Every MLB Team's Up-and-Comer Who Could Crack Top 100 Prospects Lists in 2024
The start of another MLB season means fresh updates to leaguewide top-100 prospect lists from a wide variety of different media outlets, and while many of the top prospects heading into the 2024 season are an industry consensus, there are always a few rising stars in the minors who fall through the cracks.
Last season, Tampa Bay Rays infielder Junior Caminero was nowhere to be found on most top-100 prospect lists when the season began, and now he is widely regarded as one of the 10 best prospects in baseball.
Colt Keith (DET), Roman Anthony (BOS), Cade Horton (CHC), Coby Mayo (BAL) and Jacob Misiorowski (MIL) are some of the other notable prospects who were absent from the Baseball America Top 100 prospect list at the start of 2023, but now rank as consensus top-tier prospects.
So who will take a similar leap forward this year?
Ahead is a look at each team's rising prospect capable of making the jump onto leaguewide top-100 prospect lists in 2024.
American League East
1 of 6
Baltimore Orioles: OF Dylan Beavers (Age: 22)
Beavers posted a 1.060 OPS with 17 home runs and 50 RBI in 56 games during his junior season at the University of California before going No. 33 overall in the 2022 draft. He hit .288/.383/.467 with 35 doubles, 11 home runs and 60 RBI in 119 games, and while he will always have a power-over-contact approach, he showed more polish than expected.
Boston Red Sox: SS Yoeilin Cespedes (Age: 18)
Cespedes has drawn comparisons to Howie Kendrick for both his offensive upside and his undersized 5'9", 181-pound frame. His $1.4 million bonus was the largest handed out by the Red Sox during the 2023 international signing period, and he hit .346/.392/.560 with 25 extra-base hits in 46 games in the Dominican Summer League in his pro debut.
New York Yankees: LHP Henry Lalane (Age: 19)
Signed for $350,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2021, Lalane made his stateside debut last year and posted a 34-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 21.2 innings in rookie ball. The 6'7", 211-pound southpaw has a ton of physical projection remaining, and he already touches 97 mph with his fastball while showing a good feel for his changeup and slider.
Tampa Bay Rays: C Dominic Keegan (Age: 23)
Catcher has been a revolving door for the Rays since their inception as a franchise, and they may finally have the long-term answer in Keegan. The Vanderbilt product was a fourth-round pick in 2022, and he hit .287/.386/.467 with 13 home runs and 65 RBI in 106 games between Single-A and High-A before posting a 1.031 OPS with three home runs and 12 RBI in 15 games in the Arizona Fall League.
Toronto Blue Jays: OF Emmanuel Bonilla (Age: 18)
With a 50-hit, 55-power offensive profile, Bonilla has a chance to be one of the top prospects to emerge from the 2023 international class. He landed a $4.1 million bonus last January, then hit .307/.407/.429 with 14 extra-base hits in 50 games in the Dominican Summer League in his pro debut.
American League Central
2 of 6
Chicago White Sox: OF Wilfred Veras (Age: 21)
Veras is the cousin of Fernando Tatis Jr. and he has already shown some of the best offensive upside of any prospect in the White Sox system. He hit .286/.325/.466 with 39 doubles, 17 home runs and 93 RBI in 130 games between High-A and Double-A, and the next step in his development will be cutting down a 25.7 percent strikeout rate.
Cleveland Guardians: LHP Alex Clemmey (Age: 18)
Clemmey was the sixth high school pitcher taken in the 2023 draft class, signing for an above-slot $2.3 million bonus as the No. 58 overall selection. The 6'6", 205-pound southpaw has a lively 70-grade fastball that touches 99 mph and he can spin a good curveball. The Guardians have done a great job developing pitching over the years and his upside is huge.
Detroit Tigers: SS Kevin McGonigle (Age: 19)
One of the best pure hitters in the 2023 high school class, McGonigle hit .315/.452/.411 with more walks (18) than strikeouts (10) over 93 plate appearances in his pro debut. With a long track record of success on the showcase circuit and a polished all-around game, he could move as quickly as anyone from a deep 2023 class of prep shortstops.
