Tracking 2024 In-Season Top 100 Prospect Movement

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Image credit: Rangers RHP Kumar Rocker (Photo by Eddie Kelly / ProLook Photos)

Throughout the 2024 season, we’ll track the movement within the Baseball America Top 100 Prospects list.

Our September update is our fifth and final significant in-season update. So our readers can have a full understanding of all the moves, we’re tracking significant moves up or down, graduations and players who join each month. And we have a full list of where everyone ranked in each monthly update in a chart.

SEPTEMBER

Significant September Moves

See every new addition, riser, faller & graduate from the Top 100.

JULY

BIG MOVES UP IN THE JULY UPDATE

Carson Williams, SS, Rays (No. 13 to No. 9)

Williams’ stat line has dropped from exceptional to extremely good over the past month. That wasn’t a big shock, as we have noted that his underlying metrics hadn’t changed as much as his batting average or on-base percentage changed. But if anything, he has solidified his status as a top shortstop prospect. He’s hitting for average, getting on base, hitting for power, and he’s one of the better gloves at shortstop in the minors.

Jacob Wilson, SS, Athletics (No. 41 to No. 19)

Wilson is a career .411 MiLB hitter right now. It’s only been 272 plate appearances, and that average will surely drop, but the underlying stats behind those numbers are almost as hard to believe. The number of breaking balls he’s swung at and missed in the strike zone this year can be counted on one hand. He’ll chase a pitch out of the zone every now and then, but there’s almost no one in the minors who can come close to his contact ability on strikes. Wilson doesn’t hit the ball particularly hard, but he knows how to grip, rip and lift a pitch in the right situations, which is why he has a .200+ isolated power in his pro career. There’s some Nick Madrigal-esque components to Wilson’s game, but those are if Madrigal had become the player many hoped to see—a contact-hitting machine who could provide defensive value and occasional pop.

Xavier Isaac, 1B, Rays (No. 37 to No. 20)

Isaac’s physical transformation has been as impressive as his consistency in the batter’s box. A 260-pound first baseman in high school, Isaac has slimmed down dramatically while also getting stronger. He now turns in average run times, has 13 steals in 15 attempts this year and has made the corner outfield spots a potentially viable second option in addition to his work at first base. Even more importantly, he’s one of the most well-rounded hitters in Class A. He’s projected to hit for average and power.

Kevin McGonigle, SS/2B, Tigers (No. 64 to No. 26)

McGonigle is only 19, but he hits like he’s a 29-year-old. McGonigle has the wonderful combination of an understanding of the strike zone combined with the ability to rarely ever swing and miss at pitches in the strike zone. He’s been the best hitter in the Florida State League and he’s also 15-for-17 on stolen bases. The pairing of McGonigle and Max Clark give the Tigers a pair of young hitting prospects to dream on.

Kyle Teel, C, Red Sox (No. 43 to No. 27)

Teel has quickly established himself as one of the best catching prospects in the game. He’s athletic, he can handle the physical and mental demands of the position and he’s also capable of being a middle-of-the-order bat.

Brooks Lee, SS, Twins (No. 42 to No. 28)

Lee’s recurring back issues linger in the back of the mind like a nagging headache. There’s always the worry that they could derail what could be. But when Lee is healthy, like he is now, he also shows why it’s easy to imagine a healthy Lee racking up 2,000 hits over the next 20 years.

Lazaro Montes, OF, Mariners (No. 46 to No. 29)

Montes has hit his way to High-A Everett, but he’s also showing he’s a better athlete and outfielder than expected. He’s not going to make any Seattle fans forget Ken Griffey Jr.’s defense, but he’s demonstrating he’s a very playable corner outfielder. With his hitting ability, that should be more than enough.

Justin Crawford, OF, Phillies (No. 45 to No. 33)

Crawford just keeps impressing with a lot of professional at-bats to go with athleticism. He will likely never be a massive home run hitter, but he is steadily improving at tapping into his power.

Thomas White, LHP, Marlins (No. 70 to No. 43)

There aren’t many bright spots that will be remembered from the Marlins’ 2024 season, but the development of White and Noble Meyer does provide some hope.

Luke Keaschall, 2B/OF, Twins (No. 63 to No. 48)

Keaschall keeps bouncing between center field, second base and DH as the Twins try to figure out where he best fits defensively. But no one mentions his glove when bringing up Keaschall, because he projects to be a plus hitter with average power. Keaschall doesn’t give pitchers a lot of ways to get him out. He can catch up to a fastball, but he also recognizes spin and destroys a changeup if the pitcher tips it at all. And he has a solid awareness of how to lay off pitches out of the zone. He’s the kind of grinder who pitchers hate, but it’s a hate born from respect.

Bubba Chandler, RHP, Pirates (No. 68 to No. 51)

Chandler’s stuff and consistency has ticked up. Over the past month he has a 35-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 25.1 innings. He’s looking more like a starter, and he’s showing the ability to dominate that has long been expected of him.

Quinn Mathews, LHP, Cardinals (No. 95 to No. 53)

Early this season, Mathews dominated Low-A, but it’s hard to be impressed when a polished college pitcher dominates the Florida State League. A bump up to the Midwest League didn’t slow him down at all. Now he’s impressing in the Double-A Texas League, and showing his stuff plays against more experienced hitters.

Zebby Matthews, RHP, Twins (No. 97 to No. 54)

In his first 12 outings this year, Matthews has yet to walk two batters in any game. He’s thrown 70% strikes in every one of his last eight starts. He’s a control artist, but he also has the ability to reach back for 99 mph when he needs it, and he has a trio of quality secondary offerings.

