It was more of the same for Lee in his 31 pro games, hitting .303/.389/.451 in High-A and briefly Double-A. Though an older prospect, Busch has had relatively limited professional at bats with his 2019 cut short and 2020s cancellation. A guy with an above-average hit tool and an ability to eke out every ounce of his slightly above-average power is usually a safer bet, which is why Burleson was able to accommodate the aggressive assignments. His plus arm strength allows him to make all the throws necessary and his hands are among the best in the Yankees system; the 22-year-old should be a plus at short at the highest level. . One of the most polished hitters in the 2021 draft, some scouts wondered how much power would be in the tank for Cowser with a swing that is more geared for consistent contact. Career-highs in virtually every offensive category have the 23-year-old looking like a potentially dynamic MLB player. News. Priester has the ceiling of a No. Davis has shown good bat-to-ball skills and immense pull-side power that should have Pirates fans excited. Millers fastball averaged 99.1 MPH in 2022, which would actually lead all qualified Major League starters. Hes so athletic and cerebral that he will find a way to develop into at least an average defensive catcher .Unsurprisingly, he moves well and gets to difficult pitches to block. The changeup is a pitch that I think will continue to play up as Waldichuk learns to command it. Despite his long levers, Davis typically does a good job of staying short to the ball. The combination of power, speed, and a decent feel to hit gives him a potentially special skillset. Barreling the ball is no issue for Holliday though he will get loopy with his swing from time to time. Carroll faced a lot of adversity since being drafted in 2019. After a massive year in High-A in 2021, Pages struggled to match the same level of consistency in Double-A, though he still turned in a solid campaign for a 21-year-old in the upper minors. Despite missing 90% of the regular season, Jung impressed enough upon returning to Triple-A action to earn a big league call-up. A simple upright set up with relaxed hands, Henderson utilizes a small gathering leg kick to get into his backside and does a really good job of staying there. When the Twins drafted him first overall in the 2017 MLB Draft, they saw an uber-athletic position player with a high-floor coupled with a high-ceiling. The ability to shrink the zone and crush pitches middle in hedges some of Valeras swing and miss concerns and though he seems like he could get exposed against higher quality pitching, Valera has put up solid numbers in Triple-A as a 21-year-old. Initially looking shaky in the early parts of his professional career, Baty worked hard to improve his footwork and agility and the improvements became noticeable in games. Already boasting two plus pitches with a decent feel for a third, Hence was simply too talented to pitch the entire season season in Low-A. Height/Weight: 64, 240|Bat/Throw: R/R|1st Round (26), 2018 (BOS)|ETA: 2022. Herrera blocks well and should continue to develop into at least an average defensive catcher with a chance for some more depending on his receiving. Height/Weight: 511, 195|Bat/Throw: R/R|IFA: $25K (2018) TOR|ETA: 2022. Naylor now features a more pronounced leg kick, that gathers him even further into his back hip before uncorking his powerful swing. Son of former big league shortstop Lou, the younger Collier profiles as a high-contact, above-average power third baseman. A two-way player at Minnesota, Meyers athleticism is more than evident on the mound with the way he is able to use his lower half and repeat his mechanics, helping him to above average command. Nearly a .300 hitter in his two professional seasons, theres little question in regards to Hassells hit tool. Jung has improved his footwork to give him average range at the position since going pro and has an above average arm as well. Already capable of producing exit velocities as high as 111 mph, Matos still has more room to fill out, making for plus power potential. Though the new moves are louder, Naylor is extremely athletic and controls his body really well. Not only has Mervis been the biggest breakout prospect in 2022, but hes also flat out been one of the best hitters in the Minor Leagues. Dominic Keegan might not be a big name in this draft but the bat-to-ball skills are intriguing for the 4-year senior selected by the Rays in the 4th round. The pitch has produced absurd spin rates over 3,000 RPMs with impressive depth. Speed is not a major part of Johnsons game and plays into the average fielding range that will likely shift the former shortstop to second base in the long term. Amador is one of the more polished under-20 prospects in all of the minor leagues. Alcantara possesses above average speed thanks to his long strides which allow him to cover plenty of ground. After swiping 14 bags on 16 tries last year, Walker was 22/27 on