20 MLB prospects who could soon make their debuts

After being selected number one overall in last year's draft, righty Paul Skenes' introduction to professional baseball was a bit unkind. In five outings last summer, he pitched to a 5.40 ERA, a far cry from the dominant numbers he consistently put up at LSU. This season has been a much different story, though. In his first six outings in Triple-A, Skenes has been dealing. He's allowed just one earned run in 23 innings while striking out 41 hitters and allowing just a .171 batting average against. The 21-year-old is expected to become the Pirates long-term ace sooner rather than later, and a promotion to the Major League roster later this summer is inevitable. 

Skenes' college teammate, outfielder Dylan Crews, went right behind him in last year's draft, and he too appears to have future star written all over him. A career .380 hitter at LSU, Crews acclimated himself well to the professional level in '23, slashing .292/.377/.467 with 14 extra-base hits and 29 RBI in 35 games. This year, he's gotten off to a bit of a slow start with the Nationals Double-A affiliate in Harrisburg, but the sample size has been very small, and Crews is too good of a hitter for that to continue. Washington's Major League team is off to a better-than-expected start, and regardless of whether or not that continues as we get deeper into 2024, you have to believe at some point, the club will look to get their talented young players to the big leagues. 

Sticking with the Nationals, Crews isn't the only outfielder with an incredibly high ceiling in the D.C. system. Big left-handed slugger James Wood was part of the return the Nationals brought back in the blockbuster deal that sent Juan Soto to San Diego a couple of summers ago, and he's wasted little time bubbling to the top of the club's minor league system. In his first 21 games in Triple-A here in 2024, Wood has slashed .330/.435/.495 with a pair of homers and nine doubles. It shouldn't be long before he and Crews play alongside one another in the Nationals' Major League outfield. 

While you can't earn a playoff spot in April, you can essentially eliminate yourself from contention, which is basically what the Chicago White Sox have done during the season's opening month. Heading into May, Chicago owns the worst record in the American League by a longshot, and it certainly looks like it will be a long summer on the south side of Chicago. And thus, sooner rather than later, the team will undoubtedly begin promoting some of its best and most big league-ready minor leaguers to give them opportunities at the sport's highest level. Which leads me to shortstop Colson Montgomery. The 22-year-old was the White Sox' first-round pick in 2021, and he's now ascended to the top of the organization's prospect rankings. In 209 career minor league contests, he owns a solid .273/.400/.430 slash line, and he's somebody who should certainly get a look in Chicago before long. 

Speaking of players taken high in the 2021 draft, let's talk about Detroit righty Jackson Jobe. The Tigers made the Irving, TX native the 3rd overall selection in his draft class, and three years into his professional career, he's developed into one of the game's most promising minor league arms. In 16 starts last year, Jobe delivered a 2.81 ERA, and in 2024, he's picked up right where he left off, firing to a 2.63 ERA with a .143 batting average against through his first four outings. Detroit is one of the more exciting young teams in the American League, and later this summer Jobe should come up and join the club's promising core. 

Southpaw Ricky Tiedemann entered the 2024 season as the Blue Jays' best pitching prospect, and a strong showing in spring training certainly put him on the radar for big league promotion. The beginning of his Triple-A campaign, however, has not exactly gone to plan. Tiedemann struggled during his first three outings of the year, and he's currently on the injured list with inflammation in his ulnar nerve. That said, the talent and stuff is evident when watching Tiedemann pitch, and provided he returns to the mound shortly and can find his footing in Buffalo, it feels likely the Jays will look to bring him north of the border. 

The Orioles are absolutely loaded with young talent and have quickly become the envy of the rest of baseball. Baltimore already has a plethora of young core contributors at the Major League level, and in short order, they should add another. Right-handed swinging corner infielder Coby Mayo enjoyed a monster 2023 season split between Double-A and Triple-A, and he's been lighting the world on fire early in '24. In his first 27 games, Mayo is slashing .324/.387/.631 with eight homers, 22 RBI, and six doubles. He is quite literally forcing Baltimore's hand and he could find himself calling Camden Yards home very shortly. 

