MLB prospects who can save Mets, Red Sox and every team with a losing record

There's a lot of bad baseball being played early this MLB season. Whether it's the Boston Red Sox — fresh off firing manager Alex Cora along with half of his coaching staff — or the Philadelphia Phillies, who own the worst run differential in baseball by a country mile, would-be contenders have struggled just as much as teams we knew were out of the running from first pitch on March 26. Hope could be right around the corner.

MLB's top prospects are unproven. That's why they're in the minor leagues. In past years, young players like Konnor Griffin and Kevin McGonigle would still be playing in Indianapolis and Toledo, respectively, but 2026 represents a change in the tide. The best prospects MLB has to offer can make an impact right away, and struggling clubs like the Mets, Phillies, Red Sox and Royals need it desperately.

San Francisco Giants

Prospect: Bryce Eldridge

It's a matter of when, not if the Giants decide to call up their top prospect Bryce Eldridge. As FanSided's Eric Cole outlined in his own prospect rankings, Eldridge is as close to MLB-ready as any young player in MLB. His expected arrival date is 2026, per MLB Pipeline, though the Giants might rather he receive more playing time in Triple-A.

"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," Cole wrote.

The downside to Eldridge's free-swinging mentality is his strikeout rate. If the Giants ask him to do too much, too quickly, there's a chance he could backslide and need another stint in Triple-A. Buster Posey has little choice, though, as San Francisco has fallen behind the Dodgers and Padres to start the season.

Miami Marlins

Prospect: Robby Snelling

One could argue that starting pitching isn't the Miami Marlins biggest problem right now, but you can never have too many healthy arms. The Marlins traded Edward Cabrera to the Cubs this past winter, and despite the re-emergence of Sandy Alcantara and Eury Perez, the Marlins could use more rotation depth, and that should come in the form of left-handed pitcher Robby Snelling.

Once thought to have limited velocity, Snelling has increased his average MPH to the mid-90's, and even touched 100 a few times last season. Snelling has pitched well at every level since 2025, and started his 2026 season in Triple-A with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, where the Marlins will keep a close eye on him.

While the Marlins were a nice story at the end of last season — keeping pace with NL East contenders with higher payrolls — they've fallen far behind the division-leading Braves already.

Baltimore Orioles

Prospect: Trey Gibson

The bad news for the Orioles is that there is no ace of the future in their minor-league system, or so we think. Baltimore did little to address their top-of-the-rotation needs this past winter and it shows What the Orioles do have is a powerful lineup (in theory), featuring the likes of Pete Alonso and Gunnar Henderson.

As of this writing, the Orioles rank 17th in MLB team ERA. That means there's plenty of room for improvement, especially for a team that had postseason aspirations to start the season. Now a month in, where should Baltimore turn? Why not to their farm system, and right-handed pitcher Trey Gibson, who is projected to make the majors at some point this season.

Gibson has an ERA just over four in six starts so far in Norfolk. The Virginia native has the second-highest strikeout rate in the minor leagues over the last two years combined. While MLB hitters are a different level of competition, Gibson clearly has the stuff to make even Aaron Judge sweat in the batters' box.

Washington Nationals

Prospect: Harry Ford

Ford was the second catcher off the board when he was drafted by the Seattle Mariners with the 12th-overall pick back in 2021. Since then, Ford has struggled to gain his footing in the minor leagues, which is why he now finds himself in a different organization entirely.

However, Ford has become well-known in prospect circles, having appeared in three Futures Games, the Arizona Fall League and even World Baseball Classic, where he starred as the catcher for Great Britain. The reason Ford doesn't have a spot on the Mariners roster is because he was blocked by Cal Raleigh. In Washington, he has a far better chance at cracking the MLB lineup, as neither Keibert Ruiz nor Drew Millas is the MVP candidate Raleigh was.

Ford offers decent speed for a backstop, and has a high walk rate. He doesn't have tremendous power for his position, but is a solid enough defender to earn a chance at the MLB level and perhaps give the Nationals the boost they need to make a run in the NL East.

Colorado Rockies

Prospect: Charlie Condon

Ranked behind only Ethan Holliday in the Rockies prospect ranks, it's only a matter of time before Charlie Condon makes his way to the major leagues in 2026. The Rockies have surprised most MLB pundits early this season, securing two sweeps and treading water in the NL West. Whether that'll last is another discussion entirely, but for now, the Rockies have plenty to be excited about. Should they promote Condon, you can expect some sellouts at Coors Field soon.

