Opening Day is right around the corner, and that means it’s time to release my big lists to the public here on the Brick Wall. Here is the link to the Top 164 2026 First Year Player Draft Rankings, and the big dog, the 2026 Top 1,000 Dynasty Rankings, will be released on Monday, just two days before the season starts. But we start today with the Top 500 2026 Dynasty Baseball Prospect Rankings which has been on the Patreon since early February. Here is the Top 500 MLB Prospects Rankings for 2026 Fantasy Baseball Dynasty Leagues:

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MY PATREON FOR TONS OF EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ALL SEASON, INCLUDING:
-TOP 1,000 2026 DYNASTY BASEBALL RANKINGS (released here Monday)
-TOP 500 2026 DYNASTY FANTASY BASEBALL PROSEPCTS RANKS
-TOP 161 2026 FIRST YEAR PLAYER DRAFT RANKS
–POSITION BY POSITION TARGET SERIES (exclusive)
–2026 FYPD TARGET & STRATEGY GUIDE (exclusive)
–ALL IN ONE SPREADSHEET (exclusive)
-HALP’S DYNASTY BASEBALL PODCAST (exclusive)
-PREDICTING THE 2027 TOP 50 PROSPECTS RANKINGS (exclusive)
–2027 TOP 12 FYPD RANKINGS (exclusive)
-DYNASTY RUNDOWNS, TARGETS AND MONTHLY DYNASTY & PROSPECTS RANKINGS UPDATES ALL SEASON (exclusive)

1) Konnor Griffin – PIT, SS/OF, 19.11 – I felt the Griffin explosion in my gut last off-season. The Baseball Gods were speaking to me, and I listened, predicting he would explode into elite prospect status in my Predicting the Top 50 2026 Dynasty Baseball Prospects Rankings last off-season, ranking him 4th overall and writing, “Griffin will have the explosion that everyone who passed on him in first year player drafts feared he would have. The hit tool concerns will be overblown as he maintains an under 25% K% at Single-A, and the power/speed combo will shine with 16 homers and 48 steals in 102 games. He’ll basically be the 2026 version of the 2025 version of Sebastian Walcott. Off the charts tools and a better than expected hit tool.” … and then he went out and surpassed even those expectations, slashing .333/.415/.527 with 21 homers, 65 steals, and a 21.7/8.9 K%/BB% in 122 games. He finished the season at Double-A where he actually put up his best wRC+ of any level with a 175 wRC+ in 21 games. Remember when everyone was making excuses for the 19 year old Walcott at Double-A all year for his mediocre slash? Well, Griffin came in and just busted that whole thing up, showing a 19 year old can most certainly dominate the level. Not only did I forsee the rise in the off-season, but I got blow back after ranking him 1st overall on the Prospect Rankings in early June before he even got the call to High-A. I then made a final plea in my August Dynasty Rankings before he got the call to Double-A, shooting him up to 29th overall and writing, “This is my final plea to you. DO NOT TRADE GRIFFIN UNDER ANY SCENARIO. I don’t even think Roman Anthony can touch his upside. Just don’t trade him, please.” And then after what he did at Double-A, there is no more room for debate. He’s lightning fast, he crushes the ball with a 91.2 MPH EV and 49% Hard Hit%, and the hit tool was better than expected. This is not only the #1 prospect in baseball, but he’s already a nearly elite dynasty asset for me. – 2026 Projection: 58/18/65/.247/.318/.433/31 Prime Projection: 118/32/111/.279/.351/.523/44

2) Kevin McGonigle – DET, SS/2B, 21.8 – You know I’m not shy to take a victory lap when I hit on a player that everyone else (or almost everyone else) was low on, so I also have to take my lashes when I miss on a player that everyone else but me was super high on. Truth of the matter is, when you rank with a mind of your own, which I pride myself on and preach to others (and preach to you as dynasty owners too), you are going to end up looking like a genius on your unique hits, and a moron on your unique misses, when in reality, you are probably not a genius or a moron. You are just trying to block out the noise and give a raw, unfiltered opinion. My favorite rankings, and the ones I find most valuable, are the ones that aren’t mostly the same as the consensus/general perception, and are also backed up by solid reasoning and analysis, whether you agree or disagree with the ranking. So with that as the backdrop, Kevin McGonigle is who I consider my biggest miss in 2025. I had him ranked 54th overall, which I mean, is a pretty good ranking in general, and I called him a souped up Steven Kwan, which is really still an accurate “comp,” but the vast majority of other spots had him in the Top 25 range at least, or higher. I’m generally lower on hit tool first guys for fantasy (I was also lower on Angel Genoa and Starlyn Caba, both of whom took steps back in 2025), but when a hit tool first guy hits his ceiling, it looks exactly like what McGonigle just did. He slashed .305/.408/.583 with 19 homers, 10 steals, and a 11.6/14.9 K%/BB% in 99 games at High-A and Double-A. He’s not a big guy at 5’10”, but he can lift and pull, and he hits it very hard with legit plus raw power potential. He’s less a souped up Steven Kwan, and more in the mold of Mookie Betts and Jose Ramirez, if you want to dream on his tippy top ceiling. He wasn’t good on the bases this year (10 for 17), and he’s not a true burner, but he was much better last year (22 for 24), so I would would expect a bounce back in 2026 there. You won’t hear me doubting him ever again. Konnor Griffin is my top dog, but McGonigle is my #2 prospect in baseball, and he might have a real shot to break camp with the team. – 2026 Projection: 63/15/54/.268/.337/.434/13 Prime Projection: 111/24/91/.290/.370/.485/20

3) Samuel Basallo – BAL, C/1B, 21.7 – Basallo is going to follow the Junior Caminero track to a T. I can feel it. Caminero came up and was horrific in his first little taste in 2023 (which I told you not even to look at those numbers) and then was mediocre in his more extended taste in 2024 (which I advised, “if there is any buy window based on the small, mediocre MLB sample, I would be all over it.”), before having a monster explosion this season. Basallo is going through that exact same adjustment period, looking mediocre in his pro debut with a .559 OPS in 31 games, but just like Caminero, please completely ignore those numbers. His 75.5 MPH swing is near elite, and while not as elite as Caminero, it’s still damn good. He demolishes the baseball like Caminero with a 94.2 MPH EV, 57.4% Hard Hit%, and 23 homers in 76 games at Triple-A, and also like Caminero, it’s always come with solid strikeout rates while being extremely young for the level. Even with some chase and whiff in their game, these are the type of bats where it really doesn’t matter. And Basallo lifts and pulls more than Caminero. It’s inevitable that Basallo is going to start raking his face off in the majors in the very near future. Whether it comes at catcher or 1B or DH or a combination of all of them, I don’t know, but it doesn’t really matter. He’s going to be one of the top young power hitters in the game real soon. – 2026 Projection: 67/25/81/.249/.317/.446/3 Prime Projection: 92/34/111/.266/.339/.522/4

4) Jesus Made – MIL, SS, 18.11 – Made was having a solid season at Single-A, especially when you took into account he was only 18 years old, but he wasn’t really blowing the doors off with a .267/.373/.388 triple-slash. For a moment there, I was like, maybe this isn’t quite the straight rocket ship we were promised … but then he got called up to High-A and he hit the after burners, slashing .343/.415/.500 with 2 homers, 5 steals, and a 17.9/10.6 K%/BB% in 27 games. I talk about this more in the Colt Emerson blurb, but there is no better sign than when a prospect gets called up to a higher level, and not only maintains their production, but actually takes it up a notch. That is the #1 sign of the rocket ship. Milwaukee obviously recognized this too, promoting him again to Double-A at the end of the season, and while he struggled in 5 regular season games (33.3% K% with a 86 wRC+), he made his mark in the playoffs, going the opposite way off the humongous billboard advertisement for Renova Roofing. “Mother Nature ruins everything. Renova Roofing can help.” They really got their money’s worth that night. How much do you think that goes for? Should I just put a huge Brick Wall up on that thing next year or something? hah … When it was all said and done, Made delivered on his unanimous off-season hype. The hit tool, approach, hard hit and speed (47 steals) were all there. He needs to lift and pull more to full tap into his raw power (only 6 homers in 115 games), but his profile can work without a ton of lift and pull, and it wasn’t in the danger zone or anything with a 43.7% GB% and 40.5% Pull%. There is zero doubt this is the elite prospect we were promised. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 101/25/81/.278/.360/.481/28

5) Leodalis De Vries – SAC, SS, 19.6 – San Diego made a colossal error trading this kid away for a relief pitcher, no matter how good that relief pitcher is. They better put Mason Miller back in the rotation just on the principle of not completely embarrassing themselves more than they already have. At least then it’s semi defensible that you thought you could turn Miller into an ace, and not just a guy who throws 65 innings in an already stacked bullpen. It was mind boggling at the time, and it got even worse when De Vries exploded at Double-A as an 18 year old after the deal, slashing .281/.359/.551 with 5 homers, 2 steals, and a 19.4/7.9 K%/BB% in 21 games. I’ve talked about it a bunch in these writeups, but when a prospect gets to a higher level and not only maintains their production, but takes it up a notch, that is the sign of a truly special talent. It’s absurd that he’s only 18 years old, because when you watch him, he looks like a seasoned vet at the dish already. The kid is just a great all around baseball player with strong plate skills, contact, hard hit, athleticism, and maybe his best skill, the ability to lift and pull like crazy with a 31.7% GB% and 46.9% Pull%. The lefty swing is fast, athletic, and dangerous. He’s definitely an elite dynasty prospect, but the reason I originally had him outside of the Top 5 is that no tool or skill necessarily jumped off the screen. He hit it hard, but he didn’t crush it. He’s not a good base stealer (11 for 19), and he’s not as good with the righty swing (.664 OPS vs. lefties). But after seeing him this spring, it’s clear the nuclear explosion is coming. Expect this dude to be a complete hitter who makes an impact in all categories. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 94/28/96/.274/.357/.496/14 Update: Dude straight up looks Soto-esque this Spring, to the point I think he might bully his way to the majors just like Soto in his age 19 year old season

6) Walker Jenkins – MIN, OF, 21.1 – I always find it interesting when there is a collective cooling on a prospect that seems to happen at the exact same time … and then I’m the only one left standing there, going, hey, where did everyone go? That is what happened with Jenkins in 2025. He sustained a high ankle sprain in the very beginning of the season, essentially missing the first two months, and all at the same time everyone decided he was irredeemably injury prone and dropped him in the rankings. But I held strong, because no way would I ever sell low on a potentially elite dynasty asset because he sprained his ankle. Then he returned as a 20 year old at Double-A and immediately performed well, but because he didn’t immediately have the power breakout we’ve been waiting for, everyone decided the power would never come and dropped him in the rankings. Again, I held strong, because there was no way I was betting against the power coming for the 6’3”, 210 pound sweet swinging lefty. And then the power came, jacking out 7 homers in his final 44 games. The final 23 of those games came at Triple-A where he put up a respectable 89.1 MPH EV and 43.8% Hard Hit%. I gave him the Kyle Tucker comp from the time he was drafted, and Tucker has a career 44.3% Hard Hit%. Jenkins is going to have enough power when you combine it with his excellent plate approach (18.7/14.5 K%/BB% at Double-A), base stealing ability (17 for 21 in 84 games), and ability to lift and pull (15 degree launch with a 16.7% Air Pull% at Triple-A). This is the type of high floor/high ceiling prospect that we love. At worst, he looks like a solid across the board contributor, and at best, he’s Kyle Tucker 2.0. – 2026 Projection: 29/7/31/.249/.322/.418/8 Prime Projection: 96/26/82/.271/.354/.478/20 Update: Suffered the most frustrating Grade 1 hamstring in the history of hamstring strains. I’m sticking my head in the sand. I refuse to put the Twins curse on him

7) Chase Burns – CIN, RHP, 23.2 – Chase Burns is my #1 pitching prospect in baseball (at least in leagues that use the 50 IP threshold, like most of my leagues do, and not service time, because based on service time I don’t think he’s prospect eligible anymore). I was high on him in First Year Player Drafts last off-season, ranking him 4th overall, because I saw the type of true ace upside that was worth sticking your neck out for, and then he went out and proved it. He sliced through the minor leagues with a 1.77 ERA and 36.8/5.4 K%/BB% in 66 IP, and then he almost did the same in the majors with a 3.47 xERA (4.57 ERA) and a 35.6/8.5 K%/BB% in 43.1 IP. The 98.7 MPH 4-seamer is near elite with a 25.2% whiff% and +4 Run Value and the slider is also near elite with a .229 xwOBA and 43.7% whiff%. He only went to the changeup 5.6% of the time, mostly vs. lefties, but it was a solid pitch with a 33.3% whiff% and 75.7 MPH EV against. The control was really good too. He’s an athletic 6’3”, 210 pounds. I don’t see how it can get anymore obvious than this. This is a true ace waiting to happen, even pitching in Cincinnati. – 2026 Projection: 10/3.42/1.15/190 in 150 IP Prime Projection: 14/3.03/0.98/245 in 190 IP

8) JJ Wetherholt – STL, 2B/SS, 23.7 – Wetherholt was exactly who we thought he was. It’s exactly who he’s been since his freshman year of college. It’s exactly who he’s been since his pro debut in 2024. And now it’s exactly who he’s been through the upper minors, slashing .306/.421/.510 with 17 homers, 23 steals, and a 14.7/14.5 K%/BB% in 109 games split between Double-A and Triple-A. He crushes the ball with a 91.4 MPH EV and 49% Hard Hit%, he’s got speed, and the plate skills are near elite. He’s not a huge lift and pull guy, but he doesn’t have to be for this type of profile. The 12 degree launch and 13.6% Air Pull% aren’t too bad, and he can easily improve on those over time. The 24.3 whiff% at Triple-A wasn’t quite as good as the K%, so he might not truly be an elite contact guy, but the hit tool is clearly plus at least. He was projected to be a .280/20/20 type coming out of the draft, and that is now cemented with his excellent first full year of pro ball. He’s also expected to break camp with the big league club as their starting 2B or 3B. Proximity, safety, upside … he’s got it all. – 2026 Projection: 76/16/68/.262/.331/.425/19 Prime Projection: 103/21/82/.284/.369/.473/24

9) Max Clark – DET, OF, 21.4 – I’m not saying Clark is underrated, but doesn’t it feel like he gets so much less hype than he should? He was the 3rd overall pick in a stacked draft and has done nothing but rake in pro ball, but I don’t know, it just seems he doesn’t get people overly excited I guess. But you should be overly excited, because this year he proved it in the upper minors as a 20 year old, slashing .251/.360/.439 with 7 homers, 7 steals, and a 16.7/14.3 K%/BB% in 43 games. That was good for a 135 wRC+. He’s not Kevin McGonigle level of hit tool good, but that is still in the double plus range. He continues to grow into more raw power, and he started to get to a lot more of it by lifting and pulling a lot more when he got to Double-A. The power is good, not great right now, but the power is only going to get bigger and bigger as he ages. And while I wish he ran wild crazy, he was 19 for 21 on the bases, so he’s an excellent base stealer with at least plus speed. He has a great combination of floor and upside right now, with 15/25 and a solid BA/OBP being the floor, and 25/40 with a great BA being the upside. He’s an elite dynasty prospect. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 96/20/78/.278/.359/.451/30

10) Trey Yesavage – TOR, RHP, 22.8 – It’s a 3 man race between Burns, Yesavage, and McLean for the #1 pitching prospect in baseball. None of them should really be considered prospects anymore with all of them throwing over 40 IP (including the playoffs), so it’s an unfair fight, but they all proved their high end skills will transfer to the majors, and that gives them a leg up over everyone else. I thought I was about to be the high guy on Yesavage like I was in the End of Season Dynasty Rankings, but that was before the playoffs, and well, Yesevage absolutely dazzled the baseball world. He put up a 3.58 ERA with a 35.8/10.1 K%/BB% in 27.2 IP (3.21 ERA with a 25.8/11.3 K%/BB% in 14 IP in the regular season). It came with a stupid 40% whiff%, which is genuinely insane. It sat 35.4% in the regular season, and it was 37.7% at Triple-A. These are really nearly unheard of, off the charts numbers. Starters just don’t have whiff rates that high even if you are in the elite tier. Those are closer to all time whiff rates. He generates those whiff rates mainly with the elite splitter (58.4% whiff%), but the slider is really good too with a 39.8% whiff%. So why is he my #2 pitching prospect and not #1 pitching prospect? It’s because of the fastball and below average walk rates. I don’t think the 4-seamer is bad, but it’s not that bulletproof, elite 4-seamer we often see from the very best pitchers in the league. It doesn’t have that elite velocity (94.3 MPH), it got hit really hard with a .367 xwOBA and 94.2 MPH EV against including the playoffs, and it doesn’t miss an elite amount of bats with a decent 19.8% whiff%. The pitch was better at Triple-A and it has 19.5 vert with a unique release profile, so I think it has the potential to be a good pitch, but it’s not like Burns’ 98.7 MPH 4-seamer. Burns also has average to potentially plus walk rates, while Yesavage’s are firmly below average. I wouldn’t blame you for going Yesavage over Burns (Yesavage has the ballpark advantage), and it’s close for me, but I just can’t shake wanting that super elite fastball (and also that elite slider) from Burns. Yesevage is #2. – 2026 Projection: 12/3.48/1.19/202 in 165 IP Prime Projection: 14/3.13/1.10/250 in 185 IP

11) Nolan McLean – NYM, RHP, 24.8 – I talked about it in the Yesavage blurb, but it’s a 3 man race for the top “fake” pitching prospect in baseball between Burns, Yesavage and McLean. I say “fake,” because these guys have already demonstrated dominance in the majors, which means, there is nothing prospective about them. They are known entities. But using the under 50 IP threshold that most dynasty leagues use (based on my experience), they are still considered prospects. And the reason I have McLean 3rd in that group can honestly be boiled down to mostly one thing, which is that he doesn’t miss as many bats as Burns and Yesavage. I am a sucker for whiffs, and McLean’s whiff% was 28% at Triple-A and 28.4% in the majors, while Burns went 33.7% at Triple-A and 31.9% in the majors, and Yesavage went 37.7% at Triple-A and 35.4% in the majors (even higher at 40% in the playoffs). I also didn’t love that the famed sweeper, his best and most used pitch in the minors, got utterly shelled in the majors with a .448 xwOBA and 20.3% whiff%. That isn’t just bad, that is crazy horrific. I’m obviously nitpicking here, but I find it more interesting to give my reasons for why he’s 3rd overall and not 1st overall. I clearly still love him as he dominated the majors overall with a 2.06 ERA, 3.56 xERA and 30.3/8.5 K%/BB% in 48 IP. Sure the sweeper wasn’t good, but his 5 other pitches were awesome, putting up plus Run Values ranging from 1 to 4. The sinker was the best pitch with a negative 12 degree launch, which is nuts. The curve put up a 50% whiff%. The 4-seamer missed bats and the change and cutter were solid against lefties. If you wanted to put him 1st overall, I wouldn’t argue with you (I actually probably would argue with you a little as I love Burns so much), but you get the point. McLean is awesome. – 2026 Projection: 13/3.45/1.17/183 in 170 IP Prime Projection: 15/3.22/1.10/212 in 190 IP

12) Colt Emerson – SEA, SS, 20.8 – When a prospect gets promoted to the upper minors and not only maintains their high level of production, but actually improves on their weaknesses, it is just about the best sign they could give us. That is the sign of the rocket ship, and we are all looking for that rocket ship that just can’t stop raking no matter the level. That is exactly what Emerson did in 2025. He started to tap into that big raw power with 11 homers in 90 games at High-A, and while the 49.8% GB% was still high at the level, it came all the way down to 39.6% after he got promoted to Double-A (he was improving it towards the end of his stay at High-A too). He closed out the season slashing .293/.372/.470 with 5 homers, 8 steals, and a 19.7/9.0 K%/BB% in 40 games in the upper minors. The last 6 of those games were at Triple-A where he ripped 2 homers with a 174 wRC+ and 93.6 MPH EV. He’s still not a huge lift and pull guy, but it’s a big improvement from where he was earlier in his career, and he hits the ball hard enough to hit it out to all fields. The game power uptick combines with his already excellent plate skills and athleticism to make him at the very least a near elite dynasty prospect, and maybe we should take out the “near” part. Especially hitting in Seattle, I still wouldn’t expect monster power/speed numbers, but the high BA and high Runs/RBI should make up for it. – 2026 Projection: 39/8/31/.261/.320/.418/9 Prime Projection: 98/24/79/.284/.366/.471/18

13) Carter Jensen – KCR, C, 22.9 – The small sample MLB debut at the end of the season always makes the analysis of a prospect so interesting in the off-season. Because often the value of that player gets pretty set in stone by that point of the season with a large minor league sample under their belt, but once that MLB data starts flowing in, even in a small sample, it changes the entire complexion of the analysis, both in a positive and negative direction. It leaves risk of overreacting, there is no doubt about that, but just like I’m super aggressive when I see what recently drafted players do in pro ball that first year in a small sample, I also lean towards being aggressive when I see what a prospect can do in their first taste of the majors. We know that plenty of big time prospects show immediately that they can’t hit MLB pitching, and vice versa, we’ve seen non hyped to death prospects come in and just keep on raking their faces off. Randy Arozarena comes to mind as a prominent example in the recent past. I’m forgiving of the adjustment period when a prospect struggles in many cases, but when they come out on fire, I tend to buy it, at least partially, and I’m buying Jensen. He stepped into the majors and immediately showed everything will transfer with a 20.8% Barrel%, 95.4 MPH EV, .463 xwOBA, a .941 OPS and a 17.4/13.0 K%/BB% in 20 games. The only real aberration from what he was doing at Triple-A was the contact rates, but it’s still a great sign the K% didn’t jump right up to like 40%. We see that all the time. So while I’m not buying those contact rates, I am buying that the hit tool will be good enough to let the nearly elite power shine. He lifts and pulls a ton, and with KC moving in the fences, even better. He’s not great vs. lefties, giving him real platoon risk, and he’s going to have to split the C/DH job with Perez now, and likely Mitchell later, so along with continued hit tool risk, he’s not a flawless prospect. But I see a 30+ homer bat with catcher eligibility. That has mega fantasy value. He was also only 21/22 last year. This dude is a major target. – 2026 Projection: 66/24/73/.240/.319/.468/3 Prime Projection: 77/30/83/.263/.345/.510/6

14) Sal Stewart – CIN, 1B/3B, 22.4 – As much love as Stewart is getting right now, it’s not nearly enough. I honestly don’t see how he’s not being valued like an elite or near elite dynasty prospect. He’s always displayed near elite plate skills with a plus hit tool his entire professional career from the time he was drafted at 18 years old as the 32nd overall pick. And then in his age 21 year old season he had that monster power breakout to combine with the plate skills. He hit 20 homers with a 93.1 MPH EV, 51.3% Hard Hit%, 14.2 degree launch, and a 15.6/9.3 K%/BB% in 118 games at Triple-A. That is a special hit/power combo, and then he closed the year out by dominating the majors with 5 homers, a 95.4 MPH EV, 17.9 degree launch, 52.5% Hard Hit%, and a 23.9% whiff% in 18 games. It was good for a .399 xwOBA. That is absurd for a 21 year old in his first taste of the majors. It’s fully backed up by what he did in the minors. Him going 217th overall in NFBC is way too low, and that is just for redraft. The two biggest knocks on his game are that he’s slow with a 25.8 ft/sec sprint, but he was a solid base stealer in the minors with 17 steals in 20 attempts this year, and we’ve seen slow guys steal a ton of bags (Soto, Naylor), so I think he should at least chip in with a handful, and maybe much more than that. He’s also not great on defense, and while the Eugenio Suarez signing squeezes everyone, I think it squeezes Bleday the most (and maybe Ke’Bryan Hayes the 2nd most). There is talk of him getting in better shape this off-season, so who knows, maybe both his defense and speed will tick up (it better not impact his power ha). This dude is a beast, especially in Great American Ballpark. – 2026 Projection: 76/25/82/.260/.328/.457/7 Prime Projection: 91/30/94/.277/.351/.502/9

15) Thomas White – MIA, LHP, 21.6 – Thomas White is my #1 non debuted pitching prospect in baseball. It’s not a no brainer, and it’s close, but I just don’t think anybody can match his upside. He doesn’t have the safest floor as the control/command is well below average (13.6% BB%), and he definitely does still have a visible rawness when you watch him, but keep in mind this was a 20 year old kid in the upper minors for most of the year. Having some rawness and control/command issues are completely normal for this stage of his development, and just look at what he did when he’s not even close to a fully finished product yet. He put up a 2.31 ERA with a 38.6% K% in 89.2 IP at High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A. He’s a 6’5” lefty with a 3-quarters arm slot delivery, which you know I’m a sucker for, and he has 3 plus to double plus whiff machine pitches in his 95+ MPH fastball, sweeper and changeup. He also throws a good slider. He dominated both righties (.541 OPS against) and lefties (.467 OPS against). I don’t see any reason why more refinement wouldn’t be coming down the line, and likely much more refinement, and even as is he’s going to be a strikeout machine vs. any level of hitter. He might not be the safest guy or the most fully formed, but he’s the guy who I think has the best chance of sitting in that true elite of the elite tier when it’s all said and done. He’s my top non debuted dog. – 2026 Projection: 6/3.78/1.30/110 in 100 IP Prime Projection: 15/3.18/1.11/230 in 180 IP

16) Bryce Eldridge – SFG, 1B, 21.5 – If someone is going to Nick Kurtz the majors in 2026, it’s going to be Eldridge. I would say Basallo too, but Basallo is going to Junior Caminero the majors. I think people forget that Kurtz had a .558 OPS with a 36.5% K% in his first 85 PA in the majors. People were getting nervous. But that is all obviously a distant memory now, just as Eldridge’s rough MLB debut (.476 OPS with a 35.1% K%) will soon be a distant memory. And Eldridge’s only came in 37 PA as a 20 year old. Completely throw out that debut. Actually, don’t throw it out, because the underlying data is screaming the debut was a monster success. The .363 xwOBA is all star level, and the hard hit levels were off the charts. He put up a 25% Barrel%, 95.6 MPH EV and 68.8% Hard Hit%. That was no fluke because the numbers were just as beastly at Triple-A with a 95.7 MPH EV and 63.5% Hard Hit%. It’s easy to just go “he has big power,” but I think those type of elite of the elite numbers need to be reiterated. Those are insanely special power numbers from the 6’7” lefty beast. There is clearly hit tool risk, but the whiff rates weren’t even that bad. A 33.7% whiff% at AAA and 35.4% whiff% in the majors is not like insane danger zone considering how young he was and how hard he hits it. The dude smoked 25 homers in 102 games in the upper minors despite those miss rates. and like I showed above, the xwOBA in the majors was awesome despite the whiff rates. Even a small amount of improvement would be monstrous, and he might even be fine with no improvement. The only other quibbles to the profile are that he’s not a lift and pull machine, but he doesn’t have to be with that level of power, and he’s going to the 3rd worst park for lefty homers, but his power is ballpark proof. Eldridge is setting up to be one of the best power hitters in the game for a long time. – 2026 Projection: 68/25/81/.238/.311/.447/1 Prime Projection: 91/37/113/.264/.348/.533/1

17) Edward Florentino – PIT, OF/1B, 19.5 – I don’t see Florentino getting ranked in the near elite prospect range on the mainstream Top 100’s right now. He was towards the back of those rankings at the end of the season, and even with a rise on the off-season rankings, I still see value to be had here. Florentino has a real chance of being the #1 fantasy prospect in baseball by this time next year. He’s a 6’4”, 200 pound beast with an athletic, powerful, and smooth lefty swing that is made to hit dingers. He jacked out 10 homers in 54 games at Single-A and 16 homers in 83 games overall. The underlying numbers back it up too with a 89 MPH EV, 26 degree launch, and 38.7% Hard Hit%. He did that as just an 18 year old, so those hard hit numbers are only going up, and the best part is that he looked like a seasoned vet with excellent plate skills, putting up a 16.3% whiff% and 22.5% Chase%. This has the makings of a truly special power bat. And wildest part of all is that he’s a really good baserunner, going 35 for 41 on the bases. He’s not a burner with poor to mediocre speed grades, so maybe the steals slow down as he climbs the ladder, but Pitt also played him in CF mostly, which tells me there is very real athleticism in here. I doubt he ends up in CF, but you don’t just throw a guy into CF for funsies. It means something that they had him out there. I’m all in. Treat him like the elite prospect he is. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 96/33/107/.268/.354/.509/16

18) Bubba Chandler – PIT, RHP, 23.6 – Triple-A is hard. Like really hard. The Majors is easier. That was a running joke I had in the Dynasty Rundowns all season, but it wasn’t really a joke at all. So many pitchers struggled hard at Triple-A, and then looked much better in the majors. Maybe it was the ABS Challenge system (which is coming to the Majors in 2026), maybe it was the ballparks, maybe they were pissed they weren’t in the majors already, maybe they were working on stuff, or maybe it was a combination of many things, but too many pitchers looked so much better once they got to the majors to write it off, especially their walk rates. And Chandler most certainly got the Majors is easier bump once he got there, putting up a 4.02 ERA with a 25.0/3.2 K%/BB% in 31.1 IP. He had a 5.96 ERA with a 21.2/13.1 K%/BB% in his last 51.1 IP at Triple-A before getting the call. The turnaround is just wild. The 98.9 MPH fastball got hit hard with a 93.9 MPH EV, but it was a whiff machine with a 30.8% whiff%, and that is more important to see right now. The famed changeup also dominated with a .155 xwOBA and 39.6% whiff%. And his worst pitch of the three, the slider, actually had the best Run Value of them all (+5), on the back of weak contact (85.6 MPH EV against), although it didn’t miss many bats with a 22.5% whiff%. It was a very positive MLB debut, and the bloom that was coming off the rose at Triple-A was fully put back on in the majors. He’s an elite pitching prospect, and he still has an argument to be the top pitching prospect in the game, but I just can’t fully shake the mediocre Triple-A numbers fully. – 2026 Projection: 10/3.56/1.27/178 in 170 IP Prime Projection: 15/3.29/1.10/225 in 195 IP

19) Carson Benge – NYM, OF, 23.2 – Benge has really good numbers, both surface and underlying, but what really gets me so excited for him is watching him on offense. His swing is athletic, bouncy, powerful, smooth, vicious … it’s just a thing of beauty to watch. Watch him crush this homer out at Triple-A and tell me you don’t love it. Or how about this literal moonshot to center. Or how about this shoulder pain inducing shot off Andrew Painter. Dude looks like he unhinges his shoulder on some of these, and the last guy I said that about was Kristian Campbell … oof. I don’t want to bring this blurb down, but I mean, can’t deny it’s pinging something in me. Now that I mention it, he does seem like the lefty version of 2024 Campbell. Like Campbell, he didn’t lift and pull a ton with a 9 degree launch and 13.9% Air Pull% at Triple-A. Like Campbell, he’s more of a good athlete and solid base stealer than a true burner on the bases. And like Campbell, the hit tool is good, but a 18.4% K% and 20.1% whiff% isn’t off the charts or anything. On the more positive side, he crushed the ball with a 92.1 MPH EV and 53.5% Hard Hit%, which was actually much better than Campbell, and if 2024 Campbell showed up in 2025, this wouldn’t feel like such a negative comp. Campbell couldn’t keep up the breakout while Benge has a much stronger and legit track record to fall back on. And maybe the biggest differentiator, is that Benge is a plus on defense with the ability to play centerfield. It’s that ability that may just have him winning a starting OF job out of camp. I’m expecting a more above average across the board type than a true future elite dynasty asset, but that still makes for an excellent fantasy prospect, especially when you tack on proximity. – 2026 Projection: 72/15/66/.249/.313/.420/17 Prime Projection: 93/23/81/.273/.344/.462/21

20) Aidan Miller – PHI, SS, 21.10 – When it seemed like the entire prospect world decided to cool on Miller at the same time due to the mediocre slash at Double-A, I was staying high and preaching patience, writing in the Mid-Season Dynasty Rankings, “The .234/.346/.367 triple-slash is underwhelming, but when you take into account he’s barely 21 at Double-A with 6 homers, 27 steals, and a 109 wRC+ in 58 games, it’s more impressive. I would stay patient here” … and then the explosion came shortly after that, slashing .357/.489/.601 with 6 homers, 22 steals, and a 17.0/17.6 K%/BB% in his final 38 games, 8 of which came at Triple-A where he put up a 185 wRC+. He has a quick and powerful righty hack that has middle of the order hitter written all over it, and he stole 59 bags on the season, which is insanely exciting for fantasy. Looks the part, pedigree, feel to hit, approach, power, speed, age to level, upper minors production, good glove, path to playing time … that is literally every box. Even this ranking might be too low. – 2026 Projection: Prime Projection: 91/23/82/.261/.343/.452/28

21) Sebastian Walcott – TEX, SS, 20.1 – Sorry Sebastian, but the also 19-year-old Konnor showed up to the Double-A party late in the season and made your solid but unspectacular season look even more unspectacular. And then the 18-year-old Leodalis rolled up and just straight made it look easy. We were giving Walcott a ton of leeway before those two showed us how it was really done, and while that does put Walcott’s season in better perspective, it shouldn’t come close to completely taking away what he did. He put up a 111 wRC+ with 13 homers, 32 steals and a 19.6/12.7 K%/BB% in 124 games. Considering the hit tool risk was a legitimate concern, seeing that K/BB as a 19 year old at Double-A is insanely encouraging. And being 11% above league average at his age is still impressive. Sure the .255/.355/.386 triple slash doesn’t jump off the screen, and sure Konnor and Leo blew him out of the water, but we are still looking at a potential fantasy stud. We know the talent by now. He’s an elite athlete at 6’4” with a potentially elite power/speed combo. He’s not a finished product, and it would definitely be nice to see him destroy a level, which he’s never done yet, but it’s not stopping me from still calling him a truly elite prospect. Texas has already hinted that while they have promoted him aggressively, they aren’t planning on just handing him an MLB job next year. I can see him spending the entire season, or vast majority of it, in the minors unless he leaves them no choice with complete destruction. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 93/27/84/.268/.345/.478/24 Update: This elbow injury was the Baseball God’s way of saying slow the hell down. This is a blessing in disguise. Somebody had to stop the Rangers lunacy of promoting this kid way too fast, and the Gods took into their own hands. This was too good a talent to be ruined by rushing him. As we’ve learned and as I’ve written about, I’m not even sure you need elbows for hitting. I’m not concerned about this injury at all long term for his ability to hit. He hasn’t even turned 20 yet and he’s already played an entire season at Double-A. I don’t think this is a monster step back as a developmental year either. This could be a nice mental break for him to take a second to catch his breath. Then he will come back next year as a 21 year old, or even by the end of that season into the AFL. I’ve seen some major panic on Walcott because of this news, and I would take advantage of it if you can. This is dynasty, and I’m not even sure this should impact his dynasty value all that much. Is he getting moved down, yea, because by missing almost the entire year, there will be nothing he can do to gain value and actually get the hype going, but in the grand scheme of things, now is a great time to pounce on him.

22) Josue De Paula – LAD, OF, 20.10 – 2026 is the season De Paula has to have the legitimate game power breakout. It’s his age 21 year old season, where so many Junior year college bats are able to make that adjustment and put up the big homer totals. If it doesn’t come for De Paula this year, I will start to get worried the odds of it ever coming will be low. I’m actually slightly disappointed it didn’t come this year with 12 homers, a 33% FB% and 40.7% Pull% in 102 games at mostly High-A. He got a 4 game cup of coffee at Double-A to close out the year, and while it’s obviously a super small sample, I’m not in love with the 83.3% GB%. So he just pounded the ball into the ground the first time he tasted advanced competition. Don’t take this blurb as me not liking De Paula, because I think I’m his biggest fan, “discovering” him when he was a legit unknown, not a word of hype DSL breakout and calling him a major buy before people caught on, so take it more as a proud father who is a bit disappointed. And I do still love him. He’s a 6’3” beast who genuinely crushes the ball with strong plate skills and base stealing ability. He put up a 142 wRC+ with a 20.2/19.0 K%/BB% and 32 steals in 98 games at High-A as a 19/20 year old. I’m most certainly in, but the reason he isn’t in the elite of the elite tier is the still lacking game power, poor defense, and the fact he hasn’t proven it against advanced competition yet. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 88/24/84/.266/.348/.460/16

23) Bryce Rainer – DET, SS, 20.9 – Don’t you dare start valuing Rainer any less than you would have if he didn’t end up hurting his shoulder diving back to first base, requiring surgery in June 2024. People were scared off of Zach Neto because of the shoulder surgery last off-season, and look how that turned out. Shit, people were turned off by Shohei effing Ohtani because of his off-season shoulder surgery too. Daulton Varsho straight up looked like he returned from surgery with a bionic shoulder. Corbin Carroll underwent shoulder surgery at a similar point in his career to Rainer, and look how he’s turned out. I can’t say with 100% certainty there won’t be complications, but I can say that shoulder surgeries have worked out more than enough to not even dock him a little bit. He already proved this is a potentially elite bat before the injury, slashing .288/.383/.448 with 5 homers, 9 steals, and a 22.1/13.4 K%/BB% in 35 games at Single-A. The most exciting part was the 92.1 MPH EV and 52.8% Hard Hit%. He most certainly looks the at 6’3” with a powerful lefty swing. The 28.6% whiff% was on the high side, and he didn’t lift and pull a ton, so he’s not a totally finished product, but the foundation has been laid for him to be a truly elite, hyped to death prospect by this time next year. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 91/28/94/.273/.352/.481/18 Update: I just predicted Rainer would be the #1 overall prospect in my Predicting the 2027 Top 50 Prospects Rankings which doubles as a Bold Predictions article

24) Tatsuya Imai – HOU, RHP, 27.11 – Let’s start with the elephant in the room, which is that Imai didn’t sign as big of a contract as expected (3 years, $54-$63 million with 2 opt outs), but it’s not moving me off him as the #1 pick in FYPD’s. For one, I love the landing spot. Houston puts their pitchers in position to succeed and I trust them with Imai’s transition. I also don’t think the deal is that bad at all. He’s very likely to make over 20 million a year if he doesn’t opt out, and those opts outs have really huge upside on them. If he dominates, he can land an absolutely huge deal. Don’t underrate how valuable those opt outs are. I still think this deal shows that Imai is expected to be a very good pitcher, and everything else in his profile says we should expect him to be a very good pitcher too. He dominated the 2nd best baseball league in the world, he’s smack dab in the middle of his prime, he’s coming over right as he’s peaking, he has the stuff/pitch mix to back it all up, and he has both a high floor and a high ceiling. If this were a better First Year Player Draft Class, or if this was like last year’s class, he probably wouldn’t be 1st overall (I would 100% have Roch Cholowsky ranked over him from the 2026 draft class, for instance), but in this year’s class, I don’t even really think it’s that tough of a call. He put up a 1.92 ERA with a 27.8/7.0 K%/BB% in 163.2 IP in the NPB in 2025. For reference, Yamamoto put up a 1.21 ERA with a 26.6/4.4 K%/BB% in 164 IP the year before he came over, and then his first year in the majors he had a 3.00 ERA and 28.5/6.0 K%/BB% in 90 IP, meaning, there is no guarantee Imai’s strikeout rates are going to go down in the majors. They might go up, as Imai mentioned how contact oriented the hitters in Japan are, and he’s looking forward to the challenge of facing guys who actually swing for the fences. He completely owns the mound when he’s out there with a calm, loose, athletic, and easy righty delivery that he uses to fire a mid 90’s fastball, a plus “reverse” slider, and a plus splitter/changeup (he throws both). His stuff misses bats, induces weak contact, and keeps the ball in the park (48.3% GB%). His control and strikeout rates have been improving over the last 5 years, so like I mentioned, he’s coming over at the perfect time when he’s at his peak. We have seen more than enough aces come over from the NPB and either remain an ace in MLB (Yamamoto, Yu Darvish-who also saw his K rates rise in MLB), or at the least be an impact fantasy starter (Imanaga, Senga), that the transition doesn’t seem super risky. There is risk of course with a new baseball, country, etc … but everyone in First Year Player Drafts have risk, and Imai almost definitely has the least risk of anybody. He’s only 5’11”, but Yamamoto is 5’10”, so I don’t really care too much about that either. I don’t see how you could take Doyle or Anderson over him just evaluating the top pitchers on the board, and while you can argue for a high school bat, Imai’s ceiling as a #2 starter seems plenty high enough to not feel too tempted by the bats. He’s my top dog in FYPD’s and I’m not too torn about it. – 2026 Projection: 12/3.57/1.21/165 in 165 IP

25) Travis Bazzana – CLE, 2B, 23.7 – The consensus #1 pick in First Year Player Drafts, non Roki division, and the #1 pick in the MLB Draft, did not live up to that consensus #1 billing. And neither did Roki for that matter. Keep this in mind when you are making your own picks in your league. I’ve preached this since I started writing, but don’t be afraid to think with a mind of your own and make outlier picks. Even when baseball executives, real life prospect evaluators, and fantasy prospect evaluators are all in alignment, we all might be very wrong. Sure when you make a weird a pick your entire league will talk shit to you and call you a dummy, and if it doesn’t end up working out, you’ll never hear the end of it, but if you do hit, you will be treated like a conquering hero … hah, who am I kidding, no you won’t be. They will act like they don’t even remember giving you shit for it ha. But if you’ve achieved the important life level of not caring what other people think of you (it’s less not caring, you want people to like/respect you, it’s more not letting it impact your life decisions and behavior), then you will man up (person up?) and take Ethan Conrad 1st this year 😉 … or whichever guy is pinging your gut as the guy. But back to Bazzana, while he didn’t deserve to be the top dog, he still had a strong year. He put up a 137 wRC+ with 9 homers, 12 steals, and a 24.3/17.6 K%/BB% in 84 games split between Double-A and Triple-A. The lift/pull ability is there, he hits generally hard with a 89.3 MPH EV, the 24.3% whiff% at Triple-A is solid, the approach is excellent with a 13.2% Chase, and he runs. All of the ingredients we loved last off-season were there, just not to quite as high levels as we hoped to see. And the hit tool was most disappointing with a .245 BA and the high K rate. I’m not gonna lie, his still very high value might be more inflated by his name value and reputation than by the cold hard analysis of the numbers. The cold hard analysis says he’s just a solid to good prospect, and not really a standout one. Hard for me say that, because I do still like him a lot, and I still see a 20/20 guy, but maybe I’m also falling victim to the past hype. – 2026 Projection: 69/15/61/.228/.304/.392/17 Prime Projection: 84/20/72/.252/.331/.434/23

26) Marcelo Mayer – BOS, 3B, 23.4 – I get the sense that people are starting to get lulled to sleep by Mayer. They view him as a nice bat maybe, solid player, but I think people are massively underestimating how special of a bat this is. Dude is 6’3” with one of the sweetest lefty swings out there, and it’s not just sweet, it’s lightning fast with a 74.1 MPH bat speed. It results in him consistently crushing the ball with a 48.5% Hard Hit% at Triple-A and an even better 51.7% Hard Hit% in the majors. That mark was 29th best in baseball (over 500 pitch minimum). This isn’t just a nice, solid bat. This dude is a beast. Some hit tool issues popped up in the MLB debut with a .228 BA and 30.1/5.9 K%/BB%, but a 28.6% whiff% and 29.7% Chase% isn’t bad at all for a 22 year old’s first taste of the bigs. It’s actually more encouraging than discouraging. He’s not a lift and pull machine, but a 12 degree launch with a 17.9% Air Pull% at Triple-A is perfectly fine, especially with how hard he hits the ball. And while he doesn’t run a ton, the 27.5 ft/sec sprint was average, so he should at least chip in a handful. Everything is trending toward Mayer being a complete hitter who will hit in the middle of a strong Red Sox lineup for years to come. His glove was excellent at both 3B and 2B, so it’s highly likely he will have a starting job somewhere right out of the gate (looking locked in at 3B right now). I don’t love the wrist surgery, as wrist injuries are known killers, but I’m not letting it scare me off. If Mayer isn’t being treated like the truly special bat he is in your league, I would jump on that value. – 2026 Projection: 68/20/77/.252/.313/.433/8 Prime Projection: 94/27/94/.271/.344/.482/11

27) Ryan Waldschmidt – ARI, OF, 23.6 – Waldschmidt is the Luke Keaschall do over. If you missed out on Keaschall, Waldschimdt is your chance to rectify that mistake, and just like Keaschall, he’s never going to truly get the respect he deserves on prospect lists. It’s actually remarkable how similar the profile and career arcs are. Keaschall put up a 146 wRC+ in his pro debut in 2023, and then Waldschmidt put up a 142 wRC+ in his pro debut in 2024. Keaschall went full breakout the next year at High-A and Double-A, slashing .303/.420/.483 with 15 homers, 23 steals, and a 17.2/13.4 K%/BB% in 102 games, and of course, Waldchmidt nearly matched him identically in 2025, slashing .289/.419/.473 with 18 homers, 29 steals, and a 17.6/16.0 K%/BB% in 134 games (the last 66 games at Double-A). The lift and pull is also extremely similar, and Waldschmidt might have more raw power potential at 6’2” (Keaschall is 6’0”). They are actually about the same age, so I guess advantage goes to Keaschall for already being in the majors, but you get the point. Waldschmidt has an above average across the board profile, and he still doesn’t quite get the respect he deserves on prospect lists. – 2026 Projection: 24/6/21/.249/.318/.417/8 Prime Projection: 88/22/79/.271/.343/.453/23

28) Joshua Baez – STL, OF, 22.9 – Back in early July, when Baez was still getting lukewarm love, when people were still hesitant to really go all in, I saw the opportunity to strike, naming him one of my top Mid-Season Targets, writing, “This guy just has Lawrence Butler 2.0 written all over him. I know his hype has been rising, but I still think even a super savvy dynasty owner might be looking at him as a perfect sell high opportunity. Popped up “out of nowhere,” there is hit tool risk, they just might be thinking they are the one getting one over on you, but it’s going to be the other way around. Play possum on this one. Dummy up. Because what Baez is doing is exactly what Butler did. He’s an absolute specimen at 6’3”, 220 pounds, he crushes the ball, he has 34 steals in 39 attempts in 69 games total, and he now has a 25.8/16.4 K%/BB% in 31 games at Double-A. He’s proving his hit tool gains are real. And the insane, true elite talent is there. Pretend you’re the fool buying in too hard, and then don’t gloat when in a year or two their former owner realizes the mistake they make. You just got lucky ;)” … and then not only did he continue to keep it up, he took the hit tool up a notch with a 14.1%/10.6% K%/BB% in his final 40 games of the season at Double-A. The dude is a jacked 6’3” version of Kevin McGonigle out there ha, not quite, but you get the point. He finished the season going 20/54 in 117 games. Like we saw with Lawrence Butler in 2025, it’s hard to feel we are ever completely out of the woods with the hit tool risk on these types, but the massive improvement he showed, combined with his monster upside, is worthy of an extremely high ranking on a fantasy list especially. Since I wrote that Target blurb, his hype has already exploded, and if you took my advice back then, you almost surely already feel like you got one over on somebody. But he’s still on the underrated side now too, so it’s not too late. This is a Top 30 dynasty prospect, and that might still be underselling him. – 2026 Projection: 17/6/23/.228/.301/.418/7 Prime Projection: 79/25/84/.248/.327/.471/28

29) Justin Crawford – PHI, OF, 22.3 – Let’s not beat around the bush, we all know the issue, and it’s that Crawford has an extreme 59.4% GB%. So before we start getting into him hopefully lowering that significantly, the question is can a player succeed with such a high groundball rate? And the answer to that question is a clear yes. And I’m not even talking about Justin’s father, Carl, who is the so obvious comp here, but I’m talking about a possibly even better comp, and that is none other than Christian Yelich. Yelich put up a 63.2% GB% in his 2013 MLB debut and put up a 118 wRC+. He put up a 61% in 2014 (118 wRC+) and a 62.5% in 2015 (120 wRC+). The power uptick came when he dropped the GB% into the mid 50% range. So he was really good even before the drop, and after the drop, he was MVP great. Just this past season, Yelich had a lower launch than Crawford (2 degrees vs. 3 degrees) and Yelich still hit 29 homers. Obviously Yelich is a special talent, but that is the point, so is Crawford. They are both lefties of similar size with good contact rates and the ability to hit the ball very hard. Crawford had a 18.4% whiff% with a 45.3% Hard Hit% at Triple-A. He’s still a very projectable 6’2”, so it’s very possible that Hard Hit is sitting in the upper 40’s at peak, just like Yelich (career 48.4% Hard Hit%). Yelich had better chase so it’s not a perfect comp, but you get the point, a special talent like Crawford absolutely can make a super high groundball rate work. And if he can drop it another 5 to 10 percentage points, watch the hell out. On steals and contact alone Crawford will make a fantasy impact even if he’s not a great real life hitter, but he can most certainly be a great real life hitter too. I’m not getting scared off by the ground ball rates. I’m buying Crawford, and right now, he looks like he can break camp as Philadelphia’s starting CF. – 2026 Projection: 71/9/41/.257/.316/.387/28 Prime Projection: 93/17/72/.281/.344/.436/41

30) Jordan Lawlar – ARI, 3B, 23.9 – I can’t believe we are still ranking Lawlar as a prospect, but he really doesn’t have anyone to blame but himself. The reason he is still a “prospect” is because he’s been very injury prone, and when he does get his shot in the majors, he does absolutely nothing. Less than nothing actually, he’s a negative with a negative 0.7 WAR in 108 PA. He once again only played sporadically in 2025, which is not a recipe for success, but he’s only playing sporadically because he hit .182 with a 35.1% K% in 74 PA this year. I get being completely fatigued with him, and you can definitely question if he truly does have star upside. He destroyed Triple-A in a hitter’s haven, but the 88.8 MPH EV and 43.6% Hard Hit% don’t really jump off the screen. That is a good power for sure, and it should only rise, but it’s not beastly power yet. And it came with a 27.3% whiff%. The 71.7 MPH swing in the majors is only average, and he was bad at 3B. The thing that might be scaring me the most right now is how awful he was in the Dominican Winter League. He put up a .432 OPS  with a 18/0 K/BB in 46 PA. It’s only 46 PA, but man, it almost shouldn’t even be possible for a 23 year old stud to be that horrific. There are enough cracks in this profile to clearly move him out of the elite or even near elite prospect range, but I still think his fantasy upside needs to be respected. The fantasy friendly profile is fully there with lift and pull, good raw power, and elite speed/base stealing (29.7 ft/sec sprint). He was also finally starting to find his groove in the majors in September, slashing .333/.390/.528 with a 24.4/7.3 K%/BB% and 88 MPH EV in his last 41 PA. If Arizona just takes the leash off and let’s him go, I still see a seriously impactful fantasy contributor, but Arizona just doesn’t seem to believe in him after trading for Arenado with a contract that runs through 2027. OF and DH now seem to be his best path and he’s going to have to kick the door down. – 2026 Projection: 37/11/44/.236/.303/.419/17 Prime Projection: 82/20/74/.251/.332/.441/30

31) Payton Tolle – BOS, LHP, 23.5 – Tolle could have been in the discussion for the #1 pitching prospect in baseball if he popped as much as Burns/Yesavage/McLean popped in the majors, but his ride wasn’t as smooth with a 6.06 ERA, 4.58 xERA, and 25.7/10.8 K%/BB% in 16.1 IP. While it does take him out of the running for the top spot, that really has more to do with how great those other guys looked, because I’m actually more encouraged than discouraged by his debut. The most important thing for him to show was that his double plus to elite 96.7 MPH fastball would play against MLB hitters, and it did indeed prove that with an excellent 28.3% whiff% and 86.1 MPH EV against. The pitch got extremely unlucky and he threw it 64.1% of the time, which was the biggest culprit for the poor debut. The secondaries have always been the biggest question for him, and while they weren’t great in the debut, I’m encouraged that they all missed bats. The changeup put up a 50% whiff% (also a 50% whiff% at Triple-A), the slider put up a 30% whiff% with a strong .249 xwOBA, the cutter put up a 30% whiff% and the curve didn’t give up a single hit. It all resulted in a 30.1% whiff% overall, which I love to see. And of course he destroyed the minors with a 3.04 ERA and 36.5/6.3 K%/BB% in 91.2 IP spread across 3 levels (A+, AA, AAA). The walk rate spiked in the majors to 10.8%, which I don’t want to completely dismiss, but the larger sample in the minors rules the day for me long term. He might not be in the conversation for #1 overall, but this is still an elite pitching prospect for me. – 2026 Projection: 5/3.74/1.19/95 in 90 IP Prime Projection: 14/3.39/1.11/200 in 180 IP

32) Jonah Tong – NYM, RHP, 22.9 – Like Tolle, Tong would have been in the discussion for the #1 pitching prospect in baseball if not for the poor MLB debut with a 7.71 ERA, 4.97 xERA and 25.3/10.3 K%/BB% in 18.2 IP, but unlike Tolle, I am actually a little discouraged because of it. The thing we really need to see was that fastball/changeup combo playing against MLB hitters, and it just didn’t play with a negative 4 Run Value and solid but not great 22.3% whiff% on the 95.2 MPH fastball, and an even worse showing for the changeup with a .357 xwOBA and very disappointing 22.3% whiff%. I’ve actually been saying all of 2025 that his curve was getting underrated, and that did actually perform well with a .219 xwOBA and 80.4 MPH EV against, but the 26.3% whiff% wasn’t impressive there either. It’s a small sample, and I’m not saying I don’t like Tong anymore, but I’m saying there are enough red flags from the MLB debut that I’m not flying him up the rankings wild crazy anymore. You would have to be crazy to be completely out on him with his utter destruction of the minors with a 1.43 ERA and 40.5/10.6 K%/BB% in 113.2 IP at mostly Double-A. Keep in mind he was only 21/22 in 2025 while all of the pitchers with better debuts were older than him, which I 100% think matters. Don’t get too scared off by the MLB debut, but kinda get a teeny, tiny bit scared off. – 2026 Projection: 5/3.87/1.28/105 in 100 IP Prime Projection: 13/3.45/1.20/198 in 175 IP

33) Connelly Early – BOS, LHP, 24.0 – The prospect world still kinda treats Early like he’s a nice soft tossing lefty who could pitch towards the back of a rotation. I guess when you evaluate a guy for years, it can be hard to get prior evaluations out of your head, but he ain’t that guy anymore. Redraft guys don’t have that prior perception problem, and it’s why he’s going 214th in NFBC right now. That might fall due to the Sox adding 2 starters this off-season, but the point is that redrafters saw him with fresh eyes, and they liked what they saw. This isn’t a junk balling lefty. The fastball ticked up in 2025 and averaged 94 MPH in the majors (93.5 MPH at AAA). That would put him among the Top 15-ish or so lefty starters in the game for velocity. And the pitch utterly dominated both Triple-A batters and MLB batters. It put up a 29.3% whiff% with a .236 xwOBA in the majors. He’s 6’3” and still has room to get stronger, so if he was able to raise the velocity once, who is to say that he can’t do it again. He doesn’t need to, but if does get closer to 95, that would be put in him in rarified air for a lefty. The beauty of coming up a soft tosser is that he learned the art of pitching, and he’s a maestro on the mound, throwing a legit 6 pitch mix. The changeup is his best secondary with weak contact and bat missing ability, and he throws 3 different breakers (curve, slider, sweeper), with the curve standing out on the MLB level with a .179 xwOBA and 39.4% whiff%. He didn’t go to the sweeper often, but it was ridiculous in the majors with an 83.3% whiff%. It all resulted in a 2.33 ERA with a 36.7/5.1 K%/BB% in 19.1 IP in the majors and a 2.60 ERA with a 31.9/9.7 K%/BB% in 100.1 IP at Triple-A. Rotation spot or no rotation spot to start the season, I’m buying high on Early this off-season, as even after the breakout I still don’t think he gets the respect he deserves in the prospect world. – 2026 Projection: 6/3.78/1.23/115 in 110 IP Prime Projection: 14/3.46/1.17/200 in 180 IP Update: Here is what I wrote in Early’s Target blurb, and while I’m going to stick with Tolle, they deserved to be ranked much closer together: “I’m in the middle of my off-season 18 team prospect draft where we can’t pick up prospects during the season (well, you can pick them up, but you can’t keep them if they don’t exhaust rookie eligibility), and with the 8th pick, I had the choice between Payton Tolle or Connelly Early. I have Tolle ranked higher on my rankings, but man, when push really came to shove, I started to question myself. Early just had a much, much, much better MLB debut. Sometimes I think prospect guys can try to be the “smartest guy in the room.” It’s like, Early just showed he was much better than Tolle, why are we overthinking this? Early is the better athlete. He has the better secondaries. And it’s not like it’s such a slam dunk that Tolle even has the better fastball. Early’s fastball dominated MLB hitters and at Triple-A too. I was starting to question everything, and then at the last second …  I took Ethan Conrad, hah, because fuck taking a pitcher in the 1st round of a FYPD and I just wanted Conrad. Sometimes dynasty isn’t this super serious, scientific process. It’s just having fun and taking the guy you want. But back to Early, I guess what I’m saying is that maybe we are all still underrating him. I ranked him high, and he ended up getting more respect than I thought he would on most lists, but maybe all of us are galaxy braining this thing. Not that Tolle isn’t great, it’s more about how good Early is. I’m starting to get the feeling that in hindsight, this is going to look silly, and in my next rankings update, I might actually change things up a bit. We’ll see. But the takeaway is to go after Early hard. Buy high.”

