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. Ricky Tiedemann, LHP - 55 OFP
Age: 20 Highest Level: AA
2022 Pre-season Rank: 5 OFP: 50
| Fastball | Slider | Changeup | Command | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | 55 | 60 | 50 | Moderate |
| 94-96 mph | 80-83 mph | 83-86 mph |
PHYSICAL Tiedemann is a tall and gangly left-hander with big shoulders and a solid frame. He’s already well-built with strength in his thighs and legs, and his body seems to have the durability to withstand and pile on innings. He throws from a low three-quarters, and almost sidearm, slot.
STRENGTHS Tiedemann has one of the best repertoires in the entire minor leagues with three pitches that project as above-average or better. He saw an increase in velocity last season after ramping up his strength training, and he now sits in the mid-90s with his fastball. He’s reportedly touched 98 MPH with the pitch. His best secondary is a circle-changeup that has great shape. He isn’t afraid to throw it against both right-handers and left-handers, and it projects as a future plus pitch that can induce both whiffs and weak contact. He also throws a high spin slider with above-average velocity. It has hard bite and works well off his fastball. He should eventually have average command of all three pitches and projects as a legitimate strikeout pitcher at the highest level. His confidence and poise on the mound seem to be unmatched.
WEAKNESSES Most of Tiedemann’s issues come down to his mechanics. He can struggle to repeat his delivery due to the arm slot, and that leads to issues with both command and control. He’s still capable of generating outs when his control lags behind. Tiedemann is young and made his professional debut last season, so there’s the general risks that go along with the profile. Repetitions are what he needs most.
SUMMARY Tiedemann has more than showcased why he is the team’s top prospect. His three-pitch mix is at least above-average across the board, and he has all of the components to become a top of the rotation starter. The 20-year-old now just needs to focus on repeating his mechanics, improving his command, and building up his innings. The Blue Jays will do everything in their power to help him reach his ceiling.
EVALUATOR Jared Perkins
2. Yosver Zulueta, RHP - 50 OFP
Age: 25 Highest Level: AAA
2022 Pre-season Rank: 12 OFP: 45
| Fastball | Curveball | Slider | Changeup | Command | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | 50 | 60 | 50 | 40 | High |
| 96-100 mph | 80-84 mph | 84-87 mph | 87-89 mph |
PHYSICAL Zulueta has an athletic and lean frame. His lower half looks more built out than his upper half, and there’s not much remaining projection. He utilizes a very easy delivery that generates easy velocity. He moves well on the mound, and has a loose and quick arm from a three-quarters arm slot.
STRENGTHS Zulueta has some of the most impressive raw stuff in baseball. His fastball sits in the upper-90s during starts while regularly touching triple digits. It plays particularly well up in the zone. His slider is another plus offering with lots of sweep. He uses it in strikeout situations, especially against right-handers. For left-handers, Zulueta throws a changeup with plenty of armside run. His curveball is also average with an 11/5 shape. It gets less usage than the rest of the arsenal but still enough for it to be considered a weapon. He has feel for incorporating the whole arsenal.
WEAKNESSES His injury history is a cause for concern. Between the lost pandemic season, Tommy John surgery, and a torn ACL, it took three years for Zulueta to get his pro career off the ground. His command and control were shaky last year, which is partly due to his lack of experience. He misses the zone quite a bit and walks a lot of batters. That may rein in a bit just from being on the mound but, if not, it adds reliever risk into the profile.
SUMMARY Injuries will continue to drive the narrative because of his Tommy John surgery and ACL tear. Those issues, along with his control problems, add some risk to the profile. He started last season rehabbing in Single-A and wound up in Triple-A by the end of the year, making every stop in between. His pure stuff is extremely good, giving him hope as a mid-rotation starter if he can throw enough strikes. Even if he is pushed to the bullpen, he has the weapons to be an impact reliever in the backend of a bullpen.
EVALUATOR Trevor Hooth
3. Brandon Barriera, LHP - 50 OFP
Age: 19 Highest Level: HS
2022 MLB Draft Rank: 17
| Fastball | Slider | Changeup | Command | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | 55 | 50 | 50 | High |
| 92-94 mph | 81-84 mph | 83-85 mph |
PHYSICAL Barriera has about average height for a pitcher, but he has broad shoulders and leanness through his core. He’s high-waisted with plenty of athleticism and remaining projection. He has a quick arm and throws from a three-quarters slot.
STRENGTHS Barriera has three pitches, but it’s the fastball and slider that he relied on most frequently leading up to the draft. His fastball sits 92-94 MPH but there should be more consistent velocity coming given his physical projection and athleticism. He’s already touched the mid-to-upper-90s with his sinker, and the pitch might approach a plus grade depending on his velocity gains. His slider works well off the fastball, and it dives towards right-handed hitters and drops off against left-handers. The pitch has legitimate wipeout potential and projects as above-average. He’s also capable of shortening up the pitch to be more like a cutter, but that variation is a work in progress. He showed feel for a changeup on the amateur circuit, but it’s naturally behind his fastball and slider given his youth. The pitch still offers enough separation and depth to project as an average pitch down the line. Barriera stood out for his control, and his command projects as at least average once he gets fully integrated into a professional development program.
