10 Top 100 Prospects Who Coaches, Scouts Loved In 2025

Triple-A Standouts

Nick Kurtz, 1B, Athletics

Nick Kurtz presented an atypical profile for a top-of-the-board talent in the 2024 draft. Scouts were bought in on the Wake Forest product’s ability to hit and impact the ball. It’s just that as a first base-only player, Kurtz had no fallback options if he didn’t produce with the stick. On top of that, the 6-foot-5 lefthanded batter has long levers that could impede his ability to make consistent contact.

One year later, the Athletics are making the doubters look foolish after they drafted him fourth overall.

Kurtz blitzed pro pitchers for a 1.283 OPS in a 12-game pro debut. He followed that by batting .321/.385/.655 with seven home runs in 20 games for Triple-A Las Vegas this spring. He averaged 95 mph on his batted balls and registered a hard hit nearly 57% of the time he put a ball in play. His zone-contact rate hovered near 80%, as it had in college.

Even though Kurtz spent just three weeks in the Pacific Coast League, it was more than enough time for managers to take notice. He won three Best Tools categories: Best Batting Prospect, Best Power Prospect and Most Exciting Player. Historically, those are three of the most telling categories to win. Players who win those categories tend to produce the most MLB value. 

Kurtz looks like the rule and not the exception to Best Tools voting precedent. He is the American League Rookie of the Year favorite this year who leads first-year players in, well, everything. That includes four-homer games, which the 22-year-old accomplished in Houston on July 25 as part of a 6-for-6 day at the plate. 

Few organizations have drafted college players as well as the Athletics have in recent years. Kurtz and shortstop Jacob Wilson are two of the top rookies this year, while college lefthanders Gage Jump and Jamie Arnold and college bat Tommy White are pushing toward Sacramento.

The present is dim for the Athletics, but they are building the type of core to catapult the club into contention.

Roman Anthony, OF, Red Sox

After climbing to the position of No. 1 overall prospect late last summer and raking at the upper levels, Roman Anthony figured to spend most of this season in Boston rather than the minor leagues. That’s exactly what happened for the 21-year-old Red Sox right fielder, who made his MLB debut on June 9.

As a rookie, Anthony quickly asserted himself in a loaded Red Sox outfield and displayed the sort of on-base skills and burgeoning power that were foretold by his minor league track record—and Best Tools voting. International League managers chose Anthony as the Best Batting Prospect with the Best Strike-Zone Judgment and Most Exciting Player. He won Most Exciting Player in the Double-A Eastern League in 2024 as well. 

Anthony spent 58 games with Triple-A Worcester this year and batted .288/.423/.491 with 10 home runs. He drew 51 walks against 56 strikeouts. The Red Sox drafted him out of South Florida power Stoneman Douglas High in 2022, using the compensatory second-round pick they gained from free agent Eduardo Rodriguez’s departure.

While Anthony runs a high groundball rate for a player with so much raw power, he makes the most of his batted balls with an elite hard-hit rate and a max exit velocity of 116 mph at Triple-A. Over time, he will access his plus raw power with more regularity as he learns to elevate the ball.

Unlike many young lefthanded hitters, Anthony has a sound approach versus same-side pitchers that should make him more platoon-neutral than most of his peers. His strikeout rate spikes versus MLB lefthanders, but he still takes his walks and gets in his licks with extra-base power.  This too should improve over time.

It’s easy to see why IL managers were smitten with Anthony—and why the Red Sox quickly extended his contract for eight years and at least $130 million.

Double-A Standouts

JJ Wetherholt, SS, Cardinals

The Cardinals knew what they had when West Virginia shortstop JJ Wetherholt fell to them at pick No. 7 in the 2024 draft.  Immediately, Wetherholt became the Cardinals’ best prospect. What followed was a 2025 season in which the 22-year-old lefthanded batter reached Triple-A Memphis by July and showed his high-level hitting ability with an uptick in power. 

On his way to the International League, Wetherholt spent the first half of the season at Double-A Springfield, where Texas League managers voted him the winner in three Best Tools categories: Best Batting Prospect, Best Strike-Zone Judgment and Most Exciting Player 

Wetherholt is a truly well-rounded prospect with plus or better bat-to-ball ability, advanced swing decisions, above-average power and the ability to stick at shortstop. He has shown an impressive combination of analytical traits. His 15.9% zone-whiff rate is easily a plus grade when compared to his minor league contemporaries. 

He pairs his excellent contact skills with advanced swing decisions. Wetherholt chased outside the zone just 17.3% of the time, while swinging at 77.4% of pitches over the heart of the plate. This balance of rarely expanding the zone while consistently attacking within is a perfect example of balanced aggression at the plate. 

Wetherholt has shown the ability to more consistently get to his power this season despite just average raw power. His 90th percentile exit velocity of 103.8 mph is middle of the road, but he shows the ability to hit his best-struck drives at optimal launch angles. His average launch angle on balls in play hit at 95 mph or harder was 11.3 degrees. This fueled his 24% barrel rate. 

