Here is our All-Time Prospect Team
As we head into decade three of prospect rankings here on MLB.com, we’ve taken some time to look back and see how we did, including a deep dive into some ranking data.
Many of the players who have landed on our rankings on the way to the big leagues have obviously gone on to do amazing things at the highest level. So we thought it would be fun to put together an All-Time Prospect Team.
There’s no super-scientific way to construct a squad like this, especially with so many former prospects in the primes of their careers likely to keep adding to their impressive Major League resumes. But I’ve decided to use WAR, according to Baseball-Reference, to come up with starters and backups at all positions. And then I've highlighted one player per position that appears poised to make a run at this list -- someone to keep an eye on. Each player below has his bWAR total through the 2023 season listed after the highest they ever appeared on either a preseason or midseason rankings list.
C: Joe Mauer (No. 1, 2004 preseason | 55.2 bWAR)
Our very first No. 1 prospect is headed to Cooperstown! Mauer, the top pick in the 2001 Draft, spent his entire career with his hometown Twins and was a six-time All-Star, won three batting titles and three Gold Gloves while taking home five Silver Slugger Awards and an AL MVP. He finished his career with a .306 batting average and 124 OPS+.
Backup: Buster Posey (No. 4, 2010 preseason | 44.8 bWAR)
Keep an eye on: Adley Rutschman (No. 1, 2021 midseason | 9.6 bWAR)
1B: Joey Votto (No. 34, 2008 preseason | 64.4 bWAR)
The Reds surprised many in the industry when they took Votto from the Ontario high school ranks in the second round of the 2002 Draft. Boy, were they right. Votto made his big league debut in September 2007, then spent the next 16 years as an anchor in the lineup, winning MVP honors in 2010 (he finished in the top 10 in voting four other times) and being named to six All-Star teams. Votto’s Reds career ended with over 2,100 hits, more than 350 homers and 1,100 RBIs (.294/409/.511, 144 OPS+).
Backup: Freddie Freeman (No. 17, 2011 preseason | 55.7 bWAR)
Keep an eye on: Matt Olson (No. 73, 2015 preseason | 29.1 bWAR)
2B: Mookie Betts (No. 14, 2014 midseason | 64.5 bWAR)
The Red Sox got Betts in the fifth round of the 2011 Draft -- a round that resulted in nine signed players reaching the big leagues. Betts made his Major League debut at age 21 in June 2014 and earned the first of seven All-Star nods two years later. While he’s moved back to second base, he did win six Gold Gloves in the outfield and has half-dozen Silver Slugger Awards on his shelf. The 2018 AL MVP has finished in the top two in Most Valuable Player voting a total of four times and he has two World Series rings, with the Red Sox in 2018 and with the Dodgers in '20.
Backup: Howie Kendrick (No. 12, 2006 preseason | 35 bWAR)
Keep an eye on: Ozzie Albies (No. 37, 2015 midseason | 20.2 bWAR)
3B: Evan Longoria (No. 2, 2008 preseason | 58.6 bWAR)
The Rays made Longoria the No. 3 overall pick of the 2006 Draft and he was in the big leagues by April 2008. He was named AL Rookie of the Year that season, along with making the first of three All-Star teams. He also has a trio of Gold Gloves and a Silver Slugger Award on his resume, bashing over 340 homers and driving in more than 1,150 runs for a career 119 OPS+.
Backup: Nolan Arenado (No. 22, 2012 preseason | 54.4 bWAR)
Keep an eye on: Rafael Devers (No. 4, 2017 midseason | 18.8 bWAR)
SS: Manny Machado (No. 3, 2012 midseason | 54.9 bWAR)
Machado went third in the 2010 Draft to the Orioles, after the Nationals took Bryce Harper and the Pirates selected Jameson Taillon. Machado played short in the Minors, but he wasn’t there for long, making his big league debut at third base in August 2012 at age 20. He’s been named to six All-Star teams, has two Gold Gloves and a Silver Slugger Award to go along with more than 300 homers and a 125 OPS+.
