With 2024 in the rear view mirror, we are shifting our focus to 2025 and thinking about what prospects we want to see get their first official Bowman prospect card with that ever-important 1st Bowman logo stamped on the front. Each of us has gone about this blind, with no hint of what prospects the other has chose for their Top 5, so you will see that cross-over has occurred. As we knew that would happen, we also wanted to each add in some Honorable Mentions to give you a bit more players to look forward to.

We've purposely excluded any player that has not yet played a meaningful game for an MLB-affiliated organization. That means no International players, whether they were part of this most recent International Free Agent class signed starting on January 15th (Josuar Gonzalez, Yorger Bautista, Elian Peña, etc.) or current/future NPB & KBO imports (Roki Sasaki, Munetaka Murakami, etc.).

Without further ado, let's hop into it.

The Top 5

1. Jesus Made (Both)

Max: I’m a Brewers fan…who else would it be? He’s likely #1 or 2 on most people’s lists anyway, but my bias makes this a slam dunk of a choice. That his name itself (in gringo-speak) is awesome stands as just a feather in his cap of a profile that should have every prospect collector drooling. And it’s very apparent they are – he had Dominican Prospect League cards in 2022 Elite – check out how nutty those prices are! 

Made only played in the DSL so the exact numbers don’t matter, but it was hugely impressive. He hit every single metric of offensive performance, so we can draw anecdotes from that. He did all of the following: More walks than strikeouts. K% under 15. ISO over .170 (it was way over). Good speed on the bases and projects to stick at SS (for now). However, the most impressive marker to me is his 90th percentile EV of 104.8 (h/t Baseball America). It’s apples to oranges, but that number would put him among the top 20% of hitters…in Low-A. And as we all know, with physical maturity power tends to increase. We don’t need to talk about floor with DSL players, the sordid history of that demographic speaks for itself. But ceiling? Oh boy does he have it.  Made’s ceiling could legitimately be Jackson Chourio at SS with a better hit tool. Mic. Drop. See you in Carolina.

Since I’ve got a Brewer at #1, I’m choosing not to repeat the team further down even though I would – so apologies to Yophery Rodriguez and Luis Pena.

Joe: My hype prospect choice. What else is there to say that hasn’t been said in prospect circles with Jesus Made? Our own Rhys White has said Made has the Jose Ramirez starter kit. Eric Longenhagen said he could look like Robinson Canó or Ketel Marte at maturity. Geoff Pontes hypes him up even further, saying that he could be the Ronald Acuña Jr. of the infield. There’s no place where you will find Made ranked outside of the Top 40 prospects in baseball, with some places having him in their Top 20 overall prospects. That is rare territory for a prospect that has yet to make their state-side debut. The five tools are all here, with the ones we care most about in the hobby, hit, power, and speed, all rated as easily plus tools. The data is ridiculous, at 17 years old putting up numbers that look like he’s already an average major leaguer at a minimum.

There are some minor concerns - he probably doesn’t stick at shortstop, he hits the ball on the ground a bit too much, and he simply has yet to play outside of the DSL, which makes the evaluation especially difficult. Those are the primary reasons why you don’t already see Made in the Top 10 of overall prospects in baseball lists, but I would be surprised if he isn’t there by season’s end. In fact, the possibility that Made is the top overall prospect in baseball in the next one to two years is easily in the cards, and it’s why he is at the top of the list of players I’d want to see a 1st Bowman card from.

2. Franklin Arias (Max)

For me personally, there’s a big dropoff after #1. I don’t get as excited about college hitters as some collectors (sorry Charlie!), so while I have one in my 5, it’s more blending my personal interest with high-end potential. Back to Franklin Arias. He checks that same high-end potential box for me, and while he’s in one of the top collector markets so I won’t end up with many pieces, his season was too impressive to ignore.

