FanSided's updated Top 100 MLB prospects after the 2026 MLB Draft

We have reached the midpoint of the 2026 season, so it is time to take another look at MLB’s top prospects and how they stack up against one another. Between promotions, injuries, and good ol’ fashioned surprises, these top-100 rankings look very different from those that we released back in April.

Reading the tea leaves in the minor leagues and projecting prospects that are often years away from debuting in the big leagues is an inexact science. Some experts prioritize proximity to the majors, while others want upside. While it probably matters more than it should to some, a player's prospect pedigree (even back to a player's amateur days) can have a drastic impact on where they rank. In the end, we are all making educated guesses when it comes to prospects, which is precisely why we made our own top-100 list of the best prospects in baseball.

FanSided's MLB top 100 prospect ranking's methodology

These are subjective rankings at their very core. There is no plug-and-play algorithm for Minor League players that spits out a completely "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 also included where Baseball America and MLB Pipeline ranked each player (if they did at all), in addition to where we ranked each player in our previous ranking, 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 who 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 that are on the cusp of graduating from prospect eligibility as this list is being written. Instead of reranking or leaving guys off the list so that it looks “cleaner” in a week or two, we're treating this 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 more updates to come.

Below, you will find our top 100 prospect rankings. And before you ask, yes, we do hate your team. Every single one of them. A lot.

1. Jesus Made, 2B/SS, Brewers

• Previous FanSided Ranking: 4
• Baseball America Ranking: 1
• MLB Pipeline Ranking: 1

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 completing his ascension to being the top overall prospect in baseball is hardly surprising. His prospect stock has been on a rocket since turning pro in the Brewers’ farm system, and he has done nothing to diminish that hype over the last couple of years. At 19 years old, Made is already at Double-A and more than holding his own. It is unlikely that he makes it to the Majors in 2026, but a 2027 debut is not out of the question at all.

2. Leo De Vries, SS, Athletics

• Previous FanSided Ranking: 5
• Baseball America Ranking: 2
• MLB Pipeline Ranking: 2

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. 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.

We are finally starting to see the results on the field that match De Vries’ talent. Not only is he showing his tantalizing blend of speed and power down at Double-A, but his hit tool has finally caught up to his promotion schedule. It might benefit De Vries the most to now have his ascension up the minor league ladder slowed a bit so that he can refine his craft against advanced pitching, but there are no signs that this train is slowing down anytime soon.

3. Seth Hernandez, RHP, Pirates

• Previous FanSided Ranking: 18
• Baseball America Ranking: 7
• MLB Pipeline Ranking: 6

As we predicted back in April, Seth Hernandez has wasted little time in cementing himself into the very top echelon of MLB prospects. In terms of raw talent, Hernandez had a very strong argument as the best player in the 2025 MLB Draft. Despite being drafted right out of high school, he's already throwing over 100 mph as a pro with three other plus pitches in his changeup, curveball and slider.

If you were to argue that Hernandez deserves the top overall spot, we wouldn’t argue with you very hard. The stuff is absolutely elite, and he has been laying waste to the minor leagues this year. He will need to cut the walks down a bit, and it is worth monitoring Hernandez once he starts getting close to 100 innings for the first time. However, this is the best pitching prospect in baseball, and only one other arm is even close.

4. Walker Jenkins, OF, Twins

• Previous FanSided Ranking: 9
• Baseball America Ranking: 10
• MLB Pipeline Ranking: 14

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.

After an uneven start to the 2026 season, Jenkins is now in the middle of his best season in the minor leagues down at Triple-A. More importantly, he has been hitting the ball with more authority lately, which gives hope that he is finally developing into more game power. It is hard to say that Jenkins could debut this year, because the Twins’ fate this season is still uncertain. However, it would be surprising if Jenkins wasn’t in the majors by some point in 2027.

5. Kade Anderson, LHP, Mariners

• Previous FanSided Ranking: 22
• Baseball America Ranking: 8
• MLB Pipeline Ranking: 5

Kade Anderson had a very strong case to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft in a world where money and bonus pools didn't matter. Between his raw stuff and advanced profile as a college arm, Anderson was a favorite among experts in his draft class. He stands out as a guy who doesn't need elite velocity to get outs, but instead has a diverse arsenal that plays well off each other with a deadly fastball/changeup combination.

