Who leads MLB's next wave of stars? Updated top 100 prospect rankings (2024)

With the MLB draft behind us and the minor league season wrapping up next month, it's time for an updated look at my top 100 prospects in baseball.

This edition is actually a top 105 (as separating the players around No. 100 was where it became difficult) with an additional 19 arrow-up names who have gained a lot of value this year since my preseason top 100.

This is my ranking of these players for the long term, taking into account their upside, risk and proximity to the big leagues, in consultation with scouts and execs around the league. Here's more on the grading tiers and lingo I use. Players in the big leagues are eligible for this update (MLB rookie eligibility rules apply here -- 130 at-bats, 50 innings pitched or 45 days on the active roster) so you will see some recently called up major leaguers. The listed level for each player is either where they're active or where they were last if they're now hurt or rehabbing an injury.

Now let's get on to my final 2024 ranking of the top young prospects in baseball.

60 FV tier

1. Jackson Holliday, SS, Baltimore Orioles/MLB, Age: 20.7
You could put the four players in this top tier in any order you want. I'm leaning to Holliday, who was only temporarily unseated as my top prospect for Paul Skenes just before the Pirates' ace graduated. Holliday went on a heater in his return to the majors, posting a 1.072 OPS with five homers in his first 10 games back.

2. James Wood, LF, Washington Nationals/MLB, Age: 21.9
Wood is about to graduate from the list and is hitting well in Washington, but he is a corner outfielder with a good-not-great contact rate due to his 6-foot-7 frame.

3. Carson Williams, SS, Tampa Bay Rays/AA, Age: 21.1
Williams is easily a plus defensive shortstop with 25-homer power, and he has stolen 48 bases over the past two years, but he has even more contact limitations than Wood.

4. Junior Caminero, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays/MLB, Age: 21.1
Caminero was just called up and will hit 30 homers in the majors, maybe next season, and he can play a decent third base, but we'll have to see if his pitch selection will hold up at the highest level.

5. Marcelo Mayer, SS, Boston Red Sox/AA, Age: 21.7
Mayer is now looking like the guy the Red Sox were expecting when they took him No. 4 overall in the 2021 draft. He projects for 20-25 homers at peak with at least average on-base skills and a steady glove at short.

6. Coby Mayo, 3B, Baltimore Orioles/MLB, Age: 22.7
Mayo is on the third/first-base spectrum defensively and has roughly average on-base skills but projects for 25-30 homers.

7. Roman Anthony, RF, Boston Red Sox/AA, Age: 20.2
Anthony has plus power and patience, solid enough bat-to-ball skills, and is athletic enough to play center field if needed.

8. Walker Jenkins, RF, Minnesota Twins/High-A, Age: 19.5
Jenkins has incredible feel for contact (.308 average, 47 walks, 40 strikeouts in pro ball) and 20-25 homer upside but hasn't played much due to injury after going fifth overall in last year's draft. Look at this swing.

9. Jackson Jobe, RHP, Detroit Tigers/AA, Age: 22.0
Jobe has three plus pitches, a fourth above-average one and starter command but has been cold of late (18 strikeouts, 14 walks in his past five starts) and has had a number of minor injuries in pro ball.

10. Samuel Basallo, C, Baltimore Orioles/AA, Age: 20.0
Basallo is right there with the most raw power of anyone in the top 10, but he isn't that polished behind the plate and would play first base if he can't stick as a catcher.

11. Colt Emerson, SS, Seattle Mariners/High-A, Age: 19.0
Emerson is an infielder, maybe not a shortstop, who has plus on-base skills (57 walks, 51 strikeouts, .315 hitter in pro ball) and 20-homer upside.

12. Dylan Crews, CF, Washington Nationals/AAA, Age: 22.4
Crews can stick in center field and has been hitting his stride in the second half, with a real shot for a 20-20 season next year.

13. Max Clark, CF, Detroit Tigers/High-A, Age: 19.6
Clark has a touch more upside than Crews (better bat-to-ball ability, speed and defense) but is a few years behind him.

