The Minor League schedule commences today, so here are the starting assignments for the players among MLBPipeline.com's Top 100 Prospects. Eleven of them made Opening Day big league rosters, starting with No. 1 prospect Andrew Benintendi, who homered in Boston's victory over the Pirates on Monday afternoon.
Other Top 100 Prospects who opened 2017 in the Majors included Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson (No. 4), Pirates right-hander Tyler Glasnow (No. 8), Padres outfielder Manuel Margot (No. 23), Pirates first baseman Josh Bell (No. 27), Padres outfielder Hunter Renfroe (No. 42), Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (No. 45), Reds left-hander Amir Garrett (No. 66), Rockies righty German Marquez (No. 73), Cubs outfielder Albert Almora Jr. (No. 75) and Reds righty Robert Stephenson (No. 87). Swanson, Bell and Almora Jr. all graduated from the list after playing in their first games. (Top 100 rankings are from before the Major League season started.)
Where baseball's top prospects are starting the 2017 season
Of the 100 prospects, 78 will begin the season in the Minor Leagues: 36 in Triple-A, 19 in Double-A, 14 in Class A Advanced and nine in Class A. Five of them are in extended spring training awaiting assignment, three are rehabilitating from injuries in extended spring and three more are on disabled lists. We present a complete list of each Top 100 Prospect's starting assignment at the bottom of this story.
Teams to watch
The Triple-A Charlotte Knights (White Sox) lead all Minor League clubs with four Top 100 Prospects: second baseman Yoan Moncada (No. 2), plus right-handers Lucas Giolito (No. 11), Reynaldo Lopez (No. 46) and Carson Fulmer (No. 71). The Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays) and Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers feature three Top 100 Prospects each.
Another stellar roster is Triple-A Durham's, which is headlined by shortstop Willy Adames (No. 21) and outfielder/first baseman Jake Bauers (No. 76). New Hampshire's big three are righty Sean Reid-Foley (No. 64), outfielder Anthony Alford (No. 70) and shortstop Richard Urena (No. 94). Oklahoma City's top stars are first baseman/outfielder Cody Bellinger (No. 12), outfielder Alex Verdugo (No. 61) and second baseman Willie Calhoun (No. 82).
Teams on MiLB.TV
Fans can watch many of the Top 100 Prospects in the Minors via MiLB.TV, which will stream more than 5,500 games in 2017. Home games for all 30 Triple-A teams will be available, as well as contests involving all 30 Double-A clubs and select games from other classifications.
Charlotte, Durham, New Hampshire and Oklahoma City all will have live games streamed on Minor League Opening Day on Thursday. Eight of the best prospects in the Minors will play in MiLB.TV games that day: Moncada, Yankees shortstop Gleyber Torres (No. 3), Mets shortstop Amed Rosario (No. 5), Phillies shortstop J.P. Crawford (No. 6), Pirates outfielder Austin Meadows (No. 9), Braves middle infielder Ozzie Albies (No. 10), Giolito and Bellinger.
New faces
Five Top 100 guys will play their first games with their new organizations after getting traded during the offseason. Four of them belong to the White Sox, who landed Moncada and right-hander Michael Kopech (No. 16) as part of a package from the Red Sox for Chris Sale and Giolito and Lopez in a deal with the Nationals for Adam Eaton on consecutive days at the Winter Meetings. The Rays acquired De Leon from the Dodgers for John Forsythe in January.
Braves shortstop Kevin Maitan (No. 32), the prize of last summer's international market, will make his pro debut in 2017. But he'll have to wait another couple of months because the 17-year-old will spend time in extended spring training before joining a Rookie-level club in June.
On the shelf
Six Top 100 Prospects aren't physically ready to begin the 2017 season. The most prominent is Cubs outfielder Eloy Jimenez (No. 13), who's expected to miss the first two weeks with a sore throwing shoulder before joining high Class A Myrtle Beach.
The Cardinals were counting on right-hander Alex Reyes (No. 14) to be a big part of their rotation until he succumbed to Tommy John surgery in February. Twins outfielder Alex Kirilloff (No. 98) met the same fate in March, and now they'll both miss the entire year.
The Mariners' Kyle Lewis (No. 28) and the Brewers' Corey Ray (No. 29), who like Kirilloff were outfielders selected in the first 15 picks of the 2017 Draft, both are rehabbing knee injuries in extended spring training. Ray should head to high Class A Carolina in the near future, while Lewis likely won't play before midsummer. Astros right-hander David Paulino (No. 54) missed much of Spring Training with a bone bruise in his pitching elbow and is building his arm strength up in extended spring.
