Baseball's top prospects attend Rookie Program
MIAMI -- While many see Spring Training as the start of a new season, for others, especially in the prospect world, the unofficial kickoff is the Rookie Career Development Program. Since 1992, Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association have collaborated on the event. The 29th edition of the RCDP returns to Miami for the second consecutive year this week.
All 30 Major League organizations send up-and-coming players on the cusp of reaching the big leagues to help them avoid the kinds of speed bumps or pitfalls that can keep them from reaching their on-field potential. There are sessions on dealing with the media, how to handle situations in the clubhouse, drugs in baseball, inclusion and financial planning, just to name a handful of issues addressed. Players get to interact with each other around these topics and there are breakout sessions with former big leaguers to allow smaller groups of players to drill further down on specific issues.
Every year, the RCDP has participants go from these sessions to big league rosters in the upcoming season. Players who have gone on to become Rookies of the Year, Cy Young Award winners and MVPs have attended the program, including the 2019 National League ROY Pete Alonso.
This year's event will once again be chock full of future stars, with every organization sending some of their top prospects to Miami. There are 22 members on MLB Pipeline's 2019 Top 100 prospects list expected to attend; and the entire list of attendees is as follows:
Astros: Bryan Abreu, RHP (No. 4); Cristian Javier, RHP (No. 9); Enoli Paredes, RHP (No. 13); Blake Taylor, LHP
Athletics: Daulton Jefferies, RHP (No. 14); Greg Deichmann, OF (No. 17); Jonah Heim, C (No. 21); Miguel Romero, RHP
Blue Jays: Bryan Baker, RHP; Jackson McClelland, RHP; Forrest Wall, OF
Braves: Cristian Pache, OF (No. 1; MLB No. 11); Tucker Davidson, LHP (No. 13); Alex Jackson, C (No. 25); Jeremy Walker, RHP
Brewers: Corey Ray, OF (No. 4); Clayton Andrews, LHP/OF (No. 30); JP Feyereisen, RHP; Angel Perdomo, LHP
Cardinals: Dylan Carlson (No. 1; MLB No. 24); Randy Arozarena, OF (No. 10); Jake Gatewood, RHP (No. 13); Kodi Whitley, RHP
Cubs: Nico Hoerner, SS (No. 1; MLB No. 47); Zack Short, SS (No. 9); Tyson Miller, RHP (No. 12); Robel Garcia, 3B/2B (No. 26)
D-backs: Daulton Varsho, C (No. 1; MLB No. 100); Andy Young, INF (No. 23); Miguel Aguilar, LHP; Riley Smith, RHP
Dodgers: Josiah Gray, RHP (No. 4; MLB No. 75); DJ Peters, OF (No. 12); Victor Gonzalez, LHP; Zach McKinstry, OF
Giants: Logan Webb, RHP (No. 5); Melvin Adon (No. 16); Conner Menez (No. 18); Jaylin Davis, OF
Indians: Sam Hentges, LHP (No. 15); Daniel Johnson, OF (No. 16); Jean Carlos Mejia, RHP (No. 20); James Karinchak, RHP (No. 21)
Mariners: Julio Rodriguez, OF (No. 2; MLB No. 25); Logan Gilbert, RHP (No. 3; MLB No. 48); Evan White, 1B (No. 4; MLB No. 58); Kyle Lewis, OF (No. 10)
Marlins: Sixto Sanchez, RHP (No. 1; MLB No. 22); Jazz Chisholm, SS (No. 4; MLB No. 54); Nick Neidert, RHP (No. 11); Jorge Guzman, RHP (No. 16)
Mets: Thomas Szapucki, LHP (No. 12); Jordan Humphreys, RHP (No. 22)
Nationals: Wil Crowe, RHP (No. 4); Tres Barrera, C (No. 17); James Bourque, RHP (No. 22)
Orioles: Ryan Mountcastle, 1B (No. 4; MLB No. 64) Yusniel Diaz, OF (No. 5); Dean Kremer, RHP (No. 8); Keegan Akin, LHP (No. 11)
Phillies: Adonis Medina, RHP (No. 4); Cole Irvin, LHP (No. 16); Edgar Garcia, RHP; Ranger Suarez, LHP
Pirates: Ke'Bryan Hayes, 3B (No. 2; MLB No. 36); Oneil Cruz, SS (No. 3; MLB No. 57); Will Craig, 1B (No. 10); Blake Cederlind, RHP (No. 28)
Rangers: Joe Palumbo, LHP (No. 6); Demarcus Evans, RHP
Rays: Brendan McKay, LHP/DH (No. 2; MLB No. 12); Vidal Brujan, 2B/SS (No. 3; MLB No. 39); Michael Brosseau, 2B
Red Sox: Bobby Dalbec, 3B/1B (No. 2); Mike Shawaryn, RHP (No. 22); Denyi Reyes, RHP (No. 27); Kyle Hart, RHP (No. 28)
Reds: Tony Santillan, RHP (No. 4); Tyler Stephenson, C (No. 7); Joel Kuhnel, RHP (No. 23); Aristedes Aquino OF
Rockies: Sam Hilliard, OF (No. 9); Ryan Castellani, RHP (No. 15); Dom Nunez, C; Antonio Santos, RHP
Royals: Carlos Hernandez, RHP (No. 13); Daniel Tillo, LHP (No. 30); Nick Heath, OF; Richard Lovelady, LHP
Tigers: Jake Rogers, C (No. 7); Bryan Garcia, RHP (No. 22); Tyler Alexander, RHP; Gregory Soto, LHP
Twins: Brusdar Graterol, RHP (No. 3; MLB No. 53); Dakota Chalmers, RHP; Randy Dobnak, RHP; Devin Smeltzer, LHP
White Sox: Jonathan Stiever, RHP (No. 6); Zack Collins, C/1B (No. 9); Tyler Johnson, RHP (No. 18); Yermin Mercedes, C
Yankees: Deivi Garcia, RHP (No. 1; MLB No. 62); Estevan Florial, OF (No. 3; MLB No. 82); Nick Nelson, RHP (No. 14); Miguel Yajure, RHP (No. 26)