Each MLB Team's Prospect Who Could Help Right Away in 2023
There was no shortage of elite prospect talent that broke camp with a spot on 2023 Opening Day rosters.
Gunnar Henderson (BAL), Corbin Carroll (ARI), Jordan Walker (STL), Anthony Volpe (NYY), Triston Casas (BOS), Ezequiel Tovar (COL), Josh Jung (TEX), Miguel Vargas (LAD) and Hunter Brown (HOU) are among the high-profile rookies who are starting the year in the big leagues.
So who's next?
Now that the initial big league rosters have been set, we can get a better idea of which prospects will be the next to reach the majors for their respective teams.
Ahead we've highlighted one up-and-comer who is ready to help right away in 2023, focusing exclusively on prospects who are not already on the MLB roster.
From right-hander Grayson Rodriguez for the Baltimore Orioles to third baseman Brett Baty with the New York Mets, these are the names to know as we wait on the next wave of prospect talent to arrive in the big leagues.
Enjoy!
American League East
1 of 6
Baltimore Orioles: RHP Grayson Rodriguez
One of baseball's top pitching prospects, Rodriguez was expected to break camp with a rotation spot at the start of spring training, but after he posted a 7.04 ERA in 15.1 innings while struggling the second time through the order, he was optioned to Triple-A. Expect him to be in the big leagues at the first sign of him looking like his usual dominant self in the minors.
Boston Red Sox: RHP Bryan Mata
Mata spent all of the 2021 season recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he returned last year to post a 2.49 ERA with 105 strikeouts in 83 innings across four minor league levels. The 23-year-old tossed seven scoreless innings during spring training and he entered the year as the top pitching prospect in the Boston system. He could be the first name called when rotation reinforcements are needed.
New York Yankees: RHP Randy Vasquez
Vasquez posted a 3.90 ERA with 120 strikeouts in 115.1 innings at Double-A last season, and he was added to the 40-man roster in November. The 24-year-old has an undersized 6'0", 165-pound frame, and his long-term profile is more floor than ceiling, but he is among the most MLB-ready arms in the Yankees system.
Tampa Bay Rays: IF Curtis Mead
Mead has been one of baseball's fastest-rising prospects since he was traded from Philadelphia to Tampa Bay prior to the 2020 season. The 22-year-old hit .298/.390/.532 with 40 extra-base hits in 76 games in the upper levels of the minors last season, and he is capable of playing first base, second base and third base.
Toronto Blue Jays: SS/3B Addison Barger
Barger sent his prospect stock soaring last season when he hit .308/.378/.555 with 33 doubles, 26 home runs and 91 RBI in 124 games across three levels, closing out the year at Triple-A. The 23-year-old may fit best as an offensive-minded utility player in the majors, and he saw time at second base, shortstop and third base in the Arizona Fall League.
American League Central
2 of 6
Chicago White Sox: 2B/SS Lenyn Sosa
With Oscar Colás and Romy González both earning a spot on the Opening Day roster, the White Sox broke camp with their two most MLB-ready prospects. Sosa is not far behind, and he actually saw an 11-game cup-of-coffee last year while hitting .315/.369/.511 with 22 doubles, 23 home runs and 79 RBI in 119 games between Double-A and Triple-A.
Cleveland Guardians: LHP Logan Allen
The Guardians have a number of top pitching prospects in the upper levels of the minors right now, including Gavin Williams and Tanner Bibee, but neither of them were in big league camp this spring. Allen, 24, did make four appearances in MLB spring training after racking up 177 strikeouts in 132.2 innings in the upper minors in 2022.
Detroit Tigers: OF Parker Meadows
Meadows hit .317/.378/.756 with three doubles and five home runs in 45 plate appearances during spring training to put himself on the doorstep of an MLB promotion. The 23-year-old took a major step forward in the minors last season, raising his OPS nearly 200 points, and he is finally turning the raw athleticism that made him a second-round pick in 2018 into on-field production.
Kansas City Royals: 2B/SS Maikel Garcia
Garcia hit .285/.359/.427 with 34 doubles, 11 home runs and 61 RBI in 118 games between Double-A and Triple-A last year, and he went 7-for-22 during a brief midseason call-up. With Michael Massey and Bobby Witt Jr. blocking his path up the middle, he'll likely debut as a utility man, and the 23-year-old has very little left to prove in the minors at this point.