While it’s often Wetherholt’s bat that draws the most attention, his defensive ability and versatility will prove valuable. Right now, Wetherholt is the Cardinals’ best prospect. By this time next year, he could be their best big league player.

Jonah Tong, RHP, Mets

Entering the season, Mets righthander Jonah Tong knew he was onto something with his changeup. He had messed around with a splitter grip and didn’t like it, so the organization suggested he try a Vulcan grip in which he spread his middle and ring fingers over the horseshoe on the baseball. 

Tong liked how the pitch felt and immediately started to see results.

His new changeup played perfectly off of his ride-cut four-seam fastball. The pitch took Tong from a talented pitching prospect on the radar with an unusual operation to one of the top pitching prospects in the game. 

Tong spent a majority of his season dominating the Double-A Eastern League. In 20 starts spanning 102 innings, the 22-year-old struck out 40.8% of batters faced. Dominating primarily with a fastball and changeup, Tong generated swinging strikes at a rate of 16.7% during his time with Binghamton. All that swing-and-miss led to strikeout totals that led the minor leagues nearly the entire season. 

While Tong’s remade changeup has been a key element to his success this year, his fastball quality has long been the foundation of his arsenal. His four-seam fastball is up a few ticks this year and sits 95-97 mph while generating 18-19 inches of induced vertical break with heavy cut. He was able to add velo without sacrificing the shape on his fastball. 

Tong’s remade changeup has been the key to his success this season, driving high whiff rates and leaving awkward swings in its wake. The changeup has an 11 mph separation off of his average fastball velocity and a two degree separation in plane. 

These traits provide Tong’s changeup deception through both speed and movement variation off his fastball. Tong’s comfort with the pitch shows in the form of high usage rates versus both lefthanded and righthanded hitters. 

Eastern League managers recognized Tong as Best Pitching Prospect and Best Control in Best Tools voting. Improving his slider and tightening his command should be key areas of focus for Tong as he heads into 2026.  If he’s able to make slight improvements in those areas, he could vault into the middle of the Mets’ rotation—and soon.

Sal Stewart, 3B, Reds

Entering the season, Reds third baseman Sal Stewart had produced for two consecutive seasons but was still divisive within scouting circles. 

The 2022 supplemental first-rounder had shown an advanced hit tool and discerning batting eye, but his power was not befitting of his frame or his corner infield profile. Stewart delivered strong results across both levels of Class A, but questions remained for many evaluators. 

This year, things have changed. Stewart began to tap into more of his raw power in games, showing the potential for 25-plus home runs with advanced batting skills.

Stewart hit .306/.377/.473 in 80 games for Double-A Chattanooga to earn a promotion to Triple-A by the all-star break. 

Stewart’s ability to hit for power in games while limiting strikeouts is his superpower. He has run a swinging-strike rate of 9.8%, while posting an average exit velocity of 92.5 mph. 

Very few hitters make as much hard contact as frequently as Stewart without being susceptible to higher swing-and-miss rates. 

Stewart is the type of player who can beat you in multiple ways and was voted Best Batting Prospect, Best Defensive Third Baseman and Most Exciting Player in Southern League Best Tools voting.

High-A Standouts

Kevin McGonigle, SS, Tigers; Max Clark, OF, Tigers; Josue Briceño, C/3B, Tigers

Perhaps one day—maybe even as soon as next year—Tigers fans who made the trip to Comstock Park, Mich., will reflect on seeing Max Clark, Kevin McGonigle and Josue Briceño in the same lineup as West Michigan Whitecaps teammates.

It’s easy to see why. 

All three talented Tigers are Top 100 Prospects, a testament not just to their performance, but to the respect they’ve earned from peers and evaluators alike. It’s one thing to post impressive numbers; it’s another to earn recognition from one’s opponents. All three check the list, and all three were promoted together to Double-A Erie in early July—but not before drawing acclaim in the Midwest League.

It’s hard not to feel Clark’s presence the moment he walks into a room. It’s even harder to miss it once he steps into the batter’s box. MWL coaches recognized him as the player with the Best Strike-Zone judgment and as the Best Defensive Outfielder in the league.

Clark batted .285/.430/.427 with seven home runs and 12 stolen bases in 68 games for West Michigan. He drew 65 walks against 56 strikeouts.

When asked about the key to his success, the 20-year-old center fielder kept it simple:

“Having fun is the most important thing,” Clark said. “I can speak to that because what I do is a job. Being able to show up and love what you do every single day is incredible. You never have to work a day in your life if you love what you do.”

Clark has been a top prospect since the moment he arrived in the organization as the third overall pick in the 2023 draft, but teammate Kevin McGonigle has passed him despite being drafted more than 30 picks later, in the supplemental first round in 2023. 

Now, the 20-year-old shortstop is the Tigers’ No. 1 prospect and No. 2 overall on the Top 100 Prospects. 

