Prospect Crystal Ball: MLB's Top 25 Prospects Entering 2026
Chris Clegg looks into the future and projects the Top 25 prospects heading into 2026.
This is always one of my most fun articles to write and podcasts to do each year. Prospect analysis is much more about what a player will do, versus what a player has done, so looking into the future and projecting these players is always a blast.
Below is the rankings sheet of who I project to be MLB’s top 25 prospects will be entering 2026. Here is a look at last year's results for those interested.
If a current top prospect is not on the list, it is likely because I project that player to graduate off the list prior to 2026. Some tough calls were made on graduates such as Noah Schultz, Marcelo Mayer, and Carson WIlliams, who I left off the list as possible 2025 graduates.
Projecting the Top Prospects Entering 2026
Reports on every player below! Read the reports, they are more important than rankings!
Just Missed: Tyson Lewis, Brailer Guerrero, Jace LaViolette, Colt Emerson, Jonny Farmelo, Ricky Tiedemann, Jac Caglianone, Bryce Rainer, Welbyn Francisca, Thayron Liranzo.
Deep Sleeper: Jhonny Level
1. Sebastian Walcott, SS, 19, Texas Rangers, 6’4”/190, AA
If you crafted the body of a future star player in a lab, Walcott is what they would look like. Standing at 6’4”/190, Walcott won’t turn 19 until Spring Training 2025 is nearly over, yet he has already reached Double-A. The Rangers have been aggressive with him, sending him from the complex to High-A after he signed in January 2023, and then Walcott spent nearly all of 2024 with High-A Hickory before ending the year in Double-A.
After some struggles out of the gate, and to no one’s surprise, Walcott progressed all year and wound up slashing .265/.344/.452 with 11 home runs, 34 doubles, and nine triples. He stole 27 bases and was caught just eight times. While some reports have quickly written him off as a shortstop, Walcott shows impressive range there and has smooth actions with a big arm.
While the 25.6 percent strikeout rate is a bit concerning and the contact rates, don’t paint a pretty picture, things improved. Over his final three months, Walcott struck out less than 23 percent of the time. The contact rate finished the year at 67 percent and his in-zone mark was a below-average 78 percent. Walcott chased pitches out of the zone at a 27 percent clip. When examining these marks, it is important to remember that was an 18-year-old in High-A and Double-A
The power and athleticism are off the charts, though. Walcott’s 90th percentile exit velocity of 106 mph was top of the scale for his age, and he paired it with an impressive 116.3 mph max. Nearly 60 percent of Walcott’s batted balls were in the air, and his pull percentage of balls in the air was 90th percentile for all hitters.
The foot speed is plus Walcott uses it on the bases and in the field. The swing is solid, and the bat speed is electric. He does wrap the bat around his head ever so slightly but creates good separation with a wide base, helping him generate torque and power.
From a pure upside standpoint, this is what a number one overall prospect looks like. Will Walcott make enough contact to make the profile work? That is still to be determined, but even if he is a 30-grade hit tool, the rest of the profile will allow him to be an everyday major leaguer.
The Why?
Walcott has arguably the most upside of any prospect and looks like a future start in the majors. With a slight hit tool leap, Walcott is the easy choice for the game’s top prospect.
2. Travis Bazzana, 2B, 22, Cleveland Guardians, 6’0”/199, A+
Bazzana is a unique prospect in that he hails from Hornsby, Australia. You would probably be hard-pressed to find a harder worker in this draft class who consistently looks to improve his game while also being a tremendous clubhouse presence.
Having a great sophomore year in 2023, Bazzana already put his name at the top of the 2024 draft boards, but an incredible Cape Cod league saw him show more power with wood while also maintaining the strong hit tool.
This led to a major breakout in 2024, and the Guardians drafted Bazzana first overall. Bazzana slashed an impressive .407/.568/.911 with 28 home runs and 16 stolen bases. Not many saw this kind of power output coming from Bazzana, but the underlying data backs it up.
With an average exit velocity north of 96 mph, Bazzana ranks among the best in the draft class, and his 90th percentile exit velocity, while not on Condon’s level, was still a very good 109 mph.
We are looking at one of the more patient hitters in the draft class, chasing just 14 percent of pitches out of the zone and walking twice as much as he struck out(76 to 37). The contact skills are some of the best that you will find in the draft, checking in around 85 percent overall and an 88 percent in-zone mark.
The one negative that you might find with Bazzana is the passivity. While he doesn’t chase, he also has a fairly low in-zone swing percentage, which you would like to see rise. Sure, it worked in college, and the numbers don’t lie, but Bazzana will need to show that he can take advantage of the pitches he sees in the zone during pro ball.
Bazzana played exclusively second base this year for Oregon State after getting time in the outfield in the Cape Cod league in 2023. His future home is at the keystone, though.
The pro debut left a little to be desired as Bazzana hit just .238 with three home runs in 27 games, but he posted a .369 OBP and had seven doubles. The underlying data was good, and Bazzana made contact on 80 percent of swings with exit velocities near MLB average.
The Why?
You could already argue that Bazzana is one of the best prospects in the game. His skill set is well-rounded, and few work harder. He is likely to get a cup of coffee in the Majors in 2025, but does not graduate.
3. JJ Wetherholt, SS, 22, St. Louis Cardinals, 5’10”/190, A
Wetherholt entered the 2024 season as a favorite to go 1.1 after an incredible sophomore year in which he slashed .449/.517/.787 with 16 home runs and 36 stolen bases. A strong Cape Cod League performance only solidified the college season. Hamstring injuries have unfortunately hampered some of his career and limited him to just 36 games in 2024. They were impressive nonetheless as Wetherholt slashed .331/.472/.589 with eight home runs. He stole less, just six times, but that is not surprising given the nature of his injury.
