Midseason Top 100 Prospects
Last year, BA’s Midseason Update was a near-complete rework of the preseason Top 100 Prospects. At this time last year, seven of the Top 10 and 14 of the Top 20 preseason prospects had graduated to the major leagues. This year, with a thinner crop, just six of the Top 20 had graduated.
To be eligible, players had to be in the minor leagues on June 21 (the midway point of the minor league season) and not exceed Major League Baseball rookie at-bat (130) or innings (50 innings) requirements. To be eligible, relievers cannot have more than 30 big league appearances. As this is aimed in part as a preview of the non-waiver trade deadline, 2016 draftees and July 2 international signees are not eligible for the Midseason Top 100.
Player | Pos | Org | Skinny | Video |
1. Yoan Moncada | 2b | Red Sox | So far, Moncada has managed to live up to the hype generated by his $31.5 million signing bonus. | Link |
2. Alex Reyes | rhp | Cardinals | Back from suspension, Reyes and his bat-missing stuff are just as good as ever. | Link |
3. J.P. Crawford | ss | Phillies | Crawford has gotten into some bad habits at the plate but the tools are the same. | Link |
4. Lucas Giolito | rhp | Nationals | Giolito’s stuff remains exceptional, earning him a big league callup, but scouts worry about his command. | Link |
5. Trea Turner | ss | Nationals | Free Trea Turner! He’s doing everything he can to earn a spot in D.C., including now a move to center field. | Link |
6. Tyler Glasnow | rhp | Pirates | Glasnow’s control still wavers, but almost no one ever squares him up. | Link |
7. Dansby Swanson | ss | Braves | Swanson has gone from Diamondbacks’ No. 1 overall pick to the Braves’ hope for the future. | Link |
8. Alex Bregman | ss | Astros | The Swanson-Bregman debate has raged for years, and Bregman is still making a strong case. | Link |
9. Andrew Benintendi | of | Red Sox | Benintendi’s combination of batting eye, power and defense is pretty special. | Link |
10. Austin Meadows | of | Pirates | Meadows is almost big league-ready, although it’s hard to figure where the Pirates can fit him in. | Link |
11. Joey Gallo | 3b | Rangers | He’s still striking out a ton, but he’s also still walking and homering. So, he’s still Joey Gallo. | Link |
12. Brendan Rodgers | ss | Rockies | No. 3 overall pick last year has been a bit dinged up but has provided plenty of offense when healthy. | Link |
13. Victor Robles | of | Nationals | One of the most dynamic prospects in the game, Robles has the potential to be a true five-tool player. | Link |
14. Orlando Arcia | ss | Brewers | Hasn’t overwhelmed in Triple-A, but he’s holding his own in the Pacific Coast League as a 21-year-old. | Link |
15. Anderson Espinoza | rhp | Red Sox (traded to Padres) | The youngest player in the South Atlantic League has flashed brilliance; remember, he’s just 18. | Link |
16. David Dahl | of | Rockies | Despite playing on a team without a home park, Dahl has shown power and speed in his return to Double-A and earned a Triple-A promotion. | Link |
17. Ozzie Albies | ss | Braves | Has made it to Triple-A just a year after being named a South Atlantic League all-star | Link |
18. Amed Rosario | ss | Mets | Mets’ top prospect blitzed the Florida State League and ascended to Double-A as a 20-year-old. | |
19. Jorge Mateo | ss | Yankees | Had been having a solid season showing speed, versatility and offensive upside before being suspended for two weeks by the Yankees in July. | Link |
20. Jose Berrios | rhp | Twins | After a humbling stint in majors, Berrios is back to dominating in Triple-A with a three-pitch mix. | Link |
21. Clint Frazier | of | Indians | Dynamic outfielder continues to improve power production, plate discipline at Double-A. | Link |
22. Josh Hader | lhp | Brewers | Opposing managers hide their lefthanded batters against low-slot southpaw who sits mid-90s. | Link |
23. Willy Adames | ss | Rays | Powerful 20-year-old ranks among Southern League elite for slugging, walks in breakout year. | Link |
