Draft fever is in full impact round MLB Pipeline, with lower than 4 weeks till gamers begin coming off the board.
However earlier than the 2026 class hears their names referred to as, the newest draftees are making nonetheless making loads of noise, lower than a 12 months since going professional.
Three gamers chosen final July are among the many prime performers in baseball and earned spots on the most recent Prospect Staff of the Week, led by the No. 1 choose, Eli Willits. Fellow first-rounder Andrew Fischer additionally joins him for his second look of the 12 months, together with sixth-rounder Josiah Hartshorn, who signed for an over-slot $2 million.
To be eligible for the Pipeline Prospect Staff of the Week, Minor League gamers have to be ranked amongst their membership’s Prime 30 prospects on Pipeline’s lists. (These within the Majors don’t qualify.)
That is the Prospect Staff of the Week for June 8-14:
C: Owen Ayers, Knoxville Smokies (Double-A)Cubs No. 9.586/.636/1.069, 7 G, 17-for-29, 2 HR, 8 2B, 9 RBI, 6 R, 3 BB, 6 Ok
Few gamers have been as scorching on the plate recently as Ayers, who has picked up a number of hits in 10 straight video games. The Marshall product is 25-for-41 throughout that stretch with 14 extra-base hits. That features a memorable doubleheader on Wednesday through which the 25-year-old picked up six hits and 6 RBIs. That is already Ayers’ third look on a Prospect Staff of the Week this 12 months — and second in as many weeks — as he’s slashing .332/.442/.689 between Excessive-A and Double-A.
1B: Josiah Hartshorn, South Bend Cubs (Excessive-A)Cubs No. 7.476/.520/1.095, 6 G, 10-for-21, 4 HR, 1 2B, 11 RBI, 7 R, 2 BB, 4 Ok
At simply 19 years previous, Hartshorn is the primary prep hitter from the 2025 Draft to make it to Excessive-A, and he is instantly becoming in whereas splitting time between first, middle and proper area. The switch-hitter has hit safely in 17 of his 18 video games and has gone deep in 5 of his previous seven video games. After slashing .273/.424/.460 in 39 video games at Single-A Myrtle Seashore, the California native is slashing .422/.474/.859 with South Bend, and he leads all certified youngsters in full-season ball with a 1.025 OPS on the season.
2B: Leo Balcazar, Chattanooga Lookouts (Double-A)Reds No. 15.350/.458/.700, 6 G, 7-for-20, 2 HR, 1 2B, 6 RBI, 4 R, 4 BB, 1 Ok, 1 CS
Balcazar has been impacting the ball extra this season — his .747 OPS is his higest in three seasons — at the same time as he is been putting out extra. Final week, he had the very best of each worlds. The Venezuela native picked up a pair of three-hit video games and went deep twice whereas solely putting out as soon as in 24 plate appearances. Balcazar continues to point out his defensive worth whereas rotating between second, third and quick and is three roundtrippers away from a profession excessive.
3B: Andrew Fischer, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Excessive-A)Brewers No. 6.462/.650/1.000, 5 G, 6-for-13, 2 HR, 1 2B, 6 RBI, 5 R, 7 BB, 6 Ok
Fischer had a power-hitting popularity popping out of school when Milwaukee drafted him twentieth general, and he is actually lived as much as the billing. With two extra residence runs this week, he is as much as 5 longballs in 10 June video games, making him considered one of 5 Minor Leaguers to achieve the 20-homer plateau this 12 months. Whiffs stay a problem — he is putting out a 3rd of the time — however he really walked greater than he Ok’d final week. And the Brewers are nonetheless desperate to problem the left-handed slugger — who additionally made a Prospect Staff of the Week in Might — as they simply promoted him to Double-A.
SS: Eli Willits, Wilmington Blue Rocks (Excessive-A)Nationals No. 1/MLB No. 4.263/.462/.895, 5 G, 5-for-19, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 5 R, 6 BB, 3 Ok, 4 SB
The No. 1 choose in final July’s Draft made fast work of Single-A, with a .300/.418/.500 slash line and 6 homers in 47 video games. Upon his promotion this week, which made him the second-youngest participant on the stage, Willits has actually unlocked his energy. His first two hits with Wilmington have been residence runs — the switch-hitter joins Leo De Vries as the one 18-year-olds with a multihomer recreation at Excessive-A since 2019 — and he went deep the following two days as nicely. He additionally stole 4 bases throughout his three most up-to-date video games, bringing him to 33-for-40 on the season.