14. Emmanuel Rodriguez, CF, Minnesota Twins/AA, Age: 21.4
Rodriguez is a man of extremes, to the point that he's hard to project: His eye at the plate is among the best in the minor leagues, he has plus-plus raw power, he's among the best at getting to that power in games among top prospects, he has well-below-average bat-to-ball ability, and he's a standout defender despite just average speed, all in a 5-foot-10, 210-pound frame that's a bit stiff and frequently injured. He's probably a good major leaguer but definitely a unique one.

15. Colson Montgomery, SS, Chicago White Sox/AAA, Age: 22.4
Montgomery's best long-term fit is at third base, but he is above average in all aspects of hitting, so he could be an All-Star if it all clicks.

16. Dalton Rushing, C, Los Angeles Dodgers/AAA, Age: 23.5
Rushing is a decent catcher who is now playing left field in Triple-A to potentially get ready for a call-up. He's a plus power-and-patience type with solid bat-to-ball.

17. Charlie Condon, 3B, Colorado Rockies/High-A, Age: 21.3
The No. 3 pick in this year's draft -- and my highest-ranked player from the 2024 class -- Condon draws comparisons to a young Kris Bryant.

18. Travis Bazzana, 2B, Cleveland Guardians/High-A, Age: 21.9
Bazzana went No. 1 overall in last month's draft thanks to a combination of plus in-game power and patience along with above-average speed.

55 FV tier

19. Noah Schultz, LHP, Chicago White Sox/AA, Age: 21.0
20. Xavier Isaac, 1B, Tampa Bay Rays/AA, Age: 20.6
21. Andrew Painter, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies/AA, Age: 21.3
22. Aidan Miller, SS, Philadelphia Phillies/High-A, Age: 20.2
23. Leodalis De Vries, SS, San Diego Padres/Low-A, Age: 17.8
24. Josue De Paula, LF, Los Angeles Dodgers/High-A, Age: 19.2
25. Jasson Dominguez, CF, New York Yankees/AAA, Age: 21.5
26. Jac Caglianone, 1B, Kansas City Royals/High-A, Age: 21.5
27. Kevin McGonigle, SS, Detroit Tigers/High-A, Age: 20.0
28. Ethan Salas, C, San Diego Padres/High-A, Age: 18.2
29. J.J. Wetherholt, SS, St. Louis Cardinals/Low-A, Age: 21.9

Schultz is a 6-foot-9 lefty who throws a heavy sinker at 94-97 mph from a low slot and flashes a plus slider and changeup. He is sitting at a career-high 69.0 innings right now, so it might be a while before we find out if he can throw 180 innings in the big leagues. Painter hasn't pitched since 2023 spring training and won't again until 2025 but could be an ace. I had Wetherholt a hair ahead of Caglianone in my final draft rankings -- but I wanted to flip them right after I turned them in, so I did here, though it's still a near coin flip. McGonigle was my pick to click in the 2023 draft, I ranked him aggressively last winter, and it's paying off, as he has already reached High-A as a 19-year-old with gaudy numbers in 95 career games: .310/.412/.444 with 30 extra-base hits, 64 walks, 38 strikeouts and 30 stolen bases.

Miller, De Paula and De Vries are arrow-up position players for different reasons. Miller proved he can play a decent shortstop and tweaked his loud setup to rake this season. De Paula is doing more damage and might be a middle-of-the-order threat in a few years. De Vries was a hyped international signing whom I ranked 73rd before last winter before he even played a pro game, and I wanted to put him higher but played it safe. He started slow this year but has been red hot since July 4: .298/.429/.640, 10 home runs, almost as many walks as strikeouts and six stolen bases in 28 games. There's a real case that, if taken out of Low-A and dropped into the MLB draft a few weeks ago, De Vries would be the top pick.

