Ranking The 20 Hottest MLB Prospects | Hot Sheet (9/10/24)

1. JJ Wetherholt, SS, Cardinals

Team: Low-A Palm Beach (Florida State) 
Age: 22

Why He’s Here: .500/.533/.714 (14-for-28), 8 R, 3 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 9 RBIs, 1 BB, 4 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: If Wetherholt’s season has come to an end, then he ended his maiden voyage on a high note. The Cardinals’ 2024 first-rounder had five multi-hit games last week, including a trio of three-hit games. He also flashed some power with an extra-base hit in four contests. He finishes his time at Low-A hitting .295/.405/.400 with more walks than strikeouts. Wetherholt has plus bat-to-ball skills, an advanced approach and shows flashes of above-average power. He’s one of the better performing hitters from this year’s draft class. (GP)

2. Colson Montgomery, SS, White Sox

Team: Triple-A Charlotte (International)
Age: 22

Why He’s Here: .417/.444/.792 (10-for-24), 6 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 5 RBIs, 2 BB, 9 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: For the most part, Montgomery’s season at Triple-A has been underwhelming. After beginning the year as one of the most celebrated prospects in the sport on the brink of a season in one of the most hitter-friendly parks in the minors, the 22-year-old infielder has struggled to hit, either for average or power. In a brief sample in September, however, he’s shown signs of life. The 10 hits he amassed in the month’s opening series were one more than he collected in 15 games in July. The three home runs he hit matched the total he hit in April and June, and are one shy of his combined total for 40 games in July and August. (JN)

3. Roman Anthony, OF, Red Sox

Team: Triple-A Worcester (International)
Age: 20

Why He’s Here: .400/.484/.564 (10-for-25), 6 R, 4 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBIs, 5 BB, 8 SO, 3-for-3 SB

The Scoop: As the minor league season draws to a close, Anthony has nearly reached the peak of prospecthood. The lefty swinger currently is ranked No. 2 on BA’s Top 100 and will ascend to the top spot when the current No. 1 prospect—Rays infielder Junior Caminero—graduates, which will happen once he takes his next at-bat. In a season split between both upper-level affiliates, Anthony, still just 20 years old, has been outstanding. He is one of four minor leaguers 20 years old or younger with 300 or more at-bats whose wRC+ is greater than 140. All four players are members of BA’s Top 100. Boston’s system is among the best in the game, thanks in part to players like Anthony who lead a strong wave at the upper levels of their organization. (JN)

4. Jarlin Susana, RHP, Nationals

Team: High-A Wilmington (South Atlantic)
Age: 20

Why He’s Here: 0-0, 1.80, 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 10 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Two weeks ago, Susana did not have a double-digit strikeout game in 2024. Now, he’s repeated the feat for two straight weeks to end his run at the Class A levels. Combined over his last two starts, Susana has gone 10 innings, allowed three runs on nine hits and three walks while racking up 20 strikeouts. If his season is over, Susana, who came to the Nationals in the Juan Soto blockbuster, will end the year with 157 strikeouts in 103.2 innings between Low-A and Class-A. The strikeout mark is more than double the total he compiled over the past two seasons, spanning 108 innings. (JN)

5. Jonah Tong, RHP, Mets

Team: Double-A Binghamton (Eastern)
Age: 21

Why He’s Here: 0-0, 0.00, 6 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Tong has enjoyed a breakout season in 2024, performing well across both Class A levels. Tong made his Double-A debut on Thursday and dominated. He retired the first 17 batters he faced before a throwing error allowed a runner to reach. Tong struck out nine and generated 14 swinging strikes. Tong’s low-90s fastball has elite ride and cut. His primary secondaries are a mid-70s curveball with great depth and a mid-80s cut slider. Tong has been one of the better performers in the minor leagues this season and has proven he can handle innings, as he’s now at 109.2 on the season. (GP) 

6. Jasson Dominguez, OF, Yankees

Team: Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre (International) 
Age: 21

Why He’s Here: .375/.448/.625 (9-for-24), 9 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 7 RBIs, 4 BB, 5 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: One could joke that Dominguez’s week was so good, it forced the Yankees to call him up on Monday. In what may be his last week in the minors, he tallied three multi-hit games and reached base in all six games. Dominguez showed his elite on-base skills and power last week, as he slugged a pair of home runs in consecutive games. While “The Martian” may never live up to the early hype, he’s still one of the top prospects in the game. Dominguez has a strong approach, plus power and some running ability. (GP) 

7. Chandler Simpson, OF, Rays

Team: Double-A Montgomery (Southern)
Age: 23

Why He’s Here: .368/.478/.368 (7-for-19) 5 R, 4 BB, 3 SO, 7 SB, 2 CS

The Scoop: Because he produces an extra-base hit about once a week, Simpson hasn’t been a regular on the Hot Sheet, but Simpson’s exceptional season needs to be noticed. His .368 week isn’t all that unusual when you consider he’s hitting a MiLB-best .356 overall. He’s also walking more than he strikes out, and as his MiLB-best 102 steals attest, if he reaches first base, there’s a very good chance he’ll be standing on second before long. (JC)

