We’re a few month and a half into the minor league season, an inexpensive time for a High 100 replace, albeit one with a comparatively gentle contact. The aim of this replace is to pluck the low-hanging fruit, to shine and reshape the checklist fairly than tear down the one from February. A lot of the nation is chilly or wet in April and early Could, and it may possibly take time for gamers (hitters particularly) to get going. Younger gamers are additionally altering on a regular basis, which regularly contains changes to their first style of failure.
You may see the up to date checklist in its entirety right here. Under, I’ve highlighted some particular person gamers. I contact on how everybody who’s a 60 FV prospect or higher has carried out thus far this 12 months, in addition to which gamers have moved up the checklist in a significant method. There are lots of circumstances through which the order of the checklist modified however the participant’s total grade and analysis didn’t. If a pitcher is harm and slid to the again of their FV tier (as with River Ryan, Ricky Tiedemann, Kyle Damage and Chase Hampton), or if guys are stacked otherwise on account of syllogistic reasoning (corresponding to former back-of-the-list starter Christian Scott racing previous comparable skills who’re in, say, Double-A), then I don’t handle that particular person transfer.
How Does Every High Prospect Look?
Jackson Holliday, SS, Baltimore Orioles
You’re in all probability aware of the sequence of Holliday’s 2024. He and all the Norfolk lineup started the season on a collective tear whereas the Orioles have been getting little manufacturing from second base. Holliday was promoted, hit .059 throughout a two-week massive league trial, was despatched again down, and has solely kind of bounced again. Holliday’s spray chart has shifted away from his pull aspect and moved towards left area and the third final analysis. For a lot of the final three weeks following his demotion, he’s been inside-outing numerous contact the alternative method, together with pitches on the inside third of the plate that he sometimes activates. He’s swinging with a ton of effort and imprecision proper now. The way in which Holliday’s physique unwinds all through his swing remains to be very thrilling and athletic, however he could have to make an adjustment that simplifies issues so he might be on time extra persistently. Bryce Harper’s swing may be an excellent template. These early hiccups will not be cause sufficient to return off of Holliday’s high prospect analysis.
Wyatt Langford, OF, Texas Rangers
Langford went on a god-like Cactus League tear, broke camp as a heart-of-the-order hitter on the defending champions’ Opening Day roster, after which didn’t hit for energy throughout a month of huge league at-bats earlier than he was shelved with a hamstring harm. Langford’s high quality of contact was higher than his surface-level slash line, and the issues that made him the no. 2 total prospect earlier than the season began (large instruments and plate protection) have been nonetheless evident. He hit quite a lot of balls simply shy of the wall in April. I nonetheless count on him to be an offensive star upon his return, and possibly fairly rapidly.
James Wooden, OF, Washington Nationals
Wooden, who entered the season as our fifth total prospect, has reduce his strikeout charge considerably early this 12 months. Getting into the season, it had been up round 30% since he was traded to Washington, nevertheless it’s a rock strong 19.1% thus far in 2024, and Wooden is attending to a lot energy that he has an OPS over 1.000 as of this writing. Wooden’s wrists are remarkably fast and he has unusual bat management for a hitter his dimension. For such an enormous man, the holes in his swing are comparatively small, largely up round his palms proper now. It’s doubtless that massive league velocity will sneak previous him extra typically (the typical Triple-A fastball is 91-92 mph thus far in 2024), however the ceiling on Wooden’s energy is as massive as anybody within the minors and he’s rising collective confidence in his means to get to it. His rating on the preseason High 100 was already very aggressive, however Wooden’s grade has been boosted.
Paul Skenes, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates
I wrote a protracted Skenes replace right here. From an FV grade standpoint, his new splitter/sinker and elevated changeup utilization and really feel are significant developments, sufficient for Skenes to maneuver up a FV tier into rarified air for a pitching prospect. Listed below are the pitchers who I’ve ever 65’d or higher: Alex Reyes, Shohei Ohtani, MacKenzie Gore, Eury Pérez, Grayson Rodriguez, and now, Skenes.
Jackson Chourio, OF, Milwaukee Brewers
It turned a digital lock that Chourio would break camp with the massive league crew when he signed a contract extension this winter. In his offseason scouting report, I wrote about how the size of Chourio’s swing would possibly make it robust for him to catch as much as massive league velocity, and that has thus far been the case, as he’s bought an OPS near .600 in opposition to fastballs 93 mph and above, in opposition to which he mainly has no pull-side airborne contact. He has sufficient energy to be harmful to the alternative area and his protection goes to offer his offensive manufacturing fairly a little bit of margin for error, so whereas Chourio isn’t off to a terrific begin, he’s nonetheless a brilliant gifted 20-year-old who ought to be an influence participant over time.
