Ranking The 20 Hottest MLB Prospects | Hot Sheet (4/20/26)

1. Braden Montgomery, OF, White Sox

• Team: Double-A Birmingham (Southern)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: .600/.640/1.200 (12-for-20), 6 R, 5 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 7 RBIs, 4 BB, 5 SO, 1 SB

The Scoop: Montgomery turned 23 this past week, and he celebrated in style by putting together the best week of his young career. The center fielder entered the week hitting .212, but he provided the perfect demonstration of how, this early in the season, one week can turn everything around. Montgomery is working on an eight-game hitting streak in which he has nine extra-base hits. He’s now second in the league in batting average (.358) and leads the league in total bases (40), extra-base hits (11) and slugging percentage (.755). (JJ)

2. John Holobetz, RHP, Red Sox

• Team: Double-A Portland Sea Dogs (Eastern)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: 0-1, 1.29, 7 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 11 SO, 1 HR

The Scoop: The player to be named later in last year’s Quinn Priester trade, Holobetz is coming off a strong 2025 season and looks to be on the right track to take the next step in 2026. Holobetz dominated his start vs. Altoona, striking out 11 and allowing one run on his only hit (a solo home run). He generated 14 swinging strikes over seven frames, showing his improved breaking ball alongside a low-launch fastball at 93-96 mph, a cutter and a changeup. Holobetz is still a year away from making his MLB debut, but with more strong starts like this one, he should move up Boston’s Top 30 list from where he’s currently ranked at No. 14. (GP)

3. Yeremy Cabrera, OF, Nationals

• Team: Low-A Fredericksburg Nationals (Carolina)
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .500/.640/1.056 (9-for-18), 6 R, 4 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 7 RBIs, 4 BB, 5 SO, 6-for-6 SB

The Scoop: It was a very loud week for Low-A Fredericksburg, as four of the team’s players made the Hot Sheet. None was more deserving than Cabrera, the outfielder acquired by the Nationals in the MacKenzie Gore trade. Cabrera had hits in all five games he played and reached base at least twice in every game of the series. He showed hitting ability, on-base skills, power and speed. Cabrera had an extra-base hit in four of his five games and stole multiple bases in two games. After spending all of 2025 at Low-A, Cabrera is looking like an early-season promotion candidate. Despite a good deal of lower-level experience, Cabrera is still just 20 years old and showing real tools. (GP) 

4. Sean Keys, 3B, Blue Jays

• Team: Double-A New Hampshire (Eastern)
• Age: 22 
• Why He’s Here: .500/.571/1.111 (9-for-18), 7 R, 2 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBIs, 4 BB, 4 SO

The Scoop: On the surface, Keys had a rough 2025, hitting only .217. But his underlying data told a different story. Already off to a strong start this year, he took things to another level against Chesapeake, homering and recording three hits in back-to-back games to start the week. He also achieved that same stat line in the final game of the previous series, giving him three straight games with a home run and three hits. After a hitless performance, he ended the week strong by reaching base multiple times in the final two games of the series and homering in the finale. Keys is now tied for the Eastern League lead with five home runs. He doesn’t project to add much value with his bat, so continuing to show the offensive ability he did this week is key for him to reach his potential. (IC)

5. Seth Hernandez, RHP, Pirates

• Team: Low-A Bradenton (Florida State)
• Age: 19
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Each week, Hernandez is making the case that he’s the best pitching prospect still in the minor leagues. At the very least, he’s doing his very best to escape Bradenton and head north to High-A Greensboro. In his latest start, the righthander carved the Tampa Tarpons for five no-hit innings. In fact, Hernandez has not allowed a hit in each of his last two starts. Combined in those two games, he has thrown nine innings with no hits, two walks, a hit batter and 15 strikeouts. Overall, the sixth-overall pick from last summer has whiffed 23 hitters in 12 innings. (JN)

6. Josh Adamczewski, OF, Brewers

• Team: High-A Wisconsin (Midwest)
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .375/.524/1.125 (6-for-16), 8 R, 4 HR, 8 RBIs, 4 BB, 5 SO