SB attempts in 2022. Carter has five-tool potential with a great chance to stay in centerfield and the polish to climb to the big leagues quickly. His setup is a bit reminiscent of Carlos Correa, though Ruiz uses a toe tap for timing as he sinks into his back hip. More bat speed than youd expect given his small frame, leading to sneaky pop to the pull-side. Height/Weight: 61, 170|Bat/Throw: R/R|IFA: $1.8M 2021 (MIL)|ETA: 2024. Easy plus speed and projectable power give Ford plenty of upside even if he does not stick behind the dish. After a solid offensive season in High-A last year, OHoppe made some adjustments to tap into more game power. Regardless, Johnson is big upside, bat-first second baseman whose ceiling is one of the best hitters at his position at the highest level. An elite athlete, Carroll controls his body exceptionally well, staying in his back hip and using the whole field well. Alcantara is a fairly aggressive hitter, with a 32% chase rate this season, but much like his contact rates, the newly-turned 20-year-olds approach progressed nicely as the season went on. Pfaadt sets the tone with his 93-95 mph fastball which has ticked up since last year. Age: 22|Height/Weight: 63, 210|Bat/Throw: L/R|1st Round (12) 2019 (NYM)|ETA: 2023. Possessing electric stuff, its a matter of command for the tall and talented righty. After a decent showing in his first pro season, albeit with limited power, Winn made some adjustments to get his lower half more involved and more consistent. Whites curveball flashes above average in the 78-81 mph range, featuring more downward break and depth. Bowman Baseball 2022: Top 5 Prospects To Target, Orioles No. Still just 18 years old, Cabrera is ahead of his peers and could tap into 20 home run pop while generating plenty of contact. Theres probably a bit more room for improvement in that regard, especially in plus counts where he tries to do too much and can have an at-bat turn south on him quickly. With the bat looking so good and the glove lagging, Soderstrom has started to see more action at first base. He has the upside to be a premier, Gold Glove center fielder. Profiling as the best pure hitter in the 2022 draft Johnson profiles as a second-base prospect coming out of the Georgia high school ranks. He currently struggles to keep balls in front of him when blocking, which is likely due to the fact that he lacks the quickness to be able to constantly get in good blocking positions. Johnson starts with his bat resting on his shoulder and his weight favoring his backside before getting into a big leg kick that coincides with a barrel tip. Carter impressed with his polish and well-rounded game, reaching Double-A in his first season. As he develops better command of all of his offerings, Jobes changeup could develop into a plus pitch. Yet another strike throwing Guardians pitching prospect who has seen his stuff tick up, Bibee has developed into potential rotation piece. Early in his collegiate career, Gasser operated in the upper 80s, using deception to get guys out from a low three-quarters release point. His 89% zone contact and just 19% strikeout rate reinforce Merrills well above average ability to hit. A 70 grade runner and premium athlete, Rafaela is an impact defender no matter where you stick him on the diamond. Expanding to the rest of his stuff, Espino posted the second best swinging strike rate among qualified pitchers in the minors in 2021 at 20.2%, behind only Spencer Strider of the Braves. With multiple shortstops at the big league level for the Orioles, Westburg has seen action at third base and second base this season. Green gets to his top speed quickly and should be a menace on the base paths. After struggling to develop as an infielder defensively, Ruiz made the move to the outfield where he has progressed pretty nicely. The 67 Campbell is an intimidating bulldog on the mound, striking out 141 batters in 101.1 innings while posting a 3.82 ERA in 16 starts in 2022. If he can further refine his plate discipline and continue to tap into his above average raw power, Peraza could be a 20/20 threat with an impact glove at short. Shortly after signing with Arizona, Jones tore his labrum taking batting practice and required surgery that ended his season. He spots the pitch well, almost exclusively using it against righties. A primary catcher, Rodriguez is extremely athletic behind the dish and receives well. The right-hander snaps his slider in the mid 80s with late horizontal bite, while commanding it exceptionally well. It was more of the same in 2022 when Jung returned from injury, launching six homers in 23 Triple-A games. What stands out the most with Mervis is how his numbers improved as he jumped levels. Rodriguez also features a plus slider with sharp, late bite in the low 80s that he manipulates and locates with ease. The Blue Jays have an interesting catching situation to say the least with the emergence of both Alejandro Kirk and Danny Jansen. With the shift being