24. Cody Bellinger | 1b | Dodgers | Leveraged lefthanded swing produces 30-homer power potential, while his glove draws Gold Glove raves. | |
25. Jose De Leon | rhp | Dodgers | Limited to seven Triple-A starts thus far, he still misses bats with premium stuff. | Link |
26. Bradley Zimmer | of | Indians | While his average has plummeted to .240 at Double-A, his secondary skills and glove shine bright. | Link |
27. Gleyber Torres | ss | Cubs | Hit just .179 at high Class A in April before reverting back to the mature young hitter we love. | Link |
28. Brent Honeywell | rhp | Rays | Missed much of May and June with sore elbow, but stuff and performance upon his return earned a promotion to Double-A. | Link |
29. Francis Martes | rhp | Astros | Looks like himself after rough start at Double-A: 1.80 ERA, .213 AVG and 8.6 SO/9 since mid-May. | Link |
30. Lewis Brinson | of | Rangers | Two trips to disabled list muddles outlook, but power and defense still present—as is more contact. | Link |
31. Amir Garrett | lhp | Reds | Athletic lefty dominated with a 1.75 ERA in 13 games at Double-A, earned promotion to Triple-A. | Link |
32. Joe Musgrove | rhp | Astros | Pinpoint control has been taken to a new level this season, with just nine walks in 71 1/3 innings. | |
33. Sean Newcomb | lhp | Braves | Walk rate still high, but premium swing-and-miss stuff remains with 80 strikeouts in first 78 2/3 innings. | Link |
34. Nick Gordon | ss | Twins | Continues to progress offensively, on track for career highs in on-base percentage and slugging. | Link |
35. Kyle Tucker | of | Astros | First full season a smash for last year’s No. 5 overall pick, on pace for a .300 average and 47 steals. | Link |
36. Gary Sanchez | c | Yankees | Was off to torrid start before fracturing thumb on a foul ball, hasn’t quite regained form. | Link |
37. Ian Happ | 2b | Cubs | Threatening for a 20-20 season, earned promotion to Double-A after posting .885 OPS in first half. | Link |
38. Josh Bell | 1b | Pirates | Defense remains in question, but offensively Bell remains a force with .324/.407/.535 slash line. | Link |
39. Manuel Margot | of | Padres | Was leading PCL with 14 outfield assists after working on arm, offensively shining with .349 OBP, 23 SB. | Link |
40. Nick Williams | of | Phillies | Benched for lack of hustle multiple times, but excelling at Triple-A when actually on the field. | Link |
41. Rafael Devers | 3b | Red Sox | Boston’s No. 2 prospect entering the season has shown ability to rebound after slow start; still just 19. | Link |
42. Aaron Judge | of | Yankees | Red-hot June papered over some early contact issues, but controlling a huge strike zone will be an issue. | Link |
43. Tyler Jay | lhp | Twins | Transition to starting has been smooth for former Illinois closer, thanks to wipeout slider; promoted to Double-A. | Link |
44. Alex Verdugo | of | Dodgers | Compact lefthanded swing has movements that tend more toward hit over power, and 20-year-old has .150 ISO in Double-A. | Link |
45. Tyler O’Neill | of | Mariners | The British Columbia bomber makes up for lack of height with premium bat speed and strength, and he’s making more contact too. | Link |
46. Eloy Jimenez | of | Cubs | Huge Dominican started performing like the No. 1-ranked prospect in the 2013 international class. | Link |
47. David Paulino | rhp | Astros | Once a throw-in in Jose Veras trade, his fastball and 11-to-5 curveball draw plus grades. Like Jorge Mateo, he’s serving a team suspension as well. | |
48. Reynaldo Lopez | rhp | Nationals | Shot up this list—and to Triple-A—after posting four double-digit strikeout games since May 29, thanks to great fastball-curve combo. | Link |
49. Jeff Hoffman | rhp | Rockies | Just two years after Tommy John surgery, the key piece in the Tulowitzki deal is on the brink of the majors thanks to a mid-90s fastball and power curve. | Link |
50. Phil Bickford | rhp | Giants | The two-time first-round pick has dominated in high Class A, spotting his moving fastball and devastating-when-on slider. | Link |
