They and so many other rookies left their marks on the 2025 season. One year ago, they were mere prospects who had yet to make their MLB debuts, and another host of newcomers will inevitably be difference-makers for their clubs in 2026. So we’d better get to know them now.
Here is one prospect from each team to keep an eye on heading into next season.
BLUE JAYS: LHP Ricky Tiedemann (TOR No. 4 prospect)
Two years ago, Tiedemann was a freight train of prospect hype, the hard-throwing lefty who had just taken a massive leap in velocity and raw stuff. Unfortunately, elbow troubles led to Tommy John surgery in 2024, but Tiedemann is back to full health now — and while he didn’t return to game action in 2025, he’s expected to have a normal spring. Still just 23 and still gifted physically, Tiedemann could quickly become one of the biggest stories of camp if he looks even like 90% of his old self. Yes, the Blue Jays will consider stretching him back out as a starter, but it’s going to be awfully tempting to use him in shorter stints if he’s overwhelming hitters early. — Keegan Matheson
ORIOLES: OF Enrique Bradfield Jr. (BAL No. 4 prospect)
It may not be long before the 24-year-old speedster becomes an option for the O’s in center field. The 2023 first-round Draft pick reached Triple-A Norfolk in 2025, playing 15 games there before tallying an additional 20 in the Arizona Fall League. Bradfield’s 80-grade speed and 70-grade defense are part of a skill set unlike any player currently in the big leagues in Baltimore, so he should complement the lineup well when he arrives. The Vanderbilt product will need to prove he can handle Triple-A pitching before getting called up to the big leagues, which could happen as soon as next summer. — Jake Rill
RAYS: SS Carson Williams (TB No. 1 prospect, No. 50 overall)
The Rays gave Williams a look in the Majors sooner than even they expected, trying to make the most of a disappointing season and a thinned-out shortstop group by making their top prospect the regular starter down the stretch. The 22-year-old hit five homers and made some nice defensive plays, but he hit just .172/.219/.354 with 44 strikeouts in 106 plate appearances over 32 games. The Rays believe Williams will be better for the experience because it highlighted areas where he can improve. Taylor Walls is likely to start the season at shortstop, but the athletic Williams should have another chance to prove himself in Spring Training. — Adam Berry
YANKEES: OF Spencer Jones (NYY No. 4 prospect, No. 99 overall)
With light-tower power and improved consistency, Jones is knocking on the big league door with a legitimate chance to force his way onto the Opening Day roster. The 6-foot-7 outfielder is coming off his most consistent pro season, hitting .274 with 35 homers and 80 RBIs across Double-A and Triple-A in 2025. Added to the 40-man roster in November, Jones spent part of the offseason working out at Yankee Stadium. Though swing-and-miss will probably always be part of his profile, the Yankees believe Jones’ athleticism and muscle have positioned him to compete in a crowded outfield picture. — Bryan Hoch
GUARDIANS: OF Chase DeLauter (CLE No. 2 prospect, No. 58 overall)
DeLauter has had some tough injury luck, but his talent has long been evident. We got a taste of it this fall, when he became only the sixth player to debut in the Majors in the postseason. The 24-year-old made a solid impression during the AL Wild Card Series, and he could make a larger impact in 2026. DeLauter will be in the mix for Cleveland’s Opening Day roster, and provided he stays healthy, it’s tantalizing to think about how he could help over a full season — given his blend of size, athleticism, power and plate discipline. — Tim Stebbins
ROYALS: C Carter Jensen (KC No. 1 prospect, No. 39 overall)
After making his debut in September, hitting 300 with a .941 OPS and impressing in all facets of his game, Jensen will compete for an Opening Day roster spot in 2026. And the Royals view the 22-year-old Kansas City native as an integral part of their team for next season and the future, bringing a blend of power and on-base ability to the lineup. Jensen has vastly improved his defense over the years in the Minor Leagues, so the Royals feel good about having him as Salvador Perez’s backup behind the plate while also having both get at-bats at DH. — Anne Rogers
TIGERS: INF Kevin McGonigle (DET No. 1 prospect, No. 2 overall)
Arguably no Tiger besides Tarik Skubal has as much attention surrounding him this offseason as McGonigle, who soared up prospect rankings by posting a .991 OPS across three levels of the farm system and then earned Arizona Fall League MVP honors. He’s expected to be in Major League camp come Spring Training with a chance to put him in position to make his MLB debut at some point in 2026. While opinions are mixed on his long-term position, he could begin his career at shortstop, his primary position so far, or he could shift over to third, where he played a bunch in the AFL. — Jason Beck
TWINS: LHP Connor Prielipp (MIN No. 9 prospect)