banned in the majors next season, itll be interesting to see if the Dodgers continue rolling him out at the keystone. At the end of the day, the big asset here is Davis bat. White has an assortment of secondaries he is comfortable going to off of his fastball, but his slider is the best of the bunch. Big, athletic right-hander with an over the top delivery that features some deception due to the natural funkiness. The raw movement on his pitches is great. Possessing some of the most impressive raw power in the minors, Luciano defies his frame by flashing plus-plus raw pop despite weighing less than 200 pounds. With more room to fill out on top of the room to improve with his base, there is easy plus power to dream on with Williams. Like many other young outfielders, Green could improve upon his reads and routes, but theres no doubt that he can be a great defender up the middle. Tall with long levers, Carter stays short to the ball with a flat swing geared for plenty of line drive contact. The combination of Mayers impressive body control and smooth swing that lives in the zone has helped him hit all types of offerings well. With improving defense and the makeup/work ethic to encourage belief that he will keep getting better in that regard, Alvarez has a chance to be a well-rounded backstop with elite offense upside. He adds value on the bases, though will probably never be more than the occasional base stealer. A pretty aggressive hitter, Arroyo can find himself expanding the zone a bit too frequently like many young hitters who are confident in their ability to make consistent contact. Height/Weight: 67, 220|Bat/Throw: L/R|2nd Round (62) 2021 (SD)|ETA: 2025. Not the biggest guy in the world at 6 foot, 185 pounds Neto gets the most out of his body and is capable of producing above average power. 1 These are the names to know as college and high school baseball seasons get started By R.J. Anderson If the 20-year-old can tone down his aggressiveness a bit, he will can develop into an above average hitter who can easily hit 30 or more homers. Colas found more consistency with his swing as the season went on, driving the ball in the air more frequently while using the whole field. He commands the pitch well, getting whiffs at the top of the zone while working east west effectively too. If Merrill continues to fill out and tap into his power, he could be a breakout name to watch in 2023. Above average command of three above average pitches gives Burrows a high floor with still a good amount of upside. His footwork is great, his actions are smooth, his arm is plus and he has the instincts of a 10-year veteran. Walker will need to improve against spin and get more comfortable in the outfield, which is exactly why the Cardinals are sending him to the Arizona Fall League. A patient hitter, McLain is a tough out who picks his spots well to try to do damage. The 20-year-old has a sneaky good feel to hit and improved in that department as the year went on. Already one of the games best catching prospects, Cartaya made up for lost time with a monster 2022 season. He lacks physical stature, but is wiry strong with quick twitch that you just cant teach and has steadily improved in regards to driving the ball in the air. The curveball has high RPMs making it a potential plus pitch with some refinement. Though he lacks much defensive value, Aranda has produced at every stop and has continued to hit in the early days of his MLB career. After setting a career high of 14 homers last year, Aranda has launched 20 this season while maintaining his elite contact rates. By the time they realize the slider is coming, its too late. The 2022 MLB Top Prospects rankings includes a solid list of catchers leading the way with the New York Mets Francisco Alvarez joining the high rankings. He would project as an above average outfielder in a corner with a pretty good arm. A borderline plus hit tool and comfortably above average power paired with strong defense behind the dish has OHoppe looking like the Angels backstop of the future. De La Cruz absolutely flies. Its a high spin pitch that jumps from his low release point, generating plenty off whiff in the zone. The newly-turned 20-year-old had 37 batted balls over 105 mph and reached exit velocities as high as 113 mph. His change-up might be the best in the draft and has good fade and tumble, grading out at a double plus pitch for Lesko. A superb defender who has already reached Triple-A at 22 years old, Turang has finally started to hit the ball with more authority. If Aranda can get a bit better with handling breaking stuff, he will be one of the toughest outs in the Rays lineup. Given Harrisons athleticism and ability to get outs already in the upper minors, Ill bet on him being closer to the frontline starter outcome. 