30. Chase Burns, RHP, Cincinnati Reds/None, Age: 21.5
31. Jett Williams, SS, New York Mets/AA, Age: 20.8
32. Jordan Lawlar, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks/AAA, Age: 22.1
33. Jacob Wilson, SS, Oakland Athletics/MLB, Age: 22.4
34. Kyle Teel, C, Boston Red Sox/AA, Age: 22.5
35. Chase Dollander, RHP, Colorado Rockies/AA, Age: 22.8
36. Brooks Lee, SS, Minnesota Twins/MLB, Age: 23.5
37. Moises Ballesteros, C, Chicago Cubs/AAA, Age: 20.7
38. Sal Stewart, 3B, Cincinnati Reds/High-A, Age: 20.7
39. Cole Young, SS, Seattle Mariners/AA, Age: 21.0

Burns holds his spot as my No. 5-ranked player in the 2024 draft class (he was taken No. 2 overall), heading this group composed of wait-and-see types, tricky player demographics and lower-upside prospects. Williams has missed almost the entire season with a wrist injury but is still likely a strong everyday second baseman or center fielder with incredible feel for lifting the ball in games despite being 5-foot-7. Lawlar has been injury-prone and needs big league time but still has All-Star-level tools. Wilson has 80-grade bat control and can play shortstop, which is plenty to be an everyday player, but his in-game power will dictate if he can make All-Star teams. Teel and Ballesteros are young catchers; they notoriously don't develop as expected. Teel is average-to-above at everything except for running, while Ballesteros is on the catcher/first baseman spectrum with some Alejandro Kirk vibes but hits lefty and has plus power. Stewart has been a sneaky pick to click of mine after I underrated him in the 2022 draft, but there's a chance he ends up at first base.

50 FV tier

40. Jonny Farmelo, CF, Seattle Mariners/Low-A, Age: 19.9
41. Luke Keaschall, CF, Minnesota Twins/AA, Age: 22.0
42. Chase DeLauter, RF, Cleveland Guardians/AA, Age: 22.8
43. Bubba Chandler, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates/AAA, Age: 21.9
44. Drake Baldwin, C, Atlanta Braves/AAA, Age: 23.4
45. Jesus Made, SS, Milwaukee Brewers/DSL, Age: 17.2
46. Eduardo Quintero, CF, Los Angeles Dodgers/Low-A, Age: 18.9
47. Sebastian Walcott, SS, Texas Rangers/High-A, Age: 18.4
48. Hagen Smith, LHP, Chicago White Sox/None, Age: 20.9
49. Jacob Melton, CF, Houston Astros/AAA, Age: 23.9
50. Blake Mitchell, C, Kansas City Royals/Low-A, Age: 20.0

Made is the huge mover here, having rocketed up the board from not making the Brewers' preseason top 26 rankings, in large part because he hadn't played a pro game at that point and had signed for just under $1 million in January. Normally a prospect who has played only in the DSL would have to be one of the top prospects in his signing class to even have a chance to be on the top 100, but Made is an outlier in a number of ways. His surface numbers are loud: .344/.461/.554 with more walks than strikeouts, 24 stolen bases and five homers in 45 games as a 6-foot-1 switch-hitter who just turned 17 years old, playing mostly shortstop.

Let's go a step deeper: His bat-to-ball, pitch selection and exit velos (adjusted for his age) were all plus and his 90th percentile exit velo (i.e. the 10% of his hardest hit-balls) was 104.2 mph, greater than the big league average (103 mph). I asked around the league and execs couldn't come up with a player who has done that at this age. Some players have big DSL seasons then take a step back in rookie ball, like Joendry Vargas and Rayner Arias just this season, but Made doesn't really have peers at this point because most position players this talented skip the DSL completely. De Vries (ranked 25th on this list) was the top player in Made's 2024 signing class (and had been for years), is only five months older than Made, and is in now in Low-A, two levels ahead of Made, so De Vries data doesn't look as good because of the better competition he's facing.

Milwaukee is predictably excited. Some rival teams got only a quick in-person scouting look this season and think Made belongs on the back half of the top 100, waiting to see how he'll perform stateside. Another rival exec said Made "could be a superstar."

Farmelo was on a trajectory to join fellow Mariners 2023 pick Emerson in the top quarter of the list before he tore his ACL in June. He's a plus-plus runner who has been above average at everything at the plate in his short pro career. Baldwin was a winter pick to click (125th overall, right next to Nacho Alvarez Jr.), and has also shot up the rankings as a starter-caliber hitter at any position who might also be able to catch well enough to stay there. Before the Jorge Soler trade, there was chatter Baldwin might be called up to play the outfield, but he doesn't have to be added to the 40-man roster until after next season. Quintero was a pick to click before the year (115th overall) who has continued to perform.

