Cleveland Sports Forum

The power rankings in the above post were posted on Jan 8.

A lot has happened (trades, free agents signings, etc) since then that could sway the rankings slightly. Still gotta play the games.

I posted the rankings just to show how close the AL Central is tightening up. Very close between the Tigers 11, Guardians 12, Royals 14, and Twins 18. All it takes is the addition of one or two pieces that could put more separation between the teams. Still have 2 months to think about it.

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I'm sure Tiger fans were " hoping for a little bit more than just Gleyber Torres and Alex Cobb in their New Year’s gift bag, but there’s still some time left in this offseason"

since that was written they made a much bigger addition with Jack Flaherty. Meanwhile Cobb was shut down for the first of many projected times this season.
Torres started his career as a good hit not very good field middle infielder. His hitting has gone downhill and his defense remains subpar. I doubt he'll be a big help.
Flaherty was very good in 2024 but his career has plenty of down times, too.
2020 4.91 ERA
2021 only 17 starts
2022 only 9 starts
2023 4.99 ERA
He hasn't had two solid back to back years since 2018-19, Perhaps he'll be a star for his 2 year contract but nothing in his history suggests he will.

I hope you're right about Flaherty.

Montas (lat strain) shut down by Mets for 6-8 weeks


PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- This winter, the Mets constructed their pitching staff upon a foundation of depth. Rather than target the best starters available, the Mets acquired multiple lesser options, hoping to guard against attrition and injury. They entered camp feeling comfortable about the interchangeability of their top eight starters.
That depth is being tested immediately. Manager Carlos Mendoza announced Monday that right-hander Frankie Montas has a high-grade right lat strain and will not throw for 6-8 weeks. Montas will require a full, Spring Training-style buildup after that, meaning a best-case scenario would have him back in mid-May. More realistically, he is likely to remain sidelined until late May or June.
[2024 stats: 7-11 4.84 24 homers in 150 innings: is worth $34M for 2 years??] That's when he's healthy
It’s an inauspicious start to a two-year, $34 million contract for Montas, whose deal includes an opt-out after this season. His lengthy injury history includes IL stints in each of the last three seasons, most notably due to a shoulder surgery that sidelined him for almost the entire 2023 campaign. Montas was mostly healthy last year, however, outside of a brief absence for a forearm bruise.

Quintana agrees to 1-year deal with Brewers (report)

1:15 PM CST

Theo DeRosa

Veteran lefty Jose Quintana has agreed to a one-year deal with the Brewers, according to a report Monday by FanSided's Robert Murray. The club has not confirmed the deal.

Quintana proved in 2024 he had plenty left in the tank, making 31 starts for the Mets and pitching to a 3.75 ERA in 170 1/3 innings of work. Quintana, who will play in his age-36 season in 2025, was a dependable member of the Mets’ rotation in his second season of a two-year, $26 million deal with New York.

Quintana carried a 5.29 ERA into mid-June, but had a 2.77 ERA in his final 18 regular-season starts, including a truly stellar stretch late in the season. In a five-start span from Aug. 25 to Sept. 18, Quintana allowed just one earned run over 32 innings -- a minuscule 0.28 ERA. He was a reason the Mets earned an NL Wild Card berth, and he delivered in the postseason, too, making starts against the Brewers and Phillies in the playoffs without allowing an earned run.

Unfortunately for Quintana, he won't be able to face one of his favorite opponents this year. The southpaw has posted a 2.98 ERA in 23 outings (22 starts) against Milwaukee, recording 131 strikeouts in 130 innings vs. them across his 13 years in the big leagues.

Although Quintana’s swing-and-miss stuff is a thing of the past -- his strikeout rate was below average for the third straight year -- the lefty proved adept at missing barrels and largely avoiding hard contact. Quintana’s fastball averages just 90.9 mph, which ranks in MLB’s ninth percentile, but he has a strong changeup and also uses his curveball and slurve often.

The Colombian left-hander spent time with seven teams in his first 13 Major League seasons, but his first nine years all came in the Windy City. Quintana debuted with the White Sox in 2012 and pitched to a sub-4.00 ERA in each of his first five seasons before being traded to the Cubs midway through 2017 and remaining with the club through 2020. He was used mainly as a reliever by the Angels and Giants in 2021 (San Francisco claimed Quintana off waivers in August) before returning to starting with the Pirates in 2022.

Quintana pitched well for Pittsburgh and was flipped to St. Louis at the 2022 Trade Deadline, excelling with a 2.01 ERA in 12 starts for the Cardinals down the stretch. He even started Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series that season, pitching 5 1/3 scoreless innings against the Phillies. Quintana’s resurgence earned him a multiyear deal with the Mets, although he made only 13 starts in 2023 after undergoing bone graft surgery to repair a stress fracture in his rib. He managed to stay healthy in 2024 and turned in a solid season, helping New York’s rotation weather the loss of Kodai Senga.

