- Born
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
-
BA Grade/Risk: 50/Average
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: The Mariners signed Gonzalez for $1.3 million out of Venezuela in February 2021. He spent three years in the organization, reaching High-A Everett in 2023. He was traded to the Twins in January 2024 as part of the return for second baseman Jorge Polanco. Gonzalez was limited by a back injury for most of 2024 and hit just .255/.326/.381 with four home runs. He was healthy in 2025 and showed the offensive upside the Twins expected when they acquired him. He hit over .300 at three different levels and finished the season in Triple-A St. Paul, where he hit more home runs in 34 games than he did in all of 2024.
Scouting Report: Heading into 2025, Gonzalez worked hard to improve his conditioning and add muscle to his stocky frame. His offensive profile is unique because he is extremely aggressive but also has an advanced feel for contact. Gonzalez sees among the fewest pitches in the system and chases too often, but rarely misses pitches in the zone. His walk rate improved in 2025 and his exit velocities against righthanders also improved. This is notable given his past platoon splits. Gonzalez’s swing isn’t designed for power, and his fairly poor batted-ball angles mean his game power plays below his above-average raw. He crushes lefthanders, and that alone might be enough to carry him to the big leagues even with the volatility in his hit tool. Defensively, Gonzalez doesn’t project to add much value. His arm strength is average at best and though his defense is improving, it still projects as below-average.
The Future: Gonzalez was added to the 40-man roster and shouldn’t require much more time in Triple-A in 2026. He profiles as a hit-over-power fringe regular and could carve out a role because of his ability to hit lefthanders. His upside is limited by his lack of defensive value and speed.
Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 40 | Field: 40 | Arm: 50 -
BA Grade/Risk: 50/Average
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: The Blue Jays signed Rojas for $215,000 out of Cuba in October 2020. He spent four seasons in the low minors and missed substantial time due to injury in 2022 (lat) and 2024 (shoulder). After a strong end to 2024, Rojas missed the first two months of 2025 with an abdominal injury suffered in spring training. He was assigned to Double-A on July 1 after a month-long rehab assignment. He made four starts there before being promoted to Triple-A Buffalo, where he made his debut on July 30. The next day, he was traded to the Twins with Alan Roden for Louis Varland and Ty France. He was assigned to Triple-A St. Paul but struggled as he got acclimated to a new organization and the different Triple-A baseball.
Scouting Report: Rojas is a medium-framed lefthander with solid pitchability. He’s maxed out physically and an average athlete. He throws from a three-quarters arm slot with above-average extension and higher release height. He has a balanced arsenal with all his pitches projecting as at least average. His fastball sits 92-95 mph and maxes out at 98 with ride. He will also cut it on occasion and use it to generate soft contact. His slider is his most-used secondary pitch against lefthanded hitters, but he will throw it to righthanders also. It sits 85-88 mph with short tilt and shows both strike-stealing and bat-missing ability. His splitter is his primary out pitch against righthanded hitters. It sits 86-89 mph, but he struggles to consistently land it in the zone. When thrown competitively, it shows similar bat-missing potential as his slider.
The Future: Rojas was added to the 40-man roster and should open the season in St. Paul. He projects as a No. 5 starter with multi-inning relief as a fallback and could contribute in the major leagues in 2026
Scouting Grades Fastball: 55 | Slider: 50 | Split: 50 | Control: 55 -
BA Grade/Risk: 50/Average
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: Houston was seen as the best defensive shortstop in the 2025 draft after starting at Wake Forest for three years. He improved considerably at the plate each year. His OPS went from .635 in 2023 to 1.055 in 2025, and he nearly doubled his home run total each year. The Twins drafted him 16th overall in 2025 and signed him for a slightly under-slot bonus of $4.5 million. He went straight to Low-A Fort Myers, where he hit .370 in 12 games and was quickly promoted to High-A Cedar Rapids. There, he hit .152 in 12 games, but he was a key contributor in the Kernels’ Midwest League division series victory against Beloit by hitting .417 with three runs.
Scouting Report: Houston added noticeable strength heading into his draft year but retained his athleticism. His swing is short and direct to the ball, and he has above-average bat-to-ball skills. He rarely swung and missed during his pro debut and controls the strike zone well but can be overly passive at times. Even though he is listed at 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, Houston has below-average power and his exit velocities in pro ball were lower than at Wake Forest. Slight improvements with his bat speed and quality of contact would go a long way toward rounding out his offensive profile. Houston is also an above-average runner with solid instincts. Defensively, he’s a no-doubt shortstop. He has soft hands and fluid actions and is comfortable ranging in any direction, using his length to cover ground effortlessly. He has a quick release, a plus arm and throws off-balance with ease.
The Future: Houston will likely start 2026 in Cedar Rapids with the eye toward a quick promotion to Double-A Wichita. His defense gives him a high floor, and his offensive development will determine whether he profiles as a role player or an everyday regular.
Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 55 | Field: 70 | Arm: 60 -
BA Grade/Risk: 60/High
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: The Twins signed Hill away from Dallas Baptist with an over-slot bonus of $2 million as the 69th overall pick in 2024. He didn’t pitch after signing and showed up to spring training noticeably stronger in 2025. He made the Low-A Fort Myers Opening Day roster as the third-youngest pitcher in the league, but the Twins were cautious, and he didn’t top 60 pitches until June. He was promoted in mid August to High-A Cedar Rapids, where he made three regular season and one playoff start, during which he completed five innings for the first time in his career.
Scouting Report: Hill has gained around 20 pounds since he was drafted and started to fill out his 6-foot-5 frame, though he will always be on the lanky side. Hill throws from a three-quarters arm slot with a high release height. His 94-96 mph fastball comes in on a steep plane but plays below its velocity. He now tops out at 98 mph, a considerable increase from where he was as an amateur. Hill’s fastball command is below-average and he’s more comfortable throwing strikes with his secondaries. His best secondary is his 83-85 mph changeup which has substantial separation from his fastball and flashes plus potential. It misses bats at an above-average rate and has the highest zone rate of any of his pitches. His 81-84 mph sweeper flashes similar plus potential. He is comfortable landing it in the zone, and it misses bats at a slightly higher rate than his changeup. He rounds out his arsenal with a high-70s curveball that is primarily a chase pitch but also misses bats at a high rate.
The Future: Hill is just scratching the surface of his potential, and all his pitches have the chance to improve. Reliever risk is tempered by midrotation upside. He will return to Cedar Rapids to start 2026, with the eye towardsmaking it to Double-A in his age-20 season.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 50 | Sweeper: 60 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 45 -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: Soto was just 17 years old when the Twins drafted him 34th overall in 2023. He was assigned in 2024 to Low-A Fort Myers, where he was the youngest pitcher in the league. The Twins were cautious with his workload, so he threw just 74 innings in an up-and-down season. Soto made the jump to High-A Cedar Rapids to start 2025 and was again the youngest pitcher in his league. After three starts he felt minor triceps discomfort and went on the injured list. He tried rest and rehab, but discomfort remained so he had minor elbow surgery in August to remove a bone spur.
Scouting Report: Soto is close to maxed out physically, with a sturdy build. He throws both a four-seam fastball and a sinker with distinct shapes. His four-seamer sits 96-98 mph and tops out at 100 with above-average ride and generates whiffs at an above-average rate. Compared to 2024, his average four-seam velocity was up almost 2 mph and had just under three more inches of induced vertical break. His sinker sits a tick lower with heavy armside run. It doesn’t miss many bats but is adept at generating weak contact. Soto’s best secondary pitch is his potentially plus high-80s changeup. It has just over 17 inches of horizontal break and misses bats at an elite rate. Soto also throws an 85-89 mph gyro slider. It doesn’t miss many bats right now, but he can throw it for strikes. Soto’s strike-throwing improved across the board in 2025, but the sample is so small that it is hard to read too much into it.
The Future: Soto is expected to be ready to go in spring training in 2026. He should head back to Cedar Rapids with an eye toward a promotion to Double-A over the summer. He has midrotation upside, but his range of outcomes is wide and he has considerable reliever risk.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 60 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 50 -
BA Grade/Risk: 60/High
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: Tait originally signed with the Phillies out of Panama for $90,000 in January 2023. In his debut, he was named a Dominican Summer League all-star as one of the youngest players in the league. He came stateside in 2024 and hit 11 home runs in 80 games between the Florida Complex League and Low-A Clearwater. He went back to Clearwater to start 2025 and was named to the Futures Game in July. He was promoted to High-A a few days after playing in it. Just over a week later, the Phillies dealt him to the Twins in the Jhoan Duran trade. He was assigned to High-A Cedar Rapids and hit in the middle of the order during their playoff run.
Scouting Report: Tait’s frame is close to maxed out, even though he is just 19. His bat speed and contact skills are impressive but mask a raw approach. He makes poor swing decisions and his chase rate is the highest in the system. He also struggles against good velocity. Improving in those areas is key for his offensive development. He gets more leeway with his hit tool because of his ability to impact the baseball. He produces exit velocities that are impressive for an established major leaguer, let alone a teenager, and his batted-ball angles are good. He elevates the ball to his pull side with ease and has power to the opposite field as well. Defensively, it’s uncertain whether Tait can stay at catcher. He lacks athleticism and struggles blocking balls in the dirt, especially when he has to move laterally. His receiving is improving, and his arm is plus, consistently producing pop times around 1.9 seconds on throws to second base.
The Future: Tait’s upside is as a middle-of-the-order bat, but there is risk due to questions with his hit tool and defense. He’ll likely start 2026 in Cedar Rapids, where he will again be one of the youngest players in the Midwest League.
Scouting Grades Hit: 40 | Power: 60 | Run: 30 | Field: 45 | Arm: 60 -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Average
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: Prielipp had an impressive freshman season at Alabama but missed most of the next two years after having Tommy John surgery. He slid to the second round of the 2022 draft and didn’t pitch after signing. In his first professional start of 2023, his elbow flared up. He tried rest and rehab, but the issue remained, so he had internal brace surgery in July 2023. He returned a year later and impressed in nine short outings. In 2025, the Twins built his workload up slowly. He stayed healthy and threw 82.2 innings between Double-A Wichita and Triple-A St. Paul. The total was more than the previous five seasons combined. In his final start, he threw a career-high six innings and 84 pitches. After the season he was named the Twins’ minor league pitcher of the year.
Scouting Report: Prielipp is a maxed-out lefthander with an advanced three-pitch mix and deceptive delivery. His arm action is short, and he hides the ball well. Prielipp’s fastball sits 94-96 mph and touches 98. He has solid command of the offering, and it shows bat-missing ability up in the zone. He started mixing in a sinker in St. Paul and will look to incorporate it more in 2026. Prielipp’s mid-80s slider is his most-used secondary and a potential plus offering. It has the highest spin rate in the system and premium bat-missing ability. If hitters do make contact, they primarily strike weak grounders. His high-80s changeup also shows plus potential. It plays more due to feel and command than shape. He can locate it on the edges of the plate at will and bury it down when looking for a whiff.
The Future: Durability is the main thing holding Prielipp back. He has the most polished arsenal in the Twins’ system but could look to round it out by adding a second breaking ball. He projects as a midrotation starter and should make his major league debut at some point in 2026.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 60 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 55 -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Average
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: Culpepper was a standout player at Kansas State, where he was a three-time All-Big 12 Conference selection and played for USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team one summer. The Twins drafted him 21st overall in 2024, and he played 26 games after signing, making it to High-A Cedar Rapids. In 2025 he returned to Cedar Rapids and excelled, earning a promotion to Double-A Wichita in mid June. Culpepper got off to a quick start there but saw his performance tail off at the end of his first full season. He was selected to the Futures Game in July and named the Twins’ minor league player of the year after hitting .289/.375/.469 with 20 home runs overall.
Scouting Report: Culpepper is an athletic infielder with minimal remaining projection. He has a balanced profile with no standout tool and no glaring weaknesses either. He has solid bat speed and clears his hips freely, allowing him to whip the bat through the zone. He’s comfortable hitting velocity and was one of two hitters in the Twins’ system with an OPS above .700 against both changeups and breaking balls in 2025. He rarely misses pitches in the zone, but his approach needs refinement. He is prone to chase, especially changeups down and out of the zone. He has average raw power that plays primarily to his pull side. His power plays below that in games, and he needs to elevate the ball more consistently. Culpepper has a plus arm but is not a lock to stick at shortstop due to his lack of range. He projects as fringe-average there but profiles better at second or third base, where he could be average or better.
The Future: Whether Culpepper starts at Double-A or Triple-A in 2026, he will continue to develop as a shortstop. He has regular potential even if he moves off the position, but his value would be maximized if he can stay up the middle.
Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 50 | Field: 50 | Arm: 60 -
BA Grade/Risk: 60/High
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: Rodriguez signed for $2.5 million out of the Dominican Republic in 2019 and has performed when on the field, but he has yet to play 100 games in a season. He missed four months in 2022 with a left knee sprain and another month in 2023 with an abdominal injury. In 2024 he missed time with a thumb injury that required offseason surgery. In 2025, he was slowed by a thumb sprain in spring training, and an abdominal injury in May kept him out until early July. In his fourth game back, he strained his oblique and was out until September. Overall, he played 65 games and 20% of those were rehab assignments.
Scouting Report: Rodriguez is a stocky outfielder with a strong lower half and supreme knowledge of the strike zone. There is significant variance in his profile because of questions with his hit tool. His chase rate is one of the lowest in the system, and he has a career walk rate above 20%. Rodriguez can get overly passive and likes to let the ball get deep. His career strikeout rate is over 30% and he ranks near the bottom of the system in contact rate. When he makes contact, he hits the ball extremely hard. His 90th percentile exit velocity of 109.2 mph was the highest in the system, but to reach his power potential he needs to elevate the ball to his pull side more consistently. He is an aggressive baserunner with above-average speed. Defensively, he has a plus arm and could play center field but likely profiles better in a corner to limit defensive wear and tear.
The Future: Rodriguez will head back to Triple-A to start 2026 and should make his major league debut during the season. If he stays healthy and can make enough contact, he has all-star upside, but there’s a lot of risk in his profile and a path where he doesn’t make enough contact against MLB pitchers.
Scouting Grades Hit: 40 | Power: 60 | Run: 55 | Field: 55 | Arm: 60 -
BA Grade/Risk: 65/Average
Adjusted Grade: 55
Track Record: Jenkins was seen as one of the top talents in the 2023 draft when the Twins selected him fifth overall and was a well-known amateur, having played for the USA Baseball’s 18U National Team as an underclassman in 2021. He also made the team in 2022 but was unable to play because of a hamate injury. That was his second noteworthy injury as an amateur. He also missed his freshman season recovering from hip impingement surgery. In pro ball, Jenkins has performed when healthy. He got off to a slow start in 2024 due to a quad injury and then missed six weeks with a hamstring injury. He came back strong and ended the year at Double-A Wichita. In 2025, he suffered a left ankle sprain in spring training but tried to play through it. He was the third-youngest player in the Texas League on Opening Day, but after two games was shut down due to lingering soreness. He returned to Wichita in June and ended up hitting .309/.426/.487. He was promoted to Triple-A St. Paul in late August and after going 1-for-20 in his first series, he hit .296/.351/.479 the rest of the season.
Scouting Report: Jenkins is a potential five-tool player who stands out physically and is an elite athlete. There is little wasted movement in his lefthanded swing, and it evokes visual comparisons to Hall of Famer and former Twins all-star Joe Mauer. Jenkins starts in an open stance with his hands high and employs a slight leg lift, before finishing high with two hands on the bat. He has a solid approach and above-average bat-to-ball skills, though his contact rate decreased slightly in 2025 as a tradeoff intended to create more impact. Jenkins is adept at hitting fastballs of all velocities and comfortable hitting secondaries. His average exit velocity has increased each year, and he produces above-average EVs for his age with a max of 110.1 mph. He has one of the highest barrel rates in the Twins’ system but needs to refine his batted-ball angles to reach his power ceiling. His power is primarily to his pull side, and there is a difference in his exit velocities to his pull side compared to the opposite field. The lefthanded hitter has never hit a home run against a lefthander as a professional, but that isn’t seen as a long-term concern. Jenkins is a potential plus defender in all outfield positions. He has strong instincts and plenty of range for center field, but due to his track record of lower body injuries, might fit best in a corner, where his above-average arm would comfortably play. Jenkins is also an above-average runner but could see that decline as he ages.
The Future: Jenkins has the best chance to become a franchise cornerstone of any Twins prospect. His balanced skill set gives him a high floor, and his upside will be determined by how his power develops. He should start at Triple-A in 2026 and could reach the big leagues in short order.
Scouting Grades Hit: 70 | Power: 50 | Run: 55 | Field: 60 | Arm: 55 -
BA Grade/Risk: 45/Average
Adjusted Grade: 35
Track Record: Lodise spent two years at Division II Augusta in Georgia, where he established a track record as a high-contact hitter, before transferring to Georgia Tech in 2025. Lodise hit for much more power with the Yellow Jackets than scouts expected, finishing with a .327/.427/.664 batting line and 16 home runs, a 17.6% strikeout rate and 12.7% walk rate. He was one of the better hitters in the Atlantic Coast Conference, along with his cousin Alex Lodise, a shortstop for Florida State and now a Braves prospect. The White Sox drafted Kyle Lodise in the third round, signing him for $922,500. After a very brief time in unofficial bridge league games in Arizona, Lodise was sent directly to High-A Winston-Salem, one of just six White Sox draft picks sent to an affiliate and the only player to go to High-A.
Scouting Report: Lodise is the type of player who will continually play above his abilities. His average hit tool is part of a well-rounded game, which also includes good bat-to-ball skills and patience at the plate. He showed more pop than expected during his time at Winston-Salem, with a max exit velocity of 108.5 mph, and he now projects to have at least fringy power. He’s an average shortstop defender with good instincts to compensate for a fringy arm. He is perhaps better suited to play second base but with the ability to cover the left side of the infield in a utility role. He has above-average speed with a high rate of successful stolen base attempts.
The Future: While Lodise won’t likely generate a lot of prospect buzz, he’s the kind of player who will find ways to help his team win games. He may profile best as a valuable utility infielder and is likely to move quickly through the system.
Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 55 | Field: 50 | Arm: 45 -
BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
Adjusted Grade: 35
Track Record: Oppor took a leap forward in his development in 2025, his third pro season after being drafted in the fifth round out of Gulf Coast State College, a junior college program. The Wisconsin native spent two seasons in the Arizona Complex League before excelling in his first trip to full-season ball in 2025, which he split between Low-A Kannapolis and High-A Winston-Salem. His strikeout rate increased from 27.1% in 2024 to 31.7% in 2025, while his walk rate dropped from 16.5% to 11.5%.
Scouting Report: Oppor’s stuff has been referred to as “electric.” He increased his fastball velocity by a few ticks in 2025, while flashing an improved slider, and is now credited as having the best changeup in the White Sox’s system. Oppor’s four-seam fastball averages 95 mph and touches 100, playing up as he combines velocity with life and extension. His 80 mph sweepier slider with good horizontal shape flashes above-average when he lands it. Batters swing and miss when he gets it in the zone, but he needs to improve the 32% in-zone percentage. Oppor’s 80 mph changeup, which he uses more often than his slider, took a jump forward in 2025 with better vertical separation from his fastball. He gets swings and misses with that pitch, landing it in the zone more than 50% of the time. A key factor in Oppor’s step forward was gaining better control, with more improvement still ahead. His low three-quarters arm slot provides deception, but he needs to get better at repeating it.
The Future: Oppor projects as a potential midrotation starter with further improvements to his control and added strength to his lean frame. After a successful growth season at both Class A levels, he should be ready for an assignment to Double-A Birmingham in 2026.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 60 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 45 -
BA Grade/Risk: 45/Average
Adjusted Grade: 35
Track Record: The White Sox drafted Antonacci in the fifth round in 2024, signing the Coastal Carolina product for $572,500. He demonstrated his impressive on-base skills in a 2025 season he split between High-A Winston-Salem and Double-A Birmingham, registering a .429 OBP that ranked fourth-best in the minor leagues. Antonacci missed three weeks to injury in May but was a steady performer otherwise, including after a jump to Double-A in mid July and then in the Arizona Fall League after the season.
Scouting Report: Antonacci possesses solid bat-to-ball skill. He whiffed on just 11.4% pitches in the zone, and his plus swing decisions result in lots of contact. He consistently posts high walk rates, including a 13.3% clip in 2025, while striking out at about the same rate. Antonacci will need to continue to provide value by getting on base until he finds a way to get to more power. While he hit just five home runs in 2025, his 90th percentile exit velocity jumped to 103.1 mph, with a max of 110 mph. He’s an average defender at both second base and third base, with his average arm enough for the hot corner. Observers believe he is a better fit at second, his primary position in 2025, though he played all four infield positions and would be an adequate defender on the left side in a utility role. A fringe-average runner, Antonacci used his advanced instincts to steal 48 bases, by far a higher rate than in college or his first pro season.
The Future: Few doubt that Antonacci will hit, but the rest of his game will need to continue to improve to become a major league contributor. The increase in his exit velocities and his performance in the AFL—1.046 OPS in 19 games—are positive signs that he can fill a big league role.
Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 40 | Run: 45 | Field: 50 | Arm: 50 -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme
Adjusted Grade: 35
Track Record: Fauske grew up in suburban Chicago as a White Sox fan, so it was fitting when his hometown team drafted him out of Nazareth Academy in the second round in 2025. He signed for just under $3 million, the highest bonus for any player drafted after the supplemental first round in 2025. Fauske played in unofficial bridge league games at the Arizona complex after signing and impressed observers with his potentially average hit tool and strength at the plate. He was still showing his high school football body but will gain flexibility in a professional strength and fitness regimen.
Scouting Report: Fauske has a smooth, rhythmic lefthanded swing with good balance, impressive plate coverage and a high contact rate. He has a hit-over-power profile now, but those grades could flip as he develops added strength and flexibility thanks to plenty of barrel accuracy. He draws his fair share of walks because of his knowledge of the strike zone. The 6-foot-3 Fauske played all over the field in high school, including extensive time at catcher as an underclassman. Some scouts believe that he could stay behind the plate if he worked at it, but he primarily played in the outfield during the summer showcase season and as a prep senior so that he could focus on hitting. The White Sox will give Fauske time at all three outfield spots and are especially interested to see if his average speed will play in center field. A corner outfield position is more likely, and his above-average arm will be sufficient for right field.
The Future: Fauske has a chance to develop into a middle-of-the-order hitter with high on-base percentages. He will get his first chance at full-season ball in 2026, when he will open the season as a 19-year-old for Low-A Kannapolis.
Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Field: 50 | Arm: 55 -
BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: The White Sox drafted McDougal out of high school in Las Vegas in the fifth round in 2021, signing him for $850,000 to pull him away from an Oregon commitment. Tommy John surgery wiped out his 2022 season, while 2023 and 2024 were marked by inconsistent performances and high walk rates. McDougal took a huge step forward in 2025 by improving his command and control. He took the ball for 28 starts between High-A Winston-Salem and Double-A Birmingham, pitching to a 3.26 ERA and showing his durability three years after surgery.
Scouting Report: McDougal dominates with a plus four-seam fastball that sits in the mid-to-high 90s and touches triple digits, and he holds that velocity deep into games. The pitch is relatively straight and could be a double-plus heater with improved shape. McDougal’s high-spin curveball, delivered in the high 70s to low 80s, has depth and sharp break. He complements it with an average slider with tilt that sits 87-90 mph. Rounding out his repertoire is a fringy, hard changeup with tailing action at 88-91 mph. He throws it infrequently. Key to McDougal’s big season was improved control. He reduced his walk rate from 13.6% to 10.2%, restoring faith in earlier projections that he would be able to stay in the rotation. Even more impressive was the reduction in walk rate to 7.5% in his 15 starts for Double-A Birmingham in the second half. McDougal has worked hard since joining the organization, including adding more than 40 pounds of strength.
The Future: McDougal could pitch in a big league rotation one day but still has development ahead. If he continues reducing his walk rate and gets better shape on his fastball, he could project as a midrotation starter. Based on the strength of his fastball and curveball, he also could become a leverage reliever.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 65 | Curveball: 60 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 40 -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: In 2025, Corona High had one of the most talented rosters that SoCal scouts had ever seen. Carlson and Seth Hernandez (Pirates) were first-round picks; Brady Ebel (Brewers) was drafted just beyond it. Drafted 10th overall by the White Sox, Carlson signed for a full slot bonus of $6,235,900 and played in unofficial bridge league games rather than going to an affiliate.
Scouting Report: At 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, Carlson is a lean, athletic shortstop who stands out for his glovework and was regarded as one of the very best defenders in the 2025 draft class. While Carlson’s defense could already be considered big league-ready, he still has development ahead with his swing and approach at the plate. He already shows MLB average bat speed and hits the ball hard, but he needs an overhaul of his swing to shorten up and become more adjustable. Carlson will make better contact with an early load plus an early land preparation for pitches, allowing him to get the ball to his pull side more often. Carlson was a legitimate two-way player in high school. If he weren’t such an outstanding defensive shortstop, he could have been drafted as a pitcher on the merits of a plus fastball that ticked up to 97 mph and a high-spin, hammer curveball. He’s already a double-plus defender at shortstop with a double-plus arm. He shows tremendous actions, footwork and instincts on the field. He’s an average runner with his feel for the game likely allowing that speed to play up. His makeup is highly regarded, and he interacts well with teammates and coaches.
The Future: Carlson appears to be the shortstop of the future for the White Sox. He could team up with 2024 second-rounder Caleb Bonemer on the left side of the Chicago infield one day.
Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 50 | Field: 70 | Arm: 70 -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Average
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: Montgomery spent two seasons at Stanford, playing both ways as a right fielder and righthanded reliever. He transferred to Texas A&M for his junior 2024 season, which ended prematurely when he fractured his right ankle on a slide in the opening super regional game against Oregon. The Red Sox drafted him 12th overall, but he never suited up for a Boston affiliate. The White Sox acquired Montgomery and three other prospects when they traded Garrett Crochet to the Red Sox after the 2024 season. Montgomery played at three levels in 2025 before suffering a season-ending right foot fracture in early September.
Scouting Report: The only things slowing Montgomery to date have been injuries to his lower extremities. A switch-hitter, Montgomery has a smooth swing path from an open stance, with quick hands that allow his bat to explode to the baseball. He’s aggressive in the box with what has been called “violence in his swing,” contributing to a 25% strikeout rate in his pro debut. Montgomery profiles as an average hitter with plus power and solid-average plate discipline. His place in the outfield will perhaps be determined by team needs. He’s an average defender and average runner, with a springy athletic body. He can handle center field, while his plus-plus arm is more than enough for right field. However, some observers see him as more comfortable in left field. He takes a few steps to get rolling out of the batter’s box but is fine underway and on the basepaths, with a two-base mentality on balls hit to the outfield.
The Future: One of the safer bets in the White Sox’s system to have a major league career, Montgomery likely will occupy one of the three outfield positions within the next couple of years. He spent 34 games at Double-A in his first pro season and is poised to make his MLB debut in 2026.
Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 60 | Run: 50 | Field: 50 | Arm: 70 -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: The White Sox drafted Smith fifth overall in 2024 following his Southeastern Conference pitcher of the year season at Arkansas. He jumped to Double-A Birmingham for his first full season in 2025. Smith missed part of May and most of June to elbow soreness and time off at the White Sox’s complex in Arizona to tweak his mechanics. He returned to Birmingham for the remainder of the year, finishing with a season total of 20 starts with a 3.57 ERA and an outstanding 33.9% strikeout rate but a less than impressive 17.6% walk rate.
Scouting Report: By the end of 2025, Smith’s four-seam fastball velocity was back to the 95 mph average that he displayed in his draft year. Because of his extension, low three-quarters arm slot, flat approach and pure velocity, his fastball is tough for hitters to handle when he locates it, but he didn’t throw enough strikes with it in 2025. His fastball tends to draw whiffs and generate ground balls. Smith’s 81 mph slurvy slider with good depth is another plus pitch that he can backdoor for strikes or use to expand for chases. The quandary for Smith is whether he can develop a third pitch to go with his two plus offerings. He’s still working on a split-grip changeup that averages 86 mph and reaches the low 90s with some sink. It played as below-average in 2025 but would enhance his repertoire if he improves it to fringe-average. The midsummer work on his mechanics helped his delivery, with his rhythm through his windup and leg life being smoother and his front side and arm path more online.
The Future: Smith draws divergent opinions from scouts. So much depends on whether he reins in his walk rate and develops a third pitch. He can become a midrotation or better starter or perhaps a dominant closer, with multiple sources evoking the name of Josh Hader in the latter role.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 60 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 40 -
BA Grade/Risk: 65/High
Adjusted Grade: 50
Track Record: Schultz has been one of the most celebrated pitching prospects in the game since the White Sox drafted the Chicago-area prep 26th overall in 2022. Despite flashing big-time stuff on the showcase circuit, he dropped to the late first round after missing part of his senior season with mononucleosis before getting pre-draft exposure in the Prospect League. The lanky, 6-foot-10 Schultz pitched in a just a handful of instructional league games after joining the organization and was limited to 10 starts in 2023 due to a flexor strain. Continuing to be handled cautiously by the White Sox, he took the mound for 23 starts in 2024, averaging nearly four innings per outing. That season, his fastball velocity surged forward to become a double-plus pitch. The 2025 season proved to be a more challenging year for Schultz. The velocity of both of his four-seam fastball and slider dropped slightly, while his walk rate spiked from 6.7% to 13.8%. These issues were attributed to patellar tendinitis in his right knee that flared up periodically. Schultz’s 2025 season ended prematurely in late August and he was also pulled from a planned Arizona Fall League assignment.
Scouting Report: Schultz’s sinker had become even more effective with the increased velocity in 2024, but in 2025 his money pitch had dipped to averaging 94.5 mph and touching 98, a drop of a tick or two. Despite the velo drop, he got more whiffs on the pitch in 2025. When it’s right, the pitch becomes even more difficult for hitters because of the extreme deception provided by Schultz’s low three-quarters arm slot and the way he hides the ball. He explodes on hitters with run and sink to help get whiffs up in the zone. Schultz’s double-plus slider also was down, averaging 81 mph, with the same late, hard movement and a high spin rate. He recorded fewer whiffs with the pitch, which saw its miss rate dropped from 42% in 2024 to 34%. Schultz’s changeup sits 86-89 mph and is a potentially above-average pitch with late movement and downer action. He used it to keep righthanded hitters from sitting on his slider. He also works in an average 88-91 mph cutter that touches 93 with late action. Using a modified windup, Schultz starts from what looks like a stretch position before going into a small, side-rocker step, which helps keep his long levers in sync. Poor control and command were his biggest issues in 2025, when he struggled to land his pitches consistently in the zone, attributable in part to his recurring soreness in his front knee.
The Future: The White Sox have been patient with Schultz’s development. Due to the knee issue, they will have to wait a bit longer until he can contribute in Chicago, but perhaps not too much longer if he reverts to his 2024 form.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 65 | Slider: 70 | Changeup: 55 | Cutter: 50 | Control: 50 -
BA Grade/Risk: 60/High
Adjusted Grade: 50
Track Record: Bonemer was a showcase star in the summer before his senior year at Okemos High in Michigan, with the White Sox drafting him in the second round in 2024. He broke camp with Low-A Kannapolis in 2025 and exceeded even the highest expectations. He batted .281/.400/.458 with 10 home runs and 27 stolen bases in 96 games to earn Carolina League player of the year honors before finishing the year with 11 games for High-A Winston-Salem.
Scouting Report: Bonemer has an advanced approach at the plate, especially impressive for a teenager. He’s made swing adjustments since turning pro, flattening his plane and improving his rhythm, which has helped him make better contact. Bonemer connects on pitches in the zone and has a knack for finding the barrel with above-average bat speed. He should get to plus power at his peak. At times, Bonemer has inconsistent separation in his load but has shown the aptitude for continuous improvement. Questions remain as to his ultimate position. He likely will not stay at shortstop, especially with 2025 first-round pick Billy Carlson coming up behind him. Bonemer can be an average defender at third base, where he spent some time late in the season. He makes the routine plays, and his average arm will be enough for the position, but some observers believe he eventually could wind up in the outfield. An average runner, Bonemer stole 29 bases in 37 attempts, but he may slow down to fringe-average as he matures physically.
The Future: While Bonemer faces questions as to his ultimate position on the field, his bat is real and profiles him as a potential above-average regular. He’ll return to High-A Winston-Salem in 2026 and has a chance to reach the upper minors later in the season.
Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 60 | Run: 45 | Field: 50 | Arm: 50 -
BA Grade/Risk: 45/Mild
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: Ingle signed with the Guardians for $400,000 as a fourth-rounder in the 2023 draft after showing impressive plate and contact skills at Clemson. Those skills have translated to pro ball, and among minor league catchers with at least 600 plate appearances since 2023, Ingle’s .407 on-base percentage trails only the Reds’ Alfredo Duno at .425.
Scouting Report: At 5-foot-8, 190 pounds, Ingle is an undersized catcher and lefthanded hitter who will drive his value through on-base skills and contact. He has a low-maintenance swing that’s direct to the ball with a level path that leads to lots of line drives to his pull side. In a system deep with hitters who understand the strike zone and make plenty of contact, Ingle’s chase rate (18.1%) and miss rate (18.8%) are among the best. He’s a selective hitter who doesn’t expand the zone frequently, though he can border on too passive at times. Ingle’s upside is dependent on the strength and power he’s able to gain, which has been a question mark that he has not answered for multiple years. His max exit velocities are below-average for his age, and the limited power that he does tap into in games comes exclusively to his pull side. Cleveland is still hopeful that he can push his frame closer to 200 pounds, which might translate to a bit more pop and better durability behind the plate. Ingle regressed as a defender in 2025 and was a more skittish blocker. He’s a fringy but playable defender, with below-average pure arm strength that plays up because he gets rid of the ball quickly with solid accuracy.
The Future: Entering his age-24 season, Ingle is running out of time to dream of more power coming, but his lengthy track record as a high-on base hitter still gives him big league value as a workable defensive catcher.
Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 30 | Run: 50 | Field: 45 | Arm: 45. -
BA Grade/Risk: 50/Average
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: Stephen was a well-rounded pitching prospect coming out of Mississippi State and signed with the Blue Jays for $1.12 million in the second round of the 2024 draft. The Guardians acquired him in a 2025 deadline trade that sent Shane Bieber to the Blue Jays. Stephen pitched well across three levels in his pro debut season and topped out at Double-A. In total, he posted a 2.53 ERA in 21 starts and 103 innings with a 27.1% strikeout rate and 4.9% walk rate. He missed a few weeks with a right shoulder impingement in the middle of the summer.
Scouting Report: Stephen has a prototype starter’s frame at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds and fills up the zone with a deep mix of pitches that includes a four-seam fastball, slider, splitter, curveball and cutter. Stephen sits around 93 mph with his fastball and will reach back for 96, but the pitch is amplified by his excellent spin efficiency, riding life and above-average extension. The performance of his fastball backed up a bit after he returned from his shoulder injury, but at its best it is a swing-and-miss pitch that he can use to miss barrels and execute for strikes at a high level. Developing a secondary with above-average potential to complement his fastball will unlock more upside, and he has a number of candidates. He throws a mid-80s slider, a mid-80s splitter, an 88-91 mph cutter and an upper-70s curveball. The slider, splitter and cutter are all solid-average pitches—and he generated a 37% miss rate with both the slider and cutter in 2025—but none is a no-doubt above-average offering.
The Future: Stephen has likely back-end starter potential as an athletic strike-thrower with above-average control and a deep pitch mix. With a strong offseason and continued performance, he could be in line to make his major league debut in the second half of 2026.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 40 | Slider: 50 | Cutter: 50 | Split: 50 | Control: 55 -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: Chourio signed for $1.2 million out of Venezuela as the Guardians’ top international prospect in 2022 and is the younger brother of the Brewers’ Jackson Chourio. Jaison put together a tremendous 2024 season as a 19-year-old in Low-A but regressed in 2025 with High-A Lake County, where he failed to hit for much power and also dealt with a shoulder injury that limited him to just 87 games. He played in the Venezuelan League after the season.
Scouting Report: Despite Chourio’s down year, there’s still plenty to like with the savvy-eyed switch-hitting outfielder. He still possesses one of the better batting eyes in a Cleveland system filled with high-OBP hitters. Chourio owns a .414 on-base percentage and 19.7% walk rate in a four-year career. While his proponents might point to a strong 18% chase rate, his detractors might say that he’s often too passive, and simply lets hittable pitches go by. Chourio is still looking to find a happy balance with his approach, and both his bat speed and 90th percentile exit velocity regressed in 2025. His shoulder injury definitely played a role, but the questions about his power upside from a year ago are only amplified. Chourio is a plus runner with the speed for center, but his missed playing time hampered his defensive development. His reads and route-running didn’t improve, and, barring a significant step forward in this department, he is more likely to profile as an average defender in an outfield corner than a regular center fielder. He has a strong arm that could fit in right.
The Future: Chourio is looking for a fully healthy, bounceback season in 2026 and will need to answer questions about his power and defense to create confidence that he’s a future regular. If that doesn’t happen, his pure hitting ability and on-base skills could still carry him to a more limited big league role.
Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 40 | Run: 60 | Field: 50 | Arm: 55 -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Average
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: Doughty was a top-two-rounds talent in the 2024 draft coming out of Chaparral High in California and signed with the Guardians for $2.57 million as the 36th overall pick. He lived up to his billing in his first pro season with Low-A Lynchburg, where he posted a 3.48 ERA across 85.1 innings with a 27.3% strikeout rate and 6.4% walk rate.
Scouting Report: Doughty is a 6-foot-1, 196-pound righthander who repeats his delivery well with great natural athleticism, a quick arm and a three-quarters slot. He was lauded for his strike-throwing ability as an amateur and backed up that reputation in his first extended look at pro ball. Doughty does an excellent job attacking the zone with a 93 mph four-seam fastball that touches 96-97 and has solid riding life. While the four-seam variant is his primary fastball, Doughty also has a two-seamer that’s a tick lighter on average and could be a useful piece at the bottom of the zone. He threw both fastballs for strikes more than 70% of the time in 2025. Doughty’s curveball is his primary swing-and-miss offering. It was always viewed as a potential wipeout offering and it looks even better in pro ball than it did as an amateur. Doughty now throws the pitch harder, in the low 80s, with the same snappy, hard-biting action that leads to plenty of buckled knees and chases below the zone. His ability to land his curveball in the zone consistently speaks to his advanced command. Doughty has a mid-80s changeup and has thrown a harder slider in the past—both of which could become bigger pieces of his arsenal in the future. He picks up pitch shapes quickly, and that could be a developmental lever that gets pulled down the line.
