2021 Top 100 Prospects, Brought To You By Rapsodo
Baseball America's final significant in-season Top 100 update is here, accounting for considerable performances changes and new information gathered since our comprehensive updated at the midpoint of the 2021 season.
Today's update includes four new pitchers near the back of the list from the Rays, Twins, D-backs and Mariners organizations.
The lost 2020 season of a year ago created a challenging environment to assess prospects, particularly deciphering whether gains made at alternate training sites and instructional league camps would hold under the rigors of a full season. The 2021 season has done an excellent job filtering out which steps forward were real and which were fleeting hot streaks.
You will also find updated capsules for a number of players, taking in-season production or new injury information into account where applicable.
The Top 100 is brought to you by Rapsodo. Rapsodo develops data-driven sports technologies designed to empower athletes and coaches to cost-effectively analyze and improve their game. All 30 MLB teams and over 1,200 colleges and facilities use Rapsodo data as a measuring stick for player development and evaluation.
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Adley Rutschman
Orioles CNotes:Tools: Hit: 70 | Power: 70 | Run: 40 | Fielding: 60 | Arm: 70
Skinny: The face of the Orioles rebuild is primed to be the rare catcher who is an offensive force while providing Gold Glove-caliber defense.Less - 2Last: 3
Julio Rodriguez
Mariners OFNotes:Tools: Hit: 60 | Power: 70 | Run: 45 | Fielding: 55 | Arm: 70
Skinny: The “man-child” has the physical traits of a middle-of-the-order masher and the effervescent personality to be the face of the Mariners franchise.Less - 3Last: 4
Bobby Witt Jr.
Royals SSNotes:Tools: Hit: 60 | Power: 60 | Run: 60 | Fielding: 60 | Arm: 60
Skinny: The athletic, well-rounded shortstop drew raves for his work at the alternate training site in 2020. That prompted the Royals to push him aggressively through their system in 2021, and he continued to show the makings of a future star, with outstanding tools to go with excellent performance at the upper levels.Less - 4Last: 5Notes:
Tools: Hit: 60 | Power: 80 | Run: 45 | Fielding: 55 | Arm: 50
Skinny: The No. 1 overall pick in 2020 draws comparisons to Paul Konerko and Paul Goldschmidt as a potential franchise icon who anchors the middle of the lineup.Less - 5Last: 6
Riley Greene
Tigers OFNotes:Tools: Hit: 60 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Fielding: 55 | Arm: 50
Skinny: Greene doesn’t get the same hype as draft classmates Bobby Witt Jr. and CJ Abrams, but he may end up the best hitter of the three.Less - 6Last: 7
CJ Abrams
Padres SSNotes:Tools: Hit: 70 | Power: 50 | Run: 80 | Fielding: 60 | Arm: 50
Skinny: A dynamic athlete, Abrams has the makings of a future star on both sides of the ball, with elite speed and impressive bat-to-ball skills.Less - 7Last: 9
Grayson Rodriguez
Orioles RHPNotes:Tools: Fastball: 70 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 60
Skinny: With premium size, stuff and advanced command, Rodriguez is one of the few pitching prospects with true No. 1 starter potential.Less - 8Last: 10
Gabriel Moreno
Blue Jays CNotes:Tools: Hit: 55 | Power: 45 | Run: 30 | Fielding: 50 | Arm: 55
Skinny: A broken thumb took time out of Moreno's 2021 season, but it was otherwise a breakout season for a player who became one of the game's elite catching prospects. Moreno has always been a good athlete with the hand-eye coordination to make a lot of contact, but swing adjustments and more strength have helped his power show up more in games.Less - 9Last: 6
Marco Luciano
Giants SSNotes:Tools: Hit: 60 | Power: 70 | Run: 40 | Fielding: 50 | Arm: 60
Skinny: A position change off shortstop is likely in Luciano's future. Wherever he plays, he has the impact power and offensive upside to be a standout in the middle of a lineup.Less - 10Last: 8
Noelvi Marte
Mariners SSNotes:Tools: Hit: 60 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Fielding: 50 | Arm: 60
Skinny: An exciting athlete and hitter, Marte fast bat speed that comes through in a well-sequenced swing, showing the ability to barrel balls consistently and drive the ball for power in games.Less - 11Last: 12
Shane Baz
Rays RHPNotes:Tools: Fastball: 70 | Changeup: 45 | Slider: 70 | Curveball: 40 | Control: 40
Skinny: As if Austin Meadows and Tyler Glasnow weren’t a great enough haul, the Rays also added Shane Baz as the third piece in the deal that sent Chris Archer to Pittsburgh in 2018. Now that deal looks even better for the Rays as Baz, who entered 2021 as a pitcher with exciting stuff but significant reliever risk, has found a way to trim his walk rate significantly while missing more bats even as he has moved up to the upper levels.Less - 12Last: 11