34) Emil Morales – LAD, SS, 19.6 – I love it when I’m evaluating the incoming international class and a prospect absolutely explodes off the screen. It happened with Lazaro Montes. It happened with Sebastian Walcott. And then it happened with Emil Morales. True athletic beasts that look undeniable even in a few swings on a Youtube video. All 3 immediately became the biggest targets for me in their international class, and all 3 exploded in pro ball. It’s just so fun hitting on one of these guys with such little information, and I can’t help it for them to become personal favorites. Montes and Walcott are obviously long past getting any value on them, but there is still value to be had on Morales, surprisingly. I went all in even more after he destroyed the DSL in 2024, ranking him 39th overall on the 2025 Top 500 Prospect Ranks last off-season when he wasn’t even getting Top 100 love, and he proved my love for him correct once again, closing out the season at Single-A as an 18 year old, slashing .339/.420/.548 with 5 homers, 5 steals, and a 23.1/11.9 K%/BB% in 30 games. That was good for a 160 wRC+. The hit tool was getting better and better as the year went on, he’s a true beast at 6’3” with lift/pull and hard hit, and he’s a legitimately good athlete. This is not just a lumbering slugger. This is a very special talent, who to my disbelief, still might not get a ton of Top 100 love. I don’t get it, but it’s better for you, because there is still time to get in before his value utterly explodes in 2026. I see a star every time I watch this kid, hit tool risk be damned. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 91/33/102/.261/.343/.515/12

35) Luis Pena – MIL, SS/2B, 19.4 – I’ve hammered home the point that there is no better sign for a prospect than when they get promoted to a higher level and not only maintain their production, but take it up notch. It’s the sign of the rocket ship. And Pena started off as that rocket ship at Single-A, blasting off beautifully into the atmosphere, but when he got to higher levels and tried to detach the Flux Capacitors or whatever, it was like watching one of those disasters of the Apollo blowing up right before our eyes. He crumbled at High-A with a 43 wRC+ and 24.8/5.5 K%/BB% in 25 games. While it’s not what we optimally want to see, struggling at higher levels before adjusting is the process most prospects have to go through. Just because you aren’t the rare straight rocket ship that we dream on, doesn’t mean it’s time to panic at all. Pena already established his near elite prospect credentials as an 18 year old at Single-A, slashing .308/.375/.469 with 6 homers, 41 steals, and a 13.3/9.1 K%/BB% in 71 games. He was a named Target last off-season, writing, “he has an explosive righty swing that can hit the ball hard, there is plenty of room to tack on mass, and he doesn’t have any major lift and pull problems, so there is definitely potential for him to develop some level of real power down the line.” … and then that power came with 9 homers in 96 games overall. Made overshadows him, and we are seeing more and more 18 years old at higher levels these days, but let’s remember how special it is for an 18 year old to perform the way he did in full season ball. He has a precocious feel to hit with speed and developing power. Don’t let the High-A struggles scare you off too much – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 91/20/72/.276/.337/.454/31

36) Eduardo Quintero – LAD, OF, 20.7 – Quintero continues to be one off the very best hitters at every single level he plays at. He put up a 177 wRC+ in the DSL in 2023, a 146 wRC+ in stateside rookie in 2024, and then a 158 wRC+ at Single-A in 2025. The cherry on top is that he closed the year out at High-A as a still 19 year old and put up a 135 wRC+ in 32 games. It may sound obvious and simple, but I love a guy who just keeps on raking no matter the competition put in front of him. He finished the season slashing .293/.415/.508 with 19 homers, 47 steals, and a 22.7/16.3 K%/BB% in 113 games. They wanted him to lift/pull more this year, and he did it. Again, making adjustments and not seeing the production drop off at all is another great sign, because baseball is a game of adjustments, and you need to be able to tinker like that your entire career basically. He has a good feel to hit, he has plus power potential, he has speed and he’s a good defensive CF. That is all the boxes except upper minors production, but that is likely coming soon too. As much love as Quintero gets, he’s probably still underhyped. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 91/23/78/.263/.342/.450/31

37) Zyhir Hope – LAD, OF, 21.2 – If an NFL Running Back played baseball, I imagine it would look a lot like Zyhir Hope. He’s got an NFL running back build at 5’10” with thunder thighs of pure steel, and he’s got the power/speed combo of a running back as well, crushing the ball with 13 homers and stealing 27 bags in 127 games at mostly High-A. He put up a 131 wRC+. Unfortunately, he also has the hit tool of a running back, hah, just playing, it’s not that bad, but there is definitely hit tool issues with a 26.3% K%. I’m very encouraged by his cup of coffee at Double-A to close out the season though. He put up a 20% K% in 20 PA, and while it’s too small of a sample to read into too much, it’s still a good sign. And he hit .266 on the season, so it’s not like the guy is completely incapable of hitting for average. The risk is he ends up a strong side of a platoon corner outfielder, but there is way too much upside in here to get overly scared off by the risk. He was just 20 years old last off-season, so there is time for him to refine the hit tool, and if anyone can help him, it’s the Dodgers. The Dodgers need some payoff from that Michael Busch trade (Busch for Hope and Ferris), and Hope is that payoff. The lefty Randy Arozarena is the comp. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 88/24/79/.250/.338/.455/26

38) Alfredo Duno – CIN, C, 20.3 – Duno vs. Rainiel is a really interesting debate to me as the top catcher prospect in the lower minors, and while it seems the vast majority (or maybe everybody but me, I’m not sure) has it as an easy call in Rodriguez’ direction, I can’t lie that I’m leaning Duno by a slightest of hairs. There are several reasons for that, but the two biggest are that Duno has a massive ballpark advantage (Cincy has the 2nd best ballpark for righty homers and St. Louis has the 5th worst) and Duno also has a path to playing time advantage. Essentially, I think this is Duno’s job when he’s ready and I think he is going to inherently get a longer leash with the bat and glove when he does get that chance. St. Louis is stacked at catcher up and down their organization. The other reasons I have it Duno are because he’s bigger (6’2” vs. 5’10”) and he hits it considerably harder (48.6% Hard Hit% vs. 39.2% at Single-A). Duno had a .423 xwOBA vs Rodriguez’ .368 xwOBA at Single-A. Those are vastly different xwOBA’s. You can say Rodriguez has the age to level edge, but Duno was really good at Single-A as an 18 year old too in 2024. The biggest edge to Rodriguez, and the one where this call could make me look dumb, is that he has the better contact rates. Duno had a 31% whiff% vs. Rodriguez’ 23% whiff%. But Rodriguez had a .249 BA at Single-A because he lifts and pulls an extreme amount, which is great in general, but in a terrible ballpark for righty homers, and with good but not great Hard Hit (there is little to no projection left on his frame, he’s already thick), it might not lead to the highest BA’s in the future either. I love both and it’s coin flip for me, but I have to give my raw unfiltered take on what I would do if I had this choice in my league, and my gut is just leaning Duno. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 71/31/87/.251/.340/.491/4

39) Rainiel Rodriguez – STL, C, 19.3 – Because I felt the need to kinda shit on Rodriguez a bit in the Duno blurb, let me start off this blurb with some excitement, because Rodriguez deserves it. He was the top catcher breakout in the DSL in 2024 with a monstrous 10 homers and 190 wRC+ in 41 games, and then he managed to one up even that at stateside rookie in 2025 with 7 homers and 237 wRC+ in 20 games. That kind of dominance at the rookie ball levels is some of the best we’ve really ever seen, so it was no surprise to also see him kill it at Single-A, slashing .249/.373/.498 with 13 homers, 3 steals, and a 17.4/14.0 K%/BB% in 60 games. I completely understand looking at this level of production as an 18 year old and saying this is one of the most special bats in the minors league, period, regardless of position. He’s a lift and pull god with a 20 degree launch and 29.4% Air Pull%, the plate skills are excellent, and he hits it hard, especially for his age, with a 104.3 MPH 90th% EV and 39.2% Hard Hit%. I love his bat. The things to quibble with are just that, minor quibbles. Sure the path to playing time isn’t clear, but a bat like this generally clears the way for itself no matter who is in it’s path. The ballpark isn’t great, and with his current level of lift/pull and hard hit, it could result in low batting averages, but he’s so young that it would be silly to just say this is always who he is going to be. He will likely hit the ball harder at peak and also refine his general approach. Just because I have Duno ranked higher by a hair doesn’t mean I don’t love Rodriguez. I think it says more about how much I love Duno. Both are awesome. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 76/27/83/.268/.354/.477/3

40) AJ Ewing – NYM, OF, 21.8 – Ewing was one of my top targets in the 2024 FYPD class, and I thought my target blurb for him was really interesting to look back on, writing, “ I get a very similar feeling for Ewing that I got from diving into Pete Crow and Corbin Carroll from their draft year. I wish Ewing was a speedster so I could really go over the moon for him, but his speed is more in that average to above average area, so putting his name in the same sentence as Crow and Carroll is probably silly. Regardless, point being, Ewing is very underrated because he’s not necessarily a huge guy, but’s not small either, and the swing looks legit to me. He’s going to be damn good.” … and then the “not a speedster” went out and turned himself into a speedster and stole 70 bags this year, hah. It’s almost like he read my blurb and was like, okay, I gotta turn myself into a speedster to get on PCA and Carroll’s level. And now that he has, I am so back all in on him. He slashed .315/401/.429 with 3 homers, 70 steals, and a 18.6/12.1 K%/BB% in 124 games at High-A and Double-A. The surface stats were good at Double-A with a 133 wRC+, which is great to see, but the 22.0/5.3 K%/BB% and 47.8% GB% both took a big hit, so the underlying numbers show there certainly was a drop. Hitting only 3 homers is a bit concerning, but I think that is an aberration. I still love that lefty swing and while he’s not a power hitting beast, he doesn’t hit the ball weakly at all. He hit 10 homers in 90 games in 2024, so it’s not like he’s a guy who has like 6 homers in his career. The guy can hit for some power. His GB% has hovered around 40% in his career, so he has no major groundball issues. And now the hit tool and speed both took big steps forward. I absolutely fucking love him and there is a lurking fantasy star in here. He’s not getting valued like that right now, which opens up a major buying opportunity. I’m not even sure I’m high on enough him with this very high ranking. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 89/17/58/.273/.347/.429/39

41) Caleb Bonemer – CHW, SS, 20.6 – You know I love it when a prospect gets to a higher level and takes it up a notch, and that is exactly what Bonemer did to close out the season, putting up a 192 wRC+ in 11 games at High-A. I loved him in FYPD’s last off-season, and I shot him up the rankings very quickly when he immediately came out hot in his first taste of pro ball at Single-A, so those last 11 games were the final cherry on top of his near elite prospect status. He finished the year slashing .281/.401/.473 with 12 homers, 29 steals, and a 21.2/15.8 K%/BB% in 107 games. He lifts and pulls a ton with a 34% GB% and 53.6% Pull%, so as the power rises naturally, the homers will most certainly be there. And at a big and physical 6’1”, I have no questions about the power. He’s not a burner, but he’s a good athlete and good base stealer. And finally, the plate skills were good with a good feel to hit and approach. The only thing going against him is that we need to trust Chicago to develop him, and while I’m not a slave to organization, it is a factor we unfortunately have to take into account. More to that point, his swing is not the smoothest thing out there. I can’t find the right word at the moment, but it’s a bit abrupt maybe (again, not the perfect word for it). I do think it’s possible the hit tool isn’t going to look as good against advanced competition, and we have to trust Chicago to make those little adjustments as he climbs the ladder. I’m not letting it scare me off, but it’s something in the back of my mind. He’s also almost certainly going to get moved off SS to 3B or OF. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 82/26/88/.258/.335/.467/18

42) Ryan Sloan – SEA, RHP, 20.2 – High school pitchers don’t just step into pro ball and immediately put up elite walk rates. It’s almost unheard of. I haven’t done a study, and I’m sure there are plenty of examples, but most of the time it’s a Noble Meyer situation. Where you hear a guy has good control and then they put up a 15% BB% in their first taste. Having great control is a mind/body connection, tons of repetition type thing that takes some pitchers well into their MLB career to really find that groove. But not Sloan, who jumped straight off the assembly line as the quintessential Seattle Mariners pitcher. He put up a 3.44 ERA with a 27.1/5.3 K%/BB% in 70.2 IP at Single-A, and then got a cup of joe at High-A and put up a 26.5/0.0 K%/BB% in 11.1 IP. It’s absurd. Just put him in the MLB rotation already as he has the stuff and size for it too. He’s 6’5”, 220 pounds with a mid 90’s fastball and two potentially plus secondaries in his splitter and slider. He’s the next Logan Gilbert/George Kirby/Bryan Woo and it’s extremely obvious. I guess we should wait to see it in the upper minors to call him a truly elite pitching prospect, but it almost feels inevitable. I would treat him like an elite pitching prospect already. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 14/3.38/1.09/191 in 180 IP

43) Josue Briceno – DET, C/1B, 21.7 – You already know that I am the world’s foremost expert on Josue’s (I even held up my end of the bargain this season by writing up Josue Brito of the DSL after his first two homers, and then he went on to be tied for the 3rd most homers with 9). I was all over De Paula and Briceno when they were truly complete unknowns, not a whisper of hype, and I continued to be all in on them last off-season, even with Briceno’s lukewarm year at Single-A. Well, that is kind of misleading, because while he wasn’t great at Single-A, he was the MVP of the AFL with 10 homers in 25 games, and then he carried that over into High-A in 2025, slashing .296/.422/.602 with 15 homers and a 16.4/16.8 K%/BB% in 55 games. He wasn’t as good when he got the call to Double-A, but he was only 20, the 112 wRC+ was still good, and he was finding his groove with a .807 OPS in his last 31 games. This is a middle of the order beast at a chiseled 6’4” with a powerful lefty swing that is made to launch bombs. The plate skills have been very strong throughout his career, so there isn’t major hit tool risk either. The biggest quibble with his profile is that he wasn’t great vs. lefties with a .721 OPS, and there is uncertainty around his defensive home. He’s been good enough at catcher to not move him off, and I can foresee a possible Ben Rice like situation here with him getting enough run at catcher to keep eligibility, while playing mostly 1B/DH. He doesn’t have a clear path to playing time with Tork and Carp under team control until 2028, so I can see him taking over the role I laid out in 2029 and beyond assuming there are no trades/injuries which open up a spot sooner. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 84/31/90/.267/.348/.501/1 Update: Underwent wrist surgery which is not a great injury for hitters because it’s known to linger. There is also no timetable for his return. This probably doesn’t change his long term outlook too much though, and short term he was blocked anyway, so I’m not going to ding him too much for it

44) Eli Willits – WSH, SS, 18.4 – Willits is the default #1 pick in 2026 First Year Player Drafts (non Imai division, who shouldn’t even be in FYPD’s, and isn’t in FYPD’s in most of my leagues). That is so unexciting to say for the first pick, but it’s exactly what Washington did in the real MLB Draft too, taking Willits 1st overall. They looked out into the rest of this draft class and just saw warts all the over place, saying, let’s just take the safest guy who checks the most boxes. Willits has one of the best hit tools in the class, he has a good SS glove, he has baseball bloodlines (you might remember Reggie Willits), he’s got speed, he’s got good size (6’1”), and he’s one of the youngest players in the class. He then cemented that safe profile in his pro debut, slashing .300/.397/.360 with 0 homers, 2 steals, and a 20.7/12.1 K%/BB% in 15 games as a 17 year old at Single-A. He had no major lift or pull issues with a 38.9% GB% and 44.7% Pull%, so when the power ticks up naturally, which his size and age say it should, the homers should come. He’s not the pick that is really going to get the juices flowing when you select him, but he’s the safe play. You can take a pitcher (Doyle/Anderson/Hernandez), but you only have to look to Roki last year to see the risk there. You can take Holliday, but we just saw that hit tool risk. You can go JoJo or Steele, but there is risk in not having seen them in pro ball. You can take Kilby, which that idea is growing on me, but it seems way too cute to take the 29th overall pick 1st overall. You can take Ethan Conrad, but … okay, no buts there, maybe you should take him 😉 … but you get the point. Willits simply checks off the most boxes, even if he doesn’t currently have that electric upside we want with the top pick. I wouldn’t blame you at all for choosing a more risky path, but Willits is my top dog, not including the Japanese veterans. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 93/18/72/.283/.358/.438/29

45) Josuar Gonzalez – SFG, SS, 18.5 – Gonzalez was the top player from the 2025 international class, and while he didn’t go all Jesus Made on us, he still lived up to the billing, slashing .288/.404/.455 with 4 homers, 33 steals, and a 15.8/16.2 K%/BB% in 52 games. He was even better to close out the season with a 1.003 OPS in his final 28 games, so he actually was going all Jesus Made on us by the time it was all said and done. The plate skills are excellent, he hits it hard for his age, the speed is plus and so is the defense. He’s the total package. The 50.3% GB% is on the high side and he’s not the biggest guy at 6’0”, 167 pounds, so he needs to add both raw and game power to really hit his upside, but these are the ingredients you look for in the next hype machine, Top 5 prospect in the game. By this time next year, he might not be far off from that, and while there is still risk, this is the type of prospect to be aggressive with. This is the Top 50 dynasty prospect at least. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 97/20/75/.278/.357/.448/33

46) Liam Doyle – STL, LHP, 21.10 – Having an elite fastball is so important if you want to truly break into to the upper echelon of MLB pitchers. I wrote about it in the Blue Jays Team Report when I was giving my reasoning for going Burns over Yesavage (I still love Yesevage) as the #1 pitching prospect in baseball, and it’s my reasoning for giving Doyle the very slight edge over Kade Anderson in FYPD Rankings. Doyle has the type of overpowering, high strikeout, mid to upper 90’s, elite movement profile fastball that has the potential to simply bulldoze through the minors in the blink of an eye, a la Chase Burns. He’s not as good as Chase Burns, but he’s the closest thing this draft has to him. The secondaries aren’t as impressive as the fastball, which is where the edge goes to Anderson (and Anderson has an excellent fastball too despite the mediocre velocity), but I think they get undersold. The splitter dominated college hitters with elite whiff rates, the slider has above average potential with bat missing ability, and he’s working on a cutter too. His 42.6% K% led all of D1, and the 8.3 BB% shows the control isn’t in the true danger zone. I also think it says something that the Cardinals drafted him 5th overall. This isn’t the usual Cardinals type of pitcher. They lean floor over upside (although that seems to be changing of late). But quite clearly they fell in love with Doyle’s upside, which I’m also falling in love with. Kade Anderson is the safer choice and he landed in the perfect situation in Seattle, but I lean pure explosion, and Doyle has more of that explosion than Anderson has right now. St. Louis also has a pitcher’s park. Doyle is my top pitcher in FYPD’s, non Imai division, and it sure seems like he’s going to debut in 2026. – 2026 Projection: 4/3.82/1.27/75 in 70 IP Prime Projection: 14/3.33/1.07/209 in 178 IP

47) Kade Anderson – SEA, LHP, 21.10 – Anderson couldn’t have asked for a better landing spot than Seattle (3rd overall). Even after falling in love with Doyle’s explosiveness and pure nastiness, pitching in Seattle almost gives Anderson that extra upside nudge to match Doyle’s. And even if Anderson doesn’t have the pure stuff of Doyle, he beats Doyle on pitchability. He’s a 6’2”, 175 pound lefty with an above average to plus 4 pitch mix. The 93 MPH fastball misses tons of bats with a great movement profile, the plus slider is his main breaker, but he throws a plus curve too, and the changeup is a plus weapon vs. righties. He knows how to pitch, he throws the ball over the plate, and there is definitely some projection left on his frame, meaning there is a chance the fastball can sit mid 90’s at peak. It all led to a 3.18 ERA with a 37.4/7.3 K%/BB% in 119 IP in the SEC. It does seem more #2/3 than true top of the rotation at the moment, but again, Seattle give him a bump, and the fastball could tick up in the future. He’s the safer choice over Doyle, and it’s not like he doesn’t have upside himself. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 13/3.45/1.17/190 in 180 IP

48) Jonny Farmelo – SEA, OF, 21.7 – The AFL is made for a player like Farmelo. He returned from a torn ACL in 2025, walloped 5 homers in his first 15 games of the season, and then hit the IL again with a stress reaction in his rib that kept him out for over 2 months. He wasn’t as good when he returned from the rib injury with a .676 OPS in 18 games, but we had to give him time to get in a groove again, and the AFL has given him that time. He looks electric out there, slashing .264/.429/.491 with 1 homer, 7 steals, and a 25.7/18.6 K%/BB% in 15 games. The 94.3 MPH EV and 18.9 degree launch shows off the power upside, and after not running during the regular season, he’s back to being a base stealing machine in the AFL. His upside is in rarified air, and while I was continuing to rank him high all season, giving him the benefit of the doubt, he doesn’t need the benefit of the doubt anymore. There is no doubt. There is still hit tool risk, and we haven’t seen him against advanced competition, but the AFL cemented his truly elite upside. He’s a major target this off-season as I don’t think his ranking and hype is going to be where it should be. I’m scared by the projection I’m about to give him. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 83/26/81/.242/.321/.459/31

49) Robby Snelling – MIA, LHP, 22.3 – Triple-A is fucking hard … except for Robby Snelling. He got promoted to Triple-A mid-season and he was even better there than he was at Double-A with a 1.27 ERA and 32.9/6.9 K%/BB% in 63.2 IP (3.61 ERA with a 28.2/7.3 K%/BB% in 72.1 IP at Double-A). He did it with a plus to double plus fastball/curve combo. He threw the 94.7 MPH 4-seamer 43.1% of the time and it notched a 36.5% whiff%. The curve notched a 42.8% whiff% as his most used secondary. And while the changeup isn’t on that level, it was a good pitch too with a 29% whiff% and .243 xwOBA against. He also mixes in a slider and an occasional sinker. Do I want to go down to Miami and teach him the cutter myself? Yes I do, because I always saw loose shades of Andy Pettitte going back to his draft year. Maybe that comes later. He’s an athletic 6’3”, 210 pounds with above average to plus control/command. He has workhorse mid-rotation starter written all over him when watching him, and while I’m going to stick to that evaluation, he is certainly flashing a potential level of upside even beyond that. I can’t put him in the truly elite pitching prospect tier, but I get it if you want to, and with Miami cleaning house in their rotation, he should get a ton of innings in 2026. – 2026 Projection: 8/3.91/1.27/142 in 150 IP Prime Projection: 14/3.53/1.16/203 in 190 IP

50) Dylan Beavers – BAL, OF, 24.8 – I’m doing everything I can to talk myself out of going crazy for Beavers. I want to go all in. There are reasons to go all in, but before I get to those reasons, let me start with my trepidation … Parker Meadows. If you lift and pull a ton, and you don’t quite hit the ball hard enough, it can really put a damper on the entire profile even if everything else looks good. Beavers’ Hard Hit was up this year at Triple-A with a 41.3% Hard Hit%, but that still isn’t beastly, and it dropped to 28% in the majors. Like Meadows, he’s also not as good vs. lefties, so the risk of a platoon is there, and unlike Meadows, he’s a corner outfielder whose glove probably isn’t good enough to force him on the field. If he doesn’t run a ton in the majors (he was only 2 for 4 in 35 games this year), we could be looking at a low BA, platoon OF with solid but not standout homer totals. This is me telling myself this more than anything, because I love that his skills immediately transferred to the majors with a 23.7% whiff%, 18.9% Chase%, 21.2 degree launch, a 26.7% Air Pull%, and a 28.9 ft/sec sprint speed. It led to a .225/.375/.400 slash with 4 homers, 2 steals, and a 125 wRC+ in 35 games. The fantasy friendly upside is calling my name with strong plate skills, lift and pull, and speed … but again, if the mediocre hard hit is going to end up in a ton of flyouts, it might not matter as much as I want it to. I have to split the difference. He’s more of a Top 200-250-ish dynasty asset than a true top level target. – 2026 Projection: 71/18/66/.243/.324/.423/18 Prime Projection: 86/22/81/.260/.340/.448/22

51) Ralphy Velazquez – CLE, 1B, 20.10 – Velazquez was one of my top FYPD targets in his draft year and I stayed high on him last off-season, putting him into my Top 100 at #88, so I am amped to see him go nuclear when he closed out the season at Double-A as a barely 20 year old, slashing .330/.405/.589 with 5 homers, 0 steals, and a 15.1/9.5 K%/BB% in 28 games. I’ve talked about it in a few prospect blurbs already, but getting promoted to the upper minors and not only maintaining your production, but improving upon it is the #1 sign of a truly special bat. The only thing that held down his numbers at High-A was BABIP induced bad luck, but even with the bad luck he still hit well with 17 homers and a 20.3/9.5 K%/BB% in 94 games. He even hits lefties well with a .886 OPS. He’s a 6’3”, 240 pound beast with an easy, quick, and powerful lefty swing. It’s a pretty short swing too, which is how he’s able to put up such good K rates, and he lifts and pulls plenty with a 36.1% GB% and 43.6% Pull%. This is a do everything middle of the order bat. He’s a Top 50 fantasy prospect at least. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 83/31/98/.261/.338/.501/3

52) Ethan Conrad – CHC, OF, 21.9 – If there is one guy in this FYPD class that really makes me tingle. The guy who I would hate to leave the draft without. The guy I want to say is my guy, it’s Ethan Conrad (Kilby is a close 2nd). He can so easily become the best fantasy player in this draft, and that isn’t even close to a stretch. He’s 6’3”, 220 pounds, and I’m in love with his lefty swing. It’s loose, athletic, upright, and then he absolutely unfurls on the baseball like a big cat striking it’s prey. He was in the midst of a junior year power explosion with 7 homers in 21 games in the ACC before hurting shoulder diving for a ball which required surgery to repair. But you know I’ve been loving the shoulder surgery discount with so many hitters coming back completely fine, and obviously the Cubs thought the same thing stealing him at 17th overall in the Draft. Not only is the power no joke, but he’s fast and he loves to run with 77 steals in 88 attempts in 200 amateur games. He’s also hit extremely well everywhere he’s been since his freshman year. He had a .813 OPS in 200 PA his freshman year in the MAAC, he topped that his sophomore year in the MAC with a 1.171 OPS in 259 PA, he then went to the Cape and put up a .920 OPS in 120 PA, and then he transferred into the ACC and dropped a 1.238 OPS in 21 games. He’s literally never not hit, and his contact rates have always been pretty damn good too with a 14.4% K% this year, a 15% K% in the Cape and a 12.4% K% his sophomore year in the MAAC. He’s had some chase issues throughout this career, he’s yet to really face super tough competition as he was just getting into the meat of his ACC schedule before getting hurt, and I guess there is some risk coming off the shoulder surgery, but all of that just looks like it opens up a giant buying opportunity to me. Conrad is the guy I’m really targeting in this draft. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 83/24/88/.262/.324/.461/21

53) Theo Gillen – TBR, OF, 20.7 – Gillen is a good example to use to not overly panic on an 18 year old who had a really rough small sample debut at Single-A. He put up a 41.2% K% with a .154 BA and a 58.3% GB% in 8 games, but in 2025 he showed that was just small sample nonsense, slashing .267/.433/.387 with 5 homers, 36 steals, and a 23.1/19.8 K%/BB% in 73 games at Single-A. It was good for a 149 wRC+. I mostly ignored the poor debut (although I didn’t love it) and named him one of my favorite FYPD targets anyway, and I only like him more now. This is a big, physical, athletic kid with a smooth lefty swing that is geared for both power and average. He hits it hard for his age, the base running/speed was impressive, and the plate skills are advanced. He can stand to lift and pull a bit more, which is why the homer totals were low, but I trust Tampa to develop him however they see fit. I was high on him coming out of the draft, and I’m going to remain high on him now. I would value him as a Top 50 prospect.  – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 88/20/71/.260/.342/.437/30

54) JoJo Parker – TOR, SS, 19.8 – Selected 8th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Parker has the type of lefty swing that is easy to dream on. It’s easy, smooth, fast, and powerful from a strong 6’2”, 195 pound frame. It’s one of those swings that screams plus hit/power combo, and he has the production to match with excellent contact rates, plate skills, and exit velocity numbers. He’s not known as the fastest guy, but he put up some impressive run times, and he could be the type to run more than we think. In short, he’s the Walker Jenkins of this draft class. Jenkins was the Kyle Tucker of his draft class. It’s literally the Russian Nesting Dolls of FYPD prospects with each of them one inch shorter than the last one. Perfect fits. Hit, power, size, and sneaky athleticism. I get it if he’s your top dog in First Year Player Drafts, and if he debuted and hit well, he might have been mine, but he’s still a total mystery vs. pro pitching as he’s yet to debut. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 82/24/86/.274/.345/.462/16

55) George Lombard – NYY, SS, 20.10 – I get why Lombard gets ranked extremely high on many real life lists. He’s a good SS with projectable power at 6’2”, good athleticism, a mature approach, and some semblance of a good feel to hit. Scouts love this type, and for good reason. But for fantasy, I find it hard to already put him in that nearly elite prospect range. He slashed .215/.337/.358 with 8 homers, 24 steals, and a 26.4/13.6 K%/BB% in 108 games at Double-A, Granted he was only 20 years old, and he hit a lot better at the age appropriate High-A (1 homer with a 193 wRC+ in 24 games), but it’s still not screaming elite fantasy stud to me. I put him in the mold of a Geraldo Perdomo and Jeremy Pena, two guys who are obviously very good and both had excellent 2025 seasons, but neither of those guys got this type of elite prospect love, and it took them into their mid 20’s until they really came into their own. So I like Lombard a lot. I have him as a Top 50-ish fantasy prospect, which is really good, but I just can’t shoot him up in to that Top 20 range already. He should end the 2026 season in that area though if things go right. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 86/18/73/.261/.338/.430/26

56) Dax Kilby – NYY, SS, 19.5 – If you know me at all, you know I’m the OG pro debut breakout hype beast, going back to 2015/16, and nobody had a pro debut breakout like Kilby had. He slashed .353/.457/.441 with 0 homers, 16 steals, and a 13.6/16.0 K%/BB% in 18 games at Single-A as an 18 year old. Sure he didn’t hit a homer, but when it comes with a 91.9 MPH EV and 45.6% Hard Hit%, I’m not that concerned about it. The only flaw of the debut was the 1 degree launch, but this type of profile can still thrive with a low launch, and if he can raise that launch, watch out. I was already a big fan before the debut, ranking him highly in my original FYPD Rankings, writing, “Selected 39th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Kilby is a projectable 6’2” with a vicious and smooth lefty swing that has power potential written all over it if he can put on good weight. He’s currently more of a line drive, hit tool focused prospect with good speed, so either the power can tick up naturally to enhance that profile, or he can make an approach change to really tap into that hopeful raw power gain in the future. I love the swing, projection, hit tool and athleticism, which is a lot to like. If you can’t draft high enough to grab one of the top high school bats with big present power, you might as well take your shot on a guy who could develop that power down the line.” … obviously his awesome debut, where he showed more raw power than even I was expecting, is going to push his price way up, but I think he’s worth that high price. I’m all in. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 93/20/79/.278/.357/.445/30

57) Munetaka Murakami – CHW, 3B/1B, 26.2 – Murakami doesn’t just have red flags, he’s carrying around and waving the biggest red flag we’ve ever seen. It would be crazy to just ignore it or even downplay it any way. In 2025, he put up a 28.6% K% in 56 games. In 2024 he put up a 29.5% K% with a .244 BA in 143 games. In 2023 he put up a 28.1% K% with a .256 BA in 140 games. This isn’t just a blip. To say the hit tool is a risk would be an understatement, and it’s why it’s not surprising that he only landed a 2 year, $34 million deal with the White Sox. That really tells you everything you need to know about how high risk he is, but at the same time, Chicago didn’t hand him $34 million for nothing. He got that money for his possibly elite power. He hit 22 homers in just 56 games last year. He has a 56 homer season under his belt in 2022. The bat speed and Hard Hit are truly elite at 6’2”, 213 pounds. His BA can be in the low .200’s and still be an impact fantasy bat with that kind of power. And when you compare him to the FYPD kids, it’s not like all of those guys don’t have plenty of risk themselves. Chicago is the perfect landing spot for him because he is going to get full runway and leash to let it fly and see what happens. He’s not good on defense, but again, in Chicago, it really doesn’t matter for us because they are going to play him at 1B/DH until/unless the wheels completely fall off. And even then, they probably still throw him out there. If you prefer the win now bat, I can see jumping Murakami over Parker and Kilby in FYPD’s, but the extreme hit tool concerns would have me hesitant to take him much higher than that. – 2026 Projection: 69/27/81/.222/.320/.460/6

58) Kazuma Okamoto – TOR, 3B/1B, 29.9 – The landing spot was a major factor for Okamoto, because he has the type of lift/pull/contact profile that can thrive in the right environment, and Toronto fits the bill more than well enough. They were the 3rd best park for righty homers in 2025. I love it. He’s coming off a season where he slashed .327/.416/.598 with 15 homers, 1 steal, and a 11.3/11.3 K%/BB% in 69 games. The 32.6% GB% and 47.2% Pull% shows the type of hitter he is, and that is a lift and pull machine with plenty of contact. He has a 41 homer season under his belt in 2023 and he has 6 30+ homer seasons since 2018. He doesn’t hit it nearly as hard as Murakami at 6’0”, 212 pounds, but he hits it plenty hard enough with a 92.4 MPH EV and 105.2 MPH 90th EV. Dude put up better wRC+’s than Murakami over the last 3 years. He’s also the better defender. I completely understand why he landed the bigger contract, but it’s a bit more complicated for dynasty. He is going to turn 30 years old during the 2025 season, and while I’m high on his potential to be an impact fantasy bat in any league size, he doesn’t have the upside of a true superstar. Where you take Okamoto in a FYPD really comes down to your team and league. If you need the impact win now bat in medium to deeper leagues, I would take him higher than this.  – 2026 Projection: 76/23/82/.258/.327/.446/1

59) Andrew Painter – PHI, RHP, 23.0 – Painter used to be literally the perfect pitching prospect. He had a 1.56 ERA with a 38.7/6.2 K%/BB% in 103.2 IP in 2022 as a 19 year old, and that included 28.1 IP at Double-A. I just wanted to repeat those stats to reiterate how absolutely perfect of a pitching prospect he was. And we can now make all the excuses, qualifiers, justifications etc … but the bottom line is that he is so far away from that it’s not even funny. It’s not funny at all, it’s a little sad how much injuries can destroy and/or diminish a pitcher’s career. And Painter’s career was quite clearly heavily diminished after undergoing Tommy John in 2023 and missing two full seasons. He came back a completely different guy, putting up a 5.26 ERA with a 23.7/9.0 K%/BB% in 118 IP. Sure we can blame rust for the 2 years off, we can blame the first year back from Tommy John often being rough, we can blame Triple-A for being a harder league to pitch in than the majors, we can blame him working on stuff … but at the end of the day, he was so far off from the guy he used to be that it would wishful thinking to assume he’s just magically going to turn back into the 2022 version of him. The biggest issue by far is with the fastball. The velocity was there at 96.6 MPH, but the pitch got crushed and didn’t miss many bats. He’s still trying to figure out his secondaries and pitch mix as well, throwing a bevy of pitches (curve, slider, cutter, change, sinker). The changeup showed a lot of promise with a 55% whiff%. The sinker was better than his 4-seamer (thrown only 2.4% of the time), so that gives him another avenue if he can’t get the 4-seamer back. The slider was solid with a 35.8% whiff%. It’s not like there are no good ingredients in here anymore, it’s just his value is living off the 2022 version of him, and that version is gone. Of course I think he will be much better his 2nd year back from surgery, but I don’t see how we can treat him anywhere close to an elite pitching prospect right now. Even this ranking might be giving him too much benefit of the doubt. – 2026 Projection: 6/4.18/1.34/109 in 120 IP Prime Projection: 12/3.62/1.21/181 in 170 IP

60) Carson Williams – TBR, SS, 22.10 – I’m not going to sugarcoat it, Williams had a disaster 2025. You know me, I’m willing to take on extra risk for upside, but not only did the risk get dialed up to 100, the upside doesn’t really quite seem as big either. Let’s start with the obvious, which is that after the hit tool took a step forward in 2024, getting the hype to near elite prospect levels, it took 9 steps back in 2025. He put up a 34.1% K% with a 38.7% whiff% and a .213 BA in 111 games at Triple-A, and then he was even worse in the majors with a 41.5% K%, 38.3% whiff% and .172 BA in 106 PA. That isn’t just danger zone contact rates, that is run for the hills contact rates. Your upside better be Spencer Jones to even fathom that level of hit tool risk, and Williams’ upside can’t sniff that level. He put up a 38.5% Hard Hit% at Triple-A and a 35.7% Hard Hit% in the majors. He has a 73.6 MPH swing and he has projectable power at 6’2”, but it’s not like we are talking about a hard hit beast here. Certainly not nearly enough to offset the hit tool risk. Plus, he ain’t even that fast with a 27.9 ft/sec sprint and pretty mediocre stolen base success rates in the minors. He can lift and pull, and I’m not saying there isn’t upside, because there clearly is, I’m just saying the upside isn’t matching the insane downside. And the final cherry on top, which I’m not really worried about, but it’s worth mentioning, is that his bulletproof elite SS glove wasn’t actually elite in the majors. It was below average with a negative two Outs Above Average. I’m worried. I’m actually majorly worried. I’m trying not to panic too much as he’s still young and the glove should give him all the chances he can handle, but he’s a major dropper for me. I’m not even sure he deserves this ranking. – 2026 Projection: 31/9/35/.217/.290/.390/8 Prime Projection: 76/22/72/.232/.313/.432/23

61) Jarlin Susana – WSH, RHP, 22.0 – You know that I’m all in on shoulder surgeries these days, and while that is really mostly for hitters, I’m kinda sneakily digging it for pitchers too. Brandon Woodruff performed well in his return and Daniel Espino is currently showing the big stuff is back in the AFL. Susana underwent lat muscle surgery in September, which ended his season, and while that is not exactly the shoulder, it’s close to the shoulder. It’s not a super common surgery, but it seems better to me than Tommy John or actual shoulder surgery. All of that to say, I really don’t want to ding Susana too much because of it. I’ve been calling him the Hunter Greene starter pack for years, and he was in the midst of going full explosion with a 3.51 ERA and 38.9/13.9 K%/BB% in 56.1 IP at mostly Double-A. The fastball sits 100 MPH, the slider is double plus, and the lesser used changeup flashes nasty. He was on a beeline for truly elite pitching prospect status before the injury. Maybe equally scary as the lat surgery is that he also missed 2.5 months of the season with a UCL sprain. He returned from the injury and looked fire, but if he ends up coming back from this lat surgery just to need Tommy John surgery shortly after, that would stink. The injury risk is through the roof here, but as I started this blurb, I just have a really good feeling about shoulder/lat surgeries these days, and this is a special talent. There is no timetable for his return currently, but I would at the very least strongly advise against selling low here, and I can even see trying to buy at a discount. I’m still all in on him. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 13/3.42/1.19/188 in 160 IP

62) Cam Caminiti – ATL, LHP, 19.8 – Even the high school pitchers are popping from that absolutely stacked 2024 MLB Draft class. Everything that class touches turns to gold, and the top high school arm from the class, Cam Caminiti, put up a golden performance in his first full year of pro ball with a 2.08 ERA and 31.9/11.1 K%/BB% in 56.1 IP at Single-A. He looks like a truly elite pitching prospect waiting to happen at 6’2” with a funky lefty delivery that he uses to fire a good 94 MPH fastball, two potentially double plus to elite sliders, and a solid changeup. I’m already super high on him, ranking him 33rd overall in the End of Season Prospects Rankings, because I’m betting on both more velocity and better control/command coming down the line. He’ll still be firmly 19 years old at the start of the 2026 season. If that is how he looks at just the start of his career, he has the chance to become a truly special pitcher. And even without a ton more refinement, that has high K, mid rotation fantasy starter written all over it. I’m not going to say he’s underrated because I doubt his current owner is underrating him, but he seems under ranked to me on a lot of rankings. I absolutely love him, and with how aggressive Atlanta is with their pitchers, he could be up sooner than you think. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 14/3.43/1.17/203 in 180 IP

63) Roki Sasaki – LAD, RHP, 24.5 – The psychic world is fickle. It’s not like the physical world where you can be exact. It comes in glimpses, fragments, and when I went into a deep meditative state last off-season to Predict the 2026 Top 50 Prospects, I was getting visions of Roki Sasaki still being on that list. I trusted those visions and predicted, “I don’t want to believe it either, but Sasaki will feel elbow soreness in May, hit the IL, and then succumb to Tommy John surgery with an internal brace procedure after throwing 33.2 IP in the majors.” … The way it actually played out is that Sasaki did in fact hit the IL in May after throwing 34.1 IP with a shoulder impingement. He pitched just 36.1 IP on the season, which means that in fantasy leagues that use 50 IP as the threshold, he is back on prospects lists in 2026. My prediction wasn’t exact, but I mean, eerily close. I even scare myself sometimes. The part I really didn’t predict is how bad he would look. He put up a 4.46 ERA, 5.74 xERA, and a 17.4/13.7 K%/BB%. He put up a 6.10 ERA with a 20.0/13.7 K%/BB% in 20.2 IP at Triple-A. Sure he was better in the playoffs with a 0.84 ERA in 10.2 IP, but it came with a 14.0/11.6 K%/BB%. There is no way I look at that K/BB and go all is forgiven. The velocity was up in the playoffs, but that came in very short outings. There was one silver lining in the entire season, and that was that the splitter was good, not great, with a 37.2% whiff% and .253 xwOBA. He was straight up atrocious otherwise. Nothing translated from Japan. The Dodgers say they are going to put him back into the rotation in 2026 and they have a plan to fix him/teach him how to succeed in MLB, but I’m not going back in on this too hard. Just look at that K/BB in the playoffs one more time, and that was supposed to be the glimmer of hope for next year. Look at what he did at AAA. I don’t see it. It seems there is a very high chance he ends up back in the bullpen in 2026. Of course there is still upside and I can’t imagine he’s worse the 2nd time around, but he’s not a buy low for me. – 2026 Projection: 6/4.27/1.35/106 in 120 IP

64) Chase DeLauter – CLE, OF, 24.6 – DeLauter might be the most injury prone hitter I’ve ever seen. The injury bug hit again in 2025, undergoing core muscle surgery in March, which delayed the start of his season, and then he underwent surgery for a broken hamate in July, which ended his season. He played in only 42 games. He’s 24 years old, and the most games he’s ever played in a season is 57. Even in college he barely played with a high of 26 games. I feel I’m more lenient than others to hand wave away injuries for hitters, but this is super extreme, and I have no choice but to factor it into the ranking. Without the injury risk, he would almost certainly be ranked #1 in the Cleveland system. His combo of hit, approach, power and athleticism is insanely exciting. He slashed .278/.383/.476 with 5 homers, 0 steals, and a 15.4/14.8 K%/BB% in 34 games at Triple-A. The 18.9% whiff%, 17% Chase%, 91.2 MPH EV, and 51.9% Hard Hit% is screaming that this is a clear impact bat. All of the injuries have mostly dimmed the hope that he’s going to be a major contributor in steals, and he’s not a huge lift and pull guy, so along with the extreme injury risk, there is some risk it’s more of an excellent real life bat than excellent fantasy bat. Like I said, if not for the injuries, he would be #1 overall in Cleveland’s system, so I love the talent, but this is one of the times I’m a bit scared by a hitter’s injury risk. – 2026 Projection: 68/17/62/.258/.325/.420/5 Prime Projection: 79/23/77/.276/.350/.455/7

65) Logan Henderson – MIL, RHP, 24.1 – Logan Henderson is pinging off a lot of similarities in my gut to where Joe Ryan was in 2021. Ryan was a low velo discrimination guy who got lukewarm respect at best in the prospect world, and even after proving his skills would transfer to the Majors in 26.2 IP to close out 2021, he still got super lukewarm respect. I remember being the high guy on him, ranking him 59th overall going into 2022, and looking at Baseball Reference, he was only in the very back of the Top 100 at the mainstream outlets. And now history is repeating itself with Logan Henderson, and I am once again going to be the high guy. He’s a major target headed into 2026. Henderson only throws 92.9 MPH, and if you want to discriminate against that while he’s in the minors, I get it, because who knows how it will truly play against MLB hitters, but just like Ryan, we already know how it will play. He put up a 28.1% whiff% with a .310 xwOBA, and .280 wOBA on 48.8% usage in 25.1 IP. His control likely isn’t quite as elite as Ryan’s, but it’s plus control at least with a 32.8/4.7 K%/BB% in the upper minors in 2024 and a 27.9/7.7 K%/BB% at Triple-A in 77.2 IP in 2025. And unlike Ryan, he actually has a plus secondary in his changeup which put up a +3 Run Value, a 84.9 MPH EV against, a .205 wOBA, and a .282 xwOBA in the majors. It doesn’t miss an insane amount of at bats (about 30% between AAA and the majors), but it induces tons of weak contact. He also throws a lesser used cutter and slider which both need improvement, but the cutter showed potential in the majors and the slider was solid at AAA. It all led to a 1.78 ERA, 3.77 xERA, 0.99 WHIP and a 33.3/8.1 K%/BB% in 25.1 IP. It doesn’t matter that he throws low 90’s, this guy is obviously good, and just like Ryan, people are still super hesitant to buy in. I’m not though. He’s one of my top 2026 pitcher targets relative to price, whether he has a rotation spot to start the season or not. – 2026 Projection: 9/3.66/1.18/144 in 130 IP

66) Mike Sirota – LAD, OF, 22.9 – It was straight comical how just about everybody immediately called Sirota a major FYPD target the second he got traded to the Dodgers, including myself. I don’t even victory lap it at all because everyone single one of us saw it coming from a mile away right after the trade went down. And it’s just so stupid how ridiculously good of a season he had, slashing .333/.452/.616 with 13 homers, 5 steals, and a 21.9/17.8 K%/BB% in 59 games at Single-A and High-A. I want to reiterate that he was a 3rd round pick. Number 87 overall. He hadn’t played a single professional game, and yet every damn one of us was like, yup, he’s going to explode, and he did. I love it. The fact that he was considered a possible Top 10 picks before his junior year was also a big reason for the optimism. The talent is unquestionable here at 6’2”, 188 pounds with a plus power/speed combo. If we are going to nitpick, which is what we do, he only did this in the lower minors as an advanced college bat. Despite the plus speed, he was a bad base stealer, going 5 for 10, and while the 37.7% GB% looks good, the 34.2% Pull% is quite low. So the risk is that the hit tool ends up exposed a bit against more advanced competition, he doesn’t run a ton, and the lack of pull limits his homer totals. But the upside is a good defensive CF would hits 25 bombs with 15 steals and a solid BA. A knee injury is why his season got cut short and never got to prove it in the upper minors. He’s a Top 50-75 prospect for me, but the negatives I laid out are why I’m not going higher. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 86/24/84/.262/.339/.457/11

67) Emmanuel Rodriguez – MIN, OF, 23.1 – All the injuries were starting to wear on me. The hit tool risk was starting to weigh me down. Even the upside was starting to look more really good than great … and then Baby Buxton stepped into the grown man’s league known as the Liga de Beisbol Dominicano, a pitcher’s league (although it seems there was more offense this year by eye test), and he wiped all the fears away. He was the 2nd best hitter in the league behind Miguel Sano (minimum of 60 PA), slashing .292/.417/.646 with 4 homers, 3 steals, and a 30.0%/10.0 K%/BB% in 18 games. For reference, Jordan Lawlar put up a .432 OPS with a 39.1/0.0 K%/BB% in 46 PA. My goodness is that horrific. I’m getting nervous that he just can’t hit … but back to Rodriguez, he most certainly can hit, and even with the injuries and contact issues, he hit well at Triple-A too with a 134 wRC+ in 52 games. The problem is that the 37.2% whiff% is wildly bad. Even dominating in Winter League, that 30% K% is so high. He also struggled vs. lefties with a .607 OPS stateside, although he’s been better against them in the past. And like I mentioned about that upside, the lift and pull wasn’t there this year either (8 degree launch with a 8% Air Pull%), but again, he’s done better in the past. The Winter League dominance definitely matters for me. It definitely gets his hype moving back in the right direction, but it can’t completely wipe away the extreme contact issues (and injury risk). It’s hard to put someone who whiffs that much in the elite prospect range, or really anywhere close to it, but it’s a testament to his Hard Hit ability (46.9% Hard Hit%), athleticism (10 steals in 65 games), OBP (20.6% BB%), and good OF glove that he’s still a Top 50-75 prospect for me even with those deficiencies. – 2026 Projection: 28/9/26/.218/.308/.420/6 Prime Projection: 82/25/77/.236/.335/.465/15

68) Kaelen Culpepper – MIN, SS, 23.3 – Just like Luke Keaschall got underrated in his draft year, I saw the same thing happening with Culpepper, writing in his Top 1,000 blurb last off-season, “He reminds me a lot of Minnesota’s 2nd round pick in 2023, Luke Keaschall, who has similar size, speed, and feel to hit. Nothing jumps off the screen, but they get the job done in all facets of the game. Minnesota has had a lot of success with Keaschall, and Culpepper looks to be next. He’s a nice little “let him come to you” target in off-season prospect drafts right now” … and then just like Keaschall, he exploded in his first full year of pro ball, slashing .289/.375/.469 with 20 homers, 25 steals, and a 17.4/9.7 K%/BB% in 113 games split between High-A (147 wRC+) and Double-A (129 wRC+). The 50% GB% is too high, but it’s not like he doesn’t know how to turn on one. Watch him demolish his first homer at Double-A, going Tongue Out like he’s Michael Jordan. There is definitely explosion in that swing, and while he’s not a hard hit beast, the almost 113 Max EV shows he’s got juice in the bat. I saw a solid across the board contributor coming out of the draft, and he just cemented that profile in 2025, if not taking it up a notch. He’s a Top 50 prospect who is still underrated. Him vs. Emmanuel is a safety vs. upside coin flip for me. – 2026 Projection: 17/4/14/.249/.309/.397/5 Prime Projection: 83/18/67/.273/.334/.435/22

69) Spencer Jones – NYY, OF, 24.11 – Let’s be honest, the odds are really good that Jones just won’t be able to hit enough to truly be a fantasy beast. The guy had a 41.6% whiff% and 36.6% K% in 67 games at Triple-A as a 24 year old. That is beyond the danger zone. That is the Chernobyl nuclear disaster zone, the Exclusion Zone, the Black Zone … okay I think that is all the nicknames for the Chernobyl area. A guy who hits .200, if he’s lucky, can only provide so much fantasy value no matter how big the power/speed combo, but boy oh boy is that power/speed combo humongous. He’s 6’7”, 240 pounds with a 94.8 MPH EV and plus speed. He hit 35 homers with 29 steals in 116 games on the season. If there is an exception to the rule, it will be him. A .200/30/30 guy would be absolutely hysterical, but that is obviously a pipe dream. If he were 22 years old, I could see giving some more leeway for the hit tool, but he’s going to be 25 for most of 2026. The most optimistic comp we can point to is Joey Gallo, who had a career 106 wRC+ in 939 games with a 41.4% whiff%. Matt Wallner is another good one with a career 131 wRC+ in 273 games with a 36.6% whiff%. Jones has to improve majorly to even get down to Wallner’s whiff%, but at least it’s example that it’s not impossible to thrive with super high whiff rates. All indications also point to the Yankees still really believing in him. The upside is so massive, I think they want to roll that dice and eventually give him a shot, and because I’m a sucker for upside, I’m also willing to roll the dice. I still think he’s a Top 50-75 prospect just on the off chance he can get that hit tool into a good enough area. Maybe I’m crazy. – 2026 Projection: 15/4/19/.192/.279/.399/3 Prime Projection: 68/23/73/.218/.309/.438/17

70) Charlie Condon – COL, 1B, 23.0 – I feel like I absolutely nailed Condon last off-season with the perfect amount of panic and patience. I hit the panic button immediately with that nasty pro debut (31.3/3.7 K%/BB%), but I didn’t totally avoid him. I just moved him down to the Top 10 area (52nd overall on the Top 500 Prospects Rankings), allowing us to rightfully pick Kurtz, JJ, Griffin, Burns etc … over him. And in 2025, he proved that finding the perfect balance between the pro debut and pre-draft evaluation was the right move, with a very good, but still flawed season. He bounced back as expected with a 131 wRC+ in 99 games, but he showed at Double-A that this isn’t going to be easy. He put up a .235 BA with a 28.3% K%. It’s clear the hit tool is a very real risk, as the pro debut smacked us in the face with, but it’s also clear this is a potentially special power bat as we knew pre-draft. The ball jumps off his bat different at 6’6”, 216 pounds, and it led to 11 homers in 55 games at Double-A. He has no issues lifting and pulling. The dude is a beast, and the 1B job in Coors is waiting with open arms for him. – 2026 Projection: 34/12/46/.230/.301/.431/2 Prime Projection:  78/30/91/.248/.324/.485/5

71) Lazaro Montes – SEA, OF, 21.5 – Remember what I said in the Emerson blurb about how great a sign it is when a prospect gets called up to the upper minors and actually improves on their weaknesses … well, that wasn’t the case for Montes. He got called up to Double-A and the hit tool risk immediately popped up with a .213 BA and 30.5% K%. He still jacked out 14 homers with a 121 wRC+ (32 homers in 131 games overall), so it was far from a disaster, but it highlighted his biggest weakness. And even at High-A the swing and miss was a problem with a 27.6% K%. The evaluation is super easy. He’s a low BA, high OBP slugger with the only question being just how low that BA is going to go. The power is monstrous enough at 6’5” with a beautiful lefty swing that I’m willing to take on both the hit tool and ballpark risk, but there is enough risk to keep him out of the truly elite prospects in the game. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 81/35/95/.236/.329/.493/6

72) Steele Hall – CIN, SS, 18.8 – Selected 9th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Hall’s double plus speed and athleticism is his calling card, giving him enticing fantasy upside just based on that, and there is a chance his power potential is being considerably underrated. He’s one of the youngest players in the draft, and while he’s not a huge guy at 5’11”, his righty swing is super fast, explosive, and he knows how to lift it. His power already took a big jump last off-season with tacked on muscle, and if he was able to do it once, who says he can’t keep on tacking on mass. The biggest issue is that he struggles vs. breaking balls, and generally when you go after these type of speed prospects, you want their hit tool to be a plus, rather than a risk. The upside is super fun, especially hitting in Cincinnati, and his young age gives some added legroom for both the power and breaking ball struggles. He has a chance to be a fantasy beast. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 86/18/74/.251/.321/.427/37

73) Ethan Holliday – COL, SS, 19.1 – The full 5 alarm, hide the women and children, blood in the streets panic mode is in full swing, and there is no putting that genie back in the bottle after Holliday put up a 39.3% K% in his 18 game pro debut at Single-A, but let me try to talk you off the ledge. We only have to look at Charlie Condon’s horrific pro debut as the example to follow for Holliday. Condon had more of a track record to fall back on, but Holliday was only 18 years old, just getting his feet wet. Like Condon, of course it removes Holliday completely from the 1st overall conversation, but I don’t think it should remove him from the Top 10 range. Even with the extreme swing and miss, he still hit the ball very hard, showing off his prodigious power potential at 6’4”, 210 pounds, and he still put up an above average 108 wRC+. It wasn’t a complete disaster. We already knew he had hit tool risk coming out of the draft, so it was stupid in my opinion for Colorado to debut him this year anyway. What did they think was going to happen? Why not give the kid an off-season to really prepare, instead of throwing him into the fire and likely getting in his head due to the struggles. We know Colorado is awful at development, but Ethan has both his father, Matt, and brother, Jackson, to fall back on and help with both the mental and physical part of the game. You know I’m the OG of putting a ton of weight on pro debuts, so I 100% hit that panic meter immediately, but there has to be a limit to the panic when the talent is still so huge, and Holliday’s talent is huge. My bet is on a much better K% in 2026. I’m going to do with him exactly what I did with Condon, which is drop him to the Top 10 range. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 84/27/88/.261/.342/.476/12

74) Luis Hernandez – SFG, SS, 17.4 – Hernandez is the consensus top player in the 2026 international class, and from everything I’ve read and watched, it seems to me that Leo De Vries is the closest “prototype” to the type of #1 overall prospect he is. He’s not getting the level of hype that Leo got, so I’m not saying he’s as good as Leo, but it’s a similar evaluation where Hernandez is just so far out ahead skills wise for his age. Scouts said Leo wouldn’t have embarrassed himself if he played in the majors at 17, and while who knows if that is true, we saw what he’s been able to do at 17-18 years old in the minors, so I don’t doubt it. Hernandez gives that same vibe with him already dominating a grown man’s league in the Venezuelan Major League, hitting .346. That video I linked shows the smooth swing and feel to hit against that advanced competition. Like Leo, Hernandez doesn’t necessarily jump off the screen in a pure size/tools sense at 5’10”, 180 pounds (Leo is 6’1”, so again, he’s not as good as Leo), but that doesn’t mean the exciting tools aren’t in here. You can see that smooth athleticism and the tight build that is only going to get stronger and stronger. The swing is fast and athletic and it’s geared for both contact and power with the ability to lift and pull. He’s not a burner, but he’s a good athlete who should steal plenty of bags. With his success against older competition already, he feels as safe as an international prospect gets, and while the upside may not be obviously off the charts, Jesus Made’s and Josuar Gonzalez’ builds aren’t far off. There is still a lot of risk with international prospects, but it feels like “we” are getting better and better at evaluating them before they turn pro. The guys at the very tippy top of the class generally become really, really good prospects, so I don’t want to be too risk averse. Hernandez deserves to be valued right with the best high school bats in the MLB Draft class, but the thing keeping him towards the back of that area is that he will play in SF. That ballpark just subdues everyone offensively, and it is slightly preventing me from going even higher than this. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 88/22/76/.272/.341/.446/20

75) Seth Hernandez – PIT, RHP, 19.9 – Selected 6th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Hernandez has the highest pure upside of any arm in the class. He’s a great athlete with prototypical size at 6’4”, 195 pounds, and the stuff is filthy with a mid to upper 90’s fastball and a double plus changeup. The breakers (slider, curve) aren’t quite as impressive, and can be inconsistent, but they definitely have the potential to get to plus at peak. And his control/command is really strong for a high school starter with this level of stuff, generally throwing all of his pitches around the plate. I would be lying if I didn’t mention that I see at least some shades of Brock Porter, who had a very similar profile as a 19 year old starter with upper 90’s heat, an elite change, and inconsistent breakers. That also underscores how risky high school righties have traditionally been in the draft. Noble Meyer and Dylan Lesko can attest to that. Even Jackson Jobe and Andrew Painter, who have risen to elite prospect status, needed Tommy John and have had their struggles of late. But Hunter Greene exists too. There is an argument to let someone else draft Hernandez, and then buy low on him after he gets Tommy John surgery. But the top of the rotation upside is undeniable, and that upside is worth the risk. If you like going after high school arms more than I do in the 1st round of FYPD’s, I can see ranking him higher than this, but that just isn’t how I play the game really. Hernandez would have to fall for me to get him anywhere. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 14/3.45/1.13/200 in 180 IP

76) Jamie Arnold – SAC, LHP, 22.0 – Arnold was the consensus top arm in the class before the season started, and while he slid a bit this year, falling to the Athletics at 11th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, I’m still a huge fan of his. I’m an absolute sucker for his type of funky lefty delivery, and the truly remarkable thing about it, is how easily and smooth he can repeat it. Usually there is some violence and control risk that comes with it, but not with Arnold. It allows his 93 MPH fastball to play up, and he can even get it up into the upper 90’s when he really needs it. The sweeper is a nasty pitch that is at least plus, and the changeup has plus potential too with tons of whiffs. It all led to a 2.98 ERA with a 33.9/7.7 K%/BB% in 84.2 IP in the ACC. Maybe it’s not true top of the rotation upside, but this still looks like an impact fantasy starter with 3 above average to plus pitches and plenty of swing and miss. If he still ended up the best pitcher in the class it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 13/3.58/1.16/184 in 175 IP

77) Tyson Lewis – CIN, SS, 20.3 – Tyson Lewis is the Spencer Jones of the lower minors. Or the Munataka Murakami of the United States … kinda. These are the type of players who really test your risk tolerance, and while you know I’m not scared of taking on extra risk, even I have to stop and pause for a second at these atrocious contact rates. Lewis put up a 45.8% whiff% with a 35.4% K% in 35 games at Single-A. We should write him off then, right? Well no, because his talent is just as insane in the opposite direction. He’s a physical specimen at a rock solid 6’2”, and the power/speed combo is elite with a 92.4 MPH EV, 50% Hard Hit%, and 27 steals in 81 games on the season. Even with missing the ball like half of the time, he still managed a 114 wRC+. These players are honestly impossible to evaluate, because you are inevitably going to either end up too high or too low. If he can get the contact rates into a reasonable range, a la the career path of Elly De La Cruz (who wasn’t even as bad as Lewis), we could be looking at an elite dynasty asset, but if can’t, he might barely make it out of Triple-A, or he might breakout at like 27 years old on his 3rd team. We almost have no choice but to split the difference. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 77/22/76/.229/.308/.435/24

78) Parker Messick – CLE, LHP, 25.5 – Messick was a named FYPD Target for me back in 2023, writing in his Target blurb, “He has a fan favorite build, delivery, and demeaner on the mound at a thick 6’0”, 225 pounds with a funky lefty delivery and excitable attitude. It’s just so fun to root for this guy. He’s honestly probably a back end starter, but if you want a fun pick, Messick is the type I would grab if he drops. I’m not sticking my neck out for him, but as the last pick if I needed a pitcher, why not.” … and my analysis of him likely being a back end starter stuck for the next 2 years, but I respect a good MLB debut, and Messick’s excellent MLB debut has me bumping up that projection. He put up a 2.72 ERA with a 23.0/3.6 K%/BB% in 39.2 IP. The most exciting part was that the low 90’s fastball/changeup combo completely transferred with the 92.8 MPH 4-seamer putting up a 29% whiff% and .262 xwOBA, while the changeup put up a .220 wOBA and 31.2% whiff%. The lesser used slider and curve didn’t miss a ton of bats, but they were good pitches that induced weak contact. I get being skeptical of this profile in the minors, but once you prove it in the majors, the skepticism should go away. He dominated Triple-A too with a 3.47 ERA and 29.1/10.3 K%/BB% in 98.2 IP. The 30.5% whiff% at Triple-A and 26% whiff% in the majors is impressive. I’m not saying he’s a top of the rotation guy now, but he’s easily leveled up to mid-rotation starter for me. – 2026 Projection: 10/3.72/1.27/160 in 160 IP

79) Hunter Barco – PIT, LHP, 25.4 – Most people have Barco pegged as a back end arm, and I mean, they very well might end up correct. It’s probably the smart bet to make, but I think there is more in there than that, and because he doesn’t really get very much love in the prospect world (both mainstream and underground), that puts him into the pitching prospect aisle I love to shop in. For one, he has that funky lefty delivery that I am an absolute sucker for, and that deception helps his entire arsenal play up. He only had a 3 inning cup of coffee at the end of the year, but in those 3 innings he proved the stuff will translate to the majors with a 33.3% whiff% on the 94 MPH sinker, a 42.9% whiff% on the splitter, and a 33.3% whiff% on the slider. That gives him weapons to get both lefties and righties out. And we all know the low velo, plus changeup lefty was all the rage this year. Barco has that profile, and maybe even a supercharged version of it. He didn’t give up a single earned run in 25.2 IP at Double-A to start the year, and then he held his own in the Triple-A is fucking hard league with a 3.79 ERA and 25.4/13.0 K%/BB% in 73.2 IP. I mean, it’s arguably better than what Chandler did at the level. Just saying. Pittsburgh just traded 2 starting pitchers ahead of him on the depth chart, so while he still might not break camp in the rotation, he should find his way in eventually. Barco is one of my favorite low cost, close to the majors pitching prospects. – 2026 Projection: 4/3.98/1.29/78 in 80 IP Prime Projection: 11/3.69/1.22/167 in 160 IP

80) Jack Perkins – SAC, RHP, 26.4 – It worries me a bit about how much I like a lot of Sacramento’s “young” starters (Lopez and Perkins), as they aren’t even that young, they are far from flawless, both ended the season hurt, and they are in a terrible ballpark for at least 2 more years, but I mean, when the price is sooooo cheap, I just can’t help but be drawn in by that bat missing ability. Perkins is going 527th in NFBC, and while his price will be higher in Dynasty, he is not getting very much hype there either. He’s more of a target than Lopez for me, because not only does he have that bat missing ability, but he also has the stuff to back it up. He put up a 32.2% whiff% in 38.2 IP, which is elite, and the 96 MPH fastball and 105 Stuff+ is no joke. The sweeper might be a near elite pitch with a .204 xwOBA and 38% whiff%. The changeup is insane when he goes to it with a 10.4% usage, .079 xwOBA and 58.6% whiff%. The fastball gets hit harder than you want with a .377 xwOBA, but it misses bats with a 25.2% whiff%, and he also mixes in a solid cutter. The performance of all of those pitches in the majors were backed up with similar numbers at Triple-A. He put up a 38.4% K% at Triple-A, which is nuts. It only resulted in a 4.19 ERA (3.69 xERA) with a 23.0/11.2 K%/BB% in the majors, but that strikeout rate is so clearly not his true talent level. The below average control is his true talent level, which is the biggest problem, and so is the shoulder strain that ended his season in late August. His role is also up in the air for 2026, but my stance is that I’m betting on the player and letting it work itself out. If he becomes their closer, I would sign up for that right now, which is definitely a possibility. Perkins is a definite target. – 2026 Projection: 7/3.71/1.24/133 in 120 IP

81) Luis Morales – SAC, RHP, 23.7 – Okay, now I’m sweating bullets with how much I love Athletic starters. Maybe I’m missing something? No, I’m going to lean in, because they are due to get some pitching success stories, and I think they are going to get them in 2026. Morales still gets very underrated in the prospect world, and the redraft world ain’t buying either (406 NFBC ADP), so I hate to say it, but that makes him the 3rd great pitching target in this organization, and he’s neck and neck with Perkins for who I like more. Unlike Lopez and Perkins, Morales is actually young at 23. He’s also the most talented at an athletic 6’3”, 200 pounds, and he throws the hardest with a 97.3 MPH fastball. That fastball didn’t actually perform all that well in both the majors (15.3% whiff% with a .381 xwOBA), or the minors (19.9% whiff% with a .362 xwOBA), but when you throw that hard, and when you are that young, I’m betting on improvement coming in the future. And the thing that got me so excited about his MLB debut, is that the secondaries were all really good. The sweeper dominated with a 38% whiff% and .227 xwOBA. The changeup was solid with a +3 Run Value, and the lesser used slider put up a 38.7% whiff% and .239 xwOBA. It resulted in a 3.14 ERA with a 21.6/9.0 K%/BB% in 48.2 IP. That K/BB and the 4.37 xERA shows he clearly got lucky, and the 23.5% whiff% overall wasn’t impressive, but the ingredients are most certainly in here for a big breakout. He’s not there yet, and I can’t guarantee it’s going to come in 2026, but I’m betting on him long term. – 2026 Projection: 10/3.88/1.29/153 in 160 IP Prime Projection: 13/3.47/1.18/191 in 180 IP

82) Gage Jump – SAC, LHP, 23.0 – I’m telling you, the Athletics pitching resurgence is coming, and while I can’t say Jump is a target because he’s getting valued correctly already, I’m definitely a fan. He has a super violent and funky lefty delivery that scares the crap out of me both in a good way and a bad way, but I’m not in the business of predicting pitcher injury (well, I guess I am, but I think it’s a fool’s errand), so I’m not going to be scared off by it. And from that deceptive, herky jerky delivery he fires a plus mid 90’s fastball that is a bat missing weapon, multiple bat missing breakers, and a lesser used change that is good when he goes to it. I don’t love how much his production dropped off when he got to the upper minors, putting up a 3.64 ERA with a 25.3/8.5 K%/BB% in 81.2 IP at Double-A (2.32 ERA with a 37.2/4.1 K%/BB% in 31 IP at High-A), but some of that is because they started limiting his innings with longer rest and shorter outings, which I’m sure messed with his rhythm. He looks like a potentially impact mid rotation starter, and while I hate to say it, I do think that delivery gives him some injury risk. – 2026 Projection: 2/4.18/1.32/46 in 50 IP Prime Projection: 11/3.66/1.21/163 in 160 IP

83) Owen Caissie – MIA, OF, 23.9 – The trade to Miami is exactly what Caissie needed. His path to playing time is now wide open, and even if there is a hit tool adjustment period, Miami has all the incentive to remain as patient as possible. But it’s certainly possible that patience will have to go into 2027 and beyond, because the hit tool is a major concern. It immediately got exposed in the majors with a 40.7% K% and 39.7% whiff% in 27 PA, and while it was in a super small sample and with sporadic playing time, it’s still not exactly great to see. His strikeout rates have been very high in the minors too with K rates in the high 20’s his entire career. We’ve seen hit tool risk sluggers like him need a long leash to reach their ultimate power hitting beast destiny. His power upside is worth that risk though with 22 homers, a 92.1 MPH EV, and a 53.4% Hard Hit% in 99 games at Triple-A. The 74.8 MPH swing was great to see in his debut. The dude is going to mash and I trust he will hit his ceiling one day, the only question is if it will come in 2026 or like 2028. – 2026 Projection: 61/22/69/.229/.304/.430/6 Prime Projection: 79/28/89/.248/.335/.473/7

84) Ryan Clifford – NYM, 1B/OF, 22.8 – I was screaming from the rooftops that Clifford was a major target back in his FYPD year despite getting drafted 343rd overall in 2022, and all he’s done since entering pro ball is rake. 2025 was more of the same with him slashing .237/.356/.470 with 29 homers, 7 steals, and a 25.6/14.7 K%/BB% in 139 games in the upper minors. The power is absolutely beastly with a 93.6 MPH EV and 53.1% Hard Hit% at Triple-A. And the swing and miss isn’t really that bad with a 29% whiff%. We’ve seen these type of big sluggers with much worse whiff rates that that. He has a career .242 BA in 409 minor league games, so the batting average is definitely going to be a drag, but the bordering on elite power should more than make up for that. And keep in mind he did all of this as a mostly 21 year old last year. This dude is going to be a power hitting beast for a long time, and word on the street is that the Mets have mostly refused to include him in trade talks. They believe in this bat. It seems likely the Mets will sign someone to further clog up Clifford’s path to playing time, but if they don’t, we might see him real soon, and even if they do sign someone, he might just kick this door down anyway. I loved Clifford from his draft year, and I still love him. – 2026 Projection: 21/10/30/.218/.298/.420/1 Prime Projection: 81/33/94/.235/.330/.502/5

85) Moises Ballesteros – CHC, C, 22.5 – Ballesteros had the type of MLB debut that I love to see, just immediately proving the profile will transfer, slashing .298/.394/.474 with 2 homers, an 89.1 MPH EV, a .342 xwOBA, and a 18.2/13.6 K%/BB% in 20 games. The dude has been a precocious hitter since stepping on a pro field in the DSL in 2017, and he’s just kept on hitting every single year and at every higher level, now including the majors. This is a bat you want to bet on, regardless of the warts, but there are some concerning warts. Most notably, he’s not a good defensive catcher, putting his ultimate defensive home in question, and putting major pressure on the bat. He doesn’t lift and pull with a 0.9 degree launch and 4.4% Air Pull% in the majors (9 degree launch and 9.6% Air Pull% at AAA). He’s super slow with a bottom 17% of the league sprint. And he was bad vs lefties at AAA with a .577 OPS. If he ends up a short side of a platoon DH that doesn’t hit a ton of homers, that is super weak for fantasy. But if he plays in 120+ games with catcher eligibility and an Alejandro Kirk like offensive profile, that ain’t bad at all. I’m actually getting more discouraged by him as I’m writing this blurb and listing out his negatives but all this guy has even done is hit, so I can’t fade him too much. – 2026 Projection: 41/11/46/.269/.310/.403/2 Prime Projection: 66/18/79/.283/.334/.435/3

86) Grant Taylor – CHW, Closer Committee, 23.10 – It was already announced that Taylor would be used out of the bullpen in 2026, and likely in a multi inning role. My guess is that he’ll mix in for some saves sometimes too, so I’ll give him the “Closer Committee” tag, but by no means should you expect him to take over the full time closer role. And while it’s easy to give Chicago shit for this decision, I actually trust them when it comes to high upside arms like this. They have a history of breaking them in in the bullpen before putting them back in the rotation, and it seems to me that is the strategy they are taking with Taylor. I also think it makes sense to let Taylor have success in the pen first, because I also foresaw some struggles ahead if they threw him into the rotation. I’m trusting Chicago here. He had some ups and downs out of the pen in 2025, but the 2.91 xERA, 4.91 ERA and 34.4/9.6 K%/BB% shows the upside clear as day. The 98.7 MPH fastball dominated with a 32.1% whiff% and .262 xwOBA. The curveball was nasty too with a 37% whiff% and .191 xwOBA (the slider was good too when he went to it). The cutter was mediocre and he didn’t use his changeup at all, so he’s likely going to have to develop those pitches if he wants to thrive if/when he does get a shot in the rotation. I would almost prefer Chicago just leave him in the bullpen to become their closer, but either way, he’s worth buying and staying patient with. The upside is high in any role. – 2026 Projection: 4/3.25/1.18/100 in 75 IP Prime Projection: 13/3.58/1.26/183 in 160 IP

87) Braden Montgomery – CHW, OF, 23.0 – Montgomery undoubtedly had a strong pro debut with a 137 wRC+ between Single-A, High-A, and Double-A, and the 137 wRC+ in 34 games at Double-A checks off the upper minors production box, but there were enough warts to not fly him up rankings. For one, the K% spiked to 28.7% at Double-A and sat at 25.1% on the season, so there is very clearly hit tool risk. And the 2nd wart is that he hit only 12 homers in 121 games due to the 49.2% GB%. He smokes the ball with plus to double plus raw power, but high K rates with high groundball rates are not the best combination for fantasy. He’ll contribute in steals (14 for 21), but he’s not a burner or great base stealer, so that also isn’t going to be a major strong suit. If he doesn’t raise his launch, this profile just isn’t a standout one for fantasy. He hits the ball so hard I’m willing to give him some benefit of the doubt though, and he’s going to have no playing time problems in Chicago. – 2026 Projection: 37/11/43/.236/.302/.420/6 Prime Projection: 80/24/85/.253/.330/.452/11

88) Jett Williams – MIL, SS/OF, 22.5 – A wrist injury tanked Jett’s 2024 season, and I sensed a buy low opportunity, writing in his Top 1,000 blurb, ” Lift, speed, plate approach, and sneaky pop is a potent fantasy combination, and with Williams’ injury induced down year, I’m sensing some major buy low opportunities this winter. This is an electric player, size be damned.” … So it was great to see him bounce back and prove the wrist was healthy in 2025, slashing .261/.363/.465 with 17 homers, 34 steals, and a 22.9/13.3 K%/BB% in 130 games at Double-A and Triple-A. HIs value clearly bounced back, but there is a reason I’m not flying him up the rankings to near elite prospect range. The numbers dropped off at Triple-A with a .209 BA and 81 wRC+ in 34 games despite hitting 7 homers, and while a lot of that is due to a .223 BABIP, I do think there is some signal there. He put up a 34.3% Hard Hit% with an 18 degree launch and 23.2% K%. He’s a small guy at 5’7”, and fringy power mixed with a high launch and a relatively high strikeout rate is a recipe for a low BA. If he gets to the majors and strikes out 25% of the time with mediocre hard hit rates, it might not looks as good as the minor league stats look. It shows there is real downside in the bat, but he doesn’t only lift it, he pulls in the air too, so that can overcome mediocre hard hit. And if he does have enough juice to get it over the MLB fence. the speed and OBP give him considerable fantasy upside. The trade to the Brewers doesn’t change his dynasty value too much, but I do think it’s a slight bump for opportunity long term. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 84/17/62/.253/.334/.427/31

89) Franklin Arias – BOS, SS, 20.4 – I’ve talked about my aversion to hit tool first players without bit tools or big power/speed combos in a few different player blurbs this off-season, and while that blew up in my face with Kevin McGonigle, I feel like I nailed it with Starlyn Caba, Angel Genao and Franklin Arias. It’s not that I hate these guys, they just aren’t the ones I fly up rankings wild crazy. I liked Arias and had him as a Top 100-ish prospect type, and he had that safety over upside season that I projected him for, slashing .278/.335/.388 with 8 homers, a 47.7% GB%, 12 steals in 21 attempts, and a 10.1/7.2 K%/BB% in 116 games at mostly High-A. The hype has definitely cooled a bit from last off-season, and the funny thing is I now see I might be slightly higher on him than other places, or at least I’m fully on board with his current value. The hit tool is a standout skill, and he’s not a light hitting nothing. He can put a sting into the ball. Keep in mind he was 19 years old at both High-A and Double-A. At the age appropriate Single-A to start the year he dominated with a .346 BA in 19 games. He’s also a strong defender at SS, so the glove will get him on the field. The power/speed combo might never be huge, but it should be good enough when combined with the hit/glove combo. I like him at his current level of hype. Really good prospect. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 78/17/76/.276/.332/.430/12

