Jonah Tong, RHP, Mets

The Mets’ No. 3 prospect continued his dream season through the month of June. Across 13 starts this season spanning 67 innings, Tong has pitched to a 1.75 ERA with 107 strikeouts to 30 walks. The introduction of a new changeup grip has improved the quality of his offspeed, helping him drive lots of whiffs.

In the month of June, Tong made four starts, allowing two earned runs across 23 innings while striking out 35 batters to six walks. Tong’s ability to get whiffs and ground balls has allowed him to thrive this season with Double-A Binghamton. 

Tong has also added velocity to go along with his improved changeup. He generates a heavy ride on his four-seam fastball, making it a difficult pitch to barrel up. His slider is a work in progress, while his curveball is an early-count strike-stealer.  

Cam Schlittler, RHP, Yankees

The newest Top 100 Prospect, Schlittler has improved his arsenal in 2025, and it’s resulted in great numbers over the first half of the season. The 6-foot-6 righthander has been a developmental success story for the Yankees, as he’s grown from projectable college starter without strong results to a pitcher with a variety of avenues to generate outs. 

In the month of June, Schlittler made five starts, allowing four earned runs across 26.1 innings while striking out 39 batters and allowing eight walks. He earned the promotion to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on June 7 and has made four starts with the RailRiders to date. 

Schlittler’s four-seam fastball sits 96-97 mph—touching 99 mph at peak—with up to 19 inches of induced vertical break. His low-90s cutter has heavy gloveside sweep and has been a key developmental piece in his pitch mix. He also throws a mid-to-high-80s sweeper and a mid-80s curveball with high spin rates and lots of drop.     

Travis Sykora, RHP, Nationals

Promoted to Double-A at the end of the month, Sykora used June to make up for lost time after missing April while recovering from an offseason hip surgery. In 10 starts this season across the Florida Complex League, Low-A and High-A, Sykora has amassed 70 strikeouts to 11 walks in 40.2 innings.  

In June, Sykora made four starts, going 3-0 while allowing four earned runs across 21.2 innings of work. He struck out 32 batters to six walks and didn’t allow a home run during the month. Opposing hitters batted just .139 against him, and he scattered just 10 total hits. 

Sykora mixes a mid-to-high-90s four-seam fastball that generates lots of whiffs despite only pedestrian vertical break on the pitch. His mid-80s slider and splitter give him two secondaries moving in opposite directions, with the splitter projecting to be the better of the two pitches.

Back from injury, Sykora has emerged as one of the best pitching prospects in the game. 

Khal Stephen, RHP, Blue Jays

This spring has been a great one for Blue Jays pitching prospects, as Trey Yesavage, Gage Stanifer and Stephen have all enjoyed phenomenal first halves this season. Stephen has made 14 appearances spanning 70.1 innings, pitching to a 7-0 record, 1.92 ERA, 2.58 FIP and 78 strikeouts to 14 walks. His combination of four average-or-better pitches with average-or-better command gives him a well-rounded profile. 

In June, Stephen went 3-0, allowing two earned runs across 23 innings. He tallied 25 strikeouts to four walks while allowing 15 hits while showing the ability to drive whiffs against his four-seam fastball, slider and changeup.

Stephen’s heater sits 93-95 mph and touches 97-98 at peak with between 19-21 inches of induced vertical break on average. His ability to ride the fastball at an elite rate has allowed him to continually generate whiffs despite only average velocity. In addition to the fastball, he also features a cutter, slider and changeup.   

Melvin Hernandez, RHP, Brewers

While it’s often the Carolina Mudcats’ lineup that captures headlines thanks to premier names like Jesús Made and Luis Peña, Hernandez has enjoyed an excellent season in his own right on the mound. Signed by the Brewers out of Nicaragua in January 2023, Hernandez made his full-season debut late in 2024 and returned to Low-A to begin 2025. He’s made 14 appearances this season, pitching to a 6-4 record with a 2.17 ERA and 3.31 FIP over 70.2 innings. 

In the month of June, Hernandez made five appearances spanning 27.2 innings, and he allowed only two earned runs on 12 hits while striking out 20 batters to three walks. Hernandez is not the type of pitcher to generate high whiff rates or strikeouts, but he shows advanced command and the ability to avoid hard contact consistently. On the season, he boasts a 53.7% groundball rate.

