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2020 MLB Prospect Power Rankings for Top 50 Outfielders
August 29, 20202020 MLB Prospect Power Rankings for Top 50 Outfielders
Last month, we released our top 100 MLB prospects for the 2020 season, with Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco and Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert headlining the list.
Now it's time to dive even deeper.
Over the past few weeks, we've been counting down the top prospects at each position, and next up are the outfielders.
There were 20 outfielders included in our top 100 list and 12 more who received honorable mentions, so more than a third of this list needed to be padded with new names.
Let's kick things off with 15 players who finished just outside the top 50 before diving into our rankings.
Catch up on our Prospect Power Rankings series: catchers, corner infielders, middle infielders
Next 15
- Daniel Cabrera, DET
- Stuart Fairchild, CIN
- Jake Fraley, SEA
- Isaiah Greene, NYM
- Hudson Head, SD
- Bayron Lora, TEX
- Parker Meadows, DET
- Kameron Misner, MIA
- Everson Pereira, NYY
- Hedbert Perez, MIL
- DJ Peters, LAD
- Luis Rodriguez, LAD
- Cole Roederer, CHC
- Sammy Siani, PIT
- Steele Walker, TEX
These 15 outfielder prospects were part of our preliminary list, but they fell short of inclusion in the final 50:
Nos. 50-46
50. Wilderd Patino, Arizona Diamondbacks (Age: 19)
Initially signed by the Texas Rangers for $1.3 million, Patino had that deal voided when he suffered an elbow injury. The D-backs swooped in and signed him for $985,000 a few months later, and he hit .319/.378/.447 with 11 extra-base hits an 14 steals in 40 games of rookie ball in his stateside debut last year. He has legitimate five-tool upside.
49. Michael Siani, Cincinnati Reds (Age: 21)
Siani slipped to the fourth round of the 2018 draft because of signability concerns, and the Reds managed to lure him away from his University of Virginia commitment with a hefty $2 million bonus. Already a standout defender in center field with good wheels (45 SB in 2019), he's still a work-in-progress offensively after posting a .672 OPS in his full-season debut.
48. Jhon Torres, St. Louis Cardinals (Age: 20)
Acquired in the deal that sent Oscar Mercado to the Cleveland Indians, Torres has since emerged as one of the most exciting position-player prospects in the St. Louis system. He's still growing into his 6'4", 199-pound frame, giving him significant offensive upside. With a strong arm and significant power potential, he has a chance to develop into a prototypical right fielder.
47. Kevin Alcantara, New York Yankees (Age: 18)
Signed to a $1 million bonus as one of the top prospects of the 2018 international class, Alcantara has tantalizing power potential packed into his still developing 6'6", 188-pound frame. The Yankees brought him stateside before his 17th birthday, and he hit .260 with eight extra-base hits in 32 games in the Gulf Coast League. He'll take some time to develop, but his bat speed and natural loft give him huge power upside.
46. Jared Oliva, Pittsburgh Pirates (Age: 24)
One of the stars of last year's Arizona Fall League, Oliva hit .312/.413/.473 with 13 extra-base hits and 11 steals in 12 attempts over 26 games. He's hit just 15 home runs in 1,215 plate appearances in the minors, but he possesses more raw power than that number might indicate. For now, his plus speed and strong defensive skills give him a high floor, and his AFL numbers may point to more upside than expected.
Nos. 45-41
45. Khalil Lee, Kansas City Royals (Age: 22)
Lee showed an intriguing mix of power and speed in his full-season debut in 2017, posting a .774 OPS with 17 home runs and 20 steals as a 19-year-old at Single-A. He strikes out a ton with a 28.2 percent strikeout rate in 2019, but he also walked at an 11.9 percent clip, showing he has some sort of plan at the plate. He hit .264/.363/.372 with 32 extra-base hits and 53 steals at Double-A last year.
44. Daz Cameron, Detroit Tigers (Age: 23)
One of the key return pieces in the Justin Verlander blockbuster, Cameron has long flashed the upside that earned him a $4 million signing bonus in the 2015 draft. He has also struggled to make consistent enough contact to tap into his loud tools. He hit .214/.330/.377 with 41 extra-base hits in 17 steals at Triple-A last season, posting a 28.8 percent strikeout rate and an 11.7 percent walk rate. He should debut in 2021.
43. Estevan Florial, New York Yankees (Age: 22)
Florial emerged as the top prospect in the Yankees system heading into 2018 after he hit .298/.372/.479 with 43 extra-base hits and 23 steals between Single-A and High-A as a 19-year-old. His prospect star has dimmed in the years since, and he has yet to reach Double-A. He slumped to a .237/.297/.383 line with a 32.6 percent strikeout at High-A last year. Despite the stalled development of his hit tool, he's still young enough to make the necessary adjustments.
