Who doesn’t like prospects, right?
They’re untested and free of warts, just perfect little vessels of potential. One day, they’ll be called up and destroy that illusion — most of them, anyway — but for now, they can do no wrong.
And they have no end. Have you ever noticed how any obscure minor leaguer who becomes involved in a trade is identified as a “prospect.” Yeah, any player whose rookie eligibility is still intact technically meets the description. The trick is in narrowing down the ones who matter most, and that’s what a top 100 list is designed to do. There are too many variables in play, too much speculation at work, to provide an accurate representation of which player is better than the next. Better in what way? The primary goal, then, is to highlight the players of the greatest interest, with the precise ranking being a secondary goal.
The players of the greatest interest are a little different in Fantasy than in real life, and since this particular rank list is geared for Fantasy, I should probably explain. In Fantasy, defense only matters to the degree that it could cost a player playing time, so it’s a minor part of my evaluation. I try to fade pitchers, viewing them as unpredictable assets with little control over their future outcomes. Because Fantasy leagues don’t allow for as much patience as real life, I also try to give an interesting Triple-A player who’s on the verge of contributing in the majors a leg up over a projectable 18-year-old still in Rookie ball. That’s especially true toward the end of the list.
But of course, talent trumps all other considerations in those instances where the talent is clear. Dynasty Leagues are all the rage these days, and this rank list is primarily a Dynasty (rather than redraft) resource.
Though I’d argue that anyone with an interest in baseball should at least have a passing curiosity.
Age (on opening day): 19
Where he played in 2025: Low-A, High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .333 BA (484 AB), 21 HR, 65 SB, .941 OPS, 50 BB, 122 K
Griffin is what everybody pictures when they hear the word “athlete,” which is what got him drafted ninth overall in 2024, but the ease with which he’s transitioned to the pro game is what’s moved him to the top of this list. For a player this imposing to also be this skilled right away is honestly reminiscent of Mike Trout, though Griffin probably won’t be quite the on-base threat Trout was.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: fighting this spring
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2025: Low-A, High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .305 BA (331 AB), 19 HR, 10 SB, .991 OPS, 59 BB, 46 K
McGonigle isn’t as tooled up as Griffin but has maxed out his skills such that he’s also in the No. 1 overall discussion, with Baseball America even awarding him an 80 grade for his hit tool. He doesn’t impact the ball as hard as some of the elite prospects, but he’s begun to adapt his swing for power and has walked more than he’s struck out at every level.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: fighting this spring
Age (on opening day): 18
Where he played in 2025: Low-A, High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .285 BA (453 AB), 6 HR, 47 SB, .792 OPS, 67 BB, 108 K
Though Made has yet to actualize his power, it’s easy to project given that he already generates exit velocities better than most major leaguers and has made it all the way to Double-A as an 18-year-old. Between his switch-hitting, his base-stealing prowess, and his knack for putting bat to ball, a Jose Ramirez-like outcome could possibly be in his future.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: late-season look
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2025: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor league stats: .306 BA (408 AB), 17 HR, 23 SB, .931 OPS, 72 BB, 73 K
Wetherholt doesn’t get the same press, but he’s 90 percent of the way to being what McGonigle is, boasting a top-of-the-scales hit tool with high walk and low strikeout rates. The biggest difference is that he hasn’t come as far in tailoring his swing for power despite being a couple years older, but he still homered at a nice rate.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: fighting this spring
Age (on opening day): 19
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .255 BA (455 AB), 15 HR, 11 SB, .806 OPS, 66 BB, 107 K
The Padres tend to promote their prospects more aggressively than the numbers can keep up with, which adds suspension when they then flip one of those fast movers for, say, an ace reliever. But the Athletics followed their lead after acquiring De Vries for Mason Miller, bumping him up to Double-A almost immediately, and the 18-year-old responded by slashing .281/.359/.551 in 21 games there, adding fuel to the Francisco Lindor comparisons.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: late-season look
6. Sebastian Walcott, SS, Rangers
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2025: Double-A
Minor league stats: .255 BA (474 AB), 13 HR, 32 SB, .741 OPS, 70 BB, 108 K
Walcott dropped his strikeout rate below 20 percent even with an aggressive promotion to Double-A, quelling concerns about his hit tool, but he also slugged just .386 as he struggled to put the ball in the air. His power projection remains among the highest in the minors, though, and the strides he’s made to this point bode well for him meeting it eventually.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2025: Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: .270 BA (270 AB), 23 HR, .966 OPS, 44 BB, 76 K
Major league stats: .165 BA (109 AB), 4 HR, .559 OPS, 6 BB, 30 K
While the Orioles have a franchise catcher in Adley Rutschman, Basallo’s bat is good enough to occupy either first base or DH, with a long-term deal already in place to give him the inside track. A Kyle Schwarber-like outcome would seem to be on the table, judging by his prodigious exit velocity readings at Triple-A (94.2 mph average and 115.9 mph max).
