Updated Top 100 MLB Prospects List, May Edition
Now that rookies who have been active since Opening Day have exhausted their prospect status, it's time for the first major update of the year to our MLB Top 100 prospect list.
The following factors helped determine where each player fell on our list:
- Potential: This trumps production a lot of the time, especially in the lower levels of the minors and with recent draft picks. Skill set and tools are often better indicators of what kind of player someone will be.
- Talent: For those in the higher levels of the minors who are close to breaking into the big leagues, production and talent level were the determining factors since the players are viewed as more complete products.
- Eligibility: A player must maintain rookie eligibility to be considered for inclusion. That means no more than 130 big league at-bats for position players, 50 innings for pitchers or 45 days on the active roster.
Let's start with 50 players who fell just outside the rankings.
Next 50
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RHP: Hayden Birdsong (SF), Mason Black (SF), Daniel Espino (CLE), Nick Frasso (LAD), Thomas Harrington (PIT), Ben Kudrna (KC), Ty Madden (DET), Adam Mazur (SD), Max Meyer (MIA), Luis Morales (OAK), Connor Phillips (CIN), Brock Porter (TEX), Marco Raya (MIN), Tekoah Roby (STL), River Ryan (LAD), Spencer Schwellenbach (ATL)
LHP: Cooper Hjerpe (STL), Henry Lalane (NYY), Yu-Min Lin (ARI), Frank Mozzicato (KC), Cade Povich (BAL), Carson Whisenhunt (SF)
C: Moises Ballesteros (CHC), Dominic Keegan (TB), Blake Mitchell (KC), Drew Romo (COL)
IF: Edwin Arroyo (CIN), Felnin Celesten (SEA), Leodalis De Vries (SD), Justin Foscue (TEX), Jacob Gonzalez (CWS), George Lombard Jr. (NYY), Ronny Mauricio (NYM), Kevin McGonigle (DET), Yohandy Morales (WAS), Connor Norby (BAL), Bryan Ramos (CWS), Thomas Saggese (STL), Sal Stewart (CIN), Ralphy Velazquez (CLE)
OF: Rayner Arias (SF), Miguel Bleis (BOS), Cole Carrigg (COL), Jonny Farmelo (SEA), Brailer Guerrero (TB), Robert Hassell III (WAS), Dillon Head (MIA), Druw Jones (ARI), Joey Loperfido (HOU), Nelson Rada (LAA)
Nos. 100-91
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Nos. 100-91
100. 1B Tyler Locklear, SEA
99. OF Enrique Bradfield Jr., BAL
98. OF Victor Scott II, STL
97. OF Jaison Chourio, CLE
96. LHP Anthony Solometo, PIT
95. 1B/OF Ryan Clifford, NYM
94. LHP Thomas White, MIA
93. SS Roderick Arias, NYY
92. RHP David Festa, MIN
91. 3B Cam Collier, CIN
-Jaison Chourio might not offer the same tantalizing mix of power and speed as his older brother, but he is developing into a top prospect in his own right. The 18-year-old is hitting .290/.442/.410 with more walks (26) than strikeouts (18) as one of the youngest players to start the year at the Single-A level, and he has a well-rounded game highlighted by his advanced pitch recognition skills.
-With a 6'5", 220-pound frame, three quality pitches and a deceptive arm slot reminiscent of Madison Bumgarner, left-hander Anthony Solometo has the potential to be another impactful young arm in the Pittsburgh rotation. The 21-year-old has allowed 18 hits and 15 walks in 19 innings at Double-A to open the season, but his potential still earns him a spot.
-The Twins have not had the best luck developing homegrown starting pitching talent in recent years, with José Berríos as the one notable exception. David Festa has a chance to change that. A 13th-round pick in the 2021 draft, he emerged as the team's top pitching prospect last season, and he has a 3.00 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 30 innings at Triple-A to start the year.