Minnesota Twins: IF/OF Edouard Julien
Julien hit .300/.441/.490 with 39 extra-base hits and 19 steals at Double-A last season and then lit the Arizona Fall League on fire with an absurd .400/.563/.686 line in 96 plate appearances. The 23-year-old continued to impress this spring, going 8-for-23 with three home runs before he was optioned to the minors. He won't be down for long, and his defensive versatility should help him carve out a role in the majors.
American League West
3 of 6
Houston Astros: OF Justin Dirden
Dirden hit .302/.384/.558 with 40 doubles, 24 home runs and 101 RBI in 124 games between Double-A and Triple-A last season to raise his prospect profile, and he nearly played his way onto the Opening Day roster by going 11-for-34 with four doubles and two home runs during spring training. Korey Lee is another top prospect who is ready for an extended look in the majors after losing the backup catcher battle to Yainer Díaz.
Los Angeles Angels: RHP Chase Silseth
Silseth became the first player from the 2021 draft class to reach the majors when he made his MLB debut on May 13, 2022. The 22-year-old ended up starting seven games in the big leagues and he took his lumps, but he was 7-0 with a 2.28 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 110 strikeouts in 83 innings at Double-A.
Oakland Athletics: IF Jordan Diaz
Signed in 2016, Diaz took time to develop and didn't make his full-season ball debut until 2021, but he has proved to be worth the wait. The 22-year-old hit .326/.366/.515 with 34 doubles, 19 home runs and 83 RBI in 120 games between Double-A and Triple-A last year, and he made his MLB debut as a September call-up. He played primarily second base in his first big league action but can also handle both infield corner spots.
Seattle Mariners: RHP Bryce Miller
The Mariners have a trio of high-ceiling pitching prospects waiting in the wings at Triple-A in Taylor Dollard, Emerson Hancock and Miller, and it will be interesting to see who wins the race to the majors. Miller, 24, posted a 3.16 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 163 strikeouts in 133.2 innings over three minor league levels last year, and he worked 12 solid innings during spring training.
Texas Rangers: RHP Owen White
The Rangers spent the offseason retooling their starting rotation, but that won't stop White from getting a shot to start once he is deemed ready. The 23-year-old had a 3.59 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 104 strikeouts in 80.1 innings between High-A and Double-A last season, and the focus this year will be building up his arm for a larger workload.
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National League East
4 of 6
Atlanta Braves: LHP Dylan Dodd
Dodd was a third-round pick in 2021 and went 12-9 with a 3.36 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 153 strikeouts in 142 innings last season while reaching Double-A. With a 2.00 ERA and 20-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 18 innings during spring training, he looks ready to make an impact, and he'll get his chance early. The 24-year-old is not on the Opening Day roster, but he is scheduled to make his MLB debut on April 4.
Miami Marlins: SS/3B Jordan Groshans
Groshans was a Baseball America Top 100 prospect prior to the 2019, 2020 and 2021 seasons, but injuries and a lack of extra-base power in the upper levels of the minors caused his stock to drop. He was traded to Miami in the deal that sent Anthony Bass and Zach Pop to Toronto at the deadline, and at 23 years old he still has intriguing upside with a high floor as a utility infielder.
New York Mets: 3B Brett Baty
Will it be Baty or catcher Francisco Álvarez who gets called up first? Both top prospects have the potential to be middle-of-the-order run producers for years to come, and both were sent to Triple-A to work on the defensive side of their games. Álvarez arguably has more work to do in that department, while Baty could see time at third base, in the outfield and at designated hitter once he arrives.
Philadelphia Phillies: RHP McKinley Moore
The 24-year-old Moore tossed 9.1 innings without allowing an earned run during spring training, striking out 10 and walking just one along the way. He had a 4.35 ERA with 71 strikeouts in 49.2 innings at Double-A last season, and his fastball-slider combination gives him closer upside if he can refine his command.
Washington Nationals: LHP Matt Cronin
A fourth-round pick in 2019, Cronin has moved quickly on the other side of the lost 2020 season, reaching Triple-A last year when he logged a 2.42 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 52 innings. The left-hander was equally effective against lefties (.581 OPS) and righties (.542 OPS), which should help him claim a bullpen role in the near future.
