The time has come again. A year has gone by since my last update (which you can find here: https://medium.com/@NaeNaeTakes/mlb-top-100-prospects-2024-midseason-update-fbb870fe92ca).

This list has a stacked top 20. It’s an extremely talented group, clearly moreso than last year when I made this list. It does thin out a bit once you get into the 30s and beyond but they’ll no doubt be good big leaguers all over this list.

Some reminders:
 — This is a list for real life, not fantasy baseball.
 — I do this because I enjoy it first and foremost. I can assure you that I do lots of research and I do have a good amount of experience with it but I wouldn’t fault you for taking me less seriously than a professional scout.
 — I use MLB’s qualifiers for rookies to determine prospect list eligibility.
— As always, I am open to all constructive criticism on the list. I’m happy to discuss the reasoning for a position because there always is one. If you’ve followed me for a long time you’d know that I am objective when talking about prospects.

An article like this is going to be long no matter what and while I encourage everyone to read the entire thing, Ctrl/Command+F is your best friend!

1. Jesus Made — Milwaukee Brewers (AA)

19 y.o / Switch / SS
Previous Rank: 3

Strengths:
Made is uber-talented and tore through the lower minors last year. Now he’s up to Double-A and performing well as a teenager. He shows plus bat-to-ball skills, keeping strikeouts to a minimum. The hit tool projects as above average rather comfortably — he’s adept at hitting hard groundballs and line drives all over the field. Made is posting above average exit velocities and projects for plus raw power at peak strength. His gap power has turned into more longballs this year and he has the barrel feel and raw strength to hit 20+ home runs. He’s a great athlete who is a threat to steal and a instinctual defender at shortstop with a good arm.

Room For Improvement:
The main issue in his hitting profile is his swing decisions haven’t been great. He has bulked up quite a bit over the last year or so but seems to have maintained most of the athleticism that makes him a dynamic player.

2. Kade Anderson — Seattle Mariners (AA)

22 y.o / LHP / SP
Previous Rank: 32

Strengths:
Anderson has obliterated the Double-A competition and should probably be in the majors. He has an absolutely absurd strikeout to walk rate. His four pitch mix is incredibly polished and he executes it with precision. The changeup in particular has stepped forward to be a real weapon this year. He still has his great fastball that plays up from his delivery and he paints it all over the zone. The breaking balls are plus. He gets whiffs, induces weak contact and groundballs, and doesn’t walk anyone. He’s ready.

Room For Improvement:
Anderson could throw harder (he’s 93–95 MPH). His fastball theoretically has playability questions. Big emphasis on theoretically. I think lefties with odd deliveries are tough to fit in a stuff model and evidently it’s performing. I’m not going to overthink this one again.

3. Franklin Arias — Boston Red Sox (AAA)

20 y.o / RHH / SS
Previous Rank: 56

Strengths:
Last year I wrote that Arias’ exit velocities are just fine and not likely to significantly improve given his frame. I was wrong about that. They’re now above average and he’s getting to every ounce of his power in game. He has given a little back in the contact department (last year he was posting wicked contact rates) but his bat-to-ball projection remains firmly plus. Arias is a sure-handed defender who will stick up the middle.

Room For Improvement:
Arias’ swing decisions are below average. He is otherwise a very well rounded prospect.

4. Josue De Paula — Los Angeles Dodgers (AA)

21 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: 9

Strengths:
De Paula is the best pure hitting prospect in baseball. He has been getting Yordan Alvarez comps for years now and it’s starting to seem conceivable that he could (at least partly) deliver on them. The big framed outfielder has incredible bat-to-ball skills (how does a 99th percentile whiff rate sound?) and he pairs it with excellent swing decisions. His exit velocities are above average. His launch angles are the best they’ve ever been. What more can you say other than he’s a special hitter.

Room For Improvement:
De Paula hasn’t lit the world on fire against southpaws this year. The main concern though is the defense. He is not fleet of foot and doesn’t track the ball well. He might end up DHing some. Every bit of his bat will need to be real to justify my ranking.

5. Leo de Vries — Athletics (AA)

19 y.o / Switch / SS/3B
Previous Rank: 12

Strengths:
Often ranked in lockstep with Made, de Vries is also an incredibly talented teenager from the Dominican Republic who switch hits and plays shortstop. Him and Made even have similar overall performance at the same level this year. LDV makes better swing decisions than his peer, with good in zone aggression without sacrificing his willingness to take walks. He has excellent feel for catching the ball out front and backspinning it. He has hit for significant home run power at every stop. The contact skills are also good which is a feather in his cap when you consider how young and optimized for pull side contact he is.

Room For Improvement:
His exit velocities remain below average. But there’s been some forward progression as he has gotten stronger and it’s easy to forget he’s a teenager competing at Double-A. There is precedent for players hitting for power without good exit velocities. Former Athletic Marcus Semien hit plenty of home runs. But if LDV’s bat is going to be special, you’d like to see more bat speed, especially if he’s moving to third base (he’s a worse defender at SS than Jacob Wilson).

6. Ryan Sloan — Seattle Mariners (AA)

20 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: 53

Strengths:
Sloan doesn’t quite have Kade Anderson’s ERA but he has similarly excellent underlying metrics and a great arsenal on paper. He peppers the zone with a 97 MPH fastball from an ultra flat VAA. He mixes in a sinker at similar velocity that gets lots of armside run. He’s also getting to a big sweeper shape which he can bridge to with a nice cutter. His low 90s changeup rounds out his arsenal. Sloan has a microscopic walk rate and is missing plenty of bats. He absolutely fits into the top cluster of pitching prospects.

Room For Improvement:
He’ll need a bit more time to cook before he’s ready for a full MLB starter’s workload. But that’s also just modern pitching development.

7. Seth Hernandez — Pittsburgh Pirates (A+)

20 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: 54

Strengths:
Hernandez has an easy case for the best strikeout stuff in minor league baseball. He throws a 97 MPH seed that looks more like triple digits with his over 7 feet of extension. His changeup is as good as it gets from a right hander. His breaking balls have become more polished with the Pirates — both the curveball and slider are firmly plus now. This is present day top of the rotation stuff and he still could conceivably throw harder.

Room For Improvement:
Hernandez’s zone rate was great at Single-A but has been merely average at High-A where his walks have ticked up. His feel for command isn’t on the same level as the two top Mariners arms. His fastball missed bats but a bit less than you’d expect because the shape isn’t standout. He’s currently out with an oblique injury.

8. Rainiel Rodriguez — St. Louis Cardinals (AA)

19 y.o / RHH / C
Previous Rank: 44

Strengths:
Few players on this list are better at actualizing their raw power in game than Rodriguez. And that’s saying something because he’s a teenager in Double-A who also has to do all the extra defensive work required of a catcher. His exit velocities are plus and his angles are superb. 20+ home run power with great BABIP traits. His defense is rapidly improving and has gotten good reviews from scouts this year.

Room For Improvement:
He does have some hit tool questions but they’re more yellow flags than red flags. His approach runs aggressive which I don’t have a big problem with considering he’s a good bad ball hitter and will still take his walks. He has a slightly below average contact rate this year but that should also be interpreted in the context of being a 19 year old at Double-A.

9. Theo Gillen — Tampa Bay Rays (AA)

20 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: 69

Strengths:
Gillen is one of the stories of this minor league season and has been a player I’ve liked quite a bit since the 2024 draft. He has gotten stronger since he was drafted, now popping plus exit velocities with all fields power. His plate coverage is excellent and his contact rates have gotten even better at Double-A. He takes lots of walks. He’s a good runner with 25+ stolen base potential. There’s five tool potential here.

Room For Improvement:
Gillen’s platoon splits are pretty stark right now. He hits a lot of groundballs but the nice thing is the flyballs he does hit tend to be dangerous. He’s trending towards being a corner outfielder but that doesn’t mean he can’t be a good defender there.

10. Eli Willits — Washington Nationals (A+)

18 y.o / Switch / SS
Previous Rank: 33

Strengths:
The Nats took a chance on Willits with the #1 in the 2025 draft and the early returns have been great. He has some of the best swing decisions in MiLB, with a Z-O Swing% of well over 50% (which means he doesn’t chase but also swings at lots of strikes). Willits utilizes a compact swing and great feel for the barrel to make a good amount of contact and square up the ball regularly. He projects to add value on the bases and as an above average defensive shortstop.

Room For Improvement:
Willits isn’t hitting the ball hard yet. He’s at least a grade below Leo De Vries in that department, for comparison. He will get stronger but I’d project him for 10–15 home run power at this time, with most of that coming from encouraging pull + lift traits rather than bombs to center or the opposite field.

11. Mike Sirota — Los Angeles Dodgers (AA)

23 y.o / RHH / OF
Previous Rank: 40

Strengths:
Sirota hasn’t faced much adversity on the field in his minor league career. He has absolutely dominated every stop. He makes the magic happen by hitting the ball very hard and elevating with consistency. His feel for line drives is special. As are his swing decisions. He has one of the best chase rates in the minor leagues and is aggressive enough in the zone as well. He continues to mainly play center field in a stacked Tulsa outfield.

Room For Improvement:
Sirota’s contact rate has been slightly above average this season. Which is quite good for someone with his power. But he does show some vulnerability against heaters in the zone. The Dodgers have slow-tracked him so I have more questions about how good his bat-to-ball skills really are than Rainiel Rodriguez who is 4 years his junior at the same level.

12. Roch Cholowsky — Chicago White Sox (A+)

21 y.o / RHH / SS
Previous Rank: N/A

Strengths:
Cholowsky entered the draft cycle as the consensus best prospect in the class. He rarely strikes out and has the swing and feel to hit for plenty of contact at the next level. He also posted elite exit velocities amongst his peers this year and can drive it out to all fields. He’s aggressive on good pitches to hit without chasing too much. Cholowsky has been a slick defender at the 6 going back to high school, giving him an incredibly high floor. He would debut higher on this list if the top 10 wasn’t so strong.

Room For Improvement:
His offensive numbers were down a bit this year, mostly because he wasn’t barreling up the ball at the same rate as 2025. Despite this, his underlying data was still very promising.

13. Walker Jenkins — Minnesota Twins (AAA)

21 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: 13

Strengths:
Jenkins performs when he’s on the field. And the long awaited raw power uptick is finally here with his exit velocities firmly in plus territory now. He continues to make a ton of contact, especially in the zone, and has solid swing decisions. Jenkins can play center field but may move to a corner for a superior defender.

Room For Improvement:
The raw power is up but I still question how much he’ll access it in game. He doesn’t elevate his best contact very often and when he does it’s often to the middle of the field where it’s difficult to hit home runs. It’s that and a tendency to wind up on the injured list that hold him back from jumping up the list, despite continuing to look like an above average regular.

14. Max Clark — Detroit Tigers (MLB)

21 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: 14

Strengths:
Clark still looks like the player he has always been, which is a compliment when you consider that he has long been a blue chip prospect. He makes lots of contact and takes lots of walks. He steals bases. He’s a great defender in center field. And he’s getting a crack at the big leagues now.

Room For Improvement:
He has pulled the ball in the air a bit more this year but still has mediocre power projection given his exit velocities and swing plane. For better or for worse (mostly for better, he’s a good prospect), the range of outcomes is starting to narrow on what type of player Clark will be.

15. Sebastian Walcott — Texas Rangers (AA)

20 y.o / RHH / SS/3B
Previous Rank: 6

Strengths:
Walcott missed a lot of time this year with a UCL surgery but has now returned in a DH role until he is cleared to throw again. His bat hasn’t missed a beat in his small sample of at bats since returning. He has great bat speed and overall physicality — he regularly showcases plus-plus raw power for someone in his age bracket. He is a freak athlete in every sense.

Room For Improvement:
Walcott has always been more of a pull hitter which is not necessarily a good thing for someone with his raw power and tendency to put the ball on the ground. His contact rate was below average last year and has been similar in his limited at bats this year. Walcott made strides to stick at shortstop before the elbow injury set him back and muddied the water again.

16. Vahn Lackey — Minnesota Twins (A)

21 y.o / RHH / C
Previous Rank: N/A

Strengths:
Lackey outperformed Roch Cholowsky this year, posting elite offensive numbers with underlying data to back it up. His power metrics ticked up, he hit the ball very hard and pulled it in the air more frequently. He also cut his whiff rate and improved his approach. Lackey now projects to have plus offensive tools across the board. He has standout athleticism and agility for a catcher with a good arm and the baseball acumen you look for to stick at the position long term.

Room For Improvement:
Lackey’s overall defensive package is quite strong but his framing could stand to improve. I anticipate he gets better at this with a pro org, as most catchers do. Lackey can be passive at times, puts the ball on the ground a bit, and his track record of elite offense is shorter.

17. Ethan Salas — San Diego Padres (AAA)

20 y.o / LHH / C
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
I pulled Salas off my last list after an injury riddled season that featured posting a 76 wRC+ for the second straight year. It felt like fine process at the time. But Salas came roaring back with the bat this year and has mostly stayed on the field. He is checking all the offensive boxes in terms of contact, swing decisions, and pop. He continues to good-great reviews on his defensive makeup at the game’s most difficult position. He’s still just 20 years old and now he’s at Triple-A.

Room For Improvement:
His offense stalled for a few months after a hot start. He has real difficulty actualizing his raw power into in game slug. Being young for the level is still doing some heavy lifting on projecting his bat.

18. Gage Wood — Philadelphia Phillies (AA)

22 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Wood has a lot of my favourite traits in a pitcher and I came real close to ranking him last year before he threw a pro pitch. It’s a double plus fastball, 95–97 MPH from a very flat approach with good ride. It stands out on the page and in game. Wood works off it with two above average to plus breaking balls. He’s in the zone and doesn’t walk many. He’s one of the best pitching prospects in baseball but people haven’t realized it yet because his ERA doesn’t match his underlying numbers.

Room For Improvement:
Wood could incorporate his changeup a bit more against lefties. His HR/FB% is unsustainably high but it’s true that he’s going to give up a few more home runs without a good offspeed.

19. Alfredo Duno — Cincinnati Reds (AA)

20 y.o / RHH / C
Previous Rank: 47

Strengths:
Duno has elite raw power and the swing and feel to get to all of it in games. It’s not difficult to see 30+ home run power. Duno’s swing decisions are also very good. He has progressed as a defender in 2026.

Room For Improvement:
He has a fair amount of effort in his swing and will swing and miss some. Encouragingly, that hasn’t been as much of a problem at Double-A so far. Whether he’s turning a corner or this is just small sample stuff remains to be seen but I’d lean towards the latter. Duno is pretty big and doesn’t have a ton of catching experience yet. His bat will be ready before his glove.

20. Grady Emerson — Tampa Bay Rays (No Assignment)

18 y.o / LHH / SS
Previous Rank: N/A

Strengths:
Emerson is as polished as prep hitters come while also having physical projection remaining. He has a fluid, compact swing and laces the ball to all fields. There’s quality of contact here as well as quantity of contact that makes me confident in his hitting ability at the next level. He has a prototypical baseball build with the physical tools and instincts to play shortstop well into his 20s. He’s a prep hitter made in a lab.

Room For Improvement:
At present he doesn’t show a ton of game power. He should hit for more going forward, but that doesn’t always happen like we expect.

21. George Lombard Jr — New York Yankees (MLB)

21 y.o / RHH / SS
Previous Rank: 25

Strengths:
Lombard Jr. quickly set the record straight at Double-A this year and advanced to Triple-A, where he has been quite productive. He’s showing plus raw power there and has walked at a great clip. His shortstop glove is a good one, if not great, which really elevates his floor of production if he doesn’t hit right away.

Room For Improvement:
Lombard Jr.’s contact rates seem to get a touch worse with every promotion and it’s a bit surprising his strikeout rate isn’t higher than it is. He struggles with offspeed in particular. His raw pop has played more for BABIP skills than game power.

22. Eduardo Quintero — Los Angeles Dodgers (A+)

20 y.o / RHH / OF
Previous Rank: 34

Strengths:
Quintero is a heralded international signing that has lived up to the hype so far. He started slow but has been pouring it on in recent months. He’s a speedy outfielder who is an asset on the bases and in center field — he’s the best outfield defender of the big Dodgers outfield prospects. Quintero makes lots of contact and is already posting plus exit velocities.

Room For Improvement:
He walks a lot but he also watches a lot of good pitches go by which is an approach that works a lot better in the lower minors than elsewhere. It remains to be seen if he’ll make adjustments against better pitchers.

23. Eric Hartman — Atlanta Braves (AA)

20 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Hartman is a 20th round pick from the prairies but has proven to be a worthy gamble for the Braves. He has gotten a lot stronger over the last few years and is hitting the ball hard regularly now. The power uptick and pulling a ton of flyballs has helped him hit over 20 home runs this year. Hartman is very aggressive on pitches in the zone and doesn’t chase as much as you might expect. He has double plus speed and can go get it in center field. It’s a tantalizing package of ability and tools.

Room For Improvement:
Hartman’s swing is optimized for power and his bat-to-ball track record isn’t spotless to begin with. Needless to say there is some question about the quantity of contact he’ll make, even if he checks every other box.

24. Josue Briceno — Detroit Tigers (AA)

21 y.o / LHH / C/1B
Previous Rank: 16

Strengths:
Briceno is one of my favourite hitters in the minors and is back healthy and slugging again. He has big power and can get it to in games. The approach is a strength and he’s a lot more hitter-ish than first glance.

Room For Improvement:
He dropped down a lot of lists after missing significant time with wrist surgery. He continues to split time between catcher and first base. He’s not a butcher behind the plate but is better suited as a part time catcher and then you can keep his bat in the lineup at first base.

25. Josuar Gonzalez — San Francisco Giants (A)

18 y.o / Switch / SS
Previous Rank: 43

Strengths:
Gonzalez is a big bonus international signing that shows the flashes of a 5 tool player. His data down in the ACL was excellent, showing plus power (especially for his age), a good eye, and rock solid contact rates. He’s a dynamic shortstop and has posted good run times in the past. He was recently promoted to full-season ball. His potential is sky high.

Room For Improvement:
Despite an excellent season thus far, there are a fair number of things to point out as things to clean up. Gonzalez is hitting a ton of groundballs right now (his average launch angle is in the negative) and did strikeout a fair amount in rookie ball. He has had a number of soft tissue injuries already which isn’t a good sign for anyone, especially not a teenage shortstop who needs to retain his athleticism as he hits his 20s.

26. Zyhir Hope — Detroit Tigers (AA)

21 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: 18

Strengths:
Hope is a physical corner outfielder that has great raw power and feel for accessing it in games. He drives the ball out to all fields and has the potential to hit 30 home runs as a big leaguer. Hope has improved his hit tool projection this year by making more contact at a tougher level. He generally looks pretty good in the outfield.

Room For Improvement:
His bat-to-ball projection is up relative to last year where he swung and missed a lot at High-A. But there is still considerable hit tool risk. He has an upward swing path that has some holes. He’s willing to chase. He looks to me like a 25–28% K rate guy in the majors so he’ll need to hit long balls in bunches.

27. Tate Southisene — Atlanta Braves (AA)

19 y.o / RHH / 2B/SS
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
I’m admittedly late to the party here as I wasn’t a big fan of Southisene as a draft prospect and he struck out a ton in his first few weeks as a pro. He has been a different player this year. He has showed good contact skills, a patient approach, and packs more of a punch than I thought he would. Southisene is posting plus exit velocities from a medium frame. He has a consistent knack for getting the ball on the barrel and hitting it hard. He has terrorized opposing pitchers on the basepaths and has the athleticism and throwing accuracy to stick up the middle and be good there.

Room For Improvement:
Southisene’s track record of hitting for contact isn’t the longest and although there’s tangible changes to his hitting operation that might explain the improvement, there is still some room for skepticism until we establish it over a bigger sample.

28. Luis Pena — Milwaukee Brewers (A+)

19 y.o / RHH / SS
Previous Rank: 11

Strengths:
Pena doesn’t get the headlines that Made does these days but he’s a good prospect in his own right. He makes plenty of contact and hits the ball surprisingly hard for someone with his frame, posting a max EV over 116 MPH. Pena has had the shortstop position to himself at High-A this year and is a great runner. He is still just 19 years old.

Room For Improvement:
He hasn’t been totally healthy this year and his timing hasn’t been quite right. Because of this he stopped pulling the ball in the air and hasn’t hit for much game power as a result. He has also been chasing more than last year. Pena isn’t a slam dunk shortstop and likely ends up at second or third base.

29. Justin Gonzales — Boston Red Sox (A+)

19 y.o / RHH / OF
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Gonzales is a mammoth of a teenager. He’s listed at 6'6 270 lbs. Obviously there’s not much projection remaining but that’s okay when you’re already posting double plus EVs with a max exit velocity over 117. What’s most impressive about Gonzales is how good he is at making contact. Hitters this size don’t usually run sub 20% strikeout rates. But Gonzales does. He could be a lineup anchoring bat someday.

Room For Improvement:
Gonzales has made encouraging strides in elevating the ball this year but that remains his main weakness offensively. His approach also runs a tad aggressive. He has a cannon for an arm that plays well in right field but is obviously a bit big for the position. There’s no doubt he’s a bat first prospect.

30. Charles Davalan — Los Angeles Dodgers (A+)

22 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Short to the ball with excellent bat control and hand-eye coordination, few have posted a lower strikeout rate than Davalan this year. His bat-to-ball skills are elite and he has a nice selectively aggressive approach at the plate. And as a cherry on top he has been making consistent hard contact and posting above average EVs so far. In fact, Davalan is coming up on 20 home runs this year thanks to the power uptick and an improved swing path. He is a solid defender in center field.

Room For Improvement:
Davalan’s metrics are superb but it would be nice to see him do it in the upper minors. It’s hard to picture him having more than average raw power at peak but I probably said that about Corbin Carroll at one point too.

31. Drew Burress — Athletics (A)

21 y.o / RHH / OF
Previous Rank: N/A

Strengths:
Burress had as good of a college career as anyone in the draft class, posting three incredibly productive seasons with Georgia Tech. He has a ferocious swing, helping him to an elite 109.2 MPH 90th percentile exit velocity. Burress is adept at getting behind the ball and driving it in the air and it shows up in his home run totals. He has a polished approach at the plate and has always kept strikeouts down. It’s a complete hitter look in center field.

Room For Improvement:
There is a weakness against soft stuff. He doesn’t expand the zone much on these pitches but when he does he’s liable to swing and miss. Some may look at Burress’ speed and 5'9 frame and be skeptical about his defensive viability in center field but he’s been good out there up till this point.

32. Christian Zazueta — Los Angeles Dodgers (AA)

21 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Surprise, surprise, I like another pitcher with a flat VAA fastball. Zazueta is mid 90s with the pitch and hitters swing through it. He throws a hard slider and a changeup with lots of tumble. Zazueta has walked almost nobody and his fastball command in particular stands out as plus.

Room For Improvement:
Zazueta doesn’t have a ton of arsenal depth. His changeup is definitely a good pitch but he remains very fastball-centric. He may end up being a pitcher who struggles with home runs.

33. Caleb Bonemer — Chicago White Sox (AA)

20 y.o / RHH / 3B/SS
Previous Rank: 49

Strengths:
Bonemer has had an interesting path as a draft prospect who broke out post-hype. He has a contact quality driven profile. His raw power is above average and he is hitting tons of flyballs (>50% FB% as of writing) and pulling the ball a lot. This is the kind of profile that can (and has) put up some crazy home run numbers.

Room For Improvement:
It’s fair to suggest his hit tool is below average. That’s based on his contact rates and swing decisions but also factoring in that his BABIP skills are going to be below average because of his extreme pulled flyball profile.

34. Eric Booth Jr — Baltimore Orioles (No Assignment)

18 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: N/A

Strengths:
Booth Jr. was one of the youngest players in the draft class and has impressive physicality and excellent batspeed. He’s pound for pound one of the best athletes in minor league baseball, making him an impact player on the bases and in the field. He posted above average contact metrics on the summer circuit with a solid approach. I love the feel to hit combined with the athleticism.

Room For Improvement:
His swing finishes rather flat and he tends to push the ball to right field rather than get behind it and drive it to left. This makes his game power play below his raw power. His swing also lacks some barrel adjustability which may hurt the contact rate as a pro, although his hand-eye coordination appears to be excellent.

35. Josiah Hartshorn — Chicago Cubs (A+)

19 y.o / Switch / 1B/OF
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
If you’re looking for a “complete hitter”, Hartshorn might be your guy. He is plus in all of the core areas you look at; contact skills, game power, swing decisions. He switch hits and is young for the level. You can’t ask for too much more in a hitter.

Room For Improvement:
He hits for a lot more power as a lefty. His righty swing is more built for contact and groundballs. Hartshorn is limited to a corner outfield spot or first base athletically. It would be nice to see a bit more raw power given his defensive situation.

36. Angel Genao — Cleveland Guardians (AAA)

22 y.o / Switch / SS/3B
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
I didn’t rank Genao last year but should’ve. He dealt with injuries and was starting to look like another disapppointing slap hitting Guardians infielder. But he has found his power stroke this year, posting solid exit velocities and hitting double digit home runs. Genao has added pop without sacrificing his ability to make consistent contact. He continues to mostly play shortstop and will likely compete for the job with Brayan Rocchio next spring.

Room For Improvement:
He’s hitting the ball harder but I am not ready to fully buy him as a consistent power threat. He’s still hitting far too many groundballs for that to be the case. His lefty swing has little in the way of loft (~60% groundball rate).

37. Jackson Flora — San Francisco Giants (No Assignment)

21 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: N/A

Strengths:
Flora was the consensus top pitcher in this year’s draft. He has a gorgeous arsenal on paper. A 96 MPH fastball, topping out at triple digits, and two good breaking balls that he commands very well. He added a changeup this year that flashes plus but the shape can wander a bit. It’s a pitch I expect to be maximized as a pro. Flora has a clean delivery and has been in the zone the last two seasons. He had a great year and yet I feel he’s just scratching the surface of what he can do.

Room For Improvement:
I’d like to see Flora locate his fastball up in the zone more consistently as I think that’ll play for more whiffs with his flatter approach. He lacks the typical K-BB% of a top 10 pick, especially one that isn’t in the SEC or ACC, but it’s a weaker class on the college pitching side.

38. Arjun Nimmala — Los Angeles Angels (AA)

20 y.o / RHH / SS
Previous Rank: 48

Strengths:
After cutting whiff but losing some power last year, Nimmala has maintained his contact gains while tapping into big raw power. His exit velocities have been 70 grade. He has been more patient this year and is making an average amount of contact. He’s also putting together arguably his best defensive season at shortstop. On the surface, a 20 year old doing this at Double-A should be one of the top prospects in baseball.

Room For Improvement:
Nimmala’s swing is quite long and he still struggles with breaking balls. I’d still project him for a below average hit tool, even in spite of currently fine contact rates and good BABIP traits. I was a bit surprised to see how great his exit velocities have been considering his home run count isn’t anything to write home about.

39. Aiva Arquette — Miami Marlins (AA)

22 y.o / RHH / SS
Previous Rank: 31

Strengths:
Arquette has been hitting absolute piss missiles which isn’t shocking considering his reputation as a collegiate. He has also had much more success at limiting swing and miss than I expected. He has a BABIP of .214 in his time at Double-A, which is not congruent with what his underlying metrics indicate it should be. He has been relatively error free at shortstop. As far as on the field goes, it’s been an encouraging first year despite the pedestrian slash line.

Room For Improvement:
His ~80% contact rate is undeniably a real number but it does feel like it could be a mirage considering what it was in college. He will chase out of the zone which can cause some issues for a player with his swing length. He hasn’t played a whole lot this year because of core muscle surgery in February and more recently a thumb injury.

40. JoJo Parker — Toronto Blue Jays (A+)

20 y.o / LHH / SS
Previous Rank: 50

Strengths:
Parker is one of those hitters who looks the part and has the metrics to back it up. He has a gorgeous left handed swing and when he gets ahold of one its a sight to behold. His exit velocities are above average and he recently hit a ball over 114 MPH. Parker’s contact rates are also above average this year. He doesn’t hit many flyballs but has an excellent HR/FB% so this is a case where I don’t mind the lack of loft as much, because when he does get underneath the ball, it tends to be for damage rather than low xBA flyouts.

Room For Improvement:
Parker rarely chases but he also rarely swings period. He’s a very passive hitter right now so his strikeout rate is higher than you’d expect. This problem is amplified against lefties. He’s also a bit too heavy-stepped for shortstop but I think he’ll stick on the dirt and not kill you.

41. Emmanuel Rodriguez — Minnesota Twins (AAA)

23 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: 26

Strengths:
Rodriguez has an enviable combination of tools. He plays a good center field. He has top of the scale raw power and an elite barrel rate. His swing decisions have come a long way. Rodriguez used to be incredibly passive but over the last two years he has become more and more aggressive while still maintaining great plate discipline. His upside remains tantalizing.

Room For Improvement:
Every year I ask myself, is this the year ERod puts it all together? It was starting to look like it but once again he got injured, this time with a torn UCL in his left thumb. He has actually had a thumb injury before but last time it was his right thumb. ERod has a real knack for picking up miscellaneous injuries. From an on the field perspective, the main problem continues to be that he swings and misses a lot. There’s definitely an element of prospect fatigue with him.

42. Braylon Doughty — Cleveland Guardians (AA)

20 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: 99

Strengths:
Doughty has consistently missed bats while avoiding walks. That combination has a very high success rate. He also does a good job of limiting hard contact. How does he do it? A healthy dose of great breaking balls. He spots his plus mid 80s curveball for chase and for strikes. His slider has big spin rates and also misses bats. He has feel for his locating his changeup. I’d project Doughty for plus command and control.

Room For Improvement:
Doughty’s fastball isn’t anything special at 94 MPH with below average shape. I think he can offset this with his feel for commanding it in all four quadrants of the zone and potentially throwing more cutter.

43. Luis Hernandez — San Francisco Giants (A)

17 y.o / RHH / SS/3B
Previous Rank: N/A

Strengths:
One of the consensus top prospects in the incoming IFA class, Hernandez was aggressively pushed stateside in his first season as a professional. It’s a decision that paid off for the Giants as he did not look overwhelmed at all in Rookie Ball as a 17 year old. He showed good contact skills and solid exit velocities for his age, with an advanced ability to pull the ball in the air. Hernandez has an incredible arm and a knack for acrobatic throws but there’s some question on if his range will be better suited for third.

Room For Improvement:
He has shown some approach vulnerability and a fair amount of in zone whiff (especially since being promoted again). It’s hard to know what kind of player he is yet, especially when he’s not playing age appropriate competition.

44. Angeibel Gomez — Kansas City Royals (DSL)

17 y.o / RHH / OF
Previous Rank: N/A

Strengths:
In recent years I’ve been pretty aggressive with the top DSL prospects who are getting rave reviews. Gomez has the best data in the DSL this year and is also an excellent runner who could wind up a good defender in center field. He’s showing great contact skills, an eye for the zone, solid exit velocities (great for his age), and the rare ability to elevate his best contact. In a few years time we may be talking about him as a future superstar.

Room For Improvement:
Gomez is long-levered and might see his contact rate back up against better pitchers. For now, it has been excellent. The main knock on any DSL player who’s this acclaimed is just that we haven’t seen it stateside yet.

45. Caden Bodine — Tampa Bay Rays (AA)

22 y.o / Switch / C
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
I underestimated the sheer wizardry of Bodine’s bat-to-ball skills entering the year. His overall contact rate is hovering around 90%, a truly insane number. That trend has remained steady at three levels, suggesting that it’ll largely remain the case in MLB. He’s also hitting the ball harder than I expected he would and will run into a pull-side homer every now and then. Bodine is well regarded as a defensive catcher, especially as a framer, and will stick at the position long-term.

Room For Improvement:
Bodine swings a ton because he can get to any pitch. That has helped him keep his strikeout rate microscopic but it also means walks won’t be a big part of his game. There’s not a whole lot of development left for him with the bat, which is a good and bad thing.

46. Anthony Eyanson — Baltimore Orioles (AA)

21 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
From an ERA perspective, Kade Anderson and Anthony Eyanson have been the stories of the minor league season. Eyanson came out throwing harder than expected this year, sitting a few ticks higher with his fastball now. His slider is his bread and butter. It’s high 80s with sharp downward break from a steep approach. It gets chase and miss from lefties and righties alike. He has a low 80s curveball that also looks above average.

Room For Improvement:
Eyanson’s stuff has jumped this year but he’s still only throwing 93 MPH. He struggles to generate glove side shapes — the Jonah Tong problem. His high release works in favour of his breaking balls but makes his fastball play down. His control has actually taken a step backward from LSU. Some of the low zone rate is by design as he commands his breaking balls for chase.

47. Edward Florentino — Pittsburgh Pirates (A+)

19 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: 27

Strengths:
Florentino flew onto the radar last year and has grown into plus raw power this year. He pairs that with an extreme flyball approach (average launch angle over 20 degrees). Few players his age can get loft on the ball like he can. He employs a patient approach that helps him walk frequently.

Room For Improvement:
Florentino’s contact rates have taken a turn for the worse this year. They went from excellent at Single-A to downright bad at High-A. I still like Florentino’s natural hand-eye coordination but it’s clear his uppercut swing has holes in it, giving him three true outcome risk.

48. Joseph Dzierwa — Baltimore Orioles (AA)

22 y.o / LHP / SP
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
The Orioles liked Dzierwa enough to call his name in the second round despite being a soft tosser from a cold-weather school. The decision looks like a good one. He has been one of the best pitchers in the minors this year and has the underlying metrics to back it up. Dzierwa does some funky stuff with angles and deception, helping his low-to-mid 90s fastball (which already has good shape) play as a bat misser. His best offering is his changeup. It plays off his fastball beautifully, diving below bats. He has excellent command and control of his arsenal. It’s a really polished look.

Room For Improvement:
His breaking ball is thrown relatively hard but doesn’t light up a stuff model. He likely doesn’t have the top flight stuff to be a front rotation starter.

