn a promotion to Double-A.

Across both levels he’s played at, Culpepper has hit 17 homers and slashed .311/.392/.504 with a tremendous 152 wRC+. He has been a bright spot in more ways than one, as he’s flashed this plus power without sacrificing his approach or hit tool.

While he may have missed this update of our Top 100, look for Culpepper to make his way onto the next update. With this type of offensive tool set at his disposal, he’s looking like one of the most underrated prospects in the game.

Xavier Neyens – 3B – Houston Astros

Affiliate: N/A (Just Drafted)

Jay: After being selected by the Houston Astros in the first round of this year’s draft, Xavier Neyens has had a decent amount of buzz surrounding his name. In a draft full of elite prep talent, Neyens flew completely under the radar despite having some of the most elite tools from a prep bat in the class.

When examining his offensive profile, several aspects stand out that make his game so intriguing. He has a very good feel for the barrel at a young age, which he pairs with elite raw power, tools that usually play well in the Astros’ system. Neyens’ smooth, left-handed swing was one of the most complete strokes in the prep class as well.

Neyens’ raw power has allowed him to record very high exit velocity numbers and bat speed numbers, abilities that will carry him far once in pro ball. Despite his age, he’s put together all the tools needed to be considered a top-100 prospect.

With a strong influx of new draft talent and excellent performances across the minor leagues this season, we’ll have to wait to see how he fares versus professional pitching before he officially makes his way onto our Top 100 list.

Tyler Bremner – RHP – Los Angeles Angels

Affiliate: ACL Angels – Complex Leagues

Elijah: The huge surprise of the 2025 MLB Draft came early when the Angels selected Tyler Bremner with the second overall pick. Despite being a shock at that spot, Bremner was ranked as our 13th-best draft prospect and will certainly be in play for a Top 100 spot come next season.

Featuring the best changeup in the draft and one of the best I have ever seen in person, Bremner’s repeatable delivery and consistent command made him one of the higher floor arms in the draft. His potentially double-plus changeup pairs with a mid-90s fastball, with both being effective against batters on either side of the plate.

After seeing strong growth last spring, his slider took a step back this year and is likely the piece holding him off the Top 100 for now. He’ll need to find a more consistent shape for the pitch, which could come in the forming of adding a true cutter. Adding another pitch to his arsenal could be another option for Bremner, as he relies very heavily on the changeup against left-handed hitters.

Within the Angels system, he’ll likely move fairly quickly next season after taking it easy this fall following a full season at UC Santa Barbara. Bremner could easily rise through the minors in one year, given his two primary offerings, which should help him dominate the lower levels.

Steele Hall – SS – Cincinnati Reds

Affiliate: ACL Reds – Complex Leagues

Elijah: We could look back in several years and consider Steele Hall one of the best players from this class. Drafted at 17 years old after reclassifying from the 2026 class, Hall is an excellent athlete with upside to grow into as he develops.

His athleticism gives reason to believe he can stick at shortstop long-term, while he has top-end speed that should lead to ample stolen bases.

Hall has potentially the widest range of outcomes on this list, with his profile being hit-over-power right now. He started to show more power upside this spring.

The Reds will take their time tapping into what Hall can be in the future. He’s the type of player who could skyrocket onto our Top 100 or take a while to get going.

Billy Carlson – SS – Chicago White Sox

Affiliate: ACL White Sox – Complex Leagues

Elijah: A surefire shortstop touted as the best defender at the position in this class, Billy Carlson is another talented prep player with a range of possibilities. As a two-way player in high school, his arm strength is clear plus, giving him the upside to be a Gold Glove shortstop.

Offensively, Carlson is still turning his athleticism and bat speed into results. There are likely some swing adjustments to come in the professional ranks, but he possesses plenty of upside to dream on.

Carlson will solely be a hitter and not test the two-way possibility for Chicago, and he is the most likely of anyone currently in the organization to stick at shortstop. His ability to climb into the Top 100 next season will depend on the swing and offensive uptick more than anything.

Jamie Arnold – LHP – Athletics

Affiliate: ACL Athletics – Complex Leagues

Jay: Coming into this season, I wrote a story about how I thought Jamie Arnold had the tools to be a good option for the Nationals with the first overall pick. Although he slipped a bit on draft day, Arnold was one of the best value picks, with the Athletics scooping him up at number 11 overall.

Through his collegiate career, Arnold was the definition of a quality starting pitcher. Through his final two seasons, he recorded identical ERAs of 2.98 each year, recording far more strikeouts than innings pitched in each of these seasons as well.

Arnold’s consistency did waver a bit towards the end of the season, which was part of the reason he slipped on boards and from our Top 100. Regardless, the stuff is still electric, as his fastball/slider combination is one of the most lethal duos in the minor leagues, especially from his unique arm angle.

Arnold has a legit chance to develop three double-plus pitches, with his fastball, slider, and changeup leading the way. The issue for Arnold will be his accuracy, but the raw stuff alone has him trending towards being a top-100 prospect.

Aroon Escobar – 3B – Philadelphia Phillies

Affiliate: Jersey Shore BlueClaws – High-A

Jay: Over the last few international signing classes, the Philadelphia Phillies have put together quite an interesting group of prospects. First, it was Eduardo Tait, a top catching prospect who was used in the Jhoan Duran deal this summer. Now, it’s third baseman Aroon Escobar, and he looks very good at just 20 years old.

Escobar spent the first three seasons of his pro career in the Dominican Summer League in addition to the complex leagues, but since bursting into affiliated ball, he’s been very good. Escobar started the season in Low-A, where he hit very well, slugging 11 homers and posting a 130 wRC+ in addition to solid plate discipline metrics.

