Team Position Player | Age on 4/1/2026 | Level | ETA
1. Brewers SS Jesus Made | 18 | AA | 2027
2. Mariners LHP Kade Anderson | 21 | AA | 2026
3. Athletics SS Leo De Vries | 19 | AA | 2027
4. Dodgers OF Josue De Paula | 20 | AA | 2027
5. Red Sox SS Franklin Arias | 20 | AA | 2027
De Paula is the big riser here. Holy goodness what a season he’s having, slashing .322/.417/.547 with 15 home runs, 25 stolen bases and a 13.8-to-13.3 percent walk-to-strikeout ratio. He’s got a solid case for the top spot.
6. White Sox SS Roch Cholowsky | 21 | NCAA | 2027
7. Pirates RHP Seth Hernandez | 19 | A+ | 2027
8. Twins C Vahn Lackey | 21 | NCAA | 2027
9. Reds C Alfredo Duno | 20 | AA | 2027
Wherever I dropped Lackey into the list, I had to toggle Duno and Rodriguez along with him.
10. Rangers SS Sebastian Walcott | 19 | AA | 2026
11. Tigers OF Max Clark | 21 | AAA | 2026
12. Rockies SS Cole Carrigg | 24 | MLB | 2026
13. Nationals SS Eli Willits | 18 | A+ | 2020
14. Giants SS Luis Hernandez | 17 | CPX | 2029
15. Giants SS Josuar Gonzalez | 18 | CPX | 2030
16. Twins OF Walker Jenkins | 21 | AAA | 2026
17. Cardinals C Rainiel Rodriguez | 19 | AA | 2027
18. Rays SS Grady Emerson | 18 | HS | 2031
Tampa reportedly ranked Emerson atop their draft board with a sizable gap between him and the Cholowsky-Lackey duo. That’s carrying some water in this ranking, as is the idea that any one of those three would’ve been 1.1 in last year’s class. I’ve got him lightly tethered to Eli Willits until further notice.
19. White Sox OF Braden Montgomery | 22 | MLB | 2026
20. Red Sox RHP Anthony Eyanson | 21 | AA | 2026
21. Mariners RHP Ryan Sloan | 20 | AA | 2027
22. Braves OF Eric Hartman | 20 | A+ | 2028
23. Giants RHP Jackson Flora | 21 | NCAA | 2027
24. Cubs OF Josiah Hartshorn | 19 | A+ | 2028
25. Brewers OF Luis Lara | 21 | MLB | 2026
26. White Sox SS Caleb Bonemer | 20 | AA | 2027
27. Rays OF Theo Gillen | 20 | AA | 2027
28. Guardians 1B Ralphy Velazquez | 20 | AAA | 2027
Theo Gillen has gone 0-for-his first two weeks in Double-A. It means little, of course, but I’ve been wary of Gillen’s hit tool while he was rushing up a lot of other lists, so I’m having to battle back the confirmation bias a bit. Caleb Bonemer, by contrast, is making even more contact at Double-A than he was in High-A.
29. Cardinals OF Joshua Baez | 21 | AAA | 2026
30. Padres C Ethan Salas | 18 | AA | 2026
31. Mariners OF Lazaro Montes | 21 | AAA | 2027
32. Athletics LHP Gage Jump | 22 | AA | 2026
33. Dodgers OF Zyhir Hope | 21 | AA | 2027
34. Diamondbacks OF Ryan Waldschmidt | 23 | MLB | 2026
35. Twins SS Kaelen Culpepper | 23 | AAA | 2026
36. Dodgers OF Mike Sirota | 22 | AA | 2027
37. Yankees SS George Lombard Jr. | 20 | AAA | 2026
You could put Baez, Montes and Hope higher if you want to chase that high-risk power upside.
Salas has cooled off after a hot start, slashing .225/.341/.239 with 12 walks and just six strikeouts since the beginning of June, but he’s still an elite defender who has shown power against much older guys.
