MLB's Top 100 Prospects list for 2019 - 16 minutes read


MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects list is now live. There's plenty to check out and so many ways to slice and dice the list.Everyone wants to see how their favorite teams' prospects stack up on the Top 100, from the Padres' 10 prospects -- the most ever on one of

MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects list is now live. There's plenty to check out and so many ways to slice and dice the list.
Everyone wants to see how their favorite teams' prospects stack up on the Top 100, from the Padres' 10 prospects -- the most ever on one of MLB Pipeline's preseason lists -- all the way down to Brewers, Marlins, Red Sox and Royals, who have one player each on the list. Here's a team-by-team look at where things stand:
AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
Blue Jays (5)

  1. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 3B (ETA: 2019)
  2. Bo Bichette, SS (2019)
  3. Danny Jansen, C (2019)
  4. Nate Pearson, RHP (2020)
  5. Eric Pardinho, RHP (2021)

Toronto has the fifth-most Top 100 prospects this year and ranks sixth in overall prospect points (254), the latter heavily weighted by the presence of No. 1 overall prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr., one of the best offensive prospects we've seen. The Blue Jays had never placed five players in the Top 100 before this list, and considering their farm system is among the best in the game, such Top 100 representation could become an annual occurrence.
:: Complete 2019 Top 100 Prospects coverage ::
Orioles (3)

  1. Yusniel Diaz, OF (ETA: 2019)
  2. Ryan Mountcastle, 3B (2019)
  3. DL Hall, LHP (2021)
    Diaz was one of many prospects acquired by the Orioles last summer as they launched their rebuild, but he's the only one of the group to crack this year's list. Former first-rounders Mountcastle and Hall, the latter of who has some serious traction after his impressive first full season, join him on the Top 100, giving the organization its most Top 100 prospects since MLB Pipeline expanded its rankings from 50 to 100 players beginning in 2012.
    Rays (6)
  4. Wander Franco, SS (ETA: 2021)
  5. Brent Honeywell, RHP (2019)
  6. Brendan McKay, LHP/1B (2020)
  7. Jesus Sanchez, OF (2020)
  8. Matthew Liberatore, LHP (2021)
  9. Ronaldo Hernandez, C (2021)
    For the second straight year the Rays have six players in the Top 100, a group now headlined by teenage phenom Wander Franco. Overall, the club checks in at fourth overall with 358 prospect points, up from 345 in 2018. More impressive, the Rays also placed a record 10 players on MLB Pipeline's Top 10 prospects-per-position lists, besting the previous high-water mark (eight) set by Boston in 2014.
    Red Sox (1)
  10. Michael Chavis, 3B/1B (ETA: 2019)
    The Red Sox farm system isn't nearly as strong as it was when MLB Pipeline ranked it baseball's best in mid-2015, with many of those players contributing to a 2018 World Series championship either by graduating to the big league roster or getting used in trades. Boston fans aren't complaining, even if the organization has its lowest total of Top 100 Prospects (one) since 2011.
    Yankees (2)
  11. Estevan Florial, OF (ETA: 2021)
  12. Jonathan Loaisiga, RHP (2019)
    The Yankees tied for the 2017 preseason lead with seven Top 100 Prospects, but Gleyber Torres, Clint Frazier and Aaron Judge have graduated to New York and Blake Rutherford, Jorge Mateo, James Kaprielian and Justus Sheffield have been dealt for veterans. The system has several highly promising youngsters who could crack the Top 100 in the next couple of years, but for now Florial and Loaisiga represent the Yankees' lowest total since 2015.
    AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL
    Indians (2)
  13. Triston McKenzie, RHP (ETA: 2019)
  14. Nolan Jones, 3B (2020)
    Since our preseason list expanded to 100 in 2012, the Indians have averaged slightly more than two ranked prospects each year. They have two again in 2019 with McKenzie and Jones, and should boost that total in years to come because they have more talented teenagers than most organizations.
    Royals (1)
  15. Brady Singer, RHP (ETA: 2020)
    While the Royals have just the one representative in Singer, his presence on the list is indicative of a recommitment to building up a farm system that was used to produce a World Series championship team. The Royals didn't have anyone on the Top 100 in 2017 or 2018 and Singer could be joined on the list by some exciting international signees making their way to the higher levels or even one of the other three picks in the top 40 picks of last June's MLB Draft (Singer was No. 18 overall).

