IBC

From KLaw's Just Missed list: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/699759 ... keith-law/

Slade Caldwell, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks
Height: 5-9 | Weight: 182 | Bats: L | Throws: L | Age: 20
Caldwell has a chance to be a pure leadoff hitter in the old-fashioned sense, a guy who sees a ton of pitches to try to get on base and to show hitters behind him what a pitcher’s arsenal is like, hitting for average without a ton of power and adding some value on the bases with his legs.

He finished eighth in all of the minors last year with 91 walks, third among teenagers (with Alfredo Duno above him), as he walked over 15 percent of the time at both levels of A-ball in his full-season debut. It’s a combination of factors, including pitch recognition, a small strike zone (he is a legit 5-foot-7, regardless of what the listed height is), and one of the lowest swing rates in baseball. Caldwell swung at 34 percent of pitches he saw last year, which is lower than any big leaguer in 2025, including a very low chase rate of 15 percent, but also a low 56 percent swing rate at pitches in the zone — only Chase Meidroth and Bryson Stott had lower Z-swing rates among qualifying MLB hitters last year. The result of all of this is that he gets on base a ton, but nearly half of his strikeouts last year came on called third strikes, as he needs to start to swing the bat more.

Caldwell is a plus defender already in center with good instincts and has shown improvements already since signing with the Diamondbacks as their first-round pick in 2024. He is strong for his size — I met him at the Futures Game, and he looks like Michelangelo just carved him out of marble, albeit a very short slab — and should be able to impact the ball enough to hit for average with some gap power. The concerns I’ve heard from scouts are that he’s too passive and won’t hit the ball in the seats enough. I agree with the former, but if his profile is really 60 or better defense with solid batting averages, that’s an everyday player. The Diamondbacks promoted him after he hit .294/.460/.454 in 48 Low-A games, after which he hit .238/.370/.311 in High A as a 19-year-old. We might see him a little differently had he spent more time at the lower level.

From BA's Marlins list for our newest draftee: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

3. Aiva Arquette
SS

Ht: 6'4" | Wt: 200 | B-T: R-R

Age: 22

BA Grade/Risk: 60/Average

Adjusted Grade: 50

Track Record: Arquette broke out in 2024 at Washington, where he hit .325/.384/.574 with 12 home runs. He then transferred to Oregon State in 2025, shifted from second base to shortstop and elevated his game further by slashing .354/.461/.654 with 19 home runs. The Marlins drafted him seventh overall and signed him for a slot value bonus of $7,149,900.

Scouting Report: At 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, Arquette looks the part of a modern slugger. His free and easy righthanded swing generates above-average bat speed and plus raw power, allowing him to drive the ball to all fields while punishing mistakes to his pull side. Though swing-and-miss and chase tendencies have accompanied that pop, he refined his approach in 2025, showing improved plate discipline and producing a thunderous 93.5 mph average exit velocity with a 59% hard-hit rate. At times, he over-corrected—his 60% zone-swing rate reflected a bit of hesitation—but the overall approach was more measured and mature. Arquette moves well for his size, grading as an average runner once underway. He’s never been a true basestealing threat, yet he matched his college high with seven steals in 27 games at High-A Beloit to align with the Marlins’ emphasis on basepath aggression. Defensively, he’s shown enough fluidity and arm strength to stick at shortstop, with above-average instincts, reliable hands and a plus, accurate arm from a lower slot. His physicality and offensive profile could ultimately fit at third base if a move becomes necessary.

The Future: Arquette’s combination of body control and powerful frame made him one of few sure-thing middle infielders in a 2025 draft class thin on them. He has the bat, arm strength and internal clock to remain at a premium position and should at least reach the upper minors in 2026.

Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 60 | Run: 45 | Field: 50 | Arm: 60

From BA's 10 Breakout Pitching Prospects: https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... -baseball/

Stharlin Torres, RHP, Reds
nStuff+ Arsenal Score: 110
Strike Rate: 71.5%
I’ve written about Torres before, and he was arguably my favorite complex league pitching prospect from 2025. He combines good stuff with plus in-game strike-throwing that should portend future success.

Torres throws three pitches in a four-seam fastball, curveball and changeup with plus control. His four-seam fastball sits 92-94 mph, touching 95 at peak with plus ride, armside run and a deceptive fastball plane. His primary secondary is low-80s curveball with two-plane break. He’s also worked on adding a slider that we don’t yet have data on. Torres’ changeup has plus potential with excellent vertical separation off his fastball. The offspeed drives high whiff and chase rates, and Torres shows the ability to consistently land the pitch in the strike zone.

Torres has a nice combination of present stuff and strikes that could see him develop into a top pitching prospect in the coming years. His undersized frame will likely be his greatest limiting factor.

Antwone Kelly, RHP, Pirates
nStuff+ Arsenal Score: 117
Strike Rate: 65.5%
The Pirates’ pitching development has gotten a lot of deserved credit for the development of Jared Jones, Bubba Chandler and—to a lesser extent given his pedigree—Paul Skenes in recent seasons. While Kelly lacks the hype of that trio, he’s another example of the Pirates’ ability to develop pitching, as he possesses one of the better combinations of stuff and strike-throwing in the upper-minors at present.

A breakout 2025 season saw Kelly split his year between High-A Greensboro and Double-A Altoona, and he produced similar numbers at each spot. The Aruba native was added to the Pirates’ 40-man roster this offseason and could be in play for Pittsburgh at some point in 2026.

Kelly mixes four pitches in a four-seam fastball that sits 96-98 mph and touches 100, a slider, cutter and changeup. The offspeed is his best pitch with good vertical separation off his fastball and the ability to drive whiffs in and out of the zone. Both of his breaking ball shapes have cutter-like movement qualities, and he does a good job getting it in the zone.

Kelly has starter qualities, but his biggest struggle is a lack of deceptive release traits.

Levi Wells, RHP, Orioles
nStuff+ Arsenal Score: 118
Strike Rate: 65.6%
Wells is another name I’ve covered in previous articles. And while his Triple-A debut was concerning, there’s a track record of being able to land his elite stuff in the strike zone. For this reason, I’m buying into Wells as a potential fantasy prospect breakout candidate in 2026.

Wells has one of the highest Stuff+ scores among pitchers in the minors to go with an above-average strike rate. As you move up into the higher Stuff+ score buckets, strikes are at a premium. This makes Wells’ 65.6% strike rate still impressive despite it being one of the lower marks among pitchers included in this list.

Wells’ arsenal is loud, and it’s led by a four-seam fastball that sits 96-98 mph and touches 100 at peak. He mixes four secondaries in a low-80s curveball, mid-80s sweeper, upper-90s cutter and a sinker variation of his fastball. More strikes will be needed for Wells to make the ultimate jump to being a big league starter. He does, however, have better foundational strike-throwing traits than expected.

From BA's 15 Breakout Hitting Prospects: https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... -baseball/

Kevin Alvarez, OF, Astros
In deeper leagues, Alvarez is likely already snatched up after a strong debut in the Dominican Summer League, where he hit .301/.419/.455 with 23 walks to 19 strikeouts. It’s clear that Alvarez has polished plate skills, and the data backs this up, as he posted a 10.8% zone-whiff rate to go along with a higher swing rate (46.8%) and a reasonable chase rate (26.1%).

When looking at Alvarez, it’s clear that his 6-foot-4 frame has plenty of remaining projection to grow into more power. While his 90th percentile exit velocity is about average for a 17-year-old, his max EV of 110 stands out as a signal of the power to come.

Alvarez falls into the category of a polished hitter who will add power. A standout stateside debut could push him onto the Top 100 by season’s end.