The Cubs selected University of Oklahoma righty Cade Horton with the 7th overall pick two years ago, and the 22-year-old has fast-tracked his way through the club's system since then. After a terrific 2023 minor league season, Horton has had a lights-out beginning to '24. In four outings with Double-A Tennessee, he allowed only two earned runs in 16.1 innings while issuing only two walks and striking out 18 hitters. He was promoted to Triple-A Iowa earlier this week, and with injuries ravishing the Cubs Major League rotation, I'm not surprised that Horton will get a big league opportunity shortly. 

The Mets have historically been a pitching-rich organization, and the next young Queens arm you should be paying attention to is right-hander Christian Scott. The University of Florida alum dazzled across three minor league levels in 2023, and through the first month of 2024 has been one of the best starting pitchers in Triple-A. In 25.1 innings, Scott has already struck out 36 hitters, while holding the opposition to a .136 batting average and delivering an absurd 0.71 WHIP. The Mets big league rotation has been up and down to say the least as they dramatically miss ace Kodai Senga. Scott, who is already considered a big piece of the team's future, could become part of its present very soon. 

Back in spring training, it felt likely that the Cleveland Guardians would bring Kyle Manzardo north to serve as the club's starting first baseman while Josh Naylor would be the team's primary DH. That's not the way it shook out, however, as Naylor has predominately played first base, while former Yankee Estevan Florial has gotten most of the DH opportunities. The formula worked, as Cleveland was off to an excellent start, but the decision was disappointing to Manzardo. But to his credit, he hasn't let it affect his production. In his first 25 games with the Guardians Triple-A affiliate, the 23-year-old has slashed .304/.382/.609 with seven homers, seven doubles, and 18 RBI. He's deserving of a promotion, and one should come shortly. 

The Tigers took infielder Jace Jung 12th overall coming out of Texas Tech two years ago, hoping that he could soon develop into the type of impact Major League regular his older brother has become in Texas. And if his minor league track record is any indication, he very well could. Last season, Jung blasted 28 homers to go along with 27 doubles and 82 RBI in 128 contests, and in 2024 he's again flashed his extra-base prowess with the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens. Detroit is an exciting young team, and it shouldn't be long before Jung is up and joining the team's core. 

The Athletics are an organization with a plethora of problems--both on the field and off of it--and morale on the Oakland side of the Bay Area is understandably low. The franchise's impending relocation has been a continuous cloud hanging over everything the club does, and it has actually taken attention away from what has surprisingly been a decent start to the season. That said, the A's are clearly overmatched on paper by most teams they play, and they've gotten next to nothing from Nick Allen who is currently playing shortstop everyday. This leads me to Jacob Wilson, Oakland's first-round pick from last year. The 22-year-old is currently slashing--and no, this is not a typo--.409/.429/.667 with three homers, 15 RBI, and eight doubles for the club's Double-A affiliate in Midland. Through April, Wilson had only played in 43 minor league games, so this might not come until later in the summer, but there really is no reason the A's should not give him a look at some point in 2024. 

Southpaw Carson Whisenhunt rapidly ascended prospect rankings last summer, when in 16 starts across three minor league levels he delivered a dominant 2.45 ERA with a 1.02 WHIP. The 23-year-old's breakout season seemed to position him for an early 2024 promotion to San Francisco, but the first month of the year has not been kind to him. In his first six starts in Triple-A, Whisenhunt has pitched to a gaudy 6.52 ERA while walking 13 hitters in only 19.1 innings. The Giants will clearly wait until he proves he can handle Triple-A hitters, but Whisenhunt's talent and pedigree are undeniable, and you'd have to believe he'll pitch his way to the big leagues at some point in 2024. 