His performance was very similar to a player who’s got plenty of hobby interest, but terrible team context – Welbyn Francisca. They’re the (nearly) same age and played almost an identical amount of time at each of the Complex and Low-A. I know. Francisca performed better at Low-A.  He also has better projection in his speed and fielding tools. However, Arias showed that maybe he deserves to be in the same conversation – he was at least more aggressive and had the same success rate on the basepaths, totaling 35 SB. Arias’ hit tool, both in-game and projection, is every bit as good as Francisca’s and always has been. His strength is not being burned by chasing outside the zone, and being extremely patient at the plate. Thus far it hasn’t cost him anything as far as his ability to do damage. His .178 ISO is a great marker for his age, especially considering he saw over 100 PA’s at Low-A. There’s risk in his ceiling being not all that high because his underlying power metrics aren’t great. But I think his hit tool is good enough that his game power will continue to exceed his raw, and to me, that raises him to #2 on this list. With the Red Sox hobby market, I would think if Arias is in 2025 Bowman, he should settle right in the Francisca range, card-wise.

Again, having a Red Sox here means no Jhostynxon Garcia for me.

2. JJ Wetherholt (Joe)

My 2024 MLB Draft prospect choice for the Top 5 that has yet to get a 1st Bowman. Heading into the 2024 amateur baseball season, Wetherholt was one of if not THE favorite to go as the top pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. Hamstring issues kept him from getting in a full season, which was likely some or all of the reasons why he fell into the Cardinals lap at the 7th overall pick. A couple of the teams ahead of the Cardinals in the 2024 draft may end up regretting passing up on a future everyday middle infielder or third baseman with All-Star potential, advanced bat skills, and the potential to debut sooner rather than later. If Wetherholt can produce above average power in game as we have him projected for, along with his easily plus hit tool, the floor becomes exceptionally high. A .300 hitter with big time on base skills that gets to 20+ home runs and 20 stolen bases, assuming his soft tissue issues aren’t chronic, on a highly collectable team are all the ingredients you could ask for a floor of a Tier 2 player with Tier 1 treatment during his Bowman release.

I will admit this is more of a floor over ceiling play, as the in game power may end up in the teens with St. Louis as a home stadium. The hit tool is so good from all aspects, it does help make up for some potential lack of in-game power. I expect Wetherholt will end up in 2025 Bowman, so this wish list item should be crossed off the list sooner rather than later.

3. Luke Dickerson (Max)

There’s a few 2024 prep draftees to choose from here - PJ Morlando, Wyatt Sanford, and Slade Caldwell among them. While some of them have higher-end projection in areas we care less about for the hobby (speed, fielding), none are as wart-less as Dickerson.

When I say wart-less, it’s all in theory as he didn’t debut yet. A 3-sport star in New Jersey, he has a lot of present strength already and he translated that well into games in high school. I think it’ll be enough to show power in the low minors, as he works through the issue of his swing being a little stiff. He has a solid all-fields approach already, which could lead to an above average hit tool in time. His athleticism is unquestioned. He’s clearly a plus runner, and while he may not stick at SS because of his arm, he should be a positive defender at 2B or even CF. To me he has the framework of a true 4-tool player (with arm strength maybe lagging as an average ceiling – we don’t care). It may not be a quick ascent to his ceiling, but with a 2nd Round pedigree and present abilities that should have him performing well in the low minors, I’m in.

3. Yairo Padilla (Joe)

My under the radar DSL prospect. Of all the 2024 first-year DSL prospects not named Jesus Made, Padilla has arguably received the most off-season buzz. Somehow, that buzz doesn’t seem to have fully spread throughout the “prospect industry”, but there are places where you will continue to see the drumbeats get louder and louder. There is some pessimism, which could be why he isn’t as high in various industry outlets, that centers around the lack of power output in 2024 (just one home run) and very little success with his at bats from the left hand side (he’s currently a switch hitter) with just two hits in 24 plate appearances as a lefty. On the positive side, he’s got strong contact rates from the right hand side, keeps the strikeouts under control, and will steal a ton of bases with his double plus speed. His athleticism and strong arm will give him the ability to stick at shortstop, increasing his real baseball value. And finally, everyone is talking about how he’s grown, going from a listed 6’0” to potentially 6’4” at the moment. That’s a frame that could suddenly lead to a burst of power, and is why I’m including him in my top five prospects on my Bowman wish list.

