IBC

Better late than never...let's get started w/ BA's Top 30's

From Baltimore: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

8. Enrique Bradfield
OF

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

Age: 24

BA Grade/Risk: 50/Average

Adjusted Grade: 40

Track Record: Bradfield made a serious impact over three years at Vanderbilt thanks to his combination of elite speed and defense, and the Orioles signed him for $4.17 million as the 17th pick in 2023 to help him maximize his unique skill set at the plate. He won a minor league Gold Glove award in 2024, a season in which he hit .272 with a .729 OPS and 72 stolen bases between High-A Aberdeen and Double-A Bowie. A pair of hamstring issues limited him in 2025, but he still had a .779 OPS and 138 wRC+ in 50 Double-A games and ended the year at Triple-A Norfolk before getting more at-bats in the Arizona Fall League.

Scouting Report: Bradfield continues to make progress at fine-tuning his unique offensive style to best suit his game. He makes a high volume of contact, rarely whiffs, and maximizes those skills by focusing on pitches he can drive and hitting the ball over the infield. He cut his groundball rate from 50.2% in 2024 to 43.4% in 2025, and he uses his elite speed to turn balls in the gap into extra bases. He’s improving his quality of contact as he matures and doesn’t need to be a slugger in the big leagues. Instead, he can be a table-setter who can get on base by laying down a bunt or lining a ball to the outfield. Then he can impact games by stealing bases and playing elite center field defense. Still, a player with such an offensive profile will need to prove his viability at every level, including the majors, and Bradfield was challenged late in 2025 in Triple-A.

The Future: There’s little doubt that Bradfield can help a major league team as an everyday outfielder thanks to his speed and defense, and his current offensive trajectory points toward that kind of floor. He’ll be back at Triple-A Norfolk to start 2026 and could make his major league debut over the summer.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 30 | Run: 80 | Field: 80 | Arm: 45


14. Levi Wells
RHP

Ht: 6'2" | Wt: 216 | B-T: R-R

Age: 24

BA Grade/Risk: 50/High

Adjusted Grade: 35

Track Record: Wells began his college career in Texas Tech’s bullpen before spending two seasons at Texas State, where they used his high-octane arm in the rotation. Wells’ resume there, plus some impressive stints on Cape Cod, helped him climb the Orioles’ draft board, and they signed him for slightly below slot at $500,000 as the 118th pick in 2023. Wells’ stuff was far better than the results in his first full season, but he fared well in the high minors in 2025, ending at Triple-A Norfolk.

Scouting Report: Wells is a fiery competitor whose success on the mound has correlated to improvements in how he controls that, though the same doesn’t need to be said about his arsenal, which he fills up the zone with. Wells has both a four-seam and two-seam fastball and sits around 96 mph, though he can touch 100. The Orioles throttled back his velocity to get him deeper into games later in the season. His 90-94 mph cutter, mid-80s sweeper and low-80s curveball are all above-average pitches. Wells has a firm changeup but almost entirely scrapped the pitch in 2025 and it’s a distant fifth offering. Wells doesn’t miss bats as much as he should given the quality of his stuff but generates plenty of weak contact with it.

The Future: Wells’ stuff is tantalizing to dream on as a back-end starter but he may be more effective in a bullpen role. He’ll return to Norfolk, likely as a starter, to push for a major league debut in 2026.

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

From Tampa Bay: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

1. Brody Hopkins
RHP

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

Age: 23

BA Grade/Risk: 60/Average

Adjusted Grade: 50

Track Record: Growing up, Hopkins was always known as TJ’s little brother. TJ Hopkins was a star athlete at Summerville (S.C.) High and went on to be a four-year outfield starter at South Carolina. Eventually, he became a major leaguer by spending 25 games with the 2023 Reds. Brody, who is five years younger, quickly made a name for himself as well. He was a baseball and football star—as a big-play wide receiver—in high school before heading to the College of Charleston as an outfielder who also pitched sporadically. After 50 games in the outfield and two on the mound for the Cougars, Hopkins transferred to Winthrop for the 2023 season, focused on pitching and saw his career take off. He was wild as a college pitcher, but his athleticism and stuff enticed the Mariners to draft him in the sixth round in that same year. In July 2024, Seattle sent him to the Rays as part of the return for outfielder Randy Arozarena. Hopkins took a step forward with his control in 2025, and was especially effective over the final two months at Double-A Montgomery. He struck out 32% of batters while allowing just four runs in his final six starts.

Scouting Report: Hopkins has the best stuff of any Rays minor league starter, with an all-out, all-power, all-the-time approach that is quite unusual for a starting pitcher. There is nothing subtle about Hopkins’ stuff, as even his curveball and changeup will flirt with 90 mph. He’ll have outings where he doesn’t throw a pitch under 88-89 mph. It’s an approach seen from very few MLB starters. Jacob Misiorowski and Max Meyer were the only MLB starters in 2025 who averaged 87 mph or harder with every pitch. Hopkins doesn’t change speeds much, but he does force hitters to protect the entire strike zone. He’s able to work up and down to lefthanded hitters thanks to a 96-97 mph four-seam fastball that touches 100. He throws it from a flat approach angle of less than 4 feet, with enough life to get above bats at the top of the zone. His 89-91 mph changeup gets below hitters’ bats with just enough movement to pair with that extreme power, and his 92-93 mph cutter can get in under their hands. He can take that same up-and-down approach with righthanded hitters, but he can also mix in a bigger 87-88 mph power curve. He has also toyed with an 87-88 mph sweeper that runs away from them. Hopkins has a long arm action, which can lead to control issues, but he is athletic enough to repeat his delivery well. His 12% walk rate is high, but his ability to limit hard contact helps make his fringe-average control work.