49. Emil Morales — Los Angeles Dodgers (A+)

19 y.o / RHH / SS
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
I named Morales a one of the “25 Prospects I Like For Next Year’s Top 100” and he made good on that with a very good season so far. He’s a power over hit type, with a good frame and pull + lift traits. He’s already showing significant pop in game as a teenager and projects for a bit more yet. Morales plays shortstop now and has mostly been error free but could slide to third for a rangier player.

Room For Improvement:
Morales will swing out of his shoes sometimes and is already showing vulnerabilities against spin. Pitchers can set up sliders away and get him to chase and miss, and they’re only going to get better at executing this as he climbs the ladder. He’ll have to improve his pitch recognition.

50. Kaelen Culpepper — Minnesota Twins (MLB)

23 y.o / RHH / SS
Previous Rank: 55

Strengths:
Culpepper is a strong defender at shortstop who projects as someone who could be a league average hitter. He has solid contact rates and exit velocities. He has consistently been a good hitter in the minors and is knocking on the door of the majors.

Room For Improvement:
Culpepper doesn’t have a carrying tool offensively. He made an effort to cut chase by swinging less this year but the pendulum swung too far in the other direction, a sign of a player who is stuck between approaches and doesn’t have great pitch recognition.

51. Ralphy Velazquez — Cleveland Guardians (AAA)

21 y.o / LHH / 1B
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Velazquez was drafted as a catcher but never really played there as the Guardians chose to fast-track his bat to the majors. He has above average raw power and has hit for plus home run power in the minors thanks to good barrel feel and pulling flyballs. Velazquez is an aggressive hitter in the zone who you can’t sneak pitches by early in the count. He has limited his strikeouts throughout the minors.

Room For Improvement:
He has seen his plate skills degrade since being pushed to Triple-A. He’s young and still in the adjustment period at the level but it’s something to monitor. He’s a first baseman so these little things with the bat matter even more.

52. Caden Hunter — Baltimore Orioles (AA)

22 y.o / LHP / SP
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Between Dzierwa and Hunter, it’s clear that the Orioles know how to pick college lefties. Hunter has been a force this year and has climbed his way up to Double-A while still dominating. And everything looks good under the hood. His fastball is now in the mid 90s and has an ideal ride and run shape. Both his breaking balls are getting whiffs and I like his 85–87 MPH slider in particular. His mid 80s changeup is a weapon for him against righties. It tunnels well off his fastball before dropping below barrels. Despite his slightly elevated walk rate, his zone rates have been strong all year, indicating that he has better control than at first glance.

Room For Improvement:
Continue to perform in the upper minors and continue to throw strikes. It’s mostly just sample size holding him back.

53. Ryder Helfrick — Arizona Diamondbacks (A)

21 y.o / RHH / C
Previous Rank: N/A

Strengths:
Helfrick’s overall slash line declined in his draft year but his underlying numbers improved. He is showing easy plus raw power and gets to all of it in games. He did similar with wood bats in the Cape Cod league. Helfrick handles both spin and velocity well. The swing decisions are also pretty good. Defensively, he has turned into arguably the best framer in the draft. He’s a standout athlete and has plus arm strength and a quick pop time.

Room For Improvement:
Helfrick is a pull heavy hitter who isn’t going to run high BABIPs even with good EVs. He hit just .283 this year, a low mark for a first round college bat, although he was objectively unlucky on balls in play. The swing and miss has improved a lot but it’s unlikely he’ll have an above average hit tool.

54. Josh Hammond — Kansas City Royals (A)

19 y.o / RHH / SS/3B
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Hammond was one of my favourite draft prospects. I love betting on immediate skill improvement in plus athletes who are formerly two way players. Unsurprisingly given his background, Hammond has a great arm. But he has come along as a shortstop this year, flashing the athleticism and body control to stick at the position long-term and play it well. Hammond has showed good contact skills and batspeed, with average EVs as a teenager. He projects for plus raw power at peak strength.

Room For Improvement:
Hammond needs to iron out his approach which is somewhere in the middle of patient and aggressive, and not the good kind of middle. He also is putting the ball on the ground too much, hence the low home run total and just average overall performance thus far.

55. Kendry Chourio — Kansas City Royals (A+)

18 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Chourio checks many of the traditional scouting boxes. He’s an 18 year old pitcher performing at High-A. He hardly walks anybody. He sits 95 with noticeable armspeed. He’s striking out plenty of hitters.

Room For Improvement:
His raw whiff rates have been fringe average. He leans on his fastball a lot but it doesn’t have standout shape. His curveball and changeup show some promise but he’s still improving his feel for them. He’s also undersized — however he is throwing lots of innings and has a gift for velocity in spite of his frame.

56. Luis Lara — Milwaukee Brewers (MLB)

21 y.o / Switch / OF
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Lara has played quite well in the early going at the MLB level. He has plus bat-to-ball skills and a good eye which is the foundation for his offensive profile. He has also hit a career high in home runs this year. Lara’s center field glove graded out as one of the better ones in the minors. He’s a good runner who will add value on the bases.

Room For Improvement:
Lara’s power is up but his exit velocities remain below average. He’s just 5'7 and is physically maxed out to the point that more power gains will come at the expense of his athleticism. His range of outcomes with the bat aren’t very exciting, even if his other skills give him a good floor.

57. Jamie Arnold — Athletics (AA)

22 y.o / LHP / SP
Previous Rank: 29

Strengths:
I was a big fan of Arnold as a draft prospect. He still has his unique fastballs, with ultra flat angles and plus extension. He has the most feel for his sweeping slider but also possesses a wacky changeup that gets swing and miss and chase.

Room For Improvement:
He has been only fine at Double-A. Some of that is BABIP stuff but he hasn’t struck out as many batters as I would have hoped. His fastball continues to not miss that many bats, playing as more of a groundball pitch. He added a cutter over the offseason at Driveline but doesn’t utilize it that much. The Athletics are not a very good organization for pitching development and it has shown a bit with Arnold who is largely the same arm from college.

58. Travis Sykora — Washington Nationals (AA)

21 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: 66

Strengths:
Sykora has above average control and the potential for 3 plus pitches in his mid-90s fastball, standout splitter, and great performing slider. He was rocking a 1.79 ERA and a 36.7% K-BB% across three levels and looked like one of the best pitching prospects in baseball.

Room For Improvement:
If you’re wondering why that last sentence was in past tense, he had Tommy John Surgery around this time last year. He is reportedly progressing well and on schedule. We’ll see where the velocity and command is at when he comes back, it’s important that he can throw his fastball hard given its shape. Hopefully we see him for a few innings in the Arizona Fall League.

59. Thomas White — Miami Marlins (AAA)

21 y.o / LHP / SP
Previous Rank: 24

Strengths:
White is up to Triple-A now and still striking out hitters in bunches. He hides the ball well and his mid 90s fastball is tough to barrel up. White’s low 80s slurve is his best put-away pitch, especially against lefties. He added a gyro-slider to give him a breaking ball that he could throw against righties more. He tends to lean on his changeup to get righties out which is a pitch he can zone and also bury for chases.

Room For Improvement:
White’s season unfortunately ended in May with a serious shoulder injury. His long arm action can sometimes get him into trouble with spraying his pitches

60. Jarlin Susana — Washington Nationals (AA)

22 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: 37

Strengths:
Susana is 6'6 and built like a tank. He throws his four-seam and sinker as hard as anybody and his slider gets into the low 90s at its best. His fastballs are not huge bat-missers but they are incredibly difficult to barrel up at their movement and velocity. His slider is a double plus pitch at minimum and drives much of his elite strikeout ability. He threads the needle of getting weak contact while also getting a lot of strikeouts.

Room For Improvement:
Susana is still working back from lat surgery last year. He’s a big guy but this kind of velocity takes a toll on any arm (unless your name is Aroldis Chapman). He has also been an inconsistent strike thrower for his career. There is significant relief risk but undeniable upside. I’ll wait to see how he looks when he’s back and then make a ruling.

61. Jhonny Level — San Francisco Giants (A+)

19 y.o / Switch / SS/2B
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Level got off to a torrid start this year. He is short to the ball and has phenomenal plate coverage. He has very good bat-to-ball skills and excellent launch and spray angles to maximize hitting for average. Level has good feel for the barrel and hits more home runs than you might expect.

Room For Improvement:
His exit velocities are below average and he’s 5'8 and unlikely to add much more weight. Level also has an approach problem, he has always been aggressive but it’s worsened at High-A where he’s now chasing almost 40% of the time. He’s especially bad for chasing against lefties (his right-handed swing). His ultimate value will ride somewhat on his defense, likely at second base.

62. Ethan Holliday — Colorado Rockies (A)

19 y.o / LHH / SS
Previous Rank: 38

Strengths:
Holliday looked way better this year than he did in his short stint after being drafted. His 70 grade raw power was as advertised. He gave Rockies fans plenty of glimpses at the kind of home run power that could be coming to Coors in the future.

Room For Improvement:
He looked better from a swing and miss perspective but still is very susceptible to velocity in the zone. Strikeout rate is always going to be a problem for him. He will miss most of the year with a stress fracture in his foot. I don’t think he’s a shortstop long-term.

63. Liam Doyle — St. Louis Cardinals (AA)

22 y.o / LHP / SP
Previous Rank: 39

Strengths:
Doyle is missing lots of bats, especially in the zone where he’s one of the best. That’s thanks to his incredible fastball which is an outlier offering and one of the best in the minor leagues. He still has his good splitter and has tinkered with his breaking balls to add more different movement profiles.

Room For Improvement:
Doyle has seen his walk rate balloon in Double-A after he did such a good job of keeping it down in college. This has resulted in a disappointing year so far. Skeptics (including myself) have always questioned how good his secondary command really is and we’ve seen his breaking balls come and go all year.

64. Marek Houston — Minnesota Twins (AA)

22 y.o / RHH / SS
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Houston’s shortstop glove gives him a good floor of production and he has produced as a hitter at High-A and Double-A. He makes a good amount of contact, has a patient approach, and hits plenty of line drives. Houston is also a good runner.

Room For Improvement:
Houston has well below average exit velocities and doesn’t project for much more power. He has been able to hit more home runs than expected thanks to pulled flyballs. With good but not great bat to ball skills and limited power, Houston is unlikely to be an impact bat.

65. Robby Snelling — Miami Marlins (MLB)

22 y.o / LHP / SP
Previous Rank: 73

Strengths:
Snelling dominated to end last year and was too low on my last list. His lower slot 95 MPH fastball is his best pitch and his low 80s curveball is his best secondary (but he throws it a ton). He can use the curveball for called strikes and throw it in 2-strike counts. Snelling’s changeup has come along as a legit third pitch. He has a long track record of strike throwing.

Room For Improvement:
Snelling made his long-awaited MLB debut in May and then promptly tore his UCL. His control was uncharacteristically problematic in the starts leading up to his diagnosis.

66. Taitn Gray — Tampa Bay Rays (A)

18 y.o / Switch / 1B
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Gray was one of my draft day crushes that actually seems to be working out. He’s a young switch hitter who was aggressively tasked to full season ball off the jump. The bet paid off as Gray has performed well at Single-A, posting solid contact rates, good swing decisions, and easy plus raw power. He’s on the trajectory to be one of the best hitting prospects in the minors.

Room For Improvement:
The game power lags behind the raw power as he isn’t yet proficient at elevating the ball with authority. This is quite a common thing you see with hitters this age in the lower levels. He’s also a first baseman (converted catcher) so it goes without saying he needs to hit.

67. Bryce Rainer — Detroit Tigers (A+)

21 y.o / LHH / SS
Previous Rank: 30

Strengths:
Few players hit the ball harder than Rainer. He has lightning quick handspeed and regularly pops top of the scale exit velocities. Everything he hits is hard. He has looked good at shortstop this year, especially his throwing accuracy when you consider he’s coming off shoulder surgery.

Room For Improvement:
This is unfortunately a long section these days. His swing looked totally out of whack this spring coming off shoulder surgery. It *looks* better these days but he’s still putting the ball on the ground a ton and rarely barreling it up. A player with his raw power should have a lot more home runs than he does. Rainer is also striking out too much right now (over 30%). I’d like to see him in the 25–28% range.

68. Josh Adamczewski — Milwaukee Brewers (AA)

21 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Adamczewski has one of the best track records of hitting in the minors. He has a fluid swing and elite barrel control. He utilizes a selectively aggressive approach which has helped him run low strikeout rates throughout the minors. Adamczewski has average raw power and a penchant for pulling flyballs. His skillset is one of a high probability MLB hitter.

Room For Improvement:
He has fully moved off the dirt now and is just playing left field which puts serious pressure on the bat. Adamczewski’s contact rates are only average, though in the context of his aggression it’s clear he has a good baseline of bat-to-ball ability.

69. Juneiker Caceres — Cleveland Guardians (A+)

18 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Caceres is a very young contact maestro who the Guardians have aggressively pushed to High-A. He has surprisingly decent raw power for his age and frame. Home runs have ticked up noticeably this year for him, partly thanks to pulling flyballs. He controls his swing really well through the zone and has a good feel for hitting line drives.

Room For Improvement:
His swing decisions are poor right now. He’s not a very good athlete and is already in the corner outfield at 18. It’s unclear if he’ll grow into anything more than average power, especially with his flyball volume. The margins are thin for this kind of profile but Caceres has the hittability to thread the needle.

70. Seaver King — Washington Nationals (AAA)

23 y.o / RHH / SS/2B
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
A regime change turned out to be just what King needed. Seen as one of the weakest picks in what has turned out to be a loaded first round of the 2024 draft, King has turned it around in 2026. He laces hard line drives and groundballs to all fields. Despite the groundball heavy approach, King tends to put a charge in the ball when he does elevate. These traits and good speed lead me to believe that King will be a high BABIP player. He doesn’t have a traditional shortstop look but should play up the middle for the Nats, perhaps in Luis Garcia’s now vacant spot.

Room For Improvement:
After greatly improving his approach at Double-A, King is back to being chase happy at Triple-A. This version of him doesn’t have a lot of upside as a hitter.

71. Murf Gray — Pittsburgh Pirates (AA)

22 y.o / RHH / 3B
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Few have hit more home runs in the minors than Gray this year. He has plus raw power with the swing and barrel feel to access it consistently in game. Gray has kept his strikeouts in check, posting average contact metrics throughout the minors.

Room For Improvement:
Gray doesn’t look like he’ll have debilitating swing and miss but he definitely will strike out some. He has a history of chasing out of the zone but has seemed to improve his approach as the season has went on. He’s not a great defender at the hot corner.

72. Juan Valera — Boston Red Sox (A+)

20 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Valera was well on his way to being one of the sport’s best pitching prospects before his injury. He was sitting 97 MPH with his fastball from a low release height. He snaps off a gyro slider in the upper 80s, the best of them are put-away pitches. He showed more feel for his changeup in his limited starts this year, that’s a pitch that grades out really well too. Valera is a sturdy 6'3 and projects for average control.

Room For Improvement:
Come back from Tommy John next summer throwing strikes with intact velocity. There’s substantial risk with him but I was loving what he was bringing to the table.

73. Cam Cannarella — Miami Marlins (AAA)

22 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Cannarella has had a very interesting last few years. He was a presumed top 5–10 as a Freshman but then tore his labrum as a Sophomore and saw his stock fall. He seems to have re-found some of his juice now. Cannarella has found more consistency in his swing, making contact and hitting plenty of hard line drives. His swing decisions are excellent. He has a knack for making big plays in center field and has a long track record of looking good out there.

Room For Improvement:
The in zone whiffs he has been struggling with in the upper minors mirror what happened against good arms in college. I’m not bullish on his home run output. He has a good hard hit rate but his top end exit velocities are below average and he puts the ball on the ground too much. His outfield arm is shaky at best.

74. Kane Kepley — Chicago Cubs (AA)

22 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Kepley has a classic table-setter profile. He rarely swings and misses, has a patient approach, and is a 70 grade runner. He glides in center field and will be a good-great defender there (making him trade bait on a team with an otherworldly center fielder already entrenched).

Room For Improvement:
Kepley does have a little power. He has strong legs and will run into them on the pull-side power. But at the end of the day he’s 5'8 with well below average exit velocities. His profile is very similar to Luis Lara but he’s older and multiple levels below him.

75. Charlie Condon — Colorado Rockies (AAA)

23 y.o / RHH / 1B/OF
Previous Rank: 98

Strengths:
Condon is a top draft prospect who turned his minor league career around in the second half of last year. He has largely kept it going this year at Triple-A. He has excellent home run power and a very good eye. He could hit 30 home runs annually in Coors.

Room For Improvement:
He continues to slide down the defensive spectrum, playing 60% first base now. He will strikeout as a big leaguer.

76. Nolan Perry — Toronto Blue Jays (AA)

22 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Perry appeared on my radar a few years ago because I liked his fastball. The next year, he lost the zone and needed elbow surgery. Now that he’s back and healthy, he’s leveled everything up and has been one of the best arms in MiLB. His fastball is sitting 94–95 now and still has great traits. He loves to paint the top rail with it. His breaking balls have also taken a step forward this year and are generating big swing and miss, both grade out above average. He has kept his walks down this year.

Room For Improvement:
Perry has struggled with control in the past and only has a fringe average zone rate this year. His secondary command is still a work in progress. He also needs to stay healthy and build innings — he’s coming off elbow surgery after all.

77. Ramon Marquez — San Francisco Giants (A+)

20 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Marquez was dealt for Luis Arraez which was quite shocking considering that he might have the best changeup in minor league baseball. He can throw it in or out of the zone. Lefties or righties. Hitters never touch it (whiff rate approaching 70%). He’s not a one trick pony though. His fastball is mid 90s from a flatter approach and his cutter/slider is thrown hard at about 89 MPH. The cutter has become a pitch he can trust as the season has went on. Marquez has shown good command of his entire arsenal.

Room For Improvement:
Historically, a good changeup will overperform in the lower minors. I think Marquez has enough supporting it (and this isn’t just any “good” changeup) that he’ll still produce as he climbs the ladder. He doesn’t have a pitch that moves glove-side and might end up with the Yesavage thing where he’s actually better against lefties than righties. A traditionalist might look at his delivery and say it looks reliever-ish but he’s repeating it well.

78. Nathan Flewelling — Tampa Bay Rays (A+)

19 y.o / LHH / C
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Flewelling and Caden Bodine are the most exciting catching prospects the Rays have had in a long time and they’re yin and yang from a profile perspective. Flewelling is younger and a power over hit profile. He has great batspeed and all fields power. He added more loft in his swing this year which has helped him to hit more bombs. He has a mature approach and the tools to remain at catcher long-term.

Room For Improvement:
Flewelling’s bat to ball skills are below average. He’s going to be a slower burn development wise compared to Bodine both from an offensive and defensive perspective.

79. Jonny Farmelo — Seattle Mariners (AA)

21 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: 64

Strengths:
Farmelo has always stood out for his athleticism and he’s putting together his first fully healthy season. He has good feel for accessing his power and has a solid hit tool projection thanks to a decent approach and bat-to-ball skills. Farmelo is an excellent runner and a good defensive outfielder.

Room For Improvement:
His longer swing can get him into trouble against fastballs. He doesn’t have a ton of barrel adjustability and is prone to mishits. He may never be an impact hitter without growing into more raw power.

80. Carlos Lagrange — New York Yankees (AAA)

23 y.o / RHP / SP/RP
Previous Rank: 96

Strengths:
Lagrange has a huge frame and has huge stuff. His breaking balls are elite. He throws a 90 MPH bullet slider and an 85 MPH sweeper, both have generated above average swing and miss. As you might expect, his fastball is thrown hard at 98–99 MPH. His changeup is also a legitimate bat misser but his feel for locating it comes and goes.

Room For Improvement:
Lagrange doesn’t throw a ton of strikes and when he does, he doesn’t locate his strikes in good spots. His four seamer command in particular is problematic. He was getting a “temporary” look as a reliever because the Yankees need more help there than the rotation. Pitchers like him usually end up as great relievers but I once said that about Jacob Misiorowski too. Lagrange is currently out with a shoulder injury but is expected to pitch again this year.

81. Roldy Brito — Colorado Rockies (A+)

19 y.o / Switch / 2B/OF
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Brito is a sparkplug on the bases and in the field. His great speed and high baseball feel stand out. Scouts rave about his makeup. He’s an instinctual defender on the dirt with plus range and also flashes plus center field defense when he’s out there. He performed well at Single-A, hitting for contact and lacing groundballs and line drives around the field while also adding batspeed and posing some power threat.

Room For Improvement:
He hits a ball really hard every now and then when he’s hitting lefty but his EVs are overall fringe average. It’s unclear how much more power he’ll add. He makes a good amount of contact but shows a bit more in zone whiff than you might expect. He is super aggressive but it’s worth mentioning that he’s a good bad ball hitter and this approach keeps his strikeout rate low.

82. Jared Grindlinger — Los Angeles Angels (No Assignment)

17 y.o / LHH/LHP / OF/SP
Previous Rank: N/A

Strengths:
Hitting: Grindlinger made an absurd amount of contact on the summer circuit as a underclassman and also showed an advanced approach. This kind of contact ability at his age from someone with longer levers is totally outlier. He hits the ball hard in BP and has tons of physical projection in his frame that portends future raw power gains. The upside is a middle of the order bat.

Pitching: On the mound, Grindlinger is an advanced strike thrower with a clean delivery. He has great velocity for his age and could throw harder in the future.

Room For Improvement:
Hitting: Grindlinger’s youth is part of his appeal but it also means you have to do a fair amount of projecting on his body to visualize what his full offensive package could look like. His defensive outlook is up in the air but he’s unlikely to play a premium position, especially if he does put on significant weight.

Pitching: His fastball shape is underwhelming and the shapes he gets to with his breaking balls aren’t as good as some of his peers. If I had to pick, I prefer him as a hitter. But I think he’s someone you should let do both for a little while.

83. Felnin Celesten — Seattle Mariners (AA)

20 y.o / Switch / SS
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Celesten is a blue chip IFA prospect who was on my list in 2024 but fell off it after a solid but underwhelming 2025 season. He responded with a great showing at High-A, posting a 139 wRC+ with improved contact skills. He has also added more loft to his swing, greatly improving his home run total. Celesten has a prototypical baseball frame and room to grow from a raw power perspective.

Room For Improvement:
Despite having the look of a shortstop, Celesten has been error-prone and may not be the defender he was once billed as. He has had trouble with whiffs early on at Double-A which is something that has been a problem in the past for him. His raw power also remains more projection than reality right now.

84. Kevin Alvarez — Houston Astros (A)

18 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Alvarez was an advanced enough DSL prospect to skip rookie ball and actually look quite good at Single-A. He has excellent contact skills and the power foundation to have a formidable hit-power combination. He’s already posting average exit velocities at 18 and has room to grow into plenty more pop.

Room For Improvement:
Alvarez doesn’t walk a lot but his chase rate has been better the last few months. He isn’t elevating the ball consistently yet. It’s more of a corner outfield look which isn’t a great sign at 18 years old.

85. Aidan Miller — Philadelphia Phillies (AAA)

22 y.o / RHH / SS
Previous Rank: 20

Strengths:
Miller got better as the season went on last year, showing solid contact skills and the great batspeed that made him a first round pick. He isn’t a burner but has been an excellent basestealer. Miller was projecting as an above average regular and a near-term solution to Philadelphia’s third base troubles.

Room For Improvement:
Miller hasn’t played this year because of a degenerative back issue. He recently underwent a procedure to help with the pain. Back issues can be chronic and there’s no guarantee that Miller is ever the same player. It’s a tough situation and one that could go in many different ways, consider this ranking a hedge.

86. Hayden Alvarez — Los Angeles Angels (A+)

19 y.o / RHH / OF
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Alvarez is an outstanding athlete in a prototypical baseball frame. He has a fluid swing with a strong bat path, helping him eclipse double digit home runs this year. He has posted solid contact rates this year. He’s a great runner who loves to steal and his center field defense is rapidly improving.

Room For Improvement:
Alvarez’s power is mostly to the pull-side at this point. He doesn’t (yet) have the exit velocities of a hitter who can take you deep anywhere in the park. Ranking him is mostly a projection play at this point.

87. Alexander Frias — St. Louis Cardinals (A)

18 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
May I interest you in a (former) Brewers international prospect who destroyed rookie ball? Frias has incredible batspeed and has a max exit velocity over 116 MPH as a teenager. What’s scary is that he has lots of body projection left. He has good natural contact skills and is holding his head above water from that perspective as an 18 year old getting his first taste of Single-A.

Room For Improvement:
Frias has a choppy swing that doesn’t lend itself to lofting and/or pulling the ball. He is showing chase issues in the early going at Single-A. These are very common problems for teenagers coming from rookie ball. He has a huge arm and is playing center but isn’t super agile and will likely move to the corner outfield. He’s a bit raw right now but has the loud tools and hittability to be one of the game’s best prospects.

88. Axiel Plaz — Pittsburgh Pirates (A+)

20 y.o / RHH / C
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Plaz is a short and stocky catcher with a flat swing. He has formidable batspeed and has posted some of the best exit velocities in the minor leagues this year. He has also taken strides in the contact department this year, cutting his whiff rate and overall strikeout rate to the point they’re above average. Plaz is one of the best throwing catchers in the minors and has come along as a game-caller and framer.

Room For Improvement:
Plaz frequently chases outside breakers but has the bat control to punch them into right field. In general his swing is built for the opposite field. He hits far too many groundballs right now, especially for a lumbering catcher. Like any young catcher, he is still developing as a backstop and will need some time.

89. Dax Kilby — New York Yankees (A)

19 y.o / LHH / SS
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Kilby has a lean athletic frame with present power as well as room to tap into more. He has a controlled swing and excellent hand-eye coordination, showing potential for above average to plus bat-to-ball skills.

Room For Improvement:
Kilby has missed most of the year with a nagging hamstring injury. This is mostly a ranking out of respect for the data he put up last year (in a limited sample). He has struggled on defense so far as a pro.

90. Jefferson Rojas — New York Mets (AA)

21 y.o / RHH / SS
Previous Rank: 52

Strengths:
Rojas is a well-rounded prospect who was recently dealt to the Mets. He has solid raw power and feel for pulling and elevating the ball, leading to a good home run total this season. He also has above average bat-to-ball skills and is an average defender at shortstop.

Room For Improvement:
He has chase issues. He’s a pull hitter who has never been a big BABIP guy. Rojas has always seemed to start slow at a new level but he’s somebody who the Cubs weren’t afraid to challenge with older competition. He might not have a standout tool, with mostly 50 grades across the board.

91. Hector Rodriguez — Cincinnati Reds (MLB)

22 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: 84

Strengths:
Rodriguez has long been a prospect that I feel is under-appreciated and he recently made his MLB debut. He has gotten stronger and is now posting excellent exit velocities with formidable bat speed. The pull + lift traits are also awesome. He can hit take you out to center or he can yank one out. Rodriguez has given back a little in the contact department in order to hit for more power but his contact rates remain good and his barrel control is impressive on pitches out of the zone.

Room For Improvement:
He cut his O-Swing% by 10% this year but to do so he had to cut his Z-Swing% by 10% as well. Rodriguez’s pitch recognition and eye are below average and that’ll always be something he struggles with. This kind of profile tends to be boom or bust in how the hit tool translates. He may end up in a strong-side platoon.

92. Caden Scarborough — Texas Rangers (A+)

21 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: 95

Strengths:
Scarborough’s 95 MPH fastball comes in from a low slot and has huge glove-side movement. He shows elite feel for spin with his low 80s sweeper and has more feel for getting it in the zone than most pitchers. Both pitches are plus offerings. He has a somewhat wacky but repeatable delivery that works to his benefit.

Room For Improvement:
From this arm chair pitching coach, he could use a harder breaking ball with less total movement to bridge his fastball and sweeper with. His fastball’s run will help him against lefties but he could stand to incorporate his changeup more. Scarborough needs to build innings.

93. Joshua Baez — St. Louis Cardinals (AAA)

23 y.o / RHH / OF
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Baez has legitimate 40 home run pop. He has all the ingredients. The raw power, the barrel feel, the ability to backspin the ball, the pulled flyballs. It’s a perfect storm to hit home runs. Baez has a good defensive toolset featuring solid speed and a strong arm.

Room For Improvement:
Baez’s athleticism has slipped a bit this year and so have his plate skills. He’s whiffing a lot more and we’re beyond the initial adjustment period to a new level now. His chase rate is also high but downtrending. He is riding the edge of debilitating swing and miss, a fine line between a star and a AAAA player.

94. Cooper Flemming — Tampa Bay Rays (A)

20 y.o / LHH / SS/3B/2B
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Flemming has enjoyed a strong season at Single-A on the back of great contact skills and improving power. He’s consistently on time and has a compact but fluid swing built for line drives. He has solid power now and a projectable 6'3 frame to get to above average pop in his peak years. He is a long way away but has the foundation of an MLB quality hitter.

Room For Improvement:
Flemming’s power is still developing. His swing decisions are below average. He isn’t a great athlete and has more of a third baseman look, especially if he adds mass.

95. Michael Arroyo — Seattle Mariners (AAA)

21 y.o / RHH / OF/2B
Previous Rank: 83

Strengths:
Arroyo is a short and stocky bat-first prospect. He has been young for every level and has always hit. That’s something that is really hard to ignore. Arroyo has above average contact skills, solid batspeed and power, and an excellent swing path. He’s an all fields line drive hitter who can also put a charge in one if you give him the opportunity. “He just hits”.

Room For Improvement:
Arroyo has shown a bit more chase than usual at Triple-A. He’s a below average athlete and defender. He has been playing more left field. He’s too short for first base and there’s significant risk he’s a nomad who isn’t particularly good anywhere you put him.

96. Josiah Ragsdale — St. Louis Cardinals (AA)

22 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Ragsdale has been one of the hottest players in baseball and has seen his exit velocities pop in his first full pro season. He’s showing above average raw power and consistently barreling the ball to right field and right-center. He has a strong approach and has made more overall contact than his inflated strikeout rate would lead you to believe. He’s a good athlete with 20+ stolen base potential.

Room For Improvement:
The Brewers sold high on him, likely due to concerns about him needing to be hidden against lefties and not sticking in center field. Those concerns are real but I like everything else enough to stick him on the back of the list even if I’m a bit wary of the sample size.

97. Andrew Fischer — Milwaukee Brewers (AA)

22 y.o / LHH / 3B
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Fischer is having an incredibly productive year and is on pace to clear 40 home runs. He has plus raw power and is fully optimized to hit bombs. He has an uppercut swing path and frequently catches the ball out front and lofts it to the pull side. Fischer also has excellent swing decisions. He has a good chase rate and is also fairly aggressive in the zone which lets him do more damage and helps minimize two strike counts.

Room For Improvement:
Fischer has swung and missed a lot more than he did in college, likely because he’s become a more extreme-flyball hitter since becoming a pro. His strikeout rate remains a problem but his contact rate has improved a little since being promoted to Double-A which is encouraging. As a righty who isn’t a slam dunk third baseman, Fischer is risky as a three true outcomes type of player. But there aren’t many players with power like this.

98. Billy Carlson — Chicago White Sox (A)

20 y.o / RHH / SS
Previous Rank: 36

Strengths:
Carlson is a wiry athlete with elite feel for the shortstop position. He may end up as the best defender on this list when it’s all said and done. At the plate he has great contact skills with good plate discipline.

Room For Improvement:
Despite solid batspeed, he hasn’t hit a home run yet. How could that be? Well, in my write up last year I spoke of how he needs help with his swing path. The help has either not arrived or not been effective as Carlson is incapable of pulling the ball, especially in the air. This has neutered his offensive output so far. He missed about 2 months with a thumb injury this year which didn’t help things.

99. Johnny King — Toronto Blue Jays (A+)

20 y.o / LHP / SP
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
King is a power southpaw performing well at High-A. His heater is about 94 MPH with potential for a few ticks more. He gets great ride on it from a flat approach angle and it has generated great whiff numbers this year. His curveball has the depth and velocity to play against big leaguers and has performed as a plus pitch. His changeup also looks better this year but is still coming along. King has been pitching deeper into games and could flirt with 100 innings this year.

Room For Improvement:
His overall strike rate is a bit better but he still struggles with walks. The inconsistency in his release point means he’ll sometimes have innings where he walks two or three, even if he was cruising before that. And King tends to nibble with two strike counts.

100. Ramon Ramirez — Kansas City Royals (A+)

21 y.o / RHH / C
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
I’ve liked Ramirez for a while and he’s having another good year with the bat so I decided this is the year I sneak him on here. He’s a well rounded hitter, posting plus top-end exit velocities and above average contact metrics. This is his second straight year with double digit home runs and a strikeout rate around 20%.

Room For Improvement:
He shows a weakness against breaking stuff down and away. He otherwise doesn’t chase too much. Ramirez is still developing as a receiver. He is on a typical catcher trajectory with regards to how quickly the Royals are moving him up the minors.

25 Prospects I Like For Next Year’s Top 100

I added this section last year and I’m bringing it back this year. It is dedicated to those prospects that are further away but are fun to get excited about being here next year.

Auditing Last Year:
Gage Wood, Josh Hammond, Marek Houston, Jhonny Level, Ramon Ramirez, Josh Adamczewski, Emil Morales, Kendry Chourio, and Johnny King all were all in this section last year. I’ll also mention AJ Ewing who I had listed but has already graduated as a prospect. For the purpose of the exercise, that counts as a win too. That’s 10 players — a 40% hit rate.

