Tops out at 102 with a disgusting slider and a split fastball. He will likely begin 2023 in Double-A with a chance to debut in 2024. Carter has the speed to be an impactful base stealer, but will need to get more efficient. Waldichuk was dealt to the As as part of the Frankie Montas return at the 2022 Trade Deadline. The pitch is presently average with a chance to be comfortably above average because of the way it plays. While he mostly uses the slider against same-handed hitters, he has also showed plenty of comfort burying the pitch on the back leg of lefties and has continued to use it more frequently in early counts to steal strikes. An advanced feel to swing the bat and elite defensive potential have PCA making up for lost time this season. Hes so athletic and cerebral that he will find a way to develop into at least an average defensive catcher .Unsurprisingly, he moves well and gets to difficult pitches to block. He's coming off a fantastic season that saw him post a 2.46 ERA and 4.03 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 164 innings. It seems to be more of an approach thing than a swing that is geared for the pull as he has shown plenty of comfort going the other way with authority, launching five homers to the opposite field and plenty of extra base hits. The Astros helped clean up Browns mechanics and polish his arsenal, helping him turn in one of the best seasons in the upper minors this year while earning a September call-up. This is common for tall young hitters and his tendency to lose his back hip and drift will cause his bat to drag through the zone sometimes. Defensively, he has a strong arm that serves as a reminder that he pitched as a youngster. Yamada has less hardware than you'd expect: he won the Central League MVP Award in 2015, and that's about it. The combination of long levers with a great feel to hit can lead to a lethal power/hit combination which Carter seems to be well on his way to developing. Perez generates easy extension thanks to his ridiculously long levers, causing the ball to get in on hitters quickly. After swiping just three bags in 32 High-A games last year, Tovar has already racked up 17 stolen bases through his first 65 Double-A games. His arsenal starts with a mid 90s heater with ride that he locates both east-west and north-south. Hassells an extremely athletic hitter who can spray the ball foul line to foul line with a good approach. Not only is the newly-turned 20-year-old already producing in the Minors, but he has big upside. After all, he remarkably has only 700 professional plate appearances under his belt. One import that will not begin the season in the big leagues is outfielder Shogo Akiyama, formerly of the Cincinnati Reds. He has already shown a feel to hit with tools and physical projection to dream on. The Cubs were in no rush with Alcantara, letting him feel things out for the entire season in Low-A which allowed him to keep working towards tapping into his power in games rather than sending the youngster into fight or flight mode in High-A. His willingness to go deep in counts leaves him more susceptible to strikeouts, though his improvements in the contact and pitch recognition department lend to optimism that he can keep the strikeout rates in the low 20% range. Moreno is a gamer who pitchers enjoy as a battery mate and he has steadily improved as he has compiled reps in the upper levels. Walker has the upside of one of the most consistent power-hitters in baseball and the more games he plays, the more possible it seems that he can reach somewhere near his ceiling. A plus runner combined with impressive quickness, Matos is a threat on the base paths and has a strong chance of sticking in center. Youth. When a player punishes heaters to a .360/.450/.640 slash line with little whiff like Walker did this season, its easy to believe in his swing path playing at the highest level, he will just need to find a way to stay on secondaries a hair longer to push towards his cathedral ceiling. The most talented prep arm in the 2020 draft class, Abel has not disappointed thus far, reaching Double-A in 32 pro starts. Possessing comfortably plus pull side power, we have seen Naylor launch a ball over 460 feet this season to right field. The boxes are sold from the Topps Japan site for 18,480 (around $135), which is nearly double the 2021 box price. Height/Weight: 62, 215|Bat/Throw: L/L|2nd Round (70), 2020 (STL)|ETA: 2022. While Steers pop is closer to average than plus, he hits enough to maximize his slugging output. An above average runner, Volpe does not need elite speed to be a menace on the base paths. Height/Weight: 60, 175 | Bat/Throw: S/S | $1.55M 2018 (CIN) | ETA: 2025. Lee will likely climb quickly, with a good chance to hit for a high average and get on base at a high clip while hitting