The purpose of prospecting is to gaze into our collective crystal ball and predict who would be the greatest and most efficient Main Leaguers years down the road. However each winter, we additionally take one other tack: We gaze into that very same crystal ball and predict who would be the greatest prospect two years from now.
Right here’s who we expect would be the high prospect for each farm system in 2028:
Blue Jays: JoJo Parker, SS (MLB No. 45)Taken eighth total in final 12 months’s Draft, Parker impressed pre-Draft evaluators along with his strike-zone administration, and whereas he already has some pop in his swing, the Blue Jays see a chance so as to add much more energy to his 6-foot-2 body. The Mississippi native may expertise some hiccups in his transition to Single-A ball this summer time and he isn’t a slam dunk to remain at shortstop, however he has the uncooked supplies to be an enormous prospect title. After two years of professional instruction, he may set himself as much as be Toronto’s subsequent infield star.
Orioles: Nate George, OF (MLB No. 93)The Orioles nabbed George, a toolsy highschool outfielder from Illinois, within the sixteenth spherical of the 2024 Draft, signing him for $455,000. He then proceeded to outperform all expectations by hitting his means from the Rookie-level Florida Advanced League as much as Excessive-A Aberdeen as a teen. He completed with a .337/.413/.483 line to associate with 50 steals and a 158 wRC+ in 87 video games. He confirmed extra polish than anticipated, and if he retains placing his spectacular instruments to good use, he may rocket up the Prime 100.
Rays: Grady Emerson, SS (Draft No. 2)With apologies to the prospects already within the pipeline, we’re noting right here that Tampa Bay has the second total decide within the 2026 Draft. Assuming the White Sox choose UCLA star Roch Cholowsky, we’re projecting Emerson — a left-handed hitter with an awesome mixture of swing choices, bat velocity and projectable energy, on high of the flexibility to play a powerful shortstop — to go to Tampa Bay. The Rays have leaned into prep bats over their collegiate counterparts in recent times, and Emerson’s ceiling, assuming he can preserve his inventory in his senior spring in Texas, would immediately be the best of their system.
Crimson Sox: Juan Valera, RHPThough Valera posted a 5.45 ERA and missed three months with proper elbow soreness final 12 months, his 46/10 Ok/BB ratio in 38 Excessive-A innings at age 19 is extra indicative of his shiny future. Signed for a mere $45,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2023, he can push his fastball into triple-digit territory and in addition make hitters look unhealthy with an upper-80s slider and low-90s changeup.
Yankees: Dax Kilby, SS (MLB No. 94)No prepster from the 2025 Draft had a greater professional debut than Kilby, who headed straight to Single-A and batted .353 with 16 steals and extra walks (13) than strikeouts (11) in 18 video games. A supplemental first-rounder from a Georgia highschool, he is an clearly superior hitter with plus velocity and maybe projectable uncooked energy to match.
Guardians: Braylon Doughty, RHPA 2024 supplemental first-rounder from a California highschool, Doughty has excellent really feel for spin (low-80s curveball, mid-80s slider) together with command of a low-90s fastball and flashes of an attention-grabbing mid-80s changeup with tumble. He spent his professional debut at Single-A, fashioning a 3.48 ERA with a 99/23 Ok/BB ratio in 85 1/3 innings.
Royals: Kendry Chourio, RHPChourio has already surged from being a $247,500 signing out of Venezuela a 12 months in the past to the brink of the Prime 100. Final season, he climbed to Single-A Columbia as a 17-year-old whereas hanging out 63 and strolling solely 5 in 51 1/3 innings, and his stuff backs up the numbers with a 93-97 mph fastball, sharp upper-70s curveball and fading mid-80s changeup. Think about how excessive he may attain with two extra years of professional expertise. That stated, we all the time should fear about well being with pitchers, however Chourio’s ceiling is wanting a lot increased already than that of many six-figure worldwide arms.
