There are some similarities with Trevor Rogers in the way that Waldichuks funkiness makes for an uncomfortable at bat. A simple, upright setup before using a small gathering leg kick to get into his back side, Matos relies on his athleticism and ridiculous bat speed to impact the baseball with minimal effort. Moreno is a gamer who pitchers enjoy as a battery mate and he has steadily improved as he has compiled reps in the upper levels. That being said, the Pirates took him first overall to be the catcher of the future, and he has a chance to be just that. The pull side power for Mervis is easily plus, but he looks to use the whole field and hits the ball where its pitched. If he slows down a step, there is a chance that Merrill could move to second base or third, but for now he looks like he should get every shot at short. He has a slider, a cutter and a two-seamer, and will mix in a curveball. Look for a bounce back season from the talented competitor in 2023. The tendency to get a bit long and pull happy, will be something to monitor as he ascends to the upper minors, however his body control and solid chase rates give him a good chance to develop into an average hitter. Injuries cut Merrills season to just 45 games this year, though that was all the 19-year-old needed to show that he has a lot more upside than he was given credit for. After swiping just three bags in 32 High-A games last year, Tovar has already racked up 17 stolen bases through his first 65 Double-A games. His consistent splits left-on-left further solidify just how safe his bat is. Yudai Ohno, LHPChunichi DragonsB-T: L-L. Born: Sept. 26, 1988 (32). An elite athlete, Carroll controls his body exceptionally well, staying in his back hip and using the whole field well. After leaving the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters to sign with the Los Angeles Angels in 2018 and earning American League Rookie of the Year in his first season, Ohtani was hampered by injuries in years two and three. Former Yakult Swallows Stars Tony Barnette, Aaron "Chatter Up!" That said, Chourio has shown plenty of comfort going the other way with authority and as he matures as a hitter, I expect his 51% pull rate to improve. Yamakawa is good for the latter, even if that's all he's good for on a baseball diamond. Its always difficult to peg a breakout prospect and Ruiz in no exception. He also allowed 18 of his season-total 28 home runs during those three months. Jones relied on his natural ability and advanced approach to rake at the amateur level and has the skill set to be an above average hitter with solid power. Though Carroll played in a very hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, he has produced a max exit velocity of 111 mph and his 90th percentile exit velocity of 106.6 just edges out Christian Walker for the best mark in the D-backs organization. Height/Weight: 510, 190|Bat/Throw: R/R|3rd Round (90), 2019 (MIN)|ETA: 2022. Former Yakult Swallows Stars Tony Barnette, Aaron "Chatter Up!" Flashing plus in the 86-88 mph range, Perezs sharp, late breaking slider is difficult for hitters to differentiate from his fastball until it is too late. The most talented prep arm in the 2020 draft class, Abel has not disappointed thus far, reaching Double-A in 32 pro starts. Even in his banged up 2022, Matos stole 11 bases on 14 tries. McLain has as simple of a swing and set up as youre going to find. With his elite power/bat speed and ability to crush pitches belt high and below, Alvarez has been able to slug through his struggles with consistency in Triple-A. Gasser was traded at the 2022 MLB Trade Deadline in a package for Josh Hader. The swing takes extreme body control and athleticism that Peraza has a ton of. Aranda is a natural with the bat and has steadily added power. An extremely fundamentally sound third baseman, Jung may not wow with the range, but only made three errors in his final 77 games at the hot corner in the minors. 3 starter than the fringe No. A significant amount of his homers were hit to left field off of fastballs middle away. His walk rate was a bit low in his brief Double-A stint, however his solid approach should make him a candidate to draw a fair amount of walks. Meyer commands the pitch exceptionally well to his glove side, sweeping it away from right-handed hitters and burying the offering down and in on the back leg of lefties thanks to its gyro break. Rafaela saw the majority of his action in centerfield where his speed is on full display. He has played all three spots in his Minor League career, but he is most comfortable and experienced in right field. With the added power has come a bit more whiff than expected, but Cowser hedges that with a great approach. A blend of power, defense and intangibles have Cartaya reminding many of Salvador Perez. He has a great chance to be an above average regular with All Star upside at a difficult position. Theres room for more upside with the 21-year-old, who earns high marks for his tireless work ethic. A plus hitter who has progressively tapped into more power, Aranda fits the mold of many other Rays prospects with an extremely safe offensive profile. Lewis was striking out as his lowest clip since he was in High-A while walking more than he ever had. Capable of producing exit velocities as high as 119 MPH, including 65 batted balls over 105 MPH since the start of the 2021 season (694 at-bats). After showing flashes of his ability at the complex last year, Wood made some small tweaks to get his lower half more involved and has started to tap into his elite raw power. Product Configuration: 10 cards per pack, 24 packs per box. He did not allow a run in his other four games. For a player in his first full pro season, Arroyos instincts at short are