IBC

From BP: 2025 Nationals Top 10: https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... prospects/

5.Brady House
Pos: 3B
Born: 2003-06-04
B: Right
T: Right
H: 6′ 4″
W: 208 lbs.
History: Drafted 11th overall in the 2021 draft, Winder-Barrow HS (Winder, GA); signed for $5 million.
Previous Rank: #3 (org), #69 (Top 101)
Major League ETA: 2025

Year Team Level Age PA R 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG DRC+ BABIP
2022 FBG Lo-A 19 203 24 8 0 3 31 12 59 1 0 .278 .356 .375 98 .393
2023 HBG AA 20 148 19 8 2 3 12 7 42 1 1 .324 .358 .475 76 .442
2023 WIL Hi-A 20 68 11 5 0 3 13 3 13 3 0 .317 .368 .540 111 .362
2023 FBG Lo-A 20 158 22 8 1 6 22 16 34 5 1 .297 .369 .500 118 .350
2024 ROC AAA 21 236 30 10 0 6 32 7 68 1 1 .250 .280 .375 69 .329
2024 HBG AA 21 306 38 11 1 13 34 24 75 5 2 .234 .310 .423 105 .273

The Report: Brady House is a very very very fine House. There are no significant 2024 gains to report—although he’s consolidated much of those made in 2023. There are no new red flags in the profile, although the same red flags still flutter a bit in a mild breeze. Everything in the swing is a lot more leveraged and stiff than say, Seaver King, but House is strong enough to project for similarly gaudy power, and he’ll muscle some off-center-cuts into the outfield too. The chase rate remains a major issue, although that shows up more in suboptimal contact than out-and-out whiffs. House is especially vulnerable to vertically moving offspeed as he wants to yank those pitches into the air too. He tends to top them to an infielder instead. The top-end exit velocities hint at 30-home run power potential, but his stiffness and lack of high-end bat speed means he’s shooting hard line drives into the right-field bleachers more than you’d like. His ground ball rate has ticked up at the Triple-A level as well, and I do worry that’s more warning sign than sample noise. That all said, House turned a mere 21 years old during last season, and is a high-probability plus-power bat with an above-average glove at third base. He’s likely to need more than a bit of adjustment time once he lands in the nation’s capital, and he’s likely to deal with some platoon issues throughout his career…but he also hits the ball very hard. That can be a carrying skill, just look to Mark Vientos’ 2024 (and 2023 if you want a better idea of how much adjustment time this might take).

OFP: 55 / Well, he’s a much better third base defender than Vientos, but also doesn’t hit the ball nearly as hard, let’s say that comes out in the wash.

Variance: Medium. I think House is more likely to be exactly a 55 than Vientos, and there may even be more hit tool limitations given the present approach. But he’s already hit in Double-A and is likely to be a major-league factor after a couple more months of reps in the International League.

From BA's Braves 2025 Top 10: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

5. Hurston Waldrep
RHP

Ht: 6'2" | Wt: 205 | B-T: R-R

Age: null

BA Grade/Risk: 45/Medium.

Track Record: Waldrep was drafted with the 24th pick in 2023, signed for an under-slot deal of $2,997,500 and raced to Triple-A that summer. In his first full pro season in 2024, Waldrep posted a 3.47 ERA across four levels, though most of his time came at Double-A and Triple-A. He also made his MLB debut but struggled in two starts.

Scouting Report: Waldrep is an impressive athlete with quick arm speed and a high-effort delivery which features a steep slot and significant head whack in his finish. His three-pitch mix includes a 94-96 mph fastball that touches 98-99, as well as an upper-80s slider and mid-80s split-changeup. While his fastball has plenty of power, it doesn’t have the shape of a true bat-misser in the majors. There’s a bit of cutting action, but not much carry. Waldrep also hasn’t shown the sort of fastball command necessary to avoid damage in the zone. Instead, he’ll need to rely on his secondaries, which are both solid. Waldrep throws his slider in the 85-90 mph range, and it’s an above-average pitch at times. His real weapon is a plummeting, mid-80s split-change. The pitch parachutes out of his hand and is equally effective against lefties and righties, and in 2024 it generated a 26% swinging-strike rate. Waldrep is an erratic strike thrower with an 11.4% career walk rate, and his reliance on a splitter that is typically difficult to throw for strikes adds to his reliever risk.

The Future: Waldrep could find success as a big league starter with high slider and splitter usage, but he’ll need to throw more strikes to do so. If not, he should have the stuff to carve out a mid-leverage reliever role.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Split: 60 | Control: 40

From BA's Mets 2025 Top 10: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

8. Luisangel Acuna
SS / 2B

Ht: 5'8" | Wt: 181 | B-T: R-R

Age: null

BA Grade/Risk: 45/Medium.

Track Record: Acuña signed with the Rangers in 2018, the year older brother Ronald Acuña Jr. was NL Rookie of the Year. Their father Ronald Sr. was a long-time minor leaguer, while younger brother Bryan is a Twins prospect. Luisangel reached Double-A with the Rangers in 2023, the year he was dealt to the Mets at the trade deadline for Max Scherzer and $35 million. Acuña might have spent all of 2024 at Triple-A Syracuse if not for a back injury suffered by Francisco Lindor. The Mets called up Acuña on Sept. 14, and he started 10 games at shortstop.

Scouting Report: Acuña has the speed, defensive chops and arm strength to help a big league team. His future role depends on how much he hits. He produced at a well below-average rate over nearly six months at Triple-A in 2024, but he shined over two weeks in MLB by ambushing pitchers out of the ninth spot in the order. Late in the season, the Mets believe Acuña might have settled on an offensive approach that works. He shortened his leg kick, trusted in his innate contact ability and committed to a more aggressive approach that would allow him to unleash his “A” swing more often. His bat speed increased without sacrificing his strong barrel accuracy. The 5-foot-8 Acuña has the raw power to jump on early-count mistakes but has a hit-over-power profile. He stole 40 bases for Syracuse and is at least a double-plus runner. Acuña played primarily shortstop at Triple-A but also started about 30 games at second base and center field. He is a plus defender with a plus arm on the middle infield.

