Ranking The 20 Hottest MLB Prospects | Hot Sheet (5/19/25)

1. Rainiel Rodriguez, C, Cardinals

• Team: FCL Cardinals
• Age: 18
• Why He’s Here: .438/.500/1.188 (7-for-16), 6 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 8 RBIs, 3 BB, 4 SO

The Scoop: In 41 games last year in the Dominican Summer League, Rodriguez slammed 10 home runs. In 10 games this year in the Florida Complex League, he’s already got six. Half of his 12 hits have landed somewhere over the fence. He closed the week with long balls in four straight games. His six home runs are more than double the next-closest contender in the FCL and are just four away from the total that led the league last year. If he keeps going deep every day, chances are good he won’t be around long enough to challenge last year’s high-water mark. (JN)

2. Jonathon Long, 1B, Cubs

• Team: Triple-A Iowa
• Age: 23 
• Why He’s Here: .545/.560/.955 (12-for-22), 7 R, 2 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 10 RBIs, 1 BB, 3 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: After a breakout 2024 that ended with a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League, Long is now showing out once again in Triple-A. On the year, he is hitting .367/.429/.533 with four home runs over 40 games. Last week, Long tallied four multi-hit games and three games with three hits. On Wednesday, he drove in six runs, and on Friday he racked up eight total bases, doing the heavy lifting on his week. Long has an advanced hit tool and above-average power, but his lack of defensive value puts pressure on him to continue hitting. (GP)

3. Connor Burns, C, Reds

• Team: High-A Dayton (Midwest)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: .350/.381/1.050 (7-for-20) 6 R, 2 2B, 4 HR, 7 RBIs, 1 BB, 8 SO

The Scoop: Catchers can mature at the plate slower than hitters at other positions because of the many demands of catching. That’s the hope with Burns. He’s an exceptional defender and generally a pretty awful hitter. This four home-run week raised his overall slash line to .184/.241/.378, as he came into the week with two doubles and one home run all season. Pitchers love throwing to Burns, and his defense will keep him employed for a long time. But to reach the big leagues, he’s going to need a lot more weeks like this one. (JJ)

4. Andrew Pintar, OF, Marlins

• Team: Triple-A Jacksonville (International)
• Age: 24
• Why He’s Here: .520/.586/.840 (13-for-25), 4 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 4 SO, 4 BB, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: When the Marlins acquired Pintar from the Diamondbacks in the A.J. Puk deal, the organization was thrilled to get a player who impacts the game in a lot of ways. He hit some bumps early, struggling in Double-A and again in the Arizona Fall League, but his production this season is starting to show the potential Miami saw when they brought him in. His .346 batting average leads Jacksonville among hitters with at least 50 at-bats. His best showing this week came on May 17 when he racked up four hits, including a two-run homer with a 104.5 mph exit velocity. (JC)

5. Patrick Copen, RHP, Dodgers

• Team: High-A Great Lakes (Midwest)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: 2-0, 1.32 ERA, 13.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 18 SO, 1 HR

The Scoop: When we’re talking about High-A Great Lakes on the Hot Sheet, it’s usually because of that stacked outfield that keeps producing at the plate. This time, it was Copen’s dominance on the mound that made him the team’s lone representative. The righthander showed off his command and ability to pound the zone against the Guardians’ High-A team this week, but really, he’s been one of the most reliable arms in the rotation all season. He’s given up just one home run across 39.1 innings. (JC)

6. Bubba Chandler, RHP, Pirates

• Team: Triple-A Indianapolis (International)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: 0-0, 1.93, 2 GS, 9.1 IP, 11 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 HBP, 5 BB, 15 SO

The Scoop: When Paul Skenes lost 1-0 in a complete game on Sunday, the Pirates offered a reminder that unless, Chandler goes back to being a two-way player and starts mashing some home runs, his arrival won’t do anything to fix Pittsburgh’s lack of offense. But he is showing every week that he’s ready to help the big league rotation. This week was almost pedestrian by Chandler’s standards, and he still struck out 15 in 9.1 innings. Chandler has an ability to force hitters to prepare for pitches over a nearly 25 mph range. He can touch 100+ mph with his fastball, and he’ll drop in a high-70s curve when they least expect it. (JJ)

7. C.J. Kayfus, 1B, Guardians

• Team: Triple-A Columbus (International) 
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: .524/.583/.810 (11-for-21), 3 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 6 RBIs, 3 BB, 3 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: It would be reasonable to argue that Kayfus has been the most productive hitter in the minor leagues to start 2025. Even a promotion to Triple-A couldn’t slow him down, as he’s been even more productive since the jump in level. Over 15 games in Triple-A, Kayfus has hit .379/.448/.638 with seven extra-base hits. Last week, he started the series off with Omaha with an O-fer. That would be the last time Kayfus didn’t collect two hits in a game during the series. His standout game came on Thursday, as he went 4-for-6 with three singles and a triple. Kayfus has been knocking on the door but may not have a place to play with the Guardians at the moment. (GP) 