90) Cooper Pratt – MIL, SS, 21.8 – Pratt has a really nice mix of floor and upside. He was a 20 year old for the vast majority of the season at Double-A and he more than held his own with a 108 wRC+ in 120 games. The good glove at SS and the 15.2/12.7 K%/BB% gives him that floor. He’s not flashing major upside right now with only 8 homers, mediocre hard hit rates, and not much lift and pull, but at 6’3”, 206 pounds, there is definitely more power upside in here, both game and raw. He’s also a really good base stealer, going 31 for 36. That good glove at SS immediately gives him a leg up on playing time that a lot of the other bats in Milwaukee’s system don’t have. Joey Ortiz hasn’t exactly locked down the position and while Caleb Durbin is growing on me at 3B, I’m still not completely sold. Made and Pena will compete for open infield spots too, but I think Pratt’s glove will earn him a real shot at some point. I projected Pratt as a solid across the board type coming into the year, and that is still how I project him. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 83/18/74/.264/.332/.438/23

91) Aiva Arquette – MIA, SS, 22.5 – Selected 7th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Arquette was the first college bat off the board, and another one wasn’t selected until 13th overall, so he’s clearly the consensus top college bat in the draft by a good margin. But not here at Imaginary Brick Wall where we like to throw caution to the wind and take a guy coming off shoulder surgery above him (Ethan Conrad). And part of that reason isn’t only that I love Ethan Conrad so much, it’s that I was underwhelmed by Arquette’s pro debut. He slashed .242/.350/.323 with 1 homer, 7 steals, and a 23.1/14.5 K%/BB% in 27 games. It’s not a big sample, but it’s not super small either. He had some hit tool risk coming out of the draft, and it popped up it’s head in pro ball. He also had some game power risk, and that popped up too with a 47.3% GB%. An advanced college bat should hopefully rip up the lower minors like Nick Kurtz did in 2024. Or like JJ Wetherholt did. Or like Cam Smith did. Or even like Christian Moore did. But having said that, part of the allure of Arquette wasn’t only the player he is today, it’s the player he can become. He’s 6’5”, 220 pounds with big time raw power, speed, and a smooth athleticism about him that certainly stands out. He looks the part and he has the tools. Good pro instruction could lead to a big breakout down the line, and Miami’s development prowess has been growing on me of late. It’s also a good sign how much he ran in pro ball, which is a nice silver lining. 15 feels low, I know, but including the Japanese vets pushes everyone down, and if you prefer the college bat to some of the arms/high school bats ranked above him, it’s completely reasonable to push him up higher than this. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 76/23/81/.260/.328/.450/13

92) Jacob Melton – TBR, OF, 25.6 – Melton had the type of cover your eyes bad MLB debut that puts your patience to the test. We all knew a hit tool adjustment period was going to happen, that was almost guaranteed, but seeing it play out to the extreme was tough. He had a .157 BA with a 37.2% K% in 78 PA. He’s already 25 years old, so it’s not like he is going to get some super long leash if he can’t show improvement very quickly. So while I’m definitely scared off a bit, I’m trying to fight the urge to give up. His hit tool was actually taking a big step forward at Triple-A with a 20% K% and 20.7% whiff%. Those numbers are really strong, albeit in only 35 games. He also showed off his very real upside at Triple-A with a 92.6 MPH EV, 57.9% Hard Hit%, 14 degree launch and 21.6% Air Pull%. It resulted in 6 homers, 12 steals (29 ft/sec sprint), and a 141 wRC+. No matter how old he is, we have to have some patience for him to adjust to MLB pitching. Just be prepared that we might be looking at more of a 27 year old breakout type where he spends the next few seasons figuring it out as a part time player, which can be hard to roster in many dynasty leagues. I don’t think the trade to Tampa drastically changes his value, as both teams have about the same short and long term opportunity in their OF, but it’s still nice to see a smart team like Tampa target him. – 2026 Projection: 50/12/50/.225/.295/.404/19 Prime Projection: 77/19/71/.246/.318/.439/26

93) Carlos Lagrange – NYY, RHP, 22.10 – Carlos Lagrange gives me major Dellin Betances vibes when watching him, and the similarities are really striking in so many ways. I have a hard time believing any Yankees fan that watches Lagrange won’t get those exact same vibes. Lagrange is a tall drink of water at 6’7”, 248 pounds with an upper 90’s fastball that gets over 100 MPH, a plus breaker, a solid, lesser used changeup, and double below average control. The control looked like it was taking a huge step forward in the beginning of the year at High-A with a 7.1% BB% in 41.2 IP, but it ballooned when he got to Double-A with a 14.9% BB% in 78.1 IP, showing the major control risk is still there. The upside is equally as high though with a 3.53 ERA and 33.4% K% in 120 IP on the season. I can’t help but feel he is most likely going to take the same path as Betances and become a hopefully elite reliever, and possibly closer, but the door isn’t even close to shut on him remaining a starter. Just look at Jacob Misiorowski, who is equally as tall and had almost equally bad control. And ending up a closer is a pretty damn good outcome anyway. – 2026 Projection: 2/3.82/1.29/32 in 30 IP Prime Projection: 4/3.30/1.19/80/33 saves in 65 IP

94) Jaxon Wiggins – CHC, RHP, 24.6 – A pitching prospect like Wiggins is why you don’t have to pay up for the already extremely expensive, universally highly ranked elite pitching prospects, and also why you don’t have to dip into the hyped teenage lottery ticket bucket of pitching prospects. Every year there are quite a few truly beastly, huge stuff, huge upside, huge K rate pitching prospects who are in the upper minors and who don’t get all that much hype where you are going to have to pay up majorly for them in an off-season prospect draft. And if a few of them go earlier than you think, there are plenty more to choose from. I talked about this “flaw” in prospect rankings in an earlier team report, and Wiggins highlights this perfectly. He’s 6’6” with a double plus upper 90’s fastball that has good shape and misses a ton of bats. He combines the heat with a plus, bat missing slider, and the lesser used changeup is a really good pitch too when he goes to it. It resulted in a 2.19 ERA with a 31.0/11.5 K%/BB% in 78 IP at mostly Double-A. Sure there is risk, which we will get to, but every pitching prospect has risk. I would much rather take the inherent risk of a pitching prospect later in the draft than passing up elite hitting prospects for an already hyped to death pitching prospect earlier in the draft. The risk is that he has below average control, he needs to keep working on the changeup, and there is injury risk too, as 78 IP is his career high (he missed time with a shoulder injury this year). But he’s the type to get the redraft guys in a tizzy when they finally discover who he is in spring training, and ponder why this guy didn’t get more prospect hype. Wiggins is one of the top pitching prospect targets this off-season. – 2026 Projection: 4/3.89/1.31/83 in 80 IP Prime Projection: 12/3.55/1.22/170 in 150 IP

95) Noah Schultz – CHW, LHP, 22.8 – Schultz had pretty damn bad season with a 4.68 ERA and 23.2/13.8 K%/BB% in 73 IP at Double-A and Triple-A, but sometimes you just gotta keep betting on the talent, and that goes tenfold for pitchers. And Schultz still very clearly has that elite talent at 6’10” with 2 mid 90’s fastballs, a wipeout slider, a lesser used, but really good changeup, and also a cutter and curve. The arsenal has so much bat missing potential. The big velocity and diverse pitch mix are there. His control took a concerning step back, but some of that can be attributed to knee tendinitis that he suffered through throughout the season. I honestly don’t want to give too much credit for that knee injury, as it’s not great that he had a bad knee, and it’s also not great he fell apart so much because of it, but it’s something to point to. Bottom line for me is that this is still just a unique talent that I don’t want to jump ship at the first sign of struggle. I’m betting on bounce back 2026. – 2026 Projection: 3/4.20/1.36/72 in 70 IP Prime Projection: 12/3.68/1.24/188 in 170 IP

96) Caden Scarborough – TEX, RHP, 21.0 – Scarborough is one of my favorite targets in the underrated pitching prospect aisle I love to shop in. There are so many to choose from, and it’s going to be hard to figure out which ones to grab, but he’s one I’m definitely circling extra hard. He’s an athletic 6’5” with a mid to upper 90’s fastball that has big extension and a low release height. The sweeper is a double plus pitch that is a bat missing machine, and the lesser used splitter is good when he goes to it and has the potential to become a plus pitch too. It all resulted in a 2.45 ERA with a 33.2/6.1 K%/BB% in 88 IP at mostly Single-A, and he was even more dominant at High-A at the end of the season with a 0.00 ERA and 38.8/4.1 K%/BB% in 13 IP. Size, control, stuff, velocity, bat missing secondaries, production … and he was just barely 20 years old last year. He’s a baby in terms of pitching development with so much more refinement coming. Scarborough is a major target. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 13/3.56/1.17/180 in 170 IP

97) TJ Nichols – TBR, RHP, 23.10 – Nichols is yet another pitcher in the pitching prospect aisle I love to shop in. There are almost too many good options in this bucket this year. It’s so overflowing that it’s going to be hard to choose which ones to actually take, but Nichols should not get lost in that shuffle. He checks so many boxes. He’s a still projectable, pretty skinny 6’5”, he throws mid 90’s, the control/command is plus, he has two good secondaries in his slider and changeup, he has upper minors production, and he has a great organization. What isn’t there to like? He put up a 2.90 ERA with a 29.8/5.7 K%/BB% in 133.2 IP at mostly High-A, but he was even better at Double-A with a 0.97 ERA with a 28.0/6.8 K%/BB% in 37 IP. Once he proved it at Double-A, there was really very little left to doubt. He doesn’t have the outward electricity that Hopkins has as his pitches don’t move all over the place, but the pitchability and control/command is much better. It’s a coin flip on who I like better between the two, with Hopkins getting the upside edge and Nichols taking the safety edge. Both are Top 100 Prospects. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 11/3.78/1.23/160 in 160 IP

98) Brody Hopkins – TBR, RHP, 24.2 – There are very few pitchers in the minor leagues who jump off the screen like Brody Hopkins. Electricity isn’t an official tool, but if it was, it would be 80 grade electricity here. The stuff is pure filth, dashing and diving in every direction. He’s uncut nastiness with two mid to upper 90’s fastballs in his 4-seamer and sinker, to go along with a whiff machine sweeper, a plus changeup vs. lefties, and he’ll mix in a curve and a cutter. He’s 6’4”, 200 pounds with an athletic and funky 3-quarter arm slot delivery that gets good extension. It all led to a 2.72 ERA with a 28.7/12.2 K%/BB% in 116 IP at Double-A. As you can see by that walk rate, the stuff is almost too nasty for his own good. It doesn’t seem like he really knows where it is going. I’m sure Tampa will use the strategy of just throwing everything to the same spot and letting the stuff and nastiness do the rest, but it seems hard to believe this will be anything but below average control for the foreseeable future. That gives him very real bullpen risk, but he could make for a nasty reliever, and I’m not giving up on him as a starter at all. The pitch mix is there. It’s the right organization to bet on. And the electricity is just too much to ignore. – 2026 Projection: 2/4.28/1.37/37 in 40 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.73/1.28/171 in 155 IP

99) Elmer Rodriguez Cruz – NYY, RHP, 22.8 – Don’t call it a breakout. Just look at Cruz’ career minor league stats. He put up a 1.88 ERA in 38.1 IP in 2022, a 2.60 ERA in 55.1 IP in 2023, a 2.91 ERA in 89.2 IP in 2024, and now a 2.58 ERA in 150 IP in 2025. Just because nobody seemed to notice all that much or care all that much, doesn’t mean Cruz hasn’t been dominating professional baseball for 4 seasons now. And this year he was able to continue the dominance in the upper minors with a 2.64 ERA and 30.3/8.2 K%/BB% in 61.1 IP at Double-A. He has the talent to back up the excellent production with size (6’3”), velocity (95+ MPH heat), pitch mix (he threw a 4-seamer, sinker, curve, change, cutter, and probably his best secondary, the slider, in his one start at Triple-A to end the season), and bat missing ability. That is a lot of boxes to check. The control/command took a step forward in 2025, but it’s still on the below average side. I wouldn’t put top of the rotation upside on him, but maybe that is just the continuation of the underrating he’s gone through his entire career. An impact mid-rotation starter wouldn’t be a bad outcome though, and that deserves a spot in the Top 100-ish Prospects. – 2026 Projection: 3/4.07/1.31/62 in 70 IP Prime Projection: 12/3.68/1.22/175 in 175 IP

100) Troy Melton – DET, RHP, 25.4 – Melton cracked my Top 1,000 last off-season, writing, “Melton put up a 5.10 ERA in 100.2 IP at Double-A, but the 27.2/7.0 K%/BB% ad 3.14 xFIP is much more indicative of how he really pitched. He’s a big guy at 6’4”, 210 pounds with a decently athletic delivery, a mid 90’s fastball, and a starters pitch mix. It might not be the highest upside, but he’s a rock solid pitching prospect who is definitely on the underrated side.” … and then I went ahead and underrated him anyway at #1,014, ha, but at least he made the list, and then he went out and showed in 2025 that he was most certainly on the underrated side with a 2.99 ERA and 32.4/6.4 K%/BB% in 75.1 IP split between Double-A and Triple-A. It earned him a call to the majors, and he pitched well there too with a 2.76 ERA, 3.72 xERA, and 20.0/8.3 K%/BB% in 45 IP over 16 outings. He thrived with the heavily used 97.1 MPH fastball that dominated MLB hitters with an elite 29.7% whiff% and .299 xwOBA. The slider was really good too with a 29.3% whiff% (47.2% whiff% at AAA) and a +4 Run Value. He also mixed in a sinker, cutter, splitter and curve. The Framber signing is a road block to getting into the rotation, but it’s not stopping me from really liking him long term. – 2026 Projection: 6/3.77/1.24/97 in 100 IP Update: Out with arm soreness that doesn’t seem overly serious, but it’s still not great

101) Tyler Bremner – LAA, RHP, 21.11 – With maybe the biggest surprise pick in the draft, the Angels selected Tyler Bremner 2nd overall as the first pitcher off the board, and they aren’t exactly the franchise to trust when they make weird picks, so I’m not inclined to chase his draft slot. He’s also entering a situation that is the MLB version of a rookie QB getting drafted to a bad team with a terrible O-Line. The Angels defense is cover your eyes horrific with a dead last by a mile negative 54 Outs Above Average. It’s a nightmare waiting to happen, except Bremner doesn’t have to get crushed by 250+ pounders on every other play, so there is that I guess. Having said that, evaluating him in a team neutral context, Bremner was considered 1B to Arnold’s 1A before the season, and while he scuffled to start the year, he finished it strong with 74 strikeouts in his last 43.1 IP. His best pitch is a filthy double plus changeup, which he combines with plus mid 90’s heat and an average-ish slider. It resulted in a 3.49 ERA with a 35.8/6.1 K%/BB% in 77.1 IP, and like I said, he was even more fire in the 2nd half. If the breaking ball can improve in pro ball, there is #2 starter upside, but right now, mid rotation upside is looking like the safer bet, and the team context is horrific. Bremner is not someone I’m planning to get very much of this off-season. – 2026 Projection: 2/4.19/1.36/56 in 60 IP Prime Projection: 12/3.69/1.22/185 in 175 IP

102) Kyson Witherspoon – BOS, RHP, 21.8 – Selected 15th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, the 6’2”, 205 pound Witherspoon might have the most visually explosive arm action in the class, and it’s weird too. You know I love me some weirdness in a pitcher’s delivery, and Witherspoon has that with a jerky, quick, short and very explosive arm. The delivery itself is very smooth and athletic though, and it all adds up to a deep and explosive arsenal. The fastball sits mid to upper 90’s, the potentially plus slider is his best secondary, and the hard, upper 80’s changeup has the potential to be a nasty pitch with further refinement. He also throws a cutter and curve. It led to a 2.65 ERA with a 31.8/5.9 K%/BB% in 95 IP in the SEC. He hasn’t quite flashed the type of strikeout upside that the pitchers ranked above him have because the fastball doesn’t miss as many bats as you would think, but the stuff looks as nasty as anyone’s to me. He’s really exciting and there is easily impact fantasy starter potential in here. If you are in a league where a #3 starter has a lot of value, or if you really need the win now arm, push him up. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection:12/3.71/1.19/182 in 180 IP

103) Gage Wood – PHI, RHP, 22.4 – I’m apt to think that Wood should be considered right with that top consensus group of starters, even though he dropped to 26th overall in the draft. I guess for real life, it makes sense to factor in more of the risk, but for the vast majority of fantasy leagues, it’s about that upside, and his upside is as high as any college pitcher in the draft. This was his first year starting, and he hurt his shoulder after his 2nd outing, which is where the risk comes in, but he made it back in time to show off his ridiculous upside. He put up a 3.86 ERA with a 46.0%/4.7 K%/BB% in 37.2 IP, and he closed out the season by pitching a no hitter with 19 strikeouts in the College World Series. The mid to upper 90’s fastball is an elite bat missing weapon which he combines with a plus curve. He also mixes in a slider and change which are good pitches in their own right. If he had stayed healthy all season, there in no way he falls to the end of the first round. I’m buying whatever discount I can get here. – ETA: 2026 Prime Projection: 10/3.69/1.21/175 in 160 IP

104) CJ Kayfus – CLE, 1B/OF, 24.5 – I was initially super disappointed in Kayfus’ MLB debut, but the more I dig in and really think about it, it’s been growing on me. The disappointment stemmed from the below average 71.1 MPH swing, mediocre 36.8% Hard Hit%, and terrible 35.7% whiff%, but all of those numbers were improving as he got more comfortable. He put up a .585 OPS in August vs. a .888 OPS in September, so that improvement showed up in the surface stats too. The Hard Hit% rose to 44.4%, which is more in line with what he did at Triple-A (47.7%), and while the bat speed and whiffs didn’t improve a ton, it was headed in the right direction. Michael Busch and Kyle Manzardo taught us that bat speed ain’t everything. You can have a big power breakout by actually decreasing your bat speed to even more below average levels, so I don’t want to get too hung up on it, especially when Kayfus’s swing is so damn sweet and super short too. The 27.7% whiff% at Triple-A isn’t bad at all, he lifts and pulls a ton, and he’s a good athlete with a 27.6 ft/sec sprint. A 96 wRC+ in your first 138 PA in the majors is actually pretty solid, especially coming off his destruction of the upper minors (151 wRC+ in 86 games), and xwOBA says he was unlucky with a .324 xwOBA vs. .306 wOBA. He has some defensive versality with the ability to play 1B and OF, giving him a few avenues to get his bat in the lineup. I still really, really like this bat. Maybe he’s not a superstar, but his looks like an impact MLB bat to me. – 2026 Projection: 36/11/43/.245/.323/.438/3 Prime Projection: 77/26/84/.258/.339/.456/8 Update: Hoskins signing seems to push Kayfus out of a role to start the season, but I still like the bat long term

105) Hagen Smith – CHW, LHP, 22.7 – Smith put up a 17.6% BB% in 75.2 IP at Double-A. That is such a wildly bad BB% that you can’t even just say he has control risk and move on. You really need to hammer home how terrible that is, and it’s not in a super small sample and it wasn’t getting better as the year went along (6 walks in 4 IP in his last outing). It was better in the AFL with a 10.5% BB% in 14 IP, so there is some relief there, but it’s not much. That walk rate is extreme enough where I have to think the chances he ends up in the bullpen are very high, but the good news is that he can be an elite closer if that is where he ends up. The mid 90’s fastball/slider combo is plus to double plus with elite bat missing ability. Even with that walk rate he put up a 3.69 ERA with a 33.9% K% (2.57 ERA with a 36.8% K% in the AFL). Another reason he’s likely to end up in the bullpen is because he still has to improve his below changeup. There is upside for a high K, mid rotation starter if he can improve his walk rates and develop a third pitch, but handing him the closer role just looks so juicy. – 2026 Projection: 2/3.71/1.31/33/2 saves in 25 IP Prime Projection: 4/3.28/1.13/85/33 saves in 61 IP

106) Jhostynxon Garcia – PIT, OF, 23.4 – Now that Garcia isn’t as blocked as he was in Boston, I kinda feel like one of those videos where the dogs are barking like crazy and acting all tough behind a closed gate, but once the gate opens, they immediately calm down and do nothing. Let me at em, let me at em, let me at em … oh wait, let’s think this thing through for a second hah … and the thing I’m thinking through is that the underlying numbers at Triple-A were pretty damn lackluster. An 86.4 MPH EV, 34.6% Hard Hit%, 34.2% whiff%, and 26.8/9.2 K%/BB% is actually pretty bad. He only stole 7 bags in 114 games. I’m excited by the 75 MPH swing he showed in his cup of coffee in the majors, but that was a very small sample (just 14 swings), so considering he also had a 50% whiff%, I kinda doubt it is going to be that high for a full season. Regardless, it’s exciting that he swings such a quick bat. But if this is a low BA, good but not great power bat with only a handful of steals, it’s not like that is a world beater profile. The Pirates are also the single worst park for righty homers by far with a 68 (Statcast, 3 year rolling average). I can’t lie to you, I just don’t see myself really sticking my neck out for this. If I already owned him, this trade is awesome, because he’s going to get his shot, but if I didn’t own him, I can’t say he’s a particular target for me this off-season. I was all over his breakout when his price was dirt cheap, but I don’t think I’m buying on the high side right now. – 2026 Projection: 39/12/45/.230/.297/.419/5 Prime Projection: 73/25/83/.248/.322/.456/8

107) Jacob Reimer – NYM, 3B, 22.1 – I absolutely nailed my deep sleeper target section of the 2022 MLB Draft/2023 FYPD Ranks. I grouped Jacob Reimer, Alex Freeland, Luke Adams, and Nacho Alvarez into a “deep sleeper target” tier after all of them showed things to like in their small sample pro debuts. Ignore the small sample debuts at your own risk, because I’ve been doing this a long time now, and I’ve found you get a lot more right than you do wrong when you give proper value to a pro debut, even in a small sample. None of them have done anything in the majors yet, granted, but with super deep FYPD picks like that, even turning into a solid trade chips is a big win. Reimer’s breakout might not have come immediately, taking a few years, but it came in a very loud way in 2025. He slashed .282/.379/.491 with 17 homers, 15 steals, and a 21.5/11.1 K%/BB% in 122 games split evenly between High-A (163 wRC+) and Double-A (150 wRC+). He’s always had a good approach and he’s always hit the ball hard, so the breakout came on the back of much improved lift and pull. There is now a potent hit/approach/power profile in here. The biggest issue is that he’s kinda shaky at 3B, and if he can’t stick at the position, that puts so much more pressure on the bat. It calls into question exactly how clean his path to playing time will be. I wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up as trade bait. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 82/23/79/.267/.342/.447/8

108) Michael Arroyo – SEA, 2B, 21.5 – I’m a little nervous that Arroyo has the type of profile that will play down in Seattle. We might have gotten a glimpse of that when he went from Seattle’s hitter haven ballpark to High-A, to their pitcher’s park at Double-A. He hit 15 homers in 65 games at High-A vs. 2 homers in 56 games at Double-A. He’s got legit juice in his bat and he hits it hard, but at 5’10”, I doubt he’s going to be a ballpark proof type guy. He’s also not a particularly great athlete or base stealer (12 for 17 on the bases in 121 games), and he’s not a good defensive 2B. Seattle has already said they are moving him into the outfield, and the competition for a starting OF job is tougher than the competition at 2B. I can actually see him as a good trade candidate, and that would be perfect for everyone involved, because Arroyo definitely has offensive potential. He put up a 153 wRC+ at High-A and a 123 wRC+ at Double-A as a 20 year old. The plate skills have always been good with a 18.7/12.4 K%/BB% and he can lift and pull. In the right ballpark and on the right team to give him the opportunity, he can certainly be an impact hitter. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 81/23/76/.262/.331/.441/11

109) Braylon Payne – MIL, OF, 19.8 – Payne was one of my favorite FYPD Targets last off-season, and he by no means had a bad season with a 113 wRC+ in 77 games at Single-A, but I can’t deny he is still more raw than optimal. He was considered raw coming out of the draft, and I noted that if you were sick of hearing about how every lefty has a “sweet lefty swing,” just watch Payne’s choppy and slappy swing, and that rawness is still evident when you watch him. It also showed up in his numbers with a 30.1% K% and 50.3% GB%. That is not a combo I love. Milwaukee still has a lot of work to do to truly tap into his upside, but that upside is no joke. Remember that he was only 18 years old for basically all of the season, so some of that rawness can be forgiven right off the bat. He’s a projectable 6’2” and he’s already hitting the ball really hard, resulting in 8 homers in 77 games despite the high groundball rate. The 51.1% Pull% shows he can certainly turn on pitches. And he’s a speed demon with 31 steals. If Milwaukee can continue to refine his swing and his game, the payoff could be huge, but it’s also possible we are looking at more of a mid 20’s breakout type. I still like him a lot, but I can’t say I’m exactly targeting him again this off-season. He’s a hold. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 81/18/67/.248/.325/.436/26

110) Brock Wilken – MIL, 3B, 23.10 – Milwaukee has played Wilken at only 3B in his career. They selected Wilken 18th overall in 2023. If we are reading the tea leaves, it sure seems like they believe he can stick at 3B. Luke Adams, a similar fringy 3B type, has been given a ton of run at 1B in his career and particularly this year, so that shows me how Milwaukee handles someone who they don’t actually believe in. They at the very least still have hope that Wilken can stick at 3B, and that is a big deal for his fantasy value, because the path to playing time is so much clearer at 3B than it is at 1B. And if he can get into the lineup, the dude is going to hit tons of dingers. He hit 18 homers in 79 games at Double-A. His profile is a super easy one to evaluate as a low BA, high OBP slugger (27.0/20.1 K%/BB% with a .226 BA and .387 OBP). He’s had just about the worst injury luck you could have though. He got hit by a pitch in the face in 2024, sustaining multiple fractures and needing surgery, and then in 2025 he dislocated his knee cap during a celebration. He struggled in the last 16 games of the season after he returned. Hard to guess at how bad the injury was, but any injury to the knee isn’t exactly great. It tacks on a bit of risk for me, and so does the hit tool and so does the defense, but power conquers all, and Wilken has that. – 2026 Projection: 17/9/29/.213/.293/.410/1 Prime Projection: 66/23/74/.230/.320/.443/2

111) Chase Harlan – LAD, 3B, 19.9 – Harlan was one of my favorite 2025 FYPD Targets, writing in his Target blurb, “Harlan gives me shades of Austin Riley,” and after his excellent pro debut, those shades are even more obvious. He’s 6’3”, 205 pounds with an absolutely beastly righty swing. Just look at this thing. That is the type of swing you watch and your jaw just drops. It stands out. And he uses that swing to truly crush the ball. He slashed .269/.357/.442 with 9 homers, 3 steals, and a 22.3/12.0 K%/BB% in 68 games split between rookie ball (121 wRC+) and Single-A (103 wRC+). There is definitely hit tool risk, and that popped up at Single-A with a .240 BA and 26% K%. He was young for his class, but he turned 19 by the time he got to Single-A, so I hesitate to give him too large of an age to level bump. Still, he will only be 19 years old for the first half of the 2026 season, so there is time to improve that hit tool. And if he can, we are taking about true top level power upside, a la Austin Riley. I love him last off-season and I love him even more now. He’s a target, again. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 79/28/91/.244/.326/.472/6

112) Juan Sanchez – TOR, SS/3B, 18.6 – With the dynasty/prospect community continuing to grow (which I genuinely love to see, I’m a firm believer in a rising tide lifts all boats), it’s harder than ever to truly find complete unknown prospects to tout that have legitimate upside. It’s just fun to find that guy who truly doesn’t have a whisper of hype. Back when I first started writing in 2015/16, it was much easier. People’s heads would explode if you found a good prospect who wasn’t in the mainstream Top 100’s. But it can still be done, and mostly it can be done in the DSL. I gave you Josue De Paula when he was a complete unknown. I gave you Jouse Briceno when he was a complete unknown, and this season, I gave you Juan Sanchez when he was a complete unknown. I wrote him up in early July in the Rundowns, writing, “This man is a ghost … but a ghost who is a power hitting machine with 4 homers in 25 games. He lifts and pulls with a 39.4% GB% and 58.2% Pull%. He’s also slashing .312/.418/.516 with a 21.8/10.9 K%/BB%. While the video is sparse to non existent, we know this is a big powerful kid who got paid, and is now backing up that that million with power hitting performance. I’m apt to buy now in deeper leagues and ask questions later.” … I then put him into my July Top 300 Rankings at #244, writing, “He’s quickly becoming one of the more exciting prospects in the DSL.” … and then Josh Norris of BA actually got boots on the ground in the Dominican Republic and returned a conquering hero with word (and video) of Juan Sanchez’ legend. In short, dude is legit with both the scouts and numbers to back him up. I hope you took my advice to buy now and ask questions later, because now that the questions have been answered, the hype is through the roof already. He ended the season slashing .341/.439/.585 with 8 homers, 4 steals, and a 17.4/10.3 K%/BB% in 56 games. The righty swing is quick and powerful, he hits it hard, and the plate skills are strong. He’s the Emil Morales to Josuar Gonzalez’ Jesus Made of the 2025 DSL class. He’s a definite target this off-season as long as the price doesn’t get too nutty in your league, which I don’t think it will in most leagues. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 84/28/94/.267/.340/.481/7

113) Elian Pena – NYM, SS, 18.5 – Pena doesn’t have the long and lean build that scouts drool over at an already decently thick 5’11”. He doesn’t have that smooth and effortless fast twitch athleticism that gets scouts in a tizzy. He doesn’t have the behemoth human exit velocities that the new age prospect hounds can’t get enough of. But what he does have is some of the best production in the DSL after signing for the largest signing bonus in his class. He slashed .292/.421/.528 with 9 homers, 21 steals, and a 16.1/16.1 K%/BB% in 55 games. And that includes him going hitless in his first 9 games. Taking that out he put up a 1.081 OPS in 46 games. He got paid for that dangerous lefty swing, and he more than proved he was worth that signing bonus. That thing is quick, easy, and powerful. He lifts and pulls a ton, which I love, and while scouts don’t like his build, he’s got that big trunk that says big time raw power is coming as he ages. Combine that with the strong plate skills, and this looks to be one of the most dangerous bats coming out of the DSL, if not the most dangerous. I ain’t fading him just because he doesn’t look as good in the uniform as other players. He’s trending towards a classic power hitting, 3B profile. He’s a Top 100 prospect. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 85/27/92/.268/.341/.473/11

114) Kevin Alvarez – HOU, OF, 18.2 – Alvarez is in that super juicy DSL breakout target range where the hype is still plenty low enough to get a great deal on him. He’s in that goldilocks zone of big signing bonus, huge talent, excellent production, no major K or GB issues, and some bubbling hype, but not the type of hype that the most hyped DSL guys are getting (Josuar Gonzalez, Juan Sanchez, Elian Pena). He basically perfectly lived up the Top 1,000 blurb I gave him last off-season, writing, “I love the guys where the bat looks like an absolute twig when they swing it, and that applies to the 6’4”, 185 pound Alvarez who has an easy, but lightning fast lefty swing. He’s known for his advanced approach and good feel to hit, so when he adds more power onto on his projectable frame, this could end up a truly potent hit/power combo masher from a corner outfield spot.” … and that is exactly what he showed in the DSL, slashing .301/.419/.455 with 2 homers, 11 steals in 16 attempts, and a 9.9/12.0 K%/BB% in 47 games. Once the raw power ticks up naturally, the huge breakout will very likely come. He’s obviously not without risk though. The hit tool could still get exposed a bit against more advanced competition, he wasn’t a great base stealer, and while he didn’t have any major groundball issues, the approach is hit over power right now with a 32.6 FB% and 36.4% Pull%. But those are the reasons he isn’t getting hyped to death, and if it all comes together, this is middle of the order beast. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 81/25/88/.268/.339/.465/10

115) Owen Murphy – ATL, RHP, 22.5 – I’m trying to become less of a velocity snob, and the reality is the entire prospect ranking world are velocity snobs too. The reason is obvious. It’s because throwing mid to upper 90’s is really damn valuable, but the prospect world has missed on too many guys who ended up really good without that mid to upper 90’s fastball. And Owen Murphy looks to be one of the next guys in that assembly line. He returned mid-season from Tommy John surgery and he picked up right where he left off pre surgery, putting up a 1.19 ERA with a 30.9/5.5 K%/BB% in 30.1 IP at mostly High-A. The fastball only sits low 90’s, but it’s deceptive with good shape and excellent location, so it’s a bat missing weapon. He has his two plus breakers on an absolute string, it’s really a thing of beauty to watch. And he’ll mix in a lesser used changeup which was some potential. This is the low velocity guy to bet on. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 12/3.63/1.16/165 in 160 IP

116) Didier Fuentes – ATL, RHP, 20.10 – Atlanta is getting way too crazy with calling up their very talented young arms. I appreciate the aggressiveness, and I appreciate the sentiment of let’s use the bullets while these guys are still healthy, but they have taken it way too far. When I heard Fuentes was getting the call, I said it was going to be AJ Smith Shawver all over again, and it was actually much worse than Shawver with a 13.85 ERA in 13 IP over 4 outings. Then relatively soon after getting sent back down to Triple-A, his season ended in early August with shoulder inflammation. I can’t say pushing him that far was the reason for the shoulder injury, but there is a level of adrenaline that tends to flow when you are on that big league mound. On the other hand, I guess Atlanta can argue, see, we tried to get value out of him before he inevitably got hurt. So I’m not blaming them, but it’s just a thought. But onto the positives, Fuentes proved Atlanta wasn’t completely crazy for giving it a shot when he got back down to Triple-A, putting up a 3.63 ERA with a 32.6/4.5 K%/BB% in 22.1 IP. The 95.5 MPH fastball is potentially plus with bat missing ability (30% whiff% at AAA although it got crushed in the majors), and the sweeper is a plus bat missing weapon as well. The lesser used curve can miss bats too, but it gets hit hard, and the rarely used splitter needs a lot more refinement. He’s a super talented young pitcher who just got rushed. Two plus pitches with plus control can end up a top of the rotation starter, and improving his splitter is another avenue he can take to that outcome. That’s the ceiling, with maybe #2/3 a more reasonable upside projection. – 2026 Projection: 3/4.19/1.31/68 in 70 IP Prime Projection: 12/3.69/1.20/180 in 170 IP

117) Travis Sykora – WSH, RHP, 21.11 – Sykora is very clearly the type of pitcher you take the Tommy John discount on. Last off-season I named him one of the top candidates to end 2025 as the #1 pitching prospect in baseball, and he was in the midst of doing just that, or close to it with a 1.79 ERA and 46.7/10.1 K%/BB% in 45.1 IP before going down with a torn UCL in July. He’s 6’6”, 232 pounds with 3 plus to double plus pitches in his mid to upper 90’s fastball, a heavily used slider, and a nasty splitter. The injury will wipe out most or all of his 2026 season, and we definitely have to factor in some risk as we’ve seen with a ton of guys returning from Tommy John this year, but Sykora is the type of guy you stay patient with. And he’s a good candidate to buy low on if you want to grab a possible young ace without having to pay tippy top price for one. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 13/3.39/1.14/185 in 160 IP

118) Gavin Fien – WSH, SS, 19.1 – Selected 12th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, the 6’3”, 200 pound Fien is a big boy with the big power to match from a fast and powerful righty swing. I don’t exactly love the swing though. It’s oddly stiff. It’s like his batting coach is Charlie from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. “What you want to do is lock your knees in place and then snap your back up.” It’s working though, and I never want to get too hung up on swing mechanics, especially when it’s working for a guy. He has size, power, and feel to hit, and while the pro debut wasn’t great (75 wRC+ in 10 games), I wouldn’t let it swing your thinking in either direction. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 77/25/84/.257/.336/.464/8

119) Kruz Schoolcraft – SDP, LHP, 18.11 – If you know me, you know I love me some monster humans who are good athletes and have nasty tools, and that describes Schoolcraft perfectly. He’s like a blend between Noah Schultz and Boston Bateman from their draft years, and both of those guys were targets for me. Selected 25th overall, Schoolcraft is 6’8”, 215 pounds and is a legitimate 2 way prospect to give you an idea of his athleticism. I was super high on him already before he made his pro debut, and then after making his pro debut, forget about it, I’m over the moon. Sure he got hit up with 2 earned and 3 walks in 1.2 IP at Single-A, but it was the stuff that was eye catching. He was sitting upper 90’s, blowing the heat right by guys. Then he dropped in the potentially plus changeup, making hitters look silly. He also has a potentially plus slider in the bag. He struck out 4 with 10 whiffs in the outing. This is basically the Noah Schultz 2.0 blow up, and I saw it coming from a mile away. Just like Schultz, it won’t take long to ascend to elite pitching prospect status if the results are there in 2026, but at a still 18 years old, we have to expect that the refinement could take some time. There is definitely still some rawness in his game and pitchers this tall often take extra time to get their mechanics down. Before the electric debut, I was for sure the high guy on him, but after the debut, everyone is seeing what I’m seeing. I love him. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 13/3.55/1.19/194 in 175 IP

120) Xavier Neyens – HOU, SS, 19.6 – Selected 21st overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Neyens is a super easy evaluation. He’s the Lazaro Montes of the Draft Class. Or the Xavier Isaac. You get it. He’s a 6’4”, 210 pound lefty with massive power, patience, and hit tool risk. The swing is powerful, smooth, and athletic. The fact that a smart organization jumped on him at 21st overall is a great sign of confidence for the hit tool as well, although Houston’s system is full of high upside, hit tool risk guys, so maybe not. But either way, he strikes me as underrated right now. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection:77/28/88/.240/.330/.480/8

121) River Ryan – LAD, RHP, 27.8 – Ryan underwent Tommy John surgery in August 2024 which wiped out his entire 2025 season. He was breaking out on the MLB level before going down with the injury with a 1.33 ERA and 22.2/11.1 K%/BB% in 20.1 IP. He had the big stuff to back it up with a 96.3 MPH fastball, a diverse pitch mix, and bat missing secondaries. But like so many Dodgers pitchers in this category, who knows when he will be able to claw his way back into the rotation, and how much they are going to ease/baby him back in. He’s good enough to not ignore, but he’s not so good where I would say he’s the type I’m actively targeting. If he’s a guy you have on the bottom of your roster, that works. – 2026 Projection: 6/3.88/1.29/113 in 120 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.91/1.29/150 in 150 IP Update: Looks healthy in his return from Tommy John and is coming for a rotation spot out of camp

122) Christian Scott – NYM, RHP, 26.9 – Scott underwent a hybrid Tommy John surgery and internal brace procedure in late September 2024 which knocked him out for all of 2025 but he’s expected to be fully healthy for 2026. The problem is, a rotation spot is most certainly not waiting for him, and he already straddled the line between the type of pitcher I like to take the TJ discount on. He wasn’t quite an elite pitching prospect, but he wasn’t far off from it, and he didn’t fully establish himself on the MLB level yet, but he was starting to set a pretty strong foundation. He put up a 4.56 ERA with a 19.8/6.1 K%/BB% in 47.1 IP in his MLB debut. Plus control of a highly used, above average 94.2 MPH fastball is his bread and butter. He combines that with a potentially plus sweeper, above average splitter, and decent slider. None of the secondaries missed enough bats in the majors to keep up the 33.5% K% he put up at Triple-A, and the fastball isn’t quite a good enough pitch to make up for it. He can be a plus control mid-rotation starter even if the secondaries don’t miss a ton of bats, but he’ll have to unlock more if he wants to beat that projection. And now also tack on risk from the elbow surgery and the fact he’s going to have to kick the door down to the rotation. He’s unfortunately just in flier range in most leagues. – 2026 Projection: 2/4.22/1.29/42 in 50 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.93/1.22/141 in 150 IP Update: Looked healthy in his first spring outing, and if you read my strategy article, you know my plan is to jump on TJ returnees that look healty very quickly. Still not rotation spot, but he deserves a bump

123) Michael Forret – TBR, RHP, 22.0 – Forret is yet another really good pitching prospect target in the bucket I love to shop in. There are so many good options in this bucket this year that you don’t have to stick your neck out for any of them. Whichever ones fall into your lap will work. I closed out his Top 1,000 blurb last off-season by writing, “he’s the type who could really pop with a good showing in the upper minors,” and then he finally got to the upper minors towards the end of 2025 and delivered on that promise with a 1.88 ERA and 27.3/7.3 K%/BB% in 14.1 IP. He was even better at High-A with a 1.51 ERA and 33.5/7.5 K%/BB% in 59.2 IP. He’s a box checker with size (6’3”), velocity (mid 90’s heat), and a bevy of good secondaries (slider, cutter, changeup). There really isn’t anything not to like. He projects as a potentially impact mid rotation starter, and I think there is upside for more than that. The fact that Tampa targeted him in the Baz trade emboldens my love for him even more, and he gets an organizational bump. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 12/3.67/1.21/160 in 160 IP

124) Alex Freeland – LAD, 3B/2B, 24.7 – Freeland’s hit tool risk got exposed immediately in the majors with a .190 BA and a 36.1% K% in 97 PA. The 30.5% whiff% isn’t nearly as scary, and the 21.9% K% and 23.7% whiff% at Triple-A was considerably better, so I’m expecting a much better showing in his 2nd go around, but it’s very clearly a real risk. His next biggest problem is that he’s on the Dodgers and they don’t seem like they are just going to unleash him in the starting lineup. He’s going to have to compete and he’s going to have to earn it every step of the way. His good infield glove will help though, and if he can make his way on the field, the power/speed is in here to make a fantasy impact. He ripped the ball at Triple-A with a 47.6% Hard Hit%, and the 90.7 MPH EV in the majors is not too shabby. He can hit it damn hard, he can lift and pull, he’s got an excellent approach with a 19.3% Chase%, and he’s got speed with two 31 steal seasons under his belt in the minors. The 26.2 ft/sec sprint was oddly low in the majors, so I’m thinking it was just a small sample, but he also wasn’t exactly a demon on the bases at AAA this year (18 for 24), so we should probably keep the stolen bases expectations in a more moderate range. Considering both the hit tool and playing time risk, it’s hard to bet on him too hard, but the Dodgers are also super old in their infield. I wouldn’t fade him too hard either. – 2026 Projection: 38/9/31/.233/.308/.406/7 Prime Projection: 77/22/73/.248/.330/.436/16

125) Termarr Johnson – PIT, 2B, 21.10 – Johnson hasn’t had the rise we hoped for when he was the 4th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, but it’s been far from a disaster, and that long term Pitt 2B job is still sitting wide open for him. Based off where they drafted him, I have to think he is going to get every chance to lock down that long term job, and not even taking draft slot into account, I still think he’s the best man for the job. The biggest issue is that the supposedly elite hit tool hasn’t even been close to elite in pro ball, but it finally started to show some signs of improvement in the 2nd half of this season. He hit .325 with a 18.3/13.3 K%/BB% in his final 42 games at Double-A as a barely turned 21 year old. That is what we were expecting from the get go, but better late than never. We obviously can’t just say he’s an elite hit tool guy again, but it gives a lot more confidence that he can fulfill the solid across the board projection I’ve been giving him for the past few years. The 119 wRC+ is also pretty damn good for his age. He hit only 9 homers with a 46.7% GB% in 119 games, and he’s also not a great base stealer, going 20 for 32, so this isn’t the upside we were hoping for at all, and I don’t think he’s a Top 100 prospect anymore, but I still believe he will be a fantasy relevant player, possibly for many years to come. – 2026 Projection: 28/5/23/.242/.306/.387/7 Prime Projection: 79/16/72/.265/.338/.423/18

126) Deniel Ortiz – STL, 1B/3B, 21.7 – I can’t help myself, I’m going after Ortiz. The red flags are there. He put up a 32% whiff% at Single-A, he’s not fast despite the high steal totals, he’s not a good defensive player and he was 20 years old in the lower minors, but man I’m a glutton for upside, and he has upside for days. Ortiz slashed .300/.416/.462 with 13 homers, 39 steals, and a 26.0/14.9 K%/BB% in 107 games split between Single-A and High-A. I take it as a great sign that the K rates were much better at High-A to close out the season with a 168 wRC+ and 22.3/13.8 K%/BB% in 30 games. He was a 16th round pick out of community college in 2024, so seeing an adjustment period in his first taste of advanced competition is normal. It’s not just the surface stats though, the underlying numbers jump off the page with a 91.5 MPH EV, 49.3% Hard Hit%, 18 degree launch, and 25% Air Pull%. He’s not fast, but he’s definitely a good base stealer, and we’ve seen plenty of not fast, good base stealers rack up plenty of steals in the majors. He’s also a solid rock at 6’1”, 230 pounds (although that weight looks high to me) with a beastly righty swing. I’m dodging those red flags left and right, because this is such a fun upside fantasy prospect. I’m taking on the extra risk. He’s a great target. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 69/24/77/.244/.322/.449/15

127) Felnin Celesten – SEA, SS, 20.6 – Celesten did not have the introduction to full season ball that we wanted to see. He was very mediocre with 5 homers, 20 steals, a 22.6/8.7 K%/BB% and a 107 wRC+ in 93 games at Single-A, and then he was even worse at High-A with a 31.3% K% and 67 wRC+ in 11 games. The silver lining was that the 45% GB% was much better than 2024’s 64.9% GB%, but he hit only 6 homers in 104 games overall. He still very much looks the part with an athletic and powerful swing from both sides of the plate, but this isn’t the straight path to elite prospect status that we want when we draft a high upside kid like this. His development path looks like it’s going to be slower with plenty of ups and downs. So he’s still a good prospect, but I can’t call him a truly coveted one. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 76/20/75/.259/.320/.435/14

128) Andrew Fischer – MIL, 1B/3B, 21.10 – Whenever a smart team takes a 1B bat at 20th overall, fantasy players should definitely take notice, because that is a big bet on the bat. And the bat is what we care about the most for fantasy. The 6’1”, 205 pound Fischer has one of the top power bats in college baseball, slashing .341/.497/.760 with 25 homers, 4 steals, and a 14.4/21.6% K%/BB% in 65 games in the SEC. He doesn’t really have that true elite raw power like guys from last year’s class (Cags, Kurtz, Condon), but it’s easy plus raw power and he can lift and pull. In a super weak college hitting class, he was the guy I really wanted to get excited about (other than Conrad), but there are a few things holding me back. The pro debut was good with a 141 wRC+ in 19 games at High-A, but that .423 BABIP was doing a lot of the heavy lifting. The 1 homer and 25.3% K% don’t look as good, but he was a lift and pull machine with a 24.5% GB% and 51.9% Pull%, so I’m still more encouraged than discouraged by the debut. The thing that is really holding me back is that Milwaukee is stacked with 3B/1B types. Andrew Vaughn just locked down 1B on the MLB level (signed through 2027). Milwaukee took a super similar player at 34th overall in last year’s class, Blake Burke. And Brock Wilken and Luke Adams have that same 3B/1B profile. That is a lot of guys to compete with and get through. If he can really stick at 3B, that would be huge, but it seems that is less likely than not. We’ve seen tons of guys with limited defensive value and a good but not great bat struggle to get handed full time playing time. And we see Milwaukee has a ton of these guys. It’s what keeps him in the Top 20-ish range of FYPD Ranks, rather than Top 10. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 72/24/83/.252/.333/.464/8

129) Justin Gonzales – BOS, 1B/OF, 19.3 – Justin Gonzales is the discount Edward Florentino. I had Gonzales and Florentino ranked back to back this off-season (with Florentino one spot ahead, thank you very much ;), and while Gonzales didn’t go full elite prospect breakout like Florentino, he had a damn impressive season, slashing .298/.381/.423 with 4 homers, 11 steals, and a 14.6/9.8 K%/BB% in 81 games at Single-A. It was good for a 131 wRC+. He did this as an 18 year old in full season ball all year, and he most certainly looks the part at 6’4”, 210 pounds with an athletic and powerful righty swing. He hasn’t learned how to tap into his double plus to elite raw power yet with a concerning 55.8% GB%, but considering his age and how much I like his swing ingredients in general, I’m betting on him doing much better than that in the future. He’ll need to change his stance/swing to do it though. While the game power isn’t there yet, the plate skills were impressive, and it’s another indication that he’s the type of precocious hitter that will be able to make the necessary adjustments. He’s a monster breakout candidate for 2026 and he’s one of my favorite targets not getting anywhere close to Top 100 love. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 82/23/84/.272/.341/.455/9

130) Wandy Asigen – NYM, SS, 16.7 – If I were basing it purely off video, Asigen would be my top dog in the international class. I talked about Hernandez not really jumping off the screen, but my goodness does Asigen’s brutal lefty swing jump off the screen and then some. That thing is lightning quick, explosive, and is already crushing the ball. That is the explosion I love betting on from the international class. He’s got the lean and projectable build at a skinny 6’0” that scouts love, so we could be looking at a special power bat here if it all works out. The speed is plus, he has a good feel to hit, and he’s performed well against good competition. The hit tool doesn’t seem quite as safe as Hernandez’, and he doesn’t have that comforting production against much older competition like Hernandez, but damn does his upside seem to be on another level. He’s also almost a full year younger, which I’m not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. You are drafting a full on 16 year old here. Hernandez is the consensus top international prospect, but I don’t think it’s unanimous. Some like Asigen more, and I get it. I like him more too just based on video, but I’m going to factor in the extra risk, and I can’t quite rank Asigen in as lofty of a tier as I did Hernandez. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 77/26/86/.262/.328/.467/26

131) Joe Mack – MIA, C, 23.3 – Mack is very clearly coming for that starting catching job, and he very well might be coming for it straight out of camp. If catcher wasn’t so insanely deep, maybe that would warrant a super high ranking even on a fantasy list, but catcher is so damn deep I still think it makes him more of a back end Top 100 type, because while the bat is good, I’m not sure it’s going to truly standout. He put up a 108 wRC+ in 99 games at Triple-A, which is good, but didn’t exactly blow the doors off. There is hit tool risk with a 27.9% K% and 32.2% whiff% at the level, and while he hits the ball hard, he doesn’t tear the cover off with a 89.1 MPH EV and 43.1% Hard Hit%. The evaluation is super easy. He’s a classic low BA slugging catcher with good power, but not humongous power. With how deep catcher is, that likely makes him a fringy starter in a 12 teamer at best, but unlike some of the catcher prospects ranked above him, he’s a near lock to stick behind the plate, which does matter for long term planning. – 2026 Projection: 41/15/47/.225/.303/.409/3 Prime Projection: 59/23/72/.238/.321/.432/6

132) Harry Ford – WSH, C, 23.1 – The trade to Washington is exactly what Ford needed to open a path to playing time, but he’s still going to have to battle for it. He’s a good fantasy catcher prospect with excellent plate skills (19.2/16.2 K%/BB%), and his power finally ticked up this season with 16 homers and a 41.9% Hard Hit% in 97 games at Triple-A. He didn’t run much this year with only 7 steals but he’s got speed and he’s run much more in the past (35 steals in 2024). He can be the rare solid across the board catcher, and now he should the opportunity if the defense is good enough. There are some questions about if the defense is actually going to be good enough, which still gives him some long term playing time risk. – 2026 Projection: 39/8/42/.246/.310/.378/8 Prime Projection: 76/17/68/.269/.350/.427/13

133) Eduardo Tait – MIN, C, 19.7 – Tait has a loose, athletic, and powerful lefty swing that is a thing of beauty and is so easy to dream on. He was only 18 years old in the upper minors, and while he didn’t blow the doors off with a 103 wRC+ in 112 games at Single-A and High-A, the underlying contact/power numbers were impressive for his age. He put up an 89.5 MPH EV, 41.4% Hard Hit%, 16 degree launch, 21.8% Air Pull%, 24% whiff%, and a 19.3% K% at Single-A. The bat is special. He does have one glaring issue in his profile though, and that is he is a chase monster with a 38.2% Chase%. He also still needs work defensively behind the plate and he wasn’t good vs lefties with a .648 OPS. I don’t think he’s on the Duno/Rainiel tier on lower minors catchers, but he’s the next best thing. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 69/25/83/.258/.319/.455/2

134) Angel Genao – CLE, SS, 21.10 – I was wrong about McGonigle, but I was right about Genoa. Both were hit tool first prospects who were getting a lot of hype, and while I ended up too low on McGonigle, I was right on target for Genoa. He got a bit exposed in the upper minors, slashing .259/.323/.359 with 2 homers, 6 steals, and a 15.8/8.5 K%/BB% in 77 games at Double-A. I was worried the hit tool wouldn’t be as elite at higher levels and that the power/speed combo was only moderate, and that is exactly how it played it out. It’s not that I didn’t like him as a prospect at all, I just thought he was overvalued for fantasy, and now his value has dropped to where it should be. He has a good glove that will get him on the field, he has an excellent feel to hit, he can hit it pretty hard, and he’ll steal some bags. He’s a good prospect, just not a great one. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 83/15/66/.272/.329/.409/18

135) Brice Matthews – HOU, 2B, 24.0 – Matthews has an even bigger hit tool problem than Melton. His contact rates were even worse than Melton’s in his MLB debut with a .167 BA, a 42.6% K% and a 50.6% whiff% in 47 PA. Honestly, that makes Melton look good and not even that risky ha. And unlike Melton, Matthews’ whiff% was super concerning at Triple-A too with a 35.3% whiff% and 27.9% K% in 112 games. The hit tool is just about as high risk as it gets, so good thing the upside is damn high too. He’s fast with a 28.8 ft/sec sprint and he loves to run with 42 steals. He hits it pretty hard (89.8 MPH EV), he lifts it (15 degree launch), and the 17.3% Air Pull% is solid. He also has a solid 2B glove, but with Altuve under contract through 2029, I don’t see how that is going to get him on the field. He’s a 24 year old, super duper high risk bat without a path to playing time. As much as I liked him coming out of the draft, and as much as I still like the upside, I just don’t see how he could be a very highly valued dynasty asset at the moment. – 2026 Projection: 23/6/28/.212/.288/.389/9 Prime Projection: 73/18/68/.228/.310/430/24

136) Jonathon Long – CHI, 1B, 24.2 – I really like Long’s bat. I’ve actually really liked Long’s bat since I called him a deep league sleeper as a 9th round pick in his 2023 Draft year, but unfortunately, when you are a 1B only prospect, really liking a prospects bat isn’t enough. You have to think it’s going to be one of the better bats in MLB to bet on them securing a full time job, and I can’t say that about Long. The biggest issue for me is that he didn’t lift and pull a ton at AAA with a 10 degree launch and 10.5% Air Pull%. He still hit 20 homers in 140 games, and he hits the ball really hard with a 90.9 MPH EV and 47.1% Hard Hit%, but if we need to bet on his bat exploding so hard and quickly in the majors to win a 1B/DH job, I would optimally want to see more lift and pull. The plate skills are strong with a 19.1/13.0 K%/BB%, so he’s not just a home run or nothing guy, but again, at 1B, a solid above average bat with good but not great homer totals just might not be enough. Especially in Chicago where Michael Busch is locked at 1B and they have plenty of other DH options both short and long term. If he were on another team, I could see ranking him higher, but until he’s on that other team, this is as high as I can go. – 2026 Projection: 14/3/15/.247/.308/.407/0 Prime Projection: 74/22/79/.265/.330/.453/2

137) Demetrio Crisantes – ARI, 2B, 21.7 – I love me some shoulder surgery. I don’t know what they are putting in the shoulder surgeries these days, but not only do hitter’s very often come back to 100%, they come back better than ever. Neto and Varsho returned from shoulder surgery during the 2025 season and put up career best Hard Hit and bat speed numbers. Ohtani hit a career high 55 homers. Usually when rehab from major surgery bumps up right into the next season, guys don’t have great years, but not with whatever they are doing with these shoulder surgeries. So all of that to say, I’m not budging on the rankings on any of the guys who underwent shoulder this year, and in fact, it makes them really good targets for me. Crissantes’ strong across the board profile was transferring to High-A before the shoulder surgery with 4 homers, 6 steals, and a 12.6/13.9 K%/BB% in 34 games. He was also improving his lift and pull with a 45.9% FB% and 47.7% Pull%, which is a great sign, because he already hit the ball hard. He’s an excellent base stealer and the plate skills are near elite. He was getting a lot of hype last off-season, so it might have been hard to buy, but the shoulder injury really slowed that hype train down. Out of sight, out of mind. And because there does seem to be a small buy window now, I would be all over it if you can. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 85/18/75/.276/.340/.442/22

138) Jace LaViolette – CLE, OF, 21.7 – LaViolette was one of the favorites for #1 overall before the season started, but he had the worst year of his college career last year, causing him to fall to 27th overall. His 18 homers and .258 BA in 56 games in the SEC were career worsts. His 25.2% K% is in the major danger zone, and instead of improving his junior year, like we wanted to see, it actually got a bit worse. The tantalizing talent is certainly in here at 6’6”, 230 pounds with plus speed (7 steals) and monster power, but you can see by how far he fell that most teams didn’t trust the hit tool at all. I’m apt to aim for upside in fantasy, so I would caution about letting him fall too low in your draft, but hit tool risk has to be factored in. He didn’t debut in 2025, which is a smart move because they didn’t want to scare all of us with a 30%+ K rate to start his pro career. Let him ease in next year. He’s the Spencer Jones of the 2025 class – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 72/27/78/.226/.310/.454/14

139) Jhonny Level – SFG, SS, 19.0 – Level was one of the top DSL breakouts in 2024, and then he came stateside and did basically the exact same thing, slashing .288/.375/.493 with 9 homers, 17 steals, and a 15.3/12.6 K%/BB% in 58 games. I would have loved for him to close the season out with a bang at full season ball, and while he didn’t do that with an 89 wRC+ in 31 games, he wasn’t overly matched or anything with 3 homers, 4 steals, and a 20.4/11.6 K%/BB%. Good enough to hold his value steady. My comp for him has always been Michael Arroyo, and it’s really the perfect comp with similar size (5’10”), underrated power, good feel to hit, decent but not great speed/base stealing, and a terrible ballpark waiting for them. The ballpark is the thing that really scares me for both of them, because I don’t think they are going to have the type of power to be ballpark proof, but trades happen, and even if they don’t get traded, I would still like them. It just shaves some upside off the top. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 81/21/72/.264/.330/.432/12

140) Arjun Nimmala – TOR, SS, 20.6 – Nimmala looked to be ascending to an elite power hitting prospect in the first two months, slashing .291/.382/.527 with 9 homers, 5 steals, and a 17.5/11.8 K%/BB% in 46 games at High-A, but it fell off a cliff after that with a .558 OPS and 23.9/9.1 K%/BB% in his final 74 games. The .224/.313/.381 slash with a 91 wRC+ is just not an impressive season when it was all said and done. He was only 19 years old at High-A and that vicious righty swing that got him drafted 30th overall is still there, but he now has a .227 BA in 220 minor league games in his career. We have to give some leeway for being young for every level, but it’s clear that the hit tool is a very real risk here. I can’t say he excites me a ton right now, and I can’t say I’m targeting him, but he’s still a good, young power hitting prospect. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 71/24/79/.242/.319/.448/10

141) Billy Carlson – CHW, SS, 19.8 – Selected 10th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Carlson’s best tool is his double plus SS glove, which makes him a better real life prospect than fantasy prospect, but he’s no slouch with the bat either. He’s 6’1”, 175 pounds with the type of righty swing that I am drawn too. Upright, loose, and quick. There really aren’t any truly standout offensive tools here, so it’s hard to rank him too high for a fantasy list. He has a good feel to hit, but it’s not one of the top hit tools in the class. He’s a good athlete, but it’s not plus speed. And there is power, but it’s probably more 20-ish homer upside. If it all clicks, think something like Masyn Winn or Jeremey Pena (with less speed). Maybe it’s too early to worry about, but Chicago also just landed the top pick in 2026, and that pick is almost certainly going to be college SS Roch Cholowsky. It just adds another future hurdle, but again, it’s a bit early to worry about. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 83/19/68/.268/.327/.427/16

142) Daniel Pierce – TBR, SS, 19.8 – Selected 14th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Tampa basically drafted the Carson Williams starter pack. The similarities are striking and the profile is very similar. Pierce’s scouting report reads very similar to what Williams’ scouting report read in his draft year. Pierce is an excellent athlete at 6’1”, 180 pounds with plus speed and a plus glove at SS. There is power potential in here to get to at least above average at peak, and while there are some hit tool issues, he generally has a good feel to hit. Williams obviously went the route of adding a ton of power with more swing and miss than optimal, but we’ll see the route Pierce decides to take. A strong showing in pro ball will have him climbing the ranks in a heartbeat. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 78/18/73/.252/.326/.427/28

143) Sean Gamble – KCR, OF, 19.9 – Selected 23rd overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, the 6’2”, 185 pound Gamble is a high upside high school bat with at least plus speed, a good feel to hit, and above average power potential at the least. His lefty swing is fast and explosive. He’s not a finished product both hit tool and game power wise, and he’s on the older side at 19 years old, but there is impact all category potential in here if it all clicks. He doesn’t seem to get nearly the hype as a lot of the other talented high school bats, so he might come at a pretty good value in many first year player drafts compared to other high school bats that are getting the full hype treatment. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection:77/19/70/.252/.321/.437/26

144) Ethan Frey – HOU, OF, 22.0 – Selected 95th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, you know I love me a good pro debut breakout, and after Kilby, Frey might be the next biggest pro debut breakout, slashing .330/.434/.470 with 3 homers, 9 steals in 14 attempts, and a 20.5/16.4 K%/BB% in 26 games at Single-A. He’s a 6’6”, 225 pound behemoth, and befitting his size, he can crush the ball, but the risk is that that is all he can really do well. He had hit tool and contact issues throughout his college career at LSU, putting up a 22.2% K% in his junior year. So while it’s definitely great to see the good BA and strong contact rates at Single-A, he still projects for a below average hit tool, like many 6’6” guys do. He’s a good athlete but he’s not a burner and he didn’t steal much in college, so we can’t bank on steals, and he’s not valuable on defense, so the bat is going to have to hit it’s ceiling. He also didn’t lift and pull much with a 41.6% GB% and 33.8% Pull% (only 13 homers in 62 games this year in college, which is good but not great). He’s really like so many recent Astros picks with impressive talent/athleticism (in this case size and power), but with enough flaws to question what it is going to look like on the MLB level. I love the pro debut, and he’s definitely a big riser from the pre draft evaluation, but he’s already getting a ton of love, and I’m not sure how much higher I am going to end up than consensus. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 74/22/78/.250/.327/.442/9

145) Nick Becker – SEA, SS, 19.4 – Selected 57th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Becker is 6’4”, 190 pounds with a super bouncy, athletic and quick righty swing. I’m a definitely a fan of the swing, and there is plenty of projection on his frame to get to plus power at peak. He combines that with plus speed and a good feel to hit, but he’s yet to combine the hit/power combo together, so plenty of refinement is needed. This guy just has the look of that NBA style natural athlete. Fluid motions and explosion. I definitely want to bet on him. The pro debut wasn’t great with a 32.1% K% and 66 wRC+ in 6 games at Single-A, but it was small sample, and it’s not scaring me off from loving him. If something tanks him though, it will be the hit tool. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 75/21/77/.251/.324/.434/24

146) Francisco Renteria – PHI, OF, 17.3 – If you could draw up the perfect international prospect, Renteria is basically exactly how you would draw it up. He’s a projectable 6’3”, 200 pounds with explosive bat speed, double plus power potential and plus speed. He very well might have the highest pure upside of anyone in the class (but I think my boy Santiago Solarte could give him a run for his money there), and it also comes with a good feel to hit and good approach. That is literally every single box you want to see checked. He doesn’t have the truly special way ahead of his age refinement that Luis Hernandez has, and it seems Asigen is also ahead in terms of hit tool confidence and getting to the raw power, but if Renteria ends up lapping both of them, it wouldn’t be a surprise at all. There is legit elite prospect upside in here if it works out. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 82/28/88/.258/.335/.478/18

147) Angeibel Gomez – KCR, OF, 17.4 – Gomez is a supreme athlete at a projectable 6’2”, 181 pounds with plus speed, plus power potential, and a history of production. He won the MVP in the 2024 Amateur Scouting League, giving some comfort that he isn’t going to come into the DSL and just tank, and he also has the plus CF glove that can carry him on real lift lists and give him a long leash in general. He already hits the ball hard and there is a lot more coming with his projectable frame. He’s very clearly a truly elite international prospect who checks just about every box you want to see checked. You could put his profile against anyone’s from this class. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 84/24/21/.262/.331/.455/24

148) Mick Abel – MIN, RHP, 24.8 – After 4 years of struggles and unfulfilled potential, Abel finally had the big breakout we’ve all been waiting for, and Philly couldn’t wait to sell high and cash in on that value at their first chance. They got Jhoan Duran for him (and Tait), so it’s not like they gave him away, but I think it does say something about what they think about him. I would have done the same thing. They didn’t all of a sudden view him as an untouchable elite pitching prospect. All the years of struggles were not just wiped away. He put up a 2.20 ERA with a 28.6/10.1 K%/BB% in 98.1 IP at Triple-A, but as you can see, the control is still below average. The 28.3% whiff% is really good, but it’s not elite levels for AAA, and the 3.78 xFIP also hints at some good luck. It also all fell apart in the majors with a 6.23 ERA and 22.4/9.2 K%/BB% in 39 IP. He throws hard with a 96.4 MPH fastball (95.7 MPH at AAA), but the pitch gets hit hard too with a .423 xwOBA (47% Hard Hit% at AAA). The curve is legitimately plus with a 39.1% whiff%, but the other secondaries aren’t nearly as good and he doesn’t go to them very often. The upside is definitely in here and it’s always been in here, and it’s awesome to see him start to actualize it, but I’m not ready to really stick my neck out for him. His career has been a wild ride, and I’m not so sure that ride is done. I don’t mind him for cheap, but he’s not a target for me. – 2026 Projection: 5/4.28/1.36/114 in 120 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.85/1.29/165 in 160 IP

149) Tanner McDougal – CHW, RHP, 23.0 – That pitching prospect bucket that I love shopping in is just insanely overflowing. I think I’m gonna need a bigger bucket, or maybe 2 buckets, because I’m going to be drowning in choice when I’m ready to take my stabs on the guys in that Top 75-150 area on prospects rankings. Finding underrated pitching prospects is so easy that it’s become hard. Oh shit, I feel like that’s a Yogi-ism. Anyway, onto McDougal, he’s 6’5” with a mid to upper 90’s fastball, two bat missing breakers in his curve and slider, and a lesser used changeup. It resulted in a 3.26 ERA with a 28.3/10.2 K%/BB% in 113.1 IP at High-A and Double-A (he was even better at Double-A than High-A). There is control risk and he needs to improve the changeup, giving him sizeable relief risk, but there is very really high K, mid-rotation starter upside in here. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.78/1.27/158 in 150 IP

150) Brandon Sproat – MIL, RHP, 25.6 – I was ready to give Sproat the Triple-A is effing hard bump with a 4.24 ERA and 22.1/10.4 K%/BB% in 121 IP, but it turned out MLB was really hard for him as well with a 4.79 ERA and 20.2/8.3 K%/BB% in 20.2 IP. The Triple-A is hard bump only works if the majors ends up being easier, which we’ve genuinely seen from a ton of rookies this year, but that isn’t how it went down for Sproat. A 15.1% whiff% is concerningly low, and the 25.6% whiff% at Triple-A is mediocre too. There is a reason the Mets were willing to include him in the Peralta deal. He’s really not that good. There is a big BUT though, and that but is that the stuff is really, really good, so while he’s not that good right now, there is definite breakout potential in the right franchise, and I don’t think I have to tell you that Milwaukee is the right franchise. They have some fun stuff to work with like a 96.7 MPH 4-seamer, 95.7 MPH sinker, and a potentially plus sweeper. The changeup, curve and slider all flash really good too. I don’t want to fade a guy too hard with this level of stuff who is going to a great organization, but I’m too unimpressed with his 2025 season to to call him one of my guys. He’s a fringy Top 100 prospect as there are a lot of guys with really good stuff who had much better seasons than Sproat, so he’s towards the back end of that fringy group. The trade to Milwaukee is the main reason he’s even ranked this high for me. – 2026 Projection: 4/4.15/1.32/79 in 90 IP Prime Projection: 11/3.76/1.27/155 in 160 IP

