Top MLB Prospects to Watch: Rising Stars Set to Shine in Arizona and Florida Complex Leagues This Season

Complex ball kicks off tomorrow, and all Minor League levels will be underway outside of the DSL. The complex is loaded with talent, especially out west in Arizona. Every year, we see plenty of prospects break out at the complex and head to full-season.

The Florida and Arizona Complex Leagues are the first professional proving ground for recent draft picks, international signees, and rising teenage phenoms. This year’s rosters are stacked with high-upside prospects and future stars eager to make their mark. From electric arms to breakout bats, here’s a look at some of the top young players set to play in Arizona and Florida.

Top Prospects Set to Start in the Florida and Arizona Complex Leagues

JD Dix, SS, 19, 6’2”/180, Arizona Diamondbacks

Wisconsin prep bats don’t always get a ton of love, but that changed this year with Dix, as the Diamondbacks selected him as the 35th overall pick. Dix is a physically gifted shortstop standing at 6’2”/180 who is probably taller and stronger than that list. Having a high waist and an explosive lower half, Dix generates power with ease from both sides of the plate. He looks natural from both sides of the plate and generates a ton of bat speed from both.

A natural athlete, Dix has posted strong run times, with his best 60-yard dash at 6.48 seconds. Dix lifts the ball with ease, hitting a ton of line drives and fly balls to the outfield gaps. While he did miss time with a torn labrum during his senior year, but reports say that the shoulder is good to go, and he should be fully healthy.

If Dix is fully healthy, I would not be surprised if he has a huge complex season and is off to Single-A Visalia pretty soon.

Tyson Lewis, SS, 19, 6’2”/195, Cincinnati Reds

Power, speed, and athleticism? Lewis checks all three boxes while having a strong 6’2”/195 frame. The lefty generates natural loft in his swing and registered exit velocities as high as 108 mph during his senior year, which easily tops his class. Not to mention, he clocked a 6.4-second 60-yard dash, which is plus or better speed.

Lewis is known as one of the harder workers in the class and has undergone a swing change over the last year. He now looks much more natural with his swing. While he already has a great frame, he still has room to fill out and add more power. Among the prep shortstops from the 2024 cycle, he already has some of the best power in that group.

Kale Fountain, 3B, 19, 6’5”/225, San Diego Padres

Fountain has about as good a frame as you’ll find in the complex, standing at 6’5”/225 lb. Not only does he have a physically imposing frame, but Fountain is just an athlete. The power upside is immense, but Fountain clocked a 6.7-second 60-yard dash, showing the kind of speed he has.

In the Super 60 showcase event, Fountain posted a max exit velocity of 108.2 mph and an average of 103.7 mph. The present power, plus factoring in growth and projection, gives vibes that he could be a 70 raw power type of bat. The bat speed is elite for his age and even MLB standards, and Fountain has powerful hands that easily generate power.

The swing is geared for natural loft, and Fountain often puts the ball in the air. He can let the ball travel well and does immense damage. Fountain could lead the ACL in home runs and we would not be surprised.

Justin Gonazles, 1B/OF, 18, 6’4”/210, Boston Red Sox

Having a massive frame, much bigger than his listed 6’4”, Gonzales had a dominant DSL debut in 2024, slashing .320/.391/.517 with five home runs and 19 extra base hits in 47 games.

While having long levers, making contact was no problem for Gonzales against DSL pitching. Thanks to an in-zone contact rate of 90 percent, he struck out in just ten percent of plate appearances. He also made plenty of contact on pitches he swung at out of the zone, having an overall contact rate of 79 percent.

After topping out at 111 mph last year, Gonzales has put up 110 mph or higher exit velocities all spring with low effort. There is power for days here, and Gonzales’s 90th percentile exit velocity from last season at 17 years old was already better than MLB average.

It will be a matter of time before Gonzales is in Single-A Salem.

Luke Dickerson, SS, 19, 5’11”/197, Washington Nationals

Dickerson was a late riser among the prep class, and the Nationals liked him enough to hand him a $3.8 million, well above slot for the 44th overall pick. The 5’11” shortstop is a strong athlete with plus or better speed.

Starting with his hands high, Dickerson gets back on the plane quickly and creates a natural loft in his swing. The point of contact is good, and he makes quite an impact, posting strong exit velocities. He hits the ball to all fields well and hits it where it is pitched, not trying to do too much. When Dickerson gets a pitch to pull, he can do it with authority.