Ralphy Velazquez, 1B, Guardians (No. 81 to No. 57)

The Guardians moved Velazquez from catcher to first base right after drafting him. With reduced defensive demands, Velazquez’s bat has stood out. He projects to hit for average and power, and his body has improved as well.

Big Moves Down In The July Update

Colson Montgomery, SS, White Sox (No. 11 to No. 30)

Montgomery is quite young for Triple-A, so it’s easy to be patient with his early-season struggles. Unfortunately for Montgomery and the White Sox, they haven’t gone away. Charlotte is an outstanding hitter’s park which has disguised some of Montgomery’s issues. Away from Charlotte, he’s hitting .181/.311/.370 this year. Montgomery still regularly demonstrates his plus power and he knows how to draw a walk, but he looks like a player who will need a year and a half at Triple-A before he’s big league ready.

Aidan Miller, SS, Phillies (No. 20 to No. 39)

Miller’s first month in High-A has been much rougher than any part of Miller’s dominating start in the Florida State League. It’s not a giant surprise, but Miller needs to show he can catch up to High-A pitching.

Harry Ford, C, Mariners (No. 44 to No. 72)

Ford continues to show he can get on-base. But the rest of his game has yet to make the same strides. He’s slugging .377 in the Texas League, which is just above the league average. He is extremely athletic for a catcher. He’s even stolen 21 bases in 27 tries. His defense remains a work in progress.

Spencer Jones, OF, Yankees (No. 50 to No. 73)

Jones is a streaky hitter who can have a week where he carries a team. The concern is he also has weeks where he strikes out in 40% or more of his plate appearances. He’s striking out 35.9% of the time in 2024. Jones has long levers and a big strike zone, but he sometimes makes it even bigger by chasing pitches above and below the zone. If Jones can work a count to get a pitch on the inner third or middle of the zone, he can punish it. He’s hitting .346/.344/.631 in those zones. But he’s hitting only .226/.219/.290 on pitches on the outer third of the strike zone, and he’s struggled against breaking balls.

Orelvis Martinez, 2B/3B, Blue Jays (No. 51 to No. 74)

Martinez had just made it to the majors when he was suspended for 80 games for a violation of performance enhancing drug rules.

Players Added To The Top 100

Jaden Hamm, RHP, Tigers

Hamm is at this point the second-best pitching prospect in the Tigers’ system, trailing only the best pitching prospect in baseball (Jackson Jobe). He’s a fast riser who should at least be a quality reliever, but with a solid chance to carve out a role as a solid mid-rotation starter.

Kristian Campbell, 2B, Red Sox

The Red Sox farm system has gotten significantly better in the past couple of years, and Campbell looks to be one of the best surprise success stories. He has an unconventional swing, but it really works.

Yanquiel Fernandez, OF, Rockies

Fernandez is another example of how players at the back of the 100 can hop on and off. We try to not overreact one way or the other, but we also want to respond to the feedback we can from scouts and front office officials. Early this season, we heard worries about Fernandez’s approach. As the weather warms up, we’re hearing more about his still potent power potential.

Alex Freeland, SS, Dodgers

Oh look. It’s another Dodgers hitting prospect. Freeland was a third-round pick in 2022. There were questions about whether a club-foot he had repaired as a child would limit his mobility, but it’s not slowing Freeland down at all. The switch-hitter is impressing scouts both as a hitter and in the field, where he’s Tulsa’s everyday shortstop. 

David Festa, RHP, Twins

Festa joins Zebby Matthews, C.J. Culpepper and Simeon Woods Richardson in giving the Twins a number of pitching development success stories in 2024. Festa doesn’t throw as hard as Matthews, who is covered above in the Top 100 risers, but his fastball has life at the top of the zone, and he projects as a solid, MLB-ready starting pitcher.

Hayden Birdsong, RHP, Giants

Birdsong has made it to the majors for the suddenly pitching-needy Giants. Ideally, he’ll get some more time in Triple-A, as his big-league callup came after just nine innings in the Pacific Coast League. Birdsong may not be fully ready just yet, but he’s been one of the Giants’ best success stories of the past two seasons and projects as a mid-rotation MLB starter.

Felnin Celesten, SS, Mariners

Seattle’s bounty of young hitting prospects keeps multiplying. Michael Arroyo, Aidan Smith and others will have to wait for their Top 100 Prospects nod, but Celestin has bullied his way onto the list by being one of the standouts of the Arizona Complex League.

Shane Baz, RHP, Rays

Baz dropped off because he didn’t look as sharp and his stuff wasn’t as firm in his return from Tommy John surgery. He’s still not at his pre-surgery best, but his arsenal is headed in that direction, and he’s been much more consistent in his last few starts. The Rays actually have more starters than spots at this moment, but with the trade deadline looming, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a spot open up. Baz seems ready to take it.

Braxton Ashcraft, RHP, Pirates

The Pirates have promoted Jared Jones and Paul Skenes to the MLB rotation. Ashcraft looks to be next up, with Bubba Chandler following behind him. The Pirates’ pitching development has been a success story this year, which has helped the team hover around .500 despite offensive struggles. Ashcraft had improved his slider to go with a plus fastball.

Henry Bolte, OF, Athletics

Bolte has more tools than a Harbor Freight store, but he’s shown he’s able to add some skills and savvy to go with his power and speed.

James Triantos, OF, Cubs

The jump to Double-A has proven to be no problem for Triantos. If anything he looks to be a better hitter against more advanced pitching while also showing the ability to rack up stolen bases.

Gary Gill Hill, RHP, Rays

Gill Hill is one of the breakout prospects of the first half of the 2024 season. A pitcher in Low-A is a risky proposition. A pitcher in Low-A who had relatively pedestrian stuff a year ago is even riskier. But Gill Hill now shows three above-average or better pitches with a fastball that touches 98 mph, a pair of breaking balls and a changeup that is advanced for his age.