While Hernandez doesn’t have power stuff, he does show some projection in his pitch mix. His sinker is his primary pitch, and it’s used to drive ground balls. He shows the ability to kill lift on his changeup while generating heavy armside run. His breaking ball has slurvy shape with more depth than a typical slider, making it more in line with a curveball. 

Braden Nett, RHP, Padres

An undrafted free agent signed in 2022 out of St. Charles (Mo.) JC, Nett has proven to be an excellent find in his three years since turning pro. After breaking out in 2024 with 20 appearances between High-A Fort Wayne and Double-A San Antonio, Nett returned to Double-A to begin this season and has pitched well. He currently owns a 5-3 record with a 3.23 ERA, 3.48 FIP and 73 strikeouts to 25 walks across 61.1 innings pitched. 

In June, Nett made four starts, going 3-0 while allowing just three earned runs across 22.2 innings. He tallied 28 strikeouts to four walks and avoided hard contact to the tune of just one home run allowed. Opposing hitters batted .212 against him, which is no small feat in the hitter-friendly Texas League.

Nett mixes a deep arsenal of pitches: a four-seam fastball, cutter, sweeper, splitter and curveball. His four-seam fastball sits 95-97 mph and has reached as high as 99 in games. His primary secondary is a low-90s cutter, but he’ll mix in a sweeper equally throughout starts.

With a good pitch mix and strong June showing, Nett might be one of the more underappreciated pitching prospects currently in the minors.  

Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, RHP, Yankees

While there’s been some hand-wringing in the Bronx about trading catcher Carlos Narvaez to the Red Sox, in due time, the Yankees’ return in Rodriguez-Cruz may well prove to be valuable. The 21-year-old righthander has quietly put together an excellent season. In 72 innings across 13 appearances this season, he is 5-3 with a 2.50 ERA and 2.67 FIP while striking out 85 batters. 

In the month of June, Rodriguez-Cruz was on fire, going 2-1 across four appearances and allowing only two earned runs in 24 innings. He struck out 26 batters while walking eight and allowing 13 hits and one home run for the month. Opposing hitters batted just .160 against him.

From a stuff perspective, Rodriguez-Cruz has a deep array of pitches led by a mid-90s four-seam fastball that he mixes with a cutter, splitter, curveball and sweeper. His entire arsenal features above-average power, and he shows the ability to ride, cut, sweep and run the ball consistently

In the coming years, Rodriguez-Cruz projects to make the Narvaez trade appear far more even in retrospect. 

Trey Gibson, RHP, Orioles

Gibson spent three seasons at Liberty and signed with the Orioles in 2023 as an undrafted free agent. He’s since found his stride as a professional and now ranks inside the Orioles’ top 10 Prospects. Recently promoted to Double-A Chesapeake, Gibson has made 13 appearances this season and owns a 2-3 record with a 4.34 ERA, 3.56 FIP and 92 strikeouts to 25 walks across 58 innings.

June was a watershed month for Gibson, as he went 1-1 over five starts between High-A and Double-A, allowing eight earned runs on the month on 16 hits. He struck out 38 batters over 25.1 innings while walking 11 and holding the opposition to a .178 average. 

Gibson mixes a mid-90s four-seam fastball, a mid-80s sweeper, a two-plane curveball, a cutter and changeup. He combines shapes with good power and consistently uses his mix to keep hitters off balance.    

Jack Perkins, RHP, Athletics

June 2025 will be a month Perkins will always remember, as the A’s righty made his major league debut against the Guardians at home against on June 22. Perkins has been a part of the brewing core of young Athletics pitchers currently on the farm, and many make the case that Perkins might have the best stuff of any prospect in the system currently.

On the season, he’s made nine starts for Triple-A Las Vegas, pitching to a 2.86 ERA and 3.40 FIP while striking out 38.4% of batters faced. The degree of difficulty of Perkins’ success should be noted, as he’s pitched well in the high-scoring environment of the Pacific Coast League. 

Prior to his promotion, Perkins enjoyed an excellent month of June, as he made three starts for Las Vegas, allowing one earned run across 16.1 innings. He racked up 29 strikeouts while issuing just nine walks and not surrendering a homer run. Opposing hitters batted .094 against him this month, and he showed the ability to consistently stymie hitters at the highest level of the minors. 

