Baseball has mercifully arrived in 2026, and with it comes a fresh look at how MLB’s top prospects stack up. We already have a good sense of how their own organizations feel about their development, but comparing one team’s shortstop prospect in High-A to a right-handed starter in Triple-A isn’t always easy.
Some experts prioritize proximity to the Major Leagues, while others look for upside and/or prospect pedigree even back to a player’s amateur days. There is no single right way to evaluate prospects, which is exactly why we built a top 100 ranking of our own.
FanSided’s MLB top 100 prospect ranking methodology
These are subjective rankings at their core. There is no plug-and-play algorithm for Minor League players that spits out an “accurate” list. These rankings reflect our evaluation of tools, upside, floor, proximity to the Majors, prospect pedigree, available data and scouting reports. Players were sorted into tiers first, then ranked against one another within those tiers. This list is informed by other expert opinions, but ultimately it’s our own. We included where Baseball America and MLB Pipeline ranked each player (if they did at all) as well, so you can see a more complete picture of the industry consensus and to make it easier to identify outliers.
Note: There are a lot of players who are still technically prospects but are playing for MLB teams right now. They are going to graduate from prospect status in the very near future. In fact, there are a few players who graduated while I was writing this list. Instead of reranking, we’re treating this first installment as a snapshot in time to be updated later in the season. For clarity:
- Players who have graduated are marked with an asterisk (*).
- Those players will be removed in the next update.
- This serves as our opening baseline, with updates to come.
Below, you will find our top 100 prospect rankings. And before you ask, yes, we do hate your team. All of them.
1. Konnor Griffin, SS, Pirates
- Baseball America Ranking: 1
- MLB Pipeline Ranking: 1
You will struggle to find anyone who doesn’t think that Konnor Griffin is the top prospect in all of baseball, or close to it. The soon-to-be 20-year-old shortstop possesses the type of raw athleticism, work ethic and versatility that teams dream about and that you almost never see outside of rare cases such as Mike Trout. The Pirates have to be thrilled that they were able to lock Griffin up on an extension when they did, because the odds are good that he will more than earn that money.
All of Griffin’s tools graded as plus or higher in the Minor Leagues, and there is a good chance that he will end up being a Gold Glove-caliber defender at shortstop (or even center field, if that proves to be the easier roster fit). Griffin needs more experience against big-league pitching in order to react better to how they are attacking him, but this is a guy who could end up being a five-tool terror that dominates the league for a very long time.
2. Kevin McGonigle, SS, Tigers
- Baseball America Ranking: 2
- MLB Pipeline Ranking: 2
While Griffin may be the most talented prospect overall, the title of the best hitter may actually belong to Kevin McGonigle. Thanks to an overslot $2.85 million signing bonus, the Tigers were able to float McGonigle all the way to the No. 37 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, even though pre-draft rankings had him much higher than that in his class. As it turns out, Detroit’s investment in the prep bat has proven to be a great one.
After dominating the Minors at every stop thanks to his plus-plus hit tool and surprising power, Detroit opted to carry McGonigle on its Opening Day roster. To the surprise of pretty much no one, McGonigle has immediately become one of the heavy favorites to win AL Rookie of the Year in 2026. If he keeps posting an OPS north of .900 and the Tigers win, the kid may end up getting some MVP votes as well.
3. JJ Wetherholt, 2B/SS, Cardinals
- Baseball America Ranking: 3
- MLB Pipeline Ranking: 5
It is kind of unfortunate that Griffin and McGonigle are so good and get so much coverage, because JJ Wetherholt would be a very worthy No. 1 overall prospect most years. Wetherholt has a little bit of a different origin story than those two, as he was a college draftee who had a really good shot at getting picked first overall before a hamstring injury during his draft year allowed him to fall to St. Louis at No. 7.