The contact skills are some of the best in the class, with an overall contact rate of 84 percent and an in-zone mark north of 88. He rarely chases out of the zone and shows excellent pitch recognition. With a chase rate of 14 percent, the number fell to around 10 percent against breaking and offspeed pitches. Those numbers are the best in college baseball.
You may look at a quick twitch athlete who is smaller and like Wetherholt and question the power, but I would advise against it. The power is legit here. I mentioned the power output last with 16 home runs, backed by a 93 mph average exit velocity and a 105 mph 90th percentile. This year, those numbers took another step forward, sitting at 95 mph average and 108 mph 90th percentile. Wetherholt also posted an impressive 58 percent hard-hit rate.
In his pro debut, Wetherholt stood out and looked like the best hitter from the 2024 MLB Draft class. Despite being in Single-A, the underlying data was incredibly impressive from exit velocities, to contact and approach.
The biggest question in Wetherholt's profile is how he will handle high-velocity fastballs. Big 12 pitching is not the greatest, and Wetherholt’s numbers against fastballs 94 mph or harder were closer to the league average. He also does not lift the ball much to the pull side.
But if you want an exceptional athlete who can play all over the diamond with tools across the board, Wetherholt is your guy.
The Why?
People have quickly forgotten how good Wetherholt was in 2023. Injuries derailed his 2024 a bit, but Wetherholt has all the tools to be one of the best hitters in Minor League Baseball.
4. Max Clark, OF, 20, Detroit Tigers, 6’0”/205, A+
When you talk about a five-tool player, Clark comes to mind, playing strong centerfield, possessing a solid arm, making contact at a high rate, being a 70-runner, and flashing good power. At the moment, Clark’s worst grade is his power, which is still average to above average. That speaks to the kind of player he can be. There is some projection in his 6’1”/190-pound frame, and I would not be surprised to see Clark tap into more power. Especially considering the offseason work Clark is putting in.
The swing generates line drives and sprays the ball to all fields well, which bodes well for his future batting average. Clark controls the barrel well through the zone and shows a very advanced hit tool for his age. In a small sample in his pro career, he did post some solid exit velocities, giving hope that he can get to average game power. He also began to pull the ball more throughout the 2024 season, which should lead to more home runs with time.
After posting a .286/.386/.421 slash in Single-A with seven home runs with 26 stolen bases, Clark received the bump to High-A, where he continued to hit. Between both stops, Clark posted a slash of .279/.372/.421 with nine home runs, 36 extra-base hits, and 29 stolen bases.
We are looking at solid contact rates for Clark, 79 percent overall and 90 percent in-zone, with a very low 22 percent chase rate. You want to see his average exit velocity of 86 mph and the 90th percentile of 102 mph trend up, but Clark is still young at 19. If he can develop into a 20-home-run bat long-term, Clark will be a fantasy asset you want on your teams.
Clark is an impressive athlete who eats, sleeps, and breathes baseball. He will work harder than most in the game, and the results will reflect that. Clark’s first pro season was a significant success, and there is plenty of room for more development. If the power comes along, this is a true, five-tool player.
The Why?
Clark is a power uptick away from being the top prospect in baseball. The other four tools are there.
5. Walker Jenkins, OF, 20, Minnesota Twins, 6’3”/210, AA
Jenkins is a leader on and off the field. Some things are hard to quantify, but when I watched Jenkins, he was the kind of player I wanted on my team. In the pre-game, I watched how Jenkins went about his business and interacted with young fans. During the game, after at-bats, he would go to the dugout and talk to the next few hitters about pitch sequencing and then seemingly be working on what he could do better his next at-bat.
Drafted fifth overall in the 2023 MLB Draft, Jenkins hit the ground running in the complex and Single-A right out of the gate. His 2024 season got off to a slow start as he missed most of Spring Training due to a quad injury and a hamstring injury that kept him out for nearly two months. Still, between three stops, Jenkins slashed .282/.394/.439 with more walks than strikeouts and 32 extra-base hits.
At the plate, he has a tiny step forward but minimal hand movement in the box. His hips explode through the zone, but how he syncs up his hips, torso, and hands is impressive. It is low-effort power, but in the games I saw, Jenkins hit the ball hard to all fields.
People have quickly dismissed the power as Jenkins hit just six home runs on the year in 82 games. While the Single-A exit velocities were below average and left much to be desired, his hardest-hit balls came after moving to High-A and Double-A. His max exit velocity in Single-A of 108.8 mph was topped several times in High-A and Double-A. The average and 90th percentile exit velocity only rose over the season's final two months.
The swing is picturesque and effortless, and Jenkins makes a ton of contact. His near 84 percent overall contact and 90 percent in-zone marks have shown plus or better feel to hit his entire pro career. He does not often chase or expand the zone and is advanced beyond his age as a hitter.
Jenkins still clocks as an above-average runner, but it could tick down with time as he matures. He stole 17 bases on 20 attempts in 2024, but nine came in his final 26 games as he got the hamstring back to feeling 100 percent.
He must show improved game power in 2025, but it is in the tank. Jenkins is a well-rounded player with solid tools.
The Why?
Jenkins is what they look like. His contact ability is already 70-grade with as good of an approach. He runs well and is strong in the field. His hardest hit balls came at the end of the season after his hamstring was 100%. 2025 could be the big breakout.