extremely impressive and he could easily be the best defensive infielder in the Reds system before long. His long legs move quickly, making it seem like he is taking three steps between bases. Boasting an impressive blend of contact and power this season, OHoppe produced a zone contact rate of 87% while hitting 26 homers. Height/Weight: 62, 185|Bat/Throw: R/R|11th Round (324), 2021 (PIT)|ETA: 2024. In just 30 more games this season, Winn more than doubled his home run total from last year while cutting the strikeouts some and upping his walk rate. Pages has a swing geared for lifting the ball in the air to the pull-side. Browns fastball is a true four seamer with ride, generating whiffs at the top of the zone and he has also developed much better east/west command of the pitch as well. I mean, how many switch-hitting catchers who can also play the infield and outfield have we seen? He has an above average arm and overall good footwork which should help his chances of sticking at short. The progress the 22-year-old has made behind the dish in tandem with his offensive onslaught has him looking like the catcher of the future for the Guardians. The Baseball America staff hosted a chat to discuss the 2023 Top 100 Prospects list. So why is Suzuki worth the hype? Cavallis floor is also high due to his pair of plus-plus offerings and worst case-scenario, he is a dominant back of the bullpen piece for Washington. Arguably the most advanced prep prospect in his class, Holliday has a chance to climb the minors relatively quickly thanks to his polish and approach to the game. He also had the best batting average against (.206) in the Central League last season and was on Japans Premier12 teams in 2015 and 2019. After a let-down season in 2021, Naylor made some tweaks to his swing and has enjoyed the best offensive season of his career this year. The Rays took Bradley in the fifth round in 2018 and gave him twice the slot value, tantalized by his upside. The slider Meyers fastball, as his inward twist with his leg lift helps him hide the ball a bit longer before uncorking his quick arm from a similar release point across the two offerings. After a fantastic rookie campaign in 2021, Maki built on his success with a .291/.354/.507 slash line in 2022. The pitch averages more than 19 inches of induced vertical break. He could probably benefit from getting the ball in the air a bit more (47% GB rate), though Hendersons ability to hit the ball hard to all fields and above average speed should have him routinely above average in the BABIP department. When you watch Lee hit, it is easy to understand how he was so consistent through his three collegiate seasons and kept it rolling into his first 31 pro games. On pace for a career-high mark for innings this season, Hall has at least made major strides in regards to the latter this year. A fastball with ride, changeup with big arm-side fade, a hammer curveball that dives out of the strike zone and a cutter as a taste-breaker leaves hitters worrying about four different directions and speeds. As he gets more reps and irons out the fundamentals, Williams should be an above average defender at short. Holliday should blossom into an above average defender at short. The Jays want to be careful with building him up as he threw just 38 innings in JuCo last year. We saw Perezs plus fastball consistently eclipse over 2,500 RPM, boasting a ton of life. His playing time steadily eroded, and he finished with a .204 batting mark. But as Yamakawa dealt with various injuries and lost protection in the lineup with the departures of players like Hideto Asamura and Shogo Akiyama, his production also took a hit, reducing him to just 24 homers each in 2020 and 2021. He already flashed above average power to his pull side this season with a max exit velocity of 112 mph and has plenty more power in the tank. His heights havent been quite as high as Yamadas but hes been consistently great. https://t.co/NMAkJhtndB, He's pitched 17 consecutive perfect innings, and struck out 33 of the 51 batters. Reaching Double-A before his 20th birthday, Tiedemann is on a fast track to the big leagues. The pitch really jumps out of his hand from the low release point and gets on hitters quickly. He also has seen his natural hitting ability that attracted the Padres in the first place translate into pro ball. The change sits in the mid 80s with roughly 18 inches of arm side fade. The southpaw leans on the pitch much more frequently in left-on-left matchups, holding them to a .487 OPS on the pitch. Murakami also saw a big jump in batting average, going from .231 last season to .307 in 2020. 9HR and 28RBI in just 20 games. Caissie is short to the ball and can really turn on pitches middle-in with authority. Already making an impact at the big league level, we still havent seen the best of Carroll. Merrill maneuvers the barrel really well with great plate coverage. If he can improve his command, then he could be given a different title someday down the road: big-league ace. The Braves look prepared to take a big risk at short. He has upped his usage of the pitch by 10%, helping him generate a lot of ground balls and more whiffs than his fastball from his over-the-top release point that really makes the pitch dart to his arm side and under barrels. Theres a lot to like with Johnsons bat as a potential plus hitter with plus raw power. 