8. Keaton Anthony, 1B, Phillies

Team: High-A Salem (South Atlantic)/Reading (Eastern)
Age: 23

Why He’s Here: .478/.520/.652 (11-for-23) 2 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 6 RBIs, 1 BB, 2 SO

The Scoop: Anthony hit .389/.505/.701 in 43 games at Iowa in 2023, but that wasn’t enough to get him drafted. It was, however, enough to land a UDFA contract with the Phillies. All he’s done since then is continue to hit. His .339 batting average is third-best in the minors this year, and he’s also top 10 in on-base percentage (.426). Anthony’s profile is a tough one, as he’s limited to first base and is primarily a contact hitter without the kind of power expected of the position. But it’s not an impossible profile, especially when you can hit .300 regularly, which is what Anthony has done so far. (JC)

9. Jackson Baumeister, RHP, Rays

Team: High-A Bowling Green (South Atlantic)
Age: 22

Why He’s Here: 0-0, 1.80, 5 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: At the deadline, the Rays pulled the neat trick of revamping their farm system while not completely surrendering their chase for a wild card spot. Baumeister was part of their haul. The former Orioles prospect and Florida State alum has been solid all season, but he’s been truly excellent since switching organizations. Nine strikeouts in his most recent start brings his total with the Rays to 44 against just five walks over 29 innings. Among pitchers with fewer than 100 minor league innings this season, Baumeister’s 139 strikeouts are the second-most, behind only former Orioles system-mate Chayce McDermott. (JN)

10. Will Simpson, 1B, Athletics

Team: Double-A Midland (Texas)
Age: 23

Why He’s Here: .524/.565/.762 (11-for-21), 4 R, 2 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBIs, 2 BB, 4 SO

The Scoop: Drafted in the 15th round last year out of Washington, Simpson made an impression at High-A Lansing this season by leading the Midwest League with 47 extra-base hits and ranking second with an .853 OPS. That helped earn him a late-August promotion to Double-A. Through his first 12 games with Midland, the righthanded-hitting Simpson is 20-for-44 (.455) with five walks and five extra-base hits. (ME)

11. Alan Roden, OF, Blue Jays 

Team: Triple-A Buffalo (International) 
Age: 24

Why He’s Here: .421/.522/.737 (8-for-19), 4 R, 3 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 9 RBIs, 2 BB, 2 SO, 2-for-2 SB

The Scoop: Since July 1, few hitters in Triple-A have been better than Roden, who has hit .348/.431/.547 with 22 extra base hits over his last 52 games. Roden has shown his elite on-base skills, strong bat-to-ball ability and a sneaky power/speed combination. He is certainly a hit-over-power prospect, but Roden will show flashes of average game power. His on-base ability is outlier and he showed it last week, reaching base at least twice in all five games in which he played. Roden is another sneaky Blue Jays performer in the mold of Davis Schneider and Spencer Horwitz but with more tools and a defensive identity. (GP) 

12. Jackson Jobe, RHP, Tigers

Team: Double-A Erie (Eastern)
Age: 22

Why He’s Here: 1-0, 1.29, 7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Jackson Chourio and Jackson Holliday have graduated from the world of prospects, but the reign of the Jacksons is far from over. Jobe is the top pitching prospect in the game, and now he’s just one level from the major leagues. In his final start with Double-A Erie, Jobe punched out eight hitters over seven outstanding frames, including one which found him one strike shy of an immaculate inning. Despite spending roughly two months on the injured list, Jobe has been outstanding on the hill. His Double-A swan song saw him tie his season-high with eight strikeouts, but more importantly, it marked the first time in his career he’s gone seven innings in a start. If he can stay healthy, he has a chance to be a top-flight starter and one of the keystones of Detroit’s rebuild. (JN)

13. Cole Carrigg, OF/SS, Rockies

Team: High-A Spokane (Northwest) 
Age: 22

Why He’s Here: .391/.440/.696 (9-for-23), 5 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 4 RBIs, 2 BB, 6 SO, 5-for-6 SB

The Scoop: It’s been a strong season for Carrigg at High-A Spokane, as the 2023 second supplemental round pick finished the season with a line of .280/.358/.475 to go with 16 home runs and 51 stolen bases. Last week, Carrigg had hits in all five games, as well as a pair of two-stolen base games. Carrigg’s signature game came on Saturday, as he homered, stole a base and reached base three times. Carrigg is a versatile defender capable of playing any of the eight positions in the field, and he comes with an exciting combination of hit tool, power and speed. (GP) 

14. Gage Workman, SS/3B, Tigers

Team: Double-A Erie (Eastern)
Age: 24

Why He’s Here: .478/.500/.696 (11-for-23) 6 R, 2 2B, 1 HR, 6 RBIs, 1 BB, 9 SO, 2 SB, 1 CS

The Scoop: A third-straight season at the same level isn’t a great sign, but Workman, to his credit, has found a new gear this year, slashing his strikeout rate and hitting a career-high 17 home runs. Strikeouts are still a problem, but Workman has been a key part of Erie’s 74-55 record. (JC)

