2023 MLB Top 100 Players

BA Grade: 80
Highest Ranking: No. 2 on 2018 Top 100 Prospects List
What We Said In 2018: No player since Bryce Harper has matched the mixture of hype and expectation as Ohtani. With a fastball clocked as high as 102 mph and a demonstrated ability to hit home runs 500 feet in Nippon Professional Baseball, Ohtani became the most sought-after free agent of the 2017 offseason.

BA Grade: 80
Highest Ranking: No. 53 on 2015 Top 100 Prospects List
What We Said In 2016: Drafted with the second of the Yankees' three first-round picks in 2013, Judge was sought after for the monster power potential he showed over three years at Fresno State. After signing for $1.8 million, Judge has moved from center field to right field, where his offensive skills profile much better. He wrecked the competition at Double-A Eastern League in 2015, earning a starting spot in the Futures Game.

BA Grade: 80
Highest Ranking: No. 2 on 2011 Top 100 Prospects List
What We Said In 2011: Built like a football defensive back, Trout is a rare five-tool talent who can really hit, a product of his strong, compact stroke and impressive batting eye. He shows no fear of hitting with two strikes, an unusual trait in a teenager. He scores well above-average marks for his running speed--a present and future 80 on the 20-80 scouting scale--and center-field range. One scout saw him hit a 400-foot homer in one at-bat, then get to first base in 3.65 seconds on a bunt his next time up.

BA Grade: 75
Highest Ranking: No. 75 on 2014 Top 100 Prospects List
What We Said In 2014: Drafted as a multi-sport athlete (baseball, basketball, bowling), he showed a line-drive swing, good strike-zone judgment, speed and no power (zero homers) at short-season Lowell in 2012. That changed in 2013, when he showed improved patience and drove the ball for extra bases with startling frequency, first at low Class A Greenville then at high Class A Salem. Betts joined eight other minor leaguers with at least 15 homers and 30 steals in 2013. Though he has a sizable leg kick, Betts has the body control and athleticism to maintain balance, the quick hands to let the ball travel and the hand-eye coordination and bat speed to produce extra-base power. He shows a penchant for highlight-reel defensive plays at second base, and he has the athleticism and range for the Red Sox to consider shortstop and center field as possibilities.

BA Grade: 75
Highest Ranking: No. 11 on 2012 Top 100 Prospects List
What We Said In 2012: Machado has all the tools to be an all-star shortstop. He's an above-average hitter with a knack for making solid contact, and he has the bat speed and strength to generate average power. He's a rangy teenager who's still filling out and getting stronger. Machado has good hands and range and a plus arm, so he'll be a fine defensive shortstop as long as he doesn't outgrow the position. The only real question is whether he eventually slides over to third base, but they'll try to keep him at shortstop.

BA Grade: 75
Highest Ranking: Guardians No. 9 prospect in 2014
What We Said In 2014: Ramirez has made a rapid ascent through the system, going from the Midwest League to the majors in the span of a year. After he finished 2012 strong with low Class A Lake County, Ramirez went on to hit .312 over the winter in the Dominican League, which spurred the Indians to skip him over high Class A. He held his own as a 20-year-old in Double-A, and Cleveland gave him a September callup in the heat of the playoff race. Ramirez's speed and on-base skills are his biggest assets. He has a smooth swing from both sides of the plate and sprays line drives to all fields.

BA Grade: 75
Highest Ranking: No. 8 on 2006 Top 100 Prospects List
What We Said In 2006: Verlander led the minors in ERA (giving up only one run in 33 innings at Double-A Erie), started the Futures Game in Comerica Park and made his major league debut at Jacobs Field on Independence Day. Verlander has one of the best arms in the minors and features both the best fastball and curveball in the organization. Tall, lithe and athletic, he generates tremendous arm speed that gives him an electric fastball with both above-average velocity and life. His heater sits at 93-96 mph and touches 99. He commanded his fastball--and all of his pitches, for that matter--much better as a pro than he had in college. Most scouts had noticed that as an amateur, Verlander landed on a stiff front leg, cutting off his follow-through and leading to a tendency to leave his pitches up in the strike zone. The Tigers deemed this flaw correctable, but what impressed them most was how quickly Verlander took to his new delivery. He rarely if ever reverted to his old form. Verlander's curveball is a true knee-buckler, a power breaker with excellent depth and late bite down in the zone. He has excellent arm speed on his late-moving changeup, which also improved with his new delivery and ranks among the best in the organization. Stuff-wise, Verlander has no weaknesses.