151) Ben Hess – NYY, RHP, 23.7 – Hess was underrated in First Year Player Drafts last off-season, and he’s still underrated now. The Yanks took him 26th overall for a reason, and that reason was that he’s a big man at 6’5”, 255 pounds with big stuff, and while he didn’t have that truly dominating Junior Year breakout, the breakout came in pro ball this year. He put up a 3.22 ERA with a 33.0/10.9 K%/BB% in 103 IP at High-A and Double-A, and he was even better at Double-A with a 2.70 ERA and 31.3/9.0 K%/BB% in 36.2 IP. He dominated with a plus mid 90’s fastball/curve combo, and the lesser used changeup is really good when he goes to it too. He also throws a solid slider. The control/command is below average, likely limiting his reasonable upside projection to a mid-rotation starter, but a high K mid-rotation starter is an impact fantasy starter. – 2026 Projection: 2/4.14/1.33/47 in 50 IP Prime Projection: 11/3.71/1.24/171 in 165 IP

152) Luis Perales – WSH, RHP, 22.11 – Boston and Washington swapped upside for safety (Perales for Jake Bennett), and while I actually do think the trade is in the fair range for real life, I’m easily a Perales guy for fantasy. I’m a Perales guy for real life too for that matter. He returned from June 2024 Tommy John surgery and immediately showed the insanely exciting stuff was back with the fastball sitting upper 90’s. He couldn’t command it to save his life in his return with a 18% BB% in 11.1 IP in the AFL, and he got bombed there with a 10.32 ERA, so while it’s great to see the big stuff back, it’s hard to say he proved he is fully healthy. He actually relied more on his plus, low 90’s cutter than he did the heater. He was going full breakout in 2024 with a 2.94 ERA with a 38.9/8.3 K%/BB% in 33.2 IP at High-A and Double-A before going down with the injury, and he certainly didn’t pick up right from where he left off. He was of course just ramping back up and shaking the rust off, so we have to give him a lot of leeway, but seeing it again first would be nice before getting too crazy with his ranking. He also still has bullpen risk as he needs to improve his secondaries (slider, splitter). There is plenty of risk here, both injury and bullpen, but the upside is just as high, even if he does end up in the bullpen as a potential future closer. He’s a major 2026 breakout candidate. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.78/1.29/164 in 150 IP

153) Kevin Defrank – MIA, RHP, 17.8 – 17 year old DSL pitching prospects are by far my least favorite aisle of prospect to shop in. For one, there are so many underrated pitching prospects with big stuff in the upper minors that you don’t have to dive this far to get a potentially really impactful fantasy starter. For two, who knows how many Tommy John surgeries you will have to sit through before he gets to the bigs, and then who knows how long they will sit in the breakout waiting room before actually breaking out (see, Edward Cabrera). So it’s just treacherous waters to dive in, but sometimes there are exceptions, and Defrank is that exception. He don’t look 17 years old at a thick 6’5”, and his stuff isn’t that of average an 17 year old with a mid to upper 90’s fastball and an already pretty advanced, filthy changeup. The slider isn’t as refined yet, but it definitely has potential to be a bat missing weapon at peak. And he does it all with pretty good control, and an athletic, kinda super charged righty delivery. It led to a 3.19 ERA with a 24.1/7.1 K%/BB% in 31 IP. It would have been nice to see that wild crazy 30%+ rate, but the above average walk rate mitigates that, and the stuff is clearly going to miss a ton of bats. Who knows if he can hold up for a full starters workload, but if you’re going to take a shot on a DSL pitcher, Defrank is the one to go for. Even if you don’t plan on keeping him, he could be a great trade chip as he flies up rankings. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 12/3.48/1.15/175 in 160 IP

154) Luis De Leon – BAL, LHP, 22.11 – De Leon was a late season helium pitcher who got the sent to the AFL where the helium just kept getting blown into his hype balloon. And he deserves every bit of it as a still projectable 6’3” lefty with a mid 90’s fastball and two bat missing secondaries in his slider and changeup. It led to a 3.30 ERA with a 28.5/10.9 K%/BB% in 87.1 IP at mostly High-A, but he kept it up at Double-A too with a 1.69 ERA and 35.3/10.5 K%/BB% in 16 IP. He’s had control issues throughout his career and he’s definitely not a finished product, but out of all of Baltimore’s super talented proximity pitchers, I think De Leon might have the most upside of them all. I’m rolling the dice on De Leon. He makes for a great target this off-season even with his rising hype. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.77/1.29/166 in 150 IP

155) Kendry Chourio – KCR, RHP, 18.6 – I talked about keeping things simple in the Kris Bubic blurb, and I talked about K to BB being King in the Noah Cameron blurb, which leads us to Kendry Chourio. He just put up a 29.9/2.4 K%/BB% in 51.1 IP as a 17 year old making his pro debut, rising all the way from the DSL to Single-A in the span of 2 months. Is he a fireballer? No (the fastball gets into the mid 90’s though). Are the secondaries off the screen insane? No (the breakers and changeup both project to be good pitches though). Is he a huge man? No (he’s only 6’0”, but he’s not small). But like I said, don’t make things more complicated than they have to be. That K/BB is special, and rising all the way up to Single-A as a 17 year is special, where that K/BB was still awesome with a 25.0/4.2 K%/BB% in 22.2 IP. The pitchability is top of the scale, and the stuff ain’t bad either. I’m buying it for the most part, but this is is still a super volatile bucket of prospect, so I wouldn’t go too crazy quite yet. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 11/3.81/1.19/155 in 165 IP

156) Gage Stanifer – TOR, RHP, 22.4 – Stanifer is yet another awesome pitching prospect target. Add him to the pile. He’s 6’3”, 208 pounds with that at the ear mid 90’s fastball that always creates a great movement profile and always racks up whiffs. He combines the bat missing heater with a potentially plus slider and a lesser used, solid changeup. It resulted in a 2.86 ERA with a 35.5/12.8 K%/BB% in 110 IP at mostly High-A. He got hit up in 2 starts to end the season at Double-A but I wouldn’t read too much into it. The biggest issue with his profile is the below average control, but he’s not super wild, so I think he can improve on that over time. He was just 21 years old last year. He gets some hype, but in the grand scheme, he’s definitely underrated. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 11/3.68/1.24/171 in 160 IP

157) Jefferson Rojas – CHC, SS/2B, 20.11 – I always put Rojas in the better real life than fantasy prospect bucket, and that is still the bucket I have him in. He has a good middle infield glove and he has a good feel to hit, which is as safe as a real life prospect gets, but he doesn’t have the tools to get me excited for fantasy with an average power/speed combo. To his credit, he bounced back in a major way coming off a down 2024, slashing .278/.379/.492 with 11 homers, 14 steals, and a 15.7/12.7 K%/BB% in 67 games at High-A, but he fell off a cliff when he got to Double-A with a 54 wRC+ in 39 games. He was only 20 years old, so the High-A numbers mean more to me, but I do think it hints at the subdued upside as he starts facing better competition. Solid prospect, but not a high upside fantasy prospect. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 81/17/66/.271/.334/.419/19

158) Nelson Rada – LAA, OF, 20.8 – The Angels are in desperate need of defensive upgrades, and while the Josh Lowe trade seems to now block Rada, Rada is still very likely their best defensive CF. Leave it to the Angels to acquire another bad OF, but if they get desperate for defense, Rada will be sitting at AAA waiting to go. And if he does get run, his base stealing ability alone will make him fantasy relevant with 54 steals in 135 games split between Double-A and Triple-A. The problem is that is likely all he will be able to do. The Hard Hit is bottom of the scale with a 83.4 MPH EV and 19.7% Hard Hit%, the 56.4% GB% is extreme, and while the hit tool is solid, a 20.4% whiff% and 19.9% K% isn’t exactly the type of elite hit tool you would want to see for this type of profile. He gets on base with a strong approach, but if he just can’t hit, that isn’t going to matter and that could disappear in the majors. Everything I just said though has to be taken with the context that this was a 19/20 year old in the upper minors all season, and he put up 121 wRC+. That counts for something. He’s never going to be a big hard hit guy at 5’9″, but it should only tick up as he matures. A plus defensive CF with speed and good enough plate skills can be fantasy relevant even from the bottom of the order, and if the BA/OBP is good enough, there is a chance he can hit at the top. He still looks like the Angels starting CF of the future. – 2026 Projection: 31/1/13/.238/.296/.331/9 Prime Projection: 77/7/42/.262/.333/.378/31

159) Nate George – BAL, OF, 19.11 – George was the 489th overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, but he signed for $455K, showing he was a legit prospect, and calling him a legit prospect now is an understatement after making his pro debut in 2025. He slashed .337/.413/.483 with 5 homers, 50 steals in 75 attempts, and a 16.8/10.3 K%/BB% in 87 games split between rookie ball (179 wRC+), Single-A (163 wRC+) and High-A (133 wRC+). He’s not a huge guy at 6’0”, 200 pounds, but he’s definitely pretty electric out there with solid hard hit, speed, and good plate skills. He’s not a big lift and pull guy with a 46.7% GB% and 40.2% Pull%, but he doesn’t have to be with this type of profile. He projects as a solid across the board type with plenty of upside depending on how much of his raw power he can tap into and/or if he can improve his base stealing skills. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 82/18/71/.266/.331/.431/25

160) Zac Veen – COL, OF, 24.3 – The raw power finally came. It finally fucking happened. I was once upon a time extremely high on Zac Veen because I couldn’t believe that the raw power wasn’t going to come for the projectable 6’3” uber athlete, and in 2025, it came with a 90.7 MPH EV and 47.9% Hard Hit% in 90 games at Triple-A. That is what I have been waiting for, but unfortunately, the rest of his game still isn’t refined enough to take advantage of it. The hit tool got exposed when he got called to the majors with a 37.8% K% and 43.7% whiff% in 37 PA. It was a small sample, and he was better at Triple-A (20.4% K% with a 25.9% whiff%), but it’s clearly a risk. He didn’t lift enough to take full advantage of the power uptick with a 46.9% GB%, and even his once huge steal totals have diminished, going 15 for 20 in 93 games. He had a strong triple-slash (.289/.354/.464), but it was still only good for a 94 wRC+, and he struggled vs. lefties with a .679 OPS. Any leftover hype from being the 9th overall pick in 2020 and having huge potential has really mostly been extinguished. He’s just one of Colorado’s many talented by flawed corner outfielders. There is fantasy upside, but don’t overpay for the name value. – 2026 Projection: 24/5/28/.234/.298/.379/8 Prime Projection: 64/16/69/.252/.319/.427/23

161) Ethan Salas – SDP, C, 19.10 – I don’t think the upside is high enough to stay too patient with Salas. We gave Salas a lot of leeway for his terrible 2024 season (75 wRC+ in 111 games at High-A) because he was so young for the level, but in 2025, we saw what actual electric 18 year old prospects could accomplish at High-A like Jesus Made and Leodalis De Vries. Salas was off to another horrible start in 10 games at Double-A this year before a stress reaction in his back ended his season. His prospect stock was always buoyed by his excellent catcher glove, which doesn’t matter that much for fantasy, and while he was hurt this year the rest of the catcher world around him has exploded. Tack on a below average hitter’s park in San Diego, and he just doesn’t seem like a very special fantasy prospect. Of course we still have to take his age and him being pushed extremely aggressively into account, and maybe the biggest thing in his favor is that the San Diego catcher job is waiting for him, but he feels more name value to me than anything else. He needs to show legitimate offensive juice in 2026 regardless of what level they put him at before we can get excited about him again. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 72/22/79/.266/.340/.448/8

162) Esmerlyn Valdez – PIT, 1B/OF, 22.6 – Pitt’s offense is atrocious. They scored the least amount of runs in the league, and while they have some good bats in the farm system, it’s not like they are stacked there either. Point being, a prospect like Valdez is in the perfect organization to bet on for fantasy. Even the moves they made this off-season were for short term vets. They need some big bats, and I don’t see why Pitt wouldn’t give Valdez a major chance to be one of those big bats. He obliterated High-A with 20 homers and a 176 wRC+ in 72 games as a 21 year old, and while he got off to a slow start at Double-A, he finished strong with 6 homers and a 145 wRC+ in his final 42 games. He then went to the AFL and went nuclear with 8 homers and a 1.355 OPS in 19 games. The dude can flat out mash with a powerful righty swing at 6’2” and plenty of lift and pull. There is hit tool risk with a 24.6% K%, and he doesn’t have much defensive value, but like I said, beggars can’t be choosers. Pitt needs some big bats, and I think Valdez is going to get his shot at some point, if not in 2026, then in 2027 and beyond. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 70/26/81/.243/.318/.462/4

163) Hector Rodriguez – CIN, OF, 22.1 – Rodriguez has been a precocious hitter since the time he stepped on a pro field at 17 years old, and in 2025 he proved that special hit tool will have no problems in the upper minors, putting up a .283 BA with a 15% K% in 135 games split between Double-A and Triple-A. A hit tool like that generally finds it’s way onto the field, but the negatives in his profile overshadow that hit tool a bit for me. He doesn’t have much defensive value as a decent corner outfielder, he doesn’t get on base with a 46.6% Chase%, he’s not a great base stealer with 15 steals in 22 attempts on the season, the raw power is only average to maybe above average with a 39.3% Hard Hit%, and he hits the ball on the ground a ton with a 48.1% GB%. It doesn’t seem like a high upside fantasy profile or a high upside real life profile. He’s always going to have to scratch and claw for playing time because the defense ain’t great. He’s more of a Top 150-ish prospect for me. – 2026 Projection: 11/2/13/.255/.295/.391/3 Prime Projection: 82/16/61/.273/.322/.429/16

164) Juneiker Caceres – CLE, OF, 18.8 – Uh oh, another hit tool first prospect for me to underrate ;), but nah, I’m not going to do it. I told you in the Jacob Wilson blurb that I’m in deep therapy for my aversion to hit tool first types, and I think I’m making progress, because I actually like Caceres a lot. He was a 17 year old for the vast majority of the season and he ripped up stateside rookie, slashing .289/.419/.469 with 3 homers, 5 steals, and a 11.3/16.9 K%/BB% in 40 games. He wasn’t as good when he got called up to Single-A, but it’s still super encouraging that the elite contact rates transferred with a 13.1% K% and 103 wRC+ in 30 games. He’s 5’10” with a quick lefty swing that is certainly geared for average over power, but he can hit the ball pretty hard already, so he should have some legit pop at peak. I wish he had more speed/was a better base stealer, but that is where I’ve slipped up in the past when underrating these types. I’m going against type and actually liking Caceres this year. I’m in (although looking at this ranking, I don’t know, maybe I can’t help myself hah … I just love upside!) – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 86/18/68/.277/.345/.438/8

165) Kevin Alcantara – CHC, OF, 23.8 – Alcantara has been such an intriguing fantasy prospect for several years now with raw upside to dream on at a projectable 6’6” with hard hit ability and plus speed, but he still hasn’t put it together. He had a decent year at Triple-A with a 109 wRC+ in 102 games, but it came with a 30.5% whiff% and 29.8% K%, he stole only 10 bags, and he didn’t lift and pull with a 9 degree launch and 12.7% Air Pull%. The 90.4 MPH EV and 45% Hard Hit% are good, but they aren’t so good where you can just ignore everything else. He’s simply still too raw. And he’s blocked in Chicago. He seems like the exact type to take a shot on when he’s like 27 years old on his 2nd team and starting to refine his hit tool enough to let his other tools shine. He’s got a good CF glove, so the glove should help him get on the field when the bat does potentially get refined enough. But in the near term, it’s hard to really keep targeting him. A trade would do wonders for his fantasy value. – 2026 Projection: 18/4/23/.227/.289/.378/2 Prime Projection: 67/20/74/.246/.318/.427/18

166) Colby Thomas – SAC, OF, 25.2 – Thomas is currently in a short side of a platoon role at best, but if an injury hits, or if Denzel Clarke just can’t hit himself out of a paper bag, Thomas could easily work himself into a bigger role, and he has real upside that is worth keeping an eye on. He put up a 13.3% Barrel%, 92.2 MPH EV, a 74.8 MPH swing, a 21.2 degree launch, a 49.3% Hard Hit% and a 28.6 ft/sec sprint in his 132 PA MLB debut. It resulted in 6 dingers and 2 steals. If he gets on the field, he very clearly has the tools to make a big fantasy impact. The biggest issue is that the hit tool and approach is a major problem. It got exposed in the majors with a 37.1%/5.3% K%/BB% and 37.1% whiff%, and it wasn’t good at Triple-A either with a 26.8/8.3 K%/BB%. He wasn’t bad vs. righties in the minors, but the Athletics were very hesitate to play him vs. them in the majors, and it wasn’t good when they did with a .463 OPS. And he’s already 25 years old. In most leagues, a guy like this is someone I don’t love holding onto, but rather jumping on quick right when I see he’s actually getting full time at bats. So he’s a good proximity play prospect, but he’s not in Top 100 prospect contention anymore. – 2026 Projection: 52/15/61/.236/.299/.435/7

167) Henry Bolte – SAC, OF, 22.8 – Bolte came into this world as a super raw, high upside player, and that is most probably how he’s going to leave this world as well. He’s only 22 and he has the most explosive tools in the system at a powerful and athletic 6’3”, so maybe I’m being too harsh, but that rawness is just staring me in the face. He put up a 32.5% K% with a 34% whiff% and a 66.2% GB% in 34 games at Triple-A. He was better at Double-A, but the 27.4% K% and 55.8% GB% was still very high. He has elite speed (44 steals), he hits it hard with a 42.5% Hard Hit%, and he gets on base with a 11.7% BB% and 22.1% Chase%, but that K/GB combo is absolutely deadly. He was only 21 in the upper minors all season, and he put up a 121 wRC+, so it was a super successful season overall. I’m just not confident the profile will work in the majors, and at best, it seems likely we are looking at more of mid 20’s breakout candidate, which isn’t bad, but it’s annoying to hold for another 3-4 years hoping for that outcome. If you aren’t as scared of the risk as I am, I can see ranking him higher, but this is one case where the risk is getting to me. I’m torn on him. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 77/17/69/.244/.318/.420/26

168) Cris Rodriguez – DET, OF, 18.2 – No prospects explode up rankings like DSL breakouts who immediately prove it stateside that next season, and Rodriguez certainly has the potential to be one of those big breakouts. He signed for $3.2 million, and then he went out and earned that bonus, slashing .308/.340/.564 with 10 homers, 10 steals, and a 22.3/5.9 K%/BB% in 50 games. Not gonna lie, that K/BB is scary for the DSL, and it does point to a very likely adjust period coming when he gets stateside, but his upside and talent is good enough to take on that extra risk. He’s got the scout’s dream build at a projectable and athletic 6’3”. The power/speed combo is potentially plus and so is the CF glove. If the plate approach doesn’t tank him, he can become a true stud. I’m taking on the extra risk for that upside. He’s a definite target. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 74/26/85/.249/.320/.462/16

169) Josh Hammond – KCR, SS, 19.7 – Selected 28th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, the 6’2”, 215 pound Hammond is a barrel chested kid with big time present power to all fields. He reminds me a bit of an even bigger Luke Dickerson in the box. He’s also a really good athlete who would have been a day 1 pick as a pitcher too if he wanted to go that route. There are some questions about how the hit tool will play against pro competition, and Kansas City is a well below average park for righty homers (at least they used to be, we’ll see how the new park dimensions play) so there is some risk in profile, but this is a big physical kid who hits the ball damn hard. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 76/24/81/.250/.322/.451/9

170) Ryan Mitchell – STL, SS, 19.2 – Selected 55th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Mitchell is one of my favorite targets in 2026 First Year Player Drafts. He checks so many of the boxes I look for in underrated targets with a good feel to hit, projectable power at 6’2”, 185 pounds, present power with some impressive top end exit velocities, and speed/athleticism. The lefty swing is athletic and powerful. There is just so much to like here. The swing is currently geared for average over power, so he’ll have to make some changes to truly unlock his raw power, and while he’s a good athlete with speed, he’s not a true top of the scale burner. If he ended up more of a solid across the board type rather than truly standout across the board it wouldn’t be that surprising, but the good feel to hit gives him a solid floor, and the upside is so clearly in here. I’m a big fan and he’s someone I’m going after. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 84/19/69/.266/.335/.433/24

171) Johenssy Colome – SAC, SS, 17.6 – Colome has the baseball bloodlines you love to bet on. You probably remember his uncle the most, Alex Colome, but you might remember his father too, Jesus Colome. And you can see that MLB blood running through his veins when you watch him swing a bat. He looks like he’s been doing it since coming out of the womb with an absolutely vicious righty hack (he looks young in that video, but it shows that preternatural ability all the more). The MLB Pipeline scouting report dropped Vlad Guerrero Jr’s name, and you know what, I get why. He has the Guerrero family type righty hack that is both precocious and powerful. Colome is 6’2”, 190 pounds and he’s already getting to that big power. He’s also a good athlete. Dude has the chance to be a real beast. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 82/30/91/.258/.326/.483/9

172) Santiago Solarte – MIA, SS, 17.4 – The 6’5”, 203 pound Solarte gives me visions of James Wood at the dish with an athletic and dangerous lefty swing that is already unsurprisingly crushing the ball. And like Wood, he’s a really good athlete with speed. If you want to bet on pure uncut upside, Solarte is that guy, but like many players this tall, it comes with considerable hit tool risk. He’s already shown hit tool risk and he hasn’t even gotten into pro ball yet, which is a bit scary. We are looking for the possible true beasts when we take lotto ticket shots on these international prospects, and considering all of them have risk, what’s it to me to just tack on a bit more for that insane upside. You already know, Solarte is a definite international target for me. He might hit .200 in the DSL, but with someone who should go very late in drafts, why not take the shot. I’m all in. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 76/26/85/.240/.320/.461/19

173) Rhett Lowder – CIN, RHP, 24.1 – 2025 was a completely lost season for Lowder. A right forearm injury sidelined him until May, he got bombed in 4 outings, and then he missed almost 4 months with an oblique injury. He returned for one start at the end of the year and 4 in the AFL, so he should be fully healthy for 2026 at least. While he deserves a mulligan for the lost season, his upside was already questionable without big stuff and in a terrible ballpark. I love the ballpark discount for guys with nasty stuff like Greene/Lodolo/Burns, but not for these control over stuff guys. Lowder had a 90 Stuff+ in his 30.2 IP MLB debut in 2024 and he struggled to miss bats with a 20.1% whiff%. The fastball sits 93+ MPH and he’s got two good secondaries in his slider and changeup, so it’s not like he’s got no stuff at all, and the plus control/command helps everything play up. He got drafted 7th overall for a reason. In a better ballpark, I can see going higher than this, but in Cincinnati, I don’t see the fantasy upside to really go after him. – 2026 Projection: 2/4.29/1.32/61 in 70 IP Prime Projection: 11/3.81/1.20/164 in 170 IP

174) AJ Blubaugh – HOU, RHP, 25.9 – Blubaugh is one of my favorite true sleeper pitcher targets this off-season. He’s the type of sleeper that should stay a sleeper deep into draft season. When a pitcher makes their MLB debut and proves their stuff will translate, I listen, and Blubaugh more than proved his stuff will translate. His 94.6 MPH fastball put up a 28.7% whiff%, which is near elite. The sweeper induced weak contact (76.7 MPH EV) and missed bats (34.5% whiff%), and the changeup was his most valuable pitch with a +6 Run Value. He handled his business vs. both righties (.585 OPS) and lefties (.543 OPS). It all led to a 1.69 ERA with a 28.0/9.6 K%/BB% and 30% whiff% in 32 IP, and absolutely nobody gives a shit. The main reason nobody gives a shit is because he stunk at Triple-A with a 5.27 ERA and 22.3/12.8 K%/BB% in 99 IP, but Triple-A stats are so wonky that you really can’t take them at face value. The fact that Blubaugh was immediately soooooo much better in the majors is like Exhibit A for that, and as I’ve written about a ton, there are so many others too. The MLB success came in mostly short outings, but he has a 5 IP game in there and several 4 IP outings. He wasn’t just a 1-2 inning guy. We’ve seen Houston pull so many rabbits out of their hat with way underrated pitching prospects, and combined with Blubaugh’s MLB success, he seems like such an easy target at his extremely low, to probably free in most leagues, price. Houston made additions which clearly push him out of a rotation spot, but it’s still likely he finds his way into the rotation at some point in 2026.. You don’t need to stick your neck out for him. Just let him fall right into your lap. – 2026 Projection: 4/3.85/1.33/76 in 75 IP Prime Projection: 11/3.73/1.29/168 in 160 IP

175) Sam Antonacci – CHW, 2B/3B, 23.2 – Antonacci is the type who just rakes everywhere he goes and still can’t get any respect. He stepped into pro ball and put up a 170 wRC+ in 23 games at Single-A, then he started at High-A in 2025 and put up a 154 wRC+ in 64 games, followed up a promotion to Double-A where he put up a 153 wRC+ in 49 games, and then finally he destroyed the AFL with a 1.046 OPS in 19 games. He’s not a big tools guy without big raw power or raw speed, which is why he doesn’t get any respect, but the guy can hit, which is pretty damn important for a hitter. The contact and approach are elite with a 14.1/13.3 K%/BB%, he doesn’t hit the ball weakly at all with a 44.4% Hard Hit% in the AFL (keep in mind those numbers are a bit inflated in the AFL, but he showed about average raw power in the minors too), and he’s an excellent base stealer with 48 steals. He needs to lift and pull more if he wants to get to more of his power (5 homers in 116 games), which he did more of in the AFL (3 homers in 19 games), and he’s only an average defender at 2B/3B, so while the glove isn’t bad, it’s not going to force the bat on the field. It might be a utility infielder long term, but he’s been beating expectations since entering pro ball, and he just might keep beating them. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 76/10/58/.262/.326/.392/23 Update: Looks great in spring and deserves a bump

176) Ricky Tiedemann – TOR, LHP, 23.8 – I was hoping to see Tiedemann get some AFL action after undergoing Tommy John surgery in July 2024, but it was not to be. Actually seeing the filthy stuff all the way back would have gone a long way to getting his hype bubbling again, but as of now, it’s still a mystery as to what he’s going to look like. The lack of news out there about him also kinda gives me a bad feeling. The last we heard was that he was throwing bullpens back in June, and then nothing. I guess we can’t read into that either way, but I would have thought there would at least be some video, or some word of his fastball back into the mid 90’s or whatever. At full health he’s a funky, flame throwing lefty with a plus slider and a pretty damn good changeup too. The control was erratic, giving him risk even before the injury, and now obviously the TJ and lack of updates gives him even more risk. On a contending Blue Jays team, I can definitely foresee him getting broken into the majors in the bullpen, but long term, and even short term when injuries hit, I have a hard time believing he won’t get every chance to start, assuming he’s healthy. – 2026 Projection: 2/3.90/1.31/52 in 50 IP Prime Projection: 12/3.58/1.22/177 in 160 IP Update: Felt elbow soreness while ramping up and we also found out he had bone chips removed, which is why there has been so little about his rehab out there. His injury risk is feeling sky high

177) Ryan Johnson – LAA, RHP, 23.8 – Johnson is one of my favorite FYPD Target “hits” from last off-season. I put “hits” in parenthesis because he really hasn’t proven anything yet and and it’s not like he’s some elite pitching prospect now, but for someone who was being completely ignored, completely off Top 100 FYPD lists, his value and hype has seen a major rise. The things I saw and loved last off-season are now being noticed by everyone. And that main thing I loved was the elite K/BB. K/BB is King, and when someone has a dominant 35.9/3.3 K%/BB% in college, you should take notice. That was far from the only thing to like though, writing in his FYPD Target blurb, “He has uniqueness, size, production, elite K/BB, velocity, a wipeout secondary, and a diverse pitch mix. I mean, that is a lot of boxes to check.” … and he checked all of those boxes again in pro ball. The Angels decided to have him break camp with the MLB team in the bullpen because they are just a dumb franchise, and even though he struggled with a 7.36 ERA, the x3.56 ERA, 22.2/6.9 K%/BB% and 27.7% whiff% in 14.2 IP all looked pretty good. The 94.3 MPH sinker keeps the ball on the ground, the sweeper put up a 40% whiff%, and the 91 MPH cutter put up a .287 xwOBA and 31.6% whiff%. He also mixed in a slider, splitter, and 4-seamer, and he did it at 6’6” with that super weird delivery that I was drawn towards. I go towards weird. The Angels eventually sent him down to High-A which is where he should have started to begin with, and he dominated with a 1.88 ERA and 29.7/4.6 K%/BB% in 57.1 IP. I wish he was in any other organization (except the Rockies, of course), but it is what it is. He proved everything I loved about it will translate to pro ball, and that makes him a Top 100-150 prospect for me. – 2026 Projection: 2/4.12/1.30/46 in 50 IP Prime Projection: 11/3.81/1.21/168 in 165 IP

178) Tink Hence – STL, RHP, 23.0 – Just look at St. Louis’ rotation. There is no reason for them to prematurely put anyone in the bullpen, and while Hence might not have the durability required to stick in the rotation, I don’t think St. Louis is done giving him that chance. I know everyone else is writing him off, but I’m not willing to do that yet. 2025 was basically a lost season, pitching just 21.1 IP due to a ribcage injury and shoulder inflammation. He battled shoulder, chest and lat issues in 2024. I’m not saying the injury risk isn’t sky high, because it is, I’m just saying if it were me, I’m holding him. His stuff is too good and his delivery is too smooth. The changeup might be straight elite, he’s got two good breakers in his gyro slider and curve, and the fastball sits mid 90’s. The righty delivery is truly a thing of beauty. He’s coming off a season where he put up a 2.71 ERA with a 34.1/8.1 K%/BB% in 79.2 IP at Double-A. Giving up on this would be nuts to me. I’m not willing to do it. I’m holding or grabbing him for free if his current prospect ranks are any indication of his dynasty value. – 2026 Projection: 2/4.05/1.32/28 in 30 IP Prime Projection: 9/3.68/1.23/147 in 140 IP

179) Dasan Hill – MIN, LHP, 20.3 – It didn’t take long for the lanky 6’5” Hill to have the velocity explosion we were hoping for coming out of the 2024 Draft, throwing 95+ MPH flames in his pro debut in 2025 on both the 4-seamer and sinker. Not only was the velocity there, but the secondaries (slider, change, curve) were all whiff machines, leading to a 2.77 ERA, 30.6/14.9 K%/BB%, and a 34.9% whiff% in 52 IP at Single-A (5.40 ERA with a 33.3/15.6 K%/BB% in 10 IP at High-A). As you can see by the walk rate, the control/command still needs major work, and like many 6’5” pitchers, he needs to continue to refine the delivery. He’s like a baby deer out there, and I mean this in the best way possible, the dude looks uncommon on the mound. Tall, skinny, athletic and explosive. The risk is high, but so is the upside. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 10/3.73/1.32/175 in 150 IP

180) Christian Oppor – CHW, LHP, 21.8 – I was super quick on the Oppor breakout in 2025, debuting him on the rankings in May around the Top 200 because you know I love me a nasty lefty, and the only team that loves nasty lefties more than I do is Chicago. They know what they are doing with these guys, and they got another one in Oppor. He put up a 3.31 ERA with a 29.3/12.5 K%/BB% in 65.1 IP at High-A. He has an explosive lefty delivery at 6’2” that he uses to fire a 95+ MPH fastball with two potentially above average to plus secondaries in his slider and changeup. There is no doubt visible rawness when you watch him, and you can see that in the walk rates, so he’s not a finished product. A high K, mid-rotation starter is the reasonable upside on him right now, and he’s the type of pitcher I love betting on. I’m a fan. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 12/3.61/1.24/183 in 160 IP

181) Charlee Soto – MIN, RHP, 20.8 – Soto came into 2025 a high upside project with 3 plus to potentially double plus pitches in his upper 90’s fastball, nasty changeup and nasty slider, and it looked like he was about to be shot to the moon to start the season with a 1.38 ERA and 28.3/7.5 K%/BB% in 13 IP at High-A, but unfortunately his season ended with a triceps strain. He ended up getting bone spur surgery in August. We know how treacherous the injury waters are for flame throwing pitching prospects, so this is just part of the process. 13 innings isn’t enough to assume he would have kept that up the entire season, but it’s enough to get pretty damn excited about his 2026. He’s a major breakout candidate assuming full health, and he’s a definite high upside target. Use the injury to your advantage. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 11/3.68/1.22/169 in 160 IP

182) Johnny King – TOR, LHP, 19.8 – King has the kind of electricity that immediately jumps off the screen. I felt it immediately when evaluating him for FYPD Rankings last off-season, finishing his blurb by writing, “He’s damn electric out there. I like King as a later round upside pitcher.” … you know a big, funky, nasty lefty never slips by me … and then he made his pro debut this year and that electricity was even more obvious. He’s 6’3”, 210 pounds with a funky lefty delivery that he uses to fire 2 93+ MPH fastballs (sinker, 4-seamer), 2 whiff machine, nasty breakers (curve, slider), and a lesser used, developing changeup that induced weak contact. It resulted in a 2.48 ERA with a  39.5/13.9% K%/BB% in 61.2 IP split between rookie and Single-A. He was a whiff machine at both levels, but the walk rate spiked at Single-A with a 17.9% BB%, showing there is still plenty of risk in the profile. Considering he was 18 years old for most of 2025, that rawness should be expected. He still needs to refine all aspects of his game, but a high K, mid rotation starter is a reasonable upside projection at the moment, and I think there is room for even more as a tippy top ceiling. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 11/3.61/1.28/180 in 160 IP

183) Jose Corniell – TEX, RHP, 22.10 – I wasn’t buying the Tommy John discount on Corniell, removing him from my rankings after undergoing Tommy John in July 2024, but that was clearly a mistake as he looked completely healthy after returning in July of 2025. He obliterated Double-A with a 0.45 ERA with a 30.3/1.5 K%/BB% in 20 IP, and then he more than held his own in the much tougher Triple-A with a 3.65 ERA and 25.9/11.1 K%/BB% in 12.1 IP. It even earned him a one outing cameo in the Majors where he didn’t pitch well, but that doesn’t really matter. He’s 6’3” with mid 90’s heat and 2 bat missing secondaries in his sweeper (main secondary) and changeup. He also throws a 90+ MPH cutter. It all comes with above average control/command as well. That is a lot of boxes to check, and the ingredients are certainly there to be an impact fantasy starter. Texas is stacked with really good underrated pitching prospect targets right now. – 2026 Projection: 4/4.09/1.30/86 in 90 IP Prime Projection: 11/3.72/1.21/160 in 160 IP

184) Winston Santos – TEX, RHP, 23.11 – Santos was one of my favorite pitching prospect targets last off-season, and it looked like he was about to go full explosion after his first two outings of the season, but unfortunately he suffered a stress reaction in his back after just 5.2 IP. Maybe he read Dr. John Sarno’s book though (see the Evan Carter blurb), because he didn’t require surgery, and he was able to return in very late August. He didn’t pitch particularly great, but the more important thing to see was the huge stuff back, and it was back with a 96.4 MPH fastball. He combines the plus heater with two good secondaries in his slider and changeup, and his control/command has always been above average. That is a profile I am always going to bet on, especially because he’s never got even Top 100 pitching prospect love, let alone the full hype treatment. I’m going back to the well this off-season. – 2026 Projection: 3/4.18/1.31/67 in 70 IP Prime Projection: 11/3.81/1.22/171 in 165 IP

185) Braylon Doughty – CLE, RHP, 20.4 – You can’t watch Doughty pitch and come away thinking anything other than this guy just looks like a natural on the mound. He’s only 6’1”, 196 pounds, but the smooth and athletic righty delivery stands out, and so does the nasty curveball that he has on an absolute string. It’s a thing of beauty. The fastball sits 93+ and he has excellent control over it. He also mixes in a slider and change which are solid pitches when he goes to them. It all resulted in a 3.48 ERA with a 27.3/6.4 K%/BB% in 85.1 IP at Single-A in his pro debut. It couldn’t have gone any better, and it validated Cleveland taking him 36th overall in 2024. Hard to say the upside is huge, but his pitchability, solid velocity, and nasty breaker is pretty damn exciting. Easy mid-rotation upside and maybe that is underplaying him. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 12/3.75/1.23/170 in 170 IP

186) Enrique Bradfield – BAL, OF, 24.4 – Baltimore seems too stacked now for Bradfield to have a real path, but he’s still likely their best defensive CF, so you never know. And if he can get on the field, his elite base stealing will make a major fantasy impact in that category with 36 steals in 76 games at mostly Double-A. The problem is that is all he does well. Victor Scott’s profile isn’t far off, and you couldn’t have been happy with what Victor Scott gave you this year. The hit tool is solid, but a .242 BA with a 21.2% K% is far from where you would optimally want for a light hitting guy like this. He hit only 3 homers on the year with well below average hard hit. He’s also bad vs. lefties with a .530 OPS vs. them. He gets on base with a 13.1% BB%, which definitely helps, but I doubt it’s enough to get him to the top of Baltimore’s lineup. He’s really a steals only guy with risk the bat isn’t good enough to hold down a full time job. Not my favorite type to go after, but if you want steals and a decent shot to hold down the starting CF job long term, he’s your guy. – 2026 Projection: 28/1/13/.248/.307/.340/12 Prime Projection: 76/6/41/.268/.330/.365/38

187) Roc Riggio – COL, 2B, 23.6 – Riggio got shipped off at the trade deadline from the Yanks to the Rockies, and since I knew there wasn’t a shot in hell for him to ever get a real chance on the Yanks, he’s way better off with Colorado. He’ll have to beat out Adael Amador for the 2B of the future job, and while my money is still on Amador, it’s not like Amador has a lock on the job with big time struggles in the majors (35 wRC+ in 41 games in 2025). Riggio could easily end up better than him after his monster breakout this season, slashing .262/.363/.517 with 20 homers, 17 steals in 28 attempts, and a 22.0/12.5 K%/BB% in 88 games at mostly Double-A. He’s got above average power, he can lift and pull, he’s got some speed, he walks, and he’s got a good 2B glove. There is still hit tool risk, he wasn’t a great base stealer, and while he hasn’t been bad against lefties in the minors, I can see struggles vs. them in the majors. It’s hard to say I’m really particularly targeting Riggio, but I definitely think he’s on the underrated side, and it’s not like there is no path to playing time. He’s a fun deeper league flier at the very least. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 68/19/68/.252/.328/.433/14

188) Tommy Troy – ARI, 2B, 24.2 – I held pretty strong on Troy’s ranking this off-season even as the hype was fading on him, and he proved my patience correct with a strong 2025 season, slashing .289/.382/.451 with 15 homers, 25 steals, and a 16.9/11.5 K%/BB% in 125 games split between Double-A and Triple-A. That is the skillset that got him drafted 12th overall in 2023. But even with the strong season, the risk he ends up a utility infielder seems very high right now, especially for the first few years of his career, and in most fantasy leagues, it’s hard to hold a lower upside guy on your fantasy roster if he’s not a starter out of the gate. Ketel Marte is locked in at 2B through 2030 at least (barring a trade), and Troy played almost exclusively 2B this year with 15 games in CF mixed in. Even putting him in center like that is kinda a bad sign, because it shows they are trying to expand his utility as a future utility player. Perdomo ain’t leaving SS anyway, and while 3B is his best chance at the lineup long term, he hasn’t played a single game at 3B in his pro career. If his upside was higher, I might not care, but it seems the upside is capped without big hard hit, struggles vs. breaking balls, and good, but not truly category winning steals totals. On a team where there was a path to playing time, I can see liking him more, but in Arizona, it might be more like a 27 year old breakout type. – 2026 Projection: 26/3/19/.251/.309/.382/7 Prime Projection: 76/17/68/.269/.329/.421/26

189) Blake Burke – MIL, 1B, 22.10 – Burke has the same problem I’ve written about for a ton of the guys in Milwaukee’s system. Vaughn is signed through 2027 and Yelich, who DH’s most of the time, is signed through 2028. Even after they are gone, assuming they aren’t resigned, all these guys are going to have each other to compete against (Wilken, Adams, Fischer, Burke). I can’t lie to you and say I know which ones are going to emerge, but a couple of them will likely emerge, and the ones that do are going to make a fantasy impact in the power department. Burke was selected 34th overall in 2024, so they most certainly like this kid a lot, and he went out a earned that draft slot after getting promoted to Double-A, slashing .300/.377/.579 with 11 homers, 3 steals, and a 25.8/10.1 K%/BB% in 37 games. He hit well at High=A too with a 124 wRC+ in 95 games, but it only came with 5 homers, because he’s not a huge lift and pull guy. He had a 49.6% GB% and 34.3% Pull% overall. He’s a big boy at 6’3”, 236 pounds with the raw power to match, so he can hit it out without tons of lift and pull, but that combined with the hit tool risk, lack of defensive value, and struggles vs. lefties (1 homer with a .698 OPS) puts him slightly behind their other similar prospects. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 63/17/69/.256/.332/.453/6

190) Luke Adams – MIL, 1B/3B, 21.11 – Milwaukee has already moved Adams to mostly 1B, so the pressure on his bat to hit it’s ceiling is going to be very high, and while I really like his bat a lot, it’s not that bulletproof beast that you really want to bet on for a 1B only guy. There is hit tool risk with a .232 BA and 21.6% K% in 64 games at Double-A, and despite being 6’4”, 210 pounds, his raw power is only average-ish right now. He’s been young for the level with excellent wRC’s and a strong plate approach his entire pro career (160 wRC+ at AA this year). He also lifts and pulls plenty, so I don’t want to act like there isn’t real upside with the bat, but it’s hard to feel certain it will end up good enough to be an everyday 1B, and he has a lot of competition for those at bats in Milwaukee both in the short and long term. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 69/18/66/.246/.328/.435/7

191) Xavier Isaac – TBR, 1B, 22.4 – We just learned that Isaac underwent “life-saving” brain surgery on July 3rd, which was the reason for his season ending in late June. Baseball surely gets put in perspective when something like this happens. All indications are that he’s now fully healthy and ready to go for 2026, and I don’t really feel like/am qualified to speculate on what this means for his future baseball career. Here was my evaluation of him before the news broke, and I’m going to stick with that evaluation now: Isaac’s evaluation is super easy, unfortunately, because when he was drafted the hope was that he could be a true complete hitter with a Yordan Alvarez like trajectory, but it’s pretty clear that isn’t going to happen. We have to accept who he is, and that is a very extreme 3 true outcome slugger. He crushes the ball with top of the scale power, leading to 9 homers in 41 games at Double-A, and he gets on base with a 19.4% BB%, but the hit tool is brutal with a 29.7% K% and .201 BA, and he’s unplayable vs. lefties with a .369 OPS in 63 PA. The 48.3% GB% is also too high, although he hits it hard enough where it’s not too concerning. He’s a power platoon bat very clearly. He was only 21 years old in the upper minors, so the hope is that he can improve his weaknesses, and if he can, the raw power will do the rest. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 72/26/85/.238/.322/.470/6

192) Alex Clemmey – WSH, LHP, 20.8 – I’ve been a sucker for the big funky lefty with nasty stuff since I started writing (Josh Hader was one of my first Sleeper posts ever), and I just can’t help but fall in love with Clemmey too. He’s a 6’6” lefty with a three quarters arm slot delivery that he uses to fire a mid 90’s fastball, a plus, whiff machine slider, and a lesser used but solid changeup. He was a 19 year old kid at High-A for most of the season and he dominated with a 2.47 ERA and 30.0/15.9 K%/BB% in 87.1 IP. He got hit up after getting the call to Double-A with a 6.44 ERA in 29.1 IP, but considering his age, I wouldn’t read too much into it. The biggest concern is the terrible control, and when you watch him he’s still like a baby deer out there trying to get his legs and arms synched up with each other. The rawness is so very obvious, but I’m apt to give him a lot of leeway there due to his young age, especially when the upside is humongous. And like Hader, ending up an elite closer would not be a bad outcome either. The risk is too high to put him in the Top 100, but this is easily a Top 150 prospect for me, and considering he doesn’t get a ton of rankings love, he’s a great value later in off-season prospect drafts. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 4/3.27/1.18/90/33 saves in 65 IP

193) Esteban Mejia – BAL, RHP, 19.1 – You know that rookie ball pitchers are my least favorite aisle to shop in by far, so if I am going to dip my toe into this market, it better be someone who jumps off the screen, and Mejia most certainly jumps off the screen. He has a level of upside that is worth sticking your neck out for a bit. He’s 6’3” with a very athletic delivery that he uses to fire an upper 90’s fastball and two potentially plus secondaries in his slider and changeup. It’s led to a 2.94 ERA with a 29.5/13.7 K%/BB% in 52 IP split between mostly rookie ball and Single-A. There is along way to go and a lot of refinement is needed to his control/command and really all of his pitches, but if it all clicks, we could be looking at an elite pitching prospect in the near future. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 10/3.73/1.26/160 in 155 IP

194) Khal Stephen – CLE, RHP, 23.3 – I think Toronto not making Stephen untouchable in the Shane Bieber trade probably does give some insight into what they thought his upside was. Obviously you are going to have to give something good to get Bieber, so I’m not saying they didn’t like him, I just think it hints more towards his solid mid rotation upside than anything higher than that. Some of that got exposed when he got to the upper minors with a 7.04 ERA and 18.8/4.3 K%/BB% in 15.1 IP over 5 outings at Double-A. If you want to ignore what he did at Double-A, I get it, because he was mostly coming back from a shoulder injury, and he was much better at High-A with a 1.49 ERA and 26.6/5.4 K%/BB% in 48.1 IP. But as you can see, the strikeout rate wasn’t standout at High-A either. He throws a plus 93+ MPH fastball that misses bats and has an excellent movement profile, but the secondaries (slider, cutter, change, curve) aren’t as good. If he can find a dominant secondary, he can beat my projection for him, but as of now, and until he fully proves it in the upper minors, I have him as a plus control/command #3/4. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.82/1.21/138 in 155 IP

195) Kash Mayfield – SDP, LHP, 21.2 – Mayfield’s profile is one that always get underrated as a prospect, and in general, for good reason as it’s not a super high upside profile, but it’s a profile that very clearly can work on the MLB level. We saw it a ton in 2025, and that profile is the low velo, plus changeup, good slider vs. lefties profile. He put up a 2.97 ERA with a 34.1/10.9 K%/BB% in 60.2 IP at Single-A. The fastball only sits 91 MPH, but it plays up due to his smooth and deceptive lefty delivery at 6’4”, 200 pounds, and there is definitely room to tack on mass for added velocity. Mid rotation starter upside might be the upside, but the profile plays. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 12/3.77/1.24/172 in 165 IP

196) Miguel Ullola – HOU, RHP, 23.9 – Ullola has had extreme control issues his entire career with extremely high walk rates, so it’s hard to place any of the blame for the 15.9% BB% on Triple-A, but so many AAA pitchers had massively inflated walk rates that immediately dropped down in the majors, that I do think he deserves at least a little leeway there. And if he can actually improve his control enough to just the below average range, he has the upside to make a huge fantasy impact. He put up a 30% whiff% overall on the back of a 93 MPH fastball that is a bat missing weapon with a 29.6% whiff%. The breakers (curve and slider) aren’t great, but they are both solid pitches that induce weak contact and whiff about 30% of batters. And while the change gets hit hard, it misses bats with a 36.7% whiff%. It all led to a 3.88 ERA with a 26.6% K% in 113.2 IP. He’s far from a finished product, and the relief risk is extreme, but Houston is a great organization to bet on to unlock that upside, if it’s possible. – 2026 Projection: 2/4.13/1.38/58 in 60 IP Prime Projection: 8/3.81/1.33/159 in 145 IP

197) Trey Gibson – BAL, RHP, 23.10 – Baltimore has a ton of underrated, close to the majors pitching prospects you can target this off-season, and their rotation is not exactly in great shape, which means there is opportunity for a couple of them to emerge. I have De Leon #2 as my top dog, but Gibson would be the safer play at #2. He destroyed Double-A with a 1.55 ERA and 32.5/8.6 K%/BB% in 52.1 IP, and while he got hit up at Triple-A with a 7.98 ERA and 22.3/8.6 K%/BB% in 29.1 IP, we all know Triple-A is fucking hard, so I don’t want to tank him because of it. He’s 6’5”, 240 pound and he leads with a 94.2 MPH 4-seamer that is a bat missing weapon. The pitch mix is very diverse though with multiple breaking balls (slider, curve, sweeper), a cutter, and a sinker/changeup. I lean towards a #4 type being his most likely outcome, but there is definitely upside for more in here, and he should be one of the first to get his shot at a rotation spot when one opens up. – 2026 Projection: 4/4.29/1.34/80 in 90 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.88/1.26/148 in 160 IP

198) Jonathan Santucci – NYM, LHP, 23.3 – I was relatively high on Santucci in the FYPD’s last year, writing in his Top 1,000 blurb, “I don’t mind him as a “let him come to you” target in drafts. Don’t reach. Let him fall into your lap.” And he more or less had the pro debut breakout I thought he could have with a 2.52 ERA and 32.0/9.1 K%/BB% in 50 IP at Double-A. He’s a lefty who averages about 94 MPH on the fastball with a heavily used plus slider as his best secondary. He still needs to improve the changeup and the control/command leans below average, so it’s not a top of the rotation profile, but he has the potential to be a high K mid-rotation starter if he he hits his peak. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.81/1.28/164 in 155 IP

199) George Klassen – LAA, RHP, 24.2 – Klasson is either lights out, or he gets bombed. There is no in between, and I’m not sure I want to bet on the Angels to get that consistency out of him. It resulted in a 5.22 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and a 27.7/9.7 K%/BB% in 108.2 IP at mostly Double-A. You can look at the 3.20 xFIP and say he got unlucky, and he almost certainly did, but it’s not just bad luck with below average control and the lack of a changeup leading to the inconsistently. The fastball/breaker combo is straight fire though with an upper 90’s fastball and plus curve, and he also throws a good slider/cutter. The profile looks very relievery to me, and even if he does stick in the rotation, I don’t foresee a super clean and easy development process. He’s in the bucket of pitching prospect I like going after, and I wouldn’t avoid him, but he’s not one of my favorites in that bucket. – 2026 Projection: 3/4.27/1.39/83 in 80 IP Prime Projection: 4/3.52/1.24/84/15 saves in 72 IP

200) Ty Johnson – TBR, RHP, 24.7 – Johnson is yet another really good Rays arm in the underrated pitching prospect bucket. Sorry if I sound like a broken record on this, but it’s why there is a never ending stream of “out of nowhere” pitching breakouts on the MLB level every year. There are so many super talented pitchers out there, and with how many of them drop off with injuries, there is also opportunity for new ones to pop up. Johnson isn’t necessarily my tippy top favorites in the bucket, but he’s firmly in the bucket. He dominated Double-A all season with a 2.61 ERA and 34.7/8.8 K%/BB% in 110.1 IP. The at the ear, mid 90’s fastball misses bats, the slider is plus, and the changeup can definitely flash nasty at it’s best, although it’s a clear 3rd pitch that needs refinement. There is bullpen risk and the stuff doesn’t jump off the screen, but it’s hard to argue with those numbers. He’s a Top 150 ish prospect for me. – 2026 Projection: Prime Projection: 9/3.88/1.27/150 in 145 IP

201) Jurrangelo Cijntje – STL, RHP/LHP, 22.10 – Boy did Seattle mess up taking Cigntje over Yesavage, and what a way to get it slapped right in their face by having to face him in the ALCS. Seattle knows what they are doing when it comes to pitchers, so not really trying to throw shade at them, but it just goes to show how hard this is to get right. Yesavage was the consensus better draft prospect, and I had him ranked over Cijntje in my FYPD Rankings, but Seattle thought with a mind of their own, and it burned them this time. Not only did Yesavage shoot to the moon, but Cigntje didn’t exactly standout either with a 3.99 ERA and 26.1/11.1 K%/BB% in 108.1 IP at High-A and Double-A. The one good sign is that he was actually better at Double-A than High-A with a 2.67 ERA in 33.2 IP. The stuff is also electric from the right side with a plus mid to upper 90’s fastball, a plus slider, and a solid changeup. He’ll mix in a curve too. The stuff from the left side isn’t as good, sitting low 90’s, and you can also blame some of the mediocre results on him trying to do a very unique thing by switch pitching. I don’t know if he’s going to stick with it or not, but either way, Cigntje is a very talented arm who deserved to go in the 1st round (just not over Yesavage), and even with the so-so debut, you should still bet on the talent future ballpark, and now opportunity in St. Louis. – 2026 Projection: 2/4.31/1.36/44 in 50 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.82/1.27/159 in 165 IP

202) Jack Wenninger – NYM, RHP, 24.1 – Wenninger was a big 2025 breakout on the back of increased velocity, putting up a 2.92 ERA with a 26.4/7.6 K%/BB% in 135.2 IP. I won’t say any of his stuff is over the top nasty, but the splitter is his best pitch and it’s definitely plus at least. The fastball sits 94+ and the breakers are solid. He looks the part too at 6’4”, 210 pounds with a decently athletic righty delivery. He definitely falls into the pitching prospect bucket I love to shop in, and he’s one that actually isn’t getting a ton of hype right now. The eye test and 26.4% K% says he might not really have that tippy top upside we really want to aim for, but I think he can be a good one. He’s underrated. – 2026 Projection: 2/4.28/1.35/35 in 40 IP Prime Projection: 11/3.92/1.26/155 in 160 IP

203) David Shields – KCR, LHP, 19.7 – We just saw what Kansas City could do with Noah Cameron, and David Shields is the next in line to fit that mold for Kansas City. He’s a deceptive lefty with low 90’s heat and double plus pitchability, putting up a 2.38 ERA with a 28.5/5.0 K%/BB% in 75.2 IP at Single-A. He’s not some no name, out of nowhere guy either, he got drafted 41st overall and got paid $2.3 million in 2024, so Kansas City knew what they were getting. He’s a rock solid 6’2” with a ballerina like leg kick, showing off the real athleticism. The potentially plus slider is his best secondary, and the changeup can develop into an impact pitch as well. And the ballpark will be on his side too. Even without a velocity uptick, we know these guys can be really, really solid mid rotation fantasy starters at the least, and if the velocity does tick up, he can beat that upside. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 12/3.78/1.17/158 in 170 IP

204) Santiago Suarez – TBR, RHP, 21.3 – Suarez is 6’2” with a mid 90’s fastball and elite control, which is a great foundation to lay, but I’m a bit concerned the strikeout rates will be lacking against advanced competition. We already saw a hint of that when he got a cup of coffee at Triple-A to end the season. He put up a 4.09 ERA with a 20.9/4.7 K%/BB% in 11.2 IP. He was only 20 years old, he was recently returning from a shoulder injury that kept him out for 3 months, and it was a very small sample, so I’m not saying I’m putting a ton of weight on it, I’m just saying there might be some signal there. Even at High-A the 26.9% K% is not off the charts. Elite control of an above average fastball still clearly plays, and he’s young enough where he can project some improvement to the secondaries (cutter, slider, curve, changeup). He projects as a low WHIP mid rotation starter if things break right. – 2026 Projection: 11/3.75/1.18/147 in 160 IP

205) Bishop Letson – MIL, RHP, 21.6 – Letson gets the scout’s dream, looks the part bump at an athletic and projectable 6’4”. When you watch him pitch, his athleticism on the mound truly does standout. And he knows what he’s doing out there with a 2.40 ERA and 30.8/7.5 K%/BB% in 41.1 IP at High-A. The fastball sits low to mid 90’s and clearly has room for more as he adds muscle. He has his slider on a string and that projects as an easy plus pitch. The changeup needs work, and maybe most concerningly, he keeps getting hurt. Elbow soreness ended his season in 2024 and then a shoulder impingement knocked him out for 3 months in 2025. I try to stop myself from getting too amped up about “a looks the part” dream build. Maybe that is the Moneyball generation in me, but I do still think it can seep too much into scouting. I remember when I pumped the brakes on Darren Bowen back in 2023 because I thought he was getting too much of the “looks great in the uniform bump.” Now, I like Letson a lot more than Bowen, and it’s not like Letson doesn’t have the production too. He also has Milwaukee at his back, so maybe I’m super foolish for even pumping the brakes a little. I like him a lot. I see why the scouts are drooling over him, but I want to see a bit more against advanced competition before really going crazy. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.86/1.27/150 in 150 IP

206) David Hagaman – ARI, RHP, 23.0 – Hagaman’s target status is going to depend on the intensity of your league. If your league mates are all deep in the prospect game, digging for every morsel, Hagaman might end up going really high in your off-season prospect drafts, but I have a sneaking suspicion that in most leagues, even some savvy leagues, he’s going to be in a juicy target range. He made his pro debut in June coming off Tommy John surgery, and he looked damn electric with a 2.98 ERA and 33.7/6.1 K%/BB% in 42.1 IP at mostly High-A. The fastball sits mid 90’s and is a potentially above average to plus pitch, the breakers are bat missing machines, and the changeup is a true weapon vs. lefties. He was a short outing reliever in college with high walk rates, so this is just a small sample so far, but it’s an exciting small sample. He’s also got the size at 6’4”, 215 pounds. I’m all about chasing that mystery upside as you get deeper into prospect rankings/drafts, and not only does Hagaman have that, he already flashed that upside. He’s a great target and explosion candidate for 2026. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.76/1.24/155 in 145 IP

207) Cameron Cauley – TEX, OF/SS/2B, 23.2 – Cauley is a fantasy friendly prospect with a fun power/speed combo, and the hit tool really wasn’t all that bad at Double-A. He slashed .253/.325/.448 with 15 homers, 28 steals, and a 24.9/9.7 K%/BB% in 113 games. He can lift and pull, he hits it fairy hard, and he’s an electric athlete with double plus speed. That athleticism helps with glove too as he can be an asset in the field with defensive versatility. I’m actually encouraged by a .253 BA with a 24.9% K% in the upper minors, but at the same time, that still isn’t good. There is a very high chance he’s not going to be able to hit enough to be an MLB starter, or at least, it could take into his mid to late 20’s for it to happen. But his upside is high enough to take a shot on at this point. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 62/15/56/.234/.295/.414/22

208) Abimelec Ortiz – WSH, 1B, 24.1 – Path to playing time matters a lot for a prospect like Ortiz who will have to prove it every step of the way, and right now, his path to taking over the strong side of the 1B job looks to be his for the taking, maybe straight out of camp. Washington’s 1B job is wide open right now assuming Luis Garcia goes back to 2B. He made a statement after getting promoted to Triple-A, ripping 9 homers with a 133 wRC+ and 21.8/12.7 K%/BB% in 41 games. The underlying numbers are even more impressive with a 91.7 MPH EV, 17 degree launch, 53.8% Hard Hit%, 22.5% whiff%, and a 24% Air Pull%. He hit 25 homers in 130 games on the season in the upper minors. He’s a bull of a man at 5’10”, 230 pounds with a quick and powerful lefty swing. He’s not good vs. lefties, he’s not good on defense, and he has hit tool risk (both contact and chase), so he’s a very flawed player, but a flawed player who hits bombs can still make a major fantasy impact. He’s a really strong proximity power bat at a likely cheap price. – 2026 Projection: 27/10/39/.227/.292/.420/1 Prime Projection: 67/24/79/.245/.319/.453/2

209) Kemp Alderman – MIA, OF, 23.6 – I liked Alderman a lot coming out of college as a bull of a man at 6’2”, 235 pounds with the massive raw power to match, but his lackluster first 2 years of pro ball soured me on him. As much as I do value pro debuts, certainly it takes some guys a few years to really find their stride, and Alderman started to find his stride in the AFL last year. He hit 6 homers in 9 games, and then he carried over that success into the upper minors in 2025, slashing .285/.338/.482 with 22 homers, 22 steals in 32 attempts, and a 23.1/7.3 K%/BB% at Double-A and Triple-A. He put up a 95 MPH EV with a 33.3% whiff% in 20 games at Triple-A, which basically tells you exactly the type of player he is. The walk rates aren’t high, there is hit tool risk, he isn’t fast, he’s not great on defense, he hits lefties better than righties and he’s not a huge lift and pull guy, but he smashes the ball, and smashing the ball is enough to make a fantasy impact if he can find his way onto the field. I want to like him more, but it seems to me he kinda projects as a mostly short side of a platoon guy. – 2026 Projection: 19/6/26/.231/.297/.418/2 Prime Projection: 62/19/71/.246/.318/.448/8

210) Wyatt Sanford – PIT, SS, 20.4 – Sanford is the type of prospect who just slowly rises up prospect rankings with a high floor profile. He’s got a good middle infield glove, he’s got a solid feel to hit, he’s got speed and he’s got some projectability at 6’1”. This is going to be a MLB ballplayer, the only question is how good, and that will likely be dictated by how much stronger he can get. He held his own at Single-A with a 104 wRC+, 4 homers, 21 steals, and a 20.1/9.8 K%/BB% in 44 games. The 85.3 MPH EV and 30.3% Hard Hit% aren’t great, but he was only 19 years old, and like I said, there is definitely room for him to tack on more mass. Those numbers are only going up. He’s not the flashiest of prospects, but he’s probably on the underrated side right now with a high floor and not bad upside at all. I like him. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 76/14/67/.262/.323/.417/26

211) Marek Houston – MIN, SS, 22.0 – Selected 16th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Houston is a glove first college player with a plus glove at SS, but the bat doesn’t seem like it’s going to make enough of an impact to be a sought after fantasy player. The power did tick up in 2025 with 15 homers in 61 games, but most of them came in Wake’s bandbox of a stadium before they even got into conference play. There is a potential above average hit/speed combo in here with a 15.4/15.4 K%/BB% and 19 steals, so it’s not like there is nothing to like, but if he simply can’t hit the ball hard enough in the majors with wood bats, everything offensively is going to play down. And then that fear materialized in his pro debut, slashing .270/.330/.350 with 1 homer, 7 steals, and a 19.1/7.3 K%/BB% in 24 games at Single-A and High-A. Defense, speed, and solid feel to hit will make you fantasy relevant at some point. I’m not denying that, but with a 33 wRC+ in 12 games at High-A, and 1 homer in 24 games overall, I would need to be in a deeper league to really feel excited about picking him. He’s 6’3”, 205 pounds, so it is possible the power ticks up in his mid 20’s, but college bats who already don’t have big power generally stay the same in the majors. Obviously there are exceptions, but projecting too much on a college bat generally isn’t that great of a bet. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 77/14/63/.261/.325/.410/19

212) Ike Irish – BAL, OF/C, 22.4 – I really want to get excited about some college bats from this class. I really do. And Irish was one of the top college bats off the board at 19th overall, but he was already projected to be more of a solid than truly standout MLB bat, and his pro debut did nothing to get me excited. In fact, it got me discouraged, slashing .230/.296/.297 with 1 homer, 3 steals, and a 23.5/7.4 K%/BB% in 20 games at Single-A. It was good for a 81 wRC+ and it came with a 54.7% GB%. I mean, I’m not exactly sure what we are buying here after a debut like that. He performed much better in the SEC from the second he stepped on campus as a freshman, finishing his college career with a big junior year, slashing .364/.469/.710 with 19 homers, 11 steals, and a 14.3/12.8 K%/BB% in 55 games, so if you want to ignore the debut, you can dream on an above average hit/power combo at peak. Especially if he can stick behind the plate, which is questionable, that would be a solid fantasy bat. But I’m not seeing big upside, and that pro debut is showing me the downside. I just can’t say he’s one of my guys. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 66/19/71/.256/.328/.428/8

213) Slade Caldwell – ARI, OF, 19.10 – I was a big Caldwell fan coming out of the draft, and I still like him a lot as a prospect now, but I fear he’s getting a bit overvalued right now. His pro debut was definitely good, especially when you consider he started the year as an 18 year old, but there were enough flaws where I wouldn’t be comfortable paying up huge for him. Most notably, I just don’t love the combo of a 26.7% K% and 51.5% GB%. At 5’9”, he’s not a huge raw power guy, so if you aren’t making tons of contact, and you aren’t lifting and pulling, that seems like a problem to me. He also wasn’t a great base stealer, going 25 for 35, which I’m less concerned about because the speed is there, but it’s still just another thing to tack on. Like I said, he still had a good debut with a 160 wRC+ in 48 games at Single-A (98 wRC+ in 66 games at High-A), and the 17.6% BB% mitigates a lot of that high K%. So I by no means dislike him, I just think too much of his pre debut hype is seeping into his price. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 82/14/58/.270/.340/.415/27

214) Joseph Sullivan – HOU, OF, 23.9 – Sullivan was a fun high risk, high reward FYPD sleeper last off-season who wasn’t one of my guys, but he mostly lived up to the hype he was getting in the lower minors, slashing .233/.411/.462 with 15 homers, 34 steals, and a 26.7/19.1 K%/BB% in 75 games at High-A. He hits it hard and he’s an excellent athlete. The reasons I wasn’t on him was because he was on the older side for his class, I was concerned about the hit tool, and he wasn’t a big launch guy, and those concerns are still there. The hit tool wasn’t good at High-A, especially for a 22/23 year old, and then it got much worse at Double-A after he got promoted with a .191 BA and 30.0% K% in 31 games. The 45.4% GB% is still on the high side, and it spiked to 55.1% at Double-A. It’s not a major concern, and he can pull it, but this isn’t a lift and pull type slugger. And the final concern is that he’s not good vs. lefties with a .168 BA. Houston is also compiling a bunch of these types (great athletes with hit tool concerns). I still can’t bring myself to really go all in on him, but the fun fantasy upside is certainly in here. He’s more of a Top 200 prospect for me. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 76/18/69/.238/.318/.429/26

215) Bo Davidson – SFG, OF, 23.9 – I know there are people all in on Davidson, and while I respect it and see what they like, I can’t say I’m all in. The things to like are that Davidson is an excellent athlete with a plus power/speed combo. He slashed .281/.376/.468 with 18 homers, 19 steals, and a 22.8/13.0 K%/BB% in 114 games split between High-A and Double-A. But the reasons I’m not going all in are that he was old for the lower minors, and right when he got to Double-A the hit tool risk popped up with a .234 BA and 24.1% K% in 42 games. He raised his launch when he got to Double-A, which is a good sign, but he still hasn’t been a big lift/pull guy throughout his career. And while he runs, I’m not ready to say he’s going to steal 20+ in the majors. It’s hard to predict steals, but my read is that he’s going to be more of a mid teens guy. Then tack on San Francisco’s terrible hitter’s park on top, and I just can’t say he’s a guy I’m flying up my prospect rankings. I like him, but I’m not going to be the high guy. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 76/19/71/.252/.328/.425/16

