Nobody runs a stronger Top 100 prospects list than Baseball America. Today, we’ll look at some key updates to their mid-season list that have yet to be reflected by other public outlets. We’ll also check in on recent draftees.
Five Big Hype Prospects
Dylan Crews, 21, OF, WSH (CLG)
258 PA, 18 HR, 6 SB, .426/.567/.713
Crews leads the 2023 draft class, ranking fourth overall among the Top 100 prospects in the game. He’s basically tied with future teammate James Wood. The Nationals have the foundation of a potent outfield in the near future.
If there’s a knock on Crews, it’s a possible weakness to pro-caliber breaking balls. Perhaps the only challenge left to him before his Major League debut is coping with pitchers who can precisely command breaking stuff. Otherwise, he’s a premium all-fields power hitter who can stick in center field. Given the potency of his bat, he’s still valuable as a corner outfielder.
Paul Skenes, 21, SP, PIT (CLG)
122.2 IP, 15.3 K/9, 1.5 BB/9, 1.69 ERA
Skenes outclassed college hitters in a batter-friendly run environment. He’s considered more or less Major League ready and could debut whenever Pittsburgh is ready for him. Between his heavy college workload and violent delivery, don’t expect that to happen this year. The recent trend is to shut down heavy workload college pitchers in their draft year. Skenes’ fastball is a weapon, regularly hitting triple-digit velocity with arm-side run and carry. He’s deadly working up-and-in to right-handed hitters. Southpaws won’t enjoy facing him either. He throws multiple breaking balls and features a quality changeup – a pitch that was all but unnecessary to his college dominance.
Adael Amador, SS, 20, COL (A+)
259 PA, 9 HR, 12 SB, .302/.391/.514
A personal miss of mine, Amador wasn’t much to look at last year despite strong results. We often see players of this ilk thrive in the low minors only to fade as they climb the ladder. It’s a discipline over physical skills profile, though the physical side of his game has improved enough to project a future starting role. Previously, I viewed him as a future oft-used utility guy based on his public measurables. My scouting contacts backed up that assessment with their visual impressions. Amador still primarily makes pulled, ground ball contact. He’ll need to develop more lift in order to make the most of his skills.
Chase Hampton, 21, SP, NYY (AA)
(A+/AA) 74.2 IP, 13.3 K/9, 3.0 BB/9, 3.13 ERA
An afterthought on Yankees lists entering this season, Hampton is sprinting through the minors. He’s added velocity to a five-pitch repertoire of effective offerings. He’s passed Will Warren within the system. Pitchers with at least four average pitches and 50-grade command tend to have long careers (health allowing). The Yankees haven’t shown the best feel for finishing their pitching prospects in recent years – perhaps inspiring their willingness to deal J.P. Sears, Ken Waldichuk, and Hayden Wesneski at the deadline last season. Hampton is seemingly a cut above.
Ronny Mauricio, 21, SS, NYM (AAA)
358 PA, 14 HR, 14 SB, .299/.344/.512
Whether or not you play fantasy baseball, there’s something attractive about guys who mash dingers and raid forts. Mauricio produces wild exit velocities – 92.0 average and 115.8 max. That’s all the more impressive when we consider his Baez-ian discipline. Like early-career Baez, his ability to square pitches out of the zone helps him to recover for objectively abysmal discipline. At this stage of his career, he doesn’t flash Baez’s superlative defensive feats. Had the Mets played as expected, Mauricio is probably traded in the upcoming weeks. As it stands, he should receive an audition at second base before long.
Three More
Ethan Salas, SDP (17): Salas, whom we profiled in more depth last week, jumped from the mid-50s to 18th on the BA Top 100. A precocious defender, the rapid development of his bat has caught even his most ardent supporters by surprise. Few players generate half this much excitement in their age 16 season. How he handles his growing fame will prove instructive.
Sal Frelick, MIL (23): While I’ve soured on Frelick, BA is enthused with a 32nd ranking. Their short blurb references the reason why I’m concerned – a lack of authoritative contact. His 85.2 average and 106.5 max exit velocities are well below average in a year when most guys have artificially inflated Triple-A EVs. The discipline remains pristine.