Kansas City Royals: 3B Cayden Wallace (Age: 22)
The Royals have one of the thinnest farm systems in baseball right now, and Wallace could emerge as the team's top overall prospect with a strong 2024 season. The Arkansas alum was a second-round pick in the 2022 draft, and he hit .255/.331/.414 with 27 doubles, 13 home runs, 84 RBI and 18 steals in 130 games between High-A and Double-A.
Minnesota Twins: RHP Charlee Soto (Age: 18)
Soto offers as much upside as any prep pitcher from the 2023 draft class, with an electric fastball that touches 99 mph and two plus offspeed pitches. He will make his pro debut during the 2024 season, and he could quickly push Marco Raya and David Festa to be the top pitching prospect in the Minnesota system.
American League West
3 of 6
Houston Astros: OF Zach Cole (Age: 23)
Cole hit .361/.449/.727 with 13 home runs and 47 RBI in 55 games during a breakout junior season at Ball State, and the Astros appear to have found a gem when they selected him in the 10th round of the 2022 draft and signed him to a $97,500 bonus. He posted an .869 OPS with 47 extra-base hits and 37 steals in 111 games between Single-A and High-A in 2023.
"Cole has an elite athletic capacity, providing the highest ceiling of any Houston prospect," wrote Baseball America.
Los Angeles Angels: OF Nelson Rada (Age: 18)
Rada announced himself as a prospect on the rise when he hit .311/.446/.439 in the Dominican Summer League in 2022 after signing for $1.85 million that January. He held his own in a full season at Single-A in his stateside debut, hitting .276 with a .396 on-base percentage in 540 plate appearances, and he does not turn 19 years old until August.
Oakland Athletics: SS Max Muncy (Age: 21)
The No. 25 overall pick in the 2021 draft, Muncy hit just .229 with a 30.5 percent strikeout rate in his first full professional season and his prospect stock took a hit as a result. He started similarly slow last year, but quietly hit .302/.387/.446 with 21 extra-base hits and a more manageable 23.2 percent strikeout rate in 51 games following a midseason promotion to Double-A. That could be the springboard to a breakout 2024 campaign.
Seattle Mariners: OF Jonny Farmelo (Age: 19)
One of the most promising five-tool prospects in the 2023 draft class and a late-riser up draft board following a strong spring, Farmelo secured a $3.2 million bonus as the No. 29 overall pick. He has a strong 6'2", 205-pound frame and checks all the boxes to be an impact center fielder if he unlocks his full potential.
Texas Rangers: OF Paulino Santana (Age: 17)
Santana ranked as the No. 2 international prospect in the 2024 class, according to MLB.com, and he has a chance to make waves in his pro debut. The Rangers brought prized 2023 signing Sebastian Walcott stateside during his first professional season, so don't be surprised if we see Santana in the Arizona Complex League in 2024.
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National League East
4 of 6
Atlanta Braves: RHP Spencer Schwellenbach (Age: 23)
Schwellenbach won the 2021 John Olerud Award as college baseball's best two-way player after serving as the starting shortstop and closer for the University of Nebraska, but the Braves drafted him as a pitcher in the second round. Tommy John surgery delayed his pro debut, but he quickly made up for lost time with a 2.49 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 55 strikeouts in 65 innings between Single-A and High-A last year.
Miami Marlins: LHP Thomas White (Age: 19)
White was widely regarded as the top prep left-hander in the 2023 class with three plus pitches, a projectable 6'5", 210-pound frame and smooth mechanics, he has legitimate frontline potential. He pitched just 4.1 innings in his pro debut, and he will join fellow 2023 draft pick Noble Meyer in climbing the minor league ranks.
New York Mets: RHP Christian Scott (Age: 24)
With a 2.57 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 107 strikeouts in 87.2 innings, Scott was the most effective pitcher in the Mets minor league system last year. The 6'4", 215-pound right-hander has always had a quality fastball and plus slider, but the development of his split-change helped him take his game to another level. Now he's knocking on the MLB door.
Philadelphia Phillies: C Eduardo Tait (Age: 17)
Signed for just $90,000 out of Panama in 2023, Tait hit .333/.400/.517 with 18 extra-base hits in 165 plate appearances in the Dominican Summer League in his pro debut. He is still in the early stages of tapping into his plus raw power, but he has a chance to be a well-rounded offensive catcher, and his 60-grade throwing arm behind the plate is also an asset.