8. Matt Shaw, 3B, Cubs

• Team: Triple-A Iowa (International)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: .346/.452/.923 (9-for-26), 10 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 5 HR, 7 RBI, 2 SO, 4 BB 2-for-2 SB

The Scoop: Is it time for the Cubs to start thinking about giving Shaw another look at the hot corner? With the way he’s swinging the bat—and the lack of steady production at third base in the big leagues—it’s at least a conversation worth having.  Shaw had a historical performance on Thursday when he homered to both lead off and walk off the game, a feat only five other players have done at the major league level. That’s a tough act to follow, but he didn’t let up. He came right back with another big showing, going deep twice more in his next game. It wasn’t historic this time, but it was just as loud. Shaw is trending in the right direction, and the Cubs are surely taking notice. (JC)

9. Henry Bolte, OF, Athletics 

• Team: Double-A Midland (Texas) 
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: .458/.523/.833 (11-for-24), 5 R, 2 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 8 RBIs, 4 BB, 6 SO, 2-for-2 SB

The Scoop: It’s been a breakout first month of 2025 for Bolte, as he’s significantly cut his strikeout rate this season. The significant jump in contact has been a welcomed development for Bolte, who’s blessed with power and speed. Last week, he started the series off against El Paso with multi-hit games in the first four games. His best came on Tuesday, as he went 4-for-5 and finished a home run short of hitting for the cycle. Bolte is an exciting, tooled-up player who’s coming into his own in 2025. (GP)

10. Carson Whisenhunt, LHP, Giants

• Team: Triple-A Sacramento (Pacific Coast)
• Age: 24
• Why He’s Here: 2-0, 0.00, 14 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 14 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Quietly, Whisenhunt has been one of the most dominant pitchers in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. His 14 strikeouts this week vaulted him into first place in the league in that category. He also tops the PCL in WHIP (1.00) and innings pitched (51) and is second in ERA with a mark of 3.00. He got 13 whiffs in his most recent start, including five (on 11 swings) against his slider. If this trend continues, San Francisco might be in the offing. (JN)

11. Jack Perkins, RHP, Athletics

• Team: Triple-A Las Vegas (Pacific Coast)
• Age: 25
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 1.74 ERA, 10.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 14 SO, 1 HR

The Scoop: Perkins has dealt with early-season injuries in each of the past two years, but when he’s healthy, the A’s view him as one of their prized pitching prospects—and he’s been pitching like it lately. After ending the previous week on a strong note, he followed it up with two more impressive outings, continuing to show why there’s so much belief in his upside. Command has been a sticking point in the past, but this season, there are signs of progress. He’s been more consistent in the zone and limiting walks. If he can stay healthy and keep trending in this direction, Perkins could be in line for a big step forward. (JC)

12. Konnor Griffin, SS/OF, Pirates

• Team: Low-A Bradenton (Florida State)
• Age: 19
• Why He’s Here: .545/.542/.773 (12-for-22), 8 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 7 RBIs, 0 BB, 4 SO, 4-for-4 SB

The Scoop: Entering the year, it was no secret that Griffin was one of the most athletic prospects in the sport. With each passing day, it’s becoming clear that he’s also one of the best prospects in the sport. He’s particularly menacing in May, so far producing a .411/.433/.589 line with four doubles, two home runs and a strikeout rate of just 20%. Has he worked even a single walk? No, he has not. But he’s making plenty of contact and turning it into enough electricity to rival a typical Florida lightning storm. Griffin’s development will require plenty of patience, but the reward could be as great as any seen from a Pirates position player in years.  (JN)

13. Hao-Yu Lee, 2B/3B, Tigers

• Team: Triple-A Toledo (International)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .481/.533/.778 (13-for-27) 10 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 4 RBIs, 3 BB, 2 SO, 1 SB

The Scoop: After a slow start, Lee is once again hitting like normal. After just four multi-hit games combined in March and April, he has seven so far this month, including five in the past week. The Tigers have had Lee work at both second and third regularly this year. He is a very reliable second baseman defensively, but for now, he’s a pretty unreliable third baseman. He has six errors in just 17 games there while recording no errors in 20 games at second base. For his career, Lee has 14 errors in 180 games at second and 15 errors in 54 games at third. (JJ)

14. Mitch Jebb, 2B/CF Pirates

• Team: Double-A Altoona (Eastern)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: .500/.556/.708 (12-for-24) 6 R, 1 2B, 2 3B, 4 RBIs, 2 BB, 1 SO, 4 SB, 1 CS

The Scoop: Jebb is the type of player that is affectionately described as “pesky.” He has a career .371 slugging percentage, but he rarely strikes out and he makes tons of contact. And once he reaches base, he can steal at will. The Pirates are working center field into his repertoire more and more, and that may eventually be his best fit as a top or bottom-of-the-order bat who gets on base and steals once he reaches. His lack of power makes it more likely he’ll fit the bottom-of-the-order part. (JJ)

