One Breakout Pitching Prospect For Every Team Hiding Behind Ordinary Stat Lines

— AL East —

Baltimore Orioles

Raimon Gomez, RHP

A back injury kept Gomez from debuting with the Orioles after he was acquired at the trade deadline from the Mets as part of the Cedric Mullins deal. Prior to the trade, the 23-year-old righthander made 27 appearances, throwing 35 innings with a 4.63 ERA and 1.34 WHIP. He struck out 30% of hitters faced and walked 16%. 

Those numbers don’t jump off the page, but Gomez has arguably the best raw stuff in all of MiLB. He relies almost exclusively on his fastball and slider, but both miss bats and generate chase. His fastball sits over 100 mph and maxes out at 104.1 with 17 inches of induced vertical break and a flat approach angle. His slider sits in the low 90s, making it one of the hardest in the minors. Control is the main thing holding him back, as neither pitch had an in-zone rate above 45% in 2025.

Given the quality of those two offerings, if Gomez can become even effectively wild, he has the chance to develop into an intriguing bullpen arm. 

Boston Red Sox

Juan Valera, RHP

Valera was limited to 38 innings in 2025 due to elbow soreness. He pitched the entire 2025 season at 19 years old and didn’t face a single hitter younger than him with High-A Greenville. Overall, he had a 5.45 ERA and 1.40 WHIP while striking out 28% of hitters and walking 6%. 

Valera’s four-pitch mix brings a combination of power and surprising control, as he has three pitches with a strike rate over 65% and an in-zone rate over 50%. He can run his fastball up to 100 mph, but the pitch plays below its velocity due to its cut-over-ride shape. Even still, the power on it makes it tough on hitters, and it had a slightly above-average whiff rate in 2025.

Valera’s feel for spin is advanced for his age. While his most-used secondary is his slider, his best is his sweeper. His sweeper is one of the hardest in the minors, averaging just under 87 mph with a spin rate over 2,700 rpm. It had a 69% strike rate and 43% whiff rate in 2025, making for one of the best combinations of those two stats in all of MiLB for sweepers as hard as his.

If Valera can miss more bats with his slider and continue to refine his changeup, he could push toward the very top of the Red Sox system in 2026. 

New York Yankees

Enixon Sanchez, RHP

Sanchez signed with the Yankees out of Venezuela in January 2024, and his development has been slow so far. He repeated the DSL this year with a 5.04 ERA and 1.83 WHIP, but his fastball has intriguing characteristics.

The 18-year-old Sanchez is listed at 6-foot, 150 pounds, so adding weight is going to be key for his development. His fastball velocity is below-average right now at just under 92 mph, but it has 19.7 inches of induced vertical break and a flat approach angle from a low release height. His control of the pitch is poor, but it has above-average whiff and chase rates. Sanchez’s secondary pitches need work, but in a small sample, his sweeper showed bat-missing potential. It has a high spin rate and averaged over 17 inches of horizontal break.

The track record of players who repeat the DSL isn’t great, but if he comes stateside in 2026, Sanchez could be someone to keep an eye on.  

Tampa Bay Rays

Jackson Baumeister, RHP

Baumeister’s first full season with the Rays didn’t go to plan, as he missed two months with a shoulder injury and had a 4.62 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in 62.1 innings overall. The 23-year-old’s final line was somewhat deceiving, however, as, after struggling in April, he got better in May and was even better after returning from injury in August and September. However, his strikeout rate cratered from 33% in 2024 to 20% in 2025. 

Interestingly, in 2025 Baumeister’s fastball velocity ticked up to just over 94 mph, and his strike and whiff rates were remarkably similar to what they were in 2024 when he had a 2.53 ERA and 1.13 WHIP. The pitch has a very flat approach angle, and when combined with the over seven feet of extension he gets on it, it plays at the top of the zone. Baumeister’s secondaries are more average-ish at best and are still a work in progress. His cutter shows the most potential with solid in-zone and chase rates but below-average miss rate. Both his curveball and changeup have whiff rates over 36% but come with lower strike rates.