BA Grade: 75
Highest Ranking: No. 7 on 2013 Top 100 Prospects List
What We Said In 2013: Cole is a power pitcher with a pair of devastating offerings. He can effortlessly throw his four-seam fastball up to 101 mph, sitting at 96-98 mph and carrying that velocity deep into games. He also throws a two-seamer with sink at 93-95. His slider is a wipeout pitch with very hard tilt and he typically throws it at 88-90 mph, topping out as high as 93. When he stays on top of the slider, it's almost unhittable for righthanders. He also has a solid upper-80s changeup that keeps improving, and he'll mix in an occasional slow curveball for show. In order to become a true ace, Cole will have to make some adjustments. He'll have to keep working on taking a little more off his changeup, which would slow down hitters' bats. He also needs to fine-tune his command.

BA Grade: 75
Highest Ranking: No. 34 on 2019 Top 100 Prospects List
What We Said In 2018: A wrist injury sapped his power in the second half of the season, but when healthy Alvarez showed some of the best power in the organization. He produces excellent exit velocities and has 25-plus home run potential. His swing is not really geared to power, but the ball carries thanks to leverage and bat speed. He's actually more of a pure hitter than a slugger. Alvarez uses a whole-field approach, and hit more home runs to left field than right last season. He has a big strike zone, but his ability to recognize breaking balls and lay off pitches out of the zone helps him cover the entire plate.

BA Grade: 75
Highest Ranking: No. 9 on 2016 Top 100 Prospects List
What We Said In 2016: Turner's best tool is his speed, which grades near the top of the scale, but he has also proven himself to be an advanced hitter. He has surprising pop thanks to the bat speed he produces, and he could consistently hit double-digit home runs. He profiles best as a top-of-the-order hitter who does a good job of hitting balls into the gaps and getting on base to take advantage of his speed. His speed has long made him a threat on the bases--he owns both North Carolina State's single-season and all-time stolen base records--and he does a good job of picking his spots to run. Turner is still polishing his defensive game, but he has the quickness and arm strength to be a solid shortstop.

BA Grade: 75
Highest Ranking: No. 2 on 2022 Top 100 Prospects List
What We Said In 2022: Rodriguez is a physical presence at 6-foot-3, 210 pounds with the strength and athleticism to take over games. He destroys baseballs with 80-grade raw power and has been known to hit balls out of stadiums. His longest home runs come to his pull side, but he has the strength to drive balls out the other way with shocking ease. Rodriguez has the rare ability to get to his power without sacrificing the ability to hit for average. He is a career .331 hitter in the minors who identifies pitches well and stays short to the ball with a simple approach and direct bat path that allows him to make frequent contact in all parts of the strike zone.

BA Grade: 75
Highest Ranking: Mets No. 10 prospect in 2014.
What We Said In 2014: He has completed four levels of the full-season minors in two years, after missing the entire 2011 season while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery he had the previous fall. DeGrom succeeds by pounding the zone and showing a clean arm action and bulldog mentality. He threw nearly two-thirds of his pitches for strikes in 2013, though he would benefit form expanding the zone and getting batters to chase when he gets ahead in the count. He sits at 92-94 mph with plus sinking life, and he can rear back for 98 when he needs it. DeGrom made progress with a straight changeup this season, giving him a good weapon against lefties, though he misses more bats against righties with a fastball and slurvy breaking ball. He's working on improving the rotation and bite of his breaking ball. After logging a combined 148 innings in 2013, deGrom has put his surgery completely behind him.

BA Grade: 70
Highest Ranking: No. 56 on 2018 Top 100 Prospects List
What We Said In 2018: Soto impressed evaluators with his advanced feel at the plate. He made adjustments within at-bats and displayed impressive hand-eye coordination that should allow him to be an above-average hitter. While he's still growing into it, Soto should have above-average power, and he has a chance to hit 20-plus homers a year thanks to strong hands and a simple swing. He is just an average runner, and profiles as a corner outfielder because of that, which limits his ceiling and will put additional pressure on his bat--his best tool.

BA Grade: 70
Highest Ranking: No. 46 on 2019 Top 100 Prospects List
What We Said In 2019: Burnes has the four-pitch repertoire of a starter and pounds the strike zone with all of those pitches, keeping hitters on the defensive. With a quick arm action, he throws his fastball in the 93-95 mph range with natural movement, doing a good job of keeping it down in the strike zone. He relied more on his above-average mid-80s slider in 2018, which was death on righthanded hitters when he put it where he wanted. Burnes mixes in an upper-80s split-changeup and upper-70s curveball, both average, that give opponents more pitches to process. He maintains his stuff deep into starts with plus control and can be a ground ball machine when he keeps his fastball low in the zone. The Brewers love the way Burnes competes and shows great mound presence even under stress. Burnes will audition for the big league rotation in 2019. His confidence and conviction in his pitches is apparent, and the Brewers think he is a star in the making.