Dickerson could wind up being one of the better hitters in the Florida Complex League and be in Fredericksburg in a few months.

Yairo Padilla, SS, 17, 6’4”/170, St. Louis Cardinals

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. Padilla sprouted up to 6’4” this offseason and was one of the highlights of the Cardinals’ offseason hitting camps.

While there were discussions, he could begin the year in Single-A West Palm, the org ultimately decided it was best for Padilla to get reps at the complex. Padilla shows impressive clock times and is a highly efficient base stealer. Evaluators have graded his clock times at a grade of 60-70. If he keeps the speed and taps into more power, Padilla becomes a very intriguing power/speed threat.

Juneiker Caceres, OF, 17, 5’10”/168, Cleveland Guardians

Caceres spent nearly all of the 2024 DSL season as a 16-year-old but did not perform like one. While we take DSL surface numbers with a grain of salt, Caceres put up an impressive .340/.425/.504 slash with 17 extra-base hits in 40 games. He walked more than he struck out and showed impressive traits for someone 16 at the time.

While he did not hit a home run, Caceres put up exit velocities as high as 108 mph and put the ball in the air nearly 70 percent of the time. Caceres got taller and stronger this offseason and looks ready to take the complex by storm, despite being one of the youngest players there.

The contact skills were strong last year and Caceres showed an advanced approach beyond his age. He has the skillset to be one of the top performers in the ACL.

Johnny King, LHP, 18, 6’3”/210, Toronto Blue Jays

King was drafted in the third round of the 2024 MLB Draft out of Naples HS in Florida. A tall lefty, King has taken a step forward this offseason and has his fastball up to 97 mph after topping at 95 mph last season. Throwing from a low arm slot, King creates good horizontal movement, which keeps the ball on the ground while also showing the ability to miss bats.

King throws a two-plane curveball that sits in the upper 70s, and there is also a low-80s slurve that sometimes blends with the curve. The changeup is developing but could give me a good platoon-neutralizing pitch against righties.

A lefty with King’s fastball and secondaries could really dominate complex hitters. When Trey Yesavage gets the promotion out of Dunedin, King should take his rotation spot.

Brady Smith, RHP, 20, 6’2”/170, Los Angeles Dodgers

After being drafted in the third round of the 2023 draft out of Grainger High School in Tennessee, Smith had Tommy John surgery and has yet to pitch in a professional game. That will change this year as Smith is healthy and will begin in the complex to build up innings.

The fastball has ticked up coming off surgery and now sits in the mid-90s, though that has been over shorter stints. Smith also has an impressive curveball and slider with distinct shapes and a changeup with solid fading action.

Smith runs high spin rates on all pitch types and could carve up complex-level hitters. Being a good athlete and mover on the mound, Smith is a prospect I want to bet on taking a leap.

Tytus Cissell, SS, 19, 6’2”/185, Arizona Diamondbacks

Cissell is an athletic, 6’2”/185 lb shortstop selected by the Diamondbacks in the fourth round of the 2024 draft. Having a well-rounded skillset, Cissell tests extremely well athletically, posting impressive run times and having good power. 

While he did not make his pro debut in 2024, Cissell put up an impressive showing in PBR’s Super 60 event. The switch-hitter has shown a good feel for hitting from both sides of the plate, with good rotational torque in his lower half. The swing from the left side generates a little more loft, but Cissell can make good contact from both sides of the plate. 

Cissell and JD Dix make quite a fun pairing for the Diamondbacks complex team.

Emil Morales, SS, 18, 6’3”/191, Los Angeles Dodgers

Highest wRC+ in the minors in 2024? That would belong to Morales, the Dodgers’ top international signing in 2024. Sure, it was just 201 plate appearances in the DSL, but still, a 194 wRC+ is the highest mark we have seen from a qualified minor leaguer since 2019.

The frame and the swing are highly impressive from a player who spent the year as a 17-year-old. The numbers speak for themselves. Morales .342/.478/.691 slash with 14 home runs and 12 stolen bases to pair with 11 doubles. The craziest thing is that Morales did not hit a home run until June 25. He played 32 games after that, hitting all 14 home runs with a .380/.515/.890 slash.

Morales was on base in 43 of his 46 games, walking nearly as often as he struck out, thanks to a strong 20 percent chase rate. The contact was sometimes inconsistent, as Morales posted a sub-70 percent contact rate, which is a little concerning and something to watch moving forward.

