The point of prospecting is to gaze into our collective crystal ball and predict who will be the best and most productive Major Leaguers years down the line. But every winter, we also take another tack: We gaze into that same crystal ball and predict who will be the best prospect two years from now.
Here’s who we think will be the top prospect for every farm system in 2028:
Blue Jays: JoJo Parker, SS (MLB No. 45)
Taken eighth overall in last year’s Draft, Parker impressed pre-Draft evaluators with his strike-zone management, and while he already has some pop in his swing, the Blue Jays see an opportunity to add even more strength to his 6-foot-2 frame. The Mississippi native could experience some hiccups in his transition to Single-A ball this summer and he isn’t a slam dunk to stay at shortstop, but he has the raw materials to be a big prospect name. After two years of pro instruction, he could set himself up to be Toronto’s next infield star.
Orioles: Nate George, OF (MLB No. 93)
The Orioles nabbed George, a toolsy high school outfielder from Illinois, in the 16th round of the 2024 Draft, signing him for $455,000. He then proceeded to outperform all expectations by hitting his way from the Rookie-level Florida Complex League up to High-A Aberdeen as a teenager. He finished with a .337/.413/.483 line to go along with 50 steals and a 158 wRC+ in 87 games. He showed more polish than anticipated, and if he keeps putting his impressive tools to good use, he could rocket up the Top 100.
Rays: Grady Emerson, SS (Draft No. 2)
With apologies to the prospects already in the pipeline, we’re noting here that Tampa Bay has the second overall pick in the 2026 Draft. Assuming the White Sox select UCLA star Roch Cholowsky, we’re projecting Emerson — a left-handed hitter with a great combination of swing decisions, bat speed and projectable strength, on top of the ability to play an impressive shortstop — to go to Tampa Bay. The Rays have leaned into prep bats over their collegiate counterparts in recent years, and Emerson’s ceiling, assuming he can maintain his stock in his senior spring in Texas, would instantly be the highest in their system.
Red Sox: Juan Valera, RHP
Though Valera posted a 5.45 ERA and missed three months with right elbow soreness last year, his 46/10 K/BB ratio in 38 High-A innings at age 19 is more indicative of his bright future. Signed for a mere $45,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2023, he can push his fastball into triple-digit territory and also make hitters look bad with an upper-80s slider and low-90s changeup.
Yankees: Dax Kilby, SS (MLB No. 94)
No prepster from the 2025 Draft had a better pro debut than Kilby, who headed straight to Single-A and batted .353 with 16 steals and more walks (13) than strikeouts (11) in 18 games. A supplemental first-rounder from a Georgia high school, he’s an obviously advanced hitter with plus speed and perhaps projectable raw power to match.
Guardians: Braylon Doughty, RHP
A 2024 supplemental first-rounder from a California high school, Doughty has very good feel for spin (low-80s curveball, mid-80s slider) along with command of a low-90s fastball and flashes of an interesting mid-80s changeup with tumble. He spent his pro debut at Single-A, fashioning a 3.48 ERA with a 99/23 K/BB ratio in 85 1/3 innings.
Royals: Kendry Chourio, RHP
Chourio has already surged from being a $247,500 signing out of Venezuela a year ago to the brink of the Top 100. Last season, he climbed to Single-A Columbia as a 17-year-old while striking out 63 and walking only five in 51 1/3 innings, and his stuff backs up the numbers with a 93-97 mph fastball, sharp upper-70s curveball and fading mid-80s changeup. Imagine how high he could reach with two more years of pro experience. That said, we always must worry about health with pitchers, but Chourio’s ceiling is looking much higher already than that of many six-figure international arms.
Tigers: Bryce Rainer, SS (MLB No. 35)
A dislocated right shoulder ended Rainer’s first full season after only 35 Single-A games in 2025, but they were enlightening. Rainer stood out for big-time power from the left side with a 107.9 mph 90th-percentile exit velocity, and even if he needs to improve his angles off the bat, that type of pop garners plenty of attention. At 6-feet-3, Rainer is big but also is an above-average runner with plus-plus arm strength, the type of athleticism that should help his chances at shortstop. A healthy 2026 could set him up to be a top 10 prospect before 2027, never mind 2028.
Twins: Eduardo Tait, C (MLB No. 65)
Tait joined the Twins as part of the return from the Phillies for Jhoan Duran at last year’s Trade Deadline. A Futures Gamer for Philadelphia, Tait finished the year with a combined 14 homers and 32 doubles while reaching High-A before he turned 19. The power is very real from the left side and he has uncanny contact skills, so good that he is prone to chase at times, though his strikeout rates remain low. There’s more work to be done on his defense — a reason why he’ll still be a prospect in 2028 — but there’s confidence that part of his game is headed in the right direction.
