Scouting Every NL Central No. 1 Prospect For 2025
Image credit: JJ Wetherholt (Photo by Tom DiPace)
As part of the ramp up to the start of the season, Baseball America is going deep on each of the top prospects in the NL Central.
Joined by Scott Braun, J.J. Cooper and Geoff Pontes provide analysis for the division’s top prospects, explaining how each respective player climbed to No. 1 in their system, running through their scouting reports and laying out what you should expect in 2025.
Read on below for each Prospect Profile, as well as a podcast combining all five No. 1 prospect breakdowns from the NL Central.
More Prospect Profiles
Time Stamps
- (0:00) — JJ Wetherholt, Cardinals
- (10:00) — Matt Shaw, Cubs
- (20:15) — Jesus Made, Brewers
- (29:25) — Bubba Chandler, Pirates
- (38:50) — Rhett Lowder, Reds
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Enjoying our Prospect Profiles? A new one drops each day on our YouTube channel. You can see our Top 30s for each system here.
JJ Wetherholt, SS, Cardinals
Scouting Report: The Cardinals view the 2024 No. 7 overall pick as the top prospect in their system and a major part of their future. If Wetherholt gets to his peak power projection and proves he can stick at shortstop, he has all-star upside. In all likelihood, he develops into a third baseman with a plus bat and some star-level peak seasons.
Matt Shaw, 3B, Cubs
Scouting Report: Shaw is a bat-first infielder with power and an above-average hit tool. His positional versatility could earn him big league playing time in 2025 and should make him one of the more dynamic rookies.
Jesus Made, SS, Brewers
Scouting Report: Made is still several years away, but he has star potential and could follow in the recent footsteps of Jackson Chourio as a top-flight international signing for the Brewers. He’s on track to likely skip the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League and jump straight to Low-A Carolina in 2025, similar to what the Brewers have done with Chourio and outfielders Luis Lara and Yophery Rodriguez in recent years.
Bubba Chandler, RHP, Pirates
Scouting Report: Behind a premium arsenal featuring three pitches bordering on plus or better, Chandler has already staked his claim as one of the top pitching prospects in baseball. Now, his sights are set on a spot in Pittsburgh’s rotation. Chandler has legitimate No. 2 upside and should reach the majors in 2025—perhaps even out of spring training—where he’ll hope to settle in alongside Paul Skenes and Jared Jones to form one of the most potent young trios in the sport.
Rhett Lowder, RHP, Reds
Scouting Report: Unless he develops more of a swing-and-miss slider or finds another couple of ticks of velocity, Lowder projects as a durable and reliable No. 3 starter rather than a true ace. His command, feel for pitching and consistency are qualities which could make him a multi-time all-star. Following Aaron Nola’s career path from dominating college ace to seventh overall pick to rotation stalwart would be a best-case scenario.
