NEW YORK -- Jorge Mateo, Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez are three of the most exciting names rising through the Yankees' farm system, and they are among the game's Top 100 Prospects entering the 2016 season, as rated by MLB Pipeline.
The annual ranking of baseball's Top 100 Prospects is assembled by MLBPipeline.com Draft and prospect experts Jonathan Mayo, Jim Callis and Mike Rosenbaum, who compile input from industry sources, including scouts and scouting directors.
Complete Top 100 Prospects coverage
It is based on analysis of players' skill sets, upsides, proximity to the Majors and potential immediate impact to their teams. Only players with rookie status entering the 2016 season are eligible for the list.
The rankings follow the guidelines laid out by the Collective Bargaining Agreement, in terms of who falls under the international pool money rules: Players who were at least 23 years old when they signed and played in leagues deemed to be professional (Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Cuba) are not eligible.
• MLB Pipeline's 2016 Top 100 Prospects list
Mateo jumped to the No. 30 overall spot, having been rated as the game's No. 87 prospect at midseason. A 20-year-old shortstop with blazing speed, Mateo stole 82 bases in 99 attempts while batting .278 with a .345 on-base percentage and .392 slugging percentage in 117 games for Class A Charleston and Class A Advanced Tampa.
Judge sits right behind Mateo at No. 31, representing a dip from his No. 17 rating at midseason. The hulking outfielder hit .255 with 20 home runs and 72 RBIs in 124 games for Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last year. Having already been compared to the likes of Dave Winfield and Giancarlo Stanton, Judge turns 24 in April and appears primed to make his big league debut at some point in 2016.

Sanchez appears at No. 59, coming off a monster Arizona Fall League campaign that showcased his powerful bat and strong arm. That has enticed the Yankees to view him as the favorite to serve as Brian McCann's backup catcher. The 23-year-old Sanchez did not appear on the midseason rankings, but he made it to the big leagues in September after batting .274 with 18 home runs and 62 RBIs in 93 games at Trenton and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2015.