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March 5: The Brewers made it official today, announcing that they have signed Quintana to a one-year deal with a mutual option for 2026. DL Hall was placed on the 60-day IL to open a roster spot. Per Jon Heyman of The New York Post, it’s a $2MM salary in 2025 with a deferred $2MM buyout on a $15MM mutual option for 2026 and a $250K roster bonus. The incentives are $125K each for 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24 games started, as well as $100K for 110, 120, 130 and 140 innings pitched.

WoW! Talk about Low Risk High Reward!

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Here are the 2025 farm system rankings -- with a new No. 1

3:45 PM CST

It’s time to crown a new king.

After a three-year run for the Orioles atop our preseason farm system rankings, they’ve stepped off the throne, making way for the Tigers. The O’s had slipped from the top spot in our 2024 midseason rankings as they’d graduated a number of prospects to the big leagues, and they're now in the middle of the pack, a testament to just how hard it is to compete annually and maintain a top-level system. Now it’s time to see how long the Tigers, with their six Top 100 prospects and deep stable of hitters, can stay atop our farm system rankings.

Two of the teams in our top five have managed to do just that. The Rays could have easily landed at No. 1 since they continually find talent via the Draft, internationally and in shrewd trades. The Dodgers always seem to land near the top of this list -- this is their seventh straight top 10 placement (covering preseason and midseason rankings).

Rounding out the top five are the Red Sox, still very highly regarded even after trading Kyle Teel and Braden Montgomery to the White Sox in the Garret Crochet deal, and the rapidly rising Mariners with their seven Top 100 bats.

1. Detroit Tigers

2024 midseason rank: 6
2024 preseason rank: 5
2023 midseason rank: 13
2023 preseason rank: 25

Top 100 prospects: Jackson Jobe, RHP (No. 5); Max Clark, OF (No. 6); Kevin McGonigle, SS/2B (No. 28); Bryce Rainer, SS (No. 52); Thayron Liranzo, C/1B (No. 81); Josue Briceño, 1B/C (No. 94)

The Tigers are one of five organizations with six or more Top 100 prospects, one of two with three in the top 30 and the only with two in the top six. An already strong core of Jobe, Clark and McGonigle was supplemented last season by Rainer’s addition via the 11th overall pick in the Draft and late-year breakouts by Liranzo and Briceño. The depth doesn’t stop there. Jace Jung, now healthy after last season’s wrist issues, is competing for the Major League job at third base, Hao-Yu Lee has a solid track record of hitting across all levels and Trey Sweeney still maintains prospect status after serving as the club’s starting shortstop during its postseason run. Sure, Jobe carries a lot of weight for the pitching group, but Jaden Hamm is looking to build on a breakout 2024, Troy Melton and Ty Madden look like Major League contributors this year and '24 Draft picks Owen Hall, Ethan Schiefelbein and Josh Randall (among others) give the arms some extra length. The good times could continue to roll in Detroit.

2. Tampa Bay Rays

2024 midseason rank: 1
2024 preseason rank: 6
2023 midseason rank: 7
2023 preseason rank: 6

Top 100 prospects: Carson Williams, SS (No. 9); Xavier Isaac, 1B (No. 50); Brayden Taylor, INF (No. 66); Tre’ Morgan, 1B/OF (No. 93); Theo Gillen, OF (No. 98)

Junior Caminero’s graduation left Carson Williams as the only top-tier prospect in the system, causing Tampa Bay to slip out of the top spot. But through both internal development and the additions from last year’s Trade Deadline, this remains the deepest system in baseball. The Rays’ entire Top 100 contingent is loaded with hitters with impressive tools, like Williams’ defense at short or Isaac’s power, and below them are five-tool talent Aidan Smith and the fastest man in the sport, Chandler Simpson. That's not to say the Rays don’t have pitching. Brody Hopkins and Jackson Baumeister were quality Deadline adds, and Santiago Suarez, Gary Gill Hill and Trevor Harrison all look like potential starters at the lower levels. It’s the type of farm the Rays and their fans have grown accustomed to over the years.

3. Boston Red Sox

2024 midseason rank: 7
2024 preseason rank: 14
2023 midseason rank: 16
2023 preseason rank: 16

Top 100 prospects: Roman Anthony, OF (No. 2); Kristian Campbell, 2B/SS/OF (No. 7); Marcelo Mayer, SS (No. 12); Franklin Arias, SS/2B (No. 75)

No farm system boasts a better trio of prospects than the Red Sox do with Anthony, Campbell and Mayer. Their international scouts have done strong work of late, landing the likes of Arias, right-hander Luis Perales, outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia, shortstop Yoeilin Cespedes and first baseman Justin Gonzales. Boston made significant progress with developing pitchers in 2024 after years of struggling on that front, though their top arm (Perales) is out following Tommy John surgery.