2022 Wagner finished 4th in Division I for home runs, only five behind fellow draftee Ivan Melendez (Arizona Diamondbacks). He is athletic and talented enough to be an average defender at any of those positions. Rafaela saw the majority of his action in centerfield where his speed is on full display. An above-average runner, Arroyo has had success swiping bags through the lower levels and should be a threat for 15 or more stolen bases annually. Launching 13 homers and 45 extra base hits in 91 games this year, Mayer should grow into plus power as he fills out his projectable frame. Even though the change is an above average pitch, it plays up to plus because of the way it works off of his fastball. The son of former big leaguer, Lou Collier, Cam is just a natural in the batters box. That is the ceiling to dream on for Red Sox fans, but I dont think they would be upset with a younger, faster Kik Hernandez either. Height/Weight: 63, 220|Bat/Throw: R/L|5th Round (166)- 2019|ETA: 2022. The larger question in regards to De La Cruzs ceiling is how much he is going to hit, but his ridiculously high slugging on contact and improved body control in the box bode well even if he is a fringy hitter. The development of Burrows changeup has really helped him make the transition to the upper minors and the right-hander has the confidence to go to all three of his offerings in any count. With above-average speed and a good chance to stick in center, how much power Hassell develops at the plate will ultimately decide whether he is a solid regular or perennial All-Star. Aranda has above average power to his pull side and does a great job of hunting pitches he can get into that pull side pop with. Rafaela is an incredibly unique prospect for all of the right reasons. Jungs groundball rate dipped by more than 15% while his HR/FB rate jumped from 5% to 22%. Long viewed as a candidate to move to third due to his size, Henderson still moves extremely well and has looked the part of an everyday shortstop. The 22-year-old has always impressed with his feel for the barrel and ability to spray the ball all over the field. Height/Weight: 61, 200 | Bat/Throw: R/R | $1.55M 2018 (CIN) | ETA: 2024. For the top tier of prospects, I present their tools as 45/60 meaning . Mervis has a great chance to be the Cubs starting first baseman in 2023. A zone contact rate of 89% through his 31 professional games while walking at a solid 12% mark, Lee should be a high on-base, low strikeout threat annually. Even mixing in a changeup a handful of times per game will be enough for Meyer with the way he can manipulate and locate his slider to both lefties and righties. Neto didnt stop hitting after getting into the Angels organization bypassing rookie ball altogether and going to A+Tri-City and finishing in Double-A Rocket City. His jumps and instincts are already impressive along with an above average arm. The 20-year-old has game changing speed along with one of the best infield arms youll see and seems to get better at the plate each time I see him. Valeras calling card is his sweet left-handed swing geared for lift and power. This is all under the assumption that Lewis returns looking like he did prior to the re-tearing his ACL. Busch is a below-average runner who doesnt project to be especially good at any position on the diamond. Theres room for more upside with the 21-year-old, who earns high marks for his tireless work ethic. Still with some room to fill out a bit and twitchy athleticism and bat speed which allow him to turn on pitches middle in with authority, 20+ home runs is not out of the question for the newly-turned 20-year-old. Standing at 57, Johnson controls the batters box with elite hand-eye coordination and strong pitch recognition. After 2020s layoff, Jung emerged with a tweaked set up and a swing geared for more lift. The Orioles promoted Hall to pitch out of their bullpen as they tried to make a playoff push, but it was also probably to limit his innings a bit as he is on his way to a career-high mark coming off of an injury. 4. A ridiculously impressive track record of hitting along with a well-rounded game and defensive versatility make Vargas one of the more high floor prospects in the game. He has good bat speed that allows him to produce above-average raw power and hes starting to show he can get to it in games. Still probably two years from Fenway Park, Mayer could have a claim as one of baseballs best overall prospects by the end of next year. Against heaters this season, Wiemer is slashing .370/.467/.704 with 14 homers and the harder the pitcher throws the more comfortable he seems. The Yankees feel like they have their shortstop of the future and they have every reason to think so. He may not be as aggressive on the base paths, however even a tempered Lewis can swipe 20 bags with ease. Montgomery was dynamite in his first pro season, mashing through Low-A and posting strong numbers in High-A before a premature promotion to Double-A as part of the White Sox Project Birmingham idea to have all of their top prospects on the same team. The third pitch for Jobe is a changeup that has flashed above average in the mid 80s.