for at least average power. Throughout his collegiate career and his first pro season, Steer deployed an upright stance with a minimal load. The Phillies could very well have their next generation ace in Painter as he continues to exceed even the loftiest of expectations. Not only has his hit tool translated, but Merrill is hitting the ball with more authority than many evaluators anticipated with even more room for projection. Volpe stores plenty of energy in his back side with his hovering leg kick before unleashing his explosive lower half and bat speed. If this does not resolve the issue or you are unable to add the domains to your allowlist, please see this FAQ. I mean, how many switch-hitting catchers who can also play the infield and outfield have we seen? The ball explodes out of his hand and low release point creates some deception and added life to hitters who consistently have issues timing him up. He's got that dawg in him and will likely be the youngest infielder in AA early in 2022. After really struggling through his first couple seasons left-on-left, Henderson has looked much more comfortable against lefties in the upper minors this year. He still makes all of the plays he needs to and should have little problem sticking at the position as an average defender if the Reds wanted to keep him at shortstop. Volpe has the goods to blend a plus hit tool with plus game power. It was more of the same for Davis in his 22 High-A games this season, quickly earning a promotion to Double-A where injuries derailed his season. Collier has an elite feel to hit with pitch recognition skills that you just dont see often from players of his age and experience. He's been a voluminous thief, averaging more than 15 stolen bases over the past four seasons, but not an efficient one. Nothing jumps off of the page with Turang, but youd be hard-pressed to find a glaring weakness in his game. The early results at the MLB level on top of a dynamite Triple-A season for Brown are hard to deny. Opponents hit just .123 against Moinelo, and he led all qualified relief pitchers with a 43.1% strikeout rate. Its a big leap from the complex to Low-A and he handled it extremely well as a teenager. 1 pick in the 2022 Draft. Lawlars advanced feel to hit and developing power give him great upside in the batters box. His fastball clocked in as the second-hottest among qualifiers, averaging around the mid-90s, and he complemented it with a deep arsenal, including, among other pitches, a promising splitter and cutter/slider. Great contact skills and developing power with a projectable/athletic frame give Cowser an exciting combination of a solid floor and intriguing upside. He also throws a slider. Guys like Thatcher Hurd, Chase Burns and Ben Hess excite scouts. Trey Hillman, NPB/KBO/MLB 2x Champion Manager (02/05/21), "Chatter Up!" Matos has some ways to go with his development, but has a really exciting ceiling as a player who should be able to hit for a high average, run into more than 20 and steal 20+ bases all while sticking in center field. Key Tools (Hitters): We all love the flashy prospects that have the potential to put up gaudy numbers, but that can't be all we look for. He gets to his top speed quicker than most his size, but that could change if Veen adds a bunch of weight. A testament to his polish and knack for hitting. With just a 12% strikeout rate in his Minor League career and the potential to hit for at least some power, Moreno should ride his elite hit-tool and solid approach to offensive success at the highest level. A great athlete for his size, Walker has held his own at third base, but with his rapid rise through the minors and Nolan Arenado manning third for the Cardinals for the foreseeable future, Walker has seen reps at all three outfield spots. Cavallis upside rivals that of any prospect in the minor leagues, as he features three swing-and-miss offerings and the size and athleticism seen in big league aces. A switch-hitter, Rocchio has a balanced and smooth swing from both sides of the plate. He has drawn immense praise for his high baseball IQ and should be a 20+ stolen base threat in the big leagues. No wonder MLB fans were in awe. Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. Despite often being the youngest player on the field, Alvarez looks the part as a catcher and earns high marks for his desire to improve as a defender. The 21-year-olds set up and swing is reminiscent of Nolan Arenado, starting with his hands somewhat high while using the same unique timing mechanism that starts with the back heel actually coming off of the ground before rocking backwards and picking up his front foot. Gasser was traded at the 2022 MLB Trade Deadline in a package for Josh Hader. Long viewed as a candidate to be selected first overall in 2021s MLB Draft, Lawlar was the most well-rounded prep prospect in the class and has proved it by climbing all the way to Double-A in his first full professional season. The impact is not totally there yet for Holliday, but he has a big frame and room to add more muscle which could help him develop above average or even plus power. Lewis could be a bit more consistent with his actions at times, but that will come with more repsand we know he has lost out on plenty of those. Imamiya was the only qualified NPB shortstop to hit above league-average this year (131 wRC+) and provided a steady presence in the lineup for the Hawks amid injuries to key players, with 30 doubles and 7 home runs. Imanaga is a short, physical 26-year-old who rebounded from a rough 2018 in a big way last season. Henderson has continued to add strength since joining the Orioles organization, producing exit velocities as high as 112 mph and home runs as long as 480 feet this season. It is easy to forget that Arroyo is just 18 years old when watching him play short. However, some of the leading contenders for the title of best baseball player in Japan include Ichiro Suzuki, Shohei Ohtani, and Kenta Maeda. Rafaela is not quite as elite at shortstop due to his average arm, but his quickness, great hands and range make him an above average infielder at the position. Gassers solid stuff, natural deception and developing command have him looking like a potential No. Still, the switch-hitters right-handed swing is not too far off and the uneven at-bats could likely play a part in one side being ahead of the other this early in his career. Suzuki was the most productive position player in NPB last season, according to DeltaGraphs' Wins Above Replacement measure. Put simply, Colas just hits the ball hard and keeps getting better with more at bats. Jobes slider flashed plus in the 82-84 MPH range, but was inconsistent this season. Despite registering slightly below-average exit velocities, Arroyos swing generates easy lift and carry, helping him to a respectable 12% HR/FB rate. His plus arm from shortstop only adds to the allure. Japanese Baseball. Davis returned from injury for the final month of the Triple-A season and is slated to get more at bats in the Arizona Fall League while eying a strong start to 2023 and a potential call up. Cowser has had to adjust to aggressive assignments and should settle into a strikeout rate closer to 20% than 30%. He was in position to repeat until Kodai Senga, who went on a tear to end the year, nudged past him with eight scoreless innings in his final start to win the race, 2.16 to 2.20. Romos stroke from the left side is really impressive as he stays short, compact and quick. His plus speed should make him a consistent threat to steal bases. If Burleson can improve his patience a bit, he should be an OBP machine. https://t.co/NMAkJhtndB, He's pitched 17 consecutive perfect innings, and struck out 33 of the 51 batters. The good news is, the bat is exciting. Well start getting answers on April 7, MLBs Opening Day. The Top 300 is here. Lawlar is an exciting blend of polish and projection. If he can further refine his plate discipline and continue to tap into his above average raw power, Peraza could be a 20/20 threat with an impact glove at short. Working off of his elite fastball, the changeup will play up, but the pitch itself is nasty. Johnson starts with his bat resting on his shoulder and his weight favoring his backside before getting into a big leg kick that coincides with a barrel tip. 2023 Regular Season 2023 Spring Training 2022 Regular Season 2022 Postseason Important Dates Team by Team Schedule National Broadcasts. After hitting 15 homers last season, Westburg launched 27 more in 2022 between Double-A and Triple-A. Of course, there is one player who stands above the rest as quite possibly the best baseball player of all time, the legendary Shohei Ohtani. Theres no crazy tools to dream on or much defensive value, however he has been arguably the most consistent hitter in the minors over the last couple years. 2 overall by the Rangers last year, Leiter received an aggressive assignment to Double-A where he showed flashes of his frontline upside, but really fought command issues. Yoshida, who played in 120 games (his third straight year playing every game), added a batting title to his burgeoning resume in 2020, batting .350 in 408 at-bats to win the Pacific League crown for the first time. With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. Colas could be a middle of the order force for the White Sox soon. An aggressive hitter, Chourios 33% chase rate has limited his ability to take free passes, but thanks to how quick Chourio is to the ball, he rarely misses fastballs, mashing to an OPS over 1.100 against them. 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