Prospect News: Eric Hartman Steals Fried Chicken Skin

Who’s Rising? 

I’m working to reshuffle my rankings this week, and I like to work through some thoughts in this space before the new list goes live. Shout out anyone in the comments that you think warrants a fresh look. 

Mets OF AJ Ewing (21) is an obvious riser. He’s been on a rocket ship the last few months after failing to crack the top 100 in a consensus way despite a strong showing in 2025. Over the off-season as public-facing places took a closer look, Ewing’s found himself inside the top 50 for some people. Today, he’s an easy top 25 prospect with a case for the top ten. He’s got a 205 wRC+ through four major league games, so that’s fun. While he’s unlikely to maintain an MVP-level pace, he’s already changed the dynamic of New York’s lineup.

Red Sox Franklin Arias (20, AA) is a top five prospect for me now with the rookie triumvirate of Konnor Griffin, Kevin McGonigle and JJ Wetherholt has graduated. He’s taken the spot by slashing .349/.431/.632 with eight home runs, four stolen bases and a 12.2 percent strikeout rate against a 9.8 percent walk rate. With Henry Bolte, another list jumper, now in the majors, Arias owns one of the minors’ most impressive baseball cards in that crucial age-to-level way. 

Pirates RHP Seth Hernandez (19, A+) threw five hitless innings with seven strikeouts in his High-A debut. It’s no guarantee that he finds any real friction at the level. Might be onto the next one after another handful of starts. In 33 professional innings, he’s recorded 57 strikeouts against 11 walks with a 0.82 ERA and 0.73 WHIP. Is this the best time to be a Pirates fan since the days of Bonds, Bonilla and Drabek? I think it is. I suppose there’s an argument for the Cole, Cutch, Taillon teams, but that never felt like the start of something big to me. 

Perceived on draft night as a high-floor type who could be signed for a reasonable fee, Nationals SS Eli Willits (18, A) is batting .266 in Low-A, but his on base percentage is .401 and he’s got 24 stolen bases in 35 games. His strikeout rate of 22.1 percent is a little higher than you’d like to see for a premium prospect at that level, but he’s hitting for power (4 HR) and warming up with the weather. MLB pipeline rushed him up into the number four spot on their updated top 100 this week, granting what feels like maximum value to his defense and likelihood to stay at shortstop. I’m not anywhere near there for fantasy purposes, but it’s undoubtedly been an encouraging start for anyone who invested during their first-year-player draft. I’d still be soft-shopping him during a contention cycle, and he wouldn’t be a rebuild target for me, but you can bet someone out there reads Pipeline and would pony up in the right context. One factor here that’s difficult to measure is that the organization itself is having a great season, developmentally speaking. The new front office has implemented positive changes, particularly the use of technology to better simulate in-game plate appearances. 

Braves OF Eric Hartman (19, A+) has filled the box scores in High-A, slashing .326/.408/.689 with 12 home runs, 14 stolen bases and an ever-improving strikeout rate of 20.4 percent. He’ll turn 20 in a month and should be in Double-A shortly after that. 

If you’re in a long-term rebuild, Giants SS Luis Hernandez (17, CPX) is one of the youngsters you should seek to acquire. He’s showing off surprising power for a guy listed at 5’10” 172 pounds, slashing .390/.458/.805 with four home runs and two steals through ten games. He might be playing full-season ball in a month. Crazy timeline. Doesn’t turn 18 until December. 

So that’s some of the fun stuff and there’s more where that came from, but it’s just as interesting to look underneath some down arrows. 

Who’s Falling? 

It’s not fair to Guardians C Cooper Ingle (24) to move him down the list while he’s slashing .338/.517/.615 with five home runs in 23 games, but it’s also not a great sign that the club dealt a first-round pick along with Tugboat Matt Wilkinson to the Giants for C Patrick Bailey. I mean, if Cleveland thought Ingle could catch for them, wouldn’t they give him a shot first? I dunno, maybe I’m overthinking it. Posey didn’t like Bailey, and Bailey didn’t hit. Maybe the Guardians just thought it was too good an opportunity to pass up. Bailey is 26 years old and perhaps the game’s best receiver (framer) and the game’s best thrower. During this go-go era of the stolen base, that’s valuable–nevermind the framing during this age of the Automated Ball-Strike challenge system.  

It doesn’t feel good moving injured players down the list, but Twins OF Walker Jenkins (21, AAA) is out with a grade two joint sprain in his left shoulder, which sounds pretty bad for hitting, though I suppose the right shoulder would be worse. I won’t move him down too far, but guys are coming for his spot, and he’s not out there to fight for it. Plus, shoulder stuff is scary. Some guys come out of it. Some guys are never quite the same. 

Mets RHP Jonah Tong (22, AAA) has lost the strike zone this season, surrendering 24 walks, hitting two batters and throwing five wild pitches in his 38 innings. He’s also allowed eight home runs. It adds up to a 5.68 ERA and some fresh questions about his future. Not hard to guess he’s working toward a new wrinkle or two, and his delivery is such a Rube Goldberg machine that a piece being out of place throws the whole operation out of whack. 

Thanks for reading!