Graduated

Paul Skenes, RHP, Pirates

Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF, Cubs

Noelvi Marte, 3B, Reds

Dropped Out

Hurston Waldrep, RHP, Braves

Waldrep was placed on the injured list with a sore elbow after two rough starts in Double-A.

Jordan Beck, OF, Rockies

Beck has been out for a month and a half with a hand injury after struggling in his first exposure to major league pitching.

Luis Perales, RHP, Red Sox

Perales will miss the rest of 2024 and likely much of 2025 after suffering an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery.

Robby Snelling, LHP, Padres

Snelling dominated the Midwest League last year on his way to earning BA’s MiLB Pitcher of the Year award. The Texas League has proven to be a much bigger challenge. Snelling’s 6.46 ERA is second-worst among Texas League qualifiers. His .306 opponents average is third-worst among Texas League pitchers. And his .533 slugging percentage is worst in the Texas League. Snelling’s stuff has taken a step back this year, and he’s proving much more hittable. He’s young and many young pitching prospects have a setback like this before making adjustments and regrouping (see MacKenzie Gore’s 2021 season as an example). But he needs to regroup.

Zac Veen, OF, Rockies

Veen may be on a brief departure before returning to the Top 100. He’s on a rehab assignment after spending the past five weeks on the injury list, after having his 2023 season wrecked by injuries. Veen’s dropping is partly to get other prospects onto the 100. The difference between being on and off the list at the back of the 100 is a narrow margin.

Robert Gasser, LHP, Brewers

Gasser was great in five starts with the Brewers. Unfortunately he’s blown out his elbow and just had Tommy John surgery, which will sideline him until late in the 2025 season at the minimum. Gasser remains a solid pitching prospect, but it’s hard to stick at the back of the Top 100 when you have to come back from major surgery.

Adam Mazur, RHP, Padres

Mazur made it up to the majors, but big league hitters gave him a lengthy to-do list for when he returned to Triple-A. The shocking development was Mazur’s 16.5% walk rate. He’s had a 4.3% walk rate in his MiLB career. But Mazur doesn’t really have an out pitch in the majors, which meant he had to nibble a lot more.

Cade Cavalli, RHP, Nationals

Cavalli’s return from Tommy John surgery hit another setback as he’s missed time with the flu. Cavalli’s stuff has been solid in his post-Tommy John return, but he’s thrown just 8.1 innings in six weeks since he first returned to the mound.

Victor Scott, OF, Cardinals

Scott hit .323 in the Texas League last year while tying for the MiLB lead in stolen bases. After a stint in the majors, he’s hitting .209/.282/.284 this year at Triple-A Memphis. He’s a better hitter than that, but he needs to chase fewer pitches out of the zone.

June

Big Moves Up In The June Update

Paul Skenes, RHP, Pirates (Up 4 Spots In The Top 10): Skenes’ MLB debut has been about as impressive as could have been imagined. He’ll graduate in roughly five starts, but he’s a comfortable No. 1 prospect until then.

Noah Schultz, LHP, White Sox (Up 17 Spots): Schultz has struck out 40% of all batters he has faced this year. Few lefty starters can match his combination of fastball velocity (mid 90s and touching 97-98) and a devastating slider that he can throw for strikes or out of the zone on command. Chicago has kept him on very tight pitch limits, which is the biggest concern. He hasn’t demonstrated an ability to shoulder MLB-style starter workloads yet.

Marcelo Mayer, SS, Red Sox (Up 8 Spots): Mayer has shown that his second-half struggles in 2023 were largely because of an injured wrist. He remains one of the best shortstop prospects in the game.

Carson Williams, SS, Rays (Up 15 Spots): Williams is a sure-fire shortstop defensively, and he has long shown power potential. The biggest question has been his bat-to-ball skills and pure hitting ability. His .297 average is third best in the Southern League, and he’s first in the league in slugging percentage, extra-base hits, doubles and total bases and is second in triples and home runs. There are still some concerns about whether he’s a fringe-average or average hitter, but he’s alleviating concerns that his bat could hold him back.

Colt Emerson, SS, Mariners (Up 21 Spots): In our reporting to build the June update, no prospect (other than Aidan Miller) got more positive feedback than Emerson. He’s not a slam dunk to stay at shortstop, but he’s sure to stay at a premium position defensively, and he projects as an above-average hitter wherever he plays. He’s dealing with a fracture because he fouled a ball off his foot, but that shouldn’t derail his season.

Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF, Twins (Up 23 Spots): Rodriguez is a divisive prospect because he’s so extreme in his approach. No prospect swings less than Rodriguez. That leads to strikeouts and walks, but when he does swing Rodriguez hits plenty of stung line drives and home runs.

Aidan Miller, SS, Phillies (Up 52 Spots): Miller is the breakout prospect of the first half of the 2024 MiLB season. He missed time in his senior season of high school with a hamate injury. Now that he’s fully healthy, he is showing why he was considered one of the best hitters in the 2023 prep class.

Tink Hence, RHP, Cardinals (Up 36 Spots): The ranking was updated before Hence left his June 5 start early and walked to the clubhouse with a trainer. Few MiLB pitchers can match Hence’s pure stuff, and he’s showing the feel to set up hitters to go with that stuff.

Chase Dollander, RHP, Rockies (Up 22 Spots): Dollander so far looks more like the dominating 2022 starter than the 2023 less consistent starter. It’s an encouraging start.

Christian Scott, RHP, Mets (Up 29 Spots): Scott’s MLB debut has been everything that could have been expected or hoped, even if the Mets have briefly sent him back to Triple-A. Scott projects more as a durable mid-to-back of the rotation starter than an ace, but there’s plenty of value to that, especially for a pitcher who is ready to handle that role.