Perkins’ mix is led by a four-seam fastball with heavy armside run that sits 96-97 mph. His primary secondary is a mid-to-high-80s sweeper generating up to 18 inches of gloveside break. He’ll also show a low-90s cutter and a firm high-80s-to-low-90s changeup. 

Chase Burns, RHP, Reds

This may well be the last time we get to feature Burns in our monthly wrap-ups, as the 22-year-old righthander made his major league debut with the Reds on June 24. He went five innings against the Yankees in Cincinnati, striking out eight and allowing three runs on six hits and no walks. Prior to that, Burns had been dominant in the minor leagues to begin his professional career, pitching to 1.77 ERA and 2.15 FIP with a 7-3 record across 13 starts. 

In the month of June, Burns made three minor league starts, allowing three earned runs across 19.1 innings. He showed his strikeout prowess by punching out 20 batters to four walks while allowing 10 hits.

There’s been much talk around Burns’ electric pitch mix, which features power and movement few in the game can match. His high-90s fastball will touch triple digits regularly and features heavy ride and cut. His upper-80s/low-90s slider is his primary secondary weapon, but he’ll mix in a changeup and curveball, as well.

Konnor Griffin, SS, Pirates

There’s a case to be made that Griffin is having the best season among any prospect in the first half of 2025. After putting together a .338/.396/.536 line over 50 games with Low-A Bradenton. Griffin was promoted to High-A Greensboro on June 10 and has dominated since. 

Throughout June, Griffin has been one of baseball’s top performers. He’s hit .392/.484/.582 while walking 12.6% of the time. His strikeout rate plummeted to 14.7%. His improving plate skills over the course of the spring are a reason to buy into Griffin’s ability to adjust on the fly.

While the plate skills and declining strikeout rate are exciting developments, Griffin’s power and speed combination remains a calling card. Over the course of the month, Griffin has nine extra-base hits while stealing 11 bases. A 70-grade runner with the ability to develop into 70-grade game power at peak, Griffin looks like he’s growing into becoming one of the best young hitters in baseball.

Kevin McGonigle, SS, Tigers

After a right ankle injury sidelined McGonigle for nearly all of April and the early part of May, the shortstop has been on fire since returning and continued to assert himself as one of the minors’ premier young hitters. Over 18 June games, McGonigle has hit .351/.424/.689 with 10 doubles and five home runs. 

McGonigle, despite his smaller stature, has shown himself to be a powder keg with the ability to explode on any mistake left over the heart of the zone. Few players boast the sort of preternatural bat-to-ball skills that McGonigle does. On the season, he has a 7.3% swinging-strike rate while showing a good balance of patience and aggression with a 44.8% swing rate. 

Tigers fans have been clamoring for a promotion to Double-A for McGonigle and teammate Max Clark. The pair are arguably the most talented teammates in the minor leagues now that Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer are in the major leagues with the Red Sox. McGonigle has an outside chance to hit his way into the number No. 1 spot on the Baseball America Top 100 Prospects list by the end of 2025. 

Max Anderson, 2B, Tigers

Taken by the Tigers out of Nebraska in the second round of the 2023 draft, Anderson has enjoyed an outstanding 2025 season to date. Over 59 games with Double-A Erie, he’s hit .351/.394/.596 with a 183 wRC+, which places him among the elite performers in the minor leagues this season.

In the month of June, Anderson has hit .378/.427/.683 with an 11.2% strikeout rate and 6.7% walk rate. Anderson is an aggressive hitter, as shown by his 55.6% swing rate this season, but he’s able to make it work due to above-average bat-to-ball skills and power at the point of contact. Whether his over-aggressive approach catches up to him eventually is something to keep an eye on.

Regardless of how his approach plays at higher levels, there’s no denying that Anderson is a tough out who makes the most of his contact. Over the course of June, he’s connected for 12 extra-base hits and consistently found the barrel.

Michael Arroyo, 2B, Mariners

A Colombian baseball hero, Arroyo is one of the premier hitting prospects in a loaded Mariners system. Over 65 games with High-A Everett, Arroyo hit .269/.422/.512 before earning promotion to Double-A on June 23. He is a bat-first prospect with questionable defense at second base, adding pressure on his bat to carry his profile.

In the month of June, though, his bat did just that. Over 20 games this month, Arroyo has hit .319/.462/.667 with a 14.3% walk rate and 15.4% strikeout rate. He’s also hit seven home runs in June, posting a .347 isolated slugging. 