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: pencil him in
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2025: Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: 5-6, 4.05 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 100 IP, 53 BB, 121 K
Major league stats: 4-1, 4.02 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 31.1 IP, 4 BB, 31 K
The whole world thought Chandler should be promoted when he had a 2.03 ERA and 12.8 K/9 through 11 Triple-A starts, but then, when he wasn’t, frustration mounted, and his control went awry. He was pinpoint accurate when he finally reached the majors, though, blowing hitters away with his A-grade fastball, so it’s easy to get behind him as the top pitching prospect still.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: pencil him in
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A, Triple-A
Minor league stats: .281 BA (441 AB), 15 HR, 22 SB, .857 OPS, 68 BB, 92 K
The departure of Brandon Nimmo would seem to signal the arrival of Benge, who’s just as discerning at the plate but is likely to deliver higher-end outcomes, judging by his 92.1 average exit velocity at Triple-A and knack for drilling the ball the other way. He was slashing .308/.413/.513 before arriving at Triple-A, where a hand injury slowed him down.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: fighting this spring
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A, Triple-A
Minor league stats: .285 BA (506 AB), 16 HR, 14 SB, .842 OPS, 71 BB, 105 K
A quieter setup and two-handed finish brought out Emerson’s power finally midway through last year, sharply reducing his ground-ball rate as he slashed .311/.404/.510 over his final 71 games. He’s so polished otherwise that he invites Corey Seager comparisons, and is expected to get a serious look from the Mariners this spring.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: fighting this spring
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2025: Rookie, Double-A, Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: .260 BA (384 AB), 25 HR, .843 OPS, 42 BB, 127 K
Major league stats: 3 for 28 (.107), 2 2B, 7 BB, 13 K
The 6-foot-7 Eldridge dents the ball whenever he makes contact with it, having delivered a Judgian 95.7 mph average exit velocity at Triple-A this past year. Still, he could stand to make more contact and may have been rushed to the majors during a lost 2025 season. The scouting reports are bullish overall, but we’ll need to have patience for him as he learns to cover such a large strike zone.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: pencil him in
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Low-A, High-A, Double-A, Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: 5-1, 3.12 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 98 IP, 41 BB, 160 K
Major league stats: 1-0, 3.21 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 14 IP, 7 BB, 16 K
Yesavage is the most battle-tested of rookies, having played a starring role in the Blue Jays’ AL championship run, and anyone who came along for that ride knows full well about his over-the-top delivery, his devastating splitter, his reverse-breaking slider, and the unhittable quality found in such an unfamiliar arsenal. He could give some of it back as the league becomes more familiar with him, particularly on those days when he struggles to throw strikes, but he’s been a bat-missing monstrosity everywhere he’s pitched so far.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: pencil him in
Age (on opening day): 24
Where he played in 2025: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor league stats: 8-5, 2.45 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 113.2 IP, 50 BB, 127 K
Major league stats: 5-1, 2.06 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 48 IP, 16 BB, 57 K
McLean’s story is similar to Spencer Schwellenbach’s in that you’d never know by his six-pitch arsenal and wily approach that he only gave up hitting the year before. His dominance down the stretch is a testament to both his stuff and approach, but it probably overstates his strikeout potential and may have papered over some lingering (albeit minor) control issues.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: pencil him in
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2025: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor league stats: .264 BA (432 AB), 14 HR, 59 SB, .825 OPS, 82 BB, 123 K
Miller hit a low point in 2025 as he struggled to adapt to the superior breaking balls at Double-A and seemed on the verge of collapsing a a prospect, but then he rallied through a series of minor adjustments to slash .357/.489/.601 over his final 38 games, giving him the look of a franchise shortstop who happens to be stuck behind Trea Turner.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2025: Rookie, Low-A, Double-A, Triple-A
Minor league stats: .286 BA (308 AB), 10 HR, 17 SB, .850 OPS, 50 BB, 76 K
Jenkins’ legs have been betraying him ever since the Twins made him the fifth pick in the 2023 draft, undermining what’s a picture-perfect approach and swing. He did begin to flash some of his promised power this past year, though, slashing .309/.426/.487 as a 20-year-old at Double-A, where he spent two-thirds of his season.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A, Triple-A
Minor league stats: 4-3, 2.31 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 89.2 IP, 51 BB, 145 K
A 19 percent swinging-strike rate is next to impossible for any pitcher and unprecedented for a lefty, but White made it happen with a deceptive delivery and three pitches that rate as plus. The Marlins spent the offseason clearing out rotation space, but he may need to sort out some control issues at Triple-A before getting his shot.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: fighting this spring
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .287 BA (418 AB), 20 HR, 54 SB, .884 OPS, 59 BB, 103 K
Learning to elevate is often the biggest hurdle for tooled-up prospects, but Baez’s case was just the opposite: His swing had gotten so steep that he simply wasn’t making enough contact. Leveling it out in 2025 shaved 15 percentage points off his strikeout rate and unleashed a five-category monster.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2025: Low-A, High-A
Minor league stats: .293 BA (433 AB), 19 HR, 47 SB, .923 OPS, 88 BB, 123 K
You may be surprised to see Quintero leapfrog Josue De Paula and Zyhir Hope in the Dodgers system, given that he was the least heralded of the three coming in, but he’s more disciplined than Hope and has a swing better adapted for power than De Paula. His baseball-stealing prowess also makes for a friendlier Fantasy profile.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: late-season look
19. Josue De Paula, OF, Dodgers
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .250 BA (360 AB), 12 HR, 32 SB, .791 OPS, 82 BB, 91 K
From the time he was 18, De Paula has stood out for his patient approach and penchant for hard contact — two rare traits for a prospect so young — but sooner or later, he’ll need more to show for it than a high on-base rate, particularly since he brings no defensive value. Getting the ball in the air to his pull side is the key.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: late-season look
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .271 BA (431 AB), 14 HR, 19 SB, .835 OPS, 94 BB, 90 K
The social media darling had subsisted mostly on his defense and bat-to-ball skills prior to 2025, when he began to lift the ball for more power. He also showed an elite batting eye, collecting more walks than strikeouts, and is closing in on being a Brandon Nimmo type whose Gold Glove outlook in center field gives him ample job security.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Double-A, Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: .309 BA (437 AB), 20 HR, 17 SB, .907 OPS, 46 BB, 77 K