The Future: Hopkins carries a bit more reliever risk than some other Rays starters thanks to his still-developing control, but he’s made massive strides in just three years. He could develop into a front-of-the-rotation starter if everything clicks, with the kind of arsenal that gives hitters nightmares on a regular basis.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 65 | Curveball: 70 | Changeup: 45 | Cutter: 65 | Sweeper: 60 | Control: 45

From Cleveland: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

6. Braylon Doughty
RHP

Ht: 6'1" | Wt: 196 | B-T: R-R

Age: 20

BA Grade/Risk: 55/Average

Adjusted Grade: 45

Track Record: Doughty was a top-two-rounds talent in the 2024 draft coming out of Chaparral High in California and signed with the Guardians for $2.57 million as the 36th overall pick. He lived up to his billing in his first pro season with Low-A Lynchburg, where he posted a 3.48 ERA across 85.1 innings with a 27.3% strikeout rate and 6.4% walk rate.

Scouting Report: Doughty is a 6-foot-1, 196-pound righthander who repeats his delivery well with great natural athleticism, a quick arm and a three-quarters slot. He was lauded for his strike-throwing ability as an amateur and backed up that reputation in his first extended look at pro ball. Doughty does an excellent job attacking the zone with a 93 mph four-seam fastball that touches 96-97 and has solid riding life. While the four-seam variant is his primary fastball, Doughty also has a two-seamer that’s a tick lighter on average and could be a useful piece at the bottom of the zone. He threw both fastballs for strikes more than 70% of the time in 2025. Doughty’s curveball is his primary swing-and-miss offering. It was always viewed as a potential wipeout offering and it looks even better in pro ball than it did as an amateur. Doughty now throws the pitch harder, in the low 80s, with the same snappy, hard-biting action that leads to plenty of buckled knees and chases below the zone. His ability to land his curveball in the zone consistently speaks to his advanced command. Doughty has a mid-80s changeup and has thrown a harder slider in the past—both of which could become bigger pieces of his arsenal in the future. He picks up pitch shapes quickly, and that could be a developmental lever that gets pulled down the line.

The Future: Doughty is a high-probability starter with midrotation upside who is ready for High-A competition in 2026. He’s a few years away but is one of the most exciting arms in Cleveland’s system.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 65 | Slider: - | Changeup: 50 | Control: 60


15. Juan Brito
2B

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

Age: 24

BA Grade/Risk: 45/Average

Adjusted Grade: 35

Track Record: Brito has been a reliable minor league hitter for years, and after a strong full-season in Triple-A in 2024 was a popular breakout pick who had a chance to impact Cleveland’s major league team. Brito struggled in spring training, then played just 31 games because of a string of injuries including thumb and hamstring injuries that both required surgery.

Scouting Report: Brito is a 6-foot, 202-pound switch-hitter who, when at his best, shows a solid blend of contact, patience and pop. Without elite bat speed, Brito needs to be dialed into his swing decisions and timing, and when he was on the field in 2025 he regressed in both those areas—causing some regression across the board in his batted-ball inputs. His aggressiveness was perhaps the most striking difference in 2025, and Brito both swung more frequently and expanded the zone more frequently against a variety of pitch types. There’s an expectation that he’ll get back to his typical self with a healthy 2026 season. Brito is a primary second baseman, and that’s his best spot defensively. He’s a fringy runner with solid hands and average arm strength. It’s likely that he gets more exposure to other positions including outfield, first base and third base to create more opportunities for him to contribute in the lineup.

The Future: The 2025 season was essentially a lost one for Brito. He missed his opportunity to claim the team’s second base job, and now top prospect Travis Bazzana is in a position to claim it for himself. Playing off the keystone puts more pressure on Brito’s bat, and that could make him more of a backup or platoon type for the Guardians.

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

From Kansas City: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

7. Ramon Ramirez
C

Ht: 6'0" | Wt: 180 | B-T: R-R

Age: 20

BA Grade/Risk: 50/High

Adjusted Grade: 35

Track Record: Ramirez signed out of Venezuela in 2023 and immediately jumped onto the scene when he arrived in the U.S. for the Royals’ fall instructional league, showing feel to hit and big power. After a strong Arizona Complex League season in 2024, Ramirez made his full-season debut with Low-A Columbia in 2025 and slashed .244/.339/.442 with 11 homers and a .198 isolated slugging percentage in 77 games. He was off to a solid start before missing nearly two months of the Carolina League season with left hand inflammation. His numbers dipped significantly after his return, with his Carolina League OPS dropping from .838 to .775.

Scouting Report: Ramirez has an appealing combination of offensive tools at his disposal. He’s a fluid mover in the box with an efficient swing and an early leg lift. He has also already demonstrated the ability to make adjustments. For those reasons, he projects to hit for both average and power. He has the bat speed to handle velocity, but he sells out at times and needs to get deeper into counts. Ramirez is adept at using all fields, with more than 50% of balls going middle to opposite field. An outfielder before signing with the Royals, Ramirez is still a work in progress behind the plate, with the missed time in 2025 further delaying his defensive development. He has plus arm strength but needs to improve his blocking and receiving. His body looked firmer in 2025, increasing his chances of staying behind the plate. A below-average runner, Ramirez doesn’t clog the bases and can steal the occasional bag, but speed will not be part of his game.

The Future: Ramirez has plenty of development ahead, but if he continues improving his defense he projects as a bat-over-glove catcher. He should be ready to move to High-A Quad Cities to begin 2026.

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


16. Asbel Gonzalez
OF

Ht: 6'2" | Wt: 170 | B-T: R-R

Age: 19

BA Grade/Risk: 50/High

Adjusted Grade: 35

Track Record: Gonzalez signed for just $157,000 in 2023 out of Venezuela. Two years later, he was one of the Royals’ most intriguing breakout prospects in his full-season debut. A prototypical leadoff hitter, Gonzalez stole 30 bases in 36 attempts in April alone, and slashed .353/.469/.380 through the middle of May. But his production dipped significantly from there and he finished the year with a .239/.365/.289 line and a Carolina League-leading 78 steals.

Scouting Report: Gonzalez has an efficient swing with a bat path geared for consistent contact, but his meager slugging numbers define his biggest need for improvement after producing well below-average exit velocities and barrel rates in 2025. He ran a 50% groundball rate, though his plus speed allowed him to beat out plenty of infield grounders. With a lean, lanky frame, Gonzalez needs to add more strength to better impact the baseball. Defensively, he’s a plus outfielder who moves gracefully across the grass and gets good reads in center field. His above-average arm is plenty for the position. Gonzalez is the fastest runner in the Royals’ system and he’s aggressive on the bases, but he’ll need to clean up his efficiency after getting caught stealing 25% of the time.