4. Los Angeles Dodgers

2024 midseason rank: 5
2024 preseason rank: 8
2023 midseason rank: 6
2023 preseason rank: 2

Top 100 prospects: Roki Sasaki, RHP (No. 1); Dalton Rushing, C/OF (No. 30); Josue De Paula, OF (No. 40); Jackson Ferris, LHP (No. 70); Alex Freeland, SS (No. 71); Zyhir Hope, OF (No. 74)

Baseball’s model franchise, the Dodgers have won two World Series in the past five seasons, made 12 straight playoff appearances and assembled one of the game’s strongest farm systems. They signed No. 1 overall prospect Sasaki in January, capping a 12-month period in which they also added two Top 100 prospects (Ferris, Hope) via the Michael Busch/Yency Almonte trade with the Cubs and two high-ceiling shortstops (Emil Morales on the international market, Kellon Lindsey as a first-round pick). Los Angeles may have the best collection of teenage talent in the game, headlined by De Paula, Morales, Lindsey and outfielder Eduardo Quintero.

5. Seattle Mariners

2024 midseason rank: 9
2024 preseason rank: 18
2023 midseason rank: 19
2023 preseason rank: 24

Top 100 prospects: Colt Emerson, SS/3B (No. 20); Lazaro Montes, OF (No. 42); Cole Young, SS/2B (No. 49); Harry Ford, C (No. 64); Felnin Celesten, SS (No. 73); Jonny Farmelo, OF (No. 95); Michael Arroyo, 2B/SS (No. 97)

They’re tied with the Cubs for the most prospects on the Top 100 (seven), and they’re all hitters. The Mariners have been collecting bats from everywhere and that lucky seven consists of four draftees (all high schoolers) and three high-level international signees. There’s a nice group of arms right behind this group, with 2024 draftees Ryan Sloan -- whom many think could quickly jump onto the Top 100 -- and Jurrangelo Cijntje, followed by '24 breakout Logan Evans to give the top 10 a little more balance. This is definitely a system on the rise.

6. Chicago White Sox

2024 midseason rank: 11
2024 preseason rank: 20
2023 midseason rank: 20
2023 preseason rank: 26

Top 100 prospects: Noah Schultz, LHP (No. 16); Kyle Teel, C (No. 32); Hagen Smith, LHP (No. 34); Colson Montgomery, SS (No. 39); Braden Montgomery, OF (No. 54); Edgar Quero (No. 65)

The White Sox have baseball’s most improved farm system, rising 14 spots after ranking 20th a year ago. They have added 14 of their Top 30 prospects since then, including Teel and Braden Montgomery via the Garrett Crochet trade and Smith as the No. 5 overall pick in the 2024 Draft. Schultz and Smith are the two best lefty pitching prospects in the game, while Teel and Quero are the top tandem of catching prospects.

7. Milwaukee Brewers

2024 midseason rank: 17
2024 preseason rank: 3
2023 midseason rank: 3
2023 preseason rank: 15

Top 100 prospects: Jeferson Quero, C (No. 47); Jesús Made, SS/3B (No. 55); Cooper Pratt, SS (No. 56); Jacob Misiorowski, RHP (No. 99)

Just when you’d think Jackson Chourio’s graduation would cause Milwaukee’s farm system ranking to plummet, the Brewers buoy themselves by developing another potential star at the lower levels in Jesús Made. The Crew is particularly deep in corner infielders; Mike Boeve, Tyler Black, Eric Bitonti, Luke Adams, Blake Burke and Brock Wilken all fit the description in the club’s top 18. The Milwaukee organization is so deep with potential everyday players and starting pitchers that Craig Yoho -- a near-MLB-ready high-leverage arm with his elite changeup -- slots in at No. 19. If you’re wondering how Milwaukee manages to stay competitive in the NL Central without spending big, this is how.

8. Chicago Cubs

2024 midseason rank: 8
2024 preseason rank: 2
2023 midseason rank: 4
2023 preseason rank: 12

Top 100 prospects: Matt Shaw, INF (No. 19); Cade Horton, RHP (No. 51); Owen Caissie, OF (No. 53); Moises Ballesteros, C/1B (No. 68); James Triantos, 2B/OF (No. 72); Kevin Alcántara, OF (No. 89); Jefferson Rojas, SS/2B (No. 96)

The Cubs are tied with the Mariners with an MLB-best seven Top 100 prospects, the first six of whom all played in Triple-A or the Majors last season. The stockpile of position-player talent is reminiscent of their 2015 farm system that ranked No. 1 in the game and included Kris Bryant, Jeimer Candelario, Willson Contreras, Ian Happ, Eloy Jiménez, Addison Russell, Kyle Schwarber, Jorge Soler and Gleyber Torres. Once their current group graduates, Chicago will rely heavily on a crew of international shortstops led by Rojas, Fernando Cruz, Cristian Hernandez and Juan Tomas.