6. Jesus Made, SS, 17, Milwaukee Brewers, 6’1”/187, DSL
It is rare for a DSL prospect to move to the top of a talented system like this. But it is also pretty rare for a player to do what Made did at 17 years old. While Jorge Quintana was the Brewers’ prized signing in the 2024 intentional class, receiving $1.7 million, Made got the second-highest bonus at $950k.
Made was the best hitter in the Dominican Summer League, slashing an impressive .331/.458/.554 with six home runs and triples a piece, plus nine doubles while stealing 28 bases. Made struck out in just 13 percent of plate appearances while walking at an impressive 18 percent clip.
The switch-hitter took some aggressive hacks and was good from both sides of the plate, albeit just 32 plate appearances against left-handed pitching. Made starts square in the box or slightly a tad open before using a toe-tap, closing his body, and creating a good coil. His hands drop, and Made points the barrel tip to the sky. While his hands move a lot, he gets on-plane during his swing and creates good bat lag. The hands are quick, and the whole body creates an explosive swing and power. He has shown the ability to hit home runs on pitches in all parts of the zone, showing barrel control.
Under the hood, the data is elite, especially for a 17-year-old. Starting with the power, a 104 mph 90th percentile exit velocity is already north of MLB average. Made topped out at 109 mph and posted a hard-hit rate north of 47 percent. The barrel rate was superb, and while it is easy to critique the ground ball rate near 50 percent, Made put 42 percent of his pulled balls in the air, which is an impressive mark.
Made is passive in the box and picks his spots well. He swung at just 33 percent of the pitches he saw and swung at less than 15 percent of pitches out of the zone. Considering the aggressive swings he takes, it is kind of insane that Made made contact at nearly 90 percent of pitches he swung at overall. When the overall and in-zone contact skills are nearly identical, you have an impressive hitter.
Not only does Made perform well at the plate, but he also has good speed. While we don’t put much stock into DSL stolen base totals or any low-level minor league totals, Made will steal bases. He swiped 28 this year in 32 attempts and could consistently be a 15-20 stolen base threat by the time he reaches the majors.
The Why?
Made had THE best combo of underlying data in the minors. Question the DSL results all you want, but this looks like another Jackson Chourio esq rise.
7. Leodalis De Vries, SS, 18, San Diego Padres, 6’0”/183, A
De Vries was the top player to sign in the January 2024 signing period, receiving a $4.2 million bonus. The toolsy switch-hitter stands at 6’0”/183, receiving an aggressive assignment to Single-A for a 17-year-old. After a slow start in 2024, and justifiably so given his age, De Vries had an impressive second half.
Finishing the year with a .238/.361/.422 slash line with 11 home runs and 36 extra-base hits, De Vries also swiped 13 bases. He improved his contact all year and struck out at a 23 percent clip while walking in 14 percent of plate appearances.
De Vries starts with a narrow stance, slightly open, with the bat on his shoulder. Upon starting his swing, De Vries uses a slight leg kick to create good hand-to-hip separation. There is minimal hand movement pre-swing, but De Vries does have a small bat wrap about his head. He does an excellent job keeping his hands inside and having a point of contact in front of the plate.
He looks natural from both sides of the plate even though the swing can get a big long from the right side. The splits are good, as De Vries posted a .779 OPS from the left side and .865 from the right. Interestingly, De Vries hit seven home runs in 99 right-handed plate appearances. It will be something to watch, but De Vries has shown strong traits from both sides of the plate as a young hitter.
The underlying data looks good, and De Vries posted a solid 102 mph 90th percentile exit velocity, which topped out at 110 mph in the Arizona Fall League. He gets the ball in the air often, having an air percentage of around 67 percent. The ability to pull the ball in the air led to an impressive xwOBAcon north of .400.
De Vries’ overall contact rate improved all season and was above average at 72 percent. The in-zone mark of 80 percent and the 25 percent chase rate a strong eye and good bat-to-ball skills for his age. De Vries is selective and picks his spots well, which creates a good quality of contact. These skills should only continue to improve with age and more experience in pro ball.
We were teased by the star upside of De Vries when he signed, and you never know how it plays out. After the second half of 2024, the upside is clear; De Vries can be one of the best prospects in baseball.
The Why?
Seeing the progress with his underlying power data in the Arizona Fall League was substantial. De Vries has a strong approach for his age and this rank might look low if all begins to click in 2025.
8. Jaison Chourio, OF, 19, Cleveland Guardians, 6’1”/162, A
Jaison, Jackson's younger brother, has generated significant buzz dating back to his DSL days and has continually performed. Spending the entire season in Single-A as a 19-year-old, Chourio put together an impressive .270/.414/.398 slash with more walks than strikeouts.
Chourio is tall and skinny, so he has plenty of room to add weight, but he already has impressive bat speed. After starting with an open stance, he utilizes a small leg kick. He has a longer stride, which creates good hand-to-hip separation and good torque in his swing. He has a good feel for the barrel and can get pitches up and down in the zone.
It is pretty impressive that throughout his entire career, Chourio has walked more than he has struck out, and that has continued this year. He has a good feel for the zone but is almost a bit too passive on pitches in the zone. Swinging at a low 63 percent of pitches in the zone, Chourio also chased at just an 18 percent clip. Chourio made contact on nearly 82 percent of swings, which is a highly impressive mark, and the in-zone contact was even more impressive.
There is a lot to like from a hit tool standpoint, but you can also see the power developing. Chourio put up some solid exit velocities in 2024 for his age, having a 90th percentile exit velocity of 103 mph, which was just shy of MLB average. The biggest flaw is the amount of ground balls. He did lower the rate from 2023 to 2024, but a 49 percent mark is still higher than we would like to see.
