Top prospects who made Opening Day rosters

Top prospects who made Opening Day rosters

Ohtani, Brinson among 41 players on team Top 30 lists to start in bigs

March 28th, 2018

Opening Day is finally upon us. Rosters have been finalized and the regular season is underway.
Those rosters are dotted with many of the games top prospects who earned spots with their Major League clubs. Forty one players on MLB Pipeline's team Top 30 Prospects lists -- including nine of baseball's Top 100 prospects -- made Opening Day rosters, with eight more starting the season on the disabled list.
Several more will start the year in the Minors but could find themselves in a big league uniform soon. For those who cracked the Majors, Opening Day is a career milestone -- a chance to make a lasting impact in The Show.
Here's a list of every prospect from a team Top 30 list who made his club's Opening Day roster.
* -- On DL
Atlanta:, LHP (No. 4, No. 49 on Top 100)*, , LHP (No. 15)
Gohara showed flashes of potential as a September callup last season, and now he'll get to work on becoming a consistent option in his first full year with the Braves. However, he'll begin the season on the 10-day DL as he recovers from a left ankle sprain. Minter struck out 26 batters in 15 innings in 2017. He followed that up with 12 strikeouts over 8 1/3 scoreless Grapefruit League innings to earn an Opening Day spot.
Roster | Top 30 Prospects
Baltimore:, C (No. 3), , OF (No. 8), , LHP (No. 25), , RHP (No. 27)
Sisco hit his way onto the Orioles' Opening Day squad, batting .429/.474/.800 with two homers and 10 RBIs in Spring Training. Santander did the same, clubbing four home runs and finishing near the top of the spring leaderboard with 18 RBIs. The O's are intrigued by Cortes' 2.06 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 104 2/3 frames in the Minors last season. Araujo, 24, notched a 3.72 ERA in nine spring appearances.
Roster | Top 30 Prospects

Boston:, LHP (No. 23)
A 14th-round Draft pick out of Florida in 2015, Poyner came out of nowhere to beat out and  for a spot in the Red Sox's bullpen.
Roster | Top 30 Prospects
Chicago (AL): (No. 10), , LHP (No. 20)
After a tough start to Spring Training, Fulmer held the D-backs scoreless over four innings in his final tuneup. The right-hander impressed at the end of last year, going 3-1 with a 3.86 ERA in seven games (five starts). Bummer allowed four earned runs and struck out 13 batters in 10 spring innings to earn his first Opening Day roster spot.
Roster | Top 30 Prospects

Chicago (NL):, C (No. 8)
The 24-year-old Caratini will serve as the backup to  after earning an Opening Day roster spot for the first time in his career.
Roster | Top 30 Prospects
Cincinnati:, OF (No. 4, No. 82 on Top 100), , RHP (No. 5, No. 84 on Top 100), , OF (No. 23), , RHP (No. 25)
Winker earned a spot in the Reds' outfield by batting .347/.411/.510 with five doubles and a homer this spring. Mahle's 0.97 WHIP in seven Spring Training appearances (three starts) may have been enough for him to secure a spot in the club's rotation. Ervin is expected to serve as the club's fifth outfielder behind Winker. Davis is on the 60-day DL with a right hip injury.
Roster | Top 30 Prospects
Cleveland:, LHP (No. 22)
Pitching through a knee ailment with the hope of earning an Opening Day roster spot, Merritt was unable to overcome the injury. He will begin the season on the 10-day DL.
Roster | Top 30 Prospects
Colorado:, 1B/2B/3B (No. 2, No. 41 on Top 100)
McMahon made the Rockies' roster by slashing .319/.365/.522 with eight doubles, two homers and nine RBIs in 30 Cactus League games. The 23-year-old could end up wining the starting job at first base if he continues to hit early in the year.
Roster | Top 30 Prospects

Detroit: , OF (No. 17)
Reyes was the No. 1 pick in the Rule 5 Draft, so the Tigers had to put him on the roster if they didn't want to offer him back to the D-backs. Reyes hit .232 over 56 at-bats in Spring Training, but he has never played above Double-A.
Roster | Top 30 Prospects
Houston:, 1B (No. 9), , RHP (No. 26)*
Davis led all players with 25 hits in Spring Training and finished in the top 10 in OPS. He could find regular playing time at first base to start the season with Yuli Gurriel (left hand) on the shelf. Gustave will begin the season on the DL as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.
Roster | Top 30 Prospects
Kansas City:, LHP (No. 8), , RHP (No. 17)
Skoglund impressed in camp with a 3.38 ERA in four appearances (two starts), and it was enough to earn him a spot as the Royals' sixth starter. The 27-year-old Smith makes his first Opening Day roster, taking the final bullpen spot.
Roster | Top 30 Prospects
Los Angeles (AL):, RHP/DH (No. 1, No. 1 on Top 100), , RHP (No. 21)
There is perhaps no more highly-anticipated prospect debut than that of Ohtani, who may serve as the Angels' Opening Day designated hitter. Fans will get to see him pitch soon, as well, as the club announced he will start on the mound Sunday vs. the A's. Bard, a Rule 5 Draft pick, flashed elite spin rate on his fastball in camp, which has the Angels intrigued by what he can do out of their bullpen to begin the season.
Roster | Top 30 Prospects