This being said, when he made contact, Morales did damage. He has impressive bat speed and generates a lot of torque with his lower half. The ball jumps off the bat from a frame that still has plenty of projection. For a 17 year-old, Morales’ 90th percentile exit velocity of 103 mph stands out as a mark that is already close to the MLB average.

Shotaro Morii, SS/RHP, 18, 6’1”/181, Athletics

In recent years, we have seen more Japanese high school prospects sign with MLB clubs or head to universities in the States. Morii is the next prospect set to come over out of high school. A two-way player who excels at shortstop and on the mound, Morii makes for a unique prospect.

Having an already well-built frame, Morii has a smooth left-handed swing that generates effortless power, hitting 45 high school home runs. He makes plenty of contact and rarely expands the zone.

At shortstop, Morii has good range and instincts and has a huge arm that will play on the left side of the infield. Given that he has been up to 95 mph on the mound, this should come as no surprise.

After his fastball, Morii also throws a slider and splitter, which are pretty advanced pitches. There is a curveball, but he does not throw it often. Still, Morii’s development will be interesting to follow, given the skillset.

Morii has been dealing with an elbow injury all spring and will not pitch this year at the complex. He will be ready to go, hitting-wise, however.

Eli Lovich, OF, 19, 6'4"/185, Chicago Cubs

The 2024 Prep Baseball Kansas Player of the Year, Lovich, landed in the 11th round with the Cubs, getting a $650k signing bonus. Grabbing that amount over bonus is notable, and there is a good reason why the Cubs drafted him. The 6’4” lefty outfielder can rake. With long legs and an explosive lower half, Lovich gets to power with ease, posting exit velocities at the top of his draft class.

With a swing geared for loft, Lovich utilizes a big leg kick to get torque in his lower half, and his quick bat generates easy power. A strong athlete, Lovich grades out extremely well among his peers with a high vertical jump and posted a 6.7 60-yard dash, which is a solid time, especially for his size. With long legs, Lovich gets faster over time, and he still has a ton of room to fill out his frame.

The pitch recognition is good; it will just be about consistent contact against better fastballs and breakers. Lovich has the tools to be a very exciting player.

Joey Oakie, RHP, 18, 6’3”/200, Cleveland Guardians

The Guardians’ massive bonus pool allowed them to get creative, and they certainly knocked the 2024 draft out of the park. Third-rounder Joey Oakie grabbed a $2 million bonus, over double the assigned slot value for the third-round pick. Oakie has a workhorse frame, standing at 6’3”/200 lb, already armed with a fastball that reaches 97 and sits low-to-mid 90s.

The fastball’s low release point creates a very flat plane. He throws primarily two-seamers but could thrive with a riding four-seam fastball. He throws a mid-80s slider with plus sweeping action but a good two-plane break. He actually worked on a new slider grip this spring, which has late bite and spin rates up to 3000 rpm.

The changeup is a little firm and does not get a good separation from the fastball. It does have good traits, but it is a pitch Oakie will need to develop further to continue his path development as a starter.

David Shields, LHP, 18, 6’2”/210, Kansas City Royals

Shields was initially slated to be part of the 2025 MLB Draft before reclassifying and becoming one of the younger members of the 2024 Draft class. Still being 17 on draft day, the Royals plucked him 41st overall, giving him a bonus of $2.3 million.

A good athlete and mover on the mound, Shields has a solid arsenal of pitches with plenty of projection left on his frame. He throws a bit of cross-body, which helps create deception.

The fastball sits in the low 90s, but he did tick up during fall instructs. During his senior season, he lived more in the 88-90 range and topped around 91-92 mph. Shields is now topping out closer to 94 mph. The fastball gets sold arm-side movement and shows the ability to create good riding action up in the zone.

A slider is Shields’ most secondary pitch, sitting in the low-80s. It has nice depth and good horizontal movement, and Shields has shown the ability to get whiffs against lefties and righties with the pitch. The changeup is a third offering, but as it continues to develop, it could become a solid platoon-neutralizing pitch against right-handed batters. It sits in the 79-82 mph range with good fading action.

Shields has shown a curve at points in high school, which sits in the mid-70s, but he also has worked to add a mid-80s cutter. Given the age and present arsenal, you can see Shields developing into a solid starting pitcher. He has shown good command that is likely to improve with time, and if the fastball velocity continues to tick up, there could be a strong starting pitcher profile here.