15. Eddys Leonard, SS/3B, Tigers

Team: Triple-A Toledo (International)
Age: 23

Why He’s Here: .348/.423/.826 (8-for-23) 4 R, 2 2B, 3 HR, 3 RBIs, 2 BB, 5 SO

The Scoop: Leonard remains a tantalizing blend of tools, even if he’s a very hot-and-cold hitter. He’s hit the second-hardest ball hit by any Toledo hitter this year with a 114.3 mph double this month. He’s a plus runner at best, and he can play any infield spot. But he’s also walked only 6.7% of the time and he is a fringy hitter. Leonard is on the Tigers’ 40-man roster, and he’s making a late-season case for sticking on that roster this offseason. (JC)

16. Juan Brito, 2B/SS, Guardians

Team: Triple-A Columbus (International)
Age: 22

Why He’s Here: .280/.357/.720 (7-for-25) 5 R, 2 2B, 3 HR, 8 RBIs, 3 BB, 5 SO, 1 SB

The Scoop: Brito has quietly had a very solid season. His 21 home runs are easily a career high, and his 35 doubles and 56 extra-base hits are both sixth most in the minors. His 84 walks are ninth most in the minors. Brito, however, may be auditioning for a spot on someone else’s big league roster as much as Cleveland’s, as Jose Ramirez is a fixture at third base and second baseman Andres Gimenez is under contract for the next five years. But he’s a 22-year-old who has had a solid season in Triple-A. Keep an eye on him. (JC)

17. Angel Martinez, 2B/OF, Guardians

Team: Triple-A Columbus (International)
Age: 22

Why He’s Here: .440/.500/.640 (11-for-25), 8 R, 5 2B, 4 RBIs, 2 BB, 3 SO, 1 SB

The Scoop: Martinez spent most of July in Cleveland filling in around the outfield. Back at Triple-A since Aug. 9, he has mixed in outfield time while focusing on second base. Martinez has plus bat-to-ball skills, a good eye for the strike zone and gap power. As a switch-hitter who has played every position but first base and catcher this season, he could be an asset to the Guardians with his versatility. (ME) 

18. Carson Williams, SS, Rays

Team: Double-A Montgomery (Southern)
Age: 21

Why He’s Here: .353/.455/.647 (6-for-17), 5 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 5 RBIs, 3 BB, 4 SO, 2-for-2 SB

The Scoop: Williams has power, speed and a silky smooth glove at shortstop. He is currently one of just five minor leaguers with 20 or more doubles, 15 or more home runs and 30 or more stolen bases. Couple those offensive skills with his defense—which evaluators see as potentially Gold Glove-caliber—and you get an incredibly tantalizing prospect. If he can make a bit more contact, the forecast gets even rosier. (JN)

19. Carson McCusker, OF, Twins

Team: Triple-A St. Paul (International)
Age: 26

Why He’s Here: .360/.385/.640 (9-for-25) 3 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 5 RBIs, 1 BB, 6 SO.

The Scoop: Last year, McCusker signed with the Twins in June, ending his chances of winning a Frontier League Triple Crown. There were no regrets, as the massive 6-foot-8 outfielder has quickly sped to Triple-A as he wraps up an excellent first full season with the Twins, hitting .286/.361/.504 with 18 home runs. McCusker has already hit three balls 110+ mph in just 13 games with the Saints, showing the massive power that makes him a partner league sign who could find a way to the big leagues someday. (JC)

20. Denzel Clarke, OF, Athletics

Team: Double-A Midland (Texas) 
Age: 24

Why He’s Here: .476/.476/.667 (10-for-21), 6 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBIs, 0 BB, 5 SO, 3-for-5 SB

The Scoop: After an injury plagued campaign in 2023, Clarke has experienced health in 2024 and been productive. Entering the week, he is hitting .273/.340/.457 over 110 games. Clarke has elite tools, with plus raw power and speed and the ability to handle any spot in the outfield. His swing decisions are fairly good, but his bat-to-ball skills are poor. An excellent athlete, when it’s clicking for Clarke, he can be the most exciting player on the field. Last week Clarke was clicking, as he strung together four multi-hit efforts while showcasing power and speed. He is Rule 5 eligible this offseason and has likely done enough to warrant protection. (GP) 

Helium

Payton Eeles, 2B, Twins

Eeles was a super senior in 2023 who had been a regular for five seasons (including the pandemic shortened 2020 season). As a 23-year-old, he went undrafted and signed with the American Association’s Chicago Dogs. He began the 2024 season with the Atlantic League’s Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, but the Twins quickly signed him, and he has rocketed through three levels. A promotion to Triple-A St. Paul hasn’t slowed him down at all, and he’s hitting .308/.436/.486 with 34 steals, 17 doubles, seven triples, nine home runs and nearly as many walks (57) as strikeouts (58). That isn’t all that surprising when you consider that Eeles has a solid approach and a very tiny strike zone (he’s 5-foot-5). At this time last year, Eeles couldn’t find an affiliated team that would sign him. Now he’s a versatile utility infielder who ranks fourth in the minors in on-base percentage. (JC)