10 prospects who JUST ignored the High 100 checklist

We can most effective match 100 prospects on a High 100 checklist. For certain, we focus on about diagram more as part of the formula, and there are repeatedly a couple of names that bought bumped off early drafts or fell vibrant quick within the enhance division.

Listed below are 10 prospects who vibrant ignored making the High 100 this time around, presented in alphabetical justify by final name:

Moises Ballesteros, C/1B, Cubs
Ranked eighth on our High 10 catching checklist – making him the significant backstop off the High 100 – Ballesteros climbed three ranges in his age-19 season from Single-A to Double-A and slashed .285/.374/.449 with 14 homers over 117 video games alongside the model. He change into as soon as one in every of most effective two Minor League catchers with out a longer lower than 14 homers and a strikeout price under 16 p.c in 2023, and the opposite (Jonathan Morales) change into as soon as eight years his senior. He composed desires immense development defensively, and he struggled in opposition to sameside left-handers, hitting most effective .208 with a .286 slugging share in opposition to them. Some evaluators dangle drawn Alejandro Kirk comparisons to the 5-foot-7 backstop, and time stays on his facet as he’ll composed most effective be 20 for the total 2024 campaign.

Diego Cartaya, C, Dodgers
Cartaya ranked 14th on our preseason High 100 a twelve months ago and has since fallen off completely. In between, he slashed vibrant .189/.278/.379 over 93 video games at Double-A Tulsa. He did slug 19 homers over that time – third-most among Double-A catchers – and he change into as soon as one in every of most effective two backstops outdated 21 or younger to glean more than 400 plate appearances on the Minors’ 2nd-perfect stage. His struggles stemmed from chasing that vitality to his pullside and components with offspeed stuff. However, the Venezuela native made strides defensively and continues to teach plus arm energy. Cartaya will composed most effective be 22 for much of the 2024 season with some developmental runway ahead, and he would possibly maybe maybe push his manner motivate in direction of reaching his great ceiling with a return to the Texas League.

Leodalis De Vries, SS, Padres
One twelve months ago, San Diego signed MLB Pipeline’s top international prospect Ethan Salas and pushed him to Double-A San Antonio as a 17-twelve months-frail. Closing month, San Diego signed MLB Pipeline’s top international prospect in De Vries and … successfully, we’ll detect. The swap-hitter appears to be like evolved from both facet of the dish with factual plate discipline and pitch recognition, and he has the vitality to project for 20-plus homers. He has plus tempo too, and that tool equipment would possibly maybe maybe be precious even when he have to circulate away from shortstop in time. As with Salas, we’re waiting a tad longer to be conscious the profile translate to the Minors sooner than getting aggressive with De Vries’ rating, but he too would possibly maybe maybe skip the Dominican Summer season League, inaugurate stateside after which take dangle of flight.

Jackson Ferris, LHP, Dodgers
Los Angeles would possibly maybe dangle moved a High 100 prospect in Michael Busch to the Cubs this offseason, but it picked up a High-100-adjacent arm in Ferris. The 2022 2nd-rounder posted a 3.38 ERA with 77 strikeouts in 56 innings at Single-A Myrtle Beach in 2023 within the middle of his first whisk of the Minors, and he flashes four above-sensible pitches, headlined by a 92-95 mph fastball with factual elevate and a downer 75-78 mph curveball. The 6-foot-4 southpaw can glean misplaced in his mechanics, ensuing in lisp components, and that held him off the High 100 for the time being. Nonetheless the Dodgers dangle a factual newest music file of pitching development, and it wouldn’t shock to be conscious Ferris take dangle of his profile to a brand unique stage in his 2nd pro campaign.

Lazaro Montes, OF, Mariners
As Mariners beat writer Daniel Kramer neatly-known final monththe 19-twelve months-frail Montes is attentive to the Yordan Alvarez comparisons and embraces them. Both are hulking left-handed sluggers with solid approaches and tough profiles that depend nearly completely on their bats. A $2.5 million signing in January 2022, Montes pushed himself extra onto the radar by reaching Single-A in his first stateside season and led all Minor Leaguers outdated 18 or younger (min. 300 PA) with his .440 OBP, .560 slugging share, 1.001 OPS, .257 ISO and 17.9 p.c stroll price. Montes is exiguous to the corner outfield spots and can have to retain utilizing the ball with authority, but all the pieces is pointed within the lawful route in that regard.