Major league stats: .255 BA (55 AB), 5 HR, .839 OPS, 3 BB, 15 K
Lingering beneath the bat-to-ball skills and line-drive approach that defined Stewart’s time in the lower minors was a hopeful slugger who broke through in a big way last year, delivering exit velocities on par with Corey Seager and Manny Machado at Triple-A before making his presence known in September. The Gavin Lux trade this offseason seemed to clear the path for him, too.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: pencil him in
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2025: Low-A
Minor league stats: .288 BA (125 AB), 5 HR, 9 SB, .831 OPS, 20 BB, 33 K
Rainer has been everything the Tigers dreamed he would be when they took him 11th overall in 2024 … except for playing in only 35 games. He’ll need to show some ability to stay healthy if he’s to sustain this high ranking, but his projectable frame, keen batting eye, and high contact quality still point to a middle-of-the-order, Gunnar Henderson-like outcome.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: late-season look
Age (on opening day): 18
Where he played in 2025: Low-A
Minor league stats: .300 BA (50 AB), 1 3B, 1 2B, 2 SB, 7 BB, 12 K
Great expectations come with being the top overall pick, but Willits showed his polish in his first professional look, holding his own as a 17-year-old in a full-season league. He’ll need to grow into some power to make it all worth it, but the complete package is reminiscent of Trea Turner.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: don’t count on it
Age (on opening day): 19
Where he played in 2025: Low-A, High-A
Minor league stats: .270 BA (374 AB), 9 HR, 44 SB, .757 OPS, 34 BB, 68 K
A hot start combined with a big exit velocity jump had evaluators turning cartwheels over Pena early on, and enthusiasm remained high even as he hit .168 after moving up to High-A. Between his likely transition to second base and his still-fledgling power, it’s easy to see another Brice Turang here, but you wouldn’t be crazy to dream on an even higher ceiling offensively, given his youth.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: don’t count on it
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Double-A, Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: .290 BA (427 AB), 20 HR, 10 SB, .878 OPS, 60 BB, 122 K
Major league stats: .300 BA (60 AB), 3 HR, .941 OPS, 9 BB, 12 K
The Royals have found their heir to Salvador Perez in Jensen, who arrived in September with a 95.4 mph average exit velocity and 13 percent walk rate. The Triple-A numbers weren’t far off, making for a possible superstar outcome and likely ensuring Perez spends even more of his time at DH this year.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: pencil him in
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Low-A, Triple-A
Minor league stats: 5-8, 5.26 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 118 IP, 47 BB, 123 K
Much like Spencer Strider, Andrew Painter lost his once-elite fastball shape on the road back from Tommy John surgery and looked nothing like the 19-year-old who put together a 1.56 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and 13.5 K/9 while climbing to Double-A in 2023. As such, he brings considerable risk, but the scouting reports remain bullish amid whispers of a possible mechanical fix, namely raising his arm slot.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: fighting this spring
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2025: did not play — draft year
The third overall pick and consensus top pitcher in the 2025 draft stands out most for his polish and pitchability, featuring a fleshed-out arsenal with a couple of high-spin breakers and strong command of everything. Though some who rank behind him here will turn out better, he’ll move fast and is all but certain to matter.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
28. Zyhir Hope, OF, Dodgers
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .266 BA (458 AB), 13 HR, 27 SB, .804 OPS, 79 BB, 143 K
Though one of the biggest prospect risers a year ago, Hope’s move up the ladder this year revealed how raw he is as a hitter, struggling against offspeed stuff and missing too many hittable pitches. He still throttles the ball, though, and is fast enough to be a prolific base-stealer as well.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: late-season look
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .266 BA (364 AB), 20 HR, .883 OPS, 66 BB, 87 K
Briceno set the Arizona Fall League on fire two years ago and went on to deliver a .296/.422/.602 slash line in 55 games at High-A last year. He finally hit a wall at Double-A, dragging down his full-season numbers, but even there, he demonstrated the sort of plate discipline and exit velocity readings that are sure to move him off catcher so that he can reach the big leagues sooner.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 19
Where he played in 2025: Rookie, Low-A
Minor league stats: .290 BA (290 AB), 16 HR, 35 SB, .948 OPS, 49 BB, 78 K
Between the major league-caliber exit velocities, the swing that’s already optimized for power, and the superlative plate discipline (highlighted by a 14 percent walk rate and 90 percent zone-contact rate), Florentino already looks like a complete hitter despite playing all of 2025 as an 18-year-old. He’s unlikely to remain so prolific a base-stealer, but I’d hesitate to put limits on his potential right now.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: don’t count on it
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .289 BA (484 AB), 18 HR, 29 SB, .892 OPS, 96 BB, 106 K
The Diamondbacks system can make for some fakeouts because their top two levels are so hitter-friendly, but Waldschmidt was just as productive at High-A as at Double-A in a season split evenly between the two. The power is middling, relying heavily on his ability to lift and pull the ball, but he’s an on-base merchant with enough base-stealing prowess to dream on a Christian Yelich outcome.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: fighting this spring
Age (on opening day): 27
Where he played in 2025: Japan
NPB stats: 10-5, 1.92 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 163.2 IP, 45 BB, 178 K
Imai’s low-release fastball and reverse-breaking slider make for an unusual look that led to oodles of success in Japan, but he’s older than conventional prospects and can’t exactly go back to the drawing board if his tricks don’t work in the majors.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: pencil him in
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: .316 BA (446 AB), 13 HR, 29 2B, .858 OPS, 49 BB, 67 K
Major league stats: .298 BA (57 AB), 2 HR, 2 2B, .868 OPS, 9 BB, 12 K
Ballesteros’ short and stout build makes catcher his only viable path defensively, and he’s blocked twice over there for the Cubs, which you might think is a deal-breaker in the short-term. The Cubs value his bat so much, though, that they’re prepared to hand over DH duties to him, perhaps with the occasional start at catcher. His swing is geared more for average than power, but he impacts the ball well enough to deliver both.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: pencil him in
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2025: Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: .286 BA (370 AB), 22 HR, .937 OPS, 57 BB, 121 K
Major league stats: 5 for 26, 1 HR, 1 2B, 1 BB, 11 K
