2018 MLB Top 100 Prospects

Below is a list of the top 100 prospects in MLB, as compiled by a non-scout, Language Arts teacher and father. With it being the holiday season, what better gift than to begin prospecting for your fantasy teams right now? Brief write-ups for top 25 only. Enjoy, comment, and share…share a lot!

The top prospect in all of baseball. Courtesty: Atlanta Journal Constitution

1. Ronald Acuna, ATL, OF
Acuna is the Mike Trout of prospects. He can do everything well. He’ll be in Atlanta as soon as the Braves can guarantee an extra year of service time.
2. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., TOR, 3B
The kid can hit, which is exactly what his father could do. He more than held his own as an 18-year-old in Advanced A-ball last season. He’ll continue to move quickly, likely filling third in Toronto by May of 2019.
3. Gleyber Torres, NYY, SS
Torres may be a little overrated here, but he will be an impressive player due to consistently improving parts of his game as he moves up through the system. Last season, his plate discipline drastically improved. He will be a very useful player in New York, but not as a shortstop.
4. Eloy Jimenez, CWS, OF
Jimenez has massive power potential. He had a .947 OPS last season at age 20, reaching Double-A for the White Sox. He’s a large man who continues to improve his hit-tool while showcasing his power.

Will he be an All-Star pitcher or outfielder?

5. Shohei Otani, LAA, RHP/OF
We will see just where Otani becomes most valuable pretty quickly. Due to an injury to his pitching elbow, it may be alongside of Trout in the outfield more often than not. Otani is a gifted talent, but, as always with these imported talents, we’ll need to see how it translates to MLB.
6. Victor Robles, WAS, OF
Robles has moved quickly, reaching the majors last season at the age of 20. He reminds me of Starling Marte with a little less speed (and, hopefully, fewer PEDs), but, if Bryce Harper leaves via free agency after 2018, Robles will be ready to step in as an impact talent.
7. Kyle Tucker, HOU, OF
The rich get richer in Houston. Tucker is an impressive offensive talent. He doesn’t have the same type of swing and miss to his game as George Springer, but he could be a similar producer from the left side of the plate.
8. Brendan Rodgers, COL, SS
Rodgers will always get Troy Tulowitzki comps due to being in the Rockies system and being a shortstop; however, no matter how gaudy the numbers may look, he has some flaws. He only walked 14 times in 400 plate appearances last year, something to monitor as he moves up. MLB will eat him up if he doesn’t make adjustments, but he is a legitimate power bat at a prime position, so he still warrants this ranking.
9. Nick Senzel, CIN, 3B
The Reds have a lot of young talent, but they’ll make room for Senzel, even if it means Eugenio Suarez moving off of third or Senzel possibly getting time at second. Senzel can do a little of everything and will move quickly towards the “Queen City”, giving their fans someone worth watching other than Joey Votto.
10. Michael Kopech, CWS, RHP
Kopech can absolutely bring it. His arm is electric…so much so that he is still erratic, at times. He had 172 Ks and just six home runs allowed in 134.1 innings last season, reaching Triple-A at just 21 years of age.
11. Francisco Mejia, CLE, C
Mejia will never look intimidating at just 5’10”, but he just hits the ball. It is what he has done since he became a professional. He earned a very limited look during Cleveland’s push to the playoffs last season, but the Indians will have to find a role for him, possibly a utility role, to get him more reps with the big club in 2018.
12. Brent Honeywell, TB, RHP
The Rays may be losing Alex Cobb to free agency and could be shopping Jake Odorizzi in a trade, but they have Honeywell ready to step in if they want to open a spot in their rotation for him. The 22-year-old made 24 starts in Triple-A in 2017, striking out 172 in 136.2 total innings last year.

There is another player with a Jr. on his name that needs to be watched.