42. Kyle Isbel, Kansas City Royals (Age: 23)
Isbel hit .357/.441/.643 with 14 home runs in 59 games during his junior season at UNLV, and the Royals selected him in the third round of their pitcher-heavy 2018 draft. After a lackluster 2019 regular season, he hit .315/.429/.438 with six extra-base hits and six steals in 21 games in the Arizona Fall League. His mix of hit tool, power and speed give him considerable upside and a higher floor than some of the Royals other top position-player prospects.
41. Gilberto Jimenez, Boston Red Sox (Age: 20)
An absolute steal for just $10,000 during the 2017 international signing period, Jimenez possesses 75-grade speed and enough hit tool to regularly make use of it. He hit .359/.393/.470 with 17 extra-base hits and 14 steals in 59 games at Low-A Lowell last season, winning the New York-Penn League batting title in his stateside debut. He could be a top-10 player on this list in the next couple of years.
Nos. 40-36
40. Andy Pages, Los Angeles Dodgers (Age: 19)
In his first full season stateside, Pages hit .298/.398/.651 with 22 doubles, 19 home runs and 55 RBI in 63 games in the rookie-level Pioneer League. That sent him soaring up the organizational rankings, and a case can be made that he's now the top outfield prospect in a deep Dodgers farm system. His raw power and plus throwing arm give him a future right fielder profile.
39. Pete Crow-Armstrong, New York Mets (Age: 18)
Touted throughout the predraft process as the best defensive outfielder in the 2020 draft, Crow-Armstrong went No. 19 overall to the Mets. He doesn't offer much over-the-fence power potential, but his hit tool is advanced enough to believe he can develop into an impact center fielder down the line.
38. Luis Matos, San Francisco Giants (Age: 18)
Matos was part of the same 2018 international class that saw the Giants add top prospect Marco Luciano. He hit .367/.438/.566 with 34 extra-base hits and 21 steals in 60 games of rookie ball last season in his pro debut, shooting up the organization's prospect list in the process. With a quality hit tool, sneaky power packed into his 5'11", 160-pound frame and the defensive chops to stick in center field, he is a prospect on the rise.
37. Travis Swaggerty, Pittsburgh Pirates (Age: 23)
Swaggerty hit .318/.457/.506 as a three-year starter at South Alabama to emerge as one of the top college bats in the 2018 draft class. The Pirates selected him No. 10 overall, and while his pro career is off to a relatively slow start, he showed flashes of breaking out down the stretch last year. He hit .328/.396/.469 with 18 extra-base hits and 10 steals in 52 games at High-A over the final two months of the 2019 season.
36. Yusniel Diaz, Baltimore Orioles (Age: 23)
The prospect centerpiece of the Manny Machado blockbuster trade, Diaz has seen his development stall a bit in the upper levels of the Baltimore farm system. He hit .265/.341/.464 with 22 doubles and 11 home runs over three minor league levels last year, but he has yet to advance beyond Double-A and is at risk of falling behind the developmental curve. The tools that convinced the Dodgers to give him a $15.5 million bonus that came with a matching tax penalty are still there, but the clock is ticking.
Nos. 35-31
35. Erick Pena, Kansas City Royals (Age: 17)
The Royals handed Pena a $3.9 million bonus last July, and MLB.com compared him to "a young Carlos Beltran in terms of skill set and potential" while ranking him among the top prospects in the 2019 international class. Outside of Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Torkelson, his pro debut will be perhaps the most anticipated of 2021.
34. Tristen Lutz, Milwaukee Brewers (Age: 22)
With a strong 6'2", 210-pound frame and 55-grade raw power, Lutz is one of the few high-ceiling prospects in a thin Milwaukee system. He hit .255/.335/.419 with 24 doubles and 13 home runs in High-A last season and still has work to refine his hit tool, but he has potential for five average or better tools in his future profile.
33. Jarren Duran, Boston Red Sox (Age: 23)
A seventh-round pick in 2018, Duran raked to the tune of a .357 average and .910 OPS with 28 extra-base hits and 24 steals in 67 games after signing, and he officially announced himself as a top-tier prospect with a strong first full season that saw him reach Double-A in 2019. His 70-grade speed and solid hit tool give him top-of-the-order potential, and he has the tools to handle center field after playing primarily second base in college.