The New York Yankees selected mammoth left-handed slugger Spencer Jones with their first-round pick in 2022, with an eye towards the Vanderbilt product soon making his way to the Bronx and joining fellow giant Aaron Judge in the team's outfield. In a little more than 150 minor league games, Jones appears to be making good on that vision. Heading into May, he owns a lifetime .283/.353/.465 slash line with 22 homers, 86 RBI, 38 doubles, and 58 stolen bases. He's currently playing for the Bombers Double-A affiliate in Somerset, but as this season moves along, look for his name to be mentioned as a potential big-league option. 

After literally years of speculation regarding his availability via trade, the White Sox finally pulled the trigger on a deal sending their ace, right-hander Dylan Cease, to San Diego this past March. The headliner they brought back from the Padres was righty Drew Thorpe, whom Chicago hopes will one day ascend to where Cease was, atop the club's starting rotation. So far, the first impression Thorpe is making with his new organization is raising eyebrows. In his first five starts in 2024, he's pitched to a microscopic 1.20 ERA with a 0.87 WHIP, while holding opponents to a .184 batting average and striking out 28 hitters in 30 innings. As of May 1st, Thorpe has only 10 Double-A outings on his resume, so it stands to reason the White Sox will let him continue at that level for now. But if he continues to pitch well, look for him to jump to Triple-A and potentially even the big leagues later this summer. 

Former Florida Gator Hurston Waldrep was selected 24th overall by the Braves in last year's draft, and Atlanta is expecting the hard-throwing righty to come quick. He made eight starts across four different minor league levels after being drafted last summer, and dominated, pitching to a 1.53 ERA in 29.1 innings. The beginning of 2024 has been less kind to Waldrep, as he's currently sporting a 5.68 ERA through his first four outings. Don't expect that to continue. Waldrep is an immensely talented young hurler, and I fully believe he'll be pitching from the Truist Park mound at some point here in 2024. 

Infielder Thomas Saggese was originally drafted by the Rangers back in 2020, and he landed with the Cardinals organization last summer in the deal that sent veteran southpaw Jordan Montgomery to Texas. That deal could soon look like a coup for St. Louis. In 139 total minor league games in 2023, Saggese slashed .306/.374/.530 with 26 home runs, 111 RBI, and 34 doubles. He's off to a little bit of a slow start here in 2024 but that's done little to diminish his stock. The Cardinals have struggled during this season's first month, and if they don't get themselves righted soon, look for the team to try to shoehorn Saggese onto the Major League roster. 

Longmont, CO native Sterlin Thompson was selected by the Rockies in the first round of the 2022 draft coming out of the University of Florida, and for nearly two years now he's been steadily climbing through Colorado's system. As of May 1st, Thompson had played in 138 career professional games, in which he slashed .289/.364/.463 with 55 extra-base hits, 73 RBI, and 21 stolen bases. The Rockies are currently in the midst of yet another trying campaign, and they certainly profile as a team that will soon look to give some of their young players big-league opportunities. Thompson definitely fits that bill, and his positional versatility should make finding a spot for him to play easy. 

The trade the Mets made with the Rangers last July was much more unique than most deadline deals. New York sent accomplished veteran righty Max Scherzer to Texas, but in an effort to bring back a better return, the Mets also paid off all of Scherzer's salary for the remainder of 2023 and all of 2024. That financial decision is the reason they were able to net heralded prospect Luisangel Acuna. In Double-A last season, the 22-year-old slashed .294/.359/.410 with nine homers, 63 RBI, 28 doubles, and an eye-popping 57 stolen bases. He began this season at Triple-A Syracuse where the Mets would like to see him get more consistent at a higher level. Provided he can do that, don't be surprised to see him joining his brother, Ronald Acuna Jr., in the competitive NL East sooner rather than later. 

Dominican Republic-born infielder Orelvis Martinez is currently the highest-ranked position player in the Blue Jays' minor league system, and for good reason. Last season the 22-year-old slashed .243/.340/.496 with 28 home runs, 94 RBI, and 25 doubles across two different minor league levels, establishing himself as an impact bat in both places. He began 2024 back at Triple-A Buffalo, where as of May 1st he was hitting .310 with eight home runs already. Martinez can play multiple different positions on the infield, and while Toronto does not need to rush him, he may well force their hand before long.