13. Fernando Tatis, Jr., SD, SS
As a shortstop prospect, Tatis should probably be in the top five of this list; however, he needs to show he can adjust to the upper levels before totally jumping to the top of a list. He manhandled the Midwest League as an 18-year-old last season, posting impressive numbers, including a .910 OPS, before jumping to Double-A for San Antonio’s playoff push. He struck out 17 times in 55 at-bats there, but he should start the season in Advanced-A ball and get an opportunity to continue growing and showing mad skills at a more appropriate pace.
14. Lewis Brinson, MIL, OF
The Brewers have a gluttony of young outfield talent, but they’ll need to make room for Brinson very soon, possibly making Keon Broxton a part-time player or moving Domingo Santana in a trade, as they were rumored to be doing. Brinson can fill-up the stat sheet, but he likely won’t hit at the level that his Pacific League-inflated numbers showed in 2017.
15. Triston McKenzie, CLE, RHP
McKenzie could be a monster for the Indians. He has impressive stuff and just as impressive results to this point in his career. He needs to put some beef on his frame (he is listed at 6’5″, 165 pounds) to become another workhorse for the Tribe, but the stuff is there to become a No.1 or No.2 starter.
16. Walker Buehler, LAD, RHP
Buehler made several unimpressive appearances out of the Dodgers bullpen in 2017, but he is a starter in the long run. He has moved quickly, as he should’ve as a college arm, jumping four levels to MLB last season. He’ll slow it down a bit and get more experience in Triple-A before arriving and becoming a solid No.2 or No.3 starter for the Dodgers.
17. Forrest Whitley, HOU, RHP
Whitley’s numbers are crazy good and his 6’7″, 240-pound frame and stuff will make him an incredible workhorse for the Astros. He had 143 strikeouts in 92.1 innings last season, reaching Double-A at the age of 20. He could make a few starts for Houston late in 2018, but a better ETA is Spring of 2019…for good.
18. Bo Bichette, TOR, SS
Bichette somehow gets overshadowed by another prospect in the Jays’ system, but he is just as important for their future…and he has put up more impressive numbers than Vlad, Jr.! He hit a ridiculous .362/.423/.565 as a 19-year-old, reaching Advanced A. The 41 doubles and 14 bombs show that he could continue to improve his power numbers in the future. He’s a star in his own right.
19. Mitch Keller, PIT, RHP
Keller caught my eyes in 2016 due to his 19 walks and 138 strikeouts in 130.1 innings, but he continued to show pitchability in 2017, reaching Double-A at the age of 21. He has allowed just 12 home runs in 293.1 career minor league innings, walking just 80. He has Tyler Glasnow ahead of him in the system, but he could make some noise if the Pirates end up dealing Gerrit Cole and other players while beginning a new rebuild.

The Reds got the best player in the draft at No.2 overall, but where will he end up? Courtesy: MLB.com

20. Hunter Greene, CIN, RHP/SS
Greene is another possible two-way player, but the Reds really like the fastball, which can hit triple-digits, and overall stuff. Also a shortstop in high school, he was rated as the top talent in the 2017 draft and almost missed the signing deadline before finally signing on with Cincinnati. A tremendous athlete, it’s anyone’s guess as to where he ends up in the long-run, but he could accel at either position.
21. Austin Meadows, PIT, OF
Meadows has been around for what seems like forever. He’s still blocked in Pittsburgh, unless they trade Andrew McCutcheon, but he hasn’t done himself any favors by being injured so frequently while moving up through the system. He could afford more seasoning because of that; however, he could be a doubles machine upon his promotion.
22. Willy Adames, TB, SS
Adames hasn’t taken massive steps forward offensively, but he continues to produce consistently at each stop in the minors. He seems to be someone that you can count on for about 30 doubles, 12 homers, 10 stolen bases, and a .270/.360/.415 line, which isn’t bad at all for a shortstop!
23. Alex Reyes, STL, RHP
Reyes may have lost his luster after missing all of last seasons due to Tommy John surgery, but don’t forget about him. An innings-limit could hold him back, but he had the stuff to be a Carlos Martinez light. Keep in mind, his control wasn’t elite prior to the injury, so he could struggle with location…that’s just him.
24. Alex Verdugo, LAD, OF
Another prospect who is blocked by talent ahead of him, Verdugo is a hitter. He isn’t going to hit for tons of power, but he would be an excellent leadoff hitter to set the table for Corey Seager, Cody Bellinger, and company in Los Angeles.