The Future: After a full season at Triple-A and a valuable postseason apprenticeship, Acuña is nearly ready to assume an MLB role, most likely as a multi-positional player with strong supporting tools.

Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 70 | Fielding: 60 | Arm: 60

From BA's Phillies 2025 Top 10: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

1. Andrew Painter
RHP

Ht: 6'7" | Wt: 215 | B-T: R-R

Age: null

BA Grade/Risk: 70/Extreme.

Track Record: Painter was a decorated amateur who was a unanimous selection for the Preseason High School All-America Team in 2021. The Phillies drafted him 13th overall that year and signed him for an under-slot $3.9 million. As a sign of what was to come, he punched out a dozen and walked none over six scoreless innings in the Florida Complex League in his pro debut. The next year in his first full season, Painter climbed from Low-A to Double-A, dominating at each stop. By moving so quickly, Painter joined rare company. Among prep pitchers of recent vintage, only Dylan Bundy, Chad Billingsley, Forrest Whitley, Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw had made it to Double-A in their first full professional seasons. By the time the dust settled, Painter had struck out 155 hitters in 103.2 innings and was named the inaugural BA Minor League Pitcher of the Year. Unfortunately, the righthander was quickly bitten by the injury bug. His right elbow started barking after his first 2023 outing in spring training. He made several attempts to rehab the injury before eventually having Tommy John surgery in late July. He missed the entirety of the 2023 and 2024 regular seasons before reappearing as part of the Phillies’ contingent in the Arizona Fall League, where he was once again touching triple-digits with his fastball.

Scouting Report: As one would expect from a pitcher who sliced through the minors so swiftly, Painter’s stuff is eye-popping. Before the surgery, his fastball sat in the mid 90s, touched 101 mph and had the excellent shape necessary to miss bats. At its best, it has the potential to be a true 70-grade pitch. Painter backs up his fastball with a slider that has shown signs of being a plus offering, and the low-80s breaker is the most prolific of his offspeed pitches. Later in the 2022 season, Painter began working in his changeup and curveball. The former was a high-80s offering which induced plenty of empty swings, while the latter needed to show more separation from his slider but was on the road to being an average pitch. Painter ties his mix together with pinpoint control that translated level-to-level, culminating in just two walks over 28.1 innings at Double-A. His delivery is smooth, repeatable and has plenty of extension. He also earned high marks for his unflappable mound presence, which served him especially well in the daunting, hitter-friendly atmosphere created by the cozy confines at Double-A Reading.

The Future: If Painter can shake off the rust in the AFL, he’ll enter 2025 with a chance to quickly crack the rotation in Philadelphia. Team officials have no doubt he remains the system’s best prospect and might one day fit toward the top of the rotation at Citizens Bank Park.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 70 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 70

From BA's Nationals 2025 Top 10: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

4. Brady House
3B

Ht: 6'4" | Wt: 215 | B-T: R-R

Age: null

BA Grade/Risk: 55/High.

Track Record: The Nationals drafted House 11th overall in 2021 and signed him for an over-slot $5 million. Featuring double-plus raw power, he was viewed as one of the top shortstop prospects in the class. After an impressive 2021 debut, his power seemed to evaporate in 2022, which eventually was explained by the back injury that sidelined him in June of that year. He reached Double-A Harrisburg in 2023, the season he moved from shortstop to third base. He played in just 88 games that season on a tightly managed workload. Healthy in 2024, House began the year at Double-A Harrisburg and earned a promotion to Triple-A Rochester in July. He hit for only modest power in 2024, connecting on 19 home runs, just six of which came at Triple-A.

Scouting Report: House has easy plus raw power, and his 6-foot-4, 215-pound frame looks every bit of the part of a slugger. While he makes a lot of hard contact, he has continued to struggle hitting velocity. This has become more evident as he’s moved through the minor leagues. He swings at a lot of pitches, chasing out-of-zone offerings nearly 10% more than average. While the impact questions are starting to subside, he will need to prove he can hit top-flight pitching. Defensively, House improved at third base in 2024. His plus arm profiles well there, and he could potentially be a permanent solution to the string of players who have been filling the gap left by Anthony Rendon’s departure following the 2019 season.

The Future: With the Nationals still trying to find a solid answer at third base, House has a real opportunity to make the big league team in 2025, potentially out of camp. If he can adjust to higher-level pitching, his raw power could give a young Nationals lineup some extra pop.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 60 | Speed: 50 | Fielding: 55 | Arm: 60

From BA's Cubs 2025 Top 10: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason


4. Owen Caissie
OF

Ht: 6'3" | Wt: 190 | B-T: L-R

Age: null

BA Grade/Risk: 55/High.

Track Record: Caissie’s prodigious power earned him notice on Canada’s junior national team. The Padres selected him 45th overall in 2020, signed him for $1.2 million and shipped him to the Cubs as a part of the package for Yu Darvish that December. Caissie enjoyed two strong seasons to begin his professional career before breaking out in Double-A as a 20-year-old in 2023 by hitting .289/.398/.519 in 120 games. He spent the entire 2024 season at Triple-A Iowa, slashing .278/.375/.472 with a 28.4% strikeout rate that was the lowest of his career.

Scouting Report: Caissie is a tall, athletic slugger who is also surprisingly toolsy. A Three True Outcomes hitter—45% of his plate appearances ended with a walk, strikeout or home run in 2024—his contact skills took a step forward in 2024. Caissie saw gains in both overall and in-zone contact rates, while employing a more aggressive approach at the plate. Handling velocity isn’t an issue for Caissie, who produced a .203 isolated slugging against pitches at 94 mph and faster. He shows swing-and-miss tendencies against breaking and offspeed pitches, but he shows the ability to adjust to high and low locations and does above-average-or-better damage against all pitch types. Caissie’s power is his standout skill. He features some of the best exit velocity data in the minor leagues. He also shows an ability to find the barrel with consistency, making lots of hard contact in the air. His all-fields approach and plus raw power allow him to hit balls out to all parts of the ballpark. An above-average runner, Caissie projects to steal 10-15 bases a year and is a strong defender on an outfield corner with an above-average arm.