Tigers (3)

  1. Casey Mize, RHP (ETA: 2020)
  2. Matt Manning, RHP (2020)
  3. Franklin Perez, RHP (2020)

The Tigers produced a total of seven Top 100 prospects from 2013-17, during which they never had more than two players on any preseason list. They have three this year, thanks to an influx of high-ceiling pitchers through the Draft as well as trades in recent years, and seven in the past two years. It might not be long until Mize, Manning and Perez make an impact, too, as all three hurlers have the potential to reach the Majors by 2020, if not sooner.
Twins (3)

  1. Royce Lewis, SS (ETA: 2020)
  2. Alex Kirilloff, OF (2020)
  3. Brusdar Graterol, RHP (2020)
    The Twins have had a well-deserved reputation regarding their farm system for years and had a stretch from 2013-16 when they had six prospects on the Top 100 three times and five once. While they're down to three this time around, having Lewis at No. 5 and Kirilloff at No. 9 marks the first time the Twins have had two top 10 prospects since Byron Buxton and Miguel Sanó were Nos. 1 and 4 in 2014. And keep an eye on Graterol. Another year removed from Tommy John surgery, the kid gloves can come off even more, perhaps leaving him poised to make a huge leap to be among the elite right-handed pitching prospects in the game.
    White Sox (6)
  4. Eloy Jiménez, OF (ETA: 2019)
  5. Michael Kopech, RHP (2020)
  6. Dylan Cease, RHP (2019)
  7. Luis Robert, OF (2020)
  8. Nick Madrigal, 2B (2020)
  9. Dane Dunning, RHP (2019)

In the first 13 years that MLB Pipeline compiled preseason Top 50/100 Prospects lists, just 15 White Sox farmhands warranted mentioning. But since Chicago fully committed to rebuilding, they've annually ranked among the leaders with six in 2017, seven in 2018 and six this year -- a three-year total of 20 that trails only the Braves (23) and Padres (20). Four of the 2019 White Sox -- Jimenez, Kopech, Cease, Dunning -- were acquired via trades, though Chicago will rue giving up Fernando Tatis Jr. (No. 2 on the Top 100) to the Padres for James Shields.
AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST
Angels (2)

  1. Jo Adell, OF (ETA: 2020)
  2. Griffin Canning, RHP (2019)
    The Angels' contingent on the Top 100 is down from a year ago, when they had four on the list, but this is still very much a system on the rise. Adell is one of many exciting, toolsy players who took steps forward in 2018, though none leapt up as quickly as Adell, who played his way across three levels to Double-A. Outside of Shohei Ohtani's relatively brief stay as the No. 1 prospect last year, Adell's No. 14 ranking is the highest for an Angels prospect since Mike Trout was No. 3 in 2012.
    Astros (6)
  3. Forrest Whitley, RHP (ETA: 2019)
  4. Kyle Tucker, OF (2019)
  5. Yordan Alvarez, OF (2019)
  6. Josh James, RHP (2019)
  7. Corbin Martin, RHP (2019)
  8. J.B. Bukauskas, RHP (2020)
    Though the Astros graduated a ton of young talent to Houston and traded some more as they went from baseball's worst record each year from 2012-14 to a World Series championship in 2017, their farm system remains robust, especially in terms of Top 100 right-handers. Houston has baseball's best pitching prospect in Whitley and the best hitter/pitcher prospect duo when Tucker is factored in.
    Athletics (3)
  9. Jesus Luzardo, LHP (ETA: 2019)
  10. A.J. Puk, LHP (2020)
  11. Sean Murphy, C (2019)

The A's are the only organization not to have a top 10 prospect in the past 15 years of prospect rankings on MLB.com. Luzardo climbs to No. 12, which puts him in a tie with Addison Russell for highest-ranked prospect, and he should impact Oakland's rotation in a big way at some point in 2019. He and Puk give the organization two of the top lefties in the game and once Puk is 100 percent back from last April's Tommy John surgery, the pair of southpaws should form the cornerstone of the big league foundation. And it should be Murphy, one of the best defensive catchers in the Minors, forming a tremendous future battery with them.
Mariners (3)

  1. Justus Sheffield, LHP (ETA: 2019)
  2. Jarred Kelenic, OF (2022)
  3. Justin Dunn, RHP (2019)
    GM Jerry Dipoto recommitted to building up the M's farm system and the trades he's made are reflected in having three Top 100 prospects, the most since the organization had five back in 2013. All three came in trades, with Sheffield the first to get a real shot at impacting the big league club in 2019, Dunn not too far behind and Kelenic, a 2018 draftee out of high school, a few years away. The last time the M's had a pair of pitchers in the Top 100 was on that preseason list in '13, when a pair of lefties, Danny Hultzen and James Paxton, made the cut.
    Rangers (3)
  4. Hans Crouse, RHP (ETA: 2021)
  5. Julio Pablo Martinez, OF (2020)
  6. Cole Winn, RHP (2021)
    The Rangers long have had an affinity for high-risk, high-reward prospects, and Crouse and Martinez are the latest examples. Their system isn't as strong as it was in the first half of this decade, though Texas' three Top 100 Prospects are its most in three years.
    NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST
    Braves (8)
  7. Mike Soroka, RHP (ETA: 2019)
  8. Kyle Wright, RHP (2019)
  9. Ian Anderson, RHP (2020)
  10. Cristian Pache, OF (2020)
  11. Austin Riley, 3B (2019)
  12. Touki Toussaint, RHP (2019)
  13. Bryse Wilson, RHP (2019)
  14. Drew Waters, OF (2021)

