Youngest Players On Opening Day Rosters In Every Minor League In 2023

Image credit: Masyn Winn (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)

Brewers phenom Jackson Chourio ended 2022 as the youngest player in Double-A. In 2023, nothing has changed. With a completely new set of rosters, Chourio begins the season not only as the youngest player in the Southern League, but also as the youngest player at Double-A.

The only difference? Now, he ranks as the No. 1 overall prospect in the game.

Chourio’s excellent performances at both Class A levels hinted at the kind of prospect he might become. With that in mind, BA takes its annual look at the youngest players on Opening Day rosters in each minor league. 

The name that immediately jumps out is Nelson Rada. The Angels outfielder signed his first pro contract in January 2022, then posted an excellent season in the Dominican Summer League. This year, the Angels have challenged the 17-year-old Rada, who begins the season as the youngest player in the full-season minor leagues after earning an assignment to Low-A Inland Empire.

The Angels were also aggressive with another one of their top prospects, catcher Edgar Quero, who jumped over High-A and began the season in Double-A Rocket City. He’s coming off a 2022 season in which he was MVP of the Low-A California League after hitting .312/.435/.530 with 35 doubles, 17 home runs and 12 stolen bases.

The youngest pitcher in the minor leagues is Braves righthander Didier Fuentes, who, like Rada, jumped over extended spring training and begins his season with Low-A Augusta. Fuentes signed with the Braves for $75,000 out of Colombia in 2022 and posted a 5-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio in the DSL. He pairs a mid-90s fastball with a high-70s curveball that got whiffs at a 50% clip in 2022.  

Here are the top 10 youngest players in each full-season minor league on Opening Day. Only active players are counted, though players who would have ranked top 10 but opened on the seven-day injured list are listed as a footnote. BA previously reviewed the youngest players on major league Opening Day rosters.

International League (Triple-A)

Rk	Player	Pos	Team	Org	Age
1	Masyn Winn	SS	Memphis Redbirds	STL	21.02
2	Francisco Alvarez	C	Syracuse Mets	NYM	21.36
3	Jhonkensy Noel	OF	Columbus Clippers	CLE	21.71
4	Ronny Mauricio	SS	Syracuse Mets	NYM	21.98
5	Taj Bradley	RHP	Durham Bulls	TB	22.03
6	Malcom Nunez	3B	Indianapolis Indians	PIT	22.06
7	Brayan Rocchio	SS	Columbus Clippers	CLE	22.21
8	Vaughn Grissom	2B	Gwinnett Stripers	ATL	22.23
9	George Valera	OF	Columbus Clippers	CLE	22.37
10	Curtis Mead	2B	Durham Bulls	TB	22.42

Opened on seven-day IL: Elly De La Cruz, SS, Louisville (Reds), age 21.21

Pacific Coast League (Triple-A)

Rk	Player	Pos	Team	Org	Age
1	Tyler Soderstrom	C	Las Vegas Aviators	OAK	21.34
2	Kyle Harrison	LHP	Sacramento River Cats	SF	21.63
3	Justin Martinez	RHP	Reno Aces	ARI	21.66
4	Blake Walston	LHP	Reno Aces	ARI	21.75
5	Jordan Diaz	2B	Las Vegas Aviators	OAK	22.63
6	Livan Soto	SS	Salt Lake Bees	LAA	22.77
7	Jonathan Ornelas	3B	Round Rock Express	TEX	22.84
8	Chase Silseth	RHP	Salt Lake Bees	LAA	22.86
9	Misael Tamarez	RHP	Sugar Land Skeeters	HOU	23.20
10	Jairo Solis	RHP	Sugar Land Skeeters	HOU	23.27

Opened on seven-day IL: Jorge Barrosa, OF, Reno (D-backs), age 22.11

Eastern League (Double-A)