If Baumeister can find more consistency with his secondaries in 2026, it would go a long way to helping him regain his prospect stock.

Toronto Blue Jays

Brandon Barriera, LHP

The 21-year-old Barriera has only thrown 27.1 innings since the Blue Jays selected him in the first round of the 2022 draft. He returned from Tommy John surgery in June 2025 but made only six appearances before a fractured bone in his forearm ended his season. Overall, he allowed nine runs in 5.2 innings, walking eight and striking out six. 

Even though the results weren’t there, Barriera’s three-pitch mix continues to show intriguing traits. His cutter was his primary pitch and grades out well in models. It is one of the hardest true cutters in the minors, averaging over 93 mph with an above-average whiff rate at 32%. His second most-used pitch was his slider, which also grades out well in models. It’s also hard at over 86 mph with a high spin rate of almost 2,700 rpm.

Health is the key for Barriera, as his stuff still shows major league potential.

— AL Central —

Chicago White Sox

Carson Jacobs, RHP

At 6-foot-9, Jacobs stands out on the mound physically, but his surface stats were more ordinary in 2025. Between High-A and Double-A, the 24-year-old had a 4.53 ERA and 1.61 WHIP in 57.2 innings while striking out 33% and walking 15%. 

Jacobs’ size brings about outlier release traits, as he has the highest release height in the White Sox system and one of the highest in all of the minors. The downhill angle he gets from that release height makes it an extremely uncomfortable look for hitters, leading to high whiff rates on all his pitches—his mid-90s fastball was 32%, his slider was 58% and his splitter had a ridiculous 66% whiff rate. Jacobs’ fastball also has 20 inches of induced vertical break, which was second-highest in the White Sox system.

As good as his stuff is, Jacobs’ strike-throwing needs a lot of work. He struggles to land his fastball and splitter, but his slider has solid strike and in-zone rates. That could be a pitch he leans into more in 2026 as the White Sox try to find ways to harness his major league-quality raw stuff.

Cleveland Guardians

Joey Oakie, RHP

The Guardians selected Oakie in the third round of the 2024 draft and signed him for a well-overslot bonus of $2 million. The 19-year-old made his pro debut in 2025, splitting time between the ACL and Low-A and posting a 5.31 ERA and 1.53 WHIP in 59.1 innings with a 29% strikeout rate and 14% walk rate.

Though Oakie’s surface stats don’t show it, his combination of release traits and pitch data is very promising and have helped push him into the top half of Cleveland’s Top 30 prospects list. Oakie has good size at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds and a combination of plus extension and an extremely low release height with his delivery. His fastball sits in the mid 90s with a very flat approach angle. It has great life and he can already run it up to 100 mph. He complements it with a slider and changeup that both showed promising bat-missing ability. His slider had a 40% whiff rate in 2025, and his changeup was just under that mark, albeit on limited usage.

Oakie’s development might be slow, but he’s one of the most exciting pitching prospects in the Guardians’ system. If he can take a step forward with his command and find more consistency with his secondaries, his stock could soar in 2026. 

Detroit Tigers

Yosber Sanchez, RHP

Sanchez signed with the Tigers in 2023 after he was released by the Rangers. He had a very impressive 2024 but struggled in his first full season in the high minors in 2025, posting a 5.09 ERA and 1.57 WHIP in 40.2 innings while striking out 21% and walking 12%. 

Even with his surface-level struggles in 2025, the 24-year-old Sanchez’s ability to spin a breaking ball remains among the best in the Tigers system. His curveball was named the best in the system, and it’s easy to see why as it grades out by far the best in Stuff models and had a 51% whiff rate and 34% chase rate.

Sanchez’s other pitches need refinement, but his fastball tops out at over 100 mph. If he can make some tweaks to that pitch and lean into his slider more—which also grades out well in models—he could return to his pre-2025 form this year. 

