MLB Pipeline will unveil its 2023 Top 100 Prospects list at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, January 26, with an hour-long show on MLB Network and MLB.com. Before the Top 100 is released, we’ll take a look at baseball’s top 10 prospects at every position.
Even with a few big ticks, the harvest of capture prospects is quite deep.
The top two on last year’s list, Adley Rutschman and Gabriel Moreno, are no longer prospects. Further down the Top 10 last year, Joey Bart, Luis Campusano, MJ Melendez and Shea Langeliers all lost prospect status. But the list highlighted below has regenerated with some exciting new names.
It starts, of course, with one of the game’s best overall prospects, Francisco Álvarez of the Mets, and the roster features a good mix of draft picks (six) and international signings (four). There’s a combination of first-round picks (four) and later finds, high price signs on the international market, and real bargains that have jumped on the map since joining the pro ranks.
The Top 10 (ETA)
1. Francisco Alvarez, Mets (2023)
2. Diego Cartaya, Dodgers (2024)
3. Kevin Parada, Mets (2025)
4. Harry Ford, Sailors (2025)
5. Logan O’Hoppe, Angels (2023)
6. Endy Rodriguez, Pirates (2023)
7. Henry Davis, Pirates (2024)
8. Bo Naylor, Guardians (2023)
9. Drew Romo, Rockies (2024)
10. Edgar Quero, Angels (2025)
Complete list “
Top 10 prospects by position:
HPR | HPL | VS
Game: 1B
Fri: 2B
01/23: 3B
1/24: SS
1/25: OFF
1/26: 100 best
Move: Parada (60)
The first catcher taken in the 2022 draft, No. 11 overall by the Mets, Parada keeps things simple at home plate with a good feel for the barrel. He hit .361 with a .453 OBP at Georgia Tech in his draft year and that approach could see him hit .300 with plenty of pop as a big leaguer.
Power: Alvarez (70)
There’s probably no other prospect in baseball with more power than Álvarez, both raw and in plays. He hit 24 home runs as a teenager at A-ball in 2021, then hit another 27 as a 20-year-old at senior levels last year. His whip-like swing and batting speed would go on to produce many major league homers.
Route: Ford (60)
Ford, the Mariners’ 2021 first-round draft pick, isn’t just “running well for a catcher.” His speed plays more on base paths — he swept 23 bases in his first full season — and he’s athletic enough to play second base or center field if ever there was a need.
Arms: Davis (70)
As he continues to work on improving other parts of his defensive game, there’s no doubt with Davis’ arm who could be the strongest prospect of all in any position. He plays well with his quick feet and transfers, as well as his accuracy.
Field: Romo (60)
Romo also has a positive arm to go along with his other outstanding defensive attributes. He is athletic and agile behind the plate with good hands and blocking skills. Rockies pitchers also liked throwing to him.
Highest ceiling: Álvarez
An argument could be made to put Cartaya and his all-around skill here, but if Álvarez can even be an average receiver, his offensive upside should make him a star multiple times.
Top floor: O’Hoppe
While none of his individual tools jump off the page, O’Hoppe does everything right and his work ethic points to a future where he’ll play above his tools as a regular big league support for a long time to come.
Rookie of the Year: Álvarez
Assuming he gets enough New York attendances, it’s easy to see Álvarez posting the kind of numbers to grab the attention of ROY voters.
Highest elevator: Quero
The switch hitter wasn’t even in the Angels’ Top 30 at the end of the 2021 season, but jumped off the radar with a strong full-season debut in 2022 that saw him finish with a .965 OPS .
Lowest start: Rodriguez
Rodriguez signed for just $10,000 with the Mets in July 2018 and is now knocking on the big league door after a huge 2022 season that saw him reach Triple-A in his second season with the Pirates since joining. in the three-team contract that sent Joe Musgrove to the Padres.
Most to prove: Davis
There’s always a hotter spotlight on former No. 1 overall picks, and Davis showed plenty of glimpses of his offensive potential in his first full season in 2022, but he’s also only played 59 games in due to wrist problems. A full and healthy season should answer a lot of questions.
Keep an eye out: Yainer Diaz, Astros
He briefly reached the majors in 2022, but is coming off a huge offensive season in the minors (.306/.356/.542 with 25 homers and 96 RBIs in Doubles and Triple-As). That’s nothing new as he’s been hitting nothing in his career, with a .321/.358/.510 line to prove it.
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