Slugging share, remoted slugging share, exit velocity, hard-hit charge, barrel share, good old style dingers.
Energy is without doubt one of the most qualitative, and thus best to measure, instruments within the recreation of baseball. It’s additionally one of the tantalizing and mesmerizing as tape-measure photographs draw probably the most oohs and aahs in stadiums throughout the globe.
The likes of Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Choose and Matt Olson dominate the slugging dialog within the Majors nowadays, however who may elbow their method into the dialogue subsequent? Heading into the 2024 season, listed below are the prospects with probably the most energy from every of the 30 farm methods, together with 18 members of the MLB Pipeline preseason High 100.
Blue Jays: Orelvis Martinez, INF (MLB No. 89)Strategy points (and later enhancements) have despatched Martinez on and on and off the High 100 once more, however his prodigious energy has all the time made him a candidate for the listing. He’s hit at the least 28 homers in every of his final three seasons and leads all Minor Leaguers with 86 complete blasts over that span, two greater than second-place Josh Lester (84). If he can let the facility come naturally as a substitute of attempting to find pullside photographs a lot, he might be a extra well-rounded infield choice for Toronto this summer time.
Orioles: Coby Mayo, 3B/1B (MLB No. 30)There are alternatives right here, with Jackson Holliday’s energy certain to return extra and Samuel Basallo’s already displaying up, nevertheless it’s laborious to look previous what Mayo has achieved since being drafted in 2020. Final 12 months, the pop actually confirmed up, with 29 homers throughout Double- and Triple-A, all on the age of 21. His improved method factors to him tapping into that energy much more as he knocks on the massive league door.
Rays: Junior Caminero, 3B/SS (MLB No. 4)Caminero had energy potential coming into 2023. Then, he had energy in actuality. His 31 homers have been tied for seventh-most amongst all Minor Leaguers, and he was in his personal stratosphere within the class amongst equally aged friends. No different participant aged 19 or youthful went deep greater than 24 occasions in 2023. He topped out with a 112.0 mph exit velocity throughout his transient time within the Majors, and there’s extra the place that got here from primarily based on his Minor League EVs. It’s all-fields pop that provides Caminero a cathedral-high offensive ceiling.
Crimson Sox: Roman Anthony, OF (MLB No. 24)Anthony confirmed off his energy when he slammed a 450-foot house run on the 2021 Excessive Faculty All-American Sport at Coors Subject. The 2022 second-rounder from a Florida highschool has continued to mash in professional ball, overcoming a sluggish begin in Single-A to slash .301/.422/.565 with 13 homers in 64 video games between Excessive-A and Double-A in his first full season at age 19. He is additionally a sophisticated hitter and should have sufficient athleticism and instincts to stay in heart subject.
Yankees: Jasson DomÃnguez, OF (MLB No. 41)Essentially the most hyped worldwide beginner ever, DomÃnguez signed for $5.1 million out of the Dominican Republic and handled outsized expectations to achieve New York at age 20 final September. He went deep off Justin Verlander in his first massive league recreation and homered three extra occasions within the subsequent seven contests earlier than blowing out his left (non-throwing) elbow and having Tommy John surgical procedure that may sideline him till mid-2024. He has the potential for stable or higher instruments throughout the board and stands out most together with his large bat velocity and big power from either side of the plate.
Guardians: Chase DeLauter, OF (MLB No. 31)The Guardians have sluggers with crazier uncooked energy — Deyvison De Los Santos and Jhonkensy Noel come to thoughts — however DeLauter has extra usable pop. The best-drafted participant in James Madison historical past (sixteenth total, 2022), the 6-foot-4, 235-pound DeLauter options a formidable mixture of measurement, athleticism, efficiency and plate self-discipline. A recurring left foot subject delayed his professional debut till June 2023, however he batted .355/.417/.528 with 27 extra-base hits in 57 video games whereas reaching Double-A after which starred within the Arizona Fall League.
