Inbox: Comparing Yankees' Jones to Judge as a prospect
Nothing creates more opinions than new prospect rankings. And we like to hear them, and we have, when we released our new Top 100 Prospects list last week.
We love hearing from all of you, and this week's MLB Pipeline Inbox is a collection of some of the questions we received about the list. But I think I can speak for my co-collaborators on the list, Jim Callis and Sam Dykstra, that this is by far our favorite, and most constructive, comment.
OK, now let's get to your questions.
We answered this one (and the next one) on the MLB Pipeline Podcast this week (plus, we interviewed No. 1 prospect Konnor Griffin). Mr. Callis pointed out that this was being a little bit statistically selective. We've had Jones on the Top 100 before. What gave us pause is the fact that he struck out in 36.6 percent of his plate appearances in Triple-A last year. He had a 109/26 K/BB ratio in 298 PA. Judge's power actually didn't show up anywhere (including college) until he got to the big leagues. We see the point -- and hey, people criticized us for missing on Judge, too -- but while both are big, athletic outfielders with juice, this isn't really the apples-to-apples comparison you suggest it is.
True. Next question.
As we said on the pod, Ewing is a plus defender with 70-grade speed and hit .315/.401/.429 with 70 steals while reaching Double-A, playing most of 2025 at age 20. He doesn't even need a ton of power. He hits the ball hard enough, so if he can just elevate a little more and get to, say, 10 homers a year, with his other tools, that's plenty to put him on that level.
We've written about the "just missed" group in a couple of different ways. Ben Weinrib took a look at 10 players who didn't hit the Top 100. And we also did a story picking one non-top 100 prospect for each team. Rather than give you any kind of "official" 101-105 -- and that next up group will change as we get through Spring Training and the season starts (we obviously won't need any replacements until then) -- here's what my personal 101-105 looks like at present.
Tyson Lewis, SS, Reds: If he answers some questions about the swing-and-miss in his game, he'll climb back onto the Top 100.
Jeferson Quero, C, Brewers: If he can show that his surgically repaired right shoulder is back, he'll return to the Top 100.
Ethan Salas, C, Padres: Yes, I'm concerned, but he's also only 19. I'm betting he can hit the reset switch.
Andrew Fischer, 3B, Brewers: He's No. 1 on our Top 10 3B prospects list, and even if he doesn't stick at the hot corner, he could hit his way onto the list.
Gage Wood, RHP, Phillies: This one is up in the air, with a lot of other bats to consider, but I wanted at least one arm on this list. Wood, the Phillies' first-rounder from last year, could move quickly.
Florentino was No. 23 on the Pirates' Top 30 at the start of the 2025 season and took off from there, hitting his way from the Rookie-level Florida Complex League to full-season Bradenton. Now he's No. 50 on the Top 100, and that might prove to be light. I talked this one over with Jim and Sam, and we came up with a handful of candidates. Not all will be as low in rankings as Florentino was a year ago, but we think these guys fit what you're talking about:
Luke Dickerson, SS, Nationals
Kellon Lindsey, SS, Dodgers
Raudi Rodriguez, OF, Angels
Juan Sanchez, 3B/SS, Blue Jays
Adam Serwinowski, LHP, Dodgers
Juan Valera, RHP, Red Sox
The sad thing is this isn't even close to the worst "joke" off my last name I've heard, and I have to say, it is one I hadn't heard before so … kudos?