Every MLB Team's Best Power-Hitting Prospect for 2026
Nothing grabs scouting attention like top-of-the-scale power potential, but it's also an extremely difficult tool to assess. Players develop at different rates, and it often takes time for raw power to translate to in-game production.
With that in mind, we set out to identify each team's best power-hitting prospect entering the 2026 season, with statistical track record, batted-ball metrics, and physical projection all part of the equation.
Included is a look at each player's highest power tool grade on the 20-80 scouting scale between their Baseball America and MLB Pipeline prospect profiles, as well as the highest level they have reached so far on the organizational ladder.
AL East
1 of 6
Baltimore Orioles: C/DH Samuel Basallo
Age: 21
Highest Level: MLB
Peak Power Grade: 70 (BA)
Basallo's rapid ascent through the minors culminated with a .966 OPS and 23 home runs in 76 games at Triple-A last year. He made his MLB debut just four days after his 21st birthday on Aug. 17. The Orioles saw enough in his late-season audition to sign him to an eight-year, $67 million extension, and he has middle-of-the-order upside.
Boston Red Sox: OF Justin Gonzales
Age: 19
Highest Level: High-A
Peak Power Grade: 55 (BA, MLB)
With a 6'4", 210-pound frame and elite exit velocity numbers, Gonzales has the highest power ceiling of any prospect in the Red Sox system. He is still finding his in-game pop, but he performed well as an 18-year-old at Single-A last year, hitting .298/.381/.423 with 23 doubles and four home runs in 81 games. His advanced feel for hitting should help maximize his raw power as he continues to develop.
New York Yankees: OF Spencer Jones
Age: 24
Highest Level: Triple-A
Peak Power Grade: 60 (BA, MLB)
Only Dodgers outfielder Ryan Ward hit more home runs across all minor league levels than Jones, who had 35 long balls in 116 games at Double-A and Triple-A in 2025. A modest improvement in his strikeout rate from 36.8 to 35.4 percent is a step in the right direction, but he will need to continue to improve his contact skills to fully realize his vast power potential.
Tampa Bay Rays: 1B Xavier Isaac
Age: 22
Highest Level: Double-A
Peak Power Grade: 70 (MLB)
Isaac has struggled making the jump to Double-A, with a .206/.357/.403 line and 34.4 percent strikeout rate in 72 games the last two seasons. Luckily, he is still only 22 years old and well ahead of the developmental curve, so there is time for him to make the necessary adjustments. From a raw tool standpoint, the 6'3", 240-pound slugger has as much pop as anyone on this list.
Toronto Blue Jays: 3B Juan Sanchez
Age: 18
Highest Level: DSL
Peak Power Grade: 60 (BA)
Sanchez had one of the best pro debuts of any prospect from the 2025 international class, hitting .341/.439/.565 with 28 extra-base hits in 56 games in the Dominican Summer League. His 6'3", 180-pound frame is highly projectable, and he checks all the boxes to develop into a prototypical power-hitting third baseman, though he is still several years from approaching that ceiling.
AL Central
2 of 6
Chicago White Sox: OF George Wolkow
Age: 20
Highest Level: Single-A
Peak Power Grade: 60 (BA, MLB)
With a hulking 6'7", 239-pound frame, Wolkow has offered tantalizing raw power since he was selected in the seventh round of the 2023 draft and signed to an above-slot bonus. The White Sox have brought him along slowly, and strikeouts are a concern, but he quietly led the Single-A Kannapolis roster with 13 home runs last year, and that could be just the start of a power surge.
Cleveland Guardians: 1B Ralphy Velazquez
Age: 20
Highest Level: Double-A
Peak Power Grade: 60 (BA)
The Guardians' pick is a toss-up between Velazquez and outfielder Chase DeLauter, and while DeLauter is the more polished player, Velazquez owns a slight edge in pure power. The burly 6'3", 240-pound masher took a step toward turning potential into production with an .839 OPS and 22 home runs in 2025, including a .330/.405/.589 line and five long balls in 28 games after a late promotion to Double-A.