Los Angeles (NL):, C/3B (No. 25)
The Dodgers will keep three catchers on their Opening Day roster. It's Farmer first time cracking the big league roster out of camp. He will serve as the third backstop behind and .
Roster | Top 30 Prospects
Miami:, OF (No. 1, No. 27 on Top 100), , 3B (No. 9), , LHP (No. 15), , OF (No. 17)
Marlins fans saw the early returns on the trade that brought Brinson to Miami, as the top prospect batted .328/.365/.586 with two homers and nine RBIs in 23 spring games. It's the 23-year-old's first time cracking the Opening Day roster, and he'll do so as the Marlins' starting center fielder. Anderson posted a .965 OPS while clubbing four Spring Training homers, earning the starting job at third base with veteran on the DL. Peters struck out nine batters in 7 2/3 frames and Lee swiped four bases and collected seven hits and scored five runs this spring. Both players earned spots on the Opening Day roster for the first time.
Roster | Top 30 Prospects

Milwaukee:, RHP (No. 3, No. 96 on Top 100)
The right-hander went 2-3 with a 4.81 ERA in eight starts with the Brewers last season. Woodruff struck out 15 batters in 12 2/3 frames during spring. Woodruff got hit around a bit in spring, but struck out 15 in 12 2/3 innings.
Roster | Top 30 Prospects
Minnesota:, C (No. 19)
Garver, making his first career Opening Day roster, will serve as the backup to .
Roster | Top 30 Prospects
New York (AL): , 1B/OF (No. 26)
Austin, who slashed .225/.283/.425 in 20 games with the Yankees last year, is the club's Opening Day starting first baseman with Greg Bird (right ankle) on the DL.
Roster | Top 30 Prospects
New York (NL):, RHP (No. 30) -- The 25-year-old Rhame makes his first Opening Day roster after striking out 10 batters over 10 2/3 Grapefruit League innings. He'll slide into a middle-relief role.
Roster | Top 30 Prospects
Philadelphia:, 2B (No. 2, No. 35 on Top 100), , SS (No. 3, No. 37 on Top 100), , C (No. 7), , RHP (No. 23)
Kingery not only made the Phillies' Opening Day roster as a utility player, but he also earned an unprecedented six-year contract extension despite not having a day of MLB service time. Crawford cracks the big league club at onset of the season for the first time, and he'll do so as Philadelphia's starting shortstop. Alfaro showed well as a September callup in 2017 before registering an .870 OPS in 40 spring at-bats. Arano struck out 13 batters and allowed two earned runs over 10 2/3 innings (1.69 ERA) for the Phils last season.
Roster | Top 30 Prospects

Pittsburgh:, 3B (No. 8), , RHP (No. 27)
Moran earned the job as the Pirates' Opening Day starter at third base after batting .362/.383/.448 and racking up 21 Grapefruit League hits. Santana earned a job in Pittsburgh's bullpen after striking out 20 batters in 18 innings as a September callup last season.
Roster | Top 30 Prospects
San Diego:, OF (No. 10)*
Cordero will open the season on the 10-day disabled list with a groin injury, but he could see action in extended spring camp games soon.
Roster | Top 30 Prospects
San Francisco:, RHP (No. 13)
Moronta allowed just two earned runs in 6 2/3 innings while striking out 11 for the Giants in seven appearances last season. It is his first time making the club on Opening Day. Roster | Top 30 Prospects
Seattle:, 1B (No. 11)
Vogelbach, awarded more playing time after an injury to , had a scorching spring to earn a spot on his first Opening Day roster. The 25-year-old was tied for the league lead in homers (seven) and led all Major Leaguers in batting average (.407), OBP (.529) and slugging percentage (.926).
Roster | Top 30 Prospects

St. Louis:, RHP (No. 1, No. 17 on Top 100), , RHP (No. 2, No. 38 on Top 100), , RHP (No. 7), , UTIL (No. 12)
Reyes is recovering from Tommy John surgery and is hoping to return sometime in May. Flaherty, who struck out 24 batters in 15 2/3 spring innings, takes the roster spot of (left hamstring). Hicks was demoted early in camp, but he was recalled to take the bullpen spot of , who was optioned to Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday. Muñoz will make his MLB debut in a utility role after batting .323 with three homers in Spring Training.
Roster | Top 30 Prospects
Tampa Bay:, RHP (No. 21), , LHP (No. 26)
With the Rays electing to go with a four-man rotation, Chirinos and Yarbrough both earned spots on the Opening Day roster as long relievers. Both could get a chance to start when the club goes with a "bullpen day" instead of a fifth starter.
Roster | Top 30 Prospects
Texas:, RHP (No. 29)
Rodriguez starts the year on the 10-day DL with right biceps tendinitis.
Roster | Top 30 Prospects
Toronto:, OF (No. 3, No. 47 on Top 100)*
Alford will begin the season on the 10-day DL with a right hamstring strain.
Roster | Top 30 Prospects