While this is the second year in a row the Braves have had eight representatives on the Top 100, it's the first time in the last three they don't lead all Major League organizations (That honor belongs to the Padres). Five of the eight are pitchers, not surprising given that six of last year's eight and four of the seven on the 2017 list were hurlers. Soroka and Anderson have been on the list three years in a row. The Braves still have eight members on the Top 100 despite losing top prospect Ronald Acuña Jr., who was No. 1 on the list at the time he graduated.
:: Prospect Points ::
Marlins (1)

  1. Victor Victor Mesa, OF (ETA: 2019)
    Previous Marlins ownership let the farm system fall into decline, and it's doesn't exactly encourage optimism when the Marcell Ozuna, Giancarlo Stanton and Christian Yelich trades from a year ago didn't produce a single Top 100 Prospect. After tying for the lead with six preseason Top 100 prospects in 2013, Miami has had a total of 10 in six years since.
    Mets (2)
  2. Peter Alonso, 1B (ETA: 2019)
  3. Andres Gimenez, SS (2020)
    After failing to place a prospect on MLB Pipeline's preseason Top 100 in 2018, the Mets are back on the board with a pair of representatives in Alonso and Gimenez. If all goes as planned, Alonso, fresh off his 36-homer, 119-RBI season, should spend much of the season in the big leagues, while Gimenez tackles the upper Minors at age 21. For context, the organization's best showing came in 2015, when they placed five prospects on the Top 100, and they followed it with four the next year.
    Nationals (3)
  4. Victor Robles, OF (ETA: 2019)
  5. Carter Kieboom, SS (2020)
  6. Luis García, IF (2021)
    Robles has been a staple in MLB Pipeline's Top 100 since 2016, when he first cracked the rankings at No. 63. He moved up to No. 8 on the list the following year, then ranked No. 6 in 2018. He's joined on the new Top 100 by a pair of fast-rising middle infielders in Kieboom and Garcia, giving the Nats exactly three Top 100 prospects for a second straight year.
    Phillies (3)
  7. Sixto Sanchez, RHP (ETA: 2020)
  8. Alec Bohm, 3B (2021)
  9. Adonis Medina, RHP (2020)
    The Phillies had one of the richest farm systems in baseball in the recent past, with a height of seven Top 100 prospects in 2016 and six on last year's list. With a young big league roster, there isn't as much pressure on the system to get guys to the big leagues, but Sanchez and Medina could take big steps forward in terms of health and consistency in 2018, giving the organization the chance to have two of the top right-handed pitching prospects in the game approach Philadelphia at around the same time. Sanchez and Medina, who were also on last year's Top 100 together, give the Phillies their best 1-2 pitching prospect combination since Cole Hamels and Gavin Floyd were in the top 15 back in 2004.
    NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL
    Brewers (1)
  10. Keston Hiura, 2B (ETA: 2019)
    The Brewers are one of four teams this year that have only one Top 100 prospect, although their lone representative is a very good one. MLB Pipeline's top-ranked second baseman for 2019, Hiura is also one of the Minors' premier offensive prospects. Several other Brewers prospects could find themselves on this list a year from now, but none of them can match Hiura's high ceiling.
    Cardinals (2)
  11. Alex Reyes, RHP (ETA: 2019)
  12. Nolan Gorman, 3B (2022)
    With exactly 50 career innings under his belt and his prospect status still in place for 2019, Reyes has now made MLB Pipeline's Top 100 list in four straight years -- he was the top-ranked pitching prospect and No. 6 overall on the 2017 list. Gorman, the club's first-round pick in the 2018 Draft, enters his first full season in the middle of our Top 100 after he clubbed 17 home runs in 63 games during his pro debut.
    Cubs (2)
  13. Miguel Amaya, C (ETA: 2021)
  14. Nico Hoerner, SS (2020)
    In the middle of the decade, the Cubs had one of the best collection of hitting prospects in recent memory, several of whom ended the franchise's 108-year World Series championship drought in 2016. Chicago recently has tried to develop homegrown pitching with little success, and its top two prospects are position players Amaya and Hoerner.
    Pirates (4)
  15. Mitch Keller, RHP (ETA: 2019)
  16. Ke'Bryan Hayes, 3B (2019)
  17. Travis Swaggerty, OF (2021)
  18. Oneil Cruz, SS (2021)
    The Pirates having at least four members of the Top 100 is nothing new. With the exception of last year, when the organization had three prospects on the list, the Pirates have had at least four representatives every year since 2012, with a height of seven in 2015. This is Mitch Keller's second straight year leading the Pirates' Top 100 prospects. He joins Jameson Taillon (2011-2012) and Tyler Glasnow (2015-2016) as pitchers to top the Pirates' contingent in multiple years.
    Reds (4)
  19. Nick Senzel, 3B/2B/OF (ETA: 2019)
  20. Taylor Trammell, OF (2020)
  21. Hunter Greene, RHP (2021)
  22. Jonathan India, 3B (2021)