The Future: Doughty is a high-probability starter with midrotation upside who is ready for High-A competition in 2026. He’s a few years away but is one of the most exciting arms in Cleveland’s system.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 65 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 60. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: LaViolette entered the 2025 draft cycle as one of the favorites to be selected first overall thanks to his outlier combination of size, speed, power and SEC performance. A down draft year in addition to bat-to-ball questions caused him to slip to the back of the first round, where the Guardians signed him to a $4 million deal as the 27th overall pick. He broke his left hand in college postseason play and didn’t debut in official pro games after signing.
Scouting Report: LaViolette is a towering, physical presence in the lefthanded batter’s box and is listed at 6-foot-6, 230 pounds. That size and strength leads to thunderous, 70-grade raw power that allowed him to boast some of the best overall power in his draft class. LaViolette got to his power often in the SEC and is the all-time home run leader at Texas A&M with 68 in three seasons. He is also the school’s all-time walks leader with 169 and managed a career 19.3% walk rate with strong strike-zone recognition and swing decisions. His contact rate, however, could cap his offensive impact. LaViolette hit just .285 in his college career with a 25.3% strikeout rate and a 71% overall contact rate. He’ll need to find the barrel more frequently against pro pitching—and changeups, sliders and left-on-left spin in particular—and adding a bit more life to his hands in what is currently a stiff operation could help. Despite his size, LaViolette is a real plus runner who moves exceptionally well and pairs his speed with good defensive instincts and routes. He should get every opportunity to stick in center field and would be a plus defender in a corner with an above-average arm if he does need to move.
The Future: LaViolette’s upside and impact potential is undeniable with a scouting card littered with above-average or better tools. His contact ability will determine the sort of player he becomes.
Scouting Grades Hit: 45 | Power: 60 | Run: 60 | Field: 55 | Arm: 55. -
BA Grade/Risk: 50/Mild
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: Messick signed with the Guardians for $1.3 million in the second round of the 2022 draft after a strong career as a starter at Florida State. He logged at least 100 innings in each of his full pro seasons and made his major league debut in 2025. Messick was crucial to Cleveland’s run to the postseason, posting a 2.72 ERA in seven starts in August and September.
Scouting Report: Messick is a 6-foot, 225-pound southpaw with command and deception who largely resembles the pitcher he was expected to be on draft day, though with a few refinements in the right direction. He throws a four-seam fastball in the 92-93 mph range that touches 95-96 from a low release point and with a flat approach that helps the pitch play up. His mid-80s changeup has long been viewed as a plus offering and his best pitch. That remains the case. It’s a weapon versus righties and helped him generate a 45% miss rate in the minors and a 31% miss rate in his MLB stint. Messick improved both his breaking pitches in 2025, though the improvement of his slider is the most obvious. He added three ticks of velocity to it, and the pitch now sits in the 85-87 mph range. His slider is at least an average pitch that gives him a reliable weapon versus lefties. Messick has also incorporated a two-seam fastball that is thrown more frequently versus lefties. He rounds out his arsenal with an upper-70s curveball that missed far more bats in 2025. While Messick might not have the elite command he showed in his major league run, he’s consistently been an above-average strike-thrower of multiple pitch types.
The Future: Other pitchers in Cleveland’s system have more upside, but Messick is a ready-made and reliable No. 4 or 5 starter. He continues to earn rave reviews for his makeup and work ethic.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 55. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Average
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: Genao signed as the headliner of Cleveland’s 2021 international class and put together a breakout 2024 season that has been sandwiched between two-injury plagued campaigns in 2023 and 2025. Genao had a right shoulder sprain in spring training in 2025 and didn’t get into official games until late May. After a tuneup in the Arizona Complex League, he spent the rest of the season with Double-A Akron, and then made up for lost time in the Dominican Winter League after the season.
Scouting Report: Genao is a 6-foot-1, 185-pound switch-hitter who features plenty of moving parts with his swing from both sides of the plate, but he’s always shown excellent bat-to-ball skills that allow him to keep his strikeouts in check. While his 2025 performance was subdued, Genao still looks like a contact-oriented hitter who can drive the ball to the gaps and handle both velocity and secondary pitches. He added more strength to his frame in 2025, though his home run power will depend on whether he’s able to elevate the ball more consistently. Genao has been a groundball and low line-drive hitter for multiple years, and that low launch profile is more extreme from the right side of the plate. His best contact might always be middle-of-the-field line drives, and even with above-average raw power he might never hit more than 18-20 home runs a season. Genao is a solid runner with enough range for shortstop and a plus arm that will be an asset on the left side of the infield. His tools for the position are better now than his skills, and he may simply need more refinement to become an average defender at the position.
The Future: Genao has the contact ability and tools to be a solid regular, though his ultimate upside will depend on how his batted-ball profile evolves. He is close to a big league opportunity.
Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 45 | Run: 50 | Field; 50 | Arm: 60 -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Average
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: Coming out of high school in Southern California, Velazquez was a bat-first catcher with a strong hitting track record. After signing with the Guardians for $2.5 million as the 23rd overall pick in 2023, he quickly moved to first base. His 2024 season was solid but not loud, and in 2025 he progressed to the upper minors while hitting .265/.342/.497 between High-A and Double-A. Velazquez was one of eight minor league hitters with 20 or more homers at age 20 or younger.
Scouting Report: At 6-foot-3, 240 pounds, Velazquez is one of the most physical players in Cleveland’s system, though he has done a nice job taking advantage of the Guardians’ strength and conditioning resources to tighten his body composition. He has a powerful lefthanded swing that comes from a wide and crouched setup in the box. He has tremendous raw power that has led to exit velocities upward of 114 mph. While Velazquez is an aggressive hitter in terms of the frequency of his swings, he pairs that with a solid understanding of the strike zone and bat-to-ball skills that have always led to sustainable strikeout numbers. Velazquez has improved his batted-ball angles, which has helped him tap into his raw power more frequently and could also allow him to run higher BABIP numbers than anticipated given his well below-average speed. Velazquez continues to get some opportunities in left field, but he’s best positioned at—and overwhelmingly plays—first base, where he could become a solid defender with a plus arm. His mobility would make him a below-average defender in an outfield corner.
The Future: Velazquez’s pure offensive upside stacks up with Chase DeLauter in Cleveland’s system. He could become a plus hit, plus power everyday first baseman and middle-of-the-order masher. He should get a full season in the upper minors in 2026.
Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 60 | Run: 30 | Field: 45 | Arm: 60 -
BA Grade/Risk: 60/Average
Adjusted Grade: 50
Track Record: DeLauter fell to the middle of the first round in the 2022 draft because of injury questions, and the Guardians pounced on his upside with the 16th overall pick. DeLauter has been every bit the player advertised when on the field, but he’s continued to battle injuries that have held him to just 138 games in three years as a professional. Foot injuries have plagued him for years, and in 2025 he had bilateral core surgery and right wrist surgery that added to his lengthy medical history. Even with the injuries, DeLauter became the sixth player in MLB history to make his MLB debut in the postseason when he logged two games in the Wild Card Series.
Scouting Report: At 6-foot-3, 235 pounds, DeLauter has a special blend of contact skills, impact and strike-zone awareness. He’s a selective hitter with a compact swing and has produced at every level he’s been at, with some of the best batted-ball data in the Guardians’ system. DeLauter’s pure hitting ability and power give him a chance to be a real middle-of-the-order bat who can hit for average with 30-plus home runs. Aside from injuries, DeLauter’s biggest question now is where he fits defensively. He runs enough to play center field, but his game speed is more solid-average or a tick above compared to his 60-grade straight line speed underway. He’s a fringy center field defender but is above-average in a corner, which is where a majority of his playing time has come in the minors—partially as a response to his durability questions. In Cleveland, DeLauter’s future defensive home might depend as much on team construction—where Steven Kwan is an elite defensive left fielder—as his own skill and ability.
The Future: DeLauter will go as far as his durability takes him, but if he’s on the field he looks like an impactful, above-average regular who can play all three outfield positions and help power a lineup.
Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 60 | Run: 55 | Field: 50 | Arm: 60. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Mild
Adjusted Grade: 50
Track Record: The Guardians won the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft via the second-ever draft lottery. Cleveland used the pick to take Oregon State second baseman Bazzana and sign him for $8.95 million. He was the face of a massive Guardians draft class that featured more than $19 million in bonus money. An Australia native, Bazzana brought a tremendous track record of high-level hitting ability, but his first full pro season was tarnished by a recurring oblique injury that limited him to 84 games. Splitting time between Double-A and Triple-A, with a few post-injury tuneup games in the complex, Bazzana hit .244/.389/.424 with nine home runs and 17 doubles.
Scouting Report: Listed at 6 feet and just under 200 pounds, Bazzana is a physically maxed-out lefthanded hitter with impressive physicality and strength in both his lower and upper halves that he uses to power his swing. He can drive the ball to both gaps with authority, but he’s at his best when he’s pulling the ball in the air—something he did at an excellent clip in college. Bazzana’s oblique injury impacted his hitting mechanics at times in 2025, though the Guardians were happy with the strides he made in the second half of the season to improve the direction of his lower half, which leaked out more frequently than is typical for Bazzana. While his plus bat-to-ball skills and solid understanding of the strike zone give him the potential for on-base value and a chance for a plus hit tool, he is still refining his approach. He can get passive versus lefthanders and against secondaries from southpaws in particular. Being more aggressive and swinging with more intent in those scenarios was a developmental focus. Bazzana remains a plus runner when healthy, but his oblique injuries limited him a bit more than is typical on the bases. He was still an efficient runner and went 12-for-14 on stolen bases and is a good enough runner that the idea of him playing center field remains interesting. For now, that idea is purely theoretical, because all of Bazzana’s defensive innings have come at second base. Despite his plus speed, Bazzana shows just fringy range at second base, and that might be his biggest shortcoming. Scouts were impressed with his reliability at the position and believe he can be a fine defender who makes all the routine plays. Bazzana continues to throw from a low slot much of the time, though he has improved his slot versatility and ranges from a fringy to average arm.
The Future: Bazzana’s profile hasn’t changed significantly since draft day, and his combination of hitting prowess and usable power gives him occasional all-star upside. He’s expected to play for Australia in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. After that, he shouldn’t need much more minor league time before assuming Cleveland’s everyday second base job and adding more length to their lineup.
Scouting Grades Hit: 60 | Power: 55 | Run: 60 | Field: 50 | Arm: 45 -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme
Adjusted Grade: 35
Track Record: Every now and then, a player will pop at the World Wood Bat Championships, the October Perfect Game event in Jupiter, Fla., which heralds the completion of the showcase circuit. A Long Island prep, Oliveto had barely been seen on the showcase circuit until that 2024 event. By the end of the week, he was a name to know. He hit .615 with two doubles and two home runs in five games, which rocketed him up draft lists. The Tigers scouted Oliveto heavily through the spring, and they were impressed with how he handled velocity in workouts. The Tigers drafted the Yale commit 34th overall in the supplemental first round.
Scouting Report: The Tigers love to draft pure hitters. Despite facing modest competition for much of his amateur career, Oliveto has the foundational skills to be a solid hitter, thanks to a smooth lefthanded swing that sprays line drives to all fields. He has above-average power potential and more projection remaining than most high school hitters. Defensively, Oliveto is going to need a lot of work and time. The tools are there for him to be a solid defender behind the plate. He has an above-average arm, and he moves well with solid athleticism to go with present strength. But he’s far behind his contemporaries in catching experience. He didn’t handle much velocity while catching on Long Island, and he’s largely been self-taught until he entered pro ball. He didn’t seem awed by catching quality fastballs in unofficial bridge league games and is quite coachable, but there’s plenty of projection and development to go.
The Future: Oliveto is a high-risk, high-reward draftee who could blossom into a steal, but there’s also the risk that he will get blown away early in his career by more experienced pros. The combination of a fluid swing, lefty power and position value at catcher makes him a long-term development priority.
Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 40 | Field: 40 | Arm: 55 -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme
Adjusted Grade: 35
Track Record: It was a rough year for Low-A Lakeland shortstops. When the 2025 season began, Bryce Rainer and Montilla shared the shortstop job, giving Lakeland two of the most dynamic players at the position in Low-A. A shoulder injury ended Rainer’s season on June 3, but Montilla didn’t get to settle into his new role for long. His season ended on July 21 when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee, requiring season-ending surgery.
Scouting Report: See Montilla on the right day and he looks like a star. Defensively, he makes exceptional plays look easy. He can glide to a ball deep in the shortstop hole and then uncork a laser with his plus-plus arm to nab a hitter on a seemingly surefire infield single. His quick hands erase bad hops, and he goes to the ground and pops back up to throw far easier than most shortstops. Montilla is a near plus-plus defender with a double-plus arm. Offensively, Montilla has a lot of work to do, though he has the building blocks of a solid hitter. He was overmatched in a brief stint in the Florida State League in 2024 but showed significant improvements in 2025. Still, he remains prone to chasing pitches, and he can also be beaten by quality stuff in the zone. He shows occasional home run power, but his line-drive approach is more suited to doubles than homers.
The Future: ACL repairs usually take between nine to 12 months to heal, so Montilla’s recovery will likely stretch into the early part of the 2026 season. Assuming he makes a full recovery, he remains one of the Tigers’ most intriguing prospects. He will have to add plenty of polish to become more than a defensive-minded big leaguer, but the Tigers have few position players with more impressive tools. A 2022 signee, Montilla enters his fifth pro season in 2026 and hasn’t advanced past Low-A.
Scouting Grades Hit: 30 | Power: 40 | Run: 60 | Field: 65 | Arm: 70. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme
Adjusted Grade: 35
Track Record: Dominican Summer League stats often don’t tell the whole story, because pitching and hitting quality vary dramatically from inning to inning in the league. But in the case of Rodriguez, his 10 home runs, second best in the league, were an accurate testament to some of the best power in the DSL in recent years. Rodriguez’s analytical numbers was even more impressive than his homer totals. His 90th percentile exit velocity of 108 mph was best among all 17-year-olds in 2025, and it has been equaled only once in the past three years, by the Rays’ Brailer Guerrero in 2023.
Scouting Report: Rodriguez is already a well-built outfielder, but despite his present strength, he’s also a sneaky-agile athlete who gobbles up yards in the outfield with powerful long strides. He has plus-plus bat speed that helps him generate his massive raw power. He will likely slow down as he ages, but he’s solid in center field for now and should be an above-average right fielder down the road with a plus arm. Offensively, Rodriguez’s swing has no glaring flaws that should prevent him from making enough contact, but he needs plenty of at-bats to add some of the more subtle skills at the plate. He will swing out of his shoes on breaking pitches down and away. The Tigers are impressed with how hard he works to get better.
The Future: The Tigers have plenty of reasons to be patient with Rodriguez. While his tools are exceptionally loud, he needs to develop his approach at the plate to get consistently to his top-tier power. The struggles of Rays outfielder Brailer Guerrero, a prospect with similar strengths and weaknesses, offer an example of the risks inherent in pushing Rodriguez too quickly.
Scouting Grades Hit: 40 | Power: 60 | Run: 55 | Field: 50 | Arm: 60 -
BA Grade/Risk: 45/Mild
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: The Phillies signed Lee out of Taiwan for $570,000 in 2021, and he was on track to potentially become the Phillies’ first Asian amateur signee to reach the majors. That goal of reaching the majors seems more likely than ever, but it will be with the Tigers. Detroit acquired him in the July 2023 trade that sent Michael Lorenzen to the Phillies. After playing shortstop early in his career, Lee now splits his time equally between second and third base. The Tigers added him to the 40-man roster in November.
Scouting Report: Lee has developed into a well-rounded, if utterly unflashy, infielder. He offers no clearly plus tool on his scouting report, but he strings together professional at-bats with a solid awareness of how pitchers try to attack him. Lee’s best attributes as a hitter are his timing and bat-to-ball skills. He can be induced to chase pitches above the zone, but when he makes hard contact on pitches over the plate. He hits the ball quite hard, though his struggles to pull the ball in the air limit his home run potential. Lee has a stocky build, but he moves relatively fluidly. While he’s more serviceable than flashy as a defender, he is capable of playing average defense at second base or fringe-average at third base. His hands work well, but his reaction times are strained at third. He’s a clever baserunner who can swipe bases despite average speed.
The Future: Lee has many of the same strengths and weaknesses as Jace Jung and Max Anderson, which leads to a bit of a logjam at Triple-A. Lee’s defense is better than either Jung or Anderson, however, and he has some defensive versatility. On a Tigers team whose lineup is getting more and more lefthanded, Lee’s ability to produce quality at-bats against lefties could help him carve out a platoon role.
Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Field: 45 | Arm: 45 -
BA Grade/Risk: 45/Average
Adjusted Grade: 35
Track Record: Anderson was a star at Nebraska who hit .414/.461/.771 with 21 home runs as a junior in 2023. Drafted by the Tigers in the second round that year, his first full season didn’t show the same impact as he hit a light .270 in the Midwest League in 2024. Anderson worked on improving his agility over the offseason, largely to help his defense, but it also paid off at the plate. He showed improved power as one of the best hitters in the Double-A Eastern League to earn a late promotion to Triple-A Toledo. To cap it off, he hit .447/.609/.809 in the Arizona Fall League.
Scouting Report: Anderson’s work to improve his range and agility helped significantly. He’s still a below-average defender at second base, but that’s an improvement from the previous year, when scouts often described him as unplayable. He worked at third base in the AFL, but his below-average arm and slow first step are less of a fit there. Offensively, Anderson’s approach is unique. He’s a front-foot hitter who relies on his excellent hands to stay back and flick balls when he’s caught out front. It means he’s virtually incapable of pulling quality fastballs in the air, but he has enough bat speed and strength to drive balls out to right and center field, and he can pull offspeed pitches. His excellent contact skills allow his aggressive approach to work. It’s hard to see him getting to more than fringe-average power in the big leagues without swing tweaks. He excels versus lefthanders and hit .341/.391/.626 against them in 2025.
The Future: Anderson’s 2025 season showed improvement in almost every way possible, but he’s still facing a tricky path to a regular big league role. He’s a below-average second baseman who doesn’t run well enough to move to the outfield. He makes lefthanders pay as a platoon bat, but there aren’t many regular jobs for second basemen who are on the roster to hit lefties.
Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 30 | Field: 40 | Arm: 40 -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: No team loves a shortstop who can bat lefthanded more than the Tigers. Between Zach McKinstry, Trey Sweeney, Kevin McGonigle, Bryce Rainer and switch-hitters Trei Cruz and Franyerber Montilla, the Tigers are stuffed with shortstops who have the platoon advantage with a righthander on the mound. Yost is yet another to add to that group. He was a fast riser in the 2025 draft class who impressed with his quick-developing bat and improving strength. The Tigers picked him 24th overall, making him the third prep shortstop the team has picked in the top 50 picks in the past three drafts, following McGonigle in 2023 and Rainer in 2024.
Scouting Report: Yost is an athletic shortstop with a clean swing that generates plenty of contact. That’s a great starting point for a potential future regular, but for Yost will have to keep getting stronger to reach that ceiling. He’s always been slight. He weighed just 125 pounds as a ninth grader at Tampa’s Sickles High and was a skinny 5-foot-11, 155 pounds as a rising junior. He’s still skinny, but at 175 pounds, he’s adding enough muscle to provide hope that he can go from being someone with bottom-of-the-scale power to being a line-drive hitter who hits plenty of doubles. Yost is a smooth, twitchy defender. He has an above-average arm with a quick first step and the “baseball rat” makeup that teams love to see at shortstop. With his instincts and tools, he should provide above-average defense at shortstop, though his near plus-plus speed would also fit well in center field if the need arose.
The Future: The Tigers hope they landed a player whose best is yet to come. Yost’s lack of present physicality makes him riskier than some of the other shortstops picked in the 2025 draft, but he has the skills to develop into a well-rounded prospect with hitting ability and an above-average glove.
Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 30 | Run: 65 | Field: 55 | Arm: 55 -
BA Grade/Risk: 60/High
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: A top target of the Tigers in the 2022 international class, Briceño has been one of the Tigers’ most impressive minor league hitters ever since. He starred in the Florida Complex League in 2023, bounced back from a knee injury to win the first-ever Arizona Fall League triple crown in 2024 and hit 20 home runs in 2025. On a Double-A Erie team that also included Thayron Liranzo, Briceño caught every one of the team’s postseason games.
Scouting Report: Briceño is a smart and savvy slugger with big power, but he’s also a hitter with several limitations. He has a lengthy swing and average bat speed, and generates his power through leverage, strength and excellent trunk rotation. That means that he can be beaten by quality velocity, but he also punishes breaking and offspeed pitches. He has excellent pitch recognition and strike-zone awareness, and also some adjustability to his swing. He comfortably gets the ball in the air to his pull side, maximizing his power. Despite plenty of work, Briceño remains well below-average at catcher. He struggles with his left hand. He boxes balls around the zone, and he turns borderline pitches into wild pitches. Despite that, he’s an adequate pitch-framer who can fluidly bring pitches back into the zone. As long as he can keep balls inside his frame, he’s an adept blocker, but he struggles when he relies on his mitt. At first base, his more likely long-term position, he’s a big target, but he has limited range and hard hands.
The Future: Because of his defensive limitations, Briceño has a wider array of possible outcomes than most successful sluggers with Double-A experience. He’s a slow-twitch slugger with real defensive questions. If Briceño’s bat is as good as expected, he can be a middle-of-the-lineup force, but if his bat is just a grade less than expected, he could end up being an up-and-down Triple-A slugger.
Scouting Grades Hit: 45 | Power: 65 | Run: 30 | Field: 50 | Arm: 55. -
BA Grade/Risk: 65/High
Adjusted Grade: 50
Track Record: Heading into the 2024 draft, there was a healthy debate as to whether Rainer or Konnor Griffin was the top high school shortstop in the class. Griffin was drafted ninth overall, two picks ahead of Rainer, and emerged in 2025 as the best prospect in the game. Rainer was having an impressive pro debut at Low-A Lakeland until he dislocated his right shoulder sliding back into first base on a pickoff attempt. It was an injury similar to the one that sidelined Brewers catching prospect Jeferson Quero in 2024.
Scouting Report: Rainer was a two-way player in high school who was a legitimate pro prospect on the mound, but his plus power and a rocket of an arm made him even more promising as a position player. His brief pre-injury pro stint reinforced that notion. His 90th percentile exit velocity of 108 mph was best among Tigers minor leaguers and ranked among the best for a teenager in pro ball. Rainer’s swing is best when he’s driving the ball to the opposite field or center, and he’ll need to develop his pull power, but his opposite-field aptitude should serve him well. He showed solid plate awareness. As a shortstop, Rainer wasn’t as rangy, and he didn’t have the flashy actions of teammate Franyerber Montilla, but his arm stands out. Rainer’s range is solid but unspectacular, but his plus-plus arm creates the ability to make plays other shortstops can’t make. He can sling the ball from multiple arm angles, but he is more comfortable throwing on the run than when he sets his feet.
The Future: Rainer is expected to be healthy for spring training. His brief time on the field reinforced his status as a well-rounded shortstop prospect. He embraced using his rehab time to work on conditioning and strength training as much as was possible while allowing his shoulder to heal.
Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 55 | Run: 55 | Field: 55 | Arm: 70. -
BA Grade/Risk: 65/Average
Adjusted Grade: 55
Track Record: In what was viewed as a five-player top tier of the 2023 draft, the Tigers picked Clark third overall, ahead of Wyatt Langford and Walker Jenkins, and then selected Kevin McGonigle in the supplemental first round. At various stops, Clark and McGonigle have been teammates and winners. They spent the first half of 2025 playing for Midwest League-champion High-A West Michigan and the second with Eastern League runner-up Double-A Erie.
Scouting Report: Clark’s skill set at the plate shares a lot of similarities with McGonigle, but with some rougher edges. He’s a wonderfully pesky hitter who uses the whole field with a slashing swing that leads to plenty of hard line-drives to left and center field. He rarely swings and misses, and he seldom chases pitches. Clark doesn’t handle velocity as well as McGonigle, and while he battles lefties, his power largely disappears against them. Clark’s groundball tendencies limit his power. His exit velocities are among the best in the Tigers’ system, but they often are scorched grounders. He’s working to try to more regularly catch the ball out front to fix this issue. Clark was slowed by shin splints early in the 2025 season, but he shook them off to return to turning in 65-grade run times in the second half. Defensively, Clark is an aggressive center fielder who leaves dents in the outfield wall and divots in the grass. His reads could improve, but his speed helps make him a plus defender, and he has a plus arm.
The Future: Scouts notice Clark’s attention to detail before and during games, and that approach carries over to off-the-field work. He has to be dragged out of the batting cage and he has worked to pack as much muscle as his frame can hold. Clark’s plate discipline, swing decisions and well-rounded game should fit in Detroit at some point in 2026—and for many years to come.
Scouting Grades Hit: 60 | Power: 50 | Run: 65 | Field: 60 | Arm: 60. -
BA Grade/Risk: 65/Mild
Adjusted Grade: 60
Track Record: Coming out of the Covid-canceled 2020 season, word began circulating around the Northeast that there was a special sophomore at Monsignor Bonnier High, outside Philadelphia. McGonigle hit nearly .500 in high school and was even more impressive in summer showcases and with Team USA. The Tigers drafted him with a supplemental first-round pick in 2023 after selecting Max Clark in the first round. Three seasons later, it appears that draft could chart the path of the Tigers in the second half of the 2020s and beyond. McGonigle has hit over .300 in each of his first three pro seasons. After wowing with his hitting ability in 2024 in a season slowed by a hamstring injury and broken hamate, he showed improved power in 2025. He missed the first month of the season with an ankle injury, but he propelled High-A West Michigan and then Double-A Erie to playoff appearances. He finished his season by earning MVP honors in the Arizona Fall League, where he also started to learn how to play third base.
Scouting Report: Even though he will play much of the 2026 season as a 21-year-old, McGonigle is already a savvier hitter than many big leaguers. Velocity? He doesn’t blink at seeing top-tier fastballs, as he demonstrated with a monstrous home run on a 100 mph Jarlin Susana heater. Spin? He handled breaking balls with aplomb. Plate coverage? He has no clear holes with his swing. Expand the zone? He has the rare ability to be aggressive on pitches in the strike zone while rarely swinging at bad pitches. Platoon issues? He had a higher OPS against lefties. McGonigle could sometimes be fooled by changeups, but even that is a blemish more than a glaring flaw. He is a perfect example of how having a short but powerful frame can be an advantage for a hitter. At 5-foot-10, he has shorter levers than most, which leads to excellent bat control. His timing and savvy stand out, and he has a quick trigger with above-average power when he gets a pitch to pull. He had 52 extra-base hits with just 46 strikeouts in 2025. Defensively, McGonigle is stretched at shortstop. He could play there, but he projects as fringy at best because of limited range and arm strength that is stretched on plays to his right. He is above-average at second base and could even end up being a plus defender there. He could get to playable at third, but his arm will be a limiting factor there as well. He’s more reliable than rangy wherever he plays.
The Future: McGonigle has the ingredients to be a star as a dynamic hitter with defensive value at second base. Second baseman Gleyber Torres’ return to Detroit on a one-year qualifying offer blocks the clearest path to McGonigle making the Tigers’ Opening Day roster, but his bat is too good to remain in the minors for much longer. He should be the best homegrown Tigers hitter in decades.
Scouting Grades Hit: 70 | Power: 55 | Run: 55 | Field: 55 | Arm: 45 -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: Aloy was recruited out of Hawaii to Sacramento State, where he starred as a freshman before he transferred to Arkansas. The jump didn’t faze him. He was the Razorbacks’ everyday shortstop and hit 14 home runs as a sophomore. Aloy added 20 more homers and finished with a 1.107 OPS in 2025. The Orioles drafted him 31st overall, signed him for a slot bonus of $3.043 million and were impressed with the hard contact ability he showed in his pro debut, when he had an .856 OPS in 20 games at Low-A Delmarva.
Scouting Report: Aloy’s bat speed and ability to generate raw power drive an attractive overall offensive profile, with natural loft to his swing that gives him above-average power potential with a knack for driving the ball to all fields. The utility of that power could be mitigated by a hit tool that is less refined. Aloy can be susceptible to spin and has some swing-and-miss in his game, though the Orioles believe that’s more a matter of better identifying pitches he can drive rather than a fundamental skill issue. It’s worth noting he’s demonstrated the ability to improve his contact rates as he has adjusted to higher-level pitching in college and could do the same in pro ball. Aloy has meaningfully improved his arm strength since signing, and is lean and athletic with the body control and actions to stay at shortstop, though he could handle any position on the infield.
The Future: The Orioles love the challenge of maximizing players’ hit tools in cases where are other attractive raw traits, and Aloy has that kind of untapped upside. He has the potential to be an impact everyday player if he makes enough contact, given his ability to play a premium defensive position. He’ll start at High-A Frederick for his first full season in 2026.
Scouting Grades Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Field: 50 | Arm: 50. -
BA Grade/Risk: 50/Average
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: Bradfield made a serious impact over three years at Vanderbilt thanks to his combination of elite speed and defense, and the Orioles signed him for $4.17 million as the 17th pick in 2023 to help him maximize his unique skill set at the plate. He won a minor league Gold Glove award in 2024, a season in which he hit .272 with a .729 OPS and 72 stolen bases between High-A Aberdeen and Double-A Bowie. A pair of hamstring issues limited him in 2025, but he still had a .779 OPS and 138 wRC+ in 50 Double-A games and ended the year at Triple-A Norfolk before getting more at-bats in the Arizona Fall League.
Scouting Report: Bradfield continues to make progress at fine-tuning his unique offensive style to best suit his game. He makes a high volume of contact, rarely whiffs, and maximizes those skills by focusing on pitches he can drive and hitting the ball over the infield. He cut his groundball rate from 50.2% in 2024 to 43.4% in 2025, and he uses his elite speed to turn balls in the gap into extra bases. He’s improving his quality of contact as he matures and doesn’t need to be a slugger in the big leagues. Instead, he can be a table-setter who can get on base by laying down a bunt or lining a ball to the outfield. Then he can impact games by stealing bases and playing elite center field defense. Still, a player with such an offensive profile will need to prove his viability at every level, including the majors, and Bradfield was challenged late in 2025 in Triple-A.
The Future: There’s little doubt that Bradfield can help a major league team as an everyday outfielder thanks to his speed and defense, and his current offensive trajectory points toward that kind of floor. He’ll be back at Triple-A Norfolk to start 2026 and could make his major league debut over the summer.
Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 30 | Run: 80 | Field: 80 | Arm: 45. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: The Orioles did well to identify Forret early in his first season at the State College of Florida, which competes at the junior college level and used to be known as Manatee JC. Forret’s combination of control, makeup and advanced pitch mix prompted Baltimore to sign him to an above-slot $450,000 in the 14th round in 2023 to keep him from transferring to East Carolina. In his full-season debut in 2024, Forret struck out 29% of batters and produced a 1.29 WHIP in the low minors. He missed a month with a back issue in 2025 but was arguably better in his age-21 season, which began at High-A Aberdeen and ended at Double-A Chesapeake. Forret struck out 32% of batters and finished with a 1.58 ERA and 0.82 WHIP in 74 innings.
Scouting Report: Forret came to the Orioles committed to developing a full starter’s arsenal, and he’s done that, with one of the broadest and most impressive mixes in the system. He works off low-90s four-seam and sinking fastballs that he’s able to locate, with his four-seamer a particular weapon against righties. His “death ball” curveball highlights the rest of his arsenal as a potential plus pitch that generated 22% swinging strikes in 2025. Forret has a plus sweeper as well, and while he didn’t have feel for his kick changeup—Forret’s best pitch in 2024—both that and his traditional changeup are at least above-average pitches as well. Forret has a starter’s frame and repeats his delivery, and he took a step forward with his command in 2025, particularly once he got to Double-A.
The Future: Forret has an attractive combination of precocious command and ability to go with physical projection, which makes him a candidate to become a No. 3 or 4 starter should he continue on the course he charted in 2025. He’ll return to Double-A Chesapeake for the start of 2026.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 60 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 50 | Sweeper: 60 | Split: 55 | Control: 50. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Average
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: Irish was a decorated hitter at Auburn who slugged 39 home runs with a career 1.060 OPS over three seasons with the Tigers. He improved his on-base ability and power as the years went on. As a junior in 2025, Irish made the All-America first team as an outfielder. He led the Southeastern Conference with a .364 average, including a .408 mark in SEC play. Irish signed for a slot bonus of $4.42 million as the 19th overall pick in 2025. As one of the best college hitters in his draft class, he was a good match for an Orioles organization that covets big-conference standouts. Irish made his pro debut at Low-A Delmarva and put the ball on the ground too often, resulting in a .594 OPS in 20 games.
Scouting Report: At his best, Irish has the well-rounded offensive skill set that the Orioles prize. He controls the strike zone well, has good bat speed and feel for the barrel and rips line drives to all fields when he’s at his best. He uses his whole body and keeps the bat in the zone well. That profile makes him a potentially above-average hitter with above-average power, but his overall value will be determined by his defensive role. He caught just 12 games as an Auburn junior, spending most of his time in right field. The Orioles plan to have him catch while rotating in at first base and right—where his plus arm shines—but he’ll need to improve his blocking and framing as he develops in pro ball to have a future at the position. He’d be playable in any other spot defensively, but it would put a lot of pressure on his bat.
The Future: Irish has everyday potential thanks to his ability at the plate alone, and given the Orioles’ catching depth, simply being serviceable behind the plate could make him a valuable roster piece who moves around the diamond but is a steady offensive presence. He’ll begin 2026 at High-A Frederick.
Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 55 | Run: 45 | Field: 45 | Arm: 65. -
BA Grade/Risk: 65/Extreme
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: The Orioles signed Mejia for $150,000 out of the Dominican Republic in the 2024 international class. He received one of the largest bonuses for a pitcher under Baltimore’s current front office. He was already up to 91 mph with his fastball and showed the quick arm, frame and physical projection they believed could turn into something more. That happened quickly, with Mejia adding fastball velocity and exploding onto the scene stateside in 2025 thanks to a fastball that regularly hit 100 mph. He ended up striking out nearly 30% of batters with a 1.29 WHIP and 2.94 ERA in 52 innings between the Florida Complex League and Low-A Delmarva.
Scouting Report: Working with four-seam and two-seam fastballs, Mejia overpowered lower-level hitters with his electric stuff. His heaters sat in the mid-90s and averaged 98.4 mph—and there’s still some physical projection left to add to those marks. Mejia is working to be able to consistently get above barrels with his four-seamer, which from a low three-quarters slot gives him the ability to do more consistently than he does, and he generally commands the ball well for his age. Mejia complements his fastballs with a hard gyro slider that has the early makings of a plus pitch, and his changeup lags behind the rest of the group, though it has good shape at its best. Mejia worked to blend his release point for all the pitches as the 2025 season went on, and is athletic enough to repeat his delivery.
The Future: Mejia is one of the most exciting and high-ceiling pitchers the Orioles have, but there’s a lot of work to be done to have him reach his No. 2 starter potential, from physical maturation to secondary pitch refinement. He’ll begin his second full pro season at Low-A Delmarva in 2026 in pursuit of those traits.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 70 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 45. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Average
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: George came from the Chicago suburbs to break out at the 2023 WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Fla., putting himself on scouts’ radars by making the all-tournament team. The Orioles stayed on him in 2024, drafted him in the 16th round and used a $455,000 bonus to keep him from Northwest Florida State JC. George proved more than worth it, dominating the Florida Complex League and Carolina League with Low-A Delmarva before ending well at High-A Aberdeen. In all, he produced a .337 average and .896 OPS over three levels. He stole 50 bases in 87 games but was also thrown out 33% of the time.
Scouting Report: George’s contact ability proved advanced in his pro debut. The righthanded batter used a line-drive swing and knack for putting the ball in play to put together one of the best seasons a teenager had anywhere in the minors. George projects to be an above-average hitter with fringe-average power, but he is so dynamic out of the batter’s box—with run times of sub-4.0 seconds from home to first base—that he routinely stretches balls into the gaps for extra bases. His double-plus speed helps him in the outfield, where he has the makings of an elite center fielder with more experience. He’s still learning to best deploy his speed on the bases, where he racked up 50 steals but was thrown out 25 times. That’s all part of the appeal for George. He plays the game at a breakneck pace and is a good bet to continue to improve at the plate and get the most of his skill set.
The Future: George’s combination of contact ability, speed and athleticism creates a high floor for him, and with physical maturation and some more seasoning at the plate, he could be an impact everyday center fielder with a chance for all-star appearances.
Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 45 | Run: 70 | Field: 70 | Arm: 50. -
BA Grade/Risk: 60/High
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: De Leon signed for just $30,000 as an 18-year-old from the Dominican Republic late in the 2021 signing period. From that unheralded start, he has grown to become one of the Orioles’ most promising and successful international finds in years. De Leon overpowered lower-level hitters when he came to the U.S. in 2023 but stumbled with command and execution in the second half of 2024 at High-A Aberdeen. De Leon missed time with an elbow issue early but rebounded there in 2025 and finished well, carrying a 1.80 ERA with 65 strikeouts in 45 innings over his last nine starts between Aberdeen and Double-A Chesapeake.
Scouting Report: De Leon’s raw stuff has always been among the best in the Orioles’ system. He boasts a four-seam fastball and two-seamer in the 95-98 mph range that yields a ton of weak, grounded contact. He throws a plus gyro slider in the mid 80s, an emerging mid-80s splitter and a plus changeup that’s a touch harder. De Leon’s secondaries have always impressed, but emphasizing fastball location to righthanded batters elevated his entire arsenal in the second half of 2025 as the rest of his stuff played up. De Leon’s command has always been inconsistent, but he has good zone rates with his fastball, suggesting it’s a trait that can continue to improve. Even in the zone, De Leon is hard to square up. He didn’t allow a home run in 87.1 innings in 2025, and he is regularly among the minor league leaders in groundball rate. In 2025 his 56.9% groundball rate ranked 12th among pitchers with at least 10 starts.