15. Bryce Eldridge, 1B, Giants

• Team: Double-A Richmond (Eastern)
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .364/.391/.864 (8-for-22), 3 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 6 RBIs, 1 BB, 6 SO

The Scoop: After missing the early days of the season with an injury suffered late in spring training, Eldridge appears to have found his sea legs—and he’s making it everyone’s problem. The sequoia-sized slugger slammed three home runs against Erie, one more than he’d produced in the previous 16 games since joining Double-A Richmond on April 22. The outburst included a two-homer game on May 16 and made his May look even more magnificent. In the season’s second month, San Francisco’s top prospect is slashing .322/.385/.593 with four doubles, four homers and 11 RBIs. (JN)

16. Nick Morabito, OF, Mets 

• Team: Double-A Binghamton (Eastern) 
• Age: 22 
• Why He’s Here: .462/.517/.731 (12-for-26), 6 R, 4 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBIs, 3 BB, 7 SO, 6-for-6 SB

The Scoop: Selected out of Gonzaga HS in Washington D.C. in the supplemental second round of the 2022 draft, Morabito has been a productive player in his three years  as a professional. This week, he put all of his tools on display, collecting hits in all seven games last week while going wild on the bases and stealing six bags on six attempts. Morabito’s standout game came on Saturday when he went 3-for-4 and finished a triple short of the cycle. He is blessed with speed, power and the ability to collect hits in bunches. (GP)  

17. Harry Ford, C, Mariners

• Team: Triple-A Tacoma (Pacific Coast)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .435/.458/.783 (10-for-23), 7 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 1 BB, 2 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: Ford has sat near the top of the Mariners’ prospect rankings since they took him in the first round back in 2021. He’s always shown he can hit when he makes contact, but he has struck out over 100 times in each of the last three seasons. This year, though, there’s been real progress. Ford has shown more discipline at the plate, nearly matching his strikeouts (26) with walks (25). The season’s still young, but it’s an encouraging sign. What the Mariners decide to do with Ford moving forward will be interesting. They signed Cal Raleigh to a six-year, $105 million extension, signaling he’s the long-term answer behind the plate. Ford played eight games in the outfield at Double-A last season, but so far this year, he’s been catching full-time. If the bat keeps trending up and there’s no clear path to playing time in Seattle, he’s the kind of prospect who could draw interest at the trade deadline. (JC)

18. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Brewers

• Team: Triple-A Nashville (International)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: 0-0, 1.29, 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO, 1 HR

The Scoop: From the moment he became a professional, Misiorowski has been the owner of some of the most wicked pitches in the minor leagues. At its best, his arsenal can make even the finest hitters look foolish. At each level, however, a key question lingered: Will he throw enough high-quality strikes to stake out a spot in a starting rotation? He’s spent the last month making his case. After going seven strong in his most recent turn, Misiorowski’s May line looks like this: 2-0, 0.92 with 21 strikeouts against six walks in 19.2 innings. Overall this season, he’s punched out 59 hitters in 49.1 innings. Oh, and he threw a fastball at 103 mph. (JN)

19. Yohendrick Pinango, OF, Blue Jays

• Team: Double-A New Hampshire (Eastern)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: .412/.583/1.000 (7-for-17) 5 R, 1 2B, 3 HR, 3 RBIs, 7 BB, 2 SO, 1 SB

The Scoop: Pinango was one of five players we recently highlighted for their excellent analytical data this year, and since then, he’s only added to that production. Acquired in last year’s Nate Pearson trade, Pinango is pushing for a promotion to Triple-A. He’s one of the most selective hitters in the Eastern League and features the power to punish pitchers with hard line drives. (JJ)

20. Walker Martin, SS, Giants

• Team: Low-A San Jose (California) 
• Age: 21 
• Why He’s Here: .364/.464/.864 (8-for-22), 7 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 7 RBIs, 5 BB, 10 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: It was a struggle for Martin in his professional debut in 2024, as he struck out at a rate of 41% in 2024. So far in 2025, things are headed in the right direction, as Martin has been scorching hot the last two weeks, leading to his first Hot Sheet appearance. Martin collected hits in all six games last week, kicking things off with home runs in the first two games of the series. Martin has major hit tool concerns but power and tools worth waiting on. (GP) 

Helium

Stharlin Torres, RHP, Reds

The domestic complex leagues are in full swing, and the annual pop-up prospects are starting to make themselves known. Early word from the desert is that the Reds have a stable of fireballers flying under the radar. One pitcher who fits that description in Torres, who fronts a three-pitch mix with a riding fastball that sits in the 94-97 mph range. He backs it with a changeup and a slider. So far, the 18-year-old Torres has punched out 13 hitters and issued just one walk over seven innings. He fanned 51 against 13 walks a year ago in the Dominican Summer League. (JN)