Nos. 90-81
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Nos. 90-81
90. IF/OF Sterlin Thompson, COL
89. SS Tommy Troy, ARI
88. 3B Brock Wilken, MIL
87. SS Jefferson Rojas, CHC
86. RHP Chase Hampton, NYY
85. 2B Termarr Johnson, PIT
84. OF Gabriel Gonzalez, MIN
83. OF Yanquiel Fernandez, COL
82. RHP Caden Dana, LAA
81. SS Starlyn Caba, PHI
-Tommy Troy hit just .184/.231/.286 over his first 12 games at High-A before suffering a hamstring strain that has sidelined him since April 21. The No. 12 overall pick in last year's draft still has an extremely polished offensive game and the tools to move quickly through the farm system once he returns, but he drops a few spots after ranking No. 73 to start the year.
-Right-hander Caden Dana turned just 20 years old in December, but he is already pitching at the Double-A level where he has a 2.20 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 34 strikeouts in 41.0 innings while limiting opposing hitters to a .154 average. There is still potential for his stuff to tick up as his 6'4", 215-pound frame fills out.
-Signed for $3 million as one of the top players in the 2023 international class, Starlyn Caba is following up a strong run in the Dominican Summer League last season with an electric stateside debut here in 2024. The 18-year-old is hitting .364/.517/.636 with four extra-base hits, two steals and seven walks in his first 29 plate appearances in rookie ball.
Nos. 80-71
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Nos. 80-71
80. C Edgar Quero, CWS
79. SS Sebastian Walcott, TEX
78. OF Everson Pereira, NYY
77. OF Jacob Melton, HOU
76. OF Kevin Alcántara, CHC
75. OF Drew Gilbert, NYM
74. RHP Jairo Iriarte, CWS
73. RHP Hurston Waldrep, ATL
72. SS/3B Brayden Taylor, TB
71. OF Josue De Paula, LAD
-With electric bat speed and exit velocity numbers that eclipsed 110 mph at times last year, Sebastian Walcott has as much raw power potential as any prospect in the minors. The 18-year-old is still extremely raw and needs to grow into his 6'4", 190-pound frame, but the Rangers have pushed him aggressively with an assignment to High-A Hickory to start the year.
-The Astros traded top prospects Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford last summer to re-acquire Justin Verlander, but another outfielder has quickly emerged as their most promising up-and-comer. Jacob Melton had 41 extra-base hits and 46 steals in 99 games between High-A and Double-A last year, and he is showing a similarly impressive mix of power, speed and athleticism to begin the 2024 campaign.
-While Drew Thorpe was the top pitching prospect the White Sox acquired in the deal that sent Dylan Cease to San Diego, right-hander Jairo Iriarte is not far behind. The 22-year-old has a fastball that bumps 100 mph, a biting slider and a good changeup, and he sports a 2.70 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 43 strikeouts in 36.2 innings at Double-A. The question is how his 6'2", 160-pound frame will hold up to a starter's workload.
Nos. 70-61
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Nos. 70-61
70. 1B Bryce Eldridge, SF
69. RHP Bubba Chandler, PIT
68. 2B James Triantos, CHC
67. SS Luisangel Acuña, NYM
66. C Dalton Rushing, LAD
65. OF Zac Veen, COL
64. LHP Robert Gasser, MIL
63. OF Jordan Beck, COL
62. RHP Owen Murphy, ATL
61. RHP Noble Meyer, MIA
-The No. 9 overall pick in the 2020 draft and a consensus Top 25 prospect in baseball once upon a time, Zac Veen saw his stock plummet after poor offensive seasons in 2022 and 2023. With a .341/.434/.593 line that includes 11 extra-base hits and nine steals through his first 26 games at Double-A this year, his stock is on the rise once again and he is still only 22 years old.
-The Braves selected high-ceiling prep pitchers Owen Murphy (No. 20), JR Ritchie (No. 35) and Cole Phillips (No. 57) at the top of their 2022 draft class, and Murphy is enjoying a breakout 2024 season. The 20-year-old has a 1.54 ERA, 0.73 WHIP and 60 strikeouts in 41 innings at High-A Rome, allowing just 18 hits for a .130 opponents' batting average.
-The first high school pitcher off the board last year at No. 10 overall, right-hander Noble Meyer checks all the boxes to develop into a frontline pitching prospect. The 19-year-old has a projectable 6'5", 185-pound frame, three plus pitches, advanced command and clean mechanics, and he has posted a 3.38 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with 24 strikeouts in 24 innings at Single-A.
