Top MLB Prospects Making a Case for Opening Day Roster Spot

A ton of high-profile prospect talent broke camp with a spot on Opening Day rosters in 2023.

Gunnar Henderson (BAL), Corbin Carroll (ARI), Jordan Walker (STL), Triston Casas (BOS), Josh Jung (TEX), Hunter Brown (HOU), Anthony Volpe (NYY), Spencer Steer (CIN), Miguel Vargas (LAD), Ezequiel Tovar (COL), Logan O'Hoppe (LAA) and Yainer Diaz (HOU) are among the notable rookies who started the 2023 season in the big leagues.

Which rising stars will follow in their footsteps this spring?

Ahead we've highlighted the most impactful prospects expected to make their team's Opening Day roster, based on expected role and short-term upside.

Included is a look at each player's projected 2024 starts, courtesy of the depth charts projections from FanGraphs.

Honorable Mentions

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Masyn Winn

These prospects didn't crack our Top 10, but they also seem to have an inside track for a spot on Opening Day rosters and a major role in 2024:

• SP Joe Boyle, Oakland Athletics
• 1B Michael Busch, Chicago Cubs
• RF Dominic Fletcher, Chicago White Sox
• IF Justin Foscue, Texas Rangers
• IF Curtis Mead, Tampa Bay Rays
  
• CF Parker Meadows, Detroit Tigers
• SP Nick Nastrini, Chicago White Sox
• 2B/CF Ceddanne Rafaela, Boston Red Sox
• SP Gavin Stone, Los Angeles Dodgers
• SP Jordan Wicks, Chicago Cubs
• SS Masyn Winn, St. Louis Cardinals

LF Evan Carter, Texas Rangers

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SURPRISE, ARIZONA - MARCH 14: Evan Carter #32 of the Texas Rangers takes a lead off of first base during the Spring Training Game against the Cincinnati Reds at Surprise Stadium on March 14, 2024 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)

Projection: 133 G, .255/.354/.411, 43 XBH (15 HR), 67 RBI, 76 R, 16 SB, 2.5 WAR

It's easy to forget that Evan Carter still has rookie eligibility after the way he performed during the 2023 postseason, but he actually tallied just 75 plate appearances during the regular season before earning his spot on the playoff roster.

The 21-year-old has an advanced approach at the plate that belies his age, and while he may not be a true middle-of-the-order slugger, he has plenty of extra-base power to go along with his stellar on-base numbers, plus athleticism and good speed.

He hit .300/.417/.500 with 18 hits, 10 extra-base hits and 10 walks in 17 games under the bright lights of October, and expectations are sky-high going into his first full season in the big leagues.

CF Jackson Chourio, Milwaukee Brewers

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NASHVILE, TN - DECEMBER 04: Jackson Churio talks to media durin the press conference announcing his long term contract at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center on Monday, December 4, 2023 in Nashvile, Tennessee. (Photo by Casey Gower/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Projection: 131 G, .258/.305/.411, 44 XBH (17 HR), 69 RBI, 68 R, 25 SB, 1.6 WAR

The Milwaukee Brewers paved the way for Jackson Chourio to be part of the Opening Day roster when they signed him to an eight-year, $82 million extension in December, setting a record for the largest contract ever given to a player with no MLB experience.

The 20-year-old hit .280/.336/.467 with 23 doubles, 22 home runs, 89 RBI and 43 steals in 122 games at Double-A last season before closing out the year with six games at Triple-A, and he has flashed legitimate superstar potential.

He just turned 20 years old on March 11, so he will almost certainly be one of the youngest players in the majors in 2024, and his combination of power, speed and advanced approach should help him make a quick transition.

SP Kyle Harrison, San Francisco Giants

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SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 01, 2024: Kyle Harrison #45 of the San Francisco Giants throws a pitch during the second inning of a spring training game against the Texas Rangers at Scottsdale Stadium on March 1, 2024 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images)

Projection: 28 GS, 6-6, 4.15 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 64 BB, 154 K, 134.0 IP, 1.5 WAR

The addition of Blake Snell on a two-year, $62 million deal gives the San Francisco Giants a proven front-line starter to slot alongside Logan Webb at the top of the rotation, and that should help take some pressure off Kyle Harrison.

Harrison, 22, has some of the best pure stuff of any young pitcher in the game, and he posted a 4.15 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 35 strikeouts in 34.2 innings over seven starts in his first taste of the big leagues last year.

The question is his command, and while walks didn't bite him in his MLB debut, his 48 walks in 65.2 innings in the minors do raise some red flags.

SP Jared Jones, Pittsburgh Pirates

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BRADENTON, FL - MARCH 05: Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Jared Jones (37) throws a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays on March 5, 2024, during Spring Training at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Projection: 25 G, 19 GS, 6-7, 4.59 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 43 BB, 93 K, 107.0 IP, 1.0 WAR

Jared Jones took a significant step forward during the 2023 season, posting a 3.85 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 146 strikeouts in 126.1 innings between Double-A and Triple-A, and with a fastball that touches triple-digits, two quality breaking pitches and an improved changeup, he has electric stuff.

The 22-year-old has allowed five hits and four walks in 11.1 innings this spring without surrendering an earned run, and his stuff has drawn rave reviews throughout Pittsburgh camp.

