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Ranking the Top Prospects for All 30 MLB Teams Entering 2020

Joel Reuter

It's prospect season around the MLB world as media outlets begin to release their top prospect lists.

Prospects are generally ranked on a team-by-team basis to show how each farm system stacks up and then leaguewide to compare the top young players in the minor leagues as they make their way toward the majors.

However, we're going to do something a little different.

We've taken the No. 1 prospect for every MLB team and ranked them against each other to compare the cream of the crop from each farm system around the league.

Prospects are ranked based on current talent level, future ceiling and long-term outlook.

Nos. 30-26

Triston Casas Michael Dwyer/Associated Press

30. SS Brice Turang, Milwaukee Brewers

The No. 21 overall pick in 2018, Turang hit .287 with a .384 on-base percentage and nearly as many walks (49) as strikeouts (54) in 357 plate appearances at Single-A in his first full season. His production fell dramatically following a promotion to High-A, but he still has everyday shortstop upside.

     

29. 1B/3B Triston Casas, Boston Red Sox

Casas hit .256/.350/.480 with 26 doubles and 20 home runs in 500 plate appearances between Single-A and High-A last season after receiving an aggressive promotion to full-season ball. The 20-year-old had one of the highest ceilings of any prep bat in the 2018 class, and he could wind up being a steal as the No. 26 overall pick.

    

28. SS Ronny Mauricio, New York Mets

Signed for a $2.1 million bonus as part of the 2017 international free-agent class, Mauricio has quickly risen to the top of a thinned-out Mets farm system. He held his own last year as an 18-year-old in Single-A, hitting .268 with 29 extra-base hits in 116 games. He's just scratching the surface of his vast potential.

      

27. 3B Josh Jung, Texas Rangers

After hitting .348/.455/.576 in 891 plate appearances as a three-year starter at Texas Tech, Jung was the No. 8 overall pick last June. The 21-year-old hit .316/.389/.443 with 17 extra-base hits in 44 games in his pro debut. An aggressive assignment to High-A could be forthcoming thanks to his polished all-around game.

       

26. RHP Deivi Garcia, New York Yankees

With a wicked curveball and a fastball with a high spin rate among his electric four-pitch repertoire, Garcia racked up 165 strikeouts in 111.1 innings over three minor league levels last year. Questions remain about his ability to handle a starter's workload with his undersized 5'9" frame, but he looks like a good bet to make an MLB impact in some capacity.

Nos. 25-21

Nico Hoerner Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images

25. RHP Hunter Greene, Cincinnati Reds

After watching from the sidelines in 2019 while he recovered from Tommy John surgery, Greene will look to get his promising career back on track. The 20-year-old had a 2.68 ERA with 57 strikeouts in 47 innings over his final 10 appearances at Single-A before going on the shelf in 2018. His mix of athleticism and pure stuff gives him generational-talent upside.

      

24. 2B/SS Nico Hoerner, Chicago Cubs

Thrust into action to replace an injured Javier Baez last September, Hoerner hit .282/.305/.436 with three home runs and 17 RBI in 82 plate appearances while holding his own defensively at shortstop. The 22-year-old should be given every chance to win the starting second base job this spring.

     

23. 3B Nolan Jones, Cleveland Indians

Elite on-base skills have helped make Jones the top prospect in the Cleveland farm system. The 21-year-old has posted a .409 on-base percentage and 17.3 percent walk rate over 340 games since going No. 55 overall in the 2016 draft. Tapping into more of his plus raw power will be the next step to becoming a star.

     

22. 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes, Pittsburgh Pirates

After a breakout offensive season at Double-A in 2018, Hayes took a step backward with a .265/.336/.415 line in 110 games at Triple-A last year. With a 60-grade hit tool and the defensive skills to be a perennial Gold Glove contender, the 23-year-old still looks like a future cornerstone piece for the rebuilding Pirates.

    

21. SS Carter Kieboom, Washington Nationals

Despite scuffling in his first taste of MLB action last year, Kieboom has nothing left to prove in the minors. The 22-year-old hit .303/.409/.493 with 43 extra-base hits in 494 plate appearances at Triple-A last year. It sounds like he'll be given every chance to claim the vacant third base job this spring.