5 Newly Drafted
- Gio Rojas, LHP, Texas Rangers
- Chris Hacopian, 2B, Washington Nationals
- Cade Townsend, RHP, Chicago Cubs
- Liam Peterson, RHP, Cleveland Guardians
- Jacob Lombard, SS, Miami Marlins

5 Lower Minor Bats Producing
- Franklin Primera, C/1B, Boston Red Sox
- Sebastian Dos Santos, SS/2B, St. Louis Cardinals
- Cristian Arguelles, OF, Colorado Rockies
- Ricki Moneys, SS, Milwaukee Brewers
- Robert Arias, OF, Cleveland Guardians

5 Toolsheds
- Enddy Azocar, OF, Baltimore Orioles
- Francisco Renteria, OF, Philadelphia Phillies
- Yostin Pena, OF, New York Yankees
- Conor Essenburg, OF, Atlanta Braves
- John Gil, SS, Atlanta Braves

5 Young But Advanced Arms
- Yhoiker Fajardo, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals
- Johnny Slawinski, LHP, Los Angeles Angels
- David Shields, LHP, Kansas City Royals
- Alejandro Rivera, RHP, Cleveland Guardians
- Sadbiel Delzine, RHP, Boston Red Sox

5 Lower Minor Stuff Monsters
- Brandon Clarke, LHP, St. Louis Cardinals
- Kevin DeFrank, RHP, Miami Marlins
- Dylan Jordan, RHP, Los Angeles Angels
- Ryjeteri Merite, LHP, Cincinnati Reds
- Miguel Sime Jr., RHP, Washington Nationals

The Blue Jays entered this draft with the second smallest bonus pool ahead of only the Dodgers. What this means is that they were allotted the second least amount of money that they can spend on players. This is because of luxury tax penalties, signing Dylan Cease, and doing a lot of winning last year (all great problems to have). Their 2026 draft class does reflect this reality but I am still happy with what they managed to get done, snagging two top 50 players on my Big Board with just one pick within the top 100. The Jays class was overall very college heavy and focused on players with great bat-to-ball skills.

1/39 Cole Carlon — Arizona State

21 y.o / LHP / SP

Player Profile
Carlon is a converted reliever who was one of the best college starters in the country this year by K-BB%, one of my favourite at a glance metrics for pitchers. His slider is his go to offering. It’s 86–87 MPH from a high release and a steep angle. There’s little extension down the mound and altogether it creates a unique look for a southpaw. The pitch has a tight gyro shape with only decent spin rates but with the velocity and its angle it has been unhittable. It would be easy to discount it as a chase pitch but it had a 38% in zone whiff rate too, an elite number. He has succeeded with it against both lefties and righties. This looks like a plus pitch, at minimum.

His fastball is thrown hard 95–96 MPH and has touched triple digits. That’s premium velocity from a lefty, especially as an amateur. The pitch returned only modest results this year. His command of it is spottier than his slider and the mild extension and steep approach doesn’t lend itself to the same bat missing qualities as it does with his slider. The pitch has solid IVB but it’ll probably settle in around 16–17 inches of ride with a pro ball. This is a pitch that is going to be velo and command dependent. I suspect the Jays may tinker with a sinker and see if he has more success zoning it but I’m not sure he’ll be able to get a lot of horizontal movement on it with his slot.

Carlon’s arsenal is rounded out by a curveball and a changeup but both are well behind his slider and fastball in usage. The curveball is soft (77–78) which is a bit odd considering how hard he can throw his slider. That’s something the Jays will surely want to work on once they get him in the system. The changeup (also sometimes read as a splitter) was used as a chase pitch. It performed well and the shape looks solid but he doesn’t have a lot of feel for it and preferred to go to his slider to put away righties.

Carlon’s 8.9% BB% this year was a career best and he’s tall and sturdy with a starter’s frame. That’s hardly a bad walk rate for a college pitcher (especially one who just converted from reliever) but he was reliant on getting hitters to chase at times. His fastball zone rate could stand to improve in particular. There are definitely some relief concerns with a slider first approach and shallow pitch mix. It’s also easy to see his fastball turning into a plus offering if he airs it out in shorter spurts. These traits might make Carlon a back of the bullpen reliever at the big league level but he’ll certainly get an extended look as a starter.

3/103 Ryan Cooney — Oregon

21 y.o / RHH / SS/2B

Player Profile
Cooney has succeeded as a hitter in college on the back of strong contact skills. He had an 86% contact rate this past season, which was in the 93rd percentile. Cooney’s bat-to-ball skills are very good but he did swing through high velocity a fair amount (and likely saw it less than SEC or ACC hitters) so that will be something to keep an eye on. He shows good plate discipline and incredibly had just a 12.8% chase rate on breaking balls.

A contact first middle infielder from Oregon sounds a lot like Josh Kasevich which admittedly is probably not a comp you want to hear on draft day. He does lift the ball more than Kasevich which should let him access more power. But his high end exit velocities are similarly below average — he makes a fair amount of hard contact on average but his 90th percentile exit velocity was a modest 101.2 MPH. The full picture points towards 10 home run power.

Cooney moved off shortstop to second base this year but may get a chance to re-stake his claim on the position in pro ball. He’s a reliable defender on the dirt with solid arm strength and quick hands. He’s not the most athletically gifted player but was an efficient base stealer in college.

He will likely be an underslot selection, helping the Jays sign the player right below him in this article.

4/131 Will Brick — Christian Brothers HS

18 y.o / RHH / C

Player Profile
When evaluating a player for the next level, it’s important to not put too much stock in draft slot and more stock in the actual money each player receives. Brick was the third of the Jays selections but will get well overslot money to forego his commitment to Mississippi State. I am very confident he will sign because the Jays always sign their picks in this range and teams do not draft players this early if there is not a pre agreed number. I ranked Brick three spots ahead of our first round pick Cole Carlon on my pre-draft Big Board. He will be my top prospect in the Jays class heading into pro ball.

There’s a lot to like in Brick’s well rounded profile which is what made him the consensus top high school catcher in this year’s draft. He’s reportedly an impressive defender behind the dish. He controls the run game well with a great arm and a quick pop time, he works well with pitchers, and he moves well behind the plate. Both Baseball America and Overslot Baseball mention him as a potential plus defender there. The Jays will surely plan to develop him as a backstop.

Brick is no slouch with the bat either. His data on the summer circuit (the best competition most high schoolers face) is really encouraging. He made plenty of contact and showed a mature approach. He has the markers for solid power too. The bat speed looks great and he flashes plus exit velocities in batting practice. He’s still working on turning that power into home runs in game but that’s hardly unusual of a player who just turned 18.

High school catchers tend to slide in the draft because they’re often a slow burn development wise. It also likely hurt Brick that he hits right handed with how often catchers are platooned against same-handed pitchers.

Fangraphs, Baseball America, and ESPN all connected Brick to the Jays at 39 as the draft approached. He was clearly a big target for Tramuta and company. It looks like they got their guy and they didn’t even need to use their first rounder to do so. A job well done.

5/164 Nolan Higgins — Michigan State

22 y.o / RHP / RP

Player Profile
We now have to interpret the rest of the draft in the context of the Jays working with bonus pool constraints. Teams tend to draft college seniors in the top 10 rounds because they have no leverage to go back to school (no eligibility left) and will sign for cheaper. This lets the Jays funnel these savings to their more expensive selections. Senior signs can still be productive big leaguers.

Higgins converted from a starter to a full time reliever in his senior year. He did have an elevated ERA at 5.20 but a 3.93 FIP and a 23.8% K-BB% are more encouraging. He led with a 94 MPH fastball. The shape on the pitch is quite basic but he extends down the mound well which makes it look faster than it is. It had a 25.3% whiff rate which is a good number for a fastball.

Higgins’ go to secondary was his curveball. It is in the low 80s with vertical depth and two plane break. It was his best performing pitch and he wasn’t afraid to locate it in the zone. His slider is his third pitch. It has good spin traits but is only thrown a tick harder than his curveball with less total break.

Despite a history of walk issues as a starter, Higgins threw lots of strikes with all of his pitches this spring. I suspect the Blue Jays like his feel for spinning the ball combined with his ability to locate. They may think they can get him to throw a little bit harder to bring his arsenal up a notch.

6/193 Gable Mitchell — Iowa

22 y.o / LHH / 2B/SS

Player Profile
Mitchell is another senior sign, this time on the position player front. He bears some similarities to the Jays third rounder Ryan Cooney. Mitchell is a left handed hitting middle infielder who makes a ton of contact but with very little punch. Defensively, it’s more of a second baseman look. He’s a bit short and stocky for shortstop.

Mitchell has cut his strikeout down every year in college and this year it was a pristine 6.7%. His contact rate was in the 97th percentile. His swing decisions are a bit worse than Cooney but Mitchell having a middle of the pack chase rate hasn’t affected him much. He showcases superb hand-eye coordination and makes an absurd amount of contact out of the zone. There’s a little bit of Ernie Clement in Mitchell’s game but that is obviously a high end outcome. It’s worth noting that Mitchell doesn’t pull flyballs like Clement does which is the difference between 10 home run and 5 home run pop when you’re working with 30 grade exit velocities.

7/222 Dean West — UCLA

21 y.o / LHH / OF

Player Profile
West bucks the trend in this section of the Jays draft and is a college junior. But he has a similar offensive profile to many of the other college players the Jays selected.

West posted a 90% contact rate both of the last two seasons which is in the 98th percentile. Obviously, elite bat-to-ball skills. He’s undersized and short to the ball. He sports a smaller strike zone and takes advantage of it. West has an incredibly passive approach. This manifests itself in an incredibly low chase rate (99th percentile) but also a tendency to let good pitches go by (less than a 50% in zone swing rate) which is a negative. There are some struggles with velocity and I suspect pro pitchers will pound the zone with fastballs against him and dare him to swing and do damage.

From a power perspective, West has a bit more pop than Mitchell before him. He had a career high of 7 home runs this year and his exit velocities are similar to Ty Head who was a player who had some first round buzz. But he’s likely not a player who will hit for much power as a professional. He’s a reliable defender with above average footspeed but has played more of the corner outfield. A contact first corner outfielder isn’t a profile I usually love but it’s one the Jays have had success with developing in recent years.

8/252 Jake Bennett — Dallas Baptist

21 y.o / RHH / C/OF

Player Profile
Bennett is a senior sign out of Dallas Baptist where he put together two very strong years. He represents a departure from other college players the Jays selected this year as a power over hit player with limited defensive value. He was #27 on Baseball America’s top senior sign targets, the highest of any of the Jays’ senior signs.

Bennett has crazy pop. He hit a ball 119 MPH this season (albeit with a metal bat). His exit velocities are easily plus plus and he can hit it out to all fields. The launch angles aren’t fully optimized for hitting for power but it does lend itself to good BABIP skills, not necessarily a bad thing in a player who is going to struggle for average at times. Regarding the bat-to-ball skills, they haven’t been too bad in the zone but he does swing and miss out of the zone against soft stuff. He also has a slight tendency to chase, compounding the issue. It doesn’t look like an unplayable hit tool to me but it is definitely a below average one. I think Bennett will perform well with the bat in the minors but the majors will be the true test.

His defensive home is a bit up in the air. He has split time between catcher and outfield but isn’t a great defender at either spot. He’s stretched athletically in the field and will likely be taught 1B or just DH at the next level.

9/282 Joey Urban — Southern Mississippi

22 y.o / RHH / OF

Player Profile
Urban is yet another senior sign. He’s from the same school as last year’s draftee Jake Cook. Urban performed well for Southern Mississippi the last two years. He saw his power uptick this year, slugging 15 home runs which is a career high for him.

Digging into his metrics, Urban made a good amount of contact and showed solid swing decisions. I suspect they’ll trend downward in pro ball given the competition jump from the Sun Belt. From a power perspective, Urban gets it done on a healthy dose of flyballs more than on big raw power. His exit velocities are 40 grade.

Urban played center field this year and projects as an average to above average defender there.

10/312 Bryce Chance — Mississippi State

23 y.o / RHH / OF

Player Profile
Chance is the oldest player the Jays drafted. He’s older than plenty of multi-year big leaguers. He’s quite a story though. He was a walk on for Mississippi State and led the team in average at .349 with more than a few big hits for them. Now he’s a professional baseball player.

He’s another guy with elite bat to ball skills. He had just a 10% whiff rate as an SEC bat playing against the best arms in the country. He’ll sell out for contact at times, expanding the zone and putting the ball on the ground a lot. This is a classic slap hitter profile. Chance was drafted as an outfielder but has played the infield in the past as well.

11/342 Brayden Martin — Maryland

21 y.o / LHH / 3B

Player Profile
Martin is not a college senior but he is another contact wizard! He’s a similar type of hitter to Dean West but is an even more extreme hit over power profile. More contact, less chase, and even less power.

This is what an actual 100th percentile contact rate looks like. Martin whiffed less than 5% of the time. He puts the ball on the ground a ton but this plays to his strengths at times since he’s a good runner. He is the most passive prospect I think I’ve ever written up. He has a chase rate of just 11% but it comes with an in zone swing rate of 47.2%. The average in college is over 60%. Like with West, I’m concerned that better pitchers will exploit this patience and attack him in the zone. With how much contact he makes out of the zone, I do wonder if being more aggressive would be worthwhile. The power is more or less non-existent with Martin. It’s Chandler Simpson power.

Martin was announced as a third baseman but has played outfield as well. It would be more of a corner profile in the outfield but he does have the speed to play it well. He may get a look at second as well.

12.372 Santiago Garcia — LSU

21 y.o / LHP / RP

Player Profile
Garcia is a pure reliever who struck out 32.9% of the batters he faced this year for my LSU Tigers. He’s a bit undersized but throws from a high release for his height, giving his fastball a unique look and unusual ride. The pitch averaged 21.2 inches of IVB this season, a truly insane number. That’ll regress with an MLB ball but the point remains that the pitch has outlier ride on it. It’s an important characteristic for him given it’s just 92–93 MPH.

His curveball is his second most used offering not far behind his fastball. It’s in the low 80s and he gets a lot of depth on it. He doesn’t command it as well as you’d like partly because of how big the shape is. Still, it was his best performing pitch and I think it can be above average at the next level. Garcia throws a mid 80s slider that also looks above average from a shape perspective. He similarily struggles to locate it. Garcia’s arsenal is rounded out by a changeup. It does show some promise, with good movement and tunnel off his riding fastball. It registered an absurd 72.7% whiff rate in its limited use.

Garcia looks the part from an arsenal perspective. I don’t have to squint too hard to see this repertoire working in MLB. The issue will be getting him in the zone more consistently. Seems like a worthy shot to take in the 12th round.

13.402 Mathis Nayral — Kansas

22 y.o / RHP / SP

Player Profile:
Nayral hails from France. He came over to the US in 2019 and pitched in JuCo for a few years before transferring to Kansas for his final college season. He pitched as a starter for the Jayhawks, posting a 4.96 ERA.

His best and most used pitch is his slider. It’s 83–84 MPH with bite. It got a fair amount of whiff and induced weak contact. He also leaned on a low 80s changeup that was a put-away pitch for him against lefties. The fastball is below average. It sits 93 MPH with modest ride. He gets it in the zone but it gets hammered. Nayral looks to have decent command and control.

He’s likely ticketed for the bullpen. If he continues to start, he’ll probably lean on a cutter and continue slashing his four seam usage.

14.432 Connor Kelley — UTSA

22 y.o / RHP / RP

Player Profile
Kelley is a tall and big bodied reliever. He posted a 2.98 ERA and a 26.7% K% this past season. He leans very heavily on his fastball. It’s 94 MPH with a ride and run shape. He gets to quite a flat approach for someone of his size, especially when he’s locating at the top of the zone. He throws plenty of strikes with his fastball and it performed quite well for him, especially considering hitters can sit on it most of the time.

His secondaries are mostly an afterthought for him. He throws a slider, curveball, and changeup. None of them jump off the page to me but we’ll see what the Jays have planned (not many pitchers can get away with throwing like 80% fastball).

15.462 Oliver de la Torre — California

21 y.o / RHP / SP

Player Profile
de la Torre converted to a starter this year for Cal and enjoyed some success, posting a 3.76 ERA. He has a prototypical starter’s frame and has kept walks down.

Looking at his pitch mix, I like his cambio most. He can land it for a strike and bury it for whiffs. It was his second most used pitch behind his fastball and his best performing one. His fastball is quite hittable at 91–92 MPH with some riding life. It didn’t miss many bats but he commanded it well enough that it held its own overall. de la Torre’s main three pitch mix is capped off by a low 80s slider with some vertical depth. It played mostly as a groundball pitch.

de la Torre will likely continue to get chances to start in pro ball but will need to build more velocity or add significant arsenal depth to continue to do so as he climbs the minors.

16.492 Carson Cormier — Illinois State

22 y.o / RHP / SP

Player Profile
Cormier has a starter look standing at 6'6 235 lbs and pounding the zone. He posted a 4.17 ERA and a 21.1% K-BB% with Illinois State this past season. He transferred from TCU and worked with Tread Athletics over the offseason to add some velocity.

The velo remains light but is definitely improved. His fastball is 90–91 MPH with plus extension and good carry. He showed excellent control of the pitch and consistently worked it in the zone for called strikes as well as a few swings and misses. His main secondary is his low 80s slider which performed well for him overall but did not miss that many bats. He’ll mix in a curveball and a changeup as well but neither are big pitches for him.

Cormier throws lots of strikes but will need to continue adding velocity as his stuff is quite light.

17.522 Landon Waters — Ole Miss

22 y.o / RHP / RP

Player Profile
Waters is a relief profile. He has a 94 MPH fastball that he throws from a flat vertical approach angle. The pitch plays for whiffs even without standout shape or velocity because of the angle. His secondary offerings are an 89 MPH cutter and an 85 MPH sweeping slider. The sweeper looks alright on paper but it does lack some vertical depth and got hit hard. There may be an element of command difficulties at play with that pitch as well. This led to him going to his cutter more which did perform better.

Waters walked more than you’d like this past spring but his strike rates were about average overall. He did give up a lot of flyballs and home runs in general which is sometimes an indicator of below average command within the zone (i.e. hanging pitches).

18.552 Jake McCoy — South Carolina

21 y.o / LHP / SP

Player Profile
McCoy was regarded as a top ~150 player in this draft class. When you see a player like this go in the 18th round it usually means they are asking for more money than teams want to pay. This does lead me to believe McCoy probably won’t be signing. He’s transferring to Tennessee and surely has significant NIL waiting for him. Teams tend to make picks like this at the end of the draft as a back-up if they have another deal fall through (they can then pool that money to McCoy). The Jays have made a hedge pick like this for a few drafts in a row now.

On the off chance he is a Blue Jay, I’ll give you a brief idea of his game. McCoy pitched 2024–2025 with South Carolina. He struggled with walks there but looked to have broken out in the Cape Cod league, throwing more strikes before blowing out his elbow in January. When healthy his fastball was in the 93–94 range from a low release height. He cuts the pitch. His go to secondary is his low 80s sweeping slider with huge sweep. Both his fastball and slider grade out as plus offerings. Capping off his east-west profile is a changeup that he struggles to locate but flashes potential. McCoy has relief risk but presents uniquely excellent stuff at this point in the draft. But it comes with two big ifs, if he comes back healthy and if he signs.

19.582 Cole Travers — St. John Neumann HS

18 y.o / RHH / SS

Player Profile
The Blue Jays finally dipped back into the prep ranks for their last two selections of the 2026 draft. It is always a question of signability at this stage but Travers seems a bit more likely to sign given how little there is out there on him. He is a Stetson University commit.

Listed at 6'3 210 lbs, Travers is well built for an 18 year old. I don’t have much in the way of information on him but he looks to be a power over hit type lauded for his batspeed. He also seems to be more of a corner infield profile despite being announced as a shortstop (I have tentatively went with that as his position). He will likely be a slow burn development wise but the Jays have found some success with late round prep picks in recent years (e.g. Nolan Perry and Gage Stanifer).

20.612 Eddie Rosado — Holy Ghost Prep

19 y.o / LHH / OF

Player Profile:
Echoing what I just wrote for Travers, there is always some question of signability when you take a high school player in the last round of the draft. But Rosado is similar to Travers in that he is a bit of an unknown and was not written up by the big draft outlets. He also has updated his Instagram bio to mention the Blue Jays, if that’s worth anything.

Rosado has a clean, simple, and direct swing. He is a good runner and will likely start his pro career in center field. He’s listed at 5'11 with an athletic frame and some gap power. He will likely join Travers in the Florida Complex League to start his pro career.

This draft class is shaping up to be rock solid. It’s a strong top 3, a weaker than average middle of the first round, and then quite deep beyond that.

Credit to OverSlot Baseball and Baseball America for being excellent draft resources. I recommend purchasing a subscription to them if you want to dig into draft stuff even more. And thank you to all the photographers who publish their photos of draft prospects on the internet.

You can find my Big Board in spreadsheet form here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19ZUvjVqqjvVHBYy8kZY4oyRC9wu-52YX5va4NluVZz4/edit?gid=0#gid=0

1. Roch Cholowsky — UCLA

21 y.o / RHH / SS

Strengths:
Cholowsky entered the cycle as the consensus best prospect in the class. He rarely strikes out and has the swing and feel to hit for plenty of contact at the next level. He also posted elite exit velocities amongst his peers this year and can drive it out to all fields. He’s aggressive on good pitches to hit without chasing too much. Cholowsky has been a slick defender at the 6 going back to high school and is a plug and play shortstop at the MLB level, giving him an incredibly high floor that any team would covet at the top of the draft.

Room For Improvement:
His offensive numbers were down a bit this year, mostly because he wasn’t barreling up the ball at the same rate as 2025. Despite this, his underlying data is still very promising.

2. Vahn Lackey — Georgia Tech

21 y.o / RHH / C

Strengths:
Lackey outperformed Cholowsky this year, posting elite offensive numbers with underlying data to back it up. His power metrics ticked up, he hit the ball very hard and pulled it in the air more frequently. He also cut his whiff rate and improved his approach. Lackey now projects to have plus offensive tools across the board. He has standout athleticism and agility for a catcher with a good arm and the baseball acumen you look for to stick at the position long term.

Room For Improvement:
Lackey’s overall defensive package is quite strong but his framing could stand to improve. I anticipate he gets better at this with a pro org, as most catchers do. If we’re talking arguments for Cholowsky over him, Lackey can be passive at times, puts the ball on the ground more, and his track record of elite offense is shorter. But I’m nitpicking — it’s really close and I’ve went back and forth on this ranking a few times.

3. Grady Emerson — Fort Worth Christian HS (Texas Commit)

18 y.o / LHH / SS

Strengths:
Emerson is as polished as prep hitters come while also having physical projection remaining. He has a fluid, compact swing and laces the ball to all fields. There’s quality of contact here as well as quantity of contact that makes me confident in his hitting ability at the next level. He has a prototypical baseball build with the physical tools and instincts to play shortstop well into his 20s. He’s a prep hitter made in a lab to go top 3.

Room For Improvement:
At present he doesn’t show plus game power. He should hit for more going forward, but that doesn’t always happen like we expect (see Walker Jenkins so far).

4. Drew Burress — Georgia Tech

21 y.o / LHH / OF

Strengths:
Burress has had as good of a college career as anyone in the class, posting three incredibly productive seasons with Georgia Tech. He has a ferocious swing, helping him to an elite 109.2 MPH 90th percentile exit velocity. Burress is adept at getting behind the ball and driving it in the air and it shows up in his home run totals. He has a polished approach at the plate and has always kept strikeouts down. It’s a complete hitter look in center field.

Room For Improvement:
There is a weakness against soft stuff. He doesn’t expand the zone much on these pitches but when he does he’s liable to swing and miss. Some teams will look at Burress’ speed and 5'9 frame and be skeptical about his defensive viability in center field but he’s been good out there up till this point. I say don’t overthink it.

5. EJ Booth Jr — Oak Grove HS (Vanderbilt Commit)

18 y.o / LHH / OF

Strengths:
Booth Jr. has impressive physicality and excellent batspeed. He’s pound for pound one of the best athletes in the class, making him an impact player on the bases and in the field. He posted above average contact metrics on the summer circuit with a solid approach. I love the feel to hit combined with the athleticism. Booth Jr. is also young for the class and will be barely 18 on draft day.

Room For Improvement:
His swing finishes rather flat and he tends to push the ball to right field rather than get behind it and drive it to left. This makes his game power play below his raw power. The swing also lacks some barrel adjustability which may hurt the contact rate as a pro, although his hand-eye coordination appears to be excellent. His swing has looked a bit better this spring and some of the stronger development orgs are pretty good at ironing out this stuff now. Konnor Griffin’s main wart out of high school was his swing after all. But there are also lots of examples where it doesn’t work out.

6. Jackson Flora — UCSB

21 y.o / RHP / SP

Strengths:
Flora has a gorgeous arsenal on paper. It’s a 96 MPH fastball, topping out at triple digits. He throws two good breaking balls that he commands very well. He added a changeup this year that flashes plus but the shape can wander a bit. It’s a pitch I expect to be maximized as a pro. Flora has a clean delivery and has been in the zone consistently the last two seasons. He had a great year and yet I feel he’s just scratching the surface of what he can do.

Room For Improvement:
I’d like to see Flora locate his fastball up in the zone more consistently as I think that’ll play for more whiffs with his flatter approach. He lacks the typical K-BB% of a top 10 pick, especially one that isn’t in the SEC or ACC, but it’s a weaker class on the college pitching side and I think a pro team can help him get to the next level.

7. Ryder Helfrick — Arkansas

21 y.o / RHH / C

Strengths:
Helfrick’s overall slash line declined this year but his underlying numbers have improved. And for that, he moves up my draft board. He is showing easy plus raw power and gets to all of it in games. He has done similar with wood bats in the Cape Cod league. Helfrick handles both spin and velocity well. The swing decisions are also pretty good. Defensively, he has turned into one of the better framers in the draft. He’s a standout athlete and has plus arm strength and a quick pop time.

Room For Improvement:
Helfrick is a pull heavy hitter who isn’t going to run high BABIPs even with good EVs. He hit just .283 this year, a low mark for a first round college bat, although he was objectively unlucky on balls in play. The swing and miss has improved a lot but it’s unlikely he’ll have an above average hit tool.

8. Jared Grindlinger — Huntington Beach HS (Tennessee Commit)

17 y.o / LHH/LHP / OF/SP

Strengths:
Hitting: Grindlinger made an absurd amount of contact on the summer circuit as a underclassman and also showed an advanced approach. This kind of contact ability at his age from someone with longer levers is totally outlier. He hits the ball hard in BP and has lots of physical projection in his frame that portends future raw power gains. The upside is a middle of the order bat. He’s a player that model heavy teams will fall in love with and I can see why.

Pitching: On the mound, Grindlinger is an advanced strike thrower with a clean delivery. He has great velocity for his age and could throw harder in the future. He is a Day 1 talent on the mound.

Room For Improvement:
Hitting: Grindlinger’s youth is part of his appeal but it also means you have to do a fair amount of projecting on his body to visualize what his full offensive package could look like. His defensive outlook is up in the air but he’s unlikely to play a premium position, especially if he does put on significant weight.

Pitching: His fastball shape is underwhelming and the shapes he gets to with his breaking balls aren’t as good as some of his peers. If I had to pick, I prefer him as a hitter. But I think he’s someone you should let do both for a little while.

9. Gio Rojas — Stoneman Douglas HS (Miami Commit)

19 y.o / LHP / SP

Strengths:
Rojas is a good athlete with an ideal pitching frame and more velo still to come. He has a whippy lower slot arm action, finishing a little cross-fire. His fastball is low to mid 90s with lots of run and has touched 98. That’s impressive velocity from a teenage southpaw and it has performed well for him. He has a big sweeping slider in the low 80s that’s really tough on lefties. I can see him adding a harder tighter breaking ball that he can throw against righties as a pro. He has sold his changeup better this spring and it looks like it can be a consistent pitch for him against righties in the future. Rojas has generally thrown plenty of strikes and is starting to command around the zone with more consistency, rather than just blowing his pitches by hitters middle-middle.

Room For Improvement:
If we’re nitpicking, I don’t think he has an overwhelming arsenal quite like Seth Hernandez last year. And like Hernandez was, he’s being punished a bit in my rankings for being an older prep pitcher because that’s just the way it is with this demographic.

10. Chris Hacopian — Texas A&M

21 y.o / RHH / 2B

Strengths:
Hacopian is a metrics darling. There’s very little whiff in his profile and he has a strong approach. Part of what makes him a very difficult out is that he hits the ball hard in addition to his plate skills. He laces the ball all over the field. He’s a high probability MLB hitter.

Room For Improvement:
I have plenty of confidence in Hacopian’s bat but it’s worth noting that he saw his offensive stats decline across the board switching from Maryland to the SEC with Texas A&M. He hasn’t had quite the same power, mainly because he doesn’t usually elevate his best contact, but last fall’s wrist surgery might explain some of that in the shorter term. Defensively, Hacopian has made it work but isn’t flashy. He has a lower arm stroke that is more suited for second base.

11. Cade Townsend — Ole Miss

21 y.o / RHP / SP

Strengths:
A deep arsenal, velocity, and a variety of intriguing shapes. Cade Townsend is a pitching dev dream. His fastball is in the mid 90s with riding life and he throws 3 breaking balls; a slider, sweeper, and curveball. As if that isn’t enough, Townsend also throws a cutter and a splitter. Of the secondary and tertiary offerings, it’s his slider and cutter that stand out most to me. He’s thrown a lot more strikes this year and flashes plus command with how he works all over the strike zone.

Room For Improvement:
The track record of strike throwing is on the shorter end and Townsend did get barreled up more than most of his peers, especially on his fastball. His arsenal is deep with lots of above average pitches but perhaps no carrying pitch.

12. Liam Peterson — Florida

21 y.o / RHP / SP

Strengths:
Peterson has a prototypical workhorse build with some of the best raw stuff in this pitching class. His fastball sits 96 and looks even faster considering his above average extension. It’s been over 20 inches of induced vertical break and some run. His slider is a no doubt plus offering, it parachutes in from his high slot and is mid 80s with downward bite. He also throws a mid 80s changeup with solid shape mostly to lefties. There’s too much to like here for him not to go early in a weaker college pitching class.

Room For Improvement:
Peterson has cut his walk rate year over year and did post a BB% under 10% this year. Despite this, his command is inconsistent and can get him into trouble. I like his arsenal a lot on paper but he had a similar issue as Jackson Flora where the actual strikeout rate wasn’t as high as you’d expect. Peterson’s fastball in particular missed a shockingly low amount of bats considering how it grades out, some of that may be attributed to his steep approach angle and some of it is command.

13. Jacob Lombard — Gulliver Prep HS (Miami Commit)

18 y.o / RHH / SS

Strengths:
Lombard is going to be drafted earlier than his older brother George did in 2023. He’s more toolsy at the same age, flashing double plus run times and lots of over the fence thump. He’s a little bit bigger than most shortstops but has elite athleticism for his size and the feel for the position to stick and play it well. Lombard has arguably the highest upside in the class.

Room For Improvement:
Lombard whiffed an alarming amount on last year’s summer circuit, giving him a rough hit tool prognosis when you look at the history of prep hitters with similar numbers. I usually advocate for drafting high risk-high reward players but top 10 is too rich for me.

14. Derek Curiel — Louisiana State

21 y.o / LHH / OF

Strengths:
Curiel is a draft eligible sophomore who was highly scouted in high school but made it to Baton Rouge. He makes an absurd amount of contact and has improved his exit velocities this year to the point his 90th percentile EV is above average. His jumps and instincts in center field have improved this year and he even won a Gold Glove. Teams will fall in love with his track record of a plus hit tool.

Room For Improvement:
He’s not the most physical or athletic player. The over the fence power has generally been limited even with improved EVs because he puts the ball on the ground and doesn’t pull flyballs. Curiel strikes out more than someone with his contact skills should because his swing decisions aren’t very good.

15. Tegan Kuhns — Tennessee

21 y.o / RHP / SP

Strengths:
Kuhns pounds the zone with an elite fastball. It’s 94 with above average ride and a very flat vertical approach angle. He still has some physical projection that could get the velo up to 95–96 consistently. He has done a better job locating his heater up in the zone as the season has gone on. Kuhns had just a 4.7% walk rate this year. That’s an incredible number for an SEC weekend starter.

Room For Improvement:
Kuhns’ secondaries are not as consistent as his fastball. The changeup is solid and he has some feel for spin but he’s going to be more of a north-south pitcher given his pronation bias and arm slot. A pro org might trade some depth for velo on his breaking balls to help with that. I think his approach to location has left some meat on the bone strikeout wise but it’s worth noting that his 31% K% leaves something to be desired in a first round arm.

16. Ace Reese — Mississippi State

21 y.o / LHH / 3B/OF

Strengths:
Reese possesses plus raw power and an excellent feel for getting the ball on his barrel. It’s one of the better swings in the class with natural loft and he can hit it out foul pole to foul pole. He had one of the higher line drive rates in this class, the BABIP traits are outstanding here. Reese also makes a fair amount of contact, especially against righties and fastballs. He’s one of the better bats in the class.

Room For Improvement:
There’s long term platoon risk with how Reese can swing and mess against lefties. His approach is an aggressive one, it plays to his advantage at times but can also lead to chasing pitches he’ll never do damage on. Reese is a former outfielder who moved to third base. He may have to move back to the outfield as a pro because he has not been a great defender at third.

17. Trevor Condon — Etowah HS (Tennessee Commit)

18 y.o / LHH / OF

Strengths:
The short but fast and athletic center fielder has a been a staple of the first round in recent drafts. Condon brings that archetype to the table and plays the game very hard at all times. He’s incredibly quick out of the box and is very rangy in center field. He has consistently made lots of contact and despite his stature, he has a quick bat and deceptive strength.

Room For Improvement:
His swing is quite reliant on his hand speed and might have to be tweaked to hold up against top velocity. The game power is never going to be great barring a Corbin Carroll development path (but that’s not something anyone can reasonably predict).

18. Cameron Flukey — Coastal Carolina

21 y.o / RHP / SP

Strengths:
Flukey is lean and long with a fastball that has tons of ride through the zone. He sat 96 MPH with the pitch. He tunnels his breaking balls off his fastball quite well. Flukey’s track record of strike throwing is better than most in this class and he came into the season as one of the top projected arms.

Room For Improvement:
Flukey’s breaking balls took a step forward this year but both are more just average. His curveball has lots of depth but is on the soft side and his slider is solid but not anything special. This sometimes results in hitters cheating on the fastball and it missing less bats than it should. His performance was down a bit this year but it’s tough to judge in a smaller sample (he missed two months with a rib injury).