Royals: Trevor Werner, 3BThe 2023 seventh-rounder confirmed good energy after switching to full-time position-player standing in 2022, topping out with 14 homers and a .514 slugging share in his remaining season at Texas A&M. However he took issues to a complete new degree on the professional facet with 9 homers, 24 extra-base hits and a .703 SLG over 35 video games, most of which got here with Single-A Columbia. Werner’s pop comes extra from power than momentum in his swing, and he’ll be a detailed comply with for a lot of round Kansas Metropolis to see how a lot he can maintain attending to that plus uncooked over a bigger Minor League marketing campaign.
Tigers: Colt Keith, 3B/2B (MLB No. 22)Wholesome for a full season for the primary time in his profession in 2023, Keith led Tigers Minor Leaguer qualifiers with a .552 slugging share and .247 ISO over 577 plate appearances between Double-A and Triple-A. He additionally ranked second within the group with 27 homers and third in all the Minors with 68 complete extra-base hits. The 22-year-old has a brief left-handed swing that helps him elevate and get probably the most from his robust body.
Twins: Walker Jenkins, OF (No. 10)The No. 5 total choose within the stacked 2023 Draft, Jenkins has the possibility to be a plus hitter with plus energy. There’s bat velocity and leverage, however he can drive the ball out the opposite method as nicely. It’s a small pattern measurement for certain, however he already began displaying what he can do over 105 at-bats throughout his professional debut, with 12 extra-base hits in 26 video games leading to a .571 slugging share and .988 OPS, manufacturing that confirmed up even with a bump as much as full-season ball.
White Sox: Colson Montgomery, SS (MLB No. 9)Compulsory Corey Seager comp: As a big-bodied, lefty-hitting shortstop with unusual energy for his place, Montgomery has been likened to the two-time World Collection MVP since his Indiana highschool days. A greater hitter and defender than initially realized when the White Sox drafted him twenty second total in 2021, he missed time with indirect and again accidents final 12 months however nonetheless batted .287/.455/.484 with 25 extra-base hits in 64 video games between three ranges.
Angels: Joswa Lugo, SSLugo is a 6-foot-3 shortstop who was ranked No. 37 on our High 50 worldwide prospects listing at the beginning of the 2024 signing interval and the Angels signed him for $2.3 million. The youthful brother of huge leaguer Dawel, he’s clearly but to play knowledgeable recreation, however he initiatives to have large pop from the suitable facet of the plate, already displaying hole energy with constant laborious contact.
Astros: Luis Baez, OFThe highest-priced member of the Astros’ 2022 worldwide class, Baez signed for $1.3 million out of the Dominican Republic. He has extra power and bat velocity than most youngsters and already has an affinity for launching balls within the air to his pull facet, attributes which have translated into 20 homers in 116 professional video games on the decrease ranges.
A’s: Henry Bolte, OFThe A’s signed Bolte within the second spherical of the 2022 Draft with an over-slot bonus of $2 million, signing his intriguing power-speed mixture away from the College of Texas. He has a ton of uncooked energy; will probably be a query of him refining his method (33.4 % strikeout charge throughout his full-season debut) to get to it constantly as he strikes up the ladder. Even with the swing-and-miss, he did bang out 36 extra-base hits, 14 of these homers, with Stockton in 2023.
Mariners: Lazaro Montes, OFMontes was one of many high prospects within the 2021-22 worldwide signing class due to his energy potential and the Mariners gave him $2.5 million to affix the group. He slugged .585 out of the gate within the Dominican Summer season League, nevertheless it got here with a 33.2 % strikeout charge. What was so encouraging about his .560 slugging whereas mashing his method from the advanced league to full-season ball in 2023 was that his method improved dramatically and he minimize his strikeout charge significantly. It is likely to be 80-grade uncooked pop right here.
Rangers: Wyatt Langford, OF (MLB No. 6)Langford has as a lot recreation energy as anybody on this listing, and it helped him lead the Southeastern Convention with 26 homers in 2022 and NCAA Division I with 28 doubles and 52 extra-base hits final spring. The No. 4 total choice out of Florida final July, he is additionally a sophisticated hitter and stable athlete who slashed .360/.480/.677 with 10 homers in 44 video games whereas reaching Triple-A in his professional debut.