After this 69-game stint, Escobar earned a promotion to High-A, where his production has stalled slightly in his first 21 games. His strikeout rate has risen sharply, while his overall offensive production has taken a step back. Due to this, paired with the little action we’ve seen from Escobar in affiliated ball, he’s a bit tough to gauge as of this time.

However, when Escobar was playing at his best, he was one of the most interesting prospects in the minor leagues. Regardless, he is a solid bet to land himself on our Top 100 at some point in the future.

Cam Caminiti – LHP – Atlanta Braves

Affiliate: Augusta Green Jackets – Low-A

Jay: In the last few MLB drafts, we’ve seen a decent number of players with ties to former MLB players selected. That trend continued last year when the Braves took Cam Caminiti in the first round, a cousin of Ken Caminiti. Since beginning his pro career, Cam has been getting some serious attention.

While the Braves did give Caminiti some playing time during his first professional season, they limited his exposure due to the fact that he was 17 for most of last year. Despite being a teenager, Caminiti has shown the raw tools of a seasoned vet so far in his pro career.

This season, Caminiti has pitched to an ERA in the low 2.00s in Low-A, posting eye-popping strikeout numbers along the way. He’s sat down 51 batters on strikes in just 35.1 innings. His main standout pitch is his heater, which touches the high-90s with good ride up in the zone.

Caminiti is quite athletic, flashing the ability to have three pitches aside from his heater that showcase above-average projections. The main thing he has to develop is his control, but this is something that should come with time. For now, he just misses the cut, but this may not be the case by the end of the season.

Xavier Isaac – 1B – Tampa Bay Rays

Affiliate: Montgomery Biscuits – Double-A

Jay: Back in the 2022 MLB Draft, many analysts were scratching their heads when the Rays selected Xavier Isaac nearly 85 picks higher than expected at 29th overall. As the story usually goes, though, the Rays were right in their judgment, finding a diamond in the rough with the 6-foot-3 first baseman.

Since making his way onto the pro scene, Isaac has become one of the most prolific power threats in the minor leagues. He’s come near the 20-homer mark in each of his seasons to this point. With such power comes a lack of plate discipline, though, as his contact rates are where he runs into some problems.

Aside from his contact rates, Isaac’s strikeout rates have been inflated throughout his pro career, reaching as high as 40%-plus, but usually settling around 30%. Isaac has also spent most of this year on the injured list, only playing 41 games to this point.

As a result of his injury, contact rates and strikeout rates, Isaac is tough to place right now, even with his raw tools being so intriguing. If he can iron out some of these concerns by the end of the year, look for him to return to our Top 100 in no time.

Jurrangelo Cijntje – SWP – Seattle Mariners

Affiliate: Arkansas Travelers – Double-A

Elijah: The infamous switch-pitcher could enter our Top 100…if he stops doing what made him famous?

Jurrangelo Cijntje is ultra-talented, and his ability to throw with both arms is unprecedented, but results and projection both show much more from the right side.

He was recently promoted to Double-A in his first full professional season after posting a 4.58 ERA with 83 strikeouts across 74.2 innings in High-A. Those numbers are slightly skewed, however, as Cijntje has been much better when pitching as a right-hander. Having faced just 56 batters as a left-hander, he has walked 16 and struck out just nine.

In right-on-right appearances for Cijntje, he has fully looked the part of a top-100 prospect, allowing opponents to hit just .160 while striking out 54 and walking just eight across 178 plate appearances. He could be a full commitment to his right arm away from a spot on our Top 100 list.

Braylon Payne – OF – Milwaukee Brewers

Affiliate: Carolina Mudcats – Low-A

Jay: The Milwaukee Brewers have been slowly building arguably the best farm system in the sport over the past few seasons, and a huge reason for this has been their craftiness early in the draft. One of their biggest under-slot wins was the selection of Braylon Payne in the first round, as he’s blossomed into a very good talent so far in his career.

Payne was a little overshadowed by Luis Pena, Jesus Made, and more on the loaded Carolina Mudcats roster earlier this season, but this shouldn’t discredit his game in the slightest. Payne has flashed double-plus speed, alongside solid bat-to-ball skills, giving him a very solid profile overall.

Through his first 59 games this season, Payne has hit seven homers and stolen 25 bags while posting a wRC+ over 130, showing just how well-rounded his game truly is. The concern has been his groundball rates, raw power, and the ability to elevate the ball, as he’s posted a groundball rate of 51% this season in Low-A.

Payne has still had moments where he’s flashed that all-around potential, and if he hits his ceiling, he’s going to be a very good center fielder for the Milwaukee Brewers.

Ricky Tiedemann – LHP – Toronto Blue Jays

Affiliate: Buffalo Bisons – Triple-A

Jay: Before undergoing Tommy John surgery late last year, Blue Jays left-hander Ricky Tiedemann was making quite a name for himself. Depending on where you looked, he was sometimes even considered a top-30 prospect in the sport.

However, due to his injury, we really haven’t gotten a good look at Tiedemann in a while, making it a lot harder to judge his future value. This is even more true when you consider his struggles in his short stints in the minors when he was healthy.

His arsenal showed signs of being very refined when he was healthy, though. His fastball, slider, and changeup all showed plus potential. The main concern came back to his control, something that can be refined with more time spent on the mound.

Tiedemann does still possess the talents necessary to become an ace once he reaches the major leagues. It’s just quite difficult to project someone who hasn’t pitched more than 45 innings since 2022. If he can pitch well when healthy, look for him to make his way back onto our Top 100.