The complete list
1. Andrew Benintendi, OF, Red Sox -- Boston Red Sox (MLB)
2. Yoan Moncada, 2B, White Sox -- Charlotte Knights (AAA)
3. Gleyber Torres, SS, Yankees -- Trenton Thunder (AA)
4. Dansby Swanson, SS, Braves -- Atlanta Braves (MLB)
5. Amed Rosario, SS, Mets -- Las Vegas 51s (AAA)
6. J.P. Crawford, SS, Phillies -- Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA)
7. Victor Robles, OF, Nationals -- Potomac Nationals (A Adv)
8. Tyler Glasnow, RHP, Pirates -- Pittsburgh Pirates (MLB)
9. Austin Meadows, OF, Pirates -- Indianapolis Indians (AAA)
10. Ozzie Albies, 2B/SS, Braves -- Gwinnett Braves (AAA)
11. Lucas Giolito, RHP, White Sox -- Charlotte Knights (AAA)
12. Cody Bellinger, 1B/OF, Dodgers -- Oklahoma City Dodgers (AAA)
13. Eloy Jimenez, OF, Cubs -- Myrtle Beach Pelicans (A Adv)/disabled list
14. Alex Reyes, RHP, Cardinals -- St. Louis Cardinals (MLB)/disabled list
15. Brendan Rodgers, SS/2B, Rockies -- Lancaster JetHawks (A Adv)
16. Michael Kopech, RHP, White Sox -- Birmingham Barons (AA)
17. Rafael Devers, 3B, Red Sox -- Portland Sea Dogs (AA)
18. Lewis Brinson, OF, Brewers -- Colorado Springs Sky Sox (AAA)
19. Mickey Moniak, OF, Phillies -- Lakewood BlueClaws (A)
20. Francis Martes, RHP, Astros -- Fresno Grizzlies (AAA)
21. Willy Adames, SS, Rays -- Durham Bulls (AAA)
22. Bradley Zimmer, OF, Indians -- Columbus Clippers (AAA)
23. Manuel Margot, OF, Padres -- San Diego Padres (MLB)
24. Clint Frazier, OF, Yankees -- Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (AAA)
25. Anderson Espinoza, RHP, Padres -- Lake Elsinore Storm (A Adv)
26. Nick Senzel, 3B, Reds -- Daytona Tortugas (A Adv)
27. Josh Bell, 1B/OF, Pirates -- Pittsburgh Pirates (MLB)
28. Ian Happ, 2B/OF, Cubs -- Iowa Cubs (AAA)
29. Kyle Lewis, OF, Mariners -- Extended spring training/rehab
30. Corey Ray, OF, Brewers --Extended spring training/rehab
31. Brent Honeywell, RHP, Rays -- Montgomery Biscuits (AA)
32. Kevin Maitan, SS, Braves -- Extended spring training
33. Jose De Leon, RHP, Rays -- Disabled list
34. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 3B, Blue Jays -- Lansing Lugnuts (A)
35. Kyle Tucker, OF, Astros -- Buies Creek Astros (A Adv)
36. Tyler O'Neill, OF, Mariners -- Tacoma Rainiers (AAA)
37. Blake Rutherford, OF, Yankees -- Charleston RiverDogs (A)
38. Josh Hader, LHP, Brewers -- Colorado Springs Sky Sox (AAA)
39. Carson Kelly, C, Cardinals -- Memphis Redbirds (AAA)
40. Francisco Mejia, C, Indians -- Akron RubberDucks (AA)
41. Jason Groome, LHP, Red Sox -- Greenville Drive (A)
42. Hunter Renfroe, OF, Padres -- San Diego Padres (MLB)
43. Braxton Garrett, LHP, Marlins -- Extended spring training
44. Jeff Hoffman, RHP, Rockies -- Albuquerque Isotopes (AAA)
45. Aaron Judge, OF, Yankees -- New York Yankees (MLB)
46. Reynaldo Lopez, RHP, White Sox -- Charlotte Knights (AAA)
47. Jorge Mateo, SS/2B, Yankees -- Tampa Yankees (A Adv)
48. Mitch Keller, RHP, Pirates -- Bradenton Marauders (A Adv)
49. Yadier Alvarez, RHP, Dodgers -- Extended spring training
50. Nick Gordon, SS, Twins -- Chattanooga Lookouts (AA)