Detroit Tigers: C/1B Josue Briceño
Age: 21
Highest Level: Double-A
Peak Power Grade: 65 (BA)
Briceño announced himself as a prospect on the rise when he hit .433 with 10 home runs in 25 games to win 2024 Arizona Fall League MVP honors, and he followed that up with an .883 OPS and 20 homers in 100 games between High-A and Single-A. He split his time evenly between catcher and first base last season, and he has the pop to profile cleanly if a full-time move out of the crouch is necessary.
Kansas City Royals: C/DH Carter Jensen
Age: 22
Highest Level: MLB
Peak Power Grade: 60 (BA, MLB)
Jensen was arguably the most impressive September call-up in baseball last season, hitting .300/.391/.550 with six doubles, three home runs, and 13 RBI in 20 games after making his MLB debut on Sept. 2. He looks to have a clear path to an Opening Day roster spot as the primary DH and backup catcher. His elite batted-ball metrics in last year's small sample size make him a sneaky AL Rookie of the Year candidate.
Minnesota Twins: OF Emmanuel Rodriguez
Age: 22
Highest Level: Triple-A
Peak Power Grade: 60 (BA, MLB)
Injuries have limited Rodriguez to just 112 total games the last two seasons, but when healthy, he has consistently produced loud exit velocity numbers while logging a .912 OPS over 295 games. The 22-year-old is off to a red-hot start this spring, going 4-for-9 with two home runs in his first four games, and with 52 games at the Triple-A level last year, he is close to big-league ready.
AL West
3 of 6
Athletics: OF Devin Taylor
Age: 22
Highest Level: Single-A
Peak Power Grade: 60 (MLB)
A three-year standout at the University of Indiana, Taylor slugged 54 home runs in 169 games during his time on campus. He was a candidate to go 20 picks higher than where the Athletics eventually called his name at No. 48 overall, and he logged an .869 OPS with six home runs in 28 games at Single-A after signing. The 22-year-old appears to be on the fast track.
Houston Astros: SS Xavier Neyens
Age: 19
Highest Level: No pro experience
Peak Power Grade: 65 (BA, MLB)
Neyens has an athletic 6'4", 210-pound frame with more present strength than most high school prospects, and the Astros took him with the No. 21 overall pick in last year's draft. His plate discipline and clean mechanics might need some tinkering at the onset of his pro career, but his power ceiling was as high as any 2025 selection.
Los Angeles Angels: SS Joswa Lugo
Age: 19
Highest Level: ROK
Peak Power Grade: 55 (BA, MLB)
Lugo had one of the louder debuts of any 2024 international signing, hitting .301/.370/.466 with 19 extra-base hits in 53 games in the Dominican Summer League. His surface-level production dipped in his stateside debut, but he continued to record strong exit velocity numbers while showcasing a more disciplined approach. Once he puts all the pieces together, his ceiling is a power-hitting, everyday third baseman.
Seattle Mariners: OF Lazaro Montes
Age: 21
Highest Level: Double-A
Peak Power Grade: 70 (BA)
With an imposing 6'5", 210-pound frame and a smooth, powerful left-handed stroke, Montes has regularly drawn comparisons to Yordan Alvarez while rising the ranks in the Mariners system. He posted an .858 OPS with 32 home runs in 131 games last season, closing out his age-20 campaign at the Double-A level.
Texas Rangers: OF Paxton Kling
Age: 22
Highest Level: High-A
Peak Power Grade: 55 (BA, MLB)
Sebastian Walcott is excluded from this conversation because he is expected to miss the bulk of the 2026 season recovering from elbow surgery; otherwise, he would have been the obvious choice. Kling offers an intriguing combination of good present strength and natural swing loft, along with more untapped potential than the average college bat. The 22-year-old was a part-time player on LSU's 2024 title team before transferring to Penn State, where he hit .358/.470/.632 with 13 home runs last spring.