Kansas City Royals

Andrew Morones, RHP

The Royals selected Morones in the 14th round of the 2024 draft out of Cal State Fullerton. He pitched briefly with High-A Quad Cities after signing, but his 2025 season was delayed due to an injury. He began a rehab assignment in the ACL and then was assigned to Quad City in May. Overall, he posted a 5.52 ERA and 1.55 WHIP with a 29% strikeout rate and 11% walk rate. 

Morones’ underlying stuff stands out in models, with all three of his pitches registering above-average Stuff+ grades. His fastball had above-average strike, in-zone and miss rates even though it averages just under 93 mph. It also is one of the flattest in the system with a vertical approach angle of -3.87 degrees to go with 17 inches of induced vertical break. Morones’ secondaries don’t have as many intriguing traits, but his cutter has a slightly above-average whiff rate, and his curveball shows solid depth.

Given Morones is already 25, he doesn’t have a ton of upside, but it’s easy to see a path in which he takes a step forward in 2026. 

Minnesota Twins

Jose Olivares, RHP

Olivares originally signed with the Twins in 2021 for $100,000. He spent all of 2025 in High-A Cedar Rapids as a 22-year-old, posting a 4.68 ERA and 1.36 WHIP while striking out 28% and walking 15%. 

Olivares has some of the best raw stuff in the Twins’ system, with the potential for three above-average offerings. His fastball sits in the mid 90s with 20 inches of induced vertical break, and it had an above-average whiff rate of 28% in 2025. A lot of his control issues can be traced back to this pitch, as he struggles to consistently land it in the zone. Olivares’ slider and changeup both have intriguing traits, as well. His slider has an above-average whiff rate at 44%, and his changeup has solid separation and a high in-zone rate.

Olivares has a starter’s profile and could take a major step forward if he can improve his fastball command in 2026.

— AL West —

Athletics

Steven Echavarria, RHP

The Athletics drafted Echavarria in the third round in 2023 out of high school and signed him to a well-overslot bonus of $3 million. In his pro debut in Low-A in 2024, he had a 6.55 ERA and 1.91 WHIP, but he was still promoted to High-A in 2025, posting a 4.59 ERA and 1.42 WHIP. He struck out 20% of hitters and walked 9%.  

So far in Echavarria’s career, his raw stuff has been ahead of his ability to execute. His fastball seems to be the cause of a lot of his issues, as even though he sits in the mid 90s and tops out around 99 mph, hitters see the pitcher well and have had a lot of success against it. It had a below-average whiff rate at 18%, and according to Synergy, opponents hit .295/.386/.477 against it in 2025. Given he used the fastball 59% of the time in 2025, those numbers go a long way toward explaining his struggles. 

Echavarria’s slider, on the other hand, is a potential weapon, and increased usage of it could lead to better results. He threw it only 19% of the time in 2025, but it had a 41% whiff rate and 36% chase rate. Opponents also hit only .172/.186/.237 against the slider, per Synergy. The rest of Echavarria’s secondaries are more inconsistent, but relying more on his slider alone could be enough to help him take a step forward in 2026. 

Houston Astros

Jackson Nezuh, RHP

Nezuh was originally selected by the Astros in the 14th round of the 2023 draft. The 23-year-old made his first foray into the high minors in 2025, posting a 4.34 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in 76.2 innings while striking out 23% and walking 9%. He ranked 15th in the Astros’ Top 30 entering 2026.

Even though he is undersized, Nezuh’s underlying data stands out due to his above-average extension and wide-ranging arsenal. His fastball sits around 93 mph with 19 inches of induced vertical break. He has advanced control of the pitch and hitters struggled to consistently square it up. Nezuh complements his fastball with four secondary pitches: a splitter, cutter, sweeper and curveball. His splitter shows the most potential, but its strike and in-zone rates were below-average.

If Nezuh can progress in that area, it would give him a much-needed go-to bat-missing secondary and help him more consistently put away hitters.

Los Angeles Angels

Chris Cortez, RHP

Cortez made 26 starts in his first full pro season after the Angels picked him in the second round of the 2024 draft out of Texas A&M. He posted a 4.28 ERA and 1.57 WHIP in 113.2 innings while striking out 22% of hitters and walking 16%. 

