The first month of the Minor League season is in the books, and looking at each system's hottest hitter can be instructive.
A year ago at this time, Konnor Griffin (Pirates) was showing why he had the highest ceiling in the 2024 Draft. Roman Anthony (Red Sox) and Moisés Ballesteros (Cubs) were laying the groundwork for what would become successful big league debuts. Leo De Vries (then with the Padres) and Jesús Made (Brewers) were proving they could thrive against much older competition, while Caleb Bonemer (White Sox) and A.J. Ewing (Mets) were demonstrating that they were much better than expected.
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Below, we identify who's swinging the most potent bat in each organization. Bonemer and Ewing make this list for the second straight April, and they're two of seven Top 100 Prospects included.
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AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
Blue Jays: Sean Keys, INF (No. 17)
Keys has already gone deep nine times for Double-A New Hampshire, putting him atop the Blue Jays organization and Eastern League leaderboards, and six of those homers have come in his last 10 games alone. He’s also tops among qualified Toronto farmhands with his .768 slugging percentage and 1.207 OPS through 82 plate appearances. The 2024 fourth-rounder showed above-average pop with 19 homers at High-A in his first full season, and he’s well on his way to exceeding that showing in his age-23 campaign.
Orioles: Ike Irish, 1B/OF (No. 4)
Considering he was thought to be one of the most polished college bats in the 2025 Draft class, it’s not at all surprising that Irish has gotten off to a strong start to his first full season of pro ball with High-A Frederick. The No. 19 pick in last year’s Draft is slashing .344/.447/.563, drawing a ton of walks (14.5 percent) while limiting strikeouts (19.7 percent), with his 168 wRC+ third amongst all players in the O’s system.
Rays: Caden Bodine, C (No. 12)
Tampa Bay acquired Bodine from the Orioles in the offseason deal for Shane Baz, and with Nathan Flewelling needing High-A reps behind the plate, the organization has opened the 2025 30th overall pick at Single-A Charleston for playing-time purposes. The trouble is the Coastal Carolina product is showing he needs to be challenged soon with a .383/.429/.605 line, three homers, eight walks and only two strikeouts in 19 games with the RiverDogs. He’s the only qualified Minor Leaguer with a strikeout rate lower than 5.0 percent; his is at 2.2 percent. The switch-hitting backstop entered pro ball with a hit-over-power profile, but he’ll need to face sharper stuff to show just how good that hit tool can truly be.
Red Sox: Franklin Arias, SS (No. 2/MLB No. 26)
Signed for $525,000 out of Venezuela in 2023 more for his glove than his bat, Arias has exceeded expectations at the plate and is taking his offensive game to new levels this season. His seven homers in 17 games are two shy of his career high, he leads the Minors in slugging (.831) and OPS (1.302) and ranks four in batting (.407). He's also the youngest player in the Double-A Eastern League at 20 years and five months.
Yankees: George Lombard Jr., INF (No. 1/MLB No. 27)
After slashing just .215/.337/.358 in Double-A last season, Lombard returned there this season at age 20 and batted .312/.400/.571 with four homers and as many steals in 20 games. The 26th overall pick in 2023 and the son of former big leaguer George Sr., he's a quality defender at shortstop but may get his first big league opportunity at third base. That may come soon, because he was promoted to Triple-A on Tuesday.
AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL
Guardians: Cooper Ingle, C (No. 5/MLB No. 87)
Before he went on the injured list at Triple-A Columbus last Friday with hip inflammation, Ingle had drawn 20 free passes in 15 games and posted a crazy 37 percent walk rate. The 2023 fifth-rounder from Clemson hit .394/.630/.788 with four homers and could make his Cleveland debut once he returns to health and polishes his defense.