He’s done it through electric hitting. The lefthanded batter uses the entire field to his advantage while providing some pop to go with his elite strike-zone judgment. 

In 36 games for the Whitecaps, McGonigle hit .372/.462/.648 with seven homers and three steals. He drew 23 walks against 19 strikeouts.

McGonigle was awarded Best Batting Prospect and Most Exciting Player in MWL Best Tools voting.

But if you ask those around McGonigle, it’s what he does off the field that truly separates him from the rest.

“The ability to separate the on and off the field (aspects) is what makes him so special,” Clark said. “That dude handles his emotions way better than I do, and also way better than anyone else. You couldn’t tell if he went 0-for-4 or 4-for-4 the night before.” 

Clark and McGonigle are the type of player who sets the table. Briceño clears it. He was recognized as the MWL’s Best Power Prospect in BA’s annual survey of minor league managers.

The 20-year-old catcher/first baseman set a new personal standard with 15 homers for West Michigan in just 55 games. He batted .296/.422/.602 as well.

But Briceño said none of this could have been accomplished if it weren’t for his time in the Arizona Fall League last year. He became the first player in history to win the league’s triple crown. 

“It was important to me,” Briceño said in Spanish. “You get to share that experience with so many talented prospects. It’s a moment that really prepares physically as much as it does mentally.” 

With a stacked farm system, the Tigers’ future is undeniably bright. The foundation is being laid for sustained success in Detroit.

“It’s marvelous being part of this organization,” Briceño said.  “We have a great major league team, and our farm system continues to win and grow. It’s a special time to be part of the Detroit Tigers.” 

Low-A Standouts

Konnor Griffin, SS, Pirates

If it isn’t clear by now, Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin has a chance to be very, very good. He was the top-ranked high school player leading into the 2024 draft. All five of his tools were potentially average or better, and all but his hit tool graded as either plus or double-plus. 

The only question was: Would Griffin make enough contact for the rest of his skills to matter? 

So far, the answer is an affirmative. The 19-year-old Griffin has been a bolt of pure electricity all season and has used his prodigious tool set to browbeat pitchers up and down the East Coast as he moved from Low-A Bradenton to High-A Greensboro. In between, he earned a spot in Atlanta for the Futures Game. 

The biggest key to Griffin’s success in pro ball is the removal of an arm bar in his swing that had kept him from adjusting to different pitch types. With that hitch out of the way, he has thrived. Through games of Aug. 13, the Mississippi prep product was hitting .329/.410/.526 with 16 home runs and 56 stolen bases. 

Barring a massive slump to end the season, Griffin will be the rare teenager to finish a year with a .300 average and at least 15 home runs and 50 stolen bases. A 19-year-old outfielder named Bill Flowers hit .315 with 18 homers and 57 steals for Reno of the California League in 1971. He was a Cleveland second-round pick the year before but never reached the majors.

But wait, there’s more. 

Entering pro ball, Griffin faced doubts about whether he would stick at shortstop. After his first season in the minors, the calls for him to move to center field have gotten much quieter. He got at least one vote for Best Defensive Shortstop in both the Florida State and South Atlantic leagues and earned a pair of votes for Best Infield Arm in the SAL.

Piece it all together, and Griffin has a chance to be much more than Pittsburgh’s best position player since Andrew McCutchen. He has all the earmarks of a potential superstar and one of the faces of the sport. 

Ryan Sloan, RHP, Mariners

It’s no secret that the Mariners have been nearly nonpareil when it comes to turning premium pitching prospects into long-term rotation pieces. Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryan Woo, Bryce Miller and Logan Evans give Seattle five homegrown pitchers who’ve made starts for them this year. 

In a few years, Ryan Sloan might join that group. 

The 2024 second-rounder out of high school in Illinois made his pro debut this year and did so by skipping over the Arizona Complex League and heading directly to Modesto of the California League. There, he posted inconsistent but oftentimes dominant performances. His July was particularly excellent. In the season’s fourth month, Sloan went 1-0, 1.13 over four starts with 20 strikeouts and three walks. 

After two starts in August, he earned a bump to High-A Everett in the Northwest League.

Before the move, Sloan earned votes for Best Breaking Pitch, Best Control and Best Pitching Prospect. The control aspect is simple. In the Cal League, he finished with a strike rate of 66% and a walk rate of just 5.3%. Among Cal League pitchers with 70 or more innings, his walk rate was lowest.

As the vote suggests, Sloan’s slider has been particularly deadly. According to tracking from Synergy Sports, 43 of the righthander’s 77 strikeouts have come against his breaking ball. The pitch—which, like his fastball and changeup—is a potentially plus offering and has garnered respective miss and chase rates of 49% and 37%. 

Add Sloan’s dominant arsenal to a physical, 6-5, 220-pound frame that is straight out of the power pitcher’s playbook and you have a player who has a strong chance to step off of Mariners’ pitching conveyor belt and into a starring role on the mound in Seattle.