Chourio tripled his career home run output in 2024 and had 31 extra-base hits. Having a nearly 20 percent walk rate is excellent, but more aggression from Chourio could pay dividends.
The Why?
Chourio already has one of the more impressive contact and approach profiles in the Minors for teenagers and added power in 2024. Another step forward in 2025 will lead to massive results.
9. Kevin McGonigle, 2B, 20, Detroit Tigers, 5’10”/187, A+
McGonigle was one of the best pure hitters in the 2023 draft class and landed with the Tigers at the 37th overall pick. Upon his pro debut, McGonigle has hit and hit some more. As a hit tool first, middle infielder, the numbers backed it McGonigle slashed .309/.401/.452 between Single-A and High-A in 2024.
An overall contact rate north of 88 percent puts you in the top tier of all minor-league hitters, and his in-zone mark is around 93 percent. McGonigle showed strong plate discipline skills as well, posting a chase rate of just 18 percent. The power is worth noting, too, especially for someone who was 19 years old.
McGonigle’s ability to hit all pitch types well is extremely impressive. Having a 90 percent contact rate on fastballs, the numbers only slightly dipped to 84 percent on fastballs 94 mph or higher. Against offspeed pitches, McGonigle posted a 90 percent contact rate and against breakers, an impressive 88 percent.
As an undersized hitter, you would not look at McGonigle and think he could reach higher exit velocities. McGonigle posted an average exit velocity of around 89 mph, right at the MLB average, near hitters like Alex Bregman and Trea Turner. His 90th percentile is just shy of 103 mph. The fact we saw him top out at 112 mph already shows the potential.
A broken hamate ended his season early, but assuming he comes back next year stronger, McGonigle could surge up rankings even further. He will need to hit the ball at optimal angles more often to turn the hard-hit balls into home runs, but the potential is there.
The Why?
McGonigle might be the best pure hit tool in the Minors and already popped a 112 mph exit velocity at 19 years old.
10. Samuel Basallo, C/1B, 20, Baltimore Orioles, 6’4”/230, AAA
On the surface, Basallo’s 2024 numbers were nothing to write home about, but it’s a good thing that minor league stats don’t paint much of a picture. Between Double-A and Triple-A, Basallo slashed .278/.341/.449 with 19 home runs and 25 doubles. He did this while spending the majority of the season as a 19-year-old.
The power is off the charts here as Basallo posted a 90th percentile exit velocity just shy of 107 mph while hitting the ball at ideal launch angles. The barrel rate was impressive, and Basallo had an average exit velocity north of 90 mph. The bat speed is electric, and the swing is relatively simple. Basallo never tries to do too much at the plate, which has helped him hit for power and respectable batting averages.
From a contact standpoint, Basallo is an interesting hitter to figure out. He has quite a high swing rate at 50 percent, but the overall contact rate was just 72 percent this year. He is prone to chasing out of the zone as well, something he did at a 32 percent clip in 2024, and it only rose in Triple-A. His in-zone swing rate was on the lower end of what you would like to see from hitters with his pedigree.
Basallo is significantly bigger than his listed 180 pounds and is probably at least 230. He can mash, that is for sure. The power is easily plus or better, and Basallo consistently hits for average. However, the chase rate is something to keep an eye on moving forward.
It is also worth noting that Basallo got notable reps at first base in 2024. He caught 56 games while playing first in 32 and DHing in the other 35. Behind the dish, he caught 24 percent of attempted base stealers, which is a respectable mark. For fantasy purposes, you hope he sticks behind the plate for enough games to keep eligibility.
The Why?
Basallo stands a chance to graduate after reaching Triple-A in 2024. But the Orioles have not shown a propensity to rush their prospects. Basallo likely spends most of the year in Triple-A.
11. Bryce Eldridge, 1B, 20, San Francisco Giants, 6’7”/223, AAA
Few prospects had the meteoric rise that Eldridge made in 2024. The talent level has been long known since he was selected 16th overall in the 2023 MLB Draft. Selected as a two-way prospect, Eldridge gave up pitching immediately and then shifted from outfield solely to first base in 2024.
Moving from Single-A to Triple-A by season's end, Eldridge even went to the Arizona Fall League, where he dominated for ten more games. Between all stops, he mashed 23 home runs and added 27 doubles and two triples. The slash of .292/.374/.516 stands out for a 19-year-old, and Eldridge only made improvements all year.
As you can see, a pretty dreadful start to the season was pretty good. While the contact rates were still closer to average in the good months, those numbers will play for a power hitter like Eldridge. Considering the long levers and larger zone, ending the year with a contact rate of around 70 percent is quite solid.
There is no denying the kind of power Eldridge brings to the table, as his 90th percentile exit velocity near 107 mph is a high-end mark for a 19-year-old. Not only does he hit the ball hard, but Eldridge also puts batted balls at ideal angles. His air percentage north of 60 percent stands out, and the fact he can get to the pull side helps.
Eldridge is aggressive on pitches in the zone, having a mark near 85 percent, but also shows better than average chase rates around 26 percent. While the zone-contact rate does not stand out, they have been average.
The swing is relatively smooth, and the power comes naturally. Eldridge uses a toe-tap on all counts and starts with his hands high pre-swing before dropping them down into a slot to begin his swing. The bat's speed is electric, and Eldridge has strong wrists to help generate power. Considering how long his arms are, the swing is relatively short, and he has a direct path to the ball.