38. Blue Jays SS Arjun Nimmala | 20 | AA | 2028
39. Reds SS Steele Hall | 18 | CPX | 2029
40. Royals RHP Kendry Chourio | 18 | A+ | 2029
41. Brewers OF Alexander Frias | 18 | A | 2030
42. Giants SS Jhonny Level | 19 | A+ | 2029
Teeny-bopper topside. Fun.
43. Rockies 1B Charlie Condon | 22 | AAA | 2026
44. Blue Jays 3B Sean Keys | 23 | MLB | 2026
45. Mariners SS Michael Arroyo | 21 | AA | 2026
46. Mariners OF Jonny Farmelo | 21 | A+ | 2028
47. Phillies SS Aidan Miller | 21 | AAA | 2026
48. Rockies SS Tyler Bell | 21 | NCAA | 2027
49. Pirates OF Edward Florentino | 19 | A+ | 2029
50. Brewers SS Jett Williams | 21 | AAA | 2026
I struggled to rank Sean Keys and Aidan Miller for opposite reasons. Keys has been awesome all season and looks legit right now but has no defensive home in Toronto and little chance to help in stolen bases. Miller has been hurt all season and looks like a huge question mark right now but has the speed, power and defense to quickly become a fantasy mainstay if he can get healthy.
Thanks for reading!
Dynasty league, I’ve traded everything not nailed down and hope to complete in 2028-29.
I have Miguel Vargas and another owner who is playing for this year is sending offers left right and centre. He has a thin minors roster.
Would anyone on here trade
Vargas for
Peyton Tolle, Heliot Ramos, Chase Harlan, Tyson Lewis, Ty Johnson, Kash Mayfield and Joan Valera?
Doesn’t seem like enough but maybe I just have owners bias. Thanks for any input.
Hold Vargas and pan for gold with those roster spots
You’re a legend thanks sir. Have a great weekend Itch.
My keeper league has an NA spot and I’ve been holding Jesus Made all year, but now De Paula has my attention…. Would you drop Made for DP? Who do you think has the higher ceiling?
I think it’s a coin flip.
I’d go with Made as evidenced in my ranking here, but they’re in the same tier
Ooops
So that Velazquez comment was written because you just didn’t see him there?
I can admit it rattled around in my brain a bit.
I think Made should be behind Arias and De Vries. Every ranking obviously has him #1.
I htink, watching some experts, they don’t want to go against consensus. I watched a couple of Youtube “experts” doing their rankings and they both wanted it felt like to Drop Made being Arias and De Vries, but afraid of going against industry consensus.
I used inside baseball stats, and Made is a few months younger, but the other 2 Statcast blows his away. I get projection, but they are all around the same age, and production now favors Arias’s hitting tools velocity ect, and De Vries all around game, better than Made.
I think the experts are gutless here imo…
I can see your (aggressively worded) perspective, and I’m a little surprised that the real-baseball sites haven’t budged on this.
Made stole 47 bases in 115 games last year.
He’s at 26 through 77 games as a 6’1″ 221 pound 19-year-old in Double-A.
For our game, it’s hard to see how he won’t be a stolen base contributor playing for Milwuakee who likes to run.
Arias has already stopped running (5 SB in 7 attempts in 71 games)
De Vries is striking out much more frequently than Made while producing similar outcomes at a similar age.
It’s certainly not cut and dry in fantasy.
Itch, who has been your favorite prospect ever and why (can be anyone, whether they panned our not)?
Just curious and want to pick your brain here lol
Thanks for all the hard work you do! Love your content!
This was an interesting question. Thanks!
It’s Byron Buxton. I got to see him play a lot in Cedar Rapids, and I’d just never seen anyone like him. Best defensive center field I’ve ever seen in person, which is really the only way to evaluate an outfielder because so much of their movement is predictive and becomes irrelevant by the time a braodcast camera features them.
I also loved Oscar Taveras. I saw him get five hits in Triple-A one five swings one night in Des Moines. I liked him before that, but seeing that in person was something special. Bittersweet memory.
I liked Jorge Polanco, who was always good when I saw him. Polished game in every way even back in A ball.