19. AJ Gracia — Virginia

21 y.o / LHH / OF

Strengths:
Gracia is a complete hitter, sporting above average bat-to-ball skills, a healthy walk rate, and feel for driving the ball in the air. He has excellent contact metrics for someone with his lever length in particular. He has a strong track record of hitting throughout his college career, giving him a nice floor of production and an MLB regular look.

Room For Improvement:
While he could add raw power as a pro, he’s actually been going the wrong direction in that department as a collegiate, despite adding muscle. He still has average raw power but he’s getting to his home run totals more on the back of a high flyball rate. That can be a viable MLB approach but it does affect the batting average. Gracia walks a lot but it comes at the cost of being overly passive. He’s been a split camp defensive evaluation, with most feeling that he has good feel for the outfield but may have lost too much athleticism to play center field long term.

20. Bo Lowrance — Christ Church Episcopal HS (Virginia Commit)

18 y.o / LHH / SS/3B

Strengths:
Lowrance is a 6'5 prep hitter bursting with offensive talent. He’s getting to above average EVs and projects for easy plus power at physical maturity. It’s a beautiful swing from the left side and surprisingly good bat-to-ball skills. Him and EJ Booth Jr. made similar amounts of contact on last summer’s circuit. Lowrance has some of the best offensive projection in this prep class.

Room For Improvement:
The main concern with him is where he plays. He’ll be drafted as a shortstop but looks like a future third baseman or corner outfielder. The lack of up the middle profile is really the only major ding on his profile but it’s a big one when you spend first round capital on a teenager.

21. Martin Shelar — Marist HS (Mississippi State Commit)

18 y.o / RHH / OF

Strengths:
Shelar has impressive hand speed and takes ferocious hacks. His batspeed is some of the best in the class. He hit a ball over 115 MPH in a recent batting practice. The loft in his swing lets him drive the ball in the air more than most his age. Despite a swing like this, Shelar has posted impressive contact rates up to this point. He has enough physicality that he could shorten up his swing in pro ball and still hit the ball plenty hard.

Room For Improvement:
Shelar plays a solid center field now but it’s unclear if that’s his long term home with how he ages. Offensively, it’s mostly just hypothetical swing and miss questions due to how to how big his swing is right now. If you can’t tell from my ranking compared to consensus, I’m not as concerned as most.

22. Hunter Dietz — Arkansas

21 y.o / LHP / SP

Strengths:
Dietz is a big framed lefty who performed very well this year in the SEC. Naturally, he has first round buzz. From an arsenal perspective, he thrives north-sound. He has a 94–96 MPH fastball but his mid 80s slider is the highlight and is a no doubt plus pitch. His 80 MPH curveball also missed plenty of bats. Dietz had a rock solid 8.6% walk rate.

Room For Improvement:
He doesn’t really throw an offspeed pitch, a concern for a lefty who will need extra weapons against righties if he is to have starter aspirations. Dietz missed virtually all of his first two college seasons with injuries, notably a stress fracture in his elbow.

23. Coleman Borthwick — South Walton HS (Auburn Commit)

18 y.o / RHP / SP

Strengths:
Borthwick has a huge frame for a teenager, standing at 6'6 260 lbs. It’s the kind of body that can support big velocity and he’s hit triple digits with his fastball before. More commonly the heater is 94–95 from a lower arm slot. His sweeping slider is thrown hard as well, low-to mid 80s with conviction for locating it on his good days. Borthwick has thrown plenty of strikes and is quite the athlete on the mound considering his size.

Room For Improvement:
His mechanics could stand to be cleaned up somewhat. That could be an “easy” path to a bit more velocity and better extension down the mound. The main gripe with Borthwick at this point is that he’s mostly a two pitch pitcher (has flashed a decent changeup) and his slider feel hasn’t been quite as good this spring.

24. Tyler Bell — Kentucky

21 y.o / Switch / SS

Strengths:
As a switch hitting college shortstop who happens to be a draft eligible sophomore, Bell checks all the boxes you look for in a first round player demographic. He was highly recruited out of high school and drafted 66th by the Rays in 2024 but didn’t sign. Bell was an incredible hitter for Kentucky this year, combining a big walk rate with a good hard hit rate and a reasonable strikeout rate.

Room For Improvement:
Bell’s underlying data is a bit concerning to me. He has some issue swinging through spin. He also didn’t hit high velocity well. When you combine that with a patient approach, he’s going to strike out quite a bit. His power metrics are more of a player with average to slightly below average game power as a pro. I don’t see a standout offensive tool right this second but being a shortstop gives more of a cushion.

25. Cole Prosek — Magnolia Heights HS (Ole Miss Commit)

19 y.o / LHH / C/3B

Strengths:
Prosek had one of the best springs of any prep prospect and has firmly placed himself in round 1 in my opinion. He has a good frame and swings hard, popping plus exit velocities at present. He has made plenty of contact and has a compact and fluid swing that suggests he will continue to do so. His swing path appears to be excellent. I have a good deal of confidence in him hitting for a high schooler.

Room For Improvement:
Prosek chases quite a bit, some of that might be because he’s doing damage on everything prep pitchers throw at him but it’s certainly something to monitor in pro ball. He’s fairly maxed out physically and will be newly 19 on draft day — this is ideally more of a fast mover profile. Being a high school catcher throws a wrench in that though, as Prosek will require significant time to develop defensively. I prefer him as a catcher but a team might elect to slot him in the infield where he has more experience and will move quicker.

26. Taylor Rabe — Ole Miss

21 y.o / RHP / SP

Strengths:
From a strikeout to walk rate perspective few were better than Rabe this year. He dominated the second half in particular, pounding the zone with his 95–97 MPH fastball to great success. His 88 MPH cutter was arguably his best pitch and it is his most used secondary. His 84 MPH slider has downward bite and also performed well this year. Rabe throws tons of strikes with all of his pitches. It’s premium velo and plus command with great performance.

Room For Improvement:
Although his fastball has excellent velocity and has missed bats in college, its shape may regress to dead zone with an MLB ball. He has flirted with a sinker variant but that’s been his worst performing pitch. Rabe’s raw spin traits are below average.

27. Daniel Jackson — Georgia

21 y.o / RHH / C

Strengths:
Jackson has been one of the best hitters in the country this year and slugged over 30 home runs for a great Georgia team. These aren’t pull-side cheapies either, Jackson launches balls all over the field. He also cut his strikeout rate by 10% this year, making great swing decisions and whiffing less as the season went on. It’s great power, great angles, and an improving hit tool. He also nabbed 26 bases this year, a rare skill for a catcher.

Room For Improvement:
If you’re taking the slash line at face value, Jackson looks like a much better hitter than Ryder Helfrick. Surprisingly, his xwOBA was actually worse this year. As a catcher he’s not a finished product but he’s athletic with a good arm and has shown improved framing chops this year. Catching defense is one of the hardest things to project, especially from amateur to pro baseball, so as long as you’re not a butcher back there (Jackson isn’t) I try and give benefit of the doubt.

28. Kevin Roberts Jr — Jackson Prep HS (Florida Commit)

17 y.o / RHH / OF

Strengths:
Hailing from the same high school as Konnor Griffin, Roberts Jr. is a similar caliber of athlete. He’s 6'5 with a physical frame. The athleticism is some of the best in the class with the potential for elite raw power and great top end speed on the bases and in the field. Roberts Jr. has a good hit tool for his age and size, with a multiple year history of good contact rates and a mature approach on the summer circuit. All in all, it’s a tantalizing profile for any team dreaming on a star.

Room For Improvement:
Roberts Jr is fast with a big arm but doesn’t have a quick first step and is unlikely to be a center fielder. His spring performance with the bat has been down a bit compared to what he did last summer. Some of that is due to his swing. He can struggle to find the barrel and pounds balls into the ground at times. You’ll notice I’m a bit higher on many of the prep players with “bad swings” as long as they otherwise have great traits. I get more apprehensive about it in older prospects but I think there’s more room for pro coaching to improve mechanics in teenagers. Whereas hand-eye coordination, pitch recognition, and athleticism aren’t as “teachable”.

29. Kaiden McCarthy — Vermont Academy HS (Tennessee Commit)

17 y.o / RHP / SP

Strengths:
This is a flag plant ranking but I’m shooting for the stars here. McCarthy has electric arm-speed and a strong repeatable delivery down the mound that lets him sit in the mid 90s (up to 99) despite being a bit shorter than most starters and pitching in worse weather. His changeup is sold well out of the hand and he kills spin on it — I’m bullish on it long term. I like his breaking balls a lot too, there’s spin capacity, the shapes are good, and he can throw them hard. You have to wonder if there is meat on the bone from an optimization standpoint given the raw traits and the fact Vermont rarely has great baseball talent. He has more pitchability than you might expect, he’s been a consistent strike thrower in high school and has continued to do so as he has thrown harder and harder.

Room For Improvement:
I have some questions about how many bats the four seam will miss and McCarthy is already throwing a two seamer which suggests that’s where this is heading. If he’s going to sit 95+ and locate it as well as he has, he’ll be alright. As an undersized 17 year old prep arm who is already throwing really hard, there is inherent injury risk here that might spook teams out of committing a large chunk of their bonus pool.

30. Logan Hughes — Texas Tech

21 y.o / LHH / OF/1B

Strengths:
Hughes has been one of the best hitters in the country this year and has a long track record of hitting throughout his college career. He hits the ball very hard, makes good swing decisions, and makes enough contact to keep strikeouts down. All in all, he’s one of the best hitters available in this class.

Room For Improvement:
Hughes’ angles are not the best for a power hitter which has affected his game power. His EVs are very good but his frame is fairly maxed out. He’s a below average runner with a limited defensive skillset. He should be able to play a passable left field thanks to decent routes and jumps.

31. Chase Brunson — TCU

21 y.o / RHH / OF

Strengths:
I like Brunson a touch more than his TCU outfield mate who is often floated above him in mock drafts. He has a well rounded profile, hitting for contact and power. The exit velocities are easily plus — especially the top end ones. Brunson is a good athlete and plays a solid center field.

Room For Improvement:
His approach has been all over the place this season and the swing decisions overall are a big weakness. He’s not aggressive on pitches in the zone but only has a modest chase rate, so it’s not like his passivity is resulting in elite discipline. That’s a problem because Brunson swings and misses quite a bit when he chases. He also might not have the speed to play center field long term, though he’s fine for now and would be above average in a corner.

32. Justin Lebron — Alabama

21 y.o / RHH / SS

Strengths:
Lebron is among the most athletic players in the class. He’s what you would call a toolshed. It’s plus run and he has arguably the highest defensive ceiling at shortstop in this class. Even if he doesn’t hit, he’s adding value elsewhere. Lebron has a high in zone swing rate and a knack for barreling balls to left field which has helped him to impressive home run totals.

Room For Improvement:
Entering the year, scouts wanted to see Lebron hit SEC breaking balls after he struggled against them in 2025. This did not happen. With his swing, approach and pitch recognition, this is likely going to be a career long problem for him. I’ve ranked him here with the expectation that he’s never a very good offensive player.

33. Logan Schmidt — Ganesha HS (LSU Commit)

17 y.o / LHP / SP

Strengths:
Schmidt is a 2027 reclass and is young for this class as a result. He has a good frame and extends down the mound well. He is already in the mid 90s with his fastball. His best secondary is his changeup in my opinion and he frequently uses it already. Schmidt has a clean operation and is in the zone, especially with his fastball. He has the starter traits you look for in a round 1 prep arm.

Room For Improvement:
His fastball shape is pedestrian and is going to get hit around by big league hitters if he doesn’t add considerable velocity or end up changing to a sinker or cutter primary. These are both things that are quite probable at this stage. Generally speaking, pro pitching development is getting better at working around a bad fastball shape.

34. Sawyer Strosnider — TCU

21 y.o / LHH / OF

Strengths:
Elite exit velocities from a draft eligible sophomore is the appeal here. Strosnider has the raw power to hit it out to all fields. He is a good athlete with a fair amount of defensive value, even if it’s in a corner outfield spot.

Room For Improvement:
Strosnider has a lot to improve offensively before he can be a big leaguer. His swing decisions are poor and there’s a fair amount of swing and miss in his game. His game power has played below his raw power throughout college because he rarely elevates and drives the ball to right field. There will be a team who likes the upside but he’s not as plug and play as most of the college hitters before him.

35. Wes Mendes — Florida State

21 y.o / LHP / SP

Strengths:
Southpaws who throw strikes and get results are always in demand and Mendes is a tantalizing option. His 92–93 MPH fastball has good carry and missed bats. His changeup is his go to put away pitch against righties, with good shape and deception playing off his riding fastball. The results on that pitch were incredible this year and it’s hard not to love a lefty with a plus changeup. Mendes throws a hammer curveball that is used for chase and has returned good results. He also throws a solid cutter and slider — there’s a chance for a deep arsenal here.

Room For Improvement:
He doesn’t have the biggest frame and he doesn’t throw the hardest. The team that selects him will believe they can get him to throw a tick harder. Mendes’ success is partly tied to his strike throwing which only improved this year.

36. Tyler Spangler — De La Salle HS (Stanford Commit)

18 y.o / LHH / SS

Strengths:
Spangler has the look and feel of your prototypical first round high school shortstop. He has ideal size and a sweet lefty swing. He’s quick to the ball and has a long track record of hitting for contact and taking walks. It’s comfortably above average hit tool projection. There’s some current raw power and the projection for more. Spangler will likely stick on the left side of the infield long term.

Room For Improvement:
Spangler is still working on getting to his power in games. He has struggled with groundballs at times and doesn’t yet drive the ball in the air consistently. He has hardly played this spring due to a back injury but did take BP at the draft combine. This isn’t factored into my ranking but FYI, Spangler’s camp (Boras) has been putting it out there that he’s going to be a tough sign away from Stanford.

37. Ty Head — NC State

21 y.o / LHH / OF

Strengths:
Head had an insane 2.48 K/BB rate this season — that’s something that doesn’t just happen by accident. His bat-to-ball skills are excellent and his plate discipline is strong. He does a good job maximizing the raw power he has thanks to a great pulled flyball rate, helping him to slug 14 home runs for the Wolfpack this year. Head brought home a Gold Glove in center field this season and it was definitely deserved. He’s your classic table setter who provides value all over the diamond.

Room For Improvement:
As alluded to, Head doesn’t hit the ball particularly hard. It hurts his BABIP more than his game power output at this point but both will be affected long term. He has had some struggles with velocity, leaving significant risk that MLB pitchers see his patient approach and attack him with fastballs in the zone.

38. Mason Edwards — USC

20 y.o / LHP / SP

Strengths:
Edwards was arguably the most dominant starter in the country this year. His strikeout rate was north of 40% and he had just a 2.07 ERA. He doesn’t dominate with velocity but rather deception from a steep slot. His low 80s slurve was a big swing and miss pitch for him and has lots of movement on it. That pitch has performed well against righties and lefties alike. His changeup is inconsistent and sparsely used but flashes above average on its day.

Room For Improvement:
Edwards’ fastball has lots of ride from an odd slot but at 90–93 MPH it’s not as easy of a sell to traditionalists. His stuff plays better in real life than in a stuff model which might lead to a split camp on him. Does the deception hold up against better hitters? There’s also the question of whether or not he throws enough strikes.

39. Joey Volchko — Georgia

21 y.o / RHP / SP

Strengths:
Volchko creates unique shapes. There’s a little bit of the Yesavage thing where teams struggle to prep for him. His 15 strikeout complete game in the college world series was the peak of that effect. His fastball is essentially a cutter in the mid 90s — there’s nobody throwing a pitch like this in MLB and hitters predictably struggled to barrel it up. The real prize might be the slider, I’m comfortable labelling it a 70. It’s high 80s with over a foot of sweep. His curveball is more of a chase pitch but is also a legit offering.

Room For Improvement:
Volchko can struggle to generate armside shapes given his extreme supination bias. Lefties have hit him hard this year as everything breaks toward them. He has flirted with different offspeed pitches in the past, he can create the shapes but the feel for them hasn’t been good. He has also tried throwing a sinker this year but it’s been getting hammered. There are relief concerns with Volchko’s arsenal as well as his ability to locate. How he develops feels like it’ll be heavily tied to the org he is drafted by.

40. Jake Schaffner — UNC

21 y.o / LHH / SS/2B

Strengths:
Schaffner improved his hitting after transferring from North Dakota State to North Carolina, a significant jump in competition level. He makes an incredible amount of contact, his in zone miss rate was just 5.2%. He has also hit both spin and velocity well. He makes good strong contact all over the field, with great feel for the barrel and lots of line drives. Schaffner’s will walk a fair amount and has solid plate discipline. He has the speed to be a significant threat on the bases, which is a good pairing with his on base skills. If you like Chris Hacopian, you ought to like Schaffner.

Room For Improvement:
His power numbers are up this year but he was coming from a place where they were virtually non-existent. The exit velocities were average with UNC but will likely be below average as a pro with a wood bat. Schaffner is a spray hitter who’s game is a low K rate and aiming for hard line drives, not going yard. Defensively, his actions and hands are solid but he’s stretched at shortstop and will likely end up at second base.

41. Logan Reddemann — UCLA

21 y.o / RHP / SP

Strengths:
Reddemann is a command and control right hander who saw his velocity tick up this year. With his fastball now sitting 95, it missed a lot of bats this year, thanks in part to his ability to command it at the top of the zone. His changeup is his best secondary from a swing and miss perspective. Elite walk rates throughout his college career leave no shadow of a doubt about his ability to fill up the zone.

Room For Improvement:
Reddemann’s breaking balls are average at best and he doesn’t use them often. He’s messed around with a cutter that might supplant them in usage. The fastball shape is solid average but nothing overwhelming. Overall, the stuff is a little light for a Day 1 arm. Reddemann missed time with arm fatigue this season — he has pitched bullpens recently for scouts but his velocity was down a couple ticks. Understandably he’s still working back but it’s something to keep an eye on.

42. Carson Bolemon — Southside Christian HS (Wake Forest Commit)

19 y.o / LHP / SP

Strengths:
Bolemon throws a myriad of superb shapes. His low 80s curveball has excellent depth and his mid 80s slider has well over a foot of sweep in addition to significant downward break. Both pitches play as plus thanks to the shapes and his command for them. He generates good carry on his fastball and his changeup has great tumble, but his feel for that pitch lags behind the others. Everything Bolemon throws plays up thanks to a deceptive but fluid lefty delivery and excellent command.

Room For Improvement:
I see Bolemon get categorized as a high floor prep pitcher. Call me a cynic if you want but I don’t think such a demographic exists! He has also had an elbow surgery already. My main gripe with Bolemon is to do with the lack of premium velocity projection that he offers, which has especially been the case this spring.

43. Will Brick — Christian Brothers HS (Mississippi State Commit)

18 y.o / RHH / C

Strengths:
There’s a lot to like in Brick’s well rounded profile. He’s an impressive defender behind the dish. He controls the run game well, he works well with pitchers, and he moves well behind the plate. Whoever drafts him will plan to develop him as a backstop. Brick is no slouch with the bat either. He makes plenty of contact and has a mature approach. He’s been coming into more power and will hit the ball hard in batting practice.

Room For Improvement:
In game, Brick is more of a pesky hitter than a true power threat right now. High schoolers like Brick who are certainly going to be developed as catchers tend to slide a bit in the draft because they’re a slow burn development wise.

44. Joseph Contreras — Blessed Trinity Catholic HS (Vanderbilt Commit)

18 y.o / RHP / SP

Strengths:
Contreras isn’t your average high risk high reward prep pitcher. He’s the son of a big leaguer and made national headlines for his performance with Team Brazil. His fastball and slider are both thrown hard but the insane forkball is the main act here. It has a chance to be a carrying pitch, he shows incredible feel for killing spin on it. Kids his age don’t throw pitches like this, most big leaguers don’t either. For that reason I’m in.

Room For Improvement:
His four-seam is in the mid 90s but with a generic arm angle, mediocre extension, and poor shape, it’s likely not a good pitch for him. I suspect he’ll ultimately be a sinker primary guy at the next level. Contreras’ strikes tend to come and go, as they did in the WBC. There’s lots of relief risk here, he makes more sense for a team’s second pick as an overslot.

45. Blake Bowen — JSerra Catholic HS (Oregon State Commit)

18 y.o / RHH / OF

Strengths:
Bowen has some of the best raw power in the prep ranks. He has had EVs north of 113 MPH in batting practice. He’s 6'3 with a strong build and above average athleticism. Overall, it’s the potential for 70 raw power and 60 game power. He showed an improved hit tool last summer, making more contact and better swing decisions. Bowen runs quite well and is a good basestealer.

Room For Improvement:
The way his body is trending he has more of the look of a corner outfielder than a center fielder. Bowen’s contact numbers took a step back this spring and this is more in line with what he was doing prior to last summer. It’s possible his 2025 summer circuit was a mirage from that perspective.

46. Cole Carlon — Arizona State

21 y.o / LHP / SP

Strengths:
Carlon struck out a lot of hitters this year on the back of a dominant slider and high octane velocity. His slider is 86–87 with a tight gyro shape. It’s been unhittable, looking invisible to hitters at times and posting elite whiff rates. His fastball is also thrown hard in the mid 90s. Carlon’s 8.9% BB% this year was a career best and he has a starter’s frame.

Room For Improvement:
His fastball plays below its velocity because of its shape, his command of it and his lower extension down the mound. There isn’t a whole lot supporting his slider right now. His walk rate being solid is a little deceptive although it’s fair to say his feel for location did improve this year. There’s relief risk here but it would be a back-end of the bullpen look given the strength of his slider.

47. Taj Marchand — James Island HS (Ole Miss Commit)

18 y.o / RHH / SS

Strengths:
Marchand is a consistent circuit performer who blends bat to ball skills with bat speed. He gets to pretty much everything as a hitter and has shown the ability to drive the ball to all fields. He’s an up the middle profile with contact and power — the kind of package that usually finds a player in the first round.

Room For Improvement:
If you watch Marchand swing you’ll find he often gears up early, before rotating quickly and pulling his hands around. This is an aesthetically stiff swing and will affect his swing path as well as his ability to be on time consistently. However, it has not affected his production so far. The other concern is his approach which is very over-aggressive. He’ll have to reel that in pro ball, though it’s to be determined how much of that can be coached out and how much of it is pitch recognition related.

48. Carson Tinney — Texas

21 y.o / RHH / C

Strengths:
Tinney hits the ball the hardest of anybody in my top 50. His 90th percentile exit velocity is a pristine 112.3 MPH and he turns it into over the fence power in game. He walks a lot which helps offset some of the inherent streakiness of a power hitter. Tinney has a very strong arm behind the dish and controls the run game well.

Room For Improvement:
The whiff numbers are similar to Daniel Jackson but Tinney is quite passive which led to him striking out more. He also lacks the all fields approach of Jackson which limits his BABIP potential. He is almost certainly going to be a three true outcomes hitter. That’s fine from your catcher, provided they can play defense. There will have to be some framing improvements to get there.

49. Jack Natili — Cincinnati

21 y.o / RHH / C

Strengths:
It’s a good draft to want a power hitting college catcher. Natili has posted back to back seasons with a 134 wRC+ but improved his under the hood numbers this season. He hits the ball very hard and shows feel for the barrel in game. I’m a fan of his swing decisions, he’s aggressive in the zone without chasing an exorbitant amount, this has helped him limit strikeouts but still do damage and walk some. Natili has a strong track record with wood bats in the Cape Cod league.

Room For Improvement:
He’s an improving defender but not yet a fully polished one behind the dish. His throwing is his best attribute, with his blocking and then his framing following. He made a fair amount of contact in the Big 12 this year but he’s going to swing and miss against pro pitching as his swing is quite long.

50. Caden Ferraro — Texas Tech

21 y.o / LHH / OF

Strengths:
Ferraro has some of the best offensive data in the class. He posted just a 7.7% in zone whiff rate, good swing decisions and a pristine 109.5 MPH 90th percentile exit velocity. It’s one of the best offensive profiles in the class if you’re taking that data at face value — and he posted a 143 wRC+ with more walks than strikeouts so it did translate to results.

Room For Improvement:
He only hit 8 home runs in 233 PA because he doesn’t pull many flyballs. The good news is that it wasn’t because of a significant groundball problem. The main question is if he can play a passable corner outfield. He’s a below average runner who will aim to be just a 45 grade defender out there. Ferraro mostly DH’d with Texas Tech. He only has a one year track record hitting against Power 5 competition, perhaps a concern when you’re drafting a player for their bat.

Some players outside my top 50 that I am higher than consensus on:

• Ruger Riojas (22 year old RHP from Texas) — he’ll be practically 23 on draft day but should move quickly and come cheaply. His fastball is plus and he has a long track record of good command.
• Dee Kennedy (21 year old infielder from Kansas State) — arguably the best swing decisions in the draft and above average game power. He has experience all over the diamond. His swing and miss is improved but does keep him off.
• Carson Kerce (21 year old infielder from Georgia Tech) — no standout tool but is clearly underrated to me when you see where he is on most boards compared to someone like Eric Becker who has a similar profile.
• Daniel Cuvet (21 year old third baseman from Miami) — much improved plate discipline this year without sacrificing the elite in zone swing rate that helps make him dangerous. Plus power. The defensive home is questionable but I like the bat enough to throw him a mention here.
• Dominic Santarelli (18 year old outfielder from St. Joseph Catholic Academy) — betting on the 80 grade raw power here. He’s committed to LSU as a baseball player but wouldn’t look out of place on their football field.
• Keller Bradley (18 year old RHP from Pennsbury HS) — great frame and athleticism on the mound, velo up to 96 this spring and should keep climbing. He’s throwing strikes and has a clean delivery.

Justin Gonzales — Boston Red Sox (High-A)

19 y.o / RHH / OF

Gonzales put on a lot of weight over the last few years and hit a ball as hard as 117.3 MPH in Spring Training. He’s not just a weight room standout though. He has been a productive hitter at High-A as a 19 year old, slashing .277/.372/.482 which is good for a 122 wRC+.

His power is obviously his best tool. Gonzales is listed at 6'6 and up to 270 lbs. His 90th percentile exit velocities are already in the same ballpark as Juan Soto, Elly De La Cruz, and Matt Olson. What is most impressive to me isn’t the power though, it’s the ability to make contract. Players this big who are this young never run plus contact rates. But Gonzales does. And that gives him a chance to be a really special hitter. His in zone contact rate is about 86% and he has struck out just 16.3% of the time this year.

Gonzales is liable to chasing out of the zone but generally is a good bad ball hitter. His in zone swing rate is elite though and if you impact the ball like he does, it’s a good thing to swing a lot. You just have to find the balance to ensure you’re swinging at pitches you can actually do damage with. His swing path is also a bit flat. I’m not too concerned about it long term because young hitters tend to struggle with this and he hits the ball so hard that he can get away with a subpar flyball rate. I would like to see less groundballs going forward though.

Gonzales won’t win any Gold Gloves defensively but has a strong arm and surprisingly decent range for someone his size. He shifted from center field to right field this year. His routes and jumps stand to improve but he should remain playable out there.

Charles Davalan — Los Angeles Dodgers (High-A)

22 y.o / LHH / OF

Davalan is a contact-making machine who the Dodgers liked enough to take 41st overall in last year’s draft. He is a data darling who has also flat out hit since turning professional. He clobbered Single-A in his cup of coffee last year and has clobbered High-A so far to the tune of a 144 wRC+.

Standing at just 5'9, Davalan is short to the ball and has elite hand eye coordination and pitch recognition. His whiff rate is in the 98th percentile this year. That’s double plus bat-to-ball skills right there. He also hits the ball very hard for a player with his size and approach. His 90th percentile exit velocity is above average for anybody, power hitter or not. He’s quite good at getting the ball in the air and driving it to his pull side too. This is elite hit tool projection with average power markers. The Dodgers got a good one (again).

One blemish for Davalan may be that he’s 22. That’s two years older than all of the other prospects on this list (who are all in the lower minors as well). I don’t think the bat-to-ball skills are going anywhere as he climbs the ladder though. Defensively, Davalan has split time between center field and left field. He’s a little stretched in center but a fine defender overall who will likely be a net neutral on that side of the ball.

Taitn Gray — Tampa Bay Rays (Single-A)

18 y.o / Switch / 1B/OF

I’ve liked Taitn Gray for a while, putting a Day 1 grade on him heading into the draft. He went in round 3 to the Rays but he has done nothing but hit as a professional. The switch hitter has walked as much as he has struck out while posting elite exit velocities and hitting for considerable power in game. He is slashing .305/.430/.516 which is a 157 wRC+.

It’s difficult to find a hole in his hitting profile right now. He’s young for the level. He’s making lots of contact. His 90th percentile exit velocity is in the same ballpark as the aforementioned Justin Gonzales. He has good plate discipline. His launch and spray angles are also solid. The only real line of skepticism with the bat is that he only has 121 pro plate appearances so the sample isn’t huge. But again, this is a player I liked heading into the draft. And I wasn’t the only one who thought he could go early. He’s not a pop up prospect. If this continues it won’t be long until he’s a consensus top 100 guy (and I think he already should be).

He has played nothing but first base in pro ball which is no doubt the main limiting factor for scouts. He’s not unathletic and many people had him as an outfielder (or even a catcher) before the draft. I think it’s far too early to pencil him into first base. And even if he plays first base, I think he’ll play it well and he easily has the offensive skillset to profile there.

Devin Fitz-Gerald — Washington Nationals (High-A)

20 y.o / Switch / SS/2B/3B

Fitz-Gerald and his infield mate Ronny Cruz (another helium name who I decided was already getting enough love) have formed quite the tandem in the middle of Wilmington’s infield. The switch hitter came over to the Nats in the 5 player package that sent Mackenzie Gore to the Rangers. Sharp prospect followers highlighted him as a name to watch then and so far they’ve been vindicated. Fitz-Gerald is at a new level and walking as much as he has struck out with an incredible 174 wRC+ overall.

His contact metrics sit around the 90th percentile and he pairs that with decent swing decisions as well. He’s also hit 6 home runs so far which is a particularly impressive feat when playing half your games in Wilmington, a really tough place to hit for power. He’s not the biggest guy but has impressive batspeed and a solid pulled flyball rate which gives him average power projection to go with a plus hit tool.

Fitz-Gerald adds some value on the basepaths with good instincts and in the field with versatility and good hands. He plays all over the infield and although he likely isn’t the athlete to play shortstop, he should play a decent second base.

Jacob Bresnahan — San Francisco Giants (High-A)

20 y.o / LHP / SP

Bresnahan got a late start to the year but his most recent gem was a reminder why he’s the best pitcher in the Giants farm system (although I do like Keyner Martinez too). His velocity is up from last year, from 91–93 to 93–96 on the fastball. The heater is definitely his best pitch, it’s a whiff machine at the top of the zone thanks to its immense ride, with an IVB that sits up around 20 inches. There’s still a chance for a bit more velocity out of it but at ~94 MPH that’s still a really good pitch to have for any starter, especially a southpaw.

The secondaries will be a key piece in his development as a starter. The Giants have played around with his changeup in the last year and it has the makings of a solid pitch for him going forward, especially playing off that bowling ball of a fastball. His spin characteristics do leave a bit to be desired but he’s worked hard on his slider, which he would primarily use against lefties.

Going forward, Bresnahan will have to more consistently land his changeup for a called strike. His walk rates have hovered around 11% as a professional which is a bit high but certainly not so high that I have concerns he won’t be able to start, at least not at this point in his minor league career.

Robert Arias — Cleveland Guardians (Single-A)

19 y.o / LHH / OF

Arias and his teammate Juneiker Caceres are the latest exports in the contact-first prospect pipeline that the Guardians have established. Arias had strong data in Rookie Ball last year, posting an elite contact rate and solid top end exit velocities. In his first 100 or so plate appearances at Single-A, he has taken everything up a notch.

Arias’ contact rates are easily plus, with just a 20.2% whiff rate overall. He combines that with above average plate discipline, developing power, and a knack for pulling flyballs. The result so far? A 151 wRC+ and a .400 wOBA. Not too shabby for a teenager getting his first taste of the level.

Beyond the data, Arias is a wiry 6'1 and a very good athlete. His speed is a weapon on the basepaths and in center field, where he can close out a route with the best of them. There’s a chance for above average raw power depending on how his body fills out but that may push him to a corner outfield spot because his speed is what makes him a good defender more than his routes and jumps. Even if the exit velocities are 40/50 grade, he should get to double digit home runs with his pulled flyball rate. With his on base skills, that would likely make him an above average regular.

*I will be referencing my offseason Blue Jays top 30 prospect rankings which you can find here https://medium.com/@NaeNaeTakes/top-30-blue-jays-prospects-2025-2026-offseason-update-a023911ea8c0*

JoJo Parker (#2) Dominates Dunedin

When you draft a hitter top 10, you expect them to hit. Parker has done just that on the backfields and in the early season. He has made consistent hard contact, posting plus exit velocities with a good feel for the barrel. Parker has combined his power with excellent plate skills, walking about as much as he has struck out. His prowess in the box has helped him reach base in all but one of his 13 games. And that one misstep happened to be his first game as a professional baseball player. It’s early but the Blue Jays have to be thrilled with his underlying data as well as his top of the line numbers. He’s on track to be in Vancouver before the summer solstice.

Sean Keys (#17) Surges

Keys had a good 2025 with Vancouver. He finished the year strong and his underlying data suggested he could be a guy (~76% Contact%, 104.8 MPH 90th% exit velocity, 17% chase rate). He hasn’t lost a stride in 2026, in fact, he looks to have levelled up. In just 56 plate appearances he has already mashed 5 home runs. His wRC+ is 206 and his slugging percentage starts with a 7. He’s been absolute dynamite. These numbers will come down but it’s clear that Keys is establishing himself as one of the best bats in the farm. His contact rate has fallen a bit so far with Double-A which isn’t unusual when adjusting to a new level but is something to keep an eye on when projecting him long term.