"If Jones didn't earn a job when the Pirates have publicly said they had two rotation spots available, adding that the 2020 second-round pick was in the thick of that competition ... what exactly are we doing here?" wrote Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

2B Colt Keith, Detroit Tigers

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LAKELAND, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 23: Colt Keith #33 of the Detroit Tigersposes for a portrait during photo day at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium on February 23, 2024 in Lakeland, Florida. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Projection: 117 G, .257/.320/.431, 45 XBH (16 HR), 63 RBI, 60 R, 2 SB, 1.7 WAR

Injuries limited Colt Keith to 113 games during his first two full seasons in the Detroit Tigers organization after he was selected in the fifth round of the 2022 draft, but after turning heads in the 2022 Arizona Fall League, he broke out in a big way last year.

The 22-year-old hit .306/.380/.552 with 38 doubles, 27 home runs and 101 RBI in 126 games between Double-A and Triple-A, and the Tigers saw enough in that performance to sign him to a six-year, $28.6 million extension in January.

He entered spring training as the clear front-runner for a wide-open second base job, and he could quickly join Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene as the key cogs in Detroit's offensive core.

DH/LF Wyatt Langford, Texas Rangers

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SURPRISE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 28, 2024: Wyatt Langford #82 of the Texas Rangers bats during the first inning of a spring training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Surprise Stadium on February 28, 2024 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images)

Projection: 136 G, .265/.339/.479, 62 XBH (24 HR), 89 RBI, 79 R, 15 SB, 2.4 WAR

Wyatt Langford hit .373/.498/.784 with 28 doubles, 21 home runs and 57 RBI in 64 games during his junior season at the University of Florida before going No. 4 overall in the 2023 draft.

The 22-year-old continued to rake in his pro debut, batting .360/.480/.677 with 17 doubles, 10 home runs, 30 RBI and 12 steals in 44 games across four minor league levels, climbing all the way to Triple-A to close out the year.

With a .388/.446/.796 line, six home runs and 19 RBI in 56 plate appearances this spring, he is forcing his way onto the Opening Day roster, and he could quickly emerge as the AL Rookie of the Year front-runner if he is given the starting DH job.

CF Jackson Merrill, San Diego Padres

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SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - MARCH 21: Jackson Merrill #3 of San Diego Padres hits a single in the top of the third inning during the 2024 Seoul Series game between Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres at Gocheok Sky Dome on March 21, 2024 in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by Gene Wang/Getty Images)

Projection: 125 G, .251/.293/.383, 39 XBH (12 HR), 58 RBI, 64 R, 9 SB, 0.9 WAR

With a 65-hit, 55-power offensive profile, Jackson Merrill has as much upside as anyone in the San Diego Padres system, and he has successfully forced his way onto the Opening Day roster in the midst of a position change.

The 20-year-old hit .277/.326/.444 with 25 doubles, 15 home runs, 64 RBI and 15 steals in 114 games between High-A and Double-A last year while playing primarily shortstop, but with a glaring hole in the outfield, the Padres have made him their starting center fielder.

He hit .351/.400/.595 with three doubles, two home runs and six RBI in 13 games this spring, and went 2-for-8 with a double in the season-opening two-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers in South Korea.

1B Nolan Schanuel, Los Angeles Angels

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TEMPE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 29, 2024: Nolan Schanuel #18 of the Los Angeles Angels bats during the first inning of a spring training game against the Cleveland Guardians at Tempe Diablo Stadium on February 29, 2024 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images)

Projection: 122 G, .257/.363/.422, 39 XBH (16 HR), 59 RBI, 76 R, 3 SB, 1.8 WAR

Nolan Schanuel hit .447/.615/.868 with 18 doubles, 19 home runs and 64 RBI in 59 games last spring at Florida Atlantic, and the Los Angeles Angels put him on the fast track to the big leagues after taking him No. 11 overall in the 2023 draft.

The 22-year-old played just 22 games in the minors before making his MLB debut on Aug. 18, and he hit .275 with a .402 on-base percentage and more walks (20) than strikeouts (19) in 132 plate appearances in his debut.

He still carries prospect status and entered spring training as the clear starter at first base with Jared Walsh no longer with the organization and Brandon Drury expected to be used primarily at designated hitter.

C Austin Wells, New York Yankees

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TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 21: Austin Wells #88 of the New York Yankees poses for a portrait during the New York Yankees Photo Day at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 21, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images)

Projection: 76 G, .230/.304/.406, 25 XBH (11 HR), 39 RBI, 34 R, 3 SB, 1.2 WAR

Austin Wells has been viewed as the catcher of the future for the New York Yankees since going No. 28 overall in the 2020 draft following a stellar collegiate career at the University of Arizona.

The 24-year-old posted a .775 OPS with 24 doubles, 17 home runs and 72 RBI in 96 games in the upper levels of the minors last year, and he had six doubles, four home runs and 13 RBI in 19 games as a September call-up.

The departure of Kyle Higashioka in the Juan Soto trade gives Wells a clear path to a spot on the Opening Day roster, though he will still need to prove himself defensively to earn more than a part-time role alongside 2022 Platinum Glove winner Jose Trevino.