Standings. 3 or 4 starter in a few years' time. A confident hitter who controls his at bats from both sides of the plate, Rodriguez has a chance to be one of the better switch hitters in all of baseball while providing value behind the dish and potentially at other defensive spots as well. Colas is an aggressive hitter, which stifled his walk rates, but he rarely misses mistakes and feasted by ambushing fastballs. Wood is an above-average runner with an above=average arm. The As drafted Soderstrom as a catcher, but barring any advances to his athleticism and lateral movement, he likely projects as a first baseman. Today: Sasaki throws another 8 perfect innings with 14Ks before being taken out on 102 pitches at 0-0. Now starting slightly open with his stance, Campusano uses the toe-tap to close himself off and keep his weight back. This season, however, was a different story as Yamakawa got back to his prime form and performed his signature Dosukoi home run celebration 41 times. He commands the pitch well, getting whiffs at the top of the zone while working east west effectively too. His swing decisions as a whole have slowly improved, which is encouraging to see as he has made the leap to High-A this season. Already earning high marks for the way he commands a game behind the dish, Cartaya is an incredibly cerebral catcher who pitchers love to throw to. Bob Fontaine Jr., Legendary Scout and "Baseball "Chatter Up!" While the strikeout numbers may not quite be where youd expect for a guy with multiple plus offerings, the improvements made by Cavalli in the command department is encouraging. Sets up in a medium base with an equal weight distribution, Lawlar uses a gathering leg kick along with a barrel tip for timing before unleashing a lightning quick stroke. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Though hes just an average hitter, Westburgs ability to drive the ball to all fields and advanced plate discipline reinforce the belief that he will be able to hit enough at the highest level. Vientos is heavy on his feet and a below average runner, though he has continued to focus on his footwork and conditioning. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, RHPOrix BuffaloesB-T: R-R. Born: Aug. 17, 1998 (22). With two strikes, Neto focuses on getting his foot down early and just letting his natural bat speed do the work. An elite defensive defender at multiple spots, Rafaela enjoyed a power breakout in 2022, boosting his longterm outlook. With that being said, he already flashes average power to his pull side and as he adds strength, he could provide 20 homer pop on an annual basis. Moinelo was a buzzsaw out of the bullpen for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in 2020. Imamiya was the only qualified NPB shortstop to hit above league-average this year (131 wRC+) and provided a steady presence in the lineup for the Hawks amid injuries to key players, with 30 doubles and 7 home runs. A great defender at shortstop, it seems like Rocchio always knows where to be and gets excellent breaks on balls hit in his direction. Hassells an extremely athletic hitter who can spray the ball foul line to foul line with a good approach. 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. Kishida and Biden meeting heralds an alliance in lock-step but challenges remain, Japan looks beyond U.S. alliance for help to deter China military, Russia and a return to Soviet-style central planning, Electronic music pioneer Yukihiro Takahashi of YMO dies at 70. If he continues to mature as a hitter, we could be looking at one of the best all-around players in baseball in a couple years. Height/Weight: 61, 175|Bat/Throw: L/R|1st Round (1) 2022|ETA: 2026. 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. His footwork can get a bit sloppy, as can his actions, which has led some evaluators to speculate a potential move to third base. 3 ceiling. Things clicked for Vargas in the power department during the 2021 season, launching 23 homers along with 52 extra base hits in 120 games between High-A and Double-A. Jung hits the ball hard to all fields and should offer a nice blend of batting average and power. He has trouble consistently landing it for strikes, and as he develops, it will be key to be able to do so. He has the agility to be an above-average defender at first, especially for his size. He didnt live up to the hype with the Giants and never played in more than 62 games for the team before being traded to the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters after the 2015 season. Improved feel for his changeup and overall command could have Abel trending closer to a front line starter. Rocchio could probably use another season in Triple-A as he tries to find more offensive consistency, however his glove is good enough to hold down the shortstop position at the highest level right now. Green should have no problem sticking in center and has a chance to produce impressive power numbers. Huge raw power with swing and miss concerns, Vientos has has remained too productive to ignore at the upper levels and is still just 22 years old. A crouched stance with a quiet load and short stride, Westburg keeps things simple in the box. Abels fourth offering is an average curveball that can blend at times with his slider in the low 80s. Abel will almost exclusively go to the change against lefties, giving him another look aside from his slider. That said, Abel also possesses a changeup that has flashed above average with arm-side fade. He simply dismantled Low-A hitters, punching out 81 batters in 52.1 innings with a WHIP of 0.88. Best-selling Japanese Baseball Author Robert Whiting (8/6/21). 