9. Cleveland Guardians

2024 midseason rank: 4
2024 preseason rank: 19
2023 midseason rank: 15
2023 preseason rank: 4

Top 100 prospects: Travis Bazzana, 2B (No. 10); Chase DeLauter, OF (No. 36); Jaison Chourio, OF (No. 59); Angel Genao, INF (No. 61)

The Guardians featured seven rookies on their 2024 AL championship roster -- most notably Kyle Manzardo, Jhonkensy Noel, Brayan Rocchio and Cade Smith -- and have more talent on the way. They spent a record $20.4 million on the Draft, landing the best pure hitter available (Bazzana) with the No. 1 overall choice and replenishing their pitching by giving seven-figure bonuses to high school arms Braylon Doughty, Joey Oakie and Chase Mobley. Chourio and Genao highlight several Cleveland position prospects who took significant steps forward last year.

10. Minnesota Twins

2024 midseason rank: 2
2024 preseason rank: 15
2023 midseason rank: 17
2023 preseason rank: 19

Top 100 prospects: Walker Jenkins, OF (No. 3); Emmanuel Rodriguez, OF (No. 37); Luke Keaschall, 2B/OF/1B (No. 60)

All three Top 100 hitters have injury histories, but all three also could be ready to help out in Minnesota at some point this year if all goes well. Maybe that’s being bullish on Jenkins in just his second year of pro ball, but when he’s healthy, he’s that good. The graduations of pitchers like Zebby Matthews and David Festa contributed to the small drop here, but this is still a deep system worthy of Top 10 placement, and there are seven arms in the Top 15 who could vie to be the next in line on the mound.

11. Cincinnati Reds

2024 midseason rank: 14
2024 preseason rank: 10
2023 midseason rank: 5
2023 preseason rank: 5

Top 100 prospects: Chase Burns, RHP (No. 26); Rhett Lowder, RHP (No. 35); Sal Stewart, 2B/3B (No. 83); Cam Collier, 3B (No. 90); Edwin Arroyo, SS (No. 91)

After the two first-round picks from the past two Drafts (Chase Burns and Rhett Lowder), who could both be in Cincy's rotation this year, there’s a lot of offensive firepower here -- eight of the next nine prospects in the Top 30 after Burns and Lowder are hitters. The Reds continue to do a nice job of refilling the system via the Draft (six of their Top 10), via trades (two) and via the international market (two).

12. New York Mets

2024 midseason rank: 13
2024 preseason rank: 13
2023 midseason rank: 11
2023 preseason rank: 11

Top 100 prospects: Brandon Sproat, RHP (No. 46); Jett Williams, SS/OF (No. 57); Carson Benge, OF (No. 100)

New York’s big additions of the offseason didn’t come at the expense of its farm system, and in fact, one of those additions was shortstop Elian Peña, the largest international signee this year ($5 million) not named Roki Sasaki. The five-tool 17-year-old joins an infield group that boasts Williams, Ryan Clifford, Luisangel Acuña, Jesus Baez and Ronny Mauricio -- prospects who have gotten or could get Top 100 consideration at some point in their careers. Sproat should get MLB looks this summer with his plus velocity and deep pitch mix, and fellow top six prospects Nolan McLean and Jonah Tong could also push through upper-level rotations toward Queens.

13. Washington Nationals

2024 midseason rank: 10
2024 preseason rank: 12
2023 midseason rank: 8
2023 preseason rank: 10

Top 100 prospects: Dylan Crews, OF (No. 4); Travis Sykora, RHP (No. 69); Jarlin Susana, RHP (No. 78)

Crews likely isn’t long for this list, assuming he is Washington’s Opening Day right fielder as expected, but he still counts, giving the Nats' farm system a star at the top of its tree. His graduation could signal a turning of the corner in the capital from rebuilding organization to young upstart, and the next generation could be led by the pitching corps, highlighted by Sykora, Susana and lefty Alex Clemmey. And just because the Nats will lose Crews on its Top 30, don’t expect a big drop in the midseason farm system rankings. Remember that Washington owns the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s Draft, an opportunity to keep the talent train moving.

14. Pittsburgh Pirates

2024 midseason rank: 20
2024 preseason rank: 9
2023 midseason rank: 2
2023 preseason rank: 8

Top 100 prospects: Bubba Chandler, RHP (No. 15); Konnor Griffin, SS/OF (No. 43); Thomas Harrington, RHP (No. 79); Termarr Johnson, 2B/SS (No. 82)

The quartet of Top 100 guys is equally balanced, but the Pirates have definitely earned a reputation of knowing how to develop pitching, with Chandler and Harrington the most recent Top 100 examples. They -- along with Braxton Ashcraft, Hunter Barco and Michael Burrows -- are guys in the top half of the Top 30 who could impact the big league staff this year. This system could take a huge leap up this list if the bats can figure things out, starting with Johnson.

