1. Hector Rodriguez, OF, Reds

• Team: Double-A Chattanooga (Southern)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: .567/.606/1.033 (17-for-30) 13 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 6 RBIs, 3 BB, 3 SO

The Scoop: Rodriguez has always hit, and that’s once again true this season. Halfway through the season, he’s slashing .316/.378/.514. But there is one change that is extremely notable. Rodriguez has always been one of the most aggressive free-swingers in pro ball with the bat-to-ball skills to make it work. But this year, he’s walked 25 times in 65 games. He needs just three walks to equal his career high in walks, which he set in 2023 in 115 games. In 2023, he swung at 63% of all pitches he saw. Last year, he swung at 57%. This year, according to Synergy Sports data, he’s swinging just 52% of the time. That’s still aggressive, but it’s within the range of normalcy, something Rodriguez hasn’t shown in the past. (JJ)

2. Spencer Jones, OF, Yankees 

• Team: Double-A Somerset (Eastern)
• Age: 24 
• Why He’s Here: .476/.607/.952 (10-for-21), 6 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 8 RBIs, 7 BB, 6 SO, 2-for-2 SB

The Scoop: In Jones’ return trip to Double-A, he’s continued to do what he does: collect extra base hits, draw walks and strike out. His strikeout rate is down slightly in 2025, and his 184 wRC+ is tops in the Eastern League to begin the season. Last week, Jones had three consecutive multi-hit games to end the week while slugging homers on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Jones is one of the more divisive prospects in the game, as his loud tools and mammoth power are exciting, but the hit tool questions are very real. (GP) 

3. Sal Stewart, 2B, Reds

• Team: Double-A Chattanooga (Southern)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: .500/.567/.885 (13-for-26) 8 R, 1 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBIs, 4 BB, 4 SO, 1 SB

The Scoop: This week, Stewart yanked three home runs over the left field fence. For most hitters, that would be nothing out of the normal. But for Stewart, it’s significant, as his hit-first approach rarely sees him pull the ball with authority. Only one of his previous four home runs this season were pulled to left, and he’s yanked only 9% of fly balls he’s hit this year to left field. He’s hit 9% to left center, 38% to center, 21% to right center and 23% to right field. If Stewart can learn to more consistently pull pitches with authority to go with his plus hit tool, it would significantly help him become a more well-rounded threat at the plate. This week was an encouraging sign. (JJ)

4. Jonah Tong, RHP, Mets

• Team: Double-A Binghamton (Eastern)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 7.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 11 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Each week, it feels like Tong has a top five performance in the minor leagues. This week he tossed 7.2 scoreless, striking out 11 while allowing two hits and a walk. Over 13 starts with Double-A Binghamton, Tong has a 1.75 ERA and 107 strikeouts in 67 total innings. The introduction of a new changeup grip significantly improved the quality of his offspeed, while he’s also showing incremental improvements with his slider. Tong is now loudly banging on the door of Triple-A, as his performance warrants a promotion at this point. The 22-year-old Canadian-born righthander looks like he could emerge as the Mets’ best starting pitching prospect by the end of the season. (GP)

5. Jakob Marsee, OF, Marlins

• Team: Triple-A Jacksonville (International)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: .400/.464/.960 (10-for-25), 5 R,  2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 5 RBI, 2 SO, 3 BB, 1-for-2 SB

The Scoop: There’s a growing sense of urgency for Marsee, who joined the Marlins last year in the Luis Arraez trade. The past two seasons have been tough sledding for the Central Michigan alum, marked by inconsistency and stalled development. Still, a recent hot stretch offers a glimmer of hope that he might be turning a corner. With the spotlight on him and opportunity knocking, this could be a pivotal moment in Marsee’s push to get back on track. Marsee’s upright stance and stiff swing make you wonder how much he’ll be able to adjust. He’s super patient at the plate, which leads to strikeouts but also a ton of walks. There’s some sneaky power in there, too. (JC)

6. Franyerber Montilla, SS, Tigers

• Team: Low-A Lakeland (Florida State)
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .556/.579/1.056 (10-for-18), 6 R, 3 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 8 RBIs, 1 BB, 2 SO, 6-for-6 SB

The Scoop: After opening eyes last summer in the Florida Complex League, Montilla is beginning to catch fire in full-season ball. The switch-hitting shortstop clubbed a pair of home runs—the second of which came as part of a four-hit effort to close his team’s series with Fort Myers—and swiped six bases in as many chances. After a moribund month of May, Montilla has been piping hot in June. Three weeks in, he’s slashed .292/.370/.446, the bulk of which was provided by his outburst this past week. (JN)

7. Carlos Lagrange, RHP, Yankees

• Team: Double-A Somerset (Eastern)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 1.69, 5.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 12 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: After getting hit around in his first two outings at Double-A, Lagrange found his groove in his third turn. The towering righthander sliced and diced New Hampshire over 5.1 innings and finished with 12 strikeouts, meaning that all but four of his outs that day came on strikes. His 20 whiffs were also the most in the classification. The big day brought Lagrange’s Double-A strikeout total to twenty and his overall season total to 74 over 57 innings between the South Atlantic and Eastern leagues. (JN)

8. Lazaro Montes, OF, Mariners 

• Team: High-A Everett (Northwest)
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .316/.435/.947 (6-for-19), 6 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 8 RBIs, 4 BB, 6 SO

The Scoop: Montes had just six hits this past week. Normally, that’s not a Hot Sheet-worthy performance. But when four of those hits are home runs, the calculus changes quickly. Montes is one of the most fearsome sluggers in Seattle’s system, and his quartet of round trippers this past week brought his season total to 18 in 66 games with the Aquasox. He leads the Northwest League by three home runs, outpacing teammate Michael Arroyo for the top spot. (JN)

9. Nathan Church, OF, Cardinals 

• Team: Triple-A Memphis (International) 
• Age: 24 
• Why He’s Here: .429/.500/1.000 (9-for-21), 6 R, 2 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBIs, 3 BB, 1 SO, 0-for-0 SB

The Scoop: One of the best outfield defenders in the minors, Church had a massive week in Triple-A, collecting three extra base hits with a pair of doubles, triples and home runs. Since being promoted to Memphis on June 6, Church has continued his impressive performance, hitting .426/.493/.656 over his first 15 games. He tallied hits in all five games in which he played and ended the week with three straight multi-hit games. Church could be up with the Cardinals at some point this summer, as his 40-man roster addition is due this Fall. (GP) 

10. Chase Burns, RHP, Reds

• Team: Triple-A Louisville (International)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here:  1-0, 1.29 ERA, 1 GS, 7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 HR, 0 BB, 10 SO

The Scoop: Could this be the final time Burns lights up the Hot Sheet? The fireballing righty is reportedly set to make his MLB debut Tuesday for the Reds, less than a year after going No. 2 overall. Prospect diehards already know what’s coming. For everyone else, prepare to be dazzled. Burns pairs a lightning-fast heater with a filthy 70-grade changeup for one of the most lethal combos of any young arm. The true test now? Thriving with two elite pitches in a velocity-saturated era. (JC)

11. Colt Emerson, SS, Mariners

• Team: High-A Everett (Northwest) 
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .529/.600/1.118 (9-for-17), 3 R, 4 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 4 RBIs, 3 BB, 1 SO, 0-for-0 SB

The Scoop: Emerson opened the week scorching hot, going 7-for-10 over his first two games with 16 total bases. He would reach base in each of the next three games but was pulled from Saturday’s game with hamstring tightness and sat on Sunday. Emerson has been excellent in the month of June, hitting .328/.443/.594. He struggled over the first two months of the season and looks like he’s rounding into form at the halfway point. Hopefully his hamstring aliment is minor, and he returns to Everett’s lineup next week. (GP)

12. Jhonny Level, SS, Giants

• Team: ACL Giants (Arizona Complex)
• Age: 18
• Why He’s Here: .353/.435/.882 (6-for-17), 6 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 5 SO, 4 BB, 2-for-2 SB

The Scoop: Level has been dubbed the top talent in the ACL by numerous scouts, and he’s proving them right every time he steps on the field. This week, he launched three more home runs, including a two-homer game, bringing him into a tie for the league lead with seven bombs. With loud tools and an even louder bat, Level is quickly turning hype into headline-worthy production. He is a powerful athlete with impressive quickness and strength for his frame. Scouts praised his advanced feel for the game and ability to impact the ball from both sides of the plate consistently. His swing is quick, efficient and built to spray line drives across the field. Defensively, he moves well at shortstop and has the arm strength to handle third base if needed. Level’s all-around tools and instincts stand out at his age, and they should translate at the next… level. (JC)

13. Tyler Locklear, 1B, Mariners

• Team: Triple-A Tacoma (Pacific)
• Age: 24
• Why He’s Here: .381/.462/.905 (8-for-21), 8 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 4 RBIs, 4 BB, 7 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: This week’s Hot Sheet is a veritable “Sea for All”. Colt Emerson, Lazaro Montes and Locklear all made the list after having outstanding weeks. Locklear did his damage at the highest level, clubbing a trio of home runs among his eight hits. The long ball barrage was 60% of the total he carried at the beginning of the week. Locklear made his big league debut in 2024. A few more weeks like this and a return trip might be in the cards. (JN)

14. Esmerlyn Valdez, OF, Pirates

• Team: High-A Greensboro (South Atlantic)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: .375/.400/.875 (9-for-24) 3 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBIs, 1 BB, 6 SO

The Scoop: Say hello to the MiLB home run leader, as Valdez’s three home runs this week gives him 19 overall. While Greensboro is a very good home run park, Valdez has been just as good away from home. He’s hit .308/.386/.632 with 10 home runs in 32 games at home and .324/.405/.604 with nine home runs in 35 games on the road. Valdez’s 22 home runs led the Florida State League last year, but it came with a .226 batting average. This year, he’s hitting .316 while showing increased power. (JJ)

15. Christian Zazueta, RHP, Dodgers

• Team: Low-A Rancho Cucamonga (California)
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here:  0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 GS, 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 0 BB, 10 SO

The Scoop: Zazueta is a tall, projectable arm with the kind of frame teams dream on. He pairs a lively fastball with a promising changeup and a developing sweeper, and he’s added a cutter that shows flashes. With potentially above-average control and improved ability to maintain his stuff deep into outings, Zazueta is starting to put the pieces together. (JC)

16. Ryan Johnson, RHP, Angels

• Team: High-A Tri-City (Northwest)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: The Angels’ 2024 second-round supplemental pick had one of the stranger introductions to professional baseball. The Angels broke camp with Johnson before he had thrown a pitch in a professional game. After spending the first six weeks of the season in the major leagues, Johnson was optioned to High-A. As he’s been stretched back out as a starter, Johnson has hit his stride, pitching to a 1.80 ERA over his last six starts with 35 strikeouts to six walks across 30 innings. This week, Johnson tossed seven scoreless innings against Hillsboro, allowing two hits and no walks as he struck out seven. He primarily mixes a cutter, sinker and slider, boasting high stuff grades on his cutter and slider. After a successful college career at Dallas Baptist, Johnson looks like he’s finding his footing in the minors. (GP) 

17. Josue De Paula, OF, Dodgers

• Team: High-A Great Lakes (Midwest)
• Age: 20 
• Why He’s Here: .235/.435/.647 (4-for-17), 6 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 5 RBIs, 6 BB, 2 SO, 4-for-4 SB

The Scoop: De Paula might not always rack up hits, but he’s usually able to find a way on base. The 20-year-old slugger collected just four knocks this past week—two of them left the park—but his weekly on-base percentage was a full 200 points higher than his batting average thanks to six walks. He wasn’t stationary on the basepaths, either, stealing four bags without being caught. In doing so, he became one of just six minor leaguers with 10 or more doubles, 10 or more home runs and 20 or more stolen bases, joining fellow Top 100 Prospects Konnor Griffin and Eduardo Quintero—also a Dodgers outfielder—in the club. (JN)

18. George Lombard Jr., SS, Yankees

• Team: Double-A Somerset (Eastern)
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .292/.414/.500 (7-for-24), 8 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 5 SO, 4 BB, 2-for-2 SB

The Scoop: Lombard entered the year with plenty of buzz, and while his Double-A transition has come with growing pains, the talent is clear. The 20-year-old continues to show poise beyond his years, delivering mature at-bats and steady leadership. Early struggles with a long stride led to whiffs—particularly on fastballs—but he’s made key adjustments. When locked in, he drives crisp line drives with flashes of power that should grow. (JC)

19. Chase DeLauter, OF, Guardians

• Team: Triple-A Columbus (International)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: .412/.476/.824 (7-for-17) 4 R, 1 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBIs, 3 BB, 1 SO

The Scoop: As has often been the case for DeLauter, injuries have interrupted his 2025 season. But as he often does, he has gotten right back to hitting now that he’s off the injured list. DeLauter is hitting .340 this month with more than twice as many walks (11) as strikeouts (5). What hasn’t come back yet is his power. He did hit two homers this week, but he’s yet to hit a ball 110 mph this year. DeLauter has been back in Triple-A for a month now, and if he can stay healthy for another month, he may be making a pitch to get his first MLB callup. (JJ)

20. Tyson Lewis, SS, Reds

• Team: ACL Reds (Arizona Complex)
• Age: 19
• Why He’s Here: .318/.348/.727 (7-for-22), 3 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 5 SO, 1 BB, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: Lewis is one of the desert’s hardest hitters, turning early swing struggles into a slick, adaptable style that’s primed for pro ball. He’s got solid power and, with his quick feet and plus speed, can hold down shortstop or even slide over to center if needed. Of course, he’s still young and working through some stuff—namely, chasing strikes when fastballs blow by him. But with his tools, Lewis is definitely one to watch. (JC)

Helium

Jorge Rodriguez, C, Red Sox

Rodriguez signed with Boston on Jan. 15, 2024 and put together a nondescript professional debut in the Dominican Summer League. He moved stateside this year and has opened a few eyes on the backfields in Fort Myers. The Venezuelan backstop has a strong, accurate arm capable of producing pop times quicker than 1.9 seconds. He went homerless in the DSL last year but has already clubbed a pair of long balls in just 15 games in the FCL, where scouts have noted a player adept at finding the barrel. In fact, the three extra-base hits he’s racked up are one more than he finished with last summer. (JN)

1. Brice Matthews, SS, Astros

• Team: Triple-A Sugar Land (Pacific Coast)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: .429/.500/.929 (12-for-28), 11 R, 1 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 7 SO, 4 BB, 2-for-2 SB

The Scoop: No one in the minors had a hotter week than Matthews. The Astros’ 23-year-old shortstop recorded multi-hit performances in four of six games, including back-to-back three-hit outings in which he homered in both contests. Matthews also showed discipline at the plate, drawing four walks. His dynamic mix of power, speed and plate awareness is making noise in the Pacific Coast League and strengthening his case for a potential big-league callup this season. (JC)

2. Konnor Griffin, SS, Pirates

• Team: High-A Greensboro (South Atlantic) 
• Age: 19 
• Why He’s Here: .407/.469/.778 (11-for-27), 10 R, 4 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 8 RBIs, 3 BB, 2 SO, 6-for-7 SB

The Scoop: In his first week in High-A, Griffin made waves, as he strung together three multi-hit games. Griffin tallied three hits on Saturday, reaching base four times with a home run and a stolen base. The all-around production his first week at a new level is impressive, and Griffin only struck out twice while reaching base 14 times over his first six games. The 19-year-old is making a case as one of the top prospects in baseball with true star upside. (GP) 

3. Jett Williams, SS, Mets

• Team: Double-A Binghamton (Eastern)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: .385/.467/.962 (10-for-26) 8 R, 3 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR, 5 RBIs, 4 BB, 7 SO, 1 SB

The Scoop: This is exactly what Williams does when he’s healthy and hitting like he can: He’s a near-perfect top-of-the-lineup spark plug. Williams is playing three positions (center field, shortstop and second base) while getting on base nearly half of the time (.464 on-base percentage this month) and putting plenty of balls in the gaps. He is a very logical candidate for a promotion before too long. (JJ)

4. Blake Wehunt, RHP, Red Sox

• Team: Double-A Portland (Eastern)
• Age: 24
• Why He’s Here:  1-0, 0.00, 0 GS, 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 HR, 1 BB, 13 SO

The Scoop: In the only game he pitched out of the bullpen this season, Wehunt had one of the finest outings of his career, as the righthander struck out a career-high 13 batters across seven innings. Standing on the rubber with a towering 6-foot-7, 240-pound frame, Wehunt uses a 93-96 mph fastball featuring armside run and a splitter that generates plenty of whiff. His sweeper flashes potential but needs refinement, while his hard curveball shows promise vs. lefties. With added strength, the oversized righty could unlock a starter’s arsenal. (JC)

5. Michael Arroyo, 2B, Mariners

• Team: High-A Everett (Northwest)
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .563/.667/1.438 (9-for-16), 5 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 9 RBIs, 2 BB, 1 SO

The Scoop: It took a little while, but Arroyo’s bat has warmed back to the levels he showed last summer in his first go-round at Everett. He homered in three straight games this past week, including a two-dinger day on June 12. The scorching stretch brings him to 14 long balls for the season and into a tie atop the Northwest League leaderboard. His equal? None other than teammate Lazaro Montes. Arroyo is also among the top two in the league in on-base percentage and slugging percentage and leads the way with a .969 OPS. (JN)