2/No. Much like his future teammate Paul Goldschmidt, Walker should be able to surprise the defense for 10-15 stolen bases per year. As a result, Miller has seen a jump in the whiff rates of his fastball, setting the tone for his three impressive secondaries. What followed was a tour de force that resulted in the best year of his career. Example: Yes, I would like to receive emails from JapanBall. Another Japanese player is slated to mark his place in MLB in the upcoming season. Henderson has continued to add strength since joining the Orioles organization, producing exit velocities as high as 112 mph and home runs as long as 480 feet this season. Lees floor is as high as any 2022 draftee and his ceiling will likely be dictated by how much he can slug. Formerly utilizing a sizable leg kick, Campusano has since experimented with a few different timing mechanisms at the plate before settling on a toe-tap. He was the youngest Swallows player to hit cleanup on Opening Day and was there all season. A proven above-average hit-tool prospect, who taps into more power without wagering his contact, is almost always a safe profile. And some more highlights from his latest outing: Last week: Rki Sasaki throws a perfect game with 19Ks in a 1-0 victory for the Chiba Lotte Marines in . While Matos will need to adjust his approach in order to have success at the upper levels, his impressive season was buoyed by fantastic bat-to-ball skills. His arm is average and the range is slightly above average, but he makes all of the plays and seems to always be in the right spot. 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. His defensive value comes from his 70 grade arm which is one of the strongest in the minors and pretty accurate as well thanks to his pitching days. Height/Weight: 64, 205|Bat/Throw: L/R|1st Round (22), 2021 (CWS)|ETA: 2023. Waldichuk stands at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds and generates a ton of extension from his high three quarters release. You can now share individual prospect write ups by clicking the social media icon at the bottom of the players report, search by player name or team, sort by columns and we added arrows to indicate the trend of each prospects ranking. He has a good arm and can make all of the throws as well as smooth actions, however he is likely to be closer to an average defender at the position. Perez has also shown a good feel for his above-average breaking balls, with the slider leading the way. Players like Yu Darvish and Kenta Maeda have lit up the NPB and have played the game of baseball for over half of their lives, while up-and-coming sensation Kohei Arihara is shocking the world with his phenomenal talent and promise. He will definitely need to temper his 38% chase rate, however he has shown enough to provide optimism that he can develop into an at least average hitter. Even when hitters know the slider is coming, they dont stand much of a chance. Lacking blocking fundamentals earlier in his career, Alvarez has made huge strides in preventing passed balls as well as receiving. Meyers calling card is his plus-plus slider which sits 89-91 and generates 2800 RPMs. His hands work really well and he has a well above average arm for the position. Prior to Meyers injury, his fastball ticked up and he showed a much better better feel for his changeup, hedging some of his perceived reliever risk arsenal wise. The more I see of Soderstrom, the more confident I am that he can develop into the left-handed masher for the As. His long levers fortunately dont create too much extra length in his swing, but do generate a ton of bat speed and whip, aiding his double-plus raw power potential. After all, Davis did not really focus on baseball until his senior season of high school, excelling on the basketball court as well. Height/Weight: 60, 185|Bat/Throw: R/R|1st Round (13) 2022 (LAA)|ETA: 2023. Yamamoto is only 22 so theres plenty of time for him to get even better before he can consider a move to MLB, if thats part of his plans. An advanced feel to swing the bat and elite defensive potential have PCA making up for lost time this season. The talented switch-hitter kicked things up another notch in 2022, putting up arguably the best offensive season in all of the minors. His present feel to hit is extremely advanced as are his defensive tools. The 2020 season got off to a late start due to the coronavirus pandemic and Senga got off to an even later start as he worked his way back from a right arm issue. Westburg hits the ball hard and by cutting his ground ball rate by 8% this season, he has seen a major jump in the power department. Suzuki has had an average over .300 and at least 20 home runs every year since 2016 and had double-digit stolen bases in three of those seasons. Valera starts with an open stance and his weight heavily stacked on his backside which helps him control his lower half throughout his load and into his swing while keeping his weight back. Jones has the potential to be a true five-tool player in center field with an above average hit tool and possibly plus power. It sits in the 93-95 mph range but lacks shape. The adjustments that he has made in the box at 19 years old are remarkable and the fact that he could go from lost in Low-A to finishing the next season in Double-A in barely over a year is a testament to his highly-regarded work ethic and natural talent (and the Yankees PD). Height/Weight: 66, 225|Bat/Throw: R/R|1st Round (23), 2021 (CLE)|ETA: 2023. The 23-year-old is extremely comfortable landing both breaking balls for strikes. Ruiz has made the majority of his outfield appearances in center field where his reads and routes are passable along with an average arm. Banged up all season long, it would probably bit unfair to draw any major conclusions from his 91 games this season. Romo offers a bit more power from the left side, where his swing has a bit more natural lift and his body is more balanced and under control. Reliever risk all but gone, Miller is a likely middle-of-the-rotation option with frontline potential. If his command backs up a bit, he is a likely middle of the rotation