15. Baltimore Orioles

2024 midseason rank: 3
2024 preseason rank: 1
2023 midseason rank: 1
2023 preseason rank: 1

Top 100 prospects: Samuel Basallo, C/1B (No. 13); Coby Mayo, 3B/1B (No. 14)

It’s hard to compete in the big leagues and keep a farm system at an elite level. The Orioles have graduated a good number of their top prospects, helping create a young Major League roster. And having bats like Basallo and Mayo ready, or just about, to help out is a nice boost. Teams have to recalibrate a bit when they’re picking lower in rounds and it will be interesting to see whether the Orioles can find talent there, as well as via the international market, moving forward.

16. Miami Marlins

2024 midseason rank: 15
2024 preseason rank: 29
2023 midseason rank: 24
2023 preseason rank: 18

Top 100 prospects: Thomas White, LHP (No. 41); Starlyn Caba, SS (No. 80); Noble Meyer, RHP (No. 84)

The Marlins moved up 13 spots from last year’s preseason rankings, the second-biggest rise behind the White Sox (up 14). Miami’s new Top 30 list includes 19 players added in the past 12 months -- 13 who arrived via trades, including Caba, catcher Agustin Ramirez, outfielder Dillon Head, left-hander Robby Snelling and first baseman Deyvison De Los Santos (who led the Minors with 40 homers). The Marlins have spent a combined $18.5 million to sign White, Meyer, outfielder PJ Morlando and shortstop Carter Johnson in the past two Drafts and shortstop Andrew Salas on the international market.

17. Philadelphia Phillies

2024 midseason rank: 16
2024 preseason rank: 22
2023 midseason rank: 23
2023 preseason rank: 21

Top 100 prospects: Andrew Painter, RHP (No. 8); Aidan Miller, SS (No. 27); Justin Crawford, OF (No. 63); Eduardo Tait, C (No. 92)

Getting a healthy Painter back is huge after he’s topped this list for a couple of years while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. The hope is he graduates this season while helping the Phillies compete. Then the bats can get there in the next year -- at least Miller and Crawford are in line to, with Tait a step behind. Guys from the 2024 Draft like Dante Nori and Griffin Burkholder could bolster this system’s ranking with a strong first full season, and there’s hope former first-rounder Mick Abel could provide a boost if he learns to harness his stuff.

18. Colorado Rockies

2024 midseason rank: 12
2024 preseason rank: 21
2023 midseason rank: 18
2023 preseason rank: 14

Top 100 prospects: Chase Dollander, RHP (No. 25); Charlie Condon, OF/3B (No. 29)

Picking in the Top 10 the past two Drafts has certainly helped, and it looks like 2023 selection Dollander might make the Opening Day roster in the rotation, while last year’s pick, Condon, could move quickly if he swings the bat like he did at Georgia last year. The Rockies are always very active on the international market and they could make some collective noise if Robert Calaz takes another step forward. There’s plenty of time for Yanquiel Fernandez and Adael Amador, who stumbled a bit in 2024, to hit the reset button too.

19. Texas Rangers

2024 midseason rank: 26
2024 preseason rank: 7
2023 midseason rank: 10
2023 preseason rank: 7

Top 100 prospects: Sebastian Walcott, SS/3B (No. 17); Kumar Rocker, RHP (No. 44)

While injuries dropped the Rangers from World Series champions in 2023 to 78 victories in '24, they did have a productive year on the farm. Walcott emerged as one of the best prospects in baseball -- and might be the very best after the 2025 season. Texas had a lot of developmental successes with pitchers as Rocker, Jack Leiter and Marc Church reached the Majors, while Winston Santos and Emiliano Teodo are on the verge of doing so. Some scouts thought right-hander Alejandro Rosario was better than all of them, but he blew out his elbow this February and had Tommy John surgery.

20. St. Louis Cardinals

2024 midseason rank: 19
2024 preseason rank: 23
2023 midseason rank: 22
2023 preseason rank: 9

Top 100 prospects: JJ Wetherholt, SS (No. 23); Quinn Mathews, LHP (No. 45); Tink Hence, RHP (No. 76)

St. Louis is a club seemingly in transition, and its group of prospects could give it its next identity. Getting Wetherholt seventh overall last July was certainly a boon for the system, as was the breakout of 2023 fourth-rounder Mathews. The organization has plenty of arms prepared to knock on the MLB door in 2025 -- Mathews, Hence, Michael McGreevy, Tekoah Roby, Sem Robberse and Gordon Graceffo, all prospects in its Top 16. The other strength is catchers, led by 2024 Texas League MVP Jimmy Crooks. Keep an eye on Dominican Summer League stars Rainiel Rodriguez and Yairo Padilla, who could be the ones to push this farm back into the top half if they carry their performances stateside.

