*#1 Prospect in Baseball, Konnor Griffin (Getty Images)*

Following and keeping up with prospects in professional baseball could be a full-time job. Just a handful of them dominate offseason talk and deservedly so, but there are hundreds of players that will make their MLB debut this year.

This list consists of players in the next wave of talent that you’ll likely see at some point throughout this 2026 MLB season and have the ability to make an impact for their ball club.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Ryan Waldschmidt, OF

Waldschmidt was picked in the first round using the PPI selection given to the Diamondbacks for Corbin Carroll’s Rookie of the Year award in 2023. Over two years as a professional, he’s shown impressive discipline paired with a .288 batting average over 148 minor league games. The highest level Waldschmidt has seen is Double-A, but with a thin outfield in Arizona, he’s expected to make his debut this year and has the tools to make an immediate impact.

Athletics: Leo De Vries, SS

Leo De Vries was on the opposite end of a trade deadline deal that sent Mason Miller to San Diego last July. Now with the Athletics, and still one of the top prospects in baseball, he’s next up in an organization that has had recent success with rookies. De Vries has been one of the best players in Spring Training this year, hitting .409 with three homers in 17 games. He’ll likely start the season in Double-A but even at just 19 years old, a debut this season is in the cards.

Atlanta Braves: JR Ritchie, RHP

Atlanta continues to have injuries in their rotation and Spencer Schwellenbach starting the season on the IL probably won’t be the last one. The team hopes JR Ritchie can come up this year and provide some much-needed innings. Ritchie provides a solid five pitch mix and gets a decent amount of swing and miss with the off-speed.

Baltimore Orioles: Dylan Beavers, OF

Beavers made his debut at the end of 2025 after slashing .304/.420/.515 with 18 homers and 23 stolen bases in 94 Triple-A games. Getting that major league experience will go a long way for his highly anticipated rookie year. Beavers will likely have a majority of his at-bats coming versus right-handed pitchers until he proves he can hit lefties at a higher level.

Boston Red Sox: Payton Tolle, RHP

Tolle is a 6’6” lefty who has one of the best fastballs in Boston’s organization. In his debut last year, he hit 101 mph and sits around 97. His reach is up there with the major league leaders, making that 101 seem that much faster- leading to a near 40% whiff rate on the pitch. If he can pair the heater with effective off-speed pitches, he could be the next cornerstone in Boston’s rotation.

Chicago White Sox: Braden Montgomery, OF

Montgomery was the featured player dealt to Chicago in the Garrett Crochet trade. Now, he’s one of the foundational pieces the White Sox are rebuilding with. In his last year at Texas A&M, he hit 27 home runs and knocked in 85 runs. As a former pitcher, he’s clocked in at 96 off the mound and carried that arm strength to the outfield where he’s a real threat. Watch for Montgomery to make an impact for the White Sox this year.

Chicago Cubs: Moisés Ballesteros, C

Ballesteros is a 22 year-old catcher who will split time behind the plate with Miguel Amaya and Carson Kelly. Even at a position with solid depth, Ballesteros will get at-bats. Last year in 20 games with the Cubs, he hit .298 and showed excellent plate discipline with a 13.6% walk rate and 18.2% strikeout rate- the same tendencies that he carried throughout the minors. He’s a fun player to watch and could become a fan favorite at Wrigley.

Cincinnati Reds: Rhett Lowder, RHP

Lowder made his debut in 2024- and it was a good one. Over six starts with the Reds, he had a 1.17 ERA. High expectations for 2025 were drowned out by injuries that pretty much kept him off the field the entire season. With Cincinnati’s ace Hunter Greene on the IL, Lowder is expected to be in the rotation to start the year.

Cleveland Guardians: Chase DeLauter, OF

DeLauter made his debut in the Wild Card series versus divisional foe Detroit Tigers. He was brought up for his offensive abilities, which Cleveland has lacked the past few years. He has a career .302/.384/.504 slash line in the minors with impressive discipline and hard-hit rates that we can’t wait to see with the Guardians. He’s been a star-in-waiting for a few seasons now- this year we could finally see it.

Colorado Rockies: Charlie Condon, 1B/OF

When Charlie Condon was drafted, it seemed like the perfect team for the power hitter. As the Golden Spikes Award winner, Condon put up 62 home runs in two seasons at Georgia. But it hasn’t translated as expected- largely due to injuries. However, that power doesn’t just vanish and with his debut looming, we could see it at the big league level on a team that will give him a long leash.