Tigers: Bryce Rainer, SS (MLB No. 35)A dislocated proper shoulder ended Rainer’s first full season after solely 35 Single-A video games in 2025, however they had been enlightening. Rainer stood out for big-time energy from the left aspect with a 107.9 mph Ninetieth-percentile exit velocity, and even when he wants to enhance his angles off the bat, that sort of pop garners loads of consideration. At 6-feet-3, Rainer is massive but in addition is an above-average runner with plus-plus arm energy, the kind of athleticism that ought to assist his probabilities at shortstop. A wholesome 2026 may set him as much as be a high 10 prospect earlier than 2027, by no means thoughts 2028.
Twins: Eduardo Tait, C (MLB No. 65)Tait joined the Twins as a part of the return from the Phillies for Jhoan Duran eventually 12 months’s Commerce Deadline. A Futures Gamer for Philadelphia, Tait completed the 12 months with a mixed 14 homers and 32 doubles whereas reaching Excessive-A earlier than he turned 19. The ability may be very actual from the left aspect and he has uncanny contact abilities, so good that he’s liable to chase at occasions, although his strikeout charges stay low. There’s extra work to be carried out on his protection — a motive why he’ll nonetheless be a prospect in 2028 — however there’s confidence that a part of his recreation is headed in the precise path.
White Sox: Roch Cholowsky, SS (Draft No. 1)Cholowsky is the largest lock to go No. 1 total getting into a season since Adley Rutschman in 2019 and one of the best all-around school shortstop since Troy Tulowitzki in 2005. The consensus nationwide participant of the 12 months as a sophomore when he slashed .353/.480/.710 with 23 homers, he is a no-doubt shortstop with 4 plus instruments and fringy velocity.
Angels: Johnny Slawinski, LHPIt will be robust to challenge this far forward with the Angels, who typically velocity their prospects to the massive leagues, significantly their first-round picks who’re virtually all the time school guys. So we’ll take the upside play with Slawinski, a younger projectable lefty the Angels took within the third spherical of final 12 months’s Draft and went two occasions over slot to signal for $2.5 million. He’s a former multisport star with really feel for 4 pitches and has as a lot ceiling as anybody within the system.
Astros: Kevin Alvarez, OFAlvarez left Cuba in 2021 and signed for $2 million 4 years later with the Astros, who love his mixture of all-around instruments, excessive baseball IQ and make-up. He slashed .301/.419/.455 with 17 extra-base hits and 11 steals in 47 video games throughout his professional debut within the Rookie-level Dominican Summer time League.
Athletics: Devin Taylor, OFLike with the Angels, there’s a danger right here in taking a school hitter with this method. Simply ask Jacob Wilson or Nick Kurtz. And Taylor’s bat may assist him transfer quick, with the possibility to hit for common and energy. The 2025 second-round decide hits the ball exhausting persistently, controls the zone effectively, and because of his bat velocity and energy, can generate energy to all fields. He’s restricted defensively, however his offensive upside will make that much less of a priority.
Mariners: Ryan Sloan, RHP (MLB No. 33)The Mariners went over slot within the second spherical of the 2024 Draft to signal Sloan for $3 million out of the Illinois highschool ranks, enamored along with his mixture of really feel for pitching and ceiling. He didn’t disappoint in his first full 12 months of professional ball, incomes his approach to Excessive-A regardless of being on a carefully monitored workload. He may have three plus pitches when all is alleged and carried out, with at the least above-average management of his complete repertoire. We may very well be speaking about him as probably the greatest right-handed pitching prospects a 12 months from now.
Rangers: Caden Scarborough, RHPMore of a basketball participant as a Florida highschool athlete, Scarborough impressed the Rangers along with his athleticism, projectability and supply sufficient to advantage a sixth-round decide in 2023. He rapidly has blossomed into their greatest pitching prospect, displaying a full of life mid-90s fastball and sweeping low-80s slider whereas posting a 2.45 ERA, a .181 average-against and a 114/21 Ok/BB ratio in 88 innings between two Class A ranges.