6. Jack Perkins, RHP, Athletics 

• Team: Triple-A LAs Vegas (Pacific Coast)
• Age: 25 
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 1.42, 6.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 12 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Despite being limited by injuries over the last few seasons, Perkins flashes serious upside. This week, he struck out 12 batters in 6.1 innings of one-run ball to go with two hits and two walks. In his start against Salt Lake on Thursday, Perkins generated 20 swinging strikes on 90 total pitches. With his performance in Triple-A, he could see promotion to the major leagues sometime in the coming weeks. (GP) 

7. Travis Sykora, RHP, Nationals

• Team: High-A Wilmington (South Atlantic)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 10 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Sykora has a case as the most dominant pitching prospect this season. After a couple of rehab starts in the Florida Complex and Carolina leagues, he advanced to High-A. There, he’s cut through the opposition with ruthless efficiency. His 10-strikeout effort this past week was a season-high and his second straight outing of five innings. Both of those outings were walk-free, as well. All told, Sykora has racked up 55 strikeouts and allowed just five walks over 29 innings. (JN)

8. Bob Seymour, 1B, Rays

• Team: Triple-A Durham (International)
• Age: 26
• Why He’s Here: .381/.480/.952 (8-for-21) 6 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 9 RBIs, 4 BB, 1 SO

The Scoop: Seymour has weeks like this all the time. He’s responsible for three of the 12 hardest-hit balls in Triple-A this year and has seven 110+ mph home runs, including a 110-mph blast this past week. But for now, it is going to remain a challenge for him to carve out a regular role in the big leagues, as his defensive limitations work against him. Seymour has now hit 35 home runs in just 124 Triple-A games. That should get him to the majors eventually, but the path will be a tough one. (JJ)

9. Kevin McGonigle, SS, Tigers

• Team: High-A West Michigan (Midwest)
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .500/.577/.864 (11-for-22) 10 R, 5 2B, 1 HR, 6 RBIs, 4 BB, 1 SO

The Scoop: McGonigle is ready for Double-A. The 20-year-old only just recently made it back to West Michigan after a stint on the IL, but his .415 batting average, 15 doubles and 21 runs in just 20 games are clear reminders that McGonigle, one of the best hitters in the minors, is too advanced for Midwest League pitchers. This weekend, he had a stretch in which he logged nine hits in 10 at-bats while also walking twice in the process. (JJ)

10. Esmerlyn Valdez, OF, Pirates

• Team: High-A Greensboro (South Atlantic)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: .542/.633/.833 (13-for-24), 5 R, 4 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 3 SO, 5 BB, 2-for-2 SB

The Scoop: Valdez is beginning to see the payoff from his offseason swing adjustments—which lowered his attack angle and kept his barrel in the zone longer—and it’s led to a noticeably improved contact rate. Look no further than his performance this past week to back it up. While swing-and-miss remains part of his game, the upward trend is encouraging. Valdez boasts elite raw power and exceptional exit velocities. His one defect is his limited defensive value, as he profiles best as a bat-first corner outfielder or first baseman. (JC)

11. Nestor German, RHP, Orioles

• Team:  Double-A Chesapeake (Eastern)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: 1-1, 0.00, 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: The Orioles’ 2023 11th-round pick out of Seattle University enjoyed a breakout in 2024, and so far he’s followed it up nicely in 2025, reaching Double-A early this season. Last week, German dominated in his single start against Harrisburg, as he tossed six scoreless innings and allowed three baserunners to reach while striking out six on 14 swinging strikes. German mixes a kitchen sink of secondaries with a high-ride four-seam fastball that plays above its low-to-mid-90s velocity. (GP)

12. Zach Ehrhard, OF, Red Sox 

• Team: Double-A Portland (Eastern) 
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .385/.448/.731 (10-for-26), 7 R, 3 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 3 RBIs, 2 BB, 4 SO, 5-for-5 SB

The Scoop: The Red Sox fourth-round pick has been on fire in June, hitting .311/.404/.689 over the first 13 games of the month. Last week, Ehrhard not only showed off his above-average hit tool but flashed some power and speed, as well, collecting five extra base hits and five steals. Ehrhard fits the Red Sox archetype to a tee—he’s an advanced contact hitter with a discerning eye and room to add impact. (GP) 

13. Brock Wilken, 3B, Brewers

• Team: Double-A Biloxi (Southern)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .364/.481/.864 (8-for-22), 6 R, 5 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 4 SO, 5 BB

The Scoop: Wilken’s game revolves around his impressive power. He’s physically imposing and has the strength to crush balls with plus raw pop, as evidenced by two home runs this week. He also brings a disciplined approach, showing the ability to work counts and draw walks. While lingering effects from a HBP facial injury may have impacted his confidence and consistency, he’s been working back from that, too. Swing holes persist, and while he owns a plus arm, limited mobility and range suggest a future move to first base could be in the cards. (JC)

14. Jaxon Wiggins, RHP, Cubs

• Team: Double-A Knoxville (Southern)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 1.59, 5.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 9 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Wiggins has been excellent over 12 starts split between High-A South Bend and Double-A Knoxville. In 56.1 innings, he has pitched to a 1.92 ERA, striking out 31.3% of batters he’s faced. This week, Wiggins continued his inspired performance, striking out nine batters in 5.2 innings of one-run ball. Wiggins didn’t allow a hit in the outing but did walk three with a wild pitch. Command can still be a bugaboo for Wiggins at times, but his swing-and-miss stuff could succeed in a variety of roles. Wiggins is answering questions about his viability as a starter with each passing start. (GP)

15. C.J. Kayfus, 1B/OF, Guardians

• Team: Triple-A Columbus (International)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: .429/.480/.952 (9-for-21) 6 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBIs, 3 BB, 6 SO

The Scoop: Kayfus tripled this week, and he now has eight triples this season, which is a crazy number for a hitter with average speed. What’s much less crazy is just how well he hits. Kayfus doesn’t have exceptional power, but he is a .303 career MiLB hitter who collects plenty of doubles and triples. He’s been playing plenty of right and left field recently, which may be a useful skill considering the Guardians are deeper at first base (Carlos Santana and Kyle Manzardo) than in right field. (JJ)

16. George Wolkow, OF, White Sox

• Team: Low-A Kannapolis (Carolina)
• Age: 19
• Why He’s Here: .421/.522/.895 (8-for-19), 6 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 7 RBIs, 3 BB, 3 SO, 1-for-3 SB

The Scoop: There’s little question about Wolkow’s impact potential. There is, however, plenty of reason to wonder if he’ll make enough contact. This past week, he provided a taste of what his ceiling might look like if he can sand off the rough edges. This marks the second straight week in which Wolkow has provided early-summer fireworks. Overall in June, he’s hitting .405/.490/.690 with four home runs and—more importantly—just six strikeouts in 49 plate appearances. It’s a glimmer, but it’s progress, especially considering he had punched out 53 times in his previous 183 plate appearances. (JN)

17. Eriq Swan, RHP, Dodgers

• Team: High-A Great Lakes (Midwest)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 1.50, 6 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: When he’s right, Swan produces stuff that can ruin a hitter’s day. That doesn’t matter as much when he can’t find the strike zone, but in his last two starts, he’s shown better control while racking up plenty of whiffs. His last turn was an eight-strikeout, one-run effort, building on the strong showing he’d put forth in his prior turn. In two starts this month, the righty has allowed just one run over a dozen innings while punching out 14 and issuing only two walks. (JN)

18. Owen Caissie, OF, Cubs

• Team: Triple-A Iowa (International)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .350/.458/.850 (7-for-20), 5 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 7 SO, 3 BB, 1-for-2 SB

The Scoop: Caissie combines rare power with a mature approach, and he’s now starting to connect more consistently thanks to a sharpened, more aggressive mindset at the plate. He crushes fastballs and drives the ball with authority to all fields, consistently producing loud, airborne contact. Though breaking stuff can still trip him up, he’s shown signs of adjusting. With sneaky speed, a strong arm and steady defense in the corners, Caissie is emerging as a potential middle-of-the-order threat with well-rounded upside, especially at the pace he’s progressing. (JC)

19. Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, RHP, Yankees

• Team: High-A Hudson Valley (South Atlantic)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Given Carlos Narvaez’s performance this season in Boston and Rodriguez-Cruz’s first season in pinstripes, the trade between the two rivals might turn out to be a win-win. Rodriguez-Cruz’s deep pitch mix has helped him dominate the competition in the South Atlantic League. He’s had a couple of hiccups this season, but his last two turns have been masterworks. In total in June, Rodriguez-Cruz has spun 12 innings and allowed six hits and three walks. He’s struck out 17 hitters. (JN)

20. Max Anderson, 2B, Tigers

• Team: Double-A Erie (Eastern)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: .381/.458/.810 (8-for-21) 5 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 5 RBIs, 3 BB, 3 SO

The Scoop: This is what the Tigers were drafting when they picked Anderson out of Nebraska in the second round in 2023. Anderson was a big-hitting middle infielder with a questionable glove. In 2023 and 2024, the glove concerns were shown to be warranted, but the bat didn’t match the expectations. This year, Anderson is hitting .339/.380/.578. He is still limited to second base and isn’t a plus defender there, but if Anderson keeps hitting like this, he’ll force his way to the major leagues, because hitting is the game’s most important tool. (JJ)

Helium

Juneiker Caceres, OF, Guardians

Signed for $300,000 out of Venezuela in January 2024, Caceres has been on fire since coming stateside in 2025. Over 25 games in the Arizona Complex League, Caceres has hit .312/.444/.545 with three home runs and a 19.2% walk rate to a 13.1% strikeout rate. Last week, his power broke out, as he slugged his first three home runs of the season. The outfielder shows strong bat-to-ball skills with promising underlying exit velocity data, hinting at more unrealized power in his profile. One of the top complex league players to begin 2025, Caceres should see a full-season affiliate before long. (GP) 

1. Dylan Beavers, OF, Orioles

• Team: Triple-A Norfolk (International)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: .522/.542/1.000 (12-for-23) 6 R, 1 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 3 RBIs, 1 BB, 2 SO

The Scoop: The Orioles are starting to turn around a brutal start to the season at the big league level. In the minors, Beavers is having the best season of his pro career. His .326 batting average this year is nearly the match of his .342 on-base percentage last season. The corner outfielder is hitting for average more than he’s slugging for power, but there’s little to complain about with his production. (JJ)

2. Peter Heubeck, RHP, Dodgers 

• Team: Double-A Tulsa (Texas)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 11.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 16 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: It was a Texas League two-step this week for Heubeck, as he spun two scoreless outings against Amarillo. Heubeck tossed 5.2 innings on Tuesday, holding Amarillo hitless while allowing no runs on three walks with seven strikeouts. In Sunday’s matchup, Heubeck threw six scoreless innings, allowing four hits and a walk while striking out nine. He mixes a hoppy four-seam fastball, gyro slider, two-plane curveball and changeup. A high school draft pick in 2021, Heubeck is still just 22 and getting his first taste of the upper minors in 2025. (GP) 

3. Maxton Martin, OF, Rangers

• Team: Low-A Hickory (Carolina)
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .400/.419/.767 (12-for-30), 8 R, 5 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 14 RBIs, 1 BB, 5 SO

The Scoop: Two years ago, the Rangers called Martin’s name in the 11th round and paid him $250,000 to turn pro instead of heading to Oregon for college. Now, their investment is starting to bear fruit. The Washington prep product is mashing at Low-A Hickory. This week, he more than doubled his season home run total by smacking three long balls in a series against Columbia. Even more impressive, the week’s total alone equals the number of homers he hit over 47 games in the Arizona Complex League in 2023 and 2024. (JN)

4. Colby Thomas, OF, Athletics

• Team: Triple-A Las Vegas (Pacific Coast)
• Age: 24
• Why He’s Here: .500/.500/.786/ (14-for-28), 6 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 4 SO, 0 BB, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: Thomas’ power has been his calling card since the A’s drafted him out of Mercer in the third round in 2022. With his two homers this week, Thomas has the third-most hit in all of Triple-A among active players. His slow start resulted in him falling out of the Top 100 Prospects rankings, but his bat is starting to heat back up. He still needs to work on chasing out of the zone, as he has 70 strikeouts in 58 games this season. With fellow A’s prospect Denzel Clarke getting the callup, Thomas should be the next outfielder up for a promotion if the A’s need a power-hitting bat in their hitter-friendly ballpark. (JC)

5. Jaxon Wiggins, RHP, Cubs

• Team: Double-A Knoxville (Southern)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: 0-0, 1.59, 11.1 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 12 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Wiggins’ season started in the Midwest League where he dominated over six appearances, pitching to a 1.71 ERA over 26.1 innings. Since he received the promotion to Double-A on May 15, he’s continued to roll. Wiggins made two starts this week, going 6.1 innings on Tuesday and allowing two runs on three hits and a walk while striking out four. On Sunday, he dazzled over five scoreless innings, scattering four hits with no walks and striking out eight. Wiggins moved up in the most recent Cubs Top 30 update and is the organization’s best pitcher not in the majors. (GP)

6. Kaelen Culpepper, SS, Twins

• Team: High-A Cedar Rapids (Midwest)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .423/.464/.808 (11-for-26), 6 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 4 SO, 2 BB, 3-for-3 SB

The Scoop: What wasn’t to like about Culpepper coming out of last year’s draft? He brought a strong track record of success, showcased his hitting abilities both at Kansas State and in the Cape Cod League and offered defensive versatility across the infield. Now, in his first full season of pro ball, Culpepper is adding another tool to his game: power. The 22-year-old has already launched eight home runs and is on pace to eclipse his collegiate high of 11. The underlying metrics support the surge, as his 90th percentile exit velocity sits at an impressive 104.2 mph, signaling that the added pop is no fluke. (JC)

7. Carson DeMartini, SS, Phillies

• Team: High-A Jersey Shore (South Atlantic)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .360/.407/.800 (9-for-25), 7 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 5 RBIs, 2 BB, 6 SO, 0-for-1 SB

The Scoop: DeMartini has been fairly steady through the first half of the season at Jersey Shore, home to a park known to play havoc on hitters—lefties especially—in the early months of the season. There’s been a bit too much swing-and-miss, but he’s balanced those whiffs with a healthy dose of walks. This past week, the power started to show up. He swatted three home runs in a series at Bowling Green, doubling his season output in the process. The cherry on top came Sunday, when he went yard twice to close the week. (JN)

8. Jonah Tong, RHP, Mets

• Team: Double-A Binghamton (Eastern)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 11 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Tong has been nothing short of magnificent all season long. He lived up to that descriptor once more in his turn against Somerset when he punched out 11 over five hitless frames. The outing was his fourth of the season without a hit on his ledger and the third that lasted five innings or longer. It was also his third start of the year with 10 or more strikeouts. His 83 strikeouts on the year are the fourth-most in the minors, just five behind Trey Yesavage for the overall lead. (JN)

9. Khal Stephen, RHP, Blue Jays

• Team: High-A (Northwest)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: 0-0, 1.50, 6 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 11 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: The Blue Jays look to have struck gold with their first three picks in last July’s draft, as Trey Tesavage, Khal Stephen and Johnny King all made jumps in the most recent Top 30 update. Stephen had a particularly notable week in his third High-A start. He enjoyed his longest outing of the season on Tuesday, tossing six innings and allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits and no walks with 11 strikeouts. The 11 strikeouts were a career high, and he generated 14 swinging strikes. Stephen conservatively looks like a No. 4 starter long term with a chance to be a midrotation arm. (GP) 

10. Orelvis Martinez, 3B, Blue Jays

• Team: Triple-A Rochester (International)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: .308/.357/.769 (8-for-26), 5 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 5 RBI, 6 SO, 2 BB

The Scoop: To say Martinez has a lot to prove is an understatement. He flashed big-time power in Triple-A last year and earned a big league debut because of it. Then came the 80-game suspension, and he hasn’t quite looked like the same guy since… until this week. Suddenly, it looks like he remembered how to hit baseballs really hard again. If he can become more disciplined at the plate, there should be a spot for him to contribute at the MLB level. (JC)

11. Roc Riggio, 2B, Yankees

• Team: Double-A Somerset (Eastern)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .318/.318/.909 (7-for-22), 4 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 7 RBIs, 0 BB, 6 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: The powers that be might want to ship a few more baseballs Somerset’s way. At the rate Riggio is losing them, they might be in danger of running out. The Oklahoma State product and fourth-rounder from two drafts ago has found his power stroke in a big way in 2025. With nine homers so far, he’s just two off the total he produced in 107 games last season, which he spent at High-A Hudson Valley. He clubbed more than half that total in just 20 games with the Renegades this season before earning a promotion to Double-A, where he’s already pumped a pair of pitches over the wall. (JN)

12. Jack Perkins, RHP, Athletics

• Team: Triple-A Las Vegas (Pacific Coast)
• Age: 25
• Why He’s Here: 0-0, 0.00, 1 GS, 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 HR, 2 BB, 10 SO