Xavier Isaac, 1B, Rays (Up 13 Spots): Isaac is a first base-only prospect. That’s a demographic rarely cracks the Top 50, but Isaac is an advanced hitter with big-time power. He’s convincing a lot of skeptical scouts.

Lazaro Montes, OF, Mariners (Up 30 Spots): Montes is never going to provide a ton of defensive value, but if a corner outfielder/DH/first base type can mash, that becomes less of an issue–see Yordan Alvarez for an example. Montes has the rare ability to hit for average and power as a long-levered, impressive physical specimen.

Starlyn Caba, SS, Phillies (Up 39 Spots): Even with Andrew Painter on the injured list and Mick Abel struggling, it’s been an excellent start to the season for Phillies prospects.

Kyle Manzardo, 1B, Guardians (Up 19 Spots): Manzardo is a split-camp prospect, but he’s playing regularly in Cleveland and could graduate before next month’s update.

Moises Ballesteros, C, Cubs (Up 24 Spots): Some evaluators question whether Ballesteros is too big to catch. There are fewer questions about his bat, as he’s marrying solid swing decisions with big power.

Jonny Farmelo, OF, Mariners (Up 34 Spots): Picking your favorite Low-A Modesto prospect is a challenging task. Three of them cracked this list of prospects who have taken big steps up. Farmelo is a very promising hitter with solid athleticism.

Kevin Alcantara, OF, Cubs (Up 20 Spots): His stats so far this year are solid but unspectacular, but in our reporting we got feedback that Alcantara’s steadily improving approach and big tools were worth a bump.

Logan Evans, RHP, Mariners (Up 14 Spots): If you’re finding flaws, Evans may lack a true strikeout pitch, but his slider is plus and he mixes pitches, works down in the zone and has plus control. Add it all up and he should be a durable, reliable starting pitcher.

Big Moves Down In The June Update

Max Clark, OF, Tigers (Down -13 Spots): Clark is one of the most decorated prep hitters of the last few draft cycles. A twitchy center fielder with strong contact skills and projectable power, there’s still a lot to like about Clark’s future. He’s still showing those strong plate skills as a professional, but the lack of impact in his bat has some scouts worried it’s just fringe-average power.

Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF, Cubs (Down -13 Spots): Few evaluators question Crow-Armstrong’s elite defensive chops in center field but his bat has many concerned. While Crow-Armstrong has the ability to flash a dynamic power and speed combination, his habit of expanding the zone far too often likely limits his offensive impact. While Crow-Armstrong dropped, it was more of a recalibration of prospect stock on an easy future everyday regular.

Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Brewers (Down -27 Spots): Misiorowski’s prospect stock soared like a rocket in 2023 as he climbed into the top 25 of the Top 100. Unfortunately, Misiorowski’s command has gone from a concern to a major worry for evaluators. Misiorowski has made 15 starts dating back to 2023 and he has continually struggled to throw strikes. Over 10 starts this season, Misiorowski has walked 18% of the batters he’s faced.

Spencer Jones, OF, Yankees (Down -26 Spots): Jones’ combination of size and tools is nearly unmatched, but his swing-and-miss issues have led to questions about whether he’ll hit major league pitching. Jones started the season on the injury list and has been a slow starter with the Yankees’ Double-A affiliate in Somerset. Jones still possesses exciting upside with easy plus-plus power and athleticism. He needs to refine his contact skills to get the most out of his tools.

Robby Snelling, LHP, Padres (Down -47 Spots): Snelling enjoyed a meteoric rise, going from Nevada prep pick to Baseball America’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year in a little over a year. His start to 2024 hasn’t been so stupendous. Over nine starts with Double-A San Antonio, Snelling has struck out just 19.5% of batters he’s faced while walking 10.8% of hitters. Evaluators have questions around the quality of Snelling’s stuff, with a fastball that sits just 92-93 mph with dead-zone shape. Snelling’s two primary secondaries have also missed a below-average amount of bats this season.

Ricky Tiedemann, LHP, Blue Jays (Down -19 Spots): Few players received as much move up feedback from industry sources as Tiedemann prior to his May injury last year. Since then, he’s shown flashes of dominance while rising to the top 25 of the list, but far too often he’s on the injury list. The concern around Tiedemann’s health has many high-level decision makers throughout the game concerned about his long-term viability as a starter.

Bubba Chandler, RHP, Pirates (Down -16 Spots): Drafted as a two-way prep standout from the Georgia prep ranks, the Pirates have developed Chandler as a pitcher. There’s good reason behind this logic, as Chandler possesses an easy plus fastball sitting 95-97 mph with well above-average vertical break and a low release height. Despite jaw-dropping stuff, Chandler’s command has limited him from consistent success as a starter. In 2024, Chandler is walking 13.3% of batters he’s faced this season. Chandler’s command woes have led many evaluators throughout the game to place a future relief role on Chandler.

Brady House, 3B, Nationals (Down -36 Spots): House’s resurgent 2023 campaign put House’s injury issues in the rear view mirror, but 2024 hasn’t been quite so friendly. House is hitting .236/.322/.421 over 49 Double-A games with a 29.2% strikeout rate. House’s average plate skills have bottomed out this season as he’s running a high whiff rate and a fringy chase rate. Evaluators across the game have been less than impressed with House’s hitting ability and question how much impact he’ll have long term.

Luis Morales, RHP, Athletics (Down -24 Spots): Morales is among the most exciting prospects in the Athletics farm system. Signed out of Cuba for $3 million in January of 2023. After an exciting professional debut in 2023, Morales has had an inconsistent season. Morales began the year on the injury list with shoulder fatigue and his swing and miss stuff has been noticeably absent since he returned. Morales still has tantalizing upside but the 2024 season has provided a reason for recalibration.

