Here are the new Top 30 Prospects lists
With action in full swing across fields in Florida and Arizona, another spring tradition is upon us: the unveiling of each team’s preseason Top 30 Prospects list.
We started with the 10 teams from the American League and National League East, then moved on to the AL and NL Central and wrapped things up with the AL and NL West.
To qualify for a list, a player must have rookie eligibility, which means he must not have exceeded 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the Major Leagues or have accumulated more than 45 days on the active roster of a Major League club, excluding time on the injured list or in military service (not counting September time in 2019 or earlier seasons).
Below is a snapshot of each farm system, with a link to a breakdown of its Top 30 list.
The lists are assembled by Jim Callis, Sam Dykstra and Jonathan Mayo with input from industry sources, including scouts and front-office executives. They are based on analysis of players' upsides, tools and potential Major League impact.
Jump to: AL East | AL Central | AL West | NL East | NL Central | NL West
AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
Blue Jays
The 2023 season wasn’t exactly a raging success for the Blue Jays’ farm system, but for an organization trying to make the most of a window that won’t stay open forever, it’s all about producing present-day value. Last year's breakout star was Davis Schneider. Who will it be in '24? More »
1. Ricky Tiedemann, LHP (MLB No. 29)
2. Orelvis Martinez, INF (MLB No. 89)
3. Arjun Nimmala, SS
Complete Top 30 list »
Orioles
The Orioles brought an emphatic end to their long rebuild in 2023, winning their first American League East title in years on the strength of a roster full of young and mostly homegrown talent. As the focus shifts in Baltimore to maintaining that success, it would make sense for the Orioles’ farm system to be thinned out at least a little bit, but that's not the case. More »
1. Jackson Holliday, SS (MLB No. 1)
2. Samuel Basallo, C (MLB No. 17)
3. Colton Cowser, OF (MLB No. 19)
Complete Top 30 list »
Rays
You don’t need to look too far down the Rays’ depth chart to see how much they depend on their Minor League system. From Taj Bradley to Josh Lowe, the club touts multiple big league contributors who were prospects not long ago, a trend that will likely continue in '24. More »
1. Junior Caminero, 3B (MLB No. 4)
2. Carson Williams, SS (MLB No. 20)
3. Curtis Mead, 3B/2B (MLB No. 55)
Complete Top 30 list »
Red Sox
Since their 2018 World Series triumph, the Red Sox have more last-place finishes in the American League East (three) than they do winning seasons (two), let alone playoff appearances (one). New chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has made multiple moves focused on pitching depth, but with their top five prospects all being hitters, where do they stand on that front? More »
1. Marcelo Mayer, SS (MLB No. 15)
2. Roman Anthony, OF (MLB No. 24)
3. Kyle Teel, C (MLB No. 40)
Complete Top 30 list »
Yankees
The Yankees extended two streaks in 2023, while snapping another in the process. They finished .500 or better for the 31st year in a row, but failed to advance to the playoffs, snapping a six-year run while also failing to win the World Series for the 14th straight. Can their MLB-ready prospects change that in '24? More »
1. Jasson Domínguez, OF (MLB No. 47)
2. Spencer Jones, OF (MLB No. 84)
3. Roderick Arias, SS (MLB No. 86)
Complete Top 30 list »
AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL
Guardians
After setting a record for an American or National League division or league champion by having 17 rookies make their big league debuts in 2022, the Guardians kept the talent flowing last year. That may continue this spring, as the Guardians could have two rookies and Top 100 prospects -- first baseman Kyle Manzardo and shortstop Brayan Rocchio -- win starting jobs in their infield this spring. More »
1. Chase DeLauter, OF (MLB No. 34)
2. Kyle Manzardo, 1B (MLB No. 59)
3. Brayan Rocchio, SS/2B (MLB No. 91)
Complete Top 30 list »
Royals
The Royals only have one Top 100 prospect, but their system has increased its depth considerably the past couple years after graduating their homegrown core. While the Royals are looking to make a competitive push at the Major League level, they’ve needed to retool their farm system. More »
1. Blake Mitchell, C (MLB No. 94)
2. Nick Loftin, UTIL
3. Cayden Wallace, 3B
Complete Top 30 list »
Tigers
The Tigers embarked on an organizational shift seven years ago when then-general manager Al Avila declared that after years of free-agent signings, the club would build from within its farm system. Scott Harris echoed that philosophy when Detroit hired him as president of baseball operations two years ago. The fruits of that effort are now all over the organization. More »
1. Max Clark, OF (MLB No. 13)
2. Colt Keith, 3B/2B (MLB No. 22)
3. Jackson Jobe, RHP (MLB No. 25)
Complete Top 30 list »
Twins