Eldridge has risen to the top of first-base prospects thanks to the impressive performance and underlying data. This looks like a future 30-home-run bat who hits for a good average.
The Why?
Everyone seems to think Eldridge will contribute a ton at the big-league level and graduate in 2025. Don’t read too much in Eldridge reaching Triple-A to end 2024. He likely starts in Double-A and gets a cup of coffee to end 2025 in the Majors.
12. Zyhir Hope, OF, 20, Los Angeles Dodgers, 5’10”/193, A
The Dodgers were insistent that Hope was part of the package that sent Michael Busch to the Cubs. Jackson Ferris was also part of the deal and while Busch is a solid major leaguer, Hope looks like a star in the making and Ferris looks like a potential left-handed starting pitcher in the Majors.
Hope missed time during the 2024 regular season due to a shoulder injury, but it did not affect him upon his return. In Single-A this year, the 2023 11th-rounder slashed .287/.415/.490 with nine home runs, 14 doubles, and eight stolen bases. The performance is impressive, but the underlying data stands out the most.
There is no denying the power in Hope’s profile, which was displayed in the Arizona Fall League as he hit a 470-foot home run. That was not a fluke, as he hit a 450-foot shot in the regular season. Having a 90th percentile exit velocity north of 108 mph, Hope not only had some of the top exit velocities for his age, but also in all of the minors. The launch angles are quite good, and Hope put the ball in the air 56 percent of the time with a 50 percent pull rate, a good recipe for success.
He makes a lot of in-zone contact, with an 87 percent rate paired with a 76 percent overall mark. The chase rate of 17 percent shows his very strong plate discipline.
Hope is on the shorter side at 5’10”, but he has a strong frame. He utilized a leg kick with an explosive lower half to create impressive bat speed and big-time power. He is a strong athlete who moves well and has the potential to impact the base paths as well.
This is an impressive profile that has the look of being a top overall prospect in baseball.
The Why?
Hope has all the tools you want to see in a top prospect. If he continues to put up the underlying data he did in Single-A at higher levels, this ranking might look way too low.
13. Josue De Paula, OF, 19, Los Angeles Dodgers, 6’3”/185, A+
De Paula has ascended his way up prospect rankings to being one of the top prospects in the game thanks to his performance, underlying data, and projectable frame. In 107 games between Single-A and High-A in 2024, De Paula slashed .268/.404/.405 with ten home runs and 30 extra-base hits. He was successful on 27 of his 30 stolen bases attempts and walked nearly as often as he struck out.
Starting slightly open in the box, De Paula has a leg kick while moving his front foot toward the plate to slightly close his body. He gets good hand-to-hip separation and his body and hands work together to help him generate power. De Paula does a good job keeping his hands inside the ball and can go to all fields well.
De Paula has extremely strong underlying data, consistently hitting the ball hard and showing good high-end exit velocities. His 90th percentile exit velocity of 105 mph is highly impressive for his age. His max north of 123 could be a misread, but regardless, there is impressive power in De Paula’s profile. The ground ball rates have hovered between 46 and 48 percent for his entire career, which is higher than we would want to see. The good news is that De Paula has elevated a large portion of his hard-hit balls, which helps.
Given the number of walks, it should be no surprise that De Paula had one of the better chase rates in baseball, hovering around 17 percent. The overall contact rate was near 78 percent, an extremely strong mark, but jumped to 83 percent in-zone.
The lefty still has projection on his 6’3” frame and could easily tap into more power, which is already strong. While there are questions surrounding the defense, De Paula’s bat will play even if it is a DH role.
The Why?
De Paula has an impressive feel to hit with big time power upside. You could argue 70-grade raw power. The biggest question is where De Paula plays in the field.
14. Konnor Griffin, SS/OF, 18, Pittsburgh Pirates, 6’4”/210, HS
Griffin has some of the loudest tools in the 2024 draft and is a strong athlete. Originally slated to be part of the 2025 draft class, Griffin reclassified after his sophomore year, pushing him forward to this year’s class. Having success as a pitcher and a hitter, I have heard reports that some teams like Griffin better on the mound, but his future is with a bat in his hand. A three-sport athlete shows what kind of athletic ability he has, but this year, he solely focused on baseball.
Griffin has power, speed, a solid glove, and an arm, but the question is contact. He stole a staggering 85 bases this year while hitting nine home runs with 26 extra-base hits. Griffin had just 118 at-bats because he walked so often, having a 27.5 percent walk rate and just a six percent strikeout rate.
While that should leave no questions about his hit tool, scouts do have questions despite him making significant strides this year with the feel to hit. Having a big frame, Griffin posted big-time exit velocities, which ranked 99th percentile for his class to go with 100th percentile sprint speed as he posted a 6.36 60-yard dash.
According to Perfect Game, the swing is optimized, having an 86 percent swing efficiency with no wasted movement. The max barrel speed and impact both ranked in the 98th percentile for his class.
Can Griffin hit enough? We shall see. But the tools are there.
The Why?
Griffin has gone through a swing change this offseason and bulked up significantly. He had arguably the loudest tools in the 2024 MLB Draft. I won’t be surprised when he takes off this year.
15. Chase Burns, RHP, 22, Cincinnati Reds, 6’3”/210, NCAA
Burns spent two seasons at Tennessee, the 2024 National Champs, before transferring to Wake Forest, where he entered one of the best pitching labs in baseball. Burns traded in a national title, but he made himself a huge payday in the process.
Tossing 100 innings this year in 16 starts, Burns posted a 2.70 ERA with 191 strikeouts and 30 walks. His 49 percent strikeout rate went toe-to-toe with Hagen Smith, but the walk rate was a much more palatable 7.7 percent.
