Ranking The 10 Hottest MLB Prospects | Hot Sheet (7/23/24)

1. Drue Hackenberg, RHP, Braves

Team: Double-A Mississippi (Southern)
Age: 22

Why He’s Here: 0-0, 1.28, 1 GS, 7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 16 SO.

The Scoop: Hackenberg had the best game of his career on Sunday. If you were fortunate enough to be in Pensacola that day, you saw one of the best-pitched games you’ll ever see. Hackenberg has struggled with his control after his late-June promotion to Double-A. That wasn’t an issue this week. On Sunday, he threw all five of his pitches for strikes. He dominated with his mid-90s fastball. He dominated with his cutter. Hackenberg dominated with his slider. He threw strikes on 74% of his pitches, while getting 25 swings and misses. If Hackenberg can do this regularly, he’s one of the better pitching prospects in baseball. But even if this was the best he’ll ever do, it was truly a special day. (JC)

2. Mikey Romero, SS, Red Sox

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

Why He’s Here: .625/.625/1.875 (5-for-8), 4 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 4 RBIs, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0-for-0 SB

The Scoop: The start of Romero’s professional career has been uneven and plagued with injuries. Last weekend, Romero showed signs of life returning from the all-star break. Romero hit three home runs over two games last weekend and put together a four-hit game on Sunday where he homered twice. Romero was viewed as a bat-first prospect entering pro-ball but has struggled to find his footing. This was a welcomed beginning of the second half for Romero and the Red Sox front office. (GP) 

3. Thomas Harrington, RHP, Pirates

Team: Double-A Altoona (Eastern)
Age: 23

Why He’s Here: 0-0, 1.50, 1 GS, 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 10 SO.

The Scoop: Until this month, Harrington could be described as a nice, consistent starting pitcher. He’d hit his spots. He’d throw strikes, but he wasn’t a guy who made hitters fear him. Harrington had never reached double-digit strikeouts in a start. He’d struck out 51 batters in 52.2 innings. But all of a sudden, Harrington is starting to look like the kind of pitcher who makes hitters sweat. He’s getting strikeouts at the top of the zone with his 93-95 mph fastball and he’s burying hitters with his mid-80s slider. Harrington is also fooling hitters with his mid-80s changeup. He has struck out 21 batters in his last two starts, and he’s showing he can get swings-and-misses in crucial moments. If he can sustain this, Harrington has found another gear. (JC)

4. Franklin Arias, SS, Red Sox 

Team: FCL Red Sox (Florida Complex) 
Age: 18 

Why He’s Here: .625/.700/1.000 (15-for-24), 10 R, 3 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBIs, 6 BB, 2 SO, 8-for-9 SB

The Scoop: Arias, one of the biggest risers in our last Red Sox Top 30 update, continued his breakout season last week with a big showing in the Florida Complex League. He has impressed scouts with his abilities on both sides of the ball. A solid defender at shortstop, Arias has also shown advanced skills with the bat. Last week, Arias collected hits in all seven games he played, including four multi-hit efforts. He homered in both legs of a doubleheader on Thursday against the Braves. He also logged three times as many walks as strikeouts. Arias is one of the most impressive players in the Red Sox lower levels and part of the team’s depth of middle infielders. (GP) 

5. Jackson Holliday, SS, Orioles

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

Why He’s Here: .500/.583/1.375 (4-for-8), 5 R, 1 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBIs, 2 BB, 2 SO, 1 SB.