Since starting pitching as a professional, Anderson has been on a tear like few others in the minor leagues. Despite being immediately challenged with an assignment to Double-A, Anderson has been pounding the strike zone to great effect while racking up the strikeouts. The current chatter is that Anderson has been so good, there is a very good chance that the Mariners call him up to the big leagues this year. With how he has looked this season, such a move is hard to argue with.

6. Josue De Paula, OF, Dodgers

• Previous FanSided Ranking: 20
• Baseball America Ranking: 4
• MLB Pipeline Ranking: 4

We were a little careful with our ranking of Josue De Paula this spring, but there is no denying that he is absolutely one of the best hitters in the minor leagues right now. De Paula’s defenders will say that he has grown into being a plus hitter with plus power who has enough speed to steal some bases. Once you look at what he has done at Double-A this year, that assessment seems to be pretty spot on.

As promised, De Paula’s dominance this season was indeed rewarded with a big bump up our rankings this go-around. It is still important to make sure that this improvement in his hit tool sticks, but we love that the Dodgers have been methodical with De Paula and haven’t rushed him too quickly. At this point, it is hard to imagine that he does

7. Eduardo Quintero, OF, Dodgers

• Previous FanSided Ranking: 21
• Baseball America Ranking: 18
• MLB Pipeline Ranking: 30

The Dodgers go on a little bit of a run here with back-to-back outfield prospects, which speaks to how good a job they have done in building a talent pipeline. Oddly enough, Quintero is essentially a right-handed version of De Paula, except with more natural speed and ability to play center field and a bit less power.

After a tough start to the 2026 season, Quintero appears to have figured things out again, and he is back to getting on base at will. The power may end up being more above average than plus, but Quintero’s approach at the plate profiles great as a table-setter that has the speed to cause havoc and take extra bases. We are a bit more bullish on Quintero than most, and he may struggle against more advanced pitchers, but he is worth taking a little bit of a gamble on

8. Roch Cholowsky, SS, White Sox

• Previous FanSided Ranking: N/A
• Baseball America Ranking: 5
• MLB Pipeline Ranking: N/A

The first name from the 2026 MLB Draft in our top-100 rankings also happens to be the first overall pick: shortstop Roch Cholowsky. While there was a little bit of drama right before the draft, Cholowsky was one of the favorites to go first overall all year long, and he was able to close the deal. Given that he should hit for average and power, while also probably being big-league ready right now to play shortstop, hearing his name called first was a more than worthy choice.

There are some concerns that Cholowsky’s swing could impact his power projection, but that is pretty much the only real flaw that anyone can point to. He should hit for average and power, and his track record at UCLA is beyond reproach. Arguments exist to rank him even higher than this, and he is certainly a better prospect coming out of the draft than the first overall pick in 2025. Speaking of which…

9. Eli Willits, SS, Nationals

• Previous FanSided Ranking: 24
• Baseball America Ranking: 15
• MLB Pipeline Ranking: 3

It may have seemed surprising that the Nationals took Eli Willits first overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, but followers of amateur baseball and the draft were not. Willits was a well-known commodity who had some of the best bat-to-ball skills in his draft class while being a switch-hitter who hits the ball hard. It doesn't hurt that, at the moment, there are few doubts that he will stick at shortstop long term. Willits is not a perfect prospect, however. While he does hit the ball with authority, it is largely line drives instead of over-the-fence power in actual games, though the latter could come with time and added muscle.

As of now, the Nationals’ decision to take Willits (and the bonus pool savings that came with him) is looking very smart. While a promotion to high-A has proven to be a bit of a challenge for Willits this season, he has still shown all of the tools needed to be a quality big leaguer. We want to see the bat acclimate to the harder level of competition by the end of the year, but there is a lot to like with Willits.

10. Ryan Sloan, RHP, Mariners

• Previous FanSided Ranking: 25
• Baseball America Ranking: 6
• MLB Pipeline Ranking: 8

Speaking of guys with helium, it is time for more people to be talking about Ryan Sloan. He doesn't have the flashy stuff of someone like Hernandez, but he throws a lot of strikes, still throws plenty hard in the mid-to-upper 90s with his fastball, and his changeup is one of the best in the Minors right now.

In order to get on more radars in 2026, he just needed to keep throwing a lot of strikes with all of his pitches and perform against more advanced hitters. There are times when pitchers like Sloan, who have really good extension and are crafty, can overperform their underlying skills against younger, less experienced hitters before flaming out. So far, Sloan has done exactly that, and it would not be surprising to see him get a shot at the majors this year, although Kade Anderson probably will get first shot at any opportunities that pop up.