The Marlins have long coveted Caissie and were finally able to pry him away in the Edward Cabrera deal, all but ensuring he’ll have a spot in the opening day lineup. Power has long been his selling point, and he began to actualize it in 2025 with more consistent hard contact and a better pull-air rate, giving him a three-true-outcomes profile that may be 80 percent of what Kyle Schwarber is.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: pencil him in
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2025: Low-A, High-A
Minor league stats: .281 BA (385 AB), 12 HR, 29 SB, .874 OPS, 75 BB, 101 K
Bonemer didn’t arrive with much hype as a second-rounder in 2024, but he was a revelation offensively in his first professional season, showing an approach beyond his years and a swing that’s grooved for power. When he pulls the ball, he hits absolute screamers, and he pulls the ball often.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: don’t count on it
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2025: Rookie, Double-A, Triple-A
Minor league stats: .245 BA (302 AB), 9 HR, 12 SB, .813 OPS, 66 BB, 91 K
The first pick in the 2024 has lost some exit velocity with the transition to wooden bats and now relies on angling the ball over the fence, which hasn’t been as effective. He remains enough of an on-base and base-stealing threat to matter, though, even if his power is modest.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor league stats: 9-7, 2.51 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 136 IP, 39 BB, 166 K
Though Thomas White (see above) is implicated as well, the Marlins’ efforts to free up rotation space this offseason likely have more to do with Snelling, who couldn’t break through last September despite a 1.27 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 11.5 K/9 in 11 Triple-A starts. The Marlins bought low on the former Padres prospect two years ago and have restored his lost command and velocity.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: fighting this spring
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Double-A, Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: 10-5, 1.43 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 113.2 IP, 47 BB, 179 K
Major league stats: 2-3, 7.71 ERA, 1.77 WHIP, 18.2 IP, 9 BB, 22 K
Tong’s minor-league dominance had him looking like the game’s top pitching prospect when he arrived in August, but his unique fastball, which has a low release height despite an over-the-top delivery, didn’t baffle major leaguers like it did minor leaguers. If it doesn’t work, neither does he. A legitimate breaking ball would do wonders, though, and he perhaps needed more time at Triple-A to refine his.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: fighting this spring
Age (on opening day): 19
Where he played in 2025: did not play — draft year
The hit rate on high school pitchers who score big on draft day is embarrassing, so I can’t help but cringe a little in slotting Hernandez this high. But he’s an actual pitching savant, judging by the reports, with a fastball and changeup that both rate near the top of the scales already, two breaking balls that trail close behind, and an aptitude for throwing strikes. Time will tell.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: don’t count on it
Age (on opening day): 19
Where he played in 2025: Rookie, Low-A, High-A
Minor league stats: .276 BA (301 AB), 20 HR, .954 OPS, 54 BB, 65 K
Rodriguez knows the difference between balls and strikes, excels at elevating to his pull side, and has hit a ball as hard as 111 mph, and he only turned 19 in the offseason. Given the skills he’s flashing at such a young age, he’s on track to be the game’s top catching prospect someday.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: don’t count on it
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2025: Low-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: 3.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K
Doyle’s splitter, which comes from a high release point despite a normal arm slot, is a rare sight from a left-hander and pairs perfectly with his best-in-class-type fastball (which earns a 75 grade from MLB Pipeline and a 70 grade from Baseball America) for massive strikeout potential. No wonder the Cardinals made him the fifth pick in last year’s draft.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A, Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: 3-5, 3.04 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 91.2 IP, 23 BB, 133 K
Major league stats: 0-1, 6.06 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, 16.1 IP, 8 BB, 19 K
Tolle’s four-seamer has world-beating ride, seeming to take flight as it crosses home plate, which accounts for his 13.1 K/9 rate across three minor league levels and eight strikeouts in his major league debut. His struggles after that debut showed that his command and secondaries still need work, but with his 6-foot-6 build and 99th percentile extension, that one pitch will be making hitters look silly for years to come.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: fighting this spring
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: did not play — draft year
The 11th pick in last year’s draft is a master of manipulation, dropping his arm low to create a flat approach angle on his fastball and incredible horizontal movement on his slider. The delivery is reminiscent of Chris Sale, only coming from a pitcher who doesn’t throw as hard and stands half a foot shorter.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Low-A, High-A
Minor league stats: .333 BA (216 AB), 13 HR, 1.068 OPS, 48 BB, 59 K
The Reds couldn’t say no to Gavin Lux in a trade last offseason, and the Dodgers have another big outfield prospect as a result, having reworked Sirota’s swing to get him back to being the first-round talent he was before a bad junior year at Northeastern. He might rank even higher if a knee injury hadn’t ended his season early.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: late-season look
Age (on opening day): 26
Where he played in 2025: Japan
NPB stats: .286 BA (220 AB), 24 HR, 1.051 OPS, 38 BB, 71 K
The most decorated of this year’s Japanese imports, with his back-to-back MVP awards, Murakami has prodigious power that would play in any league, but contact issues severe enough that they could sink him against major league pitchers. The modest deal he signed with the White Sox should give everyone pause.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: pencil him in
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2025: Rookie, Low-A, Triple-A
Minor league stats: .269 BA (208 AB), 6 HR, 10 SB, .839 OPS, 55 BB, 85 K
When it comes to contact quality, plate discipline, and overall athleticism, you won’t find many prospects who rate better than Rodriguez, and his hypothetical ceiling used to rank him higher than this. But he’s lost so much development time to injuries and made so few strides with regard to reducing strikeouts that it’s hard to remain optimistic even as he stands at the precipice of the majors.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .241 BA (490 AB), 32 HR, .858 OPS, 83 BB, 169 K
Now that Montes has reached the upper levels of the minors, a clearer picture is beginning to develop, and what that picture is telling us is that the Yordan Alvarez comparisons can officially die. Montes may have a similar build and backstory and be just as capable of putting a charge in the ball, but his hit tool is nowhere close, causing him to strike out more than 30 percent of the time while slashing only .213/.319/.433 in his first 64 games at Double-A.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Triple-A
Minor league stats: .334 BA (440 AB), 7 HR, 46 SB, .863 OPS, 58 BB, 91 K