The Future: There’s plenty of time for Gonzalez to mature into his body as he enters his age-20 season in 2026. His speed and defense will carry him for now, but the development of his bat will determine whether he lives up to his leadoff hitter profile.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 60 | Field: 60 | Arm: 55

From Minnesota: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

28. Kyle DeBarge
2B / OF

Ht: 5'9" | Wt: 170 | B-T: R-R

Age: 22

BA Grade/Risk: 40/Average

Adjusted Grade: 30

Track Record: After being drafted 33rd overall in 2024, DeBarge spent his first full season in 2025 with High-A Cedar Rapids. With Kaelen Culpepper also on the roster, he played mostly second base for the first time in his career. After the season, he was named a Rawlings Minor League Gold Glove winner for his performance there. He also wreaked havoc on the bases with his 66 stolen bases, leading the Twins organization by 28 and ranking seventh overall in the minors.

Scouting Report: DeBarge is an undersized righthanded hitter with minimal projection. He’s a dead-pull hitter who makes a fair amount of contact but is overly passive at the plate. He sees a lot of pitches, sometimes to his detriment, as he will take hittable pitches early in counts. He’s more comfortable hitting fastballs than secondaries and his swing can get long, leading to a lot of pop-ups. DeBarge’s power is below-average and unlikely to be a major part of his game. He is an excellent baserunner with plus-to-better speed. DeBarge acclimated well to second base in 2025 and projects as a plus defender there. He also plays shortstop and center field, but at those spots he projects as more fringe-average. His fringe-average arm profiles best at second.

The Future: DeBarge should make the jump to Double-A Wichita in 2026. His upside is limited, but his combination of speed and defensive versatility are intriguing for a potential utility role.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 40 | Power: 40 | Run: 65 | Field: 55 | Arm: 45

From Houston: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

3. Brice Matthews
2B

Ht: 6'0" | Wt: 175 | B-T: R-R

Age: 23

BA Grade/Risk: 50/Average

Adjusted Grade: 40

Track Record: As a junior in 2023, Matthews produced Nebraska’s first 20-homer, 20-steal season. The Astros drafted him 28th overall that year and signed him for $2,478,200. Matthews was assigned to High-A Asheville to begin his first full pro season. After just 21 games, he was promoted to Double-A and eventually reached Triple-A Sugar Land. Matthews returned to Triple-A to begin 2025 and was called up to Houston on July 11.

Scouting Report: Matthews is a toolsy infielder with a nice combination of power and speed—but also major contact questions. He has an average-sized build with quick-twitch actions and explosive athleticism. The one tool he lacks, however, is the hit tool. Matthews’ bat-to-ball skills are below-average, and he’s prone to swinging and missing in the zone. He is a passive hitter by nature, but he’s made strides in this regard, balancing aggression and patience well at Triple-A in 2025. This approach led to a jump in swinging strikes but a boost in contact quality. Matthews shows above-average raw power with lofty launch angles that help him optimize his hardest contact. The uphill nature of his swing leads to lots of flyball contact, maximizing his raw power but also introducing some whiffs. Matthews’ power isn’t his only explosive skill. He’s also a plus runner and a basestealing threat who could one day steal 30-plus bases per season. His speed translates to the field, where he has good range and actions at second base. Matthews can fill in at shortstop, third base or in center field, though he is limited on the left side of the infield by his fringy throwing arm.

The Future: Matthews is an MLB-ready utility player with some hit tool questions.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 30 | Power: 55 | Run: 60 | Field: 60 | Arm: 45


5. Kevin Alvarez
OF

Ht: 6'4" | Wt: 184 | B-T: L-L

Age: 17

BA Grade/Risk: 55/High

Adjusted Grade: 40

Track Record: Alvarez left Cuba along with his father in December 2021 and settled in the Dominican Republic. He blossomed into one of the top players in the 2025 international class and signed with the Astros for $2 million in January. Assigned to the Dominican Summer League, Alvarez hit .301/.419/.455 with two home runs, 11 stolen bases and more walks than strikeouts. He made the DSL all-star team and ranked as the league’s No. 6 prospect.

Scouting Report: Alvarez is an explosive athlete who shows refined baseball skills to go with his 6-foot-4 size and explosiveness. He has a smooth lefthanded swing with a bigger leg-kick trigger mechanism and a smooth, quick swing with a flatter bat path on contact. Alvarez had little trouble against DSL pitchers and ran an 89.2% zone-contact rate while showing a nice balance of patience and aggressiveness at the plate. While his size and bat speed may give him the look of a pure power hitter, Alvarez’s polish at the plate and his ability to avoid whiffs are rare among teenage players with longer levers. He shows potential for plus game power, though his swing is geared more toward hard line-drive contact. Alvarez hit a ball 110 mph in the DSL in 2025 for a preview of what may be to come. If he can add more consistent loft to his swing, he has the underlying strength to hit 25-plus home runs annually. He’s an above-average runner but expected to slow down as he matures and likely will settle in as an average runner. He shows good routes in center field and an above-average arm but will likely fit best in a corner outfield spot long term.

The Future: Alvarez has a strong combination of hittability and power. He could blossom into an above-average regular one day.

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


11. Lucas Spence
OF

Ht: 6'1" | Wt: 190 | B-T: L-L

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 Los Angeles (A): https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

15. Samuel Aldegheri
LHP

Ht: 6'1" | Wt: 180 | B-T: L-L

Age: 24

BA Grade/Risk: 45/Average

Adjusted Grade: 35

Track Record: Aldegheri signed with the Phillies out of Italy for $210,000 in 2019, but the early years of his pro career were interrupted by the pandemic as well as back and shoulder injuries. He finally broke out in 2024, prompting the Angels to acquire him alongside George Klassen at the trade deadline in a deal for Carlos Estevez. That same summer, he became the first Italian born-and-raised pitcher to appear in the majors, debuting on Aug. 30, 2024. Aldegheri’s stuff backed up in 2025. He made four big league appearances, but otherwise spent most of the year at Double-A Rocket City, where he finished strong with a 2.30 ERA over his final nine starts.