Washington Nationals: OF Cristhian Vaquero (Age: 19)
Vaquero signed for $4.925 million as one of the top prospects in the 2022 international class, and he held his own in his stateside debut last year, hitting .252/.383/.359 with 15 extra-base hits and 22 steals in 58 games between rookie ball and Single-A. With a 55-power, 70-speed profile, he has barely scratched the surface of his vast potential.
National League Central
5 of 6
Chicago Cubs: IF James Triantos (Age: 21)
After hitting .417/.495/.679 with 11 extra-base hits in 99 plate appearances to win Offensive Player of the Year honors in the Arizona Fall League, Triantos has a huge up arrow next to his name heading into 2024. There are still questions of where he fits best defensively, but he could force his way into the MLB picture with his bat.
Cincinnati Reds: 2B Carlos Jorge (Age: 20)
Jorge played the entire 2023 season at the age of 19, hitting .282/.374/.464 with 14 doubles, 10 triples, 12 home runs, 50 RBI and 32 steals in 109 games between Single-A and High-A to add his name to a long list of promising young infielders in the CIncinnati system. He also started 18 games in center field, and versatility could be the key to carving out an MLB role.
Milwaukee Brewers: RHP Carlos Rodriguez (Age: 22)
Rodriguez put together a dominant season at Double-A Biloxi last year, posting a 2.77 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 152 strikeouts in 123.2 innings over 25 starts. He has an undersized 5'11", 195-pound frame and lacks high-octane stuff, but it's getting harder to ignore the results after a strong season in the upper minors. More of the same should land him on Top 100 lists in 2024.
Pittsburgh Pirates: OF Lonnie White Jr. (Age: 21)
A 4-star wide receiver recruit who was committed to play baseball and football at Penn State, White received a $1.5 million bonus as the No. 64 overall pick in the 2021 draft with hopes that he might take off once he turned his full attention to baseball. Instead, injuries have limited him to just 72 games in three years, but his stock could explode with a fully healthy season.
St. Louis Cardinals: LHP Cooper Hjerpe (Age: 22)
Hjerpe went 11-2 with a 2.53 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 161 strikeouts in 103.1 innings during his junior season at Oregon State, and he was one of the first college pitchers off the board when he went No. 22 overall in the 2022 draft. Surgery to remove loose bodies from his pitching elbow limited him to 41 innings at High-A Peoria last year, but he should be full go for the 2024 season.
National League West
6 of 6
Arizona Diamondbacks: LHP Yu-Min Lin (Age: 20)
Lin turned heads when he struck out 91 batters in 56.1 innings in his pro debut, then he backed it up by posting a 3.86 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 140 strikeouts in 121.1 innings between High-A and Double-A last year. He keeps hitters off balance with a four-pitch repertoire and has quickly developed into the top pitching prospect in the Arizona system.
Colorado Rockies: OF Benny Montgomery (Age: 21)
One of the best athletes in the 2021 draft, Montgomery was the No. 8 overall pick and he performed well when healthy in 2022, though a quad injury cost him two months. He hit just .251/.336/.370 with a 27.2 percent strikeout rate in a full season at High-A in 2023, but appeared to turn a corner in the Arizona Fall League where he batted .333/.436/.500 with 26 hits and 14 walks in 19 games.
Los Angeles Dodgers: LHP Maddux Bruns (Age: 21)
Bruns has a fastball, curveball and slider that all earned 60-grade marks from MLB.com heading into the 2023 season, but his command and mechanics remain a work-in-progress. He had a 3.99 ERA with 126 strikeouts and 67 walks in 97 innings between Single-A and High-A last year, limiting opposing hitters to a .193 average. If everything clicks, he has top-tier starter upside.
San Diego Padres: OF Dillon Head (Age: 19)
A tooled-up prep outfielder from the Illinois high school ranks, Head has legitimate 80-grade speed, elite defensive tools and enough offensive upside to be a future everyday center fielder and top-of-the-lineup table setter. Even if he never develops into a real power threat, he has a full enough toolbox to be an impact player.
San Francisco Giants: OF Rayner Arias (Age: 17)
Arias performed as well as anyone in the Dominican Summer League last year, hitting .414/.540/.793 with 12 extra-base hits in 76 plate appearances. There is a ton of room to add strength to his athletic 6'2", 185-pound frame, and his stateside debut will be among the most anticipated of the 2024 season.
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