Analyzing The 12 Newest Top 100 Prospects In Our June Update
Image credit: Mets RHP Blade Tidwell (Photo/Tom DiPace )
Our June Top 100 MLB Prospects update was the most significant change to the list so far this season, for a variety of reasons.
We now have two months of sample size to discuss with sources and evaluators throughout baseball. We’re also folding in underlying Statcast data and production so far in 2024. With more and more Top 100 prospects breaking camp with their respective organizations due to the impact of the prospect promotion incentive, we’re seeing more graduations off the list than ever before in the early going. This has led to a Top 100 list in constant flux as a new crop of potential future MLB stars make their way through the minor leagues.
As such, below you can find 12 players who jumped onto the list for the first time in our June update. We have fresh reports on each player based on what we’re seeing and hearing.
Luis Perales, RHP, Red Sox (No. 57)
Perales has been one of the most intriguing–albeit mercurial–pitching prospects in the Red Sox system over the last two seasons. He has bloomed into one of their best overall prospects after adding a cutter and heavily increasing its usage over the last year. Perales pairs a plus 97-98 mph fastball that averages 19-20 inches of induced vertical break with his now signature upper-80s cutter, a splitter and two slider shapes. Perales has elite bat-missing weapons and now shows average command of his arsenal.
Angel Genao, SS, Guardians (No. 65)
So far, Genao has recovered his prospect stock after a forgettable 2023 season. His 2024 campaign looks much more like the player fans expected to see a year ago. Genao hit .341/.383/.553 with six home runs over 44 Low-A games. Cleveland promoted Genao to High-A in early June. He leads a crop of exciting lower level prospects in the Guardians system. A switch-hitter, Genao is blessed with plus contact skills and a good balance of aggression and patience at the plate. While not a power hitter, Genao’s 102.9 mph 90th percentile exit velocity is above-average for his age and level and hints at some untapped power projection.
Luke Keaschall, 3B, Twins (No. 66)
Few players have gained the admiration of scouts over the last year like Keaschall. The Twins’ 2023 second-rounder hit .335/.457/.544 over an outstanding start to the season for High-A Cedar Rapids with more walks than strikeouts. Minnesota promoted Keaschall to Double-A Wichita in late May. His carrying tool is his advanced hitting ability and Keaschall has produced elite contact and chase rates in 2024. Keaschall’s ability to backspin the ball on his best contact allows him to get the most out of his fringe-average raw power. Defensively, he has played multiple infield spots in addition to seeing some run in center field. He’ll likely fit best as a multi-positional utility bat.
Kevin McGonigle, 2B, Tigers (No. 67)
A touted prep talent, McGonigle looks like one of the best day one picks in last year’s draft after slipping to the Tigers in the second round. He is an undersized spark plug with an all-out play style, strong makeup and a potentially even stronger hit tool. Among players in the lower minors, McGonigle’s bat-to-ball skills stand in elite company. He hit .342/.421/.487 with more walks (19) than strikeouts (17) for Low-A Lakeland through 31 games. McGonigle doesn’t have big power upside but he’s not deficient in that area either. He consistently hits the ball in the air, while showing an above-average 90th percentile exit velocity of 102.7 mph.
Thomas White, LHP, Marlins (No. 73)
White was one of the most hyped players in Massachusetts high school baseball history and is showing front-of-the-rotation upside in his first pro season. He was promoted to High-A in late May after eight strong starts with Low-A Jupiter. White mixes a mid-90s four-seam fastball with a low-80s curveball and a mid-80s changeup. Both of his secondaries have driven whiffs at a rate of 42% but his changeup is the more consistent of the two offerings. White has a ways to go until he reaches the major leagues, but he’s showing exciting traits and potential, particularly for a Marlins franchise that has had several pitching development success stories.
Ralphy Velazquez, 1B, Guardians (No. 84)
A bat-first high school catcher, Velazquez has already moved to first base full-time. He’s the rare prospect with the hitting ability to profile at the position. His strong combination of contact, approach and easy plus power is showing up so far in 2024. Velazquez is hitting .280/.388/.494 with seven home runs and a strikeout rate below 20%. Velazquez adds very little value defensively but he has the potential to develop into a plus hitter with plus power.
