The Pipeline Inbox gets questions almost daily about when we're going to release our new organization Top 30 Prospects list for 2026, so let's get that one out of the way immediately: the first week of March. Now on to more in-depth queries.
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What a question, because it poses the immediate dilemma of whom you take at No. 1? Nick Kurtz coming off an American League Rookie of the Year season, or Konnor Griffin with crazy tools and coming off a spectacular pro debut?
I'm going to err on the side of upside, though it's not like a guy who slashed .290/.383/.619 with 36 homers in 117 big league games doesn't have a huge ceiling. But give me Griffin over everyone:
1. Konnor Griffin, SS/OF, Pirates (went No. 9 overall)
2. Nick Kurtz, 1B, Athletics (went No. 4)
3. J.J. Wetherholt, INF, Cardinals (went No. 7)
4. Trey Yesavage, RHP, Blue Jays (went No. 20)
5. Chase Burns, RHP, Reds (went No. 2)
6. Travis Bazzana, 2B, Guardians (went No. 1)
7. Jac Caglianone, OF/1B, Royals (went No. 6)
8. Carson Benge, OF, Mets (went No. 19)
9. Payton Tolle, LHP, Red Sox (went No. 50, 2nd round)
10. Bryce Rainer, SS, Tigers (went No. 11)
This is a tough exercise, and my order certainly would change if we revisit this question after the 2026 season. The first six guys were the clear top six for me, and I'm not sure what to make of Caglianone after his mighty struggles in the Majors last summer.
My next two guys up would be Mariners right-hander Ryan Sloan and White Sox outfielder Braden Montgomery. After them, there still are 11 more Top 100 Prospects I could have included: Twins shortstop Kaelen Culpepper, Athletics left-hander Gage Jump, Diamondbacks outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt, Dodgers outfielder Mike Sirota, White Sox shortstop/third baseman Caleb Bonemer, Braves lefty Cam Caminiti, Rockies first baseman/outfielder Charlie Condon, White Sox lefty Hagen Smith, Rays outfielder Theo Gillen, Cardinals righty Jurrangelo Cijntje and Orioles outfielder Nate George. And that doesn't count two top-15 picks who already graduated to the Majors in Christian Moore and Cam Smith.
This question comes from MLB.com colleague Jason Catania, who often asks good ones. Jonathan, Sam and I begin our Top 100 process by compiling personal Top 125 lists, then mashing them together in a spreadsheet, debating the results and soliciting a lot of feedback from industry sources.
The prospect who we had the most difference of opinion about was Royals catcher Blake Mitchell, who ultimately ranked No. 75. The eighth overall pick in the 2023 Draft, he enjoyed a strong first full pro season but dipped to .207/.372/.296 in 49 games in High-A last year after breaking his right hamate bone during Spring Training.
When we started, I had Mitchell at No. 53, Jonathan put him at No. 68 and Sam placed him at No. 108. On the high end, my rationale was that I like the power and defensive package at the scarcest position, and I gave him a mulligan for his offensive performance because of the hamate. On the low end, Sam says, "Lot of swing and miss last year and the hamate kept him from getting to his power, as good as it was at the top end. That gave me pause the way we've seen other catchers break down."
Shortstops Luis Hernández (Venezuela) and Wandy Asigen (Dominican Republic) ranked 1-2 in that order atop MLB Pipeline's International Top 50 before landing big bonuses when the 2026 signing period opened Jan. 15. Hernández signed with the Giants for $4,997,500, while Asigen got $3.9 million from the Mets.
And this question isn't so tough because I'm just going to hand it to the person who assembled the International Top 50 and wrote all the reports. Here's what Jesse Borek says:
"Hernández’s experience and success in the Venezuelan Major League is one of the key points. Both seem likely to hold down shortstop long-term, but Hernández is seen as a slightly better defender and could also hold down center field if the Giants ran him out there. He figures to impact the game on the basepaths right away and has 30-30 potential if he continues along his current trajectory."
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This question reminded me of one of my favorite Baseball America stories from my more than two decades there. We began doing a Top 100 Prospects list in 1990, and 12 years later BA founder Allan Simpson decided to identify the best prospect for every year going back to 1951!
Allan created Draft and prospect coverage as we know it today and deserves the BBWAA Career Excellence Award. He may love baseball more than anyone I've ever known, and his grasp of Draft and prospect history definitely ranks as the best. I can't find his story anywhere on the internet to provide a link, but I do have a hard copy here in the home office.
Below is Allan's list of baseball's No. 1 prospect entering each season, from 1951-89. His 1980s picks mostly came from BA's position-by-position rankings at the time:
1951: Mickey Mantle, SS, Yankees
1952: Gene Conley, RHP, Braves
1953: Ted Kazanski, SS, Phillies
1954: Al Kaline, OF, Tigers
1955: Herb Score, LHP, Indians
1956: Sandy Koufax, LHP, Dodgers
1957: Juan Pizzaro, LHP, Braves
1958: Bob "Hawk" Taylor, C/OF, Braves
1959: Frank Howard, OF, Dodgers
1960: Frank Howard, OF, Dodgers
1961: Willie Davis, OF, Dodgers
1962: Boog Powell, 1B, Orioles
1963: Bob Bailey, 3B, Pirates
1964: Tony Conigliaro, OF, Red Sox
1965: Rick Reichardt, OF, Angels
1966: Rick Reichardt, OF, Angels
1967: Tom Seaver, RHP, Mets
1968: Johnny Bench, C, Reds
1969: Ted Simmons, C, Cardinals
1970: Cesar Cedeno, OF, Astros
1971: Bobby Valentine, SS, Dodgers
1972: Burt Hooton, RHP, Cubs
1973: J.R. Richard, RHP, Astros
1974: Frank Tanana, LHP, Angels
1975: Jim Rice, OF, Red Sox
1976: Garry Templeton, SS, Cardinals
1977: Floyd Bannister, LHP, Astros
1978: Clint Hurdle, OF, Royals
1979: Bill Gullickson, RHP, Expos
1980: Kirk Gibson, OF, Tigers
1981: Tim Raines, 2B, Expos
1982: Brad Komminsk, OF, Braves
1983: Kevin McReynolds, OF, Padres
1984: Dwight Gooden, RHP, Mets
1985: Shawon Dunston, SS, Cubs
1986: Jose Canseco, OF, Athletics
1987: Bo Jackson, OF, Royals
1988: Gary Sheffield, SS, Brewers
1989: Ken Griffey Jr., OF, Mariners