Jackson Merrill, SS, San Diego Padres
I wrote about Merrill’s transition to middle area and its influence on his prospectdom right here. Briefly, he appears to be like like he’s going to stay on the market and that’s an enormous deal.
Jordan Lawlar, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks
In late March, Lawlar suffered a torn UCL in his thumb that required surgical procedure and, in line with the Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro, was to maintain him out for not less than all of April and Could. Lawlar is rehabbing in Arizona and making frequent cameos at Chase Discipline.
Junior Caminero, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays
Caminero is hitting effectively (he has an OPS north of .900 as a 20-year-old at Triple-A as of this writing) and included on this replace is a extra bullish forecast for his protection. It’s nonetheless believable at his dimension that he’ll ultimately want to maneuver to the outfield, however for now, what Caminero lacks in palms he makes up for with a lightning quick trade and plus arm. The issues about his swing that I outlined in his full scouting report are nonetheless current, however he continues to carry out in a superlative method regardless of them.
Samuel Basallo, C, Baltimore Orioles
Basallo has a barely below-average wRC+ thus far in 2024, however he’s a 19-year-old catcher at Double-A, in order that’s tremendous. He appears to be like good behind the plate (his receiving has improved, and his arm remains to be nice), however he’s extra typically enjoying first base and DH’ing than he’s catching. Particularly together with his offense slowing down considerably, I believe it is smart for the Orioles to revisit deal with the catching place. He’s going to have huge energy at maturity and has uncommon ceiling for a catcher, and there isn’t a right away want on offense on the massive league degree. It’s attainable this isn’t a sign that the Orioles are successfully transferring on from Basallo as a catcher and as a substitute are simply making an attempt to protect his physique with a lighter load. If I assumed Bassallo was going to maneuver off of catcher totally, I’d slide him into the 55 FV tier of the checklist, proper across the nook thumpers like org-mate Coby Mayo.
Dylan Crews, CF, Washington Nationals
Right here we’ve one other upper-echelon prospect whose pre-existing swing points have been uncovered and are going to power an adjustment. I wrote in Crews’ High 100 blurb from the offseason that he’s typically late in opposition to fastballs and actually solely capable of pull softer stuff on the inside third with any sort of energy. This has been a problem within the early portion of 2024, as he’s putting out almost 30% of the time whereas attending to sufficient of his energy to be productive anyway. He and the Nationals have to discover a method for him to cowl the inside half of the zone.
Ethan Salas, C, San Diego Padres
Salas, who turns 18 initially of June, is struggling to hit at Excessive-A Fort Wayne. It’s widespread for hitters to wrestle throughout the frigid first month of the Midwest League, and there’s little or no precedent for a prospect this younger being at Excessive-A. Salas remains to be an extremely superior defender for his age and he can transfer the barrel across the zone. He isn’t making flush contact proper now and he’s swinging by means of a ton of excessive fastballs, however he’s additionally making contact with lots of them. It’s too early to maneuver off him in any respect.
Andrew Painter, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies
Painter entered 2023 spring coaching trying like he would possibly break camp within the Phillies rotation and provides the then-defending NL champs one other high-end starter. He started to have elbow points earlier than the common season and the Phillies took a comparatively conservative strategy to his rehab within the hopes he’d reply to a PRP injection and have the ability to pitch in some unspecified time in the future final 12 months. It didn’t work and he had TJ at a time that may doubtless price him all of 2024. He regarded like a possible top-of-the-rotation starter on the finish of 2022.
Shifting Up
Xavier Isaac, 1B, Tampa Bay Rays
Issac’s rotational explosion for a hitter his dimension may be very particular, and whereas he’s going to swing and miss at an elevated charge, he additionally has ridiculous energy all around the strike zone. He’s drastically overhauled his conditioning since he was drafted and appears like a future middle-of-the-order anchor. He has a 150 wRC+ at Excessive-A Bowling Inexperienced as of this replace, and by way of hard-hit charge and peak exit velocities, Isaac is performing on the very high of the size. In the event you’re in a dynasty league or acquire prospect’s playing cards, you’ll want to get this man now, as a result of if he continues on this tempo in opposition to Double-A pitching within the second half of the 12 months, he’s going to complete the season as a high 5 or 10 total prospect. Tip of the hat to the Rays, who drafted Isaac despite the fact that he wasn’t a well-known showcase prospect. The decide was initially met with confusion, even derision, however just like the Evan Carter Rangers decide, it appears to be like prefer it’s going to have a significant influence on this franchise despite the fact that Isaac remains to be obscure sufficient that the photograph service we use for header artwork doesn’t actually have a image of him in its database but.
Marcelo Mayer, SS, Boston Pink Sox
Talking of adjustments in conditioning, Mayer appears to be like extra svelte than final 12 months, his vary on protection is best, and he’s modified the way in which he throws, now eliminating the baseball as rapidly as attainable even when it means throwing three- and four-hoppers to first base. I’m nonetheless apprehensive about his means to contact delicate stuff within the backside of the strike zone, however he’s raised his possibilities of staying at brief. His FV grade hasn’t modified, however he’s moved up sufficient that I wished to say it.