216) Wehiwa Aloy – BAL, SS, 22.2 – First there was Jud Fabian. Then there was Vance Honeycutt. And now there is Wehiwa Aloy. Aloy falling to 31st overall in the 2025 MLB Draft says a lot about how teams view his hit tool. And that view is that they don’t believe in it. I do think Aloy has a better chance to hit than Fabian and Honeycutt though. And if he does, his no joke power will do the rest. He’s 6’2”, 200 pounds with a huge righty swing that utterly obliterates the ball. It led to 21 homers in 65 games in the SEC. He’s also a good athlete with a solid glove at SS, so even if he moves off, the glove should add value somewhere. The problem is the 20.1/10.3% K%/BB%. And then he stepped into pro ball and put up a 27.8/8.9 K%/BB% in 20 games at Single-A. He hit well overall with a 146 wRC+, so the debut doesn’t really move the needle in either direction, but a 27.8% K% as a 21 year old at Single-A very clearly shows the risk. In a draft full of flawed college bats, Aloy remains one of the more interesting ones, and you shouldn’t have to go all that high to grab him. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 67/23/76/.243/.312/.441/10

217) Charles Davalan – LAD, OF, 22.4 – Davalan is only 5’9” and he’s not a huge tools guy as a maxed out college bat, but you know if the Dodgers took him 41st overall, there is something to like, and as a little man discount connoisseur myself, I wouldn’t let his size fool you. For one, he packs a real punch with the bat, jacking out 14 homers in 65 games in the SEC. This isn’t just some Punch and Judy hitter. Davalan can hit the ball hard even if power isn’t going to be the main part of his game. The main part of his game is the hit tool with an 8.5/11.0 K%/BB%, speed (10 steals), and defensive versality (he can play 2B and all 3 OF positions). The pro debut got me even more excited for him, slashing .500/.541/.735 with 1 homer, 3 steals, and a 13.5/8.1 K%/BB% in 8 games at Single-A. Maybe he tops out as a cheap 400-500 AB utility type for the Dodgers, which might be the most likely outcome, but he’s also the type who can just keep hitting his way into more and more playing time. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 78/16/71/.273/.331/.418/21

218) Devin Taylor – SAC, OF, 22.3 – Very few can come close to matching Taylor’s history of production at every stop of his amateur career. He stepped onto Indiana campus as a freshman and knocked out 16 homers with a 1.080 OPS in 55 games. He’s jacked out 54 homers in 169 games in his career, and his junior year was his best year yet, slashing .374/.495/.706 with 18 homers, 12 steals, and a 11.2/19.3 K%/BB% in 55 games. He raked in the Cape too with 5 homers and a .907 OPS in 29 games. His history of production is impregnable, but there are reasons he dropped to 48th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft. His batting stance is that low and crouched one I don’t necessarily love (although it’s athletic and I don’t particularly hate it either), the Big Ten doesn’t have the toughest competition, and he’s not a good defensive player as a corner outfielder. We immediately saw the level of adjustment to pro competition in his debut with his K% spiking to 28.7%. Granted he hit well overall with 6 homers, a 134 wRC+ and a 16.3% BB%, but the big K% spike isn’t optimal. At the end of the day this guy has produced everywhere he’s been, every single year, and in a FYPD class that is weak in college bats, Taylor is a very reasonably priced good one. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 72/23/79/.253/.328/.448/5

219) Aroon Escobar – PHI, 2B, 21.3 – I’ve been waiting for Escobar to get to an age appropriate level before flying him up my rankings, and I feel good about that after he put up a .256/.348/.369 slash with 4 homers in 46 games at the age appropriate High-A. He wasn’t bad with a 116 wRC+, 20.7/11.1 K%/BB% and 14 steals, but that isn’t really a standout performance. He’s not a good defensive player, he’s not a burner, so there is some risk the steals drop off against more advanced competition, and he’s not a big lift and pull guy. Even though he’s not one of my guys and others are higher, I still like the bat in general. He has strong plate skills and he can hit the ball hard. He’s only 21, so more improvement should be coming all around. There is potential for him to become a good fantasy bat, but with how much hype he gets, I’m not really going after him. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 77/20/73/.265/.328/.431/13

220) Staryln Caba – MIA, SS, 20.4 – Caba was one of my top fades last off-season with him getting ranked extremely high, lambasting the Marlins for trading Jesus Luzardo for a couple of light hitting lower minors prospects, and that trade now looks even worse in hindsight. Caba slashed .222/.335/.278 with 1 homer, 14 steals, and a 14.7/14.7 K%/BB% in 51 games at Single-A. I know his best tool was his potentially elite SS glove, making him a better real life prospect than fantasy prospect, and even in the down year, he still showed plenty of positives. The plate approach and contact numbers were excellent, the speed is there, and the 88.1 MPH EV and 34.6% Hard Hit% really isn’t bad at all for his age and his type of profile. Better days are definitely ahead. He also suffered a sprained thumb in April which kept him out for 2 months, and finger injuries can be killers for hitters. He’s a super high floor prospect who will likely be manning short and hitting atop the Marlins lineup in the not too distant future. I like him as a prospect in general, and his perceived value has now fallen to where it should have been last off-season too. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 89/12/55/.276/.348/.395/32

221) Gavin Kilen – SFG, SS, 22.0 – Selected 13th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, I was low on Kilen pre-draft as a low upside college bat, then I got even lower on him after he got drafted by San Francisco, and now I’m even lower than that after his poor pro debut. He put up a 58 wRC+ with 0 homers, 0 steals, and a 47.1% GB% in 10 games at Single-A. Sure it’s only 10 games, and it came with a 11.6% K%, but it just hammered home the point that this isn’t the impact fantasy bat you want to be drafting very high. I’m not getting lured in by the high pick in the real MLB Draft. He’s a hit tool first college bat who doesn’t have the power to truly overcome that park, and he’s not a big speed guy either. The power/speed combo is average-ish. He’s 5’11”, 180 pounds and he slashed .357/.441/.671 with 15 homers, 6 steals, and a 11.0/12.2 K%/BB% in 53 SEC games. If he got drafted into a better ballpark, I can see going higher on the high floor profile, but in San Francisco, and with the debut, I’m out. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 78/17/72/.270/.325/.415/9

222) Brendan Summerhill – TBR, OF, 22.5 – Summerhill didn’t have the junior year power breakout that could have really catapulted him up draft boards (4 homers in 44 games), falling to 42nd overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, but there could be some delayed breakout potential in here. For one, he broke his hand pretty early into the year, which is never a recipe for a power breakout, and he’s still relatively projectable at 6’3”, 195 pounds with a beautiful lefty swing that is easy to fall in love with. His 8 homers in 58 games in 2024 also shows he has more in the tank than what he showed this year. And what you are really buying is the hit tool and plate skills with a .343 BA and 11.6/17.4 K%/BB%. He’s a really good athlete with plus speed, and while he’s not a good base stealer (11 for 19), that is another area which gives him delayed breakout potential if he can improve there in pro ball. He played to his exact college profile in pro ball, slashing .333/.429/.444 with 0 homers, 5 steals, and an 11.9/14.3 K%/BB% in 10 games at Single-A. It’s an interesting mix of floor and upside here, and Tampa is a good organization to bet on for that continued improvement. In a draft weak in college hitters, I like Summerhill. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 79/15/66/.269/.336/.417/15

223) Dillon Lewis – MIA, OF, 22.10 – Lewis was the 394th overall pick in 2024 despite going 22/20 with a .371 BA in his Junior year in the Atlantic Sun Conference. He was one of only 2 players to go 20/20 in Division 1, and yet, nobody believed in him. He was a very athletic 6’3”, 205 pounds, so he looked the part too, and yet, still nobody believed in him, Well, I guess the Yanks did in the 13th round, giving him a $150,000 signing bonus, but in hindsight, it’s pretty wild he was so disrespected. And that hindsight was provided by what he did in pro ball in 2025, slashing .237/.321/.445 with 22 homers, 26 steals, and a 23.5/10.2 K%/BB% in 122 games split between Single-A and High-A. His K/BB actually improved majorly at High-A, which is big to see with a 20.8/10.8 K%/BB% at that level, and it’s big to see because this dude absolutely smokes the ball with a 93.7 MPH EV and 54.6% Hard Hit%. He also has no issues lifting and pulling. The upside here is truly pretty damn massive, which is why the Marlins targeted him. But the reason the Yanks were willing to part with him is because nobody really believes in the hit tool, and a 21/22 year old in the lower minors with a .237 BA definitely isn’t good. He also doesn’t have a standout OF glove, projecting to be a solid corner outfielder. This is the type of player who can potentially breakout on the Marlins at 27 year old (hysterical that I wrote this blurb before the trade, hah, so easy to predict), so I get the lack of hype, but I mean, those EV and Hard Hit numbers deserve real respect. The power/speed combo is mouth watering for the price he’s going to go for this off-season. He’s a great high upside target. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 64/21/71/.239/.307/.433/16

224) Jeral Perez – CHW, 2B, 21.4 – Just imagine how much more hype Perez would be getting if he was still on the Dodgers. It’s actually kinda crazy to think about. He got traded to the White Sox and then he fell off the face of the earth. Don’t even hear about him anymore. But if he were still on the Dodgers, he would be talked about as Andy Pages 2.0, because that is who he is. He ripped 22 homers with 10 steals, a 20.9/8.2 K%/BB% and a 124 wRC+ in 125 games at High-A. Just like Pages, he has that lift and pull profile that is going to rip dingers and he has good raw power that should only tick up from here. The problem is, he’s not on the Dodgers anymore. I agree with the drop off in hype. He currently has a very closed statue of liberty batting stance that I don’t particularly love. Are we trusting the White Sox to figure this out with him every step of the way through the upper minors and into the majors? I don’t. But I try not to be a total slave to organization, and if you like what Pages just did in the majors, Perez has that same profile, except at 2B. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 72/25/84/.246/.323/.446/7

225) Cam Collier – CIN, 1B, 21.4 – Collier had one of the all time weird power outages in 2025. He went from hitting 20 homers in 119 games at High-A as a 19 year old, to just 4 homers in 95 games at mostly Double-A as a 20 year old. You can say it was because of the higher level, but he also hit just 1 homer in 22 games in the hitter’s paradise that is the AFL. It’s just odd. He had a 90.1 MPH EV in the AFL and he has impressive top end exit velocities, so it’s not like he can’t hit it hard either. He’s not a huge lift and pull guy, but it doesn’t go extreme in the other direction either, so that can’t fully explain it. He almost certainly got unlucky and I’m sure he will hit a lot more in 2026, but with him moving to 1B, the bat needs to be bulletproof, and 5 homers in 117 games is certainly not bulletproof. He hit well otherwise, especially for a 20 year old at Double-A with a 114 wRC+, so it wasn’t a disaster season by any stretch, but the 27.9% K% shows there is also hit tool risk here. He was useless vs lefties with a .563 OPS. I like Collier and I like his bat, but at 1B, you need to really love the bat to rank him highly, and 2025 was just too underwhelming. He’s a solid fantasy prospect but I can’t say he’s a highly valued one. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 71/22/77/.250/.332/.441/1

226) Landon Harmon – WSH, RHP, 19.6 – Selected 80th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft and signed for $2.5 million, Harmon is maybe the best upside pitching play in the mid to late rounds of FYPD’s. He’s a projectable 6’5”, 190 pounds and his fastball is already sitting mid to upper 90’s. He’s not wild with it either. It might not be pinpoint command, but he’s consistently around the plate. The secondaries aren’t as nasty, but he can rip off some plus breakers for sure. Tons of refinement is needed and he needs to work on the changeup, but I really want to bet on the size, athleticism, monster fastball and pretty good control. I’m a big fan. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection:11/3.77/1.22/178 in 165 IP

227) Mitch Bratt – ARI, LHP, 22.9 – I think we’ve learned not to underrate the low velo lefty in 2025, and while I warned against overrating them in the Noah Cameron blurb, I do believe these types deserve more love on prospect lists than they currently get. So let’s give Bratt some love now. He sits only low 90’s, but just watch that fastball give upper minors hitters absolute fits in one of his starts later in the season. Hitters couldn’t square it up at all, and that has been the story of his season with a 3.38 ERA and a 29.3/4.2 K%/BB% in 122.1 IP. He combines the good fastball with elite walk rates and a diverse pitch mix (slider, curve, cutter, change). Maybe back end starter is still the most likely outcome, but we’ve seen too many “low velo, back end starter prospects” actually become impact mid rotation fantasy starters to just completely tank these types down the rankings. Maybe they don’t deserve Top 100 prospect love, but they still deserve strong rankings. – 2026 Projection: 2/4.31/1.30/38 in 50 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.90/1.19/139 in 160 IP

228) Kane Kepley – CHC, OF, 22.2 – Selected 56th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Kepley had one of the best pro debuts in the class, and you know I love me a good pro debut. He slashed .299/.481/.433 with 2 homers, 16 steals, and a 11.5/19.1 K%/BB% in 28 games at Single-A. It’s the same thing he did after transferring into the ACC his junior year with a 7.1/14.2 K%/BB%, 3 homers, and 45 steals in 61 games. The plate skills are excellent, he’s a great base stealer with plus speed, and most importantly for this type of profile, he has a good CF glove. A guy with a good glove in CF, excellent contact rates/approach, and speed is going to make an impact in both real life and fantasy if he gets on the field. He’s not a big guy at 5’8”, 180 pounds, and he’s doesn’t much raw power, so the risk is that he tops out as a 4th outfielder. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 76/10/53/.271/.332/.378/28

229) John Gil – ATL, SS, 19.11 – Gil was a low key potential breakout prospect last off-season, and while he got off to a slow start, a lot of it just seemed to be bad luck as the plate skills and speed were impressive all year with a 13.9/12.3 K%/BB% and 50 steals in 100 games at Single-A. Not only did the luck turn in his final 33 games at the level (1.001 OPS), but he started to tap into his solid raw power more too with 6 of his 7 homers coming in those final 33 games. He’s not a small guy at 6’1” and he’s only getting stronger. He’s got a good SS glove, the plate skills are excellent, he’s fast with tons of steals, and the raw power projects to be potentially average. That is a really damn good prospect, both in real life and fantasy, and his hype isn’t even nearly where it is likely going to be by this time next year. He was a solid target last year, and he’s an even better one now. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 82/15/60/.273/.334/.422/28

230) Marconi German – WSH, 2B/SS, 18.7 – Germen gives me Jhonny Level 2.0 vibes. Level gives me Michael Arroyo 2.0 vibes. It’s like the Russian Nesting Dolls of prospects. None of these guys are jump off the screen electric athletes, but they are just damn good baseball players. German actually signed for the lowest bonus of the 3 at only $400K, but that is still a legit bonus. And he proved he was underpaid as one of the top DSL breakouts, slashing .283/.479/.513 with 8 homers, 33 steals, and a 19.7/20.2 K%/BB% in 53 games in the DSL. He’s a 5’10” switch hitting SS who has a vicious lefty swing and not as impressive of a righty swing. It projects for potentially above average across the board production, and while he’s never likely going to get the full hype treatment on prospects lists, he should slowly climb the ranks just like Arroyo and Level have. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 79/18/73/.262/.330/.424/23

231) Cole Carrigg – COL, OF, 23.11 – I started Carrigg’s Top 1,000 blurb last off-season by writing, “I really wish we could have seen Carrigg at Double-A, because it’s hard for me to buy in too hard here as an advanced college bat in the lower minors.” … and my hesitancy to fly him up the rankings (I still liked him) proved prudent with him slowing down at Double-A, particularly with the tool. He slashed .237/.316/.394 with 15 homers, 46 steals, and a 27.0/8.4 K%/BB% in 123 games. The fun fantasy upside is certainly here with good power, tons of steals, and a solid CF glove, but he was already 23 years old, the the plate skills were below average, and we know how fickle Colorado can be with these non elite prospects. – 2026 Projection: 13/3/15/.225/.289/.380/7 Prime Projection: 72/17/69/.244/.317/.418/23

232) Aidan Smith – TBR, OF, 21.9 – Smith’s hit tool disappointed in 2025 with a 31.2% K% and .237 BA in 102 games at High-A, and that is rough enough to really sour on him, but his fantasy friendly profile is just too juicy for me to give up. He stole 41 bags in 47 attempts with the plus speed to back it up, and he cracked 14 homers on the back of strong lift/pull and at least above average raw power potential. He didn’t hit well in the AFL with a .686 OPS, but the 19.6/19.6 K%/BB% and 40.6% Hard Hit% wasn’t bad at all. He only had a 3 degree launch in that AFL, so he was clearly working on making more contact, but it shows me there is a world where he can marry the two approaches. He’s still only 21 years old for the first half of 2026, so it’s not time to give up on this kind of upside. I’m going to hold relatively strong. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 74/21/76/.242/.321/.433/24

233) Brandon Winokur – MIN, SS/OF, 21.4 – The Winotaur didn’t have the monster breakout I was hoping for in 2025, but it wasn’t a disaster either with a 98 wRC+, 17 homers, 26 steals, and a 24.8/8.3 K%/BB% in 122 games. All the things I loved about him are still there at 6’6”, 210 pounds with double plus raw power and rare athleticism for a guy that size. He can legitimately play SS and CF. But the problem is that the hit tool is still rough. He hit .226, and then he went to the AFL and hit .192 with a 43.2% whiff% in 21 games. That’s brutal. It came with a 92.8 MPH EV and 48.1% Hard Hit%, but we knew the power was in there already, we needed to see hit tool hope, and we didn’t get it. The hope of a rocket ship has subsided, but the hope for a future breakout definitely hasn’t. It just might be more of a mid 20’s breakout type, so he’s more of a Top 200 ish prospect type. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 68/22/75/.237/.314/.441/14

234) Luke Dickerson – WSH, SS, 20.8 – I guess when in Rome … Dickerson caught the case of hot start Washington-itis this year too, looking like a potential breakout candidate in the first 25 games of his pro career, slashing .273/.383/.455 with 3 homers, 4 steals, and a 20.5/15.2 K%/BB% at mostly Single-A, but like his MLB org mates, and really much worse than his MLB org mates, it all fell apart after that with a .183/.286/.274 slash and 26.6% K% in his final 64 games. If you are looking for a silver lining, even with the terrible OBP, he still stole 22 bags in 89 games on the season. He’s an excellent athlete who landed a $3.8 million signing bonus in last year’s Draft, he already hits the ball really hard, he didn’t have any major lift (41.1% GB%) or pull (46.2% Pull%) issues, and the 24.5/12.5 K%/BB% isn’t bad at all. The ingredients are definitely in here for a future breakout, and the upside is high with power and speed. I still like him. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 77/19/73/.241/.318/.425/26

235) Kayson Cunningham – ARI, SS, 19.9 – Selected 18th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Cunningham was the dreaded elite hit tool high school bat who comes into pro ball and immediately gets exposed with a 28.8/5.8 K%/BB% in 11 games at Single-A. He’s pretty old already too as an already 19 year old at the time of the draft. The 54.4% GB% was really high and he was only 1 for 2 on the bases. I liked him a lot more before the debut, and while the debut isn’t turning me completely off to him, I’m way less apt to go after him now. The good version of Cunningham is the little man discount candidate to a T, and nobody loves the little man discount like Arizona. They turned Corbin Carroll into a superstar after drafting him 16th overall, they scooped up Slade Caldwell last year at 29th overall, and now they went back to the well for the 5’10” Cunningham. The lefty swing is quick, simple, and it’s pretty powerful. He can put on a show in BP with exit velocities over 100 MPH. It’s not like he’s a light hitting nothing, even if power isn’t the main part of his game. What you are buying is the plus hit/speed combo, but I believe in reacting to pro debuts, and his debut scared me a bit. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 78/15/63/.251/.323/.414/25

236) Seaver King – WSH, SS, 22.11 – Seaver King’s play in the AFL is demanding a mulligan for his poor first full year of pro ball. The AFL is a hitter’s environment and he’s not exactly young for the league, but we’ve seen enough big AFL seasons translate the next year to not just write it off. He slashed .359/.468/.563 with 2 homers, 6 steals, and a 18.5/13.6 K%/BB% in 18 games. It came with a 94.1 MPH EV. That is the profile that made him the 10th overall pick in the draft in 2024. He has a good feel to hit, he hits it hard, he has a good SS glove and he has speed. And even though he struggled during the season, slashing .244/.294/.337 with 6 homers, 30 steals, and a 21.1/5.8 K%/BB% split between High-A and Double-A, he still did display those skills for the most part. The speed, K% and Hard Hit were still there. He hits the ball on the ground too much to fully get to that raw power (52.4% GB%), and he’s never been a huge OBP guy, so it’s trending towards a bottom of the order bat. His regular season numbers also have to rule the day, but I’m giving him an AFL bump for sure. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 73/14/65/.253/.309/.397/24

237) Jadher Areinamo – TBR, SS/2B, 22.4 – Areinamo absolutely lit up the Venezuelan Winter League, and while it’s a hitter’s league that isn’t nearly as tough as the Dominican Winter league, he was the best hitter there, slashing .364/.420/.692 with 13 homers, 5 steals, and a 20/14 K/BB in 36 games. Destroying any league like that says something to me. He also hit well stateside, slashing .285/.344/.445 with 15 homers, 21 steals, and a 11.7/8.0 K%/BB% in 131 games at High-A (126 wRC+) and Double-A (111 wRC+). Plus contact is his best skill, and while there isn’t a ton of raw power at 5’8″, he knows how to lift and pull. The swing is straight Mickey Mouse with one of the wackiest swings out there. There is both an exaggerated bat wiggle and leg kick, so who knows if it can actually work on the MLB level, and the power/speed combo isn’t going to be big. It’s probably a utility infielder long term, but the dude just hits everywhere. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 52/12/55/.266/.318/.403/9

238) Kellon Lindsey – LAD, SS, 20.6 – A shoulder impingement and back strain limited Lindsey to just 32 games at Single-A, but it was enough games to show he has very real hit tool risk. He put up a 31.7% K%, which isn’t what you want to see from a speed over power prospect especially. The elite speed was on display too with 11 steals, the 14.3% BB% mitigates some of that hit tool risk slightly, and the surface stats were really good with a 117 wRC+, so the season was far from a disaster. He’s a still projectable 6’0” with an athletic righty swing that looks the part, so the tools that got LA so excited to take him 23rd overall are most certainly in there. He’s just a tad more raw than optimal. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 76/16/64/.249/.324/.414/28

239) Kendall George – LAD, OF, 21.5 – George is the next line of the steals only guys. The Simpson’s, Rada’s and Bradfield’s. He stole a minor league leading 100 steals in 111 games at High-A. That is a carrying tool if I’ve seen one. If he gets on the field, he will contribute for fantasy. The only question is if he can get on the field, and if he can do anything else but run. He hits the ball super weakly and the 60.3% GB% is extremely high, so it’s questionable how much of an impact he can actually make. The plate skills are really good with a 15.2/16.3 K%/BB%, but that isn’t quite elite contact, and combined with the lack of impact, the hit tool might play down. Even with the potential for good CF defense, this isn’t a guy the Dodgers really give everyday playing time to. Even in a 400-500 AB utility role, he can have value, and it’s also very possible he gets traded to a team that will give him run. Upper minors steals only guys sit in the fringe Top 100 range for me, so a lower minors version has to sit lower than that. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 78/5/39/.263/.324/.351/46

240) Asbel Gonzalez – KCR, OF, 20.3 – If you like rostering the Chandler Simpson’s, Nelson Rada’s, and Enrique Bradfield’s of the world, Asbel Gonzalez is the next in the conveyer belt of that style of prospect. And he’s really more like Rada and Bradfield in that he has the potential to be a plus defensive CF, which matters a lot for this type of player to actually get and stay on the field. But of course, what you are buying is the blazing speed and base stealing ability, as he nabbed 78 bags in 115 games at Single-A. Granted he got caught 26 times too, which led the minors for caught stealing, so methinks he ran a bit too much (78 steals was 4th best in the minors), but you get the point. He combines the defense and speed with above average plate skills (17.0/10.7 K%/BB%) and a projectable frame at a skinny 6’2”. There isn’t much present power now with only 1 homer and a 50% GB%, so his upside will be dictated by how much more power he can get to, both raw and game. Even without a power surge, a plus defensive CF with 40+ steal upside and good plate skills has plenty of fantasy value. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 77/8/46/.254/.326/.372/34

241) Jared Thomas – COL, OF, 22.9 – I was a fan of Thomas’ coming out of the draft, and I loved seeing him destroy High-A out of the gate in 2025 (11 homers with a 146 wRC+ in 73 games), but I refused to fly him up the rankings until I saw it at Double-A. Just like with Cole Carrigg, we know Colorado’s High-A ballpark is a hitter’s haven, so it’s hard to take those numbers at face value, and just like with Carrigg, the numbers immediately fell off at Double-A with a 34.6% K%, 3 homers, and a 114 wRC+ in 45 games. He’s now in the AFL, and while he’s hitting well with a .929 OPS, it comes with a 15/1 K/BB in 8 games. The reason I liked him coming out of the draft is that he looks the part at 6’2” with smooth athleticism and a quick and powerful lefty swing, but it’s clear the hit tool is a major problem. He’s likely a corner outfielder, so the glove isn’t going to force the issue, and he’s not great vs. lefties, so it will likely come in a platoon role at best. We’ve seen this type of Colorado prospect a million times, and they usually never really give them a full chance. The fantasy upside is there, but he’s going to have to scratch and claw for his shot. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 66/16/63/.240/.318/.421/19

242) Jaison Chourio – CLE, OF, 20.10 – Chourio was a big time breakout candidate that look destined to explode in 2026, but he took a major step back in all areas instead. Not only didn’t he have a power breakout, but he actually managed to hit less homers this year, going from 5 to 2. The strikeout rate got worse, going from 16% to 22.9%. He stole far fewer bags, going from 10 to 44. And the production dropped off a cliff, going from a 144 wRC+ at Single-A to a 79 wRC+ at High-A. I’m not sure there is that much to learn from it, other than we are never going to be able to perfectly predict breakouts, but I have a few thoughts. One, maybe the Chourio name value/bloodlines got a bit overrated. I love bloodlines, but it’s starting to maybe seem they get too big of a bump. The 2nd thought is that after the minors contracted some teams, Single-A is starting to bleed a bit into a glorified rookie ball league. Not quite, but more than in previous years. High-A is almost the first real challenge. Chourio is still a solid prospect with speed and good plate skills. He can have the breakout in future years, but he’s no longer a super unique one. The tools aren’t off the charts and now the production isn’t there either. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 81/14/52/.261/.342/.408/23

243) Brailer Guerrero – TBR, OF, 19.10 – Guerrero is still a project with a 29.3% K% and 52.8% GB% in 51 games at Single-A, but at a still young 19 years old, and at 6’1”, 215 pounds with a viciously powerful lefty swing, he’s a project that is worth staying patient with for at least one more year. Even with the rough K/GB combo, he still put up a 119 wRC+ with 6 homers and 9 steals. He only got caught stealing once, so while he’s not fast, there is some semblance of base stealing skill. There is a ton of refinement needed all around, and the risk is high, but the dude looks the part of a beastly left handed slugger. Let’s see what he can do in 2026. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 72/24/81/.248/.324/.452/9

244) Roldy Brito – COL, 2B/OF, 19.0 – Brito was a huge stateside rookie ball breakout with a 159 wRC+ in 51 games, and then he fully kept it up when he got the call the Single-A, slashing .375/.442/.463 with 1 homer, 13 steals, and a 17.3/9.0 K%/BB% in 33 games. He’s a pretty electric player out there with a top of the order skillset. He’s got a good feel to hit, he’s fast, and he’s already pretty strong at 5’11” with the ability to hit it hard. The 56% GB% is way too high, but he can certainly lower it over time, and he has the type of skillset where a low launch is maybe better off. He’s ultimate defensive home is still a question, but they’ve been playing him in CF more, and he has the speed to turn into a pretty good CF. There is a long way to go and a lot of refinement is still needed, but Brito has the upside to be an impact top of the order hitter at peak. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 77/15/64/.267/.333/.416/25

245) JD Dix – ARI, 2B, 20.6 – The biggest issue with Dix is that he played almost exclusively 2B in his pro debut this year. That immediately puts so much more pressure on the bat than if he had a plus SS glove, and while the bat was good, it wasn’t truly standout. He slashed .261/.391/.335 with 1 homer, 19 steals, and a 22.2/16.1 K%/BB% in 50 games at Single-A. He has projectable power at 6’2”, he has no major lift and pull issues, he’s got speed, and he has a good feel to hit. He would have actually been in the mold of a Geraldo Perdomo type, but the difference is that Perdomo’s plus SS glove gave him a long leash. Regardless, Dix has a really good blend of floor and upside. He’s the type of prospect who keeps getting a little better every year, until he breaks out as an impact fantasy player in his mid 20’s. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 77/17/71/.266/.333/.435/24

246) Josh Adamczewski – MIL, 2B/OF, 20.11 – Adamczewski is a hit tool first, likely corner outfielder, which is not exactly my favorite profile to go after in fantasy, but the guy can certainly hit. He proved that in the AFL with one of the standout performances, slashing .277/.415/.538 with 4 homers, 4 steals, and a 20.7/18.3 K%/BB% in 20 games. He hit the ball hard with a 91.6 MPH EV, and while the swing is geared for average over power, he can definitely get ahold of one and pop some dingers. His performance in the lower minors was similar to what he did in the AFL with a .320 BA, 5 homers, and 7 steals in 71 games at mostly Single-A. The power/speed isn’t big, but it’s big enough if he can maintain the double plus plate skills in the upper minors and into the majors. Not my favorite guy, but if you are into these type of profiles more than I am, I think he’s a good version of it. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 82/15/63/.271/.338/.417/15

247) Mitch Voit – NYM, 2B, 21.6 – Selected 38th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Voit has strong across the board contributor written all over him. He even looks it with a strong and athletically boxy 6’0”, 201 pound frame. He hits like it too with a very easy and basic swing. And of course, he performed like it in the Big Ten, slashing .346/.471/.688 with 14 homers, 14 steals, and a 13.0/15.3 K%/BB% in 56 games. He can hit the ball hard, he has speed, and has a good feel to hit. And if he had a great debut, I could see really loving him, but he didn’t. He was yet another college bat who had an underwhelming debut with a 89 wRC+, 1 homer, a 32.8% Hard Hit%, and 24.2/13.1 K%/BB% in 22 games at Single-A. The silver lining is that he stole 20 bags, but I would have much rather seen an advanced college bat rip up Single-A. He was young for the class and all of the college bats are flawed this year, so I’ll hold steady with his value. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 78/17/73/.253/.322/.421/23

248) Aron Estrada – BAL, 2B/OF, 21.2 – Estrada isn’t a good defensive player and we’ve seen how hard Baltimore makes it for their young kids to break into the bigs, so I don’t foresee a clean path for Estrada to get full time at bats. Even if he gets traded, he is the type that is going to have to scratch and claw for playing time, but if he does find that playing time, there is definitely some fantasy upside in here. He slashed .288/.366/.447 with 10 homers, 34 steals, and a 16.9/9.9 K%/BB% in 108 games split between High-A and Double-A. The most exciting part of the his year is that the production didn’t drop off at Double-A at all with a 138 wRC+ in 27 games, which is impressive for a 20 year old. He has a good feel to hit, he hits the ball pretty hard and he has speed/baserunning ability. The 48.6% GB% is too high and he doesn’t strike me as a high OBP type on the MLB level, so combined with the poor defense, there are enough negatives here preventing me from flying him up the rankings. Definitely a good fantasy prospect though. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 78/16/72/.268/.326/.425/22

249) Ching-Hsien Ko – LAD, OF, 19.8 – Ko utterly decimated rookie ball with a 175 wRC+ in 53 games, but a lot of it was BABIP induced (.449), and then the numbers took a dive when he got to full season ball with a 88 wRC+ in 32 games. It was just his 18 year old season, so of course you have to give big leeway for an adjustment period, but one of the big things I loved about Ko is that he just kept on hitting everywhere he went, and then at Single-A, he didn’t. He hit only 4 homers with 6 steals in 85 games on the season. As much as I love him and want to bet on him, I can’t go too crazy, but I still see that pretty and powerful lefty swing from a 6’3”, 215 pound frame and want to buy. The 23.2/16.7 K%/BB% at Single-A shows he was far from overmatched. He’s not my usual prospect crush as I love the gaudy homer/steal totals, but he has the feel to hit, approach, and size that catches my eye. He also has the best developmental organization to help him tap into more of his raw power. I just see a really good hitter here at peak. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 81/20/79/.272/.341/.432/10

250) Slater de Brun – TBR, OF, 18.10 – Selected 37th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, de Brun fits perfectly into that little man discount bucket. He’s 5’9”, but he’s a strong 5’9” who can definitely impact the baseball. The lefty swing is very short and quick, so it’s geared more for contact than power, projecting for potential plus hit at peak. And his best skill is that he is a true speedster with double plus runtimes. He’s the discount Kayson Cunningham in this draft, and after Cunningham’s mediocre debut (de Brun didn’t debut), maybe Cunningham should be the discounted de Brun, but we all know Cunningham is still going to go much higher. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 81/14/58/.271/.330/.403/31

251) Kahlil Watson – CLE, OF, 22.11 – Watson is the prototype for the mid 20’s breakout bucket, so it’s hard to buy in right now, but he’s certainly someone you should keep an eye on. The upside that got him drafted 16th overall in 2021 and made him a hyped FYPD pick is still so clearly in here. He walloped 16 homers with a 129 wRC+ in 102 games split between Double-A and Triple-A, and he did it by crushing the ball with a 49% Hard Hit% and lifting in the air. He’s also a great athlete who can steal bags (17 steals in 24 attempts). But the the thing that makes him a mid 20’s breakout candidate is that the hit tool isn’t there yet. The 27.7% K% and especially the 35.2% whiff% at Triple-A is in the major danger zone. There is almost certainly going to be a big MLB adjustment period too. I like the talent and upside, but we are still probably several years off from when a real breakout might happen. – 2026 Projection: 9/2/13/.218/.291/.392/2 Prime Projection: 72/22/69/.236/.315/.441/14

252) Gabriel Davalillo – LAA, C, 18.5 – Davalillo was the top international catcher in the class, writing in his Top 1,000 blurb, “Francisco Alvarez is really the very easy and perfect ceiling comp here with an almost identical profile. Davalillo is a 5’11”, 215 pound bull with plus power, but the hit tool isn’t bulletproof and neither is his defense at catcher.” … And then he backed up his top dog status in the DSL, slashing .302/.408/.518 with 7 homers, 3 steals, and a 12.4/13.6 K%/BB% in 41 games. The hit tool was much better than expected, which is great to see. We have to trust the Angels to develop him, which is honestly a fool’s bet, and as opposed to last year’s top DSL catcher breakout, Rainiel Rodriguez, Davalillo didn’t lift and pull a ton (44.7% GB% with a 34.7% Pull%). Catcher is so deep that I can’t say I would actually go after Davalillo too hard in any of my leagues, but he is very much a favorite to be in the next wave of hyped up catcher prospects, if he can actually stick behind the plate, which is a question. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 71/23/82/.266/.332/.447/3

253) Anderson Brito – TBR, RHP, 21.9 – Brito has big stuff that misses bats, but there is a lot of risk here that prevents me from really flying him up my rankings. He put up a 3.28 ERA with a 31.1/13.4 K%/BB% in 49.1 IP at High-A. That walk rate is risk factor #1. His season ended in late June with a stress reaction in his shoulder, and at 5’10”, it underscores some bullpen risk relating to his size. He made it back for the AFL looking healthy, which is great to see, so I don’t want to want to overrate the injury risk, but it’s certainly still there. He’s also yet to face advanced competition. But maybe I’m being too cautious. He’s legit nasty. The fastball sits mid to upper 90’s, the curve is plus, the changeup is good vs. lefties and he also throws a cutter and sweeper. Tampa didn’t trade for him because they didn’t like him, and I could easily see him ending up a 5 and dive, 150 IP stud for them. If anyone can improve his walk rates, it’s Tampa. Even if he’s not my guy, I definitely see why others love him. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.73/1.30/150 in 145 IP

254) JR Ritchie – ATL, RHP, 22.9 – I like Ritchie and I think he can be a good big league pitcher, but I’m just not seeing the big upside, and I think there is back end starter risk too. He pitched well all season spread pretty evenly across A+, AA, and AAA with a 2.64 ERA and 24.8/9.6 K%/BB% in 140 IP. The problem is he doesn’t have big velocity with a 93.4 MPH sinker, and none of his secondaries put up a better than 27.8% whiff% in 59.2 IP at Triple-A. The 22.6% whiff% at Triple-A overall is weak. The control/command is also probably more in the average area. I just don’t see that standout pitch or skill to be a truly coveted fantasy prospect. But the reason I think he can become a good real life starter is that the guy most certainly understands the art of pitching when you watch him with a 6 pitch mix. I can see him turning into a solid #4. – 2026 Projection: 2/4.30/1.37/58 in 70 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.91/1.29/147 in 165 IP

255) Quinn Mathews – STL, LHP, 25.6 – I had a bad feeling that Mathews 2024 implosion at Triple-A to end the season shouldn’t have been completely dismissed, writing in his Top 1,000 blurb, “I think it’s easy to completely hand wave Mathews getting bombed at Triple-A to close out the season (6.48 ERA with a 27.8/17.7 K%/BB% in 16.2 IP), but I do think there might be at least a small amount of signal there that we shouldn’t just 100% dismiss.” … and I wasn’t nearly scared away enough, as his 2025 season looked much closer to what he did at Triple-A to close out the year than he what he did at Double-A. He put up a 25.4/17.5 K%/BB% in 94 IP. That is scary bad, and while I’ve been pounding home the point in 2025 that Triple-A is fucking hard, Mathews doesn’t have the big stuff to fall back on either. The fastball sat 93.1 MPH and put up a 18.2% whiff%. It wasn’t a complete disaster as the 3.73 ERA isn’t terrible, and the secondaries (slider/changeup/curve) all missed a ton of bats with the changeup standing out with a 56% whiff% and .208 xwOBA, but this wasn’t nearly the guy we expected coming off the huge 2024 breakout. He simply wasn’t able to keep it up, and he now looks more like a back end starter with mid-rotation upside, which isn’t a very highly valued dynasty asset. Pitching in St. Louis should help and there is nothing but opportunity there, so I wouldn’t completely give up on him, you just need to change expectations. – 2026 Projection: 4/4.38/1.41/79 in 90 IP Prime Projection: 9/4.06/1.33/142 in 155 IP

256) Daniel Espino – CLE, RHP, 25.3 – I refused to simply write off Espino. People had completely given. Basically treated him like a non prospect, and I just couldn’t do it, writing in his Top 1,000/Target blurb last off-season, “Sometimes you just gotta say eff it. If Espino’s value held up at all, I also would be scared off by the injuries and surgeries, but everyone has completely given up on him. And while obviously there is risk, there is also a chance he does in fact come back healthy from all of this. He’s still young. And his stuff was so insanely elite, that it could legitimately take 2 steps back and still be nearly elite. The dude was also known for his work ethic, so you know if it’s possible to get healthy again, he will do it. He’s probably a free pickup in most leagues. Putting him on the bottom of your roster and seeing what happens is the move here.” … and then he came back in time for the AFL and looked like fire. He went right back to racking up strikeouts with 7 in 4.2 IP. The fastball was right back to upper 90’s and hitting over 100 MPH. The plus slider looked good. It was only in very short outings and a super small sample, so we are far from out the woods, but I mean, hell yea. I’m just pumped for him coming off two shoulder surgeries, but like you know, shoulder surgeons are wizards these days. Might he end up in the bullpen? Sure, that might be the most likely outcome, but they said they haven’t given up on him in the rotation yet. I’m happy I stayed patient with upside like this and I’m going to stay patient one more off-season. – 2026 Projection: 2/3.89/1.31/42 in 40 IP Prime Projection: 4/3.45/1.18/87/30 saves in 63 IP

257) Drew Anderson – DET, RHP, 32.0 – Anderson signed a 1 year, $7 million contract with Detroit, which tells you he’s expected to be a back end arm, and with the Framber signing, he’s now going to be a 6th starter at best. If he had a job, there was definitely some of that mystery upside that is fun to take a flier on. He went to the KBO (Korea), added a kick change, and all hell broke loose with a 2.25 ERA and 35.3/7.3 K%/BB% in 171.2 IP. The kick change is truly nasty. He combines that gem with a mid 90’s fastball and two breakers in his slider and curve. Like the contract says, he’s likely a back end arm/reliever, and without a job, I can’t say I’m going after him, but keep an eye if injuries open a spot in the rotation at some point. – 2026 Projection: 7/4.01/1.31/110 in 110 IP Update: Seeing him in spring, I’m liking him enough to not care that he doesn’t have a rotation spot. I actually think he’s a sneaky good target in medium to deeper leagues

258) Alejandro Rosario – TEX, RHP, 24.3 – It’s the Curious Case of Alejandro Rosario. It was reported that Rosario had a UCL injury in February that was going to require Tommy John, but we found out months later that he never actually underwent the surgery, and then just went under the knife in January 2026. That will now wipe out his entire 2026 season which will be two completely lost seasons in a row. This certainly doesn’t feel like a situation I’m running to buy into. On the flip side, he showed legit top of the rotation potential in 2024 with 3 plus to double pitches (mid to upper 90’s heat, slider, splitter) that led to a 2.24 ERA and 36.9/3.7 K%/BB% in 88.1 IP. The only box he didn’t check in 2024 was upper minors production, but he just didn’t get the chance. The upside is certainly worth waiting on the Tommy John discount, but with all of the other surrounding circumstances,  something just doesn’t feel right. I can’t recommend him as a target right now. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection:  10/3.71/1.18/163 in 150 IP

259) Braden Nett – SAC, RHP, 23.10 – Nett definitely qualifies for that bucket of prospect I love to shop in, which is guys in the upper minors with good stuff and good production, but he’s not one of my favorites of the group. He put up a 3.75 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and a 24.8/10.3 K%/BB% in 105.2 IP at Double-A. The K/BB isn’t bad, but it’s not really popping like you want to see. The stuff is really good though with a plus mid to upper 90’s fastball that misses bats, a plus cutter, 2 good breakers in his slider and curve, and also a splitter. All of his pitches move all over the place. Good luck watching him and trying to classify his pitches just on eye test ha. The control is below average, there is reliever risk, and I don’t like the ballpark downgrade leaving San Diego, but Nett definitely has the talent to “come out of nowhere” in the near future. – 2026 Projection: 1/4.20/1.38/19 in 25 IP Prime Projection: 9/3.91/1.32/147 in 150 IP

260) Juan Valera – BOS, RHP, 19.10 – Valera most certainly looks the part at 6’3” with an easy and explosive righty delivery that he uses to fire a mid to upper 90’s fastball. The secondaries aren’t as refined, but he knows how to spin it with the breakers flashing plus, along with a changeup that lags behind but has potential. Keep in mind he started the season as an 18 year old, so there is so much refinement and tinkering coming down the line. And Boston showed how much they liked him by sending him to High-A immediately, putting up a 3.00 xFIP (5.45 ERA) with a 27.5/6.0 K%/BB% in 38 IP. He suffered an elbow injury that kept him out for a large chunk of the season, which just highlights how much risk there is with young flamethrowers like this. He’s also far from a finished product, and there are sooooooooo many enticing pitchers with legit upside in the upper minors, so I don’t really think he’s close to a Top 100 arm, but he’s on that trajectory if he can stay healthy. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 10/3.82/1.26/163 in 160 IP

261) David Davalillo – TEX, RHP, 23.6 – I suspected Davalillo was the type of pitcher who would see his strikeout rate dip in the upper minors, and while that did happen with a 34.0/5.5 K%/BB% in 51 IP at High-A vs. a 25.7/7.5 K%/BB% in 56 IP at Double-A, he still pitched damn well overall with a 2.73 ERA at the level. And Texas’ Double-A ballpark is extremely hitter friendly, making it even more impressive. He doesn’t have the huge fastball, sitting more 93 MPH, but it plays up due to his good control/command, and it comes with some pretty nasty secondaries in his slider, curve and splitter/changeup. I see more of a classic mid rotation upside type, making him a good pitching prospect, but not a great one. – 2026 Projection: 1/4.30/1.36/23 in 30 IP Prime Projection: 10/3.92/1.27/147 in 160 IP

262) Kendry Rojas – MIN, LHP, 23.5 – Rojas came into 2025 as a possible breakout candidate, but an abdominal strain delayed the start of his season until the very end of May, and then he scuffled at Triple-A to close out the season, so he will once again enter 2026 as a possible breakout candidate. He most certainly looks the part at 6’2” with a very easy and athletic lefty delivery that he uses to fire two 94+ MPH fastballs and two bat missing secondaries in his slider and change. It resulted in a 4.70 ERA (3.50 xFIP) with a 28.8/10.3 K%/BB% in 69 IP split between nearly every level of the minors except High-A. Like I mentioned, Triple-A tripped him up with a 7.24 ERA and 20.0/14.7 K%/BB% in 32.1 IP, but as we know, Triple-A is hard, and the stuff was still working with a 28.6% whiff% there. He also dominated Double-A with a 40.0/2.7 K%/BB% in 18.2 IP, so it’s not like he can’t get upper minors hitters out. He’s your classic mid rotation upside starter. – 2026 Projection: 1/4.38/1.40/25 in 30 IP Prime Projection: 9/3.95/1.30/139 in 150 IP

263) Foster Griffin – WSH, LHP, 30.8 – Griffin signed for $5.5 million coming back over from Japan, which tells you is that expectation is back end starter at best. He put up a 1.62 ERA with a 25.1/5.9 K%/BB% in 78 IP. He’s a low velo, plus changeup lefty with a decent slider and plus control. We’ve definitely seen that profile work on the MLB level, but the upside isn’t high, and obviously the floor is that he’s just not good. – 2026 Projection: 5/4.23/1.30/106 in 120 IP

264) Ryan Weiss – HOU, RHP, 29.4 – Weiss signed for only $2.6 million coming back over from Korea, so the expectations are extremely low, but why not take a flier on the mystery upside at this point. He put up a 2.87 ERA with a 28.6/7.7 K%/BB% in 178.2 IP in the KBO. He’s 6’4”, 210 pounds with a 94 MPH fastball with a potentially plus slider as his best secondary. He also has a diverse pitch mix with a curve and changeup. He’s expected to be a reliever or back end arm, but at this point, why not. – 2026 Projection: 4/4.22/1.34/87 in 90 IP

265) Karson Milbrandt – MIA, RHP, 21.11 – Milbrandt was a talented FYPD arm in 2022 who signed for $1.5 million, and while it took him a minute to get comfortable in pro ball, he broke out in 2025 in his 21 year old season (this is a reason I’m staying patient on Noble Meyer for one more year below). He put up a 3.26 ERA with a 30.1/12.8 K%/BB% in 77.1 IP at High-A, and then he pitched well in a cup of coffee at Double-A with a 1.69 ERA and 22.2/8.9 K%/BB% in 10.2 IP. He’s a big physical 6’2” with a mid 90’s fastball and nasty slider. The arm is pretty electric. He does look a bit relievery out there, and with below average control and mostly two main pitches (he’ll also mix in a curve, cutter and change), the reliever risk is high. But he just took his first big step forward in 2025, and there should be more refinement to come in future years. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.87/1.28/157 in 155 IP

266) Jose Urbina – TBR, RHP, 20.5 – Urbina put up a 2.15 ERA with a 26.6/7.9 K%/BB% in 96.1 IP at Single-A. The fastball sits mid to upper 90’s, the slider is potentially plus and the changeup is developing. The control is solid and he looks the part at an athletic 6’3”, 180 pounds. Long way to go, but that is a lot of boxes to check … size, athleticism, velocity, good secondary, good control, full season ball success. He’s a good one. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 11/3.83/1.25/151 in 160 IP

267) Jackson Ferris – LAD, LHP, 22.3 – Ferris is ranked here more for looking the part than for his great production. He’s a 6’4” lefty with a smooth and athletic delivery that he uses to fire a mid 90’s fastball, two potentially plus breakers, and a still developing changeup. That is basically the on the assembly line prototype for a starter, but the production is a bit underwhelming. He put up a 3.86 ERA with a 24.2/11.8 K%/BB% in 126 IP at Double-A. You can be a “looks the part” pitching prospect that ends up a back end starter, which is a still a great career in the grand scheme of things. The Dodgers are also hell to break into their rotation. The talent is in here to breakout, but it hasn’t happened yet, and being on the Dodgers really clouds his path to playing time. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.95/1.31/151 in 160 IP

268) Noble Meyer – MIA, RHP, 21.3 – Meyer was considered a relatively safe high school pitching prospect at the time of his draft, but as we’ve seen so often, there are no safe high school righties. He stepped into pro ball and immediately showed his control/command was far worse than advertised, and it was bad again this year with a 12.8% BB% in 65.1 IP at High-A. That wouldn’t even be so bad if he was racking up K’s and dominating, but that isn’t the case either with a 4.41 ERA and 24.3% K%. I understand if you don’t think he deserves to be on this list, but I want to be patient for at least one more year. If he went to college, he would be entering his Junior year, and we’ve seen so many talented players not fully breakout until that Junior year. Meyer also still looks the part when you watch him at an athletic 6’5” with a low to mid 90’s fastball that he seems to just fling out of his hand. It’s explosive. The slider and changeup still need refinement, but both flash plus at best. It’s been a super disappointing pro career so far, and his value has obviously fallen far, but why not give him his 21 year old season to see if he can make that big jump. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 8/4.07/1.32/139 in 150 IP

269) Wei-En Lin – SAC, LHP, 20.5 – The only thing missing from Lin’s profile is velocity. Everything else is there for things you look for in an exciting young pitching prospect. He knows how to spin it with two good breakers in his slider and curve. He has a developing changeup and splitter that both flash and miss bats. The low 90’s fastball plays up due to his command over it. He has good control. None of his pitches really look nasty when you watch him, and you can almost see in his delivery that it’s less explosive and more controlled, but if more velocity ticks up naturally from his projectable 6’2” frame, Lin can most definitely explode up prospect rankings. And he’s good as is with a 3.72 ERA and 33.4/6.3 K%/BB% in 87 innings split mostly between Single-A and High-A (he also got a Double-A cameo). You can see the K/BB rates decline at each level, and I think there is signal that his stuff isn’t going to play as well against advanced competition. He’s going to need to throw harder, but at only 19 years old in 2025, I don’t see why that wouldn’t be coming. I like him. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 11/3.81/1.24/155 in 160 IP

270) James Tibbs III – LAD, OF, 23.6 – This guy gets tossed around like a hot potato. I was going to try to update the “hot potato” expression, but I just made potatoes yesterday, and fuck are those things hot as hell. The expression stays. He’s projected to be more of a solid than standout bat, so once he got out of San Francisco, I definitely liked him more, but ending up in LA is a double edged sword. He’s very likely to end up blocked, but he needed a good developmental organization based on his pro debut, and LA immediately unlocked his potential at Double-A, slashing .269/.407/.493 with 7 homers, 5 steals, and a 21.4/17.3 K%/BB% in 36 games. He ended the season with 20 homers and 10 steals with a 21.4/16.0 K%/BB% in 123 games, which isn’t bad. Tibbs was a FYPD fade for me last year after getting picked 13th overall, writing, “The only scenario I would honestly see myself drafting him is in like a 30 team league, or if he falls so far I simply don’t have a choice (and even then I might keep on passing). Maybe this ranking is too low, but he’s just not my guy.” … So he’s still not my favorite prospect without big tools, but his draft pedigree and solid season deserve a decent ranking. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 76/18/72/.253/.327/.423/8

271) William Bergolla Jr. – CHW, SS, 21.5 – 4.9% K%. 40 steals. 0 homers … blurb over, you get it ha … but seriously, this is the most contact/steals bat there ever was. That K% is insane for a 20 year old at Double-A, but he’s not a big guy at 5’9”, the hard hit is super low, the groundball rate is super high, and the 6.7% BB% is lackluster, so it only resulted in a .286 BA and 104 wRC+. He’s going to have to hit the ball harder and/or get on base more if he wants to be anything more than a utility infielder, which at only 21 years old, is very possibly coming. There is too much utility infielder risk for me to go too hard here, and Chicago is starting to become stacked with middle infield gloves (Roch Chowolsky is coming too), but if he gets in the lineup, the contact/steals will be there. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 73/4/39/.276/.323/.337/26

272) Alfonsin Rosario – CLE, OF, 21.9 – Rosario is a big time athlete at 6’2”, 222 pounds with at least plus power (21 homers) and good speed (14 steals), but his hit tool got exposed immediately when he got to Double-A. He put up a .211 BA with a 33.1% K% in 33 games to end the season there. He was better at High-A with a .268 BA and 25.1% K%, and he was more age appropriate for High-A than he has was Double-A, so we certainly have to give some leeway for an adjustment period, but it highlights how risky the hit tool is here. Even with the hit tool troubles, he still put up a 105 wRC+ at Double-A, and he destroyed High-A with a 139 wRC+ in 82 games, so the talent is undeniable with lift/pull and big time hard hit. If he can make the proper hit tool adjustments, the fantasy upside is big. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 64/24/76/.237/.308/.444/9

273) Edgar Montero – SAC, SS, 19.4 – Montero is a DSL repeater, which still isn’t my favorite bucket of prospect to stick my neck out for, but he wasn’t bad his first go around with a 123 wRC+ in 2024, and then he decimated the level in 2025, slashing .313/.484/.580 with 9 homers, 11 steals, and a 22.1/24.6 K%/BB% in 55 games. He’s a physical specimen at 6’2”, 190 pounds and he already hits the ball really hard with plus power potential at the least. Maybe I can see going higher on him if the 22.1% K% was a bit lower, but that is still a very high K% for the DSL, especially for an 18 year old who is repeating the level. I’m nervous the hit tool has the potential to tank him when he gets to Single-A, let alone the upper minors and the majors. But if you are more forgiving of 18 year old DSL repeaters than I am, I can see being higher on him than I am, and even though I’m not going crazy for him, I do still like him. Fun upside prospect. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 76/25/84/.246/.328/.457/9

274) Yairo Padilla – STL, SS, 18.9 – There was hope for a Padilla explosion in 2025 with lots of backfields hype last off-season, and while he didn’t explode, his value held strong with another good season. He slashed .283/.396/.367 with 0 homers, 24 steals, and a 14.2/12.2 K%/BB% in 38 games at stateside rookie ball. That was good for a 119 wRC+. It’s basically exactly the same thing he did in the DSL in 2024. He displayed a good feel to hit, good approach, and plus speed, but he’s going to need to learn to lift more to tap into his power potential. A 52.7% GB% is way too high. He already hits the ball fairly hard for his age and there should be more coming with a long and lean build, so if can combine the plate skills and speed with more lift, the explosion could come in 2026. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 82/16/66/.268/.335/.422/28

275) Luis Cova – MIA, OF, 19.2 – Cova was a DSL repeater, which I still discriminate against, but he did improve considerably, especially with power, slashing .299/.422/.537 with 9 homers, 35 steals, and a 18.3/15.6 K%/BB% in 50 games. He added both more raw power and game power by lifting and pulling a lot more, but it came at the expense of contact rates (10% K% in 2024), so it was a give and take. We need to see him keep up this production at an age appropriate level before really flying him up rankings, but the upside is now pretty damn considerable if the hit tool doesn’t tank against advanced pitchers. Even as a DSL repeater, I like him, but I need to keep some caution. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 79/18/70/.253/.324/.436/31

276) Robert Calaz – COL, OF, 20.4 – Calaz was a fun upside, power hitting potential breakout pick last off-season, but full season ball exposed the rawness in his game. He hit only 10 homers with a 49.8% GB% and 25.9/8.7 K%/BB% in 99 games at Single-A. The .259 BA and 106 wRC+ aren’t bad, so it was far from a disaster season, but it wasn’t the huge breakout many were hoping for. I was a bit on the cautious side with him last off-season because I didn’t love the batting stance, and it looks like there is going to be plenty of more refinement needed to fully tap into his considerable raw power. The power upside is still here, but there is now both hit tool and groundball risk, and we have to trust Colorado to actually develop him. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 67/23/75/.252/.324/.455/7

277) Hayden Alvarez – LAA, OF, 19.0 – Hayden Alvarez is a “looks great in the uniform” type with a scout’s dream build at a projectable 6’3″, but he’s not just style, he’s got substance too with an excellent feel to hit and speed. He dominated rookie ball with a 131 wRC+ in 55 games, and then he took it up a notch when he got to Single-A as an 18 year old, slashing .355/.459/.435 with 0 homers, 9 steals, and a 10.5/13.2 K%/BB% in 20 games. He doesn’t hit the ball hard and the 54.2% GB% shows you the type of hitter he is, which is one that is focused on contact, but there is no reason the power shouldn’t tick up as he matures, and there is a chance it can tick up in a major way. Even if he never becomes a big launch guy, the profile could work with contact, approach, speed, and more hard hit. I don’t trust the Angels at all to develop him. They are really bad at developing these types, but I mean, there are a lot of fun ingredients to like here. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 73/14/61/.262/.328/.399/23

278) Bryce Cunningham – NYY, RHP, 23.3 – Cunningham was on the way to being a major pitching prospect breakout after the first 46.2 IP of his pro career with a 1.93 ERA and 25.7/6.0 K%/BB% at High-A, but he just didn’t look the same after returning from a shoulder injury he suffered in June. He put up a 5.11 ERA with a 20.0/16.4 K%/BB% in 12.1 IP over 5 outings after returning, and he looked just as bad in his latest AFL start. The most concerning part is that the stuff was down. The mid 90’s fastball that could get into the upper 90’s was down to about 93 MPH. The hope is that he was just taking it easy to end the season coming off the injury, and that he’s just trying not to hurt himself again before having a full off-season to ramp back up. That does make sense to me, and that is the way I’m leaning, but it does add some extra risk heading into the off-season. When healthy, he’s a beast of a man at 6’5”, 230 pounds with the big stuff to match. Along with the mid 90’s heat, he has a plus, bat missing changeup that is probably his best secondary, a solid slider, new cutter, and he threw the curve in the AFL game. The most impressive part of the start to his season was the excellent walk rate, because he had below average walk rates in college, but that disappeared when he returned. He might have been knocking on the door of the Top 100 had he remained healthy, but the injury put a halt to that, and he’s now a Top 200-ish prospect for me. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.85/1.29/147 in 155 IP

279) Nestor German – BAL, RHP, 24.1 – I pumped the brakes on German a bit last off-season, and now it seems like his value is falling in between the people highest on him and the people (me) lowest on him. Good pitching prospect but not a very sought after one. As I expected his numbers dropped considerably against upper minors hitters with a 3.93 ERA and 28.0/9.0 K%/BB% in 123.2 IP at mostly Double-A. The fastball was down to 92.8 MPH at the end of the season at AAA, but it was higher than that earlier in the year, sitting mid 90’s, and the pitch can miss bats. He combines that with 3 bat missing secondaries in his slider, splitter, and curve. The stuff is good, the K% was good, he had success in the upper minors and he’s close to the majors. Like I said, he wasn’t a big breakout like the high guys hoped for, but he also wasn’t as lackluster as my ranking of him. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 9/3.92/1.31/146 in 150 IP

280) Connor Prielipp – MIN, LHP, 25.3 – The most important thing for Prielipp to show in 2025 was health. He had a career high of 23.1 IP including college, and he had 2 major elbow surgeries on his resume since 2021. So seeing him stay healthy all season and throw 82.2 IP is huge to see. Sure he’s already 25 years old, and sure Minnesota babied him for most of the year, but that was a huge step. The exciting stuff was always in here, and he proved he could sustain it over a full season with a double plus slider, two mid 90’s fastballs (sinker, 4-seamer) and an above average changeup. He didn’t exactly destroy the upper minors with a 4.03 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and 27.0/8.5 K%/BB%, but that is almost certainly on the low end of his ability and also the product of some bad luck (3.55 xFIP). More than the mediocre results, I’m still most concerned that he ends up in the bullpen. The health is still a big risk and he’s definitely a bit reliever-ish out there with a heavy slider profile. The easy move is to just unleash in the bullpen, maybe for a multi inning role, and not have to deal with trying to stretch him out for 150+ innings. That is where I’m leaning right now, so I can’t say I would value him super highly in dynasty, even though I like him. – 2026 Projection: 3/4.07/1.33/71/ in 75 IP Prime Projection: 4/3.53/1.24/69 in 65 IP

281) Boston Bateman – BAL, LHP, 20.6 – Bateman was one of my favorite underrated high school pitchers in last year’s FYPD class, and while he didn’t dominate, he did well enough for his value to hold serve with a 4.14 ERA and 24.7/10.0 K%/BB% in 87 IP at mostly Single-A. You know I love me a 6’8” lefty beast, and the stuff is very good too with a mid 90’s fastball, two potentially plus breakers, and a developing changeup. His control was mostly solid (it ballooned a bit in his last 3 starts at High-A). It wasn’t as much dominance as you optimally want to see, but Bateman’s a guy I want to keep betting on.  – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection:  11/3.89/1.28/160 in 160 IP

282) Daniel Eagen – ARI, RHP, 23.4 – Eagen was a 3rd round pick in 2024 coming out of a non major conference, the Big South, so it was huge to see him just immediately obliterate High-A in his pro debut with a 2.49 ERA and 34.1/10.6 K%/BB% in 97.2 IP. He did it with a low to mid 90’s fastball that misses bats and is tough to square up, to go along with a big curve that racks up whiffs, a solid slider and a lesser used changeup. It’s not great to see the production immediately drop off when he got to the upper minors with a 5.49 ERA and 24.7/12.9 K%/BB% in 19.2 IP, but considering he was reaching a career high in IP when he was facing the toughest competition he’s ever seen, he deserves some leeway to get comfortable. I view him more as a mid rotation upside type, so while I don’t think he carries huge dynasty value, I do think he’s a good pitching prospect. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.96/1.32/140 in 150 IP

283) Miguel Mendez – SDP, RHP, 23.9 – Mendez is a skinny 6’2” with a smooth and athletic delivery. He’s damn electric out there really. He can blow the mid 90’s fastball by guys and then drop in the vicious slider or the bat missing changeup. He dominated High-A with a 1.32 ERA and a 28.6/9.8 K%/BB% in 61.1 IP at High-A before getting tripped up at Double-A with a 8.06 ERA and 28.0/15.9 K%/BB% in 22.1 IP. It’s a good sign he was still missing bats, but clearly it’s not a good sign how crushed he got. It does give me some pause from going too crazy, but he passes the eye test, the stuff is good, and the stuff misses bats. There is also tons of opportunity in San Diego both long term and short term. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.83/1.30/153 in 150 IP

284) Antwone Kelly – PIT, RHP, 22.6 – Pitt has become a pitching development factory, and Kelly is yet another big hit for them in 2025. His velocity took a big jump this year, now sitting upper 90’s and hitting over 100 MPH, and it resulted in a 3.02 ERA with a 27.2/7.7 K%/BB% in 107.1 IP split between High-A and Double-A. He wasn’t quite as good at Double-A (23.5/8.2 K%/BB% in 48 IP), but he was reaching a career high IP, and he still put up a 3.00 ERA at the level. He’s not tall at 5’10”, but he doesn’t look small out there all all. He’s thick in the right spots, and the delivery is both explosive and pretty athletic. The secondaries aren’t as good as the fastball, but he throws a variety of them (slider, change, cutter, sinker), and hopefully there is more improvement coming down the line as he was only 21 years old this year. I’ll take a foundation of upper 90’s heat and strong upper minors production all day. He also has the fallback of being a possible future closer candidate. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.82/1.26/156 in 155 IP

285) Yordanny Monegro – BOS, RHP, 23.5 – I was ready for battle. Me against the entire prospect world. I had the baseball bat I keep next to my bed because a home intruder could never defeat a guy with a baseball bat. I had a kitchen knife. And I had a screwdriver. That’s basically all the weapons I have in my house. I was ready to defend Yordanny’s honor against all doubters… and then he went down with a UCL injury that required Tommy John surgery … No. Not like this. This is isn’t how I wanted to go out. And I hate to say it, but he’s not quite good enough to really take the Tommy John discount on. Hold him for free, sure. Pick him up at the end of next season or in the next off-season, sure. But this is brutal. At full health, Monegro dominated with a secondary first profile, going to his plus slider the most. He also uses a plus curve and a bat missing changeup. Off those secondaries he mixed in a mid 90’s sinker and 4-seamer. The fastballs aren’t as good, which is why a lot of the prospect world was out, but I mean, it surely worked at Double-A with a 2.67 ERA and 35.8/5.8 K%/BB% in 33.2 IP before going down with the injury. I was ready to bet on the unique-ish profile and bet on fastball improvement over time, but coming off Tommy John. I’m way less gung ho about it. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 8/3.93/1.31/143 in 140 IP

286) Riley Quick – MIN, RHP, 21.11 – Selected 36th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Quick didn’t really have a standout statistical season with a 3.92 ERA and 25.9/8.9 K%/BB% in 62 IP in the SEC, but he definitely has the standout stuff, athleticism and size to hope for the delayed pro breakout. He’s 6’6”, 250 pounds (but a build up 250, not a sloppy 250) and he was a good enough lineman to play football in college too to give you an idea of his athleticism. The stuff matches the size with a mid to upper 90’s fastball, a good low 90’s cutter, a potentially plus changeup, and a solid slider. The stuff obviously didn’t result in as much swing and miss as we would want, but he’s still on the inexperienced side when it comes to pitching with his entire 2024 season wiped out due to Tommy John, and he’s young for the class, so the hope is that he can start to really harness and refine his stuff in pro ball. This isn’t a comp, but he gives me a similar feeling that Brandon Sproat gave me in his draft year. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.89/1.27/164 in 160 IP

287) Patrick Forbes – ARI, RHP, 21.9 – Selected 29th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Forbes got transitioned from the bullpen into a full time starter in 2025, and you can definitely still see that rawness. He mostly looks like a reliever out there with a plus mid 90’s fastball/slider combo, below average control, and lack of a third pitch. And as you can expect with that profile, it put up big K numbers, but not the best line overall with a 5.30 ERA and 36.7/10.7 K%/BB% in 71.1 IP in the ACC. He’s 6’3”, 220 pounds, he’s a good athlete on the mound, and he’s only pitched 109.2 IP in his college career, so the hope is that there is a lot of room for development in pro ball to improve the control and changeup. He’s in that Ben Hess/Brandon Sproat type bucket of FYPD arm. Big guy with big stuff, but didn’t quite have the full blown Junior Year breakout. The breakout can happen in the minors though. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.87/1.31/168 in 155 IP

288) Robert Gasser – MIL, LHP, 26.10 – Gasser returned from Tommy John surgery in late July and basically looked 100%, putting up a 2.37 ERA with a 27.3/7.3 K%/BB% in 38 IP at Triple-A. He got a cameo in the majors to close out the season, and just like in 2024, he got the job done despite a low strikeout rate with a 3.18 ERA and 17.2/13.8 K%/BB% in 5.2 IP. The 25% whiff% was about average on the back of the sweeper (40% whiff%). The velocity isn’t big at 93.2 MPH, but the pitch can miss bats (27.3% whiff% in the majors and 28.4% whiff% at AAA). He also mixes in a sinker, changeup and cutter. It’s not a high upside profile, but it’s one we constantly see Milwaukee get the most out of. When his numbers gets called, I think he’ can be solid. – 2026 Projection: 5/4.11/1.32/84 in 100 IP