OH man did I like Vidal Brujan.
More recent vintage, Ronald Acuna was fun. I paid $30 for him in a dtynasty startup before he’d debuted and felt pretty cool about it.
Alexander Frias is one of my favorites right now. Also Ricki Moneys.
Oh heck I really loved Corey Patterson and BJ Upton. That’s in the way back machine.
Super interesting list, Itch. Why so high on Carrigg and on the lower side on Sirota?
Carrigg’s dangerous. You could put him in the top ten and I wouldn’t blink.
Sirota’s caught in a logjam, and I think he’s a very good prospect, but that’s kind of the baseline over there at the moment.
Well, I’d blink.
Gotta moisturize the eyes.
I kinda wish I’d ranked Carrigg even higher now : )
What’s your Carrigg comp?
I agree with that take on Sirota. Carrigg vs Benge, who you like better?
Benge
With the Dodgers flush with young OF depth, can you envision them offering up Pages in a package for Skrubal or another top end SP?
Probably the Tigers pick of a couple/few of DePaula, Hope, Sirota, Pages, Quintero, Sheehan
Yes, that feels like the script at the moment. Tigers can upend it with a couple weeks of winning, but yeah . . . trade could be in the making in that outfield mix. They’re committed to Tucker, and Pages has earned his keep.
Hey itch! Thanks for all you do! Like Grey, you’re the real MVP!
Where you got Bryce Rainer right now? Seems to be coming into his own but I’ve always thought he was kinda overrated!
And you got Eyanson seeing the show this year?! I got him everywhere thanks to you so would be nice!
Thanks, bigshow!!
Rainer’s 34.4 percent strikeout rate has me clutching my pearls. Not sure how tight to hold em. I actually kinda like the trade of control for dynamism in the long term.
I’m in a dynasty league with a bunch of prospect hounds. I punted them many years ago and that has worked for me. I’m in to win titles, not to use roster space to hoard prospects for years on end. Instead I look for under-the-radar guys ready (or almost ready) to contribute. I was aware of Keys but didn’t take him too seriously till I saw your ranking. Looking toward 2027 and beyond, I can get Keys right now for basically free or alternately Alan Roden, Victor Mesa Jr., or Heriberto Hernandez. Thoughts?
Forgot to mention that I was first intrigued that you have him in the neighborhood of Condon, Aiden Miller, and Jett Williams; guys that were scooped up in my league years ago. Also, do you see him as strictly a DH?
You weren’t asking me, but wanted to offer a little different perspective.
3B is a shallow position already, and Keys is the only 3B on this list. Might make sense to add him, and even of he is mid he could be valuable than a mid OF or other position. If he’s free.
Thanks. Appreciate that
Well said, foxman! I agree.
I don’t see him that way, really. I think he’ll play enough of both 1B and 3B to retain eligibility bc they have such good hitters to rest at those spots.
Itch, Josh Hammond over De Los Santos or Brito in a complete rebuild ? Or hold … thank you as always
Brito just ahead of De Los Santos
This is Roldy goldy the pretzel we’re talking about, right?
Great List Thanks!
If you were picking 3rd in 20 team dynasty league, who would you take? Flora? or Emerson? Or someone else?
If your team is good now and you’re not much into making constant trades, probably Flora.
Emerson probably trades for a little more.
I suspect he’ll go second and you could take Lackey, which I would.
Good stuff. Quite a drop for Brewers’ Luis Pena unless that’s an oversight, 30+ spots overall and dropping behind Lara, Frias and Williams in the org? … he missed some time after fainting, getting tested etc. but not aware of any other flags, and numbers look good? Thanks!
I could’ve put him over Williams or even Frias. The margins got pretty small there after teh top groups.
About how far down did Eduardo Quintero fall? Do you think he can be a meaningful fantasy contributor within the next few years?
Thanks!
He’s just outside the 50. Yes, he can contributue, but he might have to get traded.
Thanks!
Man — literally minutes after I posted the question above I got an intruiging trade offer I’d like your advice on!