Spencer Schwellenbach, RHP, Braves (No. 92)
Schwellenbach was one of the most divisive players entering the 2021 draft cycle. He primarily played shortstop at Nebraska, but most teams preferred him on the mound, where he showed upper-90s velocity as Nebraska’s closer. Unfortunately, Schwellenbach underwent Tommy John surgery after the draft and didn’t return until 2023. He performed well last year and was poised for a breakout 2024 season. So far, Schwellenbach has delivered on that promise. He climbed from High-A Rome to the Braves’ major league rotation in a matter of two months. Schwellenbach’s combination of velocity and pitch movement doesn’t blow you away, but he has power across his arsenal and strong command.
Blade Tidwell, RHP, Mets (No. 94)
Tidwell dealt with injury during a disappointing final season at Tennessee and fell to the Mets in the second round in 2023, signing a $1.85 million bonus. He made 25 starts over 116 innings in his full-season debut last year. Tidwell showed swing-and-miss stuff, striking out 31.4% of batters he faced while limiting damage with a .208 opponent batting average. He was assigned to Double-A Binghamton out of camp this year. After seven strong appearances, Tidwell earned the promotion to Triple-A. Now knocking on the door of the major leagues, Tidwell looks poised to join the Mets rotation this summer. He has midrotation upside as a power pitcher with swing-and-miss stuff but some command woes.
Brandon Sproat, RHP, Mets (No. 97)
The Mets were determined to land Sproat, even after failing to sign him as a third-rounder in 2022. They went back to the well in the second round of last July’s draft and landed Sproat No. 56 overall, signing him to a bonus of $1.475 million. Shutdown after signing, Sproat debuted in 2024 and is among a core of talented Mets pitching prospects dominating the minor leagues. Sproat has good velocity across his pitch mix led by two fastball shapes sitting 94-96 mph. He pairs his fastball shapes with a cutter-slider, a changeup and a curveball. He shows the ability to mix shapes and control hard contact while driving whiffs. Sproat lacks top-of-the-rotation upside but he looks like a safe rotation piece. He could slot into the middle of the Mets’ staff for years to come.
Quinn Mathews, LHP, Cardinals (No. 98)
Mathews made headlines around this time a year ago after throwing 156 pitches in a super regional game against Texas, leading to cries of abuse from some in baseball. Two months into his professional career, it seems to have had very little impact. Not only has Mathews dominated the lower levels of the minors to start the season, he’s seen a significant velocity jump on his fastball and an improvement in quality across his pitch mix. Mathews now sits 93-95 mph with above-average vertical break on his fastball mixing in a changeup, slider and curveball. Mathews has shown midrotation upside in 2024.
Cade Povich, LHP, Orioles (No. 99)
While the Orioles farm system over the last few seasons has been chock full of talented positional prospects, starting pitchers with upside were few and far between. After the graduation of Grayson Rodriguez in 2023 and the trade that sent DL Hall to the Brewers, lefthander Povich stands alone as the Orioles’ top pitching prospect. Despite a lack of power on his fastball, Povich succeeds by mixing a variety of pitch shapes for strikes. He keeps hitters off balance and has a deep enough arsenal to show batters different looks depending on the at-bat. Povich is a safe rotation option with midrotation upside.
Zebby Matthews, RHP, Twins (No. 100)
It’s hard to argue any pitcher in the minor leagues has better command than Matthews, who started the season with six starts where he didn’t walk a batter. Overall on the season, Matthews has two walks across 45.1 innings, good enough for a 1.2% walk rate this season. Matthews isn’t all control and no stuff either. His fastball sits 94-97 mph with on average 18 inches of induced vertical break. He mixes a cutter, slider, changeup and curveball with his slider acting as his best bat-missing pitch. Matthews will need to sharpen his third offering in the major leagues. Still, he shows the elements of a quality rotation piece with strike-throwing, durability and stuff.