Nos. 60-51
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Nos. 60-51
60. 1B Kyle Manzardo, CLE
59. RHP AJ Smith-Shawver, ATL
58. OF Justin Crawford, PHI
57. 2B Orelvis Martinez, TOR
56. RHP Dylan Lesko, SD
55. RHP Mick Abel, PHI
54. SS Marco Luciano, SF
53. RHP Drew Thorpe, CWS
52. OF Lazaro Montes, SEA
51. 3B Jace Jung, DET
-After playing exclusively shortstop and third base to begin his pro career, Orelvis Martinez has shifted to second base this season where he has already committed 11 errors in 27 games. The hot corner could still be his long-term home, but it's his bat that will carry him to the big leagues. The 22-year-old has an .882 OPS with 10 home runs and 31 RBI in 160 plate appearances.
-Optioned to the minors in favor of veteran Nick Ahmed to start the year, Marco Luciano still profiles as the shortstop of the future for the Giants if he continues to make strides defensively. The 22-year-old was recalled from Triple-A on Tuesday.
-With an imposing 6'3", 210-pound frame, Lazaro Montes has tremendous upside at the plate with a 50-hit, 65-power offensive profile. The 19-year-old is hitting .318/.428/.540 with eight doubles, six home runs and 40 RBI in 32 games at Single-A, and he has tallied almost the same number of walks (23) as strikeouts (24).
Nos. 50-41
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Nos. 50-41
50. LHP Ricky Tiedemann, TOR
49. 2B Adael Amador, COL
48. 3B Matt Shaw, CHC
47. 1B Xavier Isaac, TB
46. 3B Brady House, WAS
45. RHP Chase Dollander, COL
44. SS Colt Emerson, SEA
43. IF Tyler Black, MIL
42. RHP Christian Scott, NYM
41. OF Owen Caissie, CHC
-It's been a long time since the Rockies had a pitching prospect with as much upside as Chase Dollander. The No. 9 overall pick in last year's draft was a candidate to go No. 1 overall before an up-and-down junior year at Tennessee, and he has a 2.59 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 43 strikeouts in 24.1 innings over five starts in his pro debut at High-A Spokane.
-A fifth-round pick in 2021, right-hander Christian Scott had a breakout 2023 season with a 2.57 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 107 strikeouts in 87.2 innings over three minor league levels. The 24-year-old made his MLB debut on May 4 and he has kicked off his big league career with quality starts against the Rays and Braves.
-The Cubs acquired outfielder Owen Caissie in the deal that sent Yu Darvish to the Padres prior to the 2021 season, and he vaulted onto Top 100 lists last season when he hit .289/.399/.519 with 31 doubles, 22 home runs and 84 RBI in 120 games at Double-A as a 20-year-old. It has been more of the same in his first taste of the Triple-A level this year, and he could debut at some point in the second half.
Nos. 40-31
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Nos. 40-31
40. SS Aidan Miller, PHI
39. SS Jacob Wilson, OAK
38. RHP Tink Hence, STL
37. C Kyle Teel, BOS
36. OF Spencer Jones, NYY
35. 3B Noelvi Marte, CIN
34. SS Cole Young, SEA
33. OF Emmanuel Rodriguez, MIN
32. SS/OF Jett Williams, NYM
31. C Harry Ford, SEA
-Jacob Wilson batted .412 with just five strikeouts in 217 plate appearances last spring at Grand Canyon University before going No. 6 overall in the 2023 draft, and that elite hit tool has carried over to pro ball. Already playing in the upper levels of the minors, he is hitting .438/.458/.652 in 118 plate appearances between Double-A and Triple-A.
-With a fastball that bumps 99 mph, two distinct breaking pitches and one of the best changeups of any pitching prospect, Tink Hence has an ace-caliber ceiling. The 21-year-old set a career-high with 96 innings pitched last year, and the next step in his development will be proving he can handle a full workload.
-It's easy to dream on the power potential that Spencer Jones possesses in his 6'6", 235-pound frame, and the Yankees know a thing or two about developing hulking sluggers. The 23-year-old has a 32.4 percent strikeout rate in 108 plate appearances at Double-A to open the year, so making more consistent contact will be the key to unlocking his full potential.