In a lot of ways, Wetherholt’s game is very similar to McGonigle, albeit with some minor differences here and there. His hit tool is his carrying tool, and he has the ability to make regular hard contact from the left side of the plate. Wetherholt’s plate discipline also raises his floor a good bit, as he is not afraid whatsoever to draw a walk. His future is probably at second base, if for no other reason being that the Cardinals already have the cannon-armed Masyn Winn at short. However, he should be a decent defender there, and despite a relatively slow start to his big-league career, his bat will matter most.
4. Jesus Made, 2B/SS, Brewers
- Baseball America Ranking: 4
- MLB Pipeline Ranking: 3
It isn’t too often that an international prospect immediately ascends to the top of prospect rankings before they even reach pro ball, but infield prospect Jesus Made is one of the exceptions. After a DSL debut where he put up video-game numbers backed by preposterous batted-ball metrics, Made was off to the races — and he hasn’t looked back since.
You don’t find switch-hitting prospects that hit for average and power very often. It is even harder to find ones that are strong defenders at a premium position like shortstop, and who display all their tools despite being in their teenage years. Made is already tearing things up at Double-A this season, and while finding room for him given the Brewers’ crowded infield picture will be tricky, there is a good chance that Made could push for a promotion to the big leagues at some point in 2026.
5. Leo De Vries, SS, Athletics
- Baseball America Ranking: 10
- MLB Pipeline Ranking: 4
Ever since Leo De Vries signed as a top international free agent, experts have been predicting greatness. Similar to Made, De Vries is a very young, switch-hitting infielder with prototypical size who seems capable of doing anything he wants to on a baseball field. De Vries’ development path has been much more aggressive than Made’s, however, and that is finally paying dividends in 2026.
The main issue for De Vries in recent years has been that, because the Padres and A’s both were aggressive with his Minor League assignments, his numbers did not exactly match the hype surrounding him. As a result, it was fair to wonder if De Vries was being pushed too hard and too fast for him to actually reach his lofty potential. However, the young infielder is off to a terrific start down at Double-A this season at just 19 years old, and there is little reason to think that he couldn’t make it to at least Triple-A by the end of the year — and potentially wind up the top overall prospect in baseball.
6. Max Clark, OF, Tigers
- Baseball America Ranking: 6
- MLB Pipeline Ranking: 8
In terms of raw tools, outfielder Max Clark may have the most well-rounded skillset in the Minors outside of Griffin. His 5-foot-11 frame is a bit misleading, as Clark can not only absolutely fly around the bases but has some real pop to go along with a very strong hit tool, a refined approach at the plate and potentially Gold Glove-level defense in center field. The Tigers spent the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft to get him, and that has proven to be a very wise decision indeed.
Clark is just 21 years old, but he has already put together two strong full seasons in the Minors and started the 2026 season by mashing at Triple-A. Injuries have already forced multiple conversations as to how quickly the Tigers could call Clark up this season. If he keeps hitting like he has been and impacting the game on both sides of the ball, Detroit may soon be forced to give him a shot earlier than expected.
7. Colt Emerson, SS, Mariners
- Baseball America Ranking: 7
- MLB Pipeline Ranking: 7
As soon as the Mariners gave Colt Emerson a hefty pre-debut extension, the clock was officially ticking on his promotion to the big leagues. JP Crawford isn’t getting any younger, and Brendan Donovan has just one more year of team control after 2026. When you have an infield prospect with the pure hitting ability that Emerson does, combined with the ability to handle things defensively up the middle, and you don’t have to worry about service time or PPI considerations? It’s just a matter of when an opportunity to promote him presents itself.
Plenty of Mariners fans have been screaming that it already has, as the Mariners’ offense remains infuriating. Emerson has hit pretty well at Triple-A and, assuming he can get on a bit of a roll, it is a near certainty that he will be in the MLB lineup sooner rather than later.
8. Trey Yesavage, RHP, Blue Jays
- Baseball America Ranking: 8
- MLB Pipeline Ranking: 9
Admittedly, this ranking feels aggressive for Trey Yesavage. Not only does he have limited experience in the Minor Leagues in the grand scheme of things, but he also began the 2026 season on the IL while dealing with a shoulder issue. However, Yesavage was so good at the end of his time in the Minors — and in his first look at the Majors — that he warrants accepting the risk.