Scouting Report: Aldegheri is a pitchability lefthander with an average arsenal. His velocity dipped at times in 2025, but at its best his four-seamer averages 92 mph and can touch 96. The pitch gets on hitters quickly due to 16-17 inches of induced vertical break, though it generated below-average whiff rates overall. His above-average low-80s slider is his primary swing-and-miss secondary. Aldegheri steals strikes and changes pace with his mid-70s curveball and his low-80s changeup has become effective against righthanded batters. Aldegheri generally locates his four-pitch mix well, though his command backed up in 2025 before rebounding late in the season.

The Future: Aldegheri’s pitchability and floor will give him a chance to crack the Angels’ rotation in 2026. To reach his back-end starter ceiling, he’ll need to prove his late-season progress wasn’t a fluke.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 45

From Atlanta: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

9. Luke Sinnard
RHP

Ht: 6'8" | Wt: 250 | B-T: R-R

Age: 23

BA Grade/Risk: 50/Average

Adjusted Grade: 40

Track Record: The Braves took a shot on Sinnard’s upside with a $735,300 deal in the third round out of Indiana even after he missed his 2024 draft year with Tommy John surgery. He then dealt with a nerve issue after his surgery but made his pro debut in 2025. Sinnard split time between Low-A Augusta and High-A Rome, posting a 2.86 ERA over 16 starts and 72.1 innings with a 28.3% strikeout rate. He pitched in the Arizona Fall League after the season.

Scouting Report: Sinnard has an extra-large frame at 6-foot-8, 250 pounds with plenty of strength and broad, coat-hanger shoulders. He primarily works with a three-pitch mix that includes a fastball, slider and splitter. Sinnard’s fastball averaged 93-94 mph and touched 97. It’s a steep pitch that comes from a higher slot, with solid riding life, but because of his steep approach and release height the Braves worked with him to add a two-seam variant. Both Sinnard’s slider and splitter were effective swing-and-miss pitches against Class A hitters. Sinnard’s slider is an upper-80s breaking ball with short, biting action. His splitter is an 80-85 mph pitch with spin rates around 800-900 rpm with solid depth. He uses the slider at a heavy clip versus righties and breaks out the splitter more often against lefties. He also has a rarely used low-80s curveball. The Braves were impressed with the control and command Sinnard showed throughout the season. He tends to attack the zone more than the team would like him to in pitcher’s counts, and he might have more strikeout potential if he gets more aggressive and uses his secondaries with the intent to be chase pitches below the zone.

The Future: Sinnard now needs to show he can miss bats at more age-appropriate levels. He has back-end rotation upside and enough pure stuff to carve out a reliever role if necessary.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 50


14. Blake Burkhalter
RHP

Ht: 6'0" | Wt: 204 | B-T: R-R

Age: 25

BA Grade/Risk: 40/Mild

Adjusted Grade: 35

Track Record: Burkhalter was a reliable reliever for Auburn who converted to a starting role in pro ball after the Braves signed him for $650,000 in the second round of the 2022 draft. He pitched as a starter for a season and a half, but moved back to a reliever role in the second half of the 2025 season.

Scouting Report: Burkhalter is a stocky righty with a 6-foot, 204-pound frame and a delivery that is more in line with a bullpen arm than a starter with some effort and recoil in his finish. He has a deep mix of pitch types, but his cut-ride four-seam fastball and true cutter have long been his best pitches. Burkhalter throws the fastball in the 93-95 mph range and will occasionally hit a 97 or 98, though his velocity didn’t make a significant jump after moving back to the bullpen. His 88-92 mph cutter is an above-average pitch and consistent in-zone offering. Because his fastball and cutter have similar shapes, the Braves have attempted to create some different looks with his secondaries, but nothing has clicked so far. Burkhalter has experimented with both a gyro slider in the mid 80s and a sweeper slider in the low 80s. Neither was great and he might have better odds with a low-80s curveball with 12-to-6 shape or a mid-80s kick changeup that looks and plays like a splitter.

The Future: A reliever only, Burkhalter will need to find a way to miss more bats against upper-level hitters.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 40 | Cutter: 55 | Split: 50 | Sweeper: 30 | Control: 50

From New York (N): https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

1. Nolan McLean
RHP

Ht: 6'4" | Wt: 214 | B-T: R-R

Age: 24

BA Grade/Risk: 65/Average

Adjusted Grade: 55

Track Record: When the Mets drafted McLean in the third round in 2023, he was primarily a righthanded reliever and power-hitting outfielder for Oklahoma State. He continued as a two-way player in pro ball until the second half of 2024, when he dropped hitting after reaching Double-A Binghamton. Focusing his energy solely on pitching paid dividends in 2025, when McLean raced through Double-A with a 1.37 ERA in five starts, reached Triple-A Syracuse on May 9 and led all minor league pitchers with 38 strikeouts in July. The Mets called McLean up for his MLB debut on Aug. 16, and he fired 5.1 scoreless innings with eight strikeouts against the Mariners. He threw four quality starts in eight tries while pitching to a 2.06 ERA with 57 strikeouts in 48 innings.

Scouting Report: The Mets knew McLean had an athletic, strong frame and a promising fastball/slider foundation when they drafted him. They quickly learned about his adaptability and strong work ethic. All through his time in the minor leagues, McLean worked to refine his pitch shapes and expand his repertoire to find the right mix to combat batters of both hands. Ultimately, he reached that point in the second half of 2025, as typified by his Aug. 27 start against the Phillies when he pitched eight scoreless innings and generated at least one whiff on six different pitch types. McLean’s main weapons are a plus mid-90s two-seam fastball that averages 16 inches of armside run and a double-plus mid-80s sweeper that breaks 16 or more inches to his glove side. This vicious east-west attack delivered from a low three-quarters slot sets up the rest of his arsenal, which against righthanded batters consists mostly of plus low-80s curveballs and above-average mid-90s four-seam fastballs to change eye levels. Against lefthanded batters, McLean emphasizes his breaking pitches along with his low-90s cutter to work inside and his mid-80s changeup to attack armside. He has shown a growing willingness to front-door his two-seamer to lefty hitters and also to back-foot them with his slider. What makes McLean difficult to handle is his quality stuff and unpredictability. He throws each of his six pitch types—ranging from 77 mph curveballs to 98 mph fastballs—to any batter in any count. His control is average and likely to improve with experience, because his delivery is simple and repeatable.