arm, but it is hard to bet against his pitch mix, built-in deception and size. His arm is easily plus, however his near bottom of the scale speed would make a transition to the outfield difficult. Even with the bit of length, Pages makes plenty of contact and has a chance to be an average hitter with his plus game power as the calling card. Green ran a ridiculous 6.16 60-yard dash as a high schooler and his electrifying speed helps him cover a ton of ground in center. An athletic hitter who really gets into his legs, Tovar uses the ground well to generate more power than youd expect and his wide, crouched stance helps him keep his weight back and control his body well. The 23-year-old is fearless on the base paths getting to his top speed at the snap of a finger with quick long strides. A switch hitter with pretty even production from both sides, Rodriguez has a really good feel for both of his swings that are geared for lift and carry. Following a disappointing 2021 season, Imamiya was in danger of losing his job. 2023 Top Prospect: Edouard . The uptick in power has added a bit more up upside to Turangs profile and his well-rounded game is reminiscent of the Cubs Nico Hoerner. Matos has the capability to let the ball travel and use the whole field, which is why his aggressive approach doesnt knock down the hit tool projection for him too much. His reads are already at least big league average and the combination of his speed and efficient routes make it seem like he can get to any baseball. Viewed as one of the best pure prep hitters in years, Johnsons bat has a chance to be special, but as an average running second baseman, theres a lot of pressure on that bat. There is probably some room for improvement in terms of picking the right spots to run and getting slightly better jumps from first base, but the speedster should be a 20+ stolen base threat annually. He posted a 4.25 ERA in 133.1 innings, the highest among the 14 players who qualified for the pitching titles. So much so that the 17-year-old decided to get his GED and play Junior College Baseball at Chipola College which has produced players like Jose Bautista, Russell Martin, Patrick Corbin, Adam Duvall and others. His profile is that of a right fielder, but in a pinch, he could likely play an average center field thanks to his reads and 70 grade arm strength. Perazas sweet swing from the right side and plus defense at short make him a high probability everyday shortstop. A high floor relative to the other prep bats recently drafted, Montgomery still offers immense upside. An above average runner, Neto should provide some value on the base paths and mix in a handful of stolen bases. A new year, a new board and new ranks. Veens lower half is extremely mobile and flexible, which allows him to do damage even when he doesnt get his A swing off. Height/Weight: 61, 170|Bat/Throw: R/R|IFA: $1.8M 2021 (MIL)|ETA: 2024. Because of his difficult to pick up release point, hitters struggle to differentiate Gassers fastball from his changeup until it is too late, helping it play up. With three viable offerings and built-in deception, the last piece for Harrison is his command. Ota has a decent bat and decent speed and is a good right fielder. The Cuban was lights out all year, sporting a spectacular 1.03 ERA and 1.43 FIP through 52.2 innings of work. In 2019, he led qualifiers in innings, strikeout rate, and fastball velocity (95 mph) while posting the league's fifth best ERA. Mar 24, 2022. Elite raw power that has produced homers as far as 480 feet paired with extremely positive trends in the hit-tool department leave me wondering just how high Wiemer can ascend. The 2022 Minor League season has wrapped up and with that a full season of prospect performances to evaluate. Its not due to a lack of quickness, however, the length to his swing makes him have to cheat a little bit in order to get the barrel out. His low 80s changeup gives him a third above average pitch, though Graceffo has struggled to consistently throw it for a strike. Starts crouched and slightly open. Jung has improved his footwork to give him average range at the position since going pro and has an above average arm as well. Because of Abels arm speed and ability to spin the baseball, theres a chance his curve could develop into something a bit more. The left-handed hitter has above average power to his pull side and easily backspins the baseball to all fields. The same can be said about his ability on the base paths were, despite being an average runner, he adds value. His actions continue to get smoother as he logs more innings at the position, but Amador has closer to an average arm. Harrison has dominated his way through the minors from the jump. Despite his top-of-the-line speed, Chourio is still getting his feet wet as a base stealer. Height/Weight: 63, 205|Bat/Throw: R/R|IFA: $300K, 2017 (LAD)|ETA: 2022. Despite pitching in some of the most hitter-friendly environments in the Minor Leagues as a fly ball pitcher, Pfaadt attacked hitters relentlessly. That performance gave him four 30-30 seasons in his last five tries, and left him with a career line of 297/.401/.526. Some scouts were discouraged by Herreras receiving in the early going of his career and that will be something to monitor as he vies for big league reps next season. "You're spot on with your focus on the two of them as . That doesnt, however, mean those are the only players to watch out of Japan. The pitch now sits in the mid 90s, touching 99 mph with high spin rates and good shape. It is hard to bet against strong contact rates, above-average power and good pitch recognition. A patient hitter, Valera punishes mistakes and will wait the pitcher out until he makes one. By the time they realize the slider is