Braves: David McCabe, 3B/1BEven although he has an open stance and a leg kick, McCabe tends to be on time on the plate, serving to to restrict his strikeouts. He additionally attracts walks and sees a ton of pitches, serving to him to get into counts the place his uncooked energy will play from either side of the plate. He’s higher left-handed, with 16 of his 17 homers coming from that facet in 2023, leading to a SLG greater than 120 factors increased than his right-handed line.
Marlins: Kemp Alderman, OFAlderman’s uncooked energy and exit velocities ranked among the many best possible within the 2023 Draft class, prompting the Marlins to pick out him within the second spherical out of Mississippi. He has huge power and leverage in his 6-foot-3, 250-pound body, and he displayed it by crushing the longest homer (443 toes at 111 mph) of MLB Community’s Draft Mix broadcast final June. After rating seventh within the SEC with a 1.149 OPS, he batted .205/.286/.316 in Single-A throughout his professional debut.
Mets: Ronny Mauricio, 2B/SS/OF (No. 6 2B)The switch-hitter stepped up in opposition to Logan Gilbert in his first Main League at-bat on Sept. 1 and slammed a double to proper subject. The exit velocity registered at 117.3 mph, the best EV by any Met throughout the 2023 MLB season. Given his measurement at 6-foot-3, Mauricio has lengthy packed a punch within the field with three straight 20-plus-homer seasons within the Minors, and he may get to 30 dingers with out subject ought to he enhance his method as soon as he returns from a torn ACL in his proper knee.
Nationals: James Wooden, OF (MLB No. 14)Wooden has but to slug beneath .500 in any Minor League season, and in some methods, he’s simply attending to his straightforward plus-plus energy. The left-handed slugger’s 26 homers greater than doubled his earlier profession excessive of 12, and people 26 ranked second-most amongst Minor Leaguers aged 20 or youthful though he performed a part of the 12 months in pitcher-friendly Wilmington. Wooden’s measurement at 6-foot-6 creates room for all that pop, and whereas his strikeouts have been regarding in 2023, he nonetheless has celebrity potential due to his loudest device.
Phillies: Aidan Miller, 3B/SS (MLB No. 61)We’ve mentioned this earlier than, nevertheless it bears repeating: Miller may grow to be the steal of the 2023 Draft. Miller actually would have gone increased had he not damaged his left hamate early in his senior 12 months of highschool, however he confirmed off his energy bona fides on the showcase circuit the summer time prior, successful MLB’s All-American Sport House Run Derby (to not point out the sport MVP as nicely). It’s simply plus uncooked pop and whereas it didn’t present up throughout his 20-game professional debut, his stable total method (.303 AVG, .425 OBP) is an indication that he’ll be capable of faucet into that energy as soon as he actually will get going.
Brewers: Jackson Chourio, OF (MLB No. 2)Fernando Tatis Jr., Giancarlo Stanton and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. all reached Double-A of their age-19 seasons. None of them hit extra homers at that age and degree than Chourio did together with his 22 over 122 video games. The suitable-handed slugger has gone deep 42 occasions over his final two campaigns, and his fast swing continues to astound with the way in which it drives balls over fences throughout the ballpark. Even when he wants some interval of adjustment in opposition to MLB pitching, the facility may play rapidly in The Present upon Chourio’s 2024 arrival.
Cardinals: Joshua Baez, OFSwing-and-miss points are why Baez hasn’t popped fairly in the way in which St. Louis hoped when it took the Maine native within the second spherical in 2022, however his energy continues to tantalize. Amongst gamers with at the least 200 Florida State League plate appearances measured by Statcast in 2023, Baez ranked fifth with a 106.6 mph Ninetieth-percentile exit velocity, and his 114.4 mph max EV was second-best in your entire Single-A circuit. It’s close to top-of-the-scale uncooked energy. Baez simply must make sufficient contact to let it play.