51. Riley Pint, RHP, Rockies -- Asheville Tourists (A)
52. Franklin Barreto, SS/2B, Athletics -- Nashville Sounds (AAA)
53. Kolby Allard, LHP, Braves -- Mississippi Braves (AA)
54. David Paulino, RHP, Astros -- Houston Astros (MLB)/disabled list
55. Leody Taveras, OF, Rangers -- Hickory Crawdads (A)
56. Yohander Mendez, LHP, Rangers -- Frisco RoughRiders (AA)
57. Triston McKenzie, RHP, Indians -- Lynchburg Hillcats (A Adv)
58. James Kaprielian, RHP, Yankees -- Tampa Yankees (A Adv)
59. Kevin Newman, SS, Pirates -- Altoona Curve (AA)
60. Erick Fedde, RHP, Nationals -- Harrisburg Senators (AA)
61. Alex Verdugo, OF, Dodgers -- Oklahoma City Dodgers (AAA)
62. Luis Ortiz, RHP, Brewers -- Biloxi Shuckers (AA)
63. Dominic Smith, 1B, Mets -- Las Vegas 51s (AAA)
64. Sean Reid-Foley, RHP, Blue Jays -- New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA)
65. Isan Diaz, SS/2B, Brewers -- Carolina Mudcats (A Adv)
66. Amir Garrett, LHP, Reds -- Cincinnati Reds (MLB)
67. Jesse Winker, OF, Reds -- Louisville Bats (AAA)
68. Luke Weaver, RHP, Cardinals -- Memphis Redbirds (AAA)
69. A.J. Puk, LHP, Athletics -- Stockton Ports (A Adv)
70. Anthony Alford, OF, Blue Jays -- New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA)
71. Carson Fulmer, RHP, White Sox -- Charlotte Knights (AAA)
72. Jorge Alfaro, C, Phillies -- Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA)
73. German Marquez, RHP, Rockies -- Colorado Rockies (MLB)
74. Matt Manning, RHP, Tigers -- Extended spring training
75. Albert Almora, OF, Cubs -- Chicago Cubs (MLB)
76. Jake Bauers, OF/1B, Rays -- Durham Bulls (AAA)
77. Dylan Cease, RHP, Cubs -- South Bend Cubs (A)
78. Mike Soroka, RHP, Braves -- Mississippi Braves (AA)
79. Justus Sheffield, LHP, Yankees -- Trenton Thunder (AA)
80. Sean Newcomb, LHP, Braves -- Gwinnett Braves (AAA)
81. Zack Collins, C, White Sox -- Winston-Salem Dash (A Adv)
82. Willie Calhoun, 2B, Dodgers -- Oklahoma City Dodgers (AAA)
83. Derek Fisher, OF, Astros -- Fresno Grizzlies (AAA)
84. Forrest Whitley, RHP, Astros -- Quad Cities River Bandits (A)
85. Grant Holmes, RHP, Athletics -- Midland RockHounds (AA)
86. Ian Anderson, RHP, Braves -- Rome Braves (A)
87. Robert Stephenson, RHP, Reds -- Cincinnati Reds (MLB)
88. Tyler Beede, RHP, Giants -- Sacramento River Cats (AAA)
89. Christian Arroyo, INF, Giants -- Sacramento River Cats (AAA)
90. Raimel Tapia, OF, Rockies -- Albuquerque Isotopes (AAA)
91. Delvin Perez, SS, Cardinals -- Extended spring training
92. Stephen Gonsalves, LHP, Twins -- Chattanooga Lookouts (AA)
93. Walker Buehler, RHP, Dodgers -- Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (A Adv)
94. Richard Urena, SS, Blue Jays -- New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA)
95. Bobby Bradley, 1B, Indians -- Akron RubberDucks (AA)
96. Jeimer Candelario, 3B/1B, Cubs -- Iowa Cubs (AAA)
97. Cal Quantrill, RHP, Padres -- Lake Elsinore Storm (A Adv)
98. Alex Kirilloff, OF, Twins -- Extended spring training/rehab
99. Chance Sisco, C, Orioles -- Norfolk Tides (AAA)
100. Matt Chapman, 3B, Athletics -- Nashville Sounds (AAA)