From BA's Houston Breakout Prospects: https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... -for-2026/

Lucas Spence, OF

BA Grade/Risk: 50/Average
Adjusted Grade: 40

Track Record: Spence spent two seasons at Black Hawk (Ill.) JC as a two-way player, earning NJCAA all-region honors. He transferred to Southern Illinois-Edwardsville for his junior season and hit .385/.473/.552 over 56 games while making 14 appearances on the mound. Spence went unselected in the 2024 draft but signed with the Astros shortly after. He jumped three levels in his first full season hitting .244/.368/.403 and reaching Double-A by early August.

Scouting Report: Spence is a plus athlete with little remaining projection. He shows average bat-to-ball ability with plus swing decisions, showing the ability to get on-base while limiting swing and miss due to his selectivity. Spence struggles to hit lefthanded pitching and does his damage against righties. Spence shows a tick better than average raw power but it plays more like gap power in games. A flatter swing path leads to lots of line drives and hard, top-spun groundballs. Spence did add more lift as the season progressed, slashing his groundball rate as he climbed to Double-A. With solid exit velocity data there’s a chance that improved angles lead to average power. Spence is a plus runner bordering on plus-plus. He flies out the box and pushes outfielders to hustle on balls to the gaps. Spence’s speed translates to the field where he’s an above-average outfielder capable of playing all three outfield positions. He also has a plus arm and uncorks beautiful on-line throws.

The Future: Spence is a future strong-side platoon bat who should move all around the outfield.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 60 | Field: 55 | Arm: 60

From San Francisco's Breakout Prospects: https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... -for-2026/

Luis De La Torre, LHP
BA Grade/Risk: 45/Average
Adjusted Grade: 35

Track Record: De La Torre was born in Phoenix and spent most of his childhood and adolescent years in the United States before moving to the Dominican Republic. The Giants signed him as a 19-year-old in 2023 for $10,000 and then sent him to the Dominican Summer League for his pro debut for the first two seasons of his career. He moved stateside in 2025 and was yet another prospect in the Giants’ impressive cachet of lower-level talent.

Scouting Report: When he tried out for the Giants, De La Torre’s fastball fluctuated around 82-85 mph. The team liked the way he commanded the pitch, however, and signed him with the idea that there was much more in the tank. They were right. Now, his heater sits in the mid 90s and reaches 98. He backs it with a slider in the mid 80s that shows two-plane break and gets whiffs against righties and lefties alike. Those two pitches make up the bulk of his mix, but he’ll also flip in the occasional low-90s changeup or low-80s curveball. Both pitches work as strike-stealers or bridge pitches between the two gems of his arsenal. De La Torre’s frame is strong and his delivery is loose and easy, but his command might only be fringe-average and most of his best stuff plays to his glove side.

The Future: De La Torre’s two excellent pitches give him a floor of a lefty-neutralizing force. If one of his other two pitches takes a step forward, he might fit in the back of the rotation. He’ll likely split his 2026 season between the Class A levels.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 40 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 45

From MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects: https://www.mlb.com/milb/prospects/top100/

6. Nolan McLean, RHP
28. Andrew Painter, RHP
30. Eduardo Quintero, OF
42. Owen Caissie, OF
47. Aiva Arquette, SS
85. Brody Hopkins, RHP

From CBS Sports Top 100 (RJ Anderson Edition): https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/rank ... t-emerson/

8. Nolan McLean, RHP
14. Eduardo Quintero, OF
24. Andrew Painter, RHP
39. Aiva Arquette, SS
68. Owen Caissie, OF
70. Slade Caldwell, OF
74. Brody Hopkins, RHP
82. Jeferson Quero, C

From BP's Top 101: https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... e-top-101/

4. Nolan McLean, RHP
27. Eduardo Quintero, OF
50. Aiva Arquette, SS
51. Andrew Painter, RHP
72. Brody Hopkins, RHP
91. Owen Caissie, OF

From BA: https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... s-in-2026/

Kevin Alvarez, OF, Astros
When it comes to the international market, the Astros have succeeded, but that’s mainly with players who have signed for very little. José Altuve ($15,000), Framber Valdez ($10,000) and Ronel Blanco ($5,000) are examples.