Victor Scott II, OF, Cardinals (Down -20 Spots): Scott was rushed to the big leagues to begin the 2024 season due to a rash of injuries to the Cardinals starting outfield corps. Scott looked overmatched against big league pitching and was jettisoned to Triple-A Memphis. Since his demotion Scott has struggled to hit the ball with impact and is hitting .216/.307/.321 over 36 games with Memphis. Many believe that Scott will settle in, as his contact skills show strong underlying traits, but there’s a need to adjust expectations around the speedy outfielder.

Moving On

Luis Perales, RHP, Red Sox (No. 57)

Angel Genao, SS, Guardians (No. 65)

Luke Keaschall, 2B, Twins (No. 66)

Kevin McGonigle, SS, Tigers (No. 67)

Thomas White, LHP, Marlins (No. 73)

Ralphy Velazquez, 1B, Guardians (No. 84)

Spencer Schwellenbach, RHP, Braves (No. 92)

Blade Tidwell, RHP, Mets (No. 94)

Brandon Sproat, RHP, Mets (No. 97)

Quinn Mathews, LHP, Cardinals (No. 98)

Cade Povich, LHP, Orioles (No. 99)

Zebby Matthews, RHP, Twins (No. 100)

You can read about all 12 additions here.

Graduated

Jackson Chourio, OF, Brewers

Evan Carter, OF, Rangers

Wyatt Langford, OF, Rangers

Jackson Merrill, OF, Padres

Colt Keith, 3B, Tigers

Austin Wells, C, Yankees

Tyler Soderstrom, C, Athletics

Jared Jones, RHP, Pirates

Andy Pages, OF, Dodgers

Dropped Out

Dylan Lesko, RHP, Padres: The expectation was that Lesko would show the command and control he’d had before his Tommy John surgery to go with the stuff that returned in his late-2023 return. Unfortunately for Lesko, that hasn’t happened. He’s throwing strikes on just 55% of his pitches, far below the typical 61-63% seen from starting pitchers and a drop from the 60% he threw in 2023. His plus changeup is still effective, but he has to regain the feel for his fastball. He’s not getting hit hard, but his control is currently well below-average and has to improve.

Mick Abel, RHP, Phillies: Abel’s command is going to have to improve for him to be a big league starter, but this spring he’s added another issue–his stuff is just not what it once was. He’s now sitting 93-94 and topping out at 95-96, where he once sat 95 and touched 99. With less arm speed and below-average control, there’s a lot remaining on his to-do list.

Shane Baz, RHP, Rays: We kept Baz on the Top 100 for a year and a half as he rehabbed for Tommy John surgery. He finally returned to the field in early May, but so far he hasn’t looked like the dominating pitcher he was pre-injury. His stuff is a tick down in velocity and sharpness so far. Post-surgery rust for a pitcher is not uncommon, but the feedback we received was to drop him off for now and circle back if and when his stuff returns to his pre-injury form.

Roderick Arias, SS, Yankees: Arias was a pick-to-click among scouts, coaches and front office officials who saw him dominate the Florida Complex League last season. That ardor has cooled as he’s found the Florida State League to be much tougher to handle. He was one of the players who received the most consistent feedback from evaluators to drop off the Top 100. He’s still very young and could bounce back, but he’s not a Top 100 Prospect at this time.

Tekoah Roby, RHP, Cardinals: In a return to the Texas League, Roby has regressed. He’s giving up more hard contact, walking more hitters and struggling with consistency. His stuff isn’t all that much different from 2023, so the hope is he’ll bounce back, but it’s been a rough first half of the season.

Termarr Johnson, 2B, Pirates: Johnson drew rave reviews as a hitter in high school. He was viewed by many scouts as one of the best pure hitters they’d seen in years. No one is saying that in 2024. Johnson still draws walks, but he’s neither hitting the ball with authority nor spraying contact all around the field. For a bat-first infielder, that’s a worrisome trend. The hope is that he’ll regain his timing and confidence at the plate, but a .205/.381/.343 slash line in High-A is less than was expected.

Connor Phillips, RHP, Reds: It’s been a rough year for a number of Reds’ prospects, but few have had it rougher than Phillips. His 8.49 walks per nine innings are the worst in the full season minors. In most of his outings, he doesn’t have any pitch that he commands well enough to turn to when he falls behind in counts. Until he throws more strikes, he’s further from the majors than he was in 2023.

Thomas Saggese, 2B, Cardinals: Saggese is a bat-first infielder with versatility. His spot on the Top 100 was based on him being one of the better hitting close-to-the-majors infielders. Saggese’s underlying metrics are better than his .228/.298/.394 stats for Triple-A Memphis may indicate, but the margins at the back of the Top 100 are thin, and we had a number of players we wanted to add to the 100.

Yanquiel Fernandez, OF, Rockies: As Fernandez has gotten more upper-level exposure, he’s yet to show that he can adjust to pitchers who feed him a steady diet of breaking balls and changeups. He’ll kill a fastball in the zone, but he has to show he can also handle soft stuff away to be enough of a hitter to get to his power.

Cam Collier, 3B, Reds: We slid Collier back on when he showed signs of an improved approach and better ability to do damage by pulling the ball in the air. Given another month, some of the same issues from 2023 are still apparent. He struggles to put together competitive at-bats against lefties (.127/.143/.255 with a 34% strikeout rate) and he’s reverted to hitting way too many grounders that are pounded into the dirt just ahead of home plate. As one pro scouting director put it, his still-young age for the level is doing a lot of the heavy lifting for his prospect status.

George Lombard Jr., SS, Yankees: We were probably a little hasty with adding Lombard. The reports out of spring training were excellent and Lombard has a chance to be a very well-rounded prospect. But he’s yet to make a lot of impact at the plate. He slides back into the “keep an eye on” category for now.