Detroit Tigers: Kevin McGonigle, INF

McGonigle is one of the top hitters in the entire minor leagues- well represented by his top-five ranking. He might not have the physical qualities that others possess but he’s consistently hit around .300 and showed flashes of power with 12 home runs in 46 games in Double-A last year. McGonigle could make the Opening Day roster and be the unsung hero on a team favored to win the AL Central and make a run.

Houston Astros: Brice Matthews, 2B/3B

Matthews is a former first round pick in ‘23 who played in 12 games last year for the Astros due to injuries at the MLB level. His offensive abilities lacked but his speed threat is real- totaling 91 career steals in the minors and 6 at the MLB level. The utility abilities with the speed could provide a vital role for Houston.

Kansas City Royals: Carter Jensen, C/DH

Carter Jensen shot up prospect boards after an impressive offensive breakout last year. Through 111 minor league games he slashed .290/.377/.501 and carried that to the MLB in a brief 20-game stint where he hit three home runs and hit .300 with hard-hit rates that show it wasn’t a fluke. On the defensive side, he’s going to take over more catching duties from the aging Sal Perez and should play a vital role for Kansas City this year.

Los Angeles Angels: George Klassen, RHP

Klassen has spent time at every level of the minor leagues, and unlike most of the other players on this list, he wasn’t a first round draft pick. After having Tommy John a few years back, the Phillies took a chance on him in the middle rounds in 2023. Klassen has a great fastball that sits around 97 mph and can touch 100- it was graded a 70 by scouts. He’s surprised people his whole career and is just about ready to test that at the highest level for the Angels.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Josue De Paula, RF

De Paula is next up in the Dodgers minor league factory- although with Kyle Tucker, Teoscar Hernández and Andy Pages already in the outfield, it’s unknown if he’ll make his debut this year or next. De Paula played most of last season in High-A where he hit for power while maintaining a .408 OBP, largely due to his impressive plate discipline. He struck out in just 20% of his plate appearances while walking 19% of them. De Paula swung at just 14% of pitches outside the strike zone, lower than MLB-leading Juan Soto’s 16%.

Miami Marlins: Owen Caissie, RF

Caissie was traded from the Cubs to Miami in the offseason. Last year, he slashed a .286/.386/.551 line in Triple-A and had 81 career home runs in the minors. He fits the prototypical power hitting outfielders in Miami like Kyle Stowers and Jakob Marsee. Caissie played for Canada in the WBC and hit .412 with an OPS of 1.241 in five games; if this carries over and he starts the year hot, he could shine for the Marlins.

Milwaukee Brewers: Jett Williams, INF/OF

The Brewers continue to churn out prospects and remain at the top of the league in farm system rankings, headlined by Jesús Made. Only 18 years old, it’s uncertain if Made will make his debut this year, but not impossible. Until then, Jett Williams could provide depth in a thin infield. He’s a smaller-framed player but counters it with an ability to pull the ball that’s given him success. The super utility abilities and style is similar to what we’ve seen from past Brewers prospects.

Minnesota Twins: Walker Jenkins, OF

Walter Jenkins — *Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images*

Jenkins is the bright spot for a Twins fanbase that feels they’ve been robbed of proper ownership. As the Twins top prospect, he’s made his way up to Triple-A with a career slash line of .295/.399/.464 in nearly 200 minor league games. He’s shown the ability to do a bit of everything on the field and if he stays healthy, he should have an immediate impact in Minnesota in 2026.

New York Yankees: Carlos Lagrange, RHP

As a 22 year-old, Carlos Lagrange lights up the radar guns. Routinely hitting triple digits and topping out at 103. He has the type of electric fastball that goes viral in the baseball world, especially playing in New York. He’s being developed as a starter, but some believe he’ll eventually be in a closer role.

New York Mets: Carson Benge, OF

Benge is a former college teammate at Oklahoma State with Nolan McLean. The two now occupy the top spots in the organization's pipeline. For Benge, a standout year in the minors last year shot him up the leaderboards- 15 home runs and 22 stolen bases earned him a promotion to Triple-A. Benge has a real power/speed combo with above average bat-to-ball skills.