The Scoop: After playing second base almost exclusively since 2023, Adamczewski has moved to left field almost full time in 2026. Normally, moving from the infield to the outfield may make it a tougher path for a prospect to get to the majors, but for Brewers’ prospects, it’s a path to playing time and opportunity in an organization with Cooper Pratt, Jesús Made and Luis Peña all climbing the org ladder. Adamczewski has hit wherever he’s played, as his .315 career batting average attests. (JJ)

7. Eli Willits, SS, Nationals

• Team: Low-A Fredericksburg (Carolina)
• Age: 18 
• Why He’s Here: .333/.500/.750 (8-for-24), 10 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 5 RBIs, 8 BB, 4 SO, 4-for-4 SB

The Scoop: Willits was off to a slow start in his first full season, but he turned things around this week, recording at least one hit in five of six games. He also hit the first two home runs of his professional career, the first an inside-the-parker and the second a towering blast to the opposite field. Both homers came while hitting lefthanded, and so far this year, all but one of his extra-base hits have come from that side of the plate. Willits also showed off his patient approach, walking four times in two different games, and speed, stealing four bases. It was only a matter of time before Willits got things going, and now that he has, he’ll look to continue to show why he was the top pick in the 2025 draft. (IC)

8. Robby Snelling, LHP, Marlins

• Team: Triple-A Jacksonville (International)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: A year after re-establishing his prospect stock, Snelling is pushing to make his first foray into the big leagues. The former Padres prospect was outstanding in Triple-A to close 2025, punching out 81 while walking just 17 over 63.2 innings. Early this season, he’s continued cruising. His latest outing featured nine strikeouts over six shutout innings with two hits and a walk. The outing served as a fitting encore for his previous start, in which he struck out 12 over five two-hit shutout frames. For the season, Snelling has 31 strikeouts and just nine walks over four starts and 19 innings. (JN)

9. Colby Shelton, 3B, White Sox

• Team: High-A Winston-Salem (South Atlantic)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: .478/.571/1.043 (11-for-23), 10 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 14 RBIs, 4 BB, 3 SO, 2 SB

The Scoop: Shelton has been the best hitter in the South Atlantic League so far in 2026. The former Florida Gator has more three-hit games (three) than hitless games (two) this season. A college shortstop, Shelton is bouncing between second and third base in pro ball. He’s on a team with another infielder who was a 2025 college draftee, in Kyle Lodise, who was a third rounder. But it’s Shelton, the sixth-rounder, who is hitting everything in sight right now. (JJ)

10. Miguel Sime Jr., RHP, Nationals

• Team: Low-A Fredericksburg Nationals (Carolina)
• Age: 18
• Why He’s Here: 0-0, 0.00, 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Sime, the Nationals’ fourth-round pick in 2025 out of Poly Prep Country Day HS (N.Y.), has been a hot name in the early going. This spring, he showed triple-digit fastball velocity, ramping his four-seam fastball up to 101.9 mph in Spring Breakout. The stuff has been present early, even if the strikes aren’t always there. This week, Sime was masterful, leaving his six-walk start last week in the rearview mirror and tossing four hitless innings while striking out nine and allowing one walk. Sime struck out seven batters in a row at one point, as he overwhelmed Delmarva and generated 18 swinging strikes across 56 total pitches. Sime has huge stuff, and as he learns to harness it and adds depth to his arsenal, he could develop into one of the highest-upside arms in the minor leagues. (GP) 

11. Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF, Twins

• Team: Triple-A St. Paul (International)
• Age: 23 
• Why He’s Here: .368/.571/.842 (7-for-19), 5 R, 3 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBIs, 9 BB, 8 SO