May

Big Moves Up In The May Update

James Wood, OF, Nationals (Up 2 Spots In The Top 10): Wood continues to show solid improvement in the plate discipline skills that were his to-do list to be big league ready. The competition between him and Dylan Crews for No. 1 prospect status in the Nationals system remains a tight one, but Wood is younger, has louder tools and is performing better at a level higher than Crews.

Jared Jones, RHP, Pirates (Up 16 Spots): Pretty much every pitcher in the Top 100 aspires to do what Jones is doing currently in the major leagues. We didn’t put him above Skenes, and so he’ll likely graduate without ascending to “top pitching prospect in baseball” status, but it’s hard to argue any other pitcher in the minors should rank ahead of him considering Jones’ combination of exceptional stuff, solid control and big league success.

Mason Miller, RHP, Athletics (Up 8 Spots): Miller is showing he can be one of the best relievers n baseball. There are still durability concerns, but if Miller can stay healthy, he should dominate ninth innings for years to come.

Max Meyer, RHP, Marlins (Up 34 Spots): Coming into the year, there were questions about whether Meyer could show he was as good or even better than he was pre-injury. Meyer answered those questions with several impressive MLB starts before a puzzling demotion to the minors that’s aimed to reduce his workload.

Jefferson Rojas, SS, Cubs (Up 45 Spots): Rojas has drawn rave reviews during spring training and early in the Midwest League season.

Jacob Wilson, SS, Athletics (Up 19 Spots): We were a little skeptical about Wilson’s bat coming out of 2023. He’s shown so far that he can handle the aggressive assignment to Double-A Midland. He has a very aggressive, contact-oriented approach, but it’s working for him, and his defense is solid.

Christian Scott, RHP, Mets (Up 31 Spots): Scott has been one of the fastest risers of the early season, as he’s managed to maintain all of his best attributes (control, feel for pitching) while steadily improving his stuff. He’s knocking on the door of a big league callup.

Orelvis Martinez, 2B/3B, Blue Jays (Up 18 Spots): Martinez’s power potential has long been lauded, but he’s steadily improved at his ability to make consistent contact on hittable pitches.

Tink Hence, RHP, Cardinals (Up 11 Spots): Hence keeps shoving and keeps showing why he’s on of the better pitching prospects in baseball.

Jordan Beck, OF, Rockies (Up 20 Spots): Beck received an April promotion to the big leagues. He has a nice blend of power and athleticism that should fit well in Coors Field’s cavernous outfield.

Aidan Miller, SS, Phillies (Up 16 Spots): Miller has gotten off to a good start at the plate, which was to be expected. His defense has looked better than expected so far.

Kyle Manzardo, 1B, Guardians (Up 12 Spots): Manzardo is doing everything he can to push for a spot in the Guardians’ lineup and

Big Moves Down In The May Update

Brooks Lee, SS, Twins (Down 14 Spots): Lee’s injury risk was the biggest concern surrounding him when he was draft eligible. Now he’s sidelined with a back injury that could be a long-term concenr.

Ricky Tiedemann, LHP, Blue Jays (Down 34 Spots): Tiedemann’s stuff is special when he’s healthy. But he’s on the injured list once again with elbow issues. Durability is the biggest concern with Tiedemann, and those concerns are only heightened now.

A.J. Smith-Shawver, RHP, Braves (Down 25 Spots): Smith-Shawver has gone from the Braves’ rotation to struggling in Triple-A.

Noble Meyer, RHP, Marlins (Down 22 Spots): Meyer’s control has been less than expected in the early going this year.

Hurston Waldrep, RHP, Braves (Down 20 Spots): Waldrep reached Triple-A in 2023. This year, he’s started the season by getting regularly shelled in Double-A. His velocity hasn’t dipped, but his fastball is much too hittable.

Marco Luciano, SS, Giants (Down 10 Spots): Luciano’s surface-level numbers look fine, but his lack of power production, especially for a hitter in the Pacific Coast League who has already spent a week in Reno, is puzzling.

Mick Abel, RHP, Phillies (Down 13 Spots): Young pitchers don’t always develop linearly. Abel seems to have stagnated, as he continues to struggle to put away hitters. He’s only 22, so there’s plenty of time to fix this issue, but ideally we’d see more improvement already.

Termarr Johnson, 2B, Pirates (Down 12 Spots): As a second baseman, Johnson is going to need to hit a lot to justify a Top 100 spot. In a return to High-A Greensboro, he hasn’t taken a step forward yet.

Victor Scott II, OF, Cardinals (Down 10 Spots): Don’t worry too much about Scott’s struggles in a brief big league stint, but it was a sign he needs some more minor league time.

Dylan Lesko, RHP, Padres (Down 50 Spots): We hoped that Lesko’s control and command troubles in 2023 were based around him shaking off rust after Tommy John surgery. Instead, the control problems have gotten even worse this year. Lesko has a 51% strike rate this year, which is about as low as you’ll ever find for a minor league starter.

Roderick Arias, SS, Yankees (Down 31 Spots): This is Arias’ first exposure to full-season baseball, but a 37% strikeout rate wasn’t expected. The hope is this is a hiccup as he adjusts to a new level.

Tyler Soderstrom, C, Athletics (Down 21 Spots): Soderstrom’s defense behind the plate remains in question.

Connor Phillips, RHP, Reds (Down 27 Spots): Phillips’ control isn’t helped by Triple-A’s ABS system, but he has to throw more strikes more consistently to get back to the majors.

Moving On

Edgar Quero, C, White Sox: Quero has impressed in the early going both at and behind the plate.

Caden Dana, RHP, Angels: Dana has handled a very aggressive assignment to Double-A Rocket City with aplomb.