Nos. 30-21
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Nos. 30-21
30. LHP Noah Schultz, CWS
29. C Jeferson Quero, MIL
28. OF Chase DeLauter, CLE
27. OF Max Clark, DET
26. 1B/OF Heston Kjerstad, BAL
25. RHP Rhett Lowder, CIN
24. SS Brooks Lee, MIN
23. RHP Andrew Painter, PHI
22. OF Andy Pages, LAD
21. SS Marcelo Mayer, BOS
-Rhett Lowder went 15-0 with a 1.87 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 143 strikeouts in 120.1 innings last spring at Wake Forest, and the Reds made him the second college pitcher off the board with the No. 7 overall pick. The 22-year-old logged a 2.49 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 25.1 innings at High-A to start the year before earning a quick promotion to Double-A.
-With a 31-homer season at High-A in 2021, Andy Pages established himself as one of the top power-hitting prospects in the minors. However, an injury-plagued 2023 season and a high strikeout rate left him just outside the Top 100 on B/R's preseason list. A red-hot start at Triple-A earned him a quick promotion to the majors, and he has a 108 OPS+ with six doubles, four home runs and 13 RBI in 26 games.
-After hitting .236/.306/.433 in 78 games last season, Marcelo Mayer entered the 2024 season with something to prove offensively. The 21-year-old is hitting .310/.359/.496 with 18 extra-base hits and eight steals in 31 games back at Double-A to open the year, and he could soon be the answer to the Red Sox middle infield woes.
Nos. 20-11
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Nos. 20-11
20. OF Walker Jenkins, MIN
19. OF Roman Anthony, BOS
18. RHP Jacob Misiorowski, MIL
17. LHP Robby Snelling, SD
16. OF Pete Crow-Armstrong, CHC
15. SS Carson Williams, TB
14. RHP Cade Horton, CHC
13. C Samuel Basallo, BAL
12. OF Jasson Dominguez, NYY
11. 3B Coby Mayo, BAL
-With a high-octane fastball that hit 102.4 mph in the Futures Game last year and an equally lethal slider, Jacob Misiorowski might have the best pure stuff of any pitching prospect. The 22-year-old had 110 strikeouts in 71.1 innings in his first full pro season last year, and he has opened the 2024 campaign with a 2.63 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 41 strikeouts in 27.1 innings at Double-A, though his 20 walks speak to the refinement his game still needs.
-Scouts often talk about multi-sport athletes taking off once they turn their full attention to one sport, and Robby Snelling is a perfect example of that progression. A 4-star football recruit, he signed an above-slot $3 million bonus as the No. 39 overall pick in the 2022 draft. After going 11-3 with a 1.82 ERA and 118 strikeouts in 103.2 innings last year, he opened this season at Double-A. He will be 20 years old for the entire 2024 season.
-Carson Williams posted an .853 OPS with 21 doubles, 23 home runs and 20 steals across three minor league levels last season, but he also struck out 158 times at a 31.4 percent rate. The 20-year-old has trimmed his strikeout rate to a more manageable 24.6 percent in the early going this year while hitting .336/.410/.571 with 16 extra-base hits in 29 games at Double-A. He is also one of the best defensive shortstops in the minors.
Nos. 10-1
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Nos. 10-1
10. RHP Jackson Jobe, DET
9. C Ethan Salas, SD
8. SS Jordan Lawlar, ARI
7. SS Colson Montgomery, CWS
6. OF Dylan Crews, WAS
5. OF Wyatt Langford, TEX
4. OF James Wood, WAS
3. 3B Junior Caminero, TB
2. 2B/SS Jackson Holliday, BAL
1. RHP Paul Skenes, PIT
- Right-hander Jackson Jobe has made steady progress since going No. 3 overall in the 2021 draft out of high school, and a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League last year put him in the conversation for top pitching prospect in the sport. The 21-year-old had a 2.16 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 16.2 innings at Double-A to start the year before he was sidelined with a hamstring injury.
-After cementing his status as one of baseball's top prospects last season when he posted an .874 OPS with 26 home runs and 91 RBI in his age-20 season, James Wood is making a serious case for the No. 1 spot. In 37 games at Triple-A, he is hitting .354/.454/.583 with 12 doubles, seven home runs and 25 RBI, and he could force his way onto the MLB roster in the near future.