The Scoop: Holliday returned to the field this weekend, playing two games at second base as his sore elbow has healed. More importantly, he’s finishing up a month that reminds everyone why he’s one of the best prospects in the game. Holliday is hitting .333/.492/.689 with 10 extra-base hits, 14 walks and 11 strikeouts in 61 plate appearances in July. He’s an exceptionally patient hitter, and when his timing is on, as it is now, he collects walks and hits in bunches. (JC)

6. Javier Sanoja, SS, Marlins

Team: Triple-A Jacksonville (International)
Age: 21

Why He’s Here: .455/.500/1.273 (5-for-11), 4 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 3 RBIs, 1 BB, 1 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: After a nondescript start to the year at Double-A Pensacola, Sanoja has busted out in a big way. The versatile defender has been excellent at Triple-A Jacksonville, where he has struck out just 17 times in 73 games. In fact, the 21-year-old Venezuelan has never struck out more than 50 times in a season. His three homers this past week doubled his season output with Jacksonville. Sanoja has seen time both at shortstop and in center field this season, and could be on track for his big league debut later in 2024. (JN)

7. Yoniel Curet, RHP, Rays

Team: High-A Bowling Green (South Atlantic)
Age: 21

Why He’s Here: 0-0, 3.60, 1 GS, 5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 11 SO.

The Scoop: Curet gave up three runs, two of which were earned, so you may wonder why he’s on the Hot Sheet. Those who watched his outing will understand. A two-base throwing error started off the inning, then Mikey Romero doubled in that runner on a ball that center fielder Ryan Cermak came in two steps before realizing he actually needed to go back toward the wall. A check-swing oops line drive drove in another run. Curet then struck out the next two batters. Romero did homer two innings later, but in yet another inning where Curet recorded three strikeouts. This was the first outing all year where Curet didn’t walk a batter. Curet’s development needs to speed up, as he’s still in High-A and he’s on the 40-man roster, but his lively fastball remains a special pitch. (JC)

8. Welbyn Francisca, SS, Guardians

Team: ACL Guardians
Age: 18

Why He’s Here: .688/.706/1.188 (11-for-16), 7 R, 5 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBIs, 1 BB, 1 SO, 2-for-2 SB

The Scoop: It took him a little while to get going, but Francisca has it cooking in the desert. One of the stars of the Dominican Summer League in 2023, Francisca produced an .830 OPS in June in the Arizona Complex League, including three home runs in 16 games. Turns out, that was just an appetizer. He’s been on a major tear in July, and so far has an absurd .519/.561/.827 slash line through a dozen games in the season’s final month. In July, he has more extra-base hits (10) than strikeouts (4). 

9. Jairo Iriarte, RHP, White Sox

Team: Double-A Birmingham (Southern)
Age: 22

Why He’s Here: 0-0, 0.00, 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Iriarte was part of the package the White Sox received from the Padres for Dylan Cease this past offseason. This year, the powerful righthander has been with Double-A Birmingham, which houses one of the best rotations in the country. Iriarte was gangbusters this past week, when he went five hitless frames with six strikeouts. The outing was a bit of a rebound after a rough patch that’s extended since late May. It was also his first start without allowing a run since April. (JN)

10. Brice Matthews, SS, Astros

Team: Double-A Corpus Christi (Texas) 
Age: 22 

Why He’s Here: .500/.571/1.083 (6-for-12), 4 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 2 RBIs, 1 BB, 5 SO, 2-for-2 SB

The Scoop: After a loud start to the season with High-A Asheville, Matthews struggled over his first 18 games with Double-A Corpus Christi. However, he returned from the all-star break with a bang. Matthews had three consecutive multi-hit games to kick off the second half. Beyond that, he homered in back to back games on Saturday and Sunday. Matthews’ standout game came on Sunday when he reached base three times, homered and stole two bases, as he showed off his full skill set. There’s still some worrisome swing-and-miss in Matthews’ profile but he shows strong on-base skills with power and speed. (GP) 

Helium

Jesus Made, SS, Brewers

Although he got just one at-bat in last Sunday’s Dominican Summer League all-star game, Made’s reviews from scouts are incredibly loud. The 17-year-old has excellent bat speed, above-average raw power, bat-to-ball skills and a knack for finding the barrel that belies his age. He’s a plus runner and has arm strength that borders on double-plus. If his body fills out too much, he might shift over to third base, where his arm strength and offensive skills would easily profile. His footspeed might fit in center field. Any potential change is years down the line. For now, Made fits as one of Milwaukee’s finest young prospects. (JN)