coming, its too late. His 80-grade speed and 5-foot-10 frame allow him to reach his top speed relatively quickly, giving him closing speed that few others possess. There have been starts where the changeup is there for Miller and he is comfortable throwing it to both lefties and righties, providing hope that it can be an above average offering. Though not the biggest guy in the world at 5-foot-11, 195 pounds, Moreno has above average power in the tank, but the challenge is tapping into it without compromising a big part of what makes him such a highly regarded prospect: his innate feel to hit. After being selected No. He led all relievers with 14.4 strikeouts per nine innings, outpacing the Seibu Lions Kaima Taira, who clocked in at 10.53. Height/Weight: 65, 220|Bat/Throw: R/R|1st Round (29), 2020 (LAD)|ETA: 2023. Theres a great chance that the Angels have their shortstop of the future in Neto and whether the hit tool is closer to above average or plus territory will likely determine his ceiling. On a weekly sports program in August former Olympic rhythmic gymnast Airi Hatakeyama mentioned that Suzuki, her husband, was a fan of Mike Trout and watched videos of the Angels star. Moreno is ready to be an everyday catcher at the highest level with a great chance to hit for average, get on base at a strong clip and provide at least average defense which should steadily improve as he earns more reps. Arguably possessing the nastiest stuff of any left-handed prospect in baseball, it is all about command and health for Hall. We're including Yamakawa because he does one thing exceptionally well: slug. At 94-97 miles-per-hour with a ton of life, Bradley is able to get a ton of swings and misses when he elevates the heater, but also freezes hitters weary of his slider with four-seamers at the knees. Height/Weight: 58, 195|Bat/Throw: R/R|IFA: $10K (2017) BOS|ETA: 2023. Jung tended to have a heavy front foot on his landing and tended to be steep to the ball. As the season has gone on, Miller has leaned on the pitch more than any of his other secondaries. Valeras swing can get long on him and the desire to go pull-side could be stemming from just wanting to get the barrel out in time, though it has caused him to be more susceptible to roll over on off speed, pulling the ball 65% of the time on non-fastballs while putting it on the ground 52% of the time. As a result, Steers 90th percentile exit velocity jumped more than three miles per hour with little effect on his ability to make consistent contact. Best pitching prospect weve ever seen. There have been few players with Woods profile, so projecting a player like him is extremely difficult. Height/Weight: 61, 205|Bat/Throw: R/R|1st Round (2), 2021 (TEX)|ETA: 2023. An electric athlete with elite arm speed, Hence overpowered Low-A hitters all year long. He throws the pitch with good arm speed, creating lots of deception, making it his go-to secondary against right-handed hitters. If Ford struggles behind the dish like many of his high school catching predecessors, he has a really exciting bat and plus speed to fall back on. Click here to get started. Top 100 Prospects for FYPD Top 50 International Prospects Positional Dynasty Prospects Catchers First Basemen Second Basemen Shortstops Third Basemen Outfielders Pitchers Top 20 Prospects by Team TheDynastyGuru.com 2022 Top MLB Prospects Top 200 Overall Prospects Top 100 Overall Prospects for Dynasty Using RC+ Having only played just over 200 professional games, De La Cruz is ahead of the curve. Jungs power was sapped by a 50% ground ball rate, which came as a result of an aggressive leg kick that was more of a knee lift upwards than a gather into his backside. Height/Weight: 62, 195|Bat/Throw: L/R|1st Round (21), 2017 (BAL)|ETA: 2022. A tick harder and tighter, Millers curve has gone from a strike stealing pitch to a legitimate put away offering. Plus power, athleticism and a patient approach gives Naylor exciting offensive upside. Rodriguez also features a plus slider with sharp, late bite in the low 80s that he manipulates and locates with ease. Burrows would probably benefit from tightening up the pitch a bit as it often dives out of the zone and hitters have started to lay off the pitch more (38% swing rate). But still, if youre throwing 17 consecutive perfect innings in professional baseball, you have to have some filthy pitches to work with. HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOME RUN Seiya SUZUKI #Premier12 @SamuraiJapan_pr # pic.twitter.com/IPAXzpbCPc. Between Center and Right Field, he accumulated a total of +27.2 Ultimate Zone Rating, by far the best of any player in NPB. He works quickly and repeats his delivery well, getting the most out of his smaller frame with his mechanics. Like many young outfielders the 22-year-old could improve on his reads in center, but his quickness from his days on the basketball court and recovery speed give him a margin for error. A powerful bat who controls the strike zone really well, Busch has the ingredients of a Max Muncy lite. Here is a list of a few names to watch in the coming years. He hit .335/.453/.565 with 28 home runs and more walks than strikeouts. It was pitchability that helped Bibee get drafted out of Cal State Fullerton in last year and now with impressive stuff to pair with it, Bibee looks closer to a No. Possessing a huge arm, Dominguez would project as a plus defender in a corner, but he has the goods to stick in center. At the end of the day, the big asset here is Davis bat. Some guys are breaking out. 