The Future: De Leon’s maturation and improved execution elevated his performance to a level that in many ways matches the frontline stuff he boasts. A midrotation starter’s role feels realistic now, and he could climb quickly toward that from his likely 2026 starting point at Double-A Chesapeake.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 70 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 60 | Split: 55 | Control: 45. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Mild
Adjusted Grade: 50
Track Record: Beavers told teams at the 2022 MLB Draft Combine that he knew his swing needed a lot of work. He ended up with a perfect team for that when the Orioles signed him for $2.2 million as the 33rd pick and began the long process of helping him maximize his long levers and elite eye. That took hold in 2025 when he eliminated a sway backward in his swing, which allowed him to be on time with fastballs. That helped his production soar at Triple-A Norfolk. He was the International League MVP thanks to a .304 average, 18 home runs, and a .934 OPS, all of which earned him a major league callup in August.
Scouting Report: Beavers being able to handle fastballs—he hit .305 with a .461 slugging percentage against the pitch at Triple-A—allowed him to stay back on secondaries and take advantage of an elite approach, raising his overall offensive profile in the process. He doesn’t whiff or chase often, allowing him to get the best of an above-average hit tool and average power. The swing work Beavers and the Orioles have done have maximized his athleticism and plate discipline, which allows him to be adjustable and generate power naturally without expanding the strike zone or over-swinging in pursuit of slug. Above-average athleticism also shows up in Beavers’ plus speed and solid-average outfield defense in the corners—despite some early lapses as he adjusted to major league ballparks.
The Future: Beavers had one of the best MLB debuts of any recent Orioles prospect for the same reason he can be successful going forward—his approach, contact ability, and newfound adjustability. He could be a solid-average everyday major leaguer and could be in the Rookie of the Year mix in 2026.
Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 60 | Field: 50 | Arm: 60. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Average
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: Gibson was on the Orioles’ radar as a Virginia prep ahead of the five-round 2020 draft, and after he didn’t pitch his junior year at Liberty, they rediscovered him in the Cape Cod League in 2023 and signed him as an undrafted free agent. Gibson impressed in the low minors in 2024 before breaking out in 2025 by striking out 40.4% of batters in High-A and then 32.5% in Double-A before finishing at Triple-A Norfolk. Over three levels, Gibson struck out 166 batters with a 1.21 WHIP, 4.26 ERA, and 3.34 FIP in 120.1 innings and earned organizational pitcher of the year honors. Of the 195 pitchers with at least 200 innings in the minors over the last two seasons, Gibson is third among them with a 31.5% strikeout rate.
Scouting Report: After adding a sinker with unique angles in 2025, Gibson now has a pair of mid-90s fastballs. Righties either hit the new pitch into the ground or took it for strikes. However, Gibson gets his upside from his secondary mix. This year, he added a “death ball” slider, with tight downward break in the mid 80s, to a mix that also includes a plus a mid-80s sweeper, a hard slider and a plus, low-80s curveball. The assortment gives Gibson multiple breaking pitches. He didn’t use his changeup much in 2025 but could reintroduce it going forward. He mixed in a cutter in September to help combat righties. His command took significant steps forward and can be average in the future, especially because it applied across his entire arsenal. The additions and improvements, plus his developing knowledge of how to use his growing arsenal, helped Gibson strike out batters at an elite level.
The Future: Gibson has the potential to be a midrotation starter thanks to his pitch mix and aptitude. He’ll return to Triple-A Norfolk in 2026 but could be on the cusp of a major league debut.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 60 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 40 | Sweeper: 55 | Control: 50. -
BA Grade/Risk: 65/Average
Adjusted Grade: 55
Track Record: Basallo was connected to the Yankees as a top international signee before New York lost part of its bonus pool for signing free agent Gerrit Cole. The Orioles were emerging from a period of limited participation in the international market and were scaling up their operation at the time, so they had the bonus capacity to add a top talent in Basallo for $1.3 million in January 2021. Their first major international signing turned out to be a boon. Basallo started 2023 at Low-A Delmarva and was the Carolina League MVP before earning two promotions and ending that year at Double-A Bowie, hitting 20 home runs with a .953 OPS in his age-18 season. He spent most of 2024 at Double-A and then produced elite numbers as a 20-year-old at Triple-A Norfolk in 2025 before earning his first callup in August. He hit 23 home runs with a .270 average and .966 OPS in 76 games at Triple-A. Shortly after he debuted, Basallo signed an eight-year, $67 million extension that can keep him in Baltimore through 2034 and escalate to $88.5 million. Basallo had some big moments at the plate for Baltimore but ended up with a .559 OPS in 31 games.
Scouting Report: Basallo boasts elite bat speed and generates significant power to all fields thanks to his advanced bat-to-ball skills. As he continues to mature and gain experience at the plate against higher-level pitching, he is improving at swinging at pitches he can drive rather than ones his contact ability will allow him to get to. Typically, when power is a player’s calling card, it comes with questionable ability to make contact. That’s not the case with Basallo. He has plus-plus power and could be one of the game’s prolific sluggers, and his contact ability will only help him maximize his significant raw skills. He had a 57.4% hard-hit rate in the minors, and his 90th percentile exit velocity at Triple-A was 108.2 mph, up from 106.5 mph in 2024. That profile will be much more valuable offensively if Basallo can stay behind the plate, and he’s constantly improving and working toward that goal. His arm strength, with pop times on throws to second base routinely under 2.0 seconds, isn’t an issue. His flexibility and mobility are good for a catcher of his 6-foot-4, 250-pound dimensions. Basallo’s progress toward mastering the mental and game-calling side of the position, and his consistency in his receiving, will determine his viability at the position.
The Future: Basallo has the potential to be a middle-of-the-order thumper and an all-star regardless of his position, though he would be more valuable to the Orioles behind the plate. His precocious talent and the experience of competing against older players can accelerate his development in the majors and make Basallo an impact regular for the Orioles in 2026 and beyond.
Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 70 | Run: 40 | Field: 45 | Arm: 70. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme
Adjusted Grade: 35
Track Record: Hampton was the Yankees’ sixth-round pick in 2022 out of Texas Tech. A year later, he burst onto the scene and pitched his way into the upper crust of the organization’s pitchers. He lost that momentum in 2024 and 2025 as his development was stunted by injuries. Hampton dealt with elbow and lower-body issues in 2024, and then had Tommy John surgery the following April that wiped out all of his 2025 season. All told, he’s pitched just 18.2 innings since his breakthrough 2023. Hampton should return at some point in 2026, though the beginning of his season might be delayed while he completes his rehab process. The Yankees added him to their 40-man roster in November 2025 to shield him from the Rule 5 draft.
Scouting Report: It’s been two full seasons since Hampton has been at his best, but his peak performance leaves room for optimism. In 2023, when he pitched his way to Double-A, the righthander showed off a dazzling four-pitch mix. His fastball peaked in the mid 90s and both of his breaking balls flashed above-average potential. His changeup was fringy and a tick behind the rest of his mix, and it was slated to be an area of focus in 2024 if everything went well. Hampton also will mix in a cutter that showed average potential. He ties it all together with control that looked like it could be plus in the big leagues. The last two seasons of rehab have given him to work on his mental skills while recovering from his injuries.
The Future: If Hampton’s stuff returns intact, he has a chance to pitch his way to the big leagues. The limited workload over the last two years will make it trickier to get to build himself into a pitcher who can fit into a rotation. If he can, the long layoff might be worth the wait.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 45 | Cutter: 50 | Control: 60. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: During his amateur career, Lewis truly was the king of Queens. He spent three seasons at Queens University of Charlotte and a summer with Queen City of the Southern Collegiate Baseball League. In his final season in college, he showed off a blend of power and speed that enticed the Yankees to take a chance on him in the 13th round in 2024. Those traits have translated to pro ball, and he opened eyes during his first full pro season.
Scouting Report: In a season split between both Class A stops, Lewis blended power and speed into a profile that could help him shoot up the rankings with a bit more polish. His impact potential showed up in a 90th percentile exit velocity of 107.7 mph that placed him in the same range as top prospects like Bryce Eldridge and Konnor Griffin. Lewis faces more questions about his hit tool thanks to mechanics that could leave him vulnerable to better pitching as he prepares to move into the upper levels. The Yankees worked with Lewis to make his actions in the batter’s box less stiff and rigid and add some malleability to his bat path. If the changes stick, he will increase his barrel accuracy and allow himself to do damage on a wider variety of pitches and locations. Defensively, Lewis is the best outfielder in the Yankees’ system. He uses plus speed and solid jumps and routes to lock down center field, and his strong, accurate arm makes him even more of a defensive asset. He was one of just 12 players in the minor leagues to hit 20 doubles and 20 home runs and steal 20 bases.
The Future: Lewis will likely return to High-A to begin 2026 but should reach the upper levels by season’s end. If properly developed, his tool set gives him the ceiling of an above-average everyday center fielder who can be a dynamic force on both sides of the ball.
Scouting Grades Hit: 40 | Power: 60 | Run: 60 | Field: 55 | Arm: 60. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme
Adjusted Grade: 35
Track Record: As an amateur, Hurd spurned pro ball and instead honored his commitment to UCLA. He spent a solid freshman season with the Bruins before hitting the transfer portal and landing with Louisiana State for his next two years. In Baton Rouge, Hurd struggled with control and command but was also the winning pitcher in the final game of the Tigers’ College World Series championship in 2023. Hurd was the first of two LSU products New York drafted in 2024, joining since-traded lefty Griffin Herring. The Yankees selected Hurd in the third round in 2024, but his pro debut stalled before it got started when he had Tommy John surgery in April 2025.
Scouting Report: At his best, Hurd has a mix of three pitches that each grade as potentially above-average or plus. The signature of his repertoire is a powerful sweeper slider in the mid 80s. Its velocity and analytical characteristics gave it a chance to become a true 60-grade weapon on the 20-80 scouting scale. The righthander sandwiches his slider with a mid-90s fastball that has reached 99 mph and a downer curveball in the low 80s. The combination of the three pitches gives Hurd weapons he can use to attack all parts of the strike zone against both lefthanders and righthanders. The next step, once he’s healthy again, will be to improve shaky control that saw him rack up a walk rate of 11.2% of hitters in his last year with LSU.
The Future: Hurd’s recovery from Tommy John surgery will likely delay his 2026 debut past minor league Opening Day. Once healthy, he has the pedigree to spend most of the year at High-A with a chance to reach the upper levels by season’s end, in much the same way 2024 first-rounder Ben Hess did in 2025. He fits the mold of a back-end starter with upside if he improves his control.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 60 | Control: 45. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: Cunningham’s amateur career featured three excellent seasons with Vanderbilt and two tours in the Cape Cod League. In his freshman season, he was teammates with current Yankees prospects Spencer Jones and Greysen Carter. Cunningham struck out 96 hitters in 84.2 innings in his junior year with the Commodores, and the Yankees took him in the second round in 2024. He did not pitch after signing and spent his first pro year at High-A Hudson Valley. He missed about two months with a shoulder injury and made up some of those lost innings in the Arizona Fall League.
Scouting Report: Cunningham’s pro debut can be split into halves. Before the injury, he was one of the best pitchers in the system and looked to have a case as its top pitching prospect. Afterward, he lost some of his ability to command his arsenal and got hit hard as a result. In four turns in August, Cunningham went 0-2, 8.22 with eight strikeouts and eight walks over 7.2 innings. He struggled in the AFL as well, allowing 15 earned runs and nine walks in 13 innings. When things were going well for Cunningham, scouts were heartened by a mix that included four pitches that graded between 50 and 55 on the 20-80 scouting scale. Cunningham is in the process of adding a sweeper. He threw the pitch a bit in the AFL but should incorporate it into his mix more often in 2026. Getting the sweeper where it needs to be would give him another avenue of attack against righthanded hitters. For now, he needs a healthy offseason and a chance to return to the form he showed in the first half of the 2025 season.
The Future: If he can return to full health and prove the last half of his pro debut was little more than a hiccup, Cunningham has a chance to be a midrotation starter.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 55. -
BA Grade/Risk: 60/Extreme
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: The Yankees drafted Jones in the first round in 2021 out of Vanderbilt, and he’s spent his career flashing loud tools in spurts. In 2024, he became the first Yankees minor leaguer ever to strike out 200 times in a season. He added 179 more in a 2025 season split between Double-A and Triple-A, though he paid off the strikeouts with 35 home runs, the second-highest total in the minors. A scorching stretch around the trade deadline made it appear as if Jones had put it all together, but he struggled in August and September.
Scouting Report: Jones’ scouting report is the same as ever: When everything is going well, he has the look of a five-tool player who can take a starring role in the center of a lineup. Most times, however, poor swing decisions and a long-levered 6-foot-6 frame lead to alarming levels of swing-and-miss that included a whiff rate of 42.6% that was tied with the Cubs’ Alexey Lumpuy for the highest mark in the minors among players with 400 or more plate appearances. There have been hints of progress under the hood. Jones’ miss rate with two strikes was around 30%, compared to roughly 50% in all other counts. He’s also shown the ability to flatten his bat path somewhat, but there are plenty of times when he gets too uphill and becomes vulnerable to fastballs at the top of the zone and spin down and away. His swing decisions also need to improve. Jones tinkered with swings and stances throughout the year in an effort to find something that helped him winnow his strike zone without zapping his immense raw power. He is a plus runner who could provide average defense in center field as a young player.
The Future: Jones’ array of outcomes is as wide as any prospect. If he can get to even fringy hittability, he could land on multiple all-star teams.
Scouting Grades Hit: 30 | Power: 60 | Run: 60 | Field: 50 | Arm: 50. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Average
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: Lagrange was one of the stars of the Yankees’ 2023 Florida Complex League team thanks to a massive 6-foot-6 frame and a high-octane fastball. A back injury in 2024 limited him to just 21 innings in the regular season before a trip to the Arizona Fall League. Lagrange stayed healthy in 2025 and rung up 168 strikeouts in 120 innings. His strikeout total ranked third overall in the minor leagues behind Jonah Tong and Elmer Rodriguez. He also earned the starting nod against the Orioles in the teams’ Spring Breakout meeting in March.
Scouting Report: Lagrange’s game is based around a powerful fastball that averaged 98 mph and peaked at 102. Among pitchers who threw their four-seamers 400 or more times, just five registered the same kind of velocity as Lagrange. The righthander backs his fastball with both a gyro slider and sweeper and throws the latter nearly twice as often as the former. Occasionally the gyro version will lose its shape and appear cutterish. He rounds out his mix with a changeup that is effective because of an 8 mph separation from his fastball rather than standout action. Lagrange is a big-bodied, slow-twitch athlete who needs everything to sync up perfectly to find the zone with regularity. His long limbs also make it hard to repeat his delivery and release point often enough to project average control or command.
The Future: Lagrange split his season between High-A and Double-A and should spend most of 2026 at Triple-A. There, he will be tested by the automated ball-strike system and its smaller strike zone. He’s likely to continue being developed as a starter, but scouts nearly universally believe his home is in the bullpen. In a reliever’s role, Lagrange has the kind of stuff that make him a dominant force in the late innings and potentially a high-end closer.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 60 | Slider: 55 | Sweeper: 60 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 45. -
BA Grade/Risk: 50/Average
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: Hess was drafted in the first round in 2024 out of Alabama, where he spent that vast majority of his time as a member of the Crimson Tide’s rotation. The Yankees were enthused enough by Hess’ combination of stuff and reliability that they spent $2,747,500 to add him to their system. He didn’t pitch after being drafted and then split his 2025 pro debut between High-A and Double-A. He was mostly healthy but missed about a month in May and June with a non-arm injury. He finished the year with 139 strikeouts in 103.1 innings.
Scouting Report: Hess’ frame and arsenal give him the look of a classic workhorse who eats innings at the back of a rotation. His fastball sits around 93 mph and peaked at 97 and averaged 18.6 inches of induced vertical break, which helped it play as a potentially above-average pitch. His offspeed mix includes both gyro and sweeper sliders as well as a curveball and a changeup. Hess added the sweeper after he returned from injury as a way to give him breaking pitches that played both vertically and horizontally. Hess also worked with the Yankees to change the grip on his changeup to give it a deeper bottom. In concert, his slider is a potentially plus offering, but the rest of his mix mostly hovers between fringy and average. Hess’ repertoire gives him avenues to attack lefties and righties in all quadrants of the strike zone. His goal in 2026 will be to continue to develop his sinker and turn his changeup into a pitch that can be effective against both lefties and righties.
The Future: After a successful first year in pro ball, Hess should split his 2026 sophomore season between the upper levels. With a little more refinement of his offspeed pitches, he could be the same kind of steady rotation presence as he was for three seasons in Tuscaloosa.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 60 | Sweeper: 40 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 55. -
BA Grade/Risk: 60/High
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: Kilby checked in as the No. 75 prospect on BA’s final ranking of the 2025 draft class, and the Yankees pounced on him with their first-round pick. They spent $2,797,500 to sign him away from a commitment to Clemson and then watched as he posted one of the best pro debuts of the summer. The lefty swinger hit .353/.457/.441 and finished with more walks (13) than strikeouts (11) in an 18-game pro debut at Low-A Tampa.
Scouting Report: Throughout the course of his time in the Florida State League, Kilby’s play earned the praise of rival evaluators. In particular, scouts were wowed by the shortstop’s ability to pair contact, impact and a keen knowledge of the strike zone. Kilby’s in-zone miss and chase rates were each below 8%, and his overall miss rate was just 15%. All three marks ranged from above-average to elite. Kilby’s swing is short, quick and powerful, and his swing decisions were excellent as well. In addition to his baseball skills, Kilby’s athleticism—which he showed off in pre-draft workouts and after the season at the Yankees’ fall instructional camp—ranged into outlier territory. That aspect of his game shows up in speed that ranks among the best in the system and a 40-inch vertical leap. Kilby is a shortstop for now but might need to move off the position as he moves up the ladder because of a stiffer arm slot and below-average arm that might push him to second base or the outfield one day.
The Future: After an outstanding first test in pro ball, Kilby has immediately shot into the upper echelon of the system’s prospects and entered the offseason as one of the most up-arrow players to emerge from the 2025 draft class. He should split his 2026 season between the Class A levels and could finish the year as the system’s No. 1 prospect.
Scouting Grades Hit: 60 | Power: 55 | Run: 55 | Field: 50 | Arm: 40. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Average
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: The son of the former big leaguer and current Tigers bench coach by the same name, Lombard was a multi-sport athlete at Gulliver Prep in the Miami area. He was the Yankees’ first-round pick in 2023, joining Anthony Volpe (2019) and Dax Kilby (2024) as prep shortstops New York has selected in the first round in recent years. Lombard split his first full season between both Class A stops in 2024. He was one of the buzziest players in spring training 2025, and he carried that momentum into the first part of his season. After blitzing the South Atlantic League for a .329/.495/.488 line over 24 games, Lombard was promoted to Double-A Somerset for the rest of the season. He struggled against more advanced competition but scouts still believe he has a chance to be a quality big leaguer. Lombard also earned a spot in the 2025 Futures Game.
Scouting Report: When Lombard was going well, scouts viewed him as a player with a polished all-around game and a skill set accentuated by the kind of makeup that comes with baseball bloodlines. He could hit for average and power in near-equal measure and has the skills to play an average big league shortstop with a bit more polish. Once Lombard reached Double-A, it became clear that the road to that ceiling might be a little longer than anticipated. He has bat-to-ball skills, but scouts who saw him in Double-A noted that he would get too passive at times and get himself into counts pitchers could exploit. His zone-miss rate was slightly elevated, but he did a good job throughout the season of staying disciplined and not chasing. His biggest issue right now is against elevated fastballs. According to data recorded by Synergy Sports, Lombard hit .169/.169/.260 on heaters in the upper third of the zone. Following the 2025 season, his goal was to increase his bat speed and alter his bat path in a way that allows him to handle the entire strike zone. Scouts also would like him to become more consistently direct to the ball instead of pulling off. He hits the ball hard enough—his 90th percentile exit velocity was 103.2 mph—but he rarely pulls it in the air, which will also be a point of focus in the coming years. Defensively, Lombard has the chops to play an average shortstop, but multiple scouts mentioned the possibility of moving to third base, where he could be an above-average defender with enough development time. His arm is average, but he needs to clean up his footwork, which sometimes causes his throws to get offline. Evaluators universally praise Lombard for his instincts and awareness on the diamond.
The Future: Lombard will likely return to Double-A to begin 2026. If he repeats last year’s script, he’ll nuke the level early and earn a quick jump to Triple-A. If he can get stronger and become a more complete hitter, he has a chance to be a well-rounded player who fits on the left side of the infield.
Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 60 | Field: 50 | Arm: 50. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Average
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: Rodriguez was initially drafted by the Red Sox in 2021 out of high school in Puerto Rico. The righthander ranked as the No. 10 prospect in the Florida Complex League the next year and steadily improved his stock as he moved up the ladder. He was dealt to the Yankees after the 2024 season in the trade that sent catcher Carlos Narvaez to Boston. After a breakout 2025 season that saw him strike out 176 hitters—the second-most in the minors—Rodriguez vaulted up the rankings and earned a spot on the Yankees’ 40-man roster.
Scouting Report: Rodriguez marries a lanky, broad-shouldered, projectable frame with a diverse arsenal that helps him solve both righties and lefties. He throws a full complement of fastballs that includes four- and two-seamers as well as a cutter, and he backs them with a sweeper and a splitter he uses as his changeup. Both his sinker and four-seamer peaked in the upper 90s, and the cutter gave him an extra option he could use to land in the zone. Rodriguez’s mid-70s, downer curve was his most-missed pitch at 45.2% and his changeup was his most-chased pitch at 36.2%. His splitter, sweeper and curveball each garnered miss rates north of 40%. His control improved after he moved from High-A to Double-A and has a chance to be plus once he reaches the big leagues. In addition to his ability to move his pitches around the zone, Rodriguez also earned praise from scouts for his competitive demeanor.
The Future: Rodriguez began the year in High-A and ended it with a cameo in Triple-A, where he should begin the 2026 season. He has a chance to make his big league debut at some point after midseason and could one day settle in as a midrotation starter with a chance for a little bit more depending on how his body fills out as he matures.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 50 | Sweeper: 55 | Control: 50 | Split: 50 | Control: 60. -
BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
Adjusted Grade: 35
Track Record: Cook redshirted as a freshman at Southern Mississippi and then played sparingly as a two-way player as a sophomore. A lefthanded thrower, he dropped pitching heading into 2025 and put together a strong season as an outfielder, hitting .350/.436/.468 with 19 extra-base hits as one of the toughest players to strike out in college baseball. The Blue Jays drafted Cook in the third round and signed him for $922,500.
Scouting Report: One of the best athletes in the 2025 draft class, Cook is an excellent mover who made rapid improvements as a hitter in his platform season. He is a lefthanded hitter with an inside-out swing who looks to hit inside the baseball and spray line drives to the opposite field. This approach means Cook rarely swings and misses, and he ran a 4% swinging-strike rate with Southern Miss in 2025. Despite his contact-centric profile, Cook shows above-average on-base skills with a good balance of patience and aggression. His power is well below-average and isn’t a major part of his game. He hit three home runs with Southern Miss but has good size and enough bat speed to grow into 8-12 home run power. He’ll likely collect a majority of his extra bases hitting the ball to the gaps and using his top-of-the-scale speed. Cook is an 80-grade runner who consistently will show home-to-first run times of 3.8 seconds. However, he is a poor basestealer and was caught on five of eight attempts with Southern Miss. His speed translates to the field, where he’s a plus center fielder capable of covering large swaths of ground in the outfield. The former pitcher has a plus arm .
The Future: Cook has many tools but is more raw than other college draftees. He has the attributes to develop into an everyday center fielder.
Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 30 | Run: 80 | Field: 60 | Arm: 60. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: After three seasons at Lafayette College, Bloss transferred to Georgetown in 2023 and won Big East Conference pitcher of the year honors. He was drafted by the Astros in the third round in 2023 and began his first full season in 2024 at High-A Asheville. Bloss dominated, earning a promotion to Double-A Corpus Christi by May. After four starts, Houston called Bloss up directly from Double-A on June 21. Bloss exited his MLB debut with shoulder discomfort but returned in early July to make two starts. The Astros traded him to the Blue Jays as a part of the Yusei Kikuchi deal at the 2024 trade deadline. Bloss made six starts for Triple-A Buffalo in 2025 but struggled with his control before requiring season-ending UCL surgery in May.
Scouting Report: Bloss has a prototype pitcher’s build with the size expected of a starter. He begins from a semi-windup with a high leg lift before driving down the mound with plus extension. His extension improves the plane on his fastball, allowing him to create more ride than expected from his high three-quarters arm slot. Bloss mixes five different pitches, throwing four-seam and two-seam fastball variants, a slider, curveball and splitter. Bloss’ four-seam fastball sits 93-95 mph and touches 97 with true ride-cut shape. It’s an above-average offering and his most heavily used pitch. Bloss reworked his slider in 2025 by showing a baby sweeper shape with around seven to eight inches of sweep. He ditched his sweeper for a curveball with heavy two-plane break. It sits in the upper 70s. He altered his changeup to use a splitter grip in 2025 as he added more armside run to the pitch. Bloss struggled with the Triple-A zone but projects for average command.
The Future: Bloss should return to action in the second half of 2026 and looks like a No. 4 starter.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 45 | Split: 50 | Control: 50. -
BA Grade/Risk: 45/Mild
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: After hitting 18 home runs with Duke in 2021, Schreck struggled in his followup and transferred to Vanderbilt for his graduate student season. The Mariners drafted Schreck in the ninth round in 2023 and signed him for $75,000. He spent 25 games with Low-A Modesto following the draft. Schreck began the 2024 season with High-A Everett and earned a promotion to Double-A weeks before the 2024 trade deadline. He was traded to the Blue Jays for veteran third baseman Justin Turner. Schreck split his 2025 season between Double-A and Triple-A, hitting a combined .249/.395/.459 with 18 homers across both levels. Schreck missed a month in the middle of the season with a hand injury.
Scouting Report: A well-rounded player with strong plate skills and the ability to fill-in at all three outfield positions, Schreck proved that his contact skills and approach were no flukes in 2024. He replicated his plus zone-contact rate and swing decisions at Double-A and Triple-A in 2025. Schreck rarely expands the zone and uses an aggressive approach on strikes, leading to lots of contact. His ability to discern balls from strikes is his greatest asset, leading to clear plus plate skills. Schreck saw a jump in his exit velocity data in 2025 and hit a career-high max exit velocity of 111.9 mph. He shows the ability to hit the ball hard in the air to his pull side, optimizing his average underlying power. Schreck is likely to hit 15-18 home runs annually while providing solid batting averages and high on-base percentages. Schreck is an average runner who saw time in all three outfield spots in 2025. He is below-average in center field but is fringe-average in a corner spot with an average arm.
The Future: Schreck looks like a second-division regular with a bat-driven profile.
Scouting Grades Hit: 60 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Field: 45 | Arm: 50. -
BA Grade/Risk: 60/Extreme
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: The Blue Jays drafted Tiedemann out of junior college in the third round in 2021 and signed him for $644,800. He dominated in his 2022 debut, starting in Low-A and reaching Double-A in his age-19 season. Tiedemann was limited to just 61.1 innings in 2023 and 2024 because of persistent elbow pain. He had Tommy John surgery in late July 2024 and missed all of 2025. The Blue Jays added Tiedemann to the 40-man roster following the 2025 season and they plan to slowly ease him back into game action in 2026.
Scouting Report: Despite a physical, 6-foot-4 build, Tiedemann has struggled to maintain health for most of his career. When Tiedemann is healthy and locked in, his arsenal plays up due to his low three-quarters arm slot. His arm swing is long, but it helps him hide the ball, creating deceptive traits. Since his initial elbow injury in 2023, Tiedemann has struggled to consistently repeat his mechanics and release point. He mixes three pitches in a four-seam fastball, slider and changeup. His fastball sits 94-96 mph with heavy armside run that plays up due to his arm slot. In 2024, Tiedemann generated less armside run on his fastball compared to previous seasons, possibly a product of his lingering elbow injury. Tiedemann’s slider is his primary secondary weapon. It has had varied shapes over the seasons, showing traditional break in 2023 and more sweeper action in 2022 and 2024. When at his best, Tiedemann shows the ability to use his slider against batters of both hands, wearing out the armside half of the plate. His changeup was viewed as his best secondary as an amateur, but it has become less effective in pro ball.
The Future: Tiedemann will likely see a heavy dose of relief work in 2026 as he builds up his workload, but his midrotation upside remains.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 60 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 50. -
BA Grade/Risk: 60/Extreme
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: Sanchez signed with the Blue Jays out of the Dominican Republic for $997,500, the second-highest bonus in their 2025 class. He made his debut in the Dominican Summer League a few months later and was one of the standout performers on the circuit. Sanchez hit .341/.439/.565 with eight home runs and ranked as the No. 5 prospect in the league.
Scouting Report: A large, physical slugger standing 6-foot-3 with plenty of space to add muscle and strength to his frame, Sanchez already shows in-game power with plus bat-to-ball skills. In 2025 he missed at pitches in the strike zone just 10.8% of the time and ran solid underlying swing-decision metrics. Sanchez is prone to expanding the zone at times, which leads to whiffs. When he stays inside the zone and looks to do damage on pitches over the plate, he produces hard barrels all over the yard. Sanchez shows plus raw power, having hit a ball 115.8 mph in 2025. Sanchez already shows the ability to pull the ball hard and in the air and produces a high rate of barrel contact. He projects to grow into a plus power hitter at peak with elite high-end exit velocities and the ability to get to it in games. Sanchez is a fringe-average runner who will likely slow down as he matures. His lack of range and questionable actions likely mean a permanent move to third base lingers in the future. He’s a natural fit for third base with an above-average arm capable of making all the necessary throws.
The Future: Sanchez has the tools and requisite bat-to-ball ability and power to grow into an above-average third baseman with peak seasons featuring 30 home runs. He’s viewed as one of the top players coming stateside in 2026 and should play in the Florida Complex League.
Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 60 | Run: 40 | Field: 45 | Arm: 55. -
BA Grade/Risk: 60/High
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: King was just 17 years old on draft day when the Blue Jays selected him in the third round in 2024. A projectable 6-foot-4 lefthander from Naples, Fla., he was one of the brightest performers in Toronto’s farm system in 2025. King began in the Florida Complex League, making six appearances and striking out 41 batters to seven walks across 24 innings. He was promoted to Low-A Dunedin on June 29 and made 11 appearances and 10 starts. Over 37.2 innings with Dunedin, King struck out 64 batters to 30 walks, pitching to a 3.35 ERA.
Scouting Report: King has all the ingredients of a midrotation stalwart. His operation gets deep into his glutes, allowing him to drop and drive with a strong lead leg block. His low three-quarters arm slot creates a deceptive angle for both lefthanded and righthanded batters, though he saw more success in opposite-handed matchups in 2025. King is still learning to repeat his mechanics, something that should help him find more consistency with his release point. King mixes three pitches in a four-seam fastball, curveball and changeup. King’s fastball is plus and sits 93-95 mph with above-average ride and heavy armside run. King had some of the highest total movement on his fastball of any lefthander in professional baseball in 2025. His primary secondary pitch is a two-plane curveball that sits 80-82 mph with good depth. His curveball boasted a whiff rate north of 50% in 2025. King’s changeup is a clear third pitch and was used sparingly in 2025. King shows fringe-average control and struggled with strike-throwing with Dunedin.
The Future: King is poised to build on his breakout 2025 on his way to his final destination of midrotation starter.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 60 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 45. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: Stanifer signed for $125,000 as an Indiana prep pick in the 19th round of the 2022 draft. After spending 2023 in the Florida Complex League before making 19 appearances for Low-A Dunedin in 2024, Stanifer broke out in a big way in 2025. He spent the first seven weeks of the season working as a piggyback starter in tandem with top prospect Trey Yesavage. Stanifer was promoted to High-A Vancouver alongside Yesavage on May 19. Stanifer moved into the rotation at High-A and was promoted to Double-A on Sept. 5 and made two starts.
Scouting Report: Stanifer stands 6-foot-3 with a board-shouldered, muscular build and little in the way of remaining projection. He works exclusively from the stretch with a high leg lift that contracts into his body before he drives toward the plate. He’s a short-strider with a short arm action and releases the ball from a three-quarters arm slot. Stanifer mixes a trio of pitches in his four-seam fastball, slider and changeup. His four-seam fastball sits 93-96 mph with plus ride and heavy armside run. Despite a lack of extension, Stanifer creates a deceptively flat plane of approach to the plate, leading to impressive whiff rates against the pitch. His primary secondary pitch against righthanders is a low-to-mid-80s slider that looks like a harder curveball with heavy vertical drop. His slider is a plus bat-missing pitch that generated elite whiffs rates in 2025. His changeup is his go-to secondary in off-handed matchups. Stanifer shows average feel for his changeup, but it’s primary function is driving weak ground balls, not generating whiffs. Stanifer shows fringe-average control across his arsenal.
The Future: Stanifer carries a fair amount of relief risk but showed the ability to start over the final three months of the 2025 season and has No. 4 starter upside.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 55 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45. -
BA Grade/Risk: 60/High
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: In the months leading up to the 2025 draft, no player had more helium than Parker. A four-year varsity starter for Purvis High in Mississippi, his impressive performance at East Coast Pro in 2024 got the hype train to leave the station. The Blue Jays drafted Parker with the eighth overall pick in 2025 and signed him for just under $6.2 million. He didn’t debut following the draft but did participate in unofficial bridge league games. Parker’s birth name is Joseph, but he goes by JoJo. His twin brother Jacob is an outfielder who played for Purvis and will attend Mississippi State.
Scouting Report: Parker is a physical shortstop who stands 6-foot-2 with a strong muscular build and room to add more strength. He was one of the older players in the 2025 high school class but shows arguably the best balance of hitting and power among his prep peers. Parker sets up with an open stance with a narrow base. He rests the bat on his shoulder and then engages his load with a leg kick that feeds into an aggressive stride. Parker shows plus bat-to-ball skills and a patient approach. He can get overly passive at times, taking too many hittable pitches in the zone. He does a good job of pulling pitches located on the inner half of the plate and shows plus raw power. His swing is more geared toward hard line drives than lofted fly balls, but he should grow into above-average power at peak. Parker is an average runner, who gets out of the box well, but he’s unlikely to impact the game much with his speed. Parker is a shortstop at present but is likely to move to third base. He lacks the quick-twitch mechanisms and range needed to play shortstop. He does have a strong internal clock and an above-average arm.
The Future: Parker projects as an above-average regular at third base who could one day grow into an all-star.
Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Field: 50 | Arm: 55. -
BA Grade/Risk: 60/High
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: At 17 years old, Nimmala was the youngest player selected in the 2023 draft and debuted in the Florida Complex League months before his 18th birthday. His production was heavily disjointed in his first two full seasons. A rough start in 2024 for Low-A Dunedin led to a stint on the development list after 29 games. Upon his return, Nimmala showed improved posture in his swing and hit .265/.331/.564 over the final 53 games. The 2025 season was the reverse, as Nimmala started hot with High-A Vancouver, hitting .289/.372/.538 over the first 45 games. From June 1 onward, things took a gnarly turn and he hit .184 over the final 75 games.
Scouting Report: A young shortstop with exciting skills on both sides of the ball, Nimmala still has remaining projection in his broad-shouldered frame. At the plate, he sets up slightly open, deploying a toe-tap timing mechanism. He looks to meet the ball out in front, which at times is to the detriment of his contact quality when he catches the ball off the end of the bat. Nimmala showed improvements to his contact in 2025 which resulted in a drop in strikeout rate. His bat-to-ball skills are fringe, which he couples with above-average swing decisions. Nimmala produced improved underlying power in 2025 with a jump in exit velocity data. He struggled to pull the ball in the air, however. Due to his plus bat speed, current power and remaining projection, Nimmala should be an above-average power hitter. He is an above-average runner who will show plus run times on jailbreaks to first base. He’s an above-average defender at shortstop with a plus arm who looks likely to stick at the position.
The Future: Nimmala will look to find more consistency at the plate in 2026, and if he does he’ll develop into an above-average everyday shortstop. Double-A is next.
Scouting Grades Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 55 | Field: 55 | Arm: 60. -
BA Grade/Risk: 60/Mild
Adjusted Grade: 55
Track Record: Over three seasons at East Carolina, Yesavage went from a reliever to a key piece of the Pirates’ rotation. As a junior in 2024, he went 11-1 with a 2.03 ERA and struck out 145 in 93.1 innings. Late in that season, Yesavage suffered a partially collapsed lung due to an off-the-field medical procedure. He returned during regionals and outpitched Wake Forest ace Chase Burns. After Yesavage ranked as the No. 11 player in the 2024 class, questions around his medicals dropped him to the Blue Jays at pick No. 20. He signed for a little over $4.75 million and would debut the following spring with Low-A Dunedin. Toronto was deliberate with Yesavage’s workload and slowly moved him across each level of the full-season minors before he made his major league debut on Sept. 15. Not only did Yesavage make the Blue Jays’ postseason roster, he made five starts during Toronto’s run to the World Series. His biggest moment came in Game 5 of the World Series when Yesavage threw seven innings of one-run ball, striking out 12 Dodgers batters to set a World Series rookie record.
Scouting Report: A physical 6-foot-4 righthander with a prototype starter’s build, Yesavage employs an unusual operation with a nearly perfectly over the top arm slot. Pitching exclusively from the stretch, he gets deep into his back leg as his arm plunges back before he catapults the ball over the top. His vertical arm angle and ability to hide the ball create a deceptive look that keeps opposing hitters off-balance. Yesavage employs a three-pitch mix of four-seam fastball, slider and splitter. The movement on his pitch mix is highly unusual. None of his pitches break glove side. Yesavage’s four-seam fastball is his primary pitch, thrown just under 50% of the time. Due to his over-the-top arm slot, he generates outlier ride on his fastball, averaging nearly 20 inches of induced vertical break in his brief MLB sample. His ride-cut shape and mid-90s velocity create a fearsome combination of traits that drove above-average whiff rates at every level. His slider is used nearly one-for-one to his splitter, and is the harder of his two secondaries. His slider sits in the upper 80s and touches the low 90s with cutter-like shape, generating an unusual three inches of armside run. Yesavage’s slider is an above-average pitch due to its velocity and unique break, but his splitter is his signature pitch. It sits 83-84 mph with excellent velocity and vertical separation off his fastball. His splitter generates whiffs at elite rates and is a true plus-plus offering. Yesavage shows average control and relies on a heavy dose of chase swings to boost his strike rates.