11. Max Clark, OF, Tigers

• Previous FanSided Ranking: 6
• Baseball America Ranking: 16
• MLB Pipeline Ranking:13

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. However, Clark has come back to earth a bit, and there are some creeping doubts about his game power that caused him to fall out of our top-10.

12. Josuar Gonzalez, SS, Giants

• Previous FanSided Ranking: 26
• Baseball America Ranking: 17
• MLB Pipeline Ranking: 15

In terms of raw tools, it is hard to compare to shortstop Josuar Gonzalez. In addition to having elite quick-twitch athleticism that makes him a tremendous defender and baserunner, Gonzalez also had some of the best bat-to-ball skills and raw power in the 2025 international free agent class. It is no wonder that the Giants gave him almost $3 million as a teenager out of the Dominican Republic.

After a strong DSL debut in 2025, Gonzalez has been a man amongst boys this season down in rookie ball. With an OPS well north of .900 so far, Gonzalez has been an absolute menace at the plate, and that is with him hitting only one homer through his first 27 games. We want to see more over-the-fence power out of him and to see him perform against more polished pitchers, but Gonzalez looks like he could be special.

13. Edward Florentino, 1B/OF, Pirates

• Previous FanSided Ranking: 27
• Baseball America Ranking: 31
• MLB Pipeline Ranking: 29

While our ranking of Edward Florentino looks a little aggressive when compared to BA or Pipeline, it is very hard to find hitting prospects with this kind of ability. Florentino has big-time raw power to go along with an above-average hit tool and the ability to get on base that is beyond his years.

One of the big questions about Florentino is his future defensive home and that is far. If you think that there is a decent chance that Florentino ends up at first base or as a designated hitter, this ranking is a little too high. However, Florentino is quicker than he is given credit for, and we think he could be an above-average defensive corner outfielder. With what he does at the plate, that is more than good enough.

14. Grady Emerson, SS, Rays

• Previous FanSided Ranking: N/A
• Baseball America Ranking: 12
• MLB Pipeline Ranking: N/A

Next, we have the second overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft in shortstop Grady Emerson. There were some that narrowly preferred Emerson as the top prospect in this year’s draft class due to the young prep star having a higher ceiling than Cholowsky. While there is some truth to that assessment, we still have Cholowsky ahead of Emerson here, although that shouldn’t be seen as a knock against the high school star at all.

The Rays had to be thrilled that a talent like Emerson was sitting there waiting for them to pick at No. 2 overall. Most agree that his hit tool is at least plus, and there are a lot of scouts who see his bat speed and think that a couple minor swing adjustments could make him a 20-25 home run guy. At short, he is remarkably polished for a guy right out of high school with his clean actions and instincts. We want to see how his lateral quickness plays against consistent hard contact, but there is no doubt that he will stay at shortstop long term.

15. Sebastian Walcott, 3B/SS, Rangers

• Previous FanSided Ranking: 23
• Baseball America Ranking: 24
• MLB Pipeline Ranking: 21

The differences of opinion on Sebastian Walcott are pretty stark at the moment. There are those who love how he has risen to the occasion with every aggressive promotion despite being very young for every level so far. Others will point out that while Walcott is loaded with physical talent, we still haven't really seen a standout season from him. On paper, he may have plus or better power and a cannon of an arm at short, but the results have been more middling than exciting unless you really adjust for his age.

We are going to remain cautious with Walcott for now, but it isn't because the counting stats haven't blown us away. The issue right now is that Walcott just had elbow surgery and missed half of the season recovering. Until Walcott is taking full-effort swings and playing in the field regularly again, it is hard to justify putting him much higher than this (although we admit that he has looked good upon his return). As we can see from other expert rankings, others are being even more cautious before jumping on the Walcott bandwagon again.

16. Jamie Arnold, LHP, Athletics

• Previous FanSided Ranking: 30
• Baseball America Ranking: 35
• MLB Pipeline Ranking: 25

There were some who thought that Jamie Arnold could challenge for the crown as the top pitching prospect in the 2025 draft class with his combination of stuff from the left side and college track record at Florida St. Unfortunately, he was in the same draft class with guys like Kade Anderson and Seth Hernandez, but Arnold is a fine prospect in his own right.

Arnold’s best pitch is his slider, and it has continued to get a lot of swing and miss as a pro. His fastball has sat in the mid-90’s and plays well when he is hitting his spots. The more Arnold works to improve selling his changeup, the better the chances that his fastball will get the job done. There are definitely some early command questions with Arnold, but all the ingredients are there.