Juan Sanchez (#7) Skips The FCL

The Blue Jays decided that their buzziest international prospect in half a decade didn’t have much to do in Rookie Ball and sent him straight to Single-A. This is a hallmark sign of an organization having confidence in an international signing. Jesus Made, Alfredo Duno, Luis Pena, Josuar Gonzalez, and Elian Pena are all recent examples of this promotion strategy and all are consensus top-100 prospects right now. Not all of these players will work out but teams don’t do this with hitters they don’t think are advanced. It’s yet to be seen how Sanchez will fare at Single-A (it’s only been 13 plate appearances) but he’ll be one to watch closely. It looks like him and Parker will split shortstop duties.

Nolan Perry (Unranked) Bounces Back

Perry was effectively wild when he was last on the mound in 2024, possibly because he was dealing with an elbow injury that he went under the knife for in September 2024. He missed 2025 but is healthy now and his stuff has looked better than ever. His recent 12 strikeout gem earned him FSL Pitcher of the Week. His fastball is up a few ticks, sitting 94 MPH with lots of riding life from a difficult arm slot. It’s a definite plus offering for him and has dominated Single-A hitters. Both his slider and curveball have been whiff machines too. Perry does have relief risk with his injury history and track record of strike throwing. He has kept walks down so far but the main thing we can take away from 13 innings is that his Stuff+ is significantly up.

Here’s a look at his pitch plot this season thanks to the great work of TJStats

No Good News For Brandon Barriera (#25)

Barriera has battled his health since he was drafted in the first round in 2022. He’s finally healthy again to start 2026 but his velocity remains down from where it was as an amateur (mid 90s and able to touch 100). That lack of velocity in combination with difficulty finding the zone has led to early season struggles. He still has his negative IVB slider to lean on but with a shallow repertoire, a myriad of health issues, and a non-existent track record of command, he’s squarely on a relief pitcher trajectory right now. Recovery through arm injuries isn’t always linear so if the velocity suddenly pops, consider me intrigued again.

Here is his TJStats pitch plot so far.

Charles McAdoo (#24) Is Knocking On The Door

The IKF trade return, McAdoo was put on the Development List May 27th of last year. After coming back, he put up a 132 wRC+ with a more tolerable strikeout rate (24.6%) at Double-A. He was promoted to Triple-A this year and has been great to start the year, continuing his improvements in his strikeout rate. It’s down to 21.1% and his overall contact rate is above average. This is significant from a guy who has struck out a lot in the past, especially against high fastballs. Whether or not it sticks is to be seen but it’s part of an encouraging pattern for McAdoo and he already brings power and sneaky speed. He played a good third base in his looks this spring which would give him some flexibility with Vladdy firmly entrenched at first base. McAdoo isn’t on the 40 man right now but will be Rule 5 eligible at the end of the year.

Landen Maroudis (Unranked) Found His Velocity

Landen Maroudis was one of my most exciting prospects entering 2024 but he was down for elbow surgery within the first month of the year. He returned on schedule in 2025 but struggled mightily with his velocity, pitch shapes, and his control. There were rumblings that his velocity was looking better this off-season and then he was promoted to Vancouver despite his struggles last year, suggesting the organization had confidence in it. And so far it’s been good! I’ve heard he’s been around the mid 90s in his starts, a huge step up from the 89–91 of last year. It’s a long season but if it sticks, it would make a world of a difference for him as a pitcher.

A Few Injury Updates

• LHP Ricky Tiedemann (#6) has been throwing (elbow soreness) but has yet not returned to game action on rehab assignment.
• OF Victor Arias (#8) is recovering from surgery on his non-throwing shoulder this fall and is targeting a return within the next 1–2 months
• RHP Micah Bucknam (#13) is expected to miss the year with an arm injury (being labelled “forearm”)
• OF Jake Cook (#14) injured his hamstring this spring and is targeting a return within the next 1–2 months
• RHP Silvano Hechavarria (#19) has not pitched yet this year due to elbow soreness
• RHP Karson Ligon (Unranked), the 9th round choice in last year’s draft, looked great in early work with Dunedin. He exited his recent start after feeling something during his warm up pitches and has been placed on the Injured List.

Overall, it was a good year for the farm system. It took two steps forward and then one step back at the trade deadline as the team pursued the upgrades necessary to chase a World Series.

My most recent update to the list was this past summer which you can find here: https://medium.com/@NaeNaeTakes/top-30-blue-jays-prospects-post-draft-update-bdc8393a64cd.

Please also check out my article showcasing some of the relievers in the farm system. These guys are worth knowing about even if most of them did not make this list: https://medium.com/@NaeNaeTakes/the-next-wave-of-blue-jays-relievers-e460b7d463ae

Left The List:

#5 Kendry Rojas: Traded (MIN)
#7 Khal Stephen: Traded (CLE)
#9: Juaron Watts-Brown: Traded (BAL)
#20 Orelvis Martinez: Released (WSH)
#25 Landen Maroudis: Fell off the list
#26 Lazaro Estrada: Fell off the list
#29 Eric Snow: Fell off the list

First Five Out:

• Brandon Valenzuela, C, AAA
• Spencer Miles, RP, MLB
• Yondrei Rojas, RP, AA
• Chay Yeager, RP, AA
• Eddie Micheletti Jr., OF, A+

30. Adrian Pinto — High-A

23 y.o / RHH / 2B/OF
Previous Rank: 30

Strengths:
At just 5'6, Pinto generates above average exit velocities for his level. He takes big swings but possesses the hand-eye coordination to make an above average amount of contact as well. This combination has allowed him to dominate the lower minors, albeit in short stints.

Room For Improvement:
Pinto has had tremendous difficulty staying on the field due to a wide range of different injuries. He has not eclipsed a 200 PA season in a Blue Jays uniform. I can’t fault you if you’ve given up on him after another year of this same song and dance. For me, he’s #30.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: Double-A

29. Carson Messina — Florida Complex League

19 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: HM

Strengths:
Messina’s pro debut last year was short-lived but loud. He touched triple digits and ripped off a plus curveball. His slider also flashes above average. He won’t turn 20 until April.

Room For Improvement:
Messina only threw 2 innings before going down with elbow inflammation that ended up keeping him out the entire year. His baseline of control is fairly low. He’s a lottery arm right now.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: Florida Complex League. I expect him to be ready to start the year. I’ve heard he’s been healthy (with the velo in a good spot) since the early fall and just missed getting back into games.

28. Seojun Moon — No Assignment

18 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Using their leftover Roki Sasaki bonus money, the Jays won the bidding on a top Korean high school prospect, giving him a $1.5 million bonus. That’s equivalent to the slot value of the 60th pick in the MLB draft (though IFA and the draft are certainly not apples to apples). Moon tops out at 96 MPH with his fastball and at 6'4 it’s not hard to project him for MLB starter velocity in the future. He has been commended for his ability to spin the baseball so look for his breaking balls to stand out.

Room For Improvement:
Korean High School to professional baseball is a huge jump and there’s no precedent for this transition in the Jays system. Based on his high school stats (which aren’t much to go on), I’d expect some walk issues with him early on.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: Florida Complex League

27. Angel Bastardo — MLB

23 y.o / RHP / RP
Previous Rank: HM

Strengths:
Bastardo was picked up in 2024’s Rule 5 draft but stayed with the Jays without pitching because he spent the whole season injured. When healthy, he’ll be required to play in the big leagues with the Jays which tells me they plan to use him as a reliever, not as the starter he was developed as in the Red Sox system. Bastardo throws hard. His mid 90s fastball could bump up to the upper 90s in relief if he’s healthy. I like his changeup the most of any of his pitches and a few ticks of velo to his breaking balls could make them weapons as well.

Room For Improvement:
Bastardo’s fastball has underwhelming shape and he doesn’t command it very well. He also doesn’t throw a whole lot of strikes and is coming off a major injury. He rehabbed fully from Tommy John and was supposed to pitch in the Arizona Fall League but a minor shoulder injury delayed his debut till this spring.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: In a camp battle for an MLB roster spot. If he loses it, he’s going back to Boston.

26. Javen Coleman — High-A

24 y.o / LHP / RP
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Despite going undrafted, the LSU product put up huge numbers in his first professional season of relief work. Coleman’s fastball sits 93–96 MPH with lots of ride and about a foot of arm-side run. He also features an 85 MPH slider and an 83 MPH changeup that were both effective offerings for him this year. His arsenal is tough against lefties in particular but he has shown the ability to backdoor his sinker and slider against righties while using his changeup as a put-away pitch. Both righties and lefties had an OPS of less than .600 against him this year. Coleman was invited to MLB spring training despite not pitching above High-A, a sign of the organization’s faith in him.

Room For Improvement:
Coleman was in the zone consistently at High-A but struggled more with his control at Single-A. He also played the season at 23 years old, making him older than most of the hitters he faced. Even if Coleman is a good lower minor reliever prospect, he’s still a lower minor reliever prospect at the end of the day.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: Double-A

25. Brandon Barriera — Complex League

21 y.o / LHP / SP
Previous Rank: 24

Strengths:
2022’s first round pick returned to pitching this summer following his UCL tear and his velocity looked to be in a better spot, sitting in the mid 90s and touching 99. This is especially notable considering that he was touching triple digits in high school but was around 91–93 MPH in his first year with the Jays. His plus slider also looked sharp in his limited work.

Room For Improvement:
I’d be misrepresenting the situation if I didn’t start with the fact that Barriera has logged just 27.1 innings in his pro career and was drafted in 2022. He fractured his elbow after just a few appearances this summer which must have been unimaginably frustrating for him. I’ve heard that he’s back to throwing and the recent elbow fracture has had no real lasting repercussions. Hopefully he can log some actual innings in 2026.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: Single-A

24. Charles McAdoo — Double-A

23 y.o / RHH / 3B/1B
Previous Rank: 28

Strengths:
McAdoo was put on the Development List May 27th. After coming back, he put up a 132 wRC+ with a more tolerable strikeout rate (24.6%) at Double-A. He has shown he can make adjustments and has plus power to all fields that is easy to dream on. He’s also not a bad athlete for his size and stole 34 bags last year.

Room For Improvement:
McAdoo has struggled with strikeouts at times and winding up on the Development List is never a good sign. He is liable to get beaten by the type of high fastballs that good pitchers can dial up but did improve against them as the season went on. McAdoo struggled on defense at third base and is likely to end up as a 1B/DH, putting significant pressure on his bat especially as a righty.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: Triple-A

23. Adam Macko — Triple-A

25 y.o / LHP / RP/SP
Previous Rank: 23

Strengths:
Macko’s metrics at Triple-A were better than you’d expect given his mediocre top of the line stats. He actually had an above average whiff rate and above average quality of contact metrics in his 64 innings. He has good feel for spin and his fastball has good traits. The southpaw seemed to find something in a multi-inning relief role to end the year.

Room For Improvement:
It might be time to give up on Macko as a starter. His bottom line hasn’t been good enough, not helped by inconsistent command and a lack of premium velocity. His health situation also isn’t helping him stick as a starter, Macko missed time for a torn meniscus the past year and was on the shelf with arm issues in 2024.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: Triple-A

22. Fernando Perez — Double-A

21 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: 27

Strengths:
Perez has continued to stay healthy and put up good numbers. He does a good job of managing contact and avoiding the long-ball thanks to plus command and a good changeup. Both of his breaking balls are solid offerings.

Room For Improvement:
Now at Double-A, he’s had some difficulty with his stuff playing. Perez has never been a big strikeout guy but his K% this year dropped to the lowest it has ever been. His fastball is uninspiring even with good command and I don’t think more velocity is coming. They’ll likely have to work something out with his mechanics or tweak his arsenal if he is to be anything more than a #5 or spot starter.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: Double-A

21. Jared Spencer — No Assignment

22 y.o / LHP / SP/RP
Previous Rank: 22

Strengths:
A converted reliever to starter, Spencer had the best season of his college career in his 2025 campaign with Texas. His college arsenal consisted of a 95 MPH fastball that returned above average results (though he could stand to zone it more), a plus 88 MPH slider that was his go to put-away pitch, a solid 85 MPH changeup he used against righties, and a 94 MPH sinker that he used for called-strikes. That arsenal will play as a starter if he comes back from his shoulder injury intact.

Room For Improvement:
He was getting Day 1 draft buzz before the shoulder surgery. I don’t have access to his medicals obviously but dropping to the 11th round gives me a clue about how teams feel about the seriousness of the injury. Because of his shorter track record of strike throwing and his health, he may fit best in a bullpen long term.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: The Injured List (Spencer had surgery at the end of last April, he may be ready to start the year but I wouldn’t bet on it)

20. Edward Duran — High-A

21 y.o / RHH / C
Previous Rank: 16

Strengths:
Duran isn’t the most exciting prospect on this list but has one of the easiest pathways to playing time. This is because he’s a good defensive catcher. These guys tend to be big leaguers and they tend to stick around (for example, Tyler Heineman debuted in 2019). Duran gets really good reviews from pitchers and just as good from scouts. His framing is his best attribute but he blocks and controls the run game as well. He also got it going with the bat this year, making a good amount of contact while getting noticeably stronger.

Room For Improvement:
Duran is undersized and is unlikely to ever hit for a lot of power. In fact, he’s unlikely to hit a lot, period. He’s my top catching prospect in the system but definitely more of a backup profile. He also might be hurt by ABS in the future.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: High-A

19. Silvano Hechavarria — High-A

22 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: Unranked

Strengths:
Hechavarria exploded onto the scene in 2025, tearing apart Single-A to the tune of a 1.90 ERA. He was quickly promoted to High-A where he continued to produce. His fastball sits 93–94 and touches 97. Hechavarria also leans on a slider-cutter pitch that was his best performing pitch at Single-A. His changeup has proven to be a solid 3rd offering. He has good feel for locating all 3 of his pitches and limits walks. Think Fernando Perez with more velocity.

Room For Improvement:
Hechavarria doesn’t have a pitch that I’d put a true plus grade on. He gets by more on location, sequencing, and tunneling than he does on strong pitch data. He was also a bit older than his peers as a Cuban prospect. Double-A will be a good test of whether his arsenal has enough quality to get advanced hitters out.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: Double-A

18. Sam Shaw — High-A

20 y.o / LHH / OF/2B
Previous Rank: 17

Strengths:
Shaw’s sophomore campaign was a hit. He hit for significantly more power this past year, posting solid exit velocities and a good barrel rate. Shaw’s uptick in hard contact, especially flyballs, improves his outlook. Last year in the complex league he was a contact wizard who took lots of walks but struggled mightily with weak flyballs which caused him to have a poor .238 BABIP. His contact rate has fallen a bit this year but it’s still great and has overall been a worthy trade-off.

Room For Improvement:
Shaw has incredible discipline at the plate but he will need to swing more as he faces better pitchers or risk ending up like Cavan Biggio. He’s not likely to grow into much more power. He has played second base but has received mixed reviews and may be better suited for the outfield where he also has experience.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: High-A

17. Sean Keys — High-A

22 y.o / LHH / 3B
Previous Rank: HM

Strengths:
Keys tore it up to end the year. He finished with 19 home runs, finishing T-4th in the Northwest League, thanks to above average exit velocities and a healthy dose of flyballs. He also has pretty good contact skills and rarely chases outside of the zone. His .250 BABIP and strong underlying metrics are reason to suggest he got a bit unlucky to only have a 119 wRC+ on the year.

Room For Improvement:
Keys can be passive at times and while he wasn’t deserving of a .250 BABIP, being a dead pull hitter didn’t help him by any means. There’s also some risk of him getting beat by high-end velocity given he lacks premium bat speed. Keys is not a rangy defender at third but has been good enough up to this point.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: Double-A

16. Blaine Bullard — No Assignment

19 y.o / Switch / OF
Previous Rank: 21

Strengths:
Bullard did a lot for his draft stock the past spring and the Jays managed to float him down to the 12th round when most outlets had him in the 3rd-5th round. Bullard is a great runner and uses his speed well on the bases and in center field. He has made plenty of contact from both sides of the plate up to this point.

Room For Improvement:
Bullard didn’t face a lot of velocity as an amateur. He’s not much of a power hitter at present, you have to do some projecting on his frame and swing to get to 20 home runs. He’s a bit of an unknown commodity entering the year.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: Florida Complex League

15. Tim Piasentin — No Assignment

18 y.o / LHH / 3B
Previous Rank: 18

Strengths:
Piasentin is already popping plus exit-velocities at 18 years old and should get even stronger over the years. He also elevates the ball consistently, something you rarely see in power hitters of his age. This is a player who could hit 30+ home runs in the big league one day. He also has a big arm that could be an asset at third or in the outfield.

Room For Improvement:
Piasentin faces the usual Canadian high school hitter questions of whether or not he’ll hit velocity. His swing can get a bit steep which might limit his ability to cover the top of the zone. There’s also some question over how refined his approach is. Piasentin isn’t viewed as an above average defender at third at this point in time.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: Florida Complex League

14. Jake Cook — No Assignment

22 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: 19

Strengths:
Cook is a converted pitcher with only one year of college hitting on the books. In that one year he put up gaudy contact numbers, a 92.2% contact rate in the zone and a 85% contact rate out of the zone. Although he played primarily in the Sun Belt, his contact numbers were also above average against the Power 4 conferences. What makes Cook most intriguing is his athleticism. He tied the all time record in the 30-yard dash at the MLB combine and set a broad jump record. His speed already translates to the outfield where he has a chance to play a plus center field long term.

Room For Improvement:
Cook is the definition of a project. He’s quite raw as a hitter and hasn’t figured out how to use his speed on the basepaths yet. The power ceiling here is higher than his 3 career home runs indicate but it starts with some mechanical changes. His swing looks like he’s chopping wood and is not going to cut it as a professional unless you’re hoping he’s a Chandler Simpson type of hitter (let’s aim higher). Given he’s newer to hitting and very athletic, there should be more runway than usual for the Jays to un-teach bad habits.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: Single-A

13. Micah Bucknam — No Assignment

22 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: 15

Strengths:
Another Canadian draftee, Bucknam was actually drafted in the 16th round by the Jays in 2021 but chose to honor his commitment to LSU. He didn’t pitch much with the Tigers and transferred to Dallas Baptist for the 2025 season where he put together a good year. Bucknam’s feel for spinning the baseball is the key to his profile. He throws his slider 87 MPH with sharp drop — it had a 45.6% whiff rate and a 36.5% chase rate, both stellar marks. His 83 MPH curveball is also promising and worked as both a called strike and whiff pitch for him. Bucknam’s 93–94 MPH fastball performed well in college. He caps off his arsenal with a changeup with heavy armside movement which was a solid pitch for him against lefties. Bucknam has consistently been around the zone in college.

Room For Improvement:
His command could use a coat of polish and his fastball is uninspiring on paper. And of course he still needs to pitch against professionals. The floor seems like a slider spamming middle reliever.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: Single-A, with a similar schedule to Khal Stephen last year.

12. Josh Kasevich — Triple-A

24 y.o / RHH / SS/2B
Previous Rank: 14

Strengths:
Kasevich has well above average bat-to-ball skills, an average HardHit%, and is a steady hand at shortstop. That combination often nets a player a lengthy MLB career.

Room For Improvement:
Kasevich re-aggrevated a stress fracture in his lower back last spring and then hurt his hand during his rehab which sidelined him again. He missed most of the year and for the time he was on the field, he didn’t play well. He has relatively low upside due to his inability to drive the ball in the air. He was unprotected in the Rule 5 draft and was not selected.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: Triple-A

11. Yohendrick Pinango — Triple-A

23 y.o / LHH / OF/DH
Previous Rank: 11

Strengths:
A long-time spreadsheet darling, Pinango laid waste to Double-A before fizzling out a bit at Triple-A. However, the underlying data at Triple-A is still very promising. Pinango’s power is his calling card as he possesses above average bat speed and hits the ball very hard with regularity. Pinango’s contact rates have been good at every stop and he very rarely chases a pitch out of the zone. He looks the part of an MLB caliber hitter.

Room For Improvement:
Pinango is a disciplined hitter but he can also be too passive. His game power has consistently been a grade below his raw power due to his swing. He is not a great defender in the outfield and is too short for first base. The Jays did not feel they needed to protect him from the Rule 5 draft and they were right as he didn’t get selected.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: Triple-A

10. Jake Bloss — Triple-A

24 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: 12

Strengths:
When healthy, Bloss has a great fastball, an above average slider, and a solid curveball. His changeup has also showed signs of being a decent offering.

Room For Improvement:
Bloss is down for the count for most of 2026 after undergoing elbow surgery in May last year. He has also never been the most consistent strike thrower and this injury only further muddies the waters of him profiling as a starter.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: Injured List

9. R.J Schreck — Triple-A

25 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: 13

Strengths:
Schreck has been one of the best hitters in the Jays system since he arrived in the deal that sent Justin Turner to Seattle. He tore up Double-A to the tune of a 168 wRC+ with 9 home runs in 169 plate appearances and then kept it going at Triple-A, getting on base at a near 40% clip and swatting 9 more homers. Schreck routinely barrels and elevates the ball to his pull-side. As a result, he gets to above average home run power with just average exit velocities. Schreck rarely swings out of the zone, often getting into deep counts. He has proven himself more than adequate against both velocity and spin in the minors.

Room For Improvement:
Schreck’s swing is optimized for power thanks to its length and loft but isn’t particularly fast. These types of profiles often end up with a lot of medium depth flyballs and also tend to see a strikeout bump against big league pitching.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: Triple-A

8. Victor Arias — Double-A

22 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: 10

Strengths:
Arias is what you call a tool-shed. He is really strong, he runs well, and he can play the outfield well. He also had a pretty good year with the bat, making good swing decisions and hitting the ball hard consistently. Arias’ exit velocity data topped the entire farm system. I’ve compared him to Addison Barger in the past because they had a lot of the same strengths and weaknesses as prospects and both are a sturdily built 5'11.

Room For Improvement:
Arias is posting elite exit velocities but he isn’t converting them to home runs. Lots of his hard contact is pulled groundballs and he tends to spray his flyballs. His deep load and big leg kick is excellent for generating torque with his strong lower-half but it gives him issues with barrel adjustability. Sorting out this trade off will be paramount for Arias developing as a plug and play run producer rather than as a 4th outfielder.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: Double-A

7. Juan Sanchez — Dominican Summer League

18 y.o / RHH / SS/3B
Previous Rank: HM

Strengths:
Sanchez quickly went from a guy that I was box score watching in the DSL to a legitimate prospect. It can be difficult to know what to make of DSL numbers as an outsider but boots on the ground have now confirmed that he looks like the real deal. Sanchez has an impressively fluid swing and good feel for the barrel. He is already physical hitter, posting a 115.8 MPH max exit velocity as a 17 year old, and still has more projection remaining. He also hit for plenty of contact, his 86.4% Z-Contact% was above average and he only struck out 17.4% of the time. He’s viewed as one of the top players coming stateside in 2026 by Baseball America.

Room For Improvement:
Sanchez hasn’t proven anything in affiliate baseball yet. And for every Vlad Guerrero Jr. there’s hundreds of hyped up IFA prospects that don’t pan out. Other than that I don’t have much to say here. He’s maybe not a shortstop?

Where I Think He Starts 2026: Florida Complex League

6. Ricky Tiedemann — Triple-A

22 y.o / LHP / SP/RP
Previous Rank: 4

Tiedemann is tricky to write a profile on because he has not been consistently healthy since 2022. He was banged up in 2023 and then missed most of 2024 and all of 2025 with elbow surgery. I hoped we would see him in the Arizona Fall League this year but soreness in the rehab process put an end to that. Tommy John Surgery isn’t the death sentence it once was and he’s still just 23 but there is already some speculation that his recovery has not gone as smoothly as the Jays had hoped. However, he will reportedly have a normal offseason and should be a full participant this spring. I’ll know more about what to do with him then.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: Triple-A

5. Gage Stanifer — Double-A

22 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: 8

Strengths:
Stanifer began the year in the bullpen pitching bulk innings following Trey Yesavage’s starts. The two quickly formed an unstoppable force and their team went 10–1 in these games. When Yesavage was shuttled on and upward, Stanifer got his own day. He has a 95 MPH two-seamer (up 2.5 MPH from last year) that he throws from a flat vertical approach. It has been both a swing and miss and groundball pitch for him. His mid 80s slider is a plus offering that drops off the table and his high 80s changeup is his best weak contact generator. Stanifer led ALL qualified minor league pitchers in strikeout rate this year while also cutting his walk rate to a career best.

Room For Improvement:
His fastball usage (~60%) will need to come down as he moves up the ladder, especially against lefties. Stanifer is essentially a two-pitch pitcher in the sense that his slider he really only uses against RHH and his changeup he really only uses against LHH. Even with major strides this year he still has fringe command and control so that plus the shallow arsenal means there’s still some relief concerns to shake off.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: Double-A

4. Johnny King — Single-A

19 y.o / LHP / SP
Previous Rank: 6

Strengths:
King was the talk of the complex league and followed it up with really loud numbers with Dunedin. The teenage southpaw struck out almost 40% of batters on the year. He sits around 94 MPH with his fastball. It’s a nice ride and run shape with a deceptive plane. King’s feel for spinning the baseball is apparent as he can carve up lower-minor hitters with his breaking balls alone. He also mixes in a 90 MPH changeup with nice arm side fade. The Jays were pleased with how King’s mechanics and body held up in his first full pro season.

Room For Improvement:
King is a lot more likely to beat himself than get beat currently. When you have hitters lunging for breaking balls at their ankles and then uppercutting at chin music fastballs, you don’t have to locate well to get outs. But as good as King’s stuff is, find me a starter with a 15% walk rate and I’ll find you a reliever. There will have to be significantly more strikes going forward.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: Single-A

3. Arjun Nimmala — High-A

20 y.o / RHH / SS
Previous Rank: 1

Strengths:
A roller coaster 2024 season saw Nimmala post a power-loaded 122 wRC+ at Single-A but an elevated 31.3% strikeout rate. In 2025, he was promoted and cut his strikeout rate down to 21% and improved his contact rate by 3.5%. The reviews on his defense are generally positive, his hands are quick, he has a good arm, and he’s mechanically sound. Even if he bulks up more and loses another step, he has the goods to be a plus defender at third base. He’s still one of the top prospects in the farm for me and I’m excited to see how he enters 2026 which he will still only play as a 20 year old.

Room For Improvement: After a hot start, Nimmala slumped in the summer as the other five teams in the Northwest League made adjustments against him and his body reportedly wore down. He got pitched away a lot and struggled to draw walks or actualize his raw power over this stretch. His swing got noticeably flat and stiff as the season went on, lacking the pull + lift traits he flashed early in the season and last year. He did get a bit unlucky with batted ball luck but this was a noticeable drop in production and he will need to prove he can make the adjustments.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: High-A

2. Jojo Parker — No Assignment

19 y.o / LHH / SS/3B
Previous Rank: 3

Strengths:
Parker was the 8th player on my draft rankings and he ended up going to the Jays at pick #8. He had the best in zone contact rate on the high school circuit as well as one of the prettier swings you’ll find in the draft class. He has also shown that he can handle premium velocity as well as spin. If you buy all the way into his circuit sample, he has arguably the best hit tool in the draft. He has power too — his hands are quick, he hits the ball hard consistently, and he can elevate. Parker received good reviews from scouts in his first work as a professional in the Bridge League.

Room For Improvement:
There’s not much to complain about offensively but it’s easier to say that before we have a real sample against pro pitching. Parker is a 50 runner and although he’ll get a shot to play it as a professional, he’s likely not a true fit at shortstop. I like him best at third base but he could play second base or the outfield as well.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: Single-A

1. Trey Yesavage — MLB

21 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: 2

Strengths:
The number one prospect in the Jays farm system should need no introduction. Due to the postseason not counting toward MLB service time, Yesavage is still a prospect and will be Rookie of the Year (and PPI pick) eligible in 2025. His stuff has been everything it was advertised to be and more. His FB is 94–95 MPH with huge riding action courtesy of his over the top delivery. It’s his worst performing pitch but is vital to setting up his secondaries. His splitter dominated at every level from Single-A to the World Series and now looks like one of baseball’s best. It has huge separation off his fastball and obliterates lefties. He does a good job locating it below the zone but its movement profile and tunneling allow it to get swing and miss all over the place. His slider has also been a swing and miss pitch. The future is bright for the postseason hero.

Room For Improvement:
Yesavage is unprecedented in that he doesn’t have anything that moves to the glove-side in his arsenal. He used to throw a glove-side curveball in college but scrapped it. Uniqueness is often an advantage in the pitching world but as hitters get more looks against him they may get more of a feel for his wacky shapes and delivery. Yesavage will also encounter hitters next year who have a very passive approach against him given his chase heavy arsenal. His ability to zone his pitches and spot his fastball will be especially important at keeping walks down and the ball in the ballpark.

Where I Think He Starts 2026: As a big part of the 2026 Blue Jays rotation

T.J Brock — New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA)

26 y.o / RHP

T.J Brock does not qualify as “unheralded” anymore but that’s not to do with on the field performance. In fact, Brock wasn’t on the field much at all in 2025 as he recovered from Tommy John surgery. The surgery was reported in January 2025 so Brock should be healthy entering Spring Training of next year. An older pure reliever prospect, Brock moved quickly to Double-A in his first full pro season before dealing with arm issues that have slowed his climb up the ladder.

Brock’s strikeout stuff has been incredible in the minor leagues, his career 15.2 K/9 is as good as it gets. That’s largely due to his 87–89 MPH gyro slider. It’s a platoon proof breaker with huge late action. It’s the type of out pitch that any elite reliever needs. His slider has earned double plus grades, that’s a 70 on the 20–80 FV scale. Brock leads with it but also throws a 94–97 MPH fastball. The Jays shifted his slot upward to add verticality to the pitch but it can still be hittable when his command of it is off. The biggest question going forward will be how his velocity and mechanics look in Spring Training. If the rehab went well, he could make an impact in 2026 as he’s not as far away as Double-A would indicate.

Yondrei Rojas — New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA)

22 y.o / RHP

Rojas missed a few months this year but was otherwise the best performing pitcher on this list in 2025. He posted a 1.43 ERA with a 2.19 FIP and 2.69 xFIP. He struck out more than 30% of the batters he faced while walking just 7.6%.

Rojas is undersized at just 5'10 but is well built and is able to generate mid-90s velocity. He extends down the mound quite well for someone of his height thanks to his large wingspan. Rojas is most known for his cutter, Baseball America reported that it registered a 142 Stuff+ this season (leading the minor leagues). He primarily works off this pitch for good reason but may need to develop another reliable breaking ball before he fully takes off. Rojas is likely maxed out from a physicality perspective but has an MLB ready pitch, good feel for location and is still just 22 years old. He is (as of writing) Rule 5 eligible this winter.

Chay Yeager — New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA)

23 y.o / RHP

Yeager was drafted in the 12th round of the 2023 draft and early on showcased improved stuff in his move to the bullpen as a professional. The hype died down during a very poor 2024 season but he got back on track in 2025, posting a 2.75 ERA and 3.62 xFIP in 55.2 innings across High-A and Double-A. His 29.1% K% and 20.0% K-BB% both stood out as above average.

What’s most interesting to me about Yeager is his raw pitch data. In the Arizona Fall League his fastball sat 96–97 MPH and averaged 19 inches of induced vertical break. It was only 8 appearances but it’s not hard to see why it had a stellar 32% whiff rate on it. He also threw a 91–92 MPH cutter and a 89–90 MPH bullet slider, which registered a 55% whiff rate and 39% whiff rate respectively. With pitches like that, Yeager has the stuff to feature as a prominent big league reliever. He still has work to do in refining his command and consistency. His walk rates have been reasonable but pitching is as much about getting your pitches in the zone as it is where you locate your pitches in the zone.

Connor Cooke — Buffalo Bisons (AAA)

26 y.o / RHP

Similar to T.J Brock, Cooke entered the 2024 season as a slider dominant righty relief prospect with a lot of promise. But both of them had injured years and then later underwent Tommy John Surgery the following offseason. In 2023 when he was last fully healthy, Cooke punched out more than 40% of the batters he faced.

When Cooke is at his best, his fastball and slider play off each other brilliantly. His 94 MPH heater plays for whiffs from his low release height but can get hit hard when he leaves it down the middle. His low 80s sweeping slider generates a lot of ugly swings and tunnels off his fastball well. Cooke also has a changeup that he uses around 15% of the time, primarily against lefties. He’s a name to watch coming off Tommy John surgery given his prior history with huge strikeout numbers.

Angel Bastardo — Toronto Blue Jays (MLB)

23 y.o / RHP

Bastardo hasn’t thrown a professional pitch as a member of the Blue Jays organization but is still eligible for a list like this and may even factor into the MLB bullpen starting next April. He was selected in the Rule 5 draft last season and missed the entire year recovering from elbow surgery — this means that in 2026 the Jays will need to include him on the MLB roster or send him back to the Red Sox.

Bastardo threw hard as a starter. His mid 90s fastball could bump up to the upper 90s in relief if he’s healthy. Adding velocity to it is important considering it hasn’t played well in the past due to its shape and his control of it. I like his changeup the most overall and it could be a plus pitch for him at the big league level. A few ticks of velo to his breaking balls could make them weapons as well. Bastardo doesn’t throw a whole lot of strikes and is coming off a major injury but the Jays clearly think he has the stuff to be a good MLB reliever one day.

Kai Peterson — New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA)

23 y.o / LHP

Peterson was the Jays last pick of the 2023 draft and has already outperformed his draft capital. The southpaw struck out the world (38.9% K%) in his 2024 debut season but also battled his control. In 2025, he improved his walk rate but also saw his strikeout rate come down to earth (27.6%).

Peterson has that wonky lefty look to him. His sidearm delivery gives his fastball an uppercut angle and hitters also have a foot and a half of horizontal run to deal with. It gets a ton of whiff and its low 90s velocity is impressive for his delivery. It has all the makings of a plus fastball and I suspect much of Peterson’s future will come down to how well he commands it. He has also had a few different iterations of a breaking ball over the last two years, none of which have yet emerged as a legitimate #2 offering. He traded some horizontal break for velocity on his slider this year but still struggles to generate much depth. Peterson will likely always be heavy on his two-seamer given his delivery. The best thing he can do going forward is throw strikes.