Braves: Cam Caminiti, LHP (MLB No. 68)He’s the Braves’ high prospect now, and barring a draftee or a commerce acquisition leaping the road, there’s no motive to assume Caminiti received’t be No. 1 in two years. The 2024 first-rounder shook off early forearm tendinitis to have a really strong first 12 months of professional ball, lacking bats (9.9 Ok/9), limiting walks (1.3 BB/9), holding hitters to a .229 common and ending with a 3.09 ERA over 70 innings. He’s tremendous athletic and can pitch almost all of this season at age 19, with a ton of ceiling to achieve.
Marlins: Aiva Arquette, SS (MLB No. 47)The highest school place participant within the 2025 Draft, Arquette went seventh total and proceeded on to Excessive-A, the place he slashed .242/.350/.323. That modest efficiency belies the offensive upside of the 6-foot-5, 220-pounder, who’s extra bodily than most shortstops and has large uncooked energy.
Mets: Elian Peña, SSThis may additionally go to high 2026 worldwide signing Wandy Asigen in two years, however for now, we’ll follow Peña, who joined the Mets’ system for $5 million final 12 months. The left-handed-hitting shortstop was uneven within the Dominican Summer time League however confirmed some promising traits, together with strong swing choices and a capability to carry the ball recurrently. He’ll nonetheless solely be 20 years outdated by the point we’re rating high 2028 prospects, and within the two years between from time to time, he may discover much more energy as a left-handed hitter and reply among the questions on his capability to stay at shortstop.
Nationals: Eli Willits, SS (MLB No. 13)Final 12 months’s No. 1 total decide is already superior for his age, having turned solely 18 in December. He’s a switch-hitter with great bat-to-ball abilities who doesn’t broaden the zone a lot, forcing pitchers to return to him. He’s additionally a possible plus shortstop with sturdy opinions for his fingers, footwork and arm energy on the earlier place. Willits nonetheless must show he can get to extra energy in professional ball, and if he does, he may very well be Washington’s subsequent famous person with an arrival date within the capital earlier than his twenty first birthday.
Phillies: Francisco Renteria, OF (Worldwide No. 3)The Phillies have a tough time containing their pleasure about Renteria, their high worldwide acquisition for the signing interval that simply began final month. He bought a $4 million bonus for a motive. He’s massive (6-foot-3), sturdy and athletic, reminding some scouts of Pirates No. 1 prospect Konnor Griffin. He may have 4 plus instruments when all is alleged and carried out, with maybe as a lot offensive upside as anybody in his class.
Brewers: Luis Peña, INF (MLB No. 26)Jesús Made and Peña are on completely different timelines now. Whereas the previous may zoom to Milwaukee and graduate earlier than 2028, the latter must be allowed extra space to develop on his personal. Let him prepare dinner, as they are saying. For his half, Peña has a whiplike right-handed swing that may generate excessive exit velocities for anybody, by no means thoughts a teen, and he’s a plus-plus runner besides. The main focus over his subsequent two seasons must be on his method, as he expanded an excessive amount of in 2025 and struggled immensely towards non-fastballs. Make these changes and deal with his protection at brief, and Peña may very well be a high 10 prospect.
Cardinals: Rainiel Rodriguez, C (MLB No. 37)As issues stand in 2026, the Rodriguez hype rocket has loads of gas. The 19-year-old backstop has carried out nothing however mash by his first two full seasons within the Minors. By clubbing 20 homers throughout three ranges in solely 84 video games in 2025, he topped off the tank with a push to 65-grade energy. His capability to hit the ball as exhausting as he does from his 5-foot-10 body ought to give him a very good shot at hitting for common too.
Cubs: Ethan Conrad, OFConrad won’t have lasted 17 picks within the 2025 Draft if he hadn’t damage his left (throwing) shoulder diving for a ball final March and had season-ending surgical procedure in April. Earlier than he went down, the Wake Forest product displayed among the greatest all-around instruments within the school class, together with the flexibility to hit for energy and common in addition to the velocity to steal bases and maybe deal with heart subject.