The Scoop: Pitching prospects like Gunnar Hoglund and J.T. Ginn have already made their mark for the A’s in West Sacramento. If he keeps stacking quality outings, Perkins could be the next to join that wave. There’s a good chance he’d already be contributing if not for the injury setbacks that have derailed the starts of his last couple of seasons. So far, Perkins has lived up to his billing. He commands the strike zone well and is getting hitters to miss with his lively four-seam fastball sitting 94–97 mph. His improved slider with extra sweep has been complementary, as well. (JC)

13. Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, RHP, Yankees

• Team: High-A Hudson Valley (South Atlantic)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Even with Carlos Lagrange off to Double-A, Hudson Valley’s rotation is still home to one of the more prospect-laden rotations in the minors. Rodriguez-Cruz was an up-arrow prospect last summer with the Red Sox before the two rivals hooked up on a trade that sent backstop Carlos Narvaez to the Bay State. This week’s outing was his longest of the season and the third in which he’s lasted six or more shutout frames. His 66 strikeouts are tied for the fifth-most in the South Atlantic League and are just five off the total currently held by Nationals prospect Alex Clemmey. (JN)

14. Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, Diamondbacks

• Team: High-A Hillsboro (Northwest)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: 360/.448/.760 (9-for-25), 9 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 3 SO, 3 BB, 0-for-1 SB

The Scoop: The 22-year-old’s offensive breakout didn’t happen by accident. Waldschmidt came into the year intent on fine-tuning his bat path, and it’s paid off in a big way. His swing now marries precision with intent—aggressive when it needs to be, but always under control. That balance has helped him consistently drive the ball with authority, backed by a 90th percentile exit velocity of 106 mph. Just as impressive, he’s done it without selling out for power, showing mature zone awareness and a knack for laying off pitches on which he can’t do damage. (JC)

15. Konnor Griffin, RHP, Pirates

• Team: Low-A Bradenton (Florida State)
• Age: 19
• Why He’s Here: .565/.600/.739 (13-for-23) 8 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 7 RBIs, 2 BB, 4 SO, 1 SB

The Scoop: Griffin is getting promoted to High-A Greensboro, so this was his final week in the Florida State League. He leaves as the league’s best player. After facing questions about his hit tool in high school, he departs the FSL as the batting leader (.338). He also is second in home runs (nine), first in hits (70), slugging percentage (.536), runs (49) and total bases (111). He’s been everything the Pirates could have hoped for so far. (JJ)

16. Luis Cova, OF, Marlins

• Team: DSL Marlins
• Age: 18
• Why He’s Here: .400/.500/.900 (8-for-20), 7 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 5 RBIs, 4 BB, 6 SO, 2-for-2 SB

The Scoop: In 55 games last year, Cova hit three home runs. In five games this year, Cova has—you guessed it—three home runs. The gem of Miami’s 2024 international class has opened the Dominican Summer League season on fire, showing early hints of the five-tool promise that prompted Miami to add him to their system. Cova rapped out eight total hits in the DSL’s first week, a figure that gives him 18.1% of the total he produced in all of 2024. (JN)

17. Blaze Jordan, 1B, Red Sox

• Team: Triple-A Worcester (International)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .375/.400/.750 (9-for-24) 6 R, 6 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBIs, 1 BB, 3 SO

The Scoop: The Red Sox do not have a clear answer to replace the injured Triston Casas. The idea of putting Kristian Campbell there has been shelved—at least for now—and the club is running with Romy Gonzalez and Abraham Toro. Jordan has significant first base experience, and in his first week in Triple-A, he seemed to embrace the challenge of a new level after hitting .390 in his final month in Double-A. While Jordan was known for his power in high school, he’s been successful this year in being a line-drive doubles hitter. (JJ)

18. Samuel Zavala, OF, White Sox 

• Team: High-A Winston-Salem
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .600/.652/.900 (12-for-20), 5 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBIs, 3 BB, 5 SO, 2-for-3 SB

The Scoop: In the not-too-distant past, Zavala was a Top 100 Prospect. But after a down year in 2024, he saw his prospect pedigree dim. Returning to High-A to begin 2025, Zavala has caught fire in June, logging 14 hits this month across seven games. This week, Zavala had three multi-hit games, including a four-hit game on Tuesday. Zavala didn’t just save the fireworks for the week’s opening game, either, as he ended the week with home runs on Saturday and Sunday. Zavala has some work still to do to recover his prospect status, but he has a shot due to his on-base ability and power. (GP) 

19. Brandon Winokur, SS/OF, Twins

• Team: High-A Cedar Rapids (Midwest)
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .409/.480/.773 (9-for-22) 6 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBIs, 2 BB, 2 SO, 2 SB

The Scoop: Winokur needed a week like this one. It has been a season of struggles for the extremely tall and extremely athletic Twins prospect. After hitting under .220 in each of the first two months of the season, this week Winokur had just six fewer hits than he had in all of April. More importantly, he had just two strikeouts after fanning 33 times in just 26 games last month. Some patience is going to be required with Winokur, as he’s long-levered and will always have some difficulties covering the whole plate. But his upside is immense. Winokur continues to play shortstop, third base and center field, but the Twins are heavily weighing his playing time toward center in recent weeks. (JJ)

20. Wyatt Sanford, SS, Pirates

• Team: Low-A Bradenton (Florida State)
• Age: 19
• Why He’s Here: .364/.440/.773 (8-for-22) 8 R, 3 HR, 10 RBIs, 2 BB, 3 SO, 3 SB

The Scoop: While this was Konnor Griffin’s last week in Bradenton, it was Sanford’s first week. He was bumped up to the Florida State League after a Florida Complex League stint largely notable for his ability to recognize how few strikes some FCL pitchers throw. He walked 15 times in 20 games. The Low-A league has proven a great fit so far. Playing every infield position other than first base, Sanford had a pair of three-hit games and three home runs after hitting just one in the FCL. (JJ)

Helium

Yhoiker Fajardo, RHP, Red Sox

The Red Sox acquired Fajardo for Cam Booser in a December trade with the White Sox. After sitting more low-to-mid 90s in the spring, he has found another gear with the FCL Red Sox this season. He was sitting 95-97 mph on Friday with two fastball shapes, a gyro slider and a kick changeup. It’s an interesting mix, and Fajardo has gotten results. In his stateside debut, Fajardo has made five appearances, pitching to a 0.55 ERA. Over 16.1 innings, he’s struck out 18 batters to four walks and has yet to allow a home run. Fajardo has a chance to debut with Low-A Salem this summer and is a name to keep an eye on in a deep Red Sox system. (GP)

1. Kevin McGonigle, SS, Tigers

• Team: High-A West Michigan (Midwest)
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .591/.679/.864 (13-for-22) 8 R, 3 2B, 1 HR, 8 RBIs, 6 BB, 0 SO, 0-for-2 SB

The Scoop: About the only knock with McGonigle is that he’s missed more time than he, the Tigers or anyone other than opposing pitchers would like. McGonigle didn’t make it back to West Michigan until May 21 because of an ankle injury. Since then, he’s 16-for-31 (.516) with 11 walks and three strikeouts in nine games. It’s understandable that the Tigers want to knock the rust off, but McGonigle is just too good for the Midwest League. (JJ)

2. Shay Whitcomb, SS, Astros

• Team: Triple-A Sugar Land (Pacific Coast) 
• Age: 26 
• Why He’s Here: .600/.600/1.350 (12-for-20), 7 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 5 HR, 8 RBIs, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0-for-0 SB

The Scoop: Whitcomb has been one of the premier power hitters in the minors over the last three seasons, slugging 78 homers since 2023. Last week, Whitcomb continued his slugging exploits by hitting five homers over three games. The biggest splash came in the form of a three-home run game on Wednesday, as Whitcomb went 4-for-5 with five RBIs. Whitcomb is 26 and has already seen some time in the big leagues. He’s likely to be an up-and-down player over the next several years. (GP) 

3. Ryan Ritter, SS, Rockies

• Team: Triple-A Albuquerque (Pacific Coast)
• Age: 24
• Why He’s Here: .474/.542/1.211 (9-for-19), 5 R, 0 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 3 SO, 4 BB

The Scoop: Ritter was blazing hot in May—the type of heat to fry an egg on the Arizona sidewalk at high noon in June. He led the minors in home runs (12), total bases (89) and OPS (1.363) while slashing .381/.445/.918. He also slugged five homers over a two-game stretch. Everything has been working well for Ritter, as he chases less and hits the ball even harder than before (103.3 90th percentile exit velocity). With Ritter’s help, the Isotopes have won 26 games, while the Rockies haven’t even reached 10 victories. It might be time to let the hot young infielder contribute at the major league level. (JC)

4. Josue Briceño, C/1B, Tigers

• Team: High-A West Michigan (Midwest)
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .375/.545/1.375 (6-for-16) 8 R, 1 2B, 5 HR, 12 RBIs, 6 BB, 4 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: It’s reasonable to wonder how long the West Michigan fans will continue to get to watch this terrific trio, but the combination of McGonigle, Briceño and Max Clark is one of the best prospect groupings in the minors. Briceño’s power is prodigious. In his three-homer game this week, he smashed a line drive opposite field over the left field fence, pulled two over the right field fence and added a double off the 402-foot sign in center field to complete the set. (JJ)

5. Eduardo Quintero, OF, Dodgers

• Team: Low-A Rancho Cucamonga (California)
• Age: 19
• Why He’s Here: .480/.533/.880 (12-for-25), 5 R, 3 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 7 RBIs, 4 BB, 5 SO, 4-for-5 SB

The Scoop: All things—good or bad—must come to an end. Quintero’s 0-for-4 effort on Sunday reinforced that truism and brought to halt his 33-game on-base streak, which at the time was the longest in the minor leagues. The 19-year-old Quintero was the top prospect in the Arizona Complex League a summer ago and has only raised his stock by doing the same to the trajectory of his batted balls. Grounders have become line drives and flyballs, and in the process, contact has become impact. The result is a sublime start to the season and an addition to BA’s Top 100 Prospects. (JN)

6. Bubba Chandler, RHP, Pirates

• Team: Triple-A Indianapolis (International)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: 0-0, 3.00, 1 GS, 5 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 HR, 0 BB, 13 SO

The Scoop: Chandler’s four-seam fastball is one of the nastiest weapons in the International League. He touched 100 mph again this week, which is a pretty normal part of his outings, as he’s recorded 24 pitches of 100+ mph this year. The results are equally impressive. His 41.1% whiff rate on his four-seam fastball is easily the best among Triple-A starters. (JJ)

7. Alex Clemmey, LHP, Nationals

• Team: High-A Wilmington (South Atlantic)
• Age: 19
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 11 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 7 BB, 18 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: When Clemmey’s right, he’s unhittable. When he’s wrong, he’s also unhittable, but for different reasons. Both scenarios leave hitters flailing at high-velocity heaters and sidewinding sliders, but the latter also sees taking long looks at plenty of pitches out of the strike zone before strolling to first base. With 18 more strikeouts and seven more walks over two starts against Hudson Valley this past week, Clemmey now owns a preposterous 32.8% strikeout rate to go with an 18.6% walk rate that leaves plenty of room for improvement. With even moderate improvements to his control, he could be a dominant late-game reliever. If he can become an average strike-thrower, the sky’s the limit. (JN)

8. David Sandlin, RHP, Red Sox

• Team: Double-A Portland (Eastern)
• Age: 24
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Sandlin came to the Red Sox from the Royals in the deal that sent John Schrieber to Kansas City. After a middling first month of the season, Sandlin has turned it on in May. The righthander and Oklahoma alum punched out eight more hitters in his final turn of the season’s second month, leaving him with a total of 29 strikeouts against five walks over 25.2 innings. If he can continue sharpening his control and command, he has an outside chance of making his big league debut by season’s end. (JN)

9. Cole Young, SS, Mariners

• Team: Triple-A Tacoma (Pacific Coast) 
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: .500/.632/.714 (7-for-14), 4 R, 3 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBIs, 0 BB, 1 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: It’s not often that a player hits .500 on any given week and it ends up not being the most memorable thing about the week. But that’s what happened for Young, who earned the callup to the major leagues this week and preceded to walk it off in his first career start. Prior to that, Young racked up seven hits over four games, spearheaded by a five-hit game on Wednesday. Young has shown improved power in 2025, though, whether or not that translates to the major leagues is up for some debate. He does show advanced bat-to-ball skills, approach and defensive ability in the middle infield. (GP) 

10. Alfredo Duno, C, Reds

• Team: Low-A Daytona (Florida State)
• Age: 19
• Why He’s Here: .450/.607/.850 (9-for-20) 7 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBIs, 8 BB, 4 SO

The Scoop: Duno has been one of the best hitters in the Florida State League this year, as you have to remember to mentally adjust for just how hard this league is for hitters. Only three hitters are slugging above .500 in the league. As good as Duno’s power has been, the most important development this year is that he’s has stayed healthy. He has been limited in each of his first two pro seasons, so Duno will set a career high in games played sometime next week. (JJ)

11. Brice Matthews, 2B, Astros 

• Team: Triple-A Sugar Land (Pacific Coast) 
• Age: 23 
• Why He’s Here: .563/.632/1.125 (9-for-16), 4 R, 3 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 9 RBIs, 3 BB, 2 SO, 0-for-0 SB

The Scoop: The Space Cowboys took flight this week in Albuquerque as Matthews joins teammate Shay Whitcomb on the list. Matthews collected hits in all five games in which he played, including three consecutive multi-hit games. His biggest game of the week came on Friday when he went 3-for-4 with a double, home run and seven total bases. Matthews enters the first full week of June hitting .272/.401/.450 with six home runs and 16 stolen bases. He provides the Astros a player who can play multiple positions in the infield while showing above-average on-base skills, power and speed. (GP) 

12. Josue De Paula, OF, Dodgers

• Team: High-A Great Lakes (Midwest)
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .421/.607/.632 (8-for-19), 7 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBIs, 9 BB, 6 SO, 3-for-3 SB

The Scoop: De Paula is part of the outfield of dreams the Dodgers have in place at High-A Great Lakes, where he and Zyhir Hope, Kendall George and now Mike Sirota have combined to wreck shop on Midwest League competition all season long. De Paula’s hallmarks are power and patience, and he’s shown both in spades in the early going. He’s one of five players 20 years old or younger in full-season ball with more walks than strikeouts, and his eight home runs are double the second-highest total among that group. (JN)

13. Gabriel Gonzalez, OF, Twins

• Team: Double-A Wichita (Texas)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: .455/.520/.773 (10-for-22) 5 R, 3 2B, 2 3B, 1 BB, 2 SO

The Scoop: A back injury derailed Gonzalez’s 2024 season and led to concerns about whether he could get back to his early-career form at the plate. This year, Gonzalez is healthy and mashing. He’s equaled last year’s five home runs in a little more than half as many games. Gonzalez is a corner outfielder who has to really hit to pave a path to the majors, and that’s exactly what he’s doing this year. (JJ)

14. Gage Jump, LHP, Athletics

• Team: Double-A Midland (Texas) 
• Age: 22 
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Over the first two months of the season, Jump has been arguably the hottest pitcher on the planet. He takes his now weekly spot on Hot Sheet after tossing six more scoreless innings this week. Jump struck out seven and allowed just four hits while not walking a batter. He has flashed plus fastball command over the first two months, as he’s dominated with his heater. The former LSU lefty has been excellent this season, and the move to Double-A hasn’t slowed him at all. (GP) 

 15. Brooks Brannon, C, Red Sox

• Team: High-A Greenville (South Atlantic)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: .524/.524/1.048 (11-for-21), 9 R, 3 2B, 1 3B,  2 HR, 8 RBI, 3 SO, 0 BB

The Scoop: Back injuries are no joke—tough to deal with, even tougher to come back from. Brannon strained his in 2023, and it lingered into the next season. But this year, he’s clearly found his rhythm again. Most importantly, he’s back to doing what he does best: hitting the ball hard. That raw power was one of his calling cards coming out of the 2022 draft, and it’s showing up loud and clear now. His top exit velocity this season? A scorching 119.8 mph. Average? A solid 92.2 mph. (JC)

16. Tirso Ornelas, OF, Padres

• Team: Triple-A El Paso (Pacific Coast)
• Age: 25
• Why He’s Here: .435/.480/.957 (10-for-23), 4 R, 6 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 4 SO, 2 BB

The Scoop: Ornelas has been a familiar name in the Padres’ farm system since signing out of Mexico back in 2017. After years of putting in the work, he finally got his shot in San Diego, making his debut earlier this season. He’s consistently been one of the more reliable performers in the organization, using his 6-3, 200-pound frame to his advantage and leaning on the strength that’s been a big part of his game. Although, this season, his over-the-fence power hasn’t been up to the level it was last year. He has three homers this season, two of which were hit in back-to-back games this week. (JC)

17. Carter Jensen, C, Royals 

• Team: Double-A Northwest Arkansas (Texas)
• Age: 21 
• Why He’s Here: .480/.480/.760 (12-for-25), 7 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBIs, 0 BB, 6 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: After a difficult April in which he hit .222/.300/.311, Jensen got himself right in May, hitting .312/.379/.450. Last week, Jensen strung together five multi-hit games as he caught fire against Springfield. His high point of the week came on Saturday, as he went 3-for-6 with a triple and home run. Jensen shows above-average game power with on-base skills. Always been considered a bat-first catcher, he’s also been successful throwing out runners in 2025, as he currently has a 28.6% success rate. (GP) 