League context: 16 team H2H where batting categories include BOTH BA and OPB and pitching. 30 players hard cap. No more than 7SP and 5 RPs can be rostered. You can only start five pitchers daily and it must be divided either 3/2 or 2/3 between SP and RPs
My team context: Currently 1st place, with pitching as my weak spot. My current SPs are Jose Soriano, Kyle Bradish, Zebby Matthews, Sean Mananea, and Dean Kremer, with me using Didier Fuentes and Keider Montero as SPs on days when I don’t have two SPs going. So yeah — not great, but working.
The Offer:
I receive Juan Soto (probably the best player for this league’s hitting categories after Shohei and/or Yordan Alvarez and/or Aaron Judge), Chris Sale (deparately needed rotation anchor), and Jake Bauers (largely irrelevant to my team — maybe a small upgrade to Willi Castro who backs up regular starter Yandy Diaz?)
I trade away Elly de La Cruz (would slide Dansby into to the starting lineup, have Willi Castro as his backup and Luis Pena and Kalean Culpepper rostered) and Jackson Chourio (leaves my starting outfield as Yordan Alvarez, Soto, and Brandon Marsh, with Justin Crawford, Heriberto Hernandez, and Steven Kwan as my OF bench.
Is the upgrade to Soto and getting Sale worth the long term loss of Elly and Chourio given the team context and that I’m already pretty much a shoo-in to makes the playoffs and would like to fortify for this year’s playoff run?
Thanks in advance for any guidance!
I prefer Elly and Chourio to Soto and Sale even with the OBP and unique pitching rules, but you’d know the league better than me. That deal would almost certianly help you win this season.
Got him to add Jesus Luzardo and I added in Luis Pena . Sometimes, you gotta push your chips to the middle of the table. I’m going for it this year! Thanks for the advice!
Nice! Thanks! Let me know how it goes.
Luis Pena wiped from existence.
He’s in the 50’s. Kind of levels out after the top groups.
Thanks for the list. Two questions about players NOT in the Top 50 and one who made it:
1.) Why is Luis Pena no longer considered a Top 50 prospect?
2.) Also curious about Ralpy Velazquez. Are you down on him too? In my 16 team dynasty league (has both OBP and BA as hitting stats), I’ve been relying on Yandy Diaz for years, but despite his excellent season, he’s getting older and I had been hanging on to Ralphy as his long-term replacement. Not a great idea?
3.) What are you thinking about Kalean Culpepper’s long term fantasy viability once he’s promoted? I have him, but wonder if it’s worth trading him since I have both Elly and Dansby.
Thanks!
1) Just missed. Kept thinking I’d trade him for the guys sliding above him.
2) Not down on him. Kind of always been on the high side on Velazquez.
3) I’d rather trade Dansby if I could fill that MI spot another way. I like Culpepper.
Thoughts on Ethan Holliday? I know he’s out for the year but I’m in a dynasty league with spots for prospects and wondering if I should hang on to him
I’d hang on at least through the bulk of next season.
Which one of those SS will you pick for this season in an OBP, non dinasty league? Thanks
De Vries
Hey Itch – thanks, super useful! I just traded away Condon in a keeper, for a piece for this year – but still curious, why is he not a little higher?
I was wondering about this too. He’s been hitting well and will be playing half his games at Coors. I have him in my NA slot and hoping he rakes when he gets the call!
No real big reason. Just like some other guys more. Condon’s still some swing and miss concerns. Not likely to help much in stolen bases. Colorado is in no hurry to move him to the majors.
Curious to get your thoughts on this Esmerlyn Valdez kid on the pirates. I couldn’t find where you had written him up. He strikes out a lot, but he’s 22 and hitting homers at the big leagues. His MiLB numbers suggest he figured something out last year, but maybe he’s just a hot bat enjoying a nice streak. What are your thoughts?
I think he’s better than a hot bat. He was inside the 50 at one point as I shuffled the deck and perhaps should’ve stayed.
Was he the guy hitting the ball hard in the AFL?