Even though Cortez only had a 22% strikeout rate in 2025, his underlying data indicates he should have far more bat-missing ability if he alters his usage and can refine his command. Cortez relied heavily on his sinker last year, throwing it 57% of the time. Its velocity was top of the scale, maxing out at 100 mph with 17 inches of horizontal break, but its strike, in-zone and whiff metrics were all well below-average.

According to Synergy, opponents hit .290/.453/.409 against his fastballs, whereas, against his breaking balls, they hit .135/.224/.180. His control metrics were also much more promising on his breakers, as were his whiff rates. His slider had a 46% whiff rate in 2025 and his sweeper came in at 55%. Leaning more into those pitches in 2026 could really help Cortez start to translate his tantalizing raw stuff into on-field performance. 

Seattle Mariners

Brock Moore, RHP

The 6-foot-6 Moore started his first full professional season in High-A Everett after the Mariners selected him in the seventh round of the 2024 draft. The 25-year-old only threw 18.2 innings in 2025, posting a 9.64 ERA and 2.46 WHIP while striking out 25% of hitters and walking 27%. 

Moore’s raw stuff grades out at the top of the Mariners’ system, but he has a long way to go to learn to harness it. He relies primarily on his fastball, which maxes out over 100 mph. The pitch has a flat approach angle with ride and run. It has an above-average whiff rate, but its control metrics were below-average.

All of Moore’s pitches had at least above-average whiff rates, led by his sweeper at 67%. Its spin rate is just below 2,900 rpm, and it has over 19 inches of horizontal break, which was tied for the most in the Mariners’ system. Moore’s slider and changeup have similar profiles with intriguing shapes and bat-missing ability but poor control. 

Texas Rangers

Gavin Collyer, RHP 

The Rangers re-signed the 24-year-old Collyer in December 2025 after he posted a 4.40 ERA and 1.58 WHIP between Double-A and Triple-A. He pitched purely in relief, throwing 61.1 innings and striking out 30% of hitters while walking 16%. Collyer was originally drafted in the 12th round back in 2019 and progressed slowly, spending his entire career in the low minors before one appearance in Double-A to end 2024.

Collyer has stuck around so long because his raw stuff is among the best in the minors. His arsenal pops in models, and he had the highest Stuff+ grade of all pitchers in the minors with a minimum 1,000 tracked pitches thrown. He gets above-average extension and has a low release height. His fastball averages just under 97 mph with a spin rate over 2,500 rpm and a whiff rate of 32%. His cut-slider and sweeper both have high spin rates, as well. He relies more on his sweeper, which sits in the mid 80s with over 16 inches of horizontal break.

Collyer’s command and control are the main things holding him back right now. If he can take a step forward in those areas, he still has major league upside. 

— NL East —

Atlanta Braves

Didier Fuentes, RHP

The 20-year-old Fuentes, who ranks third in the Braves’ system, pitched at four different levels in 2025, starting the season in High-A and making it all the way to the majors for four starts. He struggled in those appearances, however, posting a 13.85 ERA and 2.23 WHIP before being sent back to Triple-A for the rest of the season. Across the three minor league affiliates, he had a 4.58 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 30% strikeout rate and 7% walk rate. 

Even though Fuentes’ major league debut didn’t go as planned, his underlying data from the 2025 season remains encouraging. His combination of above-average extension and low release height allow his mid-90s fastball to play up in the zone. It has a very flat approach angle and high whiff rate at 32%. His control of the pitch is ahead of his command right now, and his command limitations showed up during his major league stint, as the pitch got punished.

Fuentes complements his fastball with three secondaries: a slider, curveball and splitter. All had above-average whiff rates between 38% and 43% in the minor leagues but need continued refinement.   

Miami Marlins

Kifraidy Encarnacion, LHP

The 6-foot-4, 187-pound Encarnacion made his return from Tommy John surgery in July 2025 for five appearances. The 20-year-old didn’t record an out in two of those outings and, overall, threw three innings allowing three hits and 13 earned runs while walking 16 and striking out six. 