Royals: Josh Hammond, SS/3B (No. 5)
Taken with the 28th overall pick last year as a North Carolina prepster, Hammond hasn’t needed any time to settle into his first full season with a .316/.398/.526 line through 20 games with Single-A Columbia. His eight doubles are third-most in the Carolina League, while his 11 extra-base hits are tied for fifth-most. The right-handed slugger was considered to have above-average power potential coming out of the Draft, and it may not be long until more of his hard-hit balls leave the yard as he gets even more comfortable this summer.
Tigers: Zach MacDonald, OF (Unranked on Tigers' Top 30)
A 15th-round pick out of Miami (Ohio) in 2024, MacDonald is repeating the Florida State League to begin his second full season, but his bashing is proof that he shouldn’t stick around much longer. The right-handed slugger went deep in three straight games from April 15-17, and his seven total homers lead the FSL, while his .676 slugging percentage, 1.017 OPS, 14 extra-base hits and 50 total bases all rank second. There are serious contact concerns here, but the power is real too as evidenced by a 114.2 max exit velocity and a 110.2 mph 90th-percentile EV through 81 plate appearances.
Twins: Hendry Mendez, OF (No. 12)
Wherever he goes, Mendez makes a lot of quality contact. He's hit for a solid average (.277 career) and gotten on base (.374 OBP). Mendez signed with the Brewers in 2021, then was dealt to the Phillies after the 2023 season and was once again on the move, this time to the Twins, at last year’s Trade Deadline. This year back in Double-A is no different, as he’s hit .288 with a .384 OBP to kick things off. But he’s impacting the ball more than he has in the past, picking up from the .911 OPS he posted after the trade last year, with a .548 SLG that would by far be a career high.
White Sox: Caleb Bonemer, SS/3B (No. 3/MLB No. 53)
A 2024 second-round pick from a Michigan high school, Bonemer won Carolina League MVP accolades in his pro debut after leading the Single-A circuit in on-base percentage (.400), slugging (.458), OPS (.858) and doubles (26). He's posting even gaudier numbers in High-A at age 20, slashing .291/.406/.722 through 21 games. He ranks second in the Minors in homers (10 after going deep three times Tuesday night) and extra-base hits (18), third in total bases (61), fifth in RBIs (25) and sixth in slugging.
AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST
Angels: Lucas Ramirez, OF (Unranked on Angels’ Top 30)
A 17th-round pick in 2024 out of American Heritage High School and the son of former MLB All-Star Manny Ramirez, Lucas has been moving slowly, spending 2025 in the Arizona Complex League and now up to Single-A Rancho Cucamonga, though he has also suited up for Team Brazil for World Baseball Classic qualifying and the actual tournament (where he hit two homers). The right fielder seems right at home in the California League with a .368/.415/.592 line and 19 RBIs in his first 19 games.
Astros: Anthony Huezo, OF (No. 17)
Injuries and strikeout woes slowed Huezo's progress after he turned pro as a 12th-rounder from a California high school in 2023, but he finished last year with a strong month in Single-A before leading the Australian Baseball League with a 1.031 OPS. He's back in the Single-A and off to a .288/.368/.576 start with three homers and 10 steals in 18 games, though his K rate (34 percent) is still worrisome.
A’s: Devin Taylor, OF (No. 8)
Hat tip to No. 4 overall prospect Leo De Vries, who is doing De Vries type things in Double-A, but we talk about him all the time. So we’ll give Taylor, the A’s second-rounder out of Indiana last year, some time to shine. He entered pro ball with the reputation of being a potential plus hitter with plus power, and he’s off to a solid start living up to that with High-A Lansing with a .325/.432/.506 line that includes eight extra-base hits, even with a slightly inflated K rate (27.4 percent) so far.
Mariners: Luke Stevenson, C (No. 8)
Stevenson entered pro ball as the Mariners’ pick in the Competitive Balance Round A last year as a power-over-hit strong defensive backstop. The North Carolina product has thus far flipped the script, going hit over power with a .308/.493/.481 line but just one home run. He’s walked more than he’s struck out, and the power is sure to come if that trend continues. Even without reaching the seats, he leads all Mariners Minor Leaguers with his 172 wRC+.