Detractors would like to see Crawford elevate the ball more to take advantage of his solid exit velocity readings, but he’s become a batting average standout by beating out grounders and slapping the ball the other way. It’s a profile similar to his father, Carl Crawford, who eventually developed a little power himself and emerged as a first-rounder in Fantasy when he did.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: fighting this spring
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: 1-4, 3.51 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 56.1 IP, 34 BB, 95 K
The “other guy” in the Juan Soto deal that also brought the Nationals back James Wood, C.J. Abrams, and MacKenzie Gore, Susana has become a top-flight talent in his own right, leveraging his 6-foot-7 frame for a fastball that peaks at 104 mph. He really seemed to be harnessing his stuff with a late-season move up to Double-A, but his season ended early because of a torn lat that required surgery, amplifying durability concerns.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: late-season look
Age (on opening day): 19
Where he played in 2025: did not play — draft year
High school draft picks make for tricky evaluations and even trickier when they haven’t debuted yet, but the scouting reports rave about Parker, highlighting his uncommon contact skills and knack for hammering inside pitches. He’s equipped to hit for both average and power, in other words.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: don’t count on it
Age (on opening day): 19
Where he played in 2025: Low-A
Minor-league stats: .353 BA (68 AB), 0 HR, 2 3B, 2 2B, 16 SB, 13 BB, 11 K
Drafted 39th overall, Kilby has already shown himself to be one of the biggest bargains of the 2025 draft, lighting up Low-A with preternatural plate discipline and the sort of athleticism that makes for an easy power/speed projection. The newness of it all inclines me to take it easy here, but my gut wants to rank him even higher.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: don’t count on it
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: High-A
Minor league stats: .242 BA (99 AB), 1 HR, 7 SB, .674 OPS, 17 BB, 27 K
At 6-feet-5, Arquette looks miscast as a shortstop, but most evaluators think he’s rangy enough to stick at the position. His size portends big things on the offensive side, yielding some of the highest exit velocities at the collegiate level last year and giving him power that should play to all fields.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: late-season look
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2025: Low-A, High-A
Minor league stats: 2-4, 3.73 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 82 IP, 15 BB, 90 K
The stat line here won’t blow you away, but that’s partly to Sloan’s credit: He was in the strike zone so much that the hit rate ran high and the strikeout rate low. You can trust the Mariners’ pitching development engine to finish off this mostly complete project, which probably just hinges on him sequencing his sweeper and changeup better.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: don’t count on it
Age (on opening day): 19
Where he played in 2025: Low-A
Minor league stats: .239 BA (71 AB), 2 HR, 4 2B, .737 OPS, 12 BB, 33 K
For being the fourth overall pick in this past year’s draft, Holliday is a surprisingly polarizing prospect, with advocates pointing to his easy power and notable bloodlines (his father Matt and brother Jackson are both well known) and detractors noting the high setup and uppercut swing that will inhibit him against modern fastballs.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: don’t count on it
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .235 BA (473 AB), 9 HR, 35 SB, .748 OPS, 87 BB, 146 K
Lombard looked like he was beginning to deliver on his potential finally when he hit .329 with 23 walks in 24 games at High-A, but the Yankees promoted him before he could gain a real foothold, which led to him floundering at Double-A. The son of a former Georgia football recruit (and also a major leaguer) still stands out for his rare combination of plate discipline and athleticism, but he’ll need to turn it into production soon to retain his high prospect standing.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: late-season look
Age (on opening day): 18
Where he played in 2025: Dominican Summer League
Minor league stats: .288 BA (191 AB), 4 HR, 33 SB, .859 OPS, 37 BB, 36 K
Most outlets identify him as Josuar Gonzalez now, but by whatever name, last year’s top international prospect has only improved his standing from the day he signed. He’s a premium athlete whose defense promises to keep him at the six, and for all that athleticism, he already sizes up balls and strikes well and has the sort of bat speed that should yield good power in time.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: don’t count on it
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor league stats: 4-5, 4.68 ERA, 1.67 WHIP, 73 IP, 45 BB, 76 K
Schultz seemed to be on the fast track after putting together a 1.48 ERA over 16 Double-A starts in 2024, the combination of a low release point and incredible extension serving to make quick work of hitters. But whether because of a nagging knee injury or the inherent difficulty in repeating a 6-foot-10 delivery, his velocity dipped and his control abandoned him, presenting new risk but also a buy-low opportunity.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 29
Where he played in 2025: Japan
NPB stats: .322 BA (270 AB), 15 HR, .992 OPS, 34 BB, 36 K
Okamoto’s numbers are even more impressive in the context of the NPB going through a dead-ball period right now, and while his age puts him about a dozen spots behind Munetaka Murakami on this list, his vastly superior contact skills make him the better bet to click, as reflected by his lengthier contract.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: pencil him in
Age (on opening day): 24
Where he played in 2025: Rookie, Triple-A, majors (postseason only)
Minor league stats: .264 BA (148 AB), 7 HR, .852 OPS, 28 BB, 28 K
Major league stats: 1 for 6, 1 BB, 1 K
Now three years into his professional career, we still don’t have a clue what DeLauter could do when healthy, because he never is, most recently missing time with a sports hernia and broken hamate bone but also having contended with a thrice broken foot. The few healthy stretches have always been productive; his lost development time not affecting his ability to impact the ball or work the count, and the Guardians seem ready to get what they can out of him in the majors after a baptism by fire last postseason.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: pencil him in
Age (on opening day): 24
Where he played in 2025: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor league stats: .274 BA (438 AB), 35 HR, 29 SB, .932 OPS, 58 BB, 179 K
An athletic marvel with light-tower power and surprising speed, Jones is a YOLO-type pick in Dynasty leagues for what his best-case scenario could look like. His most-likely scenario, though, is that he doesn’t amount to anything at all because he’s too easy to beat by pitchers who know what they’re doing. His massive July, in which he hit .419 while striking out less than 25 percent of the time, offered a glimmer of hope, but he gave it all back in the months that followed.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 24
Where he played in 2025: Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: .304 BA (342 AB), 18 HR, 23 SB, .934 OPS, 68 BB, 76 K
Major league stats: .227 BA (110 AB), 4 HR, 2 SB, .775 OPS, 26 BB, 36 K