Minnesota has a cadre of extremely exciting position players on the way, but if you’re looking for the potential for early impact, keep an eye on Prielipp. The hard-throwing left-hander was a second-round pick out of Alabama in 2022, and though he’s had some trouble staying healthy, he’s been electric whenever he’s been able to pitch. Prielipp made it to Triple-A in 2025, and with his future likely in relief and the Twins in need of relief help, you could see his big-time arm in the big league bullpen quickly. — Matthew Leach
WHITE SOX: OF Braden Montgomery (CWS No. 1 prospect, No. 35 overall)
The switch-hitting outfielder is part of a trio — including left-handers Noah Schultz (CWS No. 2 prospect, No. 40 overall) and Hagen Smith (CWS No. 5 prospect, No. 88 overall) — who represent the next top prospect group pushing toward the Majors. That push won’t get them there on Opening Day with the White Sox, but they should make significant contributions during the 2026 season. Montgomery had an outstanding first professional season across three Minor League stops with a .270/.360/.444 slash line, 12 home runs, 34 doubles and 14 stolen bases. He has the ability to play all three outfield spots. — Scott Merkin
ANGELS: CF Nelson Rada (LAA No. 7 prospect)
Rada reached Triple-A Salt Lake last year for the first time despite being in his age-19 season. And even though he was nearly eight years younger than his average competition, he more than held his own, batting .323/.433/.416 with a homer, six doubles, three triples, 20 stolen bases and 17 RBIs in 42 games. He will come into Spring Training competing for a roster spot. And while it’s more likely he goes back to Triple-A for more seasoning, he’s put himself firmly on the club’s radar with his blend of on-base skills, stolen-base ability and defense in center. — Rhett Bollinger
ATHLETICS: LHP Gage Jump (ATH No. 3 prospect, No. 60 overall)
Jump highlights a trio of A’s prospects on the Top 100 list as the closest to being Major League-ready. He started out the 2025 campaign — his debut as a professional — at High-A Lansing, where he posted a 2.32 ERA in six games (five starts) with 45 strikeouts and five walks across 31 innings, then earned a promotion to Double-A Midland, posting a 3.64 ERA in 20 games (19 starts) with 86 strikeouts across 81 2/3 innings for the Rockhounds. In all, Jump went 9-7 with a combined 3.28 ERA in 26 games (24 starts) with 131 strikeouts and 34 walks over 112 2/3 innings. With the A’s seeking to improve their rotation in 2026, expect Jump to make his way into that group at some point next year. — Martín Gallegos
RANGERS: SS Sebastian Walcott (TEX No. 1 prospect, No. 6 overall)
When anyone thinks of Texas Rangers prospects in 2025, Walcott is the player who immediately comes to mind. The 19-year-old shortstop signed with the Rangers for $3.2 million out of the Bahamas in January 2023. He quickly became one of the best prospects in the system and has only gotten better and better since. He reached Double-A Frisco for just five games in 2024 before getting a full season there this past season, hitting .255/.355/.386 with 13 home runs and 32 stolen bases as one of the youngest players at that level. He hasn’t touched Triple-A Round Rock just yet, and likely won’t break camp with the big league club, but all eyes will continue to be on Walcott in 2026. — Kennedi Landry
BRAVES: RHP JR Ritchie (ATL No. 2 prospect, No. 86 overall)
Ritchie has positioned himself to make his MLB debut at some point during the 2026 season. The 22-year-old hurler posted a 2.64 ERA while combining to make 26 starts over three levels in 2025. He began the season in High-A and ended up producing a 3.02 ERA over 11 starts at the Triple-A level. Not bad, especially when you consider this was his first full professional season without any restrictions following Tommy John surgery. The No. 35 overall Draft pick from 2022 could force his way into Atlanta’s rotation at some point in 2026. — Mark Bowman
MARLINS: RHP Josh White (unranked)
Much has been written about catcher Joe Mack (MIA No. 4 prospect, No. 70 overall), so why not highlight breakout reliever White? The 25-year-old combined for a 1.86 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP with four saves in 45 games (two starts) between the Double-A and Triple-A levels. Miami doesn’t have set roles in its bullpen of misfits, so he could have a shot at making the Opening Day roster if he performs well this spring. — Christina De Nicola
METS: OF Carson Benge (NYM No. 2 prospect, No. 21 overall)
From the beginning of this offseason, the Mets made it clear they wanted to leave space for Benge to contribute. Coming off a standout season that saw him dominate Double-A Binghamton as he climbed multiple levels in the farm system, Benge will compete for a job on the Opening Day roster. He may not win one. But even if that happens, Benge should get every opportunity to contribute to the Major League team at some point. So long as he continues producing at the plate, the 2024 first-round Draft pick is likely to run with it. — Anthony DiComo