I want to be able to target these potential under the radar guys whenever possible before the huge jump into across-the-board prominence happens. And I think Padilla is primed to make that jump.

4. Vance Honeycutt (Max)

So as I said, college bats aren’t my favorite target demographic if they’re expensive. Honeycutt is sure to be that, but he has so many ingredients to like for the hobby.

The Orioles 1st Round pick taken 22nd overall last year, Honeycutt could be a true 5-tool player. He’s an excellent CF defender whose speed translates decently to the bases, with power to spare. The North Carolina product is the only ACC player ever to have 60 HR / 70 SB in his career (h/t to an ESPN broadcast on that fact). That defense and power alone likely give him an MLB floor. The hit tool is more of a question, but it’s not really as questionable as the 27 K% (which would be quite concerning!) he had in his Junior year indicates. See, the K% was a big jump from his Sophomore campaign (it was 20%) where he had issues with consistency of contact. This year he just adjusted his swing for increased launch angle, and it resulted in his SLG improving from .492 to .714. Pretty successful adjustment! Looking forward, the question is if he can find a happy medium, or even have a dynamic approach depending on the count, as he matures. Players with 30/30 ceilings like this don’t come along all that often. His risk is that his hit tool never fully develops and he ends up as a Brenton Doyle-with-more-K type. Still, not terrible for the hobby.

4. Thomas White (Joe)

My pitcher prospect - yes I know, pitchers aren't as sought after as hitters, but sometimes you should make exceptions to the rule. The top Marlins prospect and in the conversation for top left-handed pitching prospect in baseball, especially with Noah Schultz having plenty of supporters AND doubters, White was the Comp Round A pick at 35th overall of the Marlins in 2023. I’m still a bit surprised that Topps has yet to get him into a Bowman product, but 2025 may be the last opportunity for that because he is that good. He did almost everything you could have asked for in 2024, his first full pro season which he split between Single-A and High-A. The only concern is the walk rates, but the strikeout stuff is there and the walk rates were palatable. The question is how that command develops moving forward - is he going to take that next step from a stuff-guy to an ace pitcher, or will advanced bats punish him with their patience and jumping on his mistakes as he just tries to get the ball over the plate.

There are three potential plus pitches, coming from the left side, in an org that has shown it can develop pitchers. That’s a bet I’m willing to make when it comes to the Hobby. 

5. Rainiel Rodriguez (Max)

I know, I know. Far-away catchers suck for the hobby because the position takes so long to develop, moving off usually isn’t an easy decision, and the physical demands of the position are so grueling, which affects the offensive bottom-line stats. I’m considering that! There’s just too much undeniable talent to keep him out of my top 5.

Alex Jensen made a lot of fantastic points when he put him #1 in his “2024 DSL Top 50 Prospects Age 18 and Under” list. The highlight of that is that there’s no doubt about the thing we care about most for the hobby – power. Among players his age in the DSL, Rodriguez had more extra-base hits than anyone, and his wRC+ was topped by only Emil Morales. So, that’s fun. But he’s not simply a masher. He is fastball-centric in what he’s looking for, but his BABIP on that pitch has to be north of .400 – he rarely misses the opportunity to barrel one. He’s just fantastic at elevating and driving from his compact frame, and did it consistently in the DSL. Now for a few negatives. Spinny pitches will be a challenge moving forward – we’re looking at a player whose SwStr% and chase will definitely increase as he faces more advanced pitchers. Like most catchers, he has no speed. Defensively, while his double-plus arm showed well, he’s a project with his blocking and receiving. So, there’s plenty of risk, but for me he’s inside the top 10 catching prospects from a hobby perspective already.