Yesavage’s best pitch is a splitter that, when it is on, looks like something you would see watching Looney Tunes. He pairs that split with a mid-90s four-seamer that is his most used pitch and a slider that keeps opposing hitters honest and is pretty effective against righties. Odds are good that Yesavage will return and quickly play his way out of prospect eligibility, but this isn’t an arm one should sleep on this season despite the injury and short track record.
9. Walker Jenkins, OF, Twins
- Baseball America Ranking: 5
- MLB Pipeline Ranking: 11
Walker Jenkins is oozing with offensive upside, which is exactly why he was in the running to get picked first overall in the 2023 MLB Draft. The Twins were instead able to land Jenkins at No. 5 overall, and for the most part he’s been as-advertised as a hitter. However, there is some reason to argue that this ranking could prove to be too high.
While everyone seems to think that Jenkins should hit for real power, his actual in-game power has been pretty modest so far. Jenkins is only 21, so there is time for him to figure out how to put the barrel on the ball more, but even his hit tool has been somewhat inconsistent, particularly at the start of 2026. The talent is too great here to ignore, but at some point, Jenkins has to show what he is capable of.
10. Sal Stewart, 1B, Reds*
- Baseball America Ranking: 14
- MLB Pipeline Ranking: 19
Sal Stewart might be the story of the 2026 season so far, so while he graduated during the composition of this list, we can’t just leave him out of the discussion. Heading into the year, Stewart was considered one of the better hitting prospects in all of baseball with real power, although his defensive value is questionable at best.
Well, Stewart has lived up to his billing and then some. After making the Reds’ Opening Day roster, Stewart has quickly become an early favorite to win NL Rookie of the Year and is the face of what is turning out to be a pretty fun Reds squad. He won’t be on the next update of this list, but he deserves some last-second prospect recognition for the work he has done.
11. Carter Jensen, C, Royals
- Baseball America Ranking: 9
- MLB Pipeline Ranking: 15
The Royals seem to have their heir-apparent for Salvador Perez in Carter Jensen, a bat-first catcher with a strong arm to control the running game. Jensen’s bat is going to make or break him as a big leaguer, as he isn’t one of those catchers whose glove will carry the profile.
Aside from a hiccup where he overslept and showed up late to the park, Jensen seems to be acclimating well to the Major Leagues. He is going to have to start hitting more if he is going to displace Perez any time soon, but the talent is there for him to be one of the more valuable catchers in MLB.
12. Carson Benge, OF, Mets
- Baseball America Ranking: 13
- MLB Pipeline Ranking: 13
The start of Carson Benge’s MLB career in 2026 has not gone well, but that is true of pretty much everything with the Mets at the moment. When he is right, Benge is an above-average centerfielder who hits for average and power and is sneaky fast, the latter of which helps his other tools play up.
Unlike a lot of the other guys on this list who are already in the big leagues, there is a real chance that Benge could get sent back down to the Minors to work on some mechanical changes to his swing and get his confidence back. Either way, this will be the last time you see Benge this high, because he will either play better and stick around long enough to lose eligibility or he’ll continue to struggle and require a downgrade in his stock.
13. Bryce Eldridge, 1B, Giants
- Baseball America Ranking: 15
- MLB Pipeline Ranking: 22
You just don’t find hitting prospects with the type of raw power that Bryce Eldridge has. To be ranked this high with just an OK hit tool and little in the way of defensive value, the power has to be special (think 40+ homers a year). And Eldridge has that; some of the home runs he hits almost seem by accident.
However, there’s a ton of swing and miss in his game, and it is hard to find a short-term fit on the Giants’ roster for him at the moment. But Eldridge is hitting the you-know-what out of the ball in Triple-A to start the season, so there is a very real chance that we see him in San Francisco soon.
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