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Previous Rankings: 20172016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007

With all 30 team lists completely done, it doesn’t take much doing to figure out the general contours of our Top 101 prospect list. The higher the OFP/Likely, the higher a player will rank on the list below. Still, there is a lot of room for discussion within the confines of those groupings, and that’s before getting into whether someone agrees that those groupings are accurate. If you want to have that discussion, head to Jeffrey’s chat and ask a question or three (not about Wander Javier, we beg of you).

We had those discussions (arguments, really) and more, as a team throughout the offseason—it’s not like we’ve had Transaction Analyses to write—and this list reflects the product of those debates. Each team member might be higher or lower on an individual player—Jeffrey reports there are at least 11 rankings he regrets at present—than the list indicates, but the rankings reflect the looks and opinions of the team, as collected and revised over the course of an entire season. We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed putting it together.

If you can’t get enough prospects, Jeffrey Paternostro, Jarrett Seidler, and I discussed the list on a podcast, and there’s the comment section below if you have any more questions. —Craig Goldstein

Chat with Jeffrey Paternostro about the Top 101 (12:00 PM ET) | Read the list with full commentary in Baseball Prospectus 2018

  1. Ronald Acuna, OF, Atlanta Braves
  2. Victor Robles, OF, Washington Nationals
  3. Gleyber Torres, SS, New York Yankees
  4. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 3B, Toronto Blue Jays
  5. Francisco Mejia, C, Cleveland Indians
  6. Eloy Jimenez, OF, Chicago White Sox
  7. Nick Senzel, 3B, Cincinnati Reds
  8. Alex Reyes, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals
  9. Fernando Tatis, Jr., SS, San Diego Padres
  10. Forrest Whitley, RHP, Houston Astros
  11. Brent Honeywell, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays
  12. Brendan Rodgers, SS, Colorado Rockies
  13. Sixto Sanchez, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies
  14. J.P. Crawford, SS, Philadelphia Phillies
  15. Willy Adames, SS, Tampa Bay Rays
  16. Mitch Keller, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates
  17. Michael Kopech, RHP, Chicago White Sox
  18. Lewis Brinson, CF, Miami Marlins
  19. Bo Bichette, SS, Toronto Blue Jays
  20. Kyle Tucker, OF, Houston Astros
  21. Walker Buehler, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
  22. Juan Soto, RF, Washington Nationals
  23. Brendan McKay, LHP/1B, Tampa Bay Rays
  24. Kolby Allard, LHP, Atlanta Braves
  25. Alex Verdugo, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
  26. Estevan Florial, OF, New York Yankees
  27. Royce Lewis, SS, Minnesota Twins
  28. Leody Taveras, CF, Texas Rangers
  29. MacKenzie Gore, LHP, San Diego Padres
  30. A.J. Puk, LHP, Oakland Athletics
  31. Scott Kingery, 2B, Philadelphia Phillies
  32. Keston Hiura, 2B, Milwaukee Brewers
  33. Mike Soroka, RHP, Atlanta Braves
  34. Austin Meadows, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates
  35. Nick Gordon, SS, Minnesota Twins
  36. Jorge Alfaro, C, Philadelphia Phillies
  37. Triston McKenzie, RHP, Cleveland Indians
  38. Jordon Adell, OF, Los Angeles Angels
  39. Hunter Greene, RHP, Cincinnati Reds
  40. Alec Hansen, RHP, Chicago White Sox
  41. Yadier Alvarez, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
  42. Kyle Wright, RHP, Atlanta Braves
  43. Willie Calhoun, DH, Texas Rangers
  44. Carson Kelly, C, St. Louis Cardinals
  45. Joey Wentz, LHP, Atlanta Braves
  46. Adonis Medina, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies
  47. Dylan Cease, RHP, Chicago White Sox
  48. Cal Quantrill, RHP, San Diego Padres
  49. Monte Harrison, OF, Miami Marlins
  50. Adrian Morejon, LHP, San Diego Padres
  51. Chance Adams, RHP, New York Yankees
  52. Michel Baez, RHP, San Diego Padres
  53. Franklin Perez, RHP, Detroit Tigers
  54. Keibert Ruiz, C, Los Angeles Dodgers
  55. Luis Robert, OF, Chicago White Sox
  56. Magneuris Sierra, CF, Miami Marlins
  57. Justus Sheffield, LHP, New York Yankees
  58. Anthony Alford, OF, Toronto Blue Jays
  59. Taylor Trammell, OF, Cincinnati Reds
  60. Jesus Sanchez, OF, Tampa Bay Rays
  61. Heliot Ramos, OF, San Francisco Giants
  62. Luiz Gohara, LHP, Atlanta Braves
  63. Franklin Barreto, SS, Oakland Athletics
  64. Jahmai Jones, OF, Los Angeles Angels
  65. Ryan Mountcastle, 3B, Baltimore Orioles
  66. Ian Anderson, RHP, Atlanta Braves
  67. Jack Flaherty, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals
  68. Franklyn Kilome, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies
  69. Dustin May, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
  70. Sandy Alcantara, RHP, Miami Marlins
  71. Carter Kieboom, SS, Washington Nationals
  72. Austin Hays, OF, Baltimore Orioles
  73. Yusniel Diaz, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
  74. Luis Urias, MI, San Diego Padres
  75. Seuly Matias, OF, Kansas City Royals
  76. Seth Romero, LHP, Washington Nationals
  77. Riley Pint, RHP, Colorado Rockies
  78. Jay Groome, LHP, Boston Red Sox
  79. Jorge Mateo, 2B/SS/OF, Oakland Athletics
  80. Corbin Burnes, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers
  81. Brett Phillips, OF, Milwaukee Brewers
  82. Andres Gimenez, SS, New York Mets
  83. Jon Duplantier, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks
  84. Jake Burger, 3B, Chicago White Sox
  85. Isan Diaz, 2B, Miami Marlins
  86. Mitch White, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
  87. Erick Fedde, RHP, Washington Nationals
  88. Jesus Luzardo, LHP, Oakland Athletics
  89. Dane Dunning, RHP, Chicago White Sox
  90. Blake Rutherford, OF, Chicago White Sox
  91. Jesse Winker, OF, Cincinnati Reds
  92. Arquimedez Gamboa, SS, Philadelphia Phillies
  93. Beau Burrows, RHP, Detroit Tigers
  94. Ronald Guzman, 1B, Texas Rangers
  95. Adbert Alzolay, RHP, Chicago Cubs
  96. Shane Baz, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates
  97. Fernando Romero, RHP, Minnesota Twins
  98. Dustin Fowler, OF, Oakland Athletics
  99. Ryan McMahon, INF, Colorado Rockies
  100. Albert Abreu, RHP, New York Yankees
  101. Mike Matuella, RHP, Texas Rangers