Condon was once an elite college hitter. He was under-appreciated as a recruit, and redshirted a year with the Georgia Bulldogs before hitting 62 home runs in two seasons. But it hasn't been a smooth transition to the professional ranks for Condon, which makes calling him up, even at 23 years old, a risk for the Rockies.

But that's exactly what these years are for in Denver. The Rockies aren't making the postseason this year. So, why not see what they have in a once-powerful slugger in Condon?

Toronto Blue Jays

Prospect: Trey Yesavage

Am I cheating a bit here? Absolutely, as Trey Yesavage is a prospect in status only. Yesavage made the Blue Jays postseason roster last season and had the October of his life, becoming a household name in the process. Heck, he even shut down the all-world Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. With that performance came expectations, and so far Yesavage has yet to show much in the regular season. Injuries haven't helped.

The 22-year-old future ace of the Blue Jays is in Triple-A for now, rehabbing from a shoulder injury. He's expected to make his 2026 season debut on Tuesday, and it couldn't come at a better time for Toronto. Much of the Jays pitching staff is labored by injuries, including Shane Bieber and now Max Scherzer.

If Yesavage can contribute right away in Toronto, the Jays could make a run in the AL East, where the Yankees have a comfortable lead a month into the season.

Minnesota Twins

Prospect: Walker Jenkins

The Twins need saving. Minnesota sits near the bottom of a dreadful AL Central, so despite being under .500, it's still early enough this season to make an impact. That's where Jenkins, the Twins No. 1 prospect, comes in. Calling up the 21-year-old Jenkins would provide Minnesota with the unique opportunity to pair the present (Byron Buxton) with the future in their outfield.

Jenkins was the No. 5 pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, and has largely been as advertised. FanSided's Eric Cole ranked Jenkins No. 9 in his overall prospect rankings, pointing to his offensive upside but also lack of in-game power. Per MLB Pipeline, Jenkins has four tools with a 60+ grade.

While the Twins are expected to call Jenkins up at some point this season, don't be surprised if they take a patient approach. The 21-year-old is hitting just a shade over the Mendoza line in Triple-A as of this writing.

Los Angeles Angels

Prospect: Nelson Rada

At just 20 years old, Rada could be the Mike Trout replacement the Angels have been waiting for. Los Angeles has lost five games in a row and, quite frankly, aren't expected to contend in 2026. Despite an early-season surge from surprises like Jose Soriano — who is an early AL Cy Young frontrunner — there's little else for Angels fans to get excited about. That's why just over five percent of Angels fans were optimistic about the team before the season, per a poll from The Athletic.

Rada would give those same fans a player to really get behind. The young outfielder has made his way through the Angels minor-league system with relative ease. Despite his age, MLB Pipeline still believes he'll make his MLB debut this season. In 2025, Rada played in both Double-A and Triple-A, hitting .323 in 42 games for the latter.

Rada was an international signing, and a good one at that by Perry Minasian. At just 5-9, there are plenty of questions about his frame. Rada projects as a solid defensive center fielder, and at worst a fourth outfielder type. The Angels believe he can be more than that, and that starts with a 2026 promotion to the show.

Boston Red Sox

Prospect: Jake Bennett

The Red Sox need a lot of help, especially after firing Alex Cora over the weekend. Boston already promoted starting pitcher and top prospect Payton Tolle, so he is off-limits for this list. If forced to pick a different prospect, I'll go with left-handed pitcher Jake Bennett.

Bennett is enjoying his first season in Triple-A Worcester, with an ERA of 0.86 in five starts. It's unclear what his timeline is, but MLB Pipeline projects the Red Sox No. 6 prospect to make his debut this season. Whether that comes as a starting pitcher or reliever remains to be seen, but if Boston really is toast this season, they'd be well-served to see what they have in Tolle, Bennett and several other MLB-ready pitchers in their farm system.

Bennett was Cade Horton's teammate at Oklahoma in college, and offers solid control and a true out pitch in his changeup. While Bennett's fastball won't impress many big-league hitters, he can locate it better than most. He's a sound starting pitcher for a team that could use more help on its pitching staff.