Arroyo shows some swing-and-miss, as evidenced by a 10.8% swinging-strike rate and 24.1% whiff rate. However, he balances his approach well, as he’s neither passive or overly aggressive, which limits his exposure to those swing-and-miss tendencies. Arroyo will be challenged by the promotion to Double-A, where his plate skills will be put to the test in the Texas League. 

Carson Williams, SS, Rays 

One of the streakier hitters in the minors, Williams posted a .564 OPS in April followed by a .632 OPS in May. After two terrible months, Williams got his footing in June and has produced a 1.087 OPS over 18 games. Contact has been a bugaboo for Williams, as he’s ran a 62.5% contact rate and 35.2% strikeout rate this season.

Many of those metrics improved in June, however, as Williams hit .310/.410/.634 while running a 29.8% strikeout rate. Williams shows strong on-base skills without being overly passive. He walked 10.7% of the time in June and could potentially improve that number by being a tad more selective. Williams’ power is his selling point at the plate. In June, he slugged six home runs, three doubles and a triple. His .324 isolated slugging showcases his ability to slug.

A talented defender with power and speed, Williams’ well below-average hit tool remains a concern. Improvements to his approach and contact skills could provide the foundation for a successful landing in the big leagues. If not, he’s likely to strike out 40% of the time when he debuts. 

Jared Thomas, OF, Rockies 

The Rockies paid Thomas $2 million last July after selecting him in the second round out of Texas. So far this season, he has been one of the most productive players in the minors, hitting .326/.427/.498 over 69 games. His performance has produced a 144 wRC+, making him one of the top hitters in the High-A Northwest League.

In June, Thomas really turned it on, as he’s posted a .369/.448/.607 line over 20 games. He’s displayed strong plate skills, as well, walking in 10.6% of his plate appearances while striking out just 17.7% of the time. Thomas has a good, balanced approach, logging a 44.1% swing rate while showing the ability to discern balls and strikes. His 11.6% swinging-strike rate shows there is some swing-and-miss, but Thomas balances it with solid swing decisions.

Thomas is likely a corner outfield profile long term, though in 2025, he’s split time between center and left field. His bat will likely have to carry his profile as he ascends to major leagues. Thomas’ combination of solid bat-to-ball skills, power and approach will serve him well as he sees higher levels. 

Cristian Arguelles, OF, Rockies

No player in the Dominican Summer League stood out in the first month of play like Arguelles. One of the Rockies’ top international signings in 2025, Arguelles inked for $700,000 out of Venezuela. After hitting .267/.352/.302 over 50 games last season in the DSL, he returned to begin 2025. 

Over the month of June, Arguelles has shown improved power and angles on contact. His line-drive rate climbed from 22.8% in 2024 to 36.4% to begin this season. He’s also shrunk his groundball rate from 44.3% last year to just 30.9% in 2025. Arguelles has displayed excellent plate skills, walking in 12.5% of his plate appearances while striking out in 8.8%.

Over the opening month of DSL play, Arguelles has hit .477/.544/.754 with six doubles, three triples and two home runs across 17 games. His 218 wRC+ is the second best in the league and the best for a player under 18 years old. 

Arguelles still has much to prove once he comes stateside, but his early returns in 2025 show a player coming into his own. His impressive plate skills and improving game power are major reasons Arguelles is trending upward after the first month of DSL play. 

Pedro Ramirez, 2B/3B, Cubs

Over the last few seasons, Ramirez has been one of the more underrated performers in the minor leagues. Signed out of Venezuela in January 2021, Ramirez has produced an above-average or better statistical line at each stop along his minor league journey. In 2025, Ramirez is getting his first taste of Double-A and has been impressive, hitting .306/.364/.442 over his first 69 games. 

In the month of June, Ramirez took things up a notch. Over 20 games this month, he’s hit .341/.391/.622 with a 12.0% strikeout rate to a 8.7% walk rate. Not known for his power exploits, he’s posted a .224 isolated slugging while hitting four home runs, four doubles and a triple. Ramirez has split time between third and second base this year, where he’s an average to potentially above-average defender, providing some defensive versatility. 

While versatility and improving power are elements to appreciate about Ramirez’s profile, his plate skills are his carrying tools. His 6% swinging strike rate as a 21-year-old in his first taste of Double-A is impressive, and he pairs it with a good balance of patience and approach, avoiding passive at-bats more often than not. 