The sample was small in 2025, but Encarnacion’s fastball averaged 98.1 mph and maxed out at over 101 mph—both marks in the top two in the Marlins’ system. The pitch has more than just velocity, as it also boasts hellacious arm side run thanks to just under 16 inches of horizontal break. His slider and changeup have also shown potential in a small sample, with his slider flashing plus and changeup average.

Encarnacion’s control is nonexistent right now, but he has arm talent that is difficult to find, making him a player to watch as he gets further away from Tommy John surgery. 

New York Mets

Brandon Sproat, RHP

After cruising through the minors in his professional debut in 2024, Sproat returned to Triple-A Syracuse to start 2025 and eventually made his major league debut. The 25-year-old threw 121 innings in Syracuse, posting a 4.24 ERA and 1.24 WHIP while striking out 22% of hitters and walking 10%. He enters 2026 as the Mets’ fifth-ranked prospect.

Even as Sproat saw his surface stats decline across the board, his underlying data—especially on his secondaries—remained encouraging. According to Synergy, Triple-A opponents hit just .151/.220/.245 off his changeup and .164/.253/.264 against his three breaking balls. He has advanced control of those offerings, with all four secondaries recording above-average in-zone rates.

Sproat’s four-seam fastball and sinker both have plus velocity but play below that, as hitters get a good look at them. Given that his secondaries grade much better in models, Sproat could look to lean on them more rather than relying on his four-seamer and sinker, which were his two most-used pitches in 2025. 

Philadelphia Phillies

Yoniel Curet, RHP

Curet’s 2025 season got off to a slow start due to a shoulder injury, and he didn’t make his debut until mid June. He put up good numbers in 18.2 innings in Double-A but struggled in his first attempt at Triple-A with the Rays, posting a 6.03 ERA and 1.92 WHIP. Tampa Bay designated him for assignment in December and then traded him to the Phillies for righthander Tommy McCollum. 

Even though Curet’s numbers in Triple-A were poor, his stuff still grades well in models, especially his fastball and slider. His fastball sat in the mid 90s and maxed out just under 99 mph with the pitch missing bats at an above-average rate of 30%. The pitch has more ride than run, and his command needs refinement. Curet’s slider looks like a cutter at times, but it doesn’t miss many bats or elicit chase. It does have an above-average zone rate and limits hard contact, but it lacks separation from his fastball, as it also is hard, sitting in the high 80s.

Curet’s fastball remains an intriguing pitch, and he still has major league reliever upside, especially if he can refine his secondary offerings.

Washington Nationals

Luis Perales, RHP

Perales returned from Tommy John surgery at the end of the 2025 season, making three appearances in Triple-A before a full stint in the Arizona Fall League. In the AFL, he threw 11.1 innings and had a 10.32 ERA and 2.38 WHIP with 19 strikeouts and 11 walks. 

Even though he struggled in the AFL, it’s easy to see why the Nationals acquired Perales from the Red Sox, as his stuff is tantalizing. Perales’ velocity is fully back already after his surgery, with his fastball routinely hitting triple digits in the AFL to go with 17-20 inches of induced vertical break. That type of ride allows it to play up in the zone, which helped contribute to a 31% whiff rate in the AFL.

Perales complements his fastball with a cutter, changeup and slider. His cutter and splitter offer the most potential and both showed bat-missing ability in the AFL. His cutter had a 39% whiff rate and his splitter had a 50%. The majority of Perales’ struggles in the AFL stemmed from inconsistent control, which was understandable after a long layoff. After a normal offseason, he could be primed for a breakout in 2026 given his caliber of stuff.

— NL Central —

Chicago Cubs

Luis Rujano, RHP

The Cubs selected Rujano in the 13th round of the 2022 draft out of Sunshine State Elite Academy in Kissimmee, Fla. He spent his first two full professional seasons in Low-A before jumping to High-A to start 2025 as a 22-year-old. He made it up to Double-A at the end of the season, and between the two levels, he threw 52.1 innings with a 3.96 ERA and 1.59 WHIP. He struck out 25% of hitters and walked 17%.

