Prospect All-Star Teams By Age — College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects

Image credit: (Courtesy Somerset Patriots)

Baseball America selects an overall minor league all-star team each season and also chooses all-stars at each minor league level.

This year I wanted to take that concept and give it a different spin: prospect all-star teams by the ages.

Each group from age 19—with many players making their full-season debuts—to age 23—with many players poised to contribute in MLB next season—receives its own all-star team.

In this way, prospects are compared against their peers of the same age, rather than players at the same minor league level or players who may be more experienced and more physically mature. Because one thing is universally true of player development: more experienced, more physically mature players hit for more power.

But that doesn’t mean the younger players won’t get to those levels of power production one day.

Viewing standout minor league performers by the ages also has utility for dynasty league players, who may seek to have as many players as possible passing through the theoretical peak ages of 25 to 27 at a given time.

In choosing these all-star rosters, I made a few cheats to shoehorn worthy players onto various teams. I also applied a flex position to each of the five teams, typically choosing two catchers per team and sometimes adding a second DH. This is a reflection of the insane talent level at the catcher position currently in the minor leagues and also the fact that catchers have it tough, so depth is important.

Only players who retain prospect eligibility for 2023 were selected.

A note about statistics:

• The WAR totals are my own simple calculations based on the estimated wins above replacement value of hitters’ offensive contributions (batWAR) and pitchers’ fielding-independent pitching ERA (fipWAR). Strict accuracy is not guaranteed or even implied.

• OPS+ and ISO+ for hitters and ERA+ and K-BB+ are adjusted for ballpark and compared to league average rates. FIP is park-adjusted.

• OW25% is offensive winning percentage projected to age 25. It translates what a player does today in the minor leagues into what he might do in the majors at his peak value tomorrow, based on his current age and proximity to MLB. This is merely a guideline for the value of the runs the player created in the context of his current league and home park.

Age 19 Prospect All-Stars
Players turn 25 in 2028

Pos	Player	Org	batWAR	LoA	HiA	AA	AAA	MLB	PA	OPS+	ISO+	OW25%
C	Edgar Quero	LAA	4.4	X					519	152	151	.601
C	Harry Ford	SEA	3.9	X					503	133	123	.619
1B	Deyvison de los Santos	ARI	3.3	X	X	X			569	130	134	.513
2B	Adael Amador	COL	3.9	X					557	134	107	.580
3B	Jordan Lawlar*	ARI	3.9	X	X	X			439	144	140	.677
SS	Marcelo Mayer	BOS	3.7	X	X				427	141	153	.622
OF	Jasson Dominguez	NYY	4.7	X	X	X			533	139	142	.653
OF	Evan Carter	TEX	3.8		X	X			480	142	135	.637
OF	James Wood	SD	3.5	X					331	165	168	.703
DH	Kevin Alcantara	CHC	3.8	X					501	136	147	.615

* Jordan Lawlar appeared only at shortstop this season, but I cheated by moving him to third base to get both him and Marcelo Mayer on this team.

While there aren’t enough 18-year-olds in full-season ball to form a complete team, Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio and Reds shortstop Edwin Arroyo are two notable exceptions who would not be out of place on this team of 19-year-olds.

Pos

Pitcher

Org

fipWAR

LoA

HiA

AAA

MLB

ERA+

K-BB+

FIP

Andrew Painter

PHI

3.5

104

163

209

2.00

Cristian Mena

CWS

2.4

105

117

140

3.23

Ricky Tiedemann

TOR

2.2

148

179

2.51

Eury Perez

MIA

1.7

112

182

3.52

Tink Hence

STL

1.7

163

208

1.68

Andrew Painter and Ricky Tiedemann were two of the biggest pitching prospect breakouts of 2022. Each started at Low-A and climbed to High-A and then Double-A. Joining them on that development trek was White Sox righthander Cristian Mena, who is flying under radars.

Eury Perez was advanced enough to open the season at Double-A as a teenager, a rare and impressive feat.