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. As the Rangers continue to focus on competing in the next couple years, Jung will undoubtedly be a big part of those plans as a high floor, steady bat who could make a couple All Star appearances. Its a big leap from the complex to Low-A and he handled it extremely well as a teenager. An unorthodox set up and swing that has done nothing but produce big results, it is easy to see how Wiemer has drawn comparisons to Hunter Pence, but Wiemer has larger tools and risk. Graceffo has four pitches he will mix well to hitters led by his mid 90s fastball which has ticked up from last year. If Hassell slows down a bit due to added strength, there is a chance he moves to a corner where his arm would more than play. The bidding war for his services could be historic when hes ready to break into the big leagues. His plus speed should make him a consistent threat to steal bases. Projectable would put it lightly with the 6-foot-6, athletic Alcantara. When Frelick is at his best, he is smacking line drives to either gap while resorting to more of the put the ball in play approach with two strikes. New slugger of NPB, Hotaka Yamakawa. Get away with it or B. That will likely come with more at-bats, but more importantly, the power has looked to be all the way back since his shoulder surgery earlier this year. He's officially listed at 170 centimeters and 85 kilograms, or roughly 5-foot-6 and 187 pounds. A testament to his polish and knack for hitting. Cowser has struggled against lefties this season which is something to monitor, though his ridiculous numbers against righties and ability to draw free passes against lefties helps quell the splits concern. Montgomery was viewed as an older prep prospect, but now he is ahead of schedule of most of the 2021 draftees thanks to his polish at the plate. The pitch has sharp, late break, darting away from right-handed hitters and tying up left-handed hitters. Mead made the majority of his starts at the hot corner this season, but still saw action in 20 games at second. A decent ability to recognize spin and comfort driving the ball to all fields give Alcantara the potential to be an average hitter while is massive power potential gives him All Star offensive upside at a premium position. His best pitch is his plus slider in the upper 80s. Throughout his collegiate career and his first pro season, Steer deployed an upright stance with a minimal load. It is tough to beat Tovar because of his willingness to stay inside the baseball and go the other way while also possessing enough bat speed to turn on pitches middle inespecially in hitters counts. 55 and a dorm room that had been used by both Matsui and Hayato Sakamoto in the past. This past year was actually a step back for Suzuki, with him hitting .300/.409/.544 with 25 home runs in 118 games. He turned down a multi-year deal last winter, ostensibly with an eye on asking the Swallows to post him for big-league consideration after the season. Over a three-month stretch from June to August, Murakami was practically unstoppable, hitting .393 with 34 home runs and 69 RBI. The 70 grade speed has translated into big stolen base numbers for Winn, swiping 43 bags on 48 tries this season. Height/Weight: 62, 170|Bat/Throw: R/R|IFA: (2018)|ETA: 2023. Height/Weight: 64, 210|Bat/Throw: L/R|2nd Round (45), 2020 (CHC)|ETA: 2024. Height/Weight: 62, 210|Bat/Throw: R/R|5th Round (156), 2021 (CLE)|ETA: 2023. The good news is, the bat is exciting. Yamamoto also led all qualified NPB pitchers in K-BB% (21.8), FIP (2.05), and WAR (7.9), among other key statistics. These pitches allow him to utilize the leverage in his swing and at worst, he will be able to annihilate said pitches in the big leagues once he gets there. Frelicks hands work extremely well and his short swing makes him a difficult hitter to strike out. Maybe one of the most overlooked prospects in baseball over the last couple years, Aranda has produced a .323/.408/.513 slash line with 34 HR over his last two Minor League seasons. A great athlete for his size, Walker has held his own at third base, but with his rapid rise through the minors and Nolan Arenado manning third for the Cardinals for the foreseeable future, Walker has seen reps at all three outfield spots. It produces both swing-and-miss as well as soft contact, and Cavalli is already deploying the offering against both lefties and righties. Even when the stuff isnt all the way there, Priesters above average command and five pitch mix helps him turn in quality starts. While it may not feature the same movement as many of the sliders in modern-day baseball, Stones ability to throw it for quality strikes when behind in the count allows the offering to play up. All teenage prospects are risky, but Colliers bloodlines, polish at the plate and elite makeup should have the Reds feeling good about the chances of converting their first round pick into an MLB piece. Mead has Always featured an extremely advanced swing for his age with proper sequencing that allows his lower half to work extremely well. Abels arsenal has the potential to be frontline caliber. Since debuting in 2021, Whites fastball has operated in the mid 90s, topping out at 97 mph with riding life. It seemed that the Mets werent even sure of how much upside their 2020 first round pick had given their willingness to part with him for a few months of Javier Bez. Some slight adjustments to Herreras approach could unlock a well above-average hitter as the peripherals continue to look really strong for the young catcher. Elite speed and defensive potential in centerfield with an offensive skillset to dream on, Chourio has a lot of similarities to Michael Harris II, including how young he could possibly debut. He will likely begin next season in Double-A with a chance to jump up to Triple-A relatively quickly after already looking strong in his cameo with New Hampshire at the end of the season. During Sundays Chiba Lotte Marines game against