The Future: Yesavage enters 2026 as an American League Rookie of the Year frontrunner and key part of the Blue Jays’ rotation. He could develop into a No. 2 starter at peak.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 60 | Slider: 55 | Split: 70 | Control: 50. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: As a 17-year-old catcher coming out of Alberta, Flewelling was not exactly a high-profile, low-risk pick. But the Rays loved his power potential, and they were one of the teams that also believed that he could stick behind the plate. They drafted him in the third round in 2024. Flewelling more than rewarded their faith by being one of the pleasant surprises on the Low-A Charleston club. His surface-level stats (.229/.393/.336) weren’t anything special, but his batted-ball data shined while he proved to be a reliable catcher defensively.
Scouting Report: If Flewelling was a first baseman, his offensive ability would still be intriguing. But he pairs an exceptional batting eye, plus power and solid contact ability with work behind the plate to create one of the better sleeper prospects in the game. Flewelling had one of the best chase rates in the Rays’ system, and he paired it with plus power potential. While he hit just six home runs in 2025, he should develop above-average power. His 90th percentile exit velocity of 105 mph is excellent for a teenager. As a catcher, he’s already an above-average framer, and he embraces the intellectual aspects of leading the pitching staff. He carries himself like a veteran, rather than one of the youngest players on the team. Flewelling turns in average pop times with plus accuracy, which helped him throw out 27% of basestealers. He caught 75 games in 2025. That topped Ethan Salas’ 2024 season as the most games caught by an 18-year-old in pro ball this decade.
The Future: The Rays haven’t produced a homegrown long-term starting catcher at any point in their history. Flewelling has a lot of development left, but his combination of defense, savvy and hitting ability could finally end the three-decade drought.
Scouting Grades Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 30 | Field: 50 | Arm: 50. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: After a strong 2023 and first half of 2024, Isaac’s career hit a speed bump at Double-A Montgomery. His 2025 season never really got going. A sore elbow sidelined him for the first 10 days of the season, and when he was activated, he was limited to DH. The Rays shut Isaac down for good on July 5 with a wrist injury after just 41 games.
Scouting Report: Isaac’s injury issues made him a tough player to evaluate in 2025. He was helpless against lefthander, which hasn’t been an issue in the past, but his power and bat speed were still impressive despite the injuries. No Rays minor leaguer hits the ball harder than Isaac, but he is going to have to make adjustments to get to that power consistently. He has struggled to pull the ball in the air. Fewer than 20% of his fly balls at Double-A were pulled to right field, while 80% of his ground balls in 2025 were pulled. His ability to clear the fence in center and left field has allowed him to get to his power anyway. Isaac’s swing is steep. He can drive pitches at the top of the zone, but is somewhat helpless against pitchers working down in the zone. He has solid pitch recognition skills, but pitchers can toy with his timing. He is too often tardy on quality fastballs and he struggles to handle changeups, as well. Isaac was an average defender at first base in 2024, but he didn’t get on the field in 2025. He is an average runner despite his 6-foot-4, 240-pund frame.
The Future: Isaac will play the entire 2026 season as a 22-year-old, so despite lost time, he’s still on a good timetable, even with a return to Double-A. With his ability to drive the ball and draw walks, he could be productive even with a strikeout rate near 30%. But he needs to stay healthy to refine some of the apparent flaws in his game.
Scouting Grades Hit: 40 | Power: 60 | Run: 50 | Field: 50 | Arm: 50. -
BA Grade/Risk: 50/Average
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: The Rays knew when they traded Randy Arozarena at the 2024 deadline that they needed to nail the trade, because Arozarena was one of the team’s best trade chips. A year and a half later, Brody Hopkins is the team’s best prospect. Smith, the other prospect in the deal, had a tougher time in 2025. After hitting for average and power in 2024, Smith saw his strikeout rate spike to 31% at High-A Bowling Green while he hit .237 and his power dipped. On the bases, Smith has been consistent. He’s stolen 41 bases while getting thrown out six times in each of the past two seasons.
Scouting Report: Smith never seemed to get comfortable at the plate with Bowling Green. He struggled more with velocity than he ever did before. He has always been quiet in his setup, but in 2025, he struggled to get in rhythm and get his hands going. When he tried to tweak his stance, his struggles spiraled. He ended up fouling away pitches he should have been pulling for extra-base damage. Smith has a knack for driving the ball in the air when he’s synced up. While he struggled more than expected at the plate, there was a much more positive development in 2025 in the field. With the Mariners, Smith was splitting time almost equally between all three outfield spots. The Rays challenged him to focus on center field. He responded by steadily getting better defensively. By the end of the year, he was the Rays’ best defensive minor league center fielder. He now projects as a plus center fielder. He’s a plus runner with a plus arm.
The Future: Smith’s defensive improvements reduce the pressure on his bat, but he will have to show that his 2025 hitting struggles were a blip more than a trend.
Scouting Grades Hit: 40 | Power: 45 | Run: 60 | Field: 65 | Arm: 60. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: The son of a high school baseball coach, Pierce seems to always be in control as a defender. But that attribute was likely to carry him only to the late second or third round coming into 2025. Significant improvements at the plate in his senior season pushed Pierce into the first round in a loaded prep shortstop draft class. He showed both more consistent contact and improved power. The Rays drafted him 14th overall and signed him for $4.31 million.
Scouting Report: The Rays are loaded with plus defenders at shortstop, from Taylor Walls in the majors to Carson Williams, Gregory Barrios and Adrian Santana in the minors. But Pierce has a chance to be the equal or better of all of them if everything clicks. He glides around the infield, making the tough plays look easy with a quick first step, hands that erase bad hops and a 65 arm on the 20-to-80 scouting scale that matches Williams as the best in the organization. Offensively, Pierce has more upside than all the Rays shortstops but Williams. Earlier in his amateur career, he struggled to string together consistent at-bats. He has some noise in his setup that may contribute to that. He cocks the bat and has a big bat waggle at times, but as he filled out, his bat control and contact ability has improved. Pierce has the size and strength to combine average power with a fringe-average hit tool. He’s continued to fill out and is already 10 pounds heavier and stronger than he was when the Rays drafted him.
The Future: Pierce should spend most or all of 2026 at Low-A Charleston, where he can be expected to play excellent defense and provide sneaky power. His defense gives him plenty of chances to develop into a big leaguer, and his power potential gives him a chance to be a star if he can continue to make strides at the plate.
Scouting Grades Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 60 | Field: 60 | Arm: 65. -
BA Grade/Risk: 50/Average
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: Summerhill was considered one of the top pure hitters in the 2025 college class after producing for average both at Arizona and in the Cape Cod League. But he missed a month of his junior season with a broken hand, and that may have cost him a spot in the first round. Summerhill was hitting .409/.500/.656 at the time of the injury but hit just .263/.412/.434 after he returned. The Rays drafted him with the 42nd overall pick. Summerhill’s older brother Colin, an Angels undrafted free agent in 2024, beat Brendan to pro ball by a year.
Scouting Report: Summerhill immediately became one of the Rays’ best contact hitters as soon as he signed. He’s long shown excellent barrel control and adjustability in his swing. There’s no one way to pitch him. If a pitcher succeeds in one at-bat, there’s little guarantee that the same approach will work the next time. Summerhill’s power has always been modest. He could sell out for a few more home runs, but it’s more likely he’ll settle in as a plus hitter with fringe-average pop. Summerhill played both center and right field in college and eventually fits as a corner outfielder for the Rays. But that means he’ll likely get plenty of time in center field for now, because the Rays try to play three center field-capable outfielders most of the time. He’s an above-average runner who should be at least average in the corners with a chance to be above-average. He has an average arm.
The Future: Summerhill’s brief pro debut for Low-A Charleston ended early because of an oblique injury, but he should be full speed for spring training. He fits the kind of well-rounded college hitter that the Rays covet in the draft. He should be a key part of the High-A Bowling Green outfield for most of 2026.
Scouting Grades Hit: 60 | Power: 45 | Run: 55 | Field: 50 | Arm: 50. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Average
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: A Marlins signee out of Venezuela in 2022, Suarez barely got to get comfortable wearing teal. Miami traded him with Marcus Johnson to the Rays for JT Chargois and Xavier Edwards in 2023. Suarez was impressing at High-A Bowling Green in 2025 when he went down with a sore shoulder in early May. He missed three months, and when he returned, the Rays promoted him all the way to Triple-A for his final two starts of the season.
Scouting Report: The Rays emphasize throwing strikes more than any other organization, but even in an org full of strike-throwers, Suarez’s plus-plus control stands out. He walked eight batters in 52 innings all season, when 10 minor league pitchers walked at least that many in a single start in 2025. He ranked second in the minors in strike percentage in 2025 among pitchers with 50-plus innings. Suarez is no soft-tossing control wizard. His above-average four-seam fastball sits at 94-95 mph and can touch 97, and it has above-average life. His hard high-80s cutter gives him a plus secondary offering, and he’ll use an average low-80s downer curveball to give lefthanded hitters something to worry about. That curve has been especially important to lefties because Suarez is still looking for a changeup grip that he’s comfortable throwing. His hands are smaller than many pitchers, and as of yet, he hasn’t gotten comfortable with any of the multiple changeup grips he has tried to throw.
The Future: Suarez figures to earn a spot in the Double-A Montgomery rotation in 2026 with a strong spring training. He will be one of the Southern League’s younger starters as a 21-year-old. His exceptional control gives him a chance to develop into a midrotation starter, though he may need to learn to expand the zone more often to become more unpredictable.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 50 | Cutter: 60 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 70. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Average
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: Williams hit 20 home runs and stole 33 bases for Double-A Montgomery in 2024, but the Rays were aware that he was not a finished product as a hitter. Still, Williams’ struggles at Triple-A Durham in 2025 were surprising. His 34% strikeout rate was the second-highest in the International League. After trading away Jose Caballero, waiving Ha-Seong Kim and placing Taylor Walls on the injured list, Williams was called up to Tampa Bay. He hit five homers in 32 games, but it was an all-or-nothing approach that included a 42% strikeout rate.
Scouting Report: Coming into 2025, there was hope that Williams could be an offensive force as well as a plus defender. Triple-A exposed more issues at the plate, and while there is still hope for offensive improvement, it’s more realistic to now project Williams as a strong defender who could hit enough home runs to have value as a bottom-of-the-order bat. If he can get a pitch up in the zone, he can get to his plus power. He has well above-average bat speed, and his 23 Triple-A home runs led all minor league shortstops, but there’s little adjustability to his swing. Teams learned that he’s almost helpless when pitchers work the bottom of the strike zone, especially with changeups. Defensively, Williams projects as a reliably plus or better defender at shortstop. He is tall and rangy, and he knows how to use his plus arm to full advantage. His hands are soft. He’s a plus runner who should steal 15-20 bases a year if he hits at all.
The Future: Williams has a much wider array of possible outcomes than most players who have already reached the majors. His contact issues could completely derail his career, but as a true shortstop who could hit 20 home runs, he could be a valuable player even with frightening batting averages.
Scouting Grades Hit: 30 | Power: 60 | Run: 60 | Field: 65 | Arm: 65. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Average
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: A standout on the mound and in the classroom at Oakmont High in Roseville, Calif., Nichols was part of coach Jay Johnson’s final recruiting class at Arizona. Nichols bounced between the Wildcats rotation and bullpen for all three years of college. His stuff was exceptional, but he struggled with consistency, largely because of control troubles. The quality of Nichols’ stuff made him an enticing sixth-round pick for the Rays in 2023.
Scouting Report: The Rays are consistently the best organization in baseball in helping pitchers improve their strike-throwing. Nichols is one of the prime beneficiaries. His delivery and arm action were already relatively clean, but the Rays’ combination of middle-middle catcher setups and emphasis on pitchers trusting their stuff has led to significant control strides. After walking 10% of batters he faced in college, Nichols slashed that to 6% across High-A and Double-A in 2025. His 68% strike percentage ranked 10th best among all minor league pitchers with 100 innings. Getting ahead of hitters more consistently allowed him to carve them up with his hard slider. If anything, Nichols may be in the zone a bit too much. The majority of the 21 home runs he allowed in 2025 came when he was ahead in the count. His plus fastball and plus slider could be more effective if hitters worried more about chasing them out of the zone. His below-average changeup needs to improve to better attack lefthanded batters, who were responsible for 16 of his 21 homers he allowed.
The Future: No Rays pitcher has made bigger strides in the past two years than Nichols. He now has a track record of success as a starter, including an 0.97 ERA in 37 innings for Double-A Montgomery to end the season. Nichols will head back there to start 2026. He projects as a midrotation starter.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 60 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 60. -
BA Grade/Risk: 60/Average
Adjusted Grade: 50
Track Record: Growing up, Hopkins was always known as TJ’s little brother. TJ Hopkins was a star athlete at Summerville (S.C.) High and went on to be a four-year outfield starter at South Carolina. Eventually, he became a major leaguer by spending 25 games with the 2023 Reds. Brody, who is five years younger, quickly made a name for himself as well. He was a baseball and football star (as a big-play wide receiver) in high school before heading to the College of Charleston as an outfielder who also pitched sporadically. After 50 games in the outfield and two on the mound for the Cougars, Hopkins transferred to Winthrop for the 2023 season, focused on pitching and saw his career take off. He was wild as a college pitcher, but his athleticism and stuff enticed the Mariners to draft him in the sixth round in that same year. In July 2024, Seattle sent him to the Rays as part of the return for outfielder Randy Arozarena. Hopkins took a step forward with his control in 2025, and was especially effective over the final two months at Double-A Montgomery. He struck out 32% of batters while allowing just four runs in his final six starts.
Scouting Report: Hopkins has the best stuff of any Rays minor league starter, with an all-out, all-power, all-the-time approach that is quite unusual for a starting pitcher. There is nothing subtle about Hopkins’ stuff, as even his curveball and changeup will flirt with 90 mph. He’ll have outings where he doesn’t throw a pitch under 88-89 mph. It’s an approach seen from very few MLB starters. Jacob Misiorowski and Max Meyer were the only MLB starters in 2025 who averaged 87 mph or harder with every pitch. Hopkins doesn’t change speeds much, but he does force hitters to protect the entire strike zone. He’s able to work up and down to lefthanded hitters thanks to a 96-97 mph four-seam fastball that touches 100. He throws it from a flat approach angle of less than four feet, with enough life to get above bats at the top of the zone. His hard 89-91 mph changeup gets below hitters’ bats with just enough movement to pair with that extreme power, and his hard 92-93 mph cutter can get in under their hands. He can take that same up-and-down approach with righthanded hitters, but he can also mix in a bigger 87-88 mph power curve. He has also toyed with a 87-88 mph sweeper that runs away from them. Hopkins has a long arm action, which can lead to control issues, but he is athletic enough to repeat his delivery well. His 12% walk rate is high, but his ability to limit hard contact helps make his fringe-average control work.
The Future: Hopkins carries a bit more reliever risk than some other Rays starters thanks to his still-developing control, but he’s made massive strides in just three years. He could develop into a front-of-the-rotation starter if everything clicks, with the kind of arsenal that gives hitters nightmares on a regular basis.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 65 | Curveball: 70 | Changeup: 45 | Sweeper: 55 | Cutter: 65 | Control: 45. -
BA Grade/Risk: 60/High
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: Gillen was long viewed as one of the best pure hitters in the 2024 prep draft class, but he was tougher to evaluate because he missed extended time with shoulder and wrist injuries. A strong senior season at Westlake High in Texas helped Gillen rise up draft rankings, and the Rays selected him with the 18th overall pick. Tampa Bay immediately moved him from shortstop to center field as a pro. A calf injury delayed the start of Gillen’s 2025 season at Low-A Charleston by a month, but he would have led the Carolina League with a .433 on-base percentage if he had qualified. He missed the final three weeks after injuring his hand sliding into second base.
Scouting Report: Gillen is an exceptionally polished hitter for a teenager. He crowds the plate, with a compact stance, very little pre-pitch movement and a modest load. His stance helps give him excellent plate coverage. His short swing, bat speed and ability to clear his hips allows him to turn on inside pitches, but he’s just as comfortable serving the ball to left field when pitchers work him away. Gillen’s power is modest, but he should develop into a hitter who hits bushels of line-drive doubles. He’s a plus runner with the ability to steal 30-plus bases at a high success rate. Defensively, made a speedy conversion to the outfield. He has no hesitation to leave his feet, but he does so in a calculated manner that turns doubles into line outs without turning singles into triples. His old shoulder injury means he has a below-average arm, which is a big reason he moved to the outfield.
The Future: Gillen’s polished lefthanded bat gives him a chance to be an impact regular in center field in an organization that emphasizes outfield defense. His lofty on-base percentages can be expected to dip as he faces better pitching, but his power should tick up as well.
Scouting Grades Hit: 60 | Power: 45 | Run: 60 | Field: 60 | Arm: 40. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: As an amateur, Soto produced explosive contact with feel to play shortstop, a combination that led the Red Sox to confer upon him a $1.4 million bonus, their highest of the 2025 international signing period. His performance in the Dominican Summer League in 2025 did nothing to dampen excitement. Though a wrist injury limited the switch-hitter’s ability to bat righthanded in stretches, Soto still showed loud tools to emerge as one of the better prospects coming out of league.
Scouting Report: Soto has added significant size and strength since signing with the Red Sox, creating formidable offensive potential. He generates plenty of bat speed with a whippy—and sometimes long—swing, resulting in a 90th percentile exit velocity of 102 mph. He’s aggressive on pitches in the zone but has strong bat-to-ball traits, helping to hold his strikeout rate to 16%. He’s more advanced as a lefthanded hitter (.311/.372/.432) than when hitting righthanded (.294/.324/.412) but exhibits good baseline traits from both sides and the aptitude to hone his swings and improve. For now, Soto shows a shortstop’s natural movements, but he may outgrow the position and land at third base, where his arm and power would play. The Red Sox gave him some exposure to both second and third base in 2025. His speed is currently fringy but could move in either direction depending on the kind of size and strength he adds to a 6-foot-2 frame that is continuing to fill out.
The Future: Soto will play in the United States in 2026 and has the kind of skill set to make his stay in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League either brief or non-existent before he reaches full-season ball at Low-A Salem.
Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 40 | Field: 45 | Arm: 55. -
BA Grade/Risk: 50/Average
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: Fajardo signed with the White Sox for $400,000 out of Venezuela in 2024. He pounded the strike zone with a low-90s sinker and gyro slider in his 2024 pro debut in the Dominican Summer League, finishing the year with a 3.91 ERA, 30% strikeout rate and 4% walk rate that was one of the lowest in the league. The Red Sox acquired Fajardo from Chicago for reliever Cam Booser in December 2024, and Fajardo made a jump while splitting 2025 between the Florida Complex League and Low-A Salem. He posted a 2.25 ERA and 29% strikeout rate between the levels and was one of four minor league pitchers to throw at least 70 innings without yielding a home run.
Scouting report: Fajardo has a repeatable, athletic delivery without a lot of deception, but he throws strikes and avoids barrels by using different shapes to get to different areas of the strike zone. After his fastball sat 92 mph with the White Sox in 2024, he typically pitched at 94 with both a four-seamer and sinker in 2025 while topping out at 96. Fajardo has room to add muscle to his 6-foot-3 frame and turn that top-end velocity into a baseline. He actually threw his high-80s slider slightly more than his fastball in 2025, and he also liberally employed his changeup against lefthanded hitters. Fajardo’s control allows him to spread the zone. For now, he lacks an above-average offering, but he’s young enough to believe he could develop one.
The Future: Fajardo should compete for a spot in the High-A Greenville rotation as a 19-year-old in 2026. He lacks the ceiling of other pitchers in the top system but has a clearer path to being a back-end starter than most, with a big league ETA of 2027 or 2028.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 55. -
BA Grade/Risk: 50/Average
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: Valera’s $45,000 signing out of the Dominican Republic in 2023 garnered little notice. Since then, strength and stuff gains in professional baseball made him a head-turner as an 18-year-old in the United States in 2024, when he forged a 1.99 ERA while holding hitters to a .125 average in a season he finished in the Low-A Carolina League. That performance resulted in an aggressive assignment to High-A Greenville as a 19-year-old in 2025. Valera’s 5.45 ERA belied an ability to work in the zone (6% walk rate) and miss bats while doing so (28% strikeout rate). He missed three months of 2025 with elbow soreness but returned to games by the end of the season.
Scouting Report: Valera has a powerful 6-foot-3 starter’s build and backs it with a high-octane four-seam fastball that averaged 96.7 mph and topped out just over 100 in 2025. The pitch—which he keeps in the zone—has more cut than ride, a trait that limits whiffs but still leaves batters taking defensive hacks. He started to incorporate a two-seamer late in 2025 to spread the zone with power stuff. Valera also shows the ability to land spin in the zone at a high rate, using a sweeper against righthanded hitters and a shorter gyro slider against lefties. He’ll need to improve the feel for his changeup—the least consistent of his secondaries—to get swings-and-misses against opposite-hand hitters.
The Future: Between his youth, power stuff and ability to work in the strike zone, Valera is young enough to dream on his midrotation potential. Still, there’s also a potential fast track into a big league bullpen. He will open 2026 either back in High-A or in Double-A; if the former, he’ll probably be a quick mover to the upper levels.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 60 | Slider: 45 | Sweeper: 50 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 55. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: Gonzales is wonderfully perplexing. Though he towered over other amateur showcase participants, the industry ignored him at ages 14 and 15 when he lacked strength and featured below-average tools. But Gonzales improved through game play, and despite an ugly swing, showed big exit velocities while uncorking 98 mph throws from the outfield as a 17-year-old at a scouting event in Colombia. The Red Sox signed him for $250,000 in 2024, unsure whether he would end up on the mound or in the batter’s box. Instead, Gonzales displayed uncanny bat-to-ball skills during an outstanding Dominican Summer League season, and the Red Sox pushed him to Low-A Salem as an 18-year-old in 2025 before a season-ending promotion to High-A Greenville.
Scouting Report: Gonzales looks almost apologetic for his 6-foot-4 size in the box, hunching in his open stance. But as he unfolds, he generates rockets to all fields, with a 90th percentile exit velocity of 107 mph and a top end at 113 mph. He’s comfortable catching pitches deep and lining the ball to right field, suggesting true all-fields power potential, and he swings at strikes. The caveat: Gonzales’ flat path produces plenty of contact but also a poor 57% groundball rate. If he can adjust his bat path to hit the ball in the air more frequently—sacrificing contact to tap into some of the 70- or 80-grade raw power that now plays below-average—he could be a monster. After Gonzales spent 2024 playing first base, the Red Sox tried him in the outfield in 2025. He moves well for his size and has the arm for either corner but will need to improve his jumps and routes to profile anywhere but at first.
The Future: Gonzales has a wide range of outcomes, from an all-star corner outfielder to a high-contact yet low-power first baseman who struggles to be more than a fringy roster member.
Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 45 | Field: 45 | Arm: 70. -
BA Grade/Risk: 45/Mild
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: Garcia stood out in amateur workouts in Venezuela both by the way he glided across the outfield and drove the ball out of the park. Still, his early pro development was deliberate, and he entered 2024 as a fourth outfielder in Low-A. Thanks to major strength and bat speed gains entering that year, he asserted himself as a prospect. He led the Red Sox system with 23 home runs while reaching Double-A in 2024, then again led the system with 21 round-trippers in 2025, a year spent mostly at Triple-A Worcester but that also included his first MLB callup.
Scouting Report: Over years of strength work and bat speed training, Garcia has grown into power. His maximum exit velocity jumped from 105 mph in 2022 to 113 in 2025. His hips explode open on pitches in the bottom half of the zone, resulting in tape-measure shots, though a steep bat path has rendered him vulnerable to whiff on pitches above the belt. He has worked to flatten his swing to counter those pitches, while also training diligently to improve his swing decisions. Still, his 35% chase rate and 34% whiff rate at Triple-A point to a below-average hit tool. Defensively, Garcia plays with skill and flair, delighting in catching fly balls at his hip. His range and arm are above-average in right field and he’s at least adequate in center. Though he has average speed, Garcia is a smart player and good baserunner, though not a basestealer.
The Future: If Garcia keeps building on his swing decision improvements of recent years, he has a chance to become a big league regular. At the least, his defense and power suggest a strong floor as a righthanded-hitting fourth outfielder who could be a big league consideration to open 2026.
Scouting Grades Hit: 40 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Field: 55 | Arm: 55. -
BA Grade/Risk: 60/High
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: After he signed for $75,000 out of Venezuela in 2019, Perales quickly started generating buzz with a quick arm that unleashed mid-90s fastballs. His development proceeded slowly in part due to elbow discomfort in both 2021 and 2022, but a solid 2023 campaign served as a prelude to an early breakout in 2024, when a broader mix resulted in a 39% strikeout rate at High-A and Double-A. However, Perales had Tommy John surgery in June, shortly after his promotion to Double-A. He added significant strength while rehabbing, and when he returned to games in September 2025, he showed triple-digits velocity even as he worked to regain command.
Scouting Report: Perales has a bazooka. He sat 98-101 mph in his brief return to the mound in 2025, with 17 to 20 inches of ride. His fastball can be a swing-and-miss weapon when he keeps it in the zone, but his ability to do so was inconsistent. He more reliably located his low-90s cutter—a pitch that contributed to his 2024 breakout—and that pitch may end up being his primary offering, with the fastball looming as a putaway pitch. His gyro slider and splitter have depth to stretch the zone vertically, but for now his splitter is too often non-competitive below the zone. The development of his splitter as a reliable weapon, not to mention improved control to leave hitters on the defensive, will dictate whether he’s a starter or a late-inning reliever.
The Future: Perales has upside to rival any pitcher in the Red Sox system, if he can harness his stuff in the zone. If that happens, and he returns to 2024 form, he has the upside of a No. 3 starter. Otherwise, his future will be as a leverage reliever. He’ll compete for a big league bullpen spot in 2026, but more likely will open the year in the Triple-A rotation.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 70 | Slider: 45 | Cutter: 60 | Changeup: 55 | Splitter: 45 | Control: 40. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Average
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: After mostly playing shortstop in high school, Witherspoon became a two-way player at Northwest Florida State JC. Both Witherspoon and his twin brother Malachi showed live arms that resulted in the pair transferring to Oklahoma for the 2024 season. After a solid sophomore season, Witherspoon tightened his delivery and added strength entering 2025. He dominated for the Sooners by going 10-4 with a 2.65 ERA and 32% strikeout rate to emerge as the best college righthander in the draft. Witherspoon projected as a top 10 pick, but when he remained available at No. 15, the Red Sox pounced. They made him their highest pick ever for a college righthander and signed him for $5 million.
Scouting Report: Witherspoon is a natural tinkerer with grips and pitch shapes, something that flows out of his catch play with his twin brother, a second-round pick by the Tigers. Hearkening to his days as a shortstop, Witherspoon shoots the ball out of his ear, a raptor-like delivery that creates deception. He built a five-pitch arsenal around a fastball that averaged 96 mph and topped out at 99. He bumped up his usage of a swing-and-miss low-90s cutter that proved to be an in-zone weapon, while also setting up a gyro slider for chase. He also showed the ability to shape and change speeds with a high-70s curveball and flashed a changeup that showed potential, though he seldom needed it in college. He repeats his delivery well, resulting in a low walk rate and the ability to get pitches to all quadrants.
The Future: Witherspoon shows No. 3 starter potential. He’ll open 2026 in High-A or perhaps even Double-A and could move quickly. If he pounds the strike zone and finds the right breaking pitch shapes, he could be fast-tracked to the big leagues by early 2027 or even late 2026.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 55 | Cutter: 60 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 50. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Average
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: Arias featured natural shortstop actions and unusual feel to shoot liners all over the field as an amateur in Venezuela. That pairing of skills, along with startling maturity, led the Red Sox to sign him for $525,000 in 2023. In 2024, he was named MVP of the Florida Complex League in a season he finished with 36 games for Low-A Salem. Arias returned to the Carolina League to open 2025 and advanced to Double-A Portland as a 19-year-old, becoming one of eight teenage position players at the level.
Scouting Report: Arias has a clock, feel and adaptability on both sides of the ball that are atypical for his age. Despite an excellent 2024 season, there were concerns that Arias’ attack angle was too steep, rendering him vulnerable to pitches at the top of the zone. He made posture adjustments to flatten his bat path in 2025, resulting in a jump in his in-zone contact rate from 82% in 2024 to 94% in 2025. He struck out just 10% of the time. That approach came with some compromises to his quality of contact, particularly when expanding the zone. Arias’ groundball rate rose from 38% in 2024 to 46%. He’s also an all-fields hitter, resulting in a clear hit-over-power profile, but with exit velocities topping out around 110 mph, he does have sneaky pop and the chance to add more if he can add strength. Defensively, Arias has tremendous instincts and sound mechanics that permit him to reliably turn balls in play into outs, profiling as a solid to above-average shortstop despite a lack of burst.
The Future: Arias has the balanced two-way impact to profile as an everyday shortstop—with a chance to push his ceiling if he can grow into more power. He’ll open 2025 back in Double-A, with a strong chance to reach Triple-A by mid 2026.
Scouting Grades Hit: 60 | Power: 40 | Run: 40 | Field: 60 | Arm: 55. -
BA Grade/Risk: 50/Mild
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: Even as a soft-throwing junior at Virginia following two years at Army, Early impressed the Red Sox with his pitchability and secondary weapons. Boston placed a fifth-round wager on Early, believing he could make major gains in his stuff in a professional training environment. That’s exactly what happened over his first two full professional seasons. In 2025, Early combined a 32% strikeout rate in the upper levels with minimal hard contact, then impressed in his big league unveiling, including an 11-strikeout effort against the Athletics on Sept. 9 that tied a Red Sox franchise record for a pitcher making his debut.
Scouting Report: Early’s fastball, which averaged 90 mph as a college junior, now sits at 93-94 and tops out at 97. Though the offering, which features 15 inches of induced vertical break, garners pedestrian stuff grades, Early creates evident deception that allowed him to attack the zone and get whiffs in his debut. He paired the fastball with an excellent mid-80s changeup with sink and fade to his arm side as well as a slider and curveball against righties, while crushing lefties by mixing his four- and two-seamer with a low-80s sweeper that produced a 100% whiff rate—not a typo—on 10 regular season swings. Early has an athletic delivery that he repeats and that permits him to command his arsenal to all parts of the zone. He has struggled at times to maintain stuff after his first time through the order.
The Future: Early’s mix and command are those of a starter, and he’ll be in the big league rotation mix to open 2026. He has the floor of a multi-innings bullpen weapon and ceiling of a No. 3 starter. Likelier, he projects as a No. 4, so long as he can add strength to achieve a starter’s durability.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 40 | Changeup: 60 | Sweeper: 55 | Control: 50. -
BA Grade/Risk: 60/Mild
Adjusted Grade: 55
Track Record: After two years at Wichita State as a power-hitting first baseman and lefthander, Tolle transferred to Texas Christian in 2024 and focused increasingly on the mound. A strong junior season at TCU—he went 7-4 with a 3.21 ERA and 37% strikeout rate—and evident aptitude to develop in a new program convinced the Red Sox to draft Tolle in the second round. He signed for a slightly over-slot $2 million and was Boston’s highest selection of a pitcher since 2017. Tolle combines distinct mound traits—a mountainous build and a funktastic delivery with incredible extension—and in his 2025 pro unveiling, he made huge gains in his velocity and pitch shapes. He overwhelmed minor league hitters with a 36.5% strikeout rate, which was fourth-highest among minor league pitchers with at least 80 innings, while zooming from High-A through the upper levels. Tolle emerged as the best Red Sox pitching prospect in years, and in late August, he made his MLB debut little more than a year after signing.
Scouting Report: Tolle leverages his immense 6-foot-6, 250-pound frame to propel himself down the mound and punch hitters in the face while averaging seven and a half feet of extension on his fastball. That elite attribute from a low three-quarters arm slot was hard on hitters when he sat at 91 mph at TCU, and the basis of dominance when he jumped to an average of 95 in the minors. He then averaged 96.6 mph in his big league cameo and hit triple digits for the first time in his life on a pitch that averaged 16.7 inches of ride and 6.7 inches of armside run. Tolle reshaped his secondary mix throughout the season, most notably with the introduction of an 88-90 mph cutter in August that immediately surpassed his gyro slider, kick changeup and curveball in usage. In the minors, he proved capable of missing bats in the zone with that entire mix, and his pitch shapes graded as average or better across the board. In the big leagues, he lacked command of his secondaries and struggled while leaning hard on a fastball he threw 64% of the time, too often down the middle. If Tolle can harness his secondaries—likely with a more balanced fastball/cutter/slider combination with occasional changeups and curveballs to righthanded hitters—in a way comparable to what he showed in the minors, he has the makings of a rotation workhorse.
The Future: While Tolle wore a jet pack in his 2025 ascent, he’ll likely open 2026 in the Triple-A rotation to better define and refine his secondary mix. His double-plus fastball gives him an obvious late-innings floor, but the immense developmental strides he made in 2025 suggest a midrotation—or better—ceiling. “This is hard for me to say, but this guy, he’s a Jonny Lester-type guy to me—can’t-miss, dominant, big leaguer,” Double-A Portland manager Chad Epperson said. “This guy’s going to be really, really special.”
Scouting Grades Fastball: 70 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 50 | Cutter: 50 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 50. -
BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
Adjusted Grade: 30
Track Record: During a decorated career at Norris High, Fountain shattered multiple Nebraska state records. His 31 home runs, 154 RBIs and 84 stolen bases are all state records, and he set the home run record while still a junior. Fountain parlayed his performance into an eventual fifth-round selection by the Padres in 2024 and signed an over-slot deal worth $1.7 million. He had Tommy John surgery in October 2024, but he still made his professional debut in 2025, appearing in 65 games between the Arizona Complex League and Low-A Lake Elsinore.
Scouting Report: At 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, Fountain has an extra-large frame with strength and physicality throughout. A power-oriented hitter, he has thunderous bat speed and comfortably plus raw power that the Padres hope he will be able to tap into in games on a consistent basis. For Fountain to be able to tap into said power, he will need to shore up his hit tool and pitch recognition skills. In his brief 65-game debut, secondary pitch types vexed the physical corner infielder. He posted contact rates of 57% and 71% against sliders and changeups, respectively. One silver lining is that Fountain’s swing decisions were solid and he posted a respectable walk rate of 12.5%. Fountain spent the vast majority of his 2025 campaign at first base, but given that he’ll be fully recovered from his elbow surgery by the time spring training rolls around in 2026, he is also expected to get reps at third base—where he has an above-average arm—and in left field.
The Future: Much of Fountain’s upside is contingent on how much he is able to hit. He has the most impressive raw power of any Padres minor leaguer, though that doesn’t mean much if he’s unable to get to it consistently.
Scouting Grades Hit: 30 | Power: 60 | Run: 45 | Field: 45 | Arm: 55. -
BA Grade/Risk: 45/Average
Adjusted Grade: 35
Track Record: The Padres signed Rodriguez out of Venezuela in 2021 for $700,000, but elbow issues wiped out his ensuing two seasons. He’s been able to make up for lost time in 2024 and 2025, ascending from Low-A Lake Elsinore to the major leagues. In his debut season, Rodriguez allowed one run across 7.2 innings and collected nine strikeouts.
Scouting Report: Rodriguez is an undersized righthander with some length and physicality in his lower half. He works exclusively out of the stretch and features an explosive operation in which he attacks hitters out of a high-three quarters slot. Rodriguez has a deep, stabbing arm stroke, and his delivery is typical for a reliever. He deploys two different fastballs—a four-seam and a sinker—that both sit in the upper 90s and have been up to 100 mph. The former plays well up in the zone thanks to its riding life and Rodriguez’s relatively flat vertical approach angle. His sinker is bowling ball-esque with power sink. At times it will get in on the hands of righthanded hitters. Rodriguez’s upper-80s-to-low-90s changeup is at least a plus pitch and generated a combined 45% miss rate in 2025. He’s comfortable using it against both righthanded and lefthanded hitters, and it consistently flashes big-time fade to his arm side. Rodriguez completes his arsenal with a cut-slider hybrid that’s short in shape, but at times will show late and effective gloveside life.
The Future: A reliever through and through, Rodriguez has a chance to break camp and open the 2026 season on the major league roster. If he is unable to do so, expect him to start the season at Triple-A with the chance to earn a callup to San Diego in relatively short order.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 55 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 65 | Control: 50. -
BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
Adjusted Grade: 35
Track Record: Following a stellar two-year stint at Georgia Highlands JC, Wideman didn’t miss a beat in his lone season at Western Kentucky in 2025. Across 60 games, he hit .398/.466/.652 with 10 home runs and 45 stolen bases en route to winning both player and newcomer of the year honors for Conference USA. The Padres drafted Wideman in the third round and signed him for an under-slot $650,000. Wideman spent 26 games with Low-A Lake Elsinore.
Scouting Report: The 6-foot-5, 204-pound Wideman is a tool shed with a wide variety of gifts. He has a high-waisted and athletic frame with strength throughout. Wideman has a bit of a unique look in the batter’s box. He deploys a high leg lift and a small stride. He has plenty of bat speed and has flashed particular impact to his pull side. While Wideman’s raw power is above-average, he has hit more doubles than home runs to this point. He is a comfortably plus runner—as well as an effective basestealer—and he is a nuisance on the basepaths for opposing batteries. Wideman can go get it in center field and routinely flashes plenty of range in all directions with an above-average arm. The biggest question mark with Wideman is undoubtedly his hit tool. He’s aggressive by nature and a bit of a free-swinger. Last spring he chased at a 40% clip, and in a brief pro debut he chased at a 35% rate. Picking up spin out of the pitcher’s hand has been a particular bugaboo, and Wideman will need to iron out his pitch recognition skills as he develops.
The Future: Wideman’s tools and upside make him an exciting prospect, though whether he’s able to make enough contact is yet to be seen. Wideman will likely begin his 2026 campaign back with Lake Elsinore before earning a promotion to High-A Fort Wayne.
Scouting Grades Hit: 40 | Power; 55 | Run: 60 | Field: 50 | Arm: 55. -
BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
Adjusted Grade: 35
Track Record: A four-year standout at Inspiration Academy in Florida, Harvey posted a video game-like .571/682/1.044 slash line with 24 extra-base hits in 31 games as a high school senior in 2025. He ranked inside the top 250 draft prospects and was eventually selected by the Padres in the fifth round. Harvey’s pro debut consisted of a seven-game stint with Low-A Lake Elsinore in which he went 4-for-23 (.174) with an RBI.