The Future: Caissie has a robust set of tools for a slugger and could develop into a middle-of-the-order threat with the ability to play average or better outfield defense. He should debut for the Cubs in 2025.

Scouting Grades Hit: 45 | Power: 60 | Run: 55 | Fielding: 55 | Arm: 55

From BP's 2025 Rays Top Prospects: https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... prospects/

2.Brody Hopkins
Pos: RHP
Born: 2002-01-18
B: Right
T: Right
H: 6′ 4″
W: 200 lbs.
History: Drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the sixth round of the 2023 draft, Winthrop University; signed for $225,000. Acquired from Seattle for Randy Arozarena.
Previous Rank: NR
Major League ETA: Late 2026/Early 2027

Year Team Level Age W L SV G GS IP H HR BB% K% K GB% BABIP WHIP ERA DRA
2024 MOD Lo-A 22 4 3 0 18 18 83.7 62 2 11.2% 26.5% 95 58.7% .293 1.22 2.90 4.28
2024 BG Hi-A 22 1 3 0 7 7 31.3 21 1 9.9% 29.0% 38 35.5% .267 1.09 3.45 4.43

The Report: The Mariners and Rays have similar interests when it comes to amateur pitcher acquisition, so it’s not much of a shock the Rays targeted Hopkins as one of the main pieces of the Randy Arozarena trade return. He was already mid-breakout in Modesto by the time he switched unis, and he continued to consolidate his gains in Bowling Green. Hopkins has a very modern pitching approach. His fastball sits mid-90s, touching higher, and works uphill from a lower slot. This is a pitch that can beat guys in the zone—as long as it’s riding at the top of it—due to the tough approach angle. The fastball mostly exists to set up his easy plus slider, with both sweep and enough depth to get under bats. It might only be a 60 for now, but there’s obvious plus-plus potential with further refinement. Behind those two pitches he has a kitchen sink of secondaries, with the change showing some potential to have at least average sink, although it’s very firm at present. There’s a curve and cutter as well. Hopkins won’t need much more than his top two pitches though, assuming he continues to firm up his command. He does feature a fairly long arm path that can cause the occasional bouts of arm-side miss. There’s attendant relief risk of course, but I doubt he ends up an out-and-out pen arm as the stuff is already good enough to turn over a lineup multiple times.

OFP: 55 / Kirkland-brand Kumar Rocker

Variance: High. This cuts both ways, as Hopkins was a two-way player in college who may have even more in the tank than he showed in his breakout season this year. Conversely sometimes pop-up arms like this give back some of the velocity or stuff, and he hasn’t had to fine tune his approach against upper-minors bats yet.

From BA's Brewers 2025 Top 10: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason


2. Jeferson Quero
C

Ht: 5'11" | Wt: 215 | B-T: R-R

Age: null

BA Grade/Risk: 55/High.

Track Record: Signed out of Venezuela for $200,000 in 2019, Quero moved quickly through the minors, reaching Double-A Biloxi as a 20-year-old in 2023. One of the game’s top catching prospects, Quero opened 2024 in Triple-A Nashville and was on schedule to likely make his major league debut by the end of the year. Instead, he tore the labrum in his right shoulder diving back to first base in his first game, an injury that led to season-ending surgery in April.

Scouting Report: Quero draws rave reviews in all areas of his defense, from his technique to his tools to his intangibles. He’s a polished receiver and an athletic, agile mover behind the plate who does a good job of blocking balls in the dirt. He combines plus-plus arm strength with a quick release, often cutting his pop times on throws to second base under 1.9 seconds. He’s a favorite among managers and pitchers for his high-energy style, leadership and intelligence on the field. While Quero’s 2024 season was essentially wiped out, the leap forward he took at the plate in 2023 was encouraging. He uses a simple swing from a slightly open setup that he starts with a toe tap. He’s a good fastball hitter who keeps his hands quiet and makes contact at a high clip on pitches he swings at in the strike zone, though he will need to improve his swing decisions and tighten his approach against offspeed stuff. He has produced exit velocities up to 111 mph and has the power to develop into a 20-25 home run threat.

The Future: With catcher William Contreras in his prime and under team control for three more seasons, the Brewers can be patient with Quero. He should return to Triple-A Nashville to begin 2025 and could develop into a plus regular if he can sharpen his plate discipline.

Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 40 | Fielding: 70 | Arm: 70


5. Tyler Black
1B / 3B

Ht: 5'10" | Wt: 190 | B-T: L-R

Age: null

BA Grade/Risk: 50/Medium.

Track Record: The No. 33 overall pick in 2021, Black had his 2022 season cut short after 64 games because of a broken scapula. He then had the highest OPS of any player in the Brewers’ farm system with at least 200 plate appearances in 2023. Black made three brief appearances of a little more than a week each with the major league club in 2024 but spent most of his year with Triple-A Nashville, where he didn’t perform as well compared to his 2023 campaign. He scuffled from Aug. 1 on in Triple-A, batting .187/.320/.325 in his final 36 games.

Scouting Report: No hitter in the organization makes better swing decisions than Black. He recognizes pitches well and has a selective approach, seldom expanding the strike zone. The lefthanded hitter loads his swing with a hanging leg kick and takes a tight turn of the barrel with the hand-eye coordination and barrel accuracy to square up all types of pitches consistently. It’s a hit-over-power game for Black, who projects as a likely 15-20 home run threat. With Black spending most of his time at first base in 2024, that lack of typical first base power creates more risk to his profile. Black is a smart baserunner and good athlete with plus speed, so he is a good basestealer, but that athleticism hasn’t translated defensively. Black saw time at third base, center field and left field in 2024, with experience at second base as well. He’s not a natural infielder and his arm is below-average, with first base or left field likely his best defensive fits.

The Future: Black has the potential to be a high on-base hitter, but to break through and become an everyday regular, he will need to either show more power or take a step forward defensively.

Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 45 | Run: 60 | Fielding: 40 | Arm: 40

From BA's Pirates 2025 Top 10: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

4. Braxton Ashcraft
RHP

Ht: 6'5" | Wt: 195 | B-T: L-R

Age: null

BA Grade/Risk: 50/High.

Track Record: The Pirates drafted Ashcraft No. 51 overall in 2018 and signed the Texas native for $1.825 million. Injuries and the lost 2020 season due to the pandemic have slowed his ascent to Pittsburgh. Ashcraft injured his non-throwing shoulder in 2019, had knee surgery in 2020 and missed all of 2022 recovering from Tommy John surgery. He re-asserted himself as one of Pittsburgh’s most impressive pitching prospects upon returning and performed in 2024, though he was limited to 73 innings in the upper minors while dealing with a recurring forearm injury.

Scouting Report: The 6-foot-5 Ashcraft cuts an imposing, athletic figure on the mound and attacks hitters as such. His arsenal is fronted by a mid-90s fastball that touched 98 mph and landed for strikes roughly 68% of the time. Ashcraft throws a pair of potentially plus breaking pitches: a tight, powerful upper-80s slider that he threw with more consistent break in 2024, and a low-80s curveball. Hitters whiffed on both more than 40% of the time. He can also dial up the velocity on the slider to make it more closely resemble a cutter. Evaluators were encouraged by the shape and performance of his 89-91 mph changeup, but Ashcraft rarely throws it and would benefit from another offering he can throw to his arm side. The lack of a changeup coupled with Ashcraft’s durability concerns—he has yet to throw more than 75 innings in a season—invites questions about whether Ashcraft will stick as a starter.

The Future: Ashcraft is another option for the Pirates who is closing in on the majors and has midrotation upside. He’s expected to be healthy for spring training and has a fallback option as an intriguing late-inning power arm given his health and a potentially crowded Pittsburgh rotation in the not-too-distant future.

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

From BP's Mariners 2025 Top Prospects: https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... prospects/

9.Tyler Locklear
Pos: 1B
Born: 2000-11-24
B: Right
T: Right
H: 6′ 2″
W: 210 lbs.
History: Drafted in the second round of the 2022 draft, Virginia Commonwealth University; Signed for $1,276,500.
Previous Rank: #7 (org)
Major League ETA: Debuted in 2024

Year Team Level Age PA R 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG DRC+ BABIP
2022 A-MRN ROK 21 9 0 1 0 0 2 1 1 0 0 .333 .556 .500 – .400
2022 MOD Lo-A 21 133 19 5 0 7 29 7 29 0 0 .282 .353 .504 115 .313
2023 PEJ WIN 22 85 13 5 0 3 16 11 22 1 0 .290 .400 .493 – .370
2023 A-MRN ROK 22 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 .000 .000 .000 – –
2023 EVE Hi-A 22 275 40 19 0 12 44 36 60 10 0 .305 .422 .549 121 .365
2023 ARK AA 22 94 11 6 1 1 8 11 14 2 0 .260 .383 .403 104 .302
2024 ARK AA 23 188 30 12 1 8 26 23 49 4 1 .291 .401 .532 127 .376
2024 TAC AAA 23 318 53 15 3 8 41 39 76 5 0 .260 .371 .430 93 .330
2024 SEA MLB 23 49 3 1 0 2 3 3 20 1 0 .156 .224 .311 62 .217

The Report: Locklear rocketed through the minor leagues and then experienced the Seattle Mariners Hitting Curse about as badly as anybody else in 2024. His stumble, including a 40% strikeout rate in a brief big-league cameo, might erode some of the excitement, but Locklear’s underlying skills remain impressive. A large-framed slugger, Locklear strides towards the plate and employs severe trunk tilt in his short load phase, culminating in a down-then-up barrel path intended to lift to the middle of the field. He has a hitchy little hand path that he’s worked to mute, letting his natural strength play through the power alleys, which it does—Locklear’s contact quality indicates 60-grade playable power, and toes the line for plus-plus. His bat comes through the zone stiffly, and Locklear’s bat-to-ball is below-average, but most of his career-defining areas for improvement are the same as plenty of young, ultimately successful hitters. Namely, Locklear relies on strength-powered mishits against advanced breaking balls, and he’ll probably always strike out more than you’d like despite his above-average swing decisions, which should tether him on the right side of 30%. That all adds up to a nice peak projection, even considering the defensive limitations.

OFP: 55 / Above-average slugging first baseman.

Variance: Low. Locklear’s 45 abysmal plate appearances in the big leagues don’t move the needle, because he has demonstrated carrying power ability with no massive red flags, over a sufficient track record. A righty-righty first baseman in that ballpark is a tough life to live, though. Locklear’s more impressive pop should separate him from those before.

From BA's Orioles 2025 Top 10: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

6. Enrique Bradfield
OF

Ht: 6'1" | Wt: 170 | B-T: L-L

Age: null

BA Grade/Risk: 50/High.

Track Record: Bradfield was a dynamic talent at Vanderbilt who demonstrated his elite speed and defense over three seasons. The Orioles’ signed him for a slot-value bonus of $4.17 million to bring him into their hitting program and help unlock his offensive ceiling. Bradfield spent a majority of his full-season debut in 2024 at High-A Aberdeen before playing the last month at Double-A Bowie. He logged a .729 OPS and 74 stolen bases—only the Rays’ Chandler Simpson accrued more—between the two levels while earning a minor league Gold Glove Award in center field.

Scouting Report: A year of affiliated baseball left no doubts about the potential ways Bradfield can impact games. His elite defense in center field and elite baserunning showed up at both levels. So, too, did his bat-to-ball ability—he swung-and-missed at pitches just 5.3% of the time. The contact quality is never going to be elite in terms of exit speeds or raw power, but the overall value of Bradfield as a player hinges on his ability to refine his contact to keep the ball off the ground and hit more line drives at good angles, allowing him to be on base more and utilize his speed. On that front, Bradfield made encouraging progress, cutting his ground ball rate from 70.2% in his pro debut to 50.2% in 2024. His late-season promotion to Bowie came with an even greater focus on swing decisions. Bradfield focused more on pitches he could hit at good angles and left the Orioles bullish on his offensive trajectory.