The Future: In the words of one scout, McLean’s high-spin breaking stuff and low-spin changeup are “how you draw it up.” He showed in his eight-start MLB debut that he is major league ready. He was the Mets’ best pitcher down the stretch and is ready to assume a prominent role in the rotation. He has the ingredients to become a prototype No. 2 starter. McLean retains his rookie status for 2026 and will likely add Prospect Promotion Incentive eligibility, giving the Mets a chance to add a draft pick after the first round if he factors for a major award in his first three seasons.

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


24. R.J. Gordon
RHP

Ht: 6'0" | Wt: 195 | B-T: R-R

Age: 24

BA Grade/Risk: 45/Average

Adjusted Grade: 35

Track Record: Gordon is a SoCal high school product who pitched collegiately for four years at Oregon, missing his junior year after having an internal brace procedure on his elbow. The Mets drafted Gordon in the 13th round in 2024, and he raced to Double-A Binghamton in his pro debut the following year. He finished the year in the rotation for the Eastern League champions on the heels of a season in which his 147 strikeouts trailed only Jonah Tong among Mets minor leaguers.

Scouting Report: Gordon has added a bit of velocity since signing but is more of a command-and-control starter than a power-oriented one. He took to the Mets’ pitching development philosophy of attacking the middle of the zone and letting the action on his pitches do the work. His walk rate dropped from near 11% as an Oregon senior to 8.5% in his pro debut. Gordon pitches at 92-93 mph and can muscle up to 96 but uses his four-seamer mostly to set up his secondary pitches. He kills spin on a low-80s changeup that gets at least 10 mph of separation and shows armside life. Gordon throws his mid-80s slider more than any pitch and commands it for called strikes and chases below the zone, sometimes throwing a sweepier version. He also mixes in an occasional mid-70s curveball.

The Future: Gordon has succeeded against minor league hitters with command and pitch variety, making him a prospective back-of-the-rotation option or swingman in the big leagues.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 50

From Philadelphia: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

2. Andrew Painter
RHP

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

Age: 22

BA Grade/Risk: 65/High

Adjusted Grade: 50

Track Record: Drafted in the first round in 2021, Painter’s 2022 season was one for the record books. He became one of just a handful of high school pitchers to reach Double-A in their first full professional seasons. His elbow started barking during the spring of 2023, and the resulting Tommy John surgery kept him out of action until the 2024 Arizona Fall League. Painter spent his 2025 season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, where he showed flashes of his upside but also plenty of areas that required further polish.

Scouting Report: The biggest area of concern during Painter’s 2025 season was the downgrade in fastball quality. The pitch retained its premium velocity but began showing more cut than carry and became more hittable as a result. The Phillies attribute some of that backslide to Painter’s arm slot dropping as the season wore on. If he can raise his arm slot, the team believes the pitch will return to its previous form. Painter also made several alterations to his arsenal, including the additions of a two-seamer and a sweeper and a move to a split-changeup grip. The sweeper was introduced as another way to combat lefties, and the new changeup worked better with his delivery and produced much more movement. Beyond addressing the downturn in fastball quality, Painter’s next step is to turn his control into command and learn which of his pitches play best in different sections of the strike zone and how to properly sequence his mix.

The Future: Despite Painter’s middling year, scouts are still quite bullish and see a future as at least a midrotation starter. How his fastball looks next season and beyond will go a long way toward determining whether those evaluations come true.

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

From Chicago (N): https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

2. Owen Caissie *Now with Miami
OF

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

Age: 23

BA Grade/Risk: 55/Mild

Adjusted Grade: 50

Track Record: A touted Canadian prep hitter, Caissie signed with the Padres for $1.2 million in the second round in 2020. Before he ever played a game for the organization, Caissie was traded to the Cubs in the Yu Darvish deal. Caissie has climbed each rung of the minor league ladder and made his MLB debut on August 14, 2025, in his hometown of Toronto. He appeared in 12 games for the Cubs over the final two months, missing time with a concussion.

Scouting Report: The early years of Caissie’s career were defined by his Thre-True-Outcomes approach. Over the past two seasons, he has improved his contact rates and chase rates. The improvements have pushed Caissie comfortably into the average contact category, while his strikeout rate has dropped in consecutive seasons. Caissie does a good job of staying inside the zone and being aggressive. This plays directly into his strength: quality of contact. Caissie has plus-plus underlying power with 60-grade game power. His batted-ball angles have improved over the last two seasons, and he more consistently shows the ability to hit his best struck drives in the air. He also saw a jump in pull-side air contact in 2025, portending a higher home run ceiling. Caissie is a fringe-average runner who has slowed down over the last few seasons. In turn, this has limited him a bit in right field. He has lost range and is uncoordinated at times on extra-effort plays. He’s fringe-average in the corner outfield. Despite good instincts and a plus arm, he is dragged down by below-average hands and range.

The Future: Caissie is a major league-ready slugging corner outfielder with the prerequisite plate skills to project as an above-average regular.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 65 | Run: 45 | Field: 45 | Arm: 60


4. Jefferson Rojas
SS

Ht: 5'10" | Wt: 150 | B-T: R-R

Age: 20

BA Grade/Risk: 55/Average

Adjusted Grade: 45

Track Record: Signed in January 2022 for $1 million out of the Dominican Republic, Rojas has quickly proved to be a precocious shortstop prospect with advanced skills. He impressed as an 18-year-old for Low-A Myrtle Beach by hitting .268/.345/.404 in 2023. He spent all of 2024 with High-A South Bend and returned to the Midwest League in 2025 before a second-half promotion to Double-A, where he struggled for the final two months.