Javen Coleman — Vancouver Canadians (A+)

23 y.o / LHP

Despite going undrafted, the LSU product put up these numbers in his first professional season across Single-A and High-A: 54 IP, 3.00 ERA, 2.46 FIP, 2.92 xFIP, and a 27.8% K-BB%.

Coleman leads with a pair of fastballs; a two-seamer and a four-seamer. His two-seamer was the more effective of the two offerings and the one that he used more often. It sits 93–95 MPH with lots of ride and about a foot of arm-side run. He also features an 85 MPH slider and an 83 MPH changeup that were both effective offerings for him this year. His arsenal is tough against lefties in particular but he has shown the ability to backdoor his sinker and slider against righties while using his changeup as a put-away pitch. Both righties and lefties had an OPS of less than .600 against him this year, an important consideration for any reliever in today’s platoon-centric game.

Johan Simon — New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA)

24 y.o / LHP

Simon climbed from Single-A to Double-A this year, posting a 3.42 ERA with peripherals that back it up. He wasn’t quite as good from a strikeout to walk rate perspective as a lot of other pitchers on this list but he did excel at keeping the ball in the ballpark. Simon had an elite 64% groundball rate and gave up just 3 home runs in 71 IP.

His penchant for keeping the ball on the ground is due in large part to his fastball’s heavy arm-side movement, helping it to miss barrels and break bats. It’s not a huge bat-misser for him but it’s still a quality pitch at 94 MPH from the left side. Simons also throws an 83 MPH sweeping slider and a nasty 86 MPH changeup. He’s not the most overpowering prospects on the list but could still end up as an MLB contributor. Steamer is already projecting him with a 4.02 ERA in 2026 at the MLB level.

Ryan Jennings — Buffalo Bisons (AAA)

26 y.o / RHP

Jennings is a long time starting pitching prospect that has had to reinvent himself as a reliever. He was a three true outcome pitcher in 2025, struggling with walks and home runs but also piling up strikeouts.

As a natural supinator, Jenning’s bread and butter is his breaking balls. Both his 87 MPH slider and 82 MPH curveball had whiff rates approaching 50% on the year. His problem was more to do with his fastball. Jennings pushes his velocity up to 95 MPH now that he’s in a relief role but his heater still gets hit hard due to its dead zone shape and his tendency to spray it all over the zone. Jennings’ fastball issues as well as his poor command and control may make the Jays uncomfortable with relying on him for MLB innings in 2026.

Nate Garkow — New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA)

28 y.o / RHP

Garkow is 28 but has only been in MiLB since 2024. The Jays poached him out of Independent Ball and he’s been nothing but dynamite since arriving. He gets strikeouts in bunches and hitters mustered just a 53.3% Contact% against him this year. His 2.71 FIP across High-A and Double-A this year speaks for itself.

So how is he doing this? It’s not with velocity but with a really good changeup. It’s not thrown hard but it’s like a Yo-Yo with its late movement diving under bats. The pitch dominated at Single-A, it dominated at High-A, and it has dominated at Double-A. Hitters have yet to figure it out as he has moved up the ladder because Garkow can manipulate its shape and beat you with it in or out of the zone. His secondary is an 89 MPH fastball. It’s by no means an overpowering pitch but it has outlier shape (21 IVB) and keeps hitters off his changeup. There’s no doubt that what Garkow is doing is gimmicky but we’re at the point where hitters know what they’re going to get and still can’t hit it. Whether it will work in MLB is unclear.

Juanmi Vasquez — Vancouver Canadians (A+)

21 y.o / LHP

I wanted to showcase Vasquez because I think he had an underrated year. His 4.33 ERA was just fine but his peripherals were stronger; 3.01 FIP, 3.15 xFIP, and a 21.4% K-BB%. He was a big velocity development success story this year, adding almost 3 MPH to his fastball.

His fastball gets 19 inches of induced vertical break and a lot of swing and miss despite it being just 91 MPH. His changeup is his clear #2 offering behind his fastball and he seldom throws a curveball and slider. Vasquez stands out with his fluid delivery and advanced command and control. It remains to be seen if he has the arsenal or power to get MLB hitters out but you can sometimes get away with less as a crafty lefty reliever.

The time has come again. A year has gone by since my last update (which you can find here: https://medium.com/@NaeNaeTakes/mlb-top-100-prospects-2024-midseason-update-fbb870fe92ca) and a lot has changed in the prospect landscape. Many of the titans that defined 2024’s list have now graduated. So I’m here to find out where that leaves us now.

Some reminders:
 — This is a list for real life, not fantasy baseball.
 — I do this because I enjoy it first and foremost. I do have genuine conviction in my rankings but I wouldn’t fault you for taking me less seriously than a professional scout.
 — As always, I am open to all constructive criticism on the list. I’m happy to discuss the reasoning for a position because there always is one. If you’ve followed me for a long time you’d know that I am objective when talking about prospects.

An article like this is going to be long no matter what and while I encourage everyone to read the entire thing, Ctrl/Command+F is your best friend!

There’s an extra section previewing some lesser known prospects that’s tucked away at the end of the list this year.

1. Konnor Griffin — Pittsburgh Pirates (A+)

19 y.o / RHH / SS/OF
Previous Rank: 75

Strengths:
Griffin is a 5 tool prospect that will appeal to new-school and old-school scouts alike. He’s an elite athlete, playing multiple premium positions and nabbing 50+ bags. The athleticism extends to the box where he has cleaned up his operation since turning pro. He’s getting to plus exit velocities and hitting home runs while making a good amount of contact and keeping strikeouts down. His Single-A production was a bit suspect under the hood but he has leveled everything up at High-A. He’s on the Bobby Witt Jr. trajectory and has superstar upside.

Room For Improvement:
Griffin is more of a fastball hitter right now and even with good home run totals, his swing tends to push hard contact on the ground or on a line to right field. These are common problems for a lot of young prospects and he’s such a good athlete that I’d bet on him growing out of them.

2. Kevin McGonigle — Detroit Tigers (AA)

20 y.o / LHH / SS/2B
Previous Rank: 20

Strengths:
Everything has clicked for McGonigle in 2025 and he now looks like a future perennial all-star. You probably know about his elite bat-to-ball skills already. But this year he’s doing even more damage. He hits the ball hard as consistently as anyone, often in the air. McGonigle has also been less passive this year, making him even more of a middle of the order threat. I’ve always insisted that he’ll be a good defensive second baseman but he continues to get reps at shortstop and hold his own.

Room For Improvement:
For as much improvement as McGonigle has shown with his exit velocities, his ~106 MPH 90th percentile EV and spray angles are more similar to someone like Bo Bichette. That’s 20 home run power but unlikely 30 home run power.

3. Jesus Made — Milwaukee Brewers (A+)

18 y.o / Switch / SS
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Made is one of those hyper-athletic teenage shortstops that is all the rage these days. After a loud DSL season, the Brewers sent him straight to affiliate baseball where he’s having a great year. He’s making above average amounts of contact, has a patient approach, and has above average exit velocities. Made looks like he could have a special glove and has nabbed 40 bags this year. He’s a full package and most of his warts are common for players his age.

Room For Improvement:
His raw power isn’t translating to home run power just yet as he’s running a flyball rate under 30%.

4. JJ Wetherholt — St. Louis Cardinals (AAA)

22 y.o / LHH / 2B
Previous Rank: 21

Strengths:
I’ve been higher than consensus on Wetherholt since he was a Mountaineer and I still find myself higher on him today. He’s a near lock to hit thanks to incredible feel for the barrel and a gorgeous swing path. Wetherholt walks as much as he strikes out. He also hits the ball hard with regularity and could hit 40 doubles in his peak years. He should move off shortstop for Masyn Winn but isn’t a bad defender and has been getting reps at 2B and 3B.

Room For Improvement:
If I’m nit-picking, his contact rate has backed up a bit in the early going at Triple-A and he doesn’t pull the ball in the air much.

5. Samuel Basallo — Baltimore Orioles (AAA)

20 y.o / LHH / C/1B/DH
Previous Rank: 8

Strengths:
Basallo has a case for being the best hitter on this list. He has elite raw power and he gets to almost all of it in games. We’re talking about near 100th percentile damage metrics at Triple-A as a 20 year old. Basallo is aggressive enough that his strikeout rates have hovered around 20% most of his MiLB career. I fully believe he’ll make enough contact at the MLB level to hit.

Room For Improvement:
Most of his whiffs come from chasing and that hurts because his plate discipline is pretty bad. There’s opportunity to develop it, especially with someone so young. Basallo continues to split time between C, 1B and DH. I think he may get the Ben Rice treatment as a part-time catcher.

6. Sebastian Walcott — Texas Rangers (AA)

19 y.o / RHH / SS
Previous Rank: 40

Strengths:
Walcott has never played anything close to age appropriate competition but continues to be solid. He has great bat speed and overall physicality — he regularly showcases plus-plus raw power for someone in his age bracket. A freak athlete in every sense, Walcott runs well and has made strides to stick at shortstop defensively.

Room For Improvement:
Walcott has never dominated a level like you may hope he would. He has always been more of a pull hitter which is not necessarily a good thing for someone with his raw power and tendency to put the ball on the ground. His contact rate has hovered around 71% this year which is below average but fine given the context of his age and overall profile.

7. Bryce Eldridge — San Francisco Giants (AAA)

20 y.o / LHH / 1B
Previous Rank: 25

Strengths:
Eldridge has the highest power ceiling on the list. He continued his rampage through the minors this season, putting up a 149 wRC+ at Double-A. After a slower start at Triple-A, the 20 year old slugger is performing there too. He absolutely crushes fastballs, not only does he hit them a long way but he won’t swing and miss against them.

Room For Improvement:
Eldridge is always going to strike out given he’s 6'7 with tree trunks for arms. He is swinging through well located (bottom of the zone or chase) secondary offerings a lot at Triple-A but is still very young and is newer to the level. It appears that his long-term defensive home will be first base which obviously dings the profile a bit.

8. Bubba Chandler — Pittsburgh Pirates (AAA)

22 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: 10

Strengths:
Chandler’s arsenal is led by a fastball that looks like it was made in a lab to get whiffs, it’s in the upper 90s with above average ride and comes in from a flat vertical approach angle. It’s also not hard to slap a plus grade on his changeup given the separation off his fastball and the results it has returned. The slider and curveball are above average on paper and get solid results as well. He has a standout 4 pitch mix and better control than whatever his Triple-A walk rate says. Call him up already.

Room For Improvement:
His command is just average. And his overall numbers don’t scream dominance (but there’s no question to me that his stuff is going to play against big leaguers).

9. Josue De Paula — Los Angeles Dodgers (A+)

20 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: 16

Strengths:
De Paula continues to do what he does best, hit. The big framed outfielder gets frequent comps to Yordan Alvarez for his ability to hit the ball incredibly hard from the left side but still make lots of contact. De Paula has made big strides to elevate more of his best contact this year and now it’s a near spotless offensive profile.

Room For Improvement:
He’s susceptible to getting pitched away. The glove also isn’t great and never has been but I think he can be adequate in left or right field for his peak athletic years.

10. Carson Benge — New York Mets (AAA)

22 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Benge started his pro career off slow but has caught fire in the summer months. He’s showing plus bat-to-ball ability, a disciplined approach, and has well above average exit velocities. He has been crushing the ball in the air more and more as the season goes on. Benge is an above average runner with efficient routes who should be good in the outfield. And he’ll probably get some run in center given the Mets need there.

Room For Improvement:
Benge’s home run output may be limited by not pulling flyballs.

11. Luis Pena — Milwaukee Brewers (A+)

18 y.o / RHH / SS/3B
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Similar to Jesus Made, Pena is a teenage Brewers DSL prospect who went straight to Single-A. He tends to get mentioned second to Made but is an outstanding prospect in his own right. Pena is less of an athletic freak but might actually be a better hitter right now than his Timber Rattlers teammate. It’s easy plus hit tool projection as he makes lots of contact, has plus swing decisions, and hits the ball more than hard enough.

Room For Improvement:
He doesn’t have a huge frame and is unlikely to have more than 50–55 game power. Pena is a good runner but doesn’t move quite as well at shortstop and probably fits better at 3B, especially if he’s going to move at a similar timeline to Made (who is the better defender).

12. Leo De Vries — Athletics (A+)

18 y.o / Switch / SS
Previous Rank: 15

Strengths:
Another fast-tracked teenage SS, De Vries has the chance to have an above average hit tool and above average power from the shortstop position. He makes a good amount of contact, has strong swing decisions, and has an advanced feel for elevating and pulling the ball.

Room For Improvement:
His raw power isn’t on the level of Made or Walcott but is above average for his age, especially from the left side. De Vries has been inconsistent defensively at shortstop this year and is not a lock to stick at the position.

13. Walker Jenkins — Minnesota Twins (AA)

20 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: 2

Strengths:
Jenkins has put up elite numbers as a 20 year in Double-A. He’s showing strong bat to ball skills and pristine swing decisions. He has hit for more power recently and at times flashes the all-fields pop that made him so exciting in high school. Even if he’s a good defensive corner outfielder rather than a center fielder, I like his chances to be a very good player.

Room For Improvement:
He’s more or less the same prospect as he was a year ago. Even with recent success, the power hasn’t come along quite like I hoped when I ranked him #2 last year. I should also mention that Jenkins has been injured a lot going back to high school, some of them more bad luck than others.

14. Max Clark — Detroit Tigers (AA)

20 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: 22

Strengths:
Even for Clark’s biggest haters, it’s getting tough to ignore his hitting production while playing a very good center field. His contact rates have improved this year and he’s still walking a ton. A gap-to-gap hitter with a good strikeout to walk rate and strong defense will make All Star games.

Room For Improvement:
His approach could be classified as overly passive depending on who you ask. Clark has always had decent EVs but hasn’t elevated the ball much going back to high school. He’s unlikely to have more than 10–15 home run power as a result.

15. Colt Emerson — Seattle Mariners (AA)

20 y.o / LHH / SS
Previous Rank: 12

Strengths:
Emerson’s offense seemed to really click in the recent months at High-A. The contact rates are still great and the swing decisions are some some of the best you’ll find in this age group. This isn’t new for Emerson. What’s new is that he has a career high in home runs.

Room For Improvement:
I’ve never been that convinced of Emerson’s power, his exit velocities are around average and he puts the ball on the ground a lot. There’s also not a lot of physical projection left. If the recent power uptick isn’t a mirage, he starts projecting as a great hitter rather a good one.

16. Josue Briceno — Detroit Tigers (AA)

20 y.o / LHH / C/1B/DH
Previous Rank: 85

Strengths:
Ranking Briceno aggressively last year has made me look pretty smart. He posted a 183 wRC+ at High-A, walking more than he struck out and hitting 15 home runs. He has also been good recently at Double-A. He gets 60s across the board offensively and the game power could get up to 65 grade. He looks the part of a middle of the order bat.

Room For Improvement:
Briceno has split time between C, 1B, and DH. He has done very well at throwing out baserunners but his blocking and receiving are below average. I’d put him in the same bucket as Basallo defensively.

17. Andrew Painter — Philadelphia Phillies (AAA)

22 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: 26

Strengths:
Coming off TJ, Painter’s velocity has been intact as he is sitting 96–98 MPH with his fastball and his breaking balls are where you’d want them to be. Even at 6'7, Painter throws consistent strikes. He likely won’t get his MLB shot until next year and that’s probably for the best but I have confidence he’ll be a quality starter for a number of years.

Room For Improvement:
Painter’s overall numbers are mediocre this year but it was always going to be an uphill battle at Triple-A with elbow surgery in the rearview mirror. He has a deep pitch mix but only his changeup has a 30%+ whiff rate as of writing. His command could still use a coat or two of polish as he can leave too much over the heart of the plate, leading to more home runs than you’d like.

18. Zyhir Hope — Los Angeles Dodgers (A+)

20 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: 39

Strengths:
Hope has huge bat speed and hits the ball in the air as much as anyone in the lower minors. He’s a very physical 5'11, posting EVs above 113 MPH. There’s 30+ home run power in the tank with him. I like Hope best in a corner outfield spot where I think he’ll be a good defender.

Room For Improvement:
He has run into some trouble with swing and miss this season. His strikeout rate isn’t alarming at time of writing but the ~68% contact rate is well below average. He doesn’t need to be a bat-to-ball maestro to hit but he’ll need to be better than this to move up the ladder. Some of the improvements could come in approach — essentially trading a little power for contact with two strikes.

19. Jonah Tong — New York Mets (AAA)

22 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Tong has had one of the best seasons in MiLB, cementing himself as one of the game’s premier pitching prospects. His velo on his ultra-ride fastball has ticked up this year and it’s a pitch that can eviscerate lineups when he’s commanding it. He also has a bit more feel for spin than you might expect given the fastball profile. Tong’s changeup has also come along in a big way this year and has huge vertical separation off his fastball. He’s showcasing the best command and control of his career.

Room For Improvement:
He would probably generate more chases if he threw his high 70s curveball a bit harder with less total movement. Triple-A will be a good test of his strike-throwing.

20. Aidan Miller — Philadelphia Phillies (AA)

21 y.o / RHH / SS
Previous Rank: 19

Strengths:
Miller has has gotten better at Double-A as the year has went on. His contact rates are the same as last year despite his higher strikeout rate. I like the improvements he has made to his bat path as a pro and his great bat speed is still there. He isn’t a burner but he has been an excellent base stealer this year. Newly 21, Miller is projecting as an above average regular.

Room For Improvement:
Miller’s defense at shortstop has progressed as a professional but not to the point where he’s moving Trea Turner off the position. He could also stand to swing more in the zone.

21. Luke Keaschall — Minnesota Twins (MLB)

22 y.o / RHH / 2B
Previous Rank: 80

Strengths:
Keaschall would’ve graduated months ago had he not fractured his forearm in April. He followed up his great 2024 season by walking as much as he struck out in his month’s worth of games at Triple-A. Keaschall has plus bat-to-ball skills and although his exit velocities are 50 grade, he has good feel for the barrel and some pull + lift skills. He’s a patient hitter who should be a good table-setter at the top of the order.

Room For Improvement:
Keaschall’s swing is controlled but not particularly fast. And he is a fringe average defender at second base right now.

22. Jett Williams — New York Mets (AAA)

21 y.o / RHH / SS/2B/OF
Previous Rank: 53

Strengths:
What Williams lacks in physicality, he makes up in actual slugging ability. Despite just average raw power, his penchant for pulling flyballs gives him a good chance to hit 15–20 home runs annually. His swing decisions are also still excellent, helping him walk at a big clip. He has improved his glovework on the dirt this year and should be able to play second base. Williams is also a plus base runner who could steal 30 bags regularly.

Room For Improvement:
Williams doesn’t make quite as much contact as you might expect given his smaller stature. This kind of jack of all trades master of none offensive profile can go a lot of different ways.

23. Travis Bazzana — Cleveland Guardians (AAA)

22 y.o / LHH / 2B
Previous Rank: 14

Strengths:
Bazzana has a track record going back to college and has been very productive, especially since coming back from an oblique injury. His contact rates are strong overall and he has maintained elite chase rates in the minors. There’s some pull + lift skills that can get him to solid home run totals. He’s tracking like a high probability above average hitter.

Room For Improvement:
The exit velocities aren’t huge right now and his swing has led to a bit more whiffs than expected against pitches up in the zone. There’s Adley Rutschman in his approach which is a double-edged sword. The defense at second base and baserunning have been a bit worse than expected, no thanks to his oblique.

24. Thomas White — Miami Marlins (AA)

20 y.o / LHP / SP
Previous Rank: 56

Strengths:
White is up to Double-A now and still striking out hitters in bunches while limiting home runs. He hides the ball well and his mid 90s fastball is tough to barrel up. White’s low 80s slurve is his best put-away pitch, especially against lefties. He added a gyro-slider this season to give him a breaking ball that he could throw against righties more. He tends to lean on his changeup to get righties out which is a pitch he can zone and also bury for chases.

Room For Improvement:
White’s long arm action can sometimes get him into trouble with spraying his pitches. His arsenal does not always stand out on paper but it’s hard to argue with the performance and lefties can be more difficult to properly quantify on a pitch plot.

25. George Lombard Jr. — New York Yankees (AA)

20 y.o / RHH / SS
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
The Yankees tipped their hand about how they feel about Lombard Jr. with his aggressive promotion track. His best tool right now is his glove. He has a cannon and makes all the plays at shortstop, impressive stuff from a guy who was a “maybe” there when he was drafted. His contact rates have always been fine against older competition and he makes excellent swing decisions.

Room For Improvement:
The game power is mostly projection at this point as Lombard has just 12 professional home runs in ~1000 PA. If it doesn’t fully come around he’s probably going to be a fine MLB hitter but not necessarily a good one.

26. Emmanuel Rodriguez — Minnesota Twins (AAA)

22 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: 6

Strengths:
Rodriguez is a power threat who will work pitchers tirelessly and draw a ton of walks. He also has been a bit more aggressive in the zone this year which is a positive thing for him. His defense continues to shine in the outfield.

Room For Improvement:
It hasn’t been the year an E-Rod fan like myself hoped for as he has struggled with swing and miss and got injured (again). He still had a 128 wRC+ but that isn’t the 150 or 160 that we have been accustomed to seeing from him. The main problem is still swinging through fastballs at the top of the zone.

27. Edward Florentino — Pittsburgh Pirates (A)

18 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Florentino is a huge riser this season, the 18 year old tore through Rookie Ball and is laying waste to Single-A as we speak. His underlying data largely backs up the surface level numbers too. He’s showcasing plus bat to ball skills which is even more impressive when you consider his 6'4 frame. Florentino has hit plenty of home runs thanks to a great ability to get the ball in the air and on the barrel. With strength gains, it’s not hard to see him being a middle of the order bat.

Room For Improvement:
His exit velocities are more good than they are great. This is very normal for an 18 year old. The Pirates continue to play Florentino in CF but his future is likely in the corner outfield.

28. Gage Jump — Athletics (AA)

22 y.o / LHP / SP
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Jump fell to pick #73 in the draft due to a limited college track record but he has proven to be a bargain for the A’s. He’s a bit short for a pitcher but he uses it to his advantage, releasing his fastball from a lower release point. These low release height plus-carry fastballs are typically really hard for hitters to handle, especially when you’re in the mid 90s like Jump is. He has three distinct breaking balls which he mixes in expertly. He rarely uses his changeup but it gets a lot of vertical separation off his fastball. Jump has a bit of a hitch in his delivery but he’s in the zone consistently.

Room For Improvement:
He’s likely another year of good health and build-up away from being able to handle an MLB starter’s workload.

29. Jamie Arnold — Athletics

21 y.o / LHP / SP
Previous Rank: Newly Drafted

Strengths:
Arnold was my top ranked prospect this draft cycle. This is news that may be surprising to you given where he went but I was quite consistent on this all cycle. His best pitch is his slider. It’s a double-plus offering that obliterates lefties and he can command and back-door against righties. The lefty’s newest weapon is his splitter which also is a double-plus pitch on paper and performed like one. I think he’s going to be really good.

Room For Improvement:
Arnold’s fastball took a big step back this year as he raised his arm slot which made it lose some of its uniqueness. His command of it was also noticeably worse. I think the Athletics will revert his arm slot back to what it was in 2024 when his fastball was dominant. He’s also still getting a feel for getting his splitter in the zone given how much movement it has.

30. Bryce Rainer — Detroit Tigers (A)

20 y.o / LHH / SS
Previous Rank: 44

Strengths:
Rainer showed serious raw power with EVs up to 114 MPH and an average exit velocity of 92.1 MPH. He didn’t show much pull + lift ability in his 149 PA but if it’s going to be 70 raw power that’s not going to matter so much. Rainer’s swing decisions are solid and he has the bat speed to handle fastballs with ease. He is likely to stick at shortstop, post-surgery arm strength permitting.

Room For Improvement:
Rainer’s season ended early as he dislocated his throwing shoulder in June. He did swing through spin quite a bit which will be something to monitor going forward.

31. Aiva Arquette — Miami Marlins

21 y.o / RHH / SS/3B
Previous Rank: Newly Drafted

Strengths:
The Marlins made a first round pick that I actually liked for the first time in quite a few years. Arquette was the most talented college hitter in the draft by a substantial margin. He has elite quality of contact, with plus exit velocities and a great feel for the barrel. He is excellent at getting his best contact up in the air for extra base damage. Arquette is 6'5 and never going to be a bat-to-ball maestro but he has cut his strikeouts every year and his contact skills are decent.

Room For Improvement:
My biggest problem with Arquette right now is his swing decisions, especially against fastballs. He’s also a bit stretched at shortstop and would move to 3B for a plus defender.

32. Kade Anderson — Seattle Mariners

21 y.o / LHP / SP
Previous Rank: Newly Drafted

Strengths:
Anderson fell into Seattle’s lap which is scary considering their track record of developing pitchers. Both of his breaking balls are above average getting plus results and he also throws an intriguing changeup. Anderson has feel for his entire arsenal, his plus-command and pitch sequencing let his stuff play up. He still has velocity projection and adding a tick or two to his mix could take him to the next level.

Room For Improvement:
He isn’t a soft tosser but he’s also not overpowering right now. His low to mid 90s fastball is likely going to be a bit ordinary with an MLB ball.

33. Eli Willits — Washington Nationals

17 y.o / Switch / SS
Previous Ranked: Newly Drafted

Strengths:
Projection projection projection. Willits was the youngest #1 pick ever. The switch hitter has advanced bat-to-ball skills, looks like a shortstop, and runs very well. He also showed above average raw power depending on the day you saw him.

Room For Improvement:
He’s unlikely to ever hit for a lot of home run power, even if he grows into more raw power.

34. Eduardo Quintero — Los Angeles Dodgers (A+)

19 y.o / RHH / OF
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Here’s the latest in the Dodgers outfielder pipeline. Quintero had been making hard contact for a while but a swing change has him elevating and celebrating. He makes a good amount of contact and is very patient. Quintero moves well in the outfield and is tracking like someone who will stick in center field. He is also an excellent baserunner.

Room For Improvement:
I always get a little nervous when I see big lower minor performance on the back of a swing rate in the 30s because an approach like this can back up against better pitchers. Not a big concern but it’s just something to monitor as he climbs the ladder. Quintero’s home run total is also likely a little fake given his Single-A park.

35. Nolan McLean — New York Mets (MLB)

24 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: 98

Strengths:
McLean is a former two-way player who is one of the very few prospects performing at Triple-A across MiLB. He leads with his sweeper which can get up to 3000 RPMs and has 15 inches of glove side break. His sinker on the other hand comes in at 95 MPH and has 16 inches of arm side break, giving McLean a nasty east-west profile. He also throws an 89 MPH cutter and a 79 MPH curveball, the latter has a ~50% whiff rate this year. McLean has generally been a decent strike thrower and his command is above average on his better days. He’s close to making a big league impact.

Room For Improvement:
A lot of the time these big total movement guys end up as relievers because they can struggle to locate their pitches. McLean isn’t on that trajectory but it’s something he’ll need to continue to improve at.

36. Billy Carlson — Chicago White Sox

19 y.o / RHH / SS
Previous Rank: Newly Drafted

Strengths:
There was a point this draft cycle where I wondered if Billy Carlson had a chance to go 1.1. His spring was fine, he followed up on his great summer by making plenty of contact, showing a good approach, and swinging hard. The bat speed makes me optimistic for future power gains but you have to squint a little. His incredible glove will be his carrying tool if he’s not an impact hitter.

Room For Improvement:
His swing isn’t totally built for getting the ball in the air and he’s more of a wiry athlete. You’re walking a fine line if you get Carlson to put on muscle because he’s sooooooooo good at shortstop with his current body.

37. Jarlin Susana — Washington Nationals (AA)

21 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: 46

Strengths:
Susana is 6'6 and built like a tank. He still throws his four-seam and sinker as hard as anybody and his slider gets into the low 90s at its best. His fastballs are not huge bat-missers but they are incredibly difficult to barrel up at their movement and velocity. His slider is a double plus pitch at minimum and drives much of his elite strikeout ability. He threads the needle of getting weak contact while also getting a lot of strikeouts.

Room For Improvement:
2024 marked a huge improvement but Susana has been an inconsistent strike thrower for his career. He had an elbow injury this year (he’s back now and looks good) which is worth noting.

38. Ethan Holliday — Colorado Rockies (A)

18 y.o / LHH / SS/3B
Previous Rank: Newly Drafted

Strengths:
Holliday is more power-over-hit than his older brother Jackson. Although he didn’t end up going as high as him in the draft, there were points in time where scouts thought Ethan was a better prospect. Holliday destroyed his weaker Oklahoma competition this spring, showing good swing decisions and flashing future double plus raw power in both batting practice and in game.

Room For Improvement:
His summer numbers against good competition fell short of lofty expectations. He struggled to hit velocity and impact the baseball at the same rate. Holliday improved defensively this spring but will likely slide off shortstop for third base.

39. Liam Doyle — St. Louis Cardinals

21 y.o / LHP / SP
Previous Rank: Newly Drafted

Strengths:
Doyle backs up his electrifying mound presence with an electrifying fastball. It’s handedly the best one in the recent draft class and would play like a plus pitch at the MLB level tomorrow. He commands it well at 96 MPH with carry and a flat VAA. His splitter might be his #2 long term playing off a fastball like that. He’s never going to have a great breaking ball but he should be able to throw his slider hard enough that it can pose a threat.

Room For Improvement:
He’ll have to sharpen his secondary command since he’s going to need to throw his fastball less. Doyle’s delivery gets met with scout skepticism and he did struggle to hold his velocity through starts early in the college season.

40. Mike Sirota — Los Angeles Dodgers (A+)

22 y.o / RHH / OF
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
If you wonder why the Dodgers always have a good farm, look no further than moves like this. The Dodgers acquired the former Northeastern star for Gavin Lux and he went and had one of the best seasons in all of minor league baseball. He has been patient, has made enough contact, and maybe most importantly, he’s hit the ball hard at good angles. Sirota runs quite well and has the chance to stick in CF.

Room For Improvement:
I do think there’s a good chance his contact rates back up against upper-minors competition. It looks like he’s out long term with a right knee injury right now.

41. Payton Tolle — Boston Red Sox (AAA)

22 y.o / LHP / SP
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Tolle has been a star since being plucked in the 2nd round last draft. He has put up stellar numbers, with a K-BB% of around 30% being most impressive. Tolle has seen his velocity jump to the mid 90s this year and now his fastball is borderline untouchable with his deception and high extension. It also doesn’t hurt that he can pepper it at the top of the zone as well as anybody. Tolle shows the potential for plus command/control.

Room For Improvement:
From a secondaries standpoint, he’s a work in progress. He doesn’t have that high of spin capacity so his slider is just solid. The changeup is a work in progress but there’s some reason to believe it can play in the future. It’s more of a mid-rotation projection but perhaps higher if he can run into a plus secondary offering.

42. Jordan Lawlar — Arizona Diamondbacks (AAA)

23 y.o / RHH / SS/3B
Previous Rank: 16

Strengths:
Lawler hasn’t had a fair shot at the majors and has performed well again at Triple-A. He has always been great in the minors thanks to his strong swing decisions and ability to elevate and pull the ball with consistency. It feels like he has been on the list forever but he just turned 23. It’s tough to get a read on his defense but I think he should be pretty good at third.

Room For Improvement:
He has been injured a lot and does have some yellow flags beyond that. The contact rate against non-fastballs is bad and the exit velocities have always been ~50 grade.

43. Josuar Gonzalez — San Francisco Giants (DSL)

17 y.o / Switch / SS
Previous Rank: Newly Signed

Strengths:
Generally speaking, I do not concern myself much with the DSL when I make this list. But when top IFA names back themselves up with good performance and high praise from scouts, I try to pay attention. Gonzalez has walked more than he has struck out while posting very good contact numbers, especially in the zone. He has also hit the ball very hard for a 17 year old, though he understandably is still learning to elevate his best contact. He runs very well and glides at shortstop. Gonzalez is showing superstar 5 tool player potential.

Room For Improvement:
There’s a reason I usually avoid Rookie Ball. He’ll fly up the list next year if he has a Jesus Made type season at Single-A.

44. Rainiel Rodriguez — St. Louis Cardinals (A)

18 y.o / RHH / C
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Rodriguez is a flyball pulling catcher with solid bat-to-ball skills and excellent production. His exit velocities are great for his age and he hits a ton of flyballs. Rodriguez has a plus arm behind the plate and is improving at the softer skills. He’s an exciting prospect who projects to stick at the position long-term.

Room For Improvement:
The main knock on him right now is that his swing decisions aren’t great. He’s a pretty good bad ball hitter so it hasn’t dampened his top line numbers much yet. It’s also fair to question how much more raw power projection a thicker 5'10 catcher has.

45. Trey Yesavage — Toronto Blue Jays (AAA)

22 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Yesavage has been hovering around the top of the MiLB strikeout leaderboards all year. His fastball has been around 94 MPH with huge riding action and has been terrific. His splitter has dominated at every level and plays up due to its huge vertical separation off his fastball. His cutter has also been a swing and miss pitch. He has a chase heavy approach to pitching but has consistently made adjustments to be in the zone more as he has moved up the ladder.

Room For Improvement:
He’s control over command right now and will have to locate better against hitters he can’t blow away. Yesavage is a bit unprecedented because he has an extremely over the top delivery and doesn’t have anything that moves to the glove-side in his arsenal. But being unorthodox can sometimes be a good thing as a pitcher and it’s hard to argue with the results so far.

46. Carter Jensen — Kansas City Royals (AAA)

22 y.o / LHH / C
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Jensen has hit his way up the MiLB ladder. There’s huge bat speed in his ferocious swing which has allowed him to hit the ball incredibly hard this year. He gets his power in games with relative ease, giving him 25 home run power potential in the big leagues. He has cut down his strikeout rate at each level over time which points to his ability to adapt even with fringe-average bat to ball skills. Jensen is not going to win gold gloves behind the plate but has improved year-over-year and is a good framer in particular.

Room For Improvement:
He’s going to have his hands full defensively when he gets the call and is likely to struggle offensively at first, especially with strikeouts.