The Future: Bradfield’s carrying tools are the type that can get him to the majors. Any further refinement of the hit tool can make him a valuable table-setter in a winning lineup while also providing Gold Glove-caliber defense. Bradfield will be back at Bowie to build on his strong 2024 season there.

Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 30 | Run: 80 | Field: 80 | Arm: 45.

From BP's Pirates 2025 Top Prospects: https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news ... prospects/

4.Braxton Ashcraft
Pos: RHP
Born: 1999-10-05
B: Left
T: Right
H: 6′ 5″
W: 195 lbs.
History: Drafted in the second round of the 2018 draft, Robinson HS (Robinson, TX); signed for $1,825,000.
Previous Rank: #5 (org)
Major League ETA: 2025

Year Team Level Age W L SV G GS IP H HR BB% K% K GB% BABIP WHIP ERA DRA
2023 BRD Lo-A 23 0 0 0 2 2 6.3 3 0 4.2% 45.8% 11 50.0% .250 0.63 0.00 3.96
2023 GBO Hi-A 23 0 2 0 9 9 26.3 29 4 4.5% 26.4% 29 42.1% .347 1.29 3.76 5.09
2023 ALT AA 23 0 1 0 8 8 20.0 14 0 6.3% 29.1% 23 42.0% .280 0.95 1.35 4.37
2024 ALT AA 24 2 2 0 11 10 53.7 51 6 3.6% 28.6% 63 41.5% .319 1.10 3.69 3.92
2024 IND AAA 24 1 0 0 5 4 19.3 15 0 5.1% 17.7% 14 46.7% .254 0.98 0.47 5.19
2024 StuffPro: FA (0.6), SL (-0.6), CU (-0., CH (0.3)

The Report: Braxton Ashcraft: His stuff is very good, but he suffered an injury that cost him half the season. Fin. We’re not actually ending the report here, of course, but the Texan’s historical health run-ins did lamentably make a return in 2024—elbow and forearm issues limited him to one inning pitched after early July, and this comes on the heels of undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2022. On the bright side, he was extremely good during his time on the mound—especially at Triple-A—tossing a high-spin fastball topping out above 98 and partnering it with a hard slider flaunting big whiff and chase rates, as well as an effective curve and change. This remains a slam-dunk big-league stuff package, but Ashcraft’s durability concerns have not receded with time. It would not be terribly surprising to see him transitioned into the pen, and he could be very effective very quickly in that role.

OFP: 55 / Good starter or good reliever.

Variance: Medium. He’ll be a big-leaguer but injuries might make it difficult to get the innings he needs to develop as a starter. —Ben Spanier

From BA's Yankees 2025 Top 10: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

7. Chase Hampton
RHP

Ht: 6'2" | Wt: 225 | B-T: R-R

Age: null

BA Grade/Risk: 50/High.

Track Record: Hampton’s 2022 season followed a script similar to many of the Yankees’ pitching prospects in recent years. After New York called his name in the sixth round out of Texas Tech, Hampton was shut down until the following year, when he was unveiled at High-A Hudson Valley. He was one of the system’s breakout prospects that summer, when he struck out 145 over 106.2 innings between High-A and Double-A. The performance seemed to leave him poised to arrive in the Bronx in 2024. Injuries foiled those plans, however, and Hampton pitched only 18.2 innings, a total which included just four non-rehab appearances. In the beginning of the year, he dealt with a flexor strain in his right elbow. Once he’d cleared that hurdle and returned to Double-A Somerset, an injury to his lower body landed him back on the shelf for the rest of the season.

Scouting Report: At his best in 2023, Hampton carved hitters with a mix of a mid-90s fastball and a pair of above-average breaking pitches at the head of a five-pitch repertoire. His curveball is one of the best in the system. Hampton was almost never at that level in 2024, and injuries left his stuff severely diminished. In an ideal world, the season’s goals would have been to bring his changeup—which entered the season projecting as a fringe-average pitch—up to the level of his other pitches. Instead, Hampton was forced to work on the mental side of his game, especially when it came to learning how to handle adversity.

The Future: Hampton’s 2024 season was a wash. In 2025, he’ll hope that a return to health brings back his best stuff. If that happens, he can consider the year a speed bump on his way to a spot in a big league rotation.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 60. CB: 55 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 45 | Cutter: 50 | Control: 60.

From BP's Phillies 2025 Top Prospects: https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... prospects/

1.Andrew Painter
Pos: RHP
Born: 2003-04-10
B: Right
T: Right
H: 6′ 7″
W: 215 lbs.
History: Drafted 13th overall in the 2021 draft, Calvary Christian HS (Fort Lauderdale, FL); signed for $3.9 million.
Previous Rank: #1 (org), #19 (Top 101)
Major League ETA: 2025

Year Team Level Age W L SV G GS IP H HR BB% K% K GB% BABIP WHIP ERA DRA
2022 CLR Lo-A 19 1 1 0 9 9 38.7 17 0 10.7% 46.3% 69 38.1% .270 0.85 1.40 2.89
2022 JS Hi-A 19 3 0 0 8 8 36.7 25 2 4.9% 34.3% 49 32.6% .274 0.87 0.98 4.25
2022 REA AA 19 2 1 0 5 5 28.3 25 3 1.8% 33.9% 37 35.3% .338 0.95 2.54 4.02
2024 GDD WIN 21 1 0 0 5 5 13.0 8 1 4.3% 25.5% 12 33.3% .219 0.77 2.08 –

The Report: Painter was trending towards opening the 2023 season in the majors as a 19-year-old when he started having recurring elbow issues. He eventually had Tommy John surgery and missed all of the 2023 and 2024 seasons, including an elbow soreness setback last summer. He reemerged in the Arizona Fall League throwing his typical mid-to-upper-90s fastball, although with a couple inches less vertical break and worse command—very typical issues on the road back from TJ. He also had more clearly separated breaking balls, trading out his previous sweeper for an upper-80s true slider, which has more distinction from his low-80s curve. He didn’t throw his change much—he didn’t always in 2022 either—but displayed some feel when he did. All-in-all, it was about as successful an AFL return as you could hope for even if imperfect, and he remains one of the top three or so pitching prospects in the sport.