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. Marte has a pretty simple swing and doesnt require much effort to generate his above-average bat speed. . The former Yokohama DeNA Baystars standout averaged just .197 in 2020 and .167 in 2021 before being designated for assignment and picked up by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Pair the above average hit tool with plus raw power and you have a really exciting offensive profile for any position let alone a catcher. Winn found more overall consistency with his swing in 2022, seeing his zone contact rate jump by 6% while his 90th percentile exit velocity jumped by nearly three mph. After a tough 2021 season, his first in the majors after signing a two-year, $6.2 million contract with the Texas Rangers, he entered 2022 spring training as a non-roster invitee but was reassigned to minor-league camp on March 28. With two strikes, Burleson spreads out even more, eliminating his stride and focusing on putting the ball in play. For De La Cruz to push towards his superstar ceiling, he will need to refine his approach a bit. Lawlars feel to hit and approach rivals any bat from his draft class, showcasing a impressive bat-to-ball skills and an advanced knowledge of the strike zone as one of the youngest hitters at each level his has jumped to. 2023 Top Prospect: Kyle Manzardo. Mervis detailed his swing adjustments on our prospect podcast The Call Up back in May then proceeded to climb three levels, mashing to a .310/.381/.610 line with 36 HR and 77 XBH over the course of the season. Your favorite team should have started talking to him last month. The Rays took Bradley in the fifth round in 2018 and gave him twice the slot value, tantalized by his upside. 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. Already a big time steal in 2021s Draft, Graceffos pitch mix and command have him trending towards a possible late 2023 debut. Halls command of the heater is fringe average with a tendency to miss arm-side due to the heavy run he produces when he flies open too early. Harrisons plus fastball is his best pitch. An ad blocker has likely prevented this video content from loading. If Merrill continues to fill out and tap into his power, he could be a breakout name to watch in 2023. Traded by the Phillies for Brandon Marsh at the deadline, OHoppe enjoyed a breakout season in 2022, launching 26 homers while walking as much as he has punched out. Regardless of where he ends up on the defensive side of things, Soderstoms bat will be his ticket to becoming an above average big league regular. He should be an above average defender. Miller was seen as high-risk, high-reward pitching prospect out of Louisville with electric stuff, but a limited track record as a starter. 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. Perazas sweet swing from the right side and plus defense at short make him a high probability everyday shortstop. Height/Weight: 62, 200|Bat/Throw: S/R|1st Round (8) 2022|ETA: 2024. 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. Tajima did not garner as much attention as some of his teammates, but was pretty good in 2021. Starting upright, Holliday utilizes a slow leg kick to get into his lower half, but repeats it well and has looked comfortable with his timing. Like many young hitters, the high fastball has been an area of temptation that he has succumbed to, though I expect the talented hitter to quell his aggressiveness against better pitching in High-A. He has hedged swing and miss concerns with a career-low strikeout rate in Triple-A while producing his best power numbers. A plus runner combined with impressive quickness, Matos is a threat on the base paths and has a strong chance of sticking in center. Even so, Hassell is such a good athlete and so twitchy that he can get still drive the ball even when he is off-balance. We're including Yamakawa because he does one thing exceptionally well: slug. His homers are majestic, as high as they are far and he has no trouble catching up to premier velocity while staying disciplined on quality breaking balls out of the zone. A really physical 6-foot-2, 205 pound right-hander, Espino uses his body really well and has clean mechanics. Priester has a deep bag of five pitches that he will mix really well. It will likely take Davis some time to fully regain his explosiveness both at the plate and in the field and he will likely be one of the most closely watched prospects in the Arizona Fall League. An above-average runner, Cowser covers plenty of ground in center field with long strides and solid closing speed. After another average offensive season in 2021, Turang adjusted his set up and has tapped into more power this season. Youth. The slider sits in the mid 80s with a cutterish, short break. A slightly above average runner, Valera is a good athlete who moves his feet pretty well along with an average arm. He moves really well behind the dish and is an above average blocker as well. A blend of power, defense and intangibles have Cartaya reminding many of Salvador Perez. 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. Another good athlete, but not a burner, Norby brings above average speed to the table and excellent footwork/actions at second base. The rare high floor/ceiling combination for a big bodied power hitter, Casas boasts 30+ home run potential with an innate feel to hit and plus makeup. 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. It doesnt take much for Davis to generate power, especially now that his lower half plays a part in his swing. Not only has his hit tool translated, but Merrill is hitting the ball with more authority than many evaluators anticipated with even more room for projection. 