From Nolan McLean to Samuel Bassalo to Bubba Chandler, we've seen several of MLB's top prospects get called up to the majors within the past couple of weeks and, in McLean's case, dominate at the big league level. There's reason to believe even more prospects will get the call when the calendar flips to September and each team gets two additional roster spots to play with.
While many of the sport's top prospects aren't on the verge of being MLB-ready, there are some exceptions. These five prospects stick out as ones who are ready to compete in the majors right now, and should get a look from their respective teams by September 1, if not sooner.
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5) Bryce Eldridge, San Francisco Giants
Perhaps no team has disappointed more than the San Francisco Giants. They got off to a hot start this season and acquired Rafael Devers, giving people reason to believe they had a World Series-caliber ceiling. Unfortunately, their play has fizzled ever since Devers arrived, and their offense is a big reason why. A prospect like Bryce Eldridge can give Giants fans hope that better times are ahead.
Eldridge, once a two-way phenom, has given up pitching but is considered one of MLB's top prospects because of his bat. Eldridge has hit 21 home runs in 85 games this season, and has gone deep 14 times in 49 games in Triple-A. Yes, his 66 strikeouts in 49 Triple-A games are concerning, and his .800 OPS at that level in the PCL, a league known to be very hitter-friendly, doesn't light up the page, but he's in the midst of his best Triple-A month (.856 OPS in August) and can fill a major need in San Francisco. The Giants are tied for 23rd in the majors in home runs, and power is Eldridge's calling card.
Getting Eldridge a look, especially at Oracle Park, a stadium known to be rough on left-handed sluggers like the 20-year-old, feels like a must for a Giants team playing for nothing. If he makes a strong impression, the Giants can count on him playing a big role in 2026, and potentially beyond.
4) Jordan Lawlar, Arizona Diamondbacks
I know, I know, things haven't exactly gone well for Jordan Lawlar at the MLB level. He's gone 4-for-50 with 20 strikeouts in 22 MLB games to be exact, and has gone 0-for-19 this season with nine strikeouts. As bad as this all looks, I can't quit him, and neither should you.
Lawlar's MLB struggles and durability struggles in the past couple of years has caused him to drop from being a top 10 prospect to ranking No. 23 on MLB Pipeline's top 100 list, but the talent is impossible to overlook. The former first-round pick has a career .911 OPS in parts of five minor league seasons, has a .974 OPS in 61 games in Triple-A this season, and has swung a hot bat since returning from his hamstring injury eight games ago.
With Eugenio Suarez out of the way and the Diamondbacks out of contention, Arizona has an opening on the field and the ability to display patience with the 23-year-old that they hadn't previously had. Hopefully, they give Lawlar the long look he deserves come September 1, if not sooner.
3) Jonah Tong, New York Mets
As mentioned above, Nolan McLean just made his MLB debut a couple of weeks ago and has been one of the few bright spots on this New York Mets' roster. McLean has dazzled in each of his two MLB starts, and there's every reason to believe Jonah Tong can follow in his footsteps.
An argument can be made that Tong has been the best pitcher in minor league baseball this season. In fact, he leads those with at least 100 innings of work in ERA (1.43) and strikeouts (179). Sure, most of this work has been in Double-A, but he has not allowed a single run in his two Triple-A outings and he's fanned 17 batters in 11.2 innings at that level.
Pitcher | Double-A Stats | Triple-A Stats |
|---|---|---|
Jonah Tong | 1.59 ERA, 14.3 K/9, 3.9 BB/9 | 0.00 ERA, 13.1 K/9, 2.3 BB/9 |
Nolan McLean | 1.37 ERA, 10.3 K/9, 4.1 BB/9 | 2.78 ERA, 10.0 K/9, 3.9 BB/9 |
This isn't to show that McLean didn't deserve a call-up - clearly he did - but there's reason to believe Tong will be even better than his fellow top prospect. Obviously, sample size needs to be factored in, as McLean has much more time in Triple-A than Tong, but again, Tong has arguably been the best pitcher in the minors this season.
The Mets need a boost, and inserting Tong into the rotation either in Clay Holmes' spot or as a sixth starter can give them just that.
2) JJ Wetherholt, St. Louis Cardinals
Whether the St. Louis Cardinals are in contention or not (currently 5.5 GB of third Wild Card spot) can be debated, but whether JJ Wetherholt should be in the majors or not cannot really be debated at this point. I mean, what more does he have to prove?
Would it be a quick promotion? Sure, but all Wetherholt has done since being selected with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft is crush baseballs. The 22-year-old was expected to be a fast riser when he was drafted, and as evidenced by the fact that he's in (and dominating) Triple-A in his first full professional season, it's safe to say he's been just that.
Wetherholt has a .951 OPS in 93 games this season overall, and as his .328/.413/.648 slash line with nine home runs and 20 RBI in Triple-A would suggest, he's only gotten better. He's hit two more home runs in Triple-A than he has in Double-A in exactly half the games. He's been that good.
I understand wanting to give guys like Nolan Gorman and Thomas Saggese playing time with Brendan Donovan and Nolan Arenado injured, but both of those players have gotten a bevy of opportunities, particularly Gorman, and neither has proven to be worth starting regularly. Wetherholt, on the other hand, could be a franchise cornerstone the second he gets called up.
The Cardinals would be better right now by promoting Wetherholt, and would be better set up for the future knowing that Wetherholt is ready to be in their infield on Opening Day next season.
1) Walker Jenkins, Minnesota Twins
Injuries have gotten the best of Walker Jenkins since the Minnesota Twins selected him with the No. 5 pick of the 2023 MLB Draft, but in the games he's played, he's excelled. Now that the Twins have given him a look in Triple-A, it shouldn't be too long until we see Jenkins appear in the majors.
Looks like it's time for Triple-A to meet Walker Jenkins!
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 25, 2025
The #MNTwins are reportedly promoting MLB's No. 14 prospect, who slashed .333/.449/.524 this month at Double-A: https://t.co/DCAlfAXead pic.twitter.com/WvFuoiaHO2
No, he probably won't be called up on September 1, but if Jenkins gets off to a hot start in St. Paul, what's the point of waiting? They traded away half their roster in anticipation of building around top prospects like Jenkins, and should be eager to see what they have in the 20-year-old.
Jenkins has a .902 OPS this season in 61 games, 52 of which have come at the Double-A level. He projects as a legitimate five-tool outfielder who can help lead the Twins' rebuild. Jenkins will have to prove he's ready in Triple-A, but if he gets off to a strong start at that level, it'll be hard for the Twins to keep him down.