21. Athletics

2024 midseason rank: 22
2024 preseason rank: 25
2023 midseason rank: 26
2023 preseason rank: 22

Top 100 prospects: Jacob Wilson, SS (No. 31); Nick Kurtz, 1B (No. 38)

Wilson is ready and could be a Rookie of the Year candidate this year. Kurtz, a 2024 first-rounder, could reach the big league lineup at some point this year. The A’s took a nice step forward in the AL West last year with help from homegrown talent, and there’s more who will be knocking on the door with Colby Thomas, Mason Barnett, Denzel Clarke, Max Muncy, Henry Bolte and Jack Perkins all Top 10 guys who could be called upon to contribute in 2025.

22. Arizona Diamondbacks

2024 midseason rank: 21
2024 preseason rank: 16
2023 midseason rank: 12
2023 preseason rank: 3

Top 100 prospects: Jordan Lawlar, SS (No. 11)

Don’t be fooled by there being just one Top 100 prospect here. Sure, it would help if Lawlar had company, but below him is a mix of fellow hitters who could push their way to that status (Demetrio Crisantes, Slade Caldwell) and others who are trying to get back to the Top 100 (Tommy Troy, Druw Jones). That said, Arizona’s pursuit of Corbin Burnes this offseason could have been fueled by a lack of impact starting pitching in the pipeline. Yilber Diaz (No. 4) is the only arm in the D-backs’ Top 10, and only three pitchers rank among the club’s Top 15.

23. Kansas City Royals

2024 midseason rank: 25
2024 preseason rank: 28
2023 midseason rank: 29
2023 preseason rank: 29

Top 100 prospects: Jac Caglianone, 1B (No. 22); Blake Mitchell, C (No. 48); Carter Jensen, C (No. 85)

Caglianone will be one of the most closely followed prospects in 2025 as he transitions to full-time hitter status, and Mitchell and Jensen are two intriguing entrants in the derby to be Salvador Perez’s future replacement behind the dish in Kansas City. The Royals have also enjoyed breakouts from Top 10 prospects Noah Cameron and Steven Zobac to breathe life into their pitching pipeline. But outside those top three, there aren’t many prospects who look like surefire starting position players or much beyond the No. 4 spot in future MLB rotations.

24. New York Yankees

2024 midseason rank: 18
2024 preseason rank: 11
2023 midseason rank: 21
2023 preseason rank: 13

Top 100 prospects: Jasson Domínguez, OF (No. 21)

After producing 2024 AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil and third-place finisher Austin Wells en route to a pennant, the Yankees have another candidate in Domínguez. Many of their best position prospects are coming off rough seasons at the plate, including shortstops George Lombard Jr. and Roderick Arias and outfielder Spencer Jones. New York is among the best organizations at developing pitchers and spent its first seven Draft picks on college arms last July, starting with Southeastern Conference right-handers Ben Hess, Bryce Cunningham and Thatcher Hurd.

25. San Diego Padres

2024 midseason rank: 28
2024 preseason rank: 4
2023 midseason rank: 9
2023 preseason rank: 23

Top 100 prospects: Leo De Vries, SS (No. 18); Ethan Salas, C (No. 33)

How much weight can two premium 18-year-old prospects carry? Enough to get San Diego out of the bottom five places on this list. For all the prospects the Padres moved in midseason trades last year, De Vries and Salas remain as headliners. Filling the vacuum left behind them are nine members of the Padres’ 2024 Draft class, including first-rounder Kash Mayfield, second-rounder Boston Bateman and third-rounder Cobb Hightower. Hightower could be one to watch in particular after showing the potential to hit for average and power at the club's complex in Arizona late last summer.

26. Atlanta Braves

2024 midseason rank: 27
2024 preseason rank: 26
2023 midseason rank: 27
2023 preseason rank: 30

Top 100 prospects: Drake Baldwin, C (No. 62); Cam Caminiti, LHP (No. 88)

It could be Baldwin’s time to shine right out of the gate with the injury to Sean Murphy. And while there are only two guys on the Top 100 at present, there are two arms right behind them with previous time on the list. AJ Smith-Shawver and Hurston Waldrep have both touched the big leagues, and while there are questions about long-term roles, their stuff is legit. Former high school pitching draftees Owen Murphy and JR Ritchie are in various stages of returning from Tommy John surgery, and if they start approaching their ceilings, the Braves could have something cooking here.

27. Toronto Blue Jays

2024 midseason rank: 24
2024 preseason rank: 24
2023 midseason rank: 25
2023 preseason rank: 25

Top 100 prospects: Arjun Nimmala, SS (No. 86); Trey Yesavage, RHP (No. 87)

Pitching injuries decimated Toronto’s pipeline in 2024, and most notable of all of them was the Ricky Tiedemann elbow issues that led to Tommy John surgery, knocking him out for much of '25 at the least. Yesavage -- a 6-foot-4 right-hander with three plus pitches -- gives the group at least a big arm at the top as he begins his career, and he’s joined by fellow first-rounder Nimmala, a shortstop with big power potential but hit-tool questions. With Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette entering their final years before free agency, the Jays don’t have prospects of their quality behind them as potential replacements, at least right now. The good news: the organization is slated to pick eighth in the Draft in July, marking just the second time since 2006 it’s had a first-round selection that high.