-Just because he fell flat in his MLB debut, Jackson Holliday does not suddenly plummet down the prospect rankings. He is still only 20 years old, and at this time two years ago he was playing high school baseball. That 70-grade hit tool didn't suddenly disappear overnight. He'll make the necessary adjustments and be back in the big leagues in no time.
Team-by-Team Breakdown
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ARI (2): SS Jordan Lawlar (8), SS Tommy Troy (89)
ATL (3): RHP AJ Smith-Shawver (59), RHP Owen Murphy (62), RHP Hurston Waldrep (73)
BAL (5): SS Jackson Holliday (2), 3B Coby Mayo (11), C Samuel Basallo (13), 1B/OF Heston Kjerstad (26), OF Enrique Bradfield Jr. (99)
BOS (3): OF Roman Anthony (19), SS Marcelo Mayer (21), C Kyle Teel (37)
CHC (7): RHP Cade Horton (14), OF Pete Crow-Armstrong (16), OF Owen Caissie (41), 3B Matt Shaw (48), 2B James Triantos (68), OF Kevin Alcántara (76), SS Jefferson Rojas (87)
CWS (5): SS Colson Montgomery (10), LHP Noah Schultz (33), RHP Drew Thorpe (59), C Edgar Quero (80), RHP Jairo Iriarte (94)
CIN (3): RHP Rhett Lowder (25), 3B Noelvi Marte (35), 3B Cam Collier (91)
CLE (3): OF Chase DeLauter (28), 1B Kyle Manzardo (60), OF Jaison Chourio (97)
COL (6): RHP Chase Dollander (45), SS Adael Amador (49), OF Jordan Beck (63), OF Zac Veen (65), OF Yanquiel Fernandez (83), IF/OF Sterlin Thompson (90)
DET (3): RHP Jackson Jobe (10), OF Max Clark (27), 3B Jace Jung (51)
HOU (1): OF Jacob Melton (77)
KC (0): None
LAA (1): RHP Caden Dana (82)
LAD (3): OF Andy Pages (22), C Dalton Rushing (66), OF Josue De Paula (71)
MIA (2): RHP Noble Meyer (61), LHP Thomas White (94)
MIL (5): RHP Jacob Misiorowski (18), C Jeferson Quero (29), IF Tyler Black (43), LHP Robert Gasser (64), 3B Brock Wilken (88)
MIN (5): OF Walker Jenkins (20), SS Brooks Lee (24), OF Emmanuel Rodriguez (33), OF Gabriel Gonzalez (84), RHP David Festa (92)
NYM (5): SS/OF Jett Williams (32), RHP Christian Scott (42), SS Luisangel Acuña (67), OF Drew Gilbert (75), 1B/OF Ryan Clifford (95)
NYY (5): OF Jasson Dominguez (12), OF Spencer Jones (36), OF Everson Pereira (78), RHP Chase Hampton (86), SS Roderick Arias (93)
OAK (1): SS Jacob Wilson (39)
PHI (5): RHP Andrew Painter (23), SS Aidan Miller (40), RHP Mick Abel (55), OF Justin Crawford (58), SS Starlyn Caba (81)
PIT (4): RHP Paul Skenes (1), RHP Bubba Chandler (69), 2B Termarr Johnson (85), LHP Anthony Solometo (96)
SD (3): C Ethan Salas (9), LHP Robby Snelling (17), RHP Dylan Lesko (56)
SF (2): SS Marco Luciano (54), 1B Bryce Eldridge (70)
SEA (5): C Harry Ford (31), SS Cole Young (34), SS Colt Emerson (44), OF Lazaro Montes (52), 1B Tyler Locklear (100)
STL (2): RHP Tink Hence (38), OF Victor Scott II (98)
TB (4): 3B Junior Caminero (3), SS Carson Williams (15), 1B Xavier Isaac (47), SS/3B Brayden Taylor (72)
TEX (2): OF Wyatt Langford (5), SS Sebastian Walcott (79)
TOR (2): LHP Ricky Tiedemann (50), 2B Orelvis Martinez (57)
WAS (3): OF James Wood (4), OF Dylan Crews (6), 3B Brady House (46)
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