It won’t be long before Robert is hitting in this bandbox.

25. Luis Robert, CWS, OF
Robert had the luxury of getting the next biggest deal after Yoan Moncada out of Cuba, getting $26 million. He has power, speed, and an awesome approach at the plate. He should move quickly this year and could settle into a full-time role in Chicago by the middle of 2019, possibly sooner due to the lack of outfield talent on the current Chicago roster.
26. Brendan McKay, TB, LHP/1B
27. Luiz Gohara, ATL, LHP
28. MacKenzie Gore, SD, LHP
29. Austin Hays, BAL, OF
30. Kolby Allard, ATL, LHP
31. A.J. Puk, OAK, LHP
32. Royce Lewis, MIN, SS
33. Leody Taveras, TEX, OF
34. Kyle Wright, ATL, RHP
35. Nick Gordon, MIN, SS
36. Franklin Barreto, OAK, 2B/SS
37. Franklin Perez, DET, RHP
38, Willie Calhoun, TEX, 2B
39. Mike Soroka, ATL, RHP
40. Cal Quantrill, SD, RHP
41. Justus Sheffield, NYY, LHP
42. Jesse Winker, CIN, OF
43. Juan Soto, WAS, OF
44. Kyle Lewis, SEA, OF
45. Mickey Moniak, PHI, OF
46. Jorge Mateo, OAK, SS
47. Anthony Alford, TOR, OF
48. Jay Groome, BOS, LHP
49. Scott Kingery, PHI, 2B
50. Jack Flaherty, STL, RHP
51. Blake Rutherford, CWS, OF
52. Christian Arroyo, TB, 3B/SS
53. Ryan McMahon, COL, 1B
54. Yadier Alvarez, LAD, RHP
55. Dylan Cease, CWS, RHP
56. Jake Bauers, TB, 1B/OF
57. Chance Sisco, BAL, C
58. Michel Baez, SD, RHP
59. Michael Chavis, BOS, 3B
60. Sixto Sanchez, PHI, RHP
61. Chance Adams, RHP, NYY
62. Jorge Alfaro, PHI, C
63. Luis Urias, SD, 2B/SS
64. Alec Hansen, CWS, RHP
65. J.P. Crawford, PHI, SS
66. Danny Jansen, TOR, C
67. Kevin Maitain, LAA, SS
68. Adrian Morejon, SD, LHP
69. Matt Manning, DET, RHP
70. Tyler O’Neill, STL, OF
71. Jesus Sanchez, TB, OF
72. Adbert Alzolay, CHC, OF
73. Domingo Acevedo, NYY, RHP
74. Carter Kieboom, WAS, SS
75. Estevan Florial, NYY, OF
76. Taylor Trammell, CIN, OF
77. Stephen Gonsalves, MIN, LHP
78. Dustin Fowler, OAK, OF
79. Luis Ortiz, MIL, RHP
80. Jon Duplantier, ARZ, RHP
81. Tyler Mahle, CIN, RHP
82. Austin Riley, ATL, 3B
83. Jeren Kendall, LAD, OF
84. Keston Hiura, MIL, 2B
85. Alex Faedo, DET, RHP
86. Corey Ray, MIL, OF
87. Jose De Leon, TB, RHP
88. J.B. Bukauskas, HOU, RHP
89. Ian Anderson, ATL, RHP
90. Corbin Burnes, MIL, RHP
91. Joey Wentz, ATL, LHP
92. Miguel Andujar, NYY, 3B
93. Erick Fedde, WAS, RHP
94. Harrison Bader, STL, OF
95. Bobby Bradley, CLE, 1B
96. Yusniel Diaz, LAD, OF
97. Jhailyn Ortiz, PHI, OF
98. Starling Heredia, LAD, OF
99. Max Fried, ATL, LHP
100. Ryan Mountcastle, BAL, SS

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