Rk	Player	Pos	Team	Org	Age
1	Jasson Dominguez	OF	Somerset Patriots	NYY	20.15
2	Warming Bernabel	SS	Hartford Yard Goats	COL	20.82
3	Petey Halpin	OF	Akron RubberDucks	CLE	20.85
4	Nick Yorke	2B	Portland Sea Dogs	BOS	21.00
5	Gabriel Rodriguez	SS	Akron RubberDucks	CLE	21.10
6	Case Williams	RHP	Hartford Yard Goats	COL	21.12
7	Luis Matos	OF	Richmond Flying Squirrels	SF	21.17
	Angel Martinez	2B	Akron RubberDucks	CLE	21.17
9	Zac Veen	OF	Hartford Yard Goats	COL	21.30
10	Coby Mayo	3B	Bowie Baysox	BAL	21.31

Southern League (Double-A)

Rk	Player	Pos	Team	Org	Age
1	Jackson Chourio	OF	Biloxi Shuckers	MIL	19.06
2	Eury Perez	RHP	Pensacola Blue Wahoos	MIA	19.96
3	Edgar Quero	C	Rocket City Trash Pandas	LAA	19.99
4	Cristian Mena	RHP	Birmingham Barons	CWS	20.28
5	Jeferson Quero	C	Biloxi Shuckers	MIL	20.48
6	David Calabrese	OF	Rocket City Trash Pandas	LAA	20.51
7	Owen Caissie	OF	Tennessee Smokies	CHC	20.73
8	Pete Crow-Armstrong	OF	Tennessee Smokies	CHC	21.02
9	Bryan Ramos	3B	Birmingham Barons	CWS	21.05
10	Anthony Molina	RHP	Montgomery Biscuits	TB	21.22

Texas League (Double-A)

Rk	Player	Pos	Team	Org	Age
1	Deyvison De Los Santos	3B	Amarillo Sod Poodles	ARI	19.78
2	Evan Carter	CF	Frisco RoughRiders	TEX	20.59
3	Jordan Lawlar	SS	Amarillo Sod Poodles	ARI	20.71
4	Thomas Saggese	SS	Frisco RoughRiders	TEX	20.97
5	Luisangel Acuña	SS	Frisco RoughRiders	TEX	21.05
6	Joey Estes	RHP	Midland RockHounds	OAK	21.48
7	Jaime Melendez	RHP	Corpus Christi Hooks	HOU	21.51
8	Tekoah Roby	RHP	Frisco RoughRiders	TEX	21.53
9	Diego Cartaya	C	Tulsa Drillers	LAD	21.56
10	Darell Hernaiz	SS	Midland RockHounds	OAK	21.66

Midwest League (High-A)

Rk	Player	Pos	Team	Org	Age
1	Victor Lizarraga	RHP	Fort Wayne TinCaps	SD	19.33
2	Hendry Mendez	OF	Wisconsin Timber Rattlers	MIL	19.40
3	Jose Serrano	3B	Dayton Dragons	CIN	19.46
4	Edwin Arroyo	SS	Dayton Dragons	CIN	19.60
5	Carter Jensen	C	Quad Cities River Bandits	KC	19.75
6	Roberto Campos	OF	West Michigan Whitecaps	DET	19.80
7	Alejandro Hidalgo	RHP	Cedar Rapids Kernels	MIN	19.86
8	Jose Salas	SS	Cedar Rapids Kernels	MIN	19.93
9	Jackson Merrill	SS	Fort Wayne TinCaps	SD	19.95
10	Kahlil Watson	SS	Beloit Snappers	MIA	19.96

Northwest League (High-A)

Rk	Player	Pos	Team	Org	Age
1	Victor Juarez	RHP	Spokane Indians	COL	19.78
2	Adrian Placencia	SS	Tri-City Dust Devils	LAA	19.83
3	Aeverson Arteaga	SS	Eugene Emeralds	SF	20.04
4	Dahian Santos	RHP	Vancouver Canadians	TOR	20.09
5	Harry Ford	C	Everett AquaSox	SEA	20.11
6	Axel Sanchez	SS	Everett AquaSox	SEA	20.31
7	Adrian Sugastey	C	Eugene Emeralds	SF	20.44
8	Peniel Otano	RHP	Hillsboro Hops	ARI	20.48
9	Estiven Machado	SS	Vancouver Canadians	TOR	20.49
	Eric Silva	RHP	Eugene Emeralds	SF	20.49