289) Briggs McKenzie – ATL, LHP, 19.6 – McKenzie was selected 127th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, but he signed for $3 million, which was actually the largest bonus in Atlanta’s class, and signing bonus means arguably more, and at least just as much as draft slot. He got that bonus because he’s that classic big, athletic and projectable lefty who can spin it. He’s 6’2”, 190 pounds with a low 90’s fastball and an absolutely vicious power curve. It’s potentially plus at the very least. The change is a lesser used third pitch, but it definitely has some potential too. The delivery is athletic and he’s around the plate, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see some high walk rates early in his career. I love Atlanta as the landing spot, and if more velocity comes, he could legitimately blow up. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 10/3.86/1.28/155 in 150 IP

290) Jaden Fauske – CHW, OF, 19.4 – Selected 44th overall, Fauske looks the part already at a physical 6’3”, 200 pounds with a smooth and powerful lefty swing. I’m definitely buying that swing, and it also comes with a good feel to hit, strong approach, and good athleticism. He has some defensive questions, recently moving off catcher, so that might have played a role in his draft slot. Because on pure offensive potential, I think he’s underrated. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 82/25/88/.266/.338/.471/7

291) Tommy White – SAC, 3B, 23.1 – It seems to be trending that White will end up at 1B long term, which makes him less appealing for fantasy, because it puts so much more extra pressure on the bat. The bat is good, but I’m not sure it’s going to end up great. He slashed .275/.334/.439 with 12 homers, 3 steals, and a 13.7/7.3 K%/BB% in 93 games split between High-A (108 wRC+) and Double-A (109 wRC+). He then went to the AFL and took it up a notch power wise with 3 homers, a .840 OPS and a 8/9 K/BB in 19 games, although the 34.4% Hard Hit% wasn’t great, so hard to say that is going to lead to the extra power we really want to see. For fantasy, the lack of power is disappointing, and while the raw power is in there at 6’1”, 220 pounds, the 50.5% GB% is brutal. The contact rates are great, but he’s not walking a ton, he doesn’t run, and the huge game/raw power from college just isn’t translating. It’s not a very high upside profile unless he changes something to lift the ball more, which certainly could be in the cards. – 2026 Projection: 17/4/24/.249/.293/.394/0 Prime Projection: 68/18/77/.268/.320/.429/3

292) Miguel Bleis – BOS, OF, 22.1 – Bleis is already in the mid to late 20’s breakout bucket. The hit tool just isn’t improving fast enough to think the breakout is coming sooner with a .226 BA and 23.1% K% in 77 games at High-A and a .209 BA with a 26.3/5.1 K%/BB% in 30 games at Double-A. But the reason I’m still ranking him decently is because if that breakout does come, even at 25 years old+, it will be big with plus raw power, tons of lift/pull (arguably too much with a 62.4% Pull%), plus speed, and good defense. He put up a 114 wRC+ with 13 homers, and 20 steals in 77 games at High-A. Not bad. This is the type of player teams will give chances to maybe deep into their 20’s. Remember when Bleis and Caminero were considered a coin flip for best young prospect breakout potential (I had Caminero ranked one ahead, thank you very much)? Yea, it feels like forever ago, but that talent is still in Bleis if he can figure out the hit tool. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 68/15/61/.231/.301/.415/22

293) Tim Piasentin – TOR, 3B, 19.0 – Selected 143rd overall in the 2025 MLB Draft and signed for a modest $750K, Piasentin is one of my favorite deep sleepers in the draft. He has some of the best power in the high school class at 6’3”, 205 pounds and he has a powerful lefty swing that is geared to rip homers. The present power/game power combo is truly among the best in the class. He’s also on the young side for his class at barely 19 years old to start the 2026 season. The reason he dropped is because he’s not a particularly great athlete and teams likely don’t think he can stick at 3B. There is also hit tool risk, of course. But in fantasy, we mainly care about the bat, and Piasentin’s bat is getting underrated in both real life and fantasy. I like him a lot. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 74/24/81/.247/.331/.462/5

294) Quentin Young – MIN, SS, 19.1 – Selected 54th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Young is your pure upside high school pick, and because I love upside, I’m definitely drawn to him. He’s the nephew of Delmon Young (former 1st overall pick in the draft) and Dimitri Young (171 homers with a .826 OPS in 1,364 career MLB games). He’s also 6’6”, 225 pounds with an explosive righty swing that already produces plus power, and as you can tell from his uncles, he’s an excellent athlete. The snafu is, you guess it, there is major hit tool risk. He’s shown a ton of swing and miss in his game, and it’s no surprise that he put up a 40.9% K% in 5 games in his pro debut. It’s a super small sample and he was just getting his feet wet, but that majorly highlights the risk. He might be the type who doesn’t rally come into his own until his mid 20’s, which would be a long time to wait if you draft him now. But if you want that disgusting upside, Young is your guy. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 71/26/79/.231/.309/.460/13

295) Aaron Watson – CIN, RHP, 19.3 – Selected 51st overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Watson is a projectable 6’5”, 205 pounds who already has polished control/command over his low to mid 90’s fastball. If that thing ticks up into the mid 90’s consistently, he’s going to be dangerous just off that, and he combines that with two potentially plus secondaries in his slider and splitter. Both still need refinement and he doesn’t command them as well as the fastball, but there are a lot of really interesting ingredients here. Size, easy delivery, projection, double plus control of a good fastball, two good secondaries. There is a lot to like here. I’m a fan as a later round FYPD arm to go after. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 10/3.91/1.22/165 in 170 IP

296) Michael Oliveto – DET, C, 19.2 – In a draft that is super weak at catcher, Oliveto, selected 34th overall, might have the highest upside of the crew (of guys likely to stick behind the plate). He’s a projectable 6’3”, 185 pounds who projects to be your classic slugging catcher at peak with a smooth lefty swing that is geared for power. He hasn’t faced the toughest competition as a NY high schooler, which adds to the question of how good the hit tool would be, but Detroit clearly wasn’t very scared off. And Detroit has been doing pretty damn good with development these days. Bodine was the first catcher off the board (other than Irish) in the Draft, but I’m leaning Oliveto as the first fantasy catcher off the board in fantasy. In a deep league, or a league where you prefer floor, Bodine is reasonable as first catcher off the board. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 66/22/76/.250/.331/.450/5

297) Caden Bodine – TBR, C, 22.4 – Selected 30th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Bodine was the first no doubt catcher taken off the board, but he got drafted more for the glove and contact than for his fantasy potential. He put up a 7.7/15.0 K%/BB% in 67 games in the Sun Belt Conference but it came with only 5 homers and little impact. He then did the same in pro ball, slashing .326/.408/.349 with 0 homers, 0 steals, and a 16.3/10.2 K%/BB% in 11 games. This could easily end up a classic back up catcher, but the contact rates are good enough to think he could end up a starting catcher that helps in BA, and the trade to Tampa is a huge boost to his value. He immediately becomes the favorite to be their catcher of the future. Before the trade, I was completely avoiding him, but after it, he’s not a bad option in deeper leagues if you are lacking at catcher. Still not someone I’m going after though. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 66/9/48/.270/.330/.395/2

298) Luke Stevenson – SEA, C, 21.8 – Selected 35th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Stevenson is a super easy evaluation as your classic low BA, high OBP slugging catcher. He’s 6’1”, 210 pounds with a smooth and tremendously powerful lefty swing that has produced 33 homers with a 22.4/19.1 K%/BB% in 125 ACC games. He’s also expected to stay behind the plate. He had a very strong pro debut, slashing .280/460/.400 with 1 homer, 1 steal, and a 19.0/23.0 K%/BB% in 22 games at Single-A. That was good for a 153 wRC+. My biggest issue with him is that he is on Seattle. Raleigh is locked in there through 2030 at least (mutual option in 2031), and after trading away Ford, it seems Stevenson is the one they are holding onto. He may not get a shot until/unless Raleigh leaves in free agency. And obvious it’s not a great offensive ballpark either. On a different team, I could see making him the 1st catcher off the board in FYPD’s, but with Seattle, I’m leaning Oliveto and Bodine. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 66/20/74/.247/.332/.445/3

299) Dorian Soto – BOS, SS, 18.2 – Soto was one of the most exciting incoming international prospects last off-season, and while he didn’t explode in 2025, he did enough to maintain his value, slashing .307/.362/.428 with 2 homers, 1 steal, and a 15.1/8.6 K% in 47 games in the DSL. He showed a good feel to hit, and at a projectable 6’2” with a smooth and quick swing, there is only more power coming. The 38.9% GB% shows there is no major groundball risk either. There is a potential for a potent hit/power combo here at peak. It would have been nice to see more stolen bases, the walk rate is a bit on the low side for the DSL, and he needs more refinement all around, so he’s more of a Top 250-ish type prospect, but the big breakout potential if most certainly in here. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 72/24/81/.267/.328/.453/6

300) Aidan West – LAD, SS, 18.11 – Selected 135th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft and signed for $1.27 million, West is already a big physical guy at 6’2”, 205 pounds, and while the raw power isn’t quite as impressive as his size quite yet, he doesn’t sell out for power with a very easy, simple and quick lefty swing. The swing doesn’t look particularly athletic or explosive to me, but it’s smooth and as he gains more power naturally, it should result in 20 homer power. He’s also an above average runner and athlete, giving him the type of fantasy upside I like going after. Add another star for getting drafted by the Dodgers and their developmental team. There is some hit tool risk here and I can’t exactly say I’ve fallen in love with him, but the organization, fantasy upside, and smooth lefty swing are all there. He’s a good later round prospect. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 72/20/78/.255/.326/.435/15

301) Sung Mun Song – SDP, 3B/2B, 29.7 – Song signed a 4 year, $15 million contract with San Diego, which tells you that he’s expected to be a bench/utility player on the MLB level. The jump from Korea to the majors is much bigger than Japan to the majors, and he’s already 29 years old, so it’s not like you can buy a longer development/adjustment period. But if you want to dream on the tippy top upside, you just have to look at what he did in 2025, slashing .315/.387/.530 with 26 homers, 25 steals, and a 14.9/10.5 K%/BB% in 144 games. He had never hit more than 19 homers before last year, and 13 homers was the career high before that, so he doesn’t have a long track record of this kind of dominance either. He’s 6’0”, 194 pounds, which isn’t a huge guy, and San Diego is not a good park for lefty homers, so it’s hard to buy that the power is going to be that big on the MLB level. He also had to give up some contact and approach to get to those power gains. Having said that, San Diego still has a spot open for him at the moment, and there is a nice glove/feel to hit/power/speed combo in here. If that spot stays open, why not take a shot in deeper leagues, but we’ll see how the rest of the off-season plays out. – 2026 Projection: 58/14/63/.247/.315/.418/16

302) Cooper Ingle – CLE, C, 24.1 – Ingle is coming for a share of that Guardians catcher job, and maybe more than a share if Naylor keeps struggling so hard. He has the polar opposite profile of Naylor with a hit over power approach, slashing .260/.389/.419 with 10 homers and a 16.7/16.9 K%/BB% in 120 games at Double-A and Triple-A. He struggled in the 28 games at Triple-A, but the 14.3% whiff%, 16.5% Chase%, and 41.8% Hard Hit% shows it was mostly poor luck. He’s also a solid defensive catcher who has no questions about sticking at the position. It’s a low upside profile, but I have to imagine Cleveland is getting a bit sick of Naylor hitting .200, and Ingle will be the remedy to that problem. Both of them are lefties though and both struggle vs. lefties, so it’s not going to be a super clean fit if it’s a timeshare. Ingle makes me dislike Naylor more than it makes me like Ingle for fantasy, but again, there is a path here for him to take the job. – 2026 Projection: 28/4/24/.248/.319/.368/1 Prime Projection: 66/12/59/.266/.342/.410/3

303) Leonardo Bernal – STL, C, 22.2 – Bernal was seemingly having a big breakout as a 21 year old at Double-A with 11 homers and a .937 OPS in his first 47 games, but it proved to be just a hot start. He cratered after that with a .559 OPS in his final 65 games. He finished the year slashing .247/.332/.394 with 13 homers, 13 steals, and a 16.9/10.8 K%/BB% in 107 games. I closed out his Top 1,000 blurb last off-season by writing, “Bernal is a very solid catcher prospect who is probably on the underrated side, although he projects as more of a solid all around hitter rather than a true beast.” … and that evaluation still holds today. He’s a switch hitter and I like his swing a lot from both sides of the plate, but he did much more damage with his righty swing this year (.848 OPS vs. lefties). He also has strong plate skills and is a solid defensive catcher. Ivan Herrera has the hype on the MLB level, but it seems a long shot they will actually give him full time reps at catcher. Rainiel Rodriguez has the hype in the minor league system, but he’s 3 years younger than Bernal and his glove still needs work. Jimmy Crooks is ahead of Bernal on the depth chart at Triple-A, but Crooks looks more like a backup to me after a mediocre at best season. That leaves Bernal as the kinda middle option of all of them, and I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he were the one that emerged, as least until Rainiel is ready. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 64/17/68/.258/.327/.421/3

304) Jimmy Crooks – STL, C, 24.8 – Crooks could very easily be St. Louis’ main catcher in 2026. Herrera is a major question on defense, Pages is terrible on offense, Bernal is one level behind him on the depth chart, and Rainiel Rodiguez is a few years away. He has a good glove and he was solid at Triple-A with the bat, slashing .274/.337/.441 with 14 homers, a 104 wRC+ and a 26.5/8.4 K%/BB% in 98 games. He doesn’t crush the ball, but he can hit it hard with a 89.7 MPH EV and 42.1% Hard Hit%. The hit tool can so easily tank him though as we see with that AAA K/BB, and then it got exposed even more in the majors with a .133 BA and a 37.0/0.0 K%/BB% in 46 PA. He may be worse than Pages with the bat. That is why I have Bernal as the highest ranked non Rainiel option in the Cards minors, but Crooks could end up being the short term guy to emerge. Long term, it seems like he’s a backup. – 2026 Projection: 18/4/24/.226/.289/.355/0 Prime Projection: 38/10/46/.243/.309/.391/2

305) Jeferson Quero – MIL, C, 23.6 – Quero clearly didn’t go to the right shoulder surgeon, because he didn’t get the power uptick that everyone else got, returning from the surgery and putting up a 86.8 MPH EV and 29.7% Hard Hit% in 58 games at Triple-A. He lifts (16 degree launch) and pulls (19.4% Air Pull%), and has excellent plate skills (14.0/10.0 K%/BB%), so he doesn’t have to be a huge hard hit guy to succeed, but he’s going to need to do better than that to make a true fantasy impact. It resulted in a mediocre 101 wRC+. More worrisome than the solid but low upside offensive potential is him being blocked by William Contreras. Catching depth is important so I don’t think Milwaukee is going to feel all that pressured to trade him, and they have plenty of really good DH options in their system, so you can’t even count on tons of at bats there. He’s just not a super valuable dynasty asset. – 2026 Projection: 19/5/26/.237/.303/.385/1 Prime Projection: 62/17/66/.253/.328/.428/3

306) Marco Dinges – MIL, C, 22.7 – Dinges has a truly explosive and powerful righty swing that definitely makes you want to bet on him, and that swing produces plus power with 13 homers in 77 games at mostly High-A. There is some hit tool risk with a 22.9% K% at High-A, and he was a 21/22 year old in the lower minors, so I want to see it at Double-A first before I’m really willing to bet huge on the bat. He’s still raw behind the plate with refinement needed in all aspects of defense, so it’s questionable if he can actually stick at the position, and with Contreras and Quero ahead of him at the depth chart, there isn’t a clear path to playing time. I like Dinges and I like his swing/power a lot, but I struggle to really treat him like a super valuable dynasty asset quite yet. If he rips up Double-A, he will rise higher. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 66/22/73/.248/.329/.440/4

307) Blake Mitchell – KCR, C, 21.8 – Mitchell suffered a fractured hamate bone in his wrist which required surgery in February, and it completely tanked his season. Not only did he start the year on the IL, but he experienced lingering soreness during the season too, which can explain the lackluster power numbers even when he did play. He hit just 3 homers in 60 games at mostly High-A after hitting 18 homers in 111 games last year. I’m apt to give him a do over in 2026, because we know how bad wrist injuries can impact hitters. Unfortunately, they can also be recurring and have been known to tank careers (Alex Kirilloff), but let’s not put that on Mitchell quite yet. The maybe more concerning part of his year was the continued contact and hit tool issues. He hit .218 with a 31.8% K% this year, and it wasn’t much better in 2024 with a .232 BA and 30.7% K%. We know who Mitchell is when healthy, and that is a low BA, high OBP slugging catcher, and like I mentioned, he deserves some leeway for the down 2025. It seems to me that him and Jensen will share that C/DH job for years to come once Salvador Perez finally declines, if he ever does. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 64/22/71/.227/.318/.434/9

308) Walker Janek – HOU, C, 23.7 – Yainer Diaz isn’t a good defensive catcher. He’s acceptable at best. He’s also a free agent after the 2028 season, which isn’t around the corner, but it’s not far. All of that to say, it sure looks like Janek has a real shot of being Houston’s catcher of the future starting in 2029, and he’s likely to start eating into some of Diaz’ playing time before that. He got drafted 29th overall in 2024 for his glove, and while it doesn’t seem like he’s a finished product with the glove yet, that is expected to be his best skill. The bat is more of a question, but I’m encouraged by his season at High-A and then into the AFL. He’s got power with 15 homers in 105 games (92 games at Single-A and 13 games in the AFL), he can lift and pull, which is huge in Houston, and the major fantasy cherry on top is that he’s a great athlete. He stole 30 bags this year and got caught only twice. He’ll be an impact fantasy catcher, that is if the hit tool doesn’t tank him. He put up a 26.6/7.5 K%/BB%, which is pretty bad for a 22 year old in the lower minors. He came from a small conference, and we know catchers focus so much on defense that offensive refinement comes later, so he does have some excuses for the weak plate approach. With the catcher position looking so deep right now, Janek can’t be considered a super valuable fantasy prospect, but he’s far from irrelevant. He has more value the deeper the league is. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 53/17/61/.233/.300/.415/13

309) Troy Johnston – COL, 1B/OF, 28.9 – The Rockies haven’t brought in a vet to take Johnston’s job, but they did bring in Julien and Rumfield who can compete with him, so it’s a bit more crowded than earlier in the off-season. He still seems like the favorite though. He put up a 109 wRC+ with a .339 xwOBA in 121 PA in Miami. The 89.6 MPH EV, 40.7% Hard Hit%, 14.6 degree launch, 19.8% Air Pull%, and 21.5% K% aren’t bad numbers at all. He also stole 31 bags at AAA despite below average speed, so even if the steals dry up, he should at least contribute in the category. If he actually does end up with the job, I’m not against a flier, but the reason why I’m not going higher is that the 31% whiff% and 36% Chase% are both rough. The hard hit is decent, but it’s not great, and he was also only solid at Triple-A with a 109 wRC+ in 84 games. At already 28 years old, he’s likely not a long term starting MLB 1B even if he does get the job by default this year. – 2026 Projection: 41/11/44/.257/.318/.415/7

310) Zach Cole – HOU, OF, 25.8 – Cole’s hit tool likely isn’t good enough to be a starter, and he’s already 25 years old. He put up a 35.1% K% in 97 games in the upper minors and then a 38.5% K% with a 42% whiff% in 52 PA in the majors. But I’ll give him a decent ranking for upside and some semblance to a path to playing time. Even with the high K%, he put up a 151 wRC+ with 19 homers and 18 steals in the minors. He produced in the majors too with 4 homers, 3 steals, and a 142 wRC+. He’s an excellent athlete at 6’2” with a plus power/speed combo. But the bottom line is that I just don’t see how he’s a full time starter with those K rates. They need to come way, way down. – 2026 Projection: 33/9/36/.224/.294/.397/8

311) Deyvison De Los Santos – MIA, 1B/3B, 22.9 – Deyvison went from 40 homers in 137 games in the upper minors in 2024 to a mere 12 homers in 110 games at Triple-A in 2025. That is a wild drop that is kinda hard to wrap your head around, and while both numbers aren’t likely indicative of his true talent level, the 12 homers are far from a fluke. The guy doesn’t lift and pull at all with a 51.3% GB% and 13.6% Air Pull%. He hits is hard, but a 43.9% Hard Hit% is not like off the charts, lift/pull proof hard. That isn’t going to cut it, especially when the 30.8% whiff% and 35% Chase% are both well below average too. So is the defense. It resulted in a 85 wRC+. It was a disaster year for De Los Santos, and there really aren’t many silver linings. I guess the only silver lining is that even with all the Miami breakouts in 2025, 1B is still sitting wide open. He was only 21/22 years old last year, and there is no doubt about the pure raw power talent in here. It sure seems like he will eventually get his shot, and when he does, that type of power alone could make him relevant, but there are too many holes in his game right now. Even if an MLB breakout does eventually come, it might not come for a few years at least. – 2026 Projection: 16/5/21/.222/.278/.391/1 Prime Projection: 63/21/76/.243/.309/.436/4

312) Rafael Flores – PIT, C/1B, 25.5 – Pitt targeted Flores in the David Bednar deal for a reason, and that reason is that they are desperate for close to the majors power bats, and Flores most certainly fits that bill at 6’4”, 232 pounds. He mashed 22 homers in 133 games in the upper minors. The reason I don’t have him ranked higher though, is because I was a little disappointed with the hard hit numbers once he got to Triple-A, putting up a 87.9 MPH EV and 36.4% Hard Hit% in 46 games. He’s also already 25 years old and has major hit tool risk with a 34% whiff% at Triple-A and a 41.2% K% in his small cup of coffee in the majors in 17 PA (albeit while crushing the ball with a 94.8 MPH in 8 batted balls). It’s also questionable if he can stick at catcher, making defense another area of risk. If Pitt didn’t sign all the vets, I would have ranked him higher, but now he’s also blocked. – 2026 Projection: 24/9/31/.226/.297/.415/2 Prime Projection: 45/16/57/.241/.318/.438/5

313) Daniel Susac – SFG, C, 24.11 – Susac was selected in the Rule 5 draft and that gives him a better path to playing time than he had behind Langeliers. He’s still probably a back up catcher long term though. He was the 19th overall pick in 2022 and he looks the part at a powerful 6’4”. That power showed up at Triple-A with 18 homers in 97 games. The EV/Hard Hit data is more solid than standout with a 39.3% Hard Hit%, and the 26.8/8.6 K%/BB% shows the below average plate skills. He also needs to continue refining his defense. The pedigree, size, power, and squint hard enough path to playing time gets him a decent spot on the list. – 2026 Projection: 18/4/24/.220/.280/.377/2 Prime Projection: 49/16/58/.238/.303/.419/5

314) Hao-Yu Lee – DET, 2B/3B, 23.2 – Lee has a few fatal flaws that really limit how high I can go on him. For one, he’s not a great defensive player as a 2B/3B, and because his bat only profiles to be potentially solid, but not great, that presents a problem when he’s on a team that doesn’t have a clear long term spot for him. His 2nd biggest problem is that he put up a .702 OPS vs. righties, which limits his chance at finding a full time role even more. And his third lesser problem is that he doesn’t lift and pull very much. Without those big deficiencies, I can see liking him a lot more as he he hits it hard (44.8% Hard Hit%), the plate skills are solid (20.9/11.2 K%/BB%) and he runs (22 steals). The 104 wRC+ at Triple-A doesn’t jump off the screen, but he was probably on the unlucky side. So he’s a solid prospect who maybe I’m underrating, but those deficiencies are really sticking in my craw. – 2026 Projection: 14/2/11/.244/.303/.381/3 Prime Projection: 66/14/61/.261/.327/.420/10

315) Gabriel Gonzalez – MIN, OF, 22.3 – Gonzalez is a corner outfielder with a good but not great bat, which means he’s going to have to scratch and claw for playing time, and even if he gets it, the fantasy upside isn’t very high. The hit tool is his best tool with strong contact rates throughout his career. He put up a 14.5% K% with .329 BA in 2025 split between Double-A and Triple-A. But that is really all he does well. There isn’t big raw power (34.6% Hard Hit% at AAA), he hits the ball on the ground a lot (47.6%), and he doesn’t walk a lot (8.7% but has been worse in his career). He was 21 years old and put up a 148 wRC+ with 15 homers and 8 steals in 123 games, so the guy can certainly hit and deserves a decent ranking, but he’s not one of my guys. He’s fine. – 2026 Projection: 12/2/14/.255/.304/.380/1 Prime Projection: 76/17/68/.271/.328/.420/8

316) Max Anderson – DET, 2B, 24.1 – Max Anderson hits it hard (90.8 MPH EV, 45.8% Hard Hit%, and 19 homers in 122 games in the upper minors) and he hits it often (15.8% K%), but that is just about all he does. He doesn’t have a valuable glove as a maybe decent 2B, he doesn’t get on base with a 6.5% BB%, he doesn’t lift and pull much, and he doesn’t dominate righties (.767 OPS vs. a 1.017 OPS against lefties). He has the exact same problem that Hao-Yu Lee has, and quite frankly, them both being on the same team is another problem for both of them. More competition. I just can’t see how they are very valuable fantasy assets, but if they do get playing time, I can certainly see them being fantasy relevant. – 2026 Projection: 11/3/15/.247/.294/.398/0 Prime Projection: 60/16/69/.264/318/.430/3

317) Thayron Liranzo – DET, C, 22.9 – Liranzo’s hit tool got majorly exposed in his first taste of the upper minors with a .206 BA and 31.7% K% in 88 games at Double-A. That isn’t his only problem though. He’s also now firmly blocked with Dillon Dingler breaking out on the MLB level, and Josue Briceno competing with him for even back up catcher duties in the future. He’s also not some great defensive catcher, although it seems he’s going to stick at the position. There is no doubt about the power, but the hit tool risk and lack of path to playing time are major issues right now. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 51/18/62/.234/.318/.432/1

318) Nathan Flewelling – TBR, C, 19.5 – Flewelling was a 3rd round pick in 2024 and was one of the youngest players in the class as a still firmly 18 year old all of 2025. Tampa showed their faith in him by sending him straight to Single-A, and he held his own, slashing .230/.393/.341 with 6 homers, 9 steals, a 125 wRC+ and a 27.5/20.4 K%/BB% in 107 games (5 of those games came at High-A where he hit well). He didn’t hit many homers, but he’s 6’2”, 200 pounds and he hits the ball hard. His power upside is evidenced by winning the 2023 Canadian Futures Showcase Home Run Derby. He’s more of a line drive hitter right now, there is hit tool risk, and the defense needs work, so there is a long way to go, but there is a pretty exciting ball of clay here for Tampa to work with. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 66/20/71/.250/.330/.436/5

319) Axiel Plaz – PIT, C, 20.8 – Plaz is an underrated lower minors catcher who has no joke juice in his bat. He’s a thick 5’11” and he put up a 92.3 MPH EV with a 53.1% Hard Hit% and 9 homers in 55 games at Single-A. Those hard hit numbers are truly impressive. There is a lot of hit tool risk with a 29.9% whiff% and a .236 BA overall (including 11 terrible games at High-A), but it improved majorly from 2024, and it looked good in the AFL with a .354 BA and 8/10 K/BB in 14 games. He also needs continued refinement on defense. Pitt doesn’t sign free agents and they don’t exactly have a locked in long term option right now. Plaz could so easily be their starting catcher in 3-4 years, and he has real power upside in his bat. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 54/18/66/.238/.316/.426/1

320) Ramon Ramirez – KCR, C, 20.9 – Ramirez is the forgotten about 3rd best catcher in Kansas City’s system, and because only one guy can be the starting catcher (or actually 2 if they can share the C/DH role), that leaves Ramirez as the best bet to be the backup long term. But just because that is how it’s trending right now, doesn’t mean that is how it’s going to end up. He might just end up better than Mitchell, or he might get traded. So while I do like to project out playing time for my prospects, even ones in the lower minors, you can’t put too much stock into it. Things change fast. And Ramirez has the type of bat to not let it get you down with big power potential. He jacked out 11 homers in 70 games at Single-A, and he has the lift and pull and hard hit to back it up. There is some hit tool risk with a .244 BA, but the 21.2/11.7 K%/BB% wasn’t too bad. And while he’s not a lock to stick behind the plate, it seems it’s more likely than not that he will stick. He’s a good lower minors catcher prospect. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 51/17/59/.242/.318/.430/5

321) Denzer Guzman – LAA, SS, 22.2 – Guzman was a two million dollar international bonus baby, he’s the same age as the incoming college class, and he hit well at Triple-A with a 119 wRC+, 17 homers, and 14 steals in 129 games. He still has that powerful righty swing that got him paid, he’s a good athlete, and the SS glove is good. LAA has an infield spot open right now and they desperately need a guy with a good glove. Guzman is very interesting to me in medium to deeper leagues, but it’s just for medium to deeper leagues. The 33.3% Hard Hit% and 30.5% whiff% is not a good combo. He has extreme lift and pull, but without contact or hard hit, it doesn’t really matter, and that got exposed in the majors with a .566 OPS and 51.2/2.3 K%/BB% in 43 PA. He’s not old, but he’s old enough where the hit tool risk and lack of hard hit is a very big concern. He has enough going for him to make him interesting, and there should definitely be improvement ahead, but I’m not exactly targeting him. He’s fine. – 2026 Projection: 19/7/25/.215/.282/.368/3 Prime Projection: 61/18/69/.233/.305/.409/9

322) Edwin Arroyo – CIN, SS, 22.8 – Arroyo has a good SS glove with a good feel to hit, above average speed, and upper minors production, giving him one of the safer profiles a minor league can have. He slashed .284/.345/.371 with 3 homers, 12 steals, and a 16.9/7.7 K%/BB% in 120 games at Double-A. He had a more contact oriented approach this year, putting up a career best K%, but it came at the cost of his power with a career worst 50.8% GB%. He needs to find a happy medium between the two approaches, and considering he missed all of 2024 after undergoing shoulder surgery, missing key developmental time, we might want to give him some leeway to do just that. A power breakout, or even just a leveling up will start to get his hype brewing again, but even as if, he’s not a bad prospect for medium to deeper leagues  – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 74/14/56/.266/.320/.405/16

323) Dakota Jordan – SFG, OF, 22.11 – Jordan is an excellent athlete with a plus power/speed combo, and he showed off those skills at Single-A, slashing .311/.377/.497 with 14 homers, 27 steals, and a 22.8/8.9 K%/BB% in 88 games. A 22 year old at Single-A is just way too old to get excited about a player though, so Jordan has to prove it at much higher levels first. He also put up a 48.1% GB% with a mediocre 22.8/8.9 K%/BB%, which isn’t great, and one of the worst ballparks in the league is waiting for him. That is too many warts to fly him up the rankings, but if you’re looking for upside from a non teenager, Jordan is a reasonably priced option. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 73/17/64/.239/.309/.418/24

324) Zach Root – LAD, LHP, 22.2 – If the Dodgers like Zach Root, I like Zach Root. Sure, the Dodgers might like him for his real life value as a potential back end starter/opener/jerk him around all over the place and never have any idea if and when he will enter the rotation, but as the Dodgers first pick in this draft at 40th overall, he deserves a solid ranking. He’s 6’2”, 210 pounds with a funky lefty delivery and a diverse mix of secondaries that makes him a tough matchup. The curveball and changeup are his two best pitches and both are potentially plus. He also throws a solid slider and cutter. The 93 MPH fastball isn’t a very good pitch and it doesn’t miss bats, so he throws his secondaries early and often. It all led to a 3.62 ERA with a 30.0/8.3 K%/BB% in 99.1 IP in the SEC. I’m a fan of the Dodgers. I’m a fan of funky lefty deliveries. And I’m a fan of a diverse mix of bat missing secondaries. But the fastball might limit him to that role I outlined above. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 7/3.81/1.29/125 in 130 IP

325) Cam Leiter – LAD, RHP, 22.2 – Selected 65th overall, Leiter is a high risk, high reward college pitcher play, and not gonna lie, I ain’t upset that he got drafted by the Dodgers. Leiter showed big stuff with big K rates (35.2% K% in 2024) and tons of walks (13.8% BB%) in his first 2 years of college (2023 in the American Conference and 2024 in the ACC), but he hurt his shoulder and required surgery just 35 IP into 2024. It caused him to miss the entire 2025 season. The reason he ranks this high though, other than the Dodgers, is because the stuff is filthy. The fastball sits mid 90’s and is a bat missing weapon, both his breakers are potentially plus, and the changeup is a really good pitch vs. lefties. The arsenal is there. If the Dodgers can unlock his control/command, and if he can return healthy, I can 100% see Leiter being one of those Dodgers “out of nowhere” risers in pro ball. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 8/3.89/1.32/152 in 140 IP

326) Taitn Gray – TBR, C, 18.8 – Selected 86th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Gray is a switch hitting, 6’3”, 220 pound bruiser with a quick, explosive and powerful swing that is better from the left side. Dude can mash. He’s also a good athlete for his size and position. There is some hit tool risk, and there is also defense risk, but he’s a fun, power hitting upside prospect. He’s also one of the youngest players in the class. I like him a lot. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 63/24/78/.243/.325/.456/8

327) Jordan Yost – DET, SS, 19.3 – Yost gets the draft slot bump getting scooped by Detroit at 24th overall. They took Kevin McGonigle 37th overall in 2023, and I ended up ranking him lower than that draft slot too, so maybe I should stop doubting them. Let’s give them the benefit of the doubt here. He didn’t hit the ball that hard at the MLB Draft Combine, but I mean, just look at him, he’s skinny as hell at 6’0”. A lot of these high school kids are already pretty muscled up, so Yost has nowhere to go but up with his power. That is clearly what Detroit is betting on. The hit/speed combo is plus, so if he can add meaningful power, Yost will live up to his draft slot. He didn’t debut in 2025. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection:76/14/62/.270/.328/.409/25

328) Miguel Sime – WSH, RHP, 18.11 – Selected 111th overall and signed for $2 million, you are buying the size and electric arm talent here. Sime is 6’4”, 235 pounds with a mid to upper 90’s fastball that can already touch 100 MPH. This is like the Jarlin Susana starter pack, if we are going to keep it in the Washington family, and why not, as they have proven they can develop these type of arms. Everything else lags behind that impressive velocity though. The control is scattershot and the secondaries (curve/changeup) need continued refinement. The bullpen risk is obvious when you watch him, but we are aiming for upside as we get deeper into the draft, and Sime has plenty of upside and then some. He’s a definite target for me in the mid to later rounds. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 10/3.82/1.29/174 in 160 IP

329) Joseph Dzierwa – BAL, LHP, 21.11 – Selected 58th overall, Dzierwa might be missing the big fastball, sitting in the low 90’s, but there is so much else to like. For one, he’s a still projectable 6’8”, 200 pounds, so the fastball can certainly tick up in the future, and his controlled lefty delivery does a good job of hiding the baseball, so combined with his size, the fastball plays up. His best secondary is a plus changeup that works against both righties and lefties, and he also throws a solid slider. And the best part of all, unlike many pitchers this tall, the control/command is actually plus. We’ve seen the plus changeup, plus control lefty do damage in the bigs and minor leagues of late, and Dzierwa fits that profile to a T, and actually might be a supercharged version of it due to his size. It was enough to obliterate the Big Ten with a 2.36 ERA and 28.0/5.9 K%/BB% in 91.2 IP. You still gotta say that he’s a #4 upside type, but he’s one of my favorites in that bucket. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 11/3.76/1.21/154 in 160 IP

330) Mikey Romero – BOS, 3B/2B/SS, 22.3 – Romero completely flipped his profile from when he entered pro ball. He started as a good feel to hit guy without big power, high groundball rates and good contact rates, and now he’s the exact opposite of that. Too much so actually, because his terrible plate skills are the thing that could tank him. He put up a 27.0/7.0 K%/BB% in 111 games split between Double-A and Triple-A. That isn’t going to cut it. But on the flip side, his power became insanely exciting, hitting 17 homers with a 20 degree launch and 47.1% Hard Hit%. He’s going to hit dingers on any level with a profile like that, but it’s almost certainly going to come with a very low BA/OBP, and he doesn’t run much either. He was only 21 years old, so he has a bit of runway to improve those plate skills or to find a happy medium between his old and new hitting style, but until he does that, it doesn’t seem like a starting MLB bat, especially because he’s not great on defense either. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 58/18/66/.234/.302/.426/4

331) Ethan Petry – WSH, OF, 21.9 – Selected 49th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, the 6’4”, 235 Petry does one thing, and really only one thing well, and that is mash. He’s smashed 54 homers in his 168 game SEC career (11 homers in 31 games in the Cape last year), and he has the standout exit velocities to match. The problem is that it comes with major hit tool risk, he’s not a good defensive player, and he’s not a particularly good athlete either. He was able to bring his K rate down to 17.4% this year (25.3% in 2024), but the homer power came down with it with a career low 10 homers in 44 games. It’s a really good sign that the contact rates didn’t spike majorly in his pro debut with a 24.8% K% in 24 games at Single-A, and he hit well overall with a 137 wRC+, but it only came with 2 homers and a 54.1% GB%. It might end up a part time power bat at peak, but these type of bats often find a team willing to unleash the bat, and if he does get the playing time, he will definitely make a fantasy impact with his power. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 68/22/77/.246/.322/.451/2

332) Brady Ebel – MIL, SS/3B, 18.8 – Selected 32nd overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Ebel is one of the youngest players in the draft, and he has a great blend of size, plate skills, and power potential. He’s 6’3”, 195 pounds with a good feel to hit, strong plate approach, and plenty of room to tack on weight to add more power. His lefty swing is completely in control and natural looking, lining the ball all over the field. Maybe he ends up a boring fantasy type bat with an average-ish hit/power combo and little speed at peak, which would obviously be a really good outcome for the 32nd pick, but maybe not as exciting for fantasy. He didn’t have a great debut with a 79 wRC+ in 16 games, but nothing was overly concerning, especially considering his age, so I wouldn’t let it impact his value all that much or at all. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 77/20/77/.269/.334/.445/5

333) Bruin Agbayani – MIN, SS/2B, 19.0 – Selected 179th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, the Agbayani last name might ring a bell for you, and that’s right, Bruin is the son of Benny Agbayani, the former New York Met. Not only does he have the bloodlines, but he has the size at a thick 6’2” with a controlled and powerful lefty swing that is geared for contact. The main reason he ranks this highly though is because of his pro debut, putting up a 13.0/30.4 K%/BB% with 3 steals and a 139 wRC+ in 5 games at Single-A. Sure it’s only 5 games, but that is the type of line that made me call Jacob Reimer and Luke Adams deep high school sleepers back in their class. Agbayani fits that mold. He’s a good athlete with speed, and you can certainly dream on more power coming. Like I said, he’s a deep target in the Reimer/Adams mold. He’s a legit sleeper target. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 82/18/71/.270/.340/.433/16

334) Kyle Lodise – CHW, SS, 22.5 – Selected 76th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Lodise makes for a very enticing college bat as you get deeper into FYPD’s. I don’t know if I’ll go so far as to call him a target, but in my 30 teamer I’m going to target him, and in shallower leagues I’ll definitely have his name circled. He has a very fantasy friendly profile of contact/lift/pull/speed, and that profile shined when he transferred into the ACC, slashing .329/.429/.667 with 16 homers, 13 steals, and a 17.7/12.8 K%/BB% in 55 games. Even more exciting, it immediately transferred to pro ball with 4 homers, 7 steals, and a 18.6/13.3 K%/BB% in 28 games at High-A. Sure it came with a .185 BA, but a lot of that is due to a .188 BABIP. Not all of it is due to BABIP though as he’s not a big raw power guy. It’s around average, and if the hit tool plays down against more advanced competition, there might not be enough juice in the bat to truly be an MLB starter. That is why I’m hesitant to go after him too hard, and it also says something that he fell to 76th overall to the White Sox. Not a great sign that so many smart teams passed him up over and over again. But he shouldn’t cost that much in FYPD’s, and in a draft that is weak in college bats, Lodise is an excellent value. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 72/16/66/.252/.323/.412/16

335) Diego Tornes – ATL, OF, 17.9 – Tornes was one of the youngest players in the international class, and he was also one of the most physically mature at an already pretty solid 6’2”. It earned him a $2.5 million signing bonus, and he mostly lived up to that bonus, slashing .279/.395/.402 with 0 homers, 24 steals, and a 21.8/15.6 K%/BB% in 32 games. I don’t love the 0 homers with a 21.8% K% combo, but befitting his strong build, he already hits the ball very hard, and more is most certainly coming. He combines the power potential with speed and a shot to stick in CF. There is hit tool risk (maybe mitigated by how young he is, but I’m not sure how much that should really give him a bump, I guess a little), and it would have been nice to see some dingers, but this is still a super talented youngster with big time breakout potential in the coming years. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 77/23/79/.253/.330/.449/18

336) Tony Blanco Jr. – PIT, 1B/DH, 20.10 – I remember when Blanco was a fun international prospect sleeper as a giant of a man at 6’7”, 243 pounds, but like many giant men find, getting the bat on the ball is just really hard to do at that height. And Blanco certainly struggles with that with a 35.1% K% in 30 games this season, but he doesn’t struggle hitting bombs with 7 homers and a 135 wRC+ at Single-A. It came with a 93.1 MPH EV and 53.8% Hard Hit%. He’s basically been a DH only with a few games 1B mixed in, so it’s all bat and nothing but the bat, but the dude will hit bombs at any level clearly. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 62/25/73/.220/.311/.478/0

337) Brandon Clarke – STL, LHP, 23.0 – Remember what I said in the Doyle blurb about St. Louis moving away from their usual safety over upside approach when it comes to pitching? Well, targeting Clarke in the Sonny Gray trade is Exhibit B. When you talk about “looking the part,” nobody looks the part more than Clarke at 6’4”, 220 pounds with an athletic and smooth lefty delivery that he uses to fire upper 90’s gas with a potentially double plus slider. When he got off to a hot start to the season, it was giving visions of Garrett Crochet 2.0, but he couldn’t keep it up, finishing with a 4.03 ERA and 34.5/15.5 K%/BB% in 38 IP at mostly High-A. The lack of control got him in the end, and it’s that lack of control that can end up relegating him to the bullpen. Even if he does end up in the pen, he has the potential to be a dominant closer, but St. Louis has every reason to be as patient as possible. He simply hasn’t pitched very much, redshirting his freshman year at Alabama and barely pitching his sophomore year at Junior College. He dominated when healthy his junior year, and then he flashed that upside in pro ball, albeit in limited innings due to blisters. He underwent Tommy John surgery and had issues with his elbow earlier in his amateur career, which is why he barely pitched before his junior year. You might see that as risk, well, because it is risk, but I see it as opportunity for so much improvement potential. St. Louis is the perfect place for him, and I’m buying that upside. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 7/3.77/1.28/142 in 130 IP Update: Suffered an aneurysm in his throwing shoulder that required surgery. He’s out until June at least, but it’s possible he just won’t be healthy enough to remain a starter

338) TJ Rumfield – COL, 1B, 25.10 – I’m not too big on Rumfield as an older guy at Triple-A who had a 87.8 MPH EV and 36.9% Hard Hit%, but he seems to be in the running for Colorado’s 1B job, he’s hitting well in spring with 3 homers in 9 games, and he hit well at Triple-A with a 121 wRC+. He’s worthy of getting on the list, but he’s still not someone I’m targeting even if he does win the job. – 2026 Projection: 46/10/41/.257/.323/.415/2

339) Carson Roccaforte – KCR, OF, 24.0 – Kansas City desperately needs a CF. Roccaforte has a chance to be a good defensive CF, he’s already 24 years old, and he has good upper minors production under his belt at Double-A. I’m just saying, there is a chance we see Roccaforte out there at some point in 2026. He slashed .290/.387/.475 with 5 homers, 10 steals, and a 28.8/12.7 K%/BB% in 45 games at Double-A. He lifts/pulls, he hits it hard and he’s fast. The hit tool is obviously a major issue with that K rate (he hit .237 with a 29.8% K% at High-A), so he’s probably not a full time starter on a good team, but like I mentioned, KC is desperate to find a long term CF. They haven’t found one yet, and if Roccoforte gets his shot, there is fantasy friendly upside in here. – 2026 Projection: 9/2/11/.214/.285/.376/3 Prime Projection: 44/10/41/.229/.303/.417/15

340) Kala’i Rosario – MIN, OF, 23.9 – Rosario slashed .256/.358/.487 with 25 homers, 32 steals, and a 27.5/12.6 K%/BB% in 130 games. That is an impressive slash, but the most likely short side of a platoon profile isn’t as exciting. He mashes lefties but isn’t as impressive vs. righties. There is legit big power in here, but it also comes with hit tool risk as evidenced by that very high K%. And while he stole 32 bags, he’s never run that much in his career before and he’s not a burner, so it’s a question how much he’s going to run on the MLB level. The fantasy upside is obvious, which is why I led with the slash line, but there are enough negatives to not buy into it too much. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 55/18/64/.238/.313/.441/11

341) Tai Peete – STL, OF, 20.8 – I love Peete’s upside, athleticism and power/speed combo, but the hit tool is too brutal to keep betting too much on it. He put up a .217 BA with a 30.6/8.7 K%/BB% and 79 wRC+ in 125 games at High-A. Even being very young for the level, it’s clear the hit tool is in well beyond the danger zone risk territory. The good news is that he had the game power breakout we were waiting for with more lift/pull and more raw power, leading to 18 homers. He’s also fast with 25 steals, although he got caught a lot this year (10 times). The upside is worth sticking around a bit longer, especially giving some age to level leeway, but the extreme hit tool risk can’t make him a coveted prospect. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 61/16/64/.231/.308/.426/18

342) Eric Bitonti – MIL, 1B, 20.4 – Bitonti is the type of big, powerful, athletic and explosive prospect I love betting on at 6’4”, 218 pounds with a powerful and athletic lefty swing, but a 33.5% K% with a .238 BA in 118 games at Single-A is too much hit tool risk to ignore. Not only that, they have already moved him to 1B full time, so the bat is going to have to hit it’s ceiling to lock down a full time job in the future. Even with the swing and miss, he’s still such a beast that he notched a 117 wRC+ on the back of 19 homers and a 13.1% BB%. He’s a lift and pull machine, so combined with the raw power, he’s going to smash tons of dingers. He also stole 17 bags, showing the athleticism, albeit with 10 caught stealing, so he’s unlikely to contribute majorly in the category at peak. He’s your classic hit tool risk slugger, except a mid 30’s K rate in Single-A is a very extreme version of it. He needs to majorly improve that hit tool before the hype can really hit again. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 58/17/66/.228/.312/.441/5

343) George Wolkow – CHW, OF, 20.3 – Wolkow was a favorite of mine coming out of his FYPD year at 6’7”, 239 pounds with the type of power/athleticism combo I love betting on, and while the hit tool adjustment period for pro ball is taking awhile, I still can’t help but be drawn to this. His contact went in the right direction in 2025, bringing the K% down from 40.6% in 2024 to 29.6% in 116 games at Single-A in 2025. It’s still clearly a major issue, but this is the type of mammoth human power than can make an impact with mid 30’s whiff rates, so don’t discount him because of it. And that athleticism I loved for his size is still there with 33 steals. 13 homers with a 98 wRC+ isn’t exactly the dominance you want to see even with the high K rate, but I’m not giving up on him. We know the super tall guys take longer to figure out the hit tool, but when/if they do, the upside is monstrous. Even a Matt Wallner comp with more steals is in play. I’m still in on Wolkow for the mid 20’s breakout. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 62/22/74/.233/.311/.435/9

344) PJ Morlando – MIA, OF, 20.11 – Morlando was a fade for me in First Year Player Drafts, and avoiding him looks to be the right call so far with him having a lackluster first full year of pro ball. He was already 20 years old (which was one of the reasons I was fading him) and he slashed .226/.361/.353 with 5 homers, 6 steals, and a 26.6/15.5 K%/BB% in 52 games at Single-A. The 85.2 MPH EV, 7 degree launch, and 30.3% whiff% all looked pretty bad too. You can blame an already injury filled career for the lackluster numbers (he’s suffered back and elbow injuries), but not sure if that should be used as a positive if he’s injury prone. He definitely still looks the part at a strong and athletic 6’3”, and we know that more raw power is most certainly in here. If he comes back fully healthy in 2026, I can see him having a much better season, and even in the down year, he still had a 112 wRC+. It’s too early to give up on him. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 78/20/76/.252/.331/.440/8

345) Christian Zazueta – LAD, RHP, 21.6 – Zazueta put up a 2.41 ERA with a 29.7/5.9 K%/BB% in 67.1 IP at Single-A. You know I love that K/BB, and the stuff is good with a potentially plus 93+ MPH fastball/changeup combo. The breakers still need work, he could use an extra MPH or two on the fastball at a still projectable 6’3”, and he needs to prove it at higher levels, but if anyone is going to get the most out of him, it’s the Dodgers. Will they ever give him a rotation spot though? Probably not. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 10/3.93/1.25/142 in 150 IP

346) Kelvis Salcedo – DET, RHP, 20.2 – Let me start by saying that Salcedo does not look the part. He’s super thick, and not necessarily in an athletic looking way, with bow legs. Based purely on looks, yes, I would guess he’s going to end up in the bullpen. But our eyes can be deceiving, because plenty of weird body shapes end up successful, and just looking at the stuff and results, he’s pretty exciting. He put up a 1,83 ERA with a 33.5/9.8 K%/BB% in 68.2 IP split between rookie and Single-A. He was actually better at Single-A than rookie ball. He throws gas with a 95+ MPH sinker and 4-seamer, and the secondaries are whiff machines in his cutter, changeup and slider. On age, stuff, and production alone, Salcedo could be majorly underrated. But it’s only the lower minors, and you look at the body, and go, I don’t know. I lean more towards stuff than looks the part, so I lean towards buying, but I can’t lie the look is preventing me from going too high. – 2026 Projection: 9/3.78/1.31/151 in 145 IP

347) Marcus Phillips – BOS, RHP, 21.8 – Selected 33rd overall, Phillips is a 6’4”, 246 pound solid rock with an arm action that gives off “rubber arm” type vibes, and befitting that size and arm, he throws gas with an above average mid 90’s fastball. He combines that with an above average slider and lesser used, still developing changeup vs. lefties. It all resulted in a 3.90 ERA, 4.08 FIP and a 27.3/9.5 K%/BB% in 83 IP in the SEC. Not bad, but it’s not exactly the dominance you want to see if you are drafting a college arm high in FYPD’s. The size and stuff definitely give him upside, but there is bullpen risk, and you would have liked to see a bit more college dominance to go higher than this. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 9/3.93/1.32/143 in 150 IP

348) Anthony Eyanson – BOS, RHP, 21.6 – Selected 87th overall, Eyanson has the look of a classic mid rotation upside arm, which isn’t bad, but it’s not a very unique profile, and he’s yet to prove it in pro ball, so I can only go so high on this type of profile. The fastball sits low to mid 90’s fastball and it’s not a particularly huge bat misser. He mostly relies on his slider and sweeper to dominate, and to be fair, he dominated the SEC with a 3.00 ERA and 33.9/8.0 K%/BB% in 108 IP. He has good size at 6’2”, 208 pounds and he also mixes in a changeup. Plenty to like for sure, but it seems like a #4 type to me, which was underscored by him falling to where he did in the draft, albeit with an above slot $1.75 million bonus. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.88/1.30/151 in 160 IP

349) Cam Cannarella – MIA, OF, 22.7 – Selected 43rd overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, I kinda predicted that Cannarella would be an interesting buy low this off-season after undergoing shoulder surgery which took his rehab right up until the start of the season (he was in Top 10 discussion before the season), but now that the buy low opportunity is actually here, I’m having cold feet. 5 homers with 6 steals in 10 attempts in 61 games in the ACC is just super lackluster, and then he came into pro ball and stole only 1 bag in 4 attempts in 22 games at High-A. If we can’t count on big steal totals, I’m not exactly sure what it is we are buying here. The power isn’t big and even his hit tool looked more good (18.9/7.4 K%/BB%) than great in pro ball. He’s got a plus CF glove, so a good defensive CF who gets the bat on the ball and has speed is a high floor player who will be a big leaguer of some sort, I’m just not seeing the big fantasy value right now. He’s more interesting in deep leagues to me. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 75/12/61/.263/.322/.392/19

350) AJ Russell – TEX, RHP, 21.9 – Selected 52nd overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, the Rangers took the Tommy John discount on Russell. He underwent the surgery in June 2024, which essentially knocked out his potential starting pitcher breakout in both 2024 and 2025, but it was a good sign that he was able to return in 2025 for 25.1 IP, and he looked good in those innings with a 3.55 ERA and 32.4/9.9 K%/BB% in the SEC. He’s 6’6”, 220 pounds with an athletic righty delivery that he uses to fire an at least plus, bat missing, low to mid 90’s fastball. The fastball is his bread and butter. The secondaries aren’t as good (slider, curve, change), but maybe he could have refined them if he didn’t get hurt. The injury leaves some mystery upside on that bone with professional coaching and a full off-season/season of being healthy. Texas certainly thought he was worthy of the gamble with a pretty high pick and a $2.6 million signing bonus – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 8/3.95/1.29/126 in 135 IP

351) Brandon Compton – MIA, OF, 22.5 – Selected 46th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Compton had a disappointing season coming off a great Cape performance and a great performance in his first year at Arizona State. He went from 14 homers and a 1.089 OPS in 2024 to 9 homers and a .865 OPS in 2025. He then came into pro ball and continued to show that he’s a flawed player, slashing .217/.354/.359 with 2 homers, 8 steals, and a 32.7/16.8 K%/BB% in 27 games at High-A. He definitely looks the part at 6’1”, 225 pounds with an athletic and powerful lefty swing that can hit the ball out to all fields. He’s got speed too. The upside is in here, but as you can see, the hit tool risk is extremely high, and he’s not the type who will have the red carpet rolled out for him as corner outfielder. He’s the type you take a shot on when he’s like 25-27 years old and maybe starting his work his way into a full time job. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 63/17/69/.241/.318/.425/9

352) Aaron Walton – CLE, OF, 21.11 – Selected 66th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Walton has has the size (6’3”, 219 pounds), power/speed combo and college production to make him one of the more interesting college bats as you get later in the draft. He slashed .320/.437/.589 with 14 homers, 29 steals, and a 13.8/10.0 K%/BB% in 65 games in the Big 12. The biggest issue is that the hit tool immediately didn’t transfer to pro ball with a 29.6% K% and .238 BA in 16 games at Single-A. He was solid with a 111 wRC+, 1 homer, and 6 steals, but considering the hit tool risk, and the fact that the homer power really hasn’t been that huge in his career, I can’t say I’m particularly going after him. If the pro debut had been better, I could have seen really flying him up rankings, but it didn’t play out like that. He’s in that glut of later college bats who are excellent athletes but have reasons they dropped to where they did in the draft. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 68/17/64/.246/.317/.428/14

353) Korbyn Dickerson – SEA, OF, 22.5 – Selected 152nd overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, I actually like Dickerson a lot. He has a jump off the screen athletic and explosive righty swing that crushed 19 homers in 56 games in the Big Ten with the big exit velocities to back it up. Not only is the power there, but he’s a good CF with plus speed. He only stole 5 bags, but he was a perfect 5 for 5 and I hope to see him run more in pro ball. The hit tool is the biggest question with a 18.8/8.9 K%/BB%, which is straight up not good for college. That seems ripe to get picked apart in pro ball against more advanced pitchers, but I mean, looking at how late he went, it seems that risk got weighted way too heavily. Considering the CF glove, power, and athleticism, how the hell did he fall so far? I like him a lot for fantasy too. He’s a college bat I’m going after in the mid to later parts of drafts. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 72/18/70/.246/.314/.435/14

354) Joendry Vargas – LAD, SS, 20.5 – We’re looking for shooting stars when going after teenage bats, and Vargas’ shooting star status/potential was pretty much extinguished in 2025. Full season ball gave him fits with a 29.9/8.0 K%/BB% and 75 wRC+ in 29 games. The hit tool and approach got exposed as being super raw. The tools I fell in love with are still there at a projectable 6’3” with plus power potential and good athleticism, but the minor leagues are littered with good athletes who are still raw, so it’s not a super unique profile. The upside is high enough to give him more of a chance in full season ball than just 29 games, but 2025 puts him in a different bucket of prospect. A worse bucket. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 58/18/67/.238/.302/.426/9

355) Robert Arias – CLE, OF, 19.6 – Arias is a future breakout candidate who has a strong foundation of excellent contact skills, a projectable 6’1” frame, CF defense and speed. He slashed .287/.389/.402 with 2 homers, 29 steals, and a 11.1/14.6 K%/BB% in 46 games at stateside rookie ball. He needs to improve both his raw and game power (52.5% GB%), and of course he has to prove the elite plate skills will transfer out of rookie ball, but I like him as a sleeper prospect. He doesn’t get much love and he can certainly end up a good one if things go right. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 78/14/57/.269/.337/.403/28

356) Andrew Salas – MIA, OF, 18.1 – So ridiculous that Miami debuted Salas at Single-A, putting up a 74 wRC+ with a .186 BA in 104 games. I mean, what are we supposed to learn from that? More importantly, what is Salas supposed to learn from that? Just a bad franchise making more bad decisions. I guess his evaluation should remain the same which is that he has a good plate skills (24.3/15.9 K%/BB% wasn’t bad), projectable size (6’2”), and athleticism (39 steals). I can’t be the only one who doesn’t want to go on this rushed Salas family ride though. I don’t want to hold Miami’s decision against him, or the fact MLB loves to rush the entire family, but I’m not too enthused on this.  – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 78/18/74/.255/.332/.422/22

357) Emanuel Luna – STL, OF, 17.3 – Luna is already a pretty muscled up and built up 6’2”, and befitting that size, he can already show the potential for very real raw power at peak. He’s also an excellent athlete with speed and strong plate skills. Size, power, athleticism, speed, plate skills … yup, that’s a really good international prospect who could pop and be among the best in the class by next off-season. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 76/23/79/.253/.324/.451/19

358) Angel Nunez Jr. – CIN, OF, 17.0 – Nunez is only 5’10”, but it’s an electric 5’10” with a pretty damn explosive lefty swing that should bring solid power at peak, to go along with plus speed, a good feel to hit, and just a general smooth operator feel to his game. I will say the upside might not be as high as some of the others at the top of the class, but I don’t know, it sure seems like there is legit juice in that swing if he can gain muscle. I can’t put him as high as the other truly elite international prospect, but again, kid is electric. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 83/17/58/.266/.324/.421/28

359) Elian Rosario – TEX, 3B/OF, 17.6 – The 6’2”, 195 pound Rosario is an absolute bull in the box already, and at only 17 years old, this guy could be a true beast at peak. He already has some of the best power in the class and he gets to that power with lift/pull. There is some hit tool risk, but the righty swing is natural with big time bat speed. He might end up in a corner outfield spot, and while he’s a good athlete, his body seems to be trending away from being a huge steals guy. So you are betting on the big power here from an already pretty big dude. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 79/28/89/.251/.332/.475/8

360) Coy James – WSH, SS, 19.1 – Selected 142nd overall in the 2025 MLB Draft and signed for $2.5 million, James got that pay day for the advanced hit tool, which if you’ve read me for any amount of time, you know that isn’t my favorite type of prospect. It’s giving me nightmares of Carter Johnson from the 2024 MLB Draft, who I was low on last off-season, but I actually don’t hate James at all, and considering he got drafted 142nd overall, I doubt he’s going to be a super high FYPD pick. He has one of the safest floors in the high school class with a history of hitting against the top competition for Team USA baseball and in high school. The swing is quick and simple, and he makes a ton of contact. He’s 6’0”, 185 pounds, so it’s not like he’s a super small guy, and while the swing is geared more for average, it’s possible he can get to 20 homers at peak. He’s not a jump off the screen type of athlete, but he plays a solid SS and there is for sure athleticism in here. Again, a hit tool first high school prospect without a big power/speed combo is not the type of guy I go after, and while I can’t say I’m planning on getting him in my leagues, I have no problem with him at his fair value. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 79/18/72/.272/.331/.421/10

361) Jedixson Paez – CHW, RHP, 22.2 – Paez was the 2nd pick in the Rule 5 Draft, which is a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing because Chicago’s rotation is terrible and Paez has to stay on the MLB roster if Chicago wants to keep him. There is a clear path to him getting into the rotation at some point. But it’s curse because he’s never pitched above High-A and the odds of him actually being ready for it are slim. So I lean this move likely putting him in the bullpen for the foreseeable future. I was a big fan of Paez coming into the season because K/BB is King, and he put up a 30.2/3.1 K%/BB% in 96.2 IP in 2024. Unfortunately, a calf strain knocked out the vast majority of his 2025 season, but once again the K/BB was pristine when he was out there with a 2.79 ERA and 27.7/3.6 K%/BB% in 19.1 IP. He has a very fun, super athletic righty delivery with a bevy of good secondaries (change, slider, curve). The fastball only sits low 90’s, but there is some projection there at 6’1”. I would have loved to see what he could do with a healthy season in the upper minors, but it was not to be. It’s not going to stop me from liking him though, because again, and elite K/BB like that is worth betting on. – 2026 Projection: 3/4.39/1.34/69 in 80 IP Prime Projection: 9/3.93/1.23/142 in 150 IP

362) Tekoah Roby – STL, RHP, 24.6 – Roby was bouncing back from a down and injury 2024 with a 3.10 ERA and 27.5/6.0 K%/BB% in 78.1 IP split between Double-A and Triple-A but unfortunately his season ended in early July with an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. That basically wipes out his entire 2026 season. He’s good enough to keep on the list, but he’s not someone I’m taking the TJ discount on. The fastball sits 95+ but it doesn’t miss a ton of bats. The breakers miss bats and his sinker is probably better than his 4-seamer, so he has ingredients to tinker with. But now with the surgery, we have to see if he can even get back to full health. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 8/4.09/1.29/133 in 140 IP

363) Braxton Bragg – BAL, RHP, 25.5 – Bragg was having a breakout season with a 2.32 ERA with a 33.7/6.9 K%/BB% in 42.2 IP at Double-A before going down with an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery in July. That essentially wipes out his entire 2026, and while he’s good enough not to forget, he’s not good enough for me to take the TJ discount on. He had a velocity bump this season with the fastballs now sitting mid 90’s, and he combines that with a good slider, changeup, and cutter. He’s a mid rotation upside type who will be 26 years old when he returns, and who knows if he gets back to full health or not. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 4/3.73/1.21/68 in 65 IP

364) LuJames Groover – ARI, 3B, 24.0 – Groover is a floor over upside bat who is a better real life hitter than fantasy hitter. He slashed .309/.399/.434 with 12 homers, 3 steals, and a 14.4/11.5 K%/BB% in 123 games at Double-A. That basically tells you everything. He’s not a big lift/pull guy, he doesn’t have big hard hit numbers and he doesn’t run. But I mean, the guy can hit, and he’s decent at 3B. Lawlar hasn’t been able to hit his way out of a paper bag and Blaze Alexander can play all over the field, so it’s not like there isn’t a path at all for him long term. He’s not the type I go after in fantasy, but in deeper league he’s gets a bump, and if you are into these types, Groover definitely has the chance to emerge in 2026. – 2026 Projection: 11/2/9/.251/.306/.369/0 Prime Projection: 74/15/66/.272/.336/.415/3

365) Ryan Bliss – SEA, 2B, 26.4 – Bliss had a completely lost season, first undergoing biceps surgery in April, which kept him out until late August, and then undergoing knee surgery in September, which ended his season. But in his absence, nobody took hold of the starting 2B job. Colt Emerson is coming, but he might actually end up at 3B. All of this to say, Bliss still has a chance to factor into the Mariners 2026 plans. The bigger problem is that the hit tool doesn’t look like it’s going to be good enough to get to his fun fantasy upside. He put up a 28.2% K% in 11 games in the majors before getting hurt, and a 27.8% K% at AAA in 6 games before hurting the knee. Stolen bases was his best asset, and now with the knee injury, even that could be a little at risk. But the thing that gets him on the list is that he’s a good defender at 2B, and he has a 10.4% Barrel% in 110 MLB PA. He hits the ball harder than his 5’7” size would indicate. If he comes back completely healthy, and Seattle doesn’t add anyone else this off-season, there is certainly a chance he can win the job. – 2026 Projection: 20/6/20/.228/.307/.398/9

366) Juan Brito – CLE, 2B, 24.6 – Brito seemed to miss his window to establish himself as a MLB 2B in 2025. He suffered both a thumb injury and severe hamstring injury, both requiring surgery, and it limited him to just 31 games in the minors. Bazzana is highly likely to take that 2B job very early in 2026, and as the #1 overall pick in the draft, I imagine he’s going to get a very long leash. But these things get decided on the field, and it’s within the realm of possibility that Brito is better than Bazzana. The problem is that Brito isn’t a good defensive player, and while the bat has the potential to be solid, there isn’t really big upside in there. His best fantasy skill is that he’s a lift and pull machine, so combined with the strong plate skills, there is a path to be an impact bat if given the chance. He doesn’t hit it hard enough to get excited, but maybe the raw power can tick up in his mid 20’s. I would have loved to see what he could have done if he stayed healthy in 2025, but now he’s going to have to scratch and claw for a shot. – 2026 Projection: 18/4/21/.234/.301/.382/3 Prime Projection: 62/18/66/.250/.320/.425/7

367) Jansel Luis – ARI, 3B/2B, 21.1 – Here is what I wrote about Jansel in last year’s Top 1,000 blurb and I can literally write the same thing this year, “Luis was a breakout candidate coming into 2024, and while he didn’t breakout, he did enough to stay on the future breakout radar.” … he’s just not getting better at the things he needs to get better at, but he keeps performing solidly at higher levels, slashing .304/.342/.422 with 5 homers, 22 steals, and a 16.3/6.0 K%/BB% in 102 games at High-A. He needed to improve his power and walk rate, and as you can see he hasn’t yet. The 50.6% GB% is too high and he’s a chase machine. He also isn’t a particularly great base stealer, so we’ll see if he can keep the steal totals up at higher levels. The strong feel to hit, projectable power and good athleticism is all there, so maybe his age 21 year old season is when he starts improving those weaknesses. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 73/13/61/.265/.310/.401/17

368) Gabriel Rincones – PHI, OF, 25.1 – Rincones is a proximity power play with some impressive EV/hard hit numbers. He put up a 92.3 MPH EV with a 48.1% Hard Hit% at 6’3”, 225 pounds in 119 games at Triple-A. He’s not a huge lift and pull guy, so the homer totals haven’t been off the charts in his career, but he can certainly pop dingers with 18 this year. He’s also a good base stealer despite mediocre speed with 21 steals in 26 attempts. His biggest issues are the hit tool risk (.240 BA with a 28.9% whiff%), he’s terrible vs. lefties, and he’s not a good defensive player. So it’s a platoon bat at best, and most likely a bench power bat. – 2026 Projection: 12/3/15/.223/.292/.390/1 Prime Projection: 51/14/56/.241/.320/.430/8

369) Blaze Jordan – STL, 3B/1B, 23.3 – What happened to that big raw power that got everyone so excited when Jordan was in high school? If he still had it, he would be pretty exciting, but not only doesn’t he have it, it’s now bottom of the scale. He put up a 85.5 MPH EV with a 34.5% Hard Hard Hit%. To be fair, the 105.1 MPH 90th EV isn’t bad at all, and it does show he still has it in there somewhere, so maybe if he ever decided to try to hit it harder, he has that in him somewhere. But right now, the focus is so heavily contact with a 11% K%, and it did produce a good season in the upper minors with 19 homers and a 111 wRC+ in 129 games. He doesn’t walk enough, he doesn’t lift and pull enough, he’s not a good defensive player, and he doesn’t consistently hit it hard to enough to make him a good bet to ever lock in a full time 1B job, but with St. Louis in retool mode, maybe there is a pocket for Jordan to get a real shot at some point. – 2026 Projection: 14/3/19/.249/.291/.385/1 Prime Projection: 52/15/65/.268/.314/.420/3

