Single-Season and Draft-and-Hold drafts are underway with Spring Training here, and prospects always play a part in them. I’ve put together a list of baseball’s minor league players who should appear in the major leagues this season. Some of these players will have a greater impact than others either because of their talent level or opportunity reasons. The number next to each player is how they ranked on their team’s Top 50 lists published earlier this year.
International Signings – These are players who have experience playing overseas and have signed as a free agent to play in the Major Leagues. Oftentimes, the outcomes of these players can range from superstar to DFA candidate. These players usually play right away and some can contribute to your fantasy team almost immediately.
Shota Imanaga, LHP, CHC – #10
Woo Suk Go, RHP, SDP – signed after Padres Top 50 publication
Jung Hoo Lee, OF, SFG – #3
Yuki Matsui, LHP, SDP – signed after Padres Top 50 publication
Yariel Rodriguez, RHP, TOR – signed after Blue Jays Top 50 publication
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, RHP, LAD – #1
Contract Extensions – These are players who signed a contract extension before playing in the majors or very shortly after. They are usually expected to play and start for their team right away and, in most cases, are among the top prospects in the game.
Jackson Chourio, OF, MIL – #1
Colt Keith, 2B, DET – #1
Injured Returnees – These are players who are coming back from injuries and, in some cases, have missed considerable time but are still prospects and may have been forgotten in your league.
Cade Cavalli, RHP, WAS – #4
Jasson Dominguez, OF, NYY – #1
Jake Eder, LHP, CWS – #7
Max Meyer, RHP, MIA – #2
Sixto Sanchez, RHP, MIA – #18 but should be an ace by now in the majors if not for injuries
Zac Veen, OF, COL – #6
Forrest Whitley, RHP, HOU – #26
Recent Draft Picks – These are players who were picked in the 2023 MLB Draft and are on the fast track to their major league debut.
Dylan Crews, OF, WAS – #1
Wyatt Langford, OF, TEX – #1
Rhett Lowder, RHP, CIN – #2
Nolan Schanuel, 1B, ANA – #1
Paul Skenes, RHP, PIT – #1
Kyle Teel, C, BOS – #3
Hurston Waldrep, RHP, ATL – #2
Pure Firemen – These are pitchers who came up through their organizations as relievers and can play a major part out of the bullpen this season
Prelander Berroa, RHP, SEA – #15 on Seattle prior to trade
Ben Joyce, RHP, ANA – #5
Orion Kerkering, RHP, PHI – #5
Mason Miller, RHP, OAK – #1
Highly Ranked Prospects – These are the prospects who are high up on the rankings and should make an impact immediately.
Junior Caminero, SS, TB – #1
Evan Carter, OF, TEX – #2
Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF, CHC – #1
Kyle Harrison, LHP, SFG – #1
Jackson Holliday, SS, BAL – #1
Jordan Lawlar, SS, ARI – #1
Kyle Manzardo, 1B, CLE – #1
Noelvi Marte, 3B, CIN – #1
Ricky Tiedemann, LHP, TOR – #1
The Next-Tier-Down Prospects – These aren’t the top prospects but a step below and are solid enough where they could make a contribution to your team in some capacity.
Mick Abel, RHP, PHI – #3
Wilyer Abreu, OF, BOS – #10
Luisangel Acuna, SS, NYM – #1
Roman Anthony, OF, BOS – #1
Tyler Black, 2B/3B, MIL – #2
Michael Busch, 3B, CHC – #6 on Los Angeles Dodgers Top 50 prior to trade
Chase DeLauter, OF, CLE – #2
Heston Kjerstad, OF, BAL – #5
Joey Loperfido, OF, HOU – #2
Marco Luciano, SS, SFG – #5
Curtis Mead, 2B, TB – #4
Parker Meadows, OF, DET – #11
Joey Ortiz, 2B, MI – #8 on Baltimore Orioles Top 50 prior to trade
Ceddanne Rafaela, OF, BOS – #4
Victor Scott II, OF, STL – #2
AJ Smith-Shawver, RHP, ATL – #1
Drew Thorpe, RHP, SDP – #4
Jett Williams, OF, NYM – #2
Masyn Winn, SS, STL – #1
James Wood, OF, WAS – #2
Others of note –
Catchers –
Ivan Herrera, C, STL – #14
Ben Rice, C, NYY – #10
Austin Wells, C, NYY – #5
Infielders –
Adael Amador, SS, COL – #1
Edwin Arroyo, SS, CIN – #3
Addison Barger, 3B, TOR – #5
Juan Brito, IF, CLE – #4
