Format = Position Player | Age on 4/1/2024 | Highest Level Played | Estimated Time of Arrival
1. RHP Paul Skenes | 21 | AA | 2024
Skenes gave up catching and quickly became the best pitcher in college baseball. At 6’6” 235 lbs, he wasn’t really built for crouching all day. What he was built to do is shove 100 mile per hour fastballs through the strike zone and bury unhittable sliders. The club jumped him up to Double-A for a couple of short outings, so it stands to reason that’s where he’ll open 2024, but this could be a situation where his stuff is just too dominant for the minor leagues.
2. 2B Termarr Johnson | 19 | A+ | 2025
The 4th overall pick in 2022, Johnson is cruising through the minors and figures to open the season as a 19-year-old in Double-A. He doesn’t turn 20 until June 11. At 5’8” 175 lbs, he doesn’t look the part of a dominant offensive player . . . until he steps in the box and starts ripping liners and bombs all over the field. He hit 18 homers and stole 10 bases in 105 games across two levels against players much older than him, posting star-level wRC+ scores of 141 and 142 and on base percentages of .419 and .427.
3. RHP Bubba Chandler | 21 | AA | 2025
After going both ways for a year, Chandler hung up his batting gloves to focus on his pitching and has started to see some results. His 1.50 WHIP across 24 High-A starts isn’t particularly impressive, but his game log tells a different story. Over his final nine starts, he posted a 0.82 WHIP and 1.66 ERA, culminating in five shutout innings during his Double-A debut. He struck out eight batters and allowed one hit and zero walks that night. I think his 2024 will include a lot of nights like it.
4. RHP Jared Jones | 22 | AAA | 2024
2023 was a breakout season for Jones, a 2nd round pick in 2020 who had graduated Low and High A due more to dates than dominance, posting ERAs of 4.64 and 4.62 across 18 and 26 games, respectively. In ten starts at Double-A, his ERA was 2.23 with a 1.08 WHIP. The main change was command, using his plus fastball to get ahead and his wipeout slider to finish. He struggled a bit in Triple-A (4.72 ERA) or he might’ve debuted during the season. As is, he should enter spring training with a chance at the opening day rotation.
5. SS Mitch Jebb | 21 | A | 2025
I like Jebb’s name, I like stolen bases, and I like to clap. 80-grade speed is the carrying tool here, but he also walked more than he struck out in 34 Low-A games. At 6’1” 185 lbs with some untapped power, Jebb’s a great fit for the current MLB era and the dynasty game.
6. OF Lonnie White Jr. | 21 | A | 2026
White has the power and speed to become a fantasy fixture. The list of power-speed types who couldn’t make enough contact to crack a lineup is long, but White showed improvement throughout the season and should be graded on a curve given his multi-sport background and unlucky run of injuries to start his career. He’s 6’3 212 lbs with quick-twitch athleticism and the topside of an everyday centerfielder.
7. 3B Jack Brannigan | 23 | A+ | 2025
The spirit is willing to roster Jack Brannigan, but the flesh is spongy, bruised from years of Pittsburgh disappointments. Like the famous Futurama captain with the same surname, Brannigan strikes out a lot, but when he does make contact, the ball stays hit. He slugged .605 in 38 games at High-A. On the season, he hit 19 home runs and stole 24 bases across two levels. I’m eager to see how he does in Double-A.
8. OF Enmanuel Terrero | 21 | A | 2026
5’9” 160 lb lefty who posted a 116 wRC+ with eight home runs and 21 stolen bases in 80 Low-A games, Terrero is a nice blend of performance and potential. He’s in the process of balancing patience and aggression and could be one tweak away from another jump in his outcomes if he can retain the power he showed this year and regain some of the plate skills he showed in 2022, when he walked more than he struck out.
9. LHP Anthony Solometo | 21 | AA | 2025
Crafty lefty is shorthand for a whole bunch of things, and Solometo pretty much embodies them all. He’s not big or intimidating and doesn’t have a good fastball, but his command is always on point, and he battles through each pitch and situation with a patience and poise you don’t often see from guys his age.
10. LHP Jackson Wolf | 24 | MLB | 2023
Low-ceiling, proximity play here despite the 6’7” 200 lb Wolf needing relatively high ceilings in his own den. His big league success will come down to fastball command. Not a unique fate by any means, but his margin for error there is smaller than most. He can baffle batters of both sides when he’s in rhythm and landing his plus slider under the hands of righties and off the plate against lefties. If he can’t make it as a starter, he’ll likely have a long, fiscally enjoyable run in relief.
Thanks for reading!
