Each team's best non-Top 100 prospect
There just isn't enough room to fit all the worthy talents on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects list. We unveiled our latest rankings last Friday, and now we're going to spotlight the best prospect in each farm system who couldn't quite make the cut. We undertook the same exercise last
There just isn't enough room to fit all the worthy talents on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects list. We unveiled our latest rankings last Friday, and now we're going to spotlight the best prospect in each farm system who couldn't quite make the cut.
We undertook the same exercise last year, and that just-missed list included several recognizable names. Twelve of them climbed onto the new Top 100: Padres shortstop Leodalis De Vries (No. 18), Tigers shortstop Kevin McGonigle (No. 28), Marlins left-hander Thomas White (No. 41), Mariners outfielder Lazaro Montes (No. 42), White Sox catcher Edgar Quero (No. 66), Rays third baseman Braden Taylor (No. 67), Cubs catcher Moises Ballesteros (No. 69), Dodgers lefty Jackson Ferris (No. 71), Pirates righty Thomas Harrington (No. 80), Marlins shortstop Starlyn Caba (No. 81), Reds second baseman Sal Stewart (No. 84) and Blue Jays shortstop Arjun Nimmala (No. 87).
Additionally, right-handers David Festa (Twins), Christian Scott (Mets) and Spencer Schwellenbach (Braves) and outfielder Victor Scott II (Cardinals) played their way onto the Top 100 in 2024 before graduating to the Majors. Athletics righty Mason Miller would have done the same during an All-Star rookie year, but he shed his prospect status two days into the season. Astros outfielder Jacob Melton and Rockies outfielder Sterlin Thompson reached the Top 100 for a time last summer, but they aren't on the current edition.
You'll find Melton below, however. And if history is any indication, several of the prospects mentioned will join the Top 100 at some point during this season.
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AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
Blue Jays: Orelvis Martinez, 2B/3B (No. 10 2B)
A former member of the Top 100, Martinez’s roller-coaster career took more turns last season when he debuted in the Majors on June 21 and was suspended 80 games after testing positive for the banned substance Clomiphene. Still only 23, the right-handed slugger ran near-elite exit velocities for Triple-A Buffalo, and his swing is geared for power with his ability to lift and pull the ball. His defense still needs work wherever he lands on the dirt, and it’ll be on him to prove the PED suspension was a one-time instance and that his pop can keep playing at impressive levels.
Orioles: Enrique Bradfield Jr., OF
The O’s first-round pick in 2023, Bradfield brings two 70 or better grade tools to the table in his speed (actually an 80) and his defense in center field. He split his first full season between High-A and Double-A in 2024, finishing with a combined .272/.358/.371 line and 74 steals, trailing only Chandler Simpson in all of the Minors in that category. He actually performed better at Double-A (133 wRC+) than High-A (106 wRC+) and he has a chance to be a real table-setting catalyst atop a big league lineup soon.
Rays: Aidan Smith, OF
There are a number of Tampa Bay prospects hovering around the Top 100, including elite speedster Simpson and young pitchers Gary Gill Hill and Trevor Harrison, but we’ll use Smith here for now. Acquired from the Mariners in last year’s deal for Randy Arozarena, the '23 fourth-rounder could be a five-tool talent in the outfield, earning plus grades for his speed and arm strength while his bat has already performed at the Single-A level (.288/.401/.473 in 97 games). A little more over-the-fence power could send Smith comfortably onto the list in his age-20 season.
Red Sox: Luis Perales, RHP
A $75,000 steal out of Venezuela in 2019, Perales has a mid-90s fastball that reaches 99 mph with tremendous carry and a mid-80s slider that flashes two-plane depth. He posted a 2.94 ERA with a 56/12 K/BB ratio in 33 2/3 innings last year while advancing to Double-A at age 21, but he blew out his elbow in June and may miss all of this season following Tommy John surgery.