18. Brady House, SS, Nationals

• Team: Triple-A Rochester (International)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: .375/.464/.667 (9-for-24), 6 R, 4 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 5 SO, 4 BB

The Scoop: Whose house? Looks like it’s Brady’s. House cracked double-digit homers this week and just keeps hammering the ball—something he’s done consistently since the day he joined the Nationals organization. The power is real, and the approach keeps getting sharper with every at-bat. He’s putting together quality plate appearances and doing damage. Cutting down his chase rate should help him get ahead in counts and be in a better position to do damage before he reaches the majors. (JC)

19. Trey Gibson, RHP, Orioles

• Team: High-A Delmarva (South Atlantic)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: 0-0, 3.00, 6 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, HR, 0 BB, 13 SO

The Scoop: Gibson’s season has been better than it appears. He needs to reign in the home runs, as he seems to give up one blast a game and has held opponents’ homerless just three times in nine outings. But when he’s not giving up homers, he’s striking everyone else out. This week, Gibson gave up a two-run home run, but those two hits (and homer) in a three-batter stretch were the only baserunners he allowed. His slider and curveball are filthy at their best, and his 67 strikeouts are tied with Alex Clemmey for second most among High-A pitchers. (JJ)

20. Cedric De Grandpre, RHP, Braves

• Team: High-A Rome (South Atlantic)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 1 GS, 6 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 HR, 2 BB, 10 SO

The Scoop: De Grandpre is a true grinder. A native of Saint-Simon-de-Bagot, Quebec, the righty moved to the U.S. to pitch at Chipola Junior College in Florida. It was a bold move that paid off when the Braves selected him in the 13th round of the 2022 draft and signed him for $237,500. De Grandpre was placed on the full-season injured list in 2024, and his recovery crept into this year. After making two rehab appearances in the Florida Complex League, De Grandpre struck out a career-high 10 batters in his return over six scoreless innings. (JC)

Helium

Dillon Lewis, OF, Yankees

When the Yankees called Lewis’ name last summer, they made him just the second player to be drafted out of Queens College of Charlotte. They did so on the strength of a very loud tool set that has shown up in spades in pro ball. Scouts go as high as double-plus on Lewis’ raw power and give him plus grades for his speed, as well. That combination alone is enough to raise eyebrows, but there’s plenty of room for improvement as he moves up the ladder. The Yankees are working with Lewis to raise the trajectories of his batted balls, and in doing so, his miss rates are elevated. His nine home runs and 13 stolen bases are each among the top 10 in his organization, and he’s one of just five minor leaguers to reach both of those plateaus this season. (JN)

1. Jac Caglianone, 1B/OF, Royals

• Team: Triple-A Omaha (Pacific Coast)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .346/.357/.923 (9-for-26) 5 HR, 10 RBIs, 1 BB, 4 SO

The Scoop: Kyle Isbel leads all Royals outfielders in home runs… with three. He’s the only Royals outfielder with more than one homer this year. Royals outfielders have combined for seven home runs this season, which is two more than Caglianone hit this week. So, it’s fair to say that the Caglianone countdown is starting to get deafening in Kansas City. There still are real questions about whether he’s capable of holding down an outfield spot defensively—he’s played just 10 games there so far—but there’s little question at this point that, the moment he gets the call, Caglianone will immediately become one of the biggest power threats in the Royals’ lineup. (JJ)

2. Chase Burns, RHP, Reds

• Team: Double-A Chattanooga (Southern)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: 2-0, 1.80 ERA, 10 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 17 SO, 1 HR

The Scoop: Well, what more can you say? Burns has been dominant at every stop—from the backfields, to High-A and now Double-A. The hard-throwing righty wrapped up a stellar week with a career-best 10 strikeouts, showcasing the kind of electric stuff that demands attention. He’s flashed elite command, issuing just one walk over his two outings. His fastball touches triple digits and pairs with a wicked slider. Both carry 70 grades—a rare combination for a pitcher this young and this polished. (JC)

3. Gage Jump, LHP, Athletics

• Team: Double-A Midland (Texas)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: 2-0, 1.38 ERA, 12 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 16 SO, 1 HR

The Scoop: Jump has been one of the most-featured players on the Hot Sheet over the past month. Could a leap onto the Top 100 Prospects list be next for the LSU product? At his current pace, he’s making quite the case. Jump has 20 strikeouts in 18 innings and has allowed just two runs in his first three starts at Double-A. The lefty’s success originates from his fastball, which sits at 94-95 mph, mixing in strong control and causing batters to whiff. He’s drawn comparisons to Cubs lefty Shota Imanaga, who is another undersized southpaw whose deceptive delivery amplifies the effectiveness of his arsenal. (JC)

4. Ryan Ritter, SS, Rockies

• Team: Triple-A Albuquerque 
• Age: 24 
• Why He’s Here: .433/.452/1.000 (13-for-30), 8 R, 5 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 8 RBIs, 1 BB, 5 SO, 0-for-0 SB

The Scoop: After hitting 24 home runs in his first professional season, Ritter only hit seven in 2024. This season, he’s reversed course, slugging his 10th, 11th and 12th home runs of the year on Sunday. Ritter’s first three home-run game might have gotten him onto the top of the Hot Sheet this week, but he’s been hot all season. He has improved his contact and swing decisions in 2025 and looks to be knocking on the door for a callup. Over 45 games with Triple-A Albuquerque, Ritter is hitting .284/.400/.580 with a 137 wRC+. A strong defender who can stick at shortstop long term, Ritter’s bat has caught up to his glove. (GP)

5. Travis Sykora, RHP, Nationals

• Team: High-A Wilmington (Nationals)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: 0-0, 0.00, 7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 14 SO, 1 HR

The Scoop: Sykora’s season was delayed by hip surgery, leaving him to rehab until May 3 when he made the first of two rehab appearances in the Florida Complex League. Those were followed by two more at Low-A, a level he dominated in 2024. On May 25, the Nationals bumped the righty to High-A. You’ll never guess what happened next: Sykora sliced and diced the Aberdeen IronBirds for four innings, finishing with nine strikeouts, no runs and just a hit and a walk on his ledger. The 16 swings and misses he coaxed were tied for the second-most in all of High-A. For the season, Sykora has punched out 32 hitters in 15 innings. (JN)

6. Lazaro Montes, OF, Mariners

• Team: High-A Everett (Northwest)
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .375/.400/.792 (9-for-24), 5 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 6 RBIs, 1 BB, 6 SO

The Scoop: Hitting a baseball so high and so far that it clears the batter’s eye might leave a mark. Doing it twice in one series? Let’s call that a Laz-eration. Montes pummeled a pair of pitches from Hops hurlers over the big blue wall in dead center field at Hillsboro Stadium for two of his three longballs over the past week. The outburst helped make Montes the first player in the Northwest League to reach 10 home runs. For context, the NWL’s leader in that category last year was Cole Carrigg, who hit 16 home runs. Montes is just six off of that mark with more than three months to go in the season. (JN)

7. Jesus Baez, SS/3B, Mets

• Team: High-A Brooklyn (South Atlantic)
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .647/.739/1.059 (11-for-17), 6 R, 1 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBIs, 6 BB, 0 SO, 0-for-1 SB

The Scoop: Baez reached High-A as a 19-year-old last year but lost momentum when he had season-ending meniscus surgery on his knee in July. The Mets slow-played Baez in spring training, and his rust was evident early this season. After hitting just .187 with no thump in April, it’s been a different story in May. Baez collected six hits with two homers and seven RBIs in a May 23 doubleheader at Jersey Shore and, overall in May, is hitting .377/.482/.594 with four homers, 21 RBIs, 12 walks and 10 strikeouts in 20 games. (ME)

8. Arjun Nimmala, SS, Blue Jays

• Team: High-A Vancouver (Northwest)
• Age: 19
• Why He’s Here: .364/.400/.773 (8-for-22), 4 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBIs, 2 BB, 3 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: This is what future stars look like. Young for the level? Nimmala was the second-youngest player in the Northwest League on Opening Day. Premium position? Nimmala has played shortstop on all of his non-DH days. Big-time performance? Nimmala’s name is all over the NWL’s offensive leaderboard, including the top spot for doubles (12) and extra-base hits (22, tied with Lazaro Montes), and second in home runs (nine), slugging percentage (.540) and total bases (87). With his early-season output, it’s clear that Nimmala has staked his claim as the best in the nest. (JN)

9. Kyle Teel, C, White Sox

• Team: Triple-A Charlotte (International)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: .500/.636/1.188 (8-for-16) 7 R, 2 2B, 3 HR, 6 RBIs, 65 BB, 5 SO

The Scoop: If you can string together a decent game night after night, you can put together a very solid season. And Teel has strung together a long run of solid games, even if he’s rarely been spectacular. He’s gotten a hit in 20 of his past 21 games, although his two three-hit games this week were his first three-hit games since March. He had a 10-game hitting streak earlier this month where he never had a multi-hit game. But Teel is hitting .356/.465/.644 this month and .293/.397/.490 overall. (JJ)

10. Sal Stewart, 3B, Reds

• Team: Double-A Chattanooga (Southern)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: .400/.444/.680 (10-for-25), 5 R, 4 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 4 SO, 2 BB

The Scoop: When Stewart gets hits, they tend to come in bunches—and he’s been piling them up. He’s notched 18 multi-hit games this season—including three more this past week—and is continuing to showcase the consistency and bat-to-ball skills that made him such a highly-regarded prospect. Long praised for his advanced approach at the plate, Stewart is backing it up with the numbers. He’s missing just 22.4% of the time overall, and his in-zone whiff rate sits just under 20%—a strong indicator of his pitch recognition and feel for the barrel. Stewart owns a 104.6 mph 90th percentile exit velocity, showing he’s consistently squaring balls up with authority. His max exit velocity of 110.4 mph adds even more intrigue, hinting at untapped power that could show up more consistently as he matures.  (JC)

11. David Davalillo, RHP, Rangers

• Team: High-A Hub City (South Atlantic)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 10 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Last season, Davalillo led the minor leagues with a 1.88 ERA. This year, he’s doing it again… only better. Through eight starts, Davalillo has allowed just four earned runs. After some quick work on a nearby abacus, we can conclude that he’s averaging one earned run every two starts. That’s good for an ERA of 0.92. Davalillo’s most recent turn might have been his finest yet. He struck out a season-best 10 and got 18 swings and misses in the process. Over his last two turns, Davalillo has allowed four hits and two walks, struck out 17 and allowed—get this—no earned runs. (JN)

12. Trey Yesavage, RHP, Blue Jays

• Team: High-A Vancouver (Northwest)
• Age: 21 
• Why He’s Here: 0-0, 2.25, 8 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 6 BB, 19 SO, 1 HR

The Scoop: Promoted to High-A just a week ago, Yesavage did a two-step in his first week with Vancouver. The 2024 first-round pick made two starts against Eugene striking out 10 on Monday and then punching out another nine on Sunday. Yesavage did struggle with command in each start, however, as he walked three batters in each outing. Up to this point, Yesavage has dominated both levels of A-ball with his high-rise four-seam fastball, cutter and splitter. If he continues to beat up on High-A competition, Yesavage should be in Double-A by the all-star break. (GP)

13. Franklin Arias, SS, Red Sox

• Team: High-A Greenville (South Atlantic)
• Age: 19
• Why He’s Here: .571/.571/.762 (12-for-21), 4 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBIs, 0 BB, 1 SO, 2-for-3 SB

The Scoop: Last year, in BA’s annual article surveying scouts about the best players they saw in the backfields during spring training, one evaluator had this to say about Arias: “His arrow is pointing up this spring after a minor league camp where he showed off fluid athleticism and a swing that was both malleable up and down the zone and geared toward shooting line drives to all sectors.” More than a year later, those words look prophetic. The 19-year-old Arias made quick work of Low-A Salem in the early days of the season and didn’t skip a beat after moving to High-A. He’s 32 for his first 89 in 21 South Atlantic League games and has struck out just eight times in 96 plate appearances. (JN)

14. Braxton Ashcraft, RHP, Pirates

• Team: Triple-A Indianapolis (International)
• Age: 25 
• Why He’s Here: 0-1, 4.50, 6 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO, 2 HR

The Scoop: The Pirates, despite being one of the worst teams in MLB, boast one of the best Triple-A rotations in the game with Bubba Chandler, Thomas Harrington and Braxton Ashcraft. Despite giving up some hard contact on Wednesday (two home runs) Ashcraft walked just one batter while striking out nine. Ashcraft had the swing-and-miss stuff working in this start as he generated a season-high 19 swinging strikes. Ashcraft has shown serious development over the last few seasons, displaying starter upside after an injury-plagued start to his career. (GP) 

15. Emil Morales, SS, Dodgers

• Team: ACL Dodgers (Arizona Complex) 
• Age: 18 
• Why He’s Here: .381/.409/.905 (8-for-21), 5 R, 1 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 9 RBIs, 1 BB, 3 SO, 0-for-0 SB

The Scoop: The Dodgers’ embarrassment of riches seems to be never-ending, as Morales is one of the top prospects in the Arizona Complex League. Morales tallied a hit in all five games this week and had multiple-hit games on Monday and Thursday. He bookended the week with home runs on Monday and Saturday. Morales is hitting .266/.333/.563 with four home runs over 16 ACL games. He’s shown some concerning swing-and-miss early, but it’s coming with impact power in-game. (GP) 

16. Jacob Gonzalez, SS, White Sox

• Team: Double-A Birmingham (Southern)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .304/.292/.696 (7-for-23) 6 R, 3 HR, 5 RBIs, 5 SO, 2 SBs

The Scoop: This is easily the best week of Gonzalez’s relatively young pro career. The 2023 first-round pick had never hit three home runs in a month before he hit three this week. Power is not usually Gonzalez’s calling card, but you wouldn’t be able to tell that from a week in which he was a pull-happy slugger. (JJ)

17. Keiner Delgado, 2B, Pirates

• Team: High-A Greensboro (South Atlantic)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: .409/.581/1.000 (9-for-22), 8 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 6 SO, 7 BB

The Scoop: Delgado was revealed as the player to be named later in the trade that sent JT Brubaker to the Yankees back in April 2024. After back-to-back strong seasons in the Yankees system, he struggled to carry that momentum into his first year with the Pirates. But in 2025, he’s starting to trend in the right direction and looking more like the version of himself that once impressed. This past week may have been his best yet, highlighted by a three-homer performance in what was his first career multi-homer game. It’s an encouraging sign of things possibly turning around. That said, there’s still work to do, particularly with his approach, as swing-and-miss and chase remain areas to tighten up. (JC).

18. Blaze Jordan, 1B/3B, Red Sox

• Team: Double-A Portland (Eastern)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .435/.500/.739 (10-for-23) 4 R, 1 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBIs, 2 BB, 3 SO, 2 SB

The Scoop: Jordan came to fame in high school because of his power, but in pro ball, he’s actually proven to be a pretty polished hitter with modest power. He’s a career .289 hitter, and his excellent work this week boosted him to a .306/.401/.485 line this year in his return to Portland. Jordan is showing improved power, and he’s extremely difficult to strike out (10.8% rate). He has started to play more first base than third, flipping what had been a pretty 50-50 job share. At this point, Jordan seems quite likely to reach the big leagues, and as a 22-year-old, there’s still time for his power to further blossom.  (JJ)

19. Luis Morales, RHP, Athletics

• Team: Triple-A Las Vegas (Pacific Coast)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 6 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: First impressions matter, and Morales made his count in a big way. In his Triple-A debut, he picked up right where he left off in Double-A, spinning six no-hit innings. Most impressively, he filled up the zone with 62 of his 88 pitches for strikes. Developing homegrown pitching hasn’t traditionally been the A’s calling card, but that narrative might be shifting. Along with Gage Jump, Morales is one of two rising arms in the system who have turned heads all season, earned well-deserved promotions and continue to shine on the mound.  (JC)

20. Sterlin Thompson, OF, Rockies

• Team: Triple-A Albuquerque (Pacific Coast)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: .389/.522/.889 (7-for-18) 5 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 7 RBIs, 3 BB, 3 SO, 1 SB

The Scoop: Thompson needed a week like this. Albuquerque is a very hitter-friendly environment, and the Isotopes also play at places like Reno that are even better for hitters. As a team, the Isotopes are hitting .271/.357/.467 this year, so Thompson’s .255/.349/.443 slash line is actually below average. But a few weeks like this one could fix that quickly. (JJ)

Helium

Victor Figueroa, 1B, Padres

We reported Figueroa as an under-the-radar player making noise in his first week of ACL play, and he’s kept right on rolling. He was promoted to Low-A soon after and left the ACL as one of its best hitters, leading the league in nearly every major category while hitting over .600. At 22 years old, however, he was one of the older players in the desert. The new level didn’t seem to faze him either. Figueroa slugged two homers in his first week at Low-A and looked like he belonged. An 18th-round pick out of Florida SouthWestern State College, he’s showing the same mix of power, speed and contact that made him successful in the junior college ranks. (JC)

1. Rainiel Rodriguez, C, Cardinals

• Team: FCL Cardinals
• Age: 18
• Why He’s Here: .438/.500/1.188 (7-for-16), 6 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 8 RBIs, 3 BB, 4 SO