Beavers has always had an elite batting eye, but an improved weight transfer led to a spike in exit velocity last year, turning him into an all-around offensive threat. The power is still the sort that relies on angling the ball off the bat optimally, but he’s shown the ability to do that and is also speedy enough to make a 20/20 outcome possible, provided his struggles against left-handers don’t confine him to platoon duty.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: fighting this spring
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2025: Low-A, High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .315 BA (485 AB), 3 HR, 70 SB, .830 OPS, 68 BB, 105 K
Ewing hits the ball with enough authority that he could possibly benefit from rejiggering his swing for power, but after the kind of numbers he put up with a line-drive, all-fields approach, I might leave well enough alone. If you remember Dustin Pedroia, the original Laser Show, you have a sense of what Ewing could become, only with an even higher capacity for stolen bases.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: late-season look
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .289 BA (454 AB), 20 HR, 25 SB, .844 OPS, 50 BB, 90 K
The scouting reports for Culpepper sound positively bored by him, which makes me wonder if they’re looking at the same player. The tools may be modest, but his first full season saw him deliver more power than expected and sustain the same level of production after moving up to Double-A Wichita, which is no hitter’s paradise. I doubt he’s a star, but a Dansby Swanson-like outcome doesn’t seem crazy.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor league stats: .261 BA (486 AB), 17 HR, 34 SB, .828 OPS, 76 BB, 131 K
Williams bounced back nicely from an injury-wrecked 2024, particularly if you just look at his .281/.390/.477 slash line at Double-A and give him a pass for his bumpy transition to Triple-A. He still sells out harder for power than his 5-foot-7 frame suggests he should, though. There’s a scrappy leadoff hitter in here — one who’s more likely to wind up at second base than shortstop — but his current approach presents real batting average risk.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2025: Rookie, Low-A, High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: 3-1, 1.79 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, 45.1 IP, 17 BB, 79 K
Though a modest third-round pick in 2023, Sykora has been near untouchable in the minors to this point, allowing a .120 batting average across four levels in 2025 while registering 15.7 K/9. Unfortunately, he’s been broken a lot, too, and will miss all of 2026 recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: don’t count on it
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2025: Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: .283 BA (374 AB), 16 HR, 7 SB, .868 OPS, 74 BB, 88 K
Ford’s superior athleticism and advanced plate skills have long stood out at catcher, and while his power projection has diminished over time, he did put the ball over the fence a fair amount in 2025. We’ve seen big steals totals from him in the past as well, and he consistently reached base at over a .400 clip in the minors. His trade to the Nationals this offseason moves him out of Cal Raleigh’s shadow and potentially into the spotlight.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: fighting this spring
67. Ralphy Velazquez, 1B, Guardians
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .265 BA (483 AB), 22 HR, .839 OPS, 52 BB, 104 K
Velazquez won’t appear on every top 100, but the scouting reports have little negative to say about him, at least on the hitting side of things. He delivers top-of-the-scales exit velocities and manages to keep his strikeouts in check, even with an aggressive move up to Double-A midseason, where he slashed .330/.405/.589 in 28 games as a 20-year-old.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: late-season look
68. Bo Davidson, OF, Giants
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .281 BA (449 AB), 18 HR, 19 SB, .844 OPS, 68 BB, 119 K
Prospects come from all corners, and Davidson is a testament to that, going from an undrafted community college player to slashing .327/.437/.605 in his first year of full-season ball. That was in 2024, but he built off it with a 2025 that earned him 60 grades for both power and speed from Baseball America. He may end up resembling Randy Arozarena for Fantasy.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Low-A, High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .270 BA (448 AB), 12 HR, 14 SB, .804 OPS, 57 BB, 130 K
The Red Sox drafted Montgomery 12th overall in 2024 with the intention of waiting out his ankle injury, but he never played a game for one of their affiliates, instead becoming part of the massive prospect haul for Garrett Crochet. His first professional season was merely so-so, confirming his considerable power projection from both sides of the plate but underscoring his need for better swing decisions and an improved launch angle.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 19
Where he played in 2025: Rookie, Low-A
Minor league stats: 2-4, 3.09 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 70 IP, 28 BB, 90 K
Since drafting him 24th in 2024, the Braves have gone to work on Caminiti, equipping him with a flatter fastball and sweepier slider that both work better with his low arm slot. They’ve dropped it even lower, in fact, and added some extension, modeling him more and more after Chris Sale, and the strikeout potential is becoming apparent. Still a long way to go, though.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: don’t count on it
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A, Triple-A
Minor league stats: 8-6, 2.64 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 140 IP, 54 BB, 140 K
Even while striking out just a batter per inning, Ritchie was among the hardest pitchers to hit in all the minors (where defenses are worse, by the way) with a .174 batting average against, inducing weak contact through clever sequencing of his six-pitch arsenal. The stuff is good enough that he could become more of a bat-misser if necessary, but after putting together a 3.02 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in his 11 Triple-A starts, he won’t need much tweaking to get a look in the majors.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .262 BA (450 AB), 17 HR, 12 SB, .834 OPS, 69 BB, 104 K
Arroyo homered just twice in his 250 plate appearances at Double-A, but the venue had a lot to do with it. He consistently punches above his 5-foot-8 frame and has a clear idea of what he’s doing at the plate, which should lead to high contact and on-base rates.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .282 BA (444 AB), 17 HR, 15 SB, .870 OPS, 58 BB, 112 K
Already a patient hitter, Reimer became a more opportunistic one in 2025, punishing strikes as his home runs spiked with one of the highest pull-air rates in the minors. He may need even more power to carve out a role in the majors, though, since it’s unclear that he’ll be able to stick at third base.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Rookie, High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .268 BA (365 AB), 14 HR, .820 OPS, 52 BB, 112 K
While he was more productive than in the little bit we saw of him in 2024, Condon moved down the defensive spectrum again in 2025, hitting rock bottom at first base, and still wasn’t impacting the ball like you’d expect of a record-setting college slugger. He has a .376 on-base percentage to work with, though, and may fare better with the Rockies’ new analytically inclined front office, which plans to give him a long look this spring.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: fighting this spring
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2025: Low-A