51. Cooper Pratt, SS, Milwaukee Brewers/High-A, Age: 20.0
52. Brady House, 3B, Washington Nationals/AAA, Age: 21.2
53. Harry Ford, C, Seattle Mariners/AA, Age: 21.5
54. Kristian Campbell, 2B, Boston Red Sox/AA, Age: 22.1
55. Rhett Lowder, RHP, Cincinnati Reds/AA, Age: 22.4
56. Alex Freeland, SS, Los Angeles Dodgers/AAA, Age: 23.0
57. Jeferson Quero, C, Milwaukee Brewers/AAA, Age: 21.8
58. Brayden Taylor, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays/AA, Age: 22.2
59. Jaison Chourio, CF, Cleveland Guardians/Low-A, Age: 19.2
60. Kevin Alcantara, CF, Chicago Cubs/AAA, Age: 22.1
61. Jarlin Susana, RHP, Washington Nationals/High-A, Age: 20.4

Pratt and Campbell are the big arrow-up players who weren't even in the conversation for my previous top 50 update. Pratt was seen as a second-round prospect in the 2023 draft who wanted late-first-round money and was thus seen as likely to head to Ole Miss. Teams were borderline shocked when he signed as a sixth-rounder for a mid-second-round bonus. He was seen as a great value and helium candidate in the minors but has beat expectations in his pro debut. The 6-foot-4 Brewers prospect has been better than expected defensively at shortstop, where he might be above average. He has always been a solid hitter, but his power has also developed more than expected, showing the components for 20 homers in the big leagues even if he has hit only four this season.

Campbell was a prospect I knew well living in Atlanta as he went to high school in the area and played at Georgia Tech. In 2023, I found myself talking scouts into turning him in -- they didn't want their team to draft him at all, so they didn't even put in a report. I saw plus-plus contact skills and surprisingly good exit velos despite a swing that needed a full rework, along with at least average speed that occasionally flashed plus and the ability to play the infield; I ranked him 88th in my midseason draft rankings before moving him down as scouts told me he wouldn't go close to that high. They were right as he went 132nd overall and I ranked him 186th (pretty close, considering the dozens of unsigned high schoolers I ranked ahead of him).

The swing rework by the Red Sox, while still a little awkward looking, has paid dividends much more quickly than expected. His attack angle is much steeper and he's swinging really hard, so his contact rates are slightly below average, but his pitch selection is solid, and his exit velos are plus along with his now consistently plus speed (14 homers, 20 steals this year). He's also still playing shortstop and should be doing it a good bit down the stretch this year. One rival exec called him "mysterious" because of how so many teams misevaluated him a year ago and still aren't sure what he is now. He's raking at Double-A while being age appropriate for a prospect and could be a shortstop with enough on-base skills, plus power and plus speed.

It's worth noting for Red Sox fans that I started this process and published my recent farm system rankings thinking Campbell would sneak on the end of this list, so his landing here after getting more feedback is a roughly $15 million adjustment of prospect value. Since Boston was 10th in those rankings, at the back of a tightly grouped pack of teams, the Red Sox have now moved up to sixth and will be fifth when James Wood (from the currently fifth-ranked Nationals) graduates later this month. Not to worry, Nats fans, as Susana has a big arrow up next to his name now that he's throwing strikes with his electric raw stuff; the Juan Soto trade keeps giving. Lastly, yes that's Jackson Chourio's little brother and no, they aren't that similar: Jaison is a switch-hitter who will likely slide over to left field.