370) Yohandy Morales – WAS, 1B/3B, 24.6 – 1B is currently wide open in Washington, and at the least the short side of the platoon is open, so Morales might actually compete for the job out of camp. He got drafted 40th overall in 2023 for a reason, and that reason is that he’s a big dude at 6’3”, 225 pounds who can smash the ball with a 92 MPH EV and 48% Hard Hit%. The problem is that is all he can do well with major hit tool risk (35.9% whiff%) and no lift/pull (6 degree launch with a 8.3% Air Pull%). That is the type of profile that can get run on a team that has no other options, but it’s not the type you actually want to be your MLB 1B for any extended period of time. – 2026 Projection: Prime Projection: 48/13/59/.237/.309/.417/4

371) Jace Jung – DET, 3B, 25.6 – Jung put up a 9 wRC+ in 55 MLB PA in 2025. That’s fun. He’s already 25 years old and he doesn’t have a job. He’s hanging on by a thread to the Top 1,000, but he did enough at Triple-A to give him one more year. He had a raw power breakout at Triple-A with a 90.5 MPH EV and 46.8% Hard Hit% in 110 games. It led to 17 homers and a 124 wRC+. The 38.7% Hard Hit% in the majors wasn’t terrible either. He has hit tool risk, which is obvious with the .106 BA and 29.1% K% in the majors, but the .161 BABIP and 23.6% whiff% shows he very clearly got unlucky. He can lift/pull, he gets on base, and he played a good 3B. He’s only a very deep league option right now, but I’m not ready to completely banish him quite yet. – 2026 Projection: 14/5/16/.227/.309/.395/1

372) Chris Suero – NYM, C/OF/1B, 22.2 – Suero makes for a super fun catcher prospect because of how much speed he has. He has a chance be a legitimately solid defensive catcher, and it comes with plus speed and 35 steals in 115 games at High-A and Double-A. That is an extremely unique profile. He also has solid raw and game power with an athletic right swing that produced 16 homers. He killed it in the AFL too, slashing .283/.353/.567 with 5 homers, 9 steals, and a 26.5/10.3 K%/BB% in 15 games. As you can see from the K rate, the hit tool is the biggest issue with a 29.3% K% on the regular season season. The BA dropped to .221 in 41 games at Double-A (.240 at High-A), and the production dropped in general with a 118 wRC+ (154 wRC+ at High-A), but considering he was only 21, we can give him some leeway there. He played a lot of OF and 1B, which I like, because it gives him more opportunity to get on the field than just at catcher. The most likely outcome is a backup catcher who gets almost enough PA at other positions to be fantasy viable, and his speed gives him unique upside if he can get enough PA. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 55/13/48/.233/.318/.415/18

373) Jesus Baez – STL, SS/3B, 21.1 – Baez has an above average contact/raw power profile with a quick and powerful righty swing, but the game power and and BA play a bit down. He put up a 18.1% K% in 103 games at High-A, but the approach isn’t particularly skilled, so it resulted in a .242 BA. He hits the ball hard, but a 46% GB% resulted in only 12 homers. And there is still a question about his ultimate defensive home. There is potential for a solid real life bat, but even if he does reach that peak, the fantasy upside isn’t very high. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 61/17/69/.250/.316/.428/5

374) Izaac Pacheco – DET, 3B, 23.4 – Pacheco was a 22 year old at High-A, so you have to take his numbers with a bit of a grain of salt, but the dude mashed with 17 homers, a 155 wRC+ and a 28.9/17.4 K%/BB% in 99 games. As you can see from that K% though, the hit tool is still a major risk, and it’s the hit tool that tanked him in 2023 and 2024 when he was age appropriate for the level with over 30% K rates. This was his 3rd go around at High-A. I liked him a lot after his breakout 2022 season because he’s 6’3”, 225 pounds with a beastly lefty swing, so the 2025 resurgence is good enough to get him back on the radar, but we need to see it in the upper minors before getting excited again. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 42/15/45/.228/.309/.424/2

375) Joswa Lugo – LAA, SS, 19.2 – Lugo was one of my favorite players coming out of the DSL last off-season, and while he didn’t have the explosion we are aiming for with those types, it wasn’t a disaster either. He slashed .271/.375/.372 with 2 homers, 1 steal, and a 26.3/12.5 K%/BB% in 35 games in stateside rookie ball. The powerful righty swing from a 6’3” frame is still one to bet on, and he hits the ball really hard, but the 49.4% GB% is way too high. Combined with the high strikeout rate, you can see that this is still a very raw player. And not to sound like a broken record, but the Angels aren’t the team to bet on to refine these types. He’s still a fun power upside prospect, but I don’t like him as much as I did last off-season. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 63/21/74/.242/.316/.429/7

376) Cooper Flemming – TBR, SS, 19.8 – Selected 53rd overall, Flemming is a projectable 6’3”, 190 pounds with a good feel to hit, solid approach, and the ability to add a lot more power in the future. He has a long way to go, and nothing is too standout in the profile (he’s an average runner), so you are buying the ingredients and organization here. He strikes me as a better real life bat than fantasy bat. He didn’t debut in 2025. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 73/20/76/.261/.325/.431/8

377) Kyle DeBarge – MIN, SS, 22.9 – I liked DeBarge in last year’s FYPD class as both a little man discount and small school discount, but his first full year of pro ball wasn’t good enough to hang on too strong here. He slashed .237/.347/.362 with 8 homers, 66 steals, and a 22.3/12.9 K%/BB% in 121 games at High-A. A college bat needs to have a better slash line that that in the lower minors to be really high on them. He doesn’t hit the ball very hard and the K rate is on the high side, which is not a good combo. On the flip side, he stole a shitload of bags, and the lift/pull profile is still there, so the fantasy friendly upside is in here. He’s trending towards a fantasy relevant utility player, which isn’t bad for deeper leagues. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 62/13/51/.242/.318/.409/24

378) Cristian Hernandez – MIA, SS, 22.3 – The big talent that made Hernandez the top international signing in his class is still here at an uber athletic 6’2” with an electric swing, raw power, and plus speed, but his pro career has been a struggle. Credit to him for righting the ship after it bottomed out in 2022 and 2023, but it just feels like so much work has gone into him just being a mediocre bat in the lower minors. He was a 21 year old at High-A and he put up a 97 wRC+ with a .252/.329/.365 triple slash. Granted, we saw a lot of 21 year old college bats step into the lower minors and put up some mediocre lines too, so maybe I’m being harsh, but that might say more about the 2025 college class than it does about Hernandez. The good news is that the 20.7/10.5 K%/BB% is solid, the SS glove is solid, and the fantasy upside is in here with 52 steals. The power upside is there too, but he hit only 7 homers with a 47.1% GB% in 115 games, so he doesn’t seem that close to tapping into it. He’s a mid 20’s breakout candidate at best (which is hysterical that the Marlins landed him), and it’s possible he drops like a stone once he starts seeing advanced pitching in the upper minors. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 67/14/61/.243/.312/.413/22

379) Franyerber Montillo – DET, 2B/SS, 20.11 – Franyerber was a 20 year old at Single-A and his numbers weren’t standout enough to get too excited. He slashed .271/.368/.395 with 4 homers, 27 steals and a 24.7/12.7 K%/BB% in 67 games. The 35.3% Hard Hit% is good for his age, but it’s not like he’s a hard hitting beast. But the reason he cracks this list is that I just like the look of him when I watch him. He’s super smooth out there with an athletic righty swing that looks the part. The stolen bases show the type of athlete he is, he’s 6 foot with room to tack on more mass, and he can lift and pull. There is certainly breakout potential in here. Despite the mediocre age to level stats, I like him. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 73/17/65/.244/.317/.414/20

380) Welbyn Francisca – CLE, SS, 19.10 – Francisca had a down year in his first full taste of full season ball with a .229/.320/.302 slash in 98 games at Single-A, but his profile really hasn’t changed at all. He stole 45 bags with a 17.1/11.1 K%/BB%, which looks better than the surface stats. It only came with 3 homers, which is disappointing, but homers were never going to be the major part of his game. It just feels like an unlucky/down season, but at the same time, the hope was for him to show off there was more pop than meets the eye at 5’8”, and he clearly didn’t show that. He’s still a good top of the order prospect but some of the shine has definitely worn off. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 78/13/55/.262/.330/.380/29

381) Yandel Ricardo – KCR, SS, 19.5 – Ricardo was an international bonus baby, signing for $2.4 million in 2024, and while his DSL performance in 2024 (92 wRC+) couldn’t get him back onto my Top 1,000, he definitely flashed plenty of that big talent to keep him on the radar. And then he showed way more than just flashes in stateside rookie ball this year, slashing .342/.438/.533 with 2 homers, 17 steals, and a 24.1/12.4 K%/BB% in 33 games. The .459 BABIP was doing a lot of the heavy lifting there, so I stayed a bit skeptical, and he did in fact crater when he got the call to Single-A with a 60 wRC+ in 50 games. He was just 18 years old, but I mean, there were plenty of 18 years who played at Single-A in 2025 who played much better than that. Doesn’t mean he isn’t a good prospect though, because he certainly is with all the talent still present that landed him that big bonus. He’s a projectable 6’1” with a quick and powerful lefty swing that definitely looks the part. The righty swing doesn’t look as powerful, gearing it more for contact. He’s got speed, he’s got a good MI glove, and he’s got projectable power. The hit tool is a risk and the groundball rates are well over 50%, so there is a lot of risk and a long way to go, but if he pans out, it could pay off big. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 73/14/66/.246/.317/.408/18

382) Shotaro Morii – SAC, SS, 19.4 – I was a big fan of Morii last off-season after hitting 45 home runs in his high school career in Japan, and while he didn’t show off as much of that power hitting prowess as I wanted to see, he still had a solid stateside debut, slashing .258/.399/.384 with 3 homers, 4 steals, and a 25.0/19.1 K%/BB% in 43 games in rookie ball. It was good for a 110 wRC+. I fell in love with the balanced, smooth, quick and powerful lefty swing, and that swing is still fully there. He didn’t have any groundball (38.8% GB%) or pull issues (48.5%). He’s already a strong 6’0”, but there is definitely more room for him to tack on mass, and I only see the raw power ticking up from here. The K rate was higher than optimal and it wasn’t the explosion onto the scene I wanted to see, but this is still a bat I want to bet on. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 74/22/81/.253/.334/.438/8

383) Devin Fitz-Gerald – WSH, 2B/3B/SS, 20.7 – Fitz was a 19 year old in stateside rookie, so you have to take some points away, but he was still impressive, slashing .318/.423/.542 with 6 homers, 5 steals, and a 11.5/13.1 K%/BB% in 31 games. The production immediately dropped off at Single-A in 10 games with a .250 BA and 0 homers, which underscores that age to level matters, but you have to give all players a minute to adjust to new levels/new teams regardless of age. He’s not a big tools guy at 5’10”, but he can hit the ball hard and the plate skills are strong. There isn’t big fantasy upside, and he’s not a good defensive player, but he can be your classic solid across the board type at peak if it all works out. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 74/18/71/.263/.331/.430/16

384) James Ellwanger – MIN, RHP, 21.11 – Selected 88th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Ellwanger is really easy to like at a very athletic and still projectable 6’5”, 195 pounds. He already throws mid 90’s and he combines that gas with two bat missing breakers and a lesser used changeup. The reason he doesn’t rank even higher is because there are still control/command issues, putting up a 3.98 ERA with a 33.0/13.5 K%/BB% in 63.1 IP in Conference USA. He’s only pitched 81 innings in his college career, and he’s still just 21 years old, so I’m apt to project better control in the future based on his athleticism. I like him a fair amount and would definitely be a guy I’m circling as you get deeper into the draft in medium to deeper leagues. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 10/3.81/1.31/161 in 155 IP

385) Dauri Fernandez – CLE, 2B/SS/3B, 19.1 – Fernandez is your classic little man contact/speed play at 5’9”, slashing .333/.398/.558 with 6 homers, 16 steals, and a 12.5/9.1 K%/BB% in 43 games in stateside rookie ball. He wasn’t able to keep it up in a cup of coffee at Single-A with a 57 wRC+ in 7 games, but it’s a good sign the 12.5% K% remained excellent. There is bottom of the scale power in here despite the homer totals, but he can lift and pull, so any uptick in power will be helpful. He’s most likely a utility infielder long term, but the little man contact/speed/lift/pull profile has broken out many times before, and Fernandez fits that profile if the raw power can tick up considerably. Hit that weight room young man. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 63/10/41/.266/.319/.391/21

386) Darell Morel – PIT, SS, 18.6 – Morel signed for $1.8 million in the last signing period and at 6’4” with good athleticism, the upside is obvious. He also hit well in the DSL, albeit with some major flaws, slashing .287/.425/.414 with 1 homer, 26 steals, and a 22.3/18.3 K%/BB% in 50 games. That high K% is one major flaw, and the other is a 60.8% GB%. A high K/GB combo is the sign of a still very raw player, but those stolen bases and his size point to very real upside if he can refine his game. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 61/16/66/.242/.318/.425/12

387) Miguel Hernandez – STL, SS, 17.10 – Hernandez was one of the youngest players in the DSL, and he was also one of the best, slashing .281/.408/.444 with 5 homers, 15 steals, and a 20.7/14.8 K%/BB% in 36 games. He has a good glove at SS, plus speed, and a projectable frame at a skinny 6’0”. The 68.4% Pull% shows the guy is out to do damage. He already has some power with 5 dingers and hopefully a lot more is coming. The K% is a bit higher than optimal, but this is a really interesting fantasy prospect. I like him. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 77/18/73/.251/.319/.428/23

388) Ronny Munoz – MIA, SS, 17.6 – Munoz has that loose, smooth, natural, easy, athletic, quick and powerful righty swing that is just a beauty to watch. It stands out for sure, and he uses that swing to already hit the ball hard to all fields. You can tell by that swing that he is an electric athlete and he uses that athleticism on the bases as well. The hit tool is a risk, but if he comes into the DSL and shows that he can hit, he’s the type that can skyrocket up rankings in a hurry. I really like him. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 78/22/83/.253/.321/.446/26

389) Sean Keys – TOR, 3B, 22.10 – Keys is a 6’2”, 232 pound lefty masher who smacked 19 homers with a 38.8% GB% and 53.4% Pull% in 119 games at High-A. He was on the older side for what I like in the lower minors, but he can quite clearly mash. The hit tool is a bigger problem with a .217 BA, and while the 22.1/16.3 K%/BB% doesn’t look as bad as the BA, it’s clearly going to be an issue as he faces more advanced competition. He has to show what he can do in the upper minors first, but the power is legit. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 51/18/58/.231/.311/.432/5

390) Parks Harbor – SFG, 3B, 24.6 – It’s hard to get too excited for a 23 year old in the lower minors, but to Harbor’s credit, he utterly decimated the levels. He put up a 174 wRC+ with 13 homers and a 23.0/12.8 K%/BB% in 79 games at mostly High-A, and then even more impressively, he destroyed the AFL, slashing .383/.513/.683 with 3 homers, 1 steal, and a 26.3/18.4 K%/BB% in 17 games. The 94.6 MPH EV in the AFL is top of the scale. At 6’3”, 225 pounds, the guy can crush the ball. How good the hit tool will be against real competition in the upper minors is a big question, he might end up at 1B, and most of his power goes the opposite way, so it seems ending up a bench bat in a bad ballpark is the most likely outcome. But he’s destroyed every level in pro ball, and sometimes these guys just keep on destroying. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 54/16/61/.246/.319/.429/4

391) Carson DeMartini – PHI, 3B, 23.3 – It all fell apart for DeMartini in his first taste of the upper minors, slashing .202/.291/.288 with 2 homers, 27 steals, and a 25.7/9.5 K%/BB% in 66 games. Both the power and hit tool fell off a cliff. That is a really bad sign, to say the least. He stole 27 bags and he stole 45 bags on the season, but if the bat can’t get him on the field, it’s not going to matter too much. He lifts is a ton with a 32.7% GB%, but he doesn’t pull enough (38.3% Pull%) and he doesn’t crush the ball hard enough to take advantage of it. So combined with the high K rate, it’s a BA tank waiting to happen. He doesn’t seem like a starting quality MLB bat, but his lift/speed profile has fantasy friendly upside when/if his bat does get into the lineup, even in a bench role for deep leagues. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 51/13/46/.229/.311/.413/15

392) Yassel Soler – ARI, 3B, 20.2 – Soler is thick dude with a mammoth righty swing that has easy plus power potential, but the hit tool got exposed in his first taste of full season ball. He put up a .240 BA with a 22.3% K%. Not terrible, but there are other warts in his game too, like high chase, high groundball rates, not great on D, and not much speed. He knocked out 12 dingers in 92 games, and there is potential for a lot more than that, but he’s just a lower end power bat flier in the lower minors. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 48/16/59/.240/.315/.433/3

393) Wilder Dalis – COL, 3B, 19.8 – Dalis was a stateside rookie ball breakout with a 150 wRC+ in 56 games, but the .438 BABIP was doing a lot of the heavy lifting, and he wasn’t nearly as good at Single-A with a 100 wRC+ and .241 BA in 31 games. He doesn’t have a standout tool or skill with a 19.7% K%, 6 homers, and 16 steals in 22 attempts, but he can end up a solid across the board type if the power ticks up over time at a not small 6’0”. He was also young for Single-A, so we have to give him some leeway there too. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 67/12/51/.254/.321/.391/14

394) Angel Salio – CIN, 3B, 18.1 – Salio signed for half a mil in the last international signing period, and then he went out and made that look like a bargain, slashing .331/.402/.507 with 1 homer, 14 steals in 15 attempts, and a 10.1/11.2 K%/BB% in 42 games in the DSL. The hit tool was excellent, he’s a good athlete, and he’s a projectable 6’2” with a smooth lefty swing, so more power should be coming, although the 55% GB% shows it might not ever be a major part of his game. Lots of ingredients to like here, but a long way to go obviously. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 76/14/59/.267/.323/.395/18

395) Maximo Acosta – MIA, SS/3B, 23.5 – Acosta probably doesn’t deserve to crack the list with a 87 wRC+ in 115 games at Triple-A, but he gets on for a few reasons. He’s got speed with a 28.8 ft/sec sprint and 33 steals at Triple-A. He’s got proximity with a versatile infield glove. And most eye poppingly, he put up a 56.8% Hard Hit% and 93.5 MPH EV in his small sample 61 PA MLB debut. I don’t trust that at all with a 36.2% Hard Hit% at Triple-A, but maybe it portends some more power potential in the future. He was only 22 years old at Triple-A, which isn’t super young, but it’s still young for the level. He would be more enticing if he didn’t strikeout so much (26.5%). – 2026 Projection: 16/3/12/.225/.298/.368/6 Prime Projection: 41/8/32/.241/.318/.397/15

396) Gabriel Rodriguez – CLE, SS, 18.11 – Rodriguez followed up his strong DSL season in 2024 with an equally as good season in stateside rookie ball in 2025, slashing .294/.393/.402 with 1 homer, 11 steals, and a 18.9/12.3 K%/BB% in 28 games. He’s a glove first prospect, so there isn’t big fantasy upside, but the glove will get him on the field, and there is a chance for a solid across the board profile with plus speed as his best attribute. He’s not small at 6’0”, so if the power ticks up meaningfully, he can beast my projection. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 71/14/58/.252/.318/.391/22

397) Tate Southisene – ATL, SS, 19.6 – Southisene was a surprisingly high pick at 22nd overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, and he had the type of disaster pro debut that didn’t make Atlanta look smart for sticking their neck out for him, slashing .219/.242/.297 with 0 homers, 3 steals, and a 40.9/1.5 K%/BB% in 15 games. That K/BB isn’t just bad, it is one of the worst I’ve seen in a decently sized debut sample. I don’t recall seeing a worse one than that off the top of my head. It also came with a 51.4% GB%. That debut straight up scares me way off him, and I wasn’t a huge fan even before the debut. I’m also not a huge fan of his batting stance with his hand placement very low and center. It looks like he’s ready to cosplay a light saber fight in his garage rather than hit a baseball. The one big positive of his debut was that he hit the ball much harder than I expected from evaluation him pre draft, and that is a genuinely a good thing. I’m not writing him off completely because of the extreme struggle street debut, but I wasn’t too high on him to begin with, and now I’m even lower. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 62/18/73/.236/.304/.426/14

398) Landyn Vidourek – LAD, OF, 22.5 – Let’s keep things simple as we get into the later rounds. Vidourek was selected by the Dodgers (104th overall) and he’s coming off a season where he hit 14 homers with huge EV numbers and 39 steals in 40 attempts. I mean, Dodgers? Check. Power/speed combo? Check. Good defense to get him on the field? Check. But of course, you already know, the hit tool is an issue. He put up a 26.7% K% this year and he couldn’t hit a lick in the Cape with a .138 BA in 35 PA. The K% spiked to 33.8% in 16 games at Single-A in his pro debut underscoring that the Dodgers have their work cut out for them. Granted it came with 1 homer, 3 steals and a 131 wRC+, so he flashed the talent too. If he didn’t get drafted by the Dodgers, I probably wouldn’t have ranked him here, but he did get drafted by them. If the Dodgers think they can help the hit tool, then I do too. And the power/speed is no joke. Fun later round shot. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 55/15/61/.229/.308/.428/17

399) Josh Owens – TEX, 2B/RHP, 19.3 – It seemed like Texas drafted Owens 84th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft to be a hitter, but after his pro debut, I’m not so sure. They had him both hitting and pitching, and he had a 0.00 ERA with a 6/3 K/BB in 4 IP as a pitcher vs. a negative 42 wRC+ and 45.8/0/0 K%/BB% in 8 games as a hitter. If he keeps struggling with the bat, they can just so easily start focusing more on him on the mound, and it seems word is that they do actually like him on the mound more now. He’s a prototypical scout’s dream type prospect at a projectable 6’3”, 185 pounds with top level athleticism (he pitches, hits, and he played football). He displayed a good feel to hit in high school, he can hit the ball hard already with a smooth, but a bit long lefty swing, and he has speed. On the mound he has a funky, sidearm righty delivery, sitting low to mid 90’s with a potentially plus slider and developing changeup. He seems reliever-ish on the mound, but he’s so young that there is plenty of projection for him as both a pitcher and hitter. The upside seems to be on the hitting side, but if he struggles with the bat, they might just pull the plug and focus on pitching. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 76/19/74/.253/.321/.429/18 // 8/3.94/1.32/140 in 140 IP

400) Adam Serwinowski – LAD, LHP, 21.10 – Serwinowksi has a weird, start and stop, herky jerky, funky lefty delivery that I can’t say I love. I usually love the funky lefty delivery, but this one I’m not sure I love. I’m not going to dock him for it though as it’s working for him, putting up a 4.03 ERA with a 28.5/11.2 K%/BB% in 111.2 IP at High-A. The fastball sits low to mid 90’s and the curve is potentially plus. He needs to work on his changeup, improve his control, and maybe add some velocity too to take the next step. I can’t say he’s a target for me, but there are definitely some really nice ingredients in here for the Dodgers to work with. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 6/3.88/1.32/132 in 130 IP

401) Johnny Slawinski – LAA, LHP, 19.1 – Selected 79th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft and signed for $2.5 million, Slawinski is your classic projectable lefty at 6’3”, 180 pounds with a low 90’s fastball, two potentially good secondaries in his slider and changeup, and solid control/command. Nothing really stands out in his profile, but he’s not missing any ingredients either. If the fastball ticks up into the mid 90’s, he can definitely start popping, and we’ve seen plenty of low 90’s lefties have success of late too. His development could go any number of ways and there is tons of refinement needed all around, but he got $2.5 million for a reason. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 9/4.06/1.28/145 in 160 IP

402) Dean Moss – TBR, OF, 19.11 – Selected 67th overall, Moss isn’t a jump off the screen athlete I generally like going after in the high school class. He’s a hit tool first tool prospect with a strong track record of performance. He’s not a bad athlete by any means though at 6’0”, 180 pounds with a quick lefty swing and the ability to play centerfield. The big power/speed combo isn’t in here, but it’s good enough to be a strong across the board type if the hit tool plays on the next level. Not really my jam in FYPD’s, but the guy can hit. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 74/16/62/.262/.326/.415/16

403) Sean Linan – WAS, RHP, 21.5 – It was almost funny to see Linan’s hype fall off a cliff immediately after getting traded from the Dodgers to the Nationals. He was becoming an underrated darling of the prospect world, but after the Dodgers traded him away, it was like, eh, he was never that good anyway. Which of course I get, because the Dodgers deserve that organizational bump, while the Nationals do not. He also got hurt almost immediately after getting traded, so I’m sure that played a role too, but he got back out there in the AFL, so he looks healthy now. The Dodgers are clearly the superior development org, but I almost like him better with the Nationals. The odds of him ever getting a rotation spot in LA were slim to none, but in Washington there is nothing but opportunity. He’s definitely the type to get underrated on prospect lists due to velocity discrimination with the sinker only sitting low 90’s, but the pitch can miss bats and keep the ball on the ground, while the plus to double plus changeup is his money maker. He also throws a solid slider. It led to a 3.03 ERA with a 33.0/10.3 K%/BB% in 77.1 IP at mostly High-A. A profile like this can often rip up the lower minors before slowing down against more advanced competition, but as we’ve seen, sometimes the skills don’t drop off that much. Logan Henderson isn’t a perfect comp, but it’s not that far off, and we’ve seen him succeed. Linan is not a bad cheap low velo target. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.92/1.30/141 in 150 IP

404) Caden Dana – LAA, RHP, 22.4 – Coming off a really exciting 2024 season, Dana had a disaster 2025 with a 5.93 ERA and 23.0/12.4 K%/BB% in 82 IP at Triple-A. It was even worse in the majors with a 6.40 ERA and 23.4/12.8 K%/BB% in 32.1 IP. If it were just for proximity, I wouldn’t have given him this spot, but there are still things to like with his stuff. Most notably the bat missing ability of his secondaries. He put up a 28.2% whiff% in the majors on the back of his changeup putting up a 53.1% whiff% and curve putting up a 57.1% whiff%. The slider, changeup and curve all put up around a 40% whiff% in the minors too. The problem is that the 94.9 MPH fastball is terrible and doesn’t miss bats, and the control is below average. He looks like a back end starter, if that but he gets this ranking for his 2024 season, bat missing secondaries, proximity, and still young age. – 2026 Projection: 3/4.49/1.44/71 in 80 IP

405) Bryce Mayer – HOU, RHP, 24.2 – Mayer is kinda a classic Astros pitching prospect. The velocity doesn’t jump off the screen in the low 90’s, but the dude knows how to spin it and knows how to spin all of his pitches. He put up a 4.11 ERA with a 30.2/7.3 K%/BB% in 87.2 IP split between 3 levels (A, A+, AA). He combines the good fastball with two potentially plus breakers (curve, sweeper), a cutter, and changeup. We’ve seen underrated arms like this sneak up on us in Houston, so he’s worth keeping an eye on. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.97/1.29/141 in 150 IP

406) David Sandlin – CHW, RHP, 25.1 – Trade to Chicago is exactly what Sandlin needed for his value because he was almost surely a pen arm for Boston. He still might be a pen arm for Chicago too, but at least there is now a chance he can start, and his stuff is nasty enough to make an impact if he does. The heater sits mid to upper 90’s and he has a legit 5+ pitch mix with multiple bat missing secondaries. But the reason the Sox were willing to give him up is because the results didn’t match the stuff in 2025, especially when he got to Triple-A with a 4.50 ERA and 23.4/8.8 K%/BB% in 106 IP split between Double-A and Triple-A. I was out on him before the trade, but with the trade, I’m willing to dip my toe back in a little, but he’s still not a guy I’m going after. – 2026 Projection: 2/4.38/1.33/46 in 50 IP

407) Tanner Franklin – STL, RHP, 21.10 – Selected 72nd overall, the 6’5”, 225 pound Franklin was a reliever in college but it seems the Cardinals are at least open to transitioning him into a starter’s role. And while the odds are that he still ends up a reliever, there is enough upside as a starter that he’s worth the shot at this point in the draft. He put up a 31.9/5.5 K%/BB% in 38.1 IP his junior year in the SEC, and that is the type of K/BB you want to see if you are going to bet on someone making the transition, albeit coming with a 4.89 ERA. He also has the type of stuff you want see with a plus to double plus mid to upper 90’s fastball that immediately transferred to pro ball with a 1.50 ERA and 32.1/17.9 K%/BB% in 6 IP at Single-A and High-A. The secondaries aren’t quite as dominant with a low 90’s cutter as his main secondary, a lesser used bat missing slider, and a even lesser used decent changeup. There are enough ingredients in here that I see why the Cards want to give it a shot in the rotation, and I mean, why not. They can always put him back in the pen. I really don’t mind taking the shot on him in FYPD’s, although I can’t say I would go out of my way for it due to the very high pen risk. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 7/3.89/1.28/120 in 120 IP

408) Dean Curley – CLE, 2B/3B/SS, 21.4 – Curley dropped considerably in the MLB Draft from where he was expected to go before the season started (he ended up at 64th overall), because the concerns over his defense grew louder and he didn’t quite have that monster junior year that it looked like he was setup for. But he still had an excellent season, slashing .315/.435/.531 with 14 homers, 8 steals, and a 16.0/15.3 K%/BB% in 65 games in the SEC. He most certainly looks the part at 6’3”, 212 pounds with an athletic, quick and powerful righty swing that can hit for both power and average. He’s also a good athlete who should contribute in steals. I might have been apt to go after him in FYPD’s, but his pro debut was too brutal. He put up a 67 wRC+ with a 31.4/5.7 K%/BB% in 9 games at Single-A. It’s a small sample and I don’t want to overrate it, but combined with where he fell in the draft and his inability to have the monster junior year, I can’t say I’m going after him. If he falls super late in deeper leagues, I can see grabbing him – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 56/15/63/.248/.317/.419/8

409) Mason Neville – CIN, OF, 22.3 – Selected 114th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, the 6’3”, 200 pound Neville is a super fun fantasy prospect with big time power (26 homers in 57 games in the Big Ten) and athleticism (9 steals), but as you can see from the draft slot, MLB teams don’t think he’s going to hit. He put up a 23.6% K% this year, he had a 33.5% K% in the Pac 12 last year (a tougher conference than the Big Ten) and he had a 48.7% K% in 39 PA in the Cape. He then proved the hit tool fear correct in pro ball with a 34.4% K% and 41.7% whiff% in 23 games at Single-A. He’s a good defensive OF and can play CF, so at least his glove has a chance of getting him on the field to give the hit tool time to improve, and Cincinnati is also the most fun landing spot for a guy like this. If you want upside from a bat later in the draft that isn’t a teenager, Neville is a good option, but those contact numbers in pro ball were too extreme to really target him. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection:  62/18/69/.226/.305/.430/12

410) James Quinn-Irons – TBR, OF, 22.10 – Selected 147th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Irons is a 6’5”, 230 pound uber athlete who slashed .419/.523/.734 with 16 homers, 26 steals, and a 15.4/13.1 K%/BB% in 61 games. I mean, what else do you need to know? Hah. He’s fun as hell for fantasy. Now, for the downside and why he got drafted so low. For one, he was already 22 years old at the time of the draft. For two, he played in the Atlantic 10, which doesn’t have great competition. And for 3, there are major hit tool concerns with him putting up a 26.4% K% in the Cal Ripken Collegiate League and a 25.9% K% in 2024 in the A10. He then put up a 31.3% K% in 8 games at Single-A in his pro debut, proving that hit tool risk immediately. This seems like a classic Rays player who breaks out when he’s 28 years old in a platoon role. So he’ll be fun for fantasy eventually, but it will take awhile, and even then he won’t be playing as much as you want. But of course, the disgusting upside is there if it does click early. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 63/19/68/.238/.319/.442/16

411) Gavin Turley – SAC, OF, 22.5 – I got the vibe in this draft that teams weren’t super interested in going after college hitters with hit tool issues, and maybe that has something to do with how poorly Vance Honeycutt and Rodney Green did this year. Even a guy like Spencer Jones, who is killing it, hasn’t been able to bring that K rate down at all. Enter Turley, who despite huge power (20 homers with big time EV’s in 65 games at Oregon State) and good athleticism (5 steals), he fell to 110th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft because the contact rates are rough with a 22.5% K% this year and a 26.5% K% in his career.. Interesting it’s the same team, the Athletics, who took Rodney Green. But at the same time, it’s the same team that turned out Lawrence Butler, Denzel Clarke and Henry Bolte. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t (also, they can still work their magic with Green in the future, we’ll see), and at 110th overall, it’s worth the risk. Same thing goes for fantasy. Late enough in the draft, it’s worth the risk. His debut was basically exactly what we thought it would be with 4 homers, a 31.1% GB%, 27.2% K% and 105 wRC+ in 21 games at Single-A, so his value holds steady. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 66/20/69/.227/.308/.434/7

412) Druw Jones – ARI, OF, 22.4 – Any last vestiges of the hype Jones had from being 2nd overall pick in 2022 should now be gone. He slashed .255/.335/.360 with 5 homers, 28 steals, and a 23.3/10.3 K%/BB% in 123 games at High-A. That was good for a below average 92 wRC+ with a 50.8% GB%. Sure the talent is still in there at 6’4”, but it’s clear he’s a very flawed player. He’s not a good hitter and he can’t get to his raw power. At best he’s a mid to late 20’s breakout candidate. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 57/10/49/.245/.317/.396/16

413) Chase Hampton – NYY, RHP, 24.8 – I could have went a number of ways with the 10th spot on the Yankees Top 10 as nobody really fully deserves it, so let’s give it to Hampton who was trending towards being a consensus Top 100 prospect before injuries derailed his career. He had an elbow injury tank his 2024 season where the stuff and production were both down majorly, and then he once again felt elbow pain when ramping up for the 2025 season, succumbing to Tommy John surgery in February 2025. At full health, he’s 6’2, 200 pounds with mid 90’s heat, a diverse set of secondaries (slider, curve, cutter, change), and solid control/command. He put up a 3.63 ERA with a 33.1/8.4 K%/BB% in 106.2 IP split between High-A and Double-A in 2023. If he comes back 100% from the surgery, the hype can definitely get going again, but who knows how he will look after 2 lost seasons. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 6/4.18/1.34/103 in 120 IP

414) Ryan Forcucci – HOU, RHP, 23.4 – The Astros took the Tommy John discount on Forcucci in the 2024 MLB Draft, selecting him 101st overall. He was in the midst of a Junior year breakout before going down with the injury with a 2.16 ERA and 37/6 K/BB in 25 IP. The fastball sat mid 90’s and was a bat missing weapon, which he combined with a plus slider as he his best secondary. He also mixed in a curve and changeup to give him a starter’s pitch mix. The righty delivery was controlled, athletic and pretty explosive. He was in the running to be a 1st round pick before the injury, but the injury put a halt to that, undergoing surgery in June 2024 and missing the entire 2025 season. I wouldn’t say he’s generally my type to take the Tommy John discount on as even at full health there was relief risk, but he shouldn’t be very expensive, so I can see taking some cheap fliers. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 9/4.05/1.28/145 in 150 IP

415) Matt Barr – MIN, RHP, 20.2 – Selected 149th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Barr is a projectable 6’6”, 195 pounds with a fastball that can already touch the upper 90’s and the ability to spin two bat missing breakers. He dominated Junior College last year and was impressive enough to land a $762,000 signing bonus instead of heading to 4 year college. The control/command needs work and he probably needs to add a change/cutter or something, so there is a long way to go, but he’s a fun ball of clay. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 9/3.85/1.31/150 in 150 IP

416) Luis Lara – MIL, OF, 21.4 – Lara is your classic speed/defense/contact CF who might not hit enough to be an everyday player. He slashed .257/.369/.343 with 2 homers, 44 steals, and a 16.2/14.1 K%/BB% in 136 games at Double-A. As you can see, even at Double-A, he only hit .257 because the impact isn’t there without hard hit and with a 50.9% GB%. He was only 20 years old, he gets on base, and the glove should make him a big leaguer in some role, so if he does get on the field, the stolen bases will make a fantasy impact. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 62/6/33/.266/.331/.365/26

417) Dominic Keegan – TBR, C, 25.8 – I’ve had Keegan as my deep league sleeper for the last few years as I saw a path to Tampa’s starting catcher job of the future, and he’s now on the doorstep of competing for that job, but unfortunately, Caden Bodine isn’t far behind after the trade. Here is what I wrote in his Top 1,000 blurb last off-season, “His upside isn’t huge as he’s more of a complete hitter than one who sells out for power, but he’s got more raw power in the tank if he ever decides to try to unleash it,” … and boy did he decide to sell out for power in 2025 with 10 homers, a 91.4 MPH EV, a 48% Hard Hit% and a 14 degree launch in 69 games at Triple-A, but it came with a 30.6/8.1 K%/BB% and 33.2% whiff%. He completely flipped his profile in every way, but a 89 wRC+ says it might not have been worth it. The glove can be solid but he was never known for his defense, so I don’t foresee Tampa just handing him the job. He’s going to have to battle for it. – 2026 Projection: 18/6/22/.217/.289/.379/0 Prime Projection: 46/17/55/.230/.309/.426/0

418) Caleb Lomavita – WSH, C, 23.5 – Ruiz is regressing to the point that he simply doesn’t look like a starting catcher, and while they traded for Harry Ford, Ford is not established either with serious questions about his defense. I’m just saying Lomavita still has a chance to factor in long term. I wouldn’t exactly say Lomavita had the type of season that is going to storm the castle for the job, but he was the 39th pick of the draft in 2024, and he had a solid season at mostly High-A, slashing .275/.340/.374 with 6 homers, 7 steals, and a 20.6/5.2 K%/BB% in 108 games (the last 9 of those games came at Double-A were he hit just as well). He doesn’t lift and pull, the power is only average-ish, and he chases a lot, so the bat has plenty of holes, but he’s known for his potentially plus catcher defense, which could make him the favorite for Washington’s long term catcher job if they don’t acquire a real starting catcher. It’s a backup profile to me, but in an org weak at catcher, he gets a bump. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 42/9/47/.252/.313/.382/6

419) Johanfran Garcia – BOS, C, 21.4 – Johanfran Garcia, brother of Jhostynxon Garcia, underwent knee surgery for torn ligaments just 14 games into the 2024 season, and it kept him out until late May of this year, but it didn’t take him long to show off that power potential when he returned at a beefy and strong 5’11”. He crushed 12 homers in 58 games at mostly High-A (3 of them came in 12 games in rookie rehab assignment). He went to the AFL and the power looked good there too with a 90 MPH EV, 44% Hard Hit%, and 2 homers in 19 games. It’s the hit tool that is the problem with a 30.6% K% at High-A. He also lost some athleticism after the knee surgery and he still needs plenty of refinement on defense. His age 21 year old season, and with a normal off-season as he gets further away from the injury, will be a make or break season for him. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 42/14/49/.232/.304/.428/2

420) Brendan Jones – MIA, OF, 23.11 – I wrote this blurb before the trade to Miami, but it doesn’t take away my comp for him here, so I’m going to keep the blurb. I talked about Lagrange inevitably reminding Yankees fans of Dellin Betances, so let’s keep the nostalgia going with Jones, because the shades of Brett Gardner are strong with him. The controlled and simple lefty swing looks super similar to Gardner, and so does his size at 5’10”. The profile is super similar too, slashing .250/.365/.415 with 7 homers, 28 steals, and a 20.9/15.3 K%/BB% in 80 games at Double-A. That was good for a 131 wRC+. He doesn’t have big raw power, but he can lift and pull with a 33.1% GB% and 44.4% Pull%, which would have given him the chance to take advantage of the short porch, but obviously that is done in Miami. And like Gardner, he has a standout OF glove. It’s most likely a 4th outfielder profile, but that is what they said about Gardner, and if he does work his way into a full time job, the speed will make a fantasy impact. I like him a bit less without Yankee Stadium though – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 66/10/48/.247/.324/.380/25

421) George Valera – CLE, OF, 25.4 – Gotta sneak my former boy with the sweet lefty swing Valera on the list, but he’s very fringy. It’s a platoon role at best, there is hit tool risk (31.5% whiff% at AAA), he doesn’t lift/pull that much (2.2 degree launch in 48 PA in the majors and a 9 degree launch at AAA), and he doesn’t run at all. He can hit the ball hard, but not that hard with a 34.8% Hard Hit% at AAA (42.9% is better in the majors). That makes him a low upside option with a lot of risk, but there is opportunity for a strong side role in Cleveland. – 2026 Projection: 38/10/38/.230/.310/.420/0

422) Tre’ Morgan – TBR, 1B, 23.9 – I don’t see the fantasy appeal of Morgan. He doesn’t hit the ball hard with a 87.8 MPH EV and 37.4% Hard Hit%, he doesn’t lift and pull all that much, and worst of all, the famed hit tool really hasn’t been all that great against upper minors pitching with a 27.6% whiff% and .274 BA in 92 games at Triple-A. 8 homers and 8 steals isn’t going to cut it for a good fantasy 1B. I guess I see the real life appeal as an excellent defensive 1B with a mature plate approach (19.2/15.0 K%/BB%), strong wRC+’s at every stop, and good athleticism, but even as a real life 1B, I would want more offensive upside than that. He also has platoon risk, especially in Tampa, although Tampa isn’t nearly what they used to be in terms of depth. Their minor league system really isn’t churning out underrated offensive gems at the pace they used to, so maybe a stable bat like Morgan can work his way into a full time job long term. Even if he can, it’s going to be a Nolan Schanuel type bat, and that just isn’t what I aim for, especially with a prospect who might not even reach that level. – 2026 Projection: 18/2/12/.248/.315/.372/3 Prime Projection: 77/15/61/.269/.341/.404/11

423) Pedro Ramirez – CHC, 2B/3B, 22.0 – It’s not a flashy profile, but all of Ramirez’ skills transferred to Double-A, slashing .280/.346/.386 with 8 homers, 28 steals, and a 15.1/8.2 K%/BB% in 129 games. The power is below average at 5’9” with a 49% GB%, and he’s not a burner, getting caught 10 times on the bases. The hit tool is good, but it’s not great. The 2B/3B glove is above average, so it could give him a leg up on playing time, but this doesn’t seem like a starting player on a good team. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 63/8/41/.261/.309/.381/15

424) Juan Cabada – CHC, 2B/3B, 17.11 – Cabada cracked last year’s Top 1,000 Rankings at #1,008, writing, “Luis Pena of the Brewers is what you hope that Cabata can duplicate in 2025,” and while he didn’t break out like Pena broke out, he still had a strong season, slashing .287/.429/.426 with 3 homers, 20 steals, and a 18.2/11.8 K%/BB% in 42 games. He has a good feel to hit, he hits the ball hard for his age, and he’s got speed. He’s not a big guy at 5’10”, and the hit tool wasn’t nearly on Pena’s level, so I don’t think he’s as good as Pena, but he’s a definite candidate to level up again when he gets stateside. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 77/18/73/.267/.321/.427/23

425) Nate Furman – SFG, 2B, 24.9 – Furman is probably a utility player, and he’s been old for the lower minors, but the guy has put up some fun numbers in his career, and his speed gives him some fantasy upside. He returned from a shoulder injury that kept him out until mid-season and went bonkos at High-A, slashing .364/.490/.649 with 6 homers, 3 steals, and a 7.3/15.6 K%/BB% in 21 games. He then closed out the year with his first shot at the upper minors, putting up a 188 wRC+ in 9 games. The contact rates have always been impressive, he gets on base, and he’s got plus speed (I’m assuming he didn’t run as much this year due to the shoulder). He’s a small guy at 5’8”, he’s not great on defense, there isn’t big raw power, and he’s already 24 years old, so it’s highly likely to be a utility guy, but I’d like to see what he can do in his first taste of the upper minors before dropping him off the list. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 44/6/29/.255/.326/.388/18

426) Charles McAdoo – TOR, 3B, 24.1 – It’s highly likely the hit tool just isn’t going to be good enough with a 27.7/9.1 K%/BB% and a .247 BA in 121 games at Double-A as a 23 year old, but if he can improve it enough in his mid to late 20’s, the fantasy friendly upside is in here. He jacked out 16 homers with 34 steals. He lifts and pulls a ton, he’s got raw power at 6’1”, 210 pound, and while he’s not a burner, he’s a good athlete and good base stealer. The well below average hit tool likely makes him a bench bat long term, but his proximity/upside gets him on the list. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 44/13/49/.234/.301/.417/9

427) Murf Gray – PIT, 3B, 22.3 – Selected 73rd in the 2025 MLB Draft, Gray is a 6’4”, 230 pound bruiser in the box with the bat speed and power to match. He cracked 18 homers in 60 games in the Mountain West Conference, and even better, he did it with excellent contact rates. He put up a 10.8% K% his junior year and a 10.2% K% his sophomore year. It wasn’t in a major conference, but that is still a very exciting hit/power combo from a big man. The approach isn’t great with a 8.2% BB% and lots of chase, he also may end up moving off 3B to 1B, putting even more pressure on the bat, and he doesn’t run at all with only 1 steal. A low OBP, righthanded 1B is always fighting for his life for playing time, but I love the hit/power/size combo. He’s a pretty enticing later round college bat to circle. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 52/18/61/.253/.314/.437/1

428) Blaine Bullard – TOR, OF, 19.8 – Bullard was selected 353rd overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, but he signed for $1.7 million which was the 2nd largest bonus in Toronto’s class. He’s your classic toolsy and projectable 6’2” outfielder with plus speed and potentially plus CF defense as his current best skills. He’s a switch hitter with both swings needing plenty of refinement, and he currently has a hit over power profile with a low launch. There are also questions about how good the hit tool will be against advanced competition. Long way to go but these are the types of balls of clay that can rise quickly if they can put it together. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 76/16/63/.253/.320/.428/24

429) Yohendrick Pinango – TOR, OF 23.11 – Pinango is a stocky corner outfielder with a howitzer of a lefty swing that produces big time hard hit numbers. He put up a 91.9 MPH EV with a 47.8% Hard Hit% in 84 games at Triple-A. He’s always had strong contact rates, and they were good at Triple-A too with a 20.2 whiff%, but the fear was that the hit tool was going to fall off against advanced pitchers, and that did indeed happen with a .235 BA and 96 wRC+ at the level. He’s not a huge lift and pull guy and he’s never actually put up huge homer totals in the minors (15 in 131 games overall in 2025), so combined with the lack of speed and defensive value, he seems like a fringy MLB type. You can’t deny the hard hit/contact/proximity combo though, and that can certainly make an impact on any level. He deserves to crack the list. – 2026 Projection: 9/2/13/.229/.291/.395/0 Prime Projection: 58/14/66/.249/.322/.433/4

430) Dante Nori – PHI, OF, 21.6 – Nori lived up to his draft profile in his debut, but with a generally underwhelming version of that profile, slashing .261/.361/.372 with 4 homers, 52 steals, and a 14.7/13.0 K%/BB% in 125 games at mostly Single-A as a 20 year old. The plate skills are very strong and he’s fast, but there is very little power in here, and he’s already a pretty filled out 5’9”, so there likely isn’t going to be much more coming. He’s going to top out as a speed only, good defensive CF play, which can climb to fringe Top 100 range at best, but these types often end up 4th outfielders because they just can’t make enough impact on the MLB level to hold down starting jobs. Even at Single-A he hit .262. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 71/8/42/.268/.331/.379/31

431) Owen Carey – ATL, OF, 19.8 – The Braves drafted Carey in the 15h round for $150,000, and despite still being 18 years old, they sent him straight to Single-A, which signaled how much they believed in this kid. And while he didn’t blow the doors off, I’m pretty impressed with his season and with him in general. He slashed .258/.330/.345 with 4 homers, 17 steals, and a 15.6/7.2 K%/BB% in 117 games. A 103 wRC+ ain’t bad. I really, really like his loose, upright, and quick lefty swing at 6’0”, and while there might not be huge power potential in here, I think there is more than enough potential juice to make a real impact down the line, especially combined with those excellent contact rates and good athleticism. He only went 17 for 27 on the bases, which likely does cap some of his fantasy upside, but this looks like a potential solid across the board contributor to me at peak. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 76/16/63/.268/.333/.422/13

432) Andres Valor – MIA, OF, 20.5 – Valor is a toolsy and projectable 6’3” with a potentially plus power/speed combo, but the hit tool is still very raw. He put up a 29% K% with a .231 BA in 108 games at Single-A, but it came with 9 homers, tons of lift/pull, 45 steals, and a 104 wRC+. He’s fringy for this list, but the upside is there, and he was above average in his first taste of full season ball. If he can improve the hit tool, there is certainly big breakout potential. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 69/17/62/.238/.307/.421/23

433) Josiah Hartshorn – CHC, OF, 19.2 – Hartshorn was selected 181st overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, but his $2 million signing bonus shows you the type of talent he has. He’s an already built up 6’2”, 220 pounds with easy plus raw power potential and a good approach at the plate. He’s a switch hitter, but injuries (elbow and back) have prevented him from actually hitting from both sides at the same time very often, sometimes only hitting righty and sometimes only hitting lefty, so there is a definitely a rawness there that you can either look at as a good thing (plenty of room for refinement) or a bad thing (risk). He’s a solid athlete but he’s not a burner and he looks a bit lumbering out there on the bases, so I don’t think steals are going to be a major part of his game. You are betting on the size, power and approach here, but plenty more refinement is needed. There is a reason he slipped so far in the draft despite the high signing bonus. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 72/23/78/.258/.327/.441/8

434) Victor Valdez – TBR, SS, 17.7 – Valdez is already a very big and physical kid (man) in the box at 6’1”, 185 pounds, and he has the big power potential to match with a lightning quick and powerful righty swing. He’s not just power though, he has has a good feel to hit with good athleticism. The hit/power combo gives him enticing upside that is well worth taking a dart throw late in FYPD’s. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 78/24/82/.260/.330/.450/10

435) Jose Manon – ATL, SS, 17.3 – Can I start this blurb by saying I love how the MLB Pipeline blurb gives a little travel blog esq writeup on the area every prospect comes from. Like Manon came from a city that first gained notoriety for it’s sugarcane production. Hm, interesting ha, and I’m not even joking, I do find the little tidbits interesting when reading the blurbs. Who writes the MLB Pipeline blurbs? Why is there no attribution for them? Does Manon have a stronger sweet tooth than other international prospects? These are the questions I need answered, but back to baseball, Manon has your classic international prospect profile at a projectable 6’2”, 175 pounds with a good feel to hit, power potential, and good athleticism. I always love a good leg kick, and Manon utilizes one to already hit the ball pretty hard. Really good all around player with upside. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 80/20/80/.271/.332/.444/15

436) Fabricio Blanco – TBR, SS, 17.6 – Blanco isn’t a super tooled up player at 5’11”, but he has a history of production with some pop and good athleticism. He’s not the highest upside international prospect out there, but he’s another good one. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 81/18/72/.268/.337/.420/16

437) Nolan Schubert – CLE, 1B/OF, 21.11 – Selected 101st overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Schubert is a man amongst boys at 6’5”, 223 pounds with a beastly lefty swing, and befitting that size he was one of the best power hitters in college baseball since stepping onto campus his freshman year in the Big 12. He smashed 59 homers with a 26.8/18.9 K%/BB% in 165 career college games. He dropped to 101st overall for a reason though, and that reason was both hit tool and defense risk. Both of those risk areas popped up immediately in pro ball with him already essentially moving to 1B (he was an OF in college), and his K% spiking to 36.4% in 15 games at Single-A. Granted it came with 3 homers, a 22.7% BB% and a 163 wRC+, so he dominated the level like he should have, but not seeing the K rate spike like that would have been the most important thing to see, and we didn’t see that. It makes his most likely outcome as a part time power bat, but the dude is going to mash at any level. He’s not a bad later round FYPD pick at all. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 62/20/68/.228/.313/.446/1

438) Matthew Fisher – PHI, RHP, 20.1 – Selected 221st overall and signed for $1.25 million, Fisher is a great athlete at 6’3”, 200 pounds who was also a star QB in high school, so the hope is that there is lot of improvement coming from here, because he’s not a finished product as is. He throws all of his pitches with a high spin rate, but the fastball is only low to mid 90’s and all of the secondaries (slider, curve, change) still need plenty of refinement. You are betting on the athlete, size, and ingredients for 3 above average to plus pitches, but there seems to be a long way to go. He’s also on the older side for the high school class, which I don’t care as much about for pitchers in particular, but it’s worth keeping in mind. Old for the high school class is a bucket Philly seems to love to shop in though, and they’ve had success with it, most notably with Aidan Miller. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 9/3.90/1.30/146 in 150 IP

439) Cameron Millar – KCR, RHP, 18.11 – Selected 97th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft and signed for $1.5 million, I gotta say that I’m not the biggest fan on Millar’s delivery. He kinda turns his back a bit before, to be fair, unloading a mid 90’s fastball and two good secondaries in his slider and changeup. But I can’t imagine the control is going to be that great with that delivery. Maybe I’m wrong and obviously a guy this young is going to refine his delivery probably several times before reaching the bigs, so maybe who cares. The stuff is what we care about, and the stuff is really good at 6’2”, 200 pounds. KC is also a really good landing spot for both ballpark and future opportunity. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 9/3.88/1.33/155 in 150 IP

440) Zach Thornton – NYM, LHP, 24.2 – Thornton is probably a back end starter with a low 90’s fastball, but I’m drawn to that 28.5/4.0 K%/BB% in 72.2 IP at mostly Double-A. Like any respectable crafty lefty, he has a diverse pitch mix with his slider as the best secondary. The dude definitely knows how to pitch. The upside isn’t very high, probably a #4, and he’s already 24 years old, but that K/BB gets him on the list. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 9/4.02/1.21/140 in 150 IP

441) Ethan Pecko – HOU, RHP, 23.7 – Pecko put up a 3.83 ERA with a 28.7/8.2 K%/BB% in 80 IP split between Double-A and Triple-A. He’s the type of arm that Houston pulls out of their hat all the time, so while it seems he’s more of a back end guy, I’m giving him a Houston bump. The stuff isn’t bad with a 94.1 MPH fastball and diverse pitch mix (cutter, slider, curve, sinker, changeup), but none of the pitches are particularly standout, particularly the secondaries. The 4-seamer and sinker are his best pitches and they both miss bats, so if that transfers to the majors, that is where the value will lie. I need to see it transfer first though before going higher than this. – 2026 Projection: 2/4.32/1.36/44 in 50 IP Prime Projection: 9/3.96/1.31/136 in 150 IP

442) Sterlin Thompson – COL, OF, 24.9 – Thompson was the 31st overall pick in 2022, and he has really done nothing but hit well in pro ball with above average wRC+’s at every single stop, but there just isn’t a standout skill or tool to really hang your hat on. He had arguably his best season in 2025, slashing .296/.392/.519 with 18 homers, 12 steals, and a 20.9/10.3 K%/BB% in 120 games at Triple-A, but I still can’t get too excited. The 87.8 MPH EV and 40% Hard Hit% is decent, but far from standout. The 46.7% GB% subdues the power even further. He’s not a burner and he didn’t steal a ton of bags. He’s a corner outfielder. And the hit tool is okay I guess, but it’s still a bit of a risk with 20%+ K rates in his minor league career. I just don’t see exactly what we are betting on. Maybe he can become a solid across the board bat, but he’s going to have to scratch and claw for playing time to even get to that, like all of these fringy Colorado outfielders. – 2026 Projection: 19/4/21/.241/.303/.389/3 Prime Projection: 68/15/63/.258/.323/.420/9

443) Sam Peterson – WSH, OF, 23.3 – Peterson was a 22 year old in the lower minors, so he has to prove it in the upper minors before getting excited, but he more than handled his business at High-A, slashing .297/.398/.490 with 6 homers, 18 steals, and a 18.0/11.6 K%/BB% in 44 games. He did the same to the AFL where he put up a .934 OPS with a 47.4% Hard Hit%. The dude can hit the ball hard, he has a good feel to hit and he’s a good athlete. There are a lot of skills to like. The 31.5% whiff% in the AFL shows there is real hit risk though, especially when he faces advanced competition, so we need to see it at Double-A first, but he’s one to keep an eye on early in 2026. If he’s doing the same to Double-A that he did to High-A and the AFL, he’s going to get some hype. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 61/16/68/.248/.319/.428/18

444) Fenwick Trimble – MIA, OF, 23.7 – Trimbe gets a “looks the part” part bump at 6’3”, 200 pounds as his stats are a bit fringy for a 22 year old, slashing .237/.355/.395 with 6 homers, 16 steals, and a 18.8/12.7 K%/BB% in 54 games at Double-A. That is still good for a 126 wRC+ though. Not only does he look the part, but the plate skills are strong, he hits it hard, and he has a plus speed. The 47.8% GB% is subduing the production though, and like I mentioned, a 22 year old with a triple-slash like that at Double-A is probably saying he’s more of a part time player. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 56/12/41/.252/.324/.409/19

445) Hendry Mendez – MIN, OF, 22.5 – At some point, Mendez is going to try to unlock more lift in his swing. I think it has to be coming. The problem is that he might not feel the need/want to make that major overhaul until he’s in his mid 20’s and not getting the results he wants on the MLB level. But it he does try it, and if he’s successful, there is legit breakout potential in here. The plate skills are elite with a 13.2/13.6 K%/BB%, he can hit the ball hard with probably coming at a still projectable 6’3”, and he produced at Double-A as a 21 year old with a 138 wRC+ in 118 games. But with a 54% GB%, poor defense and no speed, that just isn’t an MLB starter. I get not wanting to overhaul things when you are having success. And maybe he can be an MLB player with that skillset, but if he really wants to thrive, he’s going to have to try to make the change one day. If he can pull it off, we are looking at a high BA, 20+ homer guy. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 68/14/59/.274/.342/.415/5

446) Zach Ehrhard – LAD, OF, 23.2 – Ehrhard has a potentially solid across the board profile that is highly unlikely to be a starter on the Dodgers. He will likely need a trade to get a real shot, and even then he isn’t guaranteed to be a full starter, but there are enough skills and production in here to crack the list. He slashed .272/.374/.439 with 14 homers, 37 steals, and a 18.0/12.5 K%/BB% in 123 games at mostly Double-A. He doesn’t crush the ball at 5’11”, but he gets the most out of his raw power with lift/pull. The plate skills are solid, he’s a good athlete and he has a good glove in the OF. He just needs a trade to a small market team that has openings, but it’s possible the Dodgers keep him as a bench OF. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 64/14/58/.252/.323/.418/20

447) Austin Overn – TBR, OF, 22.11 – The trade from Baltimore to Tampa is definitely a bump for Overn’s value for both opportunity and developmental organization. I don’t think it changes his value drastically, as the hit tool still makes it likely that he’s a part time player, but it’s still better. He put up a 27.3% K% in 114 games split between High-A and Double-A. It’s a good sign he didn’t fall off a cliff at Double-A with a 25% K%, but the BB% had to tank to do it with a 6% BB%. He’s a classic Rays part time guy with good defense, average power and double plus speed (13 homers with 64 steals). If the hit tool can improve, maybe he can lock down a full time job, but that is something that might happen 3-4 years from now. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 58/13/41/.238/.308/.403/24

448) Trevor Cohen – SFG, OF, 22.5 – Selected 85th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, you know I love me a good pro debut, and Cohen had a good pro debut, slashing .327/.438/.402 with 1 homer, 8 steals, and a 11.5/15.4 K%/BB% in 28 games at Single-A. That is exactly what he did in the Big Ten. He’s 6’1”, 195 pounds and he doesn’t hit the ball weakly, but an extreme 59.1% GB% kills any power he has. He hit only 4 homers in his 163 games college career. It’s most likely a 4th outfielder, but if he can learn to lift a bit more, he can beat that projection. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 72/4/33/.273/.335/.352/22

449) Henry Godbout – BOS, 2B, 22.5 – Selected 75th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Godbout was one of the top contact hitters coming out the draft, and that skill immediately translated to pro ball, slashing .341/.473/.477 with 0 homers, 1 steal, and a 10.9/16.4 K%/BB% in 13 games at High-A. He put up a 8.4/11.5 K%/BB% with 8 homers and 6 steals his junior year at Virginia. But as you can, the reason he dropped to 75th overall, is because there isn’t much power or speed, and he’s only a solid defender at 2B. It’s a utility player type profile, but he’s not small at 6’2”, 190 pounds, so I guess you can hope for enough power to combine with the contact rates to beat that projection. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 41/5/33/.268/.328/.390/4

450) Nate Dohm – STL, RHP, 23.3 – Dohm was one of my favorite deep sleepers in FYPD’s last off-season, and while he didn’t have a huge breakout, he mostly proved why I liked him so much with a 3.24 ERA and 27.9/9.9 K%/BB% in 75 IP at mostly High-A. The stuff isn’t off the charts but it’s good with a 93+ MPH fastball that can touch the upper 90’s to go along with an above average slider and decent changeup. I love the trade to St. Louis, because there is nothing but opportunity there. The stuff didn’t pop enough for me to really double down hard on his target status, but it’s enough for his value to hold steady. I think he’s underrated, even though he didn’t flash enough upside to really get excited. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 9/4.09/1.32/141 in 150 IP

451) Ixan Henderson – STL, LHP, 24.2 – Henderson performed very well at Double-A with a 2.59 ERA and 25.2/9.6 K%/BB% in 132 IP, but his stuff isn’t good enough to think he’s more of a #4 upside type. Pitching in St. Louis and all of the opportunity they have in their rotation is another bump to his value. The fastball sits low to mid 90’s and can definitely miss bats. The sweeper is potentially plus and the changeup is a bat missing weapon. There is enough here to be fantasy relevant in a good ballpark, but the upside isn’t super high. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/4.03/1.29/135 in 150 IP

452) Blade Tidwell – SFG, RHP, 24.10 – Tidwell gets a ballpark and opportunity boost with the trade to San Francisco and he also pitched well at Triple-A with a 3.62 ERA and 27.3/9.1 K%/BB% in 97 IP. The problem is nothing transferred to the majors with a 9.00 ERA, 2.20 WHIP, and 12.8/12.8 K%/BB% in 15 IP. It’s only 15 IP, but that is horrific. The stuff is really good with a 95.8 MPH 4-seamer and multiple bat missing secondaries in his sweeper, changeup and slider. None of those secondaries missed bats on the MLB level though. Tack on below average control, and there is big relief risk here. – 2026 Projection: 2/4.31/1.35/43 in 50 IP Prime Projection: 4/3.71/1.26/68 in 65 IP

453) JD Thompson – MIL, LHP, 22.6 – Selected 59th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, nothing in Thompson’s profile really particularly stands out both stuff and stats wise, but he got drafted by the Brewers, which most definitely does standout. They work wonders with these types all the time, and if they like Thompson, we probably should too. He’s a well built 6’0”, 199 pounds with an easy and athletic lefty delivery that he uses to fire a low to mid 90’s fastball that can miss bats, two solid breakers in his slider and curve, and good changeup that he dominates righties with. It all resulted in a 4.00 ERA with a 31.1/7.9 K%/BB% in 90 IP in the SEC. He has solid control, he throws a bunch of good pitches, good production in the toughest conference and now in an excellent organization. I’m not really going after him, but there is stuff to like, especially in deeper leagues. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 9/4.02/1.28/141 in 150 IP

454) Victor Figueroa – BAL, 1B, 22.3 – Figueroa destroyed rookie ball with a 360 wRC+ in 11 games, he hit well at Single-A with a 129 wRC+ in 53 games, but it’s not a good sign that he struggled when he got to High-A with a 88 wRC+, 0 homers and a 29.3% K% in 25 games. He was already 21 years old, so what he did at rookie ball and even Single-A has to be taken with a grain of salt. High-A was the first true age appropriate level, and he wasn’t good. He’s a huge man at 6’5”, 240 pounds with a powerful lefty swing, and there is an interesting power/approach combo in here, slashing .284/.398/.503 with 12 homers, 7 steals, and a 22.1/15.7 K%/BB% in 89 games overall. I’m willing to give him some leeway regardless of his age as it takes time to adjust to higher levels, but a bench/part time power bat is probably his most realistic good outcome scenario. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 41/12/49/.243/.318/.429/3

455) Creed Willems – BAL, C/1B, 22.10 – I really like Willems bat, but it’s more of a good bat than a great bat, and considering he’s not a good defensive catcher, he may just top out as a bench bat. He slashed .253/.338/.441 with 16 homers, a 117 wRC+ and a 19.1/8.8 K%/BB% in 105 games. He has plus raw power potential and he lifts and pulls a ton. He has a catcher’s body at 5’11”, 225 pounds, so if he can’t stick behind the plate, there really isn’t anywhere else for him to play. He’s played some 1B and I guess it’s an option, but the bat probably isn’t good enough to make it a real option. He’s blocked in Baltimore, but even in Baltimore trades him, it’s not like there is a team out there that will clear a path for him. The bat is good enough to crack this list though. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 48/15/56/.246/.318/.430/1

456) Max Belyeu – COL, OF, 22.4 – Selected 74th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Belyeu’s hit tool immediately got exposed in pro ball with a .150 BA and 35.6% K% in 21 games at High-A. Quite frankly, it got exposed when he transferred from the Big 12 into the SEC for his junior year with a 25% K% in 32 games. He wasn’t great in the Cape either with a .658 OPS and 21/5 K/BB in 18 games. It seems highly likely he’s just not going to be able to hit enough to hold down a full time job, but on the positive side, he’s 6’2”, 210 pounds with a smooth, athletic and powerful lefty swing that cracked 18 homers in 59 games in 2024 and 9 homers in 32 games this year. Even with the extreme swing and miss in pro ball, he still cracked 4 dingers, so when he does make contact, he can do damage. The extreme hit tool risk makes him just a FYPD flier though in deeper leagues. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 52/17/64/.227/.303/.429/7

457) Brendan Tunink – LAD, OF, 20.6 – Tunink was a fun high upside sleeper FYPD pick, especially with the Dodgers, and he mostly lived up to that billing, slashing .300/.417/.500 with 5 homers, 9 steals, and a 30.4/16.1 K%/BB% in 39 games in rookie ball. He’s old for rookie ball and the K% is high, so he remains very high risk, but he clearly showed off that athletic upside too. He had no major lift/pull issues. LA not testing him at Single-A is probably a sign of how much more development is needed here though. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 68/16/62/.233/.310/.427/16

458) Yorger Bautista – SEA, OF, 18.7 – Bautista is a good example (of many, many, many, many examples) of why I still have to factor in a heavy dose of risk when evaluating even my favorite international prospects. I’m excited for this year’s class too, it definitely looks stacked with so much talent, but the international class is still by far the riskiest FYPD bucket to shop in. Yorger was hyped last year, I loved him, he had a great hit tool … and then he came into the DSL and hit .223 with a 29.8/9.8 K%/BB% in 53 games. All the time you see these great talents with a good hit tools come in and they just can’t hit enough. He showed the talent too with 7 homers and 10 steals, and obviously he has a lot of runway left to fix that hit tool, but again, it’s a reminder of how much risk there is in evaluating the best 15/16 year olds. My advice is to not take too many international prospects in your FYPD/prospect draft. I like to sprinkle in 1 or maybe 2, sure, but I wouldn’t make it the bulk of your draft. And I also wouldn’t hold on for too long when they show immediate struggles in the DSL. It’s not that they aren’t talented or potentially good anymore, it’s that you are letting so many better and more established prospects go just to hold on for this long journey. The goal is to get a rocketship, not to hang on for 7 years for him to a platoon power bat. There are tons of super talented teenagers who are still raw. It’s not a unique profile. So while I still like Yorger and would definitely keep an eye out for a future breakout, he’s not a must hold or a guy you should be paying up for. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 66/22/74/.238/.309/.432/16