47. Alfredo Duno — Cincinnati Reds (A)

19 y.o / RHH / C
Previous Rank: 100

Strengths:
Duno has plus raw power and gets the ball in the air enough to access it in games. He has cut his strikeout rate significantly this year which is a really good thing to see from a teenager as he spends more time at a level. Duno is a big guy but is deceivingly quick and moves well enough behind the plate. He has a cannon for an arm and has controlled the run game well compared to his peers.

Room For Improvement:
Duno has a big leg kick and can get into trouble with whiffing. He’s a patient hitter who may end up being a bit three true outcomes as a big leaguer. He’s repeating Single-A because he missed a lot of time last year with a broken rib.

48. Arjun Nimmala — Toronto Blue Jays (A+)

19 y.o / RHH / SS
Previous Rank: 82

Strengths:
Nimmala was promoted and has cut his strikeout rate by over 10% which is something most prospects never do. He has been a bit unlucky with batted ball luck and is still very young for the level. The reviews on his defense at shortstop are generally positive.

Room For Improvement:
Nimmala has slumped hard this summer as the other five teams in the Northwest League have made adjustments against him. He has been seeing a lot of righty breakers especially on the outer third. His struggles with this pitch were something that came up at times last season too.

49. Caleb Bonemer — Chicago White Sox (A)

19 y.o / RHH / SS/3B
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Bonemer came into last year’s draft cycle with some helium and then had a bit of a down spring, allowing him to be taken by the White Sox at the start of the second round. He has looked very advanced this year at Single-A. He is showcasing an excellent feel for the zone, making contact, hitting the ball hard, and pulling flyballs.

Room For Improvement:
Bonemer isn’t going to grow into a lot more raw power and there are some concerns that his operation in the box is too stiff. He’s a split camp defender who is more likely a third baseman than a shortstop.

50. Jojo Parker — Toronto Blue Jays

19 y.o / RHH / SS/3B/2B
Previous Rank: Newly Drafted

Strengths:
Parker had the best in zone contact rate on the high school circuit as well as one of the prettier swings you’ll find in the draft class. He has also shown that he can handle premium velocity as well as spin. If you buy all the way into his circuit sample, Parker had arguably the best hit tool in the draft. He has power too — his hands are quick, he hits the ball hard consistently and he can elevate.

Room For Improvement:
There’s not much to complain about offensively but it’s easier to say that before he sees pro pitching. Parker is a 50 runner and unlikely a true fit at shortstop.

51. Lazaro Montes — Seattle Mariners (AA)

20 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: 36

Strengths:
Montes has huge over the fence thump. He gets to his double plus raw power in games as much as anybody and may be a 40 home run bat in his peak years. His swing decisions also stand out as above average, he draws a significant amount of walks without being too passive. These are the things that the game’s best hitters do.

Room For Improvement:
Montes has never had perilous strikeout rates but they’ve always been high and he has had contact rates in the 60s for most of his career. He’s bordering on the edge of not making enough contact for his incredible power to play. It hasn’t happened yet in the minors but it could at the step up to the majors. He’s not a good defender so this is a bat driven ranking.

52. Jefferson Rojas — Chicago Cubs (AA)

20 y.o / RHH / SS
Previous Rank: 73

Strengths:
Rojas posted a 141 wRC+ this year after repeating High-A due to lousy top of the line numbers last year. The advanced numbers always thought he was unlucky last year so some of the improvement was natural. Rojas pulled more of his flyballs this year which has helped his average exit velocities play and he still makes lots of contact. He has improved defensively at shortstop over the last year (check out the massive improvement in his error rate) and has the athleticism to remain at the position.

Room For Improvement:
He’s off to a slow start at Double-A and it’s unclear if his High-A home run totals are something that will stick going forward. He could end up at second base for a superior defender.

53. Ryan Sloan — Seattle Mariners (A+)

19 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Sloan isn’t my usual cup of tea but I’ve come to really like his profile. A teenage starting pitcher who doesn’t walk anyone and has potential for 3 above average pitches that tunnel well off each other… what’s not to like? His fastball is 94–95 MPH and he has touched 99 MPH with it. He’ll probably add a sinker eventually too. His sweeping slider is tough on righties and his splitter is inconsistent but great on its day. Sloan is 6'5 with a low effort delivery. There’s lots of starter traits here and still velocity to project on.

Room For Improvement:
The fastball shape is below average and he isn’t projecting like someone who will strike out the world.

54. Seth Hernandez — Pittsburgh Pirates

19 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: Newly Drafted

Strengths:
Hernandez is far and away the best high school pitching prospect in the recent draft class. He was up in the mid 90s with his fastball and looks like he may regularly hit triple digits as a professional. Hernandez’s changeup is arguably the best from a high school pitcher since Dylan Lesko. It has lots of movement and plays off his fastball well. His breaking balls are inconsistent but he flashes above average feel for spin. He throws a lot of strikes for someone who throws so hard so young and has a prototypical starter’s frame.

Room For Improvement:
His fastball shape may back up into the dead-zone with an MLB ball. Hernandez is a very good high school pitching prospect but I’m always cautious with these guys until we get an extended sample in pro ball (see Noble Meyer for a recent example).

55. Kaelen Culpepper — Minnesota Twins (AA)

22 y.o / RHH / SS
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
The Twins 2024 first round pick has been on a torrid stretch this summer, slugging his way through High-A and then turning it up a notch at Double-A. Culpepper is an aggressive hitter who has good bat speed and feel for getting the ball on the barrel. He makes plenty of contact, especially given his approach. He’s a good runner who may be the Twins shortstop of the future.

Room For Improvement:
As alluded to above, Culpepper is more than willing to chase out of the zone. He is still mostly a groundball hitter but has shown more ability to make hard contact in the air than he did at Kansas State.

56. Franklin Arias — Boston Red Sox (A+)

19 y.o / RHH / SS
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Arias has the best pure contact rates of anyone on this list by a large margin. He’s not the most athletic shortstop but has good fundamentals with a strong arm and quick hands. Hitters who make this much contact and play premium positions are almost always big leaguers.

Room For Improvement:
Arias chases too much out of the zone to be a big OBP guy despite the elite bat-to-ball. I also have some concerns about the power — there’s feel for the barrel but he generally puts the ball on the ground a lot and his exit velocities are just fine and unlikely to improve significantly. His development will come down to whether or not his incredible bat-to-ball numbers this year are something he’s “selling out for” or something that he can continue doing while improving other parts of his offensive game.

57. Noah Schultz — Chicago White Sox (AA)

22 y.o / LHP / SP
Previous Rank: 13

Strengths:
Schultz has been pitching deeper into games this year. Last year he did not reach 5 innings once, this year he has done it in more than half of his starts. He’s also still keeping the ball on the ground with his sinker/sweeper combo.

Room For Improvement:
His performance has dropped like a stone and it’s backed up by his peripherals. Walks are way up and Ks have been harder to come by. Some of this is no doubt related to diminished velocity and more fatigue over longer outings. There’s an adjustment period and he just turned 22 but I do have to drop him anyway.

58. Eduardo Tait — Minnesota Twins (A+)

18 y.o / LHH / C
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Mick Abel may be more ready to contribute for the Twins right now but Eduardo Tait is the prospect headliner of the Jhoan Duran package. Tait possesses above average contact skills and is hitting the ball very hard for an 18 year old. He has a good arm behind the plate and projects as a solid defender.

Room For Improvement:
Tait is very chase happy and this is hurting his walk rate and quality of contact.

59. Braden Montgomery — Chicago White Sox (AA)

22 y.o / Switch / OF
Previous Rank: 33

Strengths:
Montgomery is a player that I liked a lot heading into the draft. He has huge bat speed in his big swing and can hit the ball a long way when he gets a hold of it. He’s a great athlete and has a huge arm in right field.

Room For Improvement:
He doesn’t have the most barrel adjustability to fight off soft stuff given his approach. That and pitch recognition are the main two things I see holding him back right now. He had a great first few months this year and has mellowed out a bit since then.

60. Didier Fuentes — Atlanta Braves (AAA)

20 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Fuentes has an outlier vertical approach angle on his 94–96 MPH fastball and puts it in the zone a lot. His breaking ball shapes are good (and quite wacky) for someone so spin-efficient and I’m optimistic there’s a second gear with the right usage changes and reps (he’s still just 20!). Fuentes keeps walks down. He reminds me of early career Joe Ryan.

Room For Improvement:
The Braves did him dirty with the call-up before he was ready. He still over-relies on his fastball and has a bit of a home run problem as a result.

61. Jaxon Wiggins — Chicago Cubs (AA)

23 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Wiggins has leapt onto the list thanks to improved performance while pushing into the upper minors. He has cleaned up his delivery and been able to throw more strikes this year while keeping his same great stuff. He has a mid-to-high 90s fastball and an above average slider and changeup.

Room For Improvement:
Wiggins will have to maintain his control improvements going forward and still needs to build innings with TJ in the rearview mirror.

62. Owen Caissie — Chicago Cubs (AAA)

23 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: 65

Strengths:
Caissie is repeating Triple-A but if he was on a team with a less secure outfield than the Cubs he would likely have graduated off this list. His strikeout rate is more or less the same as last year but his contact rate and swing decisions have improved in spite of this. He’s also hitting the ball significantly harder, showing plus-plus exit velocity on balls in the air. He’s one of the few prospects near the top of the AAA home run leaderboard.

Room For Improvement:
There’s AAAA player risk here with the contact questions against breaking balls as well as the corner outfield profile.

63. Kyson Witherspoon — Boston Red Sox

21 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: Newly Drafted

Strengths:
Witherspoon was my #10 ranked draft prospect and went to the Red Sox at pick #15. What I like most about him is that he throws everything hard. His fastball is in the mid to high 90s with low extension but good ride. It wasn’t his best performing pitch though, that was actually his 89 MPH cutter. Look for the Red Sox to cut the fastball usage and have him lean on it more. Witherspoon has quite a deep arsenal with a slider, curveball, and a changeup all showing promise.

Room For Improvement:
There may not be a carrying pitch or trait with Witherspoon and his track record of good strike throwing is just this recent college season.

64. Jonny Farmelo — Seattle Mariners (A+)

20 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: 96

Strengths:
I believe in Farmelo because he’s a great athlete who hits the ball hard and gets to his power in games. He didn’t steal in his small sample of games this year but still flashes 70 grade run times post-ACL injury and his athleticism is on display in center field.

Room For Improvement:
Two seasons, two major injuries for Farmelo. A torn ACL cost him a large chunk of 2024 and now a stress reaction in his rib has cost him a large chunk of 2025. It’s also tough to tell whether or not his strikeout rate inflation this year is concerning given that he is starting out at a new level and the sample is small. I’m leaning towards no, at least not yet.

65. Cam Schlittler — New York Yankees (MLB)

24 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Schlittler came off a sneaky good 2024 season and started throwing a lot harder. He did this while still throwing a good amount of strikes (in the minors at least). He has been in the 96–98 MPH range this year with his 4 seamer. It has cut-ride characteristics and has consistently missed bats. He also throws a bullet slider at 91 MPH. It’s difficult to barrel up and he feels comfortable throwing it in zone. He rounds out his arsenal with a curveball and a sweeper.

Room For Improvement:
Schlittler can get into trouble when he isn’t commanding his breaking balls (especially against lefties) and he’ll over-rely on his fastball. He would likely benefit from an off-speed pitch. He may need some more time at AAA.

66. Travis Sykora — Washington Nationals (AA)

21 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: 68

Strengths:
Sykora has above average control and the potential for 3 plus pitches in his mid-90s fastball, standout splitter, and great performing slider. He was rocking a 1.79 ERA and a 36.7% K-BB% across three levels and looked like one of the best pitching prospects in baseball.

Room For Improvement:
If you’re wondering why that last sentence was in past tense, he recently had Tommy John Surgery. We’ll see where the velocity is at when he comes back, it’s important that he can throw his fastball hard given its shape.

67. Moises Ballesteros — Chicago Cubs (AAA)

21 y.o / LHH / C/DH
Previous Rank: 49

Strengths:
Ballesteros has hit at every level and has kept up his production at Triple-A this year. There’s a lot of Alejandro Kirk in his body type and offensive game. He is an aggressive hitter that makes a lot of contact and hits the ball hard. He’s unlikely to ever be someone who walks a lot but should be difficult to strike out while posing as a gap-to-gap and over the fence threat.

Room For Improvement:
Ballesteros has put the ball on the ground more this year which is not a great trend especially with how slow he is. The Cubs are maybe telling us what they think of Ballesteros defensively when they call him up only to fill in at DH. If he can’t play catcher he’s a bit of a nomad as I can’t imagine you’d want a 5'8 first baseman.

68. Carson Williams — Tampa Bay Rays (AAA)

22 y.o / RHH / SS
Previous Rank: 9

Strengths:
His phenomenal defense at shortstop and 30 home run power are very likely to get him an MLB role. He’s 22 in Triple-A so he’ll get another year to show he can make the necessary adjustments.

Room For Improvement:
It has not been the year that Williams or the Rays had hoped for as his strikeout rate has ballooned at Triple-A and he’s been a below average hitter overall. His lackluster pitch recognition is being abused by Triple-A pitchers and he has never had the bat-to-ball skills to get away with it.

69. Theo Gillen — Tampa Bay Rays (A)

19 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
I was high on Gillen coming into the draft and I think he’s shown enough this year to jump onto my list. He checks a lot of the boxes for me. He hits the ball hard, he makes a solid amount of contact, he plays up the middle, and he can steal.

Room For Improvement:
A lot of his production this year is driven by him being very patient against wild pitchers. He’s also still working to get his power to play in games. There’s plenty of development ahead for him.

70. Blake Mitchell — Kansas City Royals (A+)

21 y.o / LHH / C
Previous Rank: 81

Strengths:
Mitchell has plus raw power that he gets into games with ease and walks a lot. It’s been business as usual since he came back from injury this year. He’s a high pedigree athletic catcher with a big arm behind the plate.

Room For Improvement:
The outlook on Mitchell has not changed much since last year with regards to being a three true outcomes prospect. He also missed a large chunk of time this year with a broken hamate.

71. Chase DeLauter — Cleveland Guardians (AAA)

24 y.o / RHH / OF
Previous Rank: 31

Strengths:
DeLauter always hits a ton when he’s on the field. He hits the ball hard, he makes great swing decisions, he makes lots of contact. There’s little to complain about.

Room For Improvement:
If I were to list off DeLauter’s injury history I’d have to do so with a Star Wars opening crawl. He’s out most recently with a hamate fracture, something that can linger even after coming back. I don’t know what the defensive value is going to be with how injured he has been, it’s getting to the point where you consider DHing him just to keep him safe.

72. Troy Melton — Detroit Tigers (MLB)

24 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Melton is throwing harder in his age 24 season and gets his fastball in the 96–97 MPH range with good extension down the mound. The velocity and his command of it help it play despite below average shape. His slider has good late drop and dominated righties in the minors. Melton has above average command and control of his arsenal which helps him project as a solid MLB starter.

Room For Improvement:
There’s some vulnerability against lefties. He throws his cutter more against them which is a pitch that is good on paper but got hit hard at Triple-A. He’s been throwing a splitter more this year to help against lefties but it’s not fully realized. I also will repeat that his fastball shape is below average.

73. Robby Snelling — Miami Marlins (AAA)

21 y.o / LHP / SP
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Snelling has went from BA Pitcher of the Year in 2023 to a post-hype sleeper in 2024 and then back to being a consensus top 100 prospect in 2025. His lower slot 95 MPH fastball is still his best pitch and his low 80s curveball is still his best secondary. He can use the curveball for called strikes and throw it in 2-strike counts. Snelling has really locked in his command and control this year, both look to be firmly plus now. He is more built up for a full season than most and should compete for a rotation spot out of camp in 2026.

Room For Improvement:
He doesn’t have a pitch on paper that I’d confident say is plus so this is definitely a results oriented pick. His changeup is a key development item going forward.

74. George Klassen — Los Angeles Angels (AA)

23 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: 99

Strengths:
His fastball is dead zone but it has performed anyway in the upper 90s. His breaking balls are what make him most exciting. His “slutter” is around 90 MPH with negative IVB, it’s a totally ridiculous pitch. He also has a upper 80s curveball which is also a plus pitch. Klassen had profound walk issues in college that he turned around as a pro last year. He has maintained (if not improved) his control/command this year with the Angels.

Room For Improvement:
That isn’t to say his command and control are perfect now. He still needs to keep throwing strikes and his fastball might not play if it’s middle-middle against big league hitters. A string of bad starts has inflated his ERA but my view on him is much more in line with his rock solid peripherals.

75. Connor Prielipp — Minnesota Twins (AA)

24 y.o / LHP / SP
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
He has been healthy this year (with the exception of a blister) and has looked awesome going back to the end of the 2024 season. His fastball is in the mid 90s with movement, his slider is thrown hard and is lights out at its best, and his changeup has depth and is well located. Prielipp has shown above average command and control since college.

Room For Improvement:
Prielipp has had multiple elbow surgeries in the last 5 years so it’s remarkable he’s here on this list. He’s only pitching 2–4 innings a start so I can’t move him any higher until I see that he can maintain his velocity and command over a bigger workload.

76. Dylan Beavers — Baltimore Orioles (AAA)

23 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Beavers has been one of AAA’s top performers this year, especially over this most recent stretch. He pairs plus swing decisions with plus contact-rates and has tapped into significant home run power this year. His exit velocities are up and his power plays up with a healthy dose of pulled flyballs. He is a well above-average athlete for someone 6'5 and runs well. Beavers has the look of a player who is ready for a shot at MLB pitching.

Room For Improvement:
I think the exit velocities will end up slightly below average in the big leagues which would put the power potential closer to 20 home runs. Despite his speed, his jumps and routes in the outfield are below average. He has held his own but not done a lot of damage against lefties.

77. Harry Ford — Seattle Mariners (AAA)

22 y.o / RHH / C
Previous Rank: 69

Strengths:
Ford has been on the list for a while and seems to be the victim of some prospect fatigue. He’s still making plenty of contact, good swing decisions, and is hitting the ball harder than average. Ford has progressed into a solid defensive catcher.

Room For Improvement:
There’s definitely risk that because he doesn’t have a standout tool, underperformance in one area will be enough to make him a below average MLB hitter. His defensive role is a bit unclear given the presence of Cal Raleigh.

78. Robert Calaz — Colorado Rockies (A)

19 y.o / RHH / OF
Previous Rank: 86

Strengths:
Calaz hasn’t maintained his insane top of the line performance in full-season ball but he’s still been good. His contact numbers are better this season, they’re still not great but they’re the type you live with from a 19 year old with top of the scale raw power. He has looked smoother in the outfield this year.

Room For Improvement:
I think the hit tool question marks are mostly pitch recognition driven. Calaz’s swing decisions are below average and a good chunk of his swing and miss is breaking balls that he chases. He’s not getting dinged for this because it’s not fair to him but how much faith should we have in the Rockies developing a toolsy prospect?

79. Enrique Bradfield Jr. — Baltimore Orioles (AA)

23 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: 57

Strengths:
Bradfield Jr. continues to hit enough to get ranked on my lists. He makes lots of contact and has a patient approach. His on base skills give him the opportunity to steal 50+ bags. Comparing him to Chandler Simpson, Bradfield Jr. is a far better defender, has a better approach, and has incrementally more power.

Room For Improvement:
Simpson makes more contact and steals a bit more than him so there’s a chance that he has a more clear role on an MLB team. EBJ has missed a bunch of time with a nagging hamstring injury this year.

80. Logan Henderson — Milwaukee Brewers (MLB)

23 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Henderson is a high-floor MLB ready starter. His 92–93 MPH fastball plays above its velocity due to his outlier ride from his approach angle. His changeup is his best secondary with the rest of his arsenal well-located but not particularly difficult to hit. Henderson has good tunnels and great command which has helped him succeed thus far at the highest levels.

Room For Improvement:
Henderson lacks the velocity of most high-end MLB starters. He is also a bit undersized and hit his career high in innings before going down with an elbow injury (no damage to the UCL).

81. Cooper Pratt — Milwaukee Brewers (AA)

20 y.o / RHH / SS
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Pratt has good plate skills and is a good defensive shortstop. He has the size to project for more power and he’s just 20 so I wouldn’t count the Brewers out at being able to unlock something more.

Room For Improvement:
His bat speed is lackluster and he rarely drives the ball in the air. He has also only really hit at Single-A. Most teams expect some offense out of their shortstop these days.

82. Cooper Ingle — Cleveland Guardians (AAA)

23 y.o / LHH / C
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Ingle is a patient hitter who makes a lot of contact. Most of his power comes against fastballs where he’ll use his A swing to catch the ball in front and drive it to right field. Ingle’s soft skills behind the plate could use another year but he moves well and has plus pop time.

Room For Improvement:
His raw power is just fair and he lacks projection so we’re likely only talking about 10–12 home run pop as a big leaguer.

83. Michael Arroyo — Seattle Mariners (AA)

20 y.o / RHH / 2B
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Arroyo is a young hitter in Double-A who has destroyed every level of the minors he’s been in. That’s a pretty tough player not to rank. He’s making a good amount of contact, sound swing decisions, and hits the ball hard at optimal angles. Arroyo is excellent at keeping the ball off the ground, peppering line drives and flyballs to all fields.

Room For Improvement:
I don’t know if the home run ceiling is that high given the body and all fields approach but he has hit them in the minors (mostly in favorable parks). Arroyo’s main issue is that he’s not a great athlete and has a weak arm. A 5'8 first baseman is far from ideal so he’ll need to stick at the keystone.

84. Hector Rodriguez — Cincinnati Reds (AAA)

21 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Rodriguez is a young swing-happy outfielder with excellent bat-to-ball skills. There’s above average bat-speed in his shorter but strong frame. He has a 107 MPH 90th percentile exit velocity which is great. He should hit for lots of average and gap power and has hit lefties well enough to avoid a platoon.

Room For Improvement:
Rodriguez’s chase rate is down this year but is still much too high for my liking. He is an excellent bad ball hitter but taking his walks would help his overall numbers. He has also been phased out of center field this year so there’s a bit more pressure on the bat.

85. Jhostynxon Garcia — Boston Red Sox (AAA)

22 y.o / RHH / OF
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Garcia has laid waste to the upper minors this year. He has above average raw power and gets to all of it and more in games. His ability to pull flyballs and get the ball on the barrel consistently suggests 20+ home run power.

Room For Improvement:
Garcia’s hit tool is interesting. He hasn’t made a lot of contact at Triple-A but has made fair amounts at previous stops. He doesn’t strike me as someone who has terrible natural bat-to-ball skills but his pitch recognition, especially with offspeed, could definitely use work. Garcia is a solid defender in the outfield but may slide to first base out of need.

86. Tyson Lewis — Cincinnati Reds (A)

19 y.o / LHH / SS
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Lewis is an elite athlete. He is a fantastic runner and has out of this world bat speed with exit velocities bordering on 80 grade (how does a max EV of 119 MPH sound?). Swing tweaks since being drafted have unlocked more lift in his swing.

Room For Improvement:
Lewis is an aggressive hitter who will chase and has not made much contact thus far in his pro career. He still puts the ball on the ground more than you’d want for a guy with this kind of thump. There’s tools to dream on here but an uphill battle to actualize them.

87. Joe Mack — Miami Marlins (AAA)

22 y.o / LHH / C
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Mack is a power over hit backstop with defensive chops. His above average raw power and feel for elevating and pulling the ball forecasts 20 home run power. His aggressiveness, especially in the zone, has helped him reasonably control strikeouts.

Room For Improvement:
There is plenty of hit tool vulnerability with him as his contact rate is fringe playable this year. Mack is unlikely to be an impact bat but with more seasoning at Triple-A he should hit enough to be an impact player as a great all-around defensive catcher.

88. Trey Gibson — Baltimore Orioles (AA)

23 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Gibson’s fastball is above average on paper at 94 MPH with a ride + run shape and above average extension. He throws three different breaking balls with his slider and curveball being the put-away offerings while his cutter is better at breaking bats and putting the ball on the ground. Gibson has struck out lots of batters while keeping walks in check and the ball on the ground.

Room For Improvement:
The fastball hasn’t been a big bat misser which suggests there’s something about his delivery or command of it that makes it play down. This puts a lot more pressure on his secondaries (that have been up to the challenge so far). He doesn’t have top of the rotation upside but should be an MLB starter for a number of years.

89. Rhett Lowder — Cincinnati Reds (AAA)

23 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: 48

Strengths:
When healthy he has plus command of an average four pitch mix. He was very effective in 2024 when he was healthy and is a high probability mid-rotation arm if he can get his health in order.

Room For Improvement:
2025 has more or less been a lost season for Lowder. A forearm strain initially knocked him out and then he suffered a high grade oblique strain during his rehab assignment which has kept him off the mound since May.

90. Ryan Waldschmidt — Arizona Diamondbacks (AA)

22 y.o / RHH / OF
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Waldschmidt’s offensive profile inspires a lot of confidence. He makes a good amount of contact, walks a lot, and has plus bat speed. He tore up High-A before being promoted. He is also a good runner who could steal 15 bags in the majors.

Room For Improvement:
He hasn’t hit for much power since arriving at Double-A. His over the fence pop is more theoretical than it is actualized right now. Waldschmidt fits athletically but his routes and reads need work in the outfield. There’s also some risk he ends up on the weak-side of a corner outfield platoon.

91. Spencer Jones — New York Yankees (AAA)

24 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
After some soul searching, I have decided to once again rank Spencer Jones. He has made real contact improvements over the last few months, to the point where his plate skills are around the level of Carson Williams (not a compliment but better than before). I don’t have to sell you on his elite raw power but I will sell you on the fact that he has greatly improved at elevating the ball.

Room For Improvement:
The history with prospects who make this little contact having solid MLB careers is pretty much just Joey Gallo (who already had a 40 home run season by the time he was Jones’ age). He’s a tough player to rank as there are smart people who think he’s going to be a star and smart people who want nothing to do with him.

92. Luis Perales — Boston Red Sox (AA)

22 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
When healthy, Perales has a mid-to-high 90s fastball that gets nearly 20 inches of IVB from his over the top release. It’s an excellent fastball but he can spray it and make it more hittable than it should be. He also has a mid-80s splitter that separates off his fastball very well, it’s a plus-pitch. Perales will throw a high 80s cutter and a low-to-mid 80s slider — the cutter is better right now. Perales was in the zone more in 2024 than ever before.

Room For Improvement:
Perales, like the next two pitchers, had Tommy John last year. His track record of strike-throwing isn’t that long and he’s definitely control over command. He and Trey Yesavage are similar pitchers but Perales has many more health questions right now.

93. River Ryan — Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB)

26 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: 94

Strengths:
Ryan looked great in his first 4 MLB starts. He has a deep 6 pitch arsenal with his 96–97 MPH fastball leading the way. He also has two above average breaking balls and starter’s command. He projects as a 2–3 starter if his stuff comes back intact.

Room For Improvement:
Last year’s TJ will keep him out till he’s 27 which makes him by far the oldest player on this list. I wouldn’t even consider ranking most players this age but he’s a converted hitter who started pitching only a few years ago so I’m making an exception.

94. Ricky Tiedemann — Toronto Blue Jays (AAA)

22 y.o / LHP / SP
Previous Rank: 95

Strengths:
His stuff is elite when he’s right but he hasn’t been fully healthy for a continued stretch since 2022 (or arguably the last stretch of 2023). There’s a chance we see him toward the end of the MiLB season this year but more likely it’s the AFL.

Room For Improvement:
A lost year turned into two lost years when it was announced that Tiedemann would need Tommy John surgery. A lone elbow injury wouldn’t scare me too too much but it’s been a lot more than that for Tiedemann over the past three years. There’s reliever markers here but let’s just wait and see how he looks first.

95. Caden Scarborough — Texas Rangers (A)

20 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Scarborough is a 6'5 arm who has added multiple ticks of velo this year and could project for even more. His delivery is pretty odd and that might be to his benefit. His 95 MPH fastball comes in from a low slot and has huge glove-side movement. He shows elite feel for spin with his low 80s sweeper and has more feel for getting it in the zone than most pitchers. He has been a K-BB% monster this year.

Room For Improvement:
From this arm chair pitching coach, he could use a harder breaking ball with less total movement to bridge his fastball and sweeper with. His fastball’s run will help him against lefties but he could stand to incorporate his changeup more. He’s also at least a few years away and his track record of success is just this year.

96. Carlos Lagrange — New York Yankees (AA)

22 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Lagrange has a massive frame and throws incredibly hard, his four-seamer gets into the triple digits. He throws two good sliders, a harder gyro slider and a slower sweeper. His changeup returns great results when he uses it. He has maintained his velocity deep into starts this year.

Room For Improvement:
We’re a year removed from him being one of the worst strike throwers in the minors and he has been wild again since arriving at Double-A. The relief risk is significant. He also had a pretty serious back injury last year and the injury risk with anyone who throws this hard is elevated.

97. Elian Pena — New York Mets (DSL)

17 y.o / LHH / SS
Previous Rank: Newly Signed

Strengths:
Like Josuar Gonzalez, Pena is a recent top IFA signing (he had the highest non-Sasaki bonus) that has looked great in the DSL. Pena’s top line numbers being as good as they are is remarkable considering he was hitless in his first 9 games. Since then he has flashed his plus home run power. The swing is built for power which is not something you often see in players this young. He has also walked more than he has struck out on the year.

Room For Improvement:
He’s not quite as athletic as Gonzalez and scout feedback hasn’t been quite as loud as with him (but still all positive). He’s in the DSL so there’s a very long road ahead even if he skips domestic rookie ball and goes straight to Single-A.

98. Charlie Condon — Colorado Rockies (AA)

22 y.o / RHH / 3B/OF
Previous Rank: 17

Strengths:
Condon has been pretty productive this year and continues to hit the ball hard and make good swing decisions. He crushes fastballs in particular. He went #3 a little over a year ago and has as much hitting pedigree as anyone on the list.

Room For Improvement:
Condon has struggled against breaking balls, especially from right handers. He whiffs a lot against them and hasn’t been able to do much damage. This was my biggest concern with him in college. He also hasn’t hit very many home runs this year after breaking his wrist in the spring. He has split time between 3B and LF but he’s not a Gold Glove defender at either of them so he’ll need to hit.

99. Braylon Doughty — Cleveland Guardians (A)

19 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: NR

Strengths:
Doughty has outstanding peripherals this year, driven by a good strikeout to walk rate and an ability to keep the ball on the ground. His feel for spin is elite, he rips off 3000 RPM curveballs in the low 80s and mid 80s sweepers. He has a clean and consistent delivery and has thrown an above average amount of strikes. He has logged a good amount of innings for a high school pitcher in their first full year.

Room For Improvement:
Doughty has flashed mid 90s velocity at times but his fastball is mostly 92–93 MPH with above average ride. There’s probably a tick or two still to come but he’s unlikely to have premium velocity. He’s also a pitcher at Single-A so I have to fade his floor a bit.

100. Alejandro Rosario — Texas Rangers (A+)

23 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: 55

Strengths:
Rosario was unhittable in the lower minors last year and has posted some of the more gaudy strikeout to walk rate numbers you’ll see. He filled the zone with a 97–98 MPH fastball that has dead zone shape. I really like his splitter and his slider is good too. There’s the potential for 3 plus pitches and ever since the Rangers changed his delivery he’s been in the zone with all of them (which was very much not the case in college).

Room For Improvement:
Rosario injured his elbow this spring and it was announced that he’d likely need TJ. He reportedly still has not had the surgery due to an unrelated reason that is unknown at this time. It’s fair to question if his slighter frame can hold up over a full season, especially after elbow surgery (if he ever gets it).

25 Prospects I Like For Next Year’s Top 100

This section is dedicated to those prospects that are further away but fun to get excited about.

5 Newly Drafted
- Gavin Fien, 3B/OF, Texas Rangers
- Gage Wood, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies
- Josh Hammond, 3B, Kansas City Royals
- Kayson Cunningham, SS/2B, Arizona Diamondbacks
- Marek Houston, SS, Minnesota Twins

5 Lower Minor Bats Producing
- Jhonny Level, SS, San Francisco Giants
- Nate George, OF, Baltimore Orioles
- Ramon Ramirez, C, Kansas City Royals
- Josh Adamczewski, 2B, Milwaukee Brewers
- A.J Ewing, OF, New York Mets

5 Toolsheds
- Braylon Payne, OF, Milwaukee Brewers
- Emil Morales, SS, Los Angeles Dodgers
- Joseph Sullivan, OF, Houston Astros
- Chase Harlan, 3B, Los Angeles Dodgers
- Juan Sanchez, 3B, Toronto Blue Jays

5 Young But Advanced Arms
- Wei-En Lin, LHP, Oakland Athletics
- Kendry Chourio, RHP, Kansas City Royals
- Michael Forret, RHP, Baltimore Orioles
- Cam Caminiti, LHP, Atlanta Braves
- Keyner Martinez, RHP, San Francisco Giants

5 Lower Minor Stuff Monsters
- Johnny King, LHP, Toronto Blue Jays
- Brandon Clarke, LHP, Boston Red Sox
- Gage Stanifer, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays
- Christian Oppor, LHP, Chicago White Sox
- Brody Brecht, LHP, Colorado Rockies

Post-draft and pre trade deadline is a good time to make a quick update to my top 30 Blue Jays prospect. The most recent list that I posted this spring is here: https://medium.com/@NaeNaeTakes/a-top-30-jays-prospects-update-043333c5e9ff. The Jays farm system is in a better place right now than it’s been in a few years.

Note: I am assuming that Ty Peeples (20th round pick) will not sign.

First Five Out:

• Angel Bastardo, RHP, MLB
• Carson Messina, SP, FCL
• Sean Keys, 3B, A+
• Juan Sanchez, SS/3B, DSL
• Eddie Micheletti Jr., OF, A+

30. Adrian Pinto — High-A

22 y.o / RHH / 2B
Previous Rank: 24

At just 5'5, Pinto has launched 7 home runs, sporting a 161 wRC+ in just 19 games. He had a similar performance in his short stint at High-A last year as well. Pinto has typically performed in the lower minors but has had tremendous difficulty staying on the field. When healthy, Pinto is an aggressive hitter with above average bat-to-ball skills making him difficult to strike out. He has great feel for the barrel and punches way above his weight in the power department.