Scouting Report: An advanced contact hitter, Rojas’ above-average hitting ability is the nucleus of his profile. The righthanded hitter showed no platoon issues during his time in High-A. Rojas shows plus bat-to-ball ability with average swing decisions, leading to lots of quality at-bats. His game power improved in 2025 as he more consistently found the barrel and began to optimize his swing for more pulled contact in the air. Rojas projects for mid-teens home run production but has enough power to find the gaps. He’s an above-average runner but isn’t an aggressive baserunner, picking his spots and stealing at a high percentage. In the field, Rojas is an average shortstop defender. His footwork and hands leave something to be desired and he’s prone to poorly timed dives on extra-effort plays. His arm is plus, and he shows an excellent internal clock on his throws. Rojas is adept at throwing on the run and is very good around the bag, turning double plays consistently. He could slide over to second base or third base, but improvements to his hands and footwork could see him stick at shortstop.

The Future: Rojas is an advanced hitter who’s been three to four years younger than the average player at each level. He has the tools to be an above-average hitting infielder with the ability to play multiple positions.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 45 | Run: 55 | Field: 50 | Arm: 60


8. Jonathon Long
1B / OF

Ht: | Wt: | B-T: R-R

Age: 23

BA Grade/Risk: 45/Mild

Adjusted Grade: 40

Track Record: After a strong three-year career at Long Beach State, Long was drafted by the Cubs in the ninth round in 2023. Assigned to High-A South Bend in 2024, he hit his way to Double-A Tennessee in the second half, where he caught fire by hitting .340/.455/.528 over the final 46 games of the season. Long spent all of 2025 with Triple-A Iowa and hit .305/.404/.479 with 20 home runs, production that was 31% better than International League competition. He led the IL with 157 hits and was recognized as the league’s all-star first baseman.

Scouting Report: While not blessed with plus athleticism or size, Long has continued to outperform his pedigree because of a nice blend of contact and power. His bat-to-ball skills are above-average and he limits whiffs with a passive approach. His lack of aggressiveness leads to lots of walks, but he’s prone to taking hittable pitches for called strikes too often. Long shows a good blend of on-base skills and contact hitting and should project to hit for higher batting averages with good walk rates. His underlying power is plus and he’s shown an ability to get to it in games consistently. Flatter launch angles have led to a higher groundball rate. Long’s struggles to pull the ball in the air likely cap his home run output. His exit velocity data and angles are likely enough to produce 18-24 home runs over a full season. If he’s able to add loft to his swing in the coming years, it’s possible he gets into the mid 20s for home runs. Long is a below-average runner and is likely a primary first baseman. He’s a fringe-average defender at first base and can fill in at third base on occasion.

The Future: Long might have the prerequisite contact and power combination to carve out a niche as a second-division regular.

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

From Cincinnati: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

10. Stharlin Torres
RHP

Ht: 6'0" | Wt: 182 | B-T: R-R

Age: 19

BA Grade/Risk: 55/High

Adjusted Grade: 40

Track Record: As a kid growing up in the Dominican Republic, Torres lived to play baseball and imagined himself as a big league shortstop. By the time he was a teenager, he had realized that his future was on the mound. Signed by the Reds in January 2024, Torres has toyed with hitters in his first two pro seasons. He threw four innings of a combined seven-inning no-hitter in the Dominican Summer League in 2024. He held hitters to sub-.550 OPS in each of his first two pro seasons, and his 4.9% walk rate in 2025 was one of the best in the Arizona Complex League.

Scouting Report: Torres’ combination of present stuff and advanced control and command jumped out, especially in the context of the ACL, where few pitchers fill the zone. Torres sits at 93-94 mph but should get to 95-97 on a consistent basis in a few years. His sinker generates weak contact because of his ability to dot the zone with it, and his four-seam fastball gets swings and misses up in the zone thanks to above-average life to go with a flat plane. He’s also shown advanced aptitude for his age. Torres quickly refined and made his slider harder to go with a bigger, slower curveball, and he’s showing feel for an above-average changeup with late fade. He shows the ability to manipulate his change, spotting it in the zone for strikes and then burying it out of the zone to induce chases.

The Future: There are not many teenagers with Torres’ advanced ability to spot multiple pitches all around the strike zone. He has the savvy and stuff to be one of the best pitchers in the Low-A Florida State League in 2026, and there is a chance that he could force a promotion to Dayton if he dominates. He projects as a potential midrotation starter, though he will only be 20 in 2026 and has plenty of development ahead.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 60

From Milwaukee: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

7. Jeferson Quero
C

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

Age: 23

BA Grade/Risk: 50/Average

Adjusted Grade: 40

Track Record: Quero signed out of Venezuela for $200,000 in 2019 and reached Double-A as a 20-year-old in 2023. Since then, injuries have slowed his progress and taken a toll on his tools. In his first game of 2024, Quero tore the labrum in his right shoulder diving back to first base, then had season-ending surgery. In 2025, a hamstring strain prevented him from rejoining Triple-A Nashville until June. Quero hit just .259/.333/.362 in 30 games in June and July, then batted .250/.339/.470 over 28 games in August and September.

Scouting Report: By the end of the season, Quero mostly looked like the same hitter he was before the shoulder injury. He sets up with an open stance, keeps his hands quiet and makes contact at a high clip. Quero is a good fastball hitter, but his aggressive approach gets him into trouble, so he will need to improve his plate discipline. He has average raw power that gives him a chance to be a 20-plus home run threat. A well below-average runner, Quero was once one of the best defensive catching prospects in the game, but the regression of his arm strength is a major concern. Prior to his injury, Quero had a plus-plus arm that stacked up among the best in the minors. In 2025, he showed significantly diminished power on his throws with fringe-average arm strength, recording pop times of 1.95 seconds on his best throws but typically above 2.0 seconds as he threw out just 17% of basestealers. He remains a skilled receiver, blocker and earns high marks for his intangibles behind the plate.

The Future: If Quero’s arm strength improves to become above-average—if not the elite tool it once was—the upside is there for him to be an above-average regular. If it doesn’t, his path to a starting role becomes clouded.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 30 | Field: 55 | Arm: 45


24. Tyler Black
OF / 1B

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

Age: 25

BA Grade/Risk: 40/Mild

Adjusted Grade: 35

Track Record: Drafted 33rd overall in 2021, Black reached the major leagues in 2024 with three quick stints in Milwaukee, but he spent most of the season in Triple-A Nashville. He struggled at the end of the season and those offensive issues carried over into 2025. A broken hamate bone in his left hand in spring training that required surgery didn’t help Black, who made a couple of brief cameos in the major leagues but spent most of the season back in Triple-A.