Minor league stats: .287 BA (390 AB), 18 HR, .948 OPS, 95 BB, 91 K
Duno knows which pitches not to swing at and took some formidable hacks for a 19-year-old, which explains the stellar stat line, but he apparently has some holes in his swing that could spell trouble at the higher levels. Still, there’s plenty to work with here and ample time to smooth out his rough edges.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: don’t count on it
Age (on opening day): 24
Where he played in 2025: Double-A
Minor league stats: 5-7, 2.72 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 116 IP, 60 BB, 141 K
Weirdness is the order of the day at starting pitcher, and Hopkins’ comes in the form of unrelenting heat, his deep arsenal of secondaries registering velocities that might have worked for a fastball 30 years ago. In fact, Baseball America grades four of his pitches as 60 or higher. Standing 6-foot-4, he’s built to take on the innings, but the key will be curtailing the walk rate that has too often cut his outings short.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor league stats: .237 BA (481 AB), 29 HR, .826 OPS, 85 BB, 148 K
Runaway strikeout rates have long threatened to sink Clifford as a prospect, but his chase and zone-contact rates graded out quite nicely after his move up to Triple-A last year, with his strikeout rate dropping to a manageable 25 percent. Passivity would seem to be the issue more than contact ability; in other words, it gives me more hope than ever that Clifford will stick the landing in the majors and threaten to hit 40 homers someday.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 24
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A, Triple-A
Minor-league stats: 3-4, 2.19 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 78 IP, 36 BB, 97 K
Wiggins overwhelmed minor leaguers last year with a fastball that brushes triple digits and has a good enough shape to make all his secondary offerings superfluous. To rank among the elite pitching prospects, though, he’ll have to prove he can go more than four innings at a time.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2025: did not play — draft year
Witherspoon has yet to debut after being drafted 15th overall last year, but I can already tell he has the combination of stuff and weirdness that makes for the most effective hurlers in today’s game. He loves collecting pitches (up to five now), can crank his fastball up to 99 mph, and has an unusual short-arm delivery that makes the ball look like it’s coming out of his ear.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: don’t count on it
80. Elmer Rodriguez, SP, Yankees
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A, Triple-A
Minor league stats: 11-8, 2.58 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 150 IP, 57 BB, 176 K
Once known as Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, this former Red Sox farmhand broke out big for their division rivals in 2025, combining the ground-ball tendencies of a sinkerballer with the chase of a power pitcher. Though he throws right-handed, his lanky build and batted-ball outcomes are reminiscent of Cristopher Sanchez, and if his control gains after moving up to Double-A escalate from there, he may compare to Sanchez in that way as well.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2025: Double-A, Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: 10-3, 2.60 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 100.1 IP, 40 BB, 132 K
Major league stats: 1-2, 2.33 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 19.1 IP, 4 BB, 29 K
Early doesn’t have the kind of stuff that inspires poetry (or earns him a prominent placement on most rank lists), but between the 11.8 K/9 at Double- and Triple-A and the even better numbers in four major-league starts, his effectiveness speaks for itself. He simply knows how to pitch, playing his six pitches off each other so that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: fighting this spring
82. Gage Jump, SP, Athletics
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: 9-7, 3.28 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 112.2 IP, 34 BB, 131 K
Jump’s final stat line needs to be put in perspective. He had a 1.61 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and 11.9 K/9 in his first 10 appearances but only a 4.92 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, and 9.1 K/9 in 16 appearances thereafter, diminishing the enthusiasm. He has his strong suits, such as a hypnotic, bouncy delivery, a fastball with modern characteristics, and an exceptional ability to tunnel his secondaries, but there’s more work to be done here.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2025: did not play — draft year
The 17th pick in last year’s draft has yet to make his professional debut, but the reports make him out to be the second coming of Kyle Tucker as a power/speed threat with a pretty left-handed swing and premium plate skills. We’ll find out this season how true it is.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: don’t count on it
Age (on opening day): 19
Where he played in 2025: Rookie, Low-A
Minor league stats: .314 BA (357 AB), 14 HR, 11 SB, .911 OPS, 48 BB, 109 K
Few teenagers with thunderous exit velocities have actualized them the way Morales has, his towering flies to left having yielded a .351 batting average and .993 OPS in his final 62 games. But if he’s already struggling with swing-and-miss at the lowest levels of the minors, then the downside risk may be greater than some would like to admit.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: don’t count on it
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2025: Low-A, High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .278 BA (479 AB), 8 HR, 12 SB, .723 OPS, 38 BB, 53 K
This is a go-along-to-get-along sort of pick for me in that I suspect Arias’ stock is inflated because he’s young for his level and has a true shortstop projection. He did sustain a 10 percent strikeout rate across three levels last year, mostly against pitchers much older than them, but he may have had to flatten his swing too much to do that and will need to muster more power as he moves up the ladder.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: don’t count on it
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Double-A
Minor league stats: 3-3, 3.57 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 75.2 IP, 56 BB, 108 K
The consensus is that Smith disappointed in his first full professional season as his velocity dipped and walk rate swelled, but he still had 12.9 K/9 and a .164 batting average against, even while battling elbow soreness. His low angle and big extension will make him a difficult read for batters, even if he doesn’t max out his stuff, and the dip may very well be a blip.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 25
Where he played in 2025: Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: 5-6, 3.47 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 98.2 IP, 42 BB, 119 K
Major league stats: 3-1, 2.72 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 39.2 IP, 6 BB, 38 K
Messick was far from the most notable pitching prospect to receive a call down the stretch last season, but he was among the most impactful, delivering four quality starts in seven chances with an excellent strikeout-to-walk ratio. Too excellent, perhaps. His fastball plays up because he hides and angles it well, but it still gave up its share of hits, which could spell trouble if his walk rate backs up to minor league norms.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: fighting this spring
Age (on opening day): 24