National League Central
5 of 6
Chicago Cubs: 1B Matt Mervis
Mervis hit .309/.379/.606 with 40 doubles, 36 home runs and 119 RBI across three minor league levels last season, and added a .914 OPS and six more long balls in the Arizona Fall League. The 24-year-old was expected to compete for the starting first base job before the Cubs signed Eric Hosmer, but he could still quickly push his way into the picture.
Cincinnati Reds: 1B/3B Christian Encarnacion-Strand
The Reds acquired Encarnacion-Strand in the deadline deal that sent Tyler Mahle to the Minnesota Twins, and in 144 career minor league games he has hit .317/.376/.588 with 33 doubles, 36 home runs and 114 RBI. He went 15-for-26 with seven extra-base hits during spring training, and he could be the heir apparent to Joey Votto at first base.
Milwaukee Brewers: OF Sal Frelick
Frelick was one of the most polished hitters in the 2021 draft class, going No. 15 overall to the Brewers after a stellar junior season at Boston College. The 22-year-old hit .331/.403/.480 and reached Triple-A in his first full professional season last year, and after going 10-for-26 during spring training it's only a matter of time before he gets the call.
Pittsburgh Pirates: RHP Luis Ortiz
Endy Rodriguez, Quinn Priester, Nick Gonzales and Mike Burrows are among the top prospects in the Pittsburgh system expected to debut at some point in 2023, but the first high-profile up-and-comer to get the call will likely be Ortiz. The 24-year-old had a breakout season in the upper levels of the minors last year and started four games in the majors as a September call-up.
St. Louis Cardinals: LHP Matthew Liberatore
There is still time for Liberatore to make the deal that sent Randy Arozarena from St. Louis to Tampa Bay look a little less lopsided. The 23-year-old was viewed as a top-tier pitching prospect at the time of the trade, but his stock has dropped after he struggled to a 5.17 ERA in 115 innings at Triple-A last year and got knocked around in 34.2 innings in the majors. He had a 1.80 ERA in 10 innings of work this spring and could be an X-factor if things click at Triple-A.
National League West
6 of 6
Arizona Diamondbacks: RHP Brandon Pfaadt
With Ryne Nelson and Drey Jameson both starting the season on the MLB roster, Pfaadt will likely be the next young arm to get the call. The 24-year-old led all minor league pitchers with 218 strikeouts in 167 innings last year while pitching to a 3.83 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in Double-A and Triple-A. The D-backs quietly have some great young pitching behind ace Zac Gallen.
Colorado Rockies: OF Zac Veen
With a smooth left-handed swing and elite speed, Veen has moved steadily through the minors since going No. 9 overall in the 2020 draft. He hit .333 with a .444 on-base percentage and 16 steals in 21 games in the Arizona Fall League and batted .280/.321/.380 in 53 plate appearances during spring training. The starting center field job could be his in Colorado by midseason.
Los Angeles Dodgers: RHP Gavin Stone
Miguel Vargas, James Outman and Michael Grove all earned a spot on the Dodgers Opening Day roster, and there will be more prospect talent on the way before the season is over with Michael Busch, Landon Knack and Bobby Miller among the other names to keep an eye on. However, the next to arrive could be Stone, who had a 1.48 ERA with 168 strikeouts in 121.1 innings across three minor league levels last year and will start the year at Triple-A.
San Diego Padres: LHP Jay Groome
How hyped was Jay Groome coming out of high school?
The 24-year-old has not developed as hoped in the years since going No. 12 overall in the 2016 draft, and the Red Sox finally cut ties last summer when he was traded to San Diego in the Eric Hosmer deal. He had a 3.44 ERA in 144 innings in the upper minors last year and posted a 1.29 ERA in 14 innings during spring training, so his long-awaited MLB debut could be right around the corner.
San Francisco Giants: SS/3B Casey Schmitt
Schmitt moved into the top tier of Giants prospects last season when he hit .293/.365/.489 with 25 doubles, 21 home runs and 78 RBI in 126 games across three levels. The 24-year-old batted .333/.347/.583 with six extra-base hits in 49 plate appearances during spring training, and he could quickly push for the starting third base job if David Villar starts slow.
All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference.
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