The addition of Walker Jenkins via the Draft and Gabriel Gonzalez via trade gives the Twins an exciting quartet of bats at the top of their rankings. There’s a run on pitching after that, with a number of examples of the Twins’ knack for finding talent in later rounds. More »
1. Walker Jenkins, OF (MLB No. 10)
2. Brooks Lee, SS (MLB No. 18)
3. Enmanuel Rodriguez, OF (MLB No. 42)
Complete Top 30 list »
White Sox
The White Sox won't remember 2023 fondly after losing 101 games, their most in 53 seasons, and dismissing executive vice president Kenny Williams and GM Rick Hahn in August. But the good news for their future is that their farm system saw a dramatic influx of talent. More »
1. Colson Montgomery, SS (MLB No. 9)
2. Noah Schultz, LHP (MLB No. 50)
3. Bryan Ramos, 3B
Complete Top 30 list »
AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST
Angels
The biggest challenge in ranking the top 30 prospects in the Angels system is getting them in the right place before they graduate. To offset the quick to the big leagues from the Draft mindset, the Angels have been very active in scouring Latin America for talent. More than half of the Top 30 -- 16, to be precise -- are international signees, most at lower levels and a few years away. More »
1. Nolan Schanuel, 1B (MLB No. 95)
2. Nelson Rada, OF
3. Caden Dana, RHP
Complete Top 30 list »
Astros
The Astros haven't picked higher than 28th in the last six Drafts and lost their top two choices in both 2021 and '22, yet they keep developing mostly unheralded players who help them perpetuate their winning ways. They do an excellent job of finding guys with traits they covet (such as high exit velocities for hitters, low release heights and extension for pitchers) and helping them maximize their ability. More »
1. Jacob Melton, OF
2. Luis Baez, OF
3. Spencer Arrighetti, RHP
Complete Top 30 list »
Athletics
The A’s graduated eight players who began 2023 among the top half of this list. Those players are all now expected to play major roles for Oakland this upcoming season. While the A’s system has reshuffled a bit, there are still some exciting prospects who are close to breaking through at the Major League level. More »
1. Jacob Wilson, SS (MLB No. 68)
2. Mason Miller, RHP
3. Luis Morales, RHP
Complete Top 30 list »
Mariners
For all the recent graduations of homegrown Mariners talent to the Majors in recent years, the next wave of top-end arrivals is on the horizon. And there’s a consistent theme among that group -- they’re almost all hitters. More »
1. Cole Young, 2B/SS (MLB No. 37)
2. Harry Ford, C (MLB No. 38)
3. Colt Emerson, SS/2B (MLB No. 87)
Complete Top 30 list »
Rangers
The Rangers headed into 2023 coming off their worst three-year stretch since moving to Texas in 1972 and ended it with their first World Series championship. Spending more than $800 million on free agents over the previous two seasons had a lot to do with their turnaround, and so did their farm system. More »
1. Evan Carter, OF (MLB No. 5)
2. Wyatt Langford, OF (MLB No. 6)
3. Sebastian Walcott, SS (MLB No. 71)
Complete Top 30 list »
NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST
Braves
They say you can never have enough pitching. The Braves are trying to make sure they do. The top five in their new Top 30 are all right-handed pitchers. Ten of the top 15, with just one lefty, make their living on the mound. More »
1. AJ Smith-Shawver, RHP (MLB No. 69)
2. Hurston Waldrep, RHP (MLB No. 90)
3. Spencer Schwellenbach, RHP
Complete Top 30 list »
Marlins
The Marlins enjoyed a successful but strange season in 2023. They made the playoffs for just the fourth time in their 31-year history, but they also had the lowest run differential (-57) of any postseason team ever and got swept in the Wild Card round by the Phillies. Last year's No. 1 prospect Eury Pérez has graduated and looks to be mainstay in the '24 rotation, so who's up next? More »
1. Noble Meyer, RHP (MLB No. 57)
2. Thomas White, LHP
3. Max Meyer, RHP
Complete Top 30 list »
Mets
Meet the future Mets may never be more apt a phrase. Of the 13 prospects atop MLB Pipeline’s updated Top 30 list for the 2024 season, seven weren’t in the organization at all this time last year. More »
1. Jett Williams, SS/OF (MLB No. 45)
2. Drew Gilbert, OF (MLB No. 53)
3. Luisangel Acuña, SS/2B (MLB No. 66)
Complete Top 30 list »
Nationals
The Nationals have been in a rebuilding cycle since trading Juan Soto at the 2022 Deadline, but given the quality and proximity of their top prospects, the club could be turning the final corner on that process quite soon. More »
1. Dylan Crews, OF (MLB No. 7)
2. James Wood, OF (MLB No. 14)
3. Brady House, 3B (MLB No. 48)
Complete Top 30 list »
Phillies
The Phillies' stable of prospects is still topped by the same two right-handed pitchers who were there a year ago at this time, but this go-round, the optimism surrounding the dynamic duo is just a touch more cautious. More »
1. Andrew Painter, RHP (MLB No. 27)
2. Mick Abel, RHP (MLB No. 49)
3. Aidan Miller, 3B/SS (MLB No. 61)
Complete Top 30 list »
NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL
Brewers