The Scoop: In 41 games last year in the Dominican Summer League, Rodriguez slammed 10 home runs. In 10 games this year in the Florida Complex League, he’s already got six. Half of his 12 hits have landed somewhere over the fence. He closed the week with long balls in four straight games. His six home runs are more than double the next-closest contender in the FCL and are just four away from the total that led the league last year. If he keeps going deep every day, chances are good he won’t be around long enough to challenge last year’s high-water mark. (JN)

2. Jonathon Long, 1B, Cubs

• Team: Triple-A Iowa
• Age: 23 
• Why He’s Here: .545/.560/.955 (12-for-22), 7 R, 2 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 10 RBIs, 1 BB, 3 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: After a breakout 2024 that ended with a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League, Long is now showing out once again in Triple-A. On the year, he is hitting .367/.429/.533 with four home runs over 40 games. Last week, Long tallied four multi-hit games and three games with three hits. On Wednesday, he drove in six runs, and on Friday he racked up eight total bases, doing the heavy lifting on his week. Long has an advanced hit tool and above-average power, but his lack of defensive value puts pressure on him to continue hitting. (GP)

3. Connor Burns, C, Reds

• Team: High-A Dayton (Midwest)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: .350/.381/1.050 (7-for-20) 6 R, 2 2B, 4 HR, 7 RBIs, 1 BB, 8 SO

The Scoop: Catchers can mature at the plate slower than hitters at other positions because of the many demands of catching. That’s the hope with Burns. He’s an exceptional defender and generally a pretty awful hitter. This four home-run week raised his overall slash line to .184/.241/.378, as he came into the week with two doubles and one home run all season. Pitchers love throwing to Burns, and his defense will keep him employed for a long time. But to reach the big leagues, he’s going to need a lot more weeks like this one. (JJ)

4. Andrew Pintar, OF, Marlins

• Team: Triple-A Jacksonville (International)
• Age: 24
• Why He’s Here: .520/.586/.840 (13-for-25), 4 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 4 SO, 4 BB, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: When the Marlins acquired Pintar from the Diamondbacks in the A.J. Puk deal, the organization was thrilled to get a player who impacts the game in a lot of ways. He hit some bumps early, struggling in Double-A and again in the Arizona Fall League, but his production this season is starting to show the potential Miami saw when they brought him in. His .346 batting average leads Jacksonville among hitters with at least 50 at-bats. His best showing this week came on May 17 when he racked up four hits, including a two-run homer with a 104.5 mph exit velocity. (JC)

5. Patrick Copen, RHP, Dodgers

• Team: High-A Great Lakes (Midwest)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: 2-0, 1.32 ERA, 13.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 18 SO, 1 HR

The Scoop: When we’re talking about High-A Great Lakes on the Hot Sheet, it’s usually because of that stacked outfield that keeps producing at the plate. This time, it was Copen’s dominance on the mound that made him the team’s lone representative. The righthander showed off his command and ability to pound the zone against the Guardians’ High-A team this week, but really, he’s been one of the most reliable arms in the rotation all season. He’s given up just one home run across 39.1 innings. (JC)

6. Bubba Chandler, RHP, Pirates

• Team: Triple-A Indianapolis (International)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: 0-0, 1.93, 2 GS, 9.1 IP, 11 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 HBP, 5 BB, 15 SO

The Scoop: When Paul Skenes lost 1-0 in a complete game on Sunday, the Pirates offered a reminder that unless, Chandler goes back to being a two-way player and starts mashing some home runs, his arrival won’t do anything to fix Pittsburgh’s lack of offense. But he is showing every week that he’s ready to help the big league rotation. This week was almost pedestrian by Chandler’s standards, and he still struck out 15 in 9.1 innings. Chandler has an ability to force hitters to prepare for pitches over a nearly 25 mph range. He can touch 100+ mph with his fastball, and he’ll drop in a high-70s curve when they least expect it. (JJ)

7. C.J. Kayfus, 1B, Guardians

• Team: Triple-A Columbus (International) 
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: .524/.583/.810 (11-for-21), 3 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 6 RBIs, 3 BB, 3 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: It would be reasonable to argue that Kayfus has been the most productive hitter in the minor leagues to start 2025. Even a promotion to Triple-A couldn’t slow him down, as he’s been even more productive since the jump in level. Over 15 games in Triple-A, Kayfus has hit .379/.448/.638 with seven extra-base hits. Last week, he started the series off with Omaha with an O-fer. That would be the last time Kayfus didn’t collect two hits in a game during the series. His standout game came on Thursday, as he went 4-for-6 with three singles and a triple. Kayfus has been knocking on the door but may not have a place to play with the Guardians at the moment. (GP) 

8. Matt Shaw, 3B, Cubs

• Team: Triple-A Iowa (International)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: .346/.452/.923 (9-for-26), 10 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 5 HR, 7 RBI, 2 SO, 4 BB 2-for-2 SB

The Scoop: Is it time for the Cubs to start thinking about giving Shaw another look at the hot corner? With the way he’s swinging the bat—and the lack of steady production at third base in the big leagues—it’s at least a conversation worth having.  Shaw had a historical performance on Thursday when he homered to both lead off and walk off the game, a feat only five other players have done at the major league level. That’s a tough act to follow, but he didn’t let up. He came right back with another big showing, going deep twice more in his next game. It wasn’t historic this time, but it was just as loud. Shaw is trending in the right direction, and the Cubs are surely taking notice. (JC)

9. Henry Bolte, OF, Athletics 

• Team: Double-A Midland (Texas) 
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: .458/.523/.833 (11-for-24), 5 R, 2 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 8 RBIs, 4 BB, 6 SO, 2-for-2 SB

The Scoop: It’s been a breakout first month of 2025 for Bolte, as he’s significantly cut his strikeout rate this season. The significant jump in contact has been a welcomed development for Bolte, who’s blessed with power and speed. Last week, he started the series off against El Paso with multi-hit games in the first four games. His best came on Tuesday, as he went 4-for-5 and finished a home run short of hitting for the cycle. Bolte is an exciting, tooled-up player who’s coming into his own in 2025. (GP)

10. Carson Whisenhunt, LHP, Giants

• Team: Triple-A Sacramento (Pacific Coast)
• Age: 24
• Why He’s Here: 2-0, 0.00, 14 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 14 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Quietly, Whisenhunt has been one of the most dominant pitchers in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. His 14 strikeouts this week vaulted him into first place in the league in that category. He also tops the PCL in WHIP (1.00) and innings pitched (51) and is second in ERA with a mark of 3.00. He got 13 whiffs in his most recent start, including five (on 11 swings) against his slider. If this trend continues, San Francisco might be in the offing. (JN)

11. Jack Perkins, RHP, Athletics

• Team: Triple-A Las Vegas (Pacific Coast)
• Age: 25
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 1.74 ERA, 10.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 14 SO, 1 HR

The Scoop: Perkins has dealt with early-season injuries in each of the past two years, but when he’s healthy, the A’s view him as one of their prized pitching prospects—and he’s been pitching like it lately. After ending the previous week on a strong note, he followed it up with two more impressive outings, continuing to show why there’s so much belief in his upside. Command has been a sticking point in the past, but this season, there are signs of progress. He’s been more consistent in the zone and limiting walks. If he can stay healthy and keep trending in this direction, Perkins could be in line for a big step forward. (JC)

12. Konnor Griffin, SS/OF, Pirates

• Team: Low-A Bradenton (Florida State)
• Age: 19
• Why He’s Here: .545/.542/.773 (12-for-22), 8 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 7 RBIs, 0 BB, 4 SO, 4-for-4 SB

The Scoop: Entering the year, it was no secret that Griffin was one of the most athletic prospects in the sport. With each passing day, it’s becoming clear that he’s also one of the best prospects in the sport. He’s particularly menacing in May, so far producing a .411/.433/.589 line with four doubles, two home runs and a strikeout rate of just 20%. Has he worked even a single walk? No, he has not. But he’s making plenty of contact and turning it into enough electricity to rival a typical Florida lightning storm. Griffin’s development will require plenty of patience, but the reward could be as great as any seen from a Pirates position player in years.  (JN)

13. Hao-Yu Lee, 2B/3B, Tigers

• Team: Triple-A Toledo (International)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .481/.533/.778 (13-for-27) 10 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 4 RBIs, 3 BB, 2 SO, 1 SB

The Scoop: After a slow start, Lee is once again hitting like normal. After just four multi-hit games combined in March and April, he has seven so far this month, including five in the past week. The Tigers have had Lee work at both second and third regularly this year. He is a very reliable second baseman defensively, but for now, he’s a pretty unreliable third baseman. He has six errors in just 17 games there while recording no errors in 20 games at second base. For his career, Lee has 14 errors in 180 games at second and 15 errors in 54 games at third. (JJ)

14. Mitch Jebb, 2B/CF Pirates

• Team: Double-A Altoona (Eastern)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: .500/.556/.708 (12-for-24) 6 R, 1 2B, 2 3B, 4 RBIs, 2 BB, 1 SO, 4 SB, 1 CS

The Scoop: Jebb is the type of player that is affectionately described as “pesky.” He has a career .371 slugging percentage, but he rarely strikes out and he makes tons of contact. And once he reaches base, he can steal at will. The Pirates are working center field into his repertoire more and more, and that may eventually be his best fit as a top or bottom-of-the-order bat who gets on base and steals once he reaches. His lack of power makes it more likely he’ll fit the bottom-of-the-order part. (JJ)

15. Bryce Eldridge, 1B, Giants

• Team: Double-A Richmond (Eastern)
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .364/.391/.864 (8-for-22), 3 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 6 RBIs, 1 BB, 6 SO

The Scoop: After missing the early days of the season with an injury suffered late in spring training, Eldridge appears to have found his sea legs—and he’s making it everyone’s problem. The sequoia-sized slugger slammed three home runs against Erie, one more than he’d produced in the previous 16 games since joining Double-A Richmond on April 22. The outburst included a two-homer game on May 16 and made his May look even more magnificent. In the season’s second month, San Francisco’s top prospect is slashing .322/.385/.593 with four doubles, four homers and 11 RBIs. (JN)

16. Nick Morabito, OF, Mets 

• Team: Double-A Binghamton (Eastern) 
• Age: 22 
• Why He’s Here: .462/.517/.731 (12-for-26), 6 R, 4 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBIs, 3 BB, 7 SO, 6-for-6 SB

The Scoop: Selected out of Gonzaga HS in Washington D.C. in the supplemental second round of the 2022 draft, Morabito has been a productive player in his three years  as a professional. This week, he put all of his tools on display, collecting hits in all seven games last week while going wild on the bases and stealing six bags on six attempts. Morabito’s standout game came on Saturday when he went 3-for-4 and finished a triple short of the cycle. He is blessed with speed, power and the ability to collect hits in bunches. (GP)  

17. Harry Ford, C, Mariners

• Team: Triple-A Tacoma (Pacific Coast)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .435/.458/.783 (10-for-23), 7 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 1 BB, 2 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: Ford has sat near the top of the Mariners’ prospect rankings since they took him in the first round back in 2021. He’s always shown he can hit when he makes contact, but he has struck out over 100 times in each of the last three seasons. This year, though, there’s been real progress. Ford has shown more discipline at the plate, nearly matching his strikeouts (26) with walks (25). The season’s still young, but it’s an encouraging sign. What the Mariners decide to do with Ford moving forward will be interesting. They signed Cal Raleigh to a six-year, $105 million extension, signaling he’s the long-term answer behind the plate. Ford played eight games in the outfield at Double-A last season, but so far this year, he’s been catching full-time. If the bat keeps trending up and there’s no clear path to playing time in Seattle, he’s the kind of prospect who could draw interest at the trade deadline. (JC)

18. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Brewers

• Team: Triple-A Nashville (International)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: 0-0, 1.29, 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO, 1 HR

The Scoop: From the moment he became a professional, Misiorowski has been the owner of some of the most wicked pitches in the minor leagues. At its best, his arsenal can make even the finest hitters look foolish. At each level, however, a key question lingered: Will he throw enough high-quality strikes to stake out a spot in a starting rotation? He’s spent the last month making his case. After going seven strong in his most recent turn, Misiorowski’s May line looks like this: 2-0, 0.92 with 21 strikeouts against six walks in 19.2 innings. Overall this season, he’s punched out 59 hitters in 49.1 innings. Oh, and he threw a fastball at 103 mph. (JN)

19. Yohendrick Pinango, OF, Blue Jays

• Team: Double-A New Hampshire (Eastern)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: .412/.583/1.000 (7-for-17) 5 R, 1 2B, 3 HR, 3 RBIs, 7 BB, 2 SO, 1 SB

The Scoop: Pinango was one of five players we recently highlighted for their excellent analytical data this year, and since then, he’s only added to that production. Acquired in last year’s Nate Pearson trade, Pinango is pushing for a promotion to Triple-A. He’s one of the most selective hitters in the Eastern League and features the power to punish pitchers with hard line drives. (JJ)

20. Walker Martin, SS, Giants

• Team: Low-A San Jose (California) 
• Age: 21 
• Why He’s Here: .364/.464/.864 (8-for-22), 7 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 7 RBIs, 5 BB, 10 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: It was a struggle for Martin in his professional debut in 2024, as he struck out at a rate of 41% in 2024. So far in 2025, things are headed in the right direction, as Martin has been scorching hot the last two weeks, leading to his first Hot Sheet appearance. Martin collected hits in all six games last week, kicking things off with home runs in the first two games of the series. Martin has major hit tool concerns but power and tools worth waiting on. (GP) 

Helium

Stharlin Torres, RHP, Reds

The domestic complex leagues are in full swing, and the annual pop-up prospects are starting to make themselves known. Early word from the desert is that the Reds have a stable of fireballers flying under the radar. One pitcher who fits that description in Torres, who fronts a three-pitch mix with a riding fastball that sits in the 94-97 mph range. He backs it with a changeup and a slider. So far, the 18-year-old Torres has punched out 13 hitters and issued just one walk over seven innings. He fanned 51 against 13 walks a year ago in the Dominican Summer League. (JN)

1. Braden Montgomery, OF, White Sox

• Team: High-A Winston Salem (South Atlantic)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .476/.500/1.000 (10-for-21), 5 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 10 RBIs, 2 BB, 1 SO

The Scoop: Understandably, Montgomery wrecked shop in Low-A for the early portion of his professional debut before earning a bump up a level. If he keeps performing like he has so far, the Texas A&M alum might need to book a ticket back to Southeastern Conference country for his first test at the upper levels. One of the centerpieces of the trade that sent ace lefty Garrett Crochet to Boston, Montgomery has been overwhelming and unrelenting in the first month and change of his career. He smacked three home runs against Bowling Green last week, equaling the total he’d produced in 18 games with Low-A. He’s gotten on base in all but one of the 11 games he’s played with Winston-Salem since the promotion. (JN)

2. Jonah Tong, RHP, Mets

• Team: Double-A Binghamton (Eastern)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 6.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 13 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Tong’s outing this week was not only the best of his minor league career, it was the best of any pitcher this season. The righthander manhandled Reading for 6.2 perfect innings and 99 pitches before handing the ball to Wesley Moore, who struck out the only hitter he faced and completed the seven-inning perfecto. Tong racked up 13 strikeouts and got 18 whiffs, one shy of the season high he set two weeks ago in just four innings against New Hampshire. His 51 strikeouts are the most in the Eastern League, the most in all of Double-A and just four off the minor league lead. (JN)

3. JR Ritchie, RHP, Braves

• Team: High-A Rome (South Atlantic)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 9 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: It was a memorable week for Ritchie, as he made the best start of his professional career on Saturday and was promoted to Double-A on Sunday. In his Saturday start against Greenville, Ritchie threw a complete game shutout on 95 pitches, as he faced the minimum. He did allow two baserunners, but both were thrown out attempting to steal second. Ritchie sat 94-95 mph in the first inning but settled in at 92-94 later on in the start. He mixed two fastballs styles in a four-seam and two-seam while showing three different secondaries in a sweeper, curveball and changeup. He showed feel for all of his secondaries, and the introduction of the sinker at higher usage rates had led to excellent results. Ritchie’s next start will come with Columbus next week. (GP) 

4. Eduardo Quintero, OF, Dodgers

• Team: Low-A Rancho Cucamonga (California)
• Age: 19
• Why He’s Here: .375/.500/.875 (9-for-24), 8 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 6 SO, 3-for-4 SB

The Scoop: Quintero has done nothing but win since signing with the Dodgers out of Venezuela in 2023. He played a crucial role on championship-winning clubs in both the Dominican Summer League and the Arizona Complex League, and now he’s swinging a hot bat for a first-place Rancho team in the Cal League South Division. His dominant week was highlighted by a 3-for-5 performance on Thursday night when he went deep twice, showcasing his power to both the opposite field and his pull side. The 19-year-old also swiped three bases, flashing his 60-grade speed. (JC)

5. Cole Young, SS, Mariners

• Team: Triple-A Tacoma (Pacific Coast)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: .455/.538/.818 (10-for-22) 8 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 4 BB, 3 SO, 2 SB, 1 CS