Where he played in 2025: Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: 10-4, 3.59 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 77.2 IP, 24 BB, 87 K
Major league stats: 3-0, 1.78 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 25.1 IP, 8 BB, 33 K
All five of Henderson’s starts last year were excellent, but they were at times months apart as the Brewers repeatedly indicated that they didn’t view him as one of their five best starters. Somehow, he gets by without a breaking ball, his fastball and changeup grading out well enough for him to throw them a combined 90 percent of the time, but his more ordinary Triple-A numbers may offer a more complete picture.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: fighting this spring
Age (on opening day): 20
Where he played in 2025: Rookie, Low-A
Minor league stats: .311 BA (315 AB), 9 HR, 27 SB, .862 OPS, 29 BB, 102 K
Lewis is a bit of a try-hard who gives everything his all, which elevates his already loud athleticism to an ear-piercing shriek, but like most players of that ilk, he’ll need to tone it down a bit to harness it into something useful. Few players hit the ball harder when he’s able to hit it, and because he’s also a fast runner, you can dream on a 30/30 outcome.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: don’t count on it
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: 11-8, 3.53 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 120 IP, 62 BB, 168 K
Watching Lagrange is like seeing Michael Pineda back in a Yankees uniform, another high-waisted, 6-foot-7 behemoth whose delivery is all arms and legs. But Lagrange actually throws hard, his fastball peaking at 102 mph. Improving his walk rate from horrendous to just bad was the key to his breakout in 2025, and he may need another bump to avoid a bullpen projection.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
91. Tommy Troy, 2B, Diamondbacks
Age (on opening day): 24
Where he played in 2025: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor league stats: .289 BA (499 AB), 15 HR, 24 SB, .833 OPS, 67 BB, 98 K
Troy’s stat line might lead you to believe he should rank higher than this, particularly since he was a first-round pick just two years ago, but given how hitter-friendly the Diamondbacks’ top two affiliates are, fakery may be afoot. His time at Triple-A revealed only an 86.8 mph average exit velocity.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: Rookie, High-A
Minor league stats: 3-0, 1.19 ERA, 0.69 WHIP, 30.1 IP, 6 BB, 34 K
Murphy was making waves before needing Tommy John surgery in 2024, and he seemed to pick up where he left off upon returning in 2025, giving him a 1.45 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, and 11.7 K/9 in his last 13 starts (both pre- and post-surgery) at High-A. What he lacks in velocity, he makes up for in spin, giving his fastball impressive carry even though it sits 91-92, and his slider is similarly a data darling.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 25
Where he played in 2025: Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: 8-6, 4.24 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 121 IP, 53 BB, 113 K
Major league stats: 0-2, 4.79 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 20.2 IP, 7 BB, 17 K
Sproat has fallen about 60 spots from last year’s top 100, his ordinary fastball shape having been exposed with his move up to Triple-A, but he began emphasizing his sinker as the year went on and partially salvaged his stat line with a 2.44 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 10.7 K/9 over his final 11 starts. He probably won’t be much of a bat-misser at the highest level, which limits his ceiling, but he does excel at inducing weak grounders.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: fighting this spring
Age (on opening day): 21
Where he played in 2025: did not play — draft year
Though Bremner was technically the second player drafted in 2025, he was a surprising choice for that spot after a tumultuous season at UC Santa Barbara in which he lost the feel for his breaking ball. His fastball and changeup are both plus-plus offerings, with the former showing the optimum ride and angle to miss bats and the latter featuring late drop-off, but without that third pitch, Bremner may be better suited for relief.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: late-season look
95. Jonathon Long, 1B, Cubs
Age (on opening day): 24
Where he played in 2025: Triple-A
Minor league stats: .305 BA (514 AB), 20 HR, .883 OPS, 79 BB, 116 K
Performance-wise, there isn’t much negative to say about Long — who understands the strike zone and makes for a safe batting average projection with his line-drive, all-fields approach — and maybe in a different organization, he’d already be holding down the job. But the path is narrow for right handed-hitting first baseman, and it’s doubtful either Michael Busch or Moises Ballesteros will clear the way for him.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2025: Rookie, High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .291 BA (406 AB), 5 HR, 48 SB, .842 OPS, 69 BB, 73 K
Between his .433 on-base percentage across three stops, his pesky knack for contact, and his strong inclination for stealing bases, Antonacci has leadoff hitter written all over him. These slash-and-burn types have been making a comeback in recent years, and Antonacci impacts the ball well enough not to have the bat blown out of his hands.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2025: Double-A, Triple-A
Minor league stats: .285 BA (488 AB), 22 HR, 22 SB, .819 OPS, 39 BB, 124 K
Formerly a swing-at-everything type, Alderman became just a smidge more selective in 2025 and may have emerged as a legitimate prospect in the process. The real eye-opener was his 20-game stint at Triple-A, where he not only slashed .303/.341/.671 but also delivered truly prodigious exit velocities, with an average of 95 mph and a peak of 114.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 25
Where he played in 2025: Double-A, Triple-A, majors
Minor league stats: .279 BA (358 AB), 19 HR, 18 SB, .917 OPS, 52 BB, 146 K
Major league stats: .255 BA (47 AB), 4 HR, 3 SB, .880 OPS, 5 BB, 20 K
Cole is sort of the Walmart version of Spencer Jones, racking up home runs and steals in the minors — all of which are backed up by the data — but striking out at such a high rate (upward of 35 percent) that you have to assume it won’t work in the majors. Except in Cole’s case, it kind of has, allowing him to seize an everyday job for the Astros over the final two weeks of last season. Skepticism remains high for now, but he deserves your attention.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: pencil him in
Age (on opening day): 22
Where he played in 2025: High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .286 BA (458 AB), 26 HR, .896 OPS, 56 BB, 130 K
Valdez went on the attack in 2025, having learned that passivity only yields more strikeouts, and the results were quite good — not just during the regular season but also in the Arizona Fall League, where he slashed .368/.513/.842 with eight homers in 19 games. He may be overcalibrated for power, with a steep bat path and dead-pull approach that could yield problems against the high heat and advanced breaking balls still to come.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
Age (on opening day): 23
Where he played in 2025: Rookie, High-A, Double-A
Minor league stats: .262 BA (321 AB), 20 HR, 17 SB, .881 OPS, 47 BB, 83 K
Riggio’s comic book name and competitive fire made him a fan favorite in the Yankees system, but he has a better chance of a future with the Rockies, who may overlook his limited defense and unfortunate platoon splits for a chance at a Brandon Lowe outcome.
Scott’s 2026 Fantasy impact: midseason hopeful