Rangers: Dylan Dreiling, OF (No. 10)
Dreiling won Most Outstanding Player honors at the 2024 College World Series, homering in all three games in the finals for Tennessee a month before the Rangers drafted him in the second round. He had a hard time getting going in a year-plus in High-A but is looking more comfortable in Double-A, where he's batting .296/.400/.426 with two homers in 14 games.
NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST
Braves: Eric Hartman, OF (No. 20)
Signed out of Alberta, Canada with their final pick in the 20th round of the 2024 Draft, Hartman’s calling card is his nearly top-of-the-scale speed -- he stole 48 bags in 89 games last year -- and he has eight steals over his first 20 games with High-A Rome this season. What’s been surprising are his eight homers and 1.046 OPS (for a system-leading 172 wRC+), clearly telling South Atlantic League hitters to respect his authority.
Marlins: Starlyn Caba, SS/2B (No. 7)
One of the best defenders in the Minors, Caba batted just .222/.335/.278 last year in Single-A after the Marlins acquired him from the Phillies in a December 2024 trade for Jesús Luzardo. A thumb injury hampered his production but now that he's healthy again, he's slashing .295/.405/.459 in High-A and already has matched his career high with two homers in 16 games.
Mets: A.J. Ewing, OF/2B (No. 3/MLB No. 85)
Get hot, stay hot. Ewing pushed for his first-ever move to Triple-A Syracuse by hitting .349/.481/.571 with a 15/17 K/BB ratio and 12 steals in 18 games at Double-A Binghamton to open the season. He started to turn on the power before the promotion too, with his only two homers of the season coming on back-to-back games on Thursday and Friday last week. As if that wasn’t enough, the 21-year-old kept on trucking by going 3-for-4 with a triple, a double and a walk in his Triple-A debut Tuesday, pushing his season wRC+ up to 198 after that singular performance.
Nationals: Ronny Cruz, SS (No. 25)
Cruz, who was acquired from the Cubs at last year’s Trade Deadline in the move for Michael Soroka, didn’t play above the complex level in 2025 but breezed past Single-A Fredericksburg after hitting .333/.460/.627 with three homers and 15 steals in 14 games there, leading to a promotion to High-A Wilmington on April 20. (The move also helped Washington sort out its low-level infield logjam.) He hasn’t stopped hitting in the South Atlantic League either, going 13-for-32 (.406) with three more dingers in his first seven games with the Blue Rocks. Some of this might be unsustainable over a larger sample, but with the way he’s trending, Cruz could easily get Top 100 consideration this summer.
Phillies: Alirio Ferrebus, C (No. 22)
You have to love a catcher who can hit. Signed for just $70,000 in 2023, Ferrebus struggled with his first move to Single-A Clearwater late last year, but he’s figuring out the level so far in 2026. He’s in the FSL top 10 with his .910 OPS, posting a .304/.388/.522 line over his first 19 games. He’s making a ton of contact, with a 13.8 percent K rate, and has posted an impressive 149 wRC+.
NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL
Brewers: Braylon Payne, OF (No. 13)
Ranked as the top farm system in baseball entering 2026, the Brewers are not lacking for options here with several Top 30 prospects off to quick starts in ‘26. We’ll highlight Payne, who is currently as hot as anyone in baseball. Over a seven-game hitting streak for High-A Wisconsin from April 16-26, the outfielder went 12-for-27 (.444) with five homers, three doubles, seven walks and three steals. His six homers and .722 slugging percentage both rank second in the Midwest League, while his 1.177 OPS places third -- notable for a player who had plus-plus speed and some promising power entering ‘26 but faced major hit-tool questions.