The Scoop: It’s been a pretty quiet start to the season for Young, but the underlying data is better than his .236/.349/.368 line may indicate. Young continues to be a very tough out who makes excellent swing decisions, plenty of contact and rarely gets beaten by pitchers. His modest power has been even more subdued so far, but his ability to be a very pure hitter should help get that slash line much closer to his normal numbers by June. (JJ)

6. Jefferson Rojas, SS, Cubs

• Team: High-A South Bend (Midwest) 
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .444/.545/.889 (8-for-18), 4 R, 0 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 7 RBIs, 3 BB, 2 SO, 2-for-2 SB

The Scoop: Rojas held his own following an aggressive assignment to High-A South Bend to begin 2024. He returned to the level to begin 2025 and has enjoyed strong results. Last week, Rojas torched Fort Wayne pitching, racking up a pair of three-hit games and reaching base in all five games in which he played. Rojas’ best performance came on Sunday when he slugged two home runs in a 3-for-4 showing. On the season, he is hitting .300/.387/.513 over 21 games. At 20 years old, Rojas is still one of the youngest players in the Midwest League. (GP)

7. Carson McCusker, OF, Twins

• Team: Triple-A St. Paul (International) 
• Age: 26
• Why He’s Here: .391/.462/.870 (9-for-23) 5 R, 2 2B, 3 HR, 6 RBIs, 3 BB, 6 SO, 2 SB, 1 CS

The Scoop: McCusker mashed a 115-mph home run this week that ranks as the third hardest-hit homer in Triple-A this year. He also hit a 114.7 mph homer that ranks as the fifth hardest-hit homer of the year. McCusker combines big power with just enough contact to make it work. He’s pretty limited in the outfield, but for a former indy ball star, there’s now a pretty clear path to maybe getting a big league callup, which seemed unthinkable just a couple of years ago. (JJ)

8. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Brewers

• Team: Triple-A Nashville (International)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 1 GS, 6.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 11 SO

The Scoop: During spring training, Misiorowski seemed to be struggling with the same control and command issues he’d battled for years. Just two months later, that seems hard to fathom, as Misiorowski has found the control that long eluded him while also throwing harder than he ever has before. His 102.3 fastball this week is the hardest pitch from a starter in the majors or Triple-A this year. Coming into this season, Misiorowski had posted a well-below-average 59% strike percentage in 2023 and 2024. This year, it’s slightly above-average at 64%, and it’s 66% for the past four starts. (JJ)

9. Jac Caglianone, 1B, Royals

• Team: Double-A Northwest Arkansas (Texas)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .348/.375/.739 (8-for-23) 4 R, 3 HR, 10 RBIs, 1 BB, 5 SO

The Scoop: When Caglianone was drafted, there were real concerns over whether his swing-happy, power-hungry approach could be exploited by pro pitchers. There’s a lot less worry about that now, as he rarely finds a ball in the strike zone he can’t hit, and when he does connect, he does it with top-of-the-scale raw power. Between last week and this week, Caglianone hit four home runs in a three-game stretch, and he’s also working on an eight-game hitting streak. (JJ)

10. Ben Hess, RHP, Yankees

• Team: High-A Hudson Valley (South Atlantic)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 6 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: The bulk of the Yankees’ pitching talent is clustered on the roster of the Hudson Valley Renegades. There, you’ll find a group fronted by Hess, their first-round selection from a year ago, and backed by high-end righties Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, Bryce Cunningham and Carlos Lagrange. Hess led the way this week, punching out nine Jersey Shore hitters in his lone start. The outing marked the third time in five turns that he’d racked up nine punchouts and boosted his season total to 39 in 25 innings, good for a tie for fifth place in the South Atlantic League. (JN)

11. Gage Jump, LHP, Athletics

• Team: High-A Lansing (Midwest)
• Age: 22 
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 1.13, 8 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: After being featured as a helium name a few weeks ago, Jump has made the Hot Sheet each week since. This week, he tossed an eight-inning gem, allowing one run on four hits and no walks. He generated 15 swinging strikes and a career-high 23 looking strikes as he punched out eight batters. Jump has exhibited an outlier combination of velocity, movement and release traits on his fastball and has ridden it to excellent results. Jump’s overall arsenal has improved in just a short time as a professional, and he is pitching like a promotion to Double-A is potentially just weeks away. (GP) 

12. Ryan Clifford, 1B, Mets

• Team: Double-A Binghamton (Eastern)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: .474/.500/1.000 (9-for-19) 5 R, 1 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBIs, 1 BB, 4 SO

The Scoop: Clifford’s offensive approach is all about wearing a pitcher down. He has fringe-average contact skills at best, but he prides himself on knowing the strike zone, rarely chasing pitchers’ pitches and taking advantage whenever a pitcher makes a mistake. It’s a combination that will always lead to strikeouts, because he can be beaten by quality stuff, but then there are weeks like this one where he feasts. Two of his three home runs this week came on pitches in the middle/upper third of the zone over the heart of the plate. The third came when he stayed on a breaking ball. Clifford was hitting .195/.313/.354 when Reading arrived in Binghamton. He’s now hitting .248/.345/.475. (JJ)

13. Mike Sirota, OF, Dodgers

• Team: Low-A Rancho Cucamonga (California)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: .318/.400/.727 (7-for-22), 6 R, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 3 BB, 6 SO

The Scoop: It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Sirota may have already outgrown Low-A. Entering 2024, he fit the mold of a top 10 pick in the draft, but a regression in his swing caused his stock to drop. The Reds ended up selecting him in the third round last year. The Dodgers, however, had been tracking Sirota since his prep days—drafting him once before in 2021—and finally acquired him this past offseason in the Gavin Lux trade. General manager Brandon Gomes has praised Sirota’s “high-end talent,” signaling the organization’s strong belief in his long-term potential. His seven home runs this season currently lead the California League. (JC)

14. Carson Benge, OF, Mets

• Team: High-A Brooklyn (South Atlantic)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .348/.464/.652 (8-for-23), 6 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 7 RBIs, 5 BB, 5 SO, 3-for-3 SB

The Scoop: The Mets’ system is radiating good vibes so far this season—three of its prospects landed on this week’s Hot Sheet—and Benge has been one of the group’s steadiest performers. He swatted two home runs this past week, tripling his season total. He’s failed to reach base just once since April 23 and has collected multiple hits in four of his nine games in May. He’s racked up nearly as many walks (19) as he has strikeouts (26) for the season, producing positive marks in both categories. (JN)

15. Demetrio Crisantes, 2B, Diamondbacks

• Team: High-A Hillsboro (Northwest)
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .318/.423/.636 (7-for-22), 5 R, 1 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 4 BB, 1 SO, 3-for-4 SB

The Scoop: Crisantes’ rise through the D-backs’ system has been powered by his polished hit tool, which remains consistent one month into the season. He’s displayed great plate discipline and rarely misses in the zone, even with an aggressive swing rate. His strong week was capped by a career night on May 7 in which he homered twice in a single game for the first time in his career. (JC)

16. Josue De Paula, OF, Dodgers

• Team: High-A Great Lakes (Midwest)
• Age: 19
• Why He’s Here: .357/.400/.714 (10-for-28), 3 R, 4 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 9 SO, 0-for-1 SB

The Scoop: One scout described De Paula as having a Ken Griffey Jr.-esque swing. That kind of comparison brings some Bigfoot-sized shoes to fill, but so far, De Paula is backing it up by dominating High-A with a mature, polished approach. He’s building on his success from last season, laying off bad pitches and hammering the ball with top-tier exit velocities. At just 19 years old, he’s already considered one of the most advanced hitters in the Dodgers’ system, with plenty of room to grow as he matures. (JC)

17. Miguel Ullola, RHP, Astros

• Team: Triple-A Sugar Land (Pacific Coast)
• Age: 22 
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 10 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: After a pair of tough starts in mid April, Ullola has turned a corner over his last two appearances, exhibiting improved command and swing-and-miss stuff. Ullola tossed arguably his best start of the season this past week, as he struck out 10 batters over five innings, generating a whopping 22 whiffs. Ullola shows above-average ride and heavy cut on his four-seam fastball, which allows it to play above its 92-94 mph velocity. Ullola is just a call away from helping the Astros at some point this summer. (GP)

18. Zyhir Hope, OF, Dodgers

• Team: High-A Great Lakes (Midwest)
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .348/.444/.652 (8-for-23), 5 R, 1 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 4 BB, 8 SO

The Scoop: You know the Great Lakes Loons are a special team to watch when two of their three outfielders crack Baseball America’s Top 100 Prospects list. We already covered De Paula—now it’s time to dig into Hope. His hard-hit rate isn’t just one of the best in the Dodgers’ system; it puts him among the top performers across all of the minors. A big part of that leap? The Dodgers have worked closely with him to better recognize and attack hittable pitches, which was an area he struggled with as an amateur but has now turned into a strength. (JC)

19. Jaxon Wiggins, RHP, Cubs

• Team: High-A South Bend (Midwest)
• Age: 23 
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 1.29, 7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Over six appearances this season, Wiggins has pitched to 1.71 ERA and showed swing-and-miss stuff. On Thursday, Wiggins threw the longest start of his career, tossing seven innings while allowing one run on three hits and striking out seven. Wiggins generated a season-high 20 whiffs on 87 pitches as he earned the win for Fort Wayne. His fastball sits 95-97 mph with plus ride and above-average run, and he also mixes a changeup, slider and curveball. Wiggins is fighting the relief questions that have plagued his prospect status since college. (GP) 

20. Dakota Jordan, OF, Giants

• Team: Low-A San Jose (California)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .409/.458/.636 (9-for-22), 7 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 8 RBIs, 2 BB, 6 SO, 3-for-3 SB

The Scoop: In the lead up to last year’s draft, Jordan’s tools were mostly unquestioned. He could run, throw, defend and put a charge into a baseball. The only box left unchecked was whether he could hit. So far, so good. This past week against a Lake Elsinore team that featured high-end arm talent like Kash Mayfield and Boston Bateman, Jordan added nine more knocks to his ledger, including a pair of doubles and a longball. His strikeout numbers are a touch high, but the impact he’s produced thus far is hard to dispute. (JN)

HELIUM

Brendan Tunink, OF, Dodgers

The Dodgers’ 2024 eighth-round pick had quite the opening week of ACL play. He slugged his first home run on Tuesday, a day after recording his first multi-hit game. Tunink was an overslot signing for $412,500 at 250th overall and was an athletic testing standout. He comes from a cold-weather background and has less experience than other preps in his signing class. Despite this, he’s looked like a potential breakout name from the first week of ACL play. (GP)

1. Leo De Vries, SS, Padres

• Team: High-A Fort Wayne (Midwest)
• Age: 18
• Why He’s Here: .533/.667/.867 (8-for-15), 6 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 6 RBIs, 6 BB, 0 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: The kid is all right. Wait, scratch that. The kid is more than all right. He’s spectacular. In fact, he’s exactly the type of player who might one day reign as the best prospect in the sport. De Vries is the youngest player in the Midwest League by nearly a year, and he’s annihilating the competition. He’s already had a cycle and two home runs, and this past week, he went 22 plate appearances without striking out. In fact, he swung and missed just four times all series. At the close of Fort Wayne’s week against Dayton, De Vries was leading the Midwest League in slugging (.593) and OPS. Not bad for anyone, but eye-popping for an 18-year-old. (JN)

2. Payton Tolle, LHP, Red Sox 

• Team: High-A Greenville (South Atlantic)
• Age: 22 
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 12 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Tolle made the start for Greenville on Sunday against Asheville and dominated for five innings. He sat 95-97 mph and touched 98 at peak while getting nearly eight feet of extension at points. Tolle was getting whiffs on his changeup and fastball en route to racking up 12 strikeouts. He allowed three hits and no walks as he silenced the Tourists’ bats time and again. Tolle has allowed one earned run in his last 13 innings while striking out 26 batters to just two walks. His velocity is up significantly, and with his fastball quality and improving secondaries, he could be a Top 100 Prospect before long. (GP) 

3. Joe Whitman, LHP, Giants

• Team: Double-A Richmond (Eastern)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 6 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 10 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: After muddling through the season’s first month, Whitman opened May with a bang. For six innings against Somerset, the lefthander was perfect. Eighteen up. Eighteen down. He recorded 10 strikeouts along the way, as well as 15 whiffs, which was second-most in all of Double-A that day. Whitman was the highest-ranked southpaw in his draft class two seasons ago, and he’s flashed his potential in fits and starts along the way, including a pair of eight-punchout efforts last summer between the Class A levels. However, those outings pale in comparison to his turn this past week, which was the best of his professional career. (JN)

4. Lazaro Montes, OF, Mariners

• Team: High-A Everett (Northwest) 
• Age: 20
•  Why He’s Here: .471/.571/.941 (8-for-17), 5 R, 0 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 4 RBIs, 4 BB, 5 SO, 0-for-1 SB

The Scoop: It’s been an excellent opening month for the Mariners slugger, as his seven home runs rank fourth in all of MiLB. This week, Montes reached base in all six games while registering three multi-hit efforts. He homered on Friday and Saturday, combining to go 5-for-8 with five runs, 13 total bases and four RBIs. Montes is hitting .278/.418/.629 on the season and leads the Northwest League in OPS. (GP) 

5. Kyle DeBarge, 2B/SS, Twins

• Team: High-A Cedar Rapids (Midwest)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: .421/.593/.789 (8-for-19) 8 R, 1 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 8 BB, 3 SO, 3 SB

The Scoop: When the Twins drafted DeBarge last year in the supplemental first round, much of his profile was reminiscent of Luke Keaschall. The Twins have made him even more of a Keaschall clone by playing him all around the field, as he’s started at second base, shortstop, center field and left field. And he’s hit wherever he’s played. Even while drawing walks in bushels, DeBarge has driven in a run in eight consecutive games. (JJ)

6. Ian Seymour, LHP, Rays

• Team: Triple-A Durham (International)
• Age: 26
• Why He’s Here: 2-0, 0.00, 11 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 11 SO, 1 HR

The Scoop: With a pair of strong outings against Jacksonville this week, Seymour has overtaken Sean Liñan for the overall minor league lead in strikeouts. The lefthander punched out eight hitters over five innings in a Sunday matinee, bookending a series he’d started with six innings of three-hit shutout ball. He now has 46 Ks in 36.1 innings. In the age of velocity, Seymour has done his work without making radar guns break a sweat. None of his pitches in either outing topped 93 mph and just three even reached that threshold. Still, he managed to get 24 whiffs, including 18 in the series finale. (JN)

7. Colby Thomas, OF, Athletics

• Team: Triple-A Las Vegas (Pacific Coast)
• Age: 24
• Why He’s Here: .417/.423/.792 (10-for-24), 7 R, 3 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 6 SO

The Scoop: With Nick Kurtz settling in at the major league level in West Sacramento, Thomas is becoming Las Vegas’ new resident power hitter. The 24-year-old had four multi-hit games last week and flexed his 60-grade power by launching a 471-foot homer to dead center field. There is no doubt Thomas has the hit tools—he had one of the fastest bat speeds in the entire A’s system last year—to succeed in the majors. However, he is coming off back-to-back seasons recording at least 140 strikeouts, and he already has 36 strikeouts to 10 walks this year. Cleaning up his plate discipline a bit should help him when the A’s feel like he’s ready for the next level. (JC)

8. Jac Caglianone, 1B/OF, Royals

• Team: Double-A Northwest Arkansas (Texas)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .450/.542/.750 (9-for-20), 5 R, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 4 BB, 5 SO

The Scoop: It had been a while since Caglianone left the yard—not since April 19 to be exact. What better way to reintroduce his immense power than by going deep in back-to-back games? Ok, maybe 15 days between homers isn’t necessarily a long time, but Caglianone’s 70-grade power holds him to a high standard. And every time he sends a ball out of the park, they travel a long, long way.  Caglianone has proven to be an all-around advanced hitter with his .314 batting average in Double-A. It seems like he’s already outgrown the level and is ready for a promotion to Triple-A. He’s also started four games in the outfield, which should help his case to arrive in the majors sooner rather than later, considering that is a weak spot for the Royals. (JC)

9. Bubba Chandler, RHP, Pirates

• Team: Triple-A Indianapolis (International)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1, BB, 9 SO

The Scoop: It’s crazy to say it, but this week’s start by Chandler seemed almost routine. He touched 100 mph while sitting 98 with a seemingly unhittable fastball. Chandler got 12 whiffs out of 36 four-seam fastballs, which is an absurdly large number. The Pirates are still being very careful with Chandler’s workload—his 71 pitches in this week’s start was the most this season—but that’s pretty much the only quibble with what’s been an exceptional first six starts in which he’s gone 2-0, 1.42. (JJ)

10. Tommy White, 3B, Athletics

• Team: High-A Lansing (Midwest)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .467/.579/.733 (7-for-15) 4 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBIs, 4 BB, 1 SO, 1 SB

The Scoop: White’s week ended on a down note, as he was placed on the seven-day injured list after leaving Saturday’s game having crashed into the wall chasing a foul ball. But that was the only rough moment of his week, as he is working on a 17-game hit streak. He has just five strikeouts during his hit streak. Tommy Tanks has been more of Tommy Line Drives, with just three home runs so far this year, but he’s shown a polished approach that is producing hits in bunches. (JJ)