32. Hunter Bishop, San Francisco Giants (Age: 22)
After hitting just 10 home runs his first two seasons at Arizona State, Bishop batted .342/.479/.748 with 22 home runs and 63 RBI in 57 games during his junior season to rocket up draft boards. The Giants took him with the No. 10 overall pick and added him to an impressive collection of outfield talent. Bishop is a rare 60-power, 60-speed prospect with a strong 6'5", 210-pound frame, and it's easy to dream on his future potential.
31. Leody Taveras, Texas Rangers (Age: 21)
Taveras has dealt with some growing pains while rising in the ranks of the Texas farm system, but he remains a high-ceiling prospect thanks to his package of hit tool, plus speed and elite center field defense. Still just 21 years old, he hit .279/.344/.376 with 32 extra-base hits and 32 steals between High-A and Double-A last year. He made his MLB debut in July and remains the center fielder of the future for the Rangers.
Nos. 30-26
30. Monte Harrison, Miami Marlins (Age: 25)
Harrison had a 19-homer, 28-steal season at Double-A in 2018, flashing the five-tool potential that made him one of the centerpieces of the Christian Yelich trade, but he also struck out a staggering 215 times. He trimmed his strikeout rate from 36.9 to 29.5 percent last season and hit .274/.357/.451 with 18 extra-base hits and 20 steals in 56 games at Triple-A, but he missed significant time with a fractured wrist. Could he emerge with a post-hype breakout?
29. Alexander Canario, San Francisco Giants (Age: 20)
Canario hit .395/.435/1.000 with seven home runs and 14 RBI in 10 games of rookie ball to start the 2019 season, earning an early promotion to the Low-A Northwest League. Facing older competition didn't slow him down, and he finished the season with a .318/.377/.623 line that included 20 doubles, 16 home runs and 54 RBI in 59 games. With elite bat speed and good natural loft in his swing, he looks like a future run producer.
28. Jordyn Adams, Los Angeles Angels (Age: 20)
The best all-around athlete in the 2018 draft, Adams was signed away from a commitment to play baseball and football at North Carolina when he was taken No. 17 overall. He has a ways to go in his development, but he's shown a better feel for the game than expected after previously splitting his focus. With a chance for average-or-better hit and power tools and present 80-grade speed, he has upside that is impossible to ignore.
27. George Valera, Cleveland Indians (Age: 19)
Valera played the entire 2019 season at the age of 18, and he held his own against older competition, posting a .748 OPS with eight home runs and 32 RBI in 214 plate appearances between Low-A and Single-A. He's several years away, but he has the potential to be a star. MLB.com wrote: "Once he settles in against older competition, adds some strength and puts the ball in the air more often, he could become a .300 hitter with 25-30 homers per season."
26. Robert Hassell lll, San Diego Padres (Age: 19)
Viewed by many as the best pure hitter in the 2020 draft class, Hassell has a smooth left-handed swing and an advanced approach at the plate that should allow him to move quickly through the minors. A two-way prospect in high school who was up to 93 mph on the mound, he should fit well in right field, even if he doesn't develop more than average power. He has a lot of similarities to Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo.
Nos. 25-21
25. Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks (Age: 20)
A 5'10", 165-pound frame was all that kept Carroll from being a top-10 pick in the 2019 draft, and he could wind up being a steal for the D-backs at No. 16 overall. With a 60-grade hit tool and elite speed, he profiles as a future leadoff hitter, and he hit .299/.409/.487 with 18 extra-base hits and 18 steals in 42 games in his pro debut.
24. Josh Lowe, Tampa Bay Rays (Age: 22)
Low was the No. 13 pick in the 2016 draft and the second prep hitter selected after No. 1 overall selection Mickey Moniak. Drafted as a third baseman, he has used his plus speed and strong arm to develop into an excellent center fielder. He posted a .783 OPS with 18 home runs and 30 steals at Double-A last year and then batted .327/.379/.558 in 15 games in the Arizona Fall League. He's on the cusp of breaking out.
23. Austin Hendrick, Cincinnati Reds (Age: 19)
With arguably the loudest raw power of anyone in the 2020 draft not named Spencer Torkelson, Hendrick became the top position-player prospect in the Cincinnati farm system he was picked No. 12 overall in June. There is some swing-and-miss to his game, but strong showings on the showcase circuit over the past two summers provide plenty of optimism he'll hit enough to consistently tap into his tremendous pop.
22. Brennen Davis, Chicago Cubs (Age: 20)
Brailyn Marquez and Miguel Amaya are talked about a lot, but Davis has a strong case for top prospect honors in the Chicago Cubs farm system. He hit .305/.381/.525 with 20 extra-base hits in 50 games at Single-A last year and may be just scratching the surface after splitting his time between baseball and basketball in high school. According to MLB.com, "As a potential 30-30 center fielder, Davis has the highest ceiling among Cubs position prospects."