BA Grade: 70
Highest Ranking: No. 42 on 2012 Top 100 Prospects List
What We Said In 2013: A high school teammate of Yankees catcher Austin Romine, Arenado has a knack for making steady contact and getting the barrel of his bat to the ball. His swing gets long through the ball, so his finish looks unorthodox, but he has great hand speed. He has been difficult to strike out throughout his career, with just 181 whiffs in 414 pro games. He derives his power more from bat speed than muscle at this point, and as he gets stronger he should be capable of hitting 20 homers annually. Arenado entered pro ball with an opposite-field stroke but has learned to turn on inside pitches, sometimes to a fault because he strays from hitting to the center of the field. Nevertheless, he should always be able to hit for high averages. After the 2010 season, the Rockies expected Arenado to move to first base because he was such a defensive liability at the hot corner, with minimal range and no feel for the position. But he got in better shape, worked hard on his first-step quickness and has blossomed into a quality third baseman.

BA Grade: 70
Highest Ranking: No. 1 on 2018 Top 100 Prospects List
What We Said In 2018: Acuna has a wide range of strengths and few glaring weaknesses. Multiple scouts predicted multiple all-star appearances in his future. He's the rare prospect who actually carries future 60 (or better) grades on the 20-80 scale for all five tools. Acuna is a 70 runner with 70 defense who has a 60 arm and 60 hit tool. Many scouts project him to future 70 power. He already uses the whole field, and he went deep six times in 2017 to right or right-center field. Acuna used the opposite field more often as the season progressed. Not coincidentally he became tougher to strike out. Scouts looking for flaws noted that his strong arm is sometimes inaccurate and he could sometimes be stymied by quality fastballs up and in. But he already shows an ability to lay off breaking balls and velocity out of the zone. When he gets a pitch to hit, Acuna has extremely fast hands with strong wrists that whip the bat through the zone with excellent bat speed. He already generates exceptional exit velocities, which should pay off with 25-30 home runs once he matures.

BA Grade: 70
Highest Ranking: D-backs No. 11 prospect in 2011
What We Said In 2011: Goldschmidt has a proven track record as a power hitter. He set a school record with 36 career home runs at Texas State, after first coming to scouts' attention in 2006, when he and Kyle Drabek (now the Blue Jays' top prospect) led The Woodlands (Texas) High to the national championship. He led the Rookie-level Pioneer League in homers (18) and slugging percentage (.638) in his debut season, then jumped two levels to high Class A and topped the California League in doubles (42), home runs (35) and slugging (.606) en route to winning the MVP award. He also struck out 161 times, which some scouts see as an indication that he may struggle against better pitching as he moves higher in the system. There's no denying Goldschmidt's legitimate power to all fields, and his supporters believe he has a swing path that will allow him to improve as a hitter. He was especially dangerous against lefthanders last year, batting .413/.453/.860 with 16 homers in just 143 at-bats.

BA Grade: 70
Highest Ranking: No. 17 on 2011 Top 100 Prospects List
What We Said In 2011: The 78th overall pick in the 2007 draft, Freeman has been among the youngest players in every league he has played. He was the second-youngest starter in the Triple-A International League in 2010, when he was tabbed the circuit's rookie of the year. He led the IL in hits (147) and total bases (240), and managers rated him the loop's best defensive first baseman. Freeman has a smooth, aggressive swing from the left side. He possesses raw power that should generate 20-plus homers annually in the major leagues. He has good plate coverage with a patient approach that leads to consistent contact. He thrives in RBI situations and wants the bat in his hand with the game on the line. Defensively, Freeman has quick feet and above-average range at first base. He does all the little things well around the bag and he even has a cannon for an arm. Though not a blazer, he runs well for his size and shows outstanding instincts on the basepaths.

BA Grade: 70
Highest Ranking: No. 22 on 2019 Top 100 Prospects List
What We Said In 2019: Riley’s plus-plus raw power has always been his best attribute. He has the potential to hit 25-30 home runs regularly in the majors. He has a pull-heavy approach when he gets into advantageous counts but has the strength and power to drive the ball out to right and right-center field. Riley’s approach leads to strikeouts, but he has always managed to stay on the right side of the line that separates free-swingers who can’t hit from those who hit enough to get to their power. Riley’s bat-to-ball skills give him a chance to be an average hitter to go with his excellent power. He’s shown an ability to make adjustments. His swing is now more direct to the ball, and he has sped up his hands as a pro. Defensively, Riley’s conditioning and work has helped him turn himself into a plus defender. His plus-plus arm is a key to his success at third base, but he also has developed the quick feet and quick hands scouts look for at third base.

BA Grade: 70
Highest Ranking: No. 1 on 2012 Top 100 Prospects List
What We Said In 2012: Harper's power and arm strength both rate as 80s on the 20-80 scouting scale. He has incredible strength in his hands and generates enormous torque in his lefthanded swing, allowing him to smash massive drives to all fields. Harper has some extra movement in his swing and sometimes jumps out on his front foot too early, but when he stays down and lets the ball travel, he sees pitches well and can drive them hard to the opposite field. Double-A lefthanders limited him to a .167 average and one homer in 48 at-bats, but he hit them well at Hagerstown and shouldn't have a massive platoon split. Harper draws plenty of walks and has the ability to be an above-average or better hitter as he matures, though some scouts think he may strike out too much to hit for a high average.