OFP: 70 / Front-of-the-rotation starter

Variance: High. He hasn’t pitched in an official game in two years

From BA's Guardians 2025 Top 10: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

9. Juan Brito
2B

Ht: 5'11" | Wt: 162 | B-T: S-R

Age: null

BA Grade/Risk: 45/Medium.

Track Record: Brito signed with the Rockies out of the Dominican Republic in 2018, and the Guardians acquired him in a 2022 trade that sent Nolan Jones to Colorado. Since then, all Brito has done is hit. He went from High-A to Triple-A in 2023 then spent the entire 2024 season with Triple-A Columbus where he slashed .256/.365/.443 and was one of just two minor leaguers with at least 20 homers and 40 doubles—along with Athletics outfielder Colby Thomas.

Scouting Report: Brito is a 6-foot-1, 207-pound switch-hitter and infielder who has a solid blend of contact skills, approach and power. Over five minor league seasons, he is a .275/.384/.450 hitter with a 14.1% walk rate and 15.4% strikeout rate. He makes pitchers work to get him out, doesn’t expand the zone much and has added more power as he’s gotten into his 20s, though most of that power goes to his pull side when he’s batting lefthanded. Changeups were a bit of a bugaboo for Brito in 2024—his 30% miss rate against the pitch was higher than fastballs and breaking balls—but otherwise he has a fairly well-rounded and proven offensive game. Brito is just a fringe-average runner whose range is a bit short in the field. He primarily played second base in 2024 but also logged innings at first base, third base, right field and shortstop. Brito has some looseness to his actions in the field at times, but is best suited for the keystone, where his average arm strength plays fine, or the hot corner, where his range isn’t as much of a limiting factor.

The Future: Brito is ready for a big league opportunity but doesn’t have an everyday role with Cleveland because Jose Ramirez and Andres Gimenez are locked into his best positions. He could serve as a utility bench bat but might have more value to another team in a starting role.

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

From BP's Yankees 2025 Top Prospects: https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... prospects/

3.Chase Hampton
Pos: RHP
Born: 2001-08-07
B: Right
T: Right
H: 6′ 2″
W: 220 lbs.
History: Drafted in the sixth round of the 2022 draft, Texas Tech University; signed for $497,500.
Previous Rank: #3 (org), #56 (Top 101)
Major League ETA: 2026

Year Team Level Age W L SV G GS IP H HR BB% K% K GB% BABIP WHIP ERA DRA
2023 HV Hi-A 21 2 1 0 9 9 47.0 31 5 8.4% 40.5% 77 32.0% .283 1.00 2.68 4.34
2023 SOM AA 21 2 2 0 11 11 59.7 54 8 8.5% 27.4% 68 32.7% .305 1.26 4.37 4.82
2024 F-YAN ROK 22 0 0 0 2 2 3.3 3 0 25.0% 25.0% 4 50.0% .375 2.10 2.70 –
2024 TAM Lo-A 22 0 1 0 3 3 9.7 4 1 5.6% 22.2% 8 33.3% .130 0.62 3.72 5.08
2024 SOM AA 22 0 0 0 2 2 5.7 4 0 12.5% 16.7% 4 35.3% .235 1.24 0.00 4.60
2024 StuffPro: FA (0.5), FC (0.5), SW (-1), CU (0.1)

The Report: The recipient of the organization’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year award in 2023, Hampton came into the season as a potential big-league rotation option, but injured his forearm in spring training. Although there was a sigh of relief when he didn’t need TJS, he still missed the first half of the season. When he returned in July, his stuff looked flat out the gate, but it got better with each outing. He finally looked like himself several starts in… only to go back on the shelf with a groin injury to close out the season. While reports suggest he will have a healthy offseason, our assessment questions his availability more than his ability. We have little doubt about Hampton’s talents on the mound—the hitch in his delivery is a bit odd, but his high-three-quarters release is fine and his arsenal is well-rounded, with each of his rising fastball (92-94, t96), breakers, and change tracking as pluses—but forearm issues that don’t result in surgery always linger in the back of our heads. If it’s “all systems go” for the Texas Tech product, he is one of the most well-rounded pitchers in the minors: *If* is the keyword.

OFP: 55 / Mid-rotation stalwart

Variance: Medium. This opens the proverbial Pandora’s box of what variance means from a prospect ranking perspective. Skills-wise, we’re confident in Hampton’s aptitude. If you factor in injury risk, well, that’s how we get here.

From BPs Mets 2025 Top Prospects: https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... prospects/

7.Luisangel Acuña
Pos: SS
Born: 2002-03-12
B: Right
T: Right
H: 5′ 8″
W: 181 lbs.
History: Signed July 2018 by the Texas Rangers out of Venezuela. Acquired from the Rangers for Max Scherzer.
Previous Rank: #3 (org), #76 (Top 101)
Major League ETA: Debuted in 2024

Year Team Level Age PA R 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG DRC+ BABIP
2022 HIC Hi-A 20 240 45 10 0 8 29 34 60 28 6 .317 .417 .483 108 .416
2022 FRI AA 20 169 21 6 2 3 18 17 36 12 3 .224 .302 .349 89 .274
2023 FRI AA 21 402 68 25 2 7 51 37 76 42 5 .315 .377 .453 90 .381
2023 BNG AA 21 167 25 3 0 2 12 15 30 15 5 .243 .317 .304 91 .288
2024 SYR AAA 22 587 90 20 6 7 50 32 96 40 14 .258 .299 .355 81 .299
2024 NYM MLB 22 40 6 2 1 3 6 1 6 0 1 .308 .325 .641 100 .300

The Report: Ronald’s little brother has almost the exact same swing mechanics. What works for the MVP does not work for the brother because his power is about five grades lower on the upper echelon; it turns out that being a top-10 damage creator in the sport overcomes a plane that encourages ground-ball tendencies. Luisangel Acuña did start swinging with more intent in a short major league run, although his max exit velocity was still below 110 mph.

