51 minutes previously
We can only match 100 prospects on a High 100 list. Remember that, we discuss about powerful extra as piece of the technique, and there are incessantly about a names that bought bumped off early drafts or fell genuine short in the toughen division.
Right here are 10 prospects who genuine ignored making the High 100 this time spherical, presented in alphabetical expose by closing name:
Moises Ballesteros, C/1B, Cubs
Ranked eighth on our High 10 catching list – making him the predominant backstop off the High 100 – Ballesteros climbed three ranges in his age-19 season from Single-A to Double-A and slashed .285/.374/.449 with 14 homers over 117 games along the methodology. He used to be one in every of only two Minor League catchers with at the least 14 homers and a strikeout price below 16 percent in 2023, and the different (Jonathan Morales) used to be eight years his senior. He peaceable wants great construction defensively, and he struggled against sameside left-handers, hitting only .208 with a .286 slugging percentage against them. Some evaluators get drawn Alejandro Kirk comparisons to the 5-foot-7 backstop, and time stays on his aspect as he’ll peaceable only be 20 to your complete 2024 campaign.
Diego Cartaya, C, Dodgers
Cartaya ranked 14th on our preseason High 100 a 300 and sixty five days previously and has since fallen off entirely. In between, he slashed genuine .189/.278/.379 over 93 games at Double-A Tulsa. He did slug 19 homers over that time – third-most among Double-A catchers – and he used to be one in every of only two backstops frail 21 or younger to get extra than 400 plate appearances at the Minors’ second-top seemingly stage. His struggles stemmed from chasing that energy to his pullside and points with offspeed stuff. On the different hand, the Venezuela native made strides defensively and continues to impress plus arm energy. Cartaya will peaceable only be 22 for a complete lot of the 2024 season with some developmental runway forward, and he might per chance possibly well push his methodology assist toward reaching his great ceiling with a return to the Texas League.
Leodalis De Vries, SS, Padres
One 300 and sixty five days previously, San Diego signed MLB Pipeline’s top world prospect Ethan Salas and pushed him to Double-A San Antonio as a 17-300 and sixty five days-worn. Closing month, San Diego signed MLB Pipeline’s top world prospect in De Vries and … properly, we’ll glimpse. The swap-hitter appears to be like to be like stepped forward from all aspects of the dish with loyal plate discipline and pitch recognition, and he has the energy to project for 20-plus homers. He has plus glide too, and that tool equipment will doubtless be treasured despite the indisputable truth that he must transfer some distance from shortstop in time. As with Salas, we’re waiting a tad longer to glimpse the profile translate to the Minors before getting aggressive with De Vries’ ranking, but he too might per chance possibly well skip the Dominican Summer League, originate up stateside after which purchase flight.
Jackson Ferris, LHP, Dodgers
Los Angeles might per chance possibly well get moved a High 100 prospect in Michael Busch to the Cubs this offseason, but it undoubtedly picked up a High-100-adjoining arm in Ferris. The 2022 second-rounder posted a 3.38 ERA with 77 strikeouts in 56 innings at Single-A Myrtle Seaside in 2023 all the device by his first glide of the Minors, and he flashes four above-common pitches, headlined by a 92-95 mph fastball with loyal lift and a downer 75-78 mph curveball. The 6-foot-4 southpaw can get misplaced in his mechanics, leading to inform points, and that held him off the High 100 for the time being. However the Dodgers get a loyal most unique track record of pitching construction, and it wouldn’t shock to glimpse Ferris purchase his profile to a brand new stage in his second expert campaign.
Lazaro Montes, OF, Mariners
As Mariners beat author Daniel Kramer well-known closing month, the 19-300 and sixty five days-worn Montes is attentive to the Yordan Alvarez comparisons and embraces them. Every are hulking left-handed sluggers with stable approaches and extremely efficient profiles that count nearly entirely on their bats. A $2.5 million signing in January 2022, Montes pushed himself further onto the radar by reaching Single-A in his first stateside season and led all Minor Leaguers frail 18 or younger (min. 300 PA) with his .440 OBP, .560 slugging percentage, 1.001 OPS, .257 ISO and 17.9 percent flow price. Montes is slight to the corner outfield spots and must peaceable must preserve utilizing the ball with authority, but the entirety is pointed in the pleasing path in that regard.