Nos. 20-16

Dylan Carlson Jason Miller/Getty Images

20. RHP Forrest Whitley, Houston Astros

After entering 2019 as arguably the top pitching prospect in baseball, Whitley posted a brutal 7.99 ERA and 1.73 WHIP in 59.2 innings. He seemed to right the ship in the Arizona Fall League with a 2.88 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 25 innings, and he'll look to carry that performance over to the 2020 campaign. There's no question he has top-of-the-rotation potential.

       

19. OF Kristian Robinson, Arizona Diamondbacks

Signed for a $2.5 million bonus in 2017, Robinson has as high an offensive ceiling as any prospect in baseball. The 19-year-old hit .282/.368/.514 with 13 doubles and 14 home runs in 69 games while reaching Single-A last year. Much bigger things could be coming in 2020.

      

18. SS Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals

With strong baseball bloodlines and a stellar track record on the showcase circuit, Witt has a chance to be the face of the franchise for the Royals. The 19-year-old has legitimate five-tool potential with present plus tools across the board. A strong finish to his debut in rookie ball could mean he starts the 2020 season at Single-A.

    

17. OF Dylan Carlson, St. Louis Cardinals

One of the breakout prospects of 2019, Carlson hit .292/.372/.542 with 28 doubles, eight triples and 26 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A, adding 20 stolen bases and showing the defensive acumen to stick in center field. The 21-year-old appears to be on track for a 2020 debut.

     

16. RHP Sixto Sanchez, Miami Marlins

Finally healthy, Sanchez tossed a career-high 114 innings last year, posting a 2.76 ERA and 1.07 WHIP with a 103-21 strikeout-to-walk ratio. That cemented the 21-year-old's place as one of baseball's elite pitching prospects, and he'll begin 2020 in the upper levels of the minors. Can he make the Marlins winners in the J.T. Realmuto trade?

Nos. 15-11

Alec Bohm CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/Getty Images

15. 3B Alec Bohm, Philadelphia Phillies

In his first full professional season, Bohm flashed plenty of the tremendous power potential that made him the No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 draft. The 23-year-old hit .305/.378/.518 with 30 doubles, 21 home runs and 80 RBI over three minor league levels while reaching Double-A. The decision to non-tender Maikel Franco opens the door for him to debut in 2020.

     

14. C Joey Bart, San Francisco Giants

Despite missing six weeks with a broken bone in his left hand, Bart showed plenty of the two-way potential that made him the No. 2 pick in the 2018 draft. He posted an .824 OPS with 14 doubles and 16 home runs in 79 games at High-A and Double-A. He then hit .333/.524/.767 with four home runs and 10 RBI in 10 games in the Arizona Fall League before he was hit in the hand again. Will he push Buster Posey before 2020 is over?

      

13. 2B/SS Brendan Rodgers, Colorado Rockies

Rodgers is a career .296/.352/.503 hitter in five minor league seasons, including a .350/.413/.622 showing over 160 plate appearances at Triple-A last year before he made his MLB debut May 17. He struggled in the big leagues before a shoulder injury ended his season in June, but he still has tremendous upside entering his age-23 season.

     

12. SS Royce Lewis, Minnesota Twins

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft, Lewis hit .292/.352/.451 with 46 extra-base hits and 28 steals in 2018 to establish himself as one of baseball's elite prospects. His OPS dipped to .661 last year, but his stock is trending back up after he posted a .353/.411/.565 line with 12 extra-base hits in 22 games in the Arizona Fall League.

     

11. OF Jarred Kelenic, Seattle Mariners

In his first full professional season after going No. 6 overall in 2018 and being traded from the Mets to the Mariners, Kelenic hit .291/.364/.540 with 31 doubles, 23 home runs and 20 steals. He reached Double-A less than a month after his 20th birthday and appears to be on the fast track to stardom alongside fellow top prospect Julio Rodriguez in Seattle.