Yankees: George Lombard Jr., SS/2B
Lombard plays a quality shortstop and has a ceiling of solid or better tools across the board. The son of former big leaguer and current Tigers bench coach George Lombard, he was a '23 first-rounder out of a Florida high school. He slashed .231/.338/.334 with five homers and 39 steals in 110 games between two Class A levels in '24.
AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL
Guardians: Ralphy Velazquez, 1B (No. 8 1B)
Velazquez hit his way into the first round of the '23 Draft, and the California high school product batted .231/.347/.385 with 11 homers in 101 games during his full-season debut between two Class A levels. He has 30-homer upside and also shows an advanced ability to recognize pitches and work counts.
Royals: Ben Kudrna, RHP
Kansas City’s Top 100 contingent is full of hitters, but there are a few pitchers lurking in that next tier, including 2021 second-rounder Kudrna. The K.C.-area native sat 93-94 mph last year in a second-half assignment to Double-A Northwest Arkansas but stuck more for his 85-87 mph changeup and 86-89 mph slider, both of which had whiff rates of 46 percent in the Texas League. Kudrna could be a second-half Major League option in his age-22 season if his secondaries keep playing to that level.
Tigers: Jace Jung, 3B/2B (No. 6 3B)
The 2022 12th overall pick was one of the final cuts from the Top 100 but still checked in at No. 6 on our third-base list. He has the potential to produce high OBP and slugging numbers but will have something to prove after a right wrist issue dogged him for much of '24. (He underwent offseason surgery to address it.) Jung also moved to third base full time last season after opening his career at second, and improving there will be a focus in his attempt to return to the Majors on Opening Day.
Twins: Kaelen Culpepper, SS
The Twins took Culpepper in the first round of the '24 Draft out of Kansas State and he showed off the plate discipline and approach he was known for in college during his brief summer debut, moving quickly from Single-A Fort Myers to High-A Cedar Rapids. It’s a hit-over-power approach with consistently professional at-bats and the Twins were pleased with how good he looked at shortstop, so expect to see a lot of him at the premium position this year.
White Sox: Grant Taylor, RHP
Though Taylor missed Louisiana State's '23 national championship season because he had Tommy John surgery that February, the White Sox still picked him in the second round. He has regained his power stuff: an upper-90s fastball, a sharp low-90s cutter and a pair of solid breaking pitches. He got back on the mound last May and logged a 1.13 ERA with a 25/1 K/BB ratio in 16 innings at Single-A before getting shut down with a lat strain, then returned for the Arizona Fall League. Paul Skenes believes in him.
AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST
Angels: George Klassen, RHP
The Angels will get their first long look at Klassen after acquiring him from the Phillies in the Carlos Estévez deal close to the Trade Deadline last year, but there are some in the organization who think there isn’t much separating him from Top 100 right-hander Caden Dana. He’s long had arm strength and can touch triple digits, but started throwing more strikes for the first time in 2024. He finished the year at Double-A post-trade and struck out 13.1 per nine over 93 IP. The walk rate crept back up after he came to the Angels, but if he can be around the zone, he’s nasty.
Astros: Jacob Melton, OF
The Astros gave seven-figure bonuses to three hitters in the 2022 Draft, and they decided to part with Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford in the Justin Verlander trade with the Mets a year later so they could keep Melton. A second-rounder from Oregon State, he offers plus raw power and speed and batted .253/.310/.426 with 15 homers and 30 steals in 105 games between Double-A and Triple-A.
A’s: Colby Thomas, OF
An argument could be made for right-hander Luis Morales, but we’ll give the position player the edge this year. Thomas will have to watch the strikeouts (24.7 percent K rate in 2024, 30.3 percent once he got to Triple-A). But the 2022 third-rounder is knocking on the door and the power is legit after hitting 31 homers and posting a combined .906 OPS to go along with 15 steals in 2024.