Joswa Lugo, SS, 18, 6’3”/187, Los Angeles Angels

Lugo was the Angels’ top international signee in January 2024, receiving a $2.3 million bonus. He was also one of the younger players in the class, being 16 at the time of signing. Despite being young, Lugo has a strong 6’3” frame that helps him get to effortless power, but he should fill out more and only add to it. Still, Lugo put up a strong first pro season in the DSL, slashing .301/.370/.466 with five home runs, 19 extra-base hits, and 18 stolen bases in 53 games.

The power and physicality are impressive for Lugo, who put up substantial power numbers as a young hitter. He posted a 90th percentile exit velocity of 103 mph and topped out north of 110 mph at 17. While he does control the barrel well, Lugo is hyper-aggressive and chases out of the zone at excessively high rates. There is also questionable contact, and he struck out north of 23 percent of the time in the DSL.

There is still a lot to like with Lugo. He looks good in the field and has a strong arm. Right now, he shows good athleticism, but that could tick down with time as he fills out his frame. The present power is already impressive as well. Lugo’s future will depend on how the hit tool and plate discipline develop.

Edward Florentino, OF/1B, 18, 6’4”/200, Pittsburgh Pirates

Florentino might have been the player who caught my eye the most during my trip to Florida this spring, possibly because I saw him play on four different occasions. Regardless, Florentino was impressive. Considering he just turned 18 years old, Florentino has an impressive 6’4” frame with a strong lower half. He runs well and shows impressive pop.

I thought it was a pretty clean approach overall, he didn’t chase a lot of balls in my looks, and picked up breaking balls pretty well. Florentino fought off some tough pitches to hit and made a lot of contact, especially considering on the backfields, he was in Double-A and Triple-A lineups multiple times.

Florentino signed as part of the Pirates’ 2024 international class, receiving a $395k bonus. Having an advanced frame at 6’4”/200, Florentino mashed and was one of the Pirates’ best DSL hitters. His slash of .260/.432/.459 with five home runs and 17 extra-base hits in 49 games.

Considering the frame and long levers, Florentino does not swing and miss often. He posted above-average contact rates and had an impressive 86 percent in-zone mark. He does not expand the zone often and walked at a high clip in 2024, backed by a sub-20 percent chase rate.

Florentino hit the ball pretty hard for a 17-year-old, having a 90th percentile exit velocity already near the MLB average at 103.5 mph. Given the amount of line drives and fly balls Florentino hits and a swing that is geared for loft, he should get plenty of game power.

Arnaldo Lantigua, OF, 19, 6’2”/200, Cincinnati Reds

Lantigua was a DSL repeater in 2024, and that will be a deterrent for some, but it is actually becoming more common. After 2023, which saw him mash seven home runs in 29 games but struggle with contact, Lantigua returned to the DSL in 2024 and dominated. He hit 11 home runs in 49 games and posted a slash of .301/.430/.575, and he walked as often as he struck out.

Considering the rather large frame while having a big leg kick and rather aggressive swing, Lantigua actually has good timing. His hips clear early, but he has shown the ability to wait back, even on breaking balls. The adjustments in the box are good.

Lantigua made contact on nearly 80 percent of pitches he swung at in 2024 with an in-zone rate north of 88 percent. The chase rate improved from 2023 and sat at 16 percent, which led to walking as often as he struck out.

The power really stands out, though, as Lantigua posted a strong 104 mph 90th percentile exit velocity. His swing is geared for loft, as he posted an air percentage north of 70 percent with a pull rate of 55 percent. It is no surprise that Lantigua was able to hit some big home runs.

If the contact translates as Lantigua comes stateside, he could vault toward the top of this list.

Jorge Quintana, SS, 18, 6’2”/183, Milwaukee Brewers

Quintana received the largest bonus among Brewers’ signees in 2024 at $1.7 million, not Jesús Made or Luis Peña. Even though he fell behind quite a few Brewers’ DSL hitters last year, the talent is still there. He ended the DSL season with a .250/.361/.380 slash with two home runs, 19 extra-base hits, and 22 stolen bases. After a slower start to the season, Quintana picked things up as the season wore on.

Being rather young for his signing class, Quintana just turned 18. The switch-hitter shows a good feel for hitting from both sides of the plate and has shown good plate discipline. While we did not see the home run power in 2024, it has come out on the backfields this spring. Quintana has put up some solid exit velocities that suggest he could take a step forward this year.

The contact skills are good and should be the carrying tool here. If the power comes, Quintana becomes a really attractive prospect.