At the plate, he shows an advanced approach with the ability to hit for average. Ramirez has to cut some mechanical corners to swing as hard as he does right now, and that leads to swing-and-miss risk that adds to whats already present because of his propensity to chase, but that might be ironed out as he gets stronger and can take a more traditional swing. "Consensus No. This combined with the undercooked hit tool might lead to some big league growing pains and medium production at first, but over time Casas should become a middle-of-the-order force capable of hitting 35-plus annual homers. People with a track record or striking gold on a few lotto tickets tend to be more willing to pursue that path. Luis Reyes, RHP, D.R. Bradley has, and hes done so while building an innings count that should help vault him into the Rays rotation at some point in 2023. He has top-of-the-rotation stuff but the injuries make it more likely that Cleveland proactively moves him to the bullpen. After sitting 94-95 mph in 2021, hes now parked in the 96-98 mph range for entire starts, and his hardest sliders (in the 85-87 mph range) are nearly 10 mph harder than his average curveball was in 2021 (77 mph). Julien has been without a true defensive home since college and didnt look great at the keystone during a prolonged look in the Arizona Fall League. Jameson is also a extremely competitive and has the makeup for a late-inning role should he eventually have to make way for some of Arizonas other good young starters. Tiedemann was passed over as a SoCal high school hurler in the 2020 draft due in part to an ill-timed injury. From the left side of the plate, Rodriguez has an exceptional ability to rip his hands through pitches on the inner edge of the zone. Ramos is walking the Curtis Mead path in many ways. Hes tracking like a mid-rotation starter. If there is a draft, it could remedy some of the exploitative aspects of the current system, namely billion-dollar sports franchises (and the cottage industry of training facilities in Latin America) dealing with, and sometimes leveraging power over, impoverished minors. I know Im not the only one champing at the bit for those sweet prospect lists! Hunt for the College Ticket and Elite Extra Edition Optic set, which will feature this year's top draft picks on opti-chrome cards . Its tough for hitters who are looking for a fastball to do anything with them, even though Millers feel for locating his secondaries (especially his sinking changeup and low-80s curveball) is not sharp. Veens lefty swing is still vulnerable to inner-half velocity, and he remains in a liminal prospect space more than he is a slam dunk big league star. Unless otherwise noted, clubs have not confirmed the deals. Manual adjustments are made where they seem appropriate, but we use that as a rule of thumb. The 2022 international free agent signing period began today, and as expected, the Yankees have made a big addition. Johanfran Garcia, C, Venezuela Red Sox ($850,000) More 35. Hilariously, Mayos swing is perhaps well-suited for the current metagame because so many contemporary fastballs ride to the top of the strike zone, which is where Mayos barrel hunts. There's good opposite-field power from the left side, and the overall package that could develop into a plus-plus hitter. Adan Sanchez, INF, Panama Cubs ($1,500,000) More 44. This cemented confidence in his feel to hit and also generated pre-draft conversations about whether there was a path for Jung to get to more power in games by pulling the ball more often, and whether that would hurt his ability to make contact. This is technically the 2021-22 signing period, and the players who sign Saturday would have signed last July 2 in a normal year. The Phillies pushed him aggressively, going all the way to Double-A Reading late in 2022. Naylors 2022 rebound is a great example of why its prudent to give catchers with any sort of offensive potential more developmental grace than their peers. : Cubs ($1,000,000) More 15. -- $300,000, MetsDaviel Hurtado, LHP, D.R. But it shows how much can change (and continue to evolve) with players still in the early stages of development. The bat is impactful enough to consider him a high-probability big leaguer regular of some kind, even at the bottom of the defensive hierarchy. Yorkes rhythm and timing at the plate were fantastic there, though, and were inclined to dismiss his 2022 as being the result of his injuries rather than a real regression in skill or exposure of a flaw in his offense. His fastballs shape gives him in-zone margin for error that should enable him to be loose with in-zone location, and one of our scout sources thinks his changeup also has a shot to be average. Miller will occasionally show you good secondary stuff. The Rangers then took an aggressive approach, assigning him directly to Double-A Frisco for his first year of pro ball in 2022. Darling Fernandez, OF, D.R. Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. His trademark breaking ball, which has plus-plus spin and flashes huge depth, tends to finish in the strike zone and isnt yet a consistent putaway pitch. There are aspects of his swing that are very exciting and consistent with great big league hitters (his raw power and bat speed are uncommon for a shortstop, while his bent-at-the-waist hitting posture is akin to Mike Trouts and Dylan Crews), but his bat path is fairly grooved, and here the projection is that when the cement dries on Lawlars hit tool, it will be a little south of average. At times, it has typical sink and tail; at others, it has sink and careens toward Allens glove side like a slider. Even with the back issue, the Giants put Luciano on their 40-man roster during the winter. The lingering effects of the pandemic mean the . Caminero is much bigger than his team-listed height and weight, and is very likely a third base-only fit, though the Rays continue to give him some middle infield reps. Who are the top prospects? He might end up becoming the player the industry hoped Francisco Meja would become. Prospect Headlines Volpe's 1st spring HR a sign of things to come March 2, 2023 Flexing: Each team's top power-hitting prospect March 2, 2023 Waino unconcerned about velo dip as focus shifts to Classic March 2, 2023 'That kid is a stud': Lee has Twins gushing March 2, 2023 Healthy G-Rod back on MLB's doorstep March 2, 2023 'Who are you?' Bibee now looks like a polished mid-rotation prospect. The Cubs have had some recent success in tweaking swings and if Hernandez can shorten up his cut and even be a 40-grade contact hitter at maturity, then hes likely to be a good big league shortstop because every other tool is in place. Thirty-one of the players on the 2022 Top 50 International Prospects list are from the Dominican Republic. Hes similar to DJ LeMahieu and Vinnie Pasquantino from a skill set standpoint and should provide a long-term answer at first base for the Rays within the next couple of years. He ended up at Vanderbilt, where those issues continued, and Eder finished his career there sitting 91-92, which is part of why he fell to the fourth round of his draft. Top prospect Brown focusing on slider mechanics after spring debut. Poised to make an immediate impact as Arizonas leadoff hitter, Carroll is the tip of the spear the Diamondbacks are pointing at the Dodgers and Padres. lvarez begins in an open set up and then straightens out upon swing initiation without taking a big step or needing a timing mechanism. His curveball has 12-6 shape and plus depth and power, used as a way of garnering called, early-count strikes, and the speed with which he has developed two distinct breaking balls despite pitching just one full minor league season is incredible. There are 12 prospects from Venezuela, three from Cuba, two from the Bahamas and one each from Mexico and Korea. : Tigers+ ($1,100,000) More 49. 70), meanwhile, is also 30 numerical places, but the difference in talent is relatively small. Because he participated in Team USA and showcase events from a very young age, Collier generated an inordinate amount of amateur data. According to Baseball America, four of the top 25 prospects in baseball are currently catchers that came from the international ranks. And I was convinced I had discovered the secret to uncovering superstar talent before being seen as such. Before he got hurt, there were folks in baseball who considered him a top 30 prospect, so his ceiling is big enough to include him on the top 100 now even though hes coming off injury. lvarez has been one of the more hyped prospects in the Mets system since signing out of Venezuela in 2018 for nearly $3 million, and he has largely lived up to that hype. Rocchios feel for contact and his defensive ability drive a high-probability everyday profile. The defense will hopefully hold as Carter ages, and Jake Marisnick presents a precedent in this regard. Wood compares to a young Adam Dunn as a power-hitting outfielder of considerable size. He worked out in Panama during the offseason and the Guardians thought he was a full-go for spring training 2023, the start of his 40-man evaluation year. He shares many similarities with Eduardo Escobar. While this might contribute to some of his in-zone and overall swing-and-miss rates (he posted a 77% Z-contact% and 72% overall contact% in 2022, both comfortably below the big league average), Henderson shows plenty of hitterish traits that instill confidence in his 2022 output. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. -- $750,000, RaysWilian Trinidad, INF, D.R. These are the international bonus pools for the 2022-23 signing period: Clubs that received a Competitive Balance Pick in Round B of the Draft (Athletics, Brewers, Mariners, Marlins, Rays, Reds, Tigers and Twins) received a pool of $6,366,900 while clubs with a Competitive Balance Pick in Round A (D-backs, Guardians, Orioles, Padres, Pirates, Rockies and Royals) received $5,825,500. Lesko was already the consensus top high school pitcher in the draft before the curveball showed up, and would have been a top 10 lock had he stayed healthy throughout the spring, but instead he fell to 15th, where he was picked by San Diego. For prospects around the globe hoping to sign with an MLB franchise, it kicks off a 11-month window for teams to land prospects. Hes such a good athlete with such polished baseball aptitude (the Rays field staff raves about it unprompted) that this forecast expects him to make the necessary adjustments to do so. Hes shown the ability to induce significant swing and miss across all four offerings, both in and out of the zone, aided largely by his funky arm action. He has been a hot knife slicing butter all the way through Double-A and shows little signs of stopping. The rip was more explosive than his shoulder could handle, and part of it tore away from the bone. The loss of reps might accelerate a move down the defensive spectrum (the Giants have publicly refuted this) so Luciano can just focus on hitting his way to San Francisco. Keith was on the SS/3B line as a high school defender, but his extra heft has pushed him down the defensive spectrum. Espino had taken another leap at the onset of 2022, sitting in the 98-102 mph range with a fastball that sometimes had 20-23 inches of vertical break during the spring. He isnt a great hands-and-feet athlete, and his arm strength doesnt