Scouting Report: Harvey is a 6-foot-2, 215-pound catcher whose combination of power and arm strength carries his profile. He has strength and physicality throughout his impressive frame. Harvey has a simple setup in the box as well as a fairly compact operation with present bat and hand speed. Harvey’s bat speed and strength give him exciting power potential, though there are some swing-and-miss concerns which could hinder him from tapping into it consistently in games. While it was across a small sample, Harvey sported an unimpressive overall contact rate of 58%. On a more encouraging note, he displayed sound swing decisions and the ability to get on base. Harvey’s hit tool will need a coat of polish, though his ability to impact the ball is exciting. Harvey has the defensive skills to stick behind the dish. His above-average arm is the headliner, but he’s also demonstrated solid catch-and-throw skills with consistent strong, accurate throws to bases.
The Future: A catcher with tools to impact the game on both sides of the ball, Harvey is an intriguing addition to the Padres’ organization. As the calendar flips to 2026, he is on track to spend most of the season with Low-A Lake Elsinore. However, an in-season promotion to High-A Fort Wayne is within the realm of possibility.
Scouting Grades Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 40 | Field: 50 | Arm: 55. -
BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
Adjusted Grade: 35
Track Record: Cruz headlined the group of international pitchers the Padres signed in 2024. San Diego needed more bonus pool space to get Cruz’s deal across the finish line, so they opted to trade 2023 12th-rounder Blake Dickerson to the Tigers to acquire the necessary funds. Cruz ultimately signed for $750,000 out of Mexico. Across 14 starts between the Arizona Complex League and Low-A Lake Elsinore in 2025, Cruz ran up a 7.58 ERA with 35 strikeouts and 17 walks in 38 innings. At the end of the season, Cruz had internal brace surgery on his elbow.
Scouting Report: Cruz is a slightly undersized righthander who has a high-waisted frame with room to continue to fill out. He has an athletic delivery that features an abbreviated arm stroke, and he attacks hitters out of a three-quarters slot with present arm speed. Cruz’s fastball averaged nearly 94 mph and was up to 97, though he’ll need to refine its shape. While it’s a high-spin pitch, it has a dead zone profile and is not a bat-misser. Cruz’s best offering is his low-to-mid-80s gyro slider. It flashes above-average potential, and the shape of it will vary. At times it takes on a sharp, two-plane look with depth and glove-side life, while at others it looks more like a true gyro slider with far more depth than lateral break. Cruz rounds out his arsenal with a mid-to-upper-80s changeup that profiles as a potentially above-average third pitch. Cruz throws it with conviction and it flashes ample fade to his arm side and is an effective bat-misser. His command is average and his ceiling is that of a midrotation starter.
The Future: There’s a chance that Cruz’s elbow procedure leaves him on the shelf for the entire 2026 season. There’s no reason to rush the young righthander, and when he returns—either in late 2026 or in 2027—expect him to regain his footing in Lake Elsinore.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 50. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: Mendez had only been pitching for six months when the Padres signed him out of the Dominican Republic for just $10,000 in 2021. He began to show signs of blossoming in 2024, when he posted a 3.86 ERA with 86 strikeouts in 81.2 innings for Low-A Lake Elsinore. In 2025, he worked a minuscule 1.32 ERA with 70 strikeouts in 61.1 innings for High-A Fort Wayne. Mendez earned an August promotion to Double-A San Antonio, where he didn’t quite have the same success but still managed to punch out 30 in 22.1 innings.
Scouting Report: Listed at 6-foot-2 and 165 pounds, Mendez has a slender, projectable build with some length in his lower half. His athleticism is evident on the mound, and he has a dynamic delivery with a degree of explosiveness. Mendez attacks hitters out of a slightly lowered three-quarters slot with no shortage of arm speed and features a fastball, slider and a changeup. Mendez’s heater sits in the mid-to-upper-90s with both run and ride through the zone. It jumps out of his hand and plays especially well in the top half of the strike zone, which is also where it generates the vast majority of its swings and misses. Mendez’s tight mid-to-upper-80s slider regularly generates empty swings. It flashes plus with sharp two-plane tilt, though against righthanded hitters it will sometimes have more length than depth. Mendez used his upper-80s-to-low-90s changeup just 8% of the time, but its results were encouraging. It garnered a 37% miss rate while flashing effective tumble and fade. His command is still a work in progress, but he decreased his walk rate from 14.9% to 11% between 2024 and 2025.
The Future: Mendez has one of the higher ceilings of any pitching prospect in San Diego’s system and—assuming his command and control improve—could make his major league debut as soon as 2026.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 55 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 45. -
BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
Adjusted Grade: 35
Track Record: A member of the Brewers’ 2024 international class, Quintana’s $1.7 million bonus was tops in the group. Following a mediocre offensive campaign in the Dominican Summer League in 2024, Quintana’s production was almost identical through 50 games in the Arizona Complex League in 2025. He and Nestor Cortes Jr. were dealt to the Padres at the 2025 trade deadline for Brandon Lockridge.
Scouting Report: A 6-foot-2 switch-hitter with projection remaining, Quintana was signed because of his offensive upside. The switch-hitter has an open stance in the batter’s box with a high handset and a noticeable leg lift and barrel tip in his load. Quintana has flashed present impact to his pull side and his 90th percentile exit velocity of 104.1 mph ranks ninth among all hitters in the system. His power should only continue to tick up as he matures physically, though there are hit tool questions. Quintana did a nice job of staying within the strike zone and chased at a respectable 25% clip. But there are clear pitch recognition issues, and his contact skills were below-average in 2025. He struggled mightily against secondary pitches. The most encouraging part of Quintana’s game continues to be his defense. After making positive strides with Milwaukee, that trend continued in 2025. He isn’t the twitchiest player, but he has smooth actions, range and a sound internal clock to go along with an above-average arm. Quintana in 2025 also looked comfortable attacking the baseball and throwing from multiple arm slots.
The Future: Quintana’s upside and up-the-middle profile are the two biggest positives in his profile, but how much he’ll hit is still up in the air. After getting his feet wet in the Padres’ system in 2025, he projects to spend most—if not all—of the 2026 season with Low-A Lake Elsinore.
Scouting Grades Hit: 40 | Power: 45 | Run: 45 | Field: 55 | Arm: 55. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: Initially a member of the draft class of 2026, Schoolcraft announced in December 2023 that he was reclassifying to the 2025 class. A two-way player throughout his prep career at Oregon’s Sunset High in Beaverton, Schoolcraft boasted thunderous raw power at the plate to go along with good defense at first base and his ability on the mound. Schoolcraft had significant first-round buzz throughout the 2025 draft cycle, and the Padres drafted him 25th overall. He signed to a full-slot signing bonus of $3.61 million. Schoolcraft made one start with Low-A Lake Elsinore after the draft, logging 1.2 innings.
Scouting Report: A towering 6-foot-8, 229-pound lefthander, Schoolcraft has impressive coordination for a pitcher of his size. He repeats his delivery well and his elite extension figures to enable his entire arsenal to play up. Schoolcraft’s fastball sits in the low-to-mid 90s, but it was up to 99 mph in unofficial bridge league action after the draft. He commands his heater well and uses it to set up his secondaries. Schoolcraft’s low-to-mid-80s changeup is his best non-fastball, and it routinely flashes above-average. He completes his arsenal with a low-80s slider. His slider’s power and movement profile give it a chance to evolve into an above-average offering. Schoolcraft’s command is average and he consistently competes in and around the strike zone.
The Future: Schoolcraft’s upside is immense. Not only does he look every bit the part of a starter, but he has front-of-the-rotation upside. Between his “now” stuff and projection remaining, Schoolcraft’s ceiling is sky high, and at age 19 in 2026, the Padres have no reason to rush him. He is in line to begin 2026 with Lake Elsinore.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 60 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 50. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: Mayfield established himself as one of the more polished strike-throwers in the 2024 draft class as an underclassman and was eventually selected 25th overall by the Padres. Mayfield signed a full-slot deal worth $3,442,100 and didn’t make his professional debut until 2025. He enjoyed plenty of success with Low-A Lake Elsinore. Across 19 starts, Mayfield pitched to a 2.97 ERA with 88 strikeouts and 28 walks in 60.2 innings.
Scouting Report: Mayfield has a controlled, low-effort delivery that he repeats well. He has impressive control of his body and attacks hitters from a slightly lowered three-quarters slot. Mayfield’s fastball averaged 90.9 mph and was up to 95 with life through the zone. It has a bit of a dead zone profile—meaning that the vertical and horizontal break numbers are similar—but Mayfield’s ability to command the pitch allows him to get the most out of it. He is able to avoid hard contact, and the vast majority of whiffs he generates with his fastball come in the top third of the zone when he locates it above the barrel. Mayfield’s bread-and-butter pitch is his changeup. It sits in the low-to-mid 80s, and it’s another offering for which he has an advanced feel. Mayfield throws his change with conviction, and it regularly flashes both armside fade and late tumble. It’s a plus pitch that in 2025 generated a whopping 55% miss rate. Mayfield rounds out his arsenal with an high-70s-to-low-80s slider. He’s shown the ability to manipulate its shape, and it’s a particularly difficult look for lefthanded hitters. It flashes two-plane break and garnered a 37% whiff rate in 2025. Mayfield’s plus pitchability is a cherry on top.
The Future: After dominating Low-A in 2025, Mayfield is positioned to begin his 2026 campaign with High-A Fort Wayne. With an appealing blend of strikes and stuff, he projects as a potential No. 3 starter.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 60. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Average
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: The top prospect in the 2023 international signing period, Salas’ $5.6 million bonus was the highest in the class. He made his pro debut that same season with Low-A Lake Elsinore, but the Padres got everyone’s attention when they promoted the then-17-year-old to High-A Fort Wayne and then Double-A San Antonio. Salas spent the entirety of the 2024 season with Fort Wayne, where he hit .206/.288/.311 with 33 extra-base hits and 10 stolen bases. He proceeded to play in the Arizona Fall League with Peoria and was named an AFL all-star. Salas’ 2025 campaign was limited to just 10 games with San Antonio due to a stress fracture in his back.
Scouting Report: Salas is a defense-first prospect who stands out for his Gold Glove-caliber defense. He has ultra-soft hands, receives the ball well and does an outstanding job of controlling balls in the dirt. Salas’ transfers are quick, and he consistently delivers strong, accurate throws to bases. Between his plus arm, receiving skills and ability to handle pitching staffs, he emphatically checks a lot of boxes defensively. Salas’ offensive outlook is far more murky. Mechanically, he stands fairly tall in the lefthanded batter’s box with a slightly open front side and an ear-high handset. Salas has an under control operation which includes a slight barrel tip that serves as a timing mechanism and a small stride. It’s a simple and easy swing without a whole lot of moving parts. In 2024, Salas made a handful of small adjustments that ended up having a positive impact on his game. His taller stance and raised handset are a byproduct of him wanting to put more of an emphasis on working down and through the ball. Salas’ bat-to-ball skills are above-average, and between 2024 and 2025 he’s posted an overall in-zone contact rate of 86%. While Salas’ power is geared more toward doubles than home runs, he has an all-fields approach and has shown he can drive the ball from gap to gap. Salas has long demonstrated an understanding of the strike zone, and he’s decreased his strikeout rate in each of his professional seasons. Between 2023 and 2024 it sank from 25.8% to 20.9%. Salas is a bit susceptible to secondary pitches—especially changeups—which yield the majority of his swings and misses.
The Future: It’s no secret that 2026 is a big year for Salas. After a topsy-turvy 2024 season and an injury-shortened 2025, the 19-year-old backstop has logged just 123 professional games since the conclusion of the 2023 season. His defense serves as a reassuring anchor to his profile, but eventual offensive profile is up in the air. Salas certainly fits the mold of a hit-over-power player, but there are questions as to how much he’s going to hit. He could catch in the big leagues tomorrow, but he will need to prove that he can produce at the plate.
Scouting Grades Hit: 45 | Power: 45 | Run: 45 | Field: 70 | Arm: 60.
Draft Prospects
-
School: Lakeside HS, Eufaula, Ala. Committed: Auburn. Age At Draft: 19.1
Brown posted one of the higher swinging-strike rates among prominent pitchers on the 2025 travel circuit. He has a strong 6-foot-4 frame and throws strikes at a high clip, operating off a fastball that touches 92 mph. He mixes in both a slider that gets into the low 80s and a big-breaking curveball in the low 70s that both have been effective, though the slider could be the better offering for him at higher levels. Against lefties, Brown throws a changeup that has good separation off his fastball with both sink and fade when it’s at its best. He has a starter look thanks to his pitch mix and control. -
School: Venice (Fla.) HS Committed: Mississippi State. Age At Draft: 18.7
Shields has spent time as a position player, showing a strong arm from the outfield, but it’s what he has done on the mound that has him trending up. With a physically-mature build for his age, Shields has a strong lower half. He gets down the mound well to generate good extension and pitches heavily off a fastball that touches 95 mph. It’s a riding fastball that explodes at the top of the zone to miss bats at a high clip. While Shields’ fastball is his predominant pitch, he also throws a solid slider that will vary in shape to show shorter break with late tilt at times and more depth at others. -
School: Sumrall (Miss.) HS Committed: Alabama. Age At Draft: 18.9
Davis shows intriguing traits both as a pitcher and a hitter. On the mound, he doesn’t offer huge physical projection, but he throws strikes with a fastball that touches 92 mph, and he backs it up with a high-spin curveball in the upper 70s that snaps off with sharp break and good depth to miss bats at a high clip. His changeup flashes good fade at times, but he mainly leans on his fastball/curveball mix. At the plate, Davis has minimal movement in a short, handsy, contact-oriented swing geared for line drives with doubles power. He’s an average runner who could move all around the dirt with the arm strength for the left side of the infield. -
School: IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. Committed: Mississippi State. Age At Draft: 18.9
Armbruster has significant physical projection remaining in his long-armed 6-foot-3 frame, and it’s already starting to come on. On the summer circuit in 2024 while splitting time between catching and pitching, Armbruster was mostly operating in the mid-to-upper 80s and touching 90 mph. Now, he’s reaching 94 mph and should have more velocity in the tank. Armbruster’s fastball is his best weapon, but he will mix in a curveball, slider and changeup, as well. He has a chance to move up the list if one of his secondary pitches takes the next step forward. -
School: Great Bridge HS, Chesapeake, Va. Committed: Clemson. Age At Draft: 18.4
Cinnamond is a 6-foot-4 lefty who can dial his fastball up to 93 mph and should eventually be into the mid 90s or better. He will fly open early in his delivery, causing him to miss up and to his armside. He’s still learning to corral his heater in the zone consistently, but he has the look of a power arm from the left side with a slider that has solid sweep and depth at its best and is ahead of his changeup. -
School: Sierra Canyon HS, Charsworth, Calif. Committed: LSU. Age At Draft: 18.5
Parrow has a physical 6-foot-5 frame he uses to attack hitters up in the zone with a fastball that sits in the low 90s and reaches 94 mph. He primarily pitches off his fastball, complementing it with a low-80s slider that’s ahead of his changeup. -
School: Faith Lutheran HS, Las Vegas, Nev. Committed: Stanford. Age At Draft: 19.5
On the older end of the 2027 class thanks to turning 19 in January of his draft year, Martin is a 6-foot-3 righthander with a sound delivery and a fastball that touches 93 mph. His slider has excellent raw spin, and while he’s still sharpening the consistency of that pitch, when it’s at its best, it holds plane well off his fastball with late, sharp break to get swinging strikes. His low-80s changeup has good separation off his fastball, but it’s his fastball/slider combination that accounts for most of his success. -
School: IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. Committed: Auburn. Age At Draft: 18.7
Thomas is the son of Hall of Fame first baseman Frank Thomas and has a professional look in the batter’s box and in the field. While his father is 6-foot-5 and one of the game’s all-time great sluggers, Thomas has more of a hit-over-power profile, and he performed well throughout the 2025 travel circuit. He’s a lefthanded hitter who starts with his hands set high above his head, stays inside the ball well and uses the whole field. Thomas moves around athletically at first base with advanced actions around the bag for his age. -
School: Trinity Classical Academy, Valencia, Calif. Committed: TCU. Age At Draft: 18.2
Carlson has a good blend of projection and pitchability. He’s a 6-foot-3 righthander with a low-effort delivery who throws strikes with a fastball that reaches 93 mph and should be into the mid 90s or better in the near future. Carlson’s fastball is the best pitch of a four-pitch attack, followed by a slider that gets into the low 80s as well as a curveball and changeup. -
School: Delbarton HS, Morristown, N.J. Committed: Alabama. Age At Draft: 18.7
O’Loughlin has a steady set of tools across the board. He has a lean, projectable frame and a swing that got better as 2025 progressed, leading to a strong performance in October at the WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Fla., where he showed a good balance of hitting ability and hard contact. O’Loughlin is a center fielder with solid-average speed and an average arm. -
School: Grapevine (Tex.) HS Committed: LSU. Age At Draft: 18.4
A two-way player, Esquivel was a member of the 2028 class who reclassified in Nov. 2025 to become a 2027. That came after Esquivel’s stuff took a jump in the fall, going from a pitcher who had been operating in the mid 80s throughout the summer to now reaching 91 mph. He will have to tighten his control, but it’s a delivery without much effort and slight crossfire angle. Esquivel’s changeup is an advanced pitch for his age with good separation off his fastball to be his highest swing-and-miss offering ahead of his slider. Esquivel is a lefthanded hitter with a solid swing and occasional over-the-fence juice that should grow as he fills out his 6-foot-3 frame. -
School: Battlefield HS, Haymarket, Va. Committed: North Carolina. Age At Draft: 19.0
Coming off a big 2025 campaign on the travel circuit, Gomez has a nice lefthanded swing and significant physical projection remaining in his 6-foot-2 frame. It’s a lean, high-waisted build with broad shoulders, giving him a lot of space left to add strength. He has a sound, compact stroke, working both gaps with a chance for more of his doubles to turn into homers once he packs on more weight. He’s an above-average runner who could move around all three outfield spots, with his arm best suited for left field if he’s in a corner. -
School: Newnan (Ga.) HS Committed: Arkansas. Age At Draft: 19.0
Maginnis has a medium, compact frame without a ton of physical projection but with skills that make him intriguing as an infielder and a pitcher. On the mound, Maginnis has been trending up, pitching off a fastball up to 93 mph with good shape and carry. It’s a north-south attack for Maginnis, who has one of the better changeups in the 2027 class. He can ride his fastball at the top of the zone to miss bats, then leave them flailing at his heavy, tumbling changeup that dives under the zone and has plus potential. Maginnis also throws a mid-to-upper 70s curveball for which he shows feel to spin. At the plate, Maginnis is a high-contact hitter who gets on base at a high clip with a pull-oriented approach. He shows mostly doubles power, average speed and the defensive actions to stick somewhere in the infield with a strong arm. -
School: Skutt Catholic HS, Omaha, Neb. Committed: Tennessee. Age At Draft: 19.2
Day is an athletic 6-foot-4 righthander with good strength projection remaining for him to add to a tailing fastball that’s regularly in the low 90s and up to 94 mph. His fastball is his predominant pitch, but his slider has shown signs of improvement over the past year and is his most effective secondary offering. His low-80s changeup is a pitch he doesn’t use much yet, but it flashes good fade when it’s on and could become a bigger part of his arsenal with more experience. -
School: Lincoln HS, Vincennes, Ind. Committed: Texas A&M. Age At Draft: 18.2
The catcher on USA Baseball’s 15U National Team in 2024, Collins projects to stick behind the plate. He’s limber, folds up well and moves around athletically to block balls in the dirt. He’s an advanced receiver and has a strong arm to generate pop times under 1.9 seconds on his best throws. Collins’ defensive game stands out the most, but he also has a low swing-and-miss rate from a contact-oriented swing with gap power. -
School: Beechwood HS, Fort Mitchell, Kent. Committed: Louisville. Age At Draft: 19.0
Fryman is a standout wide receiver who has drawn Division I interest in football and baseball. He’s an athletic center fielder with plus-plus speed, using his wheels to his advantage on defense and at the plate, where he has a compact righthanded swing with a line-drive approach and gap power. -
School: Libertyville (Ill.) HS Committed: Tennessee. Age At Draft: 19.0
Buenik has a strong, 6-foot-3 frame and a fastball that reaches 95 mph with heavy sink and run out of his low three-quarters slot. It’s a big fastball for his age, but 2025 was an up-and-down summer for Buenik on the travel circuit as he learned to dial in more strikes and sharpen his secondaries. His slider is inconsistent, but he has made strides with his feel to spin that pitch, and it has good depth at its best. He doesn’t throw his splitter much yet, but it’s a spin killer with hard tumble and could become a bigger factor with more experience. -
School: Aledo (Tex.) HS Committed: Texas. Age At Draft: 19.0
Gladchuk has a short, contact-oriented swing from the left side of the plate. He rarely swings and misses, staying inside the ball well to lace line drives all around the field with gap power. He’s an average runner with a strong arm from center field. -
School: Baylor School, Chattanooga, Tenn. Committed: Alabama. Age At Draft: 19.3
Morris was one of the early standouts in the 2027 high school class, committing to South Carolina when he was 14, though he is now an Alabana commit. A South Carolina native who goes to school in Tennessee, Morris has a patient offensive approach with strong hands and forearms. He loads his swing with a big leg kick, which can create inconsistencies with his timing, but when everything is synced up, he makes hard contact. Morris is an average runner and a good athlete who could move all around the infield with a strong arm, with the outfield another option that could give him additional versatility. -
School: Mauldin (S.C.) HS Committed: Arkansas. Age At Draft: 18.0
New is young for the 2027 class and has a projectable 6-foot-3 frame that points to more velocity he figures to add to a fastball that already reaches the low 90s. There’s effort to his operation, and he flies open early—a delivery that New is still learning to repeat to harness his control. He has feel for a sharp-breaking curveball that can be a swing-and-miss pitch. He throws an occasional changeup but uses it sparingly. -
School: Capistrano Valley HS, Mission Viejo, Calif. Committed: Oklahoma State. Age At Draft: 17.8
Fuller will still be 17 on the day of the 2027 draft, so he’s one of the younger players in the class. That said, he’s already running his fastball up to 93 mph and should be in the mid 90s soon. Fuller’s fastball is his best pitch, with his slider his most-used secondary pitch and one for which he flashes feel to spin. He doesn’t throw his changeup much yet, but it has shown promising action at times to become a bigger weapon for him with more experience. -
School: Cedar Creek HS, Ruston, La. Committed: LSU. Age At Draft: 18.8
Pitching from a smooth, repeatable delivery, Luker is a prolific strike-thrower with a fastball that touches 91 mph. He gets down the mound well and generates a lot of armside run from his lower release height to help his fastball play above its raw velocity. Luker’s main secondary pitch is a 70-74 mph curveball he shows feel to spin with wide lateral break and could eventually move into a harder slider from his low three-quarters slot. His changeup is inconsistent but flashes good fade on his best ones. -
School: Doral (Fla.) Academy Committed: LSU. Age At Draft: 19.2
Ravelo was an early standout in the 2027 class, and he committed to LSU when he was 14. He has a lean, expandable 6-foot-3 frame that looks like it should hold significant good weight and strength. He will have to make adjustments to cut down on his swing and make more consistent contact, but there’s outstanding physical projection to potentially grow into a plus raw power. Ravelo is a good athlete who moves around well in center field. -
School: Blessed Trinity Catholic HS, Roswell, Ga. Committed: Tennessee. Age At Draft: 19.2
Dawson has been an early standout in the 2027 class because of his bat. He has a smooth, lefthanded stroke and a strong build for his age to deliver hard contact when he’s on the barrel. He’s not a burner runner, moving around all three outfield spots now and projecting best in a corner at higher levels. -
School: Durant HS, Plant City, Fla. Committed: Florida State. Age At Draft: 18.7
McPherson has a strong 6-foot-2 build with sound mechanics and a fastball he can run up to 93 mph. It’s a fastball with good shape and carry that gets an abundance of swinging strikes when he elevates it, playing up even more with the way his short arm action helps him hide the ball until late in his delivery. While McPherson’s best pitch is his fastball, he flashes feel to spin a slider in the upper 70s/low 80s that should be a more reliable weapon for him than the slower curveball he also mixes in. -
School: Southern Maryland Christian Academy, White Plains, Md. Committed: Uncommitted. Age At Draft: 19.3
Blaqman turns 19 in March of his draft year, so he’s old for the 2027 class but with a young frame. He’s a quick-twitch, bouncy athlete at shortstop with above-average speed, good defensive actions, body control and a strong arm, giving him the traits to stick at the position. Blaqman has a good idea of the strike zone, strong hands, quick wrists and a handsy righthanded swing with gap power. -
School: Harvard-Westlake HS, Studio City, Calif. Committed: Texas. Age At Draft: 18.9
Rootman is an athletic center fielder with a quick righthanded swing geared for line drives. He’s still learning to control the strike zone, but he has typically performed well in games. It’s a hit-over-power offensive game right now with the bat speed that points to more extra-base damage coming once he layers more strength on to his lean 6-foot-2 frame. Rootman is a quick-twitch athlete and a plus runner who moves around well in center field. -
School: Legion Collegiate Academy, Rock Hill, S.C. Committed: Clemson. Age At Draft: 18.2
McKain is a two-way player who’s particularly intriguing on the mound. His velocity is behind other top pitchers in the class, but his ability to manipulate his secondary pitches stands out. Pitching from a sound delivery into a three-quarters slot, McKain sits in the mid 80s and reaches 89 mph, but he has a thin, projectable frame with lots of space to fill out and throw harder. The best of McKain’s secondaries is his big-breaking curveball with three-quarters tilt and a lot of depth, giving him another pitch that should play up once he’s able to add more power behind that offering. His changeup gives him a third quality offering he sells well off his fastball. -
School: Center Grove HS, Greenwood, Ind. Committed: Texas A&M. Age At Draft: 19.0
McClurg is an athletic center fielder with plus speed and a quick first step. He has been a strong offensive performer on the travel circuit with a direct swing from both sides of the plate with mostly gap power and occasional over-the-fence juice. -
School: Arvada West (Col.) HS Committed: Texas. Age At Draft: 18.6
Vais was excellent on the travel circuit in 2025, filling the strike zone and missing bats at a high clip. He’s an athletic 6-foot righthander with a short stride down the mound and a quick arm to run his high-spin fastball up to 92 mph. It’s not a prototypical, high-physical projection frame for a pitcher, but he has explosiveness that suggests more velocity could come with strength gains and mechanical refinement. The best weapon for Vais is his high-spin slider, which is a pitch he throws more than his fastball in some outings and shows solid depth and good lateral tilt. It’s a low-to-mid 80s pitch he consistently executes for strikes, either landing it in the zone or getting hitters to chase it for empty swings, and it should continue to be a high-whiff pitch for him at higher levels. Vais has mostly made a name for himself as a pitcher, though there are intriguing tools here as an outfielder with plus speed, an above-average arm and impressive bat speed and power for his size. -
School: Monte Vista HS, Danville, Calif. Committed: Mississippi. Age At Draft: 18.0
McMillan could end up one of the tallest pitchers in major league history. He’s 6-foot-10, 210 pounds and is on the younger end of the 2027 class, so he might still be growing. He pitches from a relatively low-effort delivery with impressive body control for his size. McMillan attacks hitters mostly up in the zone with his fastball, a pitch that was mostly mid-to-upper 80s for most of 2025 but in the fall ticked up to reach 92 mph. Between his youth and physical upside to add another 30-plus pounds, there should be another gear still to come with his fastball. McMillan’s fastball is his best pitch, followed by a mid-70s curveball that’s ahead of his changeup. -
School: Linn-Mar HS, Marion, Iowa Committed: Arkansas. Age At Draft: 18.8
Sarsfield has a good combination of lefthanded hitting ability and athleticism at a premium position. He gets himself into good hitting positions with a compact swing that has good rhythm and balance. Sarsfield typically displays a good sense of the strike zone and an advanced approach to hit the ball to both gaps with mostly doubles power for now. His plus speed is an asset on the basepaths and in center field, where he has good range and a strong arm. -
School: Barbe HS, Lake Charles, La. Committed: LSU. Age At Draft: 18.8
Griffin packs a lot of quick-twitch explosiveness into a smaller frame. He takes advantage of his small strike zone with a selective approach that helps him get into favorable counts and pile up walks. Griffin has a lot of moving parts with his hands to get his swing started, and while there’s some swing-and-miss to his game, he has strong hands, quick wrists and generates a lot of bat speed, which helps him hammer the ball with surprising power for his size. He’s a good athlete and a plus-plus runner who defends his position well in center field, where he has good instincts and range. He also has experience at second base, adding versatility to his game. -
School: Baylor School, Chattanooga, Tenn. Committed: Tennessee. Age At Draft: 19.1
Coming off an outstanding spring season in 2025, Lundy is a strong, 6-foot 3 catcher who can drive the ball with impact. His timing at the plate is inconsistent, but he can drive the ball out of the park deep to his pull side with a power-over-hit offensive game. Lundy has a big frame for a catcher, but he folds up well behind the plate and is a good receiver. His plus arm stacks up among the best in the 2027 class, enabling him to post pop times around 1.9 seconds on his best throws. -
School: Conwell Egan Catholic HS, Fairless Hills, Penn. Committed: Virginia. Age At Draft: 19.1
With a low-effort, repeatable delivery, Guzzie pitches off a fastball that reaches 92 mph and should get into the mid 90s once he fills out. His fastball already plays up thanks to good extension and the riding life on the pitch he uses to his advantage by attacking hitters up in the zone. Guzzie’s fastball is his best pitch. He flashes feel for an upper-70s slider that misses more bats than his changeup does, with his slider at its best when it’s generating two-plane depth. -
School: Warsaw (Ind.) HS Committed: Mississippi. Age At Draft: 19.1
Nelson has an extra-large frame with thunder in his lefthanded bat, generating loft and punishing balls with some of the best raw power in the class. He has an aggressive offensive approach he will have to tighten up, but he’s able to generate his power without having to sell out his swing. What Nelson does in the batter’s box will drive his value as a likely first baseman at the next level. -
School: McDonough HS, Pomfret, Md. Committed: Alabama. Age At Draft: 18.7
Lambert is a wiry strong, righthanded hitter with quick wrists in a handsy swing that he uses to snap the barrel through the zone with good bat speed. It’s an aggressive approach, and he’s still learning to recognize breaking pitches, but it’s quality contact when he connects with occasional over-the-fence power that should climb as he gets stronger. Lambert is an average runner and a good athlete with a strong arm who has the versatility to play all around the infield and outfield. -
School: Waukee (Iowa) HS Committed: Arkansas. Age At Draft: 18.9
Meeker has a huge 6-foot-4 frame and some of the best raw power in the class. He’s able to generate that power without much effort, using an easy lefthanded swing, though he his power does come with swing-and-miss tendencies. Meeker is a solid athlete for his size and has a plus arm, though with his size he might ultimately fit best at first base. -
School: Knights Academy, Nashville, Tenn. Committed: Virginia. Age At Draft: 18.7
Weber looks like a man among boys at a physically-imposing 6-foot-4, 225 pounds. He’s a righthanded hitter who gets his weight loaded on his back leg and snaps the barrel through the zone with leverage and high-end bat speed, driving the ball for extra-base damage now and what could develop into plus raw power. There are some unorthodox parts to his swing, but for a power hitter his size, he keeps his hands inside the ball relatively well and makes contact at a high clip. Weber is much bigger than the prototypical catcher, but his flexibility enables him to fold up extremely well for his size. He’s a good receiver and, while he’s still cleaning up the consistency of his throwing, he has an above-average arm. -
School: Belen Jesuit Prep, Miami, Fla. Committed: Miami. Age At Draft: 18.5
Cueto packs a lot of quick-twitch athleticism into a medium build. He’s a lefty with quick hands at the plate and some of the best bat-to-ball skills in the 2027 class. Cueto is content letting the ball travel, keeping his hands inside the ball and shooting line drives the opposite way with an inside-out approach. Cueto’s contact skills are his calling card as a hitter, and while he doesn’t hit for much power in games now, he has the bat speed to project more game power once he learns how to pull more balls in the air. He’s a good athlete and plus runner with a strong arm, giving him the tools to handle center field. -
School: Brother Rice HS, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. Committed: Vanderbilt. Age At Draft: 19.0
Katke is a strong defensive catcher with big power. He can drive the ball with impact during batting practice, showing some of the best pop of any 2027 catcher. Katke has a chance to develop above-average power, potentially with a power-over-hit offensive game. Katke’s catch-and-throw skills are advanced for his age. Loose and flexible behind the plate, he is a polished receiver with quick, fluid hands to steal strikes for his pitchers. His raw arm strength plays up because of his extremely quick exchange, regularly cutting his pop times under 2.0 seconds. -
School: Kailua (Hi.) HS Committed: Uncommitted. Age At Draft: 18.4
Kuhaulua is a center fielder with a lean, projectable 6-foot-2 frame who stands out for his smooth, lefthanded swing. He had a strong year at the plate on the travel circuit, showing comfort letting the ball travel deeper into the hitting zone to hit line drives the opposite way and the ability to square up balls out front to use the whole field. It’s a well-sequenced swing with good balance, timing and a hit-over-power profile now with the strength projection to add to his gap power. -
School: Lyons Township HS, La Grange, Ill. Committed: TCU. Age At Draft: 18.1
Ragsdale will turn 18 just before the 2027 draft, so he is one of the younger players in the class. He’s a quick-twitch athlete at shortstop, zipping around the position with athletic actions and good body control. He’s light on his feet, plays low to the ground and is a smooth, graceful defender. It’s a pull-heavy approach with swing-and-miss he will have to cut down, but he has strong hands, quick wrists and gap power. -
School: Lamar HS, Meridian, Miss. Committed: Mississippi State. Age At Draft: 19.1
Reed has massive raw power that stacks up among the best in the country for the 2027 class. It’s potential plus-or-better power, and Reed has been able to tap into it frequently in games during the summer circuit, using his strength and bat speed to punish mistakes left up in the zone. The quarterback for his high school football team, Reed runs surprisingly well for his size with average speed and has experience at third and first base. -
School: St. Joseph’s Prep HS, Philadelphia, Penn. Committed: Duke. Age At Draft: 17.9
Kuhn is a lanky, 6-foot-6 righthander who pitches heavily off a fastball that sits in the low 90s and can reach 95 mph. That’s high-end velocity for his age, and he has immense physical projection remaining, especially for one of the younger players in the 2027 class. He gives hitters a unique look by dropping his arm to throw from a sidearm slot like he’s skipping rocks, generating heavy life and armside run. That slot can make it a challenge for him to stay consistent with his slider, but it has sweepy action at its best. He has a changeup but doesn’t use it much yet. Like most gangly, long-limbed pitchers his age, Kuhn is still learning to repeat his release point to throw more consistent strikes. -
School: Puyallup (Wash.) HS Committed: Washington. Age At Draft: 18.0
One of the younger players in the 2027 class, Landry is a lean, athletic shortstop with good range, actions and instincts for the position. A polished defender for his age, Landry is a fluid mover with a nose for the ball who is clean on double play turns. At the plate, Landry’s hands stay short to the ball with good adjustability with his lower half when he swings. That leads to high contact rates and good plate coverage. Continuing to get stronger will be key for Landry, whose offensive game is geared around line drives with occasional gap shots. -
School: A3 Academy, Tampa, Fla. Committed: Uncommitted. Age At Draft: 18.9
Green has electric arm speed. From a lean, 6-foot-1 frame, he generates tremendous velocity for his age and size, running his fastball up to 97 mph at his best, often sitting in the low 90s. Green’s fastball is his predominant pitch, one he complements with a solid curveball that’s ahead of a changeup he hasn’t used much. There’s some effort to his delivery that Green is still learning to corral to repeat his release point and throw more consistent strikes, but he has the athleticism that should help him make adjustments. -
School: McHenry (Ill.) HS Committed: LSU. Age At Draft: 18.8
Wasniewski is a quick-twitch athlete and a two-way player whose upside in pro ball looks most intriguing on the mound. He’s a plus runner and is an athletic mover on the mound, where he has a medium built but a fast arm to run his fastball up to 95 mph. It’s a high-spin fastball with good shape to ride up in the zone and miss bats out of his three-quarters slot. Wasniewski is a good strike-thrower whose best secondary pitch is a solid slider that’s ahead of his changeup. His slider two-plane depth at its best and showed improved power later in 2025 to get into the mid 80s. -
School: Prestonwood Christian Academy, Plano, Tex. Committed: Texas A&M. Age At Draft: 18.6
Henderson is a high-risk, high-reward player with an elite combination of physicality, explosive athleticism and tools. He’s tall, strong and lean with outstanding bat speed and the power to hammer balls out of the park. Henderson has the look of a player who could end up with plus-plus raw power. He’s a pull-heavy hitter whose power comes with swing-and-miss. He will have to prove his pitch recognition skills and timing at the plate to tap into his upside, but there’s huge power/speed potential if everything clicks. He’s also a plus runner with a strong arm from center field. -
School: Archbishop Moeller HS, Cincinnati, Ohio Committed: Ohio State. Age At Draft: 19.3
Goettke, who is from Ohio and attends P27 Academy in South Carolina, has some of the best raw tools in the class and is a potential power/speed threat if everything clicks. He will need to improve his pitch recognition and develop his pure hitting ability, but his barrel explodes through the zone with high-end bat speed for his age. When he connects, he drives the ball with impact and has the potential for plus raw power. He’s also a plus runner with a strong arm in center field. -
School: The Colony (Tex.) HS Age At Draft: 19.2
Committed: Texas
An athletic righthander, Rangel has electric stuff that should only get better as the 2026 draft approaches. He has a lean 6-foot-1 frame with excellent arm speed to run his fastball up to 97 mph. The pitch already plays up because it has good riding life up in the zone, and he gets good extension out front. There could be another uptick in velocity for what’s already a high-end fastball for his age. What makes Rangel dangerous is his ability to spin an 80-84 mph slider that can spin above 3,100 rpm at times—top-end spin for any age. The attributes are there for his slider to be a plus-or-better pitch that should miss a ton of bats. Rangel’s fastball/breaking ball combination is his bread-and-butter, but he shows feel for a spike changeup. It comes in firm off his fastball but flashes good depth and could become a bigger weapon with more reps. There are times when Rangel’s command has escaped him, so scouts will be closely watching that aspect of his game as the draft gets closer, but he has the stuff to be one of the first high school pitchers off the board. -