Age 20 Prospect All-Stars
Players turn 25 in 2027

Pos	Player	Org	batWAR	LoA	HiA	AA	AAA	MLB	PA	OPS+	ISO+	OW25%
C	Francisco Alvarez	NYM	4.1			X	X	X	501	140	153	.720
C	Diego Cartaya	LAD	3.7	X	X				447	145	161	.596
1B	Colt Keith*	DET	2.4		X				217	168	189	.760
2B	Kyren Paris	LAA	3.4		X	X			437	128	134	.630
3B	Elly De La Cruz	CIN	4.9		X	X			514	153	184	.651
SS	Ezequiel Tovar	COL	3.3			X	X	X	319	150	136	.793
OF	Pete Crow-Armstrong	CHC	4.5	X	X				474	154	150	.628
OF	Robert Hassell III	WSH	3.5		X	X			516	124	98	.614
OF	Jordan Walker	STL	3.1			X			544	121	109	.547
DH	Noelvi Marte	CIN	3.0		X				524	120	106	.438

* Colt Keith played exclusively third base and second base this season, but I cheated by moving him to first base on this team. He’s a 6-foot-3 lefthanded hitter who is bound to produce more power in the seasons ahead. This is more a case of having no good first base alternatives for the age-20 group and a desire to acknowledge Keith’s upside.

Honorable mention: The Guardians’ Angel Martinez and the Rangers’ Thomas Saggese are both 20-year-old middle infielders who reached Double-A. They got squeezed out of this age-20 roster but are intriguing prospect targets in deep leagues.

Pos	Pitcher	Org	fipWAR	LoA	HiA	AA	AAA	MLB	IP	ERA+	K-BB+	FIP
SP	Kyle Harrison	SF	2.5		X	X			113	136	185	3.27
SP	Dax Fulton	MIA	2.6		X	X			118	105	146	3.30
SP	Carlos Rodriguez	MIL	2.1	X	X				107	136	145	3.29
SP	Mick Abel	PHI	1.5		X	X			108	115	115	4.03
SP	Miguel Ullola	HOU	1.2	X					72	123	147	3.82

Most notable here is that 20-year-olds Kyle Harrison, Dax Fulton and Mick Abel are 2020 draftees who have zoomed to Double-A.

Age 21 Prospect All-Stars
Players turn 25 in 2026

Pos	Player	Org	batWAR	LoA	HiA	AA	AAA	MLB	PA	OPS+	ISO+	OW25%
C	Dalton Rushing*	LAD	2.5	X					130	238	219	.919
1B	Kyle Manzardo	TB	5.2		X	X			407	186	191	.759
2B	Curtis Mead	TB	2.7			X	X		335	138	133	.640
3B	Gunnar Henderson	BAL	4.9			X	X	X	511	152	134	.710
SS	Anthony Volpe	NYY	3.9			X	X		604	126	134	.590
OF	Mason Auer	TB	4.5	X	X				536	145	148	.539
OF	Ceddanne Rafaela	BOS	3.8		X	X			527	134	148	.554
OF	Corbin Carroll	ARI	3.6			X	X	X	437	140	150	.606
DH	George Valera	CLE	3.1			X	X		569	121	133	.535
DH	Jordan Diaz	OAK	2.9			X	X	X	530	123	119	.533

* As a 2022 draft pick, Dalton Rushing has a lot less playing time than other players here, but his pro debut was just that impressive, both by these measures and his batting traits. The Dodgers appear to have struck gold in the draft—again—with the selection of Rushing out of Louisville in the second round.

Gunnar Henderson and Corbin Carroll joined fellow 2019 draftees Bobby Witt Jr., Riley Greene and CJ Abrams in MLB late in the season. This group of 2019 preps—Brett Baty and Anthony Volpe were also first-rounders that year—may go down as one of the best ever.

Henderson and Carroll are preseason favorites to be AL and NL Rookies of the Year in 2023.

Pos

Pitcher

Org

fipWAR

LoA

HiA

AAA

MLB

ERA+

K-BB+

FIP

Taj Bradley

2.9

133

147

146

3.53

Michael McGreevy

STL

2.9

144

123

112

3.82

Blake Walston

ARI

2.4

124

119

133

3.72

Wilmer Flores

DET

2.4

104

136

167

3.17

Simeon Woods Richardson

MIN

3.0

108

147

149

3.20

D-backs lefthander Blake Walston gained feel for his changeup in the second half at Double-A Amarillo, a hitter’s paradise, which portends well as he adds velocity with physical maturity.