Philadelphia Phillies: Justin Crawford, OF

Crawford is among the most anticipated debuts this year. A top #100 prospect for three years straight, we should finally see his speed and expected offensive abilities on display for the Phillies. Last year in Triple-A, Crawford hit .334 with a 18% whiff rate while stealing 46 bases. Crawford is expected to make the Opening Day roster and potentially the lineup.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Konnor Griffin, SS

Konnor Griffin 2 — *Brace Hemmelgarn/GettyImages*

The top prospect in baseball at just 19 years old, Griffin has looked the part in his short career as a professional and continues to wow the baseball world. The highest level he’s reached is Double-A, but he’s going to see the MLB this year; if he lives up to the sky-high expectations, he could be a generational player. He’s strikingly similar to Bobby Witt Jr. as a prospect.

San Diego Padres: Ethan Salas, C

It seemed the Padres were selling out for Salas to be their next generational catcher after they signed him as a top international prospect and quickly tried pushing him through the minors. It hasn’t worked out exactly as expected- injuries have kept his offensive abilities lagging behind his impressive defense. Knowing Salas wasn’t ready, the club traded for Freddy Fermin at last year's deadline. Salas is still just 19 years old and has plenty of development to do, but if he can improve offensively and stay healthy, a debut in 2026 is certainly possible.

San Francisco Giants: Bryce Eldridge, 1B/DH

You can’t miss the Giants top prospect. At 6’7”, Bryce Eldridge has one of the loudest bats in the minor leagues. In 10 games at the MLB level last year, he had a 68.8% hard-hit rate (Kyle Schwarber led the MLB at 59.6%). In two and a half years in the minors, he’s hit 54 home runs and it’s finally time for him to show that power at the MLB level.

Seattle Mariners: Colt Emerson, SS

The Mariners top prospect, Colt Emerson has one of the smoothest left-handed swings you’ll see. At just 20 years old, he’s proven his ability to hit for average and shown flashes of power the older he gets. He saw his first action in Triple-A last season and with an aging JP Crawford at shortstop, Emerson could start the takeover process at the position this season.

St. Louis Cardinals: JJ Wetherholt, INF

A top-five overall prospect, JJ Wetherholt has been one of the club’s most consistent hitters in Spring Training and looks to be named the Opening Day second baseman. As a shortstop his whole life, he’ll have to give way for Masyn Winn as he’s been one of the best defenders at the position the past few years. The two will make up one of the most promising middle infields in baseball.

Tampa Bay Rays: Carson Williams, SS

Carson Williams has had three straight 20/20 seasons as a minor leaguer and if he makes it four in a row, it’ll be his first at the MLB level as he’s expected to spend most of his time with Tampa Bay. Williams will need to cut his strikeouts down before he can be the everyday starter at a position of need for the Rays. Fortunately, he’s one of the best defenders at the position.

Texas Rangers: Sebastian Walcott, INF

Walcott probably won’t see his first big-league action until 2027, but you won’t want to miss out on him. At 6’4”, he consistently hits the ball as hard as any minor league player — the reason the Rangers have been so high on him. He’s improved his plate discipline with fewer strikeouts and more walks. Last year, he was the youngest position player to qualify at the Double-A level, showing his mental and physical maturity. He’s going to miss a good chunk of the first half due to a torn elbow ligament, but don’t forget about Walcott heading into next season.

Toronto Blue Jays: Trey Yesavage, RHP

Yesavage took the baseball world by storm with his fantastic playoff pitching last year. He only pitched 14 big-league innings before making 5 postseason starts and one other appearance where he put up a combined 3.58 ERA, 39 strikeouts and 3 wins. He’s known for his uniquely high release point and over-the-top delivery that hitters have a hard time picking up. Yesavage will start the season on the IL with a shoulder injury, but the high expectations remain for him and the team.

Washington Nationals: Harry Ford, C

Harry Ford was brought up by Seattle last year, but as a catcher in Seattle you’re not going to play much with Cal Raleigh behind the plate. This offseason, the new Nationals front office traded for Ford, leading me to believe they want him to be a part of their rebuild. As a prospect, he’s been consistent at the plate and has shown impressive walk and chase rates. He was recently optioned to the minor leagues but has the ability to get playing time at the major league level this coming season.

About the Author

Cody Hamilton is the writer behind The Data Dugout that launched at the end of 2025. As a lifelong fan of baseball, he writes with the goal to educate and foster a real community of readers behind his words and stories. He writes in-depth player and prospect analysis articles, along with pieces that analyze front office moves, and highlights classic baseball stories that make the game unique.

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