School: De La Salle HS, Concord, Calif. Age At Draft: 18.8
Committed: Stanford
Spangler has a tall, lean build with high-end strength projection and an accurate barrel from the left side. He’s a long-limbed hitter who is able to make contact at a high clip, with quiet hands that he fires quickly into a compact, direct swing with a mature approach for his age. It’s an easy swing from Spangler, who already delivers consistent quality contact, with the bat speed and physical upside to project above-average-or-better power once he’s in his prime. He’s an above-average runner with good lateral agility and body control at shortstop for his size. Depending on his physical development, there’s a chance he could outgrow the position and go to third base, but his fluid actions, soft hands, strong arm and instincts all fit well at shortstop. -
School: Trinity Christian Academy, Jacksonville, Fla. Age At Draft: 18.5
Committed: Florida
Harris has immense upside as a potential middle-of-the-order bat who can play a premium position. He has performed at a high level in games with a powerful swing from the right side, generating torque with good rhythm and balance as he rotates explosively to unleash excellent bat speed. It results in some of the best raw power in the class, and given the strength potential remaining in his well-proportioned 6-foot-2 frame, he should grow into at least plus power. Harris is a good athlete who also shines defensively in center field. With plus speed and an arm that draws plus-or-better grades, Harris has the quickness, range and efficient route running to stick in center field. -
School: Jackson Prep HS, Flowood, Miss. Age At Draft: 17.9
Committed: Florida
Roberts was high school teammates with 2024 High School Player of the Year Konnor Griffin, so scouts got a lot of looks at him that spring. Roberts is one of the youngest players in the class, but he stands out for his size, dynamic athleticism and tools. He generates a lot of torque with his swing, and between his bat speed and physical upside on his tall, broad-shouldered frame, he should grow into at least plus if not plus-plus raw power. His barrel gets deep into the hitting zone early and he’s able to drive the ball well to all fields, showing improved timing this year that has helped him translate his power against live pitching. He has a patient approach with a good eye for the strike zone. Roberts is a plus runner with long strides and a chance to stick in center field. If he does end up going to right field, he has the offensive upside to profile there and already has a plus arm that could end up a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale. Roberts is primarily a position player but offers significant upside on the mound, as well, with a fastball that has touched 94 mph and a changeup with good sink and separation off his fastball along with a curveball. -
School: Gulliver Prep HS, Miami, Fla. Age At Draft: 18.8
Committed: Uncommitted
While scouts were following 2023 shortstop George Lombard Jr. before he became a first-round pick of the Yankees, they also got plenty of looks at his teammate and younger brother Jacob. The son of Tigers bench coach George Lombard, Jacob’s baseball upbringing is evident with his instincts and fundamentally-sound game. He’s one of the most disciplined hitters in the 2026 class, making good swing decisions with the patience to take his walks. Lombard gets himself into a good hitting position and takes a short, efficient swing and keeps his head locked in, which helps him track and recognize pitches. He has good balance, enabling him to stay back to use the whole field and use his quick hands. There have been stretches where Lombard has shown a higher swing-and-miss rate, so while it’s not elite bat-to-ball skills, he has typically gotten on base at a high clip. As he’s gotten bigger, stronger and faster, Lombard is now showing some of the better raw power in the 2026 class, with a chance for that to develop into an above-average tool. He’s a plus-plus runner who projects to stick at shortstop, where he makes everything look smooth and easy. He has a quick first step, reads hops well and has a nose for the ball. He can make the flashy play, but unlike a lot of young shortstops, he plays under control too, with good hands and a quick transfer. -
School: Argyle HS, Flower Mound, Tex. Age At Draft: 18.4
Committed: Texas
Emerson is a pure hitter with an exciting, well-rounded blend of tools, athleticism, skills and upside at a premium position. A two-time member of the USA 15U National Team—including a gold medal finish at the U-15 World Cup in 2022—Emerson was one of two underclassmen to make the 18U National Team in 2024 that won a gold medal at the U-18 World Cup Americas Qualifier. He has a calm, relaxed presence in the box with minimal wasted movement in his efficient lefthanded swing. It’s a quick, compact stroke with a clean path through the zone, staying balanced to track pitches well with innate timing and feel for the barrel. He rarely swings and misses, squaring up good fastballs or offspeed stuff throughout the strike zone. While a lot of young hitters get pull-happy, Emerson is able to let the ball travel deep and drive it the opposite way or turn on it depending where the ball is pitched. He’s a patient hitter who doesn’t expand the zone much, making him a high on-base threat. Emerson doesn’t stray from his hit-first approach, but as he’s grown, he has come into more power to drive the ball out to his pull side. With his bat speed and the strength potential in his lean frame, more of his doubles should start to start turning into homers. Emerson’s hitting skills are advanced beyond his years, but he also defends his position well at shortstop. He’s a plus runner, a good athlete and moves his feet well at shortstop with good body control, soft hands and a strong arm. All the traits are there for Emerson to be a high first-round pick. -
School: Marshall Drafted/Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.5
Niu spent two years at New Orleans before transferring to Marshall for the 2025 season where he hit .276/.343/.560 with 15 home runs and 14 doubles 14 doubles and new career-highs in nearly every major statistical category. He was one of the best players in the Cape League after the season and hit .338/.404/.650 through his first 120 games. Niu has a somewhat unique setup in the box with an inverted front foot and medium-high handset, but he has big-time bat speed and consistently gets off quick, tight turns with his hips. Niu has shown the ability—both with metal and wood—to hammer the baseball to all fields, though his highest quality of contact has come to the pull side. At Marshall he posted a 90th-percentile exit velocity of 106.8. Picking up spin and seeing shapes out of the hand have both been bugaboos for Niu, and he has shown the tendency to whiff and chase against secondaries. Niu has consistently turned in plus run times and is a good athlete whose defensive profile is best suited for the outfield. His actions need refining, but his arm strength, speed and athleticism all translate well on the grass. -
School: Hawaii Drafted/Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.8
Miura has been a consistent performer at Hawaii as the team’s everyday center fielder and boasts some of the best bat-to-ball skills in the 2025 college class. He’s a 5-foot-11, 185-pound righthanded hitter who almost never misses when he swings at a pitch in the zone, and he’s performed with a wood bat as well. After hitting .378/.483/.475 in the Northwoods League in the summer of 2024, Miura hit .338/.454/.460 with 18 stolen bases during the spring with Hawaii. After the season he played for Hyannis in the Cape Cod League. -
School: Hofstra Drafted/Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.8
Palmer is an undersized infielder who has been a high-level performer for three straight seasons with Hofstra. At just 5-foot-9, 170 pounds, he doesn’t have much power to speak of and managed just two home runs over his first three college seasons. Instead, Palmer is a contact savant who rarely misses and likes to swing the bat. Palmer is especially effective making contact on pitches in the strike zone. He hits ground balls and low line drives to all fields and is also an above-average runner who has been a consistent stolen base threat. He’s played all over the infield and outfield in his college career, though he spent the bulk of his time at third base in 2025. Palmer has a path to a contact-oriented utility role, although it’s a tightrope to walk given his bottom-of-the-scale power. -
School: Elon Drafted/Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 20.8
Sprock has been an impact two-way player for three seasons with Elon. A 5-foot-10, 205-pound corner infielder and righthander, Sprock hit in the three-hole for Elon in 2025—where he slashed .321/.411/.593 with 14 home runs—and also posted a 3.63 ERA as a reliever with 19 strikeouts in 17.1 innings. He had struggled much more as a starting pitcher in 2023 (5.52 ERA in 45.2 innings) and 2024 (10.12 ERA over 42.2 innings). Offensively, Sprock has a solid combination of power and plate discipline. He consistently hits the ball hard and can homer to both gaps while doing a nice job managing at-bats, limiting strikeouts and taking walks. He split time as a third base and first base defender in his junior season, although that was in part due to his work as a pitcher which added to the stress on his arm. On the mound, Sprock throws a fastball that sits around 93 mph and touches 96. He also mixes in a slider in the 78-81 mph range and a changeup in the same velocity band. -
School: Georgia Tech Drafted/Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.0
Jones was a moment-of-truth reliever for Georgia State as a freshman, going 2-2, 5.06 with four saves. He struggled to match that performance as a sophomore, as he went 5-1, 7.32 with a 1.8 WHIP. But he took a step forward in 2025 when he transferred to Georgia Tech, joining the Yellow Jackets’ weekend rotation to throw as many innings as he had in his first two college seasons combined. Jones was generally effective, as he quickly bounced back from a brutal Georgia Tech debut where he failed to record an out in his first start of the season. He went 7-3, 4.92 while posting a 23.2% strikeout rate and 12.1% walk rate. A 6-foot, 205-pound righthander, Jones throws a riding fastball that sits 92-94 mph and touches 96, as well as a mid-80s cutter, low-80s slider and mid-80s changeup. Jones’ stuff should be enough to work in pro ball, but he will need to improve his below-average control. -
School: Georgia Drafted/Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.8
Hoskins is a big and filled-out righthander with a powerful 6-foot-2, 210-pound frame. He was effective as a freshman reliever, but he missed the second half of his freshman season and the first half of his sophomore season because of Tommy John surgery. In 2025, Hoskins posted a 5.93 ERA over 27.1 innings with a 29.5% strikeout rate and 17.4% walk rate. Despite limited college success, his stuff should give him plenty of chances to figure out his delivery in pro ball. Hoskins sits in the 96-98 mph range out of the bullpen and his fastball has touched 100 mph. He pairs the fastball with a swing-and-miss slider that features impressive two-plane biting action in the mid 80s and looks like an easy above-average pitch. He’s thrown a handful of mid-80s changeups, but that pitch is far behind his fastball/slider and remains a distant third offering. The elbow injury impacted his development, as he’s thrown just 50.2 innings over three seasons, so there is plenty of development and polish to come. His well below-average control should limit him to the bullpen, where he’ll need to improve his strikes to become a reliable option. -
School: Indiana Drafted/Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 22.0
Cerny is a 6-foot-2, 205-pound righthanded-hitting infielder who went unpicked as a draft-eligible sophomore in 2024. Cerny’s 2025 season was a near carbon copy of his 2024 campaign. He hit .281/.286/.517 as a junior and has hit .292/.371/.511 for his Indiana career. He has hit exactly 10 home runs in each of his three seasons, with a hunched over stance and an aggressive approach at the plate. Cerny is a hit-by-pitch magnet, which plays a role in him getting on base. His 45 career HBPs is a school record and exactly matched his number of career walks. Cerny likes to frequently swing the bat, both at pitches inside and outside of the zone, which caps his walk rate. His contact skills aren’t good enough to make that approach work in pro ball, so he’s going to need to learn to be more selective. He’s logged plenty of time at both shortstop and second base in college and has a chance to play both with solid range and actions. If he goes unselected, Cerny is set to transfer to Kentucky. -
School: Virginia Drafted/Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.7
Hodges’ father, Daniel, was a 41st-round pick of the Cubs in 1996 as a lefthander out of Liberty. Brad is a 6-foot-1, 195-pound lefthander who pitched as a high-usage reliever as a freshman for Virginia in 2023. He seemed poised to step into the Cavaliers’ weekend rotation for 2024, but he suffered an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. He returned to the mound in March of 2025 and was rounding into form as the season ended. He posted a 4.88 ERA over eight starts and 27.2 innings with just two starts of five-plus innings. Hodges mostly works off a three-pitch mix that includes a 90-92 mph fastball that will touch 93-94, a low-80s slider and a low-80s changeup. He will occasionally fold in a mid-70s curveball. Hodges will have to improve his well-below-average control. He’s walked 13.8% of batters over his short college career. -
School: Fresno State Drafted/Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.3
Anker is a 6-foot-2, 200-pound righthander with an excellent track record as a control artist with Fresno State. While his swing-and-miss stuff is light, Anker owns a career 4.6% walk rate. He does get hit a lot, and he posted a 5.46 ERA with a .293 opponents average in 91.1 innings. He did post a career-best 24.3% strikeout rate. His below-average 90-92 mph fastball will touch 94 with good riding life and a plate plane. He has plenty of confidence in a mid-80s changeup, and will also mix in a few different breaking ball shapes including an upper-80s cutter, low-80s slider and upper-70s curveball. He should be able to compete as a back-of-the-rotation starter in pro ball, but will need to develop more velocity and a better swing-and-miss pitch to unlock any impact potential. -
School: Fort Zumwalt North HS, O’Fallon, Mo. Drafted/Committed: Missouri
Age At Draft: 18.7
Lohman is a projection righthander with a 6-foot-4, 185-pound frame that should allow him to pack on plenty of weight in the future. He has a fastball that’s been up to 95 mph, and he has shown flashes of an average curveball. There are questions about a third and fourth pitch, which could add to his reliever risk, though his delivery is fairly clean and easy. Lohman is committed to Missouri. -
School: Cloud City (Kan.) JC Drafted/Committed: Rangers ’22 (13)
Age At Draft: 21.9
Marcum is a high-waisted and lanky righthander with a 6-foot-5, 180-pound frame that has space for tons of extra weight and mass in the coming years. He’s a fastball/slider pitcher who led Cloud City (Kan.) JC with 85 strikeouts, as he went 6-2, 4.18. Opponents hit .189 against him, but he also walked 5.4 batters per nine innings. Marcum has a fastball that gets into the upper 90s but mostly sits in the low 90s, and pairs the pitch with a fringy breaking ball in the 76-82 mph range that blends in shape between a curveball and slider. He’ll also mix in a mid-80s changeup, but has extremely limited feel for that pitch currently. Marcum is a deep projection arm talent with big upside but real risk as well. His uncle Shaun pitched in the majors for nine years. He’s committed to Ohio State. -
School: Pearl River (Miss.) JC Drafted/Committed: Mississippi State
Age At Draft: 0.0
Spencer Jr. is a 6-foot-3, 220-pound righthander who was originally committed to Ole Miss out of high school, but ended up at Pearl River (Miss.) JC. Spencer blew out his elbow and needed Tommy John surgery in 2024, but he returned to action to go 8-4, 3.69 with 23 walks and 64 strikeouts in 39 innings in 2025. He’s a power-armed righthander with an extreme, downer head whack in his delivery and throws a 94-95 mph fastball that touches 99. His go-to secondary is a hard mid-to-upper-80s slider with sharp tilt. He lives at the top of the strike zone, although he also scatters plenty of pitches above the zone. Both his delivery and below-average control scream reliever, but he could have the pure stuff to pitch effectively in that role. Spencer is committed to Mississippi State. -
School: Sacramento State Drafted/Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.2
Brown is a 6-foot-6, 220-pound righthander who redshirted with Sacramento State in 2023, but has pitched as a reliable back-end reliever in 2024 and 2025. This spring, he posted a 2.93 ERA in 43 innings out of the pen with a 26.8% strikeout rate and a 10.9% walk rate. Brown looks like a reliever all the way with some effort in his delivery and a long arm action that he could struggle to repeat—but he does have some bat-missing stuff. He sits around 90 mph and will touch 93 with a fastball that has sink and run, but primarily confounds hitters with his slider and changeup. His mid-80s slider has gyro shape and he uses it almost half the time, while the changeup is a high-spin cambio in the low 80s that flashes impressive tumble and bottoming life. Brown generated a 40% miss rate between the two pitches. He has below-average control and owns a career 10.8% walk rate. -
School: UC Santa Barbara Drafted/Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.5
Barrett is a 6-foot-5, 225-pound lefthander who threw the first and second no-hitters in school history at Bakersfield, Calif.’s Frontier High. He broke onto the scene as a freshman with UC Santa Barbara in 2023 when he led all Division I freshmen with 82 strikeouts and posted a 1.92 ERA over 61 innings. He threw just 2.1 innings in 2024 before an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery sidelined him until late April 2025, and he made just three appearances for 4.2 innings before UC Santa Barbara’s season ended. He did also throw at the MLB draft combine. His stuff has come back post-injury. Barrett throws a three-pitch mix that includes a 90-93 mph fastball that will touch 95 and has generated most of his whiffs with an 82-85 mph changeup. The change is Barrett’s go-to secondary but he will also throw a sweepy slider around 80 mph. He’s historically been a below-average strike-thrower who might profile best in the pen. His lack of mound time the last two years adds to his uncertainty. -
School: Vista Murrieta HS, Murrieta, Calif. Drafted/Committed: Virginia
Age At Draft: 19.2
Holmes is a 6-foot-1, 190-pound shortstop and outfielder with a handful of interesting tools between his athleticism, bat speed and arm strength. He is well-built now with a quick righthanded swing that should lead to solid power potential in the future, though he does have swing-and-miss tendencies that could limit his pure hitting ability. He has the arm strength for the left side of the infield, but his actions can get a bit long and might fit better at third, or perhaps in the outfield, where his above-average running ability could fit nicely. Holmes is committed to Duke and will be a draft-eligible sophomore if he makes it to campus. -
School: West Virginia Drafted/Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.2
White is a 5-foot-11, 195-pound utilityman and lefthanded hitter. He’s been a full-time starter for West Virginia since his freshman year and has played a number of positions—including second, third, first, left, right and catcher. He had a productive summer in the Cape Cod League, hitting .267/.377/.389, and he carried that over into the 2025 season. He cut his strikeout rate significantly and slashed .361/.426/.529 with five home runs and 17 doubles. White has shown average raw power and a tick above-average contact skills, although he can get too aggressive at times. White started the season as the team’s everyday second baseman but injured his shoulder in late March and was strictly used as a DH the rest of the season, and he batted cleanup during the team’s run to the NCAA super regionals. White’s defensive versatility and excellent contact numbers as a junior could make him a draft target in the 11-20 round range. -
School: Florida State Drafted/Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.2
Harrelson had an excellent freshman season at Texas Tech and a more modest sophomore year. He transferred to Florida State for the 2025 season, where he immediately became the team’s everyday right fielder and leadoff hitter. A 6-foot-3, 180-pound lefthanded hitter, Harrelson slashed .339/.444/.462 with 15 stolen bases and a career-low 21.2% strikeout rate. He doesn’t have prototypical power for a corner profile, even if he can sting 100+ mph line drives at times. His swing is short and he can get on top of pitches at the top of the zone, but he also has more swing-and-miss tendencies than you’d like for a contact-oriented hitter. His plus speed may be enough to earn him a chance to play center field at least on a part-time basis in pro ball. -
School: Chipola (Fla.) JC Drafted/Committed: Florida State
Age At Draft: 0.0
Vanek is a 6-foot-3, 205-pound outfielder, first baseman and lefthanded hitter who played for Louisiana’s famed Barbe High School. He led Chipola (Fla.) JC in hitting in 2025 and slashed .395/.512/.631 with nine home runs and more walks than strikeouts. Vanek has a crouched and open stance with plenty of present strength, and does a nice job shortening up and hunting more contact in two-strike counts. He’s committed to Florida State where he can continue proving his hitting chops against better competition, but could be of interest for MLB teams in the 11-20 round range. -
School: Archbishop Moeller HS, Cincinnati Drafted/Committed: LSU
Age At Draft: 19.1
Theophilus jumped on the national scene with a loud showing at the 2023 Area Code Game underclass showcase, where he struck out eight of the 12 batters he faced. A 6-foot-2, 195-pound righthander, Theophilus throws a fastball in the 90-93 mph range and touches 94 with a solid low-80s slider to go with it. He will mix in a low-80s changeup and a curveball in the upper 70s, too. Theophilus has a long, extended arm action and some effort in his delivery which could add reliever risk to his profile. He’s committed to LSU and will be a draft-eligible sophomore if he makes it to campus. -
School: Mineral Area (Mo.) JC Drafted/Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 0.0
Lee is a lean and wiry righthanded hitter who put together one of the more impressive offensive seasons in junior college in 2025. A 5-foot-11, 165-pound outfielder, Lee hit .444/.498/.800 with 13 home runs, five triples and 15 doubles for Mineral Area (Mo.) JC. He’s an explosive runner who gets out of the box in a hurry and stole 32 bags in 34 attempts. Lee’s speed is his most obvious tool at the moment. He’s at least a plus runner who should be able to stick in center field. Despite his home run production, his frame and raw power suggests a contact-over-power offensive profile, but somebody who could continue stacking plenty of extra-base hits in the form of doubles and triples into the gaps. There are wide error bars on Lee’s pure hitting ability given the quality of his competition, but he’s an athlete with some obvious physical tools. -
School: The First Academy, Orlando, Fla. Drafted/Committed: Oklahoma State
Age At Draft: 18.1
Indomenico is a lefthanded hitter and outfielder with a solid collection of secondary tools. Listed at 6 feet, 185 pounds, Indomenico stands out mostly for his speed and arm strength. He’s at least an above-average runner and has turned in plus run times, which could give him a chance to stick in center field at the next level. While he moves well enough for the position, Indomenico does still need to sharpen his routes and his instincts to avoid moving to a corner, where his above-average throwing arm would fit nicely in right field. Indomenico is a bit more raw offensively. He’s a pull-oriented hitter who did a nice job making contact and spitting on pitches out of the zone in the 2024 travel circuit, but he doesn’t have much power yet and will need to add plenty of strength to impact the ball to the opposite field. Indomenico led his First Academy high school team to a 2A state championship in Florida this spring. He’s committed to Oklahoma State. -
School: Hansworth SS, North Vancouver, B.C. Drafted/Committed: Michigan
Age At Draft: 17.9
Brinham is a double-projection lefthander with a 6-foot-1, 175-pound frame who made strides with both his strikes and fastball velocity in 2025. After pitching in the upper 80s and touching 91 mph in 2024 with scattered strikes, Brinham has pushed his fastball into the 88-90 mph range and touched 93 in 2025 with more precision. His secondaries are fringy now and require plenty of projection, but he has shown some flashes of a quality breaking ball in the mid 70s and a changeup in the low 80s. Brinham moves well on the mound with a compact arm action and three-quarter slot. He could make some big strides by adding a bit more strength in the future. The Canadian native is committed to Michigan and will still be 17 on draft day. -
School: Grand Canyon Drafted/Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.7
Barreras was a three-year contributor at Grand Canyon and replaced A’s sixth overall pick Jacob Wilson as the team’s starting shortstop in 2024. While Barreras is not in the same class of hitter as Wilson and also isn’t quite as big at 6-foot, 190 pounds, he fits a similar archetype as a contact merchant with special bat-to-ball skills that allow him to make contact all over the zone against all pitch types. He recovered from a slow start in the spring of 2025 to hit .358 with nearly four times as many walks (27) as strikeouts (7). Barreras’ strikeout rate in his college career was just 7.4%. But his power is light and it’s tough to envision Barreras reaching even double-digit homers in a season without getting stronger. Defensively, scouts believe Barreras has the tools to stick at shortstop and certainly in the dirt—he was named to the all-WAC defensive team as a freshman while splitting time between shortstop and third base. -
School: Pearl River (Miss.) JC Drafted/Committed: Auburn
Age At Draft: 0.0
Johnson is a lanky righthander with a 6-foot-3, 165-pound frame who posted a 1.62 ERA over 14 starts and 66.2 innings with Pearl River (Miss.) JC in 2025. He has a three-pitch mix that includes a low-90s fastball that gets up to 96, a low-80s slider and a less-frequently used changeup in the mid 80s. Johnson is committed to Auburn but has some interest from teams in rounds 11-20. -
School: Kankakee Valley HS, Wheatfield, Ind. Drafted/Committed: Indiana
Age At Draft: 0.0
Barr is a big-bodied lefthander with a physical, 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame. There’s some effort in his delivery and depth in his arm stroke, but Barr has big pure arm speed and a fastball that sits in the low 90s and has been up to 95 mph. It’s easy to see him touching upper-90s velocity with some frequency in the next few years, but Barr’s secondaries need more refinement. He throws a below-average curveball in the mid 70s that he has used more frequently than a mid-80s slider that could become his better breaking ball in the future. Barr is a scattered strike-thrower who carries some reliever risk, but he is still interesting because of his size and heavy fastball. He’s committed to Indiana. -
School: Northwest Florida State JC Drafted/Committed: Orioles ’23 (15)
Age At Draft: 20.7
Lott is a massively projectable outfielder and righthanded hitter with an ultra-lanky 6-foot-5, 190-pound frame. The Orioles drafted him in the 15th round out of high school, but he didn’t sign and went to Northwest Florida JC, where he hit .335/.482/.555 with 12 home runs and 21 stolen bases in two seasons. He was named the 2025 Panhandle Conference player of the year. Lott has an upright stance with a high handset and is a great runner for his size. It’s easy to dream of an athletic power-speed combination with Lott, who should profile best as a corner outfielder. -
School: Alabama State Drafted/Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 20.9
Cruz is a big and physical righthander and first baseman with a 6-foot-5, 240-pound frame and a hyper-aggressive approach at the plate. He slashed .416/.478/.682 with 14 home runs and 22 doubles in 2025 with Alabama State and can drive the ball hard into the gaps—but loves to swing the bat. Cruz had an extremely swing-happy 56% swing rate in 2025 and expanded the zone with regularity. Cruz does have impressive bat-to-ball skills to go with his aggressive approach, and rarely misses a fastball, but will get a bit more exposed against secondaries. His batted ball data might be a little bit light for a right-right first base profile reliant on batted ball outcomes and without a huge floor of on-base skill. However, he’s an interesting hitter committed to Georgia with loud performance who could fit in rounds 11-20 in the draft. -
School: Auburn Drafted/Committed: Brewers ’23 (18)
Age At Draft: 21.0
Watts is a 6-foot-4, 205-pound righthander who began his career at Tacoma (Wash.) Community JC in 2023. The Brewers drafted him in the 18th round in 2023, but instead of signing Watts went to Auburn where he pitched mostly in the bullpen for the next two years. Watts’ career 7.25 ERA at Auburn is underwhelming, but teams are intrigued with his pure arm talent. He sits around 95 mph with his fastball and has been up to 99 at peak velocity. He also generated a miss rate north of 50% with his hard and tight mid-80s slider. His mid-80s fading changeup is a real third pitch as well. Watts showed solid control in his 2025 draft season. -
School: Samford Drafted/Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.7
Gupton was a top-10-rounds talent coming out of high school because of his top-of-the-scale speed and impressive raw power. He didn’t get drafted and made it to campus at NC State, where he had just seven plate appearances, before transferring to Gulf Coast Community (Miss.) JC in 2024 and Samford in 2025. Now listed at 5-foot-9, 175 pounds, Gupton remains a high-end runner who regularly turns in 80-grade run times and can homer to the pull side. He is limited by an extremely raw offensive approach with below-average contact skills, but he did hit .333/.401/.630 with 15 homers through 55 games in 2025. Gupton too frequently gets himself out by expanding the zone on bad pitches and struck out at a 28% clip. Gupton’s swing is also long enough that his home-to-first times will play down from his true speed. He’s an above-average center fielder whose speed should be more than enough to stick at the position, but he’s never stolen the amount of bases that his raw running ability might suggest. -
School: Rice Drafted/Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.8
Hickson started his college career at Florida State but threw just one inning as a freshman in 2023 before transferring to Rice. A 6-foot-2, 210-pound righthander, Hickson pitched first as a reliever and then moved into a starter role in 2025, where he posted a 3.82 ERA over 73 innings with a 27.7% strikeout rate and 10.8% walk rate, which was an improvement over his 13.9% walk rate in 2024. He throws a three-pitch mix that includes a fastball that sits 93-94 mph and touches 97, a mid-80s slider and a mid-80s changeup. Hickson is a fringy strike-thrower and has better feel for his fastball and slider than changeup. -
School: New Mexico JC Drafted/Committed: Texas Tech
Age At Draft: 20.4
Becerra is a physical 6-foot-1, 215-pound righthander with a big fastball and a chance to be a power reliever. He ran his fastball up to 97 mph in the fall and early in the 2025 spring season, though his velocity was inconsistent and trended more toward the 90-94 mph range later in the year. At its best, scouts think his fastball has a chance to be a double-plus offering, though Becerra needs to sharpen his secondaries and his control. His best non-fastball might be a curveball that could become an average pitch. He’s also thrown a slider and changeup that are solidly below-average. Becerra is committed to Texas Tech for the 2026 season and might profile best as a reliever in pro ball. -
School: Samford Drafted/Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.7
Keshock is a lean righthander with a 6-foot-7, 225-pound frame who pitched sporadically with Auburn in his first two college seasons. He transferred to Samford for the 2025 season where he posted a 5.73 ERA over 14 starts and 77 innings with a 20.2% strikeout rate and 9% walk rate, and his final line ballooned after allowing 10 earned runs in his final outing against East Tennessee State. Keshock sits in the 90-94 mph range with his two-seam fastball and has touched 95-96. The pitch is more of a groundball-inducing heater than a real swing-and-miss pitch. He relies on a mid-80s gyro slider and a mid-80s changeup to get most of his whiffs. Keshock struggled at times syncing his long levers down the stretch, but at his best he’s a classic sinker-slider righty from a lower arm slot. -
School: Alabama Drafted/Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 20.8
Neal ranked as a top-100 player in the 2022 class out of high school as a young-for-the-class backstop with a well-rounded game. He made it to campus at LSU where he showed some on-base ability and flashes of power, but transferred to Alabama for the 2025 season. A 5-foot-10, 190-pound lefthanded hitter, Neal has never quite lived up to his prep pedigree as a hitter in college and finished his first three seasons as a career .236/.397/.434 hitter. Neal does have a solid understanding of the zone and his 17.6% career walk rate shows he’s plenty willing to take a free pass, but he really struggles to make contact against secondaries. Neal has all the tools to stick behind the plate and be a solid catcher. He has soft hands while receiving, and quick actions and footwork on his throws with a better exchange than pure arm strength. Neal’s glove and pedigree could appeal to a team in rounds 11-20 that believes it can help him rediscover more of his impact at the plate. -
School: Cape Henlopen HS, Lewes, Del. Drafted/Committed: Kentucky
Age At Draft: 18.8
Mitchell is a power-oriented lefthanded hitter and catcher with a great frame at 6-foot-3, 195 pounds. The Delaware native played for the same Cape Henlopen program that produced big leaguer Zack Gelof and, like Gelof, won the state’s Gatorade player of the year award. He has plus raw power already and still has a chance to fill out and add more strength in the future. Mitchell does make some aggressive swing decisions now and has the sort of long-levered swing that might come with miss tendencies and create a power-over-hit profile. He has a chance for an above-average arm behind the plate, but there are questions about his blocking and receiving that could ultimately force him off the position. Mitchell is committed to Kentucky. -
School: Lee’s Summit (Mo.) West HS Drafted/Committed: Tennessee
Age At Draft: 18.6
Wood is a physical, muscled-up prep righthander with a 6-foot-2, 210-pound frame. He sat 92-94 mph with his fastball and touched 96 at peak during his senior spring, then carried on to the MLB Draft League where he maxed out at 98 mph in a short outing in mid June. Wood also shows flashes of an average low-80s slider and a mid-80s changeup that has a chance to develop into a reliable third offering. He has some reliever risk but enough arm talent to make him interesting to teams right out of high school. Wood is committed to Tennessee. -
School: Walters State (Tenn.) JC Drafted/Committed: Tennessee
Age At Draft: 0.0
Myatt was the most dominant hitter in junior college in 2025. He was named the NJCAA Division I player of the year after he won the juco triple crown and led the country with a .484 average, 31 home runs and 110 RBIs. Myatt slashed .484/.583/1.014 and set the Walters State (Tenn.) JC record for home runs and RBIs while tying the hits record at 105. Myatt is filled out and physical with a 5-foot-11, 205-pound frame and plenty of strength, though there are some limitations to his game. Myatt is not a great athlete and he doesn’t have a clear defensive home. He’s played a bit of second base and third, but also spent a solid amount of time in the lineup as a DH. Myatt is committed to Tennessee, where he’ll have an opportunity to prove his hitting chops against better competition and potentially add more clarity to where he can play in the field. He could be a draft target for teams in the 11-20 range purely on his production. -
School: IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. Drafted/Committed: Florida State
Age At Draft: 19.2
Paulino Jr. is part of an annually-loaded IMG Academy team in Bradenton, Fla. and pairs solid physicality with intriguing hitting traits. A 6-foot-1, 190-pound third baseman and righthanded hitter, Paulino combines solid bat speed with good contact skills and an advanced approach at the plate. He has above-average raw power that could play as average in game—mostly to the pull side now—and also has the tools to stick at third base. He’s a below-average runner who doesn’t look like a real basestealing threat, but he has solid hands and enough arm strength for the hot corner. Paulino’s game is more well-rounded than explosive, and he’s physically close to maxed out, so some teams could prefer the right-right corner infielder to prove his hitting chops at Florida State. -
School: Auburn Drafted/Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.4
Snow began his career at South Florida where he had a standout 2023 freshman season, led the team in hitting and homered eight times. He wasn’t nearly as productive as a sophomore and transferred to Auburn for the 2025 season where he moved from a regular shortstop into a utility infield role, mostly playing third base and second. Snow’s impact at the plate more closely resembled his impressive freshman campaign. Listed at 5-foot-8, 190 pounds, Snow is undersized with a compact frame that is mostly filled out. He doesn’t have loud tools, but he is an excellent contact hitter who doesn’t miss a fastball and rarely swings and misses inside the strike zone. His power is limited and he’s not a burner, but he does a lot of things well on the field, competes in the box and has the hands to play all over the infield. His fringy arm strength might make second base his best defensive fit at the next level. -
School: Blue Valley HS, Stilwell, Kan. Drafted/Committed: Texas
Age At Draft: 19.0
Westphal is an athletic, high-energy righthander with a 6-foot-3, 185-pound frame. He has a loud fastball/slider combination with both pitches earning above-average future grades or better. The fastball sits in the low 90s and will touch 93 mph, while his slider is a big, sweeping breaking ball in the upper 70s with huge spin rates that get north of 3,000 rpm. While Westphal does have solid strikes for a high school righthander, the effort in his delivery does lead to some reliever questions. While he’s mostly a two-pitch righthander now, he does have a mid-80s changeup in the arsenal. Westphal is committed to Texas and will be a draft-eligible sophomore if he makes it to campus. -
School: South Carolina Drafted/Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 22.3
Kaczmar was a draft-eligible sophomore who received some interest from MLB clubs after he led Ohio State in hitting in 2024. Instead of being drafted and signing, Kaczmar transferred to South Carolina for the 2025 season where he hit .315/.394/.486 as the team’s everyday shortstop. Despite his consistent collegiate hitting track record, Kaczmar has some offensive questions. His swing is noisy with some moving parts, and he tends to expand the strike zone a bit too often, with contact questions against all pitch types, but especially against fastball velocity. He never hit more than seven home runs in a college season. Kaczmar is a solid defender who gets the ball out of his glove quickly, though his pure arm strength might be a bit light for shortstop. -
School: Archbishop Ryan HS Drafted/Committed: West Virginia
Age At Draft: 19.1
Perez is a muscular shortstop and righthanded pitcher with a 5-foot-10, 190-pound frame and solid tools on both sides of the ball. As a hitter, Perez has a power-over-hit offensive look, with an open stance and lots of bat speed and intent on his swings. He needs more refinement with his approach, but he has the ability to impact the baseball, particularly to the pull side. He has a plus arm that should give him a chance to stick on the left side of the infield, though his size and actions could make him a better fit for third base at the next level. On the mound, Perez has a fastball that’s regularly in the low 90s and has been up to 95 mph, as well as a low-80s breaking ball and low-80s changeup that needs plenty of work. He’s more thrower than pitcher now and carries plenty of reliever risk without significant strides. Perez is committed to West Virginia and will be a draft-eligible sophomore if he makes it to campus. -
School: Trinity Christian HS, Sharpsburg, Ga. Drafted/Committed: Chipola (Fla.) JC
Age At Draft: 18.6
Stiltner is a high-waisted and projectable righthander with a 6-foot-2, 195-pound frame. He throws with a low three-quarters slot and has a solid three-pitch mix. His fastball is typically in the low 90s, though in the 2025 spring he pushed the pitch up to 95 mph with consistent sinking life. He throws the slider in the low-to-mid 80s and has also shown some swing-and-miss traits with a tumbling, mid-80s changeup—though his feel for the change remains a bit behind his fastball/slider combo. Stiltner is committed to Chipola (Fla.) JC. -
School: University School of Nashville (Tenn.) HS Drafted/Committed: Arkansas
Age At Draft: 18.7
Peck is a big-bodied righthanded hitter with tons of physical projection and the ingredients to become an impact bat with more seasoning. Listed at 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, Peck has lean strength throughout his frame with impressive bat speed and functional hitting mechanics. His leg kick is early and gets drawn out, which might become more of a timing concern against better pitchers, and he’ll also get a bit pull-happy and leak out with his lower half at times. He can impact the ball to the pull side when he’s timed up and has the bat speed to handle high-end velocity, but Peck’s overall approach and bat-to-ball skills need polish. Peck isn’t a burner and could slow down to more of a fringy runner in the future as he adds strength. He’s a shortstop now but his longer actions and overall build could be a better fit for third base where his solid-average arm should fit fine. Peck is an Arkansas commit who could raise his stock significantly by continuing his hitting development in the SEC. -
School: Central Florida Drafted/Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.7
Williams is a 6-foot-2, 215-pound righthanded reliever with a loud two-pitch combo but strikes issues. He started his career at Jacksonville where he missed most of the 2023 season with injury, but pitched well out of the bullpen before transferring to Central Florida for the 2025 season. Williams posted a 9.28 ERA in 10.2 innings in 2025, but scouts are intrigued with his arm talent despite his lack of performance. He averages 95 mph with his fastball and has touched 99 and has a hard, upper-80s slider that has potential purely on its power—though it remains inconsistent.