Entering the year, Burns utilized just a fastball and slider, but he added a changeup and curveball, giving him four weapons in the arsenal. The fastball averaged 98 mph and touched 101 with 20 inches of IVB on average. It is relatively flat, having just three inches of horizontal movement from a 6’5” release height. He blows it by hitters with the velocity and ride, having a 36 percent whiff rate on the pitch.
The slider is his second most used pitch, checking in in the upper 80s, reaching up to 92 last season. It has some late depth and eight inches of sweep on average, missing bats at an elite clip of 65 percent.
The added curveball gives him a pitch with nine north-to-south movements but also maintains the sweep. It registered at -7 IVB compared to his -1 IVB slider, but kept the eight inches of horizontal movement. It sits in the low 80s.
A changeup was a distant fourth offering for Burns but could develop into a solid pitch. Sitting in the low-90s, Burns’ changeup has a nice ride and 13 inches of horizontal movement regularly.
Burns is built like a high-end starting pitch and certainly has the repertoire to back it.
The Why?
Burns has one of the more electric arsenals in baseball, starting with an elite fastball. If he can curb the home run issue slightly, Burns has the makings of being the top pitching prospect in baseball and could even spend time in Cincinnati this year.
16. Travis Sykora, RHP, 20, Washington Nationals, 6’6”/232, A
My love for watching Sykora pitch dates back to last year's draft, and I was pumped to get a live look at him. I saw over 70 minor league games this year and many great pitchers, but the performance I saw from Sykora this past season was as impressive as Noah Schultz or Andrew Painter.
Progressively getting better all season, Sykora threw 85 regular season innings, posting a 2.33 ERA with 129 strikeouts to just 27 walks. In two more playoff starts, Sykora threw ten scoreless innings with just two hits and one walk allowed while striking out 18 batters.
The four-seam fastball sits in the 94 to 96 range, touching 99 mph, and he commands it quite well. It showed an excellent movement profile from a three-quarters release. Given his 6’6” frame, Sykora gets good extension, allowing the fastball to play up even more. He ended the year with an impressive 34 percent whiff rate on the offering.
Sykora’s slider is used nearly as often as his four-seam, with both being thrown around 40 percent of the time in 2024. It ranges from 81 to 84 mph. It shows good depth and often has late horizontal movement. It generates ugly swings from hitters, registering a whiff rate north of 50 percent during the 2024 season.
He rounds out the arsenal with a beautiful split-changeup that is easily a plus pitch. Sitting between 82 and 85 mph, it shows depth and late fading action. It is primarily used against left-handed bats, but he does bore it on righties at times. This pitch gives Sykora two offerings with an insane whiff rate above 50 percent.
Sykora repeats his mechanics exceptionally well, having a big leg kick and a delivery that somewhat resembles Paul Skenes if you squint. The stuff is there; Sykora throws strikes and has a frame that can probably add 20 pounds. He could certainly be a mid-rotation arm for a long time.
From June 13 forward, Sykora made 16 starts, including the playoffs. The numbers were insane. 74.2 innings pitched with a 1.45 ERA, 118 strikeouts, and 19 walks. No pitcher in baseball was better over that span.
The Why?
An incredible three-pitch mix, coupled with a solid feel for command. There is a projection on the frame to add to his fastball, and if he does, he could be the top pitching prospect in baseball at some point.
17. Thomas White, LHP, 20, Miami Marlins, 6’5”/210, A+
After a rocky start to the season, White settled in nicely. His promotion to High-A saw him improve statistically but also refine his arsenal and improve as a pitcher. He finished his first full season with a 2.81 ERA, a 29.2 percent strikeout rate, and a 9.2 percent walk rate across 96 innings. After two of his first three starts being rather rough, White finished his final 85.1 innings with a 2.43 ERA.
White dominates with a big fastball from a low-effort delivery, currently sitting around 95, but has gotten up to 97, on occasion, playing better at the top of the zone with its ride. The pitch averaged nearly 17 inches of IVB from a sub-six-foot release height and high spin rates.
White already has an advanced changeup, which plays quite well with his fastball, having late dive-and-fade. Hawkeye has the pitch with as much as 30 inches of vertical drop and consistently 15 inches of fade, making it firmly a plus pitch, sitting around 86 mph.
The slider is his go-to swing-and-miss pitch, sitting between 78 and 83 mph with a ton of vertical movement plus sweeping action. It is an interesting pitch, showing the depth of a curveball, but the sweeping action resembles more of a slider. If he can differentiate the two pitches and develop a true four-pitch mix, he becomes a deadly arm.
Already armed with one of the best arsenals of any left-handed pitching prospect in the game, White is an above-average strike thrower, posting a mark near 64 percent this year and had a near 16 percent swinging strike rate.
The Why?
If Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith graduate, White will be the top left-handed pitching prospect in baseball. His progress in year one shows he can continue to progress and turn into a high-end starting pitcher.
18. Felnin Celesten, SS, 19, Seattle Mariners, 6’1”/175, CPX
The prized possession of the Mariner's 2023 international signing class, Celeste, unfortunately, did not see any game action on the field due to a hamstring strain. A hamate injury limited Celesten to just 144 plate appearances at the complex in 2024. The results were good, though, as he slashed .352/.431/.568 with three home runs and five stolen bases.
Already having grown from his listed 6’1” height, Celesten has a ton of projection in his frame but already flashes considerable power with high exit velocities. The power looks currently better from the right side of the plate, but Celesten has shown the ability to get to it from the left side. The contact skills are better from the right, leaving it easier for him to get into game power there.