21. Garrett Mitchell, Milwaukee Brewers (Age: 21)
Mitchell became the No. 1 prospect in the Milwaukee farm system the second he was selected with the No. 20 overall pick in this year's draft. Despite some questions about his long-term power potential, he has an extremely high floor thanks to his 60-grade hit tool, elite speed and premium skills in center field. If he starts driving the ball more, he could be a superstar.
Nos. 20-16
20. Heston Kjerstad, Baltimore Orioles (Age: 21)
The Baltimore Orioles believed in Kjerstad's hit tool enough to select him No. 2 overall in this year's draft, but there are some swing-and-miss concerns after he posted a 21.7 percent strikeout rate in 2019. No one questions his power potential after he slugged .590 with 37 home runs in 150 games during his time at Arkansas. He's certainly one to watch.
19. Brandon Marsh, Los Angeles Angels (Age: 22)
With Mike Trout entrenched in center field and Jo Adell breaking into the majors as a right fielder this year, it's only a matter of time before Marsh completes the Angels' long-term outfield. With a full toolbox at his disposal, he has just scratched the surface of his potential, and a .328/.387/.522 line in the 2019 Arizona Fall League was a good indication he's close to MLB-ready.
18. Trevor Larnach, Minnesota Twins (Age: 23)
The No. 20 overall pick in the 2018 draft, Larnach is one of the most polished college bats to come along in the last 10 years. He has a .307/.385/.468 line in 719 career plate appearances since starting his pro career, and he closed 2019 at Double-A. He's more average than power at this point, but he has a chance to be a .300 hitter with 25-homer potential in the majors.
17. Zac Veen, Colorado Rockies (Age: 18)
It's only a matter of time before Veen takes over as the No. 1 prospect in the Colorado farm system. Only infielder Brendan Rodgers stands in his way at this point. With a projectable 6'4", 190-pound frame and a 60-grade hit tool, he has as much offensive upside as any player from the 2020 draft class. He's also athletic enough to handle center field despite average speed, further adding to his future value.
16. Jesus Sanchez, Miami Marlins (Age: 22)
Sanchez has been on the top prospect radar since he hit .335/.382/.498 with 24 extra-base hits in 61 games in his pro debut in 2015. He'll need to tone down an overly aggressive approach and make more consistent contact to deliver on his middle-of-the-order run producer potential. He's still just 22 years old, though, with plenty of time to make the necessary adjustments.
Nos. 15-11
15. Jasson Dominguez, New York Yankees (Age: 17)
The hype surrounding Dominguez has already reached epic proportions, and he won't turn 18 years old until February and won't make his pro debut until 2021. That said, his tools are impossible to ignore, and he has a chance to be a generational talent if everything clicks. He has already drawn comparisons to Bo Jackson, Mickey Mantle and Mike Trout.
14. Alek Thomas, Arizona Diamondbacks (Age: 20)
Signed to an above-slot $1.2 million bonus as a second-round pick in 2018, Thomas outperformed his draft position with a strong pro debut. He backed that up by hitting .300/.379/.450 with 40 extra-base hits and 15 steals between Single-A and High-A, and his 60-grade hit tool and plus speed should fit nicely at the top of the Diamondbacks lineup in the not-too-distant future.
13. JJ Bleday, Miami Marlins (Age: 22)
Bleday hit just six home runs during his first two seasons at Vanderbilt before exploding for a .347/.465/.701 line with 27 home runs and 72 RBI in 71 games as a junior. The Marlins made him the No. 4 overall pick in the 2019 draft, and he is the top position-player prospect in a farm system on the rise. His limited track record of power production gives some reason for pause, but he certainly looks the part with a disciplined approach and 6'3", 205-pound frame. He could quickly climb these rankings in his first full pro season.
12. Riley Greene, Detroit Tigers (Age: 19)
Greene was the most polished prep bat to come along in years when the Tigers made him the No. 5 overall pick in the 2019 draft, and he has chance to fly through the minors. The power side of his game is still developing, but his advanced bat-to-ball skills, plus bat speed and projectable 6'3", 200-pound frame all point to future power potential. He could be a foundational piece of Detroit's rebuild.
11. Austin Martin, Toronto Blue Jays (Age: 21)
The Blue Jays drafted Martin as a shortstop, and he could start his pro career at that position, but with an abundance of middle infielders in the Toronto organization, the outfield remains his most likely long-term home. His bat should play anywhere thanks to a 65-grade hit tool that was the best among 2020 draft prospects. He hit .368/.474/.532 in 140 career games at Vanderbilt.
