About Our Top 30 Lists
The evaluation team has painstakingly worked every detail of the forthcoming list. We’ve incorporated our live looks, watched hours of film, consulted with industry folk, and combed through too many data sets to count. This process is much the same for each team we’ll be covering this offseason, and it’s led to what we consider to be our best work yet.
The list is organized by and utilizes the Overall Future Projection (OFP) scale. Although there is no empirical method for ranking or classifying prospects, this method is as close as possible. Prospects are scored on the traditional 20-80 scale, with a 20 representing a non-prospect and a 70 or 80 representing an elite, MVP-caliber player. These are the two extremes, with most prospects occupying something in between. A 50 OFP means we project that player to be a future average big leaguer, while a 55 or 60 OFP means they’re a future above-average or all-star player. Most prospects, however, tend to project in the 40 or 45 OFP range, which are below-average or specific role players, such as utility players or low-leverage relievers.
Sometimes these grades will be more aggressive, while others will be conservative. We’ve included a “Risk” component to help differentiate between these situations. We’ve done our best to apply these grades and risk components relative to all prospects both within and outside of each organization. It’s also important to note that players grow or regress year-to-year, and we’ve also incorporated where these players were ranked on last year’s list.
Below you'll find the top 10 players in the system with full reports of the top 5. The full rankings and reports on all top 30 prospects per team will be available on our Patreon at the 55-tier ($5 level) as we publish them. If you're into fantasy baseball, this tier also gets you the dynasty show, the FYPD list, and the MiLB Daily Sheet during the regular season.
Top 10 Team Rank at First 5 Reports for Free Below
1. Logan O’Hoppe, C - 50 OFP
Age: 23 Highest Level: MLB
2022 Pre-Season Rank: 9 (PHI) OFP: 45
| Hit | Power | Field | Arm | Run | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 30 | Moderate |
PHYSICAL Physically imposing, well-built, and looks like a prototypical catcher. His frame should be able to handle a full workload behind the plate.
STRENGTHS O’Hoppe has a pull-happy approach, but he can make solid contact and take the ball up the middle. He most easily accesses his above-average power to the pull-side. He may end up being an upper-20s home run hitter because of his combination of solid bat-to-ball skills, raw strength, and natural loft. Also shows a solid eye at the plate and should be a solid on-base guy because of his combination of solid eye, good strike-zone recognition, and his solid pitch-recognition. O’Hoppe is an above-average defender, and he moves well despite his lack of footspeed. He is proficient at blocking balls in the dirt and has shown a propensity to present borderline pitches as strikes at both the minor league and big league level. His throws are accurate, and he will be able to deter baserunners.
WEAKNESSES Not a great athlete, but he doesn’t need to be behind the plate. His lack of footspeed does mean he doesn’t take the extra-base and is more station-to-station, but that is admittedly nitpicking. There are questions about how he’ll fare against better pitchers who will look to attack his pull-heavy approach.
SUMMARY O’Hoppe possesses the qualities necessary to be an everyday starter behind the dish. He will be able to contribute on defense and not be a liability as a hitter. The former 23rd round pick was a great scouting find, and he should be a solid starter or part of a good catching tandem, at worst.
EVALUATOR Rhys White
2. Zach Neto, SS - 50 OFP
Age: 22 Highest Level: AA
2022 MLB Draft Rank: 10
| Hit | Power | Field | Arm | Run | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | 50 | 50 | 55 | 55 | High |
PHYSICAL Smaller, slender build with some projection to his frame. Well-proportioned body with maybe a tad more muscle in his lower half. Solid athleticism and exudes a ton of confidence in his game.
STRENGTHS Despite a rather unorthodox setup, Neto possesses excellent bat-to-ball skills and loves to pull the ball. He essentially coils himself in his load, with a huge leg kick and a lot of pre-pitch movement, but he stays on plane with his swing. He has good bat speed and covers the zone well. He has solid raw power in the bat, which has started to appear more in game, and there’s a solid chance that he gets into all of his power. He’s proven tough to strike out in the past. In the field, he’s got a strong enough arm to play shortstop at the next level and has good hands and actions. He also has an aggressive mindset on the basepaths, utilizing his above-average speed to the best of his ability.
WEAKNESSES The aforementioned setup at the plate creates questions as to how he’ll perform against better competition. The Angels have already begun to experiment with stance changes, notably becoming more upright and having lower hand placement pre-pitch before he gets to two strikes. He does struggle with pitches at the top of the zone, and he also gets pull-happy. Defensively, his range isn’t the greatest at shortstop, leaving the possibility of a move to second base out there.
SUMMARY With Neto, the Angels got a potential major league shortstop with excellent contact skills and solid power in his bat, and they have been rather aggressive with their minor league assignment of him. It’ll be interesting to see how he handles a full season of pro ball and how his swing and stance evolve. The expectation is he will return to Double-A in 2023, and he could make his debut as early as 2024.
EVALUATOR Tyler Jennings
3. Edgar Quero, C - 50 OFP
Age: 19 Highest Level: A
2022 Pre-season OFP: 40
| Hit | Power | Field | Arm | Run | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | 55 | 50 | 55 | 30 | Moderate |
PHYSICAL About average height, solidly built right now but his frame does suggest there is more room to fill out. Built like a running back or a fire hydrant, as he has a thicker lower-half.