Pirates: Seth Hernandez, RHP (MLB No. 29)For 2 years in a row, the Pirates had been confronted with the selection of taking a high-end highschool participant or going a “safer” school route, they usually rolled the cube twice. It appears to be working simply superb with Konnor Griffin, their 2024 first-rounder, and we’ll get to see what Hernandez, the highest highschool arm within the 2025 class has to supply. He has great really feel for 4 distinct pitches, he’s an athletic 6-foot-4 right-hander who was an excellent hitter in highschool. It’s simple to dream about one other gear now that he’s solely pitching. He and the aforementioned Ryan Sloan may very well be battling it out for high pitching prospect quickly sufficient.
Reds: Alfredo Duno, C (MLB No. 38)A return to well being in 2025 after a damaged rib ruined his 2024 marketing campaign allowed Duno to point out precisely what he’s able to. At age 19, the bodily backstop led the Single-A Florida State League in house runs, on-base and slugging proportion (and, after all, OPS). He then went to the Arizona Fall League, and whereas he was fatigued, he perked as much as hit 4 homers over a three-game span to complete off the season within the playoffs. He may be a plus hitter with plus energy down the highway, one with the arm, stunning agility and management wanted to be an enormous league catcher.
D-backs: Kayson Cunningham, SSArizona actually has a sort briefly, fast, lefty hitters who can play up the center. Final 12 months’s 18th total prospect matches the invoice. Cunningham earned sturdy opinions for his barrel management as a Texas excessive schooler, and along with his plus wheels, he may very well be a menace on the basepaths too. Even when the facility finally ends up being nearer to 12-15 homers somewhat than 16-20, Cunningham can nonetheless be a useful shortstop and strong high expertise within the system.
Dodgers: Eduardo Quintero, OF (MLB No. 30)Quintero skilled as a catcher in Venezuela, however the Dodgers made him a full-time heart fielder after signing him for $297,500 in 2023 as a result of they wished to get the total advantage of his athleticism and offensive potential. He options at the least strong instruments throughout the board, which he parlayed into California League MVP and prospect of the 12 months honors at age 19. He slashed .306/.426/.533 with 14 homers and 35 steals in 81 video games, main the Single-A circuit in on-base proportion, slugging, OPS (.959) and lengthy balls.
Giants: Josuar Gonzalez, SS (MLB No. 44)The Giants landed the highest place participant in every of the previous two worldwide courses, pairing Gonzalez (2025) with fellow shortstop Luis Hernández (2026). For now, we’ll go along with Gonzalez, who has slightly extra upside and the potential for 5 plus instruments. As a 17-year-old making his professional debut within the Rookie-level Dominican Summer time League, he hit .288/.404/.455 with 19 extra-base hits and 33 steals in 52 video games.
Padres: Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP (MLB No. 88)There was a theme of former two-way gamers actually taking off in recent times once they deal with one position. (See additionally: Nolan McLean and Carson Benge.) Final 12 months’s twenty fifth total decide is about to undergo that course of. Schoolcraft bought some seems to be as a primary baseman as an Oregon excessive schooler, however will work as a pitcher solely within the San Diego system. The 6-foot-8 lefty already touches the higher 90s, will get good extension and earns plus grades for his upper-80s changeup. Growing a top quality breaking ball and staying wholesome within the subsequent two years can be two of his largest priorities.
Rockies: Roldy Brito, 2B/OFSigned for $420,000 in January 2024, Brito actually jumped on the radar with an enormous U.S. debut in 2025, hitting his means from the Arizona Advanced League to full-season Fresno, ending with a mixed .960 OPS and 35 steals in 84 video games. The switch-hitter is a twitchy athlete who can hit the ball exhausting with sneaky pop and his plus velocity is an asset on either side of the ball. He’s a basestealing menace, performs a strong second base and confirmed no downside including in heart subject final 12 months.