White Sox: Roch Cholowsky, SS (Draft No. 1)
Cholowsky is the biggest lock to go No. 1 overall entering a season since Adley Rutschman in 2019 and the best all-around college shortstop since Troy Tulowitzki in 2005. The consensus national player of the year as a sophomore when he slashed .353/.480/.710 with 23 homers, he’s a no-doubt shortstop with four plus tools and fringy speed.
Angels: Johnny Slawinski, LHP
It can be tough to project this far ahead with the Angels, who often speed their prospects to the big leagues, particularly their first-round picks who are almost always college guys. So we’ll take the upside play with Slawinski, a young projectable lefty the Angels took in the third round of last year’s Draft and went two times over slot to sign for $2.5 million. He’s a former multisport star with feel for four pitches and has as much ceiling as anyone in the system.
Astros: Kevin Alvarez, OF
Alvarez left Cuba in 2021 and signed for $2 million four years later with the Astros, who love his combination of all-around tools, high baseball IQ and makeup. He slashed .301/.419/.455 with 17 extra-base hits and 11 steals in 47 games during his pro debut in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League.
Athletics: Devin Taylor, OF
Like with the Angels, there’s a risk here in taking a college hitter with this system. Just ask Jacob Wilson or Nick Kurtz. And Taylor’s bat could help him move fast, with the chance to hit for average and power. The 2025 second-round pick hits the ball hard consistently, controls the zone well, and thanks to his bat speed and strength, can generate power to all fields. He’s limited defensively, but his offensive upside will make that less of a concern.
Mariners: Ryan Sloan, RHP (MLB No. 33)
The Mariners went over slot in the second round of the 2024 Draft to sign Sloan for $3 million out of the Illinois high school ranks, enamored with his combination of feel for pitching and ceiling. He did not disappoint in his first full year of pro ball, earning his way to High-A despite being on a closely monitored workload. He could have three plus pitches when all is said and done, with at least above-average control of his entire repertoire. We could be talking about him as one of the best right-handed pitching prospects a year from now.
Rangers: Caden Scarborough, RHP
More of a basketball player as a Florida high school athlete, Scarborough impressed the Rangers with his athleticism, projectability and delivery enough to merit a sixth-round pick in 2023. He quickly has blossomed into their best pitching prospect, showing a lively mid-90s fastball and sweeping low-80s slider while posting a 2.45 ERA, a .181 average-against and a 114/21 K/BB ratio in 88 innings between two Class A levels.
Braves: Cam Caminiti, LHP (MLB No. 68)
He’s the Braves’ top prospect now, and barring a draftee or a trade acquisition jumping the line, there’s no reason to think Caminiti won’t be No. 1 in two years. The 2024 first-rounder shook off early forearm tendinitis to have a very solid first year of pro ball, missing bats (9.9 K/9), limiting walks (1.3 BB/9), holding hitters to a .229 average and finishing with a 3.09 ERA over 70 innings. He’s super athletic and will pitch nearly all of this season at age 19, with a ton of ceiling to reach.
Marlins: Aiva Arquette, SS (MLB No. 47)
The top college position player in the 2025 Draft, Arquette went seventh overall and proceeded directly to High-A, where he slashed .242/.350/.323. That modest performance belies the offensive upside of the 6-foot-5, 220-pounder, who’s more physical than most shortstops and has huge raw power.
Mets: Elian Peña, SS
This could also go to top 2026 international signing Wandy Asigen in two years, but for now, we’ll stick with Peña, who joined the Mets’ system for $5 million last year. The left-handed-hitting shortstop was uneven in the Dominican Summer League but showed some promising traits, including solid swing decisions and an ability to lift the ball regularly. He’ll still only be 20 years old by the time we’re ranking top 2028 prospects, and in the two years between now and then, he could find even more strength as a left-handed hitter and answer some of the questions about his ability to remain at shortstop.
Nationals: Eli Willits, SS (MLB No. 13)
Last year’s No. 1 overall pick is already advanced for his age, having turned only 18 in December. He’s a switch-hitter with tremendous bat-to-ball skills who doesn’t expand the zone much, forcing pitchers to come to him. He’s also a potential plus shortstop with strong reviews for his hands, footwork and arm strength at the previous position. Willits still needs to prove he can get to more power in pro ball, and if he does, he could be Washington’s next superstar with an arrival date in the capital before his 21st birthday.
Phillies: Francisco Renteria, OF (International No. 3)
The Phillies have a hard time containing their excitement about Renteria, their top international acquisition for the signing period that just started last month. He got a $4 million bonus for a reason. He’s big (6-foot-3), strong and athletic, reminding some scouts of Pirates No. 1 prospect Konnor Griffin. He could have four plus tools when all is said and done, with perhaps as much offensive upside as anyone in his class.