If you roll back to his Triple-A profile, you see the statistical limits of hitting the ball medium-hard into the ground while not attacking the right pitches. Acuña does have good enough bat-to-ball that deciding to trade some lifted damage for some extra whiff would probably work out for him. Even if he doesn’t get there, he’s a capable defender at short and excellent at second with 70 grade wheels, so he’s likely to have a long career as a role player even with no further bat development.

OFP: 55 / Starting middle infielder

Variance: Medium, which is kind of sneaky high for a very famous player with a WYSIWYG base of skills.

From BA's Royals 2025 Top 10: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

6. Gavin Cross
OF

Ht: 6'1" | Wt: 210 | B-T: L-L

Age: null

BA GradeRisk: 50/High.

Track Record: Cross ranked as the Royals’ top prospect the year after they selected the Virginia Tech outfielder with the ninth overall pick in the 2022. They signed him for $5,200,400. He confused observers with a subpar season in 2023, featuring a disappointing stat line of .203/.298/.378 in a season spent primarily at High-A Quad Cities. His season-long issues were a combination of hitting mechanics being out of whack, back discomfort and a tick-borne illness that shut down his regular season shortly after a promotion to Double-A. Cross’ 2024 numbers at Double-A Northwest Arkansas were significantly better, with a batting line of .261/.342/.428 and 15 home runs in 101 games.

Scouting Report: Cross hasn’t quite shown the hit tool he had in college, logging a strikeout rate of 24% in his first full Double-A season and selling out for power at times. He could be regarded as more of a power-over-hit guy, and he should be able to get more pop with his torque and bat speed using an up-the-middle approach. Cross spent more time in right field than in the middle of the outfield in 2024, and that’s the position that suits him best. An average runner with long strides who gets solid jumps and reads in the outfield would normally be enough to handle center, but the key to his defense is more effort over athleticism, and he lacks the necessary recovery speed. Cross stole 30 bases in 32 attempts in 2024, with the baserunning instincts to continue getting plenty of steals. He reads outfielders well and has a good feel as to when to take chances running from first to third on hits to the outfield.

The Future: Cross profiles as a regular right fielder or a fourth outfielder on a first-division team. He’ll get his first taste of Triple-A ball in 2025 with a chance to make it to Kansas City during the year.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Field: 50 | Arm: 55.

From BA's Twins 2025 Top 10: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

2. Emmanuel Rodriguez
OF

Ht: 5'10" | Wt: 210 | B-T: L-L

Age: null

BA Grade/Risk: 60/High.

Track Record: Rodriguez signed for $2.5 million out of the Dominican Republic as the Twins’ top target in the 2019 international class. He’s been great when he plays. A hand injury limited him during 2020. He missed four months in 2022 with a left knee sprain. An abdomen injury sidelined him for nearly a month in 2023. In 2024, a thumb injury led to an injured list stint for Double-A Wichita in June. Rodriguez made it back at the end of August, but the injury flared up two weeks later to end his season. He had surgery on the thumb ligament after the season. He has averaged just 64 games per season since he reached full-season ball.

Scouting Report: Rodriguez has made his career off knowing the strike zone. He will go games between swings at pitches out of the zone. He swings at just 32% of pitches he sees, one of the lowest rates in the minors. And when he does swing, he hits the ball harder than anyone. His 90th percentile exit velocity of 110 mph was the best in the full-season minors. Rodriguez’s bat-to-ball skills are average at best, and he can be beaten by quality pitches in the zone. High strikeout rates are part of his approach, and he took 24 called third strikes in 2024. That’s what could derail him, as minor leaguers with his 30% career strikeout rate often struggle to hit in the majors. In addition to his top-of-the-scale power and top-of-the-scale plate discipline, he also is an above-average runner. He stole nine bases in his first 16 games of 2024. He didn’t steal a base for the rest of the season as the Twins tried to limit his injury risk. He’s an average defender who can play all three outfield spots.

The Future: Rodriguez should start 2025 at Triple-A St. Paul and he could reach the big leagues later in the season. His swing-and-miss issues in the zone could limit his impact, but he has star potential.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 70 | Run: 55 | Field: 50 | Arm: 55.

From BP's 2025 Twins Top Prospects: https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... prospects/

2.Emmanuel Rodriguez
Pos: OF
Born: 2003-02-28
B: Left
T: Left
H: 5′ 11″
W: 210 lbs.
History: Signed July 2nd, 2019 out of the Dominican Republic for $2.75 million.
Previous Rank: #3 (org), #62 (Top 101)
Major League ETA: 2025

Year Team Level Age PA R 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB CS AVG OBP SLG DRC+ BABIP
2022 FTM Lo-A 19 199 35 5 3 9 25 57 52 11 5 .272 .492 .551 153 .364
2023 CR Hi-A 20 455 87 13 9 16 55 92 134 20 5 .240 .400 .463 121 .332
2024 F-TWI ROK 21 8 1 2 0 0 2 1 3 0 0 .286 .375 .571 – .500
2024 FTM Lo-A 21 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 .000 .250 .000 98 –
2024 WCH AA 21 167 40 12 2 8 20 42 46 9 3 .298 .479 .621 142 .414
2024 STP AAA 21 30 6 0 0 1 5 7 12 0 0 .217 .400 .348 81 .400

The Report: Rodriguez has had even worse issues staying on the field the last few seasons, with a thumb issue the main culprit in 2024. He was limited to just 37 games last year and had offseason surgery to hopefully fix the issue. You might think hand stuff would impact his prodigious power. It did not. Rodriguez still hit the ball incredibly hard when he was on the field, as has been his wont. Despite the injuries his skill set has remained pretty steady for his pro career: game-changing plus-plus power, a refusal to expand on pitches he can’t drive out to right field (even strikes), significant in-zone whiff issues, and a potential average or solid-average center field defensive projection. That’s a heady brew even if the hit tool lands at a 4. Rodriguez swings like Ohtani at 75% speed, with strong wrists but less of the elite twitchy, controlled violence—because honestly, no one has that. It’s a jerky, violent swing that is always going to sacrifice some whiffs for maximum pull-side damage potential. If Rodriguez can keep his in-zone contact rates in the mid-70s he should hit 30+ bombs a year, and he doesn’t chase outside the zone so should pile up an above-average OBP even if he hits .230-.240. Rodriguez had knee surgery in 2022, but is still a plus runner with an average center field projection. I do worry given the frame he might bleed some of that speed, but he should stick up-the-middle without being a special defender there. The bat is potentially special anywhere, however.