17. Vahn Lackey, C, Twins

• Previous FanSided Ranking: N/A
• Baseball America Ranking: 26
• MLB Pipeline Ranking: N/A

While a lot of attention in the lead-up to the 2026 MLB Draft was focused on the top shortstops in Cholowsky and Emerson, there were a lot of late mock drafts that thought Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey might go first overall. Some of that was due to potential cost savings, but Lackey possesses rare hitting ability and athleticism for a catcher who could end up being a plus defender.

Lackey’s ability to impact the ball is a relatively new development, but most have thought for a while that his raw physical ability would play at nearly any position on the field. Lackey is also considered to have elite makeup and leadership skills, which will help a lot when learning to manage a pitching staff. If his bat can look anywhere close to as good as it did in college in 2026, he will be the top catching prospect in baseball in a hurry.

18. Thomas White, LHP, Marlins

• Previous FanSided Ranking: 14
• Baseball America Ranking: 32
• MLB Pipeline Ranking: 21

There is a lot of variance in potential outcomes when it comes to LHP Thomas White, but his upside is undeniable. The list of lefties who have a fastball in the upper 90s, a hammer changeup, and a slider that gives left-handed hitters nightmares is not particularly long.

However, White's command is not ideal, and he is currently on the shelf with a shoulder injury. He won’t pitch the rest of the season, but we are waiting before demoting him farther down the list until we have more information as to the severity of his shoulder sprain.

19. Rainiel Rodriguez, C, Cardinals

• Previous FanSided Ranking: 31
• Baseball America Ranking: 22
• MLB Pipeline Ranking: 12

Catching prospects who can both stay behind the plate and hit a bit are few and far between. In Rainel Rodriguez, the Cardinals have a guy that has a decent chance of sticking at catcher, but whose bat would probably play at any spot on the field.

Signed for the bargain price of $300,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2024, Rodriguez has a tantalizing combination of pure hitting ability and raw power. There is honestly an argument to try him at somewhere other than catcher to see if he can unlock more game power, but St. Louis isn’t going to give up on him as a backstop yet, given how valuable his bat and arm would be at the position.

20. Bryce Rainer, SS, Tigers

• Previous FanSided Ranking: 35
• Baseball America Ranking: 80
• MLB Pipeline Ranking: 38

We were optimistic about Bryce Rainer in our first rankings despite the fact that he was coming off a pretty serious shoulder injury. While Rainer got off to a slow start this season, he turned things on during the last month of the first half, and now he looks like the elite hitting prospect he was before he got hurt.

Now that he has his feet back under him, Rainer still has the blend of bat-to-ball skills, power, and speed that made him a first-round pick in 2024. Where things get a little sketchy is that his previously insane arm strength at short hasn’t quite returned following shoulder surgery, and it may never get all the way back to that. That wouldn’t move him off of shortstop, but it would limit his defensive upside a bit.

21. Eric Hartman, OF, Braves

• Previous FanSided Ranking: N/A
• Baseball America Ranking: 25
• MLB Pipeline Ranking: 76

There isn’t a bigger surprise in the minor leagues in 2026 than Braves prospect Eric Hartman. A 20th-round pick out of the Canadian high school ranks, Hartman looked pretty good in his pro debut, but nothing he did would have suggested that he would post a 20/30 season IN THE FIRST HALF of this season.

Hartman is incredibly fast and has a quality approach at the plate, but what has changed this season is his willingness and ability to turn on pitches and hit them out of the park. It is fair to temper one’s enthusiasm with Hartman, given that he only has one really good half to his name and most of his power has been to his pull side. However, Hartman is also in the middle of one of the best MiLB seasons in recent memory, so he makes the cut in the top 25 for now.

22. Joshua Baez, OF, Cardinals

• Previous FanSided Ranking: 38
• Baseball America Ranking: 47
• MLB Pipeline Ranking: 46

If you haven’t figured it out by now, guys who hit for power consistently without completely trashing their approach to do so are at a premium in our rankings. While Joshua Baez’s batting average has seen a bit of a dip in 2026 at Triple-A, it hasn’t been disqualifying that he also has 29 homers through 84 games.

Baez has the arm and quickness to be a very solid right fielder, and he is going to steal more bases than you would expect. However, Baez’s success or failure remains contingent on his ability to hit for power, and he has plenty of raw ability to do that. Right now, his hit tool profiles as average to maybe a tick above average. If he is hitting homers once every four games or so, no one is going to complain about that.