The Scoop: It might not be possible for Rodriguez to have a week that better sums up his current profile. He had five extra-base hits, including the hardest hit ball in St. Paul Saints history at 117.1 mph on one of his two home runs this week. That max exit velocity is almost 4 mph higher than his max from 2025. Rodriguez also showed off his exemplary knowledge of the strike zone, walking at least once in every game this week. Making consistent contact remains an issue for him, as he also struck out in every game and only had four batted-ball outs all week. There is three-true-outcomes risk in Rodriguez’s profile, but his power and on-base ability is so good that it might still be enough for him to be a quality major leaguer. His range of outcomes remains wide, and where he ends up will almost entirely be driven by how his hit tool continues to progress. (IC)

12. Ronny Cruz, SS, Nationals

• Team: Low-A Fredericksburg (Carolina)
• Age: 19
• Why He’s Here: .500/.636/.750 (8-for-16), 7 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 8 RBIs, 3 BB, 4 SO, 12-for-15 SB

The Scoop: If Nationals fans want to gaze into the future of their infield, they needn’t go any farther than Fredericksburg. There, Washington has a host of its best prospects who make their money on the dirt. One of those players is Cruz, who came to Washington in the deal that sent Michael Soroka to the Cubs. So far, he’s made a loud opening statement in his first test at full-season ball. In the early going, he’s shown the ability to take mature at-bats and make loud contact. The results have been striking. He’s already homered three times (one more than he produced in 2025 pro debut), and his 15 stolen bases (12 of which came this week) are one behind Baltimore prospect Austin Overn for the minor league lead. (JN)

13. Kash Mayfield, LHP, Padres

• Team: High-A Fort Wayne (Midwest)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Although he started slowly last year, by the end of the summer Mayfield looked like a pitcher ready to break out. From June 1 forward, the lefthander went 1-3, 2.01 with 61 strikeouts in 40.1 innings. Early in 2026, he’s continued to build momentum. The hit he allowed in his most recent turn is the only one he’s allowed all season, which spans a dozen innings and three starts. He’s struck out 16 hitters in that span and walked five. In his most recent turn, Mayfield went five innings, allowed just the one hit, walked nobody and struck out eight. He racked up 18 whiffs as well, the second-most in all of High-A that evening. (JN)

14. Tanner Thach, 1B, Rockies

• Team: Low-A Fresno (California)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .464/.531/.964 )13-for-28), 8 R, 5 2B, 3 HR, 18 RBIs, 4 BB, 2 SO

The Scoop: As a 2025 college draftee out of UNC Wilmington assigned to Low-A, Thach needs to show he can dominate and hit his way quickly to High-A. So far, so good. Thach had five multi-hit games this past week, including a 4-for-6 game in which he doubled and hit a pair of home runs. It wasn’t a cycle only because he traded a triple for another home run. (JJ)

15. Michael Lombardi, RHP, Royals

• Team: Low-A Columbia Fireflies (Carolina)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 11 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: The opening month of the season is always a great time to see how last year’s draftees will land in pro ball after a full offseason to prepare. Often, the college pitching class produces a few true breakout pitchers. Could the Royals 2025 second-round pick be one such breakout? This past week, Lombardi made a strong case, striking out 11 batters across four scoreless innings. His outing wasn’t the cleanest, as he did allow three hits and three walks across 18 batters faced. Lombardi was a two-way player at Tulane, but he was drafted for his upside on the mound. He shows a mid-90s fastball with plus ride while also mixing in a downer curveball, changeup and slider. Lombardi will need to tighten up his command, but his stuff is for real. (GP)

16. Cole Mathis, 3B, Cubs

• Team: Low-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Carolina)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .350/.381/1.000 (7-for-20), 5 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 9 RBIs, 1 BB, 7 SO, 0-for-0 SB

The Scoop: Mathis was a highly-touted bat out of College of Charleston who had Tommy John surgery not long after the Cubs drafted him. He dealt with some elbow pain after returning to the field last season and missed a large chunk of 2025. After playing in just 29 games last season, Mathis returned to Low-A Myrtle Beach. It looks like 2026 is off to a better start, as Mathis has already hit seven home runs in 14 games. This past week, he was impressive, as he hit four home runs across five games, including a multi-home run game on Wednesday. Though he was a little feast-or-famine, going hitless in two games and homering in the other three, Mathis reached base in four out of five games with 11 total bases in his outstanding performance on Wednesday. Mathis shows power and on-base ability, and how his hit tool translates will dictate the direction of his career. (GP) 