STRENGTHS Quero does not have the discernible difference in his swing or the outcome of his batted ball that so many young switch-hitters often possess. He shows similar power and takes the ball to all fields from both sides. There is above-average power here that he generates from his bat-speed, raw strength, and his ability to vary how he attacks pitches depending on where the pitch is in the zone. He is adept at spraying line-drives all over the field. He also has a strong arm that should deter baserunners. Quero is a solid defender at the most important defensive position, and he can go down and block balls at a decent rate. He does like to go down to one knee, and he also shows a solid feel as a framer.
WEAKNESSES Not the greatest athlete and, while he profiles as a future average defender at catcher, there is a fear that he may slow down as he continues to fill out. This decrease could impact him as a defender. He does not add much value as a baserunner based on his current speed, and he’ll be more of a station-to-station baserunner as opposed to grabbing an extra base.
SUMMARY Quero had a fantastic season where he ended up hitting .312/.435/.530 while being a full-time catcher and being young for Single-A. There is a feel for contact here that many catchers don’t have, and he is an asset from both-sides of the plate. He may never be anything special defensively, but he will be an average game-caller, present a few strikes, and help out the pitching staff. He’ll be a valuable big league piece.
EVALUATOR Rhys White
4. Chase Silseth, RHP - 50 OFP
Age: 22 Highest Level: MLB
2022 Pre-season Rank: Unranked
| Fastball | Curveball | Slider | Splitter | Command | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | 45 | 55 | 55 | 45 | High |
| 94-97 mph | 78-84 mph | 82-85 mph | 85-88 mph |
PHYSICAL Long levers for his size. Solid, athletic build that is physically maxed out. Very quick delivery, throws from a standard three-quarters slot. Quick arm, some effort in the delivery.
STRENGTHS A starter’s pitch mix where all four pitches are solid enough to be weapons on any given night. He throws a high velocity fastball with high spin rates. The pitch sits 94-96 during starts. His slider has gyro movement and is a weapon against righties. The biggest development by the end of 2022 was his willingness to use his splitter against lefties or righties. And the ability to do it successfully. He rounds out his arsenal with a 12/6 breaking curveball that could grade higher if he threw it more regularly.
WEAKNESSES Command is the greatest weakness to the profile at the moment. While he doesn’t walk an insanely high amount of batters, he can leave the ball in spots where hitters can do damage. He also had trouble getting big leaguers to chase out of the zone, which could have been a function of bouncing between Double-A and the big leagues.
SUMMARY The Angels called up Silseth after just five Double-A appearances, opting for him to skip Triple-A. He bounced between the two levels in 2022. His four-pitch mix is filled with excellent offerings, including his curveball which could be average or better with more usage. He should be able to fit in the middle of a big league rotation due to his stuff and bat-missing ability, although he could also turn into a valuable high-leverage reliever.
EVALUATOR Trevor Hooth
5. Ky Bush, LHP - 50 OFP
Age: 23 Highest Level: AA
2022 Pre-Season OFP: 45
| Fastball | Curveball | Slider | Changeup | Command | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | 50 | 60 | 45 | 45 | Moderate |
| 90-94 mph | 73-81 mph | 80-84 mph | 84-87 mph |
PHYSICAL An imposing lefty. Bush delivers the ball from an over-the-top slot with short arm action. His body can get out of sync due to his long levers, but he has improved his ability to stay on time as he’s developed in the minors.
STRENGTHS Bush’s best two pitches, his fastball and slider, serve as his primary offerings. The fastball continues to add velocity from when he was drafted, and he’s topped out at 97 MPH. He commands the pitch to the glove side, moving it well both north and south. His fastball flashes above-average when he’s commanding it. The slider has good downward action and slight horizontal break, and it works best when he buries it low and to the arm side. The slider flashes plus. He also throws a curveball that flashes average and a changeup that is fringy to round out his repertoire.
WEAKNESSES Bush needs to establish consistency with his curveball and throw it more often for it to reach its potential. He has similar issues with his changeup, which he throws mostly to the glove side. Both of these pitches suffer from command issues, something Bush has struggled with overall in the minors. This issue has led to hard contact and high home run rates.
SUMMARY Bush checks in as one of - if not the most - complete starting pitching prospects in the Angels’ system based on his three average or better pitches. He should have no problem breaking into the rotation in the near future, and he’s capable of taking another big step if he improves his command.
EVALUATOR Daniel Garcia
6. Sam Bachman, RHP - 45 OFP
Age: 22 Highest Level: AA
2022 Pre-season OFP: 45
7. Jake Madden, RHP - 45 OFP
Age: 21 Highest Level: JUCO
2022 MLB Draft Rank: 100
8. Caden Dana, RHP - 45 OFP
Age: 19 Highest Level: A
2022 MLB Draft Rank: 116
9. Denzer Guzman, SS - 45 OFP
Age: 19 Highest Level: A
2022 Pre-season OFP: 40
10. Ben Joyce, RHP - 45 OFP
Age: 23 Highest Level: AA
2022 MLB Draft Rank: 106