OF: Wilson Rodriguez, Hudson Valley Renegades (Excessive-A)Yankees No. 17.500/.538/1.000, 6 G, 12-for-24, 2 HR, 2 3B, 2 2B, 8 RBI, 8 R, 1 BB, 7 Ok, 4 SB
Rodriguez battled accidents in his first two full seasons since turning into a 2023 seventeenth rounder, however he is displaying his offensive potential in his first wholesome marketing campaign this 12 months. Already in a career-high 58 video games, the left-handed hitter ranks ninth amongst certified full-season Yankees Minor Leaguers with a .375 on-base share in his first style of Excessive-A motion. The 21-year-old hit safely in all six video games this week and had a pair of notable performances — profession highs of 4 stolen bases and 4 hits on consecitive days — whereas going deep twice.
OF: Hayden Alvarez, Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Single-A)Angels No. 11.522/.607/.913, 6 G, 12-for-23, 2 3B, 5 2B, 6 RBI, 7 R, 5 BB, 4 Ok, 6 SB
Huge and athletic at 6-foot-3, Alvarez, a serious signing out of the Dominican Republic two years in the past, has the makings of a dynamic leadoff hitter. After a breakout marketing campaign between the Rookie-level Arizona Complicated League and a short stint in Single-A final 12 months, the middle fielder is as soon as once more tearing up the California League. The 19-year-old hit safely in all six video games final week — together with a pair of three-hit performances — and stole six bases to provide him 33 swipes on the 12 months in 38 makes an attempt.
OF: Gavin Conticello, Amarillo Sod Poodles (Double-A)D-backs No. 30.440/.500/.960, 6 G, 11-for-25, 4 HR, 1 2B, 14 RBI, 6 R, 3 BB, 7 Ok
One in an extended line of prep stars from Stoneman Douglas Excessive Faculty, Conticello has stood out for his energy because the D-backs chosen him within the eighth spherical of the 2021 Draft. The left-handed hitter obtained to point out off his hit instrument as nicely final week as he picked up 4 hits in consecutive video games for the primary time as a professional. There’s nonetheless energy, after all, as he went deep 4 occasions throughout the primary three video games of final sequence. General on the season, he is slashing .277/.362/.485 and has a 1.104 OPS in June.
LHP: Henry Lalane, Tampa Tarpons (Single-A)Yankees No. 141-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 Ok, 0.67 WHIP
Lalane earned the biggest signing bonus for a Yankees pitching prospect of their 2021 worldwide class thanks largely to the dimensions (6-foot-7) and athleticism befitting the son of a professional basketball participant. The southpaw delivered his greatest professional begin but final week, and he struck out a career-high 9 throughout six scoreless innings (tying a profession greatest). His last 4 Ok’s of the sport got here on a slider, which has been an particularly dominant pitch for him this season, as batters are whiffing at a 54.7 p.c fee and hitting .154/.138/.231 in opposition to it.
RHP: Khristian Curtis, Indianapolis Indians (Triple-A)Pirates No. 211-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 5 2/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 10 Ok, 0.53 WHIP
Curtis earned a promotion to Triple-A after 12 strong begins with Double-A Altoona, and his first begin with Indianapolis was his better of the 12 months at both stage. The 6-foot-5 righty tied his profession excessive with 10 strikeouts and picked up 19 swings-and-misses whereas touching 98.5 mph on his fastball. The 2023 Twelfth-rounder has a few of the greatest stuff within the Pirates’ system, even after overcoming a number of severe surgical procedures, and is second solely to Seth Hernandez amongst certified Pittsburgh Minor League pitchers with a 30.8 p.c strikeout fee.
RP: C.J. Culpepper, St. Paul Saints (Triple-A)Twins No. 200-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 G, 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 Ok, 0.50 WHIP
Culpepper has transitioned to aid upon his promotion to Triple-A, and the position has suited him nicely, as he is crucially remained wholesome. The 24-year-old has principally made multi-inning appearances and was dominant in his two outings final week, together with an ideal two-inning, four-strikeout recreation on Sunday. The 6-foot-3 righty, who beforehand made a Prospect Staff of the Week in Might 2024 as a starter, has a 3.43 ERA with 22 Ok’s in 21 innings with the Saints this season.