17. Hendry Mendez, OF, Twins

• Team: Double-A Wichita (Texas)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .360/.385/.840 (9-for-25), 6 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 11 RBIs, 1 BB, 8 SO

The Scoop: For as long as he’s been a prospect, Mendez’s mission has been simple: Get the ball off the ground. He knows the strike zone and produces high-end impact, but too often, the ball winds up in an infielder’s glove. He appeared to make progress in 2025 at High-A Cedar Rapids, but the gains evaporated once he reached Double-A. Back in the Texas League, he’s back on the right track. Entering Sunday, Mendez’s groundball rate was still too high at 56.8%, but it was a shade better than he produced in the Texas League in 2025 and nearly 4% better than what he produced in 2024 at High-A. His three home runs this past week matched the total he produced at Wichita in 33 games last summer. (JN)

18. Seaver King, SS, Nationals

• Team: Double-A Harrisburg (Eastern)
• Age: 22 
• Why He’s Here: .381/.458/.810 (8-for-21), 6 R, 3 2B, 2 HR, 9 RBIs, 3 BB, 7 SO, 0-for-1 SB

The Scoop: King had a disappointing first full season after the Nationals drafted him 10th overall in 2024. However, he looked to be trending in the right direction after a strong stint in the Arizona Fall League, where he adjusted his swing, and he has carried that performance over to 2026. King had three multi-hit games this past week and ended things by hitting two home runs in the same game— but on different days due to a delay. King also walked three more times this week, giving him 15 walks in 65 plate appearances. In Double-A in 2025, King had only 23 walks in 357 plate appearances. His chase rate was 37%, so continued improvement in that area, as he has shown so far in 2026, will be critical for his offensive development. (IC)

19. Murf Gray, 3B, Pirates

• Team: Low-A Bradenton (Florida State)
• Age: 22 
• Why He’s Here: .423/.483/.731 (11-for-26), 4 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 3 BB, 5 SO

The Scoop: Gray showed off some intriguing tools during spring training, and so far this season, he has done nothing but hit. He has a base knock in 12 of 14 games and is currently on an eight-game hitting streak. He had multiple hits in four of six games this past week, and his .382 average is good for second in the Florida State League. Gray added a pair of home runs and has made hard contact all year, with his max exit velocity of 109.2 mph and 90th percentile exit velocity of 104.6 mph ranking in the top quarter of all FSL hitters. Encouragingly, he also added three walks after entering the week with only one. One of the knocks on Gray coming out of Fresno State was his overly aggressive approach, so showing more patience might be the only thing standing between him and a promotion to High-A. (IC)

20. David Shields, LHP, Royals

• Team: High-A Quad Cities (Midwest)
• Age: 19
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 SO

The Scoop: Shields’ first two starts this season saw him give up six runs in six innings, which is more runs than he allowed in four of five months last season. But on Saturday, he once again showed the stuff that made him one of the best pitchers in the Carolina League last year. Shields still needs to add velocity, but on Saturday, he was able to dominate with a 90 mph heater. (JJ)

Helium

Mason Peters, LHP, Mariners

The Mariners identify and develop pitching as well as any team in baseball. Could Peters, their 2025 fourth-round pick, be their next pitching dev win? The lefthander out of Dallas Baptist is off to an auspicious start, as over his first 12 professional innings, he has struck out 21 batters to just three walks while showing a plus curveball. Peters’ curve sits 78-80 mph with heavy two-plane break and spin rates in the 2,800-2,900 rpm range. He also mixes a cut-ride four-seam fastball at 92-94 mph that needs to add a few ticks, a slider and a splitter with good vertical separation off his fastball. Peters has all the ingredients to be a breakout in 2026. (GP)