Cubs: Owen Caissie, OF (MLB No. 47)Although he is simply 21, Caissie already generates exit velocities that rank with one of the best within the Majors and his uncooked energy earns top-of-the-scale grades from some evaluators. Acquired from the Padres within the 2020 Yu Darvish commerce, he ranked within the high 5 in all three slash classes (.289/.398/.519) and homers (22) within the Double-A Southern League as its sixth-youngest common final summer time.
Pirates: Tony Blanco Jr., 1B/OFBlanco Senior made it as much as the massive leagues with the Nationals and performed professional ball for a very long time. Blanco Junior is simply getting began, signing in Jan. 2022 for $900,000. He’s a 6-foot-6 beast with absurd uncooked energy, a right-handed hitter who has already recorded a few of the finest exit velocities within the system, registering in-game EVs of 114 mph in 2023, which is within the one centesimal percentile. He’s but to play exterior of the DSL and there are method points, so be affected person.
Reds: Noelvi Marte, 3B/SSEver because the Mariners signed him in July 2018, we’ve heard about Marte’s bat velocity and uncooked energy. Reds followers began to see what the fuss was about within the massive leagues final 12 months and he completed the 12 months red-hot, slugging .544 from Sept. 1 by way of the top of the 12 months. He’s by no means struck out loads and he attracts walks and he’s made a variety of progress in making changes and higher swing choices so he doesn’t get himself out. He’s solely 22 for this complete 12 months and he’s simply scratching the floor of his offensive potential.
D-backs: Ivan Melendez, 3BTwo years in the past, Melendez received the Golden Spikes Award after hitting 32 homers on the College of Texas and main the nation with an .863 slugging share. As a follow-up, he led all D-backs Minor Leaguers with 30 homers between Excessive-A and Double-A. In reality, he was one in every of solely two Minor Leaguers from any group to go deep 30 or extra occasions whereas enjoying fewer than 100 video games (Luken Baker being the opposite). Melendez did develop the zone and punch out an excessive amount of within the course of, however there’s no denying his pop.
Dodgers: Andy Pages, OFA Cuban who turned professional for $300,000 in October 2017, Pages has mashed 89 homers in 401 video games and led his leagues in extra-base hits throughout every of his three full seasons in the US. He combines bat velocity, power and leverage in an uphill right-handed swing and was displaying an improved method in 2023 earlier than tearing the labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder throughout his Triple-A debut on Could 16, requiring season-ending surgical procedure. His plus-plus arm power is one other big asset.
Giants: Marco Luciano, SS (MLB No. 39)Luciano’s electrical bat velocity made him one of the coveted gamers on the 2018 worldwide market, incomes him a $2.6 million bonus out of the Dominican Republic. He generates spectacular exit velocities and plus-plus uncooked energy to all fields, and he required simply 280 video games within the Minors earlier than reaching San Francisco as a 21-year-old final July. He did not go deep in 14 massive league contests however did homer 15 occasions in 74 video games between Double-A and Triple-A.
Padres: Ethan Salas, C (MLB No. 8)Of all of the speak about how superior Salas is defensively, his energy potential is correct up there as one in every of his finest future instruments. Armed with bat velocity and power, Salas impressed Padres officers together with his preseason energy show at Petco Park in 2023 after which went on to homer 9 occasions in 66 video games throughout Single-A, Excessive-A and Double-A. He has the pop for 25-plus homers within the bigs, and that, together with the remainder of his recreation, would make him a foundational backstop.
Rockies: Yanquiel Fernandez, OF (MLB No. 72)Tip of the cap to Hunter Goodman, who has hit 70 homers during the last two years (and yet one more in his massive league debut), however Fernandez’s uncooked pop has actually proven up as nicely, with 21 homers throughout his full-season debut in 2022, when he disregarded the Arizona Complicated League, after which 25 extra final 12 months when he reached Double-A. Sure, the Okay charge as soon as he bought to Hartford is somewhat regarding, however he’s simply 21 all season and individuals who like him see some Yordan Alvarez in him.
