Here is MLB’s No. 1 prospect at each position
MLB Pipeline has put out its lists of the Top 10 prospects at each position leading up to the reveal of the 2024 Top 100 Prospects list.
Here is the No. 1 prospect at each position, with a more complete look at the Top 100 here.
Catcher: Ethan Salas, Padres
At this time last year, Salas was a newly inked prospect headlining the Padres international class. He debuted at Single-A this past May at 16 years old and promptly climbed the ranks, finishing the season with Double-A San Antonio. The backstop swatted nine homers in his first foray into pro ball and has the chance to develop four plus or better tools while staying behind the plate. Complete list »
First base: Xavier Isaac, Rays
Much like Salas, Isaac's 2023 season provided plenty of helium to his prospect status. The North Carolina native walloped 19 big flies in his first full season of pro ball, six of which came during a 12-game stint in High-A where he posted a stellar 1.389 OPS. Isaac paces all other first base prospects with a 65-grade power tool and has the potential to end 2024 as the best power-hitting prospect in the game. Complete list »
Second base: Termarr Johnson, Pirates
For the second year in a row, Johnson slots in as the No. 1 second base prospect in baseball. Last season, this placement was driven by Johnson's 70-grade hit tool coming out of the Draft, and while it is no longer graded as highly (55), he still has future All-Star potential. The Georgia native slugged 18 big flies between Single-A and High-A in '23, while drawing 101 walks. At just 19 years old, Johnson has room to build on his already above-average hit and power tools and become a mainstay in Pittsburgh for years to come. Complete list »
Third base: Junior Caminero, Rays
There has been some turnover at the hot corner, with four of the five top-rated third basemen from a year ago graduating to the big leagues. Caminero reached the Majors as well, cracking Tampa Bay's postseason roster as a 20-year-old despite not appearing on last year's preseason Top 100 Prospects list. His rapid ascent was fueled by a breakout 2023 during which Caminero hit .324 with 31 homers and a .591 slugging percentage in the Minors, mostly at Double-A. Complete list »
Shortstop: Jackson Holliday, Orioles
No surprise here. The top shortstop is the player who finished 2023 ranked as the top prospect in all of baseball. Holliday stands atop this stacked group because he does everything well, is only one step from the big leagues and looks like a future superstar upon his arrival. Complete list »
Outfield: Jackson Chourio, Brewers
Chourio finished last year ranked as the game's No. 2 overall prospect and signed a record $82 million extension this winter. He looks like the new face of the franchise in Milwaukee and was an easy choice atop an always-stacked list here. Complete list »
Right-handed pitcher: Paul Skenes, Pirates
Armed with a pitch mix that features an 80-grade fastball and 70-grade slider, there's a reason Skenes has received countless comparisons to Stephen Strasburg. The 2023 first overall pick cannot only light up the radar gun -- he averaged 98.6 mph with his fastball at LSU last year -- but he can also give opposing batters fits with his secondary offerings. Skenes elicited a 62 percent miss rate on his slider at LSU last year and posted a 13.5 K/9 rate in five appearances in the Minors. With lights-out stuff and a 6-foot-6 frame, it should be no surprise that in our recent MLB Pipeline Executive Poll, Skenes received votes as a favorite to win NL Rookie of the Year honors in 2024. Complete list »
Left-handed pitcher: Kyle Harrison, Giants
Harrison isn't your typical southpaw. The Concord, Calif., product throws heat, and lots of it. Harrison challenged opposing batters with his fastball 60.7 percent of the time, garnering a 24.8 percent whiff rate in the bigs and 39.7 percent at Triple-A (per Synergy Sports). The 70-grade heater can get up to 97 mph, but sits around 92-95. Harrison ranks second in the Minors with 452 strikeouts since the start of 2021 because of his impressive three-pitch mix. In seven starts in The Show last season, he fanned batters at a 9.1 K/9 clip and should become a key cog in San Francisco's rotation in 2024. Complete list »