BREWERS: RHP Logan Henderson (MIL No. 5 prospect)
Henderson still has rookie status going into 2026, but he has more of a foothold than most of the other players in that group after making his Major League debut in April and going 3-0 with a 1.78 ERA in five Milwaukee starts before a right flexor strain ended his regular season in August. Thanks to Milwaukee’s run into October, Henderson was able to get back into pitching shape by season’s end and even had hopes of being included on the NLCS roster against the Dodgers. While he didn’t get that wish, just being available should represent a springboard into next season. — Adam McCalvy
CARDINALS: 2B/SS/3B JJ Wetherholt (STL No. 1 prospect, No. 5 overall)
Wetherholt, the top prospect in the organization since being drafted No. 7 in 2024, is poised to make the Cards out of Spring Training. The sweet-swinging lefty has shown all-around skills with the bat, displaying pop and hitting to all fields. He slashed .306/.421/.510 with a .931 OPS, 17 homers, 28 doubles, 59 RBIs and 23 stolen bases in 109 games across two levels in 2025. The only question is where Wetherholt will play defensively. To prepare him for the versatility that might be needed, Wetherholt split time at short, second and third in the Minors. The Cards don’t care where he plays if his bat is in their lineup. — John Denton
CUBS: C/DH Moisés Ballesteros (CHC No. 2 prospect, No. 53 overall)
The Cubs are prepared to give developmental runway to both outfielder Owen Caissie (CHC No. 1 prospect, No. 47 overall) and Ballesteros in ‘26. For this exercise, let’s shine the spotlight on Ballesteros, who played in 20 games for Chicago last season and flashed his offensive potential. He hit .298 overall with five extra-base hits, nine walks, 11 RBIs and an .868 OPS, and posted a .999 OPS in 14 games in September while helping to fill in for an injured Kyle Tucker. Ballesteros’ MLB-ready bat fits best as a DH, but he also offers a third-string catching option and has some experience at first base. — Jordan Bastian
REDS: INF Sal Stewart (CIN No. 1 prospect, No. 31 overall)
Called up on Sept. 1, Stewart led the club with five homers during the season’s final month and batted .255/.293/.545 with eight RBIs and 11 runs scored in 18 big league games. Manager Terry Francona loves the right-handed hitter’s advanced approach, but it remains to be seen where Stewart fits on the roster. A third baseman during player development, he learned first base on the fly in the big leagues and is working out there in the offseason. Depending on the roster makeup and acquisitions, Stewart could lock down first base with a good camp. — Mark Sheldon
D-BACKS: INF/OF Jordan Lawlar (unranked)
Lawlar has been called up to the big leagues three times since being selected sixth overall in 2021, but he has not gotten a long runway to get comfortable and show what he can do. With Geraldo Perdomo locked in as the starting shortstop, the Diamondbacks sent Lawlar to winter ball this year to get him some work in center field. This spring, he will see time in center as well as at shortstop and third base with Arizona planning to give him every opportunity to become a much-needed right-handed bat in a lefty-heavy lineup. — Steve Gilbert
DODGERS: RHP River Ryan (LAD No. 9 prospect)
Ryan’s first taste of MLB action was brief but impressive when he was pressed into big league duty in 2024, posting a 1.33 ERA (three earned runs in 20 1/3 innings) across four starts. However, Ryan exited the final one of those starts with an injury and had Tommy John surgery, which sidelined him for all of ’25. The Dodgers ended the year with a stellar six-man rotation, with all but the retired Clayton Kershaw returning. Whether it’s out of Spring Training or at another point, Ryan should feasibly get a chance to impact the big league club in ’26. — Sonja Chen
GIANTS: RHP Blade Tidwell (SF No. 13 prospect)
The Giants hoped to get a look at Tidwell after they acquired him from the Mets as part of the Tyler Rogers trade, but the 24-year-old right-hander ended up going down with a shoulder injury that prevented him from debuting with San Francisco in 2025. Given the Giants’ need for more rotation depth, Tidwell should have plenty of opportunities to emerge as a big league contributor next year, especially since he already has a preexisting relationship with new manager Tony Vitello, who coached him at the University of Tennessee. — Maria Guardado
PADRES: RHP Miguel Mendez (SD No. 5 prospect)
The Padres need pitching. They have lost Dylan Cease, and Yu Darvish is out for the season. Thing is, they’ve traded most of their high-level starting-pitching prospects in recent deals — except for one very intriguing righty arm. Nobody made bigger strides in the Padres’ system last season than Mendez, who was added to the 40-man roster last month. There’s very little chance Mendez will crack the season-opening rotation. But he’s about to report to his first big league camp, and he should provide some useful depth, with the potential for a midseason breakthrough. — AJ Cassavell