OFP: 60 / First-division center fielder

Variance: High. Rodriguez is going to be a prime example of Ben Zeidman’s zone contact analysis. Where he lands on in-zone contact—I’m guessing it won’t be under 70, but won’t be over 80—is going to have outsized effects on his overall offensive profile given how much damage he does when he does make contact. There’s some secondary risk factors here too with the injuries and potential slide to a corner outfield spot, but his ability to hit and damage pitches in the zone will be the deciding factor if Rodriguez is an All-Star TTO masher or an average one.

From BA's 2025 Mariners Top 10: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

10. Tyler Locklear
1B

Ht: 6'1" | Wt: 210 | B-T: R-R

Age: null

BA Grade/Risk: 45/Medium.

Track Record: Locklear was one of the best college hitters in the country, culminating in an absurd junior season that catapulted him into the second round of the 2022 draft. He set Virginia Commonwealth’s single-season record with 20 home runs as a junior and finished his career with 37, which tied for the program’s all-time record. Locklear carried that success over to pro ball, where he boasts a career slash line of .280/.389/.485 in the minors. He made his MLB debut in 2024 but struggled in a 16-game sample.

Scouting Report: Locklear’s meal ticket is his bat. He can get swing-happy at the plate and is prone to expanding the zone, but he still maintained strong walk rates in the minor leagues because pitchers were scared out of the zone against him. It remains to be seen how his walk rate will translate to the majors. There is also some whiff in his bat. However, Locklear consistently hits the ball hard, both on a line and in the air. He has the chance for above-average hit and power tools at peak. He’s a below-average runner, but he’s not a base-clogger. He will even steal the occasional base on an unsuspecting pitcher. Locklear came into pro ball as a third baseman, but he has since transitioned to first base full time. He shows solid natural feel at picking throws out of the dirt, while his range in the field and mobility around the bag are more fringy.

The Future: Despite a rough MLB showing in 2024, Locklear still projects as a future above-average hitter. Having moved to first base full time, there is added pressure on his bat in order for him to be an everyday guy. He will likely head to spring training fighting for the Opening Day first base job.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 55 | Run: 40 | Field: 45 | Arm: 50.

From MLB Pipeline: https://www.mlb.com/milb/news/each-mlb- ... e-coverage

Royals: Asbel Gonzalez, OF (No. 20)
Scouts love their no-doubt center fielders, and Gonzalez has wowed plenty of Royals evaluators with his defense and speed in the middle of the grass over his first two Minor League seasons. That already gives the Venezuela native a solid floor, and he’s proven to be solid at getting on base with a .398 OBP and 11.0 percent walk rate over 41 games in the Arizona Complex League in 2024. Adding elevation and strength to his swing would go a long way toward making Gonzalez a more prominent prospect, and he’ll still only be 19 for the entire 2025 campaign.

More from MLB Pipeline: https://www.mlb.com/milb/news/each-team ... e-coverage

Tigers: Jaden Hamm, RHP (No. 7)
Detroit officials were intrigued by the high induced vertical break on Hamm's 92-95 mph fastball coming out of Middle Tennessee State, and the heater proved to be a great weapon for the 2023 fifth-rounder. Hamm posted a 2.64 ERA with 122 strikeouts in 99 innings for High-A West Michigan, earning him Midwest League Pitcher of the Year honors and a healthy bump from outside the preseason Top 30 to inside the current Top 10.

And again from MLB Pipeline: https://www.mlb.com/milb/news/mlb-prosp ... e-coverage

Yankees: RHP Chase Hampton

Hampton (New York’s No. 6 prospect) was one of the prospects who managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner expressed reluctance to discuss in trades this past spring, along with outfielder Spencer Jones and right-hander Will Warren. Hampton’s season never truly got off the ground, as he sustained a right elbow injury during Spring Training that delayed his season debut until July, then was sidelined by a lower body injury in August. During the Winter Meetings in December, general manager Brian Cashman brought up Hampton unprompted, saying, “One of the guys no one talks about anymore is Hampton, who was hurt last year. He’s healthy again.” -- Bryan Hoch


Phillies: RHP Andrew Painter

How could it be anybody else? The Phillies have talked quite a bit about the rotation since the end of the 2024 season. First, they already believed they had four top-tier starters in Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suárez and Cristopher Sánchez. Then, they got Jesús Luzardo in a trade with Miami. Now, the Phillies believe they have five All-Star-caliber starters to open the season. But that doesn’t mean Painter’s time won’t come in 2025. Injuries happen, pitchers struggle. If either happens, you can bet Painter, the team's No. 2 prospect, will be in red pinstripes by midsummer. -- Todd Zolecki

From BP's MLU: https://www.baseballprospectus.com/pros ... ic-rivera/

Pitcher of the Weekend
Eduardo Rivera, LHP, Boston Red Sox (PRWL Santurce): 6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K.
Rivera has been a dominant force in Puerto Rico this offseason, striking out 56 and allowing just five earned runs in his 39 innings of work for Santurce. A former top-10 prospect who struggled with command in the Athletics’ system, Rivera has resurrected his career with Boston. If the strike-throwing improvement continues into 2025, he could be a fast riser in the organization.