Kansas City Royals

Prospect: Luinder Avila

The Royals don't have many prospects ready to contribute right away. In fact, their best bet may be Luinder Avila, who's already made a couple brief stints in Kansas City. Avila has struggled so far this season, posting an ERA of 9.00 in two appearances. However, just last season the Venezuela native posted a 1.29 ERA across 14 innings with 16 strikeouts and six walks after making his MLB debut on Aug. 13. Kansas City views Avila as an elite arm out of their bullpen.

The biggest concern for Avila is his control. He can be a bit wild, and that tool grades out at just 45. The 24-year-old righty throws two fastballs — a four seamer and two seamer — along with an elite curveball, which is his primary strikeout pitch.

Avila is most likely to serve as rotation depth or another arm out of the bullpen, but if he gets on a roll like he did near the end of 2025, expect his role to increase on a Royals team many expected to compete for a playoff spot this season.

Chicago White Sox

Prospect: Braden Montgomery

Montgomery is the top prospect in the White Sox system, which should come as no surprise for anyone familiar with his scouting report coming out of high school. The 23-year-old was one of the best two-way draft prospects in recent memory, and he has lived up to the hype so far in the White Sox minor-league system. Montgomery started this season in Double-A, but is making light work of the pitching at that level. Expect a quick promotion to Triple-A and perhaps even the major leagues this season.

FanSided's Eric Cole ranks Montgomery as the No. 53 prospect in all of baseball. His arm and power tools are among his best, and he has one of the best outfield arms in the minor leagues already. Do not run on this kid, period.

What makes Montgomery even more attractive as a prospect is that he's a switch hitter and offers immense power from both sides of the plate. His bat speed is elite in any level, and it should come as no surprise MLB Pipeline expects Montgomery to make his MLB debut in 2026.

Houston Astros

Prospect: Ethan Pecko

The Astros see something in Ethan Pecko that the rest of us don't, and so far, they've been proven right. Pecko started the season in Single-A, but has already been promoted to Triple-A. In four starts so far this season, Pecko has an ERA of 0.82. There's a good chance he winds up in Houston before the All-Star Break if he keeps pitching that well.

Pecko doesn't have one true out pitch. In fact, none of his pitches grade out at better than 55 — that would be his fastball. Again, Pecko is a classic case of the eye test. Houston believes in this young right hander, which is why they threw him into the fire with the Sugar Land Space Cowboys. Assuming he performs well there, perhaps the Astros will give him a chance in the bigs.

The Astros farm system is considered one of the worst in MLB. The emergence of players like Pecko — who most scouts don't believe will develop into a top-flight starting pitcher — is key to keeping their competitive window open.

New York Mets

Prospect: Jonah Tong

FanSided's No. 37 prospect, Jonah Tong, is expected to make his 2026 debut soon enough. The way the Mets are playing (and pitching), that could come sooner rather than later. David Stearns and Carlos Mendoza are feeling the heat, with the latter fighting for his job just a month into the season.

Tong has a 70-grade fastball and a 60-grade changeup. He projects as an ace or No. 2 starting pitcher in the long term, and has elite stuff and a high K rate. The 22-year-old's delivery will surely catch Mets fans by surprise, as he has a 64-degree arm angle, which is among the highest in baseball. Tong's fastball averages out at around 96 MPH, and he has a 50 percent whiff rate across the minor leagues.

There is some concern about Tong's control (which grades out at 45) thanks to some sketchy mechanics, but he has yet to run into that issue in the minor leagues. If New York is going to make a run this season, they'll have to add Tong to the mix at some point.

Philadelphia Phillies

Prospect: Aidan Miller

As Eric Cole wrote in his top-100 prospect rankings for FanSided, there is no clear strength for Aidan Miller. Rather, he's good at everything. It really is that simple. There's something to be said about a prospect with no clear weaknesses in his game, and that's why Cole ranked Miller No. 19 overall.

The Phillies No. 1 prospect is expected to make his debut in 2026. Miller projects as a shortstop, but could move to second base or third base if the Phillies trade Alec Bohm, for example. Philadelphia fired manager Rob Thomson earlier this week, which puts Dave Dombrowski in a pickle. The end of the Dombrowski life cycle is near, and don't expect Phillies ownership to sign off on more trades of top-tier prospects like Miller. Instead, Dombrowski will have to change his tune, and instead rely on these young players to help the Phillies right the ship.

It's fair to wonder how much upside Miller has in the major leagues. He may never be a true star. However, he has a high baseball IQ and doesn't make many mistakes. That's the kind of player who can be a leader in the clubhouse, and ensure the Phillies are fundamentally sound the rest of the way.

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