Alvarez, by contrast, surged in the opposite direction, earning $2 million in 2025 and delivering an impressive DSL season in which he slashed .301/.419/.455, added two home runs and 11 stolen bases, showed an advanced approach by drawing more walks than strikeouts and represented the Astros in the DSL All-Star game. Alvarez is an explosive 6-foot-4 athlete with a smooth lefthanded swing, elite contact skill, and emerging power, showing rare polish for his size with 25-homer upside if he adds loft.

From BP's The Top 101: The Next Ten: https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... -next-ten/

Enrique Bradfield Jr., OF, Baltimore Orioles

Why He Could Have Made the Top 101: Bradfield was a top-50 prospect coming into the season, and while you do have to ding him some for the missed time, he looked mostly like himself when on the field. He has the kind of speed and defense projection that makes him a reasonably high-floor major leaguer for a long time.

Why He Didn’t: He looked mostly like himself but struggled in Triple-A and Fall Ball and posted under a .700 OPS for the season. Bradfield is going to be 24 and there was a thought at some point he would do more damage and lift the ball more once he got into the Orioles hitting development apparatus. That hasn’t happened and while he can be a good regular with around a .700 OPS, he won’t be a star.

Slade Caldwell, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks

Why He Could Have Made the Top 101: He performed well across two A-ball levels, he is already around average raw power despite his diminutive size and he does hit the ball in the air a lot. He’s a good runner with a chance to stick in center field. This also vaguely describes Jett Williams and he’s been a Top 101 prospect for a while.

Why He Didn’t: Caldwell swings even less than Williams does. He’s one of the most passive hitters in the minors and has an Evan Carteresque chase rate so you’d think he’d be picking the best pitches possible to hit. Even while doing that, his contact rate is just a smidge above-average and he’s looked more like a slash-and-burn hitter than one with average game power. We will need to see this in the upper minors first.

From MLB Pipeline: https://www.mlb.com/milb/news/nolan-mcl ... ining-work

Mets pitchers and catchers aren’t scheduled for their first workout until Feb. 11, but star rookie Nolan McLean is already down in Port St. Lucie, Fla., and was blowing pitches by hitters during his live batting practice session on Tuesday.

It sure beats shoveling snow.

“It's good to get out here and compete a little bit,” McLean said during an interview on SNY. “Got kind of snowed in in North Carolina for a little while, so getting down south and getting to warm weather, getting off a dirt mound, that’s always great.”

McLean, the No. 6 prospect in MLB and the game’s top pitching prospect, is preparing for his first big league camp after a whirlwind year that saw him make his Major League debut in August and dominate over 48 innings before an offseason in which he got married, moved into a new house and was named to Team USA for the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

“Yeah, it's been incredible,” he said. “I'm just super blessed and happy I get to go out and represent USA.”

Already possessing an outstanding curveball, McLean said he is focused in camp on improving his changeup and cutter, two pitches he used less than 10% of the time last year.

He’s doing that work alongside Freddy Peralta, who also arrived at the Mets’ spring complex a little early. Although McLean is excited to have Peralta on the staff, the trade to acquire him sent right-handed pitcher and good friend Brandon Sproat to Milwaukee. Sproat and McLean developed a bond after they were drafted just 35 picks apart by the Mets in 2023. McLean said he found out about the deal via social media -- “kind of out of nowhere” -- and talked to Sproat shortly afterward.

“I think he’s in a good spot,” McLean said. “I’m just rooting for him. Obviously, that's a good buddy of mine. You’re always just rooting for your friends as well, but we obviously trust our front office and the plans they have for us.”