11. George Lombard Jr., SS, Yankees

• Team: High-A Hudson Valley (South Atlantic)
• Age: 19
• Why He’s Here: .400/.500/.600 (8-for-20), 6 R, 4 2B, 0 HR, 5 RBI, 3 BB, 4 SO, 2-for-2 SB 

The Scoop: Lombard Jr.’s ascension in the Yankees system stands out as one of the most remarkable developments among this year’s prospects. There was plenty of praise about him during spring training, and it carried into the regular season. Following a scorching stretch at High-A Hudson Valley, the Yankees have decided to promote him to Double-A Somerset, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan. In just 24 games, Lombard Jr. posted an eye-catching line of .329/.495/.488, showcasing elite plate discipline with more walks (23) than strikeouts (22). He departs the South Atlantic League ranked among the top four in batting average, on-base percentage, and OPS—a testament to his advanced approach and consistent production at the plate. At just 19 years old, there is still plenty of room for growth for the son of former major leaguer George Lombard. (JC)

12. Cooper Ingle, C, Guardians

• Team: Double-A Akron (Eastern)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: .400/.571/.733 (6-for-15) 2 R, 5 2B, 2 RBIs, 6 BB, 5 SO

The Scoop: Ingle got off to a slow start this year, which is surprising considering he’s one of the better pure-hitting catchers in the minors. This past week did a good job bringing his performance back to normal. Ingle did give up five steals in five attempts in a game this week, but overall, he’s continued to make strides defensively this year. He has yet to allow a passed ball, and his seven wild pitches allowed are among the best in the Eastern League for everyday catchers. (JJ)

13. Trey Yesavage, RHP, Blue Jays 

• Team: Low-A Dunedin (Florida State)
• Age: 21 
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0BB, 8 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: The Blue Jays have been deliberate with their top two picks from last July in Yesavage and Khal Stephen. Both have dominated the Florida State League over the opening month and look the part of potential rotation pieces. This week, Yesavage went toe-to-toe with the Phillies top prospect Andrew Painter and outdueled the highly-touted righthander. Yesavage dominated with the fastball, getting upwards of 20 inches of induced vertical break consistently. He generated 13 swinging strikes in the outing and nine ground balls, showing diverse run prevention skills. (GP) 

14. Otto Kemp, 2B/3B, Phillies

• Team: Triple-A Lehigh Valley (International)
• Age: 25
• Why He’s Here: .448/.500/.862 (13-for-29) 8 R, 3 2B, 3 HR, 14 RBIs, 3 BB, 9 SO, 1 SB

The Scoop: With the reduction of the MLB Draft to 20 rounds and liberalized NCAA transfer rules, the number of NAIA, D-II and D-III players who jump straight from those levels to the minors has been reduced. But Kemp, a star at San Diego’s D-II Point Loma Nazarene, has clawed through the undrafted free agent ranks to knock on the door of the minors. Kemp’s career high in home runs is 16. He already has 10 this year, and he’s been one of the better hitters in the International League. Kemp projects as a multi-position backup, and if he can keep hitting like this, he’ll find a way to Philadelphia. (JJ)

15. Jeral Perez, OF, White Sox

• Team: High-A Winston Salem (South Atlantic)
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .292/.333/.792 (7-for-24), 5 R, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 2 BB, 4 SO

The Scoop: White Sox general manager Chris Getz was high on Perez’s advanced zone awareness and bat-to-ball skills when he was acquired from the Dodgers in a three-team deal at last year’s trade deadline. This past week, Perez offered a glimpse of that offensive potential—and then some—by flashing serious power. He launched four home runs over the stretch, including a two-homer performance on Wednesday, signaling that his hit tool might come with plenty of thump. He has nine home runs this year, just three shy of matching his career high. (JC)

16. Braylin Tavera, OF, Orioles

• Team: Low-A Delmarva (Carolina)
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .438/.550/1.125 (7-for-16), 5 R, 1 3B, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 4 BB, 5 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: Tavera was issued a $1.7 million bonus when he signed in January 2022, which was a club record. He performed solidly in 2022 and 2023 but had an atrocious 2024 in which he hit .173 between the Florida Complex League and Low-A. He got off to another slow start this season, but perhaps a spike in production at the end of April and heading into May can turn things around for the once-promising international prospect. Tavera’s best game of the season came on Tuesday when he went 2-for-3 with a three-run homer and two walks. (JC)

18. Mikey Romero, SS, Red Sox 

• Team: Double-A Portland (Eastern) 
• Age: 21 
• Why He’s Here: .310/.355/.724 (9-for-29), 7 R, 3 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 7 RBIs, 2 BB, 5 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: Romero was busy, as he played eight games last week, collecting hits in five of those games, including four multi-hit games. Romero had home runs in back-to-back games on Tuesday and Wednesday and has shown good power production this season. The infielder is now hitting .267/.370/.535 with five homers and ranks eighth in the Eastern League in OPS. (GP) 

18. Tyson Hardin, RHP, Brewers

• Team: High-A Wisconsin (Midwest)
• Age: 23 
• Why He’s Here: 0-0, 0.00, 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Hardin is yet another find by the Brewers’ amateur team, as the righthander was picked in the 12th round of last July’s draft. After spending nearly all of his time at Mississippi State as a reliever, Hardin has seamlessly made the transition to starting. Over five starts spanning 25.2 innings, Hardin has allowed two earned runs while striking out 29 batters to four walks. This week, he spun seven scoreless innings, allowing just four hits, no walks and striking out nine. He kept the ball on the ground, too, resulting in seven ground balls. Hardin has excellent stuff, sitting 94-95 mph from a 5-foot-3 release height and generating a flat plane of approach. His primary secondary is a low-90s cutter, and he also mixes in a low-to-mid-80s sweeper and changeup. Hardin is one of the biggest pop-up prospects of the season’s opening month. (GP) 

19. JR Ritchie, RHP, Braves

• Team: High-A Rome (South Atlantic)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 11.2 IP, 9 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 12 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: The bulk of Ritchie’s professional career has been spent rehabbing Tommy John surgery he had in 2023. Fully removed from the injury and its recovery process, the righthander from the Pacific Northwest is shining. He opened eyes in both Atlanta’s Spring Breakout game and subsequent outings on the backfields, and now is continuing to mow down hitters in the regular season. He shackled Hub City in two starts this past week, including a seven-inning, four-hit gem with six strikeouts and a walk in his Tuesday turn. He’s allowed two or fewer runs in each of his six starts this season. (JN) 

20. Gage Jump, LHP, Athletics 

• Team: High-A Lansing (Midwest)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: After earning recognition as the helium name on last week’s Hot Sheet, Jump makes his way onto the main list. On Thursday, the lefthander battled through a rain-soaked effort with an hour rain delay splitting his start in half. Jump retired the first seven batters he faced, including a strikeout of Wuilfredo Antunez as droplets fell prior to the delay. The game only went five innings, with Jump going the distance as he retired eight of the final nine batters he faced. Jump has sat 95-96 mph this season with 18-19 inches of induced vertical break from a 5-foot-7 release height. He mixes a slider and curveball as his primary secondaries. (GP) 

HELIUM

Asbel Gonzalez, OF, Royals

Gonzalez is one of this season’s fastest risers. He’s also one of this season’s fastest runners. The 19-year-old burner put together a strong first stateside season—spent mostly in the Arizona Complex League but also including a cameo at Double-A Northwest Arkansas—and finished with 23 stolen bases in 45 games. This year, he’s kicked it into hyperdrive. After the first series of May, Gonzalez already has 31 stolen bases in 26 games. He’s been caught seven times. To put that into perspective, in his 104-steal season, Chandler Simpson had 27 steals in 31 tries. If these trends continue, we could be looking at a second straight MiLB season with the steals leader breaching triple-digits. Of course, to steal bases, a player must get on base. That’s no problem for Gonzalez, whose .404 batting average and .513 on-base percentage were the best in the minor leagues. (JN)

1. Marcelo Mayer, SS, Red Sox

• Team: Triple-A Worcester
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .450/.480/1.050 (9-for-20), 7 R, 3 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 12 RBIs, 3 BB, 4 SO, 0-for-0 SB

The Scoop: It’s been a battle for who’s hottest in Worcester early this season as both Mayer and Roman Anthony have been raking. Last week, Mayer reached base in all six games and had hits in five of six. He slugged home runs on Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday, pushing his season total to seven over the first month. Mayer has a smooth lefthanded swing capable of hitting for average and power. (GP) 

2. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Brewers

• Team: Triple-A Nashville (International)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: 0-0, 0.00, 2 GS, 11 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 17 SO

The Scoop: No one expects Misiorowski to ever have exceptional control, but weeks like this one show what he can do if he’s even an average strike-thrower. In his start last week, Misiorowski had a 57% strike percentage, and he gave up five runs in five innings. This week, he threw 66% strikes in six shutout innings on Tuesday and 72% strikes in five shutout innings on Sunday. The righthander flirted with 100 mph last week (touching 99.8 and 99.9 in his two starts) while getting swings and misses with his fastball and curve. (JJ)

3. Jordan Lawlar, SS, Diamondbacks

• Team: Triple-A Reno (Pacific Coast)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .476/.560/.714 (10-for-21), 8 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 6 RBI, 4 BB, 4 SO

The Scoop: There’s no question Lawlar, who topped the Hot Sheet last week, can ball out. In every season so far, he’s proved that and in most organizations, he would be playing in the majors. But with Eugenio Suarez smashing, Geraldo Perdomo producing and Ketel Marte on the verge of a return, the road to the show for Lawlar still has many hurdles ahead. The real benefit to the D-backs and Lawlar will be assessing how healthy he can remain. 

4. Roman Anthony, OF, Red Sox

• Team: Triple-A Worcester (International)
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .500/.600/.857 (7-for-14) 7 R, 2 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBIs, 5 BB, 2 SO

The Scoop: Anthony’s week ended early, as he didn’t play in the final two games of Worcester’s series thanks to a bruised foot suffered fouling a ball off it on Friday night. But in those first five games, BA’s No. 2 overall prospect demolished Syracuse. Anthony’s first month has been excellent. He went hitless in five of the first eight games of the season, but he’s had just two hitless games since, and he’s working on a 16-game on-base streak. (JJ)

5. Leodalis De Vries, SS, Padres

• Team: High-A Fort Wayne (Midwest)
• Age: 18
• Why He’s Here: .350/.391/.900 (7-for-20), 4 R, 1 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 2 BB, 2 SO, 1-for-1 SB 

The Scoop: De Vries opened the week with a single-game performance for the ages, hitting for the cycle, launching two home runs and racking up eight RBIs. The explosive outing catapulted his batting average from .217 to .294 in a single night. Although the 18-year-old cooled off in the days that followed, that one historic showing cements his place on this week’s list. (JC)

6. Tim Elko, 1B, White Sox

• Team: Triple-A Charlotte (International)
• Age: 26
• Why He’s Here: .333/.400/1.095 (7-for-21) 6 R, 1 2B, 5 HR, 8 RBIs, 3 BB, 6 SO

The Scoop: In the past 10 games, Elko has hit eight home runs, with three different two-home run games. No other MiLB hitter has eight home runs all season. Elko has always been a slugger, but he has shown increased power this year. He already has home runs of 114, 111 and 110 mph and has already collected more 110+ mph hits this year than he had in 48 games at Charlotte last year. (JJ)

7. George Klassen, RHP, Angels 

• Team: Double-A Rocket City (Southern) 
• Age: 23 
• Why He’s Here: 0-1, 2.61, 10.1 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 14 SO, 1 HR

The Scoop: Klassen broke out in the first half of 2024 while still with the Phillies, and the Angels acquired him in the Carlos Estevez trade at last year’s deadline. So far this season, Klassen is off to a hot start, and last week he logged a pair of strong performances. In particular, his start on Tuesday was outstanding, as Klassen went 5.1 innings and struck out nine while walking one, allowing three hits and not letting up a run. Klassen has always possessed elite stuff, but he’s now showing the ability to consistently throw strikes. (GP) 

8. Jonah Tong, RHP, Mets 

• Team: Double-A Binghamton (Eastern)
• Age: 21 
• Why He’s Here: 0-0, 1.08, 8.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 19 SO, 1 HR

The Scoop: One of the Mets’ top pitching prospects, Tong has continued to show swing-and-miss stuff in 2025. Coming into last week, Tong had struggled with command, walking seven batters in his first nine innings of the season. This week, he turned a corner, walking four across a pair of four-plus inning starts. Tong continued to miss bats at a high rate, striking out 19 over the two starts. Tong’s four-seam fastball has outlier ride, and his success is a product of that fastball quality. (GP)

9. Dalton Rushing, C/OF, Dodgers

• Team: Triple-A Oklahoma City (International)
• Age: 24
• Why He’s Here: .316/.435/.737 (6-for-19) 4 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBIs, 4 BB, 5 SO

The Scoop: With a crowded outfield in Los Angeles, Rushing is back to being a full-time catcher, with only an occasional game at first base or DH to give him a breather. Rushing has had a bit of an up-and-down start to his season. He has a pair of four-hit games, including one this week, but he also has had four- and five-strikeout games. (JJ)

10. Dylan Dreiling, OF, Rangers

• Team: High-A Hub City (South Atlantic) 
• Age: 22 
• Why He’s Here: .474/.565/.737 (9-for-19), 3 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 6 RBIs, 4 BB, 5 SO, 3-for-3 SB

The Scoop: A 2024 second-round pick out of Tennessee, Dreiling has been hot to start 2025 with High-A Hub City. Over 17 games this season, he’s hitting .297/.410/.453 with six extra-base hits and 13 RBIs. Last week, he collected hits in all five games, while reaching base three-plus times on Thursday and Friday. Dreiling has shown the ability to hit for contact, get on-base and hit for power. Despite not having as high a profile as other 2024 college hitters, Dreiling is more than holding his own. (GP) 

11. Tommy White, 3B, Athletics

• Team: High-A Lansing (Midwest)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .379/.400/.690 (11-for-29), 7 R, 3 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 1 BB, 2 SO

The Scoop: White bookended his week with home runs, living up to the “Tommy Tanks” nickname he earned at LSU and reminding everyone of his power. After a slow start to the season, he’s now riding a 12-game hitting streak and showing newfound patience at the plate. While the bat is heating up, the next step in his evolution will be proving he can handle the defensive demands of third base well enough to stick there every day at the pro level. (JC)

12. Kristian Robinson, OF, Diamondbacks

• Team: Double-A Amarillo (Texas)
• Age: 24
• Why He’s Here: .353/.542/.941 (6-for-17), 6 R, 1 2B, 3  HR, 8 RBI, 6 BB, 4 SO

The Scoop: With the adversity Robinson faced to begin his professional career, it’s encouraging to see that his level of play has lived up to what the D-backs envisioned when they signed him out of the Bahamas in 2017. He homered three times this week and showed improved plate discipline by drawing six walks. That’s a really good sign considering patience is his weak link, but there is still plenty of work to be done, as he has a 39.44% strikeout rate this season. If he can fix that, Robinson has the potential to become the next exciting, athletic hitter Arizona has produced in recent years. (JC)

13. Gino Groover, 3B, Diamondbacks

• Team: Double-A Amarillo (Texas)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: .300/.360/.875 (8-for-24) 4 R, 1 2B, 3 HR, 4 RBIs, 7 RBI, 1 BB, 5 SO, 1 CS

The Scoop: Groover began the week with two home runs and finishes it with five. While he continues to face questions about whether he can stick at third base long term (his fielding percentage right now is .862), if Groover can keep mashing like he is in Amarillo, that won’t be much of a problem. He’s hitting .338/.402/.622 this season after an excellent 13-game stint in Amarillo to end the 2024 season. (JJ)

14. Hunter Barco, LHP, Pirates

• Team: Double-A Altoona (Eastern)
• Age: 24
• Why He’s Here: 0-0, 0.00, 7.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 16 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: With Paul Skenes and Jared Jones impressing in the big leagues the last two years and Bubba Chandler dominating in Triple-A, the Pirates already have a core of good young pitching. With the emergence of Hunter Barco early in 2025, the Pirates might have another future rotation stalwart. This week, Barco made a pair of starts, tossing 7.2 scoreless innings. He showed off swing-and-miss ability as well as impressive command, striking out 16 batters while walking just two. Barco has yet to allow a run across 20.2 innings to begin the season. (GP)

15. Kade Morris, RHP, Athletics

• Team: Double-A Midland (Texas)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: 0-1, 1.74 ERA, 2 GS, 10.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 13 SO

The Scoop: For all the spark prospects Nick Kurtz and Rodney Green have created with their hitting early this season, the A’s equally possess a strong pitching forte. Morris, acquired last year from the Mets at the trade deadline for Paul Blackburn, was brilliant this past week. He played at every single affiliated level last year and has a deep arsenal led by two fastballs that sit between 92-95 mph. The A’s have worked with Morris on improving his delivery in hopes of seeing better results. (JC) 

16. Moises Ballesteros, C, Cubs

• Team: Triple-A Iowa (International)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: .500/.565/.600 (10-for-20) 4 R, 2 2B, 4 RBI, 3 BB, 2 SO

The Scoop: There are very few players in the minors who evoke more comfort in their ability to hit than Ballesteros, and right now, he’s on a true heater. Ballesteros has a 14-game hitting streak which has seen him have more multi-hit games (9) than one-hit games. Over this hitting streak, he has struck out only four times while walking nine times. (JJ)