Deyvison De Los Santos, 3B, CLE – #8
Zach Dezenzo, 3B, HOU – #3
Xavier Edwards, 2B, MIA – #4
Justin Foscue, 2B, TEX – #6
Jordan Groshans, 3B, NYY – #19 on Miami Marlins Top 50 prior to Yankees waiver claim
Darell Hernaiz, SS, OAK – #5
Justyn-Henry Malloy, 3B, DET
Rece Hinds, 3B, CIN – #12
Brooks Lee, SS, MIN – #3
Justyn-Henry Malloy, 3B, DET – #5
Angel Martinez, SS, CLE – #10
Orelvis Martinez, 3B, TOR – #2
Marcelo Mayer, SS, BOS – #2
Coby Mayo, 3B, BAL – #3
Matt Mervis, 1B, CHC – #13
Colson Montgomery, SS, CWS – #1
Connor Norby, 2B, BAL – #6
Damiano Palmegiani, 3B, TOR – #9
Kyren Paris, SS, ANA – #4
Graham Pauley, 3B, SDP – #9
Brayan Rocchio, SS, CLE – #3
Thomas Saggese, 2B/3B, STL – #4
Sterlin Thompson, 3B, COL – #3
Will Wagner, 2B, HOU – #8
Carson Williams, SS, TB – #2
Outfielders –
Jordyn Adams, OF, ANA – #14
Jordan Beck, OF, COL – #5
Alexander Canario, OF, CHC – #11
Denzel Clarke, OF, OAK – #3
Jonatan Clase, OF, SEA – #3
Colton Cowser, OF, BAL – #4
Brennen Davis, OF, CHC – #14
Blake Dunn, OF, CIN – #10
Tyler Gentry, OF, KCR – #9
Drew Gilbert, OF, NYM – #3
Pedro Leon, OF, HOU – #9
Cade Marlowe, OF, SEA – #23
Jakob Marsee, OF, SDP – #8
Austin Martin, OF, MIN – #11
Everson Pereira, OF, NYY – #4
George Valera, OF, CLE – #6
Pitchers –
Spencer Arrighetti, RHP, HOU – #5
Peyton Battenfield, RHP, NYM – #39
Mason Black, RHP, SFG – #11
Joe Boyle, RHP, OAK – #14
Ben Brown, RHP, CHC – #9
Tanner Burns, RHP, CLE – #20
Jose Butto, RHP, NYM – #23
Joey Cantillo, LHP, CLE – #12
Slade Cecconi, RHP, ARI – #14
Isaac Coffey, RHP, BOS – #22
Dylan Dodd, LHP, ATL – #16
David Festa, RHP, MIN – #8
Wilmer Flores, RHP, DET – #8
Robert Gasser, LHP, MIL – #7
Sawyer Gipson-Long, RHP, DET – #10
Wikelman Gonzalez, RHP, BOS – #7
Chase Hampton, RHP, NYY – #2
Emerson Hancock, RHP, SEA – #9
Grant Hartwig, RHP, NYM – #49
Tink Hence, RHP, STL – #3
Cade Horton, RHP, CHC – #2
Kyle Hurt, RHP, LAD – #9
Jared Jones, RHP, PIT – #3
Will Klein, RHP, KCR – #33
Landon Knack, RHP, LAD – #11
Luke Little, LHP, CHC – #17
Ty Madden, RHP, DET – #7
Griff McGarry, RHP, PHI – #6
Cristian Mena, RHP, CWS – #8
Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, MIL – #3
Patrick Monteverde, LHP, MIA – #13
Mason Montgomery, LHP, TB – #6
Nick Nastrini, RHP, CWS – #5
Chase Petty, RHP, CIN – #4
Connor Phillips, RHP, CIN – #8
Sem Robberse, RHP, STL – #10
Tekoah Roby, RHP, STL – #6
Lyon Richardson, RHP, CIN – #15
Jackson Rutledge, RHP, WAS – #17
River Ryan, RHP, LAD – #13
Christian Scott, RHP, NYM – #9
Robby Snelling, LHP, SDP – #3
Anthony Solometo, SP, PIT – #4
Gavin Stone, RHP, LAD – #7
Mike Vasil, RHP, NYM – #8
Anthony Veneziano, LHP, KCR – #21
Darius Vines, RHP, ATL – #11
Blake Walston, LHP, ARI – #24
Will Warren, RHP, NYY – #9
Carson Whisenhunt, LHP, SFG – #2
Jordan Wicks, LHP, CHC – #8
Allan Winans, RHP, ATL – #26
Keaton Winn, RHP, SFG – #20
Simeon Woods Richardson, RHP, MIN – #13
Tony Bps Spina is a lifelong baseball fan hailing from the City of Brotherly Love - Philadelphia! Tony has loved baseball since 1980 and has followed the Phillies through good and bad times. Tony is married with 3 kids and works for a financial institution but has enough free time to play in 20 fantasy baseball leagues with 75% of them being Dynasty Leagues. He lives a few blocks away from Citizens Bank Park and attends many Phillies games per year in addition to their minor league teams in Lehigh Valley and Reading. He can be reached on Twitter at @TonyBps1.
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Tony Bpshttps://www.prospects1500.com/author/phillies002/
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Tony Bpshttps://www.prospects1500.com/author/phillies002/
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Tony Bpshttps://www.prospects1500.com/author/phillies002/
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Tony Bpshttps://www.prospects1500.com/author/phillies002/
Groshans should be nowhere near this list.