MLB Pipeline's latest Top 100 Prospects list is full of youth. That’s always the case when it comes to Minor League players, but that’s especially true currently.
Of the top 25 players ranked, 17 are not legally allowed to drink yet in the United States (under 21) and eight are teenagers. The 25th player on the list? That would be 17-year-old Luis Hernández, the top international signee in the 2026 class.
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Hernández is far from the only 17-year-old quickly rising up the rankings, and prompted by a mailbag question from a recent MLB Pipeline Podcast episode -- which also made a cameo in Jonathan Mayo's latest Inbox -- let's take a look at the best prospects in that age bucket.
Mayo and Jim Callis broke down a handful of players on the podcast, although since that recording, A's shortstop Johenssy Colome (ATH No. 5) has celebrated his 18th birthday, so he will not make these rankings. He likely would have slotted in around 4.
Nevertheless, as an appetizer to the offseason tradition of ranking the best prospects of each age, here's a look at the recent international signees and Draft prospects who make up the top 17-year-olds in pro baseball:
1. Luis Hernández, SS/3B, Giants (SF No. 2/MLB No. 25)
Top international prospects are no guarantee to succeed -- just look at Yoelqui Céspedes in 2021 and Roderick Arias in '22 -- but Hernández has lived up to the hype and then some after signing for $4,997,500. Skipping straight to the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League before a 20-game cameo with Single-A San Jose in his debut season, the Venezuela native offers rare polish for his age but still has a lofty ceiling, thanks to advanced pitch recognition and quality bat speed from the right side. Hernández is quite athletic, even if his average speed lags behind his other potentially plus tools, and his headiness should help him maximize his skill set.
2. Francisco Renteria, OF, Phillies (PHI No. 3/MLB No. 73)
Renteria signed with the Phillies for $4 million as the No. 3 prospect in this year's international class and went on to lead all qualified Minor Leaguers in OPS (1.152) and slugging percentage (.682) while nearly walking (14.4 percent) as much as he struck out (15.3). The Venezuela native is a strapping 6-foot-3, 216 pounds, and pairs his natural power with elite hand-eye coordination. He used his plus speed to great effect on the bases (24 steals in 28 attempts) in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League and currently projects to be able to stick in center field.
3. Angeibel Gomez, OF, Royals (KC No. 2/MLB No. 76)
Baseball fans rejoiced when the Royals challenged Gomez, who signed for $2.9 million as the No. 4 international prospect this year, with an Arizona Fall League assignment. Despite being the second-youngest player ever at the circuit, he's held his own against much older competition and already looks much stronger than his listed 6-foot-2, 173-pound size. The Venezuela native could be a five-tool player down the line with plus plus speed, if he's able to grow into more right-handed power, as scouts expect. His 1.119 OPS and .653 slugging percentage in the DSL both ranked third among qualified Minor Leaguers.
4. Jared Grindlinger, OF, Angels (LAA No. 4)
The Southern California native was a notable two-way prospect who reclassified to enter the 2026 Draft, although the Angels will develop him purely as an outfielder after signing him for $5.9 million as the 12th overall selection. The former Tennessee commit has a hit-over-power profile from the left side currently, although there's plenty of room for him to fill out his 6-foot-3 frame. There could be room for him to make trade-offs in his sound approach, as well, since he doesn't whiff much currently. He has the plus arm you'd expect from a former pitcher, which would be an asset in an outfield corner.
5. Albert Fermín, SS/3B, Astros (HOU No. 4)
Fermín stood out as the top switch-hitter in the 2026 international class (No. 19 overall) and signed for $2,147,500. The Dominican Republic native pairs advanced feel for the barrel with good pitch recognition, which has enabled him to hit balls harder than most players his age. Already quite physical at 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, he could continue to grow into more power. The question will be whether that added size may cut into his above-average speed and force him to shift to the hot corner, where his plus arm and quick first step would fit well.
6. Wandy Asigen, SS, Mets (NYM No. 5)
After signing for $3.9 million as the No. 2 prospect in this year's international class, Asigen's pro career had to wait a beat as he recovered from a hamstring injury. The left-handed hitter returned to post elite power numbers in the DSL as he slashed .279/.470/.525, although he had worrying contact and strikeout rates (28.9 percent) in a small sample size of 83 plate appearances. Still, Asigen is by far the youngest player of this group -- he turned 17 in late August -- and he has a chance to stick at shortstop thanks to plus speed and twitchy athleticism.
7. Rocco Maniscalco, SS, Cardinals (STL No. 16)
The Alabama native reclassified into the 2026 Draft, which made him one of the youngest players in his class. While he struggled in his final year of high school ball, he showed enough at the MLB Draft Combine to earn late first-round money ($3.2 million) as the 50th overall selection. The former Mississippi State commit stands out for his shortstop defense, where he has smooth actions, a strong arm and the high baseball IQ you'd expect from a player whose father reached Triple-A. The switch-hitter is currently better from the left side and projects to hit for at least average power as he fills out his 6-foot-2 frame.
Honorable mention: Angel Nuñez, SS (CIN No. 13); Santiago Solarte (MIA No. 14); Samil Serrano, OF (WSH No. 16)