Cardinals: Rainiel Rodriguez, C (No. 2/MLB No. 32)
Rodriguez admittedly got off to a hot start and held a 1.108 OPS as late as April 21. He may have cooled off a bit some in the week-plus since then, but he continues to reach base at a good clip as Midwest League pitchers have tried to work around the biggest name in the Peoria lineup. Rodriguez’s 16.9 percent walk rate is tops among qualified 19-year-olds at High-A, and his 152 wRC+ is ninth-best for catchers at the level despite him being over three years younger than the average Midwest Leaguer.
Cubs: Pedro Ramírez, 3B/2B (No. 8)
Signed out of the same Venezuelan training program along with Moisés Ballesteros in 2021, Ramírez has similar bat-to-ball skills and is demonstrating newfound power. His seven homers in 26 Triple-A games are just one shy of his career high, and he's hitting .311/.383/.602 while ranking second in the Minors in total bases (62) and RBIs (29).
Pirates: Murf Gray, 3B (No. 18)
It might be time for a promotion here. The Pirates nabbed Gray with the No. 73 overall pick in last year’s Draft out of Fresno State, and he’s making the Florida State League look easy with a .346/.422/.551 line. He leads the organization with his 169 wRC+. The one thing he’ll need to keep working on, especially once he moves up, is his tendency to swing at everything. He makes a ton of loud contact, but whittling away at his 45 percent chase rate will help.
Reds: Carlos Sanchez, SS/3B/OF (No. 26)
Sanchez hit well enough in Single-A Daytona last year to get bumped up to High-A Dayton, where he didn’t have as much success. He’s back in the Midwest League this year and appears to have figured some things out, with a .320/.407/.427 line entering Wednesday. There hasn’t been a ton of impact so far, but he is tied for third in the league with 11 steals while playing shortstop every day for the Dragons.
NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST
D-backs: Tommy Troy, 2B/OF (No. 4)
Troy has hits in nine of his last 10 games for Triple-A Reno and is 14-for-40 (.350) with a homer, two triples and four doubles over that stretch. In that time alone, he’s pushed his season slugging percentage from .391 to .481 and his OPS from .786 to .886. Under the hood, Troy still stands out more for his contact and swing decisions than his pure power, but the 24-year-old’s offensive resume is becoming well-rounded enough to push for an MLB debut in the first half of this season.
Dodgers: James Tibbs III, OF/1B (No. 10)
The Dodgers have more quality outfield prospects than any organization, and none of them are currently doing as much damage as Tibbs, who was a steal from the Red Sox in a deal for Dustin May last July. He's slashing .308/.423/.720 in 28 games while topping the Minors in runs (29), homers (11), extra-base hits (21) and total bases (77) and pacing the Triple-A Pacific Coast League in slugging and OPS (1.143).
Giants: Jhonny Level, SS (No. 4/MLB No. 93)
Level's 5-foot-8 frame belies his bat speed and strength, which have allowed him to do damage throughout his pro career. Signed for $997,500 out of Venezuela in 2024, he's terrorizing the California League at age 19. He's hitting .366/.416/.634 with four homers and seven steals in 18 games. He ranks in the top five in the High-A circuit in nine different offensive categories, leading the league in hits (30) and total bases (52).
Padres: Ethan Salas, C (No. 2)
The 19-year-old catcher continues to put last year’s back issues farther in the rearview mirror with each passing week for Double-A San Antonio. Entering Wednesday, he’s homered in each of his last three games for the Missions, and that accounts for all three of his Texas League dingers in 2026. He’s hitting .305/.379/.525 on the season, and among the four Double-A qualifiers aged 20 or younger, his 146 wRC+ ranks second. Franklin Arias (221), Leo De Vries (141) and Jesús Made (122) are the other three.
Rockies: Cole Carrigg, OF/SS (No. 6)
The key for Carrigg has always been to find a way for him to play with his hair on fire but not out of control. So far this year, it’s looked like controlled aggression, as he’s put up an impressive .323/.385/.455 line in 26 Triple-A games, with a vastly reduced strikeout rate a huge indicator of success. He still loves to run, leading the Pacific Coast League with 15 steals.