The Reds have had at least four representatives in the Top 100 for four years running now and it's been a direct pipeline from the Draft. All four on this year's list are draftees, with Senzel (2016), Greene (2017) and India (2018) all first-rounders, while Trammell was a Competitive Balance pick in that 2016 MLB Draft. Senzel, who was No. 7 a year ago, moves up to No. 6, the highest ranking a Reds prospect has garnered since lefty Aroldis Chapman was No. 6 in 2011. The Senzel-Trammell combination is the best prospect tandem in the organization since Jay Bruce and Homer Bailey were top 10 guys in 2007 and 2008.
NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST
D-backs (3)

  1. Jazz Chisholm, SS (ETA: 2020)
  2. Jon Duplantier, RHP (2019)
  3. Taylor Widener, RHP (2019)
    While Duplantier and Widener both finished last season on the Top 100, the addition of Chisholm to this year's preseason list, after his breakout regular-season campaign that continued in the Arizona Fall League, gives Arizona more Top 100 prospects than they've had since 2015. Chisholm and Duplantier are both homegrown players, while Widener was acquired last offseason in a three-team trade with Tampa Bay and the Yankees.
    Dodgers (4)
  4. Alex Verdugo, OF (ETA: 2019)
  5. Keibert Ruiz, C (2020)
  6. Dustin May, RHP (2020)
  7. Gavin Lux, SS/2B (2020)
    The Dodgers continue to churn out rookie stars -- Corey Seager, Cody Bellinger, Walker Buehler in the last three years -- and seem to regenerate more top prospects to replace them. Verdugo is ready to produce if he gets the chance, and Ruiz, May and Lux aren't far behind him. Ruiz headlines the best prospect catching depth in any system.
    Giants (2)
  8. Joey Bart, C (ETA: 2021)
  9. Heliot Ramos, OF (2021)
    The Giants haven't featured more than two preseason Top 50/100 Prospects since 2009, and their average of 1.63 since we expanded to 100 in 2012 is the second-worst in baseball (ahead of only the Angels). That didn't stop them from winning three World Series championships in the first half of the decade, but will make the rebuilding process more difficult. Bart is San Francisco's highest-rated prospect since Buster Posey was No. 4 in 2010.
    Padres (10)
  10. Fernando Tatis Jr., SS (ETA: 2019)
  11. MacKenzie Gore, LHP (2021)
  12. Luis Urías, IF (2019)
  13. Francisco Mejía, C/OF (2019)
  14. Chris Paddack, RHP (2019)
  15. Luis Patino, RHP (2021)
  16. Adrian Morejon, LHP (2020)
  17. Michel Baez, RHP (2020)
  18. Logan Allen, LHP (2019)
  19. Ryan Weathers, LHP (2021)

The Padres have an MLB Pipeline-record 10 Top 100 prospects this year. That number is up from seven in 2018, when they also garnered honors as MLB Pipeline's top-ranked farm system, and only slightly less than the organization's collective total (11) from 2015-17. The Red Sox had held the previous record for most Top 100 prospects after placing nine players on the list in 2014. Meanwhile, after leading all 30 teams with 423 prospect points in 2018, the Padres, with seven prospects ranked inside the Top 50, have established a new MLB Pipeline record this year with 574 points.
Rockies (2)

  1. Brendan Rodgers, IF (ETA: 2019)
  2. Colton Welker, 3B (2020)
    The Rockies had six prospects on the Top 100 back in 2016. That was the first year Rodgers hit the preseason list after he was the No. 3 pick in the 2015 Draft. The infielder, who should graduate off of lists at some point in 2019, cracks the top 10 for the first time on this year's preseason list. Welker, the club's fourth-round pick in 2016, has hit everywhere he's been and could make a sizeable leap up the list with a successful jump to Double-A this season.