South Atlantic League (High-A)

Rk	Player	Pos	Team	Org	Age
1	TJ White	OF	Wilmington Blue Rocks	WSH	19.69
2	Junior Caminero	SS	Bowling Green Hot Rods	TB	19.74
3	Mitch Bratt	LHP	Hickory Crawdads	TEX	19.75
4	Carson Williams	SS	Bowling Green Hot Rods	TB	19.77
5	Ignacio Alvarez	3B	Rome Braves	ATL	19.97
6	Hao Yu Lee	2B	Jersey Shore BlueClaws	PHI	20.16
7	Alex Ramirez	OF	Brooklyn Cyclones	NYM	20.21
8	Andry Lara	RHP	Wilmington Blue Rocks	WSH	20.23
9	Frederick Bencosme	3B	Aberdeen IronBirds	BAL	20.27
10	Blaze Jordan	3B	Greenville Drive	BOS	20.28

 

California League (Low-A)

Rk	Player	Pos	Team	Org	Age
1	Nelson Rada	CF	Inland Empire 66ers	LAA	17.60
2	Rosman Verdugo	2B	Lake Elsinore Storm	SD	18.16
3	Samuel Zavala	OF	Lake Elsinore Storm	SD	18.71
4	Jorge Ruiz	OF	Inland Empire 66ers	LAA	18.75
5	Andy Perez	SS	Fresno Grizzlies	COL	18.83
6	Payton Martin	RHP	Rancho Cucamonga Quakes	LAD	18.87
7	Denzer Guzman	SS	Inland Empire 66ers	LAA	19.14
8	Walbert Urena	RHP	Inland Empire 66ers	LAA	19.18
9	Gabriel Gonzalez	OF	Modesto Nuts	SEA	19.24
10	Gerelmi Maldonado	RHP	San Jose Giants	SF	19.28
	Jesus Galiz	C	Rancho Cucamonga Quakes	LAD	19.28
	Robby Snelling	LHP	Lake Elsinore Storm	SD	19.28

Carolina League (Low-A)

Rk	Player	Pos	Team	Org	Age
1	Didier Fuentes	RHP	Augusta GreenJackets	ATL	17.79
2	Anthony Gutierrez	OF	Down East Wood Ducks	TEX	18.35
3	Samuel Basallo	C	Delmarva Shorebirds	BAL	18.63
4	Gleider Figuereo	SS	Down East Wood Ducks	TEX	18.76
5	Manuel Mejias	C	Lynchburg Hillcats	CLE	18.80
6	Danyer Cueva	SS	Down East Wood Ducks	TEX	18.84
7	Seth Keller	RHP	Augusta GreenJackets	ATL	18.85
8	Cutter Coffey	SS	Salem Red Sox	BOS	18.86
9	Roman Anthony	OF	Salem Red Sox	BOS	18.88
10	Brenner Cox	OF	Fredericksburg Nationals	WSH	18.89

Florida State League (Low-A)

Rk	Player	Pos	Team	Org	Age
1	Cam Collier	3B	Daytona Tortugas	CIN	18.36
2	Leonardo Balcazar	SS	Daytona Tortugas	CIN	18.79
3	Victor Acosta	SS	Daytona Tortugas	CIN	18.81
	Manuel Beltre	SS	Dunedin Blue Jays	TOR	18.81
5	Sammy Hernandez	C	Dunedin Blue Jays	TOR	18.83
6	Karson Milbrandt	RHP	Jupiter Hammerheads	MIA	18.94
7	Alessandro Ercolani	RHP	Bradenton Marauders	PIT	18.95
8	Danny De Andrade	SS	Fort Myers Mighty Mussels	MIN	18.97
9	Juan Reynoso	RHP	Jupiter Hammerheads	MIA	18.99
10	Hector Rodriguez	OF	Daytona Tortugas	CIN	19.06