51. Kevin Newman | ss | Pirates | Questions about his shortstop and power remain, but Newman’s contact-heavy approach may play at second base. | Link |
52. Mitch Keller | rhp | Pirates | One of the stories of the first half, Keller went from pitching little in 2015 to starring in the Sally League in 2016. | |
53. Franklin Barreto | ss | Athletics | Barreto has struggled in the Texas League, but it’s worth remembering he’s still only 20. | |
54. Jake Bauers | 1b/of | Rays | One of the youngest players in Double-A continues to show a sharp batting eye and is developing power while shifting mostly to right field. | Link |
55. Raul A. Mondesi | ss | Royals | Performance has finally started to match the tools, but Mondesi is just getting back after a 50-game PED suspension. | Link |
56. Christian Arroyo | ss | Giants | The Giants are working on getting Arroyo comfortable at multiple positions in Double-A. | |
57. Trent Clark | of | Brewers | Injuries have nearly ruined Clark’s first full pro season but he’s held his own when he’s not on the DL. | Link |
58. Brett Phillips | of | Brewers | Phillips has sacrificed batting average and contact for improved power in his first season at Double-A. | Link |
59. Brady Aiken | lhp | Indians | He’s just returning to action after Tommy John surgery. The results have been poor but his velocity is back. | Link |
60. Grant Holmes | rhp | Dodgers | Scouts who love him see a future No. 2 or No. 3 starter. Those more skeptical see a power reliever future. | Link |
61. Erick Fedde | rhp | Nationals | Fedde doesn’t have to be rushed in a system that has Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez leading the way. | Link |
62. Jake Thompson | rhp | Phillies | Thompson lacks star potential, but he’s a nearly ready to fill a back-of-the-rotation role. | |
63. Braden Shipley | rhp | Diamondbacks | In a very barren Diamondbacks’ farm system, Shipley is the hope for the future, morphing into a command-oriented starter. | Link |
64. Bobby Bradley | 1b | Indians | First basemen have to hit. With 50 home runs in two and a half pro seasons, Bradley fits the bill. | Link |
65. Robert Stephenson | rhp | Reds | Stephenson’s climb to the big leagues has been a slow one, but he still flashes frontline potential. | Link |
66. Hunter Renfroe | of | Padres | Renfroe’s arm and power are both plus tools, but Triple-A El Paso is a much more offensive environment than Petco Park and the National League West. | Link |
67. Jorge Alfaro | c | Phillies | Healthy after a lost 2015, Alfaro is starting to live up to lofty expectations as his defense is catching up to his bat. | Link |
68. Jesse Winker | of | Reds | A wrist injury has toyed with Winker’s season for a second consecutive year. He can hit, but can he hit for power? | Link |
69. Justus Sheffield | lhp | Indians | The Indians’ system is getting better and better. Sheffield’s continued climb as a power lefty is one of the reasons why. | Link |
70. Francisco Mejia | c | Indians | If you’re asked to repeat a league, dominate it. Mejia did to earn a midseason jump to high Class A. | |
71. Mike Clevinger | rhp | Indians | Clevinger is one of the better stealth prospects in baseball. It’s easy to forget he’s a hard-throwing starter in Triple-A. | Link |
72. Ke’Bryan Hayes | 3b | Pirates | A very talented Pirates farm system got even better when they managed to swipe Hayes with a late first-round pick. | Link |
73. Carson Fulmer | rhp | White Sox | Scouts are getting more and more convinced now that his future role is as a high-energy late-inning reliever. | Link |
74. Luis Ortiz | rhp | Rangers | Few pitchers survive High Desert unscathed, but Ortiz thrived and quickly moved out and up to Double-A. | Link |
75. Luke Weaver | rhp | Cardinals | Weaver missed two months with a wrist fracture. He’s been exceptional in his first six starts back. | Link |
76. Dominic Smith | 1b | Mets | With a first-base only profile, Smith has to hit, and a recent recent power binge was a very welcome sign. | Link |