62. Orelvis Martinez, 3B, Toronto Blue Jays/MLB, Age: 22.7
63. Owen Caissie, RF, Chicago Cubs/AAA, Age: 22.1
64. Bryce Eldridge, 1B, San Francisco Giants/High-A, Age: 19.8
65. Bryce Rainer, SS, Detroit Tigers/None, Age: 19.1
66. River Ryan, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers/MLB, Age: 26.0
67. Quinn Mathews, LHP, St. Louis Cardinals/AA, Age: 23.8
68. Starlyn Caba, SS, Philadelphia Phillies/Low-A, Age: 18.7
69. Felnin Celesten, SS, Seattle Mariners/RK, Age: 18.9
70. Thomas White, LHP, Miami Marlins/High-A, Age: 19.9
71. Brandon Sproat, RHP, New York Mets/AAA, Age: 23.9
72. Tink Hence, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals/AA, Age: 22.0
73. Ronny Mauricio, SS, New York Mets/MLB, Age: 23.3
74. Matt Shaw, 3B, Chicago Cubs/AAA, Age: 22.8
75. Emil Morales, SS, Los Angeles Dodgers/DSL, Age: 17.9

Ryan made his MLB debut this summer, and most of the other pitchers in this grouping (Mathews, Sproat, Hence) should do that next season with No. 3/No. 4 starter projections. Caba is a slick-gloved shortstop with plus contact ability but very little power, while his fellow 2023 international signing class mate Celesten might be above average at everything on the field.

Mauricio is set to return in 2025 from a torn ACL and could be an impact-type shortstop with three plus tools: hit tool, raw power and arm strength. Morales signed for just under $2 million in January and had a big debut in the DSL with plus power and patience but some hesitation due to his swing and miss.

76. Nick Kurtz, 1B, Oakland Athletics/None, Age: 21.4
77. Luis Morales, RHP, Oakland Athletics/High-A, Age: 21.9
78. Nacho Alvarez Jr., SS, Atlanta Braves/AAA, Age: 21.3
79. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers/AAA, Age: 22.3
80. Aidan Smith, CF, Tampa Bay Rays/Low-A, Age: 20.0
81. George Klassen, RHP, Los Angeles Angels/High-A, Age: 22.5
82. Nelson Rada, CF, Los Angeles Angels/AA, Age: 18.9
83. Noble Meyer, RHP, Miami Marlins/High-A, Age: 19.6
84. Zebby Matthews, RHP, Minnesota Twins/AAA, Age: 24.2
85. Edwin Arroyo, SS, Cincinnati Reds/AA, Age: 21.0
86. Konnor Griffin, SS, Pittsburgh Pirates/None, Age: 18.3
87. Spencer Jones, CF, New York Yankees/AA, Age: 23.2
88. George Lombard Jr., SS, New York Yankees/High-A, Age: 19.2

Smith and Klassen led off the best prospects traded at the deadline, and with reshuffling and graduations they both make the back quarter of this list. Alvarez recently made his big league debut, and Matthews will be making his soon, per Jeff Passan. Griffin has maybe the biggest variance in outcome of anyone on this list, as a hitter who reminds me of Fernando Tatis Jr. (and will do only that in pro ball for now) but also looks like Jack Flaherty on the mound if the hitting thing doesn't work. I still have high hopes for Jones and I think the Yankees do, too, but things have not clicked yet, while Lombard has hit his stride at the plate in the second half. Keep an eye on Lombard's little brother Jacob, who has a chance to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 MLB draft.

89. Christian Moore, 2B, Los Angeles Angels/AA, Age: 21.8
90. Drew Gilbert, CF, New York Mets/AAA, Age: 23.9
91. Will Warren, RHP, New York Yankees/AAA, Age: 25.1
92. Tyler Black, 1B, Milwaukee Brewers/AAA, Age: 24.0
93. Alejandro Rosario, RHP, Texas Rangers/High-A, Age: 22.6
94. Termarr Johnson, 2B, Pittsburgh Pirates/High-A, Age: 20.2
95. Cade Horton, RHP, Chicago Cubs/AAA, Age: 23.0
96. Edgar Quero, C, Chicago White Sox/AAA, Age: 21.3
97. David Festa, RHP, Minnesota Twins/MLB, Age: 24.4
98. Hurston Waldrep, RHP, Atlanta Braves/AAA, Age: 22.4
99. Jefferson Rojas, SS, Chicago Cubs/High-A, Age: 19.3
100. Max Muncy, SS, Oakland Athletics/AAA, Age: 21.9

I had Moore at 149th overall on the day he signed, and he has played only eight pro games when I'm writing this, but check out his line: 38 PA, .543/.579/1.114, six home runs. I texted a few teams to ask if I could justify moving Moore after eight games and the answer was something like, "Ehhh, I mean yes?" The underlying data is also a bit better than expected, and I already had him as high as any media rankings had Moore pre-draft (12th), so I'll push more chips into the middle.