28. San Francisco Giants

2024 midseason rank: 23
2024 preseason rank: 17
2023 midseason rank: 14
2023 preseason rank: 17

Top 100 prospects: Bryce Eldridge, 1B (No. 24)

New president of baseball operations Buster Posey and GM Zack Minasian will try to improve the fortunes of a club that has enjoyed just one winning season and one playoff berth in the past eight years. After the Giants graduated three Top 100 prospects (Kyle Harrison, Marco Luciano, Hayden Birdsong) and rookie surprise Tyler Fitzgerald in 2024, the strength of the system is young hitters such as Eldridge, shortstops Josuar Gonzalez and Jhonny Level and outfielders James Tibbs III, Dakota Jordan, Rayner Arias and Bo Davidson. Left-handers Carson Whisenhunt and Joe Whitman could crack San Francisco’s rotation in the next year or two.

29. Houston Astros

2024 midseason rank: 30
2024 preseason rank: 27
2023 midseason rank: 30
2023 preseason rank: 27

Top 100 prospects: Cam Smith, 3B (No. 58)

The Astros continue to rank near the bottom of our biannual talent rankings yet keep winning, making their eighth straight playoff appearance in 2024 while getting contributions from unheralded prospects such as Spencer Arrighetti and Ronel Blanco. Despite their current No. 29 standing, the system boasts its strongest group of position players (Smith, shortstop Brice Matthews, outfielder Jacob Melton, catcher Walker Janek, corner infielder Zach Dezenzo) in years. Led by right-hander Miguel Ullola, several of its best pitching prospects performed well at the two highest levels of the Minors last year.

30. Los Angeles Angels

2024 midseason rank: 29
2024 preseason rank: 30
2023 midseason rank: 28
2023 preseason rank: 28

Top 100 prospects: Christian Moore, 2B (No. 67); Caden Dana, RHP (No. 77)

Look now, because we all know the Angels get their guys to the big leagues quickly. Moore will graduate before we know it, and Dana touched Los Angeles last year. This organization is very active internationally with 14 players acquired from that market, a big reason why this is the youngest Top 30 in baseball. There is lots of risk, but there could be a lot of reward if guys like 2024 signee Joswa Lugo hits like he did during his Dominican Summer League debut last year and 2025 acquisition Gabriel Davalillo follows suit.


Jonathan Mayo is a reporter for MLBPipeline.com. Follow him on Facebook and @JonathanMayo, and listen to him on the weekly MLB Pipeline Podcast.

Jim Callis is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him @jimcallisMLB and @jimcallis.bsky.social. Listen to him on the weekly MLB Pipeline Podcast.

Sam Dykstra is a reporter for MiLB.com and MLB.com. Follow and interact with him on Bluesky @SamDykstraMiLB, and listen to him on his weekly podcast The Show Before the Show.

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Ex-Guardians this spring:
IF Christian Cairo picked by the Braves from CLE in Rule 5 is 4-15 with 3 walks and 5 strikeouts. We may or may not get him back.
IF Jose Tena is not having a good start to his spring with Washington 2-15 no xb hits 2 walks and 5 K He had a decent debut there after trade for Thomas 668 OPS
OF Will Benson is having a typical for him spring, 3-13, all are xb hits, 2 of them homers; 5 strikeouts are 1/2 of his outs
OF Nolan Jones after a injured and unproductive 2024 following an apparent major breakout in 2023 is not looking any better yet, 3-24 all singles 2 walks at least his 6 K are better than his typical ratio.

TAMPA, Fla. -- There is another significant injury concern in Yankees camp, as ace right-hander Gerrit Cole is undergoing diagnostic tests on his pitching elbow, according to MLB Network’s Jon Paul Morosi.

Old team with lots of injures. They could slip below several up and coming younger Eastern Division clubs

Francisco Alvarez Out 6-8 Weeks Due To Left Hamate Surgery
By Mark Polishuk | March 9, 2025 at 11:09am CDT
11:09PM: Alvarez suffered the injury while taking a swing during live batting practice yesterday, Mendoza told the New York Post’s Mike Puma and other reporters. Mendoza expects Alvarez to miss the full eight weeks due to the added wear-and-tear that catching duties will place on his left hand.

Brewers’ Thomas Pannone Shut Down Due To Torn Flexor Tendon
By Mark Polishuk | March 9, 2025 at 8:16am CDT
Left-hander Thomas Pannone suffered a torn flexor tendon during the Brewers’ Cactus League game against the Guardians last Sunday. MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy writes that Pannone won’t throw for at least a month while recovering, though surgery isn’t being considered at this time.