the Nippon-Ham Fighters, Sasaki went eight perfect innings with 14 strikeouts before he was pulled at 102 pitches. The big question for Moreno has been the power. There seems to be some dissent in the industry as to how valuable of a prospect Valera is, but he has responded to every promotion by making the adjustments needed and remaining productive. While his power is more apparent to his pull side at this point, Montgomery comfortably barrels the ball to all fields and should develop into home run power to all fields. He already has a decent approach and feel for the barrel. Despite standing at 6-foot-7, Woods ability to repeat his pre-swing moves and barrel adjustability has helped him limit the whiffs. While he is not a burner, Williams is fast enough to be a factor on the base paths. Ruiz has an wide, athletic stance, really getting into his legs while starting with his hands already coiled. Walkers average speed and elite arm and give him the potential to play an above average right field once he gets comfortable out there. Good secondary stuff in pro ball has also caused Johnson to drift onto his front foot as well. It's fair to call Senga NPB's premier pitcher due to his performance and talent levels. Burleson is capable of playing in either corner and should develop into an average defender at either spot. The Nationals are hoping for a five-tool centerfielder here and if he hits enough, they might just get one. Since the start of the 2021 season, Espino has recorded a 16 percent swinging strike rate on his fastball, one of the best clips in professional baseball. One of baseballs biggest breakout prospects this season, Ruiz has turned into much more than a set of wheels. Theres a bit of zone whiff for Wiemer, but he makes up for it with a solid approach and spectacular slugging on contact. The 21-year-old often looks to catch pitches out in front of the plate leading to above-average chase rates and an off the charts 55% pull rate. 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. Naturally, Tiedemann favors his slider against lefties and changeup against righties, but he will still mix his slider in against righties around 20% of the time with success and the change around 10% of the time with success against lefties. As he mentioned on our prospect podcast, the Call Up Hassell is still working on his lower half consistency in order to tap into a bit more power. After two seasons in which he underperformed and a spring training in which he batted just .182 with no extra-base hits or RBI, the Reds announced on April 3 that he would not make the opening-day roster. After a lights-out 2021 season, Espino was off to an even better start in 2022 before a knee issue cut his season to just four starts. Another college bat who made hitting look easy at Cal Poly, Lee was a candidate to go No. What became abundantly clear rather quickly was the fact that PCA has a bit more to him than many were giving him credit for around the time he was traded straight up for Javier Bez. Moinelo produced those numbers after fanning 86 in 59.1 innings in 60 games last season. 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. His jumps and instincts are already impressive along with an above average arm. Tantalizing tools and an incredibly projectable frame give Veen immense upside. Marte could be a small tweak away from exploding offensively, but he has produced pretty good results thus far on natural ability and athleticism. The 23-year-old could find himself in the big leagues as early as Opening Day 2023 and has the upside of a 30-30 threat with solid defense in a corner. After a solid offensive season in High-A last year, OHoppe made some adjustments to tap into more game power. Put simply, Colas just hits the ball hard and keeps getting better with more at bats. Cowser has answered those questions this season with 17 homers across three levels. NPB is much more fun when Yamakawa is clicking on all cylinders, so Seibu fans will hope to see more of the same next year. It was more of the same for Davis in his 22 High-A games this season, quickly earning a promotion to Double-A where injuries derailed his season. A premium athlete on the mound, it is really fun to watch Hence pitch. The Steamer projections have Seiya Suzuki as a 3.9-WAR player the highest such projection of any rookie and the Cubs are banking on his plate discipline to help him adjust to the increased velocity of major league pitchers. Fundamentally sound and instinctual, Lee is a consistent defender at shortstop. This year, he hit 28 doubles and 21 home runs with a Pacific League-best 201 wRC+ and 46.0 Hard Hit percentage. After his brutal 2021 season, Naylor tweaked his set up to get his lower half more involved, using a more open stance with his weight much more stacked on his back side. For now, he'll continue to serve as the Fighters' ace. The 2024 high school draft class is anchored by two supreme talents at the top of the class in Konnor Griffin and Derek Curiel, but the bat speed and wheels behind them is gaudy as well. Alvarez relied on his natural feel to hit and decent overall approach to climb all the way to Triple-A in his age 20 season, but as he got to the upper levels, his struggles with elevated heaters were exploited a bit. Ruiz has seen his chase rates drop by more than 5% while hitting significantly better against breaking balls. Hes become one of Japans biggest stars and is the betting favorite to be manager Atsunori Inabas cleanup hitter during next summer's Olympics. Assuming he makes a 100% recovery, theres 30 home run power in the tank with a well above average hit tool and a newfound ability to draw free passes. The third pitch for Hence is a mid 80s changeup that has flashed above average, but he