NL East
4 of 6
Atlanta Braves: OF Diego Tornes
Age: 17
Highest Level: DSL
Peak Power Grade: 55 (BA)
Tornes received one of the largest bonuses of the 2025 international class, joining the Braves for $2,497,500 and immediately becoming one of their most promising young bats. The switch-hitter has drawn comparisons to Anthony Santander. While he went without a home run over 32 games in the Dominican Summer League in his pro debut, all signs point to a middle-of-the-order future and a stateside debut worth watching in 2026.
Miami Marlins: OF Owen Caissie
Age: 23
Highest Level: MLB
Peak Power Grade: 65 (BA)
After hitting .281/.380/.507 with 41 home runs in 226 games at Triple-A over the last two seasons, Caissie has nothing left to prove in the minors, and the blockbuster deal that sent him to the Marlins as part of the Edward Cabrera package should give him a clear runway to an everyday job. There is 30-homer power in his smooth left-handed swing, even if there is also some swing-and-miss.
New York Mets: 1B/OF Ryan Clifford
Age: 22
Highest Level: Triple-A
Peak Power Grade: 60 (BA, MLB)
Clifford was acquired in the cost-cutting deal that sent Justin Verlander back to the Astros at the 2023 deadline, and while he looks like a bat-only prospect, his power has him on the MLB doorstep. The 22-year-old logged an .826 OPS with 29 home runs in 139 games between Double-A and Triple-A last year, and he should get his first taste of the big leagues in 2026.
Philadelphia Phillies: OF Francisco Renteria
Age: 17
Highest Level: No pro experience
Peak Power Grade: 65 (MLB)
The Phillies gave Renteria the second-largest bonus of the 2026 international class at $4 million, and he immediately became the top power-hitting prospect in the system, with an advanced hit tool to boot. His 6'3", 216-pound frame is more physically mature than most prospects his age, but he still has room to add more strength, and a loud pro debut could be coming in 2026.
Washington Nationals: OF Ethan Petry
Age: 21
Highest Level: Single-A
Peak Power Grade: 60 (MLB)
After slugging 23 home runs as a true freshman and 21 more as a sophomore, Petry dealt with a left shoulder issue last spring and slid out of the first-round conversation as a result. The 6'4", 235-pound slugger is a bat-first prospect with limited athleticism, but his power is for real. A 1.240 OPS with 11 home runs in 31 games while swinging wood bats in the 2024 Cape Cod League further legitimizes the idea that his production will translate to pro ball.
NL Central
5 of 6
Chicago Cubs: OF Kevin Alcántara
Age: 23
Highest Level: MLB
Peak Power Grade: 60 (BA)
Alcántara has teased his massive offensive ceiling for years, with an exciting combination of athleticism and power from a wiry 6'6", 188-pound frame. The 23-year-old logged an .818 OPS with 26 doubles and 17 home runs in 102 games at Triple-A last season, and there is still room for more with improved pitch recognition and patience hunting pitches he can drive.
Cincinnati Reds: C Alfredo Duno
Age: 20
Highest Level: Single-A
Peak Power Grade: 60 (BA)
Somewhat overshadowed by Padres prospect Ethan Salas in the 2023 international class, Duno received a hefty $3.1 million bonus of his own and has quickly overtaken Salas as the superior all-around prospect. With a strong 6'2", 210-pound frame and an advanced approach, he hit .287/.430/.518 with 32 doubles and 18 home runs in 113 games at Single-A, and he will be 20 for the entirety of the 2026 campaign.
Milwaukee Brewers: 1B Eric Bitonti
Age: 20
Highest Level: Single-A
Peak Power Grade: 70 (BA)
The Milwaukee system is loaded with power-over-contact corner infielders, and guys like Brock Wilken, Andrew Fischer, and Blake Burke were also part of the initial conversation. However, none of them can match Bitonti's 70-grade power ceiling. The 20-year-old slugged 19 home runs in 119 games at Single-A last year while showcasing some of the best bat speed numbers in the minors, and he has 86 extra-base hits in 210 career games.
