Last season was a banner year for prospects in the American League East. Could 2019 prove even better?

Highly-regarded blue-chippers emerged across the board to make an impact in 2018, from Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar making runs at the AL Rookie of the Year Award in New York, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Rowdy Tellez debuting in Toronto, Willy Adames and Ryne Stanek bursting onto the scene for the upstart Rays. Even the Orioles got a farm system infusion via midseason trades for Manny Machado, Zack Britton, Kevin Gausman and Jonathan Schoop. A new season promises similar breakouts, in a big way, especially for the division that houses the top overall prospect in baseball.

That young slugger has a famous name and already is a star despite zero games of big league experience. He leads off this week’s division notebook, as we highlight one prospect worth keeping an eye on for each AL East club.

Blue Jays: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
The prospect everyone in baseball wants to keep an eye on is Guerrero. Vlad Jr. is back playing after an oblique injury stopped him from being able to participate in most of Spring Training, and now it's only a matter of time before he joins the big league club. The Blue Jays aren't going to rush anything here -- they want him to get a run of at-bats in the Minors. Guerrero reportedly has been promoted to Triple-A Buffalo after starting the season in Dunedin, Fla., where the weather was better. But it won't be too long before the top prospect in baseball makes his debut. In the meantime, Guerrero's going to put on a show in the Minor Leagues.

Orioles: Ryan Mountcastle
The Orioles saw no reason to send Mountcastle back to Double-A after he slashed .297/.341/.464 there last season, his second stint at that level. Now the former second-round pick is at Triple-A Norfolk, just a step away from contributing in the bigs. Scouts and the Orioles both believe Mountcastle’s bat can be near-elite when he does; the question is where does the club’s No. 2 prospect play defensively? A converted shortstop, Mountcastle’s throwing issues persisted when he moved over to third base full-time in 2018. He’s dabbling at first this season, fueling speculation that the Orioles view him as a potential replacement for Chris Davis in the not-too-distant future.

Rays: Nate Lowe
After a breakout 2018 season, Lowe showed off his power by hitting a 448-foot home run in Spring Training and has carried some of that success into the new season. In six games at Triple-A Durham, Lowe has two home runs and has a .940 OPS. The Rays’ first-base situation has played out much better than most people expected, but the chances that Lowe makes an impact at the big league level this year remain high. The club’s No. 8 prospect, Lowe was the Rays’ Minor League Player of the Year in 2018.

Red Sox: Darwinzon Hernandez
The Red Sox's best pitching prospect, the 22-year-old Hernandez reached Double-A last summer and could make his debut in Boston as early as this summer. If he does, it’ll likely be as a reliever. But Hernandez projects as a starter long term, his electric arsenal featuring a high-90s fastball and three secondary pitches. He’s averaged 10.1 strikeouts per nine innings over his six professional seasons.

Yankees: Thairo Estrada
Although he’s blocked in the short term by Gio Urshela, the uncertainty regarding Miguel Andjuar’s injured right shoulder could create an opportunity for Estrada, the Yankees’ No. 19 prospect. Estrada overcame almost unfathomable adversity to reach the Majors earlier this month, more than a year after he was shot in a botched robbery attempt in his native Venezuela. The incident derailed his 2018 season, but before that, Estrada challenged for the Double-A Eastern League batting title and impressed the Yankees with his versatility.

“You saw the stuff that makes you think he’s going to play in the big leagues for a long time,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said last week. “Live bat, got some pop in his bat, the ability to play multiple positions, runs a little better than I even anticipated. Obviously with the [injury] situation, we're getting him here a little quicker, but this is a kid who has a chance to play in the big leagues for a while.”