Jaison Chourio, OF, Guardians: Chourio keeps getting better and better, and now joins his brother Jackson on the Top 100, just before his brother graduates.

Graduated

Evan Carter, OF, Rangers

Kyle Harrison, LHP, Giants

Colton Cowser, OF, Orioles

Michael Busch, 1B, Cubs

Brayan Rocchio, SS, Guardians

Gavin Stone, RHP, Dodgers

Nolan Schanuel, 1B, Angels

Curtis Mead, 2B, Rays

DL Hall, LHP, Brewers

Ceddane Rafaela, OF/SS, Red Sox

Dropped Out

Everson Pereira, OF, Yankees: Pereira’s contact issues remain a concern. He misses way too may hittable pitches.

Chase Hampton, RHP, Yankees: Hampton remains sidelined by injury. When you’re at the back of the Top 100, that’s enough to sometimes drop you off so other players can join the 100.

April

Big Moves Up In The April Update

James Wood, OF, Nationals (Up 3 Spots Into The Top 10): Wood was one of the best hitters in spring training, flashing the tools that have long made him a premium prospect.

Jackson Jobe, RHP, Tigers (Up 8 Spots): Jobe already ranked among the best pitching prospects in the game, but the feedback from his spring outings led us to now bump him up to the second highest ranked pitching prospect in the game behind Paul Skenes.

Jared Jones, RHP, Pirates (Up 48 Spots): The scouting feedback on Jones’ improvements during the 2023 season was quite strong, but even with that, his step forward this spring was eye-opening. Jones’ fastball and slider are both present plus pitches, which makes him a valuable part of the Pirates’ rotation.

Rhett Lowder, RHP, Reds (Up 18 Spots): Lowder didn’t pitch in a pro game after he signed in 2023. His spring appearances have been encouraging and offer hints that he could move quickly.

Josue De Paula, OF, Dodgers (Up 46 Spots): De Paula has advanced bat-to-ball skills for his age, and is now showing he’s getting to more of his excellent raw power.

Brayan Rocchio, SS, Guardians (Up 26 Spots): Rocchio won a competitive battle to be the Guardians’ everyday shortstop. He’ll graduate soon, but he gets a bump up the list before he does.

Gavin Stone, RHP, Dodgers (Up 17 Spot): Stone was excellent this spring and won the Dodgers’ fifth starter job. He is three starts away from graduating.

Big Moves Down In The April Update

Noelvi Marte, 3B, Reds (Down 10 Spots): Since we last ranked Marte, he’s been suspended for testing positive for a performance enhancing drug. It doesn’t derail his long-term potential, but it is a cause for some concern.

Chase Hampton, RHP, Yankees (Down 19 Spots): Hampton is on the injured list with a sore shoulder.

Graduated

Masyn Winn, SS, Cardinals

Dropped Out

Nick Frasso, RHP, Dodgers: Frasso will miss the 2024 season with a torn labrum.

Robert Gasser, RHP, Brewers: Gasser went on the injured list with an elbow injury.

Here’s a full look at how our Top 100 has changed with each monthly update. In-between movement during a month to account for graduations is not reflected.