Mariners: Ryan Sloan, RHP
Sloan might have gone in the second round of the 2024 Draft, but he has first-round stuff, and the Mariners thought so too, giving him an over-slot bonus of $3 million to sign. He’s big (6-foot-5) with an intriguing combination of stuff and polish, showing the ability to manipulate a fastball that touches 99 mph, a really good changeup and an excellent slider.
Rangers: Jack Leiter, RHP
Leiter has had a rockier career than expected since he went No. 2 overall in the 2021 Draft, but the Vanderbilt product enjoyed his best season yet in 2024. His mid-90s fastball and upper-80s slider were more effective and he won Triple-A Pacific Coast League pitcher of the year accolades after recording a 3.51 ERA, .217 average-against and 110 strikeouts in 77 innings. Now he needs to solve big league hitters, who roughed him up for an 8.83 ERA in nine appearances.
NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST
Braves: Nacho Alvarez, SS/3B
An argument can be made for some of the arms in the Braves' system, like Hurston Waldrep or AJ Smith-Shawver, but the edge goes to the position player. Alvarez struggled during his brief big league debut last year, but he has a long track record of consistent contact, with a 16.6 percent K rate in his Minor League career (16.9 percent at the upper levels in 2024) while walking at a 14.2 percent rate. While he doesn’t run well, he’s an outstanding defender at both spots on the left side of the infield while showing he could handle second in the bigs.
Marlins: Agustin Ramirez, C/1B
The main prospect in the Jazz Chisholm trade with the Yankees last July, Ramirez recorded a rare 20/20 season for a catcher with 25 homers and 22 steals between Double-A and Triple-A. His bat speed, strength and pull-happy approach combine to produce significant power, though his defense behind the plate is very much a work in progress.
Mets: Carson Benge, OF
Benge was a legitimate two-way prospect at Oklahoma State, but the Mets preferred him as a hitter for good reason. His bat-to-ball skills were plenty evident during his early run in the Florida State League, and there were signs that he could get above-average power, especially if he can improve his ground-ball rate. Benge mostly started in center, but his plus arm certainly fits in right too if/when he needs to move more permanently down the line.
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Nationals: Brady House, 3B (No. 7 3B)
House’s high chase rate at Triple-A scared some evaluators, and that led to his fall off the Top 100 for now. There are still things to like about the 2021 11th overall pick. For starters, he’s only 21 years old, and he reached the Minors’ top level ahead of the curve. There’s also still plus power potential in his 6-foot-4 frame, and he’s improved as a defender at third base after starting his career at short. He’ll have to hone his approach significantly in a return to Rochester, but House has time and age on his side.
Phillies: Moisés Chace
The Phillies got Chace from the Orioles along with Seth Johnson in the Gregory Soto deal last year, and they’ve been very happy with what they received. He’s up to 98 mph now with his fastball with a sweeper, a harder cutter and what could be an above-average changeup. He’d been in more of a piggyback system with the O's, but the Phils think he has the chance to be a conventional starter with electric stuff.
NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL
Brewers: Mike Boeve, 3B/1B (No. 10 3B)
The 2023 second-rounder out of Nebraska-Omaha shot through High-A in his first full season and spent much of the year at Double-A, where he slashed .306/.374/.447 in 66 games while working around a right shoulder injury. Boeve's short whippy swing helps him make a ton of contact, and that hit tool will fuel his rise toward Milwaukee. There’s hope he could add some more power in year two if he can stay healthier, and that would help his Top 100 chances.
Cardinals: Jimmy Crooks, C
The 2022 fourth-rounder was named Texas League MVP last year after slashing .321/.410/.498 with 11 homers in 90 games. The former Oklahoma star was a defense-first backstop out of the Draft, but he has taken strides with his hit tool in pro ball, consistently keeping his strikeouts in check while pounding line drives. There are some splits concerns still for the lefty slugger, but everything is trending toward him possibly becoming a starting catcher in the bigs.