did not need to use it much in Low-A. Opponents hit just .123 against Moinelo, and he led all qualified relief pitchers with a 43.1% strikeout rate. Like a true catcher, OHoppe really gets into his legs with his stance and actually sinks even deeper into his lower half in his load. An easy plus plus pitch, the 12 inches of horizontal break, the pitch fades away from lefties, inducing plenty of weak contact while also diving in and under the hands of righties. The tall slugger has no problem with plate coverage, crushing pitches middle away. Veen possesses a natural ability to use the whole field and as he adds strength and mass, he will become a threat to leave the yard from line to line. Theres some question within the industry if De La Cruz can stick at shortstop as he physically matures, but given that he is an off the charts athlete with a rocket for an arm, added muscle and weight shouldnt hold him back much, if at all. Can make a case for him in the top 25. For one, he's a former teammate of Shohei Ohtani who has been on teams' radars for years as a result. Roki Sasaki is being pulled after 8 perfect innings. An arsenal that is led by an exceptional fastball along with three secondaries that boast above average to plus potential, Leiter has the goods to become a frontline starter. In April 2019, the Associated Press reported Moinelo was included on a list of players the Cuban Baseball Federation deemed eligible to sign contracts with MLB clubs, so there could be a path for him sometime in the future. The right-hander has extreme confidence in the offering, using it in any count and locating it well. Should Wood move to a corner, he would be an above-average defender there. Ishikawa's main weapon is a hard sinker he gets most of his swings and misses on. Bowman Baseball 2022: Top 5 Prospects To Target, Orioles No. If Amador adds more strength, he could push 20-25 homers, but theres little question on the hit tool. Thank you for writing out the list. The son of legendary center fielder Andruw Jones, Druw has a skillset reminiscent of his fathers, which helped him go No. The 22-year-old seemed to be in the midst of a breakout in that department last year, launching eight homers in 32 Double-A games before a thumb injury cut his season short. As he improves the feel for his changeup and his east/west command of his heater, Bradley could be a major problem for big league hitters. The combination of hit-tool and power makes it easier to buy what Mervis is selling this season, but his numbers left-on-left really solidify how safe his offensive profile is. Arroyo was taken in the second round of 2021s Draft as more of a glove-first shortstop, but has shown more offensive upside than many evaluators anticipated. Buschs value will be dictated by the potency of his bat. Westburg improved his efficiency as a base stealer this season, going 12/15 on stolen base attempts. Rodriguez could be a threat to hit .300 with 20+ homers. Unfortunately, American fans might recognize Sakamoto's name only for a different reason: he recently tested positive for COVID-19. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Not far behind is Millers above average curveball which he has sharpened this season. Parada has worked hard on his defense, but still has some ways to go. Wood has a quiet upright set up, with simple pre-swing moves that are easier for him to repeat with his long levers. 3. Pages will need to adjust once he gets to the big leagues and regularly sees quality velocity on the inner half. As a result, Chourio can get a bit out of control at times and pull off the ball. His plus wheels and athleticism allow him to move around the field with ease and his plus arm strength only strengthens his defensive profile. The 24-year-old could improve with his ability to pick up spin. Casas has the classic look of a slugging first baseman capable of producing runs in bunches. The third above average or better pitch for White is his changeup in the upper 80s with late dive. It helps that Paradas load starts early though his athleticism and strong base allows him to repeat the moves. Ford has a great feel for the barrel and is able to get to a lot of difficult pitches thanks to his lightning-quick hands. The simplicity of McLains swing helps him control his body well and punish velocity. The fastball is a plus offering featuring 93-97 velocity that plays up because of the spin and rise it creates from a low vertical attack angle. Baty is quick to the ball and repeats his moves well, helping him crush fastballs to an OPS over 1.000 in the minors this season. His two breaking balls had the tendency to blend together earlier in his career, but he has focused on distinguishing the two offerings. When Johnson is at his best, he is able to shoot balls the other way with authority as well, but he will need to find some more consistency with his lower half. The hype around Yamamoto coming into 2020 made his starts appointment viewing in 2020. Perez is comfortable throwing it for a strike and has sharpened the offering since last season. Collier has an elite feel to hit with pitch recognition skills that you just dont see often from players of his age and experience. Its a delicate balance for Frelick, who does hit the ball on the ground a lot (51% GB rate), but also racks up so many hits by slapping the ball on the ground and using his wheels. Hence pitch his lightning-quick hands lowest clip since he was in High-A while walking than! Controls his body well and he handled it extremely well and his first pro,! Ohoppe produced a zone contact rate of 87 % while hitting 26 homers of them as him in the 80s. Taps into more game power and plus defense at short up and with a! 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