While it was a smaller sample in 2024, Celesten put up a 104 mph 90th percentile exit velocity, which is already above MLB average. He showed a strong approach, chasing just 22 percent of pitches out of the zone, and had an overall contact rate of 77 percent. The in-zone contact rate of 82 percent was also strong.
Having potential plus power with plus run times, there is a lot of dream on with Celesten from a fantasy standpoint. If he does fill out, the run times could tick down, but Celesten is likely to be a threat on the base paths for the early part of his career.
There is a fatal flaw in Celesten’s game, and that is his ground ball rate. With a 65 percent ground ball rate, I have serious fears about his ability to get to the kind of power he is capable of. Can he make the tweaks that he needs in his swing? Maybe. Being so young, I don’t want to worry too much about the ground ball issue, but it is prevalent. Despite that, he still produced barrels and had a high xwOBAcon.
The Why?
Celesten has the tools to be one of the top prospects in the game. Injuries and ground balls hurt the profile a bit, but if Celesten gets a full season in Single-A and lifts the ball more, he will take off.
19. Angel Genao, INF, 20, Cleveland Guardians, 6’0”/165, A+
Genao enjoyed a major breakout season in 2024, posting a .330/.379/.499 with ten home runs and 52 extra-base hits. He stole 25 bases on 30 attempts, and strong underlying data supported his performance.
A strong contact hitter, Genao has made contact on over 80 percent of pitches he has seen while aggressively jumping on pitches in the zone. His aggressive approach carries over to pitches out of the zone as well, but his upper-20 percent chase rate has not hurt him yet, thanks to his strong contact profile.
The exit velocity data did not jump off the page but was rather solid, as Genao had a 102 90th percentile exit velocity. While Genao hit the ball on the ground over 50 percent of the time, many of his hardest-hit balls were in the air, creating high barrel rates. Genao uses the whole field well but has shown exceptional pull-side power.
As a switch hitter, Genao is impressive from both sides of the plate. As a left-handed hitter, Genao slashed .328/.387/.474 with six home runs in 385 plate appearances. He struck out 13.5 percent of the time versus 22 percent of the time as a right-handed batter. But from the right side, Genao still posted a .929 OPS with four home runs in 108 plate appearances.
Genao traded in a toe tap in 2023 for a big leg kick in 2024, and the power showed up. Starting with his hands high, Genao starts wide and with an open stance from the left side while being more squared up on the right side. While taking more aggressive swings in 2024, the contact was still highly impressive.
The performance and eye test suggest Genao could be a top-50 prospect. If he taps into more power with age, he could move even higher. This is an impressive hitter with a high floor.
The Why?
Genao has a high floor and has one of the better hit tools in the minors. If the power continues to develop, the stock is going to soar.
20. Cam Smith, 3B, 22, Houston Astros, 6’3”/225, AA
If any player “broke out” and improved their stock during the college season, few did it better than Cam Smith. Smith went from having a questionable hit tool with low contact rates and a pretty high chase to completely reinventing his swing.
The draft-eligible sophomore blasted 16 home runs and added 22 doubles across 66 games with a strong .387/.488/.654 slash line. Smith cut his strikeout rate in half, dropping it from 28.7 percent to 14.9. The walk rate jumped from nine percent up to 13.7 percent.
This was all fueled by improved contact and better swing decisions. Smith saw his overall contact rate jump from a pretty poor (by college standards) 70 percent up to nearly 83 percent. The chase rate also plummeted, going from over 33 percent in 2023 down to just 21 percent this season. The in-zone contact rate was also an impressive 89 percent.
While Smith’s home run output was actually lower this year on a per-plate appearances basis, he made major strides with his exit velocities. His 90th percentile jumped from an already good 106.5 mph all the way up to a mark near 111. The average exit velocity made a huge jump of over seven mph, sitting north of 92 mph in 2024.
Smith put up one of the most impressive performances of any 2024 draftee. He made contact on 77 percent of pitches overall and 84 percent in-zone. He rarely chases and he put up an impressive 106 mph 90th percentile exit velocity with wood.
The Why?
Few have seen their stock rise as much as Smith post-draft. The feel to hit is there with impressive power.
21. Braden Montgomery, OF, 21, Chicago White Sox, 6’2”/220, NCAA
Few players have as many tools as Montgomery does. A transfer from Stanford, where Montgomery was a two-way player, he focused solely on hitting and outfield at Texas A&M, where he showed two 70-grade skills, raw power and arm.
The switch hitter mashed 27 home runs in 61 games and paired them with a .322/.454/.733 slash line. He struck out 20 percent of the time but also walked at an 18 percent clip.
The hard-hit data was absurd. Montgomery had the highest average exit velocity in college at 98.7 mph, paired with a 90th percentile exit velocity of 111 mph. The xwOBAcon was a mind-boggling .556.
Montgomery mashed all pitch types, as you might expect, given the numbers, and he obliterated fastballs especially. The concerns, though, are with his contact skills. Making contact on just 75 percent of swings overall, Montgomery finds himself near the bottom fourth of hitters in contact rate in college. The good news is he makes up for it with a solid 85 percent in-zone contact rate.
An ankle injury ended his season early and prevented Montgomery from finishing out the College World Series with the Aggies, but that should not affect his outlook for 2025 and beyond.
The Why?
Montgomery has absurd tools with elite power and is an impressive athlete. The feel to hit is better than people give him credit for.
