Prospect Crystal Ball: MLB's Top 25 Prospects Entering 2027

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 2027. Here is a look at last year's results for those interested.

Projected 2026 Graduates that Would Have Made the List: Konnor Griffin, Kevin McGonigle, JJ Wetherholt, Samuel Basallo, Max Clark, Nolan McLean, Aidan Miller, Trey Yesavage, Bryce Eldridge, Sal Stewart, Bubba Chandler, Colt Emerson, Walker Jenkins, Carson Benge, Andrew Painter, Ryan Waldschmidt, Travis Bazzana, Thomas White, Brody Hopkins, Kade Anderson, Payton Tolle, Robby Snelling, Joshua Baez, Carter Jensen, Jonah Tong, Jett Williams, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Jaxon Wiggins, Liam Doyle

Projecting the Top Prospects Entering 2027

Reports on every player below! Read the reports, they are more important than rankings!

1. Jesus Made, SS, Milwaukee Brewers

Made just looks the part. Beginning the 2025 season as a 17-year-old in Single-A, Made showed a high Baseball IQ and great instincts. He even spent a large amount of time in High-A and finished out the year in Double-A. Between all stops, Made slashed .285/.379/.413 with six home runs and 47 stolen bases in 525 plate appearances.

In quite a few live looks, I got multiple swings from both the left and right sides of the plate, and the swings are smooth and fast. The bat speed is electric, and Made makes loud contact. As the 2025 season wore on, Made looked more comfortable in the box, and his contact rate steadily rose.

The exit velocities were strong as well, with Made running a 90th percentile exit velocity north of 105 mph. The average for an 18-year-old is closer to 97 mph. While he does plenty of damage, the swing could use a few tweaks to really turn that into game power.

The contact skills were pretty rough in the early going, which you should expect from a 17-year-old in full-season ball. But by season’s end, Made wound up with a 78 percent overall contact rate and 82 percent in the zone. The chase rate was impressive for a second straight season, and the approach is quite sound.

His clock times are above-average, but his instincts on the base paths are good. Made has all the intangibles. He is incredibly young and being pushed rather aggressively. The upside looks like that of a 30/30 type player and there are shades of Francisco Lindor here.

2. Leodalis De Vries, SS, Athletics

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 6’1”/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, and the progress continued into 2025.

Splitting time between High-A and Double-A as an 18-year-old, De Vries posted a .255/.355/.451 slash line with 15 home runs and 51 extra-base hits, De Vries also swiped 11 bases. Most of his production came in Double-A, where he hit five of his home runs in just 103 plate appearances while putting up an impressive .910 OPS.

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 bit long from the right side. The splits dropped pretty drastically this year as De Vries put up an OPS of just .664 against left-handed pitchers as a right-handed batter. From the left side against righties, De Vries posted an .859 OPS with 12 of his 15 homers.

The underlying data is strong, and De Vries consistently posted exit velocities of over 105 mph, with a 90th percentile exit velocity that increased throughout the year. He gets the ball in the air often, having an air percentage of around 68 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 ended the year just shy of 80 percent. De Vries began to show more aggression this year, while maintaining a low chase rate. He elevates and pulls the ball with ease, and the ability to manipulate the barrel and control are top of the line for his age.

Turning 19 this offseason, De Vries is advanced beyond his years and could find himself in the Majors toward the end of 2026. Shortstops rarely debut before 20 years old, but De Vries might be one of them.

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