Minor League Top Prospects
-
EL managers came to have the same feelings about Larish that scouts have had since his college days at Arizona State. Once considered a potentially elite hitter, he has adopted an approach and sells out for home runs. It makes his profile more that of a second-division regular than as a championship-caliber starter. "He's abandoned using the whole field and has very little two-strike approach," one scout said. "He was just trying to jerk balls, but he showed pretty big power, and it's from the left side." His upright stance turns off some, because it precludes him from covering the outer third of the plate and produces serious holes in his swing. The things he can do make Larish a prospect. He's patient, ranking second in the league and sixth in the minors with 87 walks, and he waits out pitchers until he gets a pitch he can drive. His strength and leveraged swing produce well above-average power, as he led the EL with 28 homers and 101 RBIs. He's also an accomplished defender around the bag at first base. -
Saunders is one of the best athletes in the Mariners system, but his stock took a hit when he batted .240/.329/.345 in his full-season debut in low Class A last year. He flashed his five-tool potential on a much more consistent basis in the Cal League, and he played well in Double-A in August. He's still growing into his 6-foot-4 frame and has good loft in his swing, which could make him a 20-homer hitter on an annual basis. He has plus speed that makes him a basestealing threat and a plus defender in center or right field. A Canadian who had NHL potential in hockey and also played basketball, lacrosse and soccer, he lacks true baseball instincts but has shown a better sense for the game with each of his promotions. -
Paulino hadn't played above Class A coming into the season, but he made his major league debut in Houston in September, earning wins in his last two starts. He has the body and the stuff to pitch at the top of a rotation, with a fastball that touches 100 mph and sits at 95-99 mph. Paulino has four legitimate pitches, using both a slider and a curveball as well as a changeup. His curveball is probably the best of his complementary pitches, but none of them stand out. To establish himself in the big league rotation, Paulino will have to improve his command and become more confident with his fastball. His velocity allows him to dominate, but if hitters hit his heater early in games, he tends to shy away from it. -
Ely overmatched Pioneer League hitters in his pro debut by consistently by consistently throwing strikes and using his 91-93 mph fastball to set them up for a plus changeup that ranks as his best pitch. His curveball was a solid pitch for him at Miami (Ohio) this spring, though it received mixed reviews from those who saw him this summer. Ely has a deceptive delivery that he repeats well and keeps hitters off balance, but he's also a max-effort pitcher with a head jerk. There are some concerns about how his ability to avoid injuries with his mechanics, but he has no history of arm problems in the past. He's extremely competitive on the mound. -
The Yankees signed Heredia out of the Dominican Republic last year. He didn't pitch in the Dominican Summer League in 2006 and made his pro debut in the States this summer. Not big but wiry strong, Heredia pumps out fastballs from 91-93 mph, touching some 94s along the way. He has a loose, easy delivery and adds and subtracts from his fastball, which he commands to all four quadrants of the strike zone. His slurvy breaking ball needs to get tighter, though it shows flashes of being a plus pitch with solid downward rotation. "He just reminds me of Pedro Martinez when I was with the Dodgers in '93," Reed said. "You see the frame and wonder where it all comes from. This guy is the same way." His changeup is still a work in progress, as he's refining his arm action and grip to command it more consistently. Heredia morphed into a two-pitch pitcher at times, and he'll have to gain more confidence in his changeup if he's going to profile as a starter. -
Ottavino's approach is simple yet effective. He relies on a 92-93 mph fastball featuring good armside run and a tight slider, as the fastball rides in on righthanders while the slider runs away from them. His command isn't very polished, but he gets enough movement that he can simply aim for the middle of the plate and relying on the run on his fastball and the tilt on his slider to hit the corners. Ottavino got FSL hitters to chase his slider out of the zone, though there's some concern as to whether he can throw it consistently for strikes if more advanced players lay off of it. He also throws a below-average changeup and curveball, and he might wind up in the bullpen down the road. -
As they did with lefty John Danks in 2006, the Rangers bumped Hurley to Triple-A just three years after drafting him in the first round out of high school. Texas felt comfortable moving Hurley quickly, given his even temperament and willingness to take instruction. He pitched very well for Oklahoma before getting hammered in his final two starts, when he allowed six of his 13 Triple-A homers. With a repertoire headed by a 91-95 mph fastball and an above-average slider with late depth, Hurley is all about power. Those two pitches will play up--and his strikeouts will increase--as he gains more command. He needs to improve his changeup and do a better job of working down in the strike zone. -
An exceptional athlete, Brown was recruited by Miami as a wide receiver but he chose instead to sign as a 20th-round pick in 2006. The ball jumps off his bat, though his swing can get long and has some holes that can be exploited. His wiry-strong build evokes Darryl Strawberry, and he can hit the ball a long way when he connects. A long strider with above-average speed, Brown plays a shallow center field. He occasionally takes some bad routes, but he's athletic enough to compensate and has a strong arm. "He's got a ton of tools," Hudson Valley manager Matt Quatraro said. "His body, if it fills out, he could be a monster. His swing's long at times, but when he gets on top of the ball, he's got some juice." -
Because of his stuff, frame and profile, Reyes gets compared Horacio Ramirez, who likewise signed with the Braves out of a southern California high school. Reyes made 14 starts at Mississippi before spending three months in the majors when injuries beset Atlanta's pitching staff. He struggled but did win two of his last three starts and posted a 3.10 ERA in September. Reyes doesn't have a true put-away pitch, but he has five weapons at his disposal, headlined by a fastball that ranges from 88-94 mph. He can add and subtract from his fastball, and also throws a cutter in the high 80s. His solid-average slider is his best secondary pitch, which he complements with a usable changeup and curve. He's erratic with his command at times, and Reyes has lapses when a series of mistakes leads to big innings. He profiles as a back-of-the-rotation starter. "He's a guy for me," the second scout said. "He can speed up and slow down bats, and he has enough effective wildness and enough stuff to get away with some of his inconsistency." -
Fabian has added 30 pounds since signing out of the Dominican in 2003, and his 6-foot-3 frame still has plenty of projection remaining. He has yet to reach full-season ball in five years as a pro and is far from a finished product, but his loose arm is loaded with potential. Fabian's fastball sits at 91 mph and he was up to 96 in the first game of the NWL finals, when he pitched into the eighth inning and earned the win against Salem-Keizer. He's aggressive and attacks hitters, though his command is below-average. He'll occasionally break off a filthy downer curveball that could become a legitimate putaway offering. His changeup is below-average, though it too could develop into a weapon. -
James flew under the radar last season despite going 6-2, 1.36 in Lexington. His fringy fastball didn't excite scouts then, but they believe in him more now that his velocity increased this year. His heater sat at 89-92 and he can sink and tail it to either side of the plate, making him a groundball machine. James' slider is an average pitch with plus potential. He has toyed with different grips on his changeup but hasn't found consistent command of it yet. "He could be unhittable at times here and all he'd throw were sinkers," Sarbaugh said. "He'd flash you the breaking ball, he'd flash the changeup, but he was pretty much all sinkers." -
The highlight of Lofgren's season was going home to San Francisco for the Futures Game--he's from famed Serra High in nearby San Mateo--but the regular season held some struggles for him. His athletic ability, competitiveness and aptitude still make him one of the minors' more intriguing lefties, but he has work to do. Lofgren pitches off his average-to-plus fastball, running it up to 93-94 mph at times. His curveball, slider and changeup all flash above-average potential as well. He started throwing his changeup two years ago and it's now his best secondary pitch, allowing him to be more effective against righthanders (.739 OPS against) than lefties (.815 OPS). Lofgren didn't attack Double-A hitters like he needed to, getting into trouble by nibbling when he got ahead or by struggling to throw his secondary pitches for strikes early in counts. One scout said Lofgren needs to learn pitchability and expects his athletic ability to help him do that with another year in the minors. -
Patton spent the first half of the season in Double-A and required just eight Triple-A starts before he was thrust into Houston's rotation in August. The Astros turned to him not because he had blown away PCL batters, but because he shows exceptional poise for a young pitcher. After three effective appearances in Houston, he was shut down with shoulder soreness, which cut short his two previous seasons as well. With command of three pitches and a strong pickoff move, Patton has the ingredients to be a solid No. 3 starter. He locates his 88-92 mph fastball to both sides of the plate and has confidence in his hard curveball. Patton has made the greatest strides with his changeup, which fades down and away from righthanders. -
Statia has the tools to play shortstop in the majors now. He's an athletic defender with above-average range to both sides, plus arm strength and good instincts. He's a savvy basestealer as well, swiping 29 bags in 37 tries despite just average speed. While his defense is big league-ready, his bat is nowhere close. Until he adds some strength to his lanky frame, he'll be vulnerable to good fastballs. He has little power, and while he makes consistent contact, he doesn't draw many walks. -
Welker had an up-and-down spring as a weekend starter for Arkansas after transferring from Seminole State (Okla.) JC, but the Pirates drafted him in the second round based on his arm strength and projectable 6-foot-7 frame. He had a strong pro debut before the Pirates shut him down because of elbow soreness. Welker pitches at 92-93 mph and touches 95-96 with his lively fastball, and he might throw even harder as he matures. He pitches off his fastball, working it in and out, and mixes in a slurvy breaking ball that has potential but needs some tightening. His changeup is usable but also needs some refinement. Welker has a strong, durable frame and pitches on a good downward plane. He could be a starter in the big leagues if he can polish his secondary offerings. "One thing that sticks out the most to me is his competitiveness and his presence," State College manager Turner Ward said. "To me, he's definitely a big leaguer. He's got the stamina, the body, just the package of a starting pitcher." -
Like Votto, Lind came into the season with high expectations after winning the Double-A Eastern League's MVP award and hitting .367 in 60 September big league at-bats in 2006. He started 2007 with Syracuse, earning an early callup when Reed Johnson had back surgery. American League pitchers were ready for Lind this time and he struggled to make adjustments, hitting .230/.274/.383 before a July demotion. Lind regained his confidence and his stroke in the IL, and he fared better (.273/.298/.473) after a September callup. He's balanced at the plate and stays inside the ball well, using his classic lefthanded swing to drive the ball from line to line. "His hands somewhat work independently from his body," Syracuse manager Doug Davis said. "He's got such good hand-eye coordination that it's very easy for him to put the barrel of the bat on ball. That's my biggest thing. He's a natural hitter who can not only put the ball in play, but drive it." Lind missed two weeks in early August when he strained a muscle in his neck after violently banging his head on the ground while making a diving attempt for a catch. A similar play in 2006 caused a concussion. He remains a work in progress in the outfield, where below-average speed and just playable range and throwing mechanics limit him to left field. -
After serving as a catcher when he wasn't injured during his first two pro seasons, Snyder moved to first base this year and looked more comfortable. He had his best offensive season to date, rebounding nicely from the dislocated right shoulder and rotator-cuff surgery that limited him to 72 games in 2006. Snyder showed improved plate discipline and continued to display a smooth swing from the right side. He consistently gets his hands in a good hitting position. The question, however, is whether he'll drive in enough runs to be an impact player at the major league level, because the move to first base puts a greater emphasis on his bat. Snyder, who showed soft hands and good athleticism at his new position, also took groundballs at third base. "He adapted well defensively and has become a quality first baseman," Kendall said. "He also made adjustments with the bat, particularly with his pitch selection. Last year, he didn't have a plan when he stepped in the box. While he'll still wave at breaking balls, he has improved in working the count and using the whole field." -
Canham's makeup and offensive prowess were a big part of Oregon State's back-to-back College World Series titles. The day he reported to Eugene, he introduced himself to manager Greg Riddoch and promptly asked to take the opposing hitters' chart home with him to prepare for the next night's game. Canham injured a testicle in mid-July and missed two weeks. After he returned to the lineup, his solid-average bat speed and raw power weren't as evident, but he's a confident hitter with a good approach from the left side of the plate. He has a tendency to drift during his swing, which creates some length. Canham's defensive skills are subpar, but he's a good athlete with plenty of agility and aptitude to work his way into becoming an adequate catcher. He has solid-average arm strength with a fair release that would be aided by better footwork, and he threw out 31 percent of basestealers in the NWL. He's an average runner. -
Romero finished third in the league in batting (.316) and homers (nine). He's a gap-to-gap hitter who can drive the ball hard the other way, and he should have even more power as he gets stronger and turns on more pitches. Defensively, Romero has limited range at third base but he does have soft hands, arm strength and a quick release. He sometimes overthrows, but he's fairly steady and led Appy League third baseman with a .929 fielding percentage. His biggest need is to find an even keel, as he gets down on himself and lets his emotions affect his play. "He's got it in him," Elizabethton manager Ray Smith said. "He's a tools guy and he can hit it as far as anybody. He's got it in him, but we need to get it out of him." -
After hitting just three homers in Rookie ball last year, Francisco won the MWL home run crown with 25, including 10 in the final month. In a league full of young power hitters, scouts and managers thought Francisco had the most raw pop of any of them. "He swings the bat with a lot of authority," Great Lakes manager Lance Parrish said. "He has a lot of potential and it's not too far in the future. He'll be leading every league he's in in home runs and he'll be an all-star." Francisco offers incredible pull power from the left side, though he needs to tone down his aggression and tighten his strike zone after fanning 161 times and walking only 23 in 135 games. He has a long swing and tends to chase balls in the dirt, but he's also just 20. He has enough arm and mobility to stay at third base, though he'll have to watch his weight to do so. -
Rodriguez doesn't offer one overwhelming tool, but his overall package and strong baseball instincts should make him an effective big leaguer. His offensive numbers dipped from 2006, when he led the minors with 291 total bases, but he was still selected as the league's all-star shortstop. Power is probably Rodriguez' best tool, as he shows the ability to drive the ball to all fields and could hit 20-25 homers per year in the majors. Some observers think he would be better served shortening his swing and being more of a doubles hitter, however. Though he has a good swing and balance at the plate, he led the league with 132 whiffs, in part because of poor strike-zone recognition. Rodriguez has been a shortstop so far in his career and shows good defensive actions, but his below-average speed and big frame, as well as organization depth, could push him to second base or the outfield. He'll probably end up as a utility player. -
Just before Scherzer would have re-entered the 2006 draft, the Diamondbacks coughed up a four-year major league contract worth $4.3 million in guaranteed money to sign the 11th overall pick from 2005. Nicknamed "Max-a-million" by his teammates, he made three starts in high Class A before arriving in Mobile in late June. Scherzer's most attractive attribute is a sinking fastball that tops out near 95 mph. His mechanics need some work, as his release point is inconsistent and there's some effort to his delivery, but he does achieve good extension out front and his arm strength is obvious. Scherzer has a two-seamer he can run up to 90 mph, an 80-84 mph slider and a changeup, all of which have potential to be solid-average to plus offerings. But Scherzer's arsenal is inconsistent, and his overall command is below average. That leads some scouts to project he'll wind up in the bullpen, where he can focus on his fastball and slider. "It's an outstanding arm who needs polish and has some max effort to it, which impacts his ability to command the baseball," a fourth scout said. "The stuff is there, it's just a matter of if he can make that next step and command it." -
AZL managers found Culberson, a surprise supplemental first-round pick in June, far from conventional but nonetheless to their liking. He rebounded from a terrible start to help drive the Giants into the championship game, leading the team with 19 stolen bases (in 20 tries) and batting .354 in August. Culverson showed pull power, savvy baserunning skills and above-average bat speed, and he made progress on learning when to be aggressive and when to be smart. Culberson hit 16 homers as a high school senior, but homers aren't likely to be a significant part of his game as he moves up the ladder. The unconventional part comes with his glove. Culberson has excellent arm strength despite an unusual, almost sidearm release point, and as he learns to trust his arm, he'll improve his fringe-average range by playing deeper and learning better positioning. His aggressive nature led to mistakes, but he worked hard with roving instructor Fred Stanley and showed enough aptitude (one error in his last 12 games in the AZL) to keep playing shortstop in instructional league. -
Fish finished in a three-way tie for the league lead with 77 strikeouts in 72 innings and fanned 13 in eight innings in his lone playoff outing. His funky delivery creates deception and confuses hitters, making his 88-93 mph fastball seem quicker than it really is. He has good secondary pitches, though he needs to be more consistent with his curveball, which rates as solid-average when he throws it for strikes. Fish still needs to improve his command and must keep his weight under control. -
A second-round pick in 2006, Perez made his full-season debut with the Avalanche. He was up an down for much of the season, but he showed two quality pitches throughout. His fastball has excellent late life and sits at 91-93 mph, while his 84-mph slider was his out pitch for much of the year. Perez' changeup improved as the season wore on, though he still doesn't have quite the arm action he needs to make it as effective as it could be. He repeats his delivery well, though some scouts expressed concern with the way he wraps his wrist in the back of his delivery -
Carvajal had to repeat the league after a hand injury curtailed his season last year. He needed the experience because he had gotten just 75 at-bats since signing for $350,000 in late 2005 out of the Dominican Republic. He's still raw, particularly in terms of pitch recognition and plate discipline, but he also has some of the best bat speed in the Padres system and enough athletic ability to play well in a short trial in center field. According to AZL Padres manager Tony Muser, the former Royals skipper, Carvajal profiles best as a left fielder with good defense and enough power for the position. "He has a lot of upside because he can do a lot of things," Muser said. "He can run, he's got a plus arm, he's got raw power. A lot of times with young players like him, it can take longer getting on their feet, and he lost time, but now he's making progress." -
One of the few Mariners prospects who has been allowed to develop more or less at his own pace, Balentien showed improvement across the board in his first taste of Triple-A. Most strikingly, he slashed his strikeout rate from one every 3.2 at-bats in 2006 to one every 4.5 for Tacoma. Though Balentien still will wildly chase pitches out of the zone, he did show increased selectivity in the first half, especially with regard to breaking balls off the plate. He has immense raw power to all fields and hit his first big league homer in September off Fausto Carmona. Balentien also has average speed and good baserunning instincts. He's an average defender with a plus arm in right field. He frequently has come under scrutiny for his lackadaisical play and though he still has lapses, he showed more focus and maturity in 2007. -
If Young reaches the majors, his speed will be what gets him there. After leading the minors with 87 steals in 2006, he ranked second this year with 73. He became more efficient swiping bases, succeeding on 80 percent of his attempts, up from 74 percent a year ago. "He's a legitimate big league basestealer," Subero said. "He could go up on speed alone." Young uses his speed to get on base via bunts, though he still needs to improve his strike-zone judgment to be a tablesetter at the top of the order. He upgraded his total package by improving his defense at second base, showing better range and footwork. -
The tallest pitcher in the GCL at 6-foot-10, Moviel also has stuff to back up his height advantage. He consistently threw 92-93 mph and touched 95 with his fastball. He draws comparisons to Yankees first-round pick Andrew Brackman because both are huge Ohio natives who committed to North Carolina State (Brackman played for the Wolfpack but Moviel turned pro). Though Brackman is three years older, Moviel may be more polished. Scouts raved about his ability to not only repeat his delivery, but his secondary pitches as well. He'll pitch inside with his fastball with no fear, and his 82-83 mph hammer curveball really keeps opposing hitters at bay. Moviel also has a workable changeup, though it lags behind his other two offerings. There are concerns about his long arm action, but he's athletic and fields his position well for a big man. -
Hanson went just 2-6 in 14 starts at Rome, but his record fails to tell the true story. He used solid command of four pitches along with a willingness to throw inside to post a 2.59 ERA and limit hitters to a .194 average. Six-foot-6 and 210 pounds, Hanson has impressive mound presence and delivers the ball on an intimidating downhill plane. His fastball sits in the low 90s and he commands it well. Add in the tight spin on his curveball and improving depth on his changeup, and he's on the fast track in the Braves system. "He has good arm strength and I really like his breaking ball," Asheville pitching coach Bryan Harvey said. "He has a real good idea out there on the mound." -
Kendrick never had pitched above Class A prior to 2007, but he entered the postseason as the Phillies' Game Two starter, and his 3.87 ERA ranked second among their starters. He got started down that path in the EL, as he harnessed his command and stopped trying to pitch up in the strike zone with his fastball and down with his slider. The athletic Kendrick repeats his delivery, pumps his two-seam sinker to the bottom of the zone and spots his harder, low-90s four-seamer down and away. He also has a hard slider that's more of a groundball pitch than a strikeout offering. His changeup plays up because he locates it well. "He realized strikeouts are over-rated," Reading manager P.J. Forbes said. "He's pitching at the knees and when he misses, he misses down. He made hitters hit his pitch, because his command was that good. To give up just three home runs, playing in our ballpark, that's all about executing your pitches, and he did." -
After a dominant season in 2006, Meloan spent the first half of 2007 as Jacksonville's closer before climbing to Triple-A and the majors. Managers rated him the league's best reliever and he has the makings of a valuable late-inning man in the big leagues. Meloan has two speeds--hard and harder--and a tenacious attitude. He works primarily off an 89-94 mph fastball and a mid-80s slider that has touched 89. He also has feel for a curveball and changeup, but his slider and above-average command are his ticket. Meloan attacks both sides of the plate and pitches ahead in the count. His delivery is rigid and lacks fluidity, but he has shown resilience since arm soreness arose shortly after he was drafted in 2005. -
With Outman, it's all about control. He struggles at times to control his fastball, which explains why ranked among the minor league leaders with 77 walks in 159 innings. At times he struggles to control his emotions, which explains why he overthrows and is prone to big innings and bad outings. But there's also a lot to like about the lefty, who led the league with a 2.45 ERA and earned a promotion to Double-A. Outman's fastball sits at 92-94 mph and he pairs it with an 84-87 mph slider. He's working on a changeup that still has a ways to go. A good athlete, Outman has reworked his mechanics and developed a more conventional delivery since turning pro. He also has added some deception, as he now hides the ball much longer, and his fastball has picked up some life. One manager who saw him in low Class A in 2006 said has made significant strides since last year -
If Van Mil makes it all the way up, he'll be the tallest pitcher in major league history at 7-foot-1. By the time he follows through, he's practically standing on home plate. His velocity is closer to Chris Young's than Randy Johnson's, however. Van Mil's fastball settles in around 91 mph and tops out at 95. His height gives him a downward plane that's tough on hitters. He's athletic and agile for his size. A product of the Netherlands, Van Mil lacks pitching instincts and profiles more as a reliever than as a starter. He's working on a slider that has some tilt, but he sometimes slows down his arm when he throws it. He also lacks control.Van Mil came down with elbow soreness, which sidelined him for three weeks in August. -
Like Poveda, Whittleman was much improved and still young for the league in his second stint at Clinton. After batting .227/.313/.343 as a 19-year-old in 2006, he boosted those numbers to .271/.382/.476 before an August callup to high Class A. He also added a Futures Game homer off the Mets' Deolis Guerra. Whittleman had a quieter approach and better balance at the plate this season, and he didn't chase as many pitches. With his swing, strength and grasp of the strike zone, he has a chance to hit .280 with 15-20 homers annually in the majors. He doesn't profile as well at third base as Bell, but he has a better stroke and puts more effort into his defense. Playing third base is still a struggle for Whittleman, who has the arm strength but lacks sure hands and quick feet. He made 29 errors in 85 games, and his .880 percentage was worse than his 2006 mark of .891. He tailed off in July, batting just .154/.264/.179 as most observers thought he got frustrated because he wasn't promoted earlier. -
Jones posted the second-highest slugging percentage (.507) in the Southern League and didn't miss a beat after earning a late-July promotion to Richmond, where he helped the Braves win the IL wild card. With a confident, quiet setup and a sweet lefty swing, he projects to be an above-average major league hitter. He makes adjustments and stays inside the ball well, taking what pitchers give him. Jones has 20-homer potential, which is about average for a corner outfielder, and he rarely turned on pitches in the IL, prompting some to question his assertiveness as a potential middle-of-the-order hitter. An average runner, he gets down the line well because of his clean swing mechanics. But with below-average hands and defensive instincts and a slow release on throws, he's a left fielder all the way. -
Duran was an afterthought in the Texas system coming into 2007, but he stung the ball all season and ranked among the TL leaders in most offensive categories. He also represented the Rangers on the World team in the Futures Game. Scouts and managers see Duran as an offensive second baseman whose overall approach to hitting isn't as polished as Antonelli's, but he offers more power. Duran isn't big but has a strong body and a quick bat, with the ability to put a charge in the ball. Most managers regarded Duran as a solid second baseman. He's good around the bag and should be able to make the routine plays, with average range and an average arm. His speed is fringe-average. -
Ambriz had shoulder surgery in 2004, then returned to star as a two-way player for UCLA the last two seasons. The Diamondbacks drafted him solely as a pitcher, and in his first pro summer he excelled as a swingman and earned the save in the clinching game of the Pioneer League playoffs. Arizona wants Ambriz to pitch off his fastball, and when he worked in shorter outings than he did as a college starter, his heater sat at 91-93 mph and touched 95. He also did a better job of keeping the ball down in the strike zone than he did at UCLA, with his mid-80s splitter resulting in a lot of groundballs. Ambriz also tightened his curveball. His curve and his changeup are still inconsistent, and he'll need to further develop them to succeed when he becomes a full-time starter next season. -
While he's a college pitcher, Wagner isn't the average college product. A former North Dakota State player, he saw his draft stock fall in 2005 due to a left kneecap injury that altered his mechanics and sapped his velocity. Healthy again, he and Aberdeen's Luis Lebron were the NY-P's dominant relievers. Wagner had the league's best fastball, sitting at 95-97 mph in just about every outing. He was content to blow fastballs by hitters, and his above-average control of the pitch means he can throw it for strikes to all four quadrants of the strike zone. However, Wagner lacks a second pitch. He has tried both a curveball and a slider, showing little feel for spinning a breaking ball. He had more success late in the summer when he started throwing a splitter, but he lacked confidence in the pitch. It looked better in the bullpen than in games. -
The Padres won the league in part because of the ability of Durango and Hunter to get on base and the knack Carrasco and league RBI champ Ranyor Contreras had for driving them in. San Diego officials rave about Carrasco's raw power, though some managers questioned his defense and listed age of 19, preferring Contreras. A year younger and more physical, Carrasco earns the nod here for two big power tools. Besides his pop, he also has a plus throwing arm, as well as the range and hands to become an average defensive third baseman. "He's a legitimate switch-hitter, and when he got into one, it went a long way," one manager said. "He needs to improve his pitch recognition and he's pretty mature physically, but he has outstanding power." -
A star tailback who rushed for 2,183 yards as an Illinois high school senior and could have played college football, Benson committed to baseball after the Twins made him a second-round pick in June. He offered one of the better combinations of power and speed in the GCL. He also has the range and enough arm to play center field. Besides his physical tools, Benson has a knack for making adjustments and playing with a football mentality. He can get too aggressive at times and will have to tone down his approach at the plate and on the bases. He had the mental toughness to handle a jump to low Class A after injuries riddled the Twins' Beloit affiliate. -
Cowart took the NWL by storm in his pro debut after the Giants drafted him in the 35th round as a Kansas State senior. He didn't allow an earned run in his first four starts and 21 innings, then reeled off an even longer stretch of five starts and 28 innings without yielding an earned run. On his way to winning NWL pitcher of the year honors, Cowart won his first 10 professional decisions before losing in his final regular-season outing. Cowart, who led the league with 10 wins and a 1.08 ERA, has impeccable control of underwhelming stuff, walking just eight batters in 83 innings. He also does a great job keeping the ball on the ground. The key to his success was the deception he creates with his funky submarine arm angle. He also has a very advanced feel for pitching, working both halves of the plate and leaving nothing above the knees. He has plenty of poise on the mound and fields his position well. But Cowart works in the 80-83 mph range with his fastball, topping out at 85, and he lacks a plus pitch. He also uses a slurvy breaking ball and a changeup. Cowart's future is in the bullpen, and his best-case scenario is that he can become a right-on-right specialist in the big leagues. Scouts are skeptical he'll be able to get hitters out at higher levels. -
A guy who hit .224 in a return trip to low Class A doesn't seem like a prime candidate for the FSL Top 20. But Golson improved after a promotion to Clearwater and his ceiling remains high, even if he remains raw. "He's got all the tools," Legg said. Golson is a standout center fielder with plus range and arm strength, though his routes to the ball could use improvement. He's a plus-plus runner who's still learning how to pick his spots to steal. And he shows above-average power potential at the plate. Golson's only problem is a big one. He has yet to show the ability to make consistent contact, as evidenced by his .233 batting average and 160 strikeouts between two Class A stops this year. He doesn't recognize pitches well and he pulls off the ball too much. But he also has quick hands and a quick bat, which lead some to believe he'll figure it out. "He's young," Warner said. "He'll chase here and there, but if you make a mistake, it's a different sound coming off of his bat." -
A revelation offensive and defensively in his 2005 pro debut, Lowrie suffered a high ankle sprain in May, missed a month and didn't find any rhythm at the plate until August. When he finally go healthy, he hit .325 with two of his three homers in the final month. While there are questions about Lowrie remaining at short because he lacks range and eye-popping arm strength, several scouts compared him to Jeff Blauser and Kevin Elster and gave him a chance to stay there. "He's kind of like David Eckstein with a lot better tools," an AL scout said. "You sit there and say to yourself, 'That guy's an everyday shortstop.' He makes the plays, nothing necessarily real flashy, but he's going to get it done." -
Though Severino was repeating the league and is significantly older than the other pitchers on this list, his stuff stood out. He had arguably the best fastball in the league, a 92-93 mph heater that explodes on hitters and enabled him to lead the league with 90 strikeouts in 68 innings. Three times he struck out 10 or more batters in a start. At 5-foot-11 and 150 pounds, Severino doesn't resemble a power pitcher, but he attacks hitters and his stuff certainly plays that way. His quick arm action also makes his slider tough to hit, though the pitch is a work in progress. Severino has average command of a changeup he throws to keep hitters from sitting on his fastball. His inconsistent mechanics sometimes lead to lapses in control. -
Outman doesn't have the feel for pitching that his teammate Maloney does, but he throws significantly harder. He also put together one of the most dominant months any minor league pitcher had this year when he went 5-0, 0.28 in August. He won 13 of his final 15 decisions. A wiry 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, Outman often catches hitters off guard with his 90-94 mph fastball. His 80-84 mph slider also has the potential to be a plus pitch. He throws a curveball as well, but the consensus is that he'd be better off scrapping it and sticking solely with his slider. The key to Outman's future will be his changeup, which is still fringy. If it doesn't improve, his fastball-slider combo alone should make him an effective reliever. -
Olson climbed to Double-A in his first full pro season and displayed durability, consistency and solid-average stuff. If he improves his command and changeup, he could become a No. 3 or 4 starter. His fastball sits near 90 mph, and Olson has crafted a two-seamer that's slower but helps his cause against righthanders. His well above-average curveball is sharp with late, hard break and tight rotation. It's especially tough on lefties. He mixes his pitches well and moves them around, but he works deep in the count too often and tries to be too fine. His curve alone guarantees that he should become at least a dependable left-on-left reliever. -
Guzman has yet to duplicate his breakout 2004 season, and the Dodgers finally decided to use him in a deadline deal for Julio Lugo in July. His days as a shortstop have come to an end, and is future now appears to be in the outfield or first base, with third base also a possibility. Guzman still stands out from a physical standpoint, as he's a 6-foot-6, 250-pounder loaded with athleticism. He still needs to tighten his strike zone and add more defensive polish at his new positions, but he has tape-measure power, above-average arm strength and solid speed. "I like his size and power potential," DeFrancesco said. "The length of his swing has to be shortened, though, in order to survive in the big leagues. I see him as a first baseman. He'd be a nice big target over there with above-average athleticism for the position." -
Broadway started his season as strong as anyone in league, going 3-1, 1.74 in April. But then his delivery fell out of whack for two months, and hitters feasted on fastballs left up in the strike zone. He eventually fixed his mechanics and got back on track. The best pitch in Broadway's arsenal is a plus-plus spike curveball, which he commands to any part of the plate and will throw in any count. His average 89-90 mph fastball lacks consistent life and flattens out late in games. He seldom used a changeup in college and needs to increase arm speed to make it an effective third pitch. "He's polished and he's a fast-track guy," a NL scout said. "Whether he's fast-tracked as a pen guy or a starter depends on that changeup. It shows flashes, but sometimes it's very easy for hitters to pick up what's coming." -
The league MVP, Baisley did it all. He led the MWL in runs (86) and RBIs (110, the second-highest total in the minors) and also was the circuit's best defensive third baseman. Baisley is a very good situational hitter who doesn't try to do too much. He has a balanced stance, sound swing and pitch-recognition skills, enabling him to drive balls from gap to gap. He moves better than most 6-foot-3, 210-pounders, showing range to both sides, and has a solid arm. The biggest knock against him was his age: 23, ancient for low Class A. The Athletics are also high on fellow third baseman Myron Leslie (Baisley's former South Florida teammate), who was ensconced in high Class A, so they left Baisley at Kane County. "It's an absolute crime that kid played there for the entire season," a second AL scout said. -
Denorfia continued to do what he's always done--hit for average, get on base and play good defense--as he spent the season shuttling between the majors and the minors. He saw more time with the Reds after the mid-July trade of Austin Kearns, but Denorfia didn't hit enough to avoid a demotion. His future is probably as a fourth outfielder. Denorfia is a manager's delight because he's an overachiever who plays with passion. He has no one exceptional tool, but he's a disciplined, line-drive hitter who can take the ball up the middle or to the opposite field. He's probably no more than a 15-home run hitter in the majors. "He puts the ball in play and he's a good two-strike hitter," Cliburn said. "We played one series where we couldn't get him out. We'd pitch him away and he'd go the other way. Pitch him in and he'd drive it into the gap." Denorfia has average range in center field and enough arm to play in right. Above-average speed may be Denorfia's strongest tool, and he succeeded in 15 of 16 steal attempts. -
A native of Montana, where there's no high school baseball, the 6-foot-9 Mickolio played only basketball until the summer before his senior year of high school, when he began playing American Legion ball. He showed enough promise in his first year at Eastern Utah JC in 2003 that the Cardinals drafted him in the 35th round, and he made even more progress after transferring to Utah Valley State. With his enormous size, Mickolio was an imposing bullpen arm for Everett this summer. His height allows him to pitch on a downward angle and induce plenty of groundballs, as evidenced by his 49-18 ground-fly ratio. He works in the low 90s with a heavy fastball that has plenty of life and touches 94 mph. Mickolio also flashes a decent slider now and then, though he still has plenty of work to do on it and his changeup. His slider lacks tight rotation and doesn't miss many bats, and he needs to do a better job commanding his stuff within the strike zone. But considering how far Mickolio has come in his short pitching career, it's not a huge stretch to project him as a major league reliever. -
Before he moved up to Double-A and made way for Lillibridge, Bixler was one of the most exciting players in the league. As with Lillibridge, speed is Bixler's best tool, though he's not quite as fast. A spray hitter with gap power, Bixler learned to work counts more effectively this season. He's surehanded, but his range and arm are average at best and may be better suited for second base. "His bat is really going to have to carry him because he's not going to be a shortstop in the big leagues," a NL scout said. "He has some instincts there, but not enough to get to balls he should get to. He's Tony Graffanino for me." -
After finishing second in the Missouri Valley Conference batting race with a .382 average, Ashley figured to tear up the Appy League--and he did by hitting .333 and leading the league with a .440 on-base percentage. The oldest player on this list, he made quick transition to wood bats and made hard contact to all fields. He's physically mature but still may have room for growth in the power department. While he is highly athletic for a catcher, Ashley still needs work behind the plate. In instructional league, the Devil Rays plan to address his mechanical flaws in terms of his setup, receiving and blocking. He does have good hands, shows a plus arm at times and threw out 52 percent of basestealers in his pro debut. -
Another piece of the Abreu trade, Monasterios remained in the GCL with Sanchez, with both players moving across town from Tampa to Clearwater. As with most young pitchers, his best pitch is his fastball. He usually throws in the low 90s but was clocked as high as 96 mph. Monasterios pounds the strike zone and walked just six batters in 45 innings. He flashes a plus breaking ball, but it flattens out when he gets around the pitch in his delivery. He has shown some feel for a changeup, though it remains a distant third option for now. -
After signing for $150,000, Madrigal spent his first five seasons in pro ball as an outfielder. However, his above-average raw power didn't translate to games well enough because of his inability to recognize breaking balls. After getting off to a tough start in his third straight assignment to low Class A Cedar Rapids, Madrigal assented when the Angels asked him to move to the mound in late May. As a pitcher, Madrigal showed the same raw arm strength he had as an outfielder. His fastball touched 98 mph and he regularly sat at 94 mph when he maintained his mechanics. His slider also showed signs of being a reliable second pitch. Still just 22, he could move quickly if he continues to show aptitude in his new role. "What impressed me was the poise he showed for being new to pitching," Angels manager Ever Magallanes said. "He had pretty good mound presence for his level of experience." -
A former high school valedictorian, Headley stands out most for his headsy approach to the game. Multiple managers commented on how much they enjoyed talking to him while they coached third base and he played the field. Headley does everything fairly well but nothing exceptionally well. His biggest asset is his plate discipline and pitch recognition. A switch-hitter, he's much more effective as a lefty, though his swing is tailored more to hit line drives than home runs from both sides. Power is the biggest question mark, because he lacks physical projection and scouts doubt he'll have enough pop for third base. He's a solid defender at the hot corner, with soft hands, a fairly strong, very accurate arm and adequate range. He does a good job charging bunts and makes all the routine plays. One scout compared Headley to Greg Norton, and he could end up as a solid player off the bench. -
Patterson never has wowed scouts, even when he was winning the Cape Cod League batting title or hitting 50 homers during his college career at Louisiana State. But he continues to hit, and he impressed FSL managers with his heady approach at the plate. He led the league with a .520 slugging percentage after topping the short-season New York-Penn League with a .595 mark in his pro debut a year ago. Patterson has quick hands and power to all fields. He hits breaking balls well, but there's some concern that he still has too much of an aluminum-bat swing, with his weight too far forward at contact, leaving him vulnerable to being busted inside. Though he has average speed and an average arm, Patterson was able to handle center field with few problems. He still profiles better on a corner, however. -
Balentien drew comparisons to Manny Ramirez from league managers, both for his hitting potential and for his sometimes mystifying on-field behavior. Some managers called him a hot dog. He's one of the most intriguing power hitters in the minors--and represented the Mariners in the Futures Game in July--but his performance this season didn't match his potential. He has all the tools to be a middle-of-the-lineup force, including light-tower power. "My God, he can hit the ball a long way," Clark said. He has strength in his body and in his swing, with power from gap to gap, but his swing is big and he has not shown an ability to cut it down based on the count. He also struggled with breaking stuff, though he did show a willingness to hit the ball the other way this year. Balentien has a strong arm and runs well, though he's not a burner, and he played both right and center field for San Antonio. His long-term fit is in right, though. His attention sometimes wavered, and he led TL outfielders with 11 errors. -