WEAKNESSES While young, Barriera is still more advanced than many in his class. He’s yet to throw a professional inning, and his stuff is essentially untested. There’s room for more velocity, but there’s no guarantee he’ll be able to consistently bump mid-90s heat. Similarly, his changeup is unrefined and yet to truly be incorporated into his pitch mix. It also sits in a comparable velocity band to his slider. He possesses the same kind of general risk associated with high school pitchers.
SUMMARY Barriera offered among the best stuff in the prep class, and he’s poised to make his professional debut in 2023. The breakout of Ricky Tiedemann has many excited about the potential of Barriera, but he’s ultimately a prep arm, which is a notoriously risky profile. The stuff exists for him to be a future mid-rotation starter, but he’s pretty far from that ceiling today.
EVALUATOR Jake Kerns
4. Addison Barger, SS/3B - 50 OFP
Age: 23 Highest Level: AAA
2022 Pre-season Rank: 24 OFP: 40
| Hit | Power | Field | Arm | Run | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 60 | 45 | 60 | 50 | Moderate |
PHYSICAL Barger has added some strength to his frame since getting drafted and transformed his profile into a power-hitting infielder. The stance is unorthodox. He holds his hands above his head with an open stance and his front foot twisted inward with a narrow base. He utilizes a high leg kick with a massive stride but shows a fantastic ability to remain balanced while exploding to the baseball.
STRENGTHS Barger returned after the lost pandemic season with a new offensive approach. He dares pitchers to challenge him on the inner half, and that plays into his offensive philosophy of doing damage to his pull side and hitting balls in the air. He has managed to add some power to his game while also improving his strikeout rate. He is getting better about not expanding his zone and waiting for his pitch but still has some work to do there. His plus arm plays anywhere on the infield, and he looks like an ideal fit for third base despite spending more than half of his time at shortstop last season.
WEAKNESSES While he made better swing decisions in 2022, Barger still takes big cuts and there is considerable swing and miss here. He’s an aggressive hitter that’s up at-bat to do damage, and he will get fooled at times. He’s an extremely pull-heavy hitter. Although he spent a majority of his time there last year, Barger is probably not a long term shortstop. He’s a fringy defender anywhere he plays and may not be strong enough to be locked into one spot everyday. The big league club should still be able to find a way to get him into the lineup, though.
SUMMARY Barger is ready to challenge Cavan Biggio and Santigo Espinal for at-bats at second base for the Jays right away in 2023, and it would be a shock if he didn’t spent most of the season in Toronto. He has improved his stock as much as anyone in the system over the last eighteen months and, while his value is mostly tied to his bat, he will be able to offer some versatility and play everyday.
EVALUATOR Matt Thompson
5. Orelvis Martinez, SS/3B - 50 OFP
Age: 21 Highest Level: AA
2022 Pre-season Rank: 2 OFP: 55
| Hit | Power | Field | Arm | Run | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 45 | High |
PHYSICAL Martinez has filled out from his former thin frame. He now has very strong shoulders and lower half, both of which he utilizes to generate explosive power. Still only 21 years old, there remains some room to grow. He could get even more stronger as he fills out, which will likely slow him down and size him off shortstop.
STRENGTHS Bat speed and raw strength are Martinez’s calling cards. He isn’t afraid to stand in the batter’s box and take his cuts early and often. He’s lightening quick to the ball, and his strength helps generate loud contact when he barrels the ball. He has posted exit velocities in excess of 110 MPH, and his game power projects as plus. He hit 30 home runs last year in Double-A, and that’s about his potential at the big league level. Martinez split his time between shortstop and third base last year, and his plus arm is well-suited for the left side of the infield. He has good present athletism and projects as an average defender at third base.
WEAKNESSES Martinez’s hit tool concerns became even more apparent once he began moving up in the system. His swing and miss has persisted, and he struck out 28.5% last season. He tends to chase breaking balls out of the zone, and there are also a lot of moving parts in his swing that can be difficult to synch up. He didn’t make as much contact last year as expected, and he’ll need to continue to refine his hitting ability to reach his projected fringe-average hit tool. Martinez lacks the range typical of a shortstop, and he’s likely destined to become a corner infielder given his current size and remaining projection.
SUMMARY The Blue Jays paid a premium for Martinez, giving him $3.5 million to sign as part of the 2018 class. He has plus strength and a plus arm that will highlight his tools in the future. His hit tool hasn’t developed as originally anticipated, and his problem with breaking balls has been exposed. He’ll need to improve his hit tool, but he still has the tools necessary to be a regular everyday third baseman.
EVALUATOR Jared Perkins
6. Tucker Toman, SS - 50 OFP
Age: 19 Highest Level: CPX
2022 MLB Draft Rank: 44
7. Dahian Santos, RHP - 50 OFP
Age: 20 Highest Level: A+
2022 Pre-season Rank: Unranked
8. Adam Macko, LHP - 45 OFP
Age: 22 Highest Level: A+
2022 Pre-season OFP: 50 (SEA)
9. Cade Doughty, 2B/3B - 45 OFP
Age: 22 Highest Level: A
2022 MLB Draft Rank: 68
10. Hayden Juenger, RHP - 45 OFP
Age: 22 Highest Level: AAA
2022 Pre-season Rank: Unranked