JAn. 16april 5may 2june 5july 3aug. 1sept. 3playerposteam
111222Gr.Jackson HollidaySSOrioles
222Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Jackson ChourioOFBrewers
3334331Junior Caminero3BRays
44Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Evan CarterOFRangers
554Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Wyatt LangfordOFRangers
6675444Dylan CrewsOFNationals
79911111113Jordan LawlarSSD-backs
8101013151618Ethan SalasCPadres
9761Gr.Gr.Gr.Paul SkenesRHPPirates
10111118161714Samuel BasalloCOrioles
118531120James WoodOFNationals
1213132018207Andrew PainterRHPPhillies
13141476611Walker JenkinsOFTwins
14212110101040Marcelo MayerSSRed Sox
1515161230346Colson MontgomerySSWhite Sox
161617877Jasson DominguezOFYankees
171715Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Jackson MerrillOFPadres
18202030Gr.Gr.Gr.Pete Crow-ArmstrongOFCubs
19191929252921Max ClarkOFTigers
2012126553Jackson JobeRHPTigers
2118181917182Roman AnthonyOFRed Sox
222255697685Ricky TiedemannLHPBlue Jays
23333735Gr.Gr.Gr.Noelvi Marte3BReds
24232225313544Cade HortonRHPCubs
2524231712129Coby Mayo3BOrioles
2625Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Kyle HarrisonLHPGiants
27272468Gr.Gr.Gr.Robby SnellingLHPPadres
282825Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Colt Keith3BTigers
29292631353947Chase DeLauterOFGuardians
30302732364048Jett WilliamsSSMets
31312833374145Matt ShawSSCubs
32342952566462Jacob MisiorowskiRHPBrewers
33353836404449Jeferson QueroCBrewers
3432Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Colton CowserOFOrioles
35384945283233Brooks LeeSSTwins
363932343842Dr.Adael AmadorSSRockies
37403314998Carson WilliamsSSRays
384188Dr.Dr.Dr.Dr.Dylan LeskoRHPPadres
39Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Masyn WinnSSCardinals
40363098810Noah SchultzLHPWhite Sox
41433623232642Heston KjerstadOFOrioles
424466727786Dr.AJ Smith-ShawverRHPBraves
4345Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Michael Busch1BCubs
44463937414752Cole YoungSSMariners
454735Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Mason MillerRHPAthletics
463731537381Spencer JonesOFYankees
47484038424854Owen CaissieOFCubs
48496770637168Noble MeyerRHPMarlins
49526856Dr.Dr.Dr.Hurston WaldrepRHPBraves
50534326323627Dalton RushingCDodgers
51635347728071Harry FordCMariners
52504115131412Colt EmersonSSMariners
53554416141515Emmanuel RodriguezOFTwins
54565651495555Sebastian WalcottSSRangers
55575081788782Brady House3BNationals
566469757179Dr.Marco LucianoSSGiants
57586050556237Bryce Eldridge1BGiants
58594541455169Drew ThorpeRHPWhite Sox
59606171515722Bubba ChandlerRHPPirates
60423428343828Rhett LowderRHPReds
6161512424275Chase DollanderRHPRockies
62625246273125Kyle TeelCRed Sox
63665448333746Justin CrawfordOFPhillies
646778Dr.Dr.Dr.Dr.Mick AbelRHPPhillies
6579Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Curtis Mead3BRays
666857Dr.96Gr.Gr.Shane BazRHPRays
6780Dr.Dr.Dr.Dr.Dr.Everson PereiraOFYankees
686994Dr.Dr.Dr.Dr.Roderick AriasSSYankees
69705840202234Xavier Isaac1BRays
708165595866Dr.Tyler Black3BBrewers
717159Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Austin WellsCYankees
7291Dr.Dr.Dr.Dr.Dr.Chase HamptonRHPYankees
738295Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Tyler SoderstromCAthletics
74268Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Jared JonesRHPPirates
757270Dr.Dr.Dr.Dr.Tekoah RobyRHPCardinals
7673484419#N/A16Jacob WilsonSSAthletics
777480Dr.Dr.Dr.Dr.Termarr Johnson2BPirates
787596Dr.Dr.Dr.Dr.Connor PhillipsRHPReds
798675938494Dr.Luis MoralesRHPAthletics
8054Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Brayan RocchioSSGuardians
81767178677573Jace Jung2BTigers
8265Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Gavin StoneRHPDodgers
83778195Dr.Dr.Dr.Victor Scott IIOFCardinals
84836422212531Tink HenceRHPCardinals
858472Dr.Dr.Dr.Thomas Saggese2BCardinals
8678Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Nolan Schanuel1BAngels
87858276657375Ronny Mauricio2BMets
888773796876Dr.Jacob MeltonOFAstros
898846424652Gr.Max MeyerRHPMarlins
90896354748378Orelvis MartinezSSBlue Jays
919074746472Dr.Drew GilbertOFMets
929283Dr.91Dr.Dr.Yanquiel FernandezOFRockies
9393Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.DL HallLHPBrewers
9494Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Ceddanne RafaelaOFRed Sox
95957760525958Brayden Taylor3BRays
969785Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Andy PagesOFDodgers
975142394435Josue De PaulaOFDodgers
98Dr.Dr.87Dr.Dr.Dr.Robert GasserLHPBrewers
99968477667432Leodalis De VriesSSPadres
100998649293343Lazaro MontesOFMariners
9892968891Dr.90Thayron LiranzoCTigers
4740475159Jefferson RojasSSCubs
7927394336Aidan MillerSSPhillies
100Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Luis GilRHP
6227222365Christian ScottRHPMets
7658Dr.Dr.Dr.Jordan BeckOFRockies
8388829285Caden DanaRHPAngels
8761596776Kyle Manzardo1BGuardians
89Dr.Dr.Dr.Dr.Cam Collier3BReds
9080697774Alfredo DunoCReds
9164758479Kevin AlcantaraOFCubs
9362606866Moises BallesterosCCubs
9790819081Edgar QueroCWhite Sox
99Dr.Dr.Dr.Dr.George Lombard Jr.SSYankees
57Dr.Dr.Dr.Dr.Luis PeralesRHPRed Sox
52505456Starlyn CabaSSPhillies
60616970Johnny FarmeloOFMariners
79707853Jaison ChourioOFGuardians
82808793Logan EvansRHPMariners
65627072Angel GenaoSSGuardians
66485441Luke Keaschall2BTwins
67263023Kevin McGonigleSSTigers
73434938Thomas WhiteLHPMarlins
84576564Ralphy Velazquez1BGuardians
928393Gr.Spencer SchwellenbachRHPBraves
948595Dr.Blade TidwellRHPMets
97869663Brandon SproatRHPMets
98536039Quinn MathewsLHPCardinals
998797Gr.Cade PovichLHPOrioles
100546160Zebby MatthewsRHPTwins
899926Kristian Campbell2B/OFRed Sox
9010095Jaden HammRHPTigers
929867Alex FreelandSSDodgers
93Dr.Dr.David FestaRHPTwins
94Dr.Dr.Hayden BirdsongRHPGiants
95Dr.100Felnin CelestenSSMariners
97Dr.Dr.Braxton AshcraftRHPPirates
98Dr.Dr.Henry BolteOFAthletics
99Dr.Dr.James TriantosOFCubs
100Dr.87Gary Gill HillRHPRays
1317Charlie Condon3B/OFRockies
1919Travis Bazzana2BGuardians
2422JJ WetherholtSSCardinals
2829Chase BurnsRHPReds
4550Jac Caglianone1B/LHPRoyals
4651Hagen SmithLHPWhite Sox
5857Nick Kurtz1BAthletics
6361Braden MontgomeryOFRed Sox
8277Konnor GriffinSSPirates
9184Bryce RainerSSTigers
30Kumar RockerRHPRangers
80Drake BaldwinCBraves
83Jesus MadeSSBrewers
86Alejandro RosarioRHPRangers
88Christian Moore2BAngels
89Jarlin SusanaRHPNationals
91Thomas HarringtonRHPPirates
92Demetrio Crisantes2B/SSD-backs
94Franklin AriasSSRed Sox
96Samuel AldegheriLHPAngels
97Emiliano TeodoRHPRangers
98Michael Arroyo2BMariners
99Travis SykoraRHPNationals

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