Age 22 Prospect All-Stars
Players turn 25 in 2025

Pos	Player	Org	batWAR	LoA	HiA	AA	AAA	MLB	PA	OPS+	ISO+	OW25%
C	Endy Rodriguez	PIT	5.5		X	X	X		536	166	161	.589
C	Logan O’Hoppe	LAA	4.9			X		X	450	160	160	.722
1B	Christian Encarnacion-Strand	CIN	5.1		X	X			541	157	187	.598
2B	Connor Norby	BAL	3.8		X	X	X		553	137	148	.504
3B	Brett Baty	NYM	4.6			X	X	X	420	161	133	.736
SS	Addison Barger	TOR	5.5		X	X	X		530	161	160	.665
OF	Justyn-Henry Malloy	ATL	5.6		X	X	X		601	145	124	.668
OF	Colton Cowser	BAL	5.3		X	X	X		630	139	118	.583
OF	Sal Frelick	MIL	4.6		X	X	X		559	139	97	.616
DH	Bo Naylor	CLE	4.5			X	X	X	514	141	145	.653

Catcher is so deep in the minor leagues right now that the 22-year-old all-star team includes three of them! Endy Rodriguez and Logan O’Hoppe were two of the better overall performers in the minor leagues, but excluding Bo Naylor and his 20-homer, 20-steal performance just didn’t seem right.

Honorable mention: Rangers outfielder Aaron Zavala, Rockies catcher/first baseman Hunter Goodman and Yankees catcher Austin Wells all had great seasons and would not be out of place here.

Pos

Player

Org

fipWAR

LoA

HiA

AAA

MLB

ERA+

K-BB+

FIP

Mason Montgomery

3.1

124

154

175

3.14

Grayson Rodriguez

BAL

2.9

144

211

1.97

Gordon Graceffo

STL

2.9

140

144

154

3.73

Gavin Williams

CLE

2.8

115

157

160

2.99

Ben Brown

CHC

2.7

104

128

179

3.11

Mason Montgomery, Gordon Graceffo and Gavin Williams are all 2021 draftees who passed the Double-A test in their first full pro seasons.

Age 23 Prospect All-Stars
Players turn 25 in 2024

Pos	Player	Org	batWAR	LoA	HiA	AA	AAA	MLB	PA	OPS+	ISO+	OW25%
C	Yainer Diaz	HOU	3.1			X	X	X	490	133	144	.533
1B	Niko Kavadas	BOS	6.2	X	X	X			519	170	192	.620
2B	Edouard Julien	MIN	4.0			X			512	128	105	.548
3B	Casey Schmitt	SF	4.2		X	X	X		529	142	132	.533
SS	Jordan Westburg	BAL	3.6			X	X		623	125	134	.478
OF	Esteury Ruiz	MIL	6.8			X	X	X	534	160	129	.739
OF	Tyler Gentry	KC	4.6		X	X			491	152	135	.589
OF	Oscar Colas	CWS	4.0		X	X	X		527	143	143	.520
DH	Alec Burleson	STL	3.6				X	X	476	139	125	.573
DH	Jonny DeLuca	LAD	3.6		X	X			442	147	186	.528

If your dynasty team is looking for reinforcements on a shorter timeline, this group of players will be popping up in MLB in 2023 and 2024. Some have already gotten there.

A couple of 24-year-old hitters I like for upside and opportunity in 2023 are Cubs first baseman Matt Mervis and Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter. On the pitching side, these 24-year-olds should get MLB run in 2023: Braves lefthander Kyle Muller and Twins righthander Louie Varland.

Pos

Pitcher

Org

fipWAR

LoA

HiA

AAA

MLB

ERA+

K-BB+

FIP

Gavin Stone

LAD

4.2

121

169

199

2.55

Brandon Pfaadt

ARI

4.1

167

137

220

3.71

Tanner Bibee

CLE

3.6

133

151

180

2.70

Hunter Brown

HOU

3.1

106

147

168

3.67

Bryce Miller

SEA

3.0

134

133

147

3.41

The group of age-23 pitching prospects offers a wealth of options. In addition to those listed above, Nationals righthander Cade Cavalli, Giants righthander Landen Roupp, Reds lefthander Andrew Abbott, Dodgers righthander Bobby Miller and Mariners righthander Taylor Dollard all had success at the upper levels and are poised for MLB debuts in the near future.