5. Jhonny Level (Joe)

My PC prospect - I had to do it, but if I was thinking with my head instead of my heart, my fifth spot likely goes to someone in Max's Top 5 that I didn't choose or any of my Honorable Mentions. I am primarily a Giants fan, so I want to get one prospect from the team I root for onto this list, because part of collecting should be collecting players from the team you cheer on. And having Level on my Bowman wish list isn’t completely about homer-ism - he’s a legitimate prospect with an easy route to top 5 prospects in the organization and possibly top 100 overall prospect potential if everything falls into place, although that list may be a bit harder to crack. Level’s top line results in the DSL in 2024 were all really good - a .275/.393/.517 triple slash with a 14% walk rate, 17% K rate, 10 home runs, and 18 stolen bases for a 140 wRC+. The power is the real question on how much he gets to as he matures, as he’s a smaller guy even if he’s a muscular type of frame. At the lower levels, he’s potentially going to be able to do it, but it’s hard to bet big on smaller guys getting to it regularly in the big leagues for that real Hobby impact.

If you’re dreaming, like I am as a Giants fan, you can hope for a future 20/20 shortstop. We’ll see how he handles his first season in state-side, but at the moment I’m cautiously optimistic.

Honorable Mentions

Max

Kevin McGonigle - doesn’t have much thump in his bat – that’s why he misses this list, and for no other reason. His hit tool might be Special. His season was bookended by injuries so it was only 74 games, but he still managed to walk 18 more times than he struck out, hit over .300, and reach High-A before turning 20

Sammy Stafura - wasn’t quite up to the task of a full 100 game grind – he wore down as the season wore on as he chased more pitches and saw less favorable results. But he's got a sweet swing that generates ideal launch angle and he squares the ball with regularity – his .357 BABIP is no fluke. With good speed and a shot to stick at SS to boot, he’s a very nice hobby name

Aron Estrada - Mr. Aggression. He’s performed well with his high-effort swing and willingness to run (39 SB in 2024), but he’s not good in the field and he’s so small that it’s fair to question how good he’ll be if he has to tone anything down

Jhonny Severino - hit 16 HR as a teen in 2024, but he’s also a negative defender and looked like an all-or-nothing power bat when he got to Low-A. At that level it was a 55 XBH%(!), but also a K% over 30 and a 18.1 SwStr%

Joe

Josue Briceño - Big time hit and power potential, but he spent most of 2024 hitting the ball into the ground rather than in the air and has defensive question marks. On the positive side, he was one of the players most talked about in the AFL in 2024 as he took home the Triple Crown in Arizona.

Jhostynxon Garcia “The Password” - Power bat with hit tool questions that may not make it as an everyday regular, especially given the Red Sox strong pipeline. He’s partially here because his nickname gives him that extra notoriety and he seems like a fun personality on top of it. Sometimes that extra flavor drives Hobby dollars.

PJ Morlando - 2024 first round draft pick of the Marlins with big time power, but ending up in one of the worst organizations for it, and then getting hurt in a team-sanctioned weightlifting competition before ever playing a single game for the team. If he was drafted by any of a dozen other MLB teams, he might have been in consideration for my top 5.

Chase Dollander - The dude is a stud pitcher, but can he actually break the Rockies pitcher curse? His stuff could actually be that good, so good that he has a better chance than any other Rockies prospect pitcher we've seen, to overcome the deck stacked against him in Denver.

Quinn Mathews - This is a proximity play as Mathews should be pitching in St. Louis this year and is a durable, innings eating type of arm with a plus change-up. He doesn’t have top of the rotation upside, but if he gets a 1st Bowman this spring, there is definitely short term, strong MLB debut type of money to potentially be made.