Nos. 10-6

Jesus Luzardo Michael Zagaris/Getty Images

10. C Adley Rutschman, Baltimore Orioles

Rutschman hit an absurd .411/.575/.751 with 17 home runs in 57 games during his junior season at Oregon State before going No. 1 overall last June. Switch-hitting catchers with impact offensive skills and Gold Glove-caliber defensive tools don't grow on trees. He has a chance to be the face of the Orioles for a long time once he arrives.

       

9. LHP Jesus Luzardo, Oakland Athletics

If not for a shoulder injury suffered last spring that kept him sidelined until June, Luzardo might have already cemented his place atop the Oakland rotation. The 22-year-old left-hander made his MLB debut Sept. 11 and posted a 1.50 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 12 innings down the stretch. He then turned heads with three shutout innings in the AL Wild Card Game. As long as he can stay healthy, he's a future ace.

    

8. RHP Nate Pearson, Toronto Blue Jays

In terms of pure power stuff, Pearson is second to none. His fastball regularly sits in the 98-101 mph range, and he backs it with a wipeout slider, a plus changeup and a hammer curveball. The 23-year-old posted a 2.30 ERA with 119 strikeouts in 101.2 innings while holding opponents to a .176 average and reaching Triple-A in 2019. He'll debut at some point in 2020 and gives the Blue Jays another potential future star.

    

7. OF Cristian Pache, Atlanta Braves

Widely regarded as the best defensive prospect in baseball, Pache took his offensive game to another level last season with a .277/.340/.462 line and 57 extra-base hits in 130 games between Double-A and Triple-A. It's only a matter of time before Atlanta trots out an outfield of Ronald Acuna Jr., Drew Waters and Pache.

      

6. RHP Casey Mize, Detroit Tigers

Selected No. 1 overall in 2018, Mize has used an advanced fastball-slider-splitter arsenal to fly through the Tigers' minor league ranks. He posted a 2.55 ERA with 106 strikeouts in 109.1 innings between High-A and Double-A last year. With a durable 6'3", 220-pound frame and three plus pitches, he has all the makings of a true staff ace.

Nos. 5-1

Luis Robert Ron Vesely/Getty Images

5. LHP MacKenzie Gore, San Diego Padres

The most polished prep pitching prospect to come along in years, Gore posted a 1.69 ERA and 0.83 WHIP with 135 strikeouts in 101 innings between High-A and Double-A last year. In a deep San Diego system, he's the clear top arm. With four 60-grade pitches and plus command, he's close to MLB-ready entering his age-21 season.

     

4. 2B/SS Gavin Lux, Los Angeles Dodgers

A robust .347/.421/.607 line and 59 extra-base hits in 113 games between Double-A and Triple-A vaulted Lux into elite prospect territory in 2019. The 22-year-old posted a respectable 85 OPS+ and 0.3 WAR in 23 games after making his MLB debut Sept. 2. He should break camp as the starting second baseman and NL Rookie of the Year front-runner.

    

3. OF Jo Adell, Los Angeles Angels

The Angels declined a $14 million option on Kole Calhoun at the start of the offseason in large part because of the impending arrival of Adell. The 20-year-old got a late start to last season after battling myriad injuries during spring training but returned to hit .289/.359/.475 with 37 extra-base hits in 76 games while reaching Triple-A. He's a five-tool superstar in the making.

    

2. OF Luis Robert, Chicago White Sox

A .328/.376/.624 line that included 31 doubles, 11 triples, 32 home runs and 36 steals over three minor league levels last year was enough for Robert to receive a six-year, $50 million extension before he even made his MLB debut. That should eliminate the need for any service time manipulation and open the door for him to break camp with the MLB squad as the AL Rookie of the Year front-runner.

     

1. SS Wander Franco, Tampa Bay Rays

MLB.com named Franco the No. 1 prospect in baseball and gave him an 80-grade hit tool while writing: "If you were to build a hitter from scratch using all of the physical attributes and skills that have come to define great hitters, he'd probably end up looking something like Franco."

He hit .327/.398/.487 with 43 extra-base hits in 114 games between Single-A and High-A, and he will not turn 19 years old until March 1. He could force the team's hand into an early promotion if he keeps developing at his current trajectory.

      

All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.

   

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