77. Kolby Allard | lhp | Braves | Like Brady Aiken, Allard is shaking off a lot of injury-induced rust; the stuff has bounced back quickly. | Link |
78. Mike Soroka | rhp | Braves | Soroka moved on the rubber, and the 18-year-old Canadian has thrown lots of quality strikes in his first full season in the Sally League. | Link |
79. Raimel Tapia | of | Rockies | Tapia is making more contact and walking more; he’ll need to hit for more power but may have the hitting skills to do so. | Link |
80. Andrew Knapp | c | Phillies | Knapp’s power has returned to Earth now that he’s no longer in Reading, but his bat remains promising for a catcher. | Link |
81. Tyler Beede | rhp | Giants | Beede’s velo dipped last year as he focused on a controlled delivery and two-seamers. He’s still under control but touching 97 again. | Link |
82. Frankie Montas | rhp | Dodgers | Rib injuries have ruined Montas’ season so far. He may not be much help in 2016 but still offers a very intriguing power arm. | Link |
83. Chris Shaw | 1b | Giants | Shaw’s part of a very impressive Giants’ 2015 draft class that has already sent three players to Double-A. | Link |
84. Sean-Reid Foley | rhp | Blue Jays | With a cleaned-up delivery and the same mid-90s fastball, Reid-Foley’s is dominating in his second try at the Florida State League | Link |
85. Chance Sisco | c | Orioles | Sisco has excellent bat-to-ball skills that give him a shot to have a long big league career; he still needs considerable defensive refinement. | Link |
86. Anthony Alford | of | Blue Jays | Alford has battled through a concussion, so his awful first half does have an explanation of sorts. | Link |
87. Javier Guerra | ss | Padres | Guerra’s 2016 season has been a disaster. He’s still ranked solely on the memory of the power and defense he showed in 2015. | Link |
88. Jack Flaherty | rhp | Cardinals | Flaherty is in just his second full year as a pitcher and has averaged more than a strikeout per inning as a pro. | |
89. Harrison Bader | of | Cardinals | St. Louis has worked on improving his center field defense while letting his bat play, helping him reach Triple-A in his first full pro season. | |
90. Conner Greene | rhp | Blue Jays | Greene’s 92-94 mph fastball is already plus, and his athleticism, projection and developing breaking balls give him long-term potential. | Link |
91. Adalberto Mejia | lhp | Giants | The Giants now have a lot of upper level prospect depth, with Mejia leading the way among big league-ready arms. | |
92. Ryan McMahon | 3b | Rockies | McMahon’s very rough first half with the wandering Yard Goats, his first stint at Double-A, has shaken confidence in his bat. | Link |
93. Michael Kopech | rhp | Red Sox | Kopech has barely pitched this year thanks to hand and calf injuries, but when he has his fastball remains elite. | Link |
94. Derek Fisher | of | Astros | Fisher’s power-speed combo could play on a corner, and he’s continued to improve defensively, playing center field every day in Double-A. | |
95. Touki Toussaint | rhp | Braves | A significant tweak to his arm slot and arm action has Touissant throwing more strikes and missing more bats. | Link |
96. Franklyn Kiliome | rhp | Phillies | Kilome has more potential and promise than current production, but there’s all kind of hope for the future. | |
97. Jorge Polanco | 2b | Twins | Polanco’s bat-first profile would fit at second; with Brian Dozier blocking him, expect the Twins to mix in more time at third base and the outfield. | Link |
98. Willie Calhoun | 2b | Dodgers | Calhoun is proving he can hit. He’s got some work to do to prove he can stick at second base. | |
99. James Kaprelian | rhp | Yankees | Kaprelian looked like one of the steals of the 2015 draft before an elbow injury derailed his season in late April. | Link |
100. Josh Naylor | 1b | Marlins | In a full-season debut interrupted by a prank gone wrong, Naylor has shown the expected power while struggling with southpaws | Link |
Comments are closed.