Rujano has a pure relief profile, but his fastball and sweeper show intriguing traits. He has above-average extension on his four-seamer, which shows ride up in the zone with just under 17 inches of induced vertical break. His control metrics are also much better than his surface strike-throwing stats would indicate, as evidenced by a 66% strike rate and 61% in-zone rate on his four-seam. His sweeper has similarly strong control metrics with a 64% strike rate and 55% in-zone rate. It’s his best bat-missing pitch with an above-average whiff rate at 39%. Rujano also throws a sinker, curveball and changeup, though he struggles to locate those pitches. All have in-zone rates below 50%, with two well below that mark.

As Rujano progresses through the upper minors, the Cubs could look to pare down his arsenal and play to his strengths, which are his four-seam fastball and sweeper. 

Cincinnati Reds

Ovis Portes, RHP

The Reds originally acquired Portes at the trade deadline in 2024 from the Red Sox. The 21-year-old started his first full season in the organization in 2025 with Low-A Daytona, working 61.1 innings and posting a 5.87 ERA and 1.66 WHIP while striking out 23% and walking 17%. 

A lot of Portes’ issues stem from his delivery, which is deceptive but arm-heavy and tough for him to consistently repeat. There are a lot of moving parts, and he cuts completely across his body after starting on the third base side. As a result, Portes struggles to consistently locate his pitches.

Delivery issues aside, Portes doesn’t lack for arm talent. His fastball sits in the mid 90s and tops out at 98 mph with over 19 inches of induced vertical break and a high spin rate. The pitch has ride and run and had an above-average whiff rate of 25% in 2025. Portes also had above-average whiff rates on his breaking balls. They lack consistency and their shape varies, with some looking more like a sweepy slider and others like a more vertical curveball. Finding more separation between the two pitches is going to be key for him going forward.

Portes is still raw on the mound and learning to pitch, but his underlying data shows there are promising areas to build on in 2026. 

Milwaukee Brewers

Yerlin Rodriguez, RHP

Rodriguez originally signed with the Brewers back in December 2019, but he didn’t debut until 2021 in the Arizona Complex League. His development has been slow since then, as he’s only moved up to High-A, where he spent all of 2025. In 56 innings, he posted a 5.30 ERA and 1.77 WHIP while striking out 31% of hitters and walking 22%. 

Surface stats don’t tell the whole story with Rodriguez, as the 23-year-old has one of the best breaking balls in the Brewers’ system. He uses his slider as his primary offering, throwing it in the high-80s with a spin rate over 2,700 rpm. It is the hardest slider in the Brewers’ system. Its 48% whiff rate was the second-highest among pitchers in the system with a minimum of 200 sliders thrown. It has violent two-plane break with both depth and tilt, and opponents hit only .163 off it in 2025 according to Synergy. Rodriguez’s delivery has substantial effort, so he has trouble landing the pitch in the zone consistently, and his control metrics subsequently grade below-average on the pitch. That’s better than all his other pitches, however, as it is his only pitch with a strike rate over 50%.

Rodriguez already throws his slider almost 60% of the time so leaning more into that pitch isn’t the answer here. Rather, trying to clean up his mechanics and develop fastball control figure to be Rodriguez’s main developmental opportunities.  

Pittsburgh Pirates

Reinold Navarro, LHP

The Pirates signed Navarro for $270,000 in 2024 and saw him strike out 37 hitters and walk 21 in 24 innings in his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League. The 19-year-old came stateside in 2025 and started in the Florida Complex League before earning a promotion to Low-A. Overall, he only allowed 10 hits in 32 innings while striking out 61 hitters. He also walked 40 hitters and had a 5.34 ERA and 1.56 WHIP across the two levels. He checked in at No. 16 in the Pirates’ Top 30 for 2026.