Edgar Quero, C, White Sox
Powerful love Cartaya, Quero saw his outcomes dip in his first crawl to Double-A in 2023. On the different hand, Quero ignored Excessive-A truly in the Angels’ system and used to be the one 20-300 and sixty five days-worn catcher to get extra than 400 plate appearances at the second-top seemingly stage of the Minors. The swap-hitter controls the strike zone and makes use of the total discipline from all aspects, even supposing he used to be extra extremely efficient from the pleasing aspect in 2023. He’ll be even extra age-acceptable assist in Double-A in his age-21 campaign with the White Sox less at anxiety of be aggressive, and his device might per chance possibly well lead to stronger outcomes. Persevered defensive enhancements in the assist of the dish would also solidify his standing assist in the High 100.
Thomas Saggese, INF, Cardinals
The 2020 fifth-rounder led all Minor Leaguers in hits (170) and complete bases (294) between his work in Double-A and Triple-A and used to be the Texas League MVP after leading the loop in common (.318), OPS (.936), wRC+ (142), hits (158), further-tainted hits (60) and complete bases (274). Received from the Rangers in the Jordan Bernard Law 1st viscount montgomery of alamein deal, Saggese is an aggressive hitter who likes to leap on pitches he can force, but he might per chance possibly well be greater served by being extra picky the increased he climbs. He also doesn’t get a longtime defensive house with time at second, third and short. He’ll return to Triple-A to originate up his age-22 season, and if the outcomes are one thing shut to 2023 ranges, it received’t powerful subject the establish he plays.
Victor Scott II, OF, Cardinals
Velocity has by no methodology been extra treasured in the sport, and Scott has that capacity in absolute spades. The 2022 fifth-rounder is an 80-grade runner who tied for the Minor League lead with 94 steals in 132 games. As soon as he reaches first tainted, each person in the stadium knows he wishes to steal second, and there’s miniature anybody can function about it. These wheels web him a plus-plus center fielder as properly. An absence of in-game energy and struggles against fellow left-handers saved Scott from our High 100 for now, but in actual fact, he might per chance possibly well no longer must be one thing extra than common with the bat to solidify himself as St. Louis’ center fielder of the unique game.
Gavin Stone, RHP, Dodgers
The 25-300 and sixty five days-worn pleasing-hander used to be put to stride off the High 100 after a tough first MLB season (9.00 ERA, .338 common-against, 22 Good ample’s in 31 IP), but some external evaluators argued for his inclusion all the device by the feedback stage. Stone posted excessive hunch, whiff and groundball charges in the slight pattern on the energy of the plus-plus mid-80s changeup that he threw extra than one-third of the time. Major Leaguers feasted extra on his 93-95 mph fastball and low-90s cutter as Stone incessantly labored too powerful in the heart of the zone. Improved inform might per chance possibly well preserve hitters extra at bay, assist the changeup play up even extra and get Stone assist to the systems that helped him strike out 32.6 percent of the Minor Leaguers he faced in his occupation.
Samuel Zavala, OF, Padres
There had been only nine gamers frail 18 or younger who bought extra than 300 plate appearances at Single-A in 2023. Zavala led that community with a .420 on-tainted percentage, 19.4 percent flow price and 14 homers all the device by his 101-game hump with Lake Elsinore. (A leisurely-season push to Excessive-A Fort Wayne didn’t traipse nearly as properly but used to be maybe too aggressive for the teenager.) Whereas his device is undoubtedly stepped forward, Zavala has a colossal-basically based mostly profile with a combination of 50s and 55s. That’s absolutely treasured for a player heading into his age-19 season, and he provides to that by methodology of being a stable center fielder. We genuine must glimpse a capacity in actual fact pop at the center ranges before discovering him a High 100 establish among gamers with increased ceilings.