Shifting In
Aidan Miller, SS/3B, Philadelphia Phillies
It’s undoubtedly necessary to maintain Miller’s efficiency in context. He was an older highschool decide and he’s nearly to show 20, which is somewhat outdated for Low-A. He additionally shares swing parts that make me petrified of eventual swing-and-miss, which you’ll examine in his report. However thus far, none of these points have manifested in Clearwater, Miller has a 90% in-zone contact charge, and he isn’t displaying any vulnerability to fastballs on the high of the zone. You may also watch Miller swing and be reminded of Nico Hoerner, and it’s believable Miller may find yourself with an analogous profile, albeit one with extra energy.
Josue De Paula, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
De Paula was omitted of the High 100 throughout the offseason as a result of I wished to see him really hit for energy (he’s a nook defender, in any case), which has began to occur. He didn’t have a house run till just a few days earlier than this replace, however his underlying exit velos have been sensational. His 94 mph common exit velo thus far this season is elite, up eight ticks from final 12 months, whereas his 114 mph max is up 4.
Andy Pages, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
One other man who remade his physique throughout the offseason, Pages had season-ending shoulder surgical procedure in 2023 and got here again this 12 months with a very totally different physique and degree of athleticism. He’s swinging with extra athletic verve than ever earlier than (he was a High 100 man earlier than his harm), and it raises the ceiling on his protection to have higher pace.
Cade Povich, LHP, Baltimore Orioles
Povich was left off the offseason High 100 as a result of I assumed that at his degree of velocity, he’d want higher command than he has for his fastball to play. He appears to have leveled up on this regard and is having a greater go of Triple-A than he did final 12 months.
Others Who Obtained Consideration
Owen Murphy, RHP, Atlanta Braves
Murphy was a Decide to Click on and he’s off to a incredible begin at Excessive-A Rome, however he hasn’t but proven a persistently good slider. His vertical fastball and curveball combo may be very promising by itself, and Murphy’s arm motion is the type typically well-suited for changeup growth, however he and the Braves appear targeted on growing that slider proper now, and it’s nonetheless solely okay.
Jacob Melton, OF, Houston Astros
Melton’s swinging strike charge is surprisingly low contemplating what I anticipated of him popping out of Oregon State. His head remains to be flying round rather a lot all through his swing and he tends to spray quite a lot of contact to the alternative area. I’m simply not snug projecting that that is the offensive talent set of an on a regular basis outfielder.
Joey Loperfido, 1B, Houston Astros
Lopefrido was on a homer-hitting tear at Triple-A Sugarland previous to his massive league promotion, however he was additionally putting out 30% of the time. Final checklist cycle’s grade nonetheless feels sufficiently excessive on him. He’s a tremendous nook function participant greater than he’s a real on a regular basis participant.
Lazaro Montes, OF, Seattle Mariners
Montes is a big outfield prospect who has a ridiculous Cal League slash line thus far this 12 months. Surprisingly, his hard-hit charge has been a comparatively modest 30% thus far, whereas his contact charges (in-zone and out) are hovering within the 70-74% vary, which is comfortably beneath the massive league common. There’s certainly massive power-hitting ceiling right here, however I’m not snug projecting the long-term offensive success wanted for him to be an influence participant on the positions Montes will have the ability to play.
Brandon Younger, RHP, Baltimore Orioles
Younger has had somewhat velocity bump and has been totally dominant at Double-A Bowie. His fastball has at all times had massive vertical break, however now it’s extra typically 93-94 mph, up from 91-92. He has a well-defined four-pitch combine and plus command, although solely his changeup is producing a plus charge of swing-and-miss and Younger locates that pitch within the zone way more typically than is typical of an enormous league pitcher. He’s a near-ready starter however let’s see him maintain the velo bump all 12 months earlier than contemplating him a mid-rotation prospect.
Luke Keaschall, 2B/CF, Minnesota Twins
As we strategy work on the Twins checklist from high to backside, we checked on Keaschall, who has executed nothing however rake since getting into professional ball, albeit in a comparatively small pattern. He’s proven really feel for the zone, bat management, and modest energy. Keaschall has by no means been an excellent infield defender and the Twins have been experimenting with him in middle area. He’s very a lot nonetheless studying to play on the market.
Rubel Cespedes, 3B, Minnesota Twins
Cespedes is a possible plus third base defender with a 70 arm, able to hosing guys from deep within the nook. His swing is just like Cam Collier’s and draft prospect Bryce Rainer’s — there’s massive bat pace and low-ball carry however actual vulnerability on the high of the strike zone.