22. Arjun Nimmala, SS, 19, Toronto Blue Jays, 6’1”/170, A
Nimmala was selected in the first round of the 2023 MLB draft but has had some bumps in the road. The complex sample was small post-draft; he came into Spring Training and showed some solid things. Out of the gate in Single-A, Nimmala struggled, hitting a smooth .167/.280/.306, which led to him being sent to the development list.
After returning to Dunedin on June 27, Nimmala looked much improved. The slash line was still a bit underwhelming at .265/.331/.564, but the power was there as Nimmala hit 13 home runs and 32 extra-base hits in 53 games. The strikeout rate was still 29.7 percent, but the contact did improve.
In my look, Nimmala got a heavy dose of breaking and offspeed pitches, in fact just four of the 15 pitches he saw were fastballs. He showed some whiffs against breaking balls but also had a ton of called strikes where he did not seem to recognize the spin. The contact rate against breaking balls was 65 percent in 2024.
In the field, I thought Nimmala looked great at shortstop, an area that has improved over the last year. He made several outstanding plays, including a barehanded grab with a quick throw to first base. The arm is plus, and his actions are smooth.
I would not expect Nimmala to steal a ton of bases, as his speed is average, but his power is legit. His average exit velocity in the year was just shy of 89 mph, and it steadily improved throughout the season. His 102.3 mph 90th percentile exit velocity was a solid number, the most significant thing will be finding consistent launch angles.
Eventually, he will figure out the contact side of things, and when he does, he could become a potential high-end shortstop.
The Why?
This call might be a year early, but what I saw of Nimmala in July in the Florida State League was impressive. The tools are there for him to be a big-time power bat while playing an impressive shortstop.
23. Yairo Padilla, SS, 17, St. Louis Cardinals, 6’0”/170, DSL
Padilla enjoyed a successful first pro season in 2024 after signing in January for $760k. He immediately hit the ground running, posting a slash of .287/.391/.404 with a home run and 22 stolen bases. The extra-base hit power has yet to show up as he had five doubles and four triples, but he has a frame to add more strength.
Spending a month of the DSL season as a 16-year-old, he was one of the league’s top performers, showing a well-rounded skillset. The contact skills are good, as Padilla posted strong overall and in-zone contact rates. The switch-hitter did have pretty drastic splits, which were much better than those of a left-handed hitter, but the sample was so small that it is hard to form an opinion.
Padilla shows impressive clock times and is a highly efficient base stealer. Evaluators have graded his clock times at 60-70 grade. If he keeps the speed and taps into more power, Padilla becomes a very intriguing power/speed threat.
If you are looking for a prospect who could breakout in 2025 as he comes stateside, look no further than Padilla. The feedback on Padilla is absurd. One source told me, “He is a unicorn.” Now up to 6’4”, Padilla might just take off in 2025 and you don’t want to miss the boat.
The Why?
Already built like an NFL-wide receiver, Padilla has shown strong tools across the board. He has grown substantially over the last year, and if he taps into power, the stock is going to soar.
24. Griffin Burkholder, OF, 19, Philadelphia Phillies, 6’2”/195, A
Burkholder was drafted in the second round, 63rd overall, by the Phillies in the 2024 draft. He received a $2.5 million bonus, nearly double the slot value, and the same bonus that the Phillies handed out to first-rounder Dante Nori. Burkholder made his pro debut, but it was just one game in which he smoked a 101 mph triple and showed off his 70-grade wheels.
At the Super 60 Pro Showcase, Burkholder clocked exit velocities at the top of his class and hit the ball at ideal angles, having an 84 percent air percentage. The hand and bat speed both ranked among the top of all prep hitters.
On top of the power potential, Burkholder grades exceptionally well as an athlete, having one of the top vertical jumps and sprint speeds in the class. On the 60-yard dash, Burkholder posted an insane 6.29 seconds, an elite mark. In the 30-yard, home to the first equivalent, Burkholder posted a 3.54-second mark.
The frame is strong, but there is still a little projection left. There is a real chance Burkholder could have plus power and 70-grade speed when all is said and done.
The Why?
You thought I would leave Burkholder off this list? Think again. The power and speed combo is impressive and I believe in Burkholder’s feel to hit.
25. Jamie Arnold, LHP, 21, Florida State University, 6’2”/190
We had to include at least one player from the 2025 MLB Draft in the article, so Arnold it is. Arnold is my top player in the class as things stand, which I acknowledge will change drastically over the next four months. The top hitters in this summer's draft have hit tool concerns, which, if Laviolette cleans up some this college season, he will easily be in the top 20 of this list. But right now, Arnold is the top guy.
Coming off a dominant sophomore season, Arnold pitched 105.2 innings with a 2.98 ERA with 159 strikeouts to 26 walks. Those numbers translated to a 30 percent strikeout minus walk rate.
Beyond that, Arnold has one of the more unique fastballs we have seen. Sitting 94 mph and topping north of 97 mph, Arnold throws from a 4’6” release height and creates one of the flattest VAAs I have ever seen. The pitch has good IVB from the release height and up to 20 inches of horizontal movement.
The slider produced a 42 percent whiff rate last season. Sitting in the mid-80s, the pitch has good depth and north of ten inches of sweep regularly. Arnold has also reworked his changeup this offseason. The pitch data on the splitter/changeup is absurd, and the pitch is sitting around 85 mph.
With Arnold’s arsenal and command, he could step into pro ball as one of the better pitching prospects in the game.
The Why?
Best player in the 2025 MLB Draft for me, with insane pitch data. A lot could change with this college season, but im betting on Arnold being the best player in the 2025 draft.
Awesome article 👊
Great read, referred back to the 2024 version many a time.