George Kirby
Mariners RHPNotes:Tools: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 70
Skinny: Kirby has far and away the best control in the Seattle system, which is all the more exciting considering the jump his stuff took in 2020. His fastball now touches triple digits and his slider is a crisp breaker that projects as plus.Less - 13Last: 15
Keibert Ruiz
Nationals CNotes:Tools: Hit: 60 | Power: 45 | Run: 30 | Arm: 55 | Fielding: 50
Skinny: The centerpiece prospect in the 2021 deadline deal that sent Max Scherzer and Trea Turner to the Dodgers, Ruiz has developed into one of the game's elite, most well-rounded catchers in the game.Less - 14Last: 15
Francisco Alvarez
Mets CNotes:Tools: Hit: 50 | Power: 60 | Run: 30 | Fielding: 50 | Arm: 60
Skinny: Alvarez has a very advanced bat for a teenaged catcher. He's shown the aptitude to be a solid defensive catcher as well. Now he just needs plenty of work behind the plate.Less - 15Last: 19
Triston Casas
Red Sox 1BNotes:Tools: Hit: 55 | Power: 60 | Run: 40 | Fielding: 55 | Arm: 50
Skinny: Casas is one of Boston's cornerstones for the future as he has preternatural hitting ability to go with his impressive power. He's a potential impact hitter who could hit 30-plus home runs in the middle of their lineup.Less - 16Last: 22
Cade Cavalli
Nationals RHPNotes:Tools: Fastball: 70 | Changeup: 55 | Slider: 60 | Curveball: 55 | Control: 50
Skinny: The Nationals' first-round pick from 2020 boasts a double-plus fastball and three off speed pitches that each rate as above-average or better. The best of the bunch is a potentially plus slider.Less - 17Last: 20
Reid Detmers
Angels LHPNotes:Tools: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 60 | Changeup: 50 | Slider: 45 | Control: 55
Skinny: Detmers has long been known as one of the more polished pitching prospects in the game, with a four-pitch mix and command to all quadrants of the strike zone. Now, his fastball has ticked up a few notches, which makes him even more tantalizing.Less - 18Last: 25
Brennen Davis
Cubs OFNotes:Tools: Hit: 50 | Power: 60 | Run: 60 | Fielding: 50 | Arm: 60
Skinny: Davis is extremely tooled-up and, after playing basketball in high school, might be just beginning to tap into his abilities on the diamond. The arrows continue to point in the right direction with a breakthrough 2021 season.Less - 19Last: 26
Oneil Cruz
Pirates SSNotes:Tools: Hit: 50 | Power: 70 | Run: 60 | Fielding: 50 | Arm: 60
Skinny: The 6-foot-7 slugger has outstanding bat speed, strength and raw power. He’s doing it all while defying the odds by staying at shortstop through the upper minors.Less - 20Last: 23
Vidal Brujan
Rays 2BNotes:Tools: Hit: 60 | Power: 40 | Run: 80 | Fielding: 55 | Arm: 50
Skinny: The best athlete in a Rays system loaded with athletes, Brujan does almost everything well. An elite runner with excellent contact skills, Brujan has added more power to his game this year.Less - 21Last: 15
Jose Barrero
Reds SSNotes:Tools: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Fielding: 60 | Arm: 60
Skinny: Barrero's excellent glove and offensive upside help him top the Reds' system and earned him a big league cameo.Less - 22Last: 74
Anthony Volpe
Yankees SSNotes:Tools: Hit: 55 | Power: 60 | Run: 50 | Fielding: 55 | Arm: 50
Skinny: After a pro debut marred by mononucleosis and then a missed year of game reps due to the pandemic, Volpe filled up the stat sheet in 2021 with his polished skill set. He's making frequent contact, hitting the ball hard when he does swing and controlling the strike zone well, helping his stock take a huge leap forward in 2021.Less - 23Last: 16
Nick Lodolo
Reds LHPNotes:Tools: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 60 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 60
Skinny: Lodolo made a name for himself as a premier control artist, and he’s re-established that reputation again in 2021. After walking exactly nobody in his pro debut, he’s used a strong three-pitch mix to vex hitters at the upper levels and put himself into the mix to earn a job in the big league rotation in 2022.Less - 24Last: 35
Tyler Soderstrom
Athletics CNotes:Tools: Hit: 60 | Power: 60 | Run: 40 | Fielding: 40 | Arm: 55
Skinny: Even against older pitchers, Soderstrom's bat quickly impressed evaluators. It should play even if he doesn't catch.Less - 25Last: 34
Alek Thomas
D-backs OFNotes:Tools: Hit: 60 | Power: 45 | Run: 60 | Fielding: 60 | Arm: 45
Skinny: Thomas has a sneaky combination of contact, power and extremely graceful defense in center field.Less