match that of a typical third baseman. March 1, 2023. Michael Arroyo, SS, Colombia Mariners ($1,375,000) More 42. Meanwhile, his walk rate increased by a wider margin post promotion, and he displayed a knack for picking out punishable fastballs, though hes still a bit vulnerable to well-placed breaking balls out of his reach. At times hes too bold and rushes throws that he should just holster, but Tovar is only the age of a college draft prospect, so details like this will likely tighten up as he matures. Even though Stones delivery looks like the sort that can create a power pitchers angle and shape on his fastball, it isnt a dominant in-zone pitch, and his slider/cutter plays more due to command rather than pure stuff. After hitting .278/.373/.556 with San Jose, he was promoted to High-A and struck out at a 37% clip during the final month of the season. With the turn of the calendar to 2022, so begins the MLB International signing period. Constant max-effort hacking often leads to lots of strikeouts, but Wiemer had mostly kept his Ks in check until 2022, when he punched out 30% of the time at Double-A Biloxi. Naylors speed is also rare for a catcher. He has a polished first step, actions, and internal clock, and enough arm strength for the left side of the infield. His secondary pitch recognition is not good, and he both needs to stay at shortstop and continue getting to all of his considerable power for an everyday profile to hold water. There was some demographic push and pull happening in the guts of Montgomerys amateur profile that we can already reflect on a bit. Even though he has no defensive position (Buschs issues at second base go beyond just range, and he isnt a fit there no matter what the rules around shifting are), he is one of the more well-rounded near-ready bats in the minors and could play an integral role for the Dodgers in 2023, though the addition of J.D. This is the third year were delineating between two anticipated relief roles, the abbreviations for which youll see in the position column below: MIRP for multi-inning relief pitchers, and SIRP for single-inning relief pitchers. Ive had the opportunity to stockpile an entire tier of players without fear of being sniped. He generates bigger exit velocity than his size would imply, but because he tends to offer at pitchers pitches, it has resulted in a groundball rate around the 50% mark. Lesko is arguably the most polished and complete high school pitching prospect to come along in a decade. By the middle of 2022, Bibee was sitting 95. He crushes mistakes, and has 48 career bombs in about a season-and-a-halfs worth of pro games. That bat speed, in conjunction with his short levers, allows him to track pitches well, resulting in impressive swing decisions for such a young player. Hes not quite as deft a hitter from the right side, but hes still plenty dangerous. Henderson is a viable shortstop defender (for now) who has plus-plus plate discipline and power. Theres still risk Rafaela walks the Cristian Pache path, as his issues are similar to the ones that have apparently undone the young Athletic, but more likely hes akin to Kevin Pillar, and there are scouts who think Rafaelas frame will continue to add strength such that he hits for more power than Pillar was able to. His frame makes him pretty likely to slow down with age, but as he fills out hell probably grow into elite raw power. One that doesnt involve scouting undeveloped players. Keith was a late-riser on 2020 draft boards and had teams debating whether to select him as a pitcher or a hitter, with some even considering developing him as a two-way talent. He rocketed through Arizonas system in 2021, making brief stops at both A-ball levels before closing the season with six starts for Double-A Amarillo, where he then spent most of 2022 dominating to the tune of a 32% K% and 4% BB% before a late promotion to Reno. Mauricio has developed as well as could have been rationally hoped when he signed. You can do some thought exercises around where hed go were Noelvi a 21-year-old draft prospect, or play would you rather with the names of other prospects to try to triangulate where he should fall on the FV scale, and all of that went into placing him here. Hes barrel-chested and quite bulky, and hell need to maintain his conditioning to be able to block and receive adequately. Here hes projected as a bat-only player. Priesters four-seamer is divisive. Ricardo Cabrera, SS, Venezuela Reds More 4. -- $425,000, DodgersJesus Tillero, RHP, Ven. 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 - Sort by Team - ARI ATL BAL BOS CHC CHW CIN CLE COL DET HOU KC LAA LAD MIA MIL MIN NYM NYY OAK PHI PIT SD SF SEA STL TB TEX TOR WSH His stuff was down in 2022 but is still good, and Rodriguez should be a mid-rotation stalwart in short order. His slider can bend in as hard as 94 mph and has late, two-plane finish. Still on the 2B/SS line, the lift in Arroyos swing helps him get to impact power for a middle infielder. His finishing pitch, though, is his slider, a nasty upper-80s sweeper that generated a 50% whiff rate and 38% chase rate in 2022. Hes a little bit upright in the box but has a well-timed, toe-tap stride and great-looking swing that has typically been on time despite a little bat wrap and hitch in his hands. : Tigers ($900,000) More 45. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. And Miller held upper-90s velocity throughout, sitting 98-99 mph throughout most of his starts and rarely ever dipping below the 96-97 mph band with his fastball, which he also threw for a strike at a 70% clip in 2022. Position-wise, there are 20 infielders, 18 outfielders, five catchers, six pitchers and one two-way player. He has a simple, well-leveraged swing that takes advantage of his strength, and the long levers that come with his 6-foot-5, 220 pound frame produce jaw-dropping home runs when he really squares one up. The Orioles selected Ortiz in the fourth round based largely on his defensive prowess, and he has lived up to those expectations while exceeding them on the offensive side. Here is a snippet of MLB.com's free scouting report: There's a lot to like about the teenager. -- $800,000Luis Merejo, INF, D.R. For instance, Dodgers 2B/LF Miguel Vargas and Marlins shortstop Yiddi Cappe are both 50 FV prospects, but other than them both being Cuban, they are nothing alike. The Red Sox have said that theyll manage his workload by DHing him and letting their righty-hitting corner bats caddy for him against some lefty starters. His fastball now sits 95-99 mph, up seven ticks from his college days, and while it currently relies heavily on its velocity rather than its below-average shape, a scout we spoke with was optimistic regarding the 22-year-olds ability to continue to improve the offering, singing Graceffos praises when it comes to his work ethic. In 2021, he moved into the Aggies rotation, and while his fastball would peak at 95-98 mph, hed typically settle in at 92-94 as a starter and still had issues with walks. Not all of the pitchers who showed a velocity increase during 2020 Instructional League activity, which came after the prolonged pandemic layoff, have sustained that bump. McGarrys mid-80s slider and low-80s changeup are both plus, but his control issues extend to those pitches. Jung is still a bendy, explosive and strong third base athlete with all-fields pop, a hit/power combination above the everyday bar at third base, and an above-average glove. The area in which its most important for him to show late growth is on defense. His strong skills on the field are matched by his notable family bloodline as his grandfather, father and uncle all played professionally. -- $350,000, TwinsJuan Hernandez, SS, Ven. Just in time, I'm happy to share my updated rankings, and add some of the prospects expected to sign in the next couple of days. Were taking the long view here and think Libby will find a way to be a fourth starter. While some of the orgs other high-profile names have had developmental hiccups, Pfaadt has knifed through Arizonas system without issue and is now a mid-rotation starter prospect on the doorstep of the big leagues. He still threw a ton of strikes and went in the fifth round of the 2021 draft, projecting as a high-floor, low-ceiling depth starter based on his command. There were reasons to be skeptical or apprehensive about declaring Chourio one of the games top prospects, especially at the onset of his breakout. Lewis chronic injuries have kept him on this list forever, but were still betting that his tools and personhood will eventually turn him into a good multi-positional big leaguer. Romo has a plus glove and plus-plus arm but likely wont make a huge offensive impact. Unless otherwise noted, clubs have not confirmed the deals. Espino looked like a front-end arm early in 2022, then missed most of the season with knee and shoulder issues, the latter of which (dabs tear ducts) bled into 2023. Hes going to be a star if he ends up with even average raw power, and even if he doesnt, were talking about a switch-hitting catcher who can make an impact on both offense and defense. These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. His feel for contact and for the zone already gave him a high floor. He is more than capable of making a subset of plays at third, where his range and lateral agility are both plus, but he really struggles to make plays coming in on the grass. He has retained foundational feel for the barrel while coming into all that power, and is one of the higher-ceilinged all-around players in the minors. He chased at a 37% rate in 2022, which isnt terrible in a big league context, but is pretty bad when viewed through the minor league lens, where fewer pitchers have chase-inducing stuff. His changeup is only fair right now, and his command still comes and goes, and even though he didnt walk nearly as many hitters in 2021 as he did in college, there was still relief risk here even before his elbow blew out. He projects to be a top-of-the-rotation pitcher as his fastball sits between 94-97 and has emerging secondary pitches, including a slider, changeup and curveball. The injury adds more volatility to a profile that already had some and might cause Jones to open 2023 in extended spring training, but its encouraging that Jordan Lawlar returned to normal after enduring a similar injury. 6-keys: media/spln/mlb/reg/free/stories, By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the. Over the last year or so, hes thickened like a roux and become stronger, and hes capable of doing more damage than our tepid projection expected. He practically straddles the plate and was hit by 20 pitches during an injury-shortened regular season, then was somehow beaned seven more times in just 17 Arizona Fall League games. + indicates that the club has officially announced the signing. Now his son, Georgia center fielder Druw Jones, is one of the top overall . He struggles to set up his slider with well-located fastballs, and even when he does its not a given that hell land the slider after its been set up. He gets a lot of swing and miss on his slider, both in and out of the zone, and commands it well. This sort of thing runs through McGarrys whole operation, but he already has rare repertoire depth and quality for a reliever, and he might throw harder working just one or two innings at a time.