Nos. 10-6
10. Taylor Trammell, San Diego Padres (Age: 22)
Acquired in the three-team deal that sent Trevor Bauer to Cincinnati and Franmil Reyes to Cleveland last summer, Trammell instantly became the center fielder of the future for the Padres. He hit just .234 at Double-A last season but continued to show a strong overall approach with a 13.0 percent walk rate and .340 on-base percentage. He hit .429/.529/.786 over the final eight games of the 2019 season.
9. Heliot Ramos, San Francisco Giants (Age: 20)
After a lackluster full-season debut in 2018, when he hit .245/.313/.396 at Single-A, Ramos trended downward heading into last season. The Giants aggressively promoted him to High-A, though, and he responded with a stellar .290/.369/.481 line that included 24 doubles and 16 home runs in 102 games, closing out the year at Double-A. A spike in his walk rate from 6.5 to 9.5 percent was a good indication of his growth as a hitter.
8. Kristian Robinson, Arizona Diamondbacks (Age: 19)
MLB.com described Robinson's ceiling as "the highest in Arizona's system and one of the highest among all teenage prospects." That's saying something given the impressive crop of teenage talent sprinkled across the minor league ranks. He has a chance to be a special player offensively and showed glimpses of that last season when he hit .282/.368/.514 with 14 home runs and 17 steals as an 18-year-old in full-season ball.
7. Drew Waters, Atlanta Braves (Age: 21)
Waters has spent his time developing in the shadow of Ronald Acuna Jr. and Cristian Pache, but he has significant long-term upside in his own right. Already far ahead of the curve, he hit .309/.360/.459 with 56 extra-base hits and 16 steals in the upper levels of the minors—and did it before his 21st birthday. His 164-to-43 strikeout-to-walk ratio last season was less than ideal, but he has plenty of time and the requisite skills to clean up that part of his game.
6. Dylan Carlson, St. Louis Cardinals (Age: 21)
The Dylan Carlson era is underway in St. Louis after he made his MLB debut Aug. 15. The No. 33 overall pick in the 2016 draft was one of the breakout prospects of 2019, hitting .292/.372/.542 with 28 doubles, 26 home runs and 20 steals between Double-A and Triple-A while raising his OPS nearly 200 points. He has a chance to be the Cardinals' best homegrown position player since Albert Pujols.
Nos. 5-1
5. Julio Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners (Age: 19)
Signed for $1.8 million as one of the top prospects in the 2017 international class, Rodriguez has delivered on lofty expectations, emerging as one of baseball's elite prospects with a stellar full-season debut in 2019. He hit .326/.390/.540 with 26 doubles, 12 home runs and 69 RBI in 84 games between Single-A and High-A, and he looks like a future middle-of-the-order run producer with perennial 30-homer, 100-RBI potential and a 55-grade hit tool to boot.
4. Jarred Kelenic, Seattle Mariners (Age: 21)
The Rodriguez vs. Kelenic debate is a fun one, and it speaks to what a bright future the Seattle Mariners have in their outfield. Kelenic provides a bit more all-around value with his defense in center field and his 60-grade speed, and he's a bit further along in his development, so he gets the edge for now. Acquired from the Mets in the Robinson Cano trade, Kelenic hit .291/.364/.540 with 31 doubles, 23 home runs and 20 steals last season while reaching Double-A shortly after his 20th birthday.
3. Cristian Pache, Atlanta Braves (Age: 21)
Already widely regarded as a future Gold Glove winner and the best defensive prospect in the minors, Pache joined the ranks of the game's elite prospects with an offensive breakout last season. He hit .277/.340/.462 with 36 doubles, nine triples and 12 home runs in 130 games between Double-A and Triple-A. With his glove, even average offensive production will make him a star.
2. Jo Adell, Los Angeles Angels (Age: 21)
A five-tool talent, Adell was a .298/.361/.518 hitter over three minor league seasons. He missed time early last season with hamstring and ankle injuries but returned strong and capped his 2019 by hitting .273/.351/.444 with eight doubles and three home runs in the Arizona Fall League. He's off to a slow start since making his MLB debut Aug. 4, but his ceiling remains as high as almost any prospect's.
1. Luis Robert, Chicago White Sox (Age: 23)
With 105 MLB at-bats on the year, Robert still qualifies for this list since he's just short of reaching the 130-at-bat limit to exhaust prospect eligibility. He's hitting .276/.325/.543 with seven doubles, seven home runs and 18 RBI and in hot pursuit of Mariners center fielder Kyle Lewis for American League Rookie of the Year honors. Regardless of whether he wins that award, he has looked the part of a future superstar—and his upside is unsurpassed among outfield prospects.
All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.