29. Eric Snow

21 y.o / RHH / 2B
Newly Drafted

Snow’s hitting data with Auburn this year was quite impressive against high level college competition. He possesses good bat-to-ball skills, especially against anything in the zone (93.7% zone contact rate). His swing decisions are also solid. Where I really came away surprised was that his exit velocities are quite good. More of his hard contact tends to come on the ground and on a line which is why he’s only been able to get to mediocre home run totals. There’s little projection in his 5'8 frame but there seems to be some ability to pull the ball in the air that he may be able to tap into more. Snow fits best defensively at second base and he reminds me a bit of Josh Kasevich on draft day.

28. Charles McAdoo — Double-A

23 y.o / RHH / 3B/1B
Previous Rank: 28

McAdoo was a good get in the IKF trade with the Pirates but has struggled with strikeouts and on defense since arriving at New Hampshire. The 23 year old was put on the Development List May 27th. Since coming back, he’s put up a 157 wRC+ with a more tolerable strikeout rate (26.5%). For him to get to his plus power he’ll need to continue to make adjustments to protect himself against the high fastballs that advanced pitchers can dial up.

27. Fernando Perez — High-A

21 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: 20

Perez has continued to stay healthy and put up solid ERA numbers. Now at High-A, he’s had some difficulty with his stuff playing. Perez has never been a big strikeout guy but a K% of just 18.8% is by far the worst of his minor league career. He does do a good job of managing contact and avoiding the long-ball thanks to plus command and a good changeup. Both of his breaking balls are solid offerings. His fastball is uninspiring even with good command. He needs to add at least two ticks to it for it to play in the majors. He lacks physical projection so they’ll have to look into working something out with his mechanics or tweaking his secondaries.

26. Lazaro Estrada — Triple-A

26 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: 30

Estrada has long been a prospect on my radar and he shined in his first MLB opportunity. Although it hasn’t always been smooth sailing at Triple-A this year, most of the key performance indicators like K-BB% and xFIP are actually above average in the Triple-A offensive environment. Estrada’s fastball is 92–93 MPH and averages 19 inches of IVB. His 85 MPH slider has been his most consistent secondary offering though he still has his hammer curveball. A physically maxed out 5"11 who has lost a lot of development time over the years, Estrada profiles best as a strike throwing multi-inning reliever.

25. Landen Maroudis — Single-A

20 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: 13

Maroudis came into last spring with a lot of buzz and early on looked like one of the best prospects in the farm and a future top 100 arm. Unfortunately, after just 10.2 IP he went under the knife for an internal brace operation. Before the injury, Maroudis was throwing a 94–95 MPH fastball but since returning he has been sitting 89–91 MPH. The shape has also backed up on his 4-seam and I’m not a fan of his sinker at all. Right now his most consistent offering is his 85 MPH slider which ironically was seen as his biggest weakness when he was drafted. Maroudis has plenty of time to see his velocity and command return which is why he’s still on this list but it hurts to say that this version of him isn’t much of a prospect.

24. Brandon Barriera — Complex League

21 y.o / LHP / SP
Previous Rank: 19

Although you may not have noticed it unless you’re tapped in to FCL box scores, Barriera has returned from his 2024 elbow surgery. From what I’ve heard, his velocity is in a good place right now. This is especially notable considering that he was touching triple digits in high school but sat around 91–93 MPH in his first year with the Jays. You can make an argument that the velo is the most important thing at this stage in his rehab. But I think I’d be misrepresenting the situation if I did not point out his extremely high 28.6% walk rate in his limited work. Barriera has logged just 27.1 innings in his pro career and was drafted in 2022, so there’s a lot riding for him with this rehab.

23. Adam Macko — Triple-A

24 y.o / LHP / SP
Previous Rank: 17

Macko missed time for a torn meniscus this year and has dealt with injury problems in the past, most notably, a forearm issue in 2024 that cost him over a month. When healthy, he employs a well balanced attack. A low 93 MPH riding fastball that plays a bit above its velocity, a loopy curveball that is brutal to hit against but easy to lay off of, a changeup with fading action, and a slider that can get hit hard. His curveball is by far his best performing pitch but these softer curveballs don’t always fare well against big leaguers (see Bowden Francis). Macko has thrown more strikes year over year but has struggled with the zone at Triple-A which is not uncommon. Ultimately, his health and command will be the biggest factors in whether he profiles as a back of the rotation starter or a multi-inning reliever.

22. Jared Spencer

22 y.o / LHP / SP/RP
Newly Drafted (Texas)

A converted reliever to starter, Spencer had the best season of his college career in his 2025 campaign with Texas. He was getting Day 1 draft buzz before he was sidelined with shoulder surgery. I don’t have access to his medicals obviously but going in the 11th round gives me some clue on how teams feel about his health. Because of his shorter track record of strike throwing and his health, he may fit best in a bullpen long term. His college arsenal consisted of a 95 MPH fastball that returned above average results (though he could stand to zone it more), a plus 88 MPH slider that was his go to put-away pitch, a solid 85 MPH changeup he used against righties, and a 94 MPH sinker that he used for called-strikes. That arsenal will play as a starter if he comes back intact but it’s a big if.

21. Blaine Bullard

18 y.o / Switch / OF
Newly Drafted (High School)

Bullard did a lot for his draft stock this spring and the Jays managed to float him down to the 12th round when most outlets had him in the 3rd-5th round (he has officially signed for an over-slot deal). Bullard’s a great runner and uses his speed well on the bases and in center field. He has made plenty of contact from both sides of the plate up to this point but hasn’t yet faced a lot of velocity. He’s not much of a power hitter at present but has the bat speed, frame, and athleticism to grow into it with improved launch angles and some good weight.

20. Orelvis Martinez — Triple-A

23 y.o / RHH / 2B
Previous Rank: 15

In my last update I wrote about my concern with Martinez and dropped him about 10 spots. Some people thought this was reactionary. The bad news is that the nightmare season has continued. I was skeptical about how much he really benefited from PEDs but I’ve never seen his power numbers this bad. His extremely steep swing has helped him hit 11 home runs but his actual exit velocities and barrel rate are average at best which has never been his game. And with below average bat-to-ball skills, a poor walk rate, and low BABIPs he’ll need to hit for elite power to be a good hitter. He is not headlining your trade packages right now Jays fans.

19. Jake Cook

22 y.o / LHH / OF
Newly Drafted (Southern Mississippi)

Cook is a converted pitcher with only one year of college hitting on the books. In that one year he put up gaudy contact numbers, a 92.2% contact rate in the zone and a 85% contact rate out of the zone. Although he played primarily in the Sun Belt, his contact numbers were also above average against the Power 4 conferences. What makes Cook most intriguing is his athleticism. He tied the all time record in the 30-yard dash at the MLB combine and set a broad jump record. He hasn’t figured out basestealing yet but his speed already translates to the outfield where he has a chance to play a plus center field long term. The power ceiling here is higher than his 3 home runs indicate but it starts with some mechanical changes. His current swing isn’t built for doing damage but given his athleticism in the box and the fact that he just started hitting full time, I’m hoping there’s more flexibility than usual in changing it.

18. Tim Piasentin

18 y.o / LHH / 3B
Newly Drafted

Piasentin is already popping plus exit-velocities at 18 years old and should get even stronger over the years. He also elevates the ball consistently, something you rarely see in power hitters of his age. This is a player who could hit 30+ home runs in the big league one day. Piasentin faces the usual Canadian high school hitter questions of whether or not he’ll hit velocity and his swing can get a bit steep which might limit his ability to cover the top of the zone. There’s a wide range of outcomes in the box for him based on how good you think his hit tool is. Piasentin has a plus arm at third base but isn’t viewed as an above average defender there at this point in time.

17. Sam Shaw — High-A

20 y.o / LHH / OF/2B
Previous Rank: 18

Shaw’s sophomore campaign has been a hit. He has hit for significantly more power this year, posting solid exit velocities and a good barrel rate. Shaw’s uptick in hard contact, especially flyballs, improves his outlook. Last year in the complex league he was a contact wizard who took lots of walks but struggled mightily with weak flyballs which caused him to have a poor .238 BABIP. His contact rate has fallen a bit this year but it’s still great and has overall been a worthy trade-off. Shaw has incredible discipline at the plate but he will need to swing more as he faces better pitchers or risk ending up like Cavan Biggio. He has played second base this year but has received mixed reviews and may be better suited for the outfield where he also has experience.

16. Edward Duran — High-A

21 y.o / RHH / C
Previous Rank: 25

Duran isn’t the most exciting prospect on this list but has one of the easiest pathways to playing time. This is because he’s a really good defensive catcher. These guys tend to be big leaguers and they tend to stick around (for example, Tyler Heineman debuted in 2019). Duran gets really good reviews from pitchers and just as good from scouts. He has soft hands, he blocks, he controls the run game. He has also gotten it going with the bat this year. It’s his third year spending time at Single-A which is normally a bit of a red flag but catcher timelines tend to be slower. Duran is a bit undersized and doesn’t really hit for much power though it should be noted he’s gotten noticeably stronger year over year. He was recently promoted to High-A.

15. Micah Bucknam

21 y.o / RHP / SP
Newly Drafted

Another Canadian draftee, Bucknam was actually drafted in the 16th round by the Jays in 2021 but chose to honor his commitment to LSU. He didn’t pitch much with the Tigers and transferred to Dallas Baptist for the 2025 season where he put together a good year. Bucknam’s feel for spinning the baseball is the key to his profile. He throws his slider 87 MPH with sharp drop — it had a 45.6% whiff rate and a 36.5% chase rate, both stellar marks. His 83 MPH curveball is also promising and worked as both a called strike and whiff pitch for him. Bucknam’s 93–94 MPH fastball has ordinary shape but performed well in college. He caps off his arsenal with a changeup with heavy armside movement which was a solid pitch for him against lefties. Bucknam has consistently been around the zone in college. His overall command could still use a coat of polish though. I find myself liking his profile and I think he could profile as a #4 starter one day.

14. Josh Kasevich — Triple-A

24 y.o / RHH / SS
Previous Rank: 9

Kasevich re-aggrevated a stress fracture in his lower back this spring and then hurt his hand during his rehab which sidelined him again. He is currently healthy and back on his rehab assignment.

I’ve been lower on Kasevich throughout his time with the Jays because of his low upside profile combined with a track record of just average production. The latter changed in 2024, as he put together his best months as a professional with the Buffalo Bisons. Kasevich has always made tons of contact and that won’t change in the majors but his home run power has been non-existent. What fascinates me is that his raw power is decent. He just doesn’t get it up in the air. I don’t know if you can fix his launch angle, I doubt it given how long this has followed him around. But it makes him more intriguing as a hitter than I thought he was. Kasevich defends well at shortstop which should give him a role as a Kevin Newman type of player if the power never shows up.

13. R.J Schreck — Triple-A

25 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: 16

Schreck has been one of the best hitters in the Jays system since he arrived in the deal that sent Justin Turner to Seattle. He tore up Double-A to the tune of a 168 wRC+ with 9 home runs in 169 plate appearances and has since been promoted to Triple-A Buffalo. What stands out about Schreck is his swing. He routinely barrels and elevates the ball to his pull-side and has enough raw strength to get to above average home run power. Schreck rarely swings out of the zone and makes enough contact to keep strikeouts in check despite his patience. The main flaw in his game is that he hasn’t been great against left handed pitching. If he can’t come around against lefties he fits into the strong-side of a corner outfield platoon as a righty crusher.

12. Jake Bloss — Triple-A

24 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: 10

Probably the most disappointing news that came out of the minors this year was Jake Bloss needing Tommy John surgery. The lost development time is without a doubt brutal and Bloss will likely not return to pitching until he’s 25. If this was something that had building up for a while (it usually is) then it does help explain his recent history of shaky performance. When healthy, Bloss has a great fastball, an above average slider, and a solid curveball. His changeup has also showed signs of being a decent offering. He has had difficulty syncing up his delivery and throwing consistent strikes for most of his pro career, giving him a five and dive #4 starter projection that is now even more muddied.

11. Yohendrick Pinango — Triple-A

23 y.o / LHH / OF/DH
Previous Rank: 8

A long-time spreadsheet darling, Pinango translated data into production with a massive 171 wRC+ at the top of New Hampshire’s lineup. His 106 wRC+ at Triple-A is not quite as impressive but his underlying data suggests that he has been unlucky there so far. Pinango’s power is his calling card as he possesses above average bat speed and has well above average exit velocities. His swing is line-drive oriented but notably, he’s done a much better job of elevating his hard contact this year than in the past. Pinango’s bat-to-ball skills have continued to grade out as above average and he very rarely chases a pitch out of the zone. He is not much of a defender in the outfield which is why the Jays were able to get someone who can hit like him for Nate Pearson to begin with.

10. Victor Arias — Double-A

21 y.o / LHH / OF
Previous Rank: 11

Arias has mostly carried his good offensive performance over from 2024 and just earned a well deserved promotion to Double-A. He’s still posting elite exit velocities but similar to last year, he isn’t converting that to home runs as often as you’d like. Lots of his hard contact is pulled groundballs and he tends to spray his flyballs. Sorting out the swing will be paramount for him as he has solid bat to ball skills and makes above average swing decisions. Arias is a pretty good defender in the outfield and is also an above average baserunner. I’ve compared to him Addison Barger in the past because they had a lot of the same strengths and weaknesses as prospects and both are a sturdily built 5'11.

9. Juaron Watts-Brown — Double-A

23 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: 6

JWB was one of the few Jays pitching prospects who stayed healthy through 2024. He consistently struck out batters in bunches thanks to his double-plus slider but struggled with walks and his fastball got hit hard. Watts-Brown throws a fastball that is playable on paper, about 93 MPH with 18–19 inches of IVB. He has improved his command of it this year but still can struggle with location which makes it play down. His breaking balls, particularly his slider, are his bread and butter. Watts-Brown hasn’t maintained his huge Vancouver strikeout rate but is still striking out over a batter per inning with New Hampshire. Given his position in the farm, he may end up as trade bait this deadline.

8. Gage Stanifer — High-A

21 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: 12

Stanifer has been one of the biggest up arrow prospects in the Jays farm this year. He has a 95 MPH two-seamer (up 2.5 MPH from last year) that he throws from a flat vertical approach. It has been both a swing and miss and groundball pitch for him. The usage will need to come down as he moves up the ladder, especially against lefties. Stanifer is essentially a two-pitch pitcher in the sense that his slider he really only uses against RHH and his changeup he really only uses against LHH. His slider is the more polished pitch of the two and gets weak contact and tons of whiffs. Stanifer’s control has taken a step forward with his stuff this year but he could still stand to throw more strikes, especially with his fastball. The Jays should continue to give him opportunities to start.

7. Khal Stephen — Double-A

22 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: 4

Stephen moves down on the list but it’s not through any fault of his own. His fastball is great, it’s a similar ultra-ride shape as Yesavage. It’s from a more traditional slot than Trey and is about 93 MPH with above average extension. His changeup plays well off his heater and he can throw it for a strike or for chases. It’s been outstanding for him and he sells it well visually. His slider grades out above average in a stuff model and hitters have had difficulty doing damage against it. Stephen has above average command and definitely plus control, he hardly walks anybody. He’s a safe bet to be a big league starter but may lack the ceiling or projection of a top of the rotation arm.

6. Johnny King — Single-A

18 y.o / LHP / SP
Previous Rank: 14

King was the talk of the complex league and has followed it up with some noisy performances with Dunedin. The 18 year old lefty sits around 94 MPH with his fastball. It’s a nice ride and run shape and has performed very well so far. King’s feel for spinning the baseball is apparent as he can carve up lower-minor hitters with his breaking balls. Lastly, King mixes in a 90 MPH changeup with nice arm side fade. King is an exciting pitching prospect but make no mistake, there’s still a long road ahead for him.

5. Kendry Rojas — Double-A

22 y.o / LHP / SP
Previous Rank: 7

Rojas missed some time this year due to a “mid-section injury” but came back dominating on his rehab assignment. He has continued his domination through his first three starts at Double-A. His fastball has been an up a tick from last year, he’s sitting around 94–96 MPH now. He throws both a sinker and a four-seamer variant at this velocity and both typically play well for him. When he has his slider and changeup both working (which has been often recently), he has 4 above average pitches. Rojas doesn’t have the reputation of a command artist but has thrown a lot of strikes the last two years. The key for him going forward is mostly just staying healthy, this is otherwise a pretty high floor pitcher.

4. Ricky Tiedemann — Triple-A

22 y.o / LHP / SP
Previous Rank: 3

Not much to report here, here’s my offseason report on Tiedemann with some slight tweaks for continuity.

Tiedemann is tricky to rank because he has not been consistently healthy since 2022. Now he’s out with Tommy John surgery likely until 2026. It’s rough but if he comes back with his velocity intact and some semblance of command then he’s going to wind up as a top prospect again. There’s a chance Tiedemann is a reliever but if your reaction to Tommy John in 2024 is that he’ll never be the same again, you haven’t been paying attention to how improved these surgeries are. I’ll see how he looks when he’s back and make an adjustment from there.

3. Jojo Parker

18 y.o / LHH / SS/3B
Newly Drafted

Parker was the 8th player on my board and he ended up going to the Jays at pick #8. He had the best in zone contact rate on the high school circuit as well as one of the prettier swings you’ll find in the draft class. He has also shown that he can handle premium velocity as well as spin. If you buy all the way into his circuit sample, Parker has arguably the best hit tool in the draft. He has power too — his hands are quick, he hits the ball hard consistently, and he can elevate. There’s not much to complain about offensively but it’s easier to say that before he sees pro pitching. Parker is a 50 runner and not a true fit at shortstop. I like him best at third base but he could play second base or the outfield as well.

2. Trey Yesavage — Double-A

21 y.o / RHP / SP
Previous Rank: 2

Yesavage’s raw stuff has absolutely been as advertised. His FB has been around 94 MPH with huge riding action and has been terrific. His splitter has dominated at every level and plays up due to its huge vertical separation off his fastball. His cutter has also been a swing and miss pitch. He’s a bit unprecedented because he doesn’t actually have anything that moves to the glove-side in his arsenal. Yesavage didn’t have to live in the zone much at Dunedin because of the enormous rate of chase he has generated. Since moving to High-A and Double-A, we’ve seen that hitters aren’t going to flail at everything anymore. He’ll have to be in the zone more consistently. Yesavage was a fine strike thrower in college so I lean more on the “he needs to make adjustments” side rather than “he’s hit a wall”.

1. Arjun Nimmala — High-A

19 y.o / RHH / SS
Previous Rank: 1

A roller coaster 2024 season saw Nimmala post a power-loaded 122 wRC+ at Single-A but an elevated 31.3% strikeout rate. In 2025, he was promoted and has cut his strikeout rate down to about 21% and improved his contact rate by 4%. After a hot start, Nimmala has slumped this summer as the other five teams in the Northwest League have made adjustments against him. He has struggled to do damage over this stretch and has got a bit unlucky with batted ball luck but he hasn’t actually been whiffing more. It’s a long season for a teenager and Nimmala will get his chance to make adjustments back, which I think he will. The reviews on his defense at shortstop are generally positive. He’s still the top prospect in the farm for me and I think the year as a whole has been a positive for his long-term projection.

With the MLB draft about 2 weeks away and the college season finished, it’s time to do a mock draft. A couple clarifications before I get started:

• This draft is what I think will happen, not what I would do. If you want my player opinions, I’m in the finishing stages of my Big Board which should be out in the coming weeks.
• Please please please do not tell me that your team won’t draft so and so because you already have a good player at that position. Teams do not draft for need in the MLB draft, nor should they, considering the ETA of most prospects is 2–4 years away and needs are always changing.

1. Kade Anderson (LSU)— Washington Nationals

21 y.o / LHP / SP
Anderson was among the most productive pitchers in the country this season and capped off his season with big playoff performances on his way to a NCAA championship. Recent reports seem to suggest that the Nationals are thinking about Anderson, Ethan Holliday, and maybe Eli Willits. I’d lean Holliday based on past drafts under Mike Rizzo but I do think they’ll ultimately land on Anderson who should move quickly into the Nats rotation.

2. Liam Doyle (Tennessee) — Los Angeles Angels

21 y.o / LHP / SP
The buzz is that the Angels may break their college trend but not with their first pick. A number of college arms make sense here, I’m mocking them Doyle who I know they like a lot for his electric fastball. I think they’d heavily consider Anderson if he gets here and I think Jamie Arnold is in play. Doyle is not a finished product but he’s someone who could move quickly with his fastball alone. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Aiva Arquette here either, although it does seem more likely to be a pitcher all things equal.

3. Jamie Arnold (Florida State)— Seattle Mariners

21 y.o / LHP / SP
Three straight college lefties to start the draft might be some kind of record. The Mariners are tough to pin down in this draft. It seems like they like Arquette and also Jojo Parker quite a lot. It also seems like they SHOULD be in on Jamie Arnold given the organizational fit. I’ve seen Seth Hernandez at this spot but I’m skeptical if the Mariners would do that.

4. Ethan Holliday (HS)— Colorado Rockies

18 y.o / LHH / SS/3B
Holliday is seen as a near-lock to go to the Rockies at #4 if he gets there. It’s been an up and down cycle for his stock but he’s firmly established himself in the top tier of prospects for most evaluators. If Holliday goes earlier, I think some of the other high school shortstops make sense here, as does a college pitcher. In this case, the top 3 college arms are off the board. I think the Rockies like Seth Hernandez and I do think they’re crazy enough to do it.

5. Billy Carlson (HS)— St. Louis Cardinals

19 y.o / RHH / SS
With Chaim Bloom now in the building, I’m thinking that a prep bat makes sense here. Luckily for the Cardinals, they’re picking at a good spot to get one. Bloom has invested heavily in athletes with “swing concerns” before which suggests to me Carlson could be in play here. The name more frequently mentioned at this pick is Eli Willits, who also makes a lot of sense and is ahead of Carlson on most boards.

6. Aiva Arquette (Oregon State)— Pittsburgh Pirates

21 y.o / RHH / SS
The Pirates have been heavily linked to hitters, typically high school hitters. In this case, the top college bat is available and from my perspective it’s unlikely the Pirates can pass that up. Eli Willits is definitely the top second option in this case. Billy Carlson has been heavily linked to the Pirates and makes a lot of sense, but he’s off the board here.

7. Eli Willits (HS) — Miami Marlins

17 y.o / Switch / SS
Willits has a lot of different potential landing spots but it seems like his floor is in the 7/8 range with how much the Marlins and Blue Jays reportedly like his skillset. Willits’ youth and all-around ability would no doubt be appealing to Peter Bendix and the Marlins.

8. Jojo Parker (HS)— Toronto Blue Jays

18 y.o / LHH / SS/2B
I’ve heard that the Jays do really like Jojo Parker’s hitting ability. Kyson Witherspoon gets a lot of buzz here from a fit perspective and the Jays also reportedly like him quite a lot. I suspect this will be a high school shortstop or a college arm as under slotting one of the college bats does not make as much sense for a team without a 2nd round pick.

9. Seth Hernandez (HS)— Cincinnati Reds

19 y.o / RHP / SP
The consensus seems to be that the Reds will take Hernandez if he gets to them. They’re a team that’s believed to be comfortable with taking a high school arm early and at #9 it’s pretty good value at this point to get the clear cut top high school arm.

10. Gavin Kilen (Tennessee)— Chicago White Sox

21 y.o / LHH / 2B
The White Sox tend to get linked to whichever prep shortstop falls to them. In this case, it seems a bit early for a Daniel Pierce, Kayson Cunningham or Steele Hall so I’m looking at college players. Gavin Kilen is a name that makes sense in this instance.

11. Kyson Witherspoon (Oklahoma)— Athletics

21 y.o / RHP / SP
This era of Athletics baseball has been defined by college first round picks. While a bat like Marek Houston or Brendan Summerhill would also make a lot of sense, the A’s could use a potential fast moving pitcher. Tyler Bremner makes a ton of sense here too, and I think he’d be the pick if Witherspoon was gone.

12. Daniel Pierce (HS)— Texas Rangers

19 y.o / RHH / SS
The Rangers have circled the high school shortstop class at #12. Kayson Cunningham is the best one left for most scouts but Daniel Pierce continues to get significant buzz at this pick. I think the Rangers could also take Steele Hall or Gavin Fien here.

13. Ike Irish (Auburn)— San Francisco Giants

21 y.o / LHH / OF/C
Ike Irish seems to keep getting pushed higher and higher in mock draft. I have him going to the Giants here at #13 who have been circled as a college bat destination. Marek Houston and Brendan Summerhill would make sense and it’s also not out of the realm of possibility that new POBO Buster Posey would swing big on Jace LaViolette.

14. Gavin Fien (HS)— Tampa Bay Rays

18 y.o / RHH / 3B/OF
Fien isn’t a typical Rays fit as he lacks some of the up the middle defensive value they usually target. However, he has the well-balanced hitting chops of a player they’d be high enough on to snag up at pick 14. I think Marek Houston fits their front office’s ideas well too.

15. Tyler Bremner (UC Santa Barbara)— Boston Red Sox

21 y.o / RHP / SP
The Red Sox have drafted hitters in the first round in recent years but the regime change makes it a bit less clear if that’s something they’ll continue with. I expect Bremner to come off the board in the teens and this would make some sense. I think Xavier Neyens and Steele Hall could fit here as well.

16. Gage Wood (Arkansas)— Minnesota Twins

21 y.o / RHP / SP
Wood’s stock has sky rocketed in the last months after returning from a shoulder injury and dominating on the way to one of the best college pitching performances in the history of the game. I suspect he may go higher than he’s mocked here. I’ve heard Gavin Fien’s name come up here a few times but he’s gone in this mock draft.

17. Wehiwa Aloy (Arkansas)— Chicago Cubs

21 y.o / RHH / SS
I’ve got the Golden Spikes winner taking his big power to the north-side. The Cubs have been linked to a lot of players and we’re getting to the point in the draft where there’s tons of possible options at every pick. I’d speculate that the Cubs would be in on prep infielders like Xavier Neyens, Steele Hall and Josh Hammond. Marek Houston would be BPA at this spot.

18. Brendan Summerhill (Arizona) — Arizona Diamondbacks

21 y.o / LHH / OF
The Diamondbacks have their pick between a few sliding college hitters. They have a lot of ties to some of the prep hitters still available in this class (Ryan Mitchell, Slater de Brun, and Steele Hall) but with a pick at 29, I think they can wager on grabbing one of them there. In this case, Summerhill stays local in Arizona.

19. Marek Houston (Wake Forest)— Baltimore Orioles

21 y.o / RHH / SS
The Orioles love their college power bats but they also like defensive value and will pay for it (think Enrique Bradfield Jr and Griff O’Ferrall in recent years). I’m under the impression that Marek Houston will go higher than this (and I think he absolutely should) but he ended up sliding here. This is the first pick that Jace LaViolette has a lot of noise at.

20. Kayson Cunningham (HS)— Milwaukee Brewers

19 y.o / LHH / SS/2B
Many scouts view Cunningham as having the best hit tool in this prep class. I think an analytically driven team like the Brewers would be interested in Cunningham’s projectability given his contact rates and chance to stick up the middle. The Brewers also seem to like their compact hitters.

21. Steele Hall (HS)— Houston Astros

18 y.o / RHH / SS
The Astros scoop up one of the remaining agreed upon first round talent prep infielders. I think the Astros would have some interest in Xavier Neyens here and they’re the type of team that might take Jace LaViolette.

22. Josh Hammond (HS)— Atlanta Braves

18 y.o / RHH / 3B
Yes, you read that right. I have the Braves taking a position player in the first round. I looked towards pitching first and the Braves have been linked to Tennessee RHP Marcus Phillips but I think #22 is a bit rich for him (and most of the other arms available). I think Hammond is an organizational fit and there’s noise that the Braves like him.

23. Xavier Neyens (HS)— Kansas City Royals

18 y.o / LHH / SS/3B
The Royals have another pick at #28. I’d be shocked if they don’t leave with a “higher upside” prep with one of these picks. Kruz Schoolcraft and Sean Gamble could also make some sense.

24. Devin Taylor (Indiana)— Detroit Tigers

21 y.o / LHH / OF
The Tigers get linked to just about everybody. I think high school hitters like Slater de Brun and Jaden Fauske could go here but I have the Tigers taking a really well-rounded college bat with a long history of production.

25. Josh Owens (HS)— San Diego Padres

18 y.o / LHH / SS
Owens is a bit of a down the board name getting some late first round buzz and the Padres are one of those teams. He’s an ultra-projectable infielder that might stack up ahead of some of the other high schoolers that A.J Preller could pick here (Slater de Brun, Sean Gamble, Kruz Schoolcraft).

26. Jace LaViolette (Texas A&M)— Philadelphia Phillies

21 y.o / LHH / OF
LaViolette’s slide stops with the Phillies who would be thrilled to get his prestigious power into their system at pick 26. LaViolette is a polarizing prospect due to his hit tool projection but there’s only so far he can fall before a team goes “what the hell?”

27. Ethan Conrad (Wake Forest)— Cleveland Guardians

21 y.o / LHH / OF
There’s some precedent for the Guardians taking a college outfielder coming off a serious injury with Chase DeLauter. Conrad’s season ended early with shoulder surgery but he made a strong impression with the potential for 5 above average tools.

28. Kruz Schoolcraft (HS)— Kansas City Royals

18 y.o / LHP/LHH / SP/1B
The Royals have been linked to Schoolcraft extensively. They’ve taken two way players in back to back first rounds, although Schoolcraft is much more likely to pitch at the next level. I have the Royals picking up both Neyens and Schoolcraft which is about as powerful of a first round as you can have. They could also go college here (i.e. Andrew Fischer, Dean Curley, Luke Stevenson) to save some money.

29. Ryan Mitchell (HS)— Arizona Diamondbacks

18 y.o / LHH / 2B/SS
I’ve heard that the Dbacks like Mitchell quite a lot. This is also one of the first round destinations for contact-hitting catcher Caden Bodine. In this case, the Diamondbacks leave the first round with Brendan Summerhill and Ryan Mitchell.

30. Dean Curley (Tennessee)— Baltimore Orioles

21 y.o / RHH / 3B/1B
Curley had a shaky spring on the defensive end but was still quite good offensively. He seems like the type of bat that the Orioles would have interest in. I think Alex Lodise makes a lot of sense here too as a power+defense shortstop but I don’t know if they’d take both him and Houston in the same draft.

31. Riley Quick (Alabama) — Baltimore Orioles

21 y.o / RHP / SP
At long last, another college pitcher. The Orioles could take 3 hitters with their three first rounders but in all likelihood, they’ll want to grab at least one higher pedigree arm. Quick has a big arm and strong secondaries. As mentioned at the previous pick, I think Alex Lodise makes a lot of sense if they want to load up on bats.

32. Andrew Fischer (Tennessee)— Milwaukee Brewers

21 y.o / LHH / 1B
Fischer is one of the most reliable bats still available and the Brewers have historically taken college bats in the first round at a high rate. I’ve seen this player-team connection a few times now. The Brewers took Kayson Cunningham with their first pick at #20.

33. Tate Southisene (HS) — Boston Red Sox

18 y.o / RHH / SS
Of course the Red Sox had to get in on the prep infielders. Southisene isn’t the first choice in this demographic for most teams but he’s a well-rounded prospect. Sean Gamble is a name that would make a lot of sense here as well. The Red Sox took Tyler Bremner at pick 15 in this mock.

34. Anthony Eyanson (LSU)— Detroit Tigers

21 y.o / RHP / SP
Eyanson’s strong track record of performance with LSU seems like it’ll get him drafted on Day 1 given how coveted college arms who produce in the SEC typically are. His plus slider and above average command make him a decent option here. The Tigers took Devin Taylor at pick 24 in this mock draft.

35. Jaden Fauske (HS) — Seattle Mariners

18 y.o / LHH / OF/C
Fauske has strong hitting data not so different than Jojo Parker who the Mariners have been linked to at #3. In this mock, the Mariners grabbed Arnold at #3 so they’re attacking prep hitting here at 35. I think the Mariners could take a high school arm here if there’s one they really like but they should have the opportunity to get a good one at #57 as well.

36. Luke Stevenson (UNC) — Minnesota Twins

21 y.o / LHH / C
It’s a coin flip whether it’ll be Stevenson or Caden Bodine as the first true catcher off the board. Stevenson has a lot more hit tool vulnerability but significantly more power and likely a slightly better glove. The Twins are a possible destination for a catcher. They grabbed Gage Wood at #16.

37. Alex Lodise (Florida State) — Tampa Bay Rays

21 y.o / RHH / SS
Lodise has hitting data comparable to Wehiwa Aloy who went 20 spots earlier than this. It wouldn’t surprise me if they go closer together than in this mock but it does seem like Lodise is a fringe first rounder for teams right now. The Rays would like his defensive background and tools on offense. They took Gavin Fien at pick 14.

38. Slater de Brun (HS) — New York Mets

18 y.o / RHH / OF
de Brun is well liked for his bat to ball skills and defense in center field. The Mets are a team that would likely value his contact skills and defensive background more than others. de Brun probably goes a bit earlier than this which is part of why I think the Mets would be happy to get him with their first pick down at 38.

39. Sean Gamble (HS) — New York Yankees

19 y.o / LHH / OF/2B
I find that the Yankees are usually one of the easier teams to mock for because they consistently target big athletes and often get linked to players well before the draft. I have not heard anything about Gamble specifically but he fits what they usually like to do. I’ve heard they also like college pitchers Riley Quick (not on the board) and Zach Root. Probably not at this spot, but I’ve also heard the Yankees and HS catcher Taitn Gray.

40. Patrick Forbes (Louisville) — Los Angeles Dodgers

21 y.o / RHP / SP
The Dodgers reportedly really like Forbes. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he’s the pick if he gets to 40. Forbes has the big stuff that the Dodgers usually like to target in their pitching picks. I think a prep arm like Landon Harmon makes sense here too.