Giancarlo Stanton Has “Severe” Injuries In Both Elbows
By Leo Morgenstern | March 8, 2025 at 1:11pm CDT
Giancarlo Stanton offered an update this morning about the elbow injuries that have kept him from playing this spring. He told reporters, including Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, that the problem is “considered severe” in each of his elbows. The Yankees DH remains uncertain as to when he will be able to return to baseball activities of any kind. While he does not yet know if double elbow surgery will be necessary, he said that if he goes under the knife, the surgeries will rule him out for the 2025 season. Thankfully, GM Brian Cashman recently described surgery as a “last resort” for Stanton (per Hoch).

Gerrit Cole Going For Imaging On Elbow
By Anthony Franco | March 8, 2025 at 8:04am CDT
March 8: According to MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, the results of Cole’s initial diagnostic tests have been distributed, and the right-hander is now in the process of seeking a second opinion. While Cole told reporters (including Hoch) that he is “concerned” about his elbow, the 2023 AL Cy Young winner also expressed a bit of optimism. “I’ve still got some hope,” he said.

14 K's, 0 walks: Scherzer in vintage form just 3 starts into Spring Training
March 8th, 2025
DUNEDIN, Fla. -- So this is what a healthy Max Scherzer looks like.
Scherzer, 40, got six different Tigers to go down swinging in 3 1/3 innings of one-hit scoreless pitching in the Blue Jays’ 5-0 win at TD Ballpark on Saturday afternoon, while a split squad fell to the Phillies, 5-4, at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater. And he got those punchouts on four different pitches: two 94 mph four-seamers, two changeups, one slider and one curve.


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Carrasco went 3 innings for NYY allowing a solo homer; with Cole and others out he could make the rotation

Caglianone listening, learning -- and mashing 444-foot HRs -- at Royals camp

6:42 PM CDT

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Jac Caglianone is trying to be a sponge this spring, soaking up every bit of information he can in his first big league camp and learning from his coaches and future teammates in Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez. But perhaps the biggest takeaway is how much he has enjoyed being on the field with those guys, the work that goes into getting ready for the season -- and the feeling that comes with it.

"It just feels right,” Caglianone said.

And he just fits right in.

The Royals’ top prospect and No. 22 prospect on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list has made quite the impression over the first few weeks of Spring Training, including a monster of a home run at Surprise Stadium in Sunday's win over Milwaukee -- Caglianone’s third of the spring.

He capped an eight-pitch at-bat against Brewers righty Aaron Civale with a jaw-dropping 444-foot home run into the right-field concourse.

This is what 114.6 mph off the bat sounds like:

https://twitter.com/i/status/1898840339000987782

The homer gave Caglianone three jacks this spring and a 2.098 OPS through nine games. He’s walked three times and only struck out once. There was a lot of talk about Caglianone’s possible swing-and-miss problems in pro ball, but this spring he hasn’t “seemed off-balance very often, and he puts good swings on it once it’s in the zone,” manager Matt Quatraro said.

Caglianone added a double to his Sunday performance, too, ambushing a first-pitch elevated fastball from Nestor Cortes in the fifth inning.

"Honestly, the biggest thing that I’ve tried to work on this offseason was just shrinking the zone and staying with my approach, knowing what I can handle,” Caglianone said. “I feel like I’m seeing it really well. I feel like I’m on time for swings. Swing feels great. Hoping to carry it on.”

Caglianone is doing everything he can to give the Royals a good first look on the field. His demeanor off it is just as impressive.

“He’s everything I think you could want in a first-rounder,” Pasquantino said. “Works hard. Here early every day. He’s always involved with what’s going on. And you can tell he’s working. He’s not putting on a show. He’s here to get better, which I really appreciate, just as someone on the team. We want guys that can work to help us win."

Caglianone’s performance this spring has shown why the Royals took him No. 6 overall in the 2024 Draft out of Florida and have transitioned him from a two-way player to a first baseman who can mash his way to Kansas City -- probably sooner rather than later.

The 22-year-old will most likely not be breaking camp with the team, instead heading out to Double-A or Triple-A, but he could quickly make his case for the big leagues during the season. If he does hit the way evaluators think he will, Caglianone will likely get reps in the outfield to make room for him, Pasquantino and Perez all on the same roster.


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Some clubs just have to find ways to spend their money. Here's an update on Lucas Giolito, very briefly of the Guardians in 2023.

Boston Red Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito's long-awaited return to Major League Baseball lasted only one inning before the team was forced to pull him from his first spring training game with left hamstring tightness.
This is the second year of a contract that pays him $37.5M for 2024 [he missed the whole year] and 2028 and $1M buyout

What had he done to earn that generous deal?
in 2023 with Chicago Cleveland and LA Angels he totaled 8-15 4.88 ERA and 41 homeruns allowed to lead the AL
in 2022 with the Sox he had a winning record 11-9 and 4.50 ERA
in 2019-21 he was a top talent.