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David Lyon
2/05
Your list seems heavily slanted towards the 2018 season as opposed to long-, or even mid-, term value. Can you give us an idea of the mix you used of short-term value versus long-term potential? Thanks.
Craig Goldstein
2/05
That wasn't a particular point that was brought up much throughout discussions. In a lot of cases proximity to the majors makes a prospect less risky, and that factor gets baked into our evaluations, certainly. But there wasn't any emphasis put on guys closer to the majors or short-term value. If anything I'd hazard that much of our team is predisposed to pure talent over safety, and thus the short-term value plays carry less weight.
Lawrence Bestwick
2/05
No Michael Chavis? Can you explain?
Dustin Richards
2/05
Because Arquimedez Gamboa is clearly the better prospect
Jeffrey Paternostro
2/05
Chavis was in the 90s of various drafts, but he's a divisive prospect within the team. Ultimately there were enough hit tool and positional questions to bump him off.
Dustin Richards
2/05
Nice, glad the list is coming out earlier!

List looks good and then you see Dustin May, Seuly Matias and Arquimedez Gamboa and then it's ...wtf lol? Those guys haven't gotten a sniff from the other major rankings. I realize not every prospect ranking list will be the same though. Thanks.
Craig Goldstein
2/05
Consensus with other lists is not our goal. These are the prospects we think are the best in baseball based on our looks over the course of the season and feedback from the industry.
hcaeb2000
2/07
I agree that shouldn't be the goal. One of the reasons BP's list is my favorite over others is this very reason. They've given me guys like Lewis Brinson and Raimel Tapia and plenty of others that didn't sniff other lists, far before they started showing up on those lists.
Lukas Vlahos
2/05
Pretty nice ranking for Gingergaard.
Julio Ramos
2/05
How far off the list did Corey Ray drop?
Jeffrey Paternostro
2/05
I think the initial list of players for consideration was a little under 200. I don't believe Ray made it, or if he did, he was an early cut.
Benjamin Chase
2/05
Excellent job as always, guys! Glad to get a read on it for sure. I know the 101 is often a guy meant for discussion purposes, but personal eyes on Matuella have been very up and down this year. What led to him being your 101? Thanks again!!
Jeffrey Paternostro
2/05
I don't think I have a better explanation than his Annual comment:

"101. Mike Matuella, RHP, Texas Rangers

Many years ago Kevin Goldstein made this a Top 101 rather than a Top 100. Since then, the 101st spot has often been used to highlight a prospect who while perhaps not strictly the 101st best prospect in baseball, is of particular interest to the authors of the list. I can’t really sustain an argument that Matuella is better than all but exactly 100 prospects in baseball. The truth is he is either a much better prospect or a much worst prospect than that. He has enough health red flags to distract every bull in Pamplona—a Tommy John surgery, a rough Tommy John recovery, recurrent back issues. He’s already 23 and has thrown 78 professional innings, none above A-ball. Matuella was also a candidate to go first overall in 2015, and when he’s taken the ball he’s shown top-of-the-rotation stuff—a mid-90s fastball, potential plus change and average curve. He’s as risky a prospect as there is in the game, but you don’t get into this line of work if you are shy about throwing a marker down. Matuella is ours."
Benjamin Chase
2/05
Well stated! I've always looked forward to the 101st prospect for exactly that reason. Thanks again for the list and discussion!
anthony budden
2/05
Clint Frazier just exhausted prospect eligibility with his 134 ABs last year. Where would he rank on this list if he was eligible?
Craig Goldstein
2/05
In the chat, Jeff hazarded a guess in the Brinson, Tucker, Soto range
Mac Guyver
2/05
I like that you released the podcast to accompany these rankings.
alansfreeman@gmail.com
2/05
Where's Shohei Ohtani? He's good at baseball
Craig Goldstein
2/05
We discuss this in the Angels list, but for a variety of reasons, we don't consider Ohtani a prospect. The league he's been in for multiple season's main purpose is not development, and he's not going to spend time in the minors unless he's rehabbing an injury. These are, of course, arbitrary factors, as is a player with 131 at-bats not being a prospect while a player with 129 at-bats is a prospect. You draw the line somewhere, and we drew it here.
Mike Juntunen
2/05
Jumps out to me a huge difference here for Dodgers prospects. Olney only has 4 in the top 100 as I think does BA. BP has 7 Dodgers, 7 Phillies, 7 Braves and 8 White Sox. That's an impressive company.
Craig Goldstein
2/05
We tend not to comment on other lists, but ours are absolutely driven by our live looks. We have Wilson Karaman and others out on the west coast, who are able to get multiple looks at this guys, and Wilson knows his stuff, so we listen when he talks (except about Dan Vogelbach).
Ross Fortner
2/05
Wow..just how far off the top 101 have Maitan and Moniak slipped? Were they even close?
Jarrett Seidler
2/05
Maitan was pretty contentious internally, as we talked about on two separate lists, and I guess he came up but he wasn't in serious consideration when it ultimately came down to it. Moniak was not close at all.
Ryan Fay
2/05
How much of a debate was there on Austin Hays? He's been all over the place on various lists - a couple had him in the mid-20s, another had him about where he was here, and another had him around 90. Did anyone at BP argue to put him in the 20s on this list?
Craig Goldstein
2/05
We had some who were higher on Hays, but no one pushing him into the 20s. It's a profile that's tough because there's not necessarily a carrying tool. At the same time, that means there's a broad base of skills to draw from, and if the power or hit plays higher than we anticipate, the profile could jump as a whole.
nelson cobb
2/05
Mags Sierra. Can you tell me what y'all like so much about him to put him up there in the 50's?? Do you see a lot more growth with his offensive development going forward??
Craig Goldstein
2/05
That's probably mostly my fault, as I argued pretty hard in his favor at multiple points. I think there's less of a case for him now than when we locked the list in late December. My case was built on the chance for an impact defender in center, who could hit for average and provide value on the basepaths. With Brinson (and Harrison) on board, it doesn't look like there's an avenue for Sierra in center in Miami, and he's going to struggle to hit enough for a left fielder, even if you like the bat.
Charles Stevens
2/06
How close did Colin Moran come to making the list? A different reputable website that just released their prospect list had him at #53. Thanks!
Craig Goldstein
2/06
He wasn't significantly discussed for it. We had him 9th in our Astros system, and they didn't get as much of their system onto our list as say, Atlanta, so. If you buy into the swing change more fully, or just appreciate the floor involved, you might like him more than we do.
Jesse Meehl
2/11
When will Dynasty 101 be released?
olatan
2/25
is there any way to get this in an excel spreadsheet... I am in some AL and NL only leagues that give each team three minor leaguers, and I like to use the Excel spreadsheet to sort who is and isn't available in each of those leagues.
Craig Goldstein
2/25
Hey Olatan, there's no specific way other than copying and pasting the list into an excel sheet.
Daniel Driesen
3/09
In years past you have done a Fantasy Prospects list, which I have found very useful. Is that going to happen this year?
Craig Goldstein
3/09
https://www.baseballprospectus.com/fantasy/
Daniel Driesen
3/12
Thanks! Have no idea how I missed that.
Pete Rauch
4/04
Estimate of where Honeywell ranks (if anywhere) post-TJS?