23. Robby Snelling, LHP, Marlins

• Previous FanSided Ranking: 39
• Baseball America Ranking: 37
• MLB Pipeline Ranking: 36

Before undergoing Tommy John surgery, Snelling looked great down at Triple-A at the start of the season with a 1.86 ERA with 44 strikeouts in 29 innings of work. Unfortunately, instead of seeing what he could do over a prolonged stint in the majors, his season was cut short.

Having elbow surgery just as Snelling was about to get his chance to establish himself in the majors is obviously not ideal. However, he looked good enough at the start of the season and is close enough to the big leagues that we are willing to stay in a holding pattern on his ranking for now until we learn more about his recovery and potential timeline to return.

24. Mike Sirota, OF, Dodgers

• Previous FanSided Ranking: 42
• Baseball America Ranking: 14
• MLB Pipeline Ranking: 11

It is almost annoying how good the Dodgers are at finding guys who can just flat out hit. In exchange for Gavin Lux, LA got a guy in Sirota who has quickly become one of the top position player prospects in the minor leagues. Given what has become of Lux, it is hard to win a trade more clearly than that.

We are a little more bearish on Sirota than other publications, however. As good as he has been during the 2026 season (and he has been extremely good), we have some concerns that quality secondaries in the big leagues could give him trouble. That is only a minor ding at this point, and Sirota certainly has shown few signs of slowing down despite those concerns, however.

25. Braden Montgomery, OF, White Sox*

• Previous FanSided Ranking: 53
• Baseball America Ranking: 24
• MLB Pipeline Ranking: 23

There is an exceedingly good chance that Braden Montgomery will graduate from this list early in the second half, which is exactly why we are going ahead and putting a preemptive asterisk next to his name. However, it would be an injustice to ignore his progress that allowed him to get called up to the majors in the first place.

In short, Montgomery is a toolshed. While he has slowed a bit since breaking his ankle in college, he was one of the best all-around hitters in his draft class and was a critical piece in the trade that sent Garrett Crochet to the Red Sox. Montgomery has slowed down since getting promoted to the majors, but that feels more like a guy adjusting to a new level of competition. Once he gets a better sense of opposing pitchers’ game plans, watch out.

MLB top prospects 26-50

Aiva Arquette was a name that we expected to climb higher in this update, but he has been slowed by injuries this season and will need to prove he can stay on the field. Looking at the 2026 draft class, Eric Booth Jr. is a new addition to the top 100 who has all of the athleticism needed to be a true five-tool player. There are still very real questions as to whether or not Alfredo Duno will be able to stick behind the plate, but man, that bat will play at any position on the field.

There are a few names in this section that are at risk of getting downgraded, but that we are reserving judgment on for now. Ethan Holliday has shown flashes of his tantalizing raw power, but his hit tool has looked a bit suspect as a professional thus far. Jonah Tong is feeling more and more like a pretty decent arm with a gimmicky delivery than anything more than that.

MLB top prospects 51-75

Carlos Lagrange had a big up-arrow next to his name before going down with a shoulder injury. Unless he returns this season, it may make sense to push him further down the rankings until we can see what he looks like after being on the shelf. Liam Doyle has some of the best raw stuff in the minors right now, but he is walking way too many batters right now and has sporadic issues with giving up loud contact.

This section of the list also has some new additions courtesy of the 2026 MLB Draft. Jackson Flora was the best pitching prospect in this year’s draft, and it would not be surprising at all to see him move through the minors quickly. Drew Burress was an offensive standout at Georgia Tech and was a favorite among analytical model teams in the draft, although his lack of size and occasional issues with breaking balls are worth keeping an eye on.

MLB top prospects 76-100

While there is a lot of talent in the final section of our top-100 rankings here, there are also a lot of question marks as well. Starting with the positives, the 2026 draft is represented well, including Jared Grindlinger, Jacob Lombard, Cole Prosek, AJ Gracia, Zion Rose, Derek Curiel, and Jensen Hirschkorn. Fans may want to monitor Prosek and Grindlinger in particular, as they have a chance to be really special. Caden Bodine has also shown one of the best hit tools in the minor leagues so far in 2026.

On the flip side, Kruz Schoolcraft could fall out of the rankings altogether if he can’t throw more strikes and turn his season around. Cam Caminiti’s results on the field haven’t matched the talent, and his ability to miss bats consistently is an open question. Gage Wood and Nolan Perry may end up as relievers, but both of them have big-time arm talent that is fun to watch.

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