Pittsburgh Pirates: 1B Tony Blanco Jr.
Age: 20
Highest Level: Single-A
Peak Power Grade: 80 (BA)
Most likely expected to see hyped prospect Konnor Griffin in this spot, and his 70-grade power would have been the pick for almost any other team, but consider the following from Blanco's prospect profile at Baseball America:
"While recouping at-bats in the Arizona Fall League, he stung a ball 120.4 mph. That would've tied Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for the second-hardest hit ball in the majors last year and only two others, Oneil Cruz and Shohei Ohtani, surpassed 120 mph."
There is no debate that Griffin is the better prospect, but Blanco might have the best raw power of any prospect in baseball packed into his hulking 6'7", 243-pound frame.
St. Louis Cardinals: C Rainiel Rodriguez
Age: 19
Highest Level: High-A
Peak Power Grade: 65 (BA)
Signed for a modest $300,000 in 2024, Rodriguez posted a 1.145 OPS with 10 home runs in 42 games in his pro debut, and proved that loud performance was legitimate with a terrific transition stateside last year. He hit .276/.399/.555 with 22 doubles and 20 home runs in 84 games, and after opening the year in rookie ball, he climbed to High-A before his age-18 season ended.
NL West
6 of 6
Arizona Diamondbacks: OF Ryan Waldschmidt
Age: 23
Highest Level: Double-A
Peak Power Grade: 55 (BA, MLB)
Waldschmidt was a batted-ball metrics darling coming out of the University of Kentucky when he was taken No. 31 overall in the 2024 draft, and he has quickly established himself as the top prospect in the D-backs system. After posting a .892 OPS with 18 home runs in 134 games while reaching Double-A last year, he has an outside shot of winning a spot on the Opening Day roster this spring with middle-of-the-order potential thanks to his power.
Colorado Rockies: 1B Charlie Condon
Age: 22
Highest Level: Double-A
Peak Power Grade: 60 (BA, MLB)
Ethan Holliday is the shiny, new prospect in the Rockies system, but the top power spot still belongs to Condon. The 2024 Golden Spikes winner hit an eye-popping .433/.556/1.009 with 37 home runs in 60 games during his junior season at the University of Georgia. After a good-not-great first full pro season, he ended last year on a high note with a strong AFL run, and he could be the present and future at first base in Colorado before long.
Los Angeles Dodgers: OF Josue De Paula
Age: 20
Highest Level: Double-A
Peak Power Grade: 60 (BA, MLB)
A 416-foot home run that cleared a 16-foot wall and registered 108.5 mph off the bat helped Josue De Paula win MVP honors at the Futures Game last summer, and he stands as the consensus top prospect in a loaded Dodgers system. His plus raw power is maximized by his advanced approach and pitch recognition, and his 60-grade hit tool is among the best of any prospect on this list, giving him good odds of reaching his full power ceiling.
San Diego Padres: 1B/3B Kale Fountain
Age: 20
Highest Level: Single-A
Peak Power Grade: 60 (MLB)
One of the few impact bats left in a Padres system that has been gutted in recent years, Fountain has a 6'5", 225-pound frame built for power. His pro debut was truncated by his recovery from Tommy John surgery, but with a clean bill of health this spring and a normal ramp-up to the season, he has breakout potential entering 2026. His hit tool and defensive home are a question, but his 30-homer upside provides an intriguing foundation.
San Francisco Giants: 1B Bryce Eldridge
Age: 21
Highest Level: MLB
Peak Power Grade: 70 (BA, MLB)
The top two-way prospect in the 2023 draft with legitimate first-round talent on the mound, Eldridge shifted his sole focus to hitting after going No. 16 overall to the Giants. The 6'7", 240-pound slugger made his big league debut last September at the age of 20 after posting an .843 OPS with 25 home runs in 102 games in the minors, and he has the inside track to break camp as San Francisco's primary DH.