BA Grade: 70
Highest Ranking: No. 66 on 2008 Top 100 Prospects List
What We Said In 2008: Scherzer's fastball can overmatch batters, arriving in the mid-90s with sinking action at its best. His slider also can be a plus pitch, though he's working on its command and plane. Some scouts who saw Scherzer as a starter at midseason wondered what the fuss was about. His fastball sat at 89-93 mph range, and his overall stuff, command, feel and delivery all drew questions. Then they saw him relieving in the Arizona Fall League and he was a different pitcher, touching 98 mph.

BA Grade: 70
Highest Ranking: No. 70 on 2018 Top 100 Prospects List
What We Said In 2018: A long-time member of the Cardinals' stable of 100 mph Latin American arms, Alcantara had a breakout season in 2016 but experienced more of an up-and-down year in 2017, when his untamed arsenal yielded more hits and fewer strikeouts than his raw stuff would indicate. Even then, the 6-foot-4 righthander, who originally signed out of the Dominican Republic for $125,000 in 2013, earned a September callup and averaged 99 mph on his fastball in eight appearances as a reliever. Alcantara's big arm, tantalizing pure stuff and his proximity to the majors made him an intriguing, high-upside prospect for the Marlins to receive as the headliner in the return for outfielder Marcell Ozuna. Alcantara packs big velocity but has yet to fully harness it. His fastball sits 96-97 mph as a starter, touches 100 and has been clocked as high as 102. It's a big pitch, but Alcantara's command and control are below-average, resulting in too many hittable fastballs over the plate or well off. His preferred pitch is an upper-90s sinker, but it's taken a backseat as he's focused on his four-seam fastball command. Alcantara complements his fastball with flashes of promising secondaries, but they have yet to become consistent.

BA Grade: 70
Highest Ranking: No. 7 on 2008 Top 100 Prospects List
What We Said In 2008: Kershaw's heater has late, riding life with explosive finish at the plate. His 71-77 mph curveball has hard 1-to-7 tilt from his high-three-quarters arm slot. He made strides with his circle changeup during the year, and it too grades as a third plus future offering. He generates his stuff with a loose, clean arm action. At 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, he has an ideal pitcher's frame that exudes durability as well as athleticism. He eventually should pitch with above-average command, though he didn't show it in 2007. Kershaw is a little slow to the plate, but is cognizant of baserunners. He employs a slide-step effectively and has a good pickoff move. His makeup and competitiveness are off the charts, and he's lauded for his humility off the field . . . Kershaw offers a promising combination of front-of-the-rotation stuff and the work ethic to reach his ceiling as an ace.

BA Grade: 70
Highest Ranking: No. 4 on 2015 Top 100 Prospects List
What We Said In 2015: At 6-foot-4, Correa is one of the bigger shortstops in the game, but his lean, athletic frame is a plus, as are most of his tools. He's an average runner underway who turns in some below-average run times out of the box. He's average when it comes to turning double plays, but he has excellent instincts, a quick first step, good hands and a double-plus arm, which helps him make the play in the hole and should allow him to thrive at shortstop in the near term. He's a plus hitter with plus raw power, though his homer totals haven't shown it yet because his swing lacks loft. He's capable of hitting 30 homers in a season once he has more experience, though scouts don't believe it will happen consistently. He hits the ball hard with regularity now, and one rival evaluator likened Correa to Albert Pujols (albeit with less power) for his ability to hammer the ball to the opposite field. His makeup is off the charts, with a natural ability to lead and a goal-oriented mindset unseen in a player who just turned 20.

BA Grade: 70
Highest Ranking: No. 9 on 2015 Top 100 Prospects List
What We Said In 2015: There are plusses almost everywhere with Lindor, both in terms of his tools and his intangibles. At the plate, he takes line-drive swings and makes consistent hard contact to all fields. He has outstanding hand-eye coordination and feel for the strike zone, which along with his speed allows his hit tool to play up. A switch-hitter since age 13, he's a little more comfortable from the right side--his natural side--but the club is confident he'll be a factor from both sides of the plate. Power is the one tool that won't be Lindor's forte, though he did show more of it last season than ever before. He got noticeably stronger in the weight room and worked to get in better hitting positions to tap more into his strength. He would at times get caught up in trying to pull the ball, but for the most part he shows an understanding of how pitchers want to attack him and what pitches he can drive. He has all the tools to be an above-average shortstop, with smooth hands and a strong arm. He has a knack for anticipation and the first step quickness to always be in the right place at the right time.