A preseason appendectomy nearly derailed Hynick's junior season at Birmingham-Southern, but he rebounded to post a 2.59 ERA this spring. The Rockies pounced on him in the eighth round, confident they could help crispen his secondary stuff behind his 90-93 mph fastball. He quickly bought into instruction and went on to capture the league's pitcher of the year award. Hynick has an unorthodox arm action, but it works for him and hasn't hampered his ability to fill the strike zone. He made a lot of progress with a splitter that one coach said was the league's best pitch. He still has more work to do with his curveball and changeup. -
Pino was the best young Latin middle infielder in the league, though Aberdeen's Pedro Florimon received notice for his outstanding shortstop defense. Pino has more offensive upside and polish than Florimon, and his athletic ability stood out in a league dominated by college players. Pino ranked third in the league batting race, relying on a quick bat, contact-oriented approach and excellent hand-eye coordination. He fits best as a No. 2 hitter, though he needs to improve his bunting as well as his willingness to draw walks. He's an above-average runner and was caught just twice in 20 attempts. Pino's arm strength limits him to second base, but he has enough to be efficient at turning the double play. -
While Kelly is steady, Ciriaco is spectacular but also erratic. Though he had one of the MWL's strongest infield arms and was one of its fastest players, he stole just 19 bases in 27 attempts and led the minors with 45 errors. "He has God-given talent," Joyce said. "He might have the best arm strength in the league. It's right there with (2004 No. 1 overall pick) Matt Bush, and he's more accurate and gets to more balls than Bush." Still learning to apply that talent, Ciriaco plays out of control at the plate and in the field. He chases pitches out of the strike zone, gets his feet tangled up on defense and commits mental as well as physical mistakes. But he has the hand-eye coordination to hit, and the physical skills to excel in all aspects of the game if he slows himself down. -
Volquez entered the season rated as the Rangers' No. 1 prospect, based on his mid-90s fastball and well above-average changeup. He used those pitches to finish fourth in the PCL in strikeouts (130 in 121 innings) and fifth in ERA (3.21) while limiting Triple-A hitters to a .203 average. "His arm strength is outstanding," Sacramento manager Tony DeFrancesco said. "He was 94, 95 with his fastball against us. His slider was hard and he had a decent changeup. He just needs command. Right now, it's not there." Volquez, who ranked third in the PCL with 72 walks, had even more trouble locating his stuff in the majors. He has a 1-10, 9.20 record with Texas--the worst ERA in major league history for a pitcher who has made 10 starts. With the Rangers, he consistently has fallen behind hitters, gotten crushed when he has found the plate and failed to show a reliable breaking ball. -
Haeger topped the IL with 14 wins and finished among the league leaders in nearly every category: 3.07 ERA (fourth), 170 innings (fourth), 130 strikeouts (fourth) and 78 walks (second). With uncanny command of a knuckleball for such a young pitcher, Haeger projects as an innings-eating No. 5 starter. Though Haeger still walked a lot of batters, he has improved the command of his lively knuckler to the point where he can go to either corner with the pitch. He can change speeds on the knuckler--ranging from 65-75 mph--depending on the effect it's having on batters. Some IL batters thought his knuckleball was the best they'd ever seen, and he reminded one scout of Tom Candiotti for the action he got on the pitch. When he falls behind, Haeger can go to a straight 84-86 mph fastball, a pitch that's easier to locate. It's strictly a get-me-over offering, which is problematic on days when his knuckler doesn't cooperate. -
Until Will Inman qualified for the ERA title in his last start of the season, Matt Maloney was in line to capture the SAL pitching triple crown. He settled for leading the league in victories (16), innings (169) and strikeouts (180) while winning the league's pitch-of-the-year award. He's a classic soft-tossing lefty who relies on command and guile. His fastball sits at 85-87 mph and he compliments it with a slider, changeup and curveball. He locates all of his pitches well and his fastball the best, making it his go-to offering. With his advanced feel, he should move fast, but his lack of velocity will give him far less room for error as he advances. The 6-foot-4 Maloney has a tendency to stay upright in the finish to his delivery, causing him to leave the ball up in the zone, which could be a problem at higher levels. -
Sonnanstine's stuff isn't as good as Niemann's or Talbot's, but unlike them, he played a role in Montgomery's success all season long. He reeled off nine straight victories in June and July, and he led the minors with four complete games--all shutouts. Durable and resilient, he topped the SL in wins (15) and innings (186, which ranked second in the minors). Sonnanstine's plus-plus control and plus command are more notable than the quality of his pitches. His best offering is his changeup, as he worked hard with Biscuits pitching coach Xavier Hernandez to perfect his grip and arm action. He also throws an 89-92 mph fastball and a slurvy breaking ball, keeping hitters off balance by varying his arm angle and changing speeds. "This guy might be too smart for the game," an AL scout said. "He's confident, mixes his pitches well and always seems to have a plan." -
Ramos wore down in his 2005 pro debut after pitching 126 innings at Long Beach State that spring, but he entered this season refreshed and it showed. He went 7-4, 2.93 over the season's first four months before fatigue set in once again, and he went 0-4, 8.27 in August. When he's at his best like he was in the first half, Ramos has very good command of a four-pitch mix. He has a solid-average fastball that sits at 88-91 mph and jumps up to 92-93 when he needs it, and he uses an average curveball and average slider. His best pitch is a plus changeup that's effective against righthanders. Ramos doesn't rack up many strikeouts, but works to all corners of the zone to keep hitters off balance. He left too many pitches up late in the season when his arm was tired. He has an easy, compact delivery and a physical 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame that should prove more durable as he gets acclimated to a pro workload. -
Things really fell apart for Liz shortly after he was called up from high Class A in July. He overpowered hitters in the Carolina League but his below-average command doomed him in the EL. He left his stuff over the plate and fell behind in the count too often. Liz has a lightning-fast arm that generates 97-mph heat, but he struggles to repeat his delivery and release point. His curveball is inconsistent, as is his changeup. At times, both show the potential to be plus pitches. His upside is significant, and 2006 was just his second season in America, so with time Liz could develop into a starter in the mold of Orioles righty Daniel Cabrera. At worst, he moves to the bullpen and could become a closer. -
The proverbial crafy lefty, Salamida's success was too much for league observers to ignore. After dropping his first start despite not giving up any earned runs, he won his final 10 decisions in the regular season before losing to Kontos in the league championship game. Salamida led the NY-P in wins (10) and ERA (1.06). A two-way player at Division II SUNY Oneonta, Salamida has average size, average stuff and well above-average control, as well as a knack for pitching and moxie. His fastball sat in the upper 80s and touched 90, and he threw his changeup (his best secondary pitch) and slider for strikes with maddening regularity. He's the kind of pitcher who will have to prove himself at every level, but so far, so good. "Most guys in the league were one-pitch guys," Greer said. "This was a four-pitch guy who could throw breaking balls for strikes in fastball counts, then freeze a hitter with an 0-2 fastball. He was impressive." -
You're excused if you had never heard of Evans before this year. No one else had, either. He spent 3½ seasons in obscurity in the Cardinals organization, and he returned to high Class A for the third time to open 2006. He hit 15 home runs in 60 games there to earn a promotion to Springfield, and then he was traded to the Angels in the July for Jeff Weaver, which kept him in the Texas League at Arkansas. He finished the season with a combined 33 home runs, 37 stolen bases and a .942 on-base plus slugging percentage. Evans always had been regarded as a hard worker with an intriguing combination of power and speed. This season he developed a more relaxed, consistent approach at the plate that kept him from getting himself out by chasing pitches and going into prolonged slumps. Evans played exclusively in right field while in Springfield, but he played mostly in center for Arkansas. While he has the speed to play center on occasion, his strong arm and power profile perfectly in right. -
Chapman spent his third straight season in Rookie ball, but he showed enough this year to earn a late-season promotion to low Class A. PL observers liked his lefthanded bat, as he has good pitch recognition and uses the entire field. He should have at least doubles power as he advances, and he adjusted well after early-season struggles against southpaws. He's just an average runner, but has good instincts and can steal a base. He plays too shallow in center field, as balls get over his head and he doesn't always have enough speed to track them down. -
In a league dominated by pitching, Casilla was one of the few middle infielders who stood out. Acquired from the Angels in the offseason for J.C. Romero, Casilla started the season in Fort Myers and finished it in Minnesota. At the plate, Casilla takes advantage of his plus-plus speed by employing a running, slashing swing. He profiles as a leadoff hitter. He controls the strike zone and makes pitchers work, and once he reaches base, he's always a threat to steal. He has a knack for getting good jumps and reading pitchers. His weakness at the plate is his utter lack of power. Casilla played both second base and shortstop with the Miracle, and he's more polished at short right now. He has above-average range and arm strength. He's still figuring out his footwork and double-play pivot at second base. "He's very intelligent," Boles said. "You tell him to do something one time, he puts it into the game that night. He makes adjustments very quickly." -
Part of the talented Salem rotation, Reineke earned the win in the California-Carolina League all-star game. He has an intimidating presence on the mound, using his 6-foot-6 frame to unleash 93-94 mph fastballs on an extreme downward plane. He also throws a plus slider, with late sweeping life Reineke was more free and easy in his delivery this season, showing better overall balance and staying on a direct line toward home plate. He still lacks much feel for his changeup, part of the reason he was moved to the bullpen following a promotion to Double-A. It has good diving action at times but he has yet to find a comfortable grip or consistency with it. -
Peguero teamed with Avila to give the Mariners a 1-2 punch unrivaled in the league. They tied with teammate Wellington Dotel for the home run lead with seven, and Peguero's .649 slugging percentage easily topped the AZL. He didn't fare as well after a promotion to short-season Everett, however, where his inexperience with breaking balls and somewhat long swing were exposed. Peguero has a big, projectable frame at 6-foot-5, 210 pounds and moves well for a big man, though he figures to slow down as he fills out. He showed more ability and willingness to use the whole field than Avila did, but he doesn't have quite as much raw power. Peguero's outfield arm is another plus tool. -
A year after being drafted in the fifth round out of high school and spending a summer in the Arizona League, Deal handled the jump to the Northwest League well and emerged as Vancouver's top starter. He struck out just 35 in 76 innings of work, but he doesn't ever figure to be a strikeout pitcher. He's a sinkerballer who posted a 106-80 ground-fly ratio and allowed just three homers in 76 innings. Deal has a tall, skinny frame with plenty of room to fill out, so he could increase the velocity on his 87-89 mph fastball that touches 91-92. It's a heavy pitch with good sink and life, and he commands it well most of the time. "He's very aggressive and he comes right at you," Gainer said. "Everyone knew he had that sinker and it didn't matter. He just got ground ball after ground ball." Deal also has a slider and changeup that can be average at times. He has cleaned up his arm action quite a bit since high school, and he now does a good job of repeating his fluid, easy delivery. -
The Yankees used McAllister in a relief role piggybacking with Betances, and they were a tough duo to beat. The son of Diamondbacks crosschecker Steve McAllister, Zach pitches with the savvy of someone who grew up around the game. McAllister has added six inches and 60 pounds over the last two years, and he saw his heavy sinker climb to 90-92 this spring before gaining another tick of velocity during the summer. His secondary stuff is fringy, though he has shown feel for a slider that could be a plus pitch if learns to control it more effectively. Like Betances, McAllister pitched better as the summer went on. "He has a good, sinking fastball. It's a power sinker. It's his No. 1 pitch," Martin said. "He got lots of ground balls, and I could see him throwing harder as he matures." -
Easily the best catcher ever developed by the Rockies, Iannetta continued to shine at the plate following a promotion to Colorado Springs in late June. He controls the strike zone very well, waiting out pitchers until they give him a pitch he can hammer. He calls a good game and has an average arm, and while throwing out basestealers has been an issue at times, he erased 31 percent in Triple-A. "He really gives you quality at-bats for a catcher," Runnells said. "In fact, he led our organization in quality at-bats. Defensively, he's a sponge for knowledge and he tries so hard to improve. He's a humble kid and a guy who is going to be a frontline catcher for years to come." -
Pedroia is the classic example of a player who plays above his tools. Opposing mangers described him as a pesky hitter and a tough out, but had reservations about his lack of power and range. Pedroia got results in Triple-A, though, batting .305 (fifth in the IL) with 30 doubles and nearly twice as many walks (48) as strikeouts (27). Pedroia makes up for below-average speed and raw power by maximizing his selectivity as a hitter and by using the whole field. He showed an aptitude for taking the breaking ball the other way, and he has the hand-eye coordination to make consistent contact while using a big swing. "Pitchers will always challenge Pedroia, and he will prove them wrong," a scout said. "He will put the ball in play. He'll use the first-base and third-base line. He's a kid you love to have on your club." Pedroia was a shortstop at Arizona State and spent the majority of his time there for Pawtucket, but he doesn't have the range to be a regular there in the majors. He spent a lot of time at second base, and his sure hands and strong arm play better at the keystone. -
The fact that Chavez, at age 17 and in his first year as a pro, bypassed the VSL for Pulaski suggests how highly the Blue Jays regard him. While he held his own in the Appalachian League, he's all projection at this point. Chavez has done well to adapt to a new culture and will continue to gain strength, though he is already physical at 6-foot-3 and 200 lbs. His swing has come a long way in a year, but he's still prone to chasing pitches out of the zone and is too pull-conscious. He'll be a corner outfielder because he doesn't have the instincts or range for center field, though he has average speed and arm strength. -
Kelly succeeded 2004 first-round pick Trevor Plouffe as Beloit's shortstop, and MWL observers liked Kelly more. A 2005 second-rounder, Kelly has better physical tools and is a superior hitter. He kept getting better as the year wore on until a torn meniscus in his left knee ended his season in late July. Kelly is more advanced than most teenage hitters. He has a solid approach, recognizes breaking balls, uses the whole field and has a plan with two strikes. He didn't show much power this summer but will have some pop once he adds some strength and experience. He'll hit enough to be a regular, though at what position is uncertain. Kelly has fringe-average speed, which cuts down on his range, but his positioning and cannon arm--he was clocked at 94-95 mph as a high school pitcher--allow him to make plays. "I always judge a shortstop by if he has to use his arm or not," Beloit manager Jeff Smith said. "His glove is so good and he's always in position, so he never has to use it. And he has one of the best arms in the league, too." -
The fourth Greensboro starter on this list, Thompson ranks just behind Volstad in terms of polish but his stuff has the least upside among the group. Like Volstad, Thompson has above-average command of three pitches. His fastball sits consistently at 88 mph with natural tailing action, and he'll occasionally crack 90. His 80-81 mph slider is his best secondary offering. He also has a change with a late downward break that he uses as an out pitch against righthanders, and he'll flash a slow curveball to set up his slider. Because of his lack of velocity, command will continue to be paramount for Thompson. His fastball was clocked as high as 92 mph in high school, so there's also the chance he could get back to that point. -
Part of the Jim Thome trade with the White Sox, Gonzalez had a productive first full season in the Phillies system. He showed durability by logging a career-high 155 innings as a 20-year-old and finished second in the league with 166 strikeouts. Gonzalez has a repeatable delivery and quick arm, but he's just 5-foot-11, which hinders to create good plane on his fastball. It sits at 87-91 mph and touches 93, but it lacks life and gets pounded when he leaves it up in the zone. He surrendered 24 home runs, tied for the most in the EL. Gonzalez possesses a well above-average downer curveball that remains his go-to offering. His changeup is a reliable third pitch. Without a plus fastball and fringy command--he led the league with 81 walks--he might move to the bullpen in the big leagues. -
Signed as a third baseman out of the Dominican Republic for $600,000 in 1998, Salas was converted to the mound midway through 2004 after hitting .264/.296/.361 over six seasons. He hasn't looked back, putting up ridiculous numbers in the SL this season and adding a Futures Game appearance to his resume. He didn't allow an earned run in 35 innings with the Biscuits and reached the majors in September. Salas has equally ridiculous stuff, starting with a fastball that sits at 93-96 mph, topping out at 98. While the velocity is plus-plus, so is the movement. One scout described his heater as "the best 95-mph slider I've ever seen," as it has sharp, cutting action away from righthanders. Salas also throws an actual 86-87 mph slider that has more pronounced depth and life, and it can be equally as devastating. As good as those two pitches are, he's still learning how to attack hitters. His mechanics dissolve at times, as he flies open with his front shoulder and his arm gets too far away from his body. -
Deduno continued to be an enigma, finishing second in the Cal League to teammate Morales with 167 strikeouts, but also leading the minors with 34 wild pitches and finishing fourth in the minors with 92 walks. Clearly, command is his bugaboo, but when he's on, he's nasty. His best pitch is a sometimes plus-plus power curveball, and he also showed an above-average 92-94 mph fastball with so much movement that his catchers would sometimes struggle to catch it cleanly. "That breaking ball is devastating, but I don't know what to think of this guy," a National League scout said. "The breaking ball is unhittable when he commands it, but after two or three innings, he couldn't find the release point. He was lights out for three innings both times I saw him, then was an absolute thrower." Right now, Deduno is essentially a two-pitch guy who profiles as a potential dominant reliver if he can harness his stuff. He has a little feel for his changeup, but it has a long way to go if he's to remain a starter. -
There's a lot not to like about Jose Mijares. Start with his 3.57 ERA as a reliever, which doesn't stand out. Take a look at his 5-foot-10, 220-pound body, which screams Rich Garces. Scouts have questioned his makeup and mound demeanor as well. But when he rears back and throws, it's hard to not get excited. When he was locked in, Mijares featured a 94-95 mph fastball and a filthy 77-78 mph slider that both ranked among the best in the league. He only showed that plus stuff in limited stretches, however. At other times, his velocity would dip to the low 90s and his command would fall apart. Part of the problem is that Mijares hasn't worked hard enough to stay in shape, which hampers his ability to repeat his delivery. He also has a below-average changeup that hasn't improved much because he rarely uses it when working out of the bullpen. He's a long ways from the majors, but the wait could be worth it. -
McBeth continued one of the most intriguing turnaround stories in the minors this season, reaching Triple-A in his first full season as a pitcher. Drafted by the Athletics as an outfielder in 2001, he turned to pitching in 2005 after a career .233 average kept him from getting out of Class A. On the mound, he has shown not only the stuff but also the makeup to be a successful reliever. He throws a fastball that tops out at 94-96 mph, and he backs it up with a slider that's particularly tough on righthanders. A's pitching instructor Ron Romanick also taught him a changeup that has become a put-away pitch because he does such a good job of maintaining his arm speed. He has also worked on a two-seam fastball that could become an out pitch if he can learn to control it. McBeth challenges hitters. He needs to refine his command, but he should be no worse than a setup man and has the raw stuff to close games if he continues to make strides. -
The Rockies grew tired of Strop's struggles with the bat, and after he hit .212/.277/.299 in four seasons as an infielder, they decided a career change was in order. They moved him to the mound this year, and he immediately took to pitching. He dominated the Pioneer League in 11 appearances and continued to impress after a promotion to low Class A. As with many converted position players, arm strength is Strop's forte. He threw 93-95 mph in spring training and has good control of his fastball, though he leans too heavily on the pitch. He also has a low-80s slider but must stay on top of it more often so it doesn't flatten out, making him vulnerable to home runs. "I'd try to start him next year to add some pitchability to his plus stuff," Kotchman said. "If not, you know you have a solid reliever." -
Hilligoss' track record says he'll hit. He batted .404 and .386 in his final two seasons at Purdue, .309 with wood bats in the Central Illinois Collegiate League in 2005, and .292 in his pro debut to finish 10th in the NY-P batting race. One scout who saw Hilligoss as an amateur compared his swing, offensive potential and overall game to Frank Catalanotto. As with Catalanotto, Hilligoss' forté is getting the barrel of the bat to the ball consistently, driving balls to the gaps and driving pitchers crazy with an advanced two-strike approach. He also hangs in well against lefthanders and hit .397 against them this summer. The Catalanotto comparisons extend to Hilligoss' defense as well. Though he profiles best as an infielder, he doesn't have the hands or range to stick in the middle of the diamond. He's a better fit at third base, but he doesn't project to hit for the power wanted there or on an outfield corner. Hilligoss will have to hit for a high average to be a factor--and he has done that at every level so far. -
Myers figured to complement a banner 2006 recruiting class at Southern California until he accepted a $250,000 bonus as a fourth-round pick in June. That he signed was somewhat surprising, but even more so was his performance in his debut. Considered toolsy but extremely raw, he made significant strides in his swing and approach and tied for third in the GCL in batting. Myers' swing gets long but he showed above-average bat speed at times. He needs to improve his plate discipline and work counts more efficiently. He's wiry strong, and though he rarely showed power in games, he could hit 12-15 home runs annually. His well above-average speed is his best tool. Myers played all three outfield positions in the GCL and has the range to stay in center field. His reads and routes are raw, while his arm strength is average. -
Bailey's workload at Wagner this spring was limited as he recovered from May 2005 Tommy John surgery, but the Athletics saw enough power stuff to draft him in the sixth round. He was very impressive in his pro debut despite his 2-5 record, and he would have ranked second in the NWL in ERA if he hadn't fallen three innings shy of qualifying. With a big, physical frame that invites comparisons to Joe Blanton, Bailey could develop into a workhorse as he gets further away from his surgery. His heavy sinker bores in on righthanders at 91-93 mph and touches 94-95. He also has a solid-average 11-to-5 curveball with good rotation and depth, and a developing changeup that could become an average pitch if he learns to command it more consistently. Bailey has an aggressive approach but remains more of a thrower than a pitcher. He struggles to repeat his arm path and delivery, which has a lot of moving parts, making it difficult for him to command the strike zone and execute his pitches. He sometimes gets distracted and tries to pitch too quickly with speedsters on the basepaths. -
While Van Stratten isn't a pure speedster like Royals outfield mates Robinson or Jarrod Dyson, he's quick, has plenty of tools and looks like a steal from the 10th round of the 2006 draft. He set a national junior college record with 14 triples this spring at St. Louis CC-Meramec, and hit seven more to rank second in the AZL. His mix of gap power and speed mix impressed managers. Van Stratten showed the ability to drop a bunt or to sting the ball to both gaps. His best tools are his bat, with a short swing and outstanding pitch recognition considering his experience, and his above-average throwing arm. His gritty, all-out approach also earned him praise. -
Bourn played for four teams this summer, ranging from Double-A Reading to the Phillies to Team USA, with perhaps his finest moment coming when he connected for two home runs in a victory against Cuba in the Olympic qualifying tournament. He spent just six weeks with Scranton, but made the most of his well above-average speed by stealing 15 bases in 16 tries and hitting seven triples, good for fourth in the league. Bourn has shown improvement with each promotion and he plays up to his strengths. He runs extremely well and is a smart baserunner capable of reading pitchers and using his raw speed. He has a good batting eye and projects as a solid-average major league hitter. He's also a plus defensive center fielder with a slightly above-average, accurate arm. His power is strictly gap-to-gap and is below average, but he can surprise opponents, as he did by taking Cuban flamethrower Pedro Luis Lazo deep. The Phillies want him to concentrate on hitting the ball in the air less and cutting down on his strikeouts, a byproduct of working deep counts. -
For a player in just his second season at shortstop after playing center field for much of his college career, Lillibridge is very advanced with the glove. He has outstanding range and first-step quickness, with soft hands and an above-average arm that allows him to make plays from deep in the hole. With well above-average speed, Lillibridge profiles more as a tablesetter than a run producer. He incorporates very little of his lower half in his longish swing, with a pronounced drift in his hands and his feet spread wide apart. He made some adjustments to shorten his stroke, and his plate discipline was exceptional during his first full season. Energetic and driven, Lillibridge was one of the most consistent players in the league. He drew rave reviews from managers for his grind-it-out style. -
When he was at his very best, Morlan ranked with the top pitchers in the league. One scout said Morlan turned in one of the three best performances he saw all year, along with Adenhart and Cueto. Cedar Rapids manager Bobby Magallanes said Morlan touched 97 mph in the ninth inning of an 11-strikeout complete game. He began the season in the bullpen, and that may be his long-term destination. His fastball usually sits in the low 90s but he's still seeking a consistent second pitch. He owns a mid-80s slider that shows flashes of bite and a developing changeup. Morlan has a quick arm and a smooth delivery that he repeats easily. He tends to drop his elbow, which causes his pitches to flatten out and arrive higher in the strike zone. He missed most of July with a sore shoulder but returned to pitch 22 scoreless innings over his final four starts. -
Ramirez made a strong U.S. debut, finishing among the Appy League leaders in average (.314), hits (72), doubles (20) and triples (five) after spending three years in the Rookie-level Venezuelan Summer League. He has surprising pop for a 6-foot, 149-pounder, though he's more of a spray hitter now who takes the ball where it's pitched. He should add strength as he fills out. Ramirez spent most of the year at shortstop but also saw time at second base. He may profile better at second because while he has good range to his left, he has below-average range toward the shortstop hole. His footwork also needs improvement and he lacks the arm strength of a true shortstop. He's an average runner. -
Perez is a cerebral player, as one might expect from the highest-drafted player ever (seventh round, 2004) out of Columbia University. He learned how to switch-hit in the offseason, and while he struggled from the left side early in the year, he soon began hitting line drives and finished with a .303 average against righthanders. He's a dynamic player who led the minors with 123 runs scored. "He's a game-changer. You don't want to see him up in the ninth inning up by one or in a tie game, because he'll bunt, he'll slap one to left or hit it in the gap, and you're just praying you'll get the ball in fast enough before he gets to third," Steverson said. "He's just irritating. He roams the outfield like there are just floating pop-ups up there all day. I know for a fact he's taken 15 hits away from us." Perez has outstanding range in the outfield thanks to his plus-plus speed, though he's still working on his defensive instincts. He has a playable, if not strong, outfield arm. Perez has plenty of things to refine in his game--he strikes out too much for a top-of-the-order hitter, and he was thrown out in 16 of his 49 steal attempts--but he offers an intriguing leadoff package and enough strength at the plate to make him more than a one-dimensional Punch-and-Judy hitter. -
With older brother Corey traded to the Orioles last offseason, there will be no Patterson brothers reunion in Chicago. But Eric is getting close to ready for Wrigley Field, recovering from a second-half slump to bat .358 following a mid-August promotion to Triple-A. Patterson's best tool is his speed, which rates as a 65-70 on the 20-80 scouting scale. He also has surprising power for his size, though he sometimes gets caught up too much in trying to hit homers. He has made strides in shortening his swing for a more gap-to-gap approach. Patterson's speed aids his range at second-base, though his first-step quickness and body control are a bit disappointing. His footwork around the bag is questionable, though he does have soft hands. -
Like Cain, Campbell built on a 2005 MVP award in Rookie ball (the Appalachian League in his case) with a strong 2006 campaign. A student of the game who kept a notebook on the pitchers in the league, he applied that knowledge by leading the league with 22 homer. Campbell is an aggressive hitter who swings early in the count and rarely misses when pitchers make mistakes. He has ample pull power, but his open stance often leads to him flying open on the front side of his swing, making it hard to drive pitches to the opposite field. Though his speed is average at best, Campbell has good instincts and is an excellent baserunner with a knack for stealing bases when the opportunity arises. He's solid at third base but has a slow first step to his right. -
After a sensational first half in high Class A, Jurrjens moved up to the EL and continued to impress Tigers brass. He has thrown harder more consistently and shown more feel for pitching than Detroit anticipated when it signed him out of Curacao three years ago. Jurrjens' fastball ranges from 87-92 mph and touches 95, and he can spot it to both sides of the plate. His slider is below average, making his performance even more impressive considering he did it primarily off fastball command and a plus changeup. Jurrjens has a clean, simple delivery. Some scouts envision him moving to the bullpen, but if he develops a usable breaking ball, he could fill a role as a back-of-the-rotation starter in the big leagues. -
Montero had a breakthrough season in 2005 and proved it was no fluke this year. He makes consistently hard contact with a short stroke and did a better job of using the entire field this season. He also does a fine job behind the plate, showing an average arm with a quick release to go with strong blocking and game-calling ability. "He really improved the second time we saw him," Brundage said. "He made some adjustments, especially on the offspeed stuff. He's a very aggressive hitter. But the thing I like most about him his is presence behind the plate, especially for such a young guy in this league. He has a good arm and seemed to call a good game."
Top 100 Rankings
Best Tools List
- Rated Best Defensive SS in the Florida State League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive Catcher in the Florida State League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive Outfielder in the Florida State League in 2006
- Rated Best Baserunner in the Florida State League in 2006
- Rated Best Reliever in the Florida State League in 2006
- Rated Best Strike-Zone Discipline in the Florida State League in 2006
- Rated Best Infield Arm in the Florida State League in 2006
- Rated Best Control in the Florida State League in 2006
- Rated Best Outfield Arm in the Florida State League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive 3B in the Florida State League in 2006
- Rated Best Power Prospect in the Florida State League in 2006
- Rated Best Fastball in the Carolina League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive 1B in the Florida State League in 2006
- Rated Best Pitching Prospect in the Florida State League in 2006
- Rated Most Exciting Player in the Florida State League in 2006
- Rated Best Fastball in the Florida State League in 2006
- Rated Best Power Prospect in the Carolina League in 2006
- Rated Best Batting Prospect in the Florida State League in 2006
- Rated Best Breaking Pitch in the Florida State League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive 2B in the Florida State League in 2006
- Rated Fastest Baserunner in the Florida State League in 2006
- Rated Best Reliever in the Carolina League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive Outfielder in the Carolina League in 2006
- Rated Best Pitching Prospect in the Carolina League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive 1B in the Carolina League in 2006
- Rated Best Breaking Pitch in the Carolina League in 2006
- Rated Best Infield Arm in the Carolina League in 2006
- Rated Fastest Baserunner in the Carolina League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive SS in the Carolina League in 2006
- Rated Best Control in the Carolina League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive Catcher in the Carolina League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive 2B in the Carolina League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive 3B in the Carolina League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive Outfielder in the Midwest League in 2006
- Rated Best Breaking Pitch in the Midwest League in 2006
- Rated Best Baserunner in the Carolina League in 2006
- Rated Best Batting Prospect in the Carolina League in 2006
- Rated Best Strike-Zone Discipline in the Carolina League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive Catcher in the Midwest League in 2006
- Rated Best Outfield Arm in the Midwest League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive 1B in the Midwest League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive 3B in the Midwest League in 2006
- Rated Best Control in the Midwest League in 2006
- Rated Most Exciting Player in the Carolina League in 2006
- Rated Best Outfield Arm in the Carolina League in 2006
- Rated Most Exciting Player in the Midwest League in 2006
- Rated Fastest Baserunner in the Midwest League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive 2B in the Midwest League in 2006
- Rated Best Strike-Zone Discipline in the Midwest League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive SS in the Midwest League in 2006
- Rated Best Fastball in the Midwest League in 2006
- Rated Best Infield Arm in the Midwest League in 2006
- Rated Best Power Prospect in the Midwest League in 2006
- Rated Best Reliever in the Midwest League in 2006
- Rated Best Baserunner in the Midwest League in 2006
- Rated Best Batting Prospect in the Midwest League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive SS in the International League in 2006
- Rated Best Outfield Arm in the International League in 2006
- Rated Best Baserunner in the International League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive 1B in the International League in 2006
- Rated Best Pitching Prospect in the International League in 2006
- Rated Best Control in the International League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive Catcher in the International League in 2006
- Rated Best Reliever in the International League in 2006
- Rated Best Infield Arm in the International League in 2006
- Rated Best Power Prospect in the International League in 2006
- Rated Best Pitching Prospect in the Midwest League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive 3B in the International League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive 2B in the International League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive Outfielder in the International League in 2006
- Rated Best Batting Prospect in the International League in 2006
- Rated Best Strike-Zone Discipline in the International League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive 3B in the South Atlantic League in 2006
- Rated Most Exciting Player in the International League in 2006
- Rated Best Fastball in the International League in 2006
- Rated Fastest Baserunner in the International League in 2006
- Rated Best Breaking Pitch in the International League in 2006
- Rated Best Batting Prospect in the South Atlantic League in 2006
- Rated Best Infield Arm in the South Atlantic League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive SS in the South Atlantic League in 2006
- Rated Best Control in the South Atlantic League in 2006
- Rated Most Exciting Player in the South Atlantic League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive 1B in the South Atlantic League in 2006
- Rated Best Power Prospect in the South Atlantic League in 2006
- Rated Best Pitching Prospect in the South Atlantic League in 2006
- Rated Best Strike-Zone Discipline in the South Atlantic League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive Outfielder in the South Atlantic League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive 2B in the South Atlantic League in 2006
- Rated Fastest Baserunner in the South Atlantic League in 2006
- Rated Best Baserunner in the South Atlantic League in 2006
- Rated Best Fastball in the South Atlantic League in 2006
- Rated Best Breaking Pitch in the South Atlantic League in 2006
- Rated Best Outfield Arm in the South Atlantic League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive Catcher in the South Atlantic League in 2006
- Rated Best Reliever in the Eastern League in 2006
- Rated Best Infield Arm in the Eastern League in 2006
- Rated Best Reliever in the South Atlantic League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive 2B in the Eastern League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive Outfielder in the Eastern League in 2006
- Rated Best Baserunner in the Eastern League in 2006
Career Transactions
-
Tucson Baseball Team placed RHP Esteban Bloch on the reserve list.
-
Columbus Clingstones activated RHP Darius Vines from the 60-day injured list.
-
Columbus Clingstones activated RHP Luis Vargas from the full-season injured list.
-
Tucson Baseball Team activated RHP Oscar Soria from the reserve list.
-
Algodoneros de Guasave placed RHP Kevin Ribon on the reserve list.
-
Columbus Clingstones activated LHP Jake McSteen from the 60-day injured list.
-
Algodoneros de Guasave activated LHP Jeff Kinley from the reserve list.
-
Biloxi Shuckers activated C Ramón Rodríguez from the full-season injured list.
-
Biloxi Shuckers activated RHP Nick Merkel from the 60-day injured list.
-
Biloxi Shuckers activated 2B Adam Hall from the 60-day injured list.
-
Biloxi Shuckers activated RHP Chase Costello from the full-season injured list.
-
Biloxi Shuckers activated RHP Tyler Bryant from the full-season injured list.
-
C Alan Marrero assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
Pensacola Blue Wahoos activated RHP Tristan Stevens from the 60-day injured list.
-
3B Yariel Gonzalez assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
OF Calvin Estrada assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
RHP Sam Whiting assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
RF Roby Enriquez assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
RHP Minato Aoyama assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
RHP Ethan Routzahn assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
LHP Brady Tedesco assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
C Jan Mercado assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
RHP Alexander Castro assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
2B Abdel Guadalupe assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
OF Shinya Hasegawa assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
OF Wilson Rodriguez assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
RHP Ruben Ramirez assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
SS Glenn Santiago assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
RHP Jarrod Cande assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
SS Abdiel Layer assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
2B Jose Sermo assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
OF Jadiel Sanchez assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
C Victor Torres assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
RHP Ivan Houellemont assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
RHP Josh Mallitz assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
LHP Sidney Duprey assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
RHP Agnel Miranda assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
LHP Jerryell Rivera assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
RHP Raul Rivera assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
RHP Taishi Mameda assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
CF Mallex Smith assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
SS Kenen Irizarry assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
RHP Ryan Velazquez assigned to Senadores de San Juan.
-
St. Paul Saints activated RHP Cole Percival from the 60-day injured list.
-
St. Paul Saints activated RHP Daniel Duarte.
-
Somerset Patriots activated RHP Chase Hampton from the full-season injured list.
-
Somerset Patriots activated LHP Edgar Barclay from the full-season injured list.
-
St. Paul Saints activated RHP Matt Canterino from the full-season injured list.
-
Lehigh Valley IronPigs activated C Carson Taylor from the full-season injured list.
-
Somerset Patriots activated RHP Kevin Stevens from the full-season injured list.
-
Somerset Patriots activated RHP Luis Velasquez from the full-season injured list.
-
Northwest Arkansas Naturals activated LHP Asa Lacy from the full-season injured list.
-
Northwest Arkansas Naturals activated RHP Anderson Paulino from the 60-day injured list.
-
Northwest Arkansas Naturals activated SS Jack Pineda from the 60-day injured list.
-
Northwest Arkansas Naturals activated LF Connor Scott from the full-season injured list.
-
C Ramón Cabrera assigned to Bravos de Margarita.
-
Navegantes del Magallanes activated C Pablo Aliendo from the reserve list.
-
Navegantes del Magallanes activated C Pablo Aliendo from the reserve list.
-
1B Leandro Cedeño assigned to Leones del Caracas.
-
C René Pinto assigned to Leones del Caracas.
-
1B Chris Arroyo assigned to Leones de Ponce.
-
RHP Franny Cobos assigned to Leones de Ponce.
-
RHP Eric Garcia assigned to Leones de Ponce.
-
2B John Montes assigned to Leones de Ponce.
-
1B Anthony Calarco assigned to Leones de Ponce.
-
RHP Bryant Salgado assigned to Leones de Ponce.
-
LHP Kazuto Taguchi assigned to Leones de Ponce.
-
SS Kevin Santa assigned to Leones de Ponce.
-
C Juan Montero assigned to Leones de Ponce.
-
RHP Andrew Marrero assigned to Leones de Ponce.
-
LF Dalton Guthrie assigned to Leones de Ponce.
-
LHP Eric Torres assigned to Leones de Ponce.
-
OF D'Shawn Knowles assigned to Leones de Ponce.
-
SS Edwin Díaz assigned to Leones de Ponce.
-
LHP Omar Melendez assigned to Leones de Ponce.
-
RHP Lucas Vega assigned to Indios de Mayaguez.
-
RHP Lenny Torres Jr. assigned to Leones de Ponce.
-
SS Shawn Ross assigned to Indios de Mayaguez.
-
C Ivan Luciano assigned to Indios de Mayaguez.
-
RHP Alexis Rivero assigned to Indios de Mayaguez.
-
RHP Ashton Goudeau assigned to Indios de Mayaguez.
-
RHP Patrick Halligan assigned to Indios de Mayaguez.
-
SS Yadiel Rivera assigned to Indios de Mayaguez.
-
LHP Brian Moran assigned to Indios de Mayaguez.
-
LHP Efrain Nieves assigned to Indios de Mayaguez.
-
RHP Derek West assigned to Indios de Mayaguez.
-
2B Jalen Miller assigned to Indios de Mayaguez.
-
RHP Luis Quinones assigned to Indios de Mayaguez.
-
2B Isan Díaz assigned to Indios de Mayaguez.
-
C Mario Feliciano assigned to Indios de Mayaguez.
-
Wichita Wind Surge activated RHP Kyle Jones from the full-season injured list.
-
LHP Kyle Nelson elected free agency.
-
RHP Casey Kelly elected free agency.
-
Richmond Flying Squirrels activated RHP Nick Sinacola from the 60-day injured list.
-
RHP John Curtiss elected free agency.
-
SS Connor Kaiser elected free agency.
-
Amarillo Sod Poodles activated LHP Will Mabrey from the full-season injured list.
-
Amarillo Sod Poodles activated RHP Zach Barnes from the full-season injured list.
-
Reno Aces activated RHP Billy Corcoran from the 60-day injured list.
-
Bravos de Margarita activated LHP Felix Doubront from the reserve list.