17. Demetrio Crisantes, SS, Diamondbacks

• Team: High-A Hillsboro (Northwest)
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .409/.480/.636 (9-for-22), 9 R, 2 2B, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 3 BB, 4 SO, 2-for-2 SB

The Scoop: All the reviews on Crisantes in the spring were simple: He can hit. And that’s all he’s done to begin the season, too. Crisantes had a dominant week in which he logged his first four-hit performance of the season, with one of them leaving the yard. The 20-year-old has put away any concerns about two injuries suffered during his amateur career, one of which was Tommy John surgery. Questions about Crisantes’ defensive placement remain, however, as he is a little light on athleticism compared to the average major league shortstop. (JC)

18. Michael McGreevy, RHP, Cardinals

• Team: Triple-A Memphis (International)
• Age: 24
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 3.72, 9.2 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 9 SO, 1 HR

The Scoop: After making four strong appearances for the Cardinals in 2024, McGreevy is biding his time in Triple-A while he awaits his next opportunity. He’s been solid to begin the season. He made two starts last week, including an outstanding turn on Tuesday in which he went six scoreless and struck out five, while walking none and allowing one run on six hits. McGreevy doesn’t dominate with elite stuff, but he generates lots of ground balls and continually attacks the strike zone. (GP) 

19. Gunnar Hoglund, RHP, Athletics

• Team: Triple-A Las Vegas (Pacific Coast League)
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0, 2 GS, 9 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 10 SO

The Scoop: A’s manager Mark Kotsay said Hoglund left a strong impression on the team during spring training. So it’s no surprise that the righthander has started the season strong, catapulted by 10 strikeouts over two scoreless starts last week. Hoglund’s fastball has seen an uptick in velocity, sitting at 94-95 mph. He was a key piece in the Matt Chapman trade from the Blue Jays but was coming off Tommy John surgery from his junior year at Ole Miss. He’s now showing the results from his first normal offseason. (JC)

20. Mike Sirota, OF, Dodgers

• Team: Low-A Rancho Cucamonga (California)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: .409/.500/.773 (9-for-22) 7 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBIs, 4 BB, 7 SO

The Scoop: Admittedly, a California League stint is a modest assignment for Sirota. But if you’re going to be given a “get acclimated” assignment from your new organization, you might as well dominate the league, and that’s what Sirota has done. Acquired in the offseason Gavin Lux trade, Sirota is second in the California League in batting, first in slugging percentage, first in OPS and first in extra-base hits. (JJ)

Helium

Gage Jump, LHP, Athletics

Jump enjoyed a highly-decorated career as a California prep in the most competitive division of the CIF. He then matriculated to UCLA before transferring to LSU. The Athletics drafted Jump in the supplemental second round in 2024, and he’s been strong to begin 2025. This week, Jump tossed 6.2 scoreless frames, striking out 13 of the 23 batters he faced. He sat at 96 mph during the start with 18-19 inches of induced vertical break from a 5-foot-6 release height. He mixed sliders and curveballs throughout and showed off his premium stuff. Jump’s combination of movement and premium release traits give him a chance to find more success as a professional than he did in college. (GP) 

1. Jordan Lawlar, SS, Diamondbacks

• Team: Triple-A Reno (Pacific Coast)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .409/.480/1.000 (9-for-22), 6 R, 2 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 9 RBIs, 3 BB, 4 SO, 4 SB

The Scoop: Whether you are a D-backs fan or not, it’s a reasonable desire to hope Lawlar can get 400+ healthy plate appearances this year. Amazingly, he’s already just six plate appearances short of matching his entire 2024 season’s work after injuries ravaged what was expected to be his MLB rookie season. When Ketel Marte went onto the injured list, the D-backs turned to veteran Garrett Hampson instead of bringing Lawlar up. Marte’s timetable to return from a hamstring injury is still a little cloudy, but if it takes much longer, it’s reasonable to wonder if Arizona will give Lawlar a chance to provide an offensive boost. Lawlar had never played second base before this season, but he’s already gotten 12 games at the spot this month. (JJ)

 2. Carson Whisenhunt, LHP, Giants

• Team: Triple-A Sacramento (Giants)
• Age: 24
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: The book on Whisenhunt has long read the same: His fastball and changeup will play at the highest level. Now, he needs a breaking ball to tie the whole mix together. In his most recent start, he threw his slider 13 times, just less than 15% of his output that day. The 83 mph offering coaxed whiffs on three of six swings, accounting for 20% of his 15 swings and misses over six shutout innings. The outing also served as a fine rebound from Whisenhunt’s previous outing—when he allowed four earned runs in 3.1 innings—and helped him tie his season-high water mark with nine strikeouts. (JN)

3. Braden Montgomery, OF, White Sox 

• Team: Low-A Kannapolis (Carolina)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .353/.500/.765 (6-for-17), 6 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 6 BB, 1 SO, 3-for-4 SB

The Scoop: Montgomery has had quite the ride to start his professional career. A fractured right ankle suffered on June 8 with Texas A&M prevented him from making his debut with the Red Sox, the team that picked him in the first round of last year’s draft. Later, he was one of four players traded for Garrett Crochet. After getting his feet wet with the White Sox this spring, Montgomery has gotten off to a strong start. The switch-hitting outfielder hits the ball hard, logging exit velocities of 110 mph or better, including a reading of 115 mph, while playing for the Aggies last year. Montgomery homered on Tuesday and then went deep again on Saturday while recorded a season-high four RBIs that night, too. (JC)

4. Kelvin Hidalgo, SS, Rockies

• Team: Low-A Fresno (California) 
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .417/.517/.750 (10-for-24), 10 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 11 RBIs, 5 BB, 7 SO, 9-for-9 SB

The Scoop: Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2022, Hidalgo had the best performance of his professional career last week against Lake Elsinore. Hidalgo opened the week with a home run on Tuesday and another on Thursday. He collected hits in all six games and went wild on the base paths. He had four steals in Wednesday’s game, two in Friday’s game and another three on Sunday to go a perfect 9-for-9 on the base paths during the series. With some power, speed and feel to hit, Hidalgo could rise this season with continued strong performance. (GP) 

5. Bryce Cunningham, RHP, Yankees

• Team: High-A Hudson Valley (South Atlantic)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: The Yankees went heavy on college pitchers in the most recent draft, selecting Cunningham out of Vanderbilt with their second-round choice. On Saturday, he turned in the best start of his career. Facing Wilmington, the righthander struck out nine over seven innings of four-hit shutout ball. He got 13 swings and misses over the course of the outing, one shy of the most in all of High-A for the day. For the season, he’s struck out 22 and walked just two over 18 innings. (JN)

6. Roman Anthony, OF, Red Sox 

• Team: Triple-A Worcester (International) 
• Age: 20 
• Why He’s Here: .304/.448/.609 (7-for-23), 7 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 5 RBIs, 6 BB, 4 SO, 1-for-1 SB

The Scoop: The top positional prospect in the game was nursing an injury last week, so he was limited to designated hitting duties. It didn’t phase Anthony, however, as he continued to rake. His signature game of the week came in the first game of a doubleheader on Thursday when he hit two home runs and drove in five. It’s only a matter of time until Anthony is patrolling the outfield at Fenway Park and showing off his elite power. He had multi-hit games three times last week and has five in his last seven games. It’s an elite blend of bat-to-ball ability, on-base ability and power. (GP) 

7. Moises Ballesteros, C, Cubs

• Team: Triple-A Iowa (International)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: .526/.583/.947 (10-for-19), 6 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 5 RBIs, 4 BB, 1 SO, 0-for-1 SB

The Scoop: Ballesteros can hit. The sport’s No. 57 prospect has proven his offensive bona fides at every level, and he’s begun the 2025 season on a high note. With his 10 hits this week, he’s now 26-for-67 with just 10 strikeouts in 76 plate appearances and just three hits behind Gustavo Campero for the overall minor league lead. Both of his 2025 home runs came on April 16 as part of a 4-for-5 effort that also included a double. One of those homers came against a 64 mph eephus pitch and left the bat at 103.1 mph. (JN)

8. Aroon Escobar, 2B, Phillies

• Team: Low-A Clearwater (Florida State)
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .478/.500/.826 (11-for-23), 6 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 4 RBIs, 1 BB, 5 SO, 0-for-1 SB

The Scoop: Escobar was one of the brightest prospects in the Florida Complex League in 2024, stopped only by a pair of shin splints that ended his season. Fully healed, Escobar has picked up where he left off in his first taste of full-season ball. His 11-hit outburst this past week solidified his standing as one of the best hitters in the season’s early days. He’s one of three hitters in the FSL batting better than .400, and his on-base percentage (.456) and slugging percentage (.673) each rank among the league’s top 10. His 21 hits are tied with St. Lucie’s A.J. Ewing for the top spot. (JN)

9. Braxton Bragg, RHP, Orioles

• Team: High-A Aberdeen (South Atlantic)
• Age: 24
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Bragg caught evaluators’ attention during spring training, and he’s backed up that optimism with several strong performances to open the season at High-A. Despite allowing a season-high three hits, Bragg’s latest outing was his best. He spun seven shutout frames with seven strikeouts and no walks. The eighth-rounder from 2023 out of Dallas Baptist also set a new career-high by going seven full frames. The outing helped his IronBirds outlast Brooklyn and withstand a similarly-strong performance from their starter. (JN)

10. Luis Morales, RHP, Athletics

• Team: Double-A Midland (Texas)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: The A’s have struggled to develop their top international signings for a very long time, but Morales has the chance to change that narrative. The 22-year-old had one of his best outings to date by tying a career-high in strikeouts (eight) over six scoreless innings in his lone start of the week. Morales’ four-seamer was the fastest in the Athletics’ minor league system last year, and he has continued to make strides with the slider this offseason to help complement his high-octane stuff. Unlike in previous seasons, the Athletics’ big league rotation has an established cast, with plenty more seasoned minor league talent waiting in the wings. Morales has the chance to finish in Triple-A this year. (JC)

11. Dylan Campbell, OF, Phillies

• Team: High-A Jersey Shore (South Atlantic)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .375/.423/.875 (9-for-24), 5 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 2 BB, 4 SO. 2-for-4 SB

The Scoop: Campbell started off the week recording the second multi-homer game of his career by going deep in back-to-back innings. He also drove in five runs that night, setting a new career high. On Friday night, he had another five-RBI game, which included slugging his third homer of the week. Acquired in a trade from the Dodgers for international pool money, Campbell flashed his power and speed skillset last year by being just one just eight minor leaguers to finish the year with 20 or doubles, 10 or more homers and 40 or more stolen bases. (JC)

12. Jace Bohrofen, OF, Blue Jays

• Team: Double-A New Hampshire (Eastern)
• Age: 23
• Why He’s Here: .346/.393/.808 (9-for-26), 6 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 2 BB, 4 SO

The Scoop: Bohrofen made up for his quiet start to the season with an explosive performance this past week. The 23-year-old hit a solo shot in his first at-bat of the week and then smashed a two-run shot the following game. Bohrofen also had a two-homer game on Friday and collected three RBIs. The outfielder went deep 14 times last year and has the potential to develop 20-homer power, especially if he can become more disciplined at the plate. Hitting fastballs isn’t a problem for Bohrofen, but he struggles against spin and offspeed pitches and struck out 110 times last year. (JC)

13. Caden Dana, RHP, Angels

• Team: Triple-A Salt Lake (Pacific Coast)
• Age: 21
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 1 GS, 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 SO

The Scoop: It was a fascinating subplot this spring to see where the Angels would send Dana, because the team has generally been extremely reluctant to send young pitchers to Salt Lake. So far, Dana has passed that test with no issues at all. Though he has been helped by making two of his three Triple-A starts on the road (El Paso and Sacramento), he’s still been excellent. His changeup was quite effective against Sacramento this week, and he commanded his curveball quite well. (JJ)

14. Caleb Bonemer, SS, White Sox 

• Team: Low-A Kannapolis (Carolina) 
• Age: 19 
• Why He’s Here: .471/.615/.765 (8-for-17), 5 R, 3 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 5 RBIs, 7 BB, 4 SO, 3-for-5 SB

The Scoop: One of the top hitters on the summer showcase circuit in 2023, Bonemer has hit the ground running as a professional. Last week was the best week of his young professional career, as he reached base in more than half of his at-bats. On Wednesday, Bonemer collected four hits and reached base five times. He has thus far has shown advanced feel to hit and a discerning eye at the plate. Drafted in the second round last July, Bonemer is part of a core of good hitting prospects coming up in the White Sox system. (GP) 

15. A.J. Ewing, OF, Mets

• Team: Low-A Port St. Lucie (Florida)
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .400/.520/.550 (8-for-20), 4 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 5 RBI, 5 BB, 3 SO

The Scoop: Signed for an above-slot $675,000 as a fourth-rounder in 2023, Ewing held his own after being promoted from the Florida Complex League to Low-A last year and has carried that momentum into 2025. The 20-year-old recorded a hit in four of five games last week, including two three-hit performances. Ewing boasts excellent pitch recognition, which makes him a strong contact hitter, and he hit the ball with above-average strength last year. A shortstop coming out of high school, Ewing has focused on the outfield since joining the Mets, although he did get the start at second base in Saturday’s game. (JC)

16. Marcelo Mayer, SS, Red Sox

• Team: Triple-A Worcester (International)
• Age: 22
• Why He’s Here: .286/.333/.536 (8-for-28) 3 R, 1 2B, 2 HR, 13 RBIs, 2 BB, 5 SO

The Scoop: Mayer hasn’t set the world on fire this month in Worcester, but he is providing some big hits. His four home runs is tied for eighth among International League leaders, and he’s working on his versatility, having started games at second and third base in addition to shortstop. But as long as everyone stays healthy, Mayer should get plenty of time to refine his craft in Triple-A. Trevor Story has started out this season with some of his best work since coming to Boston, while Kristian Campbell and Alex Bregman have also been among the team’s best hitters. (JJ)

17. Daniel Eagen, RHP, Diamondbacks 

• Team: High-A Hillsboro (Northwest)
• Age: 22 
• Why He’s Here: 0-0, 0.00, 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 12 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Drafted in the third round out of Presbyterian, Eagen is impressing in his professional debut. After recording 10 strikeouts in his second start, Eagen upped the ante this week by striking out a career-high 12 batters over six innings. Eagen mixes a low-90s fastball featuring elite ride with a gyro slider, downer curveball and splitter. He lacks MLB-level velocity at present but has a variety of good pitch shapes and a feel for the zone. Eagen is a name to follow from the most recent draft class. (GP)  

18. Nolan McLean, RHP, Mets 

• Team: Double-A Binghamton (Eastern)
• Age: 23 
• Why He’s Here: 1-0, 0.00, 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 8 SO, 0 HR

The Scoop: Through three starts this season, McLean has allowed just one earned run while holding opposing hitters to a .173 average. He kept rolling this week with his best start of the season on Saturday: six scoreless innings with two hits, four walks and eight strikeouts. McLean’s command still comes and goes, but he boasts excellent stuff. He mixed three different breaking ball shapes in his start Saturday, showing a low-90s gyro slider, a mid-80s sweeper and a high-70s curveball with two-plane break. Though his fastball shape isn’t great, he boasts excellent velocity. McLean could position himself as the best of Mets’ pitching prospects within the next month. (GP) 

19. Andy Garriola, OF, Cubs 

• Team: High-A South Bend (Midwest) 
• Age: 25 
• Why He’s Here: .333/.333/.917 (8-for-24), 5 R, 2 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 8 RBIs, 0 BB, 4 SO, 0-for-1 SB

The Scoop: A low-dollar signing in the 17th round of the 2022 draft out of Old Dominion, Garriola has struggled out the gate this season but had a huge week last week. He homered in four out of the final five game of the series, including homers in three consecutive games to end the week. Garriola has power, but swing-and-miss issues have kept him from getting to it with greater frequency. (GP) 

20. Rosman Verdugo, SS, Padres

• Team: High-A Fort Wayne (Midwest)
• Age: 20
• Why He’s Here: .292/.308/.917 (7-for-24), 7 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 1 BB, 9 SO

The Scoop: Signed for $700,000 in 2022, Verdugo’s stat line may not be as pretty as some of the others on this list, but he made sure each one of his hits caused damage. Six of his seven hits this past week resulted in extra-base hits, and he homered in three consecutive games. It’s an encouraging sign considering Verdugo struggled to end 2024 due to contact woes. Despite facing performance challenges at times, Verdugo continues to make steps in the right direction with his development. (JC)

HELIUM

David Davalillo, RHP, Rangers

The only reason Davalillo didn’t leave with a perfect game on Friday night was because one of his strikeout pitches skittered to the backstop for a wild pitch. It was a great outing from a pitcher who seems to string them together week after week. In 145 pro innings, Davaillo has a 2.17 career ERA. In full-season ball, it’s below 1.80. Davalillo has enough of a fastball (93-94 mph) because he spots it well, and he has a slider, curve and split-change that he commands with precision, too. Davalillo doesn’t seem to make mistakes up in the strike zone. If you see him put a pitch in the top third of the zone, it’s almost assuredly a late-count fastball that plays up because hitters are so worried about him pounding the bottom of the zone. (JJ)