The Brewers have made the postseason in five of the last six years with three NL Central titles included in that run. A big reason for their success: the ability to fill the roster with Major League-ready talent from within the farm system. This year's rookie class should have an even higher ceiling than last year's group that included Sal Frelick, Garrett Mitchell and Joey Wiemer. More »
1. Jackson Chourio, OF (MLB No. 2)
2. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP (MLB No. 33)
3. Jeferson Quero, C (MLB No. 35)
Complete Top 30 list »
Cardinals
On the precipice of missing out on the postseason for just the fourth time since 2011, the Cardinals became sellers at last year's Trade Deadline and moved Jordan Montgomery, Jordan Hicks and Jack Flaherty for potentially impact prospects. The result is a 2024 St. Louis Top 30 Prospects list that has a slightly different feel to it, with seven talents acquired via trades, each of which came over in deals last season. More »
1. Masyn Winn, SS (MLB No. 43)
2. Tink Hence, RHP (MLB No. 43)
3. Tekoah Roby, RHP (MLB No. 99)
Complete Top 30 list »
Cubs
In the middle of the previous decade, the Cubs assembled one of the most impressive collections of position prospects, ranking as baseball's best farm system in 2015 before ending their 108-year World Series championship drought the following season. Their system currently is the strongest it has been since then and much more balanced this time around with pitching depth. More »
1. Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF (MLB No. 16)
2. Cade Horton, RHP (MLB No. 26)
3. Owen Caissie, OF (MLB No. 47)
Complete Top 30 list »
Pirates
The Pirates have at least one thing that every other team covets: pitching. No other team in baseball has four arms in this year's Top 100 Prospects list (the Reds and Padres have three each). And there’s depth behind that quartet. More »
1. Paul Skenes, RHP (MLB No. 3)
2. Termarr Johnson, 2B (MLB No. 44)
3. Jared Jones, RHP (MLB No. 62)
Complete Top 30 list »
Reds
The Reds have a good thing going here. Every time they graduate an elite-level prospect, there’s another ready to take his place. After Elly De La Cruz's graduation last year, the Reds still have a quintet of Top 100 prospects followed by a deep Top 30, with a number of young bats with plenty of offensive upside. More »
1. Noelvi Marte, 3B/SS (MLB No. 21)
2. Rhett Lowder, RHP (MLB No. 34)
3. Edwin Arroyo, SS (MLB No. 67)
Complete Top 30 list »
NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST
D-backs
The Diamondbacks relied on young talent during their run to the Fall Classic last year and no youngster was more famous or important to the club’s success than National League Rookie of the Year Corbin Carroll. The makeup of Arizona’s Top 30 list is a little different than when Carroll topped the ranking at this time last year, but there are reasons to believe the club could keep things trucking in the NL West. More »
1. Jordan Lawlar, SS (MLB No. 11)
2. Tommy Troy, SS (MLB No. 74)
3. Druw Jones, OF (MLB No. 78)
Complete Top 30 list »
Dodgers
The Dodgers remain the model organization in terms of winning in the Majors while consistently churning out quality talent in the Minors. The system remains strong, albeit radically different from a year ago. Ten of the first 19 prospects from our 2023 preseason Dodgers Top 30 since have shed their prospect status or been traded. More »
1. Dalton Rushing, C/1B (MLB No. 75)
2. Nick Frasso, RHP (MLB No. 80)
3. Andy Pages, OF
Complete Top 30 list »
Giants
The Giants have hovered around .500 since their stunning 107-victory season in 2021, finishing a combined 51 games out of first place in the National League West the last two years. Despite those frustrations, they brought a lot of young homegrown talent to the Majors in 2023. Early returns on San Francisco's '23 amateur acquisitions are promising as well. More »
1. Kyle Harrison, LHP (MLB No. 23)
2. Marco Luciano, SS (MLB No. 39)
3. Carson Whisenhunt, LHP (MLB No. 83)
Complete Top 30 list »
Padres
San Diego’s Top 30 boasts five Top 100 talents (tied for second-most among 30 farm systems) with more potential additions along the way. Through development, the Draft and international investment, the Padres haven’t allowed their farm system to ever reach the depleted status many assumed it would after trading for Juan Soto in 2022. Instead, that farm enters 2024 as one of the most high-ceilinged in the game with the hope for more excitement to come. More »
1. Ethan Salas, C (MLB No. 8)
2. Jackson Merrill, SS (MLB No. 12)
3. Robby Snelling, LHP (MLB No. 36)
Complete Top 30 list »
Rockies
Over the years, the Rockies would probably readily admit to having a strength in developing hitters. It’s a bat-heavy list again in 2023 -- 12 of the top 13 are hitters -- including three of the four who made this year’s Top 100. While the Rockies system was hurt by three arms all needing Tommy John surgery at around the same time last July, the pitching cupboard isn’t completely bare. More »
1. Adael Amador, SS/2B (MLB No. 28)
2. Chase Dollander, RHP (MLB No. 52)
3. Yanquiel Fernandez, OF (MLB No. 72)
Complete Top 30 list »