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. A new year, a new board and new ranks. His strong skills on the field are matched by his notable family bloodline as his grandfather, father and uncle all played professionally. We saw Perezs plus fastball consistently eclipse over 2,500 RPM, boasting a ton of life. His two breaking balls had the tendency to blend together earlier in his career, but he has focused on distinguishing the two offerings. 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. He find the barrel as much as any hitter in the minors and should quickly climb to the big leagues. A natural hitter, Vargas has put up strong offensive numbers at every stop. Nippon Professional Baseball, called Puro Yaky in Japan and simply "Japanese baseball" in the rest of the world, is the top level of pro baseball in the Asian country. Impressive bat speed with a swing that is geared for home runs paired with Valeras patience at the plate make him a likely three true outcome slugger who should undoubtedly benefit from the limiting of the shift at the MLB level. More bat speed than youd expect given his small frame, leading to sneaky pop to the pull-side. The pitch tunnels well off of his riding fastball boasting late, sharp bite away from right-handers. Not having a true defensive home hurts Aranda a bit, but he hedges that with the ability to play passable defense at multiple spots. 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. 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. In a 2020 MLB Draft dominated by college arms, the Giants were able to entice prep southpaw Kyle Harrison to forgo his UCLA commitment with a $2.5 million signing bonus. 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. Unfortunately, American fans might recognize Sakamoto's name only for a different reason: he recently tested positive for COVID-19. White entered 2022 with only 71 innings pitched in his professional career including his dominant stint in the Arizona Fall League at the end of last year. Hall saw his 2021 season cut short due to a stress reaction in his elbow, but has returned looking as good as ever this season. The question seemed to be, how much upside does he have?. If Montgomery continues to add strength and slows down a step, he has the arm and ability with the glove to be an above average defender at third. 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. 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. After only registering seven steals on 10 tries last season, Dominguez racked up 37 stolen bases in 44 tries this year across three levels. Herreras zone contact and chase rates are well above-average, which bodes well for his overall ability to hit at the highest level. He went fourth in the overall draft, and the Boston Red Sox took him on. White has an assortment of secondaries he is comfortable going to off of his fastball, but his slider is the best of the bunch. Abrams is one of the fastest players in professional baseball with a plus hit tool and sneaky power that could very well turn into 20+ home run pop as he matures. Players are listed by their rank on the Top 100. While he may not have the superstar upside of Elly De La Cruz or Noelvi Marte, McLain has a really good chance to be an above-average regular at the shortstop positionor anywhere else the Reds want to stick himas a flat out gamer who can set the tone for your lineup. Preister built on a good 2021 with a great 2022, finishing the year in Triple-A and putting himself on track for PNC Park at some point in 2023. The 2022 MLB season is upon us, and it's time for us to rank the top 100 players in baseball. 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. What stands out the most with Mervis is how his numbers improved as he jumped levels. Height/Weight: 62, 205|Bat/Throw: R/R|5th Round (149), 2019 (LAD)|ETA: 2023. Ota has played in at least 100 games every year since 2017 and finished with double-digit home runs in his last four seasons. Height/Weight: 510, 190|Bat/Throw: R/R|3rd Round (90), 2019 (MIN)|ETA: 2022. Theres much more potential for Herrera offensively and still plenty of time to get there. 3 starter. If Burleson can improve his patience a bit, he should be an OBP machine. Carroll made up for lost time by reaching the Major Leagues in just 142 Minor League games. 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. PARALLEL CARDS: Gold #/25 (1:752), Red #/5 (1:3,705), Platinum 1/1 (1:18,029). Rodriguez throws from a high arm slot with consistent, medium-effort mechanics and tons of arm speed. The limited track record caused us to keep White towards the back of our preseason top 100 list this year, however another 80 impressive innings has White climbing up the list and positioning himself as one of the better right-handed pitching prospects in baseball. From 2018 to 2019, Hotaka Yamakawa blasted 90 bombs and slugged .565 as one of the biggest power threats in Japan. 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. There isnt much more Stone can achieve in the Minor Leagues. It seems like Hassell is not too eager to put on weight and slow down as the speed component of his game is something he prides himself on. Rate in Triple-A while producing his best power numbers average curveball that can at! His best power numbers since 2017 and finished with double-digit home runs his... Career, but not a burner, Norby brings above average runner, he. 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