Wyatt Langford, TEX (22): The other draftee who was widely considered a first-overall caliber prospect, Langford might manage to outhit Crews. However, he’s miles behind defensively despite comparable physical ability. FanGraphs offers a fun comp – Pat Burrell with a jetpack.
Did I miss a detail or nuance? DM me on Twitter @BaseballATeam to suggest corrections.
Salas will be the number 1 prospect in baseball within a year. Dude is a phenom. Dude wasn’t even in the top 100 to start the season and now he is 18th.
Padres scouting director has called him the best prospect he has ever scouted.
Salas just turned 17. He might be that good who knows but a lot can happen in the next few years.
Remember when Jurickson Profar was on this list for like five straight years? Pepperidge Farms remembers.
My point is no one here should be considered can’t miss or untouchable in trade chatter. Proven big league talent should always be considered more valuable then these wild cards whose development is more system and situation dependent then most admit.
Profar is a good example. The list is long. Benintendi is another one.
I wouldn’t be so quick to jump the gun, while his tools may be tantalizing, he still has a LOOONG ways to go…
Anyone remember Kevin Maitan?? The SS who the Braves originally signed that had Miggy comps coming over here as a young prospect??
Dude was supposed to be as close to can’t miss as any other 16yr old, and was already being touted as the next big thing in baseball….
Fast forward the clock, and I’m pretty positive he never had a ML AB, and honestly, I’m not so sure he ever even made it passed AA…/:
Some of these signings haven’t even been announced yet. Most guys in the 1st round, especially position players, have signed in recent memory, but fans shouldn’t get their hopes up in case something falls through. Langford hasn’t been announced yet, and I don’t think Crews or Skenes have, either.
Does Adael Amador hit the ball on the ground a lot? Yeah. But Benny Montgomery, who the Rockies took 8th overall in 2021 has a ground ball rate just under 65%.
Benny misses months at a time because he’s so awkward that he injures himself in the strangest ways.
This is the first time I’ve ever heard Skenes’ delivery referred to as “violent.”
The eye test is “violent” as well
Anybody just drafted does not belong on here yet.
Well… Twitter shows that Langford was signed.
Signed or not, anyone just drafted have not done a thing in pro baseball yet to be termed a big hype prospect.
The SEC isn’t pro baseball?
So college players would be considered pro but low class single A would be? Is that what you’re inferring?
Skenes and Crews went 1 & 2. Its not like returning to college will get them a better position next time. Only leaves a possibility of injury. There is no doubt they will sign.
Why not?
The Mets aren’t trading Mauricio. He’ll be in left field after they trade Pham and Canha.
Mauricio has played better at second base than at third base, but Eppler and the Mets were dead set on turning him into a left fielder. That jockeying of positions and learning as the season has gone on has cost this kid the chance to debut as a hot hitting prospect. They should have brought him up months ago as a 2nd baseman and moved McNeil to left, and capitalize on Mauricio’s enthusiasm when the rest of the team was playing dead. Now they played with his head, messed up his batting groove. The Mets should have never tried to teach a new position mid-year. Should have waited until next spring. Trying to get him ready to replace Canha/Pham next year in the outfield. Poor decision. Should have just brought him up as a 2B and seen what happens.
“Had the Mets played as expected, Mauricio is probably traded in the upcoming weeks. As it stands, he should receive an audition at second base before long.”
I think he’s much more likely to slot in at LF. Canha and/or Pham will probably get traded and I doubt they will bench McNeil (or move him to the OF) even if he continues to play horrible baseball.
“Nobody runs a stronger Top 100 prospects list than Baseball America.”
Paid endorsement? Seems strange to lead off with that.
Especially considering how bad Baseball America has become
Nope, genuinely admire their work. They are sooooooo much better than all the other prospect outlets out there.
I think all of the prospect lists are bad anymore. While BA might not be as bad as Fangraphs and Prospectus, among many others, they’re still far from good
I haven’t paid any attention to notice but this article won’t get me to. Key updates? All I seen was yapping and stats that I could look up anywhere. Where are the players ranked? What were they ranked before? What is their grades? What were they before? That’s what I get for trying to read the articles. Will stick with comment section from now on.
Yeah the comments on here are absolutely spot on. Especially if you like reading “lolMets” over and over.
Skenes looks pretty fluid to me – easy gas.