459) Teilon Serrano – MIN, OF, 17.10 – I was a fan of Serrano last off-season as you got deeper into the FYPD class, ranking him 921st overall on the Top 1,000, and he showed off that explosiveness in his pro debut, slashing .258/.386/.426 with 5 homers, 21 steals, and a 25.4/14.8 K%/BB% in 41 games. That explosive swing that I loved in the videos was fully there and gives him the chance for plus power potential at a strong 6’0”, but the hit tool was worse than hoped, and he’s apparently not quite as fast as last off-season’s scouting reports indicated, although he’s still a really good athlete. It was a successful if flawed first year of pro ball, and he’s still 17 years old. I’m sneaking him back on the end of this list. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 68/21/73/.242/.318/.428/18

460) Kenly Hunter – STL, OF, 17.11 – Hunter cracked last year’s list at #1,047 overall and he lived up exactly to his scouting report, writing, “Hunter has a history of production against international competition, he has a good feel to hit, he’s got speed, and he’s projectable at 6’0”, 160 pounds.” … and then he slashed .314/.442/.400 with 0 homers, 25 steals, and a 11.6/13.9 K%/BB% in 37 games. He needs to improve both his game (49.5% GB%) and raw power, but he put the defense, speed and plate skills on display. And he’s still just 17 years old. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 79/14/59/.268/.326/.405/28

461) Gabriel Rosario – BAL, 1B/OF, 17.7 – Just watch Rosario swing the bat in the video I linked to and tell me you aren’t immediately in on this kid. That thing is lightning quick, smooth, easy, and athletic from a still projectable 6’3” frame. He’s already getting to his big raw power in games. Sure he might come into the DSL and hit .195 as he has hit tool concerns, but that is the risk we have to take with almost all of these kids. Remember they are being evaluated as 16 year olds, and that is at best, so it goes without saying that this is the highest risk group to go after by far. But I mean, just watch that swing. If he can hit, this dude can explode as one of the best power hitters coming out of the DSL. That is a bet worth making as you get into the deep rounds of FYPD’s in medium to deeper leagues. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 74/26/82/.245/.326/.461/7

462) Pedro Gomez – BAL, OF, 17.6 – Gomez is already a built up 6’2”, 210 pounds, and not only does he have the raw power to match, he has the ability to get to that power as well. He’s not a great athlete and will likely be a corner outfielder at best, but there is definitely shades of Juan Sanchez in this evaluation. Sanchez was a better athlete, so not quite, but if Gomez comes out and starts hitting dingers in the DSL with strong plate skills, that hype will hit. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 79/27/91/.251/.330/.472/4

463) Sebastian Dos Santos – STL, SS, 18.2 – Santos had the 3rd highest wRC+ in the DSL among 1st time 17 year olds at 158, making him one of the most productive hitters in the league. He slashed .313/.452/.570 with 4 homers, 13 steals, and a 17.5/18.1 K%/BB% in 38 games. He only signed for $75,000, so this isn’t a tooled up player with a big power/speed combo, but the production speaks for itself. Guy can hit with solid power, lift/pull and some athleticism. Let’s see what he can do stateside. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 68/17/71/.253/.322/.413/11

464) Jose Luis Acevedo – BAL, SS, 17.4 – It’s usually lefties that get the “smooth” swing praise, but Acevedo has a uniquely rhythmic smooth righty swing that is a beauty to watch. He looks like a natural up there, and at projectable 6’1”, 175 pounds, it’s really easy to see how this can turn into a dangerous hit/power combo at peak. He can already hit the ball hard with a good feel to hit and good athleticism. I like him a fair amount as one of my DSL dart throws later in the draft in deeper leagues. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 77/20/77/.264/.328/.439/12

465) Jeyson Horton – LAA, SS, 16.11 – Horton is the equivalent to the little man discount category of the MLB Draft. Guys like Slade Caldwell and Kayson Cunningham. He’s only 5’9”, but the lefty swing is out to do damage with hard contact. Contact and speed are truly what you are buying, but if he shows more pop than his size would suggest, he could pop in a big way. Beyond his size, the biggest problem is that we have to count on the Angels to develop him, which is simply not a good bet. I can’t say I’m targeting him. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 77/14/61/.267/.330/.400/26

466) Wilton Guerrero Jr. – PIT, SS, 16.10 – That’s right, Guerrero has the Guerrero family bloodlines, but not the from the Vladimir side … from the Wilton side. Even the name isn’t as cool, and the production surely wasn’t either as a 5’11” 2B with a career .677 OPS. And Wilton Jr.’s profile is also closer to his dad’s than his uncle’s at 5’10”, but hopefully a better version of it. Double plus speed is his calling card, giving him some fantasy upside right off the top, and he’s a projectable 5’10” with a good feel to hit. How much power he’s able to get to will dictate his ultimate upside. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 77/15/63/.262/.324/.403/31

467) Eli Pitts – CIN, OF, 19.4 – Selected 145th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Pitts is a tooled up and strong 6’1”, 185 pounds with plus speed and plus bat speed. The righty swing is easy, simple, natural, and explosive. There is some hit tool and he only signed for $572,000, which is a bit on the low side for a great high school athlete, but maybe he needs a better agent ha. I like the upside. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 71/15/69/.243/.311/.418/22

468) Connor Essenburg – ATL, LHP/OF, 19.6 – Selected 157th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft and signed for $1.2 million, I like Essenburg as both a hitter and a pitcher, which makes his evaluation complicated. I guess it’s not that complicated for where you are going to take him in the draft. Meaning, you just take him and let the chips fall where they may. As a hitter I’m a big fan of the righty swing which is the upright one with a leg kick and then explosion. At 6’2”, 200 pounds, there could be considerable power with the bat at peak. But he’s also an intriguing lefty pitcher with a 3 quarters arm slot delivery and 3 potentially good pitchers in his low 90’s fastball, slider and changeup. I could honestly go either way, but if I had to guess, I would guess it goes pitcher, and that isn’t as exciting for fantasy. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 9/4.05/1.33/141 in 150 IP

469) Alex Lodise – ATL, SS, 22.1 – Selected 60th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Lodise had a nightmare pro debut, especially for a college bat at High-A, slashing .252/.294/.398 with 1 homer, 2 steals, and a 38.5/4.6 K%/BB% in 25 games. He already was considered low upside, so seeing that insanely bad K/BB is a complete turnoff. A low upside college bat who also has extremely high risk now? No thanks. I actually thought getting drafted 60th was on the low side pre debut for real life because he has a good infield glove, and he had the big Junior year breakout in the ACC, slashing .394/.462/.705 with 17 homers, 6 steals, and a 20.0/9.8 K%/BB% in 58 games. He has good size at 6’1”, 195 pounds. He still deserves to crack the Top 100+ FYPD Rankings, but barely. He’s a deep league only play. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 56/13/61/.235/.301/.395/5

470) Max Williams – MIA, OF, 21.8 – Selected 78th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Williams is a burly 6’2”, 207 pounds with a powerful lefty swing that lifted off for 19 homers in 57 games in the ACC. It’s not the upright and loose swing that I love, and it immediately didn’t hit for any power in his pro debut with 0 homers in 19 games at Single-A. It came with a 90.5 MPH EV, so we know the power is in there, and the plate skills were actually better in pro ball (14.1/11.5 K%/BB%) than they were in college (16.1/7.3 K%/BB%). He also ran more in pro ball than college (5 steals vs. 2 steals). He’s not a burner but he’s a good athlete. It’s encouraging to see the plate skills and speed transfer, but it’s still only Single-A, and what you are really buying is the power bat. Because I don’t love the swing though, he’s just a fine later round college bat. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 53/14/58/.256/.312/.427/6

471) Jeancer Custodio – PIT, OF, 17.5 – Custodio is only 5’10” but he already has the seeds of that type of bulldog like, rock solid build at 185 pounds. The swing also gives off that bulldog vibe with blink of an eye bat speed from a pretty simple and to the point swing. It sure seems like he could be the type that just rips off hard hit balls with ease all over the field at peak. The simple swing also gives him the potential for a good hit tool and he’s already shown that off against advanced competition. Tack on good athleticism and you got yourself a very good international prospect, even if it doesn’t come in the usual “long and lean” package. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 74/21/81/.264/.328/.443/13

472) Michael Lombardi – KCR, RHP, 22.6 – Selected 61st overall, Lombardi was a two way player in college who never pitched more than 42 IP in a season, but the reason he got drafted relatively highly because he has two whiff machine pitches in his 94 MPH fastball and plus curve that resulted in a 43.5% K% his junior year. Anyone with a K% that high is worth taking a shot on. He put up a 2.14 ERA with a 43.5/12.5 K%/BB% in 42 IP overall. As you can see, the odds he ends up in the bullpen is very high, which isn’t as good of a fallback for fantasy as it is for real life. The changeup and control both lag behind, but there could be untapped potential in here due to not focusing full time on pitching, which is what KC is betting on. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 5/3.75/1.27/86 in 78 IP

473) Malachi Witherspoon – DET, RHP, 21.8 – Selected 62nd overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Malachi is the twin broth of Kyson Witherspoon, and while the stuff is basically just as good, he’s not as good of a pitcher in general. He’s 6’3”, 211 pounds with a mid to upper 90’s fastball, two bat missing breakers, and a lesser used changeup. The results didn’t match the stuff though because the control/command isn’t where it needs to be with a 5.09 ERA, 5.00 FIP, and 25.8/9.1 K%/BB% in 74.1 IP in the SEC. You are buying the arm talent here, and hoping Detroit can put that layer of polish on top for the delayed pro debut breakout. He’s only 21 years old for most of 2026, so he has a bit of extra runway there. If starting doesn’t work out, maybe he can end up a nasty reliever with that kind of stuff. Not the worst fall back. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 4/3.68/1.26/72 in 65 IP

474) Kohl Drake – ARI, LHP, 25.8 – I was always a bit lower on Drake because I questioned how good his stuff would play against MLB hitters, but it seems everyone is pretty lukewarm on him now, so I guess I’m with the herd. He’s a solid but not great pitching prospect with #4 upside. The production dropped off when he got to Triple-A with a 7.15 ERA and 23.1/9.0 K%/BB% in 34 IP (2.44 ERA with a 31.8/10.8 K%/BB% in 55.1 IP at Double-A). None of his pitches are really standout, but he has a bunch of potentially average ones in two 93 MPH fastballs (4-seam, sinker), two solid breakers, and a changeup. If the control was above average, or if he was younger, maybe I would bump up the projection a bit, but as is, I see a solid fantasy arm as the reasonable upside. – 2026 Projection: 2/4.29/1.36/49 in 60 IP Prime Projection: 9/4.04/1.31/139 in 150 IP

475) Jacob Bresnanhan – SFG, LHP, 20.9 – Bresnahan dominated Single-A with a 2.61 ERA and 32.5/11.3 K%/BB% in 93 IP. He’s slightly old for the level, and Single-A isn’t as strong as it used to be, so I don’t want to take that outsized production too seriously. The stuff is good with a low 90’s fastball that has a great movement profile, to go along with a plus changeup and solid slider. If the control wasn’t below average, maybe I would be more excited, but with the bad walk rate, I really need to see how much of those strikeouts translate to a higher level. We know this profile can work on the MLB level, and at 6’4”, 195 pounds, the fastball can certainly tick up too, so he’s a good lower minors pitching prospect. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 10/3.88/1.32/152 in 150 IP

476) Trey Gregory-Alford – LAA, RHP, 19.11 – If you drafted TGA in last year’s FYPD, you were drafting his size and velocity, and while he had a reasonably successful pro debut, you are still really only buying the size and velocity. He put up a 2.86 ERA with a 20.7/10.0 K%/BB% in 78.2 IP at rookie and Single-A. The ERA is good obviously, and I’m not dismissing it completely, but we know K/BB is King, and that is a bad K/BB. He’s 6’5” and throws mid to upper 90’s with a potentially plus slider and a lesser used curve and changeup, but as you can see, the stuff didn’t miss many bats. And that was against rookie ball pitchers. He’s young, so the bet is on the stuff and hoping the rest figures itself out. Good luck betting on the Angels to help him though. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 4/3.65/1.23/63 in 65 IP

477) Jake Bennett – BOS, LHP, 25.4 – Bennett gets a major opportunity downgrade going to Boston and considering he’s already 25 years old with low upside, he’s just not a highly sought after fantasy pitching prospect. He put up a 2.27 ERA with a 21.5/6.4 K%/BB% in 75.1 IP at mostly Double-A. He’s a 6’6” lefty with a low 90’s fastball, plus extension, a good changeup, diverse pitch mix, and good control. We know that can play on the MLB level, but in Boston, I don’t see the opportunity or upside to go after this. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 9/4.03/1.26/128 in 150 IP

478) Will Watson – NYM, RHP, 23.5 – Watson is 6’6” with a mid 90’s fastball and two good secondaries in his slider and changeup. He put up a 2.60 ERA with a 28.5/11.6 K%/BB% in 121.1 IP at mostly High-A, but he had 4 outings at Double-A where the stuff mostly transferred. The stuff doesn’t necessarily blow you away and the control is below average, so it’s probably more #4 upside, but the size, stuff and production are good enough to get on the list. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 6/4.12/1.33/124 in 130 IP

479) Stharlin Torres – CIN, RHP, 19.10 – Torres is a rookie ball breakout with a 1.88 ERA and 30.6/4.9 K%/BB% in 38.1 IP. It’s not a big sample and it was only in 4 IP outings, but man is that K/BB sweet. And it’s not just K/BB, the stuff is also good with a 93+ MPH fastball and 3 potentially good secondaries in his slider, changeup and curve. He’s not a huge guy at 6’0”, and long way to go obviously, but I’m buying that K/BB. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 10/3.93/1.22/143 in 150 IP

480) Juaron Watts-Brown – BAL, RHP, 24.1 – Watts-Brown put up a 3.62 ERA with a 30.7/9.7 K%/BB% in 124.1 IP at mostly Double-A, which is gonna get you on the list, but the problem is the profile seems more reliever-ish. He does it will a true out pitch in his nasty slider, but that is really his only standout pitch. The fastball sits low to mid 90’s and is average at best. The curve and change can also be average pitches. It just feels like that slider can dominate in the bullpen, but if he does make improvements to the rest of the arsenal, there is #4 starter upside in here. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 4/3.55/1.22/69 in 65 IP

481) Luke Sinnard – ATL, RHP, 23.5 – Sinnard is a big dude at 6’8”, 250 pounds who throws pretty hard with a mid 90’s fastball and has two good secondaries in his slider and changeup. It all resulted in a 2.86 ERA with a 28.3/8.9 K%/BB% in 72.1 IP split between Single-A and High-A. The slider can definitely look pretty damn nasty at it’s best, and the changeup is effective vs. lefties. Considering his age and size, he needs to show it against against more advanced competition, but there is plenty to like here with mid rotation upside. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 10/3.93/1.30/141 in 150 IP

482) Yhoiker Fajardo – STL, RHP, 19.6 – Fajardo conquered the DSL in 2024, stateside rookie ball to start 2025, and then he kept it up at Single-A as an 18 year old with a 2.98 ERA and 27.8/9.4 K%/BB% in 51.1 IP. He looks the part at 6’3” with a pretty athletic delivery and the stuff is solid with a 94 MPH fastball and two good secondaries in his slider and changeup. None of his pitches are truly nasty, but all of them are pretty good, and he was only 18 years old. He profiles as a #4 upside type right now, but his age gives him more runway for big leaps. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 9/4.05/1.31/140 in 150 IP

483) Bryce Meccage – MIL, RHP, 20.0 – Meccage was drafted 57th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft and his solid but unspectacular pro debut has his value holding steady. He put up a 4.35 ERA with a 23.6/8.9 K%/BB% in 70.1 IP. He looks the part at 6’4”, he can spin it with a beautiful curve and drop off the table slider, the fastball has reached 97 MPH, and he’s in a great developmental organization. There is a lot going for him, but long way to go. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 10/4.06/1.27/152 in 160 IP

484) Ramon Marquez – PHI, RHP, 20.6 – Martinez pitched well in rookie ball, and then he was called up to Single-A and kept pitching well with a 31.4/7.1 K%/BB% and 4.24 ERA (2.94 xERA) in 17 IP. He’s a projectable 6’2” with a 93.8 MPH sinker that keeps the ball on the ground, a whiff machine changeup, and a potentially solid slider and cutter. Pitch mix, grounders, bat missing secondaries, good velocity, size, and now doing it in full season ball … a lot of boxes here. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 9/4.06/1.28/139 in 150 IP

485) Joey Oakie – CLE, RHP, 19.11 – Here is what I wrote about Oakie in last year’s Top 1,000, and I basically nailed what was going to happen in his pro debut, writing, “the 6’3”, 205 pound Oakie is a sidearming righty with stuff that dashes and dives in every direction. The fastball sits low to mid 90’s with tons of movement, the slider is a vicious pitch with at least plus potential, and he also has a developing changeup. The stuff is almost too nasty for his own good in that he doesn’t seem to always know where it is going, so he will need to refine his control/command to remain a starter” … and then he went out and put up a 5.31 ERA with a 28.8/14.0 K%/BB% in 59.1 IP at rookie and Single-A. That basically says it all. The fastball was already up into the mid 90’s, which is great, but I never questioned the stuff. He still needs to massively improve his control if he doesn’t want to end up in the bullpen, but there is real upside in here. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 9/3.91/1.33/161 in 150 IP

486) Frank Cairone – MIL, LHP, 18.7 – Selected 68th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Cairone immediately gets the Milwaukee bump, and he also gets the young for his class bump. It’s not hard to see what Milwaukee likes as a 6’2”, 195 pound lefty with a nasty breaker as his standout pitch. The fastball sits low 90’s and he mixes in a changeup as well. There is a long way to do and tons of refinement is needed all around, but there are more than a few ingredients to buy into here. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 10/3.92/1.29/144 in 150 IP

487) Jorge Quintana – SDP, SS, 19.0 – Quintana has a good SS glove and big raw power potential at 6’2”, 183 pounds, but the rest of his game is very raw. The hit tool got exposed at Single-A with a 33.7% K% in 25 games, and while he was young for the level, the offensive production wasn’t great in rookie ball either with a 98 wRC+ and 21.8% K%. He’s got raw power, but he hits the ball on the ground too much, resulting in only 4 homers in 75 games. The glove should give him a long leash to refine his offensive game, and there is upside in the bat, but there is a long way to go. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 52/14/59/.241/.313/.421/9

488) Ramcell Medina – KCR, SS, 18.5 – Medina cracked my Top 1,000 last off-season at #1,010, writing, “Medina has a perfect combination of refinement, history of production, and now size/projection. He’s grown to 6’2”, 180 pounds, and he looks pretty damn physical in the box already. He could end up with real power to go along with an advanced feel at the plate and solid athleticism.” … and then he did enough in the DSL to both back up that scouting report and hold his value steady, slashing .260/.398/.404 with 2 homers, 7 steals, and a 14.0/16.7 K%/BB% in 44 games. He has no problems lifting and pulling and that power potential is still in there to go along with the strong plate skills and athleticism. A strong showing stateside will have his hype on the rise. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 76/18/74/.257/.326/.428/11

489) Luis Arana – MIA, 3B/SS, 18.0 – Arana was one of the top contact breakouts in the DSL, slashing .297/.419/.476 with 5 homers, 28 steals, and a 7.9/13.2 K%/BB% in 52 games. He’s not a big at 5’10”, he doesn’t hit the ball very hard, the groundball rates are high, and he’s not a particularly toolsy athlete, so he’s trending towards a utility infielder role long term. Still, this is an 18 year old with a standout tool for his age in his contact, so if he starts hitting the ball harder and/or lifting more, he can beat that projection. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 72/12/48/.268/.326/.390/18

490) Haritzon Castillo – MIN, SS/2B, 18.0 – Haritzon got the million dollar signing bonus in the last international class (well, close, but not quite at $947,500 … and then after taxes, and after paying his agent, and after paying the baseball clinic he came from … 30 grand hah) … and he lived up to that bonus with a strong season in the DSL, slashing .283/.395/.428 with 2 homers, 12 steals, and a 13.2/14.4 K%/BB% in 39 games. He’s not a super toolsy guy at 5’10”, but as you can see the plate skills are strong and there should only be more power coming from here. He’s a really good all around player who could start popping when he gets stateside. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 79/15/66/.268/.337/.409/22

491) Sebastian Blanco – COL, SS, 18.3 – Blanco was a DSL breakout, slashing .345/.449/.453 with 3 homers, 11 steals, and a 13.7/13.3 K%/BB% in 54 games. The hit tool was among the best in the league, he’s a good athlete and he’s got projectable power at 6’1”, 180 pounds. We have to trust Colorado to develop him, which isn’t fun, but there is a potential breakout in here when he comes stateside. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 78/18/73/.268/.335/.430/14

492) Diego Frontado – MIL, SS, 17.7 – Brewers international prospect? Sign me up, although Antunez and Fenelon weren’t anything special last year, so it’s still a crapshoot. Frontado’s allure is the advanced feel to hit with a projectable 6’0′ frame that could grow into considerable power at peak. Here he is 13 years old, already pimping that homer hard. He’s also a plus runner. Org, hit, speed, projectable power … yea, that is your classic good international prospect. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 78/18/72/.266/.332/.429/24

493) Jaider Suarez – KCR, SS, 17.4 – Suarez has a really good combo of floor and upside with a history of production in international competition, and also the tools we are looking for in fantasy. He’s an already strong 6’1” with room for more, giving him at least above average power potential, and he’s also a plus runner with a good feel to hit. The righty swing is balanced, quick, and powerful. Lots to like here. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 82/22/84/.261/.336/.448/18

494) Chase Shores – LAA, RHP, 21.10 – Selected 47th overall, it seems highly likely to me that the Angels drafted Shores to be a quick moving reliever. He’s got the reliever profile at a massive 6’8”, 245 pounds with an upper 90’s fastball that routinely gets into the 100’s, and due to injuries and inconsistency, he’s mostly been a reliever in college at LSU. He put up a 5.09 ERA with a 24.6/10.9 K%/BB% in 63.2 IP his junior year, which shows you that inconsistency. Even with throwing 100, he doesn’t miss as many bats as you would think. The slider is his best secondary, but even that has had some inconsistency, and the changeup lags behind as a 3rd pitch. Maybe a more patient team than the Angels would try to tap into his upside as a starter, but I don’t think that is the Angels MO. I’m not going after him in drafts. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 4/3.72/1.27/68 in 65 IP

495) Liberts Aponte – CIN, SS, 18.5 – Aponte cracked my Top “1,000” at #1,046 for his plus at least plus SS glove, and then he went out in the DSL and popped 7 homers in 45 games. He’s a skinny 6’0”, so more raw power should be coming from here, and he was also a perfect 9 for 9 on the bases. The 18.1% K% and .247 BA wasn’t quite as impressive, but for a defense first player, he showed more upside with the bat than expected. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection 68/18/73/.246/.318/.427/12

496) Wilfri De La Cruz – BAL, SS, 18.7 – Cruz checked in at #935 on last year’s Top 1,000, and his 142 wRC+ in the DSL has his value holding steady. He slashed .258/.465/.400 with 0 homers, 15 steals in 22 attempts, and a 21.2/27.1 K%/BB% in 40 games. He didn’t hit a homer, but he’s a projectable 6’2”, and he lifted/pull plenty, so the power could be coming in a big way down the line. The low BA, high K% and poor stolen base percentage isn’t great, so I can’t fly him up rankings, but he was worthy of a spot on this list last off-season, and his performance was good enough to still be worthy of one now. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 78/20/78/.251/.332/.434/10

497) Angel De Los Santos – DET, SS, 18.1 – De Los Santos was a DSL breakout, slashing .370/.465/.543 with 1 homer, 7 steals, and a 17.2/11.1 K%/BB% in 29 games. The .446 BABIP is doing a lot of the heavy lifting, but he’s a projectable 6’1” with lift/pull and the ability to hit the ball pretty hard already. The power could tick up in a big way down the line, and combined with his feel to hit, athleticism and glove, it could make him a breakout candidate over the next couple years. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 74/16/67/.257/.318/.418/16

498) Angel Feliz – WSH, SS, 19.5 – I’m not a huge Feliz fan with high groundball rates, below average speed, and mediocre production in rookie ball, but he cracks this list for the potential he brings at a projectable 6’3”. The talent is in here to be an impact bat, but there is a ton of refinement needed. The hit tool and approach are solid with a 19.3/13.2 K%/BB% in 53 games at rookie ball, but the 23.3% K% and .230 BA in 31 games at Single-A hints that it’s only an okay hit tool. The 49.3% GB% is way too high and he’s not a good base stealer. Not my favorite prospect but I guess he deserves to be on the list. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 66/13/51/.258/.325/.417/6

499) Albert Fermin – HOU, SS, 17.2 – Fermin is your classic scout’s dream build at a projectable 6’3” with hard hit ability, plus speed, and a good feel to hit. He’s expected to get the 13th highest signing bonus and the tools/skills look excellent, but he was not included in Pipeline’s Top 50. Not sure what the disconnect is there, but it sure seems like he has the talent, feel to hit and big bonus to deserve to be on that list. Either way, he should certainly be on your list with legit upside and going to a good organization. Not a bad dart throw at all. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 76/20/78/.251/322/.433/18

500) Joniel Hernandez – SDP, SS, 17.1 – Hernandez has the classic long and lean build at 6’1”, 175 pounds, so there is projection for him to add plenty more power in the future, and he already has the ability to hit the ball hard. The plus speed and athleticism is what you are buying the most, and while he has a good feel to hit, there is definitely some hit tool risk in here. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 76/17/69/.250/.321/.421/23

501) Johan De Los Santos – PIT, SS/2B, 17.8 – Santos was one the youngest players in the DSL and he had one of the top contact/speed seasons in the league, slashing .353/.451/.460 with 0 homers, 34 steals, and a 7.5/15.5 K%/BB% in 44 games. The speed is elite and he’s a skinny 5’11”, so if he can add any power at all, he could be in line to be the next Chandler Simpson like prospect. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 61/5/38/.262/.324/.348/34

502) Ricky Moneys – MIL, SS, 17.6 – “Ask anyone who has traveled to the Dominican Republic about La Romana and you’ll often hear about the beaches. But the city in the southeastern portion of the country is also a hotbed for baseball talent” … I joked about it in the Jose Manon blurb too, but I fucking love this MLB Pipeline writer hah … who is writing these half travel blogs, half scouting reports haha. Beyond the beaches though, and even beyond the scouting report, does this guy have the best name in the history of names? He’s so Money(s) and he clearly knows it. He has an open righty batting stance with a quick swing that is looking to do real damage. He already did real damage in the Amateur Scouting League, putting up a 1.723 OPS and winning MVP. Good feel to hit, growing power at a projectable 6’0”, good athlete, and a history of production. Pretty Money(s). – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 76/20/81/.259/.326/.435/10

503) Maykel Coret – TBR, OF, 18.6 – Coret checked in at #923 on last year’s list, writing, “He has one of the highest upsides in the class at 6’4”, 190 pounds with a potentially plus power/speed combo. The swing is athletic and powerful, and while it’s not the shortest swing, I like that he’s trying to do real damage. He can already hit the ball very hard. He’s also an excellent athlete who certainly looks the part on the field with smooth and explosive movements. If the hit tool is at least solid in the DSL, he definitely has potential to get some real hype very quickly.” … and while the hit tool still has definite risk, it transferred enough to get him back on this list, slashing .273/.394/.370 with 2 homers, 15 steals, and a 22.3/12.8 K%/BB% in 41 games. He hit the ball hard, he showed off the athleticism, and he didn’t have any major groundball issues. The K% was too high, so he remains his risk, but the high reward is in here too. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 68/23/76/.249/.312/.435/18

504) Gregory Pio – SEA, OF, 17.2 – Pio is a tooled up player at a still very projectable 5’11”, 170 pounds with explosive bat speed and foot speed. He definitely jumps off the screen despite not being a huge human being. It’s why he’s expected to get the 9th highest signing bonus in the class. Those tools come with hit tool risk though, and it seems his value has dropped a bit since securing that huge bonus early on. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 71/16/66/.240/.306/.417/27

505) Samil Serrano – WSH, OF, 17.5 – The #1 thing to like about Serrano is his loose, easy, athletic and explosive lefty swing. That thing is easy to dream on, and while he doesn’t have much power now, it’s not hard to envision more coming at a long and lean 6’2”. He’s a good athlete who can play CF and he has a good feel to hit. If the power comes, he could be very dangerous. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 74/18/71/.259/.327/.430/12

506) Cristian Arguelles – COL, OF, 18.9 – Arguelles was a DSL repeater, but he was young for his class, and he utterly obliterated the level, slashing .422/.528/.652 with 5 homers, 6 steals, and a 10.6/14.4 K%/BB% in 52 games. The .463 BABIP is doing a lot of the heavy lifting and he’s not a big tool guy with potentially average power and speed. It’s a hit tool first profile DSL repeater. I’ll let him crack the list but he’s gotta show it at higher levels. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 74/17/66/.271/.334/.417/7

507) Juan Rijo – SEA, OF, 17.7 – Rio was a late bloomer who always showed a strong feel to hit and the ability to get the most out of his smaller stature, and then he hit his growth spurt, growing to 6’1”, 185 pounds, which gave him the physicality to take his game to the next level. He still has that little man leg kick, although it’s a quick one, and the lefty swing is balanced and quick. It’s not the most the most tooled up profile in the class, but still plenty to like. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 79/20/77/.268/.336/.435/12

508) Dean Livingston – ARI, RHP, 19.7 – Selected 123rd overall in the 2025 MLB Draft and signed for $1 million, Livingston is your classic tall, projectable righty at 6’4”, 200 pounds. The fastball can already get into the upper 90’s and he combines the heat with a potentially plus slider and developing changeup. Lots of refinement is needed and there is a long way to go, but this is a really good ball of clay for Arizona to work with. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 10/3.94/1.27/158 in 160 IP

509) Andri Hidalgo – BAL, LHP, 17.1 – I don’t remember the last time I included an international prospect pitcher in the FYPD Rankings, but Hidalgo’s profile is similar enough with some of the back end high school arms for him to crack the list. He’s a projectable and athletic 6’4” lefty, which is a great foundation to start with, and he’s that frame to fire a low 90’s fastball that can get into the mid 90’s. The slider is his best secondary and he’s also working on a changeup. He’s basically a 6’4” ball of clay with some really nice ingredients but there is a long, long, long way to go. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 9/3.93/1.32/150 in 150 IP

510) Ariel Roque – BAL, OF, 17.5 – Roque is a tooled up and supremely athletic 6’0”, 165 pounds with speed, projectable power and a howitzer of a lefty swing that could produce big power when the man muscles start to come in. He’s not as refined as other top athletes in this class with some rawness in his game, so he’s on the risky side, but the upside is huge if it comes together. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 71/17/67/.242/.311/.420/19

511) Tyson Hardin – MIL, RHP, 24.4 – Hardin is likely a back end arm without standout stuff, but his pristine walk rates get him on the list. He put up a 2.72 ERA with a 24.7/4.4 K%/BB% in 96 IP at High-A and Double-A. Seeing the K% drop to 21.8% at Double-A really says it all, which is that the stuff probably isn’t quite good enough to play as a mid rotation starter at the MLB level. But he has the upside of an elite control, good WHIP #4 starter, and Milwaukee is a great org, so I’ll put him on the list. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 9/4.08/1.24/130 in 150 IP

512) Drew Beam – KCR, RHP, 23.1 – The Royals are the perfect organization to take shots on floor over upside arms because of their ballpark and lack of funds to sign expensive free agents (well, maybe not their ballpark anymore, but we shall see how it plays next year with the fences moving in), making Beam a worthy medium to deeper league prospect despite having low K, #3/4 type upside. He cracked my Top 1,000 last year at #964 as the 76th overall pick in the draft with that safe floor profile, and then he performed as advertised at High-A with a 3.83 ERA and 20.5/5.6 K%/BB% in 131.2 IP. He’s a big dude at 6’4”, he throws the ball over the plate, the fastball sits mid 90’s and he’s racked up innings. There isn’t great secondaries or great pitch shapes or big strikeout numbers, so the upside isn’t high, but the potential is there to be a fantasy relevant pitcher. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 8/4.08/1.30/128 in 150 IP

513) Cade Obermueller – PHI, LHP, 22.8 – Selected 63rd overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Obermueller had the big junior year breakout in the Big Ten with a 3.02 ERA and 32.9/9.0 K%/BB% in 83.1 IP. He doesn’t stand out physically at 6’0”, 170 pounds, but the lefty delivery is athletic with a little funk to it, and the sweepy slider looks like a nightmare to hit. The low to mid 90’s sinker keeps the ball on the ground and he’ll mix in a lesser used changeup too. It looks more like a back end profile with reliever risk, so he’s not my favorite arm, but Philly obviously sees more with drafting him relatively highly. If the fastball can tick up, and he does have some projection, he could certainly pop. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 9/4.03/1.32/142 in 150 IP

514) Homer Bush Jr. – TBR, OF, 24.6 – Bush is your classic, double plus speed (57 steals in 121 games at Double-A), double plus defensive CF, which has value both in real life and fantasy, but he’s on the low end of this type of player. His power is truly non existent with 0 homers and a 53.8% GB%. And his contact and approach aren’t really good enough for this type of profile with a 17.9/8.8 K%/BB%. You need elite contact, or elite OBP or something else beyond just defense and speed. Because he only has defense and speed it’s probably a 4th OF at peak if that, but that speed keeps him on the fantasy radar. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 51/2/28/.258/.319/.345/23

515) RJ Schreck – TOR, 25.8 – Schreck is a 25 year old corner outfielder with a good but not great bat, which means he’s going to have to scratch and claw for playing time. He hit well in the upper minors with 18 homers, 9 steals, a 21.3/16.4 K%/BB% and 143 wRC+ in 105 games split between Double-A and Triple-A, but the hard hit metrics were lacking in Triple-A with a 28.3% Hard Hit%. The plate skills are strong and he lifts and pulls, so he can definitely make a fantasy impact if he does get on the field. He gets ranked highly, which I don’t completely understand, but I guess there is the potential for him to be a solid bat. Deep league only guy for me. – 2026 Projection: 10/2/10/.238/.309/.405/1 Prime Projection: 68/17/64/.252/.330/.428/7

516) Raudi Rodriguez – LAA, OF, 22.9 – Rodriguez was a 21/22 year old in the lower minors, so you can’t take his production at face value, but there is enough upside in here to be firmly on the fantasy radar. He slashed .281/.372/.470 with 14 homers, 38 steals, and a 23.2/11.3 K%/BB% in 125 games at Single-A. He followed that up with a strong AFL performance, putting up a 1.164 OPS in 18 games, albeit with only 1 homer and a high BABIP. He’s a good athlete at 6’0” with hard hit ability and speed, but the hit tool is still a risk and he’s not a huge lift/pull guy either. We also have to bank on the Angels to develop him. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 58/11/53/.247/.319/.409/18

517) Arnaldo Lantigua – CIN, OF, 20.3 – Lantigua is 6’2”, 200 pounds with plus power potential, and he showed off that power at stateside rookie ball with 10 homers and a 21.4/8.7 K%/BB% in 49 games. He wasn’t quite as good at Single-A to close out the season, but he still put up a 110 wRC+ with a not bad 25.9% whiff% in 32 games. Showing the hit tool not immediately imploding was big to see. He doesn’t run, the hit tool is super high risk, and he was old for stateside rookie ball, so he’s just a long shot power prospect. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 63/22/74/.243/.314/.436/5

518) Jose Anderson – MIL, OF, 19.4 – Anderson destroyed the DSL in 2024 with 8 homers and a 140 wRC+, and then he destroyed stateside rookie ball in 2025 with 3 homers and a 197 wRC+ in 10 games. But Milwaukee got so excited that they immediately sent him to Single-A, and he wasn’t ready for the challenge as an 18 year old with a 89 wRC+ and 28.5% K% in 94 games. He did hit 11 homers though, which shows the power potential at peak. His age appropriate obliteration of the rookie ball levels deserves a spot on this list. He profiles as a corner power bat if it all works out. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 66/20/69/.251/.323/.432/7

519) Handelfry Encarnacion – MIL, OF, 18.10 – Encarnacion has an electric lefty swing that is fast and powerful (5 homers), which he combines with a good feel to hit (15.4/8.9 K%/BB%) and some speed (6 steals) in 48 games at stateside rookie. He’s also barely 18 years old. He didn’t hit well after getting the call to Single-A with a 34 wRC+ in 28 games, but that is forgivable at his age, and the 19.3/8.8 K%/BB% wasn’t bad. He’s definitely pretty electric out there, but long way to go. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 74/18/66/.259/.318/.420/8

520) Ryan Wideman – SDP, OF, 22.5 – Selected 99th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Wideman is an athletic specimen at 6’5”, 204 pounds with a plus power/speed combo, which is easy to love, but I didn’t love his pro debut. He came from a non major conference and the skills immediately didn’t transfer to pro ball with 0 homers and a 78 wRC+ in 26 games at Single-A. The 28.6% K% and 66.1% GB% are the most concerning numbers from that debut. He ripped up Conference USA, slashing .398/.466/.652 with 10 homers, 45 steals, and a 16.6/8.1 K%/BB% in 60 games. Even that line has the BABIP doing a lot of the heavy lifting with non standout homer or K/BB rates. The athletic upside is worthy of cracking the list, but I can’t say I’m going after him. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 53/14/58/.244/.305/.417/17

521) Elorky Rodriguez – TEX, 2B/OF, 18.3 – Rodriguez was a DSL standout, slashing .337/.473/.506 with 6 homers, 9 steals, and a 16.8/17.3 K%/BB% in 46 games. He’s not a huge guy at 5’10”, but he’s a strong 5’10” with sweet and powerful lefty swing. He signed for over $1 million, so this isn’t some unknown guy. He got that signing bonus for his bat. There isn’t big upside and there is a long way to go, but he’s an interesting DSL bat. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 72/17/66/.261/.324/.422/9

522) Richard Matic – NYY, 3B, 18.8 – Matic was a DSL repeater after hitting .196 in 2024, and while he was still age appropriate for the level, I still don’t think it’s a good sign. What is a good sign though is how much he raked, slashing .336/.407/.566 with 5 homers, 11 steals, and a 22.5/20.9 K%/BB% in 46 games. He signed for $800K in the 2024 signing period, so this is a real prospect, and there is plus power potential in the bat. Even with the much better year though, you can see the K% is too high, and he’s not a burner or a great defender. He’s gotta prove it stateside before really putting any shine on his name. He’s one to keep an eye on though. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 38/13/43/.227/.306/.425/5

523) Harold Rivas – BOS, OF, 17.11 – Rivas checked in on last year’s list at #937, writing, “He’s a visually super explosive at the dish with an athletic and powerful righty swing that definitely has power potential as he continues to fill out his 6’2”, 170 pound frame. He’s also a plus runner who plays a good CF” … and then he lived up to that scouting report, putting up a 113 wRC+ with 2 homers, 18 steals, and a 17.9/17.9 K%/BB% in 46 games. He didn’t dominate in any area, so he needs refinement all around to his game power, raw power, baserunning, and hit tool, but he flashed all of the ingredients to be a future breakout candidate. His performance was good enough to stay on the list. – ETA: 2023 Prime Projection: 76/17/67/.255/.327/.416/19

524) Jhon Simon – STL, 3B/OF, 18.2 – Simon signed for a half million in the last international signing class, and then he went out and produced in the DSL, slashing .315/.419/.427 with 1 homer, 0 steals, and a 17.1/13.3 K%/BB% in 23 games. He’s already a filled out 5’11”, 210 pounds, and befitting his size he hits the ball hard, but a 55.4% GB% caps the game power right now. If he can make the adjustments to tap into more of his raw power, there is the potential for an above average hit/power combo at peak. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 71/18/74/.263/.328/.422/4

525) Yoniel Curet – PHI, RHP, 23.5 – It seems highly likely that Curet ends up in the bullpen after his mediocre 2025 with a 3.90 ERA and 25.5/12.8 K%/BB% in 55.1 IP at Double-A and Triple-A. It’s a very reliever profile with 3 fastballs (96.1 MPH sinker, 4-seamer, cutter) and a lesser used changeup and slider. If he had better control, I could see projecting him as a 3 headed fastball monster starter, but the below average control has me leaning bullpen. – 2026 Projection: 1/4.12/1.36/18 in 20 IP Prime Projection: 4/3.61/1.24/69 in 65 IP

526) Coleman Crow – MIL, RHP, 25.3 – Crow is probably a reliever and he can’t stay healthy (he missed all of 2024 with Tommy John), but the dude can really spin it, and he was dominating Double-A before going down for the year with a hip injury and flexor strain. He put up a 3.24 ERA with a 32.0/6.0 K%/BB% in 50 IP. He only sits low 90’s but the spin and control helps it play up. The curve is a plus bat missing weapon and he also throws a cutter and changeup. This is just as much a bet on the organization as it is Crow, but the most likely outcome is still that ends up in the bullpen. If he does find his way into the rotation though, don’t be surprised if he’s another out of nowhere Milwaukee success story. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 4/3.82/1.28/86 in 90 IP

527) Zane Taylor – SAC, RHP, 23.10 – Selected 141st overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Taylor cracks this list for the beautiful 28.8/3.0 K%/BB% with a 1.98 ERA in 95.2 IP in the Coastal Athletic Conference. The Athletics then sent him straight to Triple-A where he put up a 50% K% with a 30% whiff% in 2 IP. He’s already 23/24 years old, he’s not from a strong conference, and the stuff is more solid than anything else with a 93-94 MPH fastball and diverse pitch mix. It’s a back end profile, but that K/BB is good enough to get my attention. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 6/4.17/1.31/108 in 120 IP

528) Cody Freeman – TEX, 2B, 25.3 – Freeman’s a 5’8”, 25 year old who immediately saw everything play down when he got to the majors. He dominated Triple-A with a .336 BA, 19 homers, and a 131 wRC+ in 97 games, but the Hard Hit dropped from 40% to 25.8% in the majors, and the K% rose from 8.7% to 15.7%. It resulted in a 66 wRC+ and .266 xwOBA in 36 games. No matter how old you are, you have to give some leeway for an adjustment period, so he deserves another crack at it in 2026 before writing him off. He has a standout skill in contact, he was mentioned as in the mix for the 2B job (although a clear long shot), and his Triple-A performance was impressive. 2B is weak enough where he’s still relevant in deeper leagues, but he’s got to show some upside on the MLB level to stay on the list. – 2026 Projection: 22/5/24/.247/.298/.377/2

529) Nick Yorke – PIT, 2B, 24.0 – Both Yorke’s bat and defense just aren’t good enough to think he’s a long term starter. He hit 7 homers with a 104 wRC+ in 103 games at Triple-A, and then he came to the majors and got dominated with a .583 OPS and .255 xwOBA in 72 PA. Nothing is too bad in the profile, but nothing is too good either. He’s just mediocre across the board. – 2026 Projection: 21/4/22/.240/.296/.378/6

530) Ty Harvey – SDP, C, 19.8 – Selected 160th overall and signed for $1.5 million in the 2025 MLB Draft, Harvey is an already pretty built up 6’2”, 215 pounds, and he has the plus power potential to match his physique with a quick and powerful righty swing. It’s not the upright and loose swing I love, but the dude definitely looks like he can do damage in the box. He also has a good chance to stick at catcher with a big arm and solid receiving skills. The hit tool is the biggest question which was made obvious in his pro debut, hitting .174 with a 40/23.3 K%/BB% in 7 games at Single-A. He was also already 19 year old when he debuted, so he’s old for the class. He’s just a late round FYPD flier in deep leagues if you want a catcher. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 44/15/53/.236/.315/.420/2

531) Fernando Graterol – CHW, C, 17.6 – Graterol is set to receive the 2nd highest bonus for catchers in the class, and he’s ranked 1st overall for catchers on MLB Pipeline. MLB Pipeline does absolutely elite work for us dynasty players when it comes to the mystery box that is international prospects. Just wanted to give them some much deserved love in this area. There are no videos of Graterol out there that I can find, which is no fun, but he’s known for his big time raw power at a still projectable 6’1”. His big arm is his best asset behind the dish. More refinement is needed to the hit tool and defensively, and Chicago is not the best landing spot, although they did a good job with Edgar Quero (at least from 2023 on as he was with the Angels earlier in his career) and Teel (obviously we can’t give them much credit for Teel considering they traded for him last off-season as a finished product). – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 66/22/75/.245/.325/.445/5

532) Manuel Bolivar – DET, C, 17.7 – Bolivar is set to receive the highest bonus for a catcher in the international class, but there really aren’t any standout catchers in this year’s class like Gabriel Davilillo last off-season, so he’s just a pure lotto ticket flier. He’s a projectable 6’3” with a smooth righty swing that could produce plus power at peak. He’s known as a good defensive player so there aren’t any questions about his ultimate defensive home. And of course, there is hit tool risk. Detroit has done a fairly good job at developing catchers of late, so I think it’s a good landing spot too. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 64/20/72/.245/.325/.437/5

533) Randy Santana – DET, OF, 17.6 – Santana is already a physical kid with power, and there is probably room for him to tack on even more muscle, giving him considerable upside as a power hitting outfielder. The righty swing is balanced, direct to the ball, and fast. He also has a good feel to hit and speed, but it’s pretty clear this is going to be a corner outfield masher if it all works out. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 74/22/78/.243/.323/.440/10

534) Keyner Martinez – SFG, RHP, 21.8 – Keyner was way too old for rookie ball, and he repeated the level, but he obliterated the level, and then he kept on pitching well when he got the call to Single-A with a 2.86 ERA and 31.3/11.5 K%/BB% in 22 IP. Granted, he was too old for Single-A too, especially with the talent left there at the end of the season. He backs up the numbers with good stuff too though. The fastball sits mid 90’s, the slider is potentially plus and the changeup is developing. He’s one to keep your eye on in 2026 more than go too hard for him this year. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 9/3.95/1.31/146 in 150 IP

535) Ethan Dorchies – MIL, RHP, 19.5 – Dorchies was a rookie ball breakout who kept it up when he got the call to Single-A, putting up a 3.27 ERA with a 26.7/10.5 K%/BB% in 55 IP at Single-A. He’s a big dude at 6’5”, 215 pounds, and while the stuff isn’t huge right now, it’s still good with a low to mid 90’s fastball and two potentially good secondaries in his slider and changeup. The fastball probably has to tick up for him to really start popping, but at only 19 years old, that can certainly be in the cards. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 10/3.97/1.29/149 in 160 IP

536) Josue Brito – CLE, 1B/OF, 19.0 – As the world’s foremost expert on Josue’s, it is my contractual and moral obligation to include Josue Brito on this list. He’s a DSL repeater who destroyed the level the 2nd time around, slashing .284/.497/.606 with 9 homers, 13 steals, and a 20.4/26.1 K%/BB% in 43 games. That was good for a 182 wRC+. He’s a power hitting corner bat if it all works out, but he clearly has to prove it at much higher levels. His first name gets him on the list. I couldn’t live with myself if he kills it next year and I didn’t include him hah. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 51/16/57/.242/.315/.425/8

537) Jose Colina – ???, C, 17.6 – Colina is a wiry strong 5’11” with a super natural and rhythmic lefty swing that is easy to dream on. He already has power and there is only more coming in the future. He’s also known as a strong defensive catcher with a big arm. There are hit tool questions and he’s not an overtly huge guy both height and width wise, which you usually kinda want to bet on for catcher, but I loved the swing so much that I snuck him on the list. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 62/18/68/.255/.327/.426/2

538) Jose Perdomo – ???, C, 17.11 – Perdomo is the younger brother of former hyped (not hyped anymore) top international prospect Jose Perdomo, so he’s got some bloodlines in here, and I’m a big fan of his righty swing. It’s upright, loose and he’s got the little man leg kick I love at a pretty strong 5’11”. He also looks particularly quick and athletic behind the plate with a big arm. He’s old for the class, but I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he emerges as the top catcher coming out the DSL next off-season. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 58/16/63/.250/.321/.416/5

539) Mason Morris – CIN, RHP, 22.7 – Selected 83rd overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Morris was a reliever in college, but it seems like he might get a chance to convert to starter in pro ball, and the size and stuff is big enough for him to crack this list. He’s 6’4”, 225 pounds with an athletic right delivery that he uses to fire a mid 90’s fastball, a nasty slider, and a really good cutter too. It resulted in a 3.29 ERA and 34.1/9.2 K%/BB% in 54.2 IP in the SEC. He then stepped into pro ball and put up a 43.8/6.3 K%/BB% in 4 IP at Single-A (albeit with a 9.00 ERA). Not gonna lie, that little small pro debut K/BB dominance is what gets him on the list. He’s probably a reliever, but why not at this point in the draft. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 4/3.51/1.22/75 in 65 IP

540) James Triantos – CHC, 2B, 23.2 – Triantos had a terrible year at Triple-A with a 76 wRC+, but his overall profile remains the same as a contact/steals guy. He put up a 15.1% K% with 28 steals in 102 games. The 34.9% Hard Hit% isn’t good, but it’s not terrible, and the glove might be good enough to stick at 2B, although it’s not a guarantee. Chicago always threatens to trade Hoerner who is a free agent after this year, and while that doesn’t mean Triantos would get the 2B job, it’s conceivable he would be in the mix. And if he does get run, the contact/steals profile would make him fantasy relevant. – 2026 Projection: 11/1/6/.237/.280/.345/3 Prime Projection: 51/6/38/.256/.301/.378/16

541) Chris Arroyo – MIA, 1B/LHP, 21.7 – Selected 139th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Arroyo cracks this list for his age and raw power. He’s one of the youngest players in the college class and is almost a full year younger than Aiva Arquette and Ike Irish, for reference. He also has some of the best raw power in the class with top end exit velocities, and that hard hit ability immediately showed up in pro ball with a 91 MPH EV and 48.1% Hard Hit% in 20 games at Single-A. He didn’t hit particularly well with a 93 wRC+, and the 49% GB% and 30.7% whiff% is not a great combo, but that is where giving some leeway for his age comes in. He hit well in the ACC, slashing .291/.361/.519 with 11 homers, 5 steals, and a 13.8/10.6 K%/BB% in 49 games, so if he stayed in college, there was a chance he could have had that big 21 year old season that so many college bats have. He’s also a lefty reliever, and while that isn’t a great fallback for fantasy, it’s some kind of fallback plan if you are drafting him in deep leagues. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 64/16/66/.247/.321/.430/5

542) Cole Mathis – CHC, 1B, 22.8 – Mathis underwent Tommy John surgery shortly after being drafted in 2024, so we have to grade his entire 2025 on a curve to begin with, and while he was healthy to start 2025, he hurt his elbow again after a month+ and was shut down again until the AFL. The AFL was his saving grace, as the things that got him onto my 2025 Top 1,000 at #866 started to show up, slashing .280/.439/.400 with 2 homers, 3 steals, and a 23.9/22.4 K%/BB% in 16 games. He also put up a 121 wRC+ with 3 homers and a 22.7/13.7 K%/BB% in 29 games at Single-A before he got hurt again. He put up a 90.1 MPH EV with a 37.1% Hard Hit% in the AFL, which is solid, and the hope is that the power will continue to tick up as he gets further away from the elbow injury. He’s a really good all around hitter with the ability to hit for power and average, and while he’s not a burner, he’s definitely a good athlete. Let’s see what he can do in 2026 when he’s presumably fully healthy for the first time in his pro career. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 64/16/66/.258/.327/.429/7

543) Callan Moss – PIT, 1B, 22.7 – Moss was traded to Pitt at the deadline, and while it was only a small deal for Bailey Falter, it shows that there is something buy into here. Pitt wouldn’t have asked for him if they thought he was nothing. He was an age appropriate 21 years old at High-A all year and he hit damn well, slashing .287/.384/.457 with 13 homers, 17 steals, and a 22.3/12.5 K%/BB% in 122 games. That was good for a 140 wRC+. He’s more of an all fields, line drive hitter, which is why the homer totals are low, but he can certainly hit it hard at a rock solid 6’3”, 225 pounds. He’s not fast but the stolen bases show there is some athleticism in there. I prefer my 1B prospects with more actualized game power, but there is more in there, and you can’t deny the strong production. He deserves to crack the list. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 51/12/53/.258/.326/.421/6

544) Jared Jones – PIT, 1B, 22.8 – Pitt loves Jared Jones’ obviously, and they picked another one in the 2025 MLB Draft at 263rd overall. This one is a hitter though. Well, “hitter” is a stretch, because he doesn’t actually hit it that often with a 44.8% K% in 15 games at High-A in his pro debut. That is the reason he fell so far in the draft, along with his lack of defensive value and the fact he’s a righty/righty 1B. But when he does actually get the bat on the ball, he demolishes it at 6’4”, 246 pounds. He crushed 4 homers in that debut and crushed 64 homers in his 189 game college career at LSU. It’s most likely a bench power bat. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 41/14/49/.223/.309/.430/3

545) Tanner Thach – COL, 1B, 22.1 – Selected 227th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Thach cracks this list for his solid pro debut. He slashed .279/.375/.397 with 2 homers, 1 steal, and a 23.8/10.0 K%/BB% in 18 games at Single-A. It was good for a 120 wRC+. He also cracks the list for his plus raw power at 6’4”, 225 pounds, and he got to that power often in college in the Colonial Athletic Conference with 54 homers in 176 games. He chases a lot, there is hit tool risk and there isn’t much defensive value, so he’s just a late FYPD flier. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 47/13/56/.244/.307/.419/3

546) Edguardo De Leon – MIA, 3B/1B, 19.1 – De Leon followed up a strong pro debut in the DSL in 2024 (5 homers with a 142 wRC+) with another strong outing in stateside rookie ball, slashing .276/.353/.500 with 5 homers, 5 steals, and a 28.8/9.8 K%/BB% in 43 games. As you can see, the hit tool is a concern, but the power is legit with hard hit and the ability to lift it. He played mostly 1B this year, so if he ends up a 1B only, there is going to be a ton of pressure on the bat. Tack on hit tool risk, and he’s only a power flier in deeper leagues. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 47/16/54/.235/.306/.431/5

547) Warel Solano – TBR, 3B, 18.6 – Solano signed for the milly and then went out and proved that high signing bonus in the DSL, slashing .319/.391/.418 with 1 homer, 3 steals, and a 16.4/9.2 K%/BB% in 48 games. The power/speed combo obviously doesn’t jump off the page, but at projectable 6’2” and without any major groundball issues, the homers should come over time. The swing is already fast and explosive, so there is real power upside in the bat. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 65/19/72/.252/.314/.426/6

548) Luke Hill – CLE, 3B, 22.0 – Selected 132nd overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Hill followed up a big junior breakout in the SEC with an even better pro debut, slashing .347/.459/.510 with 1 homer, 7 steals, and a 17.7/17.7 K%/BB% in 15 games at Single-A. He proved all the skills will translate to pro ball, and those skills are a good feel to hit, good approach, and good athleticism. There isn’t big power upside and he’s not a burner, which makes his most likely outcome as a utility player, but the impressive debut and SEC production gets him on this list. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 63/11/48/.261/.327/.401/14

549) Dixon Williams – ATL, 2B, 22.3 – Selected 136th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Williams is a 6’2”, 210 pound lefty with a nice looking lefty swing that certainly looks the part. He didn’t come from a major conference (American Conference), but he immediately proved he can hit pro pitching with a 150 wRC+ in 28 games at Single-A. The K% spiked to 30.7%, which is a big red flag, but the 14% BB% mitigates that somewhat, he stole 6 bags, and he lifted the ball with a 29.3% GB%. He ripped 14 homers with 22 steals and a 16.2/16.8 K%/BB% in 62 games his junior year. He’s actually an interesting late round college bat for deeper leagues. Size, lift, speed, strong debut … there are some nice ingredients here. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 36/11/41/.238/.301/.413/9

550) Enmanuel Merlo – MIN, SS, 17.4 – Merio has some of the best hard hit ability in the class already and at 6’1”, 180 pounds, this is surely only the start to his power potential. He also has a strong history of production with a good feel to hit and athleticism. This is the area these blurbs start to get repetitive, but nobody knows which players are going to be the true monster DSL breakouts, and these are the types that could be the guy. He’s another good one. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 77/23/83/.261/.332/.449/9

551) Dawvris Brito – BOS, SS, 17.6 – The only video I can find is the Pipeline one where he looks about 13-14 years old, but even at that age, you can see he has a swing that is designed to get to his power. He can already hit the ball hard and at 6’0”, 177 pounds, a lot more hard hit should be coming down the line. He combines the potentially exciting game/raw power combo with a good feel to hit and good athleticism. He’s another good one. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 74/18/69/.249/.323/.427/16

552) Garielvin Silverio – BOS, OF, 17.6 – Silverio is a 6’1”, 207 pound physical masher with a big and powerful lefty swing that is quite easy to see the big power potential. Watching him hit in those cages almost looked silly. Dude stands out. He also had a good feel to hit, but he’s not a particularly great athlete, which means the bat has to hit it’s ceiling here. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 74/24/83/.257/.328/.453/4

553) Ezequiel Melbourne – LAD, SS, 16.10 – Melbourne is going to the Dodgers, which gets you a leg up right off the bat, and he’s also one of the youngest and most projectable players in the class. He’s a skinny 6’3” with a smooth and quick swing from both sides of the plate. There isn’t big power now, but there could be in the future. He also has the requisite good feel to hit and good athleticism, giving the Dodgers a great ball of clay to work with. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 71/19/46/.250/.320/.426/9

554) Alexander Pio – ???, SS/3B, 17.3 – Pio is a projectable 6’2”, 180 pounds who is already showing the signs of easy plus power potential. He has a righty swing that is geared for lift, so he shouldn’t have any trouble getting to that power. There isn’t big speed, he’s likely to move off SS, and there is hit tool risk, so the hope is that he can turn into a power hitting 3B. He’s not one of my favorite later round international prospects, but the bat certainly has the potential to pop in the DSL. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 68/22/76/.242/.317/.436/5

555) Michael Mesa – ???, OF, 17.3 – Mesa is already a pretty strong 6’2”, 195 pounds and has the type of easy, natural and explosive lefty swing that isn’t hard to envision doing major damage in the DSL. It seems his most likely path is going to be a power first, corner outfielder masher, but there is good athleticism and feel to hit as well, so the profile can go any number of ways. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 69/20/75/.245/.322/.438/10

556) Starling De La Cruz – ATL, OF, 17.5 – De La Cruz is in the little man discount bucket of international prospect. He’s 5’9” but he hits the ball harder than his height would indicate and he’s an explosive player with plus speed and a good feel to hit. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 77/16/69.262/.326/.414/26

557) Javier Mogollon – CHW, 2B, 20.5 – Mogollon is a fun little man discount candidate at 5’8” with a lift/pull profile and plus speed, but the hit tool isn’t good enough for this type of profile. He hit .220 with a 25% K% in 51 games at Single-A and it was even worse in 2024 with a 38.3% K% in rookie ball. It came with 5 homers and 15 steals, showing the fun power/speed combo, but I don’t want to bet too much on the hit tool here, or the organization. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 47/12/38/.228/.306/.408/15

558) CJ Gray – LAA, RHP, 19.2 – Selected 140th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft and signed for $1.25 million, Gray is pure unrefined talent at 6’2”, 205 pounds with an uber athletic righty delivery and mid 90’s gas, but unfortunately, we have to trust the Angels to develop that talent, and that isn’t a great bet. He combines the heat with a potentially plus slider and developing changeup. He needs to improve his control/command and he needs refinement all around, so you are just betting on the upside. – ETA: 2029 Prime Projection: 8/3.98/1.34/143 in 140 IP

559) Isaias Suarez – WSH, OF, 17.4 – Suarez is a projectable 6’2”, 165 pounds who doesn’t have big power right now, but it’s not hard to envision much more coming in the future as he becomes a grown man. And what you are buying here is the excellent speed and athleticism who plays a strong CF. There are some hit tool questions too, keeping his ranking subdued, but there is a lot to like here and it’s not hard to dream on what his future could look like in a perfect world. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 73/15/64/.251/.316/.409/25

560) Dylan Jordan – LAA, RHP, 20.6 – Jordan cracked my Top 1,000 last off-season at #1,031 for his size and funky righty delivery, and now he’s proven the profile will play in pro ball with a 2.36 ERA and 26.7/9.4 K%/BB% in 76.1 IP at rookie ball and Single-A. He was just as good at Single-A as he was rookie ball. He does it with a low 90’s fastball, potentially plus slider and developing changeup, but none of the pitches are really standout right now so as is, it looks more like a back end starter profile. He’s young with with plenty of improvement ahead of him, so his upside will be dictated by how much velocity he gain, how well he develops the secondaries, and how much he can improve his control. Long way to go, but good debut. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 9/4.04/1.31/136 in 150 IP

561) Argenis Cayama – SFG, RHP, 19.7 – Cayama was a rookie ball breakout pitcher with a 2.25 ERA and 27.8/9.1 K%/BB% in 48 IP, but he got rocked with a 8.16 ERA and 9.6/13.7 K%/BB% in 14.1 IP when he got the call to Single-A. He was young for the level, but I don’t think it’s a great sign. He’s a projectable 6’1”, 180 pounds with a fastball that can already get into the mid 90’s, a pretty vicious slider and a solid changeup. Long way to go, but good ingredients. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 9/4.09/1.32/142 in 150 IP

562) Cooper Kinney – TBR, 2B, 23.2 – I’m not sure Kinney deserves to crack this list after a mediocre at best showing at Double-A. He slashed .242/.299/.386 with 13 homers, a 46.7% GB%, 0 steals, and a 25.0/7.2 K%/BB% in 117 games. I mean, tell me what skill we are buying here. There is no good skill. I guess the reason he’s still on the list is because the 103 wRC+ was slightly above average, and I still like his swing. Tampa also doesn’t really sign free agents, so even if it takes until he’s 28, he might eventually get a shot. – ETA: 2027 Prime Projection: 28/7/32/.244/.303/.396/2

563) Ethan Hedges – COL, 3B/RHP, 21.11 – Selected 77th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Hedges is a two way player who just started pitching out of the pen in his Junior Year. He probably has more upside with the bat, but with how many fringy type hitters Colorado already churns out, and with how much they struggle with arms, I think my money is on him ending up a pitcher. And if he ends up a pen arm, it’s not going to be very valuable for fantasy, especially in Coors. His poor pro debut has me leaning towards him as an arm even more with a 50 wRC+, .195 BA and 0 homers in 20 games at High-A. The 19.1/11.2 K%/BB% wasn’t bad, but the hit tool is obviously a major issue, and his average power/speed combo isn’t big enough to get too excited about him as a fantasy bat in general. He’s raw on the mound with a fastball that gets into the mid 90’s and two decent secondaries in the slider and changeup. He’s good enough to crack the list, but he’s not a later round FYPD guy I’m going after personally. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 3/4.03/1.36/58 in 65 IP

564) Gustavo Melendez – PIT, SS, 18.5 – Selected 113th overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Melendez is one of the youngest players in the class as a full on 18 year old for all of 2026. He’s not particularly projectable or anything at a small 5’9”, but it still does give some leeway for more development. He certainly fits in the little man discount category as that lefty swing looks like it could result in some good lift/pull, so if he can get his strength into the say Jett Williams/Slade Caldwell area over the next couple years, he could start to pop. Problem is, the hit tool and speed are only solid, and not standout, putting him in the low end of the little man discount bucket. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 73/12/49/.256/.324/.385/18

565) CJ Hughes – MIL, SS, 18.7 – Selected 335th in the 2025 MLB Draft and signed for $700K, Hughes is a pure projection play as one of the youngest players in the draft and at a very skinny 6’1”. He has strong foundation with a potentially plus SS glove and good athleticism, but his offensive game is still raw. He needs to add considerable strength, learn how to tap into his power, and refine his swing/hit tool. Long way to go. – ETA: 2030 Prime Projection: 66/10/42/.246/.313/.395/15

566) Cleiner Ramirez – NYM, OF, 17.4 – The Mets are no strangers to the little man discount bucket with Jett Williams, and while they aren’t the same players, Ramirez is similar in the sense that he may not be tall at 5’9” but he’s thick and can certainly pack a punch. He combines the short but strong power potential with a good fell to hit, athleticism, and the ability to play all over the field. Not my favorite international profile, but I don’t want to doubt him just because he’s small. He deserves to crack the list. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 72/15/59/.265/.326/.414/17

567) Jake Cook – TOR, OF, 22.9 – Selected 81st overall, Cook is 6’1” but plays more like he’s 5’9”. He has more of a slappy, contact oriented swing that produces well below average power, but to be fair, it works for him, slashing .350/.436/.468 with 3 homers, 3 steals, and a 6.7/10.9 K%/BB% in 60 games in the Sun Belt Conference. He’s a speedster centerfielder, but as you can see from his stolen base totals, he’s not a good base stealer. The ingredients of contact, speed, some projectable size, and defense are in here, but considering he came from a smaller school and didn’t debut yet, he has a lot to prove in pro ball. And he will already turn 23 years old in the middle of the season. Those contact rates are what gets him on the list really. – ETA: 2028 Prime Projection: 52/7/39/.261/.320/.375/9

568) Nathan Church – STL, OF, 25.9 – Church could so easily take the starting CF job from Scott, but there is no guarantee his bat is any better than Scott’s. Just like Scott, his strong contact rates from the minors (9.6% K% in 86 games, which to be fair, was better than Scott’s about 15% K%) immediately didn’t transfer to the majors with a 27.7/4.6 K%/BB% and 28.1% whiff% in 65 games. Considering the below average game power with high groundball rates, and average raw power at best, that isn’t great. He has plus speed and he’s a good base stealer, but he doesn’t rack up steals like Scott, so in a part time role he won’t be as valuable as Scott either. He’s a classic 4th OF who only ranks this high because of how bad Scott is, so it’s possible he works his way into that starting role. – 2026 Projection: 29/4/26/.238/.289/.349/6

569) Randy Arias – HOU, SS, 17.6 – Arias’ best tool is mostly his glove right now, which isn’t my favorite type of international prospect to go after, but he’s so skinny at 5’11”, 155 pounds, that a big breakout could come as he gains more muscle. The speed, athleticism and good feel to hit are there, so if he puts on considerably weight, combined with his other tools, he could pop. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 68/8/41/.253/.319/.371/21

570) Juan Parra – PHI, SS, 17.4 – Parra has plenty of upside in his very projectable 6’1” frame with plus speed, a good SS glove, and a quick, smooth swing from both sides of the plate. He needs to add considerable power but it’s not hard to envision more muscle coming to combine with the rest of his strong profile. The upside is high enough to tack him onto the end of this list. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 66/14/61/.246/.314/.404/16

571) Ruben Gallego – ARI, SS, 17.5 – Gallego has a strong foundation with a potentially plus SS glove, plus hit tool and athleticism, but he’s going to have to add considerable weight at a very skinny 6’1”. The swing is quick, athletic and natural, so if that power comes, he could certainly breakout in the next few years. – ETA: 2031 Prime Projection: 74/12/48/.266/.327/.380/21

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