Backup: Troy Tulowitzki (No. 9, 2007 preseason | 44.5 bWAR)
Keep an eye on: Corey Seager (No. 1, 2016 preseason | 32 bWAR)
OF: Mike Trout (No. 1, 2011 preseason | 85.2 bWAR)
Trout has accrued more bWAR than any prospect we’ve ranked over the last two decades. The 2009 first-round pick was AL Rookie of the Year in '12 and has been named an All-Star in 11 of his 13 seasons (his debut year and the pandemic-shortened campaign being the exceptions), and earned the game’s MVP honors twice. He’s been the American League MVP three times and finished second on four other occasions, while collecting nine Silver Slugger Awards.
OF: Andrew McCutchen (No. 8, 2008 preseason | 48.6 bWAR)
McCutchen has turned out to be the best player -- at least based on bWAR -- in the star-studded 2005 Draft class, outperforming Ryan Braun and Troy Tulowitzki (who rank right behind him). A five-time All-Star, McCutchen finished in the top five in MVP voting for four straight seasons, winning the award in 2013. He also was the Silver Slugger at his position for all four of those years as well. He’ll finish his career with more than 2,000 hits, 300 homers and 200 steals.
OF: Curtis Granderson (No. 50, 2005 preseason | 47.2 bWAR)
This one might be the biggest surprise, and his spot in the “starting lineup” is likely short-lived. But sometimes Granderson’s 16-year big league career gets overlooked, so I wanted to give him his due. A three-time All-Star and winner of a Silver Slugger Award in 2011, Granderson finished his career with 344 homers and 153 stolen bases for an OPS+ of 113.
Backups:
Bryce Harper (No. 2, 2012 preseason | 46.2 bWAR)
Giancarlo Stanton (No. 3, 2010 preseason | 44 bWAR)
Aaron Judge (No. 21, 2015 midseason | 41.5 bWAR)
Keep an eye on:
Juan Soto (No. 29, 2018 preseason | 28.6 bWAR)
RHP: Justin Verlander (No. 5, 2006 preseason | 80.9 bWAR)
Verlander trails only Trout on the all-time prospect bWAR list and should make his way to Cooperstown eventually. The 2004 No. 2 overall pick has won three Cy Young Awards, an MVP and Rookie of the Year. He’s been named an All-Star nine times, claimed a pair of ERA titles and a pitching triple crown. He’s won World Series titles with the Astros in 2017 and '22, and recorded more than 3,300 strikeouts and over 250 wins.
LHP: Clayton Kershaw (No. 4, 2008 preseason | 79.9 bWAR)
The 2006 first-rounder won 20 games for the first time in '11. That was also when he won his first of three Cy Young Awards and was named an All-Star for the first of 10 times. The southpaw also was the NL MVP in 2014 and he’s won five ERA titles in the National League heading into '24.
RHP: Zack Greinke (No. 4, 2004 preseason | 77.5 bWAR)
Another member of our inaugural rankings, Greinke has had an amazing 20-year career in the big leagues. He got Rookie of the Year votes in that 2004 season, then picked up his Cy Young Award along with the first of six All-Star nods in 2009. A tremendous athlete, Greinke has six Gold Gloves to his credit and has also won two ERA titles.
RHP: Max Scherzer (No. 35, 2008 preseason | 75 bWAR)
The only active pitcher at the end of the 2023 season with more strikeouts than Verlander, Scherzer won his first Cy Young Award in '13 with the Tigers, then won two more back-to-back in '16 and '17 with the Nationals. He’s an eight-time All-Star, now with two World Series rings and has among the highest strikeouts-per-nine and strikeouts-per-walk rates in Major League history.
LHP: Cole Hamels (No. 6, 2004 preseason | 59 bWAR)
One more from our rankings debut, Hamels was taken by the Phillies in the middle of the first round back in 2002 and made his debut in '06. He made the first of four All-Star appearances in his 15-year career in 2007 and Phillies fans will always be indebted to him for winning both NLCS and World Series MVP honors when they won it all in '08.
Backups:
Félix Hernández (No. 3, 2005 preseason | 49.7 bWAR)
Chris Sale (No. 25, 2011 preseason | 47.2 bWAR)
Adam Wainwright (No. 32, 2004 preseason | 44.9 bWAR)
Jon Lester (No. 18, 2006 preseason | 43.5 bWAR)}
Gerrit Cole (No. 8, 2012 midseason | 41.2 bWAR)
Keep an eye on:
Eury Pérez (No. 14, 2023 preseason | 2.5 bWAR)