Cubs: Brandon Birdsell, RHP
The Cubs named Birdsell their Minor League Pitcher of the Year after he posted a 3.91 ERA and led the system in innings (135 2/3), strikeouts (134), K percentage (24 percent) and walk percentage (5 percent) while splitting his season between Double-A and Triple-A. His best attributes are a mid-90s fastball that reaches 98 with carry and command and an upper-80s slider with nice depth.
Pirates: Nick Yorke, 2B/OF
A surprise first-round pick of the Red Sox in 2020, Yorke had a very solid pro debut in '21, struggled in '22, rebounded a little in '23 and then really clicked at Triple-A in '24 ahead of Boston sending him to the Pirates in the Quinn Priester deal last year. He raked after the trade (.938 OPS in 40 games) to lead to his first taste of the big leagues, and the Pirates think he has the chance to hit for average with some power in Pittsburgh.
Reds: Chase Petty, RHP
Petty, who came to the Reds from the Twins in the Sonny Gray deal in 2022, reached Triple-A in '24 at the age of 21, and Cincinnati feels that his combination of age, stuff and performance at the upper levels are in line with some of the arms that landed on the Top 100. His fastball averaged just over 96 mph in 2024 and his mid-80s slider elicited a 39 percent miss rate.
NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST
D-backs: Demeterio Crisantes, INF (No. 9 2B)
The 20-year-old infielder operates very simply in the box, and he used his solid swing decisions and relaxed mechanics to drive his high averages in both the Rookie-level Arizona Complex and Single-A California Leagues last season. There’s the potential for average pop here, but much will come down to where Crisantes lands in a full-time role after he’s gotten experience at second, third and even first. The hit tool will be the driver here, and Arizona has prioritized getting Cristantes’ bat into the lineup no matter where he is.
Dodgers: Emil Morales, SS
Morales landed a $1,897,500 bonus out of the Dominican Republic because he had one of the highest ceilings in the 2024 international class, then backed it up with a huge pro debut. He won MVP and top prospect honors in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League after slashing .342/.478/.691 and topping the circuit in slugging, OPS (1.169), homers (14) and total bases (105). He has a smooth right-handed swing and hits the ball exceptionally hard for an 18-year-old, and he should still provide more than enough offense if he moves off shortstop.
Giants: Carson Whisenhunt, LHP (No. 8 LHP)
A 2022 second-rounder out of East Carolina, Whisenhunt sports one of the best changeups in baseball. He can manipulate the depth and shape of his 78-81 mph tumbler, and it registered a 49 percent chase rate and a 47 percent swing-and-miss rate last year in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League, where he ranked second with 135 strikeouts in 104 2/3 innings. He also possesses a low-90s sinker and low-80s slider.
Padres: Kash Mayfield, LHP
A two-time Gatorade High School Player of the Year in Oklahoma, Mayfield went 25th overall to the Padres in last year’s Draft and instantly became the organization’s top pitching prospect. The 6-foot-4 southpaw can run his fastball up to 97 mph and has an advanced changeup for someone his age. His control should be at least average, but much will come down to shoring up a more consistent breaking ball shape in pro ball.
Rockies: Cole Carrigg, OF/SS
Carrigg’s athleticism, versatility, arm and solid college career at San Diego State helped him land with the Rockies in Competitive Balance Round B in 2023. He’s been even better as a pro with an .850 OPS, 17 homers and 53 steals in 2024. The switch-hitter can play multiple positions -- he used to catch -- and his 70-grade arm works from anywhere.
Jonathan Mayo is a reporter for MLBPipeline.com. Follow him on Facebook and @JonathanMayo, and listen to him on the weekly MLB Pipeline Podcast.
Jim Callis is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him @jimcallisMLB and @jimcallis.bsky.social. Listen to him on the weekly MLB Pipeline Podcast.
Sam Dykstra is a reporter for MiLB.com and MLB.com. Follow and interact with him on Bluesky @SamDykstraMiLB, and listen to him on his weekly podcast The Show Before the Show.
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