Edgar Quero, C, White Sox
Unparalleled devour Cartaya, Quero saw his outcomes dip in his first outing to Double-A in 2023. However, Quero skipped over High-An absolutely within the Angels’ machine and change into as soon as the most effective 20-twelve months-frail catcher to glean more than 400 plate appearances on the 2nd-perfect stage of the Minors. The swap-hitter controls the strike zone and makes use of the total discipline from both facet, even when he change into all but again much from the lawful facet in 2023. He’ll be even more age-appropriate motivate in Double-A in his age-21 campaign with the White Sox less susceptible to be aggressive, and his come would possibly maybe maybe lead to stronger outcomes. Persevered defensive enhancements on the motivate of the dish would furthermore solidify his standing motivate within the High 100.

Thomas Saggese, INF, Cardinals
The 2020 fifth-rounder led all Minor Leaguers in hits (170) and total bases (294) between his work in Double-A and Triple-A and change into as soon as the Texas League MVP after leading the loop in sensible (.318), OPS (.936), wRC+ (142), hits (158), extra-noxious hits (60) and total bases (274). Obtained from the Rangers within the Jordan 1st viscount montgomery of alamein deal, Saggese is an aggressive hitter who likes to jump on pitches he can drive, but he’s going to be higher served by being more choosy the upper he climbs. He furthermore doesn’t dangle an established defensive home with time at 2nd, third and quick. He’ll return to Triple-A to inaugurate up his age-22 season, and if the outcomes are anything else end to 2023 ranges, it won’t much matter the place he plays.

Victor Scott II, OF, Cardinals
Tempo has never been more precious within the sport, and Scott has that potential in absolute spades. The 2022 fifth-rounder is an 80-grade runner who tied for the Minor League lead with 94 steals in 132 video games. Once he reaches first noxious, everyone within the stadium is conscious of he desires to comprehend 2nd, and there’s little somebody can assign about it. Those wheels dangle him a plus-plus center fielder as successfully. A lack of in-game vitality and struggles in opposition to fellow left-handers kept Scott from our High 100 for nowbut in actuality, he would possibly maybe maybe no longer have to be anything else more than sensible with the bat to solidify himself as St. Louis’ center fielder of the unique game.

Gavin Stone, RHP, Dodgers
The 25-twelve months-frail lawful-hander change into as soon as residence to whisk off the High 100 after a rough first MLB season (9.00 ERA, .338 sensible-in opposition to, 22 Ample’s in 31 IP), but some external evaluators argued for his inclusion within the middle of the solutions stage. Stone posted excessive dash, whiff and groundball charges within the exiguous pattern on the energy of the plus-plus mid-80s changeup that he threw loads of-third of the time. Essential Leaguers feasted more on his 93-95 mph fastball and low-90s cutter as Stone most regularly worked an excessive amount of within the center of the zone. Improved lisp would possibly maybe maybe retain hitters more at bay, lend a hand the changeup play up even more and glean Stone motivate to the strategies that helped him strike out 32.6 p.c of the Minor Leaguers he confronted in his profession.

Samuel Zavala, OF, Padres
There dangle been most effective nine avid gamers outdated 18 or younger who bought more than 300 plate appearances at Single-A in 2023. Zavala led that community with a .420 on-noxious share, 19.4 p.c stroll price and 14 homers within the middle of his 101-game accelerate with Lake Elsinore. (A boring-season push to High-A Citadel Wayne didn’t lunge as regards to as successfully but change into as soon as probably too aggressive for the teenager.) While his come is unquestionably evolved, Zavala has a substantial-based mostly totally profile with a combination of 50s and 55s. That’s no doubt precious for a player heading into his age-19 season, and he provides to that by manner of being a solid center fielder. We vibrant have to be conscious a potential no doubt pop on the middle ranges sooner than finding him a High 100 draw among avid gamers with higher ceilings.