Scouting Report: One of Black’s greatest strengths has always been his strike-zone discipline. Despite his struggles, that was still evident throughout 2025. Black picks up spin, tracks pitches well and doesn’t often expand the strike zone, traits that consistently enable him to walk at a high clip. However, his Triple-A strikeout rate jumped a tick to 26.5% and his overall miss rates spiked, particularly against fastballs. While the injury might have had lingering effects, his lack of home run power continues to be a question, especially now that he’s playing left field and first base. Black is a good athlete and a plus runner, but his arm is below-average and defense doesn’t come naturally to him when he is in the infield.

The Future: As a 25-year-old, Black is now on the older end for a prospect. If the injury was what led to his struggles in 2025, he’s a rebound candidate. However, with questions about his offensive profile at the positions he now plays, a path to playing time in Milwaukee is difficult, making him a potential change-of-scenery candidate.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 60 | Field: 45 | Arm: 40

From Pittsburgh: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

8. Antwone Kelly
RHP

Ht: 5'10" | Wt: 183 | B-T: R-R

Age: 22

BA Grade/Risk: 50/Average

Adjusted Grade: 40

Track Record: The Pirates have a strong track record of developing under-the-radar arms, and Kelly fit that profile with a breakout 2025. Signed out of Aruba in 2021, he made his stateside debut the following year and steadily climbed the ladder. In 2025, he pitched to a 3.02 ERA over 107.1 innings between High-A Greensboro and Double-A Altoona, striking out 27.2% of batters compared to a career-best 7.7% walk rate.

Scouting Report: Added power across his entire arsenal has unlocked another level for Kelly. Having grown three inches and added more than 60 pounds from his previous weight of 183 pounds, the righthander reshaped his body entering 2025 after an oblique injury hampered him the year before. Those strength gains translated to an additional 3 mph on a fastball that now averages 97, touches 101 and carries well through the zone. He throws it for strikes roughly 70% of the time, showing advanced control, though his delivery isn’t particularly deceptive and produced only average whiff rates. He has solid feel for an above-average upper-80s changeup that has significant vertical separation and induced a whiff in nearly 40% of swings. Kelly’s upper-80s slider shows above-average potential but remains inconsistent, and he shelved his cutter later in the season to focus on slider development. With above-average command and the ability to hold velocity deep into outings, his path to a rotation role depends on refining his breaking ball into another reliable swing-and-miss option.

The Future: Kelly’s velocity spike raised his ceiling. If his slider takes a similar step forward in 2026, he projects as a midrotation starter with the fallback as a late-inning reliever who can overpower hitters. An MLB debut in 2026 isn’t out of the question after he closed 2025 at Double-A Altoona.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 55 | Cutter: 45 | Control: 55

From Arizona: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

4. Slade Caldwell
OF

Ht: 5'9" | Wt: 170 | B-T: L-L

Age: 19

BA Grade/Risk: 50/Average

Adjusted Grade: 40

Track Record: One of the better hitters on the showcase circuit the summer before his senior year, Caldwell went off the board with the 29th pick in the 2024 draft. The Diamondbacks made the Arkansas prep the latest in a series of undersized position players they have selected high in the draft during the Mike Hazen era. The club signed Caldwell away from a Mississippi commitment with a $3.087 million bonus. In his first full season as a pro in 2025, Caldwell torched the Low-A California League through 48 games but initially struggled after an aggressive promotion to High-A. He and the Pirates’ Konnor Griffin were the first 2024 preps to advance past Low-A.

Scouting Report: Caldwell’s swing is short and compact by virtue of his short levers. He makes a lot of contact, though his swing can appear pushy or slappy, leading most scouts to project fringe-average power at peak. He has elite zone awareness with a 15% chase rate but appeared too passive at times, raising questions about whether his high walk rate was the result of him gaming the system against low-level pitchers. It also might have led to a higher strikeout rate as he occasionally took hittable pitches early in counts. Still, Caldwell has the look of a potential table-setting on-base machine. He has plus speed, though he is not yet a good basestealer. Evaluators were split on his defense, some seeing an average center fielder, others landing on plus. Caldwell is adored for the way he plays the game. Instinctual, gritty and tough, he routinely makes plays that help his team win.

The Future: Caldwell’s hitting approach, speed and defense give him a high floor, but how much he hits—and for how much impact—will determine his future value. Even if his pure production is light, team officials believe his baseball IQ and tenacity will fit well as part of a winning core.

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


29. Yordin Chalas
RHP

Ht: 6'3" | Wt: 175 | B-T: R-R

Age: 21

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High

Adjusted Grade: 30

Track Record: Already armed with a lively fastball that touched 94 mph, Chalas signed with the Diamondbacks for $10,000 in January 2023. At the time, he had no secondary offerings and little overall refinement to his game. In the time since, he has picked up even more velocity, added a weapon with his slider and shown potential with a split-change. Though he didn’t exactly run with his opportunity the organization gave him to start in 2025, he did get a chance to log more developmental innings and work more in between-start bullpens. He finished the year working short relief stints in the Arizona Fall League.

Scouting Report: Chalas averages 95-96 mph as a starter but closer to 97 in relief. He throws both a four-seam and a two-seam fastball, the latter of which generates good armside run. His slider is his best secondary pitch; at its best it is short and tight in the 85-87 mph range. His split-change flashes plus but is inconsistent. His control is better than his command, though neither are average.