Out of the 30 pitchers discussed in this article, Navarro’s fastball grades second highest in Stuff models, just behind Orioles righthander Raimon Gomez. The pitch sits in the mid 90s with 21 inches of induced vertical break. That IVB led the Pirates’ system in 2025, as did his 47% whiff rate with it. That fastball whiff rate also was second in all of the minor leagues for pitchers with a minimum of 200 tracked fastballs. Navarro’s fastball is a potential carrying pitch, but his sliders also showed promise at times with a 52% whiff rate.

Given his struggles throwing strikes, Navarro is likely best suited long term for the bullpen, where his fastball/slider combination gives him high-leverage upside. 

St. Louis Cardinals

Skylar Hales, RHP

The Cardinals acquired the 23-year-old Hales ahead of the 2025 trade deadline as part of the return for Phil Maton. He split the season between Double-A and Triple-A, posting a 6.79 ERA, 1.32 WHIP while striking out 25% and walking 10%. 

Even though Hales’ surface numbers didn’t stand out, his underlying data illustrates a promising fastball/slider combination. Hales combines above-average extension and a low release height in his delivery. His fastball averaged 95.8 mph in 2025 and topped out at 99. It plays when he gets it elevated above the zone, and the pitch had an above-average whiff rate of 30% and chase rate of 31%. Hales’ command holds him back, however, as when he misses, it tends to be in the middle of the zone. According to Synergy, he allowed eight home runs off his fastball in 2025 and a .478 slugging percentage.

Hales had much better results against his slider. He has solid feel for the pitch and landed it in the zone consistently for a 55% in-zone rate. With a below-average whiff rate, the pitch didn’t miss many bats, but it has good shape and velocity.

Hales profiles as a reliever and could take a step forward in 2026 as he gets more accustomed to the Cardinals’ pitching development team.

— NL West —

Arizona Diamondbacks

Yordin Chalas, RHP

Chalas, who slotted into the back end of the D-backs’ Top 30, originally signed as an 18-year-old in January 2023 for $10,000. He began 2025 in the starting rotation for High-A Hillsboro, making 17 starts. He moved to the bullpen at the end of July and spent the remainder of the season in that role, including after a late-season promotion to Double-A. Overall, Chalas posted a 6.06 ERA and 1.64 WHIP between the two levels. He struck out 21% of opposing batters and walked 12%. 

Chalas has an athletic pitcher’s frame at 6-foot-3, 192 pounds. His arm is loose and quick, and he has above-average extension and a low release height. He can run both his four-seam and sinking fastball into the high 90s, and his control metrics were solid with his sinker, but his command needs work. He uses the pitch down in the zone primarily, with it showing solid armside run. It had a slightly above-average whiff rate for a sinker at 23%, and it complements his four-seamer, which he tends to use up in the zone. His control for the pitch is more of a work in progress, but it shows intriguing bat-missing ability.

Chalas’ secondary offerings are inconsistent. His slider grades out well in models, but the results don’t match up, as it had a below-average whiff rate, and opponents did a lot of damage against it. He also mixes in a split-change that flashes potential, but he struggles to consistently locate it and miss bats with it.

Chalas has the arm speed and fastball to potentially play in a relief role. Whether that is as a leverage arm or more of a middle reliever depends on how his secondary offerings develop.  

Colorado Rockies

Jack Mahoney, RHP

The 23-year-old Mahoney had a rough first go in the high minors, posting a 5.93 ERA and 1.67 WHIP while striking out 17% of hitters and walking 10%. His performance was down across the board compared to 2024, especially his strikeout rate, which dropped 6%. 

Even as his surface stats regressed, Mahoney’s underlying data shows a wide-ranging arsenal with a variety of shapes and velocity bands. His sinker shows more promise than his four-seam fastball and was his most-used pitch in 2025. Both pitches sit in the mid 90s and top out at 97 mph but struggle to miss bats. He threw his fastballs 56% of the time last year, and opponents had an OPS over .800 against them.