Colby Thomas, OF, Athletics

Despite excellent production in each of his three professional seasons, Thomas has been a divisive name in scouting circles. The 24-year-old is certainly tooled up—there’s no debating that. He shows above-average or better skills in the field, with solid speed and plus raw power. Thomas currently ranks in the top 10 in home runs in the minor leagues this season with 17, two off the minor league leader, Esmerlyn Valdez. 

In June, Thomas has been excellent, hitting .333/.382/.575 with a 22.3% strikeout rate and 5.8% walk rate. Known for his slugging prowess, Thomas hit five home runs with six doubles while logging a .241 isolated slugging rate. Despite Thomas’ aggressive approach, his quality of contact allows what is, at times, an over-zealous approach to work. 

Thomas’ swing rate is high at 54.1%, but with a chase rate of 34.2%, there’s a reasonable gap between the two, highlighting his 77.3% zone-swing rate. In this way, Thomas doesn’t swing himself into as many outs as his lower walk rate might suggest. His 14.3% swinging-strike rate is high and likely a product of his 46.1% out-of-zone contact rate. How long Thomas can make this style of hitting work is up for some debate, but he’s shown very strong underlying power data with the tools to make it a well-rounded enough profile to earn MLB time. 

Maxton Martin, OF, Rangers

An 11th-round pick out of the Washington state prep ranks, Martin spent parts of two seasons on the Arizona Complex. In 2025, he saw his first taste of full-season ball, breaking camp with Low-A Hickory. Over 64 games this season, Martin has hit .273/.338/.462 while striking out in 21.8% of plate appearances and walking in 8.2%. He’s shown solid power output, fringe-average plate skills and an ability to hit the ball in the air to his pull side. 

In the month of June, Martin has hit .301/.396/.566 with a 11.5% walk rate and 17.7% strikeout rate. He”s shown good power output with a .265 isolated slugging, eight doubles, a triple and four home runs. He boasts a solid underlying batted-ball profile with a 53.7% line drive-plus-fly ball rate, and he’s also pulled 47.3% of balls in play this year, showing he’s already tapping into pullside power. 

After two seasons on the complex, Martin is thriving in full-season ball. If his hot performance continues into July, he could see promotion to High-A Hub City shortly.

“When I was at the academy, I knew I was going to be a professional baseball player,” Peña told Baseball America in Spanish. “I wasn’t afraid during the tryout. With my tools and the right training, I really knew it could happen.”

Now 18 years old and through two seasons with the Brewers, Peña is already showing flashes of what made people believe in him in the first place. As a prospect, he now ranks third in the Brewers’ system and 30th in the BA Top 100 Prospects list.

With the way he’s performed so far, it’s easy to see why he bet on himself—and why that bet is starting to pay off.

Peña had dominant professional debut in the Dominican Summer League last year, winning the DSL batting title (.393), placing fourth in the league in OPS (1.040) and tying for second in stolen bases (39) with a 91% success rate.

While Peña may not be hitting for as high of an average this season, he’s unlocked a different—and more dangerous—part of his game: power. In 2024, his lone home run came on an inside-the-park sprint. This year, he’s left no doubt, launching seven homers already with exit velocities topping out over 105 mph.

Peña attributes his success to the work he put in during his first offseason as a professional. That winter, he returned to the same academy he developed to remain grounded.

“I really wanted to get stronger this year,” Peña said. “I really take this opportunity to play with the Brewers (seriously). I want to be the best version of myself possible.”

Peña is part of a standout 2024 international signing class—one that’s quickly making its mark across the Brewers’ system. Jorge Quintana is already showing promise in the Arizona Complex League, Jesús Made is one of the most exciting prospects in baseball and José Anderson earned a quick promotion to Low-A. 

Despite the internal competition, Peña says the bond among the group runs deep.

“They’re great teammates and they work really hard, too,” Peña said. “While we are also competing against each other at times, we have a lot of respect for each other and have a close bond.”

Now, with a growing toolbox and a mindset rooted in humility and hard work, Peña is proving he’s more than just a flash of potential—he’s a player with a future.

What started as a reluctant trip to the neighborhood field has turned into a rising professional career. And while the road ahead is long, Peña is running toward it with the same quiet determination that’s fueled his climb from the streets of the Dominican Republic to the Brewers organization.