The Future: Chalas profiles best as a reliever. He figures to open 2026 in the Double-A bullpen, and if he is finding the zone often enough with his lively stuff, he could become a big-league option at some point.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 50 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45

From Los Angeles (N): https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

1. Eduardo Quintero
OF

Ht: 6'0" | Wt: 175 | B-T: R-R

Age: 20

BA Grade/Risk: 60/Average

Adjusted Grade: 50

Track Record: Quintero signed with the Dodgers in 2023 as a catcher but quickly shifted to center field because his speed and athleticism would have been wasted behind the plate. The move paid dividends in short order, and Quintero immediately began signaling that he was one of the system’s top talents. His exploits led to championships in the Dominican Summer and Arizona Complex leagues in each of his first two professional seasons, and he ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the ACL in 2024. Quintero’s stock continued rising in 2025, when he racked up 19 home runs and 47 stolen bases in a season split between both Class A levels. In a system chock full of talented outfielders, Quintero’s well-rounded game and high ceiling have pushed him to the top of the heap.

Scouting Report: Entering the 2025 season, there was little doubt about Quintero’s ability to make contact and get on base, but his flat swing path left his future power potential in question. He and the Dodgers tweaked his swing plane in the offseason and immediately saw results after Quintero returned to Low-A Rancho Cucamonga. He added loft to his cut without sacrificing much in the way of contact and by season’s end had more than tripled his career home run total. While Quintero’s exit velocities stayed roughly the same, getting the ball in the air more often made a huge difference. He lowered his groundball rate from 43% in 2024 to 35.5% in 2025. The raw ingredients are there. The next steps will revolve around the finer points of becoming a complete hitter before reaching the highest level. Namely, evaluators would like to see Quintero learn the ideal times to deploy his best swings and when the wiser play would be to take what the pitcher gives him and aim for contact over impact. Other scouts would like to see Quintero take a more direct stride to the pitcher in order to allow himself as much plate coverage as possible. The 113 games Quintero played in 2025 were the highest total of his career, and he’ll need to pack on a bit more strength to be as fresh as possible during the season’s final months. Defensively, Quintero is the likeliest of the system’s top-tier outfielders to stick in center field. He uses above-average speed to patrol all sectors of the grass fairly easily, and his above-average arm would still be useful if he had to move to a corner in deference to a better defender up the middle.

The Future: Given the glut of outfielders in the Dodgers’ system and the organization’s unlimited checkbook, Quintero will have to continue proving himself at every stop if he wants to be part of the club’s long-term future. He will likely start back at High-A in 2026 but should get to the upper levels in short order. If everything clicks, he could be an everyday center fielder who provides value on both sides of the ball.

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

From San Diego: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

19. Kavares Tears
OF

Ht: 6'0" | Wt: 205 | B-T: L-L

Age: 23

BA Grade/Risk: 45/Average

Adjusted Grade: 35

Track Record: Tears was a key cog in Tennessee’s national championship lineup in 2024, when he hit .324/.427/.643 with 16 doubles and 20 home runs en route to a fourth-round selection and full-slot signing bonus worth $525,000. Tears made his pro debut in 2025 and spent the entire season with Low-A Lake Elsinore, where he hit .227/.320/.385 with 22 doubles and 13 home runs.

Scouting Report: Tears is a strong, physical outfielder with a longstanding reputation as a power-over-hit profile. The impact he’s able to generate is impressive—his 90th percentile exit velocity of 106.4 mph was the third-best mark in the system in 2025—but there are questions surrounding his hit tool and whether or not he’ll make enough contact for his power to continue to be a valuable in-game tool. Tears made contact at just a 63% clip in 2025 and struggled mightily against spin, showing a tendency to expand the strike zone down and away against sliders and changeups. Until he shows marked improvement in both his hitting ability and pitch-recognition skills, teams will continue to exploit his inefficiencies. Tears has over-the-fence power to all fields, but it won’t mean much if he can’t put the ball in play on a regular basis. He is an above-average runner once underway, and his legs and above-average arm make his defensive skills most conducive to right field.

The Future: After logging more than 100 games at Low-A in 2025 and having turned 23 in August, Tears is on track to open 2026 at High-A Fort Wayne. The Midwest League, especially early in the season, is notoriously difficult for hitters. Tears will need to show that his hit tool has taken a step forward.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 30 | Power: 50 | Run: 55 | Field: 50 | Arm: 55

From San Francisco: https://www.baseballamerica.com/teams/2 ... =preseason

17. Luis De La Torre
LHP

Ht: 6'0" | Wt: 188 | B-T: L-L

Age: 22

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

Houston Astros
Lucas Spence, OF

Spence went undrafted out of Southern Illinois-Edwardsville in 2024. A little over 18 months later, he looks like the Astros’ latest scouting find. The lefthanded hitter showed advanced hitting ability as he climbed three levels in 2025, making in-season adjustments to his swing to create more loft and slash his groundball rate. Spence is a plus athlete who can stick in center field as a plus runner and thrower. His well-rounded profile has a chance for five average or better tools. Spence does a majority of his damage against righthanded pitching and will need to improve against lefties to project as an everyday player. — Geoff Pontes

From MLB Pipeline: https://www.mlb.com/milb/news/nolan-mcl ... ts-outlook

Nolan McLean

Thanks to an impressive eight-start MLB cameo late last season, McLean is already a top candidate to win the 2026 National League Rookie of the Year.

Yes, it's early, but the hype is warranted. McLean's surface-level stats -- a 5-1 record with a 2.06 ERA -- match some of his more advanced metrics, like a 2.97 FIP and a 21.8% strikeout-minus-walk rate, one of the best marks among starting pitchers to throw at least 40 innings. His pitch mix is something out of a video game: McLean covers all quadrants of the strike zone thanks to multiple fastball shapes and two breaking balls with elite spin and outlier horizontal movement.

In a small sample size, McLean also quieted some concerns, like the potential for significant platoon splits, since his sinker/sweeper combination is better suited to attack right-handed hitters. As it turns out, left-handed hitters actually fared worse (.178 BA and a 32.2% whiff rate) against McLean than righties (.225 BA and a 23.9% whiff rate).

It's easy to forget that McLean, 24, is far from a finished product. He didn't know what a sweeper was until he entered the Mets organization in the summer of 2023; now, thanks to his capacity for spin, it's a legitimate weapon. Even in '24, McLean was still a two-way player -- last season, which he began in Double-A Binghamton, was his first as a full-time pitcher. That's all to say that McLean may just be scratching the surface ahead of what should be his first full MLB season.

"The ceiling for him is incredibly high," Stearns said in December.