The intrigue with Mahoney’s underlying data comes from his cutter, slider and curveball. Both his cutter and slider had whiff rates of 40%, and his curveball was 36%. He missed over the plate with the offerings far too much, but his usage of them was limited, which could have made developing feel for them difficult.

Mahoney has started so far in his career, but he is likely a reliever long term. In that role, his stuff could play up, and he could pare down his arsenal, allowing him to focus on developing one or two secondaries rather than such a varied arsenal. 

Los Angeles Dodgers

Aidan Foeller, RHP

The Dodgers selected Foeller in the 11th round of the 2024 draft and signed him for just under $150,000. He worked as a starter in 2025, splitting time between Low-A and High-A and posting a 4.65 ERA and 1.56 WHIP while striking out 31% and walking 16%. 

Foeller has a sturdy frame at 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, and his stuff pops in models. He has one of the highest stuff grades in the Dodgers’ system, led by his fastball, which has a strong combination of outlier release traits and shape. His fastball averages 93.9 mph with over 19 inches of induced vertical break. He pairs that velocity and shape with just under seven feet of extension and a higher release height. This combination allows his fastball to play above its velocity and up in the zone. His command of the pitch is a work in progress, but it had an excellent 38% whiff rate, which ranked second in the Dodgers’ system in 2025. Foeller’s secondary offerings are more of a work in progress. All have below-average control metrics but flash bat-missing potential.

Because of the quality of his fastball, Foeller has major league upside, especially if his velocity takes a step forward in shorter stints. 

San Diego Padres

Tucker Musgrove, RHP

Musgrove was originally drafted by the Padres in 2023 but didn’t make his professional debut until April 2025. The 23-year-old was handled carefully and only threw 20 innings over his 14 appearances, posting a 5.40 ERA and 1.25 WHIP while striking out 31% of hitters and walking 12%. 

Even in short spurts, it was evident that Musgrove, San Diego’s No. 12 prospect, has among the best raw stuff in the system. His overall arsenal grades well in models, headlined by his fastball, which had the second-highest Stuff+ grade in the system. Musgrove’s fastball sits in the mid 90s with over 17 inches of induced vertical break. The pitch has a flat approach angle and jumps on hitters due to his 6.9 feet of extension. The pitch has a high spin rate of just under 2,500 rpm, and it maxed out at 100 mph in his pro debut. It had a 43% whiff rate, which was the highest in the Padres’ system by 7%.

Musgrove barely threw 100 total secondary offerings in 2025, but his sweeper showed intriguing potential with a 41% whiff rate and a high spin rate of just over 2,800 rpm. His more vertical curveball also had a whiff rate over 40%, giving him three offerings above that mark during his professional debut.

Coming off a healthy offseason for the first time since he was in college, Musgrove is a pitcher to watch in 2026.

San Francisco Giants

Gerelmi Maldonado, RHP

The 22-year-old Maldonado returned from Tommy John surgery at the start of the 2025 season with Low-A San Jose. Working in multi-inning relief stints, he threw 59 innings with a 3.97 ERA and 1.58 WHIP. He struck out 25% of the hitters he faced and walked 16%. He just snuck into the San Francisco’s Top 30 for 2026, coming in at No. 30.

Even though Maldonado’s strikeout rate doesn’t jump off the page, his underlying data shows premium raw stuff with both his fastball and slider ranking near the top of the system in Stuff+ models. His fastball averaged 97.5 mph in 2025 and maxed out at 101.3 mph—both the second-highest marks in the system. The pitch has a high spin rate at just over 2,500 rpm and a slightly above-average whiff rate.

Maldonado’s slider also has a high spin rate and shows even more bat-missing ability. It had a 54% whiff rate in 2025, which was one of the highest on a slider in the Giants’ system. Maldonado was also adept at getting hitters to expand the zone on the pitch, resulting in a 33% chase rate. He needs to find more consistency with the offering and command it better, but it’s a potential major league-quality secondary with refinement.

In his second season after Tommy John surgery and with an outlier combination of fastball velocity and slider quality, Maldonado is likely to see his strikeout rate improve in 2026.