Brewers: Luis Peña, INF (MLB No. 26)
Jesús Made and Peña are on different timelines now. While the former could zoom to Milwaukee and graduate before 2028, the latter should be allowed more space to develop on his own. Let him cook, as they say. For his part, Peña has a whiplike right-handed swing that can generate high exit velocities for anyone, never mind a teenager, and he’s a plus-plus runner to boot. The focus over his next two seasons should be on his approach, as he expanded too much in 2025 and struggled immensely against non-fastballs. Make those adjustments and focus on his defense at short, and Peña could be a top 10 prospect.
Cardinals: Rainiel Rodriguez, C (MLB No. 37)
As things stand in 2026, the Rodriguez hype rocket has plenty of fuel. The 19-year-old backstop has done nothing but mash through his first two full seasons in the Minors. By clubbing 20 homers across three levels in only 84 games in 2025, he topped off the tank with a push to 65-grade power. His ability to hit the ball as hard as he does from his 5-foot-10 frame should give him a good shot at hitting for average too.
Cubs: Ethan Conrad, OF
Conrad might not have lasted 17 picks in the 2025 Draft if he hadn’t hurt his left (throwing) shoulder diving for a ball last March and had season-ending surgery in April. Before he went down, the Wake Forest product displayed some of the best all-around tools in the college class, including the ability to hit for power and average as well as the speed to steal bases and perhaps handle center field.
Pirates: Seth Hernandez, RHP (MLB No. 29)
For two years in a row, the Pirates were faced with the choice of taking a high-end high school player or going a “safer” college route, and they rolled the dice twice. It seems to be working just fine with Konnor Griffin, their 2024 first-rounder, and we’ll get to see what Hernandez, the top high school arm in the 2025 class has to offer. He has tremendous feel for four distinct pitches, he’s an athletic 6-foot-4 right-hander who was a very good hitter in high school. It’s easy to dream about another gear now that he’s only pitching. He and the aforementioned Ryan Sloan could be battling it out for top pitching prospect soon enough.
Reds: Alfredo Duno, C (MLB No. 38)
A return to health in 2025 after a broken rib ruined his 2024 campaign allowed Duno to show exactly what he’s capable of. At age 19, the physical backstop led the Single-A Florida State League in home runs, on-base and slugging percentage (and, of course, OPS). He then went to the Arizona Fall League, and while he was fatigued, he perked up to hit four homers over a three-game span to finish off the season in the playoffs. He might be a plus hitter with plus power down the road, one with the arm, surprising agility and leadership needed to be a big league catcher.
D-backs: Kayson Cunningham, SS
Arizona certainly has a type in short, quick, lefty hitters who can play up the middle. Last year’s 18th overall prospect fits the bill. Cunningham earned strong reviews for his barrel control as a Texas high schooler, and with his plus wheels, he could be a menace on the basepaths too. Even if the power ends up being closer to 12-15 homers rather than 16-20, Cunningham can still be a valuable shortstop and solid top talent in the system.
Dodgers: Eduardo Quintero, OF (MLB No. 30)
Quintero trained as a catcher in Venezuela, but the Dodgers made him a full-time center fielder after signing him for $297,500 in 2023 because they wanted to get the full benefit of his athleticism and offensive potential. He features at least solid tools across the board, which he parlayed into California League MVP and prospect of the year honors at age 19. He slashed .306/.426/.533 with 14 homers and 35 steals in 81 games, leading the Single-A circuit in on-base percentage, slugging, OPS (.959) and long balls.
Giants: Josuar Gonzalez, SS (MLB No. 44)
The Giants landed the top position player in each of the past two international classes, pairing Gonzalez (2025) with fellow shortstop Luis Hernández (2026). For now, we’ll go with Gonzalez, who has a little more upside and the potential for five plus tools. As a 17-year-old making his pro debut in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League, he hit .288/.404/.455 with 19 extra-base hits and 33 steals in 52 games.
Padres: Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP (MLB No. 88)
There has been a theme of former two-way players really taking off in recent years when they focus on one role. (See also: Nolan McLean and Carson Benge.) Last year’s 25th overall pick is about to go through that process. Schoolcraft got some looks as a first baseman as an Oregon high schooler, but will work as a pitcher only in the San Diego system. The 6-foot-8 lefty already touches the upper 90s, gets good extension and earns plus grades for his upper-80s changeup. Developing a quality breaking ball and staying healthy in the next two years will be two of his biggest priorities.
Rockies: Roldy Brito, 2B/OF
Signed for $420,000 in January 2024, Brito really jumped on the radar with a huge U.S. debut in 2025, hitting his way from the Arizona Complex League to full-season Fresno, finishing with a combined .960 OPS and 35 steals in 84 games. The switch-hitter is a twitchy athlete who can hit the ball hard with sneaky pop and his plus speed is an asset on both sides of the ball. He’s a basestealing threat, plays a solid second base and showed no problem adding in center field last year.