Rosario is yet another in the group of "fifth- or sixth-round college arms who underperformed in school but have some stuff" with Brody Hopkins, George Klassen, Chase Hampton and Hayden Birdsong along with another half-dozen pitchers on this list who almost qualify. He has a nasty above-to-plus sinker/slider/splitter combo and is throwing strikes now.

Horton had down stuff and injuries, so 2025 will be big for recouping his value. Johnson's bat-to-ball and power have both played below pre-draft expectations.

Just missed the top 100

101. Colby Thomas, LF, Oakland Athletics/AAA, Age: 23.5
102. Welbyn Francisca, 2B, Cleveland Guardians/Low-A, Age: 18.2
103. Ricky Tiedemann, LHP, Toronto Blue Jays/AAA, Age: 22.0
104. Agustin Ramirez, C, Miami Marlins/AAA, Age: 22.9
105. Justin Wrobleski, LHP, Los Angeles Dodgers/AAA, Age: 24.1

These players are all 50 FV as well (along with 20ish more players, some of them below) but land just on the outside of the top 100 this time. These are the five who could slide onto the top 100 very easily, possibly with a hot month, mechanical adjustment or injury/lag in performance by someone ahead of them.

Tiedemann had down stuff and recent elbow surgery, so 2026 will be the big year for him to recoup value, get back onto the top 100 and make his big league debut. Thomas was a toolsy, raw outfielder at Mercer in the 2022 draft who turned the corner this year, hitting 24 homers and stealing 14 bases with plus raw power and an above-average glove in left field. Wrobleski recently debuted and has above-average stuff but is on the starter/reliever spectrum. Ramirez was the headliner going to Miami in the Jazz Chisholm Jr. trade and has 25-homer upside. I slightly prefer Francisca as the fourth-best Guardians prospect, but Ralphy Velazquez and Angel Genao below are also candidates for that spot and the back end of the top 100, along with slightly weaker cases for first basem*n Kyle Manzardo and C.J. Kayfus.

Notable risers

(Below a 45 FV entering the year -- here are the preseason AL and NL lists -- and in the Top 150 today, not including draftees whom I ranked last month)

Alfredo Duno, C, Cincinnati Reds/Low-A, Age: 18.6
Ralphy Velazquez, 1B, Cleveland Guardians/Low-A, Age: 19.2
C.J. Kayfus, 1B, Cleveland Guardians/AA, Age: 22.8
Deyvison De Los Santos, 1B, Miami Marlins/AAA, Age: 21.1
Angel Genao, 2B, Cleveland Guardians/High-A, Age: 20.2
Demetrio Crisantes, 2B, Arizona Diamondbacks/Low-A, Age: 19.9
Luis Pena, SS, Milwaukee Brewers/DSL, Age: 17.7
Franklin Arias, SS, Boston Red Sox/Low-A, Age: 18.7
Yairo Padilla, SS, St. Louis Cardinals/DSL, Age: 17.1
Jhostynxon Garcia, CF, Boston Red Sox/High-A, Age: 21.7
Brody Hopkins, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays/High-A, Age: 22.6
Yilber Diaz, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks/AAA, Age: 24.0
Jake Bloss, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays/AAA, Age: 23.1
Kumar Rocker, RHP, Texas Rangers/AA, Age: 24.7
Braxton Ashcraft, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates/AAA, Age: 24.8
Chayce McDermott, RHP, Baltimore Orioles/AAA, Age: 26.0
Ben Kudrna, RHP, Kansas City Royals/AA, Age: 21.5
Luis De Leon, LHP, Baltimore Orioles/High-A, Age: 21.2
Andrew Morris, RHP, Minnesota Twins/AA, Age: 22.9