Early wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving for everyone! Let's get to your questions ...
McGonigle is going to be a star at whatever position he plays for the Tigers. A clear-cut choice as the No. 1 prospect in the recently concluded Arizona Fall League, he drew comparisons to Chase Utley and a lefty-hitting Alex Bregman. Utley never played shortstop in the big leagues and Bregman only has sparingly after starring there at Louisiana State.
While in the AFL, McGonigle said he's determined to prove he can make it at shortstop, though he spent the majority of his time with the Scottsdale Scorpions at third base. Working on his defense was his primary focus in the Fall League because, let's face it, he's going to hit. He has spent a lot of time refining his shortstop play with Hall of Famer Alan Trammell.
McGonigle could play shortstop in the big leagues, but both his arm and overall defense there would be average at best and most clubs want more than that from their starter there. He'll make the Tigers at some point in 2026, perhaps even on Opening Day, and his best immediate opportunity may come at short after Javier Báez regressed after the All-Star break. I think McGonigle eventually will settle in at second base and strongly resemble Utley, who was his favorite player when he was growing up in suburban Philadelphia.
We need to finish our upcoming 2026 Draft Top 100 -- scheduled for the first week of December -- before we turn our attention to the next edition of our Top 100 Prospects list. Early has a case for making the Top 100 after excelling in Double-A and Triple-A before posting a 2.33 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 19 1/3 innings during four September starts with the Red Sox.
Boston has helped Early improve his strength and upgrade his stuff since drafting him in the fifth round out of Virginia in 2023. He worked with an 89-91 mph fastball with the Cavaliers and now parks at 92-95 mph and peaks at 97. He shows feel for six different pitches, mainly employing four-seamers, curveballs and changeups against righties versus sinkers, sliders and sweepers against lefties.
Early's best offerings are his low-80s changeup with sink and fade and his low-80s sweeper. His ability to mix six pitches and throw them all for consistent strikes helps them play up, as does the quality extension he creates in his delivery. He's a potential mid-rotation starter with a track record of performance, so I suspect you'll see him on the Top 100 in January.
(Oscar's SoxProspects reference alludes to my ongoing competition with the Boston Globe's Alex Speier to make the most appearances on that fine website's podcast. I thought I was ahead 11-10, but I may have to get back on there to make sure I maintain my lead.)
Let's stick with the theme of pitchers who have gotten a lot better since college. A nondrafted free agent out of Liberty in 2023, Gibson has added about 5 mph to his pitches since turning pro. His mid-90s fastball, mid-80s slider and low-80s curveball all grade as at least solid offerings, and he's throwing more strikes than he did with the Flames.
Like Early, Gibson creates a lot of extension and has the upside of a mid-rotation starter. He ranked fourth in the Minors with 166 strikeouts and sixth in K rate (32 percent) this season while climbing from High-A to Triple-A this year. He dominated Double-A hitters but got roughed up for a 7.98 ERA in Triple-A, so he has some more work to do before he's ready for Baltimore.
We're Gibson fans at MLB Pipeline. Perhaps it's the fact that he ranks 12th on our Orioles Top 30 that makes you think otherwise, but that's more of a reflection that Baltimore had four of the top 37 picks in the 2025 Draft and the emergence of guys like right-hander Esteban Mejia and outfielder Nate George than a disdain for Gibson.
Harber produced three of the top 10 exit velocities in the Fall League, peaking at 114 mph while slashing .383/.513/.683 and leading the developmental circuit with nine doubles and 12 extra-base hits in 17 games. That came on the heels of ranking second among Minor Leaguers with 300 plate appearances with a 173 wRC+, trailing only McGonigle.
Signed for $50,000 as a nondrafted free agent out of North Carolina by the Yankees in 2024, Harber went to the Giants as part of the Camilo Doval trade in July. He has power to all fields but will have to prove he can make consistent contact and handle sliders at higher levels.
Harber's doesn't offer much defensive value. He has played all four infield and outfield corners in pro ball but his well-below-average speed and average arm strength likely will limit him to first base in the long term. He looks a little leaner and has improved his athleticism somewhat since college, but he lacks the quickness to play a more challenging position on a regular basis.