10 MLB Prospects We’re Excited To See In The Florida Complex & Florida State Leagues

Esteban Mejia, RHP, Orioles

Mejia is easily the No. 1 target on this list. The Baltimore righthander has scorched the competition in the FCL—albeit with sometimes-scattered strikes—thanks to a big-time fastball and nasty slider. The heater regularly reaches triple digits, and the slider has a chance to be a plus pitch. Together, they have helped Mejia punch out 26 hitters in 23 innings.

Johnny King, LHP, Blue Jays

King was Toronto’s third-round pick last summer and has opened his pro career with mix of power and precision. He’s paired a mid-90s fastball with a low-80s curveball and found plenty of success along the way. Together, those two pitches have allowed him to strike out 33 hitters over 19.1 innings.

Grant Shepardson, RHP, Marlins

Consider Shepardson’s selection somewhat of an encore. Baseball America ran into the righthander, whom Miami chose with their fifth-round pick last year, on the backfields during spring training. He looked sharp then, and he’s continued do so in games that count. He works with a full four-pitch complement headed by a heater that gets into the mid 90s. Through six starts, Shepardson has rung up 22 hitters in 21 innings.

Aroon Escobar, 2B, Phillies

Escobar was high on the wish list last summer, but shin splints in both legs kept him on the shelf. This year, he’s built on his strong 2024 season and turned into a full-blown star. He was a standout in the Phillies’ Spring Breakout game and has accomplished one of his dreams by landing on BA’s Top 100 Prospects list. How’d he do it? By hitting, hitting and hitting some more. The infielder has married impact and contact into a package that has made him one of the brightest prospects in Philly’s system.

Yairo Padilla, SS, Cardinals

Last year, Padilla was one of the stars in the Dominican Summer League. There, he showed the potential for tremendous upside on both sides of the ball. Even so, evaluators knew Padilla’s path might require plenty of patience. His first season stateside has come with plenty of ups and downs, but at his best, he’s shown the skills to be a slasher at the top of the order who can turn and burn. His 22 stolen bases are the most in the league.

Rainiel Rodriguez, C, Cardinals

Rodriguez was too good for the FCL. He proved that loudly and repeatedly by putting forth a performance that still has him atop the league’s leaderboards even after a promotion to the Florida State League two weeks ago. Rodriguez has struggled somewhat in his first taste of full-season ball, but the larger gaps between the levels mean prospects might take a little longer to adjust. If he can, he’ll come a step closer to achieving his ceiling.

Alfredo Duno, C, Reds

Duno’s massive potential has been waylaid time and time again by injuries. The first two seasons of his career—which have seen him skip the Florida Complex League entirely—were limited to just 77 games. Just 21 of those games were behind the plate. He’s already eclipsed that mark this year, and he’s beginning show more than hints of his upside. The 19-year-old has swatted 21 extra-base hits, including six home runs, in 55 games, and his 147 wRC+ is the third-highest among players remaining in the FSL.

Edward FIorentino, OF, Pirates

Florentino ranked among the best prospects in the 2024 Dominican Summer League, where he popped 17 extra-base hits and finished with more walks (38) than strikeouts (36). He’s turned it up a notch since moving stateside and is among the best performers in the FCL, where his name can be found all over the leaderboard. All three of his triple-slash lines rank among the circuit’s top 10, and his 1.093 OPS is the best among players still in the league.

Eduardo Tait, C, Phillies

Two of the best offensive players in the FSL play their home games in Clearwater. The first is Aroon Escobar, who has been one of the best all-around players in the league. The second is Tait, a bat-first catcher with the tools to one day be an offensive force. His nine home runs are second in the league behind—you guessed it—Escobar. Tait is two years younger than Escobar and has far more work to do defensively, but he was the second-youngest player in the league on Opening Day and stands as one of its best.

Sam Shaw, 2B, Blue Jays

Shaw jumped into Toronto’s Top 30 in our most recent update, and he landed that spot thanks to a solid showing in the first half of the season with Dunedin. The Canadian has the skills to be an above-average hitter at the highest level, and he